KIWIS and GOLDCOASTERS

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From RaceNews

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MORRIS & RADISICH TEAM UP FOR SANDOWN & BATHURST V8 SUPERCAR ENDURANCE RACES

FRIDAY, AUGUST 12: Paul Morris and Paul Radisich, who drive Holden Commodores for different teams in the V8 Supercar Championship, will join forces in this year's endurance races at Sandown and Bathurst.

Morris drives a Sirromet Wines-sponsored Holden and Radisich a Team Kiwi Racing Commodore in the championship, which resumes with round eight at Sydney's Oran Park circuit this weekend.

Both teams are contesting the championship in VZ Commodores built by Gold Coast-based Paul Morris Motorsports as part of a technical partnership which began this year.

PMM and TKR announced today that Morris and Radisich would share driving duties in one car in both the Betta Electrical Sandown 500 in Melbourne on September 11, and the Super Cheap Auto 1000 at Bathurst on October 9.

They are expected to contest the endurance events in the Commodore that Morris has been racing in the championship, with Radisich's car being driven at Sandown and Bathurst by experienced New Zealand-born John Faulkner and Queensland-based Alan Gurr.

Both cars will feature the same revised black-based livery displaying sponsors and colours from the two teams, to be unveiled shortly before the Sandown race.

Morris and Radisich believe joining forces in one car will increase the chances of both teams sharing victory at Sandown and Bathurst.

To date Morris has made 12 starts at Bathurst with a best result of third in 1999 in a Holden Racing Team Commodore with Mark Skaife.

Radisich's most successful campaigns from 14 starts on the 6.2km Mount Panorama circuit were finishing second with Briton Jeff Allam in a Shell Ford Sierra in 1990, and second with Jason Bright in a Shell Ford Falcon in 2000.

"Both of us are keen to get our first win at Bathurst, and to do that you need two drivers who are racing throughout the championship," said Morris.

"Paul (Radisich) has being doing a fantastic job this year for Team Kiwi (Racing), so having the two of us together is a logical move. We have a competitive car so I couldn't be happier."

TKR owner David John said he supported the decision because it provided both teams with a potential race-winning combination and would maximise Radisich's chances of improving his championship points tally and current series position of 13th.

"This is an opportunity to put the two Pauls in one car so we can all focus on winning races, instead of just top 10 finishes," said John.

"Our aim with TKR this year is a top 10 finish in the championship, and we need the best possible results in the endurance races to do that."

"Sponsors from both teams will benefit from this decision – both the existing PMM and TKR Commodores will still be black and there will be plenty of Team Kiwi (Racing) and Sirromet branding on the two cars for the respective fans to relate to."

TKR entered the championship in 2000 and its best Bathurst result to date was finishing 11th two years later.

Radisich, a dual World Cup touring car champion, is enthusiastic about the endurance combination with Morris.

"The cars our teams are racing this year came out of the same workshop and are virtually identical, apart from some minor set-up preferences, so everything should fall into place relatively easily," said Radisich.

"There are always variables in endurances races, like pit-stops and so forth, but I think Paul (Morris) and I will be a strong driver pairing and we know everyone in both teams and how they work."

The Faulkner-Gurr entry will also be a joint PMM and TKR effort.

Faulkner, who grew up in Palmerston North and began his motorsport career in New Zealand racing karts, has made 18 starts at Bathurst with a best result of fifth in 1997 in a Commodore with Englishman Win Percy.

Gurr has raced at Bathurst the past three years in Commodores, and was Morris' team-mate in the two endurance races in 2004. He is employed on staff at PMM's headquarters at the Holden Performance Driving Centre and has been racing a Porsche in the Carrera Cup this year.

WEBSITES: http://www.paulmorris.com.au http://www.teamkiwiracing.co.nz