Motorsport eNews Issue 238 - January 24-30, 2012

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Issue 238 | January 24-30 2012

G FALLIN ACE INTO PL

DRIVERS, TEAMS & CODRIVERS TAKING SHAPE

Editorial Editor: Mitchell Adam

Opinion

Executive Editor: Phil Branagan

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Executive Editor Phil Branagan

mitchell@mnews.com.au @DrMitchellAdam

A

BUNCH of people will be looking for jobs in the next few weeks – and no, I am not talking about Kelly Racing.

In this Wednesday’s edition of Motorsport News (and yes, that is a plug) we feature 40 of the things that we like about motor racing. One of those things was – and maybe still is – the World Endurance Championship.

The prospect of a renewal of the Audi vs Peugeot battle for supremacy, over eight rounds, with a few support acts thrown into the mix, was truly mouth-watering.

Audi won bragging rights at Le Mans last year, but Peugeot held the upper hand in most of the rest of the races.

The Germans and the French both had developed their cars in the off-season, Toyota were wandering around with their new hybrid prototype and the HPD-developed racers – one of which is to have David Brabham on board – promised to make sure the interest ran back through the field.

And then, in the face of some determined Germans, the French surrendered. Not much new there, then.

This is what happens when manufacturers are in motor racing. Their

Contents news 4

core business is to sell cars and there are various methods of selling them. Motor racing is just one of those methods; when it does not work as effectively as it once might, there are options available, and one of those includes packing up the motor racing teams and firing everyone (sorry, “redeploying the workforce”).

It has been going on ever since Hank Ford I decided to have a lash at racing himself. Makes come; makes go. In the giant scheme of things, that is how the game is played.

In the short-term, it may well be that one or two of Peugeot’s latest weapons could appear some time during the course of this season, maybe at Le Mans, possibly in the guise of a ‘privateer’ entry from a team as French as Pescarolo or ORECA. Given the company’s history, the chances are, Peugeot will come back.

Equally, when that happens, we hope that timing works and that there is an Audi, a Toyota and perhaps a few others waiting for them. Maybe then, we will get the season that we were waiting for in 2012.

But right now, I am wondering; what is the French word for ‘Bugger’?

Issue No. 238 | 25-01-12 to 30-01-12

West Aussie & Webby? | Patrizi in line for Tekno seat

7

D’Aldodo | TDR set for new sponsor

9

The Trans Tasman Man | Richo’s NZV8ST deal

10 Peugeot-oh-no | French surrender 12 Reactive reaction | Ban for latest tech initiative 14 Big Busch League | Kyle & Kurt team up

www.mnews.com.au motorsport news

sutton-images.com

16 Almost ready | Big names join 12 Hour

race 26 WRC Monte Rally

18 Swedish doubt | Ingrassia injured

28 Toyota Racing Series

20 They’re back | Simon and Sue return to ARC

30 World Series Sprintcars

22 Radical, man | New cars arrive

32 Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic

chat 24 Five Minutes With ... Steven Richards

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NEWS

KELLY RACING: BIG CHANGE, NO PANIC

James Smith

V8 SUPERCARS THERE will be a lot of new faces at Kelly Racing when the season starts at Sandown’s V8 Supercar test day.

A number of the team’s key personnel, including former team manager Barry Ryan, who acted as Greg Murphy’s engineer in 2011, have parted ways with the team, and not everyone has yet been replaced. eNews believes that the engineer on Rick Kelly’s car, Adam Hardy, has returned to the UK and that Peter Craik, the data engineer who stepped up to engineer the team’s #16 Commodore at the latter part of last season, will move to the USA to take a role with an Indycar team. We believe that Todd Kelly’s engineer, Brendan Hogan, remains with the team, but that two other mechanics have departed.

Team co-owner and driver Todd Kelly commented to eNews, “The team have already made three senior ‘hires’.

STONES

“From the outside, when you look at the list of people that aren’t there this year that were there last year, people will be going ‘what’s going on here?’ But from our point of view, we’re extremely happy with how we’re equipped to start the year with our personnel.

“We’ve been around for three years as a race team and there’s always high turnover in the first few years, but it has been pretty stable for the last 12 months and we’ve really reached a point now where, with our staff on the floor in the departments and in our engineering staff, we really need to try and lift the bar as much as we possibly can, to get the cars, all of the cars, further up the grid. It’s enabled us to get a lot of talent into our team, especially on a global level; we’ve got engineers from all corners of the globe that will start with Kelly Racing this year, that will hopefully be announcing soon.

“As far as our capabilities are concerned, we’re at a much higher level this year than we’ve ever been as a team.” motorsport news

PATRIZI FIRMS ON V8 RETURN WITH TEKNO V8 SUPERCARS

Andrew Hall

MICHAEL Patrizi has emerged as the new favourite for the second seat at the expanding Tekno Autosports.

The West Aussie is now the main driver being linked with the #91 Commodore at Jonathon Webb’s outfit. After time in Europe and North America, Patrizi has contested two years in the Main Game, 2008 with Ford Rising Stars Racing and 2009 with Paul Cruickshank Racing. Since then, he’s contested the endurance races with Dean Fiore and competed in the returning Carrera Cup in 2011.

When contacted by eNews on Monday, Webb confirmed Patrizi as an option, but said his team had several other things to lock in before he signed a team-mate.

“We’re pretty busy trying to put all of the

sponsorship and racecars together and that sort of thing. We’re working on the whole package before we lock a direction in,” Webb said.

“We’re also waiting to see what Garry [Rogers] does; that may actually open up a few other options, depending on what he does as well. We won’t necessarily wait for him, but he may make a decision shortly, which would give us a few more options on the way through.

“We’ve been speaking to Michael since the start. Like everyone else, he’s definitely got his name in the barrel. He’s no more up the list than anyone else on it.”

The pre-Christmas favourite for the ride, new Development Series champion Andrew Thompson, is no longer in the running, and is set to join Stone Brothers Racing for the endurance races, see separate story.

S STRIKE EARLY ON DRIVERS Experience and Youth for Enduros V8 SUPERCARS

Phil Williams

www.mnews.com.au

LOOK for an all-new endurance driver line-up at Stone Brothers Racing this year. eNews understands that the team will announce three new co-drivers for the Sandown and Bathurst long-distance races – Luke Youlden, Craig Baird and Andrew Thompson.

Youlden is expected to complete a straight swap between SBR and Ford Performance Racing and team up with Shane van Gisbergen, whose 2010 and 2011 co-driver John McIntyre has headed in the opposite direction. The Victorian

is no stranger to SBR, having partnered Russell Ingall in the 2005 and 2006 enduros.

Set to partner new recruit Lee Holdsworth, Baird also has a history with the Stones, having contested a full season in Pirtek colours in the 2000 championship. Baird has been part of the Walkinshaw Racing endurance set-up since 2009.

The reigning V8 Supercar Development Series champion, Thompson has been flagged as Tim Slade’s partner. Thompson contested last year’s endurance races with Jamie Whincup at TeamVodafone.

– MITCHELL ADAM

NEWS

PENSKE BOYS IN THE RED? V8 SUPERCARS

AUSSIE Indycar stars Will Power and Ryan Briscoe, and their Penske team-mate Helio Castroneves, could race in the Gold Coast 600 in October on the same side as V8 Supercars brand divide.

Power and Castroneves, who have raced Fords in the past at the Surfers Paradise street race, look set to be restricted to driving for Holden teams in the event, following the off-season switch by Team Penske from Honda engines to Chevrolets.

The move looks likely to impact any plans Ford teams may have had to secure Castroneves, twice a started in the event with Stone Brothers Racing, and Power, who raced for Ford Performance Racing in 2010.

A back injury put Power out of last year’s, prompting the team to sign Richard Lyons as a last-minute sub.

Briscoe, a regular with the Holden Racing Team, confirmed the team’s policy to eNews last week. He said that team boss Roger Penske usually turned a blind eye to clashes between brands, like the one on the Gold Coast and the upcoming Daytona 24 Hour race, in which Briscoe will drive for a Chevrolet-backed team. But that ChevyHolden alliance looks like a good fit.

“He [Penske] is not always keen to let us does those races,” he said, “but being a Chevrolet factory GM car – as is HRT – he is a little bit more lenient.”

His team-mate Power was quite clear about the situation.

“That is the case,” he said.

“I do have to look into it, so far as what might be available. I want to be in a good car, obviously, and I need to talk to Tim Edwards before I do anything.”

Could Power and Briscoe suit up together – in HRT red? Or, could the link between Power

and Penske sponsor Verizon set up a seat at TeamVodafone?

Watch this space.

For more with Briscoe, see the February edition of Motorsport News, on-sale this Wednesday

FPR WANTS CONSISTENCY V8 SUPERCARS WILL Davison has nominated consistency as the key to Ford Performance Racing’s bid for a maiden V8 Supercar title in 2012.

The factory Fords ended 2011 with plenty of pace, but a mid-year slump on the Sprint Tyres hurt their title prospects. Davison finish his first FPR season in seventh, while team-mate Mark Winterbottom took third, albeit almost 400 points behind Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes.

FPR held a post-season test at Winton last December, evaluating a number of new components for both the 2012 season and for their Car of the Future program. Davison

declared the test a success.

“It was a very worthwhile test, we didn’t just go there and run around for no reason,” Davison said.

“We had some new components on the car, some new bits and pieces. Now we just have to work through when we put them in the cars, whether it’s Clipsal or mid-year.”

Heading into the new season, Davison feels the team is heading in the right direction, buoyed by the speed displayed in 2011, and knows what it needs to work on.

“Clearly when our car’s right, it’s an extremely competitive car, that FPR has,” Davison said.

“I suppose the one key thing is just

making sure we’re that little bit more consistent, and I think that’s what we improved from the enduros on. We were more consistent.

“We still want to improve our soft tyre life a little bit, Triple Eight may still have a tiny advantage on us there.

“You’re always looking to improve in all areas. Overall, I think we’ve got a really quick car, that’s easy to drive, good on the kerbs, good into corners. I think we still probably want to improve our rear grip and on power grip a little bit, we’re trying to focus on that, but it’s a constant balancing act.”

– MITCHELL ADAM motorsport news

DODO SET TO TOUCH DOWN THE Dodo is not extinct and is poised to return to V8 Supercars as a sponsor this season, to back Tony D’Alberto Racing.

The Melbourne-based privateer, who had the support of Wilson Security last season, is expected to unveil his new-look Ford Falcon next week, backed by the growing home services company.

The company has previously sponsored a number of teams in the championship, including Team Dynamik and the Tasman Motorsport entries of Jamie Whincup and Jason Richards for the 2005 season.

Dirk Klynsmith

V8 SUPERCARS

D’Alberto and Fabian Coulthard joined regular Tasman drivers for the endurance races, but did not finish either race.

Whincup/Richards, pictured, gave Dodo its best result when they finished second at the Bathurst 1000 behind the Holden Racing Team entry of Mark Skaife/Todd Kelly.

Dodo also sponsored the Kelly racing entry of Jack Perkins in 2009 but in recent years, has undergone a dramatic transformation. After becoming known as a

brand plagued with customer complaints, and at one stage being fined $147,000 for breaching telecommunications regulations, Dodo MD Larry Kestleman restructured the company’s technical and service capabilities.

The Dodo brand was rebuilt and the company has diversified what was an internet provider into fixed line and mobile telephone services, and electricity and gas supply in a number of states.

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NEWS

V8 DEV SERIES DEVELOPMENT Series graduate David Wall has flagged the use of Sprint Tyres in the second-tier class.

Wall, who will move up to the Main Game in 2012 with Brad Jones Racing, ran in the Development Series last year with Tony D’Alberto Racing, finishing 11th. Speaking as part of a feature in the February edition of Motorsport News on the state of the

John Morris/Mpix

WALL: LET FV8 SPRINT

Development Series, Wall suggested the introduction of the softer rubber as a way of aiding future DVS graduates.

“I think would be nice would be to have a go on would be the Sprint Tyre,” Wall said.

“I think it would be good if the Development Series could run on that tyre for one round, or one race even, so the guys that are trying to make it into the Main Series know what to expect on that tyre before they get there.

“I think it’d be a good thing, I think it’d probably mix the field up again, and would give you a real leg-up to know what to expect if one day you get to drive in the Main Series.”

– MITCHELL ADAM For more on the state of the Development Series from a range of stakeholders, see the February edition of Motorsport News, on sale this Wednesday.

FF @ AGP FORMULA FORD THE Australian Formula Ford Championship will kick off its 2012 season at Albert Park.

With the full calendar still to be locked in, organisers have confirmed a spot on the bill of the Australian Grand Prix.

Formula Ford raced at Albert Park in 2009 and 2010.

“The Australian Formula Ford Championship has been working hard to lock in a calendar for the 2012 season and we’re very pleased to be able to announce that the season will begin at the Australian Grand Prix in March,” Category Manager Margaret Hardy said.

“Being on the program at the Australian Grand Prix is a huge thing for the championship and we’re delighted to be back to showcase the future stars of Australian motorsport in the country’s premier junior development category.

“I know all the drivers look forward to the event and being able to race in front of the Formula One paddock is a huge opportunity, so I have to thank the Australian Grand Prix for working with us to ensure we are at the event.

“We are incredibly close to finalising the remainder of the 2012 calendar, with just a few events waiting to be confirmed and will announce the full schedule in the coming weeks.”

FOSTER, BATES GO GERMAN CARRERA CUP NICK Foster and Tony Bates will switch to Carrera Cup in 2012, from Formula Ford and the V8 Supercar Development Series respectively.

Foster finished third in last year’s Australian Formula Ford Championship before contesting the 2011 Carrera Cup season finale at Homebush as a guest driver. He’ll join the class full-time in 2012, aboard the Porsche raced by Matthew Coleman last year.

While the car will retain its Money Choice backing, Foster is yet to name which team will prepare it.

Bates, meanwhile, has split his time in recent years between the Development Series and Commodore Cup, but will race a Porsche for the first time in 2012. McElrea Racing will field Bates’ entry, which will feature backing from Favourit.com.

“It was a tough decision to step away from the Fujitsu Series, because I was really starting to come to grips with driving a V8 Supercar, which was reflected in my race results,” Bates, who will enter Carrera Cup’s Elite Class, said.

“I had quite a few top 10 finishes, and I was racing side by side with some accomplished and experienced drivers. However, the Fujitsu Series has an increasing number of main-game teams that are running entries in the series and the privateer teams simply don’t have the resources or the budget to battle with the main-game cars.

“The best drivers in Carrera Cup are on par with the front-runners in the Fujitsu Series and main game and the cars are identical, which levels the playing field. The series is very professionally operated by Porsche Cars Australia, and the level of exposure is just as good as, if not better than the Fujitsu Series.” motorsport news

RICHO GOES GLOBAL. KINDA NZ V8ST STEVEN Richards got to grips with his new Ford V8 racer last week – but it is not a V8 Supercar.

Richo tested his new V8Supertourer at Taupo in New Zealand last week. The twotime Bathurst winner will join John McIntyre Motorsport and drive the team’s #556 CRC Falcon in the series, which kicks off next month.

“The car is different, it is a little less developed than a V8 Supercar,” Richards told eNews. “It is lighter and it has less horsepower, but the main thing is, it has a little less grip, the tyre is different, and it has a different grip feel to the current car.

It is built to fit into the cost structure of the category, and in that sense, it works really well.”

The team will take on something on an ‘FPR’ feel, with McIntyre joining the Melbourne squad as an endurance driver after some front-line performances with OB29 Brothers Get Routed 23/01/12 2:15 PM Page 1 Stone Racing in recent years.

JMR has also confirmed that FPR Technical

Director Campbell Little to join JMR to assist with the development of the team’s FGs. The veteran engineer will work alongside the

team’s engineering boss, Jason Liefting.

For more with Richards, see 5 Minutes, Page 24

2012 Manx GP on the Isle of Man

Be a part of history Tour itinerary includes: tours of the Triumph factory • Sammy Miller’s Race Museum • ACE Café • UK National Motorcycle Museum • Beaulieu Motor Museum • London Motorcycle Museum.

Other tour possibilities include: British Railway Museum • Warwick Castle • Heritage Motor Centre • British War Museum And for those who want to arrive earlier: 30 June (Saturday) Dutch TT – Assen • 1 July WSBK Spain – Aragon • 8 July Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland – Sachsenring • 15 July Gran Premio D'Italia – Mugello • 22 July WSBK Czech Rep – Brno • 26 August Grand Prix Czech Republic – Brno • 5 August WSBK GB – Silverstone.

Main photo: Bill Webster greets the chequred flag at the 250TT in 1953.

Above: John Hartle on his Triumph Bonneville.

For full details of this fantastic tour opportunity contact Dave at Get Routed Phone: (03) 9351 0612 or email: dave@getrouted.com.au www.mnews.com.au

CHAT NEWS On the eve of the World Endurance Championship

PEUGEOT SURRENDERS www.sutton-images.

WEC THE state of the economy in Europe is the reason behind Peugeot’s shock withdrawal from the World Endurance Championship last week.

The French maker surrendered in its battle with Audi for supremacy, even while some of its team were on the ground in the USA preparing for the Sebring 12 Hour race, the first event in the eight-round series. The company’s new hybrid car is now expected to live out its days as an unraced museum piece, unless some deal can be put in place for the car to be raced, possible at Le Mans, by a third-party and independently financed team.

“This decision has been taken in the context of a difficult economic environment in Europe,” Peugeot announced on the company website on the eve of the close of entries for the WEC.

“Peugeot has chosen to concentrate resources on its sales performance in 2012.”

Peugeot’s parent company, PSA, last week confirmed a six percent drop in sales in Europe in the last 12 months. There has been no statement about the continuation of the company’s other motorsport programs, including Citroen’s WRC effort.

FIA President Jean Todt, who managed Peugeot’s Le Mans wins in 1992 and 1993, said that he was disappointed by the decision.

“To lose such a strong player like Peugeot is bad news, indicating what a tough period the automotive industry is going through, and this group in particular,” he said in a statement.

“I believe that it is especially true that in tough times one should find ways of expressing full commitment, rather than pulling out.

“But we can only respect their choice and hope that they can come back soon at the highest level of motorsport.”

One of the potential side effects of the news is that Peugeot’s contracted drivers are now not committed to the series. With a date clash between the Petit Le Mans race and the Gold Coast 600, it was expected that drivers such as Sebastien Bourdais would be unavailable for the GC event. Now, it appears he is available ...

It appears that David Brabham will not be the only Australian driver who will compete in the series. John Martin will retain his close links with Alan Docking Racing, which is entering a joint venture with Delta Motorsports to field an Oreca 03 Nissan.

The team, which will run as ADR-Delta, will compete in the LMP2 class. Martin will be joined by Robbie Kerr and Tor Graves during the eight-round season.

AUDI’S HARD CELL DTM EVERY car in the 2012 DTM will have an internal safety cell – and this is Audi’s.

The cell from the new Audi A5 DTM racer was on show at the recent ADAC Motorsport Show in Erfurt last weekend. Final homologation of the Audi’s, and Mercedes-Benz’s C-Class and BMW’s M3, is next month, shortly before testing starts.

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motorsport news

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11 kwp!SEN10492

NEWS sutton-images.com

Hamilton summoned to Sutil GBH Trial F1 Lewis Hamilton has received a summons to appear in court as a witness in the Munich trial of Adrian Sutil.

Sutil faces grievous bodily harm charges in a Munich court during trial scheduled for January 30-31.

Hamilton had been present in the Shanghai nightclub celebrating his Chinese Grand Prix win last April, when the incident took place in which Sutil allegedly glassed LotusRenault’s Eric Lux. Hamilton’s court presence is

mandatory, which means he will travel direct from the trial in Germany to attend McLaren’s 2012 launch the following day.

As for Sutil, the German’s manager, Manfred Zimmermann, is confident the former Force India driver will be cleared of the charges.

“We have a video where it can be seen clearly that this was not Adrian attacking or intentionally hurting someone,” he said.

“We expect an acquittal, or at worst a conviction for negligent injury. But that would not jeopardise his career.”

Reactive reaction Kimi won’t be fast – Trulli F1 The FIA has decided to ban a technical innovation known as ‘reactive ride height’, despite having earlier given the system the green light.

The system, which Lotus developed and successfully tested last November, measures and reacts to front brake torque and adjusts the car’s ride height accordingly.

The news comes as a surprise, because the Lotus system had been deemed legal by the FIA as long ago as last January.

It is thought that the aboutface has occurred in the wake of rival teams approaching the FIA for a clarification on the legality of the reactive ride height concept.

Red Bull, Ferrari and Williams were among the teams looking at possibly developing their own versions of the Lotus breakthrough.

The point of contention is whether or not the system’s primary function is to improve stability under braking, as claimed by Lotus, or to gain 12

what would be a potentially illegal aerodynamic advantage.

The system Lotus used was mechanical and activated by brake torque. In theory this means it cannot be classified as a moveable aerodynamic device.

However, the fact that the system is activated by the driver’s foot on the brake means that it could be seen to contravene the F1 regulation that states: ‘any car system, device or procedure which uses driver movement as a means of altering the aerodynamic characteristics of the car is prohibited’.

There is indeed an aero advantage to be gained from the system, according to Williams chief operations engineer Mark Gillan.

“We have been investigating that type of system for a while,“ he claimed on The Flying Lap webcast. “It obviously has an impact on the aero platform of the car, [and] anything that gets the front ride height lower is beneficial from an aerodynamic perspective.”

F1

Kimi Raikkonen will struggle in his comeback to Formula 1 this year, says fellow F1 veteran Jarno Trulli.

Raikkonen returns to F1 with Lotus after an underwhelming two seasons in the World Rally Championship, in addition to a brief flirtation with NASCAR. However, Trulli, set for a year with the Caterham team that will be his 16th consecutive season in F1, says the 32-year-old former world champion’s comeback might end up paralleling that of Michael Schumacher.

“Yes, it will be difficult for Kimi when he has to re-adapt to a F1 car,” Trulli told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “I don’t think at the very beginning Kimi is going to be fast.”

Verstappen charges dropped F1 Former F1 driver Jos Verstappen is set to be released from a Dutch jail, according to German news agency SID. Verstappen, a veteran of 106 Grand Prix starts between 1994 and 2003, had been in police custody charged with attempted murder after his ex-girlfriend had allegedly been hit by Verstappen’s car two weeks ago.

However, the murder charge has now been withdrawn,

according to Dutch news agency ANP. “The court granted the request for Jos Verstappen’s release, partly because of the lack of evidence,” a statement provided by the lawyers read.

In 2008, Verstappen received a three-month suspended sentence after being convicted of harassment against his ex-wife, former kart racer Sophie Kumpen.

In 2000, he was convicted of assault following an incident at a kart track. motorsport news

EVANS: MORE GP3 As expected, Mitch Evans has signed on for a second season of GP3 with MW Arden. The young Kiwi won a race at Barcelona and led the 2011 season at one point during his rookie campaign, but a tough run in the second half of the year saw him drop to finish ninth. Evans took part in the first of GP3’s post-season tests last November, and has now been confirmed for a second season.

“I am really pleased to announce that I will be back with MW Arden in 2012,” Evans said.

“Last year was a learning year for me as it was my first year in Europe. I believe that I have the best package around me to succeed. There is only one thing I am focused on this year and that is to win the championship.”

Suttons Images

LESS AT V8 HQ V8 Supercars has made a number of lay-offs during the off-season. As many as 10 people have been made redundant since the end of the 2011 season, the highest-profile being Adam Perry, who was a leading player in the development of the category’s new Car of the Future.

OH, BROTHER! sutton-images.com

Texas on track F1 Work on the Circuit of the Americas that will host this year’s US Grand Prix is ahead of schedule, despite the contractual dramas that have delayed the construction.

The venue is reportedly on track for an August completion, well ahead of the November race date. However, the actual track surface might not be laid until much closer to the race, according to the Austin American Statesman newspaper.

The total cost of the construction is estimated at $350 million, with track chiefs hoping to attract a crowd of 120,000. www.mnews.com.au

A sizeable attendance at the inaugural race could prove critical as far as the event’s future is concerned as organisers hope to attract a $25 million dollar grant from the local government’s Major Event Trust Fund.

The original bid to host the race was dependant on the $25 million in public funding. However, government officials claimed there was no agreement to provide the funding in advance of the event. This left the Circuit of the Americas to apply for the grant after the race, when the level of the economic benefit to the region provided by the event becomes clear.

IT giant Brother International has signed on as the naming rights sponsor the New Zealand leg of the World Rally Championship. The June 21-24 event will be known as Brother Rally New Zealand, with an option for a further two years. Brother will also back NZ’s round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship, at Whangarei on March 30-April 1.

SYDNEY RESCHEDULE Washed out on January 13-14, Tyrepower Sydney Speedway’s annual Scott Darley Challenge will now be run in March. The $50,000 to win event has been rescheduled for March 16-17.

MIEDECKE JR IN A back injury has forced Andrew Miedecke out of this weekend’s Targa Wrest Point in Hobart. His prized 1970 Ford Capri Perana will be driven by his son, George.

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NEWS

AMBROSE LIVERY UPDATED NASCAR

BAND OF BROTHERS

THIS is the look that Marcos Ambrose will carry in most of 2012’s Sprint Cup races.

The Aussie, rested from a summer break at home, will race in the familiar yellow and black colours of Stanley Tools

SERVIA F SEAT AT

NASCAR

INDYCAR ORIOL Servia has found a seat for 2012 and as expected, it is with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.

“I couldn’t be more excited, for many reasons,” he said. “DRR is a team that I raced against since 2008 and they’ve always shown to be very professional

IZOD INDYCAR MEDIA

THE Busch brothers may be rivals in Sprint Cup but they will team up to race in the the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Kyle and Kurt Busch will share the driving duties in the #54 Toyota Camry, with backing from Monster Energy, after KBM announced a multi-year agreement last week. Kyle will race the car in the season-opening race at Daytona and the next four races at Phoenix, Las Vegas, Bristol and at California Speedway before Kurt has his first drive at Texas. The following races will be split by the duo. Crew chief will be Mike Beam, who has exerience with both Petty Enterprises and Roush Fenway Racing.

The news is not expected to have any effect on the role Kyle and Kurt will having in Sprint Cup, Kyle racing a Joe Gibbs Toyota and Kurt a Chevy for Phoenix Racing.

In other NW news, Carl Edwards has announced that he is not intending to run any events this season, to focus on his efforts to win a Sprint Cup title. But …

“And as the season goes, if I decide I’m just a nervous ball of energy on Saturdays and I can’t function without going and racing – because that might be the case – then we’ll work to try to go [Nationwide] racing,” he told NASCAR.com. “We could get 10 races in [to the season] and I could say ‘Hey, I’m better off racing on Saturdays.’ Then, it would be on me to go look for some way to put something together so that we could go race.”

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and DeWalt, in Richard Petty Motorsport’s #9 Ford.

But there are changes still being made at RPM. Chief Operating Officer Robbie Loomis has parted ways with the team, after 20 years working alongside Petty.

Ambrose’s new team-mate Aric

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Amirola still does not have a full sponsor roster for the team’s #43. Amirola has the support of Smithfield Foods for a limited number of races, but with Best Buy having left the team at the end of last season, RPM has plenty of room on the car for potential sponsors.

FINDS T DRR NASCAR Media

2012 NASCAR INDUCTEES NAMED NASCAR

NASCAR Media

at the racetrack. Although I knew the owners, I didn’t know them very well, to be honest.

Before signing with the team, like everybody else, I did my research and I couldn’t find one individual that didn’t speak highly of [team owners] Dennis [Reinbold] or Robbie [Buhl], which gave me a lot of confidence.”

Servia, 37, finished fourth in the 2011 IndyCar Series for Newman/Haas Racing, with a best finish of second at New Hampshire and Baltimore.

DRR is working on a package to run a second Lotus-powered car alongside the Spaniard for the season.

NASCAR has inducted its Class of 2012 into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

In a ceremony in Charlotte last week, former drivers Cale Yarborough and Darrell Waltrip, team owner Glen Wood (of the famed Wood Bros, pictured right), Richard Petty’s long-time crew chief Dale Inman and the late Richie Evans were inducted into

the HoF’s third Class.

“I was telling Stevie [his wife] earlier this week that I hoped I wouldn’t get emotional tonight,” said Waltrip, a frequent visitor down under, “but she reminded me ‘Honey, you always get emotional about the things you are passionate about. This night, these men, and the people in this room, they’re what inspire me.”

The Australasian Safari is Australia’s ultimate off-road adventure where competitors on two and four wheels tackle the remote, rugged and stunning terrain of Western Australia. Regarded as the ‘Dakar Down Under’ the Safari is widely regarded as the toughest endurance motorsport event in the Asia-Pacific region.

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15

NEWS

START YOUR ENTRIES

CLASS A – GT3 OUTRIGHT 23 Lago Racing 4 Consolidated Chemicals 17 Maranello Motorsport 33 Clearwater Racing 1 Phoenix Racing 2 Phoenix Racing 22 United Autosports 21 Black Falcon 20 Erebus Racing TBA Bar One World

Roger Lago, David Wall, Wayne Park Ted Huglin, Cameron McConville, Peter Kox, Luke Searle Allan Simonsen, Dominik Farnbacher, John Bowe, Peter Edwards Mok Weng Sun, Craig Baird, Matt Griffin Christopher Mies, Darryl O’Young, Christer Jons Craig Lowndes, Warren Luff, Mark Eddy Mark Patterson, Alain Li, Frank Yu Tim Slade, Jeroen Bleekemolen, Peter Hackett, Bret Curtis Rob Wilson, Sean Paul Breslin, Vima Mehta, Sean Patrick Breslin Rod Salmon, Damien White, TBA

Lamborghini LP600 GT3 Lamborghini LP560 GT3 Ferrari 458 GT3 Ferrari 458 GT3 Audi R8 LMS Audi R8 LMS Audi R8 LMS Mercedes Benz SLS AMG Mercedes Benz SLS AMG Mosler MT900

CLASS B – GT3 66 Motorsport Services 65 Motorsport Services 3 Tinkler Motorsports

Bruce Thomlinson, Allan Dippie, Mark Maddren Scott O’Donnell, Brett Niall, Simon McLennon Nathan Tinkler, Steven Johnson, Steven Richards

Porsche 996 GT3 Cup Porsche 997 GT3 Cup Porsche 997 GT3 Cup

CLASS C – GT4 55 Simply Sports Cars 10 Mark O’Connor 25 Paul Freestone 62 Robert Thomson 44 Anthony James Alford

Adam Gowans, Richard Meins, Chris Lillington-Price Richard Meins, Chris Lillington-Price, Adam Gowans, Mark O’Connor Paul Freestone, Hayden Pullen, TBA Rob Thompson, Christian Klien, Sarah Harley Anthony Alford, Peter Leemhuis, Adam Beechey

Lotus Exige S Lotus Exige S Corvette ZO6 Lotus Exige S Nissan R35 GTR

Dirk Klynsmith

STEVENS Richards and Johnson, Craig Baird and Christian Klein are the high-profile inclusions to a 32-car entry list for next month’s Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour.

Up six from last year’s entry list, the field for the February 26 race includes 12 international vehicles, also up six from 2011, the first year of GT3 machinery in the race.

Richards and Johnson will share a Porsche 997 GT3 Cup with Nathan Tinkler in Class B. Baird will be the ‘local’ in Asian outfit Clearwater Racing’s Ferrari 458 GT3 campaign. He’ll be joined by Irish driver Matthew Griffin – a Ferrari ace in Europe – and Clearwater regular Mok Weng Sun, from Singapore.

Meanwhile, former GP driver Klein will share a Lotus Exige S with Rob Thompson and Sarah Harley in Class C.

BATHURST 12H

CLASS D – PRODUCTION (HIGH PERFORMANCE) 68 Motorsport Services David Glasson, Dennis Roderick, Aaron Harris 67 Motorsport Services Todd Murphy, Antony Head, John De Veth, Lewis Scott 53 James Atkinson Rick Newman, Dean Lillie, James Atkinson 28 GWS Personnel M’sport Peter O’Donnell, Matt Hansen, Christian D’Agostin 7 Dean Herridge Dean Herridge, John O’Dowd, Angus Kennard TBA Peter Conroy Motorsport Peter Conroy, Mark Brame, Anthony Robson

BMW 135i BMW 135i Holden HSV GTS BMW 335i Subaru WRX Sti Mitsubishi Evo X

CLASS E – PRODUCTION (PERFORMANCE) 27 GWS Personnel M’sport Allan Shephard, Kean Booker, TBA 26 GWS Personnel M’sport Garth Duffy, Richard Gartner, TBA 91 Mark Bell Mark Bell, Adam Dodd, Gregory Jenkins 16 Paul Nelson Paul Nelson, Bob Holden, Justin Matthews, Craig Bradshaw TBA Racer Industries TBA, TBA, TBA

BMW 130i BMW 130i Ford Falcon XR8 Mazda RX-8 Holden HSV VXR

CLASS I – INVITATIONAL 35 Ric Shaw 80 Beric Lynton 14 Red Camel Jordans

Mazda RX-7 BMW Mini Cooper S JCW Seat Leon 2.0 TDI

16

Ric Shaw, TBA, TBA Beric Lynton, TBA, TBA Ivo Breukers, Henk Thijssen, TBA

motorsport news

STAY CLASSY AUSTRALIAN GT

Justin Collins

THE Australian GT Championship will go from two to four classes in 2012.

Current GT3 cars will remain the focus of the championship, and will contest the outright, GT Championship class, with older GT3 models such as the Ferrari 430 and Lamborghini Gallardo LP520 moving back to the newly-created GT Trophy class.

GT Challenge will cater for cars such as the Corvette Z06 GT3, and Porsche’s GT3 Cup Car, while the new GT Sports class is aimed at FIA GT4-spec machinery, such as the Ford Mustang FR500, BMW Z4 and Aston Martin Vantage.

“A number of these cars are already in Australia, so it was important we created a class where they can all still be competitive,” AGT administrator Craig Nayda said.

“Interest has been strong across all classes so we are pretty excited about how the 2012 season is shaping up.”

Series owner Tony Quinn will debut a new Ferrari 458 GT3 at the Clipsal 500, with his son Klark stepping into the family’s Porsche GT3 R.

BACK FOR MORE FORMULA FORD QUEENSLANDER Shae Davies will contest another year of the Australian Formula Ford Championship in 2012.

Davies contested his first full season in the championship in 2011, split between Spectrum squads Synergy Motorsport and the factory Borland Racing Developments. He finished the year with BRD, and will stick

with them for a crack at the 2012 title.

“After I joined BRD midway through 2011, I knew that I wouldn’t be racing for anyone else in my second season,” Davies said.

“I am ready to win races and go after the championship in 2012 and believe the Spectrum package provided by BRD is the best option for me to achieve that. The team at BRD

are so easy to work with and the environment within the team both at the track and the factory back in Braeside is just what you need as a driver wanting to win races.

“The relationship with my new engineer Tim Macrow just kept developing further and further towards the end of the season which translated into top-five finishes on the Gold Coast and in Tasmania.”

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17

CHAT NEWS OGIER’S CO-PILOT HURT IN CRASH BUT ...

INGRASSIA VOWS TO MAKE SWEDEN www.sutton-images.

WORLD RALLY www.sutton-image s.com

JULIEN Ingrassia vows to be fit to read pacenotes for Sebastien Ogier in Sweden, despite injuries suffered in a high-speed crash on the Monte Carlo.

The French pair’s Skoda was running a stunning sixth in the event, having dropped two spots after

the weather improved, when Ogier struck trouble on SS10. The pair’s normally-aspirated Super 2000spec Fabia rolled down a bank, and while Ogier escaped without injury, his co-driver suffered an injured arm.

“Maybe the elbow bone has chipped,” Ingrassia, standing left with Ogier, said, “but it will be fixed next week and nothing will stop me for Sweden.”

TODT GOES INTO BAT AGAINST RALLY 2 WORLD RALLY

18

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THE FIA may dump its Rally 2 regulations that allow cars that have ‘retired’ from WRC events to rejoin.

The rule, previously known as Superally, is out of favour with FIA President Jean Todt, whose motorsport roots got back to the formative years of the championship.

“I quite like the idea that if you have retired, you have retired,” said Todt, right with Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar.

“I feel it’s not normal, [WRC] is the only category where, if you have retired, you can still score points. I don’t see any logic. I

welcome this proposal from the Automobile Club de Monaco.

“The WRC Commission will make their suggestion for the future but, for me, we have never seen any kind of racing where you retire and then can come back and score points a few hours later. I understand it can be helpful to do some further testing and to learn, but I am sure we can address those problems.

“I am completely against the idea of scoring points when you retire. I’m sorry, when you have a strong team like Ford losing a car after the fourth stage with Latvala. I feel it’s a shame, but that’s racing.” motorsport news

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19

CHAT NEWS THANK EVANS FOR LITTLE CARS #1

ELI AND PEDDER’S HONDA AUST RALLY ELI Evans and Mark Pedder made the acquaintance of the Hondas they will drive in this year’s ARC. Evans and Pedder, and co-drivers Glenn Weston and Claire Ryan got to drive their new G2 Jazzes in Milan last week, guided by former British Rally Champion Guy Wilks, who gave the cars its debut in 2009.

“The Honda Jazz exceeded my expectations as to what a frontwheel drive rally car can do,” said Evans, who flew to Italiy straight from his honeymoon in the USA. “It really inspires you with confidence as a driver, so I think that I will be able to push much harder this year.”

The cars completed more than 400km of testing over three days, with no mechanical problems to report.

THANK EVANS FOR LITTLE CARS #2

SIMON AND SUE’S MAZDA AUST RALLY SIMON and Sue Evans will return to the Bosch Australian Rally Championship this year.

The four-time ARC champions are the latest entries to the new two-wheel-drive G2 class in a Mazda 2. With a two-litre Mazda MZR engine and a sixspeed Hollinger gearbox, the car is currently being built

by RallySchool.com.au’s Mick Ryan, who will run the program throughout the year.

“Simon is the most exciting and fastest driver of recent times in the ARC and to have his ability, knowledge and input in this project will be invaluable as we develop the new Mazda and create a package that is capable of winning the Bosch ARC,” said 20

Ryan last week.

Eventually only contesting one ARC event, the Evans’ had a quiet 2011, but their limited running did include tackling Targa High Country in a Mazda 3 MPS. “It is a really exciting opportunity and is going to be a real challenge developing the car into a rally winner,” Simon Evans said.

“This has huge potential and I believe opportunity is what you make of it so this is going to be a lot of hard work and a lot of fun as well and Sue and I are looking forward to it.

“We are looking at the bigger picture and for 2013 and beyond with hopefully some increased manufacturer involvement from Mazda, it is all very exciting.” motorsport news

CHAT NEWS

EYES ON THE PRIZE AFTER A HORROR TITLE DEFENCE IN 2011, ONLY THE TITLE WILL DO IN 2012, JAMES COURTNEY EXPLAINS, IN THE FEBRUARY EDITION OF MOTORSPORT NEWS – ON SALE THIS WEDNESDAY

2012

inc GST

u

www.mnews.com.au

No. 416 February

Australia $7.95 NZ $8.50

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PLUS – CAN SCHUMACHER STILL CUT IT IN F1? WE TALK INDYCAR WITH RYAN BRISCOE, TELL YOU WHAT WE REALLY LOVE ABOUT MOTORSPORT, CHAT WITH MIKA SALO, DISSECT THE V8 DEVELOPMENT SERIES AND REMINISCE WITH CRAIG BAIRD ABOUT HIS FAVOURITE PORSCHE RACES. AND MUCH MORE!

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21 motorsport news

NEWS

BREAKING IT DOWN ORGANISERS of the Shannons Nationals have released a breakdown of the categories that will appear at each of this year’s nine events.

A total of 12 different categories will feature throughout the year, with an average of six at each round. As previously reported, the Touring Car Masters and Australian GT Championship join the bill, appearing at two and four events respectively. The Australian

Manufacturers Championship will run the bulk of its season with the Nationals, while marquee events will continue to be held for the Kerrick Sports Sedan Series, Commodore Cup and the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge.

“We are very proud of what we can offer competitors and fans around Australia in 2012,” Nationals director Rob Curkpatrick said.

“It is a challenge to fit everyone in and give them what they request, but the end result is a packed schedule and nine very exciting rounds of the Shannons Nationals in 2012.

Our ‘core’ categories are looking stronger than ever whilst the addition of Australian GT and Touring Car Masters really adds to the package at several rounds this year.

“There are several rounds scheduled where we are still working on the program and on building their status, including a unique event to be held as part of the Wakefield Park round in October. The package overall is quite strong but we are continuing to work with our partners, the promoters and the categories to improve and grow the series.”

Round 1 – Eastern Creek, 9-11 March 9-11 V8 Commodore Cup Australian Manufacturers Championship Kumho Tyres V8 Touring Cars Radical Australia Cup Australian Swift Racing Series

Australian Saloon Car Series V8 Commodore Cup Kumho Tyres V8 Touring Cars Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia Australian Swift Racing Series Australian GT Championship

Round 2 – Mallala, 13-15 April Australian Saloon Car Series V8 Commodore Cup Kerrick Sports Sedans Series Kumho Tyres V8 Touring Cars Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia Australian Swift Racing Series

Round 5 – Eastern Creek, 13-15 July Kerrick Sports Sedan Series Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia Radical Australia Cup Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship Australian Swift Racing Series Australian GT Championship

Round 7 – Phillip Island, 21-23 September Australian Saloon Car Series V8 Commodore Cup Kumho Tyres V8 Touring Cars Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia Radical Australia Cup Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship Australian GT Championship

Round 3 – Phillip Island, 25-27 May Kerrick Sports Sedan Series Australian Superkart Championship Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia Australian GT Championship Touring Car Masters

Round 6 – QLD Raceway, 10-12 August) Australian Saloon Car Series Australian Manufacturers Championship Kerrick Sports Sedan Series Kumho Tyres V8 Touring Cars Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia Radical Australia Cup Australian Swift Racing Series

Round 9 – Sandown Raceway, 23-25 November Australian Saloon Car Series V8 Commodore Cup Australian Manufacturers Championship Kumho Tyres V8 Touring Cars Australian Swift Racing Series Touring Car Masters

factory for Australian racing conditions.

Since being established five years ago with five cars to its name, the Radical Australia Cup can now boast over 80 cars currently in Australia.

“It’s a massive step to have ten brand new cars come into the country all at once,” said Radical Australia Team Manager, Garth Walden.

“The boys in the workshop will spend about 10-14 hours on each car doing pre-

delivery checks, changing the cars to the Australian specification and putting in all the little things the drivers like to make them comfortable.”

It is understood that nine of the 10 cars have been purchased as upgrades for existing competitors, while a new comer has bought the other 2012-spec SR3. 29 competitors have registered their interest in the series, along with an expected 20-24 strong minimum at each round.

SHANNONS NATS

Round 4 – Winton Raceway, June 22-24

Round 8 – Wakefield Park, 12-14 October Australian Saloon Car Series V8 Commodore Cup Kerrick Sports Sedan Series Australian Swift Racing Series

JUST IN RADICALS

THE Radical Australia Cup has continues to grow from strength to strength after the latest shipment of 10 brand-new 2012 spec Radical SR3s arrived on Australian shores.

The new Radicals arrived at the Radical Australia base in Sydney’s Eastern Creek last week, along with the UK factory’s Head of Technical, Derek White, due to arrive today (Monday) to aid their shakedown.

The 2012-spec machinery has some notable departures from the older spec Radical, including a revised nose; improved side pods and a twin exhaust system. All modifications have been designed by the UK 22

motorsport news

Dirk Klynsmith

JUMP RIGHT IN V8 UTES KRIS Walton, Tim Boyle and Danny Buzadzic will all join the Auto One V8 Ute Racing Series on a fulltime basis in 2012.

The trio made late-season appearances in 2011, but have put together fulltime programs for the upcoming season. Former Saloon Car driver Walton won a race on debut at Sandown, and will race a Trucklinebacked Ford, to be managed by Rod Dawson.

www.mnews.com.au

Boyle will run the James Brock-owned Holden in the series, after contesting last year’s Gold Coast round in a Falcon.

“The Series is a lot of fun and I’m ready to make the next step from state to national racing,” Boyle said.

“It’s much more professional in the Utes and I enjoyed it a lot more than state competition. I’m looking forward to having a lot of fun this year and can’t wait to go racing.”

Buzadzic has purchased Gary Carson’s Falcon and entry and will have plenty of experience to draw from. Former Ute champ Marcus Zukanovic is his cousin, while Matt Harvey, who prepared Chris Pither’s 2011 title-winning entry, will run the program.

“Marcus will come to a few rounds and I’ll definitely call on him for some advice,” Buzadzic said.

Also in the series, Charlie O’Brien has also sold his car to Sieders Racing.

23

CHAT

FIVE MINUTES WITH ...

STEVEN RICHARDS

RICHO FACES A BUSY 2012, WITH HIS AUSTRALIAN COMMITMENTS AND A NEW CHALLENGE – RACING IN NEW ZEALAND’S NEW V8SUPERTOURERS FOR JOHN McINTYRE RACING. HE SPOKE TO PHIL BRANAGAN MOTORSPORT NEWS: Congratulations on the new deal with JMR. You have quite a bit on this year.

STEVEN RICHARDS: Thanks, I guess I do!

I am really excited about this.

I have been talking to Jonny Mac and his team since last year, since the new class was talked about over there in New Zealand. His team is the one to beat in the NZV8s and when this was announced, that was where I wanted to be with the new category.

I suppose it is going to be a bit like Old Home Week, with Jonny Mac being a Ford Performance Racing endurance driver and Campbell Little taking on a technical role with JMR. Yes, it is. That is one of the reasons that I wanted to do that.

You drove the new car last week, tell us laymen what it was like and how it compares to a current V8 Supercar.

I drove the car at Taupo, which was good.

The car is different, it is a little less developed than a V8 Supercar. It is lighter and it has less horsepower, but the main thing is, it has a little less grip, the tyre is different, and it has a different grip feel to the current car.

It is built to fit into the cost structure of the category, and

“ 24

in that sense, it works really well.

But the cars look similar, and they still sound like a V8 Supercar, so from that point of view, there is not a massive difference.

I suppose that it will be hard to tell the difference from the spectators’ point of view, since the cars will not be racing on the same circuits.

That’s true, though the NZV8s get to race on the same track [as the V8 Supercars] at Hamilton.

The tracks are much different.

Where we were last week, at Taupo, is a little bit like a cross between Winton and Queensland Raceway. That sounds a bit strange, and there are technical parts of the track, but what I mean is, you can see the whole track.

There is also the prospect of endurance races in the new cars later in the year.

That will be great.

It is a great chance to get some different names in the cars, in much the same way as it happens here. I am not sure that the race formats have been worked out yet, and I think that the maximum race distance will be 500km. There are still a few details to be sorted.

But there is great potential.

With the timing of the races, and the fact that no dates clash, there is a fair bit of chance that

there will be something like the feel of the Wellington 500 from the old days. That would be great.

There is also the fact that the Gold Coast 600 is on just before one of the races [Ed: at Ruapuna Park in Christchurch] and that there could be a few international drivers putting their hand up for a steer.

Yep, that’s a great move. That is why the race is where it is, so that could work out great.

I don’t want to make you sound like an old man Richo, but you were around when V8 Supercar racing was in its formative stages, of what it is now. Is there a similar feel to what is going on in New Zealand?

I don’t know about that!

Not really. Time has moved on and there are lots of differences in the sport now.

The category is designed to suit the size of the market over in New Zealand, so I don’t know whether there is a comparison there.

You also have a full season on this side of the Tasman, endurance races with FPR and more Porsches.

Yep. I am really pleased to be doing the Porsche Carrera Cup with the support of Laser Plumbing & Electrical again, and that is a great series. I had a lot of fun last year and I am

looking forward to it.

There is also the Bathurst 12 Hour with Nathan Tinkler and Stevie Johnson.

That is going to be great.

I love racing at Bathurst, and we are driving a Carrera Cup car, so that is not going to be a threat for outright but it sits really well in the class we are in. It is more racing miles, it is at Bathurst and the week before the opening round of the series at Adelaide so it all works out well.

That came up because we are pitted next to the Tinkler guys when we race in the Carrera Cup, so we got to know them quite well last year. We started talking at it all came up.

It sounds to me like this is going to be a busy year, and that is before we even ask about what happens if Frosty breaks his other leg!

Not sure about that!

Yes, there is going to be a fair bit of travel to and fro, so I am looking at spending more time doing things with the family and not so much doing things like driving the truck to and from the races.

With all the flights across the Tasman, it sounds to me like you could end the season with more frequent flyer miles than Murph!

Nobody has more frequent flyer miles than Murph!

The car is different. it is lighter and it has less horsepower, but the main thing is, it has a little less grip motorsport news

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25

RACE

WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1 – RALLY MONTE CARLO

THE SIXTH SENSE Sebastien Loeb could hardly have made a better start to 2012 – but there were signs in Monte Carlo that he will not have it all his own way this season

Citroen Media

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motorsport news

A

SIXTH win on the Monte Carlo for Sebastien Loeb does not sound like a headline anyone looking for a different World Rally Championship in 2012 may have been looking for.

The Frenchman did dominate the event and won comfortably but the story of the event was much larger than that. At the start, Loeb looked to have a battle on his hands, Jari-Matti Latvala making better choices with his tyres and took the lead.

Sadly for Ford fans, it was not to last. On SS4, the Finn rolled his Ford out of contention and while repairs ensued, the car was not sufficiently repairable to rejoin the event.

So Loeb, by his standards, drove within himself and then pushed on the final stage, to grab the extra points on offer on the Power Stage.

“It’s a big gap to second but I wouldn’t say this was an easy win,” he said. “We ahd to deal with all sorts of conditions and my lead was built on better tyre choices.

“I felt comfortable from the start of the rally and I managed to get into a good rhythm. It’s certainly a nice way to start the season.”

Dani Sordo took a strong second for Mini, and Petter Solberg got his relationship with Ford off to a flying start with third place, a minute clear of Mikko Hirvonen. Sordo and Solberg fought a battle for most of the event, Sordo not aiding his own cause after he damaged his suspension on SS2. Solberg had his own problems with wrong tyre choices on Thursday, and

eventually Solberg found the gap too much to close on the Power stage. Hirvonen closed the gap to a podium finish with second on that stage, but it was not enough.

The other Sebastien also starred. In the first event of a limited program while Volkswagen develops its new Polo WRC, Seb Ogier crashed out of the event while sixth. That was an impressive position – but he had dragged his Skoda Fabia ran as high as fourth on icy roads before the weather improved, to favour the more powerful turbocharged WRC cars.

There was another giant-killing performance, with P-G Andersson running inside the top 10 until his Proton developed a fuel leak on Saturday.

With maximum points from the event, Loeb could not have wanted a better start to the season. Ford will have to strike back quickly in Sweden or face another year of Chase the Frenchman – and anyone looking further ahead, to 2013, cannot help but be impressed with Volkwagen’s efforts. The Polo will be a much faster rally car than the Skoda, and Ogier dragged enough speed out of that to impress. Interesting times coming up in the WRC.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RESULTS

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Seb wins for Red Bull: No, it’s not Formula 1, just another win for the mercurial Monsieur Loeb. Former team-mate Dani Sordo gave Mini its best result with second, above, while Petter Solberg repaid Ford’s faith in him, taking third place on his blue oval debut, below.

27

RACE

TOYOTA RACING SERIES ROUND 2 – TIMARU, NEW ZEALAND

NICK CASSIDY AND THE DAMON LEITCH KID

NICK CASSIDY FOUND HIS FEET AT TIMARU ON THE WEEKEND, AS HE TOOK A PAIR OF TRS RACE WINS. DAMON LEITCH MEANWHILE REMAINS A THREAT, AS A GREAT BATTLE BEGINS TO EMERGE.

T

HROUGH the changing conditions at Timaru emerged a new leader in the Toyota Racing Series, after Auckland based young-gun Nick Cassidy made it two wins from three starts.

It was speed and a clean head that helped Cassidy take his first win in the TRS, as he fought his way from further back in the grid

28

to take the lead away from pole sitting Hannes van Asseldonk.

But despite a good attempt from countryman Damon Leitch to take Cassidy’s lead away, Cassidy held his cool in the lead to greet the chequered flag as winner for the first time.

The 20-lap feature on Sunday meanwhile threw a curveball at the TRS grid, with strategy tyre

calls on a drying track the key to success at the 2.4km circuit.

It was however Cassidy who prevailed once again, leading home Puerto Rican based racer Felix Serralles in second, with Leitch third.

There was a final 12-lap race on Sunday, but the whole affair was over in less than 12-minutes after Leitch finally put his

impressive speed to great use to win. Russian Dmitry Suranovich finished in second place, while championship leader Cassidy was third.

For the third time this year, Angus Fogg has taken out the overall honours in the BNT NZ V8 Series, and in doing so; he further extends his championship lead over Jason

motorsport news

Bargwanna to 76 points.

Ford pilot Fogg had the weekend almost entirely to himself taking out two wins from a possible three starts, with a second place being his other result in the reverse grid Race 2.

Bargwanna was a solid second overall, while Simon Richards took an impressive race win in

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Race 2 on the way to cementing third overall.

AJ Lauder kicked off where he left the last round at Teretonga in the NZ Suzuki Swift Sport Cup, taking out the honours with consummate ease.

The 17-year-old raced his way to two wins, but it was the demise of his main championship rivals that helped

him to a mega 195-point lead over next best Shaun Lawrence in second, by the end of the weekend.

Following the horrid weather that all competitors faced at the round previous in Teretonga, the UDC V8 Utes quickly reverted to the status quo at Timaru.

Ford Ute pilot Andrew

Waite made steady progress all weekend to finish near the pointy end in each event. It wasn’t until Race 3 that Waite broke through for his first race win of the weekend, but his huge, yet consistent points accumulation meant he was the overall victor, and remains at the head of the championship race as a bonus.

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RACE

FORMULA 5000 TASMAN CUP REVIVAL ROUND 3 – HAMPTON DOWNS, NEW ZEALAND

THAT LYONS’ ROAR TO SAY THAT MICHAEL LYONS HAD AN EASY WEEKEND WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT. DRIVING HIS BEAUTIFUL LOLA T400, THE ENGLISHMAN MADE A CLEAN SWEEP OF EVENTS AT HAMPTON DOWNS

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motorsport news

Lyons (left) leading the way around the flowing Hampton Downs circuit. Alan Dunkley meanwhile (above) was the best placed racer in the Class A stakes.

B

RITISH racer Michael Lyons has taken a dominant round win for the MSC Formula 5000 Tasman Cup revival round at Hampton Downs on the weekend.

If the young Lyons was out to make his weekend win look comfortable, he certainly achieved that with consummate ease after he took out all four race wins in all conditions over his hard-charging rivals; who were not taking it easy by any means.

The opening two races of the weekend on Saturday were held in hot conditions, but despite the weather, the action on the 2.8km Hampton Downs circuit was even hotter.

All the leading figures of the revival series were out to take the lead away from Lyons, as Ken Smith, Clark Proctor and Steve Ross all battled hard to ruin Lyons’ pace, but they couldn’t topple the Englishman from the peak.

Wet weather then brought about new challenges for the runners, as Race 3 of the weekend was hindered by the intervention of the Safety Car. It took officials eightlaps to retrieve the stranded Kerry McIntosh. Despite the rain, the runners were still lapping at a blistering pace,

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but Lyons was still able to hold his own ahead of the likes of Smith and Ross.

Moreover, that’s where Lyons would remain for the weekend finale, making it a perfect weekend in Auckland.

Along with his parents, Lyons has been making the trek out to New Zealand for the Tasman Revival Cup in his Lola T400 for the past four years, but after seasons of preparation, experience finally paid off for the 20-year old from Essex North.

“The weekend has gone pretty well hasn’t it,” Lyons said of his weekend.

“Last year we weren’t quite as well prepared and it was all a bit last minute. Also I hadn’t really driven the car much that year.

“This year we did most of the British championship, which we won, so we were better prepared with the car so it’s great to be able to come out here and be able to do so well.”

All racers were gunning for the elusive lap record honours, which were held by Smith heading into the round with a benchmark of 1:01.210. While Lyons was consistently fast, the spoils were taken out by Ross with a new lap record of 1:00.813.

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RACE

GRAND ANNUAL SPRINTCAR CLASSIC PREMIER SPEEDWAY, WARRNAMBOOL, VICTORIA

Geoff Gracie

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motorsport news

Geoff Gracie

GOING OUT IN STYLE

IN WHAT’S SET TO BE ONE OF HIS FINAL SPRINTCAR EVENTS, IAN LOUNDON GRABBED A MAJOR VICTORY ... GEOFF ROUNDS REVIEWS THE 2012 CLASSIC

I

AN Loudoun celebrated the biggest win of his nine year career by leading all 40 laps of the 40th Lucas Oil Products Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic on Sunday night at Warrnambool’s Sungold Stadium, before immediately announcing his retirement.

Loudoun, 27, of Sydney raced to a comfortable lead straight away after starting outside polesitter American Craig

Dollansky who was the only real challenger to the leader while three-time Classic champion Kerry Madsen finished third.

The only time Dollansky came close to taking the lead in the tough, 40-lap A Main was on Lap 32 when he nosed briefly under Loudoun but was still denied the lead.

“I’m elated, it might not be showing yet, I’m not the most emotional person but it will sink in and we’ll party hard tonight,”

Loudoun said.

“I saw him (Dollansky) there a couple of times but I had good car speed and to beat 85 other cars on this track in front of this massive crowd is a bit surreal for me.

“It’s really a race that I always dreamt of doing well in, just not this well. To be the guy on top after it’s all said and done here at Warrnambool, well it just doesn’t get much better than this.

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33

RACE

Geoff Gracie

“This is for mum and dad who aren’t here tonight, this is nine years we’ve been racing sprintcars and they are the ones who got me here. For me though, I’ll run this weekend’s Australian (Sprintcar) title and maybe a race or two after that and retire from racing.

“It’s just a cost factor and I love racing but can’t keep being at the level we’re at without the family’s support and it’s just reality for me that I’ll have to give it away now.”

Dollansky’s win in Saturday night’s Australia-America Challenge had him installed as a clear favourite after amassing top points and despite not winning the Classic he was very gracious to the winner.

“We got our nose underneath there towards the tail end of the race but I’d prefer to run second than both of us not finish,” Dollansky, above, said.

“We had some cautions there early which I thought we could capitalise on but I couldn’t make it happen. Just to be up front, running strong means we’re happy.”

Kerry Madsen tagged the wall on the first lap and slipped back to sixth before starting to cut through and eventually grabbing third on Lap 21.

“I got it in my head that I had a shot and started running the top, but then that wore out and we had to switch to the bottom,” Madsen said.

“It’s a fantastic event, great for our team,

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I feel like I’ve let them down as they gave me everything I needed to win but we just couldn’t get it done.”

Grant Anderson turned in the other brilliant drive of the Classic final, racing from position 19 to fourth. American Daryn Pittman was fifth ahead of last Wednesday night’s President’s Cup winner Robbie Farr.

Brooke Tatnell, Shane Stewart, Ian Madsen – who came from the rear – and Trevor Green rounded out the Top 10.

The traditional Friday night prelude to the Classic, the Kings Challenge at Borderline Speedway in Mount Gambier saw two Americans battle for line honours with Jason Johnson emerge from young 19-year-old star Kyle Larson with Kerry Madsen third.

motorsport news 4/04/2011 3:37:05 PM

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