TRANSPORTER PROFILE: GRM
Our first transporter profile of the year features the Garry Rogers Motorsport (GRM) Supercars B-Double transporter piloted by Joe Sullivan.
Photo: Garry Rogers Motorsport
The popular Dandenong-based operation once again fields two Holden Supercars this year and the team’s Volvo FH16 700 prime mover is steered around Australia by Supercars veteran, Joe Sullivan. Joe is into his fifth decade of involvement in the premier Australian touring car category and has witnessed the transformation of Supercars transporters into the priceless behemoths that converged on Adelaide last week.
Please enjoy our wide-ranging chat with GRM transporter spearhead, Joe Sullivan!
Trucks at Tracks: We've actually featured you on Trucks at Tracks before, Joe. Late last year, your nephew sent through a photo of you hanging from the Murray Carter Racing truck. How long have you been driving trucks in the motorsport world and what has been the best part of your involvement?
Joe Sullivan: “That’d be right, I reckon. It was a Ford Louisville outside of the old Surfers Paradise Raceway. I’ve been driving transporters in the racing world since about 1977. I think that was the start of the big transporters. Allan Moffat had the first one that I know of and Murray Carter got the second one. I worked for Murray Carter as a weekend warrior for a while and went full-time after that for quite a few teams. Transporter driver has been part of my role in racing since way back then.
Photo: Daniel Sullivan
It’s an enjoyable role because you get to see a lot of the countryside and meet a lot of interesting and different people. I’ve seen more of Australia this way than I would have any other way and combining that with involvement at the races keeps you busy. All in all, it’s a satisfying profession.”
TaT: Talk us through the GRM transporter. How are the trailers laid out?
JS: “In our example, the B-trailer carries our race cars, all of our tools and equipment, smaller spares, the fuel that we carry to the race track as well as the corporate wall panelling and TVs. The A-trailer generally carries all of our wheels and tyres and all of our panels. These things take up quite a bit of space without being all that heavy. The spare engines also travel in our A-trailer as well as our transmissions and a bunch of other spares.”
TaT: How many kilometres would the GRM transporter cover per year? Is this increasing or decreasing?
JS: “We’ll cover approximately 50,000 kilometres for the duration of our racing program. That distance has probably levelled out in the last 10 years because we have a very set format for race meetings and race schedules. We also have a set format for our testing schedule.
15 to 20 years ago, there was a much more open testing program that you could be involved in if you wanted to. Going back to the early ‘90s, there were times when teams were testing 12, 15 or maybe even 20 times per year. Then, possibly some other corporate appearances and functions which involved some travelling as well. The testing program back then allowed you to travel to Mallala and test one day, Phillip Island the next day and then a day or two later you could be in Sydney testing. We only have three test days per year now which in itself limits the kilometres we cover and the places we travel to.”
TaT: Attracting corporate partners is absolutely everything in top level motorsport. How important is the GRM transporter for generating value for your sponsors?
JS: “I’d definitely say that the transporters are an integral part of the racing program. They are important for getting the cars to the track but also for the corporate exposure that they provide for the sponsors. The rigs certainly look impressive and it catches eyes wherever you go. They really do complement the racing program and our transporter is an integral part of the team and the source of a lot of exposure for our GRM sponsors.”
TaT: You've got the Volvo FH16 prime mover up front. What is it like to drive?
JS: “The Volvos are great trucks to drive. They’re the best truck that I’ve ever driven. It’s by far the best package as far the safety features, road holding, general performance and fuel economy. All of those factors put the Volvo at the head of the pack. There are probably other trucks that rival it or go close in some areas, but the overall package is perfect for the work we do.”
TaT: Do you receive many comments about the transporter in the paddock and on the road? If so, what do people say?
JS: “I tend not to notice the comments as much as I should! We certainly do get plenty of comments from people at the track and on the road though. They look impressive as they are rolling in and when they are parked fully-assembled on the side of the road or in a carpark. That’s when people get a chance to see them properly.”
TaT: Do you have a favourite destination to drive to?
JS: “Darwin is my favourite trip. We leave Melbourne in the middle of winter generally, head over to Port Augusta, turn right and travel to the north of Australia. The scenery is terrific, as are the people that you come across along the way. The weather conditions also keep on improving as you get closer to the race track.”
TaT: How have transporters changed over time? Where are they going next?
JS: “The change has come along through the growing professionalism of the sport. We carry more spares, there’s more corporate involvement and signage and we have to be able to go racing anywhere in Australia. We also need to be able to turn the car around after fairly serious damage in short time. This requires a lot of spares and space.
I’m not too sure from a general point of view about whether we’ll go much further than the B-Double in terms of size. At this stage, the paddock areas that we have to park them in and the general operating surrounds use up most of the available space. Whether in time we get to the NASCAR style of things with one car, one driver and one transporter is the most significant possible change if there is enough financial involvement to justify it.”
We must extend another big thank you to Joe Sullivan and Garry Rogers Motorsport for making this happen.
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