HIS Bathurst V8 Utes round may not have begun on a bright note, but a mechanical issue in practice did nothing to hurt the confidence of Ryal Harris.
The RGS Racing driver arrived at Mount Panorama trailing series leader Kim Jane by just six points – a margin he is confident will soon disappear.
Given his record at Bathurst, he has reason to be confident as well.
Harris won his maiden round of the series at Bathurst in 2011, and since then has continued to pick up Mount Panorama podiums.
Last year he took out the Bathurst round and he is hopeful of replicating that effort this weekend.
Though he did not get to complete a single lap in his Ford Falcon in opening practice, Harris was still confident of impressing in the opening six-lap race of the round on Friday.
It is a race in which Jane will carry a weight handicap as series leader.
”It was just a gear shifter, the leaver where it goes into the gear box. It was nothing major,” he said of the practice incident.
“I know my way around here so I am not too worried, but you just get pissed off because you miss out on driving around Bathurst.
“You want to do every lap you can around this joint, that’s how good it is. I love the joint, the car’s good, the team’s good, it’s just one of those things that happen.
“We are only six points off him, so we’ll be right. It’s probably good I didn’t get the extra 10 kilos, you’ve got to carry the ballast weight if you lead the championship.”
Friday’s race begins at 4.45pm.
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