Auto Action #1808

GEN3 REVOLT! UPRISING OVER NEW TECH

FORD STAR

REJECTS T8 TALK

BLACK KNIGHT WATERS PLEDGES LOYALTY TO TICKFORD

SCOTTY DIVES DEEP INDYCAR PREVIEW

Issue #1808 Apr 8 to Apr 21 2021 $9.95 INC GST

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WATERS: ‘I CAN’T SEE MYSELF LEAVING’ Tickford leader hoses down T8 move, but not happy with “pretty crazy” Commodore race pace

By BRUCE NEWTON EMERGING Supercars superstar Cameron Waters has dampened speculation he is a candidate to replace retiring Jamie Whincup at Triple Eight.

Instead, he has declared his desire to stay with Tickford Racing beyond 2021.

The Monster Energy Ford Mustang driver is one of the foremost names linked with the one of the most valued seats in Supercars, along with Chaz Mostert and current T8 Super2 driver Broc Feeney.

Waters current deal with Tickford does have an option break at the end of this year, theoretically giving him the chance to move on to the premier team in Supercars racing, if the drive was available to him.

Mostert is fundamentally in the same contractual situation as Waters at Walkinshaw Andretti United, with an option renewal looming at the end of 2021.

Waters has become a Supercars frontrunner over 2020-21, emerging as the most consistent challenger to Whincup’s team-mate Shane van Gisbergen, who is unbeaten in six Supercars races since last October’s Bathurst 1000, including three wins at Sandown last time out while carrying three broken ribs and a broken collarbone.

In that same period Waters has scored four second place finishers, reflecting a strong relationship with his engineer Sam Potter.

It probably would have been five seconds if not for a power steering pump failure when fighting for the win in the opening race of the season at Bathurst.

That failure is fundamentally the only reason he isn’t second to van Gisbergen in the drivers’ championship. Heading to Tasmania on April 17-18 he is fourth, 170 points behind the Kiwi.

Waters has only ever raced for Tickford Racing and its predecessors in the Supercars championship, and won the Super2 championship for the outfit as well.

The 26-year old from Mildura made it clear his desire is to continue to be a one-team driver and achieve ultimate success with Tickford.

“I have an option with Tickford and I am really enjoying my time there and I have a really good bunch of guys around me,” Waters told Auto Action.

“Being a team leader as such there, since the others have left [Mostert and Mark Winterbottom], I have really enjoyed that role.

“I can’t really see myself leaving to be honest.

“They [Tickford] have put their faith in me over the years when I was learning.

“For me it’s more about repaying them and getting them race wins and hopefully a championship like they deserve.”

While van Gisbergen has been a dominant force early in 2021, Waters is far from running up the white flag when it comes to winning his first drivers’ championship in 2021.

“It would have been nice to come out of the gates and do what he’s done, but it’s a bloody long year. I’ve already had some bad luck and he hasn’t had any yet.

“But I’m not focussing on that, I’m focussing on what we can do to control our

performance and our year and that’s just making our car go faster and make sure we are doing well.

“I am enjoying the fight. I am up for it and we will just keep chipping away like we do.

“I can’t control everything, I can’t control the power steering pump. We just have to get on with it and keep focussing on every race.

“We have to make sure we turn up each time with the best car and maximise our weekends.

“It’s a long old year and consistency is key. We definitely do have strengths over 97 (van Gisbergen’s race number) and we have to make sure we keep them and work on our weaknesses and hopefully we can get them.

“We have an amazing group of guys back at the workshop with all different loads of experience and we have already highlighted a few things we think we can change or do better.

“Some will be for the short term and some will be for the longer term.”

The weaknesses Waters refers to revolve around the rear-end of the Mustang and being able to get the tyre longevity that van Gisbergen has been able to extract in longer runs from his Holden Commodore ZB. “Race pace we are not as good as the 97 and some other Commodores as well, to be honest,” Waters explained.

“I think we have a pretty good balance for qualifying but it is pretty nervous and in the race it doesn’t like to look after its tyres because of that.

“We are a little bit limited with what we can do with the rear. I find the Commodores

look a lot more stable in the rear than the Mustangs at the moment.”

While Waters was choosing his words carefully, there’s little doubt he was expressing some concern about the summer Supercars ruling that Commodores run with service windows open in the front wheel arches to expel engine bay heat. The official line from Supercars is the difference in downforce is less than one kg.

Waters is clearly unconvinced.

“We are always going to work on that as a team but … for a Commodore to win six races is pretty crazy,” added Waters.

“I think if you win six races in a row and then you do it with three broken ribs and then a collarbone, obviously you have to be driving it good. But it does show he has pace up his sleeve to burn.

“I just want to get on with it and make our car as fast as it can be. But I am sure Supercars are monitoring it.”

Despite those performance parity concerns, Waters is confident that he can garner strong results again at Symmons Plains. If he qualifies better than eighth and finishes better than sixth, he will record his best main game results there since his 2016 debut.

“After not racing there in 2020 it will be cool to see where we are at,” Waters said.

“The great thing is we do have a fast race car how it is and it is a qualifying category, so if you can qualify up the front you should be able to snag results, “For us we need to make sure we maintain that and keep bagging points as we have been.”

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As Mark Skaife chimes in, MARK FOGARTY outlines the latest objections to Supercars’ radical revamp NEW CONCERNS are being raised about the cost and sound of the ‘crate’ V8s being developed for Gen3, as opposition to a move to paddle-operated electronic gearshifts continues to grow.

There is mounting resistance among Supercars teams to the planned switch to locally tuned versions of off-the-shelf Ford and GM engines to replace the existing bespoke five-litre V8s.

Supercars is funding the development of two very different crate engines – a 5.4-litre Ford Coyote derivative and a 6.2-litre GM LS3 variant.

They are slated for the Gen3 version of the Mustang and the Commodore-replacement Chev Camaro respectively, due to take over next year.

Although targeted to reduce the cost of motors from more than $100,000 to $60,000 each, and extend their life before rebuilds from 4000 km to 10,000 km, the changeover will be expensive.

There is a growing body of opinion that the aim could be achieved much more effectively by detuning the highly evolved current engines.

Worries have also been expressed about the likely ‘flat’ sound of the ‘V-crates’ compared with the robust roar of the existing units, along with doubts that parity between the DOHC Ford and bigger pushrod GM can be achieved.

Critics point to the muted rumble of the Ford Aluminator crate V8 used in S5000 as a warning that the Gen3 Supercars won’t be as raucous as now.

Joining the chorus of concern about the engine change is V8 legend Mark Skaife, who is also opposed to Supercars adopting electronic paddle shift as used in F1, GT3 and TCR. Shane van Gisbergen has led the rallying cry against paddle shifting, backed by most other drivers, which has been taken up by Mark Larkham and Greg Murphy.

Skaife has added his weight to the push to retain the conventional-looking sequential gearshift and to retain driver skill on down changes.

ENGINE CONCERN

While the five-time V8 champion-turned-TV expert applauds the aims of Gen3, he has gone public with his reservations about the engine change on cost and engine note grounds.

“The bit that I’m concerned about is what I’m hearing in terms of engine proposals,” Skaife told Auto Action. “I think for the sport we are far better to slightly detune – not by a lot – the existing engines because they

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GROWING UPRISING AGAINST BIG CHANGES

GEN3 R

Mark Skaife (above centre, with Craig Lowndes) has concerns about various aspects of Gen3, including the timing of its introduction.

He is currently completing a ‘Quality of Racing’ document which includes his thoughts on engines, paddles shifts and aerodynamics.

have a sophisticated V8 note. They’re pretty cool sounding engines.

“So if you increase the service life and make them effectively more affordable, I would leave those in situ until we find the right alternatives – and that needs to be done in a clever, measured way.

“If you think about the inventory changeover cost, it’s not just the build of the new car. It’s about what you do with the engines.”

Privately, Skaife also questions the likelihood that performance parity of 5.4 versus 6.2 litres will be achieved.

He is “100 per cent” against paddle shift, which actuates gear changes by levers on the back of the steering wheel. Supercars is looking at full electronic control, including auto-blip rev-matching on down changes.

Team owners like the idea because it eliminates costly over-revs, but drivers and enthusiast fans hate the removal of skill

by doing away with ‘heel-and-toe’ braking and throttle blipping currently required for smooth downshifts.

Skaife thinks the new higher-definition in-car cameras being introduced into the TV coverage highlight the need to show drivers working hard.

“The physical exertion of driving one of our cars needs to always look difficult,” he said. “I didn’t want to change from H-pattern, but what we have today, when I watch one of our guys in one of those cars versus someone of the same ilk driving a GT3 car, they’re poles apart.

“Anytime we make them look easy hurts our show.”

Skaife revealed that he is working on a manifesto for Supercars on how to improve the racing with Gen3 by going further with aero changes than just a big reduction of downforce.

ADD MORE DRAG

“I’m in the process of writing a really comprehensive quality of racing document, which to me is the fundamental part of what you’re actually trying to do. We’re in the entertainment business and we have to make the racing better.

“What people really haven’t got onto is, it’s not necessarily about the downforce,” he said. “It’s the lift-to-drag ratio. The drag penalty is not enough. We’re too efficient, so that the car that’s in the lead has got to pay a bigger penalty for pushing through the air.

“If you do that, then the wake effect or the aero wash will be reduced, so that the car behind gets some slipstream effect.

Reducing downforce and increasing drag enables classic drafting on the straights, as well as lengthening the braking areas and probably makes for more mistakes.

“And it probably makes for a higher level

AGP PROSPECTS LOOKING GOOD

By MARK FOGARTY

REVOLT! R of tyre degradation because the cars slide around more. So you put all that together as the fundamental cornerstone of what you have to create.”

As the architect of Car Of The Future, Skaife is well aware that good intentions for cost reduction can be corrupted, with the current generation becoming prohibitively expensive.

He maintains COTF cars were cheaper than the final Project Blueprint machines in 2012, arguing that Gen2.5’s introduction of the ZB Commodore and then Mustang sent car costs soaring.

While he is confident Supercars will achieve its Gen3 mandate of reducing the build cost of a car from up to $750,000 to under $400,000, he is not so sure about the rushed introduction in 2022.

“It’s Supercars’ job to ensure it meets those targets, meets those requirements,” Skaife said. “For sure, we have to have a reduction in cost.

“My feeling is that if you have a budget target, you have to be able to meet it because

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it’s one of the key objectives. We have to reduce our costs.”

There is a rising expectation among the teams that the start of next season will be delayed until late March to give teams more time to be ready.

Prototypes of the Gen3 Camaro and Mustang are not due to begin track testing until June or July, with the final specs unlikely to be decided until late in the year. Teams will be under severe pressure to build new cars in time.

“The timing is an important consideration because with Car Of The Future, we did 18 months of running with two prototypes and we did 10,000 km before they rolled out at Adelaide at the start of the 2013 season,” Skaife noted.

“They’re not going to have that this time, so you then have to make an educated call on when they come in. To me, it’s just a simple risk assessment. If we go ahead with this in the timeframe that was originally prescribed, what are the risks?”

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ORGANISERS REMAIN confident the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix will go ahead in November with large crowds.

The Australian Grand Prix Corporation is working with Victoria health authorities to ensure the postponed event happens.

AGPC’s optimism also applies to the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island, which it also runs.

The F1 AGP was postponed until November 18-21, while the return of MotoGP is scheduled for October 22-24.

The main gambit is to convince the state government to allow F1 – and MotoGP – personnel in without the current 14-day hotel quarantine requirement.

The AGPC is pitching for a travel corridor between the airport, hotels, track and back over five or six days, governed

by F1’s stringent COVID-19 protocols.

The F1 paddock at Albert Park would be sealed off from the rest of the circuit, with no public contact.

The system will be trialled with MotoGP’s visit to regional Phillip Island.

As Victoria opens up after more than a month without locally transmitted coronavirus cases, increasing AFL crowds to 75 per cent capacity, AGPC chief executive Andrew Westacott sees daily crowd limits for the F1 AGP as the least of the event’s restrictions.

“There’s lots of positivity about crowds and opening up,” Westacott reported.

“We see that with the sporting seasons that are happening at the moment. The complexities of international sports remain, so that’s very much a work in progress exercise on all aspects of everything from arrivals to transfers to airport arrangements to circuit designs and zones on the circuit layout.”

He is hoping that by November, when travel restrictions may have eased due to widespread vaccination, attendance of at least 50,000 up to 100,000 a day will be allowed at the expansive Albert Park circuit, which will be divided into delineated spectator zones.

But he dismisses any possibility that the AGP will be run without constraints, especially for visiting F1 personnel.

“Well, with the crowd side of things, I see that there are levels of structure that are starting to exist in stadiums and sporting events and live entertainment that allow us to get zones with absolutely strict capabilities of tracing and ticketing and so on,” Westacott said. “When it comes to the international side of things, it would be very naïve to even think of the term open slather because it’s not something we expect.”

It is unlikely overseas tourists will be allowed into Australia in November.

Westacott confirmed isolation for F1 personnel, as exists at other events, was how the AGP would happen.

“That level of ‘bubble’ arrangement is the sort of thing that is being projected for a November scenario,” he said. “And then what has to be overlaid – and this is

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where the work work in progress proggress stuff just where continues – is all the learnings that you get from every particular state and what Melbourne’s doing about these sorts of things.

“We have to do a number of things. We have to protect the safety of the public and the safety of marshals, officials and workers in any area at the circuit. And we also have to make sure that we’re protecting the safety and sanctity of the international contingent, because they obviously have a season before and after our event.”

Westacott hopes the AGPC, which is a Victoria government instrumentality, will get guidance by the middle of the year.

“We want to be ready as an organisation to go on sale as early as possible,” he said. “Now, that might be a June/July scenario and what we have to do, therefore, is build a level of awareness, hype, excitement so that people can actually mark it in their calendars.

“But that’s when we have the uncontrollable from a state and federal point of view about what happens with travel – and that’s something we can never control.”

Westacott also remains optimistic that Supercars will join the F1 undercard, adding an extra round before the Gold Coast 500 finale in early December.

“Talks are on-going,” he said. “We’re talking to them regularly.

“I’m always positive and I think we’ll work out solutions because I think to have the second last round of the Supercars season here, if it pans out as planned, will be fantastic and great for the fans.”

As for the AGP returning to its traditional season-opening March date, Westacott reported the timing of next year’s edition was “a work in progress”, with “plenty of discussion going on”.

Although a fan of being the opening F1 race, Westacott is coming around to the appeal of the AGP being the third-last race in November.

In three of the past four seasons, the world champion has been crowned in that slot. And the chances of the title being decided before an end-of-year AGP are slim.

In the past 45 years, there have only been eight occasions when the championship has been wrapped up with three rounds to go.

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‘I AM READY TO GO!’

NEWS

McLaughlin “really prepared” for IndyCar green light

By BRUCE NEWTON BUOYED BY a winter preparation he says couldn’t have gone better, Scott McLaughlin is eagerly awaiting the start of 2021 IndyCar championship.

The three-time Supercars champion’s full-time US openwheeler career will start with an intense cadence; racing four times in three weekends beginning with fast and flowing Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama on April 17-18.

The following week he will be back at St Petersburg in Florida, the street circuit where he made his IndyCar debut with Team Penske in the final round of the 2020 championship.

Then it’s on to a double-header at Texas Motor Speedway on May 1-2 and his first taste of superspeedway racing.

“I am super-excited,” said McLaughlin. “I have got a lot to learn; the racing side of things learning where my front wing is and all that jazz. That’s just going to come as I drive.

“I will probably learn more at a race than I ever will at a test, so I am just excited to get going, to get racing, do the pit stops, do whatever.

“My build-up has been exactly how we wanted, there’s no problem with how we have been going.

I am really feeling prepared, feeling fitter than I ever have before and just ready to go.”

Encouragingly for McLaughlin he’s got experience at both Barber and Texas. He’s tested at the former twice and was at TMS as recently as last week.

“They’re all tracks I’ve been to before, so it’s not too much a fish out of water type-thing,” McLaughlin told Auto Action.

“I am just going to be consistently in the car and one way you get comfortable in a car is turning laps. Being in it every week and thinking about it is going to be cool.

“Starting with two road courses in a row before I go to an oval [is also good]. Then I’ll have the chance to go through pit stops and understand the sequences and cycles a bit more before I hit the ovals, which are a complete flip around in terms of your mental thoughts and what goes on.

“I’ve had that chance to get really acquainted with the car. Feel the clutch, feel all the little things in the car that even after the last few tests I am getting more comfortable with.

“I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like having

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four races in a row over three weekends.”

McLaughlin completes his testing schedule with two days at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Thursday and Friday (US time) this week, ahead of his debut in the Indy 500 on May 30.

Extensive cockpit time follows on from a heap of work in the GM Racing simulator and lots of off-season fitness training. He’s also found time to roll out the PPG livery he will run on his DallaraChevrolet at 10 races and the famous Pennzoil ‘yellow submarine’ livery he will use at the Indy 500. A third livery is yet to be revealed.

McLaughlin follows the likes of Helio Castroneves, Johnny Rutherford and Rick Mears in representing Pennzoil. He’ll also be wearing a Mears tribute helmet, a reflection of the close relationship he has developed with the four-time Indy 500 winner, who has become a mentor and will act as his spotter this season.

“It’s very special for me to run that [Pennzoil livery],” Mclaughlin said. “I don’t think it’s ever been run on a rookie’s car before, which is pretty special “I have developed a friendship with Rick over the last months … He was the first person I showed the helmet too and he loved that. When you have someone like that excited for you, it just makes it even cooler.”

McLaughlin is one of three high-profile rookies joining IndyCar in 2021, along with F1 refugee Romain Grosjean and NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson, but he is the only one who will complete the full schedule.

There is high interest in how he will perform in the

series, even amongst his team-mates.

Indy 500 winner Simon Pagenaud was effusive in his estimation of how McLaughlin will go, declaring he will win a race this year and eventually the championship.

It’s praise that McLaughlin has noted – “it was nice of him” - although he’s not making such bold predictions himself.

“I’m under no illusions that this year is going to be tough. But I plan to be here for a long time, so I’ve got time.

“I literally want to do just as many laps as I can.

“I don’t have goals right now because I don’t know where I am going to be. I could be really fast or I could be really slow. I think for me I am comfortable with where I am.

“If I do every lap I can in practice, qualifying and the race we will be somewhere there. I will back my talent.”

McLaughlin says running in the top 10 at Barber would be a success on a fast and challenging 3.8km course with 17 turns and a rise and fall of 24 metres. Qualifying speed for the course are up around 200km/h.

“That’s a proper race track,” said McLaughlin.

“There’s not much room for error, there’s not much run-off. And it’s fast, there are corners you hit at 180mph (290km/h) and you’ve got to flow it.

“To me, the commitment level you need at Barber is the same as the commitment level you need at Bathurst. It’s crazy, it’s awesome.

“It’s a track that needs miles, so I am glad I have done a couple of tests there.”

A cornerstone of McLaughlin’s winter testing has been building trust in the aerodynamic grip generated by his IndyCar and changing his driving style from what worked for low-grip Supercars.

But he’s also learned that what works for him on a road course requires a reset on the ovals.

McLaughlin says his confidence in that regard has been boosted by his recent TMS test, where he ran long tyre stints and learned more about the drafting intrinsic to super-speedway racing.

According to unofficial results published post-test, he was 12th fastest of 17 cars present, posting a best lap average of 218.16mph (351km/h). Arrow McLaren SP’s Pato O’Ward topped the test at 222.5mph (358km/h).

“Running at 225-230mph and that trust goes out the window and you have to rebuild it all again. You have little moments that scare you and you have just got to stay on top of things.

“It’s trusting the car but also not falling asleep on the car, not dropping your guard, because these things bite pretty hard.”

Tune into Foxsport Channel 506 for coverage of IndyCar’s opener from Barber Motorsport Park at 5am.

Bathurst and wildcards SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN expects to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 within days, which at least is one small piece of good news in terms of coming home for the Bathurst 1000.

The defending Supercars champion is pencilled in to return to the cockpit of the #17 DJR Ford Mustang at the Great Race, but under current COVID restrictions would not make it back from the USA in time.

“Nothing has really changed,” McLaughlin said.

“It really might be an 11th hour thing, it’s going to come down to what happens with the government.

“Things can get locked down there pretty quick by the looks of it. I’m not counting my chickens too early.”

McLaughlin has also floated the option of joining the championship as a Wildcard entry late in the season, but says no teams have rung him to talk about that.

RECORD LOOMS FOR VAN GISBERGEN SHANE VAN Gisbergen could achieve a record-setting milestone if his incredible run of victories continues at the Symmons Plains Supercars championship event on April 17-18.

With three sprint races across two days at the Launceston circuit, the Triple Eight driver could feasibly break Craig Lowndes’ record for the most wins in Supercars/touring cars in succession.

It would also take his Supercars race win total to 48, tying him with the legendary Peter Brock.

Lowndes has held the successive wins record since 1996, when he won eight races in a row across Lakeside, Wanneroo and Mallala in his barnstorming first full year at the Holden Racing Team.

Van Gisbergen is undefeated in six consecutive Supercars races, stretching back to the Bathurst 1000 last October.

He has achieved that despite breaking a collarbone and three ribs in a mountain bike accident between the seasonopening Bathurst 500 and the Sandown SuperSprint.

Since Sandown he’s won the Bathurst 6-hour production car race and one of two GT world challenge races at Mount Panorama last weekend.

Combining his 6-hour win with his Bathurst 1000 and 2016 12-hour victories means van Gisbergen is only

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the second driver after Paul Morris to complete the Bathurst Triple Crown.

The Tasmanian Supercars race has been postponed one week because of COVID quarantine concerns, a move van Gisbergen has welcomed as he continues his injury recovery.

“I’m a bit sore still,” he told Auto Action last Sunday at Bathurst. “But I had a big weekend. A lot of laps and expected that.

“The good thing is Tasmania’s another week away so I’ll go back to the Gold Coast and try and get better.

“I’ve been in a hyperbaric chamber and I’ve spent two hours a day in that, so I’ll be starting that again.”

Van Gisbergen’s six successive wins in Supercars ties him with Allan Moffat (1977), Dick Johnson (1981/2), Jim Richards (1985), Mark Skaife (1994) and

Scott McLaughlin (2019).

Van Gisbergen’s team-mate Jamie Whincup sits alone on seven successive wins, recorded in 2008.

Van Gisbergen’s 45 current wins puts him seventh on the all-time winners list.

Lowndes went on to win 16 races in 1996, second on the all-time list behind McLaughlin, who won 18 times in 2019 in his DJRT Ford Mustang. BN & HM

QLD TEAMS RETURN HOME QUEENSLAND Supercars teams are back at their home bases ahead of the postponed Tasmanian Supercars championship event, as the latest COVID scare subsides.

The Queensland government announced a three-day lockdown of the Brisbane area on March 29.

In response, the Tasmanian government imposed a 14day quarantine on anyone from there arriving in the state.

Dick Johnson Racing and Matt Stone Racing both departed Queensland for NSW on March 31 in response to the Brisbane area COVID lockdown. They were concerned it could spread to the Gold Coast and directly impact them.

Triple Eight, the only Brisbane-based team, had already sent staff out of Queensland because it had a racing commitment with the GT world challenge at Bathurst over Easter.

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Some southern Supercars teams were also understood to have flown key Queensland-based personnel out of the state to avoid them getting mixed up in a quarantine.

At lunchtime on March 31, Supercars announced the postponement of the Symmons Plains SuperSprint from April 10-11 to April 1718, to avoid the quarantine.

However, the COVID risk has since reduced in the Brisbane area and the Tasmanian government has declared it low-risk, ending any prospect of quarantine for Queensland teams and personnel, allowing them to return home.

It had been rumoured last week that the Tassie race could shift to Sydney Motorsport Park if the Queensland COVID situation worsened.

But as of last Monday, April 5, Supercars was insisting this was never a seriously considered option. BN

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THE THIRD round of the Supercars Championship in Tasmania has been delayed in response to the Queensland lockdowns.

Supercars has confirmed the original April 10-11 event has moved back a week after Tasmania closed its borders to the Brisbane localities identified as hot spots. The new April 17-18 dates did provide teams with the opportunity to spend the mandatory 14-days outside of QLD in case the Brisbane lockdown was extended, however this has not occured. HM

EXPERIENCED CO-DRIVER Dean Fiore will partner Brad Jones Racing’s Todd Hazelwood in the 2021 Bathurst 1000. Last year, Fiore joined Team18’s Scott Pye in finishing sixth at Bathurst, which equalled his best result at The Mountain.

However, Team18’s acquisition of ex-Tickford Racing endurance driver Michael Caruso bumped the West Australian out of the seat.

Fiore in turn replaces Super2 driver Jordan Boys, who started his maiden 1000 race last year, but crashed out on lap 50. HM

JLB CONFIDENT OF FULL RECOVERY DESPITE CONTINUED discomfort from his burned right foot during the Sandown SuperSprint, Tickford Racing driver Jack Le Brocq is confident the injury will not be an ongoing problem.

Debuting a new Ford Mustang in the opening Supercars championship event of 2021 at Bathurst, Le Brocq suffered third degree burns to his right foot in the Saturday 250km race.

He then severely aggravated the injury racing on Sunday, finishing the race with a blood-filled racing boot because of burst blisters.

Thankfully, the 28-year old has avoided skin grafts to his foot, but the injury had not fully healed for Sandown and despite more heat shielding in the pedal box and a revised seating position, he still noticed it.

He is expecting to be aware of it again in Tasmania, but is predicting a full recovery.

“I am sure it will be 100 per cent and it will be fine,” he told Auto Action. “It’s just a case of getting

Image: Motorsport Images

tough skin back on it again, it’s very fresh.

“It’s not going to affect my driving going forward.

“The guys have done everything they can to make sure it doesn’t happen again. They have probably gone overboard with how much heat shielding is there, so we should be right into the future for sure.”

At 188cm tall, Le Brocq says he has coped with “warm feet” throughout his racing career, but has never gone through the trauma experienced with his new Mustang.

He suspects a new seat pour brought his throttle foot closer to the firewall and the radiating heat generated by the Mustang’s engine bay.

“That new seat let me stretch out and be a bit more comfortable and maybe that had something to do with it,” he theorised.

“We have tried to move my foot a little bit further away, just little things to try and get a bit more of an air gap there.”

Despite the dramas, Le Brocq, the Truck Assist Mustang and new engineer Sam Scaffidi have shown promising pace in 2021, with one top five qualifying and two top 10 finishes to be 11th overall in the drivers’ championship.

Symmons Plains has been a happy hunting ground for Le Brocq in the past, starring there in his rookie season in 2018 with Tekno Autosport, qualifying and finishing fifth in the Sunday race.

He also had the first win for Nissan in the development series there in 2017.

“It’s a place that has always been kind to me, it suits my driving style for some reason,” he said.

“If we have another run like 2018 this year I’d be stoked.” BN

THE BEND Motorsport Park is improving the fan experience by adding two new general admission spectator areas for its upcoming round of the Supercars Championship. The venue in South Australia hosts a Supercars round for the fourth straight year in 2021. All general admission ticket holders will have to access to the areas on the inside of pit straight and prior to the fast Turn 13. DM

Image: Motorsport Images

AFTER A year’s absence, Ashley Walsh will return to Supercars with Brad Jones Racing as a co-driver to Jack Smith in the 2021 Bathurst 1000. Walsh is an experienced campaigner, contesting the Bathurst 1000 on six occasions and has a total of 52 Supercars race starts, thoughr he did not co-drive in 2020. This year will mark Walsh’s fifth enduro campaign with the Brad Jones Racing outfit. DM

TEAM18 OWNER Charlie Schwerkolt has revealed that acquiring the services of Mark Winterbottom was a contributing factor in his continuing that Supercars program. “I had to work out if I was going to continue with this and the key was to get Frosty on. I had a really good driver, then you can get a really good team and build with the personnel,” Schwerkolt explained to AA. Winterbottom joined the then one-car team at the start of the 2019. DM

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COHESION KEY TO DJR SUCCESS THE CHANGES during the off-season were significant at Dick Johnson Racing, including new drivers Anton De Pasquale and Will Davison, who explained that a cohesive working dynamic will return the team to its winning ways.

A new driver line-up, the exit of Roger Penske and the build of two new Ford Mustangs is the most amount of change the multiple championshipwinning squad has experienced in some time.

With plenty new within DJR for 2021, the team is on the back foot after two rounds, with Davison sitting fifth in the title fight and De Pasquale 17th

after mechanical problems curtailed his Sandown weekend.

However, the new driver pairing is working well together and Davison is confident the team can turn the corner sooner rather than later through the relationship between the drivers.

“We get on well and we’re working for an exceptional team that has a plan,” Davison told Auto Action.

“We’re working through a program and we’re trying to move forward with the cars, and we’re all trying to understand each other.

“It couldn’t be a better

working environment amongst us all and I’m really enjoying it.

“We’ll just keep on pushing to make sure we get back to where the team is used to being.”

Davison also explained the two-day Supercars meetings, which last until Townsville in July, favour the teams which have remained stable during multiple seasons rather than those which have restructured.

“It’s not ideal,” Davison lamented. “It certainly benefits the crews and the driver combinations that are very familiar with one another.

“There’s no time to breathe.

“It is what it is, it’s all part of

the nature of changing drivers and we’ll just keep doing what we’re doing.”

After scoring a dream podium on debut at Bathurst, Davison has since finished fifth in the Sandown finale, and remains buoyant by the progression since the season has begun.

“We’re trying to learn the team, the team is trying to learn us,” he said.

“We’re constantly trying to evolve and move forward, (and) with that sometimes you miss the hammer on the nail, but I still think we’re showing good signs.”

Dan McCarthy

Image: Motorsport Images

FROSTY AIMS FOR SYMMONS SUCCESSS Chassis update and secret set-up aid hunt for first T18 win

By BRUCE NEWTON SUMMER CHASSIS stripdown and a secret Symmons Plains set-up is central to Mark ‘Frosty’ Winterbottom’s bid to break through for Team 18’s first win, when the Supercars championship visits Tasmania on April 17-18.

Winterbottom, who has launched strongly in 2021 to be fifth in the drivers’ standings after five races, has a stellar record at the Launceston bullring, including a pole position in his first year at Charlie Schwerkolt’s operation in 2019.

Since then Winterbottom has recorded a series of fourth place finishes for the team, while Scott Pye – who joined in 2020 - scored its first podiums.

“I have got a pretty unique set-up that I use for Tassie that I think works,” Winterbottom told Auto Action.

“I like the fact that if you make a mistake there you get exposed. Genuinely, there are five corners so everything is worth 20 per cent every time you turn the wheel.

“If you can max the braking and max the corner then you are looking really good.

“I feel more comfortable going here this year than I have for a long time because of the car set-up we have got and the way my engineer Manuel (Sanchez) and I are working.

“The way the car is going should really suit

Tassie this year, so I am really excited to go there and see what we have got.”

Winterbottom and Sanchez are extracting good response from the Triple Eight-built Irwin Racing Holden Commodore ZB, following a summer stripdown of the chassis that revealed some issues.

“My car was a bit wounded from being on the road for so long last year,” Winterbottom explained. “We didn’t have our fabricator with us on the road and with all the back-to-back races we couldn’t strip it down and crack test it.

“It was sent back to Triple Eight and they went over it, then it came back to us and our guys went over it. It had some upgrades and different things done to it to make it the same as Scott’s car, effectively.

“Instantly at the test day we knew we were on for a good year because when we made a change it was reacting. Last year we didn’t get that.

“We are revisiting a lot of things … and when it’s on we are really, really strong.”

That car improvement has bolstered Winterbottom’s confidence of achieving the team’s breakthrough win, which he is more focussed on than simply snaring his first podium for Team 18.

“A third place trophy is great to get but you still stand there and look at the guy on the top step and just want that.

“I am going for race wins and to get that top step. That’s the one I want to get.”

Winterbottom’s packed into a tight group battling for second in the drivers’ championship - led by Triple Eight’s Jamie Whincup - that are separated by just 48 points.

However, Winterbottom is already 194 points adrift of Whincup’s team-mate Shane van Gisbergen, who has won all five races so far.

Winterbottom has had streaks like that himself, winning four races in a row on his way to the championship. But just as he was eventually beaten, so he’s confident van Gisbergen will be too.

“Shane is not unbeatable and someone needs to beat him to put pressure on him. Right now he’s controlling the play and feeling on top of the world.

“In the race his tyre life and his pace has been quite strong and that’s the area where you have to bridge the gap.”

Winterbottom said the 2021 calendar aided the search for SvG-matching pace from other teams.

“These long gaps between races will give teams a chance to get back on terms,” he said.

“Normally, five rounds can go by in a blink of an eye.

“That does give teams opportunities, because there is a month of development in between events.”

Frosty outlasts Whincup MARK WINTERBOTTOM concedes that old rival Jamie Whincup got the better of him throughout the duration of their Supercars careers.

But if all goes to plan, Frosty will have the distinction of a longer Supercars career, as Whincup is set to retire at the end of 2021 to become Tripe Eight team principal while Winterbottom presses on into the Gen3 era in 2022 with Team 18.

“I enjoy it too much not to do it,” says Winterbottom of his racing.

“It’s surprising that he has given up to be honest. It will be interesting to see how he transitions into team owner. It’s a big role.”

Winterbottom says Whincup has the talent to race on for years and his experience would be invaluable in 2022.

“Gen3 is exciting and that’s where you use your experience to build a new car,” Winterbottom said.

“Anyway, he’ll go and someone else will come in and we’ll build rivalries. It never ends.” BN

FREEDOM FOUR HOUR ENDURO June 18 -19 2021

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Sanctioned by Motorsport Australia, with regulations that make it easy to compete. Bringing fun back to racing-this will be a competitor friendly and a weekend you won’t want to miss!

O Shootout qualifying for all entries O 2 Drivers/1 Car O 5 Minute refuelling pit stops – with easy fuelling regulations, no need for overhead fuelling rig.

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DESPITE THE recent COVID-19 outbreak in Brisbane, crowd restrictions are set to be lifted or at least relaxed for upcoming major events, including the next few Supercars rounds. The relaxation of crowd limits is in line with Supercars chief operating officer Shane Howard’s expectation that spectator limits and controls will ease as coronavirus vaccinations increase. Howard is optimistic that attendance at Supercars events will be back to normal. MF

PIASTRI: ‘I CAN FIGHT AT THE FRONT’ But emerging Aussie superstar downplays F2 title chances

By BRUCE NEWTON

BRISTOL MOTOR Speedway hosted the first NASCAR Cup Series race on dirt in 51 years and during the event’s closing stages it was confirmed it will continue next season.

Drivers in both the Cup Series and Truck Series raved about the unique concept, which also proved popular with race fans. It was confirmed during the race, NASCAR will again race on dirt at Bristol in 2022. DM

ASSUMING NO further COVID-19 outbreaks in Victoria, rural raceway Winton is hoping for “almost normal” crowds at its scheduled Supercars event at the end of May. Benalla Auto Club officials are due to meet with a local Victoria Department of Health representatives later this week to discuss daily attendance allowances for the two-day event. The club, which owns and operates Winton Motor Raceway outside Benalla in north-eastern Victoria, is hoping to be allowed at least 10,000 spectators day. MF

REIGNING SUPERCARS champion Scott McLaughlin will race with the iconic Pennzoil ‘Yellow Submarine’ livery in this year’s Indy 500. The livery has been previously run

by IndyCar legends including Rick Mears, Johnny Rutherford and Helio Castroneves.

Pennzoil has been a long-time supporter of the #3 Team Penske Chevrolet and will return to sponsor McLaughlin in the legendary Indy 500 on May 31. At 10 rounds the McLaughlin Team Penske machine will be backed by PPG. DM DAVID CUTTS was among the many that suffered loss through the deluge that hit the east coast of Australia and is the man behind the renowned Jacer Formula Vee cars. Cutts has lost his house, its contents and his factory. His friends have set up a gofundme page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/ rebuilding-jacer-after-the-floods?qid=b4687 3ed2713b7db0b0278a4ace93e14. GOB

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AUSSIE F1 hopeful Oscar Piastri doesn’t yet want to declare himself a contender for the FIA Formula 2 championship despite a stellar debut in the opening round in Bahrain.

The rookie looked immediately comfortable stepping up from F3, qualifying in the top 10, finishing fifth in the opening sprint and winning the hectic second outing .

The downer was retiring from the Sunday feature race after a clash with Briton Dan Ticktum, but even then the then 19-year old (he turned 20 in early April) was fighting for third and still a chance of victory.

All that has left the Prema Racing driver fourth in the championship standings, 20 points behind fellow Alpine Academy driver Guanyu Zhou with another seven rounds to contest.

“I am trying to keep my feet on the ground because it is only the first weekend,” Piastri said when asked about his championship chances. “But was it a confidence boost? Yes it definitely was.

“I don’t want to say we can fight for the championship just yet, but I think we showed we can run at the front.

“I am confident we can keep learning and keep fighting at the front.”

Piastri, who won the F3 championship as a rookie in 2020, is very much aware his Bahrain preparation included six days of testing at the Sakhir circuit since December, allowing him the opportunity to become familiar with not only his turbocharged Dallara racer, but also the abrasive track surface and how to manage the Pirelli 18-inch control tyre.

He now has to wait seven weeks before the championship recommences at the armco-lined Monaco street circuit, where he has raced twice previously in Renault Eurocup, but will have no experience in an F2 car until official practice begins.

“Monaco is going to be a very different story to Bahrain,” he said. “No-one has been there for two years, it’s going to throw another spanner in the works.

“No-one has been there on these 18-inch rims either, so it’s a going to be a bit of a new challenge for the teams.”

The Bahrain racing demonstrated the tension inherent in F2. While there is a championship to be won, each race is also a chance for these young and ambitious drivers to demonstrate their talent to F1 team bosses.

That helps explain why Piastri fought so hard to keep Ticktum at bay in their battle for third – as well as every other position he gained or lost over the weekend.

“I am trying to prove that I am fighting for wins

and show that I am fighting, so I am not just going to roll over and let everyone dive past,” Piastri explained.

“In that moment [with Ticktum] I could have picked my battle a little bit better and he could have been a little bit kinder, but it goes both ways. If I had been in his shoes I probably would have done a similar thing.

“You have to prove you are something special ... I think that goes a very long way.”

The weekend results also gained added sheen because Piastri beat both his more experienced Alpine Academy team-mates in race two, with whom he is vying for an F1 seat as soon as 2002.

All weekend he was well ahead of his Prema team-mate, the Russian Robert Shwartzman, who entered the season as title favourite.

“Obviously Robert had a shocker of a weekend really … and I am definitely glad I came out on top in that battle,” Piastri said.

“I think for me I think the biggest thing is I proved I am not just here to play second fiddle to anyone, whether it’s my Alpine Academy teams-mates in their second and third-year or Robert, my Prema team-mate, in his second year.

“It was important to my rivals on-track and to prove to everyone off-track that I am here fighting for myself and I am not just let these guys muscle me around at all.

“It was definitely important to come out on top in those battles, but we still have seven more weekends, so it can very easily go the other way.”

Piastri says one advantage of his rookie status is he’s not under the same sort of performance pressure as some other competitors, such as Zhou, who is starting his third year of F2 competition.

“All those guys are expected to perform and they are ultimately going to be the guys fighting for the title,” said Piastri. “Yes, I am coming in as F3 champion so there is a bit of expectation.

“But I think the jump for F3 to F2, everyone

knows how tough it is, so I don’t think there was any massive expectation on me, especially the first weekend.

“I might have raised them a bit for myself now, but I definitely didn’t feel any pressure on the weekend, I was just out there trying to get the best results I could.”

SOMETHING FOR THE FANS

“Oh my God! If you don’t love F2, I think you do now. Holy $%^!”

Oscar Piastri’s post-race reaction to his first F2 win certainly caught the attention – bleeped out swear word and all.

It was an appropriately emotional reaction to a great result, in which he used a fresh set of soft tyres to surge forward and pass Alpine Academy team-mate Guanyu Zhou for the win on the last lap of the second Bahrain sprint race.

But there was also some calculation in it as Piastri knew he needed to say something worthy on the TV broadcast.

“I didn’t know what to say once I crossed the line. Like, how the hell have we just won. And then I knew it was probably going to be broadcast, so I said that because I knew the whole race had just been crazy.

“I assumed that one would go down well with the fans.”

On the win itself he reflected: “It was crazy to come from eighth or ninth in five or six laps to the win and in the final lap be battling with the two Alpine Academy boys.

“When I crossed the line I was very, very happy and just pumped. In terms of actual performance I wouldn’t say it was my best win but in terms of emotion and satisfaction and also being the first day of racing in F2 … it would be in the top three.”

Turn to page 15 for Oscar latest column, written exclusively for AA.

RICCIARDO’S TRACK RATING OUR DAN looks forward to the revised Albert Park layout “I think these changes are in the direction of what we want – better races, more battles. The changes are going to push us towards that.

“A bunch of us drivers were consulted on the changes and I was happy we were allowed to give our thoughts and input. Not all drivers will be aligned, of course, but one thing we can agree on is we want to make Sundays, race day, better. I had that in mind when I had my input.

“Widening some of the apexes, creating more of a straight in some places to allow for an opportunity for more slipstreaming, that was the priority, and I’m very confident that it’s going to be good.

“Every street circuit is a challenge, but Albert Park is pretty fast which only adds to that. There are a lot of fourth- and fifth-gear corners and it’s pretty narrow at certain parts. It’s been somewhere that has been hard to overtake typically because of that width, and because it’s so fast, in these cars it’s even trickier to follow through the high-speed corner sequences.

“By changing some of the apexes and creating some more room, allowing more chance to make a diving overtake or even change your line to get out of the dirty air, I think it’ll really help.

“Turn 1, the way it has been, it’s such a fast corner and you brake so late there that your apex width is very small. Turn 3 is similar in that the straight kind of turns and you’re braking into the corner, so there’s not much room to pass by the point that you’re at the apex, it’s a very narrow angle.

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Image: Motorsport Images

SANDOWN UNDER THREAT – AGAIN Images: Motorsport Images

“Widening those corners allows for a later apex and potentially leaves the door open a little longer to allow the opportunity to overtake.

“Removing Turns 9 and 10 is a compromise.

Turn 10 was always pretty challenging because you’d be exiting close to the wall – but the last couple of years, the cars are so good now that the traction out of there is pretty easy and the wall wasn’t really a threat anymore. The car didn’t run out there as aggressively as it used to.

“So removing that chicane, you’re now going to have a massive tow out of Turn 6 which is going to be good with the additional DRS zone.

Along with widening the apex at Turn 13, I see all of these changes as beneficial for Sunday and we can have some fun on the brakes. It’ll make the racing closer, I’m pretty confident of that.

“With this year’s cars, the changes should help a lot, but from 2022, if next year promises everything it does with being able to follow the car in front and the racing to be enhanced, then coming to a circuit like Albert Park with these changes should make a pretty amazing spectacle. On paper, I think there’s promise of that.” Mark Fogarty

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SANDOWN RACEWAY’S long-term future is again in doubt with the revelation that owner Melbourne Racing Club wants to rezone the site.

The dual-purpose car and horse racing venue sits in the middle of a lucrative parcel of land in south eastern Melbourne.

MRC will apply for the site to be rezoned for housing so it can sell it for a higher price to fund the $300 million redevelopment of its primary Caulfield racecourse.

The breakup of Sandown has been on the cards for several years.

Despite the profitable use of the motor racing circuit, active since 1962, the MRC claims the combined facility loses $5 million a year.

MRC is due to present its Sandown redevelopment master plan for the 112 hectare site to the local council next week.

Dandenong Council opposes the rezoning on historical and over-crowding grounds.

Whatever happens, motor racing at Sandown is safe until at least 2024.

Sandown signed a three-year deal with Supercars from 2020-22, with an option on ’23.

The coronavirus crisis cancelled last year’s Supercars round, so it is likely the deal was extended to 2023.

In 2019, Sandown manager Brendon Stewart told AA that the track would continue operating for “another five to seven years” at least, indicating car racing would continue to 2024 or

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as long as 2026.

Dandenong Council is opposing the rezoning of Sandown because of the congestion such a big new housing area would create.

There are also calls for Sandown to be retained as a heritage sporting site, protecting it from residential redevelopment.

Noise complaints are irrelevant because the 3.1 km circuit has been surrounded by houses since its inception. The main straight grandstand is heritage-listed.

Last month’s Sandown SuperSprint underlined the track’s value to Supercars.

Variable conditions and the track layout produced the best racing seen in years.

The Australian motor sport community must rise again to keep Sandown, one of the few metropolitan circuits in the world.

Sandown’s location and access – including a train station – are assets that cannot be replaced.

The facility is in the electorate of Victoria premier Daniel Andrews, who if he stays in power could over-ride redevelopment.

Although limited to five race meetings a year, Sandown is busy most weeks hosting driver training and club track days. AA understands the track is extremely profitable.

The car racing circuit is weighed down by the horse racing, which is limited to mid-week meetings. MF

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AUSTRALIAN CALAN Williams impressed in FIA Formula 3 Championship testing at the Red Bull Ring by breaking the track record.

In the day 2 morning session on fresh tyres Williams recorded a 1m 18.836s setting two best sectors to the first two splits and finished it off with a personal best third sector. The West Australian was not bettered for the remainder of the morning session and continues to turn heads after a strong postseason test. Williams will return with Jenzer Motorsport for a second season. DM

THE FIRST test of a next generation FIA World Rally Championship hybrid car took place late last week, with the M-Sport Ford squad performing a systems check on the Ford Fiesta. From 2022 to 2024, all top-tier cars will be powered by a mix of an electric motor and an internal combustion engine.

The interim M-Sport Ford car completed a systems check on asphalt before completing a test in forests, where it was driven by former WRC regular Matthew Wilson, whose initial feedback was positive. DM

Image: Motorsport Images

JONES: ‘WE ARE THERE OR THEREABOUTS’ AFTER AN impressive Supercars Championship campaign in 2020, it has been a challenging start to 2021 for the Albury based Brad Jones Racing team, however Brad Jones suggested that it is not as bad as it may appear.

The team came into 2021 with an unchanged driver line-up headed by former Bathurst 1000 winner Nick Percat, former Super2 Series winner Todd Hazelwood, plus Macauley Jones and Jack Smith.

In 2020 Percat scored two race wins and a pole position on his way to finish seventh in the championship, the team’s highest championship position since 2015.

His fellow South Australian Hazelwood also scored a pole position and a podium finish, his first in the top-tier series.

So far this season, however, BJR has been unable to find the form of last year and Jones says that it is no time to panic.

“I think it’s all tight, you know it’s just a couple of hundreds here or there,” Jones told Auto Action.

Jones was asked if other teams have jumped ahead of BJR in the off-season or if they have lost some ground.

“I don’t think it’s either of those things,” he replied. “I think it’s track dependent.

“We’ve only been to two places so far, we had a lot of trouble at the first place (Bathurst) and Sandown was changing weather conditions, but we are inside the top 10.

“We’re just chipping away at it, it’s only the second round, it’s a long season and Sandown is not one of our best circuits.”

When asked to if Sandown had been a positive weekend, Jones simply replied.

“I mean it’s just okay,” he said.

“I thought they (Percat and Hazelwood) showed good speed, we just had a couple of little things that tripped us up a little bit, but I mean I thought

it was pretty solid job.”

At Bathurst the team suffered several mechanical issues and even at Sandown it was not a perfect weekend of reliability.

“Things happen,” he said. “There’s a bit going on with the engines and unfortunately we were on the wrong side of that at Bathurst.”

Jones is optimistic of a stronger showing at Symmons Plains, a track that has been good for the team in years gone by.

“We’ll see what happens when we get down to Tasmania, but I feel like we’re there are thereabouts,” he continued.

“I feel like we’re going okay, so it’d be nice to be in a position to fight for a podium and hopefully it’s going to come.

“Clearly Shane (van Gisbergen) has got the edge over everyone at the moment and there is work to be done.

“We’ll just go to Tasmania and see what we can do.” Dan McCarthy

Image: Ross Gibb

JACK DOOHAN, son of 500cc Motorcycle World Champion Mick, will again compete in the FIA Formula 3 Championship with Trident. In 2021 the Queenslander has made the move from HWA Racelab to the Italian team and is expecting stronger results. After impressing with the team in the 2020 postseason test, Doohan ended up eighth in the pre-season testing in Austria on the opening day and finished 14th and 20th during the two sessions on day 2. DM AUSSIE YOUNGSTER Hugh Barter performed strongly in the opening round of the French Formula 4 Championship. On debut in the series Barter competed at the Circuit Paul Armagnac in Nogaro, France and impressed. Barter finished the opening encounter in fourth position driving the #68 machine, he then backed it up with seventh in the second race. As Auto Action went to print Barter was yet to complete the third and final race of the weekend on Easter Monday. DM

GREECE HAS been named as the substitute for the cancelled Chilean round of the WRC. The Chile round lost its slot on the 2021 schedule due to travel restrictions into the country. Greece has not featured on the WRC calendar since 2013 and is now set to take place from September 9-12. DM

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SUPERLITE HELPED PROGRESSION MATT STONE Racing has had an improved start to the 2021 Supercars Championship and team owner Matt Stone puts a lot of it down to the Superlite program which the squad ran in 2020.

Its full-time drivers Zane Goddard and Jake Kostecki shared the #34 MSR Commodore in 2020 as part of the Superlite program, which was designed to give young drivers a chance to prove themselves without forking out the budget for a full season.

At the end of last year the squad’s sole full-time driver Garry Jacobson departed MSR, moving to rival operation Team Sydney, which enabled Goddard and Kostecki to be promoted to full-time MSR drivers.

Stone credits the 2020 program for the squad’s upturn in performance after finishing last in the Teams’ Championship last seaso.

“We feel we’ve hit the ground running (in 2021),

Stone told Auto Action.

“Getting into the top 15 at Bathurst and then Supercars qualifying was a personal best for Jake at Sandown. We are showing momentum that we’re very happy with, I attribute a lot of that to what we achieved last year, getting the guys familiar with the category before stepping up to it full-time.”

In the opening race of the season both drivers scored their best Supercars Championship finish with Goddard in 12th and Kostecki in 13th.

Stone is confident that as the championship visited Tailem Bend, Hidden Valley, Townsville and Sydney Motorsport Park on more than one occasion in 2020, this momentum will continue to get stronger.

He explained that track knowledge is not the only factor.

“Those venues are where it’ll hopefully really come into form,” he said. “It’s more about the continuity of

the drivers with the team.

“Learning not just the on-track stuff but the Supercars lifestyle in terms of nutrition, exercise and really getting in the mix to see how fierce this competition is.

“It is not just the miles in the car, they actually had time to digest everything else in between rounds because they weren’t racing each one, we think it’s been a huge benefit.”

The team stepped up from a single car outfit to a two-car squad last year and this is the first time the team has run two drivers full-time.

Stone MSR proved the Superlite program can be a benefit rather than throwing a novice in first straight away.

“I think what we did is prove that it is a valid option and something that should be considered,” Stone explained. DM

KGR ON THE IMPROVE KELLY GROVE Racing’s continued development of its two Ford Mustangs took another step forward at Sandown, a circuit where the package was unfancied compared to other venues on the calendar.

The team changed from Nissan Altimas to Mustangs ahead of the 2020 Supercars Championship, in a race against time to make the first round in Adelaide.

Both Rick Kelly and Andre Heimgartner scored top 10s on debut in Adelaide, before the COVID-19 pandemic forced a hiatus from racing.

Away from its Melbourne base for more than 100 days due to border restrictions starting at the second Sydney Motorsport Park round, Heimgartner scored his maiden Supercars pole position for Race 3 of the weekend, before converting this to second.

Image: Ross Gibb

A further podium was scored by the Kiwi at The Bend I, though this was followed by a disappointing Bathurst campaign.

Undertaking development during the off-season, Kelly Grove Racing endured a frustrating opening round at Mount Panorama and headed to Sandown expecting the Mustang to be hampered by the historic circuit’s stop-start characteristics.

This proved not to be the case as Heimgartner just missed a podium on his

way to fifth in Race 1, while new teammate David Reynolds took third in the final race.

“Sandown has been a positive step forward for us,” Heimgartner told Auto Action. “(At Bathurst) We lacked in a lot of areas that would have shown up here (at Sandown). We managed to come away with a car that’s been better than any I’ve had here before, so that’s kudos to the guys that we’ve been fast in all conditions relatively speaking and being able to keep it clean.”

However, Heimgartner emphasised the package has still to reach its full potential.

“We’ve just got to learn more, keep going forward and hopefully continue this on,” Heimgartner said.

“The car was comfortable when I was in third there, but you know it’s still early days.

“If you came up to me at the start of the weekend and said you’d finish eighth, fifth and 11th, I mean that’s a very solid weekend, so we made good gains.” Dan McCarthy

MORE MARQUES & ELECTRIC FUTURE? AUSTRALIAN RACING Group CEO Matt Braid has declared the organisation’s first Bathurst event a success.

Although the Queensland lockdown threatened to derail the Bathurst 6 Hour event, only one entry failed to make it to Mt Panorama which attracted an attendance of 15,000 across the Easter long weekend.

“There’s been no issues,” declared Braid.

“It’s been very entertaining, it looks like we’ll have a record attendance looking at some of the numbers we’ve got coming through, multiple categories, the feedbacks been good.

“Obviously, juggling a very large schedule has probably been the hardest thing, but overall, it has gone very well. We’ll come out of this with learnings that we can apply to the International.”

In what turned out to be another year of BMW domination, Shane van Gisbergen, Shane Smollen and Rob Rubis led a 1-2-3 for the German marque.

But Braid believes it is only a matter of time before other manufacturers will feature at the top as the race continues to develop.

“The manufacturer representation is mainly competitor driven albeit there’s links

for many competitors to manufacturers, which is great,” he said.

“The coordination of the Production Car category I think in the past couple of years has been difficult, but it seems to be improving a lot. This is a standalone event and we’re working with the competitors in Australian Production Cars and other stakeholders.

“We’ll keep developing it, though we don’t have any specific aims for next year to expand manufacturers. But even just walking around the pits and talking to some of the teams, they are already talking about cars they want to look at bringing in, so no one is stopping thinking about the future.

“As long as the entry is maintained, I guarantee we’ll see more brands.”

Racing legend and 6 Hour competitor John Bowe wants further brands to take the fight to BMW, as well as a class for electric cars.

“I think what we’ve got is really good,” Bowe enthused.

“I mean, 60-odd cars, it has a really good future to be honest.

“Obviously, more brands would be nice like the Kia Stinger and Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, though the SUV thing was a bit tongue-in-cheek, but there are more and more sporty SUVs in the market, so there is no reason why you couldn’t do it.

“The whole world is going towards electrification of cars, so there needs to be a class in it for electric cars or at least hybrids.

“I’m talking long-term.”

Braid said the plan to introduce a class for hybrid or electric cars is already underway, but not expected for next year’s event.

“Being a production car race, it’s relevance to the market, that’s an avenue to go down some time,” he said.

“I don’t think it will happen next year or maybe the year after, but certainly it’s on the radar from the point of view of how this race adapts to the market.” Heath McAlpine

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HYUNDAI’S BOP PLEA HMO CUSTOMER RACING expanded to three Hyundai i30N TCRs for the maiden appearance of TCR Australia at Bathurst, but the team were hampered by its Balance of Performance, leading to a frustrating weekend.

Nathan Morcom finished a best of ninth in the final race, but was left frustrated by his inability to contend at the front as he had done at Phillip Island at the previous round.

“We definitely were hampered by the BOP,” he told Auto Action. “Honestly, it’s not by the 0-60 kilos of the success ballast that we run in Australia. I think it’s the global platform of BOP that we just don’t have the motor to go up Mountain Straight and down Conrod Straight.

“We lost a second in the first sector and the last sector, so all we had was across the top and with that it’s hard to play.”

The governing body of TCR worldwide, the WSC, has not issued a Balance of Performance adjustment so far this year.

Australia’s season has already started whilst WTCR and other European-based TCR series are yet to begin.

“I think because they’re not racing

overseas,” said Morcom. “They’re not looking at it but that’s not good enough, they need to get in to it. I’m sure Motorsport Australia are sending over information but we’re not seeing any changes at the moment.”

Morcom threatened he would not attend the season-ending 500km event at ARG’s Bathurst International, if there isn’t an adjustment.

“If they don’t change it, we’re not interested in coming back at the end of the year as we’ll be just making up numbers at the back,” he said.

“We want to be competing with

everybody and that’s what the category is all about. It’s supposed to mix it up everybody and at the moment we’re not mixing it with the other cars.

“It’s a letdown, which is a shame, we know we’ll be back up there at SMP because it’s our local track, but we’re always on the back foot on the long straights, which is a shame.

“We’re at 90mm ride height, the Audis are at 60mm ride height and most of the other cars are at 70mm ride height, it’s a bit unfair I think.”

Morcom has drawn parallels with Hyundai Motorsport’s battle with WSC,

likening it to what he and his team are experiencing in Australia.

“I think two years ago when they won the WTCR they probably hampered it there but it’s probably hampering it so much that it’s not even in contention,” he said.

“As you can see, Hyundai Motorsport aren’t liking WTCR at the moment and I think what we’re going through here is what they’re going through over there, it’s a shame.

“Honestly in ‘19 we had an adjustment every 5-6 weeks and so far we haven’t had any adjustments this year, which is pathetic I think.” Heath McAlpine

MACH 1 INCOMING?

MUSTANG MADE its highly anticipated Bathurst 6 Hour debut last weekend, winning Class A2 but falling short of the outright victory it was mooted to take.

However, leading contender George Miedecke is already discussing converting his Ford Mustang to Mach 1 specification, to take on the might of BMW. “We’re looking at the possibility of upgrading to a Mach 1,” Miedecke told Auto Action post-race.

“Gearbox and subframe is the real advantage, I think that would be a big help.”

Mach 1 upgrades include the Tremec 3160 six-speed manual and additional cooling for the transmission, a flat underbody, rear wing, the latest configuration of Ford’s MagneRide suspension, plus cosmetic changes including a new louvred bonnet.

Cooling was a problem for the Miedecke Mustang, as its driver begins the development phase.

“We had a lot of dramas and to be honest, we really don’t know how we’ll go against the Beemers because we didn’t perform to our potential,” Miedecke explained.

“We had some engine issues and we were dropping a lot of straight line speed compared to the other cars, even the other Mustangs.

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“We’ve got some work to do. We’ve got to get the cooling right, we obviously got to support the front splitter a little bit, but credit to the team.”

Miedecke’s dealership caters for a variety of brands, however it was inevitable that his choice for the Bathurst 6 Hr was going to be Mustang, after he completed a deal to purchase one through former Ford Australia and New Zealand CEO Kay Hart.

“As a Ford dealer, I bleed blue,” Miedecke admitted.

“I love the brand and the fact is we knew it would be a good product for something like this.

“What am I going to get? An AMG? Too complicated and too hard. A Stinger? Maybe.

Whereas Mustang parts are readily available, performance products are readily available, all the bits you can just get, and I just like them.

“When we were talking to Ryan McLeod about the Mustang and the potential it had in the rulebook to be a pretty decent thing, and saw how the older one was going knowing ours would have the direct injection engine with more horsepower, plus the rest of it. It was a promising platform.”

After completing the Bathurst 6 hour in fifth outright, Miedecke aims to race the Mustang in selected events, teaming with father Andrew as he continues the development phase. HM

HUDSON EXPECTED TO MAKE ALFA TCR DEBUT YOUNG QUEENSLANDER Zac Hudson is expected to make his debut in TCR Australia at Morgan Park, for Garry Rogers Motorsport.

Hudson worked with the team at last weekend’s Bathurst 6 Hour and replaced Michael Caruso for the Baskerville TCR exhibition events.

A race winner in Improved Production, Hudson is in talks to join the GRM driving roster at his local circuit, said team director Barry Rogers.

“We gave young Zac a run at Baskerville and he’s a keen frontwheel-drive performer. He’s got a couple of people behind him that

want to give him a real good go in it,” said Rogers.

“Morgan Park is his home track, so we’re sort of thinking we can maybe do there. We’ve got to work how we’re going to do it, the cost and see if we can get a sponsor to do it. The plan is to try and make it happen.”

GRM is noted for fostering talented young drivers, with Hudson expected to join an honour roll that includes Garth Tander, Jamie Whincup and current driver Jason Bargwanna.

It is undecided which brand Hudson will make his debut in, but more than likely it will be an Alfa Romeo. HM

with Oscar Piastri

PROD CARS JOIN INTERNATIONAL THE AUSTRALIAN Production Car Series will conclude its season at Mount Panorama, joining the Australian Racing Group’s Bathurst International bill.

It will be the fifth and final round of the series, with a grid capacity of 55-entries which is expected to be filled.

Regular competitors will receive a ‘season pass’ to ensure their spot on the grid, with Ontic Sports General Manager Troy Williams excited by the announcement.

“Mount Panorama is always the number one circuit for all motor sport competitors when it comes to their wish lists – Ontic Sports’ competitors are no different,” Williams said.

“With the rising profile of the Bathurst International, it is also great recognition that the MRF Tyres Australian Production car series continues to be the premiere sprint series for 3E Production Cars nationally.

“Launching today, we have 40 APC season passes

available which will allow our regulars to enter for all of our APC events for 2021, while also guaranteeing their spot on the grid for the Bathurst International.

“Beyond the Season Pass holders, the remaining Bathurst International APC grid spots will be open throughout the year for expressions of interest from non-regular competitors, via the APC website.

Invitations to compete for non-regular APC competitors will be distributed in the first week of October, based on the EOIs submitted by that time.”

As in previous years, the APC will join the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships, beginning at Sydney Motorsport Park on May 1-2, followed by Morgan Park on June 25-27, Sandown Raceway on September 10-12 and The Bend Motorsport Park on October 15-17.

It will be the second event Production Cars will contest at Mount Panorama, after the standalone Bathurst 6 Hour last weekend, also run by ARG. HM

WE ARE STILL IN THE HUNT

A FRUSTRATING start to the season for Aaron Cameron ended at Bathurst, when he followed home series leader Chaz Mostert in all three races to jump to second in the TCR Australia standings.

In his first year driving the Garry Rogers Motorsport Peugeot 308 TCR, Cameron had previously battled mechanical issues but not at Bathurst, as he emerged the sole challenger to Mostert all weekend.

“I’ve done it in the past, just never done it with GRM,” said Cameron. “To get some podiums and have a great weekend, it’s awesome to get back into contention.”

Leader Mostert holds a 63-point lead heading to Sydney Motorsport Park, but Cameron declared the margin is not unassailable.

“We can catch him,” Cameron said. “I’d say at the moment it’s Jordan Cox and I that can get it done, we both have a fair old crack, and it’s Coxy’s home track, SMP.” Confidence hasn’t lacked for Cameron, who has led a race at each of the opening three rounds, but at

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Bathurst he finally delivered on the promise, which was demonstrated when teammate Jason Bargwanna took Peugeot’s first win in TCR Australia at Phillip Island.

“At Tassie we had the gearshift issue that cost us two races of really good points, then at Phillip Island I got damage in Race 2, which dropped us a bit back, and then in race 3 we had lingering problems,” he explained.

“We’ve put a weekend together now, we’ve showed that we’re competitive and showed we can race Chaz, who’s been there, done that.”

However, an expected weight increase ahead of SMP will require Cameron to work even harder to compete against Mostert and maintain second in the title.

“Looking at it now, from my perspective, I qualified P2, so I think I get 60kg worth of compensation weight, which is going to hurt us,” he lamented.

“Tyre wear is huge at Sydney Motorsport Park and we’re already not good with that, so I’ll probably be doing my heroics in the races, but we’ll be trying as hard as we can.” HM

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IF THE first round of the 2021 FIA Formula 2 Championship is anything to go by, the year ahead is going to be fast, exciting, spectacular, and nerve-wracking, depending on where you’re sitting at the time!

Being my debut F2 weekend, we went to Bahrain with no expectations and wanting to maximise our performance as a team, so to come away with the results we did was highly positive and a good start in a new category.

The jump from F3 to F2 is considerable; there’s more horsepower to deal with – 620 to 380hp – carbon brakes, which don’t work so well when they’re cool, and 18” wheels with lower-profile tyres that have considerably different degradation.

So, with a lot to learn quickly and plenty of unknowns, if you’d offered me a race win and fourth in points before the weekend, I would have happily accepted.

Our Race 2 win was one of the most satisfying of my career to date as it wasn’t easy and was hardfought.

We were struggling early on; I almost spun at one point, and we really weren’t in a position to challenge for the top five, but a great strategy call by my HP Tuners PREMA team for a late-race pit stop brought it all together.

We left the pits in ninth, and with fresh softs, I was able to work my way through the field and get the win, passing my Alpine Academy team-mates Christian

Lundgaard and Guanyu Zhou in a three-way battle into turn one on the last lap.

Winning like that, when you don’t have the fastest car, and you have to fight to come from behind, is better than the easy victories, and they certainly get the adrenalin pumping afterwards.

The longer feature race didn’t turn out the way I’d have liked, we could have been top five without the spin, but I was committed and having a crack at the win.

I probably should have backed out; while some would argue Dan Ticktum could have also given me a little more room, but, regardless, I’d probably do a few things differently if I was in the same situation again.

Anyway, it’s in the past now and something I have to live with and learn from the experience.

The weekend showed that while I’ve got plenty more to learn about F2, we can battle at the front this season, and I’m prepared to fight for wins – and that’s important at this level.

Our next round isn’t until Monte Carlo on 20-22 May, and while I’ve all raced there before, it’s going to be a massive challenge for all the teams with the current F2 package.

Before then, we have a three-day test in Barcelona in a few weeks (23-35 April), which will be our last of the year, so it will be crucial to gain more experience in these cars and set up the rest of the season.

Cheers, Oscar

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TASMAN-ESQUE S5000 CHAMPIONSHIP FOR SEASON 2 S5000 GOLD Star Championship category manager and founder Chris Lambden has outlined plans for a Tasman-esque series for the 2021-22 season.

With just one round remaining in the inaugural V8 powered open-wheel S5000 Championship, Lambden already has one eye looking ahead to the next season, which is set to kick off in September.

From the very early days, Lambden highlighted his intentions to run the series over the summer months and from the second season this will be the case.

“The big deal is when we kick off our new season in September,” Lambden told Auto Action.

“We’re not going to race in winter, we’re going to have a summer season, we are looking at seven rounds from September through to March.”

Lambden elaborated saying that if international COVID-19 cases dissipate and international travel restrictions are lightened, there will be a mini-Tasmanesque series for international drivers to contest.

These rounds will be in close proximity to each other, meaning that the international visitors are not forced to contest a sevenmonth championship.

“At the moment there’s some work going

on to cluster two or three of them together as a form of international series,” he explained. “I’m hoping we can announce something fairly soon.

“The Gold Star itself will go all the way through seven rounds from September through to March.”

Lambden is confident that for the second season, several more cars will be on the grid and make for an even louder and bigger spectacle for fans.

“By that point with the way things are going, I’m expecting to have a couple of new two car teams and so I really hope we’ll have 15 to 16 cars when we kick off season two,” he said.

The big banger series has proved incredibly popular and Lambden is satisfied with how the inaugural season has taken off, with some high quality driving up the pointy end of the field.

“We could probably do with a little bit

less water” he joked after several wet weather races.

“But to be honest, other than the fact that COVID is still costing a couple of cars on the grid, I couldn’t be happier.

“A lot of different winners, we’ve unearthed some young talent. The cars are all pretty much in one piece and the fans do seem to like it!

“So, at this point, I’m really thrilled.”

Dan McCarthy

S5000 HITOUT ON THE MOUNTAIN SYDNEY-BASED driver Braydan Willmington made history as he completed the first laps of Mount Panorama in an S5000.

Son of former touring car privateer Garry, Willmington has raced the V8 open-wheeler category since it debuted at Sandown in 2019.

After completing his two runs around Bathurst, Willmington is excited to return for the category’s racing debut at the circuit at November’s Bathurst International.

“An absolute spectacle,” he enthused. “It will be incredible. it will be something to see with your own eyes.

“I believe there’s going to be 17-cars here for the Bathurst International and I absolutely cannot wait for that. It will be unreal.”

Describing his lap, Willmington says didn’t

glance at his steering wheel display as he experienced driving the Bathurst track for the first-time himself.

“I was eyes forward, looking for high spots on the track,” Willmington explained.

“I was really feeling it out, I wasn’t trying for lap time at all, I’m just making sure these things can get around here.

“Because I’ve never done laps here in anything else, you sit so low to the ground over the top. Coming over Skyline is so incredible, being so low to the ground, it just gives you a different sensation to anything else.

“You’ll need big balls to go fast around here.”

The S5000 was as it ran at Sandown and had no problem navigating the 6.213km circuit. Heath McAlpine

AMRS LIVESTREAM FROM RD2 THE AUSTRALIAN Motor Racing Series (AMRS) is continuing to gather momentum, with series manager Matt Baragwanath revealing to Auto Action new coverage of its events going forward.

AASA is the sanctioning body of AMRS events which includes the TA2 Muscle Car Series, Miniature Race Cars, Enduro champs and the Super GT Australia Series (for more on the new Super GT category go to pages 18-19).

From the second round of the series until the end of the year, all of Sunday’s AMRS racing action will be streamed live and free.

“The live stream at each round will be on the Sunday,” Baragwanath revealed to AA. An experienced pairing will be at the fore of

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the broadcast, leading the coverage over the duration of the day’s racing action.

“Tony Schibeci has been appointed as the series commentator as well as on the live stream, while Kylie King will be the face of the series on camera as the host.

“That can be accessed across our socials media platforms, including YouTube, as well as our website.”

Schibeci has called motor sport for many years and in recent seasons has been the voice of Porsche racing trackside.

Kylie King also has an extensive career in motor sport broadcasting, including hosting, commentating and pit reporting at Supercars Championship events. DM

th Luke West iith wit

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TAYLOR WINS INAUGURAL EXTREME E EVENT

RALLY CHAMPION Molly Taylor and reigning FIA World Rallycross Champion Johan Kristoffersson dominated the inaugural round of the all-electric off-road Extreme E championship.

The first ever event took place in the desert of Alula in Saudi Arabia and saw 18 drivers sharing nine all-electric machines.

Each must be driven by one male and one female, and the true off-road nature of the series enticed some worldfamous drivers to the grid.

Nine-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb, former World Rally Cross champions Timmy Hansen and Mattias Ekstrom, two-time WRC champion Carlos Sainz, W-Series winner Jamie Chadwick, and even former F1 Champion Jenson Button were a few of the names to jump onboard.

Despite all these legends, from the word go Rosberg X Racing drivers Kristoffersson and Taylor were almost untouchable over the course of the weekend.

Quickest in the first qualifying session and would have been again had it not been for a penalty in the second session, the duo went from strength to strength.

The former WTCR race winner started both the semi-final and final and each time handed the car over to Molly Taylor in the lead.

Out front Taylor was comfortable, untroubled and crossed the line to become the first Extreme E event winners.

“What an amazing start to the season,” Taylor said.

“It feels a bit surreal, with so much anticipation and preparation leading into the weekend, and we all came here

not really knowing what to expect.

“It was definitely extreme. It was the first time we had experienced terrain like that, and on every lap, the course was changing – there were so many different variables to deal with. We just wanted to make the most of the little time we had in the car – every single kilometre.

“We had a small issue in the pit-lane during Qualifying, but aside from that, we were the quickest in every session.

“You have to be fast when it counts, be smart when it counts and take the big moves when it counts, and for it to all come together when it mattered was really special.

“Huge thanks to Johan – his opening laps were just insane – and the team has done such an incredible amount of work behind-the-scenes.”

As an inaugural event there were a couple of hitches..

Dust proved to be a major issue with visibility but as Taylor said, this championship is meant to be extreme and a real test the drivers.

“It’s pretty cool to be part of this journey at the start of something that I think has an amazing future,” she said.

“This series is really throwing the traditional rule book out of the window and starting afresh, and I think everyone will agree it was spectacular to watch.

“The male drivers we have here are the best in any motor sport category in the world, so it’s an awesome opportunity for us female drivers and a real investment in the development of female racing talent.

“This is just a dream come true all-round.”

Dan McCarthy

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CAMPBELL AND EVANS TEAM UP IN WEC TWO FORMER Carrera Cup Australia Series winners, Jaxon Evans and Matt Campbell, will share a car in the 2021 FIA World Endurance Championship.

The well-credentialed drivers will share the #77 Dempsey-Proton Racing Porsche 911 RSR-19 with German Christian Ried in the Pro-Am class.

Campbell has driven with the German operation alongside Ried the last two years, and for a third straight year they will have a new co-driver as they are joined by New Zealander Evans.

While Campbell has won several Pro-Am races in the World Endurance Championship, including a class victory the Le Mans 24 Hours, Evans is very much a newbie to the championship.

Evans made his WEC debut in the final round last season at Bahrain, when he replaced Campbell, because the Aussie was competing in the final round of the GT World Challenge Europe series for Porsche.

The 2021 driver line-up was announced on the Proton Competition social media channels.

“It is official guys, Jaxon Evans and Matt Campbell will team up with Christian Ried during the 2021 WEC season behind the steering wheel of Dempsey Proton Racing car #77,” the statement read.

Evans told Auto Action late last year that his dream

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is to compete in the top-tier of World Endurance Championship, now known as LMDh. The Kiwi is thus elated to take another step closer to reaching that goal.

“Extremely happy to announce that I will join Dempsey Proton Racing for the 2021 FIA WEC season,” Evans said on social media. “(I) Can’t wait to team up with Christian Ried and best mate Matt Campbell. A dream come true!”

Evans and Campbell are good mates, having raced each other in Australia and since shared a flat in Europe over the past several years.

Their careers have also taken a very similar route to this point, with Aussie Campbell winning the Australian Carrera Cup Series title in 2016, and Evans following suit two years later.

Both then moved to Europe, competing in the Porsche Supercup successfully, took wins in the incredibly competitive Porsche Supercup series, before moving into the World Endurance Championship with the Dempsey Proton team.

The opening round of WEC does take place until May 1, with the first race set to be run at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium.

DM

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AA’s columnist ponders the peculiarities of modern Production Car racing IF I’VE read it once, I’ve read it a thousand times. “I wish they’d go back to racing standard Production Cars.” Supercars-related social media is plastered with similar ignorant comments. As night follows day, such comments inevitably draw responses from good folk pointing out that, actually, ‘they’ do race production cars these days, most notably each Easter for the Bathurst 6-Hour.

Of course, these threads generally descend into name-calling, Triple Eightbashing, tiresome red-versus-blue data-wasting affairs. Sigh…

But the fact remains that Production Car racing is alive and well. It’s not exactly an old-fashion ‘showroom showdown’, but it’s the closest thing possible in this day and age.

I enjoyed this year’s 6-hour immensely. I loved the variety of the cars doing battle – hell, there had to eight different BMW models of various vintages alone!

– and the drama that stemmed from cars suffering all manner of mechanical woes. As I’ve written before, not knowing if the leaders are going to last the distance makes for a compelling race. This is an underrated aspect of motor sport viewing.

The 6-Hour mirrors the old-style Great Races in so many ways. There was a small number of professionally run cars and name drivers, yet the bulk of the field were weekend warriors having their annual big day out. Many of the entries were family affairs, with both renowned and semi-famous fathers revelling in the opportunity to race with their sons.

I gotta say, I can’t get enough of the Bargwannas right now – all three generations of them. There has to be a feelgood, reality TV show in them should someone follow these likeable personalities around with cameras. Patriarch twins Alf and Harry could provide enough material alone; they are just so entertaining.

Seven did a good job capturing such characters in pitlane on Easter Sunday during the many safety car periods. But it’s a pity it needed to do so, as the proliferation of full-course yellows – 11 this year – is holding the race back. In fact, the frequency of safety car laps is a blight on all races on the Mountain, really.

It does my head in that 21 years after the 2000 Bathurst 1000 featured a record 13 safety car incursions, there have been no significant advancement in removing stranded racecars from harm’s way. That’s not a criticism of trackside volunteers, more a comment on the lack of vision from organisers to ease a problem that continues to chip away many fans’ and competitors’ enjoyment of an otherwise special venue.

One of the key things holding Production Car racing back generally is the complexity of road cars today. Even moderately priced cars are packed with sophisticated driver assistance electronics and safety features – ABS, autonomous emergency braking, lane-trace, stop-and-go, etcetera. These are all natural enemies to trouble-free racing.

These systems need to be deactivated or completely removed from modern production racers before they can hit the track. Preparation is therefore a timeconsuming and costly exercise and an indication why so many older models, without such systems, continue to provide the bulk of the 6-Hour entry.

It also partly explains why there are so many BMWs at the pointy end, as the Bavarian manufacturer offers machines that can be more easily put on the track free of electronic bugs.

BMWs also proliferate due to bang-for-your-buck economics. M4s and M3s simply offer superior power-to-weight numbers over prestige marketplace rivals.

Hopefully we’ll see more AMG Mercs and equivalent Audis in the years to come, although none of the German trio are cheap to purchase and race.

As much as I love the 6-Hour, it’s obvious the Production Cars from that race will never take over as the machines to contest the 1000 in October. Should Supercars stumble in the future, it was another class that raced over Easter that’s best placed to make the Great Race its own.

Make no mistake, TCR machines are effectively modern Production Cars purged of road car wiring, electronics and other frailties. They looked fast around the Mountain layout, too, something of which I wasn’t confident prior to the weekend. TCR round winner Chaz Mostert’s Audi RS3 was about 10 seconds a lap slower than his Supercars Commodore, yet it looked skittish and on the edge in comparison to the bewinged ZB and therefore conveyed a visual sensation of speed, which is all that really matters. More importantly, TCR’s hot hatches were able to pass each other around the 6.2km venue, unlike Supercars in recent years.

The trio of 10-lap TCR races were really just a sighter for the class’s own enduro this November, a 500 kilometre affair that might prove to be a forerunner to a longer race, say each October, in the medium or longer term.

As I said at the outset, Production Car racing is alive and well – in the 6-hour and most significantly in the form of TCR. Luke West wrote his first Auto Action column in 2000. Today Revved Up surveys motorsport’s changing landscape. Contact via @Luke_West (Twitter) & aarevvedup@hotmail.com

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GT RACING, ON A BUDGET In 2021, a cost-effective national GT Series has been launched, running as part of the AMRS series. To find out more about Super GT Australia DAN McCARTHY spoke with AMRS Series Manager Matt Baragwanath THE AUSTRALIAN Motor Racing Series continues to expand following an interrupted 2020, when it ran just four rounds in three states.

One growth area AMRS is targeting is sports car racing through the launch of the new Super GT Australia series.

A current specification GT3 model is not required, rather the category is designed to cater for and entice gentlemen drivers as an entry level national GT category.

Not just designed for GT3 entries as the main show, drivers can race anything from older one-make variants including Porsche’s 911 GT3 Cup Car and previously utilised in Porsche Carrera Cup Australia, right through to MARC’s I and II.

MARC, Aston Martin, Audi, Ferrari, Porsche ... there’s even an Invitational class to accommodate cars that simply don’t fit into any other category. Super GT Australia is set to be a headline act at AMRS events.

On the legality of racing a Porsche Cup Car

On the formation of the Super GT Australia category At the beginning of 2020, the then owners of the GT-1 Australia product elected not to proceed into the future.

We saw a unique opportunity to continue the product immediately and called it Super GT Australia. It essentially picked up where they left off.

The series inside of AMRS was born out of distinct competitor feedback, from those drivers who run cars but don’t necessarily want to run with National GT Championship or had a car that was ineligible to run with a certain series.

We’ve very intently put the GT category together based on that feedback. So, having the Super GT product inside AMRS as a traveling national series is a natural fit for a National based category inside our series.

On the car eligibility and classes within the Super GT Australia field The category contains several different classes. The first is GT cars, MARC cars have their own class,

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there’s a Porsche class and an Invitational Class.

Anything considered a GT car, from Audi R8s to Porsches and Lamborghinis would be obviously in the GT class.

Any Porsche Cup cars that need a home would be in the Porsche class, while the MARC cars class is for both MARC I and MARC II machines.

Invitational is for anyone in need of a home to race, or is looking for an additional home over and above what they already complete in.

If they don’t fit necessarily into the class structure, then they are welcome to race in Invitational, we can make sure we can assist them properly.

On the category’s appeal within the Australian market We are aware that there is upwards of 80 cars parked in garages that aren’t being used and that need a home, this is the category for them. (It’s) for cars that need a national environment and are given track time that suits their cars.

We see the AMRS Super GT product fitting that slot. Super GT has been formed to give these owners of GT cars, MARC cars, Porsche Cup cars and Prod Sports cars a home and an opportunity to race.

Not short sprint events but medium 50– 60 minute races which suits the attributes of each of those types of cars, whether it’s a MARC or a Porsche Cup car.

The Carrera Cup cars raced in the Super GT Series are no longer eligible to compete in the Porsche Sprint Challenge or Carrera Cup Australia.

Once they are too old for Carrera Cup you can run a Cup car in a different race, they are only restricted during its Carrera Cup and Sprint Challenge time frame, that three-orfour-year period with that model.

This (category) is meant to be a support for those people that don’t have a place to race their ineligible Carrera Cup machine.

On the Super GT Australia race weekend format At each race weekend for the rest of the year competitors can expect to receive a minimum of two one-hour races, two qualifying sessions and three practice sessions over a threeday race weekend.

Time permitting, we may do a Top 10 Shootout at some rounds as well.

The competitors have an option to utilise a second driver should they

Variety is the spice of life in the new Super GT Australian category. This is the 2021 season opener at Sydney Motorsport Park.

CHR

NOMETRIC

All things historic with Mark Bisset Beppe Gabbiani’s works F2 Maurer MM82/4 BMW, during Eifelrennen practice at the Nurburgring in 1982. Now McCarthy’s car.

Images: Motorsport Images/Mark Bisset

WELCOME TO Chronometric, a monthly potpourri of matters historic – including news, recently imported treasures, local historics bought and sold, slander and sledging, along with news on upcoming events etc.

LOCAL MAURER F2 NUMBERS GROW

MAURER IS best known for launching the careers of later ATS/Ferrari designer Gustav Brunner, and F1/Group C wunderkind Stefan Bellof.

Three cars imported by Andrew McCarthy (MM81/2 and MM82/4) and Simon Gardiner (MM83/5), plus John Lennon’s in Queensland, are four of 20 built by the ex-Chevron guys that started Maurer. Gardiner’s is close to completion while McCarthy’s MM82 is 12-months away, MM81 longer – both steerers will give more powerful Qs & Rs a run for their money.

Two-litre ranks are swelling further with Peter Brennan’s fitment of a Cosworth BDG to his Chevron. Martin Dunlop is gradually sourcing the BMW M12-7 bits he needs to convert his March 812 from F Pacific to F2 spec.

PHILLIP ISLAND HISTORICS – A CLASSIC WEEKEND

Super GT Australia provides a category for owners of older GT, MARC, Porsche Carrera Cup and even Production Cars a place to race. Every year a new batch of cars become eligible. wish to; a lot of competitors are happy to do it by themselves. Absolutely we have no issue if they wish to include a second driver for the second race, which in some sense is why we offer it as a second qualifying session.

On the treatment and coverage of the Super GT category This will be one of our (AMRS’s) top national categories and is going to support the product going forward.

We’ve got a really good product in TA2, we’ve got a good product coming through in production cars.

Super GT Australia is going to be one of our key national categories.

The live stream will be on the Sunday of each round, and all Sunday Super GT races will be a part of that (for more on the livestream turn to the news pages.)

On the first national running of the series at Sydney Motorsport Park We’re very pleased with 19 cars for our first national round, it was quite a spectacular event having the cars there going into the night during the four-hour race.

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It was certainly a fantastic start to the series in 2021, (and) a lot of people very thirsty to get out there and race again.

We had a couple of 2019 spec GT cars, we had a lot of 2011-2016 machines, we had both MARC I and MARC II cars, we had an array of Porsche GT3 Cup Cars and to finish off, we had some production sports cars as well.

On the future of the category We had 19 cars at Sydney Motorsport Park and certainly we’d like to be able to build on that, to keep that running as well as build on that throughout the rest of the year.

We try to encourage customers to bring cars out of their sheds.

As the Motorsport Australia product (GT World Challenge Australia) continues to focus on more current cars, each year it progresses there will be another year of cars that drop into what we see as our category. We see that there will be cars dropping into our category all the way through, and we’re trying to make sure that those people have got a home with track time that suits their cars.

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A good time was had by all at the Island.

Is Among the best dices were the JJ, K and L duels between the very experienced Nick McDonald in ex the family Repco-Holden special, th aand whipper-snapper Conor Ryan in the family Demmit Fuelling V8 ssprint-car.The vehicle features Hilborn fuel injected 283 Chev, H Conor Ryan wrestles his circa 480bhp ‘57 Shalala-Chev Jeep three speed gearbox. Cross J ‘Demmit Fuelling Special’ sprint-car at Phillip Island. spring & torsion bars front, solid rear with torsion bars, Halibrand quick change diff. and four-wheel Edco/Halibrand discs. Ryan won two from three in the big V8 yankee-beast and bagged Driver of The Meeting. The much beloved late Pat Ryan would have smiled about that and he would have been doubly pleased as the Pat Ryan Trophy was awarded to McDonald for never-say-die drives despite giving away so much grunt.

Ian McDonald reckons the Repco-Holden grey-six gives about 200bhp despite needing-abirthday and was doing better than 150mph. Bob King says Conor was going at least 10mph quicker, really hooting in that thing!

LONGFORD MOTORAMA – WORKING TOWARDS A RACING MUSEUM

I MISSED the Phillip Island Classic but attended the second Longford Motorama on Sunday March 7.

Between two thousand and 3,000 punters attended the event, which was centred on Longford’s Village Green. On hand was a large display of racers, bikes and interesting roadies which thrilled the crowd, as did around the block demos by the racers at lunchtime, Longford Viaduct corner display included extensive info-signs, and at the end of the day. two cars, drivers-Brian Higgins, Bruno Carosi and Phil Brooke.

The highlight was a flotilla of mini-buses which took people to three of the old circuit’s corners – Tannery, the Viaduct and Mountford. Each had a couple of cars/bikes, information boards and drivers from the day to help bring the experience to life for youngsters.

Superb organisation from Launceston/Longford mover and groover Rob Knott, and his New Norfolk buddy, Justin Brown, ensured the day went off without a hitch.

The main game for these guys is the creation of a racing museum at Longford. They have been beavering away on their proposal, which appears to have the support of the North Midlands Council, for a couple of years – fingers crossed for construction commencement in 2021 or 2022.

Knott has a shedload, literally, of displays ready to roll into the space when built. One of the highlights is the Mick Watt (Ford Anglia) Special, one of the mainstays of Tassie racing in the mid-’50s. Rob wrestled it away from Ian Tate who restored and raced it for yonks.

Get in touch with Mark if you have something of interest to share– mark@bisset.com.au

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S W NE RA EXT

$20 MILLION UPGRADE OF AGP TRACK ALBERT PARK TO JOIN F1’S ‘FAST FIVE’ MARK FOGARTY details the changes designed to make Melbourne street circuit faster, racier and more challenging WORK IS underway on a major upgrade of the Albert Park street circuit that will make it one of the five fastest tracks in Formula 1.

The $20 million project will culminate in a complete resurface of the lakeside course for the 2022 F1 Australian Grand Prix.

For this year’s postponed AGP, rescheduled to November 18-21, seven corners are being modified to increase overtaking opportunities and make the track much faster.

Two corners have been removed, cutting the layout from 16 to 14 turns and marginally reducing the lap length from 5.303 km to 5.280 km.

The changes are set to be completed by the end of this month.

The modifications are the second phase of a three-stage upgrade of the Albert Park circuit, which has hosted the AGP since 1996.

The first stage was the widening of the pit lane, completed at the end of last year.

The final phase will be a complete resurface in time for the 2022 Melbourne GP, which could revert to its traditional F1 season-opening slot in March.

Australian Grand Prix Corporation chief executive Andrew Westacott confirmed the complete overhaul, including the resurfacing, would cost around $20 million – a relative bargain these days.

“In round figures, it’s a $20 million project,” Westacott revealed to Auto Action exclusively. “If you look at it overall, it’s very good value. Normal suburban roads are resurfaced every 10-15 years. This track, which is also a public road, will have lasted 26 years.

“It’s a great project for Victoria, which

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AGPC CEO Andrew Westacott, Mark Skaife, iEDM’s Tom Prest & AGPC GM Opertions Amy Hill on site as the upgrades get underway. is supplying all the materials, and supporting 219 local jobs.”

The main revisions to the track are the widening of Turn 6, the removal of the Turn 9/10 chicane and the reprofiling of Turn 13.

Eliminating the Turn 9/10 chicane will open up the possibility of a new DRS zone, with F1 speeds reaching 330 km/h, and an overtaking opportunity into the left/right jink that is the original Turn 11/12 complex.

There have also been changes to Turns 1, 3 and 15 to make the track racier.

Overall, the changes are projected to cut five seconds from F1 qualifying times.

The qualifying lap average speed will increase from 236 km/h to 251 km/h, putting Albert Park into the top five fastest F1 circuits, joining Monza, Silverstone, Spa-Francorchamps and the Red Bull Ring.

The circuit alterations and resurface with a higher-deg asphalt mix are aimed at especially suiting the new-breed of F1 cars coming next season.

“It’s a really great opportunity to evolve the track so that in 2022, it all comes together with the new-specification cars,” Westacott said. “The changes are exciting and will reward the drivers who are aggressive and will penalise those who get into a bit of trouble.”

The modifications are endorsed by Supercars legend Mark Skaife, working with Australian circuit design specialist iEDM, which is the Albert Park upgrade project manager.

“We wanted to increase the number of contestable corners,” Skaife said. “We’ve made changes that we will be the next era of the Australian Grand Prix.”

He added that the new unimpeded run from Turn 8 to the left-right kink on Lakeside Drive, with an estimated top speed of 330 km/h, will be “one of the bravest corners” in F1.

With DRS, if approved by the FIA, the new Turn 9 will also become an overtaking opportunity.

Skaife predicts the reprofiled new Turn 11 right-hander is destined to become “the best passing spot”.

He also asserts that the widened Turn 6 will be transformed into “a challenging corner”.

The V8 legend is confident the revised layout will make the racing better for all categories, including Supercars, and with more room to move, reduce first-lap altercations.

The changes are also backed by Australian F1 star Daniel Ricciardo, who was consulted on the re-design.

“With the 2021 cars, the changes should help a lot, but from 2022, if next year promises everything it does with being able to follow the car in front and the racing to be enhanced, then coming

to a circuit like Albert Park with these changes should make a pretty amazing spectacle,” Ricciardo said. [See more of his comments in news - page 10] The first phase of the Albert Park upgrade was widening the pit lane, which was completed in December.

It should allow the F1 pit lane transit speed to increase from 60 km/h to 80 km/h, reducing the penalty of strategic tyre changes.

The new F1-spec track surface will be designed to increase tyre degradation, further promoting the use of the softest compounds and more stops.

“We think it’s going to improve the racing quality, but it’s also going to create a greater level of jeopardy,” Skaife explained. “We want to encourage the use of the softest compound tyres with highest level of degradation through the race.”

Off-track, the AGPC promises the upgrade will deliver new locations for corporate, grandstand and general admission fans, with spectacular views of the circuit.

The civil works are being done by the Downer Group, which laid the original track in 1995. The project includes improvements to facilities and amenities for park users as part of the Albert Park Master Plan.

The public road circuit runs within a park precinct used by community and sporting groups. The track changes were made in partnership with Parks Victoria, which administers the area – just a few kilometres from the Melbourne CBD – and in consultation with the local community.

The project will deliver a range of community benefits, including

TURN BY TURN

KEY CHANGES AND WHAT THEY MEAN THE CONFIGURATION of the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit is evolving to promote more competitive and exciting racing. Here’s the summary of what the organisers call the “geometric changes” to the track : Turn 1 Widened by 2.5 metres to drivers’ right Turn 3 Widened by 4 metres to drivers’ right and camber adjustment Turn 6 Widened by 7.5 metres to drivers’ right Current Turns 9 and Turn 10 Chicane removed to create a straight, creating the possibility of a fourth DRS zone Current Turn 13 Entry straightened to create a tightened corner and widened by 3.5 metres to drivers’ left, plus camber adjustment Current Turn 15 Widened by 3.5 metres to drivers’ left and camber adjustment Pit Lane Widened by 2 metres (completed in late 2020)

Aerial images show the extensive work being undertaken at Turn 13 (above) and the new Turn 9/10 complex. increased lakeside parkland, additional on-street parallel parking, enhanced cycling corridors, improved lighting and new cycling criterium loops.

The Albert Park circuit re-design started with Skaife and iEDM’s Tom Prest, who is overseeing the project, going to the 2019 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

There they met with F1 racing chief Ross Brawn, circuit designer Hermann Tilke and Australian F1 race director Michael Masi and Ricciardo to discuss the proposed track changes and to seek their advice.

Masi had already been actively engaging F1 drivers for their thoughts, with the clear feedback that they were keen to retain the track’s character – including bumps and depressions – while refining the layout to improve the racing.

Former Aussie F1 star and AGPC

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

board member Mark Webber has also had input.

The resulting modifications have been validated by F1 and FIA simulations.

The resurfacing for 2022 will use a more abrasive, slightly less durable asphalt mix that conforms with the latest FIA specification for a highdegradation surface.

• Average qualifying lap time decreases by approximately 5 seconds (1m 21.0s to 1m 15.8s) • Average qualifying speed increases 15 km/h from 236 km/h to 251 km/h • The simulated top qualifying speed is approximately 330 km/h into the current Turn 11 (assuming fourth DRS zone is ratified) • Largest speed change is at Turn 6. 2021 will see an approximately 70km/h difference in minimum speed through the corner, in qualifying from 149 km/h to 219 km/h • Highest g force is on the entry to the current Turn 11 during qualifying at 5.4 g • Potential for fourth DRS zone on the back straight – subject to FIA approval, anticipated to be formalised mid-year • Likely circuit will reduce from 16 to 14 turns – again, subject to FIA approval • Circuit length slightly shortened from 5.303 km to 5.280 km

Albert Park, which surrounds a shallow man-made recreational lake, is built on the site of a former municipal tip and swamp. The track surface “floats” on water-logged ground, allowing for movement.

The current top surface will be ground down to the existing base, which is around 500 mm deep, with a new layer of asphalt laid over it.

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LATEST NEWS

NZ BUBBLE POSITIVE FOR SUPERCARS

THE TRAVEL bubble announcement made by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Tuesday was a great sign for the scheduled Supercars Championship round in New Zealand.

For several months Australia has been open to travellers from New Zealand, albeit with minor interruptions after COVID-19 outbreaks in Auckland. However from April 18, New Zealand will reciprocate that arrangement by re-opening its border to Australia.

Despite the Brisbane outbreak, which led to Queensland-based Supercars teams temporarily scrambling out of Queensland last week and the rescheduling of the Symmons Plains round, things appear for the planned Supercars round over the ditch in November.

Once the border re-opens, New Zealand will implement a graded three-tier border system based on state allowing quarantine-less travel for Australians.

“Just as we have our alert level settings for managing cases in New Zealand, we will now have a framework for managing an outbreak in Australia,” said Ardernis.

“In many ways we will treat Australia as a region of our own when making decisions on restrictions albeit one with the complication of multiple internal borders.

“Once we know about a case in Australia, we will have three possible responses when it comes to flights and access to our border and we’ve captured these with a framework based on continue, pause or suspend.”

The NZ Prime Minister explained the simple three-tier system will be clear to everyone who plans to travel into New Zealand at any given time.

“We’ve set out the types of scenarios that could lead to each response,” she said. “They broadly follow the kinds of decisions that you’d see if there was a case here.

“For instance, if a case is found that is quite clearly linked to a border worker in a

quarantine facility and is well contained, you’d likely see travel continue in the same way as you would see life continue if that happened here in New Zealand.

“If, however, a case was found that was not clearly linked to the border and the (Australian) state responded by a short lockdown to identify more information. We’d likely pause flights from that state in the same way we would stop travel into and out of a region

in New Zealand if we’re going into a short lockdown.

“If we saw multiple cases of unknown origin, we would likely suspend flights for a set period of time.”

These new more relaxed state-by-state rules are a positive step for the likelihood of the NZ Supercars round at either Hampton Downs or Pukekohe Park currently scheduled to take place in November. Dan McCarthy

RENAULT TURNAROUND BEGINS

GARRY ROGERS Motorsport Renault Megane R.S. driver James Moffat is confident of a change of fortune at Sydney Motorsport Park after a difficult start to the TCR Australia season.

Moffat and teammate Dylan O’Keeffe have hit development hurdles in the Vukovic Motorsport-developed Renaults this season, but the former Supercars driver expects this form will be turned around at Round 4.

Moffat was impacted early by a front splitter problem, before a red-flag in qualifying left him at the back of the grid for Race 1, but his form turned around during the three-races, finishing a best of sixth in the final event.

It’s his run in the final two races of the weekend, which Moffat believes will not only continue at SMP, but during the back half of the season.

“In many ways from my side, it feels like my season started in Race 2 on Saturday,” Moffat told Auto Action.

“Obviously, we had all the dramas in Tassie with the big crash, and Phillip Island we had some niggling issues with the car we changed over to, which was holding us back and not showing the true speed of the cars.

“Once we found the problem with my car which was restricting us a fair bit, we found it just before the second race and it came alive on us.

“I think for us our focus is on a good, clean weekend at SMP with the Renaults. A nice, reliable and consistent performance, so we can start doing some further work on the

chassis side of things.”

GRM took an active development role together with the Renault’s homologation agent Vukovic Motorsport during the inaugural TCR Australia season in 2019 with Moffat lauding the team for its contribution.

“I’d like to be able to reward the guys on the Renault side of things at GRM with a good, solid weekend of racing,” he said. “I’m sure we’ll get there and we’ll keep working hard to do so.

“I can’t speak highly enough of the team for their tireless efforts, every time there’s an issue they put their heads down and their bum. They get stuck in to try and come up with a solution as best as they can.”

Moffat will continue to use his updated 2019 chassis at SMP as repairs to his newer Megane R.S. TCR are expected to be completed after Morgan Park according to GRM’s Barry Rogers.

“We’ll probably wait until after Sydney,”

said Rogers. “We’ll wait for that gap between June and September we’ll probably really get stuck into it, there’s a fair bit of work to do there.

“We’ll press on with this one in the meantime, we’ve seemed to have finally sorted out some gremlins with that, so I think we’re on the right path.

“We’ll get the other car done by Sandown in September I think.”

Heath McAlpine

AMRS POSTPONE MORGAN PARK ROUND THE AUSTRALIAN Motor Racing Series (AMRS) was forced to postpone its second round due to the now diminishing Brisbane outbreak and discussions are being made in regards to its postponement.

The event was set to take place at Morgan Park located in Warwick, a twohour drive from Brisbane.

AMRS Series manager Matt Baragwanath explained discussions are under way to hold the event at a later date.

“We’d like to reschedule it for later in the year,” Baragwanath told Auto Action. “That is unconfirmed at the moment based on two things.

“It fitting into our calendar, where it’s not going to affect any of our other rounds, and

secondly venue availability, which is very tough, we are in conversations with them but there is nothing confirmed.”

Dropping to five rounds could be an option, but it is unpreferred.

“We’d be comfortable with dropping to five rounds Winton, Queensland Raceway and for that matter Wakefield Park are going to be hugely successful for us, we’re happy to leave them and we don’t want to affect them at all,” he said.

“Tailem Bend is commercially a challenging track to attend so we’ve got to make sure that’s right, we certainly can’t let anything affect that either.

“So, we’re not all that fazed, if we don’t get a sixth round in, it will be what it will be,

we’re comfortable with five rounds.”

The round at Morgan Park was not scheduled to take place until April 17-18, but many interstate participants pulled the pin due to the brief Brisbane lockdown, making the event unviable.

“As soon as they (the Queensland government) announced that COVID hit had hit (Brisbane) and they were doing a lockdown, we literally had overnight had the cancellation of a number of entries from Victorian and South Australian teams,” Baragwanath explained.

“We tried to reassure them that it should be only a three-day thing, but that whole uncertainty, particularly people from Victoria around what we went through in

2020.

“They were very, very nervous around being involved in some other lockdown.

“The local categories were okay, but another issue also was our officials, Brisbane had been declared hotspot, 70 to 80 per cent of the official crew were from that area. Therefore, they were going to be unable to attend an event in regional Queensland.

“There was a few things stacking up against us which has caused us to make the tough decision.”

The next confirmed round to take place at this point in time is at Winton Motor Raceway from June 11-13.

Dan McCarthy

support this iconic outdoor event in an unusual year,” Kerwood said.

“Tickets will only be available online and not at the gate to meet COVID contact tracing requirements.

“The event is a race-only event as we have not been able to curate vehicle displays however spectators including clubs are welcome to arrive in their historic vehicles.

“We will attempt to direct historic cars, bikes and other vehicles to a dedicated historic vehicle car park.

“Of course, should COVID requirements become more restrictive or a lockdown occurs, tickets will be refunded, but of course, the Historic Winton organising committee of the Austin 7 Club is hoping for the best and look forward to seeing a keen crowd at the 44th Historic Winton.”

Tickets can be purchased through www. ticketebo.com.au/historicwinton from 10am Sunday, April 11.

Camping enquiries can be directed to Winton Motor Raceway on 03 5760 7100 and for accommodation contact Enjoy Benalla on 03 5762 1749, or https://www. enjoybenalla.com.au/ or tourism@benalla. vic.gov.au.

Heath McAlpine

HISTORIC WINTON OPEN TO SPECTATORS NEXT MONTH’S 44th Historic Winton will be open to spectators after the event was granted a Tier 2 COVID permit.

Scheduled for May 22-23, Historic Winton tickets must be purchased online and will be available from this Sunday, April 11.

Previously, a car show and concours has been run in conjunction with the action ontrack, but this will not occur for the 44th edition with it being strictly a racing event.

To account for this, admission costs have been reduced to $30 plus a small booking fee per day, while entry for children 17 and under is free.

Should there be any changes to COVID restrictions all tickets will be refunded.

Organiser and President of the Austin 7 Club, Len Kerwood is excited to open the event up to spectators.

“Historic Winton is affectionately regarded by competitors and spectators alike, so we hope as many as possible

LATEST NEWS

MILLER UNDERGOES SURGERY AFTER THE second round of MotoGP action Aussie Jack Miller underwent successful surgery on his right forearm and is optimistic of competing at the next MotoGP round in Portugal.

Following the Doha Grand Prix in Qatar, Miller revealed that he had been suffering from arm pump in the opening two rounds.

Upon returning from Doha Miller went to the Dexeus University Hospital in Barcelona and was examined by Dr Mir (Director of the Dexeus Institute’s Upper Limb Unit and MotoGP Traumatology Specialist).

After undergoing an MRI at rest and one under strain, it was determined that surgery should be performed immediately to restore the forearm’s vascular and nerve activity to normal.

Miller had to spend a minimum of 24 hours in the hospital before he begins his rehabilitation, with the aim to return in Portimao.

“It was a short operation, and it went very well,” Miller revealed. “I can’t wait to start the rehabilitation.

“There are still ten days left before the next Grand Prix at Portimao. If my recovery proceeds normally, I’ll be able to be back on track in Portugal, even if not completely at my 100% fitness.

“I want to thank Dr Mir and all his team of the Dexeus Hospital for their availability and all the care they have given me.”

A pair of ninth place finishes to start the season is not what Miller was after, he already finds himself over a race victory behind championship leader Johann Zarco, the Frenchman ironically riding for the team that the Aussie departed at the end of last season.

On Sunday there was an incident between Miller and reigning champion Joan Mir that raised eyebrows.

The notable incident happened at the end of the 13th lap when the pair clashed on the exit of the final

corner, both riders were incredibly lucky to remain on their bikes.

The Suzuki rider was very outspoken about the incident putting full blame on the Aussie.

“I was wide in the last corner and normally in that place when you go wide, they (the other rider) has to give space for the one that is coming (back onto the line) and Jack just go,” Mir explained.

“We both touched it was a manoeuvre in my opinion (that was) over the limit!

“It was really, really, really, dangerous and I hope that this doesn’t happen again.”

Rewind several corners to Turn 10 and that is where the controversy began. Mir made an aggressive move on Miller, the pair made contact and the Aussie was forced wide as a result. The Spaniard apologised by sticking his left right leg out (common courtesy in MotoGP).

“We had the one touch in Turn 10, it was really difficult for me to overtake them (the Ducati’s) in a different place,” Mir continued. “I tried a risky manoeuvre, I pushed him a little bit, not out of the track but out of the line. I tried to apologise with the leg.”

As anticipated, Miller had a very different view on the two clashes, saying that he is not required to move over.

“He (Mir) went wide, came back onto the track and I was there,” Miller said about the second collision.

“I mean I’m not going to stand there and wave him through.

“It is very unfortunate, but also I was hit three times prior to that and I’m not complaining!

“It is what it is, that was where the race was going, he went wide and I was in the way when he wanted to come back on the track.”

Dan McCarthy

INCREASED AUSSIE INDYCAR COVERAGE IN 2021

AUSTRALIAN FANS of IndyCar will be able to keep track of three-time Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin and Indy 500 winner Will Power through expanded coverage.

Fox Sports Australia and Kayo will broadcast all practice, qualifying and races live this season as McLaughlin makes his full-season debut in North America’s premier open-wheel category.

McLaughlin joins fellow Kiwi Scott Dixon as he aims to level with A.J. Foyt for all-time USAC/

IndyCar championships with seven, while he joins Power in an expanded Team Penske attack featuring title contenders Josef Newgarden and Simon Pagenaud.

Kiwis won’t miss out as Sky Sport in New Zealand will broadcast all races, with McLaughlin delighted fans will be able to watch his journey.

“The new commitment is massive,” Team Penske rookie McLaughlin said. “I have a lot of support back home and not only for myself but

for Will Power and Scott Dixon. For our friends and fans to see every session is fantastic. It’s going to be awesome.”

In recent years Fox Sports Australia has only shown races and occasional qualifying sessions on the network. In 2020 all races were live, however qualifying was only shown for the Indy 500 and McLaughlin’s debut race, the season finale at St. Petersburg.

The season opening round takes place next

weekend at Barber Motorsports Park with qualifying and the race shown live on Fox Sports 506.

Qualifying will be shown on Sunday April 18 from 6.30am and the race from 5.00am on Monday 19.

For more on McLaughlin’s pre-season thoughts and a complete preview of the upcoming IndyCar season flick to page 6 and 36-37 respectively.

Dan McCarthy

AUSSIES KICK OFF US CAMPAIGNS

BARTER WINS ON INTERNATIONAL DEBUT AUSTRALIAN HUGH Barter has notched up his first circuit racing win during his international debut.

The Melbourne-raised teenager won the feature race of the opening round of the FFSA Academy Formula 4 Championship after leading the race from the start.

“The feeling of getting a win in my first ever circuit race meeting is really something.” said Barter.

“I was under pressure for the entire race and really had to keep my cool with Maceo placing so much pressure on me, particularly in the later stages

of the race. It was very stressful!”

“I had an OK start while Esteban (Masson) didn’t get away from the line, which allowed me to lead away and then get into the race.”

“It was obviously very different to karting, but to get a win for the Richard Mille Young Talent Academy first time out is something I’m very proud of.”

The Richard Mille Young Talent Academy scholarship winner, who graduated out of karts this year, topped practice at the Circuit Paul Armagnac in Nogaro, France.

Barter went on to qualify second

fastest, before recording a fourth placed finish in race one. In the reverse grid, second race, he came home in seventh position.

“Overall, the weekend saw me make a lot of progress and learn so much.”

Barter continued.

“There are some areas that I’ve identified that I need to work on – it is a month until the next round at Magny Cours.”

“We’ll return now and there are a few simulator sessions coming up before heading to the track where we’ll test before the meeting.”

“To be second on points after the first event is a terrific outcome and we can certainly build from here on.”

“I have to thank the entire Richard Mille Young Talent Academy team for their assistance this weekend and making me comfortable in the car – along with all of my supporters, especially everyone from Australia that tuned in to watch the races.”

Barter will be back in action for the second round of the FFSA Academy Formula 4 Championship at Magny Cours May 7-9.

Rhys Vandersyde

over the off-season, and I am looking forward to competing for wins in the Championship this year,” said Williams.

“I’m really looking forward to competing another season with Jenzer, there was quite a few times where we showed the potential in 2020. We have started our 2021 preparations very strongly, so I’m looking forward to what we can achieve together.”

It completes a strong start to his sophomore Formula 3 season after post-season tests indicated an upturn of speed

for the West Australia, who was hit by bad luck on more than one occasion during last year’s campaign.

Qualifying in fifth in Hungary and fourth at Monza were highlights, but incidents involving other drivers ended both races prematurely.

During the off-season, Williams has worked closely with Italian-based Formula Medicine, which is a gym designed focused on mental resource optimisation, while Australian expat Mick Kouros joins as manager and mentor.

“I discuss with Calan that to win everything needs to be 100 percent, not just his performance on the circuit, but every aspect of his preparation and personal development,” said Kouros.

“We are taking everything we can to the maximum level.”

Williams returns to his base in Switzerland before embarking on another preseason test in Barcelona on April 21-22 ahead of the opening round of FIA Formula 3 at the venue on May 7-9.

Heath McAlpine

WILLIAMS SETS RECORD PACE CAREER AUSTRALIAN FIA Formula 3 Championship competitor Calan Williams continues to make a good start to his second year in the third-tier series off to the perfect start by recording times under the lap record at the Redd Bull Ring.

Last weekend, the Jenzer Motorsport driver had to contend with bitterly cold conditions, but started the test in the right way by recording a 1m 18.89s before a snow shower hit the circuit.

After the storm had subsided, Williams lowered his mark to a 1m 18.836s, which was below the Formula 3 course record.

“It is a very good feeling to achieve strong results at the first official test for 2021. We have been working very hard

AUSTRALIANS ALEX Peroni and Cameron Shields alongside Kiwi Hunter McElrea have begun their campaigns within the Road to Indy tiers.

After completing a last month, Peroni was sixth in the first and only group test for Indy Lights as the field was split by just 1.6s at Barber Motorsports Park, which will host the opening round on April 17-18.

In Carlin Motorsport’s return to the feeder category to IndyCar, Peroni recorded a 1m 12.907s was 0.566s off the pace set by David Malukas at the top of the timesheets. He was fourth placed rookie behind Swede Linus Lundqvist.

The Tasmanian completed 87-laps of running at the test as he adjusts to Indy Lights after contesting the FIA Formula 3 Championship the past twoyears, finishing a best of 10th last season, which included multiple podium finishers with Campos Racing.

Former Australian Formula Ford winner McElrea is this year joined

by Shields in Indy Pro 2000, the third-tier on the Road to Indy ladder.

McElrea won the final race last season at St Petersburg to finish fifth in the points and continues with Pabst Racing for his 2021 campaign. He placed fourth with a 1m 17.006s in 93-laps of running, 0.190s behind pacesetter Manual Sulaiman.

Shields makes the step up with his USF2000 team DEForce Racing set a 1m 17.170s to place eighth overall and fifth out of the rookies.

Last season, Shields scored one pole position and two podiums, scoring a best of second at New Jersey Motorsports Park on the way to ninth in the title standings.

He swapped from Legacy Autosports to DEForce Racing halfway through the year, which provided an upturn in form.

All three drivers open their seasons at Barber Motorsports Park as support to the IndyCar Series where Scott McLaughlin will undertake his maiden fulltime campaign against six-time champion Scott Dixon and Indy 500 winner Will Power.

Heath McAlpine

with Dan Knutson

NOT INCONSISTENT LEWIS HAMILTON does not plan to retire at the end of this season. But he could yet change his mind. When asked directly leading into the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend: “Could this be your last year in F1?” he replied: “No, in the current position I am in I don’t feel like this is the end. Of course, we have got these changes that are happening next year, which are exciting. I think this looks like it could be the most exciting season yet; we’ve got new teams, new formats and it’s closer. “I don’t feel like I’m at the end, but only the next eight months or so will let me know, and I’ll find out if I’m ready to stop or not. I don’t think I will, personally. But you never know.” DK

MATTEO BINOTTO, the Scuderia Ferrari F1 team principal, took a dig at former driver Sebastian Vettel after the opening race in Bahrain. After Charles Leclerc finished in sixth and new recruit Carlos Sainz came home eighth, the team principal took aim at Vettel on the Sky Italy coverage. “I’m happy to be able to count on both of them (the driver) finally,” Binotto said, referring to the fact that he had been disappointed by Vettel’s performances.

DM

WILLIAMS DRIVER George Russell expects Mercedes to make a decision on his future

by August. The Mercedes Academy driver, like both factory Silver-Arrows steerers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, has his contract expire at the end of the season.

“My relationship with Mercedes and (team principal) Toto Wolff is stronger than it has ever been,” Russell said. “They know the situation. They know I want to be fighting for victories and championships.” DM

AUSSIE DANIEL Ricciardo has an incentive to perform with his new team McLaren this season. If he scores a podium, McLaren CEO Zak Brown will let him drive his 1984 Dale Earnhardt Sr 1984 Wrangler Chevrolet Monte Carlo NASCAR. This is not the first incentive Ricciardo has been given by a team boss.

Last year then Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul claimed he would get a tattoo if the 31-yearold scored a podium. DM MCLAREN CEO Zak Brown has weighed in on the 2022 Mercedes F1 driver situation. Both of the German manufacturer’s current drivers, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, are out of contract at season’s end, as is young Mercedes prodigy George Russell and Red Bull Racing star Max Verstappen. Brown thinks that Mercedes would be silly not to pick youth: “I think that would be a common sense move by Toto to make, but I have no insight if that will be what happens,” he said. DM

22 AutoAction

Images: Motorsport Images

DRIVERS EXCEEDED track limits – especially at Turn 4 – frequently during the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend. Only one of them was penalised. That, of course, was Max Verstappen. The Dutch driver went off the track at Turn 4 to pass Lewis Hamilton to take the lead of the race.

The FIA’s race director, Australia’s Michael Masi, immediately contacted the Red Bull team and ordered them to tell Verstappen to hand first place back to Hamilton.

Earlier in the race Hamilton and other drivers had frequently run wide at Turn 4. Eventually Masi contacted the Mercedes team and told them that if Hamilton continued to do so, he would be shown the black and white warning flag. If he did it again he would be given a five second penalty.

“I’m confused,” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said. “At the beginning of the race it was

said track limits in Turn 4 wouldn’t be sanctioned.

And then in the race suddenly we heard that if you would continue to run wide it would be seen as an advantage and could cause a potential penalty.

Which we debated with the race director (Masi) but there’s nothing we could have done. If he makes that call, then that’s it.

“And then at the end that decision actually made us win the race. Max ran wide in the definition of the race director, gaining an advantage, he had to give back the position and that saved our victory.

So we need to be consistent in which messages are being given. They need to be clear; they need to be sacred and not a Shakespeare novel that leaves interpretation.”

Masi later explained that drivers, including Hamilton, running wide at Turn 4 was different to the Verstappen incident. It had all been clarified in the

“race notes” that Masi sends to the teams and F1 publications including Auto Action during a grand prix weekend.

“It is quite different,” Masi said, “and clearly specifically different and consistent with both notes and what was mentioned and discussed with drivers in the driver meeting, that if an overtake takes place with a car off track and gains an advantage, a lasting advantage, I will go on the radio and suggest to the team that they immediately relinquish that position, and that was made very clear.

“With regard to tolerance given with people running outside of the track limits during the race, it was mentioned very clearly in the meeting and the notes that it would not be monitored with regard to setting the lap time so to speak, but it will always be monitored in accordance with the sporting regulations that a lasting advantage overall must not be gained.”

MCLAREN’S HOMEWORK PAYS OFF IT CERTAINLY was an encouraging start to the new F1 season for the McLaren team with Daniel Ricciardo finishing seventh and Lando Norris fourth in Bahrain. But there is work to do.

Ricciardo called his first race with McLaren “a learning one.”

“It is certainly positive to finish the race not only in the points but just to do the laps,” the Aussie said. “There were definitely moments in the race when I made some mental notes, and I will give the team as much feedback as I can. I am sure as well there is a lot for me to learn and to figure out where I was losing the time, so certainly things in the car which I am sure can be better. But I will be very open minded and I am sure I am not doing everything perfect. Both sides can keep getting better.”

Ricciardo found his car to be inconsistent during the race. The team later discovered that the car’s floor had been damaged when Pierre Gasly ran into the back of his car at the beginning of the race.

“The level of damage cost a considerable amount of downforce,” said team principal Andreas Seidl. “Despite the performance loss, Daniel used his experience to cope with the issues and score important points for the team.”

Ricciardo recalled how he felt two years ago after he had switched from Red Bull to Renault.

“Bahrain was race two and I remember feeling still quite deflated,” he said. “I felt like I had a lot to learn with a new car at Renault. Here I definitely do not feel that I am off the mark as much as then. I feel like this progress in this process now will be faster. So put in the work and I’m sure that Imola will be a stronger race.”

Norris cautioned that Ferrari and AlphaTauri have equal or better pace compared to the McLaren.

Seidl, too, believes the competition will be close.

“The cars around us we were battling with this weekend have made steps forward compared to last year,” Seidl said. “The battle is again within a few tenths, and it also means it can quickly swing by the strengths or weaknesses of one or the other cars, depending on some characteristics of the tracks and weather conditions.

“Encouraging to see the pace we had, but at the same time it is very close and we simply need to make sure we keep working on, analysing and understanding the package we have, so we get more out of it. We need to keep bringing updates to the next races to make sure we stay on top of this fight.”

The results of all the teams’ homework will be seen in Imola on 18 April at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

ASTON’S RUDE AWAKENING

ASTON MARTIN, formerly known as Racing Point, got a shock when it showed up in Bahrain for pre-season testing and the grand prix.

The team’s car, which had been competitive in Bahrain less than four months ago, was now a midfielder.

Consider that Sergio Pérez ran third in his Racing Point in last year’s Bahrain Grand Prix until his engine blew up. A week later he won the Sakhir Grand Prix on the outer circuit.

This year, Lance Stroll started and finished 10th. His new teammate Sebastian Vettel qualified 15th but started 20th after a fiveplace grid penalty for ignoring the yellow flags. He finished 15th.

“The rude awakening happened in qualifying,” said team principal Otmar

Szafnauer.

“That’s when we realised after analysing the data that the low-rake cars were hampered significantly more by the regulation change, the aero reg changes, so we expected a tough race, but there’s some positives to take out of it.

“On the soft and medium tyre we looked pretty competitive in the midfield, overtook some of our competitors, and we are catching some of the others.

“We struggled a bit on the hard tyre at the end and we’ve got to understand that. In race conditions we’re a bit more competitive than we were on one lap pace. But compared to where we were just a few months ago here, before the regulation change, we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

Szafnauer is referring to the regulation changes to the floors of the cars in front of the rear tires. This was done to reduce the downforce.

It has definitely penalised the low-rake cars like Aston Martin and even Mercedes more than it did the high-rake cars like Red Bull and AlphaTauri.

The aerodynamicists at Aston Martin are working hard.

“Around the rear of the floor, the tyre area, that’s where we have to start looking for more downforce,” Szafnauer said. “So rear downforce is what we’re looking to improve.

With that comes better balance and being able to dial in more front wing.

“There’s more to come, we haven’t given up on this year and we have things in the

tunnel and the CFD, so we’ll start bringing them to the track pretty soon.

“Hopefully by the time we get to Portimao (for the Portuguese GP on 10 May) we’ll improve the car a little bit more,” Szafnauer added. “And we’ll work hard at it. I’m just looking at where we were three/four months ago in Bahrain, and now we’re fighting for 10th and 15th, so significantly different.”

But the team will be hampered by the regulations that say you must use your 2020 cars with limited modifications.

Last year’s Racing Point was nicknamed ‘The Pink Mercedes’ because it was a direct copy of the 2019 Mercedes.

In retrospect it should have been called “The Pink Red Bull” because it was a copy of the high-rake Red Bull!

HAMILTON’S NEW RECORD IN RECENT years Lewis Hamilton has broken many of the records set

by Michael Schumacher which people thought would never be surpassed.

Schumacher started from pole position 68 times. Hamilton now has 98 poles. Schumacher won 91 grands prix.

Hamilton now has 96 wins. Add in second and third places, and Schumacher was on the podium 155 times.

Hamilton now has 166 podium finishes.

The two incredibly talented drivers are, of course, tied with seven world championships each.

On lap 42 of the Bahrain Grand Prix, Hamilton completed his 5112 lap in the lead of a world championship F1 race.

That beat Schumacher’s record of 5111 laps in the lead. Hamilton went on to add to his new record,

bringing the total up to 5126 laps in the lead.

The records set

by Schumacher and Hamilton are truly epic.

But they also must be put into context. When Schumacher was racing, there were usually about 16 races a season.

Hamilton now competes in over 20 races a year.

When the legendary Juan Manual Fangio was competing in the 1950s, there were eight or nine races a year. Fangio won 24 of his 51 races – a winning percentage of 47.06.

Schumacher won 91 of his 307 races – a winning percentage of 29.64. Hamilton has won 96 of his 267 races – a winning percentage of 35.96.

There is little doubt that Hamilton will win his 100th grand prix this year, and regardless of percentages, that will be an epic record!

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Publisher Bruce Williams bruce@autoaction.com.au 0418 349 555 Editorial Director

Mark Fogarty Heath McAlpine

Production

Jason Crowe

Special Contributor

Bruce Newton

Staff Journalist

Dan McCarthy

National Editor

Garry O’Brien

Online Editor

with Dan Knutson

Bruce Williams

Editor-At-Large Deputy Editor

F1 INSIDER

Rhys Vandersyde

Contributing Writers Australia Garry O’Brien, Mark Fogarty, Bruce Newton, Mark Bisset, Geoffrey Harris, David Hassall, Bob Watson, Bruce Moxon, Gary Hill, Craig O’Brien, Mick Oliver, Martin Agatyn. Paris Charles Formula 1 US Correspondent

Dan Knutson Mike Brudenell

Photographers Australia Ross Gibb, Rebecca Hind, Mick Oliver, David Batchelor, Randall Kilner, Rhys Vandersyde, Richard Hathaway, MTR Images, Bruce Moxon, Ray Ritter International Motorsport Images Advertising Manager Bruce Williams All Advertising inquiries Bruce@autoaction.com.au (0418) 349 555 Editorial contributions may be sent to Auto Action. No responsibility will be accepted for their safety. If you require the return of any sent item or items, please attach a separate, stamped and fully addressed envelope

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Cover iimage: ARG ARG-Dan D K Kalisz/ li / Richard Weinstein/David Dowsey Elfin: The Spirit of Speed

24 AutoAction

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MORE EPIC DUELS PLEASE

ONE SWALLOW does not a summer make.

And one fabulous duel between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen in the Bahrain Grand Prix does not mean that we will see a bunch more of them this season. But, like F1 fans in Australia and around the world, I sure hope so!

And so do Verstappen and Hamilton.

“I’m super excited and super happy for the fans, that they are excited,” Hamilton said after narrowly defeating Verstappen.

“I think it’s something that all the fans have wanted for a long time. Of course, this is only one race, so we don’t know what the future holds. With the pace they (Red Bull Honda) have, they could be ahead a lot more. But we’re going to work as hard as we can to try and stay close in this battle. I hope for many more of these sorts of races with Max and (Mercedes teammate) Valtteri (Bottas).

“There’s a long way to go, 22 (races)… I’ll be grey by the end of this!”

Verstappen’s take: “It was great, but like Lewis said, it’s still a bit difficult to say where we are exactly in pace. But it’s also a very long season, so I guess we will just find out in time how it’s going to go.”

Pre-season testing and the race in Bahrain showed that the Red Bull RB16B is quicker than the Mercedes W12.

“Bahrain was always not the strongest race for Red Bull,” noted Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff after the race.

“Also, they haven’t been particularly good out of the blocks (to start the season) and this weekend shows that all that is not the case anymore in 2021. So I have no doubt that they are extremely difficult to beat.

They are the ones that are leading the pack.”

Wolff reckons that the Red Bull is about fourtenths of a second faster in qualifying, but the two cars are pretty close on race pace. Mercedes Trackside Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin has a

gloomy assessment.

“We don’t really have any strengths relative to them,” Shovlin said of Red Bull.

“There have been a lot of years where we have been able to rely on straightline speed or high-speed cornering or interconnected corners.

“But you look at it here (Bahrain) and we weren’t taking any time out of them anywhere. There were a couple of corners where they really took chunks out of us in qualifying – the high-speed and also Turns 9 and 10, they were very strong there. That’s really the main thing. In qualifying they were just bang on the pace and in their best form.

They are just quicker than the others, so we need a faster car, simple as that.”

But Red Bull boss Christian Horner also has a pessimistic view.

“Lewis is the most successful driver of all time and he’s only just achieved those records so he’s still at his peak and what he’s achieved in the sport is unsurpassed,” Horner told

WHAT’S IN THE NEXT ISSUE ON SALE APRIL 22

Reuters. “He’s going to be a huge adversary this year, and he goes into the season absolutely the favourite to defend his multiple championship winning run.

We are still very much the underdogs, but we are a challenger and will never give up.

“Mercedes are operating at such a high level that we’re going to have to perform out of our skins to achieve the kind of level to beat them and beat them consistently.”

Hamilton is at his peak.

Verstappen’s probably not quite there yet.

“Each year they are talking about when you reach your peak,” Hamilton said.

“Timing is everything and I think I’m probably at that, and Max is doing well at the moment too. So it’s going to take everything and more for us to put in performances like this (Bahrain victory). But we love the challenge, I love the challenge.”

And we love battles. So, Lewis and Max, more of those please. And the rest of you drivers, feel free to join in!

Tassie Supercars; McLaughlin’s Indycar adventures; Imola Grand Prix; Portugal MotoGP; Living Legends John Sheppard part 2; all the latest news & views

with Mark Fogarty

THE FOGES FILE AA’s practical pundit has a simple solution to the Supercars paddle shift row SOMETIMES YOU get it right. Opinions are like arseholes – everyone has one – but every so often, they strike a chord. The paddle shift debate proved the point.

My comment piece on our web site got a great response. I posited and explained that there was a simple solution to the Supercars paddle shift ‘dilemma’.

There is no argument. Just don’t. And the reaction to my non-mechanical stance was overwhelmingly supportive.

I even had a phone call from a Supercars luminary who shall remain nameless. But he knows his technical stuff and his support was comforting.

He also added to my understanding of what’s going on with the existing mechanical gearshift with the X-Trac transaxle.

Overwhelmingly, drivers and fans are against automated paddle shifting. Supercars would be deaf not to hear the outrage.

Shane van Gisbergen, surely the drivers’ driver, has led the chorus of opposition to electronic paddle shift. In defiance of his boss Roland Dane, the main proponent.

Most other drivers have backed SVG’s stance, joined by Mark Larkham, Greg Murphy and Mark Skaife.

They are big calls by blokes employed by – or at least heavily aligned with – Supercars.

My position was this: Stick with the existing sequential shifter, replacing the mechanical linkage with electronic actuation – with one big proviso.

No ‘auto blip’ on the down changes.

Electronic rev-matching on downshifts is opposed by most Supercars drivers, taking away a fundamental skill.

Team bosses are all for GT3- and TCRstyle paddle shifts because they guard against expensive over-revs.

As part of next year’s Gen3 cost-cutting reset, Supercars has called for tenders for an electronic paddle gear-shifter system.

The sensible compromise is to convert the existing conventional-looking gearstick to computer control, but without ‘auto blip’.

www.autoaction.com.au

Image: Motorsport Images

The existing X-Trac transaxle is already ‘gearshift-by-wire’ compatible.

Retaining the gearstick would maintain the perception that drivers are in charge of the shifts, as opposed to just flicking ‘flappy paddles’ on the back of the steering wheel (or increasingly, the irregularly shaped steering controller).

The existing mechanical sequential shift, which replaced the traditional H-pattern selector, still requires drivers to ‘heel-and-toe’ on down changes.

It’s a skill to blip the throttle when braking and downshifting, rolling the foot across the brake pedal and accelerator while disengaging the clutch.

Blipping the throttle amid the down change matches the engine revs to the rotation of the gear clusters, ensuring a smooth re-engagement.

If the revs aren’t synchronised, compression lock-up of the rear wheels occurs.

With practice, you can replicate the feat in your manual transmission road car. Downshifts are less jarring and easier on the gearbox.

In Supercars, with a gearstick, electronic actuation and no automatic rev-rematching, you get the best of both worlds.

Drivers still control the shift, if done successfully, but the electronics intervene to stop engine damage if they mess it up.

Shane van Gisbergen has pilloried paddle shifting in Supercars, describing it as “shit” and

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Auto_Action

exhorting the Gen3 genii to “throw paddle shift in the bin”.

Brodie Kostecki and David Reynolds, among others, have publicly backed SVG’s stance.

TV tech guru Mark Larkham has implored Supercars not to switch to full-auto paddle shift gear changing.

It seems to me that adding electronic control to the existing shifter is the way forward.

What I have since learned is that Supercars drivers are using a sneaky transmission trick to optimise cornering.

Supercars engines are limited to 7500 rpm in acceleration, but the current system allows overrevs up to 8300 revs on downshifts.

Drivers are using that trick to induce more acute corner turn-in.

There are micro switches that could be programmed to eliminate this technique – or not.

Keeping the look of active gearchanges preserves the integrity of the impression that Supercars are difficult to drive. Pulling and pushing that central shifter is great in-car action that emphasises driver control.

My clear understanding is that the existing shift mechanism can be easily converted to electronic actuation.

But I’m not an engineer, so maybe there is a technical impediment to programming out auto blip down changes. Tech heads have subsequently told me I’m not wrong.

The best argument against paddle shift is that the majority of Supercars fans don’t want it.

That, really, should be the end of the discussion.

Listen to your customers, not heed the selfinterest of the suppliers of the entertainment – especially when there appears to be a viable compromise.

Also, paddle shift with auto blip is the start of a slippery slope.

What’s next to go? One of my informed sources suggests the drivers’ ability to adjust roll bar settings – that is, the stiffness of the chassis – is also on the chopping block.

Supercars’ greatest appeal is its rawness.

Driver engagement is key to its popularity.

Automate gear changing and remove in-car adjustments, and you dilute the physicality of Supercars.

It is one of the last bastions of the art of changing gear while braking, feet juggling pedals.

The message: Leave the look.

Add electronic actuation to the stick shift, but leave the drivers to rev-match while limiting over-revs to protect the engines.

Seems a simple enough compromise, but unless Supercars heeds the widespread protest, this will be a defining battle.

Spectacle versus convenience. The choice should be obvious.

Save the shifter, ditch the paddle.

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THE PERFECTIONIST UNCOMPROMSIING TEAM BOSS WHO CHANGED THE GAME In the latest of our series recalling racing greats, MARK FOGARTY talks to master mechanic-turned-impresario John Sheppard about his big influence on early superstars IMAGES: Autopics.com.au/AA Archives/Bruce Williams IN THE 1960s and ’70s, two highprofile men were synonymous among a small group of professionals running racing teams successfully: Harry Firth and John Sheppard.

They were behind the fame of big names like Ian Geoghegan, Bob Jane, Colin Bond and Peter Brock.

Firth, a driver/manager, and Sheppard, a mechanic/manager, couldn’t have been more different.

The former was autocratic and untidy; the latter was detail-driven, priding presentation as much as results.

Ironically, their disparate approaches led to them crossing over as bosses of the Holden Dealer Team, the running of which Sheppard took over from Firth in 1978.

Sheppard, already well-established as a racing guru with a penchant for perfection, became the model of a modern team manager. Unlike

Sheppo, now 85, first came to prominence in racing as a mechanic on Gavin Youl’s 1962 Formula Junior championshipwinning MRD-Ford. This is the first Brabham ever built - made it’s race debut driven by Gavin at Goodwood in 1961. (below) Seen here at Catalina Park, where he was headed-hunted by the Geoghegans.

Firth’s grubby operation, the cars he prepared were pristine and mechanically meticulous, and his drivers organised rather than terrorised.

‘Sheppo’, now 85, turned his skill on the spanners into racing success that enhanced the ability – and achievements – of several legendary drivers. His standard of car preparation and presentation set the mark for today’s Supercars teams.

In his day, he was uncompromising and demanding. He changed teams and projects regularly, falling out with those he had guided to success. It was his way or the highway.

In the modern parlance, he was a combination of crew chief and team manager, and later, team manager/ team principal.

Sheppard worked with – walked out on – the best of their eras. Or was

the casualty of abrupt withdrawals.

The Geoghegans, Norm Beechey and Jane. Comebacks with ‘Pete’ Geoghegan, HDT and the Volvo Dealer Team.

But not without leaving a legacy of success. He won with all of them.

Throughout the decades, Sheppo’s take-it-or-leave-it attitude and sharp, cynical wit were his hallmarks. He is still acute and acerbic when we meet him near his home in inner northwestern Melbourne.

While he claims “a shocking attention span” and poor memory, his recollections are remarkably clear and precise.

Sheppard began his career as a mechanic at the car yard of 1950s star Stan Jones – father of 1980 F1 world champion Alan – before moving to the service department of Mini ace Peter Manton’s Monaro Motors in

PART ONE

South Melbourne.

He became involved in Manton’s racing, first with Morris Majors and then the first of the chain-smoking ace’s modified Minis. He was inspired by legendary racing mechanic of the era, Otto Stone.

Sheppo was hired by the Tasmanian Youl brothers, John and Gavin, to fettle their open wheelers on visits to the mainland. The Youls later developed the Symmons Plains track on their pastoral property north of Launceston.

Sheppard masterminded early successes of Ian Geoghegan (above left) left), seen here in the 1964 ATCC-winning Ford Cortina GT leading the Cooper’s of Peter Manton and Brian Foley at Catalina Park. Brother Leo (top), shown at Calder in his Lotus 27 Ford, after a win in 1964, with ‘Pete’ on the back clutching the trophy. John Sheppard wearing the straw hat in background. He also worked on Mini maestro Peter Manton’s first ‘Brick’ (above, Morris Minor 850 at Calder in ’62).

GEOGHEGAN CONNECTION Sheppard guided Gavin to second in the 1962 Formula Junior championship at Catalina Park, Katoomba, behind Frank Matich, attracting the attention of Team Total patriarch Tom Geoghegan.

He ran his sons Ian and Leo in touring cars, sports cars and single seaters out of

the family’s Parramatta Road car dealership.

“When the Youl brothers used to come over, I used to work on their cars because they were too mean to pay for the travel for a mechanic,” Sheppo recalls. “I went up to Catalina Park with Gavin Youl for the Formula Junior championship and that’s where I met the Geoghegans.

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“They were desperate for someone to get their cars going properly and they offered me a job. Tom, being Tom, said to me “I’ll get you to work on the used cars for a while”. I said “No, you won’t”.

“Fair enough, he wanted to know if I knew which end of a spanner to use, but I wasn’t having that. So I got the job on the race team and off we went.”

He joined the Geoghegan equipe in 1963, single-handedly prepared four cars – a Ford Cortina GT and Lotus 23 for Ian ‘Pete’ Geoghegan, and FJ Lotus 22 and F2 Lotus 20B. “The team was a big deal, but they weren’t all that successful as a group,” Sheppard said. “My first job with them was before the Formula Junior championship at Warwick Farm to prepare the Lotus 22 for Leo. It was quite funny because I was out of my comfort zone with all this stuff, but Leo went out in practice and went the best part of three seconds quicker than he’d ever been around there.

“Leo said ‘It’s the first time I’ve had a race car that did everything it was supposed to do’ and I thought ‘That’s a good wrap’. But then he wanted me to change the wheel alignment and I said ‘You’ve just gone three seconds faster than you’ve ever gone here before, so why would you want to start messing with the car?’

“Anyway, we changed it and it went back to being three seconds slower. It reinforced what I always thought. When a car is quick, leave it alone, just put it away.

I barely knew which way was up, but they thought I was a guru. I wasn’t going to disabuse them of that notion and they trusted me from then on.”

‘Big Pete’, who was afflicted by a speech stutter in public, won the ’63 Australian Tourist Trophy, beginning a long winning partnership.

“Before the race, I remember him saying to me ‘I’ve neh-neh-never wuh-wuh-won an Australian championship and I said

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Leo Geoghegan’s Sheppo Sheppo-run run Lotus 39 39-Repco Repco ahead of John Harvey’s Brabham BT23E BT23E-Repco Repco in ’69 Bathurst 100 Gold Star round (above) (above).

Fast-but-fragile Lotus defied master mechanic’s ministrations. High-mounted wings were all the rage until worldwide ban soon after, note Sheppard’s cleaver rear wing design. Typical ‘Big Pete’ pose in GTA Mustang (bottom), which scored Geoghegan’s record-breaking fourth and fifth ATCC titles in 1968/69.

‘Big Pete’ versus ‘Stormin Norman’ at 1966 Lakeside ATCC in their 289 Mustangs (above), Geoghegan winning the duel.

Sheppo’s recollections with Foges (right) include memories of running Bob Jane’s big-budget stable, including gorgeous McLaren M6B-Repco 5-litre V8 (below), seen here at Hume Weir circa 1970.

“N ith have “Neither h I”,” I” ” Sheppard Sh d remembers. “And that was the start of it all.”

Sheppard sorted Bob Jane’s Camaro ZL1 (below, leading Geoghegan’s Mustang at Mallala) into the ’71 ATCC winner.

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MM-MM-MM-MUSTANGS The combination went on to dominate the Australian touring car championship, winning five titles from 1964-69. The first was with a Cortina GT at (long defunct) Lowood in Queensland, then successive crowns from ’66-69 in Sheppo-engineered Mustangs.

The first Total-backed Shelby Mustang won a world record 59 races from as many starts in ’66/67, before being replaced by the more famous Castrol GTA Mustang in ’68.

Sheppo remembers the Geoghegan operation being sophisticated, aided by Pete – nicknamed after popular comic character ‘Black Pete’ – being as calculating as he was gifted as a driver.

“Their attitude was – and it turned out to be a good attitude – that you got a car and you pulled it to bits and put it back together properly,” he said. “They had a guy whose background was crack testing in the aviation industry and he taught me a lot about thorough preparation.

“We were crack-testing bolts and all sorts of stuff, and as part of that process, I’d pull the engine to bits. We put it back together properly and it delivered 399 of the 400 horsepower it was supposed to have.

“But the bulk of its success was due to Pete being a thinker. He was thinking all the

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time. First meeting out at Calder and when the flag dropped, Pete went straight to the lead, beating Norm Beechey away by a mile.

“No one could figure out how Pete could always beat Beechey off the start. What he did was, he’d go and watch the starter and work out his habit of dropping the flag. That never occurred to Norm, who wasn’t a thinker like Pete. He was always thinking about how to do things better.”

Sheppo also vividly remembers beating Beechey’s faster Chevy Nova at the Lakeside ATCC in ’67.

“We put tyres on that were going to last for 75 miles because, guess what, the race was 75 miles long,” he smiled.

“Norm put on some really good tyres that were a second a lap quicker and after the start, off he went into the distance.

“But they didn’t last for the full race, ce, so he crashed and we won. Norm’s attitude was to be in front when you blew up.”

It was with the Geoghegans that his reputation for methodical preparation and meticulous presentation was earned, as well as innovative lateral thinking.

“I did think a little outside the square, but that’s what racing was about,” he said.

“One of the boring things I used to say about perfection was “Trifles make perfection, but perfection itself is no trifle”.

“People used to refer to me as being anal, but I didn’t even know what that meant! I just believed in doing things properly. Like we used to say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Sheppard also ran brother Leo’s front-

running Lotus 32 and then ex-Jim Clark Lotus 39 in the Gold Star Australian Drivers’ Championship. He rated the older Geoghegan highly, noting that he lapped Warwick Farm within half a second of Clark’s best time (a close margin in those days).

“He was a pretty good driver as well,” he said.

NORM STORM Friction with old Tom and his growing family led to him leaving the Geoghegans early in ’69, returning to Melbourne. There was a brief stint with Beechey, which ended predictably in a clash of strong temperaments over the configuration of the Melbourne showman’s HK Monaro GT327.

Sheppard built the famous Repco-Torana (above) for Jane in his garage at home. His next sports sedan success was the Craven Mild Monaro (below), which reunited him with the stillflamboyant Geoghegan in 1975.

“I just couldn’t believe what he was like,” Sheppo said, shaking his head. “He just loved horsepower, even if it caused wheelspin everywhere. ‘Oh, no, you can’t have 30 less horsepower,’ he said, even when you showed him the car would go quicker with less power and better response.

“He just wouldn’t listen and I gave up.”

RUNNING BOB JANE RACING Sheppard then joined Bob Jane’s Southern Motors Holden dealership chain as service manager, inevitably leading him to replace John Sawyer as team manager of Bob Jane Racing.

But for dealing with the capricious car and tyre mogul, it was a dream assignment.

Jane fielded a big-budget operation running an exotic line-up of Sebring Red (aka orange) racers.

In 1971, his racing fleet was the gorgeous McLaren M6B-Repco, Brabham BT36Waggot, Repco-Torana sports sedan – wielded effectively by staff driver John Harvey – and Chev Camaro ZL1 427 and Monaro GTS350 improved production touring cars.

“Bob called me into his office one day, and he had John Harvey with him, and he said “What’s wrong with my racing division?”

Sheppo recalled. “And I said “You know what’s wrong with your racing division” and he replied “Yes, but I want you to tell me”.

Once Sheppard took over the operation, run out of an impressively equipped workshop in the inner northern Melbourne suburb of Brunswick, the wins followed, culminating in Jane securing the ’71 ATCC in the big-block Camaro, which Sheppo now admits shamelessly exploited illdefined rules.

“It was notoriously unreliable, but we got it right and Bob won the championship,” he chuckled. “Then CAMS realised Bob had put one over on them because that car was never legal, so for the next season it had to go back to a 350. But it didn’t matter because it was still a beaut thing with the smaller engine.

“Moffat thought “You beauty, now that he doesn’t have a 427, I’ll be able to beat him”.

But it didn’t happen. It was relatively simple because the 350 revved harder and when

Sheppo (in skivvy and Mao cap) built the Monaro for Sydney waste management mogul Laurie O’Neil (above). O’Neil was a huge supporter of drivers over the years including Doug Whiteford, Frank Matich Geoghegan and others.

the rubber hit the track the result was the same.”

Sheppard also built the famous RepcoTorana sports sedan for Jane, constructing it in just a few months in his home garage.

It was the first – but by no means most radical – of the new breed of sports sedans that by the mid-1970s became F5000s with bodies.

The beautifully detailed Torana – complete with standard-looking interior – was Jane’s brainchild, fitting it with the 4.4-litre RepcoBrabham V8 from his Elfin 400. Based on a standard LC XU-1, the Torana was built concurrently with an Improved Production Monaro meant to replace the Camaro.

But the Monaro was handed down to Harvey as the boss didn’t like it.

“I sort of outsmarted myself because we made our own fuel injection system for it and the power was too peaky,” Sheppo said. “Bob liked progressive power, but it came in with bang. He didn’t like, but

Harvey did, so he ended up racing it.

“That’s why Bob stayed with the Camaro, which was a better car, anyway.”

MONEY BAGS BOB Jane put no financial constraints on Sheppard. In today’s money, the multi-car team was probably a $10 million a year operation.

“At the time, I had a really good relationship with him,” Sheppo remarked. “He left everything to me. It was really good. I guess we had a really big budget.

“I didn’t get to see the bills – I just passed them on. He certainly didn’t skimp on anything.”

But, again, the relationship between two strong personalities ended acrimoniously and Sheppard left at the end of ’72.

“I fell out with Bob, as you inevitably did,” he shrugged. “He was a difficult man. I eventually told him to stick it up his arse. I’d just had enough.”

There would eventually be a reproachment in the late ’80s for Bob’s Thunderdome dream – but that, too, would be short-lived and end irredeemably.

After leaving Bob Jane Racing, Sheppard returned to his roots, renting Monaro Motors in South Melbourne from Manton for general road car service and race fabrication work.

He was eventually brought back into racing a few years later when Sydney waste management magnate Laurie O’Neil commission him to build a sports sedan for Ian Geoghegan.

Thus was created the famous Craven Mild Monaro GTS350, reuniting Sheppo and ‘Big Pete’.

“Laurie O’Neill said he wanted a sports sedan,” Sheppard said. “He paid for it.

“Laurie had alot of GT40 bits that he wanted me to use. It was sort of open slather.

“We just did what we wanted to. Laurie didn’t care. When it was done, it was a good jigger.”

In ’75, the Monaro was late to the free-form sports sedan party, lacking the engine mounted beside the driver and other F5000 componentry. It was popular in Pete’s enthusiastic hands, but no match for Frank Gardner’s F5000-in-a-frock Corvair.

Ironically, the Craven Mild machine was competing against his Jane Monaro, heavily modified for sports sedan racing.

“It was successful for a while, but when I gave up working on it, it all became too hard for Pete to keep it going,” Sheppard said. “It was a reasonably successful car.”

By this time, Sheppo had strengthened his connection with Holden, working on directors’ special road cars, acting as a covert pick-up point for parts for Holden touring car teams, and making rear end assemblies for the A9X Torana.

It was all leading to a short but glorious period as leader of the most famous team of the era.

Next issue: Sheppard on running HDT, managing Brock, sacking Volvo’s star and falling out with Bob Jane – again.

SHEPPO FACT FILE

The Golden Era of Sports Sedan racing in Australia ... Bob Jane in the Sheppo built Monaro leds Allan Moffat’s Ford Capri RS3100 and Bryan Thompson’s VW-Chevrolet in a battle for the lead at the Sandown Tasman round in 1975. The GTS350 started life as an Improved Touring car and raced on forever as a Sports Sedan.

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Age: 85 Born: Brisbane Lives: Melbourne Status: Retired Racing career: 1957-2009 Championships: 13 as chief mechanic or team manager Major race wins: Bathurst 1000 1978/79, Sandown 400 1978/79 Honour: Motorsport Australia Service Award, Australian Sports Medal

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UNDER THE SKIN

TOYOTA GR YARIS AP4

The

LOCAL HERO It’s not often a global motorsport debut is made in Australia, even less a car that’s been developed here as well. But that’s exactly what’s happening when the locally built Toyota GR Yaris AP4 rallies in anger for the first time. BRUCE NEWTON tracks its unique story.

WHEN THE Netier National Capital Rally wheelspins into action this weekend, it won’t only signal the re-commencement of hostilities in the Australian Rally Championship, but also the global debut of a brand new factory-backed contender for outright honours.

It’s called the Toyota GR Yaris AP4 and it’s been developed in Australia by Canberra-based Toyota stalwarts Neal Bates Motorsport.

If you’ve any knowledge of Australian rallying you’ll know who four-time ARC champ Neal Bates is and of his links with Toyota that stretch back to the late 1980s.

These days Neal’s sons Harry and Lewis are at the forefront of Toyota and NBM’s Australian rallying efforts. In fact the last time the ARC was conducted pre-COVID in 2019, Harry led Lewis home in a triumphant Toyota and NBM 1-2.

Back then they were driving the old Yaris AP4, a car also developed locally by the Canberra squad.

It was derived from a suburban hatchback that required huge modification including the installation of the 4x4 system. This time round the Yaris is a more advanced hot hatch road car, developed by Toyota’s high performance and motorsport division Gazoo Racing (hence the GR in the name) with competition in mind.

Just check out the specs – 200kW/370Nm 1.6-litre turbo-petrol triple-cylinder engine, all-wheel drive, and a carbon-fibre roof and light-weight panels that help lower the centre of gravity. The road car has been a sell-out sensation in Australia and Neal Bates is clearly

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hoping it will shoot straight to the top of the ARC results charts as well.

“It’s very exciting for us, we can’t wait for the debut,” he said.

So just to backtrack a little here and explain what an AP4 – or Asia-Pacific 4WD - rally car is. Essentially it’s a localised version of what’s known globally as Rally2 or R5, which is one step down from the fire-breathing WRC cars we see the likes of Toyota’s current world champion Sebastien Ogier driving.

Rally2 stipulates 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engines with maximum 1.5-bar boost, a four-wheel drive system locked 50:50 front to rear, and a minimum kerb weight of 1230kg.

Max power output for the category is more than 200kW and max torque more than 370Nm. Hmmm, familiar numbers. You can see what we mean about the GR Yaris road car being developed with rallying in mind!

AP4 cars get larger 34mm turbo restrictors than the 32mm restrictors used by the Rally2 category. That’s designed to help the local cars get to the max power rating more easily. AP4 cars can also use tougher six-speed gearboxes as an alternative to the five-speeders mandated for Rally2 that are lighter but require more maintenance.

Bates did push to swap to the five-speed for performance reasons for this car, but NBM technical director Darryl Bush talked him out of it.

“No good having champagne tastes on a beer budget,” admits Bates. “Our budget to run this car compared to overseas is a fraction.”

At the global level, Rally2 includes the Citroen C3, Ford Fiesta,, Hyundai i20 and Skoda Fabia among its eligible models.

AP4 cars don’t have to go through the expensive global Rally2 homologation process and are at least theoretically cheaper to build and run while me offering roughly the same performance. w local teams have But in reality only a few ess of exploiting the rules gone through the process B to build their own cars, andd Bates says you could expect no change from $300,000 if you rang up and asked him to build a GR Yaris AP4.

So, why this is a world first?

Toyota’s motorsport and high performance arm Gazoo Racing had been developing a version of the GR Yaris for the WRC, but that got put on hold by the COVID crisis.

The expectation now is the new generation Yaris WRC program will debut no sooner than 2022 and feature hybrid power.

That left the NBM AP4 GR Yaris as a world leader. OK, one small rider here, the GR Yaris does rally in Japan already, but that’s a standard car and it’s a tarmac series. NBM’s development of the car for rallying is a first and it comes with Toyota’s blessing and support.

In fact, Toyota Gazoo Racing in Germany was a key partner in developing the GR Yaris’ G16E-GTS i l cylinder li d engine i for f the h AP4 project. j tripleIt’s a first for NBM to have so much Cologne co-operation. This is the mob that has run WRC and WEC programs for Toyota and was responsible for Toyota’s F1 effort in the 2000s.

“We’ve had a relationship with them for 25odd years,” explains Bates. “The co-operation actually started when Harry went there on the way to Portugal [in 2019], because he’d never been there.”

Bates said he was excited about what this new co-operation could deliver. The triple’s long stroke design and slightly smaller Garrett turbocharger is expected to provide advantages compared to its four-cylinder predecessor.

“This engine should make power lower down and have a bigger spread. It should pull out of

Work proceeds on the build of the first two Toyota GR Yaris AP4 cars (above) at Neal Bates Motorsport ahead of initial testing (left). It will be the first in the world to go into competition when it debuts in this year's Australian Rally Championship. tthe corner better,” he predicts.

The triple is about 10kg lighter and pphysically smaller than the old fourcy cylinder. That’s critical as the universal m motorsport mantra is the less weight the be better and the lower down the better. ““It’s not just one less cylinder [that cuts wei weight], there’s camshafts, there’s valves, ther there’s springs and all that sort of stuff. It’s amazing. ama It’s quite incredible,” he says However, Ho the triple is a tall engine, something some addressed by tilting it backward 25 degrees de and moving it back 20mm. A different differ sump has been fitted, aiding the lowering loweri process. Incidentally, dry sumps aren’t allowed under AP4 rules.

The first f signs the AP4 project was

underway came last year when a series of social media posts hinted at development work at Toyota Australian Port Melbourne design office.

It didn’t take long to figure out they were working on bodywork for the GR Yaris AP4, something confirmed when illustrations of the complete rally car were issued to coincide with the launch of the road-going GR Yaris in late 2020.

The response to the car has been massive globally, with dozens of stories published and millions of views claimed.

The official involvement of Toyota in the bodykit was auto giant’s other big investment in this program aside from the engine.

“When we went down to Melbourne the

Toyota designers were incredibly good,” Bates said. “They had pictures of WRC cars, they had pictures of Rally2 cars, they had pictures of road cars and we went through what we can and can’t do and what they had to do.”

Last time round NBM crafted its own bodywork using foam blocks and a bit of guesswork. This time with the help of Toyota’s designers and their computer aided capabilities, the bodywork including guards, side skirts and bonnet scoops not only looks better but is more efficient too.

The scoops and wing mirrors have even been 3D printed by Toyota Australia – and been sent back by NBM for modifications to save weight.

The rear wing is essentially a control item

The Toyota GR Yaris AP4 uses a Gazoo racing developed G16E-GTS triple-cylinder engine developed in a partnership with Toyota's competitions operation in Germany (below left). This unit is lighter in every way to a four-cylinder good for 200kW and 370Nm. Detail images (below centre and right) show the superb level of craftmanship and technology in the new cars.

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UNDER THE SKIN

TOYOTA GR YARIS AP4

The finished beast (above) with NBM's transporter, a reminder of the professionalism of the country's top rally team. Local componentry has been used as much as possible, such as suspension by MCA and aluminium radiators by PWR (below).

Xxx xmxmxmxxm Xx xmxmxmxxm Xxx xm xmxmxmxxm Xxx xm

and vestigial in its aerodynamic impact.

NBM is moving from a centre mount to side mounts purely because it is easier to fit thanks to the shape of the new car.

Aerodynamic downforce (grip) isn’t meant to be a major performance influencer for AP4 and Rally2 rally cars. But hey, you can’t help incidental improvement.

“We have to make the things and shape things,” Bates said. “There are rules and rules. You are not allowed to add aerodynamic devices and stuff, but you have to make guards and bumpers.”

Of course, the images that went viral globally were digital representations. The real cars, in the metal, carbon-fibre and fibreglass only came together in the weeks leading up to the opening round of the ARC. The action shots you see here are from the first shakedown run on March 19.

When Auto Action was given a tour by Bates and Bush in late February the cars were barely more than shells, still weeks away from final assembly.

Setbacks had included the French Sadev six-speed sequential gearboxes and related parts including driveshafts being stuck at FedEx’s frozen Memphis headquarters because of the record-breaking cold snap in the USA. Thankfully, the weather improved and the transmissions made it to Canberra in time.

But to backtrack. The team took delivery of two road cars last October even before the program was officially confirmed. They were immediately stripped back to the bare shell, placed in a jig and the vital dimensions

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mapped so they could be entered in CAD. Then a comprehensive process of evolving GR Yaris from road to rally car began.

“People look at rally cars as a modified road car that goes out and thrash around the forest,” explains Bates. “But really they are a V8 Supercars for the gravel.

“The build process is identical to that of a Supercar – probably the only difference is the Supercars now just use carbon panels.”

Another difference from Supercars is the number of people involved in the build. While a big V8 teams might have 40-50 employees, there are just five fulltimers at NBM. When the body mapping was complete all the unnecessary brackets and extras that add weight and slow performance were removed. The transmission tunnel was widened, fuel bladder box fabricated and the suspension towers removed and replaced to enable long travel MCA shocks to be fitted. Front travel is 265mm and the rear is 280mm.

MCA Suspension is the business of former Australian rally champion Murray Coote.

Going with him rather than an international brand delivers more tunability more quickly to the project.

“It’s very handy because he’s local and can come and re-valve the shocks in the cars at a test session on the day,” says Bates. “We

don’t have to go back and forth overseas, it’s just not practical in our opinion.

“Our old AP4 car was well into the teens on shock absorber valving compared to where we started.”

As it always does, NBM made a long list of its own parts, or got local suppliers such as Terry Bosnjak Engineering to do them; adjustable crossmembers, suspension arms, bell housing, sump guard, engine mounts, diff guards, 2.75-inch exhaust, seat mounts and the chromoloy rollcage.

It wasn’t just a rote remanufacturing of what came before either. Even the seat mount designs were updated to save weight.

The team also makes its own wiring looms. For this car the electronics shift from Motec to Bosch operating logic, reflecting Gazoo Racing’s involvement in engine development.

While that’s an extensive list of localised components, NBM was a long way ahead with the GR Yaris compared to its predecessor because it was already allwheel drive and had rear chassis rails and inner guards that didn’t need to be tubbed to cope with the increased suspension travel.

Bush says the build process has revealed another GR advantage over the old car.

“You hear that from the boys down on the floor when they are boring holes through the

TECH SPECS: TOYOTA GR YARIS AP4 ENGINE

1.6-litre G16E- GTS three-cylinder, Garret turbocharger at 1.5 bar boost, 34mm turbo restrictor. Terry Bosnjak Engineering 2.75-inch exhaust, Terry Bosnjak Engineering sump guard, 75 ATL fuel cell Displacement: 1618cc Bore x Stroke: 87.5 x 89.7 Compression ratio: 10.5:1

TRANSMISSION Sadev six-speed sequential, Sadev all-wheel-drive system, Sadev differentials (front and rear)

BRAKES AP 300mm x 30mm slotted discs front and rear, AP fourpiston racing calipers front and rear

SUSPENSION Independent MacPherson struts with MCA coil springs and remote-reservoir dampers front/rear

ELECTRONICS Bosch power management system, MoTeC C125 display/ logger

INTERIOR

xx xmxmxmxxm Xxx xmxmxmxxm Xxx xmxmxmxxm Xxx xmxmxmxxm Xxx xmxmxmxxm Xxx xmxmxmxxm Xxx mxmxmxxm Xxx xmxmxmxxm Xxx xmxmxmxxm Xxx xmxmxmxxm Xxx xmxmxmxxm Xxx xmxmxmxxm Xxx mxmxmxxm Xxx xmxmxmxxm Xxx xmxmxmxxm Xxx xmxmxmxxm Xxx xmxmxmxxm

Left-hand-drive, Racetech RT9119 seats, six-point Sabelt harness, Sabelt 330mm steering wheel, AP pedal box, Terry Bosnjak Engineering chrome moly roll cage, Sadev hydraulic handbrake

STEERING Hydraulic power-assisted rack and pinion

BODY Carbon fibre roof, fibreglass hatch and bonnet, perspex windows, aluminium panels, 3D printed scoops and wing mirrors

WHEELS AND TYRES 15 x 7 Speedline Wheels Hoosier 205/65R15 tyres

DIMENSIONS Minimum dry weight: 1230kg Overall length: 3995mm Width: 1820mm Height: 1455mm Wheelbase: 2555mm

Neal Bates (second from left, above) leads the five-strong hard-working NBM team and is excited about the potential of the GR Yaris AP4 and getting back into competition in 2021. sills to put the sill stands and whatnot, it’s harder material,” he said.

“The wall thickness has not changed but the material has. Everything is a lot stronger. The bodyshells are as light, but the strength of the materials is amazing.”

Inside the GR Yaris are the usual motorsport fittings; a Motec dash is retained - despite the change to Bosch electronics - in the interests of driver familiarity.

The Yaris AP4’s are left-hand drive, reflecting the fact LHD steering racks – hydraulic power-assisted - are much easier to find. It’s also a nod to the reality Harry and Lewis will be sitting on the left if they crack international drives.

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A neat touch is the hollow lever for the Sadev hydraulic handbrake which doubles as fluid reservoir. Seats are from Racetech, the harnesses supplied by Sabelt. The pedal box is from AP, as are the four-piston callipers for the 300 x 30mm slotted disc brakes fitted front and rear. Speedline 15 x 7.0-inch wheels and Hoosier 206/65R15 rubber complete the package.

All up, clothed in aluminium panels, a carbon-fibre roof, fibreglass hatch and bonnet and perspex windows, the GR Yaris AP4 will easily undercut the minimum weight for the category.

That means it will be ballasted with weight sitting low in the body, aiding the

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all-important centre of gravity.

Along with the improved engine, Bush is clearly excited about the potential for more speed this produces. After all, that’s what this process is all about.

“When you look at the carbon-fibre roof it is five kilos lighter than a steel roof, so that is an advantage for us,” he explained.

“Then you look at the floor height to the roof height and that is actually a lot smaller than the old Yaris is. So everything is just that little bit more compact.

“We will end up with a better centre of gravity. So I think the cornering power of this car will be better and that’s what we want; more cornering power.”

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INDYCAR

PREVIEW

Can anyone really stop New Zealand ace Scott Dixon from winning a seventh IndyCar Series Championship, equalling the legendary A.J. Foyt as the greatest ever Champ Car title winner? AA’s Mike Brudenell in Detroit previews the upcoming 2021 IndyCar season THE SMART money will be on Kiwi Scott Dixon to win his seventh NTT IndyCar Series title this season.

The Chip Ganassi Racing gun, even at 40, is the cream of the crop of open-wheel drivers outside of Formula 1. Given the right equipment, he could probably still give Hamilton, Verstappen, Ricciardo and the boys plenty of stick.

The opening round of the 2021 NTT Indycar Series, the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, kicks off at Barber Motorsports Park on April 18. Expect Dixon, at the wheel of the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda, to attempt to add to his 50 IndyCar victories.

With the addition of seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson (Ganassi) and exF1 driver Romain Grosjean (Dale Coyne Racing) in the IndyCar series this season, there will be plenty of interest from around the globe in the take-no-prisoners series.

Challenges will come from throughout the grid over the 17-race schedule.

Andretti Autosport with Alexander Rossi, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Colton Herta could stand atop the podium regularly in 2021. Marcus Ericsson (Ganassi), Pato O’Ward (McLaren Arrow SP) and Graham Rahal (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing) should be nipping at the heels of Dixon too.

Defending champ Dixon has never won backto-back championships, despite dominating the series for almost two decades.

“I’ve never seen the competition so strong,” said Dixon, who has spent his whole IndyCar Series career with Ganassi. “I think it’s getting to where it may be the strongest we’ve seen in the last 10 years. It is always tough to repeat in any motorsports series.”

NFL great Tom Brady has seven Super Bowl victories, while F1 legend Lewis Hamilton has amassed seven driver championships.

How does seven sound to Dixon?

“Yes, it would be amazing (to match Foyt),” said Dixon. “Seven sounds better than six, so why not? I’ve never been able to repeat, so that’s the number one goal is to go back-toback in 2021.”

His thoughts on fellow countryman Scott McLaughlin?

“It’s fantastic to have him over here,” said Dixon. “It’s pretty cool to have another Kiwi on the grid and (I am) expecting and hoping for big things for him, and for many years to come.”

If anyone can upset Dixon and Ganassi for the championship, it is Team Penske.

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Scott Dixon (left) is aiming to go back-to-back in the NTT Indycar Series title in 2021. If he does, he will be a seven-time titlist, equalling the legendary AJ Foyt as the most successful ever. Australia’s Will Power (below) had a shocker in 2020 and is looking to regain his title-winning form this season.

Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx Xxx x xx There will be major depth to the Indycar field this year, with enormous local interest in the arrival of NASCAR legend Jimmy Johnson (top) driving for Chip Ganassi. Former titlist Alexander Rossi will be a title contender again for Andretti, with Sweden’s Felix Rosenqvist (below centre) has moved to McLaren Arrow SP.

Supercars Champion Scott McLaughlin (above) heads into his first full season of Indycar racing this year, after an impressive on-line debut in 2020 and a real world debut for Penske at St Pete which ultimately ended in a crash. Images: Motorsport Images

Their driver line-up is frightening: Will Power, Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud, and the new kid on the block, threetime Australian Supercars champ Scott McLaughlin, who will be beginning his first full IndyCar Series season at Barber.

McLaughlin hopped into a Penske car at St. Petersburg in the series season-finale in 2020, ran top 10 for a short time and finished 22nd after a late-race shunt.

He will drive the No. 3 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet, and has been testing since St. Pete and spending a lot of time on race simulators. He sees 2021 as a learning year, but others, including teammate Pagenaud, the 2016 IndyCar Champion, expect him to do a lot better than that.

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“First and foremost, he (Scott) is going to win a race this season,” said Pagenaud, winner of the 2019 Indianapolis 500. “I guarantee that. He is going to win at least a race this year. Scott’s a phenomenal driver. He’s got a great drive and really good feedback as well. I’ve really liked him coming onboard.

“I’ll tell you what, Scott is going to be tough to beat in the future. He’s going to be a champion. He has been tempered because he has to be. But, on the other hand, seeing what he can do, I expect great things.”

McLaughlin, 27, who drove for DJR Team Penske in Supercars before coming to race for Roger Penske in America, isn’t counting

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any chickens before they hatch.

“I still have a hell of a lot to learn, but I’m really enjoying it,” said McLaughlin.

“It’s awesome to have PPG onboard as a primary sponsor for us for 10 races. I think heading to Barber after testing there twice now, then St. Pete, it’s a big thing for us. I have to accelerate my learning as much as I can for sure.”

From Supercars to IndyCar, McLaughlin knows it is a steep learning curve.

“I’m learning boost levels, aero maps and trusting aerodynamics through the corners and stuff,” said McLaughlin. “I’m slowly getting used to what I want from the car, what I can ask for and what I can’t ask for. This year for me is a learning season.

I’m planning to be here for a long time, not a short time. I just got to make sure I get through this year, learn the tracks and come back stronger for 2022.”

Of course, McLaughlin isn’t ruling out a win; he’s too much of a racer to want to follow the leader, be it his teammates or others.

“My competitive instincts are probably not going to be OK with it -- not beating those guys in the first week,” admitted McLaughlin. “I’m very competitive but realistic at the same time. I’ve got to learn.

“But, yes, I’d love to try and beat them a few times throughout the season. I’m not saying I can’t. I think that if I feel the car and work with my engineer, we will get better and better. There is no reason we can’t be at the same pace as those guys, if not better.”

Power, the Aussie IndyCar veteran, finished fifth to Dixon in the points standings in 2020. The 2014 IndyCar champ was not happy with his performance and certainly doesn’t want to be outgunned by McLaughlin this season, nor anyone.

Power won two races in 2020 and took five poles. He is still blazingly fast.

“I think we have done a very good job of development on the car,” said Power, who won the Indy 500 in 2018 for Penske and is a four-time IndyCar Series runner-up.

“We haven’t been quickest in testing but

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we certainly have tried a lot of stuff. I feel pretty confident about being better than last year.”

Power, 40, who drives the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, has been plagued with bad luck over the years. He should have won several more IndyCar titles.

“We are looking forward to everything coming up,” said the Toowoomba-born Power. “We are going to go better than 2020.”

Power expects his teammates to be right on point in the fight for the championship this season. He is excited about McLaughlin joining Team Penske.

“I was really happy he came over because it gives a lot of attention to IndyCar from Australia,” said Power. “We certainly get along well and he’ll be a pretty quick guy.”

Power has always worn his heart on his sleeve when he climbs into a race car. He makes no apologies.

“I put the same effort into my racing every time,” said Power, who has on occasion lost his cool after a race. “I so badly want to win. Yep, same fire, the internal fire burning. I just do as I do -- obviously my best.”

Newgarden, 30, will be a major threat to Dixon, Power, Rossi and the field in 2020.

The two-time IndyCar Series champ finished second to Dixon for the title last season and is out for revenge.

“It may sound a little boring -- but we want to win an Indy 500 and the championship,” said Newgarden, who’ll pilot the No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet. “I’ve not won the 500. We’d like to add that one, and we are looking for another championship.

“This will be one of the toughest seasons top to bottom with the talent level in this series. It just seems like it gets better every year. I think the depth of talent has been incredibly high. Certainly the additions of people like Jimmie Johnson and Romain Grosjean make it better.

“It is going to be really tough to stay at the front of the pack. This is the closest form of racing that I see on the planet at the moment, the most parity for sure.”

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The Elfin 600 was a race winning, sales smash. Garrie Cooper’s design uniquely won Formula Ford, Formula 3, Formula 2 and Australian National Formula1 races.

Mark Bisset tells the story of one of the world’s great production racing cars GARRIE COOPER’S new Elfin 600 Ford promised much with victory in the April 1968 Singapore Grand Prix on the daunting 4.8km Thomson Road circuit.

The 60-lap, 2hr 15min race was chassis 6801’s second race – within several years Cooper’s small, decade-old Edwardstown, Adelaide outfit had built 44 FF, F3, F2 and ANF1 600s – a large number even

by British racing car production standards.

Cooper’s previous single-seater, the aluminium monocoque 196467 Type 100 ‘Mono’ was on-trend.

The first modern monocoque, Colin Chapman’s Lotus 25, debuted in the Dutch Grand Prix in 1962.

By 1968 monocoques were de rigueur in F1. Brabham were the exception, they won GP races using good old spaceframes into 1969 – they were also the world’s most successful ‘60s customer racing car manufacturer.

The Mono wasn’t obsolete, Elfin was continually updated it as tyre technology evolved, so it was still winning, but it was time for a new machine to create some fizz in the market.

On balance, Cooper plumped for a spaceframe for his new car.

He hadn’t forgotten how to build them, his 1966-1967 300 (2-litre) and 400 (6-litre) sportscars were so equipped.

When completed, Cooper shook 6801 down at Calder, then shipped it to Asia. That the 600’s first win

was international, was symbolic – ultimately 600s were exported to Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines and New Zealand.

Key to its success was an immensely strong, nickel-bronze welded tubular steel chassis which was common across the model range – the cockpit area was heavily triangulated, while punched-sheet stiffeners gave additional rigidity.

As to nomenclature, Coopers 6801 was the only car designated Elfin 600.

The 1968-71 F3/F2 machines were 600Bs. Repco V8s powered two 1968-70 600Cs and the 1970 600D – it differed from the other frames in that the engine was a semi-stressed member.

The ’71 F2 car was the 600E, the main improvements of which were subtle changes to the suspension geometry and lighter, stronger

magnesium front uprights. Keeping things simple, the 1970-72 600FF was so named!

Suspension was utterly conventional with outboard upper and lower wishbones and coil spring/Armstrong shocks at the front, and single top links, inverted lower wishbones, twin radius rods and coil spring/Armstrong shocks at the rear. Adjustable roll bars were fitted front and rear.

Elfin’s magnesium steering rack was used as were Mono magnesium rear uprights. Front uprights were ‘industry-standard’ Alford and Alder/ Triumph Herald steel forgings, albeit 600Cs had fabricated units with live hubs.

Brakes, wheel size and type, gearboxes and engines were a function of category regulations and application – this was Cooper’s clever bit, he mixed and matched

components on the same frame to suit.

For example, a 600FF was specced with cast iron 9-inch brake rotors, single-pot Girling calipers, 5½ X 13-inch steel wheels and a Hewland Mk8/9 4-speed gearbox.

The F2 600B/E had 10½ inch rotors, Girling two-pot AR calipers and

Garrie Cooper looking chuffed (below) after finishing second in the September 1968 Sandown Gold Star round in his 1.5-litre Ford twin-cam engined 600B, in the second chassis built #6802. It has two nose wings but there’s much more to come! Image: Jeff Morall Rear suspension detail (below right) shows grey spaceframe chassis tubes, top links, coil spring/shock, mag upright and braided steel brake line.

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Fully restored Elfin 600D shows the simplicity of lines that made it the most numerous Australian-made racing car ever produced. It enjoyed success across Formula Ford, Formula 3, Formula 2 and ANF1 in Australia, New Zealander and Asia, and examples have been raced across the world. With 44 examples ultimately built, the 600 is a regular in historic racing. Clive Millis (top left) was an Elfin man, he raced a Mono, 600B and 630. Here his 600B 1.6 Ford twin-cam Formula 2 negotiates Shell Corner at Sandown during the April 1972 Victoria Trophy Gold Star round. Image: Rennie Ellis 10X13 and 13½X13 inch cast magnesium wheels. Hewland’s FT200 5-speed transaxle was fitted and wings to suit.

Elfin’s long-time body-guru, John Webb, built 6801’s slippery, wedgy aluminium body.

Those which followed used two-piece fibreglass jobbies made by Elfin racer Malcolm Ramsay.

600s were attractive frontradiator machines, their lustability increasing when the wedge became more pronounced from the first Formula Ford.

The heart of a car is its engine, and there was heaps of variety among 600s.

Seventeen were Formula Fords, which used the mandated Ford 1598cc ‘Crossflow’ engine.

The 24 F3/F2 motors included 1.3-litre Ford and Toyota

pushrods, the 1.5-1.6-litre Lotus-Ford and Alfa Romeo twincams. Indonesian racer Hengkie Iriawan’s 600C was to Euro F2 spec, fitted with a 1.6-litre Ford-Cosworth FVA. John McCormack’s 600C used an old 2.5-litre Coventry Climax FPF, before a Repco V8 was installed in mid-1970. Several cars had Merv Waggott’s 275bhp 2-litre TC-4V jewels in the back.

Success at home quickly followed the Singapore win, as production ramped up.

Cooper shared the 1968 ANF 1.5 Championship with Max Stewart. The 600 became the tool of F2 choice, albeit lanky, speedy Max Stewart’s Mildren Waggott got in the way of Elfin national titles in 1969 and 1970.

Henk Woelders set things right aboard Bill Patterson’s 600E in 1971 – the first 11

placed cars in the six round F2 championship were Elfins! Larry Perkins followed suit in Garry Campbell’s 600B/E in 1972, before he jumped on a 747 for Europe en route to F1.

At the top of the 600 driver pyramid are later Gold Star champions/stars Perkins, Bruce Allison and the three Johns – Bowe, McCormack and Walker.

Perkins won the 1971 FF national title (so too did Richard Knight the year before), Allison progressed from his Ford Escort twin-cam to a 600FF and then Cooper’s 600D, by then an F2 car, and later success in F5000 followed.

Bowe cut his racing car teeth aboard his father Brian’s Elfin Catalina as a young teenager in a private test at Baskerville.

He later raced an Elfin 500 FV, the first of a succession of

The featured car here is 600D #7012, built as Cooper’s 1970 Gold Star machine in which he was fourth. Fitted with a Repco 830 Series 2.5-litre, SOHC, fuel injected V8 giving circa 295bhp. When F5000 replaced the Tasman 2.5 Formula, Cooper replaced the V8 with a Lotus/Ford 1.6 twin-cam and then raced it in Asia and before selling it to Bruce Allison. Malcolm Ramsay (below right) in his 600C Repco 830 V8 at Clubhouse Corner, Mallala, during the October 1970 Gold Star round. Image: John Lemm

Edwardstown’s finest before leading Ansett Team Elfin F5000 operation after John McCormack’s departure in the mid-’70s.

McCormack moved to Adelaide from Tasmania in 1969. He showed his mettle in his 600C on the way to two Elfin propelled Gold Stars (MR5 and MR6 Repco F5000-he won another in a McLaren M23 Leyland) and two New Zealand GP wins (MR5). Walker was an Elfin man too, he raced a Mono, 600 and MR5 on the way to the ’79 Gold Star and AGP. The 600 was a reliable, fast,

40 AutoAction

forgiving tool for the average bloke to get out there and have a go. Its rollcall-of-note includes Richard Knight, Garry Rush, Malcolm Ramsay, Kiwi David Oxton won the NZ FF title in 1971. Others include Henk Woelders, Brian Sampson, Macau casino owner and F1 entrepreneur Teddy Yip, Tony Stewart, Richard Davison and Peter Larner, among others.

There was 600 tragedy too.

Glyn Scott and Ivan Tighe were mates and much-respected Queensland racers. In a high-speed July 1970 accident at Lakeside, the

two F2 600Bs made contact, Scott was killed and Tighe hospitalised.

Cooper’s Singapore win was matched by Hengkie Iriawan and Tony Maw’s 1968 and 1969 Malaysian GP victories.

The Repco powered ANF1 cars of Ramsay, McCormack and Cooper were competitive in 1969-70, but Garrie Cooper’s hometown win at Mallala in October 1969 was the 600’s only Gold Star victory.

ANF1 top guns in 1969-70 were Kevin Bartlett, Leo Geoghegan, John Harvey and Max Stewart.

Plenty of Elfins ran on the hills, not least Roger Harrison’s Australian Hillclimb Championship winning 600C Repco at Mount Cotton in 1983.

Garrie Cooper was a good businessman, he had had to survive in the fickle world of racing car manufacturing for a long time.

When the ANF2.5-litre formula ended, Cooper was keen to find homes for surplus Repco V8s. The Australian Sportscar Championship winning Elfin 360s he built to carry those engines for Phil Moore and Henry Michell were a clever use of

Formula Ford action in the Warwick Farm esses in 1971 (far left). The two Bib Stillwell Ford 600s of Michael Stillwell and Larry Perkins sandwich a Bowin P4A, the other great Australian FF of that period. Garrie Cooper’s 600D Repco (left) leads Bob Muir (Renmax BN3 Waggott) from Leo Geoghegan in his Lotus 59B Waggott in 1970 at Sandown. Larry Perkins in his 600FF in the Warwick Farm esses (right) winning the Driver to Europe Series round in November 1971. LP won six of the 12 national championship rounds.

Images: Autopics.com.au

purpose frame idea. It proved an expensive decision for Elfin.

The phlegmatic Ramsay decided to build his own car. He contacted ex-Elfin engineer/mechanic Tony Alcock in Sydney. He had moved there to engineer Niel Allen’s 1969 monocoque (!) Elfin ME5 Chev sportscar, but Allen’s focus had quickly shifted to an F5000 McLaren M10B. At a loose end, Alcock built an FF in his backyard, naming it the Birrana F71 – the car was later raced with some success by John Goss, a young Tasmanian who had been in Sydney for a couple of years and was making a name for himself in Max McLeod’s Falcon GTHO’s.

Alcock jumped at the opportunity to join Ramsay in his Adelaide hometown.

The upshot was the construction of about 20 FF/F3/F2/FA (and a midengined Speedcar!) Birranas which dominated the Oz F2 market from 1973-1976, in much the same way the 600 had before them.

Cooper hadn’t lost his production racer mojo though. His monocoque F3/F2 700s of 1974-1977 were successful, with Bowe and Peter Larner its two most successful

punters, but the heady 600 days were not repeated.

Elfin 600s were the tool of choice for stars and novices alike, winning countless races. No Australian racing car was built in such large numbers and which provided critical mass to single-seater grids under threat from the inexorable rise of touring cars. The Elfin 600 stands alone as a successful multi-class FF, F3, F2 and ANF1 car.

The Elfin 600D studio images are

by Richard Weinstein and are courtesy of David Dowsey, from his book on the history of Elfin racing cars - Elfin: The Spirit of Speed, For further information visit https:// elfinspiritofspeed.com.au/

600 suspension, brakes, wheels and transmission componentry.

The winds of change in racing are ever present, however.

Birrana Racing team owner Malcolm Ramsay was a long-time, loyal Elfin racer in 1970, and keen to buy a new F2 car.

Ramsay pitched a monocoque to Cooper but Garrie wasn’t convinced. He decided to update the 600 with another spaceframe.

It was a stiffer, side-radiator design – the 620/623/622 FF/F3/F2 series was a continuation of his multi-

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Formula One Round 1 Bahrain Grand Prix Lewis Hamilton barely beat Max Verstappen after a fierce duel around the Bahrain desert circuit Report: Dan Knutson Images: Motorsport Images AS PRE-SEASON testing and qualifying proved, the high-rake Red Bull is quicker than the low-rake Mercedes.

Max Verstappen put his Honda-powered Red Bull on the pole and Hamilton qualified his Mercedes second. The battle for the win would be fiercely contested between the duo.

Both would stop twice for Pirelli tyres, but they were on different pitstop strategies that eventually converged with them fighting for the victory in the final laps.

Verstappen led from the start until he pitted at the end of lap 17. Hamilton, who had stopped two laps earlier, took over first on lap 18 and held on until he came in at the end of lap 28 for a set of the hard compound Pirellis.

He would have to do the second half of the race – another 28 laps – on that set of tyres.

“Definitely by stopping early we knew it would be difficult,” Hamilton said, “but we had to cover Max and keep the track position in the lead. They have had an amazing performance all weekend, so it was going to take something pretty special to get the win tonight. We stopped for that last stint and trying to find the right balance between pushing hard and saving tyre performance for the end of the race was difficult.”

Verstappen stopped for a set of the hards at the end of lap 39. And now the fight for the win began.

Hamilton had a 7.6 second lead with 16 laps remaining, and Verstappen started chipping away at that. While he had fresher tyres, Verstappen had to be careful not to

44 AutoAction

DESERT DUEL burn them up. He had to save some rubber to try to pass Hamilton when he eventually caught him.

At lap 50 the gap was 1.4 seconds, but now Verstappen was struggling in the dirty air generated by Hamilton’s car. But a lap later Hamilton ran wide at Turn 10. Now the gap was 0.8 of a second and Verstappen, now in DRS range, closed in. The fight was on!

Verstappen lunged past Hamilton in Turn 4 on lap 53, but in doing so slid off the track.

Having exceeded track limits to take the lead he had to hand it back. And Hamilton then held on to win by 0.745 of a second.

“I couldn’t believe that I was just able to keep him behind,” Hamilton said. “He was right behind me so then stuck in my wake, and that meant it was difficult for him to get close. He ended up wide in some places which gave me a little bit of an edge.”

An epic duel in the desert ended with Lewis Hamilton pipping Max Verstappen by under a second. However, the pole battle ended the opposite way as the Red Bull topped the Merc.

2021 BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX 56 LAPS

Pos Driver Team Laps Margin 1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 56 2 Max Verstappen Red Bull 56 0.745 3 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 56 37.383 4 Lando Norris McLaren 56 46.466 5 Sergio Perez Red Bull 56 52.047 6 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 56 59.090 7 Daniel Ricciardo McLaren 56 66.004 8 Carlos Sainz Jr. Ferrari 56 67.100 9 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 56 85.692 10 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 56 86.713 11 Kimi Raikkonen Alfa Romeo 56 88.864 12 Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo 55 1 Lap 13 Esteban Ocon Alpine 55 1 Lap 14 George Russell Williams 55 1 Lap 15 Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin 55 1 Lap 16 Mick Schumacher Haas 55 1 Lap 17 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri 52 4 Laps 18 Nicholas Latifi Williams 51 5 Laps DNF Fernando Alonso Alpine 32 24 Laps DNF Nikita Mazepin Haas 0 Points: Hamilton 25, Verstappen 18, Bottas 16, Norris 12, Perez 10, Leclerc 8, Ricciardo 6, Sainz 4, Tsunoda 2, Stroll 1.

Constructors’: Mercedes 41, Red Bull-Honda 28, Ferrari 12, AlphaTauri-Honda 2, Aston Martin-Mercedes 1.

A distant third was Valtteri Bottas, who was never really in contention and had a delayed pit stop which took him out of it completely.

Verstappen, of course, was disappointed to finish second.

“It just showed again that track position is super-important even when you have the better tyres,” he said. “I was closing in quite comfortably but then, when I got close to Lewis, with how the wind was today in those critical low-speed corners, I just had no grip. Still better grip than Lewis, but not enough to really make a difference.

“As soon as I got close enough to Lewis I had one shot. I just went outside of the track at Turn 4, so I gave the position back. But by then my tyres weren’t in a good state anymore to put the pressure on.”

Valtteri Bottas qualified and finished third in his Mercedes. While he could be used as a foil to Red Bull’s pitstop strategy, he never really factored in the lead battle. And then a 10.9 second pitstop really took him out of contention. It was déjà vu from Bahrain last year, when a botched pitstop cost him the win.

“The cars were quite close on pace but if you lose 10 seconds like that, racing against Max and Lewis, you are not going to get that back,” said Bottas, who had a small consolation of getting a point for clocking the fastest race lap.

Daniel Ricciardo’s new McLaren teammate Lando Norris started seventh and passed

Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri) and Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) to finish a fine fourth.

Sergio Pérez started from the pitlane after his Red Bull shut down on the formation lap. He stormed from last to fifth. That wasn’t quite as good as his last to first in the Racing Point in the Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain last year, but it was still an impressive performance.

Ricciardo qualified sixth and finished seventh in his maiden race with McLaren.

“First one down!” the Aussie said. “I think overall it’s been a good weekend. We can’t complain with that result. I think from the team’s perspective as well it’s good to hit the road with fourth and seventh. I think there’s plenty to learn from.

“I wasn’t that impressed with my race. We couldn’t find the pace, so every time I tried to get a bit more out of it, it wasn’t really there – but I think there’s plenty to take from the race, plenty to learn from. If what I felt was an okay race ended with a P7, we’re looking alright. We’ll take the positives and learn from the data. Overall, a good weekend for the whole team, and a good first race for McLaren.”

Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) did an impressive job to finish ninth and earn points in his first F1 race.

The action resumes with the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola, Italy on 18 April.

After stopping on the warm up lap, Sergio Perez charged through the field to fifth on debut for his new team, Here, Daniel Ricciardo is held at bay.

Yuki Tsunoda passed Fernando Alonso to score points on debut (above). Both Haas debutants spun, but Mick Schumacher survived to finish 16th (below).

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MOTOGP Reports: DAN MCCARTHY Images: MOTORSPORT IMAGES FACTORY YAMAHA rider Maverick Vinales took a surprise victory in the opening round of the 2021 MotoGP season, beating the almighty Ducatis around the Losail International Circuit in Qatar.

New factory Ducati rider, Aussie Jack Miller, came into the weekend as one of the race favourites after breaking the lap record at the venue in testing a week prior.

However, over the race distance he could not get his tyres to last and faded to a disappointing ninth.

The shock ahead of qualifying was that reigning champion Joan Mir had not set a fast enough time on his Suzuki to skip Q1, instead he had to deliver just to reach the second session.

At the end of the 15-minute Q1 session Mir scraped in by a minuscule 0.005s at the expense of rookie Enea Bastianini.

In Q2 Miller’s factory Ducati teammate Francesco Bagnaia not only earned his maiden pole, but obliterated the lap record becoming the first rider to set a time in the 1m 52’s. He set a 1m 52.772, 0.266s faster than new factory Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo and his teammate Vinales.

Petronas Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi impressed, qualifying fourth ahead of Miller, Johann Zarco and 2020 championship runner-up Franco Morbidelli.

Aleix Espargaro on the factory Aprilia was eighth ahead of the two factory Suzukis, Alex Rins and reigning champion Joan Mir. As the lights went out to start the 2021 MotoGP season the four Ducatis with their new hole-shot device surged to the front.

Out of Turn 1 it was a Ducati 1-2-34, with Bagnaia leading Miller, Zarco and rookie Jorge Martin, who shot up from 14th on the grid. Martin then made a move on his Pramac Ducati teammate Zarco to take third a little later in the lap.

It was obvious early who was in contention to fight for the race victory and clearly the Petronas Yamaha riders would not.

Despite winning two of the last four

MAVERICK CONQUERS

Maverick Vinales was a convincing but nevertheless suprise winner of the opening MotoGP event for Yamaha.

races in 2020, Morbidelli fell back well outside of the top 15. His mentor and new teammate Rossi, after qualifying in a strong fourth, also dropped like a stone with no apparent race pace.

Despite his sensational start, Martin was unable to match the pace of his more experienced Ducati brand mates and slowly slipped down the leader board.

As the race approached one-third distance Bagnaia led from Zarco and Miller, however the factory Yamahas of Quartararo and Vinales began to

take the fight to the Italian machines and both quickly dispensed with Miller.

On lap 11 of 22 into Turn 1 Vinales moved into a podium position making his way past his new teammate Quartararo and set about catching the Ducatis.

The following lap Vinales displaced Zarco and sat hot on the heels of Bagnaia for several laps electing to bide his time.

He eventually made his move on lap 15 and from that moment on would

never be headed, taking the win by one second.

Zarco made his way past Bagnaia and into second on lap 16 on course for his best finish since 2018.

As Rins tried to demote Bagnaia off the podium he was overtaken by his teammate Mir, the reigning champion coming on strong late in the race.

An intense three-way fight formed for second position between Zarco, Bagnaia and Mir with three laps remaining.

Suzuki rider Mir made the first move, taking third off Bagnaia and on the final lap of the race snuck past Zarco with a brave move up the inside.

Keen to gap the more powerful Ducatis before the pit straight, Mir made a crucial error at the final turn which left him vulnerable. Just metres from the line both the Bologna bullets of Zarco and Bagnaia shot, by demoting Mir off the podium.

The trio were separated by less than

COULD DOVI RETURN IN 2021?

MOTOGP PADDOCK rumours have indicated that Andrea Dovizioso is likely to race for Aprilia in 2021, however the Italian’s well-known manager Simone Battistella is persistently denying the speculation.

After sensationally quitting the factory Ducati squad at the end of 2020, Dovizioso was unable to secure a ride for the 2021 season.

Three-time MotoGP runner-up Dovizioso turned down the opportunity to race for the factory Aprilia team, as he felt the bike would be uncompetitive.

However, lead rider Aleix Espargaro proved this would not be the case in pre-season testing when he was consistently up the pointy end.

Auto Action reported in the last issue that ‘Dovi’ will take part in a three-day trial testing the factory Aprilia from April 12-14.

It has been reported that Dovi could very well make a return to the grid, either replacing second Aprilia rider Lorenzo Savadori or taking part in several Wildcards for the team, however Battistella is trying his best to extinguish the whispers.

“I don’t think there is a chance this season,” Battistella said.

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“For sure he wants to do the test and he accepted the invitation of Aprilia.

“He was very keen to jump back on a MotoGP bike.

We’re working for 2022, though. We’re not thinking about 2021.

“It’s just a test for the moment. We didn’t plan or speak about anything else.

“There may be another test or more testing, but at the moment we just decided to do this one and take it from there.”

As a concession manufacturer (due to a lack of podiums in 2020), Aprilia is allowed to field a rider as a Wildcard at six events in 2021.

The move would likely benefit both parties, keeping Dovizioso match fit while also helping the Italian brand move forward, after finishing last in the manufacturer’s championship in 2021.

Espargaro admitted that he is chomping at the bit for Dovizioso to ride the bike and give his experienced feedback.

The wait now begins to see what Dovi decides after the three-day test and whether the comeback rumours are true. Dan McCarthy

0.2s, with Zarco claiming second ahead of Bagnaia who scored just his second podium.

Mir came home a disappointed fourth ahead of Quartararo, Rins, Aleix Espargaro, Pol Espargaro, and Miller, with top rookie Bastianini rounding out the top 10.

Stefan Bradl, replacing the injured Marc Marquez, was 11th from Rossi, Miguel Oliveira, Brad Binder and Martin, who rounded out the points scorers.

MotoGP standings after Round 1 1 Maverick Vinales 25 2 Johann Zarco 20 3 Francesco Bagnaia 16 4 Joan Mir 13 5 Fabio Quartararo 11 6 Alex 10 7 Aleix Espargaro 9 8 Pol Espargar 8 9 Jack Miller 7 10 Enea Bastianini 6

TWO TWOS FOR GARDNER

Image: Motorsport Images

AUSSIE MOTO2 front-runner Remy Gardner has started the season strongly, scoring two second place finishes with his new Red Bull KTM Ajo team.

In both encounters at the Losail International Circuit, Gardner finished behind former MotoGP rider Sam Lowes.

For the opening encounter Gardner qualified on the second row in sixth position, 0.471s off the time set by Lowes, but this did not deter the Spanish resident.

Gardner fell to eighth on the opening lap but was undeterred, keeping his head and methodically

ANOTHER YAMAHA WINNER Reports: DAN MCCARTHY Images: MOTORSPORT IMAGES AFTER HIS factory Yamaha teammate won the opening race of the season, Frenchman Fabio Quartararo fought back to win a scintillating and action-packed Doha Grand Prix.

For the second weekend in a row, the MotoGP field raced at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar, and once again it was a factory Yamaha rider that pipped two Ducatis.

Aussie Jack Miller came into the second Qatar race with great optimism but was unable to deliver, finishing in ninth for the second weekend running.

Qualifying threw up an incredible story line.

In just his second premier-class race weekend, Jorge Martin scored pole position on the Pramac Ducati, pipping his much more experienced teammate Johann Zarco.

Round 1 winner Maverick Vinales qualified third ahead of Miller, Quartararo and opening night pole sitter Francesco Bagnaia.

Aleix Espargaro on the factory Aprilia was next ahead of the two Suzukis, Alex Rins and reigning champion Joan Mir who again had to make his way through Q1.

A frustrated Franco Morbidelli rounded out the top 10 on his Petronas Yamaha, but this was nothing compared to his teammate Valentino Rossi, who qualified 23rd.

At the start of the race the Pramac Ducatis sprung off the line as they did a week prior and comfortably led into Turn 1.

Impressively from 12th on the grid, factory KTM rider Miguel Oliveira shot up into fourth position before being shuffled back.

At the end of lap 1 Martin led from Zarco, Espargaro, Rins, Mir and Oliveira.

Once again with the subpar Yamaha hole shot device, Quartararo and Vinales were swamped off the line and crossed it in seventh and ninth respectively.

On lap 3 Rins got around Espargaro and soon engaged in an exciting duel for second position with Zarco swapping spots on multiple occasions.

The factory Yamahas on the other hand continued to drop and by the end of lap 3 sat in ninth and 10th.

The race then settled into a groove and at the halfway stage lap 11 of 22, Martin still led from

Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo heads for victory (above), while in only his second MotoGP Jorge Martin (left) took pole position and led for some way before finishing third.

Zarco and Rins, Bagnaia was fourth ahead of Miller, Mir, Espargaro, Quartararo, Vinales and KTM’s Brad Binder.

Just after the halfway point a controversial set of incidents occurred between Miller and Mir. Firstly Mir made an aggressive move on Miller into Turn 10 making contact and pushing the Aussie wide. An infuriated Miller then returned the favour, bumping Mir as they came back onto pit straight before gesturing at the Spaniard.

The games between the pair resulted in them both dropping behind both Quartararo and Espargaro.

Quartararo was now in sixth and coming to life in the second half of the race. On lap 15 the Frenchman made his way past Rins and into the top five for the first time in the race.

firing back up the inside at Turn 3 to take the position and quickly gapped Martin.

Now with clear air Quartararo put the hammer down and was untroubled for the remaining three laps.

Quartararo took the win, delivering the victory after falling to ninth in the early stages, and it was also his first victory in factory Yamaha leathers.

On the final lap at Turn 15, Zarco snuck up the inside of Martin and took second place, the Spaniard looking for an immediate retaliation but thought better of it.

Martin tried to re-take second on the way to the line but came up just 0.04s shy, however a podium in only his second MotoGP race is impressive.

When running fourth Vinales made a mistake at Turn 1 on the final lap and fell behind Rins, and from there the Suzuki rider held onto the place from Vinales by just 0.02s at the line.

Bagnaia came home sixth ahead of a frustrated Mir, Binder, Miller and Espargaro rounded out the top 10. Morbidelli came home in 12th with Rossi well outside the points.

Quartararo then inherited fourth from Bagnaia, who ran wide at Turn 1 when trying to hold onto the position, the Italian dropping all the way to seventh.

The following lap (lap 17) Quartararo displaced with Zarco and set about catching the rookie up front who to this point had been untroubled.

He quickly caught and overtook Martin, however the former Moto3 champion responded snatching back the lead into Turn 1.

Undeterred, the Frenchman quickly responded,

MotoGP standings after Round 2 1 Johann Zarco 40 2 Fabio Quartararo 36 3 Maverick Vinales 36 4 Francesco Bagnaia 26 5 Alex Rins 23 6 Joan Mir 22 7 Jorge Martin 17 8 Aleix Espargaro 15 9 Jack Miller 14 10 Pol Espargaro 11

Image: Motorsport Images

making his way up the order.

He made a move on laps 2, 3, 4 and 5 to sit in fourth position behind Lowes, Raul Fernandez on his Moto2 debut and VR46 rider Marco Bezzecchi.

On lap 8 he deposed of Italian Bezzecchi

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and set about catching his new young teammate Fernandez.

Gardner overtook the Spaniard on lap 9 but the British rider up front was in a league of his own.

The Australian was unable to get near

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the Englishman and was forced to settle for second, finishing 2.2s in arrears.

Fabio Di Giannantonio claimed third after pinching the final spot on the rostrum from Bezzecchi on the final lap of the race. It was an emotional podium for the Gresini team, in its first race since the passing of founder Fausto Gresini.

Bezzecchi came home fourth ahead of Fernandez.

For the race one-week later Gardner qualified in second, however again on the opening lap dropped back behind his teammate Fernandez on lap 2.

Gardner re-took third on lap 4 and then followed it up by taking second from Bezzecchi on lap 6.

Gardner caught and pressured Lowes lap after lap, but the leader proved unflappable. Despite the relentless pressure Lowes held on to take the win by just 0.137s from Gardner.

Fernandez scored his maiden Moto2 podium after finishing third ahead of Bezzecchi. Dan McCarthy

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Image: Motorsport Images

MORBIDELLI QUESTIONS YAMAHA THE USUALLY relaxed and tranquil Franco Morbidelli has voiced his frustrations, openly questioning Yamaha’s preferences after a woeful display in the opening MotoGP round.

Last year’s championship runner-up finished 23.9s behind the race winning factory Yamaha piloted by Maverick Vinales, and then vented his disappointment about the lack of support from the Japanese brand.

Despite finishing as the top Yamaha rider in 2020, Morbidelli is the sole rider of the Yamaha quartet not to be racing on current spec 2021 machinery.

“I know I’m not on the top of Yamaha’s list at the moment,” said a visibly frustrated Morbidelli.

Clearly the former Moto2 champion feels that factory riders Vinales, Fabio Quartararo and his own Petronas Yamaha teammate Valentino Rossi are getting preferential treatment.

Morbidelli is one of only three men on the grid that is not riding a 2021 bike, a status shared by rookie Esponsorama Racing riders Enea Bastianini and Luca Marini.

Due to a rule change made when the global COVID-19 pandemic took hold, Morbidelli is unable to switch to a new specification bike mid-season, as riders were allowed to previously.

This means that the Italian will remain on his ‘A-spec’ Yamaha M1, predominantly with parts from a 2019 machine. Morbidelli and his crew had earlier elected to stick with the 2019 bike rather than switch to the fast but incredibly temperamental 2020 machine.

After qualifying in seventh position the Petronas Yamaha rider’s weekend only got worse, finishing the 22-lap race in a very disappointing 18th position.

A problem with his hole shot device saw Morbidelli plummet to the back of the pack at the start of the race, and he was unable to recover due an overall lack of race pace.

Morbidelli had hoped that Yamaha would get on top of the issue with the hole shot device.

“I don’t know with what rush they will take this problem,” said Morbidelli. “But I hope they will take it with a lot of seriousness.”

Yamaha and Morbidelli have always had a good relationship, but his uncharacteristic outspoken comments show that the partnership may be strained early in the season. DM

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NASCAR

BRISTOL DIRT RACE Joey Logano was the king on dirt, here fighting off a last restart challenge from Denny Hamlin.

DIRTY WARFARE Report: Dan McCarthy Images: Motorsport Images THE FIRST NASCAR Cup Series race on dirt since 1970 proved to be a resounding success, with Joey Logano holding back the opposition to win on a dusty Bristol Motor Speedway.

Team Penske driver Logano survived a late race overtime period to take his first victory of the season, and in doing so became the seventh different winner in the opening seven races this year.

Despite having no dirt racing experience, Logano took to the art like a duck to water, rising to the front late in Stage 2 and from there was able to control the race.

The Team Penske driver who was forced to fend off an attack from championship leader Denny Hamlin, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver briefly pinching the lead early in the third stage as the cars slid around the banking side by side.

Logano retook the lead and survived a late overtime period to take his 27th career win by just 0.5s, and was elated with the result.

“Man, it’s incredible,” said Logano.

“How about Bristol on dirt? This is an incredible, unbelievable racetrack, great job by everyone that prepped the track.

“Great car, obviously, to be able to execute the race that we did and get a win. I was getting nervous. There were so many first-time winners and different winners than there has typically been (so far this season). I said, ‘We’ve got to get a win to make sure we get in the playoffs.’

“It’s amazing to get this Mustang into Victory Lane at Bristol, there’s nothing like winning at Bristol, but putting dirt on it and being the first to do it is really special!”

The race was the spectacle that NASCAR was

Dust was a problem early on during the event, a first for NASCAR in 51-years (above). Logano used his grooved speedway tyres (below, middle) to the maximum to head to victory lane (below).

hoping for with thrills and spills at almost every turn.

Several of the key contenders including pole sitter and part-time speedway racer Kyle Larson were bowled out of contention early,

Ricky Stenhouse Jr (left) and Daniel Suarez (here) scored their best results of the season racing on the dirt.

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the latter collected on lap 51 by the spinning Christopher Bell.

This was one of several early incidents, but as the dust settled on the racetrack (both literally and metaphorically) the racing quality improved. Almost the entirety of the final stage was completed under green flag conditions.

However, a caution was thrown with just five laps to go throwing a spanner in the works for everyone, most notably race leader Logano.

In the final overtime laps Logano held firm and went on to take the win from the fast-finishing Ricky Stenhouse Jr. It was Stenhouse’s first top 10 finish of the season, and enable him to shoot from fourth to second in the final two laps.

Hamlin in second tried to make his way around the outside of Logano on the restart but this did not pay off, allowing Stenhouse up the inside.

After scraping the wall in the dying laps Hamlin came home third, his sixth top five finish in the first seven races. Despite not taking a win he remains up the front of the championship.

Daniel Suarez scored his best result of the season in fourth and even led the majority of the second stage, edging home experienced campaigner Ryan Newman.

William Byron was sixth ahead of Tyler Reddick, the previous week’s winner Ryan Blaney, Erik Jones and reigning champion Chase Elliott, who rounded out the top 10.

After winning the Truck Series race and the first stage of the Cup Series, Martin Truex Jr looked set for a great result. He sat third with two laps remaining, however he picked up a puncture and dropped to 19th.

Notably Kevin Harvick, Kurt and Kyle Buch finished from 15th to 17th after a challenging day on the dirt.

FORMULA 2 ROUND 1 BAHRAIN

PIASTRI SHINES ON F2 DEBUT Report: Dan McCarthy Images: Motorsport Images F3 GRADUATES starred in the opening round of the 2021 FIA Formula 2 Championship, with Australian Oscar Piastri and New Zealander Liam Lawson sharing the sprint race wins.

However, despite the young category newcomers stealing the show, it was experience that won out over the weekend, with China’s Guanyu Zhou taking the Feature Race victory and the championship lead.

In qualifying Zhou took pole from Christian Lundgaard by 0.003s, with Felipe Drugovich was third ahead of outspoken Englishman Dan Ticktum and Richard Verschoor.

Jehan Daruvala qualified sixth ahead of a quartet of F3 graduates in Piastri, Lawson, David Beckmann and Theo Pourchaire.

Championship favourite Robert Shwarzman suffered a mechanical failure and qualified outside the crucial top 10 positions in 11th.

The Top 10 is crucial because the new three-race format sees the top 10 in qualifying reversed for Race 1, giving Pourchaire pole.

However, it was Red Bull Junior Lawson who led into Turn 1 after a sensational start from third on the grid.

Lawson and Pourchaire traded fast lap times out front before the Frenchman dropped out of the race with a mechanical failure.

It was all smiles for Oscar Piastri, after scoring his maiden Formula 2 race victory at the first round (above, left) in just his second start in the category, while New Zealander Liam Lawson also took a win, in his very first race (above, right). Lawson is second in points, Piastri fourth after he first round.

This allowed Daruvala to take the fight to the New Zealander up front, however the F2 rookie was not phased and drove a mature race to take victory on debut.

Daruvala came home second ahead of Beckmann, Shwarzman and Piastri.

Race 2 was a reverse top 10 from the opening race and saw Juri Vips start from pole position ahead of Lirim Zendeli, Ticktum and Zhou.

Shwarzman and Ticktum collided at Turn 1 eliminating them both, and weren’t the only contenders who suffered an early retirement. Race 1 winner Lawson had shot his way into third however he retired after a collision with Drugovich.

Zhou was sitting out front, but the safety car was called to recover Lawson’s stranded Hitech Grand

Prix machine at Turn 4.

Under safety car Piastri was one of many drivers to pit for a set of new soft tyres, a move rarely made in a sprint race but that would pay dividends come race end.

Zhou, Drugovich, Armstrong and Bent Viscaal on the other hand stayed out, and the latter three were quickly dispersed off by the charging Aussie.

Piastri closed to the back of Zhou as did Lundgaard, who also pitted under S/C, and the three Alpine drivers engaged in a thrilling final lap contest.

Piastri took the lead on the approach to Turn 1, however Lundgaard launched one up the inside of him to take the lead, with Piastri then fighting back at Turn 2 to retake the lead.

On the run to Turn 4 the trio went three wide, but it was Piastri who held on to first and took the win from Lundgaard and Zhou.

The Race 3 Feature Race grid was won by polesitter Zhou, however he did not have it all his own way.

Piastri started the Sunday feature race from seventh position, quickly made his way through the pack on soft tyres and led the field as the compulsory pit stop sequence commenced.

Seconds after Piastri switched to the hard tyres a safety car was called, benefiting drivers who had switched to the soft compound.

On lap 20 Piastri was forced to relinquish the lead to Richard Vershoor and second to Zhou soon after.

However, their tyres soon faded Gaunyu Zhou took the Feature Race and with it the championship lead.

and allowed hard tyre runners Piastri, Ticktum and Lawson to catch up to the leading pair.

Zhou took the lead from Verschoor on lap 28, however Piastri was unable to follow him through as he was fending off Ticktum.

The Briton took third from Piastri into Turn 1 on lap 30, however the Victorian did not give up, slotting up the inside of the Carlin into Turn 2.

Significant contact was made between the pair, with Piastri spinning 360 degrees, the 19-yearold’s car stalled, and he was out.

Out front however, Zhou was untroubled and took his maiden Feature Race win from Ticktum and Lawson in third.

Verschoor struggled in the closing laps to keep his soft tyres alive and dropped to fourth position, just ahead of Kiwi Marcus Armstrong.

Formula 2 standings after Round 1 1 Guanyu Zhou 41 2 Liam Lawson 30 3 Jehan Daruvala 28 4 Oscar Piastri 21 5 Dan Ticktum 19 6 Richard Verschoor 18 7 Christian Lundgaard 16 8 Robert Shwartzman 16 9 David Beckmann 12 10 Marcus Armstrong 10

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BATHURST 6HR

BMW BLOCKBUSTER Report: HEATH MCALPINE Images: ARG-DANIEL KALISZ/NATHAN WONG/BRUCE MOXON SHANE VAN Gisbergen, Rob Rubis and Shane Smollen battled 11 safety car periods in their BMW M4 to win a frantic Bathurst 6 Hour.

They defeated reigning champions Beric Lynton and Tim Leahey in a BMW M3 and David Russell and Grant Sherrin in another BMW M4, in another demonstration of Bavarian domination in Australia’s premier Production Car event.

The battle for pole had not been as straight

forward as the form guide suggested, because although van Gisbergen took pole position, it was only by the scantest of margins.

Driving a recently completed BMW M4 built by reigning race winner Beric Lynton, the Kiwi set a 2m 25.439s to take prime starting position by just 0.032s from Erebus Motorsport endurance driver David Russell, in the 2018 winning Sherrin Racing M4.

BMWs filled the top four positions in qualifying as Lynton’s co-driver Tim Leahey was third in the pair’s M3, while a troubled lead up with electrical problems failed to hamper Team Blanchard Racing’s Tim Slade

in the Carr Motorsport M4, who placed it fourth.

The first non-BMW was George Miedecke in the lead Ford Mustang he shared with Brodie Kostecki and Paul Morris. The second-generation racer set a time of 2m 28.029s to top A2 and demonstrate the new contender’s capabilities.

The Mustang was bested by BMWs, with the HSV GTS featuring 1995 Australian Touring Car Champion John Bowe as part of its driving roster adding Australian flavour to the front of the grid in seventh, while Ollie Shannon was impressive qualifying his Class A1 GWR Australia Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG

in ninth outright.

A field of 59-entries took to the start at 11:15am on Easter Sunday with Shane Smollen driving the M4 van Gisbergen set pole in the day before alongside Grant Sherrin, although it was the M3 in third driven by Lynton which led after the opening laps.

Slade demoted the two front-row entries down a position on the opening lap before a circuit later, while former Supercars driver Steve Ellery, who was partnered by sons Tristan and Dalton, also moved passed Sherrin.

Another mover through the field was the Grant Denyer Mustang, which assumed the role of lead non-BMW in sixth from the similar entry of Morris.

Two laps in, the first of the safety car periods occurred when the James Holloway/ Michael Holloway/David Brown Toyota Celica crashed at Skyline.

The restart witnessed a great battle for the lead between Lynton and Slade, but the race soon settled down as Smollen, Ellery, then Sherrin remained close behind, as was Denyer in the lead Mustang.

Just on the 50-minute mark, Smollen was the first of the leaders to pit, handing the M4 over to third driver Rob Rubis as there was almost contact between the leading two BMWs of Leahy and Slade at Murray’s Corner.

Under sunny skies, the huge 59-car field blasts into turn one to begin a long day of racing, interrupted regularly by safety cars.

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BMWs dominated this year’s Bathurst 6 Hr, never looking likely to lose the outright victory. The German cars remain undefeated in the event to date. Here winners Shane van Gisbergen, Shane Smollen and Rob Rubis celebrate on the top step of the podium, watched on by defending champions Beric Lynton and Tim Leahy (on right) who were second, and the third-placed David Russell and Grant Sherrin (on left). The best of the Mustangs was the Miedecke Motorsport entry (below) driven by George Miedecke, Brodie Kostecki and Paul Morris which finished fifth and won class A2.

Soon after, the lead battle was broken when Slade entered pit lane and completed a driver swap with Brad Carr, emerging in 17th. But it was back in the pits again just five-minutes later when a tyre failed.

Another frontrunner to have problems was the Morris Mustang as the front bumper was damaged, leading to overheating.

As the clock ticked over the 1 hour and 20-minute mark, Zac Raddatz found the tyre wall at Griffin Bend in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, enabling all the leaders to pit, with Sherrin handing over to Russell, emerging in the lead after the sequence.

It was only 15-minutes later when the next safety car was required, when Tim Miles crashed the Denyer Mustang Denyer at the Chase after dropping the right-rear onto the grass, severely damaging the new Pony car.

There was a shuffle at the front after pit stops were taken during this safety car, with Matt Holt in the Class A2 Jack Motorsport HSV Clubsport R8 leading rival Lindsay Kearns in the Ford Mustang, while Dalton Ellery was the best BMW contender in third ahead of Russell.

But the BMW of Russell soon overhauled the two Class A2 leaders to head the field, as another safety car was needed to collect the Class B1 BMW 135i, which was driving slowly across the top of Mount Panorama.

The front splitter damage to the Miedecke/ Morris/Kostecki Mustang was repaired during this interruption, by the pit crew simply riping off the flapping item.

It wasn’t long before another BMW moved through to the lead, this time Leahey just past the 2-hour mark, but another safety car was required as the McLeod family Class C Holden Astra VXR was beached in The Chase sand trap.

This led to another round of pit stops as Class X entries knocked over pit stops as

these were required to complete two extra compared to the other classes.

Kearns in the A2 Mustang was being hunted down by Russell in the Sherrin Racing M4, as Smollen was the next BMW back in sixth. Conrod Straight is where Russell completed the move for the lead, while the Smollen entry was penalised a post-race 5s penalty for overlapping under the safety car.

Just short of the halfway mark, the Class C Prime Motorsport Holden Astra VXR stopped, to add to the safety car count, with Russell still in the lead.

Smollen handed over to Rubis where all the

leading Class X contenders pitted, emerging in 14th behind Carr in fourth, Lynton in sixth, Sherrin in ninth and Ellery in 10th, as the race approached the halfway mark.

A leading contender in Class A1 and previous race leader, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX of Hadrian Morall, sharing with Tyler Mecklem, had a fuel spill in pit lane taking it out of the lead of the class.

Just as this occurred, fellow Class A1 rival BMW M1 of Angelo Mouzouris, Cody Donald and Jessy Bryan crashed out at Griffin Bend, ending a troubled weekend for the trio, which had included an engine change. This bought about another safety car and pit stops

galore.

Lynton emerged from this sequence ahead of all BMWs, while Carr remained close, but the major change was van Gisbergen jumping behind the wheel, taking over from Rubis.

But just as the race began to get into a rhythm, another safety car was required as the McLeod family Astra VXR then stopped on the main straight.

Lynton led at the completion of the safety car, but had van Gisbergen 1.4s behind, while Sherrin remained in contention, placed in fifth.

Holding on desperately to the lead for a

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BATHURST 6HR Tim Slade starred at Bathurst again, taking a brand new, barely run BMW M3 shared with owner Brad Carr to the front of the field on several occasions before suffering tyre issues.

The pair ultimately finished fourth outright.

couple of laps, Lynton ended up relinquishing it at The Chase with nearly four-hours gone.

However, another interruption with the safety car followed when the Graeme Muir/ Jamie Hodgson HSV Clubsport R8 ran off into The Chase in the sand trap, setting up a sprint with under two hours remaining.

Slade took over third from Carr and second from Sherrin, leaving him in pursuit of his Supercars rival, who had no drink or radio in the lead M4.

A fire in pit lane ended a disappointing run for the HSV GTS of Bowe/Tony Virag/Barry Sternbeck, which followed a spin for the entry earlier in the day.

Out on-track, Leahey had taken over the winning M3 from 2019 and was now third behind the two Supercars stars with onehour and 20-minutes to go, though this was soon to change as Slade dropped out of contention.

But there was yet another safety car before that as the Daniel Flanagan/Merrick Malouf Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII stopped at The Esses as a change for the lead occurred with Slade overtaking van Gisbergen in the pit stops.

The BMWs were filled until the end after the pit stops with just over an hour remaining, with the top four positions held by the Bavarian marque.

Slade led from van Gisbergen, Leahey and Russell, but a tyre problem for the Carr Motorsport M3 forced it to pit again from the lead, dropping it out of contention for the win.

This raised the Morris Mustang to fourth, but it too had a 5s penalty, which was crucial when class rival, the similar entry of Kearns, was bearing down.

There was one final safety car as the Simon Hodge/Michael Caine M4 stopped at The Chase, enabling Leahey to duck into the pits, while van Gisbergen and Russell kept on going.

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Class D went the way of the Mineeff/Sargent Toyota 86 (left), while the Mercedes Benz A45 AMG of Michael Sheargold/Brett Hobson/Ollie Shannon gave the outright cars a run for their money late in the day, finished 7th overall and won class A1.

The Kiwi was already growing his margin after setting a 2m 26.487s lap, which was followed by consistent 2m 27s tours.

At the final restart, Leahey tried to hold on to van Gisbergen, but it was Russell in third catching the reigning 6 Hour winner.

The goal for van Gisbergen was to build a 5s gap due to the earlier penalty placed on the entry, with the Kiwi pressing on as the race entered the final half an hour.

After re-joining in 12th, Slade was recovering strongly and rose to fourth after the final safety car period, as Morris let him past across the top.

Van Gisbergen did what he needed to do as he won by 7.856s while Leahey held onto second ahead of Russell, with Slade’s charge ending at fourth, 21s in arrears.

It was a one-two for the Lynton team, but the third entry for the Ellery family finished three laps down in 17th after an intercooler failure.

A top five for the new Mustang was a solid result with Morris/Miedecke/Kostecki leading home Cowham/Kearns in the pony car battle.

An impressive seventh outright was the winners of A1 Michael Sheargold/Brett Hobson/Ollie Shannon in the GWR Australia Mercedes A45 AMG, leading home third in A2, the Mustang of Tony and Kyle Alford.

Rounding out the 10 were the podium places in A1, Rod Salmon/Neale Muston/ Yasser Shahin in another Mercedes A45 AMG, and the venerable Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X continues to prove its worth at The Mountain with the Jimmy Vernon/Mark Griffith entry.

RACE RESULTS BATHURST 6 HOUR 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 15 16 22 26 28

X* X X X A2* A2 A1* A2 A1 A1 D* B2* C* B1* E*

van Gisbergen/Smollen/Rubis Lynton/Leahey Sherrin/Russell Carr/Slade Miedecke/Morris/Kostecki Cowham/Kearns Sheargold/Hobson/Shannon T.Alford/K.Alford Salmon/Muston/Shahin Vernon/Griffith Mineeff/Sargent Forbes-Wilson/Seisun/Ferns Haynes/Lehmann O’Donnell/Johnston/Mennell Wilson/Gilroy/Alexander

BMW M4 BMW M3 BMW M4 BMW M3 Ford Mustang Ford Mustang Mercedes A45 AMG Ford Mustang Mercedes A45 AMG Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X Toyota 86 GTS Holden Commodore SS V Renaut Megane RS BMW 335i Coupe Mazda 3 SP25

120 laps +7.856s +12.044s +33.998s +92.917s +96.407s +101.857s +118.537 +119.544 +137.188s 3 laps 3 laps 5 laps 6 laps 7 laps

*Class winners as indicated

The race’s most spectacular exit was Tim Miles’ (above) in the best-placed Mustang at the time, shared by Grant Denyer and Tony Quinn. Another success for BMW came in class B1, where the Peter O’Donnell/Peter Johnston/Garry Mennell 335i came out on top (below). Likewise, the Brianne Wilson/Ryan Gilroy/Phillip Alexander Mazda 3 SP25 won class E (below).

Fight on in the classes LIKE THE outright teams that were in contention for major places, the rest of the classes were also keenly contested across the Hi-Tech Oils Bathurst 6 Hour.

In both B1 High Performance Forced Induction and B2 Naturally Aspirated, the winners were comfortably ahead.

With the former, the evergreen BMW 335i driven by Peter O’Donnell, Peter Johnston, and Garry Mennell were clear cut winners by 16 laps.

The Scott Gore/Keith Bensley BMW 135i finished second despite a pitstop on the second lap and later stopping in the Cutting with tyre damage, which caused the fourth safety car.

It wasn’t any closer in B2 between the two

Holden Commodore SSV teams. Matt ForbesWilson, Ash Seisun, and Michael Ferns had a five-lap advantage over James Herington, Arthur Tsovolos, and Drew Russell.

Performance Class C provided a close finish with less than a lap between first and second.

They were only split on laps completed by the outright cars in the end.

Osborne Motorsport had to rely on the team’s second Renault Megane, shared by Josh Haynes and Kaide Lehmann, after the Colin Osborne/Rick Bates Renault failed to start due to an engine change/ECU incapability issue.

Haynes and Lehmann were involved in a close contest with the David Krusza/Jake Williams BMW E36 until it fell out. Doug Westwood and

rookie racer Corey Gillis would eventually finish second, while James Hay, Paul Ansell, and Patrick Navin (VW Scirocco) were third.

The Holden HSV Astra VXRs had dramas which caused safety cars but were still classified, behind the fourth placed John Fitzgerald/Scott Turner/Urs Muller BMW 130i.

A Class D Production entry in 14th outright was a stunning result for Lachlan Mineeff and Tom Sargent, aboard their Toyota 86 GTS. They were chased home by the Bargwannas, Ben and Jude, in a VW Golf GTi which looked like they could have been even closer than 80 odd seconds in arrears, if not impeded by untimely safety car appearances.

They were third in class after the last pit stop

behind Mitch Maddren, Mat Payne, and Murray Dowsett (Subaru BRZ), who they passed as they chased down the leaders.

Most unfortunate were James Holloway, Michael Holloway, and David Brown as their Toyota Celica crashed out at Skyline on the second lap.

From the outset Brianna Wilson and Ryan Gilroy (Mazda 3 SP25) had the ascendancy over the Suzuki Swift Sports where Ian Cowley, Daniel Natoli, and Matt Thewis were four laps behind, while Michael Hopp, Steve McHugh, and Michael Rice were third.

The second Mazda in the class, shared by David Worrell and Andrew McMaster, blew its clutch with an hour to go. GOB

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TCR

BATHURST ROUND 3

Report: HEATH MCALPINE Images: ARG/DANIEL KALISZ PHOTOGRAPHY AFTER FAILING to complete a victorious clean-sweep in TCR’s second round at Phillip Island due to a tyre failure, Chaz Mostert finally achieved it with an ultimately dominant performance at Bathurst’s third round.

Mostert overcame a fast-starting Aaron Cameron in a very quick Peugeot 308, who led all three races until overcome by the Supercars superstar.

Cameron was second to Mostert overall as well, while the other key player was Jordan Cox, who in the Alfa Romeo -- now 60kg lighter with its ballast removed -- challenged both as the weekend went on.

Mostert took pole by 0.954s ahead of Cameron in his GRM Peugeot 308 TCR, who was confident based on his recent starts he could lead into Hell Corner.

Third was series returnee Garth Tander in the third MPC Audi RS3 LMS TCR alongside Ashley Seward Motorsport’s Jay Hanson.

Cox was originally fourth but had his time disallowed due to causing a stoppage, leaving him to charge from the back.

Title contender Lee Holdsworth placed sixth, behind Bathurst local Brad Shiels in the privateer Tilton Racing Hyundai i30N TCR, but ahead of Wall Racing duo Tony D’Alberto and John Martin in the Honda Civic Type Rs. Second-place in the series points, Mostert’s MPC teammate Luke King, was 10th.

The grid was held for a long-time for the start of Race 1 with many struggling to get away cleanly, including the two HMO Customer Racing Hyundai i30N TCRs of newcomer Duvashen Padayachee and Nathan Morcom.

Holding a comfortable 1.7s advantage after the first lap, Cameron was ahead of Mostert, Tander, Hanson and Shiels, while further back Cox was scything through the field.

In fact, Cox was bringing back memories of the Improved Production races at Bathurst four years ago across the top, passing through McPhillamy Park and The Esses.

He was up to 12th by lap 4, right behind another driver on a charge in the form of winner last time out Jason Bargwanna, who climbed from 20th to 11th.

Up front, Mostert was beginning to close on Cameron, cutting the Peugeot’s lead to 1.1s on lap four, then further lowering the margin to 0.4s on lap five, which was then extended to 0.8s by the time the two crossed the line.

In his pursuit of Cameron, Mostert glanced the wall at The Cutting on lap seven, but this didn’t halt the Supercars star as he pressured the rear of the GRM Peugeot down The Mountain, before

MOZZIE’S MOUNTAIN making a successful move at Murray’s Corner.

Cameron tried to hold on but Mostert completed the move at Hell Corner and begun to build a margin.

In the end, the Walkinshaw Andretti United Supercars driver won by 1.127s ahead of Cameron, whilst Tander ran a lonely third as Hanson maintained a strong fourth from teammate Holdsworth.

The battle for sixth between Martin, Shiels, King and Cox was tight, but it remained in that order until the end.

GRM Renault Megane R.S. driver Dylan O’Keeffe was in the battle but a wastegate problem ended his race and ruined the weekend.

As a consequence O’Keeffe and teammate James Moffat, through other problems, were delayed in arriving to the grid for Race 2.

O’Keeffe then returned to the pits after the warm up lap to reconfigure the Renault’s computer settings after replacement of its wastegate.

Again it was Cameron off the start and by the end of the first sector he was 2.5s clear of Mostert, who had Hanson all over the rear of his Audi after taking Tander off the start Cox continued his charge, first passing Shiels and Holdsworth three-wide down Conrod Straight, then passing Martin at The Chase.

As Mostert’s tyres came on, he closed the gap to Cameron to 0.5s as the battle for third was heating up.

Hanson was coming under increasing pressure from Tander, but this was allowing Cox to close.

The reigning Bathurst 1000 winner attempted a move at Griffin’s Bend, which proved successful, only when Hanson’s Alfa Romeo lost power,

forcing Cox to take evasive action.

A seized turbo was identified as the culprit.

There was a change for the lead entering The Chase as Mostert passed Cameron to then runaway with it, quickly creating a 2.8s margin back to the Peugeot. Tander was closing on second place, but even more rapid was Cox, who was 0.8s behind the MPC Audi.

But that’s where the positions stayed with Martin following the lead quartet home ahead of Holdsworth, a recovering Moffat, Shiels, Holdsworth, Michael Caruso for his best finish of the season, and Bargwanna.

Apart from Martin’s top five, Hondas struggled with D’Alberto being damaged in a clash with a Hyundai and privateer Michael Clemente blowing an engine due to losing a fanbelt.

The final race of the weekend was interrupted

Chaz Mostert (top) was king of The Mountain for Audi in the third round of the TCR series, though not before having to overcome the fast-starting Aaron Cameron (below left) in the Peugeot in each of the three races. Jordan Cox (below right) was the other significant player at Bathurst, overcoming qualifying dramas in his Alfa Romeo to drive into contention by the end of the weekend.

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Points: Mostert 344, Cameron 281, King 266, Martin 256, Holdsworth 245, Cox 240, Bargwanna 222, Morcom 221, Shiels 211, Buchan 209.

by safety cars and was cut short by a lap, however Mostert still won although it was Cameron who led most of the way this time.

Cameron replicated his starts from the opening two encounters to lead Mostert up Mountain Straight as Cox beat Tander into third, however a safety car was required when the engine in Holdsworth’s Alfa Romeo expired at McPhillamy Park.

When the race restarted Cameron led away from Mostert and Cox. However, the race was soon under safety car conditions again, when a clash between D’Alberto and Clemente sent the former into the Hell Corner sand trap.

Cameron held on at the second restart as Cox made a mistake at Griffin’s Bend to drop back from the lead two and end his chances for the win.

There was a moment for Ben Bargwanna at The Chase when he went through the inside sand trap, crossed the circuit behind Martin and recovered under the bridge approaching Murray’s Corner.

Just as that incident occurred, Mostert made his move at Hell Corner on the penultimate lap and was then never headed as Cameron held on from a fast closing Cox. Tander, Martin, Moffat, Shiels, Bargwanna, Morcom and HMO Customer Racing teammate Josh Buchan completed the top 10.

The pursuit of Mostert in the TCR Australia Series is becoming harder, as he now holds a 63-point margin to Cameron heading to Sydney Motorsport Park on May 1-2. Just 25-points separate Cameron and Martin in fourth, while King maintains third.

Honda wars ... Tony D’Alberto’s semi-official Civic goes off the road after a clash with the privateer example off Michael i Clemente C (above) in i the final fi race off the weekend, while i John Martin i opened his Bathurst account with sixth in the first race (below left). James Moffat (below right) struggled again with the Renault, overcoming myriad problems to climb to fifth in the last race.

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GT WCA

BATHURST ROUND 2

HONOURS SHARED IN GT Report: HEATH MCALPINE Images: ARG/DANIEL KALISZ PHOTOGRAPHY THE TOP GT teams in the country split the pair of one-hour sprints forming Round 2 of GT World Challenge Australia at Mount Panorama.

For the first time since last year’s Bathurst 12 Hour GT cars again roared around The Mountain and saw the series leaders aboard their Melbourne Performance Centre Audi R8 LMS Garth Tander and Yasser Shahin in pole position.

A qualifying surprise came from GT Trophy leader Brett Hobson in the venerable Nissan GT-R GT3 which sat alongside on the front row, while Tony Bates qualified the Audi R8 GT3 LMS he shared with Chaz Mostert in third.

Fourth placed Brad Schumacher marked a remarkable return after a spectacular tyre failure along Conrod Straight, which severely damaged his Trophy Class Audi R8 GT3 LMS. His crew completed repairs overnight, enabling Schumacher to continue the weekend.

Tony Quinn in his Aston Martin Vantage V12 was fifth, while Prince Jefri Ibrahim paired with Shane van Gisbergen were in mid-pack in the Triple Eight Race Engineering MercedesAMG GT3.

Shahin led away but was challenged by Hobson early, as the battle raged behind between Bates, Quinn and Schumacher.

The latter pair soon demoted Bates as Stephen Grove also ranged up in his Porsche 991 GT3R, but was then forced to serve a 5s penalty during his pit stop due to a start infraction.

Entering the pit stops, Shahin and Hobson still held a comfortable margin over the chasing pack.

Mostert, Tander and van Gisbergen took over their respective entries within two laps of each other, the current Supercars drivers emerging on-track together.

Tander held an advantage ahead of Mostert and van Gisbergen, who were scything their

Honours were shared at the Mt Panorama GT round with Shane van Gisbergen sharing with Jefri Ibrahim (above) to win race one, while Garth Tander and Yasser Shahim grabbed the top step of the podium in race two (right).

way through the field. However, Mostert was soon forced to drop out of the contest with a stop-go penalty for a pit lane infringement.

The battle for the lead between the reigning Bathurst winning co-drivers van Gisbergen and Tander was close to say the least, with the two ducking and darting through Murray’s Corner, Pit Straight, then Hell Corner.

Finally, the position was decided by Griffin’s Corner in the favour of the Kiwi.

Van Gisbergen secured a 5.6s victory in his GT racing return, ahead of Tander and Mostert, who passed Schumacher on the final lap at The Chase for the last spot on the podium.

Schumacher won Trophy Class ahead of fifth placed Hobson.

For the second one-hour race, it was van Gisbergen dipping into the 2m 02s to seal pole alongside Mostert. It promised an excellent opening lap and didn’t disappoint, as the two went side-by-side up Mountain Straight with Mostert only conceding at Griffin’s Bend.

Van Gisbergen dominated the opening stint until the pit stops, when he was the last to handover the Mercedes-AMG GT3 to co-driver Ibrahim, a lap after both Mostert and Tander did so.

The pit stop times played a factor as the 10s extra placed on the Triple Eight Mercedes closed up the field considerably.

Ibrahim held a slight margin to the chasing Bates and Shahin, however a safety car was needed to collect the Arthur Abrahams Audi R8 LMS GT3, after wheel fell off across the top of the mountain.

Once the race restarted, Shahin was in the box

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seat to take the win, win but he still needed to take position.

First, he completed a brave pass on Bates entering The Chase, then on the last lap overtook Ibrahim at Forrest’s Elbow to take the lead and the win.

Ibrahim on his first visit to The Mountain finished second, ahead of Bates/Mostert and the Grove father-son team.

Schumacher continued his strong run to finish atop Trophy Class as the previous day’s challenger, Hobson failed to start due to a driveline problem.

Max Twigg in a Audi R8 LMS GT3 was runner up.

Tander and Shahin now hold a 17-point lead ahead of Ibrahim with The Bend Motorsport Park next on May 7-9. .

Points: Shahin/Tander 93, Ibrahim 76, Bates/Mostert 57, Grove/Grove 54.

TRANS AM BATHURST ROUND 3

SETON SCORES BATHURST VICTORY! Report: GARRY O’BRIEN Images: ARG/DANIEL KALISZ PHOTOGRAPHY AARON SETON came to round three at Bathurst trailing in the National Trans Am Series and left with a two-point advantage after two wins and a second.

With a tense and thrilling victory in race three, Nathan Herne was second overall.

Tim Brook was third overall ahead of Edan Thornburrow and Aaron Tebb.

The grid was worked out on the combination of times from practice sessions one and two, after qualifying was red flagged early and not restarted.

It was fortunate for Herne, who missed the session because his Challenger blew its engine at the end of practice two. It also worked out well for Brook (Mustang), who bunkered at McPhillamy Park and caused the session to end.

Seton (Mustang) had been the fastest in practice and started from pole position.

In the first race he headed the field into Turn 1 while Herne attempted to go around the outside. Owen Kelly (Mustang) was immediately behind Seton and in the congestion nudged Seton just enough for Herne to back out, rather than be forced off at the corner.

Seton won the charge up the hill, ahead of Herne and Kelly, and maintained the lead throughout. Ben Grice (Challenger) was next in front of the Mustangs piloted by Brook, Thornburrow, Nash Morris, Kyle Gurton, Matt MacKelden, and Andrew Fisher in a Camaro.

Ba Bathurst saw protaganists Aaron Seton (le (left) and Nathan Herne again battle it out at the front (above) in all three ra races, now separated by just two points in the points chase. Tim Brook (bottom) wa was third overall from the three races.

Gurton was the first one in trouble when the engine cut out on the run to the Cutting from Griffin Bend. A lap later Mackelden tried to go under Morris at Turn 2 but speared off and into the tyre barrier when his foot was jammed between the accelerator and the brake pedals. That brought about the safety car and the premature end to the race.

It was unfortunate for Grice who pulled to the pits and became a non-finisher due to a communication error. That elevated Brook to fourth in front of Thornburrow, Morris, Fisher, Dylan Thomas (Mustang), Tebb (Camaro), and Hugh McAlister (Mustang), who was 10th.

At the start of the second race Herne wrestled away the front running at Turn 2

fro Seton on the opening lap. He held from the lead until a slip-up at the Chase on lap four, where he ran wide and allowed the very close pursuing Seton to grab the lead.

Gu Gurton started rear of grid and moved forw until he pulled off on Mountain forward Stra Straight.

Mark Crutcher (Mustang) surv survived a spin at Murrays Corner and wall contact, and likewise Dylan Thomas (Mu (Mustang) after Brock Skyline.

Set took the win ahead of Herne and Seton Kelly Fourth went to Brook ahead of Kelly.

Thor Thornburrow, Tebb, Fisher, McAlister, and Chris Formosa (Challenger).

Mo was running fifth until a puncture Morris forced him out of contention. Grice started rear of field and made it up to eighth but an outside move on Fisher at the final corner saw the Challenge in the sand trap.

Herne grabbed the race three lead off Seton in the run to Griffin Bend on the first occasion. He then withstood all attempts for his adversary to get by. On the penultimate lap he had a moment at the Chase, almost identical to that which lost him the lead in race two, but this time Seton could not seize the advantage as he had wheels on the grass out of the corner.

Third place did look in the keeping of Owen Kelly (Mustang) but his race came to an end when the driveline broke at the start of lap five – a disappointing end after he felt the team would be worthy contenders to the leaders with some setup changes made.

Brook inherited the spot and was clear of Thornburrow. Tebb had been fifth until he lost out to McAlister on the last lap.

They were followed by Fisher, Peter Herd (Mustang) and the leading hard chargers from the rear in Morris and Grice.

Thomas was 11th and MacKelden 12th after big overnight rebuild.

Points: Seton 550, Herne 548, Thornburrow 468, Brook 445, Morrall 408

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SUPPORTS BATHURST 6HR

Images: Insyde Media

NO EXCEL-LENCE IN EXCELS THROUGH PRACTICE, qualifying and what little racing there was, it was all Cam Wilson at the front of the huge entry in the MRF Tyres Excel Bathurst Challenge.

Both the scheduled races were over before they could really get going, as each went under full course yellows before the first lap expired and were subsequently called off.

In race 1 three cars came together on the pit straight just after the start, effectively putting an end to the first race and causing considerable damage to Tyrone Gautier, Phil Foster, and Ryan Bell, with superficial body bits and pieces affecting several others.

Meanwhile Wilson, as he had done through all the lead-up sessions, was in front ahead of category newby Tim Colombrita, Liam Gretgrix, Ryan Casha and Darren Whittington, when the race was canned.

Colombrita and Casha had an altercation in the Dipper on the opening lap of race two, then just down the road Sam Christison and Amar Sharma were in the same predicament while Cody Burcher parked his Excel at Forrest Elbow.

Wilson was the race leader when the lap was completed from Marcus Fraser, Gretgrix, Aaron Hindle, Dale Carpenter, Holly Espray, Peter van Waart, and Josh Webster. However, the safety car boards were out, and the race was terminated just two laps later.

Garry O’Brien

TILLEY BY TWO

DESPITE BEING marred by safety cars, both Historic Touring Car races at Bathurst were taken out by Brad Tilley in his Group Nc Ford Mustang.

Second in race one went to Ben Wilkinson, also Mustang mounted, while Peter O’Brien was third in Ford Falcon XY GT. In the later race, it was Tilley’s son Jamie in the earlier spec Nb Mustang who finished second with Wilkinson third.

Paul Stubber (Chev Camaro) qualified fastest and led race one until he hit a wall just past Skyline on the opening lap and retired. Then Danny Myers (Holden HQ) spun off at McPhillamy Park and bunkered at top of the mount, which brought out the safety car.

After the resumption, it was the Camaros driven by Grant Wilson and Aldo De Paoli which chased the four Fords home ahead of Michael Miceli (Mustang), Elliot Barbour (Holden Torana XU-1) in the best of the sixcylinder cars, Chris Stern (Mustang), and Les Walmsley (Valiant Charger).

There was a race two startline incident between Tony Hubbard (Camaro) and Dave Waddington (Falcon), however both limped off the grid under their own steam and there was no need for a safety car.

Wilkinson was the initial leader before Brad Tilley took over. This race then had a safety car when Greg Luca’s Torana blew its engine and spun in its own oil on top of the mountain.

After the resumption, O’Brien finished fourth ahead of Wilson, Miceli, Walmsley and Barbour. Stubber had been able to make repairs to his Camaro between races and charged through to eighth but he was a retirement on the final lap when the power steering blew, along with De Paoli, when his Camaro suffered a flat battery.

Mustang drivers Graeme Woolhouse and Greg Toepfer finished on the Group Nb podium behind Jamie Tilley, after second and third in both races.

Garry O’Brien

HONOURS SHARED IN RADICALS OPENER THERE WERE close finishes in both the Radical Australia Cup races that made up round one at Mt Panorama, where Brad Shiels won the first and Peter Paddon took out the second.

In the first 45-minute race Shiels won over Paddon by just 0.3s, while reigning champion Chris Perini was another 1.0s away in third place.

There was a lengthy safety car when Philip Anseline crashed at Forrest Elbow, during which the three podium placegetters were able to gain the advantage as they were already in the pit lane for their compulsory stops.

As the CPS could not occur once the safety car was deployed, Neale Muston (SR8) in the Invited class had to stay out. He had a far longer CPS and had to wait until the race resumed before he undertook his stop.

Muston finished fourth ahead of SR3 pilots Greg Kenny, Peter Clare, Bill Medland, Siegfried Fuhrmeister, Warwick Morris, and Chris Medland.

Race two was the 12th start on the mountain for Paddon and he scored his ninth race win when he took out the victory. It was another close contest in the end as the SR3 driver was just 0.8s ahead of Shiels.

Muston was a further 2.8s adrift following a gritty charge after his far longer stop, which had dropped him from the lead to fifth place for a brief period.

Fourth across the line was Kostinken Pohorukov but a 5s post-race penalty pushed him back a spot to Perini, while Clare triumphed in his battle for sixth with Kenny. Next was Fuhrmeister from Sebastian Lip, in the modified SR3 which was also in the Invited class.

There was an early safety car period to collect a disabled Chris Medland. GOB

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p ra w S L A N NATIO

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BEN CALDER and Steve Glenney were the last ones standing in a torturous Rally Adelaide on March 24-27.

Originally scheduled to take place last November but postponed due to the ongoing impact of the worldwide pandemic, it was Calder and Glenney in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo TME who led from start-to-finish.

Meanwhile many leading contenders encountered either mechanical trouble or crashed out.

Julian Newton and Nick Wotton were chief rivals during the early stages in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, closing to within 10.3s at the close of the opening day.

Oscar Matthews and Tristan Catford in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI were placed in second until clutch problems halted their charge, allowing Dean Lillie and John Lilleyman to take third, 19s off the leaders.

The lead non-Mitsubishi was the Jeff Morton and Daymon Nicoli Porsche GT2 RS in fourth, as Daniel Traverso and Matt Dillon made it four Lancer Evos in the top five to be fifth.

Calder and Glenney continued to build their advantage during Day 2 to end the leg 31s clear of Newton and Wotton, as the leaders lost just two stages.

West Australian Peter Rullo partnered by Dennis Simes in a Lotus Exige was the only team to take stages from Calder and Glenney, but remained outside the top five.

Morton and Nicoli ended the Mitsubishi monopoly of the podium positions by displacing Lillie and Lilleyman after the opening evening stage, Ansteys Hill. However, just 1.3 separated the teams approaching the final day of action.

The penultimate day started in damp conditions, but only three stages ran to full length with others

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cancelled due to time constraints regarding road closure permits, but Calder and Glenney still held a 37s lead having taken one stage win.

Morton and Nicoli jumped Newton and Wotton for second with 9.2s separated the teams ahead of the final day of competition.

Although a clutch problem may have rendered their attack finished, Matthews and Catford set four out of five fastest stage times to demonstrate what could have been.

Despite not winning a stage during the final day, Calder and Glenney safely secured a 52.8s victory ahead of Morton and Nicoli.

But behind the lead two, there was a shift in the leaderboard as Newton crashed out of the rally on the penultimate stage, with he and co-driver Wotton being taken to hospital for precautionary checks.

Therefore, Lillie and Lilleyman took third, 31s behind second, while Rullo and Simes took fourth ahead of Traverso and Dillon.

In Classic Competition, Matthew Selley and Hamish Mckendrick took a thrilling victory in their 1985 Hartge.

Re-taking the lead on the final day, the pair traded stage times with the Porsche 911 RS of Roger Paterson and Richard Geue, who took the lead within sight of the finish but fell 23s short in the end.

Roger Lomman and Anne Bainbridge took home third driving their 1972 Datsun 240Z. Modern Challenge fell the way of Gordon Christie and Nigel Mcgaffin in a Volvo S60 after class leader for the opening three days, the team of Justin Perkins and Adrien Brabbins’ were forced to pull out of the rally as their Subaru Impreza WRX STI had steering problems.

Classic Challenge was won by Lachlan Cox and Sam Martin in a Ford Escort. HM

59

CALDER UNSTOPPABLE IN ADELAIDE

LOANER GETS JONES AND ASH BIG VICTORY

SECOND BECOMES FIRST FOR STRATFORD AND MANNING

Image: Wishart Media

ON PROVISIONAL results they were happy to finish second, however that turned to elation when Adrian Stratford and Kain Manning were declared the winners of the Mitta Mountain Rally on March 20.

A check of timing found an error on one stage and the FWD 1.6-litre turbocharged Ford Fiesta ST crew were elevated to win the first round of the Till Hino Victorian Rally Championship. They won by 18s over Brendan Reeves and Kate Catford in their Datsun 1600.

Peter Schey and Michelle Canning were declared the winners initially in their ex-Cody Crocker Subaru Impreza WRX-C before being repositioned to third place, a further 8s away.

The championship event was run over seven stages with a total competitive distance of approximately 150km. Heat one comprised the first four stages where Franco Liucci and Barry Sheridan (Mitsubishi EVO 6) were the front runners, ahead of Reeves/Catford by 23s, Tim and Leonie Clark (WRX), and Wayne Stewart and Lucas Zinsstag (WRX).

Schey and Canning finish the day in fifth while sixth placed Stratford and Manning were seventh

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after a spin on the first stage cost 45s as they attempted to turn around on a narrow piece of road.

Stage two spelt the end for Cary Seabrook/Tony Robinson and Bodie Reading/Mark Young, with both crews out due to crashes in their WRXs while the Luke Sytema Tracey and Dewhurst Ford Fiesta 2000 lost its power steering fluid.

The second heat, over three stages, went to Stratford/Manning over Schey/Canning, while a spin on the final stage put Reeves/Catford third and could have cost them the overall win. Then followed Tony Moore/Troy Hutchins (Focus ST), Brad Till/Mitch Garrad (WRX), Danny Traverso/ Matt Dillon (Subaru Impreza RS), and Ian Martin/ Stephen Young (WRX).

Liucci and Sheridan could not continue after they were beached on stage six. Stewart and Zinsstag were eighth for the heat which was good enough to put them fourth overall. In the final outcome, they finished ahead of Moore/Hutchins (Focus ST), Till/ Garrad, Tim Clark/Leonie Clark (WRX), Ian Martin/ Stephen Young (WRX ), Traverso/, and Stephen Raymond/Brett Williams (WRX). GOB

Image: David Ashturk

IN AN impressive event debut, in a borrowed car, Steve Jones together with Caleb Ash were the outright and Modern Category winners of the 12th running of the Make Smoking History Targa South West on March 20.

Held around Pemberton and Northcliffe in hot and oppressive conditions, they took the David Heaton-owned Nissan GTR Nismo to victory by 46s over Mark Cates and Bernie Webb (Porsche 911 GT3 RS). Heuson Bak and Roger Tan (Lotus Exige) were a mere 1s away, third of the 40 competitors that competed over 117km through 15 stages.

Jones led from the start and won the first seven stages with the intention of building a gap and preserving the car in the second half. Cates recovered from a bad start with a costly spin on the first stage, to win the last three.

Heaton was at the helm of his new Porsche GT2 RS, with Steve Glenney to guide him, won stages nine through to 12. They were not in the hunt for victory and finished last after a mechanical issue sidelined them from starting stage two.

Mark Greenham and Stephanie Esterbauer (Mitsubishi EVO 9) began well to be second after four stages but suffered a gearbox selection failure on the fifth stage, which ended their rally.

Outright fourth went to Will White and Matt Thompson (EVO 9) and they were also fourth in class ahead of the only electric vehicle in the field, that of husband and wife Jurgen and Helen Lunsmann in their Telsa 3 Performance+.

They were split with the fifth fastest time overall taken by the Classic winner Simon Gunson and Murray Armenti in their Ford Capri.

They posted 12 class stage wins to beat last year’s Classic winners Tim Wolfe and Scott Beckwith (Porsche 911 Carrera RS) and husband and wife Simon and Sussanah Lingford (Datsun 240Z), with eighth and 12th fastest times respectively.

In the Targa 165 class which had a restricted speed of 165 km/h, rookies Mat St Guillaume and James Brittain (Porsche Cayman) were the winners over Ben Pang and Brandon Chin (Honda Civic), and third placed Dale Smulders and Scott Wallace (EVO 7). GOB

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NATIONALS wrap n compiled by garry o’brie

HOWELLS TAKES ST GEORGE Image: Motorsport Australia/Terry Hill

LEADING FROM start-to-finish Josh Howells and Eric Hume took a dominant victory in the St George 399, the opening round of the Australian Off Road Championship on March 19-21.

A near-perfect two days of competition from Howells set-up the victory after fending off challenges from Extreme 2WD contenders Beau Robinson and Greg Gartner, and Talbot Cox. Howells won his AORC event by 4m 30s from Gartner and his co-driver Jamie Jennings, taking advantage of brake problems encountered by Cox to take second place.

But by no means was it a drama free win, as a

relieved Howells explained.

“Winning the top 10 was cool. It was all about the win and that’s what I tried focusing on. We got there in the end. It was great,” Howells said.

“There is also something that tests your nerves during racing. I thought it was blowing the exhaust off the truck coming out here, but unfortunately we had a little bits and pieces to deal with. It kept me honest, but we got there in the end.”

Gartner secured second after Robinson suffered a puncture and lost further time with a faulty jack.

“We felt really comfortable in the truck today,” Gartner said.

“After yesterday’s problems, the throttle cost us problems and two to three minutes. But the truck today (Sunday) really ran flawlessly. We were really confident in it in the last run.”

Winners of Pro Lite were Michael Spokes and Brad Rogan, the pair also taking third outright ahead of father-daughter team Jason and Kristy Richards.

The Richards pair held third after the opening day’s competition, but from then on Spokes took a 7s lead into the final day and continued to grow the margin until the end of the event.

“We had a good little run. Going into the last

heat, it was just seven seconds, so we gave it our all,” Spokes said.

“It’s only our third run in the car, so it was good that the thousands of hours to get it ready was worth it. It was good for everyone who helped me along the way.”

In other classes; SXS Turbo was won by Jeff McNiven and Frank White, Haydn Bentley and Viv Coe took home the Extreme 4WD honours, plus completed the top 10.

The Australian Off Road Championship’s next round is the iconic Finke Desert Race on June 11-14. HM

DRY LAKE WATER CURTAILS SPEED WEEK

Image: Shaine Benson

LAST YEAR the Lake Gairdner Speed Week was cancelled due to COVID-19, this year it went ahead but was curtailed somewhat due to rain.

First held in 1990, the 31st event (actually the 30th but nevertheless last year’s non-event has been included in the count) on the South Australian salt lake 220 km from Port Augusta, was scheduled to take place from March 8 to March 12.

It is Australia’s version of Bonneville, dry lake land speed racing with two miles of run-up, four miles of timing, then another four miles to stop – in imperial measures which is customary in land speed circles. In metric that translates to 3.2

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kilometres and 6.43 km, respectively.

The fastest speed on the long track went to Eddie Zeller and his 2005 Bellytank at 275.149 mph (442.81 kmh). This vehicle was constructed from a B52 bomber fuselage that was floating in an ocean many years ago. Its power comes from a supercharged mechanically injected 452ci big block Ford V8 engine, run on methanol and matched up to a Lenco gearbox.

Second was Greg White in a very “special” taxi – a Ford Falcon AU equipped with a turbocharged Haltech Elite injected 438ci Windsor on E85 – driven by Greg White, that clocked 425.25 km/h. Third was Gemma Dunn in the Special

Construction, a bellytank from a Canberra bomber with a 350ci (5.7-litre) Chev engine on gasoline.

Rachelle Splatt ran the same vehicle in another (methanol) class which required different engine components and was eighth overall behind Adrian Reid (Ford Ute), David Bullock (Lakester), Richard Assen (Assen Special), and Tom Noack (1993 Holden VP Commodore).

Zeller’s best run was on the Tuesday, where the air temperature was 32 degrees, similar to Monday’s sunny conditions, but under overcast skies. Wind speed was at 15-24 kmh from the south at the start line and 12-15 from the east at the end.

Track two’s fast times went to the bikes and was headed by Kevin Magee on a Suzuki GSX 1300 at 285.8 km/h.

Best of the cars was Serge Bonetti’s Lakester in eighth at 262 km/h. On the first two days, over 100 drivers and riders completed 235 and 213 runs.

On Wednesday only 44 runs went ahead before the organisers, the Dry Lakes Racers Australia, closed both tracks due to rain and lightning strikes.

On Thursday it was back to warm and sunny conditions but there was water on the lake.

Friday dawned with less water although, crucially, there were patches on the course and it was then all over. GOB

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CLASS ACT AT AVALON SPORTSLITE DRIVERS filled the top three places in the second round of the Victorian Off Road Club Shield Series, at the Geelong Motor Sports Complex, Avalon on March 27.

Brant Knight completed the 28 laps of the 2.5km course in 41mins 32.13s to head home fellow Sabre driver Paul Meikle by 7.64s, with James Tyrrell third in his Jimco, a further 1min 4.94s behind.

Chasing them to the finish were a trio of SXS Turbo Can-Am Maverick X3s in the hands of Brett and Christy Jorgensen, Ben Lugg and Brody Bower, and Luke Densley.

The Jorgensens started off well with a win in the first of four heats, where they finished ahead of Knight and Meikle but lost momentum on the second where they were sixth as Meikle edged out Knight for heat honours by 0.1s.

On heat three, Meikle again led Knight, this time by 0.12s before the latter was clearly quicker through the last seven laps.

Seventh outright were Dean and Baillie Bennett in their Extreme 4WD Nissan Patrol and they were placed ahead of the SXS Turbos piloted by Glenn Pike/Darren Conn and Robert Gusserhoven/Wayne Donnelly.

Mark and Taryn Foster brought their Toyota home in 10th to be the Ext 2WD class winners, whilst behind them were Lynda Miller and Brendan Payne who won Sports 1650, and the Pro Buggy victors Will and Emily Rotaru.

Thirteenth and Sporstman went to Lawrie Penpraze and Matt Johnson in their Jalco, as James Markham and Jacqueline Prior (Nissan Patrol) were the best of Production 4WD. GOB

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FIRST DAY BELTER SETS UP WIN A STRONG day one set up victory for Brad Belcher in the Nepean Longwall 100, round one of the North Queensland AORRA Off Road Racing Championship near Moranbah on March 20-21.

At the helm of his Class 6 Can-Am Maverick X3, Belcher’s total time for the 15 laps through eight sections of the 8km course was 1 hour 24mins 26.972s. He finished 1min 4s ahead of 15-year-old Kye Camilleri, who was also driving a Can-Am in Class 6.

Third outright was Kent Battle (Element Prodigy/Chev v8) who finished less than 2s adrift of Camilleri. Battle was also the winner of Unlimited where the class second went to James Sant who was fourth outright.

In almost ideal conditions, 23 teams started the Mackay Offroad Racing Club run event, with 17

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completing the eight laps prior to the overnight break.

Belcher had a handy 54s lead by the end of day one after he clocked the fastest times on the first four sections.

On three of those Camilleri was second before Battle was runner up on the fourth. Battle was fastest on the fifth, sixth and seventh sections, which greatly reduced the margin to Camilleri who was the best on the last.

Fifth and sixth spots went to Class 6’s Aaron Nicol and Jason Sait, while seventh placed Daniel Macdonald was the first Class 10 driver home. Behind Brice Derrick and Trent Callander was Brian Bradford the winner of Class 2. He was followed by the leading Class 66 machines driven by Katelyn Long, Ben Klein, and Ashley Macmaster. GOB

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NATIONALS wrap n compiled by garry o’brie

FOR THE first time in 2021, racing in the dark came to Wanneroo with the Night Masters on March 17.

SPORTS SEDANS & SPORTS CARS

ARTHUR ABRAHAMS was a three race winner and kicked off by taking his Lamborghini Huracan to an immediate lead in race one.

At Turn 7 on the first lap Garry Hill (Ford Falcon) tried to out-brake him, crossed the track in front of everyone, and beached.

Abrahams led the restart after the safety car and won ahead of Ron Moller (Chev Camaro) and John Zelesco (Ferrari 488). Mid race Moller slowed which allowed Garry Hills (Holden Commodore) into second before he lost out to Ryan Humphrey (Falcon/Chev).

Abrahams led all the way in race two. Hill repeated what he did in race one when he attempted to outbrake Richard Broomfield (Porsche) and bunkered at Turn 1. The local yellow meant the race finished a lap early, with Abrahams the winner from Bloomfield and Humphreys.

FORMULA VEE

BOTH CLASSES (1600 and 1200) featured and both David Caisley and Brett Scarey took wins in races one and three, only to have their colours lowered in the middle race.

Caisley (Jacer) led early in race one with Danny Cerro (Borland Sabre) ahead mid race.

Caisley took back the lead and held on from Mark Horan (Stinger), Jason Fowler (Jacer), Cerro, and Rod Lisson (Borland), all covered less than a second.

Horan retired from race two before an incident at Turn 4 that involved Robert McAfee (Polar), Ross Campbell (Borland), and several others that brought out the safety car.

Caisley led the resumption before he was pipped at the finish by Lisson with Cerro third.

In race three Caisley and Lisson broke clear

MASTERING THE WANNEROO NIGHT

Image: Mick Oliver

for first and second. Third was close with Cadman just ahead of Cerro and Fowler.

Scarey (CD-Vee) prevailed over McAfee for the first 1200 win.

Mackenzie Matthews (Gerbert) held off Andrew Lockett (Ajay) for third, then had a second to Shannon McGuckin (Venom) in race two. Scarey won in the last ahead of Matthews and Lamont.

HQ HOLDENS

OVERALL IT was Michael Howlett who took the points ahead of Michael Woodbridge and Brian Pangler. After qualifying third, Ryan Davis was relegated to the rear for the race one start with an alleged engine infringement.

Howlett led throughout with Woodbridge tailing him all the way. Davis charged through to fifth when the safety car was deployed for Troy Kent, who was off at Turn 4. The race finished under the Safety Car with Pangler third and Dennis Russell fourth.

Woodbridge grabbed the lead from the outset of race two with Howlett, Pangler and Davis in close pursuit. Woodbridge was able to gap the dicing Howlett and Davis, who eventually

grabbed second. Pangler was fourth ahead of Mark Mettam.

Woodbridge seized the lead in race three and held off Howlett until mid-distance, while Davis retired which left Pangler to fend off Mettam and Russell for third.

FORMULA RACING

OVER THE three races Simon Alderson (Van Diemen FF2000) was the winner each time, but not until after Martin Bullock (Chevron) took an early lead in race one.

It took Alderson to midway to get in front ahead of Bullock while Andrew Nielson (Ralt RT4) survived a Turn 7 off to take third. The second race produced the same result while Harvey Leys (Chevron) was third behind Bullock in race three.

Formula Fords were included with Allan Jones (Van Diemen) ahead in race one from Spectrum drivers David Richards and David Jackson, who was only one of the three to finish race two.

Two FFs started race three and ended up clashing at Turn 7. Richards beached while Jackson continued to the flag.

EXCEL CUP

TWO SECONDS followed by a win gave Tayla Dicker the round ahead of Brett Sherriff and Carlos Ambrosio. Dicker qualified quickest and led race one and the group of six comprising Jake Clohessy, Robert Landsmeer, Ambrosio, Sherriff, and Anthony Jewell. Jewell ran off at turn 4.

Landsmeer took the lead before he dropped down the order. Clohessy went on to win from Dicker and Ambrosio.

Dicker led the same group in race two except Jewell was well down the order. The four left each had a turn in front. On lap 9 Clohessy and Sherriff touched while abreast through Turn 7, which gave Sherriff the win as Clohessy nosed the tyres. He was able to continue as Dicker and Ambrosio took the minors.

Although Dicker was the best away in race three, the lead changed numerous times. That included Landsmeer in the later stages, but he retired on the last lap. Dicker took the win from Ambrosio and Sherriff.

SALOON CARS

A BIG field of newer Pro and older Pro-Am Fords and Holdens, and two races, where Grant Johnson and Brock Ralph were the overall winners.

In race one Brock Boley (Commodore VT) got the initial jump on Johnson (VT). Johnson went ahead, just before Dan Linehan (Commodore VN) brought out the safety car. A second incident involving Robert Perrozzi and Vince Ciallella had it out again, after which Johnson won from Boley and Robert Marcon (Falcon AU).

Johnson led throughout the longer second event, despite a safety car for Brad Boley (VT) and again won ahead of Brock Boley and Marcon.

Michael Holdcroft (Falcon EA) led from start to finish in the Pro-Am encounter to beat Ralph and Chris Kneafsey (VN). Ralph won the second after early leaders Holdcroft and then Kneafsey retired.

Mark Jones (Commodore VP) was second while Linehan (VN) came up to third.

Mick Oliver Image: Riccardo Benvenuti

NIGHT BLAST A HIT AT SMP THE ARDC’s Night Blast on March 27 was part of events which opened up the Sydney Motorsport Park venue as a precinct for the enthusiasts, with separate car shows, motorkhana and drags.

For circuit racing fans there were three categories out for qualifying and three races over 15 minutes duration each.

PRODUCTION TOURING CARS

AFTER HSV drivers Daniel Oosthuizen (Class A2 R8 Clubsport) and Duane West (Class X GTS) took a race each, it came down to Race 3 to decide the outright winner.

Oosthuizen managed to outpoint West off the start, something he hadn’t done in the earlier encounters, and withstood numerous challengers from the Victorian. On the back of two thirds, Matt Holt (A2 Clubsport) again took the minor spot

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as he headed a four-car contest which involved Dimitri Agathos (A1 Subaru Impreza WRX STi), Tony Virag (B2 Holden Commodore SSV Redline) and Jason Miller (A1 Mitsubishi EVO 9).

Virag previously had a fifth and a fourth but lost his fifth place to a 5s penalty, while Miller was the overall winner of A1 after his fourth and two fifths. Agathos was second in his class while Cary Morsink (HSV GTO Coupe) was third in A2 with his two sevenths and an eighth.

Class C honours went to Chris Sutton (WRX) over Anthony Soole (VW Scirocco). Edan Thornburrow (Toyota 86) notched up three Class D wins, but it was not so good for rivals Ollie Shannon (Toyota 86) and Michael Ferns (VW Polo) who were casualties early in Race 2 which finished under safety car when Adam Drew’s Audi TT blew its engine.

HQ HOLDENS

CHRIS MOLLE was never in danger of losing a race and went on to three race victories. Each time he won the start and got the job done to score twice over David Allan and once over Gavin Ross.

In Race 1 Allan edged out Ross off the start and held off the Victorian throughout for second, while fellow interstater Steve Banks kept Darren Parker and Nick Jackson at bay. Then followed a tight foursome of Jarrod Harber, Pedro Marusic, Jason Johnson, and Chris Buckley, who fell away on the final lap.

Ross got the jump in Race 2 and was hounded by Molle for several laps. Allan was a lonely third ahead of Jackson, who overtook Parker on the final lap for fifth. They were followed by Banks, Harber and Johnston.

In the last Ross was again second, but a 5s

penalty pushed him back to third behind Allan and ahead of Banks, Buckley who was ninth early, Jackson and Parker.

TT COMBO

IN HIS Improved Production Holden Torana LJ, Chris Thomas won the three races. He languished behind Mark Caine (BMW M4) and Michael Musumeci (Twin Spark Alfa) at the start each time but wasted little time in getting to the front and winning.

Behind the two production class cars on each occasion it was the Nissan Pulsar pilots Will Foot and Corey Fraser in fourth and fifth. Caine Fraser (Pulsar) was sixth in Race 1, just in front of the Pulsars driven by Kris and Rod Albronda, before a non-start in Race 2. Kris Albronda took sixth in Race 2 and Grahame Fraser beat him for the spot in the last. GOB

LAKESIDE FUN BEFORE FLOODS THE SECOND outing for the QR Drivers Championships was a one-day meeting at Lakeside Pak on March 20. Racing was completed just as the heavens opened and flooded the venue.

HISTORIC TOURING CARS & INVITED

TWO GROUP S Porsche 911s joined the Group N field for four races, with Stan Adler second in the first and the victor in the other three.

Race one went into clamp-down when trouble struck two Holden Torana XU-1s. Steve Jones went off at the Karrasel and Troy Stark’s engine led go, which put James Anderson’s Alfa Romeo GTV into a big spin, fortunately not hitting anything.

The race was ultimately red-flagged with Gary Edwards (Torana) the winner from Adler, Anderson, Horwill, Norm Singleton (GTV), and Cameron (Ford Cortina). Race two and three went comfortably with Adler.

Edwards was second in race two just in front of Bruce Dummett, who missed race one due to a blown diff in his Torana. Then followed Horwill and Singleton. The next outing saw Dummett edge out Edwards for second with Singleton fifth. In the last it was Adler just in front of Dummett as Anderson headed home Singleton for third.

AUSTRALIAN TRANS-AM

IN A dramatic opening round John English

Image: MTR Images

emerged the outright winner in his Pontiac Firebird after three wins and a second, which came in the first race. He finished behind fastest qualifier Geoff Fane and ahead of Ian Palmer (Firebird). Fourth was Anthony Tenkate (Ford Mustang) ahead of Glenn Gerstel (Ford Falcon Sprint), and Alwyn Bishop (Plymouth Duster). Ron Prefontaine was seventh just in front of fellow 5.0-litre class Mustang pilot Gareth Jones.

Fane was ruled out of the rest of the meeting due to a issue with his tailshaft. Palmer was barred from race two after he took out cones on the main straight.

English won from Tenkate, while Bishop pipped Gerstel for third. Prefontaine, Jones, and Patricia Chant (Mustang) were line astern as they fought for fifth.

Race three was stopped after Palmer crashed heavily. He was third just behind English and Tenkate as they completed the previous lap. Gerstel was next ahead of Bishop and the Mustang trio.

WINTER WEATHER TEST FOR AUTUMN THE AUTUMN Festival presented by the Historic Sports & Racing Association at Wakefield Park on March 20-21 was impacted heavily by the deluge on Australia’s East Coast.

Emergency Services urged everyone to stay at home and several did, particularly those in the open wheel type categories. The other groups had good support through two days of wet weather racing.

GROUP N HISTORIC TOURING CARS

THE LEAD of every race belonged to David Noakes and his Ford Escort RS1600. It started with race one which he took out by 8s over Peter Ferguson (Lotus Cortina). Third place went to Paul Tierney, who survived contact with a tyre wall in qualifying. In a tight contest for fourth, Chris Collett held off fellow Mini Cooper S drivers Geoff Pike and Paul Battersby.

Noakes had a bigger margin over Ferguson in race two where Noel Roberts (Torana) charged from ninth on lap one, to finish third, clear of Collett, Battersby and Pike.

Despite a 5s start infringement penalty Noakes was still an impressive race three winner as Ferguson just held off Roberts.

Stephen Page (BMW 2002) was fourth and came through to second in

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Tenkate was also second in the last, ahead of Gerstel, Prefontaine, and Jones. Chant was fifth when she pitted with alternator failure.

QLD TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP

THE TWO groups – A/B and C, based on laps times – qualified and race separately once, before they merged for two races with Stuart Walker, Matt Haak, Michael Woodcroft, Rob Droder, Scott Kelly, and Mark Hyde the class winners.

Haak and Walker in their Holden Commodores duked it out for race one outright and A honours with 0.16s between them in the end. Saxon Moyes (BMW E36) was third while Cameron Haak (Commodore) edged out Rob Bellinger (BMW) for fourth.

Behind them Woodcroft (Holden Torana) had almost a second on Droder (Commodore) for the B win. Kelly (BMW) took out the C race as Murray Reilly (Commodore) pipped Andrew Knight (BMW) for second.

Walker turned the tables on Matt Haak in the first combined race, as Moyes chased them across the line.

Droder headed Warwick Douglas (BMW) for the B win as Peter Bray (Commodore) filled third, while Woodcroft was a DNF. In C it was Kelly over Knight by 0.25s.

Race three again produced a close result between the leading prataganists where Walker pipped Haak. Cameron Haak was third just ahead of Bellinger. Droder again headed B clear of Bray, and Hyde (Ford Escort) beat Kelly and Knight for the C win.

QLD SUPERKARTS

EQUIPPED WITH a 250cc Anderson Maverick, one of only two at the event, Tim Weier accounted for the 125cc karts comfortably. He won the four outings while 250cc rival Doug Amiss, also in an Anderson, had a mixed day.

He failed to finish the first two, was second in the next and finished off with a third in the last.

GOB

Image: Riccardo Benvenuti

the last ahead of Roberts. Ferguson was next after a miscue on lap one and a 5s penalty. Noakes also took out the Non-BMC Challenge, ahead of Ferguson, Page, and Roberts.

GROUP S PRODUCTION SPORTS CARS

PORSCHE 911 Carrera drivers dominated. Doug Barbour qualified fastest but it was David Cunneen who showed the way at the start of race one. Matt Blanch (MGB) was third on the grid and was soon swamped as Mikki Piirlaid not only went past but led at the end of the first lap.

Richard Watt overtook the leader on the second run up the hill and went on to win. An off at Turn 3 later, allowed Barbour and Cunneen to fill the minors while Blanch was sixth behind Michael Byrne (Lotus Seven).

Watts led race two until Piirlaid denied him the win. Third was Cunneen from Byrne and Blanch. Barbour was last after one lap before he fought back to ninth.

In the last Piirlaid held on to win, narrowly ahead of Watts. Despite a 5s penalty Cunneen maintained third ahead of Blanch and Brian Weston (MG Midget).

There was a combined Group S/N BMC Challenge for A-series engine cars. Geoff Pike led until fellow Cooper

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S driver Paul Battersby passed him at Turn 4. A couple of laps later Chris Collett (Cooper S) was in front and held on to the flag. Weston came through for second with Pike and Battersby next.

four, only Lowing spun off on lap one of the last. James finished in front of Walters in race two, then finished the weekend with a second place, again ahead of Walters.

FORMULA FORDS

FORMULA VEES

THE FOUR wet races were won by Tom Tweedie in his Van Diemen RF85 and he led each throughout. His nearest opposition was Will Lowing (RF88) who finished with three seconds and a fifth.

Tweedie easily won the first as Lowing lost time passing Nigel Hook (RF89). The latter was third in front of Geoff Walters (RF86) and Andrew Taite (RF89). Lowing shadowed Tweedie throughout race two. Hook and Walters were next but eventually passed by Taite and Irishman James Hagan (RF89), who DNF’d race one with gearbox issues.

It was similarly so in races three and

IN EACH of the four outings, Mathew Pearce (Renmax) was victorious . . . but not by much.

Race one was the toughest as he diced with Harold Roberts (Elfin) in the first half, and even lost the lead at one stage. But subsequent loses at Turn 9 and Turn 2 put Roberts back to sixth.

Greg Stott (Mako) took up the challenge and led at Turn 2 on lap 7. In the end, it was Pearce over Stott with Norm Johnstone (Spectre) third ahead of Don Greiveson (Spectre), who had been third early on.

Race two started with Greiveson in front ahead of Roberts and Pearce who took second on the back straight on

lap two and led a couple of laps later.

Johnstone was a close fourth at the end.

In the last two events, Stott was a close second while Johnstone and Greiveson each had a third.

RACING CAR GROUPS

THREE CARS qualified for Group L, and only two raced. Over three races Warwick McBean was far faster in his Lolus 60-61 than Barry Bates and his Thompson Special. The latter did not help his cause with a spin in race one, and retirement in the third.

Wayne Seabrook did not qualify his Renmax BN3 and assumed fourth on the grid for the Group O, R & S. He led by Turn 2 and went on win race one by over a minute. John Ashwell was second ahead of fellow Brabham BT21C driver Wayne Wilson, who held third over Graeme Hayles (Royale RP37) despite a 5s penalty. GOB

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NATIONALS wrap n compiled by garry o’brie

MA’S QLD SEASON OPENER A HIT MOTORSPORT AUSTRALIA’S State Circuit Racing Championships started at Morgan Park on March 27-28. It was eagerly anticipated and received with big fields across all the categories.

Chris Donnelly took the win in Sports Sedans (above). Blake Varney was untouchable in his Dallara F304 contesting Racing Cars (below, middle) and Zac Hudson was likewise in Improved Production (bottom) driving the venerable Mazda RX-7. Images: Trapnell Creations front running, and the win, on lap eight. Gerrit Van de Pol (Sabre) was well placed to snare second, as Alder and Hedemann were next.

Murphy and Alder duked it out in the last with Murphy the winner. Hedemann was right behind them as too was Van de Pol.

PRODUCTION SPORTS CARS

TWO WINS enabled Andrew Adams (Ginetta) to take out the round ahead of Porsche drivers Lachlan Harburg and Gerard Murphy.

It looked likely that Darren Berry (Ginetta) would be hard to toss after he dominated the first two races. In his wake Adams held second in race one before Shane Wilson (Porsche) relegated him to third after half distance. Murphy was next just in front of Jeff Hume.

In race two Adams was second in front of Harburg and Wayne Hennig (Porsche). Wilson finished 10th after a spin, Hume went out with a severed fuel line and Murphy was eighth after a clash with Harburg.

Adams won race three ahead of Harburg and Murphy, as Berry and Hume suffered raceending mechanical issues. The winner followed up with another in race four over Harburg, who had Murphy close behind. Steven McFadden shadowed them just in front of Grant Sparks (Porsche) as Berry placed sixth.

SPORTS SEDANS & INVITED

CHRIS DONNELLY (Ford Falcon/Chev) took the laurels, ahead of Colin Smith (Holden Monaro/ Chev) and Chris Pappas (TA2 Mustang).

Dan Crompton (Ford Mustang) pulled a big lead in race one until an oil line burst on the last lap. Donnelly won ahead of Tim Tritton (Honda Prelude/Chev) and Shane Hart (Mazda RX7).

Tritton turned the tables on Donnelly in race two, with Hart again third. Donnelly won race three from Crompton and Smith, as Hart DNF’d and Tritton did not start.

Crompton finished off with a win in the last ahead of Donnelly, Smith, and Pappas.

SALOON CARS/HQ HOLDENS/ GEMINIS

HISTORIC TOURING CARS

THREE WINS secured Matt Clift the weekend’s top spot ahead of Warren Tegg and Ian Mewett.

Clift was a narrow winner of race one over fellow Mazda RX2 pilot Grant Schneider, with Mewett (Ford Mustang) a lonely third and Tegg (Holden Torana XU-1) next.

Schneider and Mewett both failed to finish the second where Clift was a resounding winner over Phil Spence (Holden Monaro), Russell McDowell (Ford Falcon XY GT) and Tegg.

Mewett and Schneider came back in race three to trail Clift to the finish, and they were clear of Tegg and McDowell.

In the last it was Mewett the winner over Clift.

Tegg was fourth and Martin White (Falcon Rallye Sprint) headed McDowell.

IMPROVED PRODUCTION

IT WAS a clean sweep of victories for Zak Hudson (Mazda RX7) and he won the round ahead of Brock Paine (RX7) and David Waldon (RX3). But Hudson had to work to get it done.

Justin Keys (Holden Commodore) led race one until a touch with Hudson at the T-junction spun him around. Hudson won ahead of Paine, as Keys fought back to third. Hudson and Keys quickly overcame Paine for first and second in race two, while Waldon bested those vying for fourth ahead of Troy Marinelli (Nissan 200SX) and Kyle Organ-Moore (Commodore).

Keys was a casualty in the final race where Paine was second ahead of Waldon, Marinelli, Grimmond (Commodore) and Organ-Moore.

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EAST COAST MINIS

VICTORIES IN races one and two set the stage for Trent Spencer (Cooper S) to take the overall honours ahead of Neil Turner (Cooper S) and Anthony Elliott (Mini Challenge). They diced through race one until Turner slowed for a brief period but held onto third ahead of Adam Duce (Cooper S).

Behind Spencer in race two, Elliott was passed by Turner as Duce held off John Walker (Clubman) for fourth. The remaining two races were both won by Turner, ahead of Spencer and Elliott as Walker picked a pair of fourths.

CIRCUIT EXCELS

AT THE head of a big field, Broc Feeney was the best overall, ahead of Nash Morris, Holly Espray, Rylan Gray and Connor Roberts.

In the first outing Roberts led before Feeney overtook him. Shortly after, Roberts was relegated further when Morris passed him at Turn 2, and Rylan Gray pushed him back to fourth. Shortly after, Morris slipped under Feeney for the lead at Turn 1 before the latter came back for a narrow victory. Gray and Roberts were close behind with Espray fifth.

Feeney and Morris were side-by-side

from the outset of race two, until Morris consolidated the lead at Turn 5 through to the flag. Gray slotted into third and Espray grabbed fourth ahead of Gautier and Roberts.

The third race for the MGCCQ 50K Cup over 18 laps was won by Feeney after he wrestled the lead away from Morris on lap two. Espray edged out Gray off the start and took Morris two laps later. Gaultier held fourth and nabbed third off Morris right at the end.

AT THE head of the combined field Jamie Manteufel (Holden Commodore VT) scored three Saloon Car wins over Brock Mitchell (VT), while Wayne Drury (Ford Falcon AU) was third overall. Gerard Miscamble (VT) picked up a two thirds before he failed to finish the third.

Two wins gave Scott Andriske the HQ laurels over Justin van Twest and Brandon Madden, who was the other group winner. Andriske had a comfortable gap over Madden in race one before Madden turned the tables in the second.

There was little between winner Andriske and Madden in race three with van Twest third again. Andriske won the last ahead of van Twest and Joe Andriske while Madden did not start. Intermingled were the Geminis headed each time by Nick Rangeley from Greg Bush and Rebecca Gray.

FORMULA VEES

SPORTS CARS/RACING CARS

THE POINTS were squared after four races between Lachlan Murphy (Polar) and Alex Hedemann (Rapier), while Tim Alder (Rapier) was just one point behind.

Hedemann led every lap of the first while Murphy won his dice with Alder for second.

Fourth went to Alex Macdonald (Jacer) and Scott Andrew (Rapier) came from the back to fifth.

Hedemann had a similar run in the second where Murphy passed Macdonald and later Alder for second.

Hedemann led race three until a couple of lead exchanges with Alder. Murphy trailed them and seized his opportunity to grab the

EACH OF the four races were won by Blake Varney (Dallara F304) over Michael Von Rappard Stohr). Third place was shared with Cameron McLeod (Spectrum) in race one, Adam Beesley (Radical SR3) in the second, and Grant Green (SR3) in the last two.

Formula Ford Duratec honours went to Kyle Evans (Spectrum) despite just one win, over Ryder Quinn (Mygale) and McLeod, who had three wins but no result in the last after a tangle with another car.

Tim Hamilton (Spectrum) was unbeaten among the Kent engine cars ahead of Dylan Fahey (Van Diemen), Gary Goulding (Vector), and Rick Miles (Kookaburra). GOB

VIC STATE ACTION APLENTY

Ben Schoots led from start-to-finish in Sports Cars, while Tom Sargent is replicating Shane van Gisbergen’s Supercars dominance in Formula Ford (below).

DESPITE THE second round being held in country Victoria, competitors flocked to Winton Motor Raceway for Round 2 of the Victorian State Circuit Racing Championships.

early due to a large downpour, however Races 2 and 3 on Sunday went without a hitch.

Winston Smith had a great round, staying out of trouble he finished second in all three races.

Jordyn Sinni and third-generation racer Clayton Richards took a third apiece, but it was the consistent Fletcher Harris who finished third in the final race and round. Brendan Jones took the honours in the 1600 class.

Formula Vee Nationals

THE SECOND round of the Formula Vee Victorian State Series coincided with the opening round of the Vee National Championship. The round was a thriller with Victoria’s best competing against the nation’s fastest Vee racers.

Michael Kinsella appeared to have the weekend under control after winning the first two races, however Super3 Series driver Reef McCarthy had other plans as he took the lead in the early stages of the final race.

Kinsella fought back at Turn 1 on lap 4 only to run wide out of Turn 2 and allow McCarthy to come back through on the inside. On the run to Turn 3 the duo locked wheels and both ended up in the concrete barrier, out of the race.

Wade McLean went on to win the final race and the round, with Aaron Lee pipping Jake Rowe to second in a great final lap duel.

Improved Production

A STRONG 33-car field took to the second round of Improved Production, with Paul Cruise in his Nissan S13 a step ahead by taking pole by 2.89s.

However, he would not win the round after an incident with Adam Poole saw Cruise finish the opening race in 16th, while Poole was handed a 10s penalty and classified 19th.

Cruise recovered to finish third in Race 2 before dominating the final encounter, but it was only good enough for fourth overall.

Damien Milano in his HSV Clubsport VY stayed out of trouble winning two races and taking a third to win the round, from Andrew Butcher in his BMW and Jarrod Tonks.

BMW E30s

ragged Dean Camm in his Corvette. Despite a spin in the final lap of the weekend at the sweeper, Paul Pennisi secured third for the weekend.

Sports Cars

THE BULGARIAN built Sin R1 was driven to two commanding race wins in the hands of Benjamin Schoots.

Schoots not only won the Saturday sprint race by 13s, but despite a late race safety car in Sunday’s 40-minute mini-enduro, still took the win by 9s. Andrew Hall in his firstgeneration Porsche 991 GT3 Cup car finished second in both races ahead of Jamie Lovett.

Hyundai Excels

IT IS very rare for one driver to dominate a Hyundai Excel round, but by achieving pole position to the tune of 0.6s, a clean-sweep of race wins and breaking the lap record, that is exactly what Jarred Farrell did.

He was in a league of his own all weekend,

finishing ahead of perennial Excel frontrunner Adam Bywater who took two seconds and a third, just two points clear of Hugo Simpson.

TCR Australia driver Ben Bargwanna was fourth for the round, while Round 1 frontrunner Ben Grice was not entered.

Saloon Cars

IN THE first two Saloon Car races Travis Lindorff and Shawn Jamieson shared a win and a second place each. However, Jamieson did not take the grid for the final race and allowed Lindorff to romp to victory.

As a result, Lindorff won the round from Simon Tabinor and the highest placed Ford driver Daniel Johnson.

Formula Ford

IN THE 2021 Victorian Formula Ford Championship Thomas Sargent remains unbeaten, winning the first six races of the season.

Race 1 of the weekend was brought to a halt

SIXTEEN BMW E30s took to the grid at Winton, and it was Jeremy Payne who came out on top. Payne finished the opening race of the weekend in second position but won both of Sunday’s encounters to give him the victory.

Race 1 winner Christopher Bell was second overall with Alex Jory rounding out the podium.

Porsche 944s

AFTER A challenging opening round at Sandown, Cameron Beller rebounded by taking pole position and a trio of race wins. With victory in the final race Beller also took the championship lead from James Westaway by just two points. Westaway finished second for the round ahead of Adam Brewer.

MGs & Invited British Sports Cars

VINCENZO GUCCIARDO missed the opening round but responded with a hattrick of wins at Winton.

Gucciardo had to weather the storm of championship leader Phillip Chester and did so despite relentless pressure in the final race.

Chester was second for the round ahead of Triumph Stag driver Keith Ondarchie. DM

Wade McLean emerged from the opening round of the Vee Nationals at Winton with a win in the final race. Images: Bec Hind/Revved

Sports Sedans

TONY GROVES in his MARC Mazda 3 may have only taken one of the three Sports Sedan races but he won the round.

Michael Robinson missed all of Saturday’s action due to work commitments, but on Sunday he stole the show. In Race 2 he charged through the entire Sports Sedans field to win, before controlling proceedings to take the final encounter. Groves won the round from the consistent but unusually

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s w e n Y A W SPEED FAST FARR CLAIMS HIS 7TH RACE ‘FOR THE BOYS’

Report: Paris Charles Images: Richard Hathaway TWENTY-FOUR Sprintcar teams and over 6000 people from all corners of the West Australian Speedway community gathered at the Perth Motorplex for one of, if not the most important and sentimental annual memorial events on the national racing calendar for the Krikke Boys Shootout.

The teams come to race hard and celebrate the life and times of the well loved and respected Krikke family, and for the first time this year the event was staged away from its traditional home, the Make Smoking History Bunbury Speedway.

Despite starting from the second row in P3, Robbie Farr would find the quickest way home in the 30-lap thriller to etch his name into the record books for the seventh time as the Krikke Boys Race victor, this time at the wheel of the V14 Jason Pryde Motorsport entry.

Jason Kendrick worked his way forward from 10th to second in the Triple M entry, while Callum Williamson would reward the Monte Motorsport team with a third placed trophy in what was his maiden drive aboard the Daniel Trucking W17 Maxim. W14 Jason Pryde would bring the second of the Cash For Containers supported #14 JPM team cars home in fourth, making it a very successful night for the team.

Andrew Priolo claimed fifth over AJ Nash, who advanced 11 positions to round out the top half dozen, followed by the sentimental favourite Dwayne Kingshott driving the W2 Krikke Motorsport Cool.

The biggest real estate movers were Matthew Cross, coming 21st to a solid eighth, Trevor Reynolds who journeyed from 23rd to ninth and Ben Butcher, who did very well to round out the top 10 despite starting from the final (24th) grid spot after failing to time trial and run heats with engine issues earlier in the evening.

Rounding out the finishers were Cameron McKenzie, Kris Coyle, Darren Mewett, Trevor Jolly, Kaiden Manders, Kye Scroop, Taylor Milling and Jaydee Dack.

Daniel Harding posted quickest time in qualifying, claimed the opening heat win and

would start the feature from pole position, only to crash the Adra Group W41 out of contention when it counted most.

Heat race wins were shared with one apiece to Robbie Farr, Callum Williamson, Taylor Milling, Jason Kendrick and Dayne Kingshott.

West Australian Championships

THE ACTION-PACKED card also included the Western Australian Late Model and Speedcar Championships.

Warren Oldfield proved the best of the 24 thundering V8 Late Model competitors to capture his second state championship, albeit nine years between titles. Oldfield was on a mission, taking victory aboard the #91 Michael Holmes Racing Dirt Lift.com entry and to add an exclamation mark he would also turn in the quickest lap of the race with a 17.342.

In an ironic twist his brother Jamie would finish second in Warren’s regular ride, holding off a determined Kye Blight who threw everything at the lead duo in an effort to retain his WA title.

Craig Vosbergen, Jay Cardy, Joe Chalmers,

Freddy Kinsella, Kodee Brown, Ken Macpherson, Clint Noakes, Brent Vosbergen, Paul Stubber, Matt Amato, Daniel Ameduri, David Nylander, Matt Goodlad, Cody Avins, Warren Minshull, Jason Bond, Matt Nylander and Laura Byrnes would curtail the finishers of the 30-lap final.

Veronica McCann, Jamie Moon and Jayden Meckenstock ock failed to trouble the lap counters for the whole distance. di t In the Speedcar final it was Tom Payet proving why he is the reigning, defending and undisputed Champion as he successfully retained his #1 West Aussie crown.

He did it the hardest way possible to come from the back of the bus to park the United Forklift & Access Solutions W7 in Victory Lane plus claim the Fastest Lap and Hard Charger awards for his efforts. New South Welshman

Cecil The Champion!

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Kaidon Brown travelled t ll d ffrom coastt tto coastt tto claim l i secondd and Alfonso Guadagnino would round out the place getters.

Rob Golding finished fourth over Russell Taylor, who was awarded with the RPM Choice Award. Glen Mears finished ahead of the second of the east coasters in Nathan Smee and Ross Heywood to round out the top eight, while Dan Golding and Vaughan Manders would fail to go the distance.

Reports: Paris Charles Image: Vern Parker THREE-TIME Victorian GP Champion Mark Cecil has added the 2021 Automotive Super Balance Australian Grand Prix Midget Championship to his already impressive CV. Making the most of familiar real estate at his home track at Goulburn Valley’s Rushworth Speedway, Cecil defeated a stellar field that included the defending national champion Rod Saville and two-time former champion Ash Booker among a field of 19 competitors.

Cecil led the entire 20-lap journey aboard the Trevor Perry owned NSW55 PBR/Suzuki to

claim the A1 crown and despite Rod Saville’s best effort aboard the Kawasaki ZX10 powered WRT Wings entry, he would relinquish his title to finish second and Ashley Booker would round out the podium.

Janelle Saville, Alex Myers and Shawn Ward were next, from Sydney’s Gary Bowyer in the Dynamic Signs N5 with Matt Kamolins and Terry Brown rounding out the finishers.

On the same programme Jay Nicolaisen won the final in Sports Sedans, Daniel Wilson in Open Sedans, Warren Alexander in Productions, Connor Claridge in Juniors, and Belinda Chalcraft in the Goulburn Valley Ladies Sedans.

Egel Flies to Ross Wright Memorial Victory

Report: Paris Charles IImage: Ray R Ritt Ritter/KNJ /KNJ Ph Photography t h AGAINST 17 other hopeful competitors Matt Egel proved the dominate force at the Ross Wright Sprintcar Memorial held at the Murray Machining and Sheds Murray Bridge Speedway, as he led the entire 30-lap feature.

Despite multiple race stoppages bringing the field back together, Egel looked too strong aboard the S52 Whyalla Earthworks/ North East Isuzu KRE powered Cool.

Making the most of his pole position, Egel would pounce to the lead and settle quickly into the top side of the track as he circulated comfortably while fellow front row sitter Brad Keller and position three starter, young Ben Morris, in the S3 King Racing Products Maxwill powered J&J. Things would prove to be quite the opposite as they were both passed by the early charging Brock Hallett and New South Welshman Jessie Attard, who at the beginning of the night would time trial first and second in that respective order.

The duo locked into a solid battle for second place, neither gave an inch of precious real estate and inevitably they tangled in turn two before coming to a halt on the back shute.

While Hallett and Attard would restart from the back of the bus, fortune smiled on the Bunyip Print/James Rosenberg Racing backed S19 Cool of Keller, as he would reinherit second place.

Despite this he was not able to challenge for the lead, instead he would experience heat from former Australian Champion David Murcott in the iconic orange Cool S97 Mainline/Eagle Camper Trailers & Caravans Downing Brothers entry.

Egel would claim the victory over Keller and Murcott to round out the podium.

A Perfect 10 For Anthony Beare Report: Paris Charles Image: Ray Ritter/KNJ Photography

Joel Heinrich proved his worth by making the most of a late race stoppage to pass three cars in the closing stages and chalk up a creditable fourth position for the Check It Out Graphics/Osbourn’s Transport supported young gun, ahead of many more experienced competitors.

This included the fast-finishing Ryan Jones, who started from the rear after failing to run the heat races due to a failed fuel pump.

Jones utilised the power of the PM Race Engine to its fullest potential as he moved from 17th to fifth aboard the River City Sheds/Apex Steel S63 Triple X. The Caruso Brothers, Mark S33 and the S10 of Steven would next cross the line in their Pro 4x4 Cools, followed by Hallett and Attard, who had salvaged positions

eight and nine with Mildura’s Jason Bolitho campaigning the Razors Edge Salon 360ci powered machine and Sprintcar debutant Chris James holding his own aboard the all black S12 racer to round out the 11 finishers.

Daniel Pestka and Ben Morris both crashed out in turn four while holding down solid front running positions, as did the Action Line Marking S4 of Lisa Walker and Lachlan McDonough just five laps on. Mike Fox and Max Vidau also failed to travel the full distance while Austin McDonald would not re-emerge in the DA Motorcycles S85 for the main race after riding out a car wrecking crash in an earlier heat race.

Individual heat race wins were shared by Matt Egel, Daniel Pestka, Ben Morris and Joel Heinrich.

Mother Nature Takes Unpopular Win Report: Paris Charles SADLY, MOTHER Nature has dropped the chequered flag prematurely on some major events at various Speedway venues around the nation over the past fortnight.

Round 10 of the East Coast Logistics Sprintcars Series Twin 20-lap feature night at Brisbane’s Archerfield Speedway was abandoned despite the best efforts of track promoter John Kelly (right) and his track team.

The pits were already full of over 130 competitors across all divisions, including 38 Sprintcar competitors coming from New South Wales, Northern Territory and far north Queensland, as they gathered to take on the many Brisbane based competitors.

Whyalla Speedway was also abandoned after rain swept across the venue, despite the warm sunny afternoon in lead up to the event. Thunder and lightning rolled in from the nearby coastline and before too long a tropical downpour ensued, which was so heavy it flooded the entire venue. The marque bill which was to feature dual South Australian Championships for Modified Sedans and V6 Sprints will likely be rescheduled for Saturday 24 April.

A large crowd braved the conditions to watch the always popular bone-crunching 30 car Demolition Derby run in the pouring rain.

Mark Williams survived the carnage to be the last car running and the podium placings went to Brad Page and Allan Williams, with Duane Larsen rounding out the final four. Zac Demaine would claim the Most Destructive Award for his car destroying efforts.

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MOUNT GAMBIER’S Anthony Beare used his local knowledge to show 41 other competitors the fastest way around the picturesque Borderline Speedway, and in doing so claiming an unparalleled 10th South Australian Street Stock Championship.

The reigning national champion remained undefeated on the night, claiming victory in his two heat races which set him up with a front row start alongside defending SA champion Steve Gartner.

Gartner had also won his heat races, setting the scene for a classic Holden vs Ford 25-lap heavyweight battle for the title.

Beare took the race by the throat and jumped to the lead, Gartner knuckled down in second after an early race challenge from Matt Nelson, who would soon retire with a blown tyre. Gartner would then retire on lap 10, also with a flat tyre.

Beare would streak away from this point and by half race distance would place lapped cars between himself and the MJS Mitsubishi Magna of Nathan Thorne, Mick Clark and co.

With 10 circulations remaining Jason Duell spun, bringing the field back together for the restart. Beare again pounced away only for Dean Jenkins to again bring on the yellow lights and bunch the field for the final stanza.

Beare kept focused to claim his 10th SA title over the fast-finishing Jacob Mills, who advanced the Patriot Motorsport Falcon from fourth to second in the closing laps. Nathan Thorne and Victorian Mick Clark were next home.

Fifth was Jayden Blomeley followed

by Dale Morrison, Jayden Edwards, Shane Roycroft, Jason Duell, Ricky Cornwall, Morris Ahearn and the well-travelled West Australian Ray Leonard, rounding out the top dozen.

Finishing one circulation down were Nigel Reichstein, Felicity Roycroft, Bryan Brown and Dean Jenkins rounding out the 16 finishers.

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s w e n Y A W SPEED CHASING THE SPRINTCAR EASTER TRAIL Report: PARIS CHARLES Images: BRETT SWANSON & RAY RITTER IT’S THAT time of the year again when over 50 Sprintcar teams and their many fans migrate to the south-eastern corner of Australia, for the annual Sprintcar Easter Trail.

Starting at the Avalon Raceway in Victoria the Easter Trail hops across to the picturesque Borderline Speedway in Mount Gambier, South Australia, and then back across the border for the third and final night at Warrnambool’s nambool s Premier Speedway.

JOCK GOODYER’S GOOD FRIDAY

While Jock Goodyer got the chocolates for round one at the Avalon Raceway, it was a case of the one that got away for Darren Mollenoyux. x.

‘Molly’ started his assault on this year’s trail in the best fashion possible to claim fastest time in the firstt session of qualifying, beforee leading his opening heat for the majority of the distance only to be hindered in traffic,, allowing New South Welshman man Marcus Dumesney to take the he Valvoline N47 to the winner’s circle.

A solid third in Mollenoyux’s second heat, coming from the rear of the field, would place the Distinct ICV V3 entry on pole position for the 30-lap feature event alongside the quick Tasmanian Goodyer.

Brock Hallett, Grant Anderson, Marcus Dumensy and defending Easter Trail Champion Jamie Veal, who clean swept all three rounds in 2019 (pre COVID 2020) would round out the first three rows.

At the drop of the green Goodyer made the

Veal Back to Back Vic 1 Report: PARIS CHARLES Images BRETT SWANSON AMONG A field of almost 40 competitors, Jamie Veal continued his dominant form in recent weeks at Warnambool’s Sungold Stadium Premier Speedway, when he successfully defended his Victorian Sprintcar Championship to claim back-to-back mantles.

The reigning champion looked to be solid from the get-go after setting the quickest time in his qualifying flight and was fourth quickest overall behind the well-travelled Tasmanian Jock Goodyer, Darren Mollenoyux and John Vogels.

After the heats were run Veal would sit the SWI Engineering A1 Maxim on pole position, alongside the S13 of Brock Hallett who topped the qualifying sheet for group 3.

At the drop of the green Veal would jump to the lead but the red lights were soon ablaze when the River City Sheds V63 of Ryan Jones clipped the GEM S20 of Glen Sutherland and rode out a wild ride. Jones, Sutherland and Rusty Hickman would not restart.

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most of the top side of mos the ttrack to take the lead with Mollenoyux following closely until expiring on the clo second sec circulation with a blown power steering b line, lin spraying fluid into the cockpit and dashing his co chances. c At the restart Goodyer quickly opened ope a handy lead over Dumensey, Dumensey Veal, Veal Anderson Anderso and Hallett, etc and remained that way until lap 6 when fastest qualifier Domain Ramsay spun the Indy Race Parts V2.

The following restart would see the pointy end of field continue in that order with Goodyer gapping his challengers with lapped traffic, while at the halfway Mark Anderson would retire the V37 WASP Maxim.

Goodyer would continue to trail blaze as the laps ran down.

Lapped traffic for the top three tightened it up as

the leader tried to pass the N53 Supreme Poultry Triple X of Jessie Attard. Jamie Veal manoeuvred his way into second and Marcus Dumesney back to third would follow the See Eye Care T22 Maxim of Goodyer to the chequered flag, taking a welldeserved victory.

Hallett would claw his way back to fourth and Tate Frost, the second of the Tasmanian competitors in the Mooie Make Up T62, would capture a well-deserved fifth after qualifying through the B Main and advancing 11 places for his share of the points on offer.

Brett Milburn, Jacob Smith (B-main winner), Matthew Reed, Jesse Attard and Johnny Vogels would round out the top 10, followed by Dennis Jones, David Donegan, Eddie Lumbar, Domain Ramsay, Kristy Ellis and Bobby Daly, the final finisher.

Marcus Dumesney, Domain Ramsay, Jamie Veal, Brett Milburn, Tate Frost, Jock Goodyer, Ross Jared and Jordyn Charge would each claim a single heat win.

MOLLY MAKES AMENDS AT THE MOUNT

Take two and Veal would carbon copy his previous attempt to control from the front and Darren Mollenoyux slid past Brock Hallett before David Murcott spun to bring about a stoppage and sending him to the rear for the Indian file restart.

Veal would lead for the first 10-laps until encountering the first of lapped traffic, which allowed Mollenoyux to take command.

Mollenoyux would continue to ride the top side, often tagging the turn four wall with his right rear wheel. All looked comfortable for the race leader until Grant Anderson hit the wall, ending his run in the V37 WASP Maxim, but more importantly for the remaining entries bringing the field back together with 19 circulations remaining.

Mollenoyux continued solid in front but Veal turned up the pressure and on lap 25 the defending champion would get past the race leader and take back command.

A determined Mollenoyux would try to recapture the lead but with just two laps remaining he tagged the wall too hard, pushing the rear end out of the Brighton Volkswagen V3 entry.

Veal would lead the field followed by Jock Goodyer, who had been successfully running around the bottom to work his way to second. Three South Australian registered cars in S13 Brock Hallett, Daniel

Pestka in the S27 and the hard charging S97 David Murcott, who was on a mission making his way into the top five after restarting last, would hold down positions three to five.

Veal hung on for the final stanza of the race with the top four unchanged. The only adjustment made to the lap scorer’s book was John Vogels sneaking past Murcott to round out the top half dozen.

Peter Doukas was next followed by Jordyn Charge ,who had made good ground after a strong second placed finish in the B Main. Matthew Reed, Lisa Walker and Supercars competitor Cam Waters was next in the Enzed / Monster Energy V6 entry which had travelled almost the entire journey with a damaged front wing.

Ross Jarred and Grant Stansfield would round out the 13 finishers from the 20 competitors to start the race.

Veal would also claim both of his heat race victories

while the remaining heats were shared by Mollenoyux, Goodyer, Anderson, Jessie Attard who also won the B Main, Andy Caruana and Rusty Hickman, as the substitute wheel attendant aboard the V88 Drysdale Chaff Mill J&J. The LS powered Sprintcars were the main support category and with a field of 15 cars they put on some exciting racing through their heats and final.

The main event was won by pole sitter Justin Barton and flanking him on the podium was Dennis Jones and Shaun Lyness. The three heat victories were shared by Lyness, Barton and Shane Steenholdt.

Thirty-five teams rolled into South Australia to do battle at the Borderline Speedway, where they would square up for night two of the Easter Trail.

While some Victorian teams decided to stay home, the trail picked up a good handful of South Aussies and it would be two of those joining who would lay down the quickest times in their respective qualifying brackets.

Brad Keller would set quickest time in bracket 1 with a scintillating 10.677, Ryan Jones stopping the clock with a 10.746 in bracket 2 and New South Welshman Marcus Dumesny 10.768 in the final bracket.

After the heats set the 30-lap feature race, the front row would be shared by Jones and round 1 winner Jock Goodyer, with Darren Mollenoyux and Keller sharing the second row.

As the lights blazed green Jones led the field into action until entering turn four Grant Anderson would check up, setting off a chain

reaction sending Jamie Veal into a rollover, lleaving i D Dumensey andd Brett B tt Milburn Milb with ith nowhere to go as they tangled to a stop.

Veal would retire the A1 SWI Earthmoving Maxim, dashing his chances of defending his Easter Trail crown. Dumensey changed a flat left front wheel, Milburn was able to re-join along with Anderson, who was sent to the rear for being the primary cause of the stoppage.

Take two; Jones led the field away as he worked the bottom side of the track followed by Goodyer and Mollenoyux, while Keller explored the top side of the track which sent the S19 Bunyip Print Cool backwards about six places on the opening lap.

Keller would soon retire to the infield along with Joel Heinrich, while at the pointy end Jones would ring the neck of the PM Race Engines powered Murray Machining & Sheds S63 Triple X to open a handy lead and secure the fastest lap time of 12.211.

Mollenoyux would advance to second and the Tasmanian duo of Goodyer and Tate Frost would fly the flag for the Apple Isle in third and fourth.

As the race approached the halfway mark the leaders hit lapped traffic, this allowed Mollenoyux to make his move, sliding under Jones and then quickly setting about placing lapped cars between he and Jones.

With 10 laps remaining Goodyer would surge past Jones and move into second while Jones and Frost would trade places as they fought it out for the final step on the podium. With one lap to run Scott Enderl spun the S11 Clarend Transport Cool, grouping the field back together for a green, white and chequered run to the line.

The final stanza would see the top four remain unchanged in the run to the line. Mollenoyux, Goodyer, Jones and Frost would bank their points. The biggest loser from the restart would be Peter Doukas, dropping from fifth to 10th as Daniel Pestka, Brock Hallett, Marcus Dumensey, Grant Anderson and Jessie Attard all slipped past on the final circulation. B-main winner Adam King was next followed by Jordyn Charge, Dennis Jones, Scott Enderl and Bret Milburn would round out the finishers.

Heat wins were shared with one apiece going to Jock Goodyer, Brad Keller, Jamie Veal, Darren Mollenoyux, Brett Milburn and Ryan Jones.

MOLLENOYUX TAKES BATTLE, GOODYER THE WAR!

They say that cream always rises to the top and with 51 competitors in attendance that is exactly what would transpire on the third and final night of the 2021 Easter Sprintcar Trail hosted at the Premier Speedway in Warrnambool.

With a win a piece from the previous two nights, Darren Mollenoyux and Jock Goodyer would take centre stage, sharing the front row for the final 30lap decider of the series and just like a Hollywood blockbuster, what was to follow could not have been scripted any better.

With Goodyer on the inside and Mollenoyux alongside the field would jump in that order, Grant Anderson and Jordan Charge leading the rest of the field. By lap 6 the leaders would encounter the first of the lapped traffic as they continued their high-speed game of Chess until the halfway mark, when Brett Milburn tagged the wall to bring the race to a stop.

At the restart Goodyer led the way, opening a handy gap over the field. Mollenoyux would again close the gap and with about 7-laps remaining the duo encountered more slower traffic.

Goodyer would try to slide job his way past the V17 of Dennis Jones, only to allow Mollenoyux to run the bottom and pass them both in one sweep. With clear track ahead ‘Molly’ would take

the Brighton Volkswagen V3 entry to victory lane, while Goodyer would hold out the fast-finishing V37 Fuchs Lubricants Maxim of Anderson for the minor placings.

Charge would have his best run of the Trail in fourth, holding out Jamie Veal, Ryan Jones and Marcus Dumensey, who had rallied his way through after transferring from the B Main.

Tate Frost, Brock Hallett, Daniel Pestka, John Vogels and B Main victor Jessie Attard would round out the top dozen. Glen Sutherland, Matthew Reed, Dennis Jones and Sam Wren would close out the 16 finishers.

Bobby Daly and Brett Milburn failed to travel the distance.

While Mollenoyux would take the tallest step on the podium, it was not enough to claim the Easter Sprintcar Trail. Goodyer would sit at the top of the points tree as the overall winner with a victory and two runner-up positions.

Brock Hallett, Grant Anderson, Jock Goodyer,

Darren Mollenoyux, Scott Da Enderl, Jessie Attard, Tate En Frost and Michael Tancredi Fro would each post heat wo victories. vic LLocal racer Brayden Cooley would claim quickest Coo time overall from the four brackets of qualifying with an brac impressive 10.548, however imp he sstruggled to impact the scoresheet and failed to scor qualify for the main race. qual

SUPER RODS SUP

The M Max Dumesny Motorsport Super Rod Easter Trail supported the Sprintcars over all three nights of competition. The Super Rods entertained with close racing and a few big crashes.

It would be Michael Coad claiming the overall points victory for the weekend.

Neville Gange secured the honours on the opening night flanked by Dane Court and Howard Stansfield.

The South Australian leg went to Ewan McKenzie, Michael Coad and Billy Grist. The final night would see Michael Coad cement his Easter series crown with a victory over Dane Court and Ewan McKenzie filling the minor placings.

Nev Nitschke Notches Up Round 1 Report & Images: PARIS CHARLES RENMARK’S RIVERLAND Speedway blasted into action featuring the opening round of the United Speedway Association Super Sedan Country Series.

A small field of half dozen Super Sedans rolled into the pits however the six would soon turn into five when Shane Lambe was excluded from the line up due to a Speedway Australia administrative / paperwork issue.

It proved heart-breaking for Lambe, who burned the midnight oil on a 16,000 km round trip to bring his newly acquired #42 Super Sedan back from Newcastle for the weekend’s racing, only to be denied a race start.

On a freshly watered track, the front row for the feature consisted of the Load 28 supported SA99 of Steven Schwarz and Kym Cottrell, who was making his first on track appearance since rolling the Artmetal Coating entry at the Murray Bridge Speedway in November.

The slippery conditions kept the field tightly bunched as they navigated the early goings.

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Schwarz led the way while Cottrell tried to work his way past. Eventually Cottrell went all in as he tried his best to go around the outside, only to lose his position to third placed Neville Nitschke, who would then launch several of his own challenges for the lead trying to work the highline.

Nitschke’s persistence would pay off on the final corner of the race where he found enough grip to come up alongside the Schwarz entry and drag race him to the finish line.

Visually the duo was impossible to separate as they greeted the chequered flag but the transponders showed that Nitschke’s Scotcher Race Fuels & Oils #58 crossed beam first by a bare 0.005 of a second and in doing so claimed his maiden feature win.

Cottrell was third followed by Andrew Leach, who made a welcome return to the sport after sitting out several seasons on the side-line and rounding out the field was female rookie competitor Sarah Pope aboard the Jury’s Liquid Waste SA66 entry.

The opening heat race was claimed by Kym

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Cottrell ,while Steve Schwarz took heats two and three. Cottrell would finish runner up to Schwarz and vice versa in heat one, while Nitschke would consistently claim third from each of the three heat races.

MODLITES SA In the lead up to the Australian Championship the South Australian Modlites had a busy weekend with two full nights of racing. The opening night was supporting the Super Sedans at the Riverland Speedway and the following night they crossed the border into Victoria to run at Mildura’s Timmis Speedway.

Night one would see Scott Webb make the most of his front row start to claim victory aboard his well-presented S32 SA Complete Diesel Services

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over Jacob Carlier and Dylan Richter to round out the podium. Unfortunately, both Justin Chadwick and Brian Chadwick failed to finish the feature after tangling for fourth position.

The two heat wins were shared by Jacob Carlier and Justin Chadwick.

Brian Chadwick would bounce back the best way possible on the following night to claim a green to chequered flag feature victory in Mildura, despite a late race challenge for the lead from Jacob Carlier who finished a close second place.

Carlier had a successful run having won all three heat races earlier in the program.

Scott Webb would take the final step on the podium and rounding out the top half dozen were Dylan Richter, Shane Price and lone female racer, Paige Charlson.

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We take a look back at who or what was making news in the pages of Auto Action 10, 20, 30 and 40 years ago

Testing your motor sport knowledge

1971: AFTER WINNING the opening round of the Toby Lee Series Production Car Championship at Oran Park, victor John Goss had his Ford Falcon GTHO impounded. Goss was forthright in defending his car’s legality, explaining that he used a Detroit Locker differential and claimed that he could not be accused of cheating.

However, his continued use of the differential raised eyebrows.

1981: FIVE AND a half years after hanging up his helmet, Bryan Thompson announced that he would make a return to racing. ‘Thommo’ revealed that he would race Peter Fowler’s Mercedes Chevrolet Sports Sedan at Winton Motor Raceway. Elsewhere, Melbourne was emerging as the favourite destination for a brandnew international motor racing circuit, despite Canberra residents also being promised a track inn the most recent federal election.

1991: BOB FORBES purchased a Nissan GT-R for his driver Mark Gibbs. The inclusion of the GIO sponsored Nissan was a blow to Touring Car competitors racing VN Holden Commodores and Ford Sierras, as many felt they would now be unable to claim a podium finish due to the ‘Godzilla’ dominance. At The Mountain Allan Grice, Peter Fitzgerald and Nigel Arkell became the inaugural winners of the Bathurst 12 Hour, winning the race by two laps in a Toyota Supra Turbo.

2001: DESPITE THE Holden Racing Team domination in the first two editions of the Adelaide 500, ahead of the 2001 event reigning Bathurst 1000 winner Garth Tander and new Gibson Motorsport driver Craig Lowndes declared that HRT could be beaten. In GT racing, John Bowe announced that he would race a Ford Mustang Cobra RA in the GTP championship.

2011: TEN YEARS ago, then Holden Racing Team driver Garth Tander declared he was a man in demand. Tander revealed that he had received multiple phone calls from team owners requesting his services, including an unidentified Ford operation. Meanwhile, Ford Performance Racing announced that Aussie IndyCar star Will Power and former Red Bull Racing Formula 1 driver Christian Klien would be co-drivers at the Gold Coast 600 event.

Images: Motorsport Images

ACROSS 3. Who leads the FIA Formula 2 Championship after the opening round? (surname) 4. Only one driver not representing Australia or New Zealand has won the Australian Touring Car Championship, who? (surname) 6. With what team did Jamie Whincup make his Supercars debut in 2002? (abbreviation) 8. How many World Rally Championship rounds did Richard Burns win?

9. The final 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix was held at the Isle of Man in 1976, who won the race, his sole 500cc win? (surname) 10. Who am I? In 2004 I tested a Minardi, I returned to Australia winning two Bathurst 1000’s, the first with HRT? (full name)

13. Only one TCR Australia driver has scored points in every race since the category’s inception in 2019, who is it? (surname) 16. Who won his third and final Formula 1 World Championship in 1973? (surname) 18. Scott McLaughlin holds the record for the most race wins in a Supercars season, how many did he take in 2019?

21. A French driver won the 1973 and 1974 Le Mans 24 Hours and went on to become an F1 team founder/owner, who is it? (surname) 22. Former Gold Star winner Simon Hodge is the engineer of which S5000 driver this season? (surname) 24. In what country does the revitalised DTM series begin in June?

26. In what country will the opening round of the FIA Formula 3 Championship begin this year?

27. In what position did Oliver Solberg finish the 2021 Arctic Rally?

DOWN 1. How many times did Rene Rast win Porsche Supercup?

2. At what track did Whincup make his Supercars Championship debut? (abbreviation) 4. Jean-Pierre Beltoise won his sole championship F1 Grand Prix in 1972, at which legendary circuit?

5. What is the nationality of WTCR team owner and driver Yvan Muller?

6. Who won the final GP2 Series in 2016 before it was renamed the FIA Formula 2 Championship? (surname) 7. Stefan Johansson claimed 12 podiums during his career in F1 but how of these were victories?

11. Allan Moffat won the Bathurst 1000 in 1973 with whom? (full name)

12. In what country did the controversial Multi-21 situation occur between Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel in 2013?

14. At what track was the NASCAR dirt race held in 2021?

15. Who is the most recent driver to win the Australian Gold Star and the Supercars Championship? (full name) 16. Which Australian finished third in the 1981 Indy 500? (surname) 17. Who is the most recent Australian to win the Supercars Championship? (surname) 19. Alan Jones won all nine rounds in the Australian GT Championship in 1982, driving what brand of car?

20. The late Alan Simonsen won the Australian GT Championship in 2007, what was his nationality?

23. Who finished second to Pierre Gasly in the 2020 Italian Grand Prix? (surname) 25. Shane van Gisbergen has now won six Supercars races in a row, who holds the record with eight? (surname)

Crossword answers #1807 1 down – Whincup, 2 down – zero, 3 down – Fujitsu, 4 down – Adelaide, 5 across – Hodge, 6 across – Hyundai, 7 down – Ferrari, 8 down – Mario Andretti, 9 across – four, 10 across – three, 11 across – Graham Hill, 12 down – Rutherford, 13 down – Reynolds, 14 across – Emery, 15 across – six, 16 across – Mercedes, 17 down – one, 18 across – Wood, 19 across – nine, 20 down – Fittipaldi, 21 down – Randle, 22 across – Scottish, 23 down – HRT, 24 down – Spain, 25 across – Burns, 26 across – Twenty-eight, 27 down – Aitken, 28 across – Lex Davison, 29 across – Franchitti, 30 across – Vandoorne

70 AutoAction

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