Motorsport eNews Issue 156 - May 25-31, 2010

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Issue No. 156 May 25-31 2010

Vickers is out, and a former V8 champ is

IN THE FRAME!

We reveal who could drive the #83 Toyota

POWER SURGE

Will speaks exclusively about his awesome Indy qualifying effort www.mnews.com.au

ENEWS156

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Editorial Editor: Andrew van Leeuwen Executive Editor: Phil Branagan National Editor: Mitchell Adam Publisher: Chris Lambden

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Photographers Sutton Motorsport Images, Dirk Klynsmith, Marshall Cass, John Morris/Mpix, AF1 Images, James Smith, Peter Bury, Geoff Gracie, Joel Strickland,

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Issue No. 156 | May 25 - May 31 2010

news 5

Richard Petty ... I mean Kelly Is Rickster going NASCAR? 6 New Car Smell D’Alberto set for new VE 8 Saving for a non-rainy day BJR cans test day 15 Ypres Creepers Atko IRC debut set 18 Masters and ... Masters TCM joins Muscle Car bill

chat 22 Five Minutes With ...

Will Power

comment 24 Adam: Marketing Budgets Douglas:Battle Royale

race 26 Indy 500 Qualifying 30 NASCAR

trade 38 Classifieds

WILL HIM

Former V

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WILL RICK’S WINGS LAND M A NASCAR RIDE?

V8 champ in the frame for Red Bull Racing drive later this season NASCAR SPRINT CUP

R

ICK Kelly could be in contention to make his NASCAR Sprint Cup debut in August, as a substitute driver for Red Bull Racing.

Motorsport eNews believes that the double Bathurst winner and former V8 Supercar champion may be one of the drivers that the American team will use as a replacement for Brian Vickers. Vickers will miss out on the rest of the season while undergoing treatment for blood clots (see separate story).

Casey Mears, who took his only Sprint Cup victory at Charlotte in 2007, subbed for the unwell driver at Dover last week and at Charlotte’s All Star race on the weekend, and Red Bull Racing team manger Jay Frye recently said that the team has no intention of replacing Mears.

But eNews can exclusively report that the team is seeking road racing specialists for the two events at Sonoma and Watkins Glen and we expect the team to test Mattias Ekstrom sometime in the next two weeks. The Swede, who races in the German DTM series with Red Bull sponsorship, is expected to test at an undisclosed location, with a view to racing for the team in California on June 20.

But the second road race weekend, at The Glen on August 8, clashes with the fifth round of the DTM at the Nurburgring, and Ekstrom would not be available. With Red Bull expected to promote a driver from within its ‘family’ for a one-off appearance, Kelly, whose ties with Red Bull are strong and well-established, could be in line.

Adding to the intrigue, the mid-season break in the V8 calendar would allow him the opportunity to make the trip to the USA and return in plenty of time for the second half of the local season.

“All I can say at present is, I would love to go over,” said Kelly when contacted by eNews.

“The prospect of doing a race like Watkins Glen, in these circumstances, would be pretty exciting. I only became aware of the Vickers situation over the weekend, and if there is something that I can do to help out the situation for Red Bull Racing, I would like to do that.”

Kelly has never made any effort to hide his enthusiasm for NASCAR racing, and has attended several events in the past. Indeed, there were suggestions that he looked seriously at moving to the USA to race fulltime, prior to the establishment of Kelly Racing at the start of 2008, or even at competing in a one-off race in one of the series’ road course events.

There are no sticking points so far as Kelly racing a Toyota is concerned. Holden Motorsport spokesman Gerald McDornan confirmed that the company would have “no problems, as far as we are concerned” with Kelly driving in another car in another series.

In the meantime, the identity Vickers’s long-term replacement remains unclear. Rumours have RBR hunting David Reutimann as a possible candidate, as his contract with Michael Waltrip Racing is up for renewal at the end of the 2010 season.

Apart from his Cup drive, Vickers was due to run in a further five Nationwide events with Braun Racing this year. In those races, he will also be replaced, by Reed Sorenson.

– PHIL BRANAGAN/MARTIN D CLARK www.mnews.com.au

Dirk Klynsmith

D’ALBERTO SET FOR A NEW(ER) CAR V8 SUPERCARS EXPECT Tony D’Alberto to finish the season in a different chassis.

While paddock chat had placed D’Alberto in a newer VE Commodore as soon as the next round in Darwin, the Victorian told eNews that it was “100 percent” that he would be in his existing car up north. D’Alberto refused to comment on whether he would upgrade before the season is out.

However, eNews understands that a newer Walkinshaw Racing Commodore is on its way to the Centaur Racing

workshop at some point this season. WR is currently building new cars for the Toll Holden Racing Team, having had a mostly disastrous start to the 2010 season. That means either a third brandnew car could be in the build program for D’Alberto, or he might end up with one of the existing HRT cars, after the new chassis come online in Darwin.

It makes sense that Walkinshaw Racing would place Centaur Racing on priority.

For starters, D’Alberto is currently driving WP01, the very first VE Commodore V8 Supercar ever built – and while it has been heavily upgraded, it has been in

commission since the development of the car back in 2006.

But despite the ageing equipment, D’Alberto is having a coming-of-age season. He is currently 14th in the standings, a place ahead of HRT’s Will Davison, second of the WR cars, and clearly the best of the WR customers – another reason why WR would be keen to see him in a newer car.

Bundy Red Racing’s Fabian Coulthard will definitely be in a newer car soon, taking over Tander’s current WR007 chassis after a poor start to the season.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

Symmons softer than expected V8 SUPERCARS

Dirk Klynsmith

SPRINT tyres will play a bigger-thanexpected role at Symmons Plains this year.

Teams had originally been allocated one set of Dunlop’s soft rubber for the weekend, to be used in Sunday’s race. However, they will now get another set –surplus stock from Dunlop’s bank – for Saturday’s race.

The use of Sprint Tyres at Hidden Valley and Sandown remains the same, with teams getting one set at each event for use on Sunday. That format will also be evaluated, with a decision on the use of Sprint Tyres in 2011 to be made in the second half of the year.

“It’s another chance to look at the

soft and hard tyre combination,” V8SA Media Manager Cole Hitchcock said of the Hidden Valley and Sandown formats.

“In the past, it’s been mixed, with a team getting one set for either race. Let’s see how the hard tyre on Saturday, soft tyre on Sunday format works.

“The board will ultimately make a decision [for 2011] based on the feedback we receive. It’s fair to say that some of the best racing we’ve seen so far this year has been at Queensland Raceway and Winton.

“Any decision will me made in the second half of the year, and it will be dependant on Dunlop, on what they can and can’t supply.”

– MITCHELL ADAM motorsport news

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GT CHAMP CONFIRMED

Wall and Reindler for Phillip Island/Bathurst V8 SUPERCARS

Dirk Klynsmith

www.mnews.com.au

DAVID Wall has been confirmed as Karl Reindler’s co-driver for 2010 endurance races.

As exclusively revealed in eNews (#151), the reigning Australian GT Champion will pair up with Reindler in the Fair Dinkum Sheds Racing Commodore at Phillip Island and Bathurst this year, thanks to mutual links through Wilson Security.

Fair Dinkum Sheds Racing is run by Brad Jones Racing, and the team’s Bathurst pedigree is very exciting for Wall.

“BJR’s package at Bathurst is very, very good,” he said.

“I think they’re more than on

top of their game with a lot of good people within the team.

“Karl is really getting on top of his car; he got the fastest lap in Sunday’s race at Winton, so it’s obviously coming along. We’d need a few things go our way, but I’m aiming for a Top 19 finish at Phillip Island and Bathurst. I think that’s a realistic goal to have; anything more is a bonus.

“I would like to be in the category next year but there are only 30-odd seats and about another 60 guys that would like to be there. Hopefully the enduros will give me a good springboard for 2011.”

Wall drove the Commodore for the first time at Winton yesterday.

Russell gets first Main Game laps, rain disrupts Winton testing V8 SUPERCARS AFTER a rain delay, Drew Russell turned his maiden laps in a Main Game car at Winton yesterday, Monday.

On his 22nd birthday, the Fujitsu Series racer was scheduled to do a rookie test with BJR, in Jason Richards’ Commodore, but wet weather at the circuit saw that plan curtailed. Late in the day, though, a break in the weather gave him the

opportunity to do 10 laps in Karl Reindler’s VE. “We all decided initially that there was no point putting me in there if it was going to be wet,” Russell told eNews.

“BJR were great, they were trying to rush everything to get me in before the rain came, but just after I put my helmet on, it started raining so we called it off.

“Fortunately it cleared up a bit later in the afternoon and I got to do some laps in Karl’s

car. For the first five laps, it was half-wet, half-dry, and it was about 90 percent dry for the second five laps.

“It was good to feel the difference in the cars, not one thing feels the same as the (BJR-built) Falcon I drive.

Just from the small amount of running I did, I could feel the differences and how much better the Main Game cars are.”

Jason Bright and Jason Richards were due to turn

laps yesterday, but the team elected not to use a test day in the conditions. They pushed on, though, with Reindler and endurance drivers Matt Halliday, Andrew Jones and David Wall getting wet running, while the status of a test for Bright, Richards and Reindler today would be determined by the weather.

FPR were also present with all three of their cars.

– MITCHELL ADAM

Dirk Klynsmith

MN apology: DJR engines V8 SUPERCARS WE made an error in last week’s eNews regarding James Courtney and Jim Beam Racing.

In the story, we incorrectly stated that JBR sources its chassis and engines from Triple Eight Race Engineering.

It does not; the team’s motors are developed and built in the engine department at Dick Johnson Racing under

the direction of Roger Higgin and, quite obviously, there is some pretty solid work going on at the team to give Courtney and Steven Johnson the performance they have enjoyed lately.

The mistake was made by me. eNews apologises for the error to all and Jim Beam Racing, at Triple Eight and to the team’s fans.

– PHIL BRANAGAN, EXECUTIVE EDITOR motorsport news

news

SCOOP!

DAVO’S NEW CAR!

Actually, it’s not. Will will have to wait a couple of weeks to get into his new Toll HRT VE, but he did get to jump aboard Maurice Fabietti’s Top Doorslammer Holden Monaro at the launch of Holden Restoration Parts in Melbourne last week.

TAZ AIMS FOR TOWNSVILLE FUJITSU SERIES

TAZ Douglas is eyeing a return to the Fujitsu Series at Townsville.

The 26-year-old has finished his three cycles of chemotherapy, having been diagnosed with cancer in February.

As he recovers, Douglas has begun working on his Commodore again and

has set a goal of returning to racing in the July event.

“The plan is to return to the Fujitsu Series in Townsville,” he said.

“I’ll try and do a test day before then, and if I feel up to it I’ll go to Townsville, and if I’m no good I won’t. It’s as simple as that.”

For more from Taz, read his column on Page 25.

V8 SUPERCAR FOR SALE OR LEASE $100,000K

Jay Motorsport have one of their VZ Commodores for Sale Race Car is Chassis TD001 Ready to Race in the Fujitsu Series Spares Available Dirk Klynsmith

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Call John on 0418 812 126

Call John on 0418 812 126

Future undecided: Webber FORMULA 1

W

10

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

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ILL Mark Webber be driving a Red Bull RB7 in 2011? As the Formula 1 circus packed its bags for Istanbul for this weekend’s Turkish Grand Prix, Webber himself conceded it’s not yet confirmed that he’ll remain with the team when his contract expires at the end of this year.

Webber told The Mail on Sunday that he expects his future will have been decided by the time of the British Grand Prix in July.

“At the moment, I’m only thinking about the next race, in Turkey next weekend,” he said. “The rest will take care of itself. There are hundreds of points up for grabs and I’m concentrating on the job in hand. I imagine the picture will be clearer in another six weeks or so.”

While the likely outcome is that Webber will remain at Red Bull, a sticking point could be the existing single-year contract arrangement.

Last year Webber was on a one-year ‘performance-based’ contract, and that was rolled into a further one-year deal for 2010. Meanwhile team-mate Sebastian Vettel has been signed to a multi-year contract with the team.

It’s thought that Webber wants a twoyear deal as a minimum. It may prove that Red Bull will indeed have to offer Webber a two-year deal to prevent him seeking longer-term pastures elsewhere.

And in the wake of his Spanish and Monaco victories, Webber now has some new and very attractive alternatives open to him. Ferrari is one, with Webber and Robert Kubica being the most obvious candidates to join the

most famous team in motor racing in the event of Felipe Massa’s contract not being renewed.

But Webber might also see Renault as an option, especially after the team’s improved recent form. Renault is desperate to retain Kubica, and if the Polish driver continues to enjoy the kind of pace the Renault displayed in Monaco, he may see remaining at Renault as a better option than becoming team-mate to Fernando Alonso at Ferrari.

In the event of that happening, a Webber/Kubica pairing would make a very strong Renault driver line up ...

New New Jersey USGP bid FORMULA 1

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arely a few weeks after a bid to hold a Formula 1 race on a street circuit in New Jersey was kyboshed by the local mayor, a new plan to host a US Grand Prix, in upstate New York, has surfaced.

The Monticello venue, located at the foot of the Catskill Mountains, is already in operation and currently serves as a private test track patronised by wealthy enthusiasts.

Monticello Motor Club’s Ari Strauss told BBC Sport that the circuit aims to be on the F1 calendar by 2012. Strauss also referred to the possibility of an F1 race in a letter to club members.

F1 powerbroker Bernie Ecclestone and F1 circuit designer Hermann Tilke have

already visited the circuit. The 6.6km track was designed by former driver Brian Redman and is located 90 minutes from downtown Manhattan.

The Monticello Motor Club opened in 2008 with the aim of attracting 125 founding members at a fee of $125,000 each. Among the members, it is believed, are NASCAR star Jeff Gordon and comedian Jerry Seinfeld.

motorsport news

Red Bull Media

Vettel’s new girl FORMULA 1

S

ebastian Vettel will have a new car at his disposal for this weekend’s Turkish Grand Prix, after it was found that his Monaco chassis had been damaged.

The news of the Red Bull chassis upgrade has led to speculation that perhaps the damaged car hindered Vettel’s performance at the Principality, and therefore team-mate Mark Webber might be in for a much tougher time at Istanbul Park.

That remains to be seen. In the meantime, though, the more pressing question is: what name will Vettel give his new chassis?

The German is famous for naming his race cars after women.

The Toro Rosso with which he scored that breakthrough Italian Grand Prix win in 2008 was called ‘Julie’. His first Red Bull chassis was ‘Kate’, but Kate was damaged beyond repair in last year’s Australia Grand Prix. Her replacement for the Malaysian race was called ‘Kate’s

Dirty Sister’ because, Vettel said, it was more aggressive and faster.

This year’s RB6 was christened ‘Luscious Liz’, but it’s been somewhat stormy relationship so far, with three poles, one win and a string of mechanical failures culminating in Liz’s replacement after Monaco.

As to what Sebastian will call his new car, we’ll know soon enough via Twitter as the Red Bull team has created an official Red Bull team Tweet to announce the name ...

Hamilton to face Victorian justice FORMULA 1

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sutton-images.com

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EWIS Hamilton is set to face court over the ‘hoon driving’ incident that occurred as he left Albert Park on the Friday evening of the Australian Grand Prix.

The McLaren driver has been charged with ‘intentionally losing control of a vehicle’. Police will allege he performed a tyre-smoking burnout in a Mercedes sedan as he left the circuit, cheered on by fans.

A court date has been set for August 24, which is the Tuesday before the Belgian Grand Prix. It is not clear whether or not Hamilton would be in Melbourne to contest the charge.

The incident dogged Hamilton over the Albert Park weekend and brought international attention to Victoria’s strict road rules, and the

anti-hoon legislation under which Hamilton’s AMG Mercedes C63 was confiscated by authorities.

On race day Mark Webber waded into the controversy, saying that Australia had changed since he left and had become a ‘nanny state’.

But Victoria’s Transport Accident Commission Minister Tim Holding rejected Webber’s criticism and said Hamilton’s treatment proved no one was preferential treatment.

“There are those who said that our hoon driving laws make us a nanny state,” he told the Herald-Sun. “I reject this completely as our hoon driving laws are making Victorian roads safer.

“Lewis Hamilton reminds us that these laws apply to everyone no matter who they are. I am pleased that he has acknowledged that he is embarrassed.”

11

Nine of the Best Honda Racing

INDYCARS THE new Fast Nine qualifying format at the Indianapolis 500 has been deemed a great success.

For the first time, Pole Day qualifying called for a 90minute shootout of the fastest nine drivers from the fivehour session earlier in the day.

The three Penske drivers and two from Ganassi did battle with Alex Tagliani, Graham Rahal, Hideki Mutoh and Ed Carpenter.

Tagliani’s competitiveness,

driving for his newly formed FAZZT Race Team, was a pleasant surprise to the fans.

“Just to have the opportunity to battle with Ganassi and Penske, it’s quite an honour,” said Tagliani, above, who will start fifth after qualifying at 226.390mph.

“I’m proud of the team and what they’ve been doing this week. It’s not easy to keep the car on the track when you’re trying so hard. We were a little bit loose when we went out the first time. If you are close and battling point two miles

per hour, your car is right there.

That makes it interesting for the fans.”

Once in the Fast 9, the rules allow a driver to make multiple qualifying attempts without forfeiting their times. Graham Rahal only made one run.

“We are pretty happy to be in the top nine,” said the rideless Rahal, driving in the 500 for his father’s team, Rahal Letterman Racing.

“After we finished our first run I got a call from Dad (Bobby Rahal) saying ‘that was enough’.

We only decided to do this

two weeks ago. The cars were still blue from last year, sitting in the corner of the shop. For our guys to bolt something together, we feel pretty good about where we are.”

Scott Dixon wasn’t so thrilled with multiple runs, stating. “It was tough. I lost count of how many attempts I did. I think I did three of them, all of them against my will. We’ve been struggling all day and it was tough to milk any more speed out of my car. But it put on a great show.”

– MARY MENDEZ

Danica qualifies 23rd, then blames team INDYCARS QUALIFYING was a nightmare for Andretti Autosport – and Danica Patrick was booed by fans.

In spite of five running seasoned drivers – Patrick, John and Marco Andretti, Tony Kanaan and Ryan Hunter-Reay – Michael Andretti’s team had no presence in the

Top Nine. The only good news was that Marco Andretti, Hunter-Reay and Patrick all qualified on Pole Day. Patrick only managed a 224.217 mph run for 23rd fastest – but the shock came after her Pole Day run. With the few fans IndyCar has watching on TV, or listening on the IMS Radio Network or over the public address system, the first lady of

A celebration of Australia’s Muscle Car heritage and a tribute to the drivers that raced

American motorsport threw her team under a bus.

“That was the worst car I’ve ever had here,” she said.

“The car is loose. I’ve always run much better here. It’s not me. It’s not my fault. I don’t want to get booed. That hurts my feelings.”

– MARY MENDEZ

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FATHERS DAY SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2010 CHECK OUT: www.musclecarmasters.com.au or 02 9672 1000

12

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Harvick stays NASCAR

Toyota Racing

KEVIN Harvick has ended weeks of speculation over his future, and will stay with Richard Childress Racing.

The current Sprint Cup point leader announced on Saturday that he’s signed a multi-year contract extension to stay at RCR. The announcement squashes rumours that Harvick would drive a third car for Stewart Haas Racing with Shell backing.

“I’m happy to be able to continue my relationship with Richard and RCR because, over the last 10 years, we’ve

been through a lot together,” remarked Harvick.

“Being able to put this piece of the puzzle in place couldn’t have come at a better time for me and this team because we can focus solely on winning this championship.”

Harvick will start off his new deal with a new sponsor. Shell Pennzoil had recently made it known they would not be back with the organisation next season, and will move to Penske Racing to back Kurt Busch.

– MARTIN D CLARK

Vickers goes NASCAR BRIAN Vickers will sit out the remainder of the NASCAR season due to ill-health.

The Red Bull Racing star has been diagnosed with blood clots in his lungs and left leg and is being treated with three types of blood thinners. His doctors have advised him against racing for at least six months.

“I had chest pains at night. I had a hard time breathing,” remarked Vickers.

“Being young, being 26 years old and a race-car driver who thought I was invincible, I

brushed it off and went back to sleep.”

The problem is that while Vickers is, technically, well enough to race, the treatment would put him in danger should he crash. Cuts or bruising could lead to him ‘bleeding out’ because the medication treating his his clots would not allow injuries to heal normally.

“I can race on blood thinners, I just can’t crash,” Vickers added.

He intends to spend some time with the team on the pit box and in the spotters stand while recovering.

– MARTIN D CLARK

Chevron has all your motorsport needs covered including classic race packages, Bathurst highlights as well as in-depth documentaries. See our website today for the full range of DVD’s available.

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13

BRIEFLY... n Dunlop will be the sole supplier of Formula Vee tyres in Australia for the next five years.

All Vees racing in the Australian Formula Vee Championship will now use the Dunlop CR82, a grooved tyre identical to that used in historic Formula Ford competition. n The MINI Challenge has amended the results from Round 3 at Queensland Raceway earlier in the month.

Full points were originally awarded for Race 3, which was Red Flagged before completing 75 percent race distance.

However that has now been revised, with half points awarded. It means Luke Youlden displaces Chris Alajajian for the final place on the round podium, but Alajajian maintains his series points lead.

As a result of the revision, Sean Carter moves up to third in the standings ahead of Peter McNiven.

14

BATHURST 12 HOUR THE class structure for the 2011 Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour has been announced.

Next year’s race will be held on February 4-6, and will see vehicles from the Australian GT Championship join Production Cars at Mount Panorama. Organisers have announced eight classes, with three for GT Championship competitors, while one remains an Invitational.

As expected, what was ‘Class E – Production Small’ has been scrapped, along with classes for Alternative Energy, MINI Challenge and V8 Utes.

Over 100 models from 31 manufacturers are on the current eligibility list.

“This year’s race featured around 20 different makes and models and with the addition of vehicles from the Australian GT Championship that is set to increase dramatically,” event promoter James O’Brien said.

2011 Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour Class Structure Class A – GT Championship FIA GT3 specification vehicles, including the Aston Martin DBRS9, Audi R8 GT3, Dodge Viper GT3, Mosler MT900 GT3, Ferrari F430 GT3, Porsche 997 GT3 Cup S Class B – GT Challenge Cars include the 997 & 996 Porsche GT3 Cup Cars, Ferrari 3650 & 430 Challenge models, Maserati Trofeo Light Class C – GT Production Cars include the Nissan GTR R35, Lotus Elise / Exige and Chevrolet Corvette ZO6 Class D – Production (High Performance AWD) Cars include the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions, Subaru Impreza WRX and other turbocharged, or non-turbo All-wheel drive cars Class E – Production (High Performance RWD) Cars include the BMW 335i Turbo, HSV GTS, HSV Tourer, FPV GT Class F – Production (Performance) Cars include the Holden Commodore SS and Sportwagon, Ford XR6 Turbo and XR8, Alfa Romeo 147 and the Volkswagen Golf GTI Class G - Production (Sport) Cars include the Toyota Corolla and Celica, Honda Integra Type R, Renault Clio Sport and the MINI Cooper S Class I – Invitational Eligible cars for this class are yet to be determined by event organisers.

Class A will feature cars from the GT Championship’s outright class, Class B is for GT Challenge and Class C for GT Production, while international

GT3-homologated entries will be considered for application.

All Production Car Classes have been pushed back accordingly.

Dirk Klynsmith

n Construction work for July’s Sucrogen Townsville 400 started last week.

Efforts kicked off with the construction of the first of 25 grandstands for the 2.86km circuit.

“This week marks the start of increasing activity as the countdown to the event begins,” Event Manager Kim Faithfull said.

“After months of planning behind the scenes, the community will now start to see the transformation of the entire precinct into a world-class event.

“This will include the grandstands and corporate facilities around the circuit, the concrete barriers and fencing, shade structures and a range of amenities.”

Date, classes set for ‘11 12 Hour

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ATKO GETS IRC START IRC CHRIS Atkinson will make his Intercontinental Rally Challenge debut at the famous Ypres Rally next month.

The Australian is currently driving for the Proton R3 Rally Team in the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship, however a part-time IRC campaign has been expected since the start of the year.

Now the British-based team has confirmed it will field two cars – one each for Alistair McRae and Atkinson – in Belgium.

“It’s no secret that we had looked at starting our IRC programme in Sardinia, but

we’ve decided to go for Ypres instead,” confirmed team principal Chris Mellors.

“If we had gone to Olbia with the car, it would have seriously restricted the amount of asphalt testing we’d have been able to do with the car before Belgium.

“Having seen the way we’ve been able to develop the car on the gravel with the extra loose-surface testing over the winter, we felt it made more sense to focus on preparing the cars and drivers for Ypres, which is undoubtedly one of the classic European events.

“The focus of this season is the Asia Pacific Rally Championship.

“At the same time, the

IRC is probably the most competitive series in the world for Super 2000 cars, and by extension a great place to

Simon and Sue too!

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show the pace of the Proton – and that’s what we’ll be doing in Ypres and on a program of events later in the season.”

IRC SIMON Evans is very likely to make at least one start in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge this year.

Having tested with Peugeot’s IRC squad earlier this year, the reigning Australian Rally Champion is now working hard on a part-time deal later this year. According to his spokesman Mark McCartney, Evans and his co-driving wife Sue are waiting on the availability of a Super 2000spec Pug 207.

“Simon will definitely have at least one IRC round this season,” McCartney told eNews.

“We’re really waiting on a car. Peugeot are keen to do it, and we pretty much have the funding in place, but we can’t say when or where it will be just yet. It will, however, be later in the year.”

McCartney did confirm that it won’t be either of the next two IRC rounds – Sardegna or Ypres.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN 15

SPORTS SEDANS BORLAND Racing Developments has stunned the Formula Vee world with a “perfect” debut of its new Sabre chassis.

The makers of the Spectrum Formula Ford chassis debuted the new Sabre at Sandown on the weekend, in the hands of Daniel Reinhardt and Junior Racing Developments. And

Reinhardt qualified fastest, won all four races, and set a new lap record at the suburban Melbourne track.

“We couldn’t be happier,” said BRD’s sales and marketing manager Paul Zsidy.

“It was a perfect debut, and Daniel and JRD did a fantastic job. We’ve now debuted two new cars this year, the Formula Ford and the Vee, and as each car has debuted

Rob Lang

SABRE RATTLES THE OPPOSITION ON DEBUT

it has been on pole, won the line speed was still okay, but meeting, and set a new lap in Formula Vee slip-streaming record.” is so important, so we still But while the Sabre showed need to see how it goes. some untouchable form at “But there were a lot of Sandown, Zsidy says that he Safety Cars on the weekend, is confident that there is even and Daniel said he didn’t feel more to come. like it created a lot of tow for “The interesting thing is that other cars, like most Vees do. because Daniel was out front He said it was easy to pull all weekend, we haven’t had away from the rest of field a chance to see how the car each time.” performs in a tow. The straight– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

Kart ace Sera debuts in Randle Saab SPORTS SEDANS

JAMES Sera will make his tin-top debut in the Kerrick Sports Sedan Series at Mallala this weekend.

The multiple Australian karting champion will step into Dean Randle’s Saab for the third round of the 2010 season, after completing his Observed Licence Test at Sandown last Friday.

“I’ve known James for a long time through karting, my kids are in the sport,” Randle told eNews.

“He did a test at Winton two weeks ago 16

and said it was the best thing he’d done in his life. I think by the third race he should be up there on pace. It’ll be interesting to see how he goes against Darren Hossack, they’ve raced each other a lot in karting.”

While Randle isn’t retiring, there is a chance Sera will complete the season in the car.

“Other pressures have dictated that I step away from driving for a little while, so we’ll see how James goes,” he said.

“We’re taking it one round at a time.

Providing the thing doesn’t come back on a tow truck, he’ll probably do the other

rounds this year as well.”

In other Shannons Nationals news, an eight-car field looks likely for Formula 3.

Kristian Lindbom and Astuti Motorsport will continue, while Josh Burdon is set to make his second start with R-Tek Motorsport, which is in negotiations to field a second car for an as-yet unnamed driver.

The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge presented by Mission Foods, Shannons V8 Touring Car Series, Saloon Cars, Commodore Cup and Formula Vee complete the program.

– MITCHELL ADAM motorsport news

news

Huglin Springs Lambo

Rob Lang

AUSTRALIAN GT TED Huglin debuted a sparklingnew Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 at the Victorian State Circuit Racing Championships at Sandown on the weekend.

After selling his old Gallardo to Australian GT regular Peter Hackett, Huglin shook down his new Gallardo for the first time on Friday, labelling his early impressions as promising.

“I’m expecting good things from it,” Huglin said.

“This car is quite different the earlier one. It’s got a bit more grunt, the gearbox

is a lot quicker and it’s a little bit tighter than the earlier one, but it’s also a bit quicker. I certainly expect the times to keep coming down” Because the new-generation Gallardo isn’t yet eligible for the Australian GT Championship, Huglin will race at Eastern Creek this weekend in the pair of Production Sports one-hour races.

Following his recent second-place finish in the Nurburgring 24 Hour in a Ferrari, Huglin’s longtime co-driver Allan Simonsen will fly in to share the car with him.

“We’re going to Sydney next week to Eastern Creek to run, and Allan Simonsen

is coming out to drive with me, so we expect him to clock some very fast times,” he said.

The Australian GT Championship will also conduct a pair of one-hour races at the Festival of Sporting Cars, with 28 cars entered. South Australian Kevin Weeks has purchased the ex-Andrew Taplin Gallardo and will return to circuit racing at the event.

With his GT3 Cup S still awaiting parts following the Race 2 start crash at the Australian Grand Prix, Marc Cini will step back to the GT Challenge class, sharing a Porsche with Michael Loccisano.

– CALLUM BRANAGAN

Ellery bags record, looks OS AUSSIES OS

www.mnews.com.au

Rob Lang

FORMER CAMS Rising Star Luke Ellery is still racing in Australia, after his plans to race in America’s Formula 2000 Series have taken a little longer to eventuate than he initially hoped.

Despite the delay in Ellery’s plans, he is, for now, revelling in the Victorian Formula Ford series where he has so far been very impressive in the older Kent powered class.

“I’m still looking to heading over to America in the Formula 2000 Series,” he said.

“I’m racing in the Victorian Formula Ford Championship, in the car that we actually own and run as part of our family team.

“I’m just keeping my eye in, and using State racing to keep my sponsors KDS LCD TVs and Melbourne Fire Essentials happy and hopefully get them to get me overseas.”

Ellery did his ambitions no harm at Sandown on the weekend, as he smashed the five-year-old Kent lap record of John Martin on his way to the round win.

– CALLUM BRANAGAN

17

James Smith

TCM readies for new cars ...

TCM TOURING CAR MASTERS Technical Director Drew Marget believes that the introduction of new models to the series poses an ‘exciting challenge’ and that the series management is more than up to the task of a smooth introduction.

The former TCM race winner, who retired from active driving at the end of last season to focus on the series technical requirements, is closely following the addition of the new models into the series to ensure they are competitive with the current metal – and vice-versa.

“We are in a position as a

series where we have some very exciting cars coming in and we need to make sure that they are competitive with the existing cars,” Marget said.

“The XA Coupe is the most proven package of the new cars because the four-door (as driven by Leanne Tander to third at Winton, pictured) has already proven to be competitive. It has a strong engine and the suspension and handling package is already a known thing.

“The Toranas and the AMC Javelin are a bit more of an unknown quantity and we’re still working on where they will fit in.

“We have the ability, with rev and weight restrictions, to

place the cars in either Group Barbour’s 340CI V8 Charger 2 or Group 1 so we’ll start that are very exciting so them at a predetermined level, the diversity and number of see how they go and adjust different models are growing them accordingly. and developing.”

“I think that the Torana has The Touring Car Masters the potential to be better series is experiencing a period than the current Holdens. of growth, with category They are going to be a really management confirming exciting addition to the series at Winton that they have a and should be a really good backlog of requests by people package. looking to enter.

“The Javelin is bound to be The series is oversubscribed competitive – anything Jim and while 34 cars were (Richards) does generally is entered at Winton – two – and with a 360 cubic inch short of the track density engine you’d think power – there are 41 licenses won’t be an issue. But the currently operating, with suspension and handling a further five allocated to package is a relative unknown. the new machinery under “There are also other construction. vehicles coming like Elliot – RICHARD CRAILL

... and locks down Muscle Car Masters spot TCM AS expected, the Touring Car Masters presented by Autobarn has completed their 2010 calendar with a round at the Muscle Car Masters.

The annual Father’s Day event at Eastern Creek will 18

be the fourth round of the TCM season, kicking off a busy second half of the year with rounds at Bathurst, Symmons Plains, Sandown and Homebush V8 Supercar rounds.

It will be the series’ third appearance at the event.

“The synergy between the Muscle Car Masters and the Touring Car Masters is selfevident and we are confident that this event is the best choice for our remaining event of the season,” TCM Chairman Chris Stillwell said.

“We have had lengthy

negotiations with Muscle Car Masters promoters to ensure we can deliver the best possible race package for the fans, and we are delighted to once again be part of the action in what is arguably the best event of its kind in Australia.” motorsport news

Can’t get enough of Webber’s Monaco win? Neither can we In the June issue of Motorsport News, Mark Webber talks exclusively about Vettel, Monaco and his title hopes.

Michael Caruso tells us about being V8 Supercar’s hottest young property, and Sir Jack Brabham reflects on a great career. Also, Le Mans ‘55, V8 Utes turn 10 years old, a look inside the FIA GT1 World Championship, Tim Blanchard, and much, much more ...

No. 396 June 2010

On Sale Wednesday

Australia $7.95 NZ $8.50 inc GST

19

www.mnews.com.au

Mnews_396_Cover.indd 1

18/5/10 3:28:57 PM

DRAG RACING

now is run a 300mph pass and then, I suppose, keep bettering our time,” he said.

Team Rapisarda head tuner Glenn Mikres said Mariani’s dragster was suffering from fuel pump issues during the event.

“The car had some sort of fuel issue. We chased it and it got a little better and then it got a little worse,” he said.

“In the heat of battle you keep feeding [the engine] parts and at the end of the day, if it cost you a few pieces to get the win, then that’s what you do.”

Mariani has now moved back into fourth place in the ANDRA Pro Series, but he is leading the ‘Championship within a Championship’ – the $25,000 Shannons Top Fuel Shootout.

– LUKE NIEUWHOF

John Bosher

MARK Mariani became a first-time event winner in Top Fuel at the recent Nitro Champs and it has given the Santo Rapisarda-owned team some much needed confidence heading to the Castrol Edge Winternationals.

Mariani defeated fellow Sydneysider Phil Read in a dramatic final, above, where both dragsters crossed the finish line on fire.

“We were pretty confident that we would go some rounds,” he said.

“And the further we went the more confident we became. It is unbelievable, for Santo, the team, everyone. My mother and father were here to see the win, which was awesome.

They don’t come to all my races, so it was very emotional

for them and me.”

Mariani is a secondgeneration Top Fuel competitor but winning an event was something his father Mario never got to achieve.

“He was runner-up many times and it was Santo [Rapisarda] or Jim Read that beat him in the final,” he said.

The only sour point for the team was that Mariani had to race team-mate Allan Dobson in Round 1 of eliminations.

“Running a team-mate is never good, but at least one of us was going to go to the semi-final,” he said.

Mariani ran a new personal best time of 4.80s during the course of the event and never left the four-second zone during eliminations. “[The time] just topped off the weekend. All I have to do

John Morris / Mpix

Mariani in top form

ANDRA Pro Series news is proudly presented by:

20

motorsport news

news

Ready to roll

Cassar getting set for Kawasaki Top Bike campaign

DRAG RACING ROCKET Allstars Racing Series rider Ian Read made it to the semi finals at the recent Nitro Champs event in Sydney in Modified Bike, a result he was very satisfied with ahead of the season-ending Winternationals at Willowbank Raceway in Queensland.

The Western Australian lost to eventual winner Daniel Sekli when he ran under his nominated handicap time by just five-hundredths of a second. He was able to take away at least one thing from the loss, recording a personal best time on the run of 9.38s despite backing off the throttle early to try and protect his handicap.

“It was not an easy path (through eliminations) so I am very pleased with how far I went,” he said.

“Now for the Winternationals and hopefully some 9.2s times.”

– LUKE NIEUWHOF

DRAG RACING

Luke Nieuwhof

ANDRA Pro Series on

VICTORIAN Rob Cassar is readying his nitrous-assisted Kawasaki to go racing in ANDRA Pro Series Top Bike next season.

Cassar is currently a Competition Bike rider mostly, though he did make the switch to Top Bike at the recent Nitro Champs to test the waters.

“I will shortly have a new engine that will enable me to be more competitive in the class,” he said.

“Currently we have quite a few old parts, the new motor will certainly fix this and with any luck it will be very consistent.”

Cassar says there is a great thrill from riding a nitrousassisted motorcycle.

“It is fast and with the NOS, you really know you are on a run,” he said.

“I have never ridden on the street; I just went drag racing.

I love the adrenalin and feeling of the front wheel in the air.”

– LUKE NIEUWHOF

Wednesday May 26, 6:30pm Top Alcohol & Top Bike, WSID

Next ANDRA Pro Series Round: Castrol EDGE Winternationals, Willowbank Raceway, June 10-13 www.mnews.com.au

21

Five Minutes with ...

WILL POWER There will be no cars in front of the two Penske drivers on the front row for this weekend’s Indy 500. After he qualified second, Power spoke to PHIL BRANAGAN MOTORSPORT NEWS: Two hundred and twenty-seven miles an hour. It doesn’t sound that fast.

WILL POWER: I will tell you this; it feels pretty quick! Especially right there, at the end.

Okay, we will get serious. What is a nice road racer like you, doing on the front row for the biggest oval race in the world?

Well, I don’t really know. I guess you could call The Speedway a crazy-fast road course. You have to really drive the car hard to get to those speeds.

When you are trimmed out and you are running at those speeds, you have absolutely minimum downforce, and it is very nerve-wracking. You only want to do one run; but with the new format, I had to do four of those runs.

I was just hanging on. The car was good, but there were plenty of heartraising moments. I ended up second, so it all worked out.

From the driver’s point of view, the Fast Nine format forces you to go out and do extra runs, as you said. Was there an aspect of that you are not keen on?

Well, I have never been in a position to shoot for pole before, especially not last year. So that was not a factor; I trimmed out the car last year and I did one run.

So this year, with more experience, I am expected to be on a par with the other two guys. Basically, we were all in the same boat; work on the set-up, trim out the car and go for pole. For me, that was a new experience.

Really trimming out the car is a pretty nerve-wracking experience. You can spook yourself, and it is all about the confidence you have around there. One little moment, and you feel all of it. And

you never crash softly!

You can lose your confidence and start lifting, or you can hold it flat. That is what you have to do for all four laps. It takes all your confidence to do that, even for someone like Helio [Castroneves, who is on pole]. That process starts before you even get in the car. It is something else, it really is. Then, you really start to enjoy that place.

Earlier this season, Helio laid a lot of credit for his win [at Barber] on you, for helping him with his road-racing technique. Was this a matter of pooling the teams’ set-ups, and you copying his?

Yes. I did that last year. I put his set-up on my car and ran it all day.

This year, basically, once we were at the track, I hardly changed it. The biggest change that we did make was trimming the car out. The last change I made was to the downforce, which was just the next step, and that was what Helio was running. If he had not gone out and done that, I would probably not have done it. I was on edge, but I had confidence because he had run that.

Helio is a great driver, and he was really on the limit. In my opinion, he is really good around there, because of his level of experience; he really understands the place. He knows how hard to go, and when, and what level of downforce he can run.

Are you a little bit surprised about the opposition? Dario [Franchitti] was the only Ganassi car to run really close to ‘Penske’ speed, and the Andretti cars are nowhere.

Well, actually, the truth is, it is so tight this year. That middle pack is so close, you look there and man, there is 1mph

between about ninth to almost last!

Look at Justin Wilson. He did 25-zero [ie, 225mph]. I watched Bump Day – to bump into the field, you needed to run a 24.1 [224.1mph]. That is the reason they [Andretti Autosport’s cars] were not in the top nine, they [the top nine] were in the 26s [226mph]. I was in the high-27s, and Helio in 28s. Unless you are right on it, and unless you get every single little detail right, you could not do it. If you are not pinpoint accurate in your line, you are out [of the top nine]. Otherwise, you are slow, or you are in the wall.

Is the race all about getting to the last stop? Last year, after the final round of stops, the top positions were fairly static for the rest of the race.

Yes, they were. I feel like, with the race simulations we have run during the week, that we can run closer now. They have taken some things off the cars that free up the air, and you can run Push to Pass.

I would say that they will give us a run with that on Carb Day, and we will have it in the Race.

I think that the race will be better this year, I really do. The opposition is close when we are running at speed, and I have never had a green pitstop in the Indy 500! I have always pitted under yellow! There are good cars up and down the field and the field is all, pretty much, good drivers.

Just in case ... do you drink milk?

Yes! They always give you milk during the month and it comes in glass bottles here!

I have had some chocolate in mine, so I have been drinking that.

Mate, put some Milo in it, make it a little bit Australian!

Maybe.

“I GUESS YOU COULD CALL THE SPEEDWAY A CRAZYFAST ROAD COURSE” POWER’S INTERESTING TAKE ON INDY 22

motorsport news

chat

Honda Racing

www.mnews.com.au

23

THE PRICE OF POPULARITY

I

DON’T know about you, but I had a pretty rad Sunday.

I spent a glorious Melbourne afternoon at Etihad Stadium, watching the Hawthorn vs Carlton AFL match with about 47,000 other people. The atmosphere was good, and my mob got up for a much-needed win.

What does this have to do with motorsport?

Heaps, I reckon.

Part of my decision to go was that a ticket was going to cost me a grand total of $20. Sure, it was the entry-level ticket in the top-level of the stadium, but the vision was good. The most expensive ticket was about $50.

Last weekend at Winton, the general admission price for the V8s on Sunday was $65.

It struck me as being a tad expensive, but after research, it seems to be in the ballpark for V8 tickets.

For the remainder of the year, General Admission on Sunday is $55 at Darwin, Phillip Island, Symmons Plains and Sandown, $69 at Townsville, $82 at Bathurst and $85 on the Gold Coast if you buy at the gate. Homebush prices aren’t out yet.

If V8 Supercars wants to legitimately 24

Opinion

Mitchell Adam – eNews National Editor compete with the likes of the AFL and NRL and grow – which I’m assuming is their aim, given they’ve dolloped Pink everywhere – I think ticket prices are something they need to look at.

If the current ratings are anything to go by, growth isn’t coming from TV, so it’ll need to come from event attendance. There will always be the die-hard fans who’ll pay whatever you ask, but I think those prices are a big ask for a casual or first-time fan. Possibly even too big.

Sure, there is the argument of ‘a whole day of entertainment’ for that price, but I don’t think that’s a massive selling point these days.

People are more time poor than they’ve ever been, and neatly-packaged AFL, Rugby League and Twenty20 cricket matches seem to be hitting the spot in killing a couple of hours.

With V8SA in the midst of the their biggestever marketing program, why not look at what it is they’re marketing?

Personal

Taz Douglas – Fujitsu V8 Su motorsport news

comment Taz Douglas has been through a lot on the last few months.

Having recently been diagnosed with cancer, he has undergone three brutal cycles of chemotherapy.

Now, he is in remission and ready to return to the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series in Townsville.

He told eNews of his harrowing ordeal.

Y

Dirk Klynsmith

AUSSIE BATTLER!

upercar driver

www.mnews.com.au

OU never think that it’s going to happen to you.

You go through the whole experience just looking forward to the end of it.

Now I’m at the end of it, if I hear that someone has cancer I don’t think ‘that’s not a surprise, a lot of people have cancer’, I just feel sorry for what they’ll have to go through.

When people talk about how bad chemotherapy is, I can tell you that it’s everything that they say, and more. It really is that bad.

You don’t just go down and get an injection, there’s a lot that goes with it.

I’m getting better now. Over the last couple of weeks I’ve slowly been doing some work to the car, just a few hours here and there.

Last week I did a couple of full days, but I was pretty tired at the end of them. In the next couple of weeks I’ll start running and stuff like that.

The plan is to return to the Fujitsu Series in Townsville. I’ll try and do a test day before then, and if I feel up to it I’ll go to Townsville, and if I’m no good I won’t. It’s as simple as that.

Getting back in a racing car will be good, but to be honest, I’m just happy to be doing simple things like eating properly and not throwing up every five minutes.

I’ve been so sick I haven’t been able to leave the house, so I’m not just looking forward to getting back in the car. I’m also looking forward to doing things like playing footy again, and doing normal things.

I’ve always been pretty relaxed as a racecar driver, but this experience will make me even more relaxed. I’m just glad to be here. If I have a bad day in the racecar, then it doesn’t matter.

25

INDIANAPOLIS 500 QUALIFYING ROUND 6 – INDIANAPOLIS, IN

Penske

perfect

Honda Racing Media

At Charlotte the Penske team took the US$1m All Star prize. Meanwhile at Indianapolis, Penske’s drivers qualified for the Indy 500 on pole, second and fourth.

MARY MENDEZ reports ftom The Speedway

Honda Racing Media

26

motorsport news

race

Roger, Captain: Roger Penske’s team was the class act of Indy qualifying, with Helio Castroneves taking pole, Will Power third and Ryan Briscoe fourth, left. www.mnews.com.au

IZOD Indycar Media

OGER Penske’s drivers have dominated qualifying for the Indianapolis 500, and Helio Castroneves will start the race from pole position for the fourth time.

The Brazilian topped the charts with a 227.970mph, four-lap average qualifying run on Saturday’s Pole Day qualifying and will start ahead of Queenslander Will Power and Ganassi driver Dario Franchitti.

Fellow Australian Ryan Briscoe qualified fourth.

“The hardest thing is to go out there [to qualify],” said Castroneves, whose his fastest run including two laps in the low 228mph range.

“The second attempt was really crucial for us. We learned a lot and adjusted the car.

For the Fast 9, it was just perfect. I joked with Dario that I saw Jesus three times today. Dario told me he spoke with him many times.”

Power was the biggest threat, topping the final practice session and starting his qualifying run with laps in the 227mph range.

“Had I run a trimmed-out set-up earlier when it was hotter and the air is a little thinner, I would have been quicker,“ revealed Power, who starts the Indy 500 in the middle of the front row (227.578mph).

“That’s the only thing that would have got me closer to Helio’s pace and allowed me to challenge him. Helio’s a great teammate to have. He just knows this place so well. It’s a combination of him, [Tim] Cindric and the engineer. They just know when to run and what to run at what time.

Briscoe (226.554mph) landed fourth after Franchitti (226.990 mph), having made two attempts in the Fast 9 in the final 90 minutes.

“None of us have driven in this heat all week long,” said Briscoe. “You have to feel where the car is as you leave pit lane. You always have to chase the balance over four laps. You have to be on your toes, using your bars and weight jacker adjusting in each turn and compensating for the wind.

I know I have a good car for the race.”

Honda Racing Media

R

Kanaan conjures qual run from cobbled car

T

ONY Kanaan will start the Indy from 32nd after one of the most fraught days of his career.

After his second big crash in two days, the veteran Brazilian was forced to drive a patched-up car – featuring Ryan Hunter-Reay’s gearbox, Danica Patrick’s airbox and Marco Andretti’s wing – to scrape into the field. He made it with his first run in the final hour, and will start his ninth Indy 500 outside of the front two rows for the first time. Kanaan’s official speed of a hair over 224mph was almost 3mph down on his session-leading practice time on Thursday.

The other big name to make the race was Takuma Sato. The Japanese hero was tentative in his opening runs but finally broke the 224mph barrier to make his first 500 start in 31st position.

27

Honda Racing Media

Tracy’s heart

Rookie: Former Formula 1 driver Takuma Sato doesn’t have a lot of oval experience but the Japanese was fast enough to make the cut, above. So was his KV Racing team-mate Mario Maraes, notwithstanding this drama, below. In the third KV entry, however, there was only heartbreak as veteran Paul Tracy failed to qualify.

P

IZOD Indycar Media

28

AUL Tracy’s bid to finally win the Indy 500 did not make it past Bump Day, with the Canadian failing to make the field in emotional circumstances.

Tracy looked to have scraped onto the starting lineup after posting a time of 223.892mph. But with 10 minutes to go, KV Racing Technology withdrew the time in a bid to get Tracy further up the field. The plan blew up in their faces; Tracy touched the wall on his final run and waved off the run.

“I can’t tell you how crappy I feel,” Tracy said on his Twitter account, “I gave it everything I had. I guess it was better than being at home watching.”

In all the ups and downs of the session, Bryan Herta Autosport was the big winner.

The veteran racer and his Indy Lights regular Sebastian Saavedra – who briefly drove in the Australian Formula 3 championship – made the most of his first run, which would have to be good enough. Later, 20-year-old Colombian crashed at Turn 1

motorsport news

race

Results :: Indianapolis 500 starting order

Honda Racing Media

tbreak and, as the final hour started, he was in hospital and powerless to respond.

The irony of the qualifying system is that Saavedra’s speed, 223.634mph, was the slowest in the field and 0.258mph slower than Tracy. But, he is in and Tracy is going to watch, as is Jay Howard. The American was in line to make the field in Sarah Fisher’s backup car but, like KV, the team withdrew his speed, in hopes that he could go faster. He didn’t, and he missed the field.

www.mnews.com.au

Pos. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

Driver Helio Castroneves Will Power Dario Franchitti Ryan Briscoe Alex Tagliani Scott Dixon Graham Rahal Ed Carpenter Hideki Mutoh Townsend Bell Justin Wilson Raphael Matos Mario Moraes Davey Hamilton Mike Conway Marco Andretti Ryan Hunter-Reay Dan Wheldon EJ Viso Tomas Scheckter Ana Beatriz Simona de Silvestro Danica Patrick Bertrand Baguette Bruno Junqueira Alex Lloyd Mario Romancini John Andretti Sarah Fisher Vitor Meira Takuma Sato Tony Kanaan Sebastian Saavedra

The other star of the final day was Bruno Junqueira.

After a total of nine laps to get comfortable in Alex Tagliani’s second car, the Brazilian made the field in

Nationality Bra Aus GB Aus Can NZ USA USA J USA GB Bra Bra USA GB USA USA GB Ven RSA CH CH USA F Bra GB Bra USA USA Bra J Bra Col

Team Penske Penske Ganassi Penske Fazzt Ganassi Rahal Letterman Panther/Vision Newman/Haas Ganassi/Schmidt Dreyer & Reinbold de Ferran Dragon KV de Ferran Dragon Dreyer & Reinbold Andretti Andretti Panther KV Dreyer & Reinbold Dreyer & Reinbold HVM Andretti Conquest Fazzt Dale Coyne Conquest Andretti Sarah Fisher Foyt KV Andretti Herta

25th position at 225.662mph – the seventh fastest time of the whole weekend.

Four of the five women entered will start the race, led by rookies Ana Beatriz

Average Speed 227.970 227.578 226.990 226.554 226.390 226.223 225.519 224.507 223.487 225.097 225.050 225.029 224.888 224.852 224.583 224.575 224.548 224.465 224.380 224.261 224.243 224.228 224.219 224.189 225.662 224.783 224.641 224.518 224.434 224.388 224.178 224.072 223.634

and Simona de Silverstro in 21st and 22nd, respectively.

Danica Patrick is 23rd, Sarah Fisher 29th and Milka Duno, somewhat predictably, failed to qualify.

29

NASCAR SPRINT ALL STAR RACE – CHARLOTTE, NC

Million dollar man It was Kyle Busch in charge a week earlier at Dover, but at Charlotte for the NASCAR All Star Race, the million dollar winner’s cheque went to the other Busch – Kurt Busch. By MARTIN D CLARK

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I

stormed inside. A 20-minute meeting ensued with Gibbs and Hamlin post-race.

After the clash between the two Joe Gibbs cars, Kurt was never challenged and took the win in his Penske Dodge ahead of Martin Truex Jr, Joey Logano, Hamlin and last year’s winner, Tony Stewart.

The non-points race was run over four segments of 50, 20, 20, and 10 laps, with a mandatory 15-minute break and four-tyre pit stop preceding the final

Martin D Clark

Money shot: Kurt Busch collected a cool million dollars for winning the Sprint All Star Race, left, below. Less joy for others, though, with Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin and Carl Edwards making their exits in the final segment of the All Star race, top, as did Jimmy Johnson, centre.

NASCAR Media

T may have taken nine attempts, but Kurt Busch took his first win in the Sprint All Star Race on Saturday night to win the $1 million prize in front of a huge crowd at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Busch took the lead from Denny Hamlin three laps into the final segment as Hamlin fought to control his illhandling Toyota. In an incident that was one of the talking points of the race, Hamlin slid up the race track to block another car – which happened to be Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch. Kyle had a run going and hit the wall hard while trying to avoid the drifting Hamlin.

Afterwards, Kyle left nobody in any doubt as to his mood when he parked his car on the lift gate of Hamlin’s trailer and

NASCAR Media

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10-lap dash for cash, with only green flag laps counting in the final segment.

The first three segments were largely incident-free, but the final 10 laps were not much more than a high speed wreck fest. Mark Martin, Jamie McMurray and David Reutimann were three of the drivers that had a chance to win but who all saw their hopes end with contact.

The All Star Race was preceded by the Sprint Showdown over two 20lap segments, basically a qualifying race for the main event where just the first two drivers make it into the big show, plus one driver nominated by fan vote.

Truex Jr in his Michael Waltrip Toyota won the Showdown in commanding style after the Roush Fenway cars showed speed earlier in the race although Greg Biffle did manage to maintain that speed to finish second on older tyres and thus make

the cut. Biffle’s Roush Ford stablemate Carl Edwards got through to the big race courtesy of the fan vote.

Marcos Ambrose finished fifth with a strong late race run in the second segment.

Like many others in the nonpoints races, Ambrose featured a one-off sponsor for the event in Cavalia, a horseinspired theatrical show currently in Charlotte.

Kurt Busch won segment two with Jimmie Johnson winning the first and third.

Johnson was looking good in the final 10 laps, but spun himself out exiting turn four after his dropped his tyres below the apron, a rare Johnson mistake.

His Hendrick team-mate, Jeff Gordon, fared no better.

Much like last year, he side slapped the wall hard on the first lap and was never a factor. Johnson finished 14th and Gordon 20th after being involved in a late race wreck.

Busch whacked: Kyle Busch ended his race in the wall, after earlier having been involved in a controversial clash with Joe Gibbs teammate Denny Hamlin, above. Charlotte wasn’t just about the All Star race – there was also a pitstop challenge, centre, won by Hamlin’s crew. Then there was the burnout challenge, opposite, won by Joey Logano. Marcos Ambrose didn’t make the cut for the All Star race, finishing fifth in the Showdown qualifying race when he needed a top-two result, far right below. The two who took those spots in the qualifying race were Martin Truex Jr. and Greg Biffle, below right.

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motorsport news

race

Results :: Sprint All Star Race, Charlotte, NC Pos. No. 1 2 2 56 3 20 4 11 5 14 6 29 7 12 8 17 9 16 10 71

Make Dodge Toyota Toyota Toyota Chevrolet Chevrolet Dodge Ford Ford Chevrolet

Team Sponsor Qual.

Penske Miller Lite/Vortex 1 Waltrip NAPA 19 Joe Gibbs The Home Depot 2 Joe Gibbs Fedex 12 Stewart/Haas Burger King 11 Childress Pennzoil 13 Penske Penske 3 Roush/Fenway Crown Royal Black 14 Roush/Fenway 3M 20 TRG Taxslayer 17

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MDC pics

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Driver Kurt Busch Martin Truex Jr Joey Logano Denny Hamlin Tony Stewart Kevin Harvick Brad Keselowski Matt Kenseth Greg Biffle Bobby Labonte

AUDI BACK IN THE GAME DTM

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AUDI has hit back in the DTM, with Mattias Ekstrom winning at Valencia on the weekend.

Ekstrom had a fairly comfortable race out front, his only competition coming in the final stages when Martin Tomczyk made a remarkable strategic move to take a late pit-stop, and jump from ninth on the road to be in contention for the win.

But Ekstrom was too good, holding on to take the points.

“This is a rare moment in my life because here I managed the triple of a pole position, fastest race lap and victory,”

said Ekstrom.

“There was a lot of pressure on me. The car was good straight from the start. That’s why I had to find a good compromise between taking it easy on the tires and speed.

I’m very pleased about having won again after a longer period of time.”

As it turned out, Ekstrom needn’t have bene too worried about Tomczyk, who was later excluded for using a tyre that was not part of his race allocation. As a result, Bruno Spengler was promoted to second, with Alexandre Premat taking third in the ageing Audi.

Ford take second GT1 round win GT1 WORLD CHAMP. FORD has taken the honours in the third round of the FIA GT1 World Championship at Brno, leaving drivers Romain Grosjean and Thomas Mutsch on top of the standings.

Having started sixth on the grid, the Grosjean/Mutsch entry survived a frantic first stint, in which they collided with one of the Aston Martins, to win a race that saw the top five covered by just 1.7s.

“The start was a bit strange,” said Grosjean.

“I knew the straight was going to be difficult, as we were lacking in power. In the first corner, the Aston Martin just

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didn’t brake and hit me very hard from the right, and I thought the car was destroyed, because the noise inside was incredible.

“But I have to get used to GT1 cars – they’re strong. The car was all right. I had to work my imagination to find an opening amongst the cars. In the last few corners, I found somewhere I could get through, [and] that was a bit risky.”

Thomas Enge and Darren Turner finished second, but had to claw their

way through the field after Enge misread the starting procedure and dropped back to 16th on the first lap.

Meanwhile, pole-sitter and early leader Andrea Bertolini – paired with Michel Bartels in the Vitaphone Maserati – was taken out of the running by a stop-go penalty for a speed violation.

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MILAN AGAIN SUPERLEAGUE WHILE Inter Milan won football’s Champions League on the weekend, their crosstown rivals took out the Superleague Formula round at Magny Cours in France.

Yelmer Buurman, driving the AC Milan entry, won two of the weekend’s three races, including the Super Final, which is worth a cool

€100,000. He was aided by pole-sitter Craig Dolby making a disastrous start, allowing Buurman to win the final from Davide Rigon in the RSC Anderlecht entry.

Earlier in the weekend, Max Wissel won the second race in the FC Basel entry. Meanwhile, Aussie John Martin took the Beijing Guoan car to a fourth place in Race 1, and a DNF in Race 2.

AND BAYERN FINALLY GETS A WIN WTCC

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A REMARKABLE finish saw BMW claim a 1-2 in the first race of the World Touring Car round at Monza last weekend.

SEAT’s Gabriele Tarquini and Chevrolet’s Robert Huff led every single lap of the race, running noseto-tail ahead of the field, only to both suffer from punctures on the final tour, gifting the win to Andy Priaulx, who was closely followed by teammate Augusto Farfus.

“I struggled in the race as I was the lead car in a long train and it was heartbreaking to see Rob [Huff ] and Gabriele disappear ahead,” said Priaulx.

“On the last lap though I suddenly saw tyre rubber across the track at the Ascari chicane, and then Tarquini and Huff came into view.”

Things didn’t get better for SEAT on the Sunday.

Having been denied victory on the last lap the day before, the same thing happened on Sunday.

This time it was Michel Nykjaer leading the way comfortably when he suffered a tyre puncture on the last lap, handing the win to Chevrolet’s Yvan Muller.

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TIME ATTACK JAPAN’S Tarzan Yamada has won the inaugural World Track Attack, held at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway last weekend.

In fact, Yamada finished in first and third place, having run both the Sun Cyberevo Lancer Evo IX, pictured, and the Tomei Cusco Subaru WRX. Spoiling the Japanese legend’s double was the American Sierra Sierra Evo, which had led the event after the first day of competition, but was unable to respond to Yamada’s Saturday challenge, a cause not helped by a blown head gasket in the penultimate run.

Australia’s Warren Luff finished fourth, driving the newly-modfiied Angelo Lazarisowned Lotus Elise. Luff’s result being all the more noteworthy

John Morris / Mpix

He Tarzan, first and third as the car was running in full GT trim in preparation for next weekend’s round of the Australian GT Championship.

The field for this first international Superlap event was quite impressive. Tarzan Tamada was a regular in the Japan GT championship over the past decade, whilst current GT drivers Kiinoshita Mitsuhiro (R-Magic Pink RX7) and K Sasaki (Pan Speed RX7) represented the Japanese entries. The sole American was David Empringham in the Sierra Sierra Evo, who is the current Buttonville Superlap Champion. Empringham’s credentials included two American Toyota Atlantic Championships and the 1996 Indy Light Series.

Cars run in categories linked to the level of modifications, engine configuration and

Weeks’ Day Phil Williams

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drivetrain. Restrictions are limited, however cars must run on R-spec road tyres.

The format is not dissimilar to a Formula One qualifying session, with cars out on the track for a short sessions of approximately fifteen minutes, a process repeated another five times over the two day event.

Tamada’s winning lap of 1:30.58s is the fastest-ever recorded by a productionbased car, soundly beating the records set by GT, Carerra Cup,

Porsche Cup and even Mark Skaife’s V8 Supercar record, without the benefit of slick tyres.

Despite limited promotion, the event drew a large crowd,

by Eastern Creek standards.

Whilst run as a local event, under the banner of Superlap in 2008 and 2009, were extremely pleased with the increased interest generated by the overseas competitors and are looking to keep an international focus for 2011.

– JOHN MORRIS

TARMAC RALLYING

powerplant failed in the week before the event. The Subaru WRX of Matthew Selley and Bernie Webb had been set to claim second place, but struck problems with three stages remaining.

It saw Andrew Burnard and Brian Virgo finish second in their Evo IIX Lancer, ahead of the Porsche 911RS of Roger Patterson and Naomi Tillett.

KEVIN Weeks and John Allen have taken their Lamborghini Gallardo to a commanding win in the ASP / Cut Price Adelaide Hills Tarmac Rally, Round 2 of the Australian Tarmac Championship.

Weeks controlled the rally throughout, despite running a spare engine after their primary

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VICTORIA ROUND 2 of the Victorian State Circuit Racing Championships was held at Sandown International Raceway on the weekend, where the beautiful weather complimented the quality of racing.

Max Twigg was the man to beat in the Sports Cars, as his Porsche GT3 Cup S was simply too strong to match.

Peter Edwards meanwhile had a great debut in his Ferrari F430 GT as he finished

second overall in unfamiliar surroundings.

Overcoming a Race 3 disappointment was Chris Muscat who dominated the Sports Sedans proceedings in his Mazda RX7. Following Muscat was the RX7 of Luke Chambers, who managed to defend his position from a hard charging Ray Hislop.

CAMS Rising Star Garry Jacobson won the Formula Ford Fiesta Class as his last-lap pass for the lead on Cameron Waters was enough for overall win. Luke Ellery meanwhile

reset the Kent lap-record on his way to a perfect weekend.

Daniel Reinhardt made it an absolutely perfect debut for the new Sabre 02 chassis, as the Junior Racing Development driver won all four races in the 1600cc Formula Vees. Wes Young meanwhile took the 1200cc honours, ahead of a fastfinishing Daniel Beaven.

Holden HQs saw Rodney Raatjes continue his perfect 2010 form as he too took all four race wins ahead of Carl McHenry. Meanwhile Ray Hislop in the Improved

Rob Lang

Taking it to the Max

Production field easily won the weekend ahead of the Commodore of Phil Howe.

The Porsche 944 Challenge saw John Morriss break through for the weekend’s honours ahead of Robert Lange, while the giant-killing MG ZR of Jason Holmes won the MGs and Invited British Sports Cars category ahead of Mort Fitzgerald.

And Matt Martin took the BMW E30’s round win after his main adversary Stanley Karatzis had a DNF in Race 3.

– CALLUM BRANAGAN

CLUBMANS RETURN TO LAKESIDE QUEENSLAND A blast from the past saw a full field of 20 Clubman and Sports 1300 racing cars, many of them historic, return to Lakeside Park on May 23 for a single day race meeting.

Michael Antonieff (Westfield Sei) claimed two race wins and the overall trophy after a daylong battle with ring-in open

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wheeler Jordan Lloyd (Van Diemen RF04). Stuart Patterson (Westfield SEi) moved into a third place for the weekend after winning a handicap race at the end of the day, ahead of racing legend Kevin Bartlett (Mallock U2).

Geoff Fane won the day in the other big grid of Production Sports Cars as Mazda MX5s clean swept the

podium with Neil Dedrie’s new SP2 turbo second and Cameron Hein third.

Dwayne Taylor (LH Torana) was untouchable the QR Sedan class, until it rained for the handicap race with Mark Jackson (Alfa Romeo Alfasud), although the controversially the chequer was waved at Paul Chaffey (Subaru WRX). Taylor won the class ahead of Matt

Duncan (Mazda RX-7) and Ken Fazakerley (Subaru WRX).

The Rotax Max Superkart series round was won by Dan Lewis (Tonykart) taking three hard fought wins with weekend long rival Jason Keene (Arrow AX9) winning the reverse grid final. Sean Maberley (Intrepid) was third for the day.

– MARK JONES

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12 Hour Class Winner Ford Mustang Body prepared for London to Sydney Rally. Roll cage CAMS designed, includes CAMS certification paperwork. Roll cage fabricated & installed by Bond Roll Bars in Sydney. Long range fuel tank fitted. Body has been seam welded and converted to right hand drive.

Includes 2 x Sparco Pro 2000 Seats. $15,000.00 Neg. Contact Darren Kurzok 0411470929.

2009 Bathurst 12hr Class F winner.

Peter Conroy Motorsport 05 Honda Integra Type S. Fresh for next event, Brembo front brakes, fuel cell, Tein suspension, 8 x Enkeis,plus plus.

Ready to go. Car ready for E astern Creek 6 Hour. $32,500.00. Contact Peter Conroy 0418615217.

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West WR1000 Available Ex USA, 2007 West WR1000, immaculate condition, raced one season, dry sump, Stack dash, Front aero option, Centrelock wheels, NEW FIA 6 point harness, HANS Ready, Paddle Shift (electronic), CAMS Log book, ready to race, Eligible for Sports Racer and NSW SuperSports Series Ex GST Price. $77,000.00 Neg. Contact Greg 0883729088 (day) & 0410600267(evening)

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Aus Finest Wingless Proudly for sale,No expense spared,XYZ Wingless Arms & Bird Cages,53" beam with DMI spindle,Sander Front Hubs & Wheels,KSE-Gen 2,DMI Torque Tube,Winters Ball Drive, Red Devil Ti Rotor & Brakes,Pro Shocks, Kirkey Full Cont,Simpson Belts,V6 VP current spec high HP, Spare package POA, moving to sprintcar. $20,000.00 Neg. Contact Peter Hamilton 0438 455 783.

Classic Datsun IMMACULATE. NEW 4W DISC BRAKES STUART WILKINS GEAR BOX & 3.7LSD 240 CARBS NEW ALLOYS & TYRES THIS IS A GOOD STRONG CAR MUCH MORE BARRY 0415683004. $28,500.00. Contact Barry Daytime: 0415683004 & Evening: 0249528240.

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the ultimate in sprintcar trailers, room for 2 cars and pit bike, generator, compressor, work benches, vice, washing area, water storage tank, massive storage areas, front and top wing racks, spare engine bay, mezzanine floors, living quarters, kitchen, air conditioned, POA, Must Sell!. $POA. Peter Harvey 0419 917 711.

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rear of grid

Odd Spot

Ganassi drivers to the rescue!

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It’s not all Wight

Google Maps

Recognise this place?

If you’ve been to Phillip Island for a race meeting, there’s a fair chance you’ve been to the Isle of Wight in Cowes.

The main pub on the Island has hosted plenty of shady times for motorsport types, with many carrying sore heads the next morning ...

But things could be different for a while, after the historic venue burnt down in the early hours of Saturday morning. The cause of the blaze is yet to be determined.

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If you question the authority of your GPS’ voices, fear not: TomTom has added some racing credibility to their units.

Through their partnership with Target Chip Ganassi Racing, TomTom has launched their RaceVoices range. With a free download, you can have Juan Pablo Montoya, Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti telling you where to go.

It’s perfect if you’ve got a lot of left turns to make, or if there’s someone sitting on your outside.

No word, though, if it helps you get through an F1 paddock without being hit in the head by video cameras.

That would’ve come in quite handy back in the day, JPM, wouldn’t it? Click here to see JPM in a bit of strife. Caution, there’s a bit of interesting language going on.

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