Damien White conquers demons, Bathurst

JOEL RITCHIE

DAMIEN White didn’t only conquer Mount Panorama when he was part of the winning team at the recent WPS Bathurst 12-hour race – he conquered some personal demons.

White, who lives at Corrimal, drove with Graham Alexander and Rod Salmon to win the endurance event – his first event at Bathurst since a nasty crash at the 2007 Bathurst 1000.

White’s Brad Jones Racing Falcon slammed into a wall at Reid Park corner – he was knocked unconscious and airlifted to Nepean hospital with a severe concussion.

He didn’t race for seven weeks.

“I had to prove that Bathurst didn’t own me, that I owned it,” White said.

“My last race at Bathurst ended with me in a helicopter.”

“I don’t remember my last lap up there – only being on that helicopter.”

White’s recent win was even more special as it was his first chequered flag at the iconic track.

“When I stood up on that podium it felt very special,” White said.

“It rates right up there – the fact it was at Bathurst makes it very special.”

White says that Bathurst is one of the world’s premier racetracks – alongside Spa (Belgium), La Mans (France) and Germany’s Nurburgring.

White, a two-time V8 Ute Champion, said production car racing could soon be accepted as the second tier to V8 Supercars.

“Sponsors should look at what’s available to them – V8s is about two manufacturers.

“On that weekend we had everything from BMWs to Hyundais.”

White has no preference between racing V8s or endurance racing.

“I just love racing – if you said we were going to put motors on a shopping trolley and race them around a car park I’d be there,” White said.

White is now looking ahead to the 2008 season after ending his two-year association with Wollongong Performance Racing in December.

He has received “quite a few offers” from various racing teams and will again be a commentator on Channel 7 for support categories during the V8 Supercar season.

No matter what team he drives for, White plans to keep living in Corrimal.

“I have lived in Wollongong for the past 15 years, the place has served me well,” he said.

“My family and friends are here – if an interstate team calls I would be arguing to stay here.”