Alstare Suzuki’s Phillip Island 'Hot Lap'.

At the recent Phillip Island tests, Team Alstare Suzuki were trying out a GPS system on their bikes. With a well set-up GPS system, it is possible to ‘see’ the actual lines used by a racer and then try and use the information to improve on the lap. But before installing the GPS system on a bike, the team wanted a reference lap. One of the Alstare Suzuki team members could’ve have just gone round the circuit in a rentacar, but instead were offered a ride in one of the Holden Clubsport VE cars used to give petrolheads a taste of what it’s like to lap Phillip Island at great speed.

The cars used are 6-litre, V8s, pushing out over 400 HP and have a top speed of 250 kph. There was no shortage of willing volunteers for this Hot Lap mission, but the task fell to Ms Reiko Harasawa, and it is her in the front seat of the car just before take-off! Fortunately she was in good hands as Ben Neilsen was taking her round. Ben is a racing driver of note and has also worked as a test and development driver for Holden for over seven years. Recently he raced a Tickford 5.6 litre V8 and so was exactly the right 'chauffeur' for the job. Reiko didn't make much of a comment on her return, except to say that it had been an exciting and interesting experience - and one that would benefit the team!