Motorsport eNews Issue 152 - April 27-May 4, 2010

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Issue No. 152 April 27 -May 04 2010

L A I C I F F O S IT’ on!

s i 0 0 6 t s a o C d l o G e h T

EXCLUSIVE

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What Roland Dane thinks of the GC600

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Issue No. 152 | 27 Apr - 04 May 2010

news 4 We have lift-off!

Gold Coast 600 launches 6 The Cast Who is heading down under?

8 GC600 Reaction Comment from V8 Superstars 11 Musical Chairs Enduro seats almost gone 16 Can Swifts fly from NZ? Suzukis want Aussie round

chat 26 Five Minutes With ...

Paul Dumbrell

comment 28 van Leeuwen 29 Fitzsimons

race 30 NASCAR 34 World Superbikes 38 DTM

trade 40 Classifieds

GOLD COAST EVENT OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED V8 SUPERCARS

A

FTER weeks of speculation – and eNews cover stories revealing a fair proportion of the international drivers – the Armor All Gold Coast 600 has been officially launched.

Despite some scepticism as to how the international drivers will fare as, mostly, V8 Supercar rookies, the official driver list is unquestionably impressive – with the late inclusion of former F1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve, a name recognisable to even the most casual motorsport fan.

There are overseas-based Australian aces in David Brabham, Ryan Briscoe and Will Power, two-time IndyCar Champion Scott Dixon, former Gold Coast Champ Car race winner Dario Franchitti (Scotland), 1997 Gold Coast winner Scott Pruett, four-time Champ Car and two-time Gold Coast winner Sebastien Bourdais from France, and former F1 drivers and current Touring Car and Sportscar guns Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Tiago

Monteiro, Mika Salo, Andy Priaulx, Gianni Morbidelli, Fabrizio Giovanardi, Alain Menu and Yvan Muller.

For a full list of the drivers and the teams they will drive with, check out ‘The Cast’ on page 6.

“When we first announced the concept for the Gold Coast race a few people were a little sceptical, but I think the list we have announced today proves just how special this event is going to be,” said V8 Supercars Australia Chairman Tony Cochrane at the launch.

“This is one of the greatest line-ups of talent we have seen in world motorsport, and to have the calibre of these international drivers mixed with our own V8 Supercar stars on the streets of Surfers Paradise is going to be something special.

“When we mix the racing action with the 16 fantastic music acts we have secured for our unique Rock and Race format, we will have something special on the streets of Surfers Paradise in October.”

Those music acts include Empire of the

Sun, London DJ Ian Carey from the Ministry of Sound, Kid Kenobe and MC Shureshock, Richard Clapton, Hook N Sling, the Baby Animals, Sneaky Sound System, Funkoars, Static Revenger featuring Luciana, James Reyne, Mondo Rock, The Angels, The Potbelleez, Noiseworks and The Only. There is also set to be a feature act announced next month.

Two people not named in the launch ‘list’ were Mark Blundell and Christian Fittipaldi, both of whom were originally named as signed drivers when the concept was first launched several months ago: “When the opportunity was presented to be a part of this new-look concept on the Gold Coast I leapt at the chance,” said Blundell via a press statement.

“Unfortunately growing business interests and an unavoidable date clash in the week of the race has meant that I cannot make it down to Surfers Paradise.”

The event will run on a shortened version of the Gold Coast circuit from October 22 to 24.

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How we rank the internationals V8 SUPERCARS THE international drivers heading down under for the Gold Coast event represent a mix of experienced V8 regulars, some standouts and some … others.

Here are the eNews power rankings; Yvan Muller – France – Paul Morris Motorsport He’s won a V8 Supercar race, the 2005 Sandown 500. Proven performer, former WTCC title winner.

David Brabham – Australia – Irwin Racing A regular visitor, top driver, highly credentialed. ALMS and Le Mans champion.

Ryan Briscoe – Australia – Toll Holden Racing Team Indycar race winner,

massively impressive in last HRT performance in 2006.

Andy Priaulx – UK – Team Vodafone Regular Clayton enduro driver, triple WTCC winner.

Will Power – Australia – Ford Performance Racing Did well in V8 Supercars eight years ago, and a far, far better driver now.

Alain Menu – Switzerland – Brad Jones Racing Polished international record, less lustrous performances in several V8 visits.

Fabrizio Giovanardi – Italy – Brad Jones Racing Former TeamVodafone enduro driver whose V8 performances did not reflect his FWD touring car achievements.

Alex Tagliani – Canada – Kelly Racing

IndyCar winner, but in V8 appearances for WPS Racing, he looked out of his depth.

Scott Pruett – USA – Lucas Dumbrell Racing A former Indy 300 winner but, with SBR at Bathurst in 1997, looked totally overwhelmed.

Then there are the internationals with considerable expertise but, with no V8 Supercar experience, their GC form is hard to predict; Jacques Villeneuve – Canada – The Bottle-O Racing Team World champion, Indy 500 winner, CART champion.

Heinz-Harald Frentzen – Germany – Wilson Security Racing Multiple Grand Prix winner, has been third in WDC. Scott Dixon – NZ – Jack Daniel’s Racing

Dario Franchitti – Scotland – Jim Beam Racing Both Indy 500 and IndyCar title winners.

Sebastien Bourdais – France – Dick Johnson Racing Triple Champ Car titleist, former F1 driver.

Mika Salo – Finland – Bundaberg Red Racing Team Podium finisher in GPs, now a GT regular.

Gianni Morbidelli – Italy – Triple F Racing Former F1 driver, now V8 racer in Italy and our pick to be the man to surprise a lot of people.

Tiago Monteiro – Portugal – Centaur Racing Former F1 and now WTCC driver, also a GP2 team owner.

Patrick Long – USA – Fujitsu Racing Who? No, seriously, who?

Morris supports GC concept V8 SUPERCARS PAUL Morris claims that the GC600 is the “most exciting” event that’s happened to V8 Supercars.

The former full-time driver, now team owner, says that he can’t wait to hit the track with the overseas drivers in October.

“I think it’s the most-exciting thing that’s happened to the championship,” he told eNews.

“It’s going to be a fantastic event. To be racing against all of these guys is going to be something to tell the Grandkids about.

Morris added that his team couldn’t be happier to have Frenchman Yvan Muller on board – and they are praying that a date change for the World Touring Car Championship won’t affect plans for Muller to do all three endurance races.

“Provided the dates don’t end up clashing, I think having Yvan do Phillip Island and Bathurst is going to be a big plus for us on the Gold Coast. These cars are difficult to drive, so the more laps he’ll do beforehand, the better.”

– VAN LEEUWEN/ADAM www.mnews.com.au

SuperCarnivale: Gone, but not forgotten V8 SUPERCARS

THE Armor All Gold Coast 600 might have been launched in Queensland last week, but the SuperCarnivale name is still alive.

According to V8 Supercars Events General Manager Shane Howard, the SuperCarnivale moniker will still be applied for the Gold Coast weekend.

“The SuperCarnivale brand is still in place for the overall event, and the Armor All Gold Coast 600 is specific for the race,” he said.

“Our concerts and everything outside of the racing will fall under the SuperCarnivale brand.”

Howard added that the launch was a great success, and that V8SE was excited to

be part of the unique concept: “It’s got a buzz about it. When we revealed those drivers, it was amazing to see the reaction. I’ve been involved in this event for a long time, but this will be something totally different. The opportunity to promote an event like this is amazing.”

Howard also confirmed that Jacques Villeneuve was set to attend lat week’s launch, only to have his travel plans thwarted by the volcanic dust that brought Europe to a halt last week.

“That was a great shame,” he said.

“He is a big star, and we did well to keep it all under wraps – but there wasn’t much we could do about it in the end.”

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

THE OFFICIAL CAST OF THE ARMOR ALL GOLD COAST 600 OCTOBER 22-24, 2010

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Paul Morris

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Ford Perfo

Will Power Australia

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Jim Beam

Fabrizio Giovanardi Italy

Dario Franchitti Scotland

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Scott Pruett USA motorsport news

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Dick John

Sebastien Bourdais France

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Patrick Long USA

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Gianni Morbidelli Italy www.mnews.com.au

Ryan Briscoe Australia

David Brabham Australia

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Scott Dixon New Zealand

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Alain Menu Switzerland

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Alex Tagliani Canada

Jacques Villeneuve Canada

Germany

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Tiago Montiero Portugal

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GC600 – THE REACTION A new name, a new sponsor, and 18 drivers from around the world – many of whom will be making their V8 Supercar debut. The Armor All Gold Coast 600 gives us –and major players in the sport – plenty to talk about in an eNews Exclusive

THE TEAM BOSS Roland Dane

F

INALLY, after weeks of speculation, the details of the Gold Coast 600 event have been released, and anyone who counts themselves as a motorsport enthusiast surely cannot be disappointed.

The fact is that the guys at V8 Supercars Australia have come up with a format and a package of racing and entertainment that is being looked at with a mixture of awe, envy and admiration by pretty much every category and every promoter worldwide.

We have 18 highly-credentialed drivers coming from 12 different countries, making up what is without question the best lineup for a Touring Car race that has ever been assembled anywhere since the 1960s, when Formula 1 drivers used to compete regularly in the British championship. Mix those guys with the cream of Australian racing talent in the best Touring Car

championship in the world and you’ve got a pretty sensational package. If that’s artificial, contrived or mickey mouse, then you’ve got me completely flummoxed!

Look carefully at the list of Internationals and add up the number of Grands Prix that they’ve competed in, the number of Touring Car championships they’ve won, the number of Le Mans 24 hrs they’ve run, the number of Champ Car/IndyCar races and championships they’ve won and lob in an F1 World Champion as well – anyone who takes all these guys for dills is an idiot.

For sure, some will be faster than others and some will adapt faster than others.

Some will try harder than others and some will prepare more thoroughly than others.

But that’s no different to every round of our championship here.

What will be fascinating to me will be watching these drivers compete with one another and how they measure up over all.

For example, Ryan Briscoe will be quick – he was quick at Sandown straight off with HRT in 2006 – and I would wager that he will be quicker than Scott Pruett (for instance), but

Scott has an enviable reputation for finishing races in all sorts of cars, and his experience and racing guile might mean that he’s still running when others have ‘walled’ their cars.

And don’t rule out the possibility of some of these guys being quicker than their regular partners. I wouldn’t bet against that. It’ll certainly spur on some of our championship drivers when they see these overseas blokes popping up ahead of them on the time sheets, and maybe put the odd ego out of shape.

The format is a fascinating concept and a massive fillip for not only the Gold Coast event but also for our category. The industry around the world will be watching us as never before, and the credibility of our best drivers will be enhanced, as will that of all the teams when insiders from overseas really see and appreciate the level of professionalism we have throughout the pit lane and at an organizational level.

I suspect that you’re going to see a huge attendance in October, and I can’t wait to be a part of it. I hope we’ll see masses of Motorsport eNews readers there as well! motorsport news

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Dirk Klynsmith

THE DRIVER Lee Holdsworth

I THINK this is a brilliant thing for our sport.

It encourages international drivers into our sport, and that will help expand the international interest in V8 Supercars.

I think everyone is of the same opinion that it might not be the best thing for a regular driver’s championship campaign, because we’ll have guys in our cars that haven’t driven a V8 before, on a circuit as tough as Surfers Paradise. There might be a bit of carnage, as Ryan Briscoe has said. And Briscoe is one guy who knows our cars, and knows how hard they are to drive.

I think there are a lot of positives, and a

THE JOURNALIST Mitchell Adam

WHEN the changes to the Gold Coast event were first announced in February, I wrote an opinion on these very pages, likening the format to a Pro-Am. The first batch of announced drivers were David Brabham, Scott Pruett, Alex Tagliani, Christian Fittipaldi and Mark Blundell. Most team owners would be more than happy to have Brabham in their car, but some of the others were, perhaps, um, not exactly at the top of wishlists. www.mnews.com.au

few negatives. But the positives outweigh the negatives, in terms of the growing the international appeal of the category.

It’s going to be a bit of an unfair playing field for the internationals. We regular drivers can’t go around comparing ourselves to World Champions like Jacques Villeneuve.

Those guys are going to find it very difficult to jump in one of our cars and be fast.

Hopefully I’m faster than all of them, and I think a lot of the regular drivers will be.

So we won’t be able to really compare ourselves to them.

But hopefully the word will filter back overseas that we’re pretty competitive drivers, and we race in a competitive category. It might open up some opportunities for us Australian drivers to get drives overseas.

Out of the internationals, Briscoe will be one of the quickest. He’s been here before and he was really quick, but I don’t know if anyone else will be able to do that.

We have Patrick Long on our team, and I’ve got to be honest, I hadn’t heard too much about him. But I was speaking to Will Davison, who knows him pretty well, and he reckons Patrick’s done a lot of racing in Porsches and LMS. And he’s done it in rearwheel-drive cars, and that will help. A lot of these drivers coming in have done most of their racing in light, front-wheel-drive cars, so adapting will be tough for them.

So it sounds like Patrick isn’t a bad pick.

But look, it will be just great to get to race against guys like Jacques Villeneuve. Just to say you’ve done it will be great. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.

But nevertheless, they’d be strapped into a Supercar, with maybe a day of testing under their belt and put up against Whincup, Tander, Winterbottom and friends on a street circuit. It wasn’t shaping up as a particularly pretty picture.

Now, two months later, it looks better. As names were revealed, the quality picked up and the final list looks a lot more competitive and compelling.

Names like Villeneuve, Power, Briscoe, Dixon, and Bourdais will be down here, commanding plenty of attention and doing a good job. They’re probably the ‘A-list’, but then there are plenty of other fascinating elements to unfold. For example, who’ll

win the battle of the ex-Sauber Formula 1 drivers? Villeneuve, Frentzen, Salo or Morbidelli?

And the teams have used their networks and made some shrewd selections; guys like Menu, Muller, Priaulx and Morbidelli all have plenty of relevant experience.

So, while the jury is still out on a few elements and I’m among the sceptics on just how successful it’ll be, there are some good signs – including the fact they’ve toned down the use of the ‘SuperCarnivale’ name.

Oh, and is it just me, or is Alex Tagliani looking more and more like he should be a member of the BackStreet Boys?

Phil Williams

Results lead to cash for TDR V8 SUPERCARS

CAREER-BEST form on track is paying dividends for Tony D’Alberto off-track.

The Centaur Racing driver will welcome another new sponsor at Queensland Raceway this weekend, with GB Galvanizing signing on.

The Melbourne-based firm

will feature on the bonnet and rear of D’Alberto’s Commodore.

“It’s great to be welcoming GB Galvanizing to the team, they have a very strong name in the industry and a successful business based around quality products and building solid relationships,” team owner Al D’Alberto said.

“You can really feel the momentum coming from good results on track. We have a very focused team and dedicated sponsors who want to be a part of our growth. It’s an exciting time for all of us.”

After a breakout weekend at the Clipsal 500 where he made his maiden Top 10 Shootout appearance and

finished seventh on Sunday, D’Alberto was at Hamilton again last weekend, qualifying third provisionally on Saturday and eighth in the shootout.

GB Galvanizing is the third new sponsor to join the team in two rounds, with Orford Refrigeration and Diss and Dat getting on board at Hamilton.

FV8 TO RACE FOR HALF POINTS V8 SUPERCARS

Phil Williams

10

REVERSE grid races will be worth half-points in the 2010 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series.

Starting this weekend at Queensland Raceway, the series will run a new points format for threerace rounds. Each round is still worth 300, however Races 1 and 3 have 120 each for the win and 60 for the Top 10 Reverse Grid Race 2.

“It’s better that it’s worth less points,” Tim Blanchard told eNews.

“In the last few years, there’s been people cruising around in Race 1 aiming to finish 10th to be on pole for Race 2.

“I’ve never done a reverse grid in anything before, so this weekend will

be another challenge. Hopefully I get to do a bit of passing and make it interesting.”

Meanwhile, Paul Morris has challenged drivers to beat him. And there is a prize if they can. Morris has offered a test in one of his race cars to any driver who can beat him in the races this weekend.

“There are a lot of good young guys in the Fujitsu Series; this is a chance for them to really prove themselves,” said the veteran.

“I’ll be out there as a benchmark; if they can beat me, I’ll give them a test in one of my cars.”

Including debutants Scott McLaughlin and Wayne Miles, 21 cars are entered for the weekend.

– MITCHELL ADAM motorsport news

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V8 SUPERCARS

ONLY a handful of endurance seats remain up for grabs for this year’s L&H 500 at Phillip Island and Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.

Kelly Racing has unveiled their first signing, with Owen Kelly to drive with either Todd or Rick in the enduros.

“It’s certainly my best chance to win Bathurst,” Owen Kelly said.

“Rick and Todd have both won it before and I’ve got a lot of experience there. It’s really going to make it the best Bathurst for a long time because there will be genuinely 15 cars that can win the race.”

www.mnews.com.au

Kelly will race with the team in the Fujitsu Series this weekend, in Mark McNally’s 2009 Commodore, and drive Rick’s Commodore in Friday’s endurance driver practice session. Kiwi Jonny Reid, Nathan Pretty and Dale Wood have been linked to the remaining three Kelly Racing seats.

Meanwhile, Matt Halliday has now been confirmed as Jason Bright’s codriver, following last week’s exclusive report in eNews.

Friday’s practice session at QR has a number of pointers for the remaining drives As previously reported by eNews, Mark Noske is likely to join Daniel Gaunt

Dirk Klynsmith

BATHURST SEATS FILLING FAST

at Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport, and he’ll do laps in the team’s Commodore. John McIntyre will also be out there with Stone Brothers Racing and is expected to drive with the team again, while Jack Perkins is now the lead candidate to join Tim Slade.

With Ryan Briscoe only doing Bathurst for HRT, Walkinshaw Racing has one seat remaining at Phillip Island. Reigning Formula Ford Champion and WR-backed driver Nick Percat will turn laps into Andrew Thompson’s Bundy Red racer and is in the mix to join him at Phillip Island.

– MITCHELL ADAM

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Delayed F1 drivers FORMULA 1 LAST weekend’s opening round of the DTM at Hockenheim nearly became the German version of the Gold Coast 600.

Delays in drivers’ returns from China

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on taxi standby meant that Mercedes-Benz had a number of Formula 1 drivers were put on standby for the race. Mercedes’ Paul di Resta, who is Force India’s test driver, and McLaren backup Gary Paffett were delayed in Shanghai due to the European air travel disruptions

sutton-images.com

caused by the Icelandic volcano, so the company put F1 reserve driver Nick Heidfeld and German Virgin driver Timo Glock on standby to fill in.

“We did not know when they (Paffett and di Resta) would come back,” Norbert Haug told motorsport-total.com.

“There was definitely the possibility that Nick and Timo would have driven the cars.”

The two drivers made it back to Germany in time, as did Haug.

“Would have loved to [raced in the DTM],” Glock said on Twitter, “but am happy for Mercedes DTM pilots that they made it back in time.”

Virgin needs experience FORMULA 1 FORMULA 1’s test drivers have differing challenges ahead.

Sakon Yamamoto may be about to make his debut as HRT’s Friday driver in Barcelona next month, and he could be signed by a second ‘test’ driver, after team boss Colin Kolles said recently that he wanted an experienced driver to provide technical feedback for the team.

“It is expected that I will drive on Fridays at grands prix,” Sakamoto told 12

France’s Auto Hebdo.

“Surely from Barcelona, but it remains to be confirmed.”

At Virgin, Andy Soucek has admitted he is not likely to drive during Friday practice sessions for the immediate future.

The 2009 Formula 2 Champion told Austria’s Kleine Zeitung newspaper that he is finding it “hard to be motivated” when he is not actually driving.

“Virgin currently have other problems than to be thinking about the third driver,” Soucek, 24, said.

motorsport news

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Marathon

man FORMULA 1

GM Racing

FORTY two kilometres in three hours might not be the thing of motor racing dreams – but it is an impressive effort in the London Marathon.

That was the time of former F1 test driver Oliver Gavin, the Brit completing the arduous event in 2h54m19s, a time good enough to qualify him for the New York and Boston marathons. Gavin, 37, placed 657th from 36,000 runners.

The ALMS racer was one of 14 members of the BRDC team, which raised over £80,000 for CLIC Sargent, a charity that assists children suffering from cancer.

Also running was former WTCC titleist Andy Priaulx, who completed the course in 3h00m49s, and BRDC secretary Stuart Pringle, Rob Barff, Peter Dumbreck, Sean Edwards, Marino Franchitti, Stuart Hall, Charlie Hollings, Marc Hynes Jonny Kane, Johnny Mowlem, Guy Smith, Richard Westbrook and Darren Turner.

Warwick joins F1’s

top cops FORMULA 1

DEREK Warwick will be the next former driver to join Formula 1’s stewards.

Warwick, a veteran of 162 GP starts, will step into the fourth steward’s seat at Barcelona, the first GP of the European season. Damon Hill will join the stewards in Monaco, the track where his father Graham triumphed five times, and reports suggest that former World champions Emerson Fittipaldi will take the role on at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and that Nigel Mansell could be the steward at Silverstone, scene of some of his most emotional victories.

The innovation has proven to be a great success, with Alain Prost, who filled the role in Bahrain’s season-opening race, returning in Turkey late next month. Others to have filled the role so far include Johnny Herbert (Malaysia), Le Mans legend Tom Kristensen (Australia) and Alex Wurz (China).

For full F1/MotoGP/WRC coverage/news, CLICK HERE to get to GPWeek magazine – www.gpweek.com www.mnews.com.au

13

The return of the Sunshine Boys

PENSKE WIL GO WELL

sutton-images.com

INDYCARS ONE of American racing’s most famed teams has returned to its original title.

Newman-Haas is now the title of the team, following a split with Mike Lanigan, who joined Paul Newman and Carl Haas in 2006 as a third team owner to bring youth to the organization. At that time, both owners, actor Paul Newman and Carl Haas were in their 80s.

But since the passing of Newman, there seems to have been some friction between

the remaining owners and the economic downturn has hurt Mi-Jack, which will likely return to racing when conditions improve.

Newman-Haas is currently running one car for Hideki Mutoh with sponsorship from Formula Dream, a Japanese driver development program.

Rumors linking Graham Rahal to return in a second car with a major, multi-year title sponsorship deal suggest that the deal has apparently fallen through.

– MARY MENDEZ

NASCAR SPRINT CUP THE NASCAR Silly Season has extended to the sport’s sponsors, with significant changes announced in the last week.

The Shell/Pennzoil colours under which Kevin Harvick has raced for Richard Childress Racing is moving to Penske Racing next season. Kurt Busch will wear the familiar red and yellow colours on the #22 Dodge.

This will see longtime Penske sponsor Mobil 1 move to pastures new and TBA, while rookie driver Brad Keselowski will move to the number two Miller Lite Dodge vacated by Busch.

Keselowski currently drives the number 12 Penske car sponsored chiefly by Verizon Wireless, but due to NASCAR’s agreement with title sponsor Sprint, the Verizon name can’t be placed on the car.

Much like the deal with Penske’s Nationwide Series

Foyt Foyt Foyt Foyt INDYCARS AJ FOYT may run four cars at Indianapolis.

The legendary driver and four-time Indy 500 winner has announced two additional entries for the 94th running of the race. His grandson AJ Foyt IV will drive the #41 car sponsored

by ABC Supply as team-mate to Vitor Meira in the #14, while Foyt also has entered two cars as #16 with the driver TBA. Typically, Foyt enters a third car every year but doesn’t run a third driver. It’s not unheard of for Foyt to engage that third car in the 11th hour in an effort to eliminate another driver who made the field on Bump Day. “It’s great to be back in an Indy car and I’m grateful to my grandfather for giving me another opportunity to drive at Indy,” Foyt IV said. “Although I haven’t been in a car since Texas, I feel pretty confident going into this year’s 500. I know [team director] Larry [Foyt] and AJ have been working hard to step up the team’s performance and it really shows.”

– MARY MENDEZ 14

motorsport news

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Star Wars at Hendrick

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NASCAR Media

sponsor Discount Tire, the deal with Shell/Pennzoil was struck with aid from Penske’s dealerships that will now stock and use solely their products in 310-plus franchised dealerships that market 40 different brands.

This leaves Mobil-sponsored Sam Hornish Jr sponsor-less for next season, however Penske issued a statement that it remains committed to a three-car team in 2011.

– MARTIN D CLARK

NASCAR SPRINT CUP THE in-team battle between Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon continued at Talladega on Sunday, when the two were involved in another crash.

A week after the two Hendrick drivers tangled in Texas, there was another incident at the superspeedway, and the team is expected to get the multiple Cup champions together this week in a bid to put things straight.

“We got a huge push down the back straight,”

Gordon said after the race. “Someone gave me a shove and I was coming 10 mph faster than anybody.”

But, Gordon did not hold back.

“The 48 [Johnson] is testing my patience. It takes a lot to get me mad, and I am pissed right now. When a car is going that much faster ... I don’t know what it is with him and me right now.”

Johnson did not present his version of events following the race, as NASCAR regulations only require that the top five drivers need make themselves available to speak to the media.

Ambrose docked points Waltrip, Germain Toyotas caught with illegal radiator mounts NASCAR SPRINT CUP

Toyota Motorsports

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MARCOS Ambrose has been docked 50 points for driving an illegal car at Texas Motor Speedway.

NASCAR penalised four teams for rules violations in the Sprint Cup Series for irregularities discovered during post qualifying inspection.

Three of the Michael Waltrip Racing Toyotas and the Germain Racing Toyota of Max Papis had illegal radiator supports.

Germain crew chief Bootie

Barker and Frank Kerr of JTG Daugherty Racing, whose cars are prepared and run from the Waltrip stables, were each fined US$75,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until the end of the year. Both drivers and owners were also fined 50 points.

At MWR, Rodney Childers, crew chief for David Reutimann, and Pat Tryson, crew chief for Martin Truex Jr, have each been fined $25,000 and placed on probation until December 31.

The lower radiator mounting plates were heavier than

approved by NASCAR and came under the ‘use of unapproved weight’ rule violation.

Reports suggest that Papis had a plate weighing 45 pounds with Ambrose’s 25 pounds. The piece of aluminum that would normally form that structure would typically weigh between two to three pounds. The additional weight would give the cars more nose weight and therefore give the cars more front end downforce.

– MARTIN D CLARK 15

Suzukis aim for Aussie gig NATIONAL NEW Zealand’s Suzuki Swift Sport Cup is looking to secure a round in Australia.

Having made its first V8 Supercar support appearance at the recent ITM Hamilton 400, the Swift Sport Cup is hopeful of adding another V8 appearance on its schedule – on this side of the ditch.

“After the success of our appearance at Hamilton, and the positive press we got both here and abroad, we’d be silly not to pursue the idea of racing in Australia,” said championship coordinator Paul Burborough.

“It would be no more expensive than heading to Invercargill, which we do every year. We’d have to organise

shipping, which hopefully we could find a sponsor for, but other than that we’re ready to go.”

With the minute Suzukis one of the highlights of the Hamilton weekend, Burborough says he would like to keep the street circuit theme going.

“We’d love to do the Gold Coast. Timing-wise, that would

be perfect, because it is three or four weeks before our season normally starts.

“The Clipsal 500 is another event that spins our wheels, but it’s not as good with the timing. Still, we could postpone a round in New Zealand and make it work.

“All we need is an invite, which is what I’m looking for.”

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

Fenech to step up FORMULA FORD

Rob Lang

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JESSE Fenech will make his Australian Formula Ford Championship debut at Winton next month.

The young Victorian won the Kent class of last year’s Victorian state series, and ran a Fiesta-powered car at the recent Phillip Island state round.

He qualified fastest and took two race wins, proving he has what it takes to mix it with the big guns in the fuel-

injected cars.

“In order to progress my motorsport career I am mindful of always pushing my limits and testing my skills against my peers,” he said.

“I have raced well at Winton before and have completed countless laps in testing so I am confident I will be pushing the pace along.”

Fenech will race for Borland Racing Developments in a Spectrum chassis, and hasn’t ruled out more AFFC outings before the end of the year. motorsport news

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Everything the real motorsport fan needs to know. * Shane van Gisbergen has been one of the revelations of the 2010 V8 Supercar season. Having re-signed with SBR, we spoke to him on home turf * Jenson Button reviews key moments of his career * Daniel Ricciardo on life in the wings as a Red Bull Reserve Driver * Vijay Mallya tells us about team ownership; his way * We take a look back at Frank Matich’s assault on the American Can-Am and Formula 5000 scene * Nick Foster and Ryan Simpson are Sonic’s new boys in Formula Ford, we talk to him AND MUCH, MUCH MORE!

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17

BRIEFLY n Young Aussie hopeful Daniel Erickson is conducting a raffle to try and gain then necessary funds to keep his American campaign afloat.

The Sydneysider impressed debut in the American F2000 series recently, and is now offering a prize pool that includes a Formula Ford track day, a Ferrari road tour, and a Snow Mountains holiday.

There are only 100 tickets on offer at $20 each, and they can be purchased at www. danielerickson.com.au “Even though it was my first F2000 race meeting, on a circuit I hadn’t seen until the Thursday test day, I’m still disappointed at missing out on those two wins,” Erickson said.

“Now I’m determined to show everyone that Virginia wasn’t a fluke.” n The Townsville round of the V8 Supercar schedule has a new title sponsor – Sucrogen, formerly known as CSR Sugar.

Armor All was originally named as the title sponsor of the Townsville race, but a sponsor shuffle has seen the car care company move to the Gold Coast 600, and Sucrogen taking over the event in it’s hometown.

“We are delighted with the opportunity to represent North Queensland and thank Armor All for allowing us to do so at the biggest event of any kind in our back yard,” Sucrogen Chief Executive Officer Ian Glasson said. n Tickets are now on sale for the Armor All Gold Coast 600 in October.

Prices have been slashed by 20 percent for the now three-day event, with GA tickets starting at $43 for Friday. A three-day grandstand package is now $310, $230 cheaper than in 2009.

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Youlden in for MINI MINI CHALLENGE

LUKE Youlden will make his debut in the Hertz MINI Challenge at Queensland Raceway this weekend.

The FPR endurance driver is among a 16-car entry list for Round 3 of the 2010 season.

He’ll join business partner Dean Canto on the grid.

“At this stage it’s a one off, we’ll see how it goes,” Youlden told eNews.

“They tried to get me in

for the Grand Prix, but I had some other commitments. I think MINI are excited at the prospect of having Dean and I in there together, we’re business partners and use MINIs for the stunt program.

“I drove Dean’s car in the first practice session at Clipsal because he had work commitments, so I’ve got a little bit of an idea, but I’m looking forward to getting in on Friday.”

Winter Olympic Gold

medalist Steven Bradbury will drive the Uber Star Car, while Queenslanders John and Kain Magro will join the field.

John Magro will miss this weekend’s Phillip Island F3 round to race at QR, and will also be in a MINI in Townsville in July.

Formula Vee driver Stephen Butcher will step into Dylan Thomas’ car for the weekend, with Thomas competing in Targa Tasmania.

– MITCHELL ADAM

NEW STARS AND CARS FOR F3 FORMULA 3 TOM Drewer will make his Formula 3 debut at Phillip Island this weekend.

Having spent recent years in America in prototype sportscars, Drewer will make a flying visit to Australia and drive one of R-Tek Motorsport’s F304 Dallaras.

“I don’t think it’ll take him long to get up to speed,” team owner Ian Richards said.

“He’s been driving the aerotype cars in America, and raced at big fast tracks like Road America, I think he’ll adapt well.

“He arrives tomorrow [Wednesday] and will have a seat fitting before jumping into the deep end with practice on Friday.”

As eNews went live, Richards was in discussions with a

second driver to make their F3 debut at Phillip Island. If the deal comes together, an 11-car field looks likely.

Kristian Lindbom is likely to remain with Astuti Motorsport in their F307, while Mitch Evans and Ben Crighton will both return. Crighton will be the sole entry for TanderSport,

and team owner Leanne Tander told eNews that the Kiwi’s plans for the remainder of the year were uncertain.

Queenslander Chris Gilmour will have his first run of the season in his recentlypurchased F307 Dallara, pictured.

– MITCHELL ADAM motorsport news

news

NEW LOOK FOR BATES, AND MORE ...

COMMODORE CUP MATTHEW Hayes will become the latest karter to join the Commodore Cup National Series at Phillip Island this weekend.

The six-time state champion will start out in a VH Commodore, before looking to move into a VS later in the year. He’ll bolster the current karting alumni in the series, which includes Nick Parker, Josh Hughes and Scott Andrews.

Hayes will be part of a 17-car field, while Tony Bates, currently third in the series, has signed online sports betting agency SportsAlive.com as his new major sponsor the remainder of the year. Bates will debut his new look livery, pictured, at PI. Also at The Island’s Shannons Nationals round, Lauren Gray will be joined on the Australian Manufacturers Championship grid by her younger sister Maddison.

Currently in her first season of

CRUNCH TIME FOR SILVERSTONE GENERAL CREDITORS of Silverstone Events will have a clearer picture of their position following a meeting in Adelaide today.

As this edition of eNews closed to go live, the first creditors’ meeting of the company, which promoted the Classic Adelaide event, among others, was due to end. Insolvency firm BRI Ferrier was appointed, to oversee a reported debt of $1.1m.

Among the 88 creditors are CAMS ($156,455), the ATO ($151,221), the South Australia Ambulance Service ($44,082) and the South Australian Motor Sport Board (approx. $44,000). eNews also believes that Rally One, the company under Clerk of Course Ivar Stanelis operated, and media manager Chris Nixon are also owed significant amounts. www.mnews.com.au

circuit racing in Victorian Formula Vee, Maddison will drive the Gray family’s Toyota Echo, previously raced by Lauren.

John Bowe will step in as Garry Holt’s co-driver to re-unite two-thirds of the winning Bathurst 12 Hour combination, while Lee Castle returns to Wilson Brothers Racing, sharing the team’s Subaru WRX STi with Kurt Wimmer.

Phillip Island is the final Production Car round before the Australian 6 Hour at Eastern Creek in July.

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0418 368 454

19

Broken back a Gray area V8 UTES

SPORTS RACERS ORGANISERS of the Sports Racers Series have described their withdrawal from this weekend’s Shannons Nationals event at Phillip Island as a ‘temporary setback’.

In their first year as a national category, Phillip Island was to have been the Sports Racers’ third round, after a run at the Clipsal 500 and an NSW State round at Wakefield Park.

However, following a decision by Radical Sportscars, one of the primary manufacturers in the series, to withdraw, the group won’t race at Phillip Island.

“It’s a temporary setback,” Greg Steer, category organiser and Australian importer for West Race Cars, told eNews.

“When we put it together, there was support from all of the manufacturers.

“The Radicals had committed to supporting us at Phillip Island and Clipsal, but it was a last

Rose in mate’s Subaru N-RING 24HR

John Morris

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minute decision that they weren’t going to head to Phillip Island.

“We had a pool of 26 cars originally, now we’re down to a potential group of 18, a number of whom weren’t able to race at Phillip Island.

“It hurt numbers and I made an executive decision that it wasn’t viable to go ahead with the round.”

The series will continue, with three rounds remaining, while planning will continue to resume as a national category in 2011.

“We’ll push on with the other manufacturers, but it’ll make things tougher than anticipated,” Steer said.

“Realistically, our pool of cars is down. We’ve still got Wests, Minettis, and Speads. We’re working with Minetti and Speads and, as they produce and sell cars, hopefully we can have a pool of 24 cars to draw from by the end of the year.”

– MITCHELL ADAM

John Morris

V8 Ute driver Jeremy Gray has suffered a setback in the lead-up to Round 2 of the Yokohama V8 Ute Racing Series at Winton next month.

Gray, who won the 10 Years of Legends race in Adelaide with George Miedecke, broke his L5 vertebrae and cracked several ribs after a motocross crash. While riding on a friend’s property, Gray – a national Motocross and Supercross rider for 15 years – hit two rocks among grass at about 90kmh and ended up hitting a tree stump.

The vertebrae was unable to be pinned back together and will need to heal naturally.

Fourth in the points, Gray has just signed Rockstar Energy Drink as his major sponsor for the rest of the season.

“I’ve visited a dietician and have been working really hard on my rehab,” Gray said.

“They told me I’d be in hospital for six weeks and I’m home now after two so the healing seems to be going well. I can’t wait to get back in the car.

“The Managing Director of Rockstar broke his back last year so he understood when I told him. I’m doing everything I can to be back in the car for Winton but if I’m not I will have someone in there to drive the Rockstar Ford for me.”

SPORTS RACERS OUT OF ISLAND

MAL Rose will join UK team Rimmer Motorsport for next month’s Nurburgring 24 Hour race.

The Sydney driver has been a regular in the German endurance classic, primarily driving Mitsubishi Mirages or Holden V8 Supercars. This year, though, he’ll be in Rimmer Motorsport’s Subaru WRX STi, which has been prepared by Prodrive. The team will compete in Class SP3T, for turbocharged vehicles up to 2.5litres.

“I’m going to be taking the seat from the late Llyden Reithmuller, who was tragically killed in a snow-skiing avalanche in New Zealand,” Rose said.

“It’s a sad way to get a drive, but Llyden was a great supporter of mine and Mike Rimmer said he spoke very highly of my driving.

“The Subaru will be a very different car to race compared to the Mitsubishi Mirage I raced in the 2004 and 2005 event and the Commodore V8 Supercar I’ve driven for the last four years, but I look forward to the challenge.” motorsport news

Paris Charles

Valvoline signs on SPRINTCARS VALVOLINE has signed on as the naming rights sponsor for the Australian Sprintcar Championship next month.

The May 27-29 event will see the championships return to Darwin after a 23-year break, with 60 of Australia's best Sprintcar superstars competing in the Top End. “It’s absolutely fantastic Valvoline has come on board as the naming sponsor of the 2010 Australian Sprintcar Championship, continuing their proud tradition of

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supporting motorsports and helping put on what will be a great event for Territorians”, Sprintcar NT's Brooke David said.

“The 2010 Darwin Title will be the best one yet. Sprintcar racing is the fastest growing motorsport in Australia, second only to V8s and is known as the ‘Formula 1 of dirt track racing’.”

Australian No. 1 Gary Brazier leads the crop of drivers from every state who’ll battle it out over three nights at Northline Speedway. The event will be a major motorsport event with

all the traditional trimmings Territorians are used to, including fireworks, motocross display, an after race concert on Saturday, childrens entertainment and free buses provided by the Territory Government.

“Northline Speedway has benefited from a multi-million dollar upgrade thanks to the Territory Government over the past two years with work to be completed for the Title. Fans are in for a real treat with the venue sparkling”, Mr David said.

– PARIS CHARLES

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Hodgson bows out BIKES THE career of one of Briton’s great motorcycle racers, Neil Hodgson, is over.

The former World Superbike champion and MotoGP racer announced his retirement last week after suffering a further shoulder injury.

Hodgson, 36, injured his left shoulder in a bad fall in the USA last year, but after an off-season of rehabilitation, was to race in the British Superbike Championship for the Motorpoint Yamaha team this season.

But he was spat off the bike during the raceday warmup for the opening race of the season at Brands Hatch, falling heavily on his shoulder.

“It will take time for me

to come to terms with this but it is the right decision,” he said in a statement after seeing a shoulder specialist in Manchester.

“My shoulder will get back to probably 90 percent over the next couple of years so I will be able to have a normal life.”

Hodgson race in 500cc GPs through the 1990s, before he turned to Superbikes in 1996.

He won the 2000 British title with the GSE team, and when they moved up to the WSBK a year later, he went with them.

Hodgson won the World Superbike world title in 2003, three years after he lifted the British crown.

He returned to GP racing for 2004-05, before returning to Superbikes, this time in America.

Vic State Racer goes digital!

The long-running chronicle of the Victorian State Circuit Racing Championship, Vic State Racer, is back and online for 2010.

In the same format as eNews, the first edition for 2010, covering Phillip Island, is now online. Click on the cover to check it out, or head to www.mnews.com.au.

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Luke Nieuwhof

ROCKETEERS BUILD POINTS DRAG RACING

Luke Nieuwhof

LAST weekend’s Enzed Championships at Queensland’s Willowbank Raceway also featured Round 5 of the 2009/2010 Rocket Allstars Racing Series, for the 11 ANDRA Sportsman brackets.

A win from Brisbane’s Justin Walshe in Competition added 60 points to his total, moving him to within 20 points of the lead, held jointly by Victorian Jason Maggs and Queensland’s Graham Frawley on 180 points each.

With a runner up finish, defending champion Nino Cavallo from Victoria, above, moved in to second place in Super Stock, 30 points behind current leader, Brisbane driver Omar Sedmak.

Queensland rider Dave Rundmann reached the maximum points tally of 200

after a win in Competition Bike at Willowbank. Brisbane rider Shane Homes and Sydney’s Geoff Kempe, second and third respectively, did not improve their positions, but they remain well in touch with the championship.

Reigning Australian Champion, Queensland’s Christine Steffens, inset, was unable to contest Supercharged Outlaws at her home round, after her car was damaged in a transport accident. Event winner Chris Loy from Warwick scored his first points at Willowbank so Steffens remained in first place.

Brisbane’s Kelly Corbett also retained her lead in Modified without adding points from the Willowbank round. Rockhampton driver Dave Ferricks added 40 points to his total and moved to second place, tied with fellow Queenslander Phil Bellert, who

won the Willowbank event, 40 points behind Corbett.

After winning the first two rounds this season, Queensland driver Darren Deoblien has been on the maximum 200 points in Super Sedan since September 2009. He maintains the lead, albeit shortened to 20 points after a win from Queensland’s Tony Whyatt at Willowbank.

Andrew Roberts from Surfers Paradise did not feature in the Willowbank Modified Bike results, but a win in Perth and a quarter-final finish at the Blown Alcohol Championships round

last August means he still holds the championship lead.

Trevor Davis and Terri Sander, both from Queensland, still hold first and second place respectively in Super Street.

The much-travelled Caleb Oberg holds the Junior Dragster lead with a perfect score, but he’s only 20 points ahead of Willowbank winner Simone Paine from NSW. Dale O’Dwyer is in the lead in Super Gas, 20 ahead of fellow Queenslander Neil Maxwell and Willowbank winner Darryl Stephen from NSW. – LUKE NIEUWHOF

ANDRA Pro Series news is proudly presented by:

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Lamattina to fight on Ken Ferguson

DRAG RACING ANDRA Pro Series Top Fuel driver Phil Lamattina came out the worse for wear in the points following, the Enzed Championships at Willowbank Raceway last weekend – if you can call being second by five points a bad position.

The Fuchs team began strongly with a top qualifying pass, Willowbank is a track they are regularly quick at.

“We started off well, but then had issues from there, you only qualify in the conditions you are given and qualifying is not racing,” he said.

The qualifying sessions resulted in a very close field with Lamattina separated from rivals Martin Stamatis and Darren Morgan by just hundredths of a second.

Languishing towards the end

of the field was Phil Read, who struggled for grip.

The first round bye run was given to Lamattina by virtue of his top qualifying position.

The team took a chance by experimenting with the car to see what they could produce, which turned out to be tyre smoke.

“You can always try a few different things when you have the bye, we knew we had a chance of having Phil Read in the semi finals and there was every chance he was going to step it up so we had to see how things would go,” he said.

Indeed it was Read who Lamattina would face, after he defeated Mark Mariani in Round 1. The two teams have a well-noted rivalry, but this time it would be Read who would come out the victor, though through no fault of

Lamattina’s.

“We got to about 400 feet and everything was good for a mid 4.6 second, but then a throttle bracket broke and the weekend was over,” he said.

“It was disappointing to sit in the car and see your opponent go by on fire and not looking that good; I’m pretty sure we would have had it.”

In Lamattina’s mind, the championship contest is basically even. But five points is still one round of racing or some bonus points that he needs to accrue over Stamatis.

“I wouldn’t want him to slip up or anything,” Lamattina said wryly.

“The pressure is on Marty to maintain the lead, I’d rather be doing the chasing than the defending.”

This weekend’s Nitro Champs at Sydney is the penultimate round for ANDRA

Pro Series Top Fuel and one Lamattina is looking forward to.

“A three-day meeting is a lot easier to qualify at and there is a decent gap between qualifying runs so we can actually change stuff,” he said.

“Traditionally, it is the best round of the year for performance levels, there is a good balance between warmth during the day to get enough heat into the track through to the evening.

“The schedule looks perfect at the moment, it couldn’t be done any better.”

Lamattina used a unique analogy to sum up his thoughts.

“The ingredients are all there for a good race meeting, we just have to put them all together and bake the right cake,” he said.

– LUKE NIEUWHOF

Next ANDRA Pro Series Round: 2010 Nitro Champs, Western Sydney International Dragway, April 30 - May 2 www.mnews.com.au

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Five Minutes with ...

PAUL DUMBRELL

When the Gold Coast 600 kicks off in October, ‘PD’ will have an Indy 500 winner and 1997 Formula 1 World Champion suited up next to him. By ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN MOTORSPORT NEWS: Well, PD, you’ve ended up with the headline act for the Gold Coast 600 in Jacques Villeneuve.

How exciting is it to share your car with an Indy 500 winner and former World Champion?

PAUL DUMBRELL: It’s really exciting. When Will Davison and I were 15 at Xavier College, we used to stay up at all hours in the night to watch whatever Grand Prix was going on, and we’d watch Jacques winning in ’96 and ’97. So 12 years later, to be driving with him, is surreal.

It was the same with Larry Perkins. I watched him win Bathurst, and five or six years later I drove with him. I’ve been pretty fortunate when it comes to driving with heroes of the sport.

To the best of your knowledge, was he easy to persuade to come and do the race?

I believe so. Tim [Edwards] and Rod Nash looked after the negotiation side of things, but I think Jacques was very keen. From what Tony Cochrane has said, there is a list of 30 or 40 drivers who are disappointed to have missed out, so we’ve done a good job from a V8 Supercar perspective to entice drivers of this calibre to come out.

I have to say that when the 26

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What are you expectations of Jacques?

Has he got enough tin-top experience to get on top of driving a V8 Supercar?

He had some reasonable runs in NASCAR, and it was only the Global Financial Crisis that ended his campaign over there – and he wasn’t the only one who fell victim to that.

But he’ll be fine. He was the best openwheeler driver in the world for a number of years, and someone of his calibre will be just fine. He’ll have at least one day testing, and we might even be able to get him out here before that. Who knows. But he’ll be right up there.

A few years ago there was talk he was going to come and race for Paul Morris, so if he likes the lifestyle down here we might be able to entice him to stay full-time.

SuperCarnivale concept was first launched, I was pretty skeptical. I couldn’t work out why these drivers would want to come to Australia and race these cars.

But I’ve been proven wrong, and the calibre of drivers is amazing. It has to be the best calibre of drivers in the world racing for championship points. Sure, you have the Race of Champions, but this is a full-blown championship race. It must be the first time that’s been done.

Looking ahead to Queensland Raceway this weekend, do you think it being an all-Sprint tyre round will suit you?

I think so. Last year, we were always getting good longevity from the soft tyres.

With the speed that we’ve had this year, and my knowledge of FPR cars, I can’t see why we won’t be very competitive.

The good thing is that it’s an equal playing field for everyone. It will be a case of rolling the dice and seeing where

we end up at the end of it.

Will it be like starting from scratch for you? I mean, you’ve got soft tyre experience in a Commodore, but not a Falcon ...

I’ve got a fair idea, based on how the hard tyre works on a Falcon compared to the Commodore. But still, it’s more in depth than that. I mean, no one has had to set a car up on the soft tyre to go qualifying.

Or to do 100 laps or whatever it is. So everyone will be scratching their heads to work out how to qualify, and then how to make it last.

We had one set at Winton for the test at the start of the year, and there were people spearing off because they didn’t know where the limit of the tyre was. It’s going to be one of the most anticipated qualifying sessions I’ve ever been involved in. I reckon there might be a few surprises along the way. motorsport news

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Dirk Klynsmith

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Dirk Klynsmith

FINE, NOT DANDY

W

HILE conducting a Friday sponsor ride at Hamilton, Jason Bright copped a $1000 fine, with a further grand suspended, for running up an escape road with a passenger on board.

Bright, naturally unhappy, explained in his Motors TV column that he unknowingly grabbed the throttle and the brake at the same time heading into a corner – a very easy mistake to make. Thinking he might have had a stuck throttle, he made the split-second decision to run up the escape road, rather than risk hitting the wall if he tried to make the corner. He made what he believed was the safest decision.

Brighty’s not the first to cop a fine for such a mistake, and he won’t be the last. But should these guys really end up with a lighter wallet if something like this happens? The short answer is no.

Racing cars are fickle things. The entire geometry of the car is set within a millimetre, a degree and gram of the physical tolerances, based on having one person in the car. The added mass of a seat and a body throws the corner-weights – among other crucial balance parameters – straight out the window. It makes the cars hard to drive, and small mistakes easy to make.

Relieving a driver of $1000 every time they run a bit wide could have two consequences.

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Opinion

Andrew van Leeuwen – eNews Editor

Firstly, drivers and teams might revolt against doing the sponsor rides, meaning their own sponsors, and series sponsors, could miss out on the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that may have attracted them to spending in the sport in the first place.

Secondly, drivers may find that when faced with the same situation Brighty was in at Hamilton, they’ll take the riskier option and try and make the corner. The stewards can call the fine a preventative measure for passenger safety, but it could have exactly the opposite effect. Running up an escape road doesn’t look great, but wiping a car off the wall looks worse.

Racing drivers will always drive as briskly as possible, and that’s a good thing. If a sponsor is hopping in the car, they want to go fast. So let’s keep it safe and fun – for both the driver and the passenger – by abolishing the fine and letting common sense dictate what a driver should and shouldn’t do. motorsport news

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BUMPS WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE Opinion

I

Dirk Klynsmith

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Kevin Fitzsimons – Dunlop Operations Manager

GATHER that Queensland Raceway has deteriorated a bit in the surface since we were there last year, so tyre performance at this weekend’ racing will depend a lot on how the bumps are off-line.

I’m not sure if people will be able to actually out-brake anybody if the bumps are bad, but, hopefully, we’re going to see some good side-by-side racing, and some daring moves.

It will be interesting watch some guys trying to run long on the tyres, and other guys keeping the speed up and taking fresh rears on. I think people will only be changing rear tyres during the races, as I don’t think the fronts will go away that much.

I’m just hoping that it leads to some close and exciting racing, and maybe even we’ll see an oddball winner. Triple Eight were on top of the soft tyres last year, but the strategies will be massively different here, because they’ve got 20 tyres to play with, rather than one set.

There will also be a line of thinking along putting all your eggs in one basket for Sunday. Someone might try and run as long as possible on Saturday, maybe even throw just one set of tyres on, use say six tyres, and have 14 for Sunday.

Qualifying will also be very interesting, because its not something the teams have had to worry about before. With only one set for practice, someone might sacrifice a set of race tyres to get on top of the set-up for qualifying during

practice. If you throw a green set on right at the end of Friday, it might offer a bit of a feel for how the tyre will react in qualifying, and then you could use that set of tyres for rears during the Saturday race. That’s a big possibility.

Things like that will happen because teams have the luxury of 20 tyres to play with rather than 16. It’s a bit of insurance, so if someone has a lock-up or a problem they still have options. That’s another issue altogether. When we were testing the tyre back in 2008, I noticed that when guys were driving ten-tenths on it, it was a massively different tyre to what we saw in race conditions last year.

Last year, Queensland wasn’t too bad on the Sprint tyre. The bumps are big issue, because if the tyre isn’t touching the road you won’t be able to stop. It will be interesting to see what it does with braking distances when guys are having a really big go.

The other issue I’ve raised with the Fujitsu Series teams is that their race after the main series might be quite difficult.

There will be a lot more marbles on the track compared to what they’re used to, so they’ll have to be wary of that.

Perth would have been the best circuit for this concept, but we’re not going there so we need to make the most of Queensland Raceway.

The bumps are my only concern, but that will be the same for everybody.

Hopefully we see some guys rolling the dice and having a big go.

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NASCAR SPRINT CUP ROUND 9 – TALLADEGA, AL

If revenge is a dish best served cold, the meal offered by Kevin Harvick and the Richard Childress team at Talladega came straight out of the freezer

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NASCAR Media

The Big Chil-dress

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it’s hard to not pull out, but I could say that we were way in front of all the guys behind us with the push that I was able to give Jamie there.

And when he made that dart to the right, I immediately went to the left.

“Our sponsor’s leaving us, and the best part about it is that they can leave while we’re winning. That’s the best part of the whole thing.”

Third was Juan Pablo Montoya, another driver to stay out during the final pit cycle. But Montoya was also the biggest loser when the Close: Kevin Harvick scored the narrowest victory in NASCAR since the introduction of electronic scoring, main. But to get there he

NASCAR Media

NASCAR Media

FTER learning earlier in the week that sponsor Pennzoil was departing the Childress team to join Penske at the end of the season, Kevin Harvick dragged Jamie McMurray clear of the pack on the final lap and dived alongside the #1 on the final corner to take the Talladega win by a mere 0.012s.

Both drivers had rolled the dice by not pitting for fuel with 12 laps remaining. When the race went 12 laps past its due finish, both Chevys were running on fumes at the end.

“We made a plan before the race, and I’m telling you, every piece of it played out exactly how we wanted to play it,” a happy Harvick said afterwards.

“We put four tyres on the car when we wanted to, we pitted when we wanted to, we stayed out of the pack when we wanted to until it was time.

“And then coming into the last lap, that’s exactly how we planned it out on paper, and

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NASCAR Media

Harvick-McMurray train took off from the field.

Denny Hamlin was fourth from Mark Martin.

As expected, Talladega produced a big one; actually, two big ones. One of them accounted for points leader Jimmy Johnson, who was put out of the race after a controversial clash with Greg Biffle.

Contact between the two occurred when Johnson turned down on Biffle, thinking he had already cleared the Roush Fenway

Ford.

Earlier, in what was an eventful day for the defending champ, Johnson had clashed with Hendrick team-mate Jeff Gordon. The latter had been pushing ahead of a line of cars when he found the space ahead of him taken, unexpectedly, by Johnson. The ensuing crash also accounted for Jeff Burton who, to that point, looked to have the car to beat, having led the most laps.

The other melee accounted for Elliott Sadler, Brad Keselowski, Ryan Newman, Joey Logano and Marcos Ambrose, who started 33rd and was making ground when he got tangled up.

NASCAR Media

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Tough day at Talladega: Reigning Champ Jimmie Johnson got together, again, with team-mate Jeff Gordon, top left.

It was a slow trip home for Jeff Burton, left. The inevitable multicar Talladega wreck … This one accounted for Marcos Ambrose, and at least half a dozen others.

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Results :: Aaron’s 499, Talladega, Alabama Pos. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

No. 29 1 42 11 5 6 33 2 18 09

Driver.

Kevin Harvick Jamie McMurray Juan Montoya Denny Hamlin Mark Martin David Ragan Clint Bowyer Kurt Busch Kyle Busch Mike Bliss

Make.

Chevy Chevy Chevy Toyota Chevy Ford Chevy Dodge Toyota Chevy

Team.

Childress Earnhardt Ganassi Earnhardt Ganassi Gibbs Hendrick Roush Fenway Childress Penske Gibbs Phoenix Racing

Sponsor.

Qual.

Shell Pennzoil 4 Bass Pro 21 Tums 24 FedEx 11 GoDaddy 10 UPS 6 BB&T 14 Miller Lite 9 Pedigree 6 Phoenix Const’n 37 NASCAR Media

Top 10 Points: Johnson 1323, Harvick 1297, Biffle 1237, Kenseth 1224, Kyle Busch 1163, Martin 1154, Kurt Busch 1146, Earnhardt Jr 1142, Hamlin 1138, Gordon 1130.

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WORLD SUPERBIKES ROUND 4, ASSEN

The Assen Assassin

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Y

OU have to hand it to Ten Kate Honda; the team has timing.

Jonny Rea took his first pole position and double win at Assen, the factory-backed team’s home race. After a tough couple of seasons, the wins could not have come at a better time.

And, what races they were. While MotoGP has the technology and the stars, Assen showed that the racing in World Superbike is far more compelling than watching one riding assert his authority in an expensive procession. Rea had the fastest bike in the field and knew it, but that did not stop the opposition making him sweat for his victories.

“Both races are probably the smartest races I have ever ridden,” said the Irishman after the second race.

“I never got frustrated in traffic and when it was time to pull the pin, I did. I am really happy with the double. It was a clean sweep, so I am proud as punch and I cannot wait to take this result on. I will savour the moment."

The preambles were electrifying. Troy Corser lived up to his reputation as the WSBK’s best starter, leading both races from the lights and leading the most laps in the second race, showing the Japanese and Italian teams that the BMW is nearly a match for the other, established marques. Two fifth placings do not accurately reflect the speed of the German bike; a first win cannot be far away.

Rea took his time, often elbow-to-fairing with the Suzuki of Leon Haslam and Leon Camier’s Aprilia, the latter taking his first podium in Race 1 before tumbling spectacularly out of Race 2.

The other talking point was James Toseland. The former World champion has got onto speaking terms with Yamaha’s title-winning R1, and he zoomed from the end of the top 10 to lead, before Rea put him in his place. He was second and third in the two races, while Max Biaggi was sixth and fourth.

Yes, there were Ducatis in the race. Carlos Checa took fourth and sixth and Jakub Smrz two sevenths, but the works Xerox bikes struggled. Noriyuki Haga finished 10th in Race 1, and he stopped in Race 2 with an engine vibration. A still-hurting Chris Vermeulen returned to racing with 17th and 14th positions on the Kawasaki.

Jonny Rea took the double in Holland – but Troy Corser showed that BMW is closing in on its first Superbike win

Graeme Brown

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Points: Haslam 148, Biaggi 128, Rea 110, Checa 103, Toseland 86, Haga 83, Corser 68, Guintoli 55, Fabrizio 53, Crutchlow 49.

Legs 11: Troy Corser led both races on his BMW, #11, but Jonny Rea, #65, had everyone measure at Assen.

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Mygales invade QR a week early QLD STATE THE second event of the QRDC calendar at Queensland Raceway was held over the ANZAC Day weekend, and saw QR’s Race Car division bolstered by a large number of Mygale Formula Ford teams.

“It’s a practice session for us ahead of next weekend,” said Team Sonic driver Ryan Simpson.

A week out from Round 2 of the Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship at the City of Ipswich 300, Simpson led the Formula Ford group to the flag in the final race after team mates Geoff Uhrhane and Nick Foster drove off at Turn 2 together. Team Sonic’s three cars were present along with Adam Graham, Tom Williamson, Tom Goess, John Mills, Andre Borell and Zac Schonberger.

“We’ve been trying a lot of different set-ups to help know which way to go next

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weekend,” Simpson said.

“Hopefully it’s a bit cooler.

We’re still learning the new car.”

Ben Gersekowski won Racing Cars in his Dallara F304 after Blake Varney broke his similar car. Barclay Holden (Van Diemen F2) was second, with Uhrhane beating Simpson to be third for the class overall.

Russell Wright (XY Falcon GT) won all the Historic Touring Car races, with leading rival Jason Black (Ford Escort) eliminated with a heavy crash at Turn 3. Ethan Lind (XU1 Torana) was second ahead of Graeme Wakefield (XW Falcon).

In Saloon Cars, Matt Shanks beat Lindsay Kearns and Jon Van Gilst all in AU Falcons. Ian Woodward (Chevrolet Camaro) dominated Trans-Ams with a clean sweep ahead of Colin Warrington (Camaro) and Nick Paradissis (Ford Mustang). Gary Walther (DRB Cobra) likewise dominated the mixed Sports and Sedan class over Michael Antonieff (Westfield) and Dwayne Taylor (LH Torana).

– MARK JONES

And Drags get stuck at WSID early, too

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John Bosher John Bosher

John Bosher

DRAG RACING AHEAD of next weekend’s Nitro Champs, a number of competitors made full use of Western Sydney International Dragway’s Test and Tune on

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Saturday, April 24.

Mark Mariani, above, (driving for Santo Rapisarda), Paul Madill, above right, and Terry Sainty, right, all hit the track to gather data and fine-tune their set-ups.

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Paffl DTM

Taguchi snatches APRC win APRC JAPANESE driver Katsu Taguchi and his Australian co-driver Mark Stacey have won the opening round of the 2010 Asia Pacific Rally Championship.

In the Malaysian Rally 2010 at Kota Tinggi, the Taguchi and Stacey Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X benefited from engine troubles which halted the charge of Alistair McRae and his Australian co-driver Bill Hayes. McRae’s Proton, pictured, led at the end of Leg 1 and held a comfortable, 27-second lead with six stages remaining on Sunday.

However, they suffered radiator damage after hitting a bump and were forced into retirement.

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“That’s rallying. You can have a perfect day and then you pray everything will be fine the next. But sometimes it don’t work out that way,” McRae said.

It paved the way for Tagucihi to take the lead and take the win by 15 seconds.

“Accidents do happen in rallying and it can cost you the race,” he said.

“It has happened to me before. Today is my day I suppose. But to be honest I must admit that Alister has a very fast car and for me to close the gap would have been quite difficult. What’s more all of us have to face up to a very tricky venue with plenty of challenges, especially the condition of the track.”

Gaurav Gill and Glen Macneall made it a 1-2 finish

for the MRF Tyres Lancer outfit, while third went to the Subaru of Rifat Sungkar and Scott Beckworth.

In his first start as McRae’s team-mate with the factorybacked Proton R3 Malaysia Rally Team, Chris Atkinson was the top-seeded driver. He showed plenty of speed in the Proton Satria S2000, but lost 18 minutes on the opening stage with an electrical problem and eventually finished fourth.

“There’s definitely more to come from me and the Proton,” he said.

“But I’m massively encouraged at the start we’ve made in Malaysia. Okay, the result isn’t what we wanted, but I’m rallying again and soon we’ll be winning again.”

GARY Paffet has led the way, as Mercedes dominated the opening round of the DTM at Hockenheim on Sunday.

Mercedes filled the top four places, with Paffet taking the lead on Lap 11 after Audi driver Martin Tomczyk spun with a right-rear puncture. Another Audi challenge, from Mattias Ekstrom was snubbed out when the Swede

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lova was found to have pitted one lap before the pit window opened. It summed up Audi’s day.

In the end, Paffet led home Bruno Spengler, Jamie Green and Paul di Resta, with Mike Rockenfeller the best of the Audis in fifth, ahead of Ekstrom.

On debut in the DTM, David Coulthard finished 12th in his Mercedes, 35s shy of the race winner, while Miguel Molina was the best of the rookies in eighth.

CRUMPING THE NIGHT AWAY FIM SPEEDWAY

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AUSSIE Jason Crump has started his FIM Speedway World Championship defence in style, winning the season opening European Grand Prix in Leszno.

Crump had been in doubt to contest the event, following a crash at Belle Vue last September, which left him with severe burns and broken bones.

He recovered sufficiently to take his place, though, and easeed through to the semis with 10 points from his heats.

After winning his semi-final,

Crump held out local rider Jaroslaw Hampel and Russian Emil Sayfutdinov to claim the final, which was re-run after a clash between Sayfutdinov and Janusz Kolodziej, which saw Kolodziej excluded.

“I didn’t expect to be here today, so it was a bit of a bonus really,” Crump said.

“At the end of last season, I thought I would be able to start defending the World Championship in about June if I was lucky.

“So it’s a big bonus to be here at the start of the season and an even bigger bonus to get

into the final.

“I can run, but I can’t really lift anything heavy with my left arm. I’ve had a lot of support from a lot of people – my wife, my family and a lot of other people who have stepped up and helped me. So I’m very fortunate and I’m really happy to be here.

“I’ve always put a little bit of pressure on myself to be the world champion, and I want to try and win again.

“But this year is a little bit different because it was only two months ago that I decided I would start.”

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rear of grid

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Not all of the GC600 drivers are V8 Supercar rookies. Here are some images of them from V8 races past ...

t o p S d Od

Alain Menu – 1998

Yvan Muller and Andy Priaulx – 2002

Marshall Cass

Alex Tagliani – 2005

John Morris/Mpix

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Marshall Cass

Will Power – 2002

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