Motorsport eNews Issue 72 - September 16-22, 2008

The world of motorsport every week – directly to your desktop

Issue No. 072 16- 22 September 2008

SILLY SEASON N E P O

2009 v8 driver market comes alive

TANDER’s COMEBACK

Strategy allows hrt revival at phillip island

Editorial Editor: Grant Rowley grant@mnews.com.au Deputy Editor: Andrew van Leeuwen andrew@mnews.com.au Staff Journalist: Phillip Mahoney philm@mnews.com.au Executive Editor: Phil Branagan editor@mnews.com.au

Australasian

The ‘A’ Team

Production Graphic Design & Web: Jayne Uthmeyer design@mnews.com.au

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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: Will Buxton, Mark Glendenning, 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

Photographers Sutton Motorsport Images, Dirk Klynsmith, Marshall Cass, John Morris/Mpix, AF1 Images, James Smith, Peter Bury, Neil Blackbourn, Chris Carter, Coopers Photography, Geoff Gracie, 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.

Issue No. 072 | 16-22 Sept 2008

news 4 Where there’s a Will Davison the Silly Season key 6 Transparent stuff 8 Rules Update 12 Tomorrow calling 15 Caratti World Tour 16 Mmmmm ... hybrid!

chat 22 5 minutes with ... opinion 2425 Patrizi Lambden race 26 Garth Island 32 Three winners 34 Cats and Dogs 36 Maxi Me 38 Rain Men

Has DJR started something?

2009 will see much change New Nationwide cars Aaron goes global Stunning new Peugeot HRT’s Rob Crawford Not done with Supercars Can HRT win Bathurst?

Tander stuns the Fords Carrera Cup has parity!

Laska steps closer in FFs Bargs makes it 6 in MINIs Sydney weather a Drag

trade 46 Classifieds

welcome Australian Olympic runner Craig Mottram did everything to script, it’s just technology let us down this time ...

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

ON! ‘TIS THE SEAS

Davison confirmat

Jim Beam’s ace looks like staying at his Queensland home, making the race for Stone Brothers’ factory seat a FORD’S V8 MOVEMENTS

THE 2009 V8 Supercar driver Silly Season kicked into overdrive at Phillip Island over the weekend, with suggestions that Will Davison is “95 percent” likely to remain with Dick Johnson Racing in 2009.

Davison, 25, has been the key factor in the driver market for next season, having flirted with the option of leaving his Jim Beam Racing team to drive for a factoryback team – possibly Stone Brothers Racing or one of the factory Holden teams.

It seems increasingly likely, however, that Davison will seek continuity in the every-improving DJR team. And with confirmation of new Triple Eight chassis at the team next year (see next page), there appears to be more risks attached to leaving than staying.

Davison is the best-performed DJR driver so far this year, and thus puts pressure on the future of his team-mate Steven Johnson.

According to reliable eNews sources, if one DJR driver stays, the other will go, and that may mean that Johnson could be on his way onto the driver market.

If that happens, Johnson’s best option

to remain in a Ford would be as one of the contenders for the vacant seat at Stone Brothers Racing – however he will be up against a quality line-up of potentials, including Alex Davison, Andrew Thompson, and possibly, Steve Owen ...

Owen is also being touted as being a prime contender for any vacancy at DJR. The Fujitsu V8 Series leader has hit a purple patch, impressing the pit lane almost every time he hops into a V8 racecar. Adding to his attraction to a V8 team is that he has, we hear, secured personal sponsorship that may help sweeten any deal he might be able to nail down.

news

tion holds the key

a beauty! And there’s news on the Holden front, too ...

HOLDEN’S V8 MOVEMENTS Driver movements look equally intriguing on the red side of the fence as well.

At the top of the tree, there is continued chat that the Holden Racing Team will expand to three cars next year, promoting Rick Kelly to the main team, with Mark Skaife taking charge of a ‘green’ factory entry (as first reported in eNews #068).

How would HRT secure an additional licence for 2009? That is relatively simple.

Given that PWR Racing is likely to sell its licence at the close of this season, plus the

fact that there is still the Walden licence for sale, opportunities are plentiful.

If Kelly did transfer out of the HSV Dealer Team, a slot alongside Paul Dumbrell would emerge. There would be a number of candidates for this slot, including David Reynolds, who impressed at Phillip Island alongside Dumbrell.

Most intriguing rumour, and we stress rumour, to cross our paths this week, would see Cameron McConville moved across by Holden (a year before his BJR contract is due to end) …

Under these circumstances, Jonathan Webb would be an early favourite to grab

the vacant seat at BJR. Pit lane chat has also hinted at pressure mounting on Jack Daniels Racing’s Shane Price, suggesting that the youngster would leave the Perkins Engineering squad at, or even before, the end of the season.

But right on cue at the Island, Price qualified the fastest of all four Jack Daniels drivers and was promoted from #11 to the #7 car alongside lead driver Todd Kelly!

Regardless, the remaining rounds of the season loom as being critical in terms of Price’s longevity at Team Perkins.

Dirk Klynsmith

DJR’s new chassis Dick’s team puts its hand up for two of T8’s newies V8 SUPERCARS

Dirk Klynsmith

DICK Johnson Racing will sport two brand-new Triple Eight FG Falcons for next year’s V8 Supercar Championship Series.

Having made the most of its current BF Falcons, which were originally built in 2003, the team will upgrade to the new FG chassis, built by Triple Eight Race Engineering.

“It’s going to put us on an playing field,” DJR team manager Adrian Burgess said.

“Technology and construction of chassis has come a long way. I’ve gone up to T8 and I’m extremelly impressed.

“It will be a new lighter, stiffer shell.

Hopefully, it will give us the last couple of tenths that we’re looking for.”

DJR will continue with its own engine development.

– GRANT ROWLEY

New V8SA CEO breaks cover at Island V8 SUPERCARS

Dirk Klynsmith

THE new CEO of V8 Supercars Australia was officially introduced at last weekend’s L&H 500, with Cameron Levick speaking for the first time about his taking over from Wayne Cattach.

Levick, currently a senior executive with Vodafone and formerly involved with drinks giant Diageo, highlighted the importance of the stakeholder’s views as a key to go forward.

“The first port of call is about listening,” said Levick.

“We’ve got a huge number of stakeholders involved in this great sport, the first job is to go and listen and talk to people about how they see

things today, and how they see it growing and developing in the future.

“The two big areas for me are sustainability and relevance.

Sustainability isn’t just in an environmental context; it’s in terms of the teams’ viability, the championship and its relevance

to what cars people drive.”

Despite having had only limited exposure to motorsport in the past, Levick says he is prepared for the pit-lane politics, and should be up to speed “in a few months.”

“I’ve had plenty of people talk to me about the politics

in motorsport, and that’s natural when you have many stakeholders involved, and passionate stakeholders. As far as being prepared for it? We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”

But while coy on details of the future of the sport, Levick wasn’t shy about saying that AFL and cricket are in V8 Supercar’s sights.

“We’re planning for that, the way we are talking about the opportunities ahead of us,” he said.

“There are some big hairy questions that need to be answered, but I certainly see AFL and cricket as the benchmark for what we are trying to achieve in the way that we operate.”

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Patrizi: I’m staying

Marshall Cass

West Aussie confirms he’ll stay in V8s next year V8 SUPERCARS

Marshall Cass

FORD Rising Star Racing driver Michael Patrizi says he will be racing V8 Supercars in 2009.

Despite paddock talk that Patrizi would return to European racing to compete in Sportscar or Touring Car racing next year, the rookie V8 driver said that he has no plans to leave the V8 scene at the end of the season.

“I’m 100 percent confident that I’ll be driving V8 Supercars in Australia next year,” he said.

“You don’t come back all the way to Australia to waste it in a year. You achieve nothing.”

Staying in the V8 category is one thing, but who he’s driving for is another question. Ford Rising Star Racing is set to be immersed into a new

factory Ford team, spearheaded by blue oval star James Courtney.

And it appears that unless Ford add a fourth car to the factory team’s new look, Patrizi will be on the move.

“I can’t comment on what this team is doing, I’m sure we all know what’s going on but we haven’t been told, so I’m just going along with the flow,” he said.

“I love the Ford family and they’ve been really good to me, but if it comes to red and blue, what can you do?”

One of the more attractive aspects of Patrizi’s driving future is his sponsor.

Ausdrill is committed to backing Patrizi in 2009. So, where ever he goes, so does the West Australian mining company.

Patrizi and Grant Denyer finished 18th at Phillip Island, Patrizi’s best overall result for the season.

– GRANT ROWLEY

Patrizi to stay: Ford and Ausdrill are stickers on Michael Patrizi’s helmet this year, but only one of them will definitely be there next year ...

BRIEFLY... n Television viewers of the V8s at Phillip Island would have noticed that the majority of the grandstands were empty at Phillip Island. eNews can report that the stands have temporarily been erected for the MotoGP race in two weeks and had not received clearance to hold spectators. n Psst! Want some more muscle in your life? Well, Channel Seven will be the place to be this Saturday at 3pm when highlights of the Muscle Car Masters will be shown. The list of cars and drivers present at the Eastern Creek event is way too long to wheel out in a brief but, if you remember the Good Ol’ Days not that long ago, check your local guides – and mow the lawn early. n Tony Kanaan and Marco Andretti will join Franck Montagny in the 11th running of the Petit Le Mans event (10 hours or 1000 miles) at Road Atlanta.

AGR won their debut LMP2 entry for Acura at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2007 and earned their first 2008 victory at Detroit’s Belle Isle three weeks ago, in the hopes of keeping the Acura manufacturing support for next season.

– STAFF/MARY MENDEZ

Rule changes for ‘09 V8 SUPERCARS

A RAFT of changes to V8 Supercar’s sporting regulations were announced at Phillip Island over the weekend, with the aim of putting the outcome of the races in the team manager’s hands.

The key changes revolve around qualifying and race formats, as well as the confirmation of a ‘soft’ option tyre for the drivers and fuel stops in every race.

Practice: The only major change is that the extra 30 minute Friday practice session will include six circuits (Winton, Symmons Plains, Hidden Valley, Sandown, Qld Raceway and Townsville).

Qualifying: The top 10 shootout has been reintroduced, based on a recommendation from Channel 7. The current Leg 1 and Leg 2 system will remain, with Leg 3 replaced by the top 10 shootout.

Races: Most of the permanent

circuits will play host to a 100km race on Saturday, followed by a 200km race on Sunday. Both will include pit stops for fuel. The circuits where this will be held are Winton, Symmons Plains, Hidden Valley, Sandown, Queensland Raceway and Barbagallo.

In terms of championship points, 100 points will be given to the winner of Saturday’s first race, and 200 points for Sunday’s feature race. Regardless of round points, the winner of the second race will be classified as the round winner.

As per this year, the points system remains the same, with a maximum of 300 points on offer each weekend.

The Clipsal 500 retains its tworace 250km format, while the Gold Coast street race, Hamilton and Townsvile will also be two races contested over 400km.

Tyre compounds: At six events (Winton, Symmons Plains, Hidden Valley, Sandown, Qld Raceway, Barbagallo), teams will be allocated four soft tyres, as part of

their 12 tyre allocation. The tyres must be used during in races.

There may be further adjustments, with outgoing V8 CEO Wayne Cattach describing it as a “suck it and see” proposition.

Pit stops: Only six people will be permitted to work on the car during any pit stop. And this is an interesting change. Teams will not be able to change all four tyres and refuel the car. There simply won’t be enough team members able to work on the car.

The introduction of E85 fuel will also see new fuel strategies employed. It is expected that the cars will burn 30 percent more of the ethanol-blended fuel, compared to the current fuel used. This means that, potentially, teams may have to execute two pit stops for fuel in any one race.

Safety Car: Cars will be allowed to pit under Safety Car conditions, and for the first time, cars will be able overlap, but not pass the car in front before they cross the start finish line.

news

DJR tech win may spark others V8 SUPERCARS THE successful challenge which enabled Dick Johnson Racing to introduce its new spec camshaft last weekend may initiate a flurry of late tech updates from a number of teams.

MNews understands that DJR’s successful bid was based upon the fact that the team had received a verbal ‘okay’ from V8 Supercars’ tech chief Steve Brow, only for the V8 Board to subsequently knock the application back.

When DJR threatened legal

action, V8SA sought legal advice and was told that DJR would win a legal challenge.

The Board thus had no option but to admit the team’s newspec camshaft.

While other teams are reportedly annoyed that DJR was able to get around the Board’s ‘stability’ policy in this manner, it seems that several may now re-submit tech changes of their own which were denied by the Board – but reportedly verbally okayed earlier, in the same way as the DJR application was.

MNews understands that

up to five teams may well resubmit applications earlier denied but which, given the DJR legal precedent, would be successful.

In the meantime, we hear that teams also don’t plan to take DJR’s success lying down. Under the group’s ‘transparency’ rules, teams are required to make their parts specs, and indeed parts themselves, available to other teams. It seems that at least one team is planning to order a few camshafts in order to test DJR’s compliance …

At the same time, one of the

key engine items slated for ‘standard spec’ by V8SA is the camshaft – if that is successfully legislated (and the camshaft is a critical performance item in a V8), then any advantage will be lost – but Bathurst 2008 will be over by then …

[ED: Maybe Lewis Hamilton should employ DJR’s lawyers for their appeal against a 25 second pemalty at the Belgian GP – Hamilton’s team was reportedly given the ‘okay’ for its ‘redressing’ move by F1 Race Director Charlie Whiting during the race, only to be penalised post-race …]

Homebush uncertainty delays V8 calendar V8 SUPERCARS CONFIRMATION of the 2008 V8 Supercar calendar, expected at Phiilip Island, has been delayed – although its fundamental shape is known.

Delays over confirmation of the proposed Homebush race – thanks no doubt to the dumping of V8-friendly premier Morris Iemma by his party – is seen as the primary problem, although V8 Supercar Chairman Tony Cochrane alluded to “an interaction of two or three things which unfortunately have had a kind of domino effect around the calendar and for that reason we took the decision to hold off.”

However, we can confirm that the 14race calendar has been provisionally

scheduled in an order which moves several races from their existing spots, and in the post-Olympic year, compresses the series into the planned 38 weeks (see accompanying chart).

Among confirmed dates is, apparently, the Gold Coast date (October 25). This doesn’t appear to allow for IRL to slot a race into its calendar (it needed September) – although Cochrane maintains there will be little difficulty allocating the date to another international category. He floated (Asian) GP2 or the German DTM series as possibles.

MNews believes DTM is extremely doubtful, while there have been suggestions that A1GP would potentially step forward.

2009 V8 Calendar 1 Adelaide (Clipsal 500) Mar 20-22 – Australian GP Mar 27-29 2 Hamilton (NZ) Apr 17-19 3 Winton (VIC) TBC 4 Symmons Plains (TAS) TBC 5 Darwin (NT) TBC 6 Townsville (QLD) July 10-12 7 Sandown (VIC) TBC 8 Qld Raceway (QLD) TBC 9 Phillip Island (VIC) TBC 10 Bathurst (NSW) Oct 9-11 11 Surfers (QLD) Oct 23-25 12 Bahrain TBC 13 Barbagallo (WA) TBC 14 TBA (NSW) Dec 4-6

In this issue of GPWEEK By And

Rally Oz has a home NORTHERN New South Wales is officially the new home of the Repco Rally Australia.

The World Rally Championship will visit the shires of Tweed and Kyogle in September next year, heralding the first return of WRC competition

in this country since the last Rally Australia in Western Australia back in 2006.

“CAMS is thrilled that this most prestigious event will be conducted in one of the most spectacular regions of New South Wales,” said CAMS President Colin Osborne.

“The Australian leg of the FIA World Rally Championship will witness up to 2000 volunteer officials operating in the field and at the Rally Headquarters to ensure that the event is conducted safely and successfully.

“Many of those volunteers will be sourced from the local regional community and the specialist training which will be provided by CAMS will mean that the enormous economic benefit which will flow from the event will be compounded by enhanced community capital.”

V

Iss

Stoner concedes title CHAMPIONSHIP over. That’s what Casey Stoner is saying after Valentino Rossi won last weekend’s inaugural Indianapolis MotoGP race.

Even before the race, Stoner revealed any hope of winning the title was gone, saying, “it was gone a while ago.”

“We started to bring it back, and it was gone again,” said

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Stoner pre-race.

“We gave too many points away at the beginning of the season, and that’s really stung us now. With these two crashes (at the last two races) if we hadn’t done such a bad beginning of the season, we would still have been within reach.”

Rossi, meanwhile, became

the most successful rider ever in the premier class, by winning his 69th race in atrocious conditions. The conditions were so bad the race was actually red-flagged, but had run long enough to be declared, meaning Rossi won from Nicky Hayden. Stoner finished fourth after leading early.

drew van leeuwen

news

Vettel takes popular first win THE last seven days or so haven’t been the best for Formula 1 in a PR sense, but that all took a turn for the better at Monza last weekend when Sebastian Vettel took his maiden Grand Prix win.

At just 21 years of age, and driving for the former minnow team Scuderia Toro Rosso (once known as Minardi), Vettel is arguably the most popular firsttime victor in recent memory. And the win came in trying circumstances, varying levels of rain making track conditions unpredictable throughout the race.

“I had a fantastic race with a very good strategy, but all that was gone when I got the chequered flag and crossed the finish line,” said the German afterwards.

“The lap back to the pits and the whole podium ceremony was just unbelievable. I think for sure this is the best day of my life.

“These pictures, these emotions, I will never forget.

It is unbelievable. It is so much greater than you might think it is. It is great. Again, I can just say a big, big thank you to all the guys working in the team. I think they did a fantastic job.”

It was a good weekend all round for Toro Rosso, with Sebatsien Bourdais qualifying fourth in the second entry. But he was unlucky at the start when his STR03 decided not to go anywhere when the lights went green …

Mark Webber did a great job to qualify third in the wet, and made a solid start to the race, only to be held up by Fernando Alonso mid-race. Webber dropped down the order, and finished eighth after failing to pass a slower Lewis Hamilton late in the race.

For the full report, check out GPWeek.

w e nro sue #28 onlClin ick he e

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Vasser deman NASCAR Media

The Drug Scandal that never was NASCAR NASCAR has been struck by its own drug scandal – but not in the way many may have anticipated.

Defending Craftsman Truck Series Champion Ron Hornaday has admitted using testosterone cream between 2004 to 2006, but used it to treat what has since been diagnosed as Graves’ disease, or a hyperactive thyroid.

NASCAR called a media conference at Loudon’s race last weekend to explain that Hornaday, 50, would not be punished or face further investigation, despite the fact that he has technically used a steroid that is a

banned substance.

“It’s over and done with,” said Jim Hunter, NASCAR’s vice president of corporate communications.

“He’s cleared to race. We don’t see where Ron did anything wrong.”

Ironically, Hornaday won the CTS race in New Hampshire, he fifth win of the 2008 season, but the race will attract the attention of NASCAR for reasons that have nothing to do with him.

A post-race brawl between the crews of David Starr and Todd Bodine will be investigated this week.

You can see the brawl here: http://www.youtube.com/wa tch?v=dZmOTzi4tMs&feature =related

INDYCARS JIMMY Vasser, co-owner in the KV Racing Technology IndyCar team with Kevin Kalkhoven, wants an answer about the team going forward for next year.

Although winless this season, drivers Oriol Servia and Will Power showed competitiveness and finished a very admirable ninth and 12th, respectively, in their first IndyCar championship.

Vasser hopes to keep the team intact, drivers and crew,

and even work on some chassis development to close the gap to the other IndyCar teams that have six or more seasons of experience with the Dallara chassis.

Kalkhoven is still hard at work continuing meetings with Tony George and IndyCar officials to put the Gold Coast’s Nikon Indy 300 on the 2009 schedule. At stake is the team’s Aussie Vineyards title sponsorship of Will Power, unless a compromise can be worked out over the date.

– MARY MENDEZ

Tomorrow comes early to Nationwide teams NASCAR TESTING of NASCAR new Nationwide Car of Tomorrow has proven to be successful.

The car made its track debut at Richmond last Monday, with five teams running cars representing the four manufacturers in the category.

Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates was the first team to

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have a CoT turn a wheel, with Bryan Clauson driving the team’s prototype Dodge.

Roush Fenway Racing tested two Fords for reigning series Champion Carl Edwards and David Ragan, David Reutimann tested for Toyota and Chevy was there with Richard Childress Racing (Scott Wimmer) and Davis Motorsports, whose small team

had a car for veteran Morgan Shepherd and Danny Efland.

Like the CoT used in the Sprint Cup, the NW car is designed to cut the cost racing by reducing the number of chassis the teams need to used on varying tracks. The NW car will have the same 110-inch wheelbase as the Sprint car (the current NW car is 105-inches) and many of the

components used in the Cup car will bolt on the NW car.

The main visual difference will be that the NW car will continue to have a ‘blade’ rear spoiler, while the Cup car has a much larger bolt-on rear wing assembly.

The test was cut short by rain but testing will continue prior to the first appearance of the car at Daytona in February.

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HVM looking at nds Progress Bobby Doorknobs INDYCARS HVM may move up to run two IndyCars next season.

In its first IndyCar season with rookie driver E. J. Viso, the HVM team finished at high as fourth and achieved six top10s. For 2009, HVM expands to a two-car Indy Lights team, hiring Michael Crawford to oversee the team. Crawford ran his own Lights team after several years as General Manager of Sam Schmidt

Motorsports.

Robert Doornbos, below, who won twice last season under the Minardi-Team USA co-ownership with Paul Stoddart, is rumored to be returning to the team.

Since Keith Wiggins took over ownership of Bettenhausen Racing in 2001 under the HVM banner, the team has earned six wins and 16 podiums, primarily in Champ Car. – MARY MENDEZ

sutton-images.com sutton-images.com

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VE gets the Fujitsu nod New Commodores allowed into Development Series in ‘09 FUJITSU V8s THE VE Commodore will be eligible for competition in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series next year.

Holden’s latest-generation V8 Supercar was approved for use in the Development Series by the recent V8 board meeting.

“The standard drop down time from the Championship

Series to Development Series is two years,” V8 Supercars operations manager Kurt Sakzewski told eNews.

“The board has decided to revert to the original rules.”

The decision to allow the VE into the series is convenient for Garth Tander, who is close to confirming the entry of at least one Commodore for his Tandersport team in next year’s series.

“We’ve been watching that with interest,” Tander said of the decision to allow VEs in.

“Our plans are coming along, there’s no two ways about it.

“The VE is good for us because I didn’t want to run a VZ for 12 months and then have to swap over to the new model.

“We’re not confirmed yet, but we’re close.”

– GRANT ROWLEY

Dirk Klynsmith

Wrong then, and wrong now Wildcard entr NASCAR / FV8

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confirmed for V8 SUPERCARS

sutton-images.com

AND now, for a classic report of how a little sloppy reporting can go a long, long way.

Weeks after a totally fanciful notion floated elsewhere in the media – and weeks after the ‘story’ was debunked in eNews – Dale Earnhardt Jr is continuing to have to deny suggestions that he will race in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series round at Oran Park.

Last week at Richmond, Earnhardt made remarks about Scott Loadsman, who became involved in the story published with some authority but, as it turned out, zero substance. As eNews reported, Earnhardt has a clashing commitment, with NASCAR’s annual prizegiving dinner set for New York City at the same time as the FV8 race.

In response to a question at Richmond last week, Earnhardt said;

“He thinks that, media-wise, he can lock me into the situation. The guy also gives himself his own tattoos, so I’m not sure if he’s a credible source.

“He just sent me some YouTube stuff of him learning how to tattoo on himself.

They’re crazy over there!”

For the record, we continue to maintain that Earnhardt will not be racing at Oran Park …

UP to six ‘wildcard’ entries will be accepted for Phillip Island and Bathurst next year.

Teams from the Main V8 Supercar Series and the Fujitsu V8 Series will be able to apply to the board for an entry into the endurance races.

The move will potentially lift the total cars competing to 34-36.

Sprint Gas Racing team manager Jeff Grech told eNews that if the budget was right, he’d consider running an extra car in the sport’s premium races.

“If the right proposal came along for a third car, we’d do it,” Grech said.

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Miedecke steps up to Carrera Cup Production racer to drive Porsches at Bathurst this year ahead of full-time in 2009 YOKAHAMA V8 Utes drive George Miedecke will drive a Carrera Cup Porsche at Bathurst next month.

Miedecke will compete in both the V8 Utes and Carrera Cup on The Mountain, having recently aquired an ex-Sherrin Motorsport Porsche after the company went into receivership.

His Bathurst Porsche drive points firmly at a future in Carrera Cup next year.

“A lot of people don’t know it but the Tiburon I race in the Australian Manufacturers Challenge is actually lefthand-drive,” said Miedecke.

“So fortunately, I have some experience sitting on the other side of the car and all I have to get used to now is how to go 20 seconds a lap faster!”

It will be a rush to get the car ready with Bathurst only three weeks away, but Miedecke is excited about getting behind

the wheel.

“I’m really looking forward to Bathurst, it’s going to be good to drive a real racecar rather than a converted production car.

“We’ve got a test in the car before Bathurst and we are looking at the possibility of competing at Indy as well but at this point, the aim is to get as much seat time in the car as possible and come out firing next year.”

Miedecke currently sits in eighth in the V8 Utes championship with only two rounds to go and will need to be on top of his game with qualifying for the two categories back-to-back.

Another of the ex-Sherrin Motorsport cars has been sold to Dean Grant. The former Carrera Cup driver is also likely to make a return to the series at Bathurst driving the ex-David Russell machine.

– PHILLIP MAHONEY

Porsche star looks overseas ries r 09 enduros CARRERA CUP

“Provided that we could do it properly and we weren’t going to interrupt our own program, we’d certainly be more than willing to do it.

“I love the idea. It allows some more of the Development Series guys to come and have a go. It will give them a chance to be involved with the professional teams and maybe give them a chance to be seen, possibly for a full-time drive. I can’t see one negative towards it.

“These drivers may be a little slower, but it’s not like they’ll be driving 2-Litre cars.

They’ll be in equal machinery.

“And if there is a big shunt and you lose a few cars, this bolsters the field.”

– GRANT ROWLEY

AARON Caratti is unlikely to race in next year’s Carrera Cup championship and will instead look to put together a part-time overseas program.

Caratti has raced in the Porsche series since 2006, and hit his straps this season, recording four pole positions and one round win as of Phillip Island. But next year he will hand over his seat to younger brother Nathan Caratti, and head overseas to tackle selected events. On his wish list is a handful of the endurance events, including the 24 Hour events at Nurburgring

and Spa, as well as a round or two of the Porsche Supercup in Europe.

“I’m thinking about this just because it would be nice to do something different,” said Caratti.

“I’d do a few less races, a few enduros, and just tick some boxes. So next year will just be about driving whatever I can get into. I’m not planning on doing a full season of anything in particular.”

Caratti was initially tipped to join the V8 Supercar grid next year in a second Paul Cruickshank Racing car, but it would appear that deal is now not able to happen. But, despite no PCR deal and a year planned overseas, Caratti is still thinking about V8s.

“I’d still like to race in V8 Supercars,” he added. “That’s what professional motor racing in Australia is all about.”

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

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Peugeot’s Silver Green Racer

Hybrid Diesel set for Le Mans – if the rules fit

Yamaha grabs Tom the Pom

Sykes steps up to WSBK: will Corser stay sutton-images.com

SEAT quits BTCC BRITISH TOURERS SEAT will pull out of the British Touring Car Championship at the end of the season.

The Spanish maker, owned by the Volkswagen Group, has competed in the series for six seasons and to date, has scored 43 race wins. Jason Plato has finished second in the series twice, behind Matt Neal (Honda) and Vauxhall’s

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Fabrizio Giovanardi, and won the Manufacturers’ title in 2006.

SEAT switched to dieselengined Leon TDi this season and scored the first win for that type of engine in the series’ history at Donington Park.

It will also end its involvement with the one-make SEAT Cupra Championship at the end of the season but the company’s WTCC program is expected to continue.

WSBK YAMAHA has upped the stakes for the 2008 World Superbike Championship with a new bike and a new signing.

Yamaha Motor Italia has confirmed that British Superbike star Tom Sykes will race for the team next season, alongside a rider to be named.

Sykes, 23, has raced in the British series for two years and this year, the Rizla Suzuki racer is placed second behind Ducati’s Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne.

But where he has really made an impression is in two wildcard apperances in the WSBK. He scored sixth place in the second race at Brands but topped that with second,

after fighting series leader Troy Bayliss, last week at Donington.

It has been widely reported that Troy Corser would leave the team and join BMW next season but the recruitment of a WSBK rookie might indicate that the experienced Aussie continues to be a wanted man at Yamaha, which is expected to lose Noriyuki Haga to Ducati at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, the 2009 R1 road bike was unveiled last Tuesday in Las Vegas, and the new 998cc motor features a number of interesting features, developed from the factory’s M1 MotoGP racer. Apart from the usual refinements, the new R1 will be the first to feature a ‘big bang’ engine with uneven firing impulses.

news

LE MANS system will recoup energy for between 20 and 30 seconds per lap and that power can be used for approximately 20 seconds a lap, effectively giving the driver a ‘push to pass’ feature.

The car will use suitably modified version of the 700hp 5.5-litre, twin turbo V12 diesel engine used in the 908 HDi FAP. Peugeot is expected to start track testing the new car alongside its current models soon, and a decision over its use will be made after race organisers ACO release its regulations regarding hybrid cars.

Martin back for more A1 A1GP

THE troubled A1GP series kicks off next month, and John Martin has been confirmed as the driver of the Team Australia entry.

The British Formula 3 contender will take on a host of other countries racing the new Ferrari-powered, Michelinshod cars at Zandvoort in The Netherlands on October 5.

“There is a lot to learn with the new car,” said Martin after the test.

“It offers a driver a lot more on-track options with higher downforce and more horsepower.”

Along with a host of other teams, the Aussies shook down the new cars at Donington

y?

sutton-images.com

THIS is the hybrid car that Peugeot wants to take to Le Mans next year.

The 908HY features much of the technology currently being developed by Formula 1 teams for use in their KERS systems in 2009.

The HY’s powertrain includes a 60kW gear-driven electric motor-generator in place of the common starter motor, and energy will be stored in 600 lithium-ion cells, arranged in 10 battery packs.

An electric power converter will control the flow of energy between the packs and the motor-generator unit.

As with KERS systems, the

last week and despite some typically inclement British weather, Martin completed 105 lap without major dramas.

This will come as a huge relief to the series’ organisers, as there have been a number of technical problems that have delayed the new cars, leading to the original opening race of the season being postponed.

No Rookie driver has been named for Team Australia but eNews believes that FRenault drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Ash Walsh, and UK-based FF star Tim Blanchard are under consideration.

The opening round of the series will be televised live on FoxSports on October 5 at 2300.

A1GP

Suzuki Racing

Suzuki Racing

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F Erickson’s overseas dream AUSSIES OVERSEAS

CAMS Rising Star Daniel Erickson is likely to be the next young Aussie to try his luck in Europe.

The 20-year-old recently spent two weeks in England where he worked with Kevin Mills Racing, and tested one of the team’s British-spec Spectrum 011c Formula Fords. And according to Erickson himself, the toe-in-the-water exercise is a good indication of his plans for 2009.

“It’s what we’ve been looking at all year,” he told eNews.

“We thought about doing the [Formula Ford] Festival but at this stage we won’t.

We’ll put the money towards doing the full season [of British Formula Ford] next year.”

Erickson tested the Spectrum at both Snetterton and Castle Combe, and says he enjoyed the extra grunt of the Britishspec car.

“They certainly run things a bit

differently over there. The engine is a bit quicker, and the tracks are really good. We had two really good days at Snetterton. We were just as quick as the team’s regular drivers. That gives us a really positive outlook on next year.”

Erickson is currently running sixth in the Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship, and won two races at last weekend’s round at Phillip Island.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

Young guns complete successful TRS test AUSSIES OVERSEAS

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Neil Hammond

A HANDFUL of promising young Aussie drivers got a taste of a Toyota Racing Series car at Winton last week.

A good portion of the national Formula Ford grid had a blast in one of the openwheelers (Nick Percat, Kristian Lindbom, Jake Chapman, Daniel Erickson and Adam Graham), as well as current Australian F3 champ Tim Macrow, state Formula Forder Luke Ellery and Formula BMW Asia driver Chris Wootton.

According to TRS category manager Barrie Tomlinson, the test was a way to get young Australian drivers interested in the New Zealand series.

“These kids are at University, and it’s about schooling them,”

Taste Test: Luke Ellery had his first go in a wings and slicks car at Winton last Tuesday. said Tomlinson.

“You only have to look at the V8 Supercar drivers to see they’ve all had successful careers in single seaters, and that goes for Australian and New Zealand drivers.

“It seems logical that if you’re

coming out of Formula Ford in Australia, and you’re looking to go overseas, come and do the category in New Zealand in the summer and see where you lie. If you’re up the front then you’re ready to make the step, otherwise, wait and do

another season. You have one shot when you go to Europe.”

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN For a full track test of the Toyota Racing Series car, grab a copy of the October issue of Motorsport News, on sale September 24

news

FFord wants AGP

FORMULA FORD

Marshall Cass James Smith

FORMULA Ford may well be back on the Australian Grand Prix support bill next year – and this time it will be for points.

The Australian Formula Ford Championship has applied to be part of the AGP at Albert Park in 2009, and should the application be successful, it is likely to be the first round of the championship. It will also be the marquee event for the series next season, with a Clipsal 500 return unlikely, Townsville not up to the required safety standards for an open-wheeler race, and Bathurst highly improbable due to the extra speed from the Duratec engines.

Scott Pye, one of the first drivers confirmed for next year’s championship, is excited about the prospect of the season kicking off at Albert Park.

“The track looks phenomenal,” he said. “It looks nice and wide so it would allow the drivers who are keen to impress the F1 guys make some moves. And it would be close, with lots of slip streaming like here at Phillip Island.

“It would be a positive step for the championship.

Winning at the Grand Prix would be a great way to start a season!”

While not yet confirmed, the rest of the Formula Ford calendar isn’t difficult to predict. Winton would be very likely to return to the schedule (as Round 2), as would Barbagallo in Perth, which might even wind up being the final round depending on what happens with the proposed Sydney circuit. Symmons Plains, Hidden Valley, Sandown, Queensland Raceway and Phillip Island are all tipped to remain.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

John Morris/Mpix

Bradbury set for Utes debut V8 UTES STEVEN Bradbury is likely to compete in V8 Ute racing full time next year.

Bradbury, who competes in selected Formula Vee races, is being closely linked to Big Gun Racing for 2009.

The 2002 Winter Olympic gold medallist, who is an ambassador for Ideal Electrical (the teams major sponsor) has an existing relationship with the team having completed a successful test with them earlier this year, as reported by eNews.

An announcement is expected towards the end of the year as the team looks to confirm their driver line-up.

In other V8 Utes news, former Roaring Lion driver Craig Dontas will join Big Gun Racing for the remaining rounds this year, and will be with the

team full-time next year.

Dontas will no longer run Roaring Lion sponsorship on the car, instead the energy drink deciding to scale back it’s operations.

The South Australia was originally going to move to Big Gun Racing next year, however the collapse of Roaring Lion as a sponsor will see him in Ideal Electrical colours for Bathurst and Oran Park, with a new sponsor to be announced for 2009 later in the year.

“I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to run with Big Gun for the remainder of the year and it’s exciting to bring a new sponsor into the category next year,” Dontas told eNews.

“It’s good to be in with a good team to have a really good shot at the championship next year and a good crack at the remaining races this season.”

– PHIL MAHONEY

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news Dirk Klynsmith

MArshal Cass

A weekend of milestones SHANNONS NATIONALS ROUND eight of the Shannons Nationals kicks off this weekend at Symmons Plains in Tasmania with the Formula 3 title set to go down to the wire.

Leanne Tander and James Winslow will battle out the championship in what is the last points-paying round of the series.

Tim Macrow will make a return to the series after winning the title last year and will make his 50th Formula 3 start along with Tander over the course of the weekend.

Tander will rack up the milestone in Race 1 while Macrow will achieve the same in Race 2.

“I guess I didn’t realise how many F3 races

I had actually started – It’s gone so quickly!”

Tander said.

“I’m really glad that Formula 3 is the category I chose to make a full-time return to racing in three years ago. Regardless of whether I win or lose this year’s championship next weekend in Tasmania, Formula 3 has enabled me to re-establish myself as a consistent and legitimate title contender at the top levels of Australian Motorsport. It has been fantastic.”

Macrow is also excited about the weekend having last visited Symmons Plains in 2006.

“As always I can’t wait to get back in the car and have a go,” Macrow said.

“My 50 starts have come up pretty quickly.

It’s really crept up on me. It’s been a great

category for it and obviously the win last season was an absolute career highlight.”

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge will also head south to crown a new champion, with Sven Burchartz and Bill Pye battling it out to become the inaugural class champion.

They will have new formats to contend with this weekend with a one-hour race and two 20-minute races making up the weekend.

In the HQ Holdens Keven Stoopman leads the series over Gary Bonwick.

This weekend’s action will also include the penultimate round of the Australian Manufacturers Championship, which is currently lead by George Miedecke and Hyundai.

Season of Endurance charity auction V8 SUPERCARS SP Tools Racing will celebrate the ‘Season of Endurance with a charity auction to raise funds for the Brisbane Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation.

SP Tools, a Brisbane-based company, has produced a oneoff SP Tools Racing toolbox wrapped in V8 Supercar imagery and signed by the Stone Brothers Racing team.

The toolbox will contain a full range of SP hand tools with a Bosch ROCK Box and

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a ride in the SP Tools Racing Falcon with Shane van Gisbergen.

Worth almost $10,000, the package will be open for bids from Friday September 12 until 5pm on October 15, which can be made in person at SBR Merchandise at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama from 9-12 October 2008 or online at www. stonebrothersracing.com.au.

The current highest bid will be displayed on the home page of the SBR website throughout the auction.

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5 Minutes with ...

ROB CRAWFORD

The Holden Racing Team manager was partly responsible for the #1 Commodore coming back from almost a lap down to snatch victory at the L&H 500 at Phillip Island GRANT ROWLEY MOTORSPORT NEWS: Whoever made the call to pit Mark Skaife at the end of his stint should be allowed to take home the L&H 500 trophy and place it on their favourite bookshelf …

ROB CRAWFORD: I think it was just down to the weather conditions. It rained, fortunately, when we had to pit. It turned out to be one less stop we had to make compared to the other guys.

Skaife went close to going a lap down …

We were pretty close at one stage. I don’t think we actually went down, but it was very close …

Skaife said at the press conference that both his right-hand side tyres had deteriorated significantly.

He just never seemed to have the pace.

Yeah, we had a slow stop to start with. One of his belts got twisted, so he had to release the buckle and put the belts on again.

Obviously then, the car had a bit of a drama with it and he couldn’t get the full potential out of it.

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Peter Bury

Do you consider it to be luck, or just the way the cards fell, or was it something that you guys foresaw?

We didn’t foresee it coming.

It was a matter of running Mark out of laps in the car and basically it started to rain when his laps were up.

We brought him straight in, put Garth in the car, straight onto wets and it worked out well.

We certainly didn’t think that we’d end up where we did. garth did a terrific job Rob crawford Did you think at that stage that your chances of winning were gone?

We certainly didn’t think that we’d end up where we did.

Garth did a terrific job to get the car to the front.

He drove really well when a lot of the guys stayed out with slicks and he cashed in on that.

Towards the end, he put Jamie (Whincup) under a lot of pressure and came out on top.

What did you think of the format for the L&H 500? It mixed things up a bit …

Yeah, the Saturday format probably wasn’t one that I enjoyed too much.

Was it fair? Did it spice the racing up? I guess time will tell.

But for myself, the day was very busy and the guys were under the pressure all day and I think it was too much for the one day.

This is obviously the best way possible to head into the season’s biggest race – Bathurst – a race which has escaped the red team for a couple of years.

Yeah, it has, and the way that

Jamie and Craig (Lowndes) are driving at the moment, you’d have to consider them to be the red-hot favourites for the race.

The FPR car will be up there as well and I think they’ll be trying hard, but we’ll be trying just as hard.

It’s a race that you haven’t won since the Kmart days. Is it the most important race for yourself?

As a one-off race, it’s the most important in Australia, but it’s only one race out of 14 for the championship. It’s just as important as Winton!

chat

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I’m fighting back opinion

Ford’s Rising Star has been improving in his steep V8 learning curve

Michael Patrizi V8 Supercar driver

John Morris/ Mpix

I love how people who don’t drive race cars are critical.

I don’t think there is anyone on this grid that shouldn’t be here. You don’t get the results in Europe and around the world racing if you’re not good enough.

These cars are so different; the category is so different to anything else I’ve done before.

The credentials that James Courtney has got beats everyone in pit lane, and it’s taken him three years to find his feet.

It’s not like when Marcos Ambrose came into the category. Back then, there were five or six really good drivers, the field was a bit more spread out and there was a big difference in the teams.

I got told this weekend at Phillip Island that if I could do a 1 minute 34 second lap time, you’d be doing a good job. I did a 1m34.2s in the first practice session, and there was a lot more time in that!

I don’t know where people get their angles of criticism from, but I’m extremely happy with my season so far. I know myself that I’m making mistakes and I’ve cost us a lot of qualifying positions.

In Darwin we had the equal fastest first sector time, the fastest second sector

time of anyone, and then we got stuck in third gear at the last corner. And that was qualifying done – we missed the top 20.

That’s just one example of some missed opportunity. I got involved in some incidents in other races – Andrew Jones at Barbagallo, Jason Richards at Hamilton.

And I admit to it, I struggled around Winton. Getting these big one tonne cars around the tight twisty track was hard yakka, and for me at the moment, it’s hard

to trust the grip of the tyre, especially the FPR car around Winton’s tight corners. In saying that, compared to the others that I get to compare data with, at some points of certain tracks, I’m faster than others, when I probably shouldn’t be.

Once I’ve pieced it all together, I’m pretty confident that whatever team gives me the opportunity to have a drive next year, I’m sure I will produce the results I need to. I just need another crack at it.

Letters

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

A great race What a great V8 Supercar race at Phillip Island on the weekend.

Great new format, and a great venue for it. Just a shame that all the exciting race action happened during the Channel 7 ad breaks!

You were lucky to see five minutes of racing before another commercial break was slotted in conveniently just before a pass for the

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lead, or just as someone was spinning off the track.

Even a whole safety car period was missed during the break and no surprise we missed the restart and the reason for it in the first place!

Not to mention the fact the race wasn’t even live.

As a mad V8 Supercar fan I don’t think I can take much more of this treatment from Channel 7, nor can my TV! What a joke.

Mark Weckert Adelaide, S.A. Empty seats What was with all of the empty Grand Stand seats at Phillip Island on the weekend?

Granted, they were erected for another event, but surely no-one would lost a cent if they had been given up gratis for the fans who braved the weather.

Those in power at V8SCA

and Channel 7 should know that everyone look good when those stands are full of cheering fans. It makes for a better image on TV. Matt Treacy Matttreacy@bigpond.com [ED: We thought the exactly the same thing when we rocked up at Phillip Island but the stands had not yet passed the appropriate safety checks.]

opinion

L&H 500: Mid-race not result provides Bathurst guide HRT, SBR in Bathurst trouble if there’s no Safety Car

opinion Chris Lambden mNews Publisher SUNDAY’S win was a terrific result for HRT, breaking a string of Ford long-distance wins, but deep down the team must know it was lucky.

Not in the sense that it was a lucky win – Garth Tander’s pace at the end was undeniable (and probably killed off the subject of parity for this year at least!) but lucky in a sense that rain and Safety Cars came at just the right time to eradicate a middling performance by co-driver Mark Skaife and wipe out a deficit that would otherwise have been hard to overcome.

HRT weren’t alone. Both SBR cars fell back substantially midrace, in the hands of their codrivers, and only got back in it thanks to a good run with Safety Cars.

What I’m saying is, as a form guide for Bathurst – on combined driver speed – Phillip Island was very revealing.

Mid-race, the pace was low1min36s (with the occasional outstanding mid 1:35 from Whincup). Skaifey struggled to get below 1:37.

David Besnard and Jonno Webb hardly got under 1:38.

These two are once-a-year top-level V8 racers and PI is a daunting place to debut … but so is Bathurst.

On that form, HRT and SBR cannot win Bathurst unless, similarly, Safety Cars keep them in the game.

In a straight race, the lead FPR and Triple 8 cars go in as favourites (with a small margin over the lead DJR car as Fast Fords) with perhaps a surprising pair of Holdens – the Ingall/Morris Supercheap car and Gary Rogers’ Lee Holdsworth/Michael Caruso pairing – looming as the prime competition on the Red side.

There’s one thing which will save HRT. It’s Bathurst, and Skaife has an almost unparalleled (among the current drivers) level of experience and love for the place. He’ll need it – no-one

can afford to give away 0.7s in a straight (non-interrupted) fight up-front.

For SBR, it’s a tough call. I don’t know if their commercial arrangements allow it, but if it were me, I’d be moving Shane van Gisbergen in alongside Courtney.

All this, of course, anticipates a (rare) uninterrupted Bathurst race. But that’s what form is.

Sure as hell, there’ll be Safety Car periods – but no team wants to go in relying on getting a good one to keep them in the hunt.

There were some surprisingly good showings

from a couple of less heralded ‘number twos’ at PI – Steve Owen and Warren Luff looked well-matched in #17; Caruso, as mentioned earlier, contributed to s strong GRM pair; and, until his unfortunate shunt, Andy Jones was looking like a good match alongside Cam McConville at BJR. The anticipated tyre drama predicted for Phillip Island didn’t materialise, or was well-managed by most, so in my view the L&H 500 presented a pretty viable form guide – and there are a few likely contenders with some thinking to do …

eLETTER OF THE WEEK Car Numbers I remember a while ago someone in V8 Supercars decided it was a good idea to have the car’s number on the rear door windows the same size (or bigger it seems) as the numbers on the windscreen.

I couldn’t see the point of this because

when you are looking at the side of the car you can see the number on the door.

Anyway this was OK until the eunduros because from a spectator’s point of view you now have a number on the rear door window that you can see from the surface of the moon and 2 driver’s names that you can’t see even

on a 50” plasma TV. Some teams like DJR did a better job than others with some decent size driver’s names but I hope we don’t have to put up with the tiny driver names for the Bathurst telecast.

Eoin Douglas-Smith eoin@myplace.net.au

Send your creative letters to mail@mnews.com.au, or Motorsport News PO Box 7072, Brighton, Vic 3186 25

V8 SUPERCAR CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES ROUND 9 – L&H 500, PHILLIP ISLAND

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Supe

race

erman wears Red The Holden Racing Team had an off weekend at Phillip Island, and a win in the L&H 500 looked impossible. Trouble is, no-one thought to tell Garth Tander that. By GRANT ROWLEY

Dirk Klynsmith

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Marshall Cass

A

NEW format and a different race length did little to change the result at Phillip Island last weekend – just like the championship decider last year, Garth Tander left with the biggest trophy, and Triple Eight were second best.

A perfectly timed second pit stop from the Holden Racing Team at the beginning of a mid-race downpour brought the #1 Commodore VE back into contention for a podium, and a faultless final stint from Tander saw #1 car cross the line first.

But the win had looked a longshot during the first half of the race. Tander’s team-mate Mark Skaife didn’t appear to be in great form, struggling with his right-hand side tyres and almost dropping outside the top 20 during his stint. However, when the rain arrived and the perfectly timed pitstop performed, Tander was back in the game and on his way to victory.

TeamVodafone was also making all the right pit calls in the tough conditions, but Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes had to settle for second place.

Lowndes started the race and led all the way to the end of his stint at lap 44.

Whincup stalled in pit lane, dropping to third place but was easily able to get back to overhaul part-timers Paul Radisich (HSV Dealer Team) and David Besnard (Jeld-Wen Racing).

It was a lead that they held until lap 102 when Whincup, under huge pressure from behind, was too hot into

turn four, falling off the track and gifting Tander the win.

Dick Johnson Racing grabbed third place, with Will Davison and Steven Johnson making little mistakes on their way to the podium.

One team who did make a mistake was Ford Performance Racing. Mark Winterbottom and Steven Richards eventually finished fourth, having gambled with an early pit stop at the start of the race. That call might have been OK, but the decision to leave car #6 on slick tyres out on a wet track proved to be decisive in the car’s result.

Winterbottom rued the strategy called.

“Yeah, it was the wrong call, but hindsight is like that,” he said.

“We just had to stay out of trouble. It was tough conditions and Richo did well to stay on.”

Right at the end of the race, Richards moved from fifth to fourth when he put a move on James Courtney. The pair touched, which also promoted Lee Holdsworth/Michael Caruso up a spot.

The result of Courtney was compromised by the dry stint of David Besnard, who lacked the pace to hold station before the rain arrived.

The standout results came from Jack Perkins/Nathan Pretty ad Shane van Gisbergen/Jonathon Webb (see breakout stories), with both teams taking a top 10 result home from a weekend that eventually proved difficult.

The meeting also saw a new format, with two qualifying races, one each contested by both drivers (see breakout).

race

John Morris

V8 Supercar | ROUND 9, L&H 500, PHILLIP ISLAND, VIC

Dirk Klynsmith

Tales from a small Island: From top left: Tander and Skaife had to break out of the pack to get to a winning position.

For most of the race, Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whinup had #888 at the front.

Mark Winterbottom and Steven Richards were undone by a pit call that went wrong.

Lee Holdsworth and Michael Caruso showed some strong form in the GRM Commodore.

Pos # Driver 1 Driver 2 1 1 Mark Skaife Garth Tander 2 888 Craig Lowndes Jamie Whincup 3 18 Steven Johnson Will Davison 4 6 Mark Winterbottom Steven Richards 5 33 Lee Holdsworth Michael Caruso 6 4 David Besnard James Courtney 7 15 Rick Kelly Paul Radisich 8 11 Nathan Pretty Jack Perkins 9 39 Paul Morris Russell Ingall 10 9 Jonathon Webb Shane Van Gisbergen 11 25 Jason Bright Adam Macrow 12 34 Greg Ritter Steven Ellery 13 7 Todd Kelly Shane Price 14 2 Craig Baird Glenn Seton 15 14 Max Wilson Brad Jones 16 111 Fabian Coulthard John McIntyre 17 88 Marc Hynes Fabrizio Giovanardi 18 777 Michael Patrizi Grant Denyer 19 67 Matt Neal Boris Said 20 51 Dale Wood Mark Noske 21 26 Matthew Halliday Marcus Marshall 22 17 Steve Owen Warren Luff 23 50 Andrew Thompson Paul Weel 24 5 Dean Canto Luke Youlden DNF 12 Cam McConville Andrew Jones DNF 55 Jason Bargwanna Tony D’Alberto DNF 16 Paul Dumbrell David Reynolds DNF 3 Greg Murphy Jason Richards

Team/Car Toll Holden Racing Team VE Team Vodafone BF Jim Beam Racing BF Ford Performance Racing BF Valvoline Cummins VE Jeld-Wen Motorsport BF HSV Dealer Team VE Jack Daniel’s Racing VE Supercheap Auto Racing VE SP Tools Racing BF Fujitsu Racing BF Valvoline Cummins VE Jack Daniel's Racing VE Toll Holden Racing Team VE Team WOW VE Glenfords Racing BF Team Vodafone BF Ausdrill Ford Rising Stars BF Supercheap Auto Racing VE Sprint Gas Racing VE IRWIN Racing BF Jim Beam Racing BF PWR Racing VE Ford Performance Racing BF Team BOC VE Rod Nash Racing VE Autobarn Racing Team VE Sprint Gas Racing VE

Race time R1 R1 Grid 3:22:21.8273 15 7 10 3:22:23.4773 11 1 1 3:22:29.8452 18 2 4 3:22:31.2414 12 9 12 3:22:31.7534 5 21 13 3:22:36.7907 13 3 3 3:22:37.2203 1 17 2 3:22:47.1015 21 11 18 3:22:54.1378 14 4 6 3:23:05.6318 16 5 7 3:23:05.9485 3 22 8 3:23:10.7516 9 24 1 112 laps 19 16 2 112 laps 27 10 2 112 laps 7 26 1 112 laps 4 23 1 112 laps 26 88 2 112 laps 23 13 2 112 laps 25 15 2 111 laps 24 12 2 111 laps 22 8 1 110 laps 2 18 5 110 laps 10 25 2 109 laps DNF 19 2 80 laps 6 20 1 80 laps 8 27 1 65 laps 20 28 2 12 laps 17 6 9

John Morris

Points: Tander 2096, Winterbottom 2043, Whincup 2016, R. Kelly 1702, Davison 1661, Lowndes 1623, S. Richards 1594, Courtney 1544, Holdsworth 1399, Ingall 1362, Johnson 1267, T. Kelly 1239, Skaife 1224, Van Gisbergen 1208, Coulthard 1177, McConville 1018, Caruso 957, J. Richards 902, Murphy 900, Morris 882, Dumbrell 866, Bright 852, A. Jones 829, Price 735, D’Alberto 658, Marshall 641, Thompson 551, Patrizi 486, Scott 362, Besnard 201, Radisich 196, Webb 160, Perkins/ Pretty 158, Macrow 152, Ellery/Ritter 131, Pither 130, McIntyre 128, Jones 121, Wilson 121, Baird 118, Seton 118, Luff 115, Owen 115, Giovanardi/Hynes 102, Denyer 102, Halliday 99, Neal/Said/Noske/Wood 94, Weel 84, Canto/Youlden 60, Bargwanna 38, Reynolds 22.

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FROM a journalist’s point of view, Saturday was a frustrating day.

To bring you the scoops and insight from a race weekend, we need to able to speak to the major players of the sport. With so much track time required by the format, though, it was difficult to tie anyone down long enough.

Usually, speaking to drivers or team players is relatively simple – wait in the right place long enough and you’ll get to speak to someone and ask them the hard questions. On Saturday, however, under the new format of this 500 weekend, there was no chance.

Does this mean that the punters got more track action? Yes. All the cars did a lot of miles over the weekend. But, did the track action make sense? Probably not. I got to sit in a media centre with a television screen, live race timing and a hot coffee next to me the whole time and it was, at times, difficult to keep up. It definitely wouldn’t have made sense for the people who were in a grandstand or on the hill.

Despite these indifferences, I don’t know if the format should be ditched immediately. There were some charming aspects from it – including two interesting

THE INSIDE LINE Grant Rowley

Saturday races and a mixed-up grid.

You’ll notice that next season’s V8 formats, announced on Saturday at the track, states that Phillip Island’s race will retain the same format. It will be interesting to see if the format remains, or whether there will be some changes be made to avoid future confusion.

– GRANT ROWLEY

A Whiteboard, Boris and Hynes

Dirk Klynsmith

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THE first two hours of the L&H 500 were not boring. No, really, they weren’t.

We got to see Mark Larkham discover Murphy’s Law of Racing Commentary; that as soon as you draw on a whiteboard, something will happen on the track to tear the viewers away. We got to see the in-ground ‘speed’ cams and the ‘wire’ cam above the pits, all of which looked a treat. That was a great addition.

But, as a proud Victorian, all I can say is, thank god for our lousy weather. I was in danger of taking a nap until the divergent fuel strategies

Peter Bury

SATURDAY, TOO FRUSTRATING

washed out at the end of the race, then Huey intervened. It all happened after that and it was pretty gripping.

So, no complaints about the technical aspects of the telecast, or about the commentary itself. It’s just that, well, the interviews were Lowndes-Courtney-SkaifeIngall. The usual suspects. What Boris Said said was OK, but it would have been interesting to hear from Fabrizio Giovanardi, even if he does speak in crazy Itanglish.

And sure, tease us with the revelation that Marc Hynes, left, is Lewis Hamilton’s driving

FROM THE COUCH

Phil Branagan

coach – and then not ask him about it on camera? That’s a little like those sensationalist headlines without any substance underneath. What is this, Today Tonight?

For that matter, I reckon that Lee Holdsworth is a pretty interesting fella. Maybe, with a few more hours of broadcast time, he might even get on the telly at Bathurst. Particularly if he keeps finishing in the top five …

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How the Wet was Fun

Dirk Klynsmith

AS SOON as it starts to rain, the star that is Shane van Gisbergen shines. Brightly.

In the difficult conditions that struck the middle part of the L&H 500, the Stone Brothers driver was without peers, grabbing wets and hunting down race leader Jamie Whincup with ease. Had he pitted for slicks when the Safety Car came out for Andy Jones’S wreck, who knows what might have happened?

As it was, he led a V8 Supercar race for the first time, brought undone only by the need to

stop for dry tyres.

“I was catching Whincup, and there was plenty of traffic around,” said The Giz. “I was actually about to pass him when the Safety Car came out, so I knew we were strong, just unlucky. We made some wrong decisions, [but] at least we were quick …”

So what does make the 20year-old sensation so fast in the wet?

“I honestly don’t know. I just love it. You can throw the car around a heap more and just have fun. And I was having

plenty of fun.”

Fun it might have been, but there was serious business going on for The Giz, like leading a V8 Supercar race for the first time.

“It was awesome to be out front. I had [Rick] Kelly behind me, and I knew I only had a limited number of laps before we had to pit for slicks, so I just gunned it at the restart. We just couldn’t get far enough away.”

Sooner or later it’s going to rain long enough for The Giz Kid to win a race …

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

A Jack and two Aces

IT’S hard to imagine Jack Perkins being disappointed with eighth place, but that’s kind of how he felt at the end of the weekend.

He and Nathan Pretty were one of the real surprise packages of the weekend, showing plenty of pace in the Jack Daniel’s Commodore in both the wet and the dry.

But a flat-spotted tyre in the race, and a broken gearbox in qualifying, might have got in the way of an even better result.

“I thought if we could stay out of trouble in one of these enduros we could have a good result,” said Perkins post-race.

“I didn’t drive very well on Friday and Shane [Price] got promoted to drive with Todd [Kelly], so I just got a good nights sleep and came out in my session on Saturday and went 10th fastest. The car was really, really good and had plenty of time in it, and we would have qualified in the top 10 for my driver group but we broke a gearbox.

“I came from last to 11th in my race yesterday, and yeah we had a good car, so I was thinking we were on for a top 15. So it was good to finish eighth, although I’m disappointed I flat-spotted a tyre because

we could have mixed with a few of the guys at the end.

“We played the strategy game right today, but we legitimately had the pace to finish where we did. Our plan was, every Safety Car, to fill it with fuel, but there wasn’t a Safety Car and we had to make our fist stop green. And I got turned around by [Dale] Wood two laps before we came in, so we were a bit behind the eight ball there. We put the wets on straight away when it rained, which was our best strategy call.”

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

Petyer Bury Marshall Cass

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CARRERA CUP ROUND 7 – PHILLIP ISLAND

The Isle of Baird

Craig Baird had everything against him at the Island and still came away with the round win. ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN was there to soak up the action CARRERA CUP NOT even an illness could stop Craig Baird from making Carrera Cup history at Phillip Island last weekend.

The Kiwi took ill before the meeting started, and had his work cut out for him, having to do double duties thanks to his V8 Supercar commitments with the Holden Racing Team. But while the distractions cost him pole position, Baird was in vintage form in Race 1, overhauling pole man Aaron Caratti to win the race and set up the round honours for the 12th time (equalling Alex Davison’s record).

But that was, quite surprisingly, Baird’s only win for the meeting. Caratti hit back in Race 2, jumping Baird at the start and disappearing into the distance. It should have set up a thrilling final, but Caratti ran wide on the first lap of Race 3 while battling with James Moffat, falling out of round contention immediately.

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But that’s not to say there wasn’t drama to come. Having taken an early lead, Baird’s car started leaking fluid onto the rear tyres, hurting his race pace significantly. David Russell took full advantage of Baird’s plight, grabbing the lead and running away to his first Carrera Cup win, just days after moving to Peter Fitzgerald’s team.

“That’s a massive result for me and the team and I’m just so glad I could get that win,” he said.

“The car felt fantastic all weekend and I’m just glad I could take full advantage of it.”

But while Russell was elated with his first race win, Baird was equally excited about taking round honours. With Dean Fiore having a shocker of a round (his best result was fifth in Race 2), Baird almost ensured he will make history by becoming a two-time Carrera Cup champion, the first-ever in Australia.

“Obviously I’m pretty happy with the result this weekend given how bad I was feeling and coupled with doing the V8 stuff,” Baird said.

“But it makes it pretty hard now for Dean to catch me in the last two rounds, which means I can relax a bit at Indy and Bathurst.”

A solid recovery to fifth place in the final race meant Caratti hung on for second for the round, ahead of a consistent Bryce Washington and Russell. Moffat was fifth for the round, and might have been much further up if it hadn’t been for a black flag in the final for loose bodywork. He went on to set the fastest lap in that race, but was classified 14th.

James Kondouris won the Pilatus Challenge class for the weekend, and now leads the series from Peter Hill.

Points: Baird 1218, Fiore 888, Russell 798, Washington 768, David Wall 681, Caratti 678.

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James Smith

Dirk Klynsmith

The master: Craig Baird was on fire at the Island and duly took the round win, but both David Russell, above, and Nathan Caratti, below, both had cameo wins but failed to be as consistent as Bairdo.

James Smith

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FORMULA FORD ROUND 6 – PHILLIP ISLAND

Clash of the titans FORMULA FORD PAUL Laskazeski put one hand on the Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship trophy with an incredible round win at Phillip Island last weekend.

The weekend’s first two races followed a similar pattern.

Laskazeski and title rival Nick Percat shared the lead for the majority of the race, before a fast-finishing Daniel Erickson (who was earlier on pole by just 0.0001s) swooped in the dying laps and steal the win. And it looked like the final was going to be the same, with Erickson grabbing the lead from Percat with two laps to run, relegating Laskazeski to third.

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But it wasn’t to be. Percat and Erickson clashed wheels at Southern Loop on the very last lap, sending Erickson into the wall and dropping Percat to seventh for the race, and earning him a 20-point penalty.

It also ruined any chance of Erickson taking his first round win for the CAMS Rising Stars, the Sydneysider finishing second thanks to the DNF, just ahead of team-mate Jake Chapman.

“Everything was going really well up until that moment,” said a devastated Erickson afterwards.

“I was thinking ‘this isn’t happening!’ I couldn’t understand how it could happen.”

Less devastated was Laskazeski, who not only won the round as a result of the Erickson/Percat crash, but got a huge leg-up in the fight for the title. Going into the round, Percat realistically needed to take points off Laska if he wanted to challenge for the title in the closing rounds, but instead dropped 14 points on the track, and 20 more in the steward’s room. Advantage Laskazeski.

“I’m very happy with the way this weekend has panned out, you couldn’t get the smile of my face with half a lap remaining in the final race,” said Laskazeski.

“Although I've been doing the right thing each round, driving smart and keeping

out of trouble, Percat just kept inching closer and closer to my lead and I was starting to worry, but I found great speed today and Race 3 went my way.”

Ben Walter had an unspectacular meeting, but found himself fourth for the round with a best race result of fifth in Race 3. It was his best outing in the national series. The same went for Chaz Mostert, who was sixth on debut for Synergy Motorsport, having jumped ship from Howard Racing after Queensland.

- ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN Points: Laskazeski 272, Percat 198, Kristian Lindbom 164, Ben Morley 151, Adam Graham 146.

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Dirk Klynsmith

Marshall Cass

Championship moment: Daniel Erickson, left, looked the goods all weekend and took pole and the first two races, but a incident with Nick Percat in Race 3 forced him to retire.

The incident all but ruined Percat’s chances of winning this year’s championship after Paul Laskazeski, below, was there to pick up the pieces.

Kristian Lindbom, above, looked down on power all weekend and dropped further out of championship contention.

Dirk Klynsmith

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A classic battle at the Island

The Biante Touring Car Masters really turned it on for the crowd at Phillip Island with John Bowe and Jim Richards battled it out for round honours

Marshall Cass

BIANTE TOURING CAR MASTERS

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battle in Race 3.

Division 2 honours went to Trevor Talbot in his Holden Torana XU1 over Greg East (Holden HQ) and Gary Young (Ford Mustang).

– PHILLIP MAHONEY

James Smith

THE Biante Touring Car Masters were back on track at Phillip Island, with John Bowe making the most of the weekend to take the round win from Jim Richards.

Bowe managed to walk away with the round win after snagging victory in the final race, but it wasn’t easy.

Bowe and Richards finished on exactly the same points after the three races, with Bowe being awarded the round by virtue of his win in the weekend’s final race.

Bowe was forced to recover from a Race 2 incident with Gavin Bullas that saw him finish down in sixth position.

Bullas was later penalised for the incident, forcing him down the order for the final race.

Richards was his ever-consistent self at the Island and used the superior handling of his Falcon Sprint to secure two podium finishes.

Brad Tilley, initially dominated the weekend taking the first two race wins in some of the best Biante Touring Car Masters racing ever. But car trouble in the final race forced him to retire, effectively

ruining his weekend after looking so strong.

Former Champion Steve Mason stayed out of trouble to grab the final podium spot for the round in third place narrowly losing out to Richards in a race-long

For the record books: The Biante Touring Car Masters turned on some great racing all weekend with Brad Tilley at the head of the field. Unfortunatley, a DNF in the final race left him with little reward, but the racing was entertaining none the less.

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Dirk Klynsmith

Six on the trot for Bargs MINI CHALLENGE

Dirk Klynsmith

Young at heart: Bob Holden, above, made a return to racing in the Uber Star car, while Grant Denyer, below, struggled after a first race penalty.

Dirk Klynsmith

JASON Bargwanna made it six wins in a row with a clean sweep of the latest round of the MINI Challenge at Phillip Island.

Barwanna led from start to finish in races one and three and was able to make his way from sixth to first in Race 2s reverse grid format.

He didn’t have it all his own way though, being pushed right to the flag by Nathan Geier in the final race.

“It was just great racing,” said Bargwanna,.“ He [Geier] kept me honest all race long.

“Geier raced really fair and there were no touches. It’s how racing should be, nice and fair.

“But it’s great to get another one for the team, everyone works really hard, so it’s nice.”

Geier secured second for the round after taking three second places and battling

with Bargwanna all the way to the flag in the final race.

“He [Bargwanna] just knows every trick in the book,” said Geier.

“I think he knows all of mine so I’m going to have to read up and get some new ones, but it was a great race and a great weekend for us.

“We threw everything at him at the end but just couldn’t find a way by, but it’s good to be back up the front.”

Third for the round went to Paul Fiore with a string of consistent results including a hard-fought third in the final race.

The fight for the championship hotted up with Neil McFayden closing the gap after Grant Denyer had a terrible weekend, which included a penalty early in the weekend from which he never really recovered.

– PHILLIP MAHONEY

Points: Denyer 648, McFadyen 642, Geier 585, Fiore 549, Stokell 498, Gary Young 411, Todd Fiore

402, Bargwanna 360, David Turner 273, Nathan Callaghan 243.

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DRAG RACING NATIONALS WESTERN SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL DRAGWAY

Rain, rain, took it away Not for the first time, rain ruined the Fuchs Australian Drag Racing Nationals.

JOHN BOSHER reports from a wet WSID

THE 2008 Fuchs Australian Drag Racing Nationals have been cancelled after race day was rained out.

A light but steady drizzle of rain began early Sunday morning before the rescheduled fourth and final round of qualifying. Unfortunately, there will be no rain date and no National champions crowned in 2008.

Topping the qualifying stakes in each of the Group 1 classes were Phil Read (Top Fuel) 4.578s; Brett Stevens (Top Alcohol) 5.597; Ben Bray (Top Doorslammer) 5.916s;

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Tyronne Tremayne (Pro Stock) 7.078s; Jason Lee (Pro Stock Motorcycle) 7.207s; and Athol Williams (Top Bike) 6.339s.

There were a number of incidents over the two days of competition, including Pommie Steve Read. After running 4.81s earlier in the weekend, Read crashed during the second round of qualifying when he couldn’t shut the dragster down,.

With the chutes out, his car carried on at full speed into the sand trap, through the catch net and into the tyre wall. The result was that the Spirit of Las Vegas railer was

totally destroyed and Read suffered a broken finger.

Another lucky survivor was a Friday night smash of John Zappia, who rolled his Monaro in the sand trap. After an all night repair session, Zappia qualified in the field.

Shortly after Zappia’s crash, new Brett Stevens Racing recruit Kym Usher, driving the new Makita-backed Top Doorslammer, found himself in a very similar situation approaching the sand trap at speed. He elected to put the car sideways to wash off speed and roll his Slammer into the trap.

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John Morris/Mpix

John Morris/Mpix

Winners and spinners: Ben Bray was on Top in Doorslammer, while John Zappia had an encounter with the wall. Phil Read, top, was the best of the Top Fuel runners before the rain arrived.

John Morris/Mpix

John Bosher

Treasure to trash: Kym Usher, above, doesn’t have a Top Doorslammer that looks this immaculate anymore.

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NASCAR SPRINT CUP ROUND 27 – SYLVANIA 300, LOUDON, NH

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Sweet Sixteen

Greg Biffle picked the perfect moment to win his first Sprint Cup race of 2008

Ford Racing Media

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JIMMIE Johnson carried momentum into The Chase for the Sprint Cup and, at New Hampshire, it looked like #48 might just take a third straight win.

Enter Greg Biffle. The Ford driver jumped Johnson at the restart with 12 laps remaining to pick the perfect time to score his first win of the season.

He did not look a match for the Lowe’s Chevy, despite leading 46 laps in the middle part of the race. The caution flag worked perfectly for Biffle.

“I was holding back at the middle part of that run,” Biffle said. “Then we got those cautions. Thankfully, that closed us up to Jimmie Johnson and gave me a shot at him. I was a little better than him on that short run. He was a little bit loose and I knew it.”

Biffle looks to be a quiet threat in The Chase, after a fourth at Michigan and second and Fontana a fortnight ago.

Hurricane Ike rained out qualifying, leaving the field to line up in points order. Carl Edwards took the lead from Kyle Busch after three laps and, despite being unhappy with his set-up, took third behind Johnson, the two now tied for the points lead.

Jeff Burton was fourth from Dale Earnhardt Jr, who had to recover from a slow pitstop that put him back in the field.

One of the stories of the race was the form shown by the Toyotas. Tony Stewart was the best of the Joe Gibbs

drivers with eighth place, a great comeback after losing a lap then getting it back with a Lucky Dog. Denny Hamlin was ninth after a late splash-and-go stop, but their team-mate Kyle Busch was right out of luck.

He swiped a wall when a bolt came out of a sway bar, and after repairs, spun on lap 83.

He finally finished 34th, eight laps back from the leaders.

The other talking point in the Toyota camp was Joey Logano, who made his Sprint Cup debut. After starting 40th, he lost a lap to the leaders early and then lost another when he was penalized for dragging his jack out of his pit stall. He finished 32nd.

NASCAR | SYLVANIA 300, LOUDON, NH 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

16 48 99 31 88 2 18 20 11 29

Greg Biffle Ford Jimmie Johnson Chevy Carl Edwards Ford Jeff Burton Chevy Dale Earnhardt Jr Chevy Kurt Busch Dodge Martin Truex Jr Chevy Tony Stewart Toyota Denny Hamlin Toyota Kevin Harvick Chevy

Roush Fenway/DISHNetwork Q9 Hendrick/Lowe’s 3 Roush Fenway/Office Depot 2 Childress/AT&T 7 Hendrick/Amp/National Guard 4 Penske/Miller Lite 20 DEI/Bass Pro Shops 18 Gibbs/Home Depot 8 Joe Gibbs/FedEx 6 RCR/Shell-Pennzoil 11

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THE CHASE FOR THE SPRINT CUP | points Edwards and Johnson 5220, Biffle 5190, Earnhardt and 5170, Hamlin 5148, Stewart 5147, Busch 5146, Bowyer 5137, Harvick 5134, Gordon 5121, Kenseth 5043.

Not today, Junior: Dale Earnhardt Jr showed a ton of pace but had a tough afternoon. Jimmie Johnson, below, led most laps but was in just the right spot when Greg Biffle attacked at the end of the race.

Here he leads Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer and Tony Stewart.

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In the pits: Kyle Busch was caught out by a broken sway bar, above.

Republican Presedential candidate John McCain and his wife Cindy dropped into to take in the action. Below, they catch up with Richard Petty, centre, and track owner Bruton Smith, right. On the left is Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling and his wife Shonda.

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Schumacher extends streak NHRA

round in a row and his sixth of the year, and stopped Cruz Pedregon in the final round 4.13/302 to 4.16/302.

In Pro Stock, Justin Humphreys stunned the capacity crowd with an upset victory over a broken Kurt Johnson.

Humphreys’ car broke right off the starting line but coasted to victory.

Steve Johnson backed up his Indy win two weeks ago by riding his Snap-on Tools Suzuki past a red-lighting Eddie Krawiec for a 7.02/191 to 6.97/192 Pro Stock Motorcycle

victory.

– DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

David Ostaszewski

WITH a capacity crowd on hand for the inaugural NHRA Carolinas Nationals at Bruton Smith’s new facility, Tony Schumacher ran his Top Fuel win streak to an unheard of seven races.

Schumacher had a convincing win over Antron Brown and in the process, became the sport’s winningest Top Fuel driver with 53 career victories.

Schumacher clocked a final round 3.88/317 to best Brown’s 3.92/309 in the Matco Tools

dragster.

Schumacher has won seven events in a row and 28 consecutive rounds, which are both records. He has won 12 races this year, which is also a record for wins in one season, in 14 final rounds this year, which ties Dixon’s record for most Top Fuel final rounds.

Jack Beckman piloted the Valvoline/MTS Dodge to his third Funny Car win of the season, making it a fuel category sweep for DSR. Beckman, the hottest driver in Funny Car coming into this event, raced to his fourth final

Aston dominant in Brno FIA GT

ROUND seven of the FIA GT Championship has gone to Karl Wendlinger and Ryan Sharp in a comfortable finish at Brno.

The Aston Martin drivers won by more than eight seconds over a trio of Corvette Z06s led by Mike Hezemans

and Fabrizio Gollin, while Xavier Maassen and Christophe Bouchut finished in third place after losing second on the penultimate lap.

“It was clear we were fighting for second, third and fourth, not the win,” said Maassen.

“I feel disappointed that I couldn’t keep the second place. There was a

problem with the rear view mirror, and I was only in the car for two laps, but I don't think I should have let Mike pass me.”

Gianmaria Bruni and Toni Vilander took out GT2 in yet another class victory this season in a Ferrari F430 with Tim Bergmeister and Jiri Janak finishing second on debut.

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LE MANS SERIES

Spyder, having already been crowned champions.

In GT1, Patrice Goueslard and Guillaume Moreau took the title by finishing third, while in GT2 Australian Alex Davison just missed out on the title with his team-mate

Marc Lieb after finishing second.

Robert Bell and his teammate Jaime Melo took the race and the championship in their Ferrari F430 GT, with Bell becoming the first driver to win back-to-back LMS GT2 titles.

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AUDI has snatched both titles away from Peugeot in a dramatic final round of the Le Mans Series at Silverstone.

Allan McNish and Rinaldo Capello drove a flawless 1000km race to ensure the titles went to the German manufacturer after both Peugeots had incidents.

“It was one of the greatest [victories],” said Capello, “because after what happened at the restart with contact with the Peugeot, I thought our race was gone. But we fought back and it was amazing!”

The problems for both Peugeots handed the championship to Alexandre Premat and Mike Rockenfeller

in their first attempt at the endurance series.

Series leaders coming into the event, Nicolas Minassian and Marc Gene, were eliminated from the race following a large incident on Hanger Straight, while the other Peugeot of Stephane Sarrazin clashed with the Audi of Capello on a restart forcing them to retire to the pits for repairs losing valuable laps.

Stefan Mucke and Jan Charouz took advantage of Peugeots misfortune to bring their Lola-Aston Martin home in second place, their highest finish of the year, while Jean Christophe Bouillion and Romain Dumas finished third.

Jos Verstappen and Peter van Merksteijn dominated the race in LMP2 in a Porsche RS

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Audi snatches title

So close but yet so far: Alex Davison and Marc Lieb almost won the GT2 championship in the final race, but ended up second in the race and second overall.

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Mike Patrick

GLOBE TROTTER

Euro Debut FORMER Australian F3 driver Earl Bamaber has made his European racing debut in Italy.

Bamber competed at the Mugello round of the Formula Masters Championship over the weekend.

He qualified well in third position and came home fourth in both races, having run as high as second at one point.

“It's a fairly big step just going to Europe to race for a new team in a new car on a circuit that is completely different to anything I have raced on before, so from that point of view I’d have to say the weekend went quite well,” said Bamber.

Bamber will stay in Europe to try and negotiate a drive in the next round at Imola next weekend and, if possible, the season final at Monza.

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All but over for Crump SPEEDWAY GP NICKI Pedersen is set to become World Champion again, having opened up a 28 point gap at the head of the standings with Aussie Jason Crump in second place.

Crump failed to make the final in Poland and now faces a near impossible task to catch the flying Dane with only two meetings to go. Even going through the card unbeaten in a GP can only produce 24 points, and it is hardly likely Pedersen would fail to clinch the title in Lonigo with a meeting to spare.

If Crump fails to get five points more than Pedersen in Italy, the Dane will be champion.

Leigh Adams remains in sixth place and will automatically qualify for next year’s series.

The seven-time Aussie Champion reached the semifinals for the 18th time in the last 20 GPs but only won one of his qualifying heats before coming last in his semi-final after an inconsistent evening.

Crump won his first and last rides to total nine points from his qualifying rides but he too came last in his semifinal effectivly ending his championship campaign.

The meeting was won by the 1997 world champion and oldest rider in the field, 38 year-old Californian Greg Hancock. He headed home Pedersen and the exciting 37year-old Polish ace Tomasz Gollob in the final.

Gollob had won all five of his qualifying rides and then taken his semi-final with ease to delight the big home following in the 17,000 strong crowd.

– TONY MILLARD Points: Pedersen 155, Crump 127, Hancock 120, Gollob 118, Hans Andersen 102, Adams 98.

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A winning combination AORC

THE Tantanoola Pine Forests near Millicent in South Australia came alive to the sound of Off-Road racing last weekend in the latest round of the Australian Off Road Championships, the Pines Enduro.

Outright honours went to the father-son Proclass combination of Shannon and Ian Rentsch who claimed their third-outright victory of the season.

Rentsch finished just over nine minutes clear of the TRD entry and championship leaders David Fellows and Andrew Kittle, right.

Third outright went to defending Champions Hayden Bentley and Ben Chivell, who battled Brad Prout and Eric Phillips for the podium position.

Prolite honours went to Justin watt in his Nissan Jimco (eight outrighth), while Daniel Lamb took out the Super 1650 class finishing 10th outright.

Other winners over the weekend included Robert Moore (Extreme 2WD) and Geoff Pickering (Extreme 4WD).

The final event of the series will take

place at the Albins Goondiwindi 400 on October 18-19 with Retsch and Prout trying to hunt down Fellows for the outright championship.

Mechanical Carnage at QR QLD STATE

THE third round of Queensland Raceway’s QRDC meeting took place over the September 13/14 weekend.

Improved Production had the biggest field, with David Skillender’s V8 Supercarengined VH Commodore taking all four wins.

Aaron Hodges (Ford Escort turbo) and Stephen Thompson (Mazda RX-7) shared the

second places, although both drivers had one DNF each.

Sports Sedans saw Bob McLoughlin (VS CommodoreChev) take the three wins but was pushed hard all the way

by Shane Bradford (EB Falcon) with Steve Voight’s DJR AU Falcon taking third.

Formula Vees saw Shane Hart (Jacer) dominate with four wins ahead of Paul Manteit, who took three seconds, as the Volks team

continue to develop the new Rapier chassis. Mike Smith (Gebert) and Steven Bradbury (Elfin) were best of the rest.

Racing Cars was led by the Dallara’s with Jon Mills (Dallara 398 Golf ) and Barry Elbourn (Dallara 399 Golf ) sharing the wins.

Ben Tomlin broke through to win the Gemini series round, with Mel Thompson taking the final race win.

Paul Leaver (AU Falcon) took

the Saloon Car round with a pair of wins while brother Paul also claimed a win.

Gary Walther smashed the mixed Sedan and Sports Car field in his DRB Cobra until the car broke in race 3 allowing Mark Papendall (VH Commodore) into a win.

Paul Jacobs (LCR) dominated Sidecars with David Buxton and Michael Hickman sharing the second places.

– MARK JONES

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rear of grid

Odd Spot

FOR some time, Holden has been quite secretive about its reasons surrounding its parity claims in V8 Supercar racing.

Now, eNews and only eNews is brave enough to bring you the truth behind the fiction.

I mean, really! Holden makes a parity submission that ‘proves’ that its Commodore VE – which won the 2007 title, lest we forget – is demonstrably slower than the Falcon BF. This, despite the fact that there have been no aerodynamic changes to either car since they started racing each other in their

current form more than 18 months ago.

The only thing that could make this stance even more ludicrous is if a Holden driver managed to, with somewhat convenient timing, win the two rounds immediately following the submission of the data to V8 Supercars Australia. That would not happen, surely?

But at Phillip Island, the answer was plain to see. Holden is trying to force Ford into racing limousines in the series!

Here is the proof; a long wheelbase TeamVodafone limo prototype, complete with mini bar and, probably, a bunch of

football players looking for a faster way to get stuck into Mad Monday.

The keen eye of our technical expert picked up straight away that the car was based on a Fairlane, and featured a substantially different aero kit to the current BF. The long wheelbase would not present a great problem at tracks like Phillip Island and Bathurst but the drivers would need to perform a three-point turn to get around the hairpin at Symmons Plains. Game, set and match, Holden.

Clean up your act. We are on to you, fellas.

Toro Rosso test for Rowley?

IT was just another weekend of victories for motor racing’s great pressure performers – Vettel, Rossi, Tander, Biffle, Rowley … eNews editor Grant Rowley proved that we are Australia’s fastest weekly magazine both on and off the track when he stormed to an effortless win in the Xbox 360 Media Challenge at Phillip Island’s go-kart track (which is actually a pint-sized replica of the real 4.4km Island circuit).

The Xbox 360 Media Challenge was contested by a select number of the press last weekend to promote the Xbox Bathurst Challenge, to be run at Bathurst next month.

In fact, eNews broke the story about the Xbox Bathurst Challenge (Issue #064), so it’s a win-win for us!

“We put in a team effort,” said Growley after the slaughter race.

“It was actually a better race kart than it was a qualifying kart. We chipped away, bit by bit, one day at a time. We drove hard and we just took each lap as it came.”

The Xbox 360 Bathurst Challenge is an opportunity for 12 lucky race fans to compete for the chance to share in $100,000 in cash and prizes.

The time trial shoot out will be held at Bathurst, using part of the famous mountain circuit, including Murray’s Corner, pit straight and pit entry.

To enter the draw, all you have to do is buy an Xbox console, accessory, Live product or racing game and register your details at www.xbox.xom.au/bathurst

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Grant Rowley mobbed by fan: No, it’s actually X-Box’s Kumar Manix and the Growler himself after his emphatic win. The Lost Dogs Home is now $1000 richer.

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