Xiberras on PremiAir’s ‘very special moment’
It may only be provisional pole, but James Golding’s Friday performance at Darwin means the world to spirited PremiAir Nulon Racing boss Peter Xiberras.
Golding sparked the entire PremiAir garage into celebrations after topping Race 11 Qualifying with a convincing drive.
He led the majority of the session and despite Mark Winterbottom and Nick Percat shooting to P1 at the death, “Bieber” still had enough pace in the #31 Camaro to reclaim provisional pole with a blistering 1:05.6912.
PremiAir Nulon Racing has never started a Supercars race from pole position, but has a massive opportunity this weekend with not only Golding, but also Tim Slade to feature in the Top 10 Shootout.
Now 72 races on since taking over Team Sydney and starting a new Supercars team from scratch, PremiAir Nulon Racing boss Peter Xiberras said Golding’s speed is sweet reward for the tireless work to rise from the back over the last two and a half years.
James Golding is delighted after topping qualifying. Image Mark Horsburgh
He also opened up that given the up and down start to 2024, he even started to doubt whether or not his team could make it to the front.
“I would probably call it a very special moment,” Xiberras told AUTO ACTION’s Andrew Clarke in Darwin.
“It is now exactly two and a half years for us in this sport and you sort of think ‘this is not going to come’ and you start doubting yourself.
“But everyone that I trust, look up to and admire in this sport have said to me ‘just keep going the way you are going because some day it will happen somehow’ and here we are.”
“We are not getting ahead of ourselves. It is the first one but we still have to win a race and do it again in the Top 10 Shootout.
“We have been fast before but we have tripped over our shoelaces or whatever.
“I just feel like the team is gelling and getting better.
“Everyone is feeling a lot more comfortable and hopefully results like this will happen a lot more often.”
James Golding leads PremiAir teammate Tim Slade in Darwin.
Despite PremiAir Nulon Racing staging a test since the last round at Wanneroo, Xiberrras stressed the team has not changed its way about going racing.
“The only thing we had done different is that we had one of our test days since the last event, but have we done anything different or prepared different,” he said.
“The hardest thing is that we have been putting in effort to win everything but come away with nothing, so results fix everything.
“We are not there yet but this is a massive confidence booster for the team and it just enforces to everyone we are on the right path.”
When asked of PremiAir could follow in the footsteps of Team 18 and Matt Stone Racing and score a maiden win at Hidden Valley, Xiberras simply replied “you never know.”
Darwin Triple Crown (ACST)
Friday, June 14
11.35 Practice 1
14.35 Qualifying
Saturday, June 15
9.35 Practice 2
11.35 Top 10 Shootout
15.10 Race 11 (48 laps)
Sunday, June 16
10.25 Qualifying
11.35 Top 10 Shootout
15.10 Race 12 (48 laps)
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