Sandown 500 kicks off endurance races for Volvo Polestar Racing

The first of three V8 Supercars endurance races starts this weekend with the Sandown 500, meaning a completely different format and challenge for Volvo Polestar Racing drivers Scott McLaughlin and Robert Dahlgren.  ”The endurance races brings a whole new element to the racing with longer races and a co-driver, something I really look forward to. I think we are going to be strong, especially at Sandown which is a track that will suit us with fast turns and long straights,” said McLaughlin. Two co-drivers join the Volvo duo: Frenchman Alexandre Prémat, who will share car with McLaughlin, and Australian Greg Ritter, who will share car with Dahlgren. The four drivers prepared ahead of the coming endurances races with a test day at Winton. ”The test went pretty well and we have made a couple of improvements. It was also about getting our co-drivers comfortable in the car. They were reasonably fast and got plenty of time in the cars. I am looking forward to race together with my mate Alex again,” said McLaughlin. ”The test at Winton was productive and if we can utilize the improvements from the test, then it looks really promising for us. I look forward to race with Greg, it feels really good for me as a rookie to pair up with an experienced co-driver,” said Dahlgren. The endurance races at Sandown, Bathurst and Gold Coast are included in the Pirtek Enduro Cup where the driver and co-driver combination that accumulates the most championship points are crowned champions. The Sandown 500 race weekend features two qualifying races on Saturday where the co-drivers, Prémat and Ritter, drive the first race on their own and the second race with McLaughlin and Dahlgren racing on their own. The finishing order of the first race determines the grid positions for the second race. The finishing order of the second race determines the grid positions for the main race on Sunday of 500 kilometres where all four drivers take part in the race with mandatory driver changes during the pit stops]]>