Motorsport eNews Issue 30 - November 13-19, 2007

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JACK OUT ILLNESS SIDELINES PERKINS

Issue No. 030 13– 19 November 2007

PARTY LIKE A ROCKSTAR Tasman’s New Look

RENAULT IN Spy Scandal TEam admits having mclaren data

Editorial Editor: Grant Rowley grant@mnews.com.au National Editor: Andrew van Leeuwen andrew@mnews.com.au Executive Editor: Phil Branagan editor@mnews.com.au

Australasian

The ‘A’ Team

Production

Issue No. 030 | 13-19 November 2007

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Advertising National Sales Manager: Calvin Wood cwood@mnews.com.au P 03 9596 5555 F 03 9596 5030 M 0439 566 265

news 4 Jack attacked 7 TEGA shake-up 13 Howard’s that?

14 NASCAR for sale?

16 Michaels’ next ride?

Administration 357 Nepean Highway, Brighton East, VIC, 3187 (PO Box 7072, Brighton, VIC, 3186) P 03 9596 5555 F 03 9596 5030 admin@mnews.com.au

MD / Publisher

Chris Lambden publisher@mnews.com.au

Contributing Writers F1: Joe Saward, Mark Glendenning, Adam Cooper, Paolo Filisetti Europe: Quentin Spurring, David Addison US: Martin D. Clark, Phil Morris Speedway: Greg Boscato, Geoff Rounds, Darren Sutton, Tony Millard (UK) Rally: Ryan Lahiff Drag Racing: Dave Ostaszewski (USA), Ken Ferguson, John Bosher National: Mark Wicks, Mark Jones, Aaron Shaw, Daniel Powell

chat 18 5 minutes with ... opinion 20 Crompton 21 Lambden 35 Punter

race 22 Guess who?

26 Historic Sandown 28 World Series Tatnell 30 Jimmy edges closer

Photographers Sutton Motorsport Images, Dirk Klynsmith, Marshall Cass, John Morris/Mpix, AF1 Images, James Smith, Peter Bury, Neil Blackbourn, Chris Carter, Coopers Photography, Ash Budd, Paris Charles, Neil Hammond, Joel Strickland, Mike Patrick (UK) Motorsport eNews is published by Australasian Motorsport News ABN 55 125 120 702 Publisher: C Lambden Copyright: Material published in Motorsport eNews is copyright and may not be reproduced in full or in part without the written permission of the publisher.

Freelance contributions are welcome, and while all care will be taken, Motorsport eNews does not accept responsibility for damage or loss of material submitted.

Opinions expressed in Motorsport eNews are not necessarily those of Australasian Motorsport News or its staff.

International photos supplied by Sutton Images, www.sutton-images.com – click here to check out their exclusive poster deals

Perko out for rest of ‘07 Kees gone, The Dude in O’Brien’s makes a change Is France on the market?

Schumi goes fast on Ducati Tony Cochrane Two to go ... first stop Tassie Mainstream politics Another AGP venue?

Simon wins ROM A feast for the eyes Brooke on top in Perth NASCAR title looms for JJ

trade 40 Trade and Industry / Raceshop / Classifieds

welcome Who’s that behind the old copy of Motorsport News? Is it Lowndes? Is it Marcos? Nope. It’s a Rockstar!

Check out the latest eNews supplements via http://www.mnews.com.au

John Morris/Mpix

Perkins out for ‘07 with illness V8 SUPERCARS

MARCUS Marshall will replace Jack Perkins for the final two rounds of the V8 Supercar Championship Series in the #11 Jack Daniel’s Racing Commodore VE, after Jack was recently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

Perkins, the son of six-times Bathurst winner Larry, is said to be unlikely to attend this weekend’s penultimate round at Symmons Plains, instead using the weekend to rest after this recent unfortunate news.

Perkins will start a containment program immediately, involving mainly lifestyle changes, as well as daily insulin injections.

“It’s a bit unfortunate,” he told eNews on Monday.

“It’s a bit of a shock to the system but, unfortunately, that’s life. You’ve just got to take the good with the bad.”

Perkins maintained that he wants nothing more tahn to get back behind the wheel: “It’s all I’ve ever wanted in life,” he said of his future racing aspirations.

“To have it taken away is shattering. But I’m hoping to be back out there next year.

“There are plenty of people out there who have the disease and they aren’t hindered – elite sportsmen – so it’s a matter of adapting the lifestyle. I’m hoping nothing changes.”

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system destroys the cells of the pancreas that produce insulin.

Type 1 diabetes is treated by replacing insulin via injections (usually several times a day), a balanced diet with healthy eating, guided by regular monitoring of blood glucose levels.

Marshall drove with the team at Sandown and Bathurst, along with Kayne Scott, and impressed the Perkins team enough to be given the call-up under these difficult circumstances.

“It’s unfortunate for Jack. The number one thing is his health,” he said.

“It’s not life threatening, but its something that has affected him, both on and off the track, so they’ve given me a call.

“It’s a great opportunity.

They are a a good team and hopefully we’ll get some good results in the last two rounds.”

STOP PRESS: Big news coming V8 SUPERCARS

MOTORSPORT eNews understands that a significant announcement concerning V8 Supercars is likely to be made on Wednesday morning.

We’ll bring it to you as soon as possible after the announcement is made – just check back in here, to eNews, late Wednesday morning ...

– GRANT ROWLEY

news

Tasman’s new colours The party is in here! Rockstar Energy Drinks backs Tasman Motorsport for final two V8 rounds

V8 SUPERCARS TASMAN Motorsports has unveiled an all-new title sponsor for the final two rounds of the V8 Supercar Championship Series.

Rockstar Energy Drinks has thrown its support behind the emerging Victorian Holden team for the Symmons Plains and Phillip Island rounds, with the Commdores of Greg Murphy and Jason Richards receiving a new all-

black paint scheme.

Tasman Motorsport first unveiled Rockstar support at Bathurst last month, and is angling to secure the American drinks company as a full-time backer in 2008.

Rockstar is based in Nevada, Las Vegas, and was founded in 2001 by Russell Weiner. The drink is sold in the US and Canada, and is expected to be available throughout Australia shortly.

Black-attack: Murphy and JR will carry Rockstar colours in the last two rounds at Symmons Plains and Phillip Island.

Blue verses Red is Go! Go! Go! V8 SUPERCARS THE team-race format for V8 Supercars’ return to the Australian F1 Grand Prix programme has been confirmed.

The concept, exclusively revealed in last week’s eNews, will pit Blue against Red, Ford against Holden in a series of team races.

In confirming the plan, V8 Supercars and the GP Corporation

have revealed additional details of the contest format: Qualifying will determine pole position as usual but, once a Ford or Holden has been placed at the head of the grid, all cars of that make will line up behind them on the same side, in order of fastest to slowest for that make. The other manufacturer will then line up beside them. One line of Blue versus one line of Red.

Total points will be combined for all Holden and Ford cars to determine which manufacturer is leading after each race. Points from the first race will be carried over into the second and third races so that, although the lead may change hands, the winning manufacturer may not be known until the final cars cross the finishing line on Sunday afternoon.

BRIEFLY... n John Bowe will be honoured at Symmons Plains this weekend, with the circuit’s front straight being named after him. n Lucky break for Jason Richards’ father who fell off the roof at his home in Nelson (NZ) on the weekend. The durable Kiwi is still set to have his first ever ride alongside Jason in a V8 Supercar, at Symmons Plains, on Friday.

n A limited 200 tickets will be sold to the public for this year’s V8 Supercar Championship Series gala awards dinner at Crown Casino in December. n As revealed in eNews #027, OZ F3 will return to the streets of Adelaide for the first time since 2004 next year. ”Our new partnership with Opes Prime Stockbroking has delivered significant rewards for Australian F3 competitors in 2008, but returning to the Clipsal 500 is an equally significant opportunity for the series,” said F3 chairman James Rosenberg.

Phil Williams

n Baby-sized merchandise is disappearing off the shelves fast at HRT as the various team pregnancies produce results: welcome to Tilly Joan Skaife (sister for Mitch and Mia) October 24; Alex Kelly (sister for Mason) November 5.

More at 2008 Clipsal V8 SUPERCARS BUYING a ticket to the 10th Clipsal 500 in February will get you into the race – and a lot, lot more.

Fans who make it to the famed Adelaide V8 Supercar street race on February 21-24 will have the choice of four concerts, an exotic car show and a full support program to keep them entertained over the weekend.

Four Jim Beam TrackSounds concerts will be held on Thursday night to Sunday night, featuring acts such

as Sneaky Sound System, Powderfinger, Kisschasy, Shannon Noll, John Williamson and Santana.

‘Murray Walker’s Extreme Machines’ will be displayed in a special pavilion and driven on the track over the course of the weekend, featuring such mouth-watering items as the Bugatti Veyron, Pagani Zonda, Koenigsegg and Porsche GT. As well, there will be a full air show, featuring FA18 Hornets, the Roulettes, Blackhawk and Sea King helicopters and P-3C Orions.

A shaded grandstand will be offered for the first time, with a 2000 square metre canvas cover mounted 14m above the chicane grandstands in what is a world first for temporary seating.

This will allow up to 2500 spectators to take in the races in greater comfort.

Oh yes, and amid all this will be the usual ripper opening round to the V8 Supercar Championship …

Tickets for the race are available now from BASS on 13 1246 or at www.bass.net.au

news

New TEGA board elected

Paul Morris and Tim Edwards join Larry Perkins, Ross Stone and Roger Cook on new-look board V8 SUPERCARS

Dirk Klynsmith

TWO new board members were elected to the TEGA Board at last Thursday’s AGM. Paul Morris and Ford Performance Racing Managing Director Tim Edwards were elected to the board of the V8 Supercars body for the first time. They join current board members Larry Perkins and Ross Stone, who were re-elected to their positions.

“I will be working hard to do a good job,” said Morris, pictured right.

“There are lots of things to address. The

teams’ forums are working well, so it is up to us on the board to steer it the way that the members want it to go.”

The fifth board member will be Independent Roger Cook, but the other independent position – held by TEGA General Manager Kelvin O’Reilly – has been eliminated after the position was made redundant (as the organization heads towards a single board set-up). eNews understands that O’Reilly, who in June had his tenure contract extended by three years, has been offered a settlement, but that he has not accepted it and that the matter will be ongoing.

Cochrane: Full steam ahead V8 SUPERCARS

Peter Bury

V8 SUPERCARS Chairman Tony Cochrane is happy that the sport’s politics have been push into the background.

Cochrane, who was unanimously backed by the 17 team owners at TEGA’s Annual General Meeting last Thursday, is pressing ahead to start his 12th year in the role and is happy to have politics off the agenda.

“I guess that, in sport, you

always have an element of politics,” he said.

“What is very essential is that the politics are behind closed doors. Politics, when they bubble up in any sport, only create concerns for sponsors and commercial rights holders, such as your television networks.”

It was a much different picture to mid-season, when the sport was caught up in controversy, during which time Cochrane was criticised for a number of

outspoken comments. But with the sport heading into a 15-event season in 2008, and with a strong television presence, TC is certain that the next 12 months will be positive.

He also told Motorsport eNews that he expects a second platform sponsor (replacing VB) to be announced before Christmas.

– PHIL BRANAGAN For more from Cochrane, see page 18

BRIEFLY... n Force India F1 has announced that it will be testing Roldan Rodriguez, Giedo van der Garde, Christian Klien and Tonio Liuzzi this week at Barcelona. The team will also be running Adrian Sutil. It remains to be seen who will be chosen to race for the team next year but Rodriguez is believed to have a sponsor worth US$10m. Sutil is under option to the team and while team boss Vijay Mallya says he wants to keep the German, some of the team’s engineers do not seem to be quite as keen as Sutil did not do an impressive enough job against Sakon Yamamoto. n India’s Karun Chandhok is to test for Red Bull Racing in Barcelona. The 23-yearold from Chennai is currently racing in GP2 with the Durango team but is tipped to move to a more competitive drive next season, probably with Red Bull backing.

Chandhok, who scored his first GP2 victory at Spa is aiming to follow in the footsteps of Narain Karthikeyan into F1. n Michael Schumacher will test for Ferrari later this month in an effort to help the team improve its technical package as the team prepares for F1 in the post-traction-control era. Schumacher, Ferrari says, has experience that could be useful for the team. It is possible that the 38-yearold will do other tests in the months ahead but he has no plans to return to racing. n And, in politics ... the UK’s Minister of State for Defence Equipment & Support, Lord Drayson, has quit his job – so that he will have time to race in the 2008 American Le Mans Series. Paul Drayson, 47, was the runner-up in the 2007 British GT Championship .

– SAWARD/SPURRING

Now: Renaultgate Renault admits having McLaren plans: Engineer benched: FIA calls hearing FORMULA 1

Subsequent witness statements were obtained THE FIA faces an interesting test from the engineers involved. It of consistency after charging is understood that there are as the Renault F1 team with similar many as 15 of these and that ‘spying’ charges for which it fined the people concerned include McLaren US$100 million. the deputy technical director, The team has admitted that it has discovered that one of its chief designer, deputy chief engineers brought information designer, the head of research and development and the with him when he joined head of vehicle performance. the team from McLaren in It remains to be seen what September 2006, and that this their statements reveal but data was contained on floppy Renault says that: “none of discs and included copies of McLaren engineering drawings this information was used to influence design decisions and technical spreadsheets. relating to the Renault car.”

It has further admitted that The team says that as soon this information was loaded as the management became on to the Renault team’s aware of what had happened computers, although it says – it is not clear when this that this was done “without was – the information was the knowledge of anyone in “completely cleansed” from authority in the team.” the team’s computer systems The team also says that the and a formal investigation files were viewed by “some of was started. The engineer, Phil our engineers” and that these related to the layout of the fuel Mackereth, was immediately suspended from his position tank, the gear clusters, a tuned mass damper and a suspension and the original discs were sent to its solicitors to be returned damper.

to McLaren.

The revelations came after the FIA announced that Renault had been requested to appear before a hearing of the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Monaco on Thursday, December 6.

It will answer a charge that the team had information including “the layout and critical dimensions of the McLaren F1 car, together with details of the McLaren fuelling system, gear assembly, oil cooling system, hydraulic control system and a novel suspension component used by the 2006 and 2007 McLaren F1 cars”.

This appears to breach Article 151c of the International Sporting Code, the same regulation of which McLaren was found to have broken, leading to the subsequent fine and loss of Constructors’ Championship points.

Renault Fracas has Alonso in Limbo FORMULA 1 FERNANDO Alonso’s future may be in limbo following the news about Renault – seen as a likely destination for the Spaniard.

Renault may be cleared of all the charges and completely exonerated – on the other hand there is the possibility that there will be sanctions if the team is found to have transgressed. If this is the case, there may be

commercial ramifications, so signing Alonso may no longer be a priority.

Renault, Toyota and, possibly, Red Bull remain as Alonso’s most likely options. Should Red Bull materialize, it has been speculated that David Coulthard would move to the ‘sister’ Toro Rosso team, forcing new recruit, Champ Car Champion Sebastian Bourdais to sit on his hands and wait for a bit …

– SAWARD/STAFF

news

Renault: Expect Zero Tolerance sutton-images.com

GIVEN what Renault has admitted, it is fairly clear that the team is in at least as bad a situation as McLaren faced recently and, given the zero tolerance attitude towards McLaren, the FIA will have to punish Renault (if found guilty) in a similar fashion unless it wishes to face criticism and accusations that it is not being fair. Such a decision could also lead to complaints to the European Union.

Renault says that it has cooperated fully and has been “proactive in solving this matter” but this is not much help, as McLaren did much the same.

Everyone in F1 knows that

if Renault is punished in the same way as McLaren, there is a danger that the French manufacturer may simply leave Formula 1.

The precedent set with the McLaren case deprived the team of all of its points in the Constructors’ Championship and fined the team US$100m on suspicion that it used information that was illegally

OPINION Joe Saward Formula 1 acquired from Ferrari. Actual use of the data was never proved.

Renault can expect little sympathy from the F1 world.

Flavio Briatore, the Renault F1 boss, left with McLaren’s Ron Dennis, was one of the biggest critics of McLaren, saying in last month’s Autohebdo magazine that if he had been in charge of the FIA he would have gone further and even punished the drivers.

He may be feeling a little differently now.

Ryan Confirmed INDYCAR RYAN Briscoe has been confirmed at Penske for the 2008 IndyCar Series.

As expected, the 26-yearold Australian will join veteran Helio Castroneves in Roger Penske’s two-car team, replacing Sam Hornish Jr. The former Indianapolis 500 winner will move to Penkse’s NASCAR Sprint Cup team, where he will race a third entry, the #77 Dodge in Mobil 1 colours.

Briscoe, who raced with Penkse’s works-backed Porsche team in the American Le Mans Series this season, has raced previously for Ganassi and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing in the series, and raced in May’s 500 in a satellite ‘Penske’ entry (actually Luzco Dragon Racing), finishing fifth.

BRIEFLY...

dispute over Timo Glock.

The GP2 Champion is understood to have signed a deal to race for Toyota but, when Toyota filed a contract with the Contract Recognition Board, it received the response that there was a conflict of contracts with BMW. Glock and his management believed that they were free to sign for Toyota. n Formula 3 racer Sam Bird has been helping out Williams with aerodynamic tests in recent weeks at the Kemble aerodrome in Gloucestershire. Bird drove one of the current FW29 cars up and down the runways at Kemble doing aerodynamic mapping work. n McLaren has run two

recent winners of the McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award winners at Silverstone.

Oliver Jarvis (23) won the award at the end of 2005 after winning the Formula Renault UK Championship.

Paul di Resta (21) won the McLaren Autosport Award in 2004 and went on to win the Formula 3 Euroseries in 2006 with ASM in 2006. This year he switched to the Mercedes factory team in DTM.

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sutton-images.com

sutton-images.com

n BMW and Toyota are in

Kazuki gets the nod for ‘08 FORMULA ONE WILLIAMS has confirmed that Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima will be its drivers for the 2008 season.

The young Japanese driver, who made his racing debut with the team in Brazil, did a sufficiently good job to convince the team that he is the man for the job. Close analysis of his race at Interlagos reveals that, while he did knock down several mechanics during his pit stop, he also set

the fifth fastest lap of the race and, perhaps more importantly, he did a string of laps at around the same time, which made a big impression on the engineering team at Grove.

In 2007 Williams has been paying Toyota for its engines but hiring Nakajima might reverse the flow of the money.

It is also an important strategic move as Williams is now closely aligned with Toyota and is in a very good position to benefit if Toyota decides to stop trying to win

the World Championship with its own team and concludes that it might be wisest to give its engines to an established team with a long history of winning.

The announcement of Williams’ drivers sends a clear message to McLaren that the team is not interested in selling Rosberg’s contract.

Williams is believed to have an option that locks Rosberg in for 2009 if the results are good enough in 2008.

– JOE SAWARD

World Champ says FIA don’t play fair!

FORMULA ONE FORMER World Champion Damon Hill has attacked the way in which the FIA handled the case against McLaren last summer.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph in London, Hill said that he would like to understand how the Ferrari-Toyota espionage case did not lead to the same outcome as the Ferrari-McLaren case?

“Why was there no punishment of the (Ferrari) team?” Hill said. “There was an uncomfortable feeling that there was something more to the McLaren outcome than the issue being investigated. The way that justice was meted out raised some questions about the way the FIA handle these breaches. If breaches occur then those things should be investigated and dealt with sensibly and appropriately.

But in that case there were lots of questions

about what really happened that went unanswered.”

The FIA says that it had no involvement in the Ferrari-Toyota case because it received no complaint from the Italian team and because the matter was dealt with in the civil courts.

Hill went on to question why Ferrari was only given “a slap on the wrist and told not to do it again” after winning the first race with a device that was later declared to be illegal.

“In this country we are quite sophisticated sport and political spectators. If things don’t stack up, and continue to fly in the face of what we regard as being just and fair, then the danger is people will just walk away.”

The FIA has, naturally, dismissed Hill’s claims saying that everything was done in right and proper fashion.

– JOE SAWARD

news

Kimi wins Melbourne Cup? FORMULA ONE

A FORMULA 1 Grand Prix at Melbourne’s Flemington Racecourse looks like staying on someone’s wish list.

News reports last week suggesting that the classic horse racing venue, home of the successful Melbourne Cup Carnival, was a potential successor to Albert Park for the event have been widely dismissed by many in the horse racing industry.

The track, just north of Melbourne’s Central Business District, has been resurfaced at a cost of $12m, as part of the $25m upgrade of the horse-racing facilities. All the work has been funded by the racing industry and the track, which is on crown land, receives no funding from the Federal or Victorian governments.

The Flemington F1 option surfaced after the Victorian State Government’s

McLaren Watch!

recent report that detailed a $35m loss on the 2007 Albert Park race. Following the report, an approach by Formula One Management to the Gold Coast was confirmed by Queensland Events.

There has also been a comment from Phillip Island spokesman Andrew Fox, who said that the race would be welcomed at the home of the MotoGP and World Superbike events.

“We’d have a lot of work that would be required to make it an F1 standard, but I can guarantee we’d do it,” Fox told Melbourne’s Herald-Sun. “It is one of the best racetracks in Australia.”

While the Island may have an outside chance, Flemington appears to be, in racing parlance, a roughie. Apart from the Spring Carnival, which effectively rules out an end-of-season F1 event,

FORMULA ONE

sutton-images.com

FIA-appointed engineers have visited the McLaren’s Technology Centre in Woking to inspect plans and early construction of the 2008 McLaren, as part of the wash-up from Stepneygate.

The FIA retained the right to confirm that no Ferrari intellectual property would be used in the design of the 2008 McLaren.

its second-busiest period is in earlyto-mid March, which includes three Group 1 races – the Australian Cup, the Newmarket Handicap and the Cadbury Guineas – on ‘Super Saturday’. Adding in a probable six-week gap, to build and then disassemble an FIA-approved track, would mean that a Flemington GP would have to run later than the current event, in the autumn.

There is also the matter of what to do with Flemington’s non-racing activities, which involve daily training of as many as 800 horses on a variety of tracks within the complex. It may be a good idea in some aspects (like its three permanent grandstands and unmatched corporate facilities) but building a once-a-year car racing circuit looks like a big – and expensive – ask.

– PHIL BRANAGAN

Some media reported the engineers’ presence as a ‘raid’ – quickly denied by the team: “We are unable to make any comment other than to say that an inspection has always been part of the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) decision and of course we are co-operating fully with the FIA,” a team spokeswoman told Reuters agency.

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news

Brock to build VE Utes V8 UTES

THE all-new Holden VE Ute will debut in the V8 Utes Series next year – and James Brock will build them.

Brock Race Engineering has been awarded the tender by Australian V8 Ute Racing P/L, with the build program to be implemented immediately.

“We have had a great relationship with James over the years, both as a competitor and a valuable member of the

V8 Ute technical committee.” explained category manager Bill West.

“Our plan is to have 16 brand new VEs on track early next year, showcasing the latest model and Brocky has the right qualifications to do the job properly.”

The new VE sports a 6 litre engine and is 40 percent stiffer in the body than the previous models.

“The current model is now in its seventh season of racing

which just goes to prove that an old Holden is a good ‘olden,” Brock joked.

“We have had a long association with the brand over the years, so this is a brilliant opportunity for Brock Race Engineering to take the VE and turn it into a race winner.

“We have done some initial development work over the past few weeks, however we will now gear up for the full race Ute build.”

A second build run is also in

planning for the New Zealand V8 Ute Racing series, due to commence in March next year. These Utes will also be built in Australia to the same specifications before being freighted across the Tasman for the first round. A Trans Tasman Challenge event is likely to be part of the 2008 calendar.

The first round of the 2008 Yokohama V8 Ute Racing Series will be at Clipsal 500 in February.

Trent Steps Up FORMULA FORD

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Chris Carter

TRENT Harrison will make his Australian Formula Ford Championship debut at Phillip Island next month.

The Vic State Series front-runner will make the step up to national competition in a brand new Mygale SJ08a, running under the G-Force Motorsport banner.

“With the success of the car here and overseas, its clearly capable of results,” said Harrison.

“But I’m probably not just yet, because I still need to adjust to the national specification car.”

Harrison, who tested the Duratec-powered car at Winton recently, is expecting the competition to be tough at Phillip Island.

“I think the guys at national level are a step above,” he said.

“That’s what this is all about – to see how intense it is with all of these competitive guys. It’s really preparation for next season.”

The Phillip Island outing won’t be Harrison’s last in the AFFC for Mygale. He is expecting to run the full championship next year aboard the same car he will race at the Island.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

news

Shannon’s Howard Chance Dirk Klynsmith

FUJITSU SERIES SHANNON O’Brien will drive for Howard Racing in the final round of the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series at Phillip Island next month.

O’Brien has contested this season in his own ex-Larkham Falcon BA, but will sample Howard Racing’s #71 Falcon, formally driven by Andrew Thompson, at The Island.

O’Brien told eNews that the one-off drive could lead to something more permanent in 2008.

“Having this drive gives us another options,” he said.

“If all goes well at Phillip Island, I’d like to think we could end up driving for them next year.

They are definitely a professional team, all good guys. We’ll see how it goes.

“I think that the car will be more consistent and easier to drive than my car. I’m looking for a bit more consistency.

O’Brien was to test the Howard Racing car at Queensland Raceway last week, along with Formula Ford driver Glen Wood, but rain halted proceedings.

Weather aside, the team plan to give O’Brien his first run in the car this Thursday morning.

– GRANT ROWLEY

Lewis lends Oz karter a hand KARTING THIRTEEN-year-old Australian go-karter Chris Hays experienced the chance of a lifetime last weekend.

The Gold Coast-resident got a grand tour of McLaren F1’s Woking facility in the UK, escorted by none other than Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1 driver Lewis Hamilton.

Hays’ meeting forms part of a mentoring program, organised by Vodafone as an extension of its sponsorship with the team.

Hamilton spent several hours speaking with Chris about driving technique, nutrition and training, and he also got to drive the team’s simulator.

Chris was in awe of his McLaren experience.

“Lewis has achieved so much already,” he said.

“He told me that the only way to reach the top in motorsport is through practice and hard work. He really inspires me to keep chasing my dream to make it in motorsport.”

COMING THIS WEEK

Australia V8s - Symmoms Plains International NASCAR - Miami Busch - Miami WTCC– Macau WRC - Ireland

Nex T Week (NOVember 24-25) Australia AMRS - Winton

COMING SOON (December 1-2) Australia V8s - Philip Island WRC - Great Britain

NEED A CAR? CLICK HERE

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Jacques’ mate targets NASCAR Craig Pollock admits he’s interested in purchasing a NASCAR team – First stop, Bill Davis Racing?

V8 SUPERCARS THERE seems to be an explanation for the recent rumours about Jacques Villeneuve buying Bill Davis Racing.

His manager Craig Pollock has admitted that he is interested in team ownership. Pollock previously owned a share in the British American Racing F1 team and in the PKV Indycar teams.

“I would really like to finish off the job,”

Pollock says.

“And that is to have team inside Cup sometime. If I’m lucky enough to be able to do that, I’d try to build it up to be one of the top teams.

“It’s not something that I really want to overly talk about. Basically, I have looked at three or four Cup teams and, when the time is right, then we’ll try to do something.

“But there is no rush to do anything at

the moment. The most important thing is Bill Davis Racing gets through until the end of the season and has a good season.”

Pollock admits that he has currently not got the backing he needs to buy into a NASCAR team but he has been pretty successful in the past at getting himself into situations in which he can emerge as a team owner.

– JOE SAWARD

NASCAR to sell up?

V8 SUPERCARS THERE are rumours in NASCAR that the France Family, which owns the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) outright may be considering selling the company.

NASCAR is the largest sanctioning body of motor sports in the United States. The organisation has been run in recent years

by Brian France, son of Bill France Jr and grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. The biggest shareholder in the privatelyowned business is Jim France, Bill Jr’s brother, who is now 63. Brian France and his sister Lesa France-Kennedy both own shares, but much has changed since the death this summer of Bill France Jr. Brian has long been

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keen to return to California where he lived and worked (running NASCAR’s Los Angeles office) before becoming NASCAR chairman in 2003. France-Kennedy lost her husband in a plane crash in July.

The most likely buyer of NASCAR Inc would be CVC Capital Partners, the European private equity firm that owns the Formula One group. It remains to be seen whether any deal does materialise but CVC is obviously in the mood to buy as it recently spent an amazing US$300m to acquire the GP2 Series to add to its F1 portfolio. We have also heard rumours that the company has looked at buying the Amaury Sport Organisation, which owns the Dakar Rally and the Tour de France cycle race.

– JOE SAWARD

news

The Beating Goes On

Codymania in Asia

Crocker seals A-Pac RALLY

CODY Crocker has rounded out a stellar year in the AsiaPacific Rally Championship by winning the final event of the season in China.

Honda Pro Images

The win was Crocker’s fifth from the six rounds he’s done this year, and was the icing on the cake for he and co-driver Ben Atkinson, with the pair having wrapped up the title at the previous round. The Rally China win also secured the manufacturer’s title for Subaru.

“This has capped off a fantastic year for us and the whole MotorImage team,” said Crocker.

“Securing the title for Subaru gave us a real focus for the weekend. They have invested a great deal into my career and into rallying, and it is fantastic to be able to produce the goods for them when it counted.”

But it could have so easily been another Australian on the top step of the podium.

West Aussie Dean Herridge stormed to an early lead during the first leg, only to retire with transmission failure. He spent the second leg setting the pace, but was too far out of contention to worry the front-runners.

New looks: There was much newness to take in at Valencia, with Randy de Puniet (14) and Andrea Dovizioso (V) learning 07 Hondas, above, Nicky Hayden learning 08 Honda, above right, and Loris Capirossi, below, and Toni Elias, below right, learning Suzuki and Ducatim respectively.

AUSTRALIAN RALLYING THE calendar for the 2008 Australian Rally Championship was released during last weekend’s Rally of Melbourne and, while the schedule remains unchanged from this year, a gap has been left for the potential inclusion of the series’ first tarmac round.

Subaru

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Rizla Suzuki

Pramac D’Antin

ARC Dates Set With Rally Australia’s removal from the 2008 World Rally Championship calendar, which was to have also counted as a round of the ARC, organisers have left a two-month gap between the fifth and sixth rounds for the potential inclusion of Rallye Burnie.

Staged under ARC regulations earlier this year, Rallye Burnie has been

tagged for future inclusion.

Rallycorp, the commercial rights holders to the ARC, are locked in discussion with Burnie’s officials to see if the Tasmanian event could slot into the vacant September time slot Rally Australia was originally planned to occupy.

“There is a feeling that it might be pushing Burnie too hard to have it up and running as an ARC round by September,” said a Rallycorp insider, “but we’re talking with the events organisers and we’re hopeful that it will play a part in the series.”

– RYAN LAHIFF

VALENCIA MOTOGP TEST Rider Bike Tyre Time Stoner Ducati B 1m32.09 Hayden Honda M 1m32.43 de Puniet Honda M 1m32.62 Nakano Honda B 1m32.64 Pedrosa Honda M 1m32.67 Vermeulen Suzuki B 1m32.97 Hopkins Kawasaki B 1m33.05 Capirossi Suzuki B 1m33.05 Elias Ducati B 1m33.20 Guintoli Ducati B 1m33.57 Lorenzo Yamaha M 1m33.58 West Kawasaki B 1m33.69 Melandri Ducati B 1m33.83 Dovizioso Honda M 1m33.99 De Angelis Honda M 1m34.06 Aoki [T] Suzuki B 1m35.04 Guareschi [T] Ducati B 1m35.84

news

It’s MIKE the BIKE! Schumacher dazzles in Ducati GP test MOTOGP

Honda Pro Images

MOTOGP ANY notions that Casey Stoner was going to take it easy for a while to celebrate his 2007 MotoGP title were blown away at Valencia last Wednesday.

sutton-images.com

The Aussie dominated a twoday test as a number of new rider-and-bike combinations got to grips with their new setups prior to the December test ban.

Stoner led the times on both days but the encouraging speed of the 2008 Honda put a smile on the face of Nicky Hayden. The outgoing champion was second fastest, albeit 0.36s slower than the Ducati pilot. And right behind

was another Honda-Michelin combination but this was the LCR machine of Randy de Puniet, the Kawasaki reject delighted to be on Honda and Michelin for the first time.

To add to the fun, Shinya Nakano was faster than Dani Pedrosa aboard the Gresini bike, Jorge Lorenzo topped Suzuki’s Loris Capirossi and Marco Melandri took his time to come to grips with a GP7 Ducati, onlookers pointing out that the multiple race-winner was only 4s faster than Michael Schumacher had been the day before.

done,” he told motogp.com, “so I thought if maybe I could MICHAEL Schumacher stunned get within 10 seconds that onlookers with his testing pace would be nice ...” at Valencia last week – but the Schumacher last ride on a German maestro was on two Ducati GP bike was two years wheels, not four. ago, when he got to about Schumacher threw a leg 15s a lap from a competitive over Casey Stoner’s Ducati GP7 on the annual ‘journalists’ time.

The seven-time World day at the Spanish track champion was not the only and was so fast that many F1 driver to test a bike, with thought that he was an experienced motorcycle racer. Gerhard Berger trying out the Ducati, Honda and In the course of a long 58Kawasaki. Also testing in the lap session, Schumacher all day ‘free-for-all’ were Alex showed that coaching from Criville, reigning double AMA Stoner and Randy Mamola, Superbike Champion Ben who pilots Ducati’s twoSpies, and British Superbike seat GP bike, was heeded stars Michael Rutter and Tom when he got within 5s of Sykes.

Dani Pedrosa’s fastest race lap the day before. Indeed, Schumacher was faster on the same day than Wayne Gardner and Kevin Schwantz, though the former 500cc World champions had many less laps to get used to their 800cc MotoGP bikes.

“I remember last time I rode the MotoGP bike I think I was about 15 seconds [a lap] slower than what could be

2008 ARC Calendar

Ducati Corse Press

Caltex

Rd 1. Coates Rally Qld 8 – 9 March Rd 2. Quit Forest Rally 5 – 6 April Rd 3. Rally of Canberra 10 – 11 May Rd 4. Toyota Rally SA 26 – 27 July Rd 5. Rally of the Great Lakes 16 – 17 August Rd 6.

NGK Rally of Melbourne 18 – 19 October

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5 Minutes with ...

TONY COCHRANE

The reappointed V8 Supercars Chairman is looking forward to the future MOTORSPORT NEWS: Are you glad to have the politics settled, at least for the time being?

TONY COCHRANE: I guess that, in sport, you always have an element of politics. What is very essential is that the politics are behind closed doors.

Politics, when they bubble up in any sport, only create concerns for sponsors and commercial rights holders, such as your television networks.

So, it is really a good thing for the sport that we have put that to bed.

Does having unanimous support, in particular, give you a bost in confidence?

I don’t think that you can do better than 100 percent voter support. In any walk of life, to have the teams’ 100 percent behind me I very much appreciate.

Where does this place your priorities for 2008? What is your number one task for next season?

I outlined, very specifically, to the TEGA AGM last Thursday, what I believed our critical goals are for next year.

There were five key points and, given their overwhelming vote of confidence, I expect that the new board will move as quickly as they can on activating all five key areas.

Can you share any of those with our readers?

No, at this stage, they are for the shareholders only.

Looking at the 2008 program,

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Hamilton stands out as being an obvious highlight.

Well, I think from the fans’ point of view, there are three highlights.

The first is that, for the first time in the history of the championship, new or old, there will be 15 events conducted – 14 championship rounds, plus the appearance at the Australian Grand Prix.

From a fan point of view, that is, obviously, more V8 Supercars than ever before in the history of the sport. I think we go to every substantial circuit in Australia, plus two international events.

Secondly, and clearly a standout, is the unbelievable lift in presentation that Network Seven has given us this year. If you look at the Mitchell Report or any of the reports that analyse TV viewer ratings, our ratings, year-to-date, are up nearly 40 percent. Or, if you prefer, nearly

months away. Corporately, it is nearly sold-out; hospitalitywise, it’s nearly sold out. No question, our belief that a New Zealand street race would be a massive event was right. It is going to be that.

From the fans point of view, our arrangement with TV3 in New Zealand very much mimics the arrangements we have with Seven in Australia.

Speaking of television, the commercial networks, Seven included, are now in the midst of promoting their new High Definition, ‘second’ channels. Will that impact on the V8 Supercars telecasts in 2008?

No, it won’t, not in 2008. For the whole life of our current contract, which has got five years left on it, we will always be on free-to-air, on the major platform, on Seven.

We have been an outstanding success on

PHIL BRANAGAN way – we may, also, look at the possibility of doing it on that platform on Seven. But that is yet to be decided.

You would appreciate that, I believe, not even 10 percent of available homes have HDTV yet. Clearly, it is not a viable platform yet for any sport in Australia – not yet.

Where is the series in terms of a second platform sponsor [Ed: to replace VB] for 2008?

We are currently negotiating with two or three different companies and I would expect we will make an announcement between now and Christmas. There will be a second platform sponsor – we have had that since we decided not to have a naming rights sponsors in 2001.

Are you still as motivated as ever after more than decade in the role of Chairman of V8 Supercars?

I have rolled over 11 years recently. I am still motivated, I

THERE’S NO QUESTION THAT WE ARE NOW REGARDED AS ONE OF [SEVEN’S] TWO BIG SPORTS, ALONG WITH AFL four-and-a-half million more Seven this year, our rating are viewers than this time last year. through the roof and Seven So, given the fact that Seven has written an unprecedented give qualifying and all our amount of advertising revenue, racing so much more coverage, nearly $30 million for the we look forward to the impact season. There’s no question of that next year. that we are now regarded as The third standout is, one of their two big sports, definitely, that we are going to along with the AFL. a street race for the first time In future years, when V8 in New Zealand, in Hamilton.

Supercars TV produces all the That has been enormously pictures in High Definition well received, with more than – and it will probably be 100,000 tickets already sold, season 2009 before the entire with the event more than six championship is produced that

think that there is a lot more we can do, there is a lot to do.

We are focused on two new street races in Australia, one in Sydney at Olympic Park and we are working to bring that to fruition. Hopefully, we will get that up for 2009.

The other race is Townsville.

That is important to North Queensland and we are determined to see it move forward.

chat

Dirk Klynsmith

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D-I-S-C-I-P-L-I-N-E is still the keyword

Dirk Klynsmith

THE basic requirement for winning the V8 championship hasn’t changed since I suggested a few weeks back that it wasn’t about speed, but more about management of the pressure.

Pressure, and how people manage it, is the key but, looking at how things panned out in Bahrain, all four contenders are feeling it. All four ‘blinked’ in Bahrain and an opportunity for someone to pull a points gap went begging.

What can we expect this weekend in Tasmania? More of the same – in terms of what

opinion Neil Crompton Commentator, Seven is needed to stay in the game.

While Triple Eight had a firstlap disaster last year (just like Bahrain) Garth won, but FPR filled the two podium spots.

On form, there’s going to be little in it in terms of outright pace, but the FPR boys have speed and no championship pressure on them.

The four contenders, however, have to – above all else – avoid those niggling

points-sapping incidents that cost them all in Bahrain.

Some interesting stats: if you add up placings over all 31 races to date this year, Rick Kelly (6.1) has the best average result, from Garth Tander (6.2) Craig Lowndes (7.2) and Jamie Whincup (9.5).

If you discount DNFs (ie award zero for DNFs) Garth has the best average when he’s finished races (4.1) from Rick (5.1), Craig (6.1) and Jamie (6.4).

The conclusion is clear; based on those factual stats, anything better than fourth place in all the six remaining

races should just about be enough to seal the crown.

There’s currently 34 points between first and fourth and 144 to play for. It’s still wide open, and far too early for anyone to be talking team tactics.

Symmons Plains provides a lap of just 50 seconds – it’s easy to go a lap down. I somehow think that the team talks at Toll/HSV and Triple Eight may feature the word ‘discipline’ from here on.

That’s what it’ll take from whoever thinks they’re going to be 2007 V8 Supercar champion.

Letters

Have your say, email us at mail@mnews.com.au. Keep letters to the point.

DeustchMark Webber What a salivating prospect, our own Mark Webber in a quick, competitive McLaren-Mecedes.

But alas, I fear this is wishful thinking on the part of your writers in eNews #028. Yes, Webber was part of the Mercedes sports car programme some years ago, and this was seen as a major stepping stone to F1. He looked like he was on the fast

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track to a McLaren-Mercedes F1 drive.

But, I must have missed something, because last I heard, Webber wasn’t well thought of at Mercedes Benz.

In fact he was banished from Teutonic towers of Mercedes quicker than the British at Dunkirk, after complaining that his Mercedes Sports had an aero package from an F18.

Mark was lucky to survive

the flying car incidents at Le Mans, and in true Aussie tradition, told Mercedes the car was too dangerous to pilot flat out down the Mulsanne straight.

Now that Ron Dennis has his Lewis Hamilton in the camp, Mercedes might want to maintain a balance with a nice young German boy like Nico Hulkenberg. The German public needs a new

Schumacher to maintain their interest in F1 and a good old stoush between a Pom and a German is always going to make headlines.

So sorry Mark, unless you have taken all responsibility for pulling back on the joystick too hard at Le Mans I can’t see you getting a three pointed star to wear on your helmet next year. simon@courtneymedia.com.au

opinion

Memo John Howard: ring Tony opinion Chris Lambden mNews Publisher was O’Reilly receiving the unanimous endorsement of the teams – and a new three-year contract to boot.

Things can change quickly, can’t they.

What happened? While the long-term plan still revolves around an independent chairman and a merged board, the events of last week have to be seen as a significant win for the ebullient Cochrane. Love him or not, as the saying goes, he has turned around sentiment among the teams. John Howard should be ringing Cocho for some tips ...

There are still issues for the V8 management to confront. CEO Wayne Cattach, a moderating voice amid all the angst that has gone on, plans to retire next year. It’s not a job for which you’d find a queue of qualified replacements begging to start work.

And some semblance of unity now has to prevail. There has been some pretty ugly stuff going on behind the scenes, particularly in relation to the departure of O’Reilly – a fundamentally straight-up-anddown character and solid administrator – who, if nothing else, is owed a fair and reasonable settlement.

And then we move on. Please ...

eLETTER OF THE WEEK Tanderised!

I have just read your article on the possibility of Leanne Tander racing in the DTM next year.

First of all I believe this would be awesome, not just for Leanne, but for Australian motorsport in general, as DTM is widely considered to be the most popular touring car series in the world.

However there are just a couple of questions I would like answered.

Firstly, if Leanne did drive for Audi would she be put in a 2-year-old car? This might be a step back for her, even with her talent. Having said that, Paul Di Rista had a great year in a 2-year-old Mercedes.

Also, what position would this put Garth in? Would he

remain in Australia in the V8 Supercar series or would he join Leanne in Germany.

I hope Audi takes this chance to recruit Leanne and let her show the world how good she is. It would be a fantastic advertisement for Australian motorsport.

Robert Paton robbierules1974@hotmail.com ED: A few good points there, Robert. Firstly, specifics of any deal that might be struck, including what model Audi she would race, are not clear at this early

Dirk Klynsmith

LIKE (I suspect) 95 percent of you, we here at MN are primarily interested in the people who build and drive racing cars and not the behind-the-scenes politics which occasionally rears its head and afflicts the management and administration. We’re about the sport – even though we’re constantly being told it’s more and more of a business all the time.

But you’d need to be on another planet if you haven’t noticed the tug-of-war going on behind-the-scenes in V8 Supercar Land in the last six months.

The 17 team owners making up teams’ group TEGA (which owns 75 percent of V8 Supercars) met last week for their annual talk-fest and by the end of the day, V8 Supercar Chairman Tony Cochrane had received unanimous endorsement, including an extension of his chairmanship through to the end of next year, while TEGA MD Kelvin O’Reilly has his marching orders (subject to financial settlement).

TEGA Chairman, former pollie John Hewson, departed acrimoniously some weeks back.

Readers with modest memory will recall that, back in May and June, things were significantly different, with the TEGA Board openly unhappy with Cochrane, set, it seemed, to appoint a new chairman and, under Hewson’s direction, merge the TEGA and V8 Supercar boards. In July, it

stage. But, as you quite rightly point out, Di Resta has got some handy results from the older-spec car this season. And if Leanne can show some pace, who knows what opportunities might open up?

As for Garth making the move to Dueschtland, can you really imagine GT leaving his plum job with the Tolls? We can’t, so logic would suggest a timeshare arrangment.

Anyway lets hope it happens, because, as you say, it would be great for Oz motor racing.

Horspwr Clothing is giving away a t-shirt each week for the most creative letter. Send yours to mail@mnews.com.au, or Motorsport News PO Box 7072, Brighton, Vic 3186 21

AUSTRALIAN RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 6 – MELBOURNE

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race

Heat of the Moment Simon and Sue Evans may have wrapped up the NEC Australian Rally Championship by the end of the first day of the Rally of Melbourne, but there was no time to relax. Day 2 beckoned, as did the chance to win every heat in a season. Game, set and match. By RYAN LAHIFF

Joel Strickland

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Joel Strickland

T

HE history books have been rewritten following Simon Evans’ clean sweep of the 2007 NEC Australian Rally Championship, the Victorian winning every heat, every round, and storming to a second consecutive driver’s title.

Evans needed just a couple of points from last weekend’s NGK Rally of Melbourne to seal the title but, in typical Evans fashion, he went on to win both heats.

“Being able to take our second Championship and to get every heat win for the season means so much to me,” said Evans on the podium.

“To be able to share that with everyone here in Melbourne means even more.

“We have worked really hard all year and you get out of it what you put into it. I put a lot of pressure on myself to back it up this year.”

But it wasn’t an easy rally for the Evans

pair. They were caught off guard on the very first stage of the weekend by Darren Windus, who proved there is potential in the Ford Fiestas. But as has often been the case this season it wasn’t long before the Fiesta was in trouble, a lack of oil pressure leading to the third blown engine of the year for the West Australian.

Normal order then resumed as Evans took the top spot, holding it for the duration of the day without further threat from his rivals.

Spencer Lowndes and Neal Bates battled hard across the morning, the two trading stage times for second and third, before Bates dropped behind when a rear suspension control arm worked loose.

South Australian Brett Kipling fought brake overheating on each of the days stages but held onto fourth with Michael Guest overcoming a pair of flat tyres, a broken rear strut and a cracked sump to grab fifth.

Young gun Brendan Reeves fell out of podium contention when he rolled heavily, his Subaru barrelling end-over-end six times before coming to a rest, while Glen Raymond encountered the local wildlife at over 150km/h and sustained heavy front end damage.

Day 2 again saw a Ford driver grab the early lead, this time Michael Guest heading Evans. That was until dust and a low-rising sun slowed him on the morning’s third stage, allowing Evans back into the lead.

From there it proved yet again a oneman show, the Toyota Corolla of Evans blazing a trail of fastest stage times to grab his twelfth heat win from twelve starts.

Lowndes’ pace in the second heat was enough to secure second for the round, a gallant effort for the returning privateer, with Bates edging Guest for third for the rally.

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Joel Strickland

Dust, not smoke: Ford had an improved weekend, Windus and Guest both leading the rally at some point and Guest finishing Heat 2 second.

Joel Strickland

Joel Strickland

Rookie mistake: Brendan Reeves, above left, had a big one early in the first heat, rolling six times on the Paradise stage. Spencer Lowndes, meanwhile, had a mistake-free weekend, earning second outright for the event, above right. Paul Batton capped off a great year by taking out the Rally Challenge class, below left, while a drive-shaft failure and a small off hampered Molly Taylor’s weekend, below right.

Joel Strickland

ARC | DRIVER'S points Joel Strickland

S Evans 524.5, Bates 368, Dean Herridge 264, Guest 228, Lowndes 228, Reeves 182, E Evans 138, David Hills 129, Brett Kipling 125.

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HISTROICS HISTORIC SANDOWN

Historic Sandown lives up to its reputation as one of the ‘must-see’ Historic meetings on the Australian calendar

T

HE skies were blue and the trees were green, thanks to a carbonoffset program that saw the 2007 Historic Sandown meeting ‘carbon-neutral’.

Patron of the event Jim Richards had never attended an event of that type before but came away impressed.

“This is the first historic meeting such as this I’ve been to and frankly, I’m blown away,” he told the crowd. “I’m going to start looking for a car that I can race.”

Could it be that the seven-time Bathurst winner will soon we wreacking havoc on the Sedan grid in his Falcon Sprint?

The biggest bangers in the paddock were in the popular Formula 5000, Group

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Q & R category.

Favourites Andrew Robson and Rusty French tangled on the startline, leaving the John Briggs Veskanda-Chev to control the first two races. But D’arcy Russell’s Lola T330 was in the right place at the right late-race restart to jump the ‘Ves’ and take Race 3.

The theme of the historic touring cars may have been ‘Mighty Mustangs’ but it was the enemy, in the form of Tony Hubbard’s 1967 Chevrolet Camaro, which clean-swept the three races.

Reynards ruled in Formula Ford, with Nick Lubransky taking the first two races in his 1983 model before Jonathan Miles won the final race in his 1982 car.

Chris Carter

‘Neutral’ Historics

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James Smith James Smith

James Smith

Something for everyone: Top, Jervis Ward’s Mustang. Above, the ex-Warren Cullen Commodore. Above right, the ex-Gricey Torana hit hard.

Chris Carter

James Smith

Classics and classicals: Bill Hemming, left, and Southouse were spectacular at Sandown.

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WORLD SERIES SPRINTCARS ROUNDS 1 & 2 – KWINANA

Chris Horne

Smashing start

The view’s better up here – Jason Hendrick won the Round 1 high-jump award

The Wanless World Series Sprintacrs kicked off in Perth – and Brooke Tatnell has the early advantage WORLD SERIES SPRINTCARS WANLESS WORLD SERIES SPRINTCARS

ROUND 1

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Points after Round 1: Tatnell 150, Farr 146, Dumesny 144, McFadden 142, Reidy 140.

Chris Horne

BROOKE Tatnell picked up where he left off from last season in the first round of Wanless World Series Sprintcars at the Perth Motorplex last weekend.

The current Australian Champion got the better of Robert Farr in the Eastcoast Pipelines J&J to take first honours.

American hopes were left alongside the racetrack when both WA-domiciled Mark Dobmeier and World of Outlaws Champ Donny Schatz were eliminated following a coming together with Carl Dowling.

Schatz’s car and motor were rendered useless. The only contracted American, Jason Johnson, detonated an engine on the fifth circulation.

This allowed Farr and Tatnell to battle it out to the finish, with the win going Tatnell’s way.

Third across the line was local Luch Monte, however he was deemed to be underweight

by WWSS officials and disqualified, elevating defending Champion Max Dumesny. The impressive youngster James McFadden and his fellow Northern Territorian Danny Reidy completed the top five.

Earlier in the night, Johnson set the pace in qualifying with a 14.194s lap at 111.6kmh, while heat races went to Ryan Farrell, Tatnell, John Liddelow, McFadden, Bryan Mann and Ricky Maiolo.

Johnson and Farr won the Dashes, while Dowling was the first transferee from the BMain taking Mick Goode, Ryan Farrell and Trevor Green with him.

– MATT PAYNE

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Advantage, Tatnell WORLD SERIES SPRINTCARS WANLESS WORLD SERIES SPRINTCARS

ROUND 2

Darren Sutton

ROUND 2 of Wanless World Series Sprintcars at Kwinana cast a very different complexion across the 14 round Championship than Night 1. At the pointy end of the field were two non-contracted drivers in World of Outlaws Rookie champ Kerry Madsen and the Champion himself Donny Schatz.

Schatz was more comfortable with the second Pick N Payless machine. Schatz looked likely to open his Australian win account, however Madsen mastered the slick track conditions better than the American, utilising superior drive and lapped traffic to his advantage, despite the bleed off valve allowing too much air from the right rear of the Jeff Leisk-owned KTM machine.

It was advantage Brooke Tatnell, however, the Round 1 winner finishing third and building on his points lead.

Nevertheless, all eyes were on Victorian David Murcott. After qualifying 31st in the

Parr Motorsports Cool, Murcott struggled through his heats and could only manage a C-Main berth. After convincingly winning that, he charged from the rear of the BMain to finish second and transfer into the A. Starting 14th, Murcott ended the 30 lap A-Main in fifth placing, a stunning charge.

Jason Johnson had a better night at the office in the Supaloc car, finishing fourth.

He once again set Comp Cams quick time

of a 13.844s at 114.42 kmh.

Heat wins fell the way of Allan Nash, Mark Dobmeier (2), Kerry Madsen (2) and Jason Johnson, with the latter two taking their respective Dashes. After Murcott won the CMain, Ben Ellement took out the B. – MATT PAYNE Points: Tatnell 294, Murcott 278, Dumesny 278, Farr 278, Reidy 266, McFadden 266.

Two for Maher heat race, Dumesny traded positions with Ken Sartori a few times before he latched onto Loudoun’s tail on the final lap blasted by at the finish.

Former Australian Litre camp Scott Darley was brilliant, running in third for most of race and holding out a determined Marty Perovich but after a huge wheelie down the back straight caused a broken shock, Darley slowed and dropped down the order.

WA star Ken Sartori had moved into third but had to settle for fourth at the end with a consistent Perovich and Darley rounding the top six.

Goulburn racer Ian Burrows was taken off to hospital for

John Morris/Mpix

LAST Saturday night, Adrian Maher scored his second Parramatta feature victory of the summer – but the star of the show was young Mitchell Dumesny, who stormed home over the later part of the race, taking second position from Ian Loudoun.

The 30-lap A Main looked to be pole-sitter Loudoun’s race but with team-mate Maher forged up from position seven and moved into second early.

The pair fought for the lead for many laps. Loudoun looked to have Maher’s charge under control but was slowed in traffic, allowing Maher to blast into the lead.

After earlier winning a

observation after a crash in Heat 1. The declared race saw Rod Maxwell taking the win while Dumesny impressively took out Heat 2. Denis Farr looked to have Heat 3 won but a late charge by Loudoun saw him scoring the win with Farr second. Ian Madsen won the

final heat with the two Dash victories shared by Loudoun and Perovich. An incident filled B Main saw Gary Rooke surviving to take victory with an impressive Mick Matchett and Wayne Skipper following him home.

– GREG BOSCATO

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Johnson takes control

Reigning Champ Jimmie Johnson on the verge of the Cup with just one race to run NASCAR

The Chase: Johnson 6572, Gordon 6486, Clint Bowyer 6331, Kyle Busch 6185, Tony Stewart 6169, Kenseth 6103, Kevin Harvick 6093, Jeff Burton 6089, Carl Edwards 6067, Kurt Busch 6056, Truex Jr 6009, Denny Hamlin

NASCAR Media

JIMMIE Johnson has one hand on a second consecutive NASCAR Nextel Cup title after winning the penultimate race of the season at Phoenix International Raceway on the weekend.

The win, Johnson’s fourth on the trot (the first four-straight winning streak since Jeff Gordon in 1998), came after the Hendricks driver stalked, and then subsequently passed, early leader Martin Truex Jr. “Homestead is going to be a stressful weekend,” said Johnson of the final race, into wich he will carry an 86-point lead over Gordon.

“We’ve got seven more days, [and] I’m just going to try to keep my mind clear and focus on the things we need to do.

“This is kind of where we were last year. We just have to go down there and be smart and see how it shakes out.’’

Gordon had a subdued weekend at PIR, a rubbing tyre restricting him to tenth at the finish.

It’s over,’’ conceded Gordon.

“Even if we won it, it’d be because they had problems.

While we’ll accept it, we don’t want to do it that way. Those guys have flat-out killed everybody, and you’ve got to give credit where credit is due.’’

Greg Biffle finished second at while Matt Kenseth was third.

Busch wins Busch ... and Truck!

BUSCH SERIES

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NASCAR Media

KYLE Busch was a double-winner at Phoenix last weekend, backing up his Truck Series win by doing likewise in the Busch Series race.

The Arizona Travel 200 win put Busch in the position to be the first driver to win all three NASCAR category races at the same track on the same weekend, however that party was crashed by Jimmie Johnson, see above.

The win came in Busch’s final race for Hendrick Motorsports.

“To go out winning a race means an awful lot,” said Busch.

“It’s all these guys here. They work their guts out, they work their hearts out in the shop in order to prepare us and get us ready for the racetrack.”

Marcos Ambrose had a great race, finishing 15th and moving to eight in the standings.

Having struggled to 38th place in qualifying, Ambrose put in a grinding

drive to come from a lap down to be the first rookie home.

“It just goes to show you that you never, ever give up,” said Marcos.

“That was our worst qualifying result of the year and we knew we had a tough day ahead of us and we just had to keep

working at it.

“We made more changes in that first 100 laps than I think we have made in a race before.”

Points: Carl Edwards 4640, David Reutimann 4069, Jason Leffler 3875, Kevin Harvick 3868, David Ragan 3670, (Ambrose 3343).

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Champ Car Media

One more time with feeling Sebastien Bourdais’ Champ Car career could only have ended one way ... on top of the podium CHAMP CAR WORLD SERIES

Final Points: Bourdais 363, Justin Wilson 281, Robert Doornbos 268, Power 261, Graham Rahal 243.

Champ Car Media

IT really couldn’t have ended any other way.

After five seasons and four titles, Sebastien Bourdais bid the Champ Car World Series goodbye in fitting style at Mexico City last weekend, winning the final race of the season.

The F1-bound Frenchman passed pole-sitter Will Power into Turn 1 just before the first round of pit-stops, and it was a lead he wouldn’t relinquish.

The only scare came in the late stages of the race when a full-course caution allowed Power to mount a challenge, but Bourdais was able to hold on for a 2s win.

“Everybody was really emotional today, and I was, too,” said Bourdais, who actually shed a tear on the podium.

“I had to leave a couple of times before jumping in the McDonald’s car.

I couldn’t hold it. It was really, really strange just to finally realize that it was going to be the last time.

“[But] when I closed the visor it was all business. We just had the better car and the team once again just pulled it off.”

Power finished second, but was disappointed not to convert his pole position to a season-ending win.

“It would have been nice to win the last race of the season, considering we had pretty good pace in qualifying,” said Power.

“The car was a little bit too loose coming down the straight. But as the season goes, we’ve had the pace all year, we’ve just had really bad luck in the races with mechanical failure and a couple other things.”

Oriol Servia carried on his ‘SuperSub’ tag by finishing third, which was a heroic effort given he stalled on the grid at the start.

The win was the 31st of his CCWS career, and puts him equal sixth (tied with Al Unser Jr and Paul Tracy) on the all-time winners list.

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rear of grid

Cousin Clarrie

OVER the last week or so, I have been reminded of my wife’s second cousin, Clarrie.

Okay, he was actually christened ‘Claude’ but, like most of his clothes, the name just doesn’t fit him.

Every January, regular as you like, Clarrie would arrive in his battered Kingswood wagon and stay for about a week, sleeping on a convertible couch in the spare room. He would go to the cricket with his mates one day, visit other mates another day and, for some reason I never really understood, always spent one day at the zoo. He would always be here for breakfast and, no matter what, always came back for dinner.

My wife thinks that he had tarantulas in his pocket, because he never put his hand in there. At the end of the week, Clarrie would be gone and so was most of our food and my beer.

We have not seen Clarrie for about five years. It seems another relative of his did well in real estate, bought a nice house and now, he gets Clarrie. It is a relief, but at the same time, I kind of miss the tradition.

Formula 1 is like Clarrie. For more than 10 years, it has called Albert Park home but now, it seems, that track is no longer good enough for Bernie and his mates.

punter@mnews.com.au Now, maybe Surfers is going to get the race. Wait a minute; Flemington seems to be in with a shot. Then, I read Phillip Island wants to host the race.

Formula 1 is like Clarrie; a stayer as long as it suits him but, once there is a better cousin to stay with, off he goes, taking most of your stuff with him. In F1’s case, the other cousin is, of course, going to be an overseas one, in India, or Russia, or somewhere with more and newer money. So, after doing a spectacular job since the 1990s, Albert Park looks like being thrown on the scrapheap of GP venues.

Maybe I am wrong about all this. Maybe the best venue for the race is not Surfers, Flemington or the Island. It might be best to have the F1 race at the zoo. If that is the case, I will not be going. So, try not to scare the animals too much, and please watch out for cousin Clarrie.

John Morris/Mpix

Hyundai Excel-eration Odd Spot

Paris Charles

WE never really thought that we would include Lewis Hamilton and Andrew Van Leeuwen in the same sentence but now, we must.

You see, so impressed was AVL by the McLaren star’s points-on-debut appearance at Albert Park in March that he vowed to match the rookie.

So, when he entered the NGK Rally of Melbourne, and banked a couple of lazy points for 16th outright in Heat 1, we were not that surprised.

We should also point out that multiple ARC winner Geoff Portman, who actually drove the Hyundai Excel in the event, helped a bit, while the Excel itself proved to be pretty indestructable, even when it ‘grazed’ a barrier at the start of the event, right.

Van Leeuwen is now speaking with a strange Welsh accent and insisting on being called Nicky. Weird ...

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