TWO-TIME Targa Tasmania winner Greg Crick has been signed by Erebus Motorsport GT to drive its second Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 in the Liqui-Moly 12-hour race at Bathurst in two weeks time.
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The Launceston businessman will share the drive with V8 Supercar driver Will Davison and 2012 Formula Ford champion Jack LeBrocq and will be hoping to emulate the winning performance by the Erebus team which won the event last year.
Crick raced in the 12-hour in 2011 finishing fourth with David Wall in a Porsche Cup S and is no stranger to the 6.2 kilometre mountain circuit.
"There is still life in the old dog yet," he laughed when questioned about his inclusion in the Erebus team.
"For me at this stage of my career to be handed the keys to arguably the best car in the competition, I was blown away and extremely honoured," said the 1991 Australian Sports Sedan champion.
"I love Bathurst but I've always gone along as the privateer underdog.
"Fortunately I've done OK on the 13 occasions I drove in the 1000-kilometre race."
Erebus Motorsport GT principal Daniel Klimenko was happy to have him on board.
"While Greg might consider himself to be an old stager now he's still an incredibly quick driver and he has shown that every time he has been in the car," he said.
Crick had a practice session in the left-hand drive car at Phillip Island on Wednesday and was delighted with how he went.
"I can't believe how good the car was and how nice it was to drive and I'm really looking forward to the race," he said.
The SLS, with its unique gull wing doors, features a front-mounted 6.3 litre V8 engine that develops 563 horsepower and will reach 300km/h on Conrod straight.
It has a six-speed sequential gearbox with steering wheel mounted paddle shift and weighs 1355 kilograms.
The second Erebus Mercedes entry will be driven by last year's 12-hour winner Bernd Schneider who had an outstanding year by also winning 24-hour endurance races in Dubai and at Nurburgring and Spa- Francorchamps.
His co-drivers will be Maro Engel, who raced in last years V8 Supercar championship for Erebus AMG Mercedes, and Nico Bastian who finished third in last year's 24 hours of Nurburbring.
In the 55-car field there are 20 cars entered in Class A that will be contenders for outright honours so it's going to be a very competitive race that will require speed as well as endurance.
Apart from the Erebus Mercedes cars others include Ferrari 458 Italia, McLaren MC12 GT3, Lamborghini Gallardo LP560, Audi R8, Corvette Calloway, Nissan GTR and BMW Z4 GT3.
Crick has also agreed to be the special guest at the CAMS Tasmanian Motorsport Awards presentation on February 22 at the Launceston Country Club where I will have the opportunity to interview him about his career and the outcome of his race in the 12-hour.The cost of the dinner is $70 a head or $130 a couple and bookings can be made by phoning Clifton Campbell on 62275601.