Motorsport eNews Issue 185 - December 14-20, 2010

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Issue No. 185 | Dec 14-20 2010

news 4

Tom Walkinshaw Motor racing icon dies 6 The Man in Red JC to be confirmed today 10 Who wants a Falcon?

Russells look for third driver 12 Lovely Looking Lotus Lotus/Renault deal revealed 15 First Look: Audi R18 Hot, hot hot!

chat 26 Five Minutes With ...

David Reynolds

comment 28 Adam: Too many enduros 29 Branagan: Tom

race 30 Eastern Creek 8 Hour 34 World Series Sprintcars

trade 40 Classifieds

motorsport news

news

MOTOR RACING LOSES A LEGEND INTERNATIONAL

A

N ERA in motor racing history has ended with the death of one of the sport’s most successful team owners, Tom Walkinshaw.

The owner of the Holden Racing Team, and former principal of the Benetton, Ligier and Arrows Formula 1 teams, passed away after a long battle with cancer. He was 64.

Like many young drivers, Walkinshaw found his racing feet in Formula Ford, taking the Scottish title in 1969. He moved on to Touring Car racing, firstly as a test driver for several teams before establishing Tom Walkinshaw Racing in the late-1970s.

Through successes in the British and European Championships – Walkinshaw himself won the ’84 ETCC Drivers’ crown – he built the business into a success.

Quickly, TWR grew to become TWR Group, with engineering services to the motoring as well as racing industries.

TWR raced with BMWs, Mazdas and Rovers, but its most high-profile successes came with that most English brand, Jaguar. His Jaguar team came, saw and conquered the Bathurst 1000 in 1985, the same year that TWR took the marque into international Sportscar racing.

In the soon-to-be famous colours of Silk Cut tobacco, the team won at Le Mans in 1988 and ’90, and took out both the teams’ and drivers’ World Championships in 1987, ’88 and ’91.

Walkinshaw had ambitious plans in Grand Prix racing, but never replicated the successes he enjoyed in other categories.

He joined Benetton as a minority

stakeholder – he owned 35 percent – as the team’s engineering director in 1991, and that resulted in perhaps his most enduring legacy. The man he brought with him was the technical brain behind his Le Mans Jags, an English engineer named Ross Brawn.

Walkinshaw was quick to spot the potential of Jordan rookie Michael Schumacher and quickly – some say ruthlessly – arranged for the German to join Benetton for his second GP. As a result, Benetton and Schumacher won two world titles, but Walkinshaw by then had moved, or been moved, on.

After a long-running dispute with Benetton’s commercial director Flavio Briatore over a potential share in Ligier, he then bought Arrows. In a major coup, he recruited World Champion Damon Hill from Williams, and arranged a tyre supply deal with Bridgestone, then new to F1. Hill looked to have victory in Hungary, until a last lap technical problem, and Arrows would never really be a threat again.

The team went on, but the TWR Group was suffering problems, and a proposed deal to sell the team, to Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz, fell over, leading to its collapse in 2002.

While all this was going on, Walkinshaw’s on-track successes continued, in Touring Cars. His Volvos became one of the features of the British Championship and, after making an inauspicious debut, his Holden Racing Team quickly became the benchmark team in Australian Touring Car racing, starting with victory at Bathurst in 1990. Another five wins followed in The Great Race, while the team also took out six ATCC/V8 Supercar Drivers’ titles.

However, the collapse of TWR Group led to ownership changes at HRT, with Mark Skaife firstly taking over as sole owner, then with Walkinshaw returning as a co-owner.

In 2008, Walkinshaw regained sole ownership of the team, and the twocar team that ran last year under the Bundaberg Racing banner.

Throughout the period, Holden Special Vehicles, which was established as a joint venture between Holden and TWR Group in 1987, continued, while Walkinshaw became the owner of sportscar marque Elfin in 2006.

Walkinshaw was also a life-long rugby enthusiast. He owned the Gloucester club in Britain, and was chairman of the league’s main body, Premier Rugby, from 1998-2002.

Practically to a man (or woman), those who worked with Walkinshaw spoke of him in glowing terms, of the faith and trust he had in his people, as well as his leadership qualities. As a member of the media, I knew that he could be difficult to deal with but, more often that not, Walkinshaw was smart enough to know that if a story was going to be written, he would stand his ground and make it work to his advantage. He played it hard, but he understood the game.

He leaves behind his wife Martine and sons Ryan and Sean, many friends and admirers in the automotive and sporting fields and many proud owners of the cars he developed for the road and the track.

To all, we at Motorsport News offer our condolences, at the loss of one man and the end of an era.

– PHIL BRANAGAN

Craig Wilson, principal, Holden Racing Team and a 22-year employee of Walkinshaw

“The motorsport world has lost a genuinely very passionate supporter and leader. It is a sad day as a result. We have lost a great boss, someone who put his heart and soul into the sport. Despite the ups and downs, and there were more ups than downs, he was a great inspiration.

“At HRT, it will be business as usual, in the manner that he would want. Right up until the middle of last week, we were discussing what the team was doing. He was well aware of exactly what was going on, in typical Tom fashion.”

Mike Devereux, Chairman and MD, Holden

“For more than 20 years, Tom’s pursuit of excellence helped forge our brand’s reputation as a performance leader, both on and off the track, through the creation of Holden Special Vehicles and the Holden Racing Team. His contribution not only to Holden but to the automotive industry is legendary and will never be forgotten.”

www.mnews.com.au

ENDURO RULES TWEAKED V8 SUPERCARS THERE will be a small tweak to the co-driver rules for next year’s endurance races in the V8 Supercar Championship Series.

The ‘primary driver’ rule will be retained, meaning teams will again not be able to pair lead drivers in once car. However, unlike this year, teams will not be able to enter an overseas driver for all three races, with the driver nominated for duties on the Gold Coast not allowed to race at Phillip Island or Bathurst.

This year, David Brabham raced at all three races, while Ryan Briscoe did Bathurst before heading to the Gold Coast.

Further information regarding the 2001 Gold Coast 600 will be released soon, and eNews expects it will be a mandate that every car needs to have an international driver, not just one driver per team.

Another change for ’11 involves team personnel.

Teams will only be allowed to have seven ‘performancerelated’ personnel per car at each sprint event. Single-car teams will be allowed one extra person.

According to the rule, the ‘performance-related’ personnel must include team managers, mechanics, engineers, wheel men, data analysts and engine builders.

Not included are team principals/owners, drivers, PR and marketing personnel, catering staff, merchandising staff, windscreen repairmen, sticker applicators, Dunlop tyre fitters, control part service providers, and cleaning staff.

Teams must also appoint a team principal per Racing Entitlement Contract.

REYNOLDS: THIS TIME I’M READY Young star ready to take Kelly Racing chance with both hands V8 SUPERCARS DAVID Reynolds will return to full-time V8 Supercar competition next season, having signed a deal to race the #16 Stratco-backed Commodore for Kelly Racing.

Reynolds will replace Tony Ricciardello, in a move that suggests the team is hoping to shake the ‘money-spinner’ tag from its fourth entry.

However, Reynolds won’t be driving the same chassis as Ricciardello was, moving into the Commodore that Rick Kelly drove this season from Abu Dhabi onwards.

Reynolds told eNews that he is far better equipped to be a full-time V8 Supercar driver this time around, compared to when he debuted with Walkinshaw Racing at the start of 2009.

“When I first came into the series at the start of 2009, it was just overload,” he said.

“The commitment side, like media and sponsor commitments, was full-on. And the racing is 10 times longer, the level of the opposition is 10 times harder, and it completely overwhelmed me.

Towards the end of the year I started to sort it out, I just didn’t get another year to try and build on that.

“Thankfully, now I do have another year!”

But Reynolds wouldn’t be drawn on expectations.

“We’re going to try some good stuff on the car, and we’ll keep progressing forward and make the car work as well as it should. And then we can look at some results and expectations.”

Reynolds will drive the car for the first time at a test day at Winton, with Kelly set to shake down the new chassis that he will debut at Abu Dhabi next year.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

motorsport news

news

TURNING RED V8 SUPERCARS

Daniel Kalisz

JAMES Courtney will officially become a Holden man today (Tuesday).

Dick Johnson Racing put out a statement yesterday confirming that the newly-crowned V8 Supercar Champ will be on the move for 2011, and eNews believes that the Holden Racing Team is set to name him as Garth Tander’s team-mate, at Holden’s Port Melbourne base, this morning.

Team boss Dick Johnson wished Courtney all the best in the statement.

“It’s a shame to see the winning combination broken up, however James has decided that moving on is the best thing for him and his family and I respect that decision,” said Johnson.

“I’ve always had a great relationship with James and I’m very proud of what he has achieved with us. The history books will show that James Courtney won the 2010 Drivers Championship with Jim Beam Racing. He’s added something wonderful to The Team’s history, and for that we will always hold him in the highest regard.

“I honestly wish James all the best. But if he thinks that means we’ll go soft on him at the track next year he has another thing coming!”

Courtney agreed that the split was amicable.

“We’ve had some amazing highs and some lows in my two seasons with Dick’s team – but we came out on top and delivered a championship by taking on the ‘big guys’ and beating them,” he said.

“But I never like sitting still and really feel it’s time for a new challenge, which will be revealed in the very near future. And it’s important to note that Dick, The Team and myself have ended our professional relationship still with genuine mutual respect and a continuing real friendship ... which is pretty unique in this sport.”

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V8 SUPERCARS LOOK for the ban on team orders in V8 Supercars to be lifted for next season.

The FIA has announced that the ban on team orders which “interfere” with an F1 race result is to be lifted. It is hardly surprising that this step has been taken. As argued at some length recently in eNews’ sister publication V8 Sydney, the rule was not only fraught with vagueness, it was almost impossible to police. The World

Motor Sports Council clearly recognised both these factors when it had to adjudicate on Ferrari’s decision at this year’s German GP to move Fernando Alonso past Felipe Massa.

So attention turns to whether V8 Supercars will remove the identical provisions in our Operations Manual for 2011.

Rule D 26 defines Team Orders as “an instruction to a Driver or Team member, either verbal or otherwise, the effect of which may interfere with a

Race Result.

26.1 Should any Team, Sponsor, Entity or Related Entity impose or seek to impose Team Orders, the Team or Teams involved will be immediately referred to the IPO.” V8 Supercar should certainly do so, not just because it has been done for F1, but because the case arising from the Hockenheim incident showed beyond doubt the foolishness and futility of the rule.

– DAVID GREENHALGH

that the category’s three-year run in Australia would end with Homebush’s season finale.

However, eNews has learnt that there is interest from competitors in keeping the R56 MINIs together on the track

in some capacity next year, possibly as their own category.

Some of the 2010 competitors own their vehicles, while others leased cars from BMW. It’s understood that the

DESPITE the end of the MINI Challenge, the cars may yet race as a group in 2011.

BMW Group Australia announced a fortnight ago

FOR SALE

James Smith

More life in MINIs? MINI CHALLENGE?

Phil Williams

Team play OK?

Change @V8TV V8 SUPERCARS MURRAY Lomax is leaving V8 Supercars Television.

The vastly experienced Executive Producer of the telecasts of the V8 Supercar Championship Series and the Fujitsu V8 Series will finish with the Gold Coast-based company at the end of the year. It is part of what has been described to eNews as “a restructuring”.

Lomax, who moved to the GC from Melbourne when he took the position in 2007, was previously involved through Network 10’s broadcasting of the category. When Seven took over at the start of that season in a six-year deal, V8 Supercars Australia also assumed responsibility for producing the television broadcast fed to Seven, a ‘local’ feed to the live screens at the circuits and the webcast through BigPond internet and over the NextG mobile phone network. former category rights holder, Toleman Motorsport, is assisting competitors through the process, in assessing options and the feasibility of giving the cars a new home.

– MITCHELL ADAM

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motorsport news

news

VIP in, Perkins stays at PMM V8 SUPERCARS PAUL Morris Motorsport will show its 2011 program to the world Tuesday of next week.

The Gold Coast team is expected to confirm that Russell Ingall’s SuperCheap Autos Commodore will be joined by Steve Owen, whose

Commodore will carry the colours of VIP Pet Foods, as reported in last week’s eNews.

The Tony Quinn-owned company will be making its return to the series, in which it last featured on Cameron McLean’s Falcon in 2002, pictured.

The team will also name Jack

Perkins as Ingall’s co-driver for Phillip Island and Bathurst. The son of Bathurst winner Larry Perkins drove in the endurance races for Stone Brothers Racing, before jumping into the #39 VE on the streets of the Gold Coast.

He is expected to drive in a number of Fujitsu V8 Supercar races next season.

“I hope he does the whole series!” said team owner Paul Morris on Monday.

Morris also confirmed that there will be a change to the team’s engineering staff. Brad Wischusen, who was engineer on the Ingall car this season, is heading overseas in search of new challenges.

John Morris / Mpix

www.mnews.com.au

Dirk Klynsmith

NEW CAR FOR RUSSELLS FUJITSU V8s

ADRENALINE Motor Racing aim to run a newer chassis in next year’s Fujitsu Series.

The Newcastle squad fielded a pair of ex-Brad Jones Racing BF Falcons in the 2010 series for Drew and Aaren Russell, who both finished inside the Top 10, and are looking to build up a third car – another ex-BJR Falcon – over the offseason. Currently a rolling chassis, the car has been

completely rebuilt but unraced since crashed by Damien White at Bathurst in 2007.

Drew would take the new car, and the team could even end up running all three if a customer joined the stable.

“The aim is, if we build it up and get that car ready, Drew can run that car, Aaren can choose out of our two current cars and we’ll either rent the other one out or sell it,” team boss Wayne Russell said.

“At the moment, it’s a roller.

Everything’s brand new in it, it’s absolutely beautiful.”

Engines are also on the offseason agenda. The Russells currently run D3 Ford engines acquired from BJR, which are due for a rebuild. That could turn into an upgrade if the necessary funding can be sourced.

“We need to upgrade engines,” Wayne Russell said.

“It’s really hard, you can’t just stand still and run what you’ve got. As all of these other new

cars come in, we’re going to get swallowed up again.

“We’re talking to a couple of guys at the moment from Stone Brothers and that sort of stuff, and it’s going to be fairly expensive.

“We’ve budgeted on the money for the rebuild, but I’ve got to go on a bit of a money raising drive to upgrade them.

Selling one of the kids kidney’s could be a possibility! Drew has offered Aaren’s!”

– MITCHELL ADAM

BATES EYES FULL-TIME FV8 PROGRAM FUJITSU V8s TONY Bates will make a fulltime return to the Fujitsu Series next year.

Bates contested the series in 2008 aboard an ex-HRT VZ Commodore, and has been a regular in Commodore Cup in recent years, finishing second in the 2010 series. After making a one-off appearance with Greg Murphy Racing in Townsville, Bates drove a Falcon with MW Motorsport in the Fujitsu Series finale at Homebush.

10

He’ll race in the series next year, and is in discussions with several teams.

“I’m going to do the full Fujitsu Series,” Bates said.

“I’m talking, at the moment, to Paul Morris, GMR and MW. The weekend was terrific with Matty [White]. He runs a professional unit and the car’s strong.

“Probably the main thing about racing at Homebush was to tick the track off for next year. That’ll pretty much give me every track that I’ve raced at, bar

Barbagallo, which most of the other guys wouldn’t have raced at either.”

Bates indicated he’d maintain a presence in Commodore Cup, and would likely contest the series’ Victorian rounds.

“The Fujitsu Series is what I want to focus on as the main thing and, if I can, I’ll do the local rounds of Commodore Cup to get the numbers up,” he said.

“Geoff [Emery] and I are talking about going out and having a squirt.”

– MITCHELL ADAM motorsport news

news

TAZ BACK IN ‘11 FUJITSU V8s

Dirk Klynsmith

TAZ Douglas is hoping consistency will be the key to success in the 2011 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series.

The Victorian will head into a full-time campaign next season with the same ex-Perkins Engineering VZ Commodore that delivered him his first race win at Sandown several weeks ago. He will also continue as a one-car family team, in a bid to enjoy a full season with no learning curves.

“We’ve struggled to put together a consistent program in the past, because of various reasons, but we’ve got it right now,” said Douglas.

“We’ve come a long way. The car is good, I know it well, and we’ve had some good results. Next year, I’ll know most of the circuits and I’ll know the car, so we should be able to do a good job.”

Douglas missed the start of this year’s Fujitsu Series thanks to a fight with cancer.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

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11

LOTUS MkII SHOWS IT COLOURS FORMULA 1

L

ET the confusion begin.

There will be two Lotus-branded teams on the Formula 1 grid in 2011, after the row over the use of the Lotus name stepped up a gear. Group Lotus, which is owned by Proton, has become a title sponsor and major shareholder in the Renault F1 team, which will be rebranded as the Lotus Renault GP Team.

The deal will run until at least 2017, and is the reason behind the sexy new-for-2011 livery, pictured.

Despite Group Lotus’ link 12

with Renault, Tony Fernandes is planning to keep his Team Lotus squad running next season. Fernandes started in F1 this season, and used the Lotus brand in a hope to get the carmaker on board. He had also stated that his Lotus team would switch to a black and gold livery in ’11, only to be beaten to the punch by the official Lotus/Renault alliance.

Fernandes has now confirmed that his squad will stick with the green and gold livery, in light of the new arrangement

by Lotus.

“My first reaction is obviously disappointment,” Fernandes

told Autosport.

“We were originally given a mandate for five years to go and develop a Formula 1 team.

“So I am a bit disappointed that we did not get a chance.

I always wanted to be a different team to Team Lotus – because Team Lotus was Clive Chapman’s family, and I always hoped we could somehow give it back to him.”

Meanwhile, Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar made it perfectly clear which was the official Lotus team.

“I can think of no better platform for automotive brand communications than

motorsport, and F1 is the very pinnacle of open-wheel racing,” he said.

“We’re well aware that there has been a lot of controversy around the usage of our brand in F1 and I’m delighted to be able to formally clarify our position once and for all: we are Lotus and we are back.”

In other Renault news, the team has been forced to apologise and compensate the Piquet family, after losing a libel case from Nelson Piquet Jr. The team had suggested that Piquet had attempted to blackmail the team over the Singapore 2008 crash saga, and motorsport news

news

TEAM ORDERS GET LEGALISED! FORMULA 1

COLOURS

since losing the court case, have apologised in a statement.

“As a result, these serious allegations contained in the press release were wholly untrue and unfounded, and we withdraw them unequivocally,” read the statement.

“We would like to apologise unreservedly to Mr Piquet Junior and his father for the distress and embarrassment caused as a result. As a mark of the sincerity of our apology and regret, we have agreed to pay them a substantial amount of damages for libel as well as their costs, and have undertaken not to repeat these allegations at any time in the future.” www.mnews.com.au

TEAM orders will be allowed back into Formula 1 next season.

After the Ferrari switch saga in Germany this year, when the team clearly moved Felipe Massa over to allow Fernando Alonso to win the German Grand Prix, the FIA vowed to clarify the team orders ruling.

As a result, Article 39.1 from the Sporting Regulations has been deleted, effectively reallowing team orders.

However, it’s not completely

clear cut, with the statement also reading that “teams will be reminded that any actions liable to bring the sport into disrepute are dealt with under Article 151c of the International Sporting Code, and any other relevant provisions”.

Other changes for 2011 resolved at the weekend’s final meeting of the World Motor Sport Council included a limit on the width of the fast lane in the pits, the introduction of a regulation allowing the race director

to close pit-lane during a race, the re-introduction of intermediate tyres, and a requirement for drivers to use a gearbox for five consecutive races, not four.

Another notable outcome from the WMSC meeting was the creation of an FIA Formula 3 International Trophy, which will feature races at six existing international events – Hockenheim, Pau, Spa, Zandvoort, Macau and Korea.

The top three drivers will be awarded a Formula 1 Super Licence.

FORMULA 1 1600 FORMULA 1 IT’S official – Formula 1 engines are going to get a whole lot smaller.

The current 2.4 litre V8 format will be scratched in 2013, with 1.6 litre, four-cylinder engines to be the replacement. The engines will have direct fuel injection up to 500 bar, and will be rev limited at 12,000rpm.

While the engines sound small, the FIA expects that with extensive energy

management and energy recovery systems, which will return to the sport next year, performance levels will remain the same as the V8. However, fuel consumption should be down 35 percent. Also in 2013, the number of engines each driver is allowed during the course of a season will be slashed from eight to five. In 2014, it will drop again to four.

The current engine format has been in place since 2006, when 3.0 litre V10 units were dumped for the V8s.

13

IndyCar media

Sharp Dressers INDYCARS RYAN Briscoe will race in new clothes next year – literally.

Just a week after unveiling its Shell-Pennzoil livery for its IndyCar and NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers, Penske Racing announced IZOD, the clothing brand that is the IndyCar Series title sponsor, has signed on as Briscoe’s title sponsor for the Indianapolis 500. IZOD will also be an associate sponsor on all three Penske cars in a multi-year deal and sponsor Briscoe at other events during the 2011season.

“I’ll tell you, it’s an amazing feeling to be representing IZOD 14

in 2011,” said Briscoe, who has earned six wins and 10 poles over the last three seasons competing for Team Penske.

“It’s great feeling to be coming back with Team Penske. IZOD’s an amazing brand. They have such passion for the series and are really taking the IndyCar Series to a new level. And it really is a great feeling to be a part of that.”

Parent company, Phillips-Van Heusen, of the IZOD clothing brand, chose the winningest team in the history of North American open-wheel racing, Penske Racing. The team has produced 153 race wins, 196 pole positions, 12 national

Good lookers: Briscoe and Power joined other drivers in a photo shoot to boost Izod last week. championships and 15 Indianapolis 500 victories in IndyCar competition. This new agreement means the drivers can no longer wear their Boss brand clothing, a long time sponsor of Penske Racing. But it also opens the door for IZOD to sell a lot of product across the Penske Corporation businesses.

Penske has secured the Auto Club (AAA) as Helio Castroneves’s title sponsor for two races, the Grand Prix of Long Beach and the double header event at Texas

Motor Speedway. Additional races could be announced later.

Additional announcements are expected in the future but it is clear Penske Racing plans to run all three drivers in 2011. Will Power returns in the Verizon car.

Sponsorship and color schemes for Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe will change depending on the race market as did the signage and colors of Dario Franchitti’s car driving for Ganassi last season.

– MARY MENDEZ motorsport news

news

EDMONTON GETS A REPRIEVE INDYCARS THE Edmonton IndyCar race has been saved.

The July 2011 event, was approved by the city council in a 9-2 vote.

The race had been called off due to an additional US$3m required for paving the new paddock, pits, and grandstand area. Because of development, which started last August, the racing circuit needed to be relocated to the other side of the Edmonton City Centre

Airport. Local businesses have raised $1m and the city will contribute the rest by generating revenue at a rate of $400,000 per year using the improved paved area for parking.

Octane, the same promoter that hosts the F1 Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, has already secured a commitment from the city for $5.5m over three years. Previously, the last three races under Northlands as the promoter resulted in a $12m shortfall, paid for by the taxpayers.

– MARY MENDEZ

Dario, Chip honoured INDYCAR

sutton-images.com

Speed sues Red Bull Racing NASCAR SPRINT CUP THE Scott Speed-Red Bull Racing saga has taken yet another twist, with the driver filing a lawsuit against his former team.

After being released from his contract last month, Speed is claiming US$6.5m from the www.mnews.com.au

team, due to what he claims is a breach of contract. RBR is believed to have picked up the option of the Californian in October, and Speed, 27, claims he had signed a deal to race for the team next season.

He also claims that the team “withheld financial and technological ... resources to

prevent [Speed’s] team from fielding competitive race cars throughout the 2010 Sprint Cup Series season.”

The size of the claim is what Speed and his legal advisers have estimated is his potential earnings for the 2011, ’12 and ’13 seasons, for which he claims he had options.

DARIO Franchitti and Chis Ganassi have been honoured at the Autosport Awards in London.

Dario Franchitti, who won his second consecutive IZOD IndyCar Series championship and second Indy 500, accepted the coveted British Competition Driver of the Year award presented to him on December 5. Ganassi, whose cars/drivers won the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400, was presented with the John Bolster Award, named after Autosport’s first technical editor.

“It’s a great feeling,” said Franchitti. “It’s good to come home and celebrate, to see my friends, colleagues and heroes. I have 75 people in Indianapolis [at the Target Chip Ganassi Racing IZOD IndyCar Series headquarters]. It’s great to have Chip Ganassi here, too.

It didn’t start off too well with Chip in NASCAR [2007].

Chip was good enough to invite me to come back to drive in IndyCar, though. I hope I can keep racing for him for a long time to come.

I’m more passionate about racing than I ever have been before.”

– MARY MENDEZ 15

F3’s Hidden agenda Magro, Borg look at moving up FORMULA 3 JOHN Magro is making preparations for an outright campaign in next year’s Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship.

Magro has made a handful of F3 starts in recent years, most-recently with R-Tek in National Class, but is looking to purchase an F307 Dallara to run for the full 2011 season. The North Queenslander tested one of Team BRM’s ‘07s at Mallala last week.

Purchasing an ’07 Dallara is Magro’s first priority, before determining which team will run the car for him.

“I want to run in the championship class, I’ll be looking at purchasing a car early next year, before the season,” he said.

“I’m not sure who’d we run it with, it’d be either BRM or R-Tek. When the time comes, I’ll do a deal and see what’s going around. I’m definitely looking at a campaign for next year, running the full championship.

We’re working on sponsorship at the moment.”

Meanwhile, young Sydney driver Aaron Borg hopes to join Magro on the 2011 grid. The former karter is eyeing a drive with Team BRM, and launched a program called Drive Western Sydney to rally support from local businesses to back his career.

“Everywhere around the world, Formula 3 is recognised as the premier series for developing driving talent, so it’s important that I begin there next season,” Borg said.

“Anyone looking to go to Europe needs to go with Formula 3 on their CV because it’s an internationally recognised brand. It’s very competitive and hopefully racing in it next year will give me the experience I need to take my career further.”

– MITCHELL ADAM 16

FORMULA 3 THE Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship will make its Top End debut next year, with a slot on the support program of Hidden Valley’s V8 Supercar round.

Having previously been contested at Symmons Plains and Sandown, Formula 3 will move their marquee race to the Northern Territory, to be known as the City of Darwin F3 SuperPrix, for the next three years.

“We are delighted to be bringing the Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship to Darwin for the first time,” Formula 3 Chairman Ian Richards said.

“The track is perfectly suited to our cars, with its long straight allowing for slipstreaming and plenty of overtaking

opportunities. It will be a spectacular show and we are all looking forward to working with Paul [Cattermole] and the Northern Territory Major Events team to continue to build their truly outstanding event.

“The Skycity Triple Crown is an outstanding round of the V8 Supercar Championship and offers our competitors a high profile event at a magnificent venue with atmosphere galore. This will be a major ‘marquee’ race in our Championship.”

With Darwin’s northern location, Formula 3 is aiming to attract competitors from the Asia Pacific region to the race from 2012.

The balance of the 2011 Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship calendar is yet to be finalised, with the category eyeing a split between V8 Supercar supports and Shannons Nationals round.

– MITCHELL ADAM

More races but less cars in AUSSIE GTS THE Australian GT Championship will expand to seven rounds in 2011, as part of a number of changes.

V8 Supercar rounds at Winton and Townsville have been added to the calendar, while the category won’t appear at the Australian Grand Prix. Eastern Creek and Phillip Island will remain as standalone GT events, as previously reported, with teams encouraged to source professional co-drivers for the two one-hour races at each circuit.

To be held on Father’s Day, Phillip Island’s

round is being promoted as a Pro-Am, while professional co-drivers are also eligible to join the field for the one-hour twilight enduro at the Clipsal 500.

“If we can encourage the guys to get a professional co-driver for Phillip Island, which I think most of them will do and some are already looking at who they’re going to have, it’ll add a fair bit of profile to the event,” GT Director Rachael Wagg said.

GT will ‘significantly’ reduce its grid limit for the 2011 season. The new limit will be communicated to competitors when 2011 registrations open this week, with the cut motorsport news

news

SUMMER SMOKE ALERT SPRINTCARS

John Morris

TONY Stewart will be back in action at Tyrepower Sydney Speedway this summer, once again teaming up with Aussie speedway legend Garry Rush.

The American NASCAR ace will do five nights at TSS, including the December 29 Sydney Sprintcar Internationale, the $50,000 to Win Scott Darley Classic (January 2 and 3) and the International Sprintcar Spectacular (January 15).

“Tony Stewart is a world class act, easily one of the biggest motorsport names, and we are absolutely delighted to have him back with us again for this season’s major Sprintcar races,” Tyrepower Sydney Speedway general manager David Tapp said.

“He started his speedway career in open-wheel competition, where he became a four-time American champion before he branched into NASCAR racing. It’s great that Tony has kept in touch with his origins in the sport and still likes to race Sprintcars.”

World of Outlaws front-runner Donny Schatz will also drive for Rush over the summer.

In other TSS news, Tapp will leave his post as general manager mid-January next year.

David Lander will take his role.

“David Tapp was recruited earlier this year in a consultancy role, and his tenure at the venue was always only going to be for a limited time,” explained TSS director Dennis Loudoun.

“Sydney Speedway P/L acknowledges that David has other business interests and his television company, Power Productions, takes up a great deal of time. He needs to concentrate on his own activities going forward, having put the foundations in place for a bright future at Tyrepower Sydney Speedway.”

2011 GT Championship aimed at a range of measures.

“Basically, you won’t be seeing 40-car fields anymore,” Wagg told eNews.

“People think it’s just down to the unusual accidents we’ve had this year, but it’s not just about that at all. As a whole, we need to put on a more consistent show and have a consistent look and number of cars.

“It’ll give better value to our guys and, I think, assure them of better tracktime, better coverage on television and all of those sorts of things.”

Finally, the GT Challenge and GT www.mnews.com.au

Production classes have been combined.

“It’s difficult when you’ve got three classes to promote them all to the level they need to be,” Wagg said.

“When we started Production, the cars were very spec, but as they’ve come to terms and developed them more, they’ve become faster than what we perhaps thought they would. So having two separate classes is a bit useless when the Production Guys are challenging the Challenge guys and sometimes even championship guys.”

– MITCHELL ADAM

2011 Aus GT Ch’ship 1. Clipsal 500, March 17-20 2. Winton, May 20-22 3. Eastern Creek, 28-29 4. Townsville, July 8-10 5. Phillip Island, September 2-4 6. Bathurst, October 6-9 7. Sandown, November 18-20 17

SEX ON WHEELS! SPORTSCARS

AUDI is back – in black!

The speculation about which technical path would be chosen by Audi for 2011 to defend its Le Mans win this year was ended last Friday. At a function at Ingolstadt, the new R18 was revealed to expectant onlookers.

As widely anticipated, the car has a roof, the first Audi prototype to do so since the R8C back in 1999.

However, there was much more uncertainty about the engine, given the wealth of choices under the 2011 regulations. In the end, Audi has stuck with the turbo diesel. However, with that type of engine now limited to just 3.7-litres, compared to the hulking 5.5-litre version which powered the R15s, top speed will be at a premium on the long straights of Le Mans.

This factor in turn explains the choice of the closed

car, as it is regarded as more aerodynamically efficient than the open-top.

“In the future, aerodynamic efficiency will be even more important at Le Mans than it was in the past,” commented Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, Head of Audi. “A closed car has clear advantages in this respect. Our computer simulations have been confirmed in the wind tunnel and during initial track tests.”

In making the

announcement, Audi threw in a bit of a teaser about the car also being designed for “progressive electrification”, suggesting that alternative power supplements are not far away.

The three cars, run as always for the factory by Reinhold Joest, will be crewed by the same nine drivers who produced the crushing 1-2-3 defeat of Peugeot in this year’s race.

– DAVID GREENHALGH

BATHURST ON AUDI’S LIST BATHURST 12H BATHURST may become Audi country.

As mentioned in eNews #184, Mark Eddy has been working with Audi HQ in Germany to obtain support for his R8 attack on the 2011 Bathurst 12 Hours.

A strong Audi presence in the race now seems assured, since Bathurst was 18

one of the events specifically listed in the press conference at Ingolstadt last Friday. In announcing its worldwide racing plans for 2011, Audi mentioned Bathurst in the same breath as the Nurburgring and Spa 24 Hours, as events which will attract strong “customer sport commitment”.

It remains to be seen how this

support will be provided. In August, the legendary Joest team sent an R8 GT3 with Le Mans winners Frank Biela and Marco Werner out to the Sepang 12 Hours, but it is not yet known whether the Bathurst attack will go this far, or whether it will only consist of driving or technical support for Mark Eddy.

– DAVID GREENHALGH motorsport news

Brand new DVD! Peter Brock “Road to Glory” Peter Brock loved living on the edge. From rally driver to nine-times Bathurst winner, Peter loved pushing the boundaries. Many things have been written about Peter and his achievements. Our story covers parts of Peter’s life that are little known. We travel back to his childhood, talk to his family and some old friends that helped him in his early days of racing, from the old tractor on his uncle’s farm to the Austin A 30, then interview some of his more famous racing opponents, culminating with his first Bathurst win in the fantastic Torana XU-1 at Bathurst in 1972. Included are interviews with Harry Firth, Colin Bond, Peter Janson, Bob Jane, Bill Tuckey and Ian Tate (Chief Mechanic for HDT).

This is a fascinating journey, with never before seen stills and family home movies, together with classic Bathurst footage from 1969, 70, 71 and 1972.

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HDR NAMES DRIVERS KARTING

QUEENSLAND-based Harrington Doyle Racing has revealed its team lineup for the 2011 Australian karting season, with James Greenwood once again heading the team.

The outfit – which has set new standards of professionalism for an independent race team in the Australian karting scene – has confirmed four drivers, with a further announcement anticipated regarding a Pro Gearbox competitor in time for the 2011 CIK Stars of Karting Series.

Joining Greenwood as the Senior spearhead will be fellow 22-year-old Terry Cobb. Having taken a break from the sport over the last couple of years to establish his design business, Cobb is raring to get back behind the wheel. The pair will chase the Pro Clubman East Coast Title support category to the Stars of Karting Series in 2010, every eastern states State Title and the Queensland SuperCheap Autos and Southern Star Series.

On the Junior front, HDR will be represented by 11-year-old Harrison Oddie, who recently completed a successful trip to

Malaysia, finishing fourth in the Cadet (effectively Rookies) category. Joining Oddie will be 12-year-old Callum Walker. He will race Junior National Light and compete in the Junior support events to the CIK Stars of Karting Series. Both will race the Queensland based State Series and New South Wales and Queensland State Titles.

Bowing out from the HDR team this year will be long time competitor Brendan

Nelson. The Toowoomba product has elected to pursue a different path with his racing in 2011.

The team welcomes new sponsors in the form of Entegy – a design and web development company and well known oil brand – Motul – both new to the sport of karting. They will join Orrcon as principal sponsors of the team.

“We’re very happy with the

team that we’ve assembled for 2011 and cannot wait to hit the track again,” HDR team principal Craig Doyle said.

“The sport has taken some significant leaps forward over the last 12 months and we’re happy to be part of that. I think our driver line-up will serve us well, it’s very strong right across the board and it’s great that we can welcome Terry back to the sport.”

– MATT PAYNE

SYDNEYSIDERS WIN 4-HOUR KARTING THE now-annual four-hour charity enduro at Melbourne’s Todd Road has been run and won again, with Sydneybased Fergus Symes teaming up with Leigh Nicolaou to take the honours.

They completed 283 laps and took the win over Adam Lindstrom and Travis Kodric by 5.47s. Brock Green and Adam Willison completed the podium.

A novel part of the event this year was 20

a tyre changing competition, where competitors had to mount a set of MG Red Tyres and remove them again in the fastest time. The winner was renowned racer turned mechanic/trainer – Reif Corbett – who managed the task in a blistering 66s.

Other notable results in the main event included Shane Price being classified seventh with Luke Rochford, and event promoter Matt Wall finishing 10th with Corbett. David Sera (teamed with Aaron

Ivermee) failed to finish, so too the Pringle brothers and Kristian Lindbom, who made a return to the driver’s seat with Brittany Smith.

Earlier in the day, a one-hour enduro was staged for Junior National competitors, with Damon Strongman taking the win, while Jordan Nicolaou completed a solid day for the family, taking the Clubman Pro 25-minute enduro.

– MATT PAYNE motorsport news

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21

NATIONAL RACING PETER McNiven looks set to move on to Carrera Cup or V8 Utes following the demise of the MINI Challenge.

The former HQ Holden national champion finished

Peter Bury

McNiven looks forwards third in the all-MINI series in his rookie year, and was intending to stay on for a second tilt at the title in 2011.

Now, however, McNiven is aiming to switch to a revived Porsche category in the new year, pending finances.

More V8s for ARC in 2011

“We’ve spoken to Greg Murphy Racing and we’ve spoken to Sonic [Motor Racing Services], and just put the feelers out and get an idea of budget for the year,” said McNiven.

“At this stage, on the table

the options for us are Utes or Carrera Cup. “I think we have to be pretty lucky to end up in Carrera Cup, but we’ve just got to have some meetings and see how it goes.”

– DANIEL HERRERO

AUSSIE RACING CARS

the grid sizes to their highest levels ever,” Aussie Racing Cars boss Phil Ward said.

“Since inception we have been the trailblazer for assembling the biggest grids and most thrilling racing in the industry, with the confirmation of the highest profile events and live TV coverage next season we are certain we will eclipse all our previous records.”

John Morris / Mpix

AUSSIE Racing Cars will have an increased presence on the V8 Supercar support program in their 2011 calendar.

The category’s appearances on the V8 card have been limited in the last two seasons, however six of the eight Aussie Racing Car rounds will be held at V8 Supercar rounds next year, with the other two with the Australian Superbike Championship.

Among the calendar, the Aussie Racing Cars will make their first appearance at Townsville.

“We are very proud to confirm that numerous new cars are currently in build for delivery at the start of the season which will elevate

2011 Aussie Racing Cars calendar 1. Clipsal 500, March 17-20 2. Hidden Valley, April 16-17 * 3. Winton, May 20-22 4. Townsville, July 8-10 5. Bathurst, October 7-10 6. Gold Coast, October 22-24 7. Symmons, November 12-14 8. Eastern Creek, Nov 26-28 * * Denotes ASBK round

MORE BIKES ON V8 CARD SUPERBIKES AUSTRALIAN Superbikes will add a third V8 Supercar round to their 2011 calendar.

After appearing at one event in 2009 and two in 2010, three rounds of the Viking Group Australian Superbike 22

Championship will be run at ‘2+4’ weekends. Phillip Island and Symmons Plains remain, with Barbagallo Raceway joining the calendar.

The season will open supporting the World Superbike Championship at Phillip Island in February,

standalone events accounting for the remaining four rounds.

“We are pleased to announce the 2011 calendar and in doing so welcome Perth’s Barbagallo Raceway back to the championship, a move we’re sure will excite riders and fans based in Western Australia,”

ASBK General Manager Daniel Hutchinson said.

“The expansion of our partnership with V8 Supercars to three rounds is another significant step, and one that will result in increased exposure for riders, teams and their sponsors.” motorsport news

news

Radicals set for 2011 series SUPERSPORTS

John Morris / Mpix

THE Radical Australia Cup will run as a national series with the Shannons Nationals in 2011, and will feature a variety of sprint and endurance formats, including twin-driver events.

The Radical SR3 vehicles which have competed within the NSW State Supersports series are also expected to be joined in 2011 by up to five SR8 cars, pictured, powered by V8 engines.

Radical Australia chief mechanic Garth Walden gave the SR8 its track debut in a six-lap demonstration run at Eastern Creek on the weekend, lapping at around the same pace as Formula 3 cars.

If enough SR8s are

purchased, it is anticipated that they will run as a separate class within the national series.

“We’re expecting a field of 10 to 15 cars for most national rounds,” Radical Cars Australia importer Greg Smith said.

“At the NSW rounds, I think it will increase to over 20 cars, and if we can sell enough SR8s, that will push the numbers up as well.”

The twin 50-minute endurance event at Eastern Creek was a taste of what could be expected in 2011, with a number of high-profile drivers, including Greg Murphy, Warren Luff, Neil McFadyen and Ben Barker teaming up with the series regulars.

– LACHLAN MANSELL

BMWs, not Folau for GWS 12 HOUR

www.mnews.com.au

Justin Collins

GWS Motorsport has finalised driver line-ups for two of their three BMWs for February’s Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour.

As previously reported, the team will run a BMW 335i – formerly owned and taken to two of 12 Hour wins by Garry Holt, pictured – and a pair of BMW’s 130i models.

In the 335i, car owner Peter O’Donnell will be joined by Christian D’Agostin and Matt Hansen. Allan Shephard, Garth Duffy and Geoff Fontaine will share one 130i,

with drivers for the second close to being finalised.

“The car has a great deal of credibility at Bathurst and, from a Production Car perspective, we’re looking to go very well,” O’Donnell said of the 335i.

“We have a very strong team.

Most of our drivers have been to Bathurst before and we know they are all capable.

Garry Mennell from On Track Motorsport is preparing the cars and will put together the strongest group of people to work on them during the weekend, so all of our bases are covered.”

23

Bishop looking to bounce back DRAG RACING

Motorplex as it is a great facility and we love seeing our

WA fans.”

– LUKE NIEUWHOF

Ken Ferguson

THE Stuart Bishop Racing team headed home disappointed after competing at the 39th Annual Goldenstates for Round 2 of ANDRA Pro Series Top Doorslammer at Perth Motorplex.

The burst panel on the supercharger blew off in Round 1 and halted the chances of proceeding into the semi finals.

“The team and I were obviously very disappointed,” Bishop said.

“It goes to show though that you need a mix of a great team, a great car and a lot of luck. The crew at Stuart Bishop Racing did an amazing job as always.”

Bishop was part of the largest field of Top Doorslammers ever assembled.

“It was amazing to be competing in a field of 22 cars,” he said.

“It would be fantastic if all teams competed nationally as there were 10 WA based teams in the field. We also always enjoy heading to the

Hedging his bets DRAG RACING PRO Stock has been on a bit of a break since the opening round with racers having to wait until January 14/15 at Willowbank for their second round of the championship.

Jason Hedges Racing has enjoyed the start to the

season they had hoped for, making the semi-finals of the 2010 Fuchs Australian Nationals at Sydney Dragway.

Hedges said they want to make sure the team is not a one hit wonder.

“We have begun the new season just the way that we wanted to,” he said.

“However, with that being said, we want to ensure that we keep the ball rolling in the right direction.”

During the off-season the team installed a new Steve Schmidt 400ci powerplant, which allowed the team to record new personal best times and speeds – 7.12s at

309.11kmh.

“Even though we reached these numbers, we realise that we need to continue to lift our game to keep pace with the rest of the field and the way that the performance bar continues to be lifted,” said Hedges.

– LUKE NIEUWHOF

HUMPHREYS IN AT ANDRA DRAG RACING GREG Humphreys has been appointed to the new ANDRA position of Deputy CEO and Business Manager.

Based in Adelaide,

24

Humphreys spent some years as the CEO of the Adelaide Thunderbirds and Netball SA, with responsibilities in areas such as team operations, venue management, events, membership and sponsorship.

“The new position is part of the restructure of ANDRA and a broadening of our resources,” said ANDRA CEO Tony Thornton.

“As well as bringing great experience and fresh

objectivity to the team in a number of areas, Greg will play a key role in the implementation of the revised governance process over the next few months.”

– LUKE NIEUWHOF

motorsport news

news

John Bosher

Cowin firing up for QLD forward,” said Cowin.

“Top Fuel racing in Australia is the toughest it has ever been at the moment, the level of competition and the cars is massive and you have got to be on your game.

“I find the first few rounds aren’t that nerve wracking but when you come to the final, that is when you are like a meerkat with your ears popped up, everyone has stayed around to watch the final two cars of the event and the pressure is on.

“The last time I raced there was in 2002 and I ran the first 4.7s pass, and it was the first ever 500 kilometre per hour Top Fuel run as well and my first ever win.”

Where Cowin faltered at the Nationals, Victorian Darren Morgan shined, taking the event win.

That result, combined

John Morris /Mpix

THE ANDRA Pro Series has Willowbank Raceway in Queensland next on the agenda with rounds of Top Fuel and Top Alcohol taking place on January 2/3.

It will be the first time in a long time that Andrew Cowin has taken to the Ipswich track in competition, and with his comeback season already off to a fantastic start, all eyes will be on the Sydneysider who secured his Top Fuel license at just 17.

After a shock first round loss at the opening round, Cowin made amends as he went on to take the event win in Sydney in October.

“We tested before the start of the season and ran a 4.59s time which was great, and then with the event win in October we moved up to second in the points, and we hope to keep progressing

with his October semifinal appearance, sees him positioned on the top of the points table heading into the New Year.

“We had the best possible start to the season in September with the Nationals win, and then in October for Round 2 we went to the semi-

finals for a close run with Terry Sainty, who went on to claim runner-up for that event,” said Morgan.

“All in all, it’s been a strong start and we now sit at the top of the championship heading to Willowbank, which is always a nice place to be.”

– LUKE NIEUWHOF

Next ANDRA Pro Series Round: New Year Series, Willowbank, January 2-3 ANDRA Pro Series on TV: Friday Dec 10, Top & Pro Bike, Goldenstate Titles, 10pm www.mnews.com.au

25

Five Minutes with ...

DAVID REYNOLDS

This time 12 months ago, David Reynolds was told he was no longer required in a fulltime role at Walkinshaw Racing. But in 2011, he’ll be back, better than ever, with Kelly Racing. He spoke to ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN about his second chance MOTORSPORT NEWS: It must be nice to have this locked away before the break, so you can relax on Christmas Day knowing what you’ll be doing next year.

DAVID REYNOLDS: Yeah, it’s always good to go into Christmas knowing what you’ll do next year ... and it rarely happens!

You probably had a few options for next year, both full-time and enduro seats; what made you decide to go down the Kelly Racing path?

Well, it’s a good opportunity for me. I see it as being the team of the future, just through the way they are trying to structure everything. They want it to be the best team in pit-lane.

James Smith

What are they doing that gives you an indication that they will achieve that goal?

They’re working at putting the right people in place. It’s a really happy environment, and even through I’ve only been to the factory a couple of times, it seems everyone is really friendly, willing to work, and willing to win.

sponsor commitments, was full-on. And the racing is 10 times longer, the level of the opposition is 10 times harder, and it completely overwhelmed me. Towards the end of the year I started to sort it out, I just didn’t get another year to try and build on that.

Thankfully, now I do have another year!

You spent a couple of years in the Walkinshaw Racing family, and the Kellys spent a long time in the Walkinshaw Racing family; have you noticed any similarities between Kelly Racing and Clayton?

It’s fairly different, from what I can tell at this point. I don’t know about the cars yet, because I haven’t driven a Kelly Racing car.

I’ll find that out tomorrow.

You’re right, you struck a rich vein of form at the end of ’09. Despite the year off, will you be able to carry on with that straight away?

Hopefully! Only time will tell ...

What about coming back full-time?

You’ve done a couple of main game races and some Fujitsu Series races this year, but will there still be a period of readjustment to a full-time drive?

Well, at least this time I know what to expect!

When I first came into the series at the start of 2009, it was just overload.

The commitment side, like media and

Are there any positives in having that year off?

Yes and no. Mentally, it really has helped.

It’s made me a bit stronger, because I have really, really, really missed racing and being a full-time driver. But on the skills side, when you haven’t been in the car as much your skills probably drop off a little bit.

But that won’t take very long to get back, it’s like riding a bike.

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What are you realistic expectations for next year?

Mate, I’ve got no idea. You’re asking me in December 2010! I haven’t even driven the car yet.

It’s a team effort at the end of the day. We’re going to try some good stuff on the car, and we’ll keep progressing forward and make the car work as well as it should. When we get to that stage, then we can look at some results and expectations, and being as close to the front as possible.

But the one thing I’m looking forward to is the increased number of all Sprint tyre events, because that softer tyre suits my driving style a lot better.

Is that a hangover from your Carrera Cup days?

Yeah, definitely. You can carry a lot more mid-corner speed, and you can feel the car a lot better. I think we have six full soft tyre rounds, and that’s really good for me. motorsport news

news chat

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Production Car party pies

A

taste of Production Car racing in 2011 came early last weekend, with the Eastern Creek 8 Hour.

The race was launched amid much chest-beating in June (a month before the circuit hosted the Australian 6 Hour, within the existing Australian Manufacturers Championship), and was originally scheduled for the same weekend as Sandown’s V8 Supercar round.

Not a great start.

It was then moved to the weekend just gone, and a press release in August featured the terms “inundated with interested entrants”, “strong interest” and suggested a field of 40 cars – including interest from Asia – was possible with $100,000

of prize money on the line. In late October, another said the ARDC was “expecting a strong field for the last event of the year and anticipating a strong spectator attendance”.

On Sunday, 13 cars started and eight were running at the end. There were probably just as many spectators there, judging by the photos I’ve seen. The fact is, it was a redundant race held at a time of the year when everyone is switching off.

Next year, it’ll maintain a similar date, but at least it’ll move within the framework of the Australian Production Car Endurance Championship.

So it’ll have some relevance and probably more support from the Production Car competitor base.

OPINION Mitchell Adam – National Editor Ultimately, though, get ready for small numbers of Production Cars driving around in-front of noone next year, with two long-distance Proddy Championships (one sanctioned by CAMS, another by the AASA) set to go ahead.

As someone put it to me recently, there are too many entities trying to get a piece of what’s a pretty small pie.

Sure, handy numbers of competitors have rocked up in recent years for the

Bathurst 12 Hour, but that sort of event (at Bathurst) attracts once-a-year types.

Other than that, Production Car grids have hardly been over-subscribed.

It simply looks like everyone thinks they can do it better than the next organiser.

That’s all well and good, but if we end up having rival yet almost identical long distance categories for Production Cars, each averaging – say – a dozen cars, there will be no winners.

John Morris / Mpix

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motorsport news

comment

Tom OPINION Phil Branagan – Executive Editor

O

NE thing you can say about Tom Walkinshaw; you could never ignore

www.mnews.com.au

Dirk DirkKlynsmith Klynsmith

him.

Walkinshaw leaves motor racing with a lot of fans, and possibly a few enemies, but nobody can deny that he cast a large shadow on the sport. As a driver, he worked day and night at finding the best set-up he could from a racing car and then drove the wheels off it, sometimes literally. As a team owner, he was forceful, perhaps ruthless. As a businessman, he played it hard and, if that was unsettling for some in the sport to deal with, it must be said that that is how it is, in the world of real business and real businessmen.

The Walkinshaw story is a great one. Son of a market gardener, tough as nails, he dragged himself up from nothing and sat at the top of the sport. Yes, Formula 1 successes did not come as he wanted, but TW won at pretty much everything else he turned his hand to.

And, you could see why.

In recent years at Bathurst in October, a Friday night tradition has become one of the highlights of the year.

Some years ago, Tom decided that it would be fun to invite a number of the media to dinner, on the proviso that unless we asked specifically, everything was off the record. In luxurious surroundings, great food and wine were mixed with frank

discussions about the state of the sport, motoring and the world.

This was a different view of Walkinshaw. He clearly enjoyed the informality and, in these surroundings, you could see why the man was such a success at what he did, and how he charmed the captains of the motoring industry over such a long period of time. He clearly relished a forthright discussion – he was a Scot, so you can imagine that the language was not always PG13 – and he showed that he had a wide knowledge of many things, in and out of the motoring sphere. In short, he was great company, and a gracious host.

Over various dinners, I asked him about the fuel capacity of certain racecars, what constituted jungle juice, minimum weights, what he thought of some drivers, and the answers were always, er, frank. Not always the answers I was after, but highly entertaining. Too bad they were off the record.

Tom Walkinshaw leaves the sport with a massive list of achievements. Titles as a driver and owner, headlines from a career that saw the highs and lows and a life lived with the needle near the redline for much of the time. Tonight, I shall raise a glass to him and his loved ones and, I hope, next October, in a place he clearly loved, at Bathurst, a few of us will get together on a Friday night, and do the same.

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EASTERN CREEK 8 HOUR EASTERN CREEK

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motorsport news

race

In the Hunt

Jim Hunter, Gavin Bullas and Barton Mawer took out the inaugural Eastern Creek 8 Hour, as a number of high profile entries fell by the wayside. LACHLAN MANSELL was there

John Morris / Mpix

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J

IM Hunter, Gavin Bullas and Barton Mawer have taken out the inaugural Eastern Creek 8 Hour, profiting from a consistent performance throughout the race and capitalising on some mishaps for their key rivals.

Hunter, Mawer and Bullas ran as low as fifth mid-race after some tyre dramas with their Subaru STI, but a change in tyre brand allowed them to claw their way back into contention and they ultimately won the race by a lap from the BMW 335i of Barry Morcom, Nathan Morcom and Garry Holt, with the Tony Quinn / Klark Quinn Mitsubishi Evo IX rounding out the podium, a further nine laps in arrears.

“This win is sensational not just for me, but for everyone who helps out the team for no reason other than they love being involved,” Hunter said.

“I’m really proud that we took the fight up to some much bigger teams today, and beat them across the line.”

“The track conditions and ambient temperature really tortured the tyres and the car today,” Mawer added. “We had some trouble in the middle of the race, but we changed our strategy and that’s what ultimately won it for us.”

The Morcom / Morcom / Holt BMW made just four pit stops compared to 11 for the race winners, but the car simply did not have the pace

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to challenge the Subaru, even though Holt found himself with the race lead before the final round of pit stops.

Meanwhile, the polesitting Quinn father-and-son combination dominated the opening stanza of the race, leading by four laps at the fivehour mark before losing many laps with fuel pump problems that prevented the engine being restarted after the car’s final two pit stops.

Terry Conroy / Gerry Burges / Bob Hughes finished fourth in their Honda Integra Type R ahead of the Richard Gartner / Kean Booker / Francois Jouy / Carl Schembri Renault Clio, with the ever-reliable Toyota Yaris of Paul Nelson, Bob Holden, Justin Matthews and Greg Kean home in sixth.

The most spectacular incident of the race involved the high-profile pairing of Neil Crompton and Glenn Seton.

Just after the half-way mark, their Prod Duct Mitsubishi Evo X caught fire in pit lane due to a fuel bladder leakage.

Some quick work by the fire marshals prevented a pitlane disaster but the car was eliminated on the spot.

The second Pro Duct Evo of Bob Pearson / Steve Glenney retired with the same problem a number of laps later, and the team’s third entry, driven by Mark King / Anton Mechtler / Jason Walsh, was directed into retirement by the officials on suspicion of it being affected by a fuel leak as well.

motorsport news

race

John Morris / Mpix

John Morris / Mpix

The Morcoms and Garry Holt, left, finished second, ahead of the Quinns, below left, who dominated the race but struck troubles.

Also in the wars, a pitlane fire eliminated Glenn Seton and Neil Crompton, above, as the Pro-Duct Evos had fuel tank problems and eight of the 13 starters finished the race.

The below pic is about as fast as you can make a Toyota Yaris look.

In it, Paul Nelson, Bob Holden, Justin Matthews and Greg Kean took sixth.

John Morris / Mpix

John Morris / Mpix

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www.mnews.com.au Kool Advert Final OL - Digital.indd 1

30/11/2010 13:16:43 Sill Advert v3 Final OL Digital.indd 1

30/11/2010 13:14:21

WORLD SERIES SPRINTCARS Round 4 – LATROBE, TAS

David Clifford

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motorsport news

race

SIDES AGAIN

In the round before he will be moved aside for Brooke Tatnell, Jason Sides took another WSS win in Tasmania, and also took the series lead. DAVID CLIFFORD reports

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lead, and win with current Australian Champion James McFadden in second and Steven Lines in third.

Sides will now vacate the seat of the W2 car for regular Krikke Motorsport driver Brooke Tatnell, who will return to the driver duties at Round 5 on Boxing day.

Spectators for Round 4 were not left waiting too long for some action to get their attention. The first heat of the night saw American Jason Johnson involved in what was probably one of the biggest and highest roll-overs seen at the track in recent times. World Series Sprintcars manager Steven Green commented to eNews “that was one

very big hit” as he looked on at the aftermath in disbelief.

Johnson was uninjured and back out racing in the spare car NQ47 car.

The leader board now has Sides sitting in the top position, 91 points ahead of Robbie Farr, while Lines fills third place and is only 29 points behind Farr.

Heat Winners were Redpath, Kurt Luttrell, Lines, Matt Egel, Gerry Hoekstra.

The B-Main Winner Tim Hutchins.

Round 5 of the World Series Sprintcars will be held at Speedway City Adelaide on Boxing Day. This will be the start of Speed Week, where the drivers try to tame five tracks in a week.

motorsport news

David Clifford

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David Clifford

A

MERICAN Jason Sides has won the fourth round of World Series Sprintcars, held at the Bendigo Bank Arena in Latrobe, Tasmania.

The win made it a clean sweep for Sides at the two rounds held in Tassie.

Organisers were forced to run the meeting on Sunday after rain washed away any chances of the show being run on Saturday night.

Sides, driving for Krikke Motorsport, started from position three in the 30-lap final, and quickly moved up to second.

An error by race-leader Adrian Redpath late in the final saw Sides take over the

race

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SPEEDWAY MIKE Van Bremen’s love affair with Avalon Raceway continued last Saturday night winning the fourth round of the Eureka Garages and Sheds Sprintcar Series.

He had to withstand constant pressure during the feature race from eventual runner-up Grant Anderson and Daniel Pestka.

Van Bremen described the victory as the best of his career.

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“This was great to win here again,” he said.

“This race would have to rate as one of my best drives ever and a race that I felt was very rewarding for the efforts put in by my team and with the calibre of drivers here tonight.

“I am so pleased and I am looking forward to next weekend at Premier Speedway.”

After the completion of heat races it was Rod Matthews leading the points from Anderson, Van Bremen, Ryan

Davis, Glen Sutherland and Dylan Jenkin.

With weather closing in it was decided to cancel the top six shootout and start the 30lap feature race.

The opening lap stoush between Matthews and Anderson was on, Matthews won the drag until Turn 2 when he and Anderson washed up high leaving the gate open for the fast Van Bremen.

He didn’t hesitate and grabbed the lead and on a fast

Geoff Gracie

MVB the MVP

race track opened up a gap while Anderson had settled down and started to close in on the leader.

The lead never changed but Pestka was the mover through the field coming from 11th to third just at the halfway point but couldn’t haul in the leading pair.

Points: Van Bremen, 532, Nick Lacey 486, Pestka 485, Davis 476, Brett Milburn 474, Darren Mollenoyux 456 – GEOFF ROUNDS

motorsport news

race

Steady Edis RADICALS GLYN Edis was the winner both 50-minute Radical miniendurance races at Eastern Creek an Saturday, despite the presence of some wellcredentialed drivers in the event.

Edis drove both races solo and his amateur driver status allowed him to stop for two minutes during the compulsory pit-stops, while the cars with professional drivers were required to stop for three

minutes. As a result, Edis took comprehensive victories in both races.

Mark Hurcum and Chris Oxley finished second overall, ahead of Peter Opie and Trevor Gerber, who finished seventh and sixth in the two races but found their way onto the podium by virtue of consistency.

The best performance out of the cars fitted with professional drivers cane from Nick Kelly and Neil McFadyen, who finished second in Race 2 after a DNF in Race 1. V8 Supercar

driver Greg Murphy, inset, starred in Race 1, running in the top 3 before handing the car over to Greg Smith, who came home sixth, but the pair failed to finish in Race 2.

Ed Singleton elected to drive Race 1 solo, and finished up in second position after taking advantage of the shorter pitstop. He drove with George Miedecke in Race 2, and ran strongly at the front of the field until suffering a gearbox problem. The team rectified the problem but did not complete

enough laps to be classified as a finisher.

Other pro drivers to take part in the event included Mat Sofi (driving with Tony Palmer), Paul Stokell (partnering Phil Anseline), Warren Luff (joining Basil Mondello), Ben Barker (team-mate to Andy Plummer), Nathan Stephens (teaming up with Chris Medland), Bryce Moore (paired with Richard Bloomfield) and Anthony Robson (driving alongside Tony Haggarty).

– LACHLAN MANSELL

Both pics: John Morris/Mpix

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motorsport news

rear of grid

NASCAR GOES LOOPY O FOR A LOOPIE dd Spot

T

HOSE crazy cats at NASCAR are at it again.

With the title trophies and millions of dollars having been given to Jimmie Johnson, NASCAR had one more award ceremony for the season – The Loopies. The not-so-prestigious awards are based on the Loop Data for the season, and celebrate the best, and the worse.

And the winners are ...

The ‘Most awesome sport ever, especially this year’ Award: The winner is NASCAR, with 1,299 green flag passes for the lead and 116,327 green flag passes this season, the most since NASCAR started recording the stat in 2005.

The ‘Happy to be back’ Award: The winner is Kevin Harvick, who improved from a rating of 75.7 in 2009 to 98.0 this season. Paul Menard was second.

The ‘You’re going the wrong way’ Award: This is the opposite to the previous award, and this year went to Mark Martin, who dropped off from 100.3 in 2009 to 82.8 in ’10. Whoops!

The ‘It’s not how you finish, it’s how you start’ Award: Apparently, Juan Pablo Montoya is worst ‘closer’ in NASCAR, losing more positions than anyone else over the last 10 percent of a race. His average starting spot was 11th and his average finishing spot was 18th.

The ‘Click ‘em off’ Award: Think of the AFL’s percentage system, but applied to overtaking. This was another win for Harvick, who had +500 passes to his name. He made 3,268 passes, and was only passed 2,786 times.

The ‘Second is not the first loser’ Award: The second best driver rating of the year went to Jeff Gordon, who was only beaten by Johnson in the final stats for 2010.

The ‘Door is ajar, sorta’ Award: This won is for everyone not called Jimmie Johnson. This season was Johnson’s worst in The Chase, and even though he still won, there is a glimmer of hope for everyone else ...

Tim Slade made his Sprintcar debut in at Murray Bridge on Saturday night, fin ishing eighth and seventh in his two heats, and 11th in the 15-car B-Main.

Christopher Horne

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