Watch: NT Bathurst racer gives rare glimpse inside SuperUte at full throttle

The SuperUte driver from Howard Springs found his touch at the mountain, putting together his best round of the year.

‘The Territorian’ didn’t stand atop the podium this time around, but followed through on his promise to crack the top 10.

In his first Bathurst 1000 behind the wheel of his V8 SuperUte, Rossi Johnson had a well rounded weekend at the mountain, walking away full of confidence.

A rocky practice session on Thursday resulted in just two completed laps on the session, leaving Johnson needing to rely on his past experiences around the track ahead of qualifying later in the day.

Johnson was competitive but still looked a bit uneasy behind the wheel during qualifying, crossing as 15th fastest, 3.2 seconds behind the leader.

Rossi Johnson. Picture: Contributed.

The first race of the round would be the worst result for the number 333 as he struggled to break free from the pack, finishing 14th out of the 23-car field.

A six instead of five lap event in race two saw Johnson climb the ranks, finishing 11th in arguably the most exciting race of the entire weekend.

On Saturday, Johnson finally cracked the top 10 and looked to have found his feet, crossing the finish line in 10th, 10 seconds off a podium position.

Johnson rounded out the weekend with a second 10th place finish in a row, putting his round results at 15, 11, 10 and 10.

Johnson will be back in action for the final SuperUtes round of the year as he and his team gun for a fairytale finish at the Gold Coast 500, from 25-27 October.

Priview: Rossi Johnson details what it’s like to battle Mount Panorama

Rossi Johnson is no stranger to the high speeds and G-force of Mount Panorama, but that doesn’t make the track any easier.

This weekend won’t be the first time ‘The Territorian’ will tackle the mountain, however it will be the first time the Howard Springs product is entering the mountain with confidence.

After a rough time last year in the Toyota 86 Series and a forgetful weekend during the 2024 season opener (at Bathurst) Johnson believes all the work he and his team have put in behind the scenes will pay off.

“I had a string of bad luck in Darwin and Sydney so during the break we put a lot of work into the vehicle,” Johnson said.

“We did a lot of practice testing at The Bend (in Adelaide), where we made some big changes, mostly to the ride height and handling that the Championship allowed.”

In Adelaide, the driver and his crew hit the sweet spot, putting together a vehicle he finally feels content in.

“In the sessions at The Bend, it was the first time in the ute I can actually say I’ve felt 100 per cent comfortable,” he said.

“Compared to the Toyotas, the ute is so different, it’s been a big adjustment.

“The weight, the higher centre of gravity, the rear being so taily and having literally no aero are some of the things you have to battle in the utes compared to the Toyota (86s).”

Rossi Johnson racing around the track during the Repco Supercars Championship – Event 5 – Darwin Triple Crown. Picture: Rhys Vandersyde/InSyde Media.

A driver that loves pushing himself and his vehicle to the limits, Johnson will not change his approach on race day despite the difficulty of Bathurst.

“Bathurst is just so unique, it’s seriously hard to put into words,” he said.

“Everyone always talks about it but the changes in elevation is crazy.

“And in the V8 (ute) unlike the 86s, as it’s so heavy and hard to keep under control, when you’re speeding down the (Conrod) Straight, it gets really fun.

“You end up bum-drafting the guy in front which then makes you go even faster.”

Eleventh in the 25 driver standings, Johnson feels this weekend is his chance to claw back some championship points.

“Every race throws something different at you but if things go to plan I am looking to be in the top 10, and if I’m really in the zone, getting my first (SuperUte) podium at the mountain would be a dream come true.”

V8 SUPERUTE SCHEDULE

Thursday 10th: Qualifying at 9.25am (20 mins)

Friday 11th: Race 1 at 7am (20 mins)

Saturday 12th: Race 2 at 7.05am (25 mins), Race 3 at 12.55pm (20 mins)

Sunday 13th: Race 4 at 6.10am (20 mins)

Originally published as Watch: NT Bathurst racer gives rare glimpse inside SuperUte at full throttle