Motorsport eNews Issue 172 - September 14-20, 2010

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Issue No. 172 September 14 - 20 2010

The Italian Grand Prix might have been frustrating, but Mark Webber is back to being the ...

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Issue No. 172 | September 14-20 2010

news 4

Hulkamania Webber back in lead – but ...

6 Nash waits on Dumbrell PD looking forward 8 Zukanovic in hot seat GMR plans status quo 10 About that paintscheme MINI’s new-look WRC car 14 Glengarry, Glen Loss IndyCars dump The Glen

chat 24 Five Minutes With ...

Brad Jones

comment 26 AVL: Points to be made Harley: Ride of my Life

race 28 L&H 500 38 Utes 42 Shannons Nationals

trade 58 Classifieds

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WEBBER SLAMS THE HULK OVER MONZA MASH-UP FORMULA 1

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ARK Webber has pinned the blame on Nico Hulkeberg for his sixth place finish in the Italian Grand Prix, despite the result propelling the Australian into the lead of the World Drivers Championship.

After a sluggish start, Webber was charging through the field throughout the race and might well have finished fourth – ahead of his team-mate Sebastian Vettel – had it not been for frustrating stint behind Williams rookie Hulkenberg. To make matters worse, Hulkenberg made various mistakes while leading Webber, but the FIA made no move to penalise him for cutting the chicanes.

“It was good to get some points,” said Webber, “but I came away feeling a little frustrated with sixth place, because I lost too much time behind the Williams of Nico Hulkenberg. He seemed to have two lines during the race; one of them was on the circuit, and the other was off it.

“At one stage, he was straight-lining the chicanes every other lap, but the stewards decided not to penalise him.

“He was all over the place, but he was very difficult to pass because his Williams was quick in a straight line. We were convinced that he’d get a penalty for bolting the chicane too many times, and I understand that he got a warning from Charlie (Whiting, FIA race director), but he was never asked to relinquish his position.

“I had to be quite aggressive to pass him, but every world championship point was important because I knew Lewis [Hamilton] had crashed out of the race. As soon as I was in clean air, I was able to lap much faster and I started to gain on Nico Rosberg in fifth, but I ran out of laps.”

However, with Hamilton not making it through the first lap of the race, Webber was able to turn a three-point deficit into a fivepoint lead as the Formula 1 circus leaves Europe for a three-race stint in Asia, followed by Brazil and the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

And with the Red Bull RB6 never expected to fair well on the long straights of Monza, the gap has the potential to grow as the season enters its twilight.

“We expected Monza to be our least competitive race of the year, and it was,” added Webber. “The RB6 is at its most effective through corners, so we’re looking forward to the next few races.” www.mnews.com.au

PICTURE OF HEALTH V8 SUPERCARS

GREG Murphy is feeling much better – and may be an advertisement for V8 Supercar therapy for back pain.

Murphy completed 70 laps at Phillip Island on Sunday, 21 days after undergoing surgery for a slipped disc, and woke up on Monday to, surprisingly, find himself in much better shape than he anticipated.

“I feel better this morning than I did yesterday, to be honest,” he said on Monday.

“I am a little bit stiff, but you expect that after a long stint. But otherwise, I fell good; I am even walking much better than I was. That [a slight limp] was caused by a nerve thing, which seems to have fixed itself.”

Murphy is confident that he will have

no further problems at Bathurst, where he will share the Castrol Commodore with Allan Simonsen.

“I am quote shocked at how good I feel,” said Murphy. “I was worried about cramping, but it did not happen, and I feel pretty good. There were no dramas at all in the car, Allan is ready to go so I am looking forward to Bathurst.”

John Morris/Mpix

Dirk Klynsmith

RUSSELL JOINS TRIPLE EIGHT V8 SUPERCARS

EASTERN CREEK BACK ON V8 BILL V8 SUPERCARS

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V8 SUPERCARS will kick off its 2011 season with a oneday test at Eastern Creek.

The V8 Supercar Championship Series teams will assemble at the western Sydney circuit, which last hosted a round of the series in 2008, for a full day test on January 29. From there, the teams will return to their bases, with one Victorian team travelling north, before the cars and hardware are

airfreighted to the Middle East for the opening salvos of the new season.

V8 Supercars Australia CEO Martin Whitaker said that the test was a great opportunity for fans to see the cars in their new liveries before the northern hemisphere races.

“We had to go somewhere, and this is a good choice,” he said. “It’s a logical venue, and it will be a good opportunity for the teams to go back to the circuit.”

JOHN Russell is returning to V8 Supercars – with TeamVodafone.

Russell, currently with WilliamsF1, will start as Director of Engineering and Production for 2011, to work alongside Technical Director Ludo Lacroix.

His primary role will be to improve car reliability and production engineering.

“I am delighted to be returning to the V8SC series with Triple Eight and remain grateful to Roland [Dane] for this opportunity,” said Russell, who will see out the remainder of the F1 season before relocating to Brisbane with his wife Mandy and children.

“I’m very excited to be in a position where I will be able to contribute to both the

continued successes of Triple Eight at the track and also participating in the process of developing a sound, sustainable and contemporary chassis platform to take the category into the future.”

Russell has previously worked in V8 Supercars with Ford Performance Racing, joining the team in 2003. He also worked with Brad Jones Racing.

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NASH: DUMBRELL IS FREE TO GO V8 SUPERCARS

ROD Nash Racing is prepared for a future with or without Paul Dumbrell, although Nash is expecting his driver to stay on board for 2011.

Nash told eNews that a recent meeting between he and Dumbrell had indicated that nothing will change in regards to their current three-year deal, suggesting that Dumbrell will continue driving The Bottle-O Racing Falcon at least into next year, despite growing business commitments. However, Nash also confirmed that should Dumbrell

wish to hang up the helmet, he wouldn’t contest any contractual arrangements.

“It’s a personal decision for Paul, at the end of the day,” Nash told eNews.

“We’ve spoken recently and nothing has really changed in regards to our threeyear arrangement. But our families are close, and because of that, if Paul asked me, that arrangement would be broken.

“The Nash/Dumbrell relationship is different to most commercial relationships. I’m being honest here, nothing has changed. But the option is there for Paul if he doesn’t want to do it. I’ve made it clear that it will always be

his decision.”

Nash also said that he didn’t think the business commitments would affect Dumbrell’s racing as much as people are speculating. “[Paul] has enormous support from the management at Autobarn. They like him keeping a profile.”

Should Dumbrell walk away at the end of the year, Nash is confident that a suitable replacement would be found.

“As a team owner you’re always looking at drivers, but at this point, there is nothing to do about it.”

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

Dirk Klynsmith

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V8 SUPERCARS DANIEL Gaunt has been buoyed by his call-up to replace Greg Murphy for the L&H 500 at Phillip Island last weekend, despite Murphy proving fit enough to race the #51 Castrol racer.

Gaunt was on standby for the weekend after Murphy underwent back surgery several weeks ago, putting his ability to compete in the 500-kilometre race in doubt. And while Murphy eventually proved fit and took part in the race, Gaunt told eNews that the offer from Paul Morris Motorsport was a good confidence booster, fater being dumped from Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport before Townsville.

“I haven’t given up [on a main series return], that’s for sure,” Gaunt said.

“It was very generous of Paul [Morris] to offer me the position if Greg wasn’t healthy. Unfortunately, or fortunately, Greg was healthy, and it’s good to see him on the mend. Even so, it’s good to have a purpose, hang out with the team, and not be at home watching it on TV.” In the lead-up to the race, Gaunt tested Murphy’s car for PMM, and said it was good to be back behind the wheel of a V8 Supercar.

“The test was really good,” he added.

“Triple Eight and Paul Morris Motorsport have developed a car that has a completely different way of going about speed. I can see now, with the small taste that I’ve had, why it is such a successful car.”

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

John Morris/Mpix

Dirk Klynsmith

GAUNT HAPPY WITH PMM CALL

THOMMO FEELING THE HEAT V8 SUPERCARS ANDREW Thompson has admitted that he is driving for his future, as the second half of his single-contracted season with Bundy Red Racing gets underway.

Thompson has suffered an inconsistent and unlucky first half of the season, currently sitting 29th in the series standings after a 26th place finish in the L&H 500 partnered with Nick Percat.

And with his current BRR contract only running until the end of season 2010, he isn’t backing away from the fact that he will need to drive for his job in the latter

part of the season.

“I suppose you could say that,” he said.

“We haven’t had a great year as a team; everyone wants to be further up from where we are. So we need to finish the year off strong, and walk away with some strong results towards the end of the year.

That’s what we’re working towards.

“For myself, yeah, there’s a bit of work to do to get some results, and show everyone that I can do the job. I need to re-establish my capabilities, and it’s a long road ahead. But I’m up for it, and the team are up for it as well.”

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

COTF: CAR OF THE FIORE V8 SUPERCARS DEAN Fiore is looking at the Car of the Future as the key indicator as to whether he will align his Triple F Racing outfit with a bigger team in the future.

While Fiore has been linked various teams as a fourth car, with Dick Johnson Racing a favourite on the rumour mill, the West Aussie told eNews that any reports of a deal in the works is premature. Instead, he will wait until further details of the Car of the Future come to light, in a bid to better prepare his squad for a future in the sport.

“We want to align ourselves with a team who’s at the forefront of Car of the Future,” he told eNews.

“How we do that exactly, well I’m not sure at the moment. The other big thing for us is to maintain the Triple F brand – that’s very important – and we haven’t even started talking to other teams about how we might be able to best do that.

“After Bathurst, we will probably start to have a think about what we’ll do in the future.”

Fiore and team-mate Michael Patrizi finished 14th in last weekend’s L&H 500.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN motorsport news

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GMR STICKS WITH DRIVERS V8 SUPERCARS

Dirk Klynsmith

GREG Murphy Racing is hoping to maintain the same driver lineup for its Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 wildcard entry.

Fujitsu Series driver Marcus Zukanovic joined the team at late notice alongside Geoff Emery for the L&H 500, with the pair finishing 23rd. Post-race, team owner Kevin Murphy said discussions would take place this week about keeping Zukanovic on board for his Bathurst 1000 debut.

“It would be nice to continue with what we’ve achieved this weekend and build on it,” he said.

“The two drivers have got on really well, the seating suited them both, there were no issues in that regard. Marcus has been exceptionally easy and good to work with, no hassles at all, and I think he’s enjoyed driving it and working with the team.

“So we will be getting together this week to see if we can continue the relationship a bit further.”

On Saturday, Zukanovic shone, initially qualifying 21st for his Sprint Race. He was

excluded from the session for a procedural mix-up in pitlane, but came back to finish 12th in the Driver A Sprint Race.

“Unfortunately there was bit of a hiccup which was nothing to do with the driver,” Murphy said.

“At the end of the day, it probably didn’t alter today’s result all that dramatically,

but at the time it was quite exciting to qualify so well and then in his race to come through to 12th.

“Today (Sunday) was a good finish, we were there at the end, we didn’t cause any problems and the car ran faultlessly. We’re pretty happy with it.”

– MITCHELL ADAM

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7/14/10 9:15:11 AM

NEW WRC MINI CHALLENGER SAMPLES DIRT

WRC TESTING of the new MINI Countryman World Rally Car prototype continues in the UK and Portugal.

Prodrive’s engineering team drove the car over four days at the company’s low-grip facility in Warwick last week,

before moving to Portugal for testing on gravel. BMW did not name the drivers involved in the program but it is known that former World Champion Marcus Gronholm is involved.

“As with any totally new car, it is vital to take time to ensure all the systems are working as intended before embarking

on a week long gravel test,” said David Lapworth, Prodrive technical director.

The car ran in heavilydisguised interim bodywork, while the design of the racer’s definitive aero kit and bodywork is being finalised.

Subject to testing, it is possible that the car could

make its competition debut before the end of the season. BMW has believed to have secured a deal with 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge Champion Kris Meeke but rumours continue that Gronholm, 42, is still interested in returning to the sport …

NEW AUS MINI BOSS SAMPLES CHALLENGE MINI CHALLENGE

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Phil Williams

MINI’s new National Manager says the company remains committed to the MINI Challenge and will work to further leverage its involvement in 2011.

Having joined BMW Group Australia from the UK seven weeks ago, David Woollcott attended his first Australian race meeting at Phillip Island to sample the local Hertz MINI Challenge.

Woollcott told eNews that his aim for the series was to find new ways of enhancing its links with MINI’s product range and increasing value for the brand in 2011.

“Motorsport is, whether you’re Formula 1 or the MINI Challenge, on a knife edge to do with how the teams

fund themselves, how we assist them with sponsorship, how we assist them with the events, so it’s still year by year open to discussion about how we run it,” he said.

“We’re in the planning stages for 2011 with [category manager] Toleman Motorsport to work out how that’s going to look. We’re certainly looking to keep it for 2011 so it’s just how it all fits together.

“I guess the conversation we have about MINI, Holden are having about the V8 series.

“We’ve obviously got V8s to consider; how do we work with television, how do we show MINI and John Cooper Works in its best light? We’re certainly here to race but we’re also here to show the engineering credentials of the

product we sell. We’ve got to work hard to determine how we knit those two together.

“I want to get my customers to motorsport, get the John Cooper MINI fanbase here, because I think they’ll be fascinated on the way it works

and how closely linked the products are.

“The more people we can get here, the stronger the business case is for all of us and the stronger the business case is for the sponsors.”

– MITCHELL ADAM motorsport news

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New name for Sydney venue SPEEDWAY THE Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway era will end in just under a fortnight – but the historic venue isn’t going anywhere.

Rather, it will be renamed to Tyrepower Sydney Speedway.

The change will take place on September 27, before a gala season launch on September 30.

“The decision to move away from Parramatta City Raceway is based on multiple reasons and we’re confident the venue’s new name, Sydney Speedway, will be embraced by all stakeholders, simply because

it clearly states what happens at the facility,” General Manager David Tapp said.

“Also, the venue was taken over by a new company, Sydney Speedway P/L, in November of last year and hence the decision to change the name to Sydney Speedway is logical.

“In addition, we have completely re-structured the business and we believe it is time to reinvigorate the way the stadium is perceived by adopting numerous new strategies and the change of name is seen as being important to ensure speedway’s longevity in

Australia’s largest capital city.

“The reality is Parramatta City Raceway is not readily recognised by the broader community as being a world class speedway stadium. We are a speedway venue and one of Australia’s best I might add, yet the word ‘speedway’ doesn’t even appear in the venue’s event marketing.

“We are Sydney’s only speedway, so the unveiling of Tyrepower Sydney Speedway as the venue’s new name is a no brainer. Our major sponsor, Tyrepower and all other senior corporate partners are totally on board with the idea and are backing the decision to change

names 100%.

“We are Sydney Speedway and that’s what the venue should be called. It says it all.”

Tyrepower Sydney Speedway will also offer a $470,000 prize pool across its 24-night 2010/2011 Track Championship.

In the biggest change from recent seasons, $5,000-to-win is now the minimum for Sprintcar rounds, up from $3,000 paydays for A Main winners.

Walsh almost tests Falcon FUJITSU SERIES

MECHANICAL issues thwarted Ash Walsh’s intended return to a V8 Supercar yesterday, Monday.

Walsh was due to turn laps at Queensland Raceway, as Wayne Miles’ Fujitsu Series squad shook down their recently-purchased, second exTriple Eight Falcon. However

engine dramas hampered the handover session, with Walsh not getting onto the track.

He’s the second Formula Ford driver to have an involvement with East Coast Traffic Control Racing, with his title rival, points leader Chaz Mostert, to make his Fujitsu Series debut at Bathurst with the team.

As previously reported

in eNews, Walsh is eyeing a move into the Fujitsu Series in 2011.

“It’s unfortunate, there were some dramas with the engine,” Walsh said.

“I was looking forward to it, I hadn’t been in a V8 Supercar since 2008, so hopefully we can do something else soon.

“I went and spoke to Wayne a couple of months about my

plans and his plans for next year. I tested his OzTruck and then we spoke about this test.

Getting in a car will be the first step in securing something in the Fujitsu Series next year.” eNews understands the team is keen to run two cars in next year’s Fujitsu Series with Mostert likely to contest a full campaign.

– MITCHELL ADAM

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Disorder in Lotus s team orders row Coswo FORMULA 1

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he debate over team orders in Formula 1 is set to continue after the World Motor Sport Council elected not to impose further sanction on Ferrari for its manipulation of the order of its one-two finish in the German Grand Prix.

The special hearing in Paris on the Wednesday before the Italian Grand Prix found that Ferrari’s infringement of Article 39.1 of the sporting regulations, which states that ‘team orders which interfere with a race result are prohibited’, should stand.

However, rather than impose an additional penalty on Ferrari, such as a loss of points in the Constructors’ Championship,

the WMSC ruled that Article 39.1 should be reviewed. It has referred the matter to the Formula One Sporting Working Group for further consideration.

The US$100,000 fine imposed on Ferrari by Hockenheim stewards remains, inviting the observation that teams might now be able to legally ‘buy’ a team order for $100,000.

In fact, Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner suggested just such a possibility as he juggles the conflicting Championship aspirations of his drivers Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel with fives races still to run in the ’10 season.

“We are going to look like idiots if we end up losing the title by five points after allowing Mark and Sebastian to race,” he said at Monza.

But McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh scoffed at the idea of ‘buying’ a team order for $100,000, telling Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport: “It would be pretty stupid to interpret the (FIA) ruling like that.”

Further muddying the waters in Italy was F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, whose view that teams should be able to exercise team orders is at odds with the FIA regulations.

“The rules are still in place,” he said. “I think the teams will respect the rule as much as they can as long as it remains.”

FORMULA 1

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hile it is only a rumour that Lotus Racing is seeking an engine deal with Renault for 2011, what is certain is that it will not be powered by Cosworth beyond the end of this year.

Cosworth itself confirmed in a statement issued on Sunday night after the Italian Grand

20 rac FORMULA 1

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he 2011 F1 calendar has been released, and the addition of a new race in India means an expanded 20-race season, the longest in the 61-year history of the World Championship.

The new Indian race will be round 18, on October 30, while the final round will revert to Brazil rather than Abu Dhabi, which will host the penultimate race. The inclusion of India makes it the fifth brand new circuit to be added to the F1 schedule in as many years.

The ’11 season will kick off at Bahrain, on March 13, followed by the Australian Grand Prix two weeks later. Malaysia and China follow before the championship heads to Europe.

Next year’s season will feature four back-to-back events, with Malaysia/China, Spain/ Monaco, Germany/Hungary and Japan/Korea taking place on consecutive weekends. motorsport news

For full F1/ MotoGP/ WRC coverage/news, CLICK HERE to get to GPWeek magazine -

switches off orth power Prix that it and Lotus will be going their separate ways next year.

“Cosworth has reached an agreement in principle with Lotus Racing whereby the team’s Cosworth engine supply agreement will come to a conclusion at the end of the current Formula 1 season,” the

www.gpweek.com

Flavio linked to Pirelli return

Cosworth statement read. “This agreement is subject to contract and until the agreement is signed, neither party will be making any further comment.”

In addition to Lotus, Cosworth engines currently power Virgin Racing, HRT and Williams.

FORMULA 1

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ces in 2011 sutton-images.com

ust as the FIA is considering the introduction of a ‘competitor’s staff’ licence in F1 to ensure team members comply with standards of ‘good standing’ comes the news that former Renault F1 chief Flavio Briatore is rumoured to returning to the sport working with F1’s new official tyre supplier Pirelli.

The flamboyant Italian was banned for life from Formula 1 for his role in the infamous ‘Crashgate’ scandal of 2008 in which he persuaded Nelson Piquet to crash his car in order to favour team-mate Fernando Alonso. Briatore was able to have the FIA ban overturned in the courts, but since then has not sought to return to an involvement in F1 beyond his existing driver management contracts.

However, according to France’s Auto Hebdo, Braitore is strongly linked with Pirelli, which next year will replace Bridgestone as F1’s sole supplier of tyres.

“Pirelli will be in F1 next year but I have no contact with them,” Briatore said. “Why? I don’t know, but not now, in another life perhaps,” he added cryptically.

After more than a year in F1 ‘exile’, Briatore was seen attending the Monaco and Italian Grands Prix. It has also been rumoured that may return to the sport in a promotional role at the request of Bernie Ecclestone.

2011 FIA Formula One World Championship calendar: Bahrain Australia Malaysia China Turkey Spain Monaco Canada Europe Great Britain

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24/07 31/07 28/08 11/09 25/09 09/10 16/10 30/10 13/11 27/11

Germany Hungary Belgium Italy Singapore Japan Korea India Abu Dhabi Brazil

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13/03 27/03 10/04 17/04 08/05 22/05 29/05 12/06 26/06 10/07

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IZOD Media

Glen dumped in Indy calendar carve up INDYCAR

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he Watkins Glen road course and three oval venues have been dumped from next year’s IndyCar schedule, it was revealed when the Indy Racing league CEO Randy Bernard unveiled the 17-round 2011 calendar.

The calendar carve up is a clear snub to ISC, the owner of Watkins Glen and the three ovals in question: Kansas, Chicagoland and Homestead.

Bernard sought to play down the obvious differences between ISC and IndyCar, saying the major issue was merely ‘scheduling’.

“ISC has promoted 66 races in their history with us,” Bernard explained.

“We have to make sure that we are moving IndyCar to the next level. One of our goals for next year is to have 24 different promoters interested in the series and select the top 17, 18, 19 events.

“Unfortunately, ISC was a victim this year, as scheduling was a major issue; the sanction agreement and fees were another, and third would be marketing (lack of it). Those would be the key factors most likely as to why we are not going back to any of those four tracks.”

In place of the ISC tracks come two 14

new events, at Baltimore (3.2km street course) and Loudon, New Hampshire (1.6km).

The season finale could bring the IndyCars back to Las Vegas after a 10-year absence if local sponsorship can be found.

If that fails, Fontana’s 2.4km oval is likely to host the last race of the season.

The historic Milwaukee Mile, omitted in 2009 after the promoter failed to pay its

2008 sanctioning fees to both the IRL and NASCAR, is back on the calendar for ‘11.

A new promoter has stepped up but the traditional Milwaukee date the week following the Indy 500 has moved to two weeks later. Randy Bernard was working towards self-promoting that race, after input from both drivers and fans, to have another short oval to balance the schedule.

Mary Mendez

2011 IndyCar Schedule March 27 St. Petersburg Fla April 10 Barber Motorsports Park Ut April 17 Long Beach Ca May 1 Sao Paulo Brazil May 29 Indianapolis Motor Speedway, In June 11* Texas Motor Speedway, Tx June 19 The Milwaukee Mile, Wi June 25* Iowa Speedway, Ia July 10 Toronto, Canada July 24 Edmonton Canada Aug. 7 Mid Ohio, Oh Aug. 14 New Hampshire, NH Aug. 28 Infineon Raceway, Ca Sept. 4 Baltimore, Md Sept. 18 Twin Ring Motegi, Japan Oct. 2 Kentucky Speedway, Ky *Denotes night race Schedule Subject to Change

Street 1.8 mile Road 2.3 mile Street 1.968 mile Street 2.536 mile Oval 2.5 mile Oval 1.5 mile Oval 1.0 mile Oval 0.875 mile Street 1.755 mile Airport 1.973 mile Road 2.258 mile Oval 1.0 mile Road 2.303 mile Street 2.0 mile Oval 1.5 mile Oval 1.5 mile

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Swede and Reed

NASCAR

Chase settled

NASCAR

NASCAR

M

R

ATTIAS Ekstrom and Reed Sorenson will share Red Bull Racing’s #83 Toyota for the rest of the year – but any decision about 2011 is still up in the air.

The Swede raced the car at Richmond on the weekend, qualifying 42nd and finishing 31st in his first race on an oval. But there are a number of possibilities in play for next year, including three entries from team.

What is certain is that Kasey Kahne will join the team for one year, and that the team is waiting on Brian Vickers, who is currently undergoing treatment for blood clots, to make his medical prognosis clear. That would appear to leave existing Red Bull driver Scott Speed in a difficult position, not to mention where Sorenson may end up next year.

In the meantime, one of the facts that is known, is that Ekstom already has a deal in place for next season – with Audi, in the DTM.

ICHMOND produced no last-minute shocks so far as the makeup of the drivers in The Chase for the Sprint Cup. The 12 drivers who will fight out the 2010 title have been reordered, with all getting a ‘standard’ 5000 points, plus 10 points for each win that they took during the course of the ‘regular’ season.

They are Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, 5060 points), Jimmie Johnson (Hendrick Motorsports Chevy, 5050), previous points leader Kevin Harvick (Richard Childress Racing Chevy, 5030), Kyle Busch (Gibbs Toyota, 5030), Kurt Busch (Penske Racing Dodge, 5020), three drivers on 2010 points; Tony Stewart (Stewart Haas Chevy), Greg Biffle (Roush Fenway Ford) and five drivers who failed to win a race in 2010 on 5000; Jeff Gordon (Hendrick Chevy), Carl Edwards (Roush Ford), Jeff Burton (Childress Chevy), Matt Kenseth (Roush Ford) and Clint Bowyer (Childress Chevy).

The final 10 races, staring this weekend in New Hampshire, will be fascinating. Hamlin won six races during the season but JGR has not shown its best form in previous Chases – unlike Hendrick Motorsport. On the other hand, it goes into The Chase with two cars, against three from Childress and Roush Fenway. Kenseth has finished all 26 races this season and completed more laps than any driver in the series – but there are good reasons to name Kyle Busch, not Johnson, as the fastest driver in the dozen.

Either way, The Chase will make great viewing. All races are on Sundays, Monday mornings Australian time, and we wait for the first loud noise in Loudon next week ...x

Power vs Dario in Indy thriller INDYCAR

T

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NASCAR Media

WO 1.5-mile oval tracks – Motegi and Homestead – will decide the 2010 IndyCar Champion, and only two drivers remain standing.

Will Power, who has 552 points, could wrap up the Championship at the penultimate round at Motegi this weekend should he earn maximum points and Franchitti has a bad race. But Franchitti, currently on 535 points, cannot clinch the title in Japan.

The Queenslander and the Scot have a high degree of mutual respect.

Here’s what the contenders said about each other: “Dario is a very mistake-free, fast driver, and he’s very experienced,” Power said, who has run up front and led many laps at the last two ovals. “He knows how to win championships; he knows how to win races.”

“It’s going to be a fight to the wire,” said Franchitti, who has struggled early in the last two oval races, yet managed a win and fifth, finishing both races ahead of Power. “The Penske team is very, very strong. Will is doing a good job. He’s learning quickly. We’re well aware of what the Target Team can do and how great they are.”

Mary Mendez

15

CAMS kids get fitness boost FORMULA FORD CAMS Rising Stars Jack Le Brocq and Matthew Brabham have been keeping busy between rounds of the Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship.

After attending an AMSF fitness camp on the Gold Coast with Phil Young and Glenn Lindsey, Young invited the pair to join Jim Bram Racing’s preenduro fitness camp 10 days ago.

Le Brocq and Brabham joined James Courtney, Steve Johnson, Jonathon Webb, David Russell and Warren Luff on the three-

day course, with hiking, running, riding and rowing among the activities.

“It was great to meet them all and the weekend gave me a good benchmark that I’m really looking forward to working towards,” Le Brocq, left of photo, said.

“I really enjoyed the activities over the weekend and Phil and Glen really put me through my paces. I was pleased with how I went and know where I would like to be with my fitness level.

I was able to give the guys a run for their money during the running exercises which I was quite pleased with.

“I brought a lot more knowledge and experience away from the weekend and I am really looking forward to

trying to improve it more over the next month before the next Round of the Championship on the Gold Coast.”

James Smith

Castle on the move GT3 CUP CHALLENGE PRODUCTION Car regular Lee Castle will switch to the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge presented by Mission Foods.

The Gold Coast driver has purchased Terry Knight’s 996model GT3 Cup Car, and will join the series for the final round at Sandown in October, ahead of a planned full campaign in 2011.

Castle has spent recent 16

years with Wilson Brothers Racing, driving their Subaru WRX STi in the Australian Manufacturers Championship and Bathurst 12 Hour.

“I’m testing the car for the first time on Wednesday at Morgan Park, so it’ll be a pretty sleepless night on Tuesday,” Castle said.

“I’m thankful to WBR for their time and efforts over the last few years, now it’s onto bigger and better things. It’ll

be good to have our own car and gear, and I’ve wanted a Porsche for a couple of years.

I was going to do Carrera Cup, then the series fell over and I’ve wanted one ever since.

“The Subaru was the first racecar I ever drove, after 10 years of karting, so I’m looking forward to driving the Porsche, it’ll be a total change to what I’m used to.

“I’ve got to get used to the car, how to drive it and even

where you drive it, sitting on the other side. It’ll be a good change.

“We’ll do Sandown and at this stage the full GT3 Cup Challenge season next year, depending on where they go and how it fits in with work commitments.”

Knight will continue in the series, purchasing a replacement 996 from Tony Quinn.

– MITCHELL ADAM motorsport news

news

VALE: RAY LINTOTT Better late than never ... decade raced a Dodge Viper in GT Production.

He was also a regular in Targa Tasmania, and raced extensively internationally, competing in both the Nurburgring and Le Mans 24 hour. In 1998, driving a Porsche he achieved the distinction of winning the last ever race held at the Amaroo Park circuit in Sydney.

Around this time he was sidelined by a heart bypass operation, with CAMS subsequently suspending his competition licence on medical grounds for an indefinite period.

In typical entrepreneurial fashion, Lintott worked out a plan to get around the ban.

He purchased an apartment in the United States, and then obtained an ACUS (Auto Club of the United States) racing licence. He returned to Australia and told CAMS he was an Australian citizen residing in the US, and he wanted to race here on his approved American licence.

They couldn’t refuse him.

Motorsport News extends its deepest sympathy to Ray’s family and friends.

AUSSIES OVERSEAS

LUKE Ellery will make his longawaited debut in the USF2000 Championship debut in the 2010 season finale.

Having originally planned to contest the full season, budget constraints have kept Ellery in Australia, where he leads the Victorian Formula Ford 1600 Championship. However, he’ll join the field at Road Atlanta on September 30 – October 1.

“After eight months of hard work, we have finally got there,” Ellery said.

“I would not be in this situation without the aid of my strong network group, my family and friends who have kept me motivated to keep trying to raise the budget.

“I look forward to dipping my toes in the water at Road Atlanta, to get a feel for the cars, the team, the track and the atmosphere of the USF2000 Championship – it’s a whole new game for me.

“My goal is to contest the full championship in 2011 and go for the championship prize of a Star Mazda seat. That is my goal and I have never been so determined to give myself that one chance.”

The Road Atlanta round supports Petit Le Mans, and will cap a busy week for Ellery. After the final round of the Victorian State Series on September 2526, he’ll fly straight to America on Monday, test on Tuesday and start the race meeting on Wednesday.

Mitchell Adam

FORMER Touring Car and Sportscar driver Ray Lintott has died after a long battle with cancer. He was 67.

Lintott was a prominent figure in the Sydney motor industry over a lengthy period, establishing several successful car dealerships.

He began his racing career in a Formula Vee in 1966 but soon switched to a Lotus Elan.

He was 1972 NSW Sports Car Champion, and that year he made the first of his six Great race starts at Bathurst, in a Datsun 1200.

Lintott retired from racing soon after to concentrate on business, but returned in 1975 in an ex-Bob Morris Torana XU-1.

For the next two decades he continued to compete sporadically when business commitments allowed, sharing a BMW M3 with Mark Thatcher to fourth in class in the 1988 Pukekohe 500 before embarking on a limited season of the Australian Touring Car Championship in a Ford Sierra RS500.

Lintott competed in the Bathurst 12 Hour event during the early ‘90s and later that

REMEMBER when we told you about Foxtel’s soon-to-belaunched 24-hour motorsport channel, SPEED, a fortnight ago?

Foxtel has confirmed that they “will be releasing a range of new channels in late-2010 and will announce details of these channels shortly”, but SPEED appeared in public for the first time at Phillip Island.

All Australian Superbike and Supersport entries ran this sticker last weekend. They’ll be part of the programming lineup.

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Laverty’s R1 WORLD SUPERBIKE

Yamaha Racing

YAMAHA has completed its ‘staircase’ 2011 lineup, by announcing that Eugene Laverty will move up to its 2011 World Superbike Championship squad.

Laverty, who currently races in the World Supersport Championship for the Parkalgar Honda team, will join the Yamaha Sterilgarda team. He replaces Cal Crutchlow, to whom he lost the WSS title to in 2009, who will move to Tech 3 Yamaha – to replace Fiat Yamaha-bound Ben Spies.

“It’s great to have a contract signed at this stage while still fighting for the title in the Supersport class. I desperately want to win this year before moving on,” he said. “When I rode the Yamaha YZF-R6 in World Supersport in 2008 I was having a tough time in 250s, it’s nice that Yamaha brought me to the fore and are now giving me the opportunity within superbike.”

With Laverty set to partner Marco Melandri at the team, speculation now turns to the future of James Toseland. The Briton’s return to World Superbike has seen him consistently overshadowed by Crutchlow, who has adapted to Yamaha’s R1 far better than the former World champion, who now looks likely to return to Ten Kate Honda.

JKBSMRZ2DCTI

JAKOB Smrz’s flirtation with Aprilia has turned out to be temporary, the Czech announcing that he will return to Ducati in 2011.

Smrz, whose B&G Racing team switched to Aprilia mid-season, will join the new Liberty Racing team, based in Prague. The team will field 18

a pair of Ducati 1198s in the 2011 series.

Smrz marked himself as one of the coming men of the sport with his first pole last year at Misano, and score his maiden podium finish at Assen.

However his results since switching to the RSV-4 have been less convincing, no doubt prompting a switch back to the V-twins.

WORLD SUPERBIKE JONNY Rea is staying with Ten Kate Honda.

The Irishman has confirmed that he will stay with the team, for which he has scored six wins and 18 podium finishes in two seasons.

“I’m really happy to be staying with this fantastic team for another season,” said the 23-year-old.

World Superbike

World Superbike

WORLD SUPERBIKE

TKH keeping it Rea “To become a championship winner, I recognise that I need continuity and that’s what I’ve got now. It’s no secret that my ultimate ambition is to compete in GPs but I’ll still only be 24 next season so I’m really happy to aim for the World Superbike title in 2011 and then hopefully take the next step forward after that within the Honda family.”

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BRIEFLY n Australian karting identity, Remo Luciani hasn’t been able to escape the flood emergency in Victoria the past week. The family home in Horsham saw flood waters come to within 30 metres of the front door. n Following on from its

popular female only race event, Combined Districts Kart Club will run a Ladies Class as part of the Clyde Marshall Memorial at Lithgow, October 23-24. The event will be run to Senior National rules at 140kg minimum weight limit. n Eurosport – 511 on the Fox Sports and Austar platforms – has been showing covering of the World Under 18 Karting Championships. The programs so far have aired early morning, so its worth keeping an eye on the Electronic Program Guide each week. The competition is brutal! n CC Racing’s Anton dePasquale was the toast of the annual F1 Management Junior Sprint Classic at Puckapunyal recently.

He took the ‘Champion of Champions’ Junior Clubman race, the Junior MAX category and the Junior Clubman class. James Golding took the Junior National Pro feature class.

– MATT PAYNE

20

LAMMERS, VERSTAPPEN STAR AT WORLD CUP KARTING

DOUBLE European KZ1 (Gearbox) karting champion Baz Lammers has now added a World Cup to his impressive resume, taking his Intrepid-TM combination to victory at Braga in Portugal over the weekend, whilst Max Verstappen, the son of former F1 pilot Jos, made the podium in the KF3 Junior World Cup. Lammers was the pace-setter throughout the heats, dominated the Pre-Final from pole and took the World Championship Final by more than five seconds – the win an emotional one due to the recent loss of his father.

“I have recently gone through the pain of losing my dad,” Lammers said, pictured below.

“Afterwards, I focussed more than ever on this race and it became an absolute desire to win it for him. I know this would have made him very happy, so I dedicate this victory to him.”

Second was Lammers’ team-mate Jeremy Iglesias – who must be wondering when he can take that next step after finishing second in two World Cups and two European Championships now. Coming home third was a surprise for all on hand – 17-year-old Finn, Oskari Kurki-Suonio.

Kurki-Suonio was driving an unheralded Ninar chassis from his homeland and advanced from 10th on the grid.

Also conducted at Braga was the world KF3 (Pro Junior here in Australia) World Cup. 12-year-old Verstappen (CRG-TM) was a star, getting home in second placing after taking the challenge right to impressive Red Bullsupported Brit Alexander Albon (Intrepid-TM).

Verstappen was unable to get around Albon, his win giving Intrepid two World Championship victories for the weekend.

Third place went to another Brit – Callan O’Keefe aboard a FA Kart (Fernando Alonso)/ Vortex combination. Just in his second year of karting, O’Keefe charged from ninth on the grid.

“I could never relax, because Max was always right behind,” said Albon.

“I don’t think I could have dreamt of a better season and this has capped it perfectly.”

With Brits toward the top end of the Under 18 World Championship and dominating the KF3 World Cup, the future is looking very bright for the next Lewis Hamilton or Jenson Button coming through!

– MATT PAYNE

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Luke Nieuwhof

Brennan tops up DRAG RACING WA driver Maurice Brennan will be taking his Holden Commodore into the fray of Top Doorslammer racing this season.

Brennan will be making the shift from Competition, looking forward to the opportunity to race big names like Victor Bray.

“I spoke to Victor when I bought a crankshaft off him and I said I would be in the field for Doorslammer, so we should line up against each other. He said, ‘Maurice, I’ll smoke your arse’,” Brennan said.

“It will be something to look forward to, to run up against a legend like Victor has always been a dream.”

The team has been building up its infrastructure to compete with an arsenal of spare parts being established including two complete engines and enough clutches to last for the year.

“We’re more professional and more organised now,” Brennan said.

Uniquely the team will be switching between a Top

Doorslammer set up and a set up for AA/Altered Production – the classing the car runs under the WA series Top Comp.

“We will be in Top Doorslammer trim just for those events, we will be running in Altered Production for most of the year,” Brennan said.

“We will try and test in Top Doorslammer, but we’re not finished trying to develop in Altered Production. We’ve still got a bit left in it.”

Crew chief James Rowland is planning on making the setups as similar as possible, with allowances for the rules in each. Some different gearbox ratios will be used and new wheels are on the way.

Brennan explained the team’s strategy.

“We are going to keep the same basic tune up but with more fuel to the engine and a clutch change as well, we are going from 2700-2800 horsepower to about 32003300 horsepower,” he said.

The team will also carry new paint and sponsorship from K Trans this season.

– LUKE NIEUWHOF

How ANDRA met Mothers DRAG RACING ANDRA Pro Series unveiled their new Official Care Car Supplier at the Fuchs Australian Nationals last weekend. Mothers Polishes.

Waxes.Cleaners joins the ranks and will add some lustre to this year’s championship.

The Command Auto Group’s National Sales and Marketing Manager,” Andrew Pidgeon, Distributors of Mothers Car Care, said.

“We believe Mothers Polishes.

Waxes.Cleaners and drag racing are a natural fit. Drag racing being one of the fastest

growing motorsport products and Mothers the fastest growing car care product in Australia, there’s a logical partnership.”

As the Official Car Care Suppliers, Mothers provides an entire range to maintain the appearance of not only a race car but also the daily driver and is considered one of the most prestigious car care brands globally.

Changes for Shannons Shooout DRAG RACING SHANNONS will continue as naming rights sponsors of the ANDRA Pro Series Top Fuel Shootout, with the insurance company committing to another 12 month deal. Whilst last year’s mini-championship was declared a success, there will be some major changes to the 2010/11 format.

Whilst Top Fuel teams will again be awarded Shannons Shootout points in line with the normal championship points allocation for the ANDRA Pro Series, each driver will vie for bonus points haul via a lottery draw at each event. Maximum bonus points will depend on the number of teams competing and the emphasis is on giving lower budget teams a real shot at winning. Shannons is putting up $3,000 per event for the winning driver.

“Due to the success of the

Shannons Top Fuel Shootout last season we are proud to renew our commitment to the ANDRA Pro Series this season,” said Shannons’ National Sales Manager, Paul Gates.

“Due to the enthusiasm of the Top Fuel competitors last season, we have decided to expand on the Shannons Top Fuel Shootout concept for this season with prize money up for grabs at every Top Fuel round.

“We are also combining the Shannons Top Fuel Shootout with a parade of top fuel drivers at every event where they will giveaway t-shirts and caps to fans. We are really focussed on raising the profile of the top fuel category,” Gates concluded.

For the record, AEG Tools pilot Darren Morgan not only grabbed the highest bonus points but also took home the $3,000 cheque at last weekend’s Fuchs Australian Nationals.

ANDRA Pro Series news i

22

motorsport news

news

Raps come off US tilt DRAG RACING

Luke Nieuwhof

THE NSW-based Rapisarda Racing team will take the massive step of competing in the USA in October and November.

Mark Mariani will be the driver as the team attends the Las Vegas and Pomona rounds of the NHRA championship.

Rapisarda planned to race in the USA with his son Louie, who passed away after an accident at Willowbank Raceway in 1990. Now the team will realise that dream.

Glenn Mikres will be the crew chief for the team as Santo’s sons, Santo Jnr and Santino, continue their apprenticeship in learning to run the outfit.

“Doing the two events will certainly be a good experience

and a huge learning curve for the team,” Santo Jnr said.

“Just the experience of the faster turnarounds and competing against more cars is going to be great. Hopefully we can do well.”

The dragster used by Allan Dobson in the last ANDRA Pro Series will be the one the team takes to contest in the NHRA. Santo Jnr said the team plans to leave the car and transporter in the USA and possibly compete in several NHRA events next year.

“If all goes well at these two events, we will look at doing some (NHRA) events that do not clash with our (ANDRA championship) races in Australia, perhaps the first few races at start of next year,” he said.

Mariani said he was stunned

when he found out about the plans.

“When Santo (Snr) said he is going to send a car to the US and wanted me to drive it, my jaw hit the floor,” he said.

“I am still in shock, but I guess when we get on the plane it’ll be like; I’m really going to do this. It is something that I’ve

always wanted to do.

“I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself or the team, but if we are able to qualify and go a few (elimination) rounds that would be sensational, particularly against world class drivers and teams.”

– LUKE NIEUWHOF

Up and at them DRAG RACING

Luke Nieuwhof

is proudly presented by:

A FACE missing at the opening of the ANDRA Pro Series was that of Top Bike veteran Jay Upton.

The rider of the world’s quickest Honda took the opportunity to regroup and will be back for the second round of the championship.

“The team has continued to support its long term sponsors through this difficult period, but can no longer continue to

operate at a professional level without a sufficient budget,” Upton said.

“With the highly successful implementation of our OneHD TV series, the ANDRA Pro Series has much to offer.

“Our sport is changing and growing to a new level and we have to change and grow with it. I am confident that we can continue to be a worthwhile contributor to the ANDRA Pro Series going forward.”

– LUKE NIEUWHOF

Next ANDRA Pro Series Round:

Top Fuel & Top Alcohol Sydney Dragway, October 30-31 ANDRA Pro Series on TV: Top Fuel, Fuchs Aus Nationals Friday September 17, 10pm

www.mnews.com.au

23

Five Minutes with ...

BRAD JONES

Early in the L&H 500, it looked like a disaster for Brad Jones Racing. But car #8 finished in third place. How did Brad call the strategy? PHIL BRANAGAN asked

Two unusual occurances; you are virtually last and, during the first half of the race, there are no retirements. So, as a strategist, what is it that you are looking for?

You are looking for a window to allow you to minimise the damage. You want to make the losses you have at the time as small as possible.

That is what we did. There was a seven to 10 lap window, during which we were a lap down. Then, the race started to unfold, but we were still a little bit behind the game. I didn’t expect Brighty to be the reason for us to get the Safety Car that we needed – he was really

But what killed us was the drive through penalty. Andrew and the guys in pitlane did a great job from there; not only did we pit early, but they had to do it quickly, as everyone does.

Phil Williams

MOTORSPORT NEWS: Okay, that was odd. What happened, and how did you get around it?

BRAD JONES: I am not 100 percent sure what happened with the wheel nut, if that is what you mean. For all three cars to go well and then have some problems with that was unusual, and far from ideal This is the first race where we have used the wrenches, and not the rattle guns. Obviously the right-front didn’t have enough tension; after that, we used the rattle guns, and didn’t have the problem again for the rest of the race.

Having dissected it all and worked out what happened, we worked out that we needed to go onto an aggressive strategy. The end result was a third.

going fast, as fast as Jason and Andy were. Today, if we didn’t have any trouble in the race, I believe that we would have had both of them up there, fighting to win the race. That is how good our speed was.

Does it help that you and Kim [Jones] have had so much experience from your days racing in NASCAR and AUSCAR? What helps is that we have been involved in the strategy in so many races.

Me, personally? Yes, it does.

Anything that has a strategy to it helps in this situation. I like to have these opportunities, and to put you mind to solving a problem.

Having good people around you is the key. That is what we have; we have very good people. We all have a point of view and everyone is willing to listen to one another. If someone gets something wrong, there is no embarrassment. That is the key.

That is what we ended up with.

Was that Bright Safety Car the key to getting back in the fight?

Yes and no. That got us back in the race, or back on the lead lap, but we were going to get back into the race anyway. We had such good speed, but that Safety Car did get us back on the right lap.

But it was the last Safety Car that helped us the most. That got us close to the lead cars, in good conditions.

Any fuel consumption dramas?

No, no dramas with fuel at all.

We were not expecting any. It is a race you can run hard, and that is the same for everyone.

The tricky part about this race is that a driver cannot do a stint in his window. You need to have fuel in the car sometime during the stint of each of the drivers, so that is what we did.

We were eight or nine laps into the stint, and we had to do a stop with the co-driver anyway.

It just so happened that is when we did ours.

Is this race becoming trickier to plan that Bathurst, because of the pit windows?

No, this race is trickier than Bathurst because the race is not as long. What you have to do, in terms of keeping the drivers in the car for more than a stint is a problem. If you do that, and you do have a problem, you do not have a lot of time in which to recover.

So, you need to adjust, and get your head around that. If you don’t you are never going to get into the race.

You have been so close as a driver at Bathurst, so many times, Bradley. If you go there next month and win, but it is not you in the car, how will you feel?

Very relieved, and very excited.

Time for a comeback?

No, it’s definitely not time for me to make a comeback. It is all about the team, not about me, and my time as a driver has gone past. I have been on the podium a lot of times – more times at Bathurst than any driver who has not won the race. If any of my guys can win it, I am sure that it will feel almost as good as if I had won it myself!

“THIS RACE IS TRICKIER THAN BATHURST BECAUSE THE RACE IS NOT AS LONG” BJR got this one right – so therefore ...

24

motorsport news

chat

Phil Williams

www.mnews.com.au

25

PI: NO POINT!

I

’VE said it before, and I’ll say it again – I love the format of the L&H 500 at Phillip Island.

There are some issues, such as team personnel being nigh impossible to catch for journalistic grillings thanks to the jam-packed schedule on the Saturday. But, a more selfless view is that the masses and masses of track time – a fair whack of which is door-to-door racing – is great for the viewers, both at the circuit and on television.

The format is also a mixed blessing for the co-drivers, which makes for interesting viewing. I say mixed blessing, because it puts them in the spotlight, and for some that is a great opportunity for them to showcase skill and ability that is sometimes hidden in lower categories, or shut away entirely for all bar two weekends of the year.

You can put Steve Owen and Dean Canto in that category, both who shone brightly at Phillip Island over the weekend. These guys got a chance to show they can do more than roll around on worn tyres during a middlestint at Bathurst. They got to find green gain in qualifying, start races, and shape the strategy that their team took in a bid to win the race.

The flipside is that too much spotlight isn’t what some of the co-drivers want. Some guys are happy not to have to qualify, start, or actually race door-to-door. The extra focus highlighted some guys who aren’t right up to

OPINION Andrew van Leeuwen – eNews Editor

the task, including, I’m sad to say, Glenn Seton.

Anyway, there is one significant change that I’d make to the 500 format, and that’s awarding series points for the qualifying races. They are, after all, glorified qualifying sessions, and therefore championship points shouldn’t be awarded. I understand that some form of points need to be awarded, because that’s how the grid is assembled for the main race, but there can be a dummy points system, designed purely to determine the grid. Then, the slate needs to be wiped clean, with the winner of the 500 taking the most points away from the weekend.

That would stop two things happening. Firstly, as exemplified on the weekend, a driver can score 50 championship points wearing a team shirt and a pair of shorts. In this case it was Jamie Whincup, who watched Owen blaze into the distance, having qualified the car himself, and win the qualifying race. That was 50 points for #1, which means Whincup, despite the fact he never lifted a finger.

And, if you tie series points to the driver, not the car, then the qualifying races will become predictable, with all of the co-drivers taking the hit of the compulsory pit stop.

There is also the issue that we saw in 2009, where Garth Tander and Will Davison won the race, but Craig Lowndes and Whincup scored more points on the aggregate system. It makes a confusing system more confusing. In fact, it’s reminiscent of the old Clipsal 500 system, where the winner of Leg 2 won the event overall, even if they didn’t win the round.

Ditch the quali points, and then we’re on to a winner!

Dirk Klynsmith

26

LAW OF

T

HERE was something funny on the radio on the way to the office today.

One of the sport experts was talking about the weekend’s developments, and mentioned Mark Webber’s sixth place at Monza. That, and the fact that he only finished second last time out at Spa, he said, was not a good sign with the ‘finals’ coming up.

Not so, say I [and maybe this is the part where I mention that I tipped the winner on ABC Radio National yesterday …]

Webber has done just fine in the last two races. Second at Spa, after a dud start, was a great recovery; sixth at Monza, a circuit that could have been specifically designed by Italians to defeat Red Bulls , was no bad thing.

But we need to examine the two races in concert and what happened to other drivers really comes to the fore. There are quite a few DNFs to consider, with Lewis Hamilton’s first lap crunch at the Variante della Roggia matching the zeroes for motorsport news

comment

OPINION Phil Branagan – Executive Editor

F AVERAGES

TWO MINUTES WITH ...

TOM HARLEY sutton-images.com

Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel at Spa. In fact, if we consider the two super-fast tracks as a BelgiumItaly swing, and look at the points scored by everyone, it’s a great result.

Felipe Massa, Ferrari, 27 Mark Webber, Red Bull, 26 Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 25 Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, 25 Robert Kubica, Renault, 19 Jenson Button, McLaren, 18 Nico Rosberg, Mercedes GP, 18 Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 12 We have something really rare at the moment; a genuine fiveway fight the World Drivers’ title.

The tracks that might best suit the McLaren and the Ferrari appear to be in the past; we know that the Red Bull should be well suited to Singapore, and that Suzuka should also be Bull territory. Ditto for Abu Dhabi, but things might just even out a bit, and swing www.mnews.com.au

McLaren and Ferrai’s way, for Korea and Brazil.

Ferrari has a few challenges to deal with on the engine supply side and McLaren has an aero update coming, but you can bet that RBR still has a few tricks up its sleeve.

If the recent titles won by Hamilton and Button have taught us anything, it might just be that it is not the races that a driver wins, when he has the car bestsuited to a particular track, that determine who gets the Tim Tams and who doesn’t. It is how the contenders operate in the races that they can’t, or don’t, win.

In that regard, Mark Webber is travelling just fine at the moment, so don’t be worried about what the un-experts might be thinking.

We have a cracking end to the championship coming up, so let’s just clear our minds, relax and enjoy it. The hopes of millions of Aussies appear to be in pretty good hands.

The two-time AFL Premiership captain spoke to mad Cats fan ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN about his ride in Mark Winterbottom’s FPR Falcon at Phillip Island on the weekend

MOTORSPORT NEWS: So how was that, Tom? TOM HARLEY: I had absolutely no idea what that was going to be like, and I was probably a bit blasé about the whole thing. But once we got on that second lap, and just took off, that was one of the most exciting things I’ve done off the footy field.

What was the most surprising thing about the car?

The braking, for sure. I really didn’t know how the cars were driven, so things like only using the clutch on the way down through the gears, that was surprising. These guys are seriously good drivers, obviously, and if that’s how they go about it in the race, then that’s impressive. If they can keep that up for 130 laps, then they’ve earnt their money!

A lot of casual followers probably don’t see motor racing as a very physical sport, because the drivers sit down as opposed to running or jumping or kicking; did that give you some insight into the physical intensity that these guys go through?

Without a doubt. Just look at the guys – Frosty looks like a really fit bloke. They are on edge the whole time. I didn’t under appreciate that going into it, but sure, that gives me an even better appreciation of what they do.

So what’s better? A lap in a V8 Supercar, or that glorious win over St Kilda in last year’s AFL Grand Final?

(Laughs) Because footy’s my game, I’ll have to go with winning the Grand Final. But I’ll put that down as one of the best things I’ve done off the footy field.

27

V8 SUPERCARS RACES 17, L&H 500, PHILLIP ISLAND

OLD DOGS, NEW T 28

motorsport news

race

TRICKS

They weren’t the youngest pair in the field, but in the latter part of the 500, when experience counted, Craig Lowndes and Mark Skaife were too good.

ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN reports

Phil Williams

www.mnews.com.au

29

John Morris/Mpix

C

ARS #1 and #18 locking out the front row is nothing unusual.

But Steve Owen and Warren Luff locking out the front row is.

But that’s how the Driver A race got underway. The two title protagonists’ cars were in P1 and P2, but it was their co-drivers who got the job done in the thinner of the two fields during the ‘prequalifying’ session that determined the grid for the first qualifying race.

Once the race started, Owen’s performance was fitting of the number on his door. He blew the field away at the start, and drove into the distance, through looming rain clouds, and even a re-start.

Yes, the Driver A race wasn’t as heavily stacked with regulars as the Driver B race, but the likes of Garth Tander and Shane van Gisbergen are hardly easy beats. In that

company, Owen’s performance was all class.

Behind Owen, Jason Bargwanna and Tander staged a thrilling battle for second place. For the first 12 laps of the race, Bargwanna worked the back of Tander’s Commodore, while the reigning Phillip Island winner worked at his anti-roll bars looking for balance. It wasn’t enough, with Bargwanna firing past Tander on the run to Honda Corner with a little over a lap to go.

And without Bargwanna playing the role of reluctant rear-gunner, Tander was a sitting duck, with Shane van Gisbergen sliding past a couple of corners later, and a hard-charging Jason Richards unlucky to not also slip past. Richards’ drive was actually one of the best of the race, with the Team BOC Commodore coming all the way from 13th to finish fifth.

With each driver pairing having to pit

in one of the races, a few of the big teams opted to get the stop out of the way. Luff was one such driver, making his stop after a tardy start from the front row. The same went for Mark Skaife, who looked to be struggling for pace and ultimately made car #888’s stop. James Moffat also pitted, having started near the back of the field for causing a rear flag during the prequalifying session.

Stops or no stops, there were some entries that made the rest of the weekend tough for themselves after Race A incidents. Dean Fiore spun after rear contact on the exit of MG Corner, while Michael Caruso bogged himself comprehensively on the exit of Turn 1 after a front-tyre deflated, causing the one and only Safety Car of the race.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

A r e v i r D Phil Williams

Bing for Bing: Fiore copped a big tag in the first qualifying race, left, while Tander and Bargwanna staged a stunning battle for second place, below.

Phil Williams

30

motorsport news

race

Driver B

R

Dirk Klynsmith

www.mnews.com.au

ICK Kelly kept Kelly Racing’s excellent Phillip Island record alive in the Driver B race, with a storming win from pole position.

With Owen Kelly having made car #15’s compulsory pitstop in the Driver A race, R Kelly had nothing to lose. He bolted off the line, staved off a halfchallenge from James Courtney into Turn 1, and then promptly drove away from the field. It wasn’t enough to net the entry pole position for the main event, but it was impressive all the same.

Craig Lowndes was second, ensuring a second-row start for he and Mark Skaife. It wasn’t that easy, though, with Lowndes having to find his way past Courtney and Steve Richards during the course of the 14-lapper.

Behind him was Courtney, who made a ripper start and looked like a driver who could steal the win, and pole. But as the race wore on he fell back behind Lowndes, and had to settle for a second-row start.

Steve Richards was fourth in the #6 Ford Performance Racing entry, with his most impressive showing of the season. It was a welcome position for the car to be in, after James Moffat had a tough Saturday morning in the Driver A sessions.

In the end, pole position went to Jamie Whincup and Steve Owen.

With Owen having done all 14 laps of the Driver A race, Whincup always had to stop, and was therefore never going to win the race. But even if he hadn’t had to stop, he didn’t seem to have the pace to run with the likes of Kelly, Courtney and Lowndes anyway.

Whincup seemed to drop away from the lead group almost immediately after making a slow start, and could thank Owen for his remarkable contribution towards car #1’s pole position.

“It was a weird race for me, because Steve did such a great job in the first one,” said Whincup.

“We’ve got a quick car, although I think Steve is happier with it than me.

I’m like the B driver.”

The weirdest performance of the Driver B race was that of Glenn Seton.

After Jason Bargwanna stormed his way to second in the Driver A race, Seton tip-toed his way to 28th – and last of the runners – in his outing.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN 31

A

N oil leak might have cost one of TeamVodafone’s cars a chance of victory at the L&H 500 at Phillip Island, but it helped the other win

the race.

Of course, Craig Lowndes and Mark Skaife’s stunning Island win wasn’t all down to the disaster that struck Jamie Whincup and Steve Owen. The first critical play in car #888’s journey to the top of the podium happened early, when Skaife was called to pit on Lap 15, more than five laps before the rest of the front-runners. The ploy earned them a clear track, which translated into track position as the first round of stops shook out.

It also meant that Skaife’s tyres wore out quicker, and when Lowndes jumped into the car for the first time on Lap 48, it looked a little like the race had got away from them.

But this is Craig Lowndes we’re talking about.

32

The tyre master, a driver capable of getting more out of a band of rubber than most.

As the race entered its twilight Lowndes was, unsurprisingly, back in the hunt. A rare mistake from Whincup at Honda Corner on Lap 92 and he was back in the lead. And when Whincup’s Commodore became an oily rear gunner – literally – a late challenge from Jason Richards became no threat to Lowndes.

“I think the whole team is delighted, even though it wasn’t exactly the result they wanted,” said Lowndes.

“Both cars ran strong all weekend, and all four drivers were happy with the cars.”

The team might have been delighted with what went on over on the #888 side of the TeamVodafone garage, but there were glum faces on the #1 side. Even when Lowndes sidled past at Honda, it wouldn’t have caused too much concern, particularly with James Courtney battling away on the

fringe of the Top 10. Second place would have netted plenty of points. But when blue smoke started spewing from the back of the Commodore several corners later, it was all over. Owen’s hard work, which started with a pole and a ‘qualifying’ race win on Saturday, was over. Whincup’s chance to snatch back the lead in the points was over.

Meanwhile, second for the 500 were Mark Winterbottom and Luke Youlden, a result of a typical under-the-radar style performance.

The Ford Performance Racing duo played a basic game, starting with Youlden in the car, pitting on Lap 24 and then again on Lap 48 for a driver change. The only roll of the dice came when a stranded Jason Bright sparked a Safety Car on Lap 57, with Winterbottom pitting again just nine laps after his previous stop. It gave them a chance of a splash-anddash final spot, which at the time put them ahead of car #888, and went a long way motorsport news

race

Race 17

Dirk Klynsmith

Dirk Klynsmith

towards contributing to their second place.

“The [team] has the info – I can just see the track ahead,” said Winterbottom of the crafty call.

“I’ve never had a car here that could go all the way. I didn’t know that we’d be second today. We just battled away, and that’s what we do.”

As for third-place finishes Richards and Andrew Jones, it was less about strategy, and more about ballsy driving. The team had all three cars in on Lap 8 due to a wheel nut problem, but that only resulted in a drivethrough penalty, when the nut from car #8 went skidding down pit-lane. It looked to be Game Over, with Jones a lap down, but after the final stops the Team BOC Commodore fired out of nowhere to challenge for the win, and ultimately settle for third.

“To be honest, I can’t believe it,” said Richards. “What are the chances? We had a www.mnews.com.au

fast car and we were commited. It was 100 percent, making massive moves. I popped out at the last stop, and the Triple Eight cars were about 100 metres ahead of me!”

Early leaders Rick and Owen Kelly slowly filtered to the back of the Top 5 as the day wore on. Owen Kelly was surprisingly solid, although hardly spectacular, and fourth (thanks to Whincup’s late demise) wasn’t a bad effort.

Behind the leading four cars there were some surprising results. In fifth was Tim Slade and Jack Perkins, and it wasn’t one of those ‘how did we end up here?’ style of races. The Wilson Security boys were fast all weekend, and while Slade is quickly becoming a proven quantity, Perkins showed speed and consistency that he’s never shown before.

Behind them was Jono Webb and David Russell, which included a hair-raising clash

Dirk Klynsmith

Dirk Klynsmith

Where did they come from? Richards and Jones, top, came from nowhere to snatch third, while Frosty stalked the leaders late in the race, right. Meanwhile, J-Dub was in the garage, above ...

between Webb and Paul Dumbrell in the latter part of the race over sixth place. In the end ‘PD’ had to settle for seventh, while his co-driver Dean Canto can take plenty of the credit after making a belter of a start, and spending the first stint in third place.

Russell Ingall/Paul Morris, Garth Tander/ Cam McConville and Alex Davison/David Brabham rounded out the Top 10, all having basically circulated their way to the finish.

A notable omission from the Top 10 was James Courtney, and it was a simply a case of the #18 Falcon never really being in the hunt. Courtney and co-driver Warren Luff didn’t do much wrong, but their car looked like a handful throughout the race. It culminated in a late spray off the road from Courtney, which can be called a fitting end to a fairly crappy day. The one positive from 12th position? Seeing that ex-TeamVodafone oil right on the racing line …

33

WINNERS

CRAIG LOWNDES: The title ain’t over for The Kid just yet.

MARK SKAIFE: Between the 500 win and his good performance at Bathurst last year, MS is slowly undoing the damage of his mediocre final year as a full-timer in 2008.

JASON RICHARDS: The man has pace, no doubt about that.

BARGS ROCKS! PHILLIP Island is as close as Jason Bargwanna gets to a ‘home’ race.

Since the Bargs clan relocated from the ’burbs to Melbourne’s outer east some years ago, he has made the long trek to the airport on a regular basis but the Mountain-toMuhummad nature of the trek to the Island places the L&H 500 as close as practical to the new home.

On Saturday, Bargwanna looked completely at home. Q4, P2 is a good result for most people and a great result for the team that has had its share of struggles throughout 2010, but the best part was how the Rock Energy Commodore looked, doing it. While Garth Tander’s HRT Commodore looked fast but

John Morris/Mpix

STEVE OWEN: Owen can genuinely feel cheated by not winning the 500. He didn’t put a foot wrong all weekend, and drove like a man who deserves to have #1 on his window.

scary, Bargs appeared to have a choice of lines and biding his time.

“Rock, solid,” he grinned afterwards in a mix of sponsor PR and truth.

“It was good. I was able to stick my nose under Garth’s rear wing and make it oversteer, so then I just had to wait. When he oversteered, he ran wide, I got on the power and got past.”

In the second race on Saturday, Glenn Seton had much more of a struggle, starting 27th and, after his CPS, dropping a stroke to par in the race.

“It’s so hard,” Bargwanna said later. “Even drivers who have been out of the cars for only a year struggle, and Glenn is finding that.”

– PHIL BRANAGAN Dirk Klynsmith

KELLY RACING: Bargwanna was super-quick on Saturday, and R Kelly was quick on Saturday and Sunday. Some good speed, there.

LOSERS KELLY RACING: As expected, poor co-driver choices cost them a chance of winning the race. Owen Kelly did well, but not enough to help win. Seton was also well off the pace.

JAMIE WHINCUP: Seriously, how much bad luck can this guy have?

MARCUS ZUKANOVIC: Zukanovic drove superbly on Saturday, qualifying 21st – only to have a procedural infringment put him to the back of the grid.

JAMES MOFFAT: Poor Moff under-performed on his main game debut.

Bring on Bathurst ...

34

TIMMY’S SOLID DEBUT SEVEN drivers from the Fujitsu Series made their Main Game debut in the L&H 500.

It’ll be Tim Blanchard’s only start of the year, with a one-race deal to drive Paul Morris Motorsport’s Castrol EDGE Commodore with Greg Murphy, and he made the most of it, finishing as the top rookie in 13th place.

Blanchard, currently second in the Fujitsu Series, did the team’s Saturday CPS in his sprint race, starting 26th and finishing 27th.

On Sunday, he started the car, kept out of trouble and held his own inside the Top 20 for much of the stint, before handing it back to the four-time Bathurst winner in one piece.

“I’m pretty happy with the way it turned out,” Blanchard said post-race.

“I did my stint early and handed it over to Greg halfway through the race. I drove a

lot longer distance than I’ve ever done, so there were a few things I had to think about, which I hadn’t encountered before.

“Things like managing tyre wear, you’ve got to change a lot more bias and bars, and think about yourself, preserving yourself, staying nice and relaxed and having regular drinks. It was a lot different to a short sprint race, which is all I’ve ever really done.

“We struggled significantly yesterday and made quite a few changes last night and I felt quite a lot more comfortable today. I got into a really good rhythm today which was important and I was able to keep the car up in a half-reasonable position so Greg had a chance for his half of the race.

“We ended up in the Top 15, which was the goal for the weekend.”

– MITCHELL ADAM motorsport news

race

MEN OF THE MATCH

WITH so many second-generation drivers in the race – Skaife, Richards, Webb, the Davisons, Price and Bargwanna – you could be forgiven for overlooking Jack Perkins.

The son of Larry has, obviously, fast genes, but taking your first win in an Aussie Racing Car shortly before the enduros is not what many would consider the ideal preparation.

But when he qualified the Wilson Security Falcon for the first ‘Sprint’ qualifying race, and then he and Tim Slade brought it home fifth in the 500 – without either driver looking like the water was over their heads – a few

eyebrows raised in pitlane.

Jack had mixed expectations prior to the race.

“Yes and no,” he said.

“I knew that the team built a good car, and that the car would do the job. The boys did an awesome job in the race, and it feels good to be in this position.”

Big race teams go to the big races with multiple plans and strategies. The men in green did not.

“We didn’t have that many,” Perkins says. “We wanted to keep it simple; our number one plan was to finish the race, and not mark the car.”

Steve Owen was one of the stars of the

race and keeps match-fit by racing in the Fujitsu Series. Perkins does not have a full-time gig in any single class of racing.

“That is, obviously, the big problem,” he says. “You want to rock up to the race and to do the best job that you can, and we qualified sixth, ahead of some of the big names out there. That was a great way to start the weekend and, to finish fifth, was a terrific result” And, for the faithful, a Perkins, in a Ford, in an endurance race? Does that sit well with the son of a Holden legend?

“I would be happy to let it go on for a long time!”

– PHIL BRANAGAN

www.mnews.com.au

V8 starting history.

“Normally when you get a good start and grab second gear, you know you’re going to do some damage to other people and as soon as I grabbed second gear, I thought ‘yep, I’m going to get at least one row here’.

“You’re still a bit hit and miss when you’re not doing it fulltime, but I had a fair look at the data yesterday and worked out what I was going to do today and launched rather well; I don’t think I could’ve gotten any better than that!”

Canto completed his two stints in third place, handing over to Dumbrell with the pair

Dirk Klynsmith

FULLTIME V8 Supercar drivers are known to fluff the odd start, so spare a thought for co-drivers who only race the cars a couple of times a year.

Many teams’ strategies saw co-drivers start Sunday’s 500km race and one of them, Dean Canto, made an absolute blinder. In the Bottle-O Falcon he shared with Paul Dumbrell, Canto vaulted from eighth to third in the first couple of corners.

“I had a shocker yesterday, prior to that it would’ve been the Saturday race here last year, because Luke [Youlden] did Bathurst and Phillip Island starts last year. So it’s been a while,” Canto said of his recent

Dirk Klynsmith

CANTO: START OF THE CENTURY

eventually finishing seventh.

“I pulled away, pulled a gap, I think the DJR cars were pretty hard on their tyres as well. I just did the job I had to do,” he said.

“I handed the car over to Paul and made a slight rollcentre adjustment, which is what he wanted before he got in the car, which seemed to hurt him

just a little bit. One percent here and it cost him a lot.

“He came into a groove at the end, but the damage was done after that Safety Car, it put us back far enough that it hurt us. We were both happy with the end result. We were strong, it just didn’t end the way we wanted.”

– MITCHELL ADAM 35

36

motorsport news

race Top 10 Points: Courtney 2101, Whincup 1922, Winterbottom 1862, Lowndes 1739, Van Gisbergen 1689, Tander 1680, R Kelly 1574, Holdsworth 1439, Caruso 1358, Dumbrell 1314.

Results :: Race 17 – L&H 500, Phillip Island Pos

#

Drivers

Team/Car

Qual

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 DNF DNF

888 5 8 15 47 19 55 39 2 4 34 18 51 12 3 17 21 7 24 11 6 27 44 30 16 10 9 22 1 33 14

C.Lowndes/M.Skaife M.Winterbottom/L.Youlden J.Richards/A.Jones R.Kelly/O.Kelly T.Slade/J.Perkins J.Webb/David Russell P.Dumbrell/D.Canto R.Ingall/P.Morris G.Tander/C.McConville A.Davison/D.Brabham M.Caruso/G.Ritter J.Courtney/W.Luff G.Murphy/T.Blanchard D.Fiore/M.Patrizi T.D’Alberto/S.Price S.Johnson/M.Marshall K.Reindler/D.Wall T.Kelly/D.Wood F.Coulthard/C.Baird J.Bargwanna/G.Seton S.Richards/J.Moffat D.Assaillit/A.Pedersen G.Emery/M.Zukanovic M.Noske/N.Pretty T.Ricciardello/T.Douglas A.Thompson/N.Percat S.Van Gisbergen/J.McIntyre W.Davison/D.Reynolds J.Whincup/S.Owen L.Holdsworth/D.Besnard J.Bright/M.Halliday

TeamVodafone Commodore VE FPR Falcon FG Team BOC Commodore VE Jack Daniel’s Racing Commodore VE Wilson Security Racing Falcon FG Dick Johnson Racing Falcon FG The Bottle-O Racing Falcon FG Supercheap Auto Racing Commodore VE Toll HRT Commodore Irwin Racing Falcon FG Fujitsu Racing/GRM Commodore VE Jim Beam Racing Falcon FG Castrol Edge Commodore VE Triple F Racing Falcon FG Centaur Racing Commodore VE Jim Beam Racing Falcon FG Brad Jones Racing Commodore VE Jack Daniel’s Racing Commodore VE Bundy Rad Racing Commodore VE Rock Racing Commodore VE FPR Falcon FG Fujitsu Racing Falcon BF Greg Murphy Racing Commodore VE Gulf Western Oils Commodore VE Stratco Racing Commodore VE Bundy Red Racing Commodore VE SP Tools Racing Falcon FG Toll HRT Commodore VE TeamVodafone Commodore VE Fujitsu Racing/GRM Commodore VE Trading Post Commodore VE

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

Dirk Klynsmith

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37

V8 UTES ROUND 5, PHILLIP ISLAND

The comeback kid NOT even disappointing result in the reverse grid Race 2 could stop Grant Johnson from taking his third round win of the 2010 season in the Yokohama V8 Ute series.

An easy win during Race 1 saw Johnson take the early advantage over his rivals, but a racing incident with David Sieders during Race 2 saw him drop to the middle of the field where he managed to salvage 14th after his off track excursion. Despite the setback, Johnson started Race 3 from the second row, where a brilliant start helped him to a spectacular win over a speedy Chris Pither.

“I’m really wrapt we could finish the weekend well after having a poor result due to some devious, or some not so 38

good driving manoeuvres,” said a smiling Johnson.

“We had a blinder of a start in Race 3, got up to second and I thought I was actually going for the lead into Turn 1 it was that good!”

Finishing second for the weekend was the Ice Break Coffee Holden Ute of Chris Pither, who couldn’t quite match Johnson ahead of him on pace. Although the New Zealander won Race 2, his tyres weren’t as fresh as Johnson’s for Race 3, making him a sitting duck for Johnson to pass heading into Turn 1. Pither now sits sixth in the Championship.

Spoiling the all-Holden show at the front was the Coopers Clear Falcon Ute of Jack Elsegood. It was a weekend of troubled starts and incidents,

though, for the Utes stalwart.

After a troubled start to the final race, Elsegood made contact with Andrew Fisher whilst charging his way back through the field. He recovered back to seventh position, but his disappointing Phillip Island round leaves him trailing Johnson by 26 points.

Rhys McNally had a solid 10th place finish for the weekend in his West Coast Racing Holden Ute, despite being frustrated by the amount of contact being made between his adversaries across the weekend. McNally was running as high as second during the reverse grid Race 2, but contact and a slight lack of pace left the West Australian in a credible seventh.

Andrew Fisher was on track

for a better result than 8th overall, but the Jesus Racing pilot had to take a drive through penalty in Race 3 after making contact with Elsegood, which took Fisher out of a podium position.

Kim Jane had a weekend he might rather forget by his standards after a series of mistakes during the event left him down in 12th overall.

Jane was leading Race 2 comfortably after the restart, but he ran wide heading onto the main straight in what was a spectacular effort by Jane to keep the Ute from hitting the wall. Jane recovered to finish that race in fourth.

Points: Johnson 599, Elsegood 570, Fisher 512, Sieders 479, MacDonald 465 – CALLUM BRANAGAN motorsport news

race

Phil Williams

Chris Pither, left leading the pack, was second for the weekend, while Jack Elsegood, below, had a tough round.

Dirk Klynsmith Peter Bury

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39

MINI CHALLENGE ROUND 5, PHILLIP ISLAND

Alajajian emerges on top AFTER a self-confessed tough weekend, Chris Alajajian left Phillip Island as a surprised round winner in the Hertz MINI Challenge presented by Pizza Capers.

Second place in the opening race was Alajajian’s best result of the weekend, which, along with a pair of fifths, it was initially enough to claim second for the topsy-turvy weekend. But the post-round exclusion of round winner Peter McNiven elevated Alajajian to the top step of the podium despite a 40

spin in Race 3 and a weekendlong struggle with set-up.

“It was a tough weekend, but you get these,” Alajajian said.

“I knew Phillip Island was going to be a difficult weekend and prior to coming here, we were scratching our heads. We had a pretty good start to the weekend but if you look at the characteristic of the car in the races, it was a difficult job.

“So it’s been a frustrating weekend, but in saying that Paul’s had a tough weekend too.”

At his home round, McNiven won Race 2 and third in the final seemed enough to grant him his maiden MINI round victory. However he was later docked 44 points for a preRace 2 rule infringement.

Alajajian’s win extends his points advantage to 59.5 over Paul Stokell, who was another driver to experience a mixed weekend. Stokell won the opening race, but was forced out of the second by a clash with Sean Carter. It ended Carter’s weekend, with the youngster having earlier

finished third in Race 1.

However Stokell carved his way back through the field in the final race to win ahead of Josh Hunt. On debut in the series as Stokell’s teammate, Hunt took second for the round, ahead of another debutant, Elliot Barbour.

Beric Lynton claimed fourth for the weekend, ahead of former NZ MINI Champion Craig Innes.

Points: Alajajian 596, Stokell 536.5, McNiven 474, Carter 447, Gavin Yortt 412.5 – MITCHELL ADAM motorsport news

race Chris Alajajian, left, ended up with the big trophy despite a tough weekend, while Paul Stokell, below, bookended the weekend with wins but failed to finish Race 2.

Josh Hunt, bottom with Peter McNiven, had a strong MINI debut, finishing second for the weekend.

Phil Williams

Phil Williams

Dirk Klynsmith Phil Williams

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41

SHANNONS NATIONALS ROUND 8, EASTERN CREEK

Barking up the right tree

42

motorsport news

race

John Morris / Mpix

Ben Barker extended his Formula 3 points lead as Eastern Creek hosted the penultimate round of the 2010 Shannons Nationals.

LACHLAN MANSELL and RICHARD CRAILL covered the action www.mnews.com.au

43

SHANNONS NATIONALS ROUND 8, EASTERN CREEK

44

on us,” he said.

“The feature race with Mitch was really good; I didn’t have to block because he didn’t get close enough to make a move, but I really had to focus on not making any mistakes because he was right there all race.”

Chris Gilmour finished fourth in the feature race ahead of Nathan Morcom.

Morcom, along with fellow debutant Nick Foster, took time to become acquainted with the most effective starting technique for a Formula 3 car, but followed up some rather tardy starts with some impressive overtaking moves.

In a one-off return, Mathew Sofi finished sixth in the feature race after qualifying third, having earlier fallen down the order in Race 2 with a spin at Turn 2, while John Magro and Graeme Holmes were another two drivers losing ground with spins at Turn 9.

Chinese driver Zhang Shan Qi ran in the top five for most of the weekend, but retired from the feature race with mechanical problems.

Just 12 points separate Barker, Evans and Tweedie ahead of the final round of the championship at Sandown next weekend, with all three drivers eager to gun for the title.

“It’s going to be very tight, so I’m glad on was able to gain some points on the other two this weekend,” Barker said.

“I’m very confident about Sandown, hopefully I can dominate and stamp my authority,” Evans said.

“I think my car will be very strong at Sandown, so I think I can contend for the championship victory,” Tweedie concluded.

Points: Barker 202, Evans 194, Tweedie 190, Shan Qi 91, Gilmour 74 – LACHLAN MANSELL

James Smith

BRITISH driver Ben Barker has established an eightpoint lead in the 2010 Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship, taking out Round 6 at Eastern Creek on the weekend.

While Barker missed out on pole position and was forced to play second fiddle to his Team BRM team-mate Mitch Evans in the two sprint races, a cracking start in the feature race, followed by a string of consistent laps, set up a comprehensive victory.

“The start was the main thing, because it is so hard to pass around here,” Barker said.

“I struggled in Race 1 and Race 2 and couldn’t get past Mitch, so I knew it was important to make a good start in the final.”

Evans, right, was left ruing what could have been after he made an average getaway in the feature race, costing him not just the race lead but also second position, thanks to a rapidly-launching Tom Tweedie.

“I was looking for a good start obviously, but I had too much wheelspin which allowed Ben to take the lead,” he said.

“I went around the outside of Tweedie at Turn 2 and got a helping hand off the track.

After that, it was very hard to pass because of the turbulent air from Tweedie’s car.”

Tweedie accumulated another solid bundle of points thanks to a pair of third places in the sprint races followed by second in the feature race. The New South Wales driver conceded the weekend was about damage control, with his older-model F304 vehicle not as well suited to the Eastern Creek circuit as his rivals’ newer F307-model Dallaras.

“This weekend really helped the championship, because we minimised the number of points Mitch and Ben gained

motorsport news

James Smith John Morris / Mpix James Smith

Tom Tweedie, top, played damage control against the F307s.

In a one-off return to F3, Mat Sofi was in the thick of it, middle.

Formula Ford drivers Nick Foster, right, and Nathan Morcom, below right, got a taste of F3.

James Smith

www.mnews.com.au

45

SHANNONS NATIONALS ROUND 8, EASTERN CREEK John Morris /Mpix

Sera edges ahead ...

THE championship picture has become clearer for several categories following Round 8 of the 2010 Shannons Nationals, held at Eastern Creek at the weekend.

The Kerrick Sports Sedan Series is one such example, with James Sera placing himself and his SAAB-Chev into clear title favouritism after his fairytale season continued with a round victory in Sydney, though the battle with Darren Hossack is far from over.

Sera edged out the Audi driver for pole and then won a thrilling first race, the pair never split by more than one second as they pulled away from the field at lap record pace. Sera actually reset Hossack’s two-yearold lap record en-route to a stunning win, his first under real, sustained pressure from Hossack.

He backed up that with another in Race 2, again under constant pressure from the 46

former champion. Things look set to change in the finale race with Hossack jumping to an early lead before a failure somewhere in the driveline forced him out of the race on Lap 2.

After being line-ball coming into the round, Sera now leads Hossack 173 points to 145, with Kerry Bailey a further 17 behind in third.

In the Commodore Cup National Series Adam Beechey’s chances of taking the title became greater after an engine failure forced nearest title rival Scott Andrews out of Race 2 and the weekend – after he had brilliantly won the first race of the weekend.

Andrews took pole and with Beechey back in the field, closed on the points leader with a comfortable win in Race 1 as the rest of the field fought it out behind him. But Andrews would only last one lap of Race 2 whilst Beechey used consistent top-five

finishes to build a solid points buffer ahead of the Sandown finale.

Brett Holdsworth and Tony Bates fought it out for the round win, staging massive battles for the lead in both the second and third races – both taking one each.

In the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge presented by Mission Foods, Roger Lago put a dent in Matt Kingsley’s title lead by winning his first ever round, in a weekend that produced three winners from three races.

Sven Burchartz was stripped of a Race 1 win after he was penalised for contact with Kingsley whilst the pair battled for the lead midrace; Terry Knight handed a stunning win after he charged through from sixth on the grid.

Lago then won the second race after a massive six-car, race-long dice for the lead was waged with Shaun Juniper, Jeff Bobik, Buchartz, Kingsley and Shane Smollen. Lago

also led early in the final race before Juniper got the better of him and escaped to take the win, leaving his fellow Queenslander to stave off Burchartz and Kingsley in a close battle for second to do enough to take the weekend.

Lago now sits 30-points behind Kingsley ahead of the season finale, having taken 26 points out of the defending champion’s lead.

Tony Evangelou all but sealed the title deal in the Shannons V8 Touring Car series, holding off impressive category newcomer Scott Loadsman. Evangelou led home the third and final race after Loadsman won the first – his first ever in the category – and former Fujitsu series driver Sam Walter won the second.

Ben Porter held out Ryan Simpson to win all three Formula Vee races, whilst Adam Moore, Stefan Versluis and Chris Barry split the wins in the PRB Clubman event.

– RICHARD CRAILL motorsport news

James Smith

John Morris /Mpix

John Morris /Mpix

Scott Andrews, top left, led Commodore Cup before striking engine problems, with Brett Holdsworth, top right, taking the spoils. Roger Lago, above, won the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge weekend. Points leader Tony Evangelou (Falcon) and newcomer Scott Loadsman (Commodore) slugged it out in the V8TC, below. Ben Porter, bottom right, dominated Vees and Chris Barry, bottom left, was among the PRB winners.

James Smith James Smith

John Morris /Mpix

www.mnews.com.au

47

ANDRA PRO SERIES FUCHS NATIONALS, SYDNEY DRAGWAY

Nationals upset The Fuchs ANDRA Australian Nationals is Drag Racing’s Bathurst 1000. Boasting over 400 entries, the 2010 Nationals in Sydney would feature some upsets, some amazing comebacks, and the odd Australian champion that didn’t even qualify. By JON VAN DAAL

H

ELD over three days, the off-the-trailer 5.623/217mph 2010 Nationals at the top qualifying effort. On recently renamed Sydney Saturday Phil Read then ran Dragway started off late the quickest ET in some years following some overnight – a 4.571/315.71 to annex the rain. The wet stuff was to number one spot at the close return another three times to of qualifying. add nuisance value, and the I spoke to Read prior to his rain coupled with a major oil first round race asking him down made for a stop-start if he had his mojo back, to day. Thankfully the rest of the which he answered: “That was weekend was perfect. yesterday, today’s another The highlight of the first day.” How true those words day was the return of the were to prove when brotherCowin name to Top Fuel, with in-law, Terry Sainty, turned second generation racer him back with a 5.16 to an 8.01 Andrew Cowin running an after going up in smoke and

48

losing a blower belt. Ditto for Cowin who went into instant tyre smoke in his duel with Bob Shepherd. In a pedal fest, Cowin got back into it but ran finally out of real estate.

More ‘smokescapades’ saw Darren Morgan having the measure of Martin Stamatis with a 5.89 to 6.68 while in the only real race of the round, Lamattina’s 4.75 turned back Alan Dobson’s 5 flat.

Lamattina was to feel the lash of Bob Shepherd’s return to form when the latter’s 5.01 was able to pass the tyre-

smoking Fuchs car in the traps back on a 5.10. Terry Sainty had trouble staging, leaving Darren Morgan’s 7.83 as a winning ticket to the final.

Amazingly, Shepherd, who had lane choice, was nowhere to be seen when time came for the final to be run. A few minutes later he pulled into the pre-stage area, but Shepherd’s car was not up to it.

A short burnout was followed by a pass that was aborted just beyond the tree, allowing Morgan’s AEG Tools car through for the gold in exactly

motorsport news

race

John Bosher

Power Player: Darren Morgan (left) in his AEG Powertools fuel Dragster drilled the opposition over the course of the weekend and made short work of surprise finalist, Bob Shepherd, main. Clockwise from right, Michael Gilbert soled for the Pro Bike win, the Top Alcohol final saw Wayne Newby (far lane) pop a blower to let Aaron Hambridge through for the gold while in the Pro Stock final, below, Aaron Tremayne’s Chev Cobalt (near lane) held off Dave Newcombe’s Pontiac GTO.

John Bosher

John Bosher

John Bosher Mpix

www.mnews.com.au

49

4.7 seconds at 321.35mph over a fading 9.93 losing time.

Top Alcohol saw Gary Phillips top qualify but in the first frame he crossed the centreline and very nearly hit Paul Madill in their funny car joust. The final saw the Dragsters of Aaron Hambridge and Wayne Newby make a fist of it but Newby lost a blower in the lights handing the win to Hambridge.

Top Doorslammer saw some real action with many not being able to handle the tricky conditions amazingly

50

including Australian Champions John Zappia and Victor Bray. Robin Judd top qualified and was to face second qualifier Maurice Fabietti in the final, but the latter had a big fire in winning his semi final race and could not return. In Fabietti’s absence, Judd took the Australian Nationals title.

Pro Stock saw an amazing 22 cars trying to make the 16-car field, with Scott Porter being the surprise top qualifier with a 7.06 time. The final was a different matter, however, with

reigning Australian Champion, Aaron Tremayne’s Chev Cobalt turning back Dave Newcombe’s Pontiac GTO. The bikes saw Chris Matherson totally dominate Top Bike with a string of 6.1 second times. In Pro Bike, Michael Badcock qualified his Suzuki pole with a 7.26 however the final featured the Kawasaki of ‘Bluey’ Howard and Michael Gilbertson on another Suzuki. Howard’s sickle went silent after his burnout and Gilbertson used a 7.36 at 178 mph to claim the gold Xmas tree.

Not so Fabulous Fire: The Holden Trade Club Monaro of Maurice ‘Fabulous’ Fabietti (sequence at right) popped a blower in his semi final win that turned into a raging inferno in the shut down, right. Top qualifier in Top Alcohol, Gary Phillips’ Chev Monte Carlo (at right) nearly nailed Paul Madill’s Dodge Charger in the first round, top right. No one could catch Chris Matherson’s flaming Top Bike, below right, while John Zappia having a weekend he’d rather forget, main.

motorsport news

race

Mpix

Jon Van Daal

Mpix

Mpix

Mpix

51

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Hey Jo

NASCAR Round 26 - RICHMOND, VA

TOYOTA Media

TOYOTA Media

With a one-two-four result at Richmond, the final regular NASCAR Sprint Cup season race, Joe Gibbs Racing has staked its claim as the Championship Chase shifts into full swing.

H

e’s the driver with the most race victories so far this season, and his effort at Richmond demonstrated how tough it will be to beat Denny Hamlin as the NASCAR Sprint Cup kicks into the Chase for the championship.

Hometown hero Hamlin dominated the night, leading 251 of the 400 laps. At the

52

same time he played it conservatively, however, ensuring he did not wear out his tyres prior to the crucial run home.

That final battle was a fight between Hamlin and fellow Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota driver Kyle Busch. It was close-run but Hamlin prevailed to secure his sixth win of the season.

“It was a game of patience tonight,” Hamlin said. “I had to keep the rear tyres under me, as I wanted to have something left at the end. It feels great to get this finish.

“I can’t say enough about being first in points, as this is the first time in my life that I have been first in points. We have won at three or four of

the Chase tracks, and that’s encouraging for us. Until this year I never felt I could win anywhere we go, but now I do.”

Kyle Busch likewise had driven an impressive race, recovering from the handicap of a lowly 32nd grid slot to miss out on the win by a half a second.

“My team made some very

motorsport news

race

oe

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53

NASCAR Media

Team order: No team orders at Joe Gibbs Racing, and this time Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch were able to race one another cleanly to the flag, in that order, main. At Richmond Hamlin notched his sixth win of the season, left.

good changes to the car, and they gave me great pit stops, which got us into contention at the end,” Busch said. “I managed to run down the No. 11 (Hamlin), and it was an awesome race to run him down trying to get the win. I wanted to do it clean like teammates should, but we burned it up too early.

“I had one really good opportunity,” Busch continued, “but I couldn’t get off the corners like he could. He opened the door in Turn 1, and I could have probably put it in there but it wouldn’t have been right to do so.”

Jimmie Johnson took third in the Lowe’s Chevrolet. “We stayed with our plan tonight,” he said. “We were okay at times, but we didn’t seem to have

enough for the No. 11. We kind of finished where we were racing.”

It was certainly a night out for Joe Gibbs Racing, with Joey Logano making it a Gibbs 12-4. “I am really pleased with the finish,” he said, and believe we finally got the result we deserved.”

Marcos Ambrose was fifth in the Australian’s second top 10 oval result in as many races as he prepares to leave the JTG Daugherty Toyota team at the end of the season.

“We’ve had some tough times this year, but at the moment we’re running great,” Ambrose said. “I’m really excited for the whole team, everyone has been putting in a big effort and we’re getting the results we deserve.

“It was hard out there racing with the contenders for The Chase, I wanted to run hard, but at the same time I didn’t want to ruin their championship.”

Vertical Griller: With another oval top 10 result, Marcos Ambrose must be wondering whether he’s made the right decision to leave JTG, opposite. Clint Boyer was solid at Richmond and secured a place in the Chase, top right, but Joey Logarno missed the cut. Kyle Busch heads Kevin Harvick and Greg Biffle, below left.

Edwards, #99 below, made the Chase – in the slightly unfamiliar colours of Tony the Tiger and Kelloggs ...

TOYOTA Media

54

motorsport news

race

NASCAR Media TOYOTA Media

TOYOTA Media

Results :: Air Guard 400, Richmond, VA Pos. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Ford Media

www.mnews.com.au

No. 11 18 48 20 47 33 42 43 29 99

Driver Denny Hamlin Kyle Busch Jimmie Johnson Joey Logano Marcos Ambrose Clint Bowyer Juan Montoya A.J. Allmendinger Kevin Harvick Carl Edwards

Make Toyota Toyota Chevrolet Toyota Toyota Chevrolet Chevrolet Ford Chevrolet Ford

Team Joe Gibbs Joe Gibbs Hendrick Joe Gibbs JTG Daugherty Childress Earnhardt Ganassi Petty Childress Roush Fenway

Sponsor Fedex M&Ms Lowes The Home Depot Kingsford/Kroger BB&T Target Insignia Pennzoil Aflac

Qual.

14 32 11 6 13 4 2 3 20 1

Top 10 Points: Denny Hamlin 5060, Jimmie Johnson 5050, Kevin Harvick 5030, Kyle Busch 5030, Kurt Busch 5020, Tony Stewart 5010, Greg Biffle 5010, Jeff Gordon 5000, Carl Edwards 5000, Jeff Burton 5000.

55

Pastor recipe wins GP2

Glorious Esteban GP3 ESTEBAN Gutierrez has become the first-ever GP3 Champion.

The ART pilot sealed the crown by taking pole position and he duly won the first race at Monza, fighting off Robert Wickens and Rio Haryanto.

Canadian Wickens won the final race, Gutierrez ‘celebrating’ his title by spinning and stalling in the middle of the famed Parabolica ...

56

JOHN MORRIS

PASTOR MALDONADO has wrapped up the GP2 title, with two rounds up his sleeve.

The races in which he secured the title though were a disaster, with his car stopping with race damage on Saturday and in the fence on Sunday after clashing with title rival Sergio Perez on lap 2.

Christian Vietoris won the Sunday Sprint race, leading from row three into the first corner, while Brit Sam Bird won Saturday’s race, from ART team-mate Jules Bianchi and Oliver Turvey.

WAYNE’S WORLD

OZ SUPERBIKES WAYNE Maxwell has emerged from Round 6 of the Australian Superbike Championship at Phillip Island as a real threat to Brian Staring’s lead in the 2010 season.

After finishing the first race in second position, Maxwell was the victor of a great battle between himself, Staring and Jamie Stauffer. The trio swapped positions all the way through Race 2, but Maxwell’s tyres appeared to be in better condition late in the race, giving him a well deserved win over Staring.

“It’s been a tough couple of rounds for the Demolition Plus Gas Honda Team,” said Maxwell.

“We’ve banded together and worked together to come out and win the race here this afternoon, so it’s a great feeling.”

Staring had another impressive outing at the Island, but he appeared to be defending his

championship lead rather than attacking to extend it. Staring capitalised on a late mistake

by Stauffer late in Race 2 when the Ducati slipped wide, above, to slip into second for both the race and the round.

New South Welshman Glenn Allerton also had a great weekend on his Valvoline Honda, crossing the line to take the final step of the podium. Allerton’s pace was impressive throughout the weekend, but he couldn’t quite muster enough ultimate speed in the final race.

Third overall at Phillip Island also puts him in third in the championship ahead of Scott Charlton.

Meanwhile in the SuperSport races, Troy Herfoss was the man in charge. The Suzuki pilot led the way in style after battling with Brodie Waters and Christian Casella, but Herfoss was too strong and he now extends his lead in the 2010 championship.

– CALLUM BRANAGAN

motorsport news

race

Myers closes on Saldana WORLD of OUTLAWS

LE MANS SERIES PEUGEOT has continued its winning way at Silverstone, with victory in the Autosport 1000 Le Mans Series race.

Anthony Davidson and Nicolas Minassian took the win at the Grand Prix circuit, ahead of Stephane Sarrazin/Nicola Lapierre were second and the

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Audi of Timo Bernhardt/Dindo Capello were third.

But the race could have come out differently. Allan McNish took a brilliant pole in the Audi shared with Tom Kristensen and led, until Davidson forced his way through at Abbey, as if the enduro was a five-lapper. Then, the R15 stopped with a broken

Rob Lang

Ant wins after Audi breaks

diff – Audi’s first mechanical DNF since it debuted its diesel racers four years ago.

The Le Mans-winning HPD entry won LMP2, while GT2 fell to Gianmaria Bruni and Jaime Melo in a Ferrari, but only after the leading Aston Martin was given a drivethrough penalty.

– ROB LANG

TWO points is all that separates recent World of Outlaws round winner Jason Meyers from current leader Joey Saldana as the chase for the 2010 championship heads towards a thrilling finish.

At Chico’s Silver Dollar Speedway last weekend, Meyers pocketed the $50,000 winner’s cheque by defeating Steve Kinser and Paul McMahan after a tough battle for the top spot for most of the 40-lap contest to win.

Kinser came from 18th to eventually grab second aboard the Bass Pro Shops Maxim after racing his way into the main event through the Last Chance Showdown.

McMahan started third and battled Jason Sides in the early going for the runner-up spot. Kinser got around him on the restart and he ended up coming home third, which matched his best finish in the main event of the Gold Cup at his home track.

– GEOFF ROUNDS

57

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Time to change to wets?

WATER and Drag Racing don’t usually mix too well, but they came together at Sydney Dragway last weekend for a good cause.

During the Fuchs Australian Nationals, Fuchs threw its support behind the Prostate Cancer Foundation and threw two of its sponsored drivers into the deep end.

With a gold coin donation, fans could enter to win the chance to dunk ANDRA Pro Series aces Phil Lamattina, above, and John Zappia, right, into a water tank. Three winners got the opportunity to dunk them and made it count, with both drivers needing to consult a towel afterwards.

Through donations of $2,000 from Fuchs’ Managing Director Wayne Holies, $500 from fellow ANDRA Pro Series sponsor Auto One and $2,000 from the general public, Fuchs has raised close to $5,000 for the Foundation so far. Donations can be made until the end of September through: www.everydayhero.com.au/fuchs_australian_nationals www.mnews.com.au

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