Motorsport eNews Issue 189 - January 25-31, 2011

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Issue No. 189 Jan 25 - 31 2011

FACTORY WAR: DAVO SLAMS HRT! AS HRT UNVEILS ITS NEW COLOURS, ITS FORMER DRIVER TAKES AIM

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It was a wee bit wet at Teretonga on the weekend. The snapper must have been wearing a wetsuit when he took this choice shot ...

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Issue No. 189 | Jan 25-31 2011

news 4

New Blue blues with Reds Davison fires shot at HRT 6 Ain’t no Nationwide enough No Glen de-fence for Marcos 8 Chickens out, Rockstars in HRT’s 2011 livery 11 Creek + Sprints = Fast Record lap under threat at EC 12 Wanted: Stockholders Williams float mooted

chat 26 Five Minutes With ...

Will Davison Chief Executive Officer, David Gardiner Commercial Director, Bruce Duncan Motorsport eNews is published by nextmedia Pty Ltd ACN: 128 805 970, Level 5, 55 Chandos St, St Leonards NSW 2065 © 2009. All rights reserved. No part of this e-magazine may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the prior permission of the publisher.. The publisher will not accept responsibility or any liability for the correctness of information or opinions expressed in the publication. All material submitted is at the owner’s risk and, while every care will be taken nextmedia does not accept liability for loss or damage.

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comment 28 Westacott and Branagan Two views on the Mayor’s comments on the AGP

race 30 Monte Carlo IRC 34 Warrnambool Classic 38 NZ V8s, Carrera and TRS _________ F5000s 40 NZ powerboats 42 Speedway

trade 44 Classifieds

DAVO SEES RED OVER LAST SEASON

With an FPR contract in the bag, Will Davison lets out his frustration over that horror 2010 season with the Holden Racing Team V8 SUPERCARS

J

UST days after being announced as a Ford Performance Racing driver, Will Davison has taken aim at his former employer, the Holden Racing Team.

Davison left the Clayton squad following a disastrous 2010 season, and was announced as the driver of the Trading Post FPR Falcon last week at the Tamworth Country Music Festical. Once free to talk about the switch, Davison told eNews that the hunger of a team seeking breakthrough Bathurst and championship wins was more exciting than a team “resting on their past success” – a clear jab at HRT and its downturn in form last year, particularly when it came to the #22 Commodore.

“I feel it’s an amazing opportunity for me,” he said of the move.

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“[FPR] haven’t won a championship or a Bathurst, but I’m much more excited by a team that’s capable of doing it now and are hungrier than anyone to get their first victory, than people that are resting on their past success.

“It’s an exciting challenge because I think they are so excited to achieve what they haven’t been able to achieve yet, some of the big goals, but they’ve got absolutely everything on paper now to achieve big things.

“I already feel like a big part of the team, and at the end of the day, it was quite an easy decision to make. I needed a change of environment and I think the performance will step up for me from last year.”

On Saturday, Davison will drive an FPR Falcon for the first time at Eastern Creek’s pre-season test. He’s already spent significant time at the team’s

Campbellfield base and – based on what he’s seen and learnt – is confident about bouncing back from his horror 2010.

“The car seems pretty good in all conditions and all circuits and they’ve got a lot more to come,” he said.

“They’re very confident in their base set-up and package at the moment and that’s exciting to be around a place that knows exactly where they’re going and what they need.

“I’m sure it will be very different to what I’m used to, the Walkinshaw cars are a little bit unique and when they’re good, they’re good, you know ...

“I’m just looking forward to a fresh start and I’ve got a feeling that the way these cars are set up will be a lot nicer for me.”

– MITCHELL ADAM For more with Will Davison, see ‘Five Minutes With’ on Page 26

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Toyota Motorsports

Ambrose: No Glen NW No plans to go for four straight: RPM Cup program a priority NASCAR MARCOS Ambrose will focus on his new NASCAR Sprint Cup seat with Richard Petty Motorsports, and not defend his Watkins Glen Nationwide win.

In an exclusive interview, to be published this Wednesday in Motorsport News, Ambrose says that after winning three successive NW races in New York State, he is prepared to forgo this August’s event to ensure that his RPM Cup program

gets priority he feels it deserves.

“We have one [Nationwide race] locked in – in Montreal,” he said. “There are few others that may happen, but to be honest, we have been focused on making sure that our Cup program was saved, and anything after that is a bonus.

“I would look at opportunities and I have had plenty of offers. I have taken a few down, but I do not want to compromise the Cup program, and I would want to be competitive. It is a difficult environment

out there right now, and the sponsorship dollars are still scarce.

“If I can get a chance to do something, I will.”

Ambrose also details how the end of his deal with JTG Daugherty Racing came to and end, and why he walked away from a secure 2011 deal to pursue what was, at first, a doubtful seat at RPM. For more on Ambrose’s move back to Ford, see Motorsport News, on-sale this Wednesday.

Moffat Jr joins Johnson Jr at DJR V8 SUPERCARS AS reported by the last issue of eNews, James Moffat was announced as the driver of Jim Beam Racing’s #18 entry late last week.

Moffat will make his regularformat main series debut in Abu Dhabi, having made two endurance starts already – Phillip Island and Bathurst last year. There is already an existing history between Moffat and Dick Johnson Racing, after the youngster went close to racing a DJR 6

Fujitsu Series entry back in 2006, only to have his sponsorship arrangements fall over at the last minute.

“Jim Beam Racing has shown that we know how to nurture young drivers,” said Johnson of appointing Moffat.

“I’ve watched James closely over the last few years and I’ve been really impressed with how he’s developed. Not only does he have talent, he’s Ford through-and-through which is really important to our fans.”

Ford’s motorsport manager Chris Styring said Moffat will

take time to settle into the main game.

“We congratulate DJR for taking the proactive approach to recruiting a young driver who we feel has the potential to produce results in time,” he said.

“We look forward to seeing James perform on the big stage this year and hope that he can establish himself as one of the next generations of Ford stars" Meanwhile, Moffat is excited by the next step in his young career.

“Obviously I’ve got some big shoes to fill and I need to be realistic about what I can achieve in my rookie year,” said Moffat.

“However, I’ve got a great car and team to work with, so I’m looking forward to the challenge and can’t wait to get started.

“Dick Johnson Racing is arguably the most iconic, and one of the most successful, teams in the country, so it’s a great honour to drive for them in the V8 Supercar Championship.” motorsport news

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Three BJR cars, at Eastern Creek, this Saturday. But is it ...

JASON or JASON?

Phil Williams

V8 SUPERCARS MYSTERY surrounds who will drive one of Brad Jones Racing’s Commodores at this weekend’s V8 Supercar test day at Eastern Creek.

Team co-owner Kim Jones was not being very clear as to who would drive the team’s #14 entry, alongside Jason Bright and Karl Reindler, on Saturday.

“I don’t know,” he said, adding on speculation that his son and the team’s endurance driver Andrew Jones might drive it, “I don’t know if Andrew is going [to Sydney].”

However, eNews believes that the team had determined that Bright will drive the BOG Gasessponsored #8 car, previously driven by Jason Richards, and that Jason Bargwanna will drive the #14 entry. After Bargwanna and Kelly Racing parted ways recently, he was believed to have been in negotiation with BJR to drive the team’s entry for the 2011 season.

Adding to the scenario is a somewhat cryptic comment from Kim Jones surrounding the #14.

“It will be white,” he said.

That suggestion adds some credence to recent reports that Bargwanna has parted ways with his sponsor, Rock Energy drink, in whose black colours he raced last year. The “white” comment could point to a second BOC entry, a car running in blank livery or a new sponsor altogether.

Expect a number of eyes to be watching the BJR garages at the Creek this weekend ... www.mnews.com.au

Strong enduro lineup at FPR V8 SUPERCARS FORD Performance Racing is on the verge of signing its endurance drivers for the 2011 long distance races.

Rumours are suggesting that Luke Youlden and Steven Richards will be the co-drivers in the ‘blue’ cars, while long-time FPR co-driver Dean Canto will again suit up in The Bottle-O green, and partner Paul Dumbrell in the third FPR entry.

When contacted by eNews last week, team boss Tim Edwards was coy about the situation.

“When we’re sorted, we’ll make an announcement,” he said last Friday.

Despite the lack of confirmation from the team, eNews expects Youlden, Richards and Canto to be the line-up. Richards recently confirmed that he is only looking

at enduro drives for 2011, before a possible return to a full-time role next year.

Back in November last year, Edwards told eNews that one of his goals for ’11 was to ensure the signing Richards for Phillip Island and Bathurst.

“I’d love to still keep Richo as part of the team, as one of our co-drivers, there is no doubt about that,” said Edwards at the time.

“We could do a lot more with him as well. That’s something we need to explore. Needless to say half of pit-lane will be chasing him as a codriver, so we’ll have to work through that.”

In other co-driver news, expect Garry Rogers Motorsport to retain David Besnard and Greg Ritter for The Island and Bathurst this year.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN 7

NEW LOOKS SPREAD!

V8 SUPERCARS THIS is the look that the Toll Holden Racing Team will sport in 2011, as they aim to make the horrors of last season a distant memory.

The car features new signage from energy drink maker Rockstar, as well as UD Trucks, who is supplying the team with a hauler for the 2011 season.

“Holden Design has done a terrific job – the car looks a stunner,” said James Courtney.

“It’s aggressive yet classy ... sexy.”

HRT won’t just have a new livery for 2011, but will also have a new logo, which, along with the livery, was designed by Holden designers John Leung and Peter Hughes.

“For 2011 we really wanted to move the goalposts, so we’ve made a big effort to keep the design uncluttered, simple and bold,” Hughes said.

“The highlight for us this year is the dynamic new Holden Racing Team logo, which helps give the car and team a fresh identity. It’s a perfect mixture of more traditional and easily indentified shapes for the lion, mixed in with modern cues which flow through to the wild new race helmet.”

Meanwhile, Tony D’Alberto has released the interim Wilson Security Livery livery it will run at this Saturday’s official test day, and at Abu Dhabi, pictured right.

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Dirk Klynsmith

Skaife’s mark to be bettered?

V8 SUPERCARS ONE of V8 Supercars’ longeststanding records could be bettered at Eastern Creek this Saturday.

Teams’ use of one set of softer Dunlop Sprint tyres per car and recent resurfacing work

FUJITSU SERIES

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and I’m appreciative of the opportunity to be a part of Wilson Security Racing this year.”

Wilson CEO John McMellan has been a long-time supporter of Wall’s, and is happy to have him in the WSR fold.

“David is a very talented young driver with a proven track record in other categories,” he said.

“We’ve backed him in the past and it’s good to help him with his entry into the Fujitsu Series. We expect David to be very competitive. The Wilson Security Racing expansion in 2011 is an exciting one, with both David and Tony being two young drivers on the rise.”

In other FV8 news, Nick Percat will return to the series in a full Walkinshaw Racingprepped VE Commodore.

has been the site of some work in recent weeks, with 755m of the 3.93km circuit undergoing work. New surface has been laid at Turns 2, 9 and 11, and drivers are expecting better performance under brakes.

Lap times have been steadily receding since 1999. The last

time V8 Supercars raced at the Creek, Garth Tander took pole position with a 1m32.1080s.

Skaife’s 1999 pole time of 1m30.6556s is the fastest by a V8 Supercar at the circuit. He also topped the test day at the circuit earlier that year, with a 1m30.7333s lap.

Wall to FV8

Dirk Klynsmith

TWO-TIME Australian GT Champion David Wall will go V8 Supercar racing this season.

Wall will join the Tony D’Alberto Racing/Wilson Security Racing alliance as a Fujitsu Series driver, and will take over D’Alberto’s VE Commodore after the Abu Dhabi round, where it will make its last main game appearance.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity, and I’m really looking forward to taking the next step in my career,” said Wall.

“I’ve enjoyed racing in the V8 endurance rounds the last couple of years, so stepping into the Fujitsu Series is a natural progression.

“Wilson Security is a great supporter of young drivers

may see the 1999 lap record, set by Mark Skaife, beaten.

However, since this weekend’s event is a practice session, his 1m31.7301s time, which Skaife set in a Holden Racing Team Commodore VT, will continue as the lap record.

The western Sydney circuit

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Mayor questions AGP FORMULA 1 MELBOURNE Lord Mayor Cr Robert Doyle has set off a storm over the future of his city’s Grand Prix, stating that he does not necessarily support the event’s future after the expiration of the race’ current contract in 2014.

In a column in Sunday’s Herald-Sun, the mayor said that the benefits of the race, while well-documented, were in danger of being outweighed by the costs of staging it.

“The big stumbling block to this scenario is the cost to the Victorian taxpayer,” he wrote. “In 1996 when the race was a combination of a four-day event and corporate sponsorship was far more

generous than it is today, the race still needed to be underwritten by about $1.7 million. Last year it was $50 million.”

The following day, it was reported that Cr Doyle’s comment came less than a week after the City of Melbourne had signed a sponsorship deal with the Australian Grand Prix Corporation.

A Council spokesperson confirmed the deal with eNews; “The City of Melbourne recognises the importance of events and the way they help to activate precincts, raise the city’s profile, deliver economic benefit and enliven the city. The City of Melbourne, through its event partnership

program, supports a range of events in Melbourne from the AFL Grand Final, Melbourne Cup, the Australian Open, Melbourne Flower and Garden Show and the Grand Prix to community events such as fun runs, art and cultural events and other activities.

Sponsorship provided by the City of Melbourne assists organisations in promoting events. It also enables the City of Melbourne to coordinate activities to coincide with the event to draw visitors to Melbourne. (Examples include Live-Sites at Federation Square, the AFL Grand Final Parade, Melbourne Cup parade etc).

“This year the City of Melbourne will provide the Grand Prix with around $108,000 as part of the events

partnership program and a further $46,000 in in-kind support which predominantly relates to the hosting of activities throughout the city.”

On Monday, AGP Chairman Ron Walker struck back at Cr Doyle’s comment on radio station 3AW; “It’s a sad thing for the mayor of a major capital city to come out so publicly against a major event like the Grand Prix,” he said.

“Capital cities don’t get given Grands Prix, they normally get taken away.”

Ironically, the flurry of comments comes only days after the mayor of Rome Gianni Alemanno announced that his city was shelving its plans for a GP in the city (see page 15).

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CupCar field close CARRERA CUP THE shape of the field for Porsche’s returning Carrera Cup should become clearer this weekend.

With cars set to be handed over to teams late this week, Winton Motor Raceway will host a test on Sunday for teams to shakedown their new cars. Of the 22 cars ordered by Porsche and now in Australia, most have been www.mnews.com.au

sold with a number of drivers already publically committing to the series – including Craig Baird, Max Twigg, Marc Cini, James and Theo Koundouris, Matt Coleman and Shane Smollen.

Sunday’s test could be the start of Team BRM’s foray into tin-tops. The Adelaide squad is close to a deal to run Englishman Ben Barker, with whom they won last year’s Australian Formula 3

Championship.

On Monday, team manager Mark Rundle was hopeful but ultimately unsure whether the BRM would be at Winton on Sunday. While not naming Barker, Rundle said it would largely come down to whether or not their driver was “going to be in the country or not”.

“I think we will be there, but I’m still waiting on 100 percent confirmation,” he said.

“That’s really what I’m waiting on, to find out exactly.

There’s a chance we might not, because he might not be here yet with various visas and all of the rest of it.

“He’s still trying to find some budget and all the rest of it, so it’s not 100 percent, but we’re close. He’s as keen as mustard, we’re there and Jamey [Blaikie] at Porsche is trying to help as well with the whole thing.”

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WILLIAMS CONSIDERS STOCK MARKET FLOAT sutton-images.com

FORMULA 1

shareholders, while having a stable core of long-term investors closely involved in the running of the team. This will ensure stability, good governance and will, I believe, enable us to attract and retain the best people and partners.

“Patrick, Toto and I are therefore examining this option closely and, if the environment is propitious, we may act in the near future.”

But Williams clarified what direction the team would take, regardless of whether the IPO went forward.

“Regardless of whatever steps we take, I shall remain the majority and controlling shareholder and the Team Principal of AT&T Williams,” he said.

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SIR Frank Williams is considering floating his iconic Grand Prix team on the stock exchange, at some stage in the future.

The famed team owner, who shares his team with stakeholders Patrick Head and Toto Wolff, issued a statement last Friday, stating that he was considering the move to secure the long-term financial health of the team.

“For some years I have been considering how to secure the long-term ownership of Williams such that it will remain true to the aims with which Patrick and I established the team back in 1977,” said Williams.

“My goal then was to race in Formula 1 as an independent constructor. This was and is my great passion and I will race for as long as I continue to be blessed with good health. It is also my desire that the team is in good shape to go on racing long after I am gone.

“To that end, it is prudent and necessary to plan for an ownership structure that will enable Williams to be an independent Constructor, owned and staffed by people committed to Formula 1 and to the sound business practices which have supported us over three decades.

“I have concluded that the option which will best achieve this is to broaden our shareholder base with public

Bull Day: 010211 FORMULA 1

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RED Bull Racing will unveil its new car at Valencia on February 1.

The team, which won both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles in 2010, confirmed via Twitter that the RB7 Renault will be on the track for the opening day of pre-season testing.

“You heard it here first. The RB7 will

be launched at 8.30am on February 1. In Valencia. In the pit lane. Quietly excited ...” the team Tweeted via their redbullf1spy feed.

Mercedes GP, Williams, Toro Rosso and Team Lotus will also launch their 2011 cars in Valencia. Ferrari, Renault and Sauber have opted to unveil their new cars at stand-alone events in January.

motorsport news

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F1 TV numbers up – but ...

Less watching each GP – and big drop in audience since 2009 FORMULA 1

sutton-images.com

FORMULA 1’s television audience grew last year – but the news is not all good for the health of the sport.

Formula One Management (FOM) announced last Friday that the audience increased to 527 million individuals over the course of the season. This represents a growth of 1.3 percent over 2009, in which it was claimed that 520m viewers tuned in.

“Whilst 2010 has delivered some great things, 2011 promises even more as Formula 1 seeks to build upon the foundations laid in our emerging markets and enthral our audiences across the world,” said Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

But while the numbers look good at first glance, with 16,000 hours of coverage telecast to 187 countries, there were 19 races in 2010 compared to 17 in 2009, so the audience per race dropped by a significant amount – and the 2009 audience was 13 percent down on that from 2008.

THE WORLD RESTA FEDERATION FORMULA 1 PAUL di Resta is likely to be named as a Force India driver later this week.

The Scot’s deal is thought to

be imminent, team owner Vijay Mallya saying that the team’s 2011 lineup was awaiting “some legal loose ends”.

The manager of Tonio Liuzzi, who raced for the team for the

last two seasons, has hinted that his man may take a test driver’s role in 2011.

Peter Collins told BBC Sport: “Tonio will be in F1 this year.

Will he be racing? I don’t know.”

Roman Mayor shelves GP plan FORMULA 1 IF you had air tickets to a first-time Formula 1 Grand Prix in Rome … well, you might want to start getting interested in fountains.

The mayor of the eternal city, Mayor Gianni Alemanno, said last week that the city has given up on hosting an F1 race. The announcement came a week after F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone wrote to Alemanno, stating that it would be difficult for Italy to host more than one race per year.

“We’re definitively and formally renouncing the plan for Formula 1 www.mnews.com.au

in Rome,” Alemanno said at a press conference.

“This move represents a step backwards because we have always said we would have done so, should the FIA have posed an alternative between Rome and Monza.

“However, we have an Olympic dream that is still going on: so let’s make clear to Italy and to the world that we want to stage the games in Rome.”

The news indicates that the traditional venue of Monza looks to have a long-term future for the Italian GP. 13

Drafting at Daytona NASCAR DRAFTING will be the big item in the Daytona 500, if pre-season testing is any indication.

Cars picked up as much as 14mph in drafting during testing on the newly-resurfaced 2.5-mile Superspeedway, the site of the season-opening Daytona 500 on February 20.

With a new surface, new E15 fuel and new tyres to test, as

well as a new 29/32nd inch restrictor, speeds hit 198mph average around the new track, which is expected to promote three-wide racing Penske Racing topped the times on the test, with Brad Keselowski running 198.605mph, behind teammate Kurt Busch.

“From a driver’s side, it’s similar to a baton relay,” Keselowski said. “If you have the two fastest runners in the world and you put them in

a baton relay and they can’t exchange [the baton], an average Joe Schmoe that can exchange will beat ‘em, so it’s just being smart.”

“The race is going to be crazier than ever,” Keselowski continued. “It’s a completely new breed of racing and it’s going to take an intelligent duo to pull it off at the end.”

Marcos Ambrose took his time to get comfortable in his Richard Petty Motorsports Ford, and was impressed with the

remade track.

“It is a really racy surface,” he said. “I think we will have some of the best racing you have ever seen at Daytona. There is a lot of grip and drivers are going to get really confident.

The drafting packs are going to be really tight and I am looking forward to it. I think it is going to be three or maybe even four-wide out there. This place is narrow and steep so I am sure there will be lots of action.”

NASCAR Media

Franchitti picks up gong Soucek in t INDYCAR

IZOD Indycar Media

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DARIO Franchitti has been voted Driver of the Year by the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association.

Franchitti took out the award, which is determined by judging drivers from eight racing disciplines; Open Wheel, Stock Car, Road Racing, Drag Racing, Short Track, Touring Series, Off-Road & Rally, and At Large. It was his third Jerry Titus Award (named in memory of journalist and racing member) in four years.

Franchitti competed against other nominees including Will Power, Ryan Briscoe, Jimmy Johnson, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, David Brabham, Scott Pruett, John Force and Larry Dixon.

– MARY MENDEZ motorsport news

INDYCAR INDYCAR’S television audience may increase because of a merger in the USA’s media landscape.

The merger of cable company Comcast and the NBC free to air network was approved last week and should be finalised by the end of January. All TV contracts for the IndyCar and Firestone Indy Lights series had been placed on hold waiting for the decision.

The majority of IndyCar

races are shown on VERSUS, owned by Comcast, which will be broadcasting its third season of a 10-year contract.

It is hoped in the near future that the IndyCar broadcasts be moved to NBC, which has a significantly higher audience reach. Although excellent coverage on VERSUS, the ratings are insignificant, below half a million viewers.

2011 is the last year on the current ABC network contract, broadcasting the Indy 500 and four other events.

– MARY MENDEZ

De Silvestro staying put

IZOD Indycar Media

Honda Racing Media

Higher numbers on the horizon

INDYCAR SIMONA De Silvestro is staying with HVM. Next Monday, January 24, the Swiss driver and her team will unveil a multi-year sponsorship program as part of a promotion for the Baltimore inaugural event on September 4. After the unveiling of the new team sponsor, De Silvestro will drive her Dallara-Honda car through the city streets of Baltimore and her crew will demonstrate pits stops.

HVM owner Keith Wiggins is optimistic for success with a brand new 2010 Dallara and would like to expand to two cars, an advantage with the practice sessions shortened in 2011.

– MARY MENDEZ

the frame at Andretti INDYCAR

www.mnews.com.au

IZOD Indycar Media

Virgin Racing Media

MICHAEL Andretti, the sole owner of Andretti, is still planning on a fourth driver.

Danica Patrick, Marco Andretti and Ryan HunterReay, all race-winning drivers, are already under contract and, although Andretti Sr would not comment further, he did admit that this week his team would host a sponsor summit and that announcements would be made in the near future.

Rumors persist that Spain’s

Andy Soucek could be considered, winner of the F2 championship and brief reserve driver for Virgin’s F1 team. Soucek apparently took his driver’s physical in Indianapolis.

Gary Peterson, owner of AFS Racing’s Indy Lights team, ended his association with Andretti last November. Andretti formed a partnership with Peterson’s Lights team to take advantage of extra test days for his IndyCar drivers. Peterson, who spent

many hours in the Andretti pits last season, stated he was interested in running a fifth car in association with Andretti if the budget could be found. One driver

Peterson was considering is Adam Carroll, who drove two events for Andretti Autosport in a fifth car utilizing crew from the Lights program.

– MARY MENDEZ 15

J DAVO DRIVES GT CAR, LOOKS TO AUSSIE FUTU AUSSIES OVERSEAS

JAMES Davison could be seen on more Australian racetracks in 2011.

Davison has spent recent years racing in America – including a pair of Indy Lights seasons – and while he wants to maintain a presence in America, he’s looking at opportunities back at home.

“There are a number of things I’ve got up in the air, I’m just looking at what may evolve in

Australia and also keeping my momentum going in America,” the 24-year-old said.

“In regards to IndyCar, it’s certainly not easy for me, looking at a good four or five guys I raced Indy Lights with, moving up, driving for top teams and bringing a big budget with them.

“I definitely want to keep my American dream going, if I can. Grand-Am was a series I had my debut in last year and did very well, there are a few

opportunities there to drive in the Rolex Series.

“That said, though, I have been focusing a lot of my energies on the domestic scene here in securing an [V8 Supercar] enduro ride. The first step is getting a test from a team to prove myself and we all know doors open from there.”

Davison returned to Australia late last year, and attended met with teams during the Sandown V8 round. He’ll attend Saturday’s Eastern Creek test and Sunday’s

Carrera Cup shakedown at Winton.

“I went to the Sandown race in November, met with a number of the teams and basically got a few verbal commitments that I’d get an opportunity to test with a few of the V8 teams,” he said.

“I’m going up to Sydney to follow-up on that and hopefully get in a V8 shortly and get the chance to prove myself here.”

Davison got a brief opportunity to turn some laps on an Australian circuit last

ALWAYS THE MASI TO HEAD UP RA MCBRIDE WORLD RALLYING

FORMULA FORD JAMUN Racing will field a pair of Australians in the 2011 British Formula Ford Championship.

Victorian driver Nick McBride has signed with Jamun to join fellow Australian Richard Goddard at the squad, who made it six-straight titles in 2010 with Scott Pye. McBride tested one of the team’s Mygales at Oulton Park and Brands Hatch in December, after making selected starts in the Australian Formula Ford Championship in 2009 and 2010.

16

RALLY Australia has a new General Manager – Michael Masi.

The young but experienced motorsport organiser, who most recently spent six months as the FIA’s man-on-theground in Korea’s maiden Formula 1 Grand Prix. He has also worked with CAMS and in the operations department of V8 Supercar Australia worked on events in Shanghai, Bahrain and New Zealand, as well as around Australia.

Masi was also on the organising team for the 2009 Repco Rally Australia in Northern NSW. “The FIA World Rally Championship will bring a massive international focus on the beautiful Coffs Coast,” said Masi, and I’m pleased to see the region, which has a great rally history, is looking forward so enthusiastically to welcoming it.”

Rally Australia, to be held on September 8-11, is Round 10 of the 2011 WRC. The 13-round series starts with Rally Sweden on 11-13 February.

motorsport news

news

Phil Williams

week, completing 10 laps in Wall Racing’s Porsche GT3 Cup S at Wakefield Park.

“It was good,” Davison said.

“I got very minimal laps, I only got 10 laps because they were running all of the components in the car that they’re going to do the 12 Hour with, they didn’t want to put too much mileage on anything. Of course, 10 laps isn’t enough to get into any type or rhythm but it was great to have the opportunity to have a drive.”

– MITCHELL ADAM

HARRISON = STAR FORMULA FORD TRENT Harrison will race as a CAMS Rising Star in 2011.

Harrison will line up alongside 2010 Rising Star Jack Le Brocq in the Genuine Ford Parts Australian Formula Ford Championship in Minda Motorsport-prepared Mygales.

Rhys Newman, Jon Collins

and Callum Mitchell will race as CAMS Rising Stars in the Victorian Formula Ford Championship.

“I am very excited and looking forward to 2011,” AMSF General Manager Martin Stillman said.

“2010 was a development year for our program, and we have high hopes and

expectations for all our drivers in 2011 and expect to be battling for podiums throughout the season in both the state and national series.”

Harrison, 22, finished ninth in the 2010 National standings after contesting three rounds with Evans Motorsport Group, while Le Brocq was 13th.

James Smith

ALLY OZ

Rob Lang

, URE

WHILE BRABS GOES SONIC FORMULA FORD FORMER CAMS Rising Stars Garry Jacobson and Matthew Brabham have switched to Sonic Motor Racing for the 2011 Formula Ford season.

Jacobson joins returning Sonic drivers Nick Foster and Cameron Waters in a three-car National campaign, while Brabham is set to partner Josh Hunter in the Victorian State Series.

“It’s pretty exciting,” team boss Michael Ritter said.

“It’s pleasing to see how much interest there www.mnews.com.au

is amongst these young guys and their parents in racing for Sonic. I’m really looking forward to this year, I think this is the strongest we’ve ever been as a race-team.”

Foster, 19, finished third in last year’s championship, while 16-year-old Waters joined Sonic for the final three rounds of the 2010, having earlier run as a privateer.

“We ran three races with Sonic last year and did one very wet test session but it was enough to get me very, very excited about racing the whole year with Mick, Maria and the team for 2011,” Waters said.

17

Dirk Klynsmith

Johnson and Tinkler team up 12 HOUR STEVEN Johnson has joined the list of V8 Supercar drivers competing in the upcoming Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour.

Johnson will be the lead driver in a late entry for the Production Car ranks, driving an FPV GT Falcon with V8 Ute driver Jeremy Gray and

businessman Nathan Tinkler, who was poised to buy into Dick Johnson Racing last year.

Driving a similar FPV, Johnson and Tinkler drove together in the 2009 race, finishing 30th after problems.

Their new entry takes the entry list for the 2011 race to 29 cars.

Meanwhile, among the outright contenders, Wall

Racing has enlisted Barton Mawer to replace Des Wall in their Porsche GT3 Cup S, after Wall broke a wrist recently.

Mawer, who has previously raced with the Wall family in Malaysia’s Merdeka Millennium race, will share the car with David Wall and Greg Crick.

All three drivers tested at Wakefield Park last week,

Mawer’s first laps in the Cup S. “It’s the quickest Porsche I’ve driven,” Mawer said.

“I think we’ll be pretty strong, it’s a quick car. We might not have the outright pace of the [Audi] R8, but they’ve got to stop three times more than us.

“If we get to the end, we’ll be looking pretty strong.”

– MITCHELL ADAM

What’s the plural of Lexus?

AGP THE Celebrity Challenge is coming back to the Australian Grand Prix – with a difference.

As previously reported by eNews, the Celebrity Challenge will return to the AGP support card after a twoyear hiatus. However, this time there will be a certain ‘green’ feel to the racing, with Lexus’ CT200h – a hybrid hatchback – to be used as the official car.

There will be 27 of the hybrids buzzing around Albert Park, with media personality Kelly Landry the only confirmed participant so far.

“I am incredibly excited to have been chosen to race at Albert Park.,” said Landry.

“I have followed the Grand Prix since it came to Melbourne 15 years ago. It has been my dream to race in the celebrity race ever since, so naturally I am thrilled to have the opportunity to attempt to show what these great new 18

Lexus vehicles can do, and hopefully win in the process.”

Lexus’ corporate manager said the Celebrity Challenge will showcase the CT200h perfectly.

“CT200h is a fun yet frugal sports luxury hybrid hatch,” said Evans.

“The Celebrity Challenge gives Lexus the ability to demonstrate that hybrids can be fun to drive - while still being environmentally conscious.

“Lexus is excited about showing off the environmental credentials of the CT200h

by taking advantage of its innovative hybrid driveline in this exciting racing format.

“In fact, the CT 00h has the unique ability to change its driving characteristics to suit Sport or ECO driving requirements – we call it ‘two modes, two moods’.” motorsport news

news

Eddie readying for comeback last raced in the series in 2008, but is building a 1973 Ford XB Coupe which will be ready for the start of the 2011 season at the Clipsal 500 in March.

“I’ve been out of the seat for some time, but am keen to

TCM EDDIE Abelnica will rejoin the Touring Car Masters presented by Autobarn this year.

The former NASCAR driver

return to the excitement of racing,” he said.

“The Touring Car Masters field this season is a lot more competitive so it’s going to be a learning year of patience and development, building up to

an even better 2012.”

The car isn’t the only XB set to join the TCM grid, with former V8 Supercar team owner Jim Morton building a similar vehicle for Glenn Seton to race.

Eight rounds for Swifts SUZUKIS

Dirk Klynsmith

Drinks are on GT! www.mnews.com.au

THE first ever Australian Swift Series has announced its eight-event calendar for 2011.

It will share events between the AASA Endurance Series and the Shannons Nationals.

The exciting single-make Series began in New Zealand, and Trans Tasman Motorsport has brought it to life in Australia.

“The Australian Swift Series is geared totally towards bringing new competitors into the sport and developing fresh corporate relationships – all at an affordable level,” said Trans Tasman spokesman Greg Cox. The cars are all Suzuki Swift Sport machines, developed at Trans Tasman’s Brisbane base.

AUSTRALIAN GT VODKA O will continue as the naming rights sponsor of the Australian GT Championship in 2011.

The 2011 season will be third the brand has backed the championship, and their

“There are no specific motorsport parts that may fail or cause a team to spend thousands of dollars just to get the car back on track. They aren’t prototypes – the Swifts are effectively road cars with safety equipment installed.”

The Swift Series is huge in New Zealand and first shot to the consciousness of Australian motorsport devotees as the support category to the ITM Hamilton 400 last year.

The Australian Swift Series will begin as a support to the first AASA Production Car Endurance event at Calder across the weekend of April 9-10 – but prior to that there will be a ‘test race meeting’ on February 20 at Lakeside second year sponsoring Dean Grant’s Mosler and Peter Hackett’s Lamborghini Gallardo.

“GT is thrilled to have Vodka O and their passionate team back on board as the naming rights sponsor of the 2011 Championship for the 3rd year

Raceway, where potential competitors will have the opportunity to test the racecars.

2011 Swift Series Calendar: R1: April 9-10 Calder Park (AASA) R2: May 14-15 Mallala (Shannons) R3: June 4-5 Winton Motor Raceway (AASA) R4: July 16-17 Eastern Creek (Shannons) R5: August 6-7 Queensland Raceway (AASA) R6: August 13-14 Morgan Park (Shannons) R7: September 10-11 Sandown (Shannons) R8: October 29-30 Wakefield Park (AASA) running,” GT Director Rachael Wagg said.

“As the second highest selling Vodka in Australia, Australian GT is very proud to be associated with this very successful and popular brand that continues to grow internationally.”

19

WORLD SUPERBIKE TEN Kate Honda is out of the 2011 World Superbike Championship – but Castrol Honda is in.

The Dutch team will carry the iconic colours of the oil giant on its CBR1000RRs this season, marking a return to the relationship between the two companies. The Castrol Honda team won three Superbike World Championship titles, in 1997 with John Kocinski and in 2000 and 2002 with Colin Edwards.

Irishman Jonathan Rea and Spaniard Ruben Xaus will ride in the World Championship for the team.

“One of my main inspirations for racing was watching Castrol Honda’s Colin Edwards battle Troy Bayliss for the World Superbike championship in that epic season in 2002,” said Rea. “It’s a real honour for me to be racing under those same famous colours for the 2011 season and I’ll be trying my hardest to recreate what Colin did for the Castrol Honda team.

Ten Kate, Rea and Xaus get a

Castrol Honda Reunion

Haga gets to grips with PATA Aprilia WORLD SUPERBIKE TWO ‘second level’ teams unveiled their 2011 bikes last week – and may threaten the big teams this season.

BMW Italia took the wraps off its 2011 challenger with a launch at Monza and confirmed James Toseland and

Ayrton Badovini as its riders.

The former World Superbike champion, and the man who dominated the Superstock class last season will ride machines identical to those of BMW’s works team, and will be run by Free Racing – which is basically the Xerox Ducati title-winning team but without

Xerox or Ducati.

A day or so later, Noriyuki Haga got to grips with his new Aprilia. The Japanese ace, three times the runnerup in the World Superbike Championship, will race the RSV-4 that Max Biaggi rode to the 2010 title, for PATA Racing.

“I immediately accepted

[PATA owners] Daniele Carli and Marco Borciani’s offer,” Haga said.

“I will be provided with a highly-competitive motorbike, the one who belonged to the world’s champion 2010, with whom I really think I will be able to aim for the first places during every race.”

Suzuki + Aussie = Joshimura!

WORLD SUPERBIKE YOSHIMURA Racing is coming back to the World Superbike Championship, with Josh Waters.

The famed team has plucked the young Aussie to participate in seasoning-opening races at Phillip Island next month, and the performance of the bike and rider could 20

determine whether it enters other rounds of this year’s title.

“We are extremely excited to have Josh on board. He is a very talented rider and we look forward to seeing what he can do at his home track,” Yoshimura Japan president Fujio Yoshimura, who handpicked Waters for the race, said.

Yoshimura, which has a long history of

title-winning form in both Japan and the USA, had been planning to enter a number of rounds of the 2010 WSBK, but its only appearance in the series ended with an unexpected lack of success.

Daisaku Sakai qualified 21st (out of the 24 riders) at Monza and was injured during the first race, leading the team to scrap plans for more outings. motorsport news

ORDER YOUR COPY

NOW! 2010 Australian Muscle Car Masters DVD

This special DVD presentation features almost two and a half hours of highlights from the 2010 Australian Muscle Car Masters at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway, which played host to a special ‘50 Years of Touring Car Racing’ celebration.

Relive some of the best racing action from the nation’s premier annual muscle car event, featuring hundreds of cars competing in a variety of classes representing five decades of Australian touring car history. These include the Touring Car Masters (presented by Autobarn), Group N (1959-1972), Group C (1973-1984) and Group A (1985-1992) categories.

Also featured are some extra special events staged to mark this historic occasion, including the 50th Anniversary Handicap Race that combined cars from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, plus a revival of the ‘best of three’ match races between Ford, Holden and Chrysler that were so popular with race fans in the early 1970s.

Plus there’s lot of interviews with famous drivers from the past, Master Blast and Heritage Hot Lap track demonstrations, Ultimate Race Replicas and much more.

Bonus material features colourful ‘Featured Muscle Marques’ road car track parades and some ONLY great in-car camera footage from a variety of competing race cars.

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21

BRIEFLY ■ Chris Holder’s dominance of the Australian speedway scene has continued, with the Sydneysider taking the second round of the Australian Championships at Adelaide’s Gillman Speedway on Saturday.

The only chink in the Holder armour came in Heat 15, where he rode out a wild crash with New South Welshman Kozza Smith, resulting in the latter being excluded and some brief attention from the paramedics. Another to suffer injury was diminutive third generation rider Taylor Poole, who crashed out of his third ride and didn’t take any further part in the event.

World Under 21 Champion Darcy Ward finished second after again being forced into the BFinal at the completion of the 20 heats. He was lucky to even take part in the meeting after a heavy collision with the catch fence during practice. A war of words between the 18-year-old and his Poole team-mate Davey Watt that broke out at Kurri Kurri intensified in Adelaide with Watt finishing third.

Mildura’s Cameron Woodward was an impressive fourth. In the B Final, Ward defeated Rory Schlein, Ty Proctor and Cory Gathercole, whose consistency continues.

The next round of the Australian Championships will be conducted this Wednesday at Broken Hill.

In other news, former Red Bull Rookies Cup racer, Arthur Sissis took another Australian Under-16 Solo Championship at Adelaide’s Sidewinders track from Jack Fallon, Ben Russell and Max Fricke.

– MATT PAYNE

22

SERA SECOND IN THE STATES KARTING

DAVID Sera has come within a whisker of taking out the first Rotax MAX round of the Florida Winter Tour over the weekend, finishing second on both days.

In the unique format – drivers contest two separate events across two days – Sera proved his ability as one of the best Rotax exponents in the world finishing, second in both.

On day one, he set the pace of the 61 competitors in wet

conditions. He was beaten in the Pre-Final by Marco di Leo by just one-tenth of a second.

Third in the Pre-Final was IndyCar star Dan Wheldon, who only managed fifth in the Final.

Sera took the challenge to di Leo in the first day Final, but the Intrepid driver proved to be on the money taking victory by 1.2 seconds over the Australian.

Qualifying fourth on day two, Sera moved up to third in the Pre-Final and gained another place when the chequers flew

– finishing 2.1 seconds behind Kosmic racer, Daniel Formal. di Leo finished third.

At the same event, GP3 racer Robert Wickens took out the Rotax DD2 category. The star studded field saw Daniel Morad come home in fourth spot, with IndyCar racer Alex Tagliani recording sixth in the final.

The previous weekend’s Winter Tour action saw Rubens Barrichello finish second in the KZ2 Gearbox category.

– MATT PAYNE

PRO TOUR BACK IN ACTION KARTING

THE first major karting event of the 2011 season will be conducted this weekend at Melbourne’s Todd Road circuit, when the Rotax Pro Tour resumes.

In expectantly hot weather conditions, competitors in all classes of competition will have their work cut out.

Heading the entries is current Australian Rotax Light champion David Sera – who scored one of his most memorable victories at the inner-Melbourne circuit two years ago – charging from 21st on the grid to take victory.

Former Junior stars Josh DeMaio and Trent Grubel are expected to take the fight to the multiple Australian Champion.

Pierce Lehane will once again head the

Junior entry list in his first Australian start since the Rotax World Finals, and his stunning performance in the WSK Nations Cup. No less than four female racers will greet the starter this weekend – Queensland based West Aussie Holly Patrizi no doubt keen to make amends for her massive rollover at the previous Pro Tour event in Newcastle.

In DD2, Jason Pringle will step into the geared Rotax category for the first time in Australia. The Pro Karting supported driver has raced DD2 at World Championship level previously, but never on home soil. He’ll have strong competition from Tony Kart racer Jackson Delamont – whose been dabbling in Sprintcars during the summer – and Newcastle racer Jack Lindgren.

– MATT PAYNE motorsport news

AMBROSE

In an exclusive chat with Motorsport News, Marcos Ambrose talks about why he risked it all to join Richard Petty Motorsport and Ford

PLUS: Charlie Schwerkolt speaks about the DJR divorce, Steve Owen on his big break in V8 Supercars, a unique look inside how Virgin F1 built its Grand Prix racer, a tour of the Porsche Museum in Germany, we ask why the Toyota Racing Series has become the holiday choice of Europe’s best young drivers, and exclusive one-on-ones with speedway legends Leigh Adams and Joey Saldana All of this and much, much more in Issue 404 of Motorsport News

ON SALE WEDNESDAY 4

motorsport news

DRAG RACING THE world’s quickest Commodore was quick enough to produce smiles all round the Boomeracing team, as WA’s Maurice Brennan steered the fanfavourite back into the lowsix second range at the Perth Motorplex recently.

“We’re finally getting our head around this combination and we’re finding the gold again,” he said.

“We’re still three tenths off where we want to be, but we picked up some insights that have got us excited for the next outing this weekend.”

But just as K-Trans/ Joondalup Carpet Court/

Crown Integrated Commodore is finding its race legs again, so too is the competition.

“I was rapt to see Wayne and Lisa Keys have some success on the weekend after a tough 18 months, and it was great to see Daniel (Gregorini) go under our national record so the pressure is really on,”

Luke Nieuwhof

Brennan finding gold

Brennan said.

“It’s a big gamble for us, because on one hand we’ve loved carrying the AA/AP records and would love to keep them too.

“But we may just have to let them go so we can concentrate on running the car in Doorslammer trim.”

– LUKE NIEUWHOF

Pilkington loses WA lead DRAG RACING ROB Pilkington found his quickest pace of the season so far, but it was not enough to take a win at the fifth round of the track championship at Perth Motorplex.

Pilkington hit a 5.68s pass, but it was defeated by a stunning 5.66s run in the other lane from Adam Marchant’s dragster, thanks in part to Marchant getting a reaction time advantage at the start of

24

the race.

“As I launched the car I knew it was going to be fast, it took off the line like a catapult and charged to the finish in subrecord time but unfortunately I had a bad reaction time on the start line and that gave Adam the upper hand,” Pilkington said.

“It’s odd to lose on our quickest time of the season, but drag racing can be like that, you need to be on your game at all stages of the race.”

Looking at the positives,

Pilkington said the one quick pass of the day gave the team some valuable data and the confidence that they are on the right track with the tune up.

“We know we are on the path to some possible 5.5s passes,” he said.

“It’s one of the next major goals for the team and would certainly be a massive accomplishment. With the hard work of the team I’m confident it’s a goal we can achieve.”

While the team has now

dropped to second in the points, Pilkington said the margin of only five points is not a large one.

motorsport news

news

John Bosher

Schultz in the hot seat DRAG RACING

DANIEL Schultz has made some early licensing passes for NSW team owner Santo Rapisarda.

At a test and tune on the weekend at Sydney Dragway, Schultz made some launches

and came to grips with what it takes to drive an 8000hp Top Fuel dragster. Schultz has a long family history in the sport and most recently has made a name for himself driving an Altered in the Competition category.

A 0.872 time for 60ft was

recorded, giving him a definite taste of the power. Giving Schultz some pointers along the way was Terry Sainty who also made a launch in the car ahead of him driving for Rapisarda in the Perth Top Fuel round this weekend, subbing for the injured Alan Dobson.

“That was the best feeling in the world,” Schultz said on Facebook following his run.

“I would like to thank everyone who helped me do this and the biggest thanks goes to the crew. You guys are the best crew in the world.”

– LUKE NIEUWHOF

McSweeney back DRAG RACING

Luke Nieuwhof

“We are looking forward to the next round on January 28 and 29 for the Top Fuel round being held at the Motorplex to

reclaim the lead and hopefully run these sub-record numbers again,” he said.

– LUKE NIEUWHOF

FORMER WA Top Comp champion John McSweeney will be returning to racing this week when he licences in a Funny Car owned by Jeffrey Clarke.

McSweeney has taken on a team manager role for Clarke and as one of the perks will get to compete in the Funny Car which Clarke recently imported from the USA. The car will start out in the

AA/FC class this season before shifting to BB/FC next season, in which it should be more competitive.

It’s no doubt a scary prospect for Competition racers nationally, with Clarke having performed very well in the BB/ D class.

McSweeney is one of a number of racers expected at the public test and tune being held at Perth Motorplex on Australia Day. – LUKE NIEUWHOF

Next ANDRA Pro Series Round: Top Fuel Champs, Perth Motorplex, Jan 29 ANDRA Pro Series on TV: Friday February 25 Top Fuel Championships www.mnews.com.au

25

FIVE MINUTES WITH ...

WILL DAVISON

It’s been a long time coming, but Will Davison has finally been announced as an FPR driver for 2011 and beyond. He spoke to MITCHELL ADAM about the switch MOTORSPORT NEWS: First up, Happy New Year and happy new drive.

WILL DAVISON: Thanks! It was a good break and now it’s officially out there. I was pretty relaxed over the break anyway, obviously knowing what I was doing.

I was struggling to have a break because I was so excited about getting underway this year, anticipating what the year was going to bring and the new changes – I just wanted to get my teeth stuck into it.

Now that it’s finally out there, it’s nice to talk about it and it means we’re getting closer to starting, which is exciting.

When you’ve got a fresh start, you just want to get the first few months underway, obviously there’s a lot to take in with a new team. There are a lot of people to meet, a lot of new things to experience, so I’m settling in already which is nice, but I can’t wait to get this first test and race meeting out of the way.

How much of the process of being an FPR driver have you already done? Have you been into the workshop much?

I’ve been working pretty hard over the Christmas break and as soon as this year started, getting to know everyone.

I’ve been spending a lot of time in there, getting to know the faces and trying to get into the swing of things as to how the engineers work, learn my way around the car, learn what they’ve been doing in the past 12 months in terms of development, and dealing with their new sponsors and meeting the commercial 26

department.

All teams function differently but I’m already feeling comfortable. Pretty much from the first day in there, I felt at home. I feel really, really happy around the place, which is great. I’ve got a really good vibe on the direction of the team, where they’re going, and they all seem really confident in what they’re doing. I just can’t wait now to get in the car and get some results.

Speaking of driving the car and learning about how all of that works, 12 months ago, PD (Paul Dumbrell) made the same move from a Walkinshaw Commodore to an FPR Falcon, have you spoken to him much about it?

PD and I are very good mates, I’ve certainly spoken to him a lot about his feelings and he made a great adaption; he really loves the car, it suits his style quite well. But even in the past 12 months, the FPR car has changed dramatically, which I think is a positive. I’m pretty excited about getting in the car and even just from racing against the car, it is very different to a Walkinshaw car.

I think they’ve been going in the right direction. The car seems pretty good in all conditions and all circuits and they’ve got a lot more to come.

They’re very confident in their base set-up and package at the moment and that’s exciting to be around a place that knows exactly where they’re going and what they need.

It’s really about me getting my head around their car and learning to drive it. I’m sure it will be very different to what

I’m used to. The Walkinshaw cars are a little bit unique and when they’re good, they’re good, you know ...

I’m just looking forward to a fresh start and I’ve got a feeling that the way these cars are set up will be a lot nicer for me.

There were quite a few occasions last year, particularly in the second half, where the FPR cars were the fastest out there. How much of that played a role in your decision to head there.

It was a big part of the decision. At the end of the day, regardless of what’s on a piece of paper in terms of the contract – which is obviously important to me – it’s more about the performance and attitude of the team.

They were obviously very, very willing to get me on board, I saw the vision of the team and everything they had in place. You can only go by your own judgement, your gut, and from what I can see from their results and what they’ve got internally – some of the things they’re putting in place – I think they’re going to be very strong in the coming years. With the personnel, management and commercially, all of the ducks are lining up and I think it’s a good time to get involved with the team.

I feel it’s an amazing opportunity for me. They haven’t won a championship or a Bathurst, but I’m much more excited by a team that’s capable of doing it now and are hungrier than anyone to get their first victory, than people that are resting on their past success. It’s an exciting

challenge because I think they are so excited to achieve what they haven’t been able to achieve yet, some of the big goals, but they’ve got absolutely everything on paper now to achieve big things.

It’s a great deal for me. It’s a long-term deal, I already feel like a big part of the team, and at the end of the day, it was quite an easy decision to make. I needed a change of environment and I think the performance will step up for me from last year and, contractually, it’s much, much better for me, in terms of my long term security, than what I would’ve had if I stayed.

And you even got to do something fun for the launch, heading up to Tamworth for the Country Music Festival.

How was that?

It was really cool, actually. I didn’t know what to expect.

There’s a fantastic vibe up there, a really laid-back country style as you’d expect and there was a huge turnout with a lot of V8 Supercar fans.

I couldn’t believe the support I had when I drove into ‘Bluey’, the BigPond truck, with John Williamson. It’s 40 years since True Blue, his song, was released. He was my first True Blue number one fan, so we drove in together.

There was great support up there; obviously a lot of those rural and regional centres, like Tamworth, have a very strong V8 fanbase. It was a lot fun.

Telstra are a big supporter of the Festival so I think it was a great and different way to do the launch, I know they were all very happy with how it went. motorsport news

chat

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27

Melbourne’s Lord Mayor Cr Robert Doyle started a storm over the weekend, by writing in the Herald Sun that he did not necessarily support the Australian Grand Prix past its current tenure until 2014. We asked AGP Corporation Acting CEO Andrew Westacott to respond

I

READ many things in the Lord Mayor’s article that were factually correct and I am totally supportive of them.

They were in terms of, it is Big Business out there, and there are not many things bigger than the Grand Prix.

They are extremely beneficial to Melbourne and to the state of Victoria, from an economic benefits point of view, and they cost big money.

The only think that I read that I disagree with is his judgement at the end, that the time is up.

I think that the Grand Prix is the flagship of the Major Events. It showcases Melbourne and brings a huge

H

ANDS up everyone who expects the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix to be held at Albert Park forever.

There was a fair bit of handwringing in Melbourne over the weekend when Lord Mayor Robert Doyle had his say on the future of the AGP. Cr Doyle (a Liberal former State Opposition Leader) said, to paraphrase, that it was time to admit that continuing with the race was flogging a dead horse and his choice would be to pack it up when the current contract expires in 2014. The view prompted the predictable responses from the predictable people.

There are a lot of views about the race. One is that the AGP Corporation needs to be better at finding money to run the event, so that they can spend more on promoting it, so that they can make it a better event.

Can it be a much better event? Setting aside any views on whether cars should be racing in a park around a lake 28

return and benefits to the state.

We don’t have a Harbour Bridge or an Opera House. We don’t have an Uluru or a Barrier Reef. We project and advertise Melbourne to the world via our Major Events. We are the ultimate sports city, and hence we have outstripped Sydney from a tourism point of view.

The reality is that the contract is in place until 2015.

The Premier said, and it is no different to the Ministers we report to and the Board, is that we continually need to control costs and to continually grow revenues. We need to make sure that we do that and always have been focused on doing that, now and into the

near a city, the AGP is a wellrun event. Compared with some other countries’ GPs, it is a model of professional organisation; there is a lot for fans to see and do (some say too much) and the people who come here – the drivers, the teams and the media – almost universally love it. But is that a good enough reason to dedicate $50m of public funds to the race?

And, as for lack of funds, this is not a Melbourne-only phenomenon. Look at any vision of a Monaco GP in recent years and you will see things you haven’t seen before; empty seats on Sunday and more and more signage plugging the local casino, in places where paid signs for international companies used to be. And the promoters of Monaco’s race, gazed upon for so long as the paragon of the sport, do not have to fret about paying those pesky fees to get the Formula 1 circus to show up every year.

Why should the AGP be a hard sell now? The 2010 season

OPINION Andrew Westacott AGP Corporation Acting CEO future. We have been very successful in controlling our costs; the challenge is, postGFC, to grow our revenues, because that is what kicked around in 2008 and ’09; a lot of corporate dollars got taken out of sport, including the Grand Prix, and including events on a local and international basis.

The 2011 event is tracking in line with the approved business plan from that point of view. Grandstand sales are tracking 20 to 30 percent up on

last year’s figures.

Formula 1 has never been healthier. Daniel Ricciardo is in there, inside F1 as a Toro Rosso driver, as well as Mark Webber.

The V8 Supercars have their own pitlane and are racing for half a million dollars, with pitstops. Lexus is back with the Celebrity Race and Qantas is our naming rights sponsor.

So it is all systems go for a great 2011 Qantas Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix, 62 days from now.

OPINION Phil Branagan – Executive Editor was one of the best for years, and four of the races were won by a skilled, good-looking and mediagenic Aussie who, from this perspective, has worked tirelessly to promote the race for more than a decade. Short of having Shane Warne buy Williams and hiring Hugh Jackman to drive, we already have our headline act.

And, before all those clichés come to the fore, let me point out that Melbourne is already on the map. Has been for years, and was long before Tiger and Oprah flew here in their private jets. The tennis, the football, the Melbourne Cup, the Comedy Festival and a myriad of other events ensure that it stays in people’s minds, and many of these events are much less of a drain on the public purse than the Grand Prix.

It might just be that the AGP Corporation is already doing a good job with the event – in spite of choosing not to advertise it in MN or eNews – and that the elephant in the room is that the elephant itself is getting bigger while the room is shrinking.

It may also be that the race is a victim of its very success.

Other cities may have seen the positives associated with our race and their new events, backed by their new money, have become a bigger carrot for all involved in the sport.

The inconvenient truth of Cr Doyle’s comments could be that, despite all the hype, hoopla and dancing bears, a career politician with no personal interest in the sport might just have hit the bullseye. motorsport news

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INTERCONTINENTAL RALLY CHALLENGE 100th RUNNING OF THE MONTE CARLO RALLYE

THERE’S SNOW BUSINESS LIKE SLOW BUSINESS

A freak snow storm turned the 100th running of the Monte Carlo Rallye on its head – and gave Frenchman Bryan Bouffier his first ever IRC win

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B

EFORE the 100th running of the Monte Carlo Rallye, Bryan Bouffier had never scored an Intercontinental Rally Challenge point. Afterwards, he had 25 to his name, having won one of rallying’s biggest events.

During his IRC appearances last year, the Frenchman was fast but unlucky. However, his luck turned around in dramatic fashion on the Monte, when a huge snow storm hit stages SS7 and SS8, sending the leaders tumbling down the order board. The worst hit was reigning IRC Champ Juho Hanninen, who had stormed to a 50 second lead ahead of a frenetic battle for second between Petter Solberg, Freddy Loix and Stephane Sarrazin on the opening day. By the time Hanninen had stumbled his way through the two snowy stages, he had been dumped to sixth place.

Bouffier, meanwhile, jumped from seventh to first on SS7 after carefully negotiating the tricky conditions on intermediate tyres. He then switched to studded snow tyres from SS8, and by the end of the stage, he held an emphatic lead ahead of veteran Francois Delecour.

While Delecour couldn’t maintain the front-running pace when the conditions bettered, Bouffier could, and eventually won the rally by 32.5s from Loix.

“For me, it’s really fantastic to win the IRC event,” he said.

“I did some races last year; my skill was not so bad, but I had some mistakes and it was not possible to win. To win in Monte Carlo is fantastic. Okay, we are in Monaco, but the stages are in France, so to win in my home country is great.

“When you have a look at the previous Monte Carlo [events], you can see that everything can happen until the race is finished. My speed was not perfect, but I believed it was possible to do a good result. We did a good tyre choice in the snow, and we moved from seven to first place, everything is possible in this rally.”

Guy Wilks was eventually classed as the third place finisher on the event, but actually finished fourth after the final stage. However, Peugeot decided it was more beneficial for Wilks to be third, not 32

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Sarrazin, and forced the Frenchman to check-in late to the service park, earning a penalty.

“I think, first of all, anybody who’s a driver knows you never want to take the position in that way, but it wasn’t our decision,” said Wilks.

“As they say, c’est la vie. It was my first time in the car, so there was a big pressure – particularly from a manufacturer like Peugeot on a rally like Monte Carlo.”

The unluckiest driver of the Monte was Aussie Chris Atkinson. The factory Proton driver was out of the rally before the end of the first day, while his team-mate P-G Andersson was also out on the Thursday, suffering damage from a puncture.

“Everything was cool from the start, no dramas, warmed the tyres up, off the line, everything was good – then nothing,” said Atkinson.

“We were less than a kilometre in and the car stopped. The engine had cut and there was nothing, no electrics at all. We couldn’t start the car. I tried to fix it, but there was nothing we could do.

“It just seems such a waste that we’ve now got two perfect rally cars sitting here doing nothing; the fans would love to have seen the cars on the stages tomorrow and P-G and I would love to have been driving them.” www.mnews.com.au

Snow Joke: When the snow started to fall, Juho Hanninen started to go backwards, top.

Freddy Loix took a quite second place, above, while Guy Wilks took a controversial third place, left.

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GRAND ANNUAL CLASSIC WARRNAMBOOL SPEEDWAY

Fast Lines

The 39th running of The Classic gave the event a new winner, with Steven Lines taking the biggest victory of his career.

GEOFF ROUNDS watched it unfold

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Geoff Gracie

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Geoff Gracie

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OUTH Australia’s Steven Lines scored the biggest win of his career, claiming his debut The Standard Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic early on Monday morning.

During the two days of action at Warrnambool’s Premier Speedway in south-western Victoria, Lines was the best performed Australian to defeat Brooke Tatnell and American Jason Johnson. Lines, from Mount Gambier, started the 40-lap feature from third, but he had to wait until Lap 28 to overhaul pole-sitter and threetime winner Tatnell.

“I can’t thank everybody up there enough. I had a bit of luck but you need that to win,” Lines said.

“To be a Classic champion is a dream come true. It’s always been a dream of mine. This race means so much to me, being so close to home.”

Lines, who grew up racing motocross, said he couldn’t believe he was now a Classic champion, paying tribute to his former car owner Dave Challons and his family, who supported him prior to the opportunity now with Monte Motorsport.

He said he had one last chance at Tatnell “and had to make the most of it.

“I just had to keep hanging in there at Brooke. I knew he’d be fast, and he was, and I just thought the restart was my real big chance to get past him.

“I stuck it in there at the

restart and I shot back through there and got the lead, and I didn’t really know what to do! I looked up at the lap board and saw three to go and I tell you, man it was a long way home.”

Tatnell was strong throughout the weekend and at one point had six Americans trailing him during the first 28 laps, but Lines headed Tatnell when it mattered most. Tatnell, as always, was gracious in defeat and labeled Lines as a future Australian champion.

“This is the Warrnambool Classic, you never know what’s going to happen and I’ve sat there scratching my head trying to figure out what went wrong,” he said.

“We were out driven and the driver messed up.

“Its a hard thing to swallow right now that I’ve let the boys down and I’ve said it before, I drive for the best team in the country and the dedication of this race team and their never say die attitude when we drew a bad time trial pill.

“We came from the B Main last night, and we just never gave up. This is one of the ultimate Sprintcar races anywhere in the world and I honestly mean that, not just because I’ve won one.”

Tatnell had opened up a break of quarter of a lap on world No. 1 Jason Meyers, the reigning World Of Outlaws champion, when Queenslander Bryan Mann came to grief with just 12 of the 40-lap Classic final remaining.

The race had run

motorsport news

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Geoff Gracie

Brooke Tatnell, above, led the majority of the A Main but eventually had no answer for Steven Lines.

Shane Stewart, left, had a shocker in the event he dominated 12 months ago.

Geoff Gracie

uninterrupted for the opening 28 laps and the restart allowed Meyers to get a lot closer — but his problems came from an unexpected angle.

Pole-sitter Tatnell led the restart as he had all night, but Meyers and countryman Joey Saldana made contact going down the back straight and into Turn 3. It resulted in Meyers kissing the wall hard and rolling in front of the grandstand — his Classic

dream over.

In a stunning turn of fortune for Tatnell, Saldana was sent to the rear of the field and all of a sudden Lines was up to second.

He tracked Tatnell at the restart and found a way underneath him crossing the start/finish line a lap later. He made the move stick and raced clear.

There was another restart with six laps to go, but Lines continued to deny all challengers and held on to win.

Earlier, American Shane Stewart mounted a forgettable Classic defence, spectacularly rolling out of the B main — his second big dump in two nights.

Stewart, who had qualified for the B main from the C main, was brought undone when South Australian Luke Dillon slewed sideways in the back straight on the second lap.

Stewart had nowhere to go and smashed into Dillon, launching the US invader into the air.

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

The incident overshadowed a brilliant performance by South Australian Ryan Jones who took out the repecharge from American Jonathan Allard and Australian champion James McFadden, with threetime champion Max Dumesny sneaking into the A Main after finishing fourth. Six of the 16car field failed to finish the 20lap last-ditch race to qualify for the final, in-front of a crowd of nearly 10,000 people.

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

30/11/2010 13:14:21

THE JUICED UP 200 TIMARU, NZ

BARGS WINS FIRST NZV8 RACE

A

NZV8s

NGUS Fogg has re-taken the lead of the BNT NZV8s, after a drama-filled Round 4 at Timaru on the weekend.

Fogg won the ‘Juiced Up 200’ from John McIntyre and Aussie Jason Bargwanna, but only after surviving a huge pile-up in the final race. The carnage started when Craig Baird’s Falcon’s differential failed, dropping oil all over the road. The ensuing crash involved Kayne Scott, Fogg, Scott McLaughlin, David Hooper, Eddie Bell,

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Martin Short, Anyd Knight and Tim Edgell, and forced the race to be red-flagged.

Luckily for Fogg, he got going again, and finished eighth. Before that, he’d charged to victory ahead of Scott and Baird in the first race, and repeated the feat – with the same top three – in the second.

“We are really happy with that, even though luck played into our hands – not through hitting the wall but by fixing the car afterwards,” Fogg said.

“It’s all about finishing and collecting points, so it’s off to Manfeild – but first I’ve

got some serious damage to fix.”

McIntyre’s run to second for the round was quiet, with two fourths and a third in the three races, while victory in the crashaffected final gave Bargwanna the final round podium.

“This is very exciting picking up our first win in New Zealand, because we aimed to win some races and push the team towards the front,” he said.

“We are not quite there yet as far as winning a championship, but coming from the back to get that win is a good result.”

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GT3 CUP CHALLENGE AS far as motor racing faux pas go, Daniel Gaunt’s efforts at Timaru in the GT3 Cup Challenge is right up there.

At the start of the final race, Gaunt was involved in an incident that took out both his team-mate Craig Baird – who had won the first two races of the weekend and was seemingly cruising to the round win – and his Triple X Racing team boss Shane McKillen. Whoops!

The saving grace for Gaunt was that another TX Racing driver, Scott Harrison, was able to take the round win, after finishing second to Jonny Reid in the final. And, despite being disqualified from the race after initially finishing second, Gaunt still managed to retain his lead in the standings.

“You never want to see that sort of thing happen, especially when they’re your team-mates, but it was a case of three cars going in where there was only room for two,” said Gaunt.

Harrison certainly saw it as a positive, and was hardly able to believe he’d taken his first round win in the category.

“It was definitely a surprise when they told me I had won the round, “ he said.

“I was happy enough to finish second to Jonny after leading him for so long. But to get the round win as well?

It’s awesome – absolutely

www.mnews.com.au

HARRISON BENEFITS FROM GAUNT’S DRAMA

EVANS ABOVE THE REST TRS MITCH Evans has dominated the second round of the 2011 Toyota Racing Series, and as a result, has a commanding early lead in the points.

Evans set the tone in qualifying, taking pole by half a second. He then cruised to the win in Race 1, leading home Brit Alex Lynn and Aussie Scott Pye – the three race winners from the first round last weekend.

Race 2, the 20-lap Timaru Herald Trophy, was a similar story. The only difference was

that Nick Cassidy snuck ahead of Lynn and Pye, making it a Kiwi 1-2.

In the final race – a reverse-grid affair – Jamie McNee became the fourth winner of the new season, after the 17-year-old started at the front, and was still there when the Safety Car was deployed while officials tended to the crashed cars of Kiwi Damon Leitch and German Mario Farnbacher. The race finished under Safety Car, with McNee first, Russian Ivan Lukashevich second, and Evans third, maintaining his perfect podium record.

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MSC TASMAN REVIVAL HAMPTON DOWNS

Wet & Wild

The first leg of Formula 5000’s annual Chris Amon Tribute at Hampton Downs was washed out, but not before a couple of big moments in Saturday’s race, CHRIS LAMBDEN reports

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ERIES leader Ken Smith hung on to win the one and only race of the round in last weekend’s MSC NZ Tasman Revival at Hampton Downs, before the rest of the weekend’s events were washed out.

Smith headed the queue as a

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dramatic wet race ended under yellows, after Canadian Jay Esterer lost his McRae GM1 in a straight line and clouted the pit straight wall.

Dealing with a sticking throttle, Smith had almost gone off at Turn 1 himself, but just stayed on the road, dicing with UK driver Michael Dwyer

(Lola T400) until the latter broke traction and spun through a crazy 360 degrees on the start/ finish straight – amazingly hitting nothing and rejoining to finish second ahead of another Brit, Michael Lyons.

Accentuating the imports’ experience in the wet was Monaco-based Peter Dunn,

who brought his March 73A home fourth ahead of regular local contender Steve Ross (McRae GM1).

The next round of the series takes place this coming weekend, at the second of the Chris Amon Tribute NZ Festival of Motor Racing meetings, at Hampton Downs.

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Fast Company/Kia Kaha Media

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Fast Company/GroundSky Photography

In the only completed race of the weekend, it was on between Kenny Smith (#4) and Michael Dwyer (#54).

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SPEEDWAY CURRENT Australian Sprintcar champion James McFadden sounded an early warning to his rivals before this week’s 49th national championship, winning the annual King’s Challenge at Mount Gambier last Friday night.

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McFadden, who won last year’s Australian championship at Darwin, beat home USA star Craig Dollansky and Sydney’s Max Dumesny.

“It’s good to get the win, we’re overdue for it,” McFadden said.

“I just had to keep the pace up. I knew Max and Craig

would be there and just decided to really give it my best tonight.”

McFadden finished third in the pole shootout and started the 30-lap feature from position two with Dollansky on pole. Dollansky won the start but was eventually hauled in by McFadden, who was never again headed.

Geoff Gracie

McFadden’s ideal warm-up

Dumesny was also looking forward to possible bagging another national Sprintcar championship at his home track after his strong second.

“The car was good,” he said.

“The Classic and the title are always good at Warrnambool and I’ll be hoping we go okay there again.”

– GEOFF ROUNDS

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Kapiris goes two from two DRAG RACING

Geoff Gracie

The President of Avalon SPEEDWAY STEPHEN Bell smashed a star-studded field to win the President’s Cup at Avalon last Wednesday night.

Bell, a part-time driver, beat home defending Classic champion, American professional Shane Stewart and a solid drive from Robbie Farr. Bell was superb in the handful of restarts during the 25-lap race and his rivals could not match his lightning speed of the turns.

“That’s one for the locals,” Bell said.

“I just thought if I could win

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the restarts I’d get the old girl home.”

Bell, who drives for Pakenham car owner Matt Eastham, said his part-time approach to racing suited his lifestyle and Eastham.

This season Bell expects to complete 12 to 14 meetings, his biggest with the team.

They’ve committed to this Wednesday’s Prelude to the Championships at Premier Speedway, the national title, also at Premier, next Friday and Saturday and the remaining handful of meetings at Avalon.

– GEOFF ROUNDS

THE True Blue Drag Racing Championships at Calder Park in Melbourne last weekend marked the first of a series of eighth-mile events for Top Doorslammer drivers.

The events have been organised by the racers themselves outside of the ANDRA Pro Series and take in both sanctioned and nonANDRA sanctioned strips.

Running with just one compulsory qualifying session it was NSW’s Deno Brijeski who qualified on top with a 4.07s pass, his Camaro nabbing the lead by just thousandths of a second from the NT’s Scott Maclean.

From there it was into an elimination round, with the four quickest winners to go through to the semi finals and then the two winners from that into the finals.

Brijeski had the solo in

the round and an improving 4.06s saw him as the quickest of the winners. He was followed by Peter Kapiris who knocked out Tony De Felice with a 4.08s, Maurice Fabietti eliminating Frank Mamone with a 4.11s and Sean Mifsud going 4.11s to beat Victor Bray.

Matt Abel, Peter Blake and and Ben Bray also took wins but their times would not see them move through. In the semi finals Kapiris defeated Mifsud 4.14s to 4.23s while tyre shake from Brijeski saw him lose to a 4.16s from Fabietti.

It was a close final as the Saratoga of Kapiris scored its second win at Calder in as many events, a 4.16s defeating a 4.24s from Fabietti’s Holden Trade Club Monaro.

The next event in the Eighth Mile Championship will be in Portland on February 5.

– LUKE NIEUWHOF

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FORMULA 1’s DARK SIDE

Odd Spot

This is what Formula 1 looks like under lights, in the rain. As part of Pirelli’s tyre testing, they sent Pedro de la Rosa out on a soaked track, in the middle of the night.

He reported that vision was okay, but the depth of the puddles was a little harder to judge.

SPEAKING OF THE DARK SIDE ...

LUKE West is leaving the dark side, to enjoy the green, juicy pastures of nextmedia.

West, who is best know for his work with Auto Action magazine, is taking www.mnews.com.au

over Mark Oastler’s gig as editor of Australian Muscle Car Magazine.

That means he’ll be under the same publishing umbrella as Motorsport eNews.

West is also part of the V8 Supercars on-track commentary team, and we here at eNews would like to welcome him to our very happy family at Chevron/nextmedia.

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