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Team WRT conducted its first BMW Test at the Circuit de Barcelona, Catalunya, in October.

Image: MICHELE SCUDIERO-BMW

BMW LAUNCHES HUGE 12 HOUR ASSAULT THE FAMOUS BMW BRAND WILL BE FRONT AND CENTRE AT THE 2023 BATHURST 12 HOUR, STORMING THE MOUNTAIN WITH A FULL FACTORY ASSAULT AND NEW GT3 WEAPON – AND WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF A FAMOUS NAME IN ONE OF THE M4 GT3 RACE CARS.

By THOMAS MILES THE GERMAN manufacture has teamed up with Belgian-based, Team WRT and is expected to be one of the top contenders in next year’s race, which will mark the Southern Hemisphere debut of its latest BMW M4 GT3.

After coming close with Aussie Supercar driver Chaz Mostert in their line up from 2017 to 2020, BMW is desperate to add the iconic race to its long list of achievements and to do this it has teamed up with a squad that knows how to win at Mount Panorama.

Team WRT was a beneficiary of BMW’s heartbreak four years ago when Mostert’s fast M6 GT3 was caught up in a multi-car

Image: MOTORSPORT IMAGES crash at Forrest’s Elbow.

The incident allowed Team WRT, then racing an Audi R8 LMS with Robin Frijns, Stuart Leonard and Dries Vanthoor, to take a thrilling win by just one and a half seconds ahead of a Jamie Whincup-led Mercedes.

After the previous close calls, BMW hopes Team WRT’s expertise and its new M4 GT3 is the right combination to deliver the Bathurst redemption it craves.

A driver line up is yet to be announced, but some world renowned drivers can be expected with Team WRT’s 2023 team including Bathurst 12 Hour winner Dries Vanthoor, DTM champion Sheldon van der Linde, plus the experienced Marco Wittmann, Augusto Farfus, Jake Dennis and Rene Rast.

Bathurst 12 Hour event director Shane Rudzis said the arrival of the Munich based manufacturer and its two new M4 GT3’s will be massive for the summer race.

“It’s incredibly exciting to have a brand like

BMW commit to the LIQUI MOLY Bathurst 12 Hour,” Rudzis said.

“As the world returns to Mount Panorama in 2023, a two-car, factory BMW team is an awesome addition to what is shaping as a world-class field. BMW’s driver roster is remarkably strong and they have something special planned for their 12-Hour squad.

“The BMW M4 GT3 making its Australian racing debut at Mount Panorama will draw a lot of attention and, knowing BMW, we know they will give it everything to try and win.”

Team WRT principal Vincent Vosse said the Bathurst 12 Hour will be a big part of the “massive challenge” that lies ahead.

“Since the announcement of the partnership with BMW M Motorsport in early August, we have relentlessly prepared for this new chapter in Team WRT’s history,” he said.

“The real challenge is about to start, as one month from now we will be racing for the first time with the BMW M4 GT3 in Dubai before our official debut as BMW M Team WRT in Bathurst one month later.

“A busy and exciting 2023 awaits us, and we are just anxious to start.”

Preparations for Team WRT, hoping to repeat its 2018 12 Hour victory, are in full swing with the new M4 GT3 being put to the test at Circuit de Barcelona recently.

It was the maiden on track appearance of the collaboration between BMW M Motorsport

and Team WRT and the first time the M4 GT3 cut some laps.

Vosse said the test showcased how different the BMW is from anything it has previously experienced with Audi.

“It is just a first rollout, just to understand the car and how we could work”, said Vosse.

“But obviously it is something very different from what we know.”

Although many were keen to catch a glimpse of the new car, a lot of focus was on who was behind the wheel.

Fronting the driver duties in that test was none other than seven time MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi, who drove an allblack BMW with his famous #46 number.

Rossi shared the test of the BMW M4 GT3 alongside BMW M works driver Phillip Eng, having recently jumped from two to four wheels following his retirement from the pinnacle of motorcycle racing last year and competing in the 2022 GT World Challenge Europe season.

There are whispers that Rossi could feature in the yet to be announced Bathurst 12 Hour squad and his appearance at the Catalunya test signifies he is a big part of Team WRT’s plans.

If ‘The Doctor’ does race at Mount Panorama there will certainly be an even bigger global audience for the event.

But no matter who is driving, one thing that is a certainty is BMW means business and is set to launch a Bathurst blitzkrieg next February.

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ARGUMENTS, APOLOGIES AND EXCUSES: INSIDE SUPERCARS SUPERCARS’ GEN3 PROJECT RISING COSTS AND UNCERTAINTY ARE TAKING THEIR TOLL ON SUPERCARS TEAMS, WITH IT REACHING A BOILING POINT AT A RECENT SUPERCARS COMMISSION MEETING. ANDREW CLARKE REPORTS. TENSIONS IN the Supercars paddock are rising as delays and cost rises in the Gen3 project put pressure on the teams to make the grid at Newcastle in March.

There is much talk of the new Gen3 cars being million-dollar racers – from the outside this is adding to the pressure.

Although there has been no real firm number out of Supercars, that number appears to be slightly inflated with Triple Eight offering complete cars for the region of $650-700,000 plus a spares package which could be where the talk of a new car costing a million dollars comes from.

The pressure burst at a recent Supercars Commission meeting, with Jamie Whincup eventually apologising for an outburst and statements made during a heated debate on the cost and manufacture of some of the component. In this case it was the engine oil catchment reservoir (an FIA regulation requirement), the manufacture of which is one of just two components awarded to Triple Eight.

When asked about the argument and apology, Whincup confirmed the details to Auto Action’s Bruce Williams and also clarified some of the other issues surrounding the new Gen3 car build.

“A hundred per cent, it’s certainly true,” the T8 boss said. “It all came down to the lack of respect that some teams are showing us.

“To be honest, we’ve had the biggest influence of anyone to get this Gen3 project underway. It is the most important project for the championship ever. We have burnt

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the midnight oil and heavily invested in the project to make it happen for the good of the sport and the other teams.

“There was a suggestion of bias, and that is what kicked it all off. Out of the hundreds of parts, two items have been awarded to Triple Eight. Two. One is the exhaust for the Camaro, and the other is the oil catch tank which is used on both vehicles.

“We’ve designed it as best we possibly can within the rules and to make it consistent for both cars. We came in at a competitive price and won the rights to manufacture and supply that component.

“We’ve pretty much designed from the ground up at our cost, and there’s two measly items that we’ve been awarded from Supercars – and rightly so given the process. There’s been no backhanded deals or anything.

“So what happened at the Commission meeting was some of the team owners were suggesting that there was something up with how we had been awarded those two parts. That’s where I blew up and said that’s completely disrespectful.

“They wanted Triple Eight to design the whole car at our cost, and then instead of thanking us for coming up with a fantastic car, they’re lobbying behind the scenes to make sure Triple Eight doesn’t get any parts.

“That’s the truth of it. We’ve invested at last $700,000 of our own money in the design of the Gen3 on behalf of Supercars and the teams. There’s no way we are going to recoup that by selling oil tanks

and an exhaust system. There weren’t any backhanded deals or anything dodgy going on.”

He said it felt like some of the members of the Commission were looking for some payback against his team for its success. He pointed out that it was not all the members of the Commission or all the teams.

“We’re not talking about the whole group, just two who had little respect for the job that Triple Eight has done to get this project complete. That’s when the blow-up happened.

“We don’t want any thanks. We don’t want anything from anybody else. All we ask is not to be disrespected.”

When Whincup blew up, he said he should send the teams an invoice for the work Triple Eight had done on the new car. He later apologised for his comments in an email to the Commission members, saying there were only one or two stirring the pot, and the others didn’t deserve his ire.

With several components yet to be locked away and the final homologation of the new cars pending, Supercars doesn’t believe it is putting too much pressure on the teams to build their cars before the test days in February.

Richard Hollway from Team 18 estimates it would take a week and a half to put a car together after all the components arrive, but he was unsure when that was likely.

Whincup said the figures he is hearing are wrong, saying Triple Eight hasn’t finalised its price yet since the final componentry is not

defined. But he said it would be in the $650-700 range, and that with Supercars payment to each team for new cars, believed to be in the vicinity of $400k and the ability sell the cars and components for the current cars, teams should be in front.

“If you had to build a Gen2 Supercar right now, it could be $800-850,000. People are saying they’re going spend $900,000 getting ready per car. But hang on a sec, you’ve been paid by Supercars – there was a Gen3 payment – and then you sell your old cars to either Super2 or anybody else, plus you sell all your spares.

“If you need to put your hand in your pocket to build your new Gen3 cars then you’re doing something wrong.” Whincup told us.

With the homologation still not locked down less than two months to the first tests of the new car, the head of the Gen3 team, Adrian Burgess, has defended the project.

“The process isn’t finished,” he said from Adelaide. “The process is quite complex and long. Our parity process is over many pillars of parity. So until all of our process is finished, we’ll continue working with both the manufacturers and the teams until we’re all happy and the process is finished.

“The car isn’t homologated. We’ve ticked off a couple of the pillars, so while aero is one part of it, there are other parts that feed into that same parity and to work with them [Ford and GM] and work on the two cars to achieve that.

“Unfortunately, the media hype is focusing on one part of the process,” he said,

Tripple Eight Race Engineering boss Jamie Whincup was honest and forthright in his defence of the 888 Gen3 development program.

Image: MOTORSPOT IMAGES

CHAMP NON-COMMITTAL ON GEN3 AND BEYOND 2023

Camaro and Mustang – Still plenty of parity decisions to come.

Image: BRUCE WILLIAMS

referring to the aero of the two cars, “but I need a couple of other parts of the process to be finished and aligned, and then they all make sense together.

“The series is based on technical parity, but the public and you guys [the media] need to let us finish that process, which we do hand in hand with Ford, GM and Supercars. When that process is finished, we will declare that the cars are paritised, but we’re not about to go and do it if we feel there’s any stone that we haven’t looked under.

“There is no stress about Newcastle, but before we say we’ve got two parent cars, we need to finish the testing. We need to finish the engine side of it and do the COG (centre of gravity). There are still a few pillars that we’re working through at the moment before we’ll sit there and say we’ve got two parent cars. There are very few parts that haven’t been released; the bulk of it is there.”

He said the engine program was still being finalised to ensure the two very different engine configurations deliver the same power and torque curves – among the many measures – as each other. The COG can’t be completed until all the components are finalised and manufactured as they will be supplied to the teams, including the panels.

It is believed GM was rocked by the advanced aero packaging of the Mustang when it was launched at Bathurst. Burgess said recent Vehicle Control Aerodynamic Testing (VCAT) has settled on a set of numbers that has the cars the same in

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terms of downforce and drag – with more than 60% reduction in downforce.

VCAT is a complex process involving running the cars down an airstrip with various sensors that measure downforce at various ride heights and rake settings.

It is the process that has been used for decades by Supercars but has been refined over the years to create what it believes is now accurate and not open to manipulation as it was in the past when we saw downforce figures skyrocket in recent models.

He said 23 chassis had been delivered to the teams, and all were scanned, measured and weighed to ensure compliance with the rules. All engines would be tested on a dyno before being randomly selected and sent to the teams. If a team is unhappy with one of its engines, it will be able to send it back for testing and to be sorted out if any issues are detected.

The Gen3 program is the most sophisticated homologation process Supercars has ever undertaken, with a cost running into the millions after suffering delays through the COVID pandemic. But with its goal to create a cheaper race car blown out of the water – teams are talking $950,000 to get a car on the track with spares – it is hoped the reduced running costs will work in the teams’ favour over the life of the car.

There is, however, only one metric that will matter in the end, and that has been the focus of Burgess and his team. Is the show better for the million-dollar racers?

Bring on Newcastle.

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SITTING NEXT to his boss, Jamie Whincup, at a media call after officially being crowned the 2022 champion, Shane van Gisbergen reiterated the call that he will not continue beyond next year unless he enjoys racing the Gen3 cars.

He has previously said his future in Supercars depends on what the new Chevrolet Camaro is like to drive and race, with the fear that it could be too controlled and take the fun out of racing.

The three-time champion will have offers from all points of the globe if he decides to move on, with many rating him the best all-rounder in the world.

“We’ve had pretty good chats about extending,” he said, “but I want to wait and race the car.

There’s so much talk about what’s going to happen and how it’s going to be, but I honestly don’t know. I haven’t driven the car since April, and it wasn’t great in April.

“They’ve made a lot of changes, probably positive, but for some reason, most of the established guys haven’t been allowed to drive it or help develop it.

“But it’s a big thing to commit to in the future if it’s no good. I want Gen three to succeed. I want it to be awesome. I want the racing to be great, and I’d love to be part of it “It’s going to be very close next year. It’ll hopefully bring the teams together, but hopefully, it just makes good racing, and then the series will go bonkers again, and that’s what I’d really love to

see, but I just have to be patient with it.”

Triple Eight Race Engineering managing director Jamie Whincup said the decision is entirely in the Kiwi champion’s hands.

“Shane is going to be at Triple Eight for as long as he needs to and wants to, but we do not employ anybody who does not want to be here,” he said. “We are giving him the opportunity to experience Gen3 to decide which way he wants to go.”

Despite van Gisbergen’s concerns, Whincup said he is backing the team’s and the sport’s ability to make the new era of racing a product fans and drivers will love. Triple Eight has been in charge of most of the engineering development of the car.

“I am confident in the car. Triple Eight has designed the car from the ground up, and we are confident it is going to be a good thing,” he said.

“Three-quarters of the aerodynamics have been taken off to make the thing light, fast, noisy, and they look great.

“I am not too concerned at this stage.”

Van Gisbergen has driven many different cars and different styles of racing, including openwheelers and sportcars at Le Mans, to off-circuit with rally and speedway. He has expressed a desire to try NASCAR, potentially at the new Chicago street race in the first weekend of July.

Andrew Clarke

Image: MARK HORSBURGH

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GROVE SWOOPS ON UNCONTRACTED TANDER GROVE RACING HAS SECURED THE SERVICES OF GARTH TANDER FOR 2023 AND BEYOND, SNATCHING THE BATHURST WINNER FROM TRIPLE EIGHT AND PREPARING TO USE HIM AS DRIVER MENTOR, CO-DRIVER AND TEST PILOT. IT IS ALL PART OF A BIGGER PLAN AS STEPHEN GROVE EXPLAINED TO BRUCE WILLIAMS. GROVE RACING is on a charge and wants its Penrite Mustangs up the front of the field in 2023. After a series of high-profile engineering appointments, Stephen Grove last week announced that Garth Tander has signed on for 2023 in a multi-faceted role that will include co-driving in the Sandown and Bathurst endurance races.

Grove and his son Brenton bought a 50% stake in Kelly Racing at the start of 2021, and by the end of the year, they owned the lot. Part of their strategy to get the team to the front of the field for the start of the Gen3 era has been through recruitment to fill what they saw as weaknesses.

Alistair McVean joined the team with David Reynolds at the start of last year, meaning the team’s new driver didn’t have to learn how to talk to his engineer. Earlier this year, David Cauchi joined the squad from Triple Eight to act as Team Principal, and Grant McPherson has recently come on board as Technical Director, meaning the team is now flush with top-line engineering talent.

Now, with Tander, it has upped its driving ranks. Tander’s drive at Bathurst last October was rated as one of the best in the race and maybe overshadowed that of Shane van Gisbergen. It set up the win.

Tander is a significant recruit for the team.

He will work as a driving mentor to rookie Matthew Payne as well as helping out with the testing of the Gen3 car and co-driving duties in one of the team’s Mustangs – most likely the #26 car with Dave Reynolds.

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These will be his first Ford-powered races since joining the series more than two decades ago, which is even more startling given he has a restored Camaro at home and now he won’t race one.

“It’s a process that we’ve been working through in building the expertise in the team, so it’s really exciting to get Garth on board,” Stephen said from Dubai, where he was racing his Porsche. “A lot of our engineers and I have worked with him before. He will fit in really well.

“Building Gen3 is pretty important for us, as it is for every other team. Making sure we get it right – not just in building the car, but also in how we test and interpret the data is going to be a combination of a whole lot of people, Garth included. We think that we have the right people in place to be able to do that.

“There are three things that we really need from Garth. One is his expertise in being able to help us develop the new car and set it up. We obviously need a gun co-driver, and he is one of the best in Australia. And then there is also the ability to mentor Matt Payne.

“Garth’s been around. He’s done a lot of racing and he has an excellent resume. His driving and racing style is also something that I’ve always admired.”

Tander has worked with all the senior engineers in the team (Cauchi, McPerson and McVean) and Grove said they all encouraged him to chase a deal with the

four-time Bathurst champion after Brenton came to him with the idea.

“Those guys know how he thinks and how he works. I think the recipe’s really good, bringing all those four people together.”

While Grove is a passionate racer, he is also a successful businessman and bought into the team to win. He says he brings the business acumen needed to build the right team, and part of that is identifying talent.

He’s been analysing the weaknesses and strengths of the team since the day the father-son combo walked in the door, and they are plugging any gaps they have found while enhancing the strengths.

Grove Racing finished fifth in the 2022 Teams’ Championship, with more than 1000 championship points more than the previous season and enough to jump up from eighth in 2021 and ninth the year before.

“We bring the business acumen – we are in a lot of businesses, and the business world is very competitive. It’s the ability to look outside the square and see what tools and infrastructure you need to succeed.

Triple Eight’s done exceptionally well for many years and, even when Penske came, he also brought that acumen. And I think that’s the difference.

“We need to build a team, a top-level sports team. It’s about getting all the right people together and getting the ingredients and the culture right. They’re very focused individuals all the way down through our commercial team to the mechanics. It’s

getting that desire to win and to work hard to win; that is what we are looking for.

“We’re not a flashy in your face type of organisation. We’re just about trying to be in the background and working out how to win and then letting our results speak for themselves rather than having to explain our results.”

The time is right, he says, to bring someone like Tander in to complement the engineering. Gen3 is a major reset, and with everyone back to scratch, the evolving team won’t have to chase teams with decades of competitive knowledge, set-up data, and the best equipment.

“From day one, our expectations were for wins, but we knew they take time to come, and you’ve got to develop a whole programme and a system with the people and processes to do that. We’ve had good results this year with some podiums. Race wins are something that we need to get to.

But we need to pay our dues first.

“Our expectations are high. We should be delivering from 2023 on. We should be fighting for race wins; there’s no question about that. We’ve got Steve Robinson in the background building the Gen3 cars, and he doesn’t come to the races. We’ve split that process out, and we’ve been working pretty hard on it for the past six months, trying to get all those pieces together and making sure we build the best possible race car.

“Our destiny is in our own hands now. We inherited what we got, we didn’t have any

RACE FAN NOBLE READY FOR DJR CHALLENGE DAVID NOBLE has just completed the unusual transition from AFL to Supercars and is loving it. In the build up to the VALO Adelaide 500 the former North Melbourne coach and Fitzroy player was announced as the Chief Executive Officer for Dick Johnson Racing, which has experienced a recent restructure with Dr Ryan Story stepping down from day-today duties. He spoke to AA’s Tomas Miles about his new role.

Noble, a motorsport fan at heart, enjoyed his first race weekend with the team at the season finale being an active member inside the garage and said he noticed many similarities between the Supercars and AFL worlds.

“There was a lot of correlation and it was very interesting to see how it transpired,” he told Auto Action.

“I sat at the back with the coms on for both races and the way both sports set their parameters around what if scenarios and strategy around how games and races unfold.

“There was lots of discussion in regards to certain elements of the race comparative to lost and gained momentum in games.

“The structure is very similar when you look at the unit in the pits compared to a team on the interchange bench.

“What tends to stand out was the attention to detail, the way the team works together and the amount of briefing and debriefing the drivers go through.”

Whilst being involved in the football landscape all of his life having also spent long stints at the Brisbane Lions and Adelaide Crows in addition to the Kangaroos, Noble admitted working in the Supercars industry is also a dream, having been a race fan from an early age when he watched Johnson drive Ford Falcons and Sierras around the Mountain.

“I am a closet Supercars person,” he said.

“I grew up in Tassie where there was the VFL Grand Final on the Saturday and then Bathurst on the following weekend. It was just tradition.

“I have always followed the Supercars with a massive interest and remember back when they had three classes running around Bathurst.

“I just never had the chance to get to many races because of the conflict with an AFL program.

“DJR is a great and iconic organisation and I feel pretty privileged to be able to work within the group.”

It was this long time interest and previous extensive administrative experience, which helped Noble land on his feet again after his coaching stint at North Melbourne ended early this year following a run of 14 straight defeats.

The 55-year-old said DJR “reached out” when he was pondering his next move and, after a series of conversations plus a trip to the team’s 1000th race at Bathurst, an agreement was struck.

“I took the time coming out of the North experience to keep my options open,” Noble said.

“I was always keen to stay in elite sport, particularly in administration which was where I started to move in Adelaide and Brisbane, so I was keen to explore that pathway again and Dr Ryan Story rang.

“We had an initial conversation, went to Bathurst as his guest and over seven or eight weeks I had a chance to meet the owners.

“I presented some of my thoughts to Brett (Ralph) and I was lucky enough to secure an opportunity.”

With the addition of football-focused Noble and recently introduced owner Brett Ralph from a baseball background, DJR has shown a willingness to embrace different methods from outside of the motorsport sphere as it tries to regain top spot from Triple Eight Race Engineering.

Noble said this approach has helped him settle in and he believes introducing another outlook can help drive the team forward.

“I would certainly like to try and complement Ryan’s skillset.

He has so much information and knowledge of the industry, so to work with someone like him is very exciting,” he said.

“And then obviously with Brett coming in as a new owner with his vast experiance from various sports, I think they have been very open to more processes that we can explore within our organisation.

“For me, firstly it is about getting to know the staff members and understanding how the whole team works and functions.

“That is the first point of call and then it will be good to get stuck in to improve our systems and processes.

“We are excited about getting into the new year.”

Thomas Miles

input into building the cars we got from Todd. We need to work hard to get it right now and, if we do a good enough job, we should be able to win races.”

THE KEY HIRES

David Reynolds and Alistair McVean – The driver-engineer combination joined when it was still Kelly Grove Racing.

Reynolds is one of the most popular drivers in the category and is a Bathurst winner. McVean has previously been at Erebus and Walkinshaw, mainly in its HRT days.

David Cauchi – The highly-rated engineer joined the team off the back of a championship year with Shane van Gisbergen and nearly 15 years with Triple Eight. His role at Grove Racing is more expansive than at Triple Eight. He was the centre of a ‘gardening leave’ dispute at the start of the year when he turned up at Grove Racing six months after resigning from T8, but less than six months after he stopped working for it, which was deemed legally allowable.

Grant McPherson – The former engineer at Tickford, Triple Eight and Walkinshaw Andretti United, known as Shippy, has won Bathurst and the championship.

Garth Tander – A four-time Bathurst and series champion with more than 600 Supercars starts to his name. Mentor to rookie driver Matt Payne, test driver and codriver for the endurance races.

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MSR PENALSIED FOR PIT CHAOS MATT STONE Racing has been penalised for its scary pit lane incident in the second and final race of the VALO Adelaide 500.

On Lap 42 Todd Hazelwood pitted, but was released with the water pipe still connected.

Amid the chaos the air spike operator was caught up in the pipe and was dragged with the car, while the large canister flew through the air and into the fast lane, just missing a crew member in the process.

MSR was fined $5000 and lost 30 teams championship points for the incident.

TICKFORD LOCKS IN SUPER2 DRIVERS TICKFORD WILL have two new and exciting faces leading its Super2 program in 2023.

Super3 champion Brad Vaughan and S5000 racer Elly Morrow will lead Tickford’s assault in the Dunlop Series.

Vaughan is fresh from stealing the Super3 title at the death in Adelaide in an ex Tickford car and is ready for the step up.

Morrow has been racing Super2 for Brad Jones Racing, but skipped the season finale to prioritise on her S5000 Tasman Series campaign in Adelaide.

Current Super2 driver Zak Best will remain in the Tickford stable, but will not race in the Dunlop Series.

SIX ROUND 2023 FOR SUPERUTES THE 2023 SuperUte Series will unfold across a sixround season being a major support act in a variety of events on the Supercars season.

The new season will commence at Barbagallo Raceway in April before racing under lights at Sydney Motorsport Park.

After a visit to South Australia’s Tailem Bend, the season wraps up in a big way with three back-toback marque events.

SuperUtes will race at the returning Sandown 500, the Bathurst 1000 before concluding on the Gold Coast streets once again in October.

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The way we were ... Image: MOTORSPORT IMAGES

TRIPLE EIGHT EYING OPTIONS FOR TANDER REPLACEMENT WITH GARTH TANDER DEPARTING TRIPLE EIGHT AFTER ANOTHER BATHURST WIN, THE REIGNING CHAMPS ARE REFRAMING THE CO-DRIVER DISCUSSION. GARTH TANDER’S recent departure from Triple Eight after another stellar Bathurst drive has opened the door for the Brisbane-based team to explore some new options to join its driver ranks. Team boss, Jamie Whincup, has said they will explore these options as it aims to win more endurance races.

Scott McLaughlin is a probable target, and even Daniel Ricciardo’s name has been thrown up, given his return to the Red Bull family. But it is McLaughin that throws up the most intriguing combination, given the mutual admiration between Shane van Gisbergen and McLaughlin.

McLaughlin runs with Chevrolet support in IndyCars, and that Championship finishes the week before the Sandown 500.

“No one is locked away until they are locked away,” Whincup said. “We gave Garth the opportunity to come back and drive with us. We did that straight after Bathurst.

“He wanted to catch up to do the negotiations. So with him being in Melbourne and me in Brisbane, plus his father passing away, there was some time between talks. I wanted to give him his space for a few weeks. We caught up in Adelaide, and he told me he was going elsewhere.

“We would’ve loved to have had him again, but it’s certainly

not the end of the world. It was a great era, and we massively thank him for his contribution. Now we move on.”

Many names have already been thrown at the whiteboard in the Auto Action office, but it is McLaughlin that stands out the most.

He is not believed to have any contractual ties with Dick Johnson Racing, where he won three titles and a controversial Bathurst 1000. Currently, he runs a DallaraChev for Penske Racing in the States, where he is one of the favourites for the 2023 Series.

“It would certainly be [a dream team]. We’re just pulling together names at the moment. I might put his name on the list as well, and I’ll see if he’s available. A hundred per cent you would take him if you could. Three championships each and six championships between them. That would be fantastic, for sure. If I could make that happen, I would.”

Whincup also has options with drivers still on his books, including himself, Craig Lowndes and Declan Fraser, who is rated highly by Whincup.

Triple Eight has won nine Bathurst 1000s and seven Sandown 500s since buying Briggs Motorsport in 2004.

Andrew Clarke, with Bruce Williams

MOSTERT WANTS LONGER SEASON THE ANNOUNCEMENT of the 2023 Supercars calendar, reduced to only 12 rounds, left many fans disappointed and even some drivers after Chaz Mostert expressed his concerns at the VALO Adelaide 500.

With only 12 stops on the tour it is the equal shortest Supercars season (minus the COVID-19 impacted 2020) since the championship expanded from sprint only events in 1999.

Due to the shortened season, many popular events such as Winton, New Zealand, Queensland Raceway and Phillip Island have been left off the table.

Mostert voiced his thoughts during the season-ending Adelaide race weekend and highlighted the absence of the well-supported trip across the Tasman, the 600km co-driver event on the Gold Coast, and the Enduro Cup. “I think there are a couple of key events and formats still missing from the calendar,” he said.

“It is upsetting we are not going to New Zealand because the fan following is second to none.

“The attendance at Pukekohe (this year) was unbelievable and obviously we cannot go there, but I would have expected to at least go over there to another circuit to service those fans who watch us most weekends across the ditch.

“The one thing that is crazy for me is that Gold Coast is still not an endurance race. We used to love that enduro Cup over three rounds because they were all key milestone events, not just Bathurst.

Mostert, with Steve Owen, won the Endurance Cup in 2017.

Image: MOTORSPORT IMAGES “To also get that Enduro Cup was special.”

Mostert feels the calendar worked best when the season had around 14 rounds, which became the custom for a decade from 2007 to 2017 and wants to see an increase as soon as possible.

“I feel like the heyday was 14-15 events per year, which was really good,” he said.

“We have just had a month gap before we come here (Adelaide) and similar type gaps throughout the year.

“There are some things we need to get out of the mind recovering from COVID and bite the bullet and get back to where this category was great.” Thomas Miles

BARRY SHEENE MEDAL WINNER READY FOR LIFE AFTER FULL-TIME RACING

FRESH FROM HIS FINAL RACE AS A FULL-TIME SUPERCARS DRIVER AND HIS SURPRISE WIN IN THE BARRY SHEEN MEDAL, LEE HOLDSWORTH SAT DOWN FOR A CHAT WITH BRUCE WILLIAMS. LEE HOLDSWORTH’S final season was probably a little bit of a let-down after the high of his 2021 Bathurst win with Chaz Mostert, but it was one last crack at a full-time racing career before he realised he was ready to move on with the next phase of his life.

He’s been working in commercial real estate since Tickford Racing lost one of its RECs near the end of the 2020 season, and he lost his full-time job and drive overnight. His life transformed. He got the Bathurst-winning drive, and he worked out what he wanted to do next – something normal people do when they finish school, but athletes generally face later in life.

He’s also able to be more of a father to his children and really just be around more as speculation swirls around about a possible return to Walkinshaw Andretti United to codrive with Chaz Mostert again.

“I just had to drop a basketball uniform to Alana for our son. He’s got training tonight,” Holdsworth says from the car. “I was at work today, but everyone’s knocking off early at the moment, so I played golf this afternoon. It’s all pretty cruisy at this stage, but it’ll be flat out again with commercial real estate next year.

“Full-time dad, full-time real estate.”

And part-time racer.

“I’ve got to thank the WAU team for last year and being involved in that Bathurst 1000 win.

That’s the pinnacle for me. So I now sit back really proud of my achievements in the sport, and I’m pretty damn satisfied too.

“To hang up the boots from full-time racing and enjoy life outside of motorsport, but still with the opportunity to come back and maybe win some more races is great.”

Garth Tander’s move to join the Grove squad confirms Holdsworth’s departure from Braeside, but he won’t confirm where he is going, even if we all know.

“I’ve signed a deal to come back next year and, and fight for the Bathurst 1000 again, and also now the Sandown 500 as well. I’m really excited about that opportunity.

“That’s what’s so great. You can give up fulltime racing and still come back and in some way give yourself another opportunity to win the greatest race in the country.”

When pressed about Walkinshaw, he blew us off: “You can guess, but I won’t be able to give you an answer!”

Last week, Holdsworth was a popular yet surprise winner of the Barry Sheene Medal at the Supercars Awards Dinner.

“It absolutely blew me away and caught me by surprise. I was in shock,” he said. “I was enjoying my dessert, and when they were talking about who may have been the Barry Sheene Medalist, Alana said ‘Hey, this could be you,’ because she saw the cameras creeping up behind me. I just dismissed her comments and thought, ‘Nah, not a chance’.

“But sure enough, my name came up on the screen, and it hit me pretty hard, like a tonne

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of bricks. Just amazing. I couldn’t think of a better way to finish off my career. That award is, in my opinion, as good as it gets in terms of credibility in the sport. To achieve that in my final year of Supercars is just pretty damn special.

“It is amazing how it has all played out in the end. The end of 2020 was the lowest of lows for me. But then, some of my greatest achievements have come in the last 12 months, and I’m really proud of that.

“I’ve got the Grove family to thank a lot for that too. They allowed me to come back and finish on my own terms.”

A racer to the end, he led both races at the VALO Adelaide 500, albeit on strategy differences, and fought his way from 22nd on the grid in his final race to ninth. His focus was on helping his team to fifth in the Teams’ Championship, which they did by 10 points over Erebus.

“It was an enjoyable drive for me, with a lot of passing to finish top 10, and I’m happy that I’ve been able to contribute in helping get the team home for fifth in the championship,” he said on Sunday after the race.

“My radio began dropping out at the start of the race, so I was only getting limited chat from the pits, which made my race harder today.

“I had no plans to let van Gisbergen by easily when I was P7 in the last few laps.

When he got past, I slipped off on the dirty track, and Brodie Kostecki just got past.”

Following a stint in the Development Series with Smith’s Trucks Racing, Holdsworth’s main game career began in 2006 when he scored a full-time drive with Garry Rogers Motorsport. Since then, his more than 500race career has seen him also race with Stone Brothers Racing, Erebus, Team 18 and Tickford before his stints with WAU and Grove in the past two years.

“I’m very pleased with how it’s wrapped up and proud and very thankful to all that I’ve been involved with.”

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ADELAIDE 500 BOSS NOT RESTING

The crowd was huge ...

Image: MOTORSPORT IMAGES

THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN MOTORSPORT BOARD SAYS THAT EVEN THOUGH THE REVIVED ADELAIDE 500 WAS A HUGE SUCCESS, NEITHER HE NOR HIS TEAM IS RESTING AS THEY RAMP UP FOR AN EVEN BIGGER 2023.

THE VALO ADELAIDE 500 was back before it was gone, which was great because we never had to miss the standard-setting event. Even though the race was canned in 2020, we really only lost the race we would have lost to COVID anyway.

While things were all calm and moving smoothly on the surface, there was furious paddling to pull together the race from scratch under the water. The fans voted with their feet, and during the four days of the 2022 VALO ADL500, 258,200 fans walked through the gates of the famous street track.

In some ways, it is easy to forget the evolution of the race, which year on year got better and bigger before struggling under a few strange decisions by consecutive governments – both Labor and Liberal.

New South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas’ role has been well documented in these pages, but one of the keys to fulfilling this election promise was the reinstatement of the South Australian Motorsport Board with Andrew Daniels as its chair and Mark Warren as Chief Executive.

It was a huge task to pull the race together in less than nine months, but they did. There were gaps in expectations, like the shading on the pit straight grandstand, but we have been assured that, along with other identified shortfalls, will be dealt with for next year.

Speaking with AA’s Bruce Williams and reflecting on the race the morning after the final leg, Warren said he was waiting for the come down before he and his team got stuck into the 2023 race.

“I’ve got to say, we’ve gone from the huge adrenaline rush of seeing all the racing on the track and all the concerts and the post-event euphoria, and I guarantee you that later on this afternoon, we’ll be very much going into fatigue,” Warren said.

“Hats off to the Premier for having the

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SA Motorsport Board CEO Mark Warren co-ordinated the team which brought motorsport back to the streets of Adelaide ...

Image: MARK HORSBURGH vision and the fortitude to bring back the event. The 2022 VALO Adelaide 500 has delivered in spades. I can’t thank the team enough for putting together what has been a huge spectacle.

“And also for South Australians who are obviously very proud to have the event back, whether they came to the event or not. I think they can be very proud of the level that this event has at, and we look forward to doing it all again.”

Reforming the SA Motorsport Board was one of the key planks in getting the race back, and Malinaskas started work on that the day after he was elected Premier.

Initially, he had promised just to bring the race, but then upped the ante during the election campaign and said it would be back for 2022.

Fortunately, Newcastle was walking away from the final round to move to a March date, and Adelaide snapped up the season finale with only 256 days from the election to recreate the event from scratch. It wasn’t really putting the band back together.

It was building a whole new team and working non-stop for those days.

“I think when you’ve got the conviction that something can and must be done, you push through many challenges because you know there’s no other option.

It has to be delivered.

“In terms of challenges, the weather was probably one of the key ones because we had never built this event through spring before. We allowed a couple of weeks slack for some spring weather, but that didn’t feel like enough. At one point, we were all walking around in the mud, trying to get this thing together.

“Ten days ago, we were concerned about whether we were going to get rain for the race weekend, but we had magnificent weather. We got very lucky.”

The core team that put the race back together was 15 people, but at times that swelled to 30. They had to build a village, as Warren calls it, for around 80,000 people, which was the anticipated crowd.

They got 258,200 over the four days, and it was most likely near capacity on Sunday. So that was a big win.

“One of the great advantages we had going into this was that it was a bit of

a reset. We could look at what was previously done and ensure we retained the best bits but then did things differently in other areas.”

With the patron experience high on the agenda, they worked with the event’s naming rights sponsor, VALO, to get 30 big screens installed around the precinct.

They sealed some of the pathways in the park just in case it rained, and there were different event zones created, with more than 80 food and bar outlets around the venue.

It was back like it had never been gone, except for the main grandstand shade.

Without that shade, it looked the crowd was down as the grid formed. But when the pre-race festivities stopped and the race was ready to rumble, they had all come out of the shade and filled their seats.

The crowd was huge, and the atmosphere was electric. But for Warren and his team, there is no rest. There is the 2023 VALO Adelaide 500 to prepare for and other events like the Adelaide Motorsport Festival to assist.

“Tim Possingham runs the Adelaide Motorsport Festival, and we work very closely with him. It’s a very important part of the motorsport calendar here in South Australia. Having all the old Formula One cars come back here with the other heritage-class cars to race on the streets of Adelaide is going to be fantastic.”

He’s also pleased that The Bend retained its round of the Supercars Championship Series, which was a bit of a focus for the Premier and the Motorsport Board.

Now the challenge is to lock down 2023 fully. Robbie Williams has been announced as the headline act for the event’s music part, which featured The Killers this year. He expects to have the undercard locked away soon, and the prices have been capped at 2022 levels and are already selling for what should be an even bigger event.

Andrew Clarke with Bruce Williams

FEENY CHANNELS WHINCUP GET IN MAGICAL MAIDEN WIN VALIANT FANS HELPED TILLEY’S PACER OVER THE LINE SIXTEEN YEARS ago there was a young man called Jamie Whincup who took his first Supercars win on the streets of Adelaide, and in 2022 his protege Broc Feeney has followed in his footsteps.

As Shane van Gisbergen encounted crashes and penalties, Triple Eight Race Engineering’s Holden farewell started to spiral into a weekend to forget, until the rookie rose to the occasion and followed in the footsteps of his team boss.

At just 20 years of age, Feeney became the second youngest driver ever to win a Supercars race and will forever be known as the final person to steer Holden to victory in the category.

The youngster was on the verge of tears after he got out of the car and said the win was a dream come true.

“It was such a special moment walking out in front of the crowd with everyone cheering,” Feeney said.

“I wanted to get the first one all year and I left it pretty late, but the car was awesome and everything fell our way.

“I knew it was coming and it was a matter of time and all of the pieces had to come Roaland was pleased ... together.”

Images: MOTORSPORT IMAGES After a bruising Saturday where both Red Bull Ampol Racing cars found the fence with van Gisbergen failing to greet the chequered flag.

While Feeney did fight back to salvage circumstances, but the grid was reverted after leaving their own jobs, I couldn’t even AS THE rain dumped down on the a P8 he believed it was “one of my worst to the dry practice session times in a begin to count the hours that we all put in Sandown race track on the Saturday of the races ever” and put the remarkable controversial decision. over the nine weeks. To experience that Shannons National round, AUTO ACTION turnaround down to minimising mistakes The delighted reaction from the crowd level of support was something else – I was on-hand in the Touring car Masters tent behind the wheel. reflected their appreciation for it being there couldn’t believe it. behind the pit lane.

“Yesterday I came out and said it was my at all, with its fans also having played a part Surrounded by mechanics and onlookers, “I got a big help from Gear-Exchange from worst race because we ended up in the in its return.

Cameron Tilley stood behind his rebuilt Smithfield in Sydney also. It’s people like that fence twice and made a lot of mistakes,” he “The fan support was massive, I set up Valiant in his blue racing suit with a smile as that keep us all going really. And Anglomoil said. a Go-fund-me page which rounded up a wide as his Pacer’s bonnet. has also helped me for years, and they’ve “But I knew if I did not make the mistakes reasonable contribution, which got me about given me great support throughout.”

The normally reserved driver had reason today, we had a fast car and qualified well it a quarter of the way there,” Tilley told AUTO to be satisfied after taking a podium in the “I couldn’t have done it without them and would fall into place ... and the stars aligned ACTION. Trophy race when he blasted off the line everyone else. People just kept coming out today. down the outside of the pit straight, putting of nowhere just saying they could help. No “Whether I raced it again or not, it had “It is good to get the monkey off my back him in first position by the second turn. matter how big or small the contribution, It to be fixed – I couldn’t handle seeing it and hopefully it will kickstart into next year.”

He also qualified in P1 in trying helped me to keep on pushing.” TN like that.

People were helping every day Second-youngest ever to win a Supercars race ...

One person who did not need reminding about the similarities between Feeney’s and Whincup’s first win was the man behind his first here in 2006 keeping Todd Kelly last winner for Holden with the first win of a Triple Eight Race Engineering – Roland behind him and Broc has done the same future superstar and celebrate a three time Dane. thing with big pressure in from a top three champion makes it an awesome weekend,” competition in 2003 before he returned to competition MULTIPLE AUSTRALIAN Off Road Champion Les Siviour On that occasion Whincup held off Todd driver in the category,” he told Auto Action. he said. briefly in 2005, and again in 2010 with daughter Katie, also passed away on September 8 after a short battle with Kelly’s Holden Racing Team Commodore “There was nothing lucky or flukey, it was “Then you chuck in a Super 2 champion as at Griffith. He kept involved, with support to son-in-law cancer. He began racing in 1983 at Waikerie in his wife’s and 16 years on the same team was pure pressure and showed what a superstar well and it is pretty good.

Shannon Rentsch and his father Ian in their bids to win the shopping car. He subsequently campaigned Nissan Patrols hounding the back of the Triple Eight young this kid is going to be.”

“I have huge pride in Jamie and Jess taking Australian Championship. AUTO ACTION extends its deepest for 19 years and won the Production 4WD Championship gun, who kept Chaz Mostert behind to score Dane said the win ensured it was the near it over and keep it growing, it is now the condolences to his wife Jan, daughters Bobbie and Katie, 16 times, and the Australian Off Road Championship in a sweet win. perfect Sunday for Triple Eight. biggest it has ever been.” and to the extended family and friends. GO 1985. The Griffith-based rice farmer retired from fulltime “It is more or less the same way Jamie won “To be back here in Adelaide, have the For Whincup who, like Feeney, started the

VALE – LES SIVIOUR

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BOWE BREAKS THE 300 TCM BARRIER JOHN BOWE brought up his 300th Touring Car Masters start at Sandown Raceway on Sunday dung the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championship.

2006 Sunday race from P3. the connection The Bathurst legend is a four-time to his maiden win was clear. winner of the fan favourite category, “Its was like history repeated itself and I bringing up the milestone at a track could not be happier for him,” he said. where he also cantured tour Sandown Whincup also stated the young gun who bts Bowe’s TCM career started in 2008, has taken over his famous #88 has not only driving in Camaro before jumping into a impressed him on the streets of Adelaide, Ford Mustang Trans Am affectionately but throughout his entire rookie season, known as “Sally.” finishing sixth in the standings with “a In 2015, Bowe shifted over to the bonus” maiden win.

Bendigo Retro Muscle cars Torana, “Especially doing most of the year being 19 built by Gary O’Brien, in which he nas years old to finish P6 in what I regard as the competed in 147 races. Bowe’s 300th toughest Touring Car championship in the start almost delivered a fairy tale world is truly impressive,” he said. finish, where the left mirror of Adam “I cannot think of another rookie since Bressington’s #95 Camaro loomed large probably (Marcos) Ambrose (eighth in 2001) with the #18 Torana into the final straight. who was quite established when he joined The final margin of 0.024s was the Supercars who has done a better job. closest finish in TCM history, with Bowe “The only incident was getting caught up losing by a foot and a half’s length – or in someone else’s crash at the Gold Coast, the Camaro’s bonnet. Bowe had the apart from that he has executed everything championship lead leading into the that is asked of him. round, but the rival Torana of Ryan “We have given him the opportunity and Hansford takes a nine point lead heading he has gritted it out and got a win in his first into Bathurst on November 11-13. year, it is an awesome story.”

Having won the Bathurst 1000 twice, The 2022 Adelaide 500 closed the chapter there’s a fair chance Bowe’s victorious on a legend in Holden, but it may had knowledge of The Mountain may have witnessed the birth of a future star. him in good stead ... TN THOMAS MILES

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GRECH FILLS HI-TEC SERIES ROLL JEFF GRECH has been announced as a technical advisor to the newly named Hi-Tech Super Series.

He comes with high pedigree having been the Supercars team manager at the HRT between ’93-02, before becoming general manger of Holden Motorsport. Having recently joined the committee of the Benalla Auto Club, Grech will work closely with the categories to advise them on technical regs, enforcement and cost containment. Grech will work to expand the growth of the series, as well as guiding the varied technical nature of the categories in the series, ranging from Trans Am to Australian Super TT.

Image: Daniel Kalisz

‘FISI’ VOWS TO RETURN

BATHURST 12 HOUR ON THE WISHLIST

FORMER F1 winner Giancarlo Fisichella has vowed to return for next year’s VALO Adelaide 500 S5000 races – that’s if he doesn’t get a Bathurst 12 Hour start first!

The Italian settled into the VALO Team BRM S5000 car quickly – just 0.02 behind experienced S5000 team-mate Joey Mawson in qualifying. After a solid opening race, a slight touch on the Turn 8 wall led to retirement, and a drive through the field in the finale.

“Considering we were only able to drive the car for the first

MCLAUGHLIN TO RACE DAYTONA SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN will drive the 24 Hour of Daytona with Penske IndyCar teammate Josef Newgarden. The duo will join up Tower Motorsports in the #8 ORECA LMP2 07 for January’s race, sharing the duties alongside team owner John Farano and Kyffin Simpson. “I’ve never driven a prototype before,” said McLaughlin “The whole reason I’m doing it is I’ve never done this race before but I’m also trying to expand my racing portfolio by doing some marquee events. Daytona 24 Hour, Sebring and Petit, that’s three events in America that I really want to do.

time in P1, I’m happy with how we went – it’s an interesting car and the Adelaide circuit is … fantastic,” said Giancarlo.

“Having a circuit so close to the city is rare these days, and the whole organisation and extra lengths they have gone to create an event over and above the actual racing is superb.”

At the same time, Fisichella revealed an ambition to race at Bathurst – in the 12 Hour. As a contracted Ferrari driver, it will need to be in one of the recently-announced stunning new Ferrari 296 GT3 cars but, at present, there are none yet entered for the 2023 race. Entires, though, haven’t yet closed ...

SPEEDSERIES CALENDAR CHANGE: WINTON TO BE A HIGHLIGHT AFTER SUPERCARS claimed The round will also include the date that Motorsport nightly entertainment acts Australia and ARG had within the track precinct announced for their Sandown as Benalla Auto Club Group round, for the Supercars general manager Stephen Sandown 500, Motorsport Whyte revealed he hopes the Australia was forced to SpeedSeries arrival generates a overhaul its Speedseries 2023 “festival feel”. calendar with Winton one of “It’s nice to have a significant the big winners. marque event to provide The 2023 SpeedSeries something for our fans to utilise will expand to at least eight the facilities, including camping, rounds with the addition S5000 will headline the Winton ‘V8-themed’ at Winton,” said Whyte.

SuperSeries event. of Winton Motor Raceway, “It’s great to partner with ARG while the Sandown visit has to provide not only a motorsport been pushed back a week to event, but a festival feel over a accommodate for Supercars. long weekend to the event.

Following Winton’s “We’re working with ARG on Round 1: Race Tasmania, Symmons Plains – 24-26 February ‘disappointing’ omission from a number of great ideas that Round 2: Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour – 7-9 April the Supercars season, the will make this event more than Round 3: Victoria – TBC arrival of the SpeedSeries will just a race meeting. We want Round 4: Winton Raceway ‘V8’ event – 9-11 June be a welcome boost for the this to be a festival that is a Round 5: Sydney Motorsport Park – 23-25 June regional Victoria motorsport must-see and do for people Round 6: Queensland Raceway – 11-13 August facility and the regions year after year.”

Round 7: Sandown International Raceway – 8-10 September fanbase.

With the Sandown round Round 8: Supercheap Auto Bathurst International (TCR World Tour) – 10-12 November The round will take centre forced back a week, to stage on the June long September 8-10, due to a clash weekend with S5000s set to push for lap records, while the other big V8 with Supercars and Winton being confirmed, the 2023 SpeedSeries calendar powered categories including Trans Am, Touring Car Masters and V8 Touring is taking shape.

Cars will also add to the show.

Curkpatrick said TBC Victorian round and second TCR World Tour event Australian Racing Group chief operating officer Liam Curkpatrick said he will be announced soon. hopes the SpeedSeries round will bring a “V8 theme” to Winton next year.

“It’s great to firm up the 2023 SpeedSeries calendar. It is exciting for the “We are thrilled to bring Winton back to the SpeedSeries calendar,” he said.

SpeedSeries to expand up to the current eight events, the most we have ever “We have not been there since 2019, and even in our inaugural year, run in a calendar year,” said Curkpatrick.

Winton was very popular with the teams and fans.

“The only key piece left to finalise is the potential inclusion of the second “The V8-theme is perfect for Winton too. The four categories that we are global round of the WSC TCR World Tour which will be broadcast to over 53 bringing are fan favourites and we know there is going to be a lot of support countries, and we are working to finalise the location and timing with both from the fans in the rural areas for this kind of racing.”

WSC and local promoters.” Thomas Miles

2023 SPEEDSERIES CALENDAR

DIXON TO CONTEST 19TH DAYTONA 24 INDYCAR LEGEND Scott Dixon will contest the 2023 24 Hours of Daytona in a Chip Ganassi prepared Cadillac V-LMDh. He will help steer the Grand Touring Prototype in his 19th 24 Hour at Daytona as a four-time winner (three outright and one time class victor). The six-time Indycar champion will pair up with Sebastien Bourdais and Renger van der Zande.

Dixon won with van der Zande in 2020. The champion New Zealand racer tested the fierce new Cadillac V-LMDh at the Sebring International Raceway last month to prepare.

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FAMILY SACRIFICES BEHIND DUNLOP SERIES CROWNS THE DUNLOP Super 2 and 3 titles were decided in uniquely dramatic circumstances at the Adelaide 500 with Declan Fraser and Brad Vaughan getting their names etched into history.

The Super2 title looked set to go down to the wire with Fraser leading the five drivers in contention, but the Triple Eight driver blew them away by sweeping every race and pole on offer at Adelaide.

The Queenslander was visibly emotional after taking out the championship and said the foundations for the success were laid my many family sacrifices made over the journey.

“I cannot put it into words,” Fraser recalled.

“Mum and Dad have put in so many sacrifices over the years; same with my sister as well. Not only to ensure I was

here (at Super 2) but racing as well, so to have them here this weekend ... it means the most.

“My nan sadly could not be here. She passed away last year, but also made so many sacrifices to ensure I was racing, from travelling all over Australia with my Toyota 86 on the back of a trailer with Poppy.

“She was definitely with us today (Sunday).”

Fraser has also made his own personal sacrifices such as spending his own money to attend every Supercars round in addition to the Dunlop Series doubleheaders to learn as much as possible from the Triple Eight Race Engineering setup, while he credited his Adelaide dominance to a “different mindset”.

The future is now unclear for Fraser,

who could not land a main game seat, while Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen stated he is “good enough” to be racing at the top level.

Vaughan’s Super3 success was not confirmed until the last lap after a mistake from his arch rival Kai Allen handed him the lead.

Allen had led the way all year and looked set, but a heavy selfinflicted crash at Turn 8 destroyed his championship hopes.

After shadowing Allen’s every move Vaughan’s consistency paid off and he sealed the deal by winning both races in Adelaide.

When Vaughan witnessed his arch rival spear into the barrier, he admitted it was impossible not get excited, before quickly refocusing on the job in hand, steering the same Falcon

Cameron Waters drove to the 2015 Super 2 crown to more success.

“Once I saw that I could not believe my eyes and had a mini celebration,” he said.

“But I quickly calmed it down and had to do the rest of the race.

“It was a really odd way to win it, but I could not be more happy.”

Despite savouring the success, Vaughan did “feel” Allen’s pain and said he looks forward to resuming the rivalry when the teenagers step up to Super2 in 2023.

“I do not want to say I feel for kai, but I feel his pain,” Vaughan said.

“We have been better in the races and he has been really good in qualifying.

“But he will bounce back next year and I look forward to racing him at Newcastle.” Thomas Miles

Image: DANIEL KALISZ

SUPERCARS/SUPERSERIES MIX FOR S5000 IN 2023 ARG HAS, finally, confirmed its race calendar for S5000 – a seven-round Gold Star Championship mixing races at Supercars events and ARG’s own SuperSeries.

With a couple of the events to be finally confirmed, it looks like the season will kick off with three SuperSeries events, before a four-race Supercars schedule kicks in.

The final two events will constitute the 2023 Tasman Series.

With the Tasman opener currently being one of the two ‘TBAs’ it seems likely that S5000 is set to again appear at the Gold Coast.

After a strong showing by S5000 at the VALO Adelaide 500, category founder and development manager Chris Lambden is

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buoyant about the 2023 schedule and the mix of Supercars and SuperSeries events.

“Adelaide was a great event for S5000, which looks particularly spectacular on the street circuit, so it’s great to know already that we’re going back there next year, and that S5000 will be appearing on a strong mix of circuits, split between Supercars and SuperSeries.

“It’s a good step forward for S5000, and enables us to offer a really good, high-profile Gold Star Championship for Australia’s up-and-coming young racers – and at S5000’s effectively cost-controlled budget … in the fastest race cars in the country. Not a bad mix!

“It was really good to see two of the three podium spots in Adelaide taken

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by drivers yet to hit their 20th birthday – Cooper Webster and Blake Purdie – and, given the obvious status of the Gold Star Championship, it’s nice to be able to point to that, plus James Golding’s burst onto the Supercars scene, as evidence of S5000’s value as both a stand-alone and

‘pathway’ category in Australia.

“There are good spots available in S5000 teams and, with that modest cost base, I’m hoping that 2023 will see S5000 really start to hit the spot. Anyone looking to get into S5000 should talk to us now ...

2023 S5000 CALENDAR

Round 1: Race Tasmania, Symmons Plains Raceway, TAS – 24-26 February Round 2: SpeedSeries Victoria – to be confirmed Round 3: SpeedSeries Winton, Winton Raceway, VIC – 9 -11 June Round 4: Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight, Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW – 28-30 July Round 5: OTR The Bend SuperSprint, The Bend Motorsport Park, SA - 18-20 August Round 6: To Be Confirmed* Round 7: VALO Adelaide 500, Adelaide Parklands Circuit, SA - 23-26 November* * S5000 Tasman Series

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LATEST NEWS

HANSFORD TAKES DESERVING TCM TITLE RYAN HANSFORD left Adelaide as a deserving Touring Car Masters champion after a consistent season atop the table in the Multispares Torana A9X. Although the Adelaide 500 round didn’t quite go to plan in sending 2022 off with a victory – with an engine issue forcing him out of Race 3 – the humble and laconic Queenslander was elated for his dedicated team at Peters Motorsport, keeping the Torana in red-hot form throughout the year.

Personally, Hansford felt more relieved than anything else, but spoke glowingly of the people behind the scenes.

“It’s a funny one ... obviously it’s great to win the championship, but I was also quite subdued … I felt more relief than anything else,” Hansford described.

“Looking back on the actual day, nothing really compares to winning a race … in terms of having that explosive feeling, and that obviously didn’t happen in Adelaide.

“The biggest thing for me was winning it for all the people involved. Multispares has been a long-time sponsor, and to pull through for them was important for me, as well as getting it done for Brett (Peters) and Rod Dawson.

“In our team there are a whole bunch of volunteers that are based in Redcliffe, and they come and help for nothing, they just love being a part of it, and you can’t do it without people like that.

“And of course, my wife Ruth; she looks after the young kids, she’s been amazing.”

One thing that helped get the Torana over the line this year was good consistency in the car, which was targeted coming into 2022. After six rounds, Hansford and his team underlined that with three wins, nine podiums, and two poles.

“The key progress we made from the interrupted 2020 season was ensuring the rear of the Torana was up to scratch in order to get that tyre life out of it,” he continued.

“So it was all about tuning that up and making some wholesale changes in the rear of the vehicle. Brett and Rod were at the forefront there, and Brett’s done 14-odd Bathurst 1000’s, so that’s a handy block of experience to have behind you.

“We’ll go into next year with the same set-up, we’ve got a really good car under our belt now, and you learn a lot because each track is different and you’ve got to alter it for each one.”

It was a thrilling year for the fan favourite category and, whilst Steve Johnson monstered the field in the #33 Mustang over the last two rounds, Hansford and Bowe provided a Torana themed scrap, where the two fought it out at the pointy end of the field all year.

“John is a very fair racer, but he’s also hard. He doesn’t give you much, so you have to earn it. It was enjoyable, and we had some tough battles throughout the year…and I could say the same of the whole grid really.

TW Neal

Image: DANIEL KALISZ-ARG

SPLIT SERIES TCM CALENDAR FOR 2023

Image: JACK MARTIN PHOTOGRAPHY-ARG THE GULF Western Oil Touring Car Masters will return in 2023 for another six round season with a favourite street track to return, including an all-new venue.

With one street circuit returning, the Townsville Torana paradise will miss out, as well as Sandown, with Winton as its Victorian replacement.

Andrew Fisher, who finished fourth outright and took out the ProAm in his Torana A9X, is happy for the category to have three Supercars outings, as well as the addition of The Bend.

“It’s great for the category to have the three Supercars rounds – it’s what we were after in the end and it’s great for the

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sponsors and fans to have the exposure,” Fisher said.

“I think being at The Bend is really good for the category – we’ve not raced there before and I think racing on that track is a positive move so I’m pretty happy with that – the cars will suit the circuit there.

“Winton will also be a great round and there will be a good crowd at that one, and I like the V8 themed idea. But I think that fans might be disappointed that we aren’t racing at the Bathurst 1000 … but overall it’s a good calendar – there’s a few tight turnarounds, between Tasmania and Newcastle, but we’re all looking forward to getting about the

country for the new season.”

The popular category will split its season in half with three races supporting Supercars events and three others taking part in the revamped SpeedSeries which will also host TCM’s opening round at the Symmons Plains Raceway in Tasmania in late February.

The streets of Newcastle is a welcome return for the first time in five years, with it marking the first of three Supercars series rounds of the year.

The scenic seaside circuit last hosted the category in 2018 when six-time TCM champion John Bowe took two-wins and Adam Bressington the third.

The third round will then shift to Winton in Victoria where it’ll play a major thematic role in the All-V8 SpeedSeries round for the championships 10th visit to the country VIC Motorway.

Round four adds a new flavour to the series, with The Bend Motorsport Park to host its first ever TCM stoush for its second Supercars affiliated round.

The annual pilgrimage to Mount Panorama will be a highlight for round five, with the TCM drivers set to roll into town on November 10-12 ahead of the Supercheap Auto Bathurst International.

Six-litre power triumphed at the mountain this year, with Steve Johnson monstering the field with a clean sweep in the #33 Brut Mustang.

And Just as this year, where Ryan Hansford sealed his deserved championship, and Johnson took another three wins, the 2023 TCM season will conclude at the VALO Adelaide 500 in November. TW Neal

2023 GULF WESTERN OIL TOURING CAR MASTERS CALENDAR ROUND 1: Race Tasmania, Symmons Plains Raceway – 24-26 February ROUND 2: Thrifty Newcastle 500, Newcastle Street Circuit – March 10-12 ROUND 3: SpeedSeries Winton, Winton Raceway – 9 -11 June ROUND 4: OTR The Bend SuperSprint, The Bend Motorsport Park – 18-20 August ROUND 5: Supercheap Auto Bathurst International, Mount Panorama Bathurst – 10-12 November ROUND 6: VALO Adelaide 500, Adelaide Parklands Circuit – 23-26 November

ADELAIDE FESTIVAL PROMISES FAN FOCUS THE ADELAIDE Motorsport Festival will be back with a bang after a five-year hiatus, returning with a fan focus and 17 categories on track according to Event Director Tim Possingham.

Last held in 2018, the event will take over Adelaide’s streets from March 25-26 in 2023, bringing a wide range of motorsport experiences to the doorstep of South Australians.

Motorsport machinery past and present will line-up for the weekend festival which utilises a section of the iconic Adelaide Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit in the Adelaide Parklands.

Given the recent success of the VALO Adelaide 500 and Adelaide Rally events, backed by a supportive state Labor government, Possingham is confident that the Adelaide Motorsport Festival will make a big splash with hungry motorsport fans on its return.

“It’s looking fantastic, I think we’re seeing a heightened interest in motorsport,” Possingham told Auto Action.

As part of a renewed focus on motorsport, Labor Premier Peter Malinauskas has confirmed the Adelaide Motorsport Festival as part of the racing calendar for four years including the 2023 event.

The long-term deal leaves the festival in a strong position to grow and thrive, according to Possingham.

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“When you’ve got a four-year deal, people will buy infrastructure, they’ll enter into multiyear deals and plan forward,” Possingham said.

“It’s important they can see the vision, they can see where the event is going.

“We are incredibly thankful for the support of the Malinauskas Labor government that has given us this deal.”

With the future of the event secured, Possingham and his team are feverishly working to produce the best festival possible.

Taking on the past feedback of event attendees, the 2023 Adelaide Motorsport Festival will feature 17 categories on track, as well as a slew of iconic vehicles.

In addition to celebrations of motorsport history, the new RAA Emotion Zone will give fans an insight into the future, featuring all things electric from planes and scooters to the

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latest in electric motorsport technology.

The festival will also celebrate the 60th anniversary of McLaren in style, showcasing a number of iconic McLaren machines including US Indy Cars and special edition road cars headlined by an original McLaren F1 worth over $27 million.

High profile McLaren identities are slated to attend the festival, although Possingham is still keeping some of the

details close to his chest.

“There is a lot that we are yet to announce,” Possingham teased.

“Keep an eye on our social media and website as we will be releasing more of our star cars and identities early in the new year.”

Tickets for the 2023 Adelaide Motorsport Festival are on sale now, with single day and full weekend passes available. JN

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LATEST NATIONAL NEWS

RACING TOGETHER RECEIVES

INTERNATIONAL AWARD

AUSSIE OFFICIAL RECEIVES GLOBAL HONOUR

By Thomas Miles AUSTRALIA’S CHRISTOPHER McMahon is the toast of the motorsport world after being named as the 2022 FIA Senior Official of the Year this week.

McMahon was signalled out amongst a select handful of officials from around the world for his work as a senior steward.

The Queenslander has been a long time contributor to the sport, performing a number of roles including being one of the current co-chairs of the Supercars Championship Stewards Panel and has a passion for developing and mentoring more inexperienced officials.

McMahon becomes just the second Australian to claim the prestigious FIA Senior Official of the Year award after Henk van den Dungen did the same in 2021.

McMahon is the latest of a long line of high achievers in the domestic scene with Motorsport Australia officials being recognised at the global FIA Awards every year since 2011 and said it was a “complete surprise” “It’s a bit humbling but I am very chuffed that my efforts have been acknowledged,” McMahon said.

“To be honest, I am a little embarrassed as stewarding is a team activity, and I was individually recognised. However, it is all very pleasing and came as a complete surprise.

“I am very grateful for all the support over the years, as well as the nomination itself, and I am thankful for the opportunity to be in motorsport – we don’t do this for the awards, but it’s pleasing to be recognised.”

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McMahon said there re many individuals who have supported him along the journey including recent Supercars Hall of Fame inductee Tim Schenken and former Formula 1 race director Michael Masi.

“There are a lot of people to thank for this honour, but the key individuals were my mentors over the years, including the late Ann Thomson, who first identified me as a steward, my first mentor Trevor Neumann at state level and then Steve Chopping and Peter Drew who welcomed and supported me into stewarding at Supercars Championship level,” he said.

“I would also like to acknowledge some of the core members of the Supercars Stewards’ team in Matt Selley and Steve Lisk, while the Race Direction team of Tim Schenken, Michael Masi and James Taylor have been excellent to work with.

“I also found the FIA family is a really good fit and I have worked with some good people including, Robert Reid (now FIA Deputy President of Sport), Timo Rautiainen (now FIA WRC Sporting Delegate) and Waultraud Wunsch (a member of the FIA International Court of Appeal) – all of whom have been fantastic in helping me develop my skills as a steward since my time in the sport.”

INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIAN motorsport program Racing Together has received global recognition, taking out the inaugural FIA President’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award at the FIA Prize-Giving Gala in Italy.

Presented by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the award recognises ‘outstanding commitment to diverse and inclusive practices and activities that foster equitable, sustainable and measurable change’.

Motorsport Australia President Andrew Fraser and Racing Together director Monique Connelly accepted the prize.

Racing Together was co-founded by former rally driver Connelly and her husband Garry Connelly AM, Australia’s representative at the FIA, in late 2020.

Since its inception the program has given Indigenous youths access to motorsport, starting with a wide-reaching induction process.

The initial two-day education and selection program at Norwell Motorplex on the Gold Coast includes driving training, mechanics, personal health and wellbeing, career advice and life skills.

From there, successful applicants are chosen to represent the Racing Together motorsport program, which encompasses a karting team and Hyundai Excel outfit. The Excel squad currently runs three cars in the popular one-make series, with a fourth to be added next year.

The success of the program has drawn support from highprofile motorsport stars at home and abroad –Supercars Championship-winning Team Principals Roland Dane and Dr Ryan Story AM were quick to jump on board as directors, as well as Indigenous Olympian Taliqua Clancy, while seven-time Formula 1 champion Sir Lewis

Hamilton has voiced his praise for Racing Together.

In accepting the FIA award, Monique Connelly expressed her pride in the achievements of Racing Together so far.

“Every child, no matter their gender, ethnicity, economic circumstances, or culture, deserves the opportunity to experience the sport that we all love – motorsport,” Connelly said.

“We are so pleased that FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has created the award, and we are proud and honoured to be its first recipients.

“We also thank Motorsport Australia for its support, and on behalf of our Indigenous young people, thank you to the FIA and its President.”

Program member Karlai Warner, 16, has progressed from tyre technician to Excel pilot during her time with Racing Together, and she expressed her gratitude after hearing of the award.

“The award makes me feel happy for what the team has accomplished; it’s good recognition for the team, worldwide recognition, and exposure to show what Indigenous kids can do,” Warner said.

“Racing Together has taught me new skills, allowed me to race, and meet so many new people, which would never have happened if the program did not exist.”

Bathurst 1000 winner and Norwell Motorplex owner Paul Morris has been front and centre since the program set down its roots at his facility; he is now keen to see it expand.

“Seeing the kids learn the skills and experience the joys I’ve had in my 30-plus years of motorsport is a thrill, and it’s only early days for Racing Together,” Morris said.

“There’s enormous potential; you need facilities to do what we are doing, and there are lots of those throughout Australia, so we are already rolling out Racing Together into other Indigenous communities.” Josh Nevett

HI-TEC OILS BACKS AMRS SUPER SERIES HI-TEC OILS has confirmed its commercial support of the Australian Motor Racing Series (AMRS) which will now be called The Hi-Tec Oils Super Series and, in conjunction with a new broadcast partner in SBS, it is hoped that the new partnership will help grow the national profile of the series.

The six round Hi-Tec Oils Super Series, which is managed by the Benalla Auto Club (BAC), is a three state AASA sanctioned series, operating across NSW, QLD, and Victoria – however the 2023 series will expanded with a round in the Northern Territory.

The series is headlined by the TA2 Muscle Car Series with support from the Mazda RX8 Cup Series, Hyundai Excel Series, Australian Super TT, Stock Cars Australia, Legend Cars Australia, Queensland Trans-Am, Replica Tourers, QTCC, HQ Holdens, and Superkarts.

Competitors, categories, and fans, will all benefit from a greatly enhanced coverage of the series, including live free-to-air television coverage on SBS, simulcast on Fox Sports, and extended coverage on Speedweek.

Hi-Tec Oils CEO George Gambino said the Super Series will be a valuable addition to the brand’s existing portfolio of motorsport properties.

“We pride ourselves on supporting a wide variety of motorsport disciplines, including drifting and Speedway, but becoming involved in the Hi-Tec Oils Super Series allows us to tap into a passionate national audience of grass-roots motorsport enthusiasts,” Gambino said.

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“As well as sponsoring the Hi-Tec Oils Super Series, we will be working closely with the BAC team along with our media partners to enhance the viewing experience for the fans, whether they are trackside spectators or watching the series from the comfort of their couch on TV.” Benalla Auto Club General Manager Stephen Whyte said the Hi-Tec Oils relationship is a milestone in the expansion of AASA-sanctioned national circuit racing.

“AASA has sanctioned the national-level AMRS since the start of 2018. Working with core categories to provide a national platform has enabled us to keep the series growing,” Whyte said.

“The new partnership with Hi-Tec Oils will allow us to take the next step forward with our presentation and professionalism, to deliver an affordable but first-class national series for our competitors. We would like to thank George and his team at Hi-Tech Oils for thier commitment and support and we are very excited about what’s to come in

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2023 with a couple of exciting additions to our calendar.”

The newly released calendar will also be taking its high-powered show to the Northern Territory, for a round at Hidden Valley Raceway on April 29 – May 1.

“We are very excited to take the Hi-Tec Oils Super Series to some new locations, and we’re especially grateful to our contacts in the Northern Territory for their tireless efforts in making the Hidden Valley round a reality,” Whyte said.

“We’re also pleased to facilitate the return of national level motorsport to Calder Park Raceway which will host our season finale.”

TW Neal 2023 HI-TEC OILS SUPER SERIES CALENDAR ROUND 1 – Winton Motor Raceway March 17-19 ROUND 2 – Hidden Valley Raceway April 29-May 1 ROUND 3 – Queensland Raceway June 2-4 ROUND 4 – Morgan Park Raceway July 8-9 ROUND 5 – Sydney Motorsport Park Oct 13-14

(Day/Night Event) ROUND 6 – Calder Park Raceway November 24-26

V8 TOURING CARS TO STAND ALONE

HAVING BEING morphed into Super3 and running alongside Super2 since 2020, the V8 Touring Cars series is making a comeback as a stand-alone series in 2023.

It will return to running independently of Super3, with a unique calendar and media package.

The championship caters for ex-Supercars from the Project Blueprint era up to and including FG Falcons and VE II Commodores and will be held across a five-event season, run exclusively at SpeedSeries events next year.

The series will get underway in Victoria in early May at a to be announced venue before returning to Winton on the June long weekend, which will be significant given that Supercars and its support categories will not race at the ‘action track’ in 2023.

Other familiar favourites such as Sydney Motorsport Park, Sandown and the Supercheap Auto Bathurst International will round out the season giving the famous tracks an additional round of V8 action.

Australian Racing Group chief operating officer Liam Curkpatrick said bringing the V8 Touring Cars back to its original form is about opening up more pathways.

“2023 is about V8 Touring Cars going back to its roots and re-establishing itself as a place for these great cars to race,” he said.

“At SpeedSeries rounds, V8TC will stand alongside an array of spectacular national level categories with a great broadcast production on Stan Sport and the Nine Network and lots of track time.

“The model change from Super2 to Super3 and subsequently to V8 Touring Cars means there’s plenty of interest from competitors who once again need a place to race them.

“We will be confirming more, including a tyre provider, race formats and other growth plans, in the coming weeks.”

The last time V8 Touring Cars ran as a standalone series was 2019 when it was branded as Super3.

It commenced in 2008 when Chris Smerdon won the title in a Ford AU Falcon, while former and current Supercar drivers Shae Davies, Tas Douglas, Jack Smith and Broc Feeney also wrote their names onto the list of champions.

Over the last three years the series has run side by side with the Super2 grid at Supercars Championship races.

But now with Super2 stepping up to race Gen 2 ZB Commodores and Ford Mustangs and the Car of the Future chassis being handed down to Super3, V8 Touring Cars returns back to its roots. TW Neal 2023 V8 TOURING CAR SERIES ROUND 1: SpeedSeries Victoria ROUND 2: Winton Raceway ROUND 3: Sydney Motorsport Park ROUND 4: Sandown International Raceway ROUND 5: Supercheap Auto Bathurst International

TBC 9 -11 June 23-25 June 8-10 September 10-12 November

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LATEST NEWS

CAPITO STEPS DOWN FROM WILLIAMS JOST CAPITO has stepped down from his role as team principal of Williams F1 Team after two years at the helm of the famous British team.

Williams announced the news via a statement on Tuesday morning, which confirmed both Capito and technical director FX Demaison will step aside. The team will announce replacements for the key roles in “due course”.

The then retired Capito arrived at the team in December 2020 as the replacement for Simon Roberts and hopes he has laid “the foundations for a turnaround” in the future.

“It has been a huge privilege to lead Williams Racing for the last two seasons and to lay the foundations for the turnaround of this great team,” he said.

“I look forward to watching the team as it continues on its path to future success.”

Capito came to Williams with a successful career in rallying having been the director of motorsport at Volkswagen when it dominated WRC. After a pointless 2020, the British team made a big rise in the following year which was Capito’a first in charge.

Williams scored 23 points and rose from 10th to eighth in the constructors standings with George Russell’s stunning qualifying lap and subsequent podium finish at the west Belgian Grand Prix the highlight.

The arrival of a new era and regulations in F1 this year saw Williams return to the back of the grid, with the likes of Haas and Alfa

Romeo making big gains.

With Alex Albon, Nicholas Latifi and Nyck de Vries all sharing driver duties, only eight points were possible with P9 the best finish for all three.

Williams now must aim to regain some ground with a new team principal, but before then, Dorilton Capital (owners of Williams) Chairman Matthew Savage, gave thanks to Capito and Demaison for playing a huge role in the team’s development over recent years.

“We would like to thank Jost for his hard work and dedication as we embarked on a major transformation process to begin the journey of reviving Williams Racing.

“We’re grateful that Jost postponed his planned retirement to take on this challenge and now he will pass the reins on for the next part of this staged process.

“We would also like to thank FX for his contribution and wish him all the best for his future as he moves on.”

Williams also enters 2023 with a changed driver line up, with Latifi being replaced by American Logan Sargeant, whilst Albon has been retained.

The 2023 Formula 1 season starts in Bahrain on March 5.

Thomas Miles

EREBUS HANDS OVER RARE WINNER

EREBUS MOTORSPORT has handed over the keys of one of just two race-winning Mercedes-Benz AMG E63 Supercars.

The team has confirmed the sale of chassis #SBR25-EM-03-12, which has been purchased by Penrite Oil - the major backer of the car when it raced in the 2015 Supercars Championship.

The car started life with Tim Slade behind the wheel, who drove a Heavy Haulage Australia backed #47 car in Mercedes’ first

year in 2013.

After a challenging campaign where Slade finished 22nd in the championship, the chassis was parked in 2014 when Erebus scaled back from three to two cars, but it was then wheeled back out to the race track for Will Davison in 2015.

The season signified the birth of the Erebus-Penrite partnership which started at the Bathurst 1000 and remained unbroken until the end of the 2020 season.

The chassis was one of the last of the four E63 AMG’s Erebus campaigned between 2013-2015, and famously secured the second and final win under Mercedes power.

Davison secured a surprise emotional victory at Perth in 2015 after he charged home, beating Craig Lowndes, Fabian Coulthard, and Chaz Mostert, in a thrilling soft v hard tyre battle. The only other Mercedes AMG E63 to win a Supercars race was Lee Holdsworth’s 2014 Winton machine.

Erebus continued to press on until parting ways at the end of the season, but not before racing in a memorable white colour scheme in the finale on the Sydney streets.

The car has now been restored to how it raced in the 2015 Sydney 500, which was the final chapter of Mercedes-Benz’s time in Supercars before it switched to Holden Commodores in 2016.

The new owners were given a treat before the keys were handed over with current Erebus driver Brodie Kostecki cutting some fast laps around Winton Motor Raceway before the car changed hands.

Erebus Motorsport CEO Barry Ryan said restoring the Mercedes back to its 2015 spec was an emotional experience.

“It’s been a great experience for the team to rebuild and restore this particular vehicle

that has so much history within our team and the sport as a whole,” said the Erebus CEO. “With the original engine and panels from the white retro livery, the car has been restored to the same condition it was when it completed the Sydney 500 back in 2015.

“It was nice to see the car back on track this morning for the last time and it was a great experience for Brodie to relive a part of Erebus’ history.”

With the new Gen3 era fast approaching, Ryan said it was the “right time” to farewell the loved Mercedes to create space inside the Melbourne workshop for the incoming arrival of the new Chevrolet Camaros.

“With the arrival of our Gen3 Camaros, it felt like the right time to say goodbye to one of these vehicles, and we’re pleased that it will be displayed and celebrated by its major sponsor at the time,” Ryan said.

“It’s an exciting time for Supercars right now and we’re looking forward to the new generation of Supercars hitting the track at Newcastle in the very near future.”

Fans can still catch a glimpse of the Mercedes Supercar with it being displayed

by Penrite in the Lane 88 Auto Museum as part of the private collection owned by the Dymond Family, while there are intentions to use it for special demonstrations.

Thomas Miles

CALDER PARK TO HOST TA2 FINALE THE HISTORIC Calder Park Raceway will host the finale of the 2023 TA2 Muscle Car series, which will be broadcast on free to air.

The six round series which begins at Winton in March and concludes at another popular Victorian circuit in November will be shown on the screens of SBS and Fox Sports due to a new TV deal.

All six Super Series rounds will enjoy free to air coverage via SBS on Sunday and simulcast on Fox Sports, while extended coverage can be viewed on weekly motorsport show ‘Speedweek’.

The 2023 season will commence where 2022 concluded at Winton Motor Raceway, before a two-driver event at Hidden Valley.

A Queensland doubleheader at Queensland Raceway and Morgan Park are next, before a busy October featuring Sydney Motorsport Park and a standalone Southern Series round at The Bend Motorsport Park which is still in the planning stages.

The year will finish in grand style with the Super Series marking Calder Park’s return to hosting national-level motor racing.

Seventeen year old third-generation sensation Jett Johnson won the 2022 TA2

Muscle Car Series this year, but is working towards the Supercars ladder in 2023, while the Northern and Southern Series were claimed by Graham Cheney and Zach Loscialpo respectively, whilst Brett Niall won the inaugural TA2 King of the West title.

TA2 Muscle Car Series national category manager Craig Denyer said some “special” plans are in the works for the Hidden Valley event.

“Our plan has always been to give drivers the opportunity to race at as many different tracks as possible, so to include Hidden Valley and Calder Park is awesome,” he said.

“We are looking at doing something quite special for Hidden Valley, working with the event promoters and the Hi-Tech Super Series team to come up with a concept where both drivers can earn championship points and have a twodriver finale with a compulsory driver change.

“It’s early days and work is in progress at the moment, however it should be exciting and a great point of difference.”

As for the drivers, Ford Mustang competitor Josh Haynes is already

pumped for the new season to roll around.

“My first thoughts when I saw the calendar was ‘wow’,” he said.

“To be racing down in Victoria at historic tracks such as Calder Park as well as taking on the very loved Hidden Valley Raceway in the Northern Territory is an absolute privilege.

“Next year is going to be such an exciting year full of new tracks, drivers and battles, and I am more pumped than ever.

2023 TA2 MUSCLE CAR SERIES CALENDAR ROUND 1: Winton Motor Raceway March 17-19 ROUND 2: Hidden Valley Raceway April 29-May1 (2 driver event) ROUND 3: Queensland Raceway June 2-4 ROUND 4: Morgan Park Raceway July 8-9 ROUND 5: Sydney Motorsport Park October 13-14 TBC: The Bend Motorsport Park October 27-29 ROUND 6: Calder Park Raceway November 24-26

HONDA UNVEILS NEW TCR RACER HONDA AND homologation partner JAS Motorsport have taken the covers off the latest generation TCR racer.

The Japanese manufacturer will race a new Civic Type R based on the revelry released FL5 model which will race in the new TCR World Tour next year.

It means the new car will be in action at two race weekends in Australia, including Bathurst.

Factory driver Nestor Girolami gave the new FL5 its maiden test at the Circuit Tazio Nuvolari in Italy on December 5, as the development process ramps up ahead of a planned customer roll out starting in April 2023.

After the previous model secured the ultimate success in the TCR Australia championship with Tony D’Alberto at Bathurst in November, Honda and JAS Motorsport’s latest creation will be a complete change rather than an update.

The FL5 will be an aggressive looking car with wider guards and a new aerodynamic kit.

Behind the bodywork is a new chassis, upgraded braking capability, improved transmission, and a race-refined version of the four-cylinder, two-litre turbocharged engine.

Honda is one of the most successful manufacturers in TCR history having secured 398 race victories and 74 major titles since it debuted with the FK2 in 2015, with the new FL5 to continue its story of success next year. Thomas Miles

GEN3 CARS COMPLETE FINAL TEST OF 2022 For the final time in a busy 2022, the Gen3 Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro prototypes hit the track on Monday.

The final test day of the year took place at Queensland Raceway where a mix of current full time drivers, co drivers and youngsters jumped behind the wheel.

Tickford Racing veteran and winner of four championship races at Ipswich, James Courtney, did lots of laps in the Ford for the majority of the day.

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Courtney’s partner in his 2010 championship winning season and current Walkinshaw Andretti United codriver, Warren Luff, also jumped on board the Mustang.

Respective Erebus Motorsport and PremiAir Racing main game stars Will Brown and James Golding, headlined the Camaro running with the assistance of both Luff and Porsche junior Bayley Hall.

The cars and drivers were put to the

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test in hot and humid conditions before increasing cloud cover offered some brief respite in the afternoon.

The day’s running completed a busy year in the Gen3 world where preparations for the new era stepped up a gear with the arrival of the new seventh generation Mustang and the continual roll out of chassis’, panels and components to the competing teams.

Gen3’s development will keep moving through the new year with teams scheduled

to be track ready by the end of January.

Queensland based teams will enjoy the maiden shakedown of their Gen3 cars at Ipswich on January 30, before the Victorian teams follow suit at Winton Motor Raceway two days later.

Further test days at the Victorian and Queensland venues will take place on February 7 and 9 respectively before all teams hit the tarmac at Sydney Motorsport Park on the 22nd later that month.

LATEST NEWS

MCLEOD TO RACE SUPER3 IN 2023

CAMERON MCLEOD, one of the stars and front runners from this years Australian Formula Ford championship, will race in a Nissan Altima for the 2023 Super3 season.

McLeod had a strong year to finish third with two victories and five podiums in his #92 Spectrum 015, but will again turn his attention’s to the V8’s in one of Todd Kelly’s ex-Supercars Nissan Altima’s, which was driven by Tyler Everingham In this season’s Super2.

McLeod comes from extremely good racing stock, his father Ryan is a former Bathurst 1000 runner and development series driver, and a highly experienced racer across several formats.

His Grandfather Peter McLeod took out

the 1987 Bathurst 1000 with racing legend Peter Brock.

Peter McLeod was a highly successful Group C racer, predominantly racing Mazda RX7’s and was also an experienced driver and winner across many different categories.

“It should be a really competitive season in the Super3 next year, so I’m excited to be involved in it,” McLeod told AUTO ACTION. “I think it’s going to be a lot more competitive next season with the cars coming down and that’s the main thing I’m looking forward to.

“I definitely know that that Nissan is a quick car, and the hope is we can get as

close as we can with the Super2’s and hopefully run somewhere in that mid-pack with them. I drove it at Winton when I did some laps at the BRT evaluation day.

“It was a bit different to what I’d experienced because you sit a lot further back in it, which makes the vision on your left and right more difficult, and you’ve kind of got to peer out the passenger and drivers side window for the apex’s. It was a bit of a curve ball, but I’m sure I’ll get my head around it.”

No stranger to Bathurst himself after grabbing a P2 at the 6-Hour with his brother earlier this year in a Ford Mustang Mach 1, McLeod just recently competed at the Challenge Bathurst in a MARC II

V8 prepared by Kieth Kassulke where he showed good promise.

“That MARC car was amazing, great to drive and very quick. It’s relatively easier to drive than a Supercar with the Traction control and ABS so it was hard to make a mistake really.

“I’d only raced Bathurst in a Mustang Production car and a Holden Astra Production car at the previous two 6-Hour’s, and we just wanted to go there in something quick before we go there in a Supercar.

“I got to do eight or nine laps with Keith and Hadrian (Morrall), and I managed a 2:06, and just went at it as hard as I could, and as best I could, and they were happy with what I did there.

“I’ve definitely got a lot of experience behind me when I go to Bathurst, which helps me do my best when I go there with my dad and Grandfather having done so well there, and Dads raced there just about every year for a long time running, so that helps somewhat.”

McLeod gets to get going nice and early in the Nissan Altima, with an evaluation day booked for winton in mid-December, before having a few test days up his sleeve hearing into his Super3 debut on the streets of Newcastle for the season opener.

TW NEAL

PORSCHE CARRERA CUP RELEASES NEW 2023 CALENDAR PORSCHE CARS Australia has released its eight round Porsche Carrera Cup Calendar for 2023.

Australia’s premier one-make championship will again be the primary support for the Supercars Championship, with a stellar selection of rounds for its 2023 tilt.

Following 2022’s introduction of the Type 992 generation Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, record fields took part as the championship battle between eventual winner Harri Jones and Aaron Love went down to the wire at the Gold Coast 500.

The country’s premier Porsche category will continue to hold its Championship status from Motorsport Australia, as it continues to be a proven and well travelled pathway in both the Pro and Pro-Am classes for Australasian drivers to take big strides both locally and internationally.

The season will take-off in style in 2023, with the opening round coming in Australia’s biggest Motorsport show - the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix - on March 30 to April 2, with seven marquee rounds to follow.

After the Darwin Triple Crown at Hidden Valley Raceway, the series will head to the streets of Townsville, before returning to The Bend.

Following SA, the show then heads to Victoria’s Sandown

television across the Seven Network, namely Darwin, Townsville, Bathurst, Gold Coast and Adelaide.

Barry Hay, Motorsport Manager of Porsche Cars Australia, was excited to introduce the schedule for Australia’s classiest race series.

“We are delighted to announce our 2023 calendar which will see our drivers continue to race at the biggest motorsport events of the year in front of the biggest crowds enjoying the best support and television package available,” Hay commented.

“Every season we strive to deliver a premium class experience for all our customers, teams and partners, and I have no doubt that the 2023 season will arguably be one of the best in its long and illustrious history.” Tim W Neal on September 15-17 as support for the welcome return of the epic Supercars Sandown 500 prior to Bathurst.

After tearing around the Skyline of The Mountain in support of The Great Race, the series then makes a return to the hectic streets of the Gold Coast for its penultimate round, before closing its season at the fan favourite Adelaide 500.

Once again, every round of the Carrera Cup will be live on Kayo and Foxtel, with five rounds also featuring on national

2023 PORSCHE CARRERA CUP CALENDAR Rd1. F1 Australia GP, VIC 30 March – 02 April Rd2. Darwin NT 16-18 June Rd3. Townsville QLD 07-09 July Rd4. The Bend SA 18-20 August Rd5. Sandown VIC 15-17 September Rd6. Bathurst 1000 NSW 05-08 October Rd7. Gold Coast QLD 27-29 October Rd8. Adelaide SA 23-26 November

DATES SET FOR NEW ERA OF AUSTRALIAN PRODUCTION CARS

GERMAN DTM SERIES GETS VITAL LIFELINE GERMANY’S DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) Series - the country’s pinnacle motorsport competition - was rescued at the 11th hour by the ADAC. The ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club) is Germany and Europe’s largest motoring body, and has thrown the series a lifeline, announcing that it will still operate as a standalone sprint format series from the GT Masters and Prototype Cup Germany.

The restructuring of the top level of German Motorsport, will now feature the Masters and prototype under the DTM umbrella in name, as the DTM Endurance series.

Another massive change also involves the series becoming more localised, with ADAC having already released the 2023 calendar, in which Zandvoort in the Netherlands will

mark the only international event on the calendar (which still includes the Red Bull Ring in Austria). Previously the series also operated at Spa Francorchamps in Belgium, and at Imola, in Italy.

Running strictly under GT3 regulations, the 2023 incarnation of DTM will not feature the GT4 DTM Trophy, of which Australian racer Ricky Capo was a Porsche driver for Kus Team Bernhard.

The DTM had been on the rocks for some years, and until 2020 was an Audi owned series after the manufacturer helped revive it in 2000, until it worryingly pulled the pin on its involvement.

There was talk that Japanese manufactures Toyota, Honda, and Nissan would perhaps bail the series out after it was left with BMW as its only manufacturer

following Audi’s exit, but it was then purchased by ITR, which was jointly owned by the Austrian ex-Formula 1 driver, Gerhard Berger.

Pirelli will also take over from Michelin as the new DTM tyre supplier, further connecting it with GT Masters and Prototype Cup Series.

Importantly for the profile of the new DTM and DTM Endurance format, the new calendar avoids date clashes with the GT World Challenge Europe, and the Nurburgring 24 Hours.

Tim W Neal 2023 DTM CALENDAR Oschersleben May 26-28 Zandvoort June 7-9 Norisring July 7-9 Nurburgring August 4-6 Lausitzring August 18-20 Sachsenring September 8-10 Red Bull Ring September 22-24 Hockenheimring October 20-22

TASMANIA SPEEDSERIES TICKETS ON SALE TICKETS FOR the popular AWC Race Tasmania have gone on sale for the third instalment of the Symmons Plains round.

Held on February 2426, the event marks the opening round of the highly anticipated 2023 SpeedSeries, and is the first major motor racing series in Tasmania for the calendar year.

The category line-up for the opener includes the opening rounds of the S5000 Championship, The TCR Australia Series, TransAm national series, and the Touring Car Masters.

With drivers like Nathan Herne roaring

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around in a Trans Am and most likely the Big Banger S5000’s, Joey Mawson defending his Gold Star, as well as

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Bathurst legend John Bowe in his TCM Torana A9X going up up against the likes of Steve ‘Junior’ Johnson and 2022 champion Ryan Hansford, the opening round promises to be an absolute speed fest.

Early ticket buyers can get a ticket for as little as $10, as well their name going into a draw to win hot laps with either Marcus Ambrose or John bowe.

With over three days of fast and competitive motorsport, the local support categories involve the Tassie Tin Tops and Hyundai Excels.

Tim W Neal

THE NEW era of Australian Production Cars racing has been revealed with a six round calendar taking the series all over the country.

During the recent Supercheap Auto Bathurst International it was announced the Australian Racing Group had purchased some equity in Production Car Racing PTY LTD and will enter a partnership to launch GT4 as a standalone class in Australia.

The first Australian Production Cars championship run under the SpeedSeries banner will roll into action on May 12-14 with a Sprint round in Victoria.

It will then turn into Enduro mode with longer races at Sydney Motorsport Park and Queensland Raceway, while the final endurance round featuring four one hour races will take place at The Bend Motorsport Park.

The South Australian round is the penultimate stop on the calendar sandwiched between two Sprint races held at Sandown and Bathurst in September and November respectively.

Four half an hour sprints around Mount Panorama at the Bathurst International will end the year in a big way.

The combination everyone will be trying to catch is Class X BMW F80 M3 entrants Wayne and Drew Russell after they won the 2022 championship in convincing style.

The likes of Chris Lillis, Jimmy Vernon and Iain Sherrin will be looking to mount a more sustained challenge in 2023.

APC category manager Troy Williams said he expects the six-round 2023 season to be a landmark year for the championship.

“2022 was a banner year for the APC, with great racing and increasingly large fields, culminating in an epic grand finale at the Bathurst International with more than 45 racers lining up on our grid,” Williams said.

“Now with our new partnership with the Australian Racing Group, we are looking forward to taking things to a whole new level.

“In 2023, our racers will enjoy a highprofile calendar, increased television and streaming coverage and expanded exposure to sponsors, along with better access to infrastructure and support at events.

“While 2022 was great, 2023 is going to be even bigger and better and we can’t wait to put on a fantastic show as part of the SpeedSeries, the Trophy Series and the Bathurst International.

“With a mix of sprint events and enduro formats, our competitors will enjoy the best of both worlds at some of the country’s best race tracks, and we really cannot wait to see things kick off in May of 2023.”

Thomas Miles

LATEST NEWS

COMMUNITY EXPECTED TO HAVE SAY ON NEWCASTLE 500 FUTURE

THE FATE of the Newcastle 500 Supercars street race is expected to be determined next year following a community consultation strategy, if voted through by council.

City of Newcastle councillors voted at last night’s council meeting on whether or not to place a draft strategy on public exhibition before, during and after the 2023 Newcastle 500 Supercars season opener on March 10-12.

Results from the meeting are yet to be made public, but if voted through, City of Newcastle will compile a report based on the community’s feedback and insights from a six-week consultation strategy, which will be used to inform the decision about any contract extension for the event.

Next year’s Newcastle 500 will be the first since 2019, but last under the existing agreement between Supercars, City of Newcastle and Destination NSW for the

EVANS GP ENTERS GB4 IN 2023 THE EVANS GP racing team, an Australian run formula and touring car outfit, will enter a team into the 2023 British GB4 Championship.

Since 2021 the team has been operating in the Formula Regional Asia Championship with Josh Evans at its helm, where it took out race wins against some of Europe’s powerhouse teams, such as Prema Racing, HiTech GP, and R-Ace GP. It now takes its next step forward by establishing a base in Northampton in the UK, where it will compete in the competitive GB4 Championship, offering seats to young up-and-coming drivers in the European open-wheel ranks.

Evans - who started out by running a Formula Ford car with David Reynolds as its pilot - will run two cars in the championship, and is excited to be able to offer the opportunity to some young racers.

“We are excited to be entering GB4 for the upcoming season. As a team we have been watching the championship with interest and it looks to be a great racing environment for talented young drivers wanting to compete at a realistic budget level,” Evans explained.

“The professionalism of the series and how

it is promoted is second to none, which is important for drivers and their sponsors.

“We have already had some good interest from drivers looking to enter the championship and aiming for the £50,000 championship scholarship in 2023, provided by the championship organisers.

“As an Australian, I still have close connections with the racing scene back there, and while we are looking to accelerate the careers of talented drivers from all around the world, one of our team aims is to create a seamless transition for Australasian drivers wanting to launch their careers onto the European racing scene.”

The GB4 Championship operates a 7 event, 21 race season, where drivers compete in a Tatuus F4-T014.

The 2023 season will start on April 7-10 at the Oulton Park International circuit, ending on October 21-22 at the Donington Park GP. The rounds in between include the famous circuits of Silverstone and Brands Hatch, as well as Snetterton.

Evans will run a testing campaign across numerous UK circuits in order to fill the hotly contested seats for the up-coming season.

TW Neal

event which first arrived in 2017.

Across the three years held, the race attracted an average attendance of 123,166 and produced an average of $35 million in economic output per event according to a formal third party research from Newcastle Major Events Evaluation, EY Sweeney in 2021.

CEO Jeremy Bath said City of Newcastle is committed to undertaking broad community consultation prior to entering into any agreement should Destination NSW and Supercars propose a five-year extension to keep the street race going.

“The draft community consultation strategy has been developed by KPMG and includes an evidence-based methodology to understand the opinions of the Newcastle community and ensure that key stakeholders have their voices heard and considered,” Mr Bath said.

“At this time, no decision has been reached by any of the three parties on an extension of the race beyond March 2023.”

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the future of the race is a decision of the NSW Government in the first instance as the consent authority for the race.

“Any inclusion of Newcastle as a potential host city for another five years

will be subject to broad community and stakeholder consultation, and a decision of the elected Council after the March 2023 event,” Cr Nelmes said.

The draft consultation strategy proposes gathering feedback from the community about the return of the Newcastle 500 in a number of different ways from telephone, online and in-person surveys.

The in-person surveys are proposed to take place around the street circuit’s precinct on the city foreshore to provide an insight into attendees’ behaviours.

Three post-event stakeholder workshops with community, business, and industry representatives, are also part of the process.

Once the results are gathered a report will be compiled and prepared for Council mid next year.

If voted through, the outcome of the community consultation will have a major say on the future of Supercars’ newest season opener.

The extensive and community based consultation and analysis process is outlined in a publicly available 27-page document, follow link here, created by the City of Newcastle, who have a mantra of inform, consult, involve and collaborate.

Thomas Miles

GRAY SET FOR TRANS TASMAN 86 CAMPAIGNS 16-YEAR-old racer Rylan Gray from Denham, NSW, has signed up for both the 2023 NZ Toyota 86 Championship and the Australian Toyota 86 Series.

Gray started out riding motorbikes at the age of two, before switching to four wheel circuit racing at the age of 14.

Joining up with a racing programme run out of Norwell Motorplex and operated by ex-Supercars driver Paul Morris, Gray was benefited with coaching from Adelaide 500 winner, and Triple Eight driver Broc Feeney.

He then raced in several categories over the next few seasons, including the Excel series, Aussie Racing Cars, and two rounds of the Australian Toyota 86 Championship before heading to New Zealand where he has been testing the Toyota 86 car at Hampton Downs.

“The tracks have a great reputation

and everyone knows how competitive the championship is over there, so I was really keen to come and have a proper go at a full campaign,” Gray said ahead of next month’s NZ season opener.

“There’s a few things to learn and work on but I’ve set myself the target of getting into the top five regularly and getting a few podiums as the season progresses. That would be pretty awesome.”

The young NSW racer will compete in his Castrol #21 Toyota Gazoo car at Highlands Motorsport Park for round 1, in a season that includes a support act for the 67th New Zealand Grand Prix at the Hampton Downs International Motorsport Park.

The Australian Toyota 86 Championship will begin on April 14-16 at SMP for its five round, 15 race season. TW Neal

VASSEUR FERRARI’S NEW LEADER FORMER ALFA Romeo team principal Frederic Vasseur has been announced as Mattia Binotto’s replacement at Scuderia Ferrari.

Ever since Binotto resigned as team principal of the Prancing Horse, Vasseur has been the favourite to take the step up from Alfa Romeo.

These predictions are now a reality after Alfa Romeo and Sauber Motorsport announced the Frenchman’s departure.

Within minutes the Scuderia made it official Vasseur will be taking over from Binotto and become Ferrari’s fifth team principal in eight years following Stefano Domenicali, Marco Mattiacci, Maurizio Arrivabene and his Swiss predecessor.

Vasseur arrived at Sauber in 2017 with the Swiss team 10th and last in the championship and helped it rise to sixth this year.

The news rekindles the partnership between Vasseur and Charles Leclerc, who made his F1 debut at Sauber in 2018 and immediately impressed Others to shine under the 54-yearold’s guidance are the likes of Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Nico Rosberg, when they raced for the ART Grand Prix Team which he co-founded.

The Frenchman was also a major reason behind Audi’s decision to enter Formula 1 with Sauber as its factory team and leaves the squad with happy memories, but is excited to lead the most famous team in motorsport and try and break its 14year championship drought.

“As I prepare to bring my adventure at Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN to an end, I can look back fondly at these six years

together,” said Vasseur.

“I owe a debt of gratitude to every single employee of the team, as they are the ones who got this team back on their feet and climbing the ladder of our sport.

“I am truly delighted and honoured to take over the leadership of Scuderia Ferrari as Team Principal.

“As someone who has always held a lifelong passion for motorsport, Ferrari has always represented the very pinnacle of the racing world to me.

“I look forward to working with the talented and truly passionate team in Maranello to honour the history and heritage of the Scuderia and deliver for our Tifosi around the world”.

Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna added the Italian marquee is looking forward to welcoming the Frenchman to Maranello.

“We are delighted to welcome Fred Vasseur to Ferrari as our Team Principal,” said Vigna.

“Throughout his career he has successfully combined his technical

strengths as a trained engineer with a consistent ability to bring out the best in his drivers and teams. His approach and his leadership are what we need to push Ferrari forward with renewed energy.”

After Vasseur led Alfa Romeo/Sauber to its best constructors championship finish in a decade this year, Ferrari hopes the cheeky Frenchman can have an even greater impact on the Scuderia in 2023 and beyond.

Thomas Miles

MCLAREN MOVE FORWARD WITH STELLA APPOINTMENT THE MCLAREN Formula 1 team have moved to appoint Andrea Stella as its new Team Principal after announcing the departure of Andreas Seidl.

Seidl has said that he is moving on in search of other challenges, whilst his replacement comes with a huge wealth of experience, garnered from both in - and outside of the Woking walls.

Stella has been a key member of the Woking F1 outfit since 2015, where he was the Head of Operations Manager before becoming the Performance Director, before moving into the Executive Director position in 2019.

His 15 year career in the F1 scene started with Ferrari as a Performance Engineer for Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen from 2002-2008, before becoming its Race Engineer with Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso from 2009-2015, helping to oversee a total of four drivers championships.

Stella, who has a degree in Aerospace Engineering, and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, says he is honoured to take up the position for McLaren F1 going forward, where he will oversee the new pairing of Lando Norris and Australia’s Oscar Piastri.

“I feel privileged to take on the Team Principal role as the next stage of being part of the McLaren F1 Team,” Stella said.

“I am grateful to Zak and the Shareholders for their trust in me and to all my colleagues and those who have supported

me throughout my F1 career. We are realistic about the amount of work ahead of us to move back up the grid, but I am excited and encouraged that I am on this journey together with a team full of talent, experience, racing spirit and dedication.

“I look forward to working closely with each of them, Lando and Oscar, to together achieve great success and enjoy the journey.”

McLaren Racing CEO, Zak Brown, feels confident that the wealth of knowledge and experience that Stella brings will help propel the team into an era of success; he also thanked

Seidl for all his efforts.

“I’m delighted that Andrea Stella will step into the Team Principal role and lead our F1 technical and operational programme,” Brown said.

“Andrea is a highly talented, experienced and respected member of our team with a strong track record of leadership and success in Formula 1. His move into this role is a great example of the strength in depth we have in our team, and I’m excited to be working more closely with him with a joint focus on moving up the grid and winning races.

“I’ve really enjoyed working with Andreas (Seidl). He has provided great leadership for the team and has played a significant part in our F1 performance recovery plan and ongoing journey to return to the front of the grid. I thank him for the transparency throughout the process which gave us time to plan accordingly.”

Seidl had been with the team since 2019, and will be moving on in search of another career challenge.

“I joined McLaren in 2019 and have really enjoyed working with Zak and the team. We have achieved some good results, and I will always have fond memories, with Monza being a personal and career highlight,” Seidl explained.

“The team is on a great trajectory, and I would like to thank everyone for their support, trust and commitment. Thanks to Zak and the shareholders for their understanding of my personal decision to move on to another challenge. I wish Andrea and the team all the best for the future.” TW Neal

LATEST NEWS

NEW YEAR NITRO GIVES SPORTSMAN RACERS BIG STAGE THE ‘NEW Year Nitro’ event will be run at Willow Bank for an extravaganza of highoctane speed on January 6-7.

The country’s fastest machines will light up the straight with not only the Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel Championship and Australian Drag Racing Championship (ADRC), but also in support, will be a selection of Sportsman categories.

With live coverage on 7Plus and Facebook streaming, several Sportsman racers are ready to take advantage of their time in the big show, armed with some serious machinery to compete for prize money in front of an expected huge crowd.

With more than 20 years of racing under his belt, Max Carpenter is one Sportsman competitor hitting the strip with some new heavy-duty machinery: a 460 Big Block powered 2018 Ford Mustang in Super Sedan.

“We are contesting my new 2018 Mustang in which I have only done a handful of passes. We are still making slight improvements to the set up, and I would love to take out my next round win at New Year Nitro,” said the former Willowbank Raceway track champion.

“It will be a great weekend having the full house of competitor classes at the track, including Top Fuel and it would be awesome to take out a win, but just being back out at the track and surrounded by fellow racers and family will already be a highlight on its own.”

In the Modified Bike, Phillip Webster heads to Willowbank after contesting the Goldenstates in his turbocharged 1299cc 2007 Suzuki Hayabusa.

“So far, my biggest achievement would be the first time we ran into the sevens. I tend to race myself more than the person in the other lane, I like going out there and trying to better my personal best every time. The all-run format of New Year Nitro definitely appealed to me for that purpose, knowing we would get more passes than normal eliminations racing,” Webster explained.

“As far as my racing goes, we have a whole new turbo intake set-up on the bike so to get out there and get some seat time and hopefully set a new PB is a big goal for us at this event. But my other goal is just to see Top Fuelers again.”

Following soon after is the Top Fuel Slam at Sydney Dragway across Australia Day weekend, January 27 and 28, where the Top Fuel show continues in their fight for the Stan Sainty Cup. TW Neal

THE BEND DRAGWAY SETS OCTOBER FOR GRAND OPENING

THE BEND Dragway, currently under construction at The Bend Motorsport Park, will host minor events in March, but will delay top-level events until at least October 2023.

After careful consideration, and in an effort to get the 35 million dollar dragway operating to its full potential, top-tier events such as the Burson Auto Parts Top Fuel Championship, 400 Thunder, and the Australian Drag Racing Championships, will be postponed until their 23/24 seasons.

The crown-jewel dragway will however host minor events from March onwards, as it prepares to become the country’s major venue for drag racing.

Despite the earlier set-backs in

construction due to weather and materials, the massive undertaking is making steady progress, and The Bend Dragway GM Steve Bettes, is excited by the prospect of an October grand opening.

“The Bend Dragway Management are working closely with the major series promoters to determine new dates later in 2023. We’re excited for October to come, and these dates will be announced soon,” Bettes said.

“The construction team has done an incredible job in building a world-class dragway, and by the 23/24 season, The Bend Motorsport Park will be the premier destination for drag racing.”

The core aim of the dragway is to provide

fans and competitors alike an outstanding venue that provides ideal conditions for record breaking performances and sensational spectator viewing.

When complete, The Bend Dragway will feature a dual-lane strip over 1 kilometre long, with 402-metre concrete timed length, with exemplary lighting for night time events.

In terms of seating and viewing, the venue will feature auditorium style terraced seating, and spectator viewing mounds surrounded by over 30,000 square metres of paddock and staging areas. In addition to the race track, there will also be a unique 1200 square metre burnout pad.

TW Neal

LEGENDARY US CREW CHIEF HEADED FOR OZ TOP FUEL BIG-TIME TOP Fuel American crew chief Jim Oberhofer will rejoin Hydraulink Jim Read Racing for two rounds of the Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel Championship.

Affectionately known as ‘Jim O’, the famous US dragster crew chief has been a leader in professional drag racing for four decades.

Jim O spent 31 years at Kalitta Motorsports, before shifting to Rick Ware Racing in Top Fuel Dragster, where he prepared the machinery for six-time world champion Clay Millican.

He last came to Australia to assist Jim Read Racing in 2020. Oberhofer will arrive before an prepare the cars prior to the New Year Nitro event on January 6-7, before participating at Sydney Dragway’s Top Fuel Slam on January 27-28.

“I am very excited about coming over. I have always enjoyed heading to Australia and being around the Read family – I always say they are my Australian family, and Bruce Read is one of my dearest friends and a brother to me,” Oberhofer said.

“He was just here in the States racing with me on Clay Millican’s car and we went to Reading, Charlotte and Saint Lewis and we had so much fun, raced hard, and had a great time.

“I truly love hanging out with him and trying to help him achieve his goals on his

race car, and being around the entire Read family, they have just been so awesome to me, and I can’t wait to get back down to Australia.

“I am definitely looking forward to getting back down there and helping Bruce and Jim and Phil put that car in the winner’s circle!”

With his assistance, Jim O is confident of getting Phil into a competitive machine, but knows full well of the quality of teams that they’ll be up against.

“The Rapisarda team is so strong and the Lamattinas and Xiberras, these guys are so strong, and they have so much talent and great equipment behind them,” Oberhofer continued.

“So to me it is going to be like butting heads with some bad boys down there in Australia – they are really, really strong and that is what you want! You want to be able to race people like that who are bringing their A-game to the starting line every time and that is what we are going to try and do.”

Jim Read met the experienced crew chief nearly 20 years ago when he was

still at Kalitta Motorsports, and they have had a productive friendship and working relationship since.

“I only recently came back from racing with him for three weeks at the end of their NHRA season over there, and it will be great to have him over here again to assist us with the tuning of the car. He has raced with us before and each time we have improved, so hopefully we can celebrate a win together on this trip!”

Phil Read – a three-time Top Fuel Champion – took his 10,000 horsepower Hadman Chassis to a C Final victory at the Goldenstates in Perth, and will be hoping to push his championship credentials with the help of ‘Jim O’ come the New Year Nitro.

TW Neal

WHAT A YEAR!

IT’S AN INCREDIBLY POSITIVE TIME IN AUSTRALIAN MOTORSPORT WITH A GENUINE RESURGENCE ON THE BACK OF THE SHOCKING IMPACT THAT COVID-19 HAD ON OUR SPORT AND INDEED THE REST OF SOCIETY. SUPERCARS PUT on a fantastic 2022 season – capped off by the Adelaide 500 which returned with incredible success.

SA Premier Peter Malinauskas bucked the trend as a politition and delivered exactly what he said he would, receiving the biggest cheer that I have ever heard for a politician as a result.

The team at the South Australian Motorsport Board pulled it all together and it was a memorable event with SVG putting on the best tyre smoking celebration again with Broc Feeney stepping out of the shadow of his championshipwinning teammate to record a glorious maiden victory, and dare I say it-the last for Holden.

If you compared the claimed weekend attendance of 258,000 to the attendance of the recent test cricket matches in Perth and Adelaide of 129,134, it would appear that our sport is amongst the most popular in the country.

The level of interest in motor racing is an indication that it is growing in popularity amongst everyday people, proven by the fact that you can’t buy a ticket to the Australian Grand Prix – they have sold out before Christmas!

Now, it’s all about Gen3. We can’t wait to see the new regulations debut in Newcastle next year.

Sure, there will be challenges.

Gen3 is going to be a challenging time for Supercar teams, but it promises so much and we look forward to what that becomes in

with Bruce Williams

STRAIGHT SHOOTING 2023 and beyond.

There’s no doubt that Supercars owners RACE are looking to try and grow the sport beyond the borders of Australia and New Zealand – such ambition is admirable.

Looking elsewhere, Motorsport Australia in combination with the Australian Racing Group have announced a bigger and better SpeedSeries for 2023, which looks to deliver some really great racing around the country, with the ‘V8 Rumble’ round at Winton looking like a great event.

Motorsport Australia have also announced the ‘Trophy Series’ which is aimed at the giving national catogories that miss out on being part of the SpeedSeries, an affordable racing program.

The Australian Motor Racing Series (now Super Series) has announced a new title sponsor in Hi-Tech Oils and broadcast partner with SBS, again a resurgence for an alternative racing series that has plenty to offer fans and competitors.

On the ground, I have witnessed first-hand the return of solid

national and state-level racing with some big fields that look like things are getting back to normal, and things may be about to get even better.

It looks as if the iconic Calder Park Raceway may soon be revived by the team of Rodney and Kim Jane, while Sandown Raceway is also set for a possible lifeline thanks to the passion of motorsport fanatics.

Overseas, Oscar Piastri will be the freshest Aussie on the Formula 1 grid when he suits up for McLaren, while Jack Doohan is making moves in Formula 2.

The likes of Hugh Barter and Christian Mansell are also progressing up the global motorsport ladder, proudly representing Australia.

There really is no better time to be a motorsport fan!

As a motorsport enthusiast I am in a very privileged position, being the publisher of Auto Action, arguably one of the best motorsport publications in the world.

I have the opportunity to attend some great motorsport events

and get right to the heart of what’s going on in the sport, and I get to talk to the people that deliver all the action we love both on track and behind the screens.

A lot of these people are very busy, and some of them are quite guarded in the way they interact with the media, because unfortunately, some in the media world are always looking for an angle, to make a point or to show that they’re smarter than the other people in the media.

What it’s really about for the AA team is informing and entertaining the readers about the sport we all love.

I know you love the sport because you’re reading this publication – you’ve paid your hard-earned dollars to purchase a publication in an age when you don’t have to spend a lot of money to find out some of what’s going on in the world of motorsport.

I’d like to think that Auto Action is something special and that you value what we put in print. It’s not an easy job, and it’s getting harder.

As such, it’s important that I inform you that with this issue the price of the magazine has gone up.

Yep, we have put the price up by $1. Unfortunately, it was forced upon us – we had no choice in the matter. Our printing costs have gone up over 20% and distribution costs are up as well. In addition, we are now facing a fuel levy for every copy of Auto Action that we deliver into news agencies.

We understand that this comes at a time when the economy is making life tough for many of you, and every dollar matters.

So, while we are now asking for more from our loyal readers, we are determined to work hard every fortnight to produce a publication that we can be proud of, and you can be excited about.

That’s why we have included a reader survey in this final issue of the year.

We can only continue to produce Auto Action with the loyal support of our readers and subscribers, so we want to use your honest feedback to improve the magazine going forward.

We ask you to please fill out the survey – it will only take a few minutes of your time – as we sincerely value the opinions of every reader.

In return, we are putting up some great prizes!

As we sign off for the year, I want to give some final thanks.

To the readers, thank you for your ongoing support of motorsport and our publication.

To all of the writers, photographers, designers and supporters of the magazine, thank you for your dedication to Auto Action – it does not go unnoticed.

Armed with fresh ideas and hopefully some insightful survey responses, we can’t wait to make 2023 a huge year for Auto Action!

Thanks and I hope you all have a safe and festive holiday season.

It was almost F1 days revisited when S5000 took to the streets of Adelaide in front of a huge crowd ...

Image: MOTORSPORT IMAGES

18 I www.autoaction.com.au

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LATEST NEWS

VALE: PRINCE CHARMING, PATRICK TAMBAY

One of Tambay’s F1 wins came at the 1983 San Marino GP. Image: MOTORSPORT IMAGES PATRICK TAMBAY, grand prix winner and Can-Am champion died on December 4, after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease, aged 73.

Every girl’s idea of a racing driver, the dashing Frenchman developed his needfor-speed in the European Alps, where he was a schoolboy ski champion, but cars then grabbed his attention.

Total, Motul and Elf invested vast petrofrancs to develop French drivers from the 1960s. Tambay was one of the mid-1970s talent wave with Jacques Laffitte, JeanPierre Jabouille, Rene Arnoux, Didier Pironi

and Jean-Pierre Jarier.

Tambay won the Winfield Racing School’s Volant Elf competition in 1971.

After two years in Formula Renault he graduated to F2, finishing second in the European Championship to Jacques Laffitte’s Martini BMW aboard a works March 752 BMW in 1975.

He was picked up by Carl Haas to replace the injured Brian Redman in his works central-seat Lola T333 Chev Can-Am team in 1977. Tambay shone in the 525bhp Chev V8 missiles, taking the championship with six wins, and

befriending Gilles Villeneuve who raced an unwieldy Wolf that season.

Both impressed during the ’77 British GP weekend at Silverstone, Patrick aboard a Theodore Racing Ensign N176 Ford, and Gilles a works McLaren M23 Ford. That silly-season McLaren signed Tambay and Ferrari got Villeneuve, Patrick topped the Scuderia’s list but Teddy Mayer beat them to the punch.

Tambay then endured two shocking years with McLaren, who were on one of their downers, then bounced back into F1 in 1981 with Theodore Racing, after

winning another Can-Am title for Haas, racing a Lola T530 Chev in 1980.

In mid-1981 Tambay replaced the injured Jabouille at Ligier but had shocking reliability. His GP career seemed on the rocks until Villeneuve’s fatal 1982 San Marino accident, after which he replaced his friend at Ferrari.

Tambay relished the competitive car, taking a tough win at Hockenheim the day after Pironi’s career-ending Ferrari crash. Third at Brands Hatch and second at Monza helped the team win the Constructors Championship with the Ferrari 126C2. Patrick won again at San Marino in 1983, finishing a career best fourth in the driver’s title. Ferrari won the ‘constructors again, but teammate Rene Arnoux’ three wins eclipsed him.

Two years with Renault followed – in 1984-85, he was well placed occasionally, but a second and a couple of third placings was his best. Tambay was reunited with Teddy Mayer and Carl Haas at Beatrice Racing in 1986, his final F1 season. Good as the Lola chassis was, its Ford Cosworth V6 lacked grunt and reliability, and so Patrick and Alan Jones had a grim season.

After a year aboard a Jaguar XJR-9 V12 in 1989 and two thirds in the Paris-Dakar, he returned to F1 as a TV commentator and involvement in Cannes politics.

Two GP wins isn’t reflective of Patrick Tambay’s place in the pantheon of drivers, but his grit, valour and composure in the face of Parkinson’s reminded pit pundits just what an outstanding man he was.

MARK BISSET

TANAK RETURNS TO FORD RALLY TEAM 2019 WRC champion Ott Tanak has made the shift back to the M-Sport Ford Rally team for 2023 after three frustrating seasons at Hyundai.

The Estonian left Hyundai at the end of this season following dissatisfaction with the car’s performance and a reported rift between he Belgian driver Thierry Neuville.

Despite his issues, Tanak still managed to finish second in the championship over his team-mate, but his chase for the championship fell short against the rampant Kalle Rovanpera.

Tanak claimed his maiden WRC victory at Ford in 2017, before leaving for Toyota where he won the 2019 championship. He then immediately left for Hyundai which was a move that ultimately didn’t work out.

After Irishman Craig Breen departed his seat following a promising but inconsistent year, there was some doubt over whether M-Sport were in a financial position to lure Tanak back to where he started his WRC career in 2011.

The 35-year-old has wasted no time re-introducing himself with his new team,

20 I www.autoaction.com.au

jumping into testing at Greystoke forest in the UK’s north, driving the M-Sport mount on both gravel and asphalt, in both day and night conditions, with only a month up his and the team’s sleeve to prepare for 2023.

Tanak has also taken his usual co-driver Martin Järveoja across with him, but the team has yet to confirm his new teammates.

“M-Sport is the place that raised me as a driver and the place that taught me all the hard lessons and experience to become a top level player in the World Rally Championship,” Tanak explained.

“I have had many discussions with Malcolm (Wilson) and we definitely share the same ambition for the upcoming season. It is going to be a big challenge for us, but I know the people at Dovenby Hall, I know what they are capable of and with their passion to give everything they have, we can challenge for the championship.”

M-Sport Managing Director of the British based team, Malcolm Wilson, expressed doubts publicly over Tanak rejoining M-Sport Puma due to financial reasons, but that was before Breen had

Image: MOTORSPORT IMAGES chosen to leave Ford – he will now drive at Hyundai.

But in the end, it was more a question of, ‘can the Ford based team afford not to regain Tanak’s services?’

“He has been to Dovenby to view our facilities and test the Puma in Greystoke Forest. It is fair to say from Ott’s initial feedback that we are confident we can challenge for the world championship in 2023,” said a delighted Wilson.

“It fills me with tremendous happiness and joy to see Ott back here with us at Dovenby Hall. I have followed his career closely since his junior days and I’m very proud to have been a part of his achievements in the last decade.”

The 2023 WRC season starts on January 19-22 in Monte Carlo, with a pretty quick turnaround for Tanak and the team to settle in.

TW Neal

SHIFTING POWERBASE AA’S COLUMNIST DETECTS A SHIFTING OF THE POWERBASE AS THE CURTAIN FALLS ON 2022 HOLY EJECTION seat, Batman!

Didn’t see that coming. Garth Tander, after an unbroken run of 25 Bathursts and 25 seasons aboard Holdens, will race a Ford Mustang on the Mountain in 2023 for Grove Racing.

Has Garth not heard the rumours that the Gen3 Chevrolet Camaro has proven faster in a straight line during homologation testing?

No point anyone turning up in a Mustang next year to Bathurst with its long straights if the Camaro ends up with a straight line speed advantage, surely ...

Did Tander not see Holden score two fairytale farewell victories at the Adelaide finale? Who would have thought there would be a magical goodbye on the Saturday with an HRT tribute-liveried Commodore 1-2 and then another differently-flavoured, but just as astonishing, Red Lion triumph Sunday courtesy of a bloke named Broc(k). Remarkable! The script writers did amazingly well.

Did Tander not see Holden score three incredible farewell Bathurst victories in consecutive years? Three! Hell, he was pivotal to two of them! Does he not know that of the 30 Bathurst 1000s held since 1993, Ford only won eight of them?

Did he not, like I, witness the pro-Holden crowd in Adelaide’s main straight grandstands rise as one to cheer home Feeney and think, ‘Supercars would be crazy to risk losing this supporter base by upsetting the status quo.’ No, it just wouldn’t make good business sense to deprive this critical mass of customers continued GM victories, would it?

Have you thought this move through, Garth?

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Auto_Action

Image: MARK HORSBURGH/EDGE PHOTOGRAPY

with Luke West

REVVED UP Of course, I’m sure the five-time Bathurst winner has considered his move from every angle. He’s one of the shrewdest operators in the Supercars paddock. Tander knows he is aligning himself with other smart blokes, the Groves.

It’s the signing of 2022, I reckon.

GT brings so much to the table on so many levels. I stand and applaud the Penrite team.

GT’s move to a Ford team could also be spookily symbolic of a shift in the powerbase from red to blue.

Race results in 2022 didn’t reflect it, but the Blue Oval’s presence at Bathurst gave off a vibe that it won’t be out snookered again.

Anyway, how was fantastic was the Adelaide street race’s return.

It’s the perfect season-finale, with all the end-of-school-year

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character of the 11 AGPs contested there.

Adelaide was the unexpected comeback of 2022 and hinted at great things to come and not just for Supercars. The Parklands circuit event featured much bigger S5000 and GT World Challenge Australia fields than this season’s norm, auguring well for both categories next year.

The good news continued with the Sandown 500 popping back up on the calendar for 2023. This was such a no brainer. Well done to Supercars CEO Shane Howard and others for pushing that through in spite of significant team resistance. As the great sporting commentator Ray Warren says, “We are nothing without history.”

When it comes to televised

racing, I can’t overstate how much I enjoyed the 2022 NTT IndyCar Series. Nine different winners, countless passing manoeuvres, compelling race day storylines and high driving standards, bar 3-4 backmarkers. Plus an Australian triumphed. Will Power, the man with the wild eyes and action hero name, captured a well-deserved second championship. And the revelation of the season was another from the antipodeans.

Thus, I just don’t understand the many tunnel-visioned Supercars fans who declare how much they wish “Scotty would come back to Supercars…”

No, Scotty, continue carving them up in the United States and wherever your considerable talents and magnetic personality takes you.

It’s been a joy to see a chap take an opportunity – and a leap of faith – and for it to pay such handsome dividends. Next up, Le Mans.

All strength to IndyCar – there is always something happening on and off the track. Elsewhere in the US of A, Ross Chastain’s wallriding move deserves a salute too.

Just don’t do again, Rossco!

Meantime, the F1 season proved to be a fizzer.

I’ll finish my 2022 reflections with my personal trackside spectating highlight. I like my live motorsport to provide an attack on the senses and on May 15 they were most greatly assaulted. Call me a masochist, but sitting in my camping chair on the Mount in the pre-dawn cold, mist and drizzle for the 11th Bathurst 12 Hour for GT3 machines was my type of heaven.

Some like their motorsport ordered and sanitised. I like mine wild, woolly, unpredictable and atmospheric. The 2022 12 Hour was one for the true believers. The many B12 devotees there that day understood it to be an aberration, but one with unique flavours: more laps in the dark, cold and greater chance of rain.

Finally, the most wonderful time of the year is upon us. Santa is on his way and with him comes news of 12 Hour entries for an event that is just a few short weeks into 2023.

Can’t wait.

www.autoaction.com.au I 21

INTERNATIONAL AUSSIES

HABUL TAKES PRO-AM INTERCONTINENTAL GT KENNY HABUL and his SunEnergy1 by SPS Racing Team have managed to take out a class victory at the final of the Intercontinental GT World Challenge, ensuring he and Martin Konrad took out the Pro-Am standings for 2022.

Habul and Konrad (Austrian) shared the drive with Swiss driver Phillip Ellis in their #75 Mercedes AMG GT3.

The 11th Gulf 12 Hours Race marked the final of the globetrotting event, with Habul and Konrad adding the class victory at Yas Marina to his outright victory at the Bathurst 12 Hour, a class P2 in the Pro-Am at the Spa 24 Hours, and a class P2 at the Indianapolis 8 Hour (P5 overall).

The class win at the Gulf 12 Hour had the pair finishing seventh in the outright standings for the season on 33 points, having twice collected outright points at Bathurst and Abu Dhabi, but making it a perfect year of podium finishes for the pair.

They went into the 12 Hour having qualified the Mercedes in P4 for the class, and outright P12, with Habul taking the first stint behind the wheel, where he managed to keep the car out of trouble.

By the halfway point they had moved the car into the class lead, and a series of faultless stints had the SunEnergy1 Mercedes as high as second outright with Ellis behind the wheel.

Konrad and Ellis defended their class victory over the closing stages, completing 334 laps with the time of 12:02:46.890.

Habul was elated with the class win, as well as the strong P5 in a high quality field of racers, where they finished just behind Luca Stolz who he and Konrad shared the Bathurst 12 Hour win with.

“Simply amazing! I’ve finished on the podium with Martin (Konrad) in every race of the Intercontinental GT Challenge,” Habul explained.

“Both of us had already been confirmed as Pro-Am champions, but of course we wanted to be among the front runners in the last race.

“The fact that we were able to win the class and finish

Konrad and Habul (left) – a successful 2023. fifth overall in such a strong field is all the more rewarding.

Many thanks to Mercedes-AMG, the whole SPS team and especially to my driver colleagues Martin and Philip, who made the whole thing possible with their strong performance.”

Konrad echoed the sentiments of his teammate, reflecting on a sensational year for the Intercontinental GT team.

“We had a great season and a great team. We won Bathurst and were second in class at Spa and Indianapolis.

The class win today is a perfect finish for us. A great performance from everyone – especially

Kenny. He had a mega start and laid the foundation for Philip and me. We could hardly be happier.”

It was a good day all around for the Aussies, with Stephen and Brenton Grove holding out for a class P3 (P15 outright) with Adrian D’Silva and Carlos Rivas, racing a Porsche 911 GT3-R for EBM Giga Racing.

The outright winners for the day were AF Corse – Francorchamps Motors, in the Pro class, driving a Ferrari 488 GT3 with Antonio Fuoco, James Calado, and Alessandro Pier Guidi behind the wheel after having qualified in P4. TW Neal Image: MOTORSPORT IMAGES

DOOHAN CONFIRMED FOR VIRTUOSI IN ‘23 VIRTUOSI RACING has confirmed its 2023 Formula 2 driver lineup, with Jack Doohan set to continue as expected with a new team-mate.

Doohan will enter 2023 with confidence after having two Formula 1 practice sessions and a mammoth post-season hit out in the 2022 Alpine A522 car.

For the Australian Alpine Academy Driver’s second F2 campaign, he will be partnered with Belgian driver Amaury Cordeel, switching over from Amersfoort Racing.

22 I www.autoaction.com.au

He replaces Japanese racer Marino Sato who struggled for points in the second half of the season, whilst Doohan went from strength to strength with a three-win/three-pole/three podium season before a spate of DNFs derailed his push for third in the championship.

“I’m thrilled to be continuing with Virtuosi Racing for my second year in Formula 2,” said Doohan.

“After a strong first season together, I couldn’t be happier to be going into 2023 with the same great team around

me. I can’t wait to get redemption from this season.”

Virtuosi team boss, Andy Roche, is looking forward to seeing Doohan progress his career further.

“We’re delighted to be sticking with Jack for 2023; he enjoyed a brilliant rookie season with us and showed obvious potential for more. Together, we will be working hard to ensure he achieves that.”

Doohan has a very real chance to finish at the pointy end of the championship in 2023, with his season getting underway

on March 3-5 in Bahrain, before the Gold Coast born racer will get to compete at a home grand prix in Melbourne on March 31 - April 2.

With Oscar Piastri confirmed at McLaren in 2023, and Christian Mansell signed with Campos Racing in the F3, there will be an Australian competing in every Formula come the Albert Park GP; as well the expected signing of Melbourne local Hugh Barter to an F3 team, home fans will have plenty of Aussie talent to get vocal about.

TW Neal

THE BEST BABYSITTER IN SUPERCARS Image: MOTORSPORT IMAGES

GARTH TANDER IS NOT TALKING ABOUT HIS DECISION TO LEAVE TRIPLE EIGHT. HE BUNKERED down after the official announcement of his defection to Grove Racing, the most surprising move, by far, in the Supercars silly season.

But it was definitely his decision, not a sacking or a sub-standard renewal package, in case you were wondering.

So, what’s happening?

Perhaps two wins with the Bulls was enough for him?

Or maybe he’s had too much fun with Shane van Gisbergen?

He might even be missing Roland Dane?

All are possible, but two are extremely unlikely.

Tander is as sharp today as he’s ever been, and there is every chance he would have gone for a three-peat with SvG at Mount Panorama in 2023.

But Tander is also as smart today as he’s ever been, and that’s

with Paul Gover

THE PG PERSPECTIVE real pointer to his switch to Grove.

There are new opportunities and new challenges with Grove Racing, as well as the chance to work with some old mates.

Remember when it looked as if the future for Tander looked like a senior management role at Garry Rogers Motorsport once his driving days were done?

Tander has always been interested in translating his driving ability and engineering smarts into management.

It coulda-shoulda happened at GRM, before he was punted in favour of Richie Stanaway and a big bundle of Boost bucks.

In any case, as that door slammed the door to television opened . . . Which brings us to the babysitting.

Tander has been baby-sitting from his earliest days in top-level motorsport, even when he was just a wild kid romping through the GRM kindergarten.

When GT and Jason Bargwanna won at Bathurst, it was the maturity in Tander that allowed them to compensate for their lack of experience at Mount Panorama on a day with dreadful weather and plenty of threats.

His second win at Bathurst, with Will Davison as his sidekick at the Holden Racing Team, was another time when he provided the stability and calmness for success.

Third time around, in 2011, was a serious babysitting job as Tander took youngster Nick Percat to the top of the podium

after providing a master class for the kid.

Wins four and five, with the mercurial SvG, were still a babysitting job as Tander was tasked and asked to anchor the T8 Commodore through The Great Race.

Now it’s happening again.

Tander is moving to babysit at Grove Racing, and he’s doing it for real with his son Sebastian.

The talented and speedy youngster – sound familiar? – has been added to the junior development squad at Grove and will have his dad nearby as he works his way up the slippery rungs of Australian motorsport.

Was the deal for Sebastian enough to get GT over the line as an enduro driver with Stephen and Brenton Grove?

Not likely, considering the racing brain that lives inside GT. But the chance to help build something special, and successful, is definitely enough.

Tander already knows he is heading to a team with some heavyweight engineering muscle

in David Cauchi, Alistair McVean and Grant McPherson. And they are old mates.

Grove also has David Reynolds and youngster Matt Payne.

See the connection?

GT has been asked to mentor Payne through his first season in the main game of Supercars and based on their similar heights, he could also be babysitting the new kid at Bathurst.

Then again, Reynolds gives his best when he feels happy and secure, and GT could easily pivot to the other side of the garage in search of win six at Bathurst.

Whichever way it goes, it’s clear that the babysitter is going to be busy through season 2023 – we didn’t even get started on his role as a development driver for the Gen3 Ford Mustangs – and well into the future.

And then there is Supercars television where, for once, Tander is just coming out of kindergarten and being prepared for a day when Neil Crompton and Mark Skaife slide out of the central commentary position.

SVEN BURCHARTZ LIVES MOTORSPORTS LAWYER AND PARTNER

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• Teams • Series owners • Manufacturers

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T +613 8825 4800 kkilawyers.com.au

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www.autoaction.com.au I 23

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR PUBLISHER

Bruce Williams bruce@autoaction.com.au 0418 349 555 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Bruce Williams STAFF JOURNALIST Timothy W. Neal STAFF JOURNALIST Thomas Miles NEWS EDITOR Andrew Clarke FEATURES WRITER Paul Gover PRODUCTION/SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Caroline Garde SENIOR DESIGNER Neville Wilkinson NATIONAL EDITOR Garry O’Brien HISTORICS EDITOR Mark Bisset SPEEDWAY REPORTER Paris Charles ONLINE EDITOR

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AUSTRALIA Josh Nevett, Dan McCarthy, Bruce Newton, Mark Bisset, Garry O’Brien, Geoffrey Harris, Bruce Moxon, Gary Hill, Craig O’Brien, Mick Oliver, Martin Agatyn.

FORMULA 1 Luis Vasconelos US CORRESPONDENT Mike Brudenell PHOTOGRAPHERS AUSTRALIA Mark Horsburgh-Edge Photography, Ross Gibb Photography, Daniel Kalisz, Mick Oliver-MTR Images, Rebecca Hind, David Batchelor, Randall Kilner, Richard Hathaway, Bruce Moxon, Ray Ritter, autopics.com.au INTERNATIONAL

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Auto Action is published by Action Media Partners ABN number 62976094459 Suite 4/156 Drummond Street Oakleigh Victoria 3166 Phone: 03 9563 2107 The trademark Auto Action is the sole property of Action Media Partners The website www.autoaction.com.au and associated social media platforms are wholly owned by Action Media Partners.

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Oakleigh Victoria 3166 over your shoulder behind you is a sore neck? We’ve got to look forward. You’re right, again, Westy.

Rod Butler Gosford, NSW

SUPERCARS NEEDS STANDARDS TO ENSURE DRIVER QUALITY

SA Premier Peter Malinauskas chats to VALO Adelaide 500 winner Broc Feeney.

REVIVAL OF ADELAIDE 500 A SUPER-DUPER SUCCESS HOORAY FOR the Adelaide 500 and particularly the Premier of South Australia, Peter Malinauskas.

Mr Malinauskas, you promised to bring back the event and you did it. You’re a champion.

It was fabulous and should be a reminder to the rest of Australia that SA is first-class at staging major events, particularly involving motorsport.

As people who grew up in Adelaide and were regular attendees of the Adelaide 500 but are now living interstate, my partner and I were just so proud of the show that Adelaide put on.

It was worth all the sacrifices we made to get back home for the event.

Congratulations to Chaz Mostert and Broc Feeney for their race victories, and to Shane Van Gisbergen for winning the championship and that very, very special celebration at the end of it all, but it was fitting that the biggest cheers of the weekend

were for Mr Malinauskas.

We feel the event will only get better and better in years to come. There were a few little glitches around the venue, but that was understandable because of the haste with which it was resurrected.

Long may Peter Malinauskas rule in SA and the Adelaide 500 continue to show other cities and states how to do things.

Melissa Black Lithgow, NSW

REVVED UP LUKE WEST CHRONICALLY ACCURATE ALWAYS ENJOY Luke West’s Revved Up page in Auto Action, but thought he was being a bit mean last issue (#1850) in his ‘Chronic Farewell Syndrome’ column. But as I made my way through it I realised that, unlike most of us fans, he was looking beyond the passion we all feel to the reality that we have to move on from the seemingly endless Holden farewells into a new world of Supercars. Was it Dick Johnson who said the only thing you get from always looking

SOCIAL DISCOURSE

AutoActionMag

IF SUPERCARS will not allow more cars on the grid, they should look at some type of minimum driver standard. With limited number of driving seats available we don’t need to have drivers in there just making up the numbers. This will stand out more in Gen3. If over a year you are still running at the back of the field every race meeting you should have your licence withdrawn. There is also the cost saving on repairs for everyone. Plus better racing right through the field.

Peter Warburton Huntly, Victoria

GRAND PRIX GRANDSTAND TICKET SALES A FARCE DEAR MR Westacott at the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, you had 12 months. 12 months!

The grandstand ticket allocations this morning (November 26) and the subsequent response from your social media team that more tickets would be available next month is a slap in the face to those who, like me, have supported the AGP since 1996 and those who are new to the sport through Netflix.

We supported you through Covid and came back in record numbers. We stood for two hours to get drinks, food or even to go Auto_Action

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to the toilet in 2022. However, all of this seems to have been forgotten with a complete lack of regard for the fans.

With Formula 2 and Formula 3 coming in 2023 the event was going to get bigger. Surely that was your plan? But your plans for fans didn’t. Danny Ric might be gone, but Oscar Piastri is here.

We’re not going anywhere.

You have the space to build new, bigger grandstands and reinvest money from this year. How about an amazing new Fangio Stand?

There’s no road, row of trees or anything that would restrict you from having a plan and vision for the fans that would be the ultimate viewing pleasure.

And, whilst I’m not a visitor to the Paddock Club, it’s my understanding that the majority of the Paddock Club punters have been told that next year that space has gone to sponsors.

Imagine a 10,000-12,000 seat stand across from the pit building with a second Paddock Club built at the back of it. You could have done it. It just needed vision.

The final insult is your social media team advising that there will be more tickets available in December. Why weren’t these same grandstands that you added this year added again for 2023 and available today?

There were 12,000 people in the Ticketmaster queue this morning. And now you’re asking us to interrupt our working days a third time to try and scramble for tickets that, going by the numbers, will be snapped up in a luck of the draw.

Mr Westacott, do better.

We love the AGP, but not today.

Michael Goode Sydney AutoActionMag

A fitting farewell to Holden and the 2022 Supercars Championship got many people taking on Auto Action’s social channels.

DRIVERS EXPRESS CALENDAR CONCERNS Hlias S Kpiketos First Gen3 season also, may have been a consideration with Supercars and teams wanting to be cautious in approach to how season goes and then re-assess?

Myles Garner As a fan we want to see them race more and can only think as a racer they want to be racing more. That’s why over the next few years some of the better guys will go overseas, so they can be racing more.

Michelle Duthie For a sport that claims to be one of the best in the world and they run literally once a month, anyone interested in following/sponsoring/ getting involved in, either here or overseas would have completely forgotten about it by the time the next round comes around.

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SVG YET TO DECIDE IN FUTURE

ADELAIDE 500 RETURNS

Steven Bayliss I don’t blame him if the racing or the car are not any good then why stay? He has nothing to prove in this category. No one knows what the racing and why would you commit to a long term contract without knowing the future?

Greg Bull I’m amazed that they actually managed to pull it off! Well done, was a great weekend!!

Next year should be an absolute ripper with more time on their side!

Matt Burge He needs a new fresh challenge. I think maybe in NASCAR he could do very well if he gave it a go on the road courses at least.

Stephanie Cox He sounded awfully pissed off in his interview that he hadn’t been given access to the new cars since a drive in April. The idea he isn’t been given a head start on all other drivers seemed to be grating on him big time.

That’s why he said he wouldn’t and couldn’t comment on them YET.

Danny Baines This event was a dead duck 6 months ago, with a lot of stuff sold or had to be rented. I have my complaints, but the big picture is what we need to look forward to. I thought the weekend was fantastic. Considering the time constraints.

Scott Moy Had a cracker time and the event they did was brilliant. Take in to account that they had bugger all time to sort it is even more impressive. Build on it next year and put some bloody shade up hahaha that’s all.

Alfa Romeo’s Frederic Vasseur (on left) is the favourite to take over from the departed Binotto ...

Image: MOTORSPORT IMAGES

WHY BINOTTO HAD TO GO

Image: MOTORSPORT IMAGES

MATTIA BINOTTO’S departure from Ferrari had become an inevitability since the summer break, when it became clear to the company’s top management that the Italian engineer had fallen out with some of the key members of his team, Charles Leclerc at the top of the list.

The two men had a very public spat at the end of the British Grand Prix, a race the Monegasque should have won, had the strategists in the Scuderia’s pit wall not made a tremendous blunder, leaving him out on old tyres for the final re-start when all his rivals, teammate Carlos Sainz included, pitted for fresh rubber as soon as the Safety Car was called out.

From that moment on, the Team Principal and the only Ferrari driver that still had a minor chance of fighting for the title were not on speaking terms, making the situation tremendously awkward and, in the long run, completely untenable.

Looking at the long term needs of the Scuderia, the company’s main shareholder and President, John Elkann and Ferrari’s CEO, Benedetto Vigna, decided the team

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with Luis Vasconcelos

F1 INSIDER needed a top driver like Leclerc more than a Team Principal who didn’t handle his drivers well, so Binotto quickly became the weakest link in the battle.

And yet, Binotto seemed to have everything going his way when he replaced Maurizio Arrivabene at the helm of the Scuderia at the start of 2019. Inside the team there was widespread relief a man with proper racing background was going to lead Ferrari, after two consecutive cast mistakes for the role. Binotto’s technical understanding and his ability to lead were always referenced when we talked about with anyone working for Ferrari and his credit with the top management was so high, he was allowed to completely throw away the 2021 season – resulting in the Scuderia’s worst result since 1980 – so that all

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efforts were put into this year’s car.

Three races into the 2022 season, the gamble seemed to have paid off, as Leclerc had two wins and a second place to his name and the F1-75 genuinely looked like the faster car in the field.

Then came a quick downfall that started with Leclerc’s spin in a futile attempt to catch Pérez for second place in Imola. Then, came Monaco, where Leclerc lost an easy win after pitting twice in just three laps, changing first from Full Wets to Intermediates and then to slicks, allowing Sérgio Pérez, who went straight from Full Wets to slicks, to get an unexpected win, and continued all the way to qualifying in Brazil, where the Monegasque was inexplicably sent out on Intermediate tyres, at the start of Q3, to a track that was still completely dry.

Only in Abu Dhabi, the final race of the season, when everyone in the team knew Binotto was on his way out, did the pit wall make all the right calls on Saturday and Sunday, helping Leclerc beat Pérez for second in the championship.

In between those two races, there were mistakes from all around, Leclerc crashing in France, losing an easy win to strategic choice in Great Britain and both Sainz and him losing precious points to reliability issues.

To make matters worst, on the face of several strategic mistakes and pit stop blunders, Binotto flatly refused to make any changes in the team. While his public protection of all his employees was seen as a sign of good, strong leadership, internally his refusal to acknowledge mistakes had been made and things need to change was perceived as pure stubbornness and as an obstacle to any serious progress being made.

By Abu Dhabi, some of the highest ranked members of the team were openly relieved Binotto was about to leave, one of them telling us, “He’d better go soon because no one can stand him anymore.” That’s because

while his attitude towards those outside the team was tendentially friendly and benevolent, internally Binotto was too harsh in his criticism of the team, losing his temper on too many occasions, to the point most of the engineering team feared making any decisions for fear of being wrong and then criticised by the boss.

With such an internal atmosphere developing, it was just a matter of time before Binotto would face the axe, but at least Elkann and Vigna gave him the opportunity to leave Ferrari in a dignified way, handing in his resignation, against a good financial compensation, rather than being publicly sacked, as they were initially prepared to do.

Now all the money seems to be on the highly experienced Frédéric Vasseur to get the job everyone in Formula One wants, so let’s hope a man with so much racing knowledge, technical understanding and well-hidden political skills gets the freedom he’ll need to make the necessary changes and put Ferrari on track to go back to winning World Championships.

Luis Vasconcelos

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FORMULA 1 NEWS – LUIS VASCONCELOS

FERRARI BLOCKS 2026 RULES UNTIL HONDA CLARIFICATON FERRARI HAS yet to commit to staying in Formula One once the 2026 Technical Regulations come into effect and may even apply its unique right of veto if Red Bull Powertrains keeps a technical partnership with Honda and still qualifies to get the benefits Audi will certainly receive – relative to budget, development hours and capacity that were introduced to allow completely new Power Unit manufacturers to quickly catch up with those who have already been in the sport since the hybrid technology was introduced eight years ago.

While Ferrari has accepted that genuine new manufacturers, like Audi and, possibly, Porsche, should be given a bigger budget, more hours on the dyno and other benefits when compared to the Italian company, Mercedes and Alpine, the Scuderia believes Red Bull Powertrains is trying to bend the regulations and enter the sport from 2026 as a new manufacturer, while continuing to have a technical partnership with Honda, thus gaining a massive advantage over the three existing manufacturers.

Red Bull, as well as Audi, are believed to have committed early to be in Formula One from the start of 2026 but the deadline for that entry has been repeatedly extended after Ferrari failed to sign for the new regulations. As the Italian manufacturer is considered essential for the sport to continue to thrive, the FIA has already twice extended the deadline that was initially set for October 15 and is now set for the middle of this month – but is also likely to be prolonged into 2023 if Ferrari continues to refuse to join in.

In Abu Dhabi, Mercedes’ Team Principal Toto Wolff tried to play down the fact

Images: MOTORSPORT IMAGES

that the deadline for 2026 entries has been successfully delayed, saying that, “there was no formal deadline. I think there is nothing in the regulations that said it needs to be October 15. It was discretionary for the FIA to decide when that is and we have entered – that has happened. And now it’s about the FIA to talk to everyone else. These discussions are progressing as far as I understand, so we are on course for 2026.”

Sitting alongside the Austrian, Alpine’s Laurent Rossi went along the same lines but didn’t make it clear if the French manufacturer has already agreed to the 2026 regulations or not: “We had some points we wanted to discuss on the legal side, to make sure that we fully covered as much as possible, which we did. We just kept on discussing those points as far as we could. And at

some point, when we reach a level in discussions where we think we’re all in a good position, we sign – or we’re going to sign. I think it’s imminent.”

From Red Bull’s point of view there’s no doubt its company should be considered a newcomer. As Christian Horner pointed out: “The deadlines were extended but there’s an awful lot of discussion about governance and tidying up some of the technical regs and obviously financial regs as well. As a newcomer for 2026, Red Bull Powertrains has entered. It’s an exciting moment for the group, for the company, a new challenge to take on, and a lot to do between now and 2026.”

But with Red Bull putting pressure on Honda to do a U-turn and remain in Formula One, not as a works effort but as a technical partner, Ferrari is adamant Red Bull Powertrains should not get the

benefits Audi will get as a genuine new entrant because, in effect, the Austrian company will just be an extension of Honda’s current entry and, therefore, should get to comply to the same rules Ferrari, Mercedes and Alpine will have to abide to.

Given the Italians still have the right of veto on regulation changes, the FIA now has to clear up with Honda, as quickly as possible, what will be the Japanese manufacturer’s involvement in Formula One - if any - from the start of 2026.

The FIA will then need to make a decion on what will be the status applied to Red Bull Powertrains once 2023 starts and budget cap and development limits will be imposed on the manufacturers that will be in Grand Prix racing from the start of the new Technical Regulations in 2026.

BINOTTO STEPS DOWN AFTER WEEKS of speculation, Mattia Binotto has resigned as team principal of Scuderia Ferrari.

Binotto has called Ferrari home since 1995, performing a number of roles including team principal for the last four seasons, but 2022 will be his last at Ferrari.

The Swiss-born engineer will stay at Maranello until December 31 before his departure and the Italian team hopes to finalise a replacement in the new year.

Ferrari issued a statement confirming it had accepted Binotto’s decision to leave.

It has been rumoured Binotto no longer felt he had the full support of Ferrari chairman John Elkann and CEO Benedetto Vigna despite bringing the Scuderia back to the front of the grid.

Binotto said it was an emotional and tough decision to depart the team he has served for almost three decades, but believed it was in the best interests of the prancing horse.

“With the regret that this entails, I have decided to conclude my collaboration with Ferrari,” he said when the news was broken

by Autosport.

“I am leaving a company that I love, which I have been part of for 28 years, with the

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serenity that comes from the conviction that I have made every effort to achieve the objectives set.

“I leave a united and growing team – a strong team, ready, I’m sure, to achieve the highest goals, to which I wish all the best for the future. I think it is right to take this step at this time as hard as this decision has been for me.

“I would like to thank all the people at the Gestione Sportiva who have shared this journey with me, made up of difficulties but also of great satisfaction.”

Vigna said Binotto’s impact made during his many decades at Ferrari will not be forgotten.

“I would like to thank Mattia for his many great contributions over 28 years with Ferrari and particularly for leading the team back to a position of competitiveness during this past year,” he said.

“As a result, we are in a strong position to renew our challenge, above all for our amazing fans around the world, to win the ultimate prize in motorsport.

“Everyone here at the Scuderia and in the wider Ferrari community wishes Mattia well for the future.”

Binotto’s resignation completes a crazy 2022 for Ferrari. Following some extremely painful winless years in 2020 and 2021, the Scuderia looked to turn a corner this year.

After Charles Leclerc won two of the first three races and enjoyed a 46-point lead on Max Verstappen, the team appeared well placed to win its first world championship in 14 years.

However, the assault quickly started to fall apart due to a multitude of strategy blunders, mechanical failures and driver errors.

These mistakes allowed Verstappen and Red Bull to cruise to one of the most dominant championship wins ever, while Ferrari was left to wonder how it could only convert four of its 12 pole positions to wins – the sixth worst pole to win ratio ever.

The winless and underwhelming second half of the season drew comparisons to the failed 2017 and 2018 championship assaults and sparked growing frustration amongst the team’s passionate Tifosi fanbase.

As a result of the storm, Binotto resigned and his departure means Ferrari must find its fifth team principal in the space of eight years.

Binotto was brought in to turn the ship

around in 2019 after Marco Mattiacci and Maurizio Arrivabene both tried and failed to lead Ferrari to the ultimate glory following Stefano Domenicali’s departure in 2014.

With Binotto leaving Maranello prematurely, Ferrari now must turn to a new leader to try and break the 14-year championship-less spell.

As AA closed for press, Alfa Romeo team boss Frederic Vasseur was emerging as the front runner for the job based on that team’s steady improvement this year.

Wildcard speculative names doing the rounds have included Ross Brawn and even McLaren boss Andreas Seidl – both highly unlikely! Thomas Miles

BEN SULAYEM REVEALS 20 MILLION DOLLAR HOLE IN FIA ACCOUNTS FIA PRESIDENT Mohammed Ben Sulayem has revealed the Federation’s finances were out of control when he took office one year ago, with a negative balance of US$20 million and a potential ruinous lawsuit hanging over its head, related to copyright issues with the halo.

Speaking at an event leading to the many events the FIA organised last week in Bologna – the World Council for Motorsports, the Prize Giving Gala and other meetings of the different commissions – the Emirati revealed that, “we had a deficit that I didn’t know about when I ran for the role, but I’m happy to say that we’ve overcome that and we’re no longer in the red”, he said in a group interview.

Without ever mentioning previous president Jean Todt, Ben Sulayem’s surprise led him to make the decision to organise the Federation in a more professional way: “We never had a CEO for 118 years. And if we want to deal with the challenges that’s going on, I cannot go and micromanage.

“When you go to the CEO, you’re talking about policies, you’re talking about managing the structure, you’re talking about day-to-day running of the FIA, and you’re talking about the finance. We all know – and I’ll be very honest with you – we had an issue with the finances. We had a deficit this year, which was over US$20 million. I’m very happy to know that even with it, we

never stopped any of the support of the grants or the efficiency of the FIA towards any ASN or any club. And we’re still saving.”

His biggest shock, however, was to find out the FIA was embroiled in a legal case brought by an American engineer, who claimed to have the copyright over the use of the halo technology: “Imagine yourself being elected in the role after all these years of trying, everybody having a party on the night of the 17th, and then you go to the office on the 18th and 10 o’clock in the morning, the first thing you meet is your legal people and they say you have a big court case with the halo.”

Without wanting to give any details, the FIA president admitted that, “we cannot talk much about it, but the feeling I had was not good. But you go on ... it’s huge but I’m very happy that a month ago that was cleared. It

FIA’S TOMBAZIS DEFENDS “NEW RULES IMPROVED RACING!”

was a big burden on my shoulders, because as president, it would have affected us in a very legal, financial way. Now it’s behind us, and the halo is patented to the FIA, so that’s good.”

It has now emerged the lawsuit was brought by American inventor Jens HS Nygaard and, after a series of meetings between the respective legal teams, the matter was settled out of court, both parties agreeing to keep the terms of the settlement secret.

ANDRETTI “NOT GIVING UP” ON FORMULA ONE BID

The Andrettis in discussion with McLaren boss Zak Brown.

MICHAEL AND Mario Andretti have both insisted that their bid to enter the Formula One World Championship by 2024 is still on track, even if the internal deadline that had been set for the entry to be accepted has expired nearly three months ago.

With Formula One boss Stefano Domenicali still unwilling to accept an 11th team in the field and the existing 10 teams adamant they don’t want to share the sport’s now enormous profits with newcomers, the American’s goal seems to be out of their reach – but father and son insist they’re “still moving forward”, as Michael Andretti explained in a recent interview.

The former CART champion and McLaren driver explained that, “we’re still working hard and I think we made pretty good progress in the last couple of

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months, so we’re not giving up.”

His father, 1978 World Champion Mario Andretti, was even more forthcoming, as usual, insisting that, “every week we make progress; every week we overcome another hurdle, so we are definitively moving forward and the goal to be on the grid by 2024 is still achievable, it’s still realistic. There’s a tremendous amount of work going on behind the scenes – we’re putting together a fantastic project and I fully believe it’s going to come to fruition.

Michael and his team are really putting a lot of effort into it and Formula One will be all the better for having us on the grid in 2024.”

But the Americans seem to be on a road to nowhere, especially because, as Mario explained, “we have no interest in buying an existing team – that’s not what

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we want. We have planned out the entire set-up – Michael is building a great new facility in Indianapolis; we have also a working group in the Silverstone area; we have the facilities and the people, so we certainly are not interested in buying an existing team.”

That, however, could be the Andretti’s best chance to get into Formula One by 2024, as there is a strong possibility Williams will be up for sale soon, as the expected losses for next year will exceed 75 million pounds, and the future of AlphaTauri, now that Dietrich Mateschitz has passed away and Helmut Marko is losing influence inside the Red Bull management group, is also less secure that in the past.

But, as Haas’ Gunther Steiner explained, “no one really wants to sell now, because Formula One has become so profitable in the last couple of years. If someone had come and made a sensible offer to Gene in 2019 or 2020, when we were struggling and the sport was not making much money for the teams, he might have considered selling but now, when the prize money is really good and we’re doing well, there’s no way he’s going to sell.

“Now, of course, a lot of people want to get into the boat, but I don’t really see anyone wanting to jump out, as the future of Formula One looks great for the teams.”

THERE WAS A lot of expectation regarding the new Technical Regulations that were introduced in Formula One this year, as the stated goal from the FIA and the FOM was to improve racing and make overtaking easier than in the past.

But not all the players – drivers, engineers and managers – were convinced the goal had been achieved, even if the number of overtakes increased compared to the previous years ... but of course there were more races in the calendar as well …

Speaking at the end of the season, the FIA Technical Director, Nikolas Tombazis defended the new regulations that were defined under his supervision. The Greek engineer said that, “I think the new regulations did improve the ability of cars to follow each other and I think that, in combination with the tyres, did help. Clearly, a good race also needs two people to be close to each other fighting and in the second half of the season, things were not so close at the front of the field and, in many races, it was a bit more of a clearcut winner.

“But I do think that it’s going to be quite a lot closer next year again, and there will be a lot more convergence. In combination with cars being able to a) race closer and b) fight more with the tyres and not overheat them, I think that will lead to some very good races. Overall, I think the races this year were generally quite exciting, so I don’t think it was for little gain – I think the gain was reasonable.”

One area where there was a clear step back was in the way the field was spread.

While in the previous couple of years there had been a few shock Grand Prix winners – Pérez for Racing Point in Sakhir, Gasly for AlphaTauri in Italy or Ocon with Alpine in Hungary – this year 62 of the 63 podium finishes went to Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes drivers, with Lando Norris’ third place in Imola being the only occasion in which the top three teams didn’t monopolise the rostrum positions.

For Tombazis,“it wasn’t unexpected.

First, the effects of the cost cap takes some years for it to sink in – it doesn’t, and there’s still an advantage, initial advantage for people. So, I think initially it was bound to still be the better well-off teams that adapted better to the rules. But I do think now people have seen what the solutions are and will be adapting for next year.

“So, I think it was an outcome of being the first year of the regulations. Actually, I think the gaps were very low, for it being a first year of new regulations. If it was the fifth year or something like that, it would be a bit more worrying, but it was actually the first and if you look back at first year’s regulations and either 2014 or 2009 or whatever, like 1998, these first years usually had some fairly big gaps.

“I think this year it’s been much less than that, so the next couple of years will see the field close up together.”

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WILLIAMS’ LOSSES COULD END UP IN TEAM SALE

Images: MOTORSPORT IMAGES WILLIAMS’ DISAPPOINTING 2022 season has taken a toll on the company’s only shareholder, investment company Dorilton Capitail, and with the prospect of 2023 being even tougher from a financial point of view, the management of that company is seriously considering putting Williams F1 Team up for sale, unless a couple of major sponsorship deals are finalised soon.

According to sources from the team, even with the prize money from coming a lucky eighth in last year’s sponsorship and an estimated 25 million Euros coming from Nicholas Latifi’s personal sponsors, Williams is headed for a net loss of 50 million pounds (A$90m) as the 2022 financial year will come to an end – a lot of money was invested in renovating

the factory, improving the production department and in the hiring of new, young and motivated personnel to take over from an ageing workforce that had lost its motivation a long time ago.

In Abu Dhabi, Managing Director James Savage and members of Williams’ financial department spent a long time conferring with Sauber’s shareholder Finn Rausing, trying to understand how the Swedish billionaire financed his team without making a dent on his industrial empire, including TetraPak, the company his family owns and runs. The Swede, who has sold controlling interest of Sauber to Audi, was happy to help, so the group spent over one hour sitting outside Williams’ hospitality as Matthews and his team

picked up information. Their main problem is that they don’t have a big company like TetraPak behind them and, therefore, will find it very hard to put together a fiscal and sponsorship scheme that could match what Rausing has done for Sauber.

With Williams dropping to last in the Constructors’ Championship, it is estimated the team will get 22 million Euros less in prize money next year, compared to their earnings from this year, and with Logan Sargeant bringing bellow 10 million euros in sponsorship, the downfall compared to 2022 will be in excess of 35 million euros. That’s more than the investors in Dorilton Capital are willing to put in, in addition to the money they already put in for this year, making

the sale of the team a stronger possibility than it was a few months ago.

That’s why the possibility of Porsche actually buying a controlling interest of Williams F1 has grown in the last few weeks, as the German manufacturer is only interested in returning to Grand Prix racing in a controlling position – which was what eventually led to the termination of the negotiations with Red Bull. The deadline to enter the 2026 championship as a manufacturer with voting rights is coming soon – although it may be extended again if Ferrari refuses to sign until the Red Bull Powertrains/Honda situation is fully clear – so Porsche and Williams are in a bit of a race against time to come with a deal that could be good for both sides.

NEW RED BULL STRUCTURE COULD LEAD TO MARKO’S DEPARTURE HELMUT MARKO’S unusual admission that, “I could leave Formula One from one minute to the next”, during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, was apparently more than one of the usual casual remarks the veteran Austrian has become known for. The man who was the direct link between Red Bull founder and CEO Dietrich Mateschitz and all motor racing activities, added that, “if I feel my mission has been accomplished or I’m not comfortable with the way the company is being run, I’ll have no problem leaving at once to go and so something else with my time.”

According to Austrian sources close to Marko, his remarks were a direct message to Oliver Mintzlaff, Red Bull’s new Chief Executive of Corporate Projects and Investments, with whom the former Le Mans winner doesn’t seem to have a very amiable relationship. Mintzlaff became one of the three men appointed by Matechitz,

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before his passing, to run Red Bull, the former athlete and then RB Leipzig general manager getting full control of all racing activities.

While on paper Marko’s role didn’t change, there will be a difference in the way Mintzlaff will run his side of the company, as he won’t give as much autonomy to Marko and Christian Horner as Mateschitz always did. The creator of Red Bull would generally keep out of the way in which his two Formula One teams and the Young Drivers’ program were run, only intervening in the most important matters, as his attention was mainly focused on running the energy drinks’ company and on putting together the most successful marketing campaigns that are Red Bull’s trademark.

Minztlaff, however, will only have to run the sporting side of Red Bull and, therefore, will be a lot more hands on in

the motor racing activities than Mateschitz ever was.

According to Austrian media, the first bone of contention between the new Chief Executive and the Marko-Horner duo was them dropping the deal with Porsche, that Mintzlaff clearly favored, after going over his head and dealing directly with the Thai shareholders, once Mateschitz was too unwell to be part of the decision-making process.

What Marko’s message seems to mean is that if he doesn’t keep the autonomy he always enjoyed with Mateschitz, he’ll leave Red Bull Racing and abandon the Young Drivers’ program. The consequences would be bigger for this program than for

the two Formula One teams, as Marko single handedly chooses new drivers and would have to be replaced immediately by someone with experience in talent spotting – with Franz Tost being the obvious choice as he may be getting tired of running AlphaTauri and may want to return to his native Austria after 17 years living in Faenza.

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SHANE VAN GISBERGEN SITS DOWN FOR A RARE CHAT WITH ANDREW CLARKE AND TALKS ABOUT HIS HAPPY PLACE, RACING OVER WINNING AND WHY HE’LL KEEP MULTI-TASKING IN MOTOR RACING. AA: Congratulations on the year. It has been a stellar year, and now you are a three-time Champion. What does that mean to you?

SVG: Thank you. I don’t know. It’s probably a bad time to do this interview because I’m not ready to reflect on things yet. I still want to come into this weekend and do the best job I can. So to me, it feels disrespectful to everyone else to be talking about it. So I’m here to race and finish the season properly first.

SHANE VAN GISBERGEN is hunting records more by chance than anything else. He is now on three Championships and two Bathurst wins with 75 race wins, 21 of them in 2022 alone. In titles, he is now the equal of Peter Brock and Craig Lowndes. He passed Mark Skaife this year on race wins and has only Lowndes and Jamie Whincup in front of him.

At 33 years of age, he has enough years to catch and even pass the boss, Red Bull Ampol Racing co-team owner Jamie Whincup, who is the GOAT out front with seven titles.

If he likes the racing in the Gen3 era…

But the numbers are not why he goes racing; strangely, neither is winning. He just wants to have fun and race hard, and he’ll enjoy whatever that brings. If it is winning, then it is happy days. If not, he’ll put his head down and work out how to win.

He sat down with Andrew Clarke in the days leading into the Adelaide 500 for a rare one-on-one.

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AA: So it’s a bit like Lewis Hamilton, isn’t it? He always runs 44 because he doesn’t want to look backwards; he always wants to look forward. Is that a similar thing to you with 97?

SVG: I don’t know – it’s just my number. I ran it when I was a kid, and one time I won a motorbike championship in New Zealand with it, and I didn’t go very well the next year without it. Dad always said I shouldn’t run it. But for me, in the next year, everyone starts with the same points, and I’m not the champion of that year. I just never liked it.

AA: It must be kind of nice though, this weekend to run it. I mean, obviously, you’re honouring Holden this weekend as well.

SVG: Yeah, and the team too. I remember in 2016 the number one was straight on the car when we were in victory lane. What are you doing? This is not happening. The team is really proud of their achievements, which they should be. So, it’s for Holden and the team this weekend, and being as we’re in the lucky position of winning it the year before and early this year, I’m not against doing it.

Sandown provided two of the 21 wins ... Below: with new for 2022, engineer Andrew Edwards.

AA: You race for wins, and if the wins add up, you get a championship.

Which one’s the goal first? Is it just the wins or are you always thinking about the end picture?

SVG: I think they go hand in hand.

If you win the races, you’re going to win the championship. I tried to do points racing earlier in the year. I remember talking about it at Winton and Darwin, and there were times when I settled for a second, like Winton behind Cam when I probably could have pressured him more. I’d rather just go all out and then things look after themselves, and if you’re not thinking about it and driving at your best, or I’m driving at my best, I don’t make those mistakes.

Darwin was something I half committed to. I was kind of happy in the spot behind Will. He made a bad restart, and I half committed to a pass, and we locked wheels and broke the

“ ”

AA: When you’re out there, you don’t have much time to think about things, do you?

You’re making split-second decisions all the time, and, as you say, if you’re thinking about other things like, “How many points are…”

SVG: Yeah, if you hesitate, you’re not driving at your best. So if I’m clearheaded

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AA: So Darwin was a turning point in the season?

SVG: I know that mistake wouldn’t have happened if I wasn’t thinking like that.

If I was just trying to win every race, I would’ve probably only got third in that race, but it still would’ve been better than what happened.

AA: It’s the only round all year you didn’t win a race.

SVG: The first race, we should have won, but we had a bad pit stop ... but that’s right.

AA: So championships – how special do they feel? Is it like you give you a sense of achievement for a season that you don’t get if you don’t win one?

SVG: Yes, and especially since we’ve had big changes every year. Last year it was an engineering change when Shippy left, and then this year was the same, but also added to that was Jamie retiring and a new boss. There was a whole raft of changes this year. For me, it’s the

Yeah, if you hesitate, you’re not driving at your best. So if I’m clearheaded and just go flat out every lap, it seems to work...

steering. If it was any other time, I would’ve shoved it in a bit quicker, and it wouldn’t have happened like that.

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and just go flat out every lap, it seems to work better for me.

experience of building up the team and learning. We hit the ground running but also had so much to improve on. It’s very different from where Andrew [Edwards] has been.

So the way of working took a long time and building that relationship while learning on the way is cool. That keeps me excited.

Next year there will be big challenges and I think working towards the championship is an awesome feeling.

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this year, we’ve been the fastest car in races. It’s pretty rare that we haven’t been – Sandown was probably one of them, and we got smoked on Saturday. But the way we rebound has been really good, and watching the way the group works is fascinating. It’s pretty cool to be a part of it.

AA: It’s no mistake that Triple Eight is the most successful team in history, is it?

SVG: It happens for a reason. It’s the leadership of that top group with what was RD, but Dutto and now Jamie and also Jeremy with the way he controls or runs the engineering side. It’s a very, very cool machine or a very cool group of people and how they work and how they know their own job.

“ ”

No, I like change. There’s always been something to keep me interested in Supercars, and this change is good...

AA: Qualifying this year – it took a while to get your mojo ...

SVG: We had the best average of the year.

[He didn’t after Adelaide].

AA: But you weren’t nailing your poles early. But the second half of the season, you just started piling those in along with the wins.

SVG: I guess Andrew’s been really good on the tyre prep side. I’ve never really been able to get the tyres up for that one lap, which helps me the other way in racing by being a bit softer on the tyre. I’ve had to learn how to do that, and Andrew’s been a good coach with that and understanding what I need. We definitely got better at qualifying.

AA: In the mid-season driver ratings, I dropped you down from an A+ to an A because your qualifying wasn’t up there.

SVG: Oh yeah?

AA: Might have to make you an A+ this time!

SVG: I’ve definitely gotten better.

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AA: Now you’re hunting Jamie. Do you keep telling him how much closer you are with wins and championships?

SVG: No, no, I don’t. Actually, Scotty [new best mate Scott McLaughlin] did an interview with me and he asked me about that. One hundred wins would be amazing.

That’s not a goal, but it would certainly be a cool achievement. But don’t look at 130 or 132 or whatever it is to Jamie. That’s 60 wins away. Each step is cool when you get there, but they’re not the target.

AA: They are the sort of things you’ll reflect on at the end of your career, though, and you’ll think they are pretty cool. 21 wins out of races so far. Do you see that as a reward for effort for the whole team? As a team, a lot of effort and brain power goes in, and you are almost the last cog in, aren’t you?

SVG: Exactly, but it’s been cool to see. JJ came back four years ago, and the way we’ve gone with the car and stuff the last couple of years has ramped up and got better and better. And since Bathurst 2020, it’s felt like we just clicked and kept getting stronger at every track. Like most tracks

AA: We’ve obviously got lots of little parity debates over time, but the easiest comparison is you versus the other Holdens. There are some serious teams there that aren’t getting anywhere near you.

SVG: I talked about that earlier in the year and got click-baited and smashed, so I hate talking about that stuff, but it is cool to achieve it without much of that talk, I guess. People complain on Facebook about that stuff, but it has been great.

AA: Social media is quite a unique place, isn’t it? Do you get hassled much there?

SVG: I don’t read it. Someone does most of my stuff for me. I do a fair bit, but you learn pretty quickly not to read much of it. It’s pretty savage. I have one example. I always remember this one guy who I had met before and knew in RC racing.

He was fine, but he’d get on Facebook and just smash everything. Every comment about me was so bad and then he lined up in an autograph line at Pukekohe for 45 minutes and tried to get me to sign something. I hit him up about it and said, “What are you doing? You’re a dickhead on the internet, and then you come here and ask me to do this and wait for half an hour?”

He’s actually a nice guy, but people can hide behind the computer and say what they want. In-person, 99% of people are cool. That’s the best thing.

AA: You’re an interesting character. You come across as very shy and a bit more reserved, and sometimes you’re hard work for us. Is that just you as a person, or do you not like the media and feel defensive?

SVG: I struggle to be myself when these are on [pointing at the recorder], and cameras are on. You’re always worried about what people will think or how it’s going to come across. I don’t know ... I feel most comfortable when I’ve got my helmet on.

AA: The team talks about you differently, though. It is like they are talking about a different person.

SVG: You just get to know people and get comfortable in your surroundings, I guess.

AA: You recently spoke about what you wanted next year in terms of race ability.

But it doesn’t really look like this year’s car is that raceable, either.

SVG: No, it’s not.

AA: Would you be hanging around if it had stayed the same?

SVG: No, I like change. There’s always been something to keep me interested in Supercars, and this change is good. There are a lot of things about the car I don’t agree with, but if the racing’s good, I’ll love it. Even if the car’s not the best to drive, if it’s five seconds slower, it doesn’t matter if the racing’s good and it’s a challenge.

I’m just worried about it becoming like Carrera Cup when everything’s the same; the cars come on the same, go off the same, and you follow each other. If all the cars had white paint at the moment, you could tell what our car was. You can tell a Walkinshaw car and a DJR car, the way they both move.

Left and below: The Gold Coast and Bathurst provided more wins. SVG shared the 888 car at The Mountain (for the last time as it happens), with Garth Tander.

Top right: Three out of three at a wet and soggy Round 8, at The Bend.

Right: It’s a team effort ...

Far right: SVG will race virtually anything – in 2022 that included Rally NZ and GT racing.

Bottom right: Jumping up on the roof has become a habit. In NZ, the car was still smoking from the burn-out ...

The cars are very different in the way they handle. But the lap times are ultimately the same, and I feel like with stock parts, we might lose that and lose the cars’ individuality.

AA: But that is parity racing, isn’t it?

SVG: Exactly. It’s a hard one because the teams up the back might have a chance to win, which would be great. But you want to keep the variety. Yeah.

AA: We couldn’t say this year was boring for you – but from the outside, it was.

SVG: It’s hard to say it the right way, but I would like a bit more of a challenge. There were a lot of challenges from different people. There was never an easy weekend, but it seemed to be different people every week.

AA: Next year’s plans? Are you still going to be a multi-dimensional race driver?

SVG: The hardest bit was the calendar coming out so late – I lost some opportunities in America

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AA: That street race in Chicago looks cool.

Is that on the radar?

SVG: That’s free, but I haven’t spoken to anyone again yet, but I’d love to do that race.

SVG: I think it all adds up, but I haven’t done rally to help my circuit stuff. It gets the brain active. We did the rally in New Zealand, that’s four days in a car the week before Bathurst.

I got to Bathurst, and I was sharp. I’ll notice it today because I haven’t driven anything for three weeks. I’ve been at Norwell a fair bit, but we’re not like other sports where you continually throw a ball or hit a ball. Here, it’s pretty hard to keep practising.

AA: What does Shane van Gisbergen do outside of car racing? Or is it just car racing?

SVG: That’s it. I live and breathe it.

AA: And the simulator doesn’t do it the same, does it?

SVG: It doesn’t do the same. It keeps your brain active, but not your body. I want to be driving as much as I can. It makes me better.

AA: So no music, you don’t read books?

SVG: No, no.

AA: So you’re 33 now. Plenty of time left to break those records.

SVG: I don’t feel old, and I feel like I’m still learning, and I’m still fast.

because of it – but hopefully, I can do some stuff. I haven’t worked out Europe, but hopefully, there’s be a lot more rallies, and maybe some NASCAR would be cool.

AA: So what do you do when you finish racing?

SVG: I like coaching people. I like going to Norwell and helping young Kiwi kids out. So that’s probably something I’d do.

I love racing. Next week I’m going out to race a Sprintcar, so that should be fun. Just trying something different again.

AA: It’s been a stellar year. It’s been hard to write about on the outside. You’ve made our life a bit boring…

SVG: Yeah, boring is good when you’re winning. But I do see the other side of it.

But, as I said, it is really just that there hasn’t been a constant person (challenging).

AA: Do you think the different styles help your racing or is it just being in a car that matters?

AA: Anyway, it’s been a great season, one of the best on record, so well done.

SVG: Thanks.

www.autoaction.com.au I 33

STARS SHINE AT SUPERCARS

GALA AWARDS

ALL THE STARS WERE SHINING BRIGHTLY AT THE SUPERCARS GALA AWARDS EVENING, WHICH SALUTED THE 2022 SEASON IN STYLE AT ADELAIDE OVAL. THE BIG personalities of the paddock all dressed to impress at the sport’s night of nights, which returned for the first time since COVID-19 came along.

Many drivers and personalities received some well-deserved awards, but one of the biggest cheers was saved for Lee Holdsworth.

Holdsworth was a popular recipient of the Barry Sheene Medal, which he won, for the first time, in his final year of full-time racing.

The medal, named in honour of twotime 500cc world champion and popular Channel 9 and 10 motorsport commentator Barry Sheene, who passed away in 2003, recognises a driver who displays outstanding leadership, media interaction, character, personality, fan appeal and sportsmanship throughout the season.

Holdsworth completed his final year for Grove Racing and finished 13th in the championship, but just 143 points away from the top 10 after a season which included his 500th race start, a podium at the Australian Grand Prix, a front row at Bathurst and rounded out with a fighting top-10 drive in Adelaide.

The veteran won a lot of hearts in the way he has carried on through thick and thin over recent years in particular with a smile and many thought it was fitting he would receive the Supercars “best and fairest” award.

Holdsworth becomes just the second non Triple Eight Race Engineering and Dick Johnson Racing driver to win the medal in the last decade alongside Grove Racing teammate David Reynolds.

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Holdsworth said that being awarded the prestigious Barry Sheene Medal named after an idol is something the will cherish forever.

“This is pretty special. I certainly didn’t expect this,” he said.

“I am super proud. This is one of the best accolades you could ever get and Barry was an absolute idol to me.

“The end of my career could not have ended on a better note. I have enjoyed every minute of it and there are too many people to thank over my journey in the sport.

“What a way to go out.”

Two of the most treasured and well known faces in the paddock became welcome additions to the Supercars Hall of Fame.

Craig Lowndes and Tim Schenken were the names, having been two of the most prominent figures in the sport across the last three decades.

Modern day great Lowndes first arrived on the Touring Cars scene in 1994 as “The Kid” but was breaking records by 1996 when he won 16 races, the championship, Great Race and Sandown 500 all in his first fulltime season.

After a brief trip overseas, Lowndes returned to Australia and continued to smash the Supercars field, making it three championships in as many attempts.

After his run of success stopped in 2000 a shock move to Ford followed, which did not net consistent results until his jump to an unproven Triple Eight – and the rest is history.

The relationship between Lowndes and Triple Eight which started in 2005, and is still going strong, is one of the most successful ever, producing six Bathurst 1000 wins and 57 race victories, enough for

Jess Yates chats with Tim Schenken (above).

Barry Sheene Medalist Lee Holdsworth.

Images: MARK HORSBURGH/EDGE PHOTOGRAPY the smiling star to be the first ever to score a century of Supercars/ATCC triumphs.

Lowndes became the second active driver alongside longtime teammate Jamie Whincup to be inducted into the Supercars Hall of Fame, a feat that was not lost on him.

“It is a great honour,” he said.

“To be part of now 25 inductees over the time it has been running is really special.

“And to share it with Tim Schenken, who was basically the master of control when I was racing around and always did a great job is really awesome.

“Supercars is like a big family and we treat it like that. It is nice to be recognised and to be part of that class.”

Few have made a bigger impact to Australian motorsport over such a long period than Schenken.

His racing life began in the 1960s before he moved to Europe to chase the F1 dream, which became a reality in 1970.

Schenken recorded 34 Grand Prix starts over a four year period for teams such as Williams, Brabham, Surtees, Trojan and Lotus with the overwhelming highlight an impressive podium in Austria 1971.

After enjoying plenty of sports car success, he returned to Australia to

perform a variety of roles for what was then known as the Confederation of Australian Motorsport and now Motorsport Australia.

Schenken is best remembered by many modern day fans as the long time race director for Supercars, having performed the important role for a remarkable 34 years from 1987 to 2021.

Schenken said he felt honoured to be part of the same club as the likes of Peter Brock and Allan Moffatt in the Supercars Hall of Fame with Bathurst being the toughest race to control.

“When I heard I was going to get the award I looked at the previous winners and there were amazing people there, so very special,” he said.

“The most difficult race to run was Bathurst – you think of a team running two cars ... well a race director is running 24 cars with an interest to the whole field.

“Bathurst had a special challenge about it.”

Both Lowndes and Schenken were awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to motorsport and were fitting inductees into the Supercars Hall of Fame.

In a year where he was one of the few drivers to consistently take the fight up to the all conquering Shane van Gisbergen,

Supercars CEO Shane Howard (above) introduced the evening. Young Gun Matt Payne (right) and Drivers’ Driver Cam Waters (below) with their silverware. Far left: ‘The Kid’ was inducted into the Supercars Hall of Fame, alongside Tim Schenken.

Cameron Waters was named as the Drivers’ Driver award winner.

The Tickford spearhead finished the year as the qualifying king with 10 pole positions, while he also collected three wins at Winton and Darwin on his way to a strong second in the championship.

Waters joins van Gisbergen as the only drivers to win the award on multiple occasions and said it was a “special” feeling to be voted highly by his peers.

“It is so special because all of the drivers vote for it. We run into each other and have moments through the year and it is about

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how you recover from them, so it is an honour to win it twice,” he said.

Ahead of his full-time Supercars debut for Grove Racing in 2023, Matt Payne has been given a boost by winning the Mike Kable Young Gun award.

Payne performed in his rookie Super 2 campaign by finishing third in the competitive standings and also held his own at the Bathurst 1000.

The Kiwi said the honour meant a lot to him highlighting the commotion with Scott McLaughlin, while other Supercars champions to receive it are Marcos

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Ambrose, Rick Kelly, Mark Winterbottom and James Courtney.

“I think it is a huge honour and privilege to win this award because there have been so many great winners over the years,” he said.

“It is definitely a step in the right direction. Scott has gone over to do some amazing things, so it is awesome to get my name on there with him and see where we go.”

The media award went the way of Chad Neylon in recognition of his efforts on various aspects on the Supercars TV broadcast, while Triple Eight cleaned up the fans choice awards.

Red Bull Ampol Racing’s blue livery was popular enough to win the best presented team award, while van Gisbergen was named as the most popular driver.

The best volunteer group was the ones who braved through the constant rain at the Bathurst 1000 and the fans’ favourite event was the VALO Adelaide 500 after it returned to life with a bang.

The event gave teams a rare moment to relax and unwind as preparations for Gen3 and 2023 continue to ramp up on the road to Newcastle.

Thomas Miles

Adelaide Oval was a super choice of venue.

www.autoaction.com.au I 35

2022 SUPERCAR DRIVER RATINGS IS ANYONE PERFECT? ANDREW CLARKE SCANS THE FIELD TO GIVE EACH OF THE DRIVERS IN THE SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES A GRADING FOR THE YEAR. NO ONE fails, but not everyone can be the Dux of the 2022 Class. In the mid-season driver ratings, there was discussion around the Auto Action office about Shane van Gisbergen. At this stage, he was well and truly on the way to his third Supercars Championship win, which he secured with one round remaining, which is just as well, given his disastrous weekend in Adelaide. Some had him as an A+ student in the art of motor racing, but I didn’t. My concern

was his lack of qualifying speed. We’d like to think our ratings spurred him on, but more likely, it was the growing relationship with his new engineer, Andrew Edwards, who joined the Brisbane-based squad from Brad Jones Racing.

In the second half of the season, his qualifying improved. Up to Winton, which technically wasn’t the middle of the season, his qualifying average was 6.9, but from there, he cut it to 4.1, and if you removed the last in the grid in Adelaide, which #4 JACK SMITH

is an outlier, it was 3.1. That contrasts with his finished average in both those periods being 3.5.

It didn’t shift, but he did get his plus.

That said, we’ve tried to ignore the raw data, and we’ve graded the teams and then looked at the drivers. We’ve knocked points off for mishaps and added points for outperforming the car.

We’re not sure there are too many shocks here, but they are honest ratings without influence or favour.

D-

HE HAS the worst qualifying and race average of all the regular drivers in the series, which speaks for itself. With a season-best of 12th in the races, he still has some way to go to prove he deserves to be there. He needs to dig deep in the year and get himself off the bottom.

#5 JAMES COURTNEY

B-

COURTNEY STRUGGLED in qualifying and the ‘sheep station’ racing in the mid-pack, and he often brought home a very bruised car. His race average was 13.1 with three podiums, and his qualifying average was 12.4, he needs to step up in 2023 and deliver for one of his true believers – Tickford boss Tim Edwards.

#2 NICK PERCAT

C

PERCAT’S RETURN to WAU didn’t deliver, aside from that now-famous podium in Adelaide. He struggled for most of the season in qualifying with last on the grid six times. That said, he raced well and was the second-best driver of the season on spots gained. Watch this space for 2023. It is crunch time for talented South Australian.

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#3 TIM SLADE

B

SLADE HAD a tough year with form that was up and down like a yoyo, but generally, he delivered above where a single-car team should be. He only dropped out of the top 10 at the tail end of the season, which is significant when you look at the teams he was beating on his own. Moving to a two-car team on the rise in 2023.

#6 CAMERON WATERS

A

AT TIMES, Waters looked like the only challenger for van Gisbergen, and he was the first to beat the new champion in a head-tohead stoush. But Tickford’s well-documented issues at tracks that are hard on tyres hurt his title quest. Fourteen podiums are as good as anyone other than van Gisbergen, but his 10 poles elevate him about the other two with 14 podiums. Must contend in 2023.

A

WINS

POLES

TOP 10

AVG. GAIN

3 10 29 -1.1

#8 ANDRE HEIMGARTNER

B+

HIEMGARTNER SOMETIMES looked like he could blitz the field, but six races with no points hurt, as did the monster start line crash with Thomas Randle at The Bend.

But he showed what a Brad Jones Racing Commodore is capable of: running at the front. A big year lies ahead for the Kiwi.

#14 BRYCE FULLWOOD

C

FLIPPED FROM WAU to BJR in the offseason but didn’t really shine during 2023.

He underperformed for most of the year and couldn’t match Heimgartner’s speed, but he was better than the two other drivers in the BJR B-team … just. He’s got sponsors who love him, but he needs to show he wants to run at the front.

Images Motorsport Images /Mark Horsburgh

#17 WILL DAVISON

#9 WILLIAM BROWN

B

MORE WAS expected from Brown’s second full season, but his more aggressive teammate overshadowed the highly-rated driver from Toowoomba.

That said, Erebus seemed to lose a little of its mojo during the year. He needs to park the second-year blues and concentrate on what he has, not what he might have.

#10 LEE HOLDSWORTH

B-

HOLDSWORTH HAD one last crack at a full-time season and probably wished at times he hadn’t. He never seemed to settle into the cranky Penrite Mustang. He had a few good weekends where he reminded us of what he could do, but there was only one podium and 11 top 10s for the year in which he won the Barry Sheene Medal.

Back to being a gun co-driver.

#11 ANTON DE PASQUALE

A-

DE PASQUALE qualified well – he had the best grid average for the season and more top 10 starts than any other driver – but dropped more spots in the races than everyone except Thomas Randle. From Sandown onwards, he struggled in the races more than his teammate but only finished 26 points in front of him. It is time for De Pasquale to deliver.

B+

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POLES

TOP 10

AVG. GAIN

4 28 -3.2

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A-

SILKY SMOOTH Davison was one of the most consistent drivers for the year and kept adding to the podiums in the first half of the season. He took fewer chances than his rivals, and he’ll need to find his mongrel in 2023. He stood on the podium 14 times but should have had more wins.

WINS

3

POLES

TOP 10

AVG. GAIN

9 24 -2.2

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DAVID REYNOLDS

A

WINS

0

POLES

SHANE VAN GISBERGEN

TOP 10

A+

AVG. GAIN

2 21 -1.1

#18 MARK WINTERBOTTOM

B

THE FORMER qualifying champion didn’t get the best out of his Commodore in the one-lap runs, which made the racing tough. His race results were only marginally better than quali in terms of the data, but they felt better when watching. He is not as sharp as he once was, but he is still more than good enough to hold his own when he has the car.

#20 SCOTT PYE

B

If you make your own luck, Scott Pye wasn’t very good at it. We don’t believe that, though, and he was largely innocent in two huge crashes that gave him both DNFs and DNSs. His qualifying average was near that of his teammate, but his finish average was significantly shy of that. Another driver with a lot to prove in 2023.

#22 CHRIS PITHER

WINS

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AVG. GAIN

21 7 30 1.6

C

The Kiwi driver had one last crack as a full-time driver, but being a top bloke is not always enough. He looked OK in Supercars’ newest team – PremiAir Racing which actually inherited little more than a TRC from the Webbs – until James Golding arrived and shifted the landscape.

#25 CHAZ MOSTERT

A

Mostert left the first round with the Championship lead but then had some big issues in Tasmania and Perth, where he bled points. His graph for the first half of the season has wild fluctuations, like two wins in Melbourne and 22nd and fifth in the other two races. A contender in 2023.

#26 DAVID REYNOLDS

A

Reynolds, at times, picked up the Penrite Mustang and got results it didn’t deserve.

In terms of the intra-team battle, he pantsed Lee Holdsworth, which isn’t that easy. He was one of only seven drivers to score a pole position, and he scored a few podiums in a transitional year for the team, which is resourcing up for a big 2023.

#31 JAMES GOLDING

B

Jumped in mid-season and proved he belongs in the series. The Gold Coast crash was a bit of a blot, but he’d just announced he had signed on for 2023, so that was good timing. He qualified in the Top 10 five times in his 16 starts, but also dropped many spots as he settled in. Needs to make the most of this opportunity.

BROC FEENEY

B+ 38 I www.autoaction.com.au

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1

POLES

TOP 10

AVG. GAIN

25 -0.5

BRODIE KOSTECKI

A-

WINS

0

POLES

TOP 10

AVG. GAIN

1 16 0.3

bail out of Matt Stone Racing and replace Tim Slade at Cooldrive Racing. But you can’t run a qualifying average of 16 and drop spots in the races and expect a good season. His qualifying average was worse than his team-mate while his finishing average was better, so…

#55 THOMAS RANDLE

D

#31 GARRY JACOBSON

C-

A lot was expected of Randle in 2022, perhaps unfairly in what was a rookie season. He needs to get more speed out of the car in qualifying, and when he does, he might want to get off the line.

The Bend looked like a turning point with a front-row start, but it proved a setback when he sat stationary. A big year is coming.

Jacobson looked great in Melbourne, but a disastrous incident-filled round in Darwin cost him his job. Three top 10 finishes out of four races at the Grand Prix made us sit up and watch, but the fall was rapid. He had an honest go at it but we’re unlikely to see him racing in Supercars again.

#56 JAKE KOSTECKI

C

The younger of two Kostecki brothers had a rough year settling in at Tickford, but like others with the Melbourne squad, he’ll have a second season to secure his spot. Like two of his Tickford teammates, he found qualifying tough, so that must be Jake’s improvement target for next year.

We stand with Ukraine too.

#88 BROC FEENEY

B+

Replacing Jamie Whincup and being a teammate to van Gisbergen can’t have been easy for a rookie season. The best car and team car in the field helps when you are learning, and his win in Adelaide was impressive. If we were just measuring this as a rookie performance, he’d be an A, but this is not a rookie assessment.

#96 MACAULEY JONES

D+

One top-10 start and one top-10 finish for the season is a poor return at the sport’s top level, but that was the story of Jones’ year. He’s been a full-time driver in the main game for four seasons, and he is yet to prove he deserves to be there.

Season 2022 did little to enhance his reputation.

#97 SHANE VAN GISBERGEN

him, he dominated. The final weekend of the year in Adelaide was forgettable, but his championship celebration was not. He can only go down, but we doubt he will.

#99 BRODIE KOSTECKI

A+

He wasn’t perfect in the first half of the season, but the second half of the year was something else. From the minute he decided racing for points and second-guessing himself was not for

C

#34 JACK LE BROCQ

Le Brocq’s first season at Matt Stone Racing was run in three parts. In the middle of the season, he snagged podiums in Darwin and Townsville, but the other two phases of the season were a tough slog. A race winner in the series, he really needs to make the most of the new Gen3 racers if he wants to deliver on the promise of his 2012 Formula Ford Championship win.

#35 TODD HAZELWOOD

CHAZ MOSTERT

A

C

The likeable South Australia had a tough season, and by mid-year, he decided to

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A

It is hard to believe 2022 was only Brodie’s second season. He looks like he belongs in the main game, and we love his hard-nosed attitude to racing.

He’s tough and will grow rapidly as a driver if he pulls off his NASCAR plans in 2023, but he’ll need to get fitter if he is going to skip around the globe like van Gisbergen.

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5

POLES

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AVG. GAIN

0 26 0.9

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THE STORY of Big Red began in 1987 when RJ and his father Dan set out to build one ‘badass’ Camaro to compete in the toughest Mexican road race, the La Carrera Classica.

Dan and RJ assembled what they hoped would be a winning build based on an original ’69 Camaro powered by an all-aluminium, dry-sump Donovan built by the legendary John Lingenfelter.

With 540 cubic inches, Big Red was a 200mph contender but while the 18-year-old RJ was leading the race he pushed it a little too hard.

Big Red went off-roading at 140 mph and was destroyed—the stock uni-body frame was just not up to the task.

Thankfully, RJ, his co-pilot Chris Kaufman and the Lingenfelter engine were unscathed.

Even before RJ got home from Mexico, Dan had located another ’69 and made plans for Bill Osborne to fab a new tubular stock car-style chassis.

As before, they wanted the Camaro to appear stock, so it retained its steel body, glass

windshield and even its roll-up windows.

Dan went so far as to have the rare, expensive aluminium block and heads painted Chevy orange to look like a stock, iron block.

Dan revealed in opening the hood and saying, “Look it’s just a warmed over 427.” Yeah right, a 427 that runs run consistently over 200 mph.

“That’s the magic of Big Red,” said RJ. Engine builder Larry Mollicone overhauled the 504 and his dyno indicated 850 hp and 750 ft-lbs of torque.

Backing up the naturally aspirated engine was a Jerrico four-speed and a 9-inch Detroit Locker rear end with Koni coilovers and twin-caliper vented discs.

Big Red was entered into in a wide spectrum of events including The Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational, The Texas Mile, Vintage Auto Racing’s “Big Bore Bash” at Willow Springs, the Mojave Mile, the Mojave Magnum and the Virginia City Hill Climb.

RJ took top honours at nearly every event while Red was featured in the 2009 movie the ‘Fast and the Furious 4’.

The secret to Big Red’s success in so many varied venues is the ability of the team to switch it from road race trim to hill climb mode to balls out, high-speed runs.

For example, the setup employed for the Mojave Mile would not be the same setup used for Pikes Peak where specific tuning resulted in a very competitive 11:08.357-second run placing them fourth in the Open Class The model of this wonderful race car will be available to Pre-Order at Hoolagators All American Diecast models.

For more information or to place an order visit www.hoolagator.com.au or call 08 8322 3448

GT-HO PHASE THREE BIBLE SELLING OUT FAST THE FORD Falcon GT-HO Phase Three is one Australia’s iconic muscle cars, and the ultimate bible on everything GT-HO is selling out fast.

Written by Stephen C. Stathis, ‘The Falcon GT-HO Phase Three: On the Road to Bathurst and Beyond’ is a complete history of a masterpiece of blue oval engineering, including never before published technical images.

The book, which has already sold out in ‘hardcover’ and ‘leather’ guise, also contains a foreword by Bob Skelton, colour images of the 1972 Bathurst Easter meeting, new images of Allan Moffat’s trophy cabinet and part numbers that were unique to the GT-HO Phase Three.

Softcover editions of the book, limited to 1,000 individually signed copies, are readily available for $95.

Just a few of the 25 individually numbered Buckram hardcover cloth books are still available for $299, complete with a dust jacket, companion softcover edition, slipcase and a black and white photograph personally signed by Bob Morris.

To reserve a copy, call Stephen at Phase Three Posters on 02 9874 2141

SPEEDWAY

MARCUS DUMENSY A1 TAKES P1 LOCALLY-BASED competitor Marcus Dumesny added his name to the winners list for round five of the Eastern Creek Speedway track championship. Dumesny book ended the event in a perfect manner, stopping the qualifying clock with a 11.854, the quickest time from the 42 competitors.

The reigning Australian Champion would share the front row for the 30-lap cautionfilled final alongside local gun Sam Walsh.

The yellow lights blazed on the opening lap for South Australian Lisa Walker. At the restart Walsh took the early lead before Marcus slid underneath to grab the prime position and continue to lead the way.

Brock Hallett got the better of Kaidon Brown in the battle for third. Another restart allowed Hallett to pick up second place, while Dumensy pulled away from the field until negotiating lapped traffic, allowing Hallett to close the gap and apply strong pressure until a late race stoppage reset the field and from that point Dumensy would use clear track and express to Victory Lane, claiming his first feature win since capturing the national crown.

Hallett and a fast finishing Ryan Newton secured the podium placings, relegating Walsh to fourth. Kaidon Brown, Aaron Kelly, Steven Lines, Troy Little, Randy Morgan and Chad Ely for the top 10. Luke Geering, Brendan Scorgie, Jake Baines, Matt Geering and Luke Thomas rounded out the finishers.

Joining Walker on the infield would be Luke Stirton, Warren Ferguson, Jessie Attard, Jordyn Brazier, Lachlan Caunt, Jimmy Matchett, Michael Saller and Mick Turner.

Marcus Dumensy collects his first win since claiming the national championship.

Image: ANTHONY SNEDDEN

Heat race wins would fall to Hallett, Newton, Lines and Brown, while the Dashes were claimed by Walsh and M. Geering and Ferguson the B main.

SUPPORTS Heading the supporting card was a thundering field of 18 Late Models. Pole sitter Daniel Cassidy and Ryan Fenech blasted the 20-lap final into action, where a solid early battle loomed before Cassidy spun out of contention on the third lap.

From that point Fenech would control the tempo, holding off a late race challenge

from Daryl Grimson to claim the feature win with Tim McPherson third. Rounding out the seven finishers was Joel Carrig, Ed Borg, Shane Belk and Stewart.

The Compact Speedcars final proved an exciting affair as Mark Heaton sliced his way from position 13 to claim back-to-back feature wins. Rhys Birkett was the early leader before a rollover by Andrew Coppock stopped the race. Greg Farrugia held on to finish second, ahead of Matt Reed. Cheyne Williams, Daniel Brown and Birkett rounded out the top half dozen. Vince Sainsbury, Jack Stokes, Ben Fairfax, Kurtis Caldwell and

Cameron Edwards mad up the 11 finishers.

Legend Cars had their first hit out at the venue this season and the 15 pocket rockets showcased some close racing. Liam Camilleri led from flag to flag for victory – however the battle for the minors was a closely fought affair as Linden Martin, Adam Parker and Darren Snowden raced threewide. Parker prevailed for second to finish behind Camilleri and Snowden flanking them on the dais. Martin, Bray Jones, Brett Muller, Matt Elliott, Mark Duckworth, Greg Thompson, Robert Turner and Dave Brighton followed. Paris Charles

YOUNG GUNS BLAZE IN DIRT MODIFIED ACTION A LARGE crowd rolled into the Hessions Auto Parts Grafton Speedway for their opening meeting of the new season and were entertained with close and exciting racing spanning across seven divisions of competition.

Heading the marque was a field of 14 V8 Dirt Modifieds and the standout competitor of the field was Seiton Connor-Young (pictured far right) –the youngster who is relatively new to the class claimed the 25 lap final in impressive fashion with a flagto-flag victory by more than 12 seconds and set a fastest lap time of 15.351. Despite leading the race, it was no walk in the park as he had to fight off a strong challenge from five-time Australian Champion Kevin Britten during the opening 10 laps.

Unfortunately, right-rear suspension damage would force Britten to the infield.

The next three positions would see local track knowledge come to the fore – joining Connor-Young on the podium were fellow youngsters Taylah Firth and Luke Dunn.

Fourth was Andrew Firth, while one lap in arrears Brock Armstrong rounded out the

Images: TAYLAH BUTCHER stop five finishers, earning the win for the Sportsman’s class in only his second race meeting. Nathan McGregor, Kyle Armstrong and Shane Laurie capped off the finishers while Britten, Paul Crosley, Scott Quirk and Scott Quirk would all end up on the retirees list. Sadly, Mick Reid and Brent Hall failed to start the final.

The three 8-lap heat races were shared evenly with Connor-Young, Firth and Britten claiming one apiece.

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DICKER QUICKER! A field of 16 Wingless Sprints also featured prominently on the card. Jamie Dicker (above left) drove a faultless race to claim the final after starting from outside front row for the 15-lap journey. Andrew Seery and Brayden Shute would round the podium while Bailey Goodwin and Tyson Williams completed the top five. Darryl Marshall, Jason Davis, Jacob Waller and Errol Campbell would all finish on the lead

lap while Tony Watkins, Kaila Blayney, Ian O’Toole, Matthews Nikiforoff and Andrew Van Damme finished iat the rear. Jacob Jolley and Jaidyn Boulding failed to travel the journey.

The 8-lap qualifying heats went to Davis, Goodwin, Jolley and Boulding.

SUPPORTS Paul Reeves prevailed over Darren Miller and Brett Robotham in the AMCA

Nationals. Matt Gordon downed Riley Fisher and Jackson Tomkins in the Legend Cars. The RSA Street Stockers podium consisted of David Putsey, Brendan Hayes and Greg Dickinson, Nelson Mooney outpaced Nathan Harper and David Putsey in the RSA Four Cylinder Sedans final and the SSA Junior Sedans podium would consist of Jaiden Santin, Jeremy Wade and Alisha Payne.

Paris Charles

NAGAMBIE’S

4 STAR

OPENER

17LukeOldfield Image: Chris Metcalf.

OLDFIELD GOES BACK TO BACK LUKE OLDFIELD (above) again stamped his exclamation mark over 25 other competitors at the second round of the East Coast Logistics Sprintcar Track Championship at Brisbane’s Archerfield Speedway. Oldfield started with a stout 12.190 to secure KRE Quick Time followed by a dominant 25-lap final flag-to-flag win for back-to-back victories for the defending series champion.

Oldfield made the most of his front row start, quickly disposing of the challenge from Aaron Kelly to lead the field over every lap, to lead home Jy Corbet and Taylor Prosser – however the latter would be relegated to the rear for his role in an incident that put Kevin Titman out of the race, elevating Randy Morgan to third.

A late race charge from Brent Kratzmann advanced him to fourth over of Ryan Newton. Rounding out those to travel the distance were Brad Ayres, Adam Butler and Trent Vardy, with Karl Hoffmans and Harry Stewart, Tyler Stralow, Nathan Pronger, Dan Murray and the relegated Prosser.

Joining Titman on the infield would be Jack Bell, Kelly and Mitch Gowland.

The 10-lap qualifying heats were shared out as Corbet, Butler, Titman, Oldfield, Newton and Kelly who also chalked up the maximum points in the dash and Stewart the last chance B Main.

THE BLACK ATTACK! A stout field of 27 competitors took to the track for round four of the McCosker Contractors Super Sedan Series, Pole sitter Sean Black (above right) took out the marathon 40-lap final – however he would have to do it the hard way after Mitchell Gee controlled the tempo for the first 30-laps, making the most of the high line, while Black toiled away on the

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Images: CHRIS METCALF

SPEEDWAY NEWS with Paris Charles bottom to eventually reel in Gee with less than 10 laps remaining. Brad Pascoe would relegate Gee to the final step on the podium.

Michael Nicola, Tyson Moon and Steve Jordan completed the top half dozen. Justin Randall, Bob McCosker, Adam Beechey, Zac Brims, Mat Pascoe, Sam Hughes, Tania Smith, JJ Hamilton and Colin Kaine would all finish on the lead lap. Sadly, Harry Doyle, Darren Kane, Hayden Brims, David Much and Ty Pascoe failed to finish.

Kane, Black, B. Pascoe, Gee, Jordan and lone Victorian Michael Nicola collected the wins from the qualifying heats and Randall the B Main.

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SUPPORTS The Donnybrook Gel Blasters Queensland Compact Speedcar Championship went to Andrew Parkes, leading from go to whoa in the 25-lap final. Matt O’Neill and Richard Treanor filled the minor placings ahead of Trent Usher, Trevor Perry, Kyle Sharpe, national champion Justin Paull, Ben Fairfax, Jeremy Ennever, Brock Byrne, Andrew Coppock and Arren Heeley the dozen to travel the journey.

The Crete 4 U Formula 500 Series feature saw Boyd Chaffey outpace the field, leading every lap over Liam Williams and Brady Argles third. Queensland champ Kaydon Iverson placed fourth over Kinser Claridge, Tom Partington, Brock Thornton, Ronnie Barber, Mark Farmer, Wayne Jukes, Bailey Leeson, Amanda Chaffey, Nathan Reeks and Bryce McGregor while Dekota Gay was the only retiree.

In the Open Sedan final Andrew Craft topped the sheets ahead of Jamie Olsen and Gary Kivella while the B division was claimed by Tim Swart leading home Troy Price and Scott Aitkens.

Paris Charles

THE NOW Speedway Australia 4 Star rated Nagambie Speedway hosted a two day show for their season opener. On a freshly laid racetrack, everybody was on an even playing field as each competitors negotiated the newly improved surface. With seven categories taking to the track the crowd was treated to some fantastic grass roots racing.

Topping the bill was Victorian Mini-Lightning Sprints with interstate competitors venturing from New South Wales and Queensland to join their Victorian comrades. Queensland’s Harley Graham travelled the furthest to be there but would find the shortest way to the finish line taking the 12-lap final over Ally Moore and Danny Stone to have Victoria and New South Wales also represented on the podium. Fellow New South Welshman Danny Stone and Queenslander Luke Graham were next as a quartet of locals Scott Burchett, Jason Allie, Toby Perrett and Maureen Sell rounded out the field.

Graham, Stone and Moore each claimed an 8-lap heat win.

The weekend was well supported by a wide variety domestic of Sedan classes. The VSC Unlimited final went to Peter Cox over Wayne Eames and Danny Smith. A depleted field of VSC Sports Sedans would see Nathan O’Brien and Danny Cox go the distance while Matt Sgroi failed with mechanical dramas.

Braidan Webster continued his good form to claim the VSC 1200 Juniors over Bryce Leek and Ella Sheedy while Connor Claridge led the way in the VSC Open Juniors from Jordyn Tewksbury and Xander Baxter. Rounding out the divisions were the ever popular Crash and Bash sections for Open and Women. Nathan Taylor, Alan George and William George would best survive the carnage in the Open final while Lea Judd claimed the Women’s victory and sharing the podium was Kath George and Renah Pollard. Paris Charles

Mini-Lightning Sprints – Q27 Harley Graham and V7 Scott Burchett do battle. Below: No clowning around, for 187 Lea Judd, Crash and Bash Women’s victor.

Photos: PAULINE MOORE AND PARIS CHARLES

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SPEEDWAY

KINGSHOTT TOO HOT! THE PERTH Motorplex paid homage to the late great John Day with the running of the annual John Day Classic which combined round 4 of the Maddington Toyota Sprintcar Series and the 61st running of the West Australian Sprintcar Championship, with 26 competitors fronting for the chance to earn the coveted crown.

Going into the 35-lap final it would be James Inglis and South Aussie Matt Egel occupying the front row, at the drop of the green pandemonium would erupt when Callum Williamson and Brad Priolo collided. After frantic pit action Williamson would make the restart, however the following launch would see further mayhem as Mitchell Wormall, David Priolo and Trent Pigdon would halt the race.

At the third restart, Kye Scroop inverted his ride to bring on the red lights. Again, Inglass would lead the field followed by Egel who was quickly relegated to third as Dayne Kingshott advanced. The next redlight stoppage would come at one third race distance as Jaydee Dack rolled out of contention.

Inglis led the field away while Kingshott and Egel battled as the field settled into rhythm. With fourteen laps to go Kingshott would challenge the race leader however the yellows would blaze bringing the field back together for another restart which would remain status quo until Jason Kendrick brushed the wall and spun to a

Kye Blight on his way to Late Model victory. halt along with Kris Coyle while trying to avoid to stranded Kendrick entry.

At the restart the lead duo traded slide jobs, Kingshott getting the better before AJ Nash kissed the wall to bringing on the yellows. Kingshott led from the final restart express to Victory Lane, Taylor Milling blasted to second and Inglis relegated to the final podium step. Fourth was Egel followed home by Rusty Hickman, Coyle, Daniel Harding, Pigdon, Jason Pryde, Andrew Priolo, Williamson, Matthew Cross, Kendrick, Steven Lines, Darren Mewett, Myles Bolger and George Eaton to round the finishers. Ryan Lancaster, Nash, Dack, Wormall, Scroop, D. Priolo, Maiolo, Todd Davis and Nathan Swan would all retire to the infield.

Heat wins went to Inglis, Egel, Scroop, Kingshott, Lines and Wormall. B. Maiolo claiming the B Main.

BLIGHT TAKES FLIGHT! A field of twenty thundering Late Models took to the track for the fifth round of the Pro Dirt Series, however it would be

Dayne Kingshott claimed the WA Sprintcar Championship. Images: RICHARD HATHAWAY Kye Blight to dominate the 30-lap final posting a flag to flag win. The first two thirds of the journey would run express until Warren Minshull spun out of the race. Sadly, successive stoppages would mar the closing stages, however Blight would lead to the chequered flag followed

by Ken MacPherson who endured second over the duration and Jason Oldfield rounding the top three. Brent Vosbergen, Veronica McCann, Warren Oldfield, Jay Cardy, Matt Goodlad, Brad Blake, Kodee Brown, David Nylander, Rod Musarra finished on the lead lap with Damian Hudson, Nathan Richards and Chris Barrow further behind. Joining Minshull

on the infield was Joe Chalmers, Michael Holmes and Matt Nylander while Luke Halliday failed to start.

Blight would claim two of the three qualifiers and Chalmers and Holmes singles.

SUPPORTS Kaiden Manders got the job done in the Pool Shop Group Speedcars feature, Tom Payet and American racer Logan Seavey rounding the podium. Cameron McKenzie would find himself in an Iwanow Sandwich with Blake Iwanow claiming victory by a mere .073 of a second and Matt Iwanow third in the Wingless Sprints final.

MOULE MAKES MOST OF MAYHEM HORSHAM’S BLUE Ribbon Raceway fired up under bright sunny skies for the opening night of the season, heading the marque was round 1 of the Mainline DynoLog Dynamometers All Star Series and with 22 competitors keen to get their season off to the best start possible. The time trials proved challenging under the afternoon sun as no less than 5 competitors brushing the wall.

The unluckiest of competitors was Daniel Scott who would hit the turn three wall, ending his night with excessive damage and Terry Kelly would fail to post a time, also kissing the wall on his first revolution.

Charles Hunter and Chris Temby would share the front row for the 30-lap final, but it would be Hunter leading the way, the top five all running in close formation as they exchanged positions behind the race leader until running into the stranded Marcus Green entry in turn two on the 24th revolution, also

getting caught up in the mallee was second placed Mark Caruso, ending the run of the trio.

With six laps remaining second generation racer Todd Moule would inherit the lead and power home for maximum points, tailing him to the podium was Temby and Michael Tancredi. Fourth was Chris Campbell followed by Kane Newcombe, Steven Loader, Travis Millar, Jason Bolitho, David Donegan and Jeremy Kupsch.

One lap in the rears were Boyd Harris and Jordan Abbott rounding out the dozen. Joining Hunter, Caruso and Green on the non-finishers page included Angus Hollis, Jett Bell, Jarreth Argus and Scott Enderl.

Kupsch, Hunter and Temby would share the three 10-lap qualifying heats while Moule also claiming the Heath Hunter Hire Quick Time Award.

BEARE BREAKS OUT Also on the billing was the second round of the South Australian MJS Tree and Stump

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Street Stock Series. A field of 28 competitors battled it out but as always, the cream would rise to the top as the reigning Australian Street Stock Champion Anthony Beare found the fastest way home leading from flag to flag in the 30-lap final, a race divided into two halves, running 15 revolutions in each direction.

Bryan Brown would come from tenth to second and rounding the podium was round one winner Morris Ahearn. Steven Gartner, Jayden Blomeley, Drew Flatman, Keith Moore and Peter Kinnear on the lead lap. Hayden Glare, Grant Harris, Thomas Garner, Denis Knowles, Corey Richter, Wayne Davey and Ellen Vagg rounding those to go the distance while Jack Jordan, Josh Davey, Dean Jenkins, Aaron Tyler and Aston Hurley would finish prematurely.

Claiming the heats were Gartner, Tyler, Ahearn, Flatman and Beare remaining undefeated having won both of his qualifiers. Harris the B Main winner.

Images: Paris Charles

Young gun Todd Moule takes victory in All Stars round 1.

Australian Champion Anthony Beare and Steven Gartner battle for the lead.

SUPPORTS Steve Honeyman proved the best of the Production Sedans with a flag to flag victory in the 9-lap final. Shaun Queale and Steven Aldrigde rounding the podium

with John Baker, Ryan Queale, Dean Hughes, Katelyn Eltze and Belinda Taylor for the field. Sadly, the V8 Trucks and VSC Unlimited Sedan classes were cancelled due to time curfew.

PARRAMATTA CITY RACEWAY BULLDOZED INTO HISTORY!

By Dennis Newlyn IT STARTED with a phone call from a state government representative to Sydney’s Parramatta City Raceway office on October 21, 2019 and almost to the corresponding day three years later, there is not much left standing at the once iconic Australian speedway venue.

The demolition wrecking ball has had the final say!

This sad photo below tells the story as PCR, opened on February 18, 1977, was shut down 43 years later after the final meeting on March 7, 2020 was held.

The phone caller advised the then current speedway promotional lease holders, Barry and Felicity Waldron (Sydney Speedway Pty Ltd), that their days were numbered and the ground would be re-claimed by NSW Government on June 30, 2021.

The Granville-Clyde Showground stood in the path of the NSW Government’s planned 20-plus billion dollar Sydney Metro West rail link project that involves a rail line from Parramatta to the central city. The state government land, occupied by PCR, was required to become a stabling yard and operation centre for its trains. The centre is marked for the Clyde and Rosehill Industrial Estate bounded by James Ruse Drive, the M4 Motorway, Unwin and Shirley Streets.

The adjacent Wentworth Street bordering the venue is difficult to access these days due to the raceway demolition operation.

To view the ground from the close-by M4 freeway reveals the ultimate picture of doom and gloom.

It presents a remnant of Sydney speedway history.

The track’s administrative office is gone, also the adjacent large maintenance shed/workshop has

been levelled, all the corporate suites, track announcing location, have been demolished, likewise the main straight grandstand and its seating, officials box, in a demolition path of destruction that brings a tear to the eye.

The bar atop turns one and two hills is gone and at time of viewing, the general public viewing hill, erected when track building work commenced in 1976, had almost disappeared off the radar!

The race track pit entry overhead walk bridge is gone, all pit area buildings gone, not to mention the land occupying heliport – also gone!

In addition to main public entrance area souvenir and catering shops, the entire landscape has changed.

On the day I visited the site, the track lights were still there and also, at the time these photos were taken, the lone pine tree – a signature of PCR from beginning – presented

a forlorn site in the public area as it still stood tall – almost in defiance of what was happening to its surrounds.

Out on the infield, the big TV screen was there, to this day still untouched by human hands – but that also is only a matter of time before it disappears.

As one long time fan on the Sydney speedway scene remarked after seeing what’s left of the track: “I’ve seen Parramatta’s Cumberland Oval go, also Westmead Speedway, Windsor Speedway, Sydney Sportsground, Liverpool Speedway and the Sydney Showground and now my beloved PCR.” But the list is much more than those tracks and before PCR was demolished, the unlucky 13 ringed true as the number of Sydney speedways that were obliterated before PCR became number 14 on the hit list.

The line-up of long lost Sydney tracks is a sombre reminder that

nothing is sacred – especially when it comes to speedway in Sydney: Pratten Park (1931), Wentworth Park Speedway (1936), Shepherd’s Bush (1937), Penrith Speedway (1941), Henson Park (1945), Maroubra Speedway (1947), Sydney Sports Ground (1955), Bankstown Speedway (1958), Cumberland Oval Speedway (1959), Westmead Speedway (1968), Windsor Speedway (1968), Liverpool Speedway (1989), Sydney Showground Speedway (1996).

While not widely known, speedway bike racing on the outer trotting track was held at the Granville Clyde Showground in the ‘thirties, so this is one of Sydney’s most historic speedway sites.

The new Eastern Creek Speedway, opened on March 12, 2022, remains the only track in Sydney speedway history built (by the NSW Government) as a replacement for a previously demolished venue (in this case Parramatta City Raceway).

Soon after Parramatta City Raceway opened it was described as a venue “that would take us well into the future” – and that it did as one of the longest surviving tracks on the Sydney speedway scene.

After overcoming several attempts to close PCR during its time and while always deemed crown land by the NSW Lands Department, it clearly meant one day the end of speedway at the Granville-Clyde Showground was inevitable, but nobody expected its long and illustrious history to end so abruptly in such an undignified manner.

It unfolded under very similar circumstances to that which brought down the curtain on the 70 year history of the hallowed Sydney Showground but at least that world famous ground was afforded a Final Salute – which was more than PCR got.

PCR promoters were devastated and ended their reign at the track (then known as Valvoline Raceway) while their lease was still valid after what proved to be the final race meeting in early March 2020. When patrons left the ground that night, it was all over – even though nobody was aware of it at the time.

The 2020-21 season never happened at PCR and it was the first time in post World War II history a summer Sydney speedway season was not held.

A very unwanted but extremely sad statistic now forever associated with the world famous Parramatta City Raceway. Sydney went without speedway racing for two years before the new Eastern Creek venue opened.

At least Eastern Creek Speedway looks safe to take speedway in Sydney well into the future as it’s part of the Eastern Creek Motor Sport precinct built by the NSW Government in the latest ‘eighties.

How Parramatta City Raceway looked in late November as demolition of the iconic 43 year operating Sydney speedway venue continued. Image: KEITH NICHOLLS. Above: Parramatta City Raceway back in the glory days, early 2000s. Image: TONY LOXLEY.

NATIONALS WRAP

HISTORICS CLOSE OUT THE SEASON WRAPPED UP AT SYDNEY MOTORSPORT PARK ON DECEMBER 3-4 WITH THE HISTORIC SPORTS AND RACING CAR ASSOCIATION’S SUMMER FESTIVAL. THERE WERE WELL OVER 200 ENTRIES AND SOME FAMOUS TROPHIES TO BE WON. win the first by 0.04s, and the second from Cutts by 0.12s. Paynter had a slight edge in the third before Cutts won the last where he eclipsed Pearce and Paynter.

In their wake HQ regular Jason Molle (Rennmax) scored three fourth places, he edged Peter Iredale (Avanti) in Race 1, and Steve Normoyle (Spectre) in the next two outings. Molle was in his customary position in the last, until he was out a couple of laps from the end with escalating engine temperature. David Clark (Avanti) picked up spot ahead of Daniel Bando (Elfin) and Normoyle.

GROUP S PRODUCTION SPORTS TWO SPRINT wins plus a 40min enduro victory went to Wayne Seabrook in his Porsche 911 Carrera. But it did not start that way. After he led the first race, he hit a ripple strip too hard and upset the electrics which forced him out.

Terry Lawlor (Shelby GT350) took over the lead and won. That was after a gearbox change between qualifying and the race.

Dough Barbour (911) was second ahead of the Meyer brothers, Simon and Damien, in their MG Midgets, and Brett Smith (Datsun 280Z). Seabrook came back to win race two ahead of Barbour, Simon Meyer, Smith, Damien Meyer and David Cunneen (911).

Lawlor was a retirement with a fuel issue.

Race 3 was the 22-lap enduro with a

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compulsory 40s stop, stationary in the pits.

Seabrook led until he stopped, and then regained the lead when Smith made his pit visit. Simon and Damien Meyer filled the minors in front Cunneen, Barbour, Adam Workman (240Z) and Smith. Seabrook had another big win in the last where Barbour edged out Simon Meyer, Smith and Damien Meyer for second.

FORMULA VEES

THREE DRIVERS were dominant at the front over four races where Tony Paynter (Stag) came out on top over Matt Pearce (Rennmax) and David Cutts (Spectre).

Paynter won the first three encounters but typical of the nature of the category, had to work for them. He overcame Pearce to

LM & O SPORTS & RACING

WINS IN all four races which included the Dawson-Damer Trophy race, went to Laurie Bennett (Elfin 600). He had a narrow victory over David Kent (Brabham BT21C) in the Image: MER

NATIONALS WRAP with Garry O’Brien first encounter. Wayne Wilson (BT35) was second early but slipped to sixth behind Colin Haste (Brabham), and the Elfins piloted by Kevin Miller and Mark Goldsmith.

In race two Kent was a distant second with Wilson up to third from Haste and Noel Bryen (Rennmax) while Goldsmith slipped from fourth to 12th. Kent was

Main: Tom Tweedie leads Paul Zazryn and Dan Nolan in the Nola Chev – the F5000s mixed in with Q&R Sports & Racing.

Far left: Wayne Seabrook (27) was victorious in Group S Prod Sports.

Bottom: Tony Paynter (5) battles it out with David Cutts in the Vees.

Below: Laurie Bennett dominated LM&O Sports & Racing in his Elfin 600.

Right: Jason Maros ran the ex-Clem Smith Charger in Sports Sedans, winning the fourth contest.

Images: RICCARDO BENVENUTI

with O’Brien off the start, as too Tilley with continued electrical problems.

Thomas came through the field to win Race 3 – but he was dealt a 30s penalty for overlapping on a restart. That gave the win to O’Brien from King, Mewett and Toepfer.

In the last, Thomas kept his win where he beat O’Brien, Michael Rose (Mustang), Chris Dubois (Lotus Cortina).

FORMULA FORDS

AFTER THREE wins and in front in the fourth, Cameron Walters (Van Diemen RF86) appeared assured of taking out the John Leffler Shield. Then the throttle broke. The battle for second in Race 1 was tight with Garry Watson (Mawer) able to edge out Andrew Taite (RF89) and Bruce Connelly (Elwyn).

Taite was able to beat his rivals for second in Race 2 as Connolly headed Watson.

The latter was left to fourth on his own in Race 3 as Connolly place ahead of Taite for second. In the last which became the overall decider, Connolly beat Taite and Watson to the line and that is how they placed overall. Their nearest competitors were Nigel Hook (RF89), James Hagan (RF86) and Irishman James Hagan (RF86).

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FORMULA 5000/Q&R SPORTS & RACING

closer to the winner in the third and clear of Haste, Wayne Groeger (BT23B) and Bryen. Wilson finished third behind Kent in the last before a 5s penalty relegated him to fifth behind Bryen and Groeger.

GROUP N & INVITED

THERE WERE three race winners over the four outings. Chris Thomas won two of them in his Holden Torana XU-1 but had issues in the other two where Peter O’Brien (Ford Falcon XY GT) and Gavin King (restored ex-Bob Jane Ford Mustang) had victories.

Thomas won the first ahead of Ian Mewett (Mustang), King, O’Brien and Greg Toepfer (Mustang) ahead of Nb rival Graham Russell (Morris Cooper S). Early retirements included Andrew Bergan (Cooper S), Brad Tilley (Mustang) and Craig Allan (Falcon Rallye Sprint) with a puncture.

Several of the top runner received 5s penalties in Race 2. One exception was Thomas, but he was locked in second gear and finished last. King won ahead of O’Brien, Russell, Allan and Toepfer.

Mewett was a non-finisher after contact

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TOM TWEEDIE won all the races in the Chevron B24/28 F5000 and took the Kevin Bartlett Trophy. He was denied really stiff competition after Josh Buchan (Matich A53) qualified second but had technical issues and didn’t race.

Chris Farrell (Ralt RT2) was a distant second in Race 1 ahead of Paul Zazryn (Lola T332) with their positions reversed in the second while Dan Nolan (Nola Chev) was fourth in both. In Race 3 Zazryn was again second ahead of Nolan, Farrell and Malcolm Oastler (Ralt RT1).

The last was somewhat closer due to a Safety Car period before the same result as the previous encounter. Best of the small bore sports cars was Andrew Carrig (Mallock) ahead of Bruce Taylor (Tiga) as David James (Lola T590) and David Benda (Tiga) shared thirds.

SPORTS SEDANS SUPERSPRINT

THERE WAS a host of old logged Group U cars along with others for four sprints.

Steve Lacey was the quickest in the first in his Invited Holden Commodore, faster than Carey McMahon (ex-Graeme Whincup Chev Monza) and Jason Maros (ex-Clem Smith Valiant Charger). McMahon knocked over 2s off the previous best in session two which would stand as the fastest over the two days. Garry O’Brien

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Image: MTR IMAGES

WINNERS FIGHT TO PREVAIL LAKESIDE PARK staged its final Grass Roots Racing Series meeting on November 26-27 where the Supermini Challenge brought out the most competitors. While it appeared that someone in each was dominate, it didn’t quite work out that way.

SUPERMINIS

OUTRIGHT HONOURS at the sixth round went to James Campbell (Mini R56 – above). He started off with three race victories and finished the meeting with a pair of seconds behind Gregg Chesterfield (Cooper S).

The latter had second in Race 1 until passed by Trent Spencer (Cooper S) on the final laps. Allan Murray (R56) maintained fourth throughout while Anthony Elliott (R56) was next after he passed Andrew Mills (Cooper S).

Chesterfield had the early Race 2 lead before he was relegated to second for the duration, and placed ahead of Elliott, Brayden Larkin and Mills.

Behind second placed Chesterfield in the third, came Murray. He passed Elliott on lap three while Tom Campbell and Blake Mills were fifth and sixth as the race suffered with DNFs which included Andrew Mills and Larkin.

Chesterfield raced ahead in the fourth outing and held off Campbell by 0.2s.

Third was close too as Murray edged out Elliott. Campbell had the front running in the last, in the wet, before Chesterfield passed him with three laps to go. Elliott was third until just after half distance where Murray forged ahead, and followed later by Josh Mills.

PRODUCTION SPORTS

OVER FOUR races Shane Plohl was unsurpassed in his Eunos Roadster, albeit it was close on a couple of occasions. With the fifth race scraped due to rain, Chris Battista and Tyrone Gautier shared the honours for second in their Mazda MX5s.

Battista initially grabbed second in the first encounter before Gautier passed him to finish ahead. He followed through for another runner up spot in Race 2 before Battista showed the way in the last two. Simon McLean (MX5) finished the weekend with three fourth places.

He placed ahead of the Henri Van Roden (twice) and Richard Barram MX5s before Van Roden edged him out in the fourth.

strode away for a solid victory as Peter Clarke (Falcon AU) filled third. Exner led throughout Race 2 ahead of Young as Clarke had to work his way past Daniel Ford (Falcon BA) for third.

Young commanded the third until two laps from home when Exner relegated him, and Clarke again had to overcome Ford. Exner led the next throughout with Young second, then Clarke as Ford fell from third early to fifth behind Craig Kasper (Commodore VU). Young led the last until the penultimate lap when Exner displaced him. However on the last lap, the latter had a bad lap and dropped to second. Clarke was third until he wavered, and Ford took advantage.

HOT HATCH CUP

A CLEAN SWEEP went to Trent Laves in his Hyundai Getz, including two reverse grid races, the last of which became saturated by the end. In the first three races he showed the way to fellow Getz driver Jamie Dixon with Kester Ward (Ford Fiesta) next in front of Paul Jansen (Mazda 2) and then Barry Mather (Mazda 2) twice.

Race 4 began as a surprise reverse grid where Laves came through to lead. He had to redress due to crossing double white lines, before he regathered to win ahead of Ward, Mather, Jensen and Dixon. In the last, Ward was second and Dixon third.

OUTLAWS & BMWs

WHILE IT did not go all his way, Tony Saint and his Outlaw Mazda RX7 V8 was a dominant feature. He won Race 1 ahead of Scott Kelly (BMW 318is) and Sean Evans (BMW E36). In the second Saint came in clear of Kelly and Rob Robson (Outlaw Alfa Romeo GTV6) third after Evans was penalised 30s.

The Mazda had a power steering fluid leak which forced Saint to repair and miss Race 3. That went to Kelly, where it was close for second with Robson headed Gary Anger (E36) and Evans. Saint came from the rear of Race 4 to round up the field which include scary on-the-grass pass on Robson who held off Kelly. It was raining by the fifth and with no traction Saint and Robson pulled out and left Kelly the victor from Evans and Anger.

Garry O’Brien Shane Plohl heads the Prod Sports field.

PRODUCTION UTES

FOR MOST of the meeting, V8 power was the difference with Brendan Exner (Ford Falcon FG XR8) victorious in four races. He trailed John Young (Holden Commodore VE V6) initially before he

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NATIONALS WRAP

WINTON DOMINATION FROM NSW DUO GENERALLY PAIRED in a couple of cars, NSW teammates Brett Osborn and John Baxter (above) joined forces for the Ken Leigh HQ Holden 4 Hour on December 3-4 and ruled the Winton Raceway weekend from the start.

They won the 128 lap enduro which was staged in two parts of two hours each, by 25.8s over the combination of Darren Jenkins and Darryl Crouch. Two laps behind were brothers Ryan and Brendan Woods ahead of Andrew Magilton and Rod Raatjes who had fuel surge in the last 20mins, the two teams separated by 2s.

The Osborn/Baxter domination started with them fastest is the qualifying sessions.

Osborn was quickest in the Driver A outing, ahead of Magilton, Ryan Wood, Andrew McLeod and Jenkins. Baxter topped Driver B over Raatjes, Ken Wright, Gavin Ross and Brendan Woods. Then Osborn won the Top 10 Shootout from Aaron Ivers (teamed with Phil Aitken) and Ryan Woods.

In hot conditions Osborn/Baxter led the first five laps before the Woods took over for a similar number. Then after another stint at the front, Osborn and Baxter competed their first stop which put Chris Buckley and Wayne Healey in the lead.

The three outfits continued to exchange the lead until the halfway point where it was Osborn/Baxter in front ahead of McLeod/ Raatjes, Jenkins/Crouch, the Woods, Neil Corey/Peter Holmes, and Magilton who shared with Ken Wright. With a broken gear shift and third gear for the last 40min, Buckley/Healey dropped to 13th.

The heat remained for the second part which Osborn/Baxter led throughout even with their pitstops, after they streaked away in the first couple of laps,. The Woods were set for second until a drive-through penalty for pitlane speeding dropped them to third.

Fifth place went to Corey/Holmes on 126 laps with Perry Bekkers/Ray Jardine 4.8s

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The Jenkins-Crouch HQ (48) beat the Woods-Woods machine (27) into second place. Images: NEIL HAMMOND early, eighth at the midpoint, but suffered fuel pump and electrical issues on Sunday.

EAST COAST MINI CHALLENGE

behind. Two laps behind Cameron Stuart and Wayne Potts were seventh with Matt Linscott and Ian McLean next.

A broken rocker and shock absorber

further foiled Buckley/Healey who finished 13th, one place ahead of Magilton/Wright who had gearbox issues. Ross and his teammate Steve Banks were prominent

FIVE RACES were held on the shorter original circuit where Craig Lindsell (left) was the victor four times and included the Doug Byrne Memorial feature. He took the top spot for the weekend ahead of Neil Turner who led a fair chunk of race two and was second on four occasions, before he took an all-the-way victory over Lindsell in the last.

Steve Turner was third in the opener but was out for the remainder due to mechanical issues. That paved the way for fourth place Gavin Gold to pick up a quartet of thirds. In each he finished ahead of Adrian Read after Gold missed a result in race one. Matthew Gold was next as he tied with Read on the final round points. Garry O’Brien

TASSIE TITLES GO TO THE WIRE FOUR TASMANIAN Circuit Racing Champions had already been unofficially crowned as the sixth and final round of the state series headed to Symmons Plains on November 19-20. However, three titles remained undecided, with two of them on a knife edge.

Series leaders in Formula Vee (Jeremy Dyer, Elfin Crusader), Sports GTB (David Walker, Datsun 1200 Ute), Sports GTC (Mick Williams, Datsun 240Z), Historic Touring Cars (Scott Cordwell, Holden Torana XU-1) and Sports Sedans (Brad Sherriff, Nissan Skyline) already held unbeatable points leads before the season finale, with most interest in those classes on who would finish second or third.

However, the HQ Holden, Improved Production, Sports GTA and Hyundai Excel titles were still very much up for grabs, and not surprisingly, provided the best racing of the weekend.

Webster, Logan, and Campbell head a tight Excel contest. Images: DMAC

HYUNDAI EXCELS

JOSH WEBSTER led the series by two points at the start of the weekend, from Jeremy Bennett, with defending champion Charlie Parker still in contention in third.

Campbell Logan, who didn’t run in every round, top qualified and made life difficult for those in title contention.

After four thrilling races with multiple lead changes, place swaps and wins and places shared among the top five drivers, it all came down to the final double points race of the season.

Parker had won three races, but Webster and Bennett had been well-placed in all heats to make it impossible for Parker to win the title. However, it was a different story for Bennett and Webster, and it almost came down to the last lap.

It didn’t start well for Bennett, who got involved in a tangle in Turn 1 on the opening lap, and he dropped to 10th.

Logan led the field with Webster in tow, while Bennett set out on what was to prove the drive of the weekend. He fought his way back up to third place on lap four and closed on Webster.

Webster needed to get in front of Logan to deny Bennett the championship, but Logan was intent on a finish to his own season with a win, which indirectly ensured Bennett was a deserving championship winner in his first Tasmanian title.

David Paine came up with the consistent run required to sew up the Sports GTA title. able to run third for the remainder and gain enough points to maintain his lead, despite not winning a race. Beau Johnson won the round, but brother Troy lowered his colours in the double points final.

IMPROVED PRODUCTION

HQ HOLDENS

IN THE box seat to wrap up the title, Andrew Toth and needed to finish in front of Otis Cordwell in four of the five races to claim the championship. The weekend went according to plan on the Saturday, with Toth on top of qualifying and the winner of the first two races, with Cordwell second in both.

The trend continued in Heat 3 on Sunday morning, but by that stage, Toth only needed to finish second or better to wrap up the title. However, Cordwell wasn’t going down without a fight, with a top battle that saw the lead change several times before Toth regained the lead to win the race and claim the championship.

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Andrew Bennett took out the Ian Beechey Memorial Handicap Race for HQs. With the double points final a dead rubber, Cordwell gained some consolation as he led Toth to the chequered flag.

The final race of the year was the nonchampionship Ian Beechey Memorial Handicap Race, named after one the founders of HQ racing back in the 1980s.

Toth was at the back, 27s behind front marker Andrew Bennett.

Sponsored by Beechey’s Service Centre and Towing, Bennett was able to hang on from a fast-finishing Neville Rattray, with Toth up to third.

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SPORTS GTA

CHAMPIONSHIP LEADER David Paine’s (Holden Commodore) main aim, to ensure the title, was to finish every race, but more importantly to do so in front of brothers Troy and Beau Johnson, both in Porsche GT-3s. At the start of the weekend, Paine was 26 and 38 points in front of Troy and Beau Johnson respectively, with 25 points on offer for each race win.

Paine couldn’t match the pace of the Porsches apart from qualifying and race one, but in a consistent effort, he was

IN IMPROVED production sedan racing, reigning champion Jared House had missed the previous round, but turned up in a borrowed BMW E30 in a bid to defend his title. David Waldon (Rover SD1) had edged his way into the series lead but proved no match for House.

Although not in title contention, Adam Williams (Holden Torana A9-X) dominated the weekend, top qualifying and winning every race. House was second in every race, which was enough to regain the series lead and the title, with Waldon consistently fourth or fifth in all races.

In other categories where championships had already been decided, Danny Slater (Holden Torana XU-1) won the Sports Sedan round, newly crowned Formula Vee champion Jeremy Dyer (Elfin Crusader) finished his season on a high, and Dennis Howard (Nissan 350Z), dominated Sports GTB. Martin Agatyn

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NATIONALS WRAP

GARNETT TOPS BATHURST SPRINTS OVER 130 competitors took on the Challenge Bathurst Sprint sessions on November 24-25 at Mt Panorama where the fastest time of the two-day event went to Garnett Patterson in the JAM Motorsport Radical SR10 (right).

The numbers in the Group GT were down due to the proximity of the Adelaide 500 where the GT Championship was a late inclusion. However, the ensuing two days of Regularity was oversubscribed.

Patterson shared the driving of the turbocharged Duratec-powered Sports Car with Seb Lib and set his 2mins 04.135s best lap in the third of four sessions available. Second fastest was Garth Walden in Michael Sheargold’s Mercedes Benz AMG GT3, 0.23s slower.

David Wall was next in Paul Tresidder’s Porsche GT3 R, the car that won the 2019 Bathurst 12 Hour, another 0.67s away.

Waldon also drove the Brett Hobson’s Nissan Nismo GTR GT3 on Friday

TIME FOR LADIES AND JUNIORS

morning after Hobson posted the fastest times in both Thursday sessions. Hobson only drove on day one and headed to test Bentleys at Phillip Island.

Fifth fastest was Nick Kelly (Radical SR8) ahead of Geoff Taunton (MARC II V8) and Daniel Gaunt who shared an Audi R8 LMS EVO II with fellow New Zealander Andrew Fawcett. Just over the 2mins 6s was young Cameron McLeod who had laps in the Keith Kassulke’s MARC 11 as did Hadrian Morrall.

The next best times came from Darren Currie (MARC V8 Mazda), Jacque Jarjo (Porsche 992 Cup Car), and Brad Sherriff/ Liam Hooper (Nissan Skyline).

The event also included Sports Sedans, Improved Production, Time Attack cars, Trans Am and a sprinkling of former V8 Supercars among others, with many interstaters making the trek.

It ended early for Neil Brookes (Holden HSV) and John Cashan (Lotus) with

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incidents in their first outings.

So too later for Paolo Buccini after he set his fastest lap and backed the Mark Griffith Ginetta G55 GT4 into a wall with

mainly body damage. His was another of several red flags brought about by off road excursions.

Garry O’Brien

CHERRY ON TOP AT TARGA BUNBURY SPRINT

Image: MSBC AT BUGGY PARK Beachport on November 12, the Off Road Ladies and Juniors had their shot behind the wheel with Chelsea Haby and Matthew Gallasch (above) as the winning drivers.

Put on by the Millicent Sand Buggy Club, the event of around 100kms was staged with heats over several laps of the 5km course and that allowed teams to double enter with different drivers. In all instances the usual pilots, partners, relatives etc were strapped in the navigators’ seat to give directions.

In the soggy conditions, Junior Billy Coombe in a Class 2 buggy won the first heat over 10 laps by 1min 47s over Ladies Sophie Tamblyn (Class 10 Buggy/Mitsubishi). Third was Juniors Brydon Klingber from Marry Jolly, also racing a Class 1 buggy, and Lyndelle Davey in the lone Class 5 entry.

In Heat 2, also over 10 laps, Gallasch (Unlimited Cross/Chev V8) was the winner by 5.7s over Haby (Unlimited Element Prodigy/ Toyota twin turbo) with Class 4 pilot Kate Nicol next in front of Ladies Al Dilllemiss in another Class 1 machine.

The third heat ran over six laps. Haby took it out by 7.2s from Gallasch. Over 3mins away was Nicol ahead of Middlemiss, Coombe, Tamblyn and Jolly while Klingberg and Davey had dramas. Overall Haby was first ahead of Gallasch and Nicol who was second in Ladies ahead of Middlemiss. Second among the Juniors was Coombe with Klingberg third.

Garry O’Brien

Image: CHALLENGE BATHURST

Image: TARGA WEST EVENTS WITH THE lowest accumulated time, Matt Cherry and Cade Bell (above) won the GT Fabrications Targa Bunbury Sprint in their Toyota Starlet on November 13.

Thousands of spectators witnessed 107 competitors tackle the 4km course in the Halifax Light Industrial Area of the southwest West Australian coastal city eight times, four

in each direction.

In their Open Rallysprint 2WD class 1.8 litre turbo Toyota Starlet, Cherry and Bell did a best lap of 2mins 30.77s on the way to a total time of 20mins 35.07s. The time was 4.32s better than second placed Cody Harris and Morgan Ward in their Open Rallysprint 4WD class Mitsubishi EVO 8.

Third for the day were Matt James-Wallace and Ben Tuck (Nissan Skyline GTR R32) some 16.17s away, and just over 7s ahead of Max Whiting and Savanna (Subaru Impreza WRX).

For pre-event favourite Troy Wilson who had four of the five previous Targa Bunbury Sprint victories, his Gav Russell’s day was

over early with only one run completed. The EVO X had a dump pipe break off the turbo which subsequently melted the brake fluid bottle and some wiring. The last time he didn’t win was in 2019 when his car snapped the diff on the start line.

Fifth outright and the winner of the Targa Cup 4WD over 3.5lt class were Will White and Matt Thompson (Nissan GTR Nismo) while Daniel Gonzalez and Daymon Nicoli (Porsche 911 GT3) were sixth and the Targa Cup 2WD winners.

Completing the top ten were Simon Grant and Stewart Ambrose (EVO 5 RS), Bill and Glenys Stagoll (EVO 9), Heuson Bak and Roger Tan (Lotus Exige S 350), and Paul and Katie Oxley (Subaru Impreza WRX STi).

Garry O’Brien

BRAND CROWNED AT ARARAT ONLY HALF a second separated the top three at the annual King of the Hill on November 19-20 with Damien Brand (pictured) the winner of the annual hillclimb over Brenton Byfield and Glenn Latter.

The all-Tin Top Ararat Car Club event at One Tree Hill over a distance of 1.6kms, drew 75 competitors to rural Victoria. There was the added rivalry between Victoria and South Australia as they vied for the Peter Hall Memorial State of Origin which went the way of the home state by four points.

The weather gave the organisers some headaches on Saturday with just two runs completed before the competition was stopped due to safety concerns. Five runs were completed on Sunday before the rains came again.

In the Modified 4WD Open class, Brand set his fastest time of 54.39s in his Subaru Impreza WRX on the second attempt of day two, and before fellow South Aussie Byfield (Subaru WRX Sports Wagon) in the same class, was able to post a time just 0.16s behind.

Quickest of the locals, Latter (Mazda RX7) was the winner of the Modified 2WD over 4.0 litre class and 0.32s away from second outright.

Fourth overall and the winner was Improved 4WD Open was Patrick Hitchcock (WRX) while fifth was Steve Grinstead (Modified 2WD Holden Commodore VL SS).

Next was Derrick White (Improved 4WD WRX) from Nathan Cann (Improved 2WD Porsche 944 Turbo), Geoff Vardon (Modified 2WD under 2.5lt Datsun 1200 Coupe), Mark Dixon (Improved 4WD WRX) and in tenth place, Ken Rowland (Improved 4WD WRX).

Garry O’Brien

CRAVEN WILD 4 HOUR

Image: LYN COTTER THE EIGHTH and final round of the Deputy 4 Hour at the Pheasant Wood Circuit on November 20 was won by the Craven Wild team – Gary Hick, Jamie Hodgson and Graeme Muir (above) sharing the driving of a Subaru Impreza.

The trio covered 191 laps of the 1.6km circuit at Marulan and placed 9.4s ahead of the Lexarse crew of Alex Holzl, Dieter Holzl and Rainer Sutton in a Lexus is200 with two laps back to Marulan Carpentry’s Eunos 30X which was driven by Sam McCallum, Sam Howarth and Jayden Zealey.

The series is open to any four seat car produced between 1986-2009 with an engine capacity of 2.0 litres or less, for two or more drivers.

The first lap was led by Lexarse before the GT-40 Mitsubishi Lancer with Bartek Kacperski, Christopfer Kacperski, Peter Gatt, Cameron Lane and Jason Muir took over the front running for eighth laps. Between the two teams and Red Rocket Racing’s John Jeffery, Bill Avery, Jeff Davy and Malcolm Noad (Peugeot 206) briefly, they headed the lap count.

Then from lap 85 onwards it was Lexarse in front to the finish. However, they were subsequently penalised five laps (short on one driver change and an overdrive stint) which dropped them to second. Silly Car Racing’s team of Matthew Pryor, Malcolm Sidney and Jordan Pascoe crossed the finish line second in their Toyota Celica but were penalised 12 laps which dropped them to 13th of the 23 entrants. They had three short driver changes.

On November 19, Excel X3 Series had four races where Shannon Williams won three before Dean Alessi beat him in the last to finish second overall. Third place with two seconds and two thirds was Calvin Gardiner.

Garry O’Brien

SECOND DOSE OF EXCELLENCE FOR THE second time in 2022, the Geelong Revival Motoring Festival took place. The 2021 event was deferred to March of this year because of Covid and the second dose on November 25-27 proved to be as popular as ever.

The focal point of the festival are the quarter mile sprints which have been conducted in the same location since 1956. Around 150 cars, plus motorbikes, compete for the coveted Geelong Revival Motoring Festival trophy in a range of classes.

Saturday’s quarter-mile sprint honours belonged to Sally-Ann Hains in a Porsche 997.2 twin turbo with best effort of 10.49s. Second was Nick De Jong who

clocked 10.77s on the last of four runs in a Ford Territory.

Third was Chris Thompson in an Audi RS6 ahead of Peter Chapman (Jeep Trackhawk), Mark Tipping (Tesla Model S), Thompson (Holden HSV Director), Scott Graeme (Nissan Skyline R32 GTR), Ron Libbis (Skyline), Cameron Tristan (BMW M2 Competition) and Ray Tweedly (Mercedes AMG GTR).

On Sunday Nick McBride was the quickest with a 10.825s run in a Porsche Taycan Turbo R, ahead of Tipping’s Tesla, James Johnson (Ford Roush Mustang), Noel Inman (Ford Model T) and Chris Dalton (Mustang).

Tom Kenoworth (Mercedes AMG E63)

was sixth fastest ahead of Tweedly, Bryan Timms (Ralt RT4), Greg Bowden (Ford Cortina) and Paul Johns (Chev Corvette). Then followed Zac Soutar in his Honda Civic Type R TCR. Historic racer Ron Goodman ran in his Porsche 906 to 12th and his 356 to 35th.

The event also showcased classic, modern, performance, European and domestic vehicles on display along the Corio Bay foreshore. The Hot Wheels Stunt Team did their thing up and down Richie Boulevard and there were various sideshows, trade expos and attractions, plus a huge variety of street food vendors.

Garry O’Brien

Image: GRMF

MORROW WINS COFFS COAST HILLCLIMB DAVE MORROW (pictured) was the winner of the RedPoint Hillclimb Tri-Series that took place at the inaugural Coffs Coast Festival of Motor Sport in November.

Over three different tracks in the course of eight days throughout the region, Morrow took his Kryger Suzuki open-wheel racer to two victories from the two events.

After winning the Kempsey Car Clubs Hillclimb by a relative margin, Morrow then went on to take out the Raleigh Raceways Hillclimb on the Wednesday.

The points he amassed at the two tracks were enough to earn him the Tri-Series title, as he opted out of the third climb put on by the Grafton Car Club in favour of competing at the Raleigh Rallycross event, where he finished eighth in the state championship in his Mazda 323.

The seasoned motorsport veteran who’s raced the Bathurst 1000, the Surfers Paradise 12 Hour, Australian

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Rally championships, and many other categories, was part of a healthy list of competitors who travelled from the Sunshine Coast, Newcastle, Port Macquarie and further, to compete in the RedPoint cash prize event.

The fight for outright second ended in a tie between Les Maloney - competing in a 2017 Ford Focus RS - and Paul Waller, who took to the three climbs in his beautifully prepared 1995 Fisher Fury.

Third place was taken out by Miles Hoare, in his OMS CF 04 open wheeler, with Coffs Coast local Elizabeth Simpson proving the fastest female entrant in her Volkswagen Golf Gti Mk 6, having competed over all three rounds.

The successfully run RedPoint Tri-Series Hillclimb will be back on next year’s calendar, as an expanded Coffs Coast Festival of Motor Sport will be back for 2023.

TW Neal

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NATIONAL RALLY

Images: BRUCE MOXON

ANOTHER ALPINE TO QUINN/WINWOOD-SMITH

NATHAN QUINN AND RAY WINWOOD-SMITH TOOK THEIR MAZDA RX2 TO A DECISIVE WIN IN THE LOCK AND LOAD ALPINE RALLY OF EAST GIPPSLAND 100 THAT RAN ON DECEMBER 1-4.

QUINN SAW off challenges from several other crews to win after four days and 450km of competitive stages in the rally that celebrated 100 years since its first – a

year late after yet another Covid cancellation.

After victory in 2019, Quinn and Winwood-Smith (above) won this year’s event by nearly 2mins from Andrew and David Travis (left) in a Nissan Gazelle, and Claude Murray and Lizzy Ferme (Datsun 1600) – all three from NSW. Luke Sytema and Tracey Dewhurst were next in their Escort, from Ryan Smart and Brad Jones (Datsun Stanza).

Day one had three short stages. Jack Monkhouse was the first to stumble, hitting a bank and breaking a driveshaft,

dropping him and Dale Moscatt in their Datsun 180B to 98th in the field of 107. Monkhouse vowed to ‘put on a show’ for the rest of the event and he delivered, finally back up to 29th and they entertained the crowds.

The end of day one saw Quinn lead from Adrian Stratford and Kain Manning (Toyota Corolla FWD) and Tristan Carrigan and Neil Woolley (Mitsubishi Magna) who were equal second. The Magna would be an instant hit, driven spectacularly and very quickly, before spending time off the road on Friday.

By Friday night Stratford was the leader from Quinn by 9s. Travis was third in their Nissan Gazelle, then Murray. Saturday had

the cars transport over 130km to Omeo for true High Country stages. It was here that Stratford fell out, while leading he was quick to point out. The Corolla’s sump and oil pickup were damaged after a couple of heavy landings.

The day finished with a special stage at Bairnsdale Speedway, won by the Brett Wright and Anthony Edwards Round Australia Rally Holden Commodore. Quinn had the lead from Travis and Brendan Reeves with Kate Catford (Datsun 1600), on a charge with very fast times. Reeves broke a driveshaft on Sunday and dropped down the order, which elevated Murray into the top three.

Bruce Moxon

A DOUBLE CELEBRATION BESIDES THEIR victory in the last round of the Australian Rally Championship at the Supercheap Auto Coffs Coast Rally, Nathan Quinn and David Green won the final round of the NSW Rally Championship in their Hyundai I20 G4.

They won the state component by 4mins 9.0s over Riley Walters and Andrew Crowley (Subaru Impreza WRX), and Richie Dalton and Dale Moscatt (Toyota Yaris AP4) who were just a further 0.6s away in third.

Then came Taylor Gill and Daniel Brkic (Production Cup WRX) and Mal Keough and Pip Bennett (Audi Quattro). Sixth place for Tony Sullens and Kaylie Newell (WRX) was enough for Sullens to take the drivers’ championship by three points ahead of Walter, with Quinn third. Newell took the co-drivers’ honours ahead of Crowley while Kim Bessell was third after she navigated Miles Sandy (Subaru) to 21st.

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Quinn won the five stages of heat one where Walters was second on the first before Sullens and Dalton had a pair of runner ups on the following stages. At the end of the heat it was Dalton second ahead of Walters, brothers Jamie and Brad Luff (Production WRX), Gill and Keough.

Sullens was eighth behind Darren Sweeney and Padraic Cronin (Impreza) after a 23rd on the fourth stage. Third on stage two, Chris Giddins and Tara McIlroy (Mitsubishi EVO 9) retired out of the next.

In the second heat Quinn continued to show the way with four stages wins, only beaten on the fourth

by Dalton who was second on two other stages but third behind Walters for the heat due to a poor second stage result. Gill finished off the second day in fifth ahead of Sullens and Keogh. Drama on the first stage put the Luffs out of the event. Garry O’Brien

A steady sixth allowed the Sullens/ Newell WRX to take out the title.

Image: ZED PHOTOGRAPHY

HEINRICH DOMINATES AUSSIES

Kodi Garland under pressure from Josh Anderson. Below: Kyle Ensbey flies ... Images: DARIN MANDY – AUSSIE RACING CARS THE CHAMPIONSHIP might be over, but the intensity of the Battery World Aussie Racing Cars did not subside at the Valo Adelaide 500. In a new Mustang-bodied car Joel Heinrich (pictured, top) stamped his mandate on the four outings to be the overall winner ahead of Kody Garland and champion Josh Anderson, also in Mustangs.

The event drew the regulars, some others back after an absence, and several new faces for what was round one of a trans-Tasman two round series with the another in New Zealand next year.

Heinrich kicked off by qualifying fastest and then proceeded to dominate the first race with a lights-to-flag victory, clear of the intensity happening in his wake. In the three-way dice for second, Garland came out ahead of Anderson and Peter Carr (Mustang).

Behind them another five were hard at it until Kyle Ensbey (Mustang) had contact and spun Reece Chapman around at Turn 9. The latter’s prone Mustang left Anthony DiMauro (Camaro) and Craig Woods (Altima) no

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where to go. Cody Brewczynski (Mustang) came through clean and ultimately latched on the back of Carr. Ensbey was next from Jack Boyd (Altima) and Adam Clark (Camaro).

At the start of Race 2 it was Garland the leader of a pack of five before Heinrich forged ahead and pulled clear as Woods was stranded with a broken tailshaft. Anderson relegated Garland at Turn 9 on the penultimate lap while Carr and Brewczynski were close behind. Then came Ensbey and DiMauro who was penalised 5s and dropped a spot to Boyd.

In the reverse top ten grid of race three, Chapman held sway for four laps, then Anderson

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took the lead. He came under fire from Heinrich in the latter stages and despite damage from contact with Heinrich, held him off to the flag. Garland edged out Carr by 0.04s for third ahead of Ensbey, Brewczynski, Chapman and DiMauro.

Heinrich was never challenged in the last. Anderson spun at Turn 11 on lap one, and that caught out Brewczynski. Two laps later there was a Safety Car when Clarke spun at Turn 1. Garland maintained second throughout, ahead of Carr. Ensbey, DiMauro and Chapman disputed fourth until DiMauro spun on the last lap. Boyd was next ahead of Anderson and Woods.

Garry O’Brien

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ADELAIDE 500 AUS GT

Liam Talbot has the inside running over Yasser Shahin into Turn 1.

SA STALWART GOES BACK-TO-BACK Shahin sewed up his second ProAm title. Images: DAN KALISZ-ARG SOUTH AUSTRALIAN motorsports mogul Yasser Shahin took back-to-back Pro-am GT World Challenge Australia titles on the streets of Adelaide.

Liam Talbot ended up coming second in the title chase, leaping Prince Jefri Ibrahim who went into the final round in second place, to claim the runners up award with the assistance of co-driver Fraser Ross in the #20 Audi.

It was a fitting place for the owner of The Bend Motorsport Park to take the championship, alongside German Audi gun Christopher Mies as his co-driver, in what proved to be an exhilarating and drama-filled end to the year on a very quick circuit.

Many twists and turns highlighted the title fight, and was turned on its head several times, namely when Shahin’s closest championship rival - Triple Eight’s J.Ibrahim - crushed the front of his Mercedes-AMG GT3 into the Turn 14 wall during qualifying.

Round 6 opened with the Shahin/Mies pairing topping the practice sessions over Triple eight boss Jamie Whincup in the recently imported Mercedes following the Bathurst International write-off, and again over Tony Bates and South Africa’s Audi Sport star Kelvin van der Linde in the P2 session.

Qualifying featured back-to-back sessions

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to set the grid for Races 1 and 2, which also began a nightmare of incidents for the Triple Eight team.

Q1 was taken out by Talbot ahead of Shahin and Bates, with the session marred by title challenger J.Ibrahim’s crash the #888 Mercedes, with the irreparable damage to the front-engined Mercedes bringing their Adelaide 500 to an end.

Linde put in a blistering 1:17.642 to put Bates on pole for Race 2, with Mies in P2, but the pains grew for Triple Eight as Whincup slammed the second Mercedes into the wall with a quick rebuild needed to make the first grid: although he still managed to put it into P3.

Friday afternoon’s Race 1 set the scene for a thrilling weekend, with an ontrack Factory Audi brawl between GT internationals Mies and Linde.

The two left it all out on the Circuit as they fought for keeps, with Shahin breathing a sigh of relief as the German racer took the chequered flag by 0.333s.

Before the driver change, Talbot held a two second split from Shahin, which grew out to 6.312s with 25 minutes to run, and with J.Ibrahim out of the running, the number #20 Audi racer was going for broke.

The driver change didn’t go to plan however, with Ross having to settle for P3 behind Mies and Linde after the change

before a yellow flag was called, with the restart leaving seven laps to run.

Ross dropped off, leaving a thrilling doorto-door battle to play out between the codriver imports, who made contact several times in vying for the lead before Mies found enough space for a narrow win.

Race 2 promised an epic encounter with Mies and Linde resuming the battle from the front row, and despite Bates then taking a solid victory, it was Talbot that stole the show to keep the championship battle alive.

After an early Safety Car from Belford finding the Turn 3 wall, Talbot’s co-driver Ross found himself eight seconds off the lead with 27 minutes remaining.

The driver change had Talbot come out in front of Shahin which quickly turned into a five second advantage, but remained 10 seconds back on the leader.

The gap to Prince Abu Ibrahim in the #88 Mercedes in P2 quickly closed as the Triple Eight driver found lapped traffic and was caught by Talbot with three minutes left, as lap records started to tumble.

A yellow was called after a crash between Higgon and Pires, in which Pires broke his collarbone, and the race was called early with Talbot’s inspired drive taking him to within 17 points of Shahin.

It would be to no-avail for Talbot as Shahin shut the door on the championship challenge for Sunday’s Race 3.

Talbot had the lead early before a yellow flag with 34 minutes to run halted his advance, with Matt Stoupas getting a nasty hit into the wall in the #23 KFC Audi, and as the green flag was waved at 24 minutes, leading to a mass driver change.

Shahin found cause for concern as Mies left the pits with mystery smoke pouring out of the car and some fluid dumped in the pit area, with Ross hot on the Germans tail.

When Hobson momentarily took Ross for P2, Talbot’s title hopes seemed to slip,

Tony Bates grabbed two second places. T8 (below) had a bad weekend ...

as the mystery issue with the #1 Bend Motorsport Audi then seemed to vanish with Mies putting on a substantial gap as Linde then took P2 off the Ross/Talbot pairing.

Linde then incured a drive through penalty and Ross regained P2, but sat 21.519s off the lead before another yellow brought some intrigue, with Poulakis having to stop his #101 Mercedes on track with eight minutes remaining.

With a three minute sprint to the line at the green flag resumption, Mies proved too quick to catch, blowing Ross away to win by 5.606s to give Shahin his second GT WCA title on a 22 point margin.

The weekend also saw Michael Kokkinos claim the GT Trophy from Brad Schumacher, with Gary Higgon/Paul Stokell already having taken the AM class win off Mike Sheargold/Garth Walden, and Mark Griffith claimed the GT4 class from Sam Brabham. TW Neal GT WORLD CHALLENGE AUSTRALIA PRO-AM Shahin 188 Talbot 166 J.Ibrahim 130 Ross 123 Bates 109

ADELAIDE 500 SUPER 2/3

FRASER SWEEPS HIS WAY TO SUPER2 CROWN

Images: EDGE PHOTOGRAPHICS DECLAN FRASER (above and right) put on a clinic to win the 2022 Dunlop Super 2 Series title with a faultless performance at the VALO Adelaide 500.

Despite five drivers all entering the season finale in contention, none could lay a glove on Fraser, who cruised to both pole positions and race wins to seal the championship in style.

Fraser was the final piece of the Triple Eight Race Engineering’s historic domination with the Super 2 trophy being added to the Supercars drivers, teams championships, plus the Bathurst 1000.

The McKay product carried a 75-point lead over Zak Best with Matt Payne, Cameron Hill and Tyler Everingham all outside chances.

Tickford title contender Best showed the early pace by topping an interrupted opening Practice session ahead of Fraser with two red flags.

More drama occurred in Practice 2 which

finished early after Matt Chahda sent Super 3 competitor Steven Page into the wall on the exit of the Senna Chicane as Jaylyn Robotham finished 0.6s ahead of the rest.

When Qualifying rolled around, the top drivers came out to play as the record times tumbled.

Fraser and Payne slugged it out in the Friday heat, but the championship leader prevailed by just 0.02s to claim pole for the opening race.

His 1:20.376 was a tenth better than Thomas Randle’s previous benchmark set in 2020, but the new record only lasted a handful of hours.

For the first time ever Super 2 cars dipped into the 1:19s mark on the streets of Adelaide and once again the fastest was Fraser.

The Triple Eight driver had the car “on rails” and his 1:19.638 proved a tenth too fast for Best.

Once racing got underway, Fraser

avoided the chaos behind him to put one hand on the trophy.

The first race of the weekend was slowed by two Safety Car periods, the first of which arrived on Lap 6 when Aaron Seton was sent spinning into the Turn 6 wall by Cameron Crick.

Chaos then unfolded after the restart when an out of control Jason Gomersall took out Zane Morse at the final corner, Angelo Mouzouris hit Jay Hanson, which in-turn spun Chahda, while Crick was sent the wrong way by Harris at the same scene of the Seton incident.

The drama ensured the Safety Car returned and remained to the chequered flag with Fraser sealing a controlled win from Payne and Hill.

With Best back in fourth, Fraser extended his lead to 105 points to be on the edge of glory coming into Sunday.

The equation was simple in the season finale with car #777 simply needing to greet the chequered flag to give Triple Eight backto-back Super 2 titles.

Fraser remained calm to do just that, but it was not without some scary moments.

The leader got the jump off the start line to lead the field through the Senna Chicane, while Chahda was a rocket and surged into second ahead of Best and was not done with yet.

The CAT-backed Falcon snatched the lead with a bump and run move on Fraser at the end of Wakefield Street, which the stewards frowned upon and handed car #18 a fivesecond penalty.

The move almost sent #777 into the barriers, but he gathered it up to survive and hold onto the effective lead before the race went yellow after Kai Allen’s big crash at Turn 8.

Racing resumed on Lap 7, but did not last long as Hill also came unstuck dramatically at the high-speed right-hander.

At the restart Fraser suffered a major scare running wide at the hairpin after receiving a touch from Best, but the leaderboard remained unchanged.

The Tickford driver soon found himself under pressure from Thomas Maxwell, who did make a move, but it was inconsequential due to a 15-second time penalty for a Safety Car infringement.

As the finish approached, Chahda put the foot down, but could not pull away far enough to hand the win to Fraser, who celebrated the title with plenty of emotion.

Thomas Miles

ECSTASY FOR VAUGHAN, AGONY FOR ALLEN Brad Vaughan snatched the Super 3 title after Kai Allen’s shock demise (below right).

THE SCRIPT for the final chapter of the 2022 Dunlop Super 3 Series could not have been more dramatic.

It appeared destined for Kai Allen after a year-long battle with battle with fellow South Australian Brad Vaughan until it changed hands at the last minute in Adelaide.

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Allen was in control during the early stages of the final race, maintaining his Super 3 lead, which would have been more than enough to seal the title.

But the championship picture flipped 180 degrees on lap 2 when the Eggleston Motorsport driver made a rare, but costly error.

Allen went slightly off line and could not stop his Holden VE Commodore from careering into the Turn 8 wall and crashing out on the spot.

It was the perfect opportunity Vaughan, who “could not believe his eyes” and suddenly just had to finish at the front to steal the trophy.

The Anderson Motorsport driver stayed out of trouble and overturned a 66-point deficit into a dramatic 96-point

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championship win.

The entire Super 3 season had been a two-horse race between Allen and Vaughan and nothing changed in the season finale at Adelaide.

The pair were the clear pace setters in practice with Allen leading the way and even bringing the fight to the Super 2 cars.

Allen stole all the headlines in Practice 2, finishing ahead of all-but one Super 2 car, while Vaughan finished 15th overall.

The Mount Gambier teen continued his hot pace in Qualifying, to extend his record-breaking run to 11 of the 12 poles on offer in 2022.

But things started to turn Vaughan’s way once racing began. Allen maintained his lead off the line, but came centimetres from disaster as a spinning Super 2 car bounced into his path at Turn 6.

While Allen was forced to stop in order to remain unscathed, he relinquished the lead to Vaughan, which kept the title fight alive for Sunday.

Behind the title rivals Chris Smerdon cemented himself as best of the rest after

Adam Wallis tagged the Turn 11 wall in his Lee Holdsworth retro looking Commodore.

The final race was shorted by some long Safety Car periods and with Allen crashing out, all eyes were on Vaughan at the front, while Jarred Danaher also tagged the Turn 8 wall, but was able to press on.

Smerdon finished as runner-up and a podium was enough for Jim Pollicina to seal third in the championship, while Wallis broke down.

The crazy finale was a tale of agony an ecstasy for Allen and Vaughan respectively, who will resume their rivalry in Super 2 next year.

Thomas Miles

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S5000 ADELAIDE

HERNE SURVIVES ADELAIDE FOR TASMAN SERIES TITLE THE STREETS of Adelaide welcomed the S5000s for the first time , and the ‘Big Bangers’ didn’t disappoint as the Tasman Series came to its conclusion.

In a throw back to the bygone Formula 1 days on the Victoria Park Circuit, the sights and sounds of the 5-litre V8s seemed a natural fit as they howled around the newly re-laid circuit.

Capping off a dominant year of racing, two-time national Trans Am champion Nathan Herne came away with his second title of the year.

It wasn’t all plain sailing for Herne in this round though, as two time Gold Star Champion Joey Mawson wouldn’t lay down without a fight in his bid for a maiden Tasman Series trophy.

Nor for that matter would young open wheel guns Cooper Webster and Blake Purdie, who alongside TCR star and Tasman series defending champion, Aaron Cameron, put on a roaring show in the fastest, and loudest circuit machines in the country.

The category also finally welcomed former Italian F1 driver – and three-time GP winner – Giancarlo Fisichella into the fold, driving on the streets of Adelaide for the first time in the 49-year-old’s second attempt at an S5000 debut.

The S5000s would also bid farewell to category pioneer Tim Macrow in a full-time driving capacity, as he enters 2023 to focus on running a two-car team.

After his clean sweep at the Gold Coast 500, Herne came out the blocks firing by splitting the two 25 minute practice sessions with Mawson. Both sessions were red flagged as drivers pushed the limits of the newly laid track sections, with rookie Brad Gartner finding trouble at Turn 1, and Sebastian Amadio finding the fence in P2 after making contact with Macrow.

The Qualifying session would give a glimpse into speed capabilities of the S5000s, despite having to perform at a reduced horsepower to meet the track’s safety requirements.

Cameron blitzed the session to take pole for Race 1, driving the fastest ever

Despite two incidents, Herne did enough to maintain his Tasman points lead. Above: Cameron was the fastest overall, but a Race 1 error cost him ...

lap around this version of the Adelaide street circuit, laying down a 1m15.497 in a compelling and uninterrupted 20 minute session.

The fight for pole changed hands several times as Herne and Webster traded blows, with Mawson pinning down P2 for most of the session, before Cameron’s 14th lap pinched it over his GRM teammate, and Versa Motorsport driver, Webster.

Herne did his trophy chances no harm in the opening Tasman bout, by getting home for his fourth straight S5000 win over closest series rival Joey Mawson by 2.527s, with Webster also claiming the first of his three podium finishes.

The all GRM front row held its order until

lap 7, when Cameron went too hot going into the parklands, putting the #18 into the wall before crawling it out of harm’s way to avoid a yellow, which gave Herne a comfortable five second lead over Mawson.

Mawson closed the gap slightly, breaking the lap record with a 1:16.815, as Webster also showed his class by holding off a charging Fisichella to secure P3.

An eventful Race 2 laid the foundations for a thrilling title showdown, as Mawson took back some of his S5000 ascendency, and Herne showed that he is perhaps human after all, with a P11 finish.

After Macrow shaded Herne off the line, Webster’s jump on Fisichella gave him the space to harass Herne, taking him on the

Into Turn 1 for the Feature Race, and Mawson (27) leads Webster (37) and Herne. Images: JACK MARTIN PHOTOGRAPHY

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hairpin before the GRM #29 went wide before the pit straight.

Webster pushed hard on Mawson, as Jordan Boys and Fisichella had a close fight before the Italian lightly tagged the Turn 8 wall, which snapped the wishbone suspension on the back of the #56.

In the end, Mawson held Webster off by 1.744, with Purdie grabbing his first S5000 podium over Boys.

With double points on offer, Mawson needed to take out the Adelaide 500 closer for the Tasman Series title, and his chances were done no harm by starting on pole.

Webster and Herne went into P2 and P3 after the first corner, with Herne moving up over the Victorian on the second lap, as Cameron recovered into P5 with a bullet.

With Herne right under Mawson’s wing, the #27 BRM driver squeezed the inside line into the hairpin ... with Herne slamming into the rear of the Pilatus car, the two then colliding as they scrabbled around the corner. The contact ended Mawson’s race and slowed Herne considerably – but he stayed on track with a last place inevitable, but the title in his pocket as the Safety Car emerged.

The lap 7 resumption saw Cameron with too much pace for Webster, who was racing on old tyres but fought hard, with the Push-to-Pass proving its function over a few entertaining laps, finally getting him on lap 9.

Cameron came home the winner by 1.036 over Webster (who won the weekend), with Purdie doing it comfortably over Boys for his second P3 of the meeting.

Herne’s dominant showing at the Gold Coast 500 got him home for the trophy, as Cooper Webster – after claiming third in the S5000 championship – showed that he’s on the rise by claiming second over reigning Gold Star champion Mawson.

TW Neal S5000 TASMAN SERIES POINTSCORE 1. Herne 187 2. Webster 166 3. Mawson 161 4. Boys 158 5. B.Bargwanna 154

TCM ADELAIDE Johnson and Fisher show the way through the Senna Chicane, while George Miedecke lands his Camaro! after contact with Fisher. Images: JACK MARTIN PHOTOGRAPHY-ARG

LIGHTS TO FLAG SWEEP FOR BRUTISH MUSTANG THE FINAL round of the Touring Car Masters at the Adelaide 500 witnessed its second straight feature race sweep at the hands of Steve Johnson in the Russell Hancock Brut #33 Mustang TransAm. The menacing looking Moffat inspired Mustang has been in the racing pocket for seven of the last eight TCM races, with only George Miedecke standing in its way by taking the Trophy race on the Friday.

But notably, for the fan-favourite category, Queenslander Ryan Hansford claimed the title for 2022, as the year-long scrap between the Toranas of he and six-time champion John Bowe was finally settled in a P3 and P4 finish in Race 2.

Round six had a bit of extra grid flavour this time about, with Gerard McLeod returning in his 80s VB Commodore, and local racers Chris Meulengraaf and Jason Palmer in Porsche IROC, and BMW E30.

The four days of on track action started as it ended, with ‘Junior’ Johnson putting in a 1:28.017s over the in-form Andrew Fisher #15 Jesus Racing Torana A9X. Johnson then proceeded to lay down a Qualifying record time of 1:26.636s, with a margin of 1.215s over P2-getter Hansford, as he put himself in a strong position to lay claim to the championship.

Fisher would start on the second row next to the returning Michael Almond in the #95 Whiteline Camaro, with Bowe and Miedecke sharing the third row.

Trophy Race

The flipped grid trophy race was taken out by #85 Camaro, as Miedecke took out his third race of the year (one feature).

The session featured two yellow flags as the Hoosiers screeched all over the newly laid Parkland Circuit, first with McLeod spinning his #50 Commodore off track, before Ben Dunn’s Chevy Monza forced a one-lap dash to the Chequered flag, with Miedecke holding off Danny Buzadzic and Tony Karanfilovski.

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Ryan Hansford locked up the championship, fortunately, in Race 2.

Race 1

TCM Mustang specialist Johnson chalked up his fifth straight TCM victory in Race 1 on the Adelaide streets, as he led from lights to flag in the thunderous rolling start that would see five cars go under Bowe’s 2020 lap record.

He found a comfortable split to the 5-litre A9X of Hansford early, as Bowe found himself in P5 behind Miedecke and Fisher.

Fisher found the pace to jump Hansford, which brought him into the grips of the chasing Bowe, as the two went bumper to bumper with Johnson out to a two second lead.

Almond then got between the two Toranas which allowed Hansford some space to push up on Miedecke, and in doing so, pinched the lap record with a 1:27.056 on lap 7.

Johnson did it comfortably in the end, taking the chequered flag as he eased off on his tyres for Races 2 and 3. He got the win over a fast finishing Fisher by 0.782s, with Miedecke proving strong again, holding onto P3 over Hansford.

Race 2

With Hansford needing to find the finish line up the front of the field to sew up the title, a controlled and measured race ensured the laconic Queenslander did just that with a P4 finish behind his Torana rival.

But it was Johnson who again took the spoils with a comfortable romp over Almond

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Gerard McLeod returned in the VB Commodore.

and Bowe after Miedecke found some misfortunate at the death.

Fisher and Miedecke made contact early which dropped the #15 Torana off the pace, as Karanfilovski brought out a yellow with a radiator issue.

Despite getting the jump on the restart, Miedecke started to reel the Mustang in, posting a new lap record in the process with a 1:26.799s.

Hansford had a slight scare at the hairpin on lap 7 but saved it rally style, and as the finish line approached, Miedecke’s Camaro pulled up with engine issues, as Almond flew past him to take P2 behind Johnson, with Hansford’s P4 giving him the title over the podium-getter Bowe.

Race 3

An entertaining 2022 TCM finale saw Johnson storm to a sixth straight feature race victory, as Hansford had his year end in a disappointing fashion despite holding the championship, with Bowe and Fisher taking the season’s final podium spots.

Johnson again took the first corner but Almond stayed with him with Bowe and Hansford taking up the P3 battle.

Almond went door to door with the TransAm but its straight line speed was unmatched coming out of the corners, and when Hansford and Almond tangled, it gave Johnson some extra air.

Hansford took P2 to sit 1.493s behind, when it appeared an oil cooler broke in his

Torana, dumping oil, forcing him into the pits and ending his day.

By lap seven the Moffat inspired Mustang had a three second gap with Almond in P2, before a huge lock up and remarkable NASCAR style recovery helped him somehow avoid the wall, but dropped him into P5.

Bowe swooped for P2 in front of Fisher and Miedecke, with Johnson holding a five second last lap lead, before easing to the line over Bowe and Fisher, capping off a remarkable streak of unprecedented TCM victories.

It remains unsure if Johnson will return to the category in 2023 after his late flurry of wins over three rounds put him in fifth overall.

Hansford will be disappointed to have his season end like that, but once the dust settles, he will be sure to enjoy his highly deserved championship with the very well performed Torana Multispares team. TW Neal

TCM STANDINGS Pos Driver 1.

Hansford 2. Bowe 3. Miedecke 4. Fisher 5. Johnson

Points 863 839 751 739 612

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Supercars RACE REPORT Round 12 – ADELAIDE 500

Broc Feeney added his name to the list of Supercar winners – in style.

Image: Mark Horsburgh

ICONS COME AND ICONS GO

THE COMEBACK OF A NATIONAL MOTORSPORT TREASURE LIVED UP TOO AND EXCEEDED ALL EXPECTATIONS, AS THE STREETS OF ADELAIDE SERVED UP AN HISTORIC WAU ONE-TWO, WHILST A TRIPLE EIGHT ROOKIE VINDICATED HIS SEAT AT THE TOP LEVEL. THERE WERE lingering doubts over whether the Adelaide 500 would ever re-emerge on the Supercars calendar, and when the new SA Premier Peter Malinauskas and his team made it happen within the unlikely span of 6 months, its rise from the ashes couldn’t have been more timely – or spectacular.

Over 258,000 fans flocked to the return of the VALO Adelaide 500 as Supercars bade farewell to the Gen2 cars and the Holden badge.

Its return promised a high-speed show where lap records would be broken after the majority of the track was resurfaced.

For some teams, getting their cars over the 2022 finish line had been a round-the-clock ordeal, and more carnage was predicted on a circuit that contains some infamous corners, with Turns 11 and 13 now added to that list, and Turn 8 living up to its reputation.

The garages went in with a hard compound tyre allocation, with degradation not expected to play a part over, with the main strategies geared towards the balancing of fuel loads.

Over the dual 250km races, cabin temperatures in excess of 60 degrees were expected to play a part in forcing driver error, on an unforgiving track that rewards precision and stern concentration.

Fans would also say goodbye to a couple of faces, with Chris Pither driving his last race for PremiAir, and the veteran Lee Holdsworth

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hanging up his full-time time drivers helmet after 510 races.

It will also be remembered as the last official outing of the Holden brand in Supercars, with one more chance for the Lion to have it over the Blue Oval at its spiritual home.

The ‘Red Army’ would leave happy, as the two team’s most affiliated with the brand dominated the limelight with a one-two finish,

Pye was right in the contest until the Team 18 car suffered power steering issues.

Image: Mark Horsburgh

a championship celebration for the ages and, a rookie who stood up in the pressure cooker of the Adelaide Streets.

THURSDAY kicked-off the first Practice session with Thomas Randle showing the pace that would carry him through to Friday’s shootout.

The Castrol Tickford rookie topped the

times with a 1:19.803s over Erebus’ Brodie Kostecki and Randle’s stable-mate Cam Waters.

The new track surface delivered times that were already under those of the last 2020 outing at the Parklands Circuit, with the fast right hander at Turn 8 claiming its first victim in Macauley Jones, with the 30 minute P1 ended early as a result.

Saturday was WAU day ... a historic 1-2 aided by a mature drive from mid-field by Percat, here following his leader Mostert. Image: MOTORSPORT IMAGES Below: The Tickford crew almost pulled off a rebuild miracle, failing by literally seconds to get Randle’s car out for Saturday’s Shootout. Image: MARK HORSBURGH When the chequered flag fell, van Gisbergen found himself at the very back of the grid with Feeney in P17. An early Kerb strike had the #1 Red Bull driver leave it till the last timed lap, where he locked up and ran wide into the final corner.

Anton De Pasquale came in at P2 by as little as 0.133s, with Pye in P3, followed

by Courtney, Waters, Reynolds, Golding, Heimgartner, Hazelwood and Randle, all going through to Saturday’s Shootout.

FRIDAY saw the Adelaide 500 move up a gear with the second Practice coming ahead of Race 33 qualifying.

Shane van Gisbergen would top his only session of the Supercars finale, with teams opting for green rubber across the field in preparation for Q1.

Randle again showed good pace to finish in P2, 0.033 behind the 2022 champion, whilst teammates Waters and Feeney fell in behind.

DJR’s Will Davison picked up his times, with

local Team 18 driver Scott Pye continuing on from his fast opening session with a pair of P6s.

QUALIFYING: RACE 33

Friday’s Qualifying for Saturdays Top Ten Shootout had Mostert claim the provisional pole with a record breaking qualifying time of 1:18.676s in what proved an eventful session during and after; with Triple Eight also missing a shootout for the first time this season.

SATURDAY’S third practice session – which was topped by Mostert with a 1:18.857 – would further shape the Shootout, when Randle became the second victim of the 210km/ph Turn 8 sweeper on a push lap just 40s out from the final flag.

The team frantically set to work over the next hour, and came within seconds of getting the #55 out into pit-lane, agonisingly missing the cut-off by a matter of seconds.

The nine-car shootout had Cam Waters put in a 1:19.371s as the fifth place shooter, which was enough to give him his 10th pole for the year – which also netted him the 2022 Armor All Pole Position award.

Scott Pye had his best starting position for the year in P2, falling just 0.343s short of his second ever pole, with De Pasquale and the soon to be elevated Courtney next to him on the second row.

Drama ensued in the garage after, when a ‘technical breach’ was issued to Reynolds’ #26 Penrite car – which had put in a time for P3 – regarding the rear wing position on his car, which exceeded the allowed angle threshold, disqualifying his shootout time, getting a P10 start, with Randle elevated to P9.

RACE 33: RETRO WAU PULL A ONE-TWO

The Holden Badge achieved part one of its ideal (nine year) farewell, with a fitting WAU one-two.

Mostert took his fifth win of the year with teammate Nick Percat 1.979s behind him, having started in P21, as the team with the deepest Holden affiliation and 90’,s throwback livery took their final win with the Lion before switching to the Gen3 Mustangs.

James Courtney rounded out the podium spot with his fourth of the season, as both Waters and Pye had their chances dashed during a hectic late period of yellow flags.

At the green lights, Waters just got Pye into Turn 1with a clean start across the field, with van Gisbergen taking four spots early into P21.

By the sixth lap he’d gained another five spots as the pit window opened with Percat taking the first stop of the race in an effort to get some clean air.

Lee Holdsworth found himself in the top 10 early in his second last race as a full-timer, moving into P8 over Davison and Reynolds.

Waters got the run into Turn 1 on Saturday, over Pye (20) and de Pasquale Image: MARK HORSBURGH

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www.autoaction.com.au I 59

Supercars RACE REPORT Round 13 – ADELAIDE 500

Van Gisbergen reached P12, just 14s from the leader in Waters as the front runners started to build serious pace.

Golding entered the pits and didn’t come back out due to steering system damage, as PremiAir looked to reboot the #31 for Race 34.

Whilst De Pasquale and Courtney were trading P3, van Gisbergen had crept into P7, with Reynolds locking up under his pressure and losing spots after looking nicely placed for a podium run.

Half the field was still out by lap 25 with the #1 Red Bull in P5, with Pye leaving the pits in a strong position to keep effective P2.

Van Gisbergen then led provisionally with Waters ducking in, who then had a wobbly moment on the treacherously foreboding Turn 11, with SVG the last to come in for a 70L refill.

The first yellow was waved with Le Brocq going hot into Turn 11, causing a hectic dive into the pits at the critical 41 lap refuelling point The restart saw van Gisbergen run wide from contact with Mostert, dropping him into P21.

Waters then regained P1 over Pye after the pit shuffle with 29 laps remaining, when another yellow flag was waved due to, van Gisbergen messing up his front in the tyre wall at Turn 11, leading to another pit dive in which Waters lost spots into P9.

Mostert took control in P1 as another Safety Car was called with the race stewards finding Waters at fault for tapping Hazelwood into a hapless Will Brown, with the #6 Mustang to serve a drive-through penalty.

The flag crucially helped Mostert conserve fuel, with Heimgartner and Percat in behind him in a 23 lap sprint to the line.

Heimgartner kept dropping spots as Pye and Fullwood ran off, with the luckless Pye dropping into P17, and then the pits with a power steering issue (again!) and an oil fire.

Mostert looked too quick with 16 laps left, holding a 2s gap over Percat, Courtney, B.Kostecki and Slade.

It finished as such, with Courtney giving up the ghost on P2 due to a full allotment of kerb strikes, as WAU pulled off an historic one-two.

Bit of a squeeze as Mostert and de Pasquale look for a quick pit exit ... Image: MARK HORSBURGH

QUALIFYING: RACE 34

Waters put a disappointing Saturday race behind him to give himself a chance of backto-back poles, topping Q2 with a 1:19.109, edging DJR’s De Pasquale by 0.061.

Mostert backed up his race with another spot in the Shootout, with van Gisbergen getting through with a P4, as did his teammate Feeney in P8.

Davison and Brown came in at P5 and 6, with Heimgartner, Hazelwood and Reynolds all getting another crack at the top-10.

Pye and Courtney missed out this time around, with the first race podium-getter rubbing the wall on a good lap, whilst Holdsworth would start his last race as a fulltime Supercars driver in P22.

Two teams would lock out the front rows in the top-ten Shootout, as De Pasquale took his fourth pole of the year with a 1:19.382s, 0.186s clear of his DJR team-mate in a front row lock out for Ford, heading into its final Supercars battle with it’s 60-plus year adversary.

In his 100th Shootout, van Gisbergen put himself into P4, with his Triple Eight teammate Feeney edging him out by just 0.052s. Previously, only Craig Lowndes, Jamie

They lined up up-front for Sunday in 2 x 2 top team order, with a huge crowd justifying SA’s return to the streets ...

Image: MOTORSPORT IMAGES

Andre Heimgartner was rewarded for a strong weekend with fifth on Sunday. Image: MARK HORSBURGH Whincup, and Garth Tander had achieved the feat of reaching 100 Shootouts.

RACE 34: 20-YEAR-OLD ROOKIE PUTS PAID TO DOUBTERS An entertaining and dramatic season-ending race capped off a sensational comeback for the Adelaide 500 event; a race so engrossing that it may make the Hon.Peter Malinauskas Premier for life.

At just 20-years of age, Feeney became the second youngest winner of a Supercars race, and the youngest ever winner on the streets of Adelaide, which also gave Holden a pair of wins in its final … yes … its final Supercars incarnation.

It was a mature and measured drive from the rookie, leading for 54 of 78 laps, and with Mostert on a tow rope from the 48th lap.

The DJR pole getter rounded out the podium, with his #17 stablemate enduring a race he’d rather soon forget.

At the jump, De Pasquale held the first turn over Davison, whilst van Gisbergen got a start on Feeney for P3 in an incident-free opening, with B.Kostecki the biggest gainer, up four spots into P10 early.

It was a tight field over the first 12 laps with a clear top six-breakaway before Feeney took his first pit.

Lap 17 witnessed the first yellow flag, as Turn 8 claimed another driver, with Jake Kostecki having his front left wheel ripped off in a heavy hit.

De Pasquale preserved his track position on van Gisbergen coming out of the pits, with Davison and Feeney taking the lead with a fuel-load advantage.

The lap 22 restart had Davison out-front but out of kerb strikes with Feeney under his wing, and SVG losing spots to P8 after getting boxed in.

Davison then went wide at Turn 9, having looked loose in the rear since the restart, gifting the rookie #88 the lead on lap 24.

Van Gisbergen had bullied his way back into P4 with De Pasquale in his sights who was also making time on Davison in P2.

The nightmarish and slippery Turn 11 then claimed the loose Davison, as Feeney inherited a 5s lead from the #11 DJR, who then lost P2 on an error, with van Gisbergen taking P2 in a canter.

As another vital refuelling time approached, an issue of pit stacking was on the cards, which the Turn 8 gods hinted at, taking another victim in Bryce Fullwood.

A litany of pit stops brought about the pit stacking with Triple Eight, with a chaotic scene unfolding whilst SVG parked himself behind Feeney, as Mostert and De Pasquale almost collided in a bid to get the run out of the pits.

Mostert’s move got him into P2 proper, with van Gisbergen dropping into P11 for the 49 lap restart.

Davison went off again at Turn 9, ending a ropey afternoon for the Victorian veteran, who later apologised to his team, putting him into P22.

Waters then went wide trying to take De Pasquale’s podium spot, parting the seas for SVG who was on a charge, putting him back into P4.

With 18 laps left to run, he took De Pasquale QUALIFYING RACE 33 Pos Driver 1 Cameron Waters 2 Scott Pye 3 Anton De Pasquale 4 James Courtney 5 Andre Heimgartner 6 James Golding 7 Chaz Mostert 8 Todd Hazelwood 9 Thomas Randle Dsq David Reynolds 11 Lee Holdsworth 12 Tim Slade 13 Brodie Kostecki 14 Jack Le Brocq 15 Will Davison 16 William Brown 17 Broc Feeney 18 Macauley Jones 19 Bryce Fullwood 20 Nick Percat 21 Mark Winterbottom 22 Jake Kostecki 23 Chris Pither 24 Jack Smith 25 Shane van Gisbergen

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Okay, okay ... guessing the ‘risk-management’ crew at Motorsport Australia were hyper-ventilating – but hey, this is called putting on a show! The rules refer to hanging out the door during burn-outs – there’s nothing about standing on the roof! Image: MARK HORSBURGH at the hairpin and had sight of the leading pair.

The drama then escalated when van Gisbergen was issued a drive-through penalty for his restart back on lap 49, when he was deemed to have contravened the Safety Car. reatart rules by edgeing up on the last corner apex inside of Holdsworth.

The penalty put him back in P13, with the #11 DJR Mustang re-inheriting P3.

For the remaining laps, Feeney drove a faultless race, pushing hard through troublesome corners as Mostert chewed off the tenths to edge closer but never close enough.

In his last outing before holding a co-driver only role, Holdsworth drove an inspired race to finish in P9 after starting in P22, which in turn, gave Penrite fifth in the championship over Erebus.

The elation from Feeney over the radio following his maiden Supercars win was infectious, and it perhaps felt like the first win of many.

Meanwhile, van Gisbergen then gave a title celebration for the ages … after doing donut

RESULTS RACE 33 78LAPS (250KMS) Time 1:19.3716 0:00.3437 0:00.3747 0:00.4871 0:00.5306 0:00.5543 0:00.6413 0:00.7276 N/A 1:19.2160 1:19.2228 1:19.2254 1:19.2498 1:19.2614 1:19.2743 1:19.2951 1:19.3013 1:19.3484 1:19.3924 1:19.3960 1:19.4001 1:19.7042 1:20.1724 1:22.3383

Pos Drivers 1 Chaz Mostert 2 Nick Percat 3 James Courtney 4 Brodie Kostecki 5 Tim Slade 6 Mark Winterbottom 7 Will Davison 8 Broc Feeney 9 Andre Heimgartner 10 Lee Holdsworth 11 David Reynolds 12 Macauley Jones 13 Cameron Waters 14 Anton De Pasquale 15 Thomas Randle 16 Jake Kostecki 17 Bryce Fullwood 18 Jack Le Brocq 19 Chris Pither 20 Shane van Gisbergen 21 Jack Smith 22 William Brown NC Scott Pye NC Todd Hazelwood NC James Golding

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Laps 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 75 71 65 61 61 57 52 11

QUALIFYING RACE 34 Race time 01:54:11.4097 01:54:13.3892 01:54:14.1048 01:54:15.9059 01:54:17.1721 01:54:19.3517 01:54:24.6674 01:54:25.7009 01:54:27.0544 01:54:27.6068 01:54:30.3307 01:54:31.1734 01:54:33.6216 01:54:40.3616 01:54:41.7391 01:54:42.2652 01:55:03.6650 01:55:07.7495 01:54:55.9481 01:55:09.8936 01:55:03.1417 01:55:53.2870 01:25:48.2676 01:15:44.2563 01:44:32.3219

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s6 s18 s1 s9 s7 s15 s8 s9 t4 s1 t1 s6 t12 t11 t6 s6 s2 t4 s4 s5 s3 t6 t21 t16 t19

Pos Driver 1 Anton De Pasquale 2 Will Davison 3 Broc Feeney 4 Shane van Gisbergen 5 Chaz Mostert 6 Cameron Waters 7 William Brown 8 Andre Heimgartner 9 Todd Hazelwood 10 David Reynolds 11 Jack Le Brocq 12 James Golding 13 Mark Winterbottom 14 Brodie Kostecki 15 Thomas Randle 16 Jake Kostecki 17 Tim Slade 18 James. Courtney 19 Scott Pye 20 Bryce Fullwood 21 Nick Percat 22 Lee Holdsworth 23 Macauley Jones 24 Chris Pither 25 Jack Smith

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Lee Holdswoth clocked out with a strong top 10 result on Sunday. Image: MOTORSPORT IMAGES

rings around the trophy, he then stood atop his car with the championship trophy, the engine roaring, the tyres still smoking, and the Commodore’s nose jammed hard RESULTS RACE 34 78LAPS (250KMS)

Time 1:19.3823 0:00.1860 0:00.2324 0:00.2847 0:00.2948 0:00.3911 0:00.4467 0:00.5399 0:00.9517 0:00.9620 1:19.5454 1:19.5565 1:19.5865 1:19.6312 1:19.6362 1:19.6506 1:19.6547 1:19.7572 1:19.9079 1:19.9452 1:19.9516 1:19.9872 1:20.0265 1:20.1036 1:20.4809

Pos Drivers 1 Broc Feeney 2 Chaz Mostert 3 Anton De Pasquale 4 Cameron Waters 5 Andre Heimgartner 6 William Brown 7 Shane van Gisbergen 8 Brodie Kostecki 9 Lee Holdsworth 10 James Golding 11 Mark Winterbottom 12 Nick Percat 13 Tim Slade 14 Scott Pye 15 David Reynolds 16 Chris Pither 17 James Courtney 18 Thomas Randle 19 Will Davison 20 Jack Smith 21 Todd Hazelwood 22 Macauley Jones NC Bryce Fullwood NC Jack Le Brocq NC Jake Kostecki

Laps 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 78 77 71 67 41 37 16

against the pit wall, via a drivers boot wedged in-between the accelerator and the inner wall.

Bring on Gen3. TW Neal CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS AFTER ROUND 13 (FINAL)

Race time 01:54:21.5943 01:54:22.5586 01:54:31.0520 01:54:34.9707 01:54:35.5217 01:54:40.8453 01:54:47.8099 01:54:48.6196 01:54:49.8353 01:54:50.0388 01:54:52.0392 01:54:56.5084 01:54:56.9271 01:54:57.8546 01:54:58.3937 01:55:12.0926 01:55:14.8293 01:55:16.4102 01:55:27.3821 01:55:43.8637 01:55:26.0445 01:54:44.9770 59:55.6295 01:25:07.7442 22:41.9125

s2 s3 t2 s2 s3 s1 t3 s6 s13 s2 s2 s9 s4 s5 t5 s8 s1 t3 t17 s5 t12 s1 t3 t13 t9

Pos 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Driver Shane van Gisbergen Cameron Waters Chaz Mostert Anton De Pasquale Will Davison Broc Feeney Brodie Kostecki David Reynolds Mark Winterbottom Andre Heimgartner Tim Slade James Courtney Lee Holdsworth William Brown Nick Percat Scott Pye Bryce Fullwood Todd Hazelwood Macauley Jones Chris Pither Jack Le Brocq Jake Kostecki Thomas Randle Jack Smith James Golding

Points 3523 2908 2835 2599 2573 2377 2142 2132 1909 1887 1855 1748 1734 1714 1643 1512 1383 1345 1282 1257 1237 1192 1156 1054 708

s1 t1 s1 t1 s2 t2 s1 t1 s1 s1 t2 t1 -

www.autoaction.com.au I 61

HOLDEN CROSSWORD

HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE LEGENDARY AUSTRALIAN BRAND? Across 1. H ow many titles has Shane van Gisbergen won for the red brand?

5.W ho won the final Supercars Championship race for Holden in Adelaide? (surname) 7.W hich team won five straight V8 Supercar titles from 1998? (abbreviation) 9 . F rom and including 1999 how many straight Bathurst 1000s did the red lion win?

12 . W ho won Holdens last Bathurst 1000 in 2022 alongside Shane van Gisbergen? (surname) 13 . I n what state did Holden score its first ATCC victory?

15 . W hat model Holden won the brand’s first title?

18 . H ow many Supercars championships did Jamie Whincup take for the Red Lion?

19 . P eter Brock is Holden’s most successful driver at Bathurst, winning the Great Race how many times?

20 . H ow many Bathurst 1000s has Craig Lowndes won with Holden?

22 . I n 1993 Larry Perkins and Gregg Hansford won the Bathurst 1000 driving what model Commodore?

23 . W ho won Holdens first championship in 1970? (surname) 24 . W hich Holden Commodore model is the last to have won the Bathurst 1000?

26 . W hat team was the most successful

with the Holden brand, taking 190 race victories? (first two words) 27 . W ho won the first race for Holden in the Car of the Future era in 2013? (surname) 28 . W ho won the first title for Holden in the Car of the Future era? (surname)

Down

1 . H ow many championships did Craig Lowndes win in a Holden?

3.W ho won three straight Bathurst 1000 crowns between 1982 and 1984 alongside Peter Brock? (surname) 4 . C hevrolet has previously won two Australian Touring Car titles in 1971 and 1972, who drove the Camaro to those titles? (surname) 6 . I n what model Holden Commodore did Craig Lowndes win his first Australian Touring Car title?

7.W hich legendary Holden team won its first Bathurst 500 in 1969 with a Holden HT Monaro GTS350? (abbreviation) 8.W ho won the Bathurst 1000 as a rookie in 2011? (surname) 10 . H olden failed to score a pole position in Adelaide – who took the brand’s final pole? (surname) 11 . T he Holden Dealer Team won its final Bathurst 1000 in 1987, what number was the car?

14 . N ick Percat finished second in Adelaide

a fortnight ago; who beat him to the Saturday race victory? (surname) 15 . O ne of the most famous laps was the ‘Lap of the Gods’ – who set that lap at Bathurst back in 2003? (surname) 16 . 1 980 saw the first Holden Commodore

win the Bathurst 1000. Peter Brock was driving alongside who that year? (surname) 17 . W ho won the first Bathurst 500 for Holden back in 1968 alongside Barry Mulholland, –Bruce who?

21 . P rior to the end of the Group A era in 1992, how many times had a Holden Commodore won the ATCC title?

25 . W ho was the only Holden driver to win the Bathurst 500 as a sole driver? (surname)

Adelaide 500 Crossword Answers: 1 across – HRT, 2 down – Rosberg, 3 across – VT, 4 down – three, 5 down – Valo, 6 down – Brodie Kostecki, 7 down – de Pasquale, 8 across – Ambrose, 9 down – eleven, 10 down – Mustang, 11 across – Grice, 12 down – Whincup, 13 across – three, 14 across – Senna, 14 down – Sensational, 15 across – three, 16 across – McLaughlin, 16 down – McLaughlin, 17 down – Whincup, 18 across – Malinauskas, 19 across – Clipsal, 20 down – fourteen, 21 across – Percat, 22 down – Johnson, 23 down – Lowndes, 24 across – Superloop, 25 across – Bright, 26 across – two, 27 across – zero, 28 across – Lowndes

We take a look back at what was making news in Auto Action 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 years ago

1972 THE AUSTRALIAN Rally Championship wrapped up and became the latest trophy collected by the versatile Colin Bond. Sister HDT entry Frank Kilfoyle won the finale, but was lucky in doing so after longtime leaders Doug Stewart and Dave Johnson took a wrong turn and lost 27 minutes near the finish. Allan Moffat brought Ford some success by winning at Surfers Paradise, 16 seconds ahead of Peter Brock and giving the blue oval that year’s manufacturer’s championship.

1982 THE MOTORSPORT world was in mourning after the passing of Colin Chapman. The founder of Lotus suffered a fatal heart attack aged 54. After winning 69 races under Chapman’s guidance, Lotus could only win another five times after his passing.

Closer to home Allan Moffat won a “shock” Australian Endurance Championship title after the Australian Motor Sport Appeals Court reinstated his Sandown 400 win.

62 I www.autoaction.com.au

1992 SILLY SEASON was in full swing as Dick Johnson Racing star John Bowe was rumoured to become the face of the Holden Racing Team.

Bowe was linked to the factory Holden team after the announcement of Neil Lowe jumping from DJR to HRT as team manager, but it never eventuated. Williams test driver Damon Hill graduated to the Formula 1 team as Nigel Mansell’s replacement for 1993, while Ayrton Senna kept everyone guessing by testing a Penske IndyCar.

2002 JASON BARGWANNA created headlines by jumping from Holden to Ford ahead of the 2003 V8 Supercars season. Having raced for Garry Rogers Motorsport from 1998 to 2002, Bargwanna became the new face of the expanded Larkham Motorsport, while the now familiar Porsche Carrera Cup series got the rubber-stamp of approval ahead of its debut in 2003.

2012 HAVING CRUISED to a fourth V8 Supercars Championship, Jamie Whincup took on the world making his International debut in the 2012 Race of Champions. Whincup teamed up with Mick Doohan to race against an array of world stars and the pair progressed to the semi-finals before being knocked out by German dream team Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel.

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