John McIntyre is off across the Tasman to race for Stone Brothers Racing again this month, joining the team with their Fujitsu Racing-backed V8 Supercar in the opening round of the Fujitsu V8 Supercars Series in Adelaide, South Australia.

The Fujitsu series competitors have two races on the support card for the main V8 Supercar category during the hugely popular Clipsal 500 event around the streets of Adelaide from 11 to 14 March, 2010.

“Adelaide is one of the best street races in Australasia and it’s a very tough circuit, so this is another fantastic opportunity from Stone Brothers Racing (SBR). I’m looking forward to it all enormously,” says the Nelson-based two-time New Zealand V8 champion who drove for SBR in last year’s Phillip Island and Bathurst endurance races.

This week ‘Johnny Mac’ has returned happy from a very productive test day in the #93 Fujitsu Racing BF Falcon at the Queensland Raceway, saying it’s the most comfortable he’s ever felt in a V8 Supercar.

“Our day of testing saw me complete around 40 laps in dry conditions in the SBR-built and run BF Falcon. This car was last raced by Shane van Gisbergen in 2008 and has been updated with the latest sequential gearbox and specifications.

“We worked through a comprehensive programme, testing set-ups, and Shane came along to do a handful of laps for reference with the car’s set-up. We were running almost identical times in the cars, so that was very positive. With Shane’s current pace and success in the V8 Supercar Championship, it’s great to be on the same pace as he is,” says McIntyre from his home in Nelson where he’s preparing to fly back across the Tasman on Wednesday 10 March.

In future Fujitsu series rounds, the #93 car will be driven by SBR’s most recent Fujitsu Series signing 16-year-old Scott McLaughlin, but as he hasn’t yet got the right racing licence, Ross and Jimmy Stone asked McIntyre to drive.

“Once again, I’m hugely appreciative of the confidence Ross and Jimmy show by offering me this opportunity. They wanted to race the car in Adelaide in the Fujitsu Racing colours, so we’ll get the car out there for the sponsor and the team. It also gives me an awesome opportunity to drive on one of the best, most challenging street circuits in Australasia.”

McLaughlin is making a giant leap from kart racing to V8 Supercars when he gets into the car at the second Fujitsu Series round at Ipswich, Queensland, making him the youngest ever V8 Supercar driver when he starts his first race. McLaughlin also works fulltime as an apprentice fabricator in the SBR workshop and the car’s number 93 references McLaughlin’s year of birth, 1993.

Johnny Mac’s schedule in Adelaide is:

Thursday, 11 March
9:30am – 30 min practice

13:50pm – 30 min practice

Friday, 12 March
8:30am – drivers’ briefing

12:50pm – 30 min qualifying

18:20pm - Race 1, 24 laps

Sunday, 14 March
10:00am – Race 2, 24 laps or 1 lap after 10:43am, whichever comes first

Media: Kate Gordon