Motorsport eNews Issue 120 - September 1-6, 2009

The world of MOtorsport Directly to your desktop

Issue No. 119 September 1 - 6 2009

frank1930gardner – 2009

motorsport legend EXCLUSIVE

Ben Collins: My v8 future

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 Ruffini 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) Drag Racing: Dave Ostaszewski (USA), Ken Ferguson, John Bosher, Luke Nieuwhof National: Lachlan Mansell, Mark Jones, Aaron Shaw.

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, Paris Charles, Neil Hammond, Joel Strickland, Ash Budd, Mike Patrick (UK) Motorsport eNews is published by Australasian Motorsport News ABN 55 125 120 702 Publisher: C Lambden

Issue No. 120 | 1 - 6 September 2009

news 5 Legend passes

RIP Frank Gardner 6 Pom wants Oz start (No mention of cricket) 9 Calendar time V8s announcement soon 11 Combined reds GT jumps in Will’s VE 15 Stunt MINI Robbie takes Challenge

chat 20 5 minutes with ... opinion 22 Mansell race 24 Rally Oz Preview

Ben Collins Lachlan, not Nigel

Going the distance in NSW 26 Muscle Car Preview Old, Bold and Gold 28 Shannons Nationals Macrow takes it to the top 34 IndyCar Briscoe by six inches 38 Nationwide Another non-win at Monty 40 Race extras James Davo’s P2

trade 52 Classifieds When men were men. Frank Gardner pedals around the famous Monaco street circuit

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

Racer, mentor, raconteur:

Frank Gardner was unique PERSONAL

We had a really good idea back in 2000, back when Motorsport News coChris Lambden promoted the MotorSport mNews Publisher Awards Dinner in Grand Prix week. After some years utilising highly-paid professionals, we were in a quandary about who could best host the big night.

We’d all witnessed Frank Gardner in story-telling mode. But could he, would he be remotely interested in hosting our 600seat black-tie awards night? You bet, he did it, and it was, by far, the best MotorSport Awards there ever was.

On a day when Melbourne sweated in 40-plus temperatures, the aircon in the venue was out of order until just before starttime, yet there was Frank, in white dinner jacket, ready for a pre-event run-through. Frank was tough.

It was outrageous. His deadpan Bob Hope-style delivery and ad-libbing brought the house down.

When well-meaning Gold Star winner Simon Wills enthusiastically thanked his team, sponsors and girlfriend, Frank intervened: “Big mistake son. By all means thank the sponsors, but never thank the girlfriend – she’ll think she’s got the job for life!”

Brilliant.

That was the Frank Gardner we loved. His views on anything motorsport would always be couched in pragmatic, insightful terms, and always with a one-liner.

His motorsport career went all the way to Formula 1, though his biggest successes were in European F5000 and British Touring Cars of the era, and the latter glory days of the Tasman Series. As a kid, I watched him line up in that bright yellow Alec Mildren Brabham (above), literally alongside my hero, the great Jim Clark. His international achievements were under-recognised at home.

Then it was team management back here on Oz – the successful BMW teams; Richo; the Super Touring team; a Sierra Bathurst victory with Longhurst and Mezera; the Advanced Driving Centre. Most recently, Frank drove his long-time friend Prof Watkins in the Melbourne GP Medical Car ... on and on, and all with that terry-towel hat and that deadpan sense of humour.

Oh, and one hell of a golfer – ask Tomas Mezera.

Such a tragedy, then, that his latter few years should be defined by a struggle with a debilitating mobility illness. At least there was the opportunity for the sport to honour Frank during the 2008 Melbourne GP week – Sir Jackie Stewart heading a star-studded guest list on a brilliantly ‘Frank’ night.

And now, Frank is gone. We will miss him lots and our thoughts are with the lovely Gloria and the family.

But can you just imagine the scene at the Pearly Gates?

Whoever was on gate duty on Friday would have had to be on their best form when Frank arrived ...

A true legend of Australian and internation

RIP: Frank Ga

THE motor racing world lost one of its most popular and successful personalities when Frank Gardner passed away on Friday.

The Sydney-born driver, engineer, team manager and mentor, who had been suffering from ill-health for some years, was surrounded by friends and family when he passed away at his Gold Coast home. Gardner, 78, had recently returned from Sydney, where he had been hospitalised for some time when he became ill while visiting his mother.

Gardner’s achievements behind the wheel have been welldocumented, with titles in a wide array of international events. He raced in eight F1 Grands Prix in privately-run Brabhams in the 1960s, and won one Formula 5000 and three Touring Car titles in Britain. He was instrumental in the development of countless Sportscars, including Le Mans-

winning Porsches and Fords, and raced successfully all over Europe.

When he returned to Australia in the 1970s, Gardner quickly recognised that Sports Sedan racing offered great opportunities, and his F5000-based Chevrolet Corvair was so dominant that the rules were changed to prevent it killing the category.

When he stopped driving himself, his reputation as a team manager and mentor quickly grew – drivers such as Jim Richards, Allan Grice, Tony Longhurst, Tomas Mezera, Paul Morris and Geoff Brabham all tasted success under his guidance.

All the while, Gardner was a passionate advocate for driver training, establishing what is now the Holden Precision Driving Centre at Norwell on the Gold Coast. In 1980, he published Drive to Survive, which is still considered to be a seminal instruction on driving techniques.

news

Great team manager, great golfer ...

and no bullshit!

I met Frank in the early 80s when I started in Formula Ford. Back then, in his Tomas Mezera BMW days, Frank had an Former Bathurst winner engine builder from BMW Motorsport in Germany named Paul Placer – like me, from Czechoslovakia.

It didn’t take long before Paul was helping me with the engine rebuilds for my Formula Ford in their Terry Hills workshop. Every time Paul had some of my engine bits on his bench, Frank looked the other way …

I did well in Formula Ford and it was when I went to England that I understood what a legend Frank was. He was more known and recognised for his driving achievements in England than in his home country. Not many drivers beat Jimmy Clark in the same machinery, but Frank ‘fixed him up’ when they both drove Lotus Cortinas on more than one occasion. Back then, Clark was already World Champion.

For two years in England, I raced only single seaters and it was quite flattering when Frank rang up and offered me a drive for Sandown and Bathurst alongside his protégé, Tony Longhurst. It was a huge gamble on Frank’s side but paid off when we won Bathurst. I went back to England where I stayed for another two years.

When I came back to Australia, we became friends because we shared the same passion, for golf – I can tell you, as a pair, we won lots of times on the golf course!

I really got to know Frank then, spending many hours together.

We had a great 12 years enjoying each other’s company until Frank’s health deteriorated.

He spent the last four years in pain and agony, with long stays in hospital. A trip to the golf course was only for lunch or breakfast, as he was too ill to play.

Yesterday the flags at the Club were at half-mast in recognition of a great sportsman and legend.

No-one will forget his achievements and the great one-liners he always used on the racetrack and on the golf course.

The best one, which I am certain he probably originated, and which sums Frank himself up, will stick forever: “When the flag drops, the bullshit stops ...”

PERSONAL

nal motorsport

ardner Rarely seen without his trademark white hat, Gardner was also a passionate sportsman in other arenas, as an accomplished boxer (a NSW state champion as a junior) and lifesaver in his youth and as a capable and canny golfer, who worked his way down to a single-figure handicap.

He was a well-known raconteur, and had the ability to entertain, and all the while he suffered fools ... but not gladly.

To his wife Gloria, Steve and Kristin, and many friends, Motorsport News extends its sincere condolences.

Frank Gardner’s funeral will take place at Sacred Heart Church, Clear Island Waters, on the Gold Coast, at 1pm on Friday.

For more personal tributes, see page 43

Frank, above, in the Super Touring days, with drivers Paul Morris and Geoff Brabham

news

Collins: This is the place I want to be V8 SUPERCARS

Dirk Klynsmith

BEN Collins is eyeing a fulltime future in the V8 Supercar Championship Series.

The 34-year-old Brit has arrived in Australia ahead of his first V8 race – next weekend’s L&H 500 at Phillip Island with Jack Daniel’s Racing – and he told eNews that he is committed to delivering a solid result in the two endurance races with team-mate Nathan Pretty, with a view of finding a seat for 2010 and beyond.

“I can see that this is the kind of place that I want to be,” he says.

“If I can do well enough in these kind of races and build a platform for next year, that would be fantastic.”

Collins has tested twice this year, first with the Holden Racing Team, then Kelly Racing,

and has been amazed by the professionalism of both teams.

“I’ve been really impressed with not only how the team operates, but also how welcoming they are,” he said.

“And it’s not just a cliché. Both the Kelly brothers have been extremely helpful.

“These cars are very different to anything else I’ve raced previously and they’ve dived right in and got really involved in my first tests with the team.

The mechanics, the engineers, team manger, the whole lot, they’re all very focused and have the same aim. It’s really a sporting team and a fantastic place for me to start these races.”

Todd Kelly says that the team is impressed with its new recruit but it is “not expecting heaps out of him” in his V8 Supercar debut races.

“We have said, ‘If you can finish those races, that is a good result’,” he said.

“We have seen Nathan finish well inside the top 10, and we are not expecting Ben to blow anyone out of the water.

“He is capable, and he is not the kind of guy you need to pull up every five minutes and haul him into line. It would be fantastic for him to be here full-time.”

Collins has competed in many different international racing categories, including Formula

3, Sportscars and NASCAR-style cars. Even before competing in his first race, he says that the V8 series is among the best in the world.

“I think the series is fantastic,” he says. “The tracks that the cars go to, not just the endurances rounds which are amazing, but the other races I’ve watched on television and read about are really high-profile.”

– GRANT ROWLEY For more with Collins, click to page 20

news

Marshall Cass

Phillip Island calendar announcement set to reveal Middle Eastern, WA future

Calendar announced soon V8 SUPERCARS THE 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series calendar is due to be formally announced at next week’s L&H 500 at Phillip Island. However, many pieces of the calendar puzzle are coming together in the lead-up.

The Adelaide, Hamilton, Townville, Phillip Island, Bathurst, Surfers Paradise and Homebush rounds already have their dates locked it – meaning that half of the rounds are already confirmed.

Next year’s title is likely to be run over 14 rounds, with ever-increasing speculation that the first two rounds will be held in the Middle East, in February. This situation is likely to have a bearing on this year’s series, with the 12th round, in Bahrain, possibly to be replaced by Phillip Island or Winton – if pit lane rumour is to be believed. V8 Supercar Australia officials continue a firm

“no comment” stance on this element until the official launch.

Our ‘potential’ calendar, right, does not include a round at Barbagallo Raceway. The West Australian Sporting Car Club is still awaiting final approval to commence the extension of the track, plus the installment of new pit garages. Regardless, these improvements will not be made until 2011, and with the track’s current contract expiring at the end of this year, it may lead to a one year sabbatical for the WA track.

Taking Barbagallo’s spot as the penultimate round will be Sandown International Raceway. V8 Supercars has reportedly concluded that its July/August slot did not suit the outer-Melbourne circuit, that has been affected by weather and below average attendances. eNews understands that Winton’s round is a ‘maybe’ as it is on a year-by-year deal.

– GRANT ROWLEY

Potential 2010 V8SA calendar 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Abu Dhabi Bahrain Clipsal 500 March 11-14 Hamilton 400 April 16-18 Winton Hidden Valley Townsville Late June/Early July Qld Raceway Phillip Island September 10-12 Bathurst October 7-10 Gold Coast October 22-24 Symmons Plains Sandown November 26-28 Homebush Early December

V8 SUPERCARS

Merged force

STONE Brothers Racing has unveiled its split livery for the 2009 endurance races.

The #9 SP Tools/Irwin Falcon, left, will be steered by regular team drivers Shane van Gisbergen and Alex Davison, while Kiwi pair Daniel Gaunt and Johnny McIntyre will drive an identical #4 Falcon FG. McIntyre and Gaunt were at Queensland Raceway today, completing a driver evaluation test.

BRIEFLY... n Biante model car collectors will be treated in Sydney this weekend, coinciding with the fifth round of the Biante Touring Car masters Series at Eastern Creek.

Biante has organised two driver appearances, with stars of Australian Touring Car Championship visiting two of Biante’s Authorised Dealers to grab an autograph and a have chat. Colin Bond will be at Top Hat Quality Gifts in Campbelltown from 11am, this Thursday. Later that day Exclusive Collectables at Westfield Penrith will see five of the Biante Touring Car Masters drivers at the store, including legends Jim Richards and John Bowe and defending series champion Gavin Bullas. n V8 Supercars has a new member in its media team.

Journalist Daniel Jordan has commenced his role as Media Coordinator with V8 Supercars Australia, replacing Rebecca Guy. n The King of the Creek endurance karting race has been cancelled. The event was scheduled for next weekend at Eastern Creek, but a lack of numbers has seen the event withdraw. The North Shore Kart Club is still going ahead with its planned club meeting, offering drivers and teams the last chance to race at Eastern Creek before next month’s Rotax Nationals.

10

Rabbitohs! Crowes!

Souths and Crowe sign up with V8 Supercars V8 SUPERCARS DO you like V8 Supercars?

Rugby League? Gladiator movies?

Well, now, you can have all three in one go – or, more accurately, one fella. Russell Crowe is the new face of the Supercheap Autos Bathurst 1000 and he has, literally, put his voice behind the event. In a series of television commercials to start airing soon, the Oscar©-winning actor will be the voice behind the sights and sounds of the nation’s biggest race.

There will be another allegiance between Crowe

and V8 Supercars. Crowe’s NRL team, the South Sydney Rabbitohs, will bear allegiance to V8 Supercars for the remainder of the season, with the category’s logo on the players’ jumpers.

In other showbiz news, we hear that there are plans afoot to make the 2010 season launch bigger and better, and a pre-season campaign will feature an ad to rival the famed Tina Turner-fuelled League ads from a decade or so back.

While an announcement is not expected to be made for some time, we expect American rocker Pink to be the face, and voice, behind the TVCs.

Voices and Faces: Souths boss Russell Crowe and second-rower Michael Crocker in Sydney last week.

news

HRT Aces to line up in Davo’s car, with his crew [+ Techo] V8 SUPERCARS GARTH Tander and Will Davison will drive #2 at Phillip Island and Bathurst – but it will really be car #22.

The Holden Racing Team will go to the races with winning in its sights, but Davison’s regular racer will be the lead entry. Paul Dumbrell and Craig Baird’s #22

entry will be Tander’s usual racer, with most of his crew.

The Tander/Davison entry will be prepared by Davo’s usual crew, led by race engineer Alistair McVean, though long-time Tander right-hand man Matt ‘Techo’ Nilsson will join the fray. As they have since they officially became a fourcar team, all four ‘Clayton’ VEs will run with

Dirk Klynsmith

And it’s 22 for 2

‘pooled’ engineering resources.

“It’s fantastic,” says Davison. “I am pumped, we are running #2 on my car with my guys, and that should work well.

We all work very closely together anyway, so in that regard, it is nothing but a positive.

“I would be comfortable driving any way, but this will work out well.”

11

AUSSIE NASCAR STAR MARCOS AMBROSE WRITES FOR MOTORSPORT eNEWS

Montreal Blues i-marcos

AT the moment it’s pretty hard to take any Marcos Ambrose positives out of the Australian NASCAR driver Montreal weekend.

We got the pole for Armor All in the Nationwide car, but we put everything into getting the win and that didn’t happen. We didn’t even bring a spare car – it was all or nothing.

There’s not much to say about how we lost the race. I made a mistake on the last corner of the last lap and lost the race because of it.

I’m convinced that I’m jinxed at this track. Three years in a row something has gone against us while we’ve been dominating this race.

Congratulations to Carl for winning the race. He was putting the pressure on and I outbraked myself and hit the kerb and he got past me on the run to the line. It was a terrible feeling watching him take the chequered flag.

The day before, we didn’t even get to the green flag! Carl crashed the sportscar on me on Saturday and then he goes and steals the Nationwide win from me. I’m starting to think I don’t like him …

I really feel bad for my team and Armor All for what happened today. Anything other than a win here is not what we wanted and I’m devastated, but you’ve got to feel for Kevin Doran and his Grand-Am team.

Carl’s hit with the wall was quite big and all the signs are pointing to the Aflac/iRacing car being a write-off. The tub is creased up in the cockpit and when that happens, it’s junk.

It’s a pity because those cars are great to drive and they’re awesome around a place like Montreal. The braking marks for the two cars are light-years apart.

The stock car is not really designed for a road course – it’s hard enough to get them to behave on an oval – but the Grand-Am prototype is really cool to drive.

They have a lot of grip from all the aero, but you certainly don’t drive them ‘delicately’. They respond to being manhandled and thrown around and the tyres they use seem to take it well.

I’m very busy with all the Cup stuff but I’ve had ambitions to drive some Sportscar races, so when the time allows it I’m open to drive anything, especially the prototypes.

Aussie IndyCar star home: third P

INDYCAR WILL Power is planning on racing for Penske in 2010, as he recovers from injuries he suffered in a race crash in California.

Power was released from Memorial Hospital in Santa Rosa, California, last Thursday afternoon and flew home to Indianapolis. The part-time Penske Racing driver was due to be further examined by orthopedic specialist, Dr. Terry Trammell, on Monday to determine his next course of treatment and recovery.

“It feels great to be home,” said Power, expecting the healing process to take several months before returning to the cockpit.

“I’m looking forward to seeing Dr. Trammell next week and continuing my recovery.

I’m feeling better and stronger every day. I really have to say thanks to all the good wishes and support over the last week. We’ve heard from so many people in the IndyCar

community and the fans have been great, helping me keep up my spirits. I especially want to thank Roger Penske, Tim Cindric, and the Penske Racing team for all they’ve done.”

Cindric, President of Penske Racing, has confirmed that the team is working on sponsorship for Power to drive a third car for the team in 2010.

– MARY MENDEZ

Honda Racing

12

POWER RECOV

news

Things move FAZZT for Tag team

VERING

INDYCAR

Penske in 2010?

Honda Racing

Honda Racing

ALEX Tagliani has named his new IndyCar team FAZZT. Tagliani, 36, who won Indy 500 Rookie of the Year honors driving a partial season for Conquest Racing, has joined forces with a number if highprofile racing people with the new, single-car team. He has signed a four-year deal, with an option for a fifth year.

FAZZT Race Team is a partnership between Azzi Racing Division, which is owned by Montreal businessman and restrateur, Andre Azzi, who will be the team’s CEO. Also involved are ATG and Rubicon Sports Agency, which is co-owned by actor Jaon Priestly and Jim Freudenberg, who will be the team’s Chief

Operating Office. Rubicon will handle all the team’s commercial arrangements, which are due to be announced next year at the Montreal Auto Show, due to be held from January 15-24.

Rob Edwards, a 16-year veteran of Walker Racing, has been recruited as team manager and the team has

purchased the assets of Roth Racing, including two Dallaras.

“I have worked extremely hard for this,” Tagliani said. “I’m elated to be part of this new team and can’t wait to go racing full time in the IndyCar Series with great equipment and an incredible team of people.”

– MARY MENDEZ

13

FFord grows by two for PI FORMULA FORD

Dirk Klynsmith

14

TWO new entrants will feature at the penultimate round of the Australian Formula Ford title next weekend at Phillip Island.

Borland Racing Developments has confirmed it will enter former series contender Ash Walsh, while Mygale will enter New South Welshman Tom Williamson.

Walsh finished second in the 2007 title, and after spending 2008 racing Formula Renault cars in Europe, has sat out the first half of this season. He will race at both Phillip Island and Surfers Paradise, as reported in eNews #119.

Williamson is a karting expert, but has been on the sidelines in recent times, preparing Macauley Jones’s

karting efforts. Jones is the son of Brad Jones, and Williamson’s nationallevel Formula Ford debut will see his car’s preparation assisted by the BJR team. Williamson enters this round having had limited Formula Ford miles in the past.

Close to 20 Formula Fords have entered the Phillip Island event, with title leader Nick Percat in a position to wrap up the crown with one round to spare.

In other Formula Ford news, the category’s board will meet sometime after Phillip Island to discuss potential changes for 2010 and beyond.

At Queensland Raceway two weeks ago, leading teams put forward a raft of suggestions for next year including pit-to-car radios, among other issues.

– GRANT ROWLEY

news

Maddison makes the switch MINI CHALLENGE

Dirk Klynsmith

DIRT bike stunt hero Robbie Maddison will make his ‘MINI Challenge delivered by Pizza Capers’ debut at Phillip Island in a fortnight.

Maddison, who famously landed a 105foot vertical jump onto a replica of the Arc de Triomphe aboard a motorbike, will drive the UBER Star entry, following in the footsteps of Sam Newman, Steven Bradbury, Chris Atkinson and James Tomkins.

But it won’t be Maddison’s four-wheel debut. He competed in, and dominated, the Celebrity Challenge at this year’s Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park.

“I am pumped and really looking forward to MINI Challenge,” Maddison said.

“My four wheel debut was actually in the celebrity race at the Melbourne Grand Prix which I won. I have been looking for opportunities to get behind the wheel again so when I got the call from the guys at Fluid PR I jumped at the chance.”

MINI category manager Ted Toleman says the series will benefit greatly from having such a recognised star in the star car.

“Robbie is a worldwide hero to thousands of people,” said Toleman. “His courage and skill is legendary. We’re very pleased he’s accepted our offer to race at Philip Island with us, and we’re eager to watch him adapt to four wheel competition.”

15

Suzuki for Karl WORLD SUPERBIKE KARL Muggeridge will return to the World Superbike Championship in Germany this weekend – and he is back on a Suzuki.

The Aussie, who lost his ride with Celani Suzuki after hurting his back in the USA, will sub for Max Neukirchner on the Alstare Suzuki. The German, who is recovering from fractured vertebrae suffered in a testing accident at Imola in July, is not recovering as quickly as first thought, and is expected to require more surgery.

Muggeridge is becoming something of a specialist replacement rider. Today [Monday] he is filling in for Josh Brookes at HM Plant Honda, after Brookes was suspended over riding infringements earlier in the season. Brookes is expected back on the Honda after this round of the British series, while Muggeridge’s tenure on the factorybacked Suzuki is not known.

A New Wave of AUSTRALIAN GT

Suzuki Racing

DETAILS are starting to filter through regarding the wave of new GT cars that will appear in the Australian championship next year.

Former V8 Supercar team owner John Briggs will bring three Moslers into the country.

Briggs will drive one of the cars himself, one of the others will be drive by a yet-beconfirmed driver, while the final Mosler will be available for sale.

Briggs, a former Australian Sports Sedan champ, is keen for one final crack at a major local title.

“I want to have one more serious crack at a championship before I retire gracefully and the Australian GT Series is the place to do it,” Briggs said.

“It’s an effective championship and they know how to run it. Nobody wants to invest half a million dollars in a GT3 car and then have it devalued because the series

Lots to Play for

$6500 on the line for CIK at Ipswich CIK KARTING THE 2009 Australian CIK Championship has announced that drivers at the final round, to be held at Ipswich, Queensland on October 24/25, will be competing for a handy $6500 prize pool.

Courtesy of Defence

16

Industries, there will be no less than $5000 cash to be split among the competitors.

Each of the first 15 entries received for the KF2 category will receive $100 cash and there will be prizemoney split across the two finals with the winner of the first final receiving $500 and the second final $1000.

There will also be prizemoney for the second and third place runners in the first final and the top five finishers will also receive an allocation of prizemoney.

In addition, St George Kart Centre will also be distributing a total of $1500 worth of product to CIK competitors at the event.

fails. This has happened with other categories when the writing has been on the wall and nobody addresses the issues. GT is not like that, and in fact, I would like to have shares in the business”.

Expect to see three new Porsche Cup Ss in the field.

James and Theo Koundouris have accounted for one each, while Mark Coffee (Maranello Motorsport) has purchased a third Cup S, which will be for sale upon its arrival.

The other exciting addition

news

CHANGES AHEAD

Two Creeks, enduro for 2010

Dirk Klynsmith

sutton-images.com

f GTs

SHANNONS NATIONALS

is expected to be two Vipers GT3s that have been purchased businessman and racer Rob Sherrard. Sherrard has acquired an entire English-based GT3 team, above, and will potentially campaign all two cars, and keep one as a spare, next year. Long time Viper man Greg Crick is expected to drive one of the cars.

In other GT news, the grid allocation for the Homebush has been upped to 36 cars to accommodate the increased interest in entering cars.

– GRANT ROWLEY

THE Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championships has revealed its calendar for 2010, including a new hallmark event at Eastern Creek Raceway.

A six-hour production car race will be the feature event during the sixth round of the championship, with the race open to the same cars that are eligible for the Bathurst 12 Hour.

The new ‘Australian 6 Hour Production Car race’ continues the push by the Shannons Nationals and its categories to provide marquee races for classes and competitors throughout the season.

Eastern Creek will host New South Wales’ only two rounds of the Shannons Nationals after Oran Park was farewelled last weekend.

Tasmania’s Symmons Plains Raceway returns to

Photowagon.com

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

the calendar, while the last round at Sandown is set to clash with the SuperGP at Surfers Paradise – potentially putting a strain on officials and personnel.

Nevertheless, the Shannons Nationals will see its nine rounds contested over eight months, continuing to offer a viable home for secondlevel Australian series and championships. The 2010 Shannons Nationals will be the series’ fifth season.

Shannons Nationals director Rob Curkpatrick says that the new calendar suits both the tracks and the competitors.

“We’re really excited about

the 2010 Shannons Nationals,” he said.

“A nine-round season works for us and our competitor base, and we’ve built a good spread of circuits across the Eastern states, including a trip to Tasmania and South Australia.

“With our first round at Wakefield Park moving from the end of April to the start of March and our season finale at Sandown a month earlier, the events are on average four weeks apart.

“We added three circuits to this year’s schedule from 2008, which will all return and we’re looking forward to going back to Symmons Plains Raceway.”

Wakefield Park NSW 6-7 Mar Symmons Plains Tas 10-11 Apr Phillip Island Vic 1-2 May Mallala SA 29-30 May Winton Vic 26-27 Jun Eastern Creek NSW 17-18 Jul Morgan Park Qld 14-15 Aug Eastern Creek NSW 11-12 Sept Sandown Vic 23-24 Oct

17

news

! k c a b s ’ He DRAG RACING

PETER Russo is returning to Funny Car competition.

The multiple Australian champion will return to the quarter-miles in his Chevy Monte Carlo flopper, after having based his racing in the USA for the last decade.

With a number of significant rule changes implemented during the 2008 season, the Russos shipped their Funny Car operation back to Australia late

Peter Russo set for Aussie Funny Car return

last year to regroup.

“The chassis changes implemented by the NHRA meant it was better for us to bring our car back to Australia and reassess our US plans,” Helen Russo said.

“In the meantime, the Funny Car class experienced a resurgence last summer and the ENZED New Year international Funny Car Series at Willowbank Raceway was an outstanding success. We sat back and watched some

impressive performances from the Australian Funny Car racers, like Damien Harris and Mark Sheehan, and now there’s talk of Gary Densham returning for another series.”

The Russos ran a best of 5.035 seconds with their Dodge Avenger Funny Car at the NHRA Automobile Club of Southern California Finals at Pomona, California in November, 2006, before the debut of a new Chevrolet Monte Carlo the following season.

They also won four USA v Australia Funny Car Series, defeating NHRA event winners Densham and the late Al Hofmann, are members of the Goodyear Australian Five Second Club, they were the first ever Funny Car racers to top 280mph outside the US, and held the Australian National Speed Record (274.90mph/464.67kmh) for over 13 years, American Densham resetting the mark at Willowbank Raceway earlier this year.

Oakey confirms Australian Nationals comeback DRAG RACING LIKEABLE racer Dean Oakey is returning to Top Alcohol drag racing at the upcoming Fuchs Australian Nationals at Western Sydney Dragway (Sept 11-13).

In recent seasons, Oakey

18

has only been an occasional participant in his American Autos/Rare Spares Dragster. Now, Oakey has committed to the big Sydney event next weekend.

“We have been busy with work but now things are in place for us to return in Sydney in September and I can’t wait,”

Oakey said.

Top Alcohol is in the midst of a ressurgence, with an 11strong entries for Sydney, and the return of Oakey will certainly grab the attention of this strong field.

“We aim to contend, we aren’t going to run 5.40s straight

up, but I’d like our chances of running consistently quick,” he said.

“We toyed with different engine combinations in more recent times, however we have gone back to our older configurations and believe that will deliver for us.”

19

5 Minutes with ...

BEN COLLINS

Brit Ben Collins has an abundance of experience. Now he’s about to add V8 Supercars GRANT ROWLEY to that list – but he wants more than just Bathurst ...

So you consider it a realistic proposition to come out to Australia full-time?

Absolutely. I think the series is fantastic. The tracks that the cars go to, not just the endurance rounds which are amazing, but the other races I’ve watched on television and read about, are really high-profile.

I understand there’s a bit of a mixed review about the overseas rounds but I think it’s a credit to the series that rounds like that have been brought in to replace series

20

John Morris

MOTORSPORT NEWS: You’re coming out for the V8 Supercar endurance races with Kelly Racing, but we understand that there’s more to this visit that just the two races – you’d like to be here on a more permanent basis …

BEN COLLINS: Absolutely.

Even just from the testing outing at Winton, there was a lot of teams out there and from the way that Kelly Racing operates, I can see that this is the kind of place that I want to be.

If I can do well enough in these kind of races and build a platform for next year, that would be fantastic.

Obviously, the first thing to do is perform in these two endurance races. There’s a lot to learn, take in, so I’m pretty focused on that at the moment. Like I say, I’ve seen enough already, I know it would be a fantastic series to be involved in full-time, so I’ve certainly got my eyes open for anything that comes along like that.

that weren’t viable financially – like the Speedcar Series.

I think the fact that Formula 1 and V8 Supercars are the most popular race cars in the Middle East is a credit to the organisers.

Coming out to compete in V8 Supercars would mean a change of residence. Is that something you’re willing to do?

Yeah, absolutely. We had a four-day summer in England this year. I think that would help anyone galvanise a decision to come out to Australia!

It’s only this year that I’ve spent any time in Australia, and a bit of time in New Zealand earlier in the year, and I really enjoyed it.

I grew up in California, I’ve raced all around the world, so really, home for me is where the best racing is, and I believe that the best racing is her in Australia and in The States.

Kelly Racing is probably a good place for you to start as well. It has four cars in its

team. Perhaps, lots of places to slot in ...

Absolutely. I’ve been really impressed with not only how the team operates, but also how welcoming they are. And it’s not just a cliché. Both the Kelly brothers have been extremely helpful.

These cars are very different to anything else I’ve raced previously and they’ve dived right in and got really involved in my first tests with the team. The mechanics, the engineers, team manger, the whole lot, they’re all very focused and have the same aim. It’s really a sporting team and a fantastic place for me to start these races.

How did the deal originally crop up?

I made contact with Simon [McNamara, Holden Motorsport manager]. I was keen to get a go in one of the cars. I had an opportunity to get a bit of publicity through a feature story I did for Autsport. After that, I did a test in the [Holden Racing Team] car and I did well enough in that test that they

saw potential for me to do more than just testing. That’s when the deal with the Kelly camp came about.

What were your first thoughts about your initial test with the Holden Racing Team?

I really loved the test. I’d read a lot about European drivers coming over and struggling. Driving the car, I can partly see why. They are so far removed from ... the closest I can compare them to is a NASCAR. I have some experience in those ...

The professionalism of the team, HRT, struck me immediately. The cars are very fun. You can brake late and hard, which I enjoy, and there’s a real discipline in the way you apply the throttle and use the brake into the corner. It’s a real challenge.

The cars are challenging, but that is something that gives the best guys a chance to rise to the top.

After that first test, I could tell that they are difficult and a challenge, but that makes the racing good as well.

chat

Dirk Klynsmith

21

All that is left is Memorie WELL, the last-ever national motorracing event at Oran Park has been run and won and the demolition date for the Western Sydney circuit is rapidly approaching.

While it’s easy to be sad about the loss of one of Australia’s greatest race circuits, I prefer to think about happy memories and experiences that people have had since the circuit’s existence. The track might not last much longer, but the achievements of all the drivers who raced around the track will last for ever and ever.

Some of the higher-profile occurrences at Oran Park are detailed in the current monthly MNews magazine, but it’s the collection of individual memories that make racetracks like Oran Park so special. So, here’s some of my personal highlights: I first visited Oran Park in 2003 when I was 14 years old to watch Ian Kegg race in the Daewoo Series, otherwise known as the MoPro Cup. I was doing Keggie’s website at the time – my first foray into motorsport media. While it might not seem so glamorous now, I can still remember how excited I was when Ian wrapped up the title on a stinking hot November day in 2003. The series victory was followed by the usual champagne-

opinion Lachlan Mansell eNews Contributor spraying ceremony … on the balcony of one of Oran Park’s famous corporate suites.

Fast-forward three years to 2006, to one of the best-ever V8 Supercar races. It was actually the last-ever reverse-grid V8 Supercar race, and it was won by Mark Skaife with a storming drive from the back of the grid.

2007 was the year where the Oran Park media centre was the place to be during the V8 Supercar round, mainly because it was one of the few places where you could watch the racing without getting soaked. Few people will forget Lee Holdsworth’s awesome wet-weather drive, but even more amazing than Holdsworth’s performance was Owen Kelly’s amazing drive in the Fujitsu Series, coming from pit lane to win the race.

And finally, an honourable mention to the late Ashley Cooper. Ashley holds the Oran Park Commodore Cup lap record, far right, and that record will never be broken – an eternal tribute to both Ashley Cooper and Oran Park Raceway.

Letters Thanks for Frank I’m deeply saddened with the news that Frank has passed away.

In the many interviews that I did with Frank I found him succinct. A wealth of knowledge, quirky sense of humour and did not suffer fools lightly.

Frank knew the racing business backwards and his ability to sum up a situation in a few weighty words was refreshing.

In my opinion his ‘Drive to Survive’ book should be in every school and is possibly the best of its genre in the world. Despite some of the gut-wrenching laps I did with Frank as a passenger at various circuits, he always thought safety first.

22

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

Frank Gardner ‘Motor Sport Genius’ and a man amongst men, you will be missed.

Ken Sparkes Via email V8 Super Rabbit [Ohs] It is great to see that the premier motorsport category in Australia, V8 Supercars, is becoming a sleeve sponsor for the greatest rugby league club in history, the Mighty South Sydney Rabbitohs!

It is great to see this, as for the past few weeks, the only news that anyone has been talking about is TeamVodafone’s move to Holden. Even though I am a Ford supporter, and have my own 888

merchandise, I do wish Roland Dane, Craig and Jamie the best of luck.

With the NRL being the premier football category in NSW, Queensland, and a decent following in New Zealand, this exposure will hit an even bigger audience, with prime time viewing on Channel 9 and all games broadcast on pay TV. (I am sure Channel 7 are rubbing their hands in glee that they get promotion for one of their jewels in the crown on to rival networks).

Now I am just hoping that there will be a Souths V8 Supercar!

Stephen Goodwin Via email

opinion

es

Marshall Cass

Ryan Lahiff

eLETTER OF THE WEEK Maybe you haven’t noticed, but in the races where the optional tyre is used, anyone who has a problem in the first race – either through mechanical or crash damage, invariably have a ripper second race.

The reason for this is that they have a good tyre bank left, and this gives them a significant advantage. This is unfair, as the rest of the field who did complete the race have depleted their useable tyres.

There needs to be an official re-think to level this disparity, and I suggest by the removal of one set of tyres, after all, had they completed the previous race, they wouldn’t have them!

Every car is issued with a number of sets of tyres, sufficient to cover the whole weekend’s races, not 25 percent of race 1 and then 100 percent of race two.

Andy Dietrich Via email

Andy Dietrich is this week’s winner of the DVD Transporter 3, starring Jason Statham, compliments of Icon Film Distribution Australia.

Send yours to mail@mnews.com.au, or Motorsport News PO Box 7072, Brighton, Vic 3186 23

SPECIAL REPCO RALLY AUSTRALIA PREVIEW

World Rallying is back! A

After a three year absence, Rally Australia is back in business. But it will be totally different to the ‘old’ Rally Oz ...

ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN investigates

I

T’S been three long years since the World Rally Championship visited Australia, but that’s all about to change, with the newlook Repco Rally Australia just days away from kicking off in New South Wales.

While it is a return for the WRC, it can hardly be classed as a homecoming. Rally Australia was, for 19 years, based in Perth, some 3600-odd kilometres from its new home of Kingscliff, in NSW’s Northern Rivers region.

It’s the sheer distance that will make this rally a real unknown for the crews. If any of the teams are planning to arrive in Australia knowing what’s in store, they will be greatly surprised by how different Kingscliff is to Perth. After all, as I wrote in eNews’ sister publication GPWeek, if you moved the Monte Carlo rally the same distance, it would be held in the Russian Republic of Bashkortostan. And yes, that is a real place.

Gone are the days of WA’s famous ball bearing gravel, with the new roads offering a more traditional style of gravel, thanks to the rainforest surrounds. In WA, the competitive stages were made up of mostly of Forest roads, leaving them very unswept. In NSW, they will be mostly closed public roads, further contributing to the stark differences in the two event’s road conditions.

It will be a complete unknown, much like when the WRC went to Jordan for the first time ever in 2008, or when it went to Poland for the first time

24

since 1973 this year.

That will make recce vitally important, a point made by the two leading contenders (see breakout). After all, while there are 45 crews starting Rally Australia, there are only two who can win the event on pure speed – Ford’s Mikko Hirvonen and Citroen’s Sebastien Loeb. That might be being a little hard on the likes of Dani Sordo, Jari-Matti Latvala and Henning Solberg, but the truth is they need ‘the big two’ to make mistakes to win the event.

But which out of Hirvonen and Loeb is more likely to win? The answer is Hirvonen. He is, after all, a gravel specialist, and will be riding a big wave of confidence after winning his home rally in Finland recently – on roads that the Australian stages are expected to mimic closely. Hirvonen also won in Poland – another first time event – as he did in Jordan last year as well. And, the greatest motivation of all is that if he can beat Loeb again, he will be looking good to win the World Rally Championship.

Of course, you can’t discount the Frenchman in the Citroen. He hasn’t won the last six World Championships by accident, and while he might have grown up driving on the tarmac, he was proven well and truly he can match it with the Finns on gravel. Hirvonen is the favourite, but there isn’t much in it. The only safe bet is that there won’t be an inch spared between the two.

The Details

preview

According to Mikko ...

“THIS is a brand new rally, so I don’t know what to expect.

“The roads in the west, where I won in 2006, are different to those we will experience here. The tracks were covered in slippery marble-like stones, but I understand these roads are more traditional gravel, which should suit me.

“I love Australia; the people are friendly and easy going, like me!

“It’s a crucial rally for the championship. I will try to win but if I can’t, then I must score as many points as possible.

Zero points and the title fight could be over for me this year.

“I have a good record on new rallies, although I don’t feel I do anything differently in either the recce or the rally itself. But I’ll be happy if I can maintain that record.”

According to Seb ...

“OUR goal is to win, or at least finish ahead of Mikko Hirvonen.

“As the situation stands at the moment, the way the championship finishes is in my hands. If I win the last three rallies, I will be the World Champion. My mission will become somewhat more complex, however, if Mikko beats me just once!

“This weekend’s event promises to be extremely close, because Mikko is particularly strong on fast gravel, especially when the stages are new to everyone.

The way recce goes will be vital, not only in terms of the precision of our pacenotes, but also regarding the quality of the information we are able to provide the team in order to decide on the best set-up for the start.”

Event Schedule Thursday September 3 SS1, Tweed 1 – 6:53pm start Finish, Kingscliff service park – 7:48pm Friday September 4 SS3, Kygole 1 – 7:38am start Finish, Kingscliff service park – 8:10pm Saturday September 5 SS16, Dayco 1 – 7:28am start Finish, Kingscliff service park – 8:55pm Sunday September 6 SS26, Monroe 1 – 7:14am Finish, Kingscliff service park – 4:14pm Full schedule available at www.rallyaustralia. com ONE HD will broadcast the 2009 Repco Rally Australia at 8:30pm on Friday, 5:30pm on Saturday, and 2:00pm on Sunday. See www. ten.com.au for more details on the coverage.

25

AUSTRALIAN MUSCLE CAR MASTERS 6 SEPTEMBER EASTERN CREEK PREVIEW

Masters Class

It’s hard to know where to look first, for the stars and the cars this weekend at Eastern Creek

C

OME on, admit it. What do you really want for Father’s Day? More socks? Or, something you will remember until …

Father’s Day next year?

Sounds like a trip to Eastern Creek for the Muscle Car Masters in the answer. How else would you want to spend the first weekend of Spring than lurking around some of the most famous cars and drivers in Aussie motor racing history?

Of course, this is a big year for anniversaries.

In 1969, Ford rolled out its first Falcon GTHO, and Holden countered with the Monaro GTS 350. They are two cars whose legacies are written into the very fabric of motoring culture in this country, and there will be many examples of both cars in western Sydney.

26

Ten years later, it was the turn of Holden, Peter Brock and Jim Richards winning Bathurst by six laps in the Torana A9X. The cars are rare, but expect to see many A9Xs at the track, including Paul Stubber’s two cars. The Waussie is aiming to have both his Toranas on the front row of the Group C-Group A races – and with Jason Richards in the other Stubber A9X, he just might get his wish.

There will be plenty of off-track activities behind the pits, and much to watch on the track, including those crazy New Zealander in their Central Muscle Cars.

Stubber’s newly-built Camaro will be making its first appearance, in order to keep our cousins from taking all the silverware back to the Shaky Isles. There will be a special race at the end of

John Morris Marshall Cass

Marshall Cass

For event details – see advt page 7

John Morris

John Morris

Sunday, with the Kiwis and the Biantes lining up side-by-side in what is sure to make the ground shake.

The famous names from the great age of touring car racing will be at the Creek – sometimes in pairs. So look for Moffat, Bond, Firth, Grice, Bartlett, Morris, Holden, Harvey and the Gibson and Seton families …

As you would expect, there will be a tribute to Frank Gardner, who passed away on the weekend.

As much as the man in the white hat is associated with high-tech cars like the Ford Sierra and BMWs here in Australia, don’t forget he won two of his British Touring Car crowns by wrestling American V8s around English tracks ...

V8 Superstars: There will be much to see at Eastern Creek this weekend. Apart from the battle of the Aussie Biante Series cars and those invaders from New Zealand, names like Allan Moffat and John Harvey will be in attendance. Paul Stubber’s A9Xs will celebrate a 30th anniversary, while Glenn Seton will help blow out 40 candles for Ford’s iconic Capri.

27

SHANNONS NATIONALS ROUND 8 – ORAN PARK, NSW

Gone, but not forgot

The final-ever National motor racing meeting was held at Oran Park last weekend – the eighth round of the Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championships. LACHLAN MANSELL reports from the (soon-to-be-gone) south western Sydney circuit.

28

race

tten

Marshall Cass

29

FORMULA 3 ROUND 6 – ORAN PARK, NSW

Australia’s upper hand Forget the cricket – Australia knows how to play F3. LACHLAN MANSELL reports FORMULA 3

T

im Macrow has come away from the last-ever Australian Formula 3 Championship round at Oran Park with a slender points advantage over Joey Foster, finishing first and second in two controversial races.

Macrow also took pole position for the weekend’s opening race, scoring a valuable extra championship point for his efforts.

While the 2007 Formula 3 champ drove well all weekend, luck was definitely on his side. In Race 1, he crossed the line third, but was elevated to second when Mat Sofi was penalised for a questionable

30

move on Joey Foster for the race lead. However, Sofi has appealed the decision, the outcome of which will not be known until the final round at Sandown in three months.

Race 2 was also very fortunate for Macrow. Initially, he dropped from his front-row grid-position to third by Turn 2 thanks to a blinding start from his title nemesis, Joey Foster. However, Chris Gilmour spun exiting the final corner on the opening lap and was Tboned spectacularly by Maher Algadri. The race was redflagged and the cars returned to their initial grid-positions for the restart. Macrow made a better getaway second time around. He led into the

first corner, and was never challenged from that point.

“This place has been very good to me with wins here in 2006 and sealing the title in 2007,” Macrow said of his Oran Park success. “I also won here in Formula Ford so to be able to win my last ever race here – and the last ever Gold Star race – is pretty significant.

Macrow’s cause was aided when Foster collided with Ben Crighton just two laps from the end. Crighton retired on the spot, while Foster amazingly continued without damage to score points for third in the Championship Class.

Mat Sofi had another strong weekend, despite the

provisional situation for Race 1.

Sofi qualified on pole position for the weekend’s second race, and finished second behind Macrow.

The other Championship Class contender, Ben Crighton, had a weekend to forget. His altercation with Joey Foster in Race 2 was preceded by a collision with Tom Tweedie in Race 1, giving him a pair of doughnuts for the weekend.

In the National Class, Chris Gilmour and Tom Tweedie each won a race, failing to finish the other. Roger I’Anson finished a strong second in class and fourth outright in Race 2, while veteran Graeme Holmes chalked up a pair of third place finishes.

race

Marshall Cass

James Smith John Morris/Mpix

James Smith

Formula Crash: Above, Maher Algadgeri and Chris Gilmour clashed.

Worse, though, for former title leader Joey Foster who was involved in two incidents – above left with Ben Creighton and left with Mat Sofi.

31

Audi-do-di

A huge field of Sport Sedans were led by reigning class Champion Darren Hossack. LACHLAN MANSELL was there

SHANNONS NATIONALS

R

OUND 8 of the Shannons Nationals provided a fitting send-off for the last-ever national race meeting at Oran Park on the weekend.

Sport Sedans produced spectacular racing with a 25-car field, one of the largest in years. Defending champion Darren Hossack recovered from his early season difficulties to move into the series lead, winning all three races.

Tony Ricciardello, the leader entering the weekend, failed to finish Race 1 with

32

mechanical problems. Sixth and second in the other two races salvaged some valuable points for Ricciardello, but it wasn’t enough for the Kelly Racing V8 Supercar endurance driver to land on the podium, which was filled by Kerry Baily and Des Wall.

Despite wrapping up the national Saloon Car title in the previous round at Morgan Park, Shawn Jamieson showed no sign of easing off, qualifying on pole position and winning the opening two races. However, Jamieson retired from the final race with a punctured right-rear tyre, and fellow VT Commodore driver John

Goodacre won the race and the round.

Bruce Heinrich finished second, while Tony Evangelou rounded out the podium with a consistent weekend.

The Holdsworth name is well and truly etched into the Oran Park record books after Brett Holdsworth took out the Commdore Cup round win, adding to his brother Lee’s V8 Supercar and Commodore Cup round wins in 2007 and 2008. Holdsworth finished second behind Tony Bates in Race 1, and then won Race 2 from Nick Parker, extending his series lead ahead of the final round at Sandown.

However, in terms of outright pace,

James Smith

V8s last hurrah: Shane Beikoff won, above, as did Brett Holdsworth, below and Darren Hossack, left.

Marshall Cass Marshall Cass

Small but cute: Above, Shawn Jamieson won Saloon Cars. Wins also went to Ryan McLeod, below, and Paul Kemal, bottom.

John Morris/Mpix Marshall Cass

Camilleri.

Lee Castle won the opening race, but was controversially relegated to grid position five for Race 2 due to an incident with Bob Pearson. Nevertheless, Castle made up ground on Rod Salmon in the series standings.

Shane Beikoff won the V8 Touring Car round in his AU Falcon from Terry Wyhoon, and Adam Wallis. In the Aussie Racing Cars, reigning champion Paul Kemal won the round from Maurice Masini and Brad Ward, with title contenders David Lawrence and Adam Gowans both experiencing problems.

John Morris/Mpix

19-year-old Scott Andrews was the revelation of the weekend, qualifying fastest on a circuit he had never seen before, in only his fourth Commodore Cup meeting. The races did not go so well for Andrews; a broken panhard bar in Race 1 was followed by a heavy collision with Ross McGregor in Race 2.

Ryan McLeod won the Australian Manufacturers Championship round with a solid run in his Holden Astra. McLeod won his class in the opening two races and clinched the round win with second outright in the final, handicap race. Steve Glenney finished second ahead of Jake

33

INDYCAR ROUND 15 – CHICAGOLAND

Twenty Eight Inch

34

hes

A side-by-side battle between Ryan Briscoe and Scott Dixon – at 220mph – came down to that margin at

Honda Racing

35

I

NDYCAR’S oval races this season have either been processions that you would not watch unless you were forced to, or thrilling, side-byside classics, with narrow finishes.

Chicagoland’s round was definitely one of the latter.

Ryan Briscoe has prevailed in his second ‘inches’ finish on a Superspeedway, getting the best of a showdown finish with Scott Dixon, taking the flag by 0.0077s after a 200-lap fight. In a blanket finish, Tony Kanaan finished 0.8s from the win, but the Brazilian finished in 13th place.

Despite starting from pole, and winning the race, it was not a perfect night for Briscoe.

“It was definitely not as smooth as I would have liked, but had a very good car,” said Briscoe after his third win of the season. “It was fast, it was consistent. I struggled with a bit of understeer for most of it. We got a turn in front winging the last pit stop and it really helped me out for that final stage. But that first pit under yellow, I missed my marks a little bit. They couldn’t get the fuel in properly and we lost a lot of positions.”

Dixon actually won the final restart, but Briscoe was able to use his push-to-pass to get around his rival at the start of the final lap. Dario Franchitti, who lost time himself when a crew member threw a rattlegun under his car during a stop, had plenty of pushed of his own still to use, but he was trapped in the pack and unable to use them. Post-race, officials estimated that the margin of victory translated to 28.5 inches …

Dixon was second ahead of KV driver Mario Moraes, who scored his first IndyCar podium by edging past Franchitti, with Graham Rahal, Ed Carpenter and Oriol Servia completing the top six.

While Briscoe was chasing through the pack, his team-mate had a lousy night. Helio Castroneves set up the final yellow when with 16 laps to run, he ran wide and hit the wall when his front suspension failed, and he now appears to be out of championship contention.

Briscoe extended his lead with the win, and the final two races of the season are sure to be exciting.

“We’ve seen how quickly that can turn around,” said Briscoe.

“Just got to stay focused and try to beat these guys still. Japan and Homestead, they’re going to be tough races. Hopefully we go and have a good car. I don’t see any reason why we won’t.”

36

INDYCAR | PEAK INDY 300, CHICAGOLAND 1 6 2 9 3 5 4 10 5 02 6 20 7 06 8 43 9 2 10 18

Ryan Briscoe Scott Dixon Mario Moraes Dario Franchitti Graham Rahal Ed Carpenter Oriol Servia Tomas Scheckter Raphael Matos Justin Wilson

Aus NZ Br GB USA USA E RSA Br GB

Penske Target Ganassi KV Racing/Azul Teqila Target Ganassi/Lifelock Newman/Haas/Lanigan Vision Newman/Haas/Lanigan Dreyer & Reinbold Luczo Dragon Coyne/Z-Line

200 laps Q1 -0.0077s 6 -0.0699s 8 -0.0997s 3 -0.1295s 5 -0.1668s 12 -0.2612s 9 -0.2683s 14 -0.3356s 17 -0.4344s 15

Fastest lap: Scheckter on lap 192, 25.0567s (218.385mph)

Briscoe 550, Franchitti 525, Dixon 517, Castroneves 383, Patrick 353, Andretti 342, Kanaan 335, Rahal 331, Wheldon 318, Wilson 316.

IndyCar Media

IndyCar Media

Red and White: Briscoe looks to be in a great position to win the first IndyCar title by an Aussie. Dario Franchitti, in Lifelock yellow, had his race ruined in the pits, while the NHLs of Graham Rahal and Oriol Servia showed their best oval form for some time.

Honda Racing

Honda Racing

37

NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES ROUND 25 – NAPA AUTO PARTS 200, MONTREAL, CAN

M

ARCOS Ambrose made a fatal mistake on the final turn of the final lap and that was all Carl Edwards needed to take his third win of the year at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada on Sunday.

The weekend was all about Ambrose and Edwards, the pair teaming up for the GrandAm race and Ambrose winning pole for the Nationwide race

over Edwards in the rain by 1.2s.

He headed 15 of the first 16 laps the first laps, with Edwards slipping by him once and from there, he battled back to the front on a later pit schedule taking the lead again from Edwards on lap 30.

With 11 cautions, the marathon race took almost four hours to complete the 74 laps with Ambrose leading the most laps (60) for the third straight year without sealing the deal.

Driving probably the only car in the field without damage, Ambrose entered turn 13 wide after jumping off the curb with his left wheels in the previous corner, allowing Edwards to muscle his Ford underneath without contact with the checkers in sight.

The race lacked rhythm until there was then a long green flag run just before half-way.

Then rain forced NASCAR to throw a caution for a five-

minute break for teams to fit rain tyres and rain equipment.

It was that wet track that dried out under all the long caution laps that caught Ambrose out with patches of wet and dry dotted around the corners more finesse was required than normal.

“I came off turn two banging doors with Andrew Ranger and the whole time I was thinking, ‘Marcos is going to get away with this,’” remarked Edwards.

Carl Edwards ruined Marcos Amb

D’Oh Cana

38

race

“I gave it everything I had on that last lap and Marcos just made that one mistake though the curbs at the end and it gave me a chance to get by. This is unreal. It makes it special to pass him, I feel he’s the world’s best road course racer right now.”

“I just made a mistake at the end there and lost the race,” said a dejected Ambrose.

“Any other lap, any other

corner, I have got it straight back, it just happened to be the last corner of the race.

“We had a great race coming off the hairpin, Carl got some position on me and I tried to make sure I out broke him and I out broke myself. I’m jinxed around this joint, I tell you now. 15,000 restarts and I got away with them all, I feel pretty devastated, because I let the boys down and we came here to win.”

Marcos Mad

Edwards gave Jack Roush his first ever road course win by leading just three laps and picked up 52 points on points leader Kyle Busch in the standings to trail by 192 for the championship.

Busch was caught up in a penultimate lap wreck triggered by Edwards’s forceful pass for second on Canadian Andrew Ranger, who finished third in a CJM Racing Toyota.

GRANDAM

brose’s weekend in Montreal – twice!

ada!

By MARTIN D CLARK

NASCAR Media

MARCOS Ambrose made his debut in the Rolex Grand Am Sports Car Series at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal Canada on Saturday – almost.

Unfortunately, his NASCAR Sprint Cup rival, and one-time co-driver in the Doran Motorsports Dallara Carl Edwards stuffed the car hard into the armco on the out lap to form the starting grid form their eighth qualifying slot.

Edwards crashed the Aflac, iRacing Ford-powered car after exiting the turn 10 hairpin and with light mist falling when he encountered the next curve he lost control on cold tyres – and the rest was history.

Max Angelelli and Brain Frisselle, top, won the event in a similar Ford Dallara entered by Wayne Taylor Racing in a race plagued with rain showers and subsequent pits stops.

The Penske Porsche Riley driven by Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas took second, and Team Penske’s highest finish to date.

NASCAR took over the running of the series at the beginning of the year and putting more Cup drivers in the cars (Ambrose and Edwards were to be 10th and 11th this season) in an effort to gain a national and international fan base. Several teams have been invited to test the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course this Thursday in preparation for a possible series debut in 2010.

– MARTIN D CLARK

39

sutton-images.com

Silver lining Mat Jackson was the standout at Silverstone, while Chevrolete dominated MAT Jackson was the star of the BTCC races at Silverstone last wekend, taking two wins from the three races.

Team-mate Jason Plato won the middle race to make it a Chevrolet-dominated day although Colin Turkington retained his championship lead form Fabrizio Giovanardi.

Jackson won Race 1 despite close attentions from Jason Plato. Most expected Jackson to be forced aside to allow championship hopeful Plato a chance to bag more points

40

but Jackson remained ahead, with James Nash taking third to lock out the podium for the RML team. Turkington’s BMW was fourth ahead of Giovanardi’s Vauxhall Vectra.

Plato led Race 2 in increasingly wet conditions as Giovanardi stormed through the top six. The Vectra was miserable for straight-line speed but the wet was the great leveller. Giovanardi worked his way up to second but couldn’t make further progress – he ran out of

time to catch Plato but with Turkington fourth, the gap narrowed between the two.

Race 3 was led by Rob Collard’s Airwaves BMW but mid-race he was caught by the charging Jackson who had looked so strong all day long.

Jackson caught and passed the BeeEmm and then pulled away but as the raced entered its final quarter, the gap dropped again and Collard was on the tail of the Lacetti.

He tried to unsettle the RMLrun car but never forced the

issue, setting for second with Jackson taking a second win of the day. Turkington took third with Giovanardi fifth, the dry weather frustrating his pace in the Vectra, meaning Turkington still heads the title race with six races to go.

– DAVID ADDISON Points: Turkington 232, Giovanardi 221, Plato 190, Neal 153, Jackson 137, Collard 125, Thompson 114, Jelley 93, Jordan 86, Adam 85.

race

Calardo two, Scott out

JAMES Calado took two impressive wins in the Formula Renault UK Championship at Silverstone, one in the dry and the other in greasy conditions.

His first win came despite the constant shadow of championship leader Oli Webb who valiantly tried to make a move on Calado but could never quit get close enough, while race two fell to Calado on a wet and slippery road. He built an advantage over Dean Smith and Dean Stoneman after Webb spun himself down the order early one, but a great fight for fourth raged between Harry Tincknell, Josh Scott and racing returned Euan Hankey (in place of the injured Matthias Laine). All three, driving for CRS Racing fought for fourth, Hanley eventually bagging the place form the Australian with Tincknell, who had raced well in the first twothirds of the race, slipping to sixth.

Scott’s first race had ended in retirement after early race contact smashed his front bodywork. When he pitted for a new nose section, the team discovered that the bracket that held the bodywork in place was broken, too, and there was no chance to repair the car and send it back into the race in a competitive position.

– DAVID ADDISON

Titles and first wins Daniel Herrington won his first Firestone Indy Lights race, while at the same time, J.R. Hildebrand won his first Firestone Indy Lights championship at Chicagoland Speedway last weekend.

While there was first-time celebrations, it was a great weekend for Australian driver James Davison, who tookm second place behind his team-mate Herrington.

Herrington overtook New Zealander Wade Cunningham and Davison following a lap 41 restart and held off Davison by 0.0613s.

Andrew Prendeville, who started 14th, charged to third place and Cunningham finished fourth.

Californian Hildebrand finished fifth to wrap up the series title in the penultimate race.

For Herrington and his Bryan Herta Autosport team – both completing their first Firestone Indy Lights season – it was a relief.

“Finally,” said Herrington, who has a dozen top 10 finishes in the 14 races.

“We’ve had a rough couple of races in the middle of the season. At the beginning of the year, Bryan told us we would win a race. We didn’t think it would be this late in the season before we won a race. It sure is nice to get that win. “

Davison was also happy to secure his seventh top five reult of the year.

“I’m definitely happy to finish second to my team-mate, Daniel,” said Davison.

“With this race, if you can work together with somebody, especially your teammate, you can control your result a little more. Just thinking of the points, it’s always better to take what you can get.”

Panther Racing’s Martin Plowman finished eighth and team-mate Pippa Mann recovered from an early-race spin in Turn 2 to finish ninth.

Rodrigo Barbosa was 10th in the No. 55 ELFF Racing car.

According to new champion Hildebrand, it was a case of keeing the car on the road to secure the title.

“My strategy was not to crash,” said Hildebrand. ”It’s just a dream come true. I came into this year with Andretti Green Racing knowing I had every opportunity to make this happen. It feels great to bring it home to the boys and bring everything back together after the last few years.

Hopefully, we can take this (championship) and move forward for next year.”

The Firestone Indy Lights wraps up at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 10.

41

42

rear of grid

Words from those who knew Frank Gardner best SIR JACK BRABHAM “Frank was a friend for so many years and it is sad that it has had to come to an end. Frank was different, a real character who everyone loved to have around – he could make you laugh.

“He had a driving talent – he could drive anything – sport cars, single seaters, saloon cars, everything. He drove some of our cars for a while and did a great job of that.”

GEOFF BRABHAM “He had a big influence with Ford at Le Mans and his managing skills were legendary. He was pretty tough but one of those guys that if you met him head-on and argued it out, he respected you. He was definitely one of the true characters.’”

JIM RICHARDS “Frank and Gloria lived in Sydney and I lived in Melbourne. Frank tested and prepared the cars and I just turned up and raced. He was a brilliant driver and engineer and we developed a tremendous friendship.

“In all that time I don’t think we ever had bad word between each other.

We just had a mutual respect for what each other did.”

t o p S d d O

Dirk Klynsmith

TONY LONGHURST “I certainly owe Frank a lot for picking me up and tutoring and supporting me through my career. There was never any bullshit about Frank in the way he went about preparing his cars and team. I think when I joined him and Jimmy [Richards], he was about 10 years ahead of his time in this county.

“He was so methodical in his car preparation and presentation. He was stubborn in a lot of ways, but in hindsight, that thoroughness resulted in reliability and wins and I think a lot of people could learn a lot about that even today.”

THE Motorsport eNews team like to consider itself a bunch of timehardened ‘foodies.’

We like food – a lot. Most can’t live without it. We can’t live without detailing every minute ingredient that was in the meal we had last night, and the meal we’re probably thinking about creating right now.

Pizza is one of our faves. How can you go wrong? Dough, stuff, cheese.

Delish!

Well, it’s actually easy to go wrong, which is why we’ve tried every pizzeria in our local area.

Recently, the eNews staff were treated to a sample of Pizza Capers gourmet menu. It hit the spot – just look at the smiles from the crew, right.

43