Fiore loves new-look Bargagallo
Former V8 Supercars driver Dean Fiore says championship racers no longer cringe at the prospect of competing at Barbagallo Raceway.
The championship returns to the Wanneroo circuit on Friday week for just the second time since a $15 million transformation of Perth's premier racing venue was completed.
A modern in-field pit lane complex, medical centre, improved lighting and new safety fences at three corners of the racetrack were all part of the State Government-funded upgrade.
Fiore, who will return behind the wheel to compete for MW Motorsport in the Perth event's development series, said the money had been well spent.
"It's been a great step forward for WA motorsport," he said.
"It was long overdue. People cringed when you mentioned Barbagallo because of what teams had to go through to operate how we operate at every other circuit in the country.
"Drivers love it now. You look at the layout of the track on paper and you go 'OK, I'll go somewhere else'.
"But you get here and it's undulating, the grip level's not where it should be, it's changing, there's sand. There's different elements and it creates awesome racing."
Fiore has received the one-off drive with the backing of Melville dealership Titan Ford, but is using the return to his home circuit as a launching pad.
The 30-year-old, who ended his five-year association with V8 Supercars at the end of last year, has signed a separate deal to drive in three of the championship's biggest races - Sandown, Bathurst and the Gold Coast 600 - with Nissan Motorsport.
It will be Fiore's first drive with a factory V8 Supercars team and he will compete under the Norton banner. The experience will decide whether he relaunches his V8s career in 2015.
"If I do a good job, we'll be sitting down at the table and signing another deal," he said.
"I love it, but it's only good if you're in good equipment. If you're struggling, like I was last year, it's really not enjoyable."
Fiore predicted the V8 series would regain traction with the Australian public after a lean few years thanks to the new six-year, $241 million broadcast deal struck with Channel 10 and Fox Sports.
"It's a good platform to work off to grow back into another two, three, maybe four international events, which will build the basis of the championship," he said.
"Hopefully that'll get it up to where it was in 2007-08 where the teams were actually getting some really good income from the championship itself."
