Invercargill's Scott O'Donnell (left) and Dunedin's Allan
Dippie are part of a three-man team competing in the
Bathurst 12-hour race tomorrow. Photo by Catherine
Pattison.
Allan Dippie is fast acquiring enviable entries in his
race logbook of most desirable tracks in the world.
Tomorrow, after a half-day stint chipping away at
Australia's most revered asphalt mountain, he will be able to
add Bathurst to the list, racing in what he believes will be
the only all-New Zealand team.
Joined by South Island endurance series runner-up Scott
O'Donnell, of Invercargill, and New Zealand V8 ute contender
Bob Grove (Auckland), Dunedin driver Dippie is competing in
the fourth annual Bathurst 12-hour race at Mount Panorama.
Dippie and O'Donnell are no strangers to long stretches of
seat time.
In 2008, they were part of a four-man team to conquer the
24-hour marathon race at Germany's Nurburgring.
Aucklander David Taylor, of Motorsport Services, ran the team
for them there and is lending his expertise - and BMW 130i -
again in Australia.
Taylor specialises in taking teams to off-shore events and he
takes care of the car preparation, transport and all other
logistics.
"There's a mile of paperwork to race in Australia," Dippie
said.
Walking the track on Wednesday in "very hot" conditions, he
was thankful the team had decided to run cool-suits under
their race overalls, as he believed the heat would be a "big
factor".
Nothing could dampen his enthusiasm for making his debut at
Bathurst and first impressions did not disappoint.
"You watch it all your life on TV and then you get an
opportunity to race it.
"It's very steep and twisty - frighteningly fast.
"This is an amazing place."
The 45 entries include V8 Supercar drivers Jason Bargwanna,
Glenn Seton and Cameron McConville, as well as Leanne Tander,
wife of 2007 Australian V8 series champion Garth Tander.
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