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MotorCulture
FITNESS FULLY TESTED AS YOUNG ROOKIES STEP UP IN 2013 SHANNONS SUPERCAR SHOWDOWN
Episode four of the Shannons Supercar Showdown on 7mate last Saturday featured an intriguing mix of horse power and human power, as some younger V8 rookies again top scored to increase the pressure on their older rivals.
The eight contestants pushed their strength and endurance to the limit in a gruelling series of fitness tests from which Team Davison emerged unbeaten with $500 Adrenalin gift vouchers awarded to each team member.
England’s Adrian Campfield (24) and V8 Ute racer Craig Dontas (33) also provided a contrast of youth and experience by top scoring for their respective teams in the driving challenge, while another young gun Macauley Jones (18) scored a crucial bonus point for achieving the highest speed.
The two teams, each comprising four rookies, are headed by Ford Performance Racing’s V8 Supercar drivers and team captains Mark Winterbottom and Will Davison. The eight contestants face more demanding challenges in coming weeks as they compete for the ultimate prize – a testing contract with FPR plus a drive in the Dunlop Series in a Shannons-sponsored V8 Supercar.
The first challenge saw Team Winterbottom and Team Davison face off in the Adrenalin Skills Challenge, comprising three demanding tests of the rookies’ physical strength, stamina and ability to work together as teams.
The three challenges required moving heavy vehicle tyres in a variety of ways including two relay events plus flat-dragging a 40 kg truck tyre across bitumen using tow ropes and body harnesses.
Muscle burn, fatigue and lapses in concentration surfaced as the exhausted rookies pushed themselves to breaking point, with Team Davison emerging unbeaten in an impressive display of fitness and teamwork.
Week four of the series also required the contestants to compete in the Start Line Challenge at Calder Park Raceway, behind the wheel of the V8-powered Shannons Fastrack Racing Challenge Car.
This was a drag race against the stopwatch on a classic 1/8th mile strip with a narrow and tricky chicane installed just before the finish line. The fastest driver from each team earned top points, with heavy penalties applying for hitting the marker cones.
The wet and slippery conditions were tailor-made for V8 Ute racer Craig Dontas who top scored for Team Winterbottom. UK open wheeler racer Adrian Campfield was the real surprise, with a fast and flawless run to score his first challenge win for Team Davison.
At the half-way mark, Tim Macrow now holds a slender one-point lead over Craig Dontas but growing confidence and top-scoring performances by their younger rivals in recent weeks has set the stage for a nail-biting second half of the series.
Watch Season 3 of Shannons Supercar Showdown: http://www.shannons.com.au/supercarshowdown/watch-the-show/this-season
Don’t miss the next episode of the multi-award winning Shannons Supercar Showdown next Saturday on 7mate (check local guides for times). Plus there’s the chance to WIN a Ford Falcon XR6 Ute valued at more than $42,000 including 12 months of Shannons comprehensive insurance. To enter this great competition, log onto: Shannonssupercarshowdown.com.au
