Motorsport eNews Issue 86 - January 6-12, 2009

Drags and Speedway: up-to-date race coverage

Issue No. 086 6 – 12 January 2009

Format Flip-Flop V8s Propose radical changes to race formats

V8 CONFIRMATIONS

Look what santa brought these V8 Drivers

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

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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)

Australasian

The ‘A’ Team

Issue No. 086 | 6 Jan – 12 Jan 2009

news 4 Doing the math

6 Just to confirm 8 Red or Blue?

10 F1 World 12 USA! 14 Christmas Pressies

chat 20 5 minutes with ... opinion 22 Lambden

2009 V8 race formats Musical race seats Atko turns red The Honda sarga continues Everything Stateside Ricciardo’s done deal Alex Davison

23 Branagan

A different view I have a cunning plan ...

28 Kallita Memorial 32 Speedway

Fast and Furious Willowbank Where there’s a Will ...

All the summer’s action

race 24 Nitro Champs trade 42 Classifieds

It may be testing times in Formula 1, but as they say, the show must go on ...

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

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V8 formats rethink?

V8 Supercars takes another look at the two-day ‘sprint race’ format for 09 V8 SUPERCARS

E

XPECT to see some major late revisions to already modified race formats for the V8 Supercar Championship Series this year.

The formats for the 2009 season were originally announced at Phillip Island in September, with all of the ‘Sprint’ rounds expected to stage one race on Saturday (worth 100 points) and another, longer, pitstop race on Sunday worth 200 points. It was also proposed that Sunday’s race

winner would be declared the round winner.

This scenario could have seen a number of rounds ‘won’ by a driver who might not necessary have scored the most points over the weekend (as was the case at one of the Clipsal 500s in the past). eNews understands that a late rethink could well result in the scrapping of this format for the ‘sprint’ rounds, with something designed to ensure that Sunday’s race winner and the round winner will be the same person.

V8 Supercar Australia’s Cole

Hitchcock confirmed to eNews on Monday that there are “a number of things” under review prior to the publishing of the Operations Manual for 2009.

Our sources are suggesting that there are a number of potential format changes up for discussion, with one in particular, gaining momentum as favourite, involving a plan for two qualifying sessions and two races.

Under this scenario, the threestage qualifying format (used successfully in 2008) would be retained for Saturday. This would be followed by a short

race, worth minimal points.

Sunday would then see a second qualifying session held, as short as 20 minutes in duration, with all cars on track in a single ‘winner-take-pole’ session. This would determine the starting order for Sunday’s ‘feature’ race that would include pit stops for fuel and tyres.

With the increase in fuel consumption due to the allnew E85 ethanol mix and tyres regulations likely to include a sticky option tyre, Sunday’s race would provide quite a challenge.

The tracks where sprint and feature races of this kind could

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Joel Strickland

TRD shut down AUSTRALIAN RALLY

Dirk Klynsmith

most likely take place would be Winton, Symmons Plains, Hidden Valley, Queensland Raceway and Barbagallo.

All of the other rounds will retain their own unique formats.

The Clipsal 500 remains the same with two 250km races.

Similarly, there will be two 200km races at the Hamilton 400, Townsville 400 and in Bahrain.

Phillip Island and Bathurst retain their ‘endurance’ race status with two drivers, while the new Homebush race, originally slated to be a 400km event, may be bumped up to 500km and run to exactly the same format as the Clipsal 500.

Any of these format changes will not affect the Drivers’ and Team’ championships points scores allocations – there will still be 300 available per round.

However, there may be changes afoot with one or two

of the category’s other awards, such as the Manufacturers’ title.

“That [the manufacturers’ title] is one of the things to be discussed,” Hitchcock said.

“There will be some differences in race formats and in all the awards, other than the Drivers’ and the Teams’ [championships].”

Modification to the Manufacturers’ championship may be prompted by the changes made by Ford and Holden in their funding arrangements with the teams.

The number of teams receiving serious financial support on both sides of the divide has diminished since 2008, thanks to the financial squeeze.

Previously, the Makes have battled for their title on a raceby-race basis, simply scoring a credit for each round win. Ford won the 2008 Manufacturers’ Championship.

TOYOTA’S Australian Rally Championship program is likely to undergo at least a re-branding thanks to the shutting down of Toyota Racing Developments in Australia.

The TRD brand is being dumped after two years and just 888 sales from the TRD Aurion (537) and the TRD Hilux (351).

With the Neal Bates-run rally team sporting the TRD brand, and cost-cutting on the lips of carmakers from around the world during the financial crisis, questions are now being asked about the future of the Arc program.

“The only comment I can make at the moment is that everything is under review,” said Mike Breen, Toyota Australia’s PR Manager.

“There is no decision yet on what will or won’t be affect. So at the moment, it is business as usual.”

TRD’s motorsport involvement also includes a drifting program with Beau Yates, two TRD Aurions in the Aussie Racing Car series, and sponsorship of speedway ace Brooke Tatnell and Supercross guru Chad Reed.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

2009 V8 SUPERCAR CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES CALENDAR R1 N/C R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 R11 R12 R13 R14

Mar 19-22 Mar 26-29 Apr 17-19 May 1-3 May 29-31 Jun 19-21 Jul 10-12 July 31-Aug 2 Aug 21-23 Sept 11-13 Oct 8-11 Oct 22-25 Nov 5-7 Nov 20-22 Dec 4-6

Clipsal 500 Australian Grand Prix Hamilton 400 Winton Raceway Symmons Plains Hidden Valley Townsville 400 Sandown Queensland Raceway Phillip Island 500 Bathurst 1000 Surfers Paradise Bahrain Barbagallo Sydney 400

SA VIC NZ VIC TAS NT QLD VIC QLD VIC NSW QLD WA NSW

Patrizi confirmed at PCR Former Rising Star locked into PCR seat – and he has his first challenge V8 SUPERCARS

Marshall Cass

PAUL Cruickshank Racing has confirmed it will enter Michael Patrizi in a second car in this year’s V8 Supercar Championship Series – and Cruickshank has thrown the West Aussie his first challenge.

The news of Patrizi’s drive at the Queensland-based team, first mooted by eNews (Issue #083), will see Patrizi compete in Fabian Coulthard’s 2008 BF Falcon chassis using the second Britek Motorsport licence (which Cruickshank has leased).

Patrizi has signed a two year deal with PCR, and if he meets the team’s tough early

targets, he will co-drive with Fabian Coulthard at the Phillip Island 500 and Bathurst 1000 – results pending.

Patrizi will be sponsored by his current backer Ausdrill, while Coulthard will steer a brand-new Triple Eight-built Falcon FG chassis (codenamed FG17). His car will be sponsored by Wilson Security, which has taken over namingright support from Glenfords Tool Centre.

Cruickshank told eNews that he is excited, yet cautious about increasing his fleet to two cars.

“It’s never been easy, but I think we’ll be up to it,” he said.

“We’ve done a two year deal with him (Patrizi) and that will

give him plenty of time to settle into the category.

“He’s indicated to us that he’s over his European dream and ready to concentrate on V8 Supercars. That’s step one, so now we have to get him comfortable in the car to finish

races and build up his speed.

We want him to do a good enough job and prove that so he can co-drive with Fabian in the enduros, and there’s no better place to start that than at Clipsal.”

– GRANT ROWLEY

Bargs joins Murf at Tasman V8 SUPERCARS JASON Bargwanna is counting the sleeps until he gets his hands on a V8 Supercar.

The former Bathurst winner, who sat out the 2008 season after WPS Racing pulled out of V8 Supercar racing, will have his first test of the #3 Sprint Gas Racing Commodore at Winton on March 9. As first reported in eNews, Bargwanna takes the place of Jason Richards, who will move to Brad Jones Racing.

“I cannot wait,” said Bargwanna.

“It can be frustrating, you would like to be out testing but it doesn’t work like that these days. I have been training since the middle of December, we need to have the fitness level up by the time to get to Adelaide.”

Bargs says that the Tasman Motorsport-run team has the mix of experience and technical nous to run at the front of the category and is not counting out podium finishes and even wins.

“During the course of last

year, there were weekends when team performed in the top two or three teams on a number of occasions, and there were weekends when they didn’t. I think that the Holden teams will have a slight advantage in having proven

equipment while Ford sorts out their new cars. We have the right people, the right combination and now, we have the right drivers …

“Look, there are so many variables this season – new tracks, new teams, new fuel.

The teams than can cope with all that, the teams that have shown that they cope with change can be right in the battle. Sitting on the sidelines for 12 months gives you an interesting view on how things work, and who is capable of doing what do what.”

In the meantime, Bargwanna and cousin Scott are pressing ahead with plans to run again in the MINI Challenge, with Scott likely to drive one entry and a second, for a driver new to the team, dependent on sponsorship.

– PHIL BRANAGAN

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Davo turns blue (and yellow) V8s worst kept secret uncovered!

V8 SUPERCARS THE Davison brothers will have an unusual problem in the opening rounds of the 2009 V8 Supercar Championship Series.

Will and Alex Davison spent much of the New Year period packing, in preparation for moving interstate to join new teams.

But while Will is heading south suit up with the Holden Racing Team, Alex will become his brother’s tenant and move into his house when he joins Stone Brothers Racing.

As first reported in eNews, Alex will race the Irwin Toolssponsored Falcon FG this season, alongside Jason Bright and Shave Van Gisbergen in the factory-backed Ford team.

And Davison, right, who was a stand-out in the endurance races last year partnering Fabian Coulthard, is very impressed with his new team. “[There] is nothing, not one little thing that I have come across that makes me think, ‘that is not right’, or, ‘I would do that differently’,” he said.

“Everything is ultra-impressive, every aspect of what my experience with the team.”

Davison, 29, is looking forward to racing his younger brother but will not be making any allowances for sibling rivalry.

“He is just another guy out on the track. Everyone in both of our teams work too hard and there is too much at stake on both teams for either of us to treat each other any differently to any other driver. I am sure he would say the same thing.”

For more on Davison Sr see 5 Minutes, page 20

New circuit design mooted fo WA Sporting Car Club reveal radical plans to save V8 Supercar racing in the west V8 SUPERCARS THE West Australian Sporting Car Club has released plans for a major upgrade to Barbagallo Raceway, in a bid to retain V8 Supercar racing in the state.

The plans include an extension of a little over 2km to the current layout, incorporating a new pit building and a new wider pit-lane. The plans immediately negate V8 Supercars Australia’s three main reasons for not wanting to return to the circuit, those being the length of the circuit, the ageing pit and paddock facilities, and the narrow pit-lane.

According to WASCC President Phil Johnson, the benefits of the plans go far beyond retaining the V8s.

“The configuration of this new track gives us four or five different track layouts to race on, with the long track being 4.4km long,” he said.

“The new pit building allows us to hire out both circuits at the same time, which could double our track hire income, which is a significant part

of our income.”

But with the current sanction agreement between the WASCC and V8SA due to expire this year, Johnson confirmed that the plans have been released to try and persuade the series to return in 2010 and beyond.

“We all want that, from the club to the shire,” he said.

“The club is unbelievably financially sound. With all the battles we’ve had to fight this year, the [Wanneroo] shire is in awe of our achievements.

We are now working very closely with the shire, we’re all on the same page, and we all want the same thing for racing. Hopefully the place for our racetrack for the next 30 or 40 years is right here in Wanneroo.”

The club is now waiting on the results of a feasibility study from GHD, which will advise the appropriate future of the sport in Western Australia, whether it be upgrades to Barbagallo Raceway, or a brand new circuit at a greenfields site.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

Atko shakes the blues ... and fast!

Subaru might be out of World Rallying, but Chris Atkinson gets his chance with the World Championship team WORLD RALLYING CHRIS Atkinson will compete in at least selected rounds of this year’s World Rally Championship, despite Subaru’s recent withdrawal from the sport.

The New South Welshman has been thrown a lifeline by Citroen, which has named him as part of it’s all-new Citroen Junior Team. He will join Zimbabwean Conrad Rautenbach, who drove a semi-factory Citroen C4 in 2008, Frenchman Sebastien Ogier, who won the JWRC for Citroen in 2008, and Russian young gun Evgeny Novikov.

All four drivers will have C4 equipment identical to that of current World Champion Sebastien Loeb and his factory team-mate Dani Sordo.

“Following the encouraging results he obtained in 2008, Conrad Rautenbach will

again contest every round of the 2009 championship,” specified Citroën Sport Technologies Manager Benoît Nogier.

“He will be joined on at least eight of those 12 rounds by the very young Russian driver Evgeny Novikov, who will be competing in a WRC car for the first time and who has also shown that he has plenty of potential. The programme of the Junior World Champion Sébastien Ogier, who made a name for himself on the recent Wales Rally GB, currently includes six events. Last but not least, we will be joined in Ireland by Australia’s Chris Atkinson, who is already a familiar face in the sport. It is our belief that our association with Chris will not stop there.”

Atkinson won’t be the only Australian in the team; Aussie co-driver Dale Moscatt will sit beside Novikov during his eight WRC rounds in 2009.

John Morris/Mpix

or Barbagallo

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What an Xmas pressie!

V8 SUPERCARS SONIC Motor Racing Services has taken delivery of its two ex-Triple Eight Falcon BF that the team will use in this year’s Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series.

Mick Ritter and his team spent a number of days in Brisbane with the championship-winning V8 team, going over the finer details of the cars before bringing them back to Sonic’s Bayswater, Vic, workshop.

For the time being, the Falcons will remain in T8’s dayglo Vodafone colours before undergoing their transformation into Sonic’s first V8 Supercars.

“I’d like to having things sorted and painted before testing,” Ritter said.

We took delivery of the cars in excellent state so there’s not a lot of stuff to do with the cars.”

Cars sorted, but who will drive them? Bryce Washington

is locked into one Falcon. His car will carry support from ADRAD/Harrop, while the second entry remains up in the air. The man who has emerged as one of the favourites for the seat is James Moffat. The Carrera Cup rookie is keen to progress to the V8 ranks, although Ritter says that there is still others in the frame.

“We would like to be in a position to start testing around mid-February,” he said.

“The more mileage we can do between now and Clipsal meeting is only going to help us.

“I’ve fielded quite a few calls, maybe not as many as what I thought we would. To be honest, our team doesn’t attract the people who aren’t serious. There’s quite a few people – three or four – who are all serious candidates, so we’ll see in the next few weeks who pops up.”

– GRANT ROWLEY

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Honda saviour a slim chance Mexican billionare unlikely to be the man to save F1 team FORMULA 1 THE future of Honda remains up in the air, despite media reports that the second-wealthiest person in the world was about to bail out the team.

Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim Helu, who made his fortune in telecoms, issued a statement late last month saying that he had not bought the team

and was not even negotiating with Honda to buy it. The logic of the stories in Italy’s La Stampa was that Slim’s Telmex Group was making large inroads into the Brazilian market and that the popularity of the sport in that part of the world, fuelled by potentially recruiting Bruno Senna to join Jenson Button, would lead to him buying the team.

“The Telmex Team can confirm that

Carlos Slim Helu has not bought the Honda Formula One team nor is holding any negotiations to do so, therefore all information related to this subject has no basis and is completely false,” the statement read.

Prodrive’s David Richards is now thought to be the main candidate to buy the team, dependent on discussions with Middle Eastern partners.

Dyer to lead Ferrari techs

sutton-images.com

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FORMULA 1 CHRIS Dyer has moved up a peg in Ferrari’s Formula 1 structure.

The Bendigo-born engineer, who guided Michael Schumacher to his last world titles, has been promoted to supervisor of racetrack engineering. His role as Kimi Raikkonen’s race engineer will be filled by Andrea Stella who, along with Felipe Massa’s race engineer Rob Smedley, will report to Dyer.

Dyer, 40, has been with Ferrari for since 2001 after starting his career with the Holden Racing Team.

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BRIEFLY... n Ganassi Racing has closed its engine program.

The new Earnhardt Ganassi Racing team was planning to build its own engines from parts supplied by Earnhardt Childress Racing Engines, but a deal could not be worked out with Chevrolet.

The shop and lots of new equipment has been mothballed and all but two of the staff released, and the team will use ECR engines. n Petty Enterprises has released 2000 NASCAR Cup champion Bobby Labonte from his contract. While confirmation of the ‘merger’ between Petty’s and Gillett Evernham Motorsports is still pending, both teams recently laid off employees.

Labonte, who signed a four-year extension with Petty last June, had been rumoured to race the Target-sponsored Dodge at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. n The US$225 million lawsuit filed by Mauricia Grant has been settled out of court, with both sides agreeing not to discuss terms of the settlement going forward.

The former Nationwide Series official had filed suit against NASCAR for racial and sexual discrimination, naming 23 officials in the suit that lead to the two employees being fired. Grant has stated that she was not out to make money in the suit. n Following last month’s government bailout of the ‘big three’ auto makers, Chrysler is being circumspect with its US$4bn of taxpayers’ money. Dodge will trim its NASCAR budget in 2009 by 30-plus percent, aided by the Petty/GEM merger, and Robby Gordon Motorsports switching from Dodge to Toyota.

– MARTIN D CLARK

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IT’S JANUARY. SO, GUESS WHAT ROBBY GORDON HAS DONE, AGAIN? NASCAR SPRINT CUP ROBBY Gordon has completed his collection of badges in NASCAR. His Robby Gordon Motorsports team will switch to Toyota in 2009, meaning that the controversial owner-driver has raced for four makes in four years.

After buying the defunct Ultra Motorsports team, Gordon raced a Chevrolet in 2005 and ‘06, before signing with Ford in October of that year. He raced the blue oval in 2007, making headlines when he clashed controversially with Marcos Ambrose when fighting for the

Nationwide Series win in Montreal, before offering the Aussie a ride in a RGM Fusion at Watkins Glen.

Ford’s racing cutbacks affected Gordon’s budget and, just two weeks prior to Daytona last year, he announced a new deal with Dodge.

He started the 2008 season with engines and technical support from Gillett Evernham Motorsports, but that disappeared after some issues between the two teams and Gordon switched to Penske power late in the season.

Gordon’s Jim Beam-backed entry will use engines built by TRD in Costa Mesa, California.

– MARTIN D CLARK

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Goodyear under Fire

Firestone’s ‘low-key’ Stock Car tyres test NASCAR IS Firestone considering challenging Goodyear’s NASCAR Monopoly?

It may do, after versatile open wheel, stock, and sports car driver, Scott Pruett, helped Firestone complete a type of test driving a Ganassi ARCA car on the road course at the Homestead Miami Speedway last month.

“It was not a Firestone test

and it was not a NASCAR test; it was a technical exercise to try and develop current stock car technology,” said Al Speyer, executive director of Firestone/ Bridgestone motorsports speaking to SpeedTV. “It was a brandless program.

There was no name on the tyres or the uniforms or even the tyre machines. And the car was painted grey. We were just trying to be as low key as possible.

“We’ve been working for a long time indoors in a laboratory but we couldn’t learn anymore so it was time to go out to a track.”

NASCAR has a contract with Goodyear until 2011, becoming the sole tyre supplier in 2000. Tyre reliability has interfered with the racing action the last couple seasons, especially this year at the Brickyard 400 (2.5-mile oval at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway) when caution periods were mandatory every 10-12 laps for driver safety to avoid blown tyres.

Veteran testing ace Pruett also served as Firestone’s test driver when the Japanese owned company returned to open wheel competition to compete against Goodyear in the CART series starting in 1995. Firestone’s dominance caused Goodyear to leave open wheel racing after the 1999 season.

– MARY MENDEZ

Elliott Sadler Sues GEM NASCAR ELLIOTT Sadler is suing Gillett Evernham Motorsports after being released by the team.

Sadler, who signed a twoyear contract extension with the team last May, has filed a notice of complaint in a North Carolina court claiming breach of contract.

He is being replaced in the #19 Dodge by AJ Allmendinger, who drove the last five races of 2008 when Patrick Carpentier was released.

The future of Reed Sorenson, who was also in contention for the drive and who had already signed a contract with GEM after leaving Ganassi, is unclear. Likewise, there is still no word from Ganassi as to who will replace Sorenson in the #41 Target Chevrolet although Sadler, Bobby Labonte and Brendan Gaughn have all been rumoured.

– MARTIN D CLARK

Can Aspar save Kawasaki?

Jorge Martinez may hold key to keeping MotoGP green MOTOGP KAWASAKI may yet make it onto the MotoGP grid in 2009 – but not as a factory team.

The Japanese make was expected to confirm today [Monday] that its withdrawal from the sport with immediate effect, but Spanish team owner Jorge Martinez ‘Aspar’ is believed to be negotiating to take over the marque’s machinery, entries and, possibly, riders.

The former world champion,

whose team has been a force in the 250cc and 125cc classes for years, interrupted his recent holidays and is thought to be in talks with both Kawasaki and series promoter Dorna to run the green machines. This follows unsuccessful negotiations late last year to step up to the big bike class with a third machine from either Kawasaki or Suzuki.

“Negotiations to take over the two Kawasaki (bikes) have started,” Martinez told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I don’t know with certainty when or if this opportunity will become reality. I’m willing to negotiate. We’ll see.”

Martinez is believed to favour keeping Marco Melandri in the team, though the fate of American John Hopkins is less clear. The high-priced American has the support of Monster energy drinks but Aspar’s links with Madrid-based insurance giant Mapfre may prompt him to find a Spanish rider. If this is true, it is possible that Alvaro

Bautista could step up to the big class.

Aspar already has entered five Aprilias for 2009; for Bautista and French 125cc World Champion Mike Di Meglio in the 250 category; and Spaniards Sergio Gadea and Julian Simon, and Brit teen Bradley Smith in the 125 class.

Kawasaki’s World Superbike assault will not be affected by its MotoGP exit. Aussie Broc Parkes will join Makoto Tamada on two ZX-10Rs run by Paul Bird Motorsport.

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news feature of the week

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Ricciardo ready for the F3 challenge With his Carlin F3 deal finally done, Daniel Ricciardo can concentrate on the year ahead. By ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN AUSSIES OVERSEAS DANIEL Ricciardo has been officially confirmed as one of Carlin Motorsport’s drivers in the 2009 British Formula 3 Championship, following an announcement by the team that it will switch to Volkswagen power for its cars.

The team’s choice of engine was a sticking point for Ricciardo’s deal, with the young West Aussie’s primary backer, Red Bull, wanting Carling to switch from Mercedes power to VW engines. The directive came thanks to Red Bull’s involvement with VW through the German carmaker’s Dakar rally team.

Now the switch has been made, Ricciardo has been officially confirmed, while New Zealander Brendan Hartley, who was in a similar situation, has been confirmed for Carlin in the F3 Euroseries.

“It was a bit [of a sticking point] for a little while, and I think Trevor [Carlin] didn’t want to announce it until it was all 100 percent,” confirmed Ricciardo.

“He tried to keep it secret for a while, but then everyone sort of found out. I mean, Red Bull have a strong relationship with Volkswagen and Audi, so I think it was always going to happen.”

While the Mercedes powerplant has been the donk of choice in F3 competition around the world recently, Ricciardo isn’t too concerned about the form of the VW. And he believes that with the speed Carlin was showing last year, they will be front-runners from the get-go.

“From last year, Volkswagen started quite well, and from what I heard in Macau, I don’t know if it

was that they had the best straight-line speed, but they were faster than the Mercs. And now with Red Bull involved, they’ll really be pushing to be competitive. When I tested with the Volkswagen engine, it felt quite impressive.

“I don’t think the engine will be the deciding factor in the championship, anyway. The team is still the most important thing, and if Carlin can continue to be as strong as they were last season, we can be competitive right from the start.”

Having done some Euroseries miles during 2008, it was generally expected that Ricciardo would race all over Europe, not just in Great Britain, this season. And Ricciardo admits that he too was expecting a Euroseries berth.

“The first thing I said to myself is ‘I want to be in Formula 3.’ Everyone who has done it has said it is really valuable, but I honestly thought it would be the Euroseries, especially as I did a couple of those races last year.

“But at the end of the day, Red Bull thought the British Series was the one for me. At least I’m with a top team; perhaps with the Euroseries, I wouldn’t have been with an ART or a team like that, so there were reasons for me to stay in England.”

But should his dance card look anything like it did in 2008, some crossover between series that Red Bull drivers traditionally race in is very likely.

“Anything is possible. One weekend I might get a call from Red Bull and they’ll tell me to be somewhere, so I wouldn’t rule it out.”

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TDs return to Calder DRAG RACING

TOP Doorslammers will return to Calder Park in January.

Eight of Australia’s leading Top Doorslammer racers have accepted an invitation to compete at the True Blue Drag Racing Championships to be held at Calder Park on Sunday, January 25.

For the first time in Australia,

the Top Doorslammers will race over an eighth- mile and for $30,000, the largest prize money ever posted for an eight-car Doorslammer field.

Racers who have accepted an invitation to compete in the Calder Park Top Doorslammer Shootout are former Australian Top Doorslammer champion and 11-times Australian

Top Alcohol champion Gary Phillips (‘53 Studebaker), Maurice Fabietti ('05 Holden Monaro CV8Z), Dennis Brijeski ('67 Chevrolet Camaro), Sean Mifsud (’41 Willys), Mark Belleri ('67 Chevrolet Camaro), Peter Kapiris (‘53 Studebaker) and Tony DeFelice ('67 Chevrolet Camaro).

Calder Park will award a wildcard entry to the eighth

Pye for International TRS TOYOTA RACING SERIES Scott Pye will return to New Zealand this week for the second round of the Toyota Racing Series, which is the first round of the ‘International’ miniseries.

The Aussie turned heads across the ditch late last year when he won the Wigram Cup for the Aussie-owned European Technique squad, which was the Formula Forder’s first outing in a wings-and-slicks car.

Fellow Aussie Nathan Antunes will join Pye at European Technique, back for his second season of TRS competition.

Also in the field for this weekend’s first International round at Timaru is A1 Team China’s rookie Adderly Fong, British Formula 3 driver Craig Reiff, Indy Pro Series regular Mitchell Cunningham, Australian Formula Ford semi-regular Andrew Waite and twice NZ V8 Champion John McIntyre.

“I have admired these fantastic race cars since their inception five seasons ago and thought how I’d love to have a drive some day,” McIntyre said.

“I am looking to learn more about my own driving and the intricacies of setting up a single seater. It will only help my effort to win a third NZV8 title.”

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

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and final competitor in early January.

Brijeski is currently Australia’s fourth quickestever Top Doorslammer racer with a 5.956-second quartermile time.

While Australia’s quickest Top Doorslammer racers cover the quarter-mile in 5.9s to 6.0s range, at Calder Park the quicker cars are expected to race over the eighth-mile in the high 3.9s zone.

Supporting the Top Doorslammers at the True Blue Drag Racing Championships will be the exciting Pro Street cars, which will race in the Pro Street Blown and Unblown, Modified Street Blown and Unblown and True Street classes.

Champs team expands GT CHAMPIONSHIP NEWLY-CROWNED Australian GT Champion Mark Eddy has linked with Dean Grant to form a two-car Lamborghini team to compete in this year’s GT title.

Grant has purchased Ross Lilley’s Lamborghini Gallardo and the pair will run with the assistance of Victorian-based Jocaro Motors and Buick Motors, who will do all the team’s technical and driver support.

The two Gallardos will run in separate liveries but will still be under the same banner. The name of that banner has yet to be decided …

Grant is a former Carrera Cup driver but spent most of the 2008 season sitting on the sidelines.

Eddy, who wrapped up the GT title in the final round at Sandown in December, said that having two cars in the team will help them both move forward.

“We’ve teamed up and we’re hoping to be up the front this year,” he said.

“We are going to start testing February and see how we go. It will be interesting with a few more new cars for the series.

“Australians really enjoy seeing these types of cars run around so Clipsal and the Grand Prix at Albert Park should see some really good racing.”

– GRANT ROWLEY

news

Bathurst Ute BATHURST 12H

Marshall Cass

HI TECH Motorsport is building a brandnew V8 Ute to compete in the WPS Bathurst 12 Hour next month.

The former V8 Ute series-winning team is currently completing the build of a new Holden Commodore VE utility, built exactly to V8 Utes specifications.

The car will be driven by West Australians Grant Johnson and Geoff Watts, while the team is currently searching for a third driver.

The car’s construction has adapted the brake pad changes which is the most significant change allowed under the 12 Hour rules.

Hi Tech team boss John Pachos told eNews that the 12 Hour Ute will have a multi-purpose life.

“Everything in the car is the same,” he said.

“Nothing is really different at all. The brake pads are the biggest difference and the major thing with the 12 Hour is going to be the heat. Our drivers will have to be careful

with that.

“After the 12 Hour, we’ll use the car as one of our test cars, and V8 Utes is going to use it as well.”

The third available drive in the Hi Tech Motorsport V8 Ute is just one of many seats available for the third-annual 12 Hour race at Mount Panorama.

“Whether you are a driver looking for a team or a team looking for drivers, interested parties can submit their details

to www.bathurst12hour.com.au, where they will be displayed for other teams and drivers to view,” said event manager James O’Brien.

“Hopefully this service will enable these drivers and teams to find each other and join up for a successful 2009 WPS Bathurst 12 hour campaign.”

The WPS Bathurst 12 Hour will be run on February 22.

– GRANT ROWLEY

Sainz stars in new style Dakar DAKAR VOLKSWAGEN has taken the lead in the 2009 Dakar Rally after Carlos Sainz won the second stage of the event.

The Spaniard took the win when the X-Raid BMW of first leg winner Nassa Al-Attiyah went off course on a sandy section and dropped six minutes. At the end of the leg, from Santa Rosa to Puerto Madryn in Argentina, Sainz led VW team-mate Giniel de Villiers by 2m19s while Stephane Peterhansel, who finished second on the stage, was third overall for Mitsubishi. Al-Attiyah was fourth.

“It was very difficult with the dust and

the motorbikes,” said Sainz. “At times, we nearly had to stop. I even hit a biker at one point; I hope he’s going to be ok”.

NASCAR star Robby Gordon was 10th overall in his Hummer, while Aussies Bruce Garland and Harry Suzuki are 65th overall in his Isuzu D-MAX. Perth’s Ali McRae has dropped to 109th in his McRae Enduro and Marc Coma heads a KTM 1-2 on his 690 Rallye in the Bike division while Aussies David Schwarz (15th) and Christophe Barriere Varju (72nd) chase him.

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5 Minutes with ...

ALEX DAVISON

It’s been in the news for a while now, but Alex Davison can finally talk about his brand new drive with ‘factory’ team Stone Brothers Racing PHIL BRANAGAN MOTORSPORT NEWS: Stop packing and tell us how different it felt to go through Christmas and New Year knowing what you were doing this season.

ALEX DAVISON: It was pretty relaxing. It was very nice to know what’s what.

It is a hard deal sometimes, doing what we do. The job security is not very good. I remember this time a year ago, in fact, the last two years have been very stressful. Two years back, I was walking on a tightrope, not knowing what I was going to be doing for a season and I ended up doing a deal with Jim [Richards]. It is a real stress.

It all depends upon a yes or a no from one person. So this time, it was nice to have everything signed away, and to have such a good deal.

Do you actually need to adjust to the lack of that stress?

I feel like I should have been doing something for the last couple of weeks.

Naturally, when you plan a move like this, there are always errands to run, but it has felt unusual not to be on the phone all the time, calling people and wheeling and dealing. Every time I sit down for five minutes, not doing something, I feel like I am missing something!

That doesn’t feel right, being able to relax. But it is a nice problem to have.

What is the biggest challenge? First, you have to move, I guess.

Ross Stone asked me if it was any problem to move. I said, ‘Ross, moving to Queensland is nothing because, if I wasn’t driving for you guys this year, I would have been packing up and moving my whole deal to Europe’. That is really no issue for me.

Obviously, there is a bit to be done in packing the house up and moving everything. But, in the last two seasons, at one stage or another, I have built up to making that move anyway. I have spent a lot of time away and this was a move I was happy to make.

But to answer the question, the

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challenge is getting up to the speed required in the whole V8 Supercars thing.

Rocking up and going okay at the enduros is one thing but to be right on the pace at a sprint round is another story. To make sure all the key relationships gel and work properly is vital and I am looking forward to getting to know all the guys there and learning about what a V8 Supercar needs, in terms of set-up and how to drive it.

I need to get an understanding of that and get on top of that. The quicker you do that is the difference between running okay and running at the front.

Has the view you had of SBR from the outside been reinforced by what you have seen from the inside?

Yes. Put it this way; you could say that, from the limited dealings I have had with the team so far – doing a deal with Ross, the three ride days I have done – there is nothing, not one little thing, that I have come across that makes me think, ‘that is not right’, or, ‘I would do that differently’.

Everything is ultra-impressive, every aspect of what my experience with the team.

That is a refreshing experience and not one that happens that often. In every team I have driven for, and I have been with some good ones, there is always something you are not that impressed with.

What is a realistic goal for Alex Davison for 09?

I don’t really like, this early in the game, to be putting something down on paper as a goal.

My ultimate goal, obviously, is to win races and championships. Equally obviously, that is not totally realistic to have those goals for this year. But I don’t

think that it is unrealistic to say that I want to be in the top 10 at the end of the year.

That is pretty broad; until I get onto the track and see where I am, I don’t want to put a number on it.

You will be racing full-time against your own brother. Is that a particular challenge?

Not really. He is just another guy out on the track. Everyone in both of our teams work too hard and there is too much at stake on both teams for either of us to treat each other any differently to any other driver. I am sure he would say the same thing.

I want him to do well on the track. We want each other to do well. But he is just another guy to beat. We will probably bash into each other at some stage but we will have a laugh later. It will be okay.

You have just got a nice new car to drive around Queensland, don’t you? [Ed: Davison won a new Porsche 911 Turbo for being the marque’s most successful privateer driver of 2008].

Not really. Unfortunately, that car is sitting in Weissach, with an inch of snow and a ‘For Sale’ sign on it. It is a left-hand-drive model and I could not really do anything about it. It is not much good to me until it is sold.

Even if I did have it here, I would have sold it. I can’t justify having so much money tied up in a car, even if I didn’t buy it. I have a nice new Ford XR6 Turbo waiting for me up there, so I am looking forward to that!

Mate, Ford is going to love you …

I hope so!

chat

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WITH the Commodore teams on hols and the car builders at Ford teams flat out trying to finish their new FGs, this time of year can be a bit flat if you’re a chronic V8 fan.

Or a circuit-racing fan. A few decades back there was the Tasman Series; these days the first serious event of the year is the Bathurst 12 Hr in February.

What to do?

Such is the dominance of V8 Supercars – it sucks most of the cash and audience out of on-track racing – that the contest for the number two spot in Australian motorsport hearts has, in my view, been between the ‘Summer’ sports of Speedway (Sprintcars) and

Drag Racing (well, top level semi-pro stuff).

A few years back it was nocontest – Sprintcars clearly.

Drag Racing fell in a bit of a hole. The 90s legends moved on, or quit, Calder died as a venue, reliability was, well, crap, and it all seemed a bit pointless.

But quietly, just quietly, the quarter mile brigade are getting it back together. And, if you’ve been paying attention, you’ll notice that Motorsport eNews is giving the quarter milers a fair bit more attention.

Doorslammers, now joined by increasingly impressive Top Fuellers and Funny Cars, are drawing the crowds again. The

amount of coverage of the top US stuff on Foxtel can’t hurt either.

Sydney, Brisbane and Perth have quality venues and there continue to be rumours of an all-new Melbourne strip for 2010.

Judging by what’s been happening over New Year, the show is getting quite spectacular. Sub 5 and 6second cars aren’t subtle – although the technical side of getting thousands of hp onto the tamac is intriguing. And when something goes wrong … well. I’m sure you saw it on the TV news. Yup, that’s the way to get on the teev!

The good thing about the

John Bosehr

New Year is no drag

opinion Chris Lambden Publisher Drags (and Speedway for that matter) is that both are still relatively ‘raw’ motorsport; the do-gooders (you know who I mean) haven’t yet got hold of them, although the recent US flirtation with reduced 1000 feet ‘drags’ (as opposed to 1320 feet, quarter mile) is a sign that it may be coming. Don’t do it!

Anyway, if you haven’t yet experienced live Top Fuel/ Funny Car action and there’s an event near you, you should rock along some time. It’s a very different world …

Letters

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

An ode to Mark Mark, On behalf of my family we wish you well on your retirement on your driving duties.

We hope you won’t be lost to the sport and wish you well in your future adventures.

We did enjoy your light hearted commentary and hope that continues.

We were not fans of you

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during your driving career and had a family chant at the start of each race “Take Skaife Out.” There was a big chant when that happened.

Not very sporting but as you know there has to be a black hat and white hat.

We are neither Holden nor Ford fans but enjoy motor racing for what it is (49 percent Holden, 51 percent Ford).

During your career you have

given your best for whomever you represented.

We realise that it takes great commitment and personal sacrifices to get to the level you achieved.

Our family will miss our race start chants this year (“take Tander out” does not have the same meaning) and we look forward to continuation during the endurance races if that happens.

You still have a few more good years in you.

You have given our family great entrainment over the years and it will be sorely missed until someone takes over.

In this sterile climate that will not happen for many years.

Thanks for the memories.

Barry Walter via email

opinion

A two horse race ...

Dirk Klynsmith

opinion Phil Branagan Executive Editor I MUST say that I have been somewhat underwhelmed by Manufacturers’ Awards in the V8 Supercar Championship Series. So, it is time to get … whelmed.

Let’s face it, a two-horse race is not that exciting, unless it’s between Valentino Rossi and Troy Bayliss (or Seabiscuit and War Admiral, if you like horses). Holden scores a win, then Ford scores a win, count ‘em up, and the winner is … sorry, I nodded off. What was I saying?

But with change comes opportunity, and here is a beaut opportunity. Not all the cars in this year’s championship will

be carrying branding from one side or the other, and I reckon the recent cricket debacle illustrates a good point. People love teams and hate selectors and will argue long and hard about the rights and wrongs, particularly over a beer or three.

So, let’s cash in on this.

My plan is this; at midday on the Monday before each V8 round, Ford nominates six Falcons and Holden six Commodores. Those entries, and only those entries, score manufacturers’ points.

The six Fords carry a blue disc near the car number, the six Holden a red one.

Add up all the points at the end of the season and there’s your winner.

Andrew Hilditch is either a genius or an idiot at the moment. If you like cricket, it is impossible to feel neutral about the Chairman of the selectors. Same with

the selectors in V8 Supercar. It’s all about passion.

What – Ford left Courtney out of its Six for Adelaide? And included Alex Davison?

YOU FOOLS! Hang on, that makes it brother versus brother for Manufacturers’ points. You little ripper.

At Winton, Bargs and McConville, previous winners both, get a guernsey for Holden. But, at the expense of Rick Kelly?

Will Murphy get the role for Bathurst?

What about Brighty?

Can you hear the arguments? Can you sense debating over this with your mates?

Can you see the news cycle extending – and the sport getting more coverage?

There’s something for nothing here, kids. A free hit. A no-brainer.

Now, about Matthew Hayden and Mark Philippoussis …

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TOP FUEL INTERNATIONAL WESTERN SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL DRAGWAY, NSW

In Scott’s Honour Hillary Will came, saw and stumbled to victory at WSID in the Top Fuel International over Boxing Day

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John Bosher

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DRAG RACING

A

MERICAN NHRA drag racer Hillary Will came to Australia for one reason and one reason only – to win the inaugural Scott Kalitta Memorial Trophy – and as you read this, Will is back in The States with that trophy in her trophy cabinet.

Will won the Shannons USA Top Fuel Showdown, beating local driver Terry Sainty in the final with a solid 4.743s pass.

But it was a difficult meeting for achieving big numbers. When Sydney produced hot weather, it was really hot. At one stage, the track was being referred to as a ‘pea soup,’ making it difficult for drivers to post good times.

But when the Sydney weather wasn’t good, it was woeful. The event was delayed by a day when summer showers hit the track, reminiscent of many of WSID’s recent major meetings.

The gods were kind to the international guests, though, with hot conditions greeting racers and fans for the rescheduled final day.

Will, making her Australian racing debut,

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was stoked to secure the winner’s trophy, which was named in honour of her former team-mate Scot Kalitta who was killed in a Funny Car crash at Englishtown in June.

“This means so much to me and this team,” Will said.

“To get this trophy and take it back to the States is such an honour for us after such a difficult weekend. But I always had faith in my team with Jim Oberhofer making the changes we needed to get down the track for the win.

“No doubt the track conditions were tough because it was very hot out there, but Jim Read and his track staff do a great job and this Western Sydney track is great, and the fans have been amazing.”

Will’s victory meant that she has now claimed Top Fuel titles in three different sanctioning bodies – ANDRA, NHRA, and IHRA. The main drive for Will and the entire Kalitta team however, was always snaring that SK Trophy and cuddling it all the way back across the Pacific to show the rest of the Kalitta clan stateside.

“Scott was my mentor, and he was like a brother to me and I did my first test laps in

Top Fuel driving one of his cars,” she said. ”We miss him so much, but we are so happy to win this trophy for Connie, Doug, Scott’s wife Kathy, and his boys, Corey and Colin and the entire Kalitta family.”

While the history books will show that Will was the winner, the meeting nearly played out completely differently.

Sainty entered the final as the favourite as he and his team had come to terms with the tricky track conditions. But the final result wasn’t there for him.

Neither Will or Sainty were the headline grabbers, though. Darren Morgan’s frightening crash on Boxing Day was the talking point after his right rear wheel detached from his railer. Thankfully, he walked away unharmed.

In ANDRA Top Alcohol, Debbie Reed has laid genuine claim for the Championship chase with a dominant performance in her Reed Transport Dragster, in dispatching newcomer Rick Gauci in his impressive Funny Car in the final.

Reed was a bracket car at this event, consistently running high 5.6 second passes en route to her second ANDRA Top Alcohol round win – both achieved in Sydney.

John Morris/Mpix John Bosher

John Morris/Mpix

One Sydney day: Morgan’s big one, above. Reed and Gauci in Top Alcohol, top right. Read, Will and Sainty pose for the paparazi, right, and Phil Lamittina, below, in his Fuch’s railer.

Bosher/Mpix

John Morris/Mpix

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All fired up!

The 2008/09 Summer of Speedway has well and truly kicked into top gear and while eNews has been away eating and drinking far too much, our contributors have been working overtime to bring you all the action from around Australia

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race

Ash Budd

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WANLESS WORLD SERIES SPRINTCARS SPEEDWEEK

WANLESS WORLD SERIES

HE gruelling Wanless World Series Speedweek in the highlight of the Australian Summer of Speedway and the action in 2008/09 didn’t dissapoint.

Speedweek kicked off on Boxing Day at Truckworks Speedway City in Adelaide, in front of a near capacity crowd.

America’s Danny Smith started his Australian ‘Farewell Tour’ with a scorching drive to claim the main event over Brooke Tatnell, David Murcott and fellow American Daryn Pittman.

Smith proved on a mission to stamp his ‘I’m Back’ catchcry all over the field as he pealed off 12.3/12.4 second laps using the entire well prepared surface as he sliced his way through lap traffic.

Night 2 saw the teams venture up the freeway to the Moore Engineering Murray Bridge Speedway for the next stint of the series.

Tatnell gave his car owner Shane Krikke every reason to smile as he crossed the finish line ahead of Robbie Farr, Luke Dillon and Max Dumesny.

While Tatnell collected the $10,000 prize

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purse, the road to victory lane was a hardfought affair.

When the green flag dropped, Jason Johnson went from hero to zero as he looped his machine in front of the entire field coming out of turn two. As the field scampered past, the luckless Philip March collected the Johnson Supaloc Eagle, ending his chance at an assault on the cash up for grabs. Johnson was able to restart back from the back of the field.

The circus moved on to the picturesque Borderline Speedway bullring in Mount Gambier for Night 3 and a determined Jason Johnson went all out to make amends for his mistake from the night prior.

He went on to win the main event later in the evening over Adelaide boys Trevor Green and Matt Egel.

A very pleased Egel was elated to be making his maiden visit to the World Series Sprintcars podium after winning the A Dash earlier in the evening to start from pole. Grant Anderson held his starting position, fending off a late race challenge from Murcott to round out the top four.

After three nights in South Australia, the

Ash Budd

Speed for the Week T

Speedweek Series then travelled to Victoria, to Avalon Raceway and produced its fourth different winner in as many rounds.

This time around it was Robbie Farr who managed to lead the entire 35-lap distance and in doing so setting a new record for the journey.

Hot on his tyres was the ever-consistent Tatnell, who never gave in, chasing Farr all the way to the chequeres.

Following them were the speedy Vicorian drivers Jamie Veal and Dumensy, each recording their best finish of the week-long series.

The final night of the series saw 2009 start in the best way possible for Jason Johnson as the American star raced on to claim a thrilling Speedweek Grand Final Round victory in front a pack house at Warrnambool’s Sungold Stadium on New Year’s Day. While it was Johnson who claimed his second victory, Tatnell did just enough to claim top spot in this season’s Speedweek competition by finishing in second over Ryan Farrell and Farr close behind for fourth and second overall in the Speedweek points score.

– PARIS CHARLES

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Geoff Gracie

Ash Budd

Hot summer action: Brooke Tatnell, main and right, was on fire during Speedweek and duly took home the mid-championship title.

Although he only won one round during the schedule his consistency paid off.

Robbie Farr, above, had another good series and took victory on night four, while Jason Johnson, below, picked up victory in the final race in Warrnambool.

American Danny Smith, above right, was the other winner, in Adelaide on Night One.

Geoff Gracie

Geoff Gracie

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$50K–TO–WIN SCOTT DARLEY MEMORIAL PARRAMATTA CITY RACEWAY

And the winner is: Not Schatz

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John Morris/ Mpix

The $50K-to-Win race at Parramatta always produces some great racing with the American stars, only thing was, in 2009, Steve Kinser beat Donny Schatz to the flag

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$50K TO WIN

John Morris/ Mpix

John Morris/ Mpix

The King: The Americans dominated the $50K to Win at Parramatta again, but this time it was Steve Kinser, above, not Donny Schatz who took the title in a great battle, left.

Brooke Tatnell had, below, a night to forget and could only manage 10th, behind best-placed Aussie Robbie Farr in seventh.

John Morris/ Mpix

IN one of the best ever Sprintcar races seen at the Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway the two World of Outlaws greats Steve Kinser and Donny Schatz traded positions in the closing stages of the 40-lap $50,000-to-win Scott Darley Memorial.

Eventually the ‘King’ Steve Kinser broke Schatz’s hold on the event to claim his first victory just ahead of Schatz, with local Robert Farr third.

Kinser started from pole and jumped into the lead at the green, with Jason Meyers and Jason Sides following.

Sides took Myers early and held second until an incident with Ian Madsen saw him flipping over.

Schatz moved to second and at times, was pressuring Kinser for the lead.

By mid-race, Farr was in third with Kerry Madsen, Jonathan Allard and Brad Sweet the top six.

Schatz tried everything to get by Kinser and in the final laps, Kinser went high in Turn 2 and allowed Schatz to blast into the lead until Kinser regained control entering Turn 3.

On the final lap, Schatz again blasted by but quick as a flash Kinser retook the advantage and scored a very close win over Schatz followed by Farr, Kerry Madsen, Allard and Pitman made up the top six.

Kinser’s victory broke Schatz’s winning streak of seven out of the eight races held so far.

“I almost blew it going up top the lap before the last,” said Kinser.

“Donny was so close to me and got a run up. I wasn’t confident as

he [Schatz] could get through the lapped cars better than I could, but we got away with it and won the race.

“We won the first International and the last and that’s the one we came to win. He (Schatz) pretty much owns the $50,000 race and it feels good to take it away from him.”

Schatz was obviously disappointed after the race.

“It wasn’t very good. I couldn’t get my right rear tyre to go from the word go,” Schatz told eNews.

“I knew I had a better car than him at the end as I could catch him very quick but when you’re racing the “King” and to pass him, I mean he’s really good. I did get by him and he did a real stand up job tonight.”

The two-day shoot out saw 57 sprintcars on hand with 11 Americans, plus the WSS drivers like Tatnell, Farr, Dumesny made for a stellar field.

Schatz showed his hand in winning the preliminary A Main over Sides, Meyers and Kinser, while Lasoski, Tatnell and Green held the top three spots in the B qualifying race.

The important Saturday finals night had Kerry Madsen, Max Dumesny, Farr and Kraig Kinser taking heat wins, while the Dash races went to Steve Kinser and Meyers giving them front row in the 50k final.

Skip Jackson defeated Mitch Dumesny and Ian Madsen to claim the B Main.

As for the locals in the final Farr was the best placed while Green picked up seventh with Tatnell 10th and Max Dumesny 13th.

– GREG BOSCATO

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NEW SOUTH WALES

THE Christmas/New Year Sprintcar International series of races held at the Parramatta City Raceway was again dominated by the tough American World of Outlaw stars.

While it’s a shortened series this summer, the cream of the American driving talented which included Donny Schatz, the Kinser family Steve and Kraig, Danny Lasoski, Jason Meyers, Jason Sides, Jonathan Allard and sensational young Brad Sweet racing against Kerry Madsen and Skip Jackson (home from the USA) and the Parramatta regulars in a three race series leading up to the $50,000-to-Win Scott Darley Memorial.

At the annual Valvoline Boxing Day Sprintcar GP the King Steve Kinser claimed a great win over Adrian Maher

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and Jason Sides.

Shock of the night was Schatz’s retirement in the feature after his Garry Rush machine developed magneto box problems. Schatz was having a tough night, proving a difficult start to his summer down under.

A storm saw the Saturday night TPCR meeting transferred to Sunday and Schatz came out fighting with a great victory over second generation Mitch Dumesny with Kerry Madsen third.

It was again an Aussie who upset the Americans, with young Stuart Williams setting quickest time in qualifying over Kraig Kinser, who had been the most consistent of the Americans in the opening meetings.

The New Years meeting saw 52 cars in the pits and Lasoski, Allard, Sweet and Meyers joined the American challenge

John Morris/ Mpix

American Domination

with ‘the Dude’ Lasoski dominating the 30-lap feature, with Kraig Kinser and Kerry Madsen following him home.

It was another local fastest in qualifying with Marty Perovich being the quickest.

After a slow Boxing Day meeting former local now Knoxville resident Skip Jackson proved to be very quick in the next two while budget racer Andrew Wright was impressive during the International meetings.

Other local stand-outs were Ian Loudoun (switching to a new J&J on January 1) Sam Walsh, Dean Thomas (holding out Steve Kinser on Boxing Day) and Jeremy Cross.

– GREG BOSCATO Points: Mitch Dumesny 2068, Grant Tunks 2005, Kellly Linigen 1939, Martin Lawes 1917, James Thompson 1864.

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Geoff Gracie

Geoff Gracie

Reed is still in the lead VICTORIA

MATTHEW Reed continues to lead the Victorian SRA series points standings, despite not grabbing any wins in the hotly contested championship during the Christmas/New Year period of racing.

Reed leads Warrnambool’s Darren Mollenoyux by 147 points after recent rounds at Warrnambool and Avalon speedways.

Bendigo’s Darren Hickman raced to his biggest win in Sprintcars, winning at Avalon Raceway on Boxing Night to claim Round 5 of the Eureka Sprintcar Series Gold Cup. Hickman was superb in beating fast youngster Tim

Rankin with Mollenoyux’s consistent season in the SRA continuing finishing third.

Hickman revealed his goal at the start of the meeting was to make the A Main and hopefully claim a top 10 finish.

“When I slotted into second I was waiting for the big guys to come along but I found a groove on the high line and it worked,” Hickman said.

“It turned out to be a set–up night rather then an engine night, so full credit to the crew for making the car perfect.

“Grant Anderson was terribly unlucky, I'm not sure if I would have had anything for him.

Then when Timmy Rankin raced up on the inside of me, I certainly put the elbows up.”

Christmas came early for Mount Gambier star Steve Lines, with the 24-year-old winning the preceding SRA round at Warrnambool on December 20.

On a perfect racing surface, Lines provided one of the best Sprintcar races ever seen at Premier Speedway.

Lines did everything right to eventually beat home the very fast Ryan Farrell of Perth and series leader Reed.

“It was pretty slick,” he said.

“They came out and graded the top and not the bottom so I didn’t know what to expect.

“They did a very good job though.

“You could run two lines if you wanted. It was pretty

much perfect.”

Lines was second fastest in the time trial, with Simpson youngster Tim Rankin clocking in as the quickest.

“We then won our first heat and came off the back in the second heat,” the South Australian said.

“We had to change an engine between the second heat and the final.

“I was nervous because you never know what’s going to happen or if you’ve got enough time to do it.”

– GEOFF ROUNDS Points: Matthew Reed 1503, Darren Mollenoyux 1356, Grant Anderson 1330, Mike Van Bremen 1275, Rod Matthews 1240.

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Paris Charles

Lady Luck

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Paris Charles

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THE Australian 360 Sprintcar Nationals at Adelaide’s Truckworks Speedway City was a race to remember for Craig Vanderstelt.

Vanderstelt, above, had his fair share of luck to become the first driver to win the event for the second time.

In a race marred with several nasty accidents, including a horrifying roll over that almost launched the National Champion Ryan Jones, left, out of the stadium before the top safety cable caught his OZ Signs XXX machine and brought it back down to earth.

Vanderstelt was forced to dice for the lead all race long but managed to keep a cool head as he set about the job at hand and on to victory lane.

Victoria’s David Cook and local ace Mark Caruso filled the minor steps of the dais in the 30-lap finale.

Vanderstelt was scheduled

to start the feature event from position three before a series of opening lap crashes ended the run for the three combatants in front of him.

After several complete restarts of the event Vanderstelt found himself sitting in pole position and from there he was able to control the tempo of the race.

Despite Vanderstelt setting the pace out front Cook managed to reel in the race leader and challenged for the lead around the outside, only to have his attack come undone when the caution lights flashed for a stranded car.

At the restart Vanderstelt was able to cover the challenge by Cook and opened a handy gap that allowed him to greet the chequered flag untroubled aboard the Croft Constructions Cool.

Victorian Phil Lock claimed fourth over Clinton Oliver, Josh Ruhs and Michael Burford while the final car to survive the distance was New South Welshman Darryl Guerin.

– PARIS CHARLES

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Farrell far in front WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Darren Sutton

THERE’S been a lot happening in the Sprintcar world over in the west since eNews went on holiday, with one of the biggest shows being the WA Sprintcar title at Bunbury Speedway.

Not content with four in a row, Ryan Farrell made it five in a row and his sixth overall when WA’s best driver smashed the opposition in the 30-lap A main event. Farrell has now equaled ‘Mr Sprintcar’ in WA’s Alf Barbagallo on the all-time tally list.

The following night at the Perth Motorplex Farrell looked hot again but could only

manage a ninth place finish, due to his top wing being shredded in a crash during the A main.

A name not that well known on the east Coast is Daryl Clayden who made a mark during this year’s world series events in Perth.

Clayden set quick time and sat on pole for the final but a crash late in the race ended his chance for his best result to date. Fast forward to December 28 and Clayden took out the Christmas cup at the Motorplex dominating the A Main event in front of a 12,000 strong crowd.

“That was awesome. We didn’t finish the job during World Series but we did tonight so

it’s a great boost for the whole team” Said Clayden.

The teams returned to the Plex again on January 3 for the Sprintcar muster where 72 Sprintcars were set up in the pits ready for battle.

Once again Farrell’s prowess in lapped traffic shone through.

Whilst battling with Ken Satori for the lead, both drivers came into heavy traffic and Farrell’s

decisiveness was instant diving low and taking the lead in the very late stage of the race.

“I never would have got Ken in fresh air his car was quicker so lapped traffic was where I was going to do it,” said an exhausted Farrell.

– DARREN SUTTON Points: Ryan Farrell 1239, Ken Sartori 1166, Luch Monte 1142,

American stars lead the charge QUEENSLAND

JUST like the rest of the country, the guys up in Queensland are flat out racing Sprintcars.

Since we’ve been gone, a lot’s happened in the Sunshine state, with no fewer than four rounds of the Titan Garages Brisbane International Speedway’s 2008/09 Summer of Speed scheduled over the hectic Christmas/New Years period.

Pete Thorley handed himself an early Christmas present by winning the Christmas Cup at Charlton Raceway in Toowomba, the final pre-Christmas event

in Queensland.

From there it was on to the main events with Night 1 of the Summer of Speed program set for Boxing Day night.

American Mike Carber took out the feature in a dominant flag-to-flag display over Darrell Hodges and fellow American Brent Kaeding.

Thorley backed up his solid preChristmas form with a strong run from eighth to fifth just behind Darren Jensen.

Night 2 on January 1 saw Caber grab his second feature in a week by just holding out Kaeding at Archfield Raceway.

Caber won both his qualifying Heat races and the six-lap Dash to start the feature from pole position and win with an intelligent drive.

Although no match for the two Americans up front Andrew Scheuerle led the local charge to third ahead of Todd Wanless and Hodges in fifth.

Unfortunately, Night 3 at Archfield Raceway on January 3 was cancelled due to bad weather. The event will be rescheduled.

Points: Scheuerle 266, Wanless 262, Thorley 213, Dan Murray 183, Richard Morgan 176.

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rear of grid

Odd Spot

THERE are any number of famous names among the 500 Dakar competitors that took off on the 2009 Dakar at the weekend but one caught our eye.

Alistair McRae, lately domiciled in Perth, is aboard a McRae Enduro but is not racing in the event.

“I’m here to provide back-up for our three customers in case they hit trouble,” the Scot said. “But it’s a great opportunity to

see what the Dakar is all about. It’s a very exciting prospect and I can’t wait to get started. It’s going to be a totally different discipline to what I’m used to on rallies.

While I’ve got to act as a sweeper and hold back to make sure I’m there for our customer cars, it’s going to be hard to tame the competitive streak in me.”

The Enduro is a space-frame chassis fitted with a 2.7-litre disel V6, like the

Willy Weyens

Ali’s black South American Beetle

one fitted to Fords, Jags and Land Rovers.

More than 20,000km of testing has been completed and the four-strong team is confident of finishing the grueling event, which is being run in South America for the first time.

One of the entrants is Eliseo Salazar, the well-known former Grand Prix driver and self-defence expert. Let’s hope he doesn’t drive past Nelson Piquet’s house …

While we’re on the subject of Dakar, we couldn’t help but notice that this year’s running of the event is, well, greener and wetter than usual ...

Volkswagen

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