17th April 2014

WINTERBOTTOM SHARES KNOWLEDGE AHEAD OF NATIONALS

Mark Winterbottom with co-driver Steve Richards after winning the 2013 Bathurst 1000

As a ten-time Australian Karting Champion, and reigning Bathurst 1000 Champion, Mark Winterbottom knows a thing or two about being successful in major motorsport events.

On the eve of the 52nd Australian National Sprint Kart Championships in Newcastle, Winterbottom has shared his knowledge for those aspiring for success this weekend.

It was at the 2001 event in Newcastle where Winterbottom claimed the penultimate title of his illustrious karting career.

Winterbottom had been signed by the Ford Motor Company as their ‘Rising Star’ through the Ford KartStars program and as such was juggling commitments in the Victorian Formula Ford Championship and top-level karting. Despite this, he still managed to prove superior on his way to victory in the Clubman Light class.

“Newcastle was one of my home tracks early in my career but after it was extended, I only raced there once or twice before the Nationals,” said Winterbottom.

“My win in 2001 was one of my most memorable wins – it was my last at the Nationals.  The two that really stand out are that one and in 1996 when it was my first one as a Senior in Clubman Light.

“I qualified on pole by about three tenths of a second, then the track changed a lot through the weekend.  I lost a bit of speed and struggled in the heat races before starting the final in third.

“I passed Barclay Holden and then Brendan May for the lead and never looked back.  I ended up winning by about five seconds.

“My wife’s younger brother Anthony won Junior National Light at that event as well.  Renee and I had just started going out, so to have her brother win as well was pretty cool.”

Winterbottom on his way to victory in the most recent V8 Supercar race at Winton

Winterbottom warned competitors to not overthink their kart set-up across the weekend and focus on the big prize.

“The track changes a lot in Newcastle and you’ve always got to stay focused and positive,” said Winterbottom.

“In 2001, qualifying was incredible but then the weekend was tough.   The best advice I can give to anyone is not to drop their bottom lip and work harder.  You may struggle in one heat, but you just need to tune it as the Newcastle track is very temperamental.   With a lot of categories laying down different rubber it becomes even more of a challenge.

“You should never give up, the most important thing is that you get it right for the race that matters and just use the rest of the weekend setting yourself up foe that one.

While many competitors these days believe the requirement to spend many test days at the circuit prior to major events, Winterbottom believes the extra testing creates extra pressure.

“I never went to a track and spent days on end practicing before the Nationals.  We’d rock up on Thursday, do our three sessions to get an idea of where we sat and go from there,” said Winterbottom.

“We didn’t go there a week before, it created more pressure and a lot of the time those guys would end up confusing themselves because the track conditions were so different come race day.”

While Winterbottom agreed that outright speed is important, he says that good racecraft is the key factor to success.

“I’d always try and get to the front in and not look behind.  A lot of guys will sit in second and wait for the leader to make a mistake,” said Winterbottom.

“I won a few Nationals not by being the quickest kart but being aggressive and leading from the front rather than sitting in second waiting for the opportunity to come my way.

“When you’re in front, drivers shouldn’t do the old ‘swivel neck’ to see what’s going on behind them either.  They need to simply concentrate on every lap, hit every apex and not make a mistake.  The guy behind you has got it tougher because he’s got to pass you.”

Practice for the event begins today and will continue tomorrow morning ahead of qualifying tomorrow afternoon. The racing will continue on Saturday with the Championship finals to be decided on Sunday.

The Newcastle Kart Racing Club is located at 5 Cameron Park Drive, Cameron Park.

Admission is free for Spectators.