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FROSTY DEFECTS TO HOLDEN Ford hero confirms he has 2019 drive, which can only mean he’s changing sides

BY MARK FOGARTY

FORD STALWART Mark Winterbottom has all but confirmed he is defecting to Holden.

In an exclusive extended interview with Auto Action, Winterbottom confirmed he has a drive for next year.

Without naming his new team, ‘Frosty’ admits that his move is a big risk, supporting speculation that he is joining Charlie Schwerkolt’s onecar Team 18 operation.

In the interview, Winterbottom steadfastly maintains that his impending departure from Tickford Racing is not about money.

He asserts that he is moving for a new challenge after 13 seasons with Tickford and it’s previous incarnations, Ford Performance Racing and Prodrive Racing Australia. “I have a drive next year,�

Winterbottom confirmed. “We’ll announce it soon, which will be good. The first thing was to announce that I was leaving Tickford

because it’s the respectful way to do it. “I’m looking forward to new relationships and pulling your finger out of your backside a bit and having to work hard instead of just doing the same thing.�

According to AA’s informed sources, Winterbottom is joining a heavily revamped Team 18 operation running a full Triple Eightspec ZB Commodore.

Schwerkolt, after years as a marginal operation, has committed to trying to be a front-runner next year, including a change of personnel and increased financial resources.

According to Winterbottom, his move isn’t career suicide. “I like pressure,� he said. “I thrive on pressure and there’s more pressure with what I’m doing. I like challenges, so I’m up for the challenge. “It’s going to be satisfying if you can turn it into something, and make

THIS WEEK’S RACE CALENDAR

it your own and build it with a great bunch of people and turn it into something.�

It is understood that Schwerkolt has enticed Irwin Tools to return as a major sponsor to replace Preston Hire, which is offering downgraded support for Team 18 refugee Lee Holdsworth.

As well as Irwin, which backed a series of Stone Brothers Racing entries in the past, it is understood that Actron air conditioning will follow Frosty’s migration.

Orrcon steel, a long-time backer of FPR/PRA/TR, may also follow Winterbottom to Team 18.

AA has seen an internal email announcing the end of Orrcon’s backing of Tickford Racing, but continued support of Frosty is still to be decided.

According to Winterbottom, he and Tickford Racing simply fell out of love. “It’s not about money,� he declared. “Without going into

the details of it, the fact is it’s not money driven. I’m not trying to cash in and retire. It’s more that I see an opportunity to get back up the front and back to winning championships, and that’s why I’ve done it. “I might look silly. The Mustang and Tickford, they might come out and win next year. You just have to live with the decisions you make.

But it definitely isn’t about money.�

Winterbottom maintains his decision to leave Tickford and Ford will make more sense when it is announced soon. “I’m looking forward to announcing where I’m going and then putting in the effort and making it work.�

Despite his horror season this year, Winterbottom is confident he can rebound as a front-runner with the right equipment.

For more Frosty revelations, see ‘Up Front With Foges’ on pages 20 to 23.

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TOYOTA IS BACK Gazoo Racing Australia could lead to reborn Supra in Supercars – but not without big changes to the rules

BY MARK FOGARTY TOYOTA AUSTRALIA has returned to major motor sport with the launch of a new performance brand that could lead to a racing program with the reborn Supra.

Amid speculation that the new Supra is a potential base for a Supercars racer, the Japanese giant is re-entering the Australian Rally Championship under the banner of Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia.

To be eligible for Supercars, the compact and lowline Supra would require a big rewrite of the technical rules.

But Toyota Australia is not ruling out Supercars in the future or racing the Supra in some form.

Gazoo Racing is Toyota’s global motor sport entity and the inspiration for its new GR performance line, which in Australia will be led by the all-new fifth-generation Supra.

GR is Toyota’s new-look equivalent of Mercedes’ AMG and BMW’s M, and the TGRA ARC program is a pointer to the brand coming to Australia.

The A90 Supra, to be released here in late 2019, will be the first Toyota model in Australia to carry the GR designation. Other hot GR versions of the top-selling Hi-Lux and Corolla, and the 86, are likely to follow.

Persistent pit lane chatter suggests Toyota Australia, which is by far the market leader, is seriously eying a Supercars entry, especially as hybrid technology is a real possibility for the Next Generation evolution of the technical and eligibility rules.

Formerly known as Gen3, the Next Gen rules are nominally due for introduction in 2022, but elements – or even all – of the updates could be introduced sooner.

4 AutoAction

As well as its tiny road car dimensions – it has a shorter wheelbase than the 86, for example – the new Supra is disqualified from Supercars because it is a two-seater.

The existing rules require eligible two-door models to be four-seaters, no matter how vestigial the rear pews may be.

But if Toyota were to indicate serious interest in entering Supercars with the Supra, there is little doubt the rules would be changed to accommodate Australia’s topselling car maker.

In addition to a seating concession, changing the roll cage dimensions is not out of the question as the awkward look of the Mustang Supercars racer – the first two-door in the modern era of Australian touring car racing – has prompted a review to more easily accommodate coupes.

There is no hope of the Supra – or the squat-roofed Chevrolet Camaro, for that matter – complying with the current Gen2 regulations, but serious consideration is likely for the Next Generation evolution Even more than the Mustang or Camaro, the Supra is too low and too short for its swoopy shape to be stretched over the existing Supercars control chassis, without strangely altering the road version’s proportions.

Auto Action understands that the rulemaking Supercars Commission has been urged to seriously consider altering the control chassis dimensions for ‘Next Gen’ to allow GT coupes like the new Supra.

That is as much a philosophical discussion as a technical debate, but if it were to mean attracting Toyota’s participation – the Holy

Grail of Supercars for more than 15 years – there’s little doubt the necessary rule changes would be approved.

In any event, a GT racing version of the Supra – already flagged by the GR Racing Concept show car – could interest Toyota Australia in a factory entry for the Bathurst 12 Hour.

The introduction of the GR brand to Australia has prompted a more serious look at Toyota’s local motor sport involvement.

In addition to the Toyota 86 Racing Series, which will get a low-key alignment with the new GR brand next year as well as actively promoting the involvement of female drivers, the company will officially return to motor sport with a factory team in the Australian Rally Championship.

Under the Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia banner, long-time Toyota Australia rally entrant and multiple Australian champion Neal Bates will run a pair of AP4 Yaris in next year’s ARC. TGRA will make its official debut in this weekend’s final round of the ARC, run concurrently with the WRC finale on the Coffs Coast in NSW, with Harry Bates in contention to win the local title in his Yaris.

At the launch of TGRA in Sydney, Toyota Australia chief marketing officer Wayne Gabriel wouldn’t rule out some sort of Supra racing program in the long-term, while stressing that nothing had been planned.

“We will explore anything,” Gabriel told Auto Action. “There are no plans at this point in time. We have our commitment locally for rally and for the 86 series, plus we have a small arrangement with Beau Yates in drifting,

but to say there isn’t potential for us to do something with Supra in the future is not correct.

“I mean, there’s always opportunity, but there’s nothing formal at this point in time.”

Gabriel added that as the spearhead for the GR brand’s local introduction, the Supra’s performance credentials were already wellestablished.

“We’re fortunate enough that Supra is in itself iconic,” he said. “So the Supra brand itself will no doubt carry a lot of weight.

“Whether or not we’d choose to take it to the next level with some motor sport participation is yet to be determined.”

As for the chances of a Supra-bodied V8 racer, Gabriel reiterated TA’s long-running stance that competing in Supercars was not being actively considered.

However, he allowed that the company maintained a watching brief on Supercars and its potential as a marketing tool.

“We always consider those sorts of things,” he said. “We would never not consider something like that. But in terms of shortterm, our commitment right now is rally and 86 series.”

Gabriel also admitted that Toyota Australia was open to discussions with Supercars once plans to allow petrol-electric hybrid powertrains early next decade, were formalised.

“They haven’t spoken to us and we haven’t had any formal conversations with anybody on that sort of front,” he said. “But being the leader of hybrid technology in Australia – and globally – if something like that were to come across our desk, we’d certainly look at it.”

SUPERCARS ACCELERATES NEXT GEN FUTURE PLAN AA revealed this graphic of a Hybrid Camry back in May.

BY MARK FOGARTY

Computer Illustration by Tim Pattinson

Gabriel’s boss, Toyota Australia vicepresident of sales and marketing Sean Hanley, was even more circumspect about the prospect of racing the new Supra in Supercars even if it could be accommodated by the rules.

“No plans,” Hanley declared to AA at the media launch of the new RAV4 in California.

“I can categorically tell you that as we launch this Supra in the Australian market and the GR brand, we have no plans for V8 Supercars racing.

“Do I ever rule it out completely? Well, you never say never to anything, but there is certainly no plan.”

Hanley, who looked at running the Lexus RC F in Supercars when he was head of Toyota’s luxury division in Australia, also dismissed strong pit lane rumours that Toyota had done a secret deal with a team to enter in 2020.

“Well, that’s certainly the first I have heard of that,” he said. “And I personally have had no discussions.”

Hanley’s interest in Supercars when he ran Lexus locally was shot down by top management.

He emphasised that Toyota Australia’s current interest in racing was as part of the junior driver development pathway with the

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Toyota 86 Racing Series.

“We are pretty happy,” Hanley said.

“We have our 86 Racing Series in the V8 Supercars (support program) and we are thrilled with because it builds upon the grass roots.

“It provides drivers with grass roots racing in the hope they might build upon their experience and (ultimately) race in the V8 Supercars.”

It is a theme the company is keen to promote even as TA returns to rallying with an official factory team under the Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia banner.

“I personally believe that we can do more for motor sport in Australia by supporting a development pathway, such as Harry and Lewis Bates in rallying or Will Brown and Cameron Hill in the 86 series,” Gabriel explained. “It gives them the opportunity to go on and be successful. They wouldn’t get that opportunity if it weren’t for something like these series (ARC and T86RS).

“That’s a role we can play, something we can do to help Australian motor sport and potential athletes like Harry and Lewis. Get them on the world stage and, who knows, we might have the next Mark Webber.”

Contributing: Bruce Newton

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SUPERCARS WILL not be held to a fixed date to introduce major technical or eligibility rule changes if they will improve the racing, cut costs or encourage new manufacturers.

The next evolution of the existing regulations – initially dubbed Gen3, but now known as Next Generation – was originally targeted for 2022, but now elements could be introduced earlier.

Supercars chief executive Sean Seamer, who joined at the start of March, has declared that rolling changes will be made from 2020 if they are judged to be desirable rather than a wholesale revamp.

“We don’t see a hard date for change,” Seamer told Auto Action. “There’s no point waiting for a good idea, but we have to factor in redundancy if we’re changing a part and all these different things, which we work through the (rules-recommending Supercars) Commission.”

Previously, planning for the introduction of the ‘Gen3’ evolution was aimed to take over from the current Gen2 rules, which are due to expire – or be renewed – at the end of 2021.

Amid fierce debate about the look of the Mustang, there are moves behind the scenes to alter the rules to more easily accommodate the shape of two-door coupes and even two-seater GT sports cars like the new Toyota Supra.

In an interview in MOTOR magazine, Seamer made it clear that on his watch, Supercars was open to change to attract new makes and models.

“Look, we’re about maximum flexibility for working with brands and manufacturers so that what we race out there has maximum relevance for fans,” he said.

Seamer revealed that he and Supercars Commission chairman Steve Horne had looked closely at other major touring car series to help inform the Next Generation discussion and the possible early introduction of new technologies or methods.

“That’s a big part of why we’re having much more frequent discussions with our peer groups around the world,” he said.

“Steve Horne was over with DTM, and I’ve spent some time with the CEO of BTCC (Alan Gow) when he was at Bathurst and had discussions with NASCAR. “So we’re looking and we’re still in that information-gathering phase that we said we were going to go into, and as good ideas come up, then they’ll get up.”

Seamer cited the example of the BTCC’s plan to adopt hybrid-style electric assistance as being relevant to Supercars interest.

“We’re looking at what the BTCC is

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doing,” he said. “They have a push-to-pass platform coming in 2022. We’ll have a look at that.

“I think they’ll be the first touring car category in the world to do that, so we’ll have a look at that system.”

The proposed BTCC hybrid system utilises a KERS-style battery pack that is charged by regenerative braking, to provide short bursts of electric assistance.

The extra power is fed through an electric motor generator in the transmission, which Supercars’ new Xtrac transaxle is designed to incorporate in the future.

“My view on hybrids is we don’t have all the information yet to make an informed decision,” Seamer said in the MOTOR interview. “Once we have that information, we’ll make an informed decision.

“The transaxle that we’re moving to next year allows for some level of drivetrain hybridisation. So within the car, the fundamentals will be there from next year.

“We will then asses from there for 2020 and onwards. What I’m saying is, we won’t necessarily wait until 2021 – we might do something earlier if we think it makes sense.”

He also expanded on his flexible approach to changes to the technical and eligibility rules.

“The first thing I’ll say about Next Generation is that we see it as evolution, not revolution,” Seamer said. “So we don’t see a date where a whole lot of changes will happen to the platform. We will introduce an evolution of the platform where it makes sense when it makes sense.

“If there are quick wins that we think will improve the racing, the entertainment, then we’ll absolutely go ahead and do that. We won’t wait for a date.”

However, he emphasised that major variations would be thoroughly appraised before being considered.

“Other things will take a lot longer to introduce,” Seamer said. “So what we’re doing with all components of the potential future of the platform, including hybrid or electric integration, we’re engaging experts in different fields around composites, around forced induction, around electrification, and having them feed that information back into us so that informed decisions can be made on when and where we might like to do things.

“So there’s no commitment to anything at this stage. We’re doing the best we can to accumulate as much knowledge about the here and now, and then given how the market’s moving so quickly, we’re going to have to update that work on an annual basis, and reassess and re-evaluate.”

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DANE‘SURVIVAL OF BACKS THE FITTEST’ ‘ONE-CAR’ CLAIM

Jamie Whincup and Jessica Dane potential rivals to lead Australia’s most successful Supercars squad

MIXED MUSTANG REACTION Awkward proportions of camouflaged prototype sparks widespread criticism

By MARK FOGARTY

REACTION TO the look of the new Ford Mustang Supercars racer has not been universally positive.

As predicted exclusively by Auto Action on our website, the DJR Team Penske-built prototype cut its first track laps at Queensland Raceway last week, followed by more testing at Phillip Island on Saturday.

Also as forecast, it ran in a mottled camouflage livery that partially obscures the shape.

But not enough to deter many on social media – and most industry observers – from declaring the Mustang racer look as awkward. And that’s being polite.

The pronounced “bubble top” raised roof line – necessary to clear the Supercars control chassis roll cage and minimum height requirement – drew the most comments, along with the elongated doors.

In essence, it was widely noted that the test car’s proportions aren’t consistent with the low-line look of the Mustang road car.

Homologation squad DJR Team Penske and passive partner Tickford Racing have been at pains to emphasise that the Mustang racer will look much better in undisguised racing liveries.

It would want to. On the evidence of the images released to the media, adapting the Mustang’s shape to the Supercars chassis has crated a topheavy, droop-nosed monstrosity.

Even additional images of the trial horse car supplied exclusively to AA don’t portray the Mustang as a dropdead looker.

If anything, its awkward appearance strengthens Walkinshaw Andretti United’s argument that the roll cage rules have to be relaxed to enable a Camaro Supercars racer to retain the proportions of the low-line road car.

Under the current rules, HSV boss Tim Jackson said the Camaro would look like an Aussie Racing Car. We now know what he means. The Mustang, as presented, is seriously ‘fugly’.

WAU boss Ryan Walkinshaw was

6 AutoAction

contacted for his reaction to the Mustang’s appearance, but as we went to press, there was no official response.

However, throughout the Supercars industry, the response could be summarised as: “It looks like shit.”

That may be harsh, but the distorted proportions have already triggered moves to change the rules to allow the shape of two-door coupes – and even GT sports cars – to be more closely aligned with the look of the road cars.

All Supercars racers are “mutants”, with the body shape cut-and-shut to meet the prescribed width/height/ wheelbase measurements.

The racing versions of the ZB Commodore, Falcon FG X and Nissan Altima are visually close to their road car cousins, with the added menace of exaggerated front spoilers and towering rear wings.

They don’t look distorted, whereas the Mustang racer – to many eyes – looks outlandish. The roof appears to high, the nose too low and the rear wing too big.

Otherwise, the test car bears a remarkable resemblance to Tim Pattinson’s renderings on the cover and inside the last issue of Auto Action.

The computer-generated images were based on intelligence from our network of sources.

They were so close to the mark that AA understands questions were asked within Ford Australia about why official images were released to us!

Of course, they weren’t – but our intelligence was on the money.

Of course, Ford, DJRTP and even Tickford Racing are proclaiming the initial Mustang tests as a triumph.

But, perhaps tellingly, Ford frontrunner Scott McLaughlin was not allowed to talk about his impressions of the Mustang when he spoke with AA about his looming title shoot-out with Holden’s Shane van Gisbergen.

For the official comments on the Mustang Supercars racer’s track debut, go to autoaction.com.au.

They won’t surprise you…

Coulthard’s struggles a strategy not set-up problem, says T8 boss

By BRUCE NEWTON

TRIPLE EIGHT boss Roland Dane has fired up the “three on one” debate, claiming Ludo Lacroix is the reason Fabian Coulthard hasn’t been able to find consistent front-running pace this season.

Lacroix is competition director at DJR Team Penske as well as championship leader Scott McLaughlin’s race engineer.

He split with Dane in late 2016 after 17 years together, to move to the Ford team, a move Dane described at the time as “duplicitous”.

This year McLaughlin has found himself fending off the Triple Eight triple threat of title rival Shane van Gisbergen and his Red Bull team-mate Jamie Whincup, as well as Craig Lowndes in the Autobarn entry.

They lie second, third and fourth in the championship while Coulthard is seventh.

He has won one race and scored no poles, while McLaughlin has won eight races and already secured the Armor All pole awards with 12 fastest qualifying efforts.

With long-time engineer Phil Keed calling the shots in 2017, Coulthard was still in championship contention heading into the final round.

Keed departed in the off-season and Coulthard has been engineered this year

by Mark Fenning. The duo has struggled to

find the sweet spot with the Falcon FG/X, as set-ups have changed dramatically with the cut in weight and the advent of the fast new ZB Holden Commodore.

It was van Gisbergen who highlighted the disparity in performance between the two Shell V-Power team-mates after the Gold Coast 600, when he talked about the fight for the championship as a “a three-car team versus a one-car team.”

Asked if van Gisbergen’s statement was part of a planned strategy by Triple Eight to unsettle its rivals, Dane instead pointed the finger at his former right-hand man.

“Last year DJR Team Penske had two cars in the running, this year they have only ever had one from early in the season,” said Dane.

“They let a really good engineer go and I would say it’s a Schumacher-esque type approach trying to win the championship, as in ‘we won’t win if we split everything, we’ll only win it if we put all our eggs in one basket’.

“That’s the way Ludo thinks and it’s not the way I think.”

“Schumacher-esque” references the successful period at Ferrari when Michael Schumacher was given clear number one status ahead of team-mates including

Rubens Barrichello and won five of his seven F1 championships.

Dane claimed Lacroix has form in this area, citing the Frenchman’s win in the DTM with driver Laurent Aiello in 2002 for Abt Sportsline in a rear-wheel drive Audi TT-R. “That’s his approach to it, so he’s obviously convinced the powers that be that is what they should do,” added Dane.

“I suspect it’s highly de-motivating for Coulthard. I don’t know that, but I suspect it would be and it’s not something I would want to do.

“Our approach is different here and we’ve always tried – whether we are running two or three cars – to be as absolutely fair with the drivers as possible.

“That’s why we have finished one-two in the championship five or six times over the years, because we have been as fair as possible.

“That’s what Shane is alluding to. He knows everyone here on the engineering side all work together hand in glove; the three engineers, the three data engineers, they know exactly what’s going on, they split tasks between them and they are doing that all the time in a way that doesn’t happen in most places.”

SUPERCARS FINDS THE RIGHT BALANCE

By BRUCE NEWTON

AN AUSTRALIAN engineer with elite experience across Formula One, NASCAR and Supercars says the local category outdoes its rivals for managing the performance balance between machine and machine.

Nick Hughes, the technical director of DJR Team Penske since its late-2014 formation, spent six years designing world championship winning F1 shocks for teams including McLaren and another nine years in NASCAR, rising to the title of technical director and executive vice president at Michael Waltrip Racing, before returning home and joining DJRTP. Hughes, a low-profile but key player in the engineering team that won the 2017 teams’ title and leads the 2018 driver’s championship with Scott McLaughlin, is the subject of an in-depth feature in this issue of Auto Action.

“I think the one thing that I have found with Supercars over the others is they have struck a really good balance between the car and what you can achieve from a design perspective – aerodynamics, weight and all that sort of stuff – the setup, strategy and the driver’s raw ability,”

he told AA. “Whereas in other forms of motor racing the balance has tipped heavily toward the car or whatever else.

“You really have to get everything right to run up-front here.”

Hughes said the level of competitiveness at the front of Supercars, where DJRTP is in constant competition with Triple Eight Race Engineering, was equivalent to internationally recognised categories.

“A lot of people probably don’t from

a global scale look at Supercars, but when you get here and get involved you realise it’s no different from Formula One, NASCAR or Indycar,” says Hughes.

“You are racing against really smart people and no matter what the rules are, they have learned how to refine their cars and things to the very edge of what’s achievable within the rules.

“And that’s what makes it fun, competitive and challenging.”

SECRET WEAPON starts page 32.

SCOTTY SET FOR TITLE SHOWDOWN

By MARK FOGARTY

compatriot’s renowned hard driving tactics.

“I’m excited,” McLaughlin enthused.

“Just having one car to beat will be awesome. Obviously, his teammates and mine are going to be gunning for either side, so it’ll be full-on.

“But I’m genuinely excited. It’s been that tight this year that you don’t know what’s going to happen. Hopefully, I’ll just keep doing what I’ve done and end up all right.”

McLaughlin acknowledged that his comeback victory in the Sunday race at Pukekohe was a crucial statement going int the Newcastle decider.

“Anything can happen,” he said; “But after the win on Sunday at Pukekohe, it was a big confidence booster for everyone. I still believe that we head into Newcastle with an equal chance to Shane. We’ll have a crack and see where we’re at.”

McLaughlin is also unfazed by van Gisbergen’s reputation as the hardest racer in the field.

SLENDER SUPERCARS title points leader Scott McLaughlin is expecting a knock-down, drag ‘em fight with fellow Kiwi Shane van Gisbergen in the deciding Newcastle 500.

McLaughlin leads van Gisbergen by just 14 points going into the final two races.

Not haunted by last year’s final race catastrophe, the personable Gold Coastbased New Zealander is up for the title fight.

“I have to beat the #97 twice,” McLaughlin told Auto Action. “I feel like we’re in a great position as a team and we have a genuine shot at a track where I went good at last year, apart from a couple of mishaps (which cost him the title to Jamie Whincup).

“I’m excited. I think it’s going to be a bloody good end to the season.”

While his narrow points lead means he just has to finish ahead of van Gisbergen in each of the two 250 km races on Newcastle’s mean street circuit, McLaughlin is wary of his

TOYOTA GAZOO RACING AUSTRALIA LAUNCHED TOYOTA AUSTRALIA has announced the formation of a two-car, factory-backed Toyota GAZOO Racing Australia rally team, spearheaded by brothers Harry and Lewis Bates in a pair of Yaris AP4 rally cars.

The team will debut at this weekend’s Rally Australia, taking in the final rounds of both the Australian Rally Championship and WRC2 classes, ahead of a fully-fledged attack on the ARC next year.

The launch of the team marks the beginning of a new era of Toyota motorsport in Australia, according to Toyota chief marketing officer Wayne Gabriel.

“Toyota has always recognised the value of participating in motorsport as a means of developing ever more durable, reliable and exciting cars,” Gabriel said.

“This is a philosophy that underpins Toyota GAZOO Racing that runs the global motorsports program - including the leading World Rally Championship team - which in turn, feeds into its development of our new sports and performance cars.

“Australians have long had an enthusiastic appetite for motorsport and performance cars and we are committed to delivering the excitement they offer through initiatives like the new rally team we are launching today.

“Harry Bates is a very talented driver who comes from Australian rallying royalty with his father, Neal, having won four Australian titles driving his legendary Celica GT-Four in the 1990s and then the Corolla S2000 in 2008.

“Now with the factory backing of Toyota GAZOO Racing Australia, we have no doubt Harry and Lewis will carry on the Bates family success.”

Multiple Australian Rally Champion Neal Bates will head up the new Toyota GAZOO Racing Australia rally team out of his Canberra-based Neal Bates Motorsport workshop, and is looking forward to being the Australian representative of Toyota GAZOO Racing.

“Our long history with Toyota in Australia has been a great one for me personally with its support helping myself and Coral Taylor, my long-term co driver, to four Australian titles,” Bates said.

“I am immensely proud that Harry and Lewis can continue our very strong partnership with the brand and we as a team have the opportunity to run under the Toyota GAZOO Racing banner that is growing across the globe.”

Gabriel confirmed the TGRA deal with Neal Bates was likely to continue in 2020 and beyond.

“It’s a one-year commitment with an option to extend, which more than likely we’ll extend,” Gabriel told Auto Action. “There’s no reason for us not to.”

GAZOO is set to extend to the Toyota 86 Racing Series for next year as well, with Gabriel hinting that the Toyota 86 Racing Series would be linked

with the GR brand.

“I can’t reveal too much now, but obviously there’ll be some plans for the 86 series in the future to have some relevance to the Gazoo Racing brand,” he said Gabriel also confirmed that plans for a female driver development program within T86RS, flagged earlier this year, were progressing.

“Just watch this space,” he said. “That’ll be part of our 86 series announcements for next year.

“I think it’s important that motor sport, like any other industry, is balanced from a diversity point of view, so we’ll definitely be more active in that space.

“We’re certainly looking to get more involved in supporting female race drivers in Australia and maybe that can roll into something that’s more of a development pathway as well.”

Gabriel didn’t dismiss a tie-up with CAMS’ ‘Dare To Be Different’ initiative to promote and assist female drivers.

“Let’s just say there’s something to come,” he smiled.

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BATHURST 6 Hour organisers have announced more than 40 entries have been received for Australia’s premier production car endurance race, to be held on the Easter long weekend on April 19-21. Highlights of the entry list include defending winners Sherrin Racing in an BMW M4, which will be joined by a similar car for Anthony Soole and the BMW M3 of Beric Lynton. Australia heavyweights HSV and FPV are also represented in the top class, as are perennial favourites Mitsubishi and Subaru. Organisers are expecting 60 cars by the time entries close on March 19.

TOYOTA 86 SERIES BATTLES TO THE END THE SIXTH and final round of the Toyota 86 series in Newcastle sees the fight for the series going down to the wire, with the final podium positions all up for grabs.

While Tim Brook has a handy series lead, 300 series points are on offer over the weekend’s three races, so it’s still a wide-open affair.

Brook leads Luke King into the finale by 48 points over third placed Cameron Crick, who is still in title contention only 54 points behind King.

Brook has led the series from the second round in Townsville and been the standout

MARC CARS Australia was successful in the Spa 12 Hour race last month with the VDS Racing Adventures Mustang MARC II finishing among the GT3 cars in 12th place outright and first in the SPX Class. The team also fielded an entry in the GT4 Class where its BMW M4 GT4 finished second in class, just 1m 50.513s off the class win.

FORMER REPCO employee Don Halpin passed away peacefully in a Bendigo Hospital on October 23. He helped assemble the race winning engines that took many titles, including Denny Hulme’s 1967 World Championship. Halpin was also a part of Jack Brabham’s team when it debuted at the Indy 500, before Repco pulled out in 1968. Auto Action sends its condolences to his wife of 51 years Aileen and their two children Jane and Peter.

performer over the season, winning five races from the 15 held so far. King has been solid and consistent with seven podiums across the five rounds so far. Crick, driving the exCameron Hill 86, has also been fast and consist with several top three results, thanks to proven machinery and racing experience.

Jake Klein has been another standout performer, taking race wins at Sandown and Bathurst, and he could easily find himself in the mix in the round and series results. Throw in talented drivers including Cam Walton, James

Wilkins, alongside young guns Jaylyn Robotham, Broc Feeney and Nic Carroll, the Newcastle weekend promises to be one of the closest in the short history of the series.

A twist in the in the title fight is that neither Brook nor King competed at the Newcastle race last year, meaning a poor qualifying result for either or both could see the series battle swing either way.

With a cheque for $50,000 to the series winner up for grabs, none of the contenders can afford to cruise and collect points, so it will be a great

Round 1 Phillip Island 500, April 12-14 Round 2 Townsville 400, July 5-7 Round 3 Bathurst 1000, October 10-13 Round 4 Sandown 500, November 8-10 Round 5 Newcastle 500, November 22-24

TCR AUSTRALIA CALENDAR ANNOUNCED

YOUNG AUSTRALIAN karter James Wharton qualified third out of 83 racers at the WSK Final Cup and was classified first after the heat races. Starting from Pole Position for the first final, he failed to finish the race. Wharton then followed that up by qualifying fifth in the second round of the WSK Final in Italy, with the races happening as Auto Action went to print.

THE AUSTRALIAN Racing Group have announced that the inaugural calendar for TCR Australia will take in all rounds of the Shannons Nationals next year.

The opening round of the series will be run at Sydney Motorsport Park, before heading to Phillip Island and the first of two trips to The Bend Motorsport Park in July.

Rounds at Queensland Raceway, Winton and Sandown follow before the season returns to The Bend to mark the conclusion of its inaugural season.

“Releasing the calendar is a great milestone for TCR Australia, and we are very pleased to launch the category alongside the Shannons Nationals events,” said Matt Braid.

“The seven events at six circuits give us variety at the best permanent tracks in Australia.

“The events give us great flexibility on race formats too, and we look forward to announcing those in the coming weeks.

“TCR Australia is one of most anticipated new racing categories to land on the Australian motorsport scene in many years. It will be fresh, exciting and actionpacked.

“There are still a number of factors to confirm, including the broadcasting of the TCR events, and we are close to locking in all the details of what will be a great debut series for the teams and drivers that commit.”

Cars representing Hyundai, Audi, Volkswagen and Honda are already in the country ahead of the media day on November 19.

O’KEEFE GUNNING FOR SUPERCUP THIRD PLACE in this year’s Porsche Carrera Cup title was a disappointing result for Victorian Dylan O’Keeffe, after heading into the final round of the series on the Gold Coast in the runner up position.

O’Keeffe arrived at the venue with the knowledge that he had been accepted for a second time into the Porsche Motorsport Junior Programme Shootout. After winning the joint Australian and Asian round at Sydney Motorsport Park, Porsche Junior Coach Sascha Maassen suggested he apply for a wildcard.

Knowing what to expect, O’Keeffe was able to soak up the experience this time around with reduced pressure and confidence from his solid season in Carrera Cup. “The first year was more like a whirlwind, it happened really quickly,” explained O’Keeffe.

“It was my first overseas trip by myself

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weekend to witness how the events unfold.

With the 2018 series battle still be decided, the 2019 Toyota 86 race series dates have been announced, with the series now back to the original five round format, with The Bend being dropped from the schedule.

and it took me by surprise. I knew I did a good job last year, but going into this year, I knew what to expect though on a different circuit with all the people from Porsche, so I just picked up on the relationships that I had formed last year.”

Though his season was a significant improvement over last, O’Keeffe still feels there were a number of opportunities where he could potentially have challenged for the title with his Ash Seward Motorsport crew.

“Carrera Cup this year was fantastic,” O’Keeffe said.

“Ash [Seward], he’s my engineer as well, we sat down and set some goals between ourselves for what we wanted to. We had a really consistent season, but at the same time when we peaked at the mid-part of the season it was going really strongly. But missing the set-up window at Tailem Bend and qualifying down the order in Surfers

Paradise dropped us behind David Wall to third.

“Losing second in the final couple of races was frustrating because we worked so hard to get there and to drop it all in the last couple of rounds was really frustrating.”

O’Keeffe is hoping to race overseas next season, but has left his options open by speaking to a number of teams about moving into Super2.

“I want to race Supercup next year and realistically for me to race it next year is to win the Junior Program Shootout. To get the sponsorship to race overseas is more difficult to get in Australia,” he said.

“We’re having a lot of meetings with teams, I’ve done Carrera Cup for three years, but I need to take it to the next level and Supercup and overseas is where I should turn my focus too.”

HEATH MCALPINE

Luddenham Raceway officially opens SYDNEY’S NEWEST motorsport precinct, Luddenham Raceway, was officially opened on November 1. Alan Jones, Radio 2GB and Sky News Broadcaster, performed the opening ceremony that includes a 1.4km, 10m wide, eight-corner circuit that rises and fall over 20m.

In front of over 300 invited guests, Jones praised the owners of Luddenham Raceway for their vision, commitment to motorsport and their significant investment.

The facility is in close proximity to suburban centres Penrith, St Marys, Narellan and Parramatta, and the under-construction Western Sydney International Airport, due to open in 2026.

Over 80 vehicles performed slow parade laps including Drive to Survive principle Ian Luff chaperoning Jones in a Bentley Sports Convertible.

Also in attendance was Phillip Brooks,

SERIES WINNER HAS NERVOUS WAIT

Chief Inspector, Manager, NSW Police Force – Traffic and Highway Patrol Command.

Luff spoke about the Taking Speed off the Roads Campaign he launched at the 1994 Bathurst 12 Hour Endurance Race.

“The race track is the legal place where speeding is acceptable,” he said.

Many car companies have used the venue to showcase safety technology to sales personnel as well as existing and potential customers.

Track days are managed by Ian Luff’s organisation, providing motoring enthusiasts with an opportunity to extend their cars performance.

“Public roads are not race tracks, all

drivers should adjust their speed to suit the driving conditions.

“Having a brand new motorsport and motoring centre in Sydney, Luddenham Raceway provides a safe environment where enthusiasts can drive their own vehicle or motorbike at speed without getting booked.”

For bike days Luddenham Raceway uses MotoStars as the preferred track day provider. The complex has two go kart tracks, one for younger kids, the larger one for retail and corporate bookings.

There is also a fully equipped paint ball centre ideal for group bookings wanting that bit of extra excitement.

GARRY O’BRIEN

CARRERA CUP NEXT STEP FOR FALLON PORSCHE GT3 Challenge series winner Simon Fallon is confident he will be a contender in Carrera Cup next year, after taking a shock title win.

Fallon, cousin to retiring Supercars driver Tim Blanchard, was victorious in this year’s fiercely contested GT3 Cup Challenge title, after season-long leader Cooper Murray stalled on the grid and was hit from behind. Fallon was surprised that he managed to secure the title, after making a number of small mistakes through the season giving Murray the advantage.

“When it came to the last race, I didn’t think I was going to get it,” Fallon told Auto Action.

“I thought going into the weekend I had a shot, I didn’t think I was going to be quick. I knew I was going to be quick at Winton, but I messed up, which I was a bit upset with myself about because I didn’t make the most of it. I went into Sydney not too confident and after the first race, I was like ‘I’m pretty much giving it to him’, but then he gave it to me [Murray stalled on the grid].”

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After deciding upon GT3 Cup Challenge instead of the Kumho V8 Touring Car Series, Fallon is keen to stay with Sonic for as long as possible to continue learning under the tutelage of experienced team owner Mick Ritter. Fallon added that Ritter’s mentorship has pushed him to new heights.

“I wanted someone to push me and I knew Mick Ritter [Team Owner of Sonic Racing] was good at that, he was always pushing you to see if it’ll make you or break you,” Fallon explained.

“It just showed how much I improved under Mick, learning from him was the biggest thing and it showed when I was getting quicker towards the end of the season.”

Fallon pointed to the many opportunities that the Porsche pathway provides as to why he will continue in that direction next year.

“Porsche has many pathways, if you want to go to Europe you can, if you don’t go Supercars path, you can get co-drives still and that’s why I want to go down that path.”

HEATH MCALPINE

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PORSCHE CARRERA Cup Australia series winner Jaxon Evans has a nervous wait after competing in the Porsche Junior Driver Shootout, which was this year held at Paul Ricard in France.

The Kiwi, who now calls Australia home, has a nervous wait on his hands as the winner of the 225,000 Euro Porsche Motorsport Junior Programme Shootout won’t be announced for another week. Evans was in awe of the experience and feels he is a chance of replicating fellow McElrea alumni Matt Campbell’s win two years ago.

“I’d like to think I’m in there with a shot,” Evans told Auto Action.

“Amongst all the other drivers, everyone agreed that Australia’s probably one of the toughest championships outside of Supercup and maybe Carrera Cup Deutschland. We knew our speed was going to be okay in comparison, but obviously the weather threw a spanner in the works there, but I’m happy with how I performed and I’d like to think I’m in with a shot. But it is so hard to read the body language to get some sort of idea.”

Evans was able to gain advice from Campbell ahead of the event, but it didn’t prepare the Carrera Cup series winner for the extent of support Porsche provided over the course of the three-day event.

“The experience as a whole was amazing, it’s something that I have never experienced before,” Evans said.

“Going to Europe traveling that far was the first thing and then seeing how Porsche Motorsport operate and facilitate everyone. Win or lose, it is a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget.”

After tasting what Europe has to offer, Evans is keen to pursue a career overseas, but as with all young drivers aspiring to take the next step, budget is the issue.

“All things depending on the shootout, we’re still trying to keep our options open and select something that best suits my career going forward,” he explained.

“Supercup sounds pretty good, but that involves moving to the other side of the world and the budget is quite expensive. I certainly wouldn’t rule Supercup out if we weren’t to win the scholarship, but at the same time I’d love to have a go in a Supercar at some stage.”

HEATH MCALPINE

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FUTURE UNCERTAIN HAYDEN PADDON’S future in the World Rally Championship remains uncertain heading into the final 2018 round, Rally Australia.

Entering his final event under his current contract with Hyundai, in which he finished on the podium last year, the Kiwi driver is still yet to confirm his plans for the 2019 season in what has been a busy driver market.

“Your guess is as good as mine, I’ve got absolutely no idea at the moment,” said Paddon when quizzed by Auto Action about his 2019 plans.

“It’s doubtful we’ll be doing Monte Carlo, regardless of what happens.

“It’s now just about sitting tight and being patient, and I’m not normally a very patient person, so that doesn’t help.

“Luckily we’ve got a rally to keep us occupied in the meantime.”

Paddon joined the Korean manufacturer during its return to rally competition in 2014. He went on to win Rally Argentina in 2016 as well as finishing on the podium five times during his five seasons with Hyundai.

However, the popular Kiwi was forced into a reduced campaign

Hayden Paddon faces an uncertain future.

in 2018, splitting the season with Spaniard Dani Sordo, due to Hyundai’s oversubscribed driver line-up which also includes championship contender Thierry Neuville and Andreas Mikkelsen.

Paddon admitted that this season had been particularly difficult running just the six rallies so far in 2018.

“It’s certainly harder doing a half program,” Paddon continued.

“We’re just doing the best job that we can and the role that we are supposed to play.

“For sure, you’d be a little bit faster if you were doing the full campaign.

“You just lose a little bit of that edge. It’s so close now that the difference between the likes of us and the guys at the front really comes down to the amount of risk that you are taking.

“When you’re comfortable and you drive them quite often the risk seems a lot smaller, when you get in the car once every couple of

PADDON COMPARES AP4 & WRC CARS

PERTH MARKS 30 YEARS OF WRC OZ

AUSTRALIA’S BID to join the FIA World Rally Championship began 30 years ago.

The inaugural Rally Australia was held from November 4-6, 1988 and it laid the foundation for Australia to join the WRC with the Perth-based event in ’89.

It established a legacy that continues today with the running of Rally Australia at NSW’s Coffs Coast, which this weekend sees the final and deciding round of the WRC, with three drivers vying for the world title.

Three decades of Rally Australia, which changed the face of the organisation and promotion of WRC events, was celebrated in Perth over the anniversary weekend.

Among the guests were former chairman of WA EventsCorp John Osborn, its then-general manager Terry Penn, organising committee chairman Garry Connelly, and former CEO Shane Crockett. Also attending were other members of the Perth-era board, organising committee and management, plus former staff and officials, including current Rally Oz sporting director Adrian Stafford.

The inaugural Rally Australia was based in Fremantle and was strongly supported by the Western Australian government through its major events company EventsCorp.

The original event was closely observed by the FIA, which sent a high-level delegation including the then-president of the

months, it feels a bit more of a step. ”So that’s the one part that we, especially the last few rallies where we’ve taken more of the safety role, that makes it a little harder.”

Paddon will return to New Zealand at the conclusion of Rally Australia, where he is building his own business around his passion for rally with an eye to the future.

“I want to be involved long term in running our own team around the world, working with new technology and new ideas.” said Paddon.

“Obviously the focus short term is on WRC, then beyond that I want to stay involved in rally. I’ll be involved in rally until the day I can’t steer anymore.

“I want to achieve more in WRC yet, but I’ve got to have the opportunity to go and do that.”

FIA Rally Commission, Guy Goutard.

Manufacturer teams from Europe and Japan entered top drivers and sent team managers to witness the event and assess its worthiness for entry into the WRC. History records that the event was an outstanding success in every regard and within a matter of weeks, the FIA World Motor Sport Council confirmed its place on the calendar for the 1989 World Rally Championship.

From ’89, the event was based in the centre of Perth, where it remained until 2006. During its time in Western Australia, Rally Australia became world-renown for its innovation, creativity and excellence in organisation.

Many of its ‘radical’ and innovative experiments are now standard practice in the WRC. The iconic Langley Park Super Special Stage became a popular feature with competitors and spectators alike, spawning similar ‘stadium’ stages at most other WRC events.

HEADING INTO Rally Australia, Kiwi Rally star Hayden Paddon offered a unique insight into competing in both AP4/R5 spec cars, in which the Australian Rally Championship contenders will battle for the local title with this weekend, and the outright World Rally Championship spec international rally cars.

“The easiest way to try and explain it is that you are comparing a quarter of million dollar car with a million dollar car,” said Paddon.

“The guidelines are sort of similar, the geometry and the wheelbases are very similar, they’re all running 1.6 or 1.8 engines and four wheel drive, but the world rally car is just the next step in development and technology.

“A WRC car is actually very easy to drive at 90 percent, it’s the last 10 percent where you’ve got to have so much confidence that the car is capable of doing so much more. You can brake so much later than you physically think is possible and you can carry so much more corner speed. So that’s where that last 10 percent comes from in the World Rally Car. “An AP4 car is in fact more difficult to drive, but it’s more consistent throughout, whether you drive it at 50 percent or 100 percent it’s still the same sort of car to drive.”

When asked to make a circuit racing comparison, Paddon likened it to jumping from a Formula 3 car to a Formula 1 car.

“It’s more in the corner speeds, just how much speed you carry through corners, being much more confident of what the car is capable of,” Paddon continued.

Rally Australia will see both the Australian Rally Championship and the World Rally Championship titles decided on the fast and dusty gravel roads around Coffs Harbour.

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AA’s prideful pundit isn’t happy that Will Power’s Indy 500 victory hasn’t been celebrated as an all-time great Australian sporting success WILL POWER was last month honoured by the Australian Government for his Indianapolis 500 victory. No, I didn’t know that, either. The first I heard of it was when Power casually mentioned it at the end of a conversation during his recent visit back home.

The reason he didn’t attend the Gold Coast 600, he explained, was because he was at a reception in his honour hosted by Prime Minister Scott Morrison and federal minister for sport Bridget McKenzie. Power was thrilled and apparently posted photos of the meeting on Twitter and Instagram.

Which, of course, I didn’t see. Still haven’t.

His audience with ScoMo was publicised

by IndyCar on its website. Missed that, too.

It wasn’t covered by any local media, as a Google search confirmed.

That is appalling. The first Australian to win the Indy 500 – arguably the biggest motor race in the world – is rightfully acknowledged by his nation and there’s no mainstream media coverage.

Had we known, we would have run it prominently on our website and in the magazine. Just another example that unless you’re Daniel Ricciardo in crisis, Big Media doesn’t care about motor racing.

Power’s Indy 500 success – on the same day Ricciardo won the blue ribband Monaco Grand Prix – was one of the great Australian sporting achievements of the 21st century so far. He deserved to be lionised and good on the gummint for recognising his achievement.

But I still want to know why it wasn’t on the evening news? Car crashes, convenience store robberies and the like rate ahead of a genuine Aussie sporting hero? Puh-leeze!

Luckily, Power is laconic enough not to be

bothered by his lack of local recognition. But he was thrilled to be invited to meet the PM. Bless him.

Chatting with Power is always enjoyable and interesting. He’s casual as, but also thoughtful.

The confirmation that the Queensland government is interest in bringing IndyCar back to the Gold Coast event – as postulated here last issue – excites him.

And, according to his intelligence, IndyCar wants to return, badly.

“I think IndyCar is very keen to come back,” he told me. “They were pretty focused on North America for a while, but now they’re wanting to add some international races. So I know that they would be very keen to come back, absolutely.”

Back in the day, the Gold Coast Indy was the most popular event on the CART/Champ Car/IndyCar calendar – and second only in importance to the Indy 500. No, really.

The reunified IndyCar Series was last at the Surfers Paradise street circuit that was invented for Indycars in 2008. To return, the event would have to be rescheduled to February as the IndyCar Series kick-off.

“That would work,” Power said. “I think February would be right. It’d be the season-

opener and one of the first major motor sporting events of the year.”

He has a point. Getting in ahead of the motor sport crowd would be a big drawcard.

It would also fit in with Supercars’ aim to switch to a summer series schedule.

Surprisingly, Power believes the Surfers street circuit – shortened since the IndyCarnival days – would work for IndyCar, citing some of the ropey city courses they race at in the States.

“I don’t think there’d be a problem,” he said. “They could run the shorter layout, no problem at all. It’s not really that much different to a track like St Pete – a shorter layout – so I don’t think there’d be a problem.”

Nor does he think the aging concrete canyon course would need to be significantly upgraded to contain the IndyCars.

“Considering some of the tracks we run on, no,” he declared. “I mean, we run on some pretty rough street courses, so I honestly think we’d be fine. You could run there as it stands right now, no problem.”

Power is convinced IndyCar has a genuine desire to return to Surfers, reviving the glamour and party atmosphere that made the event so popular for so long.

“They’re keen,” he said. “I know they’ve been thinking about international races and speaking to various different countries, so, yes, I’m very sure that they want to come back.

“I know they want to come back here. I know that.”

As well as racing IndyCar at ‘home’ again, Power would love to have a crack at the Bathurst 1000 in a DJR Team Penske wild card entry. But he admits it’s too hard under Supercars’ current restrictive testing regime.

“That whole wild card thing, it’s only been talked about,” he said. “I’ve asked the team about it, but it all has to line up – more for the team than me. It has to be worthwhile.

“You have to be really focused on the IndyCar season, so it’d be really hard to be coming over here and testing in a Supercar and then flying back and forth. I just think it’d interrupt the season too much.

“Maybe that’s more of a plan when I retire.”

Power confirmed that the lack of testing allowed – plus limited tyre allocation – was an obstacle to other Team Penske stars running in a third DJRTP entry at Bathurst.

“I would do it either way,” he shrugged.

“But all the series around the world have become so competitive, the fields are so compressed, it’s pretty tough to just turn up and be competitive. You do need some good mileage to get your head around the cars.

“I think it would make it a lot easier for international drivers if there was more testing – and more tyres to understand them, as well.”

But there might still be hope that we’ll see Power paired with Juan Pablo Montoya, Helio Castroneves, Simon Pagenaud or Joseph Newgarden at Mount Panorama.

Power hears, as we have, that Supercars is looking at relaxing testing and tyre restrictions for internationals.

“I’ve heard that,” he said. “Someone in the team might have told me they were looking at maybe allowing a bit more testing or more tyres.”

C’mon, Supercars, make it easier for big-name visitors to contest The Great Race and restore its international standing and interest.

A no-brainer, really.

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WINSLOW GUIDES LMP3 TEAM TO ESTORIL WIN THE FINAL race of the European Endurance GT series was a thriller at Estoril on November 3 as Australians John Corbett and James Winslow, together with Great Britain’s Andrea Laskaratos, won by just 0.393s.

The trio were driving for the Italian Monza Garage team aboard a Ligier JSP3. The team had previously run Radicals at races and track days. They were competing at Estoril in the LMP3 class, one of 21 in the field that also included five GTs. Pro driver and two-time Australian Drivers Champion Winslow qualified on pole for the finale of the seven-round series, where team boss and bronzerated Corbett started the event. At the end of two hours, he handed off to fellow Am driver Laskaratos.

The Brit had several Safety Car periods in his two-hour stint but kept the car on the lead lap for Winslow to do the final two hours.

They were on-track for a comfortable victory, leading by just 1min 20s, when a tyre delimination meant an unscheduled stop. The lead was down to 12s with half an hour left. Night had descended as well, and as their car only had sidelights, Winslow was struggling to not only see the track, but lapped traffic could not see him.

The Wimmerwerk Motorsport Ligier of Lukas Dunner, who shared with Matthias Kaiser and Klas Bachler, closed and entering the final lap were side-by-side. Fortunately their car had full spec Le Mans-style lighting and shed enough illumination for Winlsow to see and take the win.

“I missed the start of the year with my broken back and head injuries and to win with Corbett, who was my co-driver when I had the brake failure crash, was really special, almost a full year after,” Winslow said.

GARRY O’BRIEN

PERONI’S F3 ASPIRATIONS

AUSTRALIAN FORMULA Renault Eurocup race winner Alex Peroni is confident the new FIA Formula 3 Championship is a step in the right direction for his career, after a tough second season in Eurocup.

The new generation Formula 3 category is proving a popular progression with 50 of the world’s leading young drivers fighting for a seat in the limited grid.

Peroni and his family have been planning his next step since mid-year, as the imminent combining of the FIA F3 and GP3 categories meant that the race to get a seat was going to be incredibly stiff.

“It’s been the plan since mid-year to drive this Formula 3 category because the FIA are joining two top class categories in F3 and GP3, 10 teams, 30 drivers and all the best young drivers chasing a seat.

It is a race to get on the grid, so we’ve been working and early to get on the F3 grid,” Peroni told Auto Action.

Peroni is confident that he will be on the grid in Formula 3 and has close to the budget necessary to compete, with a fundraiser being held in Melbourne on November 16 to aid in raising the remaining funds.

After finishing his second Eurocup season in ninth, one position better than his debut year, Peroni was circumspect about his difficult year.

“If you look at the results, it doesn’t look like I’ve

AUSSIE WRIGHT QUICK AT COTA RUSSELL WRIGHT finished an hour-long race of the American TA2 Series’ 12th round in 17th place at the Circuit of The Americas, after running as high as fourth in the early laps on November 3.

Starting from 21st, the Stevens-Miller Racing Ford Mustang guest driver made a great start to be in fifth at the end of the first lap. A first corner melee took out newly-crowned champ Rafa Matos, and Wright was able to take advantage of the situation.

A lap later he moved to fourth but was hit from behind and turned around just before the hairpin onto the back straight. The brand new Howe Racing Enterprises-constructed Ford Mustang hit the wall hard on the left rear corner, and a damaged tyre forced him to limp back to the pits.

He went a lap down while repairs were made to the damaged rear bodywork, before rejoining the race and fighting back from near last inside the top 20.

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The race was taken out by Texan Gar Robinson (Chev Camaro) when he made a lost corner pass on Misha Goikhberg (Mustang) to win by 0.06s. Robinson raced in the Bathurst 12 Hour Combined Sedans support event earlier this year and placed second outright.

“My plan all along was to keep my nose clean on the first lap, and there was a fair traffic jam at Turn 1 which I was lucky to get through unmarked,” Wright said.

“The car felt much better, and when I ended up in fourth I thought there’s a chance for a top five finish at least. Unfortunately, I got punted quite heavily,” said Wright.

The 2017 Australian series winner’s opportunity comes as a reciprocal arrangement with the American series and as part of an international driver exchange program with TA2 car constructor Howe Racing Enterprises.

GARRY O’BRIEN

improved that much from last year. It just didn’t come together, there are many variables in motorsport and there are a lot of things that need to be perfect for you to win,” he said.

“You could have the best engineer and one thing may not be right and you’re not there. I think we learnt early on that this year wasn’t coming together, so I concentrated more on my driving, I think I matured a lot.”

The season hit a high point when he took a win at Monaco, the same weekend fellow Aussies Daniel Ricciardo and Will Power had big successes. That was followed by a disappointing run of events, culminating in a podium lost in Hungary.

“In the tricky conditions we did well, that was the only chance I was going to do well,” Peroni said.

“Hungary was the most disappointing part of the year, that podium would have been nice, I was third in the wet and my front wing came loose, dropping me to fifth. It would have been nice to get a podium on a circuit other than a street circuit.”

While back in Australia for the off season, the S5000 class has the Tasmanian’s interests with Peroni keen to steer the latest open-wheel offering.

“I do want to try it,” he told Auto Action. “It looks cool to drive.”

HEATH MCALPINE

MAGIC AT THE ISLAND WRAPS UP SEASON 2018

LOWNDES TO DRIVE FERRARI SUPERCARS STAR Craig Lowndes will have the privilege of driving the first Ferrari 488 Pista to be imported into Australia, on the Rally Adelaide as part of the Adelaide Motorsport Festival.

The 488 Pista is a road-legal, track-ready model based on the 488 GTB, but includes further enhancements including an improved engine and aerodynamics package, plus a twin-turbo V8 that was recently awarded International Engine of the Year.

The seven-time Bathurst winner will pilot the car in the Prima Tour, a one-day touring event that runs within the Adelaide Rally on November 29. The tour takes in closed-road stages through the Adelaide Hills before heading to The Bend Motorsport Park, then an afternoon tea at the Applewood Distillery at Gumeracha follows.

“We are honoured and very excited to offer the public this unique opportunity to see the Ferrari 488 Pista on Australian roads for the first time in Adelaide, especially with acclaimed driver Craig Lowndes at the wheel,” said Event Director Tim Possingham.

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“To have such a strong presence at our event from one of the world’s best-loved brands gives motorsport fans from around Australia and the world a rare opportunity to experience the excitement of the Ferrari brand first-hand, when they attend the Adelaide Motorsport Festival.”

The 488 Pista will also be put through its paces on the Victoria Park Sprint Circuit over the course of the Adelaide Motorsport Festival weekend by Lowndes.

“Ferrari has a longstanding relationship with motorsport in Adelaide and we are thrilled to be unveiling the Ferrrai 488 Pista to our loyal clients and fans in South Australia, to help celebrate the 2018 Adelaide Motorsport Festival,” said Herbert Appleroth, CEO Ferrari Australasia.

“Australian racing legend Craig Lowndes has an impressive history of racing with Ferrari too, so we look forward to seeing him behind the wheel of this incredible car and encourage everyone to come out and see him in action.”

The Adelaide Motorsport Festival takes place on December 1-2.

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THE FINAL round of the Australian Sports Sedan Series headlines the traditional conclusion to the Victorian racing season, Island Magic held at Phillip Island on November 24-25.

Steve Tamasi holds a 54-point margin over Thomas Randle heading to the final round, but Randle will be missing in action as Super2 commitments mean he will be competing on the streets of Newcastle. Barring any significant dramas, Tamasi is in the box seat to claim his first National Sports Sedan title, as the next best competitor is Steven Lacey, 132-points in arrears.

A strong 32-car field includes Michael Robinson (Holden Monaro), Shane Woodman (BMW M3), Mark Duggan (Aston Martin), Alex Williams (Mazda RX-7), reigning series winner Birol Cetin (Chevrolet Camaro) and Phil Crompton (Ford Mustang).

The one-hour Victorian Tourist Trophy for Sports Cars features marques including Porsche, Audi, Ford, Lamborghini, Lotus, Chevrolet and the lone Daytona. Supercars endurance driver Tony D’Alberto

will feature in the field co-driving with youngster Ryan How in an Audi R8 GT3 LMS, while Australian GT Trophy winner Nick Kelly will be another to keep an eye on.

Ray Hislop will be favourite to take the Improved Production honours as his mercurial Ford BF Falcon tries to hold off local drivers Rob Braune (BMW E30) and Matthew Logan (Holden Commodore). An interesting addition to the field is the ex-Jordan Cox Honda Civic that made highlight reels across the world after last year’s Bathurst 12 Hour, with Stephen Zourkas recently purchasing the car to run in Victoria.

A big field of Historic Touring Cars will contest three races over the weekend, with Western Australian Paul Stubber making a return in his popular Chevrolet Camaro. Drivers that will provide a challenge include Les Walmsley (Chrysler Charger R/T), Andrew Girvan (Holden Torana GTR XU-1), John Mann and Dean Neville (Chevrolet Camaros).

Formula Vee, Porsche 944s and Formula Ford are also on the Island Magic bill and promise to provide plenty of action.

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INTERNATIONAL LATEST

KYLE BUSCH OUTCLASSES OPPONENTS IN ARIZONA

KYLE BUSCH won the final Playoff race of the season in Arizona ahead of next weekend’s championship decider, edging out Brad Keselowski by a little over 0.5s, while many of the Playoff contenders fell by the wayside.

Tyres were puncturing throughout the race, resulting in many cars hitting the wall. Joey Logano was the first to suffer from this ending his day early. Fortunately for Logano, he had already qualified in the Championship

4. The same could not be said for Clint Bowyer who also suffered a puncture, his title hopes ending in the wall.

On lap 264, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. also smashed into the wall as a result of a puncture, his car catching fire and fuel leaking around turn two, and as a result the race was red flagged.

Most of the contenders elected to pit although Kurt Busch stayed out, and on the restart he and Denny Hamlin

Ericsson Secures IndyCar Seat

made contact exiting turn two. Busch hit the wall, spinning Hamlin and losing control of the car and firing back into the pack, collecting Chase Elliott. Busch and Hamlin were wiped out of Championship 4 contention in an instant.

On the restart Eric Jones led Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick, with Busch quickly taking the lead. Another red flag was waved this time for Alex Bowman, whose engine expired, MARCUS ERICSSON will be heading over to America in 2019 to race in the IndyCar Championship for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.

Ericsson will have a busy schedule next year as he remains with Sauber as a Brand Ambassador as well as the team’s reserve and test driver for next season.

Sauber’s current test and reserve driver Antonio Giovinazzi will be stepping up next year to replace Ericsson.

“It feels like a perfect step for me and my career after five years in F1. I can’t wait to start work with SPM,” Ericsson said as he looks forward to next stage in his career.

Ericsson’s IndyCar teammate will be the experienced Canadian James Hinchcliffe, SPM co-owner Sam Schmidt hopes that Ericsson’s years of racing in top level motorsport will help the team’s development program. The team also

TRUEX TO JOE GIBBS RACING MARTIN TRUEX Jr will join Joe Gibbs Racing in 2019, replacing Daniel Suarez in the #19 Toyota.

Truex was left without a drive for next year when Furniture Row Racing announced it would not be racing next year, due to lack of funding.

Since joining FRR in 2014, Truex and the team have enjoyed great success, winning 17 races and taking the 2017 Cup Series title.

Truex will be heading to JGR with his championship winning crew chief Cole Pearn, the two have worked together since Pearn rejoined the team in 2015.

Australian James Small will also move across with his Furniture Row cohorts, continuing his role as Lead Race Engineer for Truex Jr (see James Small feature on page 36).

“Anytime you have an opportunity to bring people

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of this caliber into your organisation, it’s certainly an exciting time,” team owner Joe Gibbs said. “We’ve gotten to know them well over the past few years through the alliance and having been part of the Toyota family. ” Joe Gibbs also made special mention of Daniel Suarez, thanking him for his commitment to the team over the years and saying he has a very bright future in the sport.

“I’m really excited to have the opportunity to join Joe Gibbs Racing. Obviously to be able to make this transition and still be able to work alongside Cole is something that was very important to me,” said Truex about the move next year.

Truex’s teammates at JGR will be Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and his former Furniture Row Racing teammate Eric Jones.

spilling fuel all over the circuit.

Another caution was needed shortly after the restart for Tanner Berryhill, who hit the wall. On the restart Kyle Busch led Aric Almirola and Harvick.

Almirola needed to win to make it into a Championship 4 spot, but it was not to be as on the restart he struggled for pace, losing places.

As they crossed the line Busch led Keselowski and Kyle Larson, with Almirola fourth and Harvick fifth. confirmed that the number six car is open for Robert Wickens, who suffered horrific injuries at Pocono earlier this year.

“It will be a lot to learn including new tracks, oval racing, etc. I know it won’t be easy, but it’s a challenge I’m very much looking forward to and I can’t wait to get started,” Ericsson said when reflecting on next year.

Ericsson has shown his disappointment not to be racing for Sauber in 2019, as Sauber currently sits eighth in the Constructors standings on 36 points, its strongest season since Ericsson joined the team in 2015.

The Swede stated that he is proud of what he has achieved in Formula 1, as well as being able to represent brands such as Sauber and Alfa Romeo, and that he looks forward to the new chapter in his career.

ALONSO RETURNS TO INDY DOUBLE FORMULA 1 World Champion Fernando Alonso will continue his pursuit of motorsport’s Triple Crown’ after confirming he will enter the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2019.

The event is the one box left unticked for the Spaniard, after taking Le Mans line honours earlier this year and winning the Monaco Grand Prix in 2006.

He took part in the 2017 Indy 500, leading on several occasions before engine failure ended in retirement and if successful, Alonso would join Graham Hill as the only drivers to win the Triple Crown. “I’ve made it clear for some time my desire to

achieve the Triple Crown,� said Alonso at the announcement. “I had an incredible experience at Indianapolis in 2017 and I knew in my heart of hearts I had to go back if the opportunity was there. I’m especially glad to be returning with McLaren. This was always my first choice if the team decided to do it, so I’m delighted they’ve decided to go ahead. It’s a tough race and we’ll be up against the best, so it will be a huge challenge. But we’re racers and that’s why we race.�

For McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, there is

unfinished business when it comes to the Brickyard. “We are relishing our return to the Brickyard and this incredible race,� Brown said. “McLaren has a long and fond relationship with the Indianapolis 500 and it’s a case of unfinished business for us with Fernando. No Indy 500 is a cakewalk, it’s a massive challenge. We have the utmost respect for the race and our competitors. So, we are under no illusions. But McLaren are racers first and foremost, as is Fernando. We’re going for it.�

Plans for a full-season McLaren IndyCar campaign are still rumoured.

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15

s w e n e n O la Formu

PASSING POTENTIAL IT HAS been decades since overtaking another Formula 1 car was easy, and it has become even more difficult in recent years. The new technical rules package that will be introduced in 2019 is designed to increase the potential for passing.

“It is very hard to follow another car now,” said Max Verstappen, who is one of the best passers in the business. “As soon as you are within two seconds or 1.5 seconds behind a car, you start to feel the problem, especially when you are on old tyres. When you are within a second it is very easy to lose the rear or the front of your car, and it is difficult to really follow the other car. I hope that the new front wings will help that a lot.

I’m not sure that they will but we will find out soon.”

The new front wing is wider by 20mm and much simpler, as it is limited to just five

elements compared to the current wing which has many vanes and winglets. This is designed to prevent “out washing” where the designers attempt to direct the flow of air around the outside of the front tyres, rather than inside of them. The new rules package also includes different barge boards, simplified front brake ducts with no winglets, and a wider, deeper rear wing.

Currently, the car following loses about 30 to 50 percent of its downforce. The plan is to reduce that, and more rules changes will be introduced in 2020 and 2021.

“Obviously in one year you couldn’t do all of the changes that are planned eventually for 2021,” said Renault’s Technical Director Nick Chester. “I think it’ll make a small difference. It’ll go in the right direction, so the following will be a little bit improved. But

THE BITTERSWEET SAVORING WHILE TWO soon to be ex-F1 drivers – Fernando Alonso and Marcus Ericsson – will compete in the Indianapolis 500 next year, their situations couldn’t be more different.

Alonso will be going back to Indy for the second time and do the race as a one-off with a bespoke entry by McLaren. Ericsson, meanwhile, has signed on for a full IndyCar season with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.

“I’ve made clear for some time my desire to achieve the Triple Crown,” Alonso said. “I had an incredible experience at Indianapolis in 2017, and I knew in my heart of hearts I had to go back if the opportunity was there.”

Alonso is leaving F1 by his own accord, and he’s savoring everything as his career in the series which stretches back to 2001, winds down.

“I’m counting every minute, trying to enjoy every second,” he told reporters in the paddock in Brazil. “Even this time with the media I try to enjoy, to have fun. These cars are enjoyable when they are on light fuel with new tyres and you attack for qualifying, the laps feel very good. Obviously, our cars are not quick enough to beat the competition.”

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As for Ericsson, does he find it bittersweet that just before he leaves F1 he is performing extremely well?

“Yeah definitely,” he said. “I’m leaving after Abu Dhabi, but I want to leave on a high and I want to show what the team is missing.”

The team, of course, is Sauber, Ericsson’s home in F1 since 2015, the year after he made his debut in the series with Caterham.

There is no racing role for him at Sauber in 2019, however, as the team signed Kimi Räikkönen, and sponsor Alfa Romeo wanted Ferrari protégée Antonio Giovinazzi in the other seat.

Ericsson has been outshone by his rookie teammate Charles Leclerc (who heads to Ferrari in 2019) this season. But after earning points in just four of the first 17 races, Ericsson finished in the top 10 in Austin and Mexico. He then qualified a F1 career-best seventh in Brazil, started sixth after a penalty demoted Daniel Ricciardo.

“It’s been amazing,” Ericsson said as he reflected about his time in F1. “I’ve really enjoyed it, but it’s also been tough. Most of the time I’ve been running at the back of

the grid and that’s always tough, especially when you go up through the junior ranks and are always fighting for wins and podiums.

You’re always going with that mindset to a race weekend and the last five years that’s never been realistic, so that’s been a tough

part of it and that’s why also I’m so excited about IndyCar next year. I can be back actually racing for wins again.”

Alonso finished 17th with an uncompetitive car, and Ericsson retired with handling woes in the penultimate race of their F1 careers.

LIBERTY IS LISTENING

we’re probably going to have to wait until 2021 to see what the full package can deliver.”

The cars won’t be clones, at least not to start with.

“We’re going to have to wait until next year to actually see what the implications are,” Ferrari engineer Jock Clear said, “because of course 10 teams will come up with 10 solutions, some of which we won’t even have thought about.”

But the fundamental problem will never go away.

“You’ll never get a Formula 1 car – which is essentially an aerodynamic formula – following like a touring car,”

noted Rob Smedley, who will leave his post as Head of Performance Engineering at Williams at the end of the year. “Physics won’t allow that to happen. So you have to accept that cars are difficult to follow – especially with this generation of cars and the amount of downforce that they generate. It will be a little bit better; it will go in the right direction, but we’ll all iterate to solutions to get us back to where we are in about six months.”

But if nothing had been done with the rules, then the problem would have gotten much worse.

THE FORMULA 1 drivers and team bosses got a chance to air their views about the future of the sport and the business with F1’s commercial owners Liberty Media/the Formula One Group during the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend.

Liberty’s Managing Director of Motor Sports Ross Brawn, Pirelli’s Sporting Director Mario Isola and the FIA’s Charlie Whiting met with the drivers.

“There are many things we can improve,” said Pierre Gasly, “but clearly one aspect that could improve racing is if we had a bit more robust tyres, less sensitive to overheating. It will give us the opportunity to follow the cars for longer. At the moment you do three corners really close from another car, you start sliding, and then you start to lose performance, and then a snowball effect, the temperature keeps increasing and after you are done.”

Isola told the drivers that the 2019 tyres are fully developed so no changes can be made to those.

“But we can make a different selection, have a different approach,” Isola said, “so it is important to understand from the drivers how their expectations are.”

On the other hand, there is an incentive to baby the tyres.

“Ideally the fewer pitstops you can do in a race normally the better your strategy is going to be,” Daniel Ricciardo said. “If we feel we can get by on one stop we will drive to the pace of a one stop, and that is normally better than pushing for a two stop.”

The drivers were also asked for their opinions about the course of F1 for 2021 and beyond, something they appreciated because they are normally left out of the loop and merely presented with the finished product of the latest rule changes.

“We’re trying to find the best directions to take for the future of F1,” Gasly said, “and they are listening to the drivers’ point of view, which is really important.”

And what did the team bosses talk about?

“Our discussions are ongoing,” said Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff, “and they (Liberty) face the same challenges that they had before. There are some good markets, some good races, and some markets that are more difficult, and some races that are boring. It is normal. They are facing the complexity of free TV vs. pay TV. Plus, the way content is being consumed changes. It is not easy for them, but the sport is in good shape.”

Asked about the main things the teams are pushing for, Wolff said it is about revenue split and the sport growing.

Will the teams reach an agreement with Liberty in the end?

“Yes of course, this is our joint platform,” Wolff said. “And we want to have an agreement with them. We want it to grow and we want it to be in fantastic markets with more live spectators and more TV.” Compromises will be necessary, but the important thing is that Liberty is listening.

THE LONG WAIT IF LEWIS Hamilton had not snatched fifth place from Timo Glock on the final lap of the season-ending 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix, then Ferrari driver Felipe Massa would have become the drivers’ world champion instead of McLaren’s Hamilton.

The last time a Ferrari driver was world champion was with Kimi Räikkönen in 2007.

Either way, it’s been a long time.

Ferrari arrived at this year’s Brazilian Grand Prix, the penultimate round of the 2018 season, having finally lost any shot at the drivers’ championship with Sebastian Vettel in Mexico two weeks earlier. Ferrari, however, which last won the constructors’ championship in 2008, still had an outside chance at snatching that title from Mercedes.

Did losing the title this year feel more disappointing than the other times Vettel came close?

“Three times now I have been in a position like that, with 2017, ‘09 and this year,” Vettel said. “Probably 2009 was the worst one, the lowest point. You never know what the next year brings, so you never know whether you

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get another chance. I have worked very hard for it and I am confident it will come but, ultimately, I don’t know, you can’t predict.

None of those moments were nice.”

But does Vettel still feel as motivated as ever?

“Yes,” said the driver who won all four of his championships with Red Bull. “I still have a mission here and I still want to win.

That hasn’t changed. Obviously, the last race (Mexico) was a tough one to swallow and probably the winter will be as well. Giving up is not an option.”

How much is it weighing on Ferrari’s mind that it has been so long since its last championship?

“I don’t know,” Räikkönen, who leaves the Scuderia at the end of the year, said with a shrug, “you have to go and ask them.”

Ferrari Team Principal Maurizio Arrivabene believes the Scuderia needs to change its mindset.

“There are areas where we are superior, others where they (Mercedes) are,” he said. “But I think we still lack the habit

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of winning. For them to have a one-two is almost ordinary. For us it is still an exceptional event. We must be more aware of our means, and not be afraid of winning.

In tennis they call it ‘il braccino’: the fear of winning that comes when you are close to the goal. We must trust ourselves, and make winning a good habit.”

Ferrari wasn’t the only team having a long wait. McLaren’s last championship was in

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2008, and its last race victory came in the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix.

Williams won the 2004 Brazilian Grand Prix and only once since then – in Spain in 2012 – and its last championship was in 1997.

The way these two once mighty powerhouse teams are struggling at the back of the pack, Ferrari has a far better chance at another world championship before either of them even wins a single Grand Prix.

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17

F1 INSIDER - OPINION

GOOD MORNING VIETNAM “IF YOU build it, he will come.” The quote comes from the 1989 film ‘Field of Dreams’ starring Kevin Costner.

The premise is that if Costner’s character builds a baseball field in the middle of a cornfield, then a famous baseball player from the past will appear.

Put a twist on that quote – ‘If you build it, they will come’ – and it sums up Liberty Media’s announcement that a Vietnamese Grand Prix will be staged on a street circuit in Hanoi in 2020. Liberty believes that races held in cities will entice spectators to attend.

“One of the things we have been intensely focused on is extending Grand Prix racing to iconic cities, in downtown areas, where we can best engage fans,” stated Formula One’s Managing Director of Commercial Operations Sean Bratches.

“Most of our Grands Prix are currently half an hour to an hour outside cities, so this race in Hanoi fulfills one of our preliminary goals – an iconic city hosting racing on a potentially thrilling street circuit. Vietnam’s concept of what Grand Prix racing should be, about matches our vision for the sport.”

Drawings and videos of the new track show that some of its 22 turns follow curves from classic tracks like Suzuka, Monaco, Malaysia’s Sepang and the Nürburgring. Some of the corners are on actual streets while others will be custom-built on open plots of land. The pit garages and paddock buildings will also be constructed from scratch.

But at the moment all of this is merely lines drawn on paper and computer screens. And therein lies the real “if” in this new event. While the Vietnamese Grand Prix has a lot more traction than many of the other races and tracks proposed over the years that never actually took place, the entire facility still needs to be built.

So the way I would phrase it is like this: They (Formula 1) will only come if you

(Hanoi) first build the track.

The good news is that the event has government support. And I’ve heard rumors that a major backer, maybe Heineken, will invest masses of money in the whole project. But, still, the facility needs to be built, and 2020 is not that far away. Perhaps 2021 would be more realistic.

However, because there have been so many track proposals that failed, I will only believe there will be a Vietnamese Grand Prix when I am standing alongside the track watching F1 cars go by. The same is true for the Miami street race, which has already been postponed by at least one year.

Bratches said Liberty’s long-term strategy is to have a balance of events: city street tracks like Monaco and Singapore; hybrid street races in parks and on city streets like Melbourne, Montreal and Mexico City;

purpose-built facilities such as Shanghai, Austin, Texas and Bahrain; and traditional heritage circuits like Silverstone, Monza and Spa. He also said that business comes before tradition.

“We’re a 68-year-old entity and the nature of Grand Prix racing is that it is dynamic,” he said. “Silverstone was the first Grand Prix, but we haven’t raced at Silverstone all those 68 years. The race has been held at Brands Hatch and other venues. Nothing is immutable in this sport in terms of where we race.

“We do value certain races highly, and we do what we can to preserve racing there, but we are a business. We are a public company and we have a lot of stakeholders and shareholders, and we’re trying to marry what’s best for fans with running a successful business.”

The Silverstone organisers have activated a clause in their contract that allows them to break it after the 2019 race and negotiate a new deal. Liberty is still interested in staging the British Grand Prix somewhere in London. That is never going to happen.

As I’ve stated before in Auto Action, and as anyone who has visited London knows, the city is already crammed with tourists and traffic, and it does not need more. The disruption a Grand Prix would cause in London would be staggering.

They have already built Silverstone, which first hosted the British Grand Prix in 1948. And they, the fans, already come to watch the race. The turnout on race day this year was a sellout at 140,500.

How many people will show up to watch the Vietnamese Grand Prix? Well, first they have to build the track.

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OPINION Australia’s motor sport authority since 1971

Publisher

Bruce Williams 0418 349 555 Associate Publisher Mike Imrie

By Heath McAlpine, Deputy Editor

Editor-At-Large

AS ANOTHER motorsport season comes to a close, the planning gets underway for the next one.

But for some Australian youngsters, the decision to be made is whether to go overseas and join the other thousand or so kids that want to be the next Lewis Hamilton, or stay put in Australia to pursue a career in Supercars.

It’s a hard decision to make at such an early age, especially for parents, who have to sacrifice everything.

Money is only the core component, not seeing your child for most of the year is taxing, as is the child’s ability to cope without the support of their family and friends who are on the other side of the world.

Not to mention the different culture, the schooling, and then there’s the added pressure to perform straight away at a consistent level. For someone that’s in their mid-teens, it is a hell of a lot to take in.

At the moment, more Australian kids have taken that leap than ever before, in a variety of different machinery ranging from Le Mans prototypes to open-wheelers to GT cars. And not just in Europe but the US and conveniently Asia, which has experienced rapid growth over the last few years, providing Australians with an opportunity to gain experience before heading to the extremely competitive European market.

Consider this, there are at least 10 Aussies competing overseas in various championships at the moment, all in pursuit of reaching the pinnacle of motorsport.

Formula 1 is not necessarily every driver’s goal. IndyCar is becoming ever more attractive as it experiences a rapid growth and the racing is still extremely close, plus Will Power has made a living over there for more than 10 years, as has Ryan Briscoe.

Another is Le Mans and the WEC.

Deputy Editor

Mark Fogarty Heath McAlpine

Creative Director/ Production

Jason Crowe

Special Contributor Bruce Newton National Editor Intern Online Editor

Garry O’Brien Dan McCarthy Rhys Vandersyde

Contributing Writers Australia Garry O’Brien, Mark Fogarty, David Hassall, Phil Branagan F1 Dan Knutson, Dieter Rencken Karts Frank Joseph Speedway Geoff Rounds Photographers Australia Dirk Klynsmith, Ross Gibb, Darin Mandy, Mark Walker, Rebecca Thompson, Mick Oliver, Wayne Jones, David Batchelor, Randall Kilner, Rhys Vandersyde

Privateer teams have joined the LMP1 ranks, opening up opportunities to young drivers to tour the world and experience some of the fastest machinery on this planet, while WTCR has rejuvenated the touring car scene with significant manufacturer support and quality fields.

Who’s to say that Formula 1 is the be all and end all? Shouldn’t a young driver be supported based on getting the best out of themselves and fostering his or her ambitions?

In Australia we consider not making Formula 1 a failure, which it isn’t. Racing overseas against the world’s best and sticking it to them is something that should be supported, not met with disappointment.

As it currently stands, support for our next generation of drivers is at a disappointing level. Sponsorship is hard to come by due to Australia’s remoteness, with businesses not seeing the value of backing a car that races so far away.

CAMS is understandably reluctant to support new drivers, considering the lack of funding motorsport receives from federal and state governments.

The Victorian Labor Party’s latest commitment to provide funding dedicated to various motorsport activities will hopefully only be the start of governments finding value in supporting motorsport.

Not only would it be fantastic for some extra government support, but what about a support program to help young drivers pursue their dreams? Let’s call it an Academy, which would aid young drivers in finding accommodation, help them with their education, and provide a support network to help drivers cope with homesickness and integrate into a new culture.

Though this is somewhat of a pipedream, a motorsport academy could ensure that we have more Daniel Ricciardos, Will Powers and Chris Atkinsons.

International LAT Images Cartoonist Emeritus John Stoneham Advertising Manager Bruce Williams All Advertising enquiries bruce@overdrivemedia.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

Published by Action Media Partners ABN number 62976094459 Suite 4/156 Drummond Street Oakleigh Victoria 3166 Phone: 03 9563 2107 The trademark Auto Action is the sole property of Action Media Partners The website www.autoaction.com. au and associated social media platforms are wholly owned by Action Media Partners All rights reserved No part of this magazine’s content may be reproduced, retransmitted or rebroadcast without the express written permission of the Publisher and Action Media Partners.

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19

In his first major interview since announcing he is leaving Tickford Racing, Mark Winterbottom explains why he’s moving on

Risky s s e n i s u b

H

E HAS only ever driven Falcons in Supercars.

Such brand loyalty is not unique, but it is unusual.

In the modern era, only Garth Tander’s 19 full seasons in Commodores exceeds Mark Winterbottom’s 15 years in Falcons in the main game.

And only Craig Lowndes beats the man they call ‘Frosty’ for longevity with the same team. Lowndes is in his 14th season – and final as a full-timer – with Triple Eight Race Engineering, while Winterbottom has been with Ford Performance Racing/Prodrive Racing Australia/Tickford Racing for 13. He’s been there as long as Jamie Whincup has been at Triple Eight.

Which is why it’s a surprise, if not a shock, ck that Winterbottom is leaving the Campbellfield squad after the Newcastle 500 season finale.

Even after two winless seasons and the biggest struggle of his career this year, it was expected

Why are you leaving Tickford Racing?

I’ve been with the team a long time – 13 years – and I always thought I’d finish my career there, in all honesty. But the last couple of years have been really tough and I just think a refresh will be good. It’s tough to leave. Being somewhere for so long, you’re comfortable and you have a great fan base, all that sort of stuff.

It’s very hard to leave that. I’m loyal to the people who’ve supported me over the years, so that was the hardest thing to emotionally get over, but in terms of what I think I can do next year, what we have planned looks really promising.

It’s a calculated risk. I think it’s the right call and I just felt like it was time. End of the era of the Falcon, as well. Lots of reasons added up to leaving. But if you had’ve asked me last year if I was going to leave, I thought I was there for life. I thought they’d wheel me out before I walked out. It was a big call.

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the prospect of a turnaround with the Mustang would keep Frosty at Tickford for at least another year.

But he’s off to a different team – and this is a shock – to drive a Holden! His defection is

supposed to be a secret, but we know he s has h signed with serial struggler Charlie Schwerkolt’s Team 18.

S Most pit lane observers fear the move is career suicide for Winterbottom, a Bathurst c 1000 winner and Supercars champion 1 who at 37 has enormous race-winning w experience and still plenty of ability. But ex he has been convinced by Schwerkolt’s promises that Team 18 in 2019 will be a pr serious, front-running single-car operation. se After drifting from one customer deal to A another, and different technical alliances, an Schwerkolt has committed to a major Sc reorganisation and increased resources. It reo includes new sponsorship, new personnel inc and a full technical alliance with Triple Eight, an to ensure Winterbottom has a competitive ZB Commodore.

Co Frosty can’t talk directly about his new deal Fr yet, but he can talk around it, which is what he did in his usual open manner in his first indepth interview about the change he admits is a big – but calculated – risk.

So whose decision was it – yours or theirs?

Probably a bit of both. Initially, there was a deal on the table and we were looking really good. The things that you’d think would stop a contract like money, appearances, all that sort of thing – the bullshit that can make or break a contract – was all done. There’d been no problem with any of that, but just what I thought I needed to win and what tools I needed to win, I just wasn’t 100 percent over the line on. After a few months of me asking lots of questions, they sort of said “Is it worthwhile being here if you don’t believe in the program?”, so it kind of turned into a mutual agreement. But at the end of the day, they said “Maybe it’s best you’re not here” and I said “Yeah, I agree” and we shook hands. It kind of roller-coastered a bit, but in the end it was pretty well mutual. They were looking for a fresh start, I was looking for

a fresh start, which is why there’s been no aggro. It wasn’t one-sided where someone’s been the bully and pushed it out. It was actually pretty mutual in the end.

You’ve said it wasn’t about money.

Really?

No, it’s not about money. Without going into the details of it, the fact is it’s not money driven. I’m not trying to cash in and retire. It’s more that I see an

opportunity to get back up the front and back to winning championships, and that’s why I’ve done it. I might look silly.

The Mustang and Tickford, they might come out and win next year. You just have to live with the decisions you make.

But it definitely isn’t about money. In fact, it’s probably more so the other way. I’m going there to try to have a good crack at it. That’s the reason for going there.

We’ll see if it works, if I look like a smart bloke or a dumb bloke. But it’s about opportunity.

Many would say that with the Mustang coming, why wouldn’t you stay at least one more year?

Yeah, that’s the hard part. I feel like if you stay for one year, then you stay for one more year and then another year, you never leave. So you have to make the call and the call for me was the emotional attachment to everyone – fans, team, sponsors – and all the stuff that goes with it. Once I’d checked out, then it wouldn’t matter what was coming. I’m a pretty straight shooter in my head, so once I disconnect from something, I disconnect completely. If I had’ve stayed for one more year, I would never have left, so there’s a point where you have to call it and that’s what happened. It’s been good. I’ve had support from lots of people – not just family, but in the industry as well. I’ve had a lot of advice from people I respect. I’ve spent many hours and days thinking about it. Then you see pictures of the Mustang (test car) and it keeps reminding you of what could have been. I’m sure it’s going to be a better car, but it’s the decision I’ve made and I have to live with it now.

What happens if it’s a weapon? Won’t you feel sick?

If it’s a weapon, I’ll finish seventh, hopefully, because there’ll only be six of them. But you can’t bring a car into the sport and turn it from a Supercar to a GT car. It’s not how the rules are written. Sure, it’s going to be slipperier and all that sort of stuff, but there are still parameters in place that have to govern it all.

So it can’t just get you 30 horsepower or it can’t just get you whatever the numbers are that you think you need. It can’t do that. If it’s a weapon, then good luck to them. I said to the team that deep down there’ll always be a spot for them in my heart because I’ve helped mould that team into what it is. I want to see it succeed, I don’t want to see it fail. But I want them to finish second to me, obviously.

I’d love to win and then them finish second to fifth. I’m sure the Mustang will be better; it can’t be worse than what they have. If they win, you shake their hand, if they don’t, the call’s been made.

You know where you’re going, don’t you?

You know what you’re doing next year.

Yeah, I have a drive next year, so we’ll announce it soon, which will be good. The first thing was to announce that I was leaving Tickford because it’s the respectful way to do it. And that’s why I wanted to do it on Facebook because it was my words, it’s exactly how you feel and you can say what you want to say. Leaving was the first part of it and we have a drive next year. When it all comes out in a couple of weeks, people will have their opinions, good or bad. Christmas is normally when you get a break, but Christmas this year is going to be damn busy, making relationships in my new team, getting seat pours done and ergonomics organised – all the stuff I haven’t done for 13 years. So the break’s not going to be a break. I’m looking forward new relationships and pulling your finger out of your backside a bit and having to work hard instead of just doing the same thing. Everyone at Tickford knows me. They know what makes you happy, they know what makes you angry. They know everything about

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you and sometimes you get too comfortable.

So I’m looking forward to announcing where I’m going and then putting in the effort and making it work.

You’d become part of the furniture out at Campbellfield, hadn’t you?

You do become part of the furniture. There are things you ask for and when you’ve been there so long, if you keep asking and get nowhere, you stop asking. When I go to a new team, I’ll start asking for things if I think it’s deficient. But the good part about Tickford is that it’s been nice to build the team to where it is – you’ve played a big part in that – working with some good young drivers who will remain there. It’s nice that you’ve played a role and even though you’re walking away, there’s still an emotional connection there. So although

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you become part of the furniture, I’m quite outspoken now. I push for things and kind of become the father figure of all the drivers and push for things. They’ll see a change there by me leaving and it’ll put more responsibility on the other blokes. You don’t want to become just furniture in the background. You want to be the nice bit that gets used all the time. And that’s what I think will change with where I’m going.

If we believe the rumours, most would think that you’re taking on one helluva challenge.

Are you?

Not really. I like pressure. I thrive on pressure and there’s more pressure with what I’m doing. I like challenges, so I’m up for the challenge. It’s going to be satisfying if you can turn it into something, and make it your

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own and build it with a great bunch of people and turn it into something. And that’s kind of what I did with Brighty (Jason Bright) at Tickford back in the day (when it was FPR).

We grabbed hold of it and he played the more senior role, and when he left, I took over that role a lot more. But it’s nice to take a team from somewhere to where it needs to be. When I joined FPR, they couldn’t finish a race without engine blow-ups. It looked like a shambles, yet I finished third in the championship in my first year there (2006).

Things can turn quite quickly. You just have to make sure that when you’re forecasting it, you’re looking at what’s going on, their deficiencies, what bits need replacing. Make sure they’re all lined up, which they are (at his new team). It’s calculated. There’s always risk, but one I think I’ve calculated pretty well and needed to do. We’ll see.

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You’ve only ever raced Falcons in Supercars. After so long with the Blue Oval, will you keep your following if you defect to another make?

Yeah, but it’s tough. It is tough. It’s more the supporters that I’m passionate about because manufacturers come and go. They pick when they want in, they pick when they want out. But supporters have bought my gear whatever the manufacturer involvement was or wasn’t. So it’s them that I feel very connected to because they spend their money on your gear (branded merchandise) to show their support. That’s the hardest thing to walk away from. That was the toughest bit. People walking up to you and saying “Are you staying? We want you to stay, please stay”. It was those comments at Bathurst and the Gold Coast that were really getting to me.

say good stuff to you, but it is what it is. I like the passion and I thought it was the best way to do it.

You’re 37, so how many good years do you reckon you have left as a full-time driver in Supercars?

I think this is a refresher. The way it was going, I was getting a bit disheartened and I think this is the refresher to prolong my career. Obviously, if it goes well, then you’re in the sport for a long time. But I hope that I can build the new team into a position that gets them into a good place and you can lay the foundations for the next person to take

So there was some bad reaction when the rumours started?

Not bad reaction. Just people just saying “Please don’t leave”. It was actually flattering. It’s nice that people like you enough that they want you to stay in the team. But after the announcement, people have actually been quite supportive. They’ve come up to me and said “We’ll support you wherever you go”. Obviously, diehard Ford fans wanted me to stay, but ultimately I’m the same person. We’ll see what happens. Hopefully, we’ll do something positive and beat the peoplee they don’t like.

Since Bathurst, the rumours were rampant. The way you announced you were leaving Tickford was particularly well managed, I thought. Your address to the fans on Facebook was classy. Did you and Renee (his wife and manager) come up with that strategy?

Yeah, that was us. We just thought it was the best way to do it, to be honest. We have a lot of interaction on our social media and it’s not managed by an outside company. We do it all ourselves. So people who send us a message get one back and it’s from us.

People respect that. We do a lot of social media stuff. We do giveaways, so much stuff. But you’re never asking for praise or anything for it. We do it because we like to give back. We have a high communication rate. There’s no fake members on our sites.

We haven’t bought the 30,000 followers from somewhere. We answer messages and do live chats. So it wasn’t an abnormal thing to address the fans directly. It was the best way to do it. Instantly, there were 2000 comments.

People can give their opinion. It was all in my own words and people could see the sincerity and emotion.

Bit of a risk, though, because, equally, they can savage you.

People are passionate and they don’t always

22 AutoAction

over. So whether it’s four years, six years, 10 years or only two years, I don’t really know.

But I think this move has made my career longer, not shorter, by the new challenge. I feel young again. I’m always motivated, but a new challenge like this, no doubt it refreshes you.

So you never thought about retiring or the easy option of becoming a gun co-driver?

No, not really. I don’t want to finish my career the way it’s going. I’m too proud a person and, unfortunately, with our sport, you’re remembered for your last results, not the good results. So I’m taking a risk, but it’s on my

terms. As I said on Facebook, my five-year-old son hasn’t seen me win a race live when he was old enough to understand. It’s not the way I’m going to go out. I’m doing this as a way to get back at the front. This is how I think I can win again. Retiring was never an option, but staying where I was wasn’t, either. Lots of reasons why, but mainly to get back to the front.

You’re leaving Tickford Racing on good terms, there’s no animosity, which isn’t often the case.

It’s good. There’s no reason for things to turn nasty. I haven’t done the wrong thing

by them, they haven’t done the wrong thing by me. We’ve won a championship together, we we’ve won a Bathurst together, we’ve had 138 podiums, 38 race wins. If you can’t have res respect from all that, you’d be a pretty shit pe person. It was actually quite emotional telling Tim (Edwards, team principal) that we were bre breaking up, effectively. He was emotional, Iw was emotional. It was more an emotional bre break-up than it was an angry one. We left on go good terms, and they’ll always have a soft spot for me and I’ll have a soft spot for the team. It’s a ggood way to leave. You’d hate to leave there afte after 13 years and be angry at each other. I’m no not angry at anything. They were disappointed I’ve left and I’m disappointed I’m leaving.

There’s no anger.

Well, you grew with them, didn’t you?

When I sat there with Tim and he asked me “Righto, what are we doing?” and I said “I’m out, I’m leaving”, we both sunk in our chair a bit. It was a bit weird. You didn’t get teary, but you got emotional and I thanked him for everything he’s done for you. I rang Rod (Nash, team co-owner) and thanked him for everything he’s done for me, and also (the other co-owners) Sven (Burchartz) and Rusty (French). Tim said to me that he never thought Winterbottom has had many successes since starting at the Campbellfield squad in 2006.

Team loyalists: Mark Winterbottom has been with his team 13 years, Craig Lowndes 14 with his.

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this day would come, that he thought I’d be with them forever. There was no “you this, you that”. It was a really nice way to do it. You just have to know when to walk away and I thought this was the perfect time to do it.

What was your highlight with the team?

Winning Bathurst or the championship?

Oh, winning the championship was the best feeling. We were bridesmaids for so long and we took it up to Triple Eight for so many years but could never beat them. That used to shit me to tears, to be honest. You’d go b backk every year and be good for six months, and then you fade in the last few months and they’d just pip you at the line. Or they start strong and we’d come home strong, but they still just got us. Years and years of getting so close but not getting it done used to shit everyone at the team. To get it done in 2015 was by far the most satisfying thing we’ve done. It’s a credit to everyone there. We’d won a lot of races, but what we all wanted was the championship. It kind of sealed all the good stuff we’ve done. The downside is that since then, it’s been quite lean. In ’16 I had two race wins – the only two race wins for the team – and then the past two years has just been really tough. I’ve had the highs and the lows of it. But 2015 was definitely the highlight.

But as an individual performance, surely it’d be hard to top beating Jamie Whincup in a dogfight near the end to win the 2013 Bathurst 1000?

Yeah… There’s all these shoulda, coulda, wouldas, but I reckon in ’13 we should have won the championship – if we didn’t have our seven crossthreaded wheel nuts, you know? James Small was one of the best race engineers I’ve ever had. He as an engineer made me feel like I was unbeatable. So that drive on that day, it was a good drive, but I felt I did so many of them with him. He was a guy who got you in the right mindset and that win was kind of expected. Although it was a massive achievement, it was due to his level of workmanship and I was just matching up to him. Whereas in ’15, I had junior engineer (Small had moved to NASCAR) and we had to work really hard to get the best out of each other.

At Bathurst in ’13, I just felt that race was ours. But with the championship in ’15, I always felt like they

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(Triple Eight d Whi i tto ttake k it away ffrom us and Whincup)) were going because they’d done it for the previous four years. So it was a different way of winning. When James was my engineer, he made me feel almost bullet-proof and that’s why I was so strong at Bathurst in ’13.

You have to wonder why FPR/PRA/Tickford hasn’t achieved a lot more. When you look at the team, it seems to have everything you need to be successful – good people and plenty of resources.

We’re in an era where there’s been one dominant team, really. We were second best to them for a long time. Unfortunately, it’s slipped a bit now, but for many years we were the second best to them. We could beat them on our day, but we just couldn’t beat them for the year. But you’re right, it’s an impressive facility at Campbellfield. It’s a massive operation that’s grown very big and it’s changed a lot while I’ve been there. I’m sure they’ll get back to where they need to be. You can’t be that big and successful over the years and not get back there, and they’re showing hints of it now. I’m sure they’ll get back there in some capacity. For my sake, I hope not too quick because if they roll out at Adelaide next year and dominate, then obviously I’ll have made the wrong call. But they won’t struggle forever.

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Just as you haven’t forgotten how to win races or be a front-runner?

You don’t forget. Smart people, good people, is what makes teams work.

Sometimes reshuffles take a little longer to get on top of than what they should, but there’s no doubt they’ll be competitive again one day.

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SURVIVAL

OF T

After 29 races spread across two countries, six states and one territory, the 2018 Supercars Championship heads to Newcastle for another nail-biting finale. In a reflection of their season-long battle, Scott McLaughlin takes a slender points lead into the weekend over Kiwi countryman Shane van Gisbergen. Auto Action investigates what there is to play out

BY HEATH McALPINE

N

EWCASTLE PROVIDED an exciting conclusion to the 2017 Supercars Championship and promises again to deliver in 2018.

It is a story of redemption for Scott McLaughlin and DJR Team Penske after last season’s disappointment at Newcastle, which added another thrilling narrative to the story of the Australian Touring Car Championship.

McLaughlin has again enjoyed an incredibly successful season in the final year of the Falcon FGX. But the ZB Commodore has been a worthy competitor during its first year, as demonstrated by title protagonist Red Bull Holden Racing Team’s Shane van Gisbergen.

It is the second time the Supercars will visit the 14-turn, 2.652km Newcastle Street Circuit, which debuted last year amongst much fanfare. The challenging layout will host a pair of 250km races, which last year provided a great deal of drama and a thrilling end to the championship.

Just 14-points separate the two Kiwis heading to the final round.

For McLaughlin the situation is reversed from last year, as this time he holds the

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lead going into the concluding two races, whereas last year, Jamie Whincup held a 30-point lead heading to Newcastle.

However Whincup’s title chances looked dire after he collided with Michael Caruso in Saturday’s penultimate race, which dropped him to 21st. McLaughlin comfortably won that race ahead of teammate Fabian Coulthard, but then it all went pear-shaped for him on the Sunday.

Holding a 78-point lead heading into the final encounter, it was hard to bet against the DJR Team Penske team leader after he took Pole Position. But in the race a pit lane speeding penalty pushed him down the order, and in his manic desperation to make up positions he contacted two cars, including the Commodore of Triple Eight driver Craig Lowndes, a penalty for which which ended his title tilt and left the young Kiwi in despair.

However, 2018 has been a much more consistent year for both McLaughlin and DJR Team Penske. Both have displayed further maturity as a partnership and for McLaughlin as a driver.

Importantly, McLaughlin has dominated the Pole Position count this year with 13, taking eight victories, with the only criticism levelled that he failed convert more of his Pole Positions into wins during an

T S E T T I F E TH

The scenic Newcastle Street Circuit provided great drama last year.

The decider will be a battle between the Kiwis with a mere 14 points separating them (above).

unc uncharacteristic RBHRT form slump mid-season. slum It has been a turbulent season for tthe RBHRT. It started well for vvan Gisbergen by cleansweeping Adelaide yet again, swe before a rare misstep set-up befo wise left the team struggling for answers.

Qualifying pace had answ disap disappeared, but van Gisbergen a to salvage a number was able po of podiums even when starting amon the mid-field, which is among some something his teammate Whincup strugg to do. struggled Loo Looking at last year’s Newcastle form, McLaughlin was dominant mo of the weekend. He for most started from Pole in both races co and converted the Saturday race vic into victory, while van Gisbergen strugg in Saturday’s race after struggled qualify third, but then recovered qualifying to help teammate Whincup take a championship winning victory the next day.

Teammates will, just like last year, play a crucial role in the final result.

And Triple Eight has the strongest team heading into the final round. It has the one extra entry compared to DJR Team Penske, and this played a crucial role in how the title was decided last year. Not only is there a numerical advantage, but Whincup and Craig Lowndes have both had strong seasons – both sit in the top five – while their form on the Newcastle street circuit last year means that both will race McLaughlin hard.

Newcastle will signal the end to one of the most illustrious careers in Supercars/ ATCC history, as Lowndes bids farewell to his full-time Supercars career to pursue potentially overseas GT drives and a role within Supercars media in 2019.

Lowndes leaves a legacy that includes

The track has become notoriously hard to overtake on.

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21

three championships, 107 race wins, 258 podiums and 42 Pole Positions.

And in his post-Newcastle life he can add to his tally of eight Supercars 500km endurance race wins and seven Bathurst 1000 victories, as a RBHRT co-driver in future years.

DJR Team Penske’s number two, Fabian Coulthard, has had a disappointing season after being in championship contention for much of the 2017 season. His role will be crucial in supporting his fellow Kiwi in securing his maiden title in Newcastle. Coulthard aided his teammate by finishing second to him in the opening race last year, while a driveshaft issue meant he wasn’t able to help McLaughlin during that intense final race.

Not only will the title protagonists ates, be worried about each other’s teammates, but there are a number of other driverss that gh will be keen to end the season on a high.

The first name that comes to mind is David Reynolds.

Crazy Dave has had a mixed year. It started with a flurry after a win at the Australian Grand Prix and podiums at Adelaide, Phillip Island and Barbagallo, before a poor round at Winton and a Bathurst to forget took him out of the title battle.

It was a coming of age year for Erebus as it became a genuine title contender and was the lead Holden team after RBHRT changed set-up direction for the worst.

Erebus has come back on form in recent rounds and with Reynolds secure in a top five championship position, he has nothing to lose.

Another to experience a change of fortune in recent rounds is Tickford Racing’s lead contender, Chaz Mostert. It has been a

Mostert has hit form in recent rounds (top), teammates will play a role (above), Reynolds will be a contender (far right) and Nissan officially officially bids farewell (below).

frustrating year, but Mostert’s form has turned around since the Pirtek Enduro Cup, where he just missed a Bathurst podium and repeated his Gold Coast success from the previous year. When the championship returned to sprint form in Pukekohe, his pace failed to diminish, with a podium and a top five the result. He holds the hope that the former factory squad can send the Falcon off with a victory in its final appearance.

The Walkinshaw Andretti United pair can’t be ruled out either. James Courtney and Scott Pye were on the pace in New Zealand and if the team can get qualifying right, it most certainly will shake up the front of the field and be another thorn in the side of McLaughlin. Remember, at Pukekohe Courtney allowed van Gisbergen an easy passage through in Race 29.

And let’s not forget Nissan.

In its final season as a factory team, Nissan Motorsport has experienced the most success it has ever had in Supercars.

But it has proved too late for the Japanese manufacturer, which officially withdraws after Newcastle.

Rick Kelly has held the Nissan flag up high this season, taking a breakthrough win at Winton to be well entrenched in the top 10 heading to Newcastle. With a four-car program planned for next year, the Kelly boys will not only be looking to send Nissan off with a dream victory, but also hoping that frontrunning pace will attract sponsors.

One title that is already confirmed is the Team’s Championship. The Red Bull

26 AutoAction

Holden Racing Team clinched it in New Zealand, meaning that DJR Team Penske’s 2018 term in the first two pit garages has been only a season-long affair, with the margin heading into Newcastle being an unassailable 681 points.

The 2018 Supercars Championship Driver’s title is now certain to head off shore, but will it be with 2016 Champion van Gisbergen or fan favourite McLaughlin?

The latter’s success would perhaps be a fitting way to send off to the Falcon after more than 50 years of competition.

With all these variables, it is hard to pick a winner, but if last year is anything to go by, another big winner will be Newcastle itself, which provides a picturesque setting for the final race weekend of the season.

Bring it on.

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09:35 - 09:50 10:05 - 10:25 10:40 - 11:00 11:15 - 11:30 11:45 - 12:05 12:40 - 13:00 13:15 - 13:35 13:55 - 14:15 14:30 - 15:00 15:45 - 17:50

SUNDAY

08:50 - 09:10 09:20 - 09:45 09:55 - 10:15 10:30 - 10:45 11:00 - 11:20 11:55 - 12:15 12:25 - 12:45 13:00 - 13:25 13:50 - 14:10 14:25 - 14:55 15:40 - 17:45

TV SCHEDULE Network Ten Fox Sports

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15 mins 20 mins 12 laps 15 mins 20 mins 11 laps 10 laps 12 laps 20 laps 95 laps

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Race 2 Race 2 Race 3 Qualifying Qualifying - Race 31 Race 3 Race 3 Top Ten Shootout - Race 31 Race 4 Race 2 Race 31

10 laps 11 laps 12 laps 15 mins 20 mins 10 laps 12 laps 25 mins 12 laps 20 laps 95 laps

Nov 24 12:00-18:00 on TEN/TEN HD Nov 25 12:00-18:00 on TEN/TEN HD Nov 23 11:30-16:30 on Fox Sports 6 Nov 24 9:35-18:30 on Fox Sports 6 Nov 25 8:40-18:30 on Fox Sports 6

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By DAN KNUTSON K and LUIS VAS VASCONCELOS

Is Lewis Hamilton the best ever? He is closing in on many of Michael Schumacher’s records and has now equaled Juan Manuel Fangio’s title count. But the Brit is one of the most polarizing figures ever to compete in Formula 1. Here the newly-crowned fivetime World Champion opens up about breaking records, Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen’s drinking habits

Y

OUR WIN in Japan was number 71. You are closing in on Michael Schumacher’s record of 91 victories. So 20 to go.

That’s still a lot of wins. I honestly don’t go for records. When I wake up or I go for training at the beginning of the year, I’m not thinking: “I’m going for this record or I’m going for that record.” But I guess on my journey, on my path, on my goal, on my dream to win the championship, that’s an inevitable that you get closer to those records.

Quite often, at the end of a race this year, you say you feel you’re driving better than ever. How does that translate to what you’re doing inside and outside the car?

I think it’s visible. At some point during the season you get used to it, you get more comfortable with the car, how to use the tyres and you just work on all elements, on all areas and try to strengthen them. That’s what we’ve done this year. The races tend to be my key strength this year. Qualifying has been my main strength but this year the races have been more so. In qualifying I think I keep improving through the year, but it’s also focus, concentration, it’s fitness, it’s all sorts.

Are you surprised at all the criticism

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Mercedes attracted after your teammate Valtteri Bottas helped you a bit in Monza?

Especially after so many years of Ferrari running with a clear Number 1 and a clear Number 2 driver?

No, because generally there’s a lot of negative people in the world, people always look at the negatives. But the way I see it, that’s a reflection of their own whatever issue they have, whatever insecurity they have. It’s not my problem, it’s their problem. They’re always looking, a lot of the time, a lot of people cling on to a negative, where there isn’t even a negative there to cling to. There’s a lot of people that see a positive and take the positive – that’s how human nature is.

Has Bottas been able to push you more than last year?

Yes, definitively. Particularly at the beginning of the year, he was incredibly strong and was definitively a lot closer this year than last year.

He knows the team, he knows the car better, he knows himself better, his confidence was much higher, so I think he’s been driving really well this year – really solid.

Do you think in the car you have an advantage over Sebastian Vettel given his mistakes?

Emotionally? I don’t think a lot, really. I’m not overthinking it.

Vettel says he thinks about Formula 1 24 hours a day; do you think about it six hours a day?

Or less.

Do you remember when was the last time you made a costly mistake in a race?

For me every mistake is costly and in Italy I had a small lock up somewhere.

Ultimately, we all make mistakes in every race, there isn’t a single race in which you haven’t made a single mistake. You’re always on the edge, you’re always at 100 percent and you want to stay at 100 percent, not at 101 percent or 99 percent. It’s like balancing a knife, which is basically impossible. The key is not to go to 105 and then to 95 and then 110. It’s keeping it as close as possible to 100.

Do you ever watch the races afterwards?

I don’t watch a lot, normally I don’t. Italy I did.

I was interested in seeing how it was, how I pulled it off. It was cool. I watched the highlights and then I watched the full race, so I watched it twice.

One reason why you’re happy Kimi Räikkönen is carrying on, as without him you’d be the oldest driver in the grid.

Really? Holly shit! I’d be the oldest driver here?

I look younger than everyone, so it would be okay. (laughs).

Speaking of Kimi, it’s now certain he’ll be racing at least until he’s 41 years old. Can you see yourself doing that, not because you’d have a winning car but just because you’d love to keep on racing?

Currently I don’t see that happening, but I can never say never. One thing I’ve always admired in Kimi, I’ve never made a secret that I like him

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as a driver and he’s one of my favourite drivers, he’s always been, he’s one of my favourite characters in Formula 1. I actually admire him and I think Ferrari are losing a really good asset.

It doesn’t make sense to me why they want to lose such an asset. Someone that wants to continue racing next year, someone who’s driving really well and was on pole for the last race. I can’t, in my mind, weigh up why you’d do that.

There’s going to be at least five very young drivers in the field next year, some under 20. Is there a different feeling, a different approach at racing guys you never encountered, not even in karting?

No, if anything there’s an empty feeling because, someone you’ve know, you have an history and you’ve seen their successes, you know them. If someone new comes, it’s empty, you don’t know who they are, what they do.

But then you’re discovering them out on the track. Do you have to mark your territory?

It’s definitively different from racing against someone I know well. But I’m always watching these kids in GP2 and GP3, I watch the races and I try to keep an eye on them, as much as I can. I don’t need to mark my territory, I don’t feel I need to do that. That’s something someone does when they feel threatened, and I don’t feel threatened. I don’t have to mark my territory. I do what I do and maybe, automatically, that marks your territory. But I don’t feel I have to, they know who I am, what I’ve achieved. I’m not insecure in that sense, I don’t care who comes in.

A lot of rich kids are coming into Formula 1. Is that a good thing, when people like Esteban Ocon have no seat for next year?

No. I made it no secret what I think about it, and even if I express my feelings toward it, it doesn’t make any difference. But it’s not great, it’s not cool that we have Ocon – I mean, he’s driving so well – out of a seat. You’ve got Red Bull, who take one of their younger guys, as they’ve got so many; you’ve got McLaren, who take their young guy. In my mind, if I was

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a team principal I would want to get the two best drivers in my car. Especially if we wouldn’t be building a good car, I would like to have somebody to tell me that and figure it out how to improve.

Like Force India was until now?

Yes, Ocon has done testing here at Mercedes, he has great knowledge of this car, he knows his car. I think he’s almost an invaluable asset and these other teams are not serious on winning, in my opinion.

Going back to racing, this being the first year in which Mercedes hasn’t built the fastest car in the hybrid era, is there a different mentality inside the team?

The is a high level of respect between Hamilton and Vettel after a 10 year rivalry (left) while There Raikkonen’s admission in his book left Hamilton shocked.

Ra

I don’t need to, as long as the balance of the team is right. The energy in the tea has to be right. If Toto (Wolff) would team co to me and it would sound like he come wa making a silly decision – it doesn’t was ha happen, but if it did – if he was making an ir irrational decision, then I would say: “This m might off balance this team, in which w we’ve got a great formula, so why would y shift it?” But we have a great balance you h here, I don’t need to demand anything.

I don’t think we had the fastest car last year, in a lot of races. The same dynamic is there, the same energy is there, the same focus is there, the determination is not wavering, there’s no point in changing our approach. I see that the team is incredibly hungry and I would say we’re a tighter unit than we’ve ever been.

Is that a result of needing to push more?

For sure. We’ve had to pull together more, we’ve had to really tighten up more on all areas. Every day that I work with this team, I’m blown away by their determination, by their empathy. We all encourage dual has each other and every single individual improved as an engineer, as a friend, as a co-worker. Every single one of us has improved in that respect and that’s what’s getting us across the line ahead of the other teams, even though we don’t have the fastest package.

Bottas said that what surprised him more about Mercedes was the speed of reaction to a problem or failure. Has that surprised even you, who’ve been with this team for six years now?

No, because it’s always been something they’ve been doing. That always has been something they’re great at reacting to.

One of your records is that you’ve won races in every year you’ve raced in Formula 1, so that’s 12 years winning at least one race.

It’s been a good run, 12 seasons.

This mistake at Monza was the only one that came to mind when Hamilton was quizzed.

I nice when you can trust people?

It’s

Mexico Bottas has not won this As of Mexico, year. Does that surprise you?

I was actually not aware he hadn’t won yet. I thought he had won one. Baku was the most unfortunate thing that happened, because he had done a great job. He’d outdriven me that whole weekend, he had done a great job.

It seems like every time there is even a bit of rain during a race, you win.

Generally, as a kid, I was always good in the rain. But I would say I’ve gotten stronger since I’ve got to Formula 1. I was very good in the rain when I was in karting, but I didn’t win as much. I wasn’t as strong as I am in Formula 1.

Whatever Michael Schumacher wanted at Ferrari he got because he really controlled the team. Is that something that appeals to you, to have control over all areas of the team?

For sure. I think that what we have here i very unique in the entire paddock. What is w have here we don’t have anywhere we e in the paddock, especially the family else a atmosphere we have at Mercedes-Benz.

Y don’t have this undeniable trust You b between all elements of the team. I know a the Board members trust us and vice all versa. You don’t have that anywhere else.

You’ve now spent six years at Mercedes, as many as you spent at McLaren from 2007 to 2012. Is Mercedes home for you now?

Absolutely. But McLaren was also half Mercedes, when I signed with them I signed with McLaren Mercedes. I’ve always been with Mercedes but this is definitively home. What we have, what Toto has built and I’ve been part of this building up, we’ve been pretty much building it in the best possible way. I’ve got my own caps, my own clothes, I brought Tommy Hilfiger into the team; I get to work with the engineers that I want to work with. There’s a great trust and belief from both parties and that is great.

Does this mean that in five years you’ll stop with this team, no change?

Five years? I don’t know if I’ve got five years. Two more and we’ll see after that.

What is your favourite place in the world, full of peace, freedom and love?

My favourite place in the world is probably Grenada; it’s where my family is from.

things. One day I’ll write a book about what I think about these different scenarios, most of it will be new to you all.

Räikkönen wrote a book.

It has two pages?

No, it has 269 pages.

But the letters are really big? (laughs) He said he was once drunk 16 days in a row.

He wrote that? Wow. Shit, that’s crazy.

In Formula 1 what mountains are there still left for you to climb?

I’m still climbing the mountain. Even with title number five, I’m still climbing the mountain. Michael has seven and that’s Everest. What else is there? I don’t know. I’ve achieved most things that I’ve wanted to. I’m not here to beat records but I love racing, I love competing. I love the challenge of every year having a new car, a new engine, new tyres, new gearbox, new suspension, a new form of driver being needed, an adapted DNA. I love this challenge. That’s why I’m doing these other things, because I can’t stop Formula 1, say in five years, and then begin to build other things. That would take me 10 or 15 years to get where I want to be. I’m getting a good head start on these things I’m doing outside Formula 1, so when I stop racing, hopefully at the top, I can hang up my gloves and continue with something else.

Do you think next year Red Bull-Honda will be a threat to Mercedes and Ferrari?

I hope so! I really, really hope so. Again, as I’m getting older, I’m seeing a lot of differences between how teams are managed. I’m looking through the years how different teams are managed in different ways. I think Red Bull has had a great car for years, but you can wonder if it has always been managed in the right way.

But I think they’re a great team, and I really hope the engine takes a great step next year. I hope it’s in the mix with us. We need to have at least a third team at the front.

Do you believe in bad luck?

Where’s your last tattoo?

China was the last race that was really, really bad luck. But, as I’ve said before, I don’t believe in bad luck, I believe in other

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Here (points to his left shoulder). It’s my father and me.

WRC

THE

FIGHT IS ON

BY HEATH MCALPINE

THE PENULTIMATE round of the World Rally Championship in Spain shook up the championship as the three leading drivers of this season all experienced mixed results.

It means that the title goes down to the wire at Rally Australia.

Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville led the championship heading to Catalunya by seven points, however hitting a rock on the final Power Stage meant he not only dropped to fourth, but failed to gain bonus points.

Neuville’s season has been a replica of Sebastien Ogier’s previous five, with limited mistakes and consistent results.

But a retirement in Turkey came at an important time in the championship, as Ott Tanak took a hat-trick of rally wins to enter title calculations and Ogier remained in touching distance.

Neuville is confident about his title chances considering his recent form on the sweeping gravel of Coffs Harbour.

“The title fight is wide-open heading to Australia,” said Neuville post-Spain. “We won the rally from second on the road last season, so everything is possible.

“I think it is better to be second and be just a few points behind. If I get a problem then okay, he will be champion. But at least I think it is not the most uncomfortable position to be in and the gap is small, so it will be interesting.”

Tanak’s first year with Toyota has been nothing short of impressive. Off the back of wins in Finland, Germany and Turkey, the Estonian quickly moved into title contention after a mid-season slump. Luck deserted Tanak in the previous two rallies at Wales Rally GB and in Catalunya, where he was leading both quite comfortably before a

The three title contenders have each had a purple patch, though Ogier’s (top) has lasted six years.

Can Neuville (above) or Tanak (below) stem the Frenchman’s dominance?

damaged radiator and a puncture cost him two rally wins.

The Toyota man is an unlikely chance for the title, but this season has thrown up more than its fair share of surprises, and what that means is that for Tanak to win the championship, Neuville and Ogier must fail to score as he is now 23

points behind.

“I have nothing to lose,” said Tanak.

“Of course, we still needed to finish but I pushed very hard as it was my only chance to stay mathematically in the championship fight.

“I did all I could and we will not give up. We also still have a strong position

in the manufacturers’ championship, so we will go to Australia and fight really hard for that what is left.”

The WRC has been dominated in recent times by the French, and Ogier will hope to continue that streak as he aims for his sixth title in a row. In his swansong for M-Sport and Ford, Ogier takes a three-point lead into the final round, but crucially he will be the road sweeper, which hampered him last year when he finished fourth.

It has been a tough season for Ogier. Although he may have taken four victories this season, the added pressure from Neuville and Tanak has shown at times. Post-Spain, it was Ogier that placed the pressure on his pursuers.

“I would rather keep my position,” Ogier explained. “If you have the points, you have the points, but if you have to score them it is a different story. He [Neuville] will have an advantage at the start, but the pressure is on him.

“The difference between starting first and second in Australia is so close. But you never know, we could still have some rain and tricky conditions.”

Not only is the Driver’s Championship up for grabs, but the Manufacturer’s title is also very evenly poised. Toyota’s bad luck in Catalunya allowed Hyundai to close within 12 points heading to Rally Australia. M-Sport remains a slight chance, but sits 25 points behind Toyota, as the Japanese manufacturer aims to take its first title since its return to the WRC.

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Normally in the shadows, backroom boffin Nick Hughes is the globally experienced technical director of DJR Team Penske who, as BRUCE NEWTON reveals, is one of the keys to the squad’s success

D

espite his own denials, Nick Hughes can aptly be described as a secret weapon.

In fact, the technical director of DJR Team Penske fulfils that description on at least two levels.

Firstly, the immensely talented Hughes does his job well away from the public eye, beavering away at his next go-fast idea back at base while other engineers, most notably Ludo Lacroix, take the limelight on race weekend.

Such stay-at-home boffins are common in motorsport categories like Formula One and NASCAR, but more of a rarity in Supercars where smaller budgets apply.

Hughes doesn’t mind steering clear of the limelight. In fact, he absolutely shuns it. He is effectively a founding member of the USAussie team, yet since joining in late 2014 he has done only one media interview.

This is only his second media outing since coming back from an extended stay in the USA. And for this one we had to travel to DJRTP’s Stapylton base in south-eastern Queensland to meet up.

It’s worth it because it’s not every day you get to chat with a bloke with such extensive and successful experience across F1, NASCAR and Supercars

SECRET WEAPON GETTING STARTED

WE MEET in the spotless boardroom of DJRTP’s spotless headquarters.

Hughes turns out to be not quite what might be expected. There’s no thick bi-focals, no white coat, no cap with a spinning propeller.

Instead, here’s a sandy haired bloke in his mid-40s with a ready smile and a firm handshake.

He’s got a racing driver’s slight build.

And it turns out, like so many who end up tuning cars, his ambitions had first focussed on the other side of the armco.

And he wasn’t too bad at it either. Born rn in Adelaide and turned on to racing at the first Adelaide F1 GP in 1985, Hughes es emerged as one of South Australia’s Formula Ford young guns in the mid1990s. Road tripping with his Dad, he made the step-up to national level racess with reasonable success.

“The leading lights were Mark Webber, Jason Bright, Marcos Ambrose was just emerging at that time,” recalls Hughes. “I think the Kellys were around and Jason Bargwanna.

“My best result was at the Australian Grand Prix I think, maybe a ninth place or

something like that.”

Reality and premature retirement came in 1997 – as it so often does – via the bank balance. Or lack of it.

But Hughes already had a taste for life in pitlane. His first job after graduating from Adelaide University with a mechanical engineering degree was at North Terrace

Hughes can claim world championship success, designing the shocks for Mika Hakkinen’s McLaren in 1998 and 1999.

Tyres, which among other things distributed Penske Racing shocks in Australia.

Believe it or not, considering where he is now, Hughes spent a lot of time with Dick Johnson Racing, which in those days was Penske’s factory Australian touring car team.

It was a critical early period in his developing career.

“I was super-green and was just thrown in the deep-end. I spent a lot of time with people like Ross and Jimmy Stone, John Bowe and those guys.

“I also did Sprintcar races and drag races and I fitted tyres. It was a great job for a graduate.”

OFFER OF A LIFETIME

Hughes spent six years working for NASCAR “force of nature” Ray Evernham.

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HUGHES BAILED after 18 months and headed on an overseas trip with no ambition in mind. But when he dropped in unannounced at Penske Racing headquarters in Reading Pennsylvania to catch up with old friends from the shock business, his future was sealed.

“They said ‘oh you must have got our message. One our engineers has left and we knew you were over here and we thought you might be interested in a job’. My jaw hit the ground!

“That was mid-1997 and that’s what set my career path from there. Working for Penske Shocks was just a dream job.”

The early days in Perth in 2015. Hughes and the rest of the team made an enormous effort to hit the standards required by Roger Penske (right).

Hughes’ focus was F1, designing shock absorbers for many teams including thendominant McLaren. His shock design was utilised by the MP4/13 and 14 which won the driver’s championship in the hands of Mika Hakkinen in 1998 and 1999.

“I also designed shocks for Jordan, Williams and Renault and we used to do a number of trips over there every year and work with those guys and do tests. It was just a wonderful opportunity.

“It was all bespoke stuff. So, every chassis every year you were designing stuff from scratch.

“It was a good period because the shock absorber was really changing quite a lot through the post-active suspension era.

If you look at them now they are like little mountain bike shocks – beautiful little things.

“But back in the mid-1990s they were off the shelf kinda big honking things,” he laughs.

CHANGING GEARS

AFTER SIX years Hughes decided it was time to work directly for a racing team.

NASCAR appealed and he landed a job

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working for the team of future Hall of Fame crew chief Ray Evernham. The team had brought Dodge back into NASCAR and ran drivers including Bill Elliott, Jeremy Mayfield and Kasey Kahne.

“Ray was force of nature. He was incredibly motivated and the whole team looked up and followed him,” recalls Hughes.

But when Evernham sold a majority share of the team to George Gillett Jnr, Hughes decided to move on. It was a good call, as Evernham’s commitment was waning and by 2009 the team was merged with Petty Enterprises.

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Hughes was offered the chance in 2007 to run the engineering department at Michael Waltrip Racing. Soon after arriving there he was handed the title of technical director and Executive Vice President. But as fancy as that sounds, reality was somewhat different.

“They were a young team and not very successful on-track at that point,” Hughes says. “It was very dynamic from a leadership perspective at that time and I wondered what I had got myself in to.

“With a few of the changes and people leaving I was elevated to technical director

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vvery quickly.

“Thankfully things started to settle down aand we got a good management group in tthere and they all had an incredible amount oof faith in me.

“And as a group I was really proud of what we achieved there. We weren’t in the top 25 w iin points, so we had to qualify for races back when up to 50 people were showing up for w 443 spots. We were having to qualify to get iinto the race and there was a chance we were packing up and going home that night. w “By my last year in 2012 we had both ccars in the Chase and finished second in the championship to Brad Keselowski from Penske, in a very tight competition.

“To be part of that turnaround was hard work but very rewarding.”

COMING HOME

BY 2013 Hughes sensed his time racing in America was done. He was now married to an Adelaide girl he’d met on a Christmas trip home, had a young son and Australia called.

By the end of the year the Hughes family was back in Australia living on the Gold Coast and Nick was working for PWR

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Performance Products. That was well before Penske bought into Dick Johnson’s famous but financially failing team in 2014.

When Penske Racing president Tim Cindric sent Hughes an email asking if he was available to join what was then still only a potential Supercars project, Hughes didn’t have to think twice.

“It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” he explains. “Here was a race team that was just down the street from where I used to live in the US buying a race team just down the street from where I now lived in Australia.”

Serendipitous perhaps, but also hard work.

Hughes looks back on those early days of DJR Team Penske with a shake of the head.

There was a lot to be done in a very short period of time.

“It was a little reminiscent of the MWR period. At the beginning of 2015 we’d gone back to one car, swapped to the [Ford Falcon] FG/X and were trying to raise the whole image of the place,” he recalls.

“We were re-engineering the truck, the car, the data stand. I mean, it was everything. It was 14 hours a day, it was weekends, it was quite brutal.

“The expectations were very high but our resources were quite limited to what they have over there (Penske Racing in the USA).

They wanted us to run well and they wanted us to look good doing it “It was a lot to achieve with a small group and a small amount of time.”

And then there’s Marcos Ambrose. The former Supercar champion’s return lasted just two race meetings into 2015 before he stepped back. By the end of the season, after returning for the endurance season to back up Scott Pye, he was gone altogether.

To this day, Ambrose

NA ASC SCAR AR adventures saw Nick NASCAR Hughes take Michael Waltrip Racing from qualifiers to Cup contenders.

DJR Team Penske emerged as front-runners in 2017, at the same time as Hughes became more of a backroom boffin.

hasn’t officially retired from racing. Hughes, who first got to know Marcos when they were both in NASCAR, wishes he had never departed.

“I was quite shattered by it ... I often wondered if I had let him down or if I could have done more to keep him engaged or whether we could have had better cars by then,” says Hughes.

“I know it was a really difficult decision for him and he struggled with it a lot.

“I really wish he would have stuck with it because I know the talent he is as a driver.”

The pain Hughes feels is starkly obvious.

He has clearly mulled it over many times.

His candour is disarming in a sport

populated by men who rarely admit weakness or self-doubt.

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

BUT THAT’S Hughes. Other people in the team say he is admired, liked and respected across the squad. A deep thinker, compassionate, rarely prone to quick decisions or rushes of blood.

Which is an important reason he does not go to the races any more. Hughes realised he was not the man for the cut and thrust and instant strategy calls of white-hot Supercars racing. He concedes himself, he ponders his decisions too long to be in such a role.

“I think where I am stronger is in the longer vision aspects of it,” he admits. “I am a bit visi more a of slow thinker as opposed to a quick mo decision maker you need at the track,” he dec says snapping his fingers to emphasise the say point. poi “I like to study, understand, look at things, be presented with all the facts and make a dec decision based on that.”

T arrival of Lacroix from Triple Eight in The 201 to take on a senior engineering and 2017 str strategy role, including race engineering ne new signing Scott McLaughin, allowed Hughes to become workshop-based.

Hu LLacroix is also one of the pre-eminent designers and aerodynamicists de in Supercars. He is also

turbulent, loud, forceful, rude, aggressive, charismatic, domineering and brilliant.

How on earth do the two of them fit together?

“Ludo is the guy at the track making those [instant] decisions and then have me looking at the more longer term development of the car, tools, understanding of the vehicle and things like that.

“It works quite well and we complement each other in that regard.”.

So, try and pin down just what Hughes does at DJRTP and he becomes a bit cagey.

You wouldn’t know he’s out of practice dealing with the media!

What we do know is the secretive DJRTP simulator program is his responsibility, he is assisting Lacroix and Perry Kapper on Mustang development and he’s just, well, constantly thinking, analysing, developing and making things faster.

“I apply engineering, science and physics to answer the questions we have about the car,” Hughes finally ventures. “Be it handling, aerodynamics, or tyres, or air pressures, or brakes, or anything.

“That’s probably where I can contribute … where that sort of process leads you in your development.”

He would never single himself out of course, but he is undoubtedly a key reason McLaughlin has had such an impressive race car in the DJRTP FG/X to race in 2017 and 2018.

So yep, add a third reason Hughes is a secret weapon. Not only does he rarely go to the races or give many interviews, he also doesn’t reveal too many of his secrets when it comes to going fast!

Not that he’s is buying into our description of him.

“I don’t believe in secret weapons, silver bullets or any of that stuff,” he responds. “I believe what brings you true success is a strong team.

“It’s working hard, it’s getting a group of people together, it’s being smart about things and thinking about things.

“Racing well is not a destination you are trying to get too, it’s a path you walk … the race isn’t who can show up with the best car this weekend, it’s about who can walk the path the fastest.

“It’s about the process and people who can accelerate you down the line as quickly as possible. That’s where longterm success comes from.”

AMBROSE: MY REGRET DJR TEAM Penske tech boss blames himself for Marcos’ retirement MARCOS AMBROSE would be a Supercars frontrunner today if he had not pulled the plug after just two races of his return to Australian racing in 2015.

That’s the view of DJR Team Penske’s technical director Nick Hughes, who says he blames himself for the double Supercar champion’s decision to call it quits.

“I really wish he would have stuck with it because I know the talent he is as a driver,” Hughes told Auto Action.

“I know he was struggling to feel those cars and things but I know he would have got there and it would have been a fun journey.

“I often wondered if I had let him down or if I could have done more to keep him engaged or whether we could have had better cars by then.”

Ambrose returned to Australia to great fanfare after 12 years in the USA to drive the e single Ford Falcon FG/X entry for the newly formed DJR Team Penske.

He managed a top 10 qualifying effort in the season-opening Clipsal 500, but after a startline smash at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, he stepped back from driving.

He co-drove with his replacement Scott Pye in the endurance races, but has not raced since. He has never formally announced his retirement from racing.

“The beginning of that season for all of us was a pretty stressful time.

We were trying to adapt and build and grow and become this vision of Penske in a very quick amount of time.

“I think he felt that pressure as well.”

Hughes first got to know Ambrose well when they shared

NASCAR racing premises, working for closely related teams JTG Daugherty Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing.

But they first ran across each other when they were both racing Formula Ford in Australia in the 1990s.

“I was quite shattered by it,” said Hughes of his reaction to Ambrose’s decision.

“But I know it was a really difficult decision for him and he struggled with it a lot.

“But you can’t ever criticise someone for being honest and I think he was completely honest about things and that’s all you can really ask from someone.

“He didn’t feel like he was the right person for it and he moved on. It took a lot of courage from him and honesty and courage are two very admirable traits.

“I still have a huge amount of respect for Marcos.”

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SMALL WORLD S

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After winning Bathurst with Mark Winterbottom, Australian James Small ttook his chance five years ago to pursue a career in the highly competitive world of NASCAR. Success followed Small Stateside, where Furniture Row Racing is the reigning NASCAR Cup champions and are currently in the fight to go back-to-back

BY HEATH McALPINE

ENVER HAS been home to Australian Race Engineer James Small for two years, though the term ‘home’ is used very loosely. The hectic NASCAR schedule – especially for a team located outside the heartland of NASCAR, North Carolina – means that Small works an insane schedule, but the former Supercars engineer wouldn’t change a thing.

“I spend far more time with the people on the team than I see my own wife,” James Small laughed.

“It’s ridiculous.

“Especially because we’re from Denver, so we have to travel every week. But if we were in North Carolina you’d get another five weekends at home because you’re racing right near where you live. All we do is work and travel, pretty much we have a half a day a week (off), it’s a crazy schedule.”

The hectic lifestyle Small leads has become a part of life, but working with a team like Furniture Row Racing, which includes fellow Aussie Peter Craik, makes the sacrifices worth it.

“It’s pretty draining,” Small continued.

“Once you get to the final few rounds of the year, you’re pretty well buggered. It’s tough, but I enjoy it, especially working with the team that I work with and the people, it makes it far more enjoyable then running 20th every week.”

It’s been a swift rise for Small who, 10 years ago, started working with Paul Morris part-time in data acquisition while finishing his studies, before being offered an opportunity to race engineer Lee Holdsworth at Garry Rogers Motorsport in 2007.

“It was great, Garry gave me an opportunity straight out of school,” Small told Auto Action. I have always been thankful for that and he was an awesome person to work for. We had quite a good year with Lee, he won his first race at Oran Park and ran well for most of the year.”

Further opportunity at Paul Morris Motorsport attracted Small back to the operation at a time when NASCAR influences where being investigated and tested by Morris.

“I ran the whole engineering side, while being Race Engineer for Russell [Ingall],

36 AutoAction

which was interesting. It was fun and we ran really well. Paul offered me a bit more opportunity, we bought a car over to the US and did a whole week of seven-post testing and wind tunnel testing.

“That side of things really interested me.”

A move to Kelly Racing led to reuniting with ex-Formula Ford teammate David Reynolds in his second year with the team, forging a successful relationship in which the fourth Kelly Racing entry finished a number of times in the 10 and narrowly failed to nab a podium.

The next stop for Small was at Ford Performance Racing, joining Paul Dumbrell in the closing stages of the 2011 season, before reuniting with Reynolds the next year where the partnership narrowly missed out on a

That winning feeling - Small tasted victory at Bathurst in 2013

B ath thurst Bathurst win. “We finished second behind Jamie [Whincup] when he should have passed him, he (Reynolds) still apologises for that!.” A move to Mark Winterbottom’s car followed, coinciding with the first season of Car of The Future, which delivered a Bathurst win for Winterbottom and Steve Richards. But a title eluded the Ford hero thanks to some

The close knit Furniture Row Racing crew enjoy the spoils of their NASCAR Cup Series victory with Martin Truex Jr. Photo: CIA Stock Photo

bad luck.

It was an interesting time for Small, as he also harboured a desire to work and live in the US. With those opportunities beckoning, he decided that his chance was there for the taking and proceeded to field offers from a number of NASCAR teams.

“After we raced at Austin, I flew out to North Carolina and I had a couple of job interviews,” Small explained. “I thought about it for a while, and it was now or never that I should go. After winning Bathurst, because that was something I really wanted to do, I needed to go. Once I had done that, I definitely knew I had made the right decision to go.

“I had job offers from RCR [Richard Childress Racing] and Penske. I decided to go with the RCR deal because it was guaranteed that I could go on the road the year after in the Cup Series. At the time I knew I had a job at Penske, but I didn’t know what I was going to be doing.”

Two years ago, via a connection that grew through his time at RCR, Small joined Furniture Row Racing. Cup Series success followed soon after as Martin Truex Jr took the 2017 crown, however earlier this year it was announced the team was to be dissolved after the team’s major sponsor pulled its support and a replacement couldn’t be found.

“It’s disappointing, it’s still surreal that it is all coming to an end,” said Small.

“We haven’t been thinking about it to be entirely honest, we’re just trying to get to Homestead to win the championship again. It’s hard, the amount of money needed to run a single car team out of Denver, the economy to scale just

From GRM to Furniture Row, Small has made a swift ascendency to the top of the NASCAR tree, top left. Small tasted success almost immediately with Lee Holdsworth when the then youngster took victory at Oran Park in 2007.

doesn’t really add up.

“We need a lot more money than a team based in North Carolina to run and Barney’s [Visser, the Team Owner] has put a lot of money in during his time as the owner and I know it wasn’t possible for him to keep going. We just ran out of time to find another sponsor. It was just unfortunate that 5 Hour pulled out, which left a big hole.

“Out of all the teams I have worked in during my career, this is probably the closest, tightest knit group ever.

Everyone gets along so well and to accomplish that with such a small, committed group, it’s hard to explain,” Small told Auto Action.

“It was incredible really.”

And this Small believes is bringing the team its success, which currently sees it well in the hunt for back-to-back NASCAR Cup titles.

“It’s definitely working. I think the main thing is that everybody

there knows what’s important to produce good cars back at the workshop and what you need to do at the track. And it’s the mindset that the whole group has as far as the engineering side of things,” he continued.

“Every single little thing, it’s high level, we only really focus on the things that matter. In some ways it is easier being a single-car team, there’s no politics, we all sit in one big office

together. If we need to make a decision it’s made then and there, we don’t have to involve a whole lot of other people. It’s quite seamless and I think that helps us a lot.”

Small will move to the fourcar Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota e as team for 2019, continuing his role Truex Jr’s Lead Race Engineer, but a Crew Chief position is in his sights for the future.

James Small calling the shots for Martin Truex.

AutoAction

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F1 GP – BRAZIL

HAMILTON HANDED VICTORY World Champion Lewis Hamilton took another victory but this time it was handed to him after Max Verstappen clashed with a lapped Esteban Ocon. The result also sealed the Constructors’ title for Mercedes Report: DAN KNUTSON

MERCEDES CLINCHED its fifth consecutive constructors’ world championship at the Brazilian Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton sealed it with another race victory, just two weeks after he wrapped up his fifth drivers’ world championship in Mexico.

Max Verstappen, who ended up second in Brazil, was heading for the win in his Red Bull only to spin it away after a controversial clash with Esteban Ocon. The clash continued after the race as a livid Verstappen had an altercation with Ocon in the FIA scrutineering area.

Both were called to the stewards later. The FIA punished Verstappen, stating that he will have to do two days of public service at its direction during the next six months.

Kimi Räikkönen kept his cool in the closing stages of the race to finish third in his Ferrari, just staying ahead of a charging Daniel Ricciardo in the Red Bull. Earlier in the race Räikkönen had challenged Valtteri Bottas but could not get close enough “After we had our stop, we had a lot of speed,” Räikkönen said, “and I was pretty sure I would get past him (Bottas) at some point, but it took a bit longer than I hoped.

The car was working very well. We could follow but we couldn’t get close enough, as then we’d lose the front tyres. Then I had a Red Bull closing up on me. I think we got the maximum today.”

Hamilton started on the pole, his 81st and the 100th for Team Mercedes. He took the lead ahead of teammate Bottas, Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and Räikkönen and Verstappen.

Verstappen charged while the Mercedes and Ferrari drivers struggled a bit with their tyres. And he passed them on track to get up to second and then moved into first when

40 AutoAction

Hamilton pitted. Verstappen pitted much later, but eventually got back in front. Then, at the start of lap 43 of 71, he passed Ocon, who on fresher tyres then attempted to repass and un-lap himself. They hit and it sent Verstappen spinning. Both continued, but Hamilton had retaken the lead by that stage and would not lose it again. Ocon got a 10 second stop and go penalty for the clash.

“The race was better than expected for us,” Verstappen said. “The car worked well. The strategy worked well. I’m happy with second, but we should have won today.

“Once I got by Lewis, I was just saving my tyres to bring it to the end. Of course, they have the right to overtake you; of course, you

have to be cautious. The amount of risk he (Ocon) was talking I don’t think was correct.

They gave him a penalty and I guess that says enough anyway. Of course, afterwards you can always say ‘Max, you should have given him more room’ but it’s not like that.

We are racing and you don’t expect a back marker to take you out.”

Ocon’s view: “I was two laps behind Max, on the first lap (I) was a lot faster, second lap was a lot faster, I had really fresh tyres basically. The rules say you are allowed to unlap yourself if you are faster, so that’s what I did. On the second lap I saw I had massive pace, I went around the outside, the same move I’d done on Fernando (Alonso) and

many other drivers coming from last in the first lap. It didn’t happen the same way in the corner after that.

“What really surprised me is the behavior of Max coming into the scales. The FIA having to stop him from being violent; he wanted to push me, punch me. That is not professional.”

Did Verstappen have any regrets about shoving Ocon?

“No! I’m a winner and if you get taken out of that and get a stupid response from his side as well,” Verstappen said. “I was not happy about that.”

Hamilton could not believe his luck.

“When that crash happened at Turn 2,” he said, “and I came through the middle of these two guys who were both facing me and I was like ‘ahh nice, this is great!’ I wanted to hold on to that and after that I heard he (Verstappen) came back on track and was still quite close behind, so I pushed as hard as I could to try to manage the gap. But I couldn’t match his times with the power loss that I was having.

“I was trying to be perfect every lap, boom, boom, boom, to bang out the times.

I didn’t want to give up the race. It was crazy because I have been racing so many years and it is quite an incredible thing to have the spirit of a racer and to never lose that. I’ve had it since I was five years old. I had that fight like I was a kid today.”

Ricciardo’s car needed a new turbo after the one he used in Mexico briefly caught fire and received a dose of extinguisher powder from a marshal. That resulted in a five-place grid penalty in Brazil for Ricciardo, who lined up in 11th on the grid. He charged up to fourth but ran out of time to mount a full challenge on Räikkönen.

“I finished, let’s start on a positive,” said the Aussie who has had eight DNFs this season.

Haas pair Grosjean and Magnussen drove their cars into the points.

Ferrari’s tyre strategy didn’t play out the way it was expected.

“It I am honest, as soon as I crossed the line at the end, I was actually disappointed because the podium was so close. We had the pace. I don’t have any regrets. I don’t feel I lost a podium or the team lost it for me. We did everything we could. So, I am not upset about that. I just feel like every time we start out of position or at the back, we have a fast car. So it is just a bit of built up frustration.

“But the race was fun. The battles with Seb (Vette), Valtteri (Bottas), I enjoyed them all.

We surprisingly had a very fast car today. I know we were better than fourth but anyway I get one more chance with the team to get up there (on the podium). So, onto Abu Dhabi! Give it our best!”

And that is the general feeling of the entire Formula 1 circus – give it their best in the final race of what has been a very long season.

Ricciardo stormed through the field to fourth in a strong drive.

BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX – SAO PAULO NOV 11 2018 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 -

Mercedes won a fifth Constructor’s title

Lewis Hamilton Max Verstappen Kimi Raikkonen Daniel Ricciardo Valtteri Bottas Sebastian Vettel Charles Leclerc Romain Grosjean Kevin Magnussen Sergio Perez Brendon Hartley Carlos Sainz Pierre Gasly Stoffel Vandoorne Esteban Ocon Sergey Sirotkin Fernando Alonso Lance Stroll Nico Hulkenberg Marcus Ericsson

Mercedes Red Bull/Renault Ferrari Red Bull/Renault Mercedes Ferrari Sauber/Ferrari Haas/Ferrari Haas/Ferrari Force India/Mercedes Toro Rosso/Honda Renault Toro Rosso/Honda McLaren/Renault Force India/Mercedes Williams/Mercedes McLaren/Renault Williams/Mercedes Renault Sauber/Ferrari

71 71 71 71 71 71 71 71 71 70 70 70 70 70 70 69 69 69 32 20

1h27m09.066s 1.469s 4.764s 5.193s 22.943s 26.997s 44.199s 51.230s 52.857s 1 Lap 1 Lap 1 Lap 1 Lap 1 Lap 1 Lap 2 Laps 2 Laps 2 Laps Retirement Retirement

Points: Hamilton 383, Vettel 302, Raikkonen 251, Bottas 237, Verstappen 234, Ricciardo 158, Hulkenberg 69, Perez 58, Magnussen 55, Alonso 50, Ocon 49, Sainz 45, Grosjean 35, Leclerc 33, Gasly 29, Vandoorne 12 Ericsson 9 Stroll 6, Hartley 4, Sirotkin 1 Constructors: Mercedes 620, Ferrari 553, Red Bull-TAG Heuer 392, Renault 114, Haas-Ferrari 90, McLaren-Renault 62, Force India-Mercedes 48, Sauber-Ferrari 42, Toro Rosso-Honda 33, Williams-Mercedes 7

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41

RACE REPORT

Pukekohe Race 28 & 29

KIWI V KIWI There was plenty of action and controversy over the ditch, but the points gap remains the same as the Kiwis celebrated a dominant weekend

Report: Heath McAlpine Photos: LAT/Dirk Klynsmith/Ross Gibb/ Insyde Media

RACE 28

KIWIS DOMINATING on their home circuit is nothing new in Supercars, but two Kiwis fighting for the Pukekohe win and the title is unchartered waters.

If looking just at the point score, not a lot appeared to have happened over the ditch. However the first play of team tactics and a test for the Supercars stewards, made for an interesting and somewhat controversial weekend of racing.

By the end of the Pukekohe weekend, Shane van Gisbergen was unable to eat into Scott McLaughlin’s small championship points advantage, at a circuit where his title run ended through a mistake of his own doing last year.

McLaughlin yet again rose to the occasion, showing maturity that he may have lacked during season 2017, and to his credit maintains his 14-point title chase ascendency.

His weekend started off by

42 AutoAction

taking his 46th career Pole (that’s right 46) and his 13th of the year.

As for the other players in the championship race – the teammates – Whincup was fifth, Lowndes was 18th and Coulthard 19th.

Coulthard was the innocent victim when he was tapped into a spin on lap 8.

The DJR Team Penske driver made a perfect start as the opening lap of Race 28 turned frantic almost immediately. From the second row David Reynolds took advantage of a sluggish jump from van Gisbergen to

challenge the Red Bull Holden Racing Team driver into the Turns 2, 3, 4 complex, but a robust block from the Kiwi enabled Chaz Mostert to challenge Reynolds heading to Turn 5. This aided van Gisbergen, who zeroed in Controversial pit stop for van Gisbergen was a key talking point after the race.

on McLaughlin after the Falcon pulled a small margin.

A frantic opening lap in the midpack led to Craig Lowndes being spun by Garth Tander, and there were cars three-wide heading out of Pukekohe’s tight hairpin.

This meant it was going to be an uphill battle for Lowndes to aid his teammate up front, but Whincup was there with both he and wan Gisbergen displaying the cold tyre pace the Triple Eight trio have thrived on all season.

Rain was a worry on lap 6, as were the drivers who stopped early as Pukekohe’s short lap meant that McLaughlin caught Mark Winterbottom, who pitted after the opening tour. This didn’t help the title leader as he started to feel the pressure from van Gisbergen, however a Safety Car came at an opportune time. But, it came at the cost of his teammate.

Coulthard was the innocent victim as Lee Holdsworth nudged the rear of the Falcon, after initial contact from Richie Stanaway.

The contact sent the DJR Team Penske Falcon into a spin, nicking Despite a 5s penalty, van Gisbergen was able to bridge the gap & close the points gap to his countryman.

McLaughlin M started off the weekend on Pole (above) but Courtney was the surprise leader after the early Safety Car (below left). van Gisbergen won the race but no fans for his parking.

RACE 29

the rear with the inside tyre wall, before crossing the track to hit the outside concrete with some force. Coulthard emerged underscathed, but McLaughlin’s supporter was out, he was now a lone hand.

As was van Gisbergen. Whincup was forced to double-stack during the Safety Car stops, dropping him well down the order.

But neither Kiwi headed the field at the restart. That honour went to James Courtney after he had pitted on the opening lap and what followed was a thrilling dice for the lead, as Courtney held firm against the two title combatants.

The question was could McLaughlin hold off van Gisbergen on cold tyres? The initial answer was yes, but on lap 20 there was contact between the pair, with a robust van Gisbergen trying everything to manoeuvre

his way through. Two laps later an opportunity presented itself at the Turn 8 hairpin when McLaughlin failed to defend, leaving a Commodore-sized gap for the RBHRT driver.

It was clear van Gisbergen was the fastest driver on track as he made the most ground through Turns 2, 3, 4 as his ZB rode over the curbs perfectly.

Courtney was still ahead, but for how long? van Gisbergen had the eyes on and was applying the blowtorch to the rear of his fellow Commodore driver. The Kiwi made an attack at the hairpin on lap 22, but Courtney held tough.

There was another challenge on lap 31 and van Gisbergen had the lead, but not for long as Courtney held the outside line, which gave him the inside line for the final corner, again denying the Kiwi.

The battle for the lead was on, Coulthard just failed to jump van Gisbergen in pit lane, despite a mistake from the RBHRT crew.

but McLaughlin was having none of it and pitted on lap 31, as he drifted back off the lead battle, setting himself up for a final stint charge.

An apparent brake issue for van Gisbergen wasn’t hampering his progress as he finally dispatched Courtney, running longer to see if the weather was going to play its part. It didn’t. The RBHRT crew brought its man in on lap 46, 15 laps later than McLaughlin and crucially ahead of Chaz Mostert, who was running a lonely third.

The pit stop was controversial, spinning wheels as the car was dropped from its jacks meaning a post-race investigation that had the final result up in the air. That didn’t hamper van Gisbergen, despite having a penalty hanging over his head, he pursued McLaughlin.

It was 200 km/h game of chess

between McLaughlin and van Gisbergen. The title leader was saving his tyres, which allowed his pursuer to catch him. But were his tyres going to fall away once he had caught the rear of the DJR Team Penske driver?

That question was answered on lap 60 when van Gisbergen caught his title protagonist. He didn’t waste any time. He tried at the hairpin but McLaughlin covered and in doing so had a slow exit, which checked van Gisbergen and meant that he collided with the rear of the Falcon. The impact lifted the rear wheels off the deck and hampered both drivers’ exits, meaning a duel through the ultrafast run to the front straight.

But unlike when he ran side-byside with Courtney, this time van Gisbergen held the right line.

However he had another hurdle Swift work from the DJR Team Penske squad meant McLaughlin jumped Whincup for the lead.

to overcome. For the contact with McLaughlin at the hairpin, van Gisbergen was given a 5s penalty to be added to his race time at the conclusion, so a run of qualifying laps meant that he only just nailed that challenge and finished with a 0.5119s margin.

Mostert rounded out the podium ahead of Reynolds and Whincup, who charged from the mid-pack on his final stint.

The post-race talk was all about van Gisbergen’s pit stop and the upcoming investigation. It appeared he may lose his race win, but the Supercars Judiciary found that there was no breach after it was deemed the rear wheels failed to complete a full rotation. A subsequent protest from DJR Team Penske was dismissed, meaning McLaughlin title contender held a two-point championship lead.

Crucial points were gained by van Gisbergen as his teammate slowed to allow him into second.

AutoAction

43

RACE REPORT

Pukekohe Race 27

“We had five kiwis in the Top Ten Shootout today as well, I watched the first two of them and saw Andre (Heimgartner) go through and the crowd went nuts. Then I even did a little fist pump when Richie (Stanaway) went to the top of the board.”

- Shane van Gisbergen said after Sunday’s Shootout.

RACE RESULTS RACE 28 70 LAPS

Whincup was the leader from Pole Pole, while in the background De Pasquale is spun out of a top 10 position (above left).

Teammate Reynolds had better fortunes as he cemented a top five position in the championship standings.

Overnight a mega job from the DJR Team Penske squad amid much distraction meant Coulthard’s car was repaired and sat on sixth grid position for Race 29.

However, McLaughlin was second, in a RBHRT sandwich, as Whincup took Pole and van Gisbergen third.

McLaughlin was smart off the start as he moved to cover van Gisbergen straight away and trailed Whincup through the opening sequence of corners.

The two Kiwi title combatants continued to battle at the hairpin, but this time McLaughlin was awake to it. Whincup pushed on, but pitted on lap 6 leaving the lead to McLaughlin, though just like the previous day he encountered traffic meaning he lost almost 1s to van Gisbergen.

McLaughlin’s engineer Ludo Lacroix bit the bullet and pitted his charger on lap 13, with RBHRT doing the same with van Gisbergen on lap 15. There was another mistake as a jack was left under the car after a change was made to the rear anti-roll bar, meaning the car needed to be lifted again losing precious time.

DJR Team Penske had brought Coulthard in at the same time to jump van Gisbergen and hamper his challenge to McLaughlin, but that wasn’t the case despite the Triple Eight mistake.

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The next crucial battle was when McLaughlin emerged from his final pit stop on lap 38. Just as the red, white and yellow Falcon exited the lane, Whincup rounded the turn one with the title leader alongside. But Whincup was unable to hold him off as with newer tyres McLaughlin soon opened a comfortable gap.

On the other hand, van Gisbergen had emerged in fifth and was on the charge. First was Lowndes and as expected, the veteran moved aside for his teammate.

But Reynolds was next and what followed was a clean, hard battle, in contrast to the pair’s history.

The hairpin again was where van Gisbergen made his move,

which was crucial as next on the road was Whincup, who had saved his tyres and was having a second run at McLaughlin.

But it wasn’t to be as Whincup was told to “save fuel”, which conveniently let van Gisbergen past for second right on the finish line.

Lowndes followed after a brave move on Reynolds, while Mostert, Coulthard, Andre Heimgartner, Winterbottom and Nick Percat rounded out the top 10.

Incredibly, all this meant that the Championship points margin went unchanged across the weekend.

Newcastle will now once again host a nail-biting title battle, the margin just 14-points between the Kiwi pair. hxxxxxxxx

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 NC

Shane van Gisbergen Scott McLaughlin Chaz Mostert David Reynolds Jamie Whincup Scott Pye Cameron Waters Nick Percat James Courtney Michael Caruso Craig Lowndes Tim Blanchard Mark Winterbottom James Golding Lee Holdsworth Rick Kelly Tim Slade Andre Heimgartner Anton De Pasquale Will Davison Simona De Silvestro Jack Le Brocq Richie Stanaway Todd Hazelwood Garth Tander Fabian Coulthard

FASTEST LAP

70 laps ▲1 +0.512s ▼1 +5.634s ▲1 +13.430s ▼ 1 +13.787s 0 +21.452s ▲ 10 +22.428s ▲ 1 +23.090s ▼ 2 +25.622s ▲ 6 +26.981s ▲ 7 +28.197s ▲ 7 +32.358s ▲ 9 +35.291s ▲ 1 +38.022s ▲ 10 +38.704s ▼ 2 +39.246s ▼ 7 +39.539s ▼ 10 +40.945s ▼ 7 +46.954s ▼ 9 +49.919s ▲ 2 +50.821s ▲ 5 +1m 02.057s▼ 1 69 laps ▼ 11 68 laps ▲1 59 laps ▼5 6 laps ▼7 Scott McLaughlin 1m 03.2734s

RACE RESULTS RACE 29 70 LAPS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Scott McLaughlin Shane van Gisbergen Jamie Whincup Craig Lowndes David Reynolds Chaz Mostert Fabian Coulthard Andre Heimgartner Mark Winterbottom Nick Percat Tim Slade Cameron Waters Garth Tander Lee Holdsworth Scott Pye James Courtney Michael Caruso Simona De Silvestro Will Davison Richie Stanaway James Golding Rick Kelly Jack Le Brocq Anton De Pasquale Todd Hazelwood Tim Blanchard

70 laps ▲1 +12.065s ▲ 1 +12.455s ▼ 2 +13.497s ▲ 7 +16.319s 0 +19.955s ▼ 2 +20.460s ▲ 1 +33.288s ▲ 2 +33.925s ▲ 5 +36.559s ▲ 3 +39.278s ▲ 1 +48.162s ▼ 3 +48.962s ▲ 10 +49.433s ▲ 4 +51.013s ▲ 5 +52.715s ▲ 5 +53.272s ▲ 2 +56.654s ▼ 2 +57.290s ▲ 3 +59.877s ▼ 12 +1m 00.281s▲ 3 69 laps ▼5 69 laps ▲2 69 laps ▼ 16 69 laps ▲1 50 laps ▼ 11

FASTEST LAP Jamie Whincup 1m 03.4030s POINTS: McLaughlin 3656, van Gisbergen 3642, Whincup 3175, Lowndes 3117, Reynolds 2918, Mostert 2669, Coulthard 2450, Pye 2410, Kelly 2377, Percat 2221, Slade 2138, Winterbottom 2024, Tander 2010, Courtney 1866, Davison 1825, Waters 1747, Caruso 1657, Heimgartner 1583, Le Brocq 1574, De Pasquale 1395, Golding 1343, Holdsworth 1290, Blanchard 1238, De Silvestro 1212, Stanaway 1124, Hazelwood 1093

SUPPORTS

ADAM HITS THE GROUND RUNNING

THE OPENING round of the 2018-2019 New Zealand Toyota 86 Championship supported the Supercars at Pukekohe, with Connor Adam the victor.

In three closely contested races, Adam took away two race victories and a second, to lead the standings ahead of Jordan Baldwin and Jaden Ransley.

Baldwin was the early pacesetter, despite missing Friday’s action. He scored Pole Position for the opening two encounters.

Adam took the lead on the opening tour and held on, despite strong pressure from the trailing trio of Baldwin, Ransley and rookie Callum Hedge, who were ensconced in a battle for the podium.

Rookie Hedge was the surprise packet as he battled with the much more established drivers and just failed to reach the podium by a mere 0.130s.

Race 2 was a convincing victory for Adam as he headed Baldwin, Hedge, Ransley and Australian Toyota 86 frontrunner Jake Klein, who was undertaking his debut at Pukekohe.

Adam was able to take advantage of the battling quartet

Photo: Dirk Klynsmith behind, to take a 2s victory.

The final race provided a bit of everything as Ransley dominated the race from lap two, once he had passed Adam on the opening lap. However, his start was deemed to be too good and he was handed a 5s penalty, which dropped him to third.

This handed Hedge a dream first up win and a large lead in the rookie standings, but in the battle with Adam he just failed to overhaul him by 0.136s. Behind, Baldwin and

Klein had their only private battle for the final positions in the top five, around 3s away from the lead trio.

“I would have loved another win in that last race,” said Adam. “But regardless it was a great weekend for us and a great start to the season. We’ll go on from here and try and win the championship.”

Adam heads rookie Hedge by 28-points heading into the second round of the championship, on the Pukekohe short circuit on December 7-9.

Photo: Dirk Klynsmith

ROSS TAKES OPENING ROUND Photo: Insyde Media

OJEDA CROWNED CHAMPION IT WAS a successful trip across the ditch for Jayden Ojeda, as he sealed the 2018 CAMS Australian Formula 4 Championship by taking out the final round at Pukekohe.

Ojeda held a comfortable title margin heading into the final round, with AGI Sport teammate Ryan Suhle the only other contender for the championship.

Suhle started the weekend off perfectly by taking Pole and the opening race win after a torrid battle with Ojeda, the pair separated by 0.089s as they crossed the line, the closest margin in Formula 4 history.

Aaron Love rounded out the podium, 5s behind the leading pair and in a career best fourth was Thomas Smith after climbing from ninth and holding off Lochie Hughes during the latter stages of the race.

From then on it was Ojeda’s weekend as he went onto collect the Race 2 win, this despite dropping to third after taking evasive action when Thomas Smith spun, leaving Hughes in command. Ojeda made swift work of Suhle and caught Hughes with a handful of laps to spare.

Hughes was able to hang onto third

behind Suhle, while Smith repeated his fourth position from the first race, while Love dropped to fifth in the fracas.

No one was able to stop Ojeda in the final race as he ended his championship winning season with victory by 0.93s over Suhle, while the battle for third between Jackson Walls and Love ended in favour of the former by the slim margin of 0.03s.

“Yeah it’s a good feeling, still hasn’t sunk in yet it’s hard to take in right now but I think it will set in as I think about it,” said Ojeda post-race.

“There were a few people into a little bit of water so the cars were going all over the place. All I was thinking about was just making sure I didn’t collect someone or get collected. A few times I saw cars coming close but we got through it all and it just came down to qualifying laps between Ryan and myself to keep the gap.”

Ojeda will test a Toyota Racing Series car in December after taking the most points from the Sydney and New Zealand rounds, while a test in a Brad Jones Racing Supercar beckons as part of the championship prize.

IT WAS joy for Nick Ross as he won the opening round of the NZ V8s Championship, taking two wins and a second, but it could have been a cleansweep if not for a mistake during the first encounter.

Australian Super2 driver Jack Smith started from Pole, but it was Ross in the Concept Motorsport Nissan Altima that made the best getaway leaving Smith and Hamilton Motorsports teammate Lance Hughes to play catch up.

Fellow Super2 driver Brenton Grove was having a tough introduction to his Richards Team Motorsport Toyota Camry as he attempted to pass Brad Lathrope, but went off the road dropping behind teammate Chelsea Herbert. The Toyota pair moved through on Lathrope, but the battle up front was heating up.

A Safety Car bunched the field up with Smith pressuring the back of the Altima, which succeeded when Ross locked up at Turn 5, allowing Smith through. This was all the Australian needed as he gapped his pursuers to win from Ross, Hughes and Grove.

The tables turned in Race 2 when Smith had a wild run through Turn 3, which forced him off track and allowed the Altima through to take a comfortable victory, while Smith’s teammate Hughes continued a consistent run to third.

The final race of the weekend was

incident filled with the field inverted meaning Australian GT driver Scott Taylor started from Pole and led the initial running before Ross charged through. Smith struggled in the traffic and contacted Taylor’s Camry, which then hit the Commodore of Matt Tubbs.

Smith was able to recover and soon caught Ross, but a clash with Matt Clark in another Commodore forced him off road and meant Ross cruised to victory.

“A good way to start the season. We actually could have had three wins, but we had a brake issue which hampered us, and let Jack by into the lead in that first race,” said Ross.

“I have to give credit to the Hamilton Motorsports team, those two cars are hooked up and are fast. We had to fight all the way to keep in front of them, especially Jack. He’s very fast this year.

“Jack was pretty aggressive in that last race, which is fine, that’s how you want it to be – hard close racing.

“I’m not totally happy with the car, we seem to have lost a bit of the balance that we had towards the end of last season. So, we’ll work on that ahead of the next round.”

Class 2 honours went to Brock Timperley.

The next round of the NZ V8s will be held on Pukekohe’s short circuit on December 7-9.

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s w e n Y A W D E SPE Photo: Richard Hathaway IAN MADSEN’S World of Outlaws year finished on a high being crowned the 2018 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year.

He also accentuated that honor with his first WoO feature win of the year during the final race at Charlotte. The Sydneysider, who grabbed his third career Outlaws win, finished eighth overall in the aggregate points and will be back full-time next year. “This is an awesome feeling. We’ve been coming to this event every year and it keeps getting bigger and bigger. It’s awesome to be a part of the World Finals,” Madsen said.

FIFTY YEARS of spills and thrills has been superbly captured in a unique and limited run magazine on the history of Lismore Speedway, by respected motorsport writer and author Dennis Newlyn. The 132 page magazine is filled with all that is and has been the Northern NSW venue and commemorates this special season. “It is a celebration of our history and we want to make it that way right from the opening race through the season until the final night of the 2018-19 season next May,” said Lismore Speedway promoter David Lander.

Photo: Richard Hathawayy

HOT SCHATZ AUSTRALIA BOUND AMERICAN SPRINTCAR legend and five-time Knoxville 360 Nationals winner Terry McCarl will return to Australia in January, for the 47th Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic at Premier Speedway. He will again join Victorian car-owner Ken Hutchins hoping to better their 12th finish in the 2018 Classic final. McCarl’s best-ever finish in the event was runner-up in 2013 to Steven Lines.

MATTY PASCOE led all the way to win a shortened round three of the Super Sedan Series at Maryborough Speedway.

The race was originally scheduled for 40 laps, was reduced to 30 but went 31. Pascoe defeated Darren Kane and Gavin Northfield was third while Series round two winner Justin Randall was seventh.

DONNY SCHATZ is once again Australia bound and armed with another World of Outlaws Championship.

The superstar American, who won his 10th American title, is locked in for his usual three-week Queensland holiday and will race at Brisbane’s Archerfield Speedway from Boxing Day. “Hats off to this team. These guys are awesome. I’m the hardest guy to work for in the pits because if the car isn’t perfect, I’m not very nice,” Schatz said.

For the final race of the year, Schatz started back in 10th and finished first, with a last lap pass of leader Logan Schuchart in Charlotte.

It was Schatz’s 283rd career win, his fifth consecutive championship and sixth in the last seven years. In 2018 he had just five finishes outside the top 10, his worst 14th, and he had no DNFs. Aboard the Tony Stewart Racing #15 J&J Schatz added to his WoO championships from 2006, 07, 08, 09, 12, 14, 15, 16 and

2017.

He becomes just the second driver to reach 10 titles, behind 20-time series champion, Steve Kinser.

“It’s pretty cool and hard to put into words.

I look up to my hero Steve Kinser and he won 20 of them,” Schatz said.

“It doesn’t seem like we’ve really scratched the surface. I’m just very proud of the organisation Tony Stewart has and all of the people and what they do day in and day out to put us in this position.”

“It feels pretty amazing to get four wins and a championship this year in a car dad and I built in the garage from nothing,” Danny said.

“I had a great injection package from Belly which made it even more sweet.

It just feels good to be competitive.

Honestly, after having such a tough run the first couple years here, just to run with these guys and do what we do is pretty special to me.”

Carroll, 20, has been racing Micros for four seasons and has a clear direction for his racing future.

“The main goal for me would be to get into a Sprintcar on a full-time basis, in

either a wing or non wing machine.

“I’m also hoping to grow our chassis company as well and I have no plans to move from the States.

“I’d also love to eventually get the chance to race back in Australia. I’ve gone close to getting the chance the last couple years but things just never worked out.”

Carroll’s immediate plans are to continue to race in the USA as much as possible in the Micros.

“My plans for 2019 are to just try and win as many races as we can, snag a few big race wins, and just keep on trying to get my name out in the racing world.”

CARROL REWARDED

JYE O’KEEFFE has signed in for his second full-time stint as a contracted driver for next month’s World Series Sprintcars.

His signature is the 10th for the 32nd edition of the 10-round tournament beginning on December 26. He joins already contracted drivers, current WSS champion James McFadden, reigning WSS Speedweek winner Kerry Madsen, debutants Rusty Hickman and Danny Porter, and returning contracted drivers Jack Lee, Lachlan McHugh, Jason Pryde, Glen Sutherland and Mitch Wormall.

AFTER TWO rounds there’s a pair of different winners in the Western Australia Sprintcar Series. James Inglis and Jamie Maiolo have used front row starts to their advantage and secured much-needed wins and points. Inglis avoided early-race dramas to win while in the opening round, also at the Perth Motorplex, Maiolo’s front row start was a massive advantage and he won the 30-lap feature race by 5.2 seconds from rookie Tom Payet and Kye Scroop.

Photo: Richard Hathaway

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SINCE MOVING to the United States five years ago Danny Carroll has been steadily making his way forward in his Speedway racing career.

He was just a teenager when he made the big decision to move across the world from Warrnambool in southern Victoria, with his father and brother.

Carroll’s racing progression was recently rewarded when he won the 2018 Dixon Speedway in California track championship, in the tough Micro Sprints category.

Danny and his father Damien built their own chassis and engine, to deliver an allAustralian winning machine.

ROBINSON’S GOLDEN WIN

THE OPENING night of the Golden Anniversary season at Lismore Speedway has seen one of the sport’s best top the podium.

Multiple Australian champion Mark Robinson raced to a decisive V8 Dirt Modified Lord Mayor’s Cup victory at the famous venue whihc is celebrating 50 fabulous years.

After overcoming several yellow light caution periods during the 30-lap main event, Robinson won from former national champion Scott Cannon, with Jai Stephenson in third.

Robinson commanded the 30-lap feature race from pole position and was fast JAMES MCFADDEN is oozing confidence having dominated the Australian Sprintcar scene since August and he’s not finished yet.

The defending World Series Sprintcars champion grabbed his seventh win in eight races, with victory in the third round of the Victorian Sprintcar Racing Association series.

With wins at Warrnambool, Sydney, Alice Springs and Darwin, McFadden has shown he’s more than ready for a WSS defence.

“That’s seven out of eight wins.

It’s good to come back to Australia after a rough trot in America. You’re worried when you come back that it’s going to wreck your confidence but it hasn’t which is good, so it’s happy days,” McFadden told Auto Action.

“I can’t wait for World Series to start.

You’ve got to take it week by week in this sport, but it’s time to get it started and I’m really ready.”

McFadden was again superb at Warrnambool, negotiating traffic from his seventh starting spot for the 30-lap race at Premier Speedway on an excellent racing surface.

The feature had five different race leaders and it took McFadden until late in the race to overhaul Jamie Veal and Jye O’Keeffe for the win.

Veal again filled the podium behind McFadden, while O’Keeffe showed good car speed to finish ahead of Darren Mollenoyux, Peter Doukas and polesitter and early leader Corey McCullagh.

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Photo: 44Photography

PEACOC PEACOCK CK FLIES FLLIES TO VICTORY

throughout the historic night, thanks in part to a new suspension set-up with specific tyre combinations.

“We were very pleased with the car and everything came together at the right time to take the win. I am absolutely delighted to win the Golden Anniversary season-opening meeting, the Lord Mayor’s Cup,” Robinson said.

Other main event winners were Luke Grey (Street Stocks), Lindsay Clapham (Production Sedans), Josh Boyd (Junior Sedans) and Thomas Vickery (AMCAs).

Lismore promoter David Lander welcomed the Golden Anniversary season in front of a

big crowd that included special guests and former competitors.

“What this venue has achieved in 50 years is wonderful and we want to honour these achievements with the attendance of many competitors from that first season,” Lander said.

“The Lismore track takes a special place in our sport as it also has produced 17 Australian Champions during its 50 years, which no other speedway venue in Australia can match.

“With the 50 years, the Lismore track is also one of the longest-running speedway venues in Australia.”

LET’S GET IT STARTED MCFADDEN

The night was McFadden’s in the Lee Family Sprintcar, in what was an entertaining and hard-fought race.

“We’ve been winning a lot of races which has been good, but I love racing at home here at Warrnambool,” McFadden said.

“We’ve been pretty solid in this number 25. If I go no good in the number 17, I’ll know where to go for a drive.

“When the track’s like that it’s good fun, that’s why you want to drive Sprintcars on a surface like that. Two

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wins and a second in this car has been really good.

“I am pretty pumped. It was a really good night. It didn’t start off too great but we got around and got a good balance for the car and had a really good run.

“It was a hell of a race for the feature, it was good fun and elbows up and it is exactly why we race Speedway.

“It is always cool to race at my new home. I always enjoyed coming here as a kid and now to race here and be successful here is even cooler.”

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JAYDEN PEACOCK has broken his racing duck and is now looking to smoke his rivals in the southern states over the festive season.

The 22-year-old raced to his maiden feature-race victory in the third Ultimate Sprintcar Championship Queensland round at Toowoomba Speedway.

Peacock is now set to compete in the tough World Series Sprintcar Speedweek from December 26 over five rounds throughout South Australia and Victoria.

His winning night started in great fashion being the only driver to break the 11-second bracket and then followed up with first and second places respectively.

Securing pole position for the 30-lap feature race after coming out on top in the Pole Shootout against Luke Oldfield, Peacock made the most of his start, immediately powering into the lead and remaining there for the majority of the distance.

“When you are up against much larger and more experienced teams on a regular basis, I often thought we’d have to be pretty lucky to win a feature race, but to do it through pure speed is an incredible achievement,” Peacock said.

“Our team might have started the season late but we have shown speed straight away, so the goal is to continue to build on this form throughout the rest of the season and stay up the front.

“The team and I are really looking forward to racing down south for Speedweek and this win has definitely given us some added confidence for when we head down there.”

EVANS’ CLASSIC TRIBUTE DANIEL EVANS used a long family history as motivation to win the annual Col Beasley Classic at Mildura’s Timmis Speedway.

From the front row Evans dominated the 30-lap race to record an impressive flag-toflag victory, ahead of Brandan Guerin and Michael Tancredi.

The third running of the event, named in honour of Beasley who was a former President of Timmis Speedway and a Life Member of the Mildura Speedway Drivers Club, and sadly passed away after a battle with cancer in 2014.

After the victory that doubled as the opening round of the 12th season of the All Stars Sprintcar Series, Evans remembered fondly that as a young kid his father raced against Beasley.

“It’s a great honour to win. I’ve been hanging to win one of these. Emotionally it’s an event that’s close to home for me. The win is also a big points advantage for the Series,” Evans said.

All Star Series boss Mandy Searle said the Series has competed at Timmis Speedway more than any other racetrack.

“Col used to compete with us in our early days and yes, he really had a passion for 360s. We have drivers that used to race against Col back in the day and it is special to them that they can be involved with it.”

Timmis Speedway Vice President Darren McCarthy said the racing was a perfect way to start the season.

“Col was a very intelligent and very well respected person. The plans and visions he introduced to the Speedway world brought our Club forward in leaps and bounds.

“He was a fantastic business-minded man who had the best interests of the Club at heart.

“This year is going to be huge with every meeting having a major feature, hosting three rounds of the 360 Series, to the biggest one of all - the Australian Street Stock Title.”

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BIG BAD SANDOWN

THE CAREER of open-wheel great and three times Australian Gold Star winner Alfredo Costanzo was celebrated at this year’s Historic Sandown event on November 9-11.

Splendid weather provided a perfect backdrop to an excellent weekend of racing with highlights including the Formula 5000s, which celebrated its 50th year since its first season in 1968, the Group A and C Heritage Touring Cars, two divisions of Group N, a big field of Group S production sports cars, plus a vast array of sports car and open-wheel machinery.

Costanzo was patron of the event after confirming that he is now stepping away from driving after competing most recently in historic F5000, having won the last national championship for the category worldwide in 1981. The Italian-born racer didn’t race at the event, but was a very popular attraction with the fans that attended.

Winners at Sandown included GT3 Cup Challenge frontrunner Jimmy Vernon, driving an ex-Tony Longhurst Benson and Hedges Ford Sierra RS500, Bryan Sala who dominated the F5000 class in a Matich A50/51, Andrew McInnes and Johnathan Miles shared the spoils in Formula Ford, while Darryl Hanson, Aldo De Paoli and Craig Allen each took a victory in Group N.

There was plenty of action throughout the large historic racing fields at Sandown.

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HISTORIC SANDOWN CLASS-BY-CLASS RESULTS F5000

RACE 1 Bryan Sala (Matich A50/A51), Andrew Robson (Lola T330/2), Bill Hemming (Elfin MR8) RACE 2 Sala, Dean Camm (Chevron B24), Hemming RACE 3 Sala, Camm, Hemming

HERITAGE TOURING CARS

RACE 1 Jimmy Vernon (Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth), Tony Karanfilovski (Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth), David Holc (Holden VN Commodore Group A) RACE 2 Vernon, Adrian Allisey (Holden VL Commodore Group A), Holc RACE 3 Vernon, Allisey, Holc

FORMULA FORD

Bryan Sala was too good for the F5000 fi Matich A50 Repco. fiel eeld el ld in in tthe hhee ssuperb upeerrb Ma up M atich titich ch A 50 R 50 epco. ep co. co

RACE 1 Jonathan Miles (Van Diemen RF89), Richard Davison (Van Diemen RF89), Andrew McInnes (Van Diemen RF89) RACE 2 McInnes, Miles, Neil Richardson (Van Diemen RF89) RACE 3 Miles, Davison, McInnes GROUP N DIVISION 1 RACE 1 Darryl Hanson (Ford Mustang), Darrin Davies (Ford Mustang), Craig Allen (Holden Torana GTR XU-1) RACE 2 Aldo De Paoli (Chevrolet Camaro), Les Walmsley (Chrysler R/T Charger), Daniel Van Stokrom (Holden Torana GTR XU-1) RACE 3 Allen, Walmsley, Van Stokrom

DIVISION 2

RACE 1 NO RESULT RACE 2 Stephen Hoade (Mini Cooper S), Brock Green (Jaguar MK2, Ian Pringle (Mini Cooper S) RACE 3 Green, Stephen Jeffs (Holden EH), Claude Ciccotelli (Holden EH)

GROUP S Paul Blackie’s lovely Corvette Stingray leads the similar machine of Joe DiBartolo.

RACE 1 Rusty French (De Tomaso Pantera), Paul Blackie (Chevrolet Corvette Stingray), Ross Jackson (De Tomaso Pantera) RACE 2 Blackie, French, Joseph DiBartolo (Chevrolet Corvette) RACE 3 French, Blackie, DiBartolo P, Q & R RACING AND Q & R SPORTS RACE 1 Andrew Makin (March 73B), Robert Harborow (McLaren M6B), David Hardman (Hardman JH-1) RACE 2 Hardman, Makin, Sean Whelan (Ralt RT4) RACE 3 Hardman, Whelan, Perry Spiridis (Lola T70 Coupe) GROUP M & O SPORTS AND RACING RACE 1 Laurie Bennett (McLaren M1B), Nicholas Bennett (Elfin 600), Peter Strauss (Brabham BT31) RACE 2 L Bennett, N Bennett, Strauss RACE 3 L Bennett, N Bennett, Keith Simpson (Brabham BT16)

Graeme Hayles’ pretty Royale RP37 was much admired.

J, K, Lb, Sa AND INVITED FORMULA VEE RACE 1 Graeme Raper (George Reed Ford Special), David Reid (Faux Pas), Nick McDonald (Repco Holden Monopost) RACE 2 Reid, McDonald, Charlie Mitchell (TS Special Monopost) RACE 3 Reid, McDonald, Mitchell

MG AND INVITED BRITISH SPORTS CARS

RACE 1 Phillip Chester (MG BGT V8), Robin Bailey (MG BGT V8), Richard Milligan (MG V8 Roadster) RACE 2 Chester, Bailey, Paul Vernall (MG ZR) RACE 3 Chester, Bailey, Milligan

HYUNDAI EXCELS

Sandown’s weather proved ideal for the large variety of racers in attendance.

RACE 1 Nathan Blight, Jordyn Sinni, David Musgrave RACE 2 Blight, Sinni, Matthew Horne RACE 3 Sinni, Blight, Musgrave

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p ra w S L A N NATIO

SETON AND JARVIS CELEBRATE TA2 WINS UNBEATEN OVER four races, Aaron Seton was never headed in winning all four races at the final round of the Performax TA2 Muscle Car Series, aboard the Craig Harris-owned Ford Mustang.

Meanwhile Ashley Jarvis (Chev Camaro) finished the round second and secured the series win, ahead of Hugh McAlister (Mustang) who was third on the weekend.

“I never thought I would be standing here at the start of the season. We are very much a small family team but this weekend was all about being consistent and to conserve our points lead,” Jarvis said.

Category debutant George Miedecke (Dodge Challenger) held second in the first race until a puncture put him out of contention. Another newbie in Drew Ridge (Camaro) worked his way to third but was ultimately passed by Jarvis and McAlister.

The second race was interrupted by a Safety Car where Mark Crutchers (Dodge) had a watts linkage failure and crashed at turn five. When the racing resumed Ridge tried a move on Jarvis at turn two, but spun and was hit by Miedecke and 2017 series winner Russell Wright (Mustang).

Jarvis finished second with Miedecke recovering for third ahead McAlister, who was also on the fightback trail after contact with his dad Ian at turn two on the opening lap. Then followed Anthony Tenkate (Mustang) ahead of Michael Kulig (Camaro), Ian McAlister (Mustang) and Simon Tabinor (Mustang).

Seton won both races ahead of Miedecke. Hugh McAlister passed Jarvis to take third in race three, while Wright was fifth ahead of Kulig and Tabinor after Tenkate and Cameron Sendall (Camaro) clashed out of turn seven and both spun off.

Miedecke was close behind Seton in the last where Hugh McAlister held third throughout. Jarvis was fourth and Ridge fifth, coming from the rear after going into the tyres at turn three in the previous race.

Photos: Insyde Media

McELREA TAKES FF TITLE KOUNDOURIS WINS ON GT-1 DEBUT TWO TOP three finishes in the pair of 50-minute races enabled Theo Koundouris to take round honours in his first appearance in the series.

Second and third went to fellow Audi drivers Vince Muriti and Rio Nugara.

Race one was taken out by Muriti after he pulled a late move, less than four minutes from the end, on series points leader Jake Camilleri (MARC Focus V8). Koundouris was third ahead of Adam Hargraves (MARC II) and John Goodacre (MARC Focus).

Series title aspirant Matt Stoupas (Audi) struggled through to 18th, suffering rear wing damage on the opening lap as a result of contact with Nick Kelly (Audi), who retired to the pits. Rod Salmon (Audi) was also an early casualty, with gearbox issues.

Qualifying second behind Stoupas, Nugara led the way up until the mandatory pitstops, where his standing time relegated him well down the order.

He fought back to fifth but was subsequently hit

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with a 35s penalty that pushed him to ninth behind Geoff Taunton, Leigh Burgess and Brad Neill in MARC V8s.

Kelly came back for a big win in race two, ahead of Koundouris. Stoupas was third across the line but was penalised 35s for contact with then-third placed Wayne Mack (Ferrari 458), who ended up fourth behind Nugara and Muriti.

Muriti led early until passed by Koundouris.

Nugara had worked his way through to fifth in a matter of two laps, but was black flagged and given a drive-through. After the mandatory stops, Kelly had an unassailable lead.

Jason Busk took over as Camilleri’s co-driver but had contact with Hargraves at turn two on the first lap. Hargraves was out as Busk spent time in the pits getting repairs to a front tie road and rear control arm. He went on to finish 21st.

Neill finished seventh ahead of Geoff Morgan in the best Porsche, while Jamie Arratoon (Ferrari) and Ross Lilley (Audi) completed the top 10.

IN DRAMATIC circumstances at the seventh and final round, Hunter McElrea won the National Formula Series at Sydney Motorsport Park on the weekend of October 27-28.

McElrea beat his Sonic Motor Racing team mate and race one victor Hamish Ribarits in race two, with the pair set to decide the series in race three. McElrea won the start but there was contact between the two at the second corner.

Ribarits continued on behind BF Racing’s Nathan Herne, while McElrea resumed in eighth position.

Ribarits glimpsed the lead in the ensuing laps but ultimately Herne regathered to win the race and the round. Ribarits crossed the line second before being penalised 35s for the first lap incident. The additional time put him back to 14th, importantly behind McElrea.

In the Kent class, Josh Buchan (Listek) completed a clean sweep of victories ahead of Dylan Fahey (Van Diemen), who claimed the national class title. Fahey’s title win was helped by nearest rival Tim

Hamilton crashing out of race two and not taking part in the third encounter.

Ribarits qualified on pole for race one from series leader McElrea, and led from the start. Herne slotted into second spot, and grabbed the lead entering the final lap. But Ribarits struck back on the charge to the line, edging out Herne by just 0.0064s.

McElrea was third and his championship lead over Ribarits diminished to just four points, while Tom Sargent was fourth ahead of Angelo Mourouris and Bart Horsten, in the only Stealth among the flock of Mygales.

While McElrea led all the way in race two, Sargent began equally as well to be second until passed by Ribarits and Herne on the fourth lap. Mourouris held fourth until spinning on lap five, which elevated Zac Soutar to fourth ahead of Lachlan Mineeff and Cody Burcher (Spectrum).

With Ribarits penalised in race three, second went to Mourouris from Sargent, Soutar who finished the series third overall, Mineeff and Horsten.

SSTS ON SHOW AT SMP’S AMRS FLICKED FROM the Gold Coast program the week before, the BOOST Mobile Stadium Super Trucks were a popular AMRS drawcard and saw Gavin Harlein win round eight ahead of Cole Potts and Matt Brabham.

In race one, series leader Brabham took the win ahead of Harlein and Potts. Series supremo Robby Gordon had a couple of moments at turn one which cost him spots. He finished fourth ahead of Jeff Hoffman, 2017 series winner Paul Morris and category debutant

Russell Ingall. Matt Nolan started off pole but had a huge moment off the ramp at the top of the tunnel and nearly rolled – he finished eighth.

The second race was won by Gavin Harlein ahead of Paul Morris and Cole Potts. Series leader Matt Brabham finished ninth after coming off a jump badly and sustaining some damage. Robbie Gordon finished fourth ahead of Russell Ingall and the leader before the midrace caution, Blade Hildebrand.

THE BATTLE OF THE BURGE IN LEGENDS CONTINUING HIS winning ways, James Burge took out both ACO Legend races in round nine on day one at Sydney Motorsport Park but it was too tough an assignment in following day’s round 10.

The first of two races was won relatively easily ahead of Regan Angel, Zane Morse and Rick Christy. The second was more difficult with Burge duelling with Angel and Morse, until Angel spun at turn two and Morse stopped on top of the tunnel with a suspected engine failure. Brendan Hourigan was able to pass Christy in the latter stages to snare second while Ben Jagger was fourth.

Round 10 honours went with Regan Angel after he won the first two races and finished third in the last.

Angel started the day’s reverse grid opener from the front row and led all the way. Points leader Burge came off the back for second ahead of Ken Davis.

There was contact between Angel and Burge on the opening lap of the second outing where the latter was off the track at turn three. After his recovery Burge later had contact with Josh Hourigan and was again off the track, at turn one.

Behind Angel, Brendan Hourigan was second with Ken Davis third.

Burge still recovered for sixth where he would start the last. On the second lap he had the lead which he wouldn’t lose. Brendan Hourigan passed Angel to finish the race second while Jagger was fourth ahead of Christy.

PORSCHES POWER AHEAD

IN THE interesting mix of IROC Porsches, an Invited Porsche, Group 4, Super 6s and Aussie V8 Utes, Lachlan Harburg was first across line in all four races in the former Porsche Cup Carrera.

Forging through from down the field, Harburg won the first ahead of Greg Keene (IROC Porsche 911). Terry Knight (IROC) ran third until he was pipped on the line by Rohan Little, who was racing the absent Sven Burchartz IROC Porsche.

Nic Marentis (IROC) was next

ahead Gavin Ross (Group 4 Holden Commodore) who was the best of the combined sedans, finishing sixth outright ahead of Brent Edwards (Super 6 Ford Falcon BA). In the Utes Richard

Mork (Commodore) was the winner.

Early in race two Harburg and Keene duelled before the latter eased ahead.

Little, Knight and Marentis were line astern in the battle for third. Ross

started poorly, leaking several places before striking back to another sixth ahead of Edwards. Mork again headed up the Utes.

There were two more outright wins for Harburg, each time coming from behind to take the victories. In race three he won ahead of Keene and in the last he showed the way to Marentis.

Again Ross was the best of the Aussie cars, taking sixth, while Edwards was next. Bruce Oaklands (Falcon) beat Mork in the Sunday’s first Ute contest but both were penalised for separate incidents in the later race – Oaklands for an incident with class race winner Clint Henderson (Commodore) before Mork, who took the round and series, copped his for contact with Oaklands.

A SHAW MAZDA WINNER PROLIFIC WINNER Ric Shaw was again top of the Speedy Wheels Mazda RX8 Cup class with another four wins at round four.

He won ahead of Stephen McLaine and Terry Lewis.

After qualifying fastest for only the second time this season, Shaw went on to win all the races at the penultimate round. Shaw lost out at the start of race one and trailed McLaine until slipping past him at turn eight.

From there he edged away to win and Lewis finished third, while the duelling for third went the way of Will Cauchi over New Zealander Aaron Prosser and Nick Dunkley.

In race two Shaw was better off the line to lead all the way ahead of McLaine. Third went to Prosser after an intense battle involving Lewis, Cauchi and Dunkley. The

latter two had a slight touch at turn one, both spearing off in the sand trap and the race finished behind a Safety Car. Shaw was never headed and beat home McLaine in race three. After a difficult Saturday where the his engine mysteriously cut out continually, Will Harris came from the back to finish third ahead of Prosser, Lachlan O’Hara, Lewis and Sam Silvestro.

Dunkley put in late night repair job to finish eighth.

In the last, McLaine fell down the order after contact with Harris, but came back to finish the race third. Prosser fell by the wayside on the second lap before Lewis took fourth ahead of O’Hara, Dunkley and Cauchi. The latter was just ahead of Brayden Slater and Simon Slade.

Photo: Insyde Media

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NATIONALS wrap LOTUS TAKES THE TITLE n compiled by garry o’brie

DOMINATING THE final round helped Jim Pollicina and Ryan Simpson win the 2018 Australian Production Car Series at Phillip Island on October 28.

Strategy proved to be the winning formula at the round five six-hour event, as they piloted the Class A1 Lotus Exige 350 Sport to a clear-cut victory.

They covered 195 laps without the interference of a Safety Car, three more than second-placed Grant and Iain Sherrin (BMW M4). Two laps away were Mark Eddy and Francois Jouy (Audi TT RS), battling gearbox issues, and on the same lap as the Subaru Impreza WRX STi shared by Dimitri Agathos and Lachlan Gibbons.

Race favourites and the series leaders beforehand, Grant Denyer and Tony D’Alberto, led from the outset and up to and through the first round of pit visits.

But a tyre blowout on lap 65 caused rear suspension damage that delayed them 20mins for repairs.

The Sherrins were also expected to have a greater impact. They were running second before a drive-through penalty and then risked no tyre change at the next stop which caused them further delays with a puncture, virtually a lap from the pit entrance.

Completing 183 laps and finishing fifth and sixth were Scott Gore and Keith Bensley (Class B1, BMW 135i) and Denyer/D’Alberto, three laps ahead of Colin Osborne and Callum Jones (Renault Megane RS265), who won the round and took series second and first in Class C respectively.

B1 season laurels went to 12th-placed James Keene and Dominic Martens (Volkswagen Golf R).

Despite numerous punctures Chris Lillis, Nathan Callaghan and Matthew Holt brought their Class A2 series-winning HSV GTS home eighth with 180 laps in the bag and

Xxx x x x x Xxx x x x x Xxx x x x x Xxx x x x x Xxx x x x x Xxx x x x x Xxx x x x x Xxx x x x x x x x Xxx x x x x Xxx x x x x

Photo: Rebecca Thompson

two ahead of Class D victors Matt Thewlis and Richard Luff (Mini JCW). The latter pair finished one-two in the class championship.

For much of the race Class D was ultracompetitive before Cem Yucel and Ian Salteri (Nissan Pulsar) won ahead of Michael Hopp and Steve Pittman (Suzuki Swift Sport).

James Brock took the season win but

the MG he shared with Elliott Barbour was delayed with a front hub problem for many laps.

Class title aspirant Mark Griffith, along with Jimmy Vernon, was on the threshold of a good result but their Toyota Echo blew its engine with around two minutes remaining.

Both the B2 Holden Commodores spent

Photos: Nathan Wong

time in the garage although the Garth Walden/Michael Auld/Richard Bloomfield SS finished, the series winner Katlin Hawkins, with Danielle Walton, didn’t complete sufficient laps in their SS. Supporting the event was the final round of 2018 Australian Prototype Series at Phillip Island, which was taken out convincingly by Jason Makris, who also won the round as his rivals fell by the wayside.

With two wins and a fifth in his Wolf GB08CN, Makris won the fifth round ahead Paul Braico and Zig Fuhrmeister in their Radical SR3.

Teammate John-Paul Drake and 2017 Mark Laucke (West WX10) were title aspirants but both ran into dramas. Drake retired from Race 1 with a round-ending fuel pump problem while Laucke also pulled out of the race.

Laucke came back to win Race 2 but was again a non-finisher in the last.

The BMW E30s completed the support program with Duncan McKellar winning both sprint races in his Invitation Class exSchnitzer Group A BMW. McKellar retired from the one-hour endurance race, leaving BMW 135i driver Klae Eckhardt to take victory, while Chris Bell finished seventh to win the title.

TIM THE BOSS MANN TIM MANN’S almost unbeatable racing season continued in the fifth round of the Tasmanian Super Series at the Pepsi-Max Baskerville Raceway on October 28. Mann has only lowered his colours once in the Sports GTB category, taking on all comers in his Ford Falcon TE50.

The fifth round produced another clean sweep for Mann (four wins, including the double points final) handing him the championship with a round still to go. However, the icing on the cake came in the stand-alone Stateline Freight Boss of Baskerville race.

The annual fixture on the Hobart circuit’s calendar is open to all sedan classes on a handicap basis. Mann started mid-field but made good use of his handicap to hit the lead on the final lap, scoring ahead of fellow Sports GTB driver David Wrigley (Ford Mustang) and Sports GTA racer Roger White (Nissan Skyline).

Sports GTA

ONLY 12 points now separate the top three drivers in Sports GTA with 150 points on the line at the upcoming season finale.

Andrew Reader (Mazda RX7) won the penultimate round after good battles with Leyton Barker (Holden Commodore) and Scott Smith (Porsche GT3), who now leads the series

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by only four points. White finished fourth but is still in title contention.

Formula Vees

WILY VETERAN Nino Bocchino (Elfin Crusader) sat back off the pace for a conservative fourth on the day to take a handy lead into the final round, leaving Dion Wyllie (Spectre) Tim Mann was dominant again in his Falcon. Photo Angryman Photography and Wade McLean (Elliott) to dice for outright honours in some good racing. state champion Ashlin lead brother Shane The performance from former multiple Sports In the style of Vee legend Dick Crawford, who Ashlin and veteran Bird to the chequered flag.

GT champion Grace, in his new category and was a master in handicap races, veteran Darren in a very different car, was easily his best of the Easterbrook (Manta) held on for a thrilling year.

Hyundai Excels Dick Crawford Memorial race win from Justin REIGNING CHAMPION Peter Kemp is in the box Murphy (Polar) by just 0.08s, with Michael seat for back-to-back titles after surviving some Historic Touring Cars Vaughan (Spectre) only 0.6s away in third. early challenges from youngster Josh Webster, WARREN BRYAN (Holden Monaro) can’t be to take a 41-point lead into the decider. beaten for the title, despite finishing on equal HQ Holdens top points for the round, with Scott Cordwell PHIL ASHLIN maintained his series lead after Improved Production (Holden Torana XU-1). finishing third on the day, while Andrew Toth THERE WERE some great battles between and Andrew Bird pushed each other at the front. veteran and multiple state champion Leigh Sports GTC Ashlin holds a 47-point lead and only needs to Forrest (Toyota Celica Turbo) and Matthew MICK WILLIAMS (Datsun 240Z) put in another finish all races in the final round mid-pack to Grace (Nissan 200SX). solid day, racing to finish second overall behind clinch back to back championships.

Forrest won the day by just six points from Tim Rushworth (Mitsubishi Mirage) and putting In the Laurie Kelly HQ memorial race, reigning Grace, to wrap up the championship. himself in an unbeatable championship lead.

KINSELLA GOES BACK-TO-BACK SYDNEY MOTORSPORT Park was the venue on November 3-4 for two very different motor racing series contests. The Formula Vees were conducting their annual Nationals, which go state to state and circuit to circuit, while it was the second outing and rounds five to eight of the ultra-quick Superkarts National Series.

Formula Vee Nationals

BACKING UP his success in 2017, Michael Kinsella became a two-time winner of the Formula Vee 1600 title, again beating Dylan Thomas. Meanwhile Mathew Pearce notched up a third 1200 win, edging out Wade McLean, who had been aiming for his fourth.

Thirty cars lined up for the 1600 finale and it was Craig Sparke (Jacer) the top points scorer from the three heats starting off pole. He, Thomas (Stinger) and Kinsella were duelling out at the front, constantly changing places as Aaron Pace (Jacer), Aaron Lee (Jacer) Jake Rowe (Sabre) were similarly so for fourth.

Circumstances changed on lap eight (of 12) when Sparke stopped with a gear selection problem and the leaders found themselves joined by Lee and Pace. In the run to the flag though, Kinsella had enough to edge out Thomas and Pace. Fourth went to Lee, from Darren William (Sabre) ahead of Austin Pearson (Jacer), Daniel Reinhardt (Sabre), Rowe and Curtis Porter (Jacer).

Kinsella won the first two races, beating Thomas and Sparke respectively, before a fifth in the third

which Sparke won from Thomas.

Stephen Butcher (Stinger) was fourth in race two but DNF’d the third due to a collision with Heath Collinson (Sabre).

Initially the 16-strong 1200 battle for the lead involved race two winner McLean (Elliott), Butcher who was doubling up, and Pearce with victories in races one and two.

Butcher went out with a selector issue and the race went down to the wire and McLean, who led across the line for the previous six laps, had no answer to Pearce beating him to the line on the last.

Third went to Chris Neil (Elfin Crusader) edging out Nigel Jones (Renmax) for third, and similarly so for fifth for Brody Murfet (Spectre) on Lindsay Murfet (Bee Cee).

Superkarts Nationals

FOR THE third year in a row, Ilya Harpas is a Superkart National Series winner, when he took the 250cc International title ahead of Gary Pegoraro and Kristian Stebbing. The 250 National honours went to Tony Moit over John Dunn and Laurie Fooks as Paul Campbell broke his title duck, scoring in 125 Gearbox from Aaron Cogger and Brad Stebbing.

The Anderson Maverick karts dominated the leading class with Harpas winning the first three.

The double-points fourth race was far more arduous as Harpas had a front exhaust blowout, causing a power drop and burns to his leg. Despite that he placed third to take the round win over race

Photos: Bruce Moxon

winner Pegoraro and New Zealand’s Teddy Bassick.

Event honours in 250N went to Fooks (Avoig) despite not finishing the third race after losing the engine coolant, yet he won the other three. Moit (Anderson Mirage) was also a non-finisher in that race and had a one-point advantage over Dunn going into the last, and finished second while Dunn was a non-starter. John Pellicano (Avoig Elise) was third for the weekend.

Cogger (Avoig Elise) took victory in the 125’s first outing whilst Campbell (Avoig Elise) suffered mechanical dramas with steam pouring from his engine, as Brad Stebbing (Stockman) finished second.

Campbell hit back for second to Cogger next time before Lee Vella (Avoig Elise) downed Cogger in the third. In the last it was a photo finish with Vella from Cogger, who won the round ahead of Campbell and debutant Nicholas Schembri (Anderson Maverick).

In the other classes, Alan Dodge (IWT Scorpion) clean swept the Non-Gearbox Max Heavy. With two wins and two seconds in Max Light, Mark Vickers (Woodgate Evo) and Nicholas Schembri (Arrow AX9) finished equal on points. Three wins in his BRM gave Michael Doherty the Stock Honda win.

Veloce Alfas

THE ALFA group were joined by a couple of Historic Touring Cars but it didn’t stop David Capraro nailing four race victories. Early on it was Mark Lenstra (Ford Escort RS 1600) who offered the biggest challenge, with a narrow second in race one before exclusion from race two.

Michael (GT) and Alfio Musumeci (GTV) battled it for second in race two before the latter went out early in race three, as Michael Musumeci was again second ahead of Frank Carigliano (GTV6) there and in the last race.

BUSHRANGER STEALS THE SHOW IT WAS the culmination of the season for some, while the Excels always number up for Queensland Raceway, with the addition of the Bushranger 200 a feature of the Ipswich Classic on November 3-4.

Track Attack Excel Cup

COMPLETING THE weekend was the 64-lap, 200km event where Brett Parrish and Ash Wright were first across the line. But they would receive a post-race 30s penalty which dropped them to third spot behind declared winners Dan Peasey and John McLaughlin, and second placed Darren Whittington and Thomas SaunterChum.

Fourth went to Seiton Connor-Young and his dad Trent Young, ahead of Robert Buckley and Peter Nankervis, John Sheridan and Jayden Faulkner, Frank Mammarella and Gary Beggs, Kaden and Gary Olsen, and Cam Wilson and Ben Bargwanna. One lap down and 10th were Gordon Smith and Michael Tresilliant.

The event had 35 starters and 10 lead changes where Broc Feeney/

Jaylyn Robotham wrestled for the front running, initially with Mammarella/ Beggs, before an eight-lap stint leading.

For the next 24 circuits it was the Wilson/Bargwanna entry at the head.

After the pitstops they and Peasey/ McLaughlin had turns showing the way before Parrish led to the end.

There was plenty of close racing in the lead-up sprint races where Whittington headed home Parrish, Simon Winters, Sheridan and Peasey in the first. In a tighter second outing, marred by six exclusions, Whittington won ahead of Parrish, Robotham, Winters and Sheridan.

Formula Vees

PASSES WERE numerous despite the small rollup. David Hedemann (Bee Cee Jabiru) won the first ahead of Scott Andrew (Rapier) and Eddie McFaul (Bee Cee). McFaul narrowly won a four-way scrap in the second ahead of Hedemann, Alex Hedemann (Jacer) and Andrew.

Alex Hedemann took the third ahead of Andrew and McFaul, before the last went to Paul Kellaway (Jacer) clear of

Hedemann. McFaul was third and the round winner.

HQ Holdens

FOUR WINS for Scott Andriske put him well ahead in the club points and made him the 2018 champion. In three of the four he won from Brad Schomberg and second in the points standings, Brandon Madden. Ben Simpson was second in the last ahead of Bruce French, but the round minors went to Schombert and Madden respectively.

Group N

SUNDAY WAS a good day for Historic Touring Car veteran Bruce Dummett (Holden Torana XU-1) who won both races. Firstly he downed Troy Norris (XU-1) who led for the greater part and just held off Brad Harris and Grahame Wrobel in their Mustangs. Then it was pretty tight between Dummett, Harris and Wrobel in the last. On Saturday afternoon Wrobel had a comfortable victory over Harris and Dummett.

Production Sports

THE NUMERICALLY superior Mazda

MX5s were unsurprisingly well featured in the results. Brendan Whittaker won the first two races before a DNF in the third – yet he came back to take out the fourth.

Tim Janke scored a trio of seconds and one win (race three). In the first race James Wilkins (Toyota 86) was third in front of Cameron Hein, before their results were reversed in race two. Wilkins was second in the next race ahead of Blake Ulyate who snared third off the Toyota driver in the last.

Classic Sports Sedans/ QR Sports & Sedans

FOR THE most part it was MARC Car V8 drivers that won in the combined categories. Jason Busk led Geoff Taunton to the line in the first while Grant Draney (Chev Monte Carlo Nascar) and Michael Kulig (TA2 Chev Camaro) followed.

In the second it was Taunton just ahead of Cameron Maxwell (Cobra) with Busk a distant third. Maxwell downed Taunton and Busk in the third but was a DNF in the last where Photos: Digital Realism

Taunton again headed Busk.

Australian Trans-Am

FOR JOHN English there was no better way to consolidate his series win than with a clean sweep of the final round. The Pontiac Firebird driver won ahead of Anthony Tenkate (Ford Mustang) in every race. Fellow Mustang drivers Chris LaRosa with three, and Rob Hackwood (one) chased them home in third.

Queensland Touring Cars

IT WAS a perfect final round for Murray Kent. Not only did the Holden Torana driver beat arch rival Steve Hay (Holden Commodore) for the club title, he also beat him home in two races. In the others it was Chris Sharples (Holden Monaro) and Adrian Blackwell (Commodore) who finished second.

A2 honours went to Michael Woodcroft (Torana) with three class wins to one for Rod Droder (Commodore), as Chris Holdt (Commodore) won in Class B each time.

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NATIONALS wrap n compiled by garry o’brie

HORE CLOSES OUT SEASON WITH A WIN BRAGGING RIGHTS were fought over on October 27-28, when 108 competitors raced for the 2018 Queensland Super Sprint Championships at Morgan Park, with Jason Hore taking the honours at the end of two days of stiff competition.

The 3km K configuration was utilised of the opening day of competition, which provides multiple challenges for the wide variety of cars such as Hyundais, Escorts, Toranas, Sprites, Datsuns, Porsches and open wheelers that competed across the weekend.

Unfortunately, last year’s winner Vikki Paxton had mechanical issues with her Formula 3 Dallara and was forced to retire early. This opened the door for Jason Hore and Bruce McKenzie, both with Formula 3s, to push on.

Whilst there were a few mechanical issues with some cars on Saturday, there were no major incidents or long hold ups, which kept the day flowing.

It allowed all competitors who were able to continue to complete all three runs, each consisting of three laps.

Sunday morning was a little cooler but soon warmed up to provide perfect track conditions, but unlike Saturday, the competitors ran on the 2.4 km E circuit.

The outright winner for the weekend was Hore ahead of Bruce McKenzie, followed by Peter Corbett in his Lamborghini Gallardo GT3.

Each stood on the podium where they were presented with magnificent decorative silver plate trophies, as did the winners from each category, who were also presented with glass

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McKenzie narrowly finished second.

Photos: Trapnell Creations

RESULTS SUPER SPRINT STATE CHAMPIONSHIP Jason Hore was the winner in his Formula 3 car.

Photos: Trapnell Creations

Jason Hore Bruce McKenzie Peter Corbett

Peter Corbett’s Lamborghini Gallardo GT3.

trophies.

It was a great weekend with four lap records broken and many competitors already looking forward to next year to do it again.

Once again a big thank you to all the volunteers and officials who took up their time to make such a great event possible.

Spectator entry for all the super sprints is free of charge and offer a fantastic action-packed weekend with a large variety of cars competing.

Photo: NBAPhoto

DEANE PASSES BEST AT FESTIVAL

OASTLER TOP CLIMBER AGAIN MALCOLM OASTLER made it title number four when he won the 2018 CAMS Australian Hillclimb Championship, at Bryant Park on October 29-30.

Two years after setting an outright record in his OMS 28 and beating the locals at the Victorian venue, he did it again with a new record of 43.10s on his final run.

Despite trying his best and having more runs, Brett Hayward (Hayward) finished on 43.95s, under the old record but not good enough, although did win the Formula Libre 1301-2000cc class and holds the record for it.

Former nationals champion Greg Ackland (Ninja GA) took third place with a 45.51s best while Dean Tighe (Dallara/Judd) was 1.1s behind in fourth, his car more suited to less twisty tracks. Victorian Champion Garry Martin (Martin a16) completed the top five and secured the 7511300cc title.

All these top performers designed

Hayward (below) was defeated on home turf by Oastler (above) Photos: Elgee

and built their own cars, with Hayward being the most prolific with six of his designs competing, including the recently-completed Hayward 19 for Michael Bishop who finished 10th outright in his first race in the new machine. There were two Acklands and two Martins in the event too, with Andrew Mizzi having his first run in his newly-rebuilt GAK Martin.

Fastest tin-top went to Wayne Penrose in his impressive single centre-seat VW special in 17th outright, to take the Sports Sedan 3001-6000cc title and class record

of 53.58s.

Scott Stephenson (Honda Civic) took the Improved Production up to 1600 title, while Phil Pratt (Hooper) is still the only Electric car entrant to appear in Victoria and made his trip from the ACT worthwhile, taking 4s off his own lap record set in 2016 to finish 31st outright.

Daniel Mischok set a new best time to take the Improved Production 1601-2000 title. Former record holder Terry Selwyn (Datsun) moved up to the 2001-3000 class, taking the title.

GARY HILL

TIGHE SECURES STATE TITLE IN A cliffhanger, Queensland’s Dean Tighe used his 10th and penultimate run to take out the City Discount Tyres Nailsworth South Australian Hillclimb Championship on October 1314 at Collingrove.

On his final run, with spots of rain falling, he spun his Judd V8-powered Dallara in the esses, after setting his personal best in the first two sectors. Tighe’s winning time was 28.46s, with Dave Mahon (Ninja GA7) second on 28.83s, with Derek Foster (White/Suzuki) 0.16s slower in third.

In ideal weather on Saturday, Foster went into the lead from the first run, from Tighe, and local and reigning state champion Mahon, before Mahon snatched the lead in the next. Mahon’s 28.83s – his best time of the weekend – came on the fourth run, before Tighe finished only 0.01s behind after the day’s

a second slower than the previous day.

Victorian Alan Foley, in a new Foley car built by his father, did his personal best of 29.45s on the day’s second run to finish fourth ahead of Alan Foster, sharing the White Suzuki with his brother, and 0.26s slower.

In a field of indecently quick 4WD sedans, Henry Beasley led all the way in his Mitsubishi EVO IX, finishing ninth outright with 31.90s, ahead of Guy Chet (EVO 7 RS) and John Beasley (EVO 4) over half a second away.

With a damp track, the open-wheeler drivers decided not to compete in the top 12 shootout. Only four of the previouslymentioned 4WDs took part, where Daniel Longhurst (EVO VII) came out on top.

JOHN LEMM

Photo: John Lemm

final run, with Foster 1.2s further back.

On the final run, Sarah Pfeiffer crashed her Mallock U2 Sports into a tyre barrier protecting a huge gum tree just after the Bus Stop, putting her out for the weekend.

Sunday dawned overcast, windy and with the threat of rain, seemingly putting paid to an improvement in times.

However, Tighe never gave up, whilst Mahon elected to sit out the eighth and ninth runs, after his earlier run was over

ON THE third of four runs, a 1min 2.19s pass was good enough for FTD at North East Rivers Festival Legerwood Lane for Scott Deane to take out round four of the Tasmanian Hillclimb Series on October 28.

There was problem in set-up which meant a late start before Ben Spriggs (Subaru Impreza WRX STi) set the early pace. He was 1.8s faster than Deane (Mitsubishi EVO 4) after the first run, before Deane reduced that to just under three tenths on the second pass.

Spiggs’ third attempt was his best as well but 0.23s shy of Deane’s effort. Both were competing in Class C (six cylinder and under 2.0-litre turbo cars) and had almost a 2s advantage over the rest of the field.

Third place went to Ben Manion, who dusted off his Nissan Skyline GTR in preparation for the upcoming Targa High Country. He was fastest 2WD and beat the best time of his Class D (eight cylinder and turbo six cylinder cars) rival Mark Butcher (Lamborghini Gallardo), who was fourth.

Fifth outright went to Hamish Ferguson (Class C, Mazda RX7) ahead of Class D’s Ben Newman (Nismo 400R) and Terry Harper (Ford Falcon). Then followed Gary Van Der Drift (Class C, Nissan 200SX) and Tim Shaw (Class D, Porsche 911 Turbo).

Tenth and first in Class A (up 1.6-litre) was Craig Milich in his Ford Anglia, while Class B (up to 2.0-litre & turboed to 1.6-litre) honours went to Casey Price (Mini JCW). Price finished 20th, one spot behind the only Class F (Clubman/ Formula Libre) entry, Don Fraser’s Clubman Locost.

BARKER BEST IN CHALLENGE FINALE MIKE BARKER took the outright win at the third and final round of the Rob Roy Interclub Challenge Series, on October 14.

The Gippsland Car Club Car Club won the series, clearly ahead of the Renault Car Club, while third went to the host MG Car Club who were the top performing club on the day.

Thirty-three car clubs took part in the series with points earned for each member entered as well as for the top four in each class.

Therefore Mike Barker’s 22.83s FTD didn’t help the Victorian Historic Racing Register but his class win did.

Col Hunter (Subaru Impreza WRX) was the top scorer for the GCC with a class win and second outright. He was backed up by Gavin Langmuir (Nissan Pulsar) and Russ Mead (Ford Anglia Super), both taking class seconds.

Geoff Rasmussen (Renault R4) took a second for the RCCV. David Bertuch (Renault Megane RS275) had a class third and Joel Bryer (Renault Clio RS Trophy) secured fourth place points.

There were no class wins for the MGCC but plenty of entries and places to boost their points. Andrew and Daryl Coon took second and third in the 1.6-2.0-litre class with their shared MG ZR, ahead of Mike Ellsmore (MGA hardtop), while Shane Gezun (MGB V8 Roadster) took fourth in the over 3.0-litre class.

Not driving MGs but scoring points were Bill Atherton aboard his Elfin Streamliner in second in the post-1960 Racing Cars and Darren Beet (Toyota Celica) with a third in the 1301-1600 class.

GARY HILL

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www.wakefieldpark.com.au

November 16 Speed Off The Street/Test & Tune November 17 Circuit Club November 18 WPM Trackschool Track Day November 19 Revolution Motorsport November 22 Speed Off The Street/Test & Tune November 23 WPM Motorcycle Ride Day November 24-25 Post Classic Racing Association (PCRA)

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NATIONALS wrap n compiled by garry o’brie

DUST DELIVERS LOVEDAY WIN

Photo: David Batchelor

Photo: Jason Galea

KIWIS HOLD ON IN OFF ROAD THRILLER

IT WAS a close finish in the 390km Black Diamond Drilling Kalgoorlie Desert Race where John and David Morgan won the sixth round of the Carnarvon Motel West Australian Off Road Championship on October 27-28.

After the New Zealand pair crossed the line in their Aussie Jimco Special/Chev V8, they had a tense wait to see the completion time for Shane and Curt Elphinstone (Jimco/Nissan V6 Turbo) who flew through the final 130km section fastest, but missed the victory by just 23s.

Kiwis Raana Horan and Klem Christensen (Jimco/Nissan) were second after the first 130km section, tailing the Morgans into the overnight rest-up. Horan won the second section before being delayed on the final with a puncture and finishing third overall.

Meanwhile Jared Percival and Darryn Beckett (SS Racetech/Toyota) struck engine issues early and Percival’s hopes of back-to-back WAORC titles waned. But by battling with limited revs to eighth and first in ProLite, he was able to claim a third championship crown.

Fourth outright and first in SXS Turbo were Brad and Donna Close (Can-Am X3 Rotax 900) ahead of Simon Clifford and Jayden Ivey (Polaris RZR Turbo), Gavin Rodgers and Latia Reeves (Can-Am), and Dean and Jordan Terry (Can-Am).

Finishing ninth were Mitchell and Owen Davies after an overnight gearbox change and then breaking the front diff in their Extreme 4WD-winning Nissan Navara V8 Trophy Truck.

The only other Pro Buggy was Richard Crabb’s Racer/Chev which was running fourth but also had gearbox issues and would ultimately finish 16th. Leading Extreme 2WD, outright title contenders Colin and Peter Doney (Volkswagen Type 1 Baja/Nissan) had a flat and cut back to the pits to change it, however leaving the course meant they would be unable to finish the section.

Slowed by a flat tyre, Jeremy Lia and Jamie Tillbrook (Rivmasta/Toyota) still took Super 1650, Mark Wainwright and Adam Jones (Yamaha YXZ1000) led the SXS Sports, Peter Barrett and Craig Rengel (Bullet/Honda) brought the Sportslitewinner in on three wheels, and Russell Cullen and Sean Beck (Holden Kingswood) were the Performance 2WD winners - the only ones to finish every kilometre of every race.

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UNEXPECTEDLY EMERGING from the blinding dust first, Daryl Nissen and Andrew Harness won the Loveday 350, round three of the South Australian Off Road Championship on October 28.

Starting the final section in third, the Sore/Nissan crew easily gained a place on the first lap when leaders Toby Whateley and Simon Herrmann (Can-Am/Rotax) stopped to replace a drive belt, and then eased into the lead on the final lap when Garry and Tamara Turnbull (Aceco/ Chev) pulled out with no oil pressure and only 20kms remaining.

Whateley got back up to just hang onto second ahead of Todd Lehmann and Bradley Ross (Bullet/Chev). Lehmann’s effort was good enough to snare him top spot in the state championship.

Next across the line were Chris Johnson and his dad Colin (Schmid/Mitsubishi), comfortably ahead of the Class 4 Nissan Patrol that John and Blake Smith were sharing the driving in. Chris Pickert and Bryan Brown had a strong run in their Chev-powered Mitsubishi Triton claiming sixth and the Performance 2WD win.

Roydn Bailey and Keke Falland (Can-Am/Rotax) were

followed with just seconds separating them from the Northern Territory’s Jason Flavell and Stephen Rosier (Can-Am/Rotax). Continuing their good recent form, Dean Carter and Bradley Jacobs (Hornet/Toyota) were ninth and top Super 1650. Rounding out the top ten were Mel and Liam Brandle (Yamaha YXZ1000R) also taking out the Class 66 honours.

Nissen claimed the ProLite silverware with Whateley the best in Class 6. Lehmann added the Pro Class win to his trophy cabinet and the Smiths were top Extreme 2WD. Alan Dixon and Jonathan

THE WEIRS TAKE CLUB’S HOSETECH

Photo: Alice Spings Off Road Racing Club

O’Connor (Southern CrossCustomfab/Nissan) were looking good for a top five result until being slowed by front end damage. They ultimately went out on the final lap when a rear wheel parted company.

Harry Jackson and Kaylene Crossing (Can-Am) but were out on Saturday. Brett Taylor and Chris Hinspeter (Jimco Trophy Truck) suffered the same fate with a leaking torque converter seal. Matthew and Shaydon Witmitz ran out of luck on Saturday morning rolling their Land Rover Discovery.

DAVID BATCHELOR

THE COMBINATION of results over the two days of the Hosetech 250 gave Locky and Paddy Weir victory in the Alice Springs Off Road Racing Club’s last event for the year at Mt Ooraminna on October 20-21.

In their Jimco/Toyota ProLite they completed the 49.7kms laps of the circuit on the Orange Creek Station course in 2hrs 28mins 42.657s, almost nine minutes ahead of Bruce Muir and Dylan Blake (Holden Commodore Ute Extreme 2WD) with Darren and Chelsea Wright (Southern Cross/Mitsubishi Super 1650) another 31.8s away in third place.

Alex and Paul Heinzel (Southern Cross/Nissan) won the first section – one lap of the course – and were second on the next behind the Weirs who led into the overnight rest-up. Muir was third ahead of the Wrights, and Leighton Surr and Josh Lander (Ford Ranger/Chev).

Over the first two sections of day two, it was Muir over Weir by a little over 33s with Wright third in front of Surr and Harry Weckert and Caitlin Stephens in their UTV. Then on the final circuit it was Heinzel the fastest over Weir, Muir, Wright, Surr and Weckert.

Surr and Lander were fourth overall with UTV class winners Weckert/Stephens next and ahead of Michael Lymberis and Dan Morrison (Toyota Tundra Trophy Truck), Rick Chambers/ Pat Geraghty (UTV), and Ben Oliver and Cody Hodgins (Holden Kingwood Ute/Chev) the best of the Performance 2WDs. GARRY O’BRIEN

Photo: Kile Nicholas

RAIN NO PAIN PPhoto: Melanie Campbell Bugeja

SXS TURBOS DOMINATE RETREAT 300 SXS TURBOS dominated The Retreat 300 Long Course on October 27-28 with Brett Thorn and Marty Cameron winning ahead of Brad and Sam Hancock as third went to Brayden Mifsud and John Lovett.

It was the third round of the CAMS Queensland State Off Road Championship which was also round five of the North Queensland Off Road Super Series. The event took in nine laps of the Retreat Station course, approximately

60kms west of Mackay.

Thorn (Can-Am Maverick X3 Rotax) was the overnight leader after winning three of the four laps on Saturday. Hancock (Polaris RZR 1000 XP Turbo) was 1min 13.2s behind in second while Mifsud (Polaris) won a lap but were fifth behind Ryan and Nev Taylor (Pro Buggy Tatum AK47/Chev V8) and Chris Sollitt (Sollittco/Subaru).

Hancock won the opening lap of day two but after that it was Mifsud to the forefront, taking the

next four laps and winning the day ahead of Robert Turner and Jordan Bensemann (Desert Dynamics), Taylor, Hancock, James Sant and Lizzy Murrell, and Thorn.

At the end of the meeting it was Taylor fourth and Turner fifth, and they were first and second of the Pro Buggies. Sollitt finished sixth and won Sportslite. In their Polaris 900XP Ned and Kelveen Hancock were the Class 66 SXS Non Turbo winners as Luke and Tony Buckingham (Cobra) took Class 2 for Super 1650s.

a free hit to extend his lead.

Chris Branch (Nissan V6 Hornet ProLite) worked his way through the field to claim second outright, a lap ahead of Michael Stalker (Can-Am X3 SXS). Stalker surprised some of his more fancied rivals, finishing ahead of Geoff Lowry (homebuilt Toyotapowered Super 1650) and Tatnell rounding out the top five.

The enduro was also the fifth round of the Tasmanian Off Road Racing

Championship, but effectively the third round, after the first two rounds were cancelled due to a shortage of entries.

Branch takes a five-point lead into the final round at Symmons Plains in December and only needs to finish second or better, to claim the championship. However, with his impressive third outright on the sand, giant-killer Stalker might still snatch the title away if he wins.

MARTIN AGATYN

ROCKLIFF’S NINTH SAND WIN SCOTT ROCKLIFF won Australia’s longest continual running off road event, the North West Off Road-ARB Tasmanian Sand Enduro on November 34, for an unprecedented ninth time. He dominated the 500km event from start to finish in his Rocka A-Arm Subaru Turbo Pro Buggy.

The race was contested over two days, consisting of 100 laps (5 x 20-lap heats) of the testing Peron Dunes course near St Helens, on Tasmania’s East Coast.

Rockliff led by an impressive two laps at the end of day one, but took it up a notch on the Sunday to blast away to an unbelievable margin of 14 laps ahead of his nearest rival at the chequered flag, his most impressive ever win.

Chris Boon was second after the Saturday heats in his Suzuki Hyabusa ProLite, a lap ahead of Justin Tatnell (Jimco Mazda V6 Pro Buggy).

However, as the second day dawned, Boon was a non-starter, giving Rockliff

PERSISTENT RAIN didn’t deter a capacity field from taking part in the Nabiac Hotel Airport Challenge nor Peter and Josh Skaza from winning the sixth and final round of the Hunter Rivmasta NSW Off Road Championship last month.

They placed their Feral/Chev V8 Pro Buggy second in race one, and sixth in race two. The duo took the first heat of race three before finishing third in the second round of heats on Sunday.

Second outright, also in the Pro Buggy class were Derek Rose and Bill Coote (Baker2/Chev V8) while third went to Greg Campbell having a singlehanded tilt in his Can-Am Maverick.

Meanwhile Scott Brown who led the championship coming into the final round with Tony Burgess in the codriver’s seat of their Edco/Mazda Super 1650, finished outside the top 20 on Saturday. But Sunday’s heat results of 14th and 18th respectively, gave them the 2018 Championship trophy.

The only impact the weather really made was an alteration to the course.

It had to be changed twice after a massive downpour on Saturday night.

The organisers made a new segment of track. Amazingly, due to the amount of sand in the track, it was barely detectable that it had rained at all.

Phil Lovett and Luke Stanley (Can-Am Maverick) were the overnight leaders after winning both their races. They threw a couple of belts on Sunday and then drove hard to try to claw back the time, but ended up breaking a front upper wish bone which put them out entirely.

In contrast Peter and Narda Carr (CanAm) had new radiator installed and in the first races the car overheated.

Additional ducting solved the problem and they came through to win the final heat.

Other class honours went with Scott and Michelle McNeill (MMS/Honda, ProLite), Greg Barron/Chad Jenkins (Hunter Rivmasta/Suzuki, Sportsman), Derrin Hedges/Gordon Tardrew (Nissan Navara/Chev, Extreme 2WD), Lucky and Angela Mattiussi (International Scout/ Chev, Extreme 4WD), Bruce and Daniel Morgan (Production 4WD), and Keven Cant and Gavin Robinson (Yamaha YXZ, SXS Sport).

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NATIONALS wrap n compiled by garry o’brie co

LEE’S ROUND, HAYES’ TITLE

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CONTINUING HIS notable switch from the co-driver’s seat to steering duties, Matt Lee with Cathy Elliott co-driving, won the MRF Tyres Akademos Rally, the sixth and penultimate round of the Focus On Furniture Victorian Rally Championship on October 21.

Subaru Impreza WRX STi crewed cars filled the top three places. The former Australian Rally Champion navigator won the Alexandra-based event by 1min 8s over Wayne Stewart and Daniel Brkic, while third went to Ben and Cathy Hayes who sealed the championship title.

Totalling 297kms, the event was divided into two heats of four stages each, with each heat scored separately. The Hayes’ went all out in Heat One, winning two stages, coming equal first with Stewart in another and finishing third to Lee and Stewart in the fourth.

That meant Hayes could be more conservative in Heat Two, ensuring they

Photo: Elgee

Photo: B Team Rally Media

finished rather than going for outright speed – which they did. Lee won the heat after going quickest through all four stages.

Hayes finished sixth behind Stewart, Luke Sytema and Adam Wright (Ford Escort MkII), Grant Walker and Steph Richard (Escort RS1800), and Tony Moore and Troy Hutchins (Ford Focus ST). Sytema and Wright were fourth overall and took out the 2WD class by just two seconds over class rivals Walker/Richards, who secured the 2WD Championship for the year.

The rest of the top 10 finishers consisted of Rowan Woollard/Tom Wright (Mazda RX7), Steven Porter/Tony Robinson (RX7), Brian Semmens/Dan Parry (Nissan 200SX) and Stephen Raymond/Cary Seabrook (Ford Fiesta).

Seventeen-year-old Josh Bohm wrapped up the Grant Walker Parts Excel Rally Series for drivers, clean sweeping both heats with experienced co-driver Anthony Staltari. The series’ co-driver title is still up for grabs, with three in contention.

McCLUE’S FINALE, EVANS’ SXS TITLE REIGNING CHAMPION Ewan McClue capped off the DEWALT SXS Australian Championship by handling the wet and slippery conditions best, to take his second outright win of the year at the Broadford State Motorcycle Sports Complex on October 20.

Photo: Randall Kilner The Can-Am Maverick X3 driver became the first driver to snare a second win at the sixth and final outing of the season. The similarlyThe track copped a drenching during the mounted Toby Price made a successful return to morning shakedown session with the heats competing on four wheels, piloting his Can-Am conducted on a very slippery track. The sun broke through later in the day to ensure almost perfect to second outright and finished ahead of Cody conditions prevailed for the semis and final.

Crocker in his Polaris RZR Turbo.

When the lights went green on the final, Evans’ Meanwhile Simon Evans was crowned SXS nearest title rival Brett Comiskey (Can-Am) Australian Champion. Leading the points going charged hard in an attempt to reel in the points into the round, Evans (Polaris) had to endure a lead, but fell just short by two which left Evans to nervous wait on the sidelines, watching the finals claim the title. In a close series podium, Stephen after he lost a rear wheel.

Henry was another four points away in third place.

In the SXS Sport category, Tim Liston kept the turbos honest throughout the day in his naturally aspirated Yamaha, as well as taking the class win. Shannon Leach and Mitch Keyte flew the flag for Polaris, taking second and third in class. Keyte’s third was enough to secure the season title ahead of Tom Evans (Polaris) with Liston third.

TIGHT FINISH IN SHORT COURSE FINALE

BY WINNING the third and final round at Imbil on October 27, Erik Johnsson and Matt Van Tuinen backed up from their round two victory to take the 4WD class in the Queensland KCF Rallysport Short Course Rally Series.

Held over two 10km stages, contested three times each, Johnson and Van Tuinen (Subaru Impreza WRX STi) won six of them. They had a tight battle with Paul Bergmann and Larisa Biggar (Subaru Legacy) who won the other two stages, and finished just 10s behind. Third place went to Gerard McConkey and Ian Swinbourne (WRX) a further 24s adrift.

Twenty-eight teams from southeast and central Queensland started the pace-noted event in very hot conditions, all conducted on forestry roads that were a mix of fast and smooth, and twisty and challenging sections.

After the initial two stages only 3s separated the top three, with Bergmann leading Johnsson, with a deflating tyre, and McConkey. The second loop was a tie for first between Bergmann and Johnsson, with McConkey 22s behind. Over the final loop Johnsson finished 10s in front of Bergmann and 34s ahead of third place McConkey.

Fastest of the FWDs were father and daughter Jeff and Holly Kilbride (Toyota Corolla AE111 Levin). They finished fastest in every stage for their class, despite having the exhaust fall off, and were fourth outright.

Second in class and 14th outright was Rodney Reid driving with son Nick (Mitsubishi Mirage) and third were Ryan Williams and Meeka Kilbride (Hyundai Excel), the latter pair one place further back in the outright stakes, but they did consolidate the 2WD overall points win.

Photo: CH Images

Honours among the RWDs was also a family affair with Brad Hurford and daughter Rachel (Ford Falcon XR6) placed fifth outright and winners of the class ahead of seventh-placed Jamie and Michelle Lawson (Holden Commodore VS Ute) and Dave Feron and Catriona Kelly (Datsun 160J), just out of the top 10 in 11th.

Thirteenth and fourth in the 2WD class were Martin Penfold and Annette Thomson in their Nissan Silvia and their consistency in competing the three rounds, earned them the 2WD honours. s s.

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