Paul Dumbrell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Paul Dumbrell |
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Dumbrell at the 2010 Clipsal 500 Adelaide
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| Nationality |  Australian |
| Born | Paul Lakeland Dumbrell 1 September 1982 (age 42) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Racing licence |  FIA Gold |
| Supercars record | |
| Series championships | 0 |
| Races | 299 |
| Race wins | 7 |
| Podium finishes | 14 |
| Pole positions | 5 |
Paul Dumbrell, born on September 1, 1982, is an Australian who used to be a professional race car driver. He is also a successful business executive. He was known for his exciting career in V8 Supercars, which is a popular racing series in Australia.
Racing Adventures
Early Days in Racing
Paul Dumbrell followed in his dad Garry's footsteps, who was also a racing driver. Paul started racing go-karts in 1996 when he was just 14 years old. He quickly showed he had a lot of talent for racing.
After his karting days, Paul went to special driving schools. He even went to the Jim Russell International School of Racing in England. At 15, he was the youngest in his class and proved to be the fastest driver there.
In 1998, Paul had a small setback when he broke his hip in a bike accident. This stopped him from racing for a while. But he soon got back on track, entering his first production car race at the famous Bathurst.
Paul then moved on to race in Formula Holden cars. In August 1999, he had his very first race in the V8 Supercar Championship Series in Tasmania. He was only 17 years old when he first raced a V8 Supercar at the Bathurst 1000, making him the youngest driver ever to do so at that time.
In 2002, Paul joined Castrol Perkins Racing as a co-driver. He teamed up with the team owner, Larry Perkins, for big endurance races. They had a great result at the Bathurst 1000 that year, finishing in an impressive fifth place.
Full-Time V8 Supercars Driver
Driving for Castrol Perkins Motorsport
Paul's strong performance at Bathurst helped him get a full-time spot with Castrol Perkins Motorsport. He raced with them from 2003 to 2006. In 2005, he had his best race weekend at Symmons Plains, finishing fifth overall. The next year, 2006, was his best championship year with the team, as he finished 12th in the series.
Joining Supercheap Auto Racing
For the 2007 season, Paul moved to Supercheap Auto Racing. It was a tough year for him because the cars had some problems. However, he still managed a good sixth-place finish with Paul Weel at the Sandown 500 race.
Racing with HSV Dealer Team
In 2008, Paul joined the HSV Dealer Team. He drove the No. 16 Autobarn Holden Commodore. His teammate was Rick Kelly, who had won the V8 Supercar Championship in 2006. It was a challenging season for the team, and Paul finished 21st in the championship.
Moving to Walkinshaw Racing
In 2009, Paul continued to race under the Walkinshaw Racing team. He drove an Autobarn-sponsored Holden VE Commodore. This team was formed after the HSV Dealer Team closed.
Driving for Rod Nash Racing
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In 2010, Paul made a big change. He signed with Rod Nash Racing and started driving a Ford FG Falcon. This was his first time racing a Ford, as he had always driven Holdens before in V8 Supercars.
This change brought him great success! Paul got his first V8 Supercar Championship podium finish at the Tasmania Challenge. A podium means finishing in the top three. Even better, at the very next race, the Sandown Challenge, he won his first Championship race and also got his first pole position (meaning he started the race from the very front).
On August 8, 2011, Paul announced that he would stop racing full-time at the end of that season.
Endurance Co-Driver Role
Teamwork with Triple Eight Race Engineering
Even though Paul retired from full-time racing, he didn't leave the sport completely. From 2012 onwards, he became a special co-driver for the longer endurance races in V8 Supercars. These races include the Sandown 500, the Bathurst 1000, and the Gold Coast 600.
Paul teamed up with seven-time series champion Jamie Whincup at Triple Eight Race Engineering. This partnership was incredibly successful right away!
In 2012, Paul and Jamie won the famous 2012 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000. This is one of the biggest races in Australia! They also won the 2013 Wilson Security Sandown 500 in 2013. In 2014, they won the Enduro Cup, which is a special award for the best team across the three endurance races. They also won the Sandown 500 again in 2014.
In 2014, Paul also raced in the Dunlop V8 Supercar Development Series again. He showed he still had it by winning that championship for a second time!
Life in Business
Throughout much of his racing career, Paul Dumbrell also worked hard in the business world. He owned a Boost Juice store early on and helped start a media company.
He also worked his way up in his family's business, the Automotive Brands Group. This company owns well-known brands like Autobarn and Autopro. By 2009, Paul became the chief executive officer (CEO) of the group. His growing responsibilities in business were a big reason why he decided to stop racing full-time in 2011.
In 2012, the Automotive Brands Group was sold to a company called Metcash. Paul stayed in charge of the automotive part of the business at Metcash. Interestingly, Metcash also owned The Bottle-O, which was one of Paul's sponsors when he raced for Rod Nash Racing.
In 2015, the business was sold again to the Burson Group. Paul continued to lead the division. The CEO of Burson Group even said that there was no reason Paul couldn't keep racing as an endurance co-driver alongside his business work.
Career Highlights
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Paul Dumbrell had a very successful racing career, winning championships and major races. Here are some of his key achievements:
- 2002 Konica V8 Supercar Series: 1st Place
- 2014 Dunlop V8 Supercar Series: 1st Place
- 2012 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000: 1st Place (co-driver with Jamie Whincup)
- 2013 Wilson Security Sandown 500: 1st Place (co-driver with Jamie Whincup)
- 2014 Wilson Security Sandown 500: 1st Place (co-driver with Jamie Whincup)
- 2014 Enduro Cup: Winner (with Jamie Whincup)
- 2016 Castrol Gold Coast 600: 1st Place (co-driver with Jamie Whincup)
- 2018 Sandown 500: 1st Place (co-driver with Jamie Whincup)
Paul Dumbrell is a great example of someone who excelled both on the race track and in the business world!
Images for kids
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Paul Dumbrell at the 2010 Clipsal 500 Adelaide
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FIA Gold Driver Licence
