PETRONAS Motorsport Returns

19 Jun, 2019

The PETRONAS Motorsport wild card entry that turned heads at the Supercars Perth SuperSprint event is set to return to the track for the Townsville 400 event. Tim Blanchard will join the Super2 field, donning the silver and black #77 PETRONAS Motorsport livery on a VF Commodore.

No stranger to the Super2 series, it has been almost ten years since Blanchard made his Super2 debut, driving in the Supercar development series from 2010 to 2012 inclusive.

Townsville was a happy hunting ground for Blanchard, who took his first Super2 race win and overall round win here in 2010. Tim finished 2nd overall in his rookie season, claiming the Mike Kable Young Gun award along the way.

Blanchard returned in 2011 to win another Townsville race on his way to 5th in the championship. His 2012 Super2 season was cut short when he substituted for an injured Todd Kelly, stepping up to the Supercar grid in the latter part of the season.

Since stepping back from full-time driving in 2019 to focus on his role as team owner and gear up for his role as a co-driver, Tim has jumped behind the wheel of Nick Percat’s #8 Supercar at the Supercar test day, team test day and additional driver sessions at Tasmania and Winton.

As preparations for the endurance season ramp up, Tim is eager to spend as much time as he can behind the wheel and is excited to be showcasing the PETRONAS colors again.

Tim Blanchard

“I’m looking forward to joining the Super2 grid in the PETRONAS Motorsport colours at Townsville. I’ve raced against a few of these guys before, and with many of them being in co-driver positions this year I think it’ll be a lot of fun and undoubtedly competitive. There’s a lot of talent in the group.”

“I’ve had success at Townsville in the past; it’s a track I really enjoy racing at. The section of kerbs through those final few turns are punishing for the cars, but pretty fun to tackle as a driver!”

“I haven’t driven one of the VF Commodores for a while now, so there will be a few little niceties missing from what I’d gotten used to in the ZB. The race formats will also be a bit shorter than what I’m used to. For me, it’s all valuable seat time in the leadup to the endurance cup.”

“I’m excited to take the PETRONAS Motorsport Super2 car to Townsville. It’s one of those places that you go to and know the Supercars are in town, the support there is fantastic. I’m looking forward to lining up on the grid and putting on a good show for the fans!”

PETRONAS engine oils harness the latest technology to protect engines, boost performance and deliver a trouble-free drive. PETRONAS Syntium with °CoolTech™ technology goes to work deep in the heart of the engine.

Its strong oil chain performs under extreme pressure, allowing it to withstand and dissipate aggressively high temperatures and maintain a strong, stable protective film, even at lower viscosities. Vital components are protected, power output is maximized, and vehicle performance is optimized.

The Townsville 400 event can be seen live on FOX Sports and Channel Ten across the 5-7 July weekend. You can also keep up to date with the weekend Supercar action and Tim’s progress in the PETRONAS Motorsport Supercar by following Team CoolDrive on Facebook and Instagram!