Motorsport eNews Issue 91 - February 10-16, 2009

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fpr change... engineering switch-a-roo for factory team

Issue No. 091 10 – 16 February 2009

Carrera Cup Crashes

D R I A B S I ? d n u o B 8 V All the latest news and opinion in the wake of Carrera Cup’s demise

WtIoNth!e

Go AGP in Style

Board locks in V8 changes

The ‘A’ Team 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

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

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

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

MD / Publisher

Chris Lambden publisher@mnews.com.au

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

Photographers Sutton Motorsport Images, Dirk Klynsmith, Marshall Cass, John Morris/Mpix, AF1 Images, James Smith, Peter Bury, Neil Blackbourn, Chris Carter, Coopers Photography, Geoff Gracie, Ash Budd, Paris Charles, Neil Hammond, Joel Strickland, Mike Patrick (UK)

Australasian

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Issue No. 091 | 10 – 16 Feb 2009

news 4 A Baird in the hand? Kiwi ace on TKR’s list 6 Porsche Pull-Out 9 V8s Rule!

12 Seb in at Red Bull 15 Life starts at 30(th) 16 KERS word

chat 20 5 minutes with ... opinion 26 Rowley 27 van Leeuwen

race 28 Bud Shoot-Out 32 Drag Racing 34 Speedway

CCup falls over We mean, V8 Rules!

Yep, another one Ambrose to start fivehunner Who was really first?

Craig Baird So long CCup, my old friend Young and Younger Harvick’s Harvest Reeds all round Garry’s six romp

trade 38 Classifieds NASCAR ... it’s just not quite close enough for our liking.

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

Is Carrera Cup’s pain Team

Could Baird head a rejuvenated TKR for the 2009 season using Paul Morris Motorsport C FOUR COLUMNS CRAIG Baird to drive a Paul Morris Motorsport-prepared Commodore VE for Team Kiwi Racing in the 2009 V8 Supercar Championship Series: that’s the fascinating outcome that is being suggested after the demise of the Carrera Cup Championship last Thursday.

Baird had committed to compete in the 2009 Carrera Cup Championship (the championship he has won twice), only for the series to fall over after Porsche Cars Australia issued a statement citing the current global economic crisis and a lack of entries (see next page for full details).

But with Carrera Cup failing, it may work in favour of TKR and the V8 Supercar Championship Series.

Baird told eNews that he has spoken to the all-Kiwi team about the possibility of driving for them for the majority of the 2009 season. The Porsche star is already locked into his endurance drive with the Holden Racing Team and is committed to that, but said that there is a chance – equipment and staff pending – that he could drive an all-black car this year.

“Yes, they have been talking to me,” he admitted.

“There’s nothing there at the moment. I said to them that

I’d be in a position to drive if they have a deal to run a good car with good personnel. But I wouldn’t drive for them in the enduros, giving them the opportunity to sell those drives off, which would be good for them as well as they could gain a bit of financial momentum as far as selling the drives. That helps them and helps me. I’m already committed to my endurance deal.

“It works out well for my endurance team because I’m running the whole championship, then step out of those cars for Phillip Island and Bathurst. What more could a team boss want?”

Maybe the team boss

would only like it if he was driving a Holden? TKR is also in negotiations with PMM to forge a new relationship with the Queensland-based team to compete with one of its fast VEs. The Baird/TKR/PMM package sounds very competitive, and all three have had prior history together. Baird drove for PMM back in the Super Touring days.

Baird also drove with TKR in the V8 Supercar Series in 2004, giving the team its first pole position at Winton. And TKR used PMM chassis in 2005/2006 before switching to its current Ford package. But now that TKR no longer enjoy Ford (NZ) support, it could land squarely back on Morris’s doorstep …

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BUSHFIRE DISASTER Please donate

Dirk Klynsmith

Dirk Klynsmith

m Kiwi Racing’s gain?

Commodores? That’s Baird’s best bet after Carrera Cup folds While any resolution of this is some weeks off, Baird said that he still has a great motivation for racing in the V8 Supercar Championship Series.

“Hey, I’m only mid-30s and I’m still probably one of the fittest blokes in the field,” he said.

“Motivation is no problem.

Between NZ and Australia, I’ve won 22 championships, but the thing is that I’ve never done the full V8 championship in a frontrunning car. I feel I delivered for the Holden Racing Team in the enduros. I qualified a second off pole, and I was disappointed, but in saying that, low-eights for a part-timer isn’t bad!

“I know I can drive these cars. When I did have the

opportunities in the early days, I didn’t have my head right. I didn’t know how to drive them.

I’ve probably learnt more in the past two years driving with Garth Tander than what I did without him.”

Regardless of the TKR possibility, Baird will have a lot of racing in 2009, including every round of the Australian GT Championship in John Teulen’s Mosler, plus his NZ Carrera Cup and Touring Car commitments.

He will also compete at Nurburgring, Spa and is looking at a possible ride in the Le Mans 24 Hour race.

Baird also says that he would have preferred to compete in the Carrera Cup Championship

this year, considering he had a guaranteed entry-fee for the season (courtesy of winning the 2008 title). The collapse of the category has set him back close to $50,000.

“Its knocked my income around,” he said.

“With the success I’ve had in Carrera Cup, it was easier for me to get sponsors. I had a good deal going for this year and now that’s all gone. My source of income has now evaporated.

Not only that, at this stage I’m waiting to hear what happens to the $50,000 free entry being paid for my Carrera Cup racing this year. I was on-selling that to whichever team was going to run me! ...”

THE staff at Motorsport eNews have worked through this sombre day to bring you the latest on your favourite sport in the shadow of an Australian tragedy of unparalleled proportions.

Like many Aussies, we have watched the growing catastrophe with a feeling of frustration in our inability to help directly, but with awe and admiration for the firefighters and other specialist services, professional and volunteer, who are truly heroes.

Life does and will go on, but on this occasion, we urge all our readers to reflect for a moment on the sheer scale of the tragedy, and how we can all help in a small way.

Times are tough, but cash donations of any size must help.

If you would like to donate to the appeal being headed by the Red Cross, you can do so online.

CLICK HERE to transfer directly to the online donation web page Thank you – Chris Lambden Publisher

Dirk Klynsmith

CARRERA CUP FOR the first time in seven years, there will not be an Australian Porsche Carrera Cup, with Porsche Cars Australia announcing the withdrawal of the series late last week.

According to a statement from PCA, the worldwide economic turmoil has quashed any chance of the category securing a full grid for season 2009, forcing the withdrawal of the country’s biggest Sportscar series.

“Every effort has been made by Porsche and the category managers QMedia Events to offer what would have been the best year of Carrera Cup racing,” said Porsche Cars Australia managing director Michael Winkler.

“However, to enter the season without a robust grid of cars is simply not viable for all the major stakeholders.

“Motorsport is an integral part of Porsche’s activities in Australia so this decision is not taken lightly. We have already spoken with the Confederation of Australian Motorsport (CAMS) as the governing body of Australian motorsport and will proactively work with them to ensure existing owners of 997 GT3 Cup Cars are given the opportunity to race in other categories.”

The news comes soon after the category management changed hands from Sherrin Motorsport to QMedia Events.

That means a lighter workload for Glenn Ridge’s company, and also means job losses for operations manager Kristy Weidlich, and media manager (and former MNews staffer) Phillip Mahoney.

“This result is bitterly disappointing for all concerned, especially for the teams that had committed to 2009,” said Ridge.

“We wish all teams the best of luck with their endeavours in other series.”

Dirk Klynsmith

Time called on CCup

e g n e l l a h C p u C d n a T G t fi e n e b o set t TV costs = new series CARRERA CUP V8 SUPERCARS Australia is searching for a new support category to replace Carrera Cup. The one-make series was a major drawcard on the support bill on the V8SCS and a contributor to the broadcasting costs associated with the events.

“The Carrera Cup has for many years been an extremely strong and exciting support category to the V8 Supercar Championship Series,” said V8SA CEO Cameron Levick.

“In the meantime we express our gratitude to the organisers and all of the teams that formed the Carrera Cup Championship and wish them well in the future.”

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CARRERA CUP THE Australian GT Championship and the GT3 Cup Challenge look set to benefit from the recent demise of Carrera Cup. A meeting tonight (Monday) between key Australian GT members will determine whether they find it appropriate for the Cup Cars to enter Australia’s now-premier Sportscar class.

If a positive resolution is found, then a meeting with CAMS is scheduled for Tuesday, where it will decide if the Porsche 997s will be eligible for entry for both the Australian GT class and the GT3 Cup Challenge.

Previously, the 997 Carrera Cup cars had an embargo on them, preventing them to run in any other class other than the Carrera Cup series. In the wake of the category’s demise, a new home must be found for the 20-plus cars that are owned

by Australian race drivers and teams.

Former Carrera Cup stalwart turned Australian GT Aston Martin contender Tony Quinn thinks that allowing a limited

e

number of the 997s into the Australian GT ranks could be the answer to keeping the cars on the track.

“I think it’s a difficult situation to be in,” he said.

“The cars are on the market now because, dare I say, Carrera Cup was mismanaged and fallen into the state it’s in, and now the GT guys are expected to accommodate them.

“Personally, I would allow a limited number of the cars into the Australian GT class. Australian GT runs on FIA GT3 rules, and the Porsche that is eligible under those rules is the Porsche Cup S. If you look at the Aston Martins, Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Vipers, they are all $500,000 cars. They are exotic and expensive and different to the Carrera Cup cars.

“Australian GT doesn’t need the numbers, to be fair, but I would allow them in to race for a year, possibly with a weight penalty.”

Australian GT officials told eNews that a minimum of 30 and 35 cars will enter the first two rounds of the series at Adelaide street circuit and Albert Park respectively.

The Australian GT Championship

officials predict as many as 20-22 cars will enter each round of the series after its opening ‘glamour’ rounds, which are followed by Phillip Island, Eastern Creek, Symmons Plains and the 3 Hour at Sandown in November.

Jodi Zylstra, category administrator for the GT3 Cup Challenge, said that tomorrow’s meeting should quickly resolve the issues.

“While it is expected that the embargo will be lifted and the cars will become available for both GT and GT3 Cup Challenge, I can’t say exactly what CAMS are going to do,” she said.

If the 997s do enter the GT3 Cup Challenge, they will not be eligible for outright series points this year, instead racing in the ‘997 Trophy’ class. Regardless of the CAMS meeting, the 997 will be the outright car for the 2010 GT3 Cup. Neither the Australian GT class or the GT3 Cup Challenge intend on filling any of the calendar spots vacated by Carrera Cup on the V8 Supercar Championship support bill.

– GRANT ROWLEY

Decision time for Carrera faithful CARRERA CUP

DURING Carrera Cup’s six-year stay on the Australian motor racing scene, Rodney Jane didn’t miss a single round.

But with Carrera Cup being withdrawn, Jane is now faced with not only missing a round of the series in which he has become a mainstay, but perhaps having to give up a sport he loves.

The 36-year-old is now in discussions with his Sonic Motor Racing Services boss Mick Ritter about the future, and says he has three options; the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series, the Australian GT Championship, or nothing at all.

“I’d like to do something, but I’m not going to do something just to drive around,” Jane said.

“I don’t want to just do something for fun. Every year I

have been getting better, and that’s why the Fujitsu Series is an interesting option, because I can keep learning. It would be a challenging season.

“Also, if I’m going to race in a series it needs good media coverage. For us media coverage is important because of the ties with the business, so I’m not going to race somewhere that doesn’t have that support.”

Warren Luff, meanwhile, is far more certain about how he will deal with the demise of Carrera Cup. Providing the 997 GT3s are allowed into the Australian GT Championship (see separate story), Luff is “absolutely” planning to send his entry fees that way.

“But until we find out the outcome of that decision it is still up in the air,” he added.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

James Smith

BRIEFLY... n Phillip Livingstone has been appointed as Race Director and Investigating and Prosecuting Officer (IPO) to the Yokohama V8 Ute Racing Series for 2009.

Livingstone has been involved as a Clerk and Sector Marshal around Australia.

“I’m very much looking forward to being involved in the Utes,” he said.

“I have watched them from their development stage where they were a bit rough and ready and have seen the driver skills and standards increase over the past two years.” n Despite the tragic fires that have destroyed towns in the region, this weekend’s Victorian Open Sprint Kart Championship will still go ahead at the Hume International Raceway at Puckapunyal. n The National Motor Racing Museum is hosting a dinner for Bathurst 12 Hour Grand Marshall Bob Jane from 6.30pm on the Thursday of the big race (Feb 19). Tickets are $40 each – phone 02 6332 1872 for bookings.

V8SA Board sets the sc The rules according to the rule book ...

Scrutineering All cars VCS and DVS will need to be inspected prior to the first round entered – this will be conducted at the team’s workshop. At each meeting the vehicle will be required to have a signed Statement of Vehicle Compliance. Each car/apparel will then be subject to an audit at least once every four meetings; teams will be informed by the CTD/Chief Scrutineer of the time this will take place and it will be conducted the team garage/hocker.

Minimum Weights VCS cars must achieve a minimum weight of 1445kg including the weight of the driver and apparel. This increases the standard driver weight by 10kgs to 90kgs.

The Board has approved the implementation of the minimum weights for the cylinder block and cylinder head: Cylinder block: 70kgs Cylinder head: 13.5kg

Dampers Teams are only permitted to utilise the shock absorbers as listed in Rule C.9.4. These components must be equally available to all teams. No modifications to any catalogue part that affects the passage of oil within the shock absorbers will be permitted.

Fuel There will be no change to the fuel tank capacity for any races in 2009. Total capacity for the entire fuel system remains at 120 litres. For all refuelling races in 2009 teams must use the V8 Supercar Control Fuel Tower.

ECU The Board will allow DVS Teams that wish to continue to use the M48 Control ECU to do so for 2009 only. The M48 does not provide all the features of the M800 but will still permit you to run a V8 Supercar on E85.

Brakes Both the billet and forged calipers designated in Rule C10 are acceptable. No residual line pressure valves, anti spike valves or any other device that effects the pressure in the braking system (other than driver input) will be permitted.

Data Logger The Motec ADL-2 is no longer in production and has been superseded by the ADL-3. The Motec ADL-3 data logger will be added to the list of units permitted under Rule C12.11.

Tyres Tyres will be allocated to cars not teams in 2009. This means that only the car that was allocated a tyre can use that tyre at any race meeting.

Teams will still be able to swap tyres between their cars on test days. A car will be defined by its competition number.

Tyres will no longer be divided into practice and race tyres. Teams will be able to use their tyres in any session across the weekend. Teams will also be able to bring eight extra previously-marked tyres to add to their tyre supply for the weekend.

Evaluation Days Teams will now be permitted two driver evaluation days each year.

Garage Allocation Four car teams will have their pit lane order determined by the position of the lower of the two pairings that make up the team in the previous years’ final Teams Championship points standing.

Practice The three parts of Practice – A, B and C – will now be divided in to 35, 50 and 50 minutes segments respectively.

Additional Drivers Additional drivers will only be permitted to take part in Part A of practice at the following four rounds: Winton Raceway, Symmons Plains, Sandown Raceway, Queensland Raceway.

Qualifying Leg 1 – All cars Leg 2 – The top 20 cars after the conclusion of Leg 1 Leg 3 (shoot-out) – The top 10 cars after the conclusion of Leg 2 .

The grid for both races at a sprint event will be determined by the qualifying results. As a result both races will have the same starting grid.

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cene for season 2009 V8 SUPERCARS LAST Friday’s V8 Supercars Australia board meeting has confirmed some interesting updates to the rule book, particularly where qualifying is concerned.

For this year’s V8 Supercar Championship, qualifying will take on extra importance. The actual makeup of qualifying

hasn’t changed since the first reports of the new sporting regs late last year (three legs, the final being a top 10 Shootout), but the qualifying results will stand for both races at a Sprint round. That means a lowly qualifying position can’t be countered by a demon drive in Race 1 …

Another significant change is that of combined minimum

Final changes to this year’s regs confirmed

weight for car and driver. An extra 10kg has been added to driver and apparel, meaning the total minimum weight is now 1445kg (1355kg minimum for the car itself). Minimum weights have also been added to engine blocks (70kg) and cylinder heads (13.5kg).

There has been a host of format confirmations as well, the most major being the

abolition of round winners.

Essentially, the season will be 26 ‘rounds’ long, with an individual podium presentation for every race that makes up the 14-meeting calendar.

There is also a list of rounds where Dunlop’s new ‘super soft’ tyre will be used; Winton, Symmons Plains, Hidden Valley, Sandown, Queensland Raceway and Barbagallo.

Engineering switch at FPR V8 SUPERCARS

Dirk Klynsmith

FORD Performance Racing has executed a switch on its engineering front.

For the 2009 V8 Supercar season, Phil Keed will be responsible for the progress of Mark Winterbottom, while Winterbottom’s former engineer Dan Kroehn will handle Steven Richards’ #6 entry.

Team principal Tim Edwards told eNews that the shift has been made to move the team

forward even further.

“I’ve got a strong group here, but if I can make them stronger, then all the better,” he said.

“It has been done to build a stronger engineering and driver team. I think Dan can learn a lot from Richo, and I think that Frosty can learn a lot from Phil. It’s about trying to build a stronger group for the future.

“Both of them did a fantastic job last year, but I feel that this will help build a stronger foundation for the future.

“We are also having a bit of a swap around on the mechanic front as well. We’re a team. Swapping in between cars should not be viewed as competitiveness against each

other.”

FPR will unveil the livery of its all-new FG Falcon race cars at the Ford Fun Day on Sunday, March 1.

– GRANT ROWLEY

Name Game

Crack WA 12 Hour team WPS 12 HOUR

THERE will be two all-West Australian teams in this year’s WPS Bathurst 12 Hour, with the confirmation of the driver line-up for Messages On Hold Racing.

While the team was originally expected to be built around Perth youngster Peter Major, he is now not part of the squad.

But the new line-up is still remarkably strong, with Kerry Wade, Aaron Caratti and Steve Jones set to pilot a Mitsubishi Evo IV around Mount Panorama for 12

10

hours.

Wade has plenty of Bathurst experience, having raced HQ Holdens and V8 Supercars ay the famous circuit. Caratti, a Carrera Cup race winner, has been to the Mountain before in Porsches (as well as having won a WA Street Car state championship in an Evo), while Jones is the odd one out with no Bathurst miles under his belt. His credentials are hardly lacking though; he won the 2008 Targa West rally, ahead of Jim Richards.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

TWO of the three biggest surnames that could possibly race at Mount Panorama have been confirmed for this year’s WPS Bathurst 12 Hour – Johnson and Moffat.

V8 Supercar driver Steve Johnson, son of Bathurst legend Dick, will take on the Mountain in a Ford FG Falcon GT-P, which he will share with Nathan Tinkler and Nathan Callaghan. According to Johnson, it will be great preparation for his upcoming season with Jim Beam Racing.

“I’ve competed in a 12 hour race once before and I’m delighted that I have been provided the opportunity to compete in another one this year,” said Johnson.

“I love going to Bathurst no matter what I’m driving there, it is simply an amazing place to race at. This is a completely different event to our V8 Supercar 1000 kilometre race in October. It is a game of strategy and stroking the car around to ensure you are there after the 12 hours.

“I am rapt that Jim Beam Racing have cleared the way for the opportunity for me to run in the 12 hour and I believe this will help me get my eye in for the Championship opener next month in Adelaide.”

Meanwhile, James Moffat, son of another Bathurst legend Alan, will also contest the 12H in an FG Falcon. ‘Moff’ will share a production FG with Glen Kenny and Corey Baldock.

The third running of the re-born event will be on February 22. So James Brock, if you’re reading this, find an entry form really, really quickly!

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Stevens denies charges

John Bosher

ANDRA bans former star after drug allegations DRAG RACING DRAG racer Brett Stevens has denied reports that he has been caught in possession of drugs or drug making equipment on his Queensland property.

Stevens, the flamboyant Top Doorslammer, Top Alcohol and Top Bike drag racer – who unexpectedly retired from the sport last December – issued a media statement on Saturday, refuting media reports from late last week. The former team owner said that the reports were “totally and utterly false and a great deception that is once again an attempt to destroy my character or what is left of it.”

The statement came at the

end of a dramatic week, which began with reports of raids conducted in a joint operation called Operation Golf Brazen, involving the Queensland Police Service, the Crime and Misconduct Commission and the Australian Crime Commission.

Stevens faced six charges in the Brisbane Magistrates’ Court last Wednesday relating to alleged activities between August 2007 and the present. He was charged with Trafficking in a Dangerous Drug, Producing a Dangerous Drug (MDMA and Cannabis), Supply of a Dangerous Drug (Methylamphetamine) and two counts of Possessing the Proceeds of Drugs. After his appearance, he was released

on bail.

He also was served with restraining orders over property and business, and several drag racing vehicles totalling $3.6m.

On Friday, ANDRA announced that it had suspended all of Stevens’ National titles and records, and implemented an immediate lifetime ban on him.

However, it left the way open to restore the records, subject to a verdict in ongoing matters before the court.

“I don’t think there is any question that the current legal issues Brett Stevens is facing have brought the sport of drag racing into disrepute,” said ANDRA CEO Tony Thornton in a statement.

“On that basis the ANDRA

National Control Council has decided that Stevens’ three National titles and his current speed record should be suspended and a lifetime ban imposed until the matter is finalised.”

Stevens, 44, won three ANDRA titles, including the 2004 Top Doorslammer, 2005 Top Bike and 2008 Top Alcohol championships. The record that has been erased from ANDRA’s record books was the Top Alcohol record of 260.27mph, set at Willowbank last September.

The next step in the legal process will a Committal Mention on March 30, which will then proceed via Committal Proceedings in the Brisbane Magistates Court.

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Cars and Stripes in F1?

Windsor, Anderson plan American-based Grand Prix team FORMULA 1

sutton-images.com

THERE has been talk before of an American Formula 1 team but now, it may be more than just talk.

Last week, the name USF1 appeared as a website and reports have connected Peter Windsor and Ken Anderson to the establishment of an all-American team. The reports said that the two were planning a team based in the heartland of NASCAR in North Carolina, and that they were talking to sponsors.

Anderson is an engineer, who has extensive experience, including stints in F1 with Ligier and Onyx.

Most recently, he has been involved in the establishment of the Windshear windtunnel facility in Charlotte, said to be among the most advanced of its kind in the world.

While Windsor is best-known nowadays as a writer and television commentator, he has extensive organisational experience in F1, notably with Williams (where he was team manager) and Ferrari, and at one stage was set to head a team in the late-1980s. When that

deal fell over, he won a substantial damages claim.

While the economic downturn has made life difficult for established teams, this initiative comes at a time when FIA President Max Mosley is pushing through cost reforms aimed at massively reducing the running costs of a Grand Prix team. Indeed, there is talk that a team using customer engines and transmissions could compete for as little as US$65m ($100m), a fraction of what even smaller teams operate on currently.

And the project appears to have the support of Mosley, who said last week, “They are serious people but they are the same as everyone else, they need the costs to come down if they are to be competitive.

They are recommended by Nick Craw, our man in the States who knows a lot of people. You have to take it seriously.”

With costs falling, a number of well-qualified and experienced motorsport engineers looking for work in Charlotte, not to mention an aero facility, ‘all’ that this project appears to need is sponsors – and a couple of American drivers …

Millionaire fights Millionaires FORMULA 1 THE ongoing dispute between the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association and the FIA hit a new note last week, with the Drivers’ organisation issuing a media statement calling the increase in Licence fees ‘unfair’.

The GPDA was referring to the increase in costs from the 2007 season to last year.

The 2006 cost of 1690 euros ($3270) plus 447 euros per point jumped to 10,000 euros plus 2000 per point. At the time of the increase the GPDA objected, but drivers paid and there were further talks between the body and the FIA. This year, the FIA has made incremental

increases, despite its ongoing policy of cost reductions in GP racing.

The GPDA statement said, “These increases were made without any prior consultation with the drivers, and the first the drivers knew of the increases was when the invoices were received by their respective teams and via the media in January 2008.

“The proposed increases are inherently unfair, both in the way they were introduced and the way they impact on individual drivers.

“Since these increases were introduced by the FIA, they have been opposed unanimously by the drivers because they

are unreasonable and unfair.”

Last week Mosley slammed the drivers’ complaints, saying “In the present climate, somebody who is earning several million [dollars] a year and doesn’t want to spend one or two percent of that to get a licence for his trade is not going to get a lot of sympathy.”

NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers pay US$4000 ($6000) for their licences, while V8 Supercar drivers require an FIA International C licence, issued by CAMS, which this year will cost $1330.

Mosley has said that the drivers must pay the amount, or Friday at Albert Park could be a quiet day ...

Four? Six? INDYCAR MUCH work remains to be done before IndyCar signs off on its new engine package for 2011 and beyond.

Last week the Indy Racing League confirmed that five manufacturers remain interested in supplying motors for the new series, but that there remains some dissent over the technical makeup of the formula. The five are Honda, which has been the sole supplier to IndyCar with its V8 engine, below, since 2006, Alfa Romeo and Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche, which are all brands on the one company.

IRL’s preferred model is for a 2-litre four-stroke motor, with a single turbocharger, running on biofuel. Engine life is targeted at 6000km, and the engine specification will be set for five years.

The bone of contention remains the architecture of the engine. IndyCar prefers a fourcylinder motor, but Honda Performance Development’s preference is for a V6.

“We need to establish the rules so that we don’t allow the costs to get out of control.” said Erik Berkman, President of Honda Performance Development, whose company would prefer a V-6.

“We can’t allow the technical pursuit to die out. So we need the challenge, and we need a clean sheet so that nobody has the advantage from the beginning.”

Duno to join 3-car squad at NHL INDYCAR NEWMAN Haas Lanigan will step up to three cars this season, with Milka Duno lining up as the team’s third entry.

The Venezuelan will bring her Citgo sponsorship to the multiple title-winning team, joining Graham Rahal and, as first reported in eNews last week, Robert Doornbos.

“We aren’t ready to announce

IndyCar Teams slashing Costs INDYCAR

Honda Racing

14

anything yet,” said a NHL team representative, who indicated no deals had been signed.

The move spells bad news for HVM and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, which were still negotiating with Doornbos, who brings sponsorship from Dutch financial giant ING, and Duno, right.

Duno, 35, has only competed in partial seasons the last two years with two different teams,

THE economic climate has hit IndyCar racing hard, with many teams undertaking severe cost-cutting measures.

Amid reports of team closures, mostly inaccurate, teams are trimming their sails, with reduced staff numbers

and cost-saving plans.

A number of team employees have accepted pay cuts of as much as 15 percent and, while under ordinary circumstances this would attract a good deal of media attention, employees appear to be happy to have kept their jobs at all, even with reduced pay.

earning a 2008 best finish of 14th in 11 races. She feels moving to NHL can greatly enhance her results and brings a lucrative sponsorship package, something any team would not turn down given the sponsor barren economy.

In 26 years, mostly as Newman Haas Racing, the team has won eight titles but has never run a three-car program.

– MARY MENDEZ

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Fish and Cornflakes Truex, Martin dazzle in all-Chevy front row for 500 NASCAR CHEVROLETS will start the 2009 Daytona 500 from the front row after dominating yesterday’s qualifying sessions.

Martin Truex Jr scored pole position in his first drive of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing’s Chevy, sneaking onto pole while Mark Martin will attempt to win his first 500 from outside the front row in his first race with Hendrick Motorsports. Under the rules of the race, both drivers are guaranteed front row starts in the classic, while the rest of the grid will be formed from the results of Thursday’s Gatorade Duels.

Ironically, it is a veteran driver who gave Ford its best starting spot. Bill Elliott showed that

the famed Wood Bros #21 entry was still fast by turning in the fifth-best time, which gives him second starting position for the first Duel.

Yep, it is confusing …

With the top 35 entries based on 2008 seasonending owners’ points making the field, Elliott (fifth fastest), Travis Kvapil (#28 Ford, eighth fastest) and Tony Stewart (#14 Chevy, 10th fastest) have made the field based on speed.

Terry Labonte is guaranteed a start on his past champions’ provisional and, if those four drivers make it into the field via their results in the Duel, the four drivers who would take the ‘next fastest’ spots would be Regan Smith (#78 Chevy, 14th), Joe Nemechek (#87 Toyota, 19th), Boris Said (#08 Ford, 21st) and Scott Riggs (#36 Toyota, 32nd).

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NASCAR

Toyota Motorsports

MARCOS Ambrose will become the first Australian driver to start the Daytona 500 next Sunday.

The Tasmanian will line up in 14th position in the first Gatorade Duel on Tursday after his JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota was 30th fastest in qualifying on the famous 2mile Superspeedway.

“I have to pinch myself every day because it is the biggest race there is,” said Ambrose.

“I’m really looking forward to my first Daytona 500 because it is huge for me personally to be able to experience first-hand,” he said.

“For years, I have read about the race in magazines while living in Australia and it intrigued me. I want to be able to finish it and finish well

NASCAR Media

sutton-images.com

MARCOS IS READY

for Little Debbie and all of our sponsors. I’m proud to have them on board for my first Daytona 500.

“I’m just lucky to be here and I have always respected the Series, drivers and the teams.”

Because his #47 entry is in the top 35 in owners’ points, Ambrose is guaranteed a start in the race. The 500 will be televised on Ten HD and FoxSports from 7am Monday.

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BINATE TCM A SELECTION of Biante Touring Car Masters cars will hit the Winton circuit in early March to evaluate a new control tyre.

Reigning Biante TCM Champion Gavin Bullas (Ford Mustang), as well as other competitors, will test the harder compound Hoosier tyre.

Category manager Doug WillersdorfGreene told eNews that the category wants to see a longer-last tyre introduced.

“Hoosier has constructed a batch of new tyres for us to look to see how they wear,

what laps times they do and whether or not it will last the race distance,” he said.

The Biante TCM will also see the introduction of a number of new cars in 2009.

Two additional new Porsches have joined the fray, including Mark Forgy’s 911RS. Forgy competed in selected rounds last year but has now purchased his own category licence to compete. Porsche stalwart Graeme Cook has also confirmed his entry, making four Porsches in total.

Four-time Australian Super Truck Champion Bob Middleton has his new Camaro ready to race, while Brett Youlden’s

AMSF’s new star line-up BINATE TCM DANIEL Erickson and Molly Taylor have been selected as the two AMSF International Rising Stars for the 2009 season.

Erickson, 21, and Taylor, 20, will represent the AMSF in 2009 as they embark on their international careers as part of the second year of the program.

Erickson will compete in the 2009 British Formula Ford Championship, driving for Kevin Mills Racing’s Spectrumbacked team, while Taylor’s plans international rally plans remain up in the air after her initial plans of the Suzuki Swift Sport Cup dissolved when the series collapsed.

Erickson said he is pleased to receive the extra support.

“It has been a goal of mine to be selected and represent the AMSF on the international stage and I am very grateful for the opportunity,” Erickson said.

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Taylor, the 2007 and 2008 Australian Rally Championship ‘Formula 1600’ Champion, will be supported as the first female driver in the International Rising Star Program.

“This is a great opportunity for me to compete in another country and gain valuable experience on the international stage,” said Taylor.

“I am very thankful for the AMSF in providing me with this opportunity and making it all possible.”

Taylor is currently negotiating to secure another drive.

Joining Erickson and Taylor in their international quests, CAMS Rising Star Scott Pye was given the opportunity to compete in the Toyota Racing Series (TRS) including the International Trophy, held in New Zealand in January. Pye finished second in the International Trophy and currently sits in second place in the TRS. Pye will drive for the CAMS Rising Star team in the local Formula Ford title.

Dirk Klynsmith

New Hoosiers for Biantes

Monaro will miss the opening round at the Clipsal street circuit before running in the rest of the season Other new entries include Tony Karenfilovski 68 Alfa and Phillip Showers’ Escort, which was scheduled to run at Oran Park, but will be seen for the first time in Adelaide.

“We’re very comfortable with the numbers we’ve got and most of the guys are looking forward to a great season,” Willersdorf-Greene said.

The category expects 26 cars to compete at the first round of its seven round season.

– GRANT ROWLEY

Minimum age drops ...

SUPERKART ace Sean Whitfield will make his state Formula Ford debut later this year, thanks to a change in the minimum age for CAMS license holders.

Whitfield will race a Mygale in the Victorian state series this year, but he will have wait until May to do so. That’s when he turns 14, the new minimum age, which is a twoyear deduction from the standard 16 year minimum that has been in pace for many years.

The new rule is effective immediately, and brings Australia into line with nations like New Zealand and the United Kingdom, which also have minimum ages below 16.

But there will be some restrictions for the little tackers; if a youngster wants to race a Category 1 car (open-wheeler), it needs to be 1600cc or less. A Category 2 car (Sportscar) can be 2000cc, while a Category 3 car (Touring Car) can have a maximum capacity of 2500cc.

The sub-16 year olds also have to start on a Provisional Clubman License, and after five meetings can only graduate to Provisional Circuit license.

news race

Russell’s New Castle

Impressive privateer signs with Race Image for 2009 Fujitsu V8 season

Dirk Klynsmith

FUJITSU V8s NEWCASTLE’S two V8 Supercar representatives have join forces.

Novacastrian Drew Russell will drive for Race Image in the 2009 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series.

The 20 year old finished 16th in last year’s FV8 Series driving for his own team

(Novocastrian Motorsport). By joining Race Image, he says. he is pleased to have secured his race deal more than a month before the first round at Adelaide’s Parklands street circuit.

“To be signed by Race Image is very exciting,” said Drew.

“Running with Novocastrian Motorsport has been a fantastic development

process, but to make the next step I needed to move to a more established team, one that has greater resources and the ability to provide me with a car capable of challenging for podium finishes.

“To go into the start of the season knowing I am here for the whole year is a bit of a novelty after going from race to race last year, regularly

scraping together the funding at the last minute.”

Russell will drive the #60 ex-DJR Ford Falcon BA (upgraded to BF) that was campaigned by Damien Assaillit in selected rounds last year. He will carry support from Go Karts Go and will get his first run in his new car during the team’s test day early March.

Team BRM’s French special FORMULA FORD TEAM BRM tested its two new Mygale SJ09A at Mallala Motorsport Park last week.

All three of its team’s three drivers – Jordan Skinner, Ben Small and Richie Stanaway – drove the two cars over the two day SA test. The Formula 3 championship-winning team is now waiting for its third Formula Ford chassis to arrive from France in a couple of weeks.

The first day of testing was conducted by Skinner and Small while Stanaway joined the squad for a handful of laps on the Day 2.

Team boss Mark Rundle says that he was impressed with his cars and all three drivers.

“They are a magnificent piece of engineering,” he said of the French chassis.

“We were very impressed straight out of the box. The cars are as fast if not faster than our Van Diemen so its looking very promising.

“All three drivers all get along really well.

They have varying backgrounds but we’ve found they all have similar styles which is making it easy to find the sweet spot. They work together well so it should make for a pretty competitive team.”

Rundle wouldn’t be draw, though, on who he predicts to be the team leader.

“All three will be fast. None of them will struggle. I believe that we have the drivers, the car and the team to win the championship.”

– GRANT ROWLEY

All black: Skinner gets comfortable in the new Mygale, while Ben Small tinkers with the French toy.

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news

Herridge makes ARC return Aussie rally ace back for one-off home-soil outing ... or is it a one-off?

AUSTRALIAN RALLYING

Joel Strickland

DESPITE all the news about high profile withdrawals ahead of this weekend’s opening Australian Rally Championship round in Tasmania, there will be a high profile inclusion – Dean Herridge.

Having spent last season competing throughout Asia in the Chinese and AsiaPacific Rally Championships, the West Australian will make a one-off return to the ARC in a Subaru WRX for this weekend’s all-tarmac Rally Tasmania.

The last-minute decision has come after Herridge competed in the recent Targa Wrest Point on the Apple Isle.

“It was a very last minute decision”, said Herridge.

“Having competed at Targa Wrest Point, the car [is] in Tasmania. It was an opportunity too good to ignore, and we thought ‘let’s throw our hat in the ring!’

“We’ll convert the car back to Group N specification over the next few days, and I’ll fly back to Tasmania for recce this week.

“We’re been really pleased with the new

car, considering Wrest Point was its first event. Our main goal is Targa Tasmania in April, so Rally Tasmania will give us some more experience with this car on roads that will be similar to Targa Tasmania.”

With Herridge will be Scott Pedder’s former co-driver Glen Weston, while Herridge’s regular navigator Chris Murphy is committed to Eli Evans’ ARC program.

But while the Rally Tas outing is being touted as a one-off, Herridge has also hinted that more ARC action may well be on the cards …

“Obviously Perth won’t be too hard for us, being our local round of the ARC. And we have plans to compete at Rally Australia later in the year. But it all depends on obtaining further support.”

Solberg: Team Owner/Driver WORLD RALLYING PETTER Solberg has really taken matters into his own hands since the withdrawal of Subaru from World Rallying.

Just days before his home WRC round in Norway, Solberg has officially unveiled his own team – Petter Solberg World Rally Team, which will contest the 11 remaining WRC rounds. Unsurprisingly, the team consists of a host of ex-Subaru men. SWRT’s former logistics guru Ken Rees will lead the team, while mechanic Tore Dahl and engineers Charles Hodge and Francois Xavier de

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Maison will play roles as well.

And, of course, Solberg’s long-time codriver Phil Mills will also play a big part in the new team, continuing to call the notes for the 2003 World Rally Champion.

While the makeup of the team personnelwise is hardly a surprise, the choice of vehicle might be. Solberg will use a 2006spec Citroen Xsara WRC car, complete with active diffs front and rear. It might seem like an outdated, and therefore uncompetitive, technical platform, but Francois Duval did lead Rally Germany back in 2007 in a Xsara when Sebastien Loeb was in a C4 …

Details are scarce, but this appears to be a secret snapshot of a new Citroen logo that might be appearing on a Seb Loeb C4 World Rally Car sometime soon.

Sore, but Fast

Stoner tops Sepang MotoGP test fastest and ominously consistent on the Yamaha M1, with former teammate Colin Edwards not far behind on THE news was good and bad for his Tech 3 bike.

Casey Stoner after he returned to The surprise though was that Loris the saddle of his Ducati in Sepang Capirossi was third fastest overall and last week. quick on all three days of the test. The The Aussie ended the test with the best time of the three-day test but his Italian veteran had asked Suzuki to wrist injury, which forced him to have make a number of changes to the an operation post-season, limited him bikes and he wants more …

“For sure it been a good start to the to short runs on the new Ducati GP9. year, we have improved a lot from “The more I ride the GP9 the more last year and we are much quicker,” he we understand how to improve the said. set-up of the new chassis and today “We have to continue to work on we made a big step forward with the engine but if we can do that then improving grip and feel with the new I really think we are ready to fight.” bike,” said the former champion.

In the Honda ranks, Toni Elias set “Considering that I have recently the fastest time ahead of the two had an operation and my wrist has Repsol bikes, with Dani Pedrosa still not full recovered, to be the electing to skip the final day of the fastest rider here is a dream to be test after aggravating a knee injury honest. Now I have to work hard on he suffered last October at Phillip improving my physical condition and Island. recovering the level of movement James Toseland was slowest of the I need to ride the bike properly racers after what he described as without pain.” “the biggest crash I’ve ever had” on Despite injuring himself the week prior to the test – he cut his hand and Thursday and was limited to only a few laps at a time on the last two knee when he fell into a glass coffee days of the test. table – Valentino Rossi was second

INDYCAR

Ducati Corse

KERS? That is so 2008 (just ask KTM ...)

125cc GP KERS may be one of the talking points in Formula 1 racing this season but, as far as Motorcycle racing is concerned, it’s last year’s news.

KTM technical director Harald Bartol has told Spanish magazine Solo Moto that not only has the Austrian manufacturer developed its own two-wheeled Kinetic Energy Recovery System but that it raced with it fitted to its 125cc GP bikes late last season.

The system, a miniature version of what is expected

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to feature in F1 this season, was fitted to Tommy Koyama’s motorcycle, right, during the Valencian GP, the final race of the ’08 system. As a result, the system allowed a power ‘spike’ of as much of 2.7hp, in an engine normally producing about 55hp.

“It is a hybrid system,” Bartol told Solo Moto.

“Under braking some condensers [capacitors] are charged – we do not call them batteries because a battery would never charge so quickly in deceleration – and the energy is then released during the following straight.

That gives us some 2 kW extra, although we only use it when the motorcycle is in third, fourth, fifth or sixth gear.”

Starting from grid 15, Koyama was eighth within three corners, but a mistake sent him back to 15th by the end of the race. The Japanese rider was seventh at the end of the race, his performance aided by a straightline speed advantage over all but the quickest Aprilias in the race.

Bartol alluded to his ‘secret’ development after the race; “Koyama rode a good 125cc race and I am pleased he noticed how fast his bike was

today …”

Despit the development, the fastest of the works Aprilias still had the edge over the orange Austrian bikes.

However, should KTM perservere with the system, its application would appear to be restricted to the small bikes. Unlike the MotoGP and 250cc classes, the minimum weight in the 125 class (136kg) includes the riders weight.

Because Koyama and new signing Marc Marquez are two of the smallest men in the field, their KTM 125FRRs would have to be ballasted to meet the minimum weight anyway.

news race

MITSUBISHI QUITS DAKAR

Green Saloons SALOON CARS

Financial crisis claims another manufacturer’s program DAKAR THE latest manufacturer motorsports program to be terminated by the world financial crisis is Mitsubishi’s Dakar assault.

The Japanese company, which won the Dakar Rally Raid 12 times, including seven consecutive victories between 2001 and 2007, confirmed last week its immediate withdrawal from competition.

“The sudden deterioration of the global economy made it necessary for the company to focus its resources more tightly,” said the company in a statement, “and for this reason the decision was taken to withdraw its Mitsubishi Motorsports (MMSP) works team from all cross-country competitions.”

The maker, Japan’s fourth-biggest, cited for financial reasons for its exit. Industry reports

suggest that the company will suffer a loss of around 60bn yen (approx. $1bn) when it reports at the end of the current financial year at the end of March.

The 2009 Dakar was little short of a disaster for Mitsubishi, with three of the four new models out of the event in the first few days.

Arch-rival Volkswagen dominated the event and scored a 1-2 finish with its Race Touareg 2, the first win for a diesel-powered car.

Mitsubishi is the third Japanese manufacturer to end a motorsport program in the past three months. Honda announced it immediate exit from Formula 1 in December, and Subaru and Suzuki both withdrew from the World Rally Championship prior to the start of this season. Mitsubishi ended its WRC program in 2005, after winning four Drivers and one Manufacturers title.

Mitsubishi Motors

Vic Dates confirmed VIC STATE SERIES

KTM

AUSTRALIA’S most successful state racing series, the Victorian State Racing Series, has released its calendar for 2009.

Seven rounds have been scheduled, at Phillip Island, Sandown, and Winton, with up to a dozen categories catered for at each of the Sandown and PI rounds, a reduced number at the Winton (AASA) rounds.

For the first time, Calder Raceway is not part of the series.

The dates are: April 4/5 (Winton), April 25/26 (Phillip Island), May 23/24 (Sandown), July 18/19 (Sandown), Aug 29/30 (Winton), Sept 26/27 (Phillip Island), November 7/8 (Winton).

THE Supaloc Australian Saloon Cars Series will be the first local category to run E85 fuel in Australian race competition.

The popular Ford/Holden series has been given the all-clear by CAMS to compete with the ‘green’ fuel after nearly twelve months of data collecting and testing.

Category manager Les Morrall said that the ethanol fuel is the “fuel of the future.”

“We believe that E85 is the race fuel of the future, and other categories will follow our lead,” he said.

“There are many benefits to run the ethanol-based fuel, including cost, performance and of course it is environmentally friendly.”

The Supaloc Saloon Car Series kicks off as a support class to the WPS Bathurst 12 Hour at Mount Panorama in two weeks time.

– GRANT ROWLEY

Tom Lite IMSA LITES TOM Drewer has a new seat for 2009, at Comprent Motor Sports.

The Adelaide driver will race in the IMSA Lites Championship, in a Panoz Elan DP-02 Lites 1 car.

“After weighing up several options and series, I feel this is the next logical step in my career,” said Drewer, who took out the ‘08 American IMSA Lites 2 title.

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Joining the Pro Tour DRAG RACING WITH 15 ANDRA Pro Stock entries at the Wynn’s Spitfire Summernationals at Western Sydney Dragway this weekend – it won’t be a category for the faint hearted.

Remarkably, this is Pro Stock’s first ANDRA Pro Round foray since last September and with such a strong field of entries for next Friday and Saturday, the action is sure to be fierce.

With such a lengthy delay in racing, it has at least given the Pro Stockers a chance to further test and refine their racing packages before some pivotal rounds of the Championship coming up.

North Queenslander John Barbagallo is one such a competitor, who has been revising his potent Ford Escort combination significantly, all to make the 4382 kilometre round trip to Western Sydney Dragway this weekend in what is a vital round in pursuit of the ANDRA Pro Stock Championship.

“The Tremayne team has been awesome so far in Pro Stock,” remarked Barbagallo, “which means several teams are chasing their setups to bridge the gap and we are one of these teams.”

John Morris/Mpix

The JB Automotive car has always been a potent Championship contender and Barbagallo believes his latest refinements to his sleek white machine, above, could prove the difference.

“We have overhauled our engine package further as there is no doubt in such a tight category of racing, every bit of horsepower counts. The other area is people will notice we have installed a new airintake on the bonnet.”

When asked why the change with the scoop, ‘JB’ was initially coy.

“Firstly we hope for any improvement of redirecting air to a carburetted engine that may give us a slight improvement there. However the big reason for the change was visibility of the (Drag Racing) Christmas Tree. Now with this new Bonnet Scoop, I am happy to be sent to either

lane on the track and being able to clearly see the lights to race.”

Pro Stock is such a tight racing category with margins of victory often decided by thousandths of a second, which means a good reaction time off the start-line (how quick a car takes off in response to the Green light to start the race) is vital.

Often in ANDRA Pro Stock, competitors with lane choice will send drivers to an alternate lane in the hope they cannot completely see all the lights of the Christmas Tree, in the hope of either red-lighting or producing a slow reaction time.

To rub additional salt into the ANDRA Pro Stock wounds, the intensity is sure to be fierce during Friday night qualifying, with 15 cars trying to squeeze into just eight available eliminations spots.

Scoping the Carrot farm DRAG RACING ANDRA Top Fuel Championship leader Phil Lamattina is enjoying the best season of his career and as his fan base continues to grow, he is sure to be a favourite amongst the kids after his guest appearance on Network Ten’s Scope television show.

Scope is a half hour of fast, funny and informative

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science television for children aged 8-12 years. A father of two, Phil joked “It was a great opportunity to talk to people on my level, although some of those kids were a whole lot smarter than I am!” said the Mildura-based carrot farmer.

Each week Scope explores a different theme to discover the science behind everything.

The theme for the show in which Phil plays a starring role

is “Things that go fast”, and few could argue that a Top Fuel dragster is at the top of the list.

“It was a fantastic experience”, said Phil. “The shoot went really well and I am looking forward to seeing it on the TV. I think my kids are even more excited than I am!”

The 10-minute segment will go to air nationally at 7:30 am on Monday 30th March 10 on Network Ten.

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Cochrane Returns

John Morris/Mpix

Reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle champ to make comeback at WSID this weekend DRAG RACING ANDRA Pro Stock Motorcycle will see the return of reigning Australian champion Pete Cochrane to battle at the Wynn’s Spitfire Summernationals at Western Sydney Dragway this weekend.

After claiming the Championship last season on an S&S Buell beast, Cochrane returns to Sydney this time returning on his former Kawasaki combination.

“We are really looking forward to Sydney, the bike is fresh and pretty much brand new and has the full 1540cc allowed on a Kawasaki specification in Pro Bike, so we are really keen to have at it,” said the Gumdalebased Queenslander.

Cochrane was a surprise departure from ANDRA Pro Stock Motorcycle ranks at the start of this current season, however Cochrane identified his career as a Chemical Manufacturer for Global Corporation – Incitec Pivot, as the main reason.

“My work has had to take priority and with all the heavy rains and floods in Queensland, we have been providing huge quantities of Alum material, which is a compound use to clean dirty water supplies caused by floodwaters.”

Cochrane explained he was going to sit out the season, until long-time supporter Bernie Learson (of Swarfega and Premier One products fame) wound the reigning champ up to have another go at it!

“I was happy to concentrate on work again, however Bernie put it to me that I should be racing and has been fantastic in his support of my team as well. He wants to push Premier One cleaning products on the bike and I am happy to do that. Thanks to him and also support sponsors Pit Stop 4x4, Pegamoors, Friction Toy, Dap Electrical, Craig Thompson Machining and Bacchus Brewing Co. – we will certainly contest all remaining rounds this season and already everything is looking sweet for next ANDRA Championship season as well.”

Despite being on the sidelines for some time now, the man they call the ‘Punisher’ is confident both man and machine will

deliver at the Wynn’s Spitfire Summernationals!

“I will be rusty for a little while obviously in a category where quick reflexes and skill are important but I am confident we will hit our stride quickly.

“As for the bike, it’s still pretty much brand new – we only cracked a few qualifiers on the bike before we parked it up.

We have found why we had problems with it during that event as well, we discovered the wheelie bar was bent an inch to the left like a banana – which was causing us to head to the wall every time we launched the bike. With that fixed now and a fresh engine package, we believe we can be more than competitive at a venue I have always performed well at.”

State of Origin, Drag Racing-style DRAG RACING

Ken Ferguson

WHEN Queensland and New South Wales clash, tempers flare, so expect nothing less when an 84-strong group of Queensland drag racers desend on the Western Sydney International Dragway this weekend from the Summernationals.

The large Queensland contingent is made up of professional Group 1 entrants and the Rocket Allstars Racing Series.

There is approximately 370 competitors entered for the event and Qld is almost 25 percent of total entry.

Leading the charge in the Group 1 stakes are five Top Doorslammers, five Top Alcohol, eight Pro Stock, two Top Bike and two Pro Stock Motorcycle entries.

And if state versus state rivaliries mean anything to you, then so will the State Champions awards that are on the line.

Willowbank Raceway contacted eNews to alert the other states that it is very proud of the Qld Team as they are multi ANDRA Professional Champions ( The most points scored by Professional Competitors in any one year ) and multi ANDRA Sportsman Shield Winners. ( The most points scored

by Sportsman Competitors in any one year).

So, the challenge is there. Who will come out on top?

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5 Minutes with ...

CRAIG BAIRD

The two-time Carrera Cup Champion is going to have a much different 2009 season that he’d anticipated GRANT ROWLEY just a month ago ...

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Marshall Cass

MOTORSPORT NEWS: Carrera Cup looked like it was going to go through some tough times regardless, but did you foresee the category collapsing?

CRAIG BAIRD: The writing was on the wall. I had already committed to the GT Championship, luckily.

It lost a little bit of momentum after the financial difficulties it went through with its previous owners last year. It didn’t effect us as competitors because Porsche picked it up, backed it, paid all of its debts and we carried on as if nothing had happened.

But from the outsiders looking in and all of the sponsors, it gave it a little bit of bad taste, a little bit of insecurity. That’s where it started.

At the same time, the GT field was gaining momentum at a rapid rate. For what reasons? They obviously have a recipe that suits the style of competitors that it caters for.

They had a lot of flexibility for its competitors and they had a few less rounds. Yes, the cars are more expensive, but to do six rounds is a lot cheaper.

Carrera Cup was simply struggling for numbers.

There was eight or nine of us confirmed in, but you need double that. There’s a time in any business where you need to sit it on the shelf and rest it.

For me personally, it’s knocked my income around.

For the success I’ve had in Carrera Cup, it was easier for me to get sponsors. I had a good deal going for this year and that’s all gone. My source of income has now evaporated, but not only

that, at this stage I’m waiting to hear what happens to my $50,000 prize of my entry being paid for my Carrera Cup racing this year. I was onselling that whichever team was going to run me.

Besides this frustration, do you think the reason for its collapse is a combination of things, including the economic climate where are in at the moment?

Without doubt, the economic climate knocked it around a bit because people couldn’t commit without sponsors.

One hundred percent, that knocked it around, but it’s not just Carrera Cup. If you look at the Development Series, it is light on numbers too.

And that’s not saying that V8 teams are doing it easy either.

They’ve got the numbers, but they’ve also got their hands tied.

Is Australian GT your only confirmed gig?

I’m doing that in the Mosler, I’m doing New Zealand Carrera Cup and NZ V8s, so

I’m still competing in three championships.

I’ve got my V8 endurance gig sorted, that’s already signed, plus my Spa and Nurburgring. I’ve also had some chats with people about doing Le Mans, so there’s still a fair bit of stuff on. It’s just disappointing that Carrera Cup hasn’t gone ahead.

You’re name has also been linked to Team Kiwi Racing this year …

Yes, they have been talking to me. There’s nothing there at the moment. I said to them that I’d be in a position to drive if they have a deal to drive a good car with good personnel. But I wouldn’t drive for them in the enduros, giving them the opportunity to sell those drives off, which would be good for them as well so they could gain a bit of financial momentum as far as selling the drives. That helps them and helps me.

I’m already committed to my endurance deal.

It works out well for my endurance team because

if I’m running the whole championship, then step out of those cars for Phillip Island and Bathurst. What more could a team boss want?

Reflecting on your two championship successes in Carrera Cup. Do you agree that for its six years existence, it had a god place in the local market?

It had a really good place.

What I really liked it was that if I had a bad day, I’d go back to the hotel and either get the mechanic to give me an uppercut or I’d give myself one! In every other category you race, there’s an excuse book. Yes, as drivers, we all open that book on occasions, in Carrera Cup you couldn’t utilise them. You couldn’t say “his car was better than mine.”

On one test day last year, I drove seven Carrera Cup cars and I ran within a tenth in every car. As long as they were set up right and you had some good guys working on them, you were away. That’s what I really liked about it and that’s what I’ll miss.

race chat

Marshall Cass

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Thanks for the mem OVERNIGHT, Australia lost one of its premier motor racing support classes. To some, it was a shock. For others, it was a sign of the (economic) times.

The demise of the Australian Carrera Cup Championship is a harsh reality – the Australian motor racing fraternity is just as much a part of the world’s current financial failings – but this shouldn’t be viewed as all bad news.

On the upside, the eight or nine contenders who were intending to compete in the Carrera Cup title will now find rides in other classes that are also struggling to field grid numbers. For example, the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series.

At this stage, eNews’s quick calculations say that there are

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opinion

Grant Rowley Editor eNews only 17 confirmed entries for the FV8 class, but with Carrera Cup’s withdrawal, this number is sure to rise.

Ditto MINI Challenge, Australian GT and GT3 Cup Challenge. All of these categories are in a great place to pick up where Carrera Cup fell short.

Personally, it’s a shame that the all-Porsche class won’t be with us in the short-term. The class was rightly considered as a genuine stepping stone to bigger and better things – both locally and internationally. Alex Davison (2004 champ) used it

to propel himself into the V8 Supercar ranks before heading over to Europe for a more concentrated Sportscar career.

Marcus Marshall did a similar thing, stepping out of Formula Ford into the Porsches, and then going to Champ Car, and now V8 Supercars.

David Reynolds, the 2007 champ, spent three years in the class and now finds himself driving for a factory Holden team.

Carrera Cup also brought to our attention the likes of Dean Fiore, Aaron Caratti, David Russell and David Wall – all race winners in the competitive class.

But now, it’s history, and hopefully the industry can not only learn lessons, but prosper in its wake.

opinion race

mories

WHEN I was 14, my pride and joy was my Redline 340 BMX bike. When Sean Whitfield, right, turns 14 on May 11 this year, his pride and joy will be his Mygale Formula Ford.

I too was fortunate enough to have a Formula Ford to call my own during my mid-teens, but I had to wait until I was 16. So did everyone else. It was how motor racing life worked in Australia.

But not now. CAMS has decided that 14 is old enough to start racing full-sized racing cars, and young Sean, who barely looks old enough to have a paper round, will be one of the first to take advantage of the new rule.

So is it a good thing or a bad thing?

Well, maybe it’s both. The statement

by CAMS announcing the change mentions the likes of Scott Dixon and Lewis Hamilton, both of whom were still wearing diapers when they jumped into racing cars thanks to the impossibly young minimum

opinion Andrew van Leeuwen eNews Deputy Editor ages in NZ and the UK. To say this rule is going to deliver Australia an Indy 500 winner and a Formula 1 World Champion is a bit of a stretch, but starting young is the theme of sport around the globe these days. Professional athletes are has beens by the time they break into the mid-20s, and 16-year-olds now play professional codes of football around the world. And if you want to be serious about racing Formula 1 cars, yeah, you’ve got to be onto it pretty quick. Because those other youngsters are already in Europe, banging out laps on wings-and-slicks cars. In that respect, this is a good move.

But there’s the other side of the coin; being an ankle-biter is fine if

Dirk Klynsmith

Young? Or too young?

your chosen sport is gymnastics or tennis or even football. These types of sports don’t have the same physical implications when it all goes wrong.

Back to when I was 14, smart decision making wasn’t really my strong suit. But I don’t feel bad about that, because it wasn’t what my friends were known for either. Because when you’re 14, you do silly things. That’s why my Redline is trashed in the back of dad’s shed.

So what happens when a barely 14-year-old, stuck in the middle of a Formula Ford grid at Phillip Island, gets a bit too youthfully exuberant flying through turn 1 at over 200 kays? Think trashed BMX bike on a far grander scale.

Maybe it’s a pessimistic forecast, but with the bushfire tragedy in eNews’ home state of Victoria a big issue at the moment, the value of human life seems extra important.

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NASCAR SPRINT CUP BUD SHOOTOUT – DAYTONA BEACH, FL

‘

KEVIN 07 REVISITED

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race

Remember when Kevin Harvick won the 2007 Daytona 500? No sweat.

Harvick was kind enough to produce an action replay in the Bud Shootout

By MARTIN D CLARK 29

K

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I was in the wrong spot for the whole race and then there at the end I wound up being in all the right places at the right time and had a good car to go with it.”

Paul Menard in his new Yates Ford ride headed the first two circuits from pole before being overwhelmed by Hamlin and then Dale Earnhardt Jr, who looked remarkably strong in his Hendrick mount. Caution one took out rookie Joey Logano and David Ragan both hit the wall at a high rate of knots after Robby Gordon tagged Ragan in as traffic in front checked up.

David Reutimann was involved in two wrecks, the first with David Stremme, the second when Stremme nudged Elliott Sadler and wiped out Reutimann for good. After running so strong the whole race Earnhardt Jr was tagged by a loose Menard. Bobby Labonte was became involved, all three copping heavy damage.

Stremme proved three’s a charm when he wiped out the luckless Greg Biffle with three laps remaining leaving the lead in hands of McMurray, Gordon and Johnson before Harvick cruised by to take the checkers under the yellow rag as all hell broke loose behind him.

For Harvick, he has served notice for this weekend’s Daytona 500, as it was his first win since the 2007 running of NASCAR’s biggest event.

NASCAR Media

EVIN Harvick played a waiting game last Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway in the nonpoints Budweiser ShootOut, avoiding trouble in a wreck filled race that saw a multitude of cautions over the 75 laps, the eighth on the final lap ensuring the race ended under the yellow flag following a green-whitechequer two-lap dash.

Harvick, who sideswiped the wall in the first 25 lap segment, started 27th in the race determined by draw and was running fourth on the final restart behind Jamie McMurray, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, who had all spent time leading.

Harvick made a three-wide move in the middle of Denny Hamlin and Johnson, with drafting help from his new Richard Childress team-mate Casey Mears, took the lead from McMurray in turn three on the final lap. Then Mears tagged his former Hendrick stablemate Johnson, sending the Champion into Hamlin and also wiping out Kyle Busch and Brian Vickers who also headed laps earlier in the race.

“I was thinking ‘we won a Daytona 500 this exact same way’, just never giving up,” commented Harvick.

“We repaired the left-front fender and the right side during the break, it seemed like

The Stars, the Cars: Everyone was on show for the first race of the season and, after no pre-season testing, there were some anxious moments. Joey Logano and Scott Speed had an early shower after this lap 3 melee, above. Casey Mears and Robby Gordon got to compare their sponsors’ beverages as well.

NASCAR | BUD SHOOTOUT, DAYTONA INT. SPEEDWAY 1 29 2 26 3 14 4 24 5 44 6 9 7 99 8 17 9 2 10 18

Kevin Harvick Childress/Shell Chevrolet Jamie McMurray Roush Fenway/Crown Royal Ford Tony Stewart Stewart Haas/Old Spice Chevrolet Jeff Gordon Hendrick/DuPont Chevrolet AJ Allmendinger Petty/Valvoline Dodge Kasey Kahne Petty/Budweiser Dodge Carl Edwards Roush Fenway/Aflac Ford Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway/DeWalt Ford Kurt Busch Penske/Miller Lite Dodge Kyle Busch Gibbs/M&Ms Toyota

78 Q27 78 15 78 6 78 28 78 18 78 14 78 11 78 25 78 12 78 10

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NASCAR Media

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Things change: Casey Mears had his first race in Jack Daniel’s black, above; Tony Stewart debuted in Old Spice red, above wight; the Gibbs Toyotas of Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin mixed it up with Kasey Kahne’s Dodge, below; but in the end, Kevin Harvick got another Daytona trophy, below. sutton-images.com

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PERTH MOTORPLEX ROUND 5 – TOP ALCOHOL

Good looks won’t stop Team R

The Reed family’s decision to trek to WA was the best one it has made all year ...

Q

ueensland’s Debbie Reed took a win over Steve Reed in the firstever husband and wife final for a professional drag racing category in round five of the Australian Top Alcohol Championship at Perth Motorplex on January 30 and 31.

It was a storybook ending to a tortuous lead up to the event.

It began with two first round face offs in a row for the team in rounds three and four of the championship. In round four at Willowbank Raceway just weeks before the event at Perth Motorplex, Steve had an

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engine failure in his Funny Car, setting it alight and hitting the wall at over 200kmh.

Fortunately the team had a spare Funny Car, which was going to be set up for Debbie to eventually replace her rail dragster.

Ensuring he got permission from his wife beforehand, Steve set the car up for his own needs and amazingly had it ready to race on the other side of the continent.

Gary Phillips led qualifying with a 5.69s run in hot and humid conditions in Western Australia. Debbie and Steve placed third and fourth respectively in the field,

ensuring they would be on opposite sides of the ladder for once in a mainly local field.

Debbie advanced past first time Top Alcohol runner Adam Marchant in the first round and then tough local Aaron Deery in the second, while Steve took out Rob Pilkington first up and then knocked out Phillips in a bizarre semi final.

Phillips appeared to have the win on a platter when Steve’s parachute fell out shortly after he launched, but then Phillips crossed the centreline, disqualifying himself and setting up an all-Reed final.

In one of the best races of the event, it was Debbie’s 5.73s

defeating a 5.80s from Steve.

“My commiserations to Steven, but I did tell him I was going to kick his ass,” Debbie said after the race.

“We have a lot to talk about on the Nullarbor now.”

Steven was just glad to see both Reed Transport cars in the final for the first time together.

“Thanks to Debbie for letting me use her car,” he said.

“It was a dream come true to have both of us in the final, and it didn’t matter who won. But Debbie’s the hero here.”

The Reed team now lead the national championship over Phillips.

– LUKE NIEUWHOF

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Reed Circlework.com.au/Steve Winter

Circlework.com.au/Steve Winter

Circlework.com.au/Steve Winter

Hot and fast: The first appearance of John Cannuli in the Crossroads Racing B52 Energy Drink Funny Car, top, got everyone talking. Left, Steve Reed collides with the centre line blocks. Above, Debbie O’Rourke’s Top Alcohol car.

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AUSTRALIAN SPRINTCAR CHAMPIONSHIP KWINANA MOTORPLEX

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Better than Six

Garry Brazier showed just how to win the West last weekend, and in the process he won his sixth Australian Sprintcar Championship

Darren Sutton

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G

ARRY Brazier is now a six-time winner of the Australian Sprintcar Championship after taking out a thrilling fight at Kwinana Motorplex in Perth last weekend.

The final was a four-way fight between Brazier, local hero Ryan Farrell, Brooke Tatnell and Trevor Green. But while Farrell, Green and Tatnell diced hard, and were never far from the tail of Brazier, there was only one man out front.

“My dad just gives me the best of equipment,” said Brazier.

“What else can a driver say?

“The track was pretty good from the get go. The high line is my line, [and] I knew if I stuck to my guns they weren’t going to drive under me. It was just my night tonight.”

Behind the winner there was plenty going on. Green was a fast finisher, his second place only being secured in the dying stages of the A-Main. A run on the low line after a late caution saw him vault from fourth to second, somehow leaving Tatnell and Farrell in his wake.

“It’s a long way but we love it over here,” Green said.

“We won the very first race over here [in December 2000] and [we] had visions of winning again during the week. I am lost for words. I gave it my all and I don’t know what to say.”

Farrell started on the front row, and was disappointed to go backwards. He spent most of the race battling for second with Tatnell, and while he won the battle with Tatnell, it wasn’t for second by the time the chequered flag fell. Instead it was for third. But considering he had contact with the lapped car of Kris Coyle during the race, third wasn’t a bad result.

“We started to run out of fuel with about a lap and a half to go,” Farrell later said.

“The car was good enough to win. Full marks to Garry and Trevor, it was a great race and one I will remember for a long time.”

Ian Loudoun finished the feature fifth, ahead of Robbie Farr, Steven Lines and Max Dumesny. David Priolo and David Murcott rounded out the top 10.

Earlier in the weekend, there was a familiar trio up the front of the field. Brazier, Tatnell and Farrell were the unsurprising front-runners in Friday night’s Preliminary Feature as well, however there was a different outcome to the 20-lapper. Well, not that different; Tatnell won, something he’s done plenty of times before.

To do it this time, however, he had to come from the second row behind Brazier and Farrell. And it was Farrell who set the early pace, Tatnell waiting until traffic to set up his win.

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race

Darren Sutton

Sixth time is a charm: Brazier, left, had to beat a quality field to win Australian Championship number six, above. And from that field his stiffest opposition came from local hero Ryan Farrell, right, and a hard-charging Trevor Green, below.

Darren Sutton Darren Sutton

Darren Sutton

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rear ofrace grid

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Crashcar? Hell, Yeah!

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NASCAR is back. And that makes us happy here at Motorsport eNews.

NASCAR drivers are much different to everyone else. At the Race of Champions at Wembley last December, Jenson Button forgot how to speak English and made it clear that he was not speaking to the media, or anyone else. On the other hand, Carl Edwards spoke to everyone – media, fans, doors …

wrecks and some torn-up cars.

A problem for the drivers? Hell, No! “That was a lot of built-up race car drivers that were really looking for something to hang out on the edge,” explained race winner Kevin Harvick.

“I hope we cancel testing every winter. I hate testing.”

No, we don’t hate testing. But we love racin’ …

Odd Spot

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JUST when you though that you have seen everything roar down the dragstrip comes this.

Tractor Drag Racing.

OK, we are confident that this green thing is not racing, because it appears as though the guy behind it is about to roar past – on foot. We think that it has something to do with grooming the track at the Quit Motorplex in WA. But think of the possibilities.

Off-road fans coming to the drags. Tractor Pull fans too. We think this one has legs.

It might take a while to get an audience but when it comes to combining work with racing, it has potential.

Suggestions for race formats are welcome. Please, send them to us, in a John Deere letter.

“Great guy,” said a media buddy of ours in the UK. “He started every answer with either ‘Hell, No!’ or ‘Hell, Yeah!’”

Edwards had nothing better to do. To save its teams money, NASCAR banned pre-season testing, so all the drivers rocked up to the Bud Shootout last weekend loaded with testosterone and busting to race. The result was a bunch of

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