There’s a saying in motorsport: races are won in the workshop. For team of Brent Peters, Anthony Jewell and Damien Croxon, that’s never been truer.
Originally planning to debut a new Commodore for the race, Peters and co ran out of time. Instead, he flew over early to give his faithful VE Commodore a major birthday overhaul—new gearbox, front brakes, coilovers, wiring loom, oil cooler, power steering, mounts, diff and gearbox coolers, new wheels—the works. Everything short of a back massage.
Naturally, it wouldn’t be a race weekend without drama. On the first attempt to fire it up since November, the fuel pump gave up—not just any pump, but the sealed bulkhead unit. A lucky break, really, because if it had failed at the track, it would have been race over.
The rear brakes also became a saga. To meet the legal 324mm size for the VE SSV, Peters needed specific discs—but the wrong ones arrived. Dave Mawer stepped up, machining the old set (and a spare) to save the day.
Then came the gearbox drama—the new box had a different input shaft, sparking a frantic search for a new flywheel and slave cylinder. The coilovers, originally for a VF, needed front mounts modified, and fitting the oil cooler turned into a classic metric-versus-imperial nightmare.
As if that wasn’t enough, Peters copped a dose of food poisoning from a trendy pub—described as a “full code brown” scenario.
Somehow, between vomiting and parts runs, he managed to spend two days haggling with Sydney’s finest to buy a VE ute for parts and towing. “Never been called ‘bro’ so many times in my life—and I’m a Kiwi,” he joked.
After a whirlwind effort, the team finally made it to the track—only to have scrutineering lean in hard. Rear windows, which had been screwed shut for venting, had to be functional, prompting a quick fix with some hastily built ‘FarmBros 2000’ wiring. Brake lines needed replacing after falling foul of rules about hard lines, and Motorsport Plumbing Australia stepped in to help.
Even the radiator angle was questioned—despite being less extreme than the VE ute they’d brought for parts—and there was a baseless complaint about the camshaft. Ride height tweaks were also required.
Despite the chaos, the team’s first two practice sessions were solid. The car felt good, Jewell showed strong pace, and the crew—most of them new to this level of racing—held it together. Peters even kept tradition alive, sending his usual “pre-race toilet stall” photo to Shane from Behind the Sport.
Qualifying Day:
Croxon jumped into the car first and felt comfortable. Jewell followed, showing solid pace despite midfield madness. Pit espresso martinis (modified with rum and a pinch of salt) helped keep spirits high. A full service—fluids and brakes—rounded out the day, with Byron and Chase Hoy lending a hand with brake fluid supplies.
Race Day:
With nerves at their peak, Peters joked that the toilet stall was “violated.” The warm-up and grid lineup were a surreal experience—and then they were racing.
Six hours of relentless pressure followed. The VE—affectionately nicknamed “Bubba Gump” for the cray-boat noise it makes on startup—proved itself. Straight-line speed was savage, braking strong, and the car showed impressive stability over long stints. Peters credited the crew and crew chief for their hard work, saying, “We just steered it.”
Still, there were lessons. An aggressive camber setup destroyed the right-front tyre every two hours. And a drive-through penalty for passing under yellow likely cost them a podium spot in class.
But they finished—a battered but determined VE brought home in one of Australia’s biggest endurance races. “90% LS engine, 10% skill,” Peters quipped. “We got it done.”
Aftermath:
The afterparty was suitably large—so large that Peters needed two Uber rides just to cover 5km back to the Airbnb.
The plan is simple: they’ll be back, they’ll podium, and Brent Peters will do whatever it takes to make his mark in endurance racing.
He finished by thanking the people and brands who made it possible:
DC Autos, DSportz, Tune Corp, Culture 24/7, Penrite Oil, Motiv8, Turn 7 Media—and most importantly, the crew and their families, without whom the campaign wouldn’t have been possible.
