Shakedown scheduled

but it should be called a splashdown with all this rain we've been having.

At the start of the year we had five new FG Falcons built for us and other race teams. Craig got the first and I got the second.

With any new race car you are allowed to do a shakedown test of 20 laps.

That just means a systems check, not a performance test, so unless the track is totally under water, we should be going ahead.

We don't have to do the shakedown, but it's highly advised to sort out any issues, warm everything up and check it all works, and that it's safe and balanced.

In fact, it's probably better that it's raining so they can test things like the heated windscreen.

Then the cars go straight on the truck to leave on Sunday for Melbourne and the ferry across to Tassie.

It's been a massive break since the last round in Winton and I've been filling in my time renovating my house down the coast.

In fact, it's taken up all my spare time but I will get a bit of a fun break next week when the team blows off some steam at Morgan Park circuit in Warwick on our bikes.

Most of our team are bike nuts, including our boss Roland (Dane) who has a great collection of motorcycles.

It won't be super-serious and I'll make sure I keep the rubber side down on my trusty KTM this time. I had a slight "off" the last time we had a team track day at Queensland Raceway.

Speaking of motorcycles, I believe we were hoping to get Troy Bayliss in a race car this week for a test.

However, being the current World Superbike champion, he still has commitments to Ducati — even though he's retired — so he's currently in Europe.

Obviously it's going to be a big transition for him, but bikes and cars both have a throttle, brake and tyres and there's still the same concept of trying to get the most out of your machine and tyres.

I think it is probably slightly easier for a bike guy to go to a car than for a race car driver to go to bike racing.

Troy loves his cars and is really keen on a V8 trial. It's a thing that motorsport guys have common — if it has an engine, we love it.

I also have to say, I love street circuits and I'm really excited about the new rounds in the streets of Townsville in July and Homebush (Sydney) in December - what a great finale to the season that will be.

I'm really pleased for our far north Queensland fans who've been deprived of motorsport for a long time. I hope we can race in Townsville for many years to come.

I always say we should have a good mix of permanent tracks and street circuits.

This is the best motorsport championship in Australia so we have a huge responsibility to keep permanent circuits alive for things like driver training, road safety courses and track days.

It's important that people who don't have an opportunity to race can still enjoy their cars in a safe environment rather than racing on the roads.