ISSUE_002
THE DOVER ISSUE Page 6
APRIL 8TH
April 8, 2013
EDITOR’S COMMENTS
Up in yah
P
grill
INSIDE ALL OVER DOVER
utting together the first issue of Ignition was the equivalent of giving birth. It didn’t just happen. There was a mutual agreement that led to months of gestation as to what form this publication should look like. Even with all the best insight there was no way to know the final appearance until it popped out of the womb that was my mind. Would it look as I imagined? Would it be as what the publishers wanted, or would it be an amalgam of both. Thankfully, Ignition draws on both, but just as in genetics there has to be a dominant characteristic. That trait is quality. Much love has gone into starting Ignition in order to allow that love of the topic to be passed to you, our readers. We’ve assembled the best team we could to bring you the best publication possible. From top fresh writing talent, to awesome photography that only the best layout style could bring to life. All with the aim of making sure every issue will never fall below a certain standard, much like bringing a child to adulthood. However, don’t think for a second that issue number two is day two of young ignition’s life. As I click the mouse to upload this publication the though process isn’t one of the constant slog we call life, it’s rebirth. Once again, Ignition bursts forth, fresh, new, and excited to be in this world. We missed Dover. No getting around that, so we’ve gone ballistic, Ignition-style. Our crack team hit the Easter weekend event as if it was the last thing happening on earth. Memory cards were filled, pens bled dry, smartphone batteries drained to offer something others can’t, eight, damn right, eight virtual pages of Carnival of Speed coverage. That’s a whole publication in itself. On top of that Ignition is doing so in a usual, simple, but unique format for the Motorsports fan.
Pole to flag coverage starts at p6 INTERNATIONAL
MINI model shake up -
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Don’t worry we haven’t forgotten the rest of the car universe. That’s what the other pages are for. Please remember Ignition is free to distribute via our Issuu PDF reader, we’re also on good old Facebook. So like, link, scream, shout, or slap a sticker on a homeless person, whatever it takes to get the word out. ignitionweeklyja@gmail.com
Touring Car Season kicks off - 15 2
April 8, 2013
LOCAL
Ready for the
Road
By John Bridge
3
April 8, 2013
LOCAL
I
nvited guests and media were all ready for the 2013 Nissan Juke as the popular soca song heralded its first official introduction to the Jamaican market.
In front of a small crowd at a venue that screamed exclusivity, chic and cozy – Belmont Road’s Zen Lounge – the newest addition to local Nissan dealers Fidelity Motors got the double unveiling. Car number one lay covered under black until the fateful moment, at which point another Juke was driven out onto a second staging area, giving the packed house two vehicle to examine. They didn’t wait to sample both, one in Nissan’s Black Night, and the other in Devil Red. With ample drinks from the bar, and finger food all around the launch moved into high gear. Set up next to the main stage was a big screen, on which Fidelity Motors Marketing Officer David Crawford encouraged the guests to log on to the company’s social media sites. Live comments from the crowd, via Facebook, and Twitter to name a few were flashed up adding further to the interactive nature of the event.
pany sells, below the Qashqai, but as it’s also car based it’s between the March and the Versa compact sedan. At 3.6 million it has features not available in this price range from equivalent cars, such as full-time intelligent all-wheel drive and the ground clearance to make use of it. Other pulls are the stylish design elements, full leather interior, and three driving modes to make the best of the 117bhp 1.6-litre motor. Nissan is famous for its performance and fans will be drawn to the 190bhp turbocharged version of that very same engine available at a later date. This lucky guest receives a gift bag from host DJ Bambino courtesy of Fidelity Motors.
The Juke was everywhere.
Things got even more fun as host DJ Bambino started the random give away section, calling on those present to answer Nissan related questions for their bags of branded swag. Bambino eventually morphed from his hosting duties into his other more musical persona, Trevor Off Key. He started to belt out his parody hits getting the crowd dancing and carrying the proceedings
late into the night. Mingling with the crowd were Fidelity bigwigs Major Gregory Webster, Managing Director, and Sales Manager Leslie Nembhard. Both sung the praises of their latest piece of merchandise. The Juke fills a big space in the Nissan product line-up due to its size and SUV-like capabilities. It fits in as the smallest of the Crossovers the com-
All were encouraged to experience the Juke.
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DJ Bambino kept the night going with his own brand of musical humour.
April 8, 2013
LOCAL
Strong new caribbean line-up for Suzuki in 2013
I
t was announced on March 26 by Interamericana Trading Corporation (ITC) that exciting new Suzuki models will roll out from as early as December 2013 for the Caribbean and Latin America. Stewart’s Auto Sales Limited, exclusive dealers of Suzuki in Jamaica, is expected to receive updated models from the popular Japanese automaker shortly thereafter. “We are elated to learn about the new models we will be receiving,” says Diana Stewart, Managing Director of Stewart’s Auto Sales. “Jamaicans are already familiar with the reliability and value that a Suzuki provides and we now look forward to promoting their new designs and innovation,” Stewart added. New for 2014 is the all-new SX4, which recently debuted at the Geneva International Motorshow this year. Now transformed into a larger, cross-over SUV, the SX4 will start production for the Caribbean in December of this year followed closely by an exciting new MPV with three rows of seating in April 2014. Suzuki will also offering an all-new mid-size C-Segment Sedan which will commence production in September 2014,
followed closely by the new gas-sipping Celerio in November 2014. An SUV will start production in August of the following year (2015) with more variants to follow. “Within the next eighteen months,
[the Caribbean] will see four new products join the current Suzuki model lineup, followed closely by an all new SUV.” stated David Simpson, Chief Operating Officer at ITC in a press release. The group of upgraded models to
the Caribbean is welcome news following the announcement that Suzuki will cease production and new car sales operationsfor North America including Canada and the United States territory of Puerto Rico and Hawaii.
The interior now reflects higher quality design.
The new look for the next generation Suzuki SX4.
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April 8, 2013
FEATURE: CARNIVAL OF SPEED 2013
Now sponsored by Rubis/Shell Helix, 2012 Dover Champion Sebastien Rae has moved up a from Modified Production 2 into the Modified Production 3 after purchasing the recordbreaking VW Magnum once driven by late Dover Raceway owner Alfred Chen and more recently David Summerbell Jr.
A Rae of hope CARNIVAL OF SPEED 2013, DOVER RACEWAY, ST. ANN
D
efending Jamaica Race Drivers Club (JRDC) Circuit Champion, Sebastien Rae wasn’t too bullish on his ability to defend his 2012 title, or even win races this year due to his purchase of a new car, but his first event back, Carnival of Speed, clearly showed his potential. Rae began the new season straddling two fences, a bracket class championship with his old Modified Production 2 Mitsubishi Mirage RS, and the overall title in the ex-Summerbell Jr. VW Magnum. Either car couldn’t be more different and only confirmed the fact that Rae is looking up the ladder at the upper echelons of the sport for the future. The Mirage is a full chassis front-wheel drive vehicle, while the Magnum is a converted singleseater with the potential to regain the lap re-
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cord it held for more than a decade at Dover Raceway. A clean sweep of Bracket 32 and one MP2 podium only ended in tears as on the second MP2 race of the day his Mirage caught on fire bringing him to an immediate halt in dramatic manner by the main spectator stands. In MP3 he could only manage one win, but went on to thrill the crowd during the Thundersport race in an exciting battle to second-place overall with Kyle Gregg. He makes no bones that that learning curve will be high in the Magnum as its driving mechanics are much different than the Mirage given the more powerful Honda K20 motor driving its rear-wheels. However, with the Mitsubishi out of commission and on the auction block, Rae should have more focus.
April 8, 2013
FEATURE: CARNIVAL OF SPEED 2013
Hollywood block-‘busted’
Refreshed, the Audi came hunting for the lap record, and got close.
After a masterful display at JamWest there were still questions if the Audi TT-R would be competitive at Dover Raceway, a circuit much less suited to it, but it was obvious that the car was much easier to drive with driver Douglas Gore laying down the gauntlet by dipping into the 17-second range during Sunday qualifying, a time better than its fastest ever a 1:18.1. Gore would take three commanding wins at the event leading from start to finish. Unfortunately, in a move that the head of the JRDC called a deliberate attempt to gain an advantage in the media, Gore had circumvented the class tyre regulations in race two and was formally protested by rivals Total Summerbell Racing (TSR). Three victories became two as he was disqualified raising tensions between both camps to an all time high.
De-Evolution
When the AMS built TA-1 made it to local shores, it was a force to be reckoned with. The other Lancer Evolutions struggled to keep pace, many of them breaking, and one case in particular forcing the owner to seek a completely different brand. Currently, the shoe seems to be on the other foot, as the TSR mechanics were busy all weekend like Doctor Frankenstein trying to keep an experiment alive. This all culminated with a spectacular turbocharger failure in the second MP4 race denying fans any hope of the Gore/Summerbell Jr. match up they wanted for the last race of the day, Thundersport. Summerbell Jr. hinted in the media that his team might scale back their racing efforts to just Modified Production class four. One can only speculate that this could be a move to reduce the racing stress on car, team, and pocket. Summerbell’s Lancer Evolution continues to evolve in a bid to stay ahead of the Audi TT-R DTM. Age continues to make its presence felt on Peter Rae’s Mazda RX-7.
Absolute diff-erence
when the machinery co-operates. It
his regular tyre size is no longer in
Jamaican circuit racing season. Even
didn’t this meet around as the Mazda
production forcing him to have to
a third place finish, his highest for the
Peter Rae continues to be a mixed
RX-7, while a competent challenger
develop the car around a new brand
weekend, wasn’t enough to offset an
bag. Like Summerbell Jr. he contin-
to the others, is starting the show
and compound, something that
early Thundersport retirement from
ues to show flashes of brilliance,
its age. Rae’s first problem came as
doesn’t work well in the short sharp
an exploding rear differential.
7
April 8, 2013
April 8, 2013
FEATURE: CARNIVAL OF SPEED 2013
The moment that changed the shade of the event, TSR’s TA-1 suffers turbocharger failure in the second Modified Production 4 race, from which it was unable to recover in time for the final Thundersport race.
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9
April 8, 2013
FEATURE: CARNIVAL OF SPEED 2013 Bracket 38 race one went the way of Brian Shor.
Bracket 45T driver Kirby Smallhorne winning the first race.
Deadman racing Real racing starts here, in Bracket 38. Race one saw the E39 BMW M3 of Brian Shor
Time stamped
Bracket 45 continues to be heralded as the development class allowing roll-cage
beat Andrew Delapenha to the finish. The second race was a different story as Delapenha’s 240SX took the win with Shor nowhere in sight. The points collected put him in the lead for the class championship.
free racing within the mandated 1:45.0 lap time. Othniel Lawrence threw all that out the window during race one as he flashed to the front of the pack in his Lancer Evolution VI impressing everyone, except his fellow competitors in the B45 forcedinduction class, with his speed. Seasoned B45 racer Kirby Smallhorne in his trusty turbocharged Toyota Starlet was there to pick up the pieces as Lawrence broke out of the bracket with a 1:42.5. It would take race two for him to learn his lesson and a more sedate pace had him fighting, and winning, against Smallhorne, 1:46.585 and 1:46.736 respectively.
In B45, for naturally aspirated cars, Dwight Spence in his Honda Civic continued
to rule the roost besting the Honda Accord of Cruise Lewis in both races. Andrew Delapenha takes Bracket 38 race two.
Andre Norman reprsenting Honda in the Motorbikes.
Given his speed in B45T Othniel Lawrence may have thought MP stood for Modified Production.
Bikes back
An injection of sponsorship by Dekal Wireless into the Motorbike category saw a pretty good turn out, minus the 2012 class champion Adrian Blake. Always an active and competitive group, they had three races to stretch their very fast legs. Robert McDonald broke Dennis Chin-Quee’s shot at a trifecta denying him that one win in Bracket 45N belonged to the Honda Civic of Dwight Spence, who won both races.
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the first event. From then on McDonald was just a runner-up. The class B bikers Caswell Lewis did the same to Jason Campbell.
April 8, 2013
FEATURE: CARNIVAL OF SPEED 2013
Kirk Diaz (153) injects himself into the Bracket 32 rivalry between Sebastien Rae (27) and Natasha Chang (104).
Natasha Chang had Modified Production 1 all to herself.
When the cat’s away
Last year, Tarik Minott in his Suzuki Ignis, ruled MP1 at times turning in faster laps than even the MP2 cars ahead of him. For Carnival of Speed he was MIA leaving Chang the run of the class, and she took full advantage collecting double victories over Guy Fraser and Don Gilbert.
Too fast to race
Anderson had the B27 race all to himself.
Two words, no contest.
That wasn’t the case in MP2. Kyle Gregg was back in his old stomping
grounds mixing it up with rival Alan Chen. His first race was a carefree run to the flag as mechanical issues sidelined Chen. The second race, however, Chen showed why he’s one of the sport’s finest with a magnificent charge from the
One of the dangers of bracket racing is the constant fear of going faster than
Diaz would eventually prove too fast for the class and break out in race two posting a 1:30.374.
back of the grid to race body panel to body panel with Gregg to win.
the mandatory time to stay under, resulting in a losing effort. However, having to deal with other cars of differing speeds and strategies can distort things. This happens a lot in the combined B27 and B32 races, especially given that many of these cars compete against each other in the MP classes.
For Bracket 27, Andre Anderson had
it all to himself, literally, as he was the only car class. Even with a host of mechanical problems all weekend he kept it together long enough to win both races. Bracket 32 wasn’t as clear-cut.
Chen, stationary for most of the day, until it counted.
Sebastien Rae fought hard to stem the approaching Honda tide over the two events to eventually win them both. The first was a close battle against Pe-
Modified Production 2 race one going the way of Kyle Gregg.
ter Jaggon’s Honda Integra. Race two saw Kirk Diaz flex too much muscle posting a 1:30.374. He dragged Natasha Chang into a speed battle while the experienced Rae held his ground. At race end the Civic on the podium next to him was that of Samantha Summerbell, Chang having broken out with a 1:31.032.
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April 8, 2013
FEATURE: CARNIVAL OF SPEED 2013 Heath Causwell (31) collected a Modified Production 4 race win after Douglas Gore was excluded from the second race due to his tyre rule infringement.
Mixed bag
Not a frequent particpant in circuit racing, Jeffrey Panton still made an impact grabbing second place in Modified Production 4 race two.
contact sport. However, with Gore’s indiscretions
him, making his circuit racing debut was rally driver
and Summerbell’s second-race retirement, the rest
Jeffery Panton, who despite taking home a few tro-
MP4 was where the excitement was expected to
of the field had to pull their weight in racing gold.
phies wasn’t enjoying himself in his Evolution VII.
be, and the opening race gave the crowd a hint as
Gore took race one from Summerbell, while his
the driving between the Audi and Evolution had the
race two DQ elevated the Subaru Impreza of Heath
num drew success, a fact that changed in race two
stewards questioning if motor racing was a non-
Causwell to the top spot on the podium. Behind
where the win went to Peter Jaggon.
Sebastien Rae’s first MP3 outing in the Mag-
With Summerbell Jr. out for the day it was left to rest of the drivers to put on a show in the Carnival of Speed finale, the Thundersport race.
No thunder some sport, finally
Fans should have been disappointed, as Summerbell Jr. was unable to take to the track, since he couldn’t complete repairs in time. That disappointment should have doubled when the only person close enough to Gore, Peter Rae, fell out of the running on the first lap. Gore, left all alone, should have made Thundersport a dull finale. That didn’t happen. Key performances by the Magnum, Kyle Gregg, Alan Chen, Natasha Chang and even Jeffery Panton confirmed that if you give competitors the chance for full racing, excitement can happen.
12
Gore’s only other competition, Peter Rae fell out early leaving him a clear run to the end and a second race win for the event.
April 8, 2013
FEATURE: CARNIVAL OF SPEED 2013
Bracket 45N Race 1 1st Dwight Spence 2nd Cruise Lewis 3rd Walton Small Jr. Race 2 1st Dwight Spence 2nd Cruise Lewis 3rd Walton Small Jnr. Bracket 45T Race 1 1st Kriby Smallhorne 2nd Ocran Davis 3rd Oshane Scott Race 2 1st Othneil Lawrence 2nd Kirby Smallhorne 3rd Ocran Davis Bracket 38 Race 1 1st Brian Shor 2nd Andrew Delapenha 3rd Kayde Walker Race 2 1st Andrew Delapenha 2nd Everett Brady 3rd Rhon Gayle Bracket 32 Race 1 1st Sebastien Rae 2nd Peter Jaggon 3rd Natasha Chang
CARNIVAL OF SPEED RESULTS*
Race 2 1st Sebastien Rae 2nd Samantha Summerbell 3rd Nigel Edwards Bracket 27 Race 1 1st Andre Anderson Race 2 1st Andre Anderson
Modified Production Class 1 Race 1 1st Natasha Chang 2nd Guy Fraser 3rd Don Gilbert Race 2 1st Natasha Chang 2nd Guy Fraser 3rd Don Gilbert Modified Production Class 2 Race 1 1st Kyle Gregg 2nd Sebastien Rae 3rd Dean Corrodus Race 2 1st Alan Chen 2nd Kyle Gregg 3rd Paul Chok
Modified Production Class 3 Race 1 1st Sebastien Rae 2nd Andre Anderson 3rd Peter Jaggon
Motorcycle Class A Race 1 1st Robert McDonald 2nd Andre Norman 3rd Dennis Chin-Quee
Race 2 1st Peter Jaggon 2nd Nigel Edwards 3rd Samantha Summerbell
Race 2 1st Dennis Chin-Quee 2nd Robert McDonald 3rd Andre Norman
Modified Production Class 4 Race 1 1st Douglas Gore 2nd David Summerbell Jnr. 3rd Peter Rae
Race 3 1st Dennis Chin-Quee 2nd Robert McDonald 3rd Andre Norman
Race 2 1st Heath Causwell 2nd Jeffery Panton 3rd Marck Carey
Motorcycle Class B Race 1 1st Jason Campbell 2nd Caswell Lewis 3rd Glenmore Dyer
Thundersport 1 1st Sebastien Rae 2nd Kyle Gregg 3rd Alan Chen
Race 2 1st Jason Campbell 2nd Norman Chung 3rd Glenmore Dyer
Thundersport 2 1st Douglas Gore 2nd Jeffery Panton 3rd Andre Anderson
Race 3 1st Caswell Lewis 2nd Jason Campbell 3rd Norman Chung
*RESULTS ARE BY CLASS
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April 8, 2013
INTERNATIONAL
2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible sold for charity for USD$1 million
Rick Hendrick, owner of NASCAR team Hendrick Motorsports placed the winning bid of $1,000,000 for the first production 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible at a recent Palm Beach BarrettJackson auction. Hendrick won rights to the first retail open-top two-seater production model, allowing him to choose both color and options before his V8 sports car rolls off the assembly line in the near future. Hopefully, by the time that happens, we will all know more about its soft convertible top, doublebubble tonneau and the mechanism that opens and lowers the fully automatic roof at speeds upwards of 30 mph. Proceeds from the sale of this first C7 droptop will benefit the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer institute.
GM warning 800,000 owners that their cars may need oil changes more frequently than they say
According to Autoweek, certain 2010-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain models equipped with 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines could be going too long in between oil changes resulting in a higher-than-normal number of warranty claims for the engine’s balance chain. The balance chain links the balance shaft to the crankshaft, and a worn one can produce higher noise levels. As a fix, GM dealers will be reprogramming the software for the monitors in an effort to reduce the interval between oil changes, which varies based on driving habits and conditions. Through February 2015, the software update will be done at no cost to vehicle owners, but since this is not a recall, after that point, it will be up to the discretion of dealers as to whether or not they will charge for the service..
The C7 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible.
figurations found within each line. When MINI relaunched in the early 2000s, it did so with one model, the Cooper Hardtop, and has since added the Convertible, Clubman, Countryman, Coupe, Roadster and Paceman. The brand’s core models right now are the Hardtop and Countryman, and of the roughly 66,200 vehicles that MINI sold in the United States last year, these two vehicles accounted for some 75 percent of total sales. “When we start to replace models, I think you will see that we won’t replace every model exactly,” Jim McDowell, Vice President of MINI USA, told Edmunds in an interview. McDowell declined to mention any specific models that may not be replaced in the lineup’s next generation.
Lexus to debut small hybrid CUV at 2014 Geneva Motor Show
Following rumors that Lexus has been working on a small crossover, Automotive News Europe reports that the production-ready CUV will bow at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show next March. Later this year, Lexus will preview this new crossover by way of a concept car at the Tokyo Motor Show in November. Specific details have not been confirmed, but AN states that the entry-level CUV will be powered by the same 2.5-liter gasoline-electric hybrid drivetrain found in the Lexus ES 300h and will ride on the smaller architecture that underpins the Toyota According to Edmunds, MINI may be looking to reRAV4. This also hints that the a second-generation duce the total of seven offerings of vehicles in its RAV4 EV may be on the way. Until now, there has range, not to mention the copious varieties of connot been a Lexus crossover below the RX, and this new model will compete with othThe MINI Paceman may not be er new players in the class including the replaced in the next model cycle. BMW X1 and Audi Q3.
MINI may have overexpanded, some models may not be replaced
other automakers based in that country, and as a result, it has long suffered at the hands of a strong yen. But the currency has declined in value by some 16 percent over the past six months and Mazda’s shares have tripled in value to their highest level since 2008. Contrast this situation to a year ago when Mazda printed 1.22 billion new shares to raise cash. The move was equivalent to 70 percent of the company’s then-outstanding stock, and values tumbled to record lows as a result. Now that the yen has fallen to a value of around 96 per dollar, Mazda operations in the US are more profitable and the company now projects it will earn around $279 million for the next fiscal year. Automotive News says a one yen change against the dollar can have a 9.1 percent impact on Mazda operating profit compared to 4.7 percent at Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries or 3.1 percent at Toyota. Those automakers better insulate themselves from currency fluctuations with overseas manufacturing facilities.
Kia to green-light GT and Provo for production
Kia is looking to inject a bit more performance life into its brand. The company is looking at creating sporty models based on two of its recent concept cars, the GT four-door from the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show and the Provo hybrid hatchback that debuted in Geneva recently. “The GT is close to being approved and going into production, but, as with all our cars, they have to be developed on a sound financial footing,” Benny Oeyen, Kia Europe’s VP of marketing and product planning, told Auto Express. When it debuted, the GT four-door was powered by a turbocharged 3.3-liter V6, reportedly good for 389 horsepower and 394 pound-feet of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. The Provo, on the other hand, could stand as a sort of halo car for the company’s B-segment offerings. It would ride on the same front-wheel-drive platform as the Rio compact.
Mazda’s first profit in five years due to weak yen
Mazda is set to turn a profit for the first time in five years. The automaker is more dependent on exports from Japan than 14
The Kia Provo, making it into production.
April 8, 2013
INTERNATIONAL
DTM American style
An American version of the Deutsche Tourenwagen-Meisterschaft (German Touring Car Championship) or DTM as its popularly known, is set to be launched in the next few years after the organizers of the German series, ITR, announced that it has entered into an agreement with Grand-Am and the International Motor Sports Association – the sanctioning body of the merged United SportsCar Racing Series. The goal for the organizations is to create a North American version of the series which could be launched as early as 2015 and would possibly feature as part of the United SportsCar Racing weekends. “On the heels of our United SportsCar Racing and IMSA announcements, reaching this agreement adds to the momentum we’re experiencing right now,” Grand-Am president and CEO Ed Bennett said. “The next steps in this process will involve further discussions with various automotive manufacturers, whose commitment to this concept is essential if a North American DTMstyle series is to become reality.” Whether the series becomes a reality is largely dependent on whether or not manufacturers are prepared to lend their support to the plans, which would see the proposed new series becoming the third to run to the latest DTM regulations. DTM chief Hans Werner Aufrecht said the new regulations introduced into the series had now provided the opportunity for manufacturers to work on a global platform covering the major automotive markets. The Japanese Super GT series has already entered into cooperation with the DTM which will start next year. “In addition to the six German and Japanese manufacturers - Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Nissan and Toyota - which are already involved, the new cooperation quite obviously also offers a new and extraordinary field of activity for the American premium manufacturers such as Cadillac, Lincoln or Dodge SRT within the framework of future motorsport programs. The DTM season starts on May 5 in Germany.
BTCC opener
Jason Plato declared himself pleased with the opening weekend of the Dun-
have got to be going to Donington Park in three weeks’ time looking for podiums at least.”
Despite loss of factory support Muller Cruze-es to double WTCC wins
Yvan Muller saw his 2013 world championship campaign get off to the best possible start as he won the both World Touring Car Championship Races at Monza, Italy in another successful weekend for the Chevrolet Cruze and RML team. Muller, who started from pole position at the Italian track, led without fault and even a safety car period caused by Stefan D’Aste did little to dampen the Frenchman’s sterling drive to victory. He eventually finished just under a second up on new RML team-mate, Tom Chilton. Due to the reverse-grid qualification rules, Muller started race two from tenth place on the grid, but, by the end of the first lap, was up to sixth place and, at the end of lap four, the race was as good as won, as the Frenchman swept into the lead, finding grip and traction where others has failed. Nearest rival Michel Nykjaer finished over two seconds behind the former BTCC champion.
The next Colin McRae?
lop MSA British Touring Car Championship season having secured the early lead in the points standings. “After taking two wins and a fifth place I am over the moon,” he said. “It really validates all the hard work we have put in to this programme and I can only see things getting better from here. The MG KX Momentum Racing driver overcame a scare on the final lap of race one – when he was hit by the Honda of Andrew Jordan at the final corner – to open his account for the year and then repeated the feat in race two, despite a late Safety Car period bunching up the field behind and costing him a healthy lead. Although unable to make it a triple success in race three, Plato secured a solid fifth place to give him an early advantage in the title race and admitted it had been the ideal start to the 2013 campaign, with new team-mate Sam Tordoff also taking to the podium over the course of the weekend. Youngster Tordoff, starting his first full season in the BTCC, secured a brace of top five finishes in the sister car including a fine third place in race three to sit third in the championship standings. “The car is good and I have settled in to the team really well. We
Irish rally driver Keith Cronin will make his competitive debut in the World Rally Championship next week when he kicks off his 2013 campaign on Rally de Portugal. “This event is going to be a tough start to my world rally career but I’ve worked hard to get this far and I plan to make the most of the opportunity,” he vowed. “WRC3 and the Citroen Top Driver championship will both be very competitive and my focus for this first event is to get some points on the board and just take it stage by stage. Cronin, already a triple British rally champion, is contesting the WRC3 series this year – a special category within the main world championship for two-wheel-drive cars. He’s dominated the British championship for three years but the step up to the world level is not an easy one – especially in Portugal. “The step up to the world championship is an exciting move for me and it’s thanks to the support of my sponsors and supporters at home in Ireland that we’ve been able to get to this point.” Rally de Portugal is renowned for being tough on cars. The three-day event is based in Faro but most of the competitive action takes place in the hills above the popular holiday destination.
German’s premiere racing series, DTM, is making moves to bring on board North American Auto Manufacturers.
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