Motorsport eNews Issue 92 - February 17-23, 2009

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Issue No. 092 17 – 23 February 2009

s p a g e h t g Fillin

WE NAME THE LEADING CONTENDER FOR THE #67 PMM SEAT

WtIoNth!e

Go AGP in Style

Caruso’s New toy FPR‘s fresh look

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

Australasian

The ‘A’ Team

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

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) Motorsport eNews is published by Australasian Motorsport News ABN 55 125 120 702 Publisher: C Lambden

Issue No. 092 | 17 – 23 Feb 2009

news 4 Is Slade made?

6 New car smell 9 Frosty’s new look 15 GT’s lockout 18 Brothers in Arms 20 It’s Bathurst time!

chat 24 5 minutes with ... opinion 26 Portman 27 van Leeuwen

race 28 Daytona 500 32 World Rally 36 Australian Rally

FV8 driver on PMM list Caruso will have it at Clipsal You can see Richo’s, too ...

Not all Cuppers get lifeline Eli and Simon team up 12 Hour, that is ...

Matt Kenseth Rising from the ashes Honesty is the best policy Kenseth the Rain Man Loeb delivers snow blow One more time with feeling

trade 40 Classifieds It doesn’t matter how many manufacturers pull out of the World Rally Championship, it’s still mind-blowingly spectacular ...

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.

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

BRIEFLY... n As predicted in the last issue of eNews, Team Kiwi Racing has secured a deal to run a third Paul Morris Motorsport (PMM) Commodore for the 2009 V8 Supercar Championship Series. No word yet, though, on a driver, although Craig Baird remains in contention. n Holden Special Vehicles and the Toll Holden Racing Team has announced an auction with a twist – the highest bidder will receive the fender from HSV’s W427, which spectacularly collided with a wall of tyres at Oran Park late last year.

The prize also includes a T2 ‘hot lap’ and lunch at the company’s Clayton headquarters with the man behind the wheel of the famous Aussie Supercar at the time of the prang, the Toll Holden Racing Team’s Garth Tander.

“So many people have lost everything and both HSV and HRT wanted to put together a unique opportunity to make a donation to this most worthy cause,” Tander said.

“I’d urge all V8 Supercar fans and motoring enthusiasts to get behind this auction – not only will they be supporting a really worthy cause but it’s a chance to own a pretty special piece of motoring history.”

The auction has a reserve of $1000 and closes late next week. For further details, go to www.hsv.com.au or www.hrt. com.au n Three companies under the Atkinson Gore group’s control have gone into receivership, reportedly owing $145m to embattled Gold Coast group City Pacific. Atkinson Gore was founded by former V8 team owner Craig Gore and John Atkinson, who remain as executive directors. WPS, which owned and operated WPS Racing, is owned by Atkinson Gore.

Slade latest fave for P Fujitsu V8 front-runner in the running for vacant Supercheap Auto Racing V8 SUPERCARS TIM Slade has moved into the frame as the leading contender for the second seat at Paul Morris Motorsport’s Supercheap Auto Racing team.

The South Australian-born driver is in line for the seat alongside team leader Russell Ingall after Paul Morris announced his retirement from regular racing competition at the end of last season.

Slade, a round winner in the Fujitsu V8 Series last year, visited PMM’s workshop recently and is keen to make the step up to the Main Game.

“It’s something that I’ve worked towards since I started racing go karts,” the 23-year-old said.

“It would be a fantastic opportunity if the opportunity arose. I just have to wait and see how it all pans out.

“It would be nice to get something confirmed ASAP, but I haven’t said “yes” or “no” to any path just yet. There’s still a couple of options. I guess I just have to wait and see how things pan out.”

If Slade doesn’t secure a ride with Supercheap Auto Racing, there are options for him to remain in the Fujitsu V8 Series. His current Commodore VZ is for sale, and if he sells that, he could purchase a newer-model VE, or even keep his ex-Perkins Engineering VZ and race that in the Development Series again.

While Slade has moved into the prime position to take the ride, he isn’t a certainty, and eNews understands that there remains two other contenders for the seat, including fellow Fujitsu V8 racer Dale Wood and Steve Owen.

Wood is another Fujitsu star looking to make the grade to the Main Series, having spent the last two season driving for Greg Murphy Racing in the Development Series.

Slade has enjoyed a steady climb through Australia’s motorsport ranks.

A successful karter, Slade first drove in the Australian Formula 3 championship before driving for Sonic Motor Racing Services in the 2006 Australian Formula Ford Championship. He finished second behind John Martin in the series.

In 2007, Slade joined the ANT Racing team in the Fujitsu V8 Series before switching to the Matthew White Racing team. Last year, he established his own V8 team, and in the second round at Wakefield Park, Slade won Race 2 and also won the round. He eventually finished seventh in the series.

The drive in the #67 Supercheap Auto Commodore is one of only three remaining unconfirmed seats in the V8 Supercars Championship Series. Team Kiwi Racing’s drive is still TBA, while the fourth seat at Kelly Racing (using one of Larry Perkins’ licences) remains up for grabs.

– GRANT ROWLEY

PMM

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Solid Daytona Debut NASCAR MARCOS Ambrose netted 17th place, his best ever Sprint Cup oval track result, and over $450,000 in prizemoney in Sunday’s Daytona 500.

The Aussie took a conservative approach over the first part of the race, working on some handling issues during stops, and was starting to move forward from his mid-20s spot when the race was stopped, after 148 of 200 laps, when rain fell.

A few laps earlier, Marcos’ #47 Little Debbie Toyota Camry had come through the middle of a big shunt, initiated by Dale Earnhardt Junior (a lap down), who collided with another lapped

car (Brian Vickers) and, in among the leaders at the time following a restart, took out several leading contenders, including pacesetter Kyle Busch, who had led for much of the day.

“The car was getting better and better as the night went on,” Ambrose reported.

“I was getting better out there too and picking my lines better. It was getting a little intense in the pack, but I expected that.

“With the rain coming too, I think the panic started early and it started getting pretty rugged.

“When there’s a wreck, you just have to keep your foot in it and hope you get through it.

Half the time you think you’re going to come out the other side of it and then you don’t because you get collected, but I just kept my foot down and hoped for the best.

“I’ll take 17th – it’s a good points day for us.

I could have gone forwards if the race had gone all the way to the end, but I could well have gone backwards too!

“It was guaranteed that there was going to be lots of accidents and the rain threw another factor into it, because normally the drivers will wait until 20 or 30 laps to go before they get crazy.

“But with the rain coming, no-one knew when it would fall, so the last 80 or 90 laps were pretty fast paced and intense …”

For more, see our Daytona 500 coverage, page 28, plus 5 Minutes with Matt Kenseth (winner) page 24

New car for Caruso, new loo V8 SUPERCARS

MICHAEL Caruso won’t just start the 2009 V8 Supercar Championship Series with new paint; he’ll start with a brand new car.

The finishing touches on Caruso’s brand new Garry Rogers Motorsport VE Commodore have just started at the team’s Dandenong base, with the car expected to be online for the first test day at Winton on March 9. It will be the second new car GRM has built in the last 12 months, with Lee Holdsworth debuting a fresh chassis at Phillip Island last year.

Caruso is excited by the thought of having a brand new car, and says it is the first he’s ever had the privilege of racing.

“I’ve never had a new car, even on the road,” he told eNews.

“I drove Lee’s car for the enduros [last year], and the difference in the feel of a new chassis is so positive. And even the mechanics are stoked because everything will fit. Everyone’s pretty excited.”

But the biggest advantage of the new car is that it will give the GRM squad two identical chassis, instead of having a new generation car, and an older car.

“It’s exactly the same as Lee’s car that was debuted at Phillip Island, and that was always the plan, having two identical cars.

It makes it easier for the feedback, and because we are a similar height and have similar driving styles, we can jump in and drive each other’s car if need be at a test day.

“It’s little things like that, where last year the two cars were completely different. This will speed up the processes, and it makes it easier for the mechanics because the spares are the same.”

While it will be Caruso that actually gets the drive the new car, team leader

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New engineer for Lee

War Paint: The two Garry Rogers Motorsport cars will feature a slightly revised colour scheme this season.

V8 SUPERCARS

van Leeuwen

ok for GRM

Dirk Klynsmith

Holdsworth says he too will benefit from Caruso’s promotion to a up-spec chassis.

“One area where a lot of teams gained last year was when they had a car running in that extra half hour practice session, and they collected data that was relevant for both cars. For us, with Michael being in that first half hour session, it wasn’t really helping us, because his car was older than mine.

The information wasn’t relevant.”

Not only will Caruso have a new chassis for Clipsal, but he will also start the season with a Walkinshaw Racing engine, giving him identical equipment to that of Holdsworth from the very first round.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

FOR the second season in a row, Lee Holdsworth will start 2009 with a new engineer.

Chris Harris is the man Garry Rogers Motorsport has charged with the responsibility of engineering the Holdsworth car, as the star driver looks to follow up his breakthrough round win at Oran Park back in 2007.

Holdsworth is no stranger to having to adjust to having a new voice on the headset; this time last year, he was preparing to start the season with Anthony Pethebrigde. Now, Pethebridge will be looking after Michael Caruso’s new car, with Harris working with Holdsworth.

“Chris is a really switched-on guy, and he’s worked for Stone Brothers before, so it will be a good thing,” said Holdsworth.

“But it does take a few rounds to really get the relationship going. You get a bit of an idea at the test day as to how well things are going to work, but it still takes two or three rounds to really know. Or a really difficult situation; that’s the real test.

“As I said, from what I’ve seen so far, he seems really knowledgeable and very switched-on, so I’m not worried about it at all.”

Holdsworth did admit that the change in the engineering team has led to him spending more time than usual at the team’s HQ to try and fasttrack the development of the driver/ engineer relationship.

“The more time we can spend together during the season, the better we are going to work together when it comes to the racing,” he added.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

Will fitter be faster for FPR? V8 SUPERCARS

TRAINING is the buzzword in Campbellfield, with Ford Performance Racing stepping up the hard work before the start of the season.

Both Mark Winterbottom and Steven Richards are taking part in a seven-day bootcamp next week, the pair heading to the north coast of New South Wales and to Queensland to work under specialist trainer Glen Lindsay.

The ex-British Army expert will be preparing the two Ford drivers across a number of disciplines over the week, with sports involving hand-eye coordination

high on the list of the ex-Jordan trainer’s list. Motorsport eNews declined the opportunity to join the drivers for the kickboxing part of the program …

But it is not just the fellas who sit down who are putting in the hard yards. FPR has added daily gym sessions to the crew’s pitstops practices, with preparation the key to the different scenarios the teams will face this season. With fuel stops on the agenda at most races, tyre changers face the prospect of managing a rattle gun and two wheels by themselves, so strength and coordination will be a priority in a number of races.

Roamin’ numerals V8 SUPERCARS

WITH some many changes up and down the V8 Supercar pitlane, there were invariably going to be some number changing.

Walkinshaw Racing (formerly known as the HSV Dealer Team) will use #10 (Paul Dumbrell) and #24 (David Reynolds).

Kelly Racing’s four car team has a mix of numbers; like last year, Todd Kelly will campaign car #7 and Jack Perkins will steer family favourite #11. The Kelly’s have kept #15 and #16 that have been attached to their licences. Rick will use #15 and #16 for the fourth driver, believed to be either Jonathon Webb or Tony Ricciardello.

– GRANT ROWLEY

When the White goes out ...

V8 SUPERCARS

CHANNEL 7’s V8 Supercar Television commentary line-up has undergone an off-season shake-up.

With Matt White’s increased network commitments on Today Tonight, V8TV’s Aaron Noonan will be drafted into the main commentary box for at least six rounds of the V8 Championship Series.

“When Matt’s not there, I’ll be in the chair,” Noonan told eNews.

“At the moment, it’s six rounds, but schedules change so my commitments

aren’t completely settled.

“For me, it’s the equivalent of getting the Main Game drive that everyone wants. It’s the next step. I’ve done the supports for the past two years, and while I’ll still be doing them, this is a great opportunity to step up. It’s pretty exciting and where I’ve always wanted to be.”

Noonan started working in the motor racing business at Motorsport News but has always had eyes for a career on television.

– GRANT ROWLEY

news

Countdown to IT LOOKS FAST US team news

Webber returns to the cockpit – an

Windsor tips 24 Feb unveiling FORMULA 1 THE fledgling USF1 team is set to go public later this month.

Peter Windsor and Ken Anderson are expected to speak about their project on SpeedTV, on which Windsor is a reporter, on February 24.

“Ken and I have been looking

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at the possibility of designing and building an F1 car in the USA for the past four years,” Windsor, left, explained.

“So I guess the real surprise is that we were able to keep it quiet for so long. The news broke this week, but the real announcement is going to be live on SpeedTV, potentially on 24 February.”

Anderson has told Spanish newspaper Diario Sport that the Charlotte, North Carolinabased team will have a European base, possibly in Spain.

Names linked with the team’s technical staff include Argentine designer Sergio Rinland, formerly of Benetton and Sauber (and inventor of the twin keel chassis) and Spaniard Joan Villadelprat, formerly Benetton’s Operations Director during Michael Schumacher’s title years in 1994-95.

FORMULA 1 RED Bull’s RB5 suffered with slight teething problems last week – but the car appears to be fast.

Mark Webber had to wait a day to get his hands on the new car at Jerez but by the end of a three-day test, both the Aussie and team-mate Sebastien Vettel were pleased with the progress made with the Renault-powered car. The German lost some time on the final day of the test with illfitting bodywork, which took

some hours to remedy.

The Aussie’s first drive of a racing car since breaking his leg in November went without any physical problems.

“I am still not 100 percent fit for some of the things I like to do,” he told eNews, “but as far as driving a Formula 1 car is concerned, it was all good.”

Webber had a titanium pin removed from his right leg just before making the trip to Spain and was walking with a slight limp, which limited his movements out of the car.

But the really encouraging

Honda F1 making FORMULA 1 THE team formerly known as Honda Racing F1 may yet make it onto the grid at Albert Park.

Reports from the UK suggest that the team is modifying its 2009 cars to accept customer Mercedes-Benz engines, and that funds have been secured to assure the team’s future.

According to the reports, Bruno Senna has brought a consortium of Brazilian sponsors to the team, and will join the still-contracted driver Jenson Button. Honda itself

10

may well continue to provide some partial backing of the team because it is more economical to do that, rather than to shut down the team and pay out the staff’s entitlements, including Button’s.

Website crash.net reported that last week, team principal Ross Brawn advised the team’s staff by email that the cars would be racing in Melbourne, and London’s Times newspaper reported that Formula One Management’s Bernie Ecclestone is actively involved in the efforts to ensure that the team

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T – NO BULL

nd the RB5 shows potential

F1 testing at Sand Down

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part of the test was the speed of the car. The RB5 was not far behind the pace of the McLarens and Fernando Alonso’s Renault, the latter running a similar motor/ electronics/KERS set-up to the Red Bull.

Our sources suggest that, in its maiden test, while the RB5 ran with all of its KERS hardware in place, it was not operational.

The reliability testing of that system is due to happen this week at Valencia, so it would appear that the latest Bull has a great deal of potential …

FORMULA 1

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TESTING in Bahrain is a great idea.

While Europe is beset with winter, in the Middle East there is sun and blue skies.

And sand. Plenty of sand.

There’s the rub. When Ferrari, Toyota and BMW headed to Bahrain, there was much time lost because sandstorms struck the Sakir track for two of the three days. When the cars did hit the track, Kimi Raikkonen

topped the times but Toyota’s Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock, above, were close behind.

Meanwhile at Jerez, the sun shone … While Lewis Hamilton was the fastest driver in a 2009 car, the news was that Fernando Alonso was very close behind. Renault’s R29 has a difficult start to its life but the Spaniard dragged the car forward with every lap, and the team does not enjoy a reputation for grandstanding in testing.

Melbourne plans continues.

“We’ve been talking to them – whatever happens we’d like to see the Formula One team stay in business,” Ecclestone told the paper.

But because of the commitments of his FOM group, he stopped short of describing his efforts as making a financial commitment.

“I’d rather not comment on that but we will do whatever we have to do to try to make it happen.”

Those comments are likely to be aimed at the European

Commission, which could potentially take action to prevent FOM, the sport’s commercial rights holder, taking a financial stake in a team or teams.

“I don’t even know whether we could legally be involved – we probably couldn’t,” Ecclestone said.

“The Commission might say that because we are the commercial rights-holder [that] we shouldn’t be part of it. I don’t know at this stage, but there is a possibility that loans could be made, or something.”

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Rubber Woes at SHR

NASCAR SPRINT CUP TYRE issues reared their ugly heads during the build-up to the Daytona 500, with Tony Stewart’s new team at the forefront.

Stewart and team-mate Ryan Newman had to start the 500 on the backup cars – Newman in his second backup car, after wrecking the Chevy he qualified for the race in the Duel last Thursday. In Saturday practice, Newman had his right rear tyre explode, pitching him sideways and into the wall. Adding insult to injury,

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his team-mate and car owner T-boned Newman as he spun, forcing Stewart to race the car he used in the previous week’s Budweiser Shootout.

Stewart gave up the fifth starting slot, Newman, above, went on to start 36th.

“It’s the same thing we’ve talked about all week and every time we come down here,” commented Stewart, a noted critic of Goodyear.

“It’s just a Goodyear right-rear tyre. I think it’s part of their marketing campaign; the more we talk about it, the more press they get. I think they forget

that it’s supposed to be in a good way, not a bad way.”

Newman was one of several drivers who suffered tread wear issues during the Duels and Goodyear reclaimed eight tyres after the event. This time though, the manufacturer claims debris blew the tyre.

“You can see a clear puncture through the tread and the belt package,” remarked Goodyear’s Stu Grant.

“The tread is still intact and this incident bears no resemblance to the one that happened on Thursday.”

– MARTIN D CLARK

CASTRON

Final appeal fails, s INDYCAR THE court case involving Helio Castroneves will go ahead after a motion to dismiss all charges against the IndyCar star was dismissed last week.

Attorneys representing Castroneves and his sister Katiucia motioned for dismissal of the tax evasion charges on the grounds that

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A Happy King NASCAR SPRINT CUP

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NEVES: DATE SET

so Indy 500 champ heads to court

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the statute of limitations, which is normally set at three years, was exceeded.

The United States Internal Revenue Service seeks criminal prosecution against the Brazilian, his sister and his business manager, and his attorney, Alan Miller, for failure to pay taxes on monies earned

AFTER an off-season of controversy, Richard Petty Motorsports was the Cinderella story of the 2009 Daytona 500.

The merger of Petty Enterprises – some describe it as a takeover – and Gillett Evernham Motorsports put three RPM Dodges into the race. The man who had to qualify on speed, AJ Allmendinger, finished third.

In fact, all three Petty cars finished in the top nine places.

“Elliott [Sadler] and Reed [Sorenson] were a big factor of why I got into this race,” said the former Champ Car star.

“That was a lot of teamwork that was involved to get that to happen.”

The man who was sacked

by Red Bull last season has a limited program for 2009 but was in the leading group all race, despite a relative lack of restrictor plate racing experience.

“Everybody’s putting 100 percent effort into it,” ‘Dinger’ continued. “You can see when you go to the shop and at the racetrack just everybody’s attitude even from the five races that I was there last year everybody’s pumped up to be here and excited.

“You got the King [Petty] walking around saying ‘hi’ to everybody, making sure everybody’s good. It’s a lot of fun at the racetrack right now.

“I look forward to going to California and just carrying this on.”

from 1999 through 2004. The trial will take place starting March 2 in Miami, Florida where the Indy 500 winner resides.

“My sister and I are innocent and we will prove this in court,” said Castroneves, who attempted to settle with the IRS by offering to pay taxes and penalties of over US$5 million so that he could continue racing.

If convicted, Castroneves could be sentenced up to 30 years in prison.

Will Power will join Team Penske at the two IndyCar open tests scheduled for February 24-25 on the Homestead, Miami oval, and March 23-24 at Barber Motorsports Park’s road course near Birmingham, Alabama.

Power’s program with the team past that depends on the outcome of the Castroneves trial.

– MARY MENDEZ

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Sonic tempted by three

New Fujitsu V8 Series team looks at three cars for maiden V8 series tilt FUJITSU V8s

Dirk Klynsmith

EXPECT to see three Team Sonic entries in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series this year.

Having already secured two Triple Eight Falcon BFs, the Michael Ritter-run team is now negotiating to purchase another car in the wake of the demise of Carrera Cup. Sonic ran four Carrera Cup cars last year but is likely to up its maiden FV8 Series to three to accommodate team stalwart Rodney Jane.

At this point, Bryce

Washington’s car, right, is the only confirmed starter, while James Moffat and Jane appear the leading contenders for the other two seats.

“It’s on our agenda, that’s for sure,” Ritter said about upping his team’s V8 stable to three.

“We’re working pretty hard on that at the moment, but we’ll see how we go. Obviously, Clipsal is looming quick so we’ve been forced to move fast.

“We’re looking at a couple of different cars. There’s a couple of opportunities, but ideally, we really want to run

another Triple Eight-type car, or a car which is full of their components, at least.

“It makes much more sense for us to do it that way than going another way. That’s not to say that we wouldn’t look at other cars, but the most

sensible way forward is to do something with a Triple Eight car.”

Besides potentially three Fujitsu V8s, Sonic will also enter its three Mygale Formula Fords in the Australian championship.

– GRANT ROWLEY

Name changed, entries coming Walsh’s A1 FORMULA 3

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rookie return

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The Australian Formula 3 Championship has changed its name.

From 2009 onwards, the series will now be known as the Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship.

The name change, as well as the new logo reflects both the international recognition behind the brand ‘Formula 3’, while also returning the ‘Australian Drivers Championship’ brand to the local scene.

The opening round of the F3 championship on the streets of Adelaide has 22 cars pencilled in, however, there remains many ‘TBAs’ on the list.

Category spokesman and board member Richard Craill says F3 is doing all it can to secure more cars on the Clipsal grid.

“There are a few people talking and speaking to the teams to work out f they have budgets to compete,” said Craill.

“The 22 cars listed are all very good cars, but its just a matter of swapping the TBAs for drivers.

“We’re doing everything we can to help teams and drivers find budgets. Clipsal is our marquee event and we want to do our best to put on the best possible show.”

Two of the past three Australian F3 champions have been British drivers (Ben Clucas and James Winslow). To encourage more international drivers ‘Down Under,’ F3 has run targeted advertising in European motorsport magazines, promoting the cost-effective nature of Australian F3, compared to the European championships.

Meguiar’s has also signed on as a associated series sponsor, awarding a ‘best-presented’ award for each round.

The recipient of the award will be a team that takes a step forward in presentation – on and off the track.

– GRANT ROWLEY

ASH Walsh will step into A1 Team Australia’s rookie seat for the third time at Kyalami, South Africa, this weekend.

The 20-year-old Queenslander drove in his two scheduled rookie sessions in Malaysia and New Zealand, but has scored another rookie run despite the fact that he completed less than a lap in New Zealand. The Ferrari engine blew up and the team were unable to effect a change before the end of the session.

At this stage, Walsh is unlikely to compete in any Australian racing competition, electing concentrate on his A1GP commitments.

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AGT: No extra V8 races on agenda AUSTRALIAN GT

Peter Bury

GT’s eight limit remains

Selected CCup entries allowed – others destined for GT3 class AUSTRALIAN GT THE Australian GT Championship won’t be the saviour that some of the stranded Carrera Cup competitors were looking for, with the series sticking to its regulations regarding seeded drivers and a limit on individual makes of car.

While it was expected that GT organisers would open the entries to any CCup drivers wishing to take part, they have instead hand-picked a list of competitors deemed suitable for the ‘gentleman’s’ racing class. And with just eight examples of any one marque accepted throughout the series’ three classes, and two Porsches already entered for the season, it means just six CCup refugees will get a chance to compete in GTs. Those drivers will be the Kondouris brothers James and Theo, Max Twigg, Marc Cini, Peter Hill and Jim Richards.

David Wall will also be in a Porsche ‘Club S,’ however he was already registered as a seeded driver in and RSR version of a GT3, while Ash

Samadi will race a Wall’s old 996 RSR spec Porsche to make up the eight.

The decision by GT organisers means that drivers such as Warren Luff and Bart Mawer, who may have used the AGTC to replace CCup in their schedules, won’t be able to do so. But according to AGTC co-director Terry Little, allowing semi-professional drives like that would be going against the spirit of the championship.

“We still see ourself completely different in the landscape of motorsport to Carrera Cup,” he told eNews.

“V8 Supercars is professional, Fujitsu V8s is the development category for that, and Carrera Cup was on that same path, with young drivers looking for professional careers. We are self-funded drivers who can afford to do it long-term. And we work hard with our guys, and we discuss our decisions with them, and that’s why we’ve been seeing the growth.”

According to Little, the category never even considered dropping the eight-car rule to ensure big

fields thanks to the left over Porsches.

“No,” said Little when asked if the idea was even proposed.

“It couldn’t be an issue, because we have to be very aware of protecting the investment of the guys we already had. We already had a full grid, and we have that because these guys have invested. And they invested in the series because we have been heading down the path of recreational drivers.

“These guys are in business, they are not professional drivers, and they aren’t in cars every day. They aren’t young guns trying to forge a career, and it isn’t the place for a young gun to forge a career. Unfortunately Carrera Cup was one of those places, but I see now Formula Ford, Formula 3 and Fujitsu as the places those young guys should be.”

As predicted by eNews last issue, the majority of the ex-CCup 997s will be made available for the GT3 Cup Challenge class which runs on the Shannons Nationals bill.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

THE Australian GT Championship won’t be looking to fill the hole left on the V8 Supercar support bill since the collapse of Carrera Cup. That’s the message from series co-director Terry Little, who says that the AGTC is quite happy with its two big-name events at the Clipsal 500 and the Australian Grand Prix, as well as being a regular fixture on the Shannons Nationals bill.

But Little did admit that GT organisers are speaking to V8 Supercars Australia about more one-off appearances on the Supercar schedule should the opportunity present.

“We’re very happy with our calendar at the moment,” he said.

“We have two great events, and at the other events we have good track time and good garages. We’re the stars at those events.

“Part of the problem with Carrera Cup falling over was their calendar. They had six concrete jungles, and the risk that the races get cut short.

You’re really at the beck and call of V8 Supercars, and you have to fall into line with them.

“Having said that, we wouldn’t be opposed to the right deals at the right places, and we are in talks with V8SA about events.

But it would have to suit our competitor base, and anything we did would be after we’ve gone back to the competitors.”

Little almost admitted that the AGTC would welcome a more mainstream television package, with highlights of the GT races currently being broadcast as part of SBS’s Speedweek program.

“We’d love a better television package; we’d love to look after the commercial partners a bit better with better television.”

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

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John Morris/Mpix

Aussies and MINIs for AGP

Small cars get late Albert Park call-up in the wake of Carrera Cup/Celebrity demise GRAND PRIX SUPPORTS MINI Challenge and Aussie Racers are set to jump onto the Australian Grand Prix support programme.

Both come at the expense of categories affected by the current economic downturn.

An announcement is expected from the AGP today (Tuesday) confirming the additions, replacing the originally-scheduled Carrera Cup and Celebrity events.

The Carrera Cup Championship has folded, while commercial

manufacturer support for the continuation of the Celebrity Race concept (which has been part of the GP meeting every year since the first AGP, in Adelaide in 1985) simply hasn’t materialised for 2009.

The MINIs and Aussie Racers will both be competing for their respective series points.

It’s the MINI’s first visit to the Albert Park streets, while it is the third year in a row that the Aussies will be on track.

Joining he GP’s new support classes will be V8 Supercars, Formula 5000s and Formula Fords.

Minis on the up THE inclusion of the Mini Challenge on the AGP programme comes as a boost to the series, which had been seen as one which could have struggled in the current economic downturn.

The Mini fraternity is, we hear, now moving forward with some confidence – with every likelihood of also replacing Carrera Cup’s slot at the Gold Coast street race, late in October.

Category Managers Spherix (which also manages the Yokohama V8 Utes Series) couldn’t comment until the GP announcement becomes formal, but Spherix’s Craig Denyer is now confident the 2009 programme will deliver 20-car fields.

The Tap Attack AUSTRALIAN GT Andrew Taplin has unveiled the look of his new Lamborghini Gallardo that he will campaign in

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the 2009 Australian GT Championship.

Taplin will share resources on race weekenswith reigning GT Champion Mark Eddy and Dean Grant in a

three-car ‘race weekend-only’ team for the new year.

Taplin’s Lamborghini was purchased from Ian Palmer and will reside in Adelaide.

The first round of the

booming championship will be held at the Clipsal 500, with the second round one week later at the Australian Grand Prix.

– GRANT ROWLEY

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Evans: It Australi ‘Rally Dr WORLD RALLY Joel Stricklanbd

I Feel the Need

ONE HD gets ready to televise the Grand-Am Series SPORTSCARS SPORTSCAR racing fans are in for a treat, with US sources telling eNews that one of the major series will make it to Australian TV this year.

Details are sketchy by we understand that the Rolex Grand-Am Series will be televised on Network 10’s new ONE HD, which launches on March 26. The 12-round series, which kicked off at the Daytona 24 Hour race last month, resumes on April 24-25 with the Bosch Engineering 250 at Virginia International Raceway.

The coverage of the event is likely to feature the same commentary team as seen on

SpeedTV – which would mean that Leigh Diffey, a regular in the series for the last two seasons, would return to 10’s screens.

We also believe that there have been negotiations to broadcast the American Le Mans Series, but that the tough economic climate that saw Audi and Peugeot withdraw from the series, has made it economically difficult for that to proceed.

The granddaddy of all Sportscar races, the Le Mans 24 Hour, is broadcast through much of the world and while there is no information on whether it will make it onto ONE, we believe that the current broadcasting agreements are very expensive, given the value of the Australian dollar.

At the Isla

sutton-images.com

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THE Evans family are taking on the world!

Well, they will be in September when the World Rally Championship heads down under. And until then, they’ll be taking on the locals with a two-car factory team for Eli and Simon Evans in the Australian Rally Championship.

Eli has been running in the family team for the past few ARC seasons, and will be joined by his older brother thanks to the withdrawal of Toyota from Australian rallying, leaving him out of his factory drive.

The pair will both campaign Subaru WRXs, with a 2006-spec car currently in the panel shop being hurriedly readied for next month’s second ARC round in Canberra.

With Simon having won rallies in both Subarus and Toyotas, as well as two ARC titles, Eli is looking forward to being able to tap into his

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Peugeot Sport

t’s ian for river’ brother’s experience on a regular basis. “”We work together everyday anyway as part of Simon’s business, so we should make a good team,” Eli told eNews.

“Simon was always happy to help me out with set-up advice and things like that when he was at Toyota, so having him right there with me will be great.”

Eli confirmed that the team will do every round of the ARC, with the Production Car WRC round in New South Wales the big outing for the year.

“If we keep getting the results and keep getting the cars home then we’ll be there for every round. I want us to be in tip-top shape to take on the world’s best in September …”

Simon and Eli finished second and third respectively at last weekend’s ARC opener in Tasmania, the last official outing for Toyota in the ARC. – ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

Dear Brabs: Please come and race this for us SPORTSCARS

DAVID Brabham has a great chance of doing a unique Sebring 12 Hour-Le Mans double, with two different manufacturers.

The Sportscar veteran was named in Peugeot’s nine-man squad that will tackle the French classic in June, as well as the Spa 1000km race. The Aussie and Scuderia Toro Rosso’s Sebastian Bourdais will join the team, which had dropped former world champion Jacques Villeneuve, and Brabham will have the opportunity of repeating the feat of his brother Geoff, who won the race with Peugeot in 1983.

“It is a great honour for me to be a Peugeot driver with the history of my brother Geoff’s victory,” said Brabham. “That was a big occasion, and hopefully we’ll have another one this year.”

But in an odd twist, Brabham will race against ‘his’ team in the ALMS first. Peugeot will enter two of its 908 HDi FAP diesels in the Florida classic, where it was face Audi and Acura opposition. And Brabham will be at the forefront of the latter, with Highcroft Racing entering a car for himself and Scott Sharp and Dario Franchitti.

Brabham has already tested both cars, and describes them as “very different”.

and, it will be on young and ... mature FORMULA FORD

Chris Carter

A HUGE entry of more than 560 vehicles has been received for the 2009 Phillip Island Classic Festival of Motorsport on March 1315, equalling the record attendance of the past two years and cementing the meeting’s place as the major event of its type in the Southern Hemisphere.

Capacity grids in many categories, 18 overseas drivers from six different

nations and the attendance of iconic figures in Australian motorsport have been confirming following the official close of entries.

Highlights include an entry of 43 Minis for a special Regularity event marking the 50th anniversary of the ubiquitous ‘brick’, with drivers including, Bob Holden who won the 1966 Gallagher 500 at Bathurst with Rauno Aaltonen in a Mini Cooper S. A record field of 57 Formula Fords, including four drivers

from the UK and four from New Zealand, will be chasing 50 grid places to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the category in Australia.

Tim Blanchard, the 2007 Australian Formula Ford champion and 2008 British Formula Ford Championship runner-up, will step into the Penrite Van Diemen RF82 for the meeting, with one of his adversaries being 1977 Australian Formula Ford Champion John Smith at the wheel of a 1978 Lola T440.

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Can anyone beat the Evos?

GRANT ROWLEY weighs up the contenders and pretenders for this weekend’s WPS Bathurst 12 Hour at Mount Panorama

I

BATHURST 12H

T seems like a decade since we last had a motorsport event, so for those in need of a speed fix, circuit racing shoots back to life this weekend – and we can think of no better circuit to do so.

The third-running of the reincarnated Bathurst 12 Hour at Mount Panorama kicks off the racing season, with more stars and more cars than the production car race has ever seen.

The big question the race poses is; Can the Mitsubishi Evos be beaten?

Last year’s winners Rod Salmon and Damien White return with the #1 on their Evo’s door, and their entry is bolstered by a brand-new Evo X and the presence of two-time Bathurst 1000 winner Tony Longhurst.

“We are coming back to Mt Panorama for only one reason – to win,” said team owner and Salmon.

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“Last year we went there with the thought of a top 10 finish.

We only decided to enter five weeks beforehand.

“This year, the preparations started in July 2008 when the new Evo X was ordered, and it has been engineered from front to back for tarmac circuit racing.”

The car, pictured above, has been prepared by Team Mitsubishi Ralliart (TMR), under the direction of Team Manager Alan Heaphy and Peter West.

All the ingredients are there, but is this Mitsubishi entry the race’s favourite? This car has already done laps around Bathurst in a track day held at the circuit in December –and it was the only 12 Hour car to take advantage of that track day. That has to be a huge advantage ...

But there are a horde of Evos entered for the race, making it near impossible to bet against the model. No less than 14 Evo models have been entered, with a number of them looking strong enough to threaten the

White/Longhurst/Salmon entry.

Heading that list is last year’s runners up Tony Quinn, Klark Quinn and Grant Denyer. If not for minor troubles last year, this trio were in good shape to win.

Can they go one better in 2009?

Also, keep an eye out for the Jason Bargwanna, Neil Crompton and Brad Jones machine. Between them, they have more Bathurst laps than any combination would dare to dream of. For the sake of extra event publicity, it would be great to see this car right up the front.

So, if it’s not an Evo, what will it be? Subaru is also heavily represented, with the pick of the bunch being the Craig Baird/Lee Castle/Rodney Forbes Impreza WRX Sti. Castle has proved fast in the Australian Manufacturer’s title, and with two drivers who know Bathurst well, this combination could be well placed to spoil Mitsubishi’s party.

One thing that is a certainty is that the winner of the race will

come from Class C (a Mitsubishi/ Subaru only zone). Or is it?

Class A has a number of solid entries, including the FPV of Steve Johnson/Nathan Tinkler/ Nathan Callaghan and the 2007winning car of Garry Holt, Paul Morris and new team driver Ric Shaw.

But Class B may have the biggest surprise – if it lasts the distance. The new Nissan 350Z of Josh Hunt/Jonathon Webb/ Paul Stokell will be a fast piece of kit, but can it make it to the end of the 12 Hours?

There are more questions than answers at this stage, but click back to eNews this time next week for complete coverage of the production car race.

As well as the 12 Hour, a packed supports program (Round 1 of the Shannons Nationals) is also scheduled.

Improved Production has 56 entries, Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge (47), Saloon Cars (55), Formula Vee (55), HQ Holdens (50), making it a total of 263 support category entries.

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2009 WPS BATHURST 12 HOUR SHOWROOM ENDURO - ENTRY LIST Class A - High Performance Rear Wheel Drive

2 5 11 12 17 20 23 32 69 71 85

Holden VZ-HSV Holden HSV VY Series II BMW 335i Holden HSV VY Series II Ford FG-FPV BMW 335i Holden HSV VE Holden HSV VE Holden HSV VY Series II Holden HSV VY Series II Holden HSV VE

Ian Tulloch / John Sax / Connel McLaren Barrie Nesbitt / Paul Freestone / Robert Jones Barry Morcom / Luke Searle / Paul Stubber Tony Alford / Peter Leemhuis / Mal Rose Steve Johnson / Nathan Tinkler / Nathan Callaghan Gary Holt / Paul Morris / Ric Shaw Steve Briffa / Marcus Zukanovic / Tim Sipp Gerard Keogh / Bob Brewer / Geoff Emery Todd Zani / John O’Dowd / Jim Pollicina David Mertins / Leigh Mertins / Steve Cramp Russell Ingall / Nathan Pretty / Andrew Jones

Class B - High Performance Sports

10 Lotus Exige 15 Nissan 350Z Track

Mark O’Connor / Richard Buttrose / Simon Hogg Josh Hunt / Jonathan Webb / Paul Stokell

Class C - High Performance All Wheel Drive

1 3 9 22 25 26 29 33 34 35 37 38 43 44 55 62 91 96

Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X Subaru Impreza WRX Sti Subaru Impreza WRX Sti Subaru Impreza WRX Sti Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X Mitubishi Lancer Evo X Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII Mitsubishi Lacer Evo IX Subaru Impreza WRX Sti Mitsubuishi Lancer Evo X Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX

Rod Salmon / Tony Longhurst / Damien White Steven Jones / Kerry Wade / Aaron Caratti Charlie Hollings / Nathan Caratti / Colin Corkery Chris Delfsma / David Wood / Gary Tierney Craig Baird / Lee Castle / Rodney Forbes Paul Kelly / Dean Grant / Max Twigg Tony Quinn / Klark Quinn / Grant Denyer Mark King / Bob Pearson / Bruce Stewart Jason Bargwanna / Neil Crompton / Brad Jones Glenn Seton / Steve Knight / tbc tbc / tbc / tbc tbc / tbc / tbc David Wall / Des Wall / Trevor Symonds Jim Hunter / John Bowe / Gavin Bullas Glyn Crimp / Tony Ricciardello / Stuart Kostera Tim Leahey / Peter Hill / Eric Bana Anton Mechtler / Jason Walsh / Mark Brame James Koundouris / Theo Koundouris / Steve Owen

Class D - Hot Hatch Performance Cars 27 BMW 130i 28 BMW 130i 36 Mazda 3 MPS

Alan Shepard / Peter O’Donnell / Christian D’Agostin Lauren Gray / John De Veth / Rob Thomson Jake Camilleri / Scott Nicholas

Class E - Production Sedans

Mitsi versus Subi: John Boew, Jim Hunter and Gavin Bullas, above, in their Subaru, will be hard-pressed against the horde of Mitsubishi Evos, including last year’s runner-up Tony Quinn/Klark Quinn/Grant Denyer.

8 18 24 94 99

Ford BF MkII Ford FG Holden VZ Ford BF Ford BF MkII

Alan Letcher / Clint Harvey / Brett Nial Glen Kenny / Corey Baldcock / James Moffat Garth Walden / Brian Walden / Michael Auld Richard Howe / Dennis O’Keefe / Dean Neville Jason Tremeer / Craig Tremeer / Troy Stone

Class F - Production Sports

Dirk Klynsmith

13 14 21 31 50

Toyota Celica Honda Integra Honda Integra Toyota Celica Holden Astra

Colin Osborne / Neal Bates / Simon Evans Peter Conroy / Carl Schembri / Richard Gartner Terry Conroy / Lee Burgess / Leanne Tander John Rocken / Stuart Jones / Trevor Keene Gerard McLeod / Peter McLeod / Ryan McLeod

Class G - Micro Sedans and Hatches 66 Subaru Impreza 2.0R 88 Subaru Impreza 2.5

Heather Spurle / Christina Orr / Molly Taylor 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 67 Holden Astra CDTi 77 Alfa Romeo 147 JTD

Taz Douglas / Brett Holdsworth / Glen Holdsworth / Lee Holdsworth David Filipetto / Nathan Gotch / Wayne Vinckx

Class J - Sports Utility Vehicles & V8 Utes

47 Holden VE SS Ute

Grant Johnson / Jeff Watts / Greg Willis

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Let the clean up begin KARCHER to turn WSID yellow and black thanks to new deal DRAG RACING GLOBAL power cleaning equipment company KÄRCHER has been unveiled as the new naming rights sponsor of the prestigious Nitro Champs event at Western Sydney International Dragway.

The KÄRCHER Nitro Champs, presented by Shannons, will be held from May 1-3 and represents one of the jewels in the ANDRA Championship crown.

KÄRCHER’s investment into Australian drag racing will also see the iconic brand become the Official Cleaning Equipment of the ANDRA Championship.

The sponsorship arrangement is in addition to KÄRCHER’s involvement with Team Bray’s Matt Abel and cements them amongst drag

racing’s strengthening list of renowned for its distinctive corporate backers. yellow and black products, will “We are thrilled and transform Western Sydney excited to be associated with International Dragway (WSID) the naming rights of the during the KÄRCHER Nitro KÄRCHER Nitro Champs and Champs. the growth of drag racing in “We certainly want this country,” said KÄRCHER spectators to know that yellow Managing Director Cameron is a synonymous colour for Mole.

KÄRCHER, so our plan is to “Drag racing is a great match turn WSID very yellow,” said Mr for us; with a loyal following Mole from hands-on people, WSID Chairman and Drag KÄRCHER cleaning products Limited spokesperson are ideally suited to this Jim Read emphasised the market. importance of KÄRCHER “We also share a common increasing their drag racing devotion to speed. Obviously involvement. with drag racing, it’s the “We have seen, both in speed of being first past the Australia and around the finish line and with KÄRCHER globe, the pressure that it’s the speed in which our motorsport is under at the products have been designed moment, so for the ANDRA to clean. KÄRCHER is also Championship and WSID to be committed providing worldbucking the trend by signing class water saving technology.” new sponsors is testament to KÄRCHER, which is the strength of our sport.”

John Bosher

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John Bosher

The other Phillips

Is Cheyne Phillips the secret to his father’s success in Australian drag racing?

DRAG RACING

The accomplishments of Gary Phillips are well documented in both ANDRA Top Alcohol and Top Doorslammer. What many people may not be aware of is the emerging talents of Gary’s son Cheyne, who, at the ripe old age of 18, has a big say in the Lucas Oil Products team.

Cheyne is currently studying Business & Commerce at the University of South Queensland, Springfield campus and with the hefty commitments there and also being a major contributor to Gary’s Doorslammer and Alcohol exploits, it leaves little

idle time.

Then, from the mildmannered ‘Clark Kent’ University Student, Cheyne Phillips then transforms into a vital cog in Gary Phillip’s 3000 horsepower pursuit of the ANDRA Top Doorslammer and Top Alcohol Championships.

“Our efforts are family based, and I look at the data computer, fuel system management, analyze the run data and bounce off each other at race meetings. I also service the bottom end of the engines and the clutch.”

Talking to Cheyne, it proves the success of this powerhouse ANDRA Team is no fluke, with most of the

hard preparatory work done before the team arrives at Drag Racing venues around the country.

“Before Perth, Mum, Dad and I completely stripped down both cars and 99 percent of the work is done at home but there’s always stress come race events.”

Cheyne also suggested the team are very happy with the progress of the Lucas Oil Products Funny Car, which is within arms-length once again of yet another ANDRA Gold Series Christmas Tree win.

“We are very happy with the Funny Car running 5.60s or better over the last few events now and there is definitely more potential yet.”

A key Phillips trait has always been the ability for this team to lay down a good qualifying number first up, in session one, regardless of the weather or track conditions.

With Cheyne Phillips’ fine pedigree in ANDRA Championship Drag Racing, one can’t help but ponder as to when this 18-year-old, level headed young man will look to make the jump into a driver’s seat himself!

“Of course I won’t lie, I would love to race and one day maybe I can figure something out with my family to achieve that. But I have to sort out my career first and then we can look at later.”

Summernationals cancelled after Sydney rain DRAG RACING Due to the continued heavy rain showers in the greater Sydney area and at Western Sydney Dragway in particular, the 2009 Wynn’s Spitfire Summernationals has been cancelled.

“The staff and management of Western Sydney Dragway would like to share in it’s disappointment with the racers that have towed the length and breadth of this country to attend this weekend - and with

the public who were looking forward to a killer event as well,” remarked WSID MD Tony Beuk.

“We really persisted in the hope we could run this event and reward those who had committed to it, unfortunately the weather has won that argument.”

For those members of the general public who purchased tickets for this event, you can use these at the next ANDRA Championship Round, the Nitro Champs in May.

For Competitors, the Western Sydney Dragway board are looking at alternative arrangements in light of last weekend’s rainout and updates will be provided via Competitor Bulletins and via the www. wsid.com.au website.

All Promotions and Competitions will now be transferred to the alternatively scheduled event and will be advised ASAP, with the exception of the WSFM ‘’Classic Car’’ Competition - which will be drawn as per the Entry Terms and Conditions on Monday.

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5 Minutes with ...

MATT KENSETH

Okay, it was not quite 500 miles. But it was the Daytona 500 and Kenseth got to spray the sports drink in Victory Lane after a great turnaround in speed from his Roush Fenway Ford QUESTION: Matt Kenseth, how does it feel to win the Daytona 500?

MATT KENSETH: To be honest, it really hasn’t sunk in. I woke up this morning not really thinking I was going to win the Daytona 500. So, you know, especially when you come to a speedway, it’s really more about the team than it is about the driver. It’s always about the team. Really, they make the cars go fast.

I wasn’t happy with my 500 car. Ended up getting wrecked in the 150s anyway. As soon as we unloaded this car, it drove much, much better. I kept complaining about it and they kept adjusting it all night. [We] did the right stuff at the end.

It’s pretty unbelievable to be able to sit here and be able to actually be in the Daytona 500, much less win one. It’s just a dream come true.

Matt, you’re a guy whose accomplishments don’t always get the respect they deserve. Do you think they’ll come back with rain tyres and wipers next year?

That’s pretty funny (laughter).

You know, there’s been a couple of occasions where we’ve had maybe not the best car, but close to the best car.

At a few races I got shortened by rain that we didn’t win. We certainly lost some on fuel mileage. I don’t think we’ve ever won one on fuel mileage as far as the #17 goes.

I’ll take it. I’m not going to think any less of the victory. A lot of races get won and lost like this. We raced almost 400 miles. We were in the right

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place at the right time. Had our car as fast as it needed to be.

It was really a team effort.

Without that last really good pit stop, we would have been in the wreck. Actually, I said Kyle [Busch] was right in front of me and got in the wreck, and Carl [Edwards] was right behind me and got in the wreck.

They did their job and got us up there when we needed the track position. After that, that wreck, I felt like we were the fastest car up in the lead group.

Matt, you’re not generally a very emotional guy. When you were on pit lane, they told you you won, you were pretty emotional. Talk about how that hit you.

I actually am a pretty emotional guy. You guys just don’t always really see it. It’s kind of funny. Yesterday I was sitting in the motorhome telling Katie, it wasn’t like a feel sorry for myself or pity party or anything like, that I was telling her, ‘Man, I’m really getting fed up with not winning, with not being a contender’.

It was actually starting to weigh on me more than we thought. We struggled all week, ‘till yesterday, we got the car to handle good. It’s not like I had a bad feeling about today. It’s just we haven’t been a serious contender for the championship for a few years.

We’ve been able to win a race here or there, [but we] didn’t win any last year.

Just to be able to put it together and actually win the Daytona 500, I don’t feel like I’m the best really at [restrictor]

plate racing. I feel like a lot of times I make mistakes, which is really frustrating. Don’t get my car in the right place at the right time. To be able to put it all together, be able to win the race, is pretty overwhelming.

Matt, when they brought you to pit road, you stayed in the car. A lot of drivers got out [and] were talking. What were you doing? What was going through your mind? Did you think you’d get back racing?

Well, that’s how I am. I hang out with my car with a cover over us in the back pew of church. That’s just me.

Seriously, I just wanted to wait until it was either over or we were going to go race again. I was just kind of waiting for that. I didn’t want to let my emotions get too high one way or another. I just kind of wanted to wait till it was over and then go from there. I was just kind of hoping it would keep raining.

Matt, when Kevin [Harvick] pushed you past Elliott [Sadler], with word the rain was coming, did you have an idea right then that that could be the pass for the win?

Yeah. I mean, I really had it in my mind on that last restart when we were behind Elliott if I got around him, [I] could hold it for a little bit. I didn’t think we were going to pit again. I thought the rain was coming. [Crew chief ] Drew [Blickensdorfer] said it was coming. You could see the sky getting darker. It was sprinkling for a while.

When I got a run on Elliott,

got in a position where he couldn’t block it, I had pretty good momentum. Kevin saw I had the momentum and hung a left and went behind me. When I cleared him, it was big, [there were] actually raindrops between [Turn] one and two. I knew it was getting pretty close. Then they had the accident where they threw the yellow. You didn’t know if it was going to be the pass, but I knew it had the potential to be.

Matt, during the off-season, a lot was made about the fact that you, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick had not won in 2008.

In the first two weeks, you guys all won. What does that say about the champions coming back?

That’s pretty cool. I hope it keeps happening. I thought about us not winning. That was disappointing. But it’s really hard. It’s really competitive.

Everything’s got to go right to be able to win these races. You get people like Carl that win nine. I don’t know how many Kyle won, [or] Jimmie.

When you get them guys that won over half the races between them three, it’s really hard. Everything’s got to go right. You got to have everything line up for you. It’s pretty cool to be able to win this race, but it doesn’t make or break your season. We know there’s a lot of work to do coming up.

We’re really going to enjoy it this week. I think we’re already looking ahead to California, Vegas, Atlanta, the tracks we know we got to perform at all year to be a serious contender.

chat

MDC

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Preparation beats tragedy BEST known as a two-time Australian Rally Champion, Geoff Portman is also a life-long resident of Victoria’s Kinglake district. And, like everyone in that part of the world, he was affected by the Bushfire tragedy on Saturday February 7.

Thanks to some vigilant preparation and a little bit of luck, Portman managed to singlehandedly, and remarkably, protect his life, home, and his family’s eight horses from the flames.

This is his story.

MY background is in the Forest’s Commission from the late 1970s through, so I’ve seen fires in Gippsland of the same intensity.

I was actually over at the Wallaby Catchment at Kinglake West in the 1983 fires, when a similar holocaust went through the crown. I was there. I’ve seen that intensity. And I’ve got a good understanding of the Australian bush and the volatility of the Australian eucalypts.

I can appreciate that people like to live in the bush and have eucalypts shading their house and sheds, but really, they are setting themselves up for a furnace in that situation.

Preparation played a big part, absolutely.

At no stage during the situation, which was frightening, did I feel any fear for my own life. All I thought was that I might fail in my endeavour to save all sides of the property, or at least the principle assets. I had four fire pumps running off different water sources, and three of them had separate sprinkler systems as well as

The ‘OK’ board: Portman is a rally man through-and-through.

opinion Geoff Portman Former ARC champ hoses. But a man needs to have eyes in the back of his head to see where he’s got to be at the right time. At six o’clock in the afternoon, when it is usually daylight, I was using a Dolphin torch to get around from pump to pump, because it was just that dark and eerie.

All you could see was the ground fires. I had no comprehension of the crown fires that burned both sides of our property.

I didn’t see any fireworks or crown fires, even though they were obviously there, because it was just too smoky. And it was acrid smoke that left you with a raspy throat and eyes that felt like they had sand in them.

The whole tragedy is tear jerking. It really is very emotional. There are only two

houses other than mine left in this area, so there are three places standing out of 15 or 20 and all the others have burnt down.

Luckily, this local area here has had no loss of life, but friends of ours lost neighbours, and friends, and children next door. That’s the real tragedy; all the other stuff can just be rebuilt.

Our feeling is that we were very lightly dealt. I won’t say we were lucky because we did our homework, but in the scheme of all the loss, we haven’t felt any pain.

I put the ‘OK’ board out at about two or three o’clock on Sunday morning just before I went to get some sleep. I felt that the last thing I wanted to when I finally hit the pillow was to have someone banging on the door and shining a torch into my eyes to see if I was alive or not!

Through it all, what has been amazing is the generosity of people who weren’t even directly affected. It’s been outstanding, and it’s been continuous.

Letters

Have your say – email us at mail@mnews.com.au.

Mighty Marcos – if you saw it We have just watched the rain-shortened Daytona 500 on Ten HD and want to congratulate Marcos Ambrose.

Finishing 17th (aided by the late-race shunt which moved him up a few spots) may not be headline-making, but

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just starting the race is final confirmation that an Aussie is now a part of one of the world’s top series, perhaps the most competitive of all.

It was a good start and we all wish him well.

David Ross (and mates) Toowoomba, QLD

ONE miracle needed Wow, what a historical day it was going to be. Ambrose was going to be the first Aussie to race the Daytona 500.

And Ten HD was promoting (as in promising us) they were going to show it live.

Stupid me believed what

the Channel 10 promos told me and many thousands of others who do not live in the Metropolitan areas. (I assume it was shown somewhere).

All we got here in Taree was the scenery test pattern, as usual.

Maybe you guys at MNews

opinion

Dirk Klynsmith

Looking after the regulars THERE will be people out there who aren’t happy with the Australian GT Championship’s decision to only allow a handful of the Carrera Cup refugees to come and play.

But I for one admire the people behind the AGTC for sticking to their guns, and the rules they have had in place before the Porsche series fell over. Terry Little might say that the no serious consideration was ever given to the open-slather allowance of Cup Cars in the GT field, but I find it hard to believe.

can perform another miracle and help us. Thanks for nothing, Ten. John Gray, Taree jjgray@live.com.au ED: Some good news – David White (Ten Sport) tells us that Southern Cross TV, which is your local regional (which currently chooses if and when to relay Ten HD), will carry One HD (Ten’s new 24 Hour sports channel) from its launch on March 26.

per manufacturer. That’s bad news for the Luffs and Bart Mawers of the world, Andrew van Leeuwen but great news for the Mark eNews Deputy Editor Eddys and Dean Grants; the It would have guaranteed guys who support the series, big grids all year (not just at and make it tick.

Clipsal and AGP), and meant And the honesty on behalf plenty of entry fees and a few of the GT organisers is big names on the windows refreshing. They don’t want (Warren Luff, for example). It heroes, they don’t want to be would have had its benefits, the class for the next big thing, but it would have come at a and they don’t want to be V8 price for the regulars.

Supercars’ biggest rival. Terry However, temptation Little is more than happy to wasn’t enough, and the say, into a voice recorder, that seeded driver rules stayed, the AGTC isn’t a development as did the limit of eight cars category and has no interest

opinion

Not a bling fan?

As a fan of the Kelly Brothers it was so pleasing to see Todd on the podium at Symons Plains.

I do wish them luck with their new team.

Just one word of advice for Todd ... as you are at the pointy end of your maledominated sport, please give the ear ring the flick.

Fergus Colquhoun ferguscol@bigpond.com

Opportunity Knocks The demise of Carrera Cup (how are some of the other ‘one-make’ series going to fare?) should provide the opportunity for some interesting categories to appear (or re-appear) on the V8 bill.

From what I hear, many of the supporting categories have to pay to appear as a V8 support, but maybe this downturn will allow others to appear on merit – I remember

in being one. He says it is like an overseas holiday or a ski chalet, and he’s willing to put his money where his mouth is, so to speak.

People often say things like that when they are backed in a corner, and have no real say over what is happening around them. But by sticking to their guns when the pressure is on to let more Cup Cars go racing, Little and Rachael and Martin Wagg are proving just how much they believe in their category, and the philosophies that will make it work.

a time when the Australian Superbike Championship was at several Shell ATCC rounds, which was great.

Are Sports Sedans strong enough to appear at a round or two? Formula Fords, yes, Aussie Race Cars, yes. How about more of the F5000s, which were at Eastern Creek last year – fantastic.

George Aridis Mona Vale NSW ED: Not a bad idea, George ...

27

NASCAR SPRINT CUP ROUND 1 – DAYTONA 500, DAYTONA, FL

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MATT FINISH

Neither Matt Kenseth nor Jack Roush had ever won the Daytona 500 – and they dIdn’t look like doing it in 2009 until a pre-race crash turned their week around. By MARTIN D CLARK

NASCAR MEDIA

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NASCAR media

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Toyota Motorsports

IT rained, but the Daytona 500 was still exciting. Especially for Matt Kenseth and Jack Roush.

Kenseth gave the veteran car owner and his Roush Fenway Racing team its first win in NASCAR’s biggest event. It was Kenseth’s first win since the season ending Homestead Miami race in 2007 and the first for Drew Blickensderfer’s as a Cup Series crew chief after moving over from Carl Edwards’s Nationwide series team.

“It’s gonna be really wet out here because I’m crying like a baby,” quipped Kenseth in a rain sodden victory lane.

“I’ve got to thank my team and the Lord for giving me this opportunity, first of all.

Man, I don’t know. Winning the Daytona 500 is definitely a dream moment. It’s just an unbelievable feeling. We’ve had some really fast cars on speedways in the past and I’ve never been able to figure out how to do the right thing, and today, we were able to make the right moves. We got some weather, but yet we did race 400and-some miles and we were able to pull it off. I felt pretty good this morning, but I didn’t dream we would win.”

Kenseth wrecked a car in the previous week’s Budweiser Shoot Out and took another from

contention in his Duel Qualifying race last Thursday. So he started at the rear in 39th position with a back-up car and steadily worked forward with help also from some fast pits stops from his DeWalt crew.

The strongest car in the field was Kyle Busch’s. He lead most of the first half of the race, from Dale Earnhardt Jr, Denny Hamlin and Kenseth. But on lap 122, the race changed; Earnhardt and Brian Vickers were running just ahead of the leaders, about to be lapped, when the Chevy tapped the Red Bull Toyota. Nine cars were involved in the wreck, and Busch was out of contention in a heartbeat.

“One guy that had problems all day on pit road made his problems our problems and then our problems a big problem,” said Busch, who led 88 laps.

“It was just unfortunate that two guys got together that were a lap down and were fighting over nothing. I think we had the best car out there, but you’re not happy until you’re in Victory Lane. It’s just a really sad feeling.

I was 100 percent sure I was going to win the race.”

Tyre problems were once again the talk of pitlane, with threetime 500 winner Jeff Gordon and his Hendrick team-mate Jimmie Johnson pitting for fresh tyres when both felt vibrations

just before a mid-race caution.

David Stremme in the Penske Dodge was another to fall foul of the right-rear tyre issues that appeared to plague Speedweek, his tyre shredding his bodywork and bringing out the fifth caution.

That saw Junior pit outside his pit box and held on pit road for a lap – and that is what put him in front of Busch.

With Busch out of contention and the other Gibbs Toyotas struggling, the flipside was the speed of the Petty Dodges. At the green flag on lap 142, Kenseth was behind Elliott Sadler, with the other Petty cars of Reed Sorenson and AJ Allmendinger right behind.

NASCAR | DAYTONA 500, DAYTONA, FLORIDA 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 17

17 29 44 33 19 6 55 14 43 2 47

Matt Kenseth Ford Kevin Harvick Chevy AJ Allmendinger Dodge Clint Bowyer Chevy Elliott Sadler Dodge David Ragan Ford Michael Waltrip Toyota Tony Stewart Chevy Reed Sorenson Dodge Kurt Busch Dodge Marcos Ambrose Toyota

Roush Fenway/DeWalt RCR/Shell-Pennzoil Petty/Valvoline RCR/Cheerio’s Petty/Stanley Tools Roush Fenway/UPS Waltrip/NAPA Stewart-Haas/Office Depot Petty/McDonald’s Penske/Miller Lite JTG Daugherty/Little Debbie

39 33 20 22 30 32 27 38 34 13 23

SPRINT CUP | DRIVER’S points Kenseth 190, Harvick 170, Allmendinger 165, Bowyer and Sadler 160, Ragan 150, Stewart 147, Waltrip 147, Sorenson 138, Truex 135, Ambrose 112 [17th].

Hit him Cale! Thoughts of 1979’s great race flooded back when Bobby Allison flagged the field away, left. Kyle Busch dominated the first half of the race, below, before getting caught up in the Earnhardt-Vickers melee. Marcos Ambrose, below, was 17th in his Daytona 500 debut.

Toyota Motorsports

Kevin Harvick came home second with Allmendinger a fantastic third, Clint Bowyer fourth, Sadler fifth and David Ragan in the second Roush Fenway Ford sixth.

Marcos Ambrose started his first Daytona 500 in the 23rd slot and ran in the mid-30s until the closing laps, when he motored up to 17th.

“The car was getting better and better as the night went on,” said Ambrose. “I was getting better out there too and picking my lines better, it was getting a little intense, but I expected that. With the rain coming too, I think the panic started early and it started getting pretty rugged.”

Kyle Busch did everything but turn Tony Stewart around on Saturday NATIONWIDE TONY Stewart held off Kyle Busch to take the opening Nationwide race of 2009, despite the Toyota literally pushing him into turn three on the final lap.

‘Smoke’ stayed in the gas and held on for the win, in his maiden outing driving a car for Hendrick Motorsports.

“I got really, really loose,” commented Stewart, who started fifth.

“Kyle pushed me all the way through the corner. If I’d have spun or crashed, I’d have had to have had it out with him. I don’t know how we held onto it. I couldn’t hold it down with the back tyres off the ground, I don’t know how we came off the corner ahead of him. The 60 [Carl Edwards] car got a big run coming off the corner and I just tried to split the two and make sure we didn’t give them any fresh air. It’s awesome to be back in a Chevy again.”

Edwards and Clint Bowyer, who led 33 and the most laps,

muscled past Busch coming the chequers in an exciting and competitive race that saw 19 lead changes among 11 drivers.

Jason Leffler was hit with a five-lap penalty for aggressive driving when he punted Steven Wallace into the wall entering turn three and wiping out Scott Lagasse Jr and Justin Allgaier in the process. The pair were running in the top 10 when it appeared Leffler just turned right into Wallace.

Always a favourite at Daytona, Dale Earnhardt Jr clashed with Matt Kenseth on pit road, damaging Junior’s right-front fender.

Stewart will next drive a Nationwide Series Hendrick Chevy again at Charlotte in May, the number 80 he drove at Daytona representing the 80 franchised dealerships owned

by Rick Hendrick.

Final result; Stewart (Chevy), Edwards (Ford), Bowyer (Chevy), Kyle Busch (Toyota), Biffle (Ford), Vickers (Toyota), Earnhardt Jr. (Chevy), Ragan (Ford), Keller (Dodge), Kenseth (Ford).

NASCAR Media

“I was a little nervous because it was Elliott, Reed and Allmendinger and all the team-mates lined up,” admitted Kenseth.

“But our car was honestly a fair amount quicker than his and I was able to get a run on him and get by him.”

With drafting help from Kevin Harvick a lap into the restart, Kenseth made a move around the outside of Sadler and, when Aric Almirola and Kasey Kahne made contact to air the eighth yellow a lap later, it turned out to be the decisive move of the race. First drizzle, then rain forced the cars into pitlane before the red flag flew, ending the race.

Life begins at 80

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WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 2 – NORWAY

Citroen

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race

Shock win? Snow Joke!

It seems strange to call any Sebastien Loeb win a shock, but Norway was just the Frenchman’s second career win on snow.

And it took everyone by surprise, especially Ford ...

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W

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ITH close to 50 rally wins to his name, you would think the thrill of winning would be starting to wane a little for Sebastien Loeb. But job satisfaction wouldn’t have been an issue for his 49th – and latest – WRC win in Norway last weekend.

The Ford duo of Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala went into the snowy event as firm favourites. The blue oval has been unstoppable on the white stuff in recent years, and for all of his WRC success, Loeb only had one snow win to his name going into Norway – and that was in Sweden back in 2004.

Such was Ford’s confidence that early leader Hirvonen actually slowed down on the final stage of the first day to ensure that Loeb’s Citroen would have to continue being a snow plow for Day 2, cleaning the icy roads as first car into each stage.

But it was a plan that backfired.

Instead of slipping into the clutches of the ominously placed Ford pair over the second day, Loeb actually extended his lead. It wasn’t what was meant to happen, and set Loeb up for a big shot at the win heading into the final day.

And, as you would expect from a five-time World Rally Champion, the Frenchman held his nerve.

That’s not to say it was easy; Hirvonen was within 8s heading into the final stage. But when all was said and done, Loeb was the winner, and Ford had missed a great opportunity to take 10 points.

“It’s sometimes nice when it stops,” said Loeb.

“Mentally, this has been a very tough rally. It got very tense when I learnt that Mikko had narrowed the gap on this morning’s first stage, but we didn’t ease up, even if that did mean having one or two hairy moments!

“Going into the last stage, I knew that even a small mistake would ruin all the hard work we have put in this weekend. Everything turned out well, however, and it’s great to have won this rally for the first time.”

Behind the leading pair was Latvala, who took a fairly unspectacular third place. As the WRC’s reigning snow winner (Sweden 2008), he was expected to challenge for maximum points, but it wasn’t until the mid-way point of Leg 2, when the Ford team made a set-up breakthrough, that he looked able to match Loeb and Hirvonen. And by then, it was too late …

Fourth and fifth went to Norwegian Henning Solberg and Citroen deputy Dani Sordo, but it was the driver in fifth place that really turned heads. Petter Solberg, on debut for his new self-run team, finished fifth in an ageing Citroen Xsara. He even led the rally after winning Thursday night’s rallyopening Super Special Stage.

He wasn’t the only WRC refugee doing well. Former Suzuki factory driver P-G Andersson starred in a Skoda Fabia, winning stages in the early part of the event. But clutch failure before half-distance left him on the sidelines.

Stobart drivers Matthew Wilson and Urmo Aava rounded out the point-paying positions.

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Powder Puff: The Ford pair of Latvala, above, and Hirvonen, left, did all they could but it wasn’t enough. The underdog stars of the rally were Solberg, far left, and Andersson, below.

NORWAY sutton-images.com sutton-images.com

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1 Sebastien Loeb Citroen Daniel Elena 3:28:15.9 2 Mikko Hirvonen Ford Jarmo Lehtinen +9.8s 3 Jari-Matti Latvala Ford Miikka Anttila +1:21.8s 4 Henning Solberg Ford Cato Menkerud +3:33.5s 5 Dani Sordo Citroen Marc Marti +3:52.0s 6 Petter Solberg Citroen Phil Mills +6:25.4s 7 Matthew Wilson Ford Scott Martin +6:35.6s 8 Urmo Aava Ford Kuldar Sikk +6:49.1s Points: Loeb 20, Hirvonen 14, Sordo 12, H Solberg 10, Latvala 6, Atkinson 4.

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RALLY TASMANIA / AUST. RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1 – TASMANIA

Quinn Win

Tony Quinn secured his first major tarmac rally victory after a close fight with Jim Richards in Rally Tasmania

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Joel Strickland

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Joel Strickland

Q

ueenslander Tony Quinn held off a fierce challenge by seventime Bathurst winner Jim Richards to take his first Rally Tasmania title in one of the closest finishes in the event’s 29 year history.

Quinn, driving a Nissan GTR, started the day with a 1.9s buffer over Richards’s Porsche 911 GT2. But Quinn went on to win five of the final six stages to run secure a 14.4s victory.

But the final margin belied the intensity of the day’s action, because with one stage to go just 4.6s separated the pair. Quinn held his nerve to dominate the final stage and take the outright honours.

“It’s great to win a fantastic event,” Quinn said.

“We had to push really hard to keep Jim at bay, but we managed to bring it home.

“We have not had any problems all weekend. The car has been terrific, and will only get better if it is wet in future events.”

Local Burnie driver, Jamie Vandenberg, held on for third place, 1m56.2s behind the leader.

In the Australian Rally Championship component of the event, Neal Bates held on to take maximum points to kick-start his title defence.

His Toyota team-mate Simon Evans pushed hard all day, but eventually finished

10.5s behind Bates having shaved three seconds from the overnight buffer.

“I am very happy to win today, although by no means was it easy as Simon and Eli (Evans) pushed us very hard and that actually makes the win more satisfying,” Bates said.

“We really had to work hard for it and although I have had a lot of tarmac experience, they are catching up quickly.

Overall, both our cars were exceptional and the Michelin tyres played a huge part in today’s success.”

Evans was, however, 25.9s clear his brother Eli, who rounded out the podium in his Subaru Impreza WRX STI.

But the event signalled an end of an era for Bates, Toyota and the ARC. Toyota has now officially withdrawn from the championship, making it a privateer-only category.

“We’re incredibly happy to win the final event for Toyota, and for Simon to complete a 12 for the team,” Bates said.

“It’s a great start to the championship, and gives us valuable points heading to the next round in Canberra.”

The battle of the classic car title was less intense, with Kevin Weeks easily the master of the Tasmanian roads in his Porsche 911, finishing nearly four minutes clear of his nearest rival to take the first round of the Australian Classic

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Joel Strickland

Nothing lasts forever: Simon Evans, pictured, finished second behind team boss Neal Bates, right. It was Toyota’s last rally as an official manufacturer entrant.

Joel Strickland

Victory! Tony Quinn, above, held off the advances of Jim Richards, above left, to win Rally Tasmania last weekend.

South Australian Roger Paterson. Tierney eventually edged in front of his fellow 1974 Porsche by just 2.5s.

Joel Strickland

Tarmac Rally Championship.

Behind him though, an gripping dual raged between Victorian Gary Tierney and

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rear of grid

Through the sands of time ...

DAY 2 of Formula 1 testing at the Bahrain International Circuit didn’t go to plan.

In fact, it didn’t go ahead at all. A wild sandstorm turned the place into a giant sand castle, reducing morning testing to mere installation laps before conditions got so bad that running was totally suspended because the medical helicopter was unable to fly between the

track and the nearest hospital.

Who was the most frustrated? We think its Toyota’s Jarno Trulli. Up until the sandstorm, Trulli had not driven the new-generation F1 cars in dry conditions, having spent a few days tooling around in the wet in Portugal, and now in the dust of Bahrain.

If it’s raining in Melbourne in lateMarch, throw a lazy $50 on Jarno ...

sutton-images.com

Odd Spot

Ash Budd

HEY kids. Err, you 20-something-year-old kids.

Remember Humphrey and Fat Cat? Well, the person who used to throw on the suits was Australian singer Patsy Biscoe, and as it turns out, she supports karting.

The revamped Liberty Oil Raceway at Robinson Park, Nuriootpa was officially opened last weekend by Biscoe.

The Here’s Humphrey and Fat Cat and Friends star is currently a councillor in the Barossa Council Local Government Area.

She is pictured here with a number of longtime members of the club, along with the youngest member of the karting club.

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