Motorsport eNews Issue 83 - December 2-8, 2008 by V8 Sleuth

The world of motorsport direct to your desktop

Issue No. 083 2 – 8 December 2008

! the eve of his Oran Park farewell SHOCK On

SKAIFE:

Rising Stars Falls

tom owns hrt

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

Issue No. 083 | 02 – 08 Dec 2008

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

news 4 Skaife spotlight

Advertising National Sales Manager: Oriana Kennedy oriana@mnews.com.au P 03 9596 5555 F 03 9596 5030

6 Rise and fall ... 9 Times two 12 Selling the Bulls 14 Next F1 star ... 22 Mojo Magic

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

chat 24 5 minutes with ... opinion 26 Branagan

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

Uncle Tom takes the lot The stars no more TKR driver All the F1 news McConville tests Dream team announced Chad Reed

27 Whincup

When timing matters Doing what I do ...

32 Tasman Revival 36 World Rotax Finals 38 New Zealand

Looking back in time Those damn Brits All the action across the ditch

race 28 Shannons Nationals The other ‘Great Dane’ trade 40 Classifieds

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.

Dirk Klynsmith

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

It’s been a pretty impressive year for Simonsen and he capped it off by dominating the GT enduro

T N E C R E P 0 10

Walkinshaw gets V8 SUPERCARS

OM Walkinshaw has, with immediate effect, taken on full ownership of the Holden Racing Team. He and Mark Skaife have announced – via a statement late on Monday – that (subject to approval by V8 Supercars Australia) they have reached agreement today on the transfer of Skaife’s remaining 50 percent ownership of the team to Walkinshaw. The move takes the team full circle. It was wholly-owned by Walkinshaw’s UK-based TWR group until its financial collapse in 2003, when it was briefly acquired, from the receivers, by Holden. With TEGA rules forbidding team ownership by a

manufacturer, Skaife – with a 10-year sponsorship guarantee from Holden – took on the ownership. It has proven to be a difficult task for the former champion. Since Walkinshaw’s re-emergence in the motorsport industry (his 75 percent ownership of Holden Special Vehicles was unaffected by the TWR collapse), running Holden Motorsport, it has been commonly expected that he would eventually make a play to regain the team he founded. When Skaife was forced to hand Walkinshaw 50 percent of the team in a debt-for-equity deal last year, thanks to debts owed by the team to what is now known as Walkinshaw Racing, the industry sages nodded wisely … the rest would undoubtedly follow. They were right.

Details of the deal remain confidential, but Skaife will not be “financially ruined” as claimed over the weekend by a story in News Limited newspapers, which reported that Skaife had been forced to sell his Toorak (Melbourne) mansion, thanks to a $3.6 million debt to Walkinshaw Racing. While Skaife himself didn’t respond immediately to the claims, his manager, Craig Kelly of Elite Sports Properties, issued a statement earlier today (see breakout top right). While it poured cold water on aspects of the report, it didn’t discuss the core financial matters, describing them as a “private matter”. News Ltd claimed to have been leaked a copy of a 47-page contract between Skaife and Walkinshaw to “address a shortfall” relating to the $3.6m debt, and claimed

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Team Skaife’s response to News Limited story

Deal announced in the wake of ‘financial ruin’ newspaper claims

that Skaife could lose the balance of the company to the Scot unless he was able to secure investors to assist him. Fast forward to 6pm Monday: There is little doubt the News Ltd story prompted Skaife and Walkinshaw to finalise their arrangements perhaps a little earlier than planned – certainly no-one expected an announcement of such magnitude just three days out from Oran Park. The announcement does, at least, allow Skaife to contest his final race as a full-time pro free of the speculation fuelled by the newspaper story. What does remain, though, is the ticklish subject of V8 Supercars approval. V8 teams’ group TEGA made it clear after last year’s 50 percent acquisition that Walkinshaw would need its approval to take on a controlling share in the team under its “fit and proper” provisions. That is now a decision for the combined V8 Supercars Australia Board.

closely with all parties involved, including his business partner Tom Walkinshaw who he co-owns the Holden Racing Team with. “Mark and Tom are continuing discussions in relation to the future of the Holden Racing Team, with the best interests of the Team at the forefront of these discussions. “He is not prepared to make any further public comment about his business arrangements at this time and is focusing on finishing his driving career on a high at Oran Park this weekend.” Dirk Klynsmith

Neil Hammond

HRT

“THERE are a number of serious inaccuracies within the story published today which are damaging to Mark, his family and those involved with the team,” Skaife;s manager Craig Kelly said. “To even suggest that Mark lost his home is unthinkable. Having recently had another child with his wife Toni, they sold their previous home some months ago before property prices dropped, and are renting a house until they find the right property to buy for their recently extended family. “As far as his motor sport dealings are concerned, this is a private business matter and Mark is working

Walkinshaw/Skaife statement – 6pm Monday TOM Walkinshaw and Mark Skaife today reached agreement after several weeks of discussions on arrangements for Walkinshaw to assume full ownership and running of the Holden Racing Team. The decision, which is subject to approval by V8 Supercars Australia, is effective immediately. Walkinshaw has requested Skaife to remain as an ambassador for the Holden Racing Team, reflecting his achievements for the team and the sport. In addition, Skaife will remain as a major ambassador for the Holden brand and its products. While the details of the agreement will remain confidential, no debt or other outstanding financial commitments will remain in relation to Skaife’s team involvement. It follows Skaife’s announcement on 29 October that he intended to retire at the end of the 2008 season to explore opportunities inside and outside of motor racing. The decision will leave Skaife free to concentrate on his final round of full-time racing at Oran Park in Sydney this weekend after a 21-year driving career. Walkinshaw today said that he welcomed the resolution and that he and Skaife looked forward to an exciting future for HRT. Skaife said: “Tom and I have been working together on this for several weeks. It’s disappointing that our negotiations were inaccurately reported just as we were reaching agreement in the best interests of Holden Racing Team.” Holden Chairman and Managing Director, Mark Reuss, said the outcome would help to keep HRT as a benchmark racing team while ensuring Skaife retained involvement with the brands he had represented for so long.

John Morris/.Mpix

Morton sells V8 licence

Ford Rising Star Racing to sell licence to new Ford team for the 2009 season V8 SUPERCARS JIM Morton’s V8 Supercar licence has been placed on the market. The owner of the Ford Rising Stars Racing team, run as a Ford Performance Racing satellite operation this year, will compete in its last race this weekend at Oran Park. Ironically, Jim Morton made his motor racing debut more than 40 years ago at the famous Sydney circuit in an FJ Holden Sports Sedan. And this weekend could be Morton’s last as a motorsport entrant. “I only want to be doing this competitively, and if its not commercially viable, I didn’t want to do it,” he said. “The environment is difficult and I’m not prepared to do it unless its viable. We were

pretty close to a deal, and if we’d kept pushing away, I have no doubt that we would have ended up with something, but there were too many ifs and buts for me. That’s just the way it is.” It is expected that Morton’s license will be sold to Marcus Marshall to use in his new V8 team. It’s been a turbulent silly season for Morton. Mid-year, there were solid plans for his licence to be involved in a Ford ‘Super Team,’ but when that fell over, a new deal sprung up recently with young Queensland driver Andrew Thompson. However, it appears that has also come to nothing, and when enquires about his licence started to ring in, Morton decided that enough was enough. “I guess all the stuffing

around with some of the things that were happening earlier in the year with people – it all had an affect,” he explained. “The position I was in last week was that we had a deal over the line, but not to the level that I’d be really comfortable with. Then I started getting phone calls about my licence. I had three calls on Wednesday who were all happy to buy the licence, so we started negotiations on that and letting someone else worry about it.” Morton’s licence sale springs a number of questions for 2009. Thompson is now back on the market, FPR has infrastructure to run a third car, and Rising Star driver Michael Patrizi is on the market. While some of the final drives are up in the air, it is believed that

Thompson may end up driving a Perkins car from Kelly Racing, and Patrizi at Paul Cruickshank Racing’s mooted second entry. “FPR put together a good third car team this year and hopefully they can do something that could keep that running,” Morton said. “At the moment, to not run the car, there are some sever penalties involved if you don’t enter and that’s not the place I want to be.” At this stage, Oran Park will be Morton’s last for the time being, however, he said he’s been interested in the Biante Touring Car Series. “I’ve always had a liking for Historic touring cars. I might get involved in one of those, or maybe do nothing at all, but we’ll see what happens over the next month.” – GRANT ROWLEY

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Tasman: still here ... but some changes Sprint Gas Racing denies rumours of team closure but may quit manufacturing V8 SUPERCARS

John Morris/.Mpix

SPRINT Gas Racing, aka Tasman Motorsport, has discounted rumours circulating around the industry last week that it was about to close. Rumours spread rapidly late in the week that Oran Park would be the team’s final race, but these were discounted on Monday by Kevin Murphy. “No, we confirmed our entries for 2009 on Friday, in fact,” he told eNews today (Monday). “This may have come from the fact that we have been, discretely we thought, investigating the potential to sell the manufacturing element of the business – with us as a guaranteed customer. “Whether or not that takes place, it has no direct effect on the race team. We have two drivers and a sponsor (Sprint Gas) with two more years to go on the current contract. “It’s no secret that our team is one

affected by the reduction in Holden support, of which we enjoyed a strong share, so scaling down, perhaps divesting ourselves of the manufacturing side of the business, is an option. If we end up

retaining the manufacturing business, we will be looking for work outside of motorsport. “But we’re definitely, very definitely, still going racing!”

BRIEFLY... n SP Tools has signed a deal with Stone Brothers Racing to continue as the naming rights sponsor of Shan van Gisbergen’s Number 9 SBR Ford Falcon in 2009.

sutton-images.com

n FORTY percent of British firm Prodrive, which wholly owns Ford Performance Racing, has been acquired by Kuwaiti investment firm The Investment Dar Company (TID). Prodrive chairman David Richards: “Our business is ultimately about helping our customers sell cars, not only their current models, but future products as well. “[With this investment] I see a great opportunity to expand our current work developing the new generation of environmental technologies such as hybrid cars, hydrogen fuel cells, and variable compression ratio engines. “With our unique motorsport approach, we can rapidly take these technologies from concept to reality.”

Webber recuperating well … FORMULA ONE MARK Webber is on the mend, and could well be back in an F1 car in February. Aussie’s F1 star is now recuperating in Melbourne, in the hands of specialists, who

want the injury to recover to a certain point before he undertakes a long-haul flight back to Europe. Both breaks in his right leg are responding well to treatment, and there are no complications.

Ride for his Life Sieders gives hot lap ride to the Doctor who saved his life ...

FUJITSU V8 Supercar driver Colin Sieders was involved in a horrific car accident 10 years ago. This weekend, Sieders will repay the man who saved his life by giving him a hot lap around the Oran Park circuit. CareFlight doctor Rob Bartolacci was one of the first on the scene at Sieders’ fatal accident in western Sydney, but this time, Bartolacci’s life will be in Colin’s hands. Sieders is an ambassodor for CareFlight, and has produced a collectable V8 Supercar CareFlight Bear that will be on sale at the Oran Park circuit. All proceeds got to NRMA CareFlight.

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Gaunt gets Drive #2 Kiwi racer to compete in final V8 round at Oran Park this weekend V8 SUPERCARS

Dirk Klynsmith

DANIEL Gaunt will get his second V8 Supercar race meeting at the Oran Park Finale this weekend. The Kiwi made his V8 debut at Symmons Plains two weeks ago, finishing 26th for the round after three safe and steady races. Gaunt had only completed a handful of informal testing laps with Stone Brothers Racing a few months ago, so essentially, Tasmania was his first proper hit-out. Despite the fact that Gaunt has never seen Oran Park before, at least he has V8 miles,

but his expectations remain the same. “My expectations don’t really change,” he said. “I’m going to try and finish all three races and move as high forward as we can. The

team is certainly up against it financially at the moment but I think, for me, it’s just about getting more miles in the car and in a race situation. “There isn’t a lot of testing time allowed in this category

so any miles that I can get in these cars at this stage is a huge bonus for me, especially leading into next year.” eNews understands that Gaunt has been in discussions with TKR about driving the all-black Falcon next year, however, it is still early days. Gaunt has indicated that at the very least, he wants to do a season in the Fujitsu V8 Series as a stepping stone towards a career in the category. The Kiwi is a former Australian Gold Star champion (2004) and has since won the Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand. – GRANT ROWLEY

Kelly’s Jack Daniel’s bliss V8 SUPERCARS

Dirk Klynsmith

ONE of the Kelly Racing Commodores will run in the colours of Jack Daniel’s next season, following the signing of the sponsor last week. Todd Kelly, who moves to his family’s team after completing his season with Perkins Engineering this weekend at Oran Park, will stay in the familiar black hues of the iconic American brand after a deal was finalised last month. His brother Rick will run in a different livery, for a sponsor TBA.

It is no surprise that Todd Kelly will remain in black. He is highly regarded by the team and travelled to the USA earlier this season and attended the NASCAR Sprint Cup round at Dover, Delaware as a guest of Richard Childress Racing. That team’s #7 entry is also sponsored by Jack Daniel’s. Kelly did not return calls when contacted by Motorsport News on Monday. The Kelly team has recruited a number of staff members from Britek Motorsport, which will run its last event in its current guise in Sydney this weekend.

V8 SUPERCARS

that we’ve had in the car. He appears to be very strong under brakes which is a good sign because anyone can stamp their foot on the throttle out of the corner. “I think he’ll do quite a good job.” White’s new deal has also encouraged him to seriously consider entering a car in next year’s Bathurst 1000. The FV8 veteran has raced in the 1000 on a number of occasions and is keen to have an entry in The Great Race. “I’d absolutely consider it,” he said. “We’re run a car at Bathurst before, but you’ve got to know about it early so you can prepare and do a sensible job. If we can get the right program and the right drivers, it won’t be hard to do. “In a Main Series sprint round, you couldn’t get a finish inside the top 15, but at Bathurst there’s an outside chance.” – GRANT ROWLEY

James Smith

FUJITSU V8 Supercar team Matthew White Racing has purchased both of Ford Performance Racing’s current factory Falcon BFs. MWR will use the cars in next season’s FV8 Series, expanding to a three-car team. Brad Lowe has been confirmed as one of the drivers for 2009, starting his relationship with the Victorian-based team at Oran Park this weekend. The other two drivers for next year are undecided at this stage, however current MWR youngster Damien Assaillit and the injured Grant Denyer are two strong possibilities. Team owner Matthew White told eNews that his Christmas break is going to be packed full of preparations for 2009. “We’re gearing up for the three cars at the moment,” he said. “If you start off right, you end up OK. We’re going to have a complete car spare. There are three rounds with a very tight turn around next year, so we want to be totally prepared. And I have to say that I’m looking forward to it, but it’s going to keep us busy over Christmas.” MWR will take delivery of its first car over the Christmas, before getting the second car in January. Part of the deal with FPR is that he will receive comprehensive technical support.

“That’s what makes the program attractive,” he said. “Tim (Edwards) is keen to have got a team with experience, and that was something we were both looking for. Both being Victorian teams, we can go to Winton to test at the same time. There are a lot of sensible synergies.” While White could not commit to his second and third drivers, he is confident that new signing Lowe will impress with the team’s new machinery. “He’ll take some time to find his feet in this category because its very competitive,” he said. “But he won a Formula Ford race and round this year which isn’t an easy feat. He was hit pilar to post after that, but he proved that he has the pace to do it. “I was very impressed with him in his test recently. He was as quick as any new guy

Dirk Klynsmith

Factory BFs for MWR

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Fujitsu drive for Price Hand back the keys FUJITSU V8s

Marshall Cass

SHANE Price will drive a Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series entry at Oran Park this weekend. The former Jack Daniel’s Racing driver will step into Jay Verdnik’s Commodore VZ, who is unavailable to drive this weekend. Price will compete with new sponsorship from Total Tools – the tool company has come on board as a one-off deal, with a view to extending the deal into the future. Price is looking forward to getting back in the V8 saddle. “I’m really excited to get back into a Supercar and hopefully make an impression and get a decent result,” he said. “Results will be such an unknown. It’s obviously a car I’ve never driven before and I only get two practice session, so I’ll need to come to grips with it quickly. “Fingers crossed I can get a good result and move towards next year. It’s hard to get a Main Series drive at the moment, so I’m pressing to get a Fujitsu drive.” – GRANT ROWLEY

V8 SUPERCARS IF the bloke in the Hyundai Santa Fe alongside you at a set of lights looks like a V8 Supercar driver, don’t worry, you are not seeing things. The long-standing policy of V8 stars driving around in the roadgoing version of their racecars looks to be coming to an end, with a number of drivers told recently that their roadies are due back to the manufacturers before Christmas. Because of this, a number of drivers are looking to discuss their requirements with, and what they may do in return for some local importers, with a view to getting something new and shiny for 2009. We believe that the factory-backed teams, Ford Performance Racing and Stone Brothers Racing on the blue side, and HRT and the HSV Dealer Team on the red side, have separate arrangements already in place, and that individual drivers may have their own private arrangements. But otherwise, don’t be surprised to see a queue outside a BMW dealer …

Red Bull buys out Berger

FORMULA 1

Rossi tops tests MOTOGP

SPORTSCARS

MOTOGP World Champion Valentino Rossi has topped the timesheets in the final tests at Jerez last week. Rossi headed the combined time sheets by setting the fastest time 1:39.429s in the second session, and 1:40.135s in the first session behind Dani Pedrosa. Rossi and Pedrosa were the only two men under the 1:40s mark, with Jorge Lorenzo third fastest in both sessions. Nicky Haden tested sixth fastest, learning the ways of a Ducati with a best of 1:40.486s. While some teams were busy in Spain, others were racking up laps at Phillip Island. Suzuki and Kawasakis were in Victoria, with Loris Capirossi faster than Chris Vermeulen by 0.4s for Suzuki, and Frenchman Olivier Jacque fastest from Marco Melandri and John Hopkins on the green machines.

THE sky will continue to be the limit for Audi’s Le Mans challenger, the R15. The German factory has confirmed that a new car will take on the Peugeots in the 2009 Le Mans 24 Hour and, despite expectations that it would field a coupe, the new car will be a roadster, following the architecture of the successful R8 and R10. Joest Racing, which scored the marque’s eighth win in the French classic in June, will run three of the new cars, which will feature a “smaller, easier and even more efficient TDI motor,” according to the team. Actual details of the car are scarce, but a test program is set to get underway early in the new year. The R15, which is said to be a bigger step forward from the R10 than that car was from the R8, will make its race debut in the Sebring 12 Hour on March 21.

sutton-images.com

Audi’s open policy

Yamaha-Racing.com

A SPANISH newspaper has confirmed one of F1’s worst kept secrets – that Santander will sponsor Ferrari in 2010. The Spanish bank is currently a major backer of the McLaren team, a deal which started when Fernando Alonso joined the team at the start of last season. But the bank’s chairman Emilio Botin told Diario AS that “Santander will be with Ferrari in 2010, yes.” The news also strengthens the theory that Alonso will end up wearing red in 2010, despite a recent extension on Kimi Raikkonen’s contract. “Alonso is the best driver in the world,” Botin added. “We would like to work with him, but that’s not something that depends only on us.”

GERHARD Berger is no longer a part-owner of the Toro Rosso F1 team, with Red Bull buying back his 50 percent stake recently. The announcement brings an end to an association between the former driver and Red Bull that started in 2006, and resulted in a maiden win for the team formerly known as Minardi in Italy this year. “I am very grateful to Gerhard for his huge input,” said Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz in a statement. “Together we turned Toro Rosso into a team that qualified on a regular basis in the top 10 and collected World Championship points.” “A 100 percent financing of a joint project by one partner can only make sense, to my mind, at an initial stage,” added Berger. “This stage is over now. That’s why Red Bull will take over the shares again.” The team’s future remains in some doubt after Mateschitz announced earlier this year that he was looking to sell the ‘junior’ team.

sutton-images.com

Ferrari’s Red Hot Deal

FORMULA 1

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Kiwi Kid’s F1chance FORMULA 1 THERE aren’t many 19-year-olds that will spend the southern hemisphere summer testing Formula 1 cars, but that’s exactly what Brendon Hartley will be doing. The New Zealander has been drafted into the Red Bull Racing line-up as a replacement for the injured Mark Webber, joining new recruit Sebastian Vettel and regular test driver Sebastien Buemi at the upcoming open tests at Jerez in Spain. Hartley competed in this year’s British Formula 3 Championship with

major backing form the Austrian drinks giant, and has had a couple of limited F1 outings with both RBR and Toro Rosso during the season. However the Jerez test will be his first proper outing in an F1 car. In other F1 rookie news, Ferrari recently tested a trio of Italian Formula 3 Championship youngsters as a prize for their achievements in 2008. Mirko Bortolotti, Edoardo Piscopo and Salvatore Cicatelli were each given a go in an F2008 chassis at Fiorano, with 18-year-old Bortolotti doing the fastest time the track has seen all year with a 59.111s pass.

Loeb gets a taste of the good oil WORLD RALLYING

Beeb confirm F1 dream team FORMULA 1

Peugeot Media

THE BBC has confirmed the entire line-up it will use when it recommences Formula 1 coverage in 2009. David Coulthard, above, and Eddie Jordan are the last two names to join the team, which will be lead by anchor Jake Humphrey. Ted Kravitz and Lee McKenzie will patrol pit-lane, while the race will be called Jonathon Legard and Martin Brundle. Murray Walker will also be back in action as an online expert.

SEBASTIEN Loeb is living proof that being World Rally Champion comes with some pretty exciting perks. Just a week before he rounds out the World Rally Championship season in Wales, Loeb flew to France for a car swap with Peugeot sportscar ace Stephane Sarrazin. That meant 15 laps of Paul Ricard in Pug’s 908 HDi FAP, in which Loeb was only a second slower than times set on the same day by Sarrazin. This test came just weeks after Loeb went

eighth fastest in an open Formula 1 test for Red Bull Racing. “What is always impressive about sports prototypes and single-seaters, of course, is their speed and the amount of downforce they generate,” said Loeb. “But I have to say that I was struck by the amount of torque delivered by the diesel engine. I was a little surprised by the restricted visibility you get from the closed cockpit, but I soon felt confident enough to start pushing a little harder and I savoured every minute of the experience.”

Cam’s Sweet Dreams

McConville in awe after testing Honda’s 2008 F1 car V8 SUPEERCAR MEETS F1

Honda F1

CAMERON McConville became Australia’s latest Formula 1 driver last week when he tested a 2008 model Honda at Motegi – and he would like to have another taste. The Brad Jones Racing pilot drove the same Honda RA108 that carried Rubens Barrichello to third place at the British Grand Prix, and came away from the experience with a massive respect for the men who race the 700-plus horsepower cars all the time. “It was the most amazing experience I have ever had in a car,” he said when he returned to Australia. “I have been on the back of a two-seater Ducati with Randy Mamola riding, and in some pretty fast cars, but nothing like this before. “It stops turns and it does things in a way you can’t imagine. It is so fast, I have trouble finding the right words to do it justice.” McConville drove the car for a story that Network 10 will air during its broadcast of the 2009 Australian Grand Prix in March. During the course of the four-hour test,

the V8 regular completed 27 laps. “There was snow in the nearby mountains and that pretty daunting to see that before I drove the car,” he said. “But we managed to carve 11 seconds off the time I did on my first lap. In seventh gear, we hit 292 [kmh], according to the data. Jenson [Button] drove the car around the speed bowl the day before and that is what he was doing. I braked at the 150 [metre board], just past it, and I got a little light headed under braking on the last run. “On the last run, my vision was getting blurry. They gave me a set of green tyres for the last runs, I had done about 20 laps by now, and I felt it. I was ready to finish that run after four laps. The biggest thing was the braking. Everything else was okay but I could feel myself starting to strain.” McConville has a familiar ally in the test, with engineer David Nelson, who was part of the design team that worked on the racing version of the Commodore VE during his days at GRM in 2005. Nelson is the team’s regular data engineer and stepped up a rung for the test. The car, which scored the only podium finish for the team in a tough season, was

Rubens for a Day: McConville had a ball in Honda’s F1 car, main pic, but was caught by engineer David Nelson when trying to pocket a steering wheel, above ... returned to the team’s UK base before taking its place as the 2008 display car at Honda’s motorsport museum in Japan. And while McConville is satisfied with his drive, he would love to have another crack at it. “I would liked to had a sleep on it, and then come back the next day and had another crack,” he says. “But that wasn’t on the plan. “If only I could turn the clock back 10 or 12 years …”

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Dirty Deeds

Reed gains two training wheels SUPERCROSS-ARC

Honda F1

SUPERCROSS superstar Chad Reed has had his first taste of a TRD Corolla rally car, testing for the team with which he hopes to compete in selected rounds of the Australian Rally Championship. Reed hit the dirt around Queensland Raceway last Friday, clocking up over 100km in what was his first four-wheeler off-road venture. Newly-crowned Australian Rally Champion Neal Bates was on hand to show Reed the ropes. “[Neal] actually made me pretty nervous,” admitted Reed, “because he was out there and he said ‘wow, these

conditions are really tough.’ I was definitely more than a little bit nervous. “I came around the track and got it driving up. I just tried to relax and have fun with it, and it worked out great. Neal said at first he just wanted to make sure I had it all down, and that I was nice and smooth, and in the end he wasn’t worried about me tearing up his car or anything like that.” Reed was slated to race an Aussie Racing Car at Oran Park this weekend, but is unable to do it thanks to commitments back in America (see separate story). – ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN For more with Chad Reed, turn to page 24 Toyota Motorsports

Honda F1

Pye in the sky FORMULA FORD

John Morris/Mpix

AUSSIE Formula Forder Scott Pye has won one of New Zealand’s major motor racing prizes – the Wigram Cup – on debut in the Toyota Racing Series. While the Wigram Cup is only a new prize (introduced this year as a result of the Lady Wigram Trophy being reinstated to historic Formula 5000 racing), it is one of the marquee events for TRS season 2008/2009. And despite never having been overseas in his life, or raced a wings-and-slicks car before, Pye was too good, qualifying fastest and winning the main race.

“Our expectations really weren’t that high,” a surprised Pye told eNews. “There’s no way we expected to be the fastest out there. But the whole weekend just went really well.” Despite his dominant first visit, Pye isn’t confirmed to compete in the remainder of the TRS season. “I’d love to go back, but right now we don’t have the budget,” he said. “Hopefully that will change, but for now that is the only round we can do.” Pye will be back in action this weekend at Oran Park for the last national Formula Ford round of the year. – ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

Collie to make FFord debut in WA FORMULA FORD

BRD for USA FORMULA FORD BORLAND Racing Developments has confirmed its plans to compete in American Formula Ford 2000 class. The Victorian-based Spectrum chassis constructor is close to completing its first FF2000 car and is now awaiting bodywork before testing begins early in the new year. “The car progressing well,” BRD sales and marketing manager Paul Zsidy said. “We hope to have body work back soon and get the car on the track early new year. “The project has slowed up a little of late because interest in our UK program has risen. We’ve always said that we won’t just

run off to the latest and greatest project. There’s been a lot of interest in the UK through Kevin Mills Racing and that has taken up some of our time, as has our local racing.” FF2000 has two championships in America – one on the east coast and one on the west. The Spectrum will be eligible for both series. The weak Australian dollar has also helped potential export, although BRD has only committed to one car at this stage, similar to its original venture in the UK back in 2006. There are now over half a dozen Spectrums racing in England. – GRANT ROWLEY

FOR the first time ever a round of the WA Formula Ford 1600 series will be held at a circuit other than Barbagallo Raceway. The Wanneroo track has hosted every local Formula Ford race in WA since it was introduced as a standalone category in the mid-1980s. But next year the schedule is poised to include a round at the Collie Motorplex, offering a new challenge to the strong FFord contingent in the west. The inclusion of the Collie round is not yet final, with the green light for the meeting yet to be officially given by the WA Sporting Car Club. However it is expected that a meeting will be held there, and Formula Ford is the first category to officially confirm it will race there should it take place. The Collie Motorplex is located approximately 215km south of Perth, and is based at an old powerhouse. It has until now been used solely for driver training and sprints, and held it’s first proper race meeting, the Collie Historic Crown, earlier this year. It is 1.65km long, track map right. – ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

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Runaway Stanaway Oz bound FORMULA FORD

Euan Cameron

RICHIE Stanaway will be the latest international driver to break into the Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship when he debuts at Oran Park this weekend. The young Kiwi has been a standout in the NZ Formula Ford series in the early rounds of their summer season, proving to be the class of the field in his Mygale. And he is champing at the bit to get his chance to test himself against the stronger Australian field when he lines up in one of Greg Woodrow’s factory Mygales in Sydney this weekend. “The competition will be tougher in Australia, so it will be a good leveller for me,” he told eNews. “It will be good to test myself against the guys there. Being my first time at the track will be tough, so I guess if I can run inside the top 10, then that will be a really good result.” Stanaway also confirmed that the oneoff appearance is a good indicator as to what he will be doing in 2009.

“We are definitely looking at doing the Australian championship next year, so this round is just to see where we are at while we make that decision.” Joining Stanaway on the debutants list

is Daniel Lewis, who finished fourth in this year’s NSW FFord series, while Luke Ellery will replace Jake Chapman in the Rising Stars squad (see separate story). – ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

Chappo hanging in for ‘09 FORMULA FORD JAKE Chapman is likely to continue in the Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship next year, despite missing this weekend’s final round at Oran Park. The CAMS Rising Star will sit out the Oran Park meeting due to a shortfall in funds, giving 2009 Rising Star Luke Ellery the chance to debut at national level as a replacement. “It’s a hard decision [to sit out the round],” Chapman told eNews, “because I still want to go racing. But in the end it was just too hard to fund it.

“Next year I’ll be back in a racecar somewhere, but where is the question.” At the moment, the most likely option is a privateer entry back in Formula Ford. Chapman won the Victorian Formula Ford series in 2007 as a privateer, and is keen to try and replicate the success at national level. “When we ran ourselves in state series it was great fun, and I drove much better when the environment was more relaxed. So that’s the likely option. I want to stay in open-wheelers, so Formula Ford is the only real option for our budget.” – ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

Dirk Klynsmith

Fuchs’ big commitment DRAG RACING Fuchs Lubricants has announced a major sponsorship arrangement with one of ANDRA Championship Drag Racing’s marquee events – the USA Top Fuel Showdown at Western Sydney International Dragway – on December 26th and 27th. The Melbourne-based lubricant specialists has taken on the ‘presented by’ rights,

with the event to be known as Fuchs presents the USA Top Fuel Showdown. The move further strengthens Fuchs involvement in Australian Drag Racing. “Fuchs has invested in drag racing for a number of years now,” said Fuchs’ Managing Director Wayne Hoiles. “We believe it is so important to show support in Australian sport and we are confident that our involvement is helping

to both encourage the growth of drag racing in Australia, as well as maximise commercial value for Fuchs. Each event that passes further strengthens our resolve that drag racing is well worth investing in and we will continue to do so in the future” Fuchs’ support of the USA Top Fuel Showdown is on the back of their naming rights of the Australian Nationals and the Lamattina Top Fuel outfit, below.

Nick Parker: Faster & Faster DRAG RACING HE may be the youngest rider in ANDRA Top Bike, but Victorian Sam Parker is starting to shake up the established stars in the Nitro motorcycle class – including his father Phil. At the recent Goldenstate Championships, Sam had his best outing yet. With a previous personal best of 7.69s and 184mph – Sam managed to smash it in just the second round of qualifying with an impressive 6.94s at 200.89mph pass. Not to be content with the massive improvement and to prove it was no fluke, the team changed the tune up

to record an amazing 6.75s at 205mph in the third qualifying session. “We still have a very conservative engine tune in the bike until we can sort out a couple of minor handling issues,” explained Parker. “Then we will start applying some of the horsepower that is on tap from this engine and see what numbers we can really do. The entire team have worked very hard to get this bike and its new combination up to speed and we are quite confident now that we have a race winning combination. “We have the equipment, the personnel and the right attitude to make some waves in

Top Bike and that’s exactly what we plan on doing.” Sam moved up into fifth in the ANDRA Top Bike Championship after his semi final loss where he was just edged out by meeting winner Jay Upton despite a huge top end speed of 215mph. Sam hasn’t lined up against his dad yet, but he is looking forward to the inevitable match up. “Yeah, we haven’t lined up against each other at an ANDRA Championship round yet, it will be a good laugh when it does happen though. Although now that I have quicker personal best times, the pressure is back on the old fella!”

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Drag Racers lend a hand

Team Bray can do more than just build and race fast cars ... DRAG RACING While waiting for the team transporter to arrive home from Perth after the recent Goldenstate Championships in Perth, the ANDRA Top Doorslammer stars from Team Bray lent a hand to help Brisbane repair damage from one of the biggest storms to hit the city in two decades. The severe storm battered Brisbane on Sunday, creating even more carnage than Cyclone Larry did at the start of this year. The storm hit highly-populated areas around Brisbane, tearing off roofs, bringing down trees and power lines and leaving many without liveable homes and a repair bill that is expected to be around $1.5 billion. Team Principal Victor Bray, a local Queensland resident, was happy to help out with the repairs. “Two of my crew returned home on Monday from Perth to very second hand homes with a lot of roof and water damage,” he said. “The damage was due to four 10-metre pencil pine trees landing on their house.” Armed with a KÄRCHER high-pressure cleaner and two chainsaws, Victor and Ben set off early Tuesday morning to

help their team-mates clean up and since then, have just moved from house to house. “One of the greatest strengths of Australians is that when major natural disasters such as this strike anywhere in the country, community spirit and support is always at the fore front,’’ Ben

Bray said. “At times like this, there is no such thing as an individual – everyone pulls together in one, to help those in the community who are in real need. We have just been cleaning, clearing fallen trees, debris and as well as doing anything else that could help.”

The Kings return to West Australia DRAG RACING The kings of Drag Racing, Top Fuel head to the Perth Motorplex Friday 5 and Saturday 6 December for Round 3 of the ANDRA Top Fuel Championship. Defending Champion Phil Read has not had it all his own way this season with the West Aussie duo of Allan Dobson and Martin Stamatis heading the points and the latter is looking to take another win in his Billview-sponsored Top Fueller. At the recent Spring Top Fuel Championships, the JRR team of Read and Stamatis qualified first and second with sensational 4.56s and 4.57s respectively and both men are looking for similar performances.

Darren Morgan will also be competing in the Rocket Industries Wicked Quick entry and is confident of success as his team continues to grow and improve. Fellow Victorians Phil Lamattina in the Fuchs Lubricant entry and Darren Di

Filippo in the Di Filippo Performance Exhausts machine will give the West Australian Drag Racing fans the best nitro fuelled field in a long time with every driver and car combination capable of mid4.0s ETs at over 500 kmh.

Is anyone feeling Thirsty? V8 UTES YOKOHAMA V8 Utes driver Craig Dontas is a thirsty man. Or should we say a Thirsty Camel. The Big Gun Racing driver has signed a long-term deal with bottleshop franchise Thirsty Camel to support him in the V8 Utes series starting next season. Dontas, who lost his Roaring Lion Energy Drink sponsorship mid-way through this year, has been driving the Big Gun Racing Ideal Electrical entry and is excited about next year. “We’re very lucky and blessed to sign on a new sponsor next

year in Thirsty Camel Bottle shops,” said Dontas. “It’s just a dream come true, in terms of the work we’ve put in and to get that result is great. “They’re a really easy company to deal with, they’re very proactive and they’re going to get behind us just as much as we’re going to get behind them. “It all happened around the same time, which is funny. We parted ways with Roaring Lion one week, and in the same week we were lucky enough to sign with Thirsty Camel so although we were upset, we were also really happy at the same time.”

Dontas will remain in the Ideal Electrical car for Oran Park this weekend and will debut the Thirsty Camel car at the Clipsal 500 next year. “The boys at Big Gun have been great in getting me through to the end of the season and obviously I’ve put

my faith in them for next year with the new sponsor.” This weekend is the final round of the Yokohama V8 Utes and while Dontas sits ninth in the championship race, Layton Crambrook is in the box seat to take his first title.

Aussie Debut ... AUSSIE RACING CARS

Dirk Klynsmith

High Society MINI MINI CHALLENGE

Joel Strickland

TWO-time Australian Rally Champion Simon Evans has issued an ominous warning to the Aussie Racing Car field ahead of his debut in the series this weekend at Oran Park … The rally ace will make his Australian circuit racing debut in Sydney this weekend, replacing Chad Reed in the Toyota Racing Developments Aurion entry. And he has been spending some time at a rather questionable source of inspiration ahead of the first race. “I’ve been watching the smash-up derby at Nyora, so I’ve got my tactics all sorted,” Evans joked. “And if I get punted off by Paul Morris, then I’ll be happy because it means I’m up there with the good guys.” The Oran Park meet will be just Evans’ second circuit race, after he competed at this year’s Nurburgring 24 Hour event. Unfortunately for Evans, he won’t be able to take his co-

driving wife Sue along for the ride this time. “She might still be on the radio, but she’ll be doing it from the pits. I think she’s happy about that; it’s much safer for her!” – ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

THE final round of the MINI Challenge will take place at Oran Park, with Sydney socialite Justin Hemmes set to make his debut as the UBER-STAR. The 35-year-old, who owns the trendy nightspots in Sydney, The Establishment and Ivy, is no stranger to racing, having taken out the 2004 Australian GT Performance Cars Championship. The battle for the championship will go down to the wire at Oran Park with only 45 points separating Neil McFadyen and Paul Stokell. McFadyen will go into the decider as favourite but Stokell is in red-hot form, having won all three races at the last round at Symmons Plains. Four drivers are in with a shot of winning the championship, with Paul Fiore aand Nathan Geier still in with a slim chance. The NRMA Motoring and Services 400 will begin on Thursday with MINI Challenge featured in a live race on Sunday as part of the V8 Supercar coverage on Seven.

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Washed out

SPRINTCARS

John Morris/ Mpix

THE rain affected third round of the Victorian Sprintcar Racing Association (SRA) Eureka Sprintcar Series has been rescheduled to December 20 at Warrnambool. Sungold Stadium General Manager David Mills said the new race date will allow so many racers to compete prior to the busy month of January at the venue. “The response was overwhelming with more than 30 of the nominated Sprintcar drivers committing to return on December 20,” Mills said. “I am confident that we can

pick up several other drivers that weren’t intending to run the original date given the close proximity to Christmas and the Wanless World Series Speedweek.” A majority of the SRA Eureka Sprintcar series stars will be returning including points leader Matthew Reed, John Vogels, Mike Van Bremen and Brett Milburn while interstate stars such as Danny Reidy and Allan Woods have also indicated they will make an appearance. Another expected notable exception could be Western Australian driver Ryan Farrell. – GEOFF ROUNDS

Americans rush in for Speedweek SPRINTCARS AMERICAN Sprintcar legend Danny Smith will be back racing in Australia and is aiming to win his seventh Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic. Smith, of Danville, Indiana, plans to contest the entire Wanless World Series Sprintcars Speedweek, before heading north to Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway on January 2 and 3 for the $50K to Win Race. After racing at Sydney, Smith will head to Brisbane where he’ll contest the Australian Sprintcar Open in conjunction with the penultimate round of Wanless World Series Sprintcars before returning

to Sydney for the grand final of WSS. Smith’s tour will then return to Victoria at Avalon International Raceway on Wednesday January 21 in the President’s Cup before the traditional pre-Classic shakedown at Borderline Raceway’s King’s Challenge event, it is then on to the 37th Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic on Saturday, January 24 and Sunday, January 25. Smith will fly into Australia with his own number 4 Maxim Chassis with a J&D Performance 410 engine to compete with. Smith who has won the 1983, 1985, 1987-88-89 and 1996 Classics is looking forward to his long-awaited return to Australia.

Making it five-in-a-row

“What is it now? About seven years since I ran the Classic, I sure am looking forward to getting down there one more time,” Smith said. “If there is one race I have missed competing in, it has to be the Classic.” In the 2008 USA season, Smith recorded an impressive 23 feature race wins, predominantly in Ohio, his native Indiana, Illinois and Missouri. “By shipping our Maxim Chassis and our J & D Performance motor down to Australia, we should have everything we need to be able to run strong,” he said. “I have some good people looking out for me down there, I can’t wait.” – GEOFF ROUNDS

SPORTS SEDANS

James Smith

THE Australian Sports Sedan Series has secured Kerrick Industrial Equipment as its major sponsor for the 2009 season. The extension of its title support will make the fifth year in a row that Kerrick has been the title sponsor. The Sports Sedan Series, won for the sixth time by Darren Hossack last weekend at Sandown, will run over five rounds next season, with just three of them on the Shannons Nationals bill. The other two rounds are likely be run on the Muscle Car Masters meeting at Eastern Creek and the other at the Sandown Historic meeting, traditionally run in November. – GRANT ROWLEY

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MOJO ENDURO

THE MOJO Enduro at VACC Park is shaping up as potentially the most competitive kart races of the year – but the result could be an anti-climax. It has been confirmed that David Sera and Kel Treseder will team up in a new Arrow X1, pencilling them in as instant favourites

for the second running of the endurance race. Sera and Tresender won this year’s Rotax Nationals (Sera in Lights and Treseder in Heavies), making them the Rotax ‘Dream Team.’ This champion karting combination will have stiff opposition, though, with a number of fast karters teaming up, including Ryan Sanderson/ Jase Lindstrom, James Sera/

Steve Johnson, Matt Wall/ Darren Hossack, Bart Price/ Shane Price, Daniel Rochford/ James May, Jason Pringle/Phil Lucas, Jordie Lindstrom/Aaron Ivermee and Hayden McBride/ Kristian Hanley. But this race isn’t restricted to just the boys. Formula 3 stand-out driver Leanne Tander will share a kart with karting expert Carly Wells. Besides the on-track

Power back in karts Team Australia star to link with IRL and NHRA stars KARTING TEAM Australia driver Will Power will return to his roots when he competes in the 2008 Performance Racing Industry (PRI) All-Stars Karting Classic at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on 11 December 2008. Power will drive for the FirstKart.com team in the Masters division, running as part of a three-kart squad alongside fellow IndyCar driver Marco Andretti and leading NHRA Top Fuel drag racer Antron Brown. Power’s drive in the event means he will delay his off-season trek to Australia and

he won’t compete in the Mojo Enduro race at VACC Park. “I still drive karts regularly both here in Indianapolis in the US and back home in Toowoomba,” he said. “The karts are so fast and the tracks are so demanding that it’s the best way to keep your eye in between races or during the off-season.” The All-Stars Karting Classic is staged at night and is the season finale for the USbased Stars of Karting Series. The event is held in conjunction with the enormous PRI convention and is telecast on US television.

Ash Budd

The Rotax Dream Team

action at the Todd Road, Port Melbourne circuit, there will be some interesting trackside displays. Formula Vee, Formula Ford, Commodore Cup, Superkarts, Aussie Racing Car and a couple of local Improved Production Cars will have displays and information available. A vintage kart demonstration will also be run on the day. – GRANT ROWLEY

5 Minutes with ...

CHAD REED

We know the US-based Aussie is handy on two wheels, but can he go just as fast on all fours? After ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN his first taste of a Toyota rally car, the signs are good ... MOTORSPORT NEWS: So how did the test go? CHAD REED: It was awesome, a real blast, to say the least … Have you done any fourwheeled stuff on the dirt before? Nah none at all. I have a rally car being built back in the United States, but I don’t have it yet.

The Super 2000 Corolla goes pretty good for something without a turbo, doesn’t it? I was kind of blown away! It brought back some great memories of the good old days riding two-strokes around. You just rev the shit out of it, and drive it like a 125cc bike. It was really good fun, and I think because the transition was dirt-to-dirt it was fitting, because the brain knew what to do and it was telling me to get over here or get over there. Everything worked out really well, I definitely enjoyed it. Performance-wise, were you about where you wanted to be on your first drive in a rally car?

Toyota Racing Developments

What sort of rally car are you having built back in America? I have a Subaru WRX that I’ve had being built for about three months now, they’re dragging their feet. I have 70 acres in Florida, so it comes back to wanting that thrill. I enjoy it, getting behind the wheel and having some fun, so the car will be rally-spec with a roll cage and that sort of thing. I’d love to do the X-Games, so I want to get some experience in that rally environment.

Yeah. The conditions were really tough because it was raining pretty hard, so it made it hard to figure it all out. But then the weather gave us some sun and it got easier. I felt like I had a good feel for it, a good feeling for the car. I kept it on the track pretty much all the time, except for a few witches hats that I rearranged, so I was happy with that. How was the feedback from the TRD team? I imagine Neal Bates was out there talking you through it … I went out with Neal and he drove the car first. He actually made me pretty nervous because he was out there and he said ‘wow, these conditions are really tough.’ It was so muddy, and here I am, with media everywhere, and the champ is handing me over the car! I was definitely more than a little bit nervous. And it was tough at first, but you know, I came around the

track and got it driving up. I just tried to relax and have fun with it, and it worked out great. Neal said at first he just wanted to make sure I had it all down, and that I was nice and smooth, and in the end he wasn’t worried about me tearing up his car or anything like that. He was quite impressed that I was smooth with the car and I wasn’t about to trash it, so it was nice to have his confidence in me.

stay involved in motorsport, because it is all I’ve done my whole life, so I want to keep that thrill going.

Where does this leave you for next year? I know that Toyota is keen to get you in a rally car for a round or two if the schedules don’t clash, you’re obviously keen for that too? I’m looking forward to getting back in the car, just to get that experience. I eventually want to go four-wheels, because this motorcycle thing is going to come to an end one day, and I can’t think of anything worse than retiring and hanging out at the house all day. I want to

And you’re not going to race the Aussie Racing Car at Oran Park next weekend, now? It’s a real disappointment, but I’m getting a lot of pressure from my team manager in The States to get back and get into it. So I won’t be at Oran Park, and it’s a real bummer to miss out on that opportunity. Would have loved to have raced there, but another time, another date. My number one opportunity right now is to try and defend my Supercross title.

Does that mean we’re going to see you out here for an ARC round in 2009? It’s highly possible! It’s hard to say yes or no at the moment. But I really enjoyed myself today, and January to May is my season, so after that I want to get back here and get into it.

chat

Toyota Racing Developments

Timing’s Everything opinion Phil Branagan Executive Editor EVEN by the standards of V8 Supercar racing, today has been a fairly hectic day. The story in the News Limited press started the day with a bang and, just when it looked like we were on top of things, came the late bulletin that Tom Walkinshaw is in the Big Chair at the Holden Racing Team – by himself. That came through at a few minutes after 6pm, well after the time that the news cycle model says is ideal and just past the point where this edition was closed. So, we opened it up again. Oh, the wonders of modern technology. If the timing of the news came as a shock, the actual news itself did not. Behind the scenes, it has been no secret that there have been tensions between Walkinshaw and Mark Skaife for some time. Many in the sport are well aware that things are not all rosy in Team Red-land but, to this point, neither party have chosen to put their differences

in the public arena. Indeed, given the multiple media opportunities that the last month’s announcements have presented Skaife, we must compliment him on his absolutely professionalism through the whole thing. Not that we expect anything less. And, for that matter, Tom is in the same boat. From a news point of view, maybe even from our point of view, it would have been better if they had opened up to the media. But that view is just from us, being selfish and wanting a story. Timing can be everything in this business. Regardless of what happens next – and the V8 Supercar board will have to tick a box before white smoke appears from the chimney – the bigger picture for right now is that, starting on Friday afternoon, Skaife will suit up in red, as a full-time HRT pilot, for the last time. He deserves a great send-off and, I expect, there will be emotional people on both sides of the divide on the weekend. And then, everyone deserves a cold beer …

Letters

Have your say, email us at mail@mnews.com.au. Keep letters to the point! A championship year Neil Gibson was right when he talked about Triple Eight’s luck in this year’s championship. Almost nothing can stop Jamie Whincup from taking this year’s championship at Oran Park. But lets not forget the cruel blow to Jamie Whincup’s championship chances last year when he was disqualified from Race 3 at Eastern Creek

for having incorrect rear brake rotors fitted. That accidental incident cost Jamie the championship in the end. When you think about the results of the last two championships and the last four Bathurst’s, Jamie Whincup is the most dominant Australian driver in recent history. If Jamie wraps it up at OP, I couldn't think of a more

deserving champion. P.S Great stuff Mnews Rod Stevens Via email The Glory Days The Tasman Revival at Eastern Creek was a great weekend. It had everything including magnificent cars, great racing and super friendly approachable drivers. I have been attending race

meetings since Warwick Farm in 1964 and this has been one of the most enjoyable that I’ve ever been to, if not the most enjoyable. A huge thanks to HSRCC and ARDC, Repco etc … Tony Cochrane should take note. If your V8 circus was as enjoyable as this, there is every chance I would start attending them again. Hugh Johnston Via email

opinion

Nothing to change ... opinion Jamie Whincup V8 Supercar driver

Dirk Klynsmith

ORAN Park is about having a good weekend and enjoying it. I am not interested in circulating, getting the 60 points and forgetting about everything else. It is such a drivers’ track, with so much character that it is going to be a shame to be leaving there. It has not been a good result track for me. I won there when I raced a Formula Ford, but in V8 Supercars, I have not managed to do any good. I was leading Race 3 in 2006 and had an engine blow; and I was taken out by Jason Richards there in the wet last year, so it would be good to get a result there this time. We have usually had some speed there, but something goes wrong ... You need to put past disappointments out of your

mind and approach the track the same way as you would any other weekend. I want to go there and stick to the plan and do my best. Going to Bahrain this year, I thought that we might be on the defensive all weekend. I thought that a clean run – fifth, sixth, whatever it would do, no quicker than the car would go – would do the job. I wanted to score as many points as I could and hopefully, a few of the guys would make mistakes. The team thought that the car would be quick there but I had some doubts. It didn’t turn out like that. We had a rocketship and I managed to disappear into the distance. You never know! I want to keep expectations in check. I don’t want to take anything for granted. People like to talk about the championship like it is already mine but the truth is, I am nowhere near it. I want to stay focused, go to Oran Park and do what we do best.

eLETTER OF THE WEEK True Champions I was just reading your story on Tommi Makinen (Issue #377) and was not surprised when he named Colin McRae as his fiercest rival. I had the honour of watching these two slug it out at Rally Australia in 1997. To watch these two at the Muresk special stage near Northam, WA, even now, makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Tommi went first and to say

he was going 10/10ths was an understatement, up the hill he was so precise and he hit the last jump slightly sideways landing perfectly positioned on the road. It was, up until that point, the best piece of driving I had ever witnessed. He was so precise and smooth. Then it was McRae’s turn. Oh my God! If Tommi was going 10/10ths, Colin was at 11 or 12. The car was snaking up the hill he

was giving it so much, he hit the last jump so sideways I didn’t think he could possibly get it back on line. But, he didn’t lift at all, just kept the boot in it, it was amazing. Anyone present on that day knew that they had just witnessed some of the greatest driving ever. What a contrast in driving styles but what great champions they were. Brian Harman Via email

Send your creative letters to mail@mnews.com.au, or Motorsport News PO Box 7072, Brighton, Vic 3186 27

SHANNONS NATIONAL ROUND 10 – SANDOWN RACEWAY

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The Classic Comeback

Having spent the year racing cars around the world, Allan Simonsen came back to the Australian GT Championship for one last race as the outgoing Champion ... and he won. But the Sandown weekend was really about a host of new champions

Dirk Klynsmith

LLAN Simonsen made a devastating comeback to the Australian GT Championship last weekend with a dominant win in the Sandown GT Classic. The Dane teamed up with Nick O’Halloran in a Ferrari F430 to win both one-hour legs of the Classic, after edging out John Bowe for pole position on Saturday morning. Second for the Classic was the brand new Dodge Viper of Ross Lilley and Greg Crick, which led home Tony Quinn’s Aston Martin, Bowe and co-driver Ted Huglin’s Lamborghini, and former Formula 1 driver Ivan Capelli’s Maserati. But while Simonsen won the battle, Mark Eddy won the war; that being the Australian GT Championship. Ironically, it was Simonsen from whom he inherited the title, his seventh place overall in the Classic enough to ensure the big prize. Eddy, pictured right, might have had to work harder than that, but when closest rival John Kaias was ruled out of the weekend’s activities with a Friday practice crash, it was all but over. “After John crashed on Friday it became easier,” Eddy said. “We knew we just had to finish the race to win the championship, but seeing the chequered flag was a fantastic feeling. Everything has gone well for us during the year; I’ve had a ball and the championship is a sensational result.” Eddy wasn’t the only nationals champ crowned at Sandown on the weekend. The Sports Sedan title went down to the wire, with reigning Champ Tony Ricciardello and Darren Hossack going into the final race tied on points. The race was on for young and old in the opening laps, but a gearbox problem ended Ricciardello’s chances, Hossack taking his second national title of the year (he had already wrapped up the Superkart title). Hyundai took out the reborn Australian Manufacturers Championships thanks to George Miedecke and Jamie Augustine, while Colin Osborne won the driver’s portion of the contest, and Michael Tancredi became the Commodore Cup champ. Steve Kwiatkowski clean-swept the Saloon Car races at Sandown, wrapping up the championship in the classiest way possible, while Chris Smerdon almost did likewise, while the Shannons V8 Touring Car Series by winning two of the three races.

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James Smith Peter Bury

Dirk Klynsmith

We are the champions: Darren Hossack, above, won the Australian Sports Sedan Championship after a fierce battle with Tony Ricciardello. In the Manchamps, Colin Osborne was Champion driver, while George Miedecke helped Hyundai to the make’s title, both pictured left. Ivan Capelli, below left, and Eric Bana, below, were the star imports for the GT Classic. Steve Kwiatkowski, bottom left, and Chris Smerdon, bottom, both won championships.

Joel Strickland

Dirk Klynsmith

James Smith

Peter Bury

TASMAN REVIVAL EASTERN CREEK RACEWAY, NSW

Red American The second Tasman Revivial was dominated by a Yankee in a Ferrari. JOHN MORRIS was there to sample the action at the Creek

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Marshall Cass

John Morris/Mpix

TASMAN REVIVAL EASTERN Creek Raceway was the host of the second-running of the Tasman revival meeting last weekend, with over 400 competitors from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Japan descended upon the Sydney racetrack. The large number of historic competitors brought with them approximately 1.5 million dollars worth of rare and exotic race machinery. Yet, in an era where self-promotion and media bombardment in every possible sense is commonplace, there was hardly a whisper of the event in the media. To

the true fan, that is the exact essence of motorsport during the Tasman era. Cars were cars, not mobile billboards and, apart from the driver’s name and perhaps a small reminder of a tyre or fuel supplier, there was no other signage to promote a sponsor or endorse a product. The era was simply about racing, with legendary drivers such as Clark, Rindt and Courage using the series to develop cars, refine their skills and get away from another break European winter. In the early years of the series these 2.5 litre cars were more powerful than the F1 and F2 cars from which they were derived. The Revival was created to recreate the atmosphere of racing that took place during the mid to late 1960s, when an eight

race series was held in New Zealand and Australia over the southern summer (four races in New Zealand, followed by four more Australia). In 1968, it was Jim Clark who won the series in his Lotus 49 from Chris Amon in a Ferrari 246T 004, before sadly losing his life the following year. To mark the 40th anniversary of the event, there was no Lotus 49 to repeat the win, though the Chris Amon Ferrari was brought as the star attraction. In addition to the cars, event organisers invited many local Tasman stars, including Frank Matich, Vern Schuppan, John McCormack, Warwick Brown, Lionel Ayres and Leo Geoghegan, as well as British

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Tasman Motorsport: Tom Tweedie, above, won his class. Right, American Rob Hall crushed the field in his Ferrari, but the event wasn’t just about the cars, with Frank Matich and Bob Holden making an appearance, below.

John Morris/Mpix

legend, Sir John Whitmore. The Ferrari 246T finished as runner up in 1968 and had just completed a full rebuild in the UK to Tasman specifications with an original Tasman V6 engine. It was one of only three Tasman Ferraris ever built. In addition there was also the BRM P126/01, driven by Bruce McLaren during the New Zealand rounds in 1968 and a hoard of Brabhams and Lotuses from the earlier years. This year, the event organisers acknowledged the changes that took place in the Tasman Series when the 2.5 litre European cars were replaced with the brute force and hard lines of the Formula 5000s, by adding a second feature race for

these cars. The Tasman race was dominated by American driver Rob Hall in the Ferrari. While he found it difficult to get past the 3.8 litre Brabham Buick of Les Wright in the preliminary Group O and P racing events, the absence of Wright in the strictly Tasman feature made Hall’s job much simpler. Within 100 metres of the start, Hall had opened a small, though significant lead that he would maintain til the end of the race. Richard Carter in his Elfin 600B stayed with the Ferrari and came close to the American’s best lap of 1m36s, though fell away in lapped traffic to finish four seconds behind. Chris Farrell in a Brabham

BT30 claimed third. In the F5000 race, it was all Ken Smith, taking a comfortable victory in his exTeddy Pilette Lola T430. Smith was never headed in the preliminary races or the final, finishing three seconds ahead of Tony Richards in a Lola T332, whilst Aaron Burson made it an all New Zealand podium with third place in a Talon. Other winners over the course of the weekend included Dick Willis, Tom Tweedie, Vivian King, Ed Holly, Michael Donaher, Les Wright, Jamie Larner and Geoff Morgan. As the racing drew to a close, there were whispers of another Revival meeting in 2010, though nothing has been advertised ...

WORLD ROTAX FINALS LA CONCA – ITALY

Aussies impress at Rotax Fina

Kart stars: The Aussies were on fire at La Conca, David Sera and Rick Pringle, left soak up the action. There was also the Junior Max final at La Conca, above, while the Aussie team looked the goods for all the official business, right.

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als KARTING AUSTRALIAN’S Chris Hays and Troy Woolston both recorded an impressive top 10 result in the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Final held at the La Conca circuit in Italy last weekend. The pair was among five Australian drivers competing at the ninth-running of the event, which saw a total of 216 drivers in attendance representing 55 countries. Held in changing conditions over the weekend, the Australian contingent were among the fastest all weekend with David Sera and Josh De Maio unlucky not to have been standing on the podium. Sera, who was the dominant driver in the corresponding event last year at Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates, recorded some impressive results in the heat races only to have a coming together with his countryman, Woolston, in the pre-final. The incident forced Woolston out of the race while Sera finished 22nd. In the Senior Max Final, Sera and Woolston were the hard chargers to storm through the pack and cross the line in sixth and 11th respectively. However, Sera was later given a 10-second penalty for making contact with the rear bumper of a competitor, dropping him to 15th. As a consequence of the post-race penalties Woolston was elevated to ninth spot.

Hays and De Maio clearly showed they have what it takes to match it with the world’s best young drivers in the Junior Max category over the weekend. De Maio was a star performer. He won a heat race and started from second spot in the pre-final. He led the pre-final for a number of laps before finishing seventh. Gold Coast-based Kiwi Scott McLaughlin was also competing at the event for the New Zealand team. McLaughlin started the Final from sixth spot. However, his dream of a top result ended on just the third corner when he was hit from behind and even had another kart topple over his head. After dropping to the back of the field, he showed good pace to finish 19th. Victorian Rick Pringle continually improved across the weekend while competing in the unfamiliar two-speed DD2 category and was due to start the Final from 14th position. Unfortunately, a mechanical issue ended his run prior to the green light. In the Senior Max category it was a United Kingdom one-two with Ben Cooper remaining undefeated throughout the weekend to take the win ahead of Chris Lock. Argentinean Facundo Chapur won the Junior Max class while South African Leeroy Poulter defeated 2007 winner, Pier-Luc Ouellette in the DD2 class.

WANLESS WORLD SERIES SPRINTCARS ROUND 4 – TRUCKWORKS SPEEDWAY CITY

All the way to Victory lane

The WSS circus travelled to Adelaide for Round 4 of the series and Brooke Tatnell continued his dominant run with another win WORLD SERIES SPRINTCARS

After misjudging the track the team made a uncharacteristic set-up mistake and Max qualified a lowly 23rd from the 31 cars to run against the clock. Dumensy had to race his way through the last chance B-Main to make the main event. Queenslander Allan Woods and Dylan Jenkins were next to greet the waving checkered flags, followed by series driver Ricky Maiolo, who also salvaged vital points for the night after transferring through the B event. Two heat race victories went to Jamie Veal and singles to Ashley Cook, Luke Bowey, Justin Sloan and Dumensy. Wanless World Series Sprintcars will now make their way across Bass Strait and onto Tasmanian soil for Rounds 6 and 7 of the series, to be contested at the Hobart

Paris Charles

A DETERMINED Brooke Tatnell found the fastest way to victory lane last weekend at Truckworks Speedway City to claim his third successive victory from the opening four rounds of the Wanless World Series Sprintcars. Driving a brand new Toyota Genuine Partssponsored Cool/Maxwill package, Tatnell proved to be a class to claim the victory, leading every lap of the 30-lap journey despite several attempts from runner-up Robbie Farr to take charge at the pointy end. “We are back on our game and are going for seven in a row this year,” announced Tatnell. A humble Farr was also confident that everything was running well for the East Coast Pipe Line/Orrcon supported team and that a little bit of luck was all that was required to take the win. “We had good car speed, we just needed a little luck,” said Farr on the dais. Rounding out the podium was Victorian ace David Murcott driving for the South Australian-based Downing Brothers racing outfit. Murcott was happy to be on the podium and team owner Darryl Downing was over the moon in the little team’s result. Behind Murcott was a trio of South Australian’s, with Luke Dillon defending off the fast-finishing Matt Egel and Trevor Green. Max Dumensy managed to salvage sixth position after a very tough night at the office.

International Speedway and the Mountain Due Ice Latrobe Speedway on December 6 and 13. – PARIS CHARLES Points: Tatnell 594, Farr 574, Dumesny 552, Green 526, Lack 456.

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High flying Pye TOYOTA RACING SERIES

LAST weekend marked the opening round of the Toyota Racing Series at Ruapuan in New Zealand and it was Aussie Scott pye who won the famous Wigram Cup. The CAMS Rising Star and Australian Formula Ford driver took a lights-to-flag victory in his first outing in the category. “I was running in clean air at the front and could keep an eye on the bunch behind me. When the safety car closed the field back up I just made sure I was in the right gear and was ready to go when the safety car pulled off the track, and I just went for it,” he said. It was a comfortable victory for Pye

crossing the line almost three seconds clear of Mitch Cunningham and setting a new lap record in the process. Although Pye dominated the Lady Wigram Cup, it was Cunningham who will take an early lead in the championship after a fourth and two second places from

the three races. Third in the Cup went to Sam MacNeill, while Nathan Antunes fought through from the back to take fifth. Antunes still ended the weekend second overall in the points having won the first race of the weekend.

Status quo across the ditch BNT V8s KAYNE Scott has moved into the lead in the BNT V8s Championship after Round 3 of the series in Christchurch. Scott managed three second places from the three races and, despite not winning a race at the Ruapuna, circuit finished the weekend with the most points. The Kiwi qualified on pole and followed Angus Fogg, John McIntyre and Craig Baird home in the three races. “Our car is stronger under brakes than John’s [McIntyre] here and we had more pace than him in the last race,” said

a delighted Scott. “We’ve had a great car here for the last three years, John’s had a good car at Timaru where we race next and last year when we went to Manfeild, Angus [Fogg] blew us all away. So you do find that the cars are different at different circuits and we’ve got

plenty of work we want to do on the Fujitsu Ford before the next round.” McIntyre finished second for the round with Fogg in third, while Andy Booth and Craig Baird finished equal fourth. Points: Scott 533, McIntyre 529, Booth 416, Baird 359, Paul Pedersen 331.

GT3 CUP IN the Battery Town Porsche GT3 Cup Challege, Craig Baird continued his dominant run with his second round win in a row. Bairdo qualified on pole and won the first two races, only to be pipped for the win in the final reverse grid race by Triple X team-mate David Reynolds. Daniel Gaunt finished third for the round after a third, a fourth and a 10th place in the final race. The results mean that Baird heads to the next round in the New Year with a handy points lead over Reynolds. Points: Baird 434, Reynolds 343, Jono Lester 330, Gaunt 301, Rodney Forbes 269.

rear of grid

Saying goodbye to Oran Park It is going to be a very sad day at Oran Park, When the last greasy cup of hot chips has been sold, When the last cold VB is drunk, When the last drunk yells out a predictable remark about one of the grid girls, When the last race has been raced, won and lost, When the last trophy has been handed out, The last bottle of champagne has been sprayed, And when the V8 Supercars have their last roar down pit straight as the chequered flag is flown at this great raceway for the very last time ... There are so many memories that go with this great track; many nail biting wins, heaps of spectacular crashes and so many championships won and lost … Gone will be the days of the kids sliding down the dirt embankments on cardboard boxes along pit straight, running around the racecars in the pits and getting as many autographs as possible to beat your little brother or sister ... We can all be thankful that they held onto this great Australian motor racing landmark for so long, for they can build many more race tracks, but there is only one Oran Park ... – KATHERINE STOREY

IT pretty much speaks for itself … The pictured sticker will feature on every car in the Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship field at Oran Park this weekend, in a bid to offer a fitting send-off to the iconic Sydney circuit.

The flowing nature of Oran Park has produced some classic Formula Ford racing over the years – and seen the crowing of a few well known AFFC champs, such as Craig Lowndes, Steve Richards, Jason Bright, David Besnard,

Dirk Klynsmith

Katherine Storey is the daughter of Brad Jones Racing tech guru Wally Storey, and practically grew up at Oran Park while her father was building, testing and racing the Elwyn Formula Ford chassis back in the 1980s

Odd Spot

Garth Tander and Adam Macrow. A touching gesture by the Formula Ford kids, for sure, but you can bet your last penny it won’t be the only ‘Goodbye Oran Park’ sign/sticker/slogan/hat/shirt that will be heading to Narellan this weekend.