thenationals.com.au | ISSUE 7, 2013 | $5.00
MR PORSCHE FITZY THE COMEBACK KING ON HIS BIG RETURN!
Need FOR SPEED
Behind the scenes at Australia’s Motorsport TV channel!
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4
Speed Shots
7
Craillsy’s Soapbox
8
News in Brief...
10
Feature FITZY
16
Feature Need For Speed
20
Feature Better to be lucky
22
Feature V8 Sleuthing - FPR CARS
24
Round 7 - Categories & Entries
30 Television Coverage Lap Records
Publisher
Australian Motor Racing Pty Ltd
Editor
Richard Craill
Art Director
Sarah Anesbury 121 Creative Hilton
Writers
Richard Craill, Garry O’Brien
Production
Kwik Kopy Printing Hilton
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While reasonable effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information provided, Australian Motor Racing Pty Ltd make no representation, express or implied, as to the accuracy, currency, reliability or suitability. Australian Motor Racing Pty Ltd expressly disclaim responsibility for any damages that may be caused by or in connection with the information provided.
thenationals.com.au | 3
Stephen Grove By Nathan Wong
Canon 1DX, 35mm, 1/40s at f2.8, ISO3200 Stephen Grove drove like a man possessed at Queensland Raceway, taking his first Elite Class podium during Race 1 under lights and going on to win the round for the Elite drivers. Using a wider angle lens and a slow shutter to blur the background and lighting, I also fired the flash to also freeze some details of the 997 GT3 Cup car as he flew by.
4 | the Racing Magazine
thenationals.com.au | 5
SOAPBOX CRAILLSY’S Words: RICHARD CRAILL
Why can’t Australians be satisfied with their own home grown motorsport successes? I AM NOT paid by V8 Supercars, nor am their
introduce F1-style drag reducing rear wings
At Winton there were 28 cars from four
biggest cheerleader. I am critical of decisions
to introduce even some form of overtaking.
brands covered by eight-tenths of a second
made in their management over the past
They are too quick, with too much aero and
in qualifying and if you can find me a series
few years and often question the direction
every race I have seen on SPEED TV here in
(that isn’t NASCAR) that can offer that kind
of the sport it takes, its marketing efforts,
Australia over the last few months have – with
management and so on. Car of the future
very few exceptions – not been remarkable
of competitiveness than I’ll start watching
is more expensive than it should’ve been.
affairs to say the least.
Crowds are dropping at several ‘heartland’
But the worst thing for me is that it comes
events and more needs to be done to bring them back... and so on.
across as a completely soulless branding exercise for three German manufacturers
However, now that’s out of the way, can I
looking for somewhere cool to entertain
please as why the so many people are keen
customers and corporates.
to smack down what is undoubtedly the best
There’s no tribalism. It’s too corporate. The
Touring Car-style category in the world?
manufacturers (for the most part) fund the
it immediately. DTM can’t and none of the European four-cylinder formulae’s can either. And there’s more - in the space of a few weeks in June and July, more than 80 cars built to the same regulatory philosophy ran across three different series... all here in little ‘ol Australia! Between the main game (28 cars), Dunlop series (28-34 cars) and the unofficially official third-tier Kumho series (with anything up to 22
Twice in the last month two major motoring and
whole thing so there are few inter-team
motorsport publications have produced front-
battles. Save for one or two brightly-coloured
page articles suggesting that the regulations
entries every car has the same very neat, very
the moment.
employed by the DTM – in essence, the
ordered, very German livery. The drivers toe
It’s not perfect. I don’t think everything V8
German Touring Car Championship – should
the company line and I’ve never seen one
Supercars Australia touches is gold. But I
have been adopted by V8 Supercars instead
DTM driver try and take a swing at another.
would like to see Australian’s actually consider
It’s all very boring to me and I also don’t buy
embracing what they have here rather than
claims that it’s the most competitive ‘Touring
suggesting that we should’ve adopted a
Is it merely Aussie tall-poppy syndrome, or is
Car’ series in the world, either, and people
it people being blinded by the cash and cool
global formula that fails to tick a lot of the
that suggest otherwise should be smacked in
cars in the DTM? I think the latter.
boxes we already have ticked.
the back of their heads.
I fail to see the appeal of DTM that others do.
In V8 Supercars there have been 12 –TWELVE
For starters, the cars are hugely expensive and
– different race winners from eight teams
sure, in isolation they are awesome things, I’m
and three of the four brands represented. An
not going to doubt that; they scream like a
exciting fifth brand is coming next year, whilst
Formula one car and go very quickly indeed
in 2013 three first time winners have emerged
and I’m sure one of them on an eleven-tenths
– all of them overflowing with personality and
qualifier at Bathurst would be superb.
exuberance – amongst a championship that
No, it is not Australia that should be embracing
But have these people actually watched the
now has six drivers within one race win of
DTM. Perhaps, in fact, it should be the other
racing? It’s terrible. This year the series had to
the leader.
way around.
of their most recent regulatory switch to Car of the Future regulations.
cars running), there are V8’s running aplenty at
We already have an international category racing here and it’s called GT3, a set of regulations far more prevalent internationally than the DTM regulations are, even with moves in Japan to standardise their regs with the Germans.
thenationals.com.au | 7
The Latest News...
SYDNEY AND MELBOURNE TO SWITCH SHANNONS OPENER
2014 season set for a Melbourne kick-off and spectacular finale’ in Sydney amongst other changes to next year’s calendar. Words: RICHARD CRAILL IMAGE: Nathan Wong
A MOVE to capitalise on Melbourne’s massive start to the motor racing year is behind a push to open the 2014 Shannons Australian Motor Racing Nationals in the Victorian capital.
“There is a potential for us to investigate partnering with events like the Phillip Island Historics, doing some ticketing deals or something similar to boost crowds at both events,” Curkpatrick said.
In what is set to be a straight swap between Australia’s two biggest cities, the 2014 season is expected to start at Sandown and end at Sydney Motorsport Park in November.
“It makes sense to work together to grow all of the events and showcase the massive amount of motor sport-related activities available to racing fans throughout the month. We’re working away on that and will see how it goes.”
The move to an early-March start in Melbourne will add to the slate of high-profile racing events in and around the city at that time of year, including the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, and the massive Phillip Island historic meeting.
Outside of the first-for-last swap between Sydney and Melbourne, the remainder of the 2014 Nationals calendar looks to follow a similar course to this year, again visiting four states and a wide array of circuits.
“We hope to be able to tie in with several of those events and perhaps capitalise on Melbourne being the ‘Motor Sport capital’ of Australia for that month,” Shannons Nationals series director Rob Curkpatrick told The Racing Magazine.
Mallala (April), Phillip Island (May and September), a second Sydney Motorsport Park date in July, the now-annual Queensland Raceway event in August and Wakefield Park’s October date look set to potentially retain near-identical places in the calendar as this year.
“The programming works better for the folks at Sandown and gets the Shannons Nationals round out of a busy start to the year at Sydney Motorport Park. We like the idea of ending the year in Sydney and ending the year with a bang there.”
“Consistency has been key for us and we are working now to build date equity and a regular following for our events,” Curkpatrick said. We want to work with our promoters to build their rounds, draw more spectators, more car clubs and, importantly, more competitors into each event and having a regular date in the calendar will be an asset to help achieve that.”
Series organisers say they will investigate ways of working with similar events in Melbourne next March to cross-promote each meeting.
www.hankooktyre.com.au 8 | the Racing Magazine
The Latest News...
MUSCAT MIGHTY IN CARRERA CUP DEBUT Words: RICHARD CRAILL IMAGE: Porsche Australia
ONE OF the biggest finds of the 2013 Nationals season, 21-year-old Victorian driver Richard Muscat, starred in his Porsche Carrera Cup solo debut at Winton Motor Raceway last month.
second after a post-race time penalty was assessed to Craig Baird for his role in a turn one, lap one drama that took both Steven Richards and Nick Percat out of the running.
Cup Car.
race two, but I learned a lot over the weekend
The 2013 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia ‘Jim Richards Enduro Trophy’ winner qualified eighth – less than a second behind polesitter, Nick Percat, and 0.5s behind fourtime champion Craig Baird – but it was in the racing where he impressed.
In race two he chased race one winner Michael Patrizi for the lead for several laps, before boldly going for, and taking, a lead he would hold for only a brief moment; Muscat hip ‘n shouldered off the road at the next corner to recover to ninth at the end of the race.
In race one he starred, scything his way through a safety-car filled and crash-ridden race to finish third on the road, that became
He finished fifth in the final race and in the same position for the round overall in his gulf-Porsche inspired, GT3 Factory 997 GT3
however will compete in the final round at
“It was a great round for me in Carrera Cup,” Muscat beamed post-event. “It was unfortunate to be bumped off the road in and I’ll know what to do next time. “Top five overall was awesome and race pace was very strong.” Muscat has mathematically clinched the GT3 Cup Challenge Australia title this year Phillip Island in an effort to conclude his stunning national debut season in style.
STILL NO SYDNEY RESULT RESULTS OF the second round of the AMChamps series remain up in the air with a CAMS Tribunal having recessed to consider cases put forward by the Dylan Thomas / CXC Global Racing team at an appeal hearing held in late August.
The car sat in pit lane as the leader, still one lap up on its nearest competitor and The Racing Magazine understands it is this fact that the team has argued – in essence, they were still the leader however did not receive the checkered flag.
As this issue of The Racing Magazine went to press no date for a final decision had been confirmed.
In addition to the dramas for the Mitsubishi team, the second-placed BMW 1M of Beric Lynton and Tim Leahey – plus the Sherrin Rentals car of Iain and Grant Sherrin – were deemed to be running non-standard turbo intercoolers, a breach of championship regulations.
Don’t forget to follow us...
The AMChamps continue at Wakefield Park in October, following their most recent round at Queensland Raceway – won by Garry Holt
Follow us at www.facebook.com /TheNationals
The controversial finish to the July AMChamps enduro at Sydney Motorsport Park saw the Thomas / Kostera Mitsubishi Lancer one-lap up on the field in the closing stages, before pitting for a splash-and-go fuel stop after the race was scheduled to end, crossing the timing line in pit lane.
and Ryan McLeod. TRM will run an in depth feature about the dramatic AMChamps season to date in the next issue, to be published mid-October.
Follow the series on Twitter @ShannonsNats
thenationals.com.au | 9
FITZY.
WORDS: Garry O’Brien IMAGES: Nathan Wong
PETER FITZGERALD made a surprise comeback to national competition this year in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia. In a Racing Magazine first, our GARRY O’BRIEN charts the history of this unsung hero of Australia’s motorsport scene.
10 | the Racing Magazine
He may not have intended to go back to racing at a national level, but you can’t keep a good man down. Somewhat reservedly Peter Fitzgerald is back in the driver’s seat of a Porsche and at 63 years of age, is again racing competitively. “I built a car up for a customer for club sprints and what not, but so far he has never had the time to race it due to work commitments, so I have been driving it” he said. “And after winning outright and Open Porsche club championships for the last two years we decided to have a run in the GT3 Cup Challenge, so he bought a 2008 Cup car. “Not having driven professionally since 2006, I’m older and less fit, and it has been a real challenge getting back up to pace I can tell you!” The veteran has been around the sport since 1977 and has carved his own niche as a respected and formidable driver. He was born in Sydney and worked his way through several firms as an accountant through to 1971, then as a result of a company promotion and transfer, moved to Melbourne, continuing in the financial industry before opting to a sales career in 1981 and continuing there through to 1993. He started out at club level in a Porsche 911 2.4S and through driver training with the Bob Jane/Frank Gardner School at Calder Raceway, started racing the ex-Pete Geoghegan car in the Sports Car Championship as well as competing in Sports Sedan events. In the late ‘70s and early ‘80s he figured in the Championship top three, three times with a pair of seconds and a pair of thirds. Fitzgerald came to prominence to Australian motorsport fans in the early ‘80s through the televising, by Channel Seven, of the AMSCAR series. He was competing in the Comalco Sports Sedan Series which was often broadcast live. In a David verses Goliath battle he and his Porsche featured in many great dices with the big Holden Monaro of Bob Stevens. He raced in the touring car endurance races at Sandown and Bathurst on several occasions. “Those events were most satisfying in that I actually raced in teams with drivers that I idolised as spectator,” he said, referring to Colin Bond, Alan Jones and Denny Hulme. His match-up with the latter produced his best Bathurst 1000 result (1991) – a fourth outright in one of the B&H BMWs. He also finished second with Alan Jones in the Sandown 500 in ’91. His funniest Bathurst was in 1987, the year the race was part of the World Touring Car Championship. Peter McLeod had vacated his regular drive to join Peter Brock’s Mobil team (and eventually won the race). McLeod’s Commodore was leased to ‘the Captain’, Peter Janson to drive and Fitzgerald was asked to step in to replace McLeod. It was an arduous task; the car was not fitted with power steering but they still managed to get it home – in 18th position. But along the way the bonnet flew up but Janson was able to get the car back to the pits. Tape was applied and Fitzgerald was quickly dispatched so as not to go down a lap. Next lap he returned to the pits for more affective repairs. “Someone appeared from out of nowhere with a pinch-bar and whacked a hole in the bonnet which then had a chain threaded through and then padlocked,” Fitzgerald laughed. “They then told me, ‘that it probably won’t come up again now!’” He was the Australian Production Car Champion in 1987 and 1989 driving a Mitsubishi Starion and Toyota Supra Turbo, respectively. In between he won the Australian Porsche Cup in 1988 in a 944 Turbo. He raced the Winton 300 many times and won most of them with codrivers of note, such as Alan Grice and Tony Longhurst. Production Cars were targeted for the introduction of a 12 Hour race at Bathurst over the Easter weekend in 1991. Teaming up with the twotime winner of that other race on Mt Panorama, Allan Grice, and the
unknown young New Zealander Nigel Arkell, the trio went on to win the inaugural event by two laps. It was the first time a Japanese car had won an endurance race at Bathurst. For the following year Fitzgerald was joined by Jim Zerefos and Brett Peters in a Holden Commodore SS Group A, were backed by Hardie Dux Hot Water Systems and finished fourth in class and 13th outright. Manufacturer-backed teams had appeared with Mazda, Holden, Ford, BMW, Saab, Mitsubishi, Citroen and Peugeot funding teams in some manner. Porsche brought in a couple of 968 CS models for 1993 to take on the ’92 winners Mazda and their RX7s, and it was a superb contest. Two teams, two cars each and top quality drivers like Alan Jones, Garry Waldon, Charlie O’Brien and Gregg Hansford in the Mazda camp and Fitzy, John Smith, Brett Peters, Kevin Waldock and the experienced Swiss sports car driver Nicholas Leutwiler lining up in the Porsches. One Mazda and the Porsches finished on the lead lap at the end of 12 hours, the second Mazda was two laps back and eight laps up on the next car. However the Porsches were scrubbed from the results. “We were disqualified for having wheel offsets that were five millimetres out, something Porsche had changed without telling us. It upset me greatly that we were not only ruled out, but there was a period of suspension that went with it – for something that wasn’t our fault and was to the detriment of performance as it reduced the track measurement.” In 1994 there was a similar contest on offer. If anything the Japanese maker had a stronger line-up with Mark Skaife and Neil Crompton replacing Jones and O’Brien. There were driver changes in the Porsche ranks as well with Jim Richards, Brad Jones and Geoff Morgan coming in and Smith and Waldock exiting. Again Mazda won while the Porsches crossed the line second and third. This time there were no disqualifications and Fitzgerald, along with Richards and Leutwiler, finished on the lead lap. The following year, the 12 Hour moved from Bathurst to Eastern Creek and from Easter to November. Again the Porsches (this time 993 RS-CS models) were up against the Mazdas in the outright contest. Fitzgerald put the car on pole. Again, Fitzgerald, partnered by Richards finished on the lead lap in second place to the RX-7 SP. The race was discontinued in 1996 until successfully revived in 2007, at Easter and at Bathurst. Fitzgerald also had an accomplished record in the Targa Tasmania road rallies. His first was in 1996 where after running third in the prologue, he was a strong outright contender but on day two, the 968 Turbo RS hit a rock and suffered a puncture as a consequence. He and navigator dropped to 164th but made up an incredible number of places to be ultimately classified fifth outright. His best result was in 1999 where, with Michael Mansour, Fitzgerald broke what would have been a sequence of eight wins for Jim Richards and Barry Oliver by winning in the ex-Richards 911 Turbo 993. Another great year was 1998 where he rallied the Porsche-entered 356GT that was originally meant for Jochen Mass and German journalist. “Mass couldn’t make it and the journo and I got on like a house of fire... and we won the Classic Division.” The Australian GT Production Championship, which started in 1994 and would later morph itself into Nations Cup, was a good fit for Fitzgerald where he finished in the top three until becoming the Champion in 1997 in a Porsche 993 RS-CS. In 1994, Fitzgerald also started his own racing and performance business with the assistance of Porsche and it built up a reputation as thenationals.com.au | 11
“Getting a drive in the Daytona 24 Hour was a highlight. That came about in 1984 when Chuck Kendall put me in his Lola T600 at the Sandown Endurance race.”
one of the best road and race shops around for the German marque.
back at of our endurance races, rarely have I finished off the podium.
His business complemented his racing successes. Through to the early
We seem to have had an ability to build good cars and produce good
2000s top three results in the Nations Cup followed and he tackled
management for that style of racing.”
both the Bathurst 24 Hour events of 2002 and 2003. In ‘03 he put a
“Getting a drive in the Daytona 24 Hour was a highlight. That came
team together for John Tuelan, which included Paul Morris and Scott
about in 1984 when Chuck Kendall put me in his Lola T600 at the
Sherman in a GT3 Cup Car - against much stiffer competition, they
Sandown Endurance race. It was a bit of a last minute thing as I was
finished 3rd outright behind the two Holden 427 Monaros. Tycoon
only meant to help them out. I was in the car when it spat the driveshaft
Ross Palmer had bankrolled those events plus the Nations Cup and
which in turn severed the brake linings. So from a 170mph on the
inevitably the costs could not be maintained after 2004.
straight going to turn one, I got very religious very quickly.
The year previously Fitzgerald had moved into Carrera Cup a one-
“Luckily I managed to spin it into the gravel trap without further
make, one-model series for the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 996 and finished
damage and an official handed me the driveshaft which I carried back
3rd overall. After 32 years of racing competition, Fitzgerald retired from
to the pits to show what had caused the problem and report that there
full-time driving at the end of 2006, but maintained his presence in
was no other damage. That led me to get the drive at Daytona in a 935
Porsche racing through his Carrera Cup team.
the following year.”
When the Carrera Cup ceased, he focused on state, club and road
Fitzgerald’s sense of riotousness may have made him unpopular in
racing cars. Later he expanded his business with the introduction of
some circles but he can reflect on his racing career with a sense of
‘Evolve Technik,’ a business dedicated to aftermarket upgrades to Euro
accomplishment. “We won four national race titles which is a great
vehicles.
achievement. We’ve won distance races and the two Targas (Modern
“The first Bathurst 12 Hour that we won in 1991 was great. When I look
and Classic). When I think about it, I haven’t had a bad run, really.”
12 | the Racing Magazine
NEED FOR SPEED
In less than three short years, SPEED TV Australia has generated its own unique identity amongst Aussie Motorsport fans. But how did it come to be and just how do a team of six people produce 168 hours of motorsport TV gold each week? RICHARD CRAILL visited their brand new headquarters in Sydney to find out.
AFTER TAKING IN the size and showroomstandard construction of the building in question, the first thing you notice is on the first floor of FOX Sports’ brand new North Sydney headquarters is, surprisingly, Craig Lowndes. Not in person, of course, but represented in life-size form as a cardboard cut-out, souvenired from a Vodafone promotion run at the end of the 2012 V8 Supercars season. Certainly, the V8s biggest name is not the first thing you expect to see when you get inside FOX Sports’ incredible new production facility that was opened late in 2012 and now houses an array of channels including FOX Sports 1,2 and 3, FUEL TV, the earlier mentioned FOX News and, of course, FOX Footy. After you’ve walked above the high-definition lighting and cameras of Fox Sports News’ nearly always-operating studio and the station’s own private viewing theatre, there sits Craig - overlooking a long desk cluttered with motorsport imagery, signed merchandise and multiple incarnations of a red and white logo that has become synonymous with motorsport fans in the united states and, recently, Australia. This space, Craig Lowndes and all, is the home of SPEED TV Australia. Now approaching its third birthday, Australia’s 14 | the Racing Magazine
only 24/7 motorsport channel has given racing fans – both old and new – a new perspective on their favourite sport. It changes motorsport from being a small player amongst FOX’s incredible portfolio of major, worldwide acquisitions to a stand-alone destination operating under its own distinctive brand. However, that is even exists at all is a remarkable example of the sheer level of high quality motorsport content available to broadcasters these days. That it exists as a sole-channel in a market of 22 million people – and to a FOXTEL subscriber base of just over 2 million – makes its existence, and the demand for it to exist, even more impressive. But how did it get here, How did it begin and, importantly, how has it been accepted amongst the wider racing community? Overseeing the small group of people dedicated solely to the Channel SPEED Manager, James Harrison. The quietlyspoken, self professed motorcycle fan says that entering the Australian marketplace with a known commodity such as the SPEED brand was – clearly - an advantage. “I think it was better to come in as an established brand. Obviously speed no longer exists in the ‘states but it was good to have someone to bounce ideas off. It was quite amazing to go and visit their facilities
and see how they do stuff and tap into their programming, their graphics, promos and that kind of thing, and that made our world a lot easier,” he says. “But it came with expectation, as well and we took a slightly different tact here. Speed had been up for 15 years in the ‘a state in its various incarnations but it’s developed over those years. It started with SPEEDVision as a ‘pure’ motorsport channel but it became this big NASCAR-centric thing. It then changed again into having NASCAR during the weekend and more lifestyle programming during the week – stuff like ‘Dumbest stuff on Wheels’ and stuff like that.” Having tested the market with the lifestyle content, SPEEDs Australian enterprise decided that the ‘pure’ racing format was the way to go, a mandate that exists to this day. “We tapped into that initially but then pulled back: We are the motorsport channel. We want to be the motorsport channel and essentially, we went back to the SPEEDVision days here,” he says. “But we have different properties to them. Some of the confusion about the way sporting rights work people go ‘hey, it’s on SPEED in the US, why aren’t you guys showing it!’, which brought up its own challenges. “For instance, we have the NASCAR Sprint Cup, but they don’t (have the races) – and that’s
Shannons Australian Motor Racing Nationals action makes up a regular part of SPEEDs Wednesday night programming, along with stand-alone shows for the Kumho V8 Touring Car series. Check your local guides for details. because the rights in Australia are different to those in the U.S. It created some challenges and some challenges around the brand, but getting us up and running, it helped massively having them involved rather than just setting up as ‘FOX Sports Motorsport’.” Live racing plays a significant part in programming SPEED and therefore makes sorting the schedule for each week of broadcasting one of the teams’ toughest jobs - week in, week out. Whereas regular networks can rely on shows running to time, there’s nothing time certain about a live motor race. With drawn-out caution periods, rain-outs and red-flags in NASCAR, one of their biggest assets, a real risk and other live events often failing to run to their scheduled time, sorting a weekly program offers challenges to the SPEED team. Harrison says programming manager, Fiona
Georgiadis, has her work cut out for her in setting out what goes where. “Unlike other sports, motorsport is far from consistent. You know there’s going to be a football game on a Friday, then on Saturday, and on Sunday,” he explains. “With motorsport, there are various categories that shift times and are not on every week – and even if they are, they’re not on at the same time so the basis of our channel is live sport and that’s where we start. “We get all our live stuff in and fitting, and everything else slots in around it. We have our major categories, our NASCARS, our world superbikes, V8 Supercars (to which SPEED has first-run replay rights), WRC, IndyCar, Speedway GP and AMA Motorcross are our ‘big six categories’ that we focus and put our top tier attention on. The weekends are big, and the weekend schedule dictates itself in
getting live content up but also getting the replays of the early morning racing. Replays play a big role for us – NASCAR early on a Monday morning is hard to watch, but the replay on a Monday night is a big program for us. “It’s a bit of a challenge at times when there are clashes, but luckily we have the joy of the ‘red button’ so we aim to show everything live.” Harrison explains that Australians’ parochialism towards their own competing in high-level international sporting competition translates into real-time interest when it comes to selecting their motorsport viewing. With Will Power and Ryan Briscoe (IndyCar), Marcos Ambrose and, lately, Owen Kelly at the top in Nascar’s top two divisions and the lies of Chad Reed, Chris Holder and more succeeding on two wheels, it means there is plenty for local thenationals.com.au | 15
fans to cheer about across the channel. “You can tell when Marcos (Ambrose) goes well in NASCAR, it does really well for us. V8’s are big. The World Superbikes at Phillip Island at the start of the year is one of our biggest rating things. Speedway GP goes well for us and it’s a category we’ve developed but it also helps Australia having a current world champion (Chris Holder) in it. When an Aussie wins you can tell, because the replay of the event does a lot better. “Aussies want to follow Aussies doing well overseas, and we’ve tried to cherry pick those overseas categories where there’s an Aussie influence.”
Whilst SPEED is a 24/7 Motorsport TV Channel, it’s also become something of a destination brand for motorsport fans around Australia. The site’s website is integrated within the wider FOX news site and draws immense traffic. Social media activation is also a key role.
“There are obviously some issues that pop up,
“One of the very satisfying and successful things for us is that we’re very active in the social media space,” Harrison enthuses. “We make sure that any questions are answered and overall there seems to be a really positive vibe around the channel. Often social media can be the attraction for negativity, but overall I and the team have taken a lot of heart from the fact that the general gist has been positive.
around by the other channels and whatever
but people feel like as long as the question is answered, they are satisfied. They’re a small and vocal bunch – but they’ve got a motorsport channel.. they are having something catered to them! Whereas before they’d get stuffed takes
priority
over
motorsport.
Here
motorsport takes priority over motorsport. I think there’s been a positive vibe.” “Hopefully the upside is we can draw more people into motorsport. We’ll always satisfy the motorsport fan – but drawing more people in would be a bonus.”
SPEED? ALIVE OR DEAD? RUMORS of SPEED’s demise were greatly exaggerated. The recent rebranding – don’t call it a shut-down – of the channel in the United States came as a shock to some Australian viewers who thought that change in the ‘states would also adversely affect their own version of the 24/7 motorsport network. The Rupert Murdoch-owned SPEED Channel was recently rebranded to FOX Sports 1 – and FUEL changed to FOX Sports 2 – as part of a push to tackle the US-sports behemoth that is ESPN. But, as Channel manager James Harrison explains, the scenario in Australia is far different – thanks, mainly, to the incredible thirst for sport present in the local population. “There’s been a bit of confusion and a lack of understanding, perhaps, on the US TV market compared to ours. SPEED and Fuel TV in the US were replaced by Fox Sports 1 and 2... we have three Fox Sports channels already! I think the success of FOX Footy, 16 | the Racing Magazine
SPEED and Fuel here show that there is a reason for a dedicated channel. There’s no point having 10 FOX Sports channels because people need a destination to go to. There’s a different situation in the US wherein they had to set up a competitor to ESPN, whereas here ESPN is on the same platform as us, and it’s not a competitor; it caters to a target of US sports fans.
on in it, but we have access to the resources
“Having the different genre’ of channels here makes it easy for the consumers to understand.”
raft of people within this building that work
And while SPEED is run by a core group of six, the ability to tap into the 400-odd employed directly by the broader FOX Sports gives them a significant advantage over their former, stand-alone US-based namesake that operated with the expense and overheads of a the massive array of staff required to run a major TV network. “We are part of FOX Sports and there is a core group of six people that work full time
that is FOX sports,” says Harrison. “As with the (Rugby) League department and the (Melbourne-based) AFL Footy department and people dedicated to that, we’re the motorsport people. They do a fair bit more production than we do at the moment, so they have more people, but there are whole across all different departments. We can tap into the whole brand that is Fox Sports and the resources it has to offer, that helps us be bigger than we are... If we were a standalone channel with five people that wouldn’t happen! “There’s a small, hardcore group of lovers of motorsport that are driving it, and that’s one of the main advantages of working with a channel like us.”
BETTER TO BE LUCKY..
The 2014 Kerrick Sports Sedan Series has been nothing if not unpredictable. The most recent round at Queensland Raceway proved that as much as sheer speed, luck will play a significant role in deciding the title this year... WORDS: Garry O’Brien and Richard Craill IMAGES: Nathan Wong LUCK PLAYED ITS part at the third round of the Kerrick Australian Sports Sedan Series staged at Queensland Raceway in early August: It didn’t go with Darren Hossack in race one on the Saturday. For Tony Ricciardello, on the other hand, it worked the other way. In a near replica of their incredible battle at the same venue twelve months ago – almost to the day – the dominant duo of Sports Sedan racing once again put on a mighty show at QR. Wins were exchanged. Lap records smashed. The intensity raised once again. While he admitted he couldn’t have beaten Ricciardello in the opening race (when the lead changed hands due to lapped traffic), Hossack bounced back with a solid second in race two before taking a comprehensive win in the last driving the John Gourlay-owned Auto Union Deutsche Audi A4 Meanwhile Ricciardello - who had won race two and had smashed the existing lap record three times in three consecutive laps - led the last until, of all things, loose bodywork forced the iconic red Alfa into the pits to rectify. He would ultimately re-join one lap down and finish eleventh. Again, the luck had shifted from one rival to another.
good to get through the meeting without any problems.” Hossack also left Queensland having set another new lap record in race three. All up, the existing benchmark was broken five times across the three races. He won the round over defending champion Kerry Baily (who continues to lead this years’ standings) and Shane Bradford. And so, remarkably, after three rounds the two foremost drivers in the series sit fourth (Ricciardello) and seventh (Hossack) in the Kerrick series standings. Kerry Baily leads by 40 points with two rounds remaining and its Camaro driver Shane Bradford sitting an excellent second, ahead of the similarly impressive Bruce Banks. Banks, known for his exploits in a Mazda RX7 in the past, has shifted to Camaro power this year and sits just five markers behind Bradford’s similar machine. Between Ricciardello and Hossack sit Daniel Tamasi and Jeff Barnes, with Colin Smith, Bob McLoughlin and Tony Cox rounding out the top ten.
“To be honest,” Hossack said, post-race, “It is at a point where we are pushing these things so hard that more unreliability issues are creeping in.
Two rounds remain and both have produced staggering Sports Sedan racing in the past; Phillip Island is next, to be followed by the finale’ at Sandown, in November.
“We’re driving these cars very hard and at the absolute limit so it’s making it very interesting. I’ve had my share of issues this year so it’s so
Watching the speed will be one thing; seeing which way the luck goes another. thenationals.com.au | 17
OLD >
THE OLD &
V8 Sleuth AARON NOONAN takes a look at the oldest and newest cars competing this THE beauty of the Kumho Tyres Australian V8 Touring Car Series is the blend of cars with V8 Supercar history that compete in the category.
to race as the #7 entry.
Now very much a home for cars no longer eligible for the main V8 Supercars Championship of the second-tier Dunlop Series, the Kumho Series caters for cars from the early five-litre days of 1993 right through to the BF model Falcon that last was run in the ‘main game’ in 2010.
though was wheeled out for Forbes to race at a handful of rounds after
This year’s series sees different eras of V8 Supercar racing together on the road and nowhere is this starker than when older model cars end up dicing on-track with more modern versions. Of the 20-plus cars that regular compete in this year’s Kumho Series there is no doubting that Matt Chahda’s #00 Falcon AU is the oldest, having first been built by the privateer Colourscan team back in 1999 – when the current pilot was a toddler!
It became a spare in 2002 when the team was rebranded 00 Motorsport, a testing crash benched his ex-Stone Brothers, ex-Lowndes car. Privateer Terry Wyhoon purchased the car and raced it in the 2003 Konica Series before it later appeared in the Touring Car Challenge, a series set up where ex-V8 Supercars competed against Super Tourers, Group A cars and even Future Tourers! It was sold to Gulf Western Oil’s Peter Vicary, who raced it in the TCC in 2006 until it then sat idle for quite a few years before being secured by Matt Chahda and father Amin for their 2013 Kumho Series campaign. After initially appearing in a plain black livery, the Chahda family got
The Queensland team debuted the car at that year’s Bathurst 1000 and ran it the following season with a range of drivers including Danny Osborne, Matt Coleman, Rick Bates and Brett Peters.
into the spirit of ‘old school’ heritage liveries by appearing at Winton
With a change to Ford in 2001 following the addition of Craig Lowndes, Gibson Motorsport needed to purchase Falcons for the beginning of that season and they grabbed the Colourscan scan for Rodney Forbes
Instantly the change of livery made the near-14-year-old car a real head
18 | the Racing Magazine
this year with the car in a ‘Milk’ 00 Motorsport livery as Forbes had raced it on occasion in 2002. turned at Kumho Series rounds – even more so considering that young Matt is regularly dicing inside the top 10 with cars far newer than his!
OLD >
THE NEW
year in the Kumho Tyres Australian V8 Touring Car Series in his latest story …
On the other hand, Ryan Simpson’s #2 Parramatta Smash Repairs Falcon BF has lifted the bar this year since its arrival at Winton earlier in the year. It’s the first Triple Eight Race Engineering-built car to filter down to the series and was built new in 2008 and debuted by Craig Lowndes at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide that year. Its identity – chassis 12A – is testament to the superstitious nature of many race teams given Triple Eight didn’t want their 13th chassis (including cars built in the John Briggs Motorsport era) to carry the number of ‘13’. The change to 12A didn’t bring the car any luck on its debut given the car was involved in a multi-car wreck with James Courtney and sidelined from the next few events! Lowndes drove it for the rest of 2008, though it was rested for the endurance races at Phillip Island and Bathurst. In 2009 the team introduced new FG Falcons, so this car was sold to Sonic Motor Racing and was driven by James Moffat in the Fujitsu Series.
It won the Townsville round and allowed Moffat to finish second in the series and claim the Mike Kable Young Gun Award for best first-year driver in V8 Supercars in ’09. The Sonic team again ran the car in 2010 in the DVS, though this time with Tim Blanchard behind the wheel. Again it won the Townsville round, again it finished second in the series and again its pilot won the Young Gun Award – strange but true! Chassis 12A sat idle for the next two seasons and was advertised for sale until eventually being purchased by Simpson’s team for its foray into the Kumho Series at Winton this year with a round win claimed in its second appearance at Queensland Raceway. This car also has the special claim of having won races over its life in the V8 Supercars Championship, Dunlop Series and Kumho Series. In the next issue of The Racing Magazine Australia we’ll take a look at two Commodores with plenty of history – the ex-Larry Perkins Holden of West Aussie duo Dean Kovacevich and Isi Ambrosio and the exSteve Owen DVS title-winning Ozzy Tyres entry of Steve Briffa. For more on the Kumho Series: www.v8touringcars.com.au For more on the V8 Sleuth: www.v8sleuth.com.au
thenationals.com.au | 19
20 | the Racing Magazine
ROUND 7 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Victoria
WELCOME TO ROUND 7
Dear Enthusiast, As we move into the second national race meeting of the year we can see nothing but good in our future. We now hold events at the circuit which cover the full range of levels possible on a motor race track. Starting at club level, we spend five weekends a year here running Sprint events for the club members and other enthusiasts. In these events, drivers race against the clock in either road cars, or race cars. They go on the track in groups of four cars, but do not need to race in close company with the others if they wish not to - their own lap times are what counts in the results. On these weekends we also often run races for Superkarts. These are amazing machines – while being the smallest of race cars, they are also amongst the fastest. The next level up is state motor racing and that is catered for by the Victorian State Circuit Race Series Meeting we hold here each year. This covers a great range of race cars and with up to thirty races over the weekend, is always full of action. The next level of state racing is covered for by our very special Island Magic race meeting. Run in November each year, this meeting brings out all the best of state racing in a grand finale for the year, and again produces great entertainment non-stop over the two days. National motor racing is well catered for with the two Shannons Australian Motor Racing Nationals, this Meeting being the seventh in their series. The events are for categories that run a national series around Australia, usually for an Australian Championship title, and this weekend is one of those events. The next level again is the V8 Supercar Championship which visits Phillip Island once each year, usually towards the end of the year. To cap all this off, we have international racing here as well in the form of the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix and the World Superbike Championship each year. Many of us are involved in those events and it is privilege to be able to do that. There are often vacancies in the organising side of all these events with roles ranging from flag marshals to scrutineers to pit marshals to paddock marshals. If you keep an eye on www.piarc.com.au and also www.phillipislandcircuit.com.au you will see when application forms are available. This year is also special for the circuit. We had a brand new racing surface laid down last December, and it is which is turning out to be one of the best surfaces in the world. It is much faster that the old surface which had served up well for many years, and drivers and riders are still learning how to get the best out of it. The usual odd bumps have disappeared, it is faster through the corners, and we are finding that competitors are having to change their lines through the corners because there are now faster ways around. Costing three million dollars, it was not a cheap exercise but it will keep Phillip Island at the forefront of world circuits for many years to come and that is not just a cheap boast. It is the fastest world circuit that the Superbikes race on each year and they love it for that. We hope you enjoy the racing this weekend and appreciate the various categories providing and a great mix of cars. If you are interested in taking your involvement further than watching from outside the track fencing, have a look at the PIARC website at www.piarc.com.au . Follow this through as an official or a club member, and you can also get involved with the International Motorcycle races held here at Phillip Island each year. You will find further detail in the website, and also membership forms. Finally, the coming events here include the MotoGP in October, and the V8 Supercars and Island Magic in November.
Peter Nelson Secretary – PIARC. Don’t miss the motorcycle racing, we have the 2013 Moto GP on October 26 to 28.
thenationals.com.au | 21
ROUND 7 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Victoria
2013 SHANNONS AUSTRALIAN MOTOR RACING NATIONALS PHILLIP ISLAND GRAND PRIX CIRCUIT 20-22 SEPTEMBER 2013 This Meeting is conducted under the International Sporting Code of the FIA, the National Competition Rules of the CAMS Ltd, the Race Meeting Standing Regulations of CAMS, Phillip Island Standing Regulations 03/2012,and Supplementary Regulations issued for this Meeting. CAMS Permit : 813/2605/01 EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY, RELEASE AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK MOTOR SPORT IS DANGEROUS In exchange for being able to attend or participate in the event, you agree: • to release Confederation of Australian Motor Sport Ltd (“CAMS”) and Australian Motor Sport Commission Ltd, promoters, sponsor organisations, land owners and lessees, organisers of the event, their respective servants, officials, representatives and agents (collectively, the “Associated Entities”) from all liability for your death, personal injury (including burns), psychological trauma, loss or damage (including property damage) (“harm”) howsoever arising from your participation in or attendance at the event, except to the extent prohibited by law; • that CAMS and the Associated Entities do not make any warranty, implied or express, that the event services will be provided with due care and skill or that any materials provided in connection with the services will be fit for the purpose for which they are supplied; and • to attend or participate in the event at your own risk. You acknowledge that: • the risks associated with attending or participating in the event include the risk that you may suffer harm as a result of: • motor vehicles (or parts of them) colliding with other motor vehicles, persons or property; • acts of violence and other harmful acts (whether intentional or inadvertent) committed by persons attending or participating in the event; and • the failure or unsuitability of facilities (including grand-stands, fences and guard rails) to ensure the safety of persons or property at the event. • motor sport is dangerous and that accidents causing harm can and do happen and may happen to you. You accept the conditions of, and acknowledge the risks arising from, attending or participating in the event and being provided with the event services by CAMS and the Associated Entities.
OFFICIALS OF THE MEETING SERIES DIRECTOR
Rob Curkpatrick
CHIEF OF RECOVERY
Ken Johnston
MEETING DIRECTOR
Peter Nelson
COURSE MARSHAL
Skip Taylor
STEWARDS of the MEETING
Steve Lisk, Greg Every, Erik Rubens
CHIEF MARSHAL
Roger Chirnside
CLERK of the COURSE
Colin Smith
CHIEF FIRE MARSHAL
Gus Luke
DEPUTY CLERK of the COURSE
Matt Balcombe
CHIEF MARSHALLING AREA
Barry Parker
ASSISTANT CLERKS of the COURSE
Ken Smith
SECRETARY of the MEETING
CHIEF FLAG MARSHAL
Terry O’Callaghan
Peter Nelson
JUDGES OF START & FINISH
C.Smith, M.Balcombe, I.Leech, & A.Bond
COMPLIANCE CHECKER
Danny Jonas
ORGANISING COMMITTEE
Colin Smith, Matt Balcombe,
CHIEF PADDOCK MARSHAL
Danny Jonas
Geoff Bull, Peter Nelson.
22 | the Racing Magazine
ROUND 7 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Victoria GENERAL NOTICES
PROHIBITED AREAS
Apart from when permitted by law, dogs and other pets are not permitted on the race circuit property at any time while the Meeting is in progress.
The organisers of the event have made every effort to ensure the safety of spectators at this meeting. In the interest of public safety, all areas other than the official spectator areas are prohibited. The spectator areas are plainly defined and spectators are requested to keep behind the safety fence at all times. Do not walk on the circuit at any time, or move into prohibited areas. In the event of an accident on the circuit, the public must remain behind the safety fence as their entry to the race track may cause further accidents and hinder officials.
The consumption of alcohol is prohibited in the Paddock area until after the last practice session or race has finished on any day. PLEASE USE THE RUBBISH BINS PROVIDED
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The thanks of the motorsport fraternity in general must go to the following groups for their assistance with this Meeting.
SAFETY
•
Phillip Island Auto Racing Club officials for their manning and management of the meeting.
The fencing erected around this circuit is there for your protection. It is forbidden to stand, sit or climb on it.
•
Phillip Island Operations P/L for their work in presenting the circuit and facilities as they are.
PARKING
•
Victorian Fire & Rescue Service for the fire fighting equipment, the driver rescue facilities, and their expertise.
•
Victorian Flag Marshalling team for flags and marshals.
•
Rob Curkpatrick as the series director for his untiring efforts to make the series a success.
Vehicles are permitted to enter and park on condition that the promoters and circuit owners are not under any liability whether in contract or in tort and whether for negligence as an occupier, or on any other basis or for any cause for action, for loss or damage to the vehicle or its contents no matter how or whether such may be caused.
• Competitors and the competitor groups for their participation & cooperation. •
Team Medical Australia for medical services
•
PIARC Recovery Team with the help through the year from Concours Towing (Sean Finn), Magic Towing (Mick Kidd), Cowes Total Car Centre (Brad Rodwell), SAS Towing (Aaron Stokes), Bunyip Crane Trucks (Syd Smith), Powerful Enterprises (Daryl Poynton), Yogi Haulage (David Miljkovic).
•
Dazzle Signs for assistance with event signage.
•
Bass Coast Shire for assistance with promotion
PETS Pets are not allowed at Mallala Motor Sport Park during race meetings, unless approved by State Legislation.
COPYRIGHT All material in this program is copyright and may not be used without permission of the publishers. The opinions of the contributors are not necessarily those held by the publishers or the event organisers.
ENTRIES The organisers accept entries and driver nominations in good faith. Every effort is made to adhere to the printed program of competitors but the promoter cannot accept responsibility for the failure of any driver or competing vehicle to appear. Although every endeavour is made to avoid inaccuracies in the description of competing vehicles, the organisers accept no responsibility for any that may occur. The organisers reserve the right to postpone, abandon or cancel the meeting or any part thereof.
Come and join the team who can get you closer to the action! TO R I A N
M
V IC
MA
RSHALLI NG
V IC
FL
A
G
TO R I A N
M
www.vicflag.org.au
T
M
EA
A
G
EA
FL
For more information simply email info@vicflag.org.au or call 03 8796 5321
T
AR thenationals.com.au | 23 SHALLI NG
ROUND 7 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Victoria
SCHEDULE FRIDAY 20th September Time Description Category
Duration
0700 Gates Open 715 Registration Office open for driver registration
24 | the Racing Magazine
905 Practice 1 Dial Before You Dig Aust Saloon Car Series
15 min
925 Practice 1 Radical Australia Cup
15 min
945 Practice 1
15 min
Aust Superkart Championship
1005 Practice 1 Kumho Tyres Aust V8 Touring Car Series
15 min
1025 Practice 1 Kerrick Sports Sedan Series
15 min
1045 Practice 1
25 min
Formula 3 Australian Drivers Champ.
1115 Practice 2 Dial Before You Dig Aust Saloon Car Series
15 min
1135 Practice 2 Radical Australia Cup
15 min
1155 Practice 2
15 min
Aust Superkart Championship
1215 Practice 2 Kumho Tyres Aust V8 Touring Car Series
15 min
1235 Practice 2 Kerrick Sports Sedan Series
15 min
1255 Practice 1 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge
25 min
1325 Practice 3 Dial Before You Dig Aust Saloon Car Series
20 min
1350 Practice 2
25 min
Formula 3 Australian Drivers Champ.
1420 Practice 3 Radical Australia Cup
20 min
1445 Practice 3
20 min
Aust Superkart Championship
1510 Practice 3 Kumho Tyres Aust V8 Touring Car Series
20 min
1535 Practice 3 Kerrick Sports Sedan Series
20 min
1600 Practice 2 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge
25 min
1625
Sponsor Rides
15 min
1640
Sponsor Rides Radical/Porsche GT3 Cup
Saloon Cars/V8 Touring Cars
20 min
ROUND 7 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Victoria
SCHEDULE
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930 Drivers Briefing Radical Aust Cup & Aust V8 Touring Car Series 950
Qualifying 1 Kerrick Sports Sedan Series
1010 Practice 1 1025
15 min
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10 min
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vehicle cover.Formula Shannons has3notAustralian taken account ofDrivers your objectives, financial situation or needs. First refer20 to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement at shannons.com.au or by calling 13 46 46. Qualifyingcomprehensive 1 Champ. min
1055 Practice 1 Kumho Tyres Aust V8 Touring Car Series
15 min
1115
Qualifying 1 Radical Australia Cup
15 min
1135
Qualifying 1
15 min
1155
Qualifying 1 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge
20 min
1225
Qualifying 2 Dial Before You Dig Aust Saloon Car Series
15 min
1245
Qualifying 2 Kerrick Sports Sedan Series
20 min
1315
Qualifying 1 Kumho Tyres Aust V8 Touring Car Series
20 min
1345
Qualifying 2 Radical Australia Cup
15 min
1405
Qualifying 2
Aust Superkart Championship
15 min
Formula 3 Australian Drivers Champ.
9 laps
1430 Race 1
Aust Superkart Championship
1455 Race 1 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge
9 laps
1520 Race 1 Kumho Tyres Aust V8 Touring Car Series
8 laps
1545 Race 1
7 laps
Aust Superkart Championship
1605 Race 1 Radical Australia Cup
CPS
50 min
8 min
SUNDAY 22nd September 700 Gates Open 90910
Warm up Radical Australia Cup
925 Race 1 Dial Before You Dig Aust Saloon Car Series
8 laps
950 Race 2
7 laps
Aust Superkart Championship
1010 Race 1 Kerrick Sports Sedan Series
9 laps
1035 Race 2
9 laps
Formula 3 Australian Drivers Champ.
1100 Race 2 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge 1125 Race 2 Radical Australia Cup
9 laps CPS
50 mins
1225 Race 2 Kumho Tyres Aust V8 Touring Car Series
8 laps
1250 Race 2 Dial Before You Dig Aust Saloon Car Series
8 laps
1315 Race 3
7 laps
Aust Superkart Championship
1340 Race 2 Kerrick Sports Sedan Series 1405 Race 3
Formula 3 Australian Drivers Champ.
1440 Race 3 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge
9 laps 14 laps 9 laps
1505 Race 3 Kumho Tyres Aust V8 Touring Car Series
12 laps
1535 Race 3 Dial Before You Dig Aust Saloon Car Series
8 laps
1600 Race 3 Kerrick Sports Sedan Series
9 laps
1625 Race 4
10 laps
Aust Superkart Championship
thenationals.com.au | 25
ROUND 7 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Victoria Kerrick Sports Sedan Series ON THE WEB: www.sportssedans.com.au
Car # Class SPONSOR COMPETITOR DRIVER State 1 SS Rent Depot Kerry Baily Kerry Baily Qld
VEHICLE CC COLOUR Aston Martin DBR9 6000 Silver
4
SS
Auto Union Deutsche
John Gourlay Darren Hossack
Vic
Audi A4
6000
5
SS
B&M Ricciardello Motors
Basil Ricciardello
WA
Alfa Romeo GTV
6000 Red
9
SS Luxury Auto Body Daniel Tamasi Daniel Tamasi
Vic Holden Calibra
6000
Black
14
SS Rosemount Smash Repairs
Qld
6000
White/Blue
19
SS
Johnson Motorsport Damian Johnson Damian Johnson
Vic Holden Torana
3300 Red/White
21
TA
Moonbi Oil Traders Phil Crompton Phil Crompton
Qld
5430 Orange
32
SS
Bell Real Estate
Michael Robinson
Michael Robinson
Vic Holden Monaro
6000 Grey
44
SS
MR Automotive
Colin Smith
Colin Smith
Qld Holden Monaro
6000 Red
45
SS
Campbelltown Frames & Trusses Dameon Jameson Dameon Jameson
NSW
Jaguar XKR
6000
51
SS
MR Automotive
NZ
Commodore VS
6000 Red/White
66
TA
Five Star Fencing & Gates Dean Camm Dean Camm
Vic
Chev Corvette
6000
Blue/White
68
TA
Aston Air Conditioning
Shane Bradford
Shane Bradford
Qld
Chev Camaro
6000
Yell/White
72
TA
BJ Banks Electrical
Bruce Banks
Bruce Banks
Tas
Chev Camaro
5860
Yellow
81
TA
The Car Mine/Liqui Moly/Meguiars Charlie Senese
Charlie Senese
Qld
Chev Corvette
6000
Blue
Anthony Cox
Bob McLoughlin
Tony Ricciardello
Anthony Cox
Bob McLoughlin
Saab
Ford Mustang
Silver/Orange
Black
RADICAL AUSTRALIA CUP – ROUND 3 ON THE WEB: www.radicalsportscars.com.au
Car # Class SPONSOR COMPETITOR 1 SR8 Excalibur Racing Neale Muston
DRIVER State VEHICLE CC COLOUR Neale Muston NSW Radical 2700 Red
5
SR3 Haggarty Racing Team
Simon Haggarty
Simon Haggarty
NSW Radical
1500
White
6
SR3 Haggarty Racing Team
Tony Haggarty
Tony Haggarty
NSW Radical
1500
White
7
SR8
Ash Samadi
Ash Samadi
NSW Radical
2700
Black
Chris Medland co-driver
Chris Medland NSW Radical 2700 James Winslow UK
Apartment Hotel
9 SR8 Radical Australia
16 SR3 WT Partnership Phil Anseline Greg Smith co-driver Oliver Smith
NSW Radical 1500 NSW
Black
17
SR3 PJS Air Peter Johnston Peter Johnston
NSW Radical
1500
Black
22
SR3 Radical Race Experience Paul Stokell Liam Talbot
NSW Radical
1500
White
26
SR3
Team Tilton Interiors Kostinken Pohorukov Kostinken Pohorukov
NSW Radical
1500
Blue
27
SR8
First Neon Peter White Peter White
29
SR3
Tachac Pty Ltd
32
SR3 Hughes Motorsport
NSW Radical
2700
Yellow
Andy Plummer
Andy Plummer
NSW Radical
1500
Black
Sue Hughes
Sue Hughes
NSW Radical
1500 Green
48 SR3 Radical Team Melbourne Gary Walker Gary Walker VIC Radical 1500 co-driver Robert Baird
Blue/Or
51 SR3 IMAK-KWIKMIT
White
Andrew Macpherson Andrew Macpherson NSW Radical 1500 co-driver Ben Porter
58
SR8 RAW Racing Richard Kimber Richard Kimber
63
SR8 Koala Furniture Ross Lilley Ross Lilley Radical
2700 Green
66
SR8 Django Racing
NSW Radical
2700
68
SR3 RAW Racing Kim Burke Kim Burke
NSW Radical
1500
Multi
88
SR3 Radical Australia Rowan Ross Rowan Ross
NSW Radical
1500
White
89 SR3 Sales Net Group Dane Stokes Dane Stokes Radical 1500 co-driver Simon Baxter
Yellow
26 | the Racing Magazine
John Corbett
John Corbett
NSW Radical
2700
White
ROUND 7 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Victoria Australian Superkart Championship ON THE WEB: www.superkartsaustralia.org
Car # Class SPONSOR COMPETITOR 1 Fuji Xerox/Zahl1 Karting/Middletons Printing Jason Smith
DRIVER State VEHICLE CC COLOUR Jason Smith QLD Anderson/Maverick 250I Black/Yellow/White
2 DLR Racing Dalton Rowell Dalton Rowell
NSW Stockman/MR2
250N Blue/Orange
4
Maddern Oil
Charles Maddern
Charles Maddern
SA PVP
250I
Black/Yellow
6
MJR Bricklaying
Martin Latta
Martin Latta
VIC
Anderson/Maverick
250I
Black/Yellow
7
Wizzer Engines/ SKE
Tony Lappas
Tony Lappas
SA
SK EVO
125
Chrome/Black
8
Art Motorsport, Kelgate Aust, Elf, Belray
Anton Stevens
Anton Stevens
VIC PVP
250I
Black/Yellow/Blue
10 Dunlop Kartsport & BRC Engines Gary Pegoraro Gary Pegoraro
VIC
Anderson/Maverick
250I
Blue
12 Rockpress Metal Fabrications Phil Silcock Phil Silcock
QLD
Stockman/MR2
125
Yellow/Voilet
14
VIC
Anderson/Maverick
250I
Black
Top Torque Engines
Matt Bass
Matt Bass
20 Redback Racepaint (ACT) Paul Campbell Paul Campbell
NSW Avoig Elise Mk3
125 Orange
22
Sonic, Slipstream Signs, UBS
Scott Williams
Jason Akermanis
VIC
Anderson/Maverick
250N Black
23
Floth Sustainable Building Consultants
Tim Philp
Tim Philp
QLD
Avoig Elise Mk3
125
Black/Yellow
26
Bakker Superkarts/Water Tunnel Carwash Gary Haywood Gary Haywood
VIC
Bakker X4
125
Black
27
ZIP BDH
Barbara Hepworth
Mark Hanson
WA
Zip Eagle 2
250I
Yellow
28
Your Amigo/Alex EMS/Davtec
Ilya Harpas
Ilya Harpas
SA
Zip Eagle 1
250I
Black/White
32 Linra Properties Drene Jamieson Drene Jamieson
QLD
Stockman/MR2
125
Yellow
33
Suburban Accounting & Taxation Services Kristian Stebbing Kristian Stebbing
VIC
Stockman/MR2
250I Red
34
Stockman Superkarts
NSW Stockman/MR2
125
35
Coach Design Russell Jamieson Russell Jamieson
QLD
Anderson/Maverick
250I Red/White
41
Wizzer Engines/BRC
VIC
Anderson/Maverick
250I
42 UBS, Slipstream Signs Dale Williams Dale Williams
VIC
Stockman/MR2
250N Black/Blue/Silver
43
Stockman Superkarts/Macs Marine
Jeff Reed
Brendan Luneman
Jeff Reed
Brendan Luneman
Yellow/Blue
Black
Warren McIiveen
Warren McIiveen
NSW Stockman MR2 115
250I Red/Blue
47 DHM Auto Solutions
Sean Maberly
Sean Maberly
QLD
250N Grey/Black
60 G.R. Industries
Frank Giglio
Frank Giglio
NSW Stockman/MR2
250N White/Blue/Yellow
62 Giova Racing
John Pellicano
John Pellicano
NSW Avoig Elise
250N Orange
68 Rockpress/Zahl1 Karting
Michael Nicholas
Michael Nicholas
QLD
Stockman/MR2
250I Red
75 Linra Properties Drene Jamieson Lindsay Jamieson
QLD
Stockman/MR2
125 Red
76 L & J Custom Kitchens & Joinery Lee Vella Lee Vella
NSW Avoig Elise
125 Green/Black
80 Lewis Plumb Qld, Z1K, DHM Motorsport Daniel Lewis Daniel Lewis
QLD
250N Black/Blue/Silver
Anderson/Maverick
Anderson/Maverick
thenationals.com.au | 27
ROUND 7 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Victoria Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Presented by Pirelli ON THE WEB: www.gt3cupchallenge.com.au
Car # Class SPONSOR COMPETITOR 4 E Grove Group Stephen Grove
DRIVER State VEHICLE CC COLOUR Stephen Grove VIC Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 3600 Red/Black
9 E
Scott Taylor
Fleet Plus
Mc Elrea Racing
NSW Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
3600
White
11 E DDS Transport Solutions
Steve McFadden Steve McFadden
QLD Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
3600 Red/Blue
14 E
McElrea Racing
Tim Miles
QLD Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
3600
John Karytinos
John Karytinos
Fleet Plus/ N2C
16 E Kinpath
SA Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
3600
White
17 P
Wallerawang Engineering Philip Woodbury Philip Woodbury
NSW Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
3600
White
18 P
Copyworld/Toshiba
SA Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
3600
White
PEG Genis Steel/Genisis (Aust) Richard Muscat Richard Muscat
VIC Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
3600
Black/Red
34 E GT3 Factory/Copyworld
John Morriss
VIC Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
3600
Blue/Wh/Silver
44 E
Merry Sparks Art Grant Sparks Grant Sparks
QLD Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
3600
White/Or/Blue
51 E
Imak Kwikmit
Andrew MacPherson Andrew Mac Pherson NSW Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
3600
Michael Almond
Michael Almond
22 P Muscrete Constructions/ John Morriss
65 P Porsche Centre Brighton/The Ross Partnership Fraser Ross
Fraser Ross
VIC Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
3600
66 E GAP Solutions/Sektor
John Goodacre
John Goodacre
SA Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
3600 Green/White
69 P Dial Before You Dig/Mr Mac Earthmoving
Jon McCorkindale Jon McCorkindale NSW Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
3600
Yellow
87 E Ronald Racing
Jack Falla
TBA Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
3600
Blue
91 P Eva Racing/AF Engineering Services
Alex Franes Peter Fitzgerald
VIC Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
3600
White
95 E
Michael Almond
SA Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
3600
Jack Falla
Sam Shahin
Blue/White
Kumho Tyres Australian V8 Touring Car Series ON THE WEB: www.v8touringcars.com.au
Car # Class SPONSOR COMPETITOR 00 H Falcon Spares & Repairs Matt Chahda 2
DRIVER State Matt Chahda NSW
S Parramatta Smash Repairs Ryan Simpson Ryan Simpson
NSW
Ford Falcon BF
5000
Qld
Ford Falcon BA
5000 Green/White
WA
Commodore VZ
5000 Red/White
Tony Evangelou
Vic
Ford Falcon BA
5000
Black/Yellow
Steve Briffa
NSW
Commodore VY
5000
Silver/Green
3 H
Fernandez Motorsport
Jose Fernandez
5
ACM/Vanglobe/Bossen
Matthew Hansen Matthew Hansen
S
6 H
501 Performance Les Morrall
VEHICLE CC COLOUR Ford Falcon AU 5000 Black/Silver
Shae Davies
Wh/Blue/Red
8 H Ozzy Tyres/Holden Motorsport
Steve Briffa
22 H
Westco Equip/SA Tractors
Isidoro Ambrosio Dean Kovacevich
WA
Commodore VZ
5000
Black
25 H
Carrington Equipment Grp
Terry Wyhoon
NSW
Ford Falcon BA
5000
Black/Red
Commodore VZ
5000
Blk/Red/Wh
45
S
Michael Hector
THR Motorsport
46 H
The Edge Glass Paul Pennisi Paul Pennisi
Vic
Commodore VY
5000
Black
48
STR Truck Bodies
Vic
Ford Falcon BF
5000
White Blue
S
49 H Lubrimax/Vectra
Matthew Palmer
Terry Wyhoon
Vic
Ford Falcon BF
5000
Ian Yeing
SA
Commodore VZ
5000 Red/Black
57 H ADG Engineering/Precise Precut/ Gold Coast Postforming Lyle Kearns Lyle Kearns
Qld
Commodore VZ
5000
62
MW Motorsport Peter Rullo
WA
Ford Falcon BF
5000 Grey/White
Nathan Assaillit
Qld
Ford Falcon BF
5000
51 H
Terry Wyhoon
Matthew Palmer
IR Yeing Transport/THR Developments THR Motorsport
S Performance West
72 H USQ Engineering 28 | the Racing Magazine
Nathan Assaillit
Black/Orange
Yellow
ROUND 7 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Victoria Dial Before You Dig Australian Saloon Car Series ON THE WEB: www.salooncars.net.au Car # SPONSOR COMPETITOR 1 Eurostar Diesels Simon Tabinor
DRIVER State Simon Tabinor VIC
VEHICLE CC COLOUR VT Comm 3800 White/Yellow
4
Auddino First National
Antonio Auddino
Antonio Auddino
WA
AU Falcon
4000
6
Morphett Vale Garage
Wayne King
Wayne King
SA
VT Comm
3800 Red
8 PJT Accountants
Wayne Patten
Wayne Patten
Qld
VT Comm
3800
Whi/Grn/Gry
9
Ian Chivas
Ian Chivas
NSW
Silkgate Group
White
AU Falcon
4000
Blue/Yellow
11 Laurie Ogle Motors Rod Lloyd Grant Ogle
VIC EA Falcon
3900
White
13
Black
VIC
AU Falcon
4000
16 Kleenduct Australia P/L Peter Phelan Harley Phelan
Forklift Clearance Centre Greg Murcott
VIC
VT Comm
3800 Purple
23
Tyre Pro Motorsport
Travis Sharpe
WA
AU Falcon
4000
Whi/Blk/Org
33
Forklift Clearance Centre Greg Murcott Greg Murcott
VIC
AU Falcon
4000
Black
36
Nantom Leon Fletcher Leon Fletcher
QLD
VT Comm
3800 Red/Grey
38
Blackwell Race Engines Gavin Ross Gavin Ross
VIC
VT Comm
3800 Green
39
The Racing Group Ryan Millier Ryan Millier
VIC
AU Falcon
4000
Whi/Blk/Grn
Travis Sharpe
Steve Yates
41 Dial Before You Dig
Mark Primmer
Mark Primmer
NSW
AU Falcon
4000
Blue/Red
42 Dial Before You Dig
Mark Primmer
Cameron Moss
NSW
AU Falcon
4100
Blue/Red
44
Isuzu Gary Beggs Gary Beggs
QLD
VT Comm
3800
Black
46
Sopranos Pizza Bar
Shaun Woodhouse
Shaun Woodhouse
VIC
VT Comm
3800
Black
51
Casey Accident Repairs
Travis Lindorff
Travis Lindorff
VIC
VT Comm
3800
White
55
Millenium Screens Deni Razmovski Deni Razmovski
WA
AU Falcon
4000
Black/Silver
56
Baxter Electrical Kane Baxter-Smith Kane Baxter-Smith
QLD
AU Falcon
4000
Blue/Black
57
Campbells Motorsport
Craig Campbell
Craig Campbell
QLD
VT Comm
3800 Red
59
Sign Oz
Bradley Neilson
Bradley Neilson
VIC
AU Falcon
4000
White
66
Bradys Truck & Auto
Aarron Paterson
Aarron Paterson
VIC
VN Comm
3800
Multi
67
Scotts Rods Exhausts Lindsay Kearns Lindsay Kearns
QLD
AU Falcon
4000
White
70
salooncars.net.au Kelli Stephens Kelli Stephens
VIC
AU Falcon
4000
Blue
71
Betta Calibrations
VIC
AU Falcon
4000
Blk/Purp/Silv
76 Hills Haulage/Adlam Trans Garry Hills Garry Hills
WA
VT Comm
3800
Black/Silver
77
VIC
AU Falcon
4000
White
Brett Campbell
Brett Campbell
Water Jet Solutions Daniel Beaven Daniel Beaven
Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship ON THE WEB: www.formula3.com.au Car # Class SPONSOR COMPETITOR 2 C Team BRM Mark Rundle
DRIVER State VEHICLE CC COLOUR Tim Macrow VIC Dallara F307 - Mercedes Benz 2000 Blue
3
C
Team BRM/FNQ Larger
John Magro
John Magro
Qld Dallara F307 - Mercedes Benz
2000
Black
4
C
Team BRM
Mark Rundle
Jordan Oon
WA Dallara F307 - Mercedes Benz
2000
Blue
5
C
Team BRM/Mygale Aust.
Nick Foster
Nick Foster
Qld
Mygale M08 - Mercedes Benz
2000
Black
6 C R-Tek Motorsport/Rondo/ DPO/CSR
Ian Richards
Nathan Morcom NSW Dallara F307 - Mercedes Benz
2000
Blk/Orange
8
N
Ian Richards
Todd Hazelwood SA Dallara F304 - Spiess Opel
2000 Red
9
N R-Tek Motorsport
Ian Richards
Jon Collins
NSW Dallara F304 - Spiess Opel
2000 Grey/Red
16
N Gilmour Racing/McDonalds Chris Gilmour
Arrie Marree
Qld Dallara F304 - Spiess Opel
2000 Red/Silver
17
C Gilmour Racing/Vic’s Timber Chris Gilmour
Ben Gersekowski Qld Dallara F307 - Mercedes Benz
46
C Harvest Motorsport
Fujitsu Racing
Mygale M08 - Mercedes Benz
2000 Red/White 2000
Black /Yell
thenationals.com.au | 29
ROUND 7 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Victoria Shannons insurance is for motoring enthusiasts just like you, with features like: n Choice of repairer n Agreed value n Multi-Vehicle & Multi-Policy discounts n Limited Use & Club Plate cover n Laid up cover n One excess free
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COVERAGE
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ROUND 7 (Phillip Island)
Shannons Limited ABN 91 099 962 636 an authorised representative of Australian Alliance Insurance Company Limited ABN 11 006 471 709 (AFSL 235011), the product issuer. Some benefits only apply to comprehensive vehicle cover. Shannons has not taken account of your objectives, financial situation or needs. First refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement at shannons.com.au or by calling 13 46 46.
29th September Kerrick Sports Sedan Series Kumho Tyres Auswt V8 Touring Car Series Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge 6th October Formula 3 Aust Drivers Championship Dial Before You Dig Aust Saloon Car Series Radical Australia Cup
‘Shannons Nationals’ on Fox SPEED dates & times TBA Live Internet TV from 10.00am on Sunday via www.thenationals.com.au
PHILLIP ISLAND GRAND PRIX CIRCUIT CIRCUIT LENGTH 4.45kms
LAP RECORDS CATEGORY DRIVER VEHICLE EVENT DATE FASTEST LAP OUTRIGHT SIMON WILLS REYNARD 94D 13/02/2000 1.24.2215 FORMULA 3 LEANNE TANDER DALLARA F307 MB 15/06/2008 1.26.9031 V8 SUPERCARS CRAIG LOWNDES COMMODORE VE11 19/05/2012 1.33.4389 SALOON CARS STEVE KWIATKOWSKI FALCON AU 17/05/2009 1.50.0891 V8 TOURING CARS JUSTIN GARIOCH FALCON BA 6/11/2011 1.37.5416 SPORTS SEDANS A (OVER 4001-6000cc) DARREN HOSSACK AUDI A4 CHEV 27/05/2012 1.29.8884 B (3001-4000cc) LUKE YOULDEN MAZDA RX7 14/04/2002 1.34.8902 C (2001-3000cc) RICHARD CATCHLOVE MAZDA RX7 9/06/2002 1.39.8284 SPORTS CARS PORSCHE GT3 CUP CH. KANE ROSE PORSCHE GT3 996 16/05/2009 1.36.7432 RADICAL JAMES WINSLOW RADICAL SR8RX 25/05/2013 1.25.9294 SUPERKARTS 100cc NGB JUNIOR DEAN CROOKE 26/03/2000 2.07.3000 100cc SENIOR ROD CLARKE 15/09/2002 2.10.9000 125cc MAX LIGHT JASON McINTYRE 15/09/2002 1.57.2420 125cc MAX HEAVY MARK WICKS 17/02/2007 1.59.6850 125cc MAX JUNIOR SEAN WHITFIELD 12/10/2007 2.02.4000 125cc GEARBOX RUSSELL JAMIESON 6/05/2007 1.42.7163 80cc JUNIOR PETER GAZZALON 21/02/2004 2.13.0000 80cc SENIOR TROY BYRON 28/03/1999 1.51.6000 125cc STEVE CROSSLAND 18/03/2001 1.43.0000 250cc NATIONAL DAVID HOLDFORTH 28/03/1999 1.37.7000 250cc INTERNATIONAL RUSSELL JAMIESON ANDERSON MAVERICK 6/11/2011 1.32.0676 30 | the Racing Magazine
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