Castrol EDGE Australia Newsletter - 2012 Season Preview

VOLUME 2 - ISSUE 1

it’s our best oil yet... www.castroledge.com.au

22nd FEBRUARY 2012

Castrol in full sw 2012 V8 Supercar

T

he 2012 International V8 Supercar Championship got off to a super start with the official launch of this year’s championship drawing over 10,000 spectators as it doubled as a full day’s test session for all 28 cars at Sandown Raceway. Once again Castrol EDGE was out in full force as official team partners to Ford Performance

Racing and its star drivers Mark Winterbottom and Will Davison. The Bottle-O Racing Team has signed David Reynolds to drive the #55 The Bottle-O Ford, confirming the final driver in the factory Ford team’s line-up for the 2012 V8 Supercars season.

Kelly Racing’s four-car line was also out

to dominate with Todd and Rick Kelly leading the way in the Jack Daniels VEII Commodores alongside Greg Murphy (Pepsi) and the new addition of Karl Reindler in the Fair Dinkum Sheds entry.

Tony D’Alberto continues with his Castrol-backed, FPR-built Falcon while former Championship winner Russell

wing for r season

‘The Enforcer’ Ingall will continue on in Supercheap Auto colours now running out of the Wilkinshaw Racing garage for the 2012 season.

In 2012 the International V8 Supercar Championship will run at a record 16 venues as the series seeks to expand in to new markets. On the domestic

front the pre-Bathurst enduro returns to Sandown (September 14-16) with Phillip Island running a standard doubleheader race earlier in the campaign. The Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 runs over the same weekend it did in 2011 (October 4-7). The 2012 Championship will run alongside two Formula1 events.

The non-championship Australian Grand

2012 V8 Supercars Championship: March 1-4: Clipsal 500 Adelaide March 15-18: Australian Grand Prix Albert Park, Melbourne (NC) March 30-April 1: Tasmanian Challenge Symmons Plains, Launceston April 20-22: ITM400 Hamilton, New Zealand May 4-6: Trading Post Challenge Barbagallo, Perth May 18-20: Phillip Island Phillip Island, Victoria June 15-17: SKYCITY Triple Crown Hidden Valley, Darwin July 6-8: Sucrogen Townsville 400 Reid Park, Townsville August 3-5: Coates Hire Ipswich 300 Queensland Raceway, Ipswich August 24-26: Winton Winton, Victoria September 14-16: Sandown 500 Sandown, Victoria October 4-7: Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 Bathurst, New South Wales October 19-21: Armor All Gold Coast 600 Gold Coast, Queensland November 2-4: Yas V8 400 Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi November 9-11: TBA TBA November 30-Dec 2: Sydney Telstra 500 Olympic Park, Sydney

Prix at Albert Park returns (March 1518) whilst the series’ Abu Dhabi round moves from February to November, sharing the bill with F1. Meanwhile one round remains TBA, with no venue confirmed for the November 9-11 event.

An additional flyaway race is likely to fill the gap.

Castrol teams top test times at Sandown C

astrol-backed Ford Performance Racing was back on track for the first time in season 2012 where Will Davison set the fastest lap ever around Sandown at the V8 Supercars season-opening test day. New signing David Reynolds got his first taste of a Falcon, while Mark Winterbottom tested his rapidly-healing broken ankle. He ended the day ninth and happy with how his ankle performed while Reynolds was seventh quickest as he got to grips with his new car.

Of the Kelly Racing quartet it was Todd Kelly who set the pace as the

fourth fastest driver of the day while Castrol driver Tony D’Alberto showed good speed as he looks to impress in season 2012. Morning rain meant teams made only a handful of outings on track, though once the weather improved all V8 Supercars got to work where the team’s endurance drivers also got in some running, incuding Castrol ambassador Steve Richards - endurance driving of the #5 Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon.

Davison. “Rain meant we were hampered early but we got through most things. I was obviously very happy with the car no matter what tyres we were on and I had a crack at the end and set a great lap time which was encouraging. It is always nice to finish the first day of the year in P1 and while we thought we would be close to the fastest it is nice to know that we actually were. We can carry that knowledge and confidence into Clipsal.”

“It was good to dust the cobwebs off and finish the day on such a good note,” commented the pacesetter

1. Will Davison, 1m09.3230s, 65 laps 2. Craig Lowndes, 1m09.5588s, 73 3. Lee Holdsworth, 1m09.5796s, 61 4. Todd Kelly, 1m09.8234s, 47 5. Jonathon Webb, 1m09.8576s, 62 6. Garth Tander, 1m09.9376s, 56 7. David Reynolds, 1m10.1266s, 68 8. Tim Slade, 1m09.9790s, 43 9. Mark Winterbottom, 1m09.9871s, 77 10. Steve Owen, 1m10.0505s, 44 Round 1 of the 2012 V8 Supercars Championship kicks off next week as crews head to the streets of Adelaide for the infamous Clipsal 500.

The following is a line-up of the 28drivers who will contest this year’s championship: TeamVodafone Drivers: Jamie Whincup, Craig Lowndes Toll Holden Racing Team/Supercheap Auto Racing Drivers: Garth Tander, James Courtney, Russell Ingall

Tony D’Alberto Racing Drivers: Tony D’Alberto Stone Brothers Racing Drivers: Lee Holdsworth, Shane van Gisbergen, Tim Slade Ford Performance Racing Drivers: Mark Winterbottom, Will Davison, David Reynolds

Kelly Racing Drivers: Todd Kelly, Karl Reindler, Rick Kelly, Greg Murphy Brad Jones Racing Drivers: Jason Bright, Fabian Coulthard, David Wall Dick Johnson Racing Drivers: Dean Fiore, Steven Johnson,

James Moffat, Steve Owen Tekno Autosports Drivers: Jonathon Webb, Michael Patrizi Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport Drivers: Taz Douglas Fujitsu Racing Drivers: Alexandre Premat, Michael Caruso

Castrol EDGE secure success in snowy Sweden with Ford T

he Castrol EDGE supported Ford World Rally Team have notched up their 50th World Rally Championhship event win with Jari-Matti Latvala flying home to pick up victory on the latest round of the championship, Rally Sweden.

“Four years ago I won my first world rally here and became the youngest driver to do so,” Latvala said. “To come back and win for a second time is very special.”

The next best-placed Castrol driver was Ford factory man Petter Solberg who finished his home event fourth.

Former Junior champion Patrik Sandell from Sweden declared himself very pleased with his best ever result on home territory finishing eighth overall in the Castrol-backed MINI John Cooper Works WRC, run by Prodrive.

In the S2000 category Castrolsupported Volkswagen Motorsport’s Sébastien Ogier and his co-driver Julien Ingrassia took class victory with their Skoda Fabia S2000, their team-mates Andreas Mikkelsen and Ola Fløene clinched third place. Volkswagen is running at WRC rounds this season with two Fabia S2000 cars of the group’s Skoda brand in the smaller SWRC class. The commitments serve as preparation for the 2013 season in which Volkswagen will compete in the top class with the Polo R WRC. During Round 1, Rally Monte Carlo, last month

the Skoda Fabia S2000 of Ogier left the track at a speed of 150km/h and was by far the biggest accident of the Frenchman’s career. Click here to see Ogier’s huge shunt!

After two rounds of the championship the Citroen pairing of Sebastien Loeb and Mikko Hirvonen lead the way with Solberg and Latvala nipping at their heals in third and fourth respectively.

Castrol-backed MINI driver Dani Sordo slipped back to sixth in the points race after heading into Rally Sweden second on the ladder after the Spaniard went off on the eighth stage and struck a snow bank damaging the engine of his MINI JCW.

Drivers’ Standings Pos 1 2 3 4 5 6

Driver Sebastien Loeb Mikko Hirvonen Petter Solberg Jari-Matti Latvala Evgeny Novikov Dani Sordo

Car Citroen Citroen Ford Ford Ford Mini

Points 39 32 29 26 21 18

Manufacturers’ Standings Pos 1 2 3 4 5

Manufacturer Citroen Total WRT Ford WRT M-Sport Ford WRT Mini WRT Qatar WRT

Model DS3 Fiesta Fiesta Countryman DS3

Points 65 55 28 26 8

MINI WRC is the ‘Rally Car of the Year 2011’ I

t left all the others behind: the MINI John Cooper Works WRC left the opposition in its wake at the Autosport Awards in London, where it was crowned Rally Car of the Year 2011. Six outings in the recently completed 2011 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) were enough to convince Autosport readers of the class possessed by the Castrol supported MINI John Cooper Works WRC.

The majority were agreed: no car proved itself more at the highest level of rallying in 2011 than that of Dani Sordo, Kris Meeke and the MINI WRC Team.

Team Principal David Richards. This is the first time the title has been awarded to any manufacturer other than Citroen since 2007.

Over 1000 guests at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel for the motorsport equivalent of the Oscars saw double World Champion Carlos Sainz present the coveted prize to Dr. Kay Segler, head of MINI Brand Management, and MINI WRC

“Wherever MINI has competed this year, it has seemed like all the fans have been cheering us on,” said Dr. Segler. “It is, therefore, fitting that it is the fans and readers have voted the MINI WRC as the Rally Car of the Year.”

Castrol become primary sponsor of Ford’s World Rally outfit C

astrol EDGE has announced its continued support of Ford’s World Rally Championship campaign with the branding for Castrol’s global range of best-in-class motor oils featuring prominently on the Fiesta RS WRC’s new livery for the 2012 season. The eyecatching design was unveiled to the world during the Autosport International Racing Car Show in Birmingham.

“Both Castrol and Ford have a long standing association with motorsport and have shared great past successes in rallying, a second placed finish in both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ championships in 2011 being the most recent highlight,” commented Donald Smith, sponsorship manager, Castrol Global Marketing Unit.

The Fiesta RS World Rally Car will once again drive Ford’s challenge in the 2012 and 2013 championships with Finland’s Jari-Matti Latvala spearheading the driver line-up alongside former Champion Petter Solberg who last linked-up with the blue oval in 2000.

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Aussie Motorsport Castrol EDGE continues as CIK Stars of Karting Series partner

Castrol Grand Prix at Oran Park during the 1980s and 90s.

Castrol EDGE, has been confirmed as a presenting partner of the 2012 CIK Stars of Karting Series. It will be the second consecutive year Castrol EDGE has been a presenting partner of Australia’s elite karting series. The confirmation continues the oil and lubricant manufacturer’s long-standing involvement in the sport of karting at various levels over the past 30 years.

In the past this involvement included the naming rights sponsorship of the

Australian V8 Dirt Modified Championship Congratulations to Mark Robinson who raced to victory in the 2012 Australian V8 Dirt Modified Championship at the Avalon Raceway in Victoria last month.

He had a faultless run through two nights of qualifying and put his new Castrol EDGE Troyer on pole alongside three-time Champion Peter Britten. He won the drag race into turn one and

lead every lap of the main event, holding out a determined Britten on his way to victory lane.

Holder’s fourth Aussie Title Castrol-sponsored Chris Holder has completed his rout of the Australian Speedway Motorcycle Championships with an unbeaten effort at Adelaide’s Gillman Speedway – receiving the perfect score from the three rounds.

Holder was supreme, but downplayed any comparisons with reaching Leigh Adams’ record 10 Australian Titles.

“If I could be half as good as Leigh, I’d be happy with that,” Holder said.

“I’m just trying to win all the meetings I race in and if I get that far, it would be awesome. It’s not easy. Just because I won, it means nothing. Every race is tough and I take none of them for granted. I might come back next year and it won’t happen for me. So we’ll see what happens.”

International Moto

orsport

Force back in the winner’s circle at Pomona John Force has exorcised the demons of 2011 by taking a stunning victory at the Pomona Winternationals aboard his Castrol GTX Funny Car. He was joined in victory lane by Spencer Massey in Top Fuel and Greg Anderson in Pro Stock. Force claimed his sixth Winternationals crown in a time of of 4.080 seconds at 315.64 mph.

Team-mate and runner up Mike Neff finished in 4.036 at 316.82 in his Castrol GTX Mustang.

Castrol EDGE and BMW unveil new factory BMW M3 DTM car Castrol EDGE has been announced as the title sponsor of the all new Castrol EDGE BMW M3 DTM team with the striking livery revealed for the 2012 DTM season. The sponsorship marks the continuation of Castrol’s long-standing technical partnership with the iconic car manufacturer. Castrol EDGE, Castrol’s strongest oil yet, will feature prominently on the new Castrol EDGE BMW M3 DTM livery as part of a team of six BMW M3 DTM cars set to compete in the championship.

Castrol continues support of Honda WSBK Honda’s World SBK team and its riders Jonathan Rea and Hiroshi Aoyama completed their three-day test at Phillip Island in preparation for the 2012 World Superbike Championship, which commences at the same circuit on 26 February, confident in the news that Castrol will remain as a key secondary partner until the end of the 2013 season. Castrol used Honda’s World Superbike effort as part of a worldwide marketing campaign to re-launch its Power 1 brand in 2011.

Its continued support of the team extends a commercial and technical partnership between Honda and

Castrol, which dates back to 1959, when the Japanese manufacturer first started world championship racing.

Courtney Force joins JFR The youngest daughter of drag racing icon John Force, Courtney is living her dream this year in the cockpit of one of the world’s most powerful racing vehicles and finally getting the opportunity to compete at drag racing’s highest level after completing a six-year apprenticeship that included stints in Super Comp and Top Alcohol Dragster followed by a full season of testing in a BrandSource Ford Mustang Funny Car which also flew the colors of Castrol, Auto Club and Ford Racing.

“This is what I’ve always wanted to do,” said the 23-year-old rookie, “and to have my sister Ashley and my dad teach me makes it that much better. I also have great teammates like my brother-in-law Robert Hight and Mike Neff to lean on and get insight from. I’m just going to learn all I can and see where it takes me.”

New 2012 Castrol Truck Racing Sponsorship Announced Castrol has been part of the truck racing scene for over 15 years with many victories including several European Champions.

This year, Castrol will partner with current European Champion Jochen Hahn to form Castrol Team Hahn Racing for the 2012 season. The new partnership with Team Hahn underlines our passion for motorsport and our strategic cooperation with MAN - truck racing is the perfect platform to demonstrate and prove our capabilities. Castrol high performance lubricants and a new race fuel from BP will hopefully deliver yet another championship performance in 2012!

Jacob Knight - A hero

C

astrol EDGE, through former Wallaby Dan Crowley were recently introduced to a brave young man who has done it a lot tougher than most over the past 12 months. As a recovering Leukaemia sufferer, 15-year-old Jacob Knight and his family were caught up in the Christchurch earthquake disaster last February to devastating effect. While on the path to recovery Jacob crossed paths with recently retired Queensland Police Officer of 37 years, David Walsh,

who was deployed in a team to help with the recovery effort in Christchurch.

Upon meeting Jacob, David was drawn to this young man’s story of determination through life despite severe hardship and learnt of Jacob’s great desire to one day become a member of the New Zealand Fire and Rescue Service. Keeping in contact with Jacob and his family, David organised for Jacob and his farther to spend a week in Brisbane and time training with QLD’s prestigious Fire and

Rescue Service Academy to educate him on the necessary skills that will lead Jacob to his dream role in the New Zealand Fire Service.

“When I told Jacob’s mother I was going to take him to Australia for a week to spend time at the QLD Fire and Rescue Service Academy she broke down in tears,” commented Mr Walsh.

“She then informed me that Jacob’s Grandfather had planned on just that event until his life was tragically taken in the

in the making February earthquake. Jacob wants nothing more than to be a fireman in the New Zealand Fire and Rescue Service, its been his dream ever since he can remember, so the least I could do was use my contacts from many years in the force to help Jacob chase his dream in the Fire service.”

While here for a week Jacob was treated to several fun activities thanks to the support of David, QLD Fire and Rescue and former Wallaby hardman Dan Crowley so, being a 15-year-old

and the rev head that he is, Castrol EDGE sent Jacob, his father and David to Movieworld for the day where Jacob received the VIP treatment and a pit pass ride in the car at the Castrol EDGE Hollywood Stunt Driver show. It was a great day all round and something new for Jacob who experienced for the first time what it feels like to sit in a car driving up on two wheels!

“That was awesome! Jacob said after hopping out of the Hollywood stunt car

at Movieworld. “I’ve never been in a car with guys who can drift like that or up on two wheels for that matter! I want to thank the guys at Castrol for taking us to Movieworld for the day, it was my first trip to a theme-park and I gotta say they’re really cool.”

Jacob’s final Australian stop took him to the QLD Fire and Rescue Service Academy on Whyte Island where he was put through his paces and be taught the finer detail on what it takes to be the ultimate Fire and Rescue officer.

The Castrol EDGE Rugby Championship dates announced with wallet friendly tickets

A

ustralian Rugby Union has announced a range of attractive and affordable ticket prices for the 2012 Castrol EDGE International test matches. ARU Managing Director and CEO, John O’Neill AO, said it was important to reward those who came

out and supported the Qantas Wallabies with a range of appealing ticket options.

Rugby for the first time in Newcastle’s Hunter Stadium from just $50.

“For the first Test of the year, the Castrol Edge Rugby International against Scotland in June a family of four will be able to come and watch international

“The cost of a ticket to the Castrol Edge Rugby International could be considered ‘price-busting’ and I am very pleased that ARU is able to offer

2012 Calendar on Australian grounds 2012 Castrol EDGE Rugby International June 5 - Qantas Wallabies v Scotland (Hunter Stadium, Newscastle) 2012 Castrol EDGE Wales Tour June 9 - Qantas Wallabies v Wales (Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane) June 16 - Qantas Wallabies v Wales (Etihad Stadium, Melbourne) June 23 - Qantas Wallabies v Wales (SFS, Sydney)

such great value to Rugby fans in Newcastle and the Hunter.�

Tickets on Sale from Tuesday 22 May

2012 Castrol EDGE - The Rugby Championship 18 August - Qantas Wallabies v New Zealand (ANZ Stadium, Sydney) 8 September - Qantas Wallabies v South Africa (Patersons Stadium, Perth) 15 September - Qantas Wallabies v Argentina (Skilled Park, Gold Coast)

Castrol drivers dominate inaugural NZ SuperTourer Series 2012 NZ V8 SuperTourer Series Pos 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

The Castrol EDGE backed International Motorsport BankLink Falcon of Ant Pedersen has won the final race of the inaugural round of the V8 SuperTourer Series in NZ at Hampton Downs Motor Precinct, however it was fellow Castrol driver and local favourite Greg Murphy who claimed the round win with two out of three race wins over the weekend!

Pedersen took the final race win after

two late Safety Cars bunched up the pack, turning the final 10 laps into a boxing match, rather than a motor race.

Pedersen’s International Motorsport’s team-mate Jonny Reid lead the majority of the 30 lap race, only to get swamped at the final re-start, falling to an eventual ninth.

Greg Murphy, the winner of the first two races of the weekend, was eventually

No. 51 99 2 96 23 47 93 5 69 556 22 27 12 15 10 66

Name Greg Murphy Kayne Scott Jonny Reid Ant Pedersen Andy Booth John McIntyre Scott McLaughlin Andy Knight Eddie Bell Steven Richards Andre Heimgartner Craig Baird Geoff Emery Paul Manuell Richard Moore Colin Corkery

Total points 625 497 471 455 445 411 380 375 339 328 285 267 198 166 133 102

R1 63 70 46 33 57 0 51 41 30 27 37 0 0 0 0 0

R2 210 180 146 96 162 86 97 118 106 56 41 131 46 70 63 51

R3 230 162 180 86 146 118 46 106 131 77 56 0 63 96 70 51

R4 122 85 99 240 80 207 186 110 72 168 151 136 89 0 0 0

handed the round win, but he had to do it the hard way. The local hero was forced to serve a drive-through penalty for collecting the back of Kayne Scott on Lap 12.

Murphy fought back into contention but was eliminated on the second last lap after a tap from Andy Booth.

Overall results see Murphy take the round win from Scott and Reid.

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