V8 Utes driver Gerard McLeod is eyeing on a move up the Australian motorsport ranks after driving Taz Douglas’s #30 iSelect Commodore VE.
McLeod, the son of 1987 Bathurst 1000 winner Peter McLeod, drove the Triple Eight-built V8 Supercar at Sydney Motorsport Park as part of Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport’s ride day.
Over the course of the day, McLeod collected around 20 laps in the car – the first time he has driven a V8 Supercar since 2006.
The 28-year-old, who currently competes in his McMahon Racing in the Auto One V8 Utes Series, says that opportunity to test the Dumbrell Commodore was too hard to refuse.
“The weather wasn’t pleasant. It was wet all day, but the car was fantastic to drive,” McLeod told Speedcafe.com.
“It was great to get a taste for one of the best cars in the V8 Supercars field.
“It was definitely different to the Ute, and adding in the wet weather made it a little bit more of a challenge, but it was definitely a good experience.”
McLeod currently sits 18th in the V8 Utes Series after a difficult start to his rookie campaign.
While he remains focussed on his maiden Ute effort, he says he will now look closer at the potential to move his career beyond the class having secured modern V8 laps under his belt.
“I’m completely focused on rebuilding our disastrous start to the V8 Utes series. That is my main priority at the moment,” McLeod said.
“The Development Series is a category that I’d like to enter to in the furure, for sure, and the test have given us an idea of what to expect if we do decide to head down that path.
“I’m definitely interested in making the step up one day so we’ll start to look at it for the next two or three years.”
The next round of the V8 Utes will be held at Mount Panorama, supporting the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 on October 6-9.
