WHEN Bathurst’s Michael Anderson begins his class title defence in the Australian V8 Touring Car series this weekend, he won’t just have some talented rivals to combat.
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Anderson will also need to deal with the fickle weather conditions that are a trademark of racing at the Phillip Island circuit.
At the moment the forecast is for sun, light wind and a slight chance of showers over Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but experience has told the reigning Kuhmo Cup champion that conditions could vary greatly from predictions.
“The problem with Phillip Island is that the weather is so unpredictable. It rains then the sun is out – it’s one of those places where you think ‘What are we going to pack? Shirts, jumpers, umbrellas -everything.’,” Anderson said.
“The problem with it is, even if it is wet, it dries that quick with the wind down there. If you go out on your wets [tyres] and it’s only damp you still need to be on your wets, but if there starts to be a dry line – because it dries out so fast – then you wear your wets out in a couple of laps. Either way it’s a big gamble.
“The biggest thing is that you try to go there with a bit of a set up, we try and get our car set up before we leave Bathurst. But Phillip Island, it’s not like when we go to Ipswich or even Winton or Eastern Creek – there the rain, the wind, everything changes so quickly that the set up you go there with, nine times out of 10 you’re going to change it.
“You just hope you’re on the right stuff to start with … we unlocked a fair bit last time we were there and won the last race there last year, so we think we’ve got a fairly good package.”
As Anderson indicated, last year he managed to claim a chequered flag at the track. It came in the final race of the series’ fourth round as his team finally got the set up of their ex FPR Falcon right.
It is something he hopes to replicate this weekend and take a step towards another class win.
“A few years ago, as good as a circuit as it is, we just couldn’t get our balance set up right,” Anderson said.
“But yes, I love the track, because the last time I was there, we won the last race I actually raced there and won the round. So I was pretty happy last time I was there.
“There are a lot of new guys coming into the series this year, a lot of fast guys and good equipment coming into it as well, so it should be a good year.”
Talented Dubbo teenager Tyler Everingham will also compete in the series opener for MW Motorsport.
He is coming off a big year in 2017, where he raced in the Australian Formula 4 Championship and won his class in the Australian Production Car series.
Practice for the season opening round start on Friday.
