It’s been an enormous year for Chris Pither, yet the lure of Bathurst remains a glowing beacon for the well-loved New Zealander.
This year, Pither approaches the Mountain with renewed confidence. Major sponsor Coca-Cola adorn his Supercar and a growing familiarity with his surrounds at the burgeoning Team Sydney provide him with a sense of assurance.
“It’s been a whirlwind year”, said the 33-year old.
“Our deal with Coca-Cola and Team Sydney were all secured with days to spare before the opening round. Then of course the shift in calendar due to COVID-19 and more recently the birth of our daughter has certainly kept me on my toes!
“Our lead up as a team has been busy and the crew have put a lot of effort in. After being on the road for a long time there was a lot of servicing to be done to get the cars and pit equipment in shape for Bathurst. It’s been a while since we have required fuel rigs and undertaken brake changes which will be important on Sunday.”
Pither has also attracted a series of new local sponsors, with hometown support from the Macedon Ranges in Victoria; including Josh's Eggs, The Broker Team and Kyneton Plumbing & Building Supplies.
“I’m pleased to have some local business jump on board for this weekend. I’m grateful to have their support, hopefully we can bring home some positive results,” said Pither.
Despite a string of excellent results in recent years, the Kiwi often flies under the radar.
“My focus and target is always the same and that is to aim for PB’s (personal bests). In saying that, my previous best result at Bathurst is 4th place in 2017 so that means I’m aiming for a podium! You have to aim high right?!,” joked the Kiwi.
“In general, it’s a long race and so many things contribute to your result. We need to play the long game and be smart throughout the day to be in a position to fight for a strong result in the Coca-Cola #22 late in the race. I want to finish the season with a result everyone involved can be proud of.”
The proud new Father expects a few surprises given the demands placed on teams and crew. Early weather forecasts predict an 80% chance of rain, whilst an almost non-existent crowd will undoubtedly change the atmosphere of at the iconic circuit.
“The weather is looking grim for the race weekend with heavy rain forecast for race day. Rain always mixes things up and creates an interesting race, so I’m not phased by the prospect of rain,” admits Chris.
“There are so many variables in 2020 that will open the chances of teams having a successful event. It will be weird without a huge crowd – the atmosphere will be unusual. That only means the TV viewership will be massive, so I’m hoping I can bring home a strong result for my sponsors and all the guys at Team Sydney that have been working their backsides off all year!”.
The Virgin Australia Supercars will hit the track for practice 1 on Thursday 15th October, with practice sessions continuing into Friday and Saturday, before a Top Ten Shootout late Saturday afternoon, which will set the grid ahead of the great race.
The Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 will kick off at 11:30am local time and will be broadcast on Channel 10, Kayo and FoxSports. Check your TV Guide for local times - https://www.supercars.com/tv-schedule/
