Henny Ray Abrams | December 15, 2011
Casey Stoner might not be able to test his Repsol Honda RC213V, but that hasn’t kept him off the track.The 2007 and 2011 MotoGP World Champion went for a ‘joy ride’ in the Team Vodafone Holden Commodore VE2 of fellow Australian Craig Lowndes, who finished second in the 2011 V8 Supercar Championship, for 90 laps around the Driving Centre at Norwell, Queensland. Less than two weeks ago, Lowndes drove the car to victory in the first of two 250kms races that made up the Sydney Telstra 500 Sydney Olympic Park Street Race.Stoner shared his thoughts on moving from two wheels to four after the test drive.CASEY STONERFirst impressions of driving a V8 SupercarIn its own ways the track feels narrower, especially going into the left hand corners. With these cars you can use actually quite a lot of the track so that can feel a little similar to being on the bike.With everything I am learning today, I have to forget everything I know about bikes and change to learn to drive these, and it is the same thing going from cars to bikes.On fulfilling a dream to drive a V8 SupercarSomething I have wanted to do since I was quite young actually and the opportunity to finally get in one and have a go is something pretty special to me. I am enjoying it.Most memorable part of driving the V8 SupercarI am surprised at how well they absorb the curbs. They are still going to be a stiff race machine, but they do absorb the bumps pretty well and, of course, the power is still there.We have to deal with a fair bit of power myself. The hardest thing I have had to do is change whatever I know about braking and changing through gears. I am having to rethink it again.I didn’t expect to be in Craig’s (Lowndes) actual race car. To be behind the wheel of something that won a race a few weeks ago is very special and I appreciate it.You have had an incredible year. How does this rate?Finding out we were pregnant, winning the championship at my home race and on my birthday, all together it has been a fantastic season. That along with this, I couldn’t really ask for a better year.