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reco
Transporter Driver
49 Posts
joined 17 Apr 12
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 Posted - 16 Jun 2012 : 22:15:56
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Who is the Guy,has he raced any thing before,seems like a rookie,and whos ute was it.Sponsors dissapointment.
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CP
Safety Car Pilot
Australia
4255 Posts
joined 22 Jan 09
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Posted - 16 Jun 2012 : 22:36:40
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| He is the son of 1987 Bathurst Winner Peter McLeod, and it used to be George Elliots ute. |
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Verge
Formula Ford Driver
281 Posts
joined 15 Oct 10
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Posted - 17 Jun 2012 : 08:58:00
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| He posted 11 in race one, sure race 2 wasn't good but he still beat Swanson. If you want to talk about a disappointment she's it. Hasn't qualified any better than bottom 3 in 3 meets and only comes in around 25 because people have DNF's. At least Gerard is knocking on the top 10 |
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reco
Transporter Driver
49 Posts
joined 17 Apr 12
offline |
Posted - 17 Jun 2012 : 18:39:46
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| Who preps his ute,looking at previos results has had a lot of DNFs.Does the mining company own the licence and he only drivers for them,or does George rent it out. |
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cupstar
Transporter Driver
Australia
96 Posts
joined 15 Jun 10
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baxr6
Transporter Driver
46 Posts
joined 02 Aug 06
offline |
Posted - 20 Jun 2012 : 22:11:20
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quote:
Originally posted by cupstar
Gerard has raced in alot of different categories Formula Ford, SuperKarts, Production Cars, Commodore Cup etc and is NO stranger in the Australian Motorsport scene.
He has had a difficult start to the year but no more than any other Rookie. He will come good. He hasn't shown his true colours yet
The sponsorship deal was only last minute also
December last year isn't really last minute. |
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dp
Pit Crew
Australia
116 Posts
joined 11 Oct 11
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Posted - 21 Jun 2012 : 15:12:27
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quote:
Originally posted by reco
Who preps his ute,looking at previos results has had a lot of DNFs.Does the mining company own the licence and he only drivers for them,or does George rent it out.
Its not as easy as it looks out there guys. Chris won the championship in 2011 and had 2 DNF at clipsal and ended up midpack by end of weekend so it can happen to anyone. Gerard is a pretty nice bloke and a genuine racer.
As far as Hayley goes I think thats a little harsh. She is young and learning and as a female in the category would put a lot of pressure on herself. I know when we tested her last year she improved a lot between the morning session and the afternoon session after getting so time with our engineer as well as chris coaching her. She will be a surprise packet with a bit more experience under her belt |
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NinnyMan
V8 Champion
1089 Posts
joined 13 Dec 07
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Posted - 22 Aug 2012 : 22:52:17
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I agree, the sponsorship deal was far from last minute...infact the whole deal was far from last minute.
Gerard at the beginning wasn't use to the "rough" and "grind" approach of V8Ute racing so it's taken
time for him to find his feet. Having such large breaks between meetings also hasn't helped get him that
experience. Before he got too "old", he wanted to atleast have 1 full season competing in a series.
So for 2012 the V8 Utes was his target. Landing Macmahon's was a fantastic, considering the competition
trying to land them. As far as I know, they are more than happy with the season thus far.
To be 18th out of 49 (only 4 Wilcard entries behind him) is a bloody
great effort, so here's hoping Gerard has a 2nd season in the series
to build upon the experience he has gained.
Gerard preps the ute himself in his workshop. |
Edited by - NinnyMan on 22 Aug 2012 22:56:54 |
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reco
Transporter Driver
49 Posts
joined 17 Apr 12
offline |
Posted - 15 Oct 2012 : 21:17:17
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| WTF.with the amount of cars you say he has driven Cupstar, he never finishes a race always spins out or gets in someones way the sponser must be seriously thinking what a bad call,he needs to sell the ute and go back to basics,needs to get someone else to work on the ute,or get some serious assistance,should call Chris Pither to show him the workings of a C/dore ute, and how it should be driven. |
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Verge
Formula Ford Driver
281 Posts
joined 15 Oct 10
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Posted - 16 Oct 2012 : 07:26:13
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Bit full of yourself there Reco. Unless you are going to be a front runner (Seiders, Fisher, Ryal, Pretty) that get natural TV time due to being up the front, you need to be mid pack among the bump and grind in order to get the TV time.
Unless you are a championship contender, not finishing a race isnt a big deal to a sponsor. Its about TV time, how he deals with the public, how he represents the brand as an ambassador and how he treats the sponsors themselves.
There has been plenty of back markers that have had full time support for years.
Grant Johnson who I rate as the best the ute series has had couldnt even land a sponsor and we are talking top 5 contender and two time champion.
I think Gerard is getting a fair bit of unnecessary critism.
Cam McConville who still gets enduro drives and former V8 supercar full time driver with Walkenshaw behind him is coming a lowly 10th in the championship and 190 points behind Harris. A man of his pedigree is back there for christs sakes. What does that tell you about how tough the championship is.
He qualified 13th at Bathurst, have a look at the names behind him;
Gary Baxter
Benn Wilson
Jeremy Gray
Sean Carter
Ben Kavich
Ben Dunn
Tony Longhurst
Kim Jane
Jake McNally
Danny Buzadzic
Phonsy Mullan
Steve Charman
Peter Burnitt
Peter Ward
Warren Millett
James Urquhart
Amber Anderson
Todd Zani
Hayley Swanson
Layton Barker
Peter Robb
Noel Edge |
Edited by - Verge on 16 Oct 2012 07:33:00 |
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reco
Transporter Driver
49 Posts
joined 17 Apr 12
offline |
Posted - 16 Oct 2012 : 10:01:59
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| Im only stating the obvious,look at his strike rate he spins out on his own and makes silly rookie mistakes,has he actualy finished a race yet, you say he is doing a stella job at the back of the feild.If ones full of ones self,its plain to see you dont follow the series and lack knowledge of the ute cat.Just my two bobs worth. |
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Verge
Formula Ford Driver
281 Posts
joined 15 Oct 10
offline |
Posted - 16 Oct 2012 : 10:59:41
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He is 17th in the championship, so its pretty obvious he is finishing races.
Im not saying he is stellar, but he is far from the disaster you claim. I am very intimate with the ute category and have seen him interact with the public. There is more to representing a sponsor than finishing first.
As Darren would attest to when driving for the sponsors, its more about the show than the actual go.
There is more to driving for sponsors than putting a sticker on the door and finishing first.
If you can qualify 13th at Bathurst you can obviously drive, but the craft of the utes is a very obviously difficult one to master, and it is only his first year in a ute.
Go and have a look at the Auto One wildcard, accomplished drivers and their standings. I think only one top ten finish.
Symmons Plains - 17th, Greg Crick - 20th. Both Ryan Hansford, Jake McNally and Ben Dunn behind him.
Darwin - 18th, Tim Blanchard - 19th, with Yanis and Kavich, Swanson behind him
Bathurst - 24th even after that horror run, only 10 points behind a seasoned professional like Gary Baxter (who was the unfortunate victim in that turn around).
Its obvious you have a chip on your shoulder about the guy. Take another rookie in Swanson who entered the series one round after him and has yet to post a better round result than him.
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reco
Transporter Driver
49 Posts
joined 17 Apr 12
offline |
Posted - 16 Oct 2012 : 21:40:31
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| All about the show&go you say thats ok maybe he is better at pr than pointing the thing in the right direction,who did you say you were intermate with,and you say you interact with who.Putting stickers on doors and finishing last dont apease the sponsors.i dont know the guy you tell me he is an acomplished driver,maybe so but just some dumd arse moves like taking out a fellow competitor.Rookie mistakes for some one with the amount experience you say he has.Swansen and co only their to boost the cat to have some females on board for marketing reasons like Amber cannot drive out of sight in a dark night.No chip just stating the obvious,power of observation,Put Chris in the ute and stick to marketing,would ensure of keeping the sponsors.Verge keep a handle on it. |
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Verge
Formula Ford Driver
281 Posts
joined 15 Oct 10
offline |
Posted - 17 Oct 2012 : 08:25:50
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Its obvious he isnt finishing last as he is 17th in the championship.
What dumb arse moves have upset you in particular, because it was Gray who turned him at Bathurst leaving Chucky no where to go.
Take a look at last years series to prove even the best make stupid mistakes. Grant Johnson cost IBR thousands when the ass of his ute flicked out at Hidden Valley with ripping Seiders ripping the front off Chris' ute and then again at the chase at Bathurst going in too deep under brakes punting Chris again, although Johnson did redress that but it was still two incidents.
Take a look at Fishers overtake on Macca on race two at Bathurst.
So whats the difference between accomplished drivers making errors in judgement, blokes who have steered these things for years and have been sitting at the top of the table, and someone like Gerard who is in his first year trying to drive what is one of the hardest vehicles in motorsport?
You obviously have little understanding about what it is sponsors actually want and are looking for. Its not about marketing, so why could the best driver the series had drove for two years without one. How can another series champion and top 5 contender in Ellsegood not land one as well for the season. Because different sponsors with different contacts with different markets are all looking for different things.
You are kidding yourself if you think its just about putting the ute in first place. |
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reco
Transporter Driver
49 Posts
joined 17 Apr 12
offline |
Posted - 20 Oct 2012 : 21:33:55
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Verge what happened to ute #50 did he finish the first race.or did he take himself out.it must be the ute and not the nut behind the wheel. |
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Verge
Formula Ford Driver
281 Posts
joined 15 Oct 10
offline |
Posted - 29 Oct 2012 : 09:33:20
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I didnt happen to see the incident in race one, but I would hardly call the Gold Coast as a case in point for any example considering the carnage that is a given there.
There is also a truck load of accomplished drivers who have got in the Auto One Wildcard and only two this year have got a top 10, and both of those are ex ute drivers.
There is a truckload of back markers who have full sponsors, and plenty of front ones without.
Grant Johnson is the biggest example of that, and and Dave Seiders is this years example, as is Ryal Harris. Both are stuggling to get the funds this year.
So remind me again why he should put Chris in the ute and he just stick to marketing? BTW, Chris gave up his seat this year to pursue a V8 Supercar career. If he wanted a full gig in the ute he would have one. No one made him do the Chris Pither Scholarship.
Last time I checked his sponsors are happy, he is doing the hard yards off the track to keep them so. Good luck to him. He is far from the worst first year rookie we have seen, and he does his own prep as well, which is a mamonth task in itself. And to top is all off, the poor bastard has had to do it in a holden, a vehicle that has taken 5 rounds before the technical director figured out the fords on the parity test days had a ride height very different to race day. |
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Jerard Mcleod
