21 Facts About Paul Dumbrell

Paul Lakeland Dumbrell was born on 1 September 1982 and is an Australian business executive and retired racing driver.

Son of former racing driver Garry Dumbrell, Paul Dumbrell started racing in karts in 1996 and by the end of 1997 Dumbrell was looking to further his racing.

Paul Dumbrell was educated at Xavier College in Kew, Melbourne and resides in Melbourne, Australia.

Paul Dumbrell competed in the Australian Sprint Kart National Championships in April 1998.

Paul Dumbrell then attended a driving course with Kevin Flynn at Sandown Raceway where he briefly drove the ex Craig Lowndes Van Diemen RF85.

Paul Dumbrell made his first Bathurst 1000 start at 17 years and 74 days, and was the youngest ever driver to drive a V8 Supercar.

At Bathurst that year, Perkins and Paul Dumbrell finished a surprise fifth position overall.

Paul Dumbrell's fifth placing at Bathurst in 2002 helped him secure a 2-year deal with Castrol Perkins Motorsport for 2003 and 2004.

In 2005, Paul Dumbrell achieved his best-ever round V8 Supercar Championship Series result at Symmons Plains, Tasmania - the venue of his first ever V8 Supercar start - ending the round in fifth place.

Paul Dumbrell finished 5th at Bathurst and was within reach of a podium finish until slowed by mechanical problems.

Paul Dumbrell had a poor season due to the unreliability of the cars, and the only highlight was a 6th placing with Paul Weel at the Sandown 500.

In 2008, Paul Dumbrell joined the HSV Dealer Team to drive the No 16 Autobarn Holden Commodore, as teammate to 2006 V8 Supercar Champion, Rick Kelly.

In 2009 Paul Dumbrell stayed under the Walkinshaw umbrella with the newly formed Walkinshaw Racing, the team which replaced the newly-defunct HSV Dealer Team.

Paul Dumbrell recorded his first V8 Supercar Championship podium finish at the 2010 Falken Tasmania Challenge and followed this up with his first Championship race win and first Championship pole position at the next event, the 2010 Norton 360 Sandown Challenge.

On 8 August 2011, Paul Dumbrell announced he will retire from full-time driving at the end of the 2011 season.

In 2014, Paul Dumbrell entered the Dunlop V8 Supercar Development Series , and won the championship for a second time.

For much of his career, Paul Dumbrell has balanced racing and business.

Paul Dumbrell previously owned a Boost Juice franchise as early as 2002, and was a founding partner of a media company.

Paul Dumbrell's increasing business commitments were cited by him as a reason for his full-time V8 Supercar retirement in 2011.

Automotive Brands was sold to Metcash in 2012 with Paul Dumbrell remaining in charge of the automotive business at Metcash, and taking a place on their executive team.

Paul Dumbrell remained in charge of the division, and at the announcement of the deal, Burson CEO Darryl Abotomey indicated that there was no reason Paul Dumbrell couldn't continue as an endurance co-driver in the V8 Supercars series alongside his business commitments.