VOLUME 2 - ISSUE 15
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5th SEPTEMBER 2012
V8 SUPERCARS PARK 360 – CASTROL C astrol-backed Ford Performance Racing’s (FPR) Mark Winterbottom has made it backto-back podium results during the latest round of the International V8 Supercars Championship – the Sydney Motorsport Park 360. The result sees Frosty sit just one point behind V8 Supercars Championship leader Jamie Whincup as the series heats up heading to Sandown for the first of two endurances races. “We came into this event 82 points behind Jamie [Whincup] and now we’re one behind so to be this close to him heading into the enduros is great momentum,” said Frosty. “We tried today, the car wasn’t as good as Saturday but I’m wrapped with the weekend and to come here and get a couple of good results is ideal for our Championship challenge.” Winterbottom’s FPR teammate Will Davison maintains third in the Championship standings with a firm fifth place result on Sunday to couple with his third place result on Saturday. Russell Ingall recorded yet another season’s best in Race 19 on Sunday with the #66 Castrol-backed Supercheap Auto Commodore fourth across the line in the final race for the Sydney Motorsport Park 360. Carrying momentum from Saturday’s fifth placed finish, Ingall started Sunday’s longer 56-lap race – two places better than the day before – in the afternoon’s vital 20 minute qualifying session. Starting 14th and 25th the Castrol-backed Jack Daniel’s Racing duo Rick and Todd Kelly had a day of similar fortunes in race 19 of the 2102 V8 Supercar Championship at Sydney Motorsport Park. Rick finished 15th to add to his 17th result on Saturday while Todd came home 23rd to add to his
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ERCARS – SYDNEY MOTORSPORT CASTROL EDGE RACE WRAP 14th he scored on the opening 36-lap race. The return of V8 Supercars to the Eastern Creek circuit saw just over 24,000 people roll through the gates over two days. Round 10 of the International V8 Supercars Championship takes crews to first of the endurance races, the Dick Smith Sandown 500 – September 14-16. Championship points after Race 19 pos
driver
points
1
Jamie Whincup
2238
2
Mark Winterbottom
2237
3
Will Davison
2116
4
Craig Lowndes
2084
5
Shane Van Gisbergen
1634
6
Garth Tander
1527
7
Tim Slade
1464
8
Fabian Coulthard
1432
9
Lee Holdsworth
1286
10
David Reynolds
1179
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Two-wheel motorsport SIXTH PLACE FOR CASTROLBACKED TEAM SAN CARLO HONDA RIDER IN BRNO Castrol-backed Team San Carlo Honda Gresini riders Alvaro Bautista and Michele Pirro came out of the Brno race reflecting on a disappointing but not entirely fruitless exercise during the latest round of the MotoGP World Championship. The Spaniard (Bautista) picked up valuable points in sixth place after struggling for feeling with his bike, and the Italian battled to the finish despite his own problems. Front end chatter proved to be Bautista’s biggest issue
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in very different conditions to the rest of the weekend whilst for Pirro it was an uncomfortable ride due to the burns on his leg sustained yesterday and an unsuitable set-up on his CRT machine. Alvaro Bautista (6th) “I am not happy, because the change in conditions from yesterday to today created a lot of frontend chatter on our bike and I was close to crashing on several occasions. I also had a problem on the rear with the bike sliding around so much that it felt like I was running the hard tyre. I couldn’t push it like I wanted to and it wasn’t a good race for us because of this. Tomorrow we have a day of tests and I hope we can use it to resolve our problems.”
World Championship standings: pos
rider
bike
points
1
Jorge LORENZO
Yamaha
245
2
Dani PEDROSA
Honda
232
3
Casey STONER
Honda
186
4
Andrea DOVIZIOSO
Yamaha
150
5
Cal CRUTCHLOW
Yamaha
122
6
Stefan BRADL
Honda
105
7
Alvaro BAUTISTA
Honda
102
8
Valentino ROSSI
Ducati
100
9
Nicky HAYDEN
Ducati
84
10
Ben SPIES
Yamaha
66
CASTROL-BACKED HONDA SBK RIDER SALVAGES SEVENTH IN MOSCOW Jonathan Rea finished seventh in the second of the two inaugural World Superbike championship races at Moscow Raceway in Russia after looking like a podium contender in both for the Castrol-backed Honda team. The two races were won by Tom Sykes and Marco Melandri as the World Superbike championship visited the new 3.931km Moscow Raceway for the first time. Rea crashed out of third place on lap 11 of the opening race when he selected a false neutral on his CBR1000RR Fireblade approaching turn 18. With little run-off at the left-hander, Rea’s bike crashed into the barriers causing enough damage to warrant his crew building a new race machine for the second 25-lap outing. Again, Rea was dicing for a podium position on the final lap when rival Eugene Laverty crashed in front of him, leaving the 25-year-old from Northern Ireland with nowhere to go. Rea managed to get his bike re-started to take seventh place while rueing what might have been.
His Honda World Superbike team-mate Hiroshi Aoyama struggled for grip in the first race and finished 14th. In race two, the 30-year-old Japanese was hit twice from behind on the opening lap – first at the difficult turn five, which he survived but re-joined the race in last place. Aoyama had already passed one rider, but at the final corner he was hit again, crashing out with a bruised knee. Jonathan Rea (DNF and 7th): “It was quite a frustrating day because we had good pace in both races. In race one I was battling for the podium and had a false neutral in turn 16 so, with no engine braking, I lost the front. The guys had to build me a new bike from parts in the truck and luckily it felt pretty good for race two. I got a slowish start and could see that Sykes was pulling away but I thought I could go with him and Melandri and I had to get past Laverty. The bike felt really good, but I was losing a lot of ground on the straight. I got involved in another rider’s crash when he highsided in front of me but that’s part of racing. We can take some positives out of the day because my crew worked slowly and surely through the weekend and we got a bike that was capable of winning. Unfortunately, we
don’t have a lot to show for it, so it’s been a tough weekend.” Championship points after 11 of 14 rounds: pos
rider
points
1
Melandri
308.5
2
Biaggi
290
3
Sykes
267.5
4
Checa
233.5
5
Rea
212.5
6
Haslam
180
CASTROL-BACKED PARKES FIFTH AS VAN DER MARK WITHDRAWS FROM MOSCOW Castrol-backed Honda rider Broc Parkes finished fifth in the tenth round World Supersport race at the all-new Moscow Raceway in Russia. The race was won by Kenan Sofuoglu, with Honda rider Jules Cluzel second. Parkes’s Ten Kate Racing Products Honda team-mate, Michael van der Mark, who was given a wildcard ride for this Russian round, did not take part in the 22-lap race. The young Dutch rider, who competes in the European Superstock 600 championship, crashed during practice yesterday, cracking his left collarbone. Parkes got a good start to today’s race from fourth place on the grid but during the early laps the 30-year-old Australian realised that his softer front tyre would not have the durability to allow him to battle for the podium. Broc Parkes (5th): “The start was OK but we just chose the wrong front tyre for the race. It went off a lot quicker than we expected in the warmer conditions today and there was just nothing I could do. The track was still pretty dirty and after a few laps the tyre was gone. It was all I could do to get it to the finish which was a bit upsetting because we missed a podium again.” Championship points after 10 of 13 rounds:
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pos
rider
points
1
Sofuoglu
173
2
Cluzel
140
3
Sam Lowes (GBR) Honda
138
4
Foret
128
5
Parkes
109
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CASTROL-BACKED CHRIS HOLDER CLOSES IN ON SGP CHAMPIONSHIP Castrol-supported Chris Holder has moved to within a point of the Speedway World Championship lead after an emphatic win on the biggest stage of them all, the British Grand Prix in Cardiff. In a dominant display, Holder secured 23 of the 24 maximum points whilst Championship leader Greg Hancock had a tough night at the office scoring just seven points. The other Australian in the World Championship chase, Jason Crump was taken to hospital at the end of his five rides
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for a scan on his collarbone, with it being suspected to be broken once again. He sustained a heavy tumble in the 12th heat whilst rounding up British wildcard, Scott Nicholls. Krzysztof Kasprzak who was a late inclusion in the event finished second ahead of Antonio Lindback in his second podium appearance in as many races. Fourth position in the final went to Freddie Lindgren. Holder has narrowed the gap to Hancock to the single point in taking his second British Speedway Grand Prix.
“I was super nervous before the meeting on the parade with all the people. It’s difficult to just concentrate on riding – you really want to do well and you’re hoping it’s going to happen,” said Holder. “When it does, it’s the best feeling ever. All night went well. But just because you win a race here and there, it doesn’t mean much. You’ve got to keep going. You could easily stuff it up in the semi-final and be out. “I was just concentrating as best I could and to come out of the last corner in front … there’s isn’t a better feeling on a speedway bike than that.”
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (Top 10): pos
rider
points
1
Greg Hancock
118
2
Chris Holder
117
3
Nicki Pedersen
112
4
Jason Crump
103
5
Emil Sayfutdinov
96
6
Tomasz Gollob
93
7
Fredrik Lindgren
89
8
Andreas Jonsson
76
9
Antonio Lindback
74
10
Hans Andersen
53
LATVALA SEALS ASPHALT BEST TO CLAIM SECOND FOR CASTROL-BACKED FORD IN GERMANY Castrol-backed Ford World Rally Team drivers Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila claimed a career-best result on asphalt when they finished second in Rallye Deutschland. Driving a Ford Fiesta RS World Rally Car, the Finns overcame demanding conditions in the Mosel wine region to secure their best finish in the FIA World Rally Championship since victory in Sweden in February. Team-mates Petter Solberg and Chris Patterson finished 11th in a similar Fiesta RS WRC. They held second until retiring yesterday morning after hitting a rock and damaging the car’s suspension. They restarted today with time penalties and earned a points-
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paying finish in the manufacturers’ series. The event was won by Citroen’s Sebastian Loeb with Mads Østberg / Jonas Andersson in the Castrolbacked Adapta World Rally Team Fiesta RS WRC heading home in fourth. Australia’s Chris Atkinson claimed fifth overall in his MINI John Cooper Works WRC. Castrol-backed Volkswagen drivers delivered an outstanding team performance. Six months before entering the 2013 WRC with the Polo R WRC, Sébastien Ogier and codriver Julien Ingrassia again proved unbeatable in their class and brought
home the best result for a S2000 car by securing sixth overall. Directly behind them, Andreas Mikkelsen and Ola Fløene achieved a top ten result and set a sensational third fastest time on the final stage Circus Maximus. To the delight of more than 200,000 fans, Volkswagen Junior and talented young gun Sepp Wiegand and his co-pilot, the Dakar winner Timo Gottschalk, were running eleventh overall as the best German pairing, when they had to retire with a suspension defect on the 13th special stage. This ninth round, based in Trier in south-west Germany, marked the first
pure asphalt fixture of the season and the characteristics of the speed tests changed constantly. Bumpy narrow vineyard tracks, which zig-zagged across the hillsides, contrasted with concrete kerbstone-lined roads in the Baumholder military area, which are more accustomed to hosting tank training exercises. He dropped to fifth, but immediately recovered to second after a blistering performance over the marathon Panzerplatte stage in Baumholder. With a large time gap to the leader and a comfortable advantage over his pursuers, Latvala took no risks yesterday afternoon and eased through today’s final leg, comprising three stages and 65.89km, to secure second. “It feels great to finish on the podium on asphalt and I’ll take great confidence from my best result on this surface,” he said. “This rally hasn’t been kind to Ford over the years so it’s a boost for everyone in the team. It was a hard event but we showed that the pace of myself and the car on asphalt continues to improve. The distance between ourselves and the winner was two minutes so we need to remain realistic
and understand that there is still work to do. But I feel sure that we will be able to challenge for victory again on the remaining two asphalt rounds,” added Latvala. On his first traditional asphalt event in a Fiesta RS WRC, 37-year-old Solberg was immediately on the pace. He ended the opening leg in second, but the Norwegian’s hopes of a strong result ended yesterday morning when he slid wide on a tightening left bend and hit a rock. Although he tried to continue, the damage was too great to complete the stage. He restarted today under Rally 2 regulations and won the second stage, but his disappointment could not be disguised. “It would have been fantastic for the team to have finished second and third, but the car snapped away and once I hit the rock, it was all over. Until then my rally went extremely well. The testing and hard work that we put in improved the car on this surface and I was delighted with the pace,” he said. Ford World Rally Team director Malcolm Wilson said the result was
a ‘big confidence boost’. “We were disappointed with our performance on the last round in Finland, so to come to an asphalt rally, where we’ve traditionally struggled, and be so competitive is pleasing. I was disappointed Petter went off but encouraged by the pace of both drivers, and I’m confident for the future on asphalt,” he said. Next round The championship returns to gravel next month when Wales Rally GB moves forward from its traditional date as the final round. The event is based in Cardiff from 13 – 16 September.
Final positions 1. S Loeb/D Elena - FRA - Citroen DS3 3hr 41min 52.4sec 2. J-M Latvala/M Anttila - FIN - Ford Fiesta RS 3hr 43min 52.5sec 3. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen - FIN - Citroen DS3 3hr 44min 23.8sec 4. M Østberg/J Andersson - NOR - Ford Fiesta RS 3hr 45min 16.8sec 5. C Atkinson/S Prévot - AUS - Mini John Cooper 3hr 51min 02.8sec 6. S Ogier/J Ingrassia - FRA - Skoda Fabia S2000 3hr 51min 43.2sec 7. A Mikkelsen/O Floene - NOR - Skoda Fabia S2000 3hr 54min 15.1sec 8. N Al Attiyah/G Bernacchini - QAT - Citroen DS3 3hr 54min 42.8sec 9. D Sordo/C Del Barrio - ESP - Mini John Cooper 3hr 56min 09.7sec 10 M Arzeno/R Jamoul - FRA - Peugeot 207 S2000 3hr 57min 12.1sec Drivers 1.
S Loeb
199pts
2.
M Hirvonen
145pts
3.
P Solberg
104pts
4.
M Østberg
102pts
5.
J-M Latvala
87pts
6.
E Novikov
55pts
Manufacturers
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1.
Citroen Total WRT
320pts
2.
Ford WRT
197pts
3.
M-Sport Ford WRT
115pts
4.
Qatar WRT
59pts
5.
Citroen Junior WRT
54pts
6.
Adapta WRT
49pts
CASTROL-BACKED ŠKODA MOTORSPORT DRIVER JUHO HÄNNINEN WINS BARUM CZECH RALLY ZLÍN Former Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion and Castrol-backed ŠKODA Motorsport driver Juho Hänninen has won the Barum Czech Rally Zlín in the latest round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. Andreas Mikkelsen finished 8th in his factory-prepared Castrol-backed ŠKODA UK Motorsport Fabia S2000 to maintain his lead in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. Podium celebrations and final stage (SS15) were cancelled as a mark of respect following an accident on SS13 that claimed the life of a spectator. Castrol would like to extend its condolences to all those involved in the tragic accident. Changeable weather during Leg 1 made tyre choice exceptionally difficult, and Andreas lost 14.4 seconds on Friday night’s opening superspecial stage around Zlín city centre when rain offered little grip to his slick tyres. Saturday’s constantly changing weather continued to make tyre choice a lottery, although Andreas was one of the best
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to master the slippery conditions as he and co-driver Ola Fløene took the lead after setting fastest times on SS4.
perfect and we scored what may prove to be some very important points.”
Juho Hänninen (1st): “I really was pushing that I can promise. I don’t know what happened to Jan but only a few kilometres from the stage start he was at the side of the road and it looks like it was something technical. It was not easy then to find the rhythm after being in a big fight for the last two days.”
Final positions (provisional after SS15)
Andreas Mikkelsen (8th): “It’s been a difficult weekend with a lot of difficult tyre choices, which I don’t think anyone has got right all of the time. I went in a new direction with my set-up before the rally, and maybe that wasn’t the way to go because the car felt better on Leg 2 when we changed it back. I struggled a little in the wet, but in the dry I felt more confident and I was a lot more competitive. A lot of the time I was happy with my performance. The team did a fantastic job, the Fabia S2000 was
5. Robert Barrable/Stuart Loudon (ŠKODA Fabia S2000)….+4mins 33.6secs
1. Juho Hänninen/Mikko Markkula (ŠKODA Fabia S2000)….2hrs 11mins 28.2secs 2. Roman Kresta/Petr Gross (ŠKODA Fabia S2000)….+1min 43.1secs 3. Tomáš Kostka/Miroslav Houšť (ŠKODA Fabia S2000)….1min +51.8secs 4. Jaromír Tarabus/Daniel Trunkát (ŠKODA Fabia S2000)….+4mins 11.7secs
IRC points (provisional after Round 9) 1. Andreas Mikkelsen…..........................136pts 2. Juho Hänninen…................................93pts 3. Jan Kopecký…....................................83pts 4. Sepp Wiegand…..............................53pts 5. Giandomenico Basso…...................40pts 6. Patrik Flodin…................................28pts
Button serene as chaos causes Hamilton slide Jenson Button replaced Lewis Hamilton in the Castrol EDGE Rankings top four after a chaotic start to the 2012 Formula 1 run-in. The pair met with starkly contrasting fortunes at Spa, with Button’s serene run to victory matched against Hamilton’s violent early exit. The 2008 world champion clashed with Romain Grosjean – later handed a onerace ban – on the run down to the first corner. After making contact, the pair were effectively helpless as their cars ploughed into those in front – taking out championship leader Fernando Alonso in the process. While Alonso lost points, his margin over third-placed Mark Webber did at least prevent him losing position. The same was not true for Hamilton however. Defending a high total from last year’s race in Hungary, his early exit left him powerless to prevent Button from jumping him for fourth in the Rankings. He is also vulnerable to dropping out of the top five entirely should he also struggle at Monza this coming weekend, with WRC’s Sebastien Loeb well placed to strike.
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While Hamilton’s accident played its part, Button was also the architect of his own rise. The perfect strategy decisions allowed him to capture his first pole as a McLaren driver, an advantage he duly capitalised on in the race. Well clear of the drama unfolding behind him, Button protected his lead from the start and was never headed, executing a onestop strategy to claim eventual victory. The effect, in internecine terms at least, was two-fold: the Briton not only moved to within 16 points of Hamilton in the championship, but stole ahead for the first time in three months in the Rankings. There were wildly different outcomes for Lotus’ pair too, with Grosjean’s early exit pitted against Kimi Raikkonen’s eventual podium. The Frenchman fell six places to 60th, while the Finn now just 33 points off the championship lead – gained again. Having risen all season, Raikkonen’s seven-place gain sent him to 36th in the Rankings, having started the year in 205th. That rise all carried him onto the back of Force India’s Paul di Resta,
who slipped two spots to 34th despite his top-10 finish. The Scot managed that despite running without KERS, a problem team-mate Nico Hulkenberg did not have to cope with. The German progressed from a starting berth of 11th to eventually finish fourth, his best result so far this year. His reward was to rocket 23 places to 96th in the Rankings, the first time he has been inside the top 100 since June last year. Toro Rosso’s Jean-Eric Vergne was the other big mover of the weekend, soaring 16 places to 79th.
COURTNEY FORCE CLAIMS MAIDEN No. 1 QUALIFIER A washout in the final day of qualifying for the 58th annual Mac Tools US Nationals saw Castrol-backed driver Courtney Force secured the first No. 1 qualifier of her young career at the most prestigious event of the NHRA Full Throttle Series. Force’s time of 4.049 seconds, which she ran the night before the weather turned against the world’s fastest motorsport series was certified when the field was set. “It’s awesome. I mean, just getting the No. 1 spot let alone with the career-best of a 4.049, it couldn’t have been at a better place. Being that it’s at Indy is the best thing possible. It’s just crazy. I’m so excited for my team. We’ve a great car and we showed that last night running the 4.04 and getting the top speed track record with a 317 mph run. It’s huge for us,” said Force. “Our Traxxas Ford Mustang has been running good all season long. We’ve just been trying to keep it consistent and keep it going and stay focused. But when we had a good run yesterday and
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we were in the field we thought why not go out and see what our car is capable of doing and just push it to the limits and we really showed what we could do.” While Courtney will be trying to win her first Mac Tools US Nationals, Castrol-backed teammates John Force and Mike Neff will be locked in
an unfortunate JFR vs. JFR first round race. Force as the No. 7 qualifier will have lane choice over tuner/driver Neff, the No. 10 qualifier. While both Ford Mustangs carry the familiar Castrol logos and each driver has won the Mac Tools US Nationals in the past, Force (1993, 1996, 1998, and 2002) and Neff last year it will be a test of wills to see who goes onto the next round.
Richo’s Safety Tips: #11 Sharing the Road with Cyclists A n area that never gets much attention, but is an increasing problem is motorists watching out for cyclists.
As a major part of fitness training, I cycle often and have noticed over the last few years, the number of cyclists on our roads increasing by large numbers. It’s so easy for a motorist to collect a cyclist without knowing. You need to be aware mainly at intersections – keep an eye out for cyclists pedalling their way along the road – quite often they can be obscured by cars. When getting out of your vehicle – check your surrounds. It takes just a second to look in the rear vision mirror to see if a cyclist is coming alongside. Be particularly vigilant of young riders. Cycling is a great family activity and in increasing numbers parents are taking their kids out as a family unit. If we all work together, our roads will be a much safer – and more enjoyable – place!
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Wallaby Squad named for Castrol EDGE Rugby Championship Test in Perth ahead of the resumption of The Castrol EDGE Rugby Championship.
N
SW Waratahs prop Paddy Ryan and Western Force winger Nick Cummins have been added to the Qantas Wallabies training group which will assemble in Perth on Sunday
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The pair have both previously been involved with the Wallabies this year, although Ryan missed some training time due to injury. A squad of 31 has been named with Queensland Reds winger Dominic Shipperley and his state colleague, midfield back Ben Tapuai, both coming into the enlarged main group after previously having trained alongside the squad. The addition of Cummins and Shipperley bolsters the side’s wing resources after the loss this week of experienced winger Drew Mitchell most likely for the season due
to a reoccurring ankle tendon injury. Uncapped Queensland Reds loose forward Jake Schatz has also been ruled out due to a shoulder problem and will undergo further scans before a course of rehabilitation is charted. Brumbies inside centre Pat McCabe makes a welcome return, after injury ruled him out of the two Bledisloe Cup Tests which opened The Castrol EDGE Rugby Championship. He is continuing rehabilitation from the stress fracture in his foot. While the injury is progressing well, he won’t be considered for selection until Australia’s match against Argentina at Skilled Park on the Gold
Coast on September 15 at the earliest. Five players – Caderyn Neville, Radike Samo, Mike Harris, Saia Fainga’a and Ben Tapuai, will tune up for their commitments in Perth playing club rugby in their home states tomorrow. That opportunity was denied other fringe members outside of the recent Test squad due to a lack of available games for their respective clubs. Although the Wallabies will arrive in Western Australia on Sunday afternoon and hold an open training on Monday, the match night squad of 22 players for the Perth Test will not be named until Tuesday afternoon. The Qantas Wallabies face the Springboks at Patterson’s Stadium on Saturday September 8 bidding to
defend the Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate, which Australia has held since the epic 41-39 win over South Africa at Bloemfontein in 2010. This was the Wallabies’ first success at a high veldt venue in the Republic for 47 years. Australia has won its last four Tests against South Africa and will set a new record for the most consecutive wins achieved against the Springboks should the Wallabies win in Perth. Robbie Deans’ men currently stand tied with the class of 1999 and 2000 which also won four straight against the Boks. The South African squad, under new coach Heyneke Meyer, also arrives in Perth on Sunday. The Boks are unbeaten for the year, having won twice against England in June, and once against Argentina, while also drawing a match with both
nations. After a win and a draw in the back-to-back matches against Argentina to open The Castrol EDGE Rugby Championship, South Africa sits second on the standings behind New Zealand. South Africa boasts an excellent record from Tests in Perth, which houses a large expatriate South African community, with the Springboks having gained wins from Tests played against the Wallabies in Western Australia in 1998, 2005 and 2009, while the 2001 match was drawn. Australia won the matches played in 2004 and 2008. No more than seven points have separated the two sides across the six Tests played between the teams in Western Australia since SANZAR competition began via the kickoff of the Tri Nations in 1996. The Castrol EDGE Rugby Championship / Mandela Challenge Plate Squad BACKS: Adam Ashley-Cooper (NSW Waratahs), Kurtley Beale (Melbourne Rebels), Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds), Dominic Shipperley (Queensland Reds), Nick Cummins (Western Force), Rob Horne (NSW Waratahs), Ben Tapuai (Queensland Reds), Anthony Fainga’a (Queensland Reds), Mike Harris (Queensland Reds), Pat McCabe (Brumbies), Berrick Barnes (NSW Waratahs), Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds), Nick Phipps (Melbourne Rebels), Will Genia (Queensland Reds, captain) FORWARDS: Scott Higginbotham (Queensland Reds), Radike Samo (Queensland Reds), Michael Hooper (Brumbies), Liam Gill (Queensland Reds), Dave Dennis (NSW Waratahs), Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds), Nathan Sharpe (Western Force), Kane Douglas (NSW Waratahs), Caderyn Neville (Melbourne Rebels), Sitaleki Timani (NSW Waratahs), Ben Alexander (Brumbies), Paddy Ryan (NSW Waratahs), James Slipper (Queensland Reds), Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs), Saia Fainga’a (Queensland Reds), Stephen Moore (Brumbies), Tatafu Polota Nau (NSW Waratahs)
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CASTROL QUINELLA IN FIRST NZV8ST ENDURO Gold Coast-based Kiwi, Scott McLaughlin and top Aussie racer Jono Webb put in a clinical performance to win the V8 Super Tourers’ Father’s Day 400 at Taupo in New Zealand. The Castrol-backed duo resumed control, winning the second 56-lap race after finishing second in the first heat in their Auto Trade Direct Commodore behind fellow Castrol youngsters, Nick Cassidy and Jack Perkins. McLaughlin and Webb finished level with Cassidy and Perkins after their results mirrored one another, the former being awarded the inaugural Ashley Stichbury trophy after shutting out the complicated qualifying positions and earning bonus points.
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In the opening event, Cassidy, who replaced Greg Murphy in the #51 Holden, brought home the Mike Pero Mortgages Commodore to beat McLaughlin and Webb. Sportscar specialist, Jono Lester was third in the Blackwoods Falcon ahead of Owen Kelly in the Skinny Commodore. Perkins delivered a blistering opening stint yet was mindful enough to preserve his tyres for Cassidy’s stint. “I was as rough as a 50-year-old supermodel yesterday (qualifying) but I then became a lot more comfortable,” Perkins said.
“The tyres are in good shape. I saw Scotty was really pushing it but I didn’t want to play that game and tear up the tyres. We knew our driver changes are fast and that’s where we ended up getting our advantage.” McLaughlin said he had a relatively trouble-free run during his stint. “It all went according to play and I drove as fast as I could without using up the tyres,” McLaughlin said. “Our driver change was good but both Webby and I are big guys and so that’s where the difference was in the end.” “But it’s okay we have another race and we’ll comeback.”
In the second event, McLaughlin and Webb dominated after getting a handle on the driver change. “We knew putting it on the front row for both races was going to make it a bit easier today,” Webb said. “We were a little bit disappointed with race one and the set-up wasn’t quite where it needed to be to win the race.” The McLaughlin team used the most of the one hour between races to perfect set-up changes and sharpen the car for the final run. Webb tried to nurse the tyres while in front for the first stint before handing the Commodore over to McLaughlin for the final run home. Castrol-backed Nick Cassidy and Jack Perkins (Mike Pero Mortgages Commodore), victors in the first race, finished second with John McIntyre and Jono Lester (Blackwoods Protector Falcon) third. Cassidy said contact in the first turn after the start had damaged the exhaust, causing the car to lose power. “We struggled after we got hit on the first turn. There was a hole in the exhaust so we were down a bit on power and I struggled to get past Daniel Gaunt (Tasman Motorsports Commodore) in the early stages which hurt us a bit,” Cassidy said. “But from there on Jack did a good job and got pretty close in the end.” Perkins was circumspect after realising he and Cassidy, the unheralded rookies in the race, went close to pulling off the perfect result. “We had the best car in my opinion but we had to wheel it pretty hard around the corners and it just lacked a little bit in a straight line,” lamented Perkins. McIntyre had a massive battle with Richard Moore (driving with Owen Kelly in the Skinny Commodore) with Moore holding third position until the dying laps.
STRENGTH TO PERFORM
Moore copped several taps in the rear by McIntyre NASCAR-style and managed to hold on however he ran wide on a turn with three laps to go allowing his pursuer to claim the final podium spot.
The V8 SuperTourers will now prepare for the second enduro, the 500k International at Pukekohe from October 26-28 before the finale at Ruapuna, Christchurch November 24-25.
THE
POWER BEHIND THE
PACK BEHIND THE
PACK!