Weather wasn’t part of strategy

They say it is going to be cold and wet all weekend.

We hadn’t planned for this weather.

Its 5 degrees here in Bathurst and we’ve just finished the walk around the track in cold, cold drizzle. All the team have their jackets and beanies on, trying to beat this cold while they work out some new strategies for qualifying and the race. We hadn’t figured on this. All our strategies have been for a dry race, so well have to develop some new strategies.

They say it is going to be cold and wet all weekend. I guess that’s just the way it goes, but at least it’s the same for everyone. Im pretty sure and I’m hoping that we will get some rain during the practice sessions so we can at least work things out and get the car settings right for the wet. It will then be a fairer and more exciting race if everyone has had a chance to prepare. If not, then the cars won’t handle too well and there will be some carnage and no one wcan’ts to see that.

One strategy we have sorted out that I can tell you about now is that the team has decided Craig (Lowndes) will qualify and start, and hopefully I can steer the ship home. I did the qualifying last year and he did it the previous years. Either way it seems to be a winning strategy. Craig’s done a great job all year and he knows this track like the back of his hand so he’ll do a good job again, I’m sure.

When I got on the plane on Monday it suddenly hit me that the rest of the year is full-blown motorsport right through to the decider at Homebush in December. It’s going to be full on with racing and all the off-track promo work as well. We’ve really hit the ground running this week with heaps of PR stuff, meeting the fans and signing autographs.

Its not a distraction from the race. I never get sick of it and Im particularly looking forward to the annual barbecue we put on at the top of the mountain for our fans on Friday after the qualifying session. Even our team boss, Roland Dane, will be there. Should be great fun.

Its all part of the hectic pace Ill have to get used to over the next few months. And Ive only made it more hectic for myself by accepting the race of Champions in Beijing in November.

Speaking of which, my teammate in that event is Mick Doohan and he’s here this weekend, so Ill be catching up with him to work out our strategies to beat the rest of the world. I hear Mick has backed me to win this weekend. That’s a good start on the teamsmanship.

However, I hear a few others think the odds are against us becoming the first crew in race history to win four straight Bathursts. Doesn’t worry me. Records are made to be broken.

I also hear Mark Larkham thinks we will be too distracted by the change next year to Holden, but we’ve built cars before for ourselves and other teams and it hasn’t distracted us. We are definitely focused on this event. It may be a one-off, but it counts for so much in the championships.

The track looks very similar to last year, but with some improved safety. Over the top theyve added some yellow lights so we get more warning of a crash and theyve made some changes to the surface and the off-track area around the Esses so we dont get rubble on the road.

There have been some safety issues in the past, but it just goes to show that they have listened and addressed it.