Castrol EDGE Racing News Issue 9

VOLUME 1 - ISSUE 9

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V8s RIP UP TOWNSVILLE THIS WEEKEND WINTERNATIONALS – 1 WEEK – JULY 15-17 TOUGH DAY FOR CASTROL KAWASAKI SQUAD G’DAY USA – V8s TAKE ON TEXAS CASTROL & WALLABIES TEAM UP!

6th JULY 2011

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TEARING AWAY

The next point of call for the V8 Supercars series will be Townsville this weekend for the Sucrogen Townsville 400 and the Castrol backed teams are set to build on the great performance in Darwin.

Mark Winterbottom in the Castrol-backed Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon has claimed pole position for the last three races in succession, but after a controversial restart in the final stages of Saturday’s race he was forced to the back of the pack, he however claimed third place in Sunday’s race.

teammate Will Davison finished fifth and seventh in races one and two respectively.

Rick Kelly also made a podium visit, claiming the Saturday race win, and Winterbottom’s FPR

He has led the second most number of laps in season 2011, but has yet to convert that into a race win.

All eyes will be on Winterbottom this weekend, coming off an impressive run in Darwin and into Townsville where he placed third in race one last year and won Sunday’s race.

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E L L I V S N W O IN T

The weekend also represents another milestone for Kelly Racing’s Pepsi MAX Crew pilot, Greg Murphy. The Flying Kiwi will be debuting the third different Pepsi MAX livery of the season and also competing in his 400th individual V8 Supercar race.

The Castrol-backed Paul Morris Motorsport duo of Russell Ingall and Steve Owen will be looking to build off the back of Darwin’s strong results – the first time both cars have come home without some form of major damage.

With the mixture of soft and hard tyres for both races on a street surface for the first time, the Ford versus Holden rivalry should provide some interesting action this weekend. The mixed tyre events always throw up some interesting results and with the Championship poised on a knife’s edge, this weekend should be no exception.

The V8 field will be chasing the 888 partnership of Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes who lead the championship in first and second place respectively.

Whilst Winterbottom is set to race for the win this weekend, he will line up not in his regular Orrcon Steel-backed #5 FPR Falcon instead he will don the number ‘95’ in honour of his alter-ego in the new Cars 2 movie.

The Sucrogen Townsville 400 will see competitors undergo the high pressure 20 minute qualifying sessions on both days and two 200km races. The popular top 10 shootout will be a feature of Saturday’s competition.

For all the action check out the Seven Network for live coverage and race replays throughout the weekend on SPEED.

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WINTERNATIONALS

- ONE WEEK TO GO

It is just over one week until the Castrol EDGE Winternationals resumes at Queensland’s Willowbank Raceway and the big names are already lining up for what promises to be an awesome race meeting.

American Top Fuel star, Cory McClenathan was quick to put his hand up to re-join the Rapisarda Racing outfit and will return from Indiana for the event.

Recently crowned Australian Champion, Darren Morgan will be back to continue his strong season – armed with a brand new machine.

Entries across all categories are incredibly strong, with over 300 competitors confirming their return. From the original 500, around 100 had been ‘knocked out’ in the qualifying stages and several were unable to return due to either distance or pre-existing commitments.

The Top Doorslammer field has its Championship wide open with up to four competitors still in with a shot. Western Australia’s John Zappia is rueing the rain that struck during the original running of the event – he completed the very last pass of the meeting – a stunning ‘wheels up’ 5.82s drive job. Due to the bracket not being complete, all times from second qualifying for that category were declared null and void.

Ditto for the Australian Pro Stock Championship. The lead of the Championship was swinging with every single qualifying session. They have one session left to set the 16-car field – the only 16-car field in Australian professional drag racing.

Crowd numbers are expected to be just as strong, with Willowbank Raceway receiving positive feedback from ticket holders.

The Friday of the event will be used as a test session for the Rocket All Stars categories, with the final two sessions for the ANDRA Pro Series beginning Castrol EDGE Winternationals action on the Saturday.

Sunday will see all eliminiations with the Castrol EDGE Winternationals Champions crowned.

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V8 SUPERCARS TO TAKE ON AMERICA

The V8 Supercars Championship has unveiled a landmark plan to take its Championship to the USA and race at the new F1 circuit, The Circuit of the Americas outside Austin, Texas.

The race will not happen until the 2013 Championship – therefore will incorporate the new Car of the Future.

The decision to race in NASCAR heartland is a bold one for V8 Supercars, however with Austin’s reputation as being a little left of centre and a hotbed of live music, V8 Supercars should be embraced by the city.

Austin hosts the iconic music and technology festival, South by South West each year and already the V8 Supercars green credentials through the use of the E85 Sucrogen Ethanol fuel have scored major points among the green conscious local media.

Castrol – with its interests in Major League Soccer, NFL, Bass Fishing and of course with John Force Racing in the NHRA – the move provides a nice juxtaposition.

“We’re involved at all levels of motorsport here in Australia and have branched out with Castrol EDGE to form a presenting partnership with the Australian Rugby Union,” said Sue Dilger – Castrol PR and Sponsorship Manager. “Going to America will be fantastic for our brand and to be showcased on an international circuit such as the Circuit of the Americas and in a city like Austin – it will provide us with some great leveraging opportunities.”

The move was embraced by Castrol-backed Orrcon Steel Ford Performance Racing pilot, Mark Winterbottom.

“Every driver wants to race overseas and every Australian wants to go to America, so to combine the two, I think, is great,” Winterbottom said last week.

No date for the Austin event has been announced yet, however V8 Supercars become the first category aside from Formula 1 to confirm its intentions to race there. The F1 race will take place next year and represents a return to America after a troubled foray at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

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D N E K E E TOUGH W AT WODONGA

The Castrol-backed Monster Energy Kawasaki team had it’s wings clipped in the latest round of the Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals Championship, walking away with a podium for American Lites rider, Phil Nicoletti.

Nicoletti won the first two motos in the Lites category and was looking good to go on and record another victory for the team in season 2011 however finished his day with 11th and fourth placed finishes.

After what has been a stunning season thus far, Dean Ferris had a difficult weekend, finishing fifth overall, however increased his Championship lead in the Pro Open category by one point, to just 14 points with two rounds to go. Meantime, Scottish team-mate, Billy Mackenzie dropped to third in the pointscore after his sixth placed finish.

Nicoletti is still placed third in the Lites Championship.

The penultimate round of the 2011 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals will take place in north-Western NSW in Moree on July 24.

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RUGBY ON THE EDGE Australian Rugby has received a boost ahead of the new international season with the announcement Castrol EDGE will be the presenting partner for all home tests over the next four years.

The announcement will see the EDGE brand incorporated into ground signage and onto match balls and the logo for the Tri-Nations Series against New Zealand and South Africa, with the Series to be known as the Castrol EDGE Tri-Nations.

The partnership represents a fusion of Castrol EDGE’s high performance characteristics, strength, power and the company’s position as very much a traditional brand.

All are trademarks of the Wallabies and the Australian Rugby Union.

Castrol EDGE will form a critical part of the ONE TEAM initiative led by the ARU, which is designed to promote Australia as a united force heading into the Rugby World Cup at the end of 2011.

The International season begins on July 17 in Sydney, when the Wallabies take on Samoa in the first Castrol EDGE Test, kick off at 2pm. The next weekend – July 23 – the first Castrol EDGE Tri-Nations test will take place at ANZ Stadium, before the season rounds out with the traditional Bledisloe Test at Suncorp Stadium on August 27.

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