Jim Beam Racing has confirmed that David Besnard and Matthew Halliday will join Steven Johnson and James Moffat as co-drivers for the 2011 V8 Supercar Championship endurance season.
Besnard will join Johnson in the #17 Falcon FG while Halliday will pair with Moffat in #18.
Team co-owner Dick Johnson said that experience and ability were the key factors in the signing both Besnard and Halliday.
“They are both class acts,” said Johnson.
“Besi will be a great fit for Steven; he’s quick, reliable, knows the circuits and has shown that he can race at the front with the main series drivers.”
“Matt’s a really mature and experienced driver which will work well for James in his first year.”
“Getting guys of their calibre onboard for the enduros will round The Team out nicely”.
For Besnard, a phone call was all he needed to jump on board with Jim Beam Racing for 2011.
“I was lucky enough to have a few choices (for enduros) this year,” he said.
“But when Dick called it was an opportunity and an honour I couldn’t refuse.
“Steve and I have been friends for a long time and we have often spoken about winning Bathurst together.
“I think we make a pretty strong team and we plan to give it a red hot go.”
Halliday said that he was confident his pairing with Moffat would benefit the rookies Championship campaign.
"Joining the reigning V8 Supercar Champions and driving as part of Jim Beam Racing with a famous name gives me every reason to believe we can aim for some very strong results at both Philip Island and Bathurst,” said Halliday.
"Bathurst remains one of the world's most historic motor racing events and with my continuing experience in endurance racing feel I can contribute to the team's and also to Moff's overall championship season."
DAVID BESNARD
Career achievements
• 2010 - 7th Bathurst 1000 Led most laps and 2nd fastest race lap time
• 2009 - 9th Bathurst 1000
• 2008 - 3rd Bathurst 1000
• 2007 - 2nd Bathurst 1000
• 2006 – 1st Pukekohe & Teretonga rounds, NZV8 Championship
• 2004 – 7th Lexmark Indy 300, Champ car- best result by an Australian at this event in A Champ Car and best debut result since Nigel Mansell
• 2002 – 1st Queensland 500
• 2001 – 2nd Oran Park V8 Supercar round
• 2000 – Competed in two rounds of the Konica V8 Lites Series (Development Series) winning both
• 1998 – US Formula Ford 2000 Champion
• 1996 – Australian Formula Ford Champion
• 1995 – Competed in three Formula Ford races winning the first two and broke both legs at Eastern Creek in a massive accident
• 1992 – European Junior Karting Champion, Australian Junior Karting Champion
• 1991 – Australian Junior Karting Champion
Career Biography
1985-1991
David started racing karts at the age of eight, winning numerous club championships and seven state titles. He progressed through the karting ranks to win two junior Australian karting titles in 1991 and 1992.
1992-1994
In 1992, David decided to test his skills in Europe, heading to Italy for three seasons of karting in an international environment. David raced for top European kart teams, winning a European Junior Karting Championship in 1992 and taking third in the Italian Junior Karting Championship in the same year.
1995-1996
David returned to Australia in 1995 to tackle the national Formula Ford Championship, winning his debut race at Oran Park.
In 1996, David again competed in the Australian Formula Ford Championship. He dominated the category with five pole positions, seven race wins, earning both the Championship and the Rookie of the Year title.
1997-1999
David headed overseas again in 1997, this time to the US to try the Formula 2000 Championship after successful testing with Primus Racing.
In 1998, David created history by achieving eight poles, eight victories and an impressive nine qualifying and race lap records on his way to winning the US Formula 2000 Championship.
1999 saw David compete in three Formula Atlantic races with Hylton Motorsport, finishing 6th on debut at the Grand Prix of Long Beach. He also took part in the Petit Le Mans 10 hour race at Road Atlanta in A Factory BMW M3, claiming second.
David returned to Australia in late 1999 and successfully tested with Stone Brothers Racing.
2000
David won his first V8 race and round at Lakeside in the Konica V8 Lites Series. He went on to win the next round at Mallala and eventually placed fifth in his debut season.
2001-2002
2001 was David’s first full year in V8 Supercar competition and included a second place at the Oran Park round and a front row start at the Queensland 500.
David was arguably the most improved V8 driver in 2002 after jumping from 27th in the series after round one to eighth at the conclusion. David had his first V8 Supercar win at the Queensland 500, after his first round podium finish at Barbagallo.
2003
In 2003 David joined the newly-formed Ford Performance Racing (FPR) team along with fellow Ford contracted drivers Craig Lowndes and Glenn Seton. David battled through the first half of the season with old equipment while the team went through a massive building process.
2004-2005
When FPR was reduced to a two car team at the end of 2003, David joined the newly-formed WPS Racing team. David won the final race in the Tasmania Triple Challenge in V8 Supercar Championship Series, the first race win for WPS Racing in its maiden year.
David also had the opportunity to drive a Champ Car at the Lexmark Indy 300 on the streets of Surfers Paradise, where he placed 7th in his debut race, best debut result since Nigel Mansell.
David continued with WPS Racing in the V8 Supercar Championship in 2005.
2006-2007
In 2006, David tried his hand at the NZ V8 Championship with the Hydraulink Racing Team. He won two rounds of the series and finished 4th in Championship.
In 2007, David signed with his old team, Stone Brothers Racing, to compete in the endurance races with James Courtney in the JELD-WEN Motorsport Falcon and finished 2nd.
2008
David again signed with Stone Brothers Racing for the endurance races with James Courtney and the pair made it back to back podiums finishing 3rd
Besnard will join Johnson in the #17 Falcon FG while Halliday will pair with Moffat in #18.
Team co-owner Dick Johnson said that experience and ability were the key factors in the signing both Besnard and Halliday.
“They are both class acts,” said Johnson.
“Besi will be a great fit for Steven; he’s quick, reliable, knows the circuits and has shown that he can race at the front with the main series drivers.”
“Matt’s a really mature and experienced driver which will work well for James in his first year.”
“Getting guys of their calibre onboard for the enduros will round The Team out nicely”.
For Besnard, a phone call was all he needed to jump on board with Jim Beam Racing for 2011.
“I was lucky enough to have a few choices (for enduros) this year,” he said.
“But when Dick called it was an opportunity and an honour I couldn’t refuse.
“Steve and I have been friends for a long time and we have often spoken about winning Bathurst together.
“I think we make a pretty strong team and we plan to give it a red hot go.”
Halliday said that he was confident his pairing with Moffat would benefit the rookies Championship campaign.
"Joining the reigning V8 Supercar Champions and driving as part of Jim Beam Racing with a famous name gives me every reason to believe we can aim for some very strong results at both Philip Island and Bathurst,” said Halliday.
"Bathurst remains one of the world's most historic motor racing events and with my continuing experience in endurance racing feel I can contribute to the team's and also to Moff's overall championship season."
DAVID BESNARD
Career achievements
• 2010 - 7th Bathurst 1000 Led most laps and 2nd fastest race lap time
• 2009 - 9th Bathurst 1000
• 2008 - 3rd Bathurst 1000
• 2007 - 2nd Bathurst 1000
• 2006 – 1st Pukekohe & Teretonga rounds, NZV8 Championship
• 2004 – 7th Lexmark Indy 300, Champ car- best result by an Australian at this event in A Champ Car and best debut result since Nigel Mansell
• 2002 – 1st Queensland 500
• 2001 – 2nd Oran Park V8 Supercar round
• 2000 – Competed in two rounds of the Konica V8 Lites Series (Development Series) winning both
• 1998 – US Formula Ford 2000 Champion
• 1996 – Australian Formula Ford Champion
• 1995 – Competed in three Formula Ford races winning the first two and broke both legs at Eastern Creek in a massive accident
• 1992 – European Junior Karting Champion, Australian Junior Karting Champion
• 1991 – Australian Junior Karting Champion
Career Biography
1985-1991
David started racing karts at the age of eight, winning numerous club championships and seven state titles. He progressed through the karting ranks to win two junior Australian karting titles in 1991 and 1992.
1992-1994
In 1992, David decided to test his skills in Europe, heading to Italy for three seasons of karting in an international environment. David raced for top European kart teams, winning a European Junior Karting Championship in 1992 and taking third in the Italian Junior Karting Championship in the same year.
1995-1996
David returned to Australia in 1995 to tackle the national Formula Ford Championship, winning his debut race at Oran Park.
In 1996, David again competed in the Australian Formula Ford Championship. He dominated the category with five pole positions, seven race wins, earning both the Championship and the Rookie of the Year title.
1997-1999
David headed overseas again in 1997, this time to the US to try the Formula 2000 Championship after successful testing with Primus Racing.
In 1998, David created history by achieving eight poles, eight victories and an impressive nine qualifying and race lap records on his way to winning the US Formula 2000 Championship.
1999 saw David compete in three Formula Atlantic races with Hylton Motorsport, finishing 6th on debut at the Grand Prix of Long Beach. He also took part in the Petit Le Mans 10 hour race at Road Atlanta in A Factory BMW M3, claiming second.
David returned to Australia in late 1999 and successfully tested with Stone Brothers Racing.
2000
David won his first V8 race and round at Lakeside in the Konica V8 Lites Series. He went on to win the next round at Mallala and eventually placed fifth in his debut season.
2001-2002
2001 was David’s first full year in V8 Supercar competition and included a second place at the Oran Park round and a front row start at the Queensland 500.
David was arguably the most improved V8 driver in 2002 after jumping from 27th in the series after round one to eighth at the conclusion. David had his first V8 Supercar win at the Queensland 500, after his first round podium finish at Barbagallo.
2003
In 2003 David joined the newly-formed Ford Performance Racing (FPR) team along with fellow Ford contracted drivers Craig Lowndes and Glenn Seton. David battled through the first half of the season with old equipment while the team went through a massive building process.
2004-2005
When FPR was reduced to a two car team at the end of 2003, David joined the newly-formed WPS Racing team. David won the final race in the Tasmania Triple Challenge in V8 Supercar Championship Series, the first race win for WPS Racing in its maiden year.
David also had the opportunity to drive a Champ Car at the Lexmark Indy 300 on the streets of Surfers Paradise, where he placed 7th in his debut race, best debut result since Nigel Mansell.
David continued with WPS Racing in the V8 Supercar Championship in 2005.
2006-2007
In 2006, David tried his hand at the NZ V8 Championship with the Hydraulink Racing Team. He won two rounds of the series and finished 4th in Championship.
In 2007, David signed with his old team, Stone Brothers Racing, to compete in the endurance races with James Courtney in the JELD-WEN Motorsport Falcon and finished 2nd.
2008
David again signed with Stone Brothers Racing for the endurance races with James Courtney and the pair made it back to back podiums finishing 3rd