Sandown: Tony D'Alberto preview

D'ALBERTO SET TO SIZZLE AT SANDOWN

Tony D'Alberto has his first 'local race' of the year this weekend when the V8 Supercars hit Sandown Raceway for Round 5 of the Championship.

On three previous occasions Tony has raced a V8 at Sandown, all as co-driver in the famous Sandown 500 endurance race.

This year things have changed, the endurance race has shifted to Phillip Island later in the year, and Sandown is now a sprint round with three races over the weekend.

Being the Queen's Birthday long weekend the racing will occur on Sunday and Monday in what is just the second time this long-weekend format has been run.

After a solid test day at Winton last week, where both Tony and newly-signed endure driver Jason Bargwanna completed plenty of laps, the Rod Nash Racing team is ready to fire at Sandown.

"It was good to get a comparison with Jason," Tony said.

"We are similar body size and our lap times were pretty close also; we will be able to push each other along between now and the enduro's."

Jason will get to drive the car in one practice session at Sandown, giving him valuable miles in the lead-up to Phillip Island and Bathurst.

Tony is looking forward to attacking Sandown in a sprint event and where he is the only driver in the car.

"It will be a bit different for me.

"In past races at Sandown when I pitted I would be getting out of the car for the other driver, now I get to stay in."

"Qualifying will be very important this weekend, it's going to be difficult to pass, so being up the front would be a huge advantage," he said.

Tony has qualifying and Race 1 on Sunday with Race 2 and 3 on Monday.

-credit: tonyd.com.au today