BATHURST 1000
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FROM bitter disappointment to racing at Bathurst with a two-time V8 Supercars champion – this year has seen massive swings in fortune for Scott Pye.
After making his V8 Supercars series debut for the Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport Team in 2013 – a year in which he impressed by placing sixth in the Bathurst 1000 – Pye was signed by Dick Johnson Racing.
It was a two-year deal, but when the newly formed DJR-Team Penske could not afford to run a second car in the 2015 championship, Pye was without a drive.
The seat in the #17 Ford Falcon FG X went to Marcos Ambrose.
Pye got some better news in February when it was announced he would co-drive with Ambrose in the endurance races. A month later the young gun’s situation changed again.
Ambrose stood down as lead driver and Pye was named as his replacement.
“After being pushed aside and I felt like I was let down, it has been a pretty emotional ride,” Pye said.
“It was obviously really disappointing what happened last year as I had a two-year contract and I was not expecting to be unemployed at the end of the year.
“Once Marcos stepped aside it was a really exciting time for me. It was a big opportunity and I am really proud of myself, I think I have helped to turn the team’s fortunes around and really helped us move forward since Marcos stepped aside.
“Being a race driver I was always ready to step up if I was needed.”
Pye missed the first two races of the 2015 championship before taking over from Ambrose at Tasmania.
He initially struggled with a below-par car, but at Winton he recorded his first top 10 finish of the year.
Pye went onto notch up four more top 10s before heading into the opening round of the Enduro Cup at Sandown last month where he and Ambrose placed 12th.
“When I came back into it, I hadn’t driven since Sydney last year and the car was a lot worse than I expected it to be and we were really far behind in the first two rounds,” he said.
“I got lapped at Tassie and it was virtually undriveable at Perth, so the car has had a lot of improvement since then, now I certainly think it is a top 10 car.”
The slow start to the season means Pye is not in contention for the drivers’ championship, so instead one of his goals for 2015 is to get on the Bathurst podium.
Pye, who will be acting as the lead driver over Ambrose at Mount Panorama, feels it is an achievable goal.
“Like Marcos says, every race you go to, you go to win, but we are realistically going to Bathurst with a chance to,” he said.
“If we are not in the top five we would be very disappointed and I think if we miss a podium, we will be disappointed as well.
“I think Marcos has obviously got the capability and I am at a point where I feel like I am capable of doing it too.”