The Logistics of a V8 Supercar Team

by Orrcon Racing

Could you imagine having to remove all of the desks, computers and storage cupboards from your office every three weeks only to pack them in a truck, move to a temporary facility for a week then unpack it all when you arrive back at the office?

Well that’s what the Larkham – Orrcon Racing V8 Supercar team do 14 times per year.

On the weekend before each race meeting the team virtually clear their Gold Coast workshop of tools, spares and racecars pack it all into a semi trailer destined for the next round in the Championship, including the overseas rounds in New Zealand and China.

The inventory of stock that is strategically placed within the transporter for each round includes:

  • Two complete race cars
  • Two spare engines
  • 40 wheels
  • Two complete sets of panels
  • One complete set of car doors
  • Six Front and Rear Spoilers
  • Six computer monitors
  • Ink Jet Printer
  • Eight one-metre high roll cab toolboxes
  • A pair of rollaway benches (taking up 12 square metres of space)
  • Approximately 200 spanners
  • Approximately 200 sockets and wrenches
  • 25 pliers
  • 140 assorted specialty tools along with hammers of various sizes, race tape, cable ties and electrical devices.
  • Shock Absorber dynometer
  • One complete set of Car Decals
  • Wheel changing guns
  • Assorted DeWALT power tools
  • Dozens of brake pads
  • Five complete sets of brake rotors
  • Dozens of suspension springs
  • Eight shock absorbers.

Effectively whilst on the road the 18-strong team of mechanics can virtually rebuild the car with the amount of gear they have on board during a race weekend.

“We have as much gear in the truck whether we are going to New Zealand or China as what we would have if we were racing in our own back yard on the Gold Coast or Queensland Raceway. You’ve got to be fully prepared every time you race,” said team engineer Jamie Wattam.

While the race team loads their transporter for every round, so does the team at Orrcon, the steel tube and pipe manufacturer.

Why do Orrcon pack a transporter you ask? Well they don’t exactly pack a transporter but rather a container.

Orrcon uses this container as the base and transport for all of their furniture and equipment in the outstanding corporate facility that includes a bar made out of Orrcon steel, Hyper Stimulator, dvd player and plasma screens along with chair covers, stage, back drops and numerous miscellaneous items.

“As the V8 Supercars continue to grow, so does the leverage of the involvement by sponsors in their off track activities,” said Orrcon Sponsorship & Events Manager Stewart Smith.

“We focus very much on an interactive experience in the Orrcon corporate facility, thus the need to transport the equipment from event to event. The days of turning up and having a sticker on a racecar are well behind us with sponsors having to justify heir investment in our motorsport programs.

“Part of the Orrcon interactive experience means that guests are able to get behind the wheel in a Hyper Stimulator and have the ability to keep up to date with the daily events in the pit garage via a video link between the pits and corporate suite on a plasma screen. The guests can feel a part of the team by getting to know not just the drivers but also the team members as their profiles and images are displayed in conjunction with information on the latest Orrcon products in the corporate facility.” .

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