Besnard could join Steve Johnson in the #17 Falcon for the enduros
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6:00 AM Fri 4 March, 2011
Source: BigPond Sport
Endurance specialist David Besnard tested with Jim Beam Racing at Queensland Raceway yesterday, and is expected to join the team for this year’s Phillip Island and Bathurst endurance events.
Besnard completed a number of laps in Steve Johnson’s #17 Falcon, while former Fujitsu Series driver Grant Denyer also got some miles in the #18 Falcon of James Moffat.
Jim Beam Racing General Manager Glenn Turnor said that the team would finalise its endurance driver lineup before the Clipsal 500 in a fortnight’s time.
“We are still looking at a number of options, we have limited test days available to us before the endurance season so it was good to give David and Grant some laps in our cars today and for us to evaluate them as potential co-drivers,” Turnor told BigPond Sport.
“Steve and James also tested some developments and changes we’ve made to the cars since Abu Dhabi, and overall we’re very happy with the progress we’ve made.”
Denyer has raced in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series for the team before, driving a DJR-prepared Falcon in 2005, 2006 and 2009. Yesterday’s laps behind the wheel of car #18 were his first in a V8 Supercar since late-2009.
Besnard drove with Fujitsu Racing’s Lee Holdsworth in last year’s endurance events - finishing seventh in the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 - but he looks set to make a switch from the Garry Rogers Motorsport outfit.
“We are looking for someone with experience and maturity. David is a seasoned campaigner and he’d be a good fit with our team, especially with Steve,” said Turnor.
“Experience suggests he’s a very capable driver so naturally he is high on our list of endurance candidates.”
The Clipsal 500, event 2 of the 2011 V8 Supercar Championship Series, will be held at the Adelaide Parklands circuit on March 17 – 20.
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