Photo: HSV

Dumbrell to run Autobarn at HSV

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In an announcement today, Autobarn have joined forces with the HSV Dealer Team in a new arrangement for 2008, with Paul Dumbrell to drive the number 16 car.

This agreement will result in the HSV Dealer Team staffing and servicing the car, with Dumbrell driving in Autobarn livery for the fourteen rounds of the 2008 V8 Supercar season.

The car was unveiled today at Winton Raceway in Northern Victoria, where a number of teams took to the track for the first time in 2008 as part of a V8 Supercar corporate rides day program.

“Having jumped behind the wheel for the first time this morning, I’m already very impressed with the set-up and the professionalism of the team,” Paul Dumbrell said. “With the V8 Supercar series now so competitive the advantage of being involved with Walkinshaw Racing played a large part in joining the HSV Dealer Team for 2008.

“You just have to look at how well those four cars went last year,” he said.

“All of them finished in the top 10, which says a lot about the structure of the teams and personnel they have around them, as well as the top drivers they have involved.

“Naturally, I want to perform well this year and being part of a thoroughly prepared, professionally run outfit is a really important part of those plans.”
The HSV Dealer Team will run a ‘two car garage’ in 2008, with Autobarn being the naming rights sponsor of the car Dumbrell will drive.

According to Autobarn’s Vince Montagnese – General Manager of Advertising, the V8 Supercars provides the company with important exposure.

“Autobarn has had a great association with V8 Supercars in the past few years and is looking forward to working with the HSV Dealer Team and V8 Supercar driver Paul Dumbrell for the 2008 season,” he said.

Dumbrell will be joined for the endurance events at Phillip Island and Bathurst by rising star Marcus Zukanovic, a previous CAMS Motorsport Personality of the Year. Zukanovic will again compete in the V8 Supercar Fujitsu Series in 2008 after finishing tenth in 2007.

“We’re going to get together in the next few weeks to talk about the endurance events,” Dumbrell said. “He’s a great driver and I am looking forward to working with him later in the year.”