Auto Action #1797

GIZ FLIES THE FLAG IN HRT FINALE

CAMARO VS MUSTANG GEN3 REVEALED AT LAST

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SINCE S INCE 1971 1971

HOLDEN’S LAST BATHURST HEROES

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CAPTAIN OUTRAGEOUS

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LAST HURRAH FOR HOLDEN 34th Bathurst success ends Lion’s reign

Holden is dead, but as MARK FOGARTY explains, it’s not the end for Commodore or GM in Supercars HOLDEN HAS finished its half-century of factory involvement in racing with victory at Bathurst as preparations for a new era in Australia begin for global giant General Motors.

Commodores will still be on the grid in Supercars next year without works support before being replaced by the Chevrolet Camaro with GM assistance in 2022.

The death of Holden cars after 72 years means GM’s American Chevrolet brand will take over on a limited import basis, headlined by the exotic factory made right-hand drive Corvette supercar.

Triple Eight will continue with its ZB Commodores without overt GM backing next year before switching to factory assisted Camaro ZL1s for the start of Gen3 in ’22.

Racing as the Red Bull Holden Racing Team, the Supercars supersquad scored the last Bathurst 1000 win for an official Holden team, as Shane van Gisbergen recorded his long-coming first success, with co-driver Garth Tander joining the elite as four-time champions.

As the last official Holden hero at Bathurst, van Gisbergen enhanced his fame with his impromptu flag-grab on his victory lap.

He stopped and borrowed a red Lion banner from a fan, holding it aloft through his partially open driver’s door on his way to victory lane.

Giz dropped it on the way, but his gesture was a photographic image that will live in history.

The victory came on the 30th anniversary of Holden Racing Team’s debut Bathurst win as the official Holden factory team.

Holden-backed teams have competed since 1968, defying a GM ban on racing until the prohibition was released in the mid-1980s.

Holden’s first factory team success at Bathurst was in ’69, with Colin Bond and Tony Roberts winning in an HDT Monaro GTS350.

HDT was the Lion’s racing brand until its fallout with Holden hero Peter Brock in early 1987. Tom Walkinshaw’s TWR group took over in ’88, becoming the official HRT in 1990.

Brisbane-based Triple Eight took over the HRT mantle from Walkinshaw Racing in 2017, ending the UK-owned Melbourne team’s more than a quarter of a decade status as the official factory Holden outfit.

Triple Eight switched from Ford to Holden in 2010, quickly becoming the Lion’s leading team. It has won six Supercars titles and Bathurst 1000s since the defection, which reunited Anglo-Irish team owner Dane with GM. Dane, now an Australian citizen, began his association with GM in 1997 in the popular British Touring Car Championship, which Triple Eight dominated with its works Vauxhall team in the early 2000s.

Dane is extremely proud to have closed out Holden’s factory racing era on a high note.

“It’s great in a number of ways,� he told Auto Action. “It’s an honour, of course, to be the last Holden factory team and to round off with a win. It’s also 10 years since our first Bathurst win (Lowndes/ Skaife in 2010) as a Holden team and also 20 years since Garth first won there. “On a whole load of levels, it was an auspicious moment.�

Dane rates Triple Eight’s four years as HRT as the highlight of his more than 30 years as a top-level touring car racing team owner. “It is,� he said. “It’s been successful and it’s been good. It’s been great to have Holden’s support since 2010 and GM’s support for Triple Eight going back to 1997 in the UK. “But now the world’s changing and we’re moving on.�

Next year, Triple Eight will run Commodores for van Gisbergen and seven-time champion Jamie Whincup, presumably rebranding as Red Bull Racing Australia.

But Dane is cagey about his team’s look next year. “You’ll see in due course,� he hedged. “We’re running Commodores next year, but you’ll see what the team looks like in due course.�

He reconfirmed the switch to Camaro in ’22, design and planning for which is already underway.

While it won’t be an HRT-style full factory effort – “No, no,� Dane declared – there will be some support from GMSV. “We’ll certainly have a link with GMSV

locally, but that organisation is very different in size and everything from Holden,� he said. “We’ll certainly have an involvement with them, certainly as the link between us and North America, with whom the agreement to run the Camaro is with. “There’s a relationship because they’re the local representatives of GM North America.�

The changeover will be tumultuous as Triple Eight’s long-running Red Bull backing, as well as deals with van Gisbergen and Whincup, are up at the end of next season. “We’ll see,� Dane shrugged. “It’s a moving landscape. The world’s pretty fluid at the moment, so I don’t assume anything.�

Holden’s departing boss Kristian Aquilina praised RBHRT’s era-ending Bathurst 1000 win – the Lion’s 34th at The Great Race. “We are incredibly proud of Shane, Garth and the entire Red Bull Holden Racing Team,� Aquilina said in a statement. “It was an emotional day for all at Holden and, no doubt, our fans. “The win is a fantastic way to cap things off. It pays tribute to all the Holdens that raced before it and the many wonderful people behind them.�

He added: “Commodores will still race on in 2021 and we’re thrilled to continue our involvement in Supercars beyond next year, with the announcement that the Chevrolet Camaro will join the competition from 2022.�

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FORD YET TO SIGN UP TO

By BRUCE NEWTON & MARK FOGARTY FORD IS yet to formally sign on for the new Gen3 Supercars formula due to kick off in 2022, despite public expressions of support from the blue oval’s new Australian boss Andrew Birkic.

But fear not Supercars fans, the blue oval is expected to race the Ford Mustang against the factory-approved Chevrolet Camaro that replaces the Holden Commodore under the new-look rules that were announced at the Bathurst 1000.

Auto Action understands there was some surprise within Ford that the official Supercars media release said the Mustang was “slated for the grid in 2022” when the company had yet to commit.

It is understood that surprise has reverberated back up the management chain to Mark Rushbrook, the boss of global motorsport division Ford Performance.

AA approached Rushbrook for comment about Gen3 and Ford’s position but had yet to hear back at deadline.

Of particular focus for Ford is said to be the way intellectual property (IP) rights are to be shared by Ford with Supercars for the Mustang.

General Motors has licensed Supercars to develop a facsimile version of the Camaro body to shape over the standard Gen3 wheelbase and mechanicals, which are the IP of the category.

It’s fair to say Rushbrook is a tough negotiator whose primary interest is ensuring Ford wins races wherever it competes. The licensing deal Ford negotiates with Supercars for access to

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Digital Images: Hughes Motorsport Design

the next Mustang will surely reflect that.

There is also a potential timing concern.

Gen3 kicks off about a year before a new generation Mustang is due to debut globally.

It would be hard to convince the blue oval to back the homologation of a Mustang Supercars if it was for only a single season before a new production car launches locally requiring a new race car.

Birkic was quoted in support of Gen3 and Supercars in the official Supercars media release and subsequently appeared on the telecast Sunday morning with a similar message.

“Ford and Supercars share a rich heritage and a strong future, and we’re excited that fans, today, can see how that’s developing for 2022 and beyond,” Birkic said in the Supercars release.

“We look forward to continuing to work with Sean Seamer and the team at Supercars on our common goal of Ford competing in a highly

competitive, entertaining and accessible series.

“We’ve said before that Ford Performance exists to win races and series that matter, and the development of the Gen3 rules is an opportunity to ensure that fans in Australia continue to enjoy a world-class Supercars series that delivers the spectacle and intense competition that has made it worth winning and, ultimately, great to watch.”

Departing Holden boss Kristian Aquilina confirmed the Gen3 Camaro was officially supported by GM and would act as a flag bearer for the new GM Specialty Vehicles business in Australia.

“It is fantastic GM is able to continue its long and proud involvement in Australasia’s premier motorsport category.” Aquilina said in Supercars’ media release.

“The Camaro ZL1 Supercar will undoubtedly attract passion and excitement, as well as showcase the Chevy bowtie that is integral to our new GM Specialty Vehicles business in

Australia and New Zealand.

“We loved every minute of our 51-year involvement through Holden. There will never be another Holden, but we now welcome Camaro to the stage and hopefully a whole new generation of fans with it.”

Triple Eight Race Engineering has been appointed the homologation team for the Camaro and has already confirmed it will race two examples in 2022.

Although no longer sold here – and there’s no indication GMSV will sell an updated model in the future – the Camaro is the Mustang’s natural and long-running V8 muscle car nemesis.

They’ve been arch-rivals on the road and in racing in the USA since 1968. Camaros also challenged Mustangs in Australian touring car racing in the late 1960s and early ’70s, winning the ATCC in 1971/72. The Camaro was also a star of Group C racing in the early 1980s in the hands of Kevin Bartlett.

Gen3 will better accommodate the shape of two-door coupes, which Supercars sees as the medium-term future after more than two decades of primarily four-door sedans.

Loud V8s and rear-wheel drive will remain the foundations, but with provision for electricassisted hybrid powertrains in the near future.

Supercars has issued renderings of what the Gen3 Camaro ZL1 and Mustang racers will look like. While the body surfaces are accurate, the aero add-ons are indicative only and the wheels over-sized.

Supercars says the aim of Gen3 is to enhance

NEW BRANDS LINKED TO GEN3 Could a third nameplate join the Gen3 Supercars grid?

GEN3

But Mustang is expected to join Chev Camaro on 2022 grid

the racing, improve the visual appeal of the cars by making them look more like the road cars and make building and running them more affordable for the teams.

The Gen3 upgrade will include a lower, safer, ‘hybrid-ready’ control chassis that can accommodate a greater range of competing cars, reducing height by 100mm and increase width by 100mm.

Cars will be 100kg lighter overall, as well as being simpler and include more control components as part of an overall targeted cost reduction of 30-40 percent.

Parity will continue to be controlled by Supercars, which is aiming to cut overall downforce by 200kg – a reduction of more than 50 per cent – to improve the racing.

The Gen3 rules will stipulate that the racers will have the same key dimensions as the road cars on which their look is based. Components including doors, roof, bonnet and windows will have to be the same look and dimensions as the production versions, resulting in a closer visual connection between race and road vehicles.

This requirement is to avoid the deformed look of the existing Mustang racer and is key to GM allowing the Camaro to race here.

“These are incredible looking race cars that give a nod to the Supercar of the past, with as much attention given to the design and appearance of the cars as the new technologies,” said supercars CEO Sean Seamer.

“The Gen3 project will support the longevity of Supercars by increasing relevance to our fans and partners, reducing operating costs, and making the

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racing even fiercer.

“The cars will have a lot less downforce than the current car, making the racing more spectacular and putting more reliance on driver skill.”

While engine output will be further reduced to 600 horsepower at a retained maximum of 7500 rpm, the power-to-weight ratio will be maintained because of the reduced overall mass.

“Changes to the engine rules are designed to make them cheaper to buy and operate, offer greater engine life, reduce fuel consumption and ensure more engine options can be competitive,” Supercars said.

A Supercars-branded engine option is also under consideration, potentially reducing barriers to entry for new brands.

A new Dunlop control tyre will be introduced to offer a higher temperature working range and designed around lower downforce levels.

Control components will be made available directly from Supercars. Control specification parts such as the rollcage may continue to be fabricated by teams or purchased from Supercars.

Front suspension uprights will become standarddesign items. Key carryover components will be the transaxle, dampers and rear suspension.

The Gen3 Committee tasked with the design and definition of the program comprises homologation team representatives Ryan Story (DJRTP) and Roland Dane (Triple Eight), Supercars Commission representative Tim Edwards (Tickford Racing), and Board and Commission representative Brad Jones (BJR), as well as Adrian Burgess and John Casey from Supercars, and technical consultant Carl Faux (WAU).

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SUPERCARS ITSELF says it’s a possibility, while Walkinshaw Andretti United director Ryan Walkinshaw has revealed his team is in discussion with more than one potential new brand for 2022.

And separate to all that, the possibility of Korean brand Kia signing up to Supercars was raised over the Bathurst weekend by News Corp outlets.

General Motors has committed the Chevrolet Camaro to the 2022 Gen3 grid to replace the Holden Commodore and Ford is expected to sign up to race the Mustang once more.

“That work starts in earnest now,” Supercars chief strategy officer and Gen3 committee member John Casey said, when asked about the hunt for new brands.

“We will see what additional options are available.”

Casey said he’d “like to think there was the possibility of an additional brand” on the grid in 2022.

“But at this stage I am not in a position to speculate as to whether or not that will happen,” he cautioned.

“Certainly we will start looking at that now in order to kick those conversations off.

“We needed to have something substantial. We are now in a position where our plans and our designs and our ability to describe the car is at a point where we can now go and start to have a sensible conversation, and be able to describe the car in sufficient detail so that it can be considered by other brands.”

Walkinshaw revealed WAU would not commit to racing the Camaro until other options it was pursuing ran their course.

“We haven’t committed to anything for 2022. We still have some genuine interest from other manufacturers we are in discussion with, and we will make a decision about what product we are running in 2022, probably towards the beginning to the middle of next year … even later if we really wanted to,” Walkinshaw said.

Walkinshaw has previously talked up WAU discussions with new brands. He revealed COVID-19 cruelled negotiations that went “very far”.

“But now we are in discussion with a couple of other brands and there is genuine interest there,” Walkinshaw said.

“We will continue exploring that. How confident am I? I haven’t got much confidence in having much foresight on anything of that nature, so we will just do the best job we can, pitch it as strongly as we can.”

WAU lobbied for a rule change as far back as 2018 to allow the Camaro to race in Supercars without compromising its shape.

Triple Eight Race Engineering is developing the Gen3 Camaro and has confirmed it will enter two examples in 2022.

WAU sister company HSV remanufactured road-going Camaros to right-hand drive in Melbourne in 2018-20 and the organisation still contracts conversion services to the new GM Specialty Vehicles organisation.

But Walkinshaw said that connection didn’t mean the team had to opt for the Camaro.

“I’d be excited and very happy to run Camaro, but I want to see where these discussion with other manufacturers go.”

BN

‘PUSH TO PASS’ FOR HYBRID GEN3?

‘PUSH TO pass’ is under consideration by Supercars for the Gen3 Supercar.

The function which delivers a temporary power boost to help overtaking is possible because the new Supercar has been declared “hybrid-ready”.

Essentially that means the existing capability of the Gen2 Supercar’s Xtrac transaxle to fit a motor-generator carries over and space has been designed into the new chassis to accommodate a battery pack.

However, investigations of the benefits of hybridisation and when it might be introduced to Supercars has only just started and there is no timeline for its introduction.

“Whatever the electric component ends up delivering it needs to be substantial, it won’t be a trivial amount of additional power,” Supercars chief strategy officer and Gen3 committee member John Casey said.

“I think you have an obligation if you are describing your powertrain as being hybridised … for the electric component to be a material contribution to the overall power.

“That’s why we designed the chassis in a way that it could accommodate a battery pack that could deliver a material amount of additional power.”

The Gen3 technical ruleset was revealed at the Bathurst 1000 along with the introduction of the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 from 2022.

Casey, stressing he was speaking personally rather than representing a committee view, was enthusiastic about hybridisation and what it could deliver to Supercars.

“There are a few emerging case studies such as British touring cars [which will introduce hybrids in 2022] that we can look at, but we don’t have a system in mind,” he said.

“In terms of how the power [stored in the battery] is deployed … the options are you could use the electric power in the pits only, you could use it as a complement to your internal combustion engine which would be delivering power all the time, or you could use it in a ‘push to pass’ context.

“For me the first option doesn’t really show the benefits of hybridisation, so I think it would be topping up the available power of the car or having it available as a ‘push to pass’ or some combination of some of those.

“For example, if there was 100 horsepower available in electric power, 50 of it could be available at all times and 50 could be available ‘push to pass’.

Both IndyCar and DTM employ ‘push to pass’ systems that delivers a power boost via increased turbocharger pressure. BN

For more on Gen3 turn to our News Extra explainer with John Casey on page 16-17.

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SUPERCARS GRID TO STAY AT 24 WHILE THE new Supercars Gen3 technical regulations are designed to slash racing budgets and open the category up to new competitors, don’t expect an explosion in grid numbers.

Instead Supercars says it is comfortable staying at a permanent grid of 24 when the new generation cars fire up in 2022.

That may disappoint long-term V8 fans who remember the days of pre-qualifying and 30-plus car grids were common, but Supercars chief strategy officer and Gen3 committee member John Casey says there are logical reasons to resist expansion.

One fundamental reason is adding more permanent entries via more Racing Entitlements

Contracts (RECs) would split the income pie into thinner slices, something existing team owners would probably resist.

“The income side of it is part of it,” conceded Casey.

“But we have got an awesome product now with great racing that produces an incredible experience whether you are on the ground live or watching on television.

“I think 24 is a good number. It serves us well currently for a whole range of reasons. More cars on the track doesn’t necessarily mean better racing or a better show.

“I don’t see a massive set of argument to vary that number.”

Casey made the point the current field size could be comfortably accommodated in pit facilities wherever Supercars races, be it a permanent or temporary circuit.

Casey pointed out that even under a more sustainable financial structure teams will depart the championship. The desire would be make their replacement easier and more accessible.

“At some point teams come and go and as we’ve seen over the last few years it’s a very tall bar for a new entrant to come into the sport.

“If we can have the dual purpose of making our existing teams more sustainable and also reducing the bar for new entrants, then happy days.

“It’s not to set up a massive influx of new cars onto the grid.”

Casey admitted a pressing issue beginning to come under study was how to transition teams through the financial challenge of shifting to an all-new Gen3 grid by 2022.

Gen2 cars cannot be converted to Gen3 and there is no plan for the two cars to share the grid initially, “At this stage the project is focussed on the car and delivering those cost savings,” said Casey. “But the sport and business does need at some point to address the migration question.” BN

BATHURST FIRMS AS SUPERCARS SEASON OPENER AS PREDICTED by Auto Action in September, Bathurst and Mount Panorama look set to host the opening round of the 2021 Supercars championship in late February.

At the same time it appears the Newcastle street race will drop from the calendar when it is announced in November.

Supercars gets to open the championship with a Bathurst single-driver round, expected to be two 250km races, because the international 12-hour GT race has been cancelled in 2021 due to COVID (see page 12-13).

The traditional Supercars opener, the Adelaide 500, has also been pushed back in the calendar for 2021 and will likely finish the season.

As previously reported, there are likely to be 12 championship rounds in 2021, a significant drop

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from pre-COVID times.

Supercars CEO Seam Seamer heavily hinted Bathurst would open the championship last Sunday evening, when speaking to teams in pitlane after the 1000.

“We’ll get back here to Bathurst in February,” he said as he closed a speech thanking them for their efforts in completing the COVIDchallenged championship.

That was followed up on Monday morning when a NSW government media release confirmed backing for the opening round of the 2021 Supercars championship without naming the venue, the 2022-2025 Bathurst 12-hour, the 2021-2025 Sydney Supernight at Sydney Motorsport Park, and the 20212025 Bathurst 1000.

There was no mention of Newcastle, although discussions with the NSW government are still ongoing. BN

Image: LAT

ALL CHANGE AT DJR

Penske and McLaughlin out, De Pasquale and Davo in, as MARK FOGARTY reports SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP dominator DJR Team Penske is bracing for major upheavals, with both Scott McLaughlin and Roger Penske set to leave.

It is a given that triple V8 champion McLaughlin will switch to IndyCar next year, while Penske is poised to pull out of his Australian team.

Auto Action understands confirmation that Penske will withdraw from Supercars is imminent.

The title-winning team will revert to Dick Johnson Racing under the ownership of longtime benefactor and current team principal Ryan Story.

With McLaughlin joining Team Penske’s IndyCar effort as a fourth entry, his local replacement will be rising star Anton de Pasquale.

The change of ownership will also trigger Will Davison’s return, taking over from Fabian Coulthard.

Coulthard, in turn, could be headed back to BJR, where he was a front-runner from 2012-15.

Amid intense speculation about Penske’s and McLaughlin’s futures in Supercars, Story maintains no decisions have been made.

“This isn’t the first time we’ve seen speculation around this,” Story said. “We certainly saw it at the end of last year as well.

We’ll go through a process where we’ll review where things stand before making comment and make some announcements about that.

“There’s a lot of water to go under that bridge yet. I think, for now, we take the opportunity to revel in what’s been a very successful season for us and, certainly, take pause on that before announcing whatever comes next.”

While the future of the Shell V-Power Racing Team is not under a cloud, with

major sponsorship secured for next year and beyond, Penske’s continued ownership is still up in the air.

Penske, which took over DJR in late 2014, owns a controlling 51 per cent. Story holds 29 per cent, with the remaining 20 per cent belonging to figurehead Dick Johnson and other minority partners.

Story asserts that Penske’s involvement is up for its routine annual review. ”(Team Penske president) Tim Cindric has gone on the record saying that they’ll make a decision after Bathurst and I don’t think anything has changed in that respect,” Story said. “But that’s a typical conversation we have every year as it relates to re-entering the championship. That’s something that usually happens towards the end of every season, where we review things and see where we’re at.

“We’re in a solid position when it comes to our partner base (sponsors) and our staff and all of the key ingredients that make for a successful race team. So we’re very positive on that front, although the coronavirus crisis does change the whole context of that conversation.

“So we’ll wait and see how things play out.

It’s not for me to say right now, but you’ll hear when we have something to say.”

As AA understands the situation, Story is waiting on Roger Penske to confirm how he wants to dispose of his majority shareholding.

Penske is getting out because with three championships and a Bathurst win, he has achieved his business/racing objectives here as his multi-billion dollar transport, automotive, industrial power and entertainment corporation – which also owns the IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway – tries to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

He is also deeply unhappy with Supercars’ handling of last year’s Mustang controversy and DJRTP’s tainted Bathurst victory.

Story is privately adamant that, contrary to speculation, Paul Morris won’t be a co-owner in the new/old-look DJR. His only dealings with Morris have been negotiating a deal to secure De Pasquale to replace McLaughlin. Morris is ADP’s manager.

Coulthard, despite his fighting fourth at Bathurst, is on the outer because of his inability to pressure McLaughlin.

Aligned with De Pasquale’s raw talent, Davo’s experience and still front-running speed is seen as forming the ideal combination post-McLaughlin.

Davison is highly regarded at Staplyton. He started his fulltime Supercars career with DJR in 2006 and broke the then struggling squad’s win drought at Eastern Creek in 2008.

Penske made a play for him before securing McLaughlin from 2017.

Shell V-Power Racing Team is looking to groom De Pasquale as the next Supercars superstar with Davison’s speed and behindthe-scenes support.

Despite being 38, Davo proved he is still on the pace with his strong support of pacesetter Cam Waters at Bathurst.

Story, who was unable to be at Mount Panorama, paid tribute to his team’s achievements.

“To have won three drivers’ championships in a row is a pretty extraordinary thing,” he said. “Plus the teams’ championship again and another Barry Sheene Medal for Scott, it could hardly get better. We tried at Bathurst, but couldn’t quite get there.

“Still, it’s been a remarkable season and one we’ll look back on very proudly.”

MCLAUGHLIN: “I CAN’T BE A GUMBY”

AUSSIES CAN tune in to watch Scott McLaughlin’s IndyCar debut from 5.30am (AEDT) October 26 on Fox Sport 506, or stream via Kayo or Foxtel Go. And if you are really keen you can check out practice from 1.55am to 3.20am and qualifying from 6.05amto 7.20am on October 25 (although times may vary slightly) McLaughlin will race a fourth Team Penske Dallara-Chevrolet in the St Petersburg street race, joining regulars Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud and Aussie Will Power.

Newgarden has a chance of running down Chip Ganassi Racing driver Scott Dixon for the championship, although the New Zealander has to finish only ninth or better to win.

Before he flew out to the USA on Monday, McLaughlin was staying tight-lipped about the prospects of St Pete being the start of his IndyCar career.

“I’ve done everything I wanted to achieve [in Supercars], regardless of how St. Pete goes or whatever,” McLaughlin said on Fox Sports.

“I know right now I have got to grab this opportunity with both hands.

“It’s not an audition I would say but I can’t be a bit of a gumby. I’ve got to go out there and drive the thing as fast as I can and acquaint myself as best as I can.”

Team owner Roger Penske dropped a hint on the Bathurst telecast that McLaughlin’s full-time Supercars career was over.

“Scotty has done a terrific job, think about it, winning 42 per cent of the races he has started with us, it [a Bathurst 1000 win] would be a great one to cap off with before we take him down and put him in that IndyCar for the first time,” Penske said.

“There is no question just look at the record book at what he has been able to accomplish.”

AGP IS ‘LOOKING GOOD’

By MARK FOGARTY FORMULA 1 will return to Melbourne next March and Rally Australia could be back in 2022.

That’s Motorsport Australia boss Eugene Arocca’s encouraging outlook on Australia’s longrunning world championship events.

Arocca is particularly bullish about the chances of the Australian Grand Prix opening the 2021 F1 season at Albert Park in mid-March.

Despite the cancellation of the Bathurst 12 Hour because of a COVID-19 ban on international visitors, Arocca remains confident the AGP will go ahead with an exemption.

The Australian Open tennis tournament is set to go ahead in the second half of January with overseas players competing under strict health protocols and in front of limited crowds.

With F1’s success in containing the coronavirus, Arocca sees a strong case for allowing the AGP to go ahead in March on a similar basis to the AO. “I would always defer to the promoter, which is the Australian Grand Prix Corporation and Andrew Westacott, but I can tell you that Westy and his team have been working very, very hard with us

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and the FIA and the F1 promoter to make this happen,” he said. “There are obviously going to have to be some compromises, in my opinion, around spectator numbers and the way it’s all set up.

“But if you’d asked me four months ago whether the Grand Prix was more likely to happen or not, I’d would have been a little less optimistic. What I’ve seen overseas with F1 is an almost seamless capacity to operate from country to country at a level that gives great confidence around their COVID-19 protocols.

“They’re still getting on planes, they’re still carting the vehicles around and they’re still working in their bubbles. I don’t believe there is any reason why that could not happen in Australia in 2021 in March.

“Again, I will always defer to Andrew – he’s the best person to speak to – but I can tell you I’ve seen plans and work that has been done from the learnings that we’ve been able to gain from the FIA overseas, and that gives me enormous confidence that, absent the fact that we probably can’t have a full crowd there, the event will happen.”

AGPC chief Westacott has previously told Auto

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Action that planning is proceeding on the basis of a limited-access event in mid-March, with the AGP on target to be listed once again as the opening round when F1 announces its ‘normalised’ 2021 calendar in the coming weeks.

Arocca is also optimistic Rally Australia, planned to return next year until COVID concerns intervened, will be a strong candidate for the 2022 world rally championship.

“We nearly got it back,” he revealed. “The only thing that essentially stopped it in ’21 was the fact that the promoter wanted to buckle down with a better year than they’ve had in 2020, and we understood that.

“Simon Larkin (WRC event director) was very up front about that. 2022-24 is still very much a live issue and a proposition for us, but we really need the benefit of seeing what unfolds in 2021 before we can make any more global statements about 2022 and beyond.

“We had a sense that, even talking to government, there’s a real sense of nervousness about putting on major events in Australia in 2021 and rallies would present one of the greatest of

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Image: LAT

challenges because of the sheer distance that would be involved and the crossing into new regions.

“I would think that if you’re going to have your best shot at controlling COVID-19 in a sporting sense, less is more. The more condensed the space, the more likely you’re able to put in place measures that I’m confident, having seen the plans that Mike Smith (MA director of motor sport and commercial operations) has been working on internally and with the AGPC, that we can make the Grand Prix happen effectively.

“I don’t think we’d have the same levels of comfort around a 2021 WRC event.”

Arocca is proud that MA’s ‘Return To Racing’ plan was adopted by the FIA as the blueprint for national governing bodies around the world.

Arocca and ARG’s Matt Braid outline how the rest of Australian racing will return on pages 22-25.

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LATEST NEWS

SUPERCARS

FULLWOOD TARGETS MORE CONSISTENCY IN 2021 RECENTLY RE-SIGNED Walkinshaw Andretti United driver Bryce Fullwood has spoken to Auto Action about what he wants to improve for the 2021 Supercars Championship.

On the Thursday of the Bathurst 1000 weekend it was announced that the reigning Super2 Series winner Fullwood would remain with WAU in 2021.

It has been a solid debut season for the young Territorian, who scored his maiden Supercars Championship podium finish at The Bend Motorsport.

He hopes to convert his strong qualifying performances into solid race finishes more frequently next year.

“We had some really good qualifying speed, for me it’s being able to try and convert that a little bit more and try and race inside that top 10 and knock on the door that top five bit more consistently,” Fullwood told AA. “I think we’ve shown we’ve got pretty good speed, it’s just being able to hit the nail on the head every time and extract that.

“This category is just so competitive that you make a small mistake, and you’re five, six, seven, eight spots further back and so I’ve been a bit of a victim of that this year.”

“I’ll put my hand up and say when I’ve done wrong, but when I’ve been able to get

Image: LAT

it right the speed’s been there, so my goal is to try and tidy up qualifying efforts a bit and try and convert them bit more into race finishes.”

Fullwood would not reveal how long the contract was for but expressed his gratitude about the faith that world renowned team owners Michael Andretti and Zak Brown have in him With both Andretti and Brown publicly complementary of Fullwood, the debutant was a bit taken aback.

“Both Michael and Zak and obviously Ryan (Walkinshaw) for that matter, have seen

some extremely talented drivers through their time, some of the best in in the industry for sure,” Fullwood said.

“To hear those comments about me is pretty damn cool, as I say just absolutely loving life at the moment.

“I feel really at home here with the team and I feel like I’ve slotted in really well. It’s a big family here and you know they’ve really got behind me and helped me out a lot this year.

“I’m extremely thankful to all the owners and our supporters and partners for giving me a chance this year.

“I feel really happy with my performance this year and I’m just super excited to build on it for next year.”

It is unknown if lifetime supporter Middy’s will be sponsoring the car again in 2021, but Fullwood stressed that this was not the reason for getting the seat this year.

“Middy’s was not what got me my drive, I had my contract signed before we even spoke to Middy’s,” he said.

“Without Middy’s full stop I would not be a racecar driver today. So I’m just extremely thankful that the Middendorp family wanted to continue their support of me.” DM

keen to ensure that Team 18 launches into that era at the front of the field. Anytime Supercars bring in new regulations, we see a big mix up in results. That is a great challenge, so I can’t wait to see what the cars are like and take advantage of it.”

It was a view Schwerkolt concurred with.

“With Gen3 coming on in 2022, his input will be invaluable and having continuity within the team and our drivers will be critical in the changing phase of the sport,” he said.

“It’s a long journey to become a genuine contender in this championship, you need the best people around you and having Frosty with the same vision as me is so important.”

Winterbottom was joined by Scott Pye in

the DeWalt Commodore in 2020 as the team expanded to two cars. The South Australia scored the team’s first three podiums in its new stand-alone structure across the Darwin sprint rounds.

Frustratingly for Winterbottom, while he has a better qualifying record than Pye, that hasn’t translated into a podium as yet.

Pye and co-driver Dean Fiore finished sixth in the 1000, enabling the South Australian to finish ninth in the championship, one position ahead of Winterbottom.

Critically, the team also finished sixth in the teams’ championship, which means a shift further up the tactically important pitlane garage order.

“The improvements that we have made in a short space of time is very encouraging. Charlie has shown his commitment to the sport by increasing to two cars this year, and you can see how much that has helped.

“There was never a doubt that I was going to stay. It’s a really close knit team, and the bonds we have created during these COVID times, being on the road together, has brought everyone really close. You can sense that we are on the edge of creating something very special.

“Charlie and I definitely share the same vision for the direction of where we need to go. He has developed a really strong culture in the team and he is always open to new ideas from myself and all of our staff.” BN

GEN3 KEY TO FROSTY RENEWAL THE ARRIVAL of the Gen3 Supercar technical regulations in 2022 played a role in Mark Winterbottom and Charlie Schwerkolt’s decision to extend their relationship for at least another two years.

Winterbottom’s new deal with Team 18 was announced last Friday at Bathurst, ahead finishing eighth in the Great Race in his Irwin Tools Holden Commodore ZB with James Golding, despite power steering issues.

The deal means Winterbottom will extend his full-time Supercars career to at least 19 years until the end of the 2022 season.

Winterbottom, 39, the 2013 Bathurst 1000 winner and 2015 Supercars champion, drove full-time in the category in 2004 and 2005 for Larkham Motor Sport, before joining the factory Ford team now known as Tickford Racing for 15 years.

He jumped the blue-red divide to Team 18 in 2019 to steer the Irwin Racing Holden Commodore ZB. The new Gen3 regulations and the confirmation of the Chevrolet Camaro from 2022 was announced by Supercars at Mount Panorama last Thursday.

“It’s great that I’m secure in the team as we head into the new Gen3 regulations,” Winterbottom said.

“That will become a huge focus for us and I’m

8 AutoAction

COURTNEY RE-SIGNS

“No-brainer” for Courtney JAMES COURTNEY says it was a “no brainer” to continue with Tickford Racing into 2021.

The 2010 Supercars champion announced a one-year extension with the Ford squad at Bathurst, along with backer Peter Adderton and his Boost Mobile brand.

Courtney and Adderton joined Tickford after quitting Team Sydney, following the opening round of the 2020 Supercars season in Adelaide.

He replaced Will Davison, who lost his seat at the team when Phil Munday’s 23Red customer entry was forced to withdraw due to financial issues related to the impact of the coronavirus.

Because the Australian Grand Prix didn’t go ahead, Courtney effectively raced in every round of the 2020 championship, claiming one podium in Darwin, three fourth places, 10th at the Bathurst 1000 with Broc Feeney, and 13th in the drivers’ championship.

“The first couple of weekends we wanted to see how it was and how we gelled, because I had never worked with anyone at Tickford before,” Courtney explained.

“Once we worked out it was a good fit, I was enjoying it, the cars were performing, and that everything is great. It was a no brainer to lock it away and get it done for the future.”

Courtney is sure he will be even stronger in 2021 after a season with the team under his belt.

“I already know all the guys, so I’ll just hit the ground running working with (engineer) Brendan (Hogan).

“We are already talking about development stuff for next year, so it’s great being part of that and the direction with the way the team is going.”

As well as Hogan the rest of the #44 crew will remain with Courtney .

“I want to keep that crew working together, they are a good little group,” he explained.

“We got thrown in together, those guys had already started

a relationship with Will (Davison).

“To (enter) as the red headed stepchild that walks in when your dad gets re-married, it can be a bad setup but those guys are fantastic.

“We have gelled and just getting better, stronger and why we wanted to achieve the continuity with our car.”

Courtney admitted he was one of the few people around the world that the COVID-19 pandemic had truly benefitted.

“I couldn’t be happier, I think this year with all the drama that has gone on, it has been an amazing outcome for me, I think that the results and speed has shown it,” Courtney said.

“The team has been doing really well. Cam (Waters), Jack (Le Brocq) and Lee (Holdsworth) are great guys to work with.”

“It is probably the most open driver group I’ve ever worked with, everyone helps each other, and everyone gets along and that has been a pleasant working environment.”

The re-signing of Courtney creates silly season questions as well as answering some. At this moment Tickford needs a fourth REC to run four Musrtangs in 2021, following the departure of the Munday REC to Brad Jones Racing.

The Blanchard family REC is departing BJR and could end up at Tickford, along with the family business Cooldrive as a sponsor. Davison has also been linked with this project, although he is expend to go to the restructured DJR Team (see separate story). DM

MARK

SKAIFE

Limited Edition of 200 Helmets 10 Year Anniversary replica of the 2010 Bathurst winning helmet

LIF E hel SIZE me t

RYAN REPLACES RYAN ON COMMISSION DJR TEAM Penske boss Ryan Story has stepped down from the Supercars Commission, paving the way for Erebus Motorsport CEO Barry Ryan to take his place.

Story joined in 2018 as an alternate member, a role that Ryan will now take over.

That means he will attend all meetings but will only vote if another commissioner is absent.

Story, who did not attend the Bathurst 1000 to see his team finish fourth and fifth and claim the teams’ title, told Auto Action he was pleased to make a contribution to the category via the commission.

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“The commission has worked together extremely well through 2020 to ensure we could continue going racing,” he said.

“Through my two years on the commission, we have worked incredibly hard to reduce costs and complexity to the benefit of all teams. Supashock, single springs, Xtrac, event format changes, reduced aero and data - these have all come through the Commission during the time I have served as a representative of all teams.

“I made a decision to not continue and step down with my term concluding, which allows

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someone else to step up and make a contribution - something that I believe is important for the alternate commissioner role.”

The appointment of Ryan and the reconfirmation of Brad Jones to the Supercars board and commission, were two key decision made by the sport’s annual general meeting at Bathurst last week.

Along with Jones and Ryan, the commission comprises interim chairman Neil Crompton, Jamie Whincup (Triple Eight), Tim Edwards (Tickford Racing), Scott Sinclair (independent) and Sean Seamer and Shane Howard from Supercars.

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LATEST LATES S T NEWS

TRIPLE EIGHT Race Engineering’s Shane van Gisbergen has expressed concerns surrounding the increase in control parts after the initial announcement of Gen3. “As a driver I think it’s good but there’s going to be so many control parts,” van Gisbergen said. “Everything’s going to be the same which is good to an extent, but it sort of feels like Carrera Cup. We’re all going to have the same sort of things, there will be different body shapes and different engines which is good. Though when was the last time you saw a good Carrera Cup race? Never.” HM

BRAD JONES Racing has defended its Pirtek Pit Stop Challenge crown by defeating DJR Team Penske in the final. BJR had the pit crews of Nick Percat and Todd Hazelwood face off in the semi-final, which was won by the former. Drama emerged in the second semi, as DJR Team Penske and Triple Eight Race Engineering were unable to be split.

It was a comfortable win for BJR in the final, winning the Golden Rattle Gun trophy.

“They’ve done a fantastic job,” Jones said of his crew. “We’ve been in this competition every year and it’s great to get into the final four and to win it twice is unbelievable.” HM

MORE THAN 100 Melbourne-based members of the Supercars pit lane gathered to mark the end of its 105-day road trip.

More than 100 team members and drivers from Tickford Racing, Walkinshaw Andretti United, Erebus Motorsport, Team 18, Kelly Racing, Brad Jones Racing and category tyre supplier Dunlop gathered prior to the start of the Bathurst 1000 for a photo. The trip began in July when there was a mad scramble for teams to cross the soon to be closed Victorian and New South Wales border without knowing when they would return. HM

SUPERCARS CHAMPION Scott McLaughlin paid tribute to the Victorian teams, which have carried the series to its conclusion. “I think the camaraderie between the teams has been the most enjoyable thing this year.” HM

10 AutoAction

SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN MUSTANG FOR SALE NO, TRIPLE Supercars champ Scott McLaughlin’s DJR Team Penske Ford Mustang is not for sale. But it is a Mustang he’s driven on a racetrack.

It’s the Mustang GT road car he steered at the Adelaide 500 in 2019 in a speed comparison, to mark the debut of the Mustang in Supercars.

McLaughlin got this Herrod Performance-prepped road car, touring car legend Dick Johnson drove a Mustang Supercar and two-times Supercar champ Marcos Ambrose got behind the wheel of the NASCAR version.

Now McLaughlin’s Mustang will be auctioned through Shannons.com.au with proceeds going to Camp Quality, which provides services and programs to help children battling against cancer.

“I just remember first driving that

Mustang around the streets of Adelaide and asking Rob Herrod what he did to it as it rode the curbs really well!” said McLaughlin, who is defending his Bathurst 1000 crown this weekend.

“Sharing the track with two Ford legends like Dick and Marcos was a hell of an experience and one I’ll never forget.

To now see the car being auctioned with all proceeds going to Camp Quality is just awesome.”

When he drove this car McLaughlin had won one Supercars championship. Since then he’s added two more and a Bathurst 1000!

DJR Team Penske boss Ryan Story is a Camp Quality ambassador and organised the auction of the Mustang with the support of Ford Australia and Shannons.

“This Mustang is a very special car, not to mention being the only one Scott

has raced that he hasn’t won in! This specific car was part of the launch of the Mustang Supercar and Ford coming back into Supercars in a big way. It holds a place in history.”

The ‘blue lightning’ Mustang fastback is a 5.0-litre V8, six-speed manual fitted with 19-inch forged alloys, Recaro seats and Magneride adaptive suspension.

Herrod modifications include a half rollcage, four-point racing harness, a factory spoiler and some pretty lairy graphics.

The car is listed at $55,000-$75,000 and bids close at 7pm on October 28.

Meanwhile, Chaz Mostert’s WAU Holden Commodore ZB has been sold out from underneath him. The car he and Warren Luff raced to third in the Bathurst 1000 fetched more than $220,000 at a Lloyds auction last week. BN

BJR BATHURST DISASTER THE 2020 edition of the Bathurst 1000 was at catastrophe for Brad Jones Racing with mechanical issues, crashes and even inter team collisions, and understandably team owner Brad Jones wants to put it behind him.

The beginning of the BJR bad weekend actually started on Saturday night when Nick Percat was disqualified from fourth position in the Top 10 Shootout, when his Commodore was found to be two kilograms underweight.

It has been a strong year for the Albury based team in 2020 with Nick Percat scoring two race wins and a pole position and Todd Hazelwood a breakthrough podium finish and pole position also.

“Unfortunately, you are only as good as your last result and this is a pretty tough one, so we need to wait a little while before we get a chance to redeem ourselves,” Jones said to Auto Action.

Jones felt the weekend was shaping up nicely for the four car squad, but it quickly deteriorated as the race was underway.

The former Bathurst 1000 runner-up was now fully fixated on looking ahead to 2021 and putting the latest edition of the ‘Great Race’ behind him, when AAspoke to him after the race.

“That’s the way it goes sometimes. I felt like there was plenty of promise there leading up to the race but unfortunately we had a lot of issues during the event,” Jones admitted.

“I can’t wait to get home and get everything all sorted out.

“We have got a long time to prepare for it and

Image: LAT

Monday (after the race) is really the start of getting ready for the 2021 season.

“There is plenty of work to be done but now we have to wait, we’ll be back next year and hopefully we’ll have a better run of it then.”

In the 1000km race only the Macauley Jones and Tim Blanchard machine - which was given a black flag early in the race for an opening door which plagued the #3 car throughout the weekend - finished on the lead lap.

The #3 car of Jones also received a 15s penalty for colliding and spinning teammate Jack Smith in the #4 machine into the gravel trap.

Percat and co-driver Tom Randle looked the best of the quartet, set for a solid result, but before half distance the car suffered several mechanical issues.

“We had some engine issues with the car and had to change the power steering pump a couple of times, and then tried to track the engine problem which proved to be difficult,” Jones said.

“We changed coils and injectors and got the thing sorted out eventually and we were miles down by the time we got it straightened up.”

Percat and Randle were classified, albeit in 18th, 28 laps down. The #4 entry of Jack Smith and Jack Perkins did not finish after Smith suffered a right rear puncture and bunkered in the gravel at The Chase.

The #14 Commodore’s day also came to an abrupt halt when co-driver Jordan Boys crashed exiting Murray’s Corner, when he lost the rear and hit the pit lane wall. Dan McCarthy

th Luke West iith wit Image: LAT

TEAMS SYDNEY DRIVERS TALK 2021

DURING THE Bathurst 1000 weekend both Team Sydney drivers spoke to Auto Action about their plans for 2021.

Former Super2 Series winner Chris Pither, despite contesting his 11th Bathurst 1000, drove in only his second full-time Supercars Championship this year.

Pither has every intention of being on the grid in 2021 and is now ready to explore his options.

“I’m definitely looking for opportunity, I want to get out there again next year and maximise my potential,” Pither told Auto Action.

“I’m not talking with other teams currently, but definitely need to get out there and see what opportunities there are.

“Have a chat with Jon (Webb team owner) and see what his plans are next year, and get an understanding of what seats are available. I think there will be a fair bit of movement.”

The New Zealander expressed his intentions to start those 2021 talks imminently.

“I think all those conversations need to start now and try and get the wheels in motion,” he said.

“We were thrown in the deep end at the start of the season, with the team expanding and a whole lot of new people involved, and obviously myself getting confirmed the week before Adelaide it was pretty late.

“So, all things considered we have made some progress, (there’s) a couple of good results, fifth at Darwin and a couple of other strong results throughout the year.

“I definitely want to be further up the grid than where we have been the majority of the season, so hopefully I can be out there again next year and further up the field.”

The other Team Sydney driver Alex Davison came in from Round 2 onwards, replacing the departing 2010 Supercars Champion James Courtney.

Since being at the team Davison explained how he has watched the it grow.

Davison personally wants and feels

he has done enough to at least be considered for a seat in 2021, but he admitted that discussions have not yet started with Webb.

“I’ve seen enough this year with Team Sydney and Tekno that I believe we can do a lot better with what we’ve done this year,” Daviosn told AA. “I think the potential’s definitely there to achieve some great results, (but) you’re going to struggle to battle Penske with a little team like this.

“I think I’ve shown, even if I’m the only one that noticed, that it’s possible to get up into the top on a good day when everything goes your way.

“It’s well worth continuing (with the team), but we’ll see what happens.”

When asked if he’d take a prime enduro drive over racing for Team Sydney, Davison emphasised his desire to contest a full season.

“Of course you’d be tempted, but if there is an opportunity to race fulltime and it adds up in all the areas it needs to, I’d probably always take the full-time option,” Davison explained.

DM Image: LAT

MSR MUSICAL CHAIRS

IT’S A fight for 2021 Matt Stone Racing seats, with at least four drivers vying for two or possibly three seats within the team, with Matt Stone planing to expand his team to three cars for next season.

Auto Action understands that at least four drivers are in the hunt for a drive with the Queensland based team, but there will not be enough room at the inn. full-time, Slade confirmed that he is having discussion up Superlite drivers Zane Goddard and Jake Kostecki, current and down the lane. full-time driver Garry Jacobson and #17 DJR Team Penske “I’m speaking to some people, and we’ll see what co-driver Tim Sladeare all said to be in the running for an happens,” Slade told AA MSR seat in 2021.

“I didn’t necessarily want to stop full-time at the end of last After starting off as a one car team in the Supercars year, although in saying that, the break has been really good, Championship in 2018, Matt Stone Racing expanded to two a bit of a refresh, a reset.” cars this year.

Both Jacobson and Goddard confirmed that they want to Next year Stone wants to run three and give his two remain at MSR in 2021, but neither has begun conversations.

Image: LAT SuperLite drivers Zane Goddard and Jake Kostecki (who “I definitely want stay with the guys at MSR,” Goddard said. shared a car this year) a full-time promotion alongside a third “They are a good bunch and have really been behind me and driver.

Jake.

However, Stone admitted to Auto Action that this is very “If they do expand hopefully I can have my own seat, but if much REC permitting. they can’t, then if SuperLite is an option I’m definitely happy “The nature of the RECs are that it’s not always a case to do that again, beggars can’t really be chooses in this little of what you want to do, it’s what’s possible and what’s scenario. available, so at stage it’s certainly on the agenda, but it’s “Obviously a main game seat would be the better choice outside of our control,” Stone said. but we’ll see what happens.”

“If we can get a third REC we will run a third car, if we’re Jacobson finished the Bathurst 1000 in tears but stressed unable to then we’ll certainly continue running the two. The that was the emotion of the event. configuration of drivers will depend on that.

“My intention is to be on the Supercars grid, I want to have “Promoting both Zane and Jake is certainly the intention a seat, I feel I still have a lot more to offer,” the 2016 Super2 behind the SuperLite program, we’re obviously very happy Series winner said.

“I haven’t had a conversation with Matt Stone Racing yet on with the way that the program’s rolled out this year, and my future. to follow through and give those guys a full-time seat next “I’m confident the progress I have made in the last 12 year.” months has been enough to show I have a reason to have For 11 seasons Slade was a full-time Supercars driver a future in this Supercars Championship, so there will be but this year has taken on the role as a DJR Team Penske conversations with me and Matt Stone Racing and we will co-driver. see what transpires.” Dan McCarthy When asked if he wanted to return to the Supercars grid

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AA’s columnist considers the fickle finger of fate at Bathurst 2020 IT ONLY dawned on me a few days before the Great Race that the racing gods who haunt Mount Panorama had already chosen who would be first this year. How could I have overlooked this previously? As practice began, I felt certain Holden’s second favourite son Craig Lowndes and trusty sidekick Jamie Whincup, the most successful driver in the marque’s history, were destined to give the Red Lion a fairytale official farewell. It was just so obvious how things were going to play out, with the dream team winning. Logical, too.

Or so I thought…

Yet, the fickle finger of fate forcefully flicked car #888 into the wall approaching The Cutting on lap 33. Strange forces were clearly at work.

The seemingly chosen ones in factory Holdens rarely suffered such a wicked fate. Factory Ford drivers yes; works Holdens no. Bathurst usually smiled sweetly on them.

As Whincup extricated himself from his wreck, the racing gods teased us, making us think, with the #17 and #6 Mustangs leading the field, it was going to be Ford’s day. But no, they sent down one short, sharpish shower to reshuffle the field and select the winner. They decided… well, you know who they chose. And my original hunch proved correct in so far as a factory Holden would be first – first out of the race AND first across the finish line, that is.

The racing gods even protected car #97 by deftly steering many a pesky shower around Mount Panorama once it was leading. The radar and rain gauges show that the hamlets just to Bathurst’s north received some significant falls on Sunday 18 October. By some fluke rain didn’t fall over the track itself and wreak havoc. Forces were at work, surely.

Beyond car #888, those supernatural forces chose to mostly torment Brad Jones Racing. I wonder what young Bradley did to upset them.

Or Kim. Either way, the pointed digit that brought Whincup undone also sneakily unpicked the door latch on #3 early, then mischievously pushed the same blue ZB in into another team car. After all, a pair of Jacks, a three, eight and 14 is not much of a hand when you’re playing Bathurst 1000 poker.

As to cool-suit malfunctions, don’t blame the aforementioned racing gods. Those cool suits have always been the work of the devil.

NOW FOR some less spiritual analysis. Shane van Gisbergen and Garth Tander were very worthy winners. As any of the top five cars would have been, really. None of these put a wheel wrong all day. It was just that SVG, GT and Triple Eight were marginally fastest of the faultless! I don’t recall another Bathurst where so many cars ran so strongly without incident. There was no slipping off the track or slipping up in the pits for the frontrunners.

Any other year and Cam Waters and Will Davison’s stunning performance would have netted them a Bathurst victory. Like the ultimate winners, they were brilliant all day. It’s just that car #97 was minutely quicker over a longer run.

Ditto Chaz Mostert and Warren Luff. Again, flawless. Six podiums in nine years for Luffy speaks volumes about his skills.

How on Earth did the usually all-conquering DJR Team Penske finish fourth and fifth after a near perfect run? Scott McLaughlin and Tim Slade’s fifth place was little reward for a very professional job by all. The #17 Mustang’s plan to ‘go long’ on fuel – thereby benefitting from a shorter final pitstop – was scuttled when the pair of Jacks Commodore was bunkered on lap 98, bringing out the Safety Car. The timing was sheer bad luck for Team Dick.

Tony D’Alberto was slow off the startline and the car was forced to double stack at one point, but these hardly rank as errors. Had the race’s final stages played out on a wet track, I can’t help think #12 would have challenged for the victory. It’s performance during the brief shower suggests the second-string Shell ’Stang was set up to be fast on a wet track. It just didn’t pan out that way, despite the pre-race forecasts.

As to other random points, how cool was it that Broc Feeney was rookie of the year on his 18th birthday with a top 10 finish. Meantime, Network TEN’s Kate Peck has completed her last Bathurst ‘interview’.

Quick, change the locks. And Holden fans get to farewell their beloved mark again next year despite all the farewells. That one is gonna take some explaining to casual fans.

In the end, Bathurst 2020 was won by the fastest car, drivers and team over 1000 kays. You can’t really ask for more than that.

Luke West wrote his first Auto Action column in 2000. Over time, ‘Reverential Ramblings’ evolved into ‘Revved Up’ as Luke surveys motorsport’s changing landscape. Contact via @luke_west & aarevvedup@ hotmail.com

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LATEST NEWS

BMW MOTORSPORT director Jens Marquardt will leave his position at the end of this month, in order to pursue a new role as lead of the manufacturer’s production Pilot Plant. Marquardt has been in his current role since 2011, overseeing BMW’s Formula E and GTE entrances, as well as GT3 and DTM programs. The position will be filled by BMW M CEO Markus Flasch in the interim. HM

ORGANISER OF the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the ACO has outlined a set of sustainability measures to ensure the organisation survives the strain placed on it by the COVID-19 pandemic. Budget cuts have been made already and the ACO has also applied for the French state’s ‘temporary unemployment’ scheme. It comes after its two biggest events; the 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours Motos, were completed behind closed doors last month. HM

PURE ETCR, an all-electric touring car series, will make its debut next month in Adria, Italy ahead of a full-season in 2021.

Cupra, Romeo Ferraris (Alfa Romeo) and Hyundai make up the inaugural field. Brazilian Augusto Farfus will drive Hyundai’s entry, a Veloster N ETCR, and explained that he is learning new things with the new machine.

“The first laps I did in the car was a very weird feeling,” Farfus said. “You don’t really get the feeling of the speed, but as a driver you are always trying to bring the car to its limit. The car, when you brake, you don’t have the engine braking like a normal ICE car.

It is a very unique way of braking and for me this is a big challenge.” HM

JENSON BUTTON will race a GT3 car in his own team for the first time at Silverstone on November 7-8. Pairing with Jenson Team Rocket RJN co-owner Chris Buncombe for the 500km season finale of the British GT Championship, the duo share a second McLaren 720S GT3 featuring backing from TV network Sky. HM

12 AutoAction

BATHURST 12 HOUR FOR 2022 SUPERCARS HAS confirmed that the 2021 Bathurst 12 Hour will not take place due to the international travel restrictions currently in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The world-renowned GT event is the traditional starting point for the global Intercontinental GT Challenge, but won’t occur despite the best efforts of Supercars and the SRO Motorsports Group.

“This is a tough decision but ultimately one we had to make,” Supercars CEO Sean Seamer said.

“Since Supercars began managing the event it has grown to become one of the largest endurance events globally, showcasing our spiritual home of racing to an international audience.

“With Australia’s international borders expected to remain closed, we feel it is in the best interest

of competitors, fans, sponsors and broadcasters to make the decision now on next year’s event.

“We are absolutely committed to having the event return to Australia’s motorsport calendar in 2022.”

SRO Motorsports Group founder and CEO Stephane Ratel expressed his disappointment of the event’s cancellation, but recognized it was unfeasible to continue the event with international competitors.

“The Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour is one of the world’s great endurance races and an undoubted highlight of SRO Motorsports Group’s global calendar,” said Ratel.

“But we also understand and respect Australia’s international travel restrictions, which make it impossible to stage Intercontinental GT Challenge

Powered by Pirelli’s opening round there in February.

“Instead, 2021’s championship will now begin later in the year at the Total 24 Hours of Spa. Mount Panorama remains Intercontinental’s spiritual season opener, and I know I speak for everyone at SRO as well as our manufacturers when I say we cannot wait to return in 2022.”

Bathurst City Council Mayor Bobby Bourke confirmed his excitement for the event’s return in 2022.

“While it was disappointing the 2021 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour won’t go ahead, it is good to see that the event has firmly established itself on the international GT circuit and the lure of the iconic Mount Panorama will see the event return in 2022.” HM

Image: Insyde Media

SUPER2 TEAMS CONTENT WITH COTF SUPER2 TEAMS are very apprehensive about moving from the Car of the Future to Gen2 following the announcement of the Supercars Championship Gen3 regulations, set to be introduced in 2022.

One of the major complaints in the Supercars paddock has been about the expense of the Gen2 machines.

If forced upon Super2 competitors, they fear it may cause an already struggling category to buckle due to financial costs.

Since Super2 introduced Car of the Future in 2016 the grid has dwindled due to increased cost, with many second-tier teams reluctant to move up to Gen2 at all.

“There is no point introducing new cars if no one here can afford them,” MW Motorsport team owner Matthew White told Auto Action.

“For us I don’t see any reason to change, I’m very happy with the category as it is now, it’s sensible and it is cost efficient.”

Image Racing team owner Terry Wyhoon agreed with White, adding that it is obvious why competitor numbers have dropped so dramatically in recent years.

“We need to stay with the current cars because of the

cost factor, every time we buy a new model it is always dearer,” he said.

“It’s fairly obvious why there aren’t 20 cars, people would love to be doing it, but it is simply not affordable.

“We haven’t seen the full brunt of COVID economically, so I can’t see why adding costs into a category that is already struggling would help.

“I’d be happy to run the COTF cars for the next three years.”

Supercars chief strategy officer and Gen3 committee member John Casey told AA he was aware of the cost issue within the second-tier series.

“We understand we need to address the Super2 cost base,” Casey said.

“We still see Super2 as being the development series.

Is it the opportunity to flow cars through from Supercars to Super2?

“That thinking around how we incorporate Super2, aside from retaining those objectives, we now need to kick off in earnest, the study of what exactly this means for Super2.

“How we address the costs issues in Super2 and how

do we make the whole Supercars/Super2 system work and work in transition as well.”

Wyhoon revealed that Super2 will remain with the Car of the Future chassis for 2021 but beyond that has not yet been discussed.

“Definitely next year it is confirmed we are staying with COTF but I would think it would make sense to move in 2023 for us but that is all on the board to be discussed at the moment,” Wyhoon explained.

“We have a team owners meeting on the Friday of Bathurst and that is on the agenda, that is to be discussed.

“We are also interested to see what Supercars’ thoughts are on moving forwards with this model, how long we have got that in play.

Brad Jones is the only driver who runs cars from Supercars all the way down to Super3 and suggested that it will take time before the Gen2 cars will become eligible.

“My read will be it will just knock down a class, but that takes a little while for that to go on, I think that is what will happen,” Jones told AA. Dan McCarthy

SUPER2 AND SUPER3 DONE AND DUSTED AUTO ACTION understands that at Mount Panorama hosted both Super2 and Super3 category final rounds of their respective seasons.

It’s been a point of conjecture for many weeks whether or not the Super2 Series would conclude after just three rounds and seven races.

And although it was not confirmed by Supercars during the Bathurst 1000 weekend AA believes there will be no more Super2 events in 2020.

AA understands that Victorian based squad Matthew White Motorsport and New South Wales situated team Matt Chadha Motorsport won’t be running any further Super2 races this season.

MW Motorsport run three Nissan Altimas and Matt Chadha Motorsport now runs two Falcons.

With these two teams missing from the grid, it will leave just six Super2 cars to compete in any further rounds.

Front running Super2 team Eggleston Motorsport also did

not compete at the Bathurst 1000, as it was not possible for the team to leave their Monday to Friday jobs and quarantine for two weeks outside of Victoria.

Drivers and team owners have said that it would not be viable for them or sponsors to attend events if they’re not televised, and as the Supercars Championship has already concluded, a TV deal seems highly unlikely.

After only two rounds and a total of four races, it also seems that a Super3 Series trophy will be awarded, with Super3 category manager Liam Cukpartick telling AA that time is running out.

“We are working on some options for another round, but the reality is we are running out of time,” he said.

“At this stage it is highly likely that this could be our last round, but we will keep working towards getting another one in if we can before January.

“The feedback from a lot of

the teams is that awarding a series winner after two rounds, effectively four races, isn’t quite enough, another round would do that, but we are running out of options.

“I think three is probably the minimum of what we would need to award a series winner.

“We will probably know in the next week or two what we are going to do.”

Curkpatrick confirmed that if a round was to be run, it would be unlikely to run with Super2, instead, more likely on the Shannons Nationals bill.

“My understanding is Supercars’ Super2 finished last weekend ,so we would have to do it alone, which again given the fact we are running together this year, doing something separate is probably not as easy at this stage as well,” Curkpatrick said.

“The fact that we would have to do it separately would make it a lot more difficult at this stage.”

Dan McCarthy

Image: Insyde Media

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HERNE’S MOUNTAIN EXPERIENCE

THE BATHURST build-up for Nathan Herne was incomparable with any other driver at The Mountain last week.

Garry Rogers Motorsport’s well publicised failure to gain Herne a Superlicence prior to the Bathurst 1000 thrust the teenager into the headlines.

Although he was unable to contest the 1000 as a driver, Herne was part of the pit crew that oversaw Tyler Everingham and Jayden Ojeda’s ex-James Golding Holden ZB Commodore.

It was an educational experience, which further enhanced his desire to compete in Australia’s biggest race one day.

“I’m definitely stoked I got the call up to do that,” Herne told Auto Action. “Thinking

back on it, it’s probably the best thing I’ve done was just to pit crew on the car and hopefully one day I can make a debut in Supercars.

“It was awesome to see what goes on behind the scenes. We had the radio plugged in with the drivers so I was listening to Crusty [engineer Richard Hollway] talking with Tyler and Jayden throughout the race.

“It was great to learn what goes on during a Supercars race. Obviously I’ve never done an endurance race before, so it was good to be a spectator and also to help out the boys.

“They are a good bunch of blokes at GRM, they are very talented bunch, and to

learn off some of the best in the business, it was fun.”

Herne did compete on The Mountain, racing his Dream Racing Australia Dodge Challenger TA2 in the Tin Top support races, where he won his class after oil pressure problems early in the weekend.

“Running around Bathurst is always limited, so you have to take every opportunity you can to do laps,” explained Herne.

“We had a few dramas at the start of the weekend with oil pressure and overpressurising the engine, which was spitting oil all over the car.

“The start of the weekend was a bit shaky, but to get down to a 2m 13s and nearly

enter the 2m 12s was a credit to Dream Racing Australia.”

Competing against current model Carrera Cup Porsches, Sports Sedans and GT3s, which have significant advantages over Herne’s TA2 machine, he was made to work extra hard to be at the front.

“The TA2s aren’t the biggest beasts but they are very quick across the top of The Mountain,” he explained.

“We don’t have as much straight-line speed as some of those other cars, we didn’t have the brakes, so I had to work really hard over the top of The Mountain.”

Herne is hopeful he can continue his relationship with GRM into the future.

Heath McAlpine

BARTER WINS RICHARD MILLE SHOOTOUT YOUNG AUSTRALIAN driver Hugh Barter has won the Richard Mille Young Talent Academy, after a two-day shootout at Le Mans.

Barter will next year contest the French F4 Championship supported by watch manufacturer Richard Mille.

“Now we’ve done it and won it, it’s been a good last couple of days,” Barter told Auto Action.

One of 10 drivers selected globally from within Birel ART’s talent pool, Barter (nominated by Australian distributor Patrizicorse) was subject to training and on-track tests at the FFSA Acadmy located at Le Mans, using the Bugatti layout during October 12-13.

First, the contenders were subject to physical and mental assessments within the FFSA Academy facility led by Dr. Riccardo Ceccarelli’s Formula Medicine, before the on-track segment of the competition took place in the afternoon.

“They split you up into two groups to test your physical side with your strength, endurance and how you go about pushing yourself,” explained Barter.

“Then the mental side is your reactions, brain strain and how you cope under

14 AutoAction

pressure in situations, which is followed by a personal interview.”

This was then followed by interviews between the competitors and the jury.

Utilising the Bugatti layout at Le Mans, drivers were provided with a video guide of the circuit by FFSA Academy

Instructor Malo Olivier, before each driver familiarised themselves with the F4.

Also, the weather didn’t favour the competitors as rain fell early on before the weather improved throughout the runs.

Each driver completed three runs with a final three drivers selected before

Barter was crowned the winner, ahead of Swedish driver Albin Karlsson and Craig Tanic of France.

“It was one stressful day,” Barter summed up.

Barter’s journey to France began three weeks prior, when he tested a Formula 4 car in preparation for the event at Winton, before jetting off to Italy and heading to France to contest the Shootout.

“We have a pretty clear idea of what we’re doing, just the dates to be sorted out,” he explained.

But the decision on which team to contest the series was an easy one, as all entrants are run by the FFSA Academy.

“We don’t have to think about that and it takes a bit of pressure off us to make the right decisions,” said Barter.

Prior to his attack on the French Formula 4 title, Barter aims to contest rounds of the Australian Karting Championship, although it is unclear when he’ll return at this stage.

This is the third edition of the Richard Mille Young Driver Academy, with Frenchman Enzo Valente and Mexico’s Rafael Villagomez previous winners. HM

GRICE TARGETING TCR COMEBACK SECOND-GENERATION hopeful Ben Grice is planning a comeback next year once coronavirus restrictions are lifted.

Grice, the son of V8 legend Allan, wants to graduate to TCR after being competitive in the Toyota 86 series for the past few seasons.

He has support for a TCR program that was due to start this year until the season was abandoned due to the pandemic.

“I’m still trying to do TCR next year,” he said.

Melbourne-based Grice, who runs a successful signwriting business, has a link with Ashley Seward Motorsport.

He had two promising tests in Seward’s GRM-prepared Alfa Romeo Giulietta before the

MCLAUGHLIN WINS BEST AND FAIREST AGA NEWLY CROWNED three-time Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin walked away with the Barry Sheene Medal for the third time during a presentation held after the Bathurst 1000.

He is one of eight drivers to win the award, which is voted on by Australia’s leading motor sport journalists.

It comes after a season where McLaughlin scored 13 race wins and 15 pole positions to be fourth on the all-time victories list and second in the overall pole positions list.

“Thank you very much to the media and to the people that vote on this,” said McLaughlin.

“It’s a proud moment; obviously, a medal that’s very highly regarded within the category.

“Barry was a great man. Although I didn’t meet him, to display the qualities I’ve heard about and stuff like that is a very proud moment for me, my family and the team.

“Just really proud of our preparation, Ludo (Lacroix) and Richard (Harris, engineers) and everyone on our team pushing me to be ready for the next event.

“Sometimes we didn’t know where it was going to be, and it was the same for everyone.

“You’re sort of prepping for one race at the race we currently were at, and just trying to make sure you were on the ball.

“Sometimes we weren’t there, like Townsville; the first weekend, we weren’t quite there and we had to battle it out and come through and sort of keep your head in that regard.

COVID-19 shutdown and is set for more trials when restrictions are lifted.

“I’m aiming to do TCR with Ash,” he said. “I’m planning to do some tests once we’re out of lockdown.”

Contrary to the impression given by his famous father, Grice is determined to reignite his racing career once regular competition resumes.

“I certainly haven’t given up on my ambitions in racing,” he declared.

Grice still works closely with master mechanic Les Small, who oversaw Allan’s upset 1986 Bathurst 1000 victory and other front-running Commodore efforts in the mid-1980s. MF Image: Insyde Media

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“Really proud of being able to come back the next week and bounce back and that was what this championship was all about; being good on your bad days but being able to be consistent and come back and try and use what you learnt the week before and come back stronger.”

Other awards presented post-race included the Drivers’ Driver award, won by Tickford Racing’s Cam Waters.

Despite Triple Eight Race Engineering winning the Bathurst 1000, it didn’t prevent DJR Team Penske from securing the Team’s Championship. HM Supercars Championship Award Winners 2020 Barry Sheene Medal: Scott McLaughlin, Shell V-Power Racing Team 2020 Supercars Champion: Scott McLaughlin Supercars Drivers’ Driver: Cam Waters Champion Team Award: Shell V-Power Racing Team 2020 Supercars ARMOR ALL Pole Position: Scott McLaughlin, Shell V-Power Racing Champion Manufacturer of the Year: Ford

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MCLAUGHLIN SUPER PUMPED FOR INDYCAR DEBUT EXCITEMENT IS building ahead of Scott McLaughlin’s IndyCar debut in St Petersburg this weekend and believes he has prepared as best he can ahead of the event.

McLaughlin was scheduled to make his maiden IndyCar race start at the Indianapolis road circuit mid-year after a successful test earlier this year.

After much doubt surrounding his impending debut in America’s leading open-wheel category due to the COVID-19 pandemic, McLaughlin is excited that his dream will finally come true.

“I’m super pumped to finally get a crack at my first IndyCar race,” said McLaughlin. “Feels like it’s been years since I was part of spring training, but due to COVID-19, we had to hold off. But hey, sometimes the best things are definitely worth the wait.

“It’s a dream come true to be running an INDYCAR race for Team Penske and Roger (Penske), especially coming off of such a successful Supercars season.”

McLaughlin and co-driver Tim Slade finished fifth in last weekend’s Bathurst 1000, while he sealed a hat-trick of Supercars titles at The Bend Motorsport Park last month.

A variety of difficulties, which have arisen

from the COVID-19 pandemic during McLaughlin’s preparations for the event, but the implementation of Zoom and the use of a simulator kept these on-track.

An early flight from Sydney on Monday to America enabled McLaughlin to arrive at the Team Penske headquarters in North Carolina to meet the personnel.

“I’ve been trying to get to know my team as well as possible virtually for a few months now, so it’s been great being able to see everyone in person and work with them,” McLaughlin explained.

“I spent some time last week running in the simulator as much as I could and spent some time at the race shop, as well, to prepare for this weekend.

“It was a quick turnaround from Bathurst since I flew to Charlotte immediately after, so I’ve definitely been moving at a fast but really exciting pace just to get to this weekend.”

McLaughlin believes it will be a swift learning process and is confident he can finish in a strong position on Sunday.

“The Shell V-Power Nitro+ Chevy team is such a talented group, so I feel like I’m going to be a quick study and learn a lot really fast,” McLaughlin concluded. HM

Image: LAT

TODD KELLY – CAN’T WAIT TO GET THEM BACK OUT KELLY RACING team owner Todd Kelly can’t wait to return to the track after a particularly testing season debuting two Mustangs and completing its own engine development program while on the road.

Last off-season, Kelly Racing worked overtime to complete the construction of to Ford Mustangs ahead of the 2020 season, an objective it just met prior to The Bend SuperTest in February.

Reflecting on a season like no other, Kelly is eager to continue the development of the Mustangs, which demonstrated at times during the season to be a competitive package compared to its established rivals.

None more so was the highlighted by Andre Heimgartner scoring pole at Sydney Motorsport Park II and converting that into second place behind maiden race winner Jack Le Brocq.

“We can’t wait to get them back out,” enthused Kelly.

“I think we achieved a lot with the car, especially being stuck on the road, the amount of stuff that we’ve done to the car in general and also the engine. We’ve arrived here at the end of the season here at Bathurst with a pretty good package.

“The amount of dramas that we had early on behind the scenes with the butterflies and the thing stalling, we actually had a lot of airbox fire early on, we’ve got to the point where now we’ve pretty much nailed everything and good to go.”

Bathurst was always going to be a challenge for the team as fuel economy was a concern for Kelly Racing’s new powerplant as reported by Auto Action

Image: LAT

during the lead-up. Kelly admitted the team didn’t perform as well as hoped at The Mountain, but there many positives to take away from the weekend.

“We didn’t execute the event well at all, but the car’s pace is actually really good so the biggest point in our first year under those circumstances is as good as you can hope for,” Kelly told Auto Action.

“The things were P1 down Conrod dozens of times during the race, which is good and that’s not a luxury we’ve had for quite some time.

“Once we got the car sorted out, which was after qualifying, the car was good as well.”

Kelly couldn’t hide his enthusiasm to return to the race track as the Mustangs continue the development phase in 2021.

“It sounds weird, but I actually want to go back to a race meeting and redeem ourselves from today, even though we’ve been away for 106-days,” commented Kelly.

“I’m looking forward to getting them back on track.”

The aim for Kelly Racing is simple for 2021, target further podiums.

“There is still going to be a little bit of learning, given that we’ve changed the car so significantly at the tracks we’ve been to,” he said.

“When we go back it’ll be a bit different, but we really need that car where it should be and Andre’s showed where it should be a number of times now so we certainly need to get a few more podiums next year.”

Kelly Racing’s Bathurst campaign demonstrated potential, but fell short results wise with a slave cylinder failing on the Rick Kelly/Dale Wood entry, while Andre Heimgartner and rookie 1000 codriver Dylan O’Keeffe finished in 11th.

“The car was fast, but in the wrong spot,” Kelly said of the NED Mustang. “We should have been up in the lead group that whole day.” DM

SCHWERKOLT REFLECTS ON A YEAR OF BUILDING

TEAM18 ENDED its strong 2020 Supercars Championship campaign with a dual top 10 finish in the Bathurst 1000, which was replicated in championship, capping off an impressive maiden season as a two-car operation.

A team overhaul that started last season when former Ford hero Mark Winterbottom joined the operation was completed ahead of the 2020 season when it expanded to two-cars with exWalkinshaw Andretti United driver and Supercars race winner Scott Pye at the helm of its second entry.

It’s well documented the challenges of this season for the Victorian-based teams, but even so Team18’s entries both finished in the top 10 – a feat only achieved by Triple Eight and DJR Team Penske – in a season highlighted by three podiums scored by Pye in Darwin.

Team owner Charlie Schwerkolt expressed his pride for the team given the scenarios presented to it this season.

“Super proud of the team,” Schwerkolt said.

“We’ve moved up pit lane a fair bit, but also, it’s great to have nine and 10 in the championship.

“Thrilled to bits.

“It’s great with all the sacrifices the team has made, it’s really fantastic to get a reward like that.

We’re getting closer and closer to being up the front, both guys are driving really good.”

A 30-point penalty accrued at SMP for a pit

incident prevented Team18 from ending the Team’s Championship fifth ahead of Erebus Motorsport.

Schwerkolt credits the squad’s rapid improvement to the time spent forcibly on the road due to the border restrictions that remain in place.

“That’s probably the only good thing about COVID, we’ve all bonded really well and built the team, and we’re a very, very close-knit team,” said Schwerkolt. “It’s been a great season; we’ve had three podiums with Scotty and I think Frosty’s had three or four fourths or fifths.

“It’s a building year, it’s our first season as a two-car team and only getting better and stronger so I’m really proud of the whole team.”

In the lead up to Bathurst, it was confirmed Winterbottom had signed a new two-year deal to continue at Team18, which earned praise from Schwerkolt.

“It’s great to have him on board for another two years and longer with the team,” said Schwerkolt.

“This will see his career out with Team18, which is great.

“He’s a legend of a person, he really is. I’m really proud and have been able to build my team with Frosty, he’s been an anchor pin with good people coming on board as well.

“They believe in him and he can drive, he’s fantastic with the sponsors and partners we have in the team.” DM

Image: LAT

WINTERBOTTOM: WE’VE GOT THE RIGHT MIX

IT WAS a charging drive through the field for Supercars veteran mark Winterbottom and codriver James Golding after starting 18th.

The duo scythed their way through the field to finish eighth, despite power steering and oil pressure problems towards the race’s conclusion.

It was a performance that came just days after Winterbottom announced he had signed a two-year deal with the Team18, declaring the operation is heading in the right trajectory moving into 2021.

“We’ve got a good mix, Scott’s driving really well and their cars going strong,” he said.

“I’ve got a good team of guys around me.

Charlie wanted top 10 in the championship and he got two cars in there, so we’re going

in the right direction.

“This year has been a tough to build the team, to get it to where we want it to be, but we’ve done a good job of it “There were only two other teams that did that, which were Triple Eight and Penskes.”

Winterbottom was full of praise for Golding, who teamed with him this year after losing his seat with Garry Rogers Motorsport when it pulled out of Supercars at the end of last year.

“He was great to have, our times were similar, our feedback was the same, he’s awesome,” summarised Winterbottom. “I’m lucky that he came and joined us. He’s a good kid and he wants back into the sport, which is a tough thing to get back into, but he’s a ripper.

“He should be in the sport and hopefully his time comes again.” DM

GRM DEBUTANTS REFLECT ON AWESOME WEEKEND IT MAY have been an unorthodox lead up to this year’s Bathurst 1000 for Garry Rogers Motorsport Wildcard debutants Tyler Everingham and Jayden Ojeda as both reflected on the awesome experience.

Excitement surrounding GRM’s return to the Supercars paddock through Everingham was overshadowed in the lead up to the team’s fight for a Superlicence dispensation for original co-driver Nathan Herne.

A week before the event, it was confirmed GRM had dropped its legal action and lead rookie in Super2 Jayden Ojeda was installed as his replacement.

The duo gradually improved across the weekend, before an incident at The Chase with Ojeda at the wheel necessitated a lengthy time in the pits for repairs. Despite this, the pair finished as a classified finisher in 19th.

Everingham, whose family were heavily involved in putting the program together, was very positive about the experience.

“It was really promising,” Everingham told Auto Action. “We were slowly chipping away at it.

“We started capitalising on mistakes from other teams and we were building up to it, I think we were 15th at the time of the incident.

A previous winner of the Mike Kable Young Gun Award, Everingham praised GRM, led

on the weekend by experienced engineer Richard Hollway for its commitment to the program and the guidance provided during the weekend.

“It’s still a good Bathurst,” Everingham remarked.

“To come here for the first time for both Jayden and I, and to still finish the car in a classified position is a pretty strong result.

“A lot of guys out there had more problems than what we did, that’s testament to the team at GRM with how experienced and how good they are at this.”

Everingham is already eyeing off a second campaign in 2022.

“I can’t thank the sponsors, team and family for getting me here,” said Everingham.

“It’s a pretty cool opportunity and hopefully next year we’ll come back again.”

Unlike Everingham, Ojeda completed double-duty last weekend in both the 1000 and Super2 where he finished as lead rookie in the series.

The 1000 presented many new experiences for Ojeda.

“It was the longest stint I’ve ever done in a car in general, I probably ended up doing 60-70 laps,” explained Ojeda. “The pace was good, I set the fastest lap in the car throughout the race.”

Ojeda admitted he made a mistake exiting

Image: LAT

The Chase under pressure from fellow 1000 rookie Dylan O’Keeffe, which ended in contact with the outside wall.

“Unfortunately, I came a bit unstuck at the exit of The Chase on the gear change up to third, unsettled it, had a bit of a moment, ran off the road and touched the wall, which damaged the car pretty badly,” he explained.

“Luckily the boys were quick on the tools

and managed to get it fixed.”

Reflecting on the race, Ojeda shared Everingham’s positive outlook on the pair’s performance.

“They managed to get it back out to be classified as a finisher of the race, so we ended up P19, which we’re still happy to be classified for our first trip in the 1000,” Ojeda concluded. Dan McCarthy

LATEST NEWS

REMAINING 2021 ARC DATES ANNOUNCED MOTORSPORT AUSTRALIA has confirmed a six-round Australian Rally Championship schedule for 2021 after previously announcing the opening three events last month.

Kicking off the second half of the calendar will be a brand new event in Victoria, the Rally Gippsland in August. This is joined by the Adelaide Hills Rally in October and the finale, which combines with the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship’s regular visit to these shores in October.

These recently announced events join the National Capital Rally in Canberra, Perth’s Forest Rally and Rally Tasmania in comprising the full 2021 ARC schedule.

As part of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship finale, the Adelaide Hills Rally acts as a qualifying event for this event.

After the disappointment of limited events this season, Motorsport Australia director of motorsport and commercial operations Michael Smith is excited to announce the full ARC calendar with the addition of a brand new event.

“The RSEA Safety Motorsport Australia Rally Championship will go to new heights in 2021 and we’re

delighted to confirm our calendar for next year,” Smith said.

“As this year’s Championship could not be awarded, we know the hunger and excitement levels for 2021 among competitors will be off the charts.

“We’ve had a lot of interest from some familiar names, as well as some new rally drivers keen to test themselves at the national level.

“We’re also really excited to have a Victorian round back on the calendar, with the new Gippsland Rally to take place in August. This event will be a welcome addition to the calendar,

joining our established and popular events around the country.

“On behalf of everyone at Motorsport Australia, I’d like to thank our partners RSEA Safety and Hoosier for their support during 2020 and of course to our event organisers for their tireless work as we prepare for 2021.”

An omission for next year is the Eureka Rush Rally based out of Ballarat, but instead a pre-season test will occur within the region as preparation for the season-opening National Capital Rally in March. HM

The 2021 RSEA Safety Motorsport Australia Rally Championship Calendar • Pre-season test day: Ballarat – 16 February • Round 1: Netier National Capital Rally – 20-21 March • Round 2: Make Smoking History Forest Rally – 1-2 May • Round 3: Rally Tasmania – 26-27 June • Round 4: Gippsland Rally – 7-8 August • Round 5: AGI Sport Adelaide Hills Rally – 16-17 October • Round 6: Location TBC – FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship Finale – 20-21 November

30 YEARS OF MAGIC ISLAND MAGIC as it has been known since 1998 is the traditional season-ending race meeting in Victoria, promoted by the Phillip Island Auto Racing Club.

This edition marks the 30th running of the event, which PIARC Secretary Geoff Bull has fulfilled this role for 29-years.

“Look, it’s been like a child,” said Bull. “It’s developed and it was very much club racing, but it has gone beyond that. When it started, it really was an extension – but not part of – of the State Race Series.

“It’s kept building and we’ve tried not to change it quite deliberately.

Island Magic has become one of the biggest events on the Victorian motor sport calendar, regularly hosting more than 150 entries per year. It also has hosted rounds of the Australian Formula Ford Series and Australian Sports Sedan Series, plus the national events for Improved Production, Saloon Car, HQ, Formula Vees and many more.

“It means 30-years of achievement. I think it’s just been a

Image: Revved Photography

fantastic thing and it has provided continuity that people haven’t had with events,” Bull said.

“It’s been an amazing thing, the sponsors have been amazing, CoolDrive have been with us for a

long-time of it.”

This year’s Island Magic Pearl is already garnering strong interest from categories including Sports Sedans, Sports Cars, Historic Touring Cars, Porsche

944s, Formula Ford, Improved Production, Formula Vees and Saloon Cars.

The 30th running of Island Magic is expected to take place on November 28-29. HM

MOTORSPORT AUSTRALIA APP OUT NOW A NEW app for Motorsport Australia members allows the ability to access their licence on a mobile device.

The Motorsport Australia app (available through Google Play and the App Store) will replace existing licence cards, which enables competitors and officials to access an up-to-date licence, which can be viewed on any device.

As previously reported by Auto Action, Motorsport Australia implemented its Recovery Taskforce sooner than expected due to the circumstances surrounding this year. One of the key components of this was to reduce paperwork and focus on IT development, with this app being the first of many developments in this area to be released in due course.

Now that the app is launched, this will reduce the delays members experience in receiving hard card licences in the

post and provide up to date details to officials at Motorsport Australia events.

“We want to see more people, enjoying more motorsport, more often and this app is one of the latest developments to help achieve this,” Motorsport Australia CEO Eugene Arocca said.

“Once members have renewed their licence via the Member Portal or with our membership team, the app will update instantly, meaning there’s no waiting for the card to be printed and then sent in the mail.

“Of course, anyone who still requires a physical card can be provided one on request, but as technology changes and people are more likely to move around without a wallet full of cards, we know our members will make the most of this app on their phone or tablet when attending events and needing to show their licence.” HM

BRISCOE AND CAMPBELL TASTE SUCCESS IN AMERICA AUSTRALIAN DUO Ryan Briscoe and Matt Campbell enjoyed success at the most recent IMSA Weathertech SportsCar Championship round, Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.

For Briscoe, it was a dramatic outright victory joined by Kiwi Scott Dixon and Renger van der Zander racing the Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R after the two leaders collided during the closing stages.

Acura Team Penske’s Ricky Taylor and Action Express Racing’s Pipo Derani came together at Turn 6, resulting in both being delayed significantly. Taylor’s Acura ARX-05 DPi spun, while Derani suffered much worse out of the incident with his Cadillac DPi-V.R. travelling through the gravel trap and into the concrete wall.

Just 10s in arrears was van der Zande, who was able to snatch the lead and with an unlikely victory.

Importantly, this result enhanced Briscoe and van der Zande’s DPi title aspirations by extending their lead to eight points with three rounds remaining.

This is massive,” exclaimed Briscoe.

“It was such a great finish, and it just shows never give up and just hang in there. Renger did a hell of a stint there at the end, and he kept saying, ‘I’m not

Image: LAT

going to give up.’ Then fortune fell our way. We had a fast car all afternoon and I’m just so proud of this team.”

Taylor, who was teamed with Helio Castroneves and Alexander Rossi recovered to second as the race was completed under safety car due to a heavy incident for one of the factory Porsche 911 RSR-19s at The Esses.

The sister team Penske Acura driven by Dane Cameron, Juan Pablo Montoya and Simon Pagenaud completed the podium.

While one Porsche failed to see out the finish, the other piloted by

Campbell, Nick Tandy and Fred Makowiecki scored the manufacturer’s first GTLM win of the season in what was another closely fought contest.

In a race compromised by safety cars, the Porsche team held off the Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C8.R driven

by Antonio Garcia, Jordan Taylor and Nicky Catsburg to take the win.

A mistake by Augusto Farfus in the race leading BMW Team RLL BMW M8 GTE during the concluding stages of the race handed Makowiecki the victory. The Brazilian ran wide when holding a 20s lead as grass and dirt

filled the intakes forcing Farfus to pit.

He greeted the flag third, sharing the M8 GTE alongside John Edwards and Jesse Krohn.

A spin for Campbell after a collision with a faster competitor delayed the Australian during his stint as he expressed his amazement of how the race played out after the event.

“Quite honestly, I never expected the race to go like that,” said Campbell.

“We experienced ups and downs, but ultimately we drove a fantastic race.

This win is something very special.

“I’m over the moon.” HM

NEWS EXT RA

EXCLUSIV E

THE NEXT GENERATION How the Gen3 Supercar will work and what we can expect from it SUPERCARS WILL enter a new era in 2022 when Australia’s most important motorsport category makes the transition to the new Gen3 technical regulations.

The headline is the new Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 that replaces the Holden Commodore, setting up a classic US pony car battle against the Ford Mustang GT. But there is so much fascinating detail.

A determination to cut costs, boost the visual link to the production cars, drastically reduce downforce and improve the racing.

Some facets of the program require more clarification, like the plans for the drivetrain. We know they will still be V8s and still drive the rear wheels. But Gen3 will be ‘hybrid ready’ and a category engine is being considered.

Supercars’ head of strategy and product John Casey has been a key player in developing the objectives of Gen3 development. He sat down with BRUCE NEWTON to explain where the program’s at and what the implications are for the future of the category.

On when Gen3 planning began and what the over-riding objectives are.

We started serious consideration of Gen3 and what it needed to deliver about a year ago. The primary objectives back then remain the primary objectives now, however the emphasis of some of them accelerated dramatically as a result of the pandemic.

In no particular order sustainability and relevance were the two primary objectives.

Sustainability from a cost perspective, where cost is defined as cost of entry into the category, cost of the hardware and cost of operation.

All of those costs have been escalating over the years because that is what happens. We saw an opportunity to make the sport more sustainable by addressing costs in a very targeted and concentrated way.

The second objective [relevance] was to build on the great DNA of the sport that makes it so successful. But things can always be better. Tastes change and what fans and other stakeholders want do change. You learn things along the way and this really came down to how can we

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make a platform for fans and stakeholders to engage more with the car. Off the back of that, is there a chance to make the racing even better?

That framed up our project and we then put some more definition around that it in terms of what it had to deliver; specification and design of the car, structure of the project, who was going to participate, and define some objectives in terms of the cost of the car and re-establish where the category fits in the overall world of motor sport.

Then the pandemic came along and the result of that was an increasing commitment to the cost deliverables. We even went back and reset our cost targets for the car and the operation of the car.

On the importance of getting Gen3 right.

It’s critical. The good news is we have a great representation on the Gen3 committee from the current homologation teams, Supercars board, Supercars commission and the range of people outside that group that are helping and inputting from time-totime.

It’s meant to be critical. These are not trivial changes and the outcomes; taking a big chunk of cost out of the equation and making the cars better looking and the racing even better, is all part of the show.

On where the money is coming from to develop the Gen3 Supercar and the involvement of manufacturers, who traditionally provide cash and/or resources.

That’s an area that is commercial inconfidence.

So conceptually our model is that there are contributions from the resources of the Gen3 committee.

But the licensing agreement in the case of the Chevrolet Camaro is between Supercars and General Motors.

On the IP agreement struck with GM for the Camaro and whether that sort of agreement will be applied to other manufacture entrants.

GM owns the IP to the Camaro and what they do is grant us the licence to represent the Camaro’s skin as a race-car, within whatever restraints they want to put upon

that. Supercars owns the IP to everything under the skin.

Composite panels that make up the Camaro body will be produced in moulds owned by Supercars and made available from multiple suppliers, including [Camaro development team] Triple Eight Race Engineering.

That form of IP agreement is new for GM and Supercars, but not for Ford.

Different organisations will choose to operate in different ways or not operate at all. That’s a fact of life. Some will want to be more involved, some less and some not at all.

Our objectives are to be able to accommodate the requirements of various organisations, but not to the detriment of the sport and to the range of competitors.

On why IP licensing agreements are being pursued.

It’s about reducing barriers to entry for a very critical component of the sport. If you front up to Brand X and say ‘Any interesting in participating? By the way it will cost you X million dollars’, versus ‘Are you interested in participating? We just need permission from you to represent your car on the grid in a faithful fashion within these considerations and constraints.

On Gen3 engine plans.

We are at the front-end of engine work … one of our primary focus areas is to get the cost down and out of the car, that means the cost of acquisition as well as the cost of operation.

The engine is obviously a key part of that objective and the reality is there are architecture and technologies and cost bases now available to the category that weren’t available 10 years ago.

I would expect to see a slight variation in the specifics of different engines but the over-riding V8 format, lower cost to acquire and lower cost to operate [continues].

On why Supercars is considering the introduction of a category engine.

For at least the foreseeable future our engine is naturally-aspirated V8 architecture. Some participants will have access to that engine in a relatively low cost way. They may have existing hardware that

is fit-for-purpose or close to fit-for-purpose.

But that won’t always be the case and the intention – if we pursue it – of a ‘white label’ engine would be to reduce the barriers and cost to entry for a participant who didn’t have that ready-made engine.

On the motivation behind making the powertrain ‘hybrid ready’.

It’s an exercise in ensuring the chassis we are designing has as long a life as possible, and as accommodating a package as we can make it.

For the range of stakeholders we work with, electrification or hybridisation may become a requirement. We can’t see around every corner, but you can take some steps to accommodate something that has a reasonable possibility of coming to you in the future.

On what being ‘hybrid ready’ means technically.

In terms of what will actually be there from day one; our transaxle which carries over from the current car already has the capability to accept a motor-generator.

In addition to that, in the front-part of the chassis there’s a cavity … that has the capacity to accommodate a substantial battery pack.

It’s not from day one, but it’s ensuring the chassis can accommodate a substantial battery pack As you know the two primary components of hybridisation or electrification are a motor-generator unit and a battery pack. Both of those are designed for and accommodated for.

On what hybrid capability a Gen3 Supercar may eventually have.

We don’t yet have a view or a policy, we are at the front-end of that consideration.

It may not happen, but I think it would be unlikely not to. But I don’t have a timeframe on its introduction. In this regard, we will be a ‘fast follower’. We have the benefit of having a similar transaxle to both NASCAR and BTCC and are closely following what they are doing.

There are a few emerging case studies such as British touring cars [which will introduce hybrids in 2022] that we can look at, but we don’t have a system in mind,

other than a working assumption that it will be a ‘hybrid assist’ approach.

In terms of how the power [stored in the battery] is deployed … the options are you could use the electric power in the pits only, you could use it as a complement to your internal combustion engine which would be delivering power all the time, or you could use it in a ‘push to pass’ context.

For me the first option doesn’t really show the benefits of hybridisation, so I think it would be topping up the available power of the car or having it available as a ‘push to pass’ or some combination of some of those.

For example, if there was 100 horsepower available in electric power, 50 of it could be available at all times and 50 could be available ‘push to pass’.

Whatever the electric component ends up delivering, it needs to be substantial, it won’t be a trivial amount of additional power.

I think you have an obligation if you are describing your powertrain as being hybridised … for the electric component to be a material contribution to the overall power.

That’s why we designed the chassis in a way that it could accommodate a battery pack that could deliver a material amount of additional power.

On what changes he anticipates to the homologation process, which is currently executed by teams with Supercars approving design and components as the program proceeds.

We will continue to develop the cars in conjunction with the Gen3 committee, which comprises representative from the homologation teams as well as the commission and the board.

We will continue to work with the homologation teams and the resources from the homologation teams, with the addition of the overall project engineering lead in Carl Faux, as well as the Supercars technical team under Adrian Burgess.

On how Gen3 will avoid a repeat of the current Mustang Supercar, which shares no panels with the road car and has been shaped for maximum aero efficiency by Ford Performance.

I would envisage a more collaborative approach.

The key point I would make is that the bodies, all the hanging panels, so

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A key primary objective of the new Gen3 regulations is relevance. The Mustang and Camaro will both have body panels that are interchangeable with the road cars.

the boots, the bonnets, the hatches, the glasshouse etcetera, must be interchangeable [in dimensions] with the road car.

So there is no opportunity to deviate from that regulation and direction. So those panels need to be interchangeable from the road car variant.

In terms of the aero homologation process, that is being run and governed by Supercars as it is today.

We have an aerodynamics engineering partner D2H that through our ongoing association has a lot of IP and understanding of our category and they have been retained to do the work on Gen3.

As with the current car that homologation process is a Supercars process.

On whether Gen2 cars can be converted to Gen3 and if not, whether the teams can afford to produce an entire grid of all-new cars by 2022.

It’s a brand new car, so you won’t be able to convert a Gen2 car to a Gen3.

In terms of the money side of things, we are targeting a 30-40 per cent reduction in both acquisition costs – so a sub$350,000 cost for the car and engine – and a 30-40 per cent reduction in operating costs.

What I can’t answer is what’s the mechanics to migrate. At this stage the project is focussed on the car and delivering those cost savings.

But the sport and business does need at some point to address the migration question.

At this stage the assumption is the grid will be all-Gen3 in 2022.

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On categories of components that makes up the Gen3 Supercar and how teams will obtain them.

Currently there are three types of components; control, control specification and free or open. We are trying to do is reduce the latter down to zero or very close to zero, and that is to take the overhead away from teams for having to produce or fabricate components themselves, because that equals cost. An example of that is the front upright, which is currently free but will be a control component under Gen3.

Under Gen3 a control component will either be available direct from the supplier or Supercars. If it’s a control specification component – for example the rollcage, the chassis – then that will be made available

by Supercars.

Some teams may choose to build chassis to make them available for sale – they will have that option – or some teams may choose to construct those chassis themselves.

The difference between the current chassis and what we are proposing, for example, is if a team elects to weld that chassis together then effectively, they will be welding together a – for want for better expression – a flat pack supplied by Supercars.

If Auto Action Racing decided it wanted to weld that component together then they will have the option.

But they won’t be compelled to buy from one particular supplier.

On whether Gen3 will grow the Supercars grid from the current permanent entry list of 24 cars.

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One of the foundation principles and objectives of the car is to make the sport sustainable. A big part of sustainability is taking cost out of the equation, which gives the double benefit of making both existing teams more sustainable, but also making the category more accessible to other teams who are operating at a high level of motorsport but don’t have access to the resources to be able to participate in Supercars at its current cost level.

We are looking at sustainability from both of those perspectives.

I think we would say we are comfortable with a grid size of 24.

On the prospect of adding more brands to the grid from 2022.

That work starts in earnest now, in terms of seeing what additional options are available.

I think for 2022 I’d be quite happy with a Camaro and a Mustang. I’d like to think there was the possibility of an additional brand but at this stage I am not in a position to speculate as to whether or not that will happen.

Certainly, we will start looking at that now in order to kick those conversations off.

We needed to have something substantial.

We are now in a position where our plans and our designs and our ability to describe the car is at a point where we can now go and start to have a sensible conversation and be able to describe the car in sufficient detail so that it can be considered by other brands.

On the implications for Super2 and whether it will move to Gen2 cars in 2022.

We still see Super2 as being the development series. Is it the opportunity to flow cars through from Supercars to Super2? We also understand we need to address the Super2 cost base as well.

That thinking around how we incorporate Super2, aside from retaining those objectives, we now need to kick off in earnest the study of what exactly this means for Super2 and how we address the costs issues in Suepr2 and how do we make the whole Supercars/Super2 system work and work in transition as well.

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with Dan Knutson

THE FIA has extended the window in which Super Licence points can be acquired amid the current global pandemic. Although a driver will have four years to obtain the necessary results to qualify for a Super Licence, only the three most successful will count.

A total of 40 points is required to qualify for a Super Licence. HM

HAAS TEAM principal Guenther Steiner has hinted that the team is aiming to inject youth into its 2021 line-up.

Steiner suggested an announcement was not too far in his column posted on The Race, as Briton Callum Ilott emerges as a favourite for one of the seats though he missed out on completing in practice one for the Eifel Grand Prix. HM

JAPANESE FORMULA 2 driver Yuki Tsunoda will have his first Formula 1 test with AlphaTauri on November 4. Supported by Honda, Tsunoda hopes to complete 300km of testing in order to qualify for a Friday practice berth during a Grand Prix weekend. “I am sure I will be very excited when I’m sitting in the car waiting for the green light at the end of the pit lane,” he said. HM

KIMI RAIKKONEN is expected to extend his Formula 1 career into 2021, with Alfa Romeo set to offer the Finn a new deal. Raikkonen broke Ruben Barrichello’s record of 322 Grand Prix at the Eifel Grand Prix, but his new agreement may not be revealed until the team confirms its second driver. Mick Schumacher and current number two Antonio Giovinazzi are in the running. HM

AFTER HIS eye-catching performance in the Eifel Grand Prix, Nico Hulkenberg has said it was the perfect audition to present himself to teams ahead of the 2021 season. “Obviously, this is the best I can do, or the maximum I can do to promote myself and advertise,” said Hulkenberg. “But after Silverstone also, nothing really changed dramatically, immediately. I think it’s still a process. People know, obviously, that I’m around but we’ll just have to be a bit more patient to see what’s happening.” HM

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THREE OPINIONS BETTER THAN TWO DANIEL RICCIARDO’S hard work – and that of the entire Renault team – is going to benefit Fernando Alonso, who replaces the McLarenbound Aussie next year. Does that upset Ricciardo?

“Not at all, I’m certainly keen to keep this train moving,” Ricciardo replied. “I’ll put everything I can into it. Next year’s another story.”

In fact, Alonso is already working with Renault.

Furthermore, Renault has not frozen Ricciardo out of developments for both this year’s car and next year’s model.

Alonso is in regular contact with the team, and he has been spending time at the factory and in the simulator.

“I have seen how keen he is,” said Esteban Ocon, who will be Alonso’s teammate next year.

“He sent me a message that if we needed anything he would be there, no problem. It is good that he goes in the simulator. It is three opinions basically, because me and Daniel and he are all practicing on the simulator before going to the races. To have three confirmations is better than two.

Image: LAT

“So, it has been good that recently he has been working closely with the simulator team, and I’m sure he will come to the races very soon.”

As Auto Action has reported previously, Renault made a breakthrough on the car during the two races in Britain in early August.

“The rear of the car has picked up a lot of downforce,” Ricciardo confirmed, “so that’s given us drivers confidence to nail the throttle and get off the corner better. Setting the car up isn’t so hit-or-miss. Last year I felt we, at times, could be very fast or well outside the top 10. Now we’re just able to sit in that sweet spot and obviously the performance is there. It’s proven now: we’ve done it on low downforce and high downforce circuits. It’s a good package, and we should have confidence now for the remainder of the season.”

In the last five races Ricciardo has finished between sixth and third, and he has scored more points than anybody except Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.

Alonso got a chance to drive the 2020 Renault during a filming/promotional day at Barcelona. Six races remain in the season, and all three Renault drivers are focused on improving the car.

“I know what the team is capable of,” Alonso said, “and I know the prospects for the future are good. The most important thing is to follow the trend that we see now, keep the momentum into next year, especially for 2022, and I think we know how to do it.”

And improvements are still needed because Renault is still not a winning car, and even podium finishes require a bit of luck.

THE GOAT WILL LEWIS Hamilton become the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time?

His win in the Eifel Grand Prix matched Michael Schumacher’s record of 91 Formula 1 victories.

Hamilton could easily earn more than 100 wins as early as next season. He is on the verge of winning his seventh drivers’ world championship, which will also tie the record set by Schumacher.

“There’s a lot of talk in all sports about greatest, past and present, and I think it’s almost impossible to compare,” said Hamilton. “There’s all this talk of who is and who is not, and it’s not important to me. What’s important is the journey. It is what we’ve done along the way, the obstacles you’ve faced. And everyone’s got a different journey.”

It is indeed difficult to compare eras. In recent years there have been about 20 races in a season.

In the 1950s most seasons had just seven, eight or nine races. In the 1960s there were nine to 12 races. In the 1970s there was a maximum of 16 races.

What you can compare is winning percentages.

Juan Manuel Fangio won 24 of the 51 championship F1 races he contested – 47.06 percent. Jackie Stewart won 27 of his 99 races – 27.27 per cent. Alain Prost had 51 wins out of 199 races – 25.62 per cent. Ayrton Senna 41 of

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161 – 25.46 per cent; Alberto Ascari won 13 of 32 – 40.63 per cent. Stirling Moss won 16 of his 66 races – 24.24 percent.

Michael Schumacher won 91 times in 307 starts – 29.64 per cent. Schumacher’s numbers would have been considerably different if he had not made his F1 comeback. When he retired at the end of 2006 he had 91 wins in 249 starts – 36.54 per cent. In his three-year return from 2010 through 2012 with Mercedes he contested 58 races but won none of them. In fact, he had just one podium finish during those three years – one third place in 2012.

To be fair to Schumacher, Mercedes was still building up its team at that time. It did not really start winning a lot of races until 2014 with Hamilton.

And now Hamilton has 91wins in 261 races – 34.87 percent.

Stewart says it is easier to win more races now because there are more races in a season.

“I have so much respect for the past legends, even those that do continue to talk negatively about me all the time,” Hamilton said.

“I still hold them in high regard because I know it was a different time in history. It was incredibly tough for them.”

Hamilton has averaged 10 wins a season since 2014.

“Hopefully, we have got more records to break and to make,” he said after winning the Eifel Grand Prix. “I am not done yet. I still feel I am able to improve. I still feel I am driving at a really good level.”

OPTIONS FOR RED BULL RED BULL could pull out of F1 if it cannot find a competitive engine after Honda leaves F1 at the end of 2021.

“If we cannot find a competitive solution, that is an option,” Red Bull’s Dr. Helmut Marko told Auto Motor und Sport. “Max (Verstappen) has a competitive engine (clause) in his contract, but that’s also our premise.

Without an engine with which we can win the world championship, the (F1) project is not interesting for us.”

But what are the viable options for Red Bull and sister team AlphaTauri?

Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault or taking over Honda’s F1 programme are the only possibilities, and not all are viable.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said that Mercedes definitely would not offer to lease engines to the two teams.

“I have no doubt that Helmut (Marko) will have a Plan B,” Wolff said, “and probably doesn’t need to rely on any of the current power unit suppliers.”

Ferrari’s Mattia Binotto said that Ferrari will only consider the matter after Red Bull makes a request for power units in 2022.

The regulations would require Renault to supply

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engines to the two teams if ordered to do so by the FIA. “I can confirm I have not been contacted by Red Bull in relation to engine supply,” Renault’s Cyril Abiteboul said, “I can’t imagine that they don’t have a Plan A or Plan B. I think we are very far in the pecking order before they call us again.”

So, what will Red Bull do about power units?

“Obviously we need to consider all our options,” Red Bull’s team principal Christian Horner said.

“A team like Red Bull is not a standard customer team.

The team’s aspirations are extremely high. It wants to win. It wants to compete and win world championships.

We need to take the time to do our due diligence on the options that are available to us, in order to finalise our thinking certainly by the end of the season and most

definitely by the end of the year. We have to consider all the options and make decisions following that.”

What about continuing the Honda project, with funding

by Red Bull or in conjunction with another technical partner?

“As I say, we have to look at all of the options,” Horner said, “and we have to take the time in order to do that.

Red Bull need a competitive engine. Its aspirations are not just that of a customer team. When you look at the costs involved in the engine supply, they are enormous and that’s why F1 has failed in its attempt to attract new engine suppliers, new manufacturers into the sport.”

To further complicate the search for new power units, Red Bull is insisting that both Red Bull and AlphaTauri use the same power units in 2022.

GOOD LUCK NEEDED THE BATTLE for third place in the constructors’ world championship is very tight and there are millions of dollars at stake.

With six races remaining in the season, Racing Point has 120 points, McLaren has 116 points and Renault has 114. And Renault has been on a roll recently.

McLaren has been stumbling a bit, but in the last two races it has introduced a major round of updates including a new nose and floor, aimed at changing the aero configuration of the car.

“We are happy with what we have seen after we did the analysis post-Sochi,” McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl said. “But the real potential of this new package we will only see once it is complete.”

It didn’t help matters that fog caused both Friday practice sessions in Germany to be canceled. That cost McLaren and the other teams valuable track time.

The 2020 Racing Point RP20 is a copy of the championship-winning Mercedes W09. But, while the RP20 is fast, the team has often not been able to convert that speed into results in the races.

What is it going to take to tip the battle in Racing Point’s favour?

“Stop getting a lot of bad luck,” said Racing Point’s technical director Andy Green. “We just don’t seem to be getting the run of the green at the moment. I want just a normal race weekend, and we haven’t had a normal race weekend probably since race one this season.”

It has not helped Racing Point’s momentum that

Image: LAT

Sergio Pérez had to miss two races after testing positive for COVID-19, and Lance Stroll sat out a race because he was ill.

“Something happens every weekend,” Green lamented, “and all we need between now and the end of the season is just to have normal race weekends, where we can just race the car, set it up normally, just have a normal weekend without any major distractions.

That will give us our best possible opportunity. We’ve

not had one of those so far this year, so that’s going to make the difference for us. If we have that, then I think we really can challenge for third. We really can.

“It’s going to be a real battle. There are three teams there: we’re just swapping places all the time. It’s going to be good fun to the end of the season.”

It will also be a fight for millions of dollars because the higher a team finishes in the championship, the more prize money it earns.

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F1 INSIDER

Publisher Bruce Williams bruce@autoaction.com.au 0418 349 555 Editorial Director

with Dan Knutson

Bruce Williams

Editor-At-Large

Mark Fogarty

Deputy Editor

Heath McAlpine

Production

Jason Crowe

Special Contributor

Bruce Newton

Staff Journalist

Dan McCarthy

National Editor Online Editor

Garry O’Brien Rhys Vandersyde

Contributing Writers Australia Garry O’Brien, Mark Fogarty, Bruce Newton, David Hassall, Bob Watson, Bruce Moxon, Garry Hill, Craig O’Brien, Mick Oliver, Martin Agatyn.

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Printed by Australian Community Media Distributed by Ovato Retail Distribution Australia GIZ FLIES THE FLAG IN HRT FINALE

CAMARO VS MUSTANG GEN3 REVEALED AT LAST

.COM.A U

7711 971 19997 NCEE 1971 N INCE SINCE

HOLDEN’S LAST BATHURST HEROES

LIONHEART

Image: LAT

THE GREEN HELL

IT WAS, rather amusing, I thought, to hear some of the current Formula 1 drivers refer to the Nürburgring, which hosted this year’s Eifel Grand Prix, as an “old style circuit.”

I attended the 1984 European Grand Prix held at the new 4.542-km 15-turn Nürburgring.

My colleagues and I were rather appalled at the clinical and bland circuit layout, because just next door was the mighty Nordschleife – the North Loop – 20.8-km long and with more than 300 metres of elevation change.

Jackie Stewart nicknamed it “The Green Hell.”

In 1984 it was a mere eight years since the last F1 race on the old track – the 1976 German Grand Prix when Niki Lauda nearly died in that horrendous accident that proved once and for all that the old Ring was too unsafe for F1 cars.

Most of the current F1 drivers are fans of the old track.

Some, like Lando Norris,

have driven countless laps in various simulators. Others have done the real thing.

When it is not closed for private testing the track is open to the public. Pay 25 euros during the week and 30 euros during the weekend and take your own car out for a lap.

Daniel Ricciardo did just that in 2008.

“I drove it in my own car at the time, which was a Fiat Punto,” the Aussie said, “and believe it or not I still went off the track. There was one part of the track I remember it was a little bit blind left uphill, and the corner really tightened.

I was not prepared so I understeered off and went over the kerb and cut across the grass. Fortunately, I stayed out of the barriers. It is an amazing track. I know now to race F1 there is slightly unrealistic, but just to drive anything around there is cool.

It is narrow, it is old-school, you have different types of tarmac throughout the track.

Patches where they have

resurfaced, and the carrousel is pretty iconic.”

Sebastian Vettel recalled the first time he drove around the Nordschleife.

“I was 17-years-old and I took my road car around the Nordschleife,” he said.

“I had a scary moment after I had brake fade and nearly crashed because I was treating the car like a sports car, which it was, but not made for the Nordschleife.

“It’s a very, very enjoyable track. I think it would be fantastic if we were to race F1 on the Nordschleife.

Obviously, the track would need a resurfacing and made a bit smoother, but that would be the ultimate challenge. I think it’s the best track in the world.”

Would Vettel ever consider competing in the 24 Hour race for GT cars at the Nordschleife?

“I don’t know,” he said. “As some say I am close to the end of my (F1) career, so it’s something to think about. I’ve always liked to follow other

categories and other races. I think the 24 Hour race here is a race that everyone knows and everyone looks up to in a way. I think it’s one of the biggest challenges in the motorsport world.”

On the Thursday evening of the Eifel Grand Prix, Ricciardo did a lap of the Nordschleife driving a Renault Megane RS. Afterwards I asked him what it was like.

“I scared myself, let’s say that!” he said “It was pretty greasy. I don’t know the track; I do not play it on gaming or anything, so I do not know it off the top of my head.

I scared myself in the first 500 metres and that set the tone for the next 22 km or whatever. I was timid, let’s say that. It is beautiful, it is fun, but would I race their 24 hours with 180 cars on the track? I am good, thanks! Call me old but I am fine where I am.”

So I guess Vettel won’t be asking Ricciardo to be one of his teammates when he does compete in the 24 Hours!

CAPTAIN OUTRAGEOUS

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THE ROAD AHEAD FOGES ASKS WHAT’S NEXT FOR RACING

Cover Images: Main Holden/ AN1-Ian Smith/Hughes Motorsport Art Design

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silly season; Living Legend WHAT’S IN THE NEXT ISSUE Supercar Colin Bond part 1; Portugese Grand Prix; Wodonga Short Circuit; Latest ON SALE 5 NOVEMBER news & views

with Mark Fogarty

THE FOGES FILE AA’s pesky pundit wonders what we’re going to do in the wake of Supercars’ shortened season SO NOW SO, W what do we do? Look forward to the AFL and NRL grand finals? Kill me quick...

Bathurst was a grand Supercars season finale, but that’s effectively it for the year. Unless some national racing sneaks in next month or even December, we’re facing another long local drought.

Supercars did a fantastic job to get to Bathurst. But it was such a big effort, especially for the Melbourne-based teams, they’ll need all of the four months or more until reconvening next year, to recover. They deserve it.

But for us at home, it’s gonna be a long wait for top-level local action.

Sure, if you get Fox Sports, there’s Scotty’s IndyCar debut at St Pete this weekend and then F1 into December.

Plus MotoGP, which is also shown free on 10 Something.

Fingers crossed that TCR and S5000 return with a back-to-back Tassie trip to Symmons Plains and Baskerville – two top circuits – in January. That would also be the beginning of the Seven Network’s return as the major free-to-air broadcaster.

Now that the early February Bathurst 12 Hour is officially off – not that it ever had a chance – we’ll be then hanging out until at least late in 2021’s second month for Supercars to resume, likely with a sprint racing round at Mount Panorama.

Then? Well, we’ll have to wait and see. Hopefully, the F1 AGP in midMarch, as usual. It’s on a knife-edge, but if the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne goes ahead in late January, that’ll be a good sign.

However, the AO will only happen with strict health protocols for visiting players and limited crowds. Expect similar constraints on the AGP, which must be a good chance because of F1’s stringent COVID controls since racing resumed in early July.

In the meantime, Supercars is going to reprise its successful Eseries, but it’s not real racing. Sorry. Not sorry.

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The Eseries worked in the midst of the initial Australia-wide coronavirus lockdown, but second time around it’s going to be a very poor substitute for entrenched, pre-Millennial fans.

Of course, Melbourne is to blame for all of this. The hotel quarantine debacle caused the second wave that closed Victoria to the rest of the country. In a socalled free federation, it is a nonsense.

Melbourne, a major engine of the national economy, is dragging the country down. Slightly relaxed restrictions announced on Sunday are little help.

Motor sport is one of many economic generators – entertainment, travel/ tourism and sport – that needs to be unleashed. Otherwise, a greater social catastrophe looms.

It might seem trite and trivial to bemoan a lack of local car racing – and rallying – but motor sport reflects prosperity. When the economy is healthy, racing booms.

All those rich people who can afford to race or sponsor teams are understandably reticent. It is incumbent upon the state and federal governments to give wealthy benefactors the confidence to keep spending.

Call it an investment or an indulgence, but racing needs well-heeled enthusiasts to survive. Always has, always will.

SHOW AND GO

DON’T KNOW about you, but I like the look of Gen3. Literally. The return to showroom-appearance cars can only be good.

Until the Mustang last year, Supercars had visual credibility.

Sure, we all know that since the VE Commodore and FG Falcon, the body shapes had been cut and shut.

However, until the Mustang, the racers looked real. Even the Volvo S60, Nissan Altima and Mercedes AMG E63 were faithful to their road car cousins’ appearance.

But the Mustang is a mutation.

Adapts the two-door fastback’s

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shape to dimensions and proportions designed for four-door sedans. Result: Arrrg-leee.

The renderings of the Gen3 Camaro and Mustang are persuasive. Racy but relatable. Restrained but rippling. They look tough, like road cars on steroids.

Big tick.

The aims of Gen3 are laudable and logical. Simpler, cheaper, more raceable.

But – and it’s a big but – there’s still much to be defined in the details. If not carefully controlled, the concept, like Car Of The Future, could be corrupted.

The most serious obstacle is the requirement for an all-new control chassis and body panels.

By conservative estimates, the changeover in 2022 is going to cost $1.2-$1.4 million for two cars – despite carryover items like transaxles, rear suspension, dampers and wheels.

The teams, rightly, want to know who is going to pay for this changeover.

Because most of them can’t.

Following the coronavirus crisis, money is going to be tighter than ever for the next few years.

The sale of Supercars would release some liquidity, but only at the cost of a diminishment of the teams’ shareholding from 35 per cent to 25 or 20 per cent. They don’t like that at all.

Many are wondering why it can’t be a progressive change, starting with modifying the existing control chassis – essentially, chopping the height of the roll cage – and then moving forward in cost-effective increments to an all-new car.

Another question. Will the modified Mustang on the grid in 2022 be representative of the latest model?

A new Mustang road car is due by then, but there’s no guarantee it’ll be available from the factory in right-hand drive.

Gen3 looks good in concept. Getting there is not going to be as easy as conjuring Peter Hughes’s arresting, life-like renderings.

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With the Supercars season over, Australian motor sport’s other powerbrokers look at what the rest of racing will be like as the COVID cloud lifts

THERE’S NEVER been a season like this one. Racing heavily restricted and the surviving schedule of events held with few or mainly no spectators, and competitors operating under strict health protocols.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to grip the world, motor sport won’t be getting back to ‘normal’ anytime soon – if ever. There will be a new normal heavily constricted by health concerns for some time to come.

In Australia, Supercars survived by adapting quickly and innovatively with a rapid-fire compressed season that ended with last weekend’s Bathurst 1000. It was a model as good, if not better, than F1, MotoGP, NASCAR and IndyCar, and completely free of the scandals that dogged the AFL and NRL hub approach.

Also, amid the crisis, Supercars secured a new five-year broadcasting deal with Fox Sports and Seven, signed Repco as series and Bathurst 1000 sponsor also from 2021-25, and unveiled Gen3’s new look from 2022.

With Supercars in ‘hibernation’ until late February or early March next year, it’s up to Motorsport Australia – the national governing body – and upstart promoter Australian Racing Group to try to fill the gap.

MA is responsible for the Shannons national championships and the

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Australian Rally Championship, as well as a leading role in the running of the F1 Australian Grand Prix and Rally Australia. The 11th hour cancellation of the former triggered the initial global sporting shutdown, while the latter’s chances of a return next year were scuppered by long-term national border concerns.

ARG has been grounded since the AGP, with its highest-profile casualty being the cancellation of the Bathurst International in November. ARG’s portfolio is headlined by TCR and S5000, supported by Touring Car Masters, V8 Touring Cars and Trans Am. Motorsport Australia chief executive Eugene Arocca (above right) – a former AFL club administrator – and ARG CEO Matt Braid (above left) – former No.2 at Supercars – addressed the outlook and opportunities for the rest of racing post-Bathurst. They were asked the same or similar questions, adapted for their circumstances and influence, about where their organisations and categories are headed into and through 2021 on the available information.

Sean Seamer, Supercars CEO and arguably the most powerful figure in Australian motor sport, was invited to participate, but in the busy lead-up to the Bathurst 1000, he was not available.

EUGENE AROCCA

Chief Executive Officer, Motorsport Australia How has Motorsport Australia weathered the pandemic and all the disruption it’s caused?

MA’s Eugene Arocca (right) and ARG’s Matt Braid oversee Australia’s second level of racing.

Oh, look, we’ve done it tough. It’s had a significant impact on us because we are an events-driven operation. There’s no point regulating something that’s not happening. I think it’s been wellpublished that we had to let nearly a quarter of our staff go and shut down physical interstate offices. We’ve had salaries reduced from the top down. We’re still on reduced salaries.

JobKeeper has been significant for us. We’ve had a drop in renewals approaching 20 per cent, which is pretty significant for us. So the overall sweep is that it has been tough, but we have survived and used the opportunity to work on the ‘Return To Race’ to ensure that that continues to keep us in good stead on the ground and also accelerating some planned introductions around IT and processing.

So even though it’s a pretty dark cloud, we’ve found the opportunity to invest in some more modern interactions with our members to improve processes and make it easier to go racing so more people can go and enjoy more motor sport more often, and we’re trying to pull down the barriers as much as possible to make that happen.

But I must say that in my 30-odd year involvement in both community sport and professional sport, I’ve never confronted anything remotely similar to what we’ve experienced in the past six months. We’ve all been tested, but I think it’s been illuminating for us as to how we can be better.

Will there be positives to come out of all this?

Well, there will be. One of the positives, I guess, has been the, I don’t want to say ‘improved relationship’ with Supercars, but it’s certainly been cemented through the past six months. We’ve worked collaboratively and very closely with Supercars, and I’m really proud of the work that Supercars have done to keep high-level motor sport operating

while everyone else was making do.

So I think that’s been an outstanding success, and all credit to Sean (Seamer) and his team, culminating at Bathurst. Five months ago, I would’ve doubted that we would have Bathurst, so I think that’s been a definite upside – the Supercars effort and the collaboration and the work we’ve done.

I also think the grass roots story is very strong. This has been, for us, a grass roots-led recovery, starting from small events that have been able to operate under the strictest of conditions and really just keep ticking away as soon the gates were opened. The first events to start logging in were the small grass roots events at the community level.

That’s been very encouraging. The opportunity for us to just have a real look-see at the way we operate has been beneficial. It had always been planned, but the opportunity to examine how we operate has been the absolute confirmation that we needed to be a more nimble organisation with less red tape. It’s easy to say, but when you have safety considerations, red tape is really hard to avoid. But we think that the acceleration of the use of IT and the platforms that we’re about to announce – everything from electronic licences to online permit issuing – are going to make life easier for our members. And I think the general collaboration and cooperation with governments has been very encouraging. We’ve seen some great actions and some major funding opportunities that we’ve picked up for our clubs. We’re about to announce $3.5 million-$4 million in funds available for Victorian clubs – and Motorsport Australia and Motorcycling Australia are together on that. So I think there are four or five key points that probably highlight the good bits that have come out of this. And I think, finally, from me as the CEO of the organisation, it’s been really heartening and heartwarming to see our staff work under the most extreme conditions from home for most of the time and yet being able to cop the pay cut – in some cases up to 60 per cent, particularly the executive – and just keep working at 110 per cent. So that has been a really strong take-out for me, that as an organisation we’ve stood the test, even though we’ve lost some good people.

As we understand the outlook in the coming weeks, how soon do you see national level racing under Supercars coming back to life?

Well, the optimist in me says that we’ll have a Shannons round at Sandown in early December – a couple of rounds back-to-back. That’s the optimist in me.

The reality is that we are now clocking up events at state level in every state except Victoria. NSW had a little bit of a setback, but is up and running. We are getting now consistently around about 70 per cent of what we were getting in terms of permit numbers this time last year. Victoria’s been the big hit, absolutely.

And you know what? Maybe the Victorian state and national championship events are not going to happen before the end of the year. That has to be a possibility.

You have to be a realist. But I’m really confident about 2021. I think the way Australia has responded generally – absent the quarantine issue – has really placed us in the best possible position to keep operating without a vaccine. It’s going to have an impact on international events, notwithstanding the fact that I think the AGP will happen. We’ve seen Rally Australia not happening because the promoter simply can’t take the chance of coming this far in the current environment. But the short answer to your question is that I can see that we will be up and running in early 2021 with a great level of confidence and some hope that towards the end of this year – the start of next month into December – we can still get some national championship rounds out. But we have to be realistic about the significant border restrictions. That’s really what’s killing us – the restrictions on movements across borders. Otherwise, we would have a lot more confidence, but Victoria’s been problematic. So, in summary, supreme optimism for ’21.

We’ve already, privately locked away some rounds for both the ARC and the off-road championship, and we have a tentative calendar for the Shannons and that’s going to be a pretty full book as far as we’re concerned. So absent any major wheel falling off in respect to COVID-19, we’re confident ‘21’s going to be a year of awakening for motor sport. Having been constrained in 2020, we think we’ll bounce back in ’21. But the true effect on the sport is probably not going to be overcome until

Arocca praises the Supercars fraternity for staging a high-quality show in the most difficult circumstances without any COVID breaches. Image: LAT

mid-’22 – that’s my view. We don’t expect to get our numbers back up to what they should be before the end of ’21 and into ’22. I’m thinking that if we got through what we got through in ’20, then I’m very confident we can bounce back in ‘21 on a higher level.

So, broadly speaking, you’re confident that we’ll get back to some sort of near normality by mid-next year?

government appreciating what we’ve done, so I’m pretty confident 2021 will be a year where we’ll manage very well.

I would hope so. I don’t want to sound like a pessimist, but I’m not banking on a vaccine even in 2021. I’m working on the premise that the possibility of a vaccine in the early part of 2021 is exactly that.

The probability is probably in the later part of ’21, so we’re treating next year as a COVID-normal year without a vaccine and we’re going to work on the premise that ‘Return To Race’ is going to be put in place adapted accordingly to get us through 2021. But with open borders, some restrictions, but a capacity to keep operating at a sporting level with or without spectators. If we get a vaccine, fantastic. That will accelerate international opportunities, in my opinion, but I’m fairly confident that in the national sense, we’re best placed with an exemption being made for the Grand Prix, as it will for the Australian Open tennis (in January), with a lot of work being done to control and measure how that’s managed. So, yeah, I’m fairly confident that 2021 is going to be a year where we will adapt to the circumstances we’re in, but if we get a vaccine, then we can really put the pedal to the metal and bring back international events and start to get crowds back into the sport. Having said that, it’s been a healthy experience in 2020 with the TV ratings, Channel Seven committing, Supercars barrelling along pretty well,

In the wake of all this, will racing and rallying ever be the same again?

I don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t.

What has become apparent is the absolute desperation of our fans and our participants to get out on track. I’m overwhelmed by the sense that there is a real longing for motor sport. People have missed it and it’s made them realise how much they’ve missed it even though we’ve been able to watch it on television.

As you well know, being at an event, being at the track, being in a car, there’s nothing to replace that. And that’s what I think people have missed. The only rider I have on that is that I don’t really have a full understanding of the economic impact of COVID-19 into early ’21 when JobKeeper stops, businesses need to get going again, and what impact that has on disposable income. But absent that, I don’t think there’s been any diminishing of the appetite for motor sport in this country. If anything, it’s the opposite because we’re able to put on a bloody good show and if anything, attract new people to the sport because we’ve been so prevalent on television at a time when not much else was happening. I’m always aspiring to hit 30,000 licence holders. We were within reach – 27,500 only seven months ago.

I reckon we’ll get to 30,000 within the

next two years. That’s how confident I am about the sustainability of motor sport.

People love the sport, they’re chomping at the bit and we just have to make sure we do it as well as we can when we get the opportunity, once the restrictions are eased across the country. So all zoom and no gloom. I must admit there were times when I thought to myself “Shit, this is hard”, but I’m absolutely in awe of what’s been achieved.

MATT BRAID

CEO, Australian Racing Group How has ARG weathered the pandemic and all the disruption it’s caused?

It’s been pretty challenging for everybody and for us as a group, we’ve basically bunkered down. Thankfully, we have a relatively small team and largely contained overheads. The biggest exposure for us throughout the year is obviously the events and due to the pandemic, we’ve been in pause mode. But in saying that, everybody is working very hard behind the scenes to keep contact with our categories and also plan for every possibility for this year and certainly a bigger and better 2021.

It’s hard to see because you’ve had virtually no racing this year, but have there been any positives to come out of all this?

W certainly take advantage of We’ll tthe fact that we are a relatively small s organisation and can be quite nimble. n And also in line with that, too, the th relationship we’ve built with our categories ca has been really helpful.

We W aimed to do that last year and I think th we were successful in building relationships re off the back of TCR and then the other categories came on board. We built relationships with the category entrants and this time of crisis has probably brought us closer together. We’re in more regular contact with them and we’re giving them very transparent information and getting very good transparent feedback. Everyone’s involved and that’s something we want to carry forward. We have a good team of people and we can duck and weave as we need to, and with the support of the competitor base and keeping them close to us and being honest with them and communicating as best we can, it positions us well to keep handling whatever might be thrown at us in the foreseeable future.

What has been the financial impact on ARG? The financial impact has been largely on the basis of not being able to run events. Obviously, we derive income from our media sources, from sponsors, from teams and competitors, so certainly the revenue streams have been under challenge this year. But the support’s been there from all those stakeholders involved in our business, so that’s been very pleasing. It’s been difficult financially, but we’re getting through it and gearing up for 2021, which we anticipate, while still challenging – it’s not going to be easy – will be better than 2020, for sure.

Braid hopes scenes like last year’s crowded Sandown S5000 grid will be back in the not-too-distant future. Meanwhile, club- and state-level racing are already recovering outside Victoria (top). Images: ARG/Riccardo Benvenuti

ARG boss Braid is confident the majority of TCR teams will survive the crisis and reset for next year, starting with a double-header in Tasmania in January. He is also targeting internationals for second attempt at Bathurst 500 next November.

You had a few false starts trying to get a season underway. Did you get close to holding an event before the second wave of coronavirus hit Victoria?

Yes, we did. It’s interesting looking back now because in hindsight you can see what the various moods were. If you go back to the first part of the crisis, it was not being able to hold an event at all on the basis that you couldn’t have people turn up in a gathering of any numbers, which not only affected spectators, but also the capacity to assemble a competitor group to race. That was largely overcome in the second quarter and we were gearing up for a commencement in August, which would have provided a very solid backend calendar that we were quite comfortable with and made sense. Even though it was pushed back, it was still strong. But then we were beaten to that by three weeks by the Victorian lockdown. The border restrictions became an issue. That was frustrating because we were close. We were within three weeks of getting running (at Sydney Motorsport Park). If you look at the situation now, holding an event is not an issue, but being able to get competitors to travel interstate without quarantining has been the major obstacle for us.

So what is the outlook now given what we know? What’s your realistic target to get underway again?

You have to be a little bit guarded because obviously anything can happen. So anything we do now will be provisional and I don’t think we’re alone in that. We’re going to be setting a calendar for next year based on what may transpire with the COVID scenario. We have a very good calendar lined up. We are working very closely with Motorsport Australia, whose leadership and team have been fantastic to deal with during this period and provided us with some fantastic guidance and support. We’re working closely with them on the 2021 calendar and what may or may not be possible. Nothing’s definitive

yet and the lack of clarity is always a concern, but the rumours and rumblings are that the borders will lift nationally in December, regardless of what’s happening medically with the pandemic. That gives us optimism that come January, there should be a lot of clear space to start a proper calendar. There’s always concern that it’ll have to be adjusted again and we’re fully prepared for that, but equally there’s more optimism that at least there’ll be freedom of movement in the early part of 2021.

So you don’t see any prospect of any racing before the end of the year?

We have a couple of options at our disposal at the moment which we’re assessing, but equally we’re not being too active on those until we get some clarity on the borders. If there is scope to do something, we certainly will, and we have a couple of options that we’re looking at. But it’s too early to call whether that’s possible or not and that’s why I think if that is achievable, we’d certainly pursue it and while that’s happening, we’re also continuing to power on with the 2021 plans.

Is the Tassie double-header in January still your most likely kick-off?

At this stage, yes. The Tassie doubleheader (Symmons Plains and Baskerville) was to be the backend of the 2020 season, the final rounds, but as we progress now, the trip to Tasmania will commence next year’s series if everything goes according to plan.

How is your competitor base holding up across the various categories, especially TCR and S5000 as your main acts? Do you expect most of them to survive and continue next year?

Yes, we do. We’re in dialogue with all our competitor groups on a very regular basis to see how they’re going and TCR looks largely intact. There are a few smaller

privateer groups which are very dependent on either small business or their own personal finances and they’re restricted by the logistics, but they’re very passionate to get going again, but equally they know they have some challenges. But in the main, we’ve kept most of our competitor group intact and, at this stage, if we were to go racing tomorrow, I think we’d only lose one or two here and there rather than any big chunks.

The biggest question mark is any international component you might be planning, particularly earlier in the year with little prospect of the national border being opened.

Yes, you’re right, that’s definitely a big question mark for 2021. We have a lot of confidence about holding our domestic series, but then obviously branching out to having some international flavour in TCR rounds throughout the year is a question mark and the same with S5000. So the focus then turns to the Bathurst International, which by its very nature relies on as much international participation as possible, from both drivers and teams across all categories.

So that is the question mark going into 2021 and certainly we don’t perceive any opportunities in the first half of the year, but remain hopeful there might be some light at the end of the tunnel towards the backend of the year for international events.

Do you have a contingency plan for little or no overseas involvement in the Bathurst International next year?

We do. Before we had to cancel, it, we did alter the premise of this year’s event on the back of the restricted international travel. We could do the same in 2021, but at this stage we are pursuing the Bathurst International as it was originally intended and making those preparations and having various discussions with overseas drivers and teams. I must say,

too, that the interest from international drivers and managers and teams is still very strong. They’re all desperate to come down. They’re asking us lots of questions on the basis of trying to get here, which is positive. So we know there’s international interest in the event, it’s just a case of OK, logistically, can we feasibly have international participation?

In a perfect world, we’d be getting teams and cars and drivers coming down to the event, either from Europe or Asia or even across from America in some instances.

But if those numbers weren’t possible or the full logistics weren’t possible, there might be scope for a handful of drivers for each category to come in rather than full teams. Worst case scenario, they might not be able to come at all, which would be restrictive. Or be able to come, but have to quarantine, which would be a fallback.

Even as it stands now, we did have a couple of drivers who were keen to look at quarantining if necessary to make this year’s event. All those parameters will be assessed as we progress through the year towards the event.

Because of the changes that have been wrought this year and are likely to continue for some time, is it possible racing will never be the same again?

I hope that’s not correct. I think it can return to normal in time, but certainly there’s going to be a short- to medium-term impact from the coronavirus on the Australian motor sport economy. The extent of that impact is still to materialise, but certainly there will be one and we are trying to do our best, positioning ourselves best, to actually make the most of what is possible going forward.

It is going to be a difficult period for a long time, but we believe in our product and we have some great categories and great events, and while funding in motor sport is always a challenge, it’s going to be a lot more challenging in the foreseeable future.

But if there is funding available, then we’re confident that our product presents itself very well from a cost-benefit point of view.

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THE TRAI

P Peter Janson was ahead of his time, whether that be leading the charge w when it came to corporate entertainment at the Melbourne Cup or the w way he spruiked his sponsors. HEATH McALPINE was lucky enough to s sit down with ‘The Captain’ earlier this year to discuss an amazing life.

‘THE CAPTAIN’ Peter Janson is an eccentric character, one who is dearly needed in this COVID-affected era in which professional sport finds itself.

Back in the day, he added plenty of colour to the black and white pages of Auto Action as a columnist, plus his

annual pilgrimages to Bathurst which an netted a consistent run of podiums ne that put him at the top of the privateer th tree in the history of The Great Race. tr Others may have won the event or taken class victories, but Janson o walked away with two seconds, w a third and a fourth from his 20 Bathurst starts.

B Although his Bathurst performances pe are noteworthy, Janson’s exploits on the dirt pre-date those and number among his most successful triumphs.

So too, his projects around the city of Melbourne including the cleaning of the Yarra River during the 1970s, his

campaign to save the Windsor Hotel in the 1980s, and his part in the creation several major events, even now he is still coming up with great ideas for the promotion and improvement of his great Melboune.

Auto Action was invited to his legendary residence amid the nightclub precinct of Melbourne, Rutherglen House, to sit down and reflect on Janson’s life stories.

Described as irrepressible, flamboyant, a raconteur and a scallywag by The Age newspaper, I was eagerly anticipating entering the world of Janson.

And I wasn’t disappointed.

Rutherglen House is a maze, level upon level, walls covered in photo and enough taxidermy animals to create a zoo, but is a warm and welcoming place.

The man himself is still as sharp as a tack, maintaining a firm handshake, a remnant of his time served as a Captain in the Indian Army.

Born in New Zealand to Swedish parents, Janson soon immigrated to England before returning to Australia during the 1960s, where he worked as in Public Relations for Chrysler.

He had dabbled a little bit in rallying while over in the motherland, but it wasn’t until 1965 when he competed

ILBLAZER regularly, rallying a Hillman Imp provided by the Chrysler Corporation.

Janson soon progressed to a Hillman Hunter and began an affinity and notoriety with the prestigious Southern Cross Rally.

By 1969, Janson started the highly successful Waltons-Renault Rally team in which he took victory in an event he considers the toughest, the Akademos Rally. A dominant victory by Janson and navigator Neville Price led a Renault 1-2 ahead of Bob Watson and John McAuliffe.

Another highlight of this era occurred during the BP International Rally when Janson lost all but reverse gear and was forced to drive the remaining eight miles going backwards, averaging 33mph. He finished seventh outright.

Next, his association with Holden and GM began when he started rallying an ex-Holden Dealer Team Holden Monaro GTS 350, which had by that time been

superseded by the nimbler Torana GTR XU-1.

Janson recalls a story relayed back to him of a conversation between HDT team manager Harry Firth and driver Peter Brock, while he was competing in the Akademos driving the Monaro.

“The Monaro I used to drive, I think it was three or four rallies with it, we beat everyone in in a big Monaro,” explained Janson.

“Harry had come out with Peter Brock.

I asked him why he came out here for?

“He said, ‘well it’s like this, cock, I want to hear the howl of that big Monaro’, which was an ex-HDT one, the motor on it was just unbelievable.

“The howl of those two big exhaust pipes, you could nearly walk up through them, he said to me ‘I want to hear that sound going for the last time’. ‘What do you mean an the last time?’ Says Brock. ‘Wellll it’s like this cock, I’m going to listen to it and wait for the big bang.’ “‘What do you mean?’ said Brock. “‘That’s when he’s going to write the whole thing off, (so) I get rid of Janson and I get rid of the Monaro, both at the same time!’”

General Motors policy dictated that its brands could go rallying, but weren’t permitted to participate in

circuit racing. But this was circumnavigated by Janson registering the Holden Dealer Team name with the blessing of John Bagshaw.

“I was with GM, I went to Bagshaw and said we needed to get out of rallying,” Janson recalled.

“Its only wombats watching us. We’ve got to get to the people, we’ve got to get TV, it’s Bathurst.

“He said, ‘but we can’t race,’ and (so)

Peter Janson is one of the most colourful characters to appear on Australian race tracks. He pioneered what is today called ‘corporate hospitality’ with his double-decker buses (above left), where he is seen here feeding the (plastic) ducks on an adjacent pond. Janson spent a significant part of his early life in India (above right) and was a regular visitor.

Images: AN1Images/AA Archives/Ian Smith/Autopics.com.au

Janson’s rallying got serious with Mitsubishi where he was a contender in the Lancer, already showing signs of the commercial support from sponsors for which he became famous (top and above). His touring car career began quietly in a Honda Civic class car (above, at Sandown) before switching to a series of Holdens.

I said ‘I’ll buy the team’, so I registered the Holden Dealer Team and I got all the sponsorship, and Holden supplied all the people, parts, that we damn well needed. He said ‘you’re right!’”

A renowned networker, many companies benefitted from Janson’s involvement in partnerships that were instigated by ‘The Captain’.

“NGK gave all their business to TAA, Castrol and TAA, Levi’s shifted all their freight to TAA, so I made each one compliment the other and make it bloody worthwhile what I did,” he explained of his commercial prowess.

“It was just two and two makes four, and that’s how I sold the deal.”

Posters placed within Levi’s stores, service stations with Castrol on the shelves,

workshops using NGK spark plugs grew the reach of Holden, leading to its sustained success through the 1970s.

“Just with the posters, we’re getting into places that we’d never been before,” Janson emphasised.

“That’s the way I looked at it. The sponsors had to – not only in motor racing – show sponsorships everywhere that we could. You’ve got TAA and Levi’s, far different from anyone else, so they got into places that they never thought could get.

“In motor racing, Bathurst is once a year and if you’re going to push it, you still have the other races, but these posters made sure everything kept going.”

Despite having a hand in initiating the Holden Dealer Team, Janson continued to rally due to its relatively low cost, navigated by the fearless Mike Mitchell (in the early-1970s), which leads to an entertaining anecdote from an Alpine Rally, in which Janson competed in ‘Saggy Sarah’, the former HDT Torana GTR XU-1 circuit, rallycross and rally car.

“I remember with Mike Mitchell in the Alpine Rally, I was in the XU-1 going up the mountain. I suggested to him that with the big straights and the gates we’ve got to open, I reckon if I had you on the back – we used to have a foot peg and two handles on the back – I’ll put you on there,” recalled Janson.

“He said ‘I like that’ and ‘every gate I get you jump off and do the gate’.

“We got going and each gate was open, not closed, so I’m gone, (driving like) there’s no tomorrow, (and) I forgot all about him on the back.

“At the top, I’ve completed the stage in so many minutes and the official asks where’s your navigator? Uh oh.

“I looked behind, the bogong moths were in and he was covered in those.

I had to prise his fingers off. ‘It was the greatest thing, it was the greatest thing I’ve ever had happen in my life!’”

Another tale Janson recalls fondly took

place at a Southern Cross Rally where he was competing alongside good friends to this day, then-Datsun factory drivers Rauno Aaltonen and Shekhar Mehta.

“I was racing old ‘Saggy Sarah’, we came in one night, the tyres were f***ed,” Janson exclaimed.

“I said we go around to Rauno (Aaltonen) and Shekhar (Mehta). I know what they do at night, they chuck the tyres straight off the car. You go and find out of Rauno and Shekhar which tyre suits our’s, and we’ll go back over at 10 o’clock. They’ll be a big pile (from to) pick a few, plus a couple of spares.

“We rallied on those all the way through in the two fast forest stages and I was off the planet, they were both watching us. I asked why they were there and they said ‘you’ve just beaten us’. “‘That’s alright, isn’t it?’ “‘No, it’s not alright, we’re paid to beat people like you!’

“Rauno asked what tyres I was running and I said, ‘the same as yours’.

“It wasn’t until years later he came and stayed out here, I told him about it and he pissed himself laughing.”

After moderate success with ‘Saggy Sarah’, Janson further downsized to a Honda Civic where he took multiple

Janson famously raced the ex-HDT Torana XU-1 nicknamed ‘Saggy Sarah’ for its lack of structual rigidity after a long hard life in racing, rallying and rallycross.

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IAN SMITH TH

Janson’s early exploits were in rallying, where he competed for the factory Renault team driving a Renault R8 Gordini in 1968 Southern Cross (above). His fleet of double decker buses were a familiar sight at touring car races in the ‘70s and early ‘80s (left) and was the begining of corporate hospitalty.

class victories in rallying and this provided his first entry into circuit racing.

Janson had also been a regular in the Southern Cross Rallies during the 1970s when he scored a top 10 finish alongside Paul Patterson in 1976 driving an Alan Crawford-owned Mitsubishi Lancer.

Patterson was brought into Janson’s team by long-time friend and respected motor sport photographer Ian Smith, who competed against ‘The Captain’ on the stages, witnessing his performances on the dirt first-hand.

“I competed against him in a rally at Walhalla and he hadn’t rallied for 12-months,” Smith said.

“He was in a borrowed car.

“I did this stage at ten-tenths and thought no one would get close, but Janson beat me by 4s in a borrowed car and having not rallied for 12 months.

“He was bloody quick.”

Janson still managed to compete in the Southern Cross during the closing of the 1970s, changing from the Lancer to an ex-works turbo-charged Saab, but by then his focus had turned to circuit racing and Bathurst in particular.

His touring car career started rather modestly, racing a Honda Civic to fourth in class alongside John Lord at Bathurst in 1973.

An anticipated entrance into the outright battle was delayed a year after the Holden Torana SL/R 5000 he was to

partner Paul Feltham in was gutted by a pre-race fire.

Janson’s efforts the next year resulted in a DNF partnering Holden hero John Harvey, as the diff failed on their L34 20laps from the end.

The team structure for Janson changed for 1976 when ex-HDT mechanic Ian Tate took over as manager, Les Dew came on board as the lead spanner man, plus a dedicated and loyal array of workers/ volunteers came on board (including AA publisher Bruce Williams).

Tate had become disenchanted with the direction HDT was being taken and left at the end of 1975 to start his own workshop, when one day Janson strolled in.

“I started a business in Dandenong Road and we struggled to get some work,” said Tate. “Halfway through the year, Janson arrived, walked in and said I want to talk to you about building an engine. “’I’ll build an engine Peter, but I need

money, I don’t need a new fridge or a washing machine or television, I need money.’”

Initially, Tate just handled the engines, but his role grew come Bathurst time when Janson paired with single-seater ace and a 1000 winner two-years earlier, Kevin Bartlett.

The pair finished fifth, a precursor to one of the t more enduring partnerships that have p raced at the Mountain. r “I had a good friendship with w Larry [Perkins],” said Tate.

“He used to come T home every year and tell h me what was going on m overseas in Formula 1. ov ““Anyway, because KB went to Bob Forbes, we we were short of a driver so I we suggested to Janson we su get Larry.”

“Larry was my saviour,” Janson added.

“Tatey said ‘why don’t we get Larry?’ He said he was dead broke over there [in Europe].

“I needed a balance and Tatey said I needed ‘to calm myself because you’re you and Larry’s from Cowangie’.

“It was said we wouldn’t last a week, well, we never had a cross word except for the Cherry Ripe incident. That was the only time!

“He’s been a fabulous friend, when I needed an engine at Bathurst, he gave me one and if anyone else came along if they didn’t have the cash, they never got it.

“So, he’s been one of my dearest, greatest friends in the whole racing world.”

Perkins returned in 1977 from a stint racing Formula 1 in Europe, a career that needs no explanation and said joining up with Janson was a seamless exercise.

A LONG friendship iss shared between Peter er Janson and photograapher Ian Smith, dating ng back to when ‘The Captain’ dated his sisster in the late-1960s..

This extended to a contra deal between the two during the 1970s, when Smith ran his successful photography studio as Janson bought in his rolls upon rolls of film to develop from his trips to England and India.

“Went I got into photographing, I’d meet him at all the racetracks.

Then when I had my studio in South Melbourne, we had this contra going,” said Smith, the founding editor of Auto Action. “I did all his printing and processing of his rolls of film, he used to go over to England to the Duke of Beaufort’s, go to all the polo matche.

I’ve got photos of him arm-in-arm with Lady Di and he got to know Prince Charles very well.

“He used to come back with 20-30 rolls of film, plus his trips to India, which was another 20 rolls, so I’d process them, do all these thousands of prints and it got to a point stage I said, ‘Hey Pete, it’s getting a little bit one-sided at the moment, you’re up to about $8000’.

“So, we made this deal that he’d pay me in TAA air tickets, which came in handy.”

Janson also helped Smith receive further photographic opportunities through his networking prowess.

“He was very clever at networking,” said Smith. “He would say ‘Ian, you’ve got to come up because I’ve got the MD of Saab coming up’, which at that time I was driving a turbo Saab and I was doing car photography.

“Another time, he’d tell me to come up because he had a guy that wanted to do aerial photography and he made a point of cruising around networking, his networking was fantastic.

“I picked up so many jobs through Charlie Kirwan, who ended up being the Governor’s private secretary for 30 years as a good friend of Peter’s. I ended up being the official photographer of Government House for many years.”

Although a fantastic networker, Smith explained Janson is rarely seen outside of Rutherglen House, preferring to remain in his own environment.

“In a lot ways, he’s a bit of a recluse and very rarely gets out of his castle,” Smith said.

“For many years I kept asking him to come to dinner and he never did.

Only once do I remember him coming down to my place in Cheltenham, and that was the first time he’d travelled that far to visit.

“In some ways, he’s a bit shy in that respect when he’s out of his comfort zone, and that’s been the Windsor or Highlander Lane, where he’s got total control.”

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The car that really made Janson’s name as a touring car driver, the Holden Torana L34. In its earliest form it’s seen here at Phillip Island in the 1974 Re-Po 500 (right) and then later at Bathurst in 1976 (below), where he shared with former race winner Kevin Bartlett, the pair finished fifth.

“It was Ian Tate, who I worked with at Harry Firth’s as a mechanic in 1971, I got to know him,” Perkins told of his connection with Tate.

“One day in England, Ian rang me and wondered if I would be around for Bathurst to drive with Janson. I was on the downhill slide in Europe in my aspirations over there, so I said ‘Oh yeah, why not?’”

Perkins returned first-class via Air India courtesy of Janson and moved into his suite at the Windsor Hotel where he stayed while competing at Sandown and Bathurst. Driving an older model but upgraded Torana four-door A9X at Sandown, Perkins crashed his car, as did Janson, leaving the Tate-led team to build a new car in three weeks

approaching of Bathurst.

“I remember the first race at Sandown, we had two-cars and I was driving a little bit older car, I think it was a four-door,” recalled Perkins.

“I remember coming in during first practice session and saying ‘hey, the brakes don’t work, are they even hooked up?’

“In the race I immediately stuck it in the Dunlop Bridge because it just didn’t seem to want to handle.

“Having then written off his car three weeks out until Bathurst and I’d broken my wrist as well. I don’t think he was even upset; it was just called life, that’s what happens when you’re trying to race.

“It could have been potentially a bad

start.”

It wasn’t too long before Perkins experienced the colourful personality of Janson as at Sandown he came under the ire of the officials, when he featured NGK on the windscreen of his A9X. “When he went home from Sandown, the first one, it must have been after scrutineering and I asked ‘what are you doing?’” Perkins retold.

“He pulled out this old typewriter and grabbed some rice paper out of the bottom drawer to type up a letter from the Prince of Bermuda to change his name. ‘Gee Peter, it’s a strange request you want to change your name from Peter to NGK Janson, (but) I’ll grant you that and good luck.’

“He fronted to CAMS the next day with

his name changed and the NGK Janson stayed on the windscreen.

A normal bloke would have just moaned about CAMS, but he always took them on.”

It was one of the many times Tate washed his hands of the situation.

“You could only have your name on the windscreen, so he got some money out of NGK Spark Plugs so he’s got NGK Janson,” said Tate.

“Anyway, they were waiting for us at scrutineering and they said to take it off, I convinced them that we’d take it off tomorrow.

“He and Larry go home, get Janson’s 100-year-old typewriter out to change his name to Captain NGK Janson, so we go there the next morning and we have NGK Janson on it again.

“Of course, John Keeffe the then President of CAMS was waiting for him…

“Janson drove into the scrutineering bay, handed the letter to John Keeffe and you could see the blood run out of his face, he went white and we raced that day with NGK Janson on the car.”

If Sandown was a disaster, Bathurst was a massive contrast as Janson and Perkins finished third behind the infamous Moffat Ford Dealers 1-2, kicking off a run of strong results for the pair at The Mountain.

“We were the first General Motors car home ahead of the Dealer Team, we were ecstatic and so was Janson,” said Tate of the result.

Replacing the L34 was this Torana A9X hatchback, with which he had great success particulary at Bathurst.

He’s seen here typically having fun hillclimbing the car at Camperdown.

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IAN TATE TE

Janson’s form and ability was confirmed soon after the 77 Bathurst result, however his first major victory was taken away from him.

Janson crossed the line first at the final round of the 1977 Australian Touring Car Championship round at Phillip Island, but after a post-race protest by Allan Grice’s

team it was found that there was a timing discrepancy which robbed Janson of round victory, Grice was later awarded the win.

Perkins missed the next year after being caught up in Europe and Phil Brock filled the co-driver role, but the event was a disaster after he wrote Janson’s new A9X off at the top of The Mountain.

An all-nighter was required to swap components from the wrecked shell to the T-car, which retired the next day after 110-laps.

Janson’s biggest touring car race win came later that year, when he won the final round of the Championship Of Makes, the Calder 250.

Perkins returned for 1979, but Janson’s aims to please his sponsors led to one of the most famous stories to emerge about ‘The Captain’. Yes, the Cherry Ripe incident.

“He looks after his sponsors,” complemented Perkins.

“He had Schweppes one year and in those days there must have been a passenger seat in the front of the race car as well. On the out lap for the start of the race, which was half an hour before the real start, I was in the car with him and he was driving, but after Turn 2 going up The Mountain, he’s driven off the road

Janson in typical pose, with a broad smile on his face. He brought Larry Perkins back from Europe (left, below) and the pair enjoyed great success at Bathurst, and was instrumental in the early sponsorships that underpinned Peter Brock’s climb to fame with the Holden Dealer Team (below, right). Janson played a big part of the creation of the Top Ten Shootout at Bathurst and bought Schweppes along as the early sponsor. Seen here on the grid awarding the 1979 pole position award to Brock.

IAN TATE’S earlyy interactions with Peter Janson were as a mechanic working under Harry Firthh at the Holden Dealer Team, and at the time he wasn’t to know how involved he was to get with ‘The Captain’ in later years.

“I started out with the Holden Dealer Team and we came in contact with him quite a lot, because he was the guy that got us Marlboro and all the other sponsors at the time, Peter organised it for us,” Tate explained.

“He took the double decker buses to the tracks and at the end of the day, Harry didn’t have a beer for us, General Motors didn’t do a thing, so we used to walk over to Janson’s bus. He had a fridge underneath the stairs that no one knew about and he always had a drink for us there after everything was done and dusted.”

Tate became disenchanted with Firth’s leadership, and it was Janson who convinced Tate to remain with the HDT for a further year before going out on his own.

As detailed in the accompanying story, Janson came into Tate’s asking for an engine in 1976, but

by Bathurst Tate was handling the running of the team.

This meant regular trips to see the officials, due to Janson’s eventful races, which included starting a Holden Gemini one-make race at Calder as the one-minute board was shown and pulling the handbrake as he crossed the line.

Another instance occurred at Sandown, which resulted in a $5000 fine.

“Janson ignored the flaggie guiding the drivers into the pits at Sandown and drove around Castrol, did a U-Turn and went into the pits,” Tate recalled.

“I got a phone call from (CAMS CEO) John Keeffe, asking if I knew anything about a truck pulling up (to CAMS HQ) loaded with Nudge bars, Cherry Ripes and Schweppes soft drinks. I said, ‘I‘ll chase it up’ and I asked Janson if he had taken that money to Keeffe.

“He responded ‘sort of, if they on sold that (the product) there’s way more than the $5000 I was fined’.

“Janson nor I ever heard anything more about the fine.”

As a driver, Janson was incredibly skilled and if budget permitted, could have been a top touring car star of the day.

“He was always one step in front of you, but when it came to race day he was completely focused,” Tate said. “He’d come out of the car after completing 35-laps and he was fresh like a daisy.

“If he had the budget to concentrate more on his driving and less time stuffing around like he used, I think Janson was the best of the rest outside of Brock.”

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Janson happily drove whatever he could. When local touring car racing switched to the international Group A regulations ‘The Captain’ shared a Jaguar XJS V12 at Bathurst with car owner Garry Willmington (above left) and when the World Sports Car Championship came to Sandown in 1984 he drove a Kremer-Porsche 956B Group C car (above right). towards the flaggies, throwing Cherry Ripes out the window.

“I bloody grabbed the steering wheel, I’ve gone crook at him, ‘get it back on the road, we’re on our race tyres you bloody idiot’!

Tate recalls a similar story where he was called to Race Director Ivan Stibbard’s office, when Janson did much the same thing except this time the freebie products ended up on the racing line!

“After qualifying, I was ordered to go to Ivan Stibbard’s office immediately,” said Tate. “I asked what was the problem and he responded, ‘well, the problem is if you don’t control your driver, he’s going home’, anyway I thought ‘what’s happened’.

“What he’d been doing was he’d been going across The Mountain and throwing t-shirts, Nudge bars and Cherry Ripes to the flaggies. The problem was, the flaggies were running onto the track to pick them up before the other cars ran over the top of them.

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“I went back to the pits and the boys had belted him in for the next session. He was sitting there with a big smile on his face.

“I asked him why his race suit wasn’t zipped all the way to the top, but when he said he couldn’t, I unzipped it and all this stuff fell out!”

Perkins may have also been annoyed as Janson’s traditional trip to Bathurst featured an entourage of double decker buses.

“On the way home from Bathurst where we finished second with the A9X, going down the road there was a big sign: ‘Peaches and Cream, big race, big race’,” Janson said.

“It was speedway race on the dirt, win $1000. We pulled in with the double deckers, entered it and won. “‘Where’s Janson? Where’s my car?’

Ian Tate asked. “‘I think he’s won the Peaches and Cream in it.’ ‘What’s that?’ ‘Well it’s a big dirt race…’ “‘A DIRT RACE?!?’

“So, I shut him up by giving him $500. I

wouldn’t bring it up, it’s still a very tender subject.”

Despite this pre-race excursion, Janson and Perkins went one step better than two years earlier to finish second, however six laps behind the mighty MHDT combination of Brock and Jim Richards.

That year’s touring car championship round at Symmons Plains also gave Tate the opportunity to watch Janson drive first hand, when working on set-up during a practice day.

“I’ve been driven around tracks by Brock and Bond lots of times, but we were down in Tassie, which we raced on the Saturday, Sunday was a rest day, and Monday was another race,” explained Tate.

“We didn’t do too well on the Saturday and we arrived at the track on Sunday, (and) Janson turned up very late in the day. Brock was out there, (so) I told Peter to jump into the car and tell me what was wrong with it. He came back and he said this and this and this.”

After a few changes were made, Janson declared the A9X undrivable, so it was changed back and that’s when ‘The Captain’ offered Tate to ride shotgun.

“He said to me ‘hop in and I’ll take you around’,” recalled Tate.

“I said ‘I know your reputation, I know what you’re like, I’ll be right sitting here.’

I relented and I couldn’t believe how smooth he was, he was unbelievable under brakes, very, very deep, very controlled under brakes, fantastic car control and easy on the gearbox, he put the gears in just like silk.

“I was really taken aback.”

The following year, the debut of the Commodore saw the Janson/Perkins combination again finish second, but only by one-lap behind Brock/Richards this time.

Janson nearly completed a full ATCC season in 1981 finishing a best of third at Sandown and Surfers Paradise, on his way to sixth in the title.

At Bathurst, the bulletproof reliability the duo had experienced during their

Perkins and Janson drove the wheels off their Ian Tate prepared Toranas and early Commodores (left). Larry seen pressing on for another strong result.

As his front line career wound down, he also raced BMWs with factory blessing (above). Janson was proud of his fourth place outright, in a car he shared with Trevor Crowe in 1988. previous campaigns deserted Janson and Perkins, leading to a first DNF. It was the last Bathurst for the pair as Perkins was then snatched up by Brock and the MHDT, while Janson combined with young Tasmanian David ‘Skippy’ Parsons for the first of two campaigns in 1982.

The partnership got off to a superb start with fourth, despite Janson famously spinning at the last corner at Bathurst as Brock greeted the chequered flag, when the Detroit Locker diff letting go.

A DNF the next year followed when a blown engine at Forrest’s Elbow bought about Janson’s first scrape with the Bathurst concrete. Parsons then drove Janson’s Commodore in the opening two rounds of the ATCC at Sandown and Symmons Plains before joining the MHDT for the endurance events.

Janson, meanwhile, became a strictly a once-a-year warrior at The Mountain where he was joined by Garry Rogers for Bathurst in the final year of Group C. There was no joy, though, as the pair retired with Janson deciding to end his race program as Group A dawned and instead brought commercial support with him to other teams.

“We just doing it ten-tenths all the time and it was taking so much time. I’d been there, done that, what more can you

prove?” Janson said.

The first of these was privateer battler Garry Willmington and his mighty Jaguar XJS, which he raced for two Bathursts in 1985 and 1986, resulting in a best of 15th on the duo’s maiden campaign.

A late call up to drive Peter McLeod’s Petro-Tech Holden Commodore alongside production car ace Peter Fitzgerald in the 1987 World Touring Car Championship edition netted 18th.

This was followed by another late deal in 1988 to race a factory blessed BMW M3 paired with Kiwi Trevor Crowe, which finished a remarkable fourth outright behind three Ford Sierra RS5000 Cosworths.

It ranks as one of Janson’s proudest moments.

“One of the greatest achievements was my success in 1988,” Janson declared.

“I was in London when Ron Meacham called and asked me what I was doing

for Bathurst, I said No, (as) Polo season was on!”

“He said he had a deal, he had two works cars coming out, BMWs, you can have one of those for $10,000 and a ticket, so I came back.

“Ron met me looking a bit sheepish so I asked what was wrong?

He said, ‘it’s like this, you haven’t got the he works drive, but you’ve got our car’.

“Meacham said, ‘knowing you, if it’s wet, there’ll be no tomorrow. Forget that, I can guarantee you can ring its neck off, it’ll go all day and it will never let you down’.

The class victory came despite puffing a cigar during practice for the event, earning Janson a $5000 fine.

Janson returned to the Commodore fold for his final campaigns, finishing 10th alongside Allan Grice in 1989.

DNFs followed with Graham Lusty and Peter Gazzard, before he concluded his run of Bathurst starts alongside Bob Jones, taking 20th in the rain shortened 1992 event.

Outside of motor sport, Janson was just as innovative.

‘The Ambassador for Melbourne’ was an honour bestowed upon him by The Age newspaper and it pioneered corporate hospitality at the Melbourne Cup, which has since turned into one of, if not the biggest event on the city’s calendar.

Back in the 1970s, Janson ‘got in the ear’ of then Victorian Premier Dick Hamer to clean-up the Yarra River stating, “we’ve got to do something, this is the only city in the world that turns its back on its best asset – the river!”

Not only that, but he initiated events including bringing Formula 1 stars Stirling Moss, Jackie Stewart and others to Melbourne long before the Grand Prix came to town, while also being involved in large events such as the Melbourne Flower and Garden Show.

Janson also lobbied to save the historic Windsor Hotel from the wrecking ball, having already experienced this when his former residence at the Federal Hotel was bulldozed in 1972.

A man of much mystery, Janson’s occupation remains as ‘Qualified Gentleman’, but even in his eighth decade his ideas and concepts remain relevant to this day.

To say he’s lived life to the fullest is a severe understatement.

LARRY PERKINS IT’S AN enduring friendship that has clocked up more than 40 years, but for Larry Perkins it’s much more than that.

“Janson had great faith in the people he believed in,” Perkins emphasised.

“He was a generous guy, a unique guy, you can’t compare him to anyone because he’s unique.”

To outsiders, the partnership was tagged The Odd Couple as Janson’s flamboyance contrasted the seriousness portrayed by Perkins but this worked perfectly, explained the six-time Bathurst 1000 winner.

“He would never hog the seat, we’d get to Bathurst and he’d say ‘you qualify or you start the race or whatever’ and I said ‘no, no it’s your show, you do it’,” Perkins said.

“None of the results of our race were remotely hindered by the speed of Peter as a driver, I mean he never ever put a foot wrong.

“He knew the race, 500km or 1000km, you had to do it and you couldn’t have wanted a better co-driver. I don’t mean I was his co-driver, not the other way round, and I emphasise that because there was nothing wrong by the way he drove.

“I’ve said this for many, many years, he’s the most underrated driver ever, probably because he didn’t fit the bill of what a proper driver was supposed to be. But he was right up there and I loved every minute of working with him.

“You’d hear the little comments that we wouldn’t get along and I’m pleased to say, what 40-years later, he’s still fantastic, he’s just a great guy.

“For a guy that lived on Gin and Tonic, and I never saw him have a meal in his life, he did a fantastic job.”

This extended off the track through his battles with officialdom, which benefitted not just himself or his sponsors, but the entire competitor-base.

“He’s not been credited for so much stuff,” Perkins said.

“He was the one that was cracking the CAMS system of advertising in Australia. It may have started earlier with Jack Brabham and REDEX, but Peter did his bit of fighting CAMS, for example the ban on running anything but your name on the windscreen.”

It also gave Perkins his first real taste of touring car racing, which then led to Brock, and ultimately running his own successful team later on.

“It was a great opener for me to get into the touring cars with Brock, then hence on my own,” said Perkins. “When I was done with Brock, I was right into the touring car scene in Australia and I thought that was the direction that I’ll go and really owing it all to Janson.”

Arguably the most colourful pairing to ever compete at Bathurst, Janson paired with Allan Grice in 1989.

AutoAction

33

WORLD CHAMPIO RETURNS VICTORI

Images: AA Archive/Dale Rogers-AN1 Images/Autopics.com.au/Bruce

Williams

Alan Jones came back to Australia as the 1980 Formula 1 World Champion.

Complete with his title-winning Williams, Jones won the non-championship Australian Grand Prix in front of a packed house, as DAN McCARTHY recalls.

AS A celebration of his World Driver’s Championship, Alan Jones headed down under with his Williams FW07B to take on the best the locals had to offer at Calder Raceway.

Not only was it the homecoming of Jones, but it also doubled as the final round of the Australian Drivers Championship, where Jon Davison held a slender one-point lead over John Bowe, while Alfredo Costanzo was a further six behind.

With 13-points on offer, Costanzo was at longer odds to take the title but was on a roll after taking victory in the last two rounds at Sandown and Winton.

All three title contenders had taken two wins apiece, while John Wright had won the opening event at Sandown.

Regulations for Australian Formula 1, as it was known, allowed cars meeting Formula 5000, International Formula 1 and Formula Pacific specifications to compete.

Thus Italian Bruno Giacomelli also headed down under and provided a challenge to Jones aboard his V12 Alfa Romeo 179, while fellow Formula 1 star Didier Pironi joined the Elfin Team three-car attack.

Initially entered to drive Garrie Cooper’s latest ground-effects MR9, the manufacturer’s founder instead raced the untried new machine, while Pironi raced the trusty MR8.

However, these three Formula 1 stars were ineligible for championship points as they were not Australian license holders.

Before the weekend even began F5000 star John McCormack was

34 AutoAction

Alan Jones streaked into a lead at the start that he lost only momentarily, chased by fellow F1 refugee Bruno Giacomelli in the Alfa Romeo, who ultimately finished second. Both are chased here by Alfredo Costanzo, who finished fourth, first of the locals, and captured his first Australian Driver’s Championship title.

involved in a road accident on the way to the circuit, when his mechanic fell asleep behind the wheel and crashed into a tree. McCormack was out, his injuries including a crack on his head, a broken left heel and bruised ribs, both lucky to emerge with their lives.

As expected, Jones and Giacomelli dominated from the outset in their Formula 1 cars, with the pair split by 0.2s in qualifying.

Costanzo was the next best, 1.8s off the pace set by Jones, with Wright fourth and Davison fifth.

Pironi struggled with fuel feed problems and understeer to qualify

eighth, while Bowe failed to set a time after an incident on Friday left his Elfin severely damaged.

A large and hardy crowd attended the scorching 38-degree November day, to watch our World Champion, complete a dream return in what was a 95-lap marathon.

The weather suited Jones in his FW07B more than the Alfa Romeo, and even more so than the Formula 5000 machinery.

Traffic was predicted to be a concern on Calder’s short original layout, due to the speed disparity across the 20-entries.

As the cars were on the grid about to embark on the two warm up laps, Giacomelli waved his arms out of the cockpit and gestured for his mechanics to return to the car.

Work on the Alfa Romeo was hastily completed before the 30-second board was held out.

A rolling start commenced proceedings and it was Jones who led into Turn 1 from Giacomelli, with Wright overtaking Costanzo for third, while the two Formula 1 cars quickly pulled away from the Formula 5000 machines.

On lap 2 Costanzo retook third from

ON IOUS Alf Costanzo battles for F5000 honours with French F1 driver Didier Pironi, who guest drove for the Elfin factory team. A lapped Ivan Tighe in the Chevron follows behind.

Alan Jones (above) was on top of the world at Calder Raceway, his Williams FW07B supremely fast as the Australian eventually won by over a lap in front of his home crowd from Bruno Giacomelli’s Alfa Romeo (Bottom). Garrie Cooper debuted the ground-effects MR9, the manufacturer’s last F5000 car (Right).

Wright, the latter then spinning 180 degrees on the grass at Turn 1 and dropping further time to Costanzo.

Australian title leader Davison was effectively out of the event by lap five with mechanical gremlins, though he re-joined many laps down before finally retiring later in the race.

Out front, Giacomelli closed the gap to Jones, who was struggling to negotiate the lapped traffic early in the race.

On lap 7, heading down the back straight, Jones was boxed in by backmarkers Peter Williamson and Colin Trengrove, who were involved in their own battle. An optimistic Giacomelli moved to the inside of both Jones and the back markers.

Jones pulled across to overtake the lapped traffic, unaware that Giacomelli was already there. The two F1 cars made significant wheel to wheel contact, both machines lucky to escape undamaged.

This altercation allowed Giacomelli to pull out a 3s lead as the margin for the next 30-laps was decided by backmarkers.

On lap 12, the #33 Elfin MR6 driven by Tim Slako pulled over suddenly when a radiator hose showered the West Australian with scolding hot water. He was subsequently rushed to hospital in an ambulance with nonlife threating injuries.

Giacomelli continued to lead but a crucial mistake on lap 36 allowed Jones through into the lead. The Italian was lapping the MR9 of Cooper, but placed two wheels on the grass

entering the front straight, which cost him momentum.

Although Giacomelli bravely defended into Turn 1, Jones was able to snatch the lead on the inside, much to the joy of the sweltering local crowd.

Positions also changed further back at the halfway stage, as Pironi made his way past Costanzo for the final position on the podium.

In amongst this was the fight for the Australian Drivers Championship, which at this stage was in Bowe’s favour as he sat right behind Costanzo. But it soon turned to despair for the Tasmanian as he was shown the black flag because of a blue smoke trail from his Elfin.

Wright also retired as his fuel pump gave up.

It was World Champion Jones, who cruised to a commanding one-lap victory, as Giacomelli faded with brake problems late in the race.

Jones took the win and in doing so became the first father-son combination to win the Australian Grand Prix, his father Stan having won the same race in 1959.

Giacomelli finished second, a comfortable three-laps clear of Pironi, who beat the local F5000 competition.

Costanzo completed the race in fourth, taking the 13-points and snatching his maiden Australian Drivers’ Championship in the process.

Talbot, Butcher and Cooper rounded out the field.

The Italian V12 sounded superb and led for a good distance mid-race, before fading with brakes problems.

Australian Grand Prix 1980 – Calder Raceway Pos 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret DNS

Driver Alan Jones Bruno Giacomelli Didier Pironi Alfredo Costanzo Chas Talbot Rob Butcher Garrie Cooper Colin Trengove Peter Edwards Ivan Tighe John Bowe John Wright Jon Davison Ian Adams Mel McEwin Peter Williamson Tim Slako Barry Singleton John Smith Ray Hangar

Car Laps Time Williams FW07B 95 Alfa Romeo 179 94 Elfin MR8 91 Lola T430 90 Lola T332 87 Lola T332 85 Elfin MR9 85 Lola T332 84 Lola T332 84 Chevron B37 83 Elfin MR8 79 Lola T400 70 Lola T332 68 Lola T330 60 Matich A53 33 Galloway HG1 27 Elfin MR6 17 Gardos GL1 6 Ralt RT1 1 March 77B

1h 00m 16.4s + 1 Lap + 4 Laps + 5 Laps + 8 Laps + 10 Laps + 10 Laps + 11 Laps + 11 Laps + 12 Laps + 16 Laps

1980 Australian Drivers’ Championship Final Standings 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7. = 9. =

Alfredo Costanzo Jon Davison John Bowe Chas Talbot John Wright Ray Hanger Peter Williamson Rob Butcher Paul Hamilton John Smith

58 52 51 33 28 23 12 12 11 11

AutoAction

35

AN UNCONV Ad G Adam Garwoodd iis bbestt kknown ffor hi his exploits in Touring Car Masters but the Tasmanian will drive anything on any surface, from Targa to speedway and even Motocross as DAN McCARTHY discovered.

Images: Insyde Media/Nathan Wong MULTIPLE RACE wins in TCM, top five finishes in Carrera Cup and success in tarmac rally events ... this young man can drive anything quickly.

It was driving a family-prepared Holden Torana SL/R 5000 in TCM that Adam Garwood shot into the spotlight, when he took the reverse grid race victory on the streets of Adelaide in 2016.

That was a breakout year for the young Tasmanian who dominated the Pro Sports class in his first full season of TCM competition.

“We had a really good run that year, like in any motorsport team you have got to have the right people around you, and we did,” Garwood explained to Auto Action.

“It was just a good small team that had a lot of experience in different categories and I think it really showed what we could do.”

Despite the success, Garwood believes that more could have been achieved that season.

“The car probably wasn’t as good as it could be. That year it showed that in race form it was nearly as quick as the majority of the cars there, (so) if I qualified well we could certainly run in the top five,” he said.

Garwood’s father Greg was a TCM driver before him and competed in several other circuit racing championships, as well as tarmac rallies.

For this reason Adam began racing Motocross at just four, though at the age of 14 his father insisted he move onto four wheels.

“Just a love of riding a motorbike went from there, my family has got a bit of a competitive edge, trying to always compete in something,” Garwood explained.

“Dad just wanted to get me off the bike because they are pretty dangerous and so I started going to some club days and hillclimbs and it went from there.”

From Motocross to hillclimbs, to circuit racing as support to the Supercars

36 AutoAction

Championship. The year 2015 saw Garwood make the step up from state series racing into the national Sports GT category.

Garwood drove a Porsche 997 GT3 car at Ipswich, Phillip Island and Symmons Plains to win the series, before making his debut in TCM later that year at just 16, making him the youngest driver in the field.

“TCM was a good opportunity and a cheap way to get in to more national level motor sport, and something where I could learn a lot off the likes of John Bowe, Glenn Seton and Steve Johnson and also learn how to drive under tyred and big horsepower cars.

“Dad purchased a Torana late in 2015, we went to Sydney Motorsport Park for our first round but had an engine failure, (then) we returned at Bathurst and had a good run there,” he said.

TCM in 2016 saw Garwood compete full-time.

After winning the first five rounds of the Pro Sports class, Garwood drove a Ford Capri at Mount Panorama. Garwood claimed a TCM class win but finished

behind several New Zealand entries on that day.

New year, new car, new class, 2017 saw Garwood complete in another TCM Torana, making the move up from the Pro Sports to Pro Am class.

That’s because the original Torana was destroyed at a local meeting and saw Garwood hop into a new Holden for 2017.

“When it was developed it was a really well sorted car and competed for the top three positions and also won a few races,” Garwood said.

“There was definitely a lot of ups and downs throughout the season with bad luck.”

Nevertheless, Garwood finished third in class behind Adam Bressington and Ryan Hansford.

Garwood doesn’t just compete in circuit racing, he has also had success in tarmac rallying. He has competed in the Targa Tasmania on several occasions and was the inaugural winner of the Ross Classic competing in a Nissan Skyline.

Garwood explained it is a different thrill that he gets when competing on public roads.

“It’s a huge thrill probably, more of a thrill than circuit racing, (but) unfortunately it bites pretty hard, but when you have a win or have some success it’s an awesome feeling,” he told AA. “Targa Tasmania is an awesome event, (with) awesome cars and awesome bits of road, you just have to get into it and have a crack.”

Touring Car Masters is certainly an unconventional route for a young driver aspiring to bigger things, but Garwood believes the retro muscle car category is still a great class in which upcomers can learn.

“It probably wasn’t the most general route a young person would take but it certainly I believe taught me a lot of things,” Garwood said.

“Racing against the older V8 Supercars guys taught me race craft and little bits and tricks so it definitely wasn’t wasted time in TCM.” Garwood initially wanted to make the step into Super2 for 2018 and even tested for Matthew White Motorsport.

But a budget shortfall steered him in the direction of the competitive Australian Carrera Cup Series.

He explained that at that stage in his career he wanted to see how far he could go, if he took his opportunities.

“Obviously you need a big budget to get to the big categories, so we just gave it our all, gathered the right people around us, and just saw where it took us,” Garwood explained.

“Carrera Cup was the right way to go from a team and a financial point of view, it’s a lot cheaper than other categories.”

The Garwood family ran the car for the first three rounds but decided to ask for the assistance of McElrea Racing.

The collaboration with McElrea saw a sudden rise in performance from the #12 late in the season.

VENTIONAL PATH

TCM has been the backbone of Adam Garwood’s career so far. This unusual career pathway saw him start in the family’s Torana (right) in 2015 before moving up to the Ford Capri (below) a year later. He switched to Porsches, contesting the 2018 Carrera Cup series (far left) and Targa Tasmania (below left), before returning to TCM last year in Bob Middleton’s Whiteline Racing Camaro (above).

“We moved to McElrea Racing which made the whole logistics of it a lot easier and helped us out for the rest of the season,” he said.

“It (the season) showed glimmers of hope but it was pretty disappointing on my behalf, we shouldn’t have been where we were and I put myself in some not ideal situations.

Definitely if we had a second year in Carrera Cup it would have been a lot better.”

The mature Garwood explained how a return to TCM occurred midway through last season.

“We spent way too much over the (Carrera Cup) season, more than we should have done and I’m thankful my family

helped me get through it,” he told AA. “We decided we couldn’t really do anything, so we sold the car. I wasn’t going to do anything in 2019 at all, I was just working flat out back down at home. I knew Mark King was out for the year, so I just gave Bob (Middleton, the car owner) a call and it kind of went from there.

“So we ended up doing a few rounds with the Whiteline Racing crew back in TCM.” Since returning to TCM Garwood has recorded multiple podium finishes in the wellknown bright yellow Chevrolet Camaro.

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Formula One

Round 11 EIFEL GP

ANOTHER LEWIS MILESTONE Lewis Hamilton equals Michael Schumacher’s record of 91 Formula 1 victories Race Report: DAN KNUTSON Images: LAT

LEWIS HAMILTON’S victory in the Eifel Grand Prix raised his total to 91, which ties the once seemingly unbeatable record set by Michael Schumacher in 2006.

Fittingly, Hamilton’s 91st win came at the Nürburgring, the track where Germany’s Schumacher earned five of his victories.

Schumacher’s son, Mick, presented Hamilton with one of his father’s 2012 helmets on the podium.

Max Verstappen, who finished second in his Red Bull and Aussie Daniel Ricciardo, who claimed third in his Renault, joined Hamilton in spraying the champagne after the race.

“It’s definitely not sunk in, that’s for sure,” Hamilton, referring to the record, said shortly thereafter.

“I don’t know how it is for other drivers when they have these wins, but it takes some time for you to analyse it and for it to sink in, to realise what it actually means.

“I grew up watching Michael win all of those grands prix, and I couldn’t have fathomed equaling him. I think getting to F1 was the first step of the dream and (then) obviously emulating Ayrton (Senna). But Michael was just so far ahead. It’s beyond my wildest dreams to think that I’m here today having equaled him, and I just feel really humbled by the moment.”

Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas, who had won the previous round in Russia, carried that momentum into Germany where he earned the pole at

40 AutoAction

Michael Schumacher’s son Mick presents one of his father’s helmets to Lewis Hamilton (above) in recognition of the Mercedes driver equalling Shumacher’s record number of Grand Prix wins. Max Verstappen kept the pressure on Hamilton, finishing second (below).

the Nürburgring and led the first 12 laps of the race. But Bottas slid wide at Turn 1 on lap 13 and Hamilton pounced into the lead. Bottas’ engine then started to lose power and he retired after 18 of the race’s 60 laps.

Hamilton, however, could not relax because Verstappen was not too far behind.

“I tried to follow Lewis around the whole race,” said Verstappen, who clocked the fastest lap of the race and earned his fifth second place of the season.

“He was a bit faster the whole race, but from our side overall it was a positive weekend. You just keep on working to try to close the gap further. We brought new parts so the car has definitely improved.”

Sergio Pérez finished fourth in his Racing Point.

“I’m a little bit frustrated because I felt the podium was ours if we didn’t have the safety car,” Pérez said.

“Until that point, I was catching Daniel (Ricciardo) and he was on older tyres – so it was set up for a close battle for the podium in the final laps. Once again, the first stint was crucial to our result. After the safety car I was able to pressure Daniel, and I almost got him into Turn 4.

But I wasn’t able to make it stick.”

The safety car, which was out from laps 44 through 49 so that the stranded McLaren of Lando Norris could be removed from the side of the track, did indeed give Ricciardo the chance to pit for tyres.

“The race itself was pretty tight and there was some discussion on whether

‘Super Sub’ Nico Hulkenberg stepped in at racing Point again, for the second time this season, after Lance Stroll fell ill on Saturday morning. Hulkenberg had been having coffee just an hour away when he got the call. Although qualifying last, he drove strongly through the field to finish eighth.

Daniel Ricciardo (above) scored his first podium for Renault, but not before overcoming a strong challenge from Sergio Perez’s Racing Point (above right). Valtteri Bottas scored pole position and led the race, but his hopes went up in smoke (right) with engine failure. This spectacular clash between Kimi Raikkonen’s Alfa Romeo and George Russell’s Williams (below) put the Englishman out. Raikkonen created history at the Nurburgring by making setting a new record for the most number of World Championship Grand Prix starts. to pit for a second stop or not,” Ricciardo said, “but we had the luxury of track position.

The safety car then gave us an advantage, so we made that call and, in the end, it was the right one. What a day!”

This was Ricciardo’s first podium since he joined Renault in 2018, and the first podium for Renault since the team returned to F1 in 2016.

Ricciardo’s first F1 podium was a third place in the 2014 Spanish Grand Prix, and his 29th and most recent, until now, was his victory in the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix.

“Honestly it feels like the first podium,” he said. “There’s like that feeling when you get out of the car and go and hug the team, getting slapped on the helmet, getting a nice headache. It’s a bit of a shock but we know we did it. It’s the first one with Renault, so the first podium with a new crew.

“It’s been two-and-a-half years…so it’s been a while. It’s a feeling I’ve missed. I feel we’ve been knocking on the door, particularly the last four, five races we’ve been so close and finally had the opportunity and we took it. I felt

it was coming and it’s nice to have made it happen, so very, very happy for everyone – to see Renault there down below the podium, I know it’s a big day for everyone.”

Ricciardo has finished fourth three times this season. He likely would have been fourth in the race in Germany, but he benefited from the retirement of Bottas.

Ricciardo had an agreement with Renault team principal Cyril Abiteboul that if he got a podium finish then Abiteboul would have to get his first tattoo. Ricciardo gets to pick the design and Abiteboul where it goes.

“It is real, it is going to happen,” Ricciardo said. “We will have to do some thinking now.

But probably something with a German flavour. This is obviously the place we did it, so a little tip of the hat to something traditional in Germany as well.”

“I know a few artists in London,” he added, “and obviously we both spend some time in London with our schedules with the team just north of London. So I might have to get someone to do a call in, and we’ll set up a little house studio for him.”

RACE RESULTS EIFEL GRAND PRIX

1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team 1h35m49.641s 2 Max Verstappen Aston Martin Red Bull Racing 4.470s 3 Daniel Ricciardo Renault DP World F1 Team 14.613s 4 Sergio Perez BWT Racing Point F1 Team 16.070s 5 Carlos Sainz Jr. McLaren F1 Team 21.905s 6 Pierre Gasly Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda 22.766s 7 Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari 30.814s 8 Nico Hulkenberg BWT Racing Point F1 Team 32.596s 9 Romain Grosjean Haas F1 Team 39.081s 10 Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN 40.035s 11 Sebastian Vettel Scuderia Ferrari 40.810s 12 Kimi Raikkonen Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN 41.476s 13 Kevin Magnussen Haas F1 Team 49.585s 14 Nicholas Latifi Williams Racing 54.449s 15 Daniil Kvyat Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda 55.588s Lando Norris McLaren F1 Team Power Unit Alexander Albon Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Radiator Esteban Ocon Renault DP World F1 Team Hydraulics Valtteri Bottas Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team Power Unit George Russell Williams Racing Collision Points: Hamilton 230, Bottas 161, Verstappen 147, Ricciardo 78, Perez 68, Norris 65, Albon 64, Leclerc 63, Stroll 57, Gasly 53, Sainz 51, Ocon 36, Vettel 17, Kvyat 14, Hulkenberg 10, Giovinazzi 3, Raikkonen 2, Grosjean 2 Magnussen 1.

Constructors: Mercedes 391, Red Bull Racing-Honda 211, Racing Point-Mercedes 120, McLaren-Renault 114, Renault 114, Ferrari 80, AlphaTauri-Honda 67, Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari 5, Haas-Ferrari 3.

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INTERNATIONAL

WRAP

Images: LAT

COOKING UP A STORM

THE SEVENTH round of the British Touring Car Championship at Croft was a controversial and dramatic affair, with Josh Cook taking two wins.

Former championship leader Colin Turkington hit problems, failing to score in two of the three races which allowed Ash Sutton and Dan Cammish to overtake him in the championship.

Cook converted pole into the Race 1 victory, holding off the challenge from hard charger Jake Hill, with Turkington in third and Sutton fourth.

Race 2 was mayhem, Turkington eliminated himself from contention by parking in the Turn 1 gravel while title contenders Sutton and Butcher collided, knocking each other out of the points.

Up front Matt Neal bumped past Cook on the final lap, however the move was deemed illegal, dropping Neal to second behind Cook.

In the final race Tom Ingram took the win from Cammish and Tom Chilton. DM

AUDI DUO ON TOP

THE 2020 edition of the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup was won by Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts in their Audi R8 fielded by Belgian Audi Club Team WRT. Heading into the 10th and final race of the season at Barcelona, it was a four-horse race for the title, but the two Belgians Weerts and Vanthoor did enough to earn the crown.

Race 1 was won by Giacomo Altoe/Albert Costa with their teammates Ricardo Feller/Mikael Grenier just 0.107s behind at the line.

Race 2 was taken by Audi duo Nicolas Scholl and Frederic Vervisch with their brand mates Weerts and Vanthoor in second.

That is the position in which Weerts and Vanthoor finished the third and final race, to take the title in a tense decider.

Experienced Timur Boguslavskiy and Raffaele Marciello took the final race win. DM

CAMERON SHIELDS and Hunter McElrea both impressed competing in their respective series in the US. At New Jersey Motorsports Park on October 12, Shields contested the penultimate round of USF2000 where he finished a season best of second in Race 2, splitting two sixth places. “It was a really good race,” said Shields. ”It was just a forwards and backwards kind of race. I didn’t test here so I was learning the track, so figuring out what part of the track was key for us and the team.” McElrea completed a run of top fives in Indy Pro 2000 as both head to St Petersburg to complete their respective campaigns. HM

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Images: LAT

SORDO TAKES WRC VICTORY IN ITALY SPANIARD DANI Sordo not only sealed back-to-back victories in Sardegna but gave Hyundai a narrow advantage in the World Rally Championship manufacturer’s title, after winning on the Italian gravel.

Sordo staved off the challenge from championship contenders Thierry Neuville and Sebastien Ogier, to take victory by 5.1s.

After a six-month hiatus, Sordo was the leader after the first night as the loose gravel proved favorable to the drivers running later in the order, with M-Sport pair Teemu Sunninen and Esapakka Lappi early contenders.

Suninen led but was unable to match the pace of Sordo to trail by 17.4s at the end of the opening day.

Lappi on the other hand struck trouble on the second stage when an engine malady proved terminal.

Neuville struggled in third after set-up issues with his Hyundai and stalling twice, but he remained ahead of Ogier and championship leader Elfyn Evans.

The third Hyundai of reigning world champion Ott Tanak dropped two minutes after suspension problems during the opening stage to end the day eighth.

Sordo continued to extend his lead through

the second day to end it 27.4s clear, but the fight for the podium was well and truly on behind him.

After a fantastic drive on the previous day’s stages, Suninen dropped back with differential problems, leaving it to Neuville and Ogier to battle for therunner up positions.

The two title contenders swapped positions throughout the day, but it was the Frenchman who edged Hyundai’s leader, while Evans sat behind after an over-conservative run in the morning forced him to use his tyres again in the afternoon.

Gus Greensmith in the third M-Sport Fiesta retired due to a broken alternator and Kalle Rovanpera, who crashed out in the shakedown, did the same on Day 2 and ripped two wheels off his Yaris.

The final day was tense as Sordo’s lead was

LOGANO TAKES KANSAS TEAM PENSKE driver Joey Logano has landed a Championship 4 berth, after scoring his third NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season in Kansas.

Leading 47 of the 267 lap Hollywood Casino 400, Logano defeated Kevin Harvick by 0.312s with Alex Bowman holding off Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch to take third.

The event signified the first of three Round of 8 elimination rounds, with Logano taking his third win at the venue and the 26th of his Cup career. He now automatically advances to the championship race.

While Logano enhanced his title chances, Kurt Busch fared worst when an engine let go after 197 laps and now leaves the venue with a significant points deficit.

Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin split the stage wins, but both were hampered during the closing laps. Elliott had started from pole but battled radio communication problems through most of the race, while Hamlin pitted after scraping the wall on lap 180, and as a result

continually eroded after being as high as 38s.

Heading into the final stage, the Spaniard’s lead was just over 10s and it proved enough as Neuville pipped Ogier to complete a Hyundai 1-2 and give the Korean marque a seven-point lead in the manufacturers’ championship.

“This place is really special and we have seen a strong performance across the whole team. I’m not particularly pleased with my pace today,” Sordo said.

“We had a big lead coming into Sunday morning but I wasn’t able to set the same times as Thierry and Ogier, so things were a bit too close by the end.”

Evans remained in fourth as he now holds a 14-point championship lead over teammate Ogier, while Neuville is another 10-points in arrears.

Early leader Suninen was fifth ahead of Tanak, who won the power stage to add five bonus points to his tally.

The penultimate round of the WRC heads to Neuville’s home country of Belgium on November 19-22. HM Points: Evans 114, Ogier 97, Neuville 87, Tanak 83, Rovanpera 83, Rovanpera 70, Suninen 44, Lappi 38, Sordo 26, Breen 25, Loeb 24.

Image: LAT

finished one-lap down in 29th.

Championship contender Martin Truex Jr started from the back in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, due to two inspection failures before the race but finished ninth to maintain his chances.

The previous weekend at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, Denny Hamlin started from pole before weather impacted the race, with rain making the early track conditions dicey before the sun came out and dried the circuit.

Ty Dillon was able to take advantage of the changeable conditions to win the first stage,

after fitting slicks earlier than any of his competitors.

Ryan Blaney won the next stage, but spun on the race’s resumption into the final stint kicking off a chaotic conclusion.

Kyle Busch, Austin Dillon, Clint Bowyer and Matt Kenseth were all in trouble in separate incidents.

Elliott took the lead from Erik Jones to hold off Logano and take his fourth straight road course victory, and advance to the next stage of the play offs. HM

MOTOGP AND WORLD SUPERBIKE WRAP

RINS WINS IN ARAGON SUZUKI’S ALEX Rins has won an action-packed 10th of MotoGP in Aragon, as the championship lead changed after Fabio Quartararo finished only 18th.

The poor result for Quartararo leaves a tantalising fight for the title over the final four rounds, with Joan Mir holding a slight six-point advantage ahead of the Frenchman, and just 15 points separates the top four.

On pole, Quartararo lost out to both Petronas Yamaha SRT teammate Franco Morbidelli and factory Yamaha rider Maverick Vinales at the start, but the Italian ran wide, dropping back to third.

Soft tyres proved advantageous to Vinales as he built a 0.7s margin over Quartararo, as Rins produced a stunning opening lap to be fourth behind Morbidelli after starting 10th.

The two teammates battled but it was Morbidelli that lost pace, which allowed Rins to move into third, before this turned into second when Quartararo ran wide.

This is when the race changed for Quartararo, he ran wide at the final two corners as his race went from bad to worse. By lap 15, he was 17th and out of the points.

In contrast, Rins’ race just kept getting stronger and stronger as he pressured Vinales, before getting through at the final corner on lap 8 with Mir

MOTOGP PADDOCK rumours suggest that reigning champion Marc Marquez has called up factory Ducati rider and long time rival Andrea Dovizioso and asked him to work with him from 2021 and take on the role of factory Honda test rider. Seats are quickly filling up and the multiple-time MotoGP bridesmaid may end up without a ride in 2021. Dovizioso has denied the reports. DM

Images: LAT

Quartararo finished ninth ahead of Vinales and Mir. The next round of MotoGP takes place again in Aragon this weekend. HM Points: Mir 121, Quartararo 115, Vinales 109, Dovizioso 106, Nakagami 92, Morbidelli 87, Rins 85, Miller 82, P. Espargaro 77, Oliveira 69 now entering calculations in third.

Vinales dropped position to Mir and Alex Marquex, who scythed his way from 11th on the grid to place third ahead of Vinales.

Marquez soon took second off Mir as he settled for third.

After taking his maiden podium the previous weekend at Le Mans, Marquez delivered another in Aragon falling 0.263s short of victory as Rins withstood the Spaniard’s pressure to take the win.

Mir’s third put him in the title lead, while Vinales and Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami completed the top five.

Australian Jack Miller finished ninth in what was a tough weekend for the Ducati entries.

At Le Mans the previous week a heavy downpour just prior to race start forced a brief delay, before being dominated by Ducati’s Danilo Petrucci, who took a dramatic victory ahead of Marquez and KTM’s Pol Esargaro.

Miller’s Premac Ducati expired for a disappointing DNF, while Rins crashed out and the title contenders finished well down the order.

GARDNER SECOND IN FRANCE

GARDNER TOOK his best finish of the season at Le Mans to take second after briefly holding the lead.

He had a fight on his hands during the race as Sam Lowes took his first victory in two years at Le Mans, while Gardner had fallen back but passed Marco Bezzecchi on the final lap to seal the runner up slot.

A tough battle with Spain’s Marcos Ramirez resulted in fifth for Gardner in Aragon, where Lowes went back-to-back.

Gardner now sits in eighth spot with four races to go including another round at Aragon this weekend.

REA TAKES SIXTH WSBK TITLE TURKISH RIDER Toprak Razgatlioglu took two victories, while Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea won his sixth consecutive title at the final round of the World Superbike Championship at Estoril, Portugal.

Razgatlioglu won Superpole and made a perfect start but Rea was the highlight during the opening lap, as he climbed eight positions after crashing out of qualifying.

Rea made it as far as second until Ducati’s Chaz Davies was able to respond and demote the Northern Irishman down to third.

This led to a superb battle between Rea and Yamaha rookie rider, American Garrett Gerloff, who ended up snatching third to secure his second podium result.

Razgatlioglu and Davies pulled away to finish comfortably ahead of Gerloff, while Rea remained on 99 WSBK race victories in fourth, but secured the title.

A spirited battle between Leon Haslem and Alex Lowes for fifth followed, which also involved Alvaro Bautista, though he crashed out.

The short Superpole sprint was also won

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by Razgatlioglu, who led a historic 1-2-3 for Yamaha, as behind Gerloff and Michael van der Mark completed the podium.

Van der Mark battled with Davies for the entirety of the 10-lap sprint with Rea and Scott Redding charging through the field after lowly qualifying efforts.

It was an action-packed final race of the season as Davies signed off from the factory

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AS A result of a couple of poor starts, at the French Grand Prix in wet conditions title contender Maverick Vinales attempted a manual start, without using the popular hole-shot device. But he plummeted down the field with an even worse start. In Aragon Vinales reverted to using the Yamaha hote-shot system and made a stunning start. DM

Ducati squad with victory, ahead of Redding and Razgatlioglu.

The Turkish rider was second for the majority of the race and battled with Rea before the pair touched and the latter fell. Redding was able to overhaul Razgatlioglu for second, completing a Ducati 1-2.

Van der Mark took fourth ahead of Bautista, while Gerloff crashed out on lap 3.

“This morning I was feeling very good and also in the Superpole Race because we were able to win again,” said Razgatlioglu after the final race.

“I focused on Race 2 because it is an important race. We were fighting but we felt a small problem because there was not much grip on the rear, possibly because of the hot conditions.

“I am happy. This weekend was my best weekend of the season.” HM

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A TWO-DAY test for the factory MotoGP test riders took place at the Algarve Circuit in Portugal ahead of the championships debut at the venue at the end of the season.

Many of the MotoGP riders were also in attendance and cut laps, but due to the rules they were not allowed to set any lap times on a MotoGP bike. The only full-time rider who was, is factory Aprilia rider Aleix Espargaro as the Italian team are allowed extra test days. DM

JUST DAYS after Xavi Fores announced he would leave the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing team, the Italian squad revealed the signing of 2017 World Supersport champion Lucas Mahias. The Frenchman rode for the Puccetti Racing squad in World Supersport for the last two seasons, scoring multiple race wins. At the age of 31 Mahias will now make his full-time debut in the World Superbike Championship. DM

AUSTRALIAN JOSHUA Hook competed in the second season of the all-electric MotoE World Cup and ended his campaign with his first podium at Le Mans. After a solid first five races, Hook shone in France.

The 27-year-old bettered his best finishing result of seventh by crossing the line fourth in Race 1 and further improved that the following day to finish on the podium, climbing to eighth in the standings. Hook finished 13th in 2019. DM

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THURSDAY-SATURDAY BATHURST 1000

MONSTER MOUNTAIN: WATERS TOPS DAY ONE PERFECT CONDITIONS welcomed the teams to Mount Panorama for the season finale of a Supercars Championship that has been action-packed, dramatic and extremely different.

All the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic had been met, which included Victorian teams unable to return to home base because of border closures, late venue changes, and back-to-back-toback-to back meetings among others.

It was a massive effort to even arrive at Bathurst!

But that aside, everything is forgotten once you arrive at The Mountain and it was quickly time to get down to business.

Opening practice was used by both main and the severely underdone co-drivers.

A few rookies had been lucky to complete some running at The Bend, while others hadn’t driven a Supercar or indeed anything else since the SuperTest at the same venue in February.

Some hadn’t even driven since the last Pirtek Enduro Cup round at Sandown last year!

A pre-race favourite in Mark Larkham’s Larkometer and within the Auto Action office, Cam Waters started the 2020 race with his best chance of a Bathurst win since his debut in 2011.

A 2m 05.023s did the job for Waters while one of his main rivals, Shane van Gisbergen, tangled with the lead DJR Team Penske Ford Mustang, when Tim Slade was behind the wheel.

It was a clumsy moment at Forrest’s Elbow, though each emerged with only minor damage.

“It was a bit of an awkward one,” van Gisbergen said.

“I could see he was pretty slow. I was on a lap but bailed out, gave him some space and (was) just waiting for him down the hill.

“And then as we got to the Elbow I made my intention clear to pass him down the inside, he went wide, saw me and he just came across and I went ‘shit’.

“I got into the brakes to try and pull out of it but couldn’t.

“It’s all good, he was just trying to do

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laps to get going. He was super-slow and I thought he’d seen me and obviously he hadn’t.

“I feel for these co-drivers, they haven’t done many laps and it’s going to be tough for them. It sucks for us to lose track time, (because) we were working through a good program.”

Slade admitted a lack of seat time led to the minor misdemeanour.

“I’d just jumped in the car, we obviously haven’t done any real miles this year, so everything feels very foreign.

“I wasn’t even looking in the rear-view mirror, so my bad. It’s just lucky there was no damage and we managed to press on and get some laps at the end of the session.”

Jamie Whincup was 0.265s behind and ahead of James Courtney in another top performance for Tickford Racing.

David Reynolds, Lee Holdsworth, Bryce Fullwood, Todd Hazelwood, Scott McLaughlin/Slade, Jack Le Brocq and Anton De Pasquale completed the top 10.

James Moffat continued a Tickford Racing lockout at the top of the timesheets by clocking a fastest lap of 2m 06.058s in the co-driver only session.

De Pasquale’s co-driver Brodie Kostecki was just 0.024s behind in second, followed

by Slade, Will Davison, Warren Luff, Tony D’Alberto, Will Brown, Garth Tander, David Russell and James Golding.

There was further drama at Triple Eight as Craig Lowndes, sharing with Whincup, was forced into the pits when his ZB Commodore struck power steering problems, which led to a minor fire in the garage.

For the final practice session of the opening day, Waters returned to the top of the timesheets, logging a 2m 04.169s to be the first driver in that bracket.

The final five minutes were frantic as McLaughlin, van Gisbergen and Andre Heimgartner all shared time at the top before being pipped by Waters.

Again, teams gave co-drivers further running and practice pit stops, which haven’t been a feature of Supercars racing since Adelaide in March.

VETERAN SNATCHES PROVISIONAL POLE IF THE Mountain glistened in the sun on Thursday, that changed on Friday, at least during qualifying anyway.

Before then there were two further practice sessions, the first of which was the second for co-drivers only.

Although the weather changed, the names at the top didn’t as Davison continued Waters’ run by putting together a 2m 05.066s in what was a session interrupted by multiple red flags.

The first was required when Garry Rogers Motorsport rookie Jayden Ojeda made heavy contact with the outside wall at The Cutting. Damage was not as serious as first thought and the ZB Commodore was able to return for qualifying.

Davison had already set his time when, with 10-minutes remaining, Jordan Boys locked up at Hell Corner and dug the BJR ZB Commodore into the tyre wall, bringing out another red flag.

“It just grabbed the front as soon as I went on the brakes and I couldn’t get it unlocked,” Boys said.

“I’m pretty annoyed at myself. I tried to go in there a bit deeper just to get a bit of lap time. It was just a mistake.”

This spoilt D’Alberto’s final run as he ended the session eighth, while Tander trailed his 2009 Bathurst winning partner by 0.165s.

Dale Wood impressed in the Kelly Racing Mustang to be third ahead of Slade, Caruso, Randle, Golding, D’Alberto, Goddard and Brodie Kostecki.

Caruso was another to strike trouble when he ran down the escape road at Hell Corner. And then he was oh-so close to damaging his rear wing while executing a flick spin.

Steve Owen failed to complete half the session after a snapped anti-roll bar was discovered in the Team Sydney ZB Commodore he shared with Chris Pither.

The final practice ahead of qualifying was full of drama, when champion-elect McLaughlin topped the timesheets before damaging his Mustang.

After setting a 2m 04.371s a rare mistake with twominutes remaining approaching Forrest’s Elbow with a mis-shift by McLaughlin pitched the Mustang in the wall, causing rear suspension damage.

“I just ballsed up the downshift, that was all it was,” McLaughlin said.

TOP 10 QUALIFIERS Pos 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Driver LEE HOLDSWORTH SHANE VAN GISBERGEN SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN CAMERON WATERS JAMIE WHINCUP FABIAN COULTHARD ANTON DE PASQUALE CHAZ MOSTERT JAMES COURTNEY NICK PERCAT

“We’re using the engine braking so much that as soon as you miss one, you’re out of the groove.

“That’s all I did. I tried to half recover it, but as soon as it plucked the bottom arm out [on the wall] I was a bit of a passenger. I think we’ll be right. The car felt mega, I was six tenths up…”

McLaughlin crabbed the stricken Mustang back to the pits, but the resulting yellow flags compromised the last runs for many other frontrunners.

Another to strike trouble was Garry Jacobson with an engine change required for the Matt Stone Racing ZB Commodore.

Not for the first time this season, Fullwood impressed in second, just 0.113s behind as Holdsworth, Waters, Whincup, van Gisbergen, Mostert, Alex Davison, Courtney and Scott Pye followed.

Qualifying was next on the agenda and the Bathurst weather had plenty of say.

The session was interrupted early on due to an incident for Jake Kostecki in The Esses, when he severely damaged the Matt Stone Racing ZB Commodore, bringing out the red flag. Kostecki had defeated Superlite teammate Goddard in a practice shootout to decide,who qualified.

After an 11-minute delay, many drivers needed to take the opportunity to set a time as threatening clouds began to cover Mount Panorama.

McLaughlin was first to go to the top with a 2m 04.024s, then Waters fell 0.002s short before van Gisbergen eclipsed the fastest time, achieving a 2m 04.035s.

But it was veteran Lee Holdsworth, who continued Tickford Racing’s strong race build-up to enter Saturday’s Top 10 Shootout with provisional pole position.

Just missing out on entering the 2m 03s, Holdsworth clocked a 2m 04.024s, which assured him of the top spot when rain started to fall with three-minutes remaining.

“We’ve still got the Shootout obviously tomorrow, but this is my first time with a provisional pole at Bathurst,” said Holdsworth.

“I’m just stoked for Truck Assist Racing, Tickford Racing, Sammy [Scaffidi, engineer] has done an awesome job, my little mate Caruse [co-driver Michael Caruso] has been so good to me, I’m just enjoying myself.”

Also into the Top 10 Shootout were Whincup in fifth, Coulthard, De Time Pasquale, Mostert, Courtney and Percat, 2M 04.024S 2M 04.035S who was lucky to make the cut after 2M 04.103S transmission problems hampered him 2M 04.105S in qualifying.

Names to miss out included Reynolds, 2M 04.266S Winterbottom, Pye, Fullwood and Le 2M 04.281S 2M 04.466S Brocq, who endured a multitude of 2M 04.493S problems including a dash failure, rear 2M 04.548S brake issues and the affects of carbon 2M 04.553S monoxide seeping into the cabin.

BEERS FOR THE BOYS UNDER THREATENING skies, skies Tickford Racing Rac had plenty to smile about as it continued its charge towards its first Bathurst crown since 2014, thanks to a record setting pole lap by Waters in the Shootout.

A final co-driver only practice session kicked off Saturday’s proceedings.

Teams utilised this to complete long race simulation runs, and it was veteran Luff, who topped the timesheets with 15-minutes remaining with a 2m 05.459s.

Tander had led for most of the session with a 2m 05.817s lap until being eclipsed by Luff, then Randle, who elevated himself to second in the BJR ZB Commodore, 0.282s behind the Walkinshaw Andretti United veteran.

The result reversed the Mustang domination of the weekend to that point, while Moffat led the Ford charge in fourth.

An overnight engine change for the MSR ZB Commodore of Jacobson/Russell had its first test in the hands of the latter. It passed the test as Russell put the entry fifth.

Wood, Davison, Brown, Goddard and Boys completed the top 10.

Focusing on race set-ups, Caruso was 11th, Slade 14th, Lowndes 15th and D’Alberto 16th, after stopping out on track due to a transaxle malady.

“I went to grab second gear into the final corner and it didn’t allow me to and then it felt like I had some neutrals, so I decided to shut it off,” said D’Alberto.

“It sounded all a bit funky to me, so I tried to keep it all nice and tidy before we get to the race and not damage things.”

Amazingly, DJR Team Penske replaced the unit before the session finished, enabling D’Alberto to re-join before it ended.

Although placed in the top 10, the Kelly/Wood Mustang concerningly had smoke pouring from the rear but this was credited to an overfill of oil.

“The oil level was probably a smidge high, a couple of drops came out of the breather and it doesn’t take much to produce a fair bit of smoke,” explained Kelly.

“It’s a brand-new package for us, the first time we’ve done such a long race, so we’re

just trying to work out all those parameters.”

The final practice session reverted back to the narrative that occurred on Thursday with Waters topping the timesheets ahead of teammate Holdsworth.

Van Gisbergen was the first to set a benchmark time of 2m 04.628s, which lasted until Holdsworth went 0.164s quicker with sixminutes to go.

Waters then further bettered the time by 0.114s, a 2m 04.349s, while Mostert also eclipsed van Gisbergen’s initial best to finish the session third.

A mistake from Whincup at the final corner ruined what was his best lap to that point in what was an uncharacteristically untidy session from the seven-time champion, who earlier glanced the wall at Forrest’s Elbow.

At the conclusion of the session, drivers were able to complete a practice start in what was a new initiative for this year.

The Top 10 Shootout at Bathurst is one of those moments during the season drivers love.

Percat kicked it off and set a very competitive early benchmark of 2m 04.247s, which put him fourth in the end. However, this was later deleted when his BJR ZB Commodore was found to be 2kg underweight during scrutineering.

Comeback king Courtney was next. The season so far has been mixed after starting at Team Sydney before joining Tickford during racing’s hiatus, and then stepping onto the podium in Darwin.

Scoring a top 10 berth, Courtney admitted post-lap the Mustang didn’t feel hooked up on his mix of roaded front and green rear tyres. A

2m 05.354s lap gave him eighth on the grid, but as Courtney concluded his TV interview on the cooldown lap, he noted rain at The Cutting.

Mostert was next, pushing hard through The Cutting, he went faster in the first sector than Percat and continued that form across the lap, although a mighty moment at McPhillamy Park was averted on his way to a 2m 04.010s.

Struggling on new green tyres and delayed due to the ad breaks in the broadcast, De Pasquale set a 2m 04.768s to be sixth.

Oversteer was Coulthard’s bugbear during his lap, a 2m 04.853s placing him seventh.

Next was Whincup, who appeared on course to challenge Mostert’s benchmark after matching both of his sectors, but a locked brake at The Chase forced him wide, onto the grass on his way to a 2m 06.394s.

A small mistake by Waters at the Esses failed to hamper a scintillating lap of Mount Panorama. The sector time exiting Forrest’s Elbow was 0.408s to the better of his former teammate and without mistake, Waters

TOP 10 SHOOTOUT Pos 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 DSQ

Driver CAM WATERS SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN CHAZ MOSTERT SHANE VAN GISBERGEN LEE HOLDSWORTH ANTON DE PASQUALE FABIAN COULTHARD JAMES COURTNEY JAMIE WHINCUP NICK PERCAT

became the first driver in the 2m 03s bracket.

Not even a perfect lap by McLaughlin could demote Waters, however he was to start alongside the Tickford Racing Mustang after completing a 2m 04.002s . Van Gisbergen completed the penultimate run of the Shootout and also ran slightly wide at The Chase. He wasn’t as affected as much by this as his teammate, and a 2m 04.451s placed him in fourth on the grid.

This left just the provisional polesitter to run but like Courtney, Holdsworth struggled, later complaining that the sliding Tickford Racing Mustang struggled with its front tyres.

A 2m 04.676s rounded out the Shootout as the pole remained in the Tickford Racing garage, Waters taking his maiden Bathurst Pole.

“Man I’m so pumped, that was absolutely awesome, so much fun,” Waters said.

“I made a bit of a mistake at The Dipper but who cares, I had fun doing that.

“I knew the markers I had to hit and just went and did it. I knew we’d go a fair bit quicker than practice and I gave it everything.

“This is so special for all the boys at Tickford, they’ve Time worked so hard over this whole 2m 03.559s period they’ve been away.

2m 04.002s “This [cheque] will go 2m 04.010s towards beers on Sunday night, 2m 04.451s 2m 04.676s no matter how we go.”

2m 04.768s And the rain? Well it didn’t 2m 04.853s eventuate until 20-minutes 2m 05.354s after the Shootout, though the 2m 06.394s weather was predicted to be not 2m 04.247s so kind on race day.

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RACE REPORT Race 31 BATHURST 1000

A FITTING FAREWELL Report: Heath McAlpine

Images: LAT/Dirk Klynsmith/Insyde Media/Supercars

THE FORD Mustang may have held the advantage leading into the 2020 Bathurst 1000, but it was The Lion that roared one last time at The Mountain as a manufacturer with Shane van Gisbergen and Garth Tander taking out a memorable victory.

WARM UP – DRAMAS APLENTY

THE WARM-UP, which is normally a simple systems check for the teams before gotime, wasn’t so straightforward for a few.

Heavy rain overnight didn’t hamper the teams as the track had dried, but a sensor problem for the Pye/Fiore Team18 ZB Commodore raised the team’s blood pressure on its out lap.

“We just rolled out to road some wets and as I was going up Mountain Straight I looked down at the dash and there was an alarm light,” explained Dean Fiore.

“Then the next signal was ‘engine-off’, so I switched it off and chatted to the lads and that was it.”

The resulting red flag limited running for the other entries, and further drama was encountered at Tickford Racing when Feeney pitted his Mustang after the wheels were wobbling at the top of The Mountain.

Rims buckled after Courtney touched the wall on Friday had been accidentally fitted back on the Mustang after a late night of preparation.

BJR and Percat continued to experience power steering problems, though these were thought to be eradicated prior to the race.

Andre Heimgartner topped the session with a 2m 05.319s.

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Winners are grinners ... Shane van Gisbergen finally scored his long-overdue first Bathurst victory while partner Garth Tander recorded his fourth win.

RACE

JUST 10 regular Supercars drivers started the Bathurst 1000, and one of those was champion-elect and reigning race winner Scott McLaughlin, who made the perfect start to lead the way into Hell Corner.

Alongside, Davison was initially strong but lost in the second phase of the start but still slotted into a safe second.

De Pasquale and Fiore were two to make advancements during the opening few seconds of the race, the Erebus Motorsport driver moving into third, while with the sensor fault fixed, Fiore was into the top 10, before dropping back to be 13th soon after.

An opening door for Macauley Jones forced him to pit on lap 4, then followed by a 15s penalty at his next stop for not acknowledging the ‘meatball’ flag immediately.

The opening stanza of the race was rather sedate as McLaughlin continued to extend his lead by small increments to be 5.7s in front by lap 13, when the first of the stops took place.

WAU and Bryce Fullwood were the first to pit, Kurt Kostecki in, plus fuel and tyres in a clean stop. The fastest car in the warm up, the Kelly Racing Mustang driven by O’Keeffe also did likewise, with Heimgartner taking the wheel.

Clutch dramas were hampering Rick Kelly and his opening stint as the team set-up to fix the malady, but he remained out on track in 14th.

BJR’s power steering problems again emerged as Randle began to complain about the intermitent malady just 15 laps in.

De Pasquale was the first of the leaders to pit on lap 16, swapping with Brodie Kostecki. Next was McLaughlin, who handed over to Slade, Lowndes did likewise to Whincup, as did Davison for Waters, however Tander continued on.

The clutch problems for Kelly were illustrated when he attempted to leave the pits and the Mustang failed to kick, leaving the team to bring it into the garage.

Slade was maintaining a comfortable 4s lead ahead of Waters out front as the first hour concluded, while Brodie Kostecki was another 8s back, and Tander was closing in.

Behind the lead quartet, Whincup was making inroads and so too were Mostert and Holdsworth.

Feeney was back on the job after a Super2 incident the day before while Moffat was a big mover, completing a double-stint to be inside the 10, which was then completed by Heimgartner.

This all changed within 10-minutes as Tander passed Brodie Kostecki, leaving Whincup and Mostert to heap on the pressure.

Entering The Cutting Whincup went past Kostecki but drifted onto the dirty line and, unable to turn the Triple Eight ZB Commodore, smacked the wall. A race favourite out on lap 33.

This sparked another round of stops due

Rick Kelly’s race was over early with clutch problems. The Castrol Mustang eventually rejoined but many laps down.

to the introduction of the safety car. Waters emerged in front of Slade as the race leader, while van Gisbergen took over from Tander.

Brodie Kostecki was under pressure from Mostert immediately after the restart with the WAU ZB Commodore making a run at Hell Corner, also giving Holdsworth a sniff behind. Behind, there was a train containing Le Brocq, Coulthard, Percat and Heimgartner.

Continuing to attack, Mostert had a run down Conrod Straight and went side-by-side with Brodie Kostecki through The Chase.

Meanwhile, Waters, Slade and van Gisbergen were now 2s up the road.

Under pressure, Brodie Kostecki made a mistake at The Chase, running through the grass and handing fourth to Mostert, but covered Holdsworth as he recovered before Murray’s Corner.

Holdsworth quickly made light work of the Erebus Motorsport ZB Commodore at Griffin’s Bend, leaving Tickford Racing teammate Le Brocq to attack.

Waters continued to lead by 4.2s as van Gisbergen was starting to increase the pressure on Slade.

It was another safety car that gave teams an opportunity to complete the next round of stops.

Race debutant Jordan Boys looped the BJR ZB Commodore on the exit of Murray’s Corner after clipping too much kerb and hit the pit straight wall.

Although he was able to complete a flick spin and continue, he only made it as far as the Hell Corner escape road, which required the introduction of the safety car.

Out of the stops, Davison was installed in

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Chaz Mostert was strong all day in the WAU Commodore (above) but just didn’t have the ultimate pace of the leading duo, ultimately finishing third with co-driver Warren Luff. Defending Bathurst Champion Scott McLaughlin got the jump on pole man Cam Waters at the start but a safety car fell badly and compromised the team’s strategy. The 2020 Supercars Champion was fifth with co-driver Tim Slade.

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RACE REPORT RACE 31 BATHURST 1000

Incredibly, the #888 Commodore was the race’s first retirement when Jamie Whincup misjudged a passing move and crashed at the Cutting (above left). Tickford had a very strong weekend (above), the pole winning Monster Mustang shared by Cam Waters/Will Davison finishing a close second after a tense battle at the front all day. Scott Pye and Dean Fiore paired to finish sixth (below).

the lead Tickford Racing entry, McLaughlin took over from Slade, but van Gisbergen remained behind the wheel.

Just as the field followed the safety car, rain began to fall on top of The Mountain.

It was a perfect restart in treacherous conditions by Davison, who was 1.2s clear by the time he entered McPhillamy Park.

McLaughlin in second was struggling in the wet conditions more so than others, particularly compared to van Gisbergen, who made a move down the inside at Forrest’s Elbow.

The champion-elect continued to drop, losing position to teammate Coulthard and Brodie Kostecki on the approach to The Cutting, yet no one had found trouble yet.

After moving to second, van Gisbergen cut Davison’s margin dramatically to be challenging the Tickford Racing Mustang at The Chase, and he finally got the move done at Hell Corner on lap 55.

It began to dry and McLaughlin started to recover his lost spots, while smoke out of Garry Jacobson’s MSR ZB Commodore

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was a concern, after the team had already changed an engine on Friday night.

Although, it returned to the track, it was soon out of the race as smoke continued to trail the entry.

Coulthard further demoted Davison to second in a DJR Team Penske Mustang more set-up to the changeable conditions compared to his teammate’s. He was now just under a second behind van Gisbergen, but held a 2.3s advantage over the polesitter.

WAU pitted Fullwood but there were more serious problems to overcome as the bonnet went up and crew members dived underneath to fix the power steering, which was intermittently cutting in and out.

It was the turn of BJR to strike trouble again as the lead Percat/Randle ZB Commodore was put in the garage with an engine problem, rather than the power steering malady that had plagued the entry all weekend. Changing both coil packs failed to cure the misfire, but new fuel rails did the job, however the pair lost seven laps in the process.

At the front, van Gisbergen continued to hold a comfortable 2.8s lead ahead of Coulthard, while Davison was third from McLaughlin, Brodie Kostecki and veteran Luff on lap 69.

Le Brocq was the first of the leading contenders to complete a brake rotor change on lap 72, but there was a delay on the right-front.

The same delay also affected the lead Erebus Motorsport ZB Commodore as De Pasquale took over. Its brake rotor change was an agonisingly long 25s.

Both van Gisbergen and Davison pitted to complete brake rotor changes, though without drama. Tander jumped in for the Kiwi and remained in the lead.

This left McLaughlin in the lead but he came in a circuit later on lap 76, to also complete a rotor and driver change, putting Slade in third, 5s behind Tander.

By lap 86, Davison had completed his minimum requirement of time behind the wheel and compared to its rivals, the Monster Mustang was in a handy position.

By comparison, Tander and Slade were hoping to complete their minimum laps during this stint, though the latter was touchand-go to make it.

However, crucially with just laps to tick off for Slade, Jack Smith spun at Murray’s Corner to bring out the third safety car.

While Tander had completed his minimum time and swapped over to van Gisbergen.

Slade was forced to stay put.

Also DJR Team Penske were forced to double stack, delaying the Coulthard/ D’Alberto entry.

It was another short safety car interruption and Waters made the move he had to on Slade at the restart, leaving the DJR Team Penske Mustang vulnerable to Mostert.

But it took a further seven laps before the WAU ZB Commodore found a way through at Forrest’s Elbow.

The focus quickly turned to a charging Coulthard behind, who disposed of Winterbottom and was quickly catching. The second DJR Team Penske Mustang overtook its sister entry on Mountain Straight.

After a strong run, the GRM wildcard entry of Everingham/Ojeda struck trouble when the front-right suspension failed at The Chase due to contact with the wall earlier, the ZB Commodore going straight into the garage.

Van Gisbergen continued to lead by 1.4s and on lap 112 set a 2m 05.914s as he held Waters at bay.

DJR Team Penske blinked on lap 115, pitting Slade to enable McLaughlin to take over, setting up a sprint to the end of the race. Slade had crucially dropped 15s on the leader.

All three leaders elected to pit on lap 120, Triple Eight and Tickford Racing installing fresh brake pads, while Coulthard nearly hit the wall exiting pit lane. He was also overtaken on Mountain Straight by his teammate McLaughlin, who was on the recovery trail.

Waters and Holdsworth were struggling without coolsuits, but it failed to slow the Top 10 Shootout winner as he began to close to within 0.6s of van Gisbergen.

Mostert was also firming well in third, just 4.2s behind the lead duo, with McLaughlin a further 5.1s in arrears.

DJR team Penske were at the sharp end all weekend once again but didn’t have the luck on raceday, finishing fourth and fifth despite both cars showing impressive pace at times. Paddock speculation at Bathurst once again centred on what the team will look like and who drives there in 2021.

The gap was steady between the top three for a while, until van Gisbergen went into qualifying mode as he pushed hard on lap 132 after Waters had eaten into his lead, edging out the advantage to 1.7s.

Mostert’s challenge had also cooled, 4.6s behind, while McLaughlin was conserving fuel and was 8.6s further back of the WAU ZB Commodore.

But would a safety car change it all?

Previous winner Reynolds was having a forgettable weekend at The Mountain and his bad run continued when his Commodore dropped onto seven cylinders.

The battle among the backend of the top 10 was becoming intens.

Winterbottom had come back well from qualifying 20th to be sixth ahead of teammate Pye, who held up Brodie Kostecki while effecting a pass at Griffin’s Bend, which invited Courtney to make an attempt as well.

A collision resulted in minor damage for Courtne, but this came when he eased teammate Le Brocq wide on Conrod Straight a lap earlier, resulting in a penalty for the veteran and the loss of two positions after Holdsworth also got through.

The final pit stops were taking place with 22 laps remaining, McLaughlin the first

before De Pasquale, Mostert, Pye and Courtney. Le Brocq also completed his final service, but swapped to Moffat due to suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning, which had afflicted him during Friday’s qualifying as well.

Van Gisbergen and Waters kept pushing along, the Kiwi extending his advantage to 3.2s, before peeling off into pit lane on lap 142. Waters followed.

It was neck-and-neck between the two teams as an adjustment was made to the Waters Mustang ahead of the final 20-lap sprint.

When they rejoined, the gap had closed considerable from 3s to 0.3s thanks in part to Waters’ rapid pit entry.

Waters was not going away, so could van Gisbergen sustain the pressure? And what about Mostert? The WAU driver was 13s

clear of Coulthard in third, but 11s behind the lead battle, which was highly pressured.

Waters had a dive at Forrest’s Elbow but was denied, and he was all over SVG along Conrod Straight as the duo went lap time for lap time.

Although it appeared van Gisbergen was struggling, even complaining he needed rhythm over the team radio, the Kiwi soon gapped Waters to the tune of 1.5s with 10 laps to go.

However, the inevitable late-race safety car came as Smith bunkered in The Chase gravel trap and Fullwood smacked the wall at The Esses, giving Waters a slight reprieve.

At the restart Waters was all over van Gisbergen again, but that lasted all of half a lap when Goddard put the MSR Superlite ZB Commodore into the wall at The Grate.

There were three laps remained when the

safety car pulled back into the pits and van Gisbergen held his nerve to take victory for Triple Eight Race Engineering and a final victory for Holden as a manufacturer in this country.

And to top it off, he set the fastest lap on the penultimate lap of the race, a 2m 05.641s.

Coulthard/D’Alberto just missed the podium but led teammates McLaughlin/ Slade home in completing the top five.

Pye continued a strong 2020 for Team18 finishing sixth alongside Fiore, as Holdsworth/Caruso, Winterbottom/Golding, De Pasquale/Kostecki and Courtney/Feeney completed the 10.

Waters’ second place gave him the runner up slot in the championship to McLaughlin, while Whincup’s error gave van Gisbergen third in the title.

RESULTS RACE 31 161 LAPS MOUNT PANORAMA BATHURST Pos 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 NC 21 22 23 NC NC

James Courtney was paired with rookie Broc Feeney and brought the Boost Mustang home 10th (right). BJR had a dreadful race, the much fancied Nick Percat/Tom Randle Commodore (leading below) hit with a penalty in the Shoot Out and power steering and engine maladies in the race.

Driver Laps/Margin Shane van Gisbergen/Garth Tander 161 laps Cameron Waters/Will Davison +0.866s Chaz Mostert/Warren Luff +1.608s Fabian Coulthard/Tony D’Alberto +2.161s Scott McLaughlin/Tim Slade 2.711s Scott Pye/Dean Fiore +3.969s Lee Holdsworth/Michael Caruso +4.733s Mark Winterbottom/James Golding +6.138s Anton De Pasquale/Brodie Kostecki +7.644s James Courtney/Broc Feeney +7.715s Andre Heimgartner/Dylan O’Keeffe +8.090s Alex Davison/Jonathan Webb +9.144s Macauley Jones/Tim Blanchard +9.458s Jack Le Brocq/James Moffat +11.471s David Reynolds/Will Brown 160 laps Chris Pither/Steve Owen 159 laps Rick Kelly/Dale Wood 144 laps Nick Percat/Thomas Randle 133 laps Tyler Everingham/Jayden Ojeda 121 laps Jake Kostecki/Zane Goddard 155 laps Jack Smith/Jack Perkins 149 laps Bryce Fullwood/Kurt Kostecki 147 laps Garry Jacobson/David Russell 62 laps Todd Hazelwood/Jordan Boys 50 laps Jamie Whincup/Craig Lowndes 32 laps

▼ 13 ▼1 0 ▲3 ▼3 ▲ 16 ▼2 ▲ 10 ▼3 ▼2 ▲3 ▲8 ▲4 ▲1 ▼2 ▲7 ▲2 ▼8 ▲5 ▲5 ▲1 ▼ 11 ▼2 ▼8 ▼ 16

Points: McLaughlin 2576, Waters 2125, van Gisbergen 2095, Whincup 2049, Mostert 1958, Coulthard 1800, Percat 1743, De Pasquale 1637, Pye 1586, Winterbottom 1566, Holdsworth 1553, Reynolds 1492, Courtney 1476, Heimgartner 1444, Le Brocq 1396, Kelly 1316, Hazelwood 1181, Fullwood 1092, Jones 980, Pither 866, Jacobson 833, Smith 812, A. Davison 794, W. Davison 507, Goddard 438, Kostecki 290

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1 Winner #97 Shane van Gisbergen/Garth Tander

The #97 Red Bull Holden Racing Team duo were at the sharp end throughout the Bathurst 1000 with great race pace. Tander started in car #97 and did 33 laps before van Gisbergen got in for his own double stint. Van Gisbergen excelled in the wet conditions at one-third distance and that gave them crucial track position they would never relinquish. In an intense final stint, van Gisbergen broke Waters by setting multiple fastest laps before the inevitable late race safety cars proved an additional challenge. Nonetheless van Gisbergen was just too fast and took a long overdue victory.

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nd #6 Cameron Waters/Will Davison Co-driver Will Davison started, completing the first 21 laps of the race. When Will hopped back in the rain fell and allowed Shane van Gisbergen to take the lead and from then on they were unable to snatch it back. Waters had a cool suit failure in the opening stint and elected not to run one in his triple stint to the finish.

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rd #25 Chaz Mostert/Warren Luff The ever-reliable co-driver Luff started the #25 WAU machine and dealt with the wet weather just after lap 50. In those conditions he showed his class against multiple regular drivers. When Mostert hopped back in he was unable to keep with the leading duo but brought the car home on the podium in third.

4th #12 Fabian Coulthard/Tony D’Alberto

5th #17 Scott McLaughlin/Tim Slade

6th #20 Scott Pye/Dean Fiore

7th #5 Lee Holdsworth/Michael Caruso

th #18 Mark Winterbottom/James Golding Golding in second gear off line and dropped to last. He did a double stint and handed to Winterbottom to double stint. Golding did another and Winterbottom another two to finish. Towards the end it was spitting out oil and had power steering some issues.

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9th #99 Anton de Paquale/Brodie Kostecki

Tony D’Alberto nearly stalled the car at the start and fell to 12th position but consistent pace throughout the day meant he and Coulthard were fighting for a podium in the final stint, despite having to double stack at one point. In the end, the duo just missed out on a podium.

Michael Caurso started and drove the car until lap 18. For much of the race the #5 crew had major radio dramas and were forced to use the old-fashioned pit board. Holdsworth also suffered with a cool suit issue in the closing stints.

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After taking the lead off the line, McLaughlin struggled in the rain at one-third distance. A major blow came when the safety car was called and Slade had not quite completed his minimum laps, which meant he was forced to do an extra stint against the regulars and lost track position that McLaughlin would never regain.

Dean Fiore started the race and was the only co-driver to do two full double stints at the start. The West Aussie kept pace with the regulars and that meant that Pye could go on the offensive. In the final stints Pye showed the strong race pace of car #20 once more.

Despite regular de Pasquale starting it was Kostecki who stole the show with some spitied defending, forcing an error from seven-time champion Jamie Whincup. The car lacked race pace and a very slow brake rotor change mid-race did not help matters.

th #44 James Courtney/Broc Feeney Courtney started with birthday boy Feeney following it up with a double stint. The duo stayed out of trouble but lacked outright pace. Late on Courtney was handed a bad sportsmanship flag for escorting his teammate Jack Le Brocq off the road on Conrod Straight.

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th #7 Andre Heimgartner/Dylan O’Keeffe O’Keeffe started and handed to Heimgartner on lap 20. O’Keeffe pitted for wets in the rain shower, and five laps later he was in for Heimgartner and dry tyres. Then it was O’Keeffe with one more stint, then Heimgartner double stinted to the end.

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12th #19 Alex Davison/Jono Webb

13th #3 Macauley Jones/Tim Blanchard

Race started badly with Jones having a door latch issue and mechanical black flag and then penalised 15s for not acting on the flag immediately. Went down a lap but got it back at first safety car. Jones handed off to Blanchard at lap 22 for double stint. Jones tagged team car at Murrays, copped a drive through penalty and still finished on lead lap.

th # 55 Jack Le Brocq/James Moffat Moffat started and continued to lap 33 for Le Brocq to do a double stint. Moffat did another stint and handed over to Le Brocq. He was eighth on the road when overcome with fumes and went to medical centre. Moffat back in, mistake at The Chase on final lap, lost three places.

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th #9 David Reynolds/Will Brown Average day at best. Brown started double stinting before Reynolds did likewise. Brown did a further stint and Reynolds did another two.

Eight pitstops in all. Dropped a cylinder at around lap 130 and went down a lap on the 145th.

th #22 Chris Pither/Steve Owen Owen did two stints and handed over to Pither at the first safety car. He ran through to lap 80 with several stops, changing tyres when the wet weather came for a brief period. Owen took over to lap 115, for Pither to finish. Made a late stop for fuel to get home.

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17th #15 Rick Kelly/Dale Wood

th #8 Nick Percat/Tom Randle After being disqualified from the Top 10 Shootout the weekend only got worse, hounded by multiple mechanical failures including power steering problems and engine misfire. The duo would eventually finish 28 laps down, classified in 18th position.

th # Tyler Everingham/Jayden Ojeda Wildcard entry started by Everingham with Ojeda in for a double stint at lap 22. Everingham did a double stint after that. Ojeda sideswiped the wall out of the Chase on lap 103, team took 1.5 hours to replace left front and rear axle before resuming and running to the end.

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th # Jake Kostecki/Zane Goddard Goddard began and handed off to Kostecki for a double stint. Goddard returned to the seat for double duties, passing back to Kostecki on lap 97. Goddard crashed at the grate on lap 155, which brought out the fifth and final safety car.

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st #4 Jack Smith/Jack Perkins Smith started and ran two stints, handed over to Perkins who did 24 laps. Smith bunkered at Murrays when tagged by teammate Jones.

Perkins had a double stint and back to Smith to finish but in the Chase sand trap on lap 152 with rear tyre off rim.

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rd #35 Garry Jacobson/David Russell Jacobson started and double stinted before Russell aboard for a single stint. Jacobson in again at lap 51. Car smoky and into garage on lap 61. Returned to the track after 11mins 44secs but back shortly after with what turned out to be terminal.

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th #14 Todd Hazelwood/Jordan Boys One of the few main drivers to start, Hazelwood pitted and handed over to Boys for a double stint. Race ended on lap 50 when Boys carried too much kerb out of Murrays Corner and spun into the inside wall.

nd #2 Bryce Fullwood/Kurt Kostecki #2 WAU car looked like a top 10 contender early on but power steering patchy and eventually forced to pit for repairs on lap 65, going down several laps. On lap 152 Fullwood made an unforced error and crashed out at the Esses.

Kelly in for the start and had no clutch from the warm up lap. Repairs to clutch and slave cylinder cost 18 laps. Wood did two stints when they re-joined and was the first driver to get the wave around at the end of a safety car period. After repairs the car ran faultlessly.

Davison started with he and Webb single stinting. The third stop included a 15 second penalty, incurred for wheels spinning at the previous stop. Performance wise did not miss a beat all day, had reasonable pace but not spectacular.

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SAFETY CAR

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th #888 Jamie Whincup/Craig Lowndes Seven-time champion Jamie Whincup crashed out of the race on lap 33 in an attempt to overtake Brodie Kostecki. Crashed into the concrete wall at The Cutting and undid the good work by Lowndes in the opening stint.

# Kayo safety car As ever at Bathurst, the Safety Car played a significant role in the running of the race, if not the actual outcome. The Safety Car made five appearances across the course of the day and on the number of laps completed, became the race’s final finisher!

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SUPPORTS BATHURST

RANDLE WINS AMID CARNAGE Report: DAN MCCARTHY Images: INSYDE MEDIA THE MOUNT Panorama Super2 Series round was won by Thomas Randle after the Victorian picked up a race victory and runner-up position in what may be a series winning performance.

And in Super3, Jaylyn Robotham cleanswept the round with two race wins.

In Super2 Randle should have taken two race wins over the weekend, but electrical gremlins cost him a chance of victory in Race 1.

In qualifying for the opening encounter Randle’s title rival Will Brown took pole position by 0.1139s.

Randle qualified in second ahead of his Matthew White Motorsport teammate Jayden Ojeda, Angelo Mouzouris and Jordan Boys.

In Super3 it was Declan Fraser who took the category pole position from Robotham.

When the lights went out at the start of the race Tom Randle made a superb getaway from second position and comfortably led from Brown into Turn 1.

In the first few laps Randle managed to pull out a comfortable margin, until the MWM Nissan developed an intermittent electrical issue.

This problem allowed Brown to close the gap, but a couple of mistakes from him at the Elbow let Randle off the hook.

Despite appearing to right itself, the electrical problem returned and cost Randle valuable straight-line speed late in the race, enabling

Brown to breeze past into the lead with several laps remaining.

Randle was able to limp across the line in second ahead of Brown’s Image Racing teammate Boys.

Ojeda was catching the leading trio quickly in the closing stages, but the reigning Super3 Series winner hit the wall heavily at the Cutting on the final lap.

Because of this Tickford Racing driver Broc Feeney was promoted to fourth from Matt Chadha, who had a train of cars behind him for large portions of the race.

Robotham took victory in Super3 by a staggering 30s after major rival Declan Fraser became beached in the gravel at McPhillamy Park with a front-right puncture, allowing Jon McCorkindale to finish in second.

Two Super2 drivers Feeney and Mouzouris did not make the grid for Race 2, after damaging their cars at the Esses in qualifying for the second affair.

The race itself was also dramatic, with the Image Racing cars starting from the front row.

WINS SHARED IN TOYOTA BATHURST CUP Report: GARRY O’BRIEN Images: INSYDE MEDIA OVER FOUR races wins were shared between Aaron Borg, Tim Brook and Lachlan Gibbons in the Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia 86 Bathurst Cup. In race one Brook was outpaced by Gibbons in the charge up the mountain the first time.

Third placed Borg nabbed Brooks on the second lap and then grabbed the lead before Jake Lougher stopped and triggered a safety car.

When the race resumed Brook made a bold move at the Chase and briefly lost position three to guest driver Cameron Hill. Borg just held on from Gibbons and Brook. Hill was fourth from Cameron Crick, Harry Bates, Dylan Thomas, Jim Holdsworth and Nash Morris.

Brook led the second race with Borg second ahead of Hill. Gibbons slipped to fourth. Borg grabbed the lead on lap three and held the front

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running until Brook snatched it back three laps from the end. Gibbons relegated Hill and brought himself into the fight and ultimately slipped past Borg for second.

Crick had a lonely fifth while Harry Bates won the fight behind and placed ahead of Jarrod Whitty, Holdsworth, Lewis Bates, Thomas, Jobe Stewart, and Morris. James Wilkins was also in the mix until he speared off at the Chase.

Gibbons had a poor liftoff in the next outing and dropped to ninth. There was side contact but no harm as Hill and Borg negotiated the slow starter. Lap three brought out the safety car for Lougher (again) marooned at the Cutting.

On resumption Brook’s small margin helped as Hill held off Borg and Crick. Whitty was next as Gibbons fought back to head Harry Bates, Morris, Thomas, Stewart, and Lewis Bates.

The fourth race was missing Brook, who sold his car overnight. Hill started off pole, however

it was Borg who grabbed the lead ahead of Hill, Crick and Gibbons. The latter passed Crick and then nabbed Hill before he hit the lead on the penultimate lap.

Borg tried a move at the last corner on the final occasion but overcooked just enough to

surrender second to Hill. Morris held off Harry and Lewis Bates for fifth. Immediately behind were Thomas and Stewart. Kobi Garland was in that group until he came to grief at the top of the Cutting. From the back Wilkins came through a dozen cars for 10th.

PADAYACHEE AND PORSCHE TOP TIN

Once again Brown made a poor getaway and allowed Boys into the lead at Turn 1.

As the race settled down Brown started to put pressure on Boys for the lead of the race, and on lap 5 made his move.

However the reigning TCR Australia Series winner locked up badly into The Chase ran wide and through the grass, also forcing Boys off, a disaster for Image Racing.

At the end of lap 5 Randle was gifted the lead from Ojeda, Boys, Chadha and then Brown.

From that moment on Randle survived a midrace safety car period to take the race win from Ojeda.

Brown was able to put the lock up behind him and recover to third position ahead of Boys, Zak Best and Chadha.

In Super3 Robotham was locked in a race long tussle with McCorkindale and came out on top by a mere 0.44s, with Fraser in third.

Report: GARRY O’BRIEN Images: INSYDE MEDIA IN HIS Carrera Cup Porsche 991 GT3 Cup Car, Duvashen Padayachee was the overall winner of the Bathurst Tin Tops, the popular all-comers concept that was part of the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 for the first time.

Padayachee won two races to take the overall honours ahead of Andrew MacPherson (GT Championship Porsche GT3 Cup Car) and Nathan Herne (Trans Am Dodge Challenger).

From the start of race one Brad Schumacher (Audi R8 LMS) was never headed and built his advantage to almost 5s over Padayachee. Birol Cetin was third early before he was passed by Tom Taplin (991).

There was a good scrap going on between Herne, Scott Taylor (GT3-R) and

Super2 points: Randle 860, Brown 813, Boys 645, Ojeda 615, Chahda 566, Best 549, Feeney 510, Kostecki 499, Mouzouris 463, Fife 434

MacPherson. Herne’s performance dropped off later due to an oil pressure problem and he finished seventh.

Just ahead was Mark Duggan (Sports Sedan Aston Martin/Chev) with a storming drive from 15th. Steve Lacey (Sports Sedan Camaro) was another who made up places after he started 24th.

Eighth went to Richard Gartner (Lamborghini Gallardo) while behind him there was an incident at Hell Corner on the final lap, which resulted in Porsche team mates Rob Woods and Indiran Padayachee off at Hell Corner. Andrew Fisher (Camaro) was 10th ahead of fellow Trans Am drivers Chris Formosa (Challenger), Michael Coulter and Hugh McAlister, both in Mustangs.

Padayachee won the start in race two and led Schumacher until the Audi suffered a paddle shift gear change issue and pitted.

Taplin took up the chase but ultimately

ended up in the Chase with a high-speed off.

Lacey was second and clear of Taylor, who had third in sight until MacPherson, Duggan and Herne slipped past. Next came Fisher from Gartner, Indiran Padayachee, McAlister and Cetin on the comeback.

Padayachee was engrossed in a thrilling battle as he chased leader Lacey in race three.

There was nothing between them until Lacey’s fight was over due to a broken input shaft bearing. Herne was never far behind and assumed second while Duggan finished the race third.

Fourth went to MacPherson ahead of Taylor, Cetin and Taplin, who started rear of the grid.

Rounding out the top 10 were Gartner, Indiran Padayachee and Hugh McAlister (Trans Am Ford Mustang).

TILLEY 1-2 IN HISTORICS

Report: DAN MCCARTHY Images: INSYDE MEDIA

THE COMBINED Historics category at The Mountain was dominated by the Tilley family with Brad and son Jamie finishing 1-2 in all three races.

The Touring Car Masters regulars both competed in Ford Mustangs and were the class of the field.

In qualifying it was Brad who took pole position by a considerable 2.1s from Steve Webb in the ex-Colin Bond Ford Sierra, with Jamie 2.4s further back.

David Towe, Terry Lawlor, Ed Singleton and Ben Wilkinson rounded out the top seven.

Before Race 1 began Webb elected to pit as he did not want to complete a standing start in his Sierra from the front row of the grid.

However, it was not plain sailing for the Tilleys, as both were pushed all race long by Lawlor and Wilkinson.

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In the end Brad took the win from Jamie by just 1.1s, despite nearly hitting a back marker on the penultimate lap.

A great scrap for third took place on the final lap of the race with Lawlor and Wilkinson running either side of a Mini out of Forrest’s Elbow.

Wilkinson was forced to put two wheels on the grass and had to relinquish third position.

At the start of Race 2 Lawlor made a bad start and immediately dropped from third to sixth position.

Out front the Tilleys and Wilkinson quickly broke away from the fierce race long battle for fourth position.

Once again Brad took the win from Jamie, with Wilkinson in third position before a big gap to Peter O’Brien and Adam Walton.

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In Race 3 O’Brien shot up from fourth into second position off the line but was overtaken by both Jamie and Wilkinson in quick succession around the outside at Skyline.

After finishing seventh in Race 2 Lawlor was recovering in the final race and early on the

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race took fourth from O’Brien.

Jamie briefly took the lead out front but at the end it was Brad wholed home a Tilley form finish across the line.

Wilkinson came home third ahead of Lawlor and O’Brien.

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KARRI MAKES IT TWO

FOR THE second time in row, victory has gone to Michael Young and Scott Beckwith in the WA Rally Championship, as they took out the Make Smoking History Karri Rally on October 3.

Based out of Manjimup, the WAORC second round took in Nyamup and the Tone State Forest surrounds, its six stages over two courses covering 116km which were fast and required a lot of commitment.

New Zealander Young won five of the six stage in his Subaru Impreza WRX STi and finished 1min 15s ahead of John O’Dowd and Toni Feaver. They won stage two in their Skoda Fabia R5, were second on the others and maintained their championship lead, 16 points in front of Young.

A further 2mins 8.9s away in third place were Ben Searcy and James Marquet (Mitsubishi EVO 9). They recorded six stage thirds and finished clear of the similarly mounted Peter Major and Declan Stafford.

Close behind were Kody Reynolds and

Images: WARC

Anthony Staltari, Stephen Oxley and Steph Esterbauer, and Craig Rando and Stephen Wade. All were teamed up in WRXs and along with Major were covered by one minute, as they each recorded a stage fifth.

In the 2WD Championship, Dylan King and Lee Tierney (Ford Escort MkII) finished first but were excluded for receiving

outside assistance on stage four. That elevated eighth outright Mike Joss and Megan Logue (Nissan Silvia s15) to the class win, ahead of Max McRae and Bill Hayes (Ford Fiesta) and Jason Lowther and Edwards (Toyota Corolla), who were ninth and 11th respectively.

In the Clubman Cup over the first four

stages and 77km, Rod Fowler and Keith Mayes (Peugeot 206 GTi) where the victors over Glenn Cawood and Murish O’Connell (Mitsubishi Lancer) by 45s, with Connor and Medhurst (Hyundai Excel) third. Alex and Lachlan White (Nissan Silvia) won Clubman Masters, also run over the first four stages. Garry O’Brien

Images: Riccardo Benvenuti

ROUND SIX: PART TWO MOTOR RACING Australia jumped back to round six at Wakefield Park on October 4-5. It was the re-run of the washed-out early August event, but this time with the addition of a few categories.

PRODUCTION TOURING

HOLDEN DERIVED cars held sway across all three races with Tony Virag (Holden Commodore SSV) at the head of the charge each time. He battled with Barry Sternbeck (Commodore SS) in race one and contact at one stage earned the latter a harsh blag flag.

Matt Holt (HSV Clubsport R8) finished second ahead of Geoff Kite (SSV) and Cary Morsink (HSV GTO), who was second in the next two races.

Holt took third in race two ahead of Kite and Joe Krinelos (HSV GTS), who also retired from race one with a battery terminal issue. Sternbeck came from the back to third but his engine blew.

Holt pulled out of race three with a driveshaft failure. Krinelos won his duel with Kite for third, while Graeme Shaw (Mitsubishi EVO 6.5) and Matt Shylan (Honda Integra) were next.

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IMPROVED PRODUCTION U2L

OVER THE three races Kurt Macready (Nissan Silvia) was untouchable. Graham Bohm (Honda Civic) held off Ryan Jagger (Holden Barina) in race one, but incurred a 5s penalty that dropped him to third ahead of Henri Price (Civic), Ian Price and Craig Wildridge (Ford Escorts).

Bohm was the runner-up in race two after Jagger suffered an engine glitch. Wildridge snuck in third ahead of Ian Price and Henri Price. Bohm was destined to do the same in race three until a front hub broke. Jagger also retired with gearbox issues, which gave Wildridge third but not before another great duel with Ian and Henri Price.

IMPROVED PRODUCTION O2L

A WIN and two seconds gave Scott Tutton (Mitsubishi EVO 3) the overall win. He not able to match the pace of race two and three winner Jordan Cox (Suzuki GTi Turbo), who only missed out on a clean sweep due to a boost hose that came adrift.

Nigel Williams (Holden Commodore) had a second and third before an oil light warning forced

his retirement. Stig Richards (Mazda RX7) was third in race one but suffered a DNF in race two. Commodore driver David Worrell snared third in the last.

SPORTS SEDANS

THE WEEKEND went to Steven Lacey (Chev Camaro) with two race wins and a second.

Only a broken second gear prevented him in taking a clean sweep. Second overall went to Stuart Inwood (Chev Corvette) with a second and two thirds.

There was nothing between Phil Ryan (Datsun 280ZX/Chev) and Will Fercher (Holden Monaro) in their chassis Division Two cars, and the two-one result made Ryan third overall. Mark Duggan (Aston Martin/Chev) won the third race after an alternator failure in race one and second in race two.

MX5 CUP

HERRING RACING scored three wins from as many starts. Todd Herring started rear of grid in each and was able to charge through the lead

each time. He won the first ahead of Tim Herring and Richard Herring. Race two was a one-two after Richard Herring retired which left David Johnson third ahead of Paul Nudd. Richard Herring was back for race three for another third, but this time Tim Herring was able to repass Todd Herring for victory.

ALFA VELOCE

OVER FIVE races Simon Greirson (Alfa GTV6) was the overall winner with three victories. Alfio Musumeci (GTV Turbodelta) won two but missed the second and had to work his way through the progressive grid to take the last.

In GTV6s David Capraro and Danny Gatto were the early race one pacesetters until both suffered handling issues that put them out. Mark Baggetto

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KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY STEVE MAGUIRE emulated his brother Eddie’s opening round triumph with victory in round two of the Dunlop Motul Tasmanian Rally Championship in the North East of the state, on October 3.

Steve Maguire and Stuart Benson (Mitsubishi EVO 9) finished fourth in the five-stage morning heat of the LWR (Les Walkden Rallying) Mountain Stages near Mathinna, and won the afternoon heat to claim the overall honours.

Second overall were Bodie Reading and Mark Young (Subaru Impreza WRX Sti) with Nic Graves and Ryan Sheehan (WRX) third.

The morning heat was won by Craig Brooks and Steve Glenney (Subaru Impreza WRX STi).

Eddie Maguire and Zak Brakey (Mitsubishi EVO 9) finished 21s behind but struck overheating problems in the afternoon and were forced to retire. Despite their misfortune, they maintain a narrow championship lead.

Brooks started brilliantly, comfortably winning the first three stages before Eddie Maguire fired back in the two stages before lunch, to reduce the deficit to 31s. Reading was a further 21s behind and just ahead of Steve Maguire, before (GTV) edged out Rob Seritti (GTV6) for third before Seritti was second in race two ahead of Carmel Mirabella (147 GTA).

A stranded Andrew Wilson (156 Twin Spark) brought out the safety car in race three which meant a one-lap rush to the flag. Seritti was a close second and ahead of Musumeci and that was followed by third places in races four and five.

SUPER TT

THERE WERE only two races after the first was abandoned due to a start-line crash. Two cars stalled on the grid and mayhem ensued. Several took evasive action but Dave Masing (Mitsubishi Lancer), Stephen James (BMW E36), Adrian Wuillemin (Peugeot 205) and Robert Vide (Holden Commodore) were not so lucky and sustained extensive damage.

In race two, pole sitter Mark Boudib (BMW/ Chev) held off Benny Tran (Honda Integra) by 0.3s with Endree Saase (BMW) third until a 5s penalty placed him behind Lloyd Godfrey (Integra), Jimmy Tran (Honda Civic) and Ben Mannix (Mazda RX7).

Boudib led race three until the engine blew. Benny Tran won from Godfrey, Greg Boyle (Nissan Skyline), Mannix and Herring (Mazda MX5).

SUPERKARTS

THERE WERE four different winners. Laurie Fooks (LFR) pipped fellow 125cc runner Mark Robin (Avoig Elise) in the first, then Robin had a narrow victory over Paul Campbell (Avoig Elise) in the second.

Campbell took out race three where Tony Moit (250cc Anderson Maverick) split him and Robin after a safety car. Lee Vella (Avoig Elise) had sped to the front early in race one before fuel problems slowed his momentum and he fell down the order.

He had similar dramas in the next two races before a solid win in the last. Garry O’Brien

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Image: David Batchelor

Image: Angryman Photography

the afternoon heat provided a thrilling battle between them. Maguire won the first stage while Reading returned fire on the next stage. While it was to be his only heat two stage win, he pushed Maguire all the way to go down by just 21s.

The 2WD Championship was wrapped up by Nathan Newton and Tyler Page (Nissan Skyline GT), who finished seventh outright in heat one and improved in the afternoon for a solid fifth.

They were second in 2WD in heat one and won heat two. Ben and Ruebecca Sheldrick (Holden Commodore) narrowly won the 2WD round with sixth outright over both heats.

Mark Kyle and Devon Cullis (Datsun 1600) broke a driveshaft and failed to finish the second heat, while Mitch Roberts and Renisha Dick (Mazda RX7) struck mechanical dramas on the second stage and did not re-join.

In the one-make Buckby Motors Subaru RS Challenge, Chichton Lewis and Anthony Carr won both heats to take over the series lead from Marcus Walkem and Damian Grimwood. The latter finished third in the morning but was forced out with a broken windscreen the afternoon.

Martin Agatyn

SOME WEST Australian state championship categories headed south to Collie Motorplex for the annual Coalfield 500 meeting – a mixture of racing and regularity – on October 3-4.

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WINNERS AGAIN IN MEMORIAL A SMALL but evenly matched field battled out in the Denise Gosden Memorial Ladies & Juniors Enduro on October 4 at Wynarka, where multiple previous winners Tanya Wales and Nev Day came out on top again.

It was experience that won as they piloted their Mantiss/Mitsubishi to complete the 12-lap off road event first ahead of 2019 title holders Lauren and Rich Andrews (Woftam S&S/ Nissan), and Lachlan and Kerry Turley (Can-Am Maverick).

The Turleys topped the time sheets in prologue and started first. However, they dropped to last on lap one when the SXS Turbo class buggy mysteriously stopped. They managed to get restarted but the problem re-occurred four times before the halfway break.

They also discovered the front diff was leaking oil at the break but pressed on and endured no more problems.

With Wales well out of reach, Lachlan turned up the wick and came back up the order to be first Junior home.

Meanwhile, the Andrews team spectacularly charged to second as Dana and Ben Fatchen (Can-Am Maverick) gave their new toy its first competitive run and showed some good pace for fourth.

Jarrah Taylor and Zoe Marshall (Cobra/Mazda) also made it a top five finish and collected the Super 1650 silverware. Lisi Phillips and Ethan Pickstock were the last finisher and took the 4WD honours, despite destroying a tyre and having to push start their Mitsubishi Challenger all day.

Annie and Sarah Galliford shared a Jimco/Chev single seater and had an overnight computer change to try and solve problems from testing the day before. In the race the problem returned on lap two and despite their best efforts, Sarah could only manage another couple of laps and Annie, who had a trouble-free test on the Saturday, didn’t get a steer in the race.

There was even more disappointment for Millie and Izaak Vanderwoude as they managed to get through the prologue, but the Colorado failed to make the race start. David Batchelor

COLLECTING AT COLLIE

HISTORIC TOURING CARS

THREE RACE wins from as many starts to Aldo De Paoli gave the Chev Camaro driver both overall and Group Nc honours.

Second place in race one was fellow Camaro steerer Clinton Ryner, although he lost second to Grant Johnson (Holden Torana XU-1) for a brief spell midway through with a spin, but came back to finish a clear second ahead of Johnson, Graeme Woolhouse (Nb Ford Mustang) and Cono Onofaro (Nb Morris Cooper S).

Ryner led the second race until a spin halfway in dropped him to down the order and he finished behind Johnson, Onofaro and Scott Mackie (XU1). Second all the way in the last, Ryner was well ahead of Johnson, Woolhouse and Mackie.

SALOON CARS, PRO-AM

DESPITE CLOSE results it was Marc Watkins who came out on top when he netted two wins and finished ahead of Carl Fanderlinden and Michael Holdcroft.

The three Ford Falcon EA drivers were in close company at the end of race one, with Watkins ahead of Holdcroft and Fanderlinden.

Fourth placed Brock Ralph was the best of the Holden Commodore runners after he passed Chas Hoy. Watkins took out race two as he edged out Fanderlinden. The latter received a 5s penalty that dropped him to fifth behind Ralph, Holdcroft and Hoy. Fanderlinden atoned in the race three reverse grid affair by beating Holdcroft, Hoy, Ralph and Watkins and he also set a new category record as well.

Images: Image1265

SALOON CARS, PRO

IN HIS Holden Commodore VT, Grant Johnson dominated the later model group, taking the three races comfortably to scoop the points ahead of his teammate Matt Martin and third place fellow VT driver Brock Boley. Johnson also broke his own lap record in the last.

The first race was in heavy rain with Martin in second and Brock Boley third. The latter’s father Brad (VT) was fourth until passed by Greg Dyson (Ford Falcon AU) on the final lap.

Race two was the reverse grid outing which saw Brock Boley edge out Martin for second place after a pass on the penultima lap. Fourth went to Vince Ciallella (Commodore VY) when he overtook Boley on the final lap.

Race three saw Martin second again, just in front of Rick Gill (AU) who was an early race one casualty and seventh in the second. Brad Boley was next ahead of Ciallella, Dyson and Brock Boley.

the line in each of the three races. However, the Chevron B20 pilot had to settle for second in race two after being a little rash getting away and receiving a 5s penalty as a consequence.

That gave Simon Alderson (Formula Ford 2000 Van Diemen RF88) the victory and second overall as he was the runner-up in the other two races.

Third for the weekend went to Craig Thompson (FF2000 Van Diemen) after two thirds and before a clutch issue dropped him to fifth in the last.

Fourth overall and the best of the regular Formula Ford runners was Craig Jorgensen over fellow Van Diemen steerer Ben Leslie. Meanwhile the handicap result went to Glenn Swarbrick (Macon MR9) over Leon Majestro (Reynard) and Bullock. Garry O’Brien

FORMULA RACING

IT WAS round five for the mostly Classic field (with the addition of a couple of more modern Formula Fords). After qualifying fastest, Marty Bullock was first across

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TIN TOPS NUMBER UP AT HISTORICS ORIGINALLY SLATED for late July, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Historic Racing Car Club of Queensland to move its annual Historic Queensland race meeting to October 4-5.

With border crossings basically not allowed, it became an all-Queensland event but despite that numbers were reasonably good, particularly in the tin top classes.

HISTORIC TOURING CARS

IT COULD not have worked out better for Craig Allan in Group Nc over 2.0-litre. He took his Ford Mustang to pole position, four race wins and a new lap record to cap off the perfect weekend.

In each outing he won ahead of Rod Cannon in his Ford Falcon Rallye Sprint while Matt Clift (Mazda RX2) was third overall. The latter had come from fifth in the first to get to third, only to be relegated a spot on the last lap to Graeme Wakefield (Mustang) on the last lap.

Cannon had the lead at the start of race two before Allan passed and surged away.

Clift maintained third throughout. Wakefield was out early with a broken gearbox and left Peter Baguley (Holden Torana XU-1) to finished fourth ahead of Grant Schneider (RX2).

In race three it was Baguley just in front of Clift, with Schneider next after Russell McDowell (Falcon XY GT) lost places early

Images: Peter Trapnell

FORMULA FORDS/FORMULA VEES/FORMULA JUNIORS

on. Cannon had the jump on everyone in race four but soon dropped to fourth before Clift finished second ahead of Schneider.

Baguley too had dramas and was a retiree.

Groups Nb and Nc - up to 2.0-ltr - were combined with Ed Ohlrich (Austin Cooper

S) winning the first two races before Claude Ciccotelli (Holden EH) won the third. James Anderson (Alfa Romeo GTV 2000) won the last to secure Nc under 2.0-litre, while Ohlrich took overall Nb honours.

OF THE historic open wheelers, it was Sean Sorensen in his Van Diemen who was best overall. He was the fastest qualifier and the winner of race one – just, over Geoff Karger (Reynard) while Michael Meyer (Van Diemen) was narrowly ahead of Kendal Barry-Cotter (PRS) in the race for third.

Dylan Fahey (Van Diemen) did not qualify well and missed the first race. He came back to pip Sorensen in the second and third, before a comfortable victory in the fourth race. BarryCotter recorded two thirds before Meyer grabbed third in the last.

Karger was second overall with Meyer third while Barry-Cotter was the best of the earlier

NIGHT FIGHT ALTERNATIVE WORKED THERE WAS no ‘Fight in the Night’ this year, however the state Production Touring group had a great alterative at Queensland Raceway on October 10, with the underlights Ultimate Diesel Tuning QR300.

In their Class X BMW M3 F82, Tristan and Dalton Ellery won the 96-lap, 300-kilometre event by a lap over Karl Begg and David Russell (BMW M4 F82).

Third place, just 10.6s behind, were Coleby Cowhan and Lindsay Kearns (Class A2 Ford Mustang).

The Ellery brothers were second early and through the course of mandatory pitstops remained in the top six. However, they did not take the lead until lap 73, which they then held to the chequered flag.

Begg and Russell led the first nine laps and yielded the front running to Dylan Cothill and Hudson Sinclair (Invitation Class Nissan Skyline R35 GTR). The BMW pair regained the lead briefly on lap 18 before another stint at the front from lap 24.

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Images: MTR Images

The Nissan team encountered refuelling problems that had them make several pit visits and they would ultimately finish 17th.

From lap 50, Begg and Russell led 23 laps before their last stop where they dropped a lap and re-joined third behind Cowhan/ Kearns. Begg and Russell were able to make up the leeway, but a win was too far away.

On the same lap were fourth placed Brad Carr and Ash Jarvis (A2 BMW M3 V8), two

laps ahead of Gerry Murphy and Stephen Robinson (B2 Holden Commodore SSV).

Class A1 went to John Harris and Aaron Seton (Mitsubishi EVO X RS) with 92 laps completed, one more than class rivals Wade Scott and Ben Gersekowski (EVO 8).

Outstanding results went to the two leading Class D Toyota 86s which made it into the top 10.

Andrew Wilton and Nash Morris were

eighth and Mitchell Maddren and Luke Cornwell finished 10th. In between were Tony and Kent Quinn, who missed an outright podium with a late puncture.

Class C was won by Nick and Ben McLeod (Holden Astra Turbo). Class I went to Daniel Ross and Murray Coote (Toyota Altezza), while Adam Talbert (Mazda 6) drove solo for Class E victory.

The Tony Alford/Kyle Alford Ford Mustang

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Group Fb cars. Formula Vee honours were split with Neil Slvyer (Elfin NG) and Alan Don (Nimbus) each getting two wins.

HERITAGE TOURING CARS

IN HIS Group A Holden Commodore, Mark Taylor missed out on pole position but made up for it with four race wins.

He won three of the outings ahead of the faster qualifier (Nissan Skyline GTS HR31) and the fourth in front of Craig Neilson (Mitsubishi Starion).

Neilson finished second overall ahead of Wayne Clift (Commodore) and Craig Foster (Toyota Corolla AE86).

Alford was fifth in the points after he missed race three.

GROUP S/INVITED SPORTS CARS

THE ADAVANTAGE of weight over the rear wheels enable Stan Adler and his Group S Porsche 911 Carrera to get away with leading all four races from the start, but it wasn’t enough to hold out Jon Siddins in his Invited Datsun 240Z. Each race it took a little longer to get the job done, and after a comfortable 8.7s race one win, the rest were very close.

On each occasion Trevor Bassett (Sc Porsche) placed

ran strongly until a crash with Cowhan that put the younger Alford in hospital with a shoulder injury.

The Anthony Gilbertson/Kyle Gurton BMW M3 V8 then stopped after Turn 6 late in the race.

The Steve Hay/Bayley Hall Mazda 3 went off at Turn 6 midway through and caused the second clampdown.

The first yellow flag occurred when the Jason Simes/Anthony Levitt Mercedes-AMG C63 crashed at Turn 2. The Michael James/Liam McAdam HSV Clubsport retired early with overheating, and Beric Lynton’s M3 F80 was never competitive due to ongoing computer and electrical dramas.

PRODUCTION SPORTS CARS

OVER FOUR races Nick Cresswell (Lamborghini Gallardo) was a comfortable winner. Steven McFadden was a clear second in the first race, while there was little between fellow Porsche drivers Joe Barbagallo and Lachlan Harburg, as they battled ahead of Graham Lusty (Mosler).

Harburg was second ahead of Barbagallo in the next two races. McFadden was well down the order in race two and Lusty went out early. Lusty fought came through to finish fourth in race three and second in a very depleted race four, ahead of Shane Plohl (Eunos Roadster).

AUSTRALIAN TRANS-AM

AT THE final round Geoff Fane (Chev Camaro) was unbeaten over four races. John English (Pontiac Firebird) did enough to wrap up the title ahead of Anthony Tenkate (Ford Mustang), as Ron Prefontaine (Mustang) took out the five-litre class.

Justin Anthony (Camaro) finished fourth behind English and Tenkate in race one. Fourth placed Ian

third while fourth was shared between Trevor Bassett (Invited Ferrari Daytona) and Michael McKelliget (Group S Datsun 260Z), with two each. Meanwhile Group Sb was won by Manuel Pena (Alfa 1750 GTV) over Phil Simmie (Alfa Giulia Sprint).

GROUP Q, R & INVITED SPORTS & RACING

QUALIFYING FASTEST it was no surprise that William Norman would comfortably take out the four races in his Ralt RT4. But in the first he had a tussle with Rob Foster in his first outing in the March Super Vee who had the lead for several laps.

Chris Hatfield (RCR T70 Spyder) finished just behind the latter and clear of a close finish between Keith Carling (Tiga SC-84 Sports 2000) and Dan McCarthy (Elfin 622) Foster was a race two non-starter where Hatfield was second, well clear of McCarthy who featured in a tight contest with Bruce Taylor (Tiga), John Barram (Cheetah Mk5), John Wishart (Welsor Clubman) and Kevin Gray (Tiga).

The top three places in the last two races were the same while Carling was fourth in both, firstly ahead of Taylor and then Gray. Garry O’Brien

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Palmer (Firebird) was second next time out, ahead of Tenkate and English, before the latter rebounded for second in the next. Palmer placed third ahead of Tenkate, and then beat both in race four.

QLD TOURING CARS

AFTER HE was pipped for pole, Dean McMahon (Holden Monaro) won race one. Saxon Moyes (BMW E36) was off pole and Mahon gained the upper hand from the start and held off Robert Bellinger (BMW E46) initially and Moyes when he moved to second. Bellinger was penalised 30s afterwards which left Matt Haak (Holden Commodore) third from Gary Lange (BMW E46).

McMahon held out Moyes in race two, as Bellinger came from ninth to third ahead of Lange, Leo Meiera and fellow Commodore drivers Haak, Les Hanifin, Cameron Haak and Simon Winters.

With no McMahon or Moyes for race three, Bellinger won from Steven Harris (Nissan Bluebird), the Haaks and Shannon Cane (Commodore.

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QR SPORTS & SEDANS

IN THE debut of his BMW E36, Aaron Hodges came away with two seconds initially and then two race wins.

Tony Saint (Mazda RX7 V8) had qualified fastest and won races one and two, but failed to finish race three and was third in the last.

In race one it was close between Brian Smallwood and Tim Barwick in their Holden Commodores, split by half a second. Smallwood retired from race two and left Barwick third, but the latter was finished for the weekend with a fried plug lead which left Jordan Walker with a couple of seconds.

Garry O’Brien

6 Cronulla Crt Slacks Creek QLD 4127 Performance Wholesale (07) 3808 1986 W | performancewholesale.com.au E | sales@pwa-au.com

AutoAction

57

We take a look back at who or what was making news in the pages of Auto Action 10, 20, 30 & 40 years ago

Testing your motor sport knowledge

1980: IT WAS the perfect homecoming for Alan Jones as he won the Australian Grand Prix at Calder Raceway. The recently crowned Formula 1 World Champion dominated the event, as Alfredo Costanzo finished first of the local drivers in fourth to seal his maiden Australian Drivers’ Championship.

1990: BMW TO return in ’91 was the big news with Frank Gardner spearheading its re-introduction into Australian touring car racing.

Run out of Tony Longhurst’s Queensland headquarters, the two-car M3 team will feature Benson and Hedges sponsorship.

Also previewed was the Australian Grand Prix.

2000: GLENN SETON was confident he had the car to beat ahead of the Bathurst 1000. A 20 percent increase in stiffness, was combined it being the lightest AU Falcon Ford Tickford Racing had ever produced. Seton was still recovering from a horrendous testing crash at Phillip Island. Mark Webber was set to sign on as Benetton’s test driver.

ACROSS

2. What was Gilles Villeneuve’s highest finishing position for Ferrari in 1980?

4. Elio de Angelis scored Lotus’ only podium in 1980, in what country did he stand on the rostrum?

7. For which team did Riccardo Patrese contest the 1980 F1 season?

11. Which former Top Gear host made his sole Grand Prix race start in Belgium? (surname) 13. Ferrari and which other team unsuccessfully ran with V12 engines in 1980?

14. How many points did 1978 champion Mario Andretti score in 1980 for Lotus?

16. Which French driver won the 1980 Austrian Grand Prix? (surname) 22. A two-time Formula 1 World Champion retired at the end of 1980. Who was this legendary driver? (full name) 24. Who along with Nelson Piquet scored his maiden F1 podium in Argentinian season opener? (full name) 25. An Australian born Kiwi made his F1 championship race debut in the 1980 Canadian Grand Prix. Who was it? (surname only) 26. Who won the 1979 world championship and in 1980 announced his retirement at the end of

58 AutoAction

the season? (surname) 27. What brand of engine powered Williams to its first Drivers and Constructors Championships?

28. Midway through 1980, Didier Pironi signed to drive for what team in 1981?

29. In what position did Ferrari finish the Constructors’ Championship?

DOWN

1. What team finished second in the Constructors’ title in 1980?

3. How many races did the turbo-charged Renaults win during 1980?

5. In which state of Australia was 1980 Formula 1 World Champion Alan Jones born?

6. Didier Pironi scored his maiden Formula 1 race win where?

8. Who finished second to Jones in the Driver’s

2010: THERE WAS a major upheaval at Dick Johnson Racing after mining magnate Nathan Tinkler failed to buy out Charlie Schwerkolt’s 50 percent stake in the team. Adrian Burgess confirmed his departure, switching to archrival Triple Eight Race Engineering, but the major focus was now on lead driver James Courtney and his 2011 destination.

sstandings? (full name) 99. Lotus fielded a third car in several races for a yyoung British driver late in the season. Who was tthe driver? (surname) 110. Alan Jones raced with what famous number iin 1980?

112. At what track did Nelson Piquet earn his m maiden Formula 1 race victory?

115. In what country was a race declared a nnon-championship weeks after the event due to unrest between FISA and FOCA? 17. A future World Champion made his Formula 1 debut for McLaren in 1980? (full name) 18. Who won the 1980 Monaco Grand Prix ? (surname) 19. Who was Didier Pironi’s teammate at Ligier in 1980? (surname) 20. Which team pulled out of the championship midway through the season after starting only one race?

21. Which former Formula 1 race winner was killed in a testing crash at Hockenheim? (surname) 23. Nelson Piquet competed for which team in 1980?

27. How many wins did Alan Jones achieve in points paying races during the 1980 season?

# 1796 Crossword Answers 1 down – FPR 2 across – Stanaway 3 down – Tim Slade 4 down – Cortina 5 across – Monaro 6 across – Longhurst 7 down – George Reynolds 8 across – Dick Johnson 9 across – Rydell 10 across – Armstrong 11 down – Paul Dumbrell 12 across – GRM 13 down – Mark Skaife 14 down – Chaz Mostert 15 down –

Chickadee 16 down – nine 17 across – Bright 18 down – three 19 down – second 20 across – David Reynolds 21 across – Tander 22 across – six 23 down – Randle 24 across – Allan Moffat 25 down – four 26 across – Lowndes 27 down – one 28 across – Gardner 29 across – Paul Morris

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