Motorsport eNews Issue 130 - November 10-16, 2009

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Issue No. 130 November 10 -16 2009

s t h g i r B ’ l a e D w e NIt’s a shocK, l l a l a e v e r e w and WhiNcup Back on title track

Editorial Editor: Andrew van Leeuwen andrew@mnews.com.au Executive Editor: Phil Branagan editor@mnews.com.au National Editor: Mitchell Adam mitchell@mnews.com.au

Australasian

The ‘A’ Team

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MD / Publisher

Chris Lambden publisher@mnews.com.au

Contributing Writers F1: Will Buxton, Mark Glendenning, Paolo Filisetti Europe: Quentin Spurring, David Addison US: Martin D. Clark, Phil Morris Speedway: Greg Boscato, Geoff Rounds, Darren Sutton, Tony Millard (UK) 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 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

Issue No. 130 | 10 - 16 Nov 2009

news 4 Bright Secured ...

8 Fab Move 10 Safer Safety Cars 15 Traffic Stopper 19 Driftin’ Back

chat 20 5 minutes with ... opinion 22 Larkham 23 Branagan

race 24 V8 Supercars 32 Island Supports 34 Sandown Historics 38 NASCAR 42 ROC

trade 36 Classifieds

... and three at BJR???

Coulthard jumps ship Changes to SC procedure JR checks out Homebush DA re-grows for 2010 Cam McConville Overtaking School 2 + 2 doesn’t = 4 He’s Back ...

Walton and Garwood Bullas takes title Buschwacked Ekstrom-ordinary

YOU’LL notice a new byline – sort of – in this edition of eNews.

We’d like to welcome Mitchell Adam back to the team. I say back, because ‘Madam’ was once one of our best contributors here at Motorsport News, before his efforts were noticed by top PR company Media and Communication Services, and he jumped to the ‘dark side’.

But we got him back. ‘Madam’ slots straight into eNews as the National Ed, and it’s already like he never left. Welcome back, Madam – good to have you on board.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

Bright, Wilson Security and … BJR the V8 SUPERCARS

J

ASON Bright will drive a Wilson Security-backed car in 2010.

But it won’t be under the current team structure of Wilson Security Racing, which is currently run by Paul Cruickshank Racing.

Instead, the likely outcome is that Bright will replace Cameron McConville at Brad Jones Racing, and Wilson Security will replace WOW Sight and Sound as the main

sponsor of the car.

However, according to paddock gossip, that’s not the only option for Bright and Wilson Security; Walkinshaw Racing will have a sponsorless and driver-less car if Paul Dumbrell makes the much-expected move to the Rod Nash Racing/Ford Performance Racing squad next season.

Stone Brothers Racing is also geared up to run three cars, as it currently runs the Britek car for Bright.

While there is still a slight question mark over where and how, Bright in a Wilson Security-backed V8 Supercar is a certainty. And the likeliest outcome is that it will be a Brad Jones Racing Commodore, with Bright already possessing a BJR contract that needs only a signature to be finalised.

But what of Bright’s two licences?

One is expected to be bought by Steve Webb (see separate story), and the other might well stay in Bright’s

possession – and be used to turn Brad Jones Racing into a three-car operation.

That would mean a Team BOC car for Jason Richards, and two Wilson Security Racing cars, one for Bright, and another for a third driver.

There are options for the third driver; Jason Bargwanna will be on the market when Sprint Gas Racing is deconstructed at the end of the season, and would be a good fit in the experienced line-up.

FOR FORMULA 1, MOTOGP AND WRC NEWS, OPINION AND ANALYSIS CLICK HERE TO ACCES

news

favourite Dirk Klynsmith

But West Aussie Karl Reindler is also a contender, as he is known and liked by Wilson Security and greatly impressed at this year’s Bathurst 1000, where he shared the Fujitsu Racing car with Bright.

Regardless, it seems that Bright holds the key to the silliest of silly seasons – although there are still balls hovering well above ground, waiting to fall at any moment and, as we hear it, some options are changing by the hour!…

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

PCR: Changes for sure, but closure not certain ...

V8 SUPERCARS

THE future of Paul Cruickshank Racing remains unclear, but the team boss is far from shutting down his team.

As this edition of eNews went live, Cruickshank was in the midst of negotiating a deal that would see his team remain on the V8 Supercar grid in 2010 but not in the form it currently takes.

Cruickshank could not comment on what would happen, other than to say, “I have options; there are things I am working on that could make it clear very quickly.”

He would not elaborate on what those options are, and the team’s situation was made more complicated by the fact that Cruickshank had to leave Phillip Island on Saturday morning, because his wife was unwell and he had to return to Queensland.

PCR announced last week that current driver Fabian Coulthard was leaving at the end of the current season, and Walkinshaw Racing

subsequently announced that he would drive for them – probably in a Bundaberg Red Commodore – in 2010. eNews believes that Cruickshank’s most likely direction involves James Rosenberg and Tim Slade. Rosenberg has a long involvement in motor racing, particular in Formula 3, and had previously been involved in Touring Car racing, through his sponsorship of Mark Poole in the 1990s.

In mid-2007, his Rosenberg Machinery Group was formed with a main office in Roseworthy in South Australia’s wine belt.

Since that time, the business has consolidated and growth has been steady and strong.

Slade has had an up-and-down debut year in the series with Supercheap Auto Racing and, with Greg Murphy expected to race for the Paul Morris Motorsport team from next season, Slade is looking for another deal. With RECs at a premium, Cruickshank’s licence, and infrastructure, looks ideally placed to play a role with a new driver, and sponsor.

Webb to make three at DJR V8 SUPERCARS

Dirk Klynsmith

EXPECT Jonathon Webb to drive for Dick Johnson Racing in 2010.

The Webb family is currently negotiating a deal to buy one of either Jason Bright’s Racing Entitlement Contracts, or Paul Cruickshank’s licence, and, should they secure the licence and the sale is approved at the November

18 board meeting, Webb will be part of an expanded DJR line-up next season.

At Phillip Island last weekend, DJR coowner Charlie Schwerkolt indicated that such a deal would interest the team, but nothing was done.

The deal will be part of a major restructuring – and possible de-construction – at Paul Cruickshank Racing (see separate story).

SS GPWEEK – THE WORLD’S FIRST INTERNATIONAL ‘VIRTUAL’ MOTORSPORT MAGAZINE ...

Fiore to go it alone

Dirk Klynsmith

V8 SUPERCARS DEAN Fiore’s Triple F Racing will become the master of its own destiny in 2010.

The team currently runs as a satellite Paul Morris Motorsport team, but will run its own show next season, breaking away from PMM, without completely breaking the alliance.

In other words, Fiore will continue to use his PMM VE Commodore for the first part of next season, with the view of switching to a Triple Eight-built Commodore as soon as one is available. But unlike the current situation, where Fiore’s car is housed, transported and run by PMM, the two teams will simply

have a technical alliance, with the Fiore family using the gear they purchased from IntaRacing earlier this year to run the car.

That means staff will be employed to run the car. As for a base, eNews understands it will be on the Gold Coast, and is likely to be in close proximity to where the ex-IntaRacing gear is currently being stored, which is a warehouse owned by former Carrera Cup racer Shaun Juniper.

The news means that Triple F won’t be aligning itself with Sonic Motor Racing Services, which would have offered the ultra-successful Melbourne team an ‘in’ to the main game.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

ON THE EDGE TDR’S future on the line V8 SUPERCARS TONY D’Alberto Racing is facing a nervous wait for the November 18 V8 Supercar board meeting, which may well decide the team’s future.

With Rod Nash Racing taking its Racing Entitlements Contract and title sponsor Bottle-O to Ford Performance Racing next year, TDR has been forced to find its own licence to continue in the sport – which they have done, thanks to a deal with Sprint Gas Racing to take over one of the team’s RECs. But should V8 Supercars Australia decide to cut the grid by one, TDR could well be bought out of the sale, with their deal believed to be

worth less than that of Lucas Dumbrell Racing, which has put a bid on the other Sprint Gas REC. “Yeah, it is a bit [of a nervous wait],” D’Alberto told eNews.

“There’s a lot of talk about taking a licence back, and it could well be us.

“We have everything we need here, we just need that licence.

But I’m confident we will get it. It’s just that, until it is signed off, I don’t want to make too many assumptions.”

Should D’Alberto’s bid for the licence be successful, he will continue to run his ex-Walkinshaw Racing VE Commodore as a one-car operation out of the team’s current base.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

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COTF: V8 Board gets update V8 SUPERCARS

Dirk Klynsmith

V8 SUPERCARS’ Car of the Future project took another step forward on Monday, with a briefing to V8SA’s board members about progress of the development of the car.

Mark Skaife, who heads the project, gave the briefing and while details of what was revealed remain in confidence, eNews believes that the members of the board are very positive about the direction and progress made in recent times.

“It was a board update metting,” Skaife said on Monday, “it was to take the board through the business cases.

The responses were good – it was about discussing the key discussion points for the next period.” eNews believes that the design of the car will not move far away from the current generation Commodore VE/ Falcon FG racers, but that the emphasis will be on expanding the degree of commonality and, therefore, reducing costs by increasing economies of scale.

A fundamental part of the project is a common and single floorpan, as opposed to the individually-design units used to construct Ford and Holdens respectively, and this is also seen as a feature to potentially attract new marques to the category.

Fab turning red V8 SUPERCARS FABIAN Coulthard will be a factory Holden driver of sorts next year, signing a deal with Walkinshaw Racing.

Coulthard will turn red after two years racing for Paul Cruickshank’s Wilson Security Racing squad, and the move is not totally unexpected. Coulthard has been impressive during the last two seasons, and was thought to be on various team’s wish-lists for 2010, despite his contract with Cruickshank still having a year to run.

And Walkinshaw was the lucky bidder, bagging Coulthard for the next two years, during which he is expected to drive the Bundy Red Racing entry currently inhabited

by David Reynolds.

“It will be hard to leave the [WSR] guys,” he told eNews. “I’ve been here for two years and we’ve had some highs and lows, but we’ve had them together.

“But, you know, going to a factory-backed team makes it a pretty easy decision. My goal for next year will be to win a race and be on the podium regularly. And having Garth [Tander] and Will [Davison] as my team-mates will be a huge help. I want them to drag me up to that level.”

While Coulthard has flown the blue flag for Kiwis during the last two years, next season won’t be his first in a Holden. He debuted for Tasman Motorsport at the enduros in 2005, and drove for Paul Morris Motorsport in 2006 and 2007.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

Reynolds’ future now unclear V8 SUPERCARS DAVID Reynolds’ future at Walkinshaw Racing is unsure, following Fabian Coulthard’s signing with the team for 2010.

With Coulthard very likely to be put in the Bundaberg Red Racing car, Reynolds will be ousted from the drive. But it doesn’t mean he HAS to leave the team.

Paul Dumbrell is widely tipped to drive the Bottle-O Falcon for Rod

Nash Racing/Ford Performance Racing next year, leaving what is currently the Autobarn entry free for 2010. Problem is, Autobarn is a Dumbrell sponsor, so for Reynolds to stay in the drive, a new sponsor will need to be found.

At Phillip Island, Reynolds was coy on the subject.

“I’m not worried about that right now,” he told eNews. “I just want to do the best job I can for the next couple of rounds.”

The waters for the Walkinshaw Racing situation have been further muddied by the revelation that Wilson Security will back Jason Bright in 2010, and a Bright/Wilson car at WR has been floated (see separate story).

Walkinshaw Racing’s commercial manager Bruce Stewart told eNews at Phillip Island that he hoped to have backing for both cars sorted in the next few weeks.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

news

McConked Out V8 SUPERCARS

CAMERON McConville looks to be an –in-demand’ endurance driver in 2010, after announcing his retirement from full-time V8 Supercar racing last week.

The racing veteran, who was the youngest-ever CAMS licence holder when he started racing Formula Vee at 14, will leave Brad Jones Racing at the end of the season. He has opened a Jax Quickfit tyre retail outlet in the Melbourne bayside suburb of Moorabbin.

His news comes only weeks after he finished second, less than a second behind the winners, at Bathurst, with Jason Richards in BJR’s BOC Gases entry. Because of his strong race form, he is likely to be on the hit list of a number of frontline V8 teams, particularly if the Board rules that full-time drivers will be restricted to driving their own cars next year, rather than continuing to allow teams to ‘pair’ their regular stars.

“My family knew before Phillip Island that it was more than likely going to be my last year,” said McConville, 35.

“I hadn’t pursued any other options, so at the start of this year, I went in with the attitude ‘I am not going to worry about renewing deals. I am just going to take it as it comes.’ By mid-year, the media and the Jax things were bubbling and I wanted to lock something in that was a definite, not a contract-by-contract basis.

“I wanted something that was, Effort In equals Reward. Not. Effort In, minus all the variables you encounter in motor racing, may give you a Reward.

“I saddled up this year thinking that this year knowing that, probably, it was going to be my last. Then, I made up my mind that it was going to be my last.”

Whatever racing commitments McConville undertakes, they are likely to be combined with his media commitments. While he is out of contract with the Ten and ONE networks, both parties look to be working towards continuing their partnership in the future.

–PHIL BRANAGAN For more with Cam McConville, check out ‘Five Minutes With …’ on page 20.

COMMENT Phil Branagan Executive Editor

Fixes Wanted, No Need for a Blame Game Dirk Klynsmith

SC Changes Ahead

Stewards looks to Safety Car tweaks after Island debacle V8 SUPERCARS CHANGES are likely to be the result of a farcical V8 Supercars Safety Car situation in Race 22 at Phillip Island on Sunday.

A mid-race full-course yellow resulted in the Safety Car sitting stationary on the main straight, waiting for leader Jamie Whincup to exit the pit lane, while cars at racing speed approached the scene, leading several drivers to have near-misses.

Chief Steward Steve Chopping told eNews that there was no communication breakdown between Race Control and the Audi Safety Car, which driven by Amber Anderson. She had been instructed to pick up the leader, Whincup, as he exited Turn 12, before he turned onto the pit entry road.

“The requirement is that the leader is picked up,” said Chopping.

“The leader pitted and umpteen other cars followed him in the pitlane. Whincup came out, still in the lead.

“The position we put the Safety Car is to give maximum visibility to the cars that are on the circuit. Once it was established that Whincup was still the leader, the field had backed up. There was no miscommunication, or communication breakdowns.”

Whincup, Rick Kelly and Garth Tander, who finished in the top three positions in the 200km race, all criticised the action, Tander commenting that at the point at which the Safety Car was parked, just past the pit exit

10

road, drivers were just grabbing sixth gear and travelling at “about 240 to 250 [kmh].”

Whincup and Kelly drove slowly, then stopped, waiting for Anderson to lead them away. Both drivers eventually passed the Audi, which them accelerated back to speed and overtook the race cars prior to a restart a lap later.

“I was aware the cars were doing 250 kays again and I was doing about 20, waiting for it to go,” said Whincup. “It was all a bit messy at the moment, but if we could clean it up, that would be pretty good.”

Whincup said that his understanding of the rules was that, “I am not permitted to pass the Safety Car unless I am directed to do so”, to which Kelly cheekily replied, “But you did. That means I won!”

Then Kelly got more serious; “It was absolutely dangerous. I parked alongside the Safety Car and gave it a few revs. I would not like to be sitting there, that is for sure.

Whoever is responsible for that, is aware of that, I am sure.”

All three drivers agreed that the spot where Anderson was is difficult to see at speed, and that the fact that a major collision did not occur was down to good fortune.

Chopping says that the experience will lead to changes in the future.

“There are a couple of easy things to do. One is the position of the Safety Car,” he said.

“This is a system run by humans, and it’s not perfect.”

– PHIL BRANAGAN

THE V8 Supercar Safety Car is signwritten with the words, ‘Know When to Slow Down’.

Maybe it should say, ‘Know When to Get Going’.

Amber Anderson is the driver of the Safety Car, and she is in no way to blame for what happened on Sunday; she only does as she is instructed by radio from Race Control.

But, to have a Safety Car sitting, stationary, on the main straight, at Phillip Island, is nothing less than very, very dangerous.

There is no doubt that, short of importing a Le Mans-spec racer, a V8 Supercar is capable of catching any car in the Audi range. So, it would have been prudent, and safe, to have had the Safety Car moving, at a speed that is reasonable, so that it was not a sitting duck for 27 V8 Supercars.

The Safety Car rules and guidelines are not perfect.

Steward Steve Chopping has indicated that this experience will lead to changes, and that is a good, sound policy.

The repercussions of two dozen V8 Supercars, bearing down on a parked road car do not bear thinking about. This could have been a disaster; luckily, it wasn’t, and luck is not something anyone in racing wants to rely on.

– PHIL BRANAGAN

news

FPR: Three, not Four

Patrizi looking forward PCR driver expects contract to be honoured for 2010

V8 SUPERCARS MICHAEL Patrizi is remaining bullish about his future in V8 Supercars, despite a major re-structuring of Paul Cruickshank Racing for 2010.

Patrizi is in the first year of a two-year contract with Cruickshank and, while he wouldn’t comment on what he knew about Cruickshank’s 2010 plans, he was quick

to point out that he had a contract, and he expected it to be honoured.

“I’m not concerned about my job, because I have a job here [with Paul Cruickshank Racing],” he told eNews.

“There are a lot of rumours in the paddock, I’m just working with what I’ve got. If the team doesn’t exist, and I don’t end up with a drive, then so be it.”

Patrizi also confirmed that

V8 SUPERCARS

he isn’t looking at other options, as he believes he’ll be involved with Cruickshank in one form or other next season – despite speculation of a James Rosenberg buyout growing momentum (see separate story).

“Why would I [look at other options]? I have a contract.

This is all speculation, until something is actually confirmed.”

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

Marshall Cass

FORD Performance Racing has confirmed it will only expand by one car in 2010, with no plans to become a four-car operation until 2011 at the earliest.

With Rod Nash Racing and Bottle-O coming on board for next season, there have been paddock whispers that FPR would prefer to run four cars rather than three. But while team boss Tim Edwards did admit that “four cars is the ideal business model”, he says that it will just be the three next year.

“In 2010, it will be three,” he said. “We’ve had plenty of offers to run four, and some of those offers have been pretty enticing, but we’re electing not to do it. We can run three cars competitively, so we’ll stick with that and review it again before 2011.”

The three FPR cars will be garaged together next season, unlike FPR’s previous three-car effort, when the Ford Rising Stars car was pitted at the opposite end of the lane to the main team.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

Irwin Staying V8 SUPERCARS

John Morris

IRWIN Tools will stay with Stone Brothers Racing and Alex Davison for the next two years.

The American-owned tool company has been involved in V8 Supercar racing since 2007, when it sponsored Alan Gurr in a Britek Motorsport Falcon.

Marcus Marshall took the ride the following year, before Irwin moved to SBR at the end of last

season.

In 2009, Davison has driven the Irwin car, alongside Shane Van Gisbergen in the SP Tools entry.

“It is very pleasing to get the deal locked away and announced nice and early,” said Ross Stone.

“We might have only been working together for less than 12 months but in that time, we certainly have forged a very strong partnership.”

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Danica Day: 060210 NASCAR DANICA Patrick looks likely to be joining JR Motorsports, the team co-owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr and Rick Hendrick, in a partial schedule in the NASCAR Nationwide and ARCA Remax Series.

Patrick took a tour recently of the sprawling Hendrick Engine facility and spent time watching a Sprint Cup race with Kelly Earnhardt Elledge at her home. Patrick is expected to test an ARCA car at Daytona during December in readiness for the February 6 race.

– MARTIN D CLARK

Dinger gets a Fusion NASCAR AJ ALLMENDINGER has given Richard Petty Motorsport a welcome to Ford with a top 10 finish at Texas.

Allmendinger redeemed himself by placing the team’s new Ford Fusion 10th in the Dickies 500, after qualifying the car 16th fastest on Friday.

It was the team’s first race

since it announced that it was switching to Ford earlier than next season, when it will run a full-time schedule with the blue oval.

Allmendinger was recently fined US$10,000 and placed on probation by the team after being convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol.

– MARTIN D CLARK

Ford Racing

Head start for Kez NASCAR PENSKE Racing has wasted no time in putting its new signing, Brad Keselowski, to work.

Quite by surprise, the team announced last Monday that Keselowski was to replace David Stremme in the Verizon

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Penske Dodge immediately, so Keselowski was in the car at Texas on Sunday in preparation for a full time stint next year.

Unfortunately he got involved in the fourth caution when Carl Edwards and Juan Montoya got together and ended his day 35th.

– MARTIN D CLARK

THE SPEEDW NOT FOR SAL INDYCAR

INDIANAPOLIS Motor Speedway is not for sale.

There have been unfounded rumors that the track is for sale after Tony George’s three sisters, Nancy, Josie and Kathi, finally wrestled control from their brother. The grandson of Tony Hulman, who purchased the defunct Speedway after World War II, was ousted as CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway effective July 1, although he remains on the family board.

George had been using a significant percentage of profits from IMS to support the IRL, estimated to be well over

US$500m since its start in 1996.

And, when the economy in recent years caused investments to drop significantly in value, it was paramount for the sisters to take control to insure their inheritance was protected for themselves and their children.

After much speculation that IMS will be sold, to such buyers as NASCAR, Roger Penske and Bruton Smith (owner of nine NASCAR tracks), or Tony George in combination with hardware store chain billionaire John Menard, one of the Hulman George sisters put those rumors to rest.

“I love my brother, Tony, dearly,” a Hulman George sister told

news

IZOD backs IndyCar WAY IS

LE

INDYCAR

IndyCar Media

VERSUS.com.

“We really wanted him to accept our offer of running the Indy Racing League and focusing all of his energy on that because we think it is very important to our family. We were stunned and deeply disappointed when he turned us down and decided to step down completely. The decisions we made were to improve the business side.

“This is a family-business and we want to keep it that way. We want both the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the IndyCar Series to remain strong for the day when the next generation takes over the family business.”

– MARY MENDEZ

IZOD has confirmed that it will become the title sponsor of the IndyCar Series.

After 10 years without a title sponsor, and in spite of a shaky economy, the clothing company has signed on to what has been described as a “long-term” deal.

In July 2008, IZOD became the series’ official apparel company and developed an extensive marketing campaign around IndyCar racing to expose the series to the general public, including a TV commercial featuring allAmerican, preppie-looking Ryan Hunter Reay, print ads, and promotions in Macy’s department stories nationwide.

Ironically, Hunter-Reay did not have a full-time ride in the series last year ...

IZOD is expected to utilise all the drivers, the heritage and historic value of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the assets of its museum, in its campaigns. IZOD will also provide special VIP two-seater rides for the first two laps at races prior to the green flag.

The news is a huge boost for what is a struggling series.

In August 2008, when the IRL announced its new 2009 TV

contract with ABC (five races on free TV) and VERSUS (12 races on subscription TV), two serious, potential title sponsors dropped out. Based on ratings this season, the IndyCar series lost 50 percent of its viewers when ESPN was replaced with VERSUS. And, due to a dispute between DirecTV, a major satellite provider of 16 million, VERSUS’s contract was not renewed at the end of the summer, preventing fans from watching the final two races for the climax to the championship.

IZOD, as part of its multimillion dollar contract, will buy ad time on the ABC and VERSUS networks. But it will also spend to advertise on other networks. The IRL’s first title sponsor, Pep Boys in 1998, defaulted on their three-year contract, pulling out after the 1999 Indy 500 in a dispute over value versus exposure. In 2000, the IndyCar series signed Northern Light Technology to a five year, $50 M deal, only to have the company fail after the first season.

– MARY MENDEZ

... while RHR heads for AGR INDYCAR

sutton-images.com

IZOD’S ‘face’, Ryan Hunter-Reay, looks set to join Andretti Green Racing.

The 28-year-old American driver, who is featured in IZOD’s TV commercials, drove a handful of races last year, with four starts with Vision Racing before he filled the void temporarily at A.J. Foyt’s team while Vitor Meira healed from his Indy 500 accident.

For 2010, Hunter-Reay has been linked to the fourth seat at Andretti Green Racing, the team now owned solely by Michael Andretti.

Previously, IZOD has chosen not to be a car sponsor but they want the driver their ads are based around to have a full-time ride. Teammates would be Tony Kanaan and Marco Andretti who are continuing on multi-year deals and Danica Patrick, who has yet to officially announce her contract renewal.

“There are some good things going on for the future,” said Hunter-Reay when asked if he’ll be at AGR. “But I can’t really discuss it right now. I don’t know where it’s going at the moment.”

– MARY MENDEZ

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GMR’s hunt for new blood FUJITSU V8s

REIGNING Australian Formula 3 Champion James Winslow and Amber Anderson will test with Fujitsu Series squad Greg Murphy Racing today (Tuesday), with a view to contesting the 2010 season.

Winslow and V8 Supercar safety car pilot Anderson will be joined at Winton by another ex-F3 driver, Matthew Radisich, and open-wheel veteran Derek Pingel.

British driver Winslow has tested a GMR Commodore previously before spending the year in the American Atlantic Championship, while one of the quartet could line up at Homebush next month in the seat vacated by Sam Walter.

“They’re all looking at 2010 and there’s a chance we’ll have someone in a car for Homebush,” GMR team manager Dean Lillie told eNews.

“There are a couple of other drivers who might get a run at the end of the day, but we wanted to keep it to four drivers initially.

“If you get them in a test and they do well it can help with the money hunt, so we’ll see what happens.”

GMR is eyeing expansion for the 2010 season, including the Shannons V8 Touring Car Series and Australian GT Championship.

VY Commodores will become eligible for the V8 Touring Car Series, see separate story, while the team already has a sportscar interest.

Goodwood’s on sale!

HISTORIC RACING GOODWOOD’S classic Speedweek Festival is looking at going global – but don’t expect to see it in Australia any time soon.

The Goodwood Road Racing Company, the business behind the Goodwood brand, is looking for partners to take the concept of a high-end, entertainment and motoring-filled festival to suitable venues around the world.

The company has invited proposals from potential promoters to participate in the concept, with an invitation from Goodwood founder Lord March himself – should a suitable candidate be found.

The GRRC has gilded its offer with a range of services relating to the

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event, including introductions to suitable manufacturers and media support.

The host will receive the rights to sell naming rights sponsorship, its domestic television rights, and gain revenue from ticket and hospitality and concessions sales.

All you need is a venue, cars, drivers, infrastructure, the usual ancillaries associated with such events (ie, insurance, security etc) and to pay the fees required to secure the event.

The GRRC is looking for a deal for 2011, ’12 and ’13, and the fee per year is … £13m ($23.5m).

And, if you are interested, invitations to tender are already closed – but if you have a lazy 70 million lying around, you could probably get an offer in late …

“We’ve had a little bit of interest about the V8 series, we’ve got three VZs for sale, which are essentially VYs we could run in it,” Lillie said.

“It’s a cheaper alternative to Fujitsu, just without the same level of coverage.

“You get more running in the same cars for probably half of the price, but it’s harder to get the money for it compared to running at V8 events.

“The GT Championship is pretty strong, we’ve already got two cars, the Peter Hill and Simon Middleton Porsches, but another two or three would be great.

“We’ve got a four-car transporter now and the cars aren’t as labour-intensive, so going to a GT round with three or four cars wouldn’t be a drama.

– MITCHELL ADAM

JB wants a Ford BIANTE MASTERS JOHN Bowe has signaled his intentions to return to the Biante Touring Car Masters in 2010 – preferably racing a Ford.

Bowe finished second in this year’s series behind Gavin Bullas driving a Camaro, but his campaign finished early when the car was withdrawn before last weekend’s season finale at Sandown.

Having spent the majority of his touring car career in Fords, Bowe wants to return to the blue side of the fence after his stint in the Chevrolet.

“I’m a great supporter of the series and my sponsors are keen for me to continue,” Bowe told eNews.

“I intend on being there next year in a Ford and I’m working on a few things at the moment.

“The people who have followed my career over the years tend to be more Ford oriented, and that passion is underestimated, so being back in one would be a good fit.”

– MITCHELL ADAM

news

JR has a sneak peek ...

V8 SUPERCARS JASON Richards is looking forward to taking to the streets of Homebush after having a ‘test drive’ on the circuit last week.

The Team BOC pilot was taking part in a familiarisation session, and passenger ride, around the Olympic precinct circuit, which will host next month’s twin 250km final races of the season.

The Kiwi chauffeured David Koch, host of Seven’s Sunrise breakfast program, around the circuit and it champing at the bit to get into the real thing, even if his early sighting gave him little indication of what the ‘real’ track will be like next month.

“I was in Sydney traffic!” he said at the weekend.

“It was wet, I was on slicks and there were cars and buses in the oncoming traffic. It’s bumpy and rough, but it would be hard to give an accurate impression of the track. There’s a bit of undulation, and the ups and downs, and the bumps, will be a test for engineers as well as drivers.”

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Marshall Cass

More V8s, Symmons and new tyres for 2010 SV8TC V8 TOURING CARS GROWTH of the Shannons V8 Touring Car Series looks set to continue next year, with its eligibility expanded to include VY Commodores and BA Falcons from 2010.

No longer eligible for the Fujitsu Series, the models will enter the SV8TC’s third season.

Category founder Les Morrall told eNews that interest has been strong from potential new competitors, while a number of existing SV8TC entrants, namely Terry Wyhoon’s Image Racing and Ben Eggleston, already have access to the newer generation cars.

“The whole idea of the category is to give the older cars somewhere else to race - as they move out of the Fujitsu Series, we

take them on,” Morrall said.

“There’s a few of the Fujitsu teams who have shown interest, we’re probably looking at about six new cars coming in at this stage.

“The biggest problem we had initially was getting people to realise what the series is about, but now that we’ve been going for almost two years, people know that we’re the ‘level three’ V8 category, if you like. From here, the series is going to continue to grow and everybody’s looking forward to next year.”

A number of older model cars will also enter the series. Production Car regular Chris Delfsma will step up after recently purchasing the AU Falcon built and raced

by Craig Bastian in the Fujitsu Series.

Ex-Fujitsu Series competitors Tony Evangelou, Dean Neville and Steve Voight have also been linked with entries.

The SV8TC will contest a five-round calendar in 2010, to be run again as part of the Shannons Nationals, including a maiden trip to Symmons Plains.

Meanwhile, this year’s season finale at Sandown at the end of the month will see the introduction of a new generation of Kumho’s control tyre following successful testing, with the Korean manufacturer signing on to continue their relationship with the series until the end of 2012 – MITCHELL ADAM

2010 SHANNONS V8 TOURING CAR SERIES

1. Wakefield Park, NSW, March 6-7 2. Symmons Plains, Tasmania, April 10-11 4. Mallala Motor Sport Park, SA, May 2930 May 4. Eastern Creek, NSW, September 11-12 5. Sandown Raceway, VIC, October 23-24

Saloons enjoy SALOON CARS

John Morris / Mpix

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AUSTRALIAN Saloon Car drivers have put their hand up for more runs at V8 Supercar events, following a non-points outing at The Island 300.

A strong, 25-car field hit Phillip Island, before the final round of the Kumho Australian Saloon Car Series at Sandown on November 28-29.

news

NATIONAL FOLLOWING two successful runs at V8 Supercar events, the Invitational concept looks set to expand next year.

The brainchild of Glenn Ridge, whose company, qmediagroup, has previously operated the Biante Touring Car Masters and Carrera Cup, Targa Invitational races appeared on the program at Symmons Plains and Phillip Island.

Running with primarily tarmac rally cars under regulations for Tasmania’s Targa Racing class, both events attracted 25-plus car fields and all manner of machinery.

Ridge told eNews that he hoped it would continue next year, possibly with

Island retreat While the class has locked in its sixround 2010 series - the Bathurst 12 Hour and Shannons Nationals rounds at Phillip Island, Winton, Eastern Creek (July), Morgan Park and Sandown - category manager Les Morrall has left the door open to additional runs on the V8 program.

“This weekend was a good opportunity for the guys to come out and have a run at

different classes running under the Invitational umbrella.

“It was something I really wanted to do,” he said of the concept. “V8 Supercars have been very supportive, they took a punt on us in Tasmania and I hope we’ve earnt our stripes - we’re thrilled with how it’s gone.

“National series’ are fantastic, but I thought there was a bit of room to get some local categories onto the V8 stage. “ I hope if we can run it right and create a spectacle for the crowd - which is really what it’s all about - we can earn a few more spots on the V8 calendar.

“Half a dozen would be great; the Targa guys are very keen to be back again and we’ve got a lot of these cars around

Phillip Island,” Morrall said. “They’re all excited about racing at a V8 event and it fits in well before Sandown.

“I’ve spoken to V8 Supercars, if they need a category to fill in at an event in the future, I’ve told them to give me a call.”

The weekend comes as Saloon Cars prepare for a bumper field at Sandown, with Morrall expecting around 30 cars .

Dirk Klynsmith

More ‘Invitationals’ on the way? the country which can put on a great display with a wide range of cars.

“And it might not always be Targa cars, there’s a whole range we’ve looked at, we might look at Group A & C cars or even drift cars in a serious, track racing competition.

“If we can create something the spectators enjoy, it becomes something different and can supplement what the V8s are doing.

“That’s what we’re working at and hopefully if V8 Supercars are kind enough to give us some spots next year we can have a bit of variety.”

- MITCHELL ADAM

“In addition to this weekend’s field, there’ll be a number of interstate drivers who’ll head across, including about 10 from Western Australia,” Morrall said.

“Next year is shaping up really well too, we’ve already got a capacity 55-car field for Bathurst and a number of new cars are being built.”

– MITCHELL ADAM

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DRAG RACING

Old Skool Drags!

WSS gets a sponsor SPEEDWAY PERFORMANCE Wholesale will be the naming rights sponsor of this summer’s World Series Sprintcars.

The company’s proprietor Bill Mann has been a longtime supporter of Speedway in Australia, and his son Bryan is one of the contracted drivers. Two years ago,

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Performance Wholesale was a part sponsor of the series, offering an engine to the season’s winner.

“I think it is by far the toughest and most competitive series we have ever seen,” said Mann.

“This year we have got some really good, young, exciting guys coming through and they will throw all caution

to wind. They are the type of drivers who you will never die wondering what they are going to do. “[The sponsorship] is basically my way of paying back to the industry that has provided me with a great way of life for my family, and I am happy to be putting something back in the sport … it’s a sport that I enjoy.”

GARY Densham was always coming to Australia for the International New Year Series at Willowbank Raceway – but now he’s actually going to be driving.

Densham’s trip down under was thought to be restricted to a role on the crew for American Jack Wyatt, who will take on the Aussies in his Nitro Funny Car. But now the 62year-old Densham has decided to do some demonstration runs in a special Nostalgia Nitro Funny Car. “Since I was unable to compete at all of the NHRA races this year, I had time to build a nostalgia car like the first funny car I brought to Australia in 1975,” explained Densham.

“After Willowbank management saw the car, they thought it would be cool to show the fans how it all started.

“When I first came to Australia in 1975, these cars only ran in the seven second range, but they were the fastest things on the planet.

Even though they don’t have the power or technology of today’s 300mph, four second funny cars, we have been able to get them into the five second range, and they are loud with great header flames. “ The first meeting is on January 2.

news

Phil Williams

Drift Oz re-expands for ‘10 DRIFTING THE Australian Drift Championship will resume as a five-round series next year, including Drift Australia’s maiden visit to Darwin’s Hidden Valley Raceway.

Following the withdrawal of its naming rights sponsor and a change of ownership, 2009 saw just a single Drift Australia event, held at Oran Park in September.

Eastern Creek will kick off the 2010 season in April, followed by Queensland Raceway, the inaugural Top End trek to Hidden Valley, Mallala Motor Sport Park and Symmons Plains in October.

“Our goal is to expand the series,

the Northern Territory has a great motorsport culture and we’re looking forward to being part of that,” Drift Australia director James Fava told eNews.

Organisers are continuing the search for a new naming rights sponsor, while also fine-tuning event formats.

“We’re talking to a few major brands at the moment about getting involved, including as a naming rights sponsor,” Fava said.

“Oran Park was our first event and we’re really pleased with how it went.

“Off-track entertainment was something we focused on at Oran Park as part of the overall product and we’ll be looking to expanding that next year.”

– MITCHELL ADAM

2010 Drift Australia Series calendar 1. Eastern Creek, NSW, April 10-11 2. Queensland Raceway, QLD, May 29-30 3. Hidden Valley, NT, July 17-18 4. Mallala, South Aus, September 4-5 5. Symmons Plains, Tasmania, 16-17 October

Howard Jnr fighting fit for Egypt KARTING JACK Howard will represent Australia at the Rotax World Finals in Egypt next month.

Howard, 16, is the son of former Fujitsu Series driver and current FV8 team owner Mark Howard, and earnt his place in the final thanks to finishing second in the Rotax Pro Tour this year. He will be joined at the Ghibli Circuit by Pierce Lehane from Castle Hill.

There will be 70 karts starting the race.

In other Howard family news, Sam Howard, Jack’s younger brother, had his first competitive outing in a Formula Ford last weekend. The 14-year-old qualified third at Morgan Park for the Queensland state round, and finished the first two races fourth and third.

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5 Minutes with ...

CAM MCCONVILLE

Control tyres will make way for selling tyres when Cam McConville retires from fulltime V8 Supercar duties at the end of the year.

PHIL BRANAGAN MOTORSPORT NEWS: First things first; why tyres?

CAMERON McCONVILLE: That’s a good question.

I had a personal sponsorship with Jax Quickfit last year, and I went to a couple of new store openings in Queensland and in New South Wales. My father’s advice was always, ‘If you are ever going to make a name for yourself in car racing, when you retire, do something in the automotive industry’.

I like the way Jax’s business model works – there are not big franchise charges and that kind of thing.

So I spoke to them late last year and said, ‘I notice that you do not have many stores open in Melbourne’. They said, ‘You are right, we are planning to have a growth phase in Melbourne’.

So I asked them to keep me in mind for anything in the bayside area that came up in the next 12 months.

This site came up, probably, six months earlier than I planned, but I could see it was too good an opportunity not to jump at it.

So, watching David Besnard drive towards you at 200 kays, and miss you by less than a foot, did not have a lot to do with it?

To be honest, I would be lying if I said it did not have something to do with it. It was probably 20 percent of my decision.

As much as I did not say anything to anyone, my family knew before Phillip Island that it was more than likely going to be my last year. I hadn’t

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pursued any other options, so at the start this year, I went in with the attitude, ‘I am not going to worry about renewing deals. I am just going to take it as it comes.’

By mid-year, the media and the Jax things were bubbling and I wanted to lock something in that was a definite, not a contract-bycontract basis.

I wanted something that was, Effort In equals Reward. Not. Effort In, minus all the variables you encounter in motor racing, MAY give you a reward.

I saddled up this year thinking that this year was proably going to be my last.

Then, I made up my mind that it was going to be my last.

Most racing drivers are delicate little flowers, and tyres are dirty, grubby things.

How will you cope with the hands-on approach?

I have dirt under my fingernails as we speak.

I don’t know, to be honest.

But one thing I do know is that I am craving some normality and some boredom in my life. I have already started the routine, by stopping at the same coffee shop on the way to work, opening the doors at 7:30 and turning the coffee machine on.

So far as getting my hands dirty, there were 350 tyres to put in racks this afternoon.

Suddenly it was, ‘Look at the

time, I have to go to Phillip Island!’ Like many drivers, I will probably continue to dodge the dirty bits as best I can.

Good lad. You are likely to be on people’s shopping list for endurance drives next year and there is often some pocket money attached to that.

I am not going to let go of my ego just yet, it is only two races. But …

I would think that I am near the top of my game, in my opinion. It’s whether other people think that I am competitive enough.

I could be a valuable contributor to a team for those two races – my racecraft is something that I have always prided myself on, that is better than my qualifying pace.

So, when you look at those two races, they are all about being consistent and quick.

We have two or three years of being fast enough to hold my own in the enduros. So, I am very much still keen to do those things and, even, some one-offs in other things, if they present themselves.

Channel 10: Are you continuing with your Formula 1 commitments?

I am not 100 percent sure about that. I am not contracted for next year – the contract expired like the racing one, at

the end of this season. But I am certainly keen to continue my role in the media.

Formula 1 and ONE have certainly been good to me. We are talking about next year but nothing is locked in just yet. That is more so because they are still working out programming; I think that there are six, maybe eight, clashes. Once the MotoGP calendar is all locked away, we will sit down and nut something out.

Certainly, I am hoping to continue that role. I hope we can work that out.

Finally, put your V8 Supercar driver’s hat on. What is the speed rating of an H-rated road tyre?

H-rated? Probably about 160 [kmh]. How did I do?

Terribly. It’s 210.

There you go.

Anyway, Motorsport News readers will get special service when they go to Jax Quick Fit tyres, correct?

Absolutely. On the record; Motorsport ENews readers, and monthly Motorsport News readers, can come in for five percent off our best price – guaranteed.

No Motorsport News subscriber will walk away disappointed.

What an ace.

my family knew before Phillip Island that it was more than likely going to be my last year. the PI shunt had little impact on McConville’s decision

chat

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opinion

O

Mark Larkham TV commentator

BLACK AND BLUE, NOT BLA

NE of the things that came out of the weekend for me, in regard to the amount of incidents on the track, is that there is not so much confusion about drivers over the overtaking rule, so much as drivers rolling the dice, and then seeing what the outcome will be.

As we have seen in plenty of races, there is a typical up-the-inside, little bit of contacttype coming together. If you read the rulebook, it is quite clear that the B-pillar of the car being overtaken will be used as a guide. But importantly, it says that the onus will be on the driver doing the overtaking, to get his car into that position. And that means; not at that position at the apex, you need to be in that position entering the corner.

In recent drivers’ briefings, it has not unusual for racing management to talk about some of that onus being shifted to the drivers being overtaken, in terms of there being any overlap. Thereby, the lead driver gives him some’racing room’. That is a part of a drivers’ toolkit; situation awareness.

Guys who win championships are generally aware when a car is behind them, who is in that car behind them, where he is in the championship and what his state of mind might be. You have to run that process in about four milliseconds and make a decision; ‘Do I turn in, in front of him, or do I not?’

History shows that the guys who do not yield easily, and who have that ability, are the ones who go on to win championships.

In light of some of the incidents over the

Letters Lee is no Angel If Cole Hitchcock is so worried about the image they they are projecting to the wider audience by penalising Lee Holdsworth for a bit of fun, why then do we have scantily clad girls doing provocative dance movements at every V8 Supercar meeting?

Oh, that’s right, the beer company in question sinks a lot of money into the series whereas drivers are only hired help.

Grow up Cole, the drivers are the real stars who deserve the spotlight, not jumped up, petty minded officials.

Gordon Dicksen via email

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weekend, when you look at the TV pictures, it is really easy to cast a judgement over the incidents.

In some regards, I am supporting the decision-makers, because sometimes, the DSO and the IPO are criticised unfairly.

From the outside, you more than often do not see the full picture and the LowndesKelly incident was an example of that. They have the benefit of in-car vision and data, and perhaps the major influence they look at is ‘does the overtaking driver have absolutely control of his car when making that manoeuvre?’ If not, they are not really interested in how much control he hasn’t got; he is in the wrong. I can understand why they do the right thing, and not immediately ruin someone’s race.

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

Middle Eastern TV? I watched the Phillip Island V8 Supercars TV on the weekend, when it was on. I cannot help wondering; if the first two rounds next year follow the same time constraints as Bahrain, when will they be broadcast here?

Name withheld by request ED: We asked the same question and we are told that the TV details are still be sorted for Feb 2010. We’ll keep asking, and keep you posted.

Marbleous Idea I have been a fan of motor sport for many years and keep hearing about the marbles

being the reason for drivers not being able to overtake, or the reason they lost control of the car.

Every local shire or council have a road sweeper truck which, in most cases, is sitting in a depot yard not in use over the weekend.

Why cannot V8 Supercars or the track owner hire one from the council for the weekend and sweep the track sides three or four times a day of the meeting, making the track safer for the drivers more places to overtake and better racing for the fans?

John A Clark Koetong Vic

opinion

ACK AND WHITE Go Hard or Stay Home But, if we move to other incidents – like Winterbottom and Van Gisbergen (below) – to me, somehow, some clarity is lacking. Both those drivers drove into the braking zone at 260-plus, and drove into each other.

Clearly, the guy doing the overtaking thought it was his corner; just as clearly, the guy being overtaken, having driven all the way down the straight aware that the guy was behind, turned in. I am not saying who was right and who was wrong, but there needs to be some clarity. Some drivers are trying it on.

Personally, I like the B-pillar rule. That works well. So does the control rule and that, proably, has not been highlighted enough to the wider audience. When you are watching the car from the side of the track, the limits may not be quite as clear.

MATTIAS Ekstrom won the Race of Champions last week, for the third time, and those German lightweights Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel took home the Nations Cup part of the event the preceding night.

When Jamie Whincup pulled out, Australia was represented by Mick Doohan and Chad Reed. They scored the odd win but finished, pretty much, last.

Okay; before I start a rant, I understand that the ROC is a madefor-television event, featuring big names, in an end-of-season bash to score a few ratings points, far away from the pressure of any form of motor racing that is, you know, important.

And I know that Doohan and Reed are huge names in their respective sports, and as such, are probably a good fit in the showbizand-fireworks format of the event.

And yes, I realise that Reed is a Supercrosser, and only got the call-up at the last minute to sub for Whincup, who prioritised the weekend’s V8 Supercar round at the Island over a quick diversion to China.

But ...

In a year when an Aussie drivers win two Formula 1 GPs, the Le Mans 24 Hour, the American Le

opinion Phil Branagan Executive Editor Mans Series, the British Formula 3 Championship and damn near won the IndyCar Series, we send two bike racers to take on the likes of the three blokes mentioned so far? Plus Marcus Gronholm, Andy Priaulx, Yvan Muller, Tommy K, DC and ... what’s that other Pom’s name? Oh yes, the new Formula 1 World Champion, Jenson Button?

We couldn’t find a car racer?

Come on. No disrespect to Doohan and Reed intended, none at all, but talk about taking a knife to a gunfight. From a sporting point of view, if we are not able to send a couple of guns, let’s just forget it.

So far as I know, Chris Atkinson had a few days to spare last week.

Hell, Simon Evans would make a great fist of it, and the other drivers and fans would get over the “who is Simon Evans?” factor about three seconds after they meet him.

I would rather see no Aussies compete in the event than Australian-branded cannon fodder.

Heck, send New Zealanders; at least they would take it seriously.

eLETTER OF THE WEEK I just wanted to say what a great weekend I had at the Sandown Historic meeting.

I would normally go to a V8 Supercars race but I agreed to go, with friends who love historic racing, some months ago.

The access to the drivers and the cars was fantastic, we were able to see some of my favourites right up close.

I was honestly expecting the racing to be a bit of a yawn but it was very entertaining, and judging by the number of cars spinning off into the sand, there were

a number of drivers who were trying very hard.

It was a joy to see Sir Jack Brabham there, and some of the cars that bear his name were at the circuit. I can only imagine how proud he must feel to see them.

I really hope that there is no clashing V8 race on the same weekend next year, because I am certainly going back to Sandown again.

David Waters Shepparton VIC

David Waters is this week’s winner of the Mark Skaife: The Racing Years, a pictorial biography of Skaife’s career.

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

V8 SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES RACES 21-22, PHILLIP ISLAND

The Return of the

SILVER SURFER

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race

Dirk Klynsmith

Two weeks after Jamie Whincup had a season low round on the streets of Surfers, he put his title defence back on track – and vanquished some Phillip Island demons – with two classy wins.

PHIL BRANAGAN reports

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Peter Bury

J

AMIE Whincup did not go to China to hang out with the likes of Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel and the rest of the superstars in the Race of Champions.

Clearly, driving into concrete walls at Surfers Paradise, and the V8 Supercar Champ managed to do that twice, has had an effect on his mindset. So, he cleared his diary for the week aheads of Phillip Island, restricted his Chinese to take-aways and set to work on successfully defending a title.

“It was the right call at the time,” he said on the decision to skip the ROC. “Unfortunately, I feel gutted that I decided not to do it. Hopefully, I will get an invitation in the future.”

Saturday was textbook Whincup. He took three laps to find a gap in Davison’s defence, and the Ford quickly established a second’s lead.

That gap was re-established after a Safety Car, and he sped home to a 1.8s win.

Davison was second, and Rick Kelly third. As promised, the Jacks are treating the final rounds of the years as their very own, unofficial ‘Chase’

and the speed was there for all to see. Until the pit cycle, Rick was behind his brother, and after it, Todd engaged in a mirror-to-mirror, half-lap battled with Craig Lowndes for fourth.

It ended in tears and Todd attributed blame to Lowndes for having him in the Southern Loop kitty litter and forcing a Safety Car. The stewards agreed, and spotted Lowndes a 38s time penalty that dropped him from nowhere to absolutely nowhere.

“We were racing really well up till then,” said a disgruntled Kelly later. “He hit my rear bumper and speared me off, so it was a little bit of a shame. I don’t know what he was doing there.”

The rest were in chase mode. Garth Tander made it to fourth, after struggling in qualifying and starting 11th. He was one of the many struggling with a lack of grip, caused by the much higher temperatures than those encountered in September [see breakout].

Ditto for Mark Winterbottom, who made it to sixth, while there were those who made no ground, like Steven Richards. His up-and-down season continues; he started in the 20s, and finished in the mid-to-late teens.

race

Dirk Klynsmith

Island Magic: Will Davison led the opening lap, but Whincup was soon past and into the lead.

Lee Holdsworth led a top-10 battle, with Mark Winterbottom on a charge.

This time around, it was another Jason, Bright, who took a surprise pole position.

The Kelly Commodores showed great speed, and Rick had two podium finishes – but he did have to fight off Craig Lowndes for one of them. Luckily, he has prior experience with champagne at the Islkand – but a bottle did get destroyed in the process ...

Peter Bury Dirk Klynsmith

Peter Bury

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S

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he said. “It was like something was broken. I did cop a couple a hits on the first lap. It was pretty much undrivable.”

James Courtney was fourth, but that spot, maybe third, should have been Steve Johnson’s. His strategy helped to gain places when the Safety Cars appeared and his speed was excellent, but a tyre delaminated and that was the end of podium ambitions that would have been a boost for the team, and a deserved reward for a driver yet to sign a 2010 deal.

So, on the face of it, it could be assumed that Whincup had a speed advantage on everyone in the field.

Maybe, maybe, because we never got to see what Mark Winterbottom might have done. He was chasing hard when, at Turn 1 of all places, Shane Van Gisbergen got brave and challenged Frosty for position. In a flash, the FPR car was spinning into the gravel, and a lap later, out of the race.

The Giz admitted to careless driving, and copped a 15-point penalty after the race.

“There’s two more rounds this year and I’ll square up with him,” Frosty affirmed. “He’ll end up getting another one back for that.”

Sunday, in Shorthand: There were some great battles, and quite a bit of panel rubbing, over the weekend. Craig Lowndes was in a bit of it, and rubbed shoulders with Jason Bargwanna, above.

Whincup had speed to burn and his biggest problem appeared to come from another Safety Car SNAFU, middle.

By the end of the race though, it was 300 points and off to Perth, top right.

Shane van Gisbergen showed great speed, and some impetuosity, with the optimistic dive at Turn 1 right. Mark Winterbottom’s weekend ended a lap later.

John Morris

OMETIMES, things just line up and go your way.

Jamie Whincup needed a points boost to repair the damage, given than he arrived in Victoria with a diminished lead in the 2010 Championship. A win on Saturday helped right the ship and come Sunday, he added another 150 points to the kitty.

But it was not the score that mattered, so much as the way he delivered. He took pole and smashed the field to the four winds, establishing a 3s gap within a handful of laps and winning, pretty much, as he liked. He had to nurse his rubber, but so did everyone else.

But, if there were trophies that were going to be valued heading home from The Island, sure they were headed to Kelly Racing. For the second day in a row, Rick Kelly was on the podium, this time second, and best of the Commodores on a day when the Claytons (or, at least, most of them) struggled.

“Ricko was pushing hard,” Whincup admitted post-race.

“That was good, because it kept my concentration up. But we were racing hard, it was only a tenth every lap.”

The Clayton that did best was Garth Tander’s. One of the Walkinshaw cars qualified third, but that was a flu-ridden Paul Dumbrell’s, while Tander’s lack of speed and balance, which saw him qualify for both races outside the top ten, continued in the race. He reported that on its maiden set of tyres, it would “not hook up” but changes to the car, and an onthe-run strategy change that saw the team fill him longer than planned at the first stop.

That was the good news. The bad was that Will Davison was stuggling, running outside the top 10 and watching points leak away to Whincup.

“I don’t know what was wrong; the boys will need to pull it apart and have a look,”

race

Dirk Klynsmith

Dirk Klynsmith

John Morris

29

Green is Red Hot

IT comes as little surprise that Jason Bright will be driving something other than a Stone Brothers Ford in 2010.

Without any particular confirmation from either driver or team, both parties appear to have the content stances of people who have made up their minds.

For whatever reasons, and there are likely to be a number of those in the background, the man who drove an SBR car

into a wall at Bathurst in 1998, before coming back to win the race a few days later has not gelled with the Stones second time around.

But there has been something of a rebirthing process going on in the second half of the season. At the Island on Saturday, and for the second time this season, he topped qualifying but, this time, he held on in the Shootout to take pole position.

Unfortunately, it did not

last. After a seemingly endless red light, Bright lurched away and was immediately defensive. Side-by-side he ran with Todd Kelly; first one was in the grass, then the other, and just like that, Brighty was, approximately, last.

He fought back to 16th by the time the flag fell but, for a car and driver combo that had been on pole by a huge margin, this was an opportunity lost.

Mateship Dirk Klynsmith

DESERT? NO. HOT? YEP

SATURDAY at Phillip Island II was just like Saturday in Bahrain.

The sky was a relentless blue. It was warm, and threatening to get warmer. And there were a few spectators there, to be counted in the hundreds rather than thousands. It was not like being at the Island at all.

Tyre usage is always critical at the Island, and the most telling factor was the temperatures.

While Melbourne sweltered in the mid-30s, it was cooler by the ocean, but the track temps were still high. On Saturday, qualifying started on a 29 degree track, which hit 36 for the race. Come Sunday, it was hotter, with 31 for qualifying and a sizzling 43 by the time the cars

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fired up for their 200km adventure.

The comparison was startling. In September, the twin qualifiers started with track temps of 2021, and they rose to a pleasant 29 for Race 1 and 28 for Race 2, before plummeting to 16 for the 500. During the race, they recovered a little, but never got higher than 20.

Formula 1 has a single tyre supplier, but Bridgestone has a range of tyres from which to choose, and take two to every race. Dunlop does not; in V8 Supercars, all these conditions have to be handled by a single-spec racing tyre. In the circumstances, that is a remarkable achievement, but no wonder there were many heads being scratched in pitlane.

RICK Kelly made the call at the Saturday media conference; things have changed between Jamie Whincup and Will Davison.

The two are old friends; in fact, former bunkies, who shared a house when Davo drove at The House of Beam. But times change and now, they are the only two fellas, you would think, with realistic title ambitions.

“Twelve months ago, you would

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After all the fightin’ and fussin’, a Quiet Island Oasis

Dirk Klynsmith

FOLLOWING the annual October madness that is the enduros and the sunny party on the Gold Coast, it was time for the V8’s to have a bit of a quiet one.

And a well deserved quiet one at that, however there was one overwhelming quality of Seven’s Sunday telecast that’s a little hard to overlook; it was almost too quiet.

Yes, the V8s did have to surrender the spotlight to a different sort of horsepower on Saturday, and the Island 300 round wasn’t actually announced until mid-September.

But I couldn’t help but notice that the weekend’s Sprint Round didn’t feature the same on-screen magic shared by previous Sprint Rounds.

Maybe it was the non-appearance of the regular support categories, or the visible and noticable reduction in trackside

p can Wait be talking,” observed Ricko to the two mates and rivals, who continued their dignified silence.

Later, both JDub and Davison agreed; they have firewalled their relationship until the points are all dished out then, as Jamie said, maybe they will have a few beers together.

But until then, the war between the Silvers and the Reds is as intense as you can imagine.

FROM THE COUCH CALLUM BRANAGAN attendance, the whole weekend seemed to be centered around the racing, and nothing else. Although that’s great for regular viewers like us, there would have been many more casual fans left disappointed with the missing elements of the ‘show’.

Positives? Good to see the commentary team offer the usual hot pot of humour and insight, which is second to none, and a whole weekend’s racing squeezed into a Sunday afternoon isn’t too bad either.

All in all, it wasn’t a bad way to have a quiet Sunday spent indoors.

V8 Supercar | RACEs 21-22, ISLAND 300, PHILLIP ISLAND Pos # Driver 1 1 Jamie Whincup 2 15 Rick Kelly 3 2 Garth Tander 4 9 Shane Van Gisbergen 5 22 Will Davison 6 18 James Courtney 7 25 Jason Bright 8 33 Lee Holdsworth 9 10 Paul Dumbrell 10 111 Fabian Coulthard 11 4 Alex Davison 12 8 Jason Richards 13 34 Michael Caruso 14 17 Steven Johnson 15 888 Craig Lowndes 16 6 Steven Richards 17 24 David Reynolds 18 5 Mark Winterbottom 19 55 Tony D’Alberto 20 67 Tim Slade 21 39 Russell Ingall 22 51 Greg Murphy 23 3 Jason Bargwanna 24 333 Michael Patrizi 25 16 Mark McNally 26 11 Jack Perkins 27 14 Cameron McConville 28 7 Todd Kelly 29 12 Dean Fiore

Team/Car R19A R19B R20A R20B Points TeamVodafone Falcon FG 3 1 1 1 300 Jack Daniels Commodore VE 5 3 5 2 267 Toll HRT Commodore VE 11 4 13 3 249 SP Tools Falcon FG 8 5 6 6 213 Toll HRT Commodore VE 2 2 9 11 210 Jim Beam Racing Falcon FG 13 9 18 4 204 Fujitsu Racing Falcon FG 1 16 8 5 168 Valvoline GRM Commodore VE 6 7 16 13 162 Team Autobarn Commodore VE 20 12 3 8 159 Wilson Security Falcon FG 9 14 14 9 147 Irwin Racing Falcon FG 15 11 15 12 141 Team BOC Commodore VE 14 10 4 15 138 Valvoline GRM Commodore VE 18 20 10 10 123 Jim Beam Racing Falcon FG 12 8 7 24 123 TeamVodafone Falcon FG 7 28 12 7 117 Ford Performance Racing Falcon FG 26 17 24 14 117 Bundaberg Red Commodore VE 16 18 22 18 102 FPR Falcon FG 10 6 2 DNF 102 The Bottle-O Commodore VE 24 19 25 17 102 Supercheap Auto Commodore VE 19 21 17 16 99 Supercheap Auto Commodore VE 17 13 19 27 90 Sprint Gas Racing Commodore VE 23 15 21 26 87 Sprint Gas Racing Commodore VE 21 23 20 19 84 Supply Direct/Wilson Sec. Falcon BF 28 27 26 20 79 Hi-Tec Oils Racing Commodore VE 29 26 29 22 66 Dodo Commodore VE 25 25 28 23 66 WOW Racing Commodore VE 22 24 23 25 63 Jack Daniel’s Commodore VE 4 29 11 21 60 Bing Lee/Panasonic Lumix Commodore VE 27 22 27 DNF

Dirk Klynsmith

Points: Whincup 2905, W. Davison 2783, Tander 2565, Lowndes 2292, Winterbottom 1964, Johnson 1961, R. Kelly 1925, Holdsworth 1817, Courtney 1790, Van Gisbergen 1679, Ingall 1676, Caruso 1623, Dumbrell 1585, J. Richards 1579, S. Richards 1504, McConville 1451, T. Kelly 1423 and A. Davison 1423, Coulthard 1350, Bright 1343, Murphy 1321, Reynolds 1224, Slade 1077, Bargwanna 1049 and D’Alberto 1049, Perkins 933, Patrizi 809, Fiore 623, Wood 578, McNally 458, etc.

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SALOON CARS KRIS Walton has continued his winning Saloon Cars ways, taking out two of the three non-points races at Phillip Island.

Walton (above) contested the opening two rounds of the Australian Saloon Car Series earlier this year, before withdrawing to get his AU Falcon sorted.

The Queenslander returned to the series when it visited Morgan Park in August, where he won all three races on home turf.

Three weeks before the 2009 season finale at Sandown, Walton was at it again.

He cruised to victory in Race 1 from pole and looked set to repeat that in Race 2, before losing second and third gears in the closing laps.

Walton retired, but charged up the order in Race 3 to sit second by the halfway point. The race lead and win followed to round out the weekend.

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“We had been struggling with the car for about 18 months, and found out what the problem was after the round here [Phillip Island] in May,” Walton said.

“The car’s fixed and now we’re back up at the front where we want to be.

“It’s a pity we had the gearbox problem in Race 2, but it was a good weekend running with the V8s.”

Champion elect Shawn Jamieson. right, was predictably strong in his VT Commodore but had a tough Saturday, melting spark plugs in qualifying and Race 1.

From the back of the field, he was second in Race 2 on Sunday morning behind local Corey Ludeman and followed Walton home in the final.

Tim Rowse bagged a pair of thirdplace finishes, with Simon Tabinor grabbing the other from the strong 25-car field.

– MITCHELL ADAM

John Morris / Mpix

Walton continues Saloon Car resurgence

John Morris / Mpix

Kris Walts on

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TARGA INVITATIONAL

From there, the big V8 and diminutive Lotus battled it out, trading top spot several times before O’Connor sealed the win with a lastlap move.

After a reversed Top 10 grid for Race 3, Hislop led Garwood and O’Connor at the end of the opening tour.

The three-car dice was short-lived, though, with

Hislop tagging O’Connor on Lap 2, lap, inset, ending the Lotus driver’s weekend.

Garwood, having earlier finished second in Race 1 and third in Race 2, took the win, ahead of HSV pair James Atkinson and Matthew Burns, with Hislop fourth after a trip through pitlane.

– MITCHELL ADAM John Morris / Mpix

Marshall Cass

PORSCHE driver Greg Garwood was the big winner in the Targa Invitational at Phillip Island, after Mark O’Connor and Ray Hislop clashed in the final race.

Following its debut at Symmons Plains, the second Invitational hitout featured another diverse crop of 26 cars from 11 manufacturers, spanning four decades.

It was David vs. Goliath battle, between GT regular O’Connor driving a Lotus Exige and Hislop, who led the pack of 18 Tasmanian

competitors in his Improved Production BF Falcon.

Hislop claimed pole position and raced with O’Connor early in Race 1, before the latter skipped away to victory. After problems during qualifying for Race 2 on Sunday morning, Hislop carved his way through the field to be second by the end of Lap 2.

Dirk Klynsmith

Garwood gets the gold

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HISTORIC SANDOWN RETURN OF THE THUNDER

Let’s Get

LOUD!

Sandown’s traditional Historic weekend turned on great racing under brilliant blue skies

T

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Justin Collins

HE sun shone, the crowds rolled in and everyone had a great time at the 2009 Historic Sandown, ‘The Return of the Thunder’.

Big grids and lots of variety meant that there was something there for everyone, from Sir Jack Brabham to Historic Touring Cars, to MGs and Regularity Trials.

Biggest and fastest of the cars over the weekend were the Formula 5000s and Bryan Sala was the pick of the bunch, winning two of the three events in his Elfin.

Tony Hubbard dominated the Over 3-litre Touring Cars, while Mark Johnson did likewise in the Under 3-litre category. Walkinshaw Commodores were everywhere in the Groups A & C events, with Norman Mogg, Gary Collins and David Holc splitting the wins.

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James Smith

Formula Ford is 40 Years Young

Justin Collins

James Smith

THE 40th anniversary of Formula Ford was celebrated with a special dinner on the Saturday night at Sandown.

Put together by Laurie Bennett and his daughter Georgie, the dinner was attended by Formula Ford champions and competitors past and present, with former race winner Steve Moody hosting informal interviews throughout the night. That included interesting (and humorous) banter with 1972 champ Bob Skelton, 1975 champ Paul Bernasconi, 1977 champ John Smith, and 1983 champ Bruce Connolly.

There was 46 cars in attendance for the on-track

celebrations, with Jonathon Miles wrapping up the historic Formula Ford title in his 1982 Reynard, and the evergreen Bennett taking the ‘Fa’ class title in his 1971 Elfin 600.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

Drivers to Europe?

Jonathan Miles, Andrew McInness, John Connelly and Tim Berry led the field into Turn 1, but things did not work out so well for John Smith, above, though his Lola sure looks good.

Justin Collins James Smith

Everything to see: Paul Trevethan and Bryan Sala brought back memories of Ansett Team Elfin, main pic, with Sala taking two of the three Formula 5000 races. Walkinshaw Commodores split the Group A & C races, left, there were Brabhams over varying shapes and hues, above, and Sir Jack himself, the five-time World champion as popular as ever with drivers and the public.

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BIANTE TOURING CAR MASTERS ROUND 7 – SANDOWN

I

N a fitting end to a supreme title defence, newly-crowned 2009 Biante Touring Car Masters Champion, Gavin Bullas was back to his winning ways in the Rain City Boss Mustang with a final round victory at Historic Sandown.

Having led the series unchallenged since the season opening race at Clipsal, Bullas racked up his 10th race win and fifth round win of the season.

Qualifying went in favour of Jim Richards with Bullas alongside on the front row, but when the flag dropped for race one, it was Bullas who got the jump and led from Richards. In a fierce tussle, the pair traded places repeatedly before Bullas edged ahead of the seven-time Bathurst champ to win by just .227sec at the end of eight laps.

In the Group 2 title fight, fourth-place in race one secured Trevor Talbot his first

Raging Bullas

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Touring Car Masters Championship in the Dukes Body Works XU-1 Torana.

For the race two reverse top-eight grid, Bullas started back in eighth place with Tony Hunter on pole.

By turn two the Mustang of now retired racer Drew Marget had stormed from fifth into the lead and left the action trailing behind him all the way to the chequered flag.

Gavin Bullas celebrated a second title in fitting style.

MARSCELLE TULLY reports

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Despite setting a new lap record, Richards was stuck back in fifth place while Bullas scythed through to second. But the drive of the race belonged to the 2007 champ, Steve Mason who, after a fuel leak issue in race one, started off the rear of the grid and stormed through to sixth place.

The final race of the 2009 season was another victory to add to Jim Richards’ innumerable career tally. Richards was

under fire from Marget until the first and only safety car period.

With one flying lap remaining, the safety car released the pack. Richards held out Marget to the chequered flag, denying him the round victory and aiding Bullas’ overall win.

Round seven Group 1 honours went to Bullas ahead of Marget and Richards in third, while Greg Waddington scored his

first round victory in Group 2 ahead of 2009 champion, Trevor Talbot and John Nelson rounding out the top three.

FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS GROUP 1 - 1 Gavin Bullas (1028), 2 John Bowe (887), 3 Brad Tilley (868).

GROUP 2 - 1 Trevor Talbot (944), 2 Greg Waddington (790), 3 Rory O’Neill (774).

Justin Collins

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NASCAR SPRINT CUP ROUND 34 – DICKIES 500, FORT WORTH, TEXAS

The Brothers Grin

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Ford Racing

Kyle Busch ran short of history, but his brother Kurt made sure that a Busch still ruled Texas. Jimmie Johnson had a disaster and Marcos Ambrose came that close to a top threee ...

By MARTIN D CLARK

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H

ISTORY beckoned for Kyle Busch in Texas – but history ran out of gas.

No driver has ever won a NASCAR Truck race, a Nationwide/Busch Series race or a Spring/Nextel/Winston Cup race on a single weekend. So, when Busch won the first two, and dominated the third, people were reaching for their history books.

No need. Kyle’s Joe Gibbs Toyota ran dry of fuel with three laps to run after heading 232 circuits. It was a sad end – except for the fact that his brother Kurt took the win.

“Unbelievable, I’m so excited,” said Busch who waited two laps longer than his brother to pit during the final stops.

“Racing my little brother this is one of the first times we’ve done it heart to heart we’ve raced for the win and to take away his sweep, it’s bitter sweet. At the same time, we’ve got to our Dodge in victory lane and we raced hard especially on those restarts.”

Kyle finished 11th and headed the most of the 334 laps in his first race with new crew chief Dave Rogers, who moved over from one of the Joe Gibbs Nationwide Series teams. Between them, the two Busches led all but 13 laps, Kyle heading 465 of the 681 laps run in the three weekend events. And while Kyle was running up front with a new crew chief, Kurt’s man on the pit box Pat Tryson will leave for Michael Waltrip Racing and Martin Truex Jr. at the end of the year.

Busch’s win was somewhat overshadowed by 12th starting Jimmie Johnson, who wrecked hard on lap three as he was passing to the outside of Sam Hornish. Hornish was tagged by David Reutimann and got into Johnson.

Johnson looked like he had his Hendrick Chev saved, but he came back across

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traffic, slamming Hornish again and then backstretch inside retaining wall.

Johnson ventured back on track again over an hour later on lap 116 with his crew welding a new nose section and right rear quarter and replacing all the front and rear suspension. He finished his day 38th and leading his two Hendrick Motorsports team-mates Mark Martin by 73 points and Jeff Gordon by 112.

As the series moves to Phoenix Arizona this Sunday one thing to keep in mind though, Johnson has won three of the last four Phoenix races, but it was Martin who lead the most laps and won in April this year.

Chase contender Juan Pablo Montoya got loose and slipped into Carl Edwards the pair ending up in the wall and taking pole sitter Jeff Gordon for a spin in the process. Gordon rebounded to finish 13th – and must be rueing a missed opportunity to capitalise on Johnson’s misfortunes.

Marcos Ambrose qualified 19th and although his JTG Daugherty Toyota was fighting a tight condition, he moved forward quickly up to third, but was unable to make the pass for second on Kurt Busch. Just before halfway a caution for debris sent the field into pitlane, and Ambrose dropped from third to 19th in one swoop as the team fitted a right front spring packer and he was forced to reverse to get out his pit stall.

Again though Ambrose forged forward and back into the top 10 by the time caution five aired on lap 206 for Reed Sorenson who hit the wall hard after cutting a tyre. Ambrose moved up the second as cars pulled off to pit for fuel or ran dry in the waning laps. Unfortunately he suffered the same fate, and ran out with one and half laps to run to finish 15th on the lead lap. Ambrose remains 18th in series points.

Busch, not Bush: After Kyle won the Truck and Nationwide races, brother Kurt chased him hard and, when the Toyota ran dry, preceding page, swept past to take the win.

Marcos Ambrose looked set to take his best-ever oval result but his JTG Daugherty car also ran out of fuel. He was classified 18th.

Black Hat wins NATIONWIDE

NASCAR Media

NASCAR Media

KYLE Busch led 179 of 200 laps at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday, taking his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to the front for the final time on a lap 187 restart and take the win over Casey Mears.

It was Busch’s fourth straight Nationwide Series win at Texas, while Mears held on for second while substituting for Jeff Burton, who had a hard wreck in Sprint Cup practice the previous day and elected to sit out the race. Jason Leffler came home third with Matt Kenseth fourth.

Busch now has a 272 point lead in the championship over Carl Edwards, who started at the rear after changing a broken shock, and finished ninth. Brad Keselowski, who

finished fifth, is 292 points in arrears in third place, meaning that Busch can clinch the series title next Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway by finishing 15th or better.

– MARTIN D CLARK

SPRINT CUP | DICKIES 500 1 2 2 11 3 17 4 5 5 29 6 14 7 33 8 16 9 31 10 44

Kurt Busch Dodge Penske/Miller Lite Q3 Denny Hamlin Toyota Joe Gibbs/FedEx 25 Matt Kenseth Ford Roush Fenway/Dewalt 30 Mark Martin Chevy Hendrick/Carquest 7 Kevin Harvick Chevy Childress/Shell 24 Tony Stewart Chevy Stewart Haas/Office Depot 4 Clint Bowyer Chevy Childress/Cheerio’s 10 Greg Biffle Ford Roush Fenway/3M 18 Jeff Burton Chevy Childress/Caterpillar 18 AJ Allmendinger Ford RPM/Ford.Drive.One 16

Toyota Motorsports

NASCAR | DRIVER’S points Johnson 6297, Martin 6224, Gordon 6185, Kurt Busch 6126, Stewart 6119, Montoya 6061, Biffle 6050, Hamlin 5975, Newman 5973, Kahne 5898, Edwards 5857, Vickers 5777.

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Bell rings in new NZ season Surprise winner in V8s, business as usual in Porsches ...

NZ V8S / GT3 CUP EDDIE Bell caused a boil-over in the opening round of the 2009/10 BNT V8s Championship, taking top spot at Pukekohe Park Raceway at the weekend.

Starting his second season in the championship, the Falcon driver qualified on the front row of the grid and finished second behind John McIntyre in Race 1.

When McIntyre was forced to start the second race from pitlane after missing the pit exit deadline, Bell capitalised, holding out Andy Booth to grab the win, before finishing sixth in the reverse grid Race 3 to wrap up the round.

“It hasn’t quite sunk in yet,” Bell said. “The team has been fantastic in sticking with me and allowing me to concentrate on the

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races together with handing me a really competitive car.”

McIntyre was ninth in Race 2 before finishing second in the final to nab second for the weekend, as he eyes a hat-trick of titles. A consistent Booth was third for the round, ahead of Angus Fogg, who won Race 3 after runaway leader Andrew Anderson suffered a late puncture.

Craig Baird put a mixed weekend in his V8 - fourth in Race 1 and third in Race 3 sandwiched a Race 2 gearbox problem - behind him to claim the Battery Town Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge season opener.

Baird, right, led a Triple X Motorsport rout, after winning the opening two races and finishing third in the reverse grid Race 3.

“Really as long as our top three cars came home in the top-six of the [final] race we

had the weekend and first round of the championship sewn up,” five-time champ Baird said.

Daniel Gaunt and Courtney Letica completed a clean sweep of the podium for Triple X. Both championships continue at Ruapuna on 28-29 November.

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Ekstrom still ROCs RACE OF CHAMPIONS THE place was different, and the field varied, but nothing could stop Mattias Ekstrom from winning his third Race of Champions – not even Michael Schumacher.

The Swede beat the seventime World champion in the final of the individual event,

held in Beijing’s famous Bird’s Nest stadium.

On the way, the Audi DTM star took out some of the sport’s biggest names, beating Le Mans legend Tom Kristensen and World Champion Jenson Button in the knock-out stage.

Schumacher was in fine form, and engaged in a thrilling fight with Sebastian Vettel in

his semi-final when the young Red Bull star crashed his KTM X-bow.

The night before, Germany won the Nations’ Cup part of the program. Vettel and Schumacher lost only two of their races all night, and beat the GB pairing of Button and Andy Priaulx 2-1 in the final. Australia’s pairing of

Mick Doohan and Chad Reed finished last in its group, with Reed, below, taking the team’s only win.

In the ROC the following win, the Aussies managed one win apiece, Doohan beating American rally ace Travis Pastrana and Reed beating Giniel de Villers, both in ROC cars.

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Another TPCR win for Farr SPEEDWAY

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Paris Charles

ROBBIE Farr was too strong again last Saturday night at Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway, winning this thirdstraight A Main, with James Thomson and Marty Perovich filling in the minor positions.

Farr started from pole position in the 30-lap feature and, despite a few stoppages, his East Coast Pipelines J&J forged to another TPCR victory.

The impressive Gary Rooke shared the front row with Farr but spun on the opening lap and had to fight back from the rear of the field. Craig Brady’s Maxim moved into second but a fast Ian Loudoun blasted by and set after Farr, until he tangled Mick Turner and retired with a bent front axle.

With Brady back in second, James Thomson, who led most of the previous week’s A Main, was third with Perovich fourth.

While Farr powered away to victory, Brady lost second to Thomson, then third to Perovich, eventually finishing fourth. Mitch Dumesny was fifth and, in what had to be the drive of the night, Ian Madsen came from 23rd to pick up a superb sixth. Adrian Maher, who had been in fifth for most

of the race, retired on the final lap after his steering box failed for the second week in a row.

“I didn’t see anyone behind me, it was a lot earlier this week with the pole start,” Farr told eNews. “It was the lapped traffic which killed me early. I knew my lap times in traffic wouldn’t have been as good as earlier, but you can’t be impatient in lapped traffic. You can lose a race, you have to be patient and finish the race first.”

Another great 40-plus car field was on hand at Parramatta with young NT racer Daniel Goodini having his first taste of TPCR before basing his summer there.

Quick time went to Stuart Williams, with Brady, Roddy BellBowen, Glen Saville, Farr and Rooke the Top 6. Maher, Mitch Dumesny, Brodie Tulloch (QLD) and Grant Trunks each grabbed a heat win, while a late race charge saw Steve Gaunt defeat Kelly Linigen to win the B Main. The two dash races victories went to Farr and Rooke.

This Saturday will be Farr’s final Sprintcar meeting at Parramatta before moving onto the start of the ‘09/10 WSS. – GREG BOCATO

Master Murcott

SPEEDWAY VICTORIA’S David Murcott is enjoying a purple patch of form and last weekend’s result in the Oxford Insurance Brokers Australian Sprintcar Masters cemented the view of many that he is the hottest driver on the Australian Sprintcar market. In front of a 5000-strong crowd, Murcott drove the Downing Brothers s97 Cool to victory lane at Adelaide’s Speedway City.

“This is the one we have been waiting to get for a long time,” Murcott said. “All the big names have won this race, it is a pleasure to win this race. We have now won all the major races in Adelaide on a small budget and in that great little orange racecar.”

Starting third for the 35lap event behind local guns Trevor Green and Jamie Cobby, Murcott moving into second early and set his sights on the

flying Green.

Mark Reuter rolled his J&J chassis out of the race on Lap 15 and Murcott made the most of the restart to blast under Green and into the lead.

From there, Murcott was able to stretch his legs and run away from the field. Despite a few more caution periods, Murcott kept his advantage and powered home to claim a cool $5,000 for his efforts.

Green and Cobby were inseparable for much of the race and finished in the same order they started.

Steven Lines finished his night well to claim fourth, after winning the B-Main to transfer.

Grant Anderson was next in the queue, followed by teenage up and comers Daniel Pestka and Brad Keller, each holding out World Series drivers Ricky Maiolo and Max Dumensy.

Steven Caruso and Justin Sloan rounded out the finishers.

– PARIS CHARLES

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To those who wait...

SPEEDWAY

Geoff Gracie

MIKE Van Bremen finally opened his account at Geelong’s Avalon Raceway last Saturday night, winning his first A-Main in his 15th season of racing at the venue in Round 1 of the 2009/10 Eureka Garages and Sheds Sprintcar KTM Series.

Van Bremen led every lap of the 30-lap final to hold off a fastfinishing Matthew Reed and former champ John Vogels. Van Bremen was fourth on points after the heats and second fastest in time trials to line up for the top six shootout alongside thirdgeneration racer Nick Lacey.

In a thrilling start, Lacey and Van Bremen ran wheel to wheel into the first turn, with Van Bremen gaining the lead. Lacey was quickly swamped by Vogels and Jamie Veal, dropping back to fourth, while Reed was also in the thick of it. In the jostle for positions, Lacey was caught out on the back straight and suffered a flat front-right tyre, ending his impressive night.

The race was panning out perfectly for Van Bremen, with regular stoppages giving him a fresh start with no lap traffic in sight. Reed’s run was superb as he used the highline, challenging Vogels as they touched each other at speed down the back straight. Reed quickly got by Vogels and set his sights on long time on track rival Van

Bremen, who held on to win.

“I was so nervous, at the last restart I knew I had my first win at Avalon in sight and it was all I could think about. I was so cautious in the last few laps and it almost cost me the race, if I was pipped on the line it would have been horrible,” Van Bremen said.

Vogels completed the podium, while Matthews and Hunter left the track with smiles in the top five. The next round of the of the series will be held in South Australia at Mt Gambier’s Borderline Raceway on November 21.

– GEOFF ROUNDS

Hot Schatz SPEEDWAY

Martin D. Clark

DONNY Schatz took a record fourthconsecutive World of Outlaws Sprintcar title infront of a sellout crowd at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Saturday night.

Schatz came home sixth in the feature event, with title rival Jason Myers starting eighth and stealing third from Steve Kinser at the stripe to finish 19 points in arrears of Schatz.

Myers was the winner of Friday nights feature. The 30-lap feature was

won by Joey Saldana to wrap up third in the championship driving for Kasey Kahne.

His 20th A Main win of the year puts him in an elite league with the likes of Steve and Mark Kinser, Sammy Swindell and Doug Wolfgang.

Dale Blaney who returned to racing this season won the Dash and started on pole for the feature. While Saldana passed Blaney on Lap 15, second was a great effort for the under-funded team.

– MARTIN D. CLARK

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rear of grid

How to ruin a Torana

By Lindsay Woolard

eNews snapper Neil Hammond captured Woolard’s firey shunt at the Sandown Historic meeting last weekend. Bad luck, Lindsay!

t o p S d d O

THE first week of Movember has come and gone, and I’m proud to say that all is going well.

Sure, the skin above my top lip is a little irritated, and sure, people kept telling me at Phillip Island on the weekend that I looked like I should be starring in movies of ill taste (which I actually took as a compliment), but I’m willing to fight through these adversities to raise some money.

In case you didn’t already know, ‘Movember’ is a moustachegrowing charity to help raise money and awareness for men’s health, namely prostate cancer and depression.

The eNews-backed team – Studio 18 Mo Grow – has currently raised $646.74; a great start, but please keep donating.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

CLICK HERE

To donate to Andrew van Leeuwen 47