Spring Grove mechanic apprentice wins dream V8 Supercars job

Twenty-one year old Tom Rann from Spring Grove has been named the winner of the Telstra Racing Recruit program, overcoming rivals from around the country to claim a coveted job with powerful V8 Supercars team Ford Performance Racing (FPR) in 2013.

Tom will move to Melbourne next year to take up his winning position at FPR headquarters, working alongside V8 Supercars drivers Mark Winterbottom and Will Davison.

Telstra and FPR conducted a national search to find a third-year mechanic apprentice to complete their final year apprenticeship as part of a world-class V8 Supercars team and develop skills from the best mechanics within Australian motorsport.

After completing a series of tests, interviews and working on-track with the FPR team during the penultimate round of racing at Winton Motor Raceway, the FPR team delivered Tom with the exciting news.

“I’m still coming to grips with the news after getting a call from team manager Chris O’Toole,” said Tom.

“I come from a long line of mechanics – my father and a few of my uncles are mechanics and my family have been so supportive and encouraging throughout the entire racing recruit process.  I can’t wait to start with FPR, particularly after getting a taste of the action on track at Winton!”

Tom follows in the successful footsteps of another recruit, Josh Williams from Shepparton, who won the Racing Recruit opportunity only a year ago and who has continued to carve out a career as part of the team.

Ford Performance Racing driver Mark Winterbottom said Tom had impressed the FPR crew throughout the various stages of the Telstra Racing Recruit search and deserved his spot as the rookie on the team for next year’s V8 Supercars Championship.

“Working as part of any V8 Supercars team is a tough and demanding job; it’s an extreme sport where we all experience both the highs and lows,” said Winterbottom.

“Tom will quickly discover it’s a highly addictive and rewarding career path and one that only a handful of people get to experience.  I’ve no doubt he will fit in with our team and make the most of this opportunity.”

Tom will be entrenched as part of the team ahead of the first round of the 2013 V8 Supercars Championship, the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide in February next year.