THE 2016 Sandown 500 was a case of the good, the bad and the ugly for Dean Canto, but according to Mark Winterbottom, that will spur him on to better things in the Bathurst 1000 next week.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Acting as co-driver for Winterbottom in the Bottle-O Racing Ford Falcon, Canto certainly experienced a tough weekend as the Supercars’ 2016 Enduro Cup commenced.
In the co-driver qualifying race on Saturday, Canto was handed a pit lane penalty after making contact with Tony D’Alberto and Steven Richards.
On Sunday Canto was given the job of starting the Sandown 500 in testing, wet conditions. He showed his skill as he made his way from 22nd on the grid up into second spot.
But his fortunes took anther turn on lap 55. In trying to give rival Ash Walsh room to avoid contact, it meant Canto was on the outside of the corner and the wettest part of the track.
As Canto was on slick tyres, he did not have enough grip and ended up going into the tyre wall at turn four. The #1 Falcon did get back on track, but Winterbottom finished the race in 23rd.
“He drove from 22nd to second at Sandown and that was amazing, exceptional,” Winterbottom said.
“If he had of pitted one lap earlier, he would have been getting carried out on a sundeck with grapes – he was the king of the town.
“Unfortunately he went from one of the best drives to that mishap, so he really wants to redeem himself, he’s hungry.
“He’s unfortunate, most guys spun and he went straight in. If he had of spun like everyone else, you just pull first and drive out, but he went in the worst position possible. He was so unlucky.”
While the result as Sandown hurt Canto’s confidence, Winterbottom still has faith in his co-driver.
Canto and David Reynolds placed second in the 2012 Bathurst 1000 when finishing with 0.3129 seconds of victors Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell.
He has made 17 Great Race starts in succession – four more than Winterbottom – and was the first multiple champion in the Supercars’ development series.
“I’ve always wanted to race with him,” Winterbottom said. “He’s really good and a little bit down on confidence from Sandown because he had a little mishap.
“It’s unfortunate to have one of the drives of his life then to have a glitch on a wet track on slicks that brought him undone. But at Bathurst he definitely wants to redeem himself and I think he’s a good chance.
“I am rapt I’ve got him, he’s hungry, he’s finished second there in the past and he wants to tick off Bathurst on his bucket list like we all do.
“I’m pumped I think he’s a little bit down on confidence, but also that means he wants redemption.”