Debut looms for new TBE burnout car
Just days remain until Team Bray Entertainment's Ben Bray will unveil his new 1963 Corvette burnout and drift car to the world with an explosive week of action.
Starting with Monday 7 October, 'the kid' will be on-track for Sydney Dragway's second annual Burnout Mania, performing exhibition burn-outs in the afternoon while taking a lucky few crowd members for a spin.
From there, it will be on to the hallowed ground of Mount Panorama for the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, where Bray and his new machine will make up one third of TBE's burnout show as part of the event's official on-track entertainment program.
Before either event however, a flurry of activity will continue in the Team Bray workshop as the car proceeds through the final stages of assembly after receiving a new paint job earlier this week in the colours of TBE major sponsor DeWalt.
"The whole team has been working around the clock with me to have the new car ready for next week," said Ben Bray.
"The car is looking great and with dad (Victor Bray) graciously giving up the engine from his fully restored first race car 'Black Bess' for us, it is sure to sound pretty fantastic as well thanks to 1500 to 2000 BHP.
"A special thanks really has to go to team members Graeme Frawley and Anthony Vloedmans – their efforts have just been above and beyond the call of duty recently to get this exciting new project ready for the fans.
"I also can't forget the huge efforts of our sponsors in this project, with Hankook Tyres, Protrans Automatics, Speedflow, Race Products, Century Batteries, PWR Radiators, Davies Craig, King Springs, DeWalt and Sidchrome, Disc Brakes Australia, Castrol, Eagle Products, Gates Belts, Terry's Chassis Shoppe, TCI Auto, JP Racing, Ultimate Performance, Millers Powder Coating and Timken all rallying around to get this car ready to roll.
"The only real time we have been able to have a break away from this massive project has been when the team has escaped down to Hogs Breath at Aspley for a quick steak, so after all that work I am certainly confident that the fans at both Sydney Dragway and Mount Panorama will not be disappointed when we hit the track next week!"
TBE has a long history in burnout shows, with team principal and six-time ANDRA Top Doorslammer champion Victor Bray taking up the pastime in the early 90s before having his first custom-built burnout car built by Murray Anderson in 1995.
Ben went on to join his dad in the smoky pursuit some ten years later, when his Formula Tech/Walkinshaw Performance/Sidchrome 440 ute was built in 2005. With the introduction of the 63 Corvette, Ben will hand over driving duties for the ute to Brett Stewart - pilot of the number 73 Dunlop V8 Supercar Series entry and the newest edition to TBE.
On Monday 7 October, Burnout Mania will kick off from 12.00pm to 5.00pm, with Ben Bray putting on exhibition runs in the afternoon. For a chance to ride alongside Ben Bray at Burnout Mania, event attendees simply have to complete an entry form on-track to be in the running. For more information on the event, please visit www.sydneydragway.com.au or www.teambrayracing.com.