VOLUME 1 - ISSUE 26
it’s our best oil yet... www.castroledge.com.au
2nd NOVEMBER 2011
TOUGH BREAK IN SUPER X FPR TO ENTER FUJITSU SERIES? HOLDER IN DEMAND AUSSIE KARTERS O/S
ANOTHER AUDI FOR BATHURST
FUJITSU SERIES FOR FPR? THE BOTTLE-O BACK ON TRACK The Bottle-O Falcon damaged on the Gold Coast will be back on track for the remainder of the V8 Supercars Championship, with FPR having the Paul Dumbrell machine repaired. It was pitched into the beach chicane fence by Jan Magnussen during the Armor All Gold Coast 600 whilst ex-F1 star, Christian Klien was at the wheel. There was speculation that FPR would have to prepare another car for the Rod Nash-owned satellite team, but that will not be the case and the green machine will line up in Tasmania as planned.
Speculation has broken this week that Castrol-backed Ford Performance Racing (FPR) will run a car in the Fujitsu Series. Speedcafe.com reports that gun Queensland rookie, Chaz Mostert has been linked with the seat. Mostert currently races for Fujitsu Series team, Miles Racing. It would be a coup to have Mostert join the FPR team – his debut season in the Fujitsu Series has been impressive on occasion, including setting an incredibly quick time at Bathurst in a wet practice session. An FPR entry would add another Castrol-backed car to the Series. Castrol currently supports Sonic Motor Racing Services – who run cars for Jack Perkins and Rodney Jane.
NO JOY FOR JFR Mike Neff in the Castrol GTX High Mileage Mustang qualified second, but bowed out to Paul Lee.
“Our Castrol GTX Ford Mustang ran great all weekend and that is what you want to take away. We aren’t looking for problems. I know what I need to do. Sure we will need some help these next couple of rounds,” added Neff after the first round exit. “The good news is the guys in front of us are all on the same side of the ladder.”
Robert Hight, despite qualifying third and being fastest of the second and third qualifying sessions was eliminated by Tony Pedregon. The Boss, John Force was knocked out by Jack Beckman.
“We got some help from some of the guys behind us and we have a manageable deficit. We will be ready for Pomona and that will be an exciting race,” concluded Neff.
All three Castrol adorned John Force Racing machines bowed out in the opening round of competition at Las Vegas, however they are still in with a shot of taking the title at the final event in two weeks time.
Neff sits fourth on the points ladder heading into the Pomona event, a mere 34 points behind Matt Hagan, the current leader. Hight sits a further 37 points behind in fifth placing. John Force is currently ninth in the standings. The final Countdown Race will take place at the 47th Auto Club Finals at Pomona, California, November 10-13.
‘GONG SUPER X COSTLY FOR KAWASAKI Castrol-backed Monster Energy Kawasaki riders, Billy Mackenzie and Dean Ferris took a hit in the Super X Championship standings after a promising start turned sour at a rain drenched Wollongong track. A top ten finish for Opens rider Billy Mackenzie leaves him in 4th place in the Championship. A DNF for Lites rider Dean Ferris really hurt his Championship aspirations, relegating him to 14th in the series. With the Survivor racing format shelved for the night due to torrential rain, 450 rider Billy Mackenzie had one 15 lap main event race to do the business. As usual, Mackenzie got off to a great start on board his KX450F and found his way to the lead by lap 2. From there Mackenzie settled into a good rhythm and looked set to bring home the win until a small crash put him off the side of the track. When he finally got himself back on track, Mackenzie was way down the order and had to work hard for his eventual 9th place finish. “I was actually having a really good final. I got out of the gate well and managed to get into the lead on the second lap. I was feeling comfortable, doing the triple and pulling ground. I was just trying to find a few lines and keep it consistent but it just caught me out on this one little section before the whoops. I
just tried to put some consistent laps together and get as high up the order as I could. I’m really frustrated at losing the lead again. I did it at the first round and it’s happened again the second round. I just have to put it right at the third.” The night started brilliantly for Lites rider Dean Ferris when the Monster Energy Kawasaki rider qualified his KX250F in pole position on a dry Wollongong track. In the 10 lap main event, Ferris got off to a good start on the wet and muddy track and was inside the top tfive after the first turn. It all came unstuck a lap later however when a succession of small crashes ended with a big crash putting him out of the race. The DNF was costly for Ferris in the 5 round series with the talented rider now sitting in 14th place in the Championship. Under 19’s Kawasaki rider Meghan Rutledge also experienced a bittersweet night. After getting off to a great start in her heat race, Rutledge quickly settled into 3rd place until a small crash put her back in the pack, forcing her to line up in the LCQ, however finishing third she missed the final by a single spot. The Final ended up being cancelled due to the inclement weather. The team heads to Campbelltown, NSW this weekend confident of better results and ready to seize back lost Championship points.
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THREE AUDIS FOR BATHURST Three spectacular Audi R8 GT3 LMS will make the trip to Bathurst in February for the Bathurst 12 Hour – with the factory team bringing back its two challengers that crushed the field earlier this year. Those two will be joined by an American-owned R8 in the form of United Autosport. The United
Autosport operation is owned jointly by an American, Zak Brown and Briton, Richard Dean. Bathurst will be the third long distance race the car will compete in, with United entering the Dubai 24 Hour and Gulf 12 Hour in Abu Dhabi, before the 14 hour flight to Australia. The team has promised a top driver
line-up for the machine – earlier this year, they finished fourth at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona with F1 commentator, Martin Brundle at the wheel. Last year, the Castrol EDGE adorned German marque made a massive impact when it attracted Craig Lowndes and Warren Luff to its campaign, which also included Asian WTCC driver, Darryl O’Young.
HOLDER THE PIRATE KING After winning the Elite League Championship with the Poole Pirates, Chris Holder has gone on to be awarded the Club’s Rider of the Year with fellow Aussie, Darcy Ward. Ironically, the dynamite pair may have to split should a controversial ruling by the British Speedway Promoter’s Association that permits only a single rider per team with an average match score higher than eight points be enacted.
Both Holder and Ward are above that threshold. Holder has slammed the ruling and threatened to chain himself to the starting gates should he have to split with heat partner – and good friend, Ward. Castrol’s Australian Speedway star has also recently signed with another Pirate club – Piraterna in Sweden. There he will race alongside World Champion Greg Hancock.
He has also recently signed a three year deal with his Polish Club, Torun. Holder finished eighth in the World Speedway Grand Prix Championship this year and has automatically qualified for the 2012 Championship. The Championship will visit New Zealand for the first time in March, it has been announced, with Springs Speedway Stadium in Auckland hosting the opening round of the World Championship on March 31.
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BUSY MONTH FOR AUSSIE KARTERS November will see a mass exodus of Australian karting talent overseas to race in various major events. 2010 CIK Stars of Karting, Presented by Castrol EDGE Champion, Cian Fothergill will head to Japan for the Asia-Pacific KF2 Cup. Fothergill – who narrowly missed out winning the 2011 Pro Light Championship to Jake Spencer – was due to compete in the event earlier this year, however it was postponed due to the March earthquake. Double Pro Junior Champion, Pierce
Lehane will compete for the third year in a row at the Rotax MAX Grand Finals in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi. Whilst a different category to the Castrol EDGE Pro Junior Series, the Grand Finals are highly competitive. Having competed before and suffered bad luck, Lehane enters as a known quantity and should be one of the favourites to take the title. His archrival, Joseph Mawson will be another representing Australia in the Middle East.
Having raced in the Pro Gearbox category again this year, Wall will be primed for a big performance against some of the biggest names in world karting.
Matthew Wall will return to Las Vegas to race in the Super Nationals street race event with a total of 15 Aussie karters.
Overall, some 25 kart racers will be racing in some part of the world during November.
Aiden Wright, who won the final Pro Junior Stars of Karting round at Newcastle will head to Italy for the final event of the World Under 18 Championship, which he has been chasing throughout the year.
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