GWS Motorsport are now looking towards the 2012 calendar to continue what has been one of the teams’ most competitive seasons yet.
What started with an outstanding result across two classes in the Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour, continued across the Australian Manufacturers Championship series and the Australian Production Endurance Championship and culminated in Peter O’Donnell getting to take home a ‘big trophy’ for his efforts behind the wheel.
The Parkes, NSW, driver won Class B (High performance rear wheel drive) despite electing to sit out the final round at Eastern Creek in mid December. O’Donnell finished the year with 392 points, winning his class on four separate occasions in the all-conquering GWS Personnel sponsored BMW 335i Turbo.
Co-driver John Bowe finished third in class thanks to his strong contribution to the teams’ results at the Phillip Island six-hour and the two, 250km legs of the Sandown 500.
Peter was also voted as the series ‘best and fairest’ driver by his peers, an outstanding accolade rewarding sportsmanship both on and off the circuit.
At Bathurst the team kicked off the year in style, O’Donnell teaming with Matt Hansen and Christian D’Agostin to finish second in the high-performance Production Car class, with the teams BMW 130i driven by Barrie Thomlinson, Geoff Fontaine and Richard Gartner triumphing to win the Production Performance Class E.
The teams’ third car, the Shire Conveyancer BMW 130i driven by Allan Shephard, Paul Stubber and Garth Duffy, was running strongly before contact with a GT vehicle forced them out of the race.
Peter O’Donnell said the season further reinforced the strong background the team had now established and their high levels of professionalism shown throughout the year.
“It’s been a fantastic season with so many highlights that range from standing on the Bathurst podium to scrapping home in the first leg of the Sandown event in September,” he said.
“So many components have to come together to make something like this work and it’s a testament to Garry Menell and the hard working team at On Track Motorsport who put so much into the performance and management of the GWS Motorsport cars.
“John Bowe has also made a fantastic contribution. JB brings so much to the team and he is just a great bloke to have around who really enjoys his racing and loves being part of it. It’s been a pleasure to race with him and to have him work with me in the two-driver races.
“Allan Shephard had a quiet season but he is a massive part of the fabric of our team and is a great character to have around.
“It was also a thrill to be awarded the Best and Fairest award. To know we are racing with the respect of our competitors is a massive accolade and one we are very proud of as a team.”
O’Donnell said GWS Motorsport was now looking forward towards 2012, with a view to moving up one position on the Bathurst podium.
“This car has won (in Production Cars) there twice before and it can do it again,” O’Donnell stated.
“It will take a massive effort but it is our intention to go to Bathurst and take on the Mitsubishi’s and the Subaru’s once again. Just to be involved in that race is something special and it is the absolute highlight of our season. We’ll be there with three cars once again and that is what we are now working towards.”
Peter O’Donnell and the entire GWS Motorsport team would like to extend their warmest wishes for 2012 to all the teams’ sponsors, supporters, friends and family.
GWS Motorsport thank the ongoing support from GWS Personnel, The Shire Conveyancer, Spinifex Australia and Carwash on Blaxland.
For more information about the team head to facebook.com/gwsmotorsport.
