O’Connor Motorsport kicked of its season at the Perth Motorplex in the team’s XM Falcon ANDRA Top Doorslammer on October 29.
The team was confident of a good showing, with ideal weather and track conditions at iconic Perth venue.
The O’Connor crew has recently embarked on some changes to the car’s configuration, which are still being development.
Improvements to the camshaft specifications and fuel system have resulted in increased horsepower in the XM Top Doorslammer.
However, the increased power has meant some significant changes to the chassis set-up of the Falcon.
“It’s a good problem to have,” commented driver, Murray O’Connor.
“We will find out the best way to put it to the track but that will take a bit of time,” smiled O’Connor.
“With each run we make, the team gains more data and begins to learn how the car reacts to the changes. 3000-plus horsepower race cars can be very temperamental!”
The first pass was a good opportunity for the team to test the track and the car straight off the truck.
An aggressive tune-up saw the Falcon smoke the tyres off the start line.
Some minor suspension changes were made and proved fruitful for run two, with Murray able to drive through some minor tyre smoke through first gear to record a 6.20-second pass.
Another small tweak to the suspension gave the team a reason to smile. The XM Top Doorslammer hooking up to record the team’s best pass for the day, a 6.12-second pass at 234mph.
“It’s a promising result for the team as we move forward in the development of the Penrite-equipped O’Connor Motorsport XM Top Doorslammer.”
“With the upcoming Pro Series Goldenstate Titles not far away, we have high hopes of a strong result at our home track,” concluded O’Connor.
