Co-drivers key to Gold Coast round

But instead of our normal co-drivers we have internationals. I would love to be driving with Warren Luff who was my co-driver at Sandown and Bathurst where he didn’t put a wheel wrong.

He drove within his and the car’s limits at all times and has the same feel for the car as I do. It would be great to have Luffy at Surfers Paradise, but now the focus is on getting my co-driver Richard Lyons up to speed as quickly as we can.

The main thrust is for him to bring the car home in one piece. This place is lethal if you put a wheel wrong. It will cut you up and spit you out with those concrete barriers just ready to slice and dice a wayward car.

Going into Surfers Paradise, Jamie and I are the ones with momentum in the championship. I may be 160-odd points adrift but so long as I still have four wheels and a steering wheel I’ll push ahead and give it my all.

With Frosty just a handful of points behind me I would not discount him, especially on the streets of Surfers Paradise where he won last year, but I think it’s game over for Will Davison. He is unfortunately heading in the wrong direction from a great start to the year and it’s going to be difficult for him to turn that around.

I know how hard it has been trying to close down the deficit since Tasmania so I think he has a very slim chance of getting back into contention with only five rounds to go. That’s got me thinking about the end of the season and the end of the Holden V Ford era.

With only five rounds to go that exclusive era of two brands will soon be over and that’s sad. I am looking forward to having the Nissans and Mercedes on the track with us in 2013 and Bathurst will definitely have a whole new flavour next season.

I don’t believe there will be another brand in the line-up by next year’s Bathurst as the teams have just about got themselves sorted out for 2013. But if they do, my tips would be Audi and BMW. It would certainly enhance and strengthen our category.