Top of the table in the Australian V8 Ute Racing Series, Yarramundi’s Dave Sieders is hoping to go one better this year and take out the championship.
Holding an 87-point lead from Holden driver Nathan Pretty, and with two rounds to go, he’s expecting to have a fight on his hands at the Gold Coast 600 from October 21-23.
“It’s a very tight course with very narrow walls that are close and keep the heat in. It will be a very tough challenge,” the 32-year-old said.
Like Sieders, Pretty has placed second or third in the championship, but never won the title.
“He will be hard to beat,” Sieders said.
Going into the Gold Coast race, Sieders said he would be focused on taking the points when he could, but not taking too many risks, instead being happy with a second or third placing.
At Bathurst on October 6-9, he took home two thirds and a second, but took a few risks in the process.
“At Bathurst I was charging hard and passing people,” the former Winmalee High School student said.
“I nearly came off and it nearly ended up in tears.”
Racing a Holden Commodore ute, Sieders made the switch two years ago from his FG Ford. “It’s definitely a different beast. It’s different in the front end and different in the rear end,” he said.
And defying his critics, the versatile driver also took part in the inaugural Toyota 86 series this year, and holds second place in the series, which has one round to run at Homebush in December.
Doing double duties at the Mt Panorama Circuit on October 6-9, he pulled off two thirds and a second in the Toyota.
“Getting on the podium at any time is always a great result. To do it in every session in both categories is even better, but to do it all at Bathurst just tops it off,” Sieders said.