Following Chevrolet Racing and GM Specialty Vehicles’ February announcement to enter a Silverado ZR2 into the Finke Off-road Race driven by Craig Lowndes and navigator Dale Moscatt, comes the first episode in a behind-the-scenes documentary.
The Tatts Finke Desert Race is June 7-10, with teams racing from Alice Springs to the settlement of Aputula (Finke) and back.
‘The Road to Finke – Episode 1′ drops Tuesday, May 14, 12 pm (AEST), detailing and taking viewers behind the scenes into the past 18 months of work to get the Silverado Off-Road Racer ready for Australia’s most challenging desert race.
Click here to watch the premiere.
“This is Chevrolet Racing’s first foray into the world of Off-Road Racing and builds on other motorsport categories we compete in, including Supercars and Drag Racing,” Chevrolet Racing Australia and New Zealand general manager Chris Payne says.
“It’s a natural fit for a vehicle such as the Chevrolet Silverado ZR2, which is already an accomplished all-terrain performer in its own right, as this provides an opportunity to showcase all-round capability and demonstrate multi-purpose off road prowess.”
The Off-Road Racer concept was built by a group of GM employee volunteers at the company’s Port Melbourne workshop. It was taken to the next level with the involvement of Chevrolet Racing and competition partner Rampex, who will support the race effort at Finke.
Preparations included the exchange of learnings with the GM Motorsports Division in the USA and tapping into the knowledge of Hall Racing, especially related to suspension development.
From small beginnings, the project has grown into a fully-fledged team which has come together to take on the Tatts Finke Desert Race.
“Extensive testing has proven this off-road racer is no slouch, but at the same time we’re under no illusions that this race is one of the toughest in the world and is going to be a real challenge for team and machine,” said Payne.
