Garry Holt's Eastern Creek International Karting Team secured victory under safety car conditions to claim the 2010 Bathurst 12 Hr Endurance Race.

The Lamborghini Gallardo safety car was enjoying unusually high super-car mileage all day thanks to the dramas that unfolded in the last 6 hours of the race.
 
12:30pm marked the halfway point of the race and also a spectacular turn of events as a massive tree managed to collapse on the track at the top of Conrod straight. Laughter and expressions of "whoa" could be heard all the way down pit lane as teams gathered around the television screen in shock.
 
As the emergency crew started getting to work on removing the tree, it became immediately apparent that the tree and deployment of the safety car handed Glen Seton an opportunity to get back into the lead lap and therefore into contention.
 
With the race resuming after an hour of delay, the Pro-Duct garage were all fixated on the Natsoft Lap monitor, crossing their fingers as Seton started to shave 5 seconds per lap off the leader.  There was a moment of magic when the lap monitor refreshed and showed that Seton was inside the lead lap, a loud applause erupted in the garage. A new focus and energy gripped the team. 
 
Then moments later, further drama unfolded when the Subaru Impreza STI driven by Dean Herridge collided into the back of the Globe/Westrac Evo X.
 
"That 2 minute lead is now gone!” enthused one of the mechanics.
 
The safety car was once again deployed, turning a misfortune for the teams involved into a lucky break for Pro-Duct
 
Despite the high level of energy in the garage now, Pro Duct race manager, Terry Thompson, did not seem to exuberate the same level of excitement as he peered over his glasses at the lap monitor showing Seton's scorching laptimes. Rather, he flicked out a calculator from his trench coat pocket and started to formulate a strategy based on lap times and fuel loads. I peered over his shoulder to try to get a glimpse of what he was jotting down on his notebook.
 
Amongst all the scribbles and numbers on the page, I could see the word "11 laps" and a big circle drawn around it. With the numerous variables involved in motor racing such fuel load, lap times and positioning, it was determined that 11 laps was perfect time to execute a driver change. Neil Crompton gets the nod and starts suiting up.
 
                                                                                                              
 
The Evo X roars into pit lane. Seton jumps out and helps Crompton into the car. Fuel is loaded up whilst one of the engineers connects a laptop to collect data off the carbon fibre passenger door jam. Within less than 60 seconds, the Evo X crackles back down the pit straight to rejoin the race. The crew congratulates Seton as he whips off his helmet and sweat drenched balaclava. If the amount of sweat is any measure of the intensity of a sport, motor sports would definitely be up there.
 
Crompton is driving well and consistently for the team, however he is not matching the blistering pace set by Seton.
Then drama strikes.
 
The Evo X spins on the circuit and is required to pit. Paranoia sets in as the reliability issues that plagued the team's first car could once again strike the team's last remaining hope. A broken wastegate actuator is identified as the culprit and the pit crew frantically work to get the problem resolved. The car is back on track but it is now 2 laps off the pace. As is very common in motor sports, all the earlier fortunate run of events and skillful driving by Seton was lost.
 
The team remained positive, as a podium finish was still achievable. The plan was to catch the Wilson Brothers WRX and as you would have it, the WRX pulled into the pit garage next door.
 
"The bonnet is UP, the bonnet is UP!" A Pro-Duct mechanic is jumping up and down alerting the pit crew that the WRX is having problems. Terry capitalises on the opportunity and organises for a driver change to close out the remaining 2 hours of racing.
 
                                                                                                            
 
Seton hops back into the car for the final stint. The driver change is flawless as Crompton is welcomed back into the garage. He appeared fatigued and required help taking his helmet off. The terrible weather and track conditions out on the mountain looked like it had taken its toll on the racecar driver, weary and sweaty he explains:
 
"Conditions were tough on the car, I was guessing where to brake, guessing where to turn"
 
At about this point I decided to head up the mountain to see the conditions for myself. Visibility was indeed very poor. I quickly headed back down to catch the remainder of the race. Seton was currently running 4th behind Cameron McConville's V8 station wagon and gaining 4 seconds per lap on him.
 
Terry mutters to himself: "We'll catch him". Hope becomes reality as Seton manages to pass McConville on the 181st lap to be in podium contention with an hour left of the race to go. Seton is on fire and is pulling away from McConville by a second per lap sector. The pit crew were all glued to the lap monitor screen and I found myself unexpectedly thrilled by a screen of only numbers!  
 
                                                                                                               
 
With 7 minutes to go, Jeremy Gray's Ford FPV crashes out, giving the lucky driver of the Gallardo safety car another excuse to lap the mountain. The race officials announced the race would be finishing under the safety car with Garry Holt's BMW335i, 1st; Alan East's Evo IX, 2nd; and Bob Pearson's Evo X, 3rd.
 
Despite all the mechanical problems, Bob Pearson's Pro-Duct team claimed a podium finish. The team huddled together in the garage to congratulate each other on a job well done. I felt that the podium was a bittersweet victory for the team. They had qualified 2nd and 3rd and managed to set cracking pace during the race. They showed that the speed was definitely there, the only issue was that mechanical reliability that needed to be worked on. A 1-2 finish for the team was within reach and I feel the team knew that as well. I'm confident that 2011 will be the year for Pro-Duct
 
 
Timothy Luc