Castrol EDGE Newsletter - September 2015

Page 1

September 2015



CONTENTS #TeamCastrol Lead the V8 Title Chase

Page 4-5

Kuala Lumpur Gets a Taste of V8 Supercars

Page 6

Focus Switches to Endurance for #TeamCastrol

Pages 8-9

V8 Supercars Entry List for Sandown 500

Page 10

WRC: Castrol’s Volkswagen Motorsport Finish 1-2-3

Page 12

KARTING: Morse Back in the Hunt

Page 13

INDYCAR: Chaves Wins Rookie Award

Page 13

MOTOGP: Disappointing End for Miller

Page 13

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#TEAMCASTROL LEAD THE V8 TITLE CHASE Eight events, 23 races down and they sit first and second in 2015 V8 Supercars Championship hunt. It’s certainly been an impressive season so far for Prodrive Racing Australia’s Mark Winterbottom and Chaz Mostert. Castrol EDGE-backed Mark Winterbottom leads the championship over his teammate by 174 points and a further 255 points over third place rival Craig Lowndes. While a difficult rain-affected Race 23 at Sydney Motorsport Park saw Winterbottom finish 16th, his worst of the season, he remains the most winning driver of 2015.

Winterbottom has claimed 8 out of the 23 races this year; Perth SuperSprint (2), Winton SuperSprint (2), Castrol EDGE Townsville 400 (2) and Ipswich SuperSprint (2). Not to be outdone, his Castrol EDGEbacked teammate, Mostert, has claimed the most pole positions for the year; Perth SuperSprint (2), Winton SuperSprint (3), Castrol EDGE Townsville 400 (1), Ipswich SuperSprint (2) and Sydney Motorsport Park (2). Combined, Winterbottom and Mostert have claimed 13 race victories and 11 pole positions of the 23 events held and run in 2015. This form has seen the duo steer

Castrol-oiled Ford Falcon FG-X’s to the drivers to beat as the battle for the 2015 V8 Supercars Championship title heats up. Stable-teammate David Reynolds sits fourth in the championship and 282 points behind Winterbottom. While scoring a Pole Position and Race Victory at the SKYCITY Triple Crown Darwin, Reynolds has been a somewhat quiet achiever and looms as the underdog in his bid for the Championship title. Further down pitlane at Nissan Motorsport, the four car squad continues to be led by 2006 series champion, Rick Kelly. For 16 races in a row, Rick Kelly has held onto 10th position in the points with his season race highlights

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consisting of a second place at Winton followed by a third place in Darwin. Rick Kelly also took Pole Position in Darwin for Race 14. Older brother Todd, along with Nissan Motorsport teammates Michael Caruso and James Moffat sit outside of the top 10 - 16th, 13th and 19th respectfully. At Supercheap Auto Racing, Tim Slade continues to show signs of improvement, most recently beating his factory Holden teammates in Race 23 in tricky wet conditions. With a season best finish of 2nd in Darwin (Race 14), Slade strives in longer race formats and will be one to watch in his Castrol EDGE-backed entry as the teams prepare for the Endurance season.

2015 V8 SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP DRIVERS POINT STANDINGS AFTER RACE 23 1

Mark Winterbottom

1915

2

Chaz Mostert

-174

3

Craig Lowndes

-255

4

David Reynolds

-282

5

Fabian Coulthard

-335

6

Jamie Whincup

-449

7

Garth Tander

-521

8

James Courtney

-542

9

Shane van Gisbergen

-553

10

Rick Kelly

-770

11

Scott McLaughlin

-829

12

Jason Bright

-868

13

Michael Caruso

-873

14

Will Davison

-906

15

Tim Slade

-921

16

Todd Kelly

-955

17

Lee Holdsworth

-1003

18

Nick Percat

-1019

19

James Moffat

-1067

20

Andre Heimgartner

-1123

21

Scott Pye

-1126

22

Dale Wood

-1196

23

David Wall

-1225

24

Tim Blanchard

-1234

25

Ash Walsh

-1366

26

Marcos Ambrose

-1790

27

Jack Perkins

-1795

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KUALA LUMPUR GETS A TASTE OF V8 SUPERCARS

Malaysia was given its first taste of the premium motorsport series in the Australasian region as five V8 Supercars put on a demonstration event at the debut of the Kuala Lumpur City Grand Prix. Castrol-backed drivers Chaz Mostert and Todd Kelly, along with regular V8 Supercar drivers; Scott McLaughlin, Will Davison and Craig Lowndes were all on show in the three-part demostrating challenge. Keen Castrol motorsport followers enjoyed behind the scenes experiences with Prodrive Racing Australia, from Pit Tours to group and one-on-one photo opportunities with the Victorian based team. For the record, Todd Kelly took out Pole Position and victory in challenge three with Mostert taking his Australian form offshore with victories in challenge one and two. V8 Supercars are now in negotiations in finalising a four year agreement which will see the category headline the event from 2016.

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FOCUS SWITCHES TO ENDURANCE FOR #TEAMCASTROL #TeamCastrol heads into the PIRTEK Enduro Cup brim full of confidence after stunning performances throughout the course of the 2015 V8 Supercars Championship - and also off the back of some tremendous results in the last two years of the three event endurance calendar. Castrol-oiled Prodrive Racing Australia is obviously the form team at the moment and come into the PIRTEK Enduro Cup in 2015 chasing down its hat-trick of Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 victories. The last two seasons have seen the FORD squad share the Bathurst wins

between Mark Winterbottom and Chaz Mostert - who took the last lap victory over arch-rival Red Bull Racing Australia.

the category at the moment, with even Frosty admitting the Queenslander is his key title rival.

Winterbottom will again be partnered with veteran co-driver Steve Owen, whilst Mostert welcomes current Dunlop V8 Supercars Series leader, Cameron Waters into the main squad for the first time.

David Reynolds and Dean Canto will again team up in the Bottle-O PRA FGX. The duo have come oh-so-close to tasting victory at Bathurst and of course took home a surfboard on the Gold Coast last year. They are always a solid combination whenever they get together.

Waters is no new-boy to Mount Panorama, having made his debut at the tender age of 16 in 2011 in a Castroloiled Kelly Racing Commodore after winning a reality TV show. Mostert is arguably the form man in

Nissan Motorsport will be after a strong performance after last year’s second place for James Moffat and Taz Douglas at Bathurst. That combination will be back together, so too Dean Fiore and Michael Caruso. Fiore is keen for a big

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showing after topping the co-driver session at the recent Sydney Motorsport Park Supersprint. The Kelly brothers welcome David Russell (Rick) and international GT ace, Alex Buncombe (Todd) to their pair of Castrol-oiled Altimas. Russell has been ever-present in the Nissan Motorsport enduro lineup for a number of years now, whilst Buncombe is a regular in the Nissan Global Driver Exchange. This year, the 33-year-old Briton was a foundation member of the Nissan LMP-1 program at the Le Mans 24 Hour joining

Harry Tincknell and Michael Krumm. Sadly, their car expired after 242 laps and they weren’t in the classified finisher ranks. Tim Slade will head back to the Mountain with Commodore power once again and will be flying the flag for Castrol and event naming rights sponsor, Supercheap Auto. Slade has had an indifferent season in 2015 and will be looking for the big races to get things back on track.

father, D’Alberto has been keeping his eye in through some Australian GT Championship races in a Maranello Motorsport Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 with Grant Denyer. Slade couldn’t have a stronger partner alongside him. The PIRTEK Enduro Cup gets underway at the end of September with the Sandown 500 in outer Melbourne (September 11-13) before heading to the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 (October 8-11) and culminating at the Castrol Gold Coast 600 (October 23-25).

Joining him in the red and yellow Walkinshaw developed, Castrol-oiled Holden will be former main gamer himself, Tony D’Alberto. Recent

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V8 SUPERCARS ENTRY LIST FOR SANDOWN 500 NO.

TEAM

DRIVER

CO-DRIVER

CAR

#1

Triple Eight Race Engineering

Jamie Whincup

Paul Dumbrell

Holden Commodore VF

#2

Holden Racing Team

Garth Tander

Warren Luff

Holden Commodore VF

#3

Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport

Tim Blanchard

Karl Reindler

Holden Commodore VF

#4

Erebus Motorsport

Ashley Walsh

Jack Le Brocq

Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG

#5

Prodrive Racing Australia

Mark Winterbottom

Steve Owen

Ford Falcon FG X

#6

Prodrive Racing Australia

Chaz Mostert

Cameron Waters

Ford Falcon FG X

#7

Nissan Motorsport

Todd Kelly

Alex Buncombe

Nissan Altima L33

#8

Brad Jones Racing

Jason Bright

Andrew Jones

Holden Commodore VF

#9

Erebus Motorsport

Will Davison

Alex Davison

Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG

#14

Brad Jones Racing

Fabian Coulthard

Luke Youlden

Holden Commodore VF

#15

Nissan Motorsport

Rick Kelly

David Russell

Nissan Altima L33

#17

DJR Team Penske

Scott Pye

Marcos Ambrose

Ford Falcon FG X

#18

Charlie Schwerkolt Racing

Lee Holdsworth

Sebastien Bourdais

Holden Commodore VF

#21

Brad Jones Racing

Dale Wood

Macauley Jones

Holden Commodore VF

#22

Holden Racing Team

Jack Perkins

Russell Ingall

Holden Commodore VF

#23

Nissan Motorsport

Michael Caruso

Dean Fiore

Nissan Altima L33

#33

Volvo Polestar Racing

Scott McLaughlin

Alexandre Premat

Volvo S60

#34

Volvo Polestar Racing

David Wall

Chris Pither

Volvo S60

#47

Walkinshaw Racing

Tim Slade

Tony D’Alberto

Holden Commodore VF

#55

Rod Nash Racing

David Reynolds

Dean Canto

Ford Falcon FG X

#97

Tekno Autosports

Shane van Gisbergen

Jonathon Webb

Holden Commodore VF

#99

Nissan Motorsport

James Moffat

Taz Douglas

Nissan Altima L33

#111

Super Black Racing

Andre Heimgartner

Ant Pedersen

Ford Falcon FG X

#222

Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport

Nick Percat

Oliver Gavin

Holden Commodore VF

#888

Triple Eight Race Engineering

Craig Lowndes

Steven Richards

Holden Commodore VF

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WRC: CASTROL’S VOLKSWAGEN MOTORSPORT FINISH 1-2-3 Castrol-oiled Volkswagen Motorsport have finished first, second and third in the latest World Rally Championship round - Rally Germany. No other manufacturer in WRC has achieved such 1-2-3 result. What was not meant to be in recent years was achieved all the more impressively this year. With the trifactor victory, Volkswagen settled the score that after a disappointing two previous seasons. World champion Sébastien Ogier lead the way with victory, and is now well on the way to winning his third straight WRC title.

“What a relief,” said Seb Ogier after crossing the finish line taking the win. “The pressure was extremely noticeable all weekend. Everyone expected us to get the win. And we ended up in the top three spots. Massive thanks to the whole team!” The win in Germany was the 30th WRC success in Ogier’s career, seeing him draw level with the legendary Marcus Grönholm and move up into second place in the all-time rankings. Only fellow countryman Sébastien Loeb, with 78 wins, is more successful. Ogier was at the top of the podium for Volkswagen for the 23rd time. His machine, the Polo R WRC, has got 30 of

35 possible rally wins to date. Jari-Matti Latvala was unable to keep up with the pace of his French team-mate in Germany, and finished second. However, the Finn got the win on the closing Power Stage and picked up the coveted three bonus points. Andreas Mikkelsen in the third Polo R WRC drove a more inconspicuous rally, but did his bit to help Volkswagen achieve ultimate success at the home rally. The WRC championship continues with round 10 in three weeks time. On a totally difference gravel surface, Rally Australia will play host to the worlds best off-road drivers from September 10 to 13.

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KARTING: MORSE BACK IN THE HUNT Canberra racer Zane Morse has got his KF3 Australian Kart Championship presented by Jayco and Castrol EDGE back on track after a brilliant victory in round three in Ipswich. The Tom Williamson Motorsport youngster who has been experiencing a litany of issues with his Tony Kart and engine package over recent times carded a clean-sweep of the weekend in the hard fought final. The next Australian Kart Championship round returns to Newcastle thi sweekend, September 4-6.

INDYCAR: CHAVES WINS ROOKIE AWARD Castrol EDGE-backed Bryan Herta Autosport driver, Gabby Chaves has finished 14th in the IndyCar Series season finale held at Sonoma. Chaves finished the new look category 15th in points and took out the Rookie of the Year award. New Zealander Scott Dixon sealed the championship decider with victory, claiming his fourth IndyCar championship win.

MOTOGP - DISAPPOINTING END FOR MILLER Castrol-backed and Australian Jack Miller ended The British Grand Prix in disappointing style, making contact with his LCR Honda team mate, Cal Crutchlow Miller made a superb start to the Silverstone race, going from 16th to 4th spot on lap three prior to the race ending contact.

“I want to say a big sorry to Cal for taking him out, but we were both pushing hard,” Miller said after the incident. Miller now sits 19th in the World Championship standings as the series heads to the 4.2km Misano Adriático circuit on September 11-13.

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