Motorsport eNews Issue 186 - December 21, 2010 - January 10, 2011

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Issue No. 186 Dec 21 2010 - Jan 10 2011

r e n win

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FPR gets its fourth man

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Issue No. 186 | Dec 21 2010-Jan 10 2011

news 4

Gee! An car low fizzy fella!

Murphy, Pepsi for Kellys 6 The Family business Moffat set for JBR seat 9 Enduring 2011 Richo for PI, Bathurst only 10 Bathurst Formulated FFords for Mount Panorama 14 Smooth as a baby’s ...

Testing at ‘new’ Daytona

chat 26 Five Minutes With ...

Mister S Claus

comment 28 Adam and Lambden 29 AVL and Branagan

race 32 2010, in Review 44 Warrnambool SRA

trade 46 Classifieds

MAX MURP

MURPHY, PEPSI TO JOIN KELL V8 SUPERCARS

Dirk Klynsmith

GREG Murphy will be reunited with his two-time Bathurst winning co-driver Rick Kelly next season, when he joins Kelly Racing.

Murphy will carry Pepsi sponsorship on one of the Melbourne team’s four entries for 2011. He will race alongside the Jack Daniel’s entries of Rick and Todd Kelly and David Reynolds, who has already been confirmed in the Stratco entry.

The New Zealander, who split with Paul Morris Motorsport earlier this month, will take over the entry that had been utilised by Jason Bargwanna. The Rock energy drinkbacked driver was thought to be confirmed in the team’s lineup, but eNews has not been able to contact Bargwanna for a comment.

Other media reports have connected Bargwanna with Brad Jones Racing, to drive the team’s #8 entry, which was raced by Jason Richards and Andrew Jones last season. There is a suggestion that Jason Bright would thus drive the BOC Gases entry, allowing Bargwanna to move into an ‘unbranded’ car, should he exit KR. Murphy’s move has paved the way for Pepsi to have a presence in V8 Supercar racing. The multinational cola brand announced

motorsport news

news

PHY! D’Alberto in Blue

LY RACING

Tony makes it four at FPR V8 SUPERCARS

www.mnews.com.au

FORD Performance Racing will run four entries in the 2011 V8 Supercar Championship – and Tony D’Alberto will be the team’s new driver.

The former Fujitsu Series champion has his Commodore, which was the first VE built by Walkinshaw

made his V8 Supercars debut eight years ago, driving a Holden Young Lions entry in the FV8 Series. He moved in the V8SCS, with RNR, in 2008-09.

D’Alberto’s move will make the split between Holden and Ford slightly more even, with 17 Commodore and 11 Falcons now set to line up next season.

Dirk Klynsmith

in November that it was to back a car under its Pepsi Max brand, and was well down the path of backing a Ford Performance Racing entry with, it was planned, James Courtney driving. But when that deal foundered, and with Courtney moving to the Holden Racing Team, there appeared to be no way forward for a deal to be done there. eNews believes that as many as 1.5 million already-branded Pepsi cans, bearing Courtney’s image, have had to be destroyed, with some sources suggesting such an operation could cost as much as $100,000. Good thing that aluminium cans are recyclable ...

A potential sticking point to a Pepsi Max deal on a Kelly Commodore was Bargwanna’s Rock sponsorship, the energy drink backing him both in V8 Supercars and in the NZV8 Series.

However, providing a move from KR is worked out, it would appear to pave the way for Pepsi, and Murphy, to join the team.

The move is a blow to Ford.

The company was believed to have been involved in discussion with Pepsi’s representative M&C Saatchi Sport and Entertainment from the very beginning and, after Plan A involved Pepsi and Courtney and Ford, both are now very much involved with Holden ...

Performance, on the market and will use his REC to drive the fourth FPR Falcon. His car will be run in much the same manner as the Rod Nash Racing entry, in which Paul Dumbrell scored his first pole position and race win at Sandown, below.

D’Alberto, 25, has made all of his 48 Main Game starts in Holdens. As a 17-year-old, he

This is the final issue of Motorsport eNew s for 2010.

Merry Christmas to all our readers – and we’ll see you bright and early in the New Year The next issue of Motorsport eNews will hit your desktop on Monday evening, January 10.

SONS OF GUNS, X2

Moffat Jr to join Johnson at Jim Beam Racing

Dirk Klynsmith

V8 SUPERCARS TWO of Touring Car racing’s most famous names, Johnson and Moffat, will be united in 2011, with James Moffat set to join Jim Beam Racing.

The son of multiple ATCC and

Bathurst winner Allan Moffat will partner Steve Johnson in the team, and take over #18 from the departed James Courtney.

Moffat, 26, made his debut in the V8 Supercar Championship Series at Phillip Island, joining

Ford Performance Racing.

Partnering Steven Richards, he had a tough debut at Phillip Island, but bounced back, with a solid drive to 11th at Bathurst.

The Fujitsu V8 Series standout is expected to retain the support of sponsor Norton

360. Indeed, eNews believes that one of the options being considered in Moffat’s deal is that he may race in a predominantly Nortonbranded racesuit with Jim Beam identification, rather than the other way around.

SBR signs with Ford, Lucky 7 2 more years with Blue Oval V8 SUPERCARS

Peter Bury

STONE Brothers Racing is remaining a Ford team for the next two years, at least.

SBR announced on Monday that it would remain a Fordbacked team until the end of 2012, and all three entries would carry Ford signage – including its new Lucky 7 entry. Tim Slade will carry the convenience stores’ branding on his #47 Falcon.

“In a tough new car market it’s fantastic to have Ford as a team partner at SBR for

another two years,” said Ross Stone.

“Knowing that we have their support for a further two seasons means we can now focus on our goal of securing another Championship and it would be great to have them as part of it following on from our previous successes together.”

Lucky 7, which has more than 300 outlets nationally, replaces Wilson Security on the Slade FG. As is the case with Ford, all three SBR entries will carry Lucky 7 branding. motorsport news

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Owen, PMM on Tuesday

RED HANDED No surprise: Courtney likes his ‘new rocket’

V8 SUPERCARS STEVE Owen will be named as the new driver at Paul Morris Motorsport tomorrow.

As reported last week, the Gold Coast winner will join Russell Ingall in the two-car Commodore team and will race in the livery of VIP Pet Foods, which returns to V8 Supercars as a sponsor after an eightyear absence.

Owen, 36, is a twotime Fujitsu V8 Series Champion and replaces Greg Murphy, who departed the team earlier this month, and who will join Kelly Racing for 2011.

V8 SUPERCARS JAMES Courtney has had his first drive of a Commodore at Phillip Island, after last week being confirmed as Holden Racing Team’s new recruit.

The current V8 Supercar Champion took part in a drive day at the island track last Wednesday, a day after being introduced at Holden’s Port Melbourne HQ. Courtney has signed a three-year deal, thought to be worth more than $1m a year.

“Had a mega day with all the

boys from @holden_racing,” Courtney tweeted on his Twitter account – which has changed from JCourtney18 to JCourtney01!

“Loads of rides and got a good feel for my new rocket.”

Courtney said that the reception he had received so far had been fairly positive.

“It’s actually been really good,” he said. “Out at Homebush I had a lot of people coming up and saying thank you for winning the championship.

So I really haven’t had anyone come up and try and say any

bad stuff.

“It was a tough time for the blue side the past 12 months and it wasn’t looking good at the start of the year, so everyone I’ve come across so far has just been thankful.”

The move takes Courtney back to his Holden ‘roots’. He made his V8 Supercar debut with the team in 2005, before being signed by Stone Brothers Racing for the ‘06 season.

For more with Courtney, see the January edition of Motorsport News, on sale this Wednesday

sutton-images.com

The Brighton Speed Shop has a position available, for immediate start, preparing and building cars from Historic to current.

Great working conditions and good remuneration to the right applicant.

The position requires the following: • Good mechanical knowledge; • Work unsupervised once project is started; • Attention to detail and finishing work; • Work and build a variety of projects.

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More Triples V8 SUPERCARS DEAN Fiore’s Triple F Racing organisation is hoping to strengthen its ties with Triple Eight Race Engineering in 2011.

Fiore races a Triple Eightbuilt FG Falcon, which he bought from Paul Cruickshank Racing at the end of 2009.

While he did receive Fabian Coulthard’s 2009 data with the car, Triple F’s arrangement with T8 has been purely sales based.

In 2011, it’s likely to change.

“We are going to try and

further strengthen our relationship with Triple Eight,” Fiore told eNews.

“At this stage, we just buy stuff from them. We want a proper technical alliance, which we are hoping will get us further up the grid.

“Roland [Dane] and I have been speaking over the last couple of races, and we’ve reached an agreement, we just need to finalise it. But there will be a relationship in 2011 between Triple F and Triple Eight.”

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN motorsport news

news

V8 Supercar Championship as a full time driver in 2011,” Richo STEVEN Richards will not be said. a full-time V8 Supercar driver “By no means is this an in 2011 – but he has not ruled announcement of any sort in out a return to that role in relation to retiring from driving 2012. full time in the V8 Supercar Richards issued a statement Championship, who knows at last week, in which he detailed this stage what lies beyond his plans for 2011. He is 2011. expected to be a highly sought“Clearly there are many after endurance driver, and very good options in relation looks to feature prominently in to driving at the L&H 500 the plans for Ford Performance at Phillip Island and the Racing in that role.

Supercheap Auto Bathurst “With Christmas and the New 1000 endurance races and a Year fast approaching and after final decision on driving at lengthy consideration of all the those events will become options available to me, it is my clearer to me in the coming decision to step away from the days and weeks.”

V8 SUPERCARS

Jones moves on V8 SUPERCARS GEOFF Jones has parted ways with SEL. The former Gold Coast Indy CEO, and former CEO of Ticketek has been appointed Managing Director of Nine www.mnews.com.au

Entertainment Co’s events division.

Jones joined SEL, which is a 25 percent stakeholder in V8 Supercars, earlier this year, and was acting Chairman of V8SA while Tony Cochrane took a mid-season sabbatical.

sutton-images.com

2011 Enduros Only for Richo EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST The Australian Motorsport Foundation (AMSF) directly facilitates the progress of talented young Australian drivers to the pinnacle of international competition and fosters broader participation at entry levels of motor sport via grants from government agencies and its own fund-raising activities.

To date the AMSF has had a small executive team operating within the CAMS offices. The AMSF Board has decided to outsource the operation of the AMSF from 2011 and is thus seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced organisations to support the Board by overseeing the following operational elements of the AMSF’s function: n International Rising Star Program n CAMS Rising Star Program n Development Courses n Members activities, including social functions, networking functions, motorsport event attendance and participation, motorsport travel programs and drive days.

Expressions of Interest (no more than 3 pages) should be marked ‘Confidential’ and sent to: Michael Stilwell – Director, Australian Motor Sport Foundation, 851 Dandenong Road, Malvern East, 3145 no later than January 10. From the expressions, a list of tenderers will be prepared and the tender process will be completed during January.

Initial enquiries for further information can be directed to Michael Stillwell via mobile 0418 650 350.

FORMULA FORD FORMULA Ford will return to Bathurst next year.

For the first time since 2005, the long-running open wheel class will race at Mount Panorama, as part of Easter’s reborn Bathurst Motor Festival.

Marshall Cass

FFORDS GOING BACK TO BATHURST The meeting will be for Kentengined cars, with a capacity grid expected.

Among those to signal their intent, Victorian Kent Champion Luke Ellery will race his title-winning Spectrum, while Andre Borell, who raced in the National Championship

in 2009 and 2010, will run his Van Diemen RF01.

The event is currently the only on Borell’s schedule, the Queenslander having announced he won’t have a fulltime drive in 2011.

“It’s going to be good,” Borell said.

“There are a few tracks I’ve always wanted to drive on, and Bathurst is definitely in the top few. I’ve been there in a roadcar, but never raced there.

“I’ve heard they’ve reached capacity, which is 40, so it should be a ripper!”

– MITCHELL ADAM

No racing, but busy summer coming up at QR GENERAL THE bad news; Queensland Raceway is about to close.

The good news; to be resurfaced.

The track, which has operated continuously since it opened in 1999, will close for much of the summer for a

complete repaving.

“We’ve been wanting to undertake these works at Queensland Raceway since 2008,” explained John Tetley, Chairman of Queensland Raceways Pty Ltd, “but the sheer demand for the circuit has meant we simply couldn’t close it down for long enough.

Now with Lakeside Park taking some of the workload we can actually close QR for a few weeks during the Christmas break to prepare and resurface the Ipswich track, as well as some safety improvements for Turn 6.”

The left hand gravel traps at Turn 6 are being extended to

form one continuous gravel trap between the track and the tyre wall. The exit gravel trap is being removed and replaced by a bitumen track surface, to give riders and drivers an extra opportunity to avoid ploughing into the pit wall at the beginning of the front straight.

Mother Energy Racing Team Require Full-time race mechanics for the 2011 V8 Supercar championship Positions available are #1 race mechanic & #2 race mechanics.

Extensive knowledge of all aspects of Race Car preparation required.

Attention to detail, along with the ability to work in high pressure situations & fit in well within a professional race team.

Previous Motorsport experience is essential in same or similar role, preferably within V8 Supercars. Opportunity to work in secure, well funded race team based in Yatala, Qld. Competitive salary package.

Contact Andy McElrea andymcelrea1@bigpond.com or 0402 056 306 10

motorsport news

news

NZ’s COT breaks cover NZV8S FIRST pictures have been revealed of New Zealand’s ‘Car of Tomorrow’ NZV8 race car prototype.

The about-to-publish issue of NZ Racer has sourced the first image of the ‘uni-brand’ NZ V8 car which is expected to take over from the ageing existing field of NZV8 cars in 2012.

NZ’s COT follows similar philosophies to Australia’s

own V8 Supercar ‘Car of the Future’ – indeed there are many similarities between the two, understandable when both prototypes are being built up in the Brisbane workshops of respected engineer Paul Ceprnich.

While the external look of the cars is also expected to be very close, there are significant, cost-varying differences under the skin.

The NZ car is expected to be considerably cheaper than its

Image reproduced with the kind permission of VEEGA

Australian counterpart, due mainly to the reduced cost of componentry utilised – there is even talk of a single-source engine.

Happy new Falcon, Rodney FUJITSU SERIES RODNEY Jane is stepping up to an FG Falcon for next year’s Fujitsu Series.

The Sonic Motor Racing driver will drive a recentlypurchased Triple Eight FG Falcon, with FGs becoming eligible for the series next year.

“They say the car I’ve got at the moment (BF) has a better aero package on it, but you’d imagine that with the FG they’ve done a fair amount of development with it,” Jane said.

www.mnews.com.au

“It’s a Triple Eight car, so it should be an awesome car, they tend to make nice cars and do the right thing by people who buy them from them. I’m looking forward to testing it.”

Having finished sixth in 2010, his first full season in a Supercar, Jane aims to devote more time to his racing next year, fitting in with his business commitments.

“It’s just a time issue,” he conceded.

“I literally turn up on the day, without having thought about

anything prior to the round. I talk to the younger guys and they do all of this preparation; planning, look at old footage and they tend to walk the track with someone in the Main Game.

“I don’t do any of that stuff, so I need to get myself a bit more organised.”

Contesting the V8 Supercar endurance races is also on Jane’s short-to-medium radar, possibly as a wildcard with Sonic.

“I’d love to do the endurance races,” he said.

“I’ve been with Sonic for probably six or seven years, and I really trust Mick [Ritter].

He tends to do the right thing by anyone who drives with him. Either Mick or someone that has got a good reputation.”

Plans for the Falcon Jane has raced since joining the Fujitsu Series in mid-2009 are uncertain.

“It’s a discussion Mick and I have got to have,” Jane said, “whether we try to run someone else in it or just park it for the moment.”

– MITCHELL ADAM

11

Sir Frank Williams honoured

by BBC FORMULA 1

sutton-images.com

SIR Frank Williams has been honoured at the prestigious Sports Personality of the Year ceremony in London.

The WilliamsF1 boss was presented with the BBC’s Helen Rollason Award, which is awarded for ‘outstanding achievement in the face of adversity.’ Rollason was a BBC sports presenter who died of cancer 11 years ago.

The award was presented

by Damon Hill, and in front of his wife Virginia, Patrick Head, Adam Parr Eddie Jordan, Martin Brundle and Red Bull’s Christian Horner, Williams reflected on the journey he has taken during his time in the sport.

“It’s one I would love to do again if I were younger,” he said. “I certainly wouldn’t try and do anything different, except avoid the accident of course. But I would have taken it as it comes.”

KIMI + FORD? WORLD RALLY KIMI Raikkonen may be on the move but not back to Formula 1.

According to the Finnish newspaper IltaSanomat, the ex-World Champion looks set to move from Citroen’s Junior team in the WRC into a Ford. But it also seems that the move will include a few oval races in the USA, perhaps in

preparation for a full-time move to NASCAR in 2012.

“Funding for the project is coming especially from the United States, and Räikkönen might get an opportunity to also race in a few NASCAR events in North America,” the daily claims.

The report also suggests that Citroen is keen to retain the services of the former McLaren and Ferrari driver.

The King and I Red Bull Racing

FORMULA 1 sutton-images.com

12

RED Bull, apparently, also gives you Kings.

In front of a crowd in 150,000 in Bangkok last week, Mark Webber demonstrated a Red

Bull Formula 1 car, as part of the 84th birthday celebrations of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who has reigned over the Asian country since 1946 and hence, is the longest-serving monarch in the world.

Webber, who also got to meet the King, drove the same car he demonstrated in Perth two weeks ago, in front of the biggest crowd to witness one of the team’s demonstrations this year. motorsport news

news

Wednesday: Petrov’s future announced

sutton-images.com

FORMULA 1

www.mnews.com.au

Breakaway ‘nonsense’ FORMULA 1 FORMULA ONE boss Bernie Ecclestone has dismissed the latest call for a breakaway F1 series as “complete nonsense”.

Ecclestome’s comments came in response to a call from Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo’s for a F1 series breakaway in 2013. Montezemolo told reporters last week that F1 should share more of its revenue after the current Concorde Agreement expires at the end of 2012, or risk lose its major players.

“It’s what he says every time he goes to Monza [Maranello] every year. ‘We need more money’,” Ecclestone told the Reuters news agency.

“They’re not going to break away. They’ve tried it all before. Luca’s a lovely guy but he likes to say these things and then he forgets what he is saying.”

sutton-images.com

VITALY Petrov’s future in Formula 1 is expected to become known tomorrow (Wednesday).

The Russian has called a press conference for Wednesday, to be held at the Press Center of Television and Radio Russia in Moscow. The 26-year-old has said that he he will discuss his first season in F1 and ‘share his plans for the future.’

Petrov was under pressure at the mid-point of his first season in GP racing with Renault, but his improved performances in the latter races, particularly his drive at Abu Dhabi, have led to speculation that the team would consider keeping him.

Petrov has also been linked to Virgin and HRT.

13

Daytona gets ticks

Repaved track shows grip, 197.5mph – NASCAR may slow cars NASCAR SPRINT CUP THE repaved Daytona International Speedway has passed its first test with flying colours.

Two days of testing last week have seen the resurfaced 2.5-mile track given the thumbs up by all the drivers who took part.

Eighteen drivers from six teams, including Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jeff Gordon, Jamie McMurray, Kurt Busch, Mark Martin, Bobby Labonte, Jeff Burton and Reed Sorensen (in a Red Bull Toyota) participated in the test. The results saw

tyres temperatures greatly reduced, and Goodyear will now make between 4000 and 5000 tyres for all three categories in the running of the 53rd Daytona 500 on February 20.

“I think it has gone really well,” said Burton. “Everybody is happy with the surface. The tyre combination seems to be really good.”

“It’s just a new attitude,” said Busch. “This is what 2011 will bring to start off our Sprint Cup season. Big, exciting time. I’m proud to be able to say I got a chance to race on the surface when it was redone.”

Top lap speeds at the test were over 197mph, prompting NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton to suggest that the restrictor plates used in the cars may be modified to cut speeds.

“We may need to come down a little bit off of that, which would be like a 64th of an inch or something,” Pemberton said.

“We’ll have to go back and talk to the teams and we’ll look at the speeds from the last two days of testing.”

NASCAR Media

May the 4 be with you NASCAR SPRINT CUP

14

Red Bull Racing

KASEY Kahne will race with #4 on his Red Bull Toyota next season.

Kahne will race with the number he has used in his Sprintcar, after Red Bull Racing received permission to change from the #82 that the team has

used.

Morgan-McClure Motorsports fielded cars with #4 from 1983 through 2009.

It will resume the use of the number in 2012, when Kahne moves to Hendrick Motorsport, and when RBR will resume use of either the 82 or 84 numbers the team has previously used.

motorsport news

news

IndyCar shock:

American team signs American!

INDYCARS

Double the Chips INDYCARS CHIP Ganassi has expanded his IndyCar entries to four.

Ganassi announced his expansion, forming a second, satellite team with two young American drivers, Graham Rahal in the # 38 Service Central car and Charlie Kimball in the #83 Novo Nordisk (diabetes treatment) car, both who will compete for the full 2011 season.

The new team will be located in nearby Brownsburg Indiana, using legendary drag racer (retired), Don Prudhomme’s facility and create 30 new jobs. Ganassi’s Managing Director, Mike Hull, will oversee its operation as Prudhomme becomes involved in IndyCars in preparation for 2012.

“Last year was interesting – a lot of ups and downs, “ said Rahal, who made 10 starts in 2010.

“I have been working diligently, specifically over the past several months, to get into one of Chip’s IndyCars.

Now that dream has become a reality with the help of Service Central and many others” Target Chip Ganassi Racing, which has earned four IndyCar championships and two Indy 500’s since 2003, returns for 2011 with its championship stars, Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti. Establishing the second team will give Ganassi the opportunity to use a different new car package in 2012 with then experienced drivers.

– MARY MENDEZ

THE growth in the number of American drivers in IndyCar has continues, with J.R. Hildebrand replacing Dan Wheldon at Panther Racing.

The 2009 Firestone Indy Lights champion completed a successful test and the 22-year-old impressed the team with his technical feedback.

“You cannot believe how exciting this is for me,” Hildebrand, below, told speed.com.

“To get one of the premier rides in IndyCar is something I always dreamed about.”

– MARY MENDEZ

John Anderson ONE of the most respected and enjoyable members of the IndyCar paddock, Australian John Anderson, affectionately known as ‘Ando’, passed away from a sudden heart attack last Thursday in Indianapolis. He was 65 and is survived by his wife Lesley.

Anderson first joined the U.S. motorsports scene in 1981 as a member of Jim Hall’s VDS team. He continued in management roles at A.J. Foyt Racing, Team Kool Green, Pac West, and most recently Andretti Autosport. Anderson www.mnews.com.au

left open wheel racing to manage Gil de Ferran’s ALMS and was then hired to run the still-born USF1 team. Fortunately, he had not yet moved to North Carolina when the team folded but was quickly picked up by Andretti Autosport.

Anderson helped bring Scott Dixon to North America to compete first in Indy Lights and then in CART with Pac West. He has several Indy 500s and season championships to his credit, such as Dan Wheldon’s (2005) and Dario Franchitti’s (2007) where he talked them

to victory as their race strategist. But one of the most memorable situations was seeing Ando separate Paul Tracy who went for his engineer’s throat race morning in Mexico City in 2002.

Anderson always kept his sense of humor, making people laugh no matter what the circumstances. Everyone responded with a smile and a laugh around Ando. The entire IndyCar community will greatly miss this wonderful Aussie.

– MARY MENDEZ 15

Three almost set for Walls in 12 Hour

12 HOUR

Dirk Klynsmith

WALL Racing is close to finalising the third driver for their lead entry in February’s Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour.

Dual Australian GT Champion David will join his father Des in their title-winning Porsche GT3 Cup S, while a third driver was in place before withdrawing last week. eNews understands that was Karl Reindler, as previously reported, before Reindler elected to focus on the start of the V8 Supercar season in Abu Dhabi a week later.

“It took a couple of backwards steps the other day,” David Wall said.

“Our third driver was in and then he wasn’t in, so we’re still chasing that one. Hopefully we get who we want, but we’ll have to wait and see. You need someone who you think’s going to do a good job, commit a little bit to the budget, and trust what they’re going to do.

“Hopefully we’re going to get who we want, but we’ve

got to wait and see. It all really depends on if [event organisers] seed them or not.”

Line-ups for the team’s other two cars are all but sorted. Paul Tresidder will drive his Porsche 997 GT3 CupCar, pictured, in Class B, joined by Simon Middleton and Shane Smollen.

In the Production Car ranks, the Mitsubishi Evo IX GSR run under the Alan East Motorsport banner will feature Damien Flack, Leigh Burgess and either Neil McFadyen or Ian Dyk. “Paul’s car is ready to go and that’s got a good, solid pairing,” Wall said.

“There’s still one maybe for the Evo. That’s the only thing Alan’s got to decide at the moment.”

In other 12 Hour entry news, eNews understands Allan Simonson and Luke Searle are likely to team up with Irishman Hector Lestor in a Ferrari F430.

Lestor has been a semi-regular visitor to Australia with his Ferrari in recent years.

– MITCHELL ADAM

Dirk Klynsmith

Bluestone looking to upgrade FUJITSU SERIES A SINGLE VE Commodore could be on the menu for Bluestone Racing in the 2011 Fujitsu Series.

The Sydney outfit made their debut at Homebush, with John Boston joining team owner Bruce Oaklands 16

in VZ Commodores. Oaklands’ weekend ended in qualifying, while Boston finished 10th for the weekend.

Oaklands is likely to be the team’s sole driver in 2011. Both cars are currently for sale and, if sold, a VE could be sourced.

Otherwise, Oaklands will stick with the ex-Perkins VZ he drove

at Homebush.

“We’re looking to upgrade,” team manager Phill Armour said.

“We’re going to see how these things go – because there is a bit of a market for VZs at the moment with the Shannons Series – and then upgrade to a VE. If not, he’ll keep the

[Perkins] car and do some upgrades, put a sequential box in it, and run it.

“It’ll only be a single-car operation, if anything. We were talking about running the car Bozzo drove at Homebush in the Shannons Series, but that’s not going happen.”

– MITCHELL ADAM motorsport news

news

Wanna race a factory Audi at Bathurst, Craig? OK! 12 HOUR AUDI Race Experience Team Joest is coming to Australia to contest February’s Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour.

Audi’s interest in contesting the event with its R8 LMS was confirmed last week, when the German manufacturer announced their 2011 racing plans. That has now been confirmed as a two-car effort with 2010-model R8s.

As previously reported

by eNews, Craig Lowndes will headline the driver lineup in the ‘Australian’ car, partnering Warren Luff and Mark Eddy, who races a 2009model R8 in the Australian GT Championship.

A second ‘international’ car will be driven by 2009 FIA GT3 European Champion Christopher Heis, Marc Basseng and Darryl O’Young.

“Team Joest and Audi Sport have a reputation for being the best in the business, much

like TeamVodafone in V8 Supercars, so when they rang it was impossible to say no!”

Lowndes said.

“The R8 looks like a fantastic car and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel in February.

Long distance racing is a great challenge, especially when you get to an amazing track like Bathurst, and it’s a challenge I’m looking forward to. It should be a great race.”

Eddy’s local crew is likely to assist the factory squad

throughout the event, with the 2008 Australian GT Champ having been a key in facilitating the program.

“Having the first R8 LMS outside of Europe worked well,” Eddy said.

“I have been in constant communication with Audi and they showed a desire to come to Australia to potentially sell some cars. When I got the heads up they wanted to come to Bathurst it all came together from there.”

Dirk Klynsmith

Dan’s Grand Am Grand Plan AUSSIES OVERSEAS THE newly-paved banking of Daytona is the next stop for Daniel Erickson.

The Aussie will step up to motorsport’s big league next month when he competes www.mnews.com.au

in America’s iconic sports car race, the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Erickson, 23, will co-drive a Primus Racing CrawfordChevrolet in the 49th running of the twice-round-the-clock classic on January 29-30 at the legendary Florida racetrack.

“It’s an honour just to be invited to drive in such a prestigious race,” he said.

“I’ve always wanted to meet Martin Brundle, Scott Pruett and Jimmie Johnson because they’ve won at the sport’s highest level, but to have the

opportunity to race against them in similar machinery will be an unbelievable experience!”

Fellow Aussie Ryan Briscoe will also drive in the race, as will former F1 drivers Brundle, Mark Blundell and Ricardo Zonta, and US all-rounder Scott Pruett.

17

Marshall Cass

FFord back to Clipsal FORMULA FORD

FORMULA Ford has announced six of its eight rounds for the 2011 season.

The Australian Formula Ford Championship will return to the Clipsal 500 and Phillip Island, as well as staging rounds at Winton, Queensland Raceway, the Gold Coast and Symmons plains. Two more rounds will be added before the season starts,

with Townsville and Darwin likely to be vying for a spot.

“It’s important to make it clear that an eight round championship will take place in 2011, but at this stage we’re working with V8 Supercars Australia to confirm the remaining two rounds,” Margaret Hardy, Category Manager said.

“As a category we’re excited about returning to the Clipsal

500 in Adelaide. The event has become one of the marquee events of the V8 Supercar Championship, so it’s great that as Australia’s premier junior development category, Formula Ford can be involved.

“It’s also a boost returning to Phillip Island. It’s always been a competitor favorite, and the venue creates some of the best Formula Ford racing seen anywhere in the country.”

Provisional 2011 Formula Ford Championship: 1. Clipsal 500, March 17-20 2. Winton, May 20-22 3. Qld Raceway, August 19-21 4. Phillip Island, Sept 16-18 5. Gold Coast, October 21-23 6. Symmons Plains, Nov 11-13 * Two rounds to be added

Seven rounds for CupCar ‘11 CARRERA CUP A SEVEN round calendar for the return season of Carrera Cup Australia has been released.

The previously-announced season opener at the Australian Grand Prix has been joined by rounds at major V8 Supercar events at Bathurst, Surfers Paradise

18

and Homebush. Barbagallo Raceway, Townsville and Phillip Island complete the 2011 schedule.

“The calendar for 2011 reflects the high esteem with which Carrera Cup is held by the board of V8 Supercars Australia,” Jamey Blaikie, Porsche Cars Australia’s Motorsport Director, said.

“We have some great

new initiatives for the reintroduction of Carrera Cup in 2011 and today’s announcement is the first of many to come in the weeks ahead.

“Next year’s series will be better, more exciting and more affordable than before with a mix of new talent and experienced Porsche racers.”

2011 Carrera Cup Calendar 1. Aus. Grand Prix, March 24-27 2. Barbagallo Raceway, May 6-8 3. Townsville, July 8-10 4. Phillip Island, Sept 16-18 5. Bathurst, October 6-9 6. Surfers Paradise, Oct 21-23 7. Homebush, December 2-4

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Dan gets dirty on home soil FUN TIMES

sutton-images.com

RED Bull might give you wings – but so do Sprintcars.

So, when Daniel Ricciardo wanted to get his hands dirty and try a Sprintcar, it was not that foreign to him. The Toro Rosso reserve driver took to the Perth Motorplex track last Wednesday night and, after

what observers noted were “heaps of laps”, reportedly loved the experience. We hear that it was one of Luch Monte’s 410-powered missiles that Ricciardo drove, and that it may not be the last time, if the youngster has any further say in things.

No pics. Clashing sponsors, apparently …

More Commodores for 2011 V8TC V8 TOURING CARS

Dirk Klynsmith

THREE Commodores have changed hands to race in the 2011 Shannons V8 Touring Car Series.

Series regular Matt Hansen has upgraded from an AU Falcon to the ex-HRT VZ Commodore recently raced

by Geoff Emery in the Fujitsu Series, pictured, while production car driver Jim Pollicina has purchased Sam Walter’s ex-Tasman Motorsport Commodore.

Both plan to contest the full season, while South Australian

Graham Stewart has acquired a VT Commodore built for Thomas Mezera in 1998, but unraced for many years.

Hansen, who finished sixth in the 2010 series, may also use his new car to make selected appearances in the Fujitsu Series.

“It’s hopefully going to be a better car than what I’ve had for the last year, and we’ll be in a better position for next year,” he said.

“Hopefully we can get in a couple of Fujitsu rounds as well. We have to run it as a VY in the Shannons Series but we

can do either series, which is hopefully the plan.

“We haven’t picked the car up yet; it’s still getting put back together and having a

new motor put in it, so we’ll probably look at testing it before the end of January. I can’t wait.”

– MITCHELL ADAM

Five and 500 for Proddies in 2011 SHANNONS NATS A FIVE-ROUND schedule for the 2011 Australian Manufacturers Championship has been announced, including a 500km race at Sandown.

Previously launched by CAMS as part of the Australian 20

Production Car Endurance Championship, the calendar includes a six-hour race at Phillip Island and an eight-hour at Eastern Creek. Those races are joined by dual one-hour races at Mallala and Morgan Park, and the Sandown 500, all with the Shannons Nationals.

The Radical Australia Cup and

new Swift Sport Young Driver Series will also make Nationals appearances in 2011. The Radicals will race at Mallala and Morgan Park, while the Swifts will appear at Wakefield Park, Winton and Morgan Park.

Shannons Nationals director Rob Curkpatrick says he’s close to having full line-ups for each

round locked in.

“It’s the last little 10 percent now, there are a few floaters,” he said.

“At this stage we’re actually pretty full, but things change. It looks like we’ll have a very full program with seven, full-on sprint rounds.”

– MITCHELL ADAM motorsport news

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FUJITSU’S COOL NEW INITIATIVE NATIONAL RACING FUJITSU has announced a Cool young driver’s program, aimed at uncovering the new Michael Caruso or Lee Holdsworth.

In partnership with Garry Rogers Motorsport, the program will select seven kart racers from around Australia – one per State – to compete under the Fujitsu banner.

Following a review at the

end of 2011, one driver will get the opportunity to test with a national Formula Ford team. Meantime, four drivers in the Australian Formula Ford Championship will be brought into the program, with the

major prize being a test with Garry Rogers Motorsport.

The program promises to provide an excellent opportunity to develop young kart racers into professional drivers.

BRIEFLY... n Bolivar has been announced as the host venue for the South Australian round of the CIK Stars of Karting Series.

Bolivar has been the traditional home of the South Australian round of CIK and it makes a return to the Series in 2011. The event will be conducted on April 2/3 in 2011. n James Sera has sold his share in the Azzurro kart manufacturing business. Sera was a 50% stakeholder when the business was bought by Victorian interests over 12 months ago. n The CIK-FIA has announced its extensive calendar for 2001, with the second year of the Under18 World Championships announcing three rounds, with one to be conducted in Bahrain. The dates are as follows: July 8-10 Ortona (ITA), August 26-28 Essay (FRA), November 3-5 Bahrain. The Monaco Kart Cup on the Monaco street circuit will be conducted October 14-16. n Registrations for the 2011 Rotax Pro Tour have kicked off strongly, with event organiser, IKD inundated with entries for the first event of the new season, to be conducted January 28-30 at Melbourne’s Todd Road.

22

Ben gets Yellow KARTING

development of the Intrepid chassis and the MOJO tyres FORMER World Rotax – which are now the world Champion, Ben George standard for Rotax competition. has branched his R360 Leading the PCR driving organisation into kart retailing, charge will be young lady racer, taking on the Australian Renee Gracie – who will pilot distributorship for the famed one of the yellow machines in PCR chassis. both the CIK Stars of Karting The company in Italy is Pro Junior Series and the under new ownership and Junior Max Rotax Series’. Fellow with George steering the ship, Queenslander, Shay Mayes will he hopes the international be the other PCR lead driver, resurgence will spread to competing in the Pro Light Australia. George hopes to category of CIK and will line up have some competitors in the in the major Rotax Light events European Rotax Championship around the country. Mayes events under the R360 banner won both the South Australian during 2011. and Queensland State During his four years Championships in Clubman in Europe, George was Heavy. instrumental in the Gracie won’t be indulging

in the Christmas pudding this year, focusing her efforts on being fit for the CIK challenge.

“I went to the CIK round at Ipswich last year and was really impressed with the quality of racing, the organisation and professionalism of the event,” she said.

“James Macken finished second in the championship last year and we had the opportunity to obtain his engine for this year so it was the ideal time to join the series.

I have been told that CIK is quite physical and not too many girls do it. I train four nights a week and will be as fit and strong as the boys…if not fitter.”

– MATT PAYNE

Victorians hit Florida KARTING

DAVID Sera and Adrian Lazzaro will both compete in the Florida Winter Tour next month aboard Australian built Arrow chassis’.

The pair will race for Kartsport North America – which has just

been appointed the USA and Mexico distributor for Arrow. In the unique setup of the Winter Tour, the pair will compete in either Rotax or TaG with a Leopard engine depending on which weekend it falls (some are Rotax weekends, other TaG).

Lazzaro will be KNA’s lead junior

driver in the competition.

Both completed deals after competing at the SuperNats event in Las Vegas, where Sera was granted a standing ovation after charging from the back of the pack to finish second by the narrowest margin.

– MATT PAYNE 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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Please send me the Following

DRAG RACING

Luke Nieuwhof

Belleri rides high into Willowbank DRAG RACING MARK Belleri still can’t believe a win went his way at the Goldenstates ANDRA Pro Series event in Perth several weeks ago.

The Top Doorslammer racer, who competes in his father Lucky’s Camaro, said qualifying was enough of an accomplishment in the tough 21-car field.

“Heading into our first full season, our expectations were just to qualify for every event, and that would have been a good season for us,” said Belleri.

“To go to a semi and then take a win, no less against a legend like John Zappia, is

24

just amazing, a dream start to the season.

“It is totally fair to say that our expectations have been exceeded, the win was just one of the best days for racing I have ever had, and it is just awesome for the crew and especially for my Dad given the amount of work we put in.”

The next round of the championship is on January 14 and 15 at Willowbank Raceway. The track has so far been fairly kind to Belleri, despite just two events racing there.

“At the Winternationals, I was able to run the Lucky Belleri Racing Team’s first five-second pass down the

quarter-mile, and also be a part of the fastest side-byside Top Doorslammer pass in Australia with Robin Judd and I both going at 249 mile per hour which was pretty great,” he said.

“We will be looking to qualify first, and then we will just go from there, the championship is not on my mind at all – we will think about that in June if we are competing for it, otherwise we will stress ourselves out too much.

“For now, we will be focusing on taking each event as it comes and doing the best we can do, and we will see what happens.”

– LUKE NIEUWHOF

2010 was a year that carried plenty of special moments in the ANDRA Pro Series.

January 8 and 9 featured the first Pro Series action of the calendar year, with one of the best Top Fuel rounds ever seen at Perth Motorplex.

Phil Lamattina seized back the points lead from Martin Stamatis with an event win over Stamatis’s team-mate Phil Read.

Top Alcohol and Pro Stock Motorcycle were next off, also at the Motorplex. John Cannuli took an unexpected win with a lucky run through eliminations to defeat fellow unexpected finalist Adam Marchant.

With the Summernationals rained out in Sydney, Perth remained the focus as the Westernationals took place in February. John Zappia reset the Top Doorslammer national record to 5.81s en-route to defeating Robin Judd in the final, further clawing back Judd’s points lead in the series.

Meantime, Geoff Redgrave pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the season in any category as he snatched a narrow victory in Top Bike over Chris Matheson. With Perth’s allocation of Pro Series rounds wrapped up it was onto Willowbank Raceway, where Stamatis took back the lead of the Top Fuel championship by going to a runner-up spot against Phil Read.

Dave Newcombe defeated John Barbagallo in Pro Stock to tighten the championship up while Andrew Badcock took the points lead on the Dutchmaster Suzuki, with a win against Ross Lemberg.

motorsport news

news

Luke Nieuwhof

Magic moments on the quarter mile needed to take his third straight championship.

Aaron Tremayne, below, Gary Phillips, Chris Matheson and Andrew Badcock also won championships.

Zappia’s good form disappeared as the 2010/2011 series started in Sydney in September. He had a DNQ, as Judd went on to take the win to get the championship off to a

good start.

Darren Morgan won in Top Fuel against unexpected runner-up Bob Shepherd, while Aaron Hambridge raced to a best ever 5.51s in Top Alcohol to defeat Wayne Newby.

The two latter categories were at it again in Sydney in October, where Newby gained revenge on Hambridge while Andrew Cowin and the Rocket

Top Fuel dragster knocked out Terry Sainty in the final.

The Pro Series action for the year concluded with the recent Goldenstates in Perth where Mark Belleri took his maiden win in the Top Doorslammer field over champion John Zappia while Troy McLean upset Chris Matheson for a Top Bike victory.

– LUKE NIEUWHOF

Luke Nieuwhof

The Nitro Champs in Sydney was next on the list, with Mark Mariani taking out his first win in Top Fuel in a fire-filled final. Stamatis held on to a 20point lead heading into the final round. Maurice Fabietti again proved a thorn in John Zappia’s side with a win in Top Doorslammer in another highlight from the event.

The season-ending Winternationals saw some of the best racing yet. Phil Read pushed Martin Stamatis all the way in the Top Fuel points chase but Stamatis’s final round win gave him his first ever Top Fuel championship. But the most dramatic race of all was the one between Robin Judd and John Zappia to decide the championship in Top Doorslammer.

Zappia’s 5.81s in the final produced the victory he

Next ANDRA Pro Series Round: New Year Series, Willowbank, January 2-3 ANDRA Pro Series on TV: Friday Dec 14, Top Fuel, New Year Series www.mnews.com.au

25

Five Minutes with ...

SANTA CLAUS EXCLUSIVE, SCOOP, FIRST LOOK: Just as the man with the beard got ready to take the green light, he spoke exclusively to our Northern Polish correspondent ...

MOTORSPORT NEWS: The big night is almost upon us. How are things looking?

SANTA CLAUS: Confusing. Just when I thought that I understood a situation, it all turned around. Can you explain it to me?

Okay. First off, Pepsi announced it was coming into V8 Supercars, then ...

No, not that. Besides, look at the colours that I am wearing; I am not allowed to drink Pepsi.

Just like James Courtney.

Understandable.

James who?

No, I mean some of the requests I have for this year. People keep changing their mind about what they want.

For instance?

For instance, Master Vettel of 31 Weltmeisterstrasse, Germany. A few months ago, he said that he needed to have an Australian put on the ‘naughty’ list.

Now, he wants me to change that, and to put him to the ‘nice’ list. No wonder I need to check these things twice!

And, this young man needs some advice.

He seems to think that he has a red bull, but the picture he sent had no bull in it, just a car. And the car was blue and silver, not red – but there was a red one behind it.

Yes, it can be a confusing.

Then there was Felipe M of Brazil. He wanted a pair of absolutely, guaranteed soundproof earplugs. Maybe he has a loud wife he does not want to hear?

Yes, something like that.

And, do you know someone named Jimmie, from Charlotte?

What did he want? More trophies? A newer private jet?

No, nothing like that. He wanted some shelves. Lots and lots of shelves.

Makes perfect sense.

26

It does. We have plenty of them. We make them, right here, at the North Pole.

Do you make them yourself?

No. We have a specialist who comes in to do them. He is a shelf elf.

I had to ask. Who else wrote to you this year?

The Stone Brothers.

Ross and Jim? Ross and Jim, and BernieEccle. Ross and Jim wanted some chequered flags, to replace the ones they had, which have faded a bit. BernieEccle wanted some boxing gloves, and a large salmon to go with them.

Salmon?

No, hang on, let me check. A Samoan.

Okay. Anything else?

Of course. Audi wanted a roof for their Le Mans car. We had to work for weeks in the windtunnel to design that.

Santa has a windtunnel?

Of course! Have you ever tried to get nine reindeer, and a sled, to fly? How else are you going to get the aero spot-on? Try doing that with CFD. Fair enough. What else?

Someone else called Audi wanted someone named Craig. That can’t be right; no, perhaps that was supposed to go to the Easter Bunny in time for next year.

Someone named Steven wants some very important pet food. Will wants a parachute. PD wanted a watch that gave him more time, not less. Karl Reindeer – can that really be his name? – wants to have a better year in 2011. Stevie J wants ... it looks like he wants what he asked for last year, and the year before, and the year before that.

Fabian wants some cushions to sit on, a neck restraint and an entry in the Olympic gymnastics. Tim wants someone to play,

fast, with his friend, Frosty the Snowman.

And everyone wants to see their friend Jason get better, soon, even if he does talk with a funny eccent .. er, accent.

Wow. You get a lot of mail.

You don’t know the half of it!

Someone called Kimi wants me to give him a crash test dummy – not just one, but one every week, for the next 12 months. Two guys named Sebastien also wanted me to give them a new car, while two Finns each asked for a Citroen with Ford badges on it. Master Marcos asked for a Ford with Ford badges on it!

Then, Valentino wants a new Duck. Chris V wants a new duck too – but for some reason, he just called it a Kwaka. Jorge wants some Spies repellant. Max wants ... Max just wants everyone to be happy.

Must be a different Max to the one who used to write to me in previous years; he wanted some very unusual things.

There is a young man named Jacques who wants a Formula 1 drive; no, he wants a Formula 1 team. Hang on; something to do with NASCAR. Wait; no, it’s in V8 Supercars.

Michael S wants some Bridgestone tyres, from 2001. Does he thinkI have a time machine around here?

Maybe just a DeLorean.

What do you want, Santa?

What more could I want? I have all that I could ask for, with happy elves running around, a global monopoly, perfect ski runs and 300-plus days off each year. Sure, I would like Tim Allen to stop making those dreadful movies about me, but on the whole, I can’t complain.

Now, what do you want, young man?

Not much. Motorsport eNews has had a great year, plenty of good news stories. and things are going great. I would not mind if there was the odd Victorian in the Test team, though.

Mate, I am Santa Claus, not a bloody miracle worker ... motorsport news

chat

santa-images.com

www.mnews.com.au

27

Things are actually Pretty Good ...

OPINION Andrew van Leeuwen – eNews Editor

I

T’S been a heck of a year.

Mark Webber fighting it out for the World Championship. A thrilling battle for the V8 Supercar title, which ended up with three contenders hitting the same wall at the same time during the season finale. It was, for most of the season, Game On ... and in the case of Turn 5, Lap 60 at Homebush, it went off.

Just this morning something occurred to me. I realised how lucky we are to have such a strong domestic motor racing scene here in Australia. Too much can be made of V8 Supercars’ mass appeal when compared to the likes of AFL, Rugby League and Cricket.

Does it really matter how Australian motorsport stands up against those other sports?

Isn’t it more important to see how Australian motorsport stands up against domestic motorsport in other countries?

Because if you apply that logic, we’re doing pretty well.

For AFL, there is no worldwide comparison. It’s an Aussie-only sport, so its success relative to other countries isn’t measurable.

In Cricket, we have a strong domestic league. Ditto for the horse racing scene. Beyond that, are there any leaguestyle sports where Australia is better positioned among others in the world than motorsport? I mean, football (of the soccer variety) is growing in Australia, but very slowly ... and A League clubs have total wages that wouldn’t cover the financial demands of one mediocre central defender for an English Premier League club. Basketball is the same, although replace the A League with the NBL, and the EPL with the NBA. That’s why good footballers and basketball players head for

Europe or America, because there is more money, more competition, and more glory.

However, in motorsport, the increasing trend is for young drivers to not even consider Europe, and concentrate solely on making it in V8 Supercars. Why? Because it’s well funded, you can make good cash, and the level of professionalism, competition, and prestige is comparable with anything except Formula 1 and NASCAR. Coming back to the football example, if a young kid shows some promise in the A League, he usually departs quickly, and shows up at a some German or English club, on twice as much cash.

How often to guys come into V8 Supercars, win, and then head to the DTM or the British Touring Car Championship?

Not often. You can add NASCAR and the World Touring Car Championship onto that list. Apart from Marcos Ambrose, it’s never really happened. Jamie Whincup is in the Castrol Rankings as one of the Top 10 Touring Car drivers in the

world, but is he rushing over the Europe or America? No. Why? Because he’s got it good here. Australia can satisfy the needs for a racecar driver so perfectly, and with a country so small, and a sport so expensive, that is something we should be very proud of.

Motorsport is never going to overtake AFL and Cricket in this country. But it doesn’t need to. We’re bloody lucky with the level the sport is at right now.

In closing, I’d like to say a huge thanks to all the team here at eNews HQ for making it another ripper year. The tireless efforts of Branners, Madam, Leader, Ori and Cedrico are what makes this bad boy turn around week after week. I’d also like to thank our advertisers, and all the folk up north at nextmedia and Chevron.

Last, but certainly not least, thanks to all our loyal readers. We’ll be back in the new year, with some exciting new features for this groundbreaking mag. Until then, have a super-safe and very Merry Christmas.

How often to guys come into V8 Supercars, win, and then head to the DTM or the British Touring Car Championship? Not often

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comment

I want to see less Jonathan Legard, more Jason Richards ... and did you see that new Audi?

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All I want for 2011 is ... OPINION

I

T’S hard to say goodbye to 2010.

A lot has happened this year, both on and off the track. From the first of the year, when we found out who would be the final driver on the V8 Supercars grid, to last week, when we got the sad news about Tom Walkinshaw, it has been a year of highs and lows. The sport has had a good year, in terms of the coverage it has received, and laid the foundations for a strong 2011.

But, there are still some things that get my goat.

I bristle every time I hear a TV or radio news report refer to someone ‘drag racing’ on the street. Drag racing is a legitimate, organised and, generally, safe sport. Idiots racing their cars on the streets should be referred to as something else; ‘Idiot racing’ is possibly a good starting point.

[For that matter, after all these years, can we have some kind of initiative what will return championship Drag racing to Melbourne, please?] www.mnews.com.au

Likewise, I would like to see a one-make sedan racing series that is affordable.

I reckon that the MINI Challenge was a great idea, but the costs associated with it were way too high. Start again, with a sensibly-priced car, and let’s see some young talent develop. I am old enough to remember the Laser Series of the mid-1980s, and spottyfaced kiddies named Brabham and Skaife racing their hearts out. Let’s have some more of that, please.

What else? How about a motor racing-based reality TV show? For years, we have all pretended that those wannabe TV stars who dance, sing, lose weight or cook, criticised by one nice judge and one grouchy judge, have any actual talent. Fine. Let’s get them in some racecars, with a TV crew, start the stopwatch and get into it.

How much less entertaining can it be than footballers doing the cha-cha, celebrity diets or NASA-designed bras?

Speaking of TV, how

Phil Branagan – Executive Editor about having Bathurst 1000 finish on-time, on TV? I have absolute faith in the abilities of the commentators, and the folks with the replay machines, to bring the world up-to-date with what happened while we were away, watching Martin Grelis flogging Easy-Off bathroom cleanser.

When it comes to Formula 1 telecasts ... look BBC, you have done the right thing and stuck by Jonathan Legard, but let’s man up here; it has not worked. Bring in Ant Davison or Ben Edwards, please. Or, bring back James Allen.

Now that the Feds have dragged the anti-siphoning list into the 21st century, I would like to see a bunch more races on free-to-air TV. NASCAR’s Sprint Cup. World Superbikes. The IndyCar Series features two Aussies and a Kiwi fighting for the wins, so that would be a welcome addition too. When we get to see Le Mans next

year – hoo-boy, did you see that new Audi? – I want the British commentary feed.

Yes, I know that means David Addison, but he is one of the reasons I want it.

I want to see the numbers even up in V8 Supercars, which means slightly less Commodores and slightly more Falcons. I want to be there when a talking head representing a ‘third’ make announces it wants to embrace the Car of The Future concept. I quite like Pink, but I want to see much, much less of her during anything related to racing cars, and much, much more of Jason Richards, looking fast in a racecar and fit enough to make me appear old and fat.

And I want to see the contests of 2010 be repeated, in many ways, over the next year, and for all of us to stick around to watch them – and argue over them, every Monday night ...

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A CHRISTMAS LIST

P

EOPLE seem to like 2. Craig Lowndes at Bathurst. making lists at this Not denying Mark Skaife’s time of the year. contribution, but Lowndes is Not just Christmas simply a guru. shopping lists, either. I’ve been 3. The 2010 Formula 1 World reading a few lists published Championship. It was a around the place in the last cracking battle and – other couple of weeks, mostly on than snoozes to start and music websites with erudite end the season in the Middle punditry on the songs and East – the races were generally albums of the year. quite watchable. Anyone who I don’t mind a list, so I switched off after Bahrain, or thought I’d get in on the act. didn’t even give it a go, missed And, as great as Tame Impala’s out. debut album is, I should 4. The ability of everyone at probably stick to motorsport Jim Beam Racing to push on content. Rather than go for – and win the title – despite the best drivers, teams, cars, everything that was going on races, etc of the year, I’m going in the background during the broader. latter months of the season.

Here are my Top 10 things of 5. Sprint Tyres in V8 Supercars. the year.

Dunlop’s regular product 1. Saturday’s race at is good, but the Sprint Tyre Homebush. The three title vastly improved the quality of contenders were all slugging racing whenever it was seen. it out all day before being They should race on it as often caught out in the minute of as possible. wet mayhem. Then, it was over 6.The Formula 3 Australian to their pitcrews to fight it out. Drivers Championship

OPINION Mitchell Adam National Editor showdown at Sandown. It came down to the last race, and whether or not Ben Barker could set the fastest lap of the race. He did, by 0.05s, to win the title by a single point over Mitch Evans.

7. The performances of Steve Owen in the Fujitsu Series and Chaz Mostert in Formula Ford.

They were both expected to dominate their respective classes, and they didn’t disappoint.

8. Robert Kubica. Plenty of praise has gone to Vettel, Alonso, Webber and Hamilton among the 2010 Formula 1 crop, but Kubica regularly had that Renault in places it shouldn’t have been. With its

yellow and black livery, the Renault was pretty easy on the eye, too.

9. Sports Sedans. These things, especially for the level of time and money competitors are able devote to them, are sensational. Spending some time looking at the Saab owned by Dean Randle and driven to the 2010 title by James Sera for #402 of the Motorsport News was a good way to spend a Tuesday morning.

10. Whatever cryogenic techniques V8 Supercars are using to bring ancient bands out for concerts. Powderfinger for Surfers 2032, anyone?

What cryogenic techniques V8 Supercars are using to bring ancient bands out for concerts. Powderfinger for Surfers 2032, anyone?

Dirk Klynsmith

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t’s been a very strange end to the year, in more ways than one. It’s December 20 and it’s still bucketing down with rain along the East Coast and here in Victoria, while the Poms are snowed in, Heathrow is closed and I guess the global warming/climate-change told-you-sos are having a field day.

At the same time, just when things might well be quietening down for the festive season, there’s a final whirl of activity as the final chips are landing in the Courtney/Gow inspired driver musical chairs.

The new Champion’s late change of direction (the second time he’s clearly been headed to FPR but veered away at the last minute ... don’t think there’ll be a third) suddenly opened a few doors – in driver, team and sponsor-land.

Pepsi looked likely to be part of the FPR gig too, but in a few days it all changed: and the winners are Murph and Kelly Racing, where the kiwi – and Pepsi – are now headed.

That’s a great outcome for Murph, for whom I felt particularly sorry this year – the PMM-run T8 cars never quite performed, and for a while there it looked like Co-driversville in 2011.

Amid that late swirl of activity, and the fact that there was actually some pretty okay racing this year, in both V8 Supercars and F1, motorsport does look to have the same old issues to contends with going into 2011.

It’s an expensive sport in a world still dealing with big issues. On the domestic front, V8 Supercars does soak up a high percentage of the corporate dollars; other branches of motorsport suffer in comparison.

OPINION Chris Lambden – Publisher Even so, cost-containment is the buzz-word in V8 Land and thus, the delayed arrival of the Car of the Future should be the talking point of 2011.

Will it actually meet cost targets? Will any other manufacturers be tempted? To be honest (even though their cricket team is currently crap), I reckon the Kiwis may have gone down the right path with their take on the future – by all accounts simpler, much less costly, while amazingly similar in base concept (indeed, the two concept-cars are being built under the same Queensland engineering roof!). Will be interesting.

To ward off its critics, F1 is going Green Mad. The switch from the glorious V10s to the current V8s was one thing, but I’m not sure the sound of a 1600cc four-cylinder turbo is going to cut it for Mr Average F1 Fan when 2012 comes around.

That’s one thing about the Yanks – they do at least stick with a good thing when they fall over it. Imagine someone suggesting NASCAR might want to try four-cylinder engines ...

Oh yes, interesting times ahead. But first the Boxing Day test ...

Happy Christmas rev-heads!

Strange times, indeed!

Dirk Klynsmith

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THE MOTORSPORT ENEWS CHRISTMAS PODCAST (OF WORDS) Here in the Motorsport News office, we spend a lot of time just shooting the breeze about anything and everything in motorsport.

So, with the end of 2010 approaching, ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN, PHIL BRANAGAN, CHRIS LAMBDEN and MITCHELL ADAM sat down to reflect on the year in motorsport 32

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Dirk Klynsmith

THE PERFORMANCES ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN: Here’s my first question to everybody ... not driver of the year, drive of the year.

MITCHELL ADAM: Craig Lowndes in the second half at Bathurst. Easy.

AVL: That is hard to go past. Very, very difficult to go past, it was an epic drive.

MA: James Courtney on the Sunday at Sandown, as well. It was a day where things were on the line. DJR hadn’t had a great couple of events, but Courtney came out on the soft tyres and got the job done.

That was his ‘Whincup at Phillip Island in November 2009’ moment.

CHRIS LAMBDEN: Domestically, Shane van Gisbergen at Sufers stands out. But if we’re talking about Formula 1 and Mark Webber, clearly you’d point to Monaco.

It was one of those weekends where he went, pole; drive away; Safety Car; drive away; Safety Car, drive away. It was the 34

biggest win of his life. But his best drive, in my view, was Spa. PHIL BRANAGAN: That was exactly what I was going to say!

CL: It was his best drive. He got pole, but the clutch malfunctioned on the startline and he held it together while everyone else went off.

PB: I’ve got to say, about four or five drives by Will Power. The Monaco result for Webber doesn’t show how dominant he was that day.

The IndyCar results, as good a job Dario [Franchitti] did, flatter him. By far, Will was the dominant driver, particularly on road courses, and he did a much better job on ovals than his results indicate. I know that’s a bunch of excuses, but at Watkins Glen, St Petersburg, places like that, he was on fire. In a class of his own.

AVL: For something completely different, I’ll say Mikko Hirvonen at Monaco in

the IRC. He went into the IRC, which we know is fairly competitive now, and he absolutely smashed it in Monaco. Where he went wrong after that, I don’t know.

He had a dog of a year in the WRC. MA: I think he went wrong speaking to you.

AVL: I know. I spoke to him just after Monaco and it was like ‘this guy’s on for a big year’. He’s finally going to step up and give it to Loeb’. But [Sebastien] Loeb just smashed him.

MA: And [Sebastien] Ogier came along as well.

AVL: And Jari-Matti [Latvala] ended up being the best of the Ford drivers by a long stretch. But that drive in Monaco was awesome.

It was a big event in an untried Super 2000 car, it was pretty cool, I thought.

PB: For that matter, [Sebastian] Vettel in Malaysia was a great drive, I thought. motorsport news

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none of them have been taken. Some of them have been through his efforts and some have been from the team.

If there’s a question mark about Ambrose, it’s going to be resolved next year, because Petty’s is a team that shows a bit of form at the moment. JTG was, at best, a lower teens standard team. Maybe they were a Fujitsu [Series] podium team, I don’t think they’re that good.

One other performance I want to mention, and we didn’t give this a lot of air in eNews, but John Force at Pomona.

To come from an impossible situation and steal a Funny Car title in the last weekend of the year was Force at his best.

AVL: The other one I’d mention was PD (Paul Dumbrell) at Sandown. He had Jamie [Whincup] all over him, it looked like he was going to drop it, like it was going to be all over, but, suddenly, from literally one lap to the next, he went ‘no,

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[Denny] Hamlin at Texas, but if I had to pick a NASCAR race I’d say Jamie McMurray at the Brickyard, that was a pretty convincing performance.

Maybe [Juan] Montoya should’ve won that weekend, but the fact of the matter is McMurray did.

CL: Elsewhere, there are a number of Australians who did very well overseas this year.

Obviously Mark Webber took the headlines, but I think Macros Ambrose is doing a brilliant job over there in what’s a less-than-A-grade team.

MA: The test is going to be next year.

CL: That’s right. But to go to somewhere where everything you do is completely opposite to what you’ve grown up doing, and at times be competitive, I think is a spot-on effort.

PB: I completely disagree. He’s had chances to get good results this year and

this is my race, I’m going to win it’ and drove away.

We’ll have more about it in the January edition of Motorsport News, but it was just awesome.

MA: It was the centerpiece of PD Week.

He got his first pole at Symmons Plains, his first win and then his first pole at Sandown, all within the space of seven days.

AVL: And normally people take a pole, then a win. He did it the other way around.

And that’s what he says in the chat as well, that was satisfying, because it justified the win, ‘I didn’t just luck into a win’. He went out the next day and bunged the thing on pole.

PB: One more, [Valentino] Rossi at Motegi. It was a fantastic race. He and [Jorge] Lorenzo, it was after Rossi had gone public that he was going to Ducati, it was ‘not today, sonny’. It was classic.

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THE (NON) PERFORMANC PB: Let’s talk about who dropped the ball a bit in 2010. The Holden Racing Team dropped the ball ...

AVL: Massively ...

PB: I’m sorry but they really did. From second and third and the champion team by a considerable margin in 2009 ... Their reorganisation – fine – but, honestly?

CL: The other disappointment has to be the Triple Eight cars at Paul Morris Motorsport.

Everybody, including Murph, who I feel terribly sorry for, felt pretty sure that it was going to be a weapon. They had the very best cars coming in from the best team but it was obvious that the pace wasn’t there.

AVL: Even Ingall had his pace in 2009. And you thought ‘if this clicks, there might be a bit of bite in the old dog’. But it didn’t.

Coming back to HRT, I had the conversation with various people in this office at the start of the year that they were going to be hard to beat. They looked so 36

strong in ’09 ...

You thought ‘TeamVodafone, changing brands, it’s gotta hurt them a little bit. HRT, firing out of the blocks, building up a good lead, Garth should be able to control this championship’.

They never even looked like doing any of that.

MA: Even if that wasn’t going to happen, you thought it was going to be Triple Eight versus HRT. With HRT – and the third and fourth cars in Bundy colours, looking like a bit of a basketcase – nothing worked for Clayton.

PB: If you’d have bet be two to one 12 months ago that DJR was going to hose HRT, I would not have taken it.

Johnson’s team, for all of its problems, stood up, and HRT didn’t.

AVL: Even without the problems, I wouldn’t have bet that James Courtney was going to win the championship. Through those problems, they went on and won.

CL: Why was that? Was it just Keeping It Simple religiously, or did they luck into the car being very good on the soft tyres?

MA: Even with everything going on, it seemed like they had some good personnel, they had good gear ...

AVL: They had some good luck ...

MA: Yeah, they had some good luck and at the end of the day, it all clicked for them and they made the most of it.

AVL: Whincup lost a lot of points at Phillip Island and Townsville. And Tasmania, where they had the pit drama.

They made some blues this year, blues that they’ve never made before. But that all seemed to come after Courtney had taken the ascendency, the back-to-back Sprint Tyre rounds.

That’s when Triple Eight started making little mistakes, they weren’t used to it.

PB: The Sprint Tyre thing obviously worked for them. It suited DJR, it clearly suited Courtney. motorsport news

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Phil Williams

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CES We’ve already made the comparison and mentioned Paul Morris’, that’s an obvious comparison to make because they’re both Triple Eight customers.

MA: Plus, if you looked back to this chat in the last eNews of 2009, we probably would’ve mentioned how well the Triple Eight Falcons looked on Sprint Tyres.

Courtney had the pace, which is one thing, but you’ve got to make it last for a race distance.

AVL: Maybe that’s something Triple Eight didn’t get right with the Commodore.

Although Lowndsey in Tasmania ...

PB: He is a freak at looking after tyres.

On another topic, it can’t be left unsaid that the ‘bonehead’ statement for the year has got to go to Simon McNamara.

CL: You beat me to it. It was rattling around in my mind, ... ‘the Holden executive who made a rather rash prediction’.

PB: That’s right. As if the Ford teams needed more motivation this year, he gave www.mnews.com.au

it to them from the get-go. And he was always going to lead with the chin.

Yes, Holden will strike back, and he’s pulled off a few coups by recruiting new teams and drivers, but the fact of the matter is, he called it early – and he was 180 degrees wrong.

AVL: Mike Porter put out a statement on behalf of James Courtney cautioning the ‘January Champions’.

At the time, you thought ‘I don’t know, JC, I don’t know that you’re in a position to say I’m going to come out and beat you guys’.

But he did.

CL: I think [McNamara] went a bit over the top, but remember, after two or three races, we ‘called it’ in Whincup’s favour.

AVL: It was after Hamilton. I wrote it, I’ll put my hand up for that, saying that the Fat Lady had sung.

PB: He had just won six of the first eight races ...

AVL: It’s gotta be said that Triple Eight

by their standards, and they’re the ones who’ve been setting the standards for the last few years, made some screw-ups in pitlane. It’s also got to be said that so did FPR. MA: I think it’s also got to be said that Kellys dropped the ball big-time with co-drivers.

AVL: Yep, that was the other bonehead move of the year. They could’ve won those races if they did it properly.

PB: They could’ve won those races if Todd and Rick had driven together.

MA: Yeah, but that couldn’t happen under the new regs. You could say that Triple Eight might’ve won by a lap if Craig and Jamie drove together, but that was never going to happen.

Once the rule has come in, don’t be ‘Brad Hodge’ about it and have a sook about it.

Get on with it. It’s the same rule everyone had to play by and they made the worst of it.

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WEBBER MA: Next topic, we should talk about ...

Webber.

CL: I’m just so pleased for the guy, that after so many years driving B-Grade equipment and having people thinking he was a good qualifier and a bad racer, that he finally got the opportunity and almost, almost nailed it.

AVL: He had a fantastic year. He drove some brilliant races.

You already mentioned Monaco and that was the ultimate ‘I’m going to stick this on pole and drive away’. He was never

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going to lose that race. It was a boring racetrack and a boring race, but Barcelona – holy moly.

He just smashed them.

PB: The Red Bulls were a gear higher through Turn 9 than some of the other cars, that says it all.

AVL: But he beat his team-mate. He had to beat a bloody good driver and he did it comfortably.

Unfortunately, Vettel did it to him probably more than Webber did, but that was one situation where he really was the

best driver in that team by quite a margin.

CL: In that period where Mark was dominant, Vettel had that look on his face like Michael Schumacher did when someone beat him and he couldn’t understand it.

That confused face. To his credit, he got his head right, overcame it and came on strong where it mattered.

AVL: He’s a good driver. It’s easy to get emotional about these things, but Vettel’s a bloody good peddler. If he had an Australian passport ...

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MA: And if not for the fact the Red Bull was fragile on occasion, Vettel could’ve had it wrapped up with a couple of rounds to go.

He had Bahrain, Melbourne and Korea shot to pieces before the thing let him down.

AVL: Webber had a great year, in terms of consistency, no mechanical DNFs. He had a big hit in Valencia and the DNF in Korea, both which probably could’ve been avoided by him, and if he had’ve avoided that, he would’ve had a 100 percent

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finishing record.

PB: The scary thing for everyone else is that Vettel’s head isn’t there. His mental capacity doesn’t match his ability – but if he starts to think like Webber, it’s going to be over by September.

AVL: That’s the worry, when it all lines up and, unfortunately for us because he’s not an Australian, it probably will one day and ...

PB: But by then Webber will be gone and it’ll be Dan Ricciardo’s problem.

MA: Is it really his mental capacity? Did

he really make that many mistakes more than Webber?

PB: Valencia was a complete pooch screw for Webber and so was Silverstone for Vettel. He bet everything on the first corner.

AVL: Vettel at Spa. If you read Autosport, Lewis Hamilton was the man of the year.

And Hamilton had two big stuff-ups, Singapore and Monza. Monza was a big mistake, it was something that if some kid did it in Formula Ford, you’d say ‘you’re an idiot’.

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Peter Bury

MOUNTAIN MASTERS PB: We’ve got to mention Bathurst.

AVL: Who didn’t, when you found out Skaife and Lowndes were together, want to head down to the TAB and put a sneaky tenner on them?

Didn’t it just reek of victory?

MA: I don’t know. I don’t know that I ever thought that Skaife would be as sharp, in terms of pure pace, as an Owen or a [Warren] Luff.

PB: At Phillip Island, you looked at Steve Owen and thought ‘bloody hell’.

AVL: Bathurst is funny ...

MA: It is a different race, yeah ...

AVL: It’s not all about pure pace, a bit of smarts can pay massive dividends there.

I’ve to say, as soon as I heard it was Lowndes and Skaife, I thought they would

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be the pair to beat. Whincup’s never been the ultimate gun at Bathurst.

It’s almost been his Achilles Heel.

PB: As much as we mentioned that some people suffered and others flourished with the co-driver rule, I think it hurt Whincup.

He went from having the best closer in the business to – with the greatest respect – Steve Owen. Steve has done a great job this year, but he’s not Craig Lowndes.

CL: The team, strategy-wise, played it very smart in getting their co-drivers over and done with by the halfway point, in terms of the winning car.

That kind of neutralises the co-driver thing. As long as they don’t smash it, you’ve got your regular drivers out there

and racing at the business end of the race..

AVL: As Paul Cruickshank once said about Michael Patrizi, it can be about ‘getting away’ with your co-driver as well.

PB: Mind you, we’ve just criticised a team that finished 1-2 at Bathurst. In the biggest race of the year, they beat everyone.

AVL: And was anyone surprised?

Did anyone go ‘wow a TeamVodafone 12, I didn’t see that coming’?

PB: And that’s got to be one of the reasons why Roland Dane is comfortable stepping away from the team principal role.

They’ve won Bathurst, they’ve won titles and now they’ve got a 1-2 at Bathurst.

There’s nothing left to do, unless they want to win the championship with a Skoda.

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Dirk Klynsmith

THE LOCAL SCENE PB: Let’s talk about the rest of motorsport for a minute.

If we’re talking about feelgood stories, Jim Richards winning the Touring Car Masters title. A great effort; great car, terrific bloke and that series is fantastic.

AVL: What I like about Jim is that he built that car and he didn’t put the biggest engine he could in it because he wanted a challenge.

How good’s that?

PB: If Steven [Richards] goes and drives the Javelin next year, I’ll be watching.

I’ll be paying attention to every single

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race. It’s something you want to see.

MA: The finish to the Australian Formula 3 Championship at Sandown was super.

It basically came down to Ben Barker needing to set the fastest lap of the last race, otherwise he was going to be tied on points with Mitch Evans, who’d have won on a countback.

But Barker did it by five-onehundredths of a second on the second last lap.

AVL: How’s that for a showdown? In Formula 3 cars at Sandown, it would’ve been good to watch.

MA: It sure was.

PB: Mitch looks like someone to watch when he goes overseas, but Chaz Mostert looks like a real talent.

Capital ‘R’, real.

AVL: Yep, the Formula Ford stuff’s good, but to me, jumping in that car at Bathurst and running fourth in the Fujitsu Series on debut in a tin-top, that was stunning.

PB: Speaking of which, Tim Blanchard, second in the Fujitsu Series.

AVL: Rightly named Rookie of the Year.

MA: Blanchard and Nick Percat both had good years.

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Dirk Klynsmith

Dirk Klynsmith

STANDING TALL PB: Let’s finish off with Person of the Year.

AVL: Adrian Burgess for me.

If for nothing other than Saturday at Homebush, when he took on the team that built his car, fixed it faster than they could and won the championship.

MA: I’m going to go for a tie.

A dead-heat between Ludo Lacroix from Triple Eight, for basically building the two cars that fought out this year’s V8 Supercar

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Championship, and Sebastien Vettel, for being the fastest race driver in anything this year. A deserving F1 championship.

CL: In terms of doing something for motorsport in Australia,you might go for Webber.

You go out and talk to people now and they’ll talk to you intelligently about Formula 1. Formula 1’s now out-rating V8 Supercars in the public psyche.

But I’m going to go a little from left field. My man of the year is Adrian Newey.

He designed the Red Bull and, assuming he doesn’t wipe himself out in some historic race, should continue to produce championship-winning cars. I think it’s now five or six Drivers championships and seven Constructors.

And he’s won titles for Williams, McLaren, and now Red Bull. That’s impressive.

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putting drivers on the stewards panel, I think that’s gone brilliantly.

He’s visited more than 50 countries behind the scenes, he’s got the FIA back to the business of running the things that it needs to run and letting the other people do what they need to do, and to me that’s what a leader does.

The sport at the moment is well placed in that regard. If some of that would drip

down to the Australian ASN, I’d be happy.

AVL: Should we be surprised?

This is a bloke who did some wonderful things with Peugeot in their rallying days and some wonderful things with Ferrari, he’s obviously a smart dude.

PB: And he was ruthless in those two roles.

Clearly he’s transferred that to the FIA and I’m glad that the previous era is over and that the Todt era is working well.

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sutton-images.com

PB: My man of the year ... I think we’ve written a grand total of three words about him all year, is Jean Todt.

He’s been fixing the things the FIA needed to fix and he’s been doing it quietly.

AVL: People thought it might become the Ferrari show, but to me, he’s been the impartial, balanced, level-headed boss.

PB: He was the one who instigated

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

30/11/2010 13:14:21

SRA ROUND, 5 PREMIER SPEEDWAY

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motorsport news

race

Keep Walking

As Sprintcar drivers prepare for the two biggest events in the country next month at Premier Speedway, an American took a win on debut at Warrnambool, GEOFF ROUNDS reports

Geoff Gracie

www.mnews.com.au

AMERICAN Tyler Walker had always been told Premier Speedway was a great venue to race at and last Saturday night he was able to experience it.

Walker won the fifth round of the Sprintcar Racing Association (SRA) series at the Warrnambool track and is now preparing his assault on the venue’s blue-ribbon events.

“I had heard about this track from many people and was looking forward to coming here,” Walker said.

“What a good track — you could race top to bottom and it is fast.

“I will be looking forward to coming back for the races here in the next few weeks.”

The tough SRA round attracted a stellar field as drivers prepare for an upcoming World Series Sprintcars round and the country’s most prestigious events; The Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic and Australian

Sprintcar Championship, all next month in Warrnambool.

“I have been trying to get here to Australia on many occasions but for one reason or another it has not worked out,” Walker said.

“This win is great. We have not had the results that we were looking for so far on this tour but I hope this win will help us continue with more good results.”

Walker grabbed the lead on Lap 7 of the 30-lap journey to go on and win from a fastfinishing Stephen Bell, with Steven Lines in third place.

Lines qualified top and had the choice for the front row starting spot in the final.

He picked Position 2, putting Simpson’s John Vogels into Position 1. Vogels took the lead into turn one with Lines and Walker in pursuit. The American made his move to take second from Lines on Lap 2 before he caught Vogels on the seventh lap.

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motorsport news

rear of grid

t o p S d Od

Both images: Red Bull

Wings, with a Thai curry MARK Webber and Red Bull Racing have finished their year’s commitments, in Thailand.

Webber demonstrated a Red Bull in the streets of Bangkok, in front of more than 100,000 enthusiastic punters.

“It’s a fantastic atmosphere today.

I just cannot believe that the Thai people are very excited and interested in the show,” Webber said.

“I have never driven the car in front of so many people like this. I would like to thank the Thai people for attending the show today.”

But that is not the cool part. This is; if you spend any of the summer playing Gran Turismo 5, you might just get some wheel time with the Red Bull X2010 Prototype. RBR design chief Adrian Newey was in on the www.mnews.com.au

design, which features a fan car, with 3-litre turbo engine, enclosed wheels and a brace of other mouth-watering features.

With more than 1500 horses to push 545kg, and much more downforce than a current Red Bull RB6, the X2010 would get to 100kmh from rest in 1.4s; 200kmh in 2.8s; and 320kmh in 6.1s. Top speed would be 450kmh-plus, and the lap times would be far beyond the current generation of Formula 1 cars – if a driver could be found who could take the physical stresses of driving it for more than a few corners. In a test, Sebastian Vettel dropped the lap record at Suzuka by more than 20 seconds.

Something to think about that while you chew your turkey ...

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