New Bendix Race Pads deliver faster laptimes for Sherrin Motorsport
Championship drivers and wannabe driving stars, TV and radio celebrities, sporting heroes, and Sunday drivers wanting to improve their skills are demonstrating their confidence with the new Bendix Race Pads. They are proving the pads on race tracks, rally circuits and the skid pan.
Sherrin MotorSport has fitted 30 of the BMW 120i with the Bendix Race Pads.
One of the first to put his seal of approval on the Bendix Race Pad was Sherrin MotorSport Carrera Cup driver David Russell. “Compared with the standard pad, it’s a huge improvement in braking distances.”
David should know, he started in go-karts aged 10 and has been circuit racing for eight years – and he is Workshop Retail Manager for Sherrin MotorSport. “The Bendix Race Pads withstand the heat a whole lot better and there is a big improvement in wear rates. They provide a much harder pedal with more feedback so I know exactly where I am at that threshold.”
And the other drivers? They include models, TV and radio hosts and sports stars, such as eight-time surfing world champion Kelly Slater, world surfing champion Layne Beachley, fashion designer Peter Morrissey, Beaconsfield miner Brant Webb, Melbourne Victory captain Kevin Muscat and Kenny actor Shane Jacobson.
They raced 26 120i BMWs with the Bendix Race Pads around Albert Park on March 18 and with their earlier practice laps each clocked up 1500km.
In more serious driving, Sherrin MotorSport entered a 120i equipped with Bendix Race Pads in the WPS Bathurst 12 Hour Production Car Race over Easter. It won the Micro Sports class (fastest lap 2:58.40) with team cars winning first and second in the Hot Hatches class giving Sherrin MotorSports the Teams Award.
Commentators described as outstanding the performance of Ian and Grant Sherrin, and team mates Stuart Jones and Jim Wallace who all raced faster than their qualifying times.
Former Iron Man Guy Andrews, the latest addition to the Sherrin MotorSport team, drove one of three 120i BMWs in the 500km Tasmania Targa. One experienced driver says the Bendix Race Pads come into their own when competing in a small car in the Targa.
“Because the car has less power, you have got to get it to flow so you don’t loose momentum and this means using the brakes to save time.”
David Russell echoes this view saying you can use the brakes time after time and still have confidence in them. He says that a big advantage of the Bendix Race Pad for Sherrin MotorSport is its longevity. The cars can be used for driver training and then go to the race track or tarmac rallying without having to change pads.
“The pads are fine for a five lap or 50 lap race. They are so universal in what we can do with them – we can go on the race track or on the road.” This is important for Sherrin MotorSport which conducts driver training for individuals and businesses in the Bendix-equipped BMWs at the Queensland Raceway.
The next race outing is the Sun Coast Classic Rally at Noosa in July where enthusiasts can hire a fully-prepared race car – in this case the BMW 120i with the Bendix Race Pads.
Welcoming the partnership with Bendix Brakes, Sherrin MotorSport’s Head of Commercial Operations, Jonathon Brown says the company always chooses to partner with the best people in the marketplace.
Bendix Brakes National Account Manager, Basil Stratos says the partnership provides Bendix with a Queensland distributor steeped in motor sport at all levels, from providing driver training to preparing cars for racing. He says the wide application of uses for Bendix products provides profile and development opportunities.
