Motorsport eNews Issue 90 - February 3-9, 2009

12 HOUR: GRID CONFIRMED FOR MOUNTAIN MARATHON

Issue No. 090 3 – 9 February 2009

VETERAN & YOUNG BLOKE TEAM-UP for enduros

SETO’s DUAL role WtIoNth!e

Go AGP in Style

HRT’s ENDURO PLAN

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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MD / Publisher

Chris Lambden publisher@mnews.com.au

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

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

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

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

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

Australasian

The ‘A’ Team

Issue No. 090 | 3 – 9 Feb 2009

news 4 Engineer Seton ...

Now driver Seton 6 Doing the splits HRT to split drivers 9 Going, going, gone Toyota quits the ARC 10 To stay, or not to stay? Mercedes-Benz stays in F1 15 Movie star quality 12 Hour entry list 16 New Kart Star?

Stoner’s new toy

chat 22 5 minutes with ... opinion 24 Branagan race 26 WRC 30 Targa Wrest Point 34 Speedway

Glenn Seton The spice of life Guess who?

Garwood, not Richo Another Madsen win

trade 36 Classifieds This image appeared in our inbox from a hotmail address – and it appears to be a mobile phone pic of Mark Winterbottom’s new and as-yet unseen FPR FG racer. The cars will be unveiled on March 1 at FPV’s Open Day. If we go, Mr Edwards, please, don’t hit us ...

!

N E E R G R O F D E R G N I V LEA

Seton signs with Bottl Touring Car legend confirms his endurance driver role alongside Tony D’Alberto for V8 SUPERCARS

V8 Supercar Series crown in 2007. He also spent the final GLENN Seton will drive with two rounds of last year’s main Tony D’Alberto in the Bottleseries with the 23-year-old and O Racing Commodore VE at is now locked in for the entire Phillip Island and Bathurst this 2009 season. year.

Seton says that working with The two-time Australian RNR was a “no-brainer.”

Touring Car Champion has “I’ll know how the car is confirmed that he will saddle developing as the year goes on,” up alongside D’Alberto in the he said. two V8 Supercar endurance “Come the endurance races, races, as well as being the #55’s particularly in the test days on team manager/engineer for the the lead-up, I’ll be doing a lot entire season. of driving and I’ll be able to The 48-year-old has compare what Tony’s feeling competed in the endurance and what I’m feeling with it. races for the past two years That will help enormously at with the Holden Racing Team, race meetings when we’re and was tentatively offered the making decisions on what endurance drive with ‘Team direction to go with the Red’ this year. Instead, he has feedback I’m getting. decided to focus on the two“Our goal will be to get on the driver races with Rod Nash podium, no doubt. If we win it, Racing’s Bottle-O-backed team. fantastic, but the goal has to be To date, Seton has been try and get to the finish and get unable to stand on the top step on the podium.” of the Bathurst podium, but Seton’s desire to win the brings a wealth of experience Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 to the team – both as a driver – something that he has not and engineer. been able to achieve over his Seton has a history of illustrious career – still remains working with D’Alberto, high on his list of things to do. engineering him to his Fujitsu “It’s something that has

eluded me in the past and one that I am still passionate about winning,” he said.

“But you’ve just got to take it as it comes and if we can aim for a podium, or even better, it would be a huge bonus.”

D’Alberto is pleased to have Seton’s services for the 2009 season.

“We’re really excited about it,” he said.

“I’ve worked with Glenn over the past two years and we both believe in each other and I think it’s going to be a good partnership. There’s no other team that have got a driver as an engineer who can drive the car on a test day and give great feedback.

“It would be amazing if we could win Bathurst. Last year we put up a pretty good show.

We’ll be aiming for top five again and there’s no reason we can’t do that. We will go there with an even stronger package than last year.”

D’Alberto finished 25th in the Championship Series last year and team owner Rod Nash is confident that he this new combination will push

the bright green Commodore further towards the front.

“Tony is still the main driver obviously and we look forward to him stepping up from his first year,” Nash said.

“He had some impressive driving examples in 2008.

The point score didn’t reflect some of that ability that he demonstrated.

“Glenn has a history with Tony as a mentor from the Development Series. He stepped up and engineered the car over the last two rounds last year and now he’ll engineer the car for the whole season.

“His experience as a driver, and as an operator brings a whole wave of experience.

Glenn’s a pretty smooth operator and very experienced one. He will offer a whole bunch for experience to the team.”

Seton will get his first run in the D’Alberto Commodore (the same Walkinshaw-built Commodore the team used last year) at Winton Raceway during the first official test on March 9.

– GRANT ROWLEY

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Dirk Klynsmith

le-O Racing Phillip Island and Bathurst

All and more

THE Bottle-O has upped its commitment to Rod Nash Racing, replacing GMAC as the bonnet sponsor of the #55 Commodore VE. The independent Australian bottle-shop company was already locked in to supporting RNR until the end of the 2011 V8 Supercar season, but it has increased its support further, thanks to a positive market research response.

“Bottle-O has upped the ante this year, taking the bonnet as well. They were already naming rights but saw it fit to take the bonnet as well,” Rod Nash said.

“When GMAC pulled out they decided that they wanted that space as well. They see V8 Supercars as a good fit with their ongoing sponsorship. It’s a good fit for their brand awareness program.”

– GRANT ROWLEY

HRT drivers to be split V8 SUPERCARS HOLDEN Racing Team boss Tom Walkinshaw is planning on keeping his lead drivers in their own cars in the V8 Supercar endurance races.

The Scot said last week that his preference was that Garth Tander and Will Davison went to Phillip Island and Bathurst in their separate entries, backed up by endurance drivers.

“It gives you some flexibility in your decision making and in how you run your two cars,” he explained.

“You will need to have young drivers to do it, because the mature ones are already in a fixed ride. So you look at drivers who are in the Development Series, etcetera, to back up your regulars.

“We have [discussed the team’s options].

What the decision will be comes next.

We will run the two guys we have got in their own cars, but we would like to find a way to give the guys some time in the cars to do a good support job. That is the problem that I have set my staff, but we

do not have a solution to that yet.”

Walkinshaw is wary that HRT’s recent strategy of pairing its two regular drivers, and running two enduro specialists in the longer races, have left it vulnerable to a single problem ending the team’s winning hopes.

Ironically, that precise strategy has proven to be a winning edge for Triple Eight’s team, which has seen Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes dominate the endurance races over the last three seasons.

In fact, since 1999, the Bathurst race has been won by a ‘once-a-year driver’ only twice – and that was when HRT won with Mark Skaife and Tony Longhurst (2001) and Skaife and Jim Richards (’02).

Walkinshaw has seen both HRT and the HSV Dealer Team struggle in recent Bathursts, particularly in 2006 when the redteam’s lead car was comfortably the fastest in the buildup to the race, only to see its winning chances dissolve in a lap 1 accident.

“The easy solution is to put your two

guys together but you then run the risk that one thing can put you out of the race.

You get involved with somebody else’s accident and … whatever.”

But Walkinshaw would not be drawn on whether retired HRT ace Skaife would enter into the team’s planning.

“We need to sit down and see what’s the best for both Garth and Will. I don’t know if Mark will be modifying his decision to retire and whether we will put him in the mix with who will be going to Bathurst.

Again, who will have enough mileage in the motor car to get up to speed?

“I think that we would go for young drivers on the way up. We will look at everything that is available to us and then look at the best decision.”

Conspicuously, HRT only introduced Tander and Davison at its season launch, while in previous years, endurance drivers have been included in the proceedings. A decision about the team’s enduro lineups is expected to be made by the start of the season in Adelaide.

– PHIL BRANAGAN

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Will Davo confirmed in Red V8 SUPERCARS

AS expected, Will Davison has been confirmed as Holden Racing Team’s new driver.

Davison stepped into the World of Red last Wednesday at the team’s official launch at Holden’s Port Melbourne HQ. He will partner former champion Garth Tander in a two-car assault on the V8 Supercar Championship Series.

No duration of the new deal was announced, though Davison did say that it is for “a long time” …

Thommo: Enduros only

“We both know that there will be a settling-in phase,” said Davison.

“But I am confident enough to think that I will be strong out of the gate. I don’t set goals for myself, in terms of results. I put the hard work in, I do everything I can do within my power to do the best I can.

What I do at the Clipsal will come from the best effort I can put in. I am confident that we will be strong.”

Davison will have his first test in the red Commodore at Winton on March 9.

V8 SUPERCARS

Dirk Klynsmith

ANDREW Thompson is unlikely to be a full-time driver in the V8 Supercar Championship Series this year.

The 21-year-old has all-but given up on finding a permanent ride in the series, instead turning his attention to finding the best possible endurance drive for Phillip Island and Bathurst. eNews sources have hinted that Thompson is high on Stone Brothers Racing’s endurance driver wish list, although no deal is signed yet.

While Thompson says “never say never,” he is likely to spend 2009 as an endurance and test driver.

“Unless someone comes back with something, don’t expect to see me there full-time,” he said.

“As of right now, my priority is to lock a good enduro drive down. I want to do the best possible job at Phillip Island and Bathurst to help me secure another full-time seat for 2010.

“We made some good ground with PWR Racing last year, despite the old equipment and I’ve still got boxes to tick in the V8 category.”

– GRANT ROWLEY

ARC: We will survive

The Australian Rally Championship pushes forward, despite tough times

Joel Strickland

ARC THE Australian Rally Championship will go on, despite the withdrawal of its only manufacturer entrant, Toyota.

The Japanese giant will compete in this month’s Rally Tasmania before ending its formal involvement in the series, where it has been a fixture for four decades.

However, there may still be a presence of the make’s

Corollas (see separate story).

Motorsport eNews believes that the decision was made with some urgency after projected losses for the manufacturer for 2009 more than double in company estimates. Because of this, all of the company’s non-Formula 1 programs came under immediate review.

CAMS CEO Graham Fountain said that the withdrawal “is clearly an indication of tough times ahead for the sport”.

The immediate problem now is to cover the funding required for the broadcasting of all ARC events. Toyota was a major contributor to production and broadcast rights, and precautions were discussed as long ago as last October about adopting a nonToyota ‘Plan B’ for funding the television.

“It didn’t come as a surprise,” said ARC spokesman Ben Rainsford “We did have two models

that we were able to move forward on. There will be six one-hour programs to go to air, and we are working with [Network] 10 to fit in with them with us. Then we will discuss with FoxSports and our overseas broadcasters.”

It is likely that the series will feature on 10’s new ONE HD network, which could present the opportunity to replay the highlights packages in a viewer-friendly timeslot.

– PHIL BRANAGAN

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Toyota withdraws ARC

Joel Strickland

TOYOTA will bid farewell to the Australian Rally Championship – at least, in the short-term – at Rally Tasmania this month.

The TRD Corollas of Neal Bates/Coral Taylor and Simon and Sue Evans will run in the opening event of the 2009 championship but what happens after that is dependent on discussions aimed at keeping both partnerships in the sport.

Toyota stunned the rally world last week in announcing that it was pulling out of the Australian Rally Championship with immediate effect. However, the company named Bates as ‘an ambassador’ and the

veteran driver is pressing ahead with discussion to stay in the sport.

“My idea is I would still like to do the ARC,” the four-time ARC winner said this week.

“We want to get the cars homologated, and that it the priority. Obviously we need to look for sponsorship for the rest of the series. We need to find some more income but I still think that the sport has a great future here in Australia. Behind V8 Supercars, I think that it has been the second-highest category in the country in terms of the level of excitement it brings to the fans, it is an incredibly exciting sport, and everything was looking good for a great year.”

Bates said that he would compete in

the local Rally of Canberra as well, and continue preparing customer cars. Glenn and Matt Raymond are set to compete in the ARC in a privately-entered Corolla, white Bates prepares a number of other customer cars as well.

Evans to look forward, not back ARC SIMON Evans is looking forward, not backward, after learning of Toyota’s decision.

“Nothing lasts forever,” he said. “I have been pleased to be a part of it, and a lot of drivers would have been thrilled to have driven for Toyota at that level.”

The crowd favourite, who won titles for Toyota in 2006 and ’07 with his wife Sue as co-driver, says that he wants to stay in the sport this season and is looking further afield for 2010.

“I would love to step up

another level now, and look for something in the Asia Pacific Championship,” he said, “but I think that it is too late for this year. But it is not too late to start talking to people for 2010 and beyond.”

But Evans has a backup plan, beyond his drive in Tasmania later this month, which involves having his father Peter not watch the garage too closely ….

“Dad has a ’06 Subaru in the garage somewhere,” he said.

“It’s not 100 percent complete, because it has been pulled apart a bit for [brother] Eli. We need to look at getting some sponsors on board and to

make a way to make it happen.”

A Tasmanian victory for the Evanses would be justice, as Simon broke his leg in the event in 2004. He finally won the event in ’07 on the way to sweeping all heats of the ARC

on the way to the title.

He also maintains and interest in returning to the Aussie Racing Cars.

“Those cars are fantastic and if I got invited back, I would definitely not say no …”

Benz stays – just

IS THIS T END?

Daimler board votes 3-2 to stay in GP racing FORMULA 1 MERCEDES-BENZ is staying in Formula 1 – but only by the skin of its teeth.

According to the German news magazine Focus, the board of Daimler AG, the parent company of the marque, voted 3-2 to stay in Grand

Prix racing with McLaren. The company, which is the team’s largest stakeholder, has had a relationship with McLaren since 1995, below.

Focus reports the vote came after a request from Daimler’s CEO Dieter Zetsche to approve the continuation of the F1 involvement, following

Honda’s recent announcement that it was leaving F1 with immediate effect.

However, that may not be the end of the story, as the same report suggests that BMW will assess its BMW. Sauber program should it win the F1 title – which, in theory, could happen this year.

Solo entry for INDYCAR

sutton-images.com

KV Racing Technology has laid off many of its staff.

Kevin Kalkhoven’s team, which recently announced its signing of the 20-year-old Brazilian Mario Moraes, hired additional engineers and mechanics post-season at a time when most IndyCar teams

Vale: Teddy Mayer

FORMER McLaren and Beatrice Formula 1 team owner Teddy Mayer has passed away in England.

American-born Edward Everett Mayer followed his brother Tim into the sport, and stayed after the young driving star was killed at Longford in Tasmania in 1964.

He assisted Bruce McLaren in forming Bruce McLaren Motor Racing in 1966, and stayed to run the team when the New Zealander was killed in 1970.

Mayer guided the team to championships in 1974 with Emerson Fittipaldi and two years later with James Hunt.

In 1980, sponsor Philip Morris engineered a merger with Ron Dennis’s Project Four team, and shortly thereafter Mayer sold his holding in the team to Dennis and returned to US racing.

Having already won an Indy 500 for McLaren in 1976 with Johnny Rutherford, Mayer went

10

racing in the USA with fellow McLaren refugee Tyler Alexander, and by 1985, the two were back in F1 with backing from consumer goods giant Beatrice and Ford, and drivers Alan Jones and Patrick Tambay.

When Beatrice pulled out, Mayer joined Penske Racing as a consultant and Deputy Chairman of Penske Cars

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Outa Gas

THE

No Homestead for Rahal Letterman

sutton-images.com

r KV Racing save money by reducing staff during the six-month hiatus from competition.

But with a shortfall of sponsorship, and the exit of Aussie Vineyards, KV has now laid off the second car crew, though Oriol Servia remains hopeful of securing funds for a second KV seat.

– MARY MENDEZ

sutton-images.com

Ltd in the UK, assisting the team’s assaults on American racing, particularly the 500. He maintained his role with the team until his death.

Mayer, 73, is survived by his son Tim, who is Chief Operating Officer of IMSA and the American Le Mans Series and a Vice President of ACCUS (the USA’s ASN), and his daughter Anne.

INDYCAR THE end could be nigh for the historic Milwaukee Mile.

The Mile, as it is known, the oldest, continually operating motor speedway in the world, stands to lose its current promoter after 2010.

Milwaukee Mile Holdings LLC’s investors, which includes retired F1 driver and Speed TV race colour announcer David Hobbs, paid an annual licensing fee of US$700,000 and have lost over $4m in operations since 2006.

Brothers Dominic and Frank Giuffre, along with their partners including John Menard, the hardware supply mogul (Menards), have indicated to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel they won’t be bidding under current policy to return as promoters, because the Mile’s limited days of availability limits its profitability.

The Milwaukee Mile, the 70foot wide, 1.0-mile flat oval known for its three and four abreast racing in its heyday, traditionally hosts the Indy 500 competitors the week following that event. The track, built on the Wisconsin State Fairgrounds in 1903, now seats 40,000 after a multi milliondollar upgrade in 2004.

Should a new promoter not materialise, the IndyCar Series will lose yet another track on its schedule.

– MARY MENDEZ

INDYCAR RAHAL Letterman Racing may not make it to the opening race of the IndyCar season.

Although RHL was the only one-car team to win a race in 2008 with driver Ryan Hunter Reay, the team is sponsorless after losing its former backer.

EPIC, the Ethanol Promotions and Information Council, was feeling the strain even before the global economy crisis and falling gas prices in the USA are causing ethanol-producing companies to fail.

“As of this time, we do not have any sponsorship that will allow us to compete in the IRL in 2009, but by no means does

that mean that we are giving up,” said team co-owner and champion Bobby Rahal.

“We are continuing to search for sponsorship to run the 2009 season and to run in the Indianapolis 500. We feel that there is still time for us to put something together that will allow that to happen.”

Regardless, RLR’s doors remain open through its BMW partnership with an ALMS entry and operation of the Formula BMW Americas series.

The Hilliard, Ohio-based team, which won the 88th Indy 500 in 2004 with Buddy Rice, retains its IndyCar equipment in hopes of competing when funding becomes available.

– MARY MENDEZ

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Doornbos takes ING to NHL INDYCAR ROBERT Doornbos will return to American racing this season, with Newman Haas Lanigan Racing.

The Dutchman has signed a major sponsorship deal with ING and will partner Graham Rahal in the IndyCar team, starting at Homestead Miami on April 5.

Doornbos, who starred in his debut

John 4:34 NASCAR EARNHARDT Ganassi Racing will enter four cars in the Daytona 500.

John Andretti will be the fourth driver in a joint venture between EGR and Front Row Motorsports, for which Andretti drove on a limited basis in 2008.

Andretti is guaranteed to start the #34 Chevrolet using points gained last season from one of two DEI cars (15 or 01) or the number 41 Ganassi Dodge – that part hasn’t been divulged at this point.

Juan Pablo Montoya, Martin Truex Jr and Aric Almirola will complete the four-car squad.

– MARTIN D CLARK

Champ Car season with Minardi Team USA in 2007, has been talking to a number of teams for some time, but was always thought to be high on the list of candidates of team owners Carl Haas and Mike Lanigan. Some sources suggested that NHL would re-sign triple Champ Car titleist Sebastian Bourdais but, as reported in eNews previously, the Frenchman is now expected to race a sophmore season for Scuderia Toro

Rosso alongside rookie Sebastien Buemi.

Doornbos, 27, has been keeping busy racing in the A1GP series over the summer, and will continue in that role at the upcoming South African round at Kyalami. His management has been working on the deal with the Amsterdambased international financial services company for some time, and the deal appears unaffected by the company’s recently-announced cost cuts.

Michael to Danica. Over INDYCAR MICHAEL Andretti is back in ‘racing’ – as Danica Patrick’s coach.

Andretti Green Racing is rotating its race strategists and the team’s co-owner will be on the end of Patrick’s radio, hoping to turn around her underwhelming road racing form.

Kyle Moyer, her strategist from last season, will now work with Marco Andretti, while coowner Kim Green continues with Hideki Mutoh and Tony Kanaan with team manager,

George Klotz.

“As a driver and as an owner, I’ve seen a million different scenarios unfold during a race,” explained Andretti, ready for his new role after being a spectator in son Marco’s pits.

“I’m sure I’ll see a few more this year. As a strategist, you just have to try to anticipate what is going to happen and be a little bit smarter than everybody you’re racing against. This will be a new challenge for sure but I’m looking forward to working more closely with Danica.”

– MARY MENDEZ

Limited Deal for Dinger NASCAR AJ Allmendinger has a Sprint Cup ride – but it is only guaranteed for eight races.

The former open wheel star, who was released by Red Bull Racing team and replaced by Scott Speed, has been signed by Richard Petty Motorsports for the 2009 season. However, the team is searching for sponsors to allow Allmendinger to continue past the first eight races, plus the non-points Bud Shoot Out. Should Petty sign a sponsor, Allmendinger will race the #44 Dodge alongside Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler and Reed Sorenson in a four-car effort.

– MARTIN D CLARK

SUBSCRIBE TO MOTORSPORT NEWS AND YOU COULD GET TO THE GRAND PRIX IN STYLE! Get ready to fire up at the 2009 FORMULA 1™ ING Australian Grand Prix – with Formula 1™, V8 Supercars, The Who live on Sunday and Children 12 and Under FREE* – it’s an experience not to miss!

It pays to be an MNEWS subscriber – one lucky Motorsport News/eNews subscriber will be taking a friend to the 2009 FORMULA 1™ ING Australian Grand Prix IN STYLE! Prize includes: • 2 Four-day Grandstand tickets • Qantas economy flights from your nearest Australian capital city • Four nights’ accommodation • Formula 1™ Paddock Tour TO SUBSCRIBE just CLICK HERE to go to How To Enter Just subscribe to Motorsport News magazine or Motorsport eNews prior to March 15 and you will automatically be entered in the draw. (NOTE: If you are already a subscriber, and your subscription is still current as at March 15, you’re in!). Winner will be notified March 16 (by phone/email) ‘SUBSCRIBE’ button

www.mnews.com.au click on the

CLICK HERE to go to

www.grandprix.com.au for the latest information and ticket sales for the 2009 Formula 1™ ING Australian Grand Prix Albert Park, March 26-29

* Free General Admission for Children 12 years and under when accompanied by a paying adult. Transaction fees may apply. Conditions apply. Call 131 931 or go to www.grandprix.com.au for details Full competition Terms and Conditions available via www.mnews.com.au Conducted under Permit Nos: LTPS/09/00722 (NSW) TBA (ACT)

Jam-packed ‘09 this year and should see some fantastic racing across the country.

There are also some special appearances throughout the year, with Porsche Carrera Cup competing at Phillip Island and GT Championship lining up at PI, Symmons Plains and Sandown.

Commodore Cup has been renamed to V8 Commodore Cup and will head to six of the 10 rounds.

Formula Vee and Superkarts will also return for selected rounds this year, while both GT3 Cup Challenge and Formula 3 will also bolster the calendar. Super Sports and Historic Touring Cars will also make an appearance.

SHANNONS NATS ROUND 1 of the Shannons Nationals kicks off at the WPS Bathurst 12 Hour on February 20-21 ahead of its best looking calendar yet.

The Shannons Nationals will see a host of different categories taking part over the 10 round series visiting 10 different circuits.

As ever, the Shannons calendar will see some regular faces reappearing in 2009.

Saloon Cars, HQ Holdens, Improved Production, Sports Sedans, V8 Touring Cars, and the Australian Manufacturers Championship are all back

2009 Shannons Nationals Calendar Feb 22 Bathurst, NSW WPS Bathurst 12 Hour, Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge, Supaloc Saloon Cars, Formula Vee, HQs, Improved Production

Apr 26 Wakefield Park, NSW Australian Formula 3 Championship, V8 Commodore Cup, Australian Production Car Championship, Kerrick Sports Sedans, Shannons V8 Touring Cars

May 17 Phillip Island, VIC Porsche Carrera Cup, Formula 3, Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge, Saloon Cars, V8 Commodore Cup, Australian GT Championship

Jun 7 Mallala, SA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge, Saloon Cars, Sports Sedans, V8 Touring Cars, Australian Superkart Championship

Jun 28 Winton, VIC Formula 3, Saloon Cars, V8 Commodore Cup, V8 Touring Cars, Superkarts, Formula Vee

Jul 19 Eastern Creek, NSW Formula 3, Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge, V8 Commodore Cup, Production Cars, Australian GT, Superkarts, Supersports

Aug 9 Morgan Park, QLD Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge, Saloon Cars, Production Cars, 3xTBA

Aug 30 Oran Park, NSW Formula 3, Saloon Cars, V8 Commodore Cup, Sports Sedans, Production Cars, V8 Touring Cars

Oct 18 Symmons Plains, TAS Formula 3, Australian GT, Formula Vee, Historic Touring

Nov 29 Sandown, VIC James Smith

Formula 3, Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge, Saloon Cars, V8 Commodore Cup, Production Cars, Australian GT, V8 Touring Cars

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Clarkson considered 12 Hour Top Gear host was almost a Bathurst contender – in a Ute!

JEREMY Clarkson wins at Mount Panorama.

Unfortunately, that headline won’t be used this year, although eNews understands that Clarkson, the host of the popular UK motoring program Top Gear, was very nearly entered in the WPS Bathurst 12 Hour to drive alongside former V8 Ute champion Grant Johnson.

Clarkson declined the offer as the 12 Hour date clashes with the final leg of the Top Gear Live World Tour event in Hong Kong.

It’s not all bad news for the Utes though. The World Tour will visit Sydney at the Acer Arena with V8 Utes on display during the show.

Warren Millet and Scott Jennings’ Holdens will appear on stage alongside Andrew Fisher and Greg Willis’ Fords.

– PHILLIP MAHONEY

14

John Morris/ Mpix

BATHURST 12 HOUR

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2009 WPS Bathurst 12 Hour entry list Dirk Klynsmith

Star studded field BATHURST 12 HOUR

MOVIE star Eric Bana will make his Mountain debut at the WPS Bathurst 12 Hour this February.

Bana, who has competed in numerous Targa Tasmania events and the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge, will team up with Tim Leahey and Peter Hill in a Mitsubishi Evo X. “I’m thrilled to be able to compete in this Year’s 12 Hour,” said Bana.

“Bathurst is an iconic track that I have always wanted to race at. Most of my racing has been on Victorian tracks so it will be a huge challenge.”

“Tim [Leahey] and Peter [Hill] are great mates, which will make the event a lot of fun regardless of outcome.

“I’ve never raced a 4WD, so I look forward to getting to grips with the Evo. It will certainly be different to my 996 Cup Car.” Joining Bana at Mount Panorama will be television star Grant Denyer.

Denyer will make his return to racing at the 12 Hour after spending six months recovering from a back injury suffered while driving a monster truck.

“After spending almost four months staring at the ceiling, I’ve been scratching my eyes out to return to racing,” said Denyer.

“I had a scan yesterday and was given the full clearance to race subject to me being fully comfortable in the car.

“The WPS Bathurst 12 Hour is a great Event to get back behind the wheel at, it is a very enjoyable race with a heap of good drivers.

“We finished runner-up there last year, I think we missed out on the win by 23 seconds and this was after we copped three drive-through penalties during the race. So if we can keep out of trouble I think we’re in for another good showing this year.”

Denyer will share the Evo VIII with Tony and Klark Quinn.

This year’s event will see 49 cars take to the track, a healthy increase from last year, which saw 37 entries.

Adding to the already impressive driver line-up, defending Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series Champion Steve Owen will team up with James and Theo Koundouris in a Mitsubishi Evo IX, while Neal Bates and Simon Evans will join Colin Osborne in a Toyota Celica.

Leanne Tander will pilot a Honda Integra Type S along with Terry Conroy and Lee Burgers in the event.

Also teaming up for the event are Fujistu V8 drivers Geoff Emery, Marcus Zukanovic and Steve Briffa in a HSV Clubsport R8 driven previously by Gerard Keogh at Sandown in the Manufacturers Championship.

The 2009 WPS Bathurst Showroom Enduro will be held on February 20-22.

Class A – High Performance Rear Wheel Drive 5 HSV VY Series II Barrie Nesbitt/Paul Freestone/Robert Jones 11 BMW 335i Barry Morcom/Luke Searle/Paul Stubber 12 HSV VY GTS Coupe Tony Alford/Peter Leemhuis/Mal Rose 20 BMW 335i Gary Holt/Paul Morris/Rick Shaw 32 VE R8 Clubsport Gerard Keogh/tbc/tbc tbc VE R8 Clubsport Shaun Keogh/tbc/tbc 51 HSV VZ GTO Coupe Ian Tulloch/John Sax/Connel McLaren 69 HSV VY GTS Coupe Todd Zani/John O’Dowd/Jim Pollicina 71 HSV VY Series II David Mertins/Leigh Mertins/Steve Cramp 99 Falcon FG GT-P Nathan Tinkler/Nathan Callagham/tbc tbc R8 Clubsport Marty Miller/Kerry Millar/tbc tbc HSV R8 Sportwagon Russell Ingall/Nathan Pretty/Andy Jones Class B – High Performance Sports 15 Nissan 350Z Track Z33 Josh Hunt/Jonathan Webb/Paul Stokell 10 Lotus Exige Mark O’Connor/tbc/tbc Class C – High Performance All Wheel Drive 1 Lancer Evo X Rod Salmon/Tony Longhurst/Damien White 3 Lancer Evo IX Steven Jones/Kerry Wade/Aaron Caratti 9 Lancer Evo X Charlie Holings/George Meidecke/Nathan Caratti 22 Impreza WRX Sti Chris Delfsma/David Wood/Gary Tierney 25 Impreza WRX Sti Craig Baird/Lee Castle/Rodney Forbes 26 Impreza WRX Sti Paul Kelly/Dean Grant/Max Twigg 29 Lancer Evo VIII Tony Quinn/Klark Quinn/Grant Denyer 33 Lancer Evo X Mark King/Bob Pearson/Bruce Stewart 34 Lancer Evo X Jason Bargwanna/Neil Crompton/Brad Jones 35 Lancer Evo X Glenn Seton/Steve Knight/tbc 43 Lancer GSR Evo IX David Wall/Des Wall/Trevor Symonds 44 Impreza WRX Sti Jim Hunter/John Bowe/Gavin Bullas 55 Lancer Evo X Glyn Crimp/Tony Ricciardello/Stuart Kostura 91 Lancer Evo VIII Anton Mechtler/Jason Walsh/Mark Brame 96 Lancer Evo IX James Koundouris/Theo Koundouris/Steve Owen tbc Lancer Evo X Tim Leahey/Peter Hill/Eric Bana Class D – Hot Hatch Performance Cars 36 Mazda 3 MPS 3A Jake Camilleri/Scott Nicholas 27 BMW 130i Alan Shepard/Peter O’Donnell 28 BMW 130i Greg Ross/tbc Class E – Production Sedans 8 XR8 FG Glen Kenny/Corey Baldock/Tom Todd 17 XR6 TURBO Jason Tremeer/Craig Tremeer/Troy Stone 18 XR6 TURBO Alan Letcher/Clint Harvey/Malcom Nial 24 Commodore SS VZ Garth Walden/Brian Walden/Michael Auld 94 Ford BF Richard Howe/Dennis O’Keefe/Dean Neville Class F – Production Sports 13 Toyota Celica ZR Colin Osborne/Neal Bates/Simon Evans 14 Honda Integra type S Peter Conroy/Carl Schembri/Richard Gartner 21 Honda Integra type S Terry Conroy/Lee Burgess/Leanne Tander 31 Toyota Celica ZR John Rocken/Stuart Jones/Trevor Keene 50 Holden Astra Sri Gerard McLeod/Peter McLeod/Ryan McLeod Class G – Micro Sedans and Hatches 66 Subaru Impreza 2.5 Heather Spurle/Christina Orr/Molly Taylor 88 Subaru Impreza 2.0R Matthew Windsor/Steve Sheils/Paul Newman Class H – Eco Diesel/Hybrid 3.5 litre and Over 76 Alfa Romeo 159 JTD Kean Booker/Rocco Rinnaldo/David Stone Class I – Eco Diesel/Hybrid Under 3.5 litre 77 Alfa Romeo 147 JTD David Filipetto/Nathan Gotch/tbc tbc Holden Astra CDTi Nigel Barclay/tbc/tbc Class J – Sports Utility Vehicles & V8 Utes 47 Holden SS VE UTE Grant Johnson/Jeff Watts

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news

Ash Budd

Ash Budd

When Casey’s finished with MotoGP could karting the first step to a four-wheeled career ...

Stoner’s Karting dreams KARTING

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Ash Budd

IS this where you’ll see Casey Stoner competing after his MotoGP race is run?

That’s the hot tip after Stoner recently had his first run in a Monaco Kart at South Australia’s Murray Bridge kart track last week.

Stoner, the 2007 MotoGP champion, has purchased karting equipment from Australian karting guru Remo Luciani (Remo Racing) and is believed to be considering karting as his first point of four wheel racing after his bike racing career comes to an end.

The 23-year-old is currently preparing for MotoGP’s first official test at Sepang, Malaysia after having surgery on his injured wrist during the off-season, and despite being still young, he is already looking at what his next step might be.

“I did a handful of laps in a kart when I was about 10 years old but since then I haven’t been in a real racing kart, only some four stroke hire karts which are a long way from the real deal,” he said.

“Karting-wise, I’m planning to maybe do some racing in the future to hone my skills

on four wheels and see how we go.”

Luciani, was impressed by Stoner’s ability to transfer the knowledge of his two-wheeled machines into a the fourwheeled kart.

“Even though it was a relaxed fun day for Casey, he was amazingly methodical and

thorough in his feedback regarding set up changes and how the kart works,” said Luciani.

“There wasn’t a session that he didn’t ask for something to be altered so he could feel what affect the change made to the characteristics of the kart.”

Ken Ferguson

Morgan: New plans for old wreck DRAG RACING ANDRA Top Fuel racer Darren Morgan was involved in a massive crash at Sydney Dragway’s Boxing Day Event when the rear wheel of his drag racer sheared off the chassis, and while his dragster was destroyed the Mildura racer was able to

walk away with no injuries other than a sore finger.

Since then, Morgan and his Rocket Industries/Wicked Quick team worked around the clock to build a machine for round two of the ENZED International Nightfire New Year Series from the ground up.

But Morgan confirmed to

Motorsport News that he has some plans for the crashed car.

“Obviously, it can’t race again but we have some cool ideas about what we can do with,” Morgan said with a smile.

Although he wouldn’t confirm any plans, he did say this, “Watch this space.”

Fields continue to grow in WA Although the event will have finished by the time you read this, ANDRA Championship drag racing continues to grow in Western Australia.

A strong field of 210 drag racing teams have entered the two-day ANDRA event featuring Round 5 of the Australian Top Alcohol Championship.

In addition to the full field of Top Alcohol Dragsters and Funny Cars there are another 35 supercharged alcohol burning teams in Top Competition and Genie Performance Exhaust Supercharged Outlaws.

And even though it’s not an ANDRA

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Championship round for Top Bike, for those who love a little nitro-methane an amazing four Nitro Harleys will be out and testing.

Full coverage of Top Alcohol will be featured in the next issue of eNews.

news race

Sick and tired of the heatwaves? Well, you ain’t seen nothing until the ...

Sizzling Summernationals

Huge fields for the two-day Summernationals at Valentine’s Day WSID event

SUMMERNATIONALS ENTRIES Top Doorslammer John Morris/Mpix

DRAG RACING THE Wynn’s Spitfire Summernationals is set to sizzle – but we’re not talking about the various heatwaves that parts of Australia are going through at the moment.

With the final competitor entries being confirmed, all looks set for the 2009 Wynn’s Summernationals to more than equal last year’s event – regarded by many seasoned observers as one of the greatest ANDRA Championship events in Drag Racing history.

As was confirmed in last week’s Motorsport eNews, the ANDRA Championship event will now be conducted over two days – Friday, February

13 and Saturday, February 14. As a bonus for fans, the WSID management team has offered to admit ladies for free on Saturday as part of the Valentine’s Day celebrations.

The Summernationals is only the second ‘all in’ event for the season with all of the ANDRA Championship Pro Categories including Top Fuel, Top Doorslammer, Top Alcohol, Pro Stock, Top Bike and Pro Stock Motorcycle.

The Wynn’s Spitfire Summernationals is also a round of the Rocket Allstars Racing Series, which means drag racing fans will be able to see the best Sportsman racers compete from all over the country.

Matthew Abel Peter Kapiris Jeffrey Wilson Deno Brijeski Sean Mifsud Robin Judd Tony Defelice Ben Bray John Zappia Maurice Fabietti Brett Gillespie Stephen Dupond Gary Phillips Stuart Bishop Russell Pavey Steve Stanic Victor Bray

Brinkin Melton Denham Court Cranebrook Sylvania Waters Applecross Donvale Kallangur Spearwood Baulkham Hills South Hurstville Wetherill Park Hillcrest Newstead Arundel Hills North Narrabeen Kallangur

Nt Vic Nsw Nsw NSW WA Vic Qld WA NSW Nsw Nsw Qld Qld Qld NSW Qld

Mildura South Narellan Vale Oakville Oakville Wetherill Park Bringelly Doubleview Wemen Quinns Rock

Vic NSW NSW NSW NSW NSW WA Vic WA

Top Fuel Darren Morgan Luke Shepherd Terry Sainty Phil Read Mark Mariani Bob Shepherd Martin Stamatis Phillip Lamattina Alan Dobson

Pavey hits the pavement DRAG RACING ANDRA Championship racer Russell Pavey has commenced testing his new combination in the Big Dog Garage/ LOWE Fuel Systems, Electric Orange ‘63 Corvette Top Doorslammer.

Pavey is a long-time ANDRA campaigner but is now seriously focussed on Top Doorslammer success.

Although the new combination is still being sorted, early testing saw the big Camaro lift the front wheels on a very hard launch and, even through Russell rolled off

the throttle early, the Big Dog machine still went across the stripe for a 6.16-second ET at only 205 mph.

With more testing, the team is confident they can start getting amongst the action with the best Top Doorslammer teams in the world.

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Full season for Williams Marshall Cass

Two plus four returns AUSSIE RACING CARS THE 2009 Aussie Racing Cars Super Series will head to one, or possibly two new circuits in 2009.

A stand-alone round at Barbagallo Raceway in June is yet to be finalised, while the popular category has booked in its first series round at Calder Park Raceway, supporting the Australian Superbike Championship on November 14-15.

The other five rounds on the Aussies calendar will all be held with V8 Supercar races, as it has over past five years.

Category manager Phil Ward said that adding Calder to its card is a big bonus for competitors and the sport in general.

“I was approached by the Superbikes and I thought it was a great idea,” he said.

“I think this is a great way to resurrect the ‘two plus four’ race

meeting concept that was very popular in the past. The Aussie Racing Cars also have motorcycle engines so I think there’s a great opportunity to develop that up.

“In overall terms, I think this is great for motorsport and we’ll be the guinea pig for getting the bugs out of the concept.

“We should be able to do something with the restrictors to provide parity and some really good racing at Calder.

There aren’t many corners there so I think they’ll be quite good.”

There’s also a very good chance that the Aussie Racing Cars will contest its own round at Barbagallo this year. Plans are in place for the pint-sized racers to head over to West Australia to compete in a stand-alone round, supported by WA’s regular state-based categories. The Aussie cars have never competed at the Barbagallo circuit.

– GRANT ROWLEY

V8 UTES Paul Williams will contest the entire 2009 Yokohama V8 Utes Series with Brock Race Engineering.

The 25-year-old from Kalgoorlie, WA, will carry local support for his full-time Utes debut from GBF Underground Mining.

Williams will compete with the Holden V8 Ute that Gary MacDonald drove last year.

“We did a couple of rounds last year and were in the top 10 straight away,” he said.

“This year with Brock’s team I will improve on that.

James (Brock) has been involved in the Utes for quite a few years and his team has won a Ute Series before (ED: with Damien White in 2004) so there’ll be no excuses “By the end of the year I expect to be winning races. There’s no doubt the competition is tough, but I know I can mix it with them” Williams raced karts nationally with considerable success before stepping up to the national Saloon Car Series. He made his debut in the V8 Utes at Barbagallo in 2008 and then did the Hidden Valley round. He qualified in top 10 both times (sixth and seventh respectively).

Besides his racing, Paul was recently appointed the official Safe Driving Ambassador of the Goldfields in Kalgoorlie.

Jesus lives with the Sieders Racing Team FUJITSU V8s & V8 UTES THE Sieders Racing Team has undergone some changes for the 2009 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series.

David Sieders will step out of his exEllery BA Falcon, handing it to Jesusbacked driver Andrew Fisher. Fisher is expected to compete in three rounds this year – Townsville, Bathurst and Homebush.

Fisher will also compete in the V8 Utes Series, with his Falcon prepared by the Sydney-based Sieders team. It will be the first time that the Sieders team has prepared a V8 Ute. David will instead drive his brother Colin’s ex-Bright Falcon in selected rounds while he searches for sponsorship. Colin

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is expected to spend the majority of the season on the sidelines, concentrating on his own business projects.

Fisher is currently in Calcutta as part of his relationship with international aid organisation ‘Compassion,’ helping the underprivileged and disadvantaged in developing areas of Calcutta.

news race

Fastaz Motorsport No, it’s not just a whitty headline. This is the name of Taz Douglas’s own Fujitsu V8 Supercar team for 2009 FUJITSU V8s TAZ Douglas has purchased Jack Perkins’ ex-Mack Trucks Commodore VZ and will compete in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series this year in his own team – Fastaz Motorsport.

The likeable 24-year-old has established his own V8 team, based at Cranbourne (Victoria) and will compete in each round of the Fujitsu V8 Series in the car that Perkins took to victory in the final round of last year’s series at Oran Park.

The Commodore is currently

at Perkins Motorsport’s workshop being prepared for the first round of the series at Adelaide’s street circuit.

“It was the cheapest way for us to do it over a number of years,” he told eNews.

“If we went with another team, we would have only done it for one, maybe two years.

“Now I’m in control of my own destiny and I can see where our money’s going. I’ve done the sums and this makes the most sense.

“Perkins is going to give me all the help I’m going to need.

Any help I need they’ve offered to me.

After a successful career in karting, Douglas won the 2006 Victoria Formula Ford Championship preparing his own car. He raced another self-prepared car in the 2007 national Formula Ford title with moderate success before a limited Fujitsu V8 program with Terry Wyhoon’s team last year.

Douglas is confident that he’ll be able to extract maximum performance from the proven ex-Perkins car, despite running the car by

himself.

“I’ve done the data on Formula Ford myself. I know how to read that, and I know the car will be good enough that I won’t have to change too much. Hopefully it’s just about tweaking the car until I get a handle on it.”

The car is likely to run in the colours of Jack’s Mack Trucks scheme before switching to white with his own design.

Douglas will get his first taste of Perkins power at the official V8 test day at Winton Motor Raceway on March 9.

– GRANT ROWLEY

John Morris/Mpix

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5 Minutes with ...

GLENN SETON

Glenn Seton is turning green full-time this year. For 13 events, he’ll be Tony D’Alberto’s race engineer. At GRANT ROWLEY the other two rounds, he’ll be teaming up with him ...

You’re in a unique position.

You’re engineering the car all year and you’re also the endurance driver. What’s the biggest advantage of that?

The main thing where that helps is that I’ll know how the car is developing as the year goes on. What suits the car, what makes the car go faster …

Come the endurances races, particularly in the test days on the lead-up, I’ll be doing a lot of driving there as well, and I’ll be able to compare what Tony’s feeling and what I’m feeling with it. That will help enormously at race

22

Dirk Klynsmith

MOTORSPORT NEWS: You’ve put your faith in the one-car Bottle-O Racing team – not only as an engineer but as its endurance driver. That’s a huge compliment …

GLENN SETON: It’s a bit of a two-way situation. It’s an opportunity for me to expand on the engineering side of the race car and be with the team for the whole year. It was going to be difficult to be a part of the team and then not be the endurance driver.

There’s a lot of advantages there for all of us.

We’ll get to learn a fair bit about the car as the year goes on and the changes that suit Tony, and I’m sure they will be the same as what suits me.

Going into the endurance races, it will give us a headsup understanding the car.

I’ve been going to Bathurst for the past 26 years, so I understand what is needed there. So putting all that together, for me, it was a no-brainer.

meetings when we’re making decisions on what direction to go with the feedback I’m getting.

Endurance-wise, I’ve done a lot of laps around Phillip Island in my career – it was my home test track for many years. I’ve done plenty of miles around Bathurst as well now so I think it’s going to help the team to understand it.

A lot has been made in the past about how you haven’t been able to win Bathurst yet.

For a one-car team, would a podium result be like a victory?

Absolutely. Naturally, any time that you can get a podium there is quite an achievement in that event, especially in today’s environment with the competition between teams.

When you look at Bathurst alone, the race is won after the last Safety Car – history has shown that and it’s been down to who has had the best car speed and combination at the time to be able to win the race.

Our goal will be to get on the podium, no doubt. If we win it, fantastic, but the goal has to be try and get to the finish and get on the podium.

Do you still have a desire to win Bathurst?

No doubt. Anyone who goes into that event, it’s their whole dream, their whole goal in life. It’s V8 Supercar’s Grand Final. It’s the race people would rather win than the championship. It’s something that has eluded me in the past and one that I am still passionate about winning. But you’ve just got to take it as it comes and if we can aim for a podium, or even better, it would be a huge bonus.

It’s another busy year for you.

Besides the 15 events you’ll have at V8 tracks, you’ve got the 12 Hour coming up at the end of this month in one of Bob Pearson’s Evo X. What are you thoughts leading up to this race?

We’ve done a couple of days testing – one at Oran Park and one at Eastern Creek. The pace of the car is awesome.

Based on lap times that other cars that have been in the 12 Hour that have been at those tracks, it looks very promising.

I’m teaming up with Neil Crompton and I’m looking forward to racing in that event.

The last time that I did the 12 Hour was back in 1993 and

1994 with Colin Bond in a Saab.

Bob Pearson is putting a lot of effort into this race with three brand-new Evo Xs. Would a Bathurst 12 Hour victory make up for not having a 1000km win?

No (laughs). I tell you what, a 12 Hour win would be very rewarding, but nothing beats the October one. It’s that event that has made the circuit what it is.

And what else should we expect to see you driving this year? Last year, you probably did more miles in various categories than you used to when you were a full-time driver!

I’ll probably end up doing more miles this year! I’m the patron for the Phillip Island Historic meeting in mid-March and I’ll be racing there in a BMW M3 which was the former Emanuele Pirro/ Roberto Ravaglia car that won the Mobil 500 in Wellington.

I’ll still do a few races in my Capri and the Muscle Car Masters. That’s an awesome event and I’d never miss that one. There will be all that and other stuff that pops up through the year.

race chat

Dirk Klynsmith

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Tim Letters

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

Hold’on It will be interesting to see how Will Davison goes in a Holden this year.

After all, if old Russell could regularly get into the top five in 2008 after changing to the Roaring Lion and, in doing so, showing up the over-paid Holden names, then surely a young fella is a ring-in to win the Championship in 2009?

John Gray jjgray@live.com.au

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Blast from the Past With the start of the WPS Bathurst 12 Hour race meeting fast approaching, I can only hope that some highlights, including support races, will be shown on TV. I hope that motorsport fans are not kept in a state of suspended animation until Clipsal comes around.

It should be possible to have several programmes

showing highlights of last year’s races, of all categories, in order to build interest in this year’s championships.

With the Biante Touring Car Masters supporting several V8 Supercar rounds this year, is it possible to at least get some of its races on V8 Television highlights during a race weekend?

These blasts from the past provide great entertainment, and you don’t find many

spectators that go for a ‘pit stop’ when they’re racing, in contrast to other support categories that we have here in Australia.

I believe that the Biante cars provide much more entertainment than the MINI Challenge, which gets much more TV coverage.

Peter Hickey Peter.Hickey@ downerediengineering.com.au

opinion race

opinion Phil Branagan Executive Editor

mes a changin’

THINGS change in motor racing, and things are a’changing down Clayton way.

There’s a lot more white paint on the rear end of the Holden Racing Team cars, there’s a Davison inside one of them and plenty of other stuff being modified behind the scenes, before the series gets down to business in Adelaide.

Of course, there were changes last year as well.

The centre of the team was changed when Garth Tander hopped from one side of the compound to the other, bringing with him team manager Rob Crawford and engineer Matt ‘Techo’ Nilsson.

With those people in the team, others left or, more accurately, changed to different roles.

Now Mark Skaife is gone and Tom Walkinshaw is in charge and, it seems, the Scot is determined to change the team’s culture. In the Old Days, HRT was a busy garage but, compared with other teams – and I am in the fortunate position of being able to make comparisons – it was a

pressure cooker. Things were as serious as a heart attack and when it became visible that the team did not have a car advantage over the other teams any more – and it did, for quite a while – there was a fair bit of interface between the manure and the aircon.

I am not suggesting that things are less serious now.

Far from it. But the air is more relaxed. The HSV Dealer team had a serious-yet-enjoyable air no matter what (I could never repeat Crawford’s instructions to Tander five minutes before the title-deciding race at Phillip Island in ’07) and some of that was transplanted to HRT in ’08.

Walkinshaw is a determined man. Some don’t like him.

Others look on him as a saviour. But the invitation to sit down with him last week to discuss his team – sometimes on the record, sometimes off – indicate that he wanted some matters settled. It appears that he has closed one chapter of his team’s history before starting the next. And the next one better include a bunch of race wins, and preferably a title, or the people inside the team will feel the heat.

eLETTER OF THE WEEK On the gear With the introduction of supersticky soft compound tyres this year, the powers that be run the risk of killing the spectacle through the imposition of unnecessary rules.

Rather than dictate when, where, why and how teams should make use of their allocation of rubber steroids, they should hand over the entire

season’s quota, saying ‘go nuts.’

Let the teams decide how to gain an advantage over their rivals.

If one team should decide to do the entire race at Bathurst on soft tyres, then by crikey, we should applaud their ingenuity (and see what happens at all the other rounds).

The wider the range of strategies

available to teams, the greater the variety of outcomes, the more entertaining a spectacle for viewers.

And finally, please don’t spoil the magic by painting up the tyre walls. Half the fun of the Olympic Games is trying to figure out which competitors are on the ‘gear.’

Matt Treacy Matttreacy@bigpond.com

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

WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1 – IRELAND

EASY DOES IT

Citroen Sport

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race

If anyone thought that the innovative move of opening the World Rally Championship in Ireland, in winter, would stop Sebastien Loeb, they were wrong 27

sutton-images.com

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Citroen Sport

W

ORLD Rallying in 2009 is going to look like World Rallying in 2008, judging by Rally Ireland.

Alright, there are no Subarus.

Petter Solberg was AWOL. But not much else has changed.

Sebastien Loeb won, which is about what you would expect of pretty much any tarmac event of the last decade. Loeb had the odd shaky moment in the lashing Irish rain – he ran on the wrong tyres on Day 1 – but had things under control most of the way to score the first strike of the new season.

“Even though we weren’t on the ideal rubber for the first loop, we were able to control from in front,” commented the Frenchman.

“Don’t get me wrong; this

weekend’s win was no stroll.

Given the delicate conditions, it was essential to have a car that was easy to drive and my C4 WRC was perfect from start to finish. Today’s victory was obviously the best way possible to kick off this year’s championship.”

Dani Sordo made it a Citroen 1-2, the Spanish youngster keeping his head in the tricky going and pushing at the times when it would pay off.

As ever, the name of the game was, French Guy Wins, Fords Give Chase. Mikko Hirvonen was the only BP green contender left when JariMatti Latvala surfed off the road and into SuperRally mode on the event’s second stage.

Hirvonen found the gap growing to the Citroen, though

he admitted to his own stupidity when he lost time on Day 1 when his light pod dislodged 180 degrees and he drove with the lights in his eyes.

“It took me about 5km before I realised all I had to do was to switch them off!” he said sheepishly.

The supporting cast was as predictable as the stars up front. Henning Solberg held sway in the battle for fourth but that spot was not particularly reflective of what was happening. Chris Atkinson had a shocking opening day in red, losing time when he failed to secure his bonnet after removing a lighting pod, leaving him with a cracked windscreen, limited vision and a red face.

It got worse when Atko spun

on the second run through Aughnasheelan, bending the passenger’s door of his C4 but carrying on. He knuckled down on Day 2 and 3, and quickly closed the 5s deficit to Solberg to take fourth on Sunday. Alas, the Aussie went off the road soon after, again, leaving Henning secure in the spot.

Atkinson’s Citroen Junior team-mate Sebastien Ogier was sixth, well clear of Matthew Wilson.

The other notable performance of the rally was that of Urmo Aava, the Estonian leading the event after two stages after the Stobart team made an inspired tyre choice for its new driver. Unfortunately, he was caught out by the mud and ended his charge in a ditch shortly thereafter.

race

WRC | RALLY IRELAND

sutton-images.com

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Sebastien Loeb Dani Sordo Mikko Hirvonen Henning Solberg Chris Atkinson Sebastien Ogier Matthew Wilson Khalid Al Qassimi

F E Fin Nor Aus F GB UAE

Daniel Elena Mon Marc Marti E Jarmo Lehtinen Fin Cato Menkerud Nor Stephane Prevot Bel Julien Ingrassia F Scott Martin GB Michael Orr GB

Citroen 2:48:25.7 Citroen 1:27.9 Ford 2:07.8 Ford 6:32.4 Citroen 7:51.9 Citroen 10:44.0 Ford 11:23.8 Ford 14:07.9

Loeb 10, Sordo 8, Hirvonen 6, Solberg 5, DRIVER’S points Atkinson 4, Ogier 3, Wilson 2, Al-Qassimi 1.

MAKES’ points Citroen 18, Ford and Stobart 8, Citroen Junior 5.

Ford Racing Media

Hands Up if you won: Clockwise from far left, Sebastien Loeb and Daniel Elena got to celebrate yet another WRC victory in murky Ireland.

Mikko Hirvonen was left to fight for Ford glory alone after an early error accounted for teammate Jari-Matti Latvala.

Chris Atkinson looked more comfortable with every passing stage in his Citroen debut, but a mistake put him on the wrong end of a battle for fourth place with Henning Solberg.

Citroen Sport

29

TARGA WREST POINT HOBART, TASMANIA

Wrestling Victory The first Targa Wrest Point was a close-run thing, with Greg Garwood and John Allen taking a mere three-second win

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race

Joel Strickland

31

L

AUNCESTON driver Greg Garwood held on to take a close victory in the inaugural Targa Wrest Point last weekend.

Driving a 2004 Porsche 911 GT3 RS, Garwood and his Queensland co-driver John Allen fought a day-long battle with the 2008 Nissan GT-R of Tony Quinn and Naomi Tillett, eventually winning by a mere three seconds.

Fellow Tasmanian driver Jason White also put in a determined drive over the event’s final five stages. He finished just 12 seconds

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from victory in his 2007 Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera.

After the first day’s competition, Garwood and Allen held an overnight lead of a comfortable 14 seconds, but from the very first stage Quinn started reducing the gap in the big Nissan GTR. The Queenslander continued his attack and with just one stage remaining, had reduced the gap to two seconds. However, Garwood held his nerve, increasing his winning margin to three seconds by the finish at Wrest Point.

“Naturally we’re delighted with the win,” Garwood said.

“We had to push hard today on every stage, with Tony (Quinn) breathing down our necks and the Whites making a charge.

“I couldn’t have done this without John (Allen), who has been faultless with the notes all weekend. I just listened to the notes, the car went well, and we’ve held it together.”

Quinn was rapt with his performance in his new car.

“The car has gone brilliantly all weekend

race

Ash Budd

Joel Strickland

Ash Budd

– we’re really pleased. Look out if it’s wet in Targa in April, we’ll be hard to beat,” said an optimistic Quinn.

Victorian Matt Close was fourth in his 2000 Porsche 911 Turbo, just two seconds in front of the fast finishing West Australian, Dean Herridge. Debuting a new Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Herridge got to grips with the car on the second day, and snatched fifth place from Jim Richards on the final stage.

Richards and co-driver Barry Oliver lost around 40 seconds on the first day when a

turbo hose blew off on their 2008 Porsche 911 GT2, but recovered well. Sunday’s stages suited the four-wheel drive Subaru better, however, and Herridge moved ahead.

Only four seconds separated positions four to seven, with Andrew Miedecke and Tasmanian co-driver Daniel Willson seventh in their 2007 Daytona Coupe.

The Late Classic class was the domain of Steve Glenney and Bernie Webb. The 2008 Targa Tasmania winners were totally dominant in their borrowed Holden Commodore, winning by three minutes.

The new and the old: Inaugural Targa Wrest Point winners Greg Garwood and John Allen, left. Above, Steve Glenney and Bernie Webb were too good in their borrowed Holden Commodore. Far left, Tony Quinn’s Nissan GTR was very fast.

Their closest rival, Bill Pye, crashed his Porsche on day one, leaving them to win as they pleased. Second was the Porsche of Peter Eames, while locals Kim Barwick and Kylie Benson took third place in their crowdpleasing Honda Torana A9X. In the Early Modern section, it was a Nissan Skyline GTR demolition. Tasmanian driver David Ayers and NSW co-driver Robbie Bolton, taking a 34 second victory.

The next major Tasmania Targa event is, of course, the week-long Targa Tasmania, which starts in Launceston on April 28.

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SPRINTCARS BROOKE Tatnell’s hot form continued last weekend at Truckworks Speedway City at the Jack Daniel’s Australian Sprintcar Nationals.

For the second consecutive year, Brooke was first to greet the waving chequered flags to become the only two-time race winner of the event.

Tatnell did not have it all his own way, despite leading for the first half of the race until Robbie Farr slid by and into the lead, forcing Tatnell to race in his tyre tracks.

Unfortunately for Farr, with only four laps to run, a broken differential forced him to retire.

“Once again I proved that I drive for the best team in Australia,” said Tatnell.

“To win at Speedway City is

John Morris

Watching over always a great thrill. To race at a venue that has a grandstand named after my father is a great honour.

“Every time we race here it feels like he is watching over me.

“This weekend has been a great preparation for the Australian Championship next weekend.”

Filling three of the next four placings were local Trevor Green, Max Dumensy and Ricky Maiolo. Reigning South Australian Champion Steven Lines finished in a welldeserved third.

Just outside the top five was a trio of visiting drivers with New South Welshman Adrian Maher edging out the Queensland cousins in Andrew Scheuerle and Cameron Gessner.

– PARIS CHARLES

John Morris

Christopher Horne

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race

SPRINTCARS

Out of the shadow GREG BOSCATO was at PCR to watch the younger Madsen claim his first A Main win

THE younger of the Madsen brothers, Ian, finally picked up his maiden Sprintcar A Main win last Saturday night at the Parramatta City Raceway.

While the focus has been on Outlaws star and former Aussie Title holder Kerry, Ian finally broke out of his brother’s shadow with his brilliant win last weekend.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Madsen.

“It was great racing with Marty [Perovich] but there were a few lapped cars who were racing me, making it pretty hard. To see the checker was awesome, I just couldn’t believe it after I’ve had so much bad luck!”

The early leader of the main was Perovich with Grant Tunks, Dubbo racer Jeremy Cross and Ian Madsen following.

Cross was an early retirement while Madsen forged by Tunks and started to pressure leader Perovich.

The two staged a great battle, running wheelto-wheel a number of times before Madsen took control just after half distance.

Perovich dropped back in the closing stages, allowing Tunks past. A fast Kelly Linigen took fifth from TPCR point’s leader Mitch Dumesny with just a few laps remaining.

So Madsen took the win over Tunks, with Atkinson, Perovich, Linigen and Dumesny completing the top six.

After badly damaging his #77 Maxim during the Classic weekend, points leader Dumesny looked to be off the pace during the night.

Bruce White surprised many setting fast time with an impressive Darryl Campbell, Atkinson, Tunks, Dumesny and Paul Jeffery the top six in the 47 car field.

Heat races saw wins to Craig Morrison, Madsen, Linigen and Cross, with Tunks and Perovich sharing the Dash victories.

Peter Gordon took out the C Main while a fast finishing Glen Saville blasted from 10th to first to win the B Main.

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rear of grid

Off to Porsche PR-land ...

YES, it seems like just yesterday that we welcomed Phil Mahoney to Motorsport News and now, we can’t wait to kick him out.

Truthfully, Mahoney [that’s him in the middle] has been an asset here this past year.

Before he arrived, Andrew Van Leeuwen [on the left, goofy hat] was the office ace on the Grand Prix 3 computer game, and so good is The Kid at that game that AVL has gone off to Europe to sulk for a bit.

The truth is, Mahoney peaked a bit soon – in the game, we mean – and his speed at driving virtual racing cars was not matched in the news and production departments. So, when a chance came up to leap into the sleepy world of PR, he jumped at the chance (well,

hopped on one leg).

Mahoney starts as the PR front man for the Carrera Cup Championship in the next 24 hours. So from us, we wish him bon voyage, bon chance and Bon Scott.

One way to stop Monsieur Loeb in December, in the cold, wet and dark of Wales and then start the new season eight weeks later in the cold, wet and dark of Ireland [Ed: Hang on guys, that actually happened …]

But then we came across this sign. Yep, that really does say, ‘No Tourist Shooting’. Crikey. We thought that Americans were a bit iffy about having visitors come to their motorsport events.

Maybe a policy similar to that would make scrutineering a rapid and lily-white affair. Or would stop a Frenchman from winning everything there is to win on tarmac. Even wet tarmac.

sutton-images.com

DID you hear the one about the Irish Rally?

We admit it. When we heard that the 2008 WRC would open in the Emerald Isle, were started churning out the jokes almost at once. Like, the fact that the event would not feature and old-style Monte Carlo start from different locations, because the Irish navigators would never be able to find the road to the start in Donegal.

Or the one that one of the locally-based teams would retire with a Craic in the gearbox. Or, the one where the organisers of the WRC would end one season

Odd Spot