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AUS Utes: Series Sydney pre-event news

Japanese driver joins V8 Ute Field for Sydney Japanese star driver, Ryo Orime will join the field of the 2010 Yokohama V8 Ute Racing Series - protected by Armor All for the final round of the Series at the Sydney Telstra 500 this weekend (3 - 5 ...

Japanese driver joins V8 Ute Field for Sydney

Japanese star driver, Ryo Orime will join the field of the 2010 Yokohama V8 Ute Racing Series - protected by Armor All for the final round of the Series at the Sydney Telstra 500 this weekend (3 - 5 December).

Mr Orime is the first Japanese driver to steer a V8 Ute and also the first of his countrymen to drive in a support category to the V8 Supercars.

He had his first taste of a V8 Ute earlier today (Monday, 29 November) at the Holden Performance Driving Centre on the Gold Coast in Scott Jennings' Samboy Racing Ute, which will be driven by motorsport larrikin Randy Corners on the weekend.

Mr Orime will step behind the wheel of Scott Jennings' second car, which was raced by Brendon Tucker at the Armor All Gold Coast 600 last month.

The car is currently in Sydney being prepared by Hi-tech motorsport and Mr Orime will test it later in the week at Eastern Creek Raceway.

Today was the first time Mr Orime has driven a V8 Ute and said he can really tell the difference between the Ute and his normal race car a Super GT RX-7.

"The Ute is very interesting to drive; it's totally different from a GT car. There is no down-force and no grip. The feeling of breaking is very different. I had less than one day to learn to drive the car but I've picked it up very quickly," he said.

Mr Orime's aim is to drive a V8 Supercar and thought the V8 Utes would be a good stepping stone into the premier Australian racing series. His main sponsor for the weekend is the "SC Changi Circuit" which is being built next to the Singapore airport and said he would like nothing more than to drive a V8 Supercar on the track if the event makes it over there in 2012.

"I'm very excited to race in Sydney. I'm going to try not to be hamburgered (sandwiched) or pressured. Even though I like to eat hamburgers I'd prefer not to be hamburgered during a race. I'm a very good driver in Japan and had a few wins in Super GT and will make my best effort to get a good result," he said.

Although Mr Orime is the first Japanese national to drive a V8 Ute a few internationals have driven in the Australian Series in the past including Dutchman Alan Simonsen and New Zealanders Charlie O'Brien, Alan Letcher and Chris Pither to name a few.

From watching the Utes on Motors TV Euorpe the Brit's are now keen to start up their own V8 Ute Series. Who knows where it will end up next?

For now Sydney is the next location and Mr Orime will make history when he joins the 32 car field on Friday, 3rd December for practice session 1 at 9:55am and 2 and 3:10pm.

Qualifying will kick off at 8:30am on Saturday, 4th December followed by Race 1 which will be televised LIVE on Network Seven at 12:30pm.

The final day of theV8 Ute Racing Series for season 2010 will be on Sunday, 5th December with Race 2 at 9:05am and Race 3 which will close out the Series televised LIVE on Network Seven at 12:30pm.

-source: v8utes.com.au

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