Bourkey ready to fire for season 2004/05:

By: Leigh Bourke Motorsport

Sydney Street Stock competitor Leigh Bourke has left no stone unturned heading into season 2004/05 and this Saturday night [October 30] at Parramatta City Raceway he will put it all into action. Despite missing the season opener, Bourke still maintains the confidence that he can challenge for the track championship title.

Originally from Victoria, 28-year-old Bourke last season contested his debut season in the Sydney Street Stocks, after a reasonable amount of success in numerous Sedan divisions throughout country Victoria. At the end of his debut season in Sydney, Bourke placed a credible 10^th overall in the track championship which was won by Shane Duggan, who Bourke considers as one of his mentors.

The plan for season 2004/05 is for Bourke to have a serious assault on the PCR track championship, and he remains quietly confident of challenging for it, despite the fact that he missed the opening show two weeks ago.

“I know I‘m starting a bit late, but in saying that I feel that I can play catch up and be a strong contender,” claimed Bourke.

Throughout the off season Bourke’s EF Falcon has undergone a number of modifications, which will hopefully bring him a reasonable amount of success. “The majority of the changes that I’ve made to my car are in the suspension area,” said Bourke. “Last season at PCR the car would always push in the corners, which saw me lose a lot of speed, I like to drive a car that tends to slide in the corners, that suits my driving style more.

“This season is going to be tough, there are a number of drivers out there in the field that can win on any given night, I believe that this season I have the car to match it with the front runners and I’ve never been more confident both physically and mentally then I do heading into this season.”

In previous seasons race fitness has never been a high priority in Bourke’s mind, but after last season he really found out that fitness can sometimes be the difference between winning and losing.

“I’m feeling really fit, the best I have ever been, when I was competing in Victoria fitness wasn’t a major concern, but last season in Sydney, especially in a 15 or 20 lap feature race, fitness was something that I was lacking, particularly in the latter stages of a feature race, that’s where the mind starts to go elsewhere and that determine where you finish in the end,” confessed Bourke.

Other than the suspension modifications, Bourke has implemented a number of other changes for this season, he has changed his race number from 9 to 69, along with his colour scheme and Bourke’s engine has undergone a total rebuild by Ray Healey at Portland Automotive.

The plans for Bourke in terms of the racing schedule is to concentrate on the PCR track championship, along with a doing a number of the country meetings when time permits, but the one event that Bourke is hell bent on doing well at is the 2005 Australian Title, which will once again staged at Wagga International Speedway.

“I have a lot of unfinished business in that event, last season at Wagga I was in a strong position until I was taken out by a rival in the title final, so that’s a sore point with me, but it’s one that will push me even further when I go back and prove to me that I am a worthy challenger.”

For further information on Leigh Bourke Motorsport, visit their official website: www.ovaltrack.net/bourke/index.htm

Leigh Bourke Motorsport would like to thank their following supporters for season 2004/05:

Portland Automotive
Active Auto Wreckers
Oval track marketing
Redline Media

Leigh Bourke Motorsport:
Release by Daniel Powell – Redline Media
Phone: 0246 832464
Mobile: 0439 639 992
Email: Daniel@redlinemedia.com.au