HRT Announce Enduro Line Up

[RaceTime]

HOLDEN RACING TEAM ANNOUNCES ENDURANCE DRIVERS

Longhurst and Mezera Join the "Red" Squad

Media Release: Wednesday May 30th, 2001

The Holden Racing Team today revealed that former Bathurst winners Tony Longhurst and Tomas Mezera have joined the team to contest the two endurance events later this year, the Queensland 500 and Bathurst 1000.

The pair won the 1000k-event at Bathurst in 1988 driving a Ford Sierra but HRT is yet to confirm whether Longhurst and Mezera will drive together in the two races later this year.

"That depends on the state of the Shell Series Championship at that point." HRT General Manager Jeff Grech said this week. "If both Mark (Skaife) and Jason (Bright) are close to or still leading the Series, we will consider all our options at that time.

"The main thing for us is we have two very experienced and quick drivers at our disposal who can either compliment Mark and Jason or team together and still be very competitive. The V8 Supercar category is experiencing tremendous growth and popularity and with such strong fields, it makes finding available talent for the endurance events quite difficult.

"With Tony and Tomas, we have two drivers who have won at Bathurst, are currently in the category, Tony almost won at Mount Panorama last year and Tomas was part of HRT up until 1996 so is well used to the Team and its people." Grech pointed out.

Longhurst seemed set to win last year's FAI 1000 until contact with another car on lap 151 sidelined his Stone Brothers Falcon. "Benched" by Ford at the conclusion of last season, Tony has competed this year's Shell Series in the Rod Nash Racing-prepared Holden Commodore and is looking forward to stepping up to the Factory Commodore.

"I'm very, very excited and looking forward to the opportunity." Tony said this week. "It's great to be going to Bathurst with the Holden Racing Team, regarded as the best Team in the country right now. I don't think I could ever say I've gone to that event saying I'm driving with the 'best team' before.

Holden has made me feel very welcome since the start of the year; the
atmosphere is very different and very positive. There's lot's of positives with driving for HRT. I've had a good association with Skaifey for a long time and of course I'll be in the same Team as Tomas with whom I won Bathurst in 1988. We don't know if we'll drive together as yet but, it's good to be back together again." Said Longhurst.

For Tomas Mezera, it's a return home in many ways, after driving with HRT from the early '90's until 1996.

"It's good to be back" Tomas said of this week's announcement, "particularly at this stage of my career. While things have changed at HRT from a marketing, technical and results point of view, lots of the same people are still there which is good as I feel part of the place.

"For me personally, the last couple of years have been difficult ones but now I have the opportunity to do well. HRT has been the leading team for the last 4 years and the equipment is the best. You know that when you hop in, you can push yourself and the car and if you don't make a mistake, you have a very good chance of being up the front." Mezera said.

Both Longhurst and Mezera had hoped to have their first run in the HRT VX Commodores earlier this week but the test day at Melbourne's Calder Park Raceway was rained out. Both drivers will have plenty of opportunities to dial themselves into the Series leading cars prior to the Queensland 500 on August 26th.

For further information or interviews, please contact:


Paul Weissel
Holden Racing Team
Phone: 03 9544 0322
Fax: 03 9562 9921
Mob: 0418 588 801

[Buckshot]

Go Tommy go !

I felt so sorry for Mezera in 1998 I think it was when his brand new VT Commodore died up in the cutting on the very first lap and had to sit there until the first safety car period.

Had a soft spot for the poor guy since. Will be good to see him get his hands on some quality equipment.

[Ray Bell]

Both have long been some kind of favourites of mine, Tomas for his determination, and Tony has shown a lot of that over the years... first with the BMWs up against the V8s, then persevering on the strong learning curve he's had to endure.

Hope they drive together and win the race.

[racer69]

HRT obviously don't want anyone to beat there lead driver's ( Plato, Muller last year ) , funny if tony and tomas beat them.

[Crash Test]

Tomas is a good pick- a safe consistant driver, who knows what the pressure at HRT can be like (remember all those Bathurst's that he drove with Brock? And remember how all the pressure was on Tomas because it was thought he would blow Brock's chance at winning 10?).

Tony will firmly have his finger pulled out....he certainly has something big to prove...

[DAVID PATERSON]

I'm stoked because I picked Tony in Ingall's dreamdrive.tv competition.

[nz_tourer]

good news as I like Tony and Tomas
bad news as the rumour I heard that Simon Wills may join HRT for the enduros is not true, oh well

[DAVID PATERSON]

What chance Wills for HYL for the enduros? I'm sure there are quite a few V8 teams chasing him.

[Crash Test]

There is still the seat with Romano, and the two seats at KMart, one of which Rick Kelly is a cert for...

What do you think?

[DNQ]

OK, I'm a big Ford fan, but I wouldn't mind to see either of these fellas win bathurst. Tony Longhurst certainly deserves it after last year.

[Bob]

i think it's great that HRT gave Tomas a go as for Tony i guess he's alright

[nz_tourer]

does anyone know if the rumour of Wills testing with SBR is true?
geez, all these rumours

[Buckshot]

There is a bit of a write up in todays Auto Action about Matthew WHITE not Simon Wills testing for SBR...could this be the rumour you've heard ?

[philneast]

while Ford goes for youth Holden goes for "Yesterday's Heroes " in the pair that won in 1988, in a Ford at that.

[Crash Test]

Saying that, HRT are much better off this year going for yesterday's heros when compared to last year when they went with nobody's heros

[marcus]

yipeee...Tomas is back in the hot seat ..now ya gonna see some drivin..HRT have treated 2 of my favorite drivers like dirt over the past 5 years or so (Mazera and Lowndes) and now it is good to see Tomas getting the chance to get back to where he belongs...remember if it wasnt for him there would be noe HRT (so I guess you either love him or hate him ..ehhh Moff )

as for longhurst ..last chance perhaps..allthough he has been doing Ok in rod nash's car so he should do pretty well..the 1988 winning combo at bathurst and a rather good one too...good luck guys

[nz_tourer]

Originally posted by Buckshot
There is a bit of a write up in todays Auto Action about Matthew WHITE not Simon Wills testing for SBR...could this be the rumour you've heard ?

I heard about Matthew White testing with them but also heard somewhere that they had already tested Wills, am probably wrong though

[Buckshot]

Simon Wills has just been signed to CAT RAcing for the enduros according to the V8X Website.

http://www.sportal.com.au/v8x.asp?i=news&id=12521