Motorsport News Issue 107 - 15-28 August 1997 by V8 Sleuth

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GRAND PRIX BACKtNG: Peter Brock’s Bathurst Vectra will carry sponsorship from the AGP Office, featuring an F1 car outline down the side of the car. V

NEW INSIDE Ford denies factory plan

Ford Australia has denied that it plans to develop a semi-works team through the Tickford group which would involve a second car for Glenn Seton - possibly to be driven by John Bowe. Full story P5.

Celebrate Seton

PETER Brock will con By CHRIS LAMBDEN test the AMP Bathurst 1000 on October 5 in a It confirms the story first British-based Vectra, broken by Motorsport News back in June that Brock with prime sponsor ship from the Qantas w ould contest the Super Australian Formula Tourer race. Brock will drive one of the One Grand Prix. The sensational deal, put British-based Triple Eight together in little more than Race Engineering Vauxhalls two weeks, was unveiled currently being campaigned yesterday (Wednesday) in in the British Touring Car Championship by ex-Fl Sydney.

driver Derek Warwick and touring car champ John Cleland. Although Brock’s co-driver has not yet been officially

over the running of two Bathurst races, it is no secret that Brock has for some time wanted to take part in both events in his

confirmed, Motorsport News sources indicate that it Warwick who will share the car with the nine-times Bathurst winner. Regardless of the polarised battle between the V8 and Super Tourer gi'oups

retirement yeai-. That he now has his wish, seemingly with the support of his key V8 supporters Mobil and Holden, is a coup for the Bathurst 1000 Event Management group. Continued Page 3

Glenn Seton took out the Shell ATCC at Oran Park in great style and now you can celebrate the Ford star’s success. In this issue we present an exclusive poster, and : don’t forget this is your last chance to win a ride in the champ’s Ford Credit Falcon.

Lowndes interview Craig Lowndes has jetted back to Australia for a week to test the HRT Commodore in preparation for Sandown and Bathurst. E And he took time out for a B chat- See Page 11 I

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15Angus! W/

AJ poised for Renault 2-<ar Bathurst assault By PHIL BRANAGAN RENAULT will be on the grid at Bathurst on October 5, as pre dicted by Motorsport News a month ago. The British Touring Car Championship-dominating WilliamsRenault Laguna team and local Graham Moore are joining forces in a two-car assault on the AMP Bathurst 1000. And, according to sources in the UK, Supercar driver Alan Jones will join up with his old GP team for the race. Almost the whole of the BTCCwinning Williams Touring Car Engineering 23 of them - will andve in Australia the week before the race, bringing two 1997 Lagunas and a mountain of equipment. Among the visitors will be team drivers, new British Champion-elect Alain Menu and Jason Plato. The Swiss/British pair will share a car while veteran Moore said he will drive with “an Australian driver”. '■ Moore did the deal in almost total secrecy after meeting the team at the BTCC round at Croft on June 29. "I went there and talked to all the teams," he said last week. "Some of the teams I knew already and some I didn't, and Williams was one of the latter. "This trip all came out of those meetings. They weren't coming rmtil this happened, no possible way." Moore also says he has commer cial sponsorship to back the team but will not be making any announce ments until he is ready. "It's not a huge deal but we are taking it very responsibly." He is also biding his time regar'ding the annormcement of the forndh

Consortium head Greg Eaton said: “It wouldn’t be Bathurst without Brockie and this deal clinched his participation in a competi tive car, while the AGP Corporation recognised the once-in-a-lifetime opportu nity of sponsoring his car at the crescendo of his retire ment festivities.” AGPC CEO Judith Griggs is thrilled with the deal: “Title sponsorship of a car competing in another event is something very different for this organisation, but this is an exceptional case.” The extent of the AMP Bathurst lOOO’s overseas TV reach was an important factor in,the GP’s sponsor ship decision: “We will gain extensive overseas exposure because the Seven'Network’s cover age will be beamed around the world, including China,” Ms Griggs said. Recently appointed GP Publicity Manager Mark Fogarty has been quick to hose down suggestions that the sponsorship aligns the organisation with one cate gory of motor sport in

Mark Noske and Jason Bargwanna have been confinned as the two HRT Young Lions who will drive the team car at Sandown and Batliurst. Steven White's omission from the line up owes as much to a back prob lem which has affected his abili ty to d’ive for extended time as anything else, while it is under stood that youngest of the four, Todd Kelly, may contest FoiTnula Holden next year from within the Young Lions struc ture. ■ Ex-HRT engineer Chris Dyer, who was head-hunted by TWR for its Arrows FI team at the beginning of this year, has been promoted from electronics to general engineer. Under the wing of guru John Barnard, we understand Dyer toU engineer Damon Hill's car- as of this week. ■ Pi’oduction car stalwart Peter Fitzgerald will join Greg Crick in the Alcair Commouore for the Tickford 500 and Primus 1000 Classic. Fitzy has contested Bathurst enduros of all sorts over the years, at various times running with factorj' Mitsubishi and BMW teams in the 1000 and Mazda in the 12 Hour Production race.

BOUND FOR BATHURST: Alan Jones, Alain Menu (top) and Jason Plato. driver, who his press statement referred to as 'The lead driver of the Aussie Car'. "I've been knocked over," he said. "I've had eight different opinions (as to who it would be) in 24 hours. 'We (WTCE team manager Didier Debae and Moore) will make the decision; we want someone \Yifh experience who will do the job prop erly. But there is no-one there at this time."

Jones would only say "no com ment" when asked on Tuesday, but the Super Touring paddocks at Winton and Snetterton were alive last weekend with the news that the deal was done. Last week at Oran Park, Jones confirmed that he was looking at dri ving in the 2-litre Bathurst race. "At the end of the day, I race cars," he said, "and it doesn't matter whatj| badge is on the car.

"I said two years ago that there's no room for the two categories in Australia, but I am not backing either one. "I just like driving cars - unfoi-tunately! - so if someone offers me a competitive car I'll look at it." Moore is not certain whether there is a possibihty of the cars staying in Australia after the race. "This is big enough," he said. "One thing at a time."

New tyre and Brock for Bathurst brake rules for

Continued from Page 1

Young Lions confirmed

Australia and risks a backthat I put on the best perlash from, particularly, the formance possible for all the fans who will be making V8 group: “The GP/organisation is their annual pilgrimage to Mount Panorama with the totally apolitical,” he said. “The opportunity is a simple hope that I can win one last marketing one for the GP time, “I would also like to and an important factor was our ability to get the whole acknowledge the support of car. / my personal sponsors Mobil “The value to us, in terms and Holden, who have of national and internationaccepted my decision in the al exposure for the GP, far face of some heavy presoutweighs the value we sure.” Mobil’s Ken O’Brien con could get from pure adver tising.” firmed his company’s view: ' It is also expected that “V8 racing is our prime the GP will involve Brock in focus in Australia,” he said additional marketing for on Tuesday, “and yes, we’d next March’s GP. Although have preferred he didn’t do Fogarty says that nothing is the race. But we said that it yet agreed, there is some was his decision and, given suggestion that Brock may ■ that he’s decided to do the take on a Grand Marshallrace, he does so with our style role at the GP. blessing.” Brock himself - who has The Vectra is, of course. sought a peace-making role the competition version of between the Super Tourer GM’s Opel (Germany) and and V8 factions - is thrilled Vauxhall (UK) car, sold in with the outcome: Australia as the Holden “It’s a fantastic associaVectra. tion all round,” he said. As Motorsport News “bringing together every eleclosed for press, the GP ment you need to have a Office was approaching crack at winning Bathurst. Holden with a view to offer“It means a lot to me ing the company - one of its because, as I head for retireprime GP sponsors - sigment, it’s very important nage on the car.

V8 Bathurst

TEGA has confirmed plans for a compulsory brake pad change in both the Tickford 500 and Primus 1000 races. At Bathurst, teams will have a window, from lap 48 to 112 in the 161-lap race, in which to make a front pad change. Interestingly, in order to avoid potential smartarse interpretation, TEGA has insisted that the pads be changed on the “working” calipers, and that “dummy addi tional calipers” fitted (presumably of the quick-change type) will not be considered as “working” calipers! The total replacement of caliper/pad assem blies via a quick-release brake coupling is also banned. The tyre regulations have also been finalised, although these are like ly to derive a reaction from some teams.

In addition to 20 new, identical (although the TEGA reg states “identi cally similar”!) tyres, teams will be allowed eight previously marked (SATCC) tyres for prac tice. However, as most of the tyre companies will be producing a revised spec (since the SATCC) for their contracted teams for the race, some modification to that regidation might be expected In order to ensure that each team does use 20 identical tyres, the Technical Commissioner (read scrutineer) retains the right to select the four tyres from each car’s 20 for use in the Top Ten Shootout (which will also be used for the start of the race). To allow for flat-spotting, etc, one damaged tyre per day may be replaced. - CHRIS LAMBDEN

■ Channel 10 has confirmed 15 hours of live coverage of the Primus 1000 Classic weekend. Saturday's broadcast will mn from 12 noon to 5pm (including the GTP Three Hour Race) while Sunday's race day broadcast will run from 7 am to 5pm. ■ Tickford has formally con firmed its continued sponsorship of the Sandown 500. TRe Tickford 500 will take place as scheduled on September 14, with live coverage on Channel 10. ■ Following his impressive giant-killing efforts in the Shell series, John Faxdkner's Betta Electrical Fisher & Paykel squad now joins the list of Holdenassisted teams. Said Faulkner as he smweyed his damaged car at Bathurst last week: "At least I'll now get free headlights -1 seem to get through a few of them ..." ■ Pit gossip at Oran Park sug gested that former touring car team owner Bob Forbes (exTECJA Chairman and cuiTent AMSC member) might be taking another look at V8 Supercars ... ■ In a bid to cure the persis tent understeer problems which have dogged the team this year, we hear that DJR's all-new Shell Helix Falcon, set to debut at Sandown next month, wiU be built with a number of subtle design changes to the front end. ■ HRT, Larry Perkins and Glenn Seton all have new shells nearing completion, although Seton intends to race his cuirent car at Sandown and Bathurst with the new shell destined for a 1998 debut. LP wall, of course, ran the new car at Sandown after his team's Oran/Bathuxst crashes. HRT's new car- is des tined to replace the car crashed at Phillip Island earlier in the year and will be driven by Murphy and Lowndes.

15August mi ■ Honda is sneaking back into Formula 1 soon er than most people think - with an engine built by Honda’s Research & Development department likely to begin testing within months. This will remain hadged as a Mugen Honda but will be a Honda unit looked after by Mugen engineers. ■ Olivier Panis hopes to make his return to the Prost FI team at the Italian GP next month. Panis is still at a reha bilitation centre in France but is now walk ing unaided. The Prost team has sent his chassis to the centre and he is now working with the pedals to build up his leg strength. ■ The lightweight chassis used by Michael Schumacher in qualifying for the Hungarian GP in Budapest is the fii’st one to be built in Italy in recent years and is a trial run for the composite department at Maranello, which will be building all ●l;he cars for next year. Recent Ferrari chassis were built at John Barnard’s Ferrari Design and Development facility in the UK. ■ The Formula 1 Paddock Club, where teams entertain their VIP guests, has started its own merchandising oper ation. Rather than buy ing goods with team logos, the guests can now purchase goods to show that they have been into the exclusive - and very expensive - Paddock Club, which is run by Paddy McNally’s Allsport management company. BThe new Concorde Agreement being dis cussed with team princi pals could include new qualifying regulations, resuming Fi-iday qualify ing sessions but with the grid decided on aggi-egate times. This would force all drivers to take part in the Saturday session even if it was wet - the problem with the previ ous system. It is also expected to limit the number of races to 16 with an occasional 17th race - for the next few years. ■ The boom in Grand Prix racing in Germany continues with the news that Hockenheim will continue to host the German Grand Prix until the year 2001. The news comes a couple of months after a similar deal was put in place for the Nurburgring to host the Luxembourg Grand Prix. ■ There are now 16 Grands Prix with long term contracts - not including Portugal which means that the only way FI is going to get any new races is by adding to the calendar rather than switching venues. - JOE SAWARD

Ellery joins Hossack in Gibson Commodore GIBSON Motorsport will a enter single Commodore for Sandown and Bathurst, in Wynns livery, for Darren Hossack and Steve Ellery. After a successful meet ing at Oran Park, where his team ran the exSkaife car for the Wynns team, Fred Gibson has told Motorsport News

that the relationship will continue through the endurance races and probably into next year. “Darren did a very good job at Oran Park,” Gibson said this week. “We didn’t realise until we got there that he hadn’t raced at Oran Park before! “The same applied at Bathurst on Tuesday,

where he got into the 17s easily and will go quicker when we go back.” Steve Ellery, at a loose end since the split with the Longhurst team at Symmons Plains, will share the car with Hossack, once contractu al obligations have been finalised - including the fall-out from the Konica/ Longhurst split.

The Gibson team will test at Phillip Island next Monday, hopefully allowiijg Ellery his first laps in the Commodore. “Steve is the ideal young bloke to have in there with Darren,” Gibson said. “He has the experience and has run Bathurst successfully before.” - CHRIS LAMBDEN

Hill considers future By JOE SAWARD

DAMON Hill’s remarkable perfor mance at the Hungarian Grand Prix is likely to boost his chances of landing a top FI drive next year. Hill is hoping that a drive may become available with McLaren but has not ruled out the possibility of staying on with Arrows for another season particularly given the performance of the Arrows-Yamaha-Bridgestone pack age in Budapest. One thing is certain; Hill will not be going to Sauber. He spent eight hours at the team’s Hinwil factory in the break between the German and Hungarian Grands’Prix, having been in negotiations with the Swiss team since the Spanish GP in May. Sauber was willing to pay Damon a rumoured $5m but insisted on a quick response to the offer. When Damon said he was unable to give them an answer the offer was withdrawn as Peter Sauber felt that Hill was not very enthusiastic. Some in the FI paddock believe that Hill was unable to accept the Sauber deal because he has some form of option with McLaren, meaning he is unable to make a move until the end of September. But the word in the paddock in Budapest was that McLaren is most likely to keep its current driver line-up, although both Mika Hakkinen and

...as Tom ponders engines

THE amazing perforThere are also sugmance of the Arrowsgestions that Brian Hart Yamaha team at the may be involved in the Hungarian Grand Prix project, using the new has confused still furV10 engine which Brian ther the situation has been designing in regarding the team’s recent months, engines for next season .Walkinshaw is cer- but it may help Tom tainly not short of good Walkinshaw convince-' engine men at TWR, Damon Hill stay at including Cosworth’s Arrows. long-time Ft engine There continue to be designer Geoff Goddard all manner of smokeand talented young screen rumours linking Frencfy engineer TWR with Mecachromes Vincent Gaillardot from and Fords but it seems Renault Sport, more likely that either The fact remains that Tom wiji build his own building engines is a V10 engines - using costly and lengthy pro money from Yamaha or ject and thus a deal from his own personal involving Brian Hart fortune to pay for the would be much more project. logical to cut corners.

If Tom can find someone to pay for the project - and Yamaha would be the obvious choice - it would enable Arrows technical direc tor John Barnard to lay down what he wants from an engine. If Walkinshaw and Hart do get together, the , Minardi team is going to be looking for a new engine supplier for next year and the only logical supplier would be Cosworth. There continue to be rumours suggesting that Minardi will, in fact, be taken over by the new | British . Amieri-can Tobacco-sponsored ; superteam.

David Coulthard are believed to be on of his existing contract and could be kicked out of the team if he reveals anyJordan’s shopping list. Hakkinen is under option to McLaren thing about negotiations. and there were suggestions that Hill’s other option would appear to be Coulthard also has some kind of Prost, but Alain is believed to be planning to run Olivier Panis and Jarno arrangement in place. David refuses to discuss his future Trulli, while Jordan is not really showbecause he says he would be in breach v; ing any interest in Hill.

Brundle tries a Benetton FRUSTRATED Grand Prix racer Martin Brundle - who has had to be content with TV commentary since he was dropped by Jordan at the end of last season - was given an unexpected chance to test for Benetton at Silverstone two weeks ago (photo left). The chance came about all three because Benetton drivers (Jean Alesi, Gerhard Berger and Alexander Wurz) were busy doing other things. Brundle completed 40 laps of Silverstone, shak ing down the cars to be used in Hungary last weekend. The 38-year-old still harbours dreams of returning to the FI cock-

pit to continue his 158race career, which dates back to 198'i. In that period he drove for Tyrrell, Williams, Brabham, Benetton, Ligier, McLaren and Jordan but never man aged to win a race. A close friend of Tom Walkinshaw, he tided an Arrows-Yamaha A18 back in March at Silyerstone but was dis appointed to be passed over after Olivier Panis’s accident left a vacancy with Prost. He was offered a Sauber drive at the British GP, standing in for the injured Gianni Morbidelli, but turned it down as there was no time for him to test before the event. - JOE SAWARD

Faulkner gets a Win JOHN Faulkner wUl have Win Percy co-drive with him in the Sandown and Bathurst enduros. “Everyone is going for youth these days,” said Faulkner. “But we’re looking at leaping into the big time and it’s hard to find a race winning driver who is avail able.” Percy, who will be 54 by Bathurst time, has kept in form by racing in the boom ing British GT series this year. He raced at Bathurst for the first time in 1985 with TWR’s Jaguar team and irom 1987-’95 with HRT and Wayne Gardner Racing. “It’s a perfect fit,” said Faulkner. “He will test before Sandown and go home between the races. But he is the right size, he has won the race and he has raced an HRT Commodore, like mine. “We’ll be in good shape for the race,” -PHILBRANAGAN

Walsh injured

BEN Walsh missed the lat est round of the Malaysian Formula Campus champi onships because of a motorcycle accident. The Sydney driver was ri d ing -home from the Shah Alam circuit on the Tuesday before the race when he was knocked off into a gutter by a hit/run driver. Despite having no broken bones, he suffered serious lacerations (he has no skin at all on his left hand) and was put on painkillers by local doctors.

VALE: McStiarie THE Motorsport commu nity was shocked and sad dened last week by the sudden death 'Of Gregg McShane. The racing driver and commentator started competing on motorcycles during the 1980s and more recently turned his hand to Sports Sedan competition in a Ford Falcon hardtop, in which he finished on the podium in his last race at Wakefield Park recently. He was one of the few men to compete at Bathurst on both two and four wheels. Gregg was also widely known as the lead com on mentator SBS Television’s ‘Speedweek’ program on which his enthusiasm for all things motor racing was clear for all to see and hear. Apart from racing and media commitments he also instructed in Ian Luffs advanced driving classes. To Gregg’s family, and many friends in and out side the sport, we pass oui' condolences.

15August 199/ n Dunlop has won back the Formula Holden sup ply contract. The deal is for the next three years.

Ford denies factory team

FORD this week denied an intriguing rumour that it was planning its own HRTstyle factory V8 team. The rumour, from a i-easonably good source, suggested that Ford was to put together a “Superteam” backed by Ford Credit and Ford’s performance street car arm Tickford. Our man even suggested that, given his Tickford links (as a design consultant), John Bowe would join Glenn Seton to make a potent two-man driving force. Our query to Tickford’s Howard Marsden was politely referred on to Ford Motorsport Manager Greg Harbutt, who flatly quashed the rumour: “No, it won’t happen,” he said. “Tickford has no marketing budget as such. It all comes from with in Ford and the reality is that the money isn’t there.” However, there are those within Ford who see such a development as the ideal response to HRT, whose direct association with Holden Special Vehicles has wrested away the performance street car front-running once held by Ford. “I wish they would!” was Glenn Seton’s response to the rumour. “We did do a little something this year (Seton’s car carried XR8 signage for two races) but they really have no budget.” “First I’ve heard of it,” said John Bowe when Motorsport News spoke with him at the weekend. - CHRIS LAMBDEN and PHIL BRANAGAN IF ONLY... Glenn Seton would welcome Tickford backing for a second car next year.

n Suzuki representstives confii-med in Rio that Anthony Gobert would be joined by Noriyuki Haga on RGV500 GP bikes next season. Not that we had to wait for that: Motorsport News broke the news last issue...

team would make it with some back ing from Nissan Australia. Volvo confirmed its final driver (Cam McLean)at Winton. Phoenix Motorsport is talking to ‘experienced Bathurst drivers’ to partner Mark Adderton. Look for someone young, with Super Tourer and Bathurst experi ence, as well as a possible second car from Steve Millen in California. There was talk of a Spa 24 Hourspec Honda Accord heading here for Neil Crompton ,and Gabriele Tarquini. Forget it: the car has a race in Belgium that day, Cromley is not driving in the race and every other Honda (except Garry Rogers’?)is accounted for. Also coming from Europe will be a Peugeot 406 for BTCC regular Tim Harvey, who will be joined by former FI driver Julian Bailey. A second car - with Peugeot driver Patrick Watts on stand-by-is pending. Team Petronas looks dicey. Team manager David Wong has not lodged entries and may be look ing at hooking up with a local effort that niay be a better shot than his Ford Mondeos.

n There’s a new inter net website, concentrating on the efforts of Aussies racing overseas. Four dri vers are featured: Craig Lowndes, Mark Webber, Stephen White and Jason Bright. Surf to www.tgl.com.au/hotopenwheel

(Photo: Klynsmith)

In t^e meantime, Mike Briggs, who drove'for the team at Calder, is shop ping for a ride. -PHIL BRANAGAN

AMP Bathurst 1000 Likely Entries

Orix Audi A4 quattro Brad Jones/Frank Biela (D) Cameron McConville/J-F Flemroulle (Bel) Orix Audi A4 quattro BMW/Diet Coke BMW 320i Paul Morris/Craig Baird (NZ) Geoff Brabham/D Brabham (UK) or S Soper(UK) BMW/Diet Coke BMW 320i Steve Soper (UK)/P Kox (N) or R Ravaglia (I) BMW Motorsport BMW 320i Jason Richards (NZ)/Brett Riley (NZ) BMW NZ BMW 320i Hartong Motorsports BMW 318i Darren Law (USA)/TBA Volvo Aust Volvo 850 Jim Richards/Rickard Rydell (Swe) Volvo Aust Volvo 850 Jan Nielssen (Swe)/Cameron McLean Nissan Primera Steven Richards/TBA I Nissan Primera Anthony Reid (GB)/David Leslie (GB) Mark Adderton/TBN Phoenix Toyota Camry Steve Millen (USA)/TBN BobTweedie/TBN Justin Matthews/Paul Nelson/Bob Flolden Paul Pickett/Jim Cornish David Aunger/TBN N, TBN/TBN Tony Newman (NZ)/Dwayne Bewiey (NZ) Peter Brock/Derek Wanwick (GB) John Cleland (GB)/James Kaye(GB) Alan Jones/Graham Moore/TBN Alain Menu (CH)/Jason Plato Peter Hills/TBN Julian Bailey (GB)/Tim Harvey (GB) TBN/TBN

THE 1998 Shell series will, for the fii’st time, visit the Northern Territory, with the ninth round of the series scheduled for Darwin’s Hidden Valley Raceway in July. This comes at the expense of Sydney’s Eastern Creek, the ARDC-run venue having been dropped fi'om the calen dar, which was officially announced at Oran Park by Shell Motorsport Manager Ross Brodie. The move, exclusively revealed by Motorsport News (July 4), does little to reduce the friction between V8 group AVESCO and the ARDC, co-' promoters of the Super

However, Motorsport News understands that any change will prove problematical for series broadcaster Channel 10, so a change is unlikely. However, the dates do remain “subject to all con tractual araangements being finalised.” The calendar reads: Sandown February 1 February 8 Symmons Plains Lakeside March 29 April 19 May 3 May 24 May 31 June 21

Phillip Island Winton Mallala Wanneroo Calder Park

July 19 August 2

Hidden Valley Oran Park

AUDI’S Brad Jones became the third driver to be excluded from a BOC Gases Super Touring round this season at Winton last weekend after an incident in race one. Jones was ranning second, right behind leader Geoff Brabham, on the final lap of the race when he tried to out-brake the BMW at the Motorsport News Esses. The Audi hit the BMW in the right rear corner and both cars flew off the track. Jones crossed the line in third place while Brabham finished eighth. Jones was excluded from the race by the series stew ard for “failing to exercise

; n Ford Motorsport’s j media-driven GT-P Falcon i is proving to be quite a car. After Michael Stahl drove it at Amaroo Park Paul Cover took two class wins at Winton last week end. n Jeff Gordon scored his first Winston Cup road com'se win last weekend. The series leader locked up the Watkins Glen race ahead of defending race \vinner Geoff Bodine and Rusty Wallace. Full report next issue.

Toyota Camry BMW318i? Faber-Castell BMW318I

n Marty Craggill and Steve Martin shared the wins in the Lakeside round of the Shell Advance ARRC at Lakeside. The Kawasaki rider has closed the gap on series leader Troy Bayliss, who crashed in the first race and nursed his bike to ninth in the second.

Hve Hyundai Lantra Rshing Magazine Alfa Romeo 155 Fastway Couriers Peugeot 405 Fastway Couriers.Peugeot 405 Qantas AGP Vectra TBN Vauxhail Vectra Williams-Renault Laguna Williams-Renault Laguna Knight Racing Ford Mondeo Peugeot 406 Peugeot 406

Darwin SATCC is go Jones, Brabham clash Tourer AMP Bathurst 1000 and the rival AMSCAR priva teer V8 series. While AVESCO points to Eastern Creek’^ inability to draw large crowds as a rea son for the exclusion, there is little doubt the inability of the two groups to “do busi ness” is at the core of the decision. Prior to the Oran Park announcement, promoters’ representatives said that the calendar had not been okayed by their gi’oup and would be subject to amendment. The main concern centres around the WA/SA double, which the MPA wants reversed.

i j

n Steve Cramp had another robbery last j week. Two months aftei’ | i $20,000 worth of tools : went missing from his I Adelaide workshop, all of j his data logging equipj ment- including a comj ' puter — was taken from his truck on the way home i from Oran Park. Cramp ^ would appreciate getting i the data back: it’s no good j to anyone else, because he ! has the only Magnetii Marelli system in the I country. Be good, guys: ring Steve on (0418)592 888 and return the data, no que.stions asked.

Bathurst 1000 field takes shape

WITH entries for the AMP Bathurst 1000 closing last Friday, the field is starting to look firm. The official entry list is not being released for at least two weeks. The big news is that Peter Brock will be shooting for his 10th Bathurst win, aided by co-driver Derek Warwick (see cover story). Last week Renault confirmed two entries, led by 1997 BTCC Champ Alain Menu, with Alan Jones the hot tip to be in the second car. BMW are firm on the Paul Morris/Craig Baird pairing while the Geoff and David Brabham teaming is likely. A third car is expected from BMW Germany: pen in Steve Soper, while Roberto Ravaglia and Peter Kox are still evens to share it. If the third car doesn’t ran, Soper will probably drive with Geoff Brabham. Another overseas BMW is the NATCC team of Hartong Motorsports. Darren Law drives Stateside and he may share with a local;' There may be more BMWs for locally-based drivers who are looking to lease a car: watch this space... Nissan’s involvement in the race was still up in the air at the time of going to press, although Garry Rogers was hoping that a two-car

the proper degree of care”. “There was a hole there,” said Jones. “I felt like he was playing until three laps to go when I had a real good go. “I felt I was beside him and he turned in like I wasn’t there, which is his right. I thought we would touch and go around the cor ner side by side but, unfortu nately, we didn’t.” “What can I say?” said Brabham. “I w'as brnding for t3mes and had rolled off a bit, but I thought I had things covered. “There’s no way anyone who was thinking would have been able to get through there.” - PHIL BRANAGAN

I n AGP Corporation ! Chairman Ron Walker i has renewed his calls to I have Formula 1 as an I Olympic sport. Mr Walker has revealed that he. International Olympic Committee member Kevan Gosper and FLA Vice President Bernie Ecclestone had lobbied to have a GP in Melbourne for the Olympic Games in 2000. !

n Ross Palmer Motorsport has settled its driver line-up for the Bathurst 3-Hour GT Production car race, which takes place the day before the Pidmus 1000 Classic. Garry Waldon will join John Bowe in the Poz Cola Ferrari 355 Challenge for the race on October 18.

15/\ususm3I n Mark Blundell’s form

in CART racing has attracted renewed interest in the British driver from Formula One teams. Frost and Sauber are both believed to have made approaches. n TOGA UK has con firmed a 26 race(up by two)calendar for its 1998 series. Oulton Park will have an extra fixture. The

Ferrari Menu seals BTCC title keeps Eddie By JOE SAWARD

provisional dates are: April 13 Donington April 26 Silverstone May 4 Thruxton May 17 Brands Hatch May 25 Oulton Park June 14 Donington June 28 Croft July 27 Snetterton August 2 Thaixton August 16 Knockhill August 31 Brands Hatch September 13 Oulton Park September 27 Silverstone n British TV network ITV has revealed that its live audience figure for the German GP was 3.4m - a drop of 2.2m over the 1996 race which was televised V

by the BBC. Chiefs blame the drop in the‘Damon Hill factor’ and a lack of success by other British drivers. n Talk suggests that Penske and PacWest, both Mercedes-engined CART teams, have enquired about getting Mercedes CLKGTRs for the 1998 GT Championship. The company displayed the first road-going version of the car at the recent German GP and motorsports boss Norbert Haug said that there was a lot of interest from customers to take on the factory AMG team next season. n Paul Radisich has admitted he is looking elsewhere for a Super Touring di'ive in 1998. The NZer, who has won two World Cup titles (in 1993 and ’94)is endming a long dry spell at his current BTCC team. Ford.

- QUENTIN SPURRING

PICK THE WINNER... Menu had a big week:a ONE at Knockhill, a win and a second at Snetterton and a Bathurst drive. AFTER all the years of being runner-up in the BTCC Alain Menu didn’t spend a lot of time cele brating last Sunday. The Swiss, who finished second in 1994, ’95 and ’96, finally made the break through in style at Snetterton, taking his 11th win of the year to celebrate his 34th birthday weekend in the best possible way. Immediately after, he slipped into his new role as tail-gunner, following team mate Jason Plato all the way to his first BTCC win in race two. “It’s marvellous,” said the new champion after the race. “I am sure Frank Williams will be very happy, and he’ll be even happier when we win the manufacturers’ title also. “To be honest I am sur prised how easy this year has been. I expected the com petition to be stronger. Honda has been the biggest disappointment and TWR Volvo always seem to finish third.” Menu’s Renault Laguna led the 17th round of the Auto Trader Championship from pole position to che quered flag, setting fastest lap on his way/to a two-sec ond victory^'over Honda’s James Thompson. Menu’s Snetterton win ironically his first at the

Norfolk track in a BTCC career spanning five years was the culmination of a dominant season for the Renault team, an offshoot of the Williams-Renault Grand Prix squad. Menu won the first four races of the year, at Donington and Silverstone, and followed up that superb start to the season with sin gle victories at Brands Hatch and again at Donington, as well as double tops at Oulton Park and Croft. Menu’s touring car career began with BMW in 1992 before his successful switch to Renault; he was BTCC runner-up for the French manufacturer in 1994, ’95 and ’96. Round 17 of the champi onship was settled at the first corner. Menu romping into an early lead from Nissan’s Anthony Reid and Thompson. Reid’s challenge was short-lived, clutch prob lems dropping him from the top 10 before the end of the first lap, and into retirement. Thompson chased the-Renault valiantly, reducing Menu’s advantage from two seconds to just a car’s length by mid-distance but, as the Honda man admitted, he “pushed too hard, too early, and couldn’t stay with Alain”. Outgoing champion Frank Biela collected third place for Audi after an inspired last-

lap attack on Plato, who held third, a further three-tenths on for fourth ahead of of a second behind. Thompson took fourth Rickard Rydell’s Volvo. Paul Radisich was sixth for Ford - ahead of Rydell and David his best result since the first Leslie’s Nissan. Neal put behind him the disappoint race of the year - with team ment of his first-race retire mate Will Hoy 10th to record Ford’s best team result of the ment to lead the Total Cup season. Early departures runners all the way. from the race included those THE previous weekend at of Honda’s Gabriele Tarquini Knocl^ill in Scotland Menu and Volvo’s Kelvin Burt, who had to make do with a third and an almost unthinkable collided on lap six while dis mechanical failure when a puting 13th position. for driveshaft broke in race two. Total Cup Not that he would have Independents victor was the reigning cup-holder, Lee won: the weekend was domi Brookes, whose Peugeot nated by the rejuvenated inherited top slot after Matt Audis of Frank Biela. The Neal’s Nissan succumbed outgoing Champ took the first win in front of his team with engine problems. Round 18 proved a thriller mate, while Bintcliffe took of a race, Plato out-gunning his first career victory by pole-sitter Menu from second tenths from the German in on the grid to lead into the the second race. While the Audis - aided by first corner, with the Hondas of Tarquini and Thompson in new exhausts - motored line astern. Menu trailed away to their l-2s the battle behind was intense. Menu Plato all the way to,the che quered flag, never mbre than had a brush with Thompson a cai-’s length behind at any which flattened a Honda tyre stage. Menu in turn had his and allowed the closely-fol mirrors full of Tarquini’s lowing Rydell to sneak his Honda for the duration of the Volvo past into third before race. the Swiss flew back past. In the second race racecraft Displaying beyond his 28 years, Plato Tarquini was the best of the never put a wheel wrong to rest behind the A4s (follow lead the new champion ing a battle with local Reid across the line by just 0.38s,' who had his Nissan bumped with Tarquini - whose last- off the track) with Burt, lap, last-ditch overtaking Plato and Cleland (in the attempt on Menu only just new 888 Vectra) taking failed - had to settle for sixth.

EDDIE Irvine’s option to continue for a third sea son with FeiTai’i has been taken up by the Italian team following a series of good results in recent weeks. There had been specula tion that Ferrari would sign Tyrrell’s Mika Sale and we believe that the Finn did agree an option with Ferrari. Irvine’s performances, however, have improved dra matically after a poor start to the year and as soon as he began to show better form it was logical for Ferrari team boss Jean Todt to re-sign the Ulsterman and maintain sta bility within the team as it challenges Williams for the Constructors’ World Cham pionship. Eddie is happy playing second fiddle to Michael Schumacher and has not made a fuss, despite the fact that the German gets more testing and all the very lat est development bits. Although Irvine can now -relax for 1998, his long-term future in Grand Prix racing remains uncertain. The Ferrari annoimcement is bad news for Salo. His three-year contract with Tyrrell runs out at the end of this season and although the Ockham team would like him to stay, it is probably the right moment for him to move on. The other obvious move would be to Sauber and it may be that Ferrari - which supplies the Swiss team with its Petronas engines - will ask that Salo be taken next year as consolation for Mika’s missing out on the drive this year. This would be a good solu tion for Todt as it would mean that Salo would remain within the Ferrari sphere of influence and could be drafted into one of the red cars in 1999.

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Seton, Murphy top test By CHRIS LAMBDEN

GLENN Seton and Greg Murphy shared the hon ours during the Top Ten V8 Shoot-out at Bathurst last week. The pair set equal 2:11.22 times on their single lap runs, to narrowly head Peter Brock (2:11.55), Dick Johnson (2:11.76) and Wayne Gardner (2:11.82) at the top of the time sheets. A minor controversy seemed set to erupt at one stage after an inter-team agreement to run previously raced tyres in the shoot-out wasn’t observed by HRT, who ran tyres freshly mounted for the following day’s Eastern Creek test. In the end, some confu sion over whether the agreement had been made in writing or not muddied the water and HRT was allowed to run on its fresher tyres, although the bulk of the field still observed the agreement. In that light, credit has to be given to Seton for his time, which delighted the newly-crowned champion: ''-■“We needed to test common Bridgestone’s front/rear combination here to be sure on our choice for the race,” he said, “and ! couldn’t be happier.” Less happy were Larry Perkins and John Faulkner, who both went home with damaged cars after separate shunts at the top of the Mountain. Perkins’ came just nine laps into the morning’s first session, bringing it to a close. It was LP’s first ever crash at the Mountain and came after he missed the change down to third as the Castrol car crested Skyline, hit fifth by mistake and “waited for the crash to come ...” The car went virtually straight on into the right hand tyre wall in the down hill esses. Such was the inipact that Brock stopped to see if Perkins was okay. He was, but the car sustained

Sponsor: it's the Primus 1000

TELECOMMUNICATIONS service provider Primus will sponsor the V8 Bathurst long-dis tance race for the next four years. The company was named as the event sponsor at the pre-event test day last week. “We’ve been looking for a major Australian event to put our name to for some nine months,” Primus Marketing GM Graeme O’Shannessy said, “and when this came along, fairly recently, it fitted perfectly. “We wanted something our major opposi¬

BETTER AUGUST THAN OCTOBER... Perkins’ crunched Castro! Commodore is brought back to the pits. serious front end damage. With Ingall’s car out of action after its Oran Park shunt, the team’s tyre test programme came to a sudden halt - but not before Perkins had topped the Session 1 times with a 2:12.70, reput edly on full tanks. John Faulkner’s shunt came during the Top Ten. “We put more rear wing on for the quick lap, but not enough,” he said after the Betta Electrical Comm odore got into a “tank-slapper” out of Reid Park, slewed along the grass into McPhillamy and eventually hit the wall. Faulkner’s demise left the remaining top ten times to Steve Johnson (2:12.21), Tony Longhurst (2:12.43), Steven Rich'ards (2:13.86) and MarV Noske in the Lions Holden 'Young Commodore (2:14.84).

AVESCO has 42 entries

K1 CAR... Bruce Williams’ Simoco Commodore. AVESCO is currently holding 42 entries for the Primus 1000 Classic. There are no major sur prises in the list, with all the major team line-ups already confirmed. Allowing for a couple of withdrawals, a 40-car field is likely for the Classic. Thirteen Level 1 entries and an estimated six Special Level 1 entries means that

the Control tyr e Privateer contest looks like having over 20 contenders. The news that Larry Perkins’ brief test of the Control K1 Dunlop rubber at Oi’an Park resulted in a time just a tenth slower than his own qualifying time minutes earlier (see race coverage) has come as good news to the privateer contingent. -CHRIS LAMBDEN

tion - Telstra and Cptus - weren’t in and something which typifies the dynamic and competitive nature of our business.” The deal, reportedly signed just the previ ous week, is for four years and is worth in excess of $1 million per year. Between now and Cctober, Primus is also committing $750,000 of its marketing budget to coincide with the lead-up to the Primus 1000 Classic (the ‘Australian’ has now been dropped).

AJ and Pruett deal close ALAN Jones is within days of confirming IndyCar star Scott Pruett as his Bathurst co-driver. Former Ford Trans-Am star Pruett had expressed the desire to do Australia’s big V8 race and will join Jones for the Primus 1000 Classic, with backing from Jupiters Casino. According to team man ager Ross Stone, the fi nal few details in the agree ment vvere being finalised as Motorsport News closed for press. Pruett will arrive in Australia the week before the October 19 Classic, in time for a full familiarisa tion session in AJ’s Komatsu Falcon at Lakeside before tackling the Mountain.

The IndyCar star is unavailable for the Tickford 500 weekend, though, and the team is close to finalis ing a stand-in for the Sandown race. Team manager Ross Stone has hinted that it may be the opportunity for the team to give a young driver a go. In the meantime, Andrew Miedecke has been con firmed as Mark Larkham’s co-driver in the sister Mitre 10 Falcon. The seasoned (touring car and forme^ open wheeler driver has con tested 11 Bathurst races (including last year in the second Jones Pack Leader Falcon) and, most recent ly, won the 1994 Targa Tasmania. -CHRJS LAMBDEN

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15August 1997

Alex takes it by the throat

IF Alex Zanardi is heading to FI in ’98 he looks like doing it as reigning CART champion. The Italian took his fourth win of the season in fine fash ion last week at Mid-Ohio, piloting his Ganassi Racing Reynard-Honda to a narrow by emphatic win over Greg Moore. Better still for Zanardi, series rival Paul Tracy went out of the race after a lap one incident and left middle America facing a 27 point deficit with just four races to goIn a race that came down to fuel strategy, Zanardi had both fuel and power when it counted, holding off Moore and Bobby Rahal for the win. “I knew that Greg and his team took a different deci sion,” said Zanardi. “We pushed very, very hard in order to open a gap big enough to pit and come back on the lead.” Moore refused to let his championship aspiration wither on the vine despite a ' streak of three consecutive DNFs, finishing second in his Mercedes-powered Player’s Reynard. “I had to conseiwe fuel dra matically there at the end,” he admitted ‘From about lap 65 on, I was backing off going

into Turn One, backin’ off going up into the keyhole, backin’ off down the back straightaway and short-shift ing everywhere that I could. “If we didn’t have that yel low (near the end of the race), I don’t think that we’d have been able to make it.” Making his first visit to the podium this season, a very popular Bobby Rahal over came a stalled engine in the pits to bring his Ford-powered Miller Lite Reynard home third. “We must look like geniuses now,” sheepishly grinned Rahal, “Yesterday, obviously, I was concerned. “We were only able to improve about a tenth of a second, even when I felt the car was better. “Then I noticed the times that de Ferran was doing on the soft tyres in their qualify ing session, and he wasn’t that much quicker than I was.” Rahal’s team-mate, pole qualifier Biyan Herta carried the Team Rahal banner at the beginning of the race starting from the pole and leading the first 18 laps before a shredded tire ended his day. While Herta was disap pointed, Rahal doesn’t feel he needs to console his younger team-mate. “I think he’s a big boy,” Rahal said. “If anything,

when you have a race like this where you start On the pole and you lead, it confirms even more in your mind that you have the ability to do it.” With the win, Zanardi extends his PPG Cup Points lead over Paul Tracy to 27 points, 148 to 121. Tracy’s day ended nearly as fast as it began. Qualifying poorly - both Penkes were out-qualified by rookie Michel Jourdain Jr - he got caught up in an early-race melee trig gered when Michael Andretti was tapped and spun. While Andretti continued to finish eighth, he slips to fifth in the points at 108. Gil de Ferran remains in third with 116 on the basis of his sixth-place finish after recovering from a spin leaving the pits. Moore moves into fourth with 111. As has been the case many times this season, parity in both engines and tires was evident on the podium. While Zanardi and Moore sported Firestones, Rahal lead the Goodyear charge. Meanwhile, the winners represented a Honda, a Mercedes-Benz/Ilmor and a Ford/Cosworth respectively.

Points after 13 rounds: Zanardi 148, Tracy 121, de Ferran 116, Moore 111, Andretti 108,Pruett 86, Vasser 85, Gugelmin 78.

FLIPPIN’ ALL.. Unser rode over the top of Blundell (below), compounding Roger Penske’s miserable weekend. Poleman Herta (right) led early in the race before blowing a tyre.

New engine rules

NEW CART engine rules have been agreed to by Honda, Mercedes-Benz and Ford that wiU taJre effect for five years,starting in 2000. Engine capacity (currently 2.65 litres) will be reduced to 1.8 litres with boost increased from 40 inches to around 50-55 inches so that, over time, as horsepower restrictions become necessary, turbo boost can be brought down. cart’s current engine formula has been essentially unchanged since the organiza tion’s start in 19t9. Turbo boost has come down,from 80 inches in 1979 to 50 inches in 1980 and then to 45 inches. A further reduc tion to 40 inches was made last year for cart’s 500-mile races on high-banked superspeedways, and the 40 inch restriction has been in effect this year at all races. At 40 inches of boost pressure this year’s 2.65 litre turbo V8s from Honda, MercedesBenz and Ford produce about 850 BHP,and CART hopes to keep power outputs arormd the same with its new engine formula.

As it has in the past, the boost limit wfil serve as a way to restrain increases in power without instantly obsoleting engine stocks. The new formula is essentially what was proposed by Honda, Ford and MercedesBenz to IRL founder Tony George when he asked their opinions on the matter two years ago. They told him they were not interested in his stock-block-based, 4.0 liter normallyaspirated formula, preferring smaller ver sions of the turbo engines they were cur rently producing and will now build in the future. CART’S decision to continue down this road with Honda, Ford, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota, confirms both the engine manufac turers and cart’s commitment to its engine formula. The IRL’s new chassis and engine foimula is guaranteed imtil 1999, so 2000 wfil see CART and the IRL either come together or continue forever on then separate paths.

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MARK Webber has made a strong international debut, with third place in the Marlhoro Masters Formula Three event at Zandvoort in HoUand. The 20-year-old Australian put in a great performance in the race, moving from eighth spot on the starting grid to finish two sec onds behind local star Tom Coronel. Running on Bridgestone tyres for the first time (the British series runs on a control Avon tyre) Webber was second fastest in free practice behind British F3 series leader Jonny Kane. But he hit the wall during the first qualifying session after push ing too hard too early and, after repairs, qualified in 62.183s, 0.2s off poleman, French driver Nicolas Minassian. Worse, the Aussie had a second

FLAG FALL... Tom Coronel(with flag) was too good on home ground but Webber(in car 1)starred alongside the veteran. TO THE WINNEFIS, THE GOILS... Coronel won a sash and a garland. Webber(below) won a, er,...

brush with a wall during the Sunday warm-up. He made a good start in the 32 lap race, immediately passing two cars, and put another two cars behind him on the second lap.

But leader Coronel, who is a reg ular in the Japanese series in his TOMS Dallara and elected to miss the Sugo round to race at home, had plenty of experience on the Bridgestone tyres.

Tyrrell lands new support TYRRELL is expected to announce a big new sponsorship deal with a major Japanese company and is expected to annoxmce shortly that it has concluded a deal to run a second supply of Ford VIO engines in 1998. Ford’s head of automotive operations Jac Nasser was in Hungary and confirmed that Ford was willing to supply two teams if such a deal was acceptable to all

the teams involved. A deal involving Stewart and Tyrrell would almost certainly be accepted by all parties given their long ties. Nasser also confirmed that Ford is not interested in supporting a team which is backed by a tobacco com pany, which means that there is lio real chance of an involvement in the long term with British American Tobacco. The only other majpr

team not involved with a tobacco company whicK is looking for engines is Aitows, although there have been differences of opinion between Tom Walkinshaw and some of Ford’s top man agement in recent years. The identity of the new Japanese sponsor is not known but it is believed to be an enormous consumer company with worldwide sales. The team is playing its

Frenchman Sebastian Philippe was leading for much of the race in his Opel-powered Dallara ahead of the patient Coronel in second. On lap 26, having nursed his tyres, the Dutchman surged past. But a late-race safety car period was prompted by an accident which outed Kane and Portugal’s Andre Coute. With a lap to go the racing resumed and Coronel led the field home to the flag. Meanwhile Webber was right behind Philippe in third and led home Minassian, Brian Smith and Norman Simon of Germany. Nick Heidfeld, leader of the German series and, like Webber, a driver tipped to join MercedesBenz, was seventh, three seconds behind Webber after a skirmish with Smith.

and maybe Ford

cards very close to its chest about the deal, which will probably guarantee that the team’s test driver Toranosuke Takagi will- be one of the race drivers next year. X Jos Verstappen is under option to continue next year but the team is still unsure of Mika Salo’s situation. Salo is thought likely to be placed at Sauber by Ferrari, which will continue to be the Swiss team’s unof¬

ficial engine supplier next year. Salo had hoped to replace Eddie Irvine at Ferrari and Ferrari team boss Jean Todt may try to organise a deal with Sauber as a consolation prize. Salo is also imderstood to be talking to Jordan and is imderstood to have several million dollars of sponsor ship available from mobile telephone company Nokia. -JOESAWARD

Mr Bean Bad starts cost Crompton to race? NEIL Crompton moved up to third in the North American

MR Bean racing cars? It is a horrifying thought, but it could become reality. The horrible TV/film character’s alter-ego, comedian Rowan Atkinson, is a long-time motor rac ing fan and actually competed dur ing the 1980s. Now that he is raking in millions from the'Mr Bean movie, Atkinson is planning to have a long holiday and get back to the tracks. “I’d like to try motor racing,” said Atkinson on his recent promotional trip to Australia. “I haven’t done it since (the ‘80s) because employers don’t like you racing when you’re working and insurance companies get nervous.

Touring Car Championship at Mid-Ohio, but still lost ground in the series. The Aussie’s Labatts Honda Accord finished second and third in the two races, the race two result after a brilliant charge through the field after an lap one lose.

David Donohue and his Dodge Stratus took two poles, two wins and a stranglehold on the series but Honda drivers Crompton and American Peter Cunningham kept the pressure on. Donohue’s great starts made life easier, but a momentary bobble on the restart of race two nearly cost

him the race, as Cunningham tried but failed to nose under him. Crompton swept by Dominic Dobson’s Stratus in lap 11 in the first race, settling a second to third place battle which had raged from the start. In the second race, Dobson nudged the rear bumper of sec ond-placed Crompton, sliding him down the turn eight hill, spinning in the grass. By lap 10, he had moved to fourth, inadvertently helped by Dobson, who braked late for turn 7, locking up all four wheels and sliding off into the gravel trap, bringing out a full course caution. This set the field for a wild two lap sprint to the finish, Crompton

wresting third place from Granlund on the last corner of the

last lap. “The starts were not much help,” said Crompton after the races. “The car was better than the results indicated but we’ll just have to try and finish the season on a high note.” Donohue’s maximum points weekend stretched his

Championship lead over Cunningham to 20 points, (240 to 220) while Crompton moved one point ahead of Dobson into third (192 to 191). There are two rounds (four races) of the series left.

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*PRIMUS 1000 CLASSIC Oct 19 .. .Mt. Panorama, Bathurst

*BOC GASES AUST. SUPER TOURING CHAMPIONSHIP Aug 24 ...Mallala . Oct 26 .. .Lakeside Nov 9 ....Amaroo

Rd 6 ,Rd 7 Rd8

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AMP BATHURST 1000 Oct 5 ... .Mt. Panorama, Bathurst

♦CENTURY BATTERIES AUST. GTP C'SHIP Aug 24 . . .Mallala . Oct 26 . . .Lakeside Nov 9 . . . .Amaroo

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WINSTON CUP NASCAR SERIES Aug 17 . . .Michigan Rd 21 Rd 22 Aug 23 . . .Bristol Aug 31 . . .Darlington . . . .Rd 23 Sept 6 . . .Richmond . . . .Rd 24 Sept 14 . .New Hampshire .Rd 25 Sept 21 . .Dover Downs . .Rd 26 Sept 28 . .Martinsville . . . .Rd 27 32 race series held in the United States.

FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

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♦PPG CART WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Aug 17 . . .Road America .Rd 14 Aug 31 . . .Vancouver . . . .Rd 15 Sept 7 . . .Laguna Seca . .Rd 16 Rd 17 Sept 28 . .Fontana 17 race series held in the US, Aust. & Brazil.

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Aug 17 . . .Britain Rdll Aug 31 . . .Czech Repub. .Rd 12 Sept 14 . .Spanish Rd13 Rd 14 Sept 28 . .Indonesia Oct 12 . . .Australia Rd15 15 race series held around the world.

NHRA WINSTON DRAG RACING SERIES Aug 17 . . .Brainerd, MN . .Rd 16 Septi . . .US Nationals . .Rd 17 Sept 14 . .Reading, PA . .Rd 18 Sept 28 . .Topeka, KS . . .Rd 19 Oct 5 . . . .Dallas, TX Rd 20 23 race series held in the United Stales

♦WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP Aug 29 . . .1000 Lakes . . .Rd 10 Sep 19-21 Rally Indonesia Rd 11 Oct 11-15 .Rally San Remo .Rd 12 0ct30Ncfv3 Rally Australia Rd 13 14 rally series around the world

All event dates In this calendar were correct at the time of printing. Please consult any individual tracks and/or associations for date changes.

Series or events telecast on Network Ten are marked with an asterix. Check your local guides for screening details.

MICK Doohan got within a step of winning the 1997 World 500 Championship with his ninth win of the season in Brazil last week. The three-time Champion withheld a strong challenge from team-mate Tadyuki Okada on the Rio circuit to win by 0.7s after a close tussle. Doohan set the weekend off in fine fashion by taking his eighth straight pole position on Saturday, but held concerns regarding tyre selection for the race. The race started in the morning and Doohan was unsure right before the race how the track would be. “We don’t practice or qualify at 11 o’clock,” he said, “so we had no idea what tyres to run, and a 500s tyres are very sensitive to track temperature.” Even with these doubts Doohan made, uncharacter istically for him, a good start. He led away from Okada and Yamaha’s Luca Cadalora, and soon the two Repsol bikes surged away from the field. Early in the race Doohan was aware that he had problems. “After six laps I

Works Yamaha for Kirk

KIRK McCarthy is in for a boost with the news that he wiil ride a works Yamaha in the next races in the SOOcc Grand Prix season. The Victorian wiii take over the Red Bull Yamaha ride which was previousiy fiiled by Troy Corser. His first ride on the ’97 model YZR500 will be in this Sunday’s British Grand Prix at Bonington. McCarthy, 28, has ridden for the WCM team this year on a five-year-old ROC-chassied Yamaha and scored his best result of the year in Brazil last week? with a 12th place, splitting the works Suzukis of Anthony Gobert and Daryl Beattie. started having problems with the front pushing out,” he said later. “I had a few big front-end moments but I didn’t want to let Tady by.'The only way to get past anyone here is going in on the brakes and, with no front-end grip, I wasn’t confident I’d be able to get him back.” For the rest of the 24 lap race the two were locked together and, on the penul timate lap Okada pulled alongside on the main straight; but he was still unable to get a nose in

front.

In the end only a few bike lengths separated Doohan from the angry Okada. ‘T was just angry because Mick was faster, even

though my front tyre was working better than his,” said Okada. “But I’m happy - this result is very good for getting second in the cham pionship.” Third was Cadalora, who just manages to hold off the sole Aoki in the race, Noburu. Brother WANNA REVOLUTION? Doohan takes his ninth win. Taki fell of his V-twin in ond behind race-winner practice and was unable to ing unhurt, but unhappy. Of the other Aussies, Olivier Jacque (Chesterfield start. Right behind, in a return to form, was the Anthony Gobert (who quah- Elf Tech 3 Honda) GARRY McCoy finished an other Yamaha, Norifume fied eighth) finished in 10th uncharacteristic 13th in the Abe’s Rainey machine. place, two spots up on ninth 'Thereafter came the sur qualifier Daryl Beattie, who 125 GP. The Aussie strug prise, if not shock of the just managed to hold off gled throughout the race race: Jurgen Fuchs.'The 500 Kirk McCarthy, having his with an electrical problem, rookie performed relative last ride on WCM’s ROC which caused an intermit tent misfire. miracles aboard the Elf 500 Yamaha (see sidebar). to take the team’s best WORLD Champion Max “The motor kept splutter result of the season. Biaggi was fighting for third ing and dying,” said the Biggest disappointment of place in the 250 race with Australian. “It would do it the day was fellow Honda rider Tohru every lap, on a different cor Carlos Che- Ukawa when he ran off the ner or a different straight. track at the end of the back We don’t know what was up ca. He qual - the bike was fine in the ified third - straight. after a tum Biaggi managed to control warm-up session this momble in the his bucking bike through ing. Italian teenage phenom gravel - but the dirt and regain the Valentino Rossi took the tanked his track to finish fifth. MoviStar The result lost him the eighth win of the year on Honda V4 World Championship lead his works Aprilia, fighting again in the to Tetsuya Harada (April- ‘Nobby’ Ueda after a raeerace, emerg- ia), who finished a close sec- long confrontation.

Rutter raids WSC

JUST when you thought there were ‘ no new names on the world stage along came local hero Mike Rutter at the World Super bike Championship at Brands Hatch. Pierfrancesco Chili and Carl Fogarty shared the wins in front of the biggest win of the season - up to 75,000 - to turn up at to see the two races run in mixed condi tions. But Rutter took the flag in the restarted second race, even though ‘Foggy’ won on combihed times. After a red flag, which was prompted when mid-fielder Graham Ritchie fell on lap one, Briton Neil Hodgson got a/ good start with Kocinski and Chilli in close attendance, and Fogarty, Crafar and Russell running behind. FRANKIE a nd FOGGY... Chili (above) and On lap five Fogarty Fogarty took two Ducati IVSC wins in England. lost it exiting Druids, taking out the closely-following been no wet weather practice, 15 Simon Crafar (Kawasaki) who minutes wet practice was required before the race could continue. couldn’t avoid the Ducati. Chilli Foggy again took the lead and finally got past Hodgson and made Kocinski was in close attendance, it stick, then Scott Russell and sub then out of the blue Rutter hurtled sequently Kocinski did too. out of the pack and went past both After a lousy start Scot Niall of them and stayed in front for the McKenzie (on last year’s Yamaha) got past Kocinski to the cheers of rest of the race. Fogarty and Kocinski swapped the local crowd. With three laps to second and third until with two go Kocinski went back past but, on laps to go Fogarty finally decided to the last lap, McKenzie stuffed his ease off and stop taking risks. He Yamaha past the factory Honda. crossed the line half a second Fogarty was determined not to behind ‘Little John’ to take heat let his fans down in race two and two on elapsed time. was four seconds clear when, on lap 11, rain started to fall. The race Points: Kocinski 246, Fogarty 242, Slight 187, RusseU 150, Crafar 135, ChUi 134. was red-flagged and, as there had

praggiH takes title 1

CHAMP-EEN! Craggill celebrates after race two. (Photo by John Moms/Mpix) MARTY Craggill took out the 1997 Shell Australian Superbike Series with a second and a fifth at Oran Park. The Zurich-Kawasaki rider rode hard in the first race to shadow team-mate Damon Buckmaster to the flag but was well back in race two, stuck in a four-bike group which was blown away by the in-form Buckmaster. Luckiest man of the day was undoubtedly Craig Connell. The Queenslander had a huge

fall on the first lap of the first race, almost destroying his helmet on the track before hopping onto his spare bike to emerge second in race two. He was just clear of Troy Bayliss, riding well on his Ansett Suzuki despite his Mallala injuries, and Steve Martin’s Ducati. Also biting the road in the first race were Mobil-Honda’s Shawn Giles and Ducati priva teer Daniel Vanolini. Both emerged imhurt.

15August 199/

The man who dominated local touring car racing in 1996 is determined tofinish thejob he has started in Europe and not return as a cosy replacementfor Peter Brock, as he tells DAVID HASSALL:

CRAIG LOWNDES i I want another f crack at F3000’ Y

MOTORSPORT NEWS: more consistent, and a fast From here on the other side car - it's not the fastest car, of the world it looks like but we have got a car I can you’ve had a difficult first drive now. season. How would you I guess I lost a little faith in sum It up so far? myself and wondered whether CRAIG LOWNDES: I was capable of doing the Definitely difficult. Very hard. job. It doesn't look good for The question has been asked yourself or your sponsors. Up over there many times. till the half-way point (in the We've come from Australia and won everything and in Europe we're just qualifying. We've gone from one extreme to another. I think we have had a few problems within the team: no arguments necessarily, but about the way the car was set-up, the way we liked the season) it was very hard. Now I can focus on the car to be set-up. It wasn't necessarily the way I like to racing. I've jumped from quali drive a car. That caused fying 20th-23rd to 10th’. But confusion. the results in the races At the start of the year I haven't come. We learned from was trying to get the car to do something it wasn't capable of Hockenheim. We changed doing at the time and that the car for the race to try and resulted in a iot of accidents. get a better car - which is the Since (engineer) Alan ultimate sin - and we paid for (McCall) has come along that. At the A1-Ring last week we've got a car which is much we had a fantastic qualifying:

we were 10th, but we got mixed up in a first comer inci dent. That didn't help. But we have three races left and we're determined to make them count. MN: Have you got your con fidence back? LOWNDES: Yes, I have.

But, first time back in six months, it's fantastic. You've still got the warm relationship with the Holden Racing Team and they're as enthusiastic as ever. Murph hasn't changed. He's accepts that I've gone overseas and he's had the pressure of the media trying to make him a me. He's got over that and we still have the same strong relationship.

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1066 . » ASSIC

guess I lost a littlefaith in MN: Is it too comfortable myselfand wondered whether I coming BACK IN HARNESS: Craig gets back behind the wheel on an back?^ You're not HRT Commodore at last week’s Eastern Creek test, where he was tempted to corne back fuiiquickly on a competitive pace. was capable ofdoing thejob. time? (Photo by Ray Berghouse)

Coming back to Austraiia has helped. The Marko team is com pletely different to the Australian team. We don't do any publicity - or very little compared to Australia. Dr Marko gets a little bit angry if I do an interview or talk to someone (in the media) half an hour before a race. He sees that as an intermption: in Australia we just do that.

LOWNDES: I'd find it easy to come back. The way of life... when you come back to your friends, your family, your house and your car... it would be quite easy to come back. But it would be useless for me to come back next year. That would make this year a waste of time and all the knowledge I've gained, not only for me but the money that's been invested by the sponsors. It WOULD bp easy but, as I've said to everyone, it would be useless. MN: So you're determined to go and do another sea son of F3000? LOWNDES: I'd feel like I'd only done half a job. We haven't had the success that Tom (Walkinshaw), John (Crennan) and I would like for our sponsors, but we've gone over as an unknown to learn the circuits and dealing with a completely different way of life. That's meant I'll been working with the environment now, rather than fighting against it. 1 can't be a Craig Lowndes in this environment over there. I understand that now; I've learned the circuits and I need to do it again. I don't want to walk away from Europe with out giving it my best shot.

GOING FOR THE DOCTOR: Craig at Hockenheim three weeks ago with team boss Dr Helmut (Photo by Nigel Snowdon) Marko, theformer F]driver.

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MN: Do you think you still have what it takes to cut it over there?

LOWNDES: I had a fantas tic race at Enna where we qualified 15th and finished fourth. The car wasn't the quickest, although we set the fourth-quickest time in the race, but we were very con sistent. That was the first race where Alan was working with me. Our qualifying performance has improved although the racing is still no different to what it is here. Everyone wants to win on the first cor ner, even though the races are all 200 kilometres. If you have a consistent car and there's a few blow ups and crashes you'll be there at the end of the day.

MN: It sounds like you've had a difficult relationship with Dr Marko. LOWNDES: It's more to do with,the way they speak. The Germans speak good English but the way that they say things comes across as a little arrogant. You've really got to get used to it before you understand. They aren't being rude and arrogant at me, it's just the way they speak. You get used to it.

MN: The incidents you've been involved with. Are they other people's accidents or are you getting involved yourself? LOWNDES: At Pau, when MN: I believe some of the I knocked the front wing off, other teams are interested that was really my misjudge- in you. LOWNDES: I've been ment and at Hockenheim the incident was mine, though we speaking to a lot of teams to agreed to change the car (for - get a lot more information to the race). We had more find out how they run and how straightline speed and less their managers and engineers grip in the corners and, me have a relationship, I've been talking to a few being me, 1 tried carrying that speed over a kerb and spun teams who are keen for me to into a wall. run, but it's the same thing; The A1 -Ring I got caught they're very much keen on the up in a three- or four-car thing, money thing. Just in the wrong spot. But I'll put my hand up and MN:Yes,the money... LOWNDES: The hardest take the blame for a few things. The Marko team tries to Continued next page

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prepare you for Formula One. It strengthens you mentally and they're hard on you. He's looking for a perfect driver but he tries to build on your nega tive points and make them better. The Doctor also wants a quick car in qualifying whereas Alan and I have been building on set-up, con sistency and so on.

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15 August 1997

n Cal Lint, the manag er of Goodyear’s interna tional racing department since the start of 1993, is to leave FI after the Belgian Grand Prix. Cal is to become head of anew division taking charge of all Goodyear’s non-Fl rac ing tyre sales around the world n Ferrari has lost one of its most loyal supporters. Catholic priest Erio Belloi, the priest in Maranello who established the tradi tion of ringing the church bells whenever there was a Ferrari victory, was killed last week in a road accident in the town. n Jacky Eeckelaert, Peugeot Sport’s FI Project Co-ordinator, is being wooed by the Prost and Jordan teams to work for them next year. The Belgian is very unusual in FI in that he is involved in both chassis and motor engineering and has built up considerable experi ence ironing out the prob lems between the Jordan chassis and the Peugeot engine. n The Arrows technical team is believed to have decided to push ahead with an all-carbonfibre gearbox for next year, which will be the first of its kind in FI. John Barnard has long had the ambition to do such a unit but the current Ferrari is only partly composite.

Confusion over Muller and Arrows TOM Walkinshaw and Jorg Muller held a press conference in Budapest to clarify the contrac tual situation between them. Muller had been quoted in the German press saying that he had a contract to race in FI in 1998. However, Muller’s contract is not valid unless Walkinshaw takes up the option which expires at some point in September. The Arrows team is expected to stick with Pedro Diniz no matter

what happens with Damon Hill or Muller because the Brazilian is doing a good job and brings sponsorship of around $12m a year. If Muller does make it to FI he will become the fourth German driver alongside Michael and Half Schumacher and HeinzHarald Frentzen. It is an extraordinary coinci dence that aU fom- of the German drivers come from the same

Fisichella in contract query

BEFORE Eddie Jordan can decide on his drivers for next season the Irish team boss must work out the contractual situation between Giancarlo Fisichella and Benetton, announced Benetton recently that Fisichella would be joining next year but we believe that Flavio Briatore did not inform the FIA Contract Recognition Board that he would be tak ing up the option. This may mean that Fisichella - who appears to want to stay at Jordan could get out of the contract because the option has now lapsed. If that happens the Benetton-Fisichella contract could be declared, null and

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He has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with Bridgestone, winning an impor tant victory for the Japanese in th^Monaco F3 race of 1991.

toF1? opening with Mercedes. I'm LOWNDES; No. I was talk not sure what else is happen Continued from Page 11 ing, but I'm sure a lot of peo ing to Chris pyer) at TWR and we're getting a lot of infor thing is getting the money. ple are watching. mation and he said they have Everyone loves to see an John (Crennan)found it tough when we were on a high after Australian do well. Whether almost as much travel as a touring car. I had nothing like winning last season. With our it's Marker me... But he's lucky. He knows that at the start of the season performances this year I can and now I have that. I feel a the circuits and he's fitted in see it being a lot tougher. (Good results In) these last (to England) well. In the end, lot more comfortable like that. three (F3000) races and hopefully, we can both get MN: What about the rumour Sandown and Bathurst as where we want to get, into Formula One. that you're in line for the well will hopefully boost that. Arrows F1 test driver's A Formula 3000 is physi MN: So you may not be with cally a bigger car, with more spot? LOWNDES: I'd love to see Marko? power but, looking at a that. There is taik about that LOWNDES: It really (Formula) Three, the corner but, with the problems Tom comes down to who gives you ing speeds are identical. We has had up until now, it's hard. have more horsepower. the best deal. Looking and There might possibly be a reflecting on this year it would be better to base me on MN: In hindsight, was F3000 chance of sitting in a car at English soil so I can be more the right way to go or Silverstone if I was based in comfortable with communicat should you have done a England but to bring me season of F3? across from Graz brings ing and so on. LOWNDES: I think we did another problem into it. It would definitely have t6 We're stiil iooking at a test. be an English engineer - or the right thing. For me F3 someone who can speak was, not a backward step, but I wouldn't knock it back! Tom and I sat down for the I was going to a category Engiish - because I have had where I would have overdriv first time this year at problems with (Marko engi Hockenheim and had a quick neer) Rupert understanding en the car. When I tested with exactly what I am saying Tom's team the information discussion on how everything was going but we didn't get about the car. He speaks showed I was overdriving and English but his interpretation the poor little thing didn't have onto Formula One. In fact, he is sometimes a little hard. If I the horsepower to get out of was more interested in listen ing than talking. turn my explanation around the comer. He's very interested about The F3 category is good in so he can understand it sometimes he turns the that if Mark jumped into a trow we've going, so the inci dent at Hockenheim didn't meaning around as well. It F3000 he'd go well, straight help things. But he can see off. (Juan Pablo) Montoya, would be a big benefit to have who came straight to F3000 the light at the end of the tun an English-speaking engi from F3, actually says these nel. You always have dark neer. (F3000 cars) a little bit easier periods before daylight. to drive. We've got two more races MN: Have^ you been watch in front of FI so we'll see how ing Mark Webber's perfor MN: Did touring cars make we go. He is not putting me mances?- Do you feel in some ways competitive it harder for you to step into under any pressure. F3000? with him? LOWNDES: I think at the MN: Has driving an F3000 LOWNDES: No. I think upset your touring car dri Mark is doing exceptionally start of the year Rupert set the ving? well. We don't get a lot of TV car up for a traditional open LOWNDES: No, not at all. but, from what I read, he is wheeler driver. I like to feel At Eastern Creek last week the car move a little more and doing very well. He's looking we tested and Greg was run for some funds for the year he couldn't get used to that. Alan understands.that. ning on a schedule. When I and he's doing the same got in I knew there was a dif thing, struggling. ference but it didn't take long He's fortunate to be in an MN: Will that make it diffi English team and doors are cult, though, if you do go on to get back into it. n

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The 27-year-old has an impres sive record, including winning last year’s International Formula 3000 Championship with the RSM Marko team.

Muller had his fiirst taste of FI at the end of 1994 thanks to Tom Walkinshaw, who gave him runs in both a Benetton and a Ligier. He did his first tests with Arrows in September last year, testing the Bridgestone tyres. He was nominated as the offi cial Arrows test and reserve dri ver in December last year and has been doing regular tests all this season. - JOE SAWARD

Craig Lowndes

void, which would put Giancarlo back on the market. We believe that Fisichella went to Switzerland eifter the Hungarian GP in an effort to sort out the problems with the Recognition Board and there should be a decision before the Belgian GP. Jordan is understood to have only five names on its list of possible drivers: Ralf Schumacher and Fisichella, Mika Hakkinen, David Coulthard and Jean Alesi. We have, however, heard that Mika Salo is also talk ing to the team. The management of Tyrrell recently spent three hours at a restaurant in London trying to convince Mika to stay with them. - JOE SAWARD

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small area to the west of Cologne, Muller’s home town being Huckelhoven-Rathetm.

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15August 199/

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Chimpanzees,pasta and death by chocolate T here is a mathematical the ory which states that if you put an immortal chim panzee in front of a reliable typewriter, eventually Man's first cousin will randomly type the com plete works of William Shakespeare. On the way he may come up with a few Formula 1 exclusives for the Dally Mirror - but more likely will provide several hundred Hungarian menus before he gets down to the realty hard literary stuff. Hungarian menus are pretty difficult to understand. I was always taught that words needed at least one vowel and so I find the Hungarian language a little more difficult to swallow than the Hungarian food, which is realty very nice when you oan work out how to order it. And it is not just a question of making sense of the vowel-less words; you must then also make yourself heard over the inevitable gypsy bands. These are more than, a tradition in Hungary. They are an industry, employing almost as many people as the McLaren marketing department. The lead fiddler jn such an organisation (the gypsy band, not the McLaren marketing depart ment) always has a moustache like Groucho Marx and eyes like Harpo, begging the listener to dip his hand into his pocket and save a hundred poor orphan fiddle play ers who have grown up unhappy and poor. It is a sort of protection racket. If you pay them enough money they will go away and stop annoying you. There is no point in trying to catch them out because these are professionals.

The year Ukyowith Katayama wasother out to dinner one of my colleagues and when the band leader asked if there was any request he would like to make, he decided he would get rid of them by asking for a popular Japanese song. Twenty minutes later - and $30 lighter - Ukyo was forced to admit that there is probabiy no

help to prevent heart attacks as It contains tiny amounts of phe nol, which stops arteries the clogging up. I find this hard to believe as eating mas sive amounts of c h 0co i ate seems to pro duce a larger kind of person and these folk seem more prone to heart attacks and such. When you see the folk vying for the record to be the oldest people alive - following the death recently of the French lady who was born when Napoleon was still strutting about - they all seem remark ably thin. The article also revealed that the British' people eat more chocolate per C*\C)6C5lATe head than any other nation in Europe, munch ing their way through an aver age of 140 bars of chocoiate each year. This astoun ding statistic is apparently due to are too busy and too concentrated the fact that there is in chocolate for nocturnal adventures on a race some strange chemical with a weekend.' It is sad to have to report that very long name which causes the body to release exciting enzymes they are probably right because which speed up the heart rate lap times do not generally improve and increase the biood pressure. if the driver is knackered from This gives the chocoholic a burst bonking all night before the race. Maintaining peak fitness has of aphrodisiac sensation which later gives way to a sensation of become a very scientific business. Once upon a time team bosses well-being and a pleasant drowsi ness. were far too busy trying to find a way of saving weight on the cars or of squeezing more horsepower from their engines that they did not see the need to improve the performance of the driver. But as the margins tightened the team bosses began to ipok for every possible^way to improve the package - and “human engineering” became an issue. The article went on three to say out that of in They discovered that a little a recent survey four American women said they money spent on medical research actually prefer chocolate to sex. couid bring a bigger improvement Personally, I do not see what is in lap times than any amount of wrong with both at the same time expensive research into exotic materials or electronics. Suddenly “personal trainers” I don’t think that Hungarian appeared in the FI paddock, slapgirls have the same love of choco late. It seemed to me that they like ping the wrists of drivers who had lots of goose liver and a sizeable the urge to snack on sweeties or percentage give the impression of gloriously unhealthy bacon sandbeing rather keen on horizontal wiches. These earnest gurus were jogging. employed to devise training proIn the old days of motor racing grammes, regulate diets and help this would have made Hungary a to prepare drivers, both mentally very popular place indeed with the and physically, so they wouid perdrivers - but these days FI stars form to the absolute maximum. All this means that nowadays are clean-cut boys, most of whom

It struck me as absurd that Formula 1 is forced to be so paranoid and politicallycorrect about death while The Grim

Reaper is allowed to run riot in the Alps. song in the entire world which they do not know. Still, eating goose liver and lis tening to “Roll out the barrel” played by a gypsy band is better than listening to a gypsy band and eating goulash - the only dish available in the good old days of Communism - although I am sure that most doctors would argue that goose liver is realiy not good for you. Mind you, can you trust doctors? On the plane on the way to Budapest I was reading a fasci nating article about chocolate and the fact that some medical folk are now claiming that chocolate can

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Cartoon by Allan Schofield

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vers have to eat as much pasta, rice and potatoes as possible and if ail goes to plan they will be able to increase their endurance by around 35 percent. This works with marathon run ners and, as a survey a few years ago by researchers at University College of the University of London discovered that racing stars were as fit, if not fitter, than long distance marathon runners, it makes sense for them to follow the theory. They might not enjoy it as much as they would if they were eating goose liver and chocolate (not at the same time), but they are more competitive animals as a result. Still, you have to feel sorry for the poor chaps. They don’t get chocolate and they don’t get sex. All they get is lots of adrenaline, lots of wild-haired engineering boffins whispering in their ears, lots of sponsors and their wives and tots of money.

the average racer gets to eat muesli, honey, yoghurt, pasta and fruit. They have to drink unpleas ant mixtures of high-energy drinks packed full of complex carbohydrate polymers and other such gunk, Drivers would probabiy prefer to eat chocolate. It produces high blood sugar levels which gives them energy. The only drawback is that the human body has such a good defence system that within a few minutes it begins to produce insulin which has the effect of calming the body down and eventually sends you off to sleep, which is not what the average racing driver wants to happen as he sits on the grid waiting for the starting lights to go out. The funny drinks do not do this, They are absorbed by the body at the same rate as water and as they contain lots of calories they create instant energy without the drawbacks of other sugary substances, This also helps the process of carbohydrate-loading. This is a well-proven system for creating a reserve of energy by pre-stocking the muscles with something called glycogen, which changes into blood sugar when it is needed, I always have this rather alarming mental picture of athletes lying on the floor while a big fat Italian chef shovels pasta into their mouths. In fact it means that for three days before the event dri-

You can argue that it is a dan gerous business which of course it is - but there are times when one has to say that F1 really has become remarkably safe. In the same newspaper which told me of the excitements of chocolate, I also found a report about four firefighters from Reggio Emilia falling off a mountain in the Dolomites. The same day another three climbers had taken a dive on the other side of the peak and an eighth person was missing. Eight dead in a day is not really big news in the Alps as the total of fallen climbers in the last month stands at 40. It struck me as absurd that Formula 1 is forced to be so para noid and politically-correct about death while The Grim Reaper is allowed to run riot in the Alps. When I mentioned this to an Austrian in the paddock in Budapest, he shrugged and said that 40 was not so bad but if you added in all the skiers who go straight into trees, pedestrians or snowpipughs, the death toil in the mountains goes into hundreds every season. And no-one seems to mind. In a way this a probiem for Grand Prix racing because for whatever reason it is seen as being dangerous and there is a massive outcry when something unpleasant occurs. Olivier Panis’s accident in Montreal immediately kick-started the “Oh my God it’s a dangerous sport and should be banned” industry. It is absurd to hear such things. There is nothing wrong with motor racing being dangerous. If it was not dangerous no-one would watch it because it would not have the same thrill. I dare say that if you put an immortal chimpanzee in front of a reliable calculator, it would even tually work out that more people are killed every year by chocoiate than by motor racing. But what a way to go ... n

15 August 1S9/

,«

By PHIL BRANAGAN came away with

Audi honours and shared BMW

after two hard fought races at Winton’s BOC Touring Super Championship round. Cameron McConville and Paul Morris shared the wins in a weekend when BMW had too much car for the opposition but Dunlop had too much tyre for Michelin, while Brad Jones and Geoff Brabham had their week end’s rained by a last corner skirmish in race one. The two were fighting for the lead when the Audi clouted the BMW, sending both off the track. Jones recovered to third only to be disqualified, while Brabham rejoined in a damaged car to take an eventual seventh place. The man who kept his nose cleanest was Jim Richards who picked up a third and a fourth. Best of the Independents for the weekend was Cameron ‘Lars Erik’ McLean, who took the hon ours after his now-tradition al war with Steven Richards while rally ace Neal Bates put in two strong races in the Toyota Camry, shaking up the establishment and promising much for future drives.

Honours I

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Practice and Qualifying BMW Motorsport tested at Winton a while back. Team manager Lyall Williamson: “It was a cold, miserable day and we worked out a good set-up. If it’s like that we’ll be looking all right.” The likeable NZer must have been the only person happy on Saturday. It was foggy, miserable, and cold. No, make that COLD... Understandably the cars were fast on Friday, and even faster on Saturday. Jones topped the morning practice session but. come the two sessions Brabham and Morris were in a class of their own. With a lm24.84s and lm24.88s respectively they locked away the front row of the grid - until Morris’ rev limiter was found to be malfunctioning. The Queenslander was sent to the rear of the grid for race one. In the second session they went even quicker, Geoff a 24.777 and Paul a 27.779. This time all the times stood and, with two pole points, Brabham evened up the BOC series pointscore. The cars were way quick and, as long as the track temperature stayed under 18 degrees, they were look ing good.

MASTER AT WORK... Bates made a great impres sion in his first drive - but shouidn’t Coral Taylor be sitting in here? PATTERN... At the start of race two the BMWs were in a class of their own. The end of the race was different... (Photos by Dirk Klynsmith)

Sliding onto the front row In both sessions he was alongside Brabham was almost a second clear of new Steven Richards. The team-mate Cameron Valvoline Nissan Primera McLean. The Queenslander, was going like a train but, in just confirmed as Volvo’s an attempt to better his ‘fourth man’ for their early session lm25.20s, he Bathurst assault, was run had an engine go south on ning 1996 wings on the him later on. While it was Greenfield Opel Vectra. being changed he missed Q2 “We just can’t balance it altogether but, after a win on the newer kit,” he said. in 1996 and a pole in ‘95 he “(BTCC team) 888 told us still looked like contending they couldn’t on their cars in the races. either.” Nice of them to tell Jones was next in both Cam,even at this stage... sessions. The Orix Audis Then came Bates. The were running new, harder rally champion was getting Dunlop 533s and were to grips with the Phoenix intent on putting their 1996, Toyota Camry, feeling he no grip woes behind them. was still in need of a full McConville was right behind day’s testing. With a pair of in session one, confident sevenths, and a 26.8 and that on a race run the A'4s, 26.9 in the two sessions he were a match for the looked competitive (espe Bimmers. cially since he was running But in Q2 he was edged rock hard Michelins) while by Richards, the elder. The Mark regular ^driver veteran was hurling the Adderton stalked around, Volvo 850 around at great an uncomfortable spectator. velocity, at one stage looping Tony Newman was next, it in the Motorsport News around two seconds back. Esses without damage. He was flying solo in the Fastway Couriers Peugeot

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camp, running his 405 on Dunlop 960s for the first time. “They’re more consistent that the Michelins we tested,” he said. “Better, the/re faster, too. Bob Tweedie followed in the IBC Vauxhall. He was running short of revs in Ql, hitting the.limiter too easily but a quick change for the second session revealed a 0.7s gain on the computer, even if Tweedie wasn’t able to put a complete lap together to gain from it. Right behind him in the first session was Peter Hills, The Knight Mondeo was going well in the first session, delighting its driver with its horsepower but, in the second go he had the brake pedal go to the floor at the end of the straight and the cai’ came home on a tow rope. Behind Hills came David Auger’s Alfa Romeo. Two years after bagging a pole for Richards the rebuilt car was having a few woes on the lengthened track. In the

first session he banged a kerb hard enough to cranch a front wheel into a guard, causing it to snag a tyre and render it useless after smoking for a lap or two. It meant he was down to five Yokohamas for the weekend, Jim Cornish was running the sole Hyundai for the race. The Skittles car was running odd ratios in both sessions - like a second and third that were almost identical, and a sixth so long he couldn’t use it. The HVe team ran out of time to change them between sessions but settled down to do it overnight. He also reported soine overheating problems: this, during the coldest session of the year, Last in the first session was Justin Matthews. The Faber-Castell BMW lost an oil breather in the first ses sion but things improved in the second, a lm29.98s good enough fqr 10th and promising a good race with Newman, Tweedie and Hills. h.

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A4 ADVENTURE... Cameron McConville took his first Super Touring win in race one and came within 0.2s of backing it up in the second outing. The rookie drove superbly all weekend. DIRTY DANCING... David Auger’s excursion in the Alfa sprayed mud on the Motorsport News Esses. (Photos by oirk Kiynsmiin)

Race 1 (20 laps)

. The warm-up went pretty well according to Hoyle: Brabham topped Steven Richards and Morris, but the man in strife was Newman. A practice start shredded his centre driveshaft and the Pug was wheeled home to get a new one, easily making the grid for race one. Amazing, given Brabham’s starting record and a FWD car next to him, Richards actually made the best start. “I out-jumped him” he said later, “but the bogged down and went, ‘bbbrrrrppphht By turn two he was fourth, while a first corner nudge from Newman flattened a Tweedie tyre. Bob pitting and losing a lap. Brabham led Jones, McConville, Steven, Dad, McLean, Bates, Tweedie, Newman and Morris - who was trailing a rear bumper. After a brilliant getaway he was nudged by Matthews (not something that usually happens when you start

from the back) and, though it trailed for the whole race, it didn’t come off and no-one was quick enough to run it over... Brabham immediately speared away. His gap was going out at 0.7s a lap while Jones was just, clear of McConville, who had the Nissan all over him until the Dunlops started to work on about lap four. Morris was flying. He mowed down the Greenfield Opel on lap three for sixth and closed on Jim Richards, prompting an Audi-AudiNissan-Volvo-BMW train for a few laps until the loco motives pulled away and the Morris caboose started passing the carriages. The tracked slowed noticeably after an Auger off at the Motorsport News Esses spread mud on the track. Jim was having a look at his son at Dunlop on lap six and, not only did he not get by, Morris jumped him. The Nissan was harder to get by. Morris gave it a tap at Penrite and another at Yokohama, earning a ‘meatball’ flag. Morrl^ just go through and was now chas ing the Audis. Steven started losing ground. Soon McLean was on his hammer and the two had a few bumps before the Queenslander was past.

IS THIS \A/AYFAST?... Tony Newman’s Peugeot lost a wheel in the second race but went so steadily on three wheels he didn’t realise until he heard his crew on the radio. QUESTION and ANSWER... Peter Hills had his best run in his Ford Mondeo, running comfortably in the top 10 in the first race. (Photos by Dirk Klynsmith and Rod Eime)

The first one was a bit much,” said Steven, “but that’s the way it is; no com plaints.” Brabham’s lead got out to 3.5s before the Audis start ed catching on lap 12. “I was rolling it off a bit,” said Brabham after the race, “but traffic on the last two laps cost me a second and Jones closed up.” He sure did. His tail-gun ner McConville had to fend off Morris until the latter’s tyres ran out of grip with three laps to go, while Jones cleared out and closed on Brabham. He slingshotted out of Masport on the last lap to get within two lengths and, as Brabham turned into the Motorsport News Esses Jones, looking for the gap, found none and had them both off the track. The Audi scramble back on for third behind the delighted maiden winner McConville and a surprised Morris while Brabham straddled a kerb, for a while before struggling on for eighth with a broken right rear suspension arm. After hearing evidence from both driver, observers and looking at video evi dence Steward Peter Wollerman outed Jones

from the race for “not exer cising the proper degree of care”. Jim took third from McLean, Bates (who came on strong after his tyres started to work) and Steven Richards, who was gripless. Behind Brabham came a smooth and consistent (if Hills understeering) Mondeo, Matthews and Newman, who low-oncharge Pug just held off the closing Auger. The lapped Tweedie was 12th, while Cornish struggled with overheating before the fuel pressure started to fall.

Race 2 (20 laps)

Brabham headed out fully repaired, while Richards Jr was on fresh rubber. He was

starting from the rear anysingular on lap two. Jones way and had everything to locked a brake and spun thi'ough the Motorsport News gam. Morris jumped well but Esses on lap two. By the time Brabham held him out, Jones he regained the black stuff he sneaking a look at the first was eighth, behind Steven two corners before BMW Richards, who was catching horsepower ensured a 1-2 Bates, passing on lap seven, start by the Ford Credit The pace up front was going to take its toll, and not Sweeper. Jones led McConville and just on tyres. On lap 14 Jim, McLean, Bates, Brabham locked a brake at Newman, Matthews, Hills, the Esses and Morris flashed Tweedie, Steven, Auger and down his inside, steahng the Cornish. , line for turn one and taking This race had a different the lead. It was telling; look. Any thoughts that the McConville had been seven Individuals were running seconds back on the previous line astern were put down as lap but the leaders lost two Brabham and Morris rocketseconds in the swap, and now ed away from the pack, locktheir tyres were past their ing the odd brake and best, destroying the lap record. Continued over page And the chasers became

15Augusl 1997

BOC Gases Super Touring Ckampionship Round 9 &10,Winton Motor Raceway, August 9/10

Race 1(20 laps) Pos Driver

Team/Car

1 Cameron McConville 2 Paul Morris DQ Brad Jones 3 Jim Richards 4 Cameron McLean 5 Neal Bates 6 Steven Richards 7 Geoff Brabham 8 Peter Hills 9 Justin Matthews 10 Tony Newman 11 David Auger 12 BobTweedie DNF Jim Cornish

Orix Sport Audi A4 quattro BMW Motorsport Australia BMW 320i Orix Sport Audi A4 quattro VolvoA/alvoline Volvo 850 Greenfield/RedeX Opel Vectra Atlantis Toyota Camry Vatvoline/Cummins Nissan Primera BMW Motorsport Australia BMW 320i Knight Racing Ford Mondeo Faber-Castel BMW 318i Fastway Couriers Peugeot Fishing Magazine Alfa Romeo 155TS IBC Vauxhall Cavalier Skittles/HVe Flyundai Lantra

Laps 29:18.2792 29:21.8194 29:22.1501 29:47.5894 29:57.5934 30:02.6067 30:06.6389 30:30.9580 30:47.0257 19 laps 19 laps 19 laps 19 laps 17 laps

Fastest

1:26.6178 1:26.1890 1:26.5472 1:26.6828 1:27.1280 1:27.3589 1:26.7638 1:26.1633 1:30.8995 1:30.5422 1:29.7280 1:31.1094 1:30.1161 1:33.8004

19 2 2 3 2 3 2 2 14 12 3 2 5 9

Laps 29:03.7944 29:03.9482 29:06.4402 29:39.6200 29:40.5568 29:43.1617 29:44.6479 29:54.8413 30:27.9613 19 laps 19 laps 19 laps 18 laps 10 laps

Fastest

1:25.7178 1:25.9832 1:25.7922 1:26.6454 1:26.9546 1:26.5037 1:26.9235 1:27.5683 1:29.8719 1:32.0490 1:29.0920 1:29.0284 1:29.5394 1:35.5815

5 14 5 4 3 6 2 3 18 2 7 14 6 3

Race 2(20 laps) Team/Car

Pos Driver

WHITE OUT... In Saturday’s practice session visibility was almost zero, due to (Photo by Dirk Klynsmith) fog. Jim Cornish’s Hyundai copes with the conditions. Continued from previous page

McConville charged onto the rear on Brabham in three laps and probed away. “I could see he was in trouble,” he said , “and when he understeered wide (at Penrite on lap 18)I was through.” Morris had managed to sneak away by a full second. McConville made it all back in a half lap and went into the new loop right on his tail but Morris left no gaps and, despite a rush at the Esses, held the A4 off by 0.15s, both drivers putting in great drives. Thirty seconds behind Brabham Jim was fending off Steven and Jones. He managed to get away a little from his son, who had a sortie from Jones at Dunlop on the final lap to worry about. “I had a look but ran wide and ended

up on the marbles,” said Jones. He lost time, but no positions, to finish fifth. McLean was seventh, adding two points to his Independents’ challenge over Steven Richards, from Bates, Matthews, Auger and Hills. Newman lost a wheel on the Dunlop straight on the final lap (“I thought a tyre had gone flat and was driving in on three wheels when the crew radioed, ‘stop the car!’”) With a 1-2 finish each Morris and McConville sheu*ed to points for the day and Cameron left the track 18 points up on his team leader with six races to go, an interesting proposition for the team. Both teams are saying the other wfll be tough to beat at the next round at MaUala. For a repeat of the close tussle we had at Winton let’s hope they’re both correct.

1 Paul Morris BMW Motorsport Australia BMW 320i 2 Cameron McConville Orix Sport Audi A4 quattro 3 Geoff Brabham BMW Motorsport Australia BMW 3201 4 Jim Richards Volvo/Valvoline Volvo 850 Valvoline/Cummins Nissan Primera 5 Steven Richards 6 Brad Jones Orix Sport Audi A4 quattro 7 Cameron McLean Greenfield/RedeX Opel Vectra 8 Neal Bates Atlantis Toyota Camry Faber-Castel BMW 318i 9 Justin Matthews 10 David Auger Fishing Magazine Alfa Romeo 155TS 11 BobTweedie IBC Vauxhall Cavalier 12 Peter Hills Knight Racing Ford Mondeo Fastway Couriers Peugeot DNF Tony Newman DNF Jim Cornish Skittles/HVe Hyundai Lantra

DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: , Morris 121, Brabham 108, McConville 95, Jones 77, Jim Richards 70, McLean 45,S Richards 40, Matthews 25, Newman 17, Auger 14, Tweedie 12, Wakefield 10, Bates 9, Jason Richards 7, Briggs 4, Adderon'and Hills 3, Cornish 2, Pickett 1. MANUFACTURERS CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS BMW 138, Audi 118, Volvo 94 TEAMS CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS BMW 230, Audi 183, Hyundai 20 TOCA CHALLENGE INDEPENDENTS CUP POINTS McLean 112, S. Richards 104, Matthews 79, Newman 51, Auger 49, Wakefield 24, Jason Richards 23, Hills 20, Briggs 12, Cornish 11, Adderton 10, Pickett 4.

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15August W

Fit^ wins, Bates stars in Viper The Fitzgerald/Bowe GTProduction battle went to Winton as theformer took two wins, RACHEL LANGER reports.

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VIPE-OUT... Neal Bates’ Dodge (left) was in fine form. Here he holds off the Porsche 911RSCS of Ed Aitken. (Pholo by ark Klynsmith) WIPE-OUT... Bowe spins in race two and a surprised Fitzgerald swoops into the lead. (Photo by Rod Eime/Fotoworid)

a secure win.

THE ongoing battle between Peter Fitzgerald and John Bowe in the Century Batteries took another turn at Winton Motor Raceway last weekend, with the former taking two wins in con vincing fashion. After the recent titanic battles between the two men it was something of a change to see the Falken Tyres Porsche dominate so thor oughly, though Bowe was ahead in race two before spinning out of the lead. Biggest surprise of the

weekend was Neal Bates in the Dodge Viper. The rally ace came to grips with the VIO monster which handled Winton’s tight layout sur prising well. Bates went back to Canberra with a fourth and a third. In qualifying Fitzgerald shocked even himself by dip ping into unknown territory with a lm29.47s for the first pole. Bowe was right behind clear of Dominic Beninca, Bates and Ed Aitken’s exRichards Porsche. But if Fitzy’s pace was a

WINTON’S races in the Australian Porsche Cup Challenge were among the closest of the season so far, with Anthony Tratt narrowly heating defending Champion Geoff Morgan to the flag twice. Unfortunate driver of the day was Greg Keene, who looked to have the pace to challenge for the win but for spins in either race. In the first 8-lapper Tratt and Morgan led away from Aitken, Ivory and Stannard, Keene spin ning in the opening metres and dropping to last. But the Adelaide driver put on the drive of the day, spearing through the field to. get up to third at the flag. Tratt and Morgan set to a great battle, the Victorian just holding off Morgan to the flag. The second race was almost a replay of the first. This time Keene was slow away and led the first three laps until spinning at

Tratt takes Porsche double

surprise it was a shock to see Bowe slash a whole sec ond between sessions with lm28.72s, 0.7s clear of the 91IRS Club Sport. JB put the improvement down to “suspension changes, which I couldn’t possibly talk about...” Fitzgerald repeated his earlier time to almost a hun dredth, while Bates found almost a second to grab an impressive third grid spot. In the first 15 lap race Fitzgerald took the lead, looked back at the field (once) and charged away to

first time, and fell back to Any chance Bowe had of fifth as the laps ran out as challenging went when his its smaller Pirelli tyres felt Michelins started graining | the heat. in the cold conditions. The battle behind was “Earher on I was faster than between John Bourke’s him,” said Bowe later, “but I Toyota Supra Turbo and Max Dunn (Porsche) which just couldn’t pass him. In the finish the Falken went to the wire but, even Tyres car was 6s clear. when the Supra was baulked The Bates Viper stayed in traffic, Dunn couldn’t get close to Beninca (Porsche) past. until the brakes started to The second race started off fade and he fell back, even promisingly. Fitzgerald won tually into the clutches of the start but Bowe was Aitken. determined to get in front The Dodge was running early, and zoomed by at the new brake material for the end of the opening lap. “I

●> EXPRESS DELIVERY... Defending Champ Morgan tried but couldn’t get past an on-form Anthony Tratt. (PhotobyarkKiynsmith) Dunlop, allowing the Tratt/Morgan battle to race to the flag, Geoff still unable to pass. In Class B honours were

taken D’arcy Russell who continued his great 1997 form. The other fine performance of the day came from

Leanne Fender. In her first Porsche Cup the drive the 17-year-old starred in Chris Stannard’s 911RS, taking to battle right to class leader

Russell before a moment or two dropped her back. The karter/FF driver is definitely worth watching. -PHIL BRANAGAN

saw how much he wanted it (the lead),” chuckled Fitzy. “I thought, ‘no worries, catch ya later’”, He did. On lap 10, after falling back as far as three seconds the Porsche was almost there and Bowe had a solo spin at the Motorsport News Esses. By the time he got going Fitzgerald was long gone and the next car was challenging for second, It was Bates. Driving superbly the Yankee Coupe was flying and, as Bowe coped with his slightly second-hand Michelins Bates sat it out twice with him twice in the Motorsport News Esses in the final two laps. Bowe drilled him under brakes both times and Neal had to settle for third. '“I went a lot harder, earh er and the brakes held up,” Bates said after the race. After two Super Touring races on hard tyres, and wrestling a Viper around 30 laps, he had had a good day for someone who doesn’t do much circuit racing. In the class battles Andre Pavecevic took both B wins in his Zepter Subaru WRX, while the ‘Human Headline’, Herald Sun journo Paul Cover, took two Cs in Ford Motorsport’s Falcon. In D class Troy Searle Roadchill BMW 323 took both victories while Trevor Haines (Laser) and Nigel Stone (Suzuki GTi) swapped little car, E honours. Points: Fitzgerald 140, Bowe 111, Beninca 95, Aitken 60, Dunn 48. Class A: Fitzgerald 135. Class B; Pavecevic 137, Class C: Sexton 109, Class D:Lynton 132, Class E: Haines.

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Cameron McConville wins _ 1996 Australian GTP Series Championship on Pirelli tyres

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15August m/

The Peter Brock Story - Part 5

The $50,000 / gamble pays Peter Brock took the biggest gamble ofhis career when he bought the Holden Dealer Team, but he quickly turned it into a master stroke both on and ojfthe track, as DAVID HASSALL recalls:

plunge and gained control of the Marlboro Holden When PeterTeam Brock in took the Dealer early 1980, all he had really bought were the factory fittings and fixtures of John Sheppard Motors and, of course, the operafen’s good name. But there were no sponsorship con tracts and no GMH backing. Mortgaged to the tune of $50,000, it was an enormous gamble. Both Peter and the GMH Sales Department were keen on retaining the team’s link with Holden’s name so, after considering and rejecting ideas such as Commodore Team Castrol, Peter went to the dealers in search of funds to continue operating. He reminded the dealers that they had spent ten years promoting the HDT and suggested that changing the team’s identity would be a waste of that investment. The task was made more difficult because the dealers needed convincing that GMH had really pulled out. Officially, GMH had never been directly involved in the first place, so the dealers were initially reluctant to start paying for something they had been getting for nothing for all those years. It was time to deal. Peter asked the dealers whaf they wanted in return for backing the team and it soon became clear that some kind of Brock Special road car, produced and developed by Peter, would fit the bill. HDT Special Vehicles was bom. It was decided that Special Vehicles would work closely with GMH in designing what became the HDT Commodore, and that the car would be available only through those dealers contributing to the race team. It was a good deal all round. Peter was keen on the idea of build ing his own cars and the dealers stood to make much more from sell ing the cars than they were being asked to contribute to the team. Peter had also been negotiating with the other 1979 sponsors for continued support and on February 26,1980, just six weeks after buying the team, an official press announce ment revealed that all the sponsors were continuing to back Brock. While thebeen business tionsallhad takingnegotia place, the workshop had been a hive of activity. The crew, headed by Bruce Nowacki and basically unchanged from the previous year, wrestled with the problem of building a brand new Commodore to a completely new set of regulations designed to bring tour ing cars closer in configuration to the road-going versions. Peter had tested a prototype race car in December, but this was only a development hack. It had an A9X engine, a perspex front spoiler, no flares at all, the wrong brakes and a bonnet scoop which was never homologated. Having been critical of Allan Moffat’s practice of running his own

Sandown marked a special occasion also as Allan Moffat joined the team for a one-off outing, replac ing Harvey for the weekend. Moffat had stood out of touring car racing for the year and the Sandown pro moters approached Peter with a view to having the two great rivals run as teammates. Peter was initially cautious about the idea, and for good reason as it turned out. He agreed to the plan on the condition that Moffat wasn’t going to race a Falcon at Bathurst. “We had a meeting at the LCCA a week before the race and Moffat assured me that he was not running a Falcon at Bathurst,” said Peter of the episode. “Ian McKnight (the Sandown promoter) even rang Ivan Stibbard (the Bathurst promoter) while we were there and Ivan said there was absolutely no entry for Moffat in a Falcon. “I was just a naive lad from Hurstbridge and believed all this. I really wanted it ciarified because I didn’t want Moffat hopping out of my car and into a Falcon, saying Tve seen the light now - I’ve driven a RECORD-BREAKER: Thefirst racing Commodore set polefor all eight ATCC races in 1980 in Brock’s hands. Falcon and, boy oh boy, what a dif ference from the Commodore!”’ pedalling hard for an hour! It was team, Peter made it clear when he the title wrapped up after the sixth. It came as something of a rude l And it was certainly the cheapest sheer murder In the car out there.” bought the MHDT that he wouldn’t shock when it became known only a For the Endurance Championship fall into the same trap. He’d tried to ATCC campaign the HDT had ever week later than Moffat was, in fact, do just that during the team Brock done. Running on a tight budget, races that year, Peter planned on driving a Falcon at Bathurst and that days, a year in his career which was Peter used the same engine for using the big-valve heads and other it was being built in his own work notable for a lack of money and seven rounds and pulled it apart only items from the HDT Commodore shop whiie he raced the Commodore once for a precautionary check. road car, but CAMS refused to at Sandown. organisation. The man he chose to run the ‘There was nothing wrong with it - homologate the machine. The “Fortunately, the Falcon was such MHDT was Noel Richards, who had but it cost us $150 for new piston Confederation seemed unwilling to a poor effort that he couldn’t say made such an enormous impression rings, bearings and gaskets to put give Peter anything that would make much at all. But that was a stroke of the Commodore per on Peter during their two form even better than it luck - if it had been as good as pre weeks together on the vious years he could have made us had been. Repco Round Australia look very big idiots. I guess it would Trial. Richards was the This was a great dis be fair to say he made me feel pretty appointment for Peter winning car’s navigator, because he wanted to stupid. I had taken his word that he but Peter had been even wasn’t driving a Falcon at Bathurst promote the car through and, well ... he did!” more impressed by his his racing. Although organisational skills. If that race at Sandown was CAMS had no obliga Noel was immediately designed to determine who was the thrown into battle with CAMS, which the engine together again,” he com tion to homologate the car before the better driver, then Peter came out of mented at the time. required 500 models had been built, was still fiddling with the new regula it with an enhanced reputation. He it had become common practice tions only weeks before the first was faster in qualifying, made a bet over the years to do so with an round of the ATCC at Symmons ter start and eased away from his Peter hadpast been the dri ver to beat for the few years undertaking from the manufacturer Plains. Peter’s first racing Although ‘teammate’ in the early laps. Moffat and had just wrapped up his third that the required number would be Commodore was completed barely had a massive dice with Charlie in time to catch the boat for touring car title, he had some critics produced within a year. O’Brien’s Gown-Hindhaugh Peter was also offended by the Tasmania, where Peter traded his in Sydney who said he was afraid to Commodore, bent a few panels and business suit for the red fire-proofs mix it at Amaroo, which was running inference that he was merely a hotlost two laps having some damage and produced a remarkable exhjbi- match races at its meetings. Peter rodder, producing one-off specials. repaired. The truth of the matter was that he answered the criticism in his own fion. He took pole position by two^ill During the latter stages of the and GMH were working closely and seconds and beat Kevin Bartlett’s way, with perfomnance. race, Allan and Peter found them had done an enormous amount of Channel Nine Camaro by 24 sec After a two-year exile from the cir selves sharing the same piece of cuit he returned and put the testing - at great expense - to satis onds to the chequered flag. track and, although Peter was coast That was the start of a remark Commodore on pole before romping fy all the Australian Design Rules ing towards an easy win, Allan obvi ably successful season with the away from Charlie O’Brien, Kevin pertaining to exhaust emissions and ously decided to brighten up pro the like. Bartlett and Bob Morris in both Commodore, which seemed to have ceedings and give the crowd what the measure of fhe Bartlett Camaro, events. Pressing on regardless, the team they had come to see. Peter was ran a second car for the first time in the few XD Falcons around and both A month later, Peter was back at the Craven Mild team entries - a Amaroo to win the first CRC 300, a the Adelaide ManChamp opener and quite happy to play the game, but threw in a couple of break-away Commodore for Bob Morris and a gruelling 155-lap endurance race, scored a 1-2 with Peter leading laps, “to show Moff that I could do it if modified Torana for Allan Grice. with John Harvey as co-driver. But Harvey home by two laps, Harves I wanted”. The Commodore had far less he was not impressed with the race; having been delayed by two punc Moffat, who eventually finished horsepower than the previous year’s “The effort of driving a car around tures. third, was generous in his comments Four weeks later at Sandown, Amaroo in a race like this is compa Toranas, but the improved handling after the race: “1 think that Peter and braking produced lap times rable to putting on a pair of overalls Peter took his 12th successive pole Brock has been maligned by sug which were not much slower overall. and an overcoat, hopping on an position for the year and scored gestions that the Commodore is an Peter took pole position for all eight exercise bike, getting into a sauna, another great win in ‘his’ race. Continued Page 20 qualifying races (a record) and had turning the thing up full-bore and

I guess it would befair to say that(Moffat) made mefeelpretty stupid.

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Touring car champion again. (And so was Glenn Seton.) !

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15August 1997

Continued from Page 18 easy car to drive and makes his job less difficult. To get the most out of this car you must be very careful. Ifs certainly not easier to drive than a Falcon and, although ifs lighter, you still know you have the weight of a V8 sitting over the front wheels”. Peter cappedfirst off year an enormously successful as MHDT owner by winning his fifth Bathurst three weeks later, a race which is remembered by most people as the time Dick Johnson hit a rock and became a national hero. Peter actu ally got little credit for a marvellous drive. Throughout the year, Noel Richards had quietly got on with his job but left the team straight after Bathurst. The structure of the entire HDT operation was going through a trying period. There was very little money to spend on the race tearri and the emphasis had swung around almost totally to Special Vehicles. Although Richards was the MHDT’s team manager, he had Peter hanging around with a power of veto, as well as John Harvey and Phil Brock who, although in charge of Special Vehicles, were obviously interested in the team and, thought Richards, had some sort of influence around the place. In Noel’s words, ‘There were too many chiefs and not enough Indians.” Noel had only considered the job a 12-month deal anyway, having been restless in his teaching job and deciding that it would be an interesting break, and left the team quite happily. John Harvey eventual ly took over the team manager’s role while Phil and Peter were left to look after Special Vehicles. Racing was completely forgotten after Bathurst as production of the HDT Commodore moved into top gear and only a supporting race at the Australian Grand Prix meeting was contested between then and the first ATCC race the following March. Even then, the car was virtually untouched from the previous season. As a contrast to this approach. Dick Johnson was committed to a serious assault on the touring car title. He was determined to repay everyone who had donated money to his cause after the Bathurst inci dent and displayed his Commodore beating form from that very first round at Symmons Plains. Johnson took poie position by 1.3s and drove away from Peter in the race, leaving no doubts about his intentions and capabilities with the powerful Falcon. Peter tried hard but had to concede that he was now the underdog. Using the Falcon’s power to advantage, Dick led every race in the championship and, but for spinning off in three races, would have had the title wrapped up before the final round. As it was, the Lakeside final became a winner-take-all affair, despite the fact that Peter had not actually overtaken the Falcon all year. A record crowd turned up for the Queensland race, all hoping to see their local hero defeat the estab lished master. It was a chillingly close race with Peter throwing every thing he could at the Falcon driver, but Dick overcame a broken front sway bar and led all the way to the finish. Dick was naturally delighted with winning the title and was complimen tary about Peter’s driving during the tussle, particularly the last lap, when Peter drew alongside around the back of the circuit. Dick noted that he could have been given a little nudge many times and thought that other drivers would have done just that in order to succeed. I doubt that Peter would even have considered the notion. From the Falcon the time andDick led had Peter debuted for 25 iaps around Amaroo almost a year earlier, it had been quite apparent that the XD was more than just a

l^®0®[f’SU)@D’0 match for the Commodores. Peter realised that he needed the extra power which the HDT Commodore road car’s Perfectune heads offered him and pressed CAMS to have the car finally recognised. To his dismay, it was refused again, thereby perpet uating a feud between driver and governing body which heightened the following year. Dick Johnson, of course, didn’t want Peter to get more horsepower, either, and pointed at the closeness of their ATCC battles as evidence that the cars were evenly matched. Johnson went one step further in highlighting the case at Sandown in July, 1981. Having won the touring car title already, he virtually sacri ficed victory in some special match races in order to make the Falcon look less potent than it really was. He ran old tyres and let Peter win quite easily on a track where, in reali ty, the Falcon would normally have walked away from the Commodore. Until that time, Peter and Dick had been quite friendly with one another, but after Sandown Peter was furious and found himself suffi ciently moved to release a statement which was critical of Dick’s Sandown

other people who worked for me and Sandown enduro with Dick oyer a the first time I raced it.” That Calder race had been a they were not given the full facts. lap behind in second place. At Bathurst, though, Dick made tremendous effort for, after a slow They were given legal gobbledy no such errors and Peter was unable start, Peter climbed up from fifth gook. ‘The one thing I didn’t like about to exert any pressure after breaking place to beat Dick by three seconds an axle while leading on lap 4. Dick - driving the most luxuriously- that whole business was that one of reversed his previous year’s bad luck equipped race car seen in Australia the CAMS technical people said we and scored a popular victory while for many years. CAMS would not (the competitors) were all liars and allow ballast to make up the extra cheats. I will never forget that. It was Peter finished weli back after spend weight, insisting that the road car’s a disgraceful period of my career.” ing 11 iaps in the pits. Peter’s disastrous and bitter special equipment, such as air condichampionship season ended at tioning, special stereo system, headthesecond wrangle gave Dickresolution Johnsonofhis touring Surfers Paradise, where he seemed light washers and electric aerial, be The car title, despite the fact that Peter certain of winning after Dick had fitted, It was a chaotic situation, but that had accumulated more points in the rolled his car five laps from the finish. He eased off to finish 57.5s ahead of was not the end of it. At the end of eight rounds. Most of these were lost Allan Moffat’s Mazda, only to discov- the race, the scrutineers waved all as a result of the back-dated suspen er he had been penalised one the other competitors through before sion. It was a hollow victory for Dick minute for a push-start in the pits stripping down the leading (who was back on good terms with Peter again by this time) and he and had been relegated to second Commodores, Peter explains: “The first thing gained very little value for his spon place! An appeal against the penalty was turned down and Peter was they tried to get us on was that the sors because it was only confirmed inlet manifold was too small. We told one month after the series finished. very angry. Peter chose to miss the first two The 1981 season had provided them we couldn’t help that because little reward for an enormous effort. that’s how GMH buijds them, but endurance races of the season as then they said, ‘Hang on, forget that, he awaited the arrival of the new SS Months of dyno testing had pro duced just three extra horsepower, the finish of the manifold is too good Commodore. Like the HDT model, there was constant work on springs - its been shot-peaned’. I told them the high-performance version of the SS would be a Special Vehicles proand shock absorbers, the engine that we hadn’t; it was rubbish. “We found out later that it had, in /ject. Unlike the earlier experience. was revved higher than ever before and Peter had driven the car harder fact, been shot-peaned by GMH,'however, CAMS allowed the paperbecause that’s how they’re made.' work to proceed without any proball year than he would have liked.

LAST OF THE BIG BANGERS: The VK Commodore in Group C guise hadjust three startsfor three wins in Peter's hands, including Sandown and Bathurst in 1984.

performance and re-asserted his case for the big valve heads. It was a frustrating situation for Peter. CAMS had made numerous concessions to Falcon competitors to make the XD competitive when no one appeared interested in racing one. but refused to recognise a car which was actually available to the public. Things became even more tense in August. After winning Adelaide (Johnson was a non-starter) and Amaroo (Johnson spun off and cooked his tyres), the MHDT stayed away from Oran Park. Dick won that race and was found to be using an illegal gearbox, but the only penalty was a $250 fine. With Bathurst being so close, there was apparently no thought of imposing a suspension.

t the same time, CAMS had again denied the team’s last chance of having the new cylinder heads recognised before Bathurst. The required 500 units had been produced by the cut-off date but, because of supply problems with the fibreglass items, the last few cars could not be delivered. It was all CAMS needed to happily ‘justify’ yet another refusal. Words could not describe the fury that Peter felt at that time, but there was no option but to press on against the odds with what they had. At Sandown, Johnson took pole by one second from Peter and led until lap 38, when he spun off because of overheating shocks. Peter won his seventh successive

Lap times at all circuits were almost a full second quicker than the previous year but, at the end of it all, they had little to show for the effort. And, for John Harvey, it had been a painful introduction to the world of team management. Atannounced the end of the its year, “Defeat the team Dick Johnson” plan for 1982. The team began testing for the following sea son a month before Christmas. As of December 1, 1981, CAMS had finally allowed the Commodore to use the big-valve heads, but con firmed their continued reluctance to do so by slapping a substantial weight penalty to go with them. By this time, the VH model Commodore had been released and the MHDT decided against going with the HDT VC model. That decision applied for only one race, though. Johnson picked up where he had left off the previous year and domi nated the opening ATCC round at Sandown, leaving Peter no option but to go back to the VC model in the hope that the extra power could off set the weight penalty. It was a gam ble for more than just those reasons, though. “CAMS just did not want us to race that car. They told us there would be trouble it we ran it and we knew that before we started. So we covered ourselves and tried to find anything on the car they could possi bly get us on. We couldn’t think of anything. Anyway, sure enough, they tried to get us at Calder, which was

We’d just picked the best looking one we could find, which is our pre rogative. We put a different one on and won the very next race, but they didn’t want to talk with us - they were going to nail us and that was that.”

The matter went to a stewards’ hearing a couple of weeks later but, without even hearing Peter’s side of the case, a guilty verdict and threemonth suspension were handed down. Infuriated by the whole sordid, drawn-out business, Peter sought legal advice and an injunction was successfully sought from the Supreme Court, which allowed him to compete pending a full court hearing. A preliminary hearing established that Peter had sufficient grounds and the sport hung on the final outcome, which could have had far-reaching repercussions within CAMS. An out of court settlement was finally made in July and the action was dropped. Peter did not accept any guilt, but decided that the matter had gone far enough and accepted what amount ed to a retrospective two-month sus pension, plus exclusion from the Calder race. CAMS admitted there were deficiencies in their handling of the affair and, with that, the entire episode w:as forgotten. Peter had only one regret about the Supreme Court action - that he dropped it: “I did the wrong thing by backing off. Absolutely. As it tran spired, they really believed that we were cheating. I didn’t believe that for some time. I had very little to do with the transactions; that was left to

lems at all, this time accepting a guarantee from GMH that the required numbers would be pro duced. The SS was obviously going to be quite a potent device and rival competitors were convinced that the smooth recognition of the car was Peter’s payment for dropping the strong Supreme Court case. Peter denies that there was any sort of trade-off. There were many refinements included in the SS package, but the real strength of the car was the fact that it combined the power of the bigvalve engine with the light weight of a basic Commodore sedan. Peter debuted the car at the Sandown endurance race, now called the Castrol 400, and sent shock-waves down pit lane by quali fying a full second under his old Torana A9X lap record. After 13 laps he was leading comfortably and heading towards an eighth succes sive win in the race, but then headed for the he was leading comfortably and heading towards an eighth suc cessive win in the race, but then headed for the pits trailing a lot of oil smoke. A bolt had fallen out of the gearbox (someone’s bum was kicked over that) and his race was finished. Everything worked out better at Bathurst three weeks later, though, and he was able to claim his sixth victory on the Mountain from Allan Grice’s similar car. Other competitors claimed the race had been decided Continued Page 46

1 15Augtisn99I By CHRIS LAMBDEN GARTH Tander wrapped up the Ford Motorsport Slick 50 Formula Ford Championship at Oran Park’s final round, with some judicious driving. The young WA contender did all that was required, shadowing challenger Marcus Ambrose in both races to ensure the championship win. Ambrose won race one with Tander a comfortable second, but in the second race both had to give best to the rapid Todd Kelly who had spun away his chance in the first race, but charged from an early fourth to win race two. Western Australian Aaron McNally was best of the rest in both races, while behind him a tremendous queue of cars scrapped over the next seven or eight spots. n

Qualifying Marcos.Ambrose arrived at Oran Park with just one option - to win the day and

see what fate handed out to championship leader Tander. Qualifying went well for the Tasmanian, setting a clean 1:12.07 early in the opening session, at virtually the same time as Kelly was posting his 1:12.16 best.

Tander takes FF title

Tander couldn’t match that, although a 1:12.43 locked up grid three, just ahead of Tim Leahey (1:12.47). Christian Jones and McNally shared the third row with 1:12.69s, while relative newcomer Rodney Forbes impressed to grab seventh spot with his ageing RF92 Van Diemen, ahead of Justin Cotter, Phillip Scifleet and Scott Bargwanna. Only Bargwanna’s time was set in the second, clearly slower, session, suggesting that the NSW driver might be the one to make up places

Race 1-10 laps Ambrose got the jump,leav ing Kelly and Tander to dis pute second on the opening lap - although Tander wasn’t

CONTENDERS... Marcos Ambrose, Garth Tander and Todd Kelly go at it in race one. going to force the issue - so Kelly it was who finished the opener in second. Big effort on the opener had come from Zerner, who made four spots to trail Forbes across the line, with Leahey

and McNally fourth and fifth. Kelly looked for an opening, but on lap four came unstuck at the Turn 3, spinning down to 12th after contacting Ambrose as they turned in. This left the front pair clear and comfortable as the race wound out its 10 laps but behind them battle raged. Zerner continued to make progress, moving past Leahey (who ultimately dropped away to 11th) on lap eight, buf unable to make much ground on third-p“laced McNally before the chequer. Jones finished a solid fifth, from Bargwanna, Forbes, Cotter, Scifleet, and Kelly.

Race 2-8 laps With a 12 point buffer still in hand, a top three result

(Photo by Marshall Cass)

was all Tander needed from

Scifleet was the first to

the final race, which was cut by a couple of laps as the da/s programme was running late. Tander made a great start, but again discretion and the outside linehanded the lead to

make a gain, slipping inside Bargwanna at the end of the main straight on lap five while, up front, Kelly was inching closer to Ambrose. The move for the lead when

challenger Ambrose. McNally had shaded Kelly, although the youngest of the HRT Young Lions was again on a mission and fired down the inside at the last comer to

it came, on lap six, was clean and clinical. Toddler’ towing up behind Ambrose on the' straight, feinting right, then diving inside under brakes. The lap also produced the fastest lap of the day, Kelly’s 1:12.2985 chopping a tenth or so off his race one fastest.

emerge on TandeFs tail at the end ofthe lap. When Kelly repeated the move a lap later, Tander let him go. Nothing to gain, everything to lose. Behind them, McNally now headed a long queue of cars Zerner, Bargwanna, Scifleet, Forbes and Jones - who wento at it for the entire race.

That was it. Kelly took out the final paragraph, Ambrose the day’s chapter, but Tander in an easy third, the champi onship book. Final points: Tander 248; Ambrose 238; Kelly 166: Zerner 108; Ritter 97; Jones, McNally 87.

THE BEST IN THE WEST... and east. Tander was in fine form all season.(Photo by oirkKiynsmiih)

}‘&0M MSON"S MNO.I!JGM,.. Bargwanna led all the way at Oran Park.(Phatobyommynsmuh) I^ASON tBargwanna ended his 1997 Horden Champidnship series wifh'a stroR in the Hark,Oran Park. ft was that easy for the series runner-up (Has, with Jason Bright a late withdrawal. '■'there was no serious Chaienge. ‘ While the series thus petered out a bit, the ! Bargwanna show Mghighted the class of the ,. itwo 1997 dimnpionship contenders. The rest have aigap^te bridge. , Darren Edwards proved best ofthe rest on

Race 1 (8 laps) Bargwanna had a 1.5 second lead after the opening lap. It wasthat sort of domination, Behind him, Edwards, Dixon, Pate, Cramp, a slow-starting Noske, Kaplan, hwin and WilMmns filed through. Noske reclaimed Crmnp on the next lap, while Dixon shadowed Edwards, unable to effect a pass, Noske continued to reclaim ground, up to fifth by lap 10, past Pate for fourth, then

' ithe day,,heading a closely grouped bimch also ropntainifig Kawi Scott Dixon, Mark Noske and'Darren Pate.

Dixon with a couple to go. Ryan McLeod, who had been beading

Qualilyirig .

Missing fi-om the line-up was Jason Bright. The 1997 champion had entered for the weekend and practised the day before, but recurring problems with a damaged elbow made it impossible to drive the lead Birrana team car. It, however, would be pressed into service by the team rfter Brenton Ramsey crashed his car heavily in the first session. Bruce Wiliams was another to have a session. one “off” after a contretemps vnth anoth er Car. Bargwanna was nine tenths quicker than Dixon in the opening session, into the i;01s with a 1:01.987&, with Edwards, Noske and Pate very closely grouped, within threetenths of each other. That’s where the race would be. The second session was stopped after Owen Osborne crashed heavily, fortunately without injmy. It, however, provided a MghMght for Noske who grabbed his first pole, shading Bargwanna by one hundredth of a second. Dixon, Pate; EdwardSj Ramsey, Kaplan and Wiliams completed the first four rows. Noske’s joy was, however short-lved, the Lola pnt to the hack of the grid for face two for apparently ignoring a yellow flag situa tion.

Itoisey and Irwin, in a sold eighth, tagged the wall on lap 11, arriving in pit lane with a deranged right rear and a healthy oil fire, which was soon extinguished by the mar shals.

Race 2 (10 laps)

A fast

Another shortened race, due to a late-nm-

ning programme saw the same result. although this time Bargwanna had to pass someone to win. Yes, the Capra! car propped off the line, allowing a fast-starting Dixon to lead for three corners. Bargwamia pushed through on the inside as they came off the bridge and that, again, was that. Noske, from the back, again charged through to an eventual fifth Dixon remained clear in second, with Edwards getting the better of Pate late m the race for third. Ramsey, Kaplan and Cramp ran close throughout, while Bruce WiHiams threw away a great start (sixth at the first comer) by goinig off to avoid someone else’s “moment”. Up. front, Bargwanna ended Ms champi onship series with a ten second van-. That’s a second a lap,.. Points: Bright 1«7, Bargwanna 182, Bixon 116, Pate llOj Edwards 99; Noske 96; Minogue 44, Ramsay 40; Cramp 39, Williams 35, Kaplan 22, Osborne and Jacobsen 20, Weeks and Hockii^ 10, Keen and Irwin 6.

minute with 0 o a

Name: Todd Kelly Born: 9 October 1979 Home state: Victoria Car: Van Diemen RF95 One of the most aggressive and exciting drivers in the field, Todd Kelly won the Phillip Island and Wanneroo rounds of the Australian Formula Ford Championship. At just 17 years of age his future looks bright. Likes: winning Dislikes: not winning Three words that you would use to describe yourself: ambitious, determined, focussed Ambition in motorsport: To win the Australian V8 Touring Car

I The Meta! Wear Protector

Championship and then go to Europe and try to make it to Formula One. Ambitions for 1998: To win the championship in whatever category I compete in Most memorable moment in Formula Ford: Winning the Bathurst 1000 support race in 1996 Most admired Australian driver: Greg Murphy Most admired international driver: Jacques Villeneuve, Craig Lowndes Favourite catch-phrase: ‘Losing’s not an option”

AN PARK f?^TCC

Seton

Glenn clinches his secom Report by DAVID HASSALL Photos by DIRK KLYNSMITH

AS Peter Brock made an emo tional farewell to the Australian Touring Car Championship at Oran Park on August 3, it seemed that his golden chalice was picked up at the same time by Glenn Seton. In collecting his second Shell Series title, Seton was given a resounding endorsement by Brock as a deserving champion with the characteristics of guts, determina tion and a fierce determination to succeed while retaining a strong sense of fair play and sportsman ship. Just the sort of traits Brock himself has admired and displayed. By the end of the day, Glenn’s body had drained of the obvious pressure that had built up and he celebrated with a storming drive to victory in the third race. But overall victory on the day belonged to Greg Murphy, who fin ished fourth in the championship and could have been Seton’s closest challenger but for a spate of mechanical failures early in the season. And it was as much the misfor tune of his rivals which had allowed Glenn to clinch the title

FINE FINISH... While the retiring Peter Brock was the centre of attention all weekend (right), young teammate Greg Murphy slipped quietiy through for his second successive round win for the Mobil HRT.

before that third race - a title which had seemed destined to go his way for most of the season. Russel] Ingall’s outside chance of stealing the title became remote when he qualified badly (on tyres he deemed unsuitable for the Castrol Commodore) and disap peared completely when he clob bered a kerb at the start of race one, then crashed out at the start of the second. John Bowe was not much better off. An engine blew in the warm-up and a wiring loom was damaged in the subsequent engine change, which crippled his car in the first race and stopped it completely in the second. Neither driver even started the third race. Incredibly, these were the first occasions for both Bowe and Ingall this season in which they failed to either finish or start a race. Such is fate. And so it was that Seton ran out an easy winner, a statistic which belies just how close this champi onship really was. But a more popular result would have been hard to imagine. The only thing that would have been more popular was a round win for Peter Brock in his final

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August W7

credit

title; Brock bows out on top; Murphy takes the win

Putting on weight in the Donut King Wayne Gardner introduced Donut King as a major support sponsor and enough ofthe com pany’s product to keep the crewcontent. || “With Coke and Donut King, . ij w'e may not be the best team but ! by the end of the year we should I be the fattest.” Wayne suggested, i “They are both great products, but dso fattening.” j n Gardner’s girlfriend revealed ; that she is also getting fat, but for : a completely different reason. She is carrying Wayne’s baby and ; is scheduled to give birth in March. They are both delighted with the news. i n Oran Park promoter Tony Perich was naturally ecstatic about the 40,000-plus crowd on race day and claimed to have help from above. No, not just Peter Brock, but The Pope. Seems Tony and his wife had been blessed by the pontiff on a recent holiday to Rome ...

A.*

HAIL THE NEW CHAMPION... Glenn Seton celebrated his second SATCC by winning the third race (above)dnd was mobbed at the finish (below). ATCC race. And it nearly hap pened. Peter’s near-perfect weekend started with a promoter-pleasing pole position, then a start to finish victory in race one, but went bad with some wheel-banging in the second race which bent the diff housing and consigned him to a sec ond placing. But he was well-placed in the third race to clinch the day overall when -just two laps from home - a front left tyre delaminated and dropped him down the field. It was almost a fairytale ending. An enormous crowd of more than 40,000 people had packed Oran park to pay homage to Brock in his final Sydney appearance and the crowds which packed around the HRT enclosure were still there well into Sunday night. The Master may not have won the day, but the hearts and minds of those 40,000 true believers were well and truly his.

Entry & Qualifying The biggest field for some time 30 cars - assembled at Oran Park for the Grand Final. Wayne Gardner was back with the Coke Commodore and was joined by Paul Romano, John Trimbole, Chris Smerdon and Wayne Rus'sell in their respective Commodores while Stephen White was having his second run in the HRT Young Lions car. Mark Skaife had been entered by Gibson Motorsport, but that car was in the hands of new owner Darren Hossack with the Gibson crew looking after him for this weekend. John Briggs was new to the tour ing car field, driving a Falcon which had been built up from an ex-Kevin Waldock shell. And the growing group of Sydney privateers such as Neil Schembri, John Cotter, Mike Conway, Garry Willmington and Richard Mork bumped the field up to impressive levels. The most notable absentee was Mark Poole, who has headed over seas to get married, though the

; | i ; i i i

n Claude Giorgi was back in i action at Oran Park after being laid down by a serious illness for about seven months. The Perth driver was just easing his way ; back into his Falcon in prepara- j tion for Bathurst. n Melinda Price showed good form in the Privateers Dash on Sunday morning, withstanding pressure from Ashby, Osborne

and Finnigan before pulling away | to finish second. Jolm Faulkner I dominated the sprint, drawing n pole and setting fastest lap of the race by an incredible 1.2s. n Dairy Perkins tried out Dunlop's new K1 Bathurst priva teer control tyre during the sec- ' ond half of qualifinng. His best lap was a lm08.89s with the Kl, which was barely slow'er than the lm08.81s he had managed with the same car just minutes earlier ; to qualify ninth for the SATCC ; race, which really pleased the , Dunlop personnel.

team had not really intended run ning Oran Park anyway. The bigtyres, talk which pn Saturday was about is not unusu¬ al these days, but it had grown con siderably important in view of the championship situation. As he revealed last issue, Russell Ingall knew he had to qualify up the front and go for three race wins on the day if he was to pull off an unlikely victory. However, John Bowe was Dunlop’s best shot at the title and was therefore given the choice of what rubber to use when it became apparent that the Shell and Castrol teams were at odds over which way to go. Ingall wanted the softer of the two options because he really need ed to have a crack at pole, but Bowe was adamant that it wouldn’t last. That was a risk Ingall was under standably prepared to take, but Bowe had to think about finishing races and hope that Seton had problems. The Dunlop boys seemed quite right to give the choice to Bowe -

after all. Ingall had the choice at Wanneroo when he was the main title challenger - but that didn’t stop a couple of stand-up blues developing in the pits. Watching with interest were the Bridgestone teams, which were in great shape with their tried and proven 465s. There was no trouble with speed (Bridgestone drivers taking the first five places on the grid) and the 465s have proven themselves to be durable at various tracks over the past couple of years. In fact, last year Brock used just four tyres at Oran Park to win all three races... The odds on Glenn Seton were shortening. Glenn did not take the pole. In fact, he missed the front row, but the top three were covered by just 0.043s so the Ford Credit Falcon was clearly on the pace. Mobil Holden Racing Team took the front row and - a dream result for the promoter - it was Peter Brock who took the pole in his last touring car championship race. “The crew jumped on the radio

just as I was coming into the pits and I asked how the lap was,” said Brock. “When they told me I had pole I just broke up laughing - and I just couldn’t stop laughing for about a minute. “I couldn’t get out of the car I was laughing that hard. “It was just one of those incredi ble situations that life dishes up. It was a fairytale really.” Just one-hundredth of a second slower was teammate Greg Murphy, who messed up his best lap and was also unhappy with his car’s set-up - as he has been all year.

Round 10

n John Bowe and Russell Ingall couldn’t have picked a worse time to have their worst rounds ofthe yeai-. After they had ' botli finished evei-y one ofthe 27 previous races, at Oran Park they , could muster just one finish between them. n Greg Mm-phy was certainly the pacesetter ofthe SATCC;four poles and four seconds gave him eight front row stai-ts for the ten rounds. n When Peter Brock was being honoui-ed in front of 40.000 on Sunday you could cut the emotion with a knife - or a sharp tongue. As one wag suggested:“One day he will be Prime Minister ... then we’ll all hate him!’' - DAVID HASSALL

Shell Australian Touring Car Championship

ran LJ p

24 15August 1997

ORAN PARK

ATCC

/ 9

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TITLE SHOWDOWN ... The title race looked alive when Russell Ingall made a storming start to race one (above), but his dive down the inside of Seton resulted in a terminal meeting with the inside kerb. The other challenger, John Bowe (right) was floored from the outset with an electrical problem in the Shell Falcon. Joining him pn the second row was Alan Jones, who has been in tremendous form all year but is now enjoying a more competitive set-up with the Komatsu Falcon and is making the most of it. But the real surprise was in the next position as AJ’s teammate Mark Larkham had his best qualifying result ever to be fifth in the MitrelO Falcon. “AJ and I have different driving styles and I have had a problem driving around the understeer problem,” said Larkham. “We’ve been changing the car to suit me by getting

“It was the usual story;” admitted the kiwi, “a new set of tyres conceals a multitude of sins ...” Seton was quite happy with his third place in view of the fact that his rivals were together on the fourth row. “I’ve got plenty of blokes between me and Russell and a few of them probably want to pay him back, too!” Glenn said. “This is the best the car has ever felt at Oran Park; the car is just perfect and really consistent. “Now it’s just down to me ...

more heat into the front tyres for qualifying and that has made it much better for me.” The first non-Bridgestone runner was Tony Longhurst in the Yokohama-shod Castrol Falcon: “The car’s been going really great; it’s dovm to tyres and the tyres are working really well.”

0 then we came to the Dunlop boys, with Bowe edging out Ingall by onetenth of a second to be the fifth Falcon in the top seven. JB admitted he could not get the handling balanced and was rather downcast

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that “that’s the best I can do”. Ingall was clearly unhappy with the tyre decision and pointed out that his time in the first unofficial session (with the softer Dunlop) would have put him on the pole... “It’s very depressing,” said Ingall. “It is not our tyre choice this weekend so we had to cop a different tyre and have suffered badly as a result. Perkins (who qualified just behind Russell in ninth) was even less diplomatic: “We’ve been a bit dunced by the tyi-e choice but we’ll live with it.” Wayne Gardner completed the top ten and was disap pointed to have been balked on his hot lap. Gardner revealed that he had changed the Coke Commodore’s suspension set up considerably since his last appearance at Eastern Creek in May and said that it still needed fine-tulning. John Faulkner was next, heading Dick Johnson in the second Shell Falcon and old sparring partner Steve Richards. Faulkner ran foul of the noise police in practice and was having to change up early 'Coming onto the straight to compromise, which in turn caused him to smack the wall on one occa sion which required a rushed repair just before qualifying. But Faulkner still liked his chances for the race: “With the amount of aggro around here today, a privateer might

CHASING ... Dominant pri¬ vateer John Faulkner pursues the Level One pack over the Dogleg, watched by the huge crowd.

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have a chance of winning!” Richards was struggling badly with understeer, but was at least happy with a new exhaust system devel oped since Mallala. It made the Valvoline Commodore soimd quite flat compai-ed to the others, but apparently worked well. Stephen White qualified the Young Lions Commodore 14th without fuss and was followed by the rest of the privateers, headed by Romano. Darren Hossack was next, though his privateer status was surely broken by the Gibson team association. “This is like walking into a new family,” commented young Hossack on the transi tion. “This weekend is just a matter of getting used to Fred, getting used to a new car and getting used to Yokohamas for the first time.” Terry Finnigan (“We start ed with a bad race car and progressively made it worse!”) and Trevor Ashby qualified on the ninth row while Briggs did well to put his new Falcon on the insideof the tenth, where he was

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joined by Trimbole. The field was completed by Smerdon, Danny Osborne, Melinda Price in the Castrol Cougars car, Schembri, Claude Giorgi from WA, Cotter, Conway, Garry Willmington, Richard Mork and Russell.

John Bowe’s day started disastrously when something in the top end of the engine let go in the moiTiing warm up session, forcing a hurried engine change before the first race. This would have serious

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Race 1-18 laps

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MID-FIELD BATTLE... Ashby holds off Johnson, White, Romano, Finnigan and Hossack.

ORAN PARK ^ ATCC

15August 199/

Shell Australian

Car Championship /\ugua5/S

Qualifying Pos Driver 1 Peter Brock 2 3 4 5

Greg Murphy Glenn Seton Alan Jones Mark Larkham

6 7

Tony Longhurst John Bowe

8 Russell Ingall 9 Larry Perkins 10 Wayne Gardner 11 John Faulkner 12 DickJohnson 13 Steven Richards 14 Stephen White 15 Paul Romano 16 Darren Hossack 17 Terry Finnigan 18 Trevor Ashby 19 John Briggs 20 JohnTrimbole 21 Chris Smerdon 22 Danny Osborne 23 Melinda Price 24 Neil Schembri 25 Claude Giorgi 26 John Cotter

Team Car Mobil-HRT Commodore Mobil-HRT Commodore Ford Credit Falcon Komatsu/Pirtek Falcon Mitre 10 Falcon

Time 1:08.1319 1:08.1433 1:08.1749 1:08.3618 1:08.4131 1:08.4883 1:08.6908 1:08.7933 1:08.8087

Castrol/Longhurst Falcon Shell Helix Falcon Castrol Perkins Commodore Castrol Perkins Commodore

Coca Cola/Donut King Commodore 1:08.8636 Betta/Fisher&Paykel Commodore 1:08.8728 Shell Helix Falcon 1:09.0324 1:09.1957 Valvoline/Cummins Commodore 1:09.1966 HRT Young Lions Commodore 1:09.4338 Romano Racing Commodore 1:09.8551 Wynns/Gibson Commodore 1:10.0269 Sony Autosound Commodore 1:10.1223 Lansvale Smash Commodore 1:10.4337 Briggs Falcon 1:10.8952 CBD Bottle Magic Commodore 1:10.9276 Smerdon Commodore 1:11.0877 Colourscan Falcon 1:11.6496 Castrol Cougars Commodore 1:12.1988 Schembri Commodore 1:12.2239 West Coast Racing Falcon

Allens/M3 Motorsport Commodore 1:12.3728 Cadillac Productions Falcon 1:12.3728 27 Mike Conway 1:13.2260 28 Garry Willmington Willmington Falcon 1:13.2507 29 Richard Mork ARDC/Mork Commodore *1:13.3012 30 Wayne Russell Union Steel Commodore

repercussions later which ended his title challenge. The MHRT duo made superb starts from the front row, but all eyes were fur ther back on Ingall, whose starts this year have been consistently brilliant. And so it was this time, the Castrol car bursting through the pack from eighth on the grid to be challenging Seton for third as they charged through tui-n one. But the charge came unstuck when Russell was forced up onto the kerb on the inside of turn two, the Commodore hitting it hard and bouncing up - leaving it with a broken steering arm. In a single moment, Ingall’s title hopes were shattered. He limped around to the pits and retired. His teammate lasted not much longer, his own charge up to fifth coming to nothing

when he was involved in an incident in turn three and left the track. He completed the first lap in 25th. Up front, though, it was plain sailing for the HRT duo with Brock gradually easing away from Murphy (“I sim ply couldn’t catch him”), much to the delight of the massilie crowd. Bfock ran out a comfort able winner and it looked as though the fans may get their fairytale result; it was hard to see anyone heating him on this form. I/ Murphy was equally com fortable in second, finishing about four seconds clear of Jones in the Komatsu Falcon. AJ had expected his tyi-es to go off by half distance, but they hung in well and he was able to get to the line a cou ple of seconds clear of Seton.

Alan Jones Peter Brock Greg Murphy Tony Longhurst Glenn Seton Wayne Gardner Steven Richards Larry Perkins John Faulkner Stephen White Terry Finnigan Darren Hossack Chris Smerdon John Briggs Melinda Price Mark Larkham Danny Osborne John Cotter' Neil Schembri Wayne Russell Richard Mork

Garry Willmington Mike Conway DNF Claude Giorgi DNF Trevor Ashby DNF Dick Johnson DNF John Bowe

Racetime On 21:01.3604 1:09.0037 6 21:03.1800 1:09.1326 5 21:07.0694 1:09.2605 6 21:09.0738 1:09.3864 7

2 Greg Murphy 3 Alan Jones 4 Glenn Seton

5 Tony Longhurst 21:09.2226 1:09.6256 2 6 Wayne Gardnei 21:11.3789 1:09.6473 6 7 John Bowe 21:14.2034 1:09.5937 3 8 John Faulkner 21:14.5648 1:09.6278 6 9 Steven Richards 21:16.4322 1:09.6803 6 10 DickJohnson 21:25.6712 1:09.9906 7 11 Stephen White 21:27.2068 1:09.9655 5 12 Larry Perkins 21:28.3183 1:09.5693 5 13 Mark Larkham 21:30.2984 1:09.3685 2 14 Paul Romano 21:31.7397 1:10.450714 15 Terry Finnigan 21:31.9160 1:10.416012 16 Trevor Ashby 21:35.9358 1:10.5053 3 17 Darren Hossack 21:42.3697 1:10.7669 5 18 Chris Smerdon 21:49.1868 1:10.689316 19 Melinda Price 21:58.1476 T11.4538 9 22:03.3618 1:10.9033 7 20 John Briggs 21 Neil Schembri 22:05.1130 1:12.162717 22 John Cotter 22:05.6258 1:11.892411 23 Claude Giorgi 24 Richard Mork 25 Mike Conway 26 Garry Willmington 27 Danny Osborne DNFJohn Trimbole DNFRussell Ingall DNS Wayne Russell

17 laps 1:12.6349 7 17 laps 1:13.2004 5 17 laps 1:13.124411 17 laps 1:13.5074 7 14 laps 1:11.5392 7 2 laps 1:18.0542 2 1 lap 1:45.2211 1

Race 3-18 laps

Race 2-16 laps 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 '13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

FteDriver 1 Peter Brock

1:09.0943 18:48.1801 18:51.7853 1:09.5603 18:54.5838 1:09.1313 18:57.1877 1:09.7778 18:58.5465 1:09.6200 18:59.3749 1:09.7345 1:09.7309 18:59.7681 19:00.1856 1:09.6580 19:00.4855 1:09.8258 19:07.5836 1:10.0729 19:12.2877 1:10.4171 19:13.8978 1:10.4761 19:19.1539 1:10.8699 19:31.2086 11:11.5158 19:33.0489 1:11.6213 19:35.8609 1:10.5452 19:42.7708 1:11.5197 19:55.8427 1:12.7523 15 laps 15 laps 15 laps 15l^ps 15 laps 10 laps Slaps 7 laps 2 laps

1:13.3924 1:13.4198 1:13.3552 1:14.5296 1:13.5518 1:12.8631 1:10.5685 1:09.7287 1:19.1213

2 7 3 3 5 5 4 4 6 6 5 5 6 14 12 10 4 12 2 6 5 4 6 7 5 4 2

1 Glenn Seton 2 Greg Murphy Steven Richards 3 4 Tony Longhurst John Faulkner 5 6 Wayne Gardner 7 Dick Johnson 8 Mark Larkham 9 Larry Perkins 10 Chris Smerdon 11 Trevor Ashby 12 Peter Brock Melinda Price 13 14 Neil Schembri 15 Claude Giorgi 16 Richard Mork 17 John Briggs 18 John Cotter DNF Alan Jones DNF Darren Hossack

21:06.8886 21:07.9859 21:17.6840 21:22.6986 21:24.0502 21:26.4439 21:26.5581 21:28.0587 21:39.6072 21:39.9813 21:44.2710 21:49.6932 22:06.6822 22:17.1622 22:17.7546

1:09.2818 1:09.3296 1:09.6606 1:10.0907 1:10.0683 1:10.1719 1:09.8402 1:09.8053 1:09.9087 1:10.8444 1:10.7533 1:09.8668 1:11.8108 1:12.6208 1:12.6797

17 laps 17 laps 16 laps 13 laps 13 laps 10 laps 8 laps 3 laps 2 laps

1:13.4768 1:11.5680 1:13.4286 1:09.3136 1:10.4551 1:11.8503 1:14.9317 1:16.9826 1:53.3730

4 5 11 11 11 11 10 11 7 13 11 6 12 9 15 5 6 13 5 11 6 4 3 2

Conway Hislop

2 1

DNF Danny Osborne DNF Garry Willmington DNF Wayne Russell DNF Stephen White DNS Russell Ingall DNS John Bowe DNS Paul Romano DNS Terry Finnigan DNS JohnTrimbole

DNS Russell Ingall DNS JohnTrimbole DNS Paul Romano

DNS Mike Conway

Final 1997 Shell ATCC Series Points Seton Bowe Ingall Murphy Perkins Brock D Johnson

668 Longhurst 608 Gardner 572 ' Faulkner Jones 550 Richards 548 520 Skaife Poole 384

368 332 324 318 263 166 138

Larkham Finnigan Ellery Hossack Ashby White Bright

134 122 58 67 50 34 24

Heffernan McCarthy Smerdon Romano Reed Osborne Trimbole

21 20 19 10 9 8 7

Brewer Price G Johnson Pearson S Johnson Parsons Crick

7 7 6 3 2 2 2

Continued Page 46

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Ford Credit

15August 1991

Sheep does the joh for Eriksson Sainz closes on WRC points leader Makinen

Eriksson also lost time with a spin on the stage, the longest of the day at 32 km, which was won by Bums. On the next test, Sainz took ten seconds back from The final placings of the Eriksson and won the PERFECT SUPPORT... Kankkunen’s third spot netted Ford valuable points. Rally of New Zealand 4:14:24 remaining four, but they good points tally in the aged third in F2, behind were settled on the open totalled less than 32 km and, Makes Championship and Gomez and the Suzuki 3 J. Kankkunen/J. Repo ing stage of the final day Ford Escort WRC in favour of Kenneth although he drove at ten Burns put in a very mature Baleno Station Wagon Kit 4:14:30 tenths, Sainz just ran out of drive to finish a strong Car of‘Monster’ Tajima. Eriksson driving a distance over which to catch fourth after his first day dif Tommi 4 R. Bums/R. Reid Mitsubishi’s Subaru, when Carlos Mitsubishi Carisma GT the Swede. ficulties, which saw his car Makinen and Subaru star Sainz hit a sheep in his 4:15:29 “It was quite tense this in only two wheel drive for Colin McRae set the early Ford Escort World Rally 5 P. Boume/C. Vincent Car. morning,” said Eriksson some stages. pace in New Zealand, clear after the finish. The incident cost Sainz Subara Impreza ing out to a lead of over half Local Possum Bounce 4:19:35 “To be first on the road, I (Subaru) and Australia’s a minute on the first three almost 30 seconds, which he knew would be a disadvan was unable to recover over stages - but Makinen rolled 6 N. Bates/C. Taylor Neal Bates(Toyota) held sta Toyota Celica GT4 tage. I was almost flat out tion in fifth and sixth, while his Lancer Evo 4 heavily on the remaining five stages 4:25:35 all of which he won. everywhere, but I knew I had Gustavo Trelles put in a fine stage four, the third accident a small margin by the last drive to finish seventh in the he’s had in New Zealand in 7 G. TreUes/J. del Buono Eriksson took victory by 13 Mitsubishi Lancer two stages and was able to Group N Mitsubishi to con seconds, his second victory of the past three years. 4:25:33 relax a little.” solidate his lead in the McRae then took the lead, the year, with Ford’s Juha but he too retired before the 8 R. Sufan/M. Chiistie Kankkunen third and Kankkunen played the Production Car title race. Britain’s Richard Burns Toyota Cehca GT4 perfect support role to Sainz, Bourne had a reasonably first day was out, an engine 4:29:23 fourth for Mitsubishi. ensuring that Ford scored a trouble-free run in his failure halting his Subaru 9 B. Stokes/G. Cowan Impreza, while Bates twice after the ninth stage. ONL Y WAY TO FLY... Richard Burns conserves rubber as he tries for the podium. Ford Escort Cosworth The next round of the suffered a water injection 4:29:38 Championship, the Rally of pump failure which kept de Finland (August 29), sees the 10 R. Jones/L. Bult mapping the Celica’s com Mitsubishi Lancer puter - nevertheless, the debut of the exciting new 4:29:57 triple Australian Champion Toyota Corolla World Rally Car and already teams are was happy with his efforts. Oriel Gomez won the practicing furiously to ensure Drivers Championship Formula 12 classification for they remain faster than the Makinen 42, Sainz 34, McRae 32, Eriksson 24, SEAT to'take the Spanish ‘new kids on the block.’ Liatti 18, Bums 12, Schwarz marque back into the lead of Final Results I 11, Kankkunen 10, Panizzi 8. the category. Wayne Bell’s new Hyundai 1 K. Eriksson/S. Parmander Manufactm-ers Kit Car failed to start after Subara Impreza WRC97 4hl4mlls Championship the first night’s pare ferme Subaru 74, Mitsubishi 56, and retired, while team-mate 2 C. Sainz/L. Moya Ford 55. Ford Escort WRC Bob Nicoli eventually man-

Report by PETER WHITTEN

The result elevates Sainz to second in the World Championship, eight points behind Tommi Makinen and two points ahead of Colin McRae, with Eriksson fourth. Starting the day just eight seconds behind Eriksson, Sainz was seemingly in the best position to attack for the lead, with the Subaru driver having to sweep the loose gravel off the road as first car. But, on the opening stage, the Spaniard came over a blind crest flat out in sixth, gear (181km/h) and was unable to avoid the animal, which was in the middle of the road - the Escort’s inter cooler and left front panel were damaged and a brake pipe was torn off, costing over 30 seconds.

'/J

V.,

Bates to drive new Corolla in Rally OZ VIC: Stuckey Tyre Service Ph:(03) 9386 5331 Fax:(03) 9383 2514 SA: The Mag Wheel Centre Ph:(08) 8269 4100 Fax:(08) 8269 7805 NSW:Stuckey Tyre Service Ph:(02) 9676 8655 Fax (02) 9676 5300 QLD: Road & Race Spare Parts Ph:(07) 3279 1533 Fax:(07) 3376 5804 WA: Kostera's Tyre Service

Triple Australian Rally Champions Neal Bates and Coral Taylor will drive for the official Toyota World Rally Championship, Toyota Team Europe (TTE) at Rally Australia in October. The announcement was made at the launch of Toyota’s new-generation vehicle, the Corolla World Rally Car, near Brussels in Belgium. Bates will drive for TTE alongside former World Rally Champion Didier Auriol, TTE president Ove Andersson announced. “Neal and his Canberrabased team have had an out standing relationship with Toyota for seven yeai-s now. “It’s our pleasure to give him the opportunity to drive our new CoroUa at his home

event,” Andersson said. For Bates, the opportunity to drive a full works car in a World Rally Championship round is very special. “Just seeing the car here was exciting enough, but when Ove Andersson made the annocmcement that I was to drive for them, it was a dream come true,” Bates said from Brussels. “TTE has spent the last 18 months building and devel oping this car and I know it will be a winner. With TTE’s winning record, this is beyond doubt. “This will be the first time an Australian will have a real opportunity to win Rally Australia against world class opposition and I am going to grasp the opportunity with both hands,” Bates said. It will be the second time Bates has had the opportuni¬

ty to drive for TTE in Rally Australia. Back in 1991, he drove a works Celica in the event, but a lack of experience of left-hand drive cars and just wanting to get to the finish meant he finished a, to him, disappointing ninth. Belgian rally ace Freddy Loix has spent more than 2500 kilometres in flat out testing. “It’s such a good car, and it’s easy to drive,” Loix said. “I am sure Neal will enjoy driving the Corolla at Rally Australia and I am positive that if the car runs well he will finish very high up in the placings.” Bates will be given a three-day test session before Rally Austi-alia to get used to the car and to set it to his own requii'ements. -PETER WHITTEN

ISAugusIWr

The ultimate long-distance rally A

dvantage International’s 1998 Round Australia Rally

Advantage International, the owner and promoter of the 1995 Mobil 1 Round Australia Trial, has announced the staging of the 1998 Round Australia RaUy. Steve Frazer, Managing Director of Advantage International, last week released details of the event,

which will begin in Adelaide on Sunday, September 6, 1998 - competitors will make their way clockwise around the coastline of Australia to cross the finish line back in Adelaide three weeks later on Sunday, September 27. Locked into the CAMS national calendar on a triennial basis, the 1998 event

will be followed by another to celebrate the new millenium in 2001. Following the recommen dation of CAMS and to assist the promotion of rally as a category in Australian motorsport, the event will now be known as a rally rather than a trial. The 1998 event retains the

traditions of Round Australia with challenging conditions stressing reliability of vehicle and crew - competitors will stop every night for compulsory rest breaks, unlike the previous trials where some legs ran over two days. The 22-day event will be mn as a Special Stage Rally, with the competitive stages

the lead of the NSW Championship, the Acropolis API sponsors Rally OZ estern Australian Rally Championship Rally in Greece, won the Premier Richard Court after claiming victory in one-day Finnish event by the two most recent five seconds - the rally recently announced the new rounds of the series. formed part of the team’s naming sponsor for Rally Sandy, in the Bill four-day test session in Australia, which this year Buckle/Sullivans preparation for the WRC celebrates its tenth anniver Accountants Subaru round in New Zealand. sary. The four wheel drive Impreza WRX, over For the next three years, By Peter Whitt Australia’s round of the FIA came a major setback Escort World Rally Car Editor-Australian RallyspoifTTews just prior to the fourth sported a six-speed sequen World Rally Championship round of the series at tial gearbox for the first time will be known as ‘API Rally and more than 500 troubleAustralia,’ recognising the ed $100 million for the WA Batemans Bay to take victo free kilometres were cov ry in the rally. partnership struck with the economy in its 10 years. Just seven days earlier, ered during testing and on Western Australian compaThis year it is expected Australian Power 100 million viewers in 56 he and co-driver Michelle the rally itself. ny Both Sainz and team Industries. countries will watch AP I Murphy were involved in a mate Jyha Kankkunen, who traffic accident during recon Based in WA and 100% Rally Australia on television naissance for the has been testing the revised Austral ian-owned, Tasmanian round of the Escort in both Britain and Australian Power Industries API Rally Australia tickets his native Finland, are ARC -the car they were dri has forged an excellent rep to are APInow Rall Australia ony ving slid on black ice and delighted with the transmis utation as a service provider Tickets rolled several times, Murphy sion modifications. in a range of sectors from sale to the general public. “I drove the car in Finland Thirteen spectator points breaking her collarbone. primary industry to the high tech field of communica The injury meant the pair before the rally and felt very maximise viewing opportuni tions. ties, with particular empha- had to miss the Tasmanian comfortable with the new gearbox”, said Sainz. Australian Power Industries sis being placed on the rally and draft in a replace M-Sport, which runs managing director, Garry Runnings stages in the ment co-driver for the MRT Yost, said 1997 was set to south west and the city- Performance Bay Stages Ford's WRC programme, be an exciting year for the based Langley Park Rally at Batemans Bay the has been working on devel opments to the Escort for company. Superstages to be conduct- following weekend. Despite the problems, many weeks, but regula “We strongly believe our ed on Thursday, Friday and the Subaru driver was able tions meant the team was partnership with API Rally Saturday of the event. unable to use the revised Australia will be a successTicket prices have beeh to claim his second consec utive state series win and car in, competition until last ful one, providing us the retained at last year’s level. month: opportunity to showcase Prices range from $15 for the championship lead. Tortential rain made con Australian Power Industries’ a Country Day Pass or a Sandy now leads the title diverse operations, as well Langley Park General on 78 points heading into ditions on the rally very slip pery and the team also used as giving the event the Admission pass, to $25 for the final rouricl.: the test period to carry out opportunity to capitalise on Reserved Grandstand seatDebut win for new Escort more development work on our expertise in the commu- ing at Langley Park, the Escort’s Michelin tyres. nications sector,” Mr Yost Advance ticketing pur revised Escort said. chases and full details of Ford’s World Rally Car made a API Rally Australia, one children’s prices, conces- winning debut recently when ^ Rally of Canberra pays of the nation’s longest run- sions, student and family Team Ford Repsol driver number of assistance attractive ning hallmark events, will passes are available Carlos Sainz powered the Acompetitor run from October 30 to / through BOCS Ticketing on updated car to victory on the packages designed to Channel Four Rally in entice Australian and over (08)94841133. November 2 this year. Finland. seas crews to compete in Managed by Eventscorp and the Confederation of Sainz, who led a Ford 1- this year’s FAI Rally of Sandy hits the NSW lead 2 success on the most Canberra have been Australian Motor Sport, Rally Australia has generat- Sydney Sandy rally hqs driver racedMiles into recent round of the World announced by the event’s

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var3dng in length from five to 200kms, making up as much as SOOOkms in total - Cairns will be a rest day. Vehicle eligibility will be based on CAMS modem rally cars group, historic rally cars pre-1976 and recreation 4WD vehicles - competition crews can comprise two, or three, persons.

Further information on the 1998 Round Australia Rally, nomination forms and PreRegulations are available from the ultimate long-distance event promoter, Advantage International, PO Box 3297, North Burnley 3121 - or hy contacting Julie Maher, the Event Secretary, by phone on:(03)9427 9655.

Clerk of Course, Mike Bell. Interstate competitors; Each of the assistance four nights accomodation at packages has been tailored a designated rally hotel, or to be a complete package 200 litres of pump fuel and which will include entry fee, 200 litres of Avgas; entry accommodation, air travel fee; three tickets to Chief and freight. Minister’s welcome - total “In our lead-up to becom- value of package is $1300. ing a round of the prestiNew Zealand competigious Asia Pacific Rally tors: two return air fares; Championship in 1999, the seven rights accomodation Rally of Canberra has at a designated rally hotel; devised competitor assis- entry fee; three tickets to tance packages that display Chief Minister’s welcome; the event’s commitment to freight - return container, attracting teams from either 20ft or 40ft - total Australia and the Asia value of package $5500 (40 Pacific region,” Bell said. ft container). Already a number of International competitors; leading international teams two return airfares; seven have indicated their inten- nights accomodation at a tion to compete in Canberra designated rally hotel; entry and there is an unprece- fee; three tickets to Chief dented interest from New Minister’s welcome - total Zealand and Japan this year value of package is $1300 - in addition, the recent Details of the assistance signing of ‘Monster Sports’ packages can be obtained as the rally’s official from the FAI Rally of Japanese agent gives the Canberra, GPO Box Box event further international 3233, Canberra ACT 2602, or by faxing (06) 2072882. exposure. This year’s rally, to be Evo 5 Lancer tests held on Friday, November 28, Saturday, Nov 29 and Mitsubishi ing to confirm or refus deny Sunday, Nov 30, promises Despite an even more compact the existence of its route than normal. Evolution 5 Lancer, the new Much of the rally will be vehicle has already under concentrated in the Bluetts gone testing in Japan. and Greenhill plantations, Reportedly based closely on the Evo 3 and 4, the new close to the city centre. Details of the four assis car is being developed as a road-going version which tance packages are as fol will be on sale in the showlows; Western Australian com- rooms, as opposed to rival petitors: one return airfare; manufacturers who are seven nights accomodation - developing rally-only vehiat a designated rally hotel; cles for the World Rally Car entry fee; three tickets to category. Chief Minister’s welcome The homologation date, total value of package is or its first appearance, are $1300. not yet known.

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15Augusl^99/

FORMULA. 1

VHIeneuve takes dramatic GP win after gremlins stop improbable Ai Scotsman had been chucked into the spin by a phantom download in his gearbox electronics. This was a shame because the McLaren-Mercedes looked like a useful package on a track where one would not have expected the car to have done very well. David ended up eighth on the grid while Mika Hakkinen was fourth. Mika had been second until the very last moments of the session when he was bounced back by ViUeneuve and then Hill.

Report by JOE SAWARD THERE is no such thing as a moral winner in Grand Prix racing. The man who gets to the line first wins the race, whether he deserves the victory or not. At the Hungaroring Jacques Villeneuve won - but he did not really deserve the win. The day had belonged to Damon Hill - until a hydraulic glitch with two and a half laps to go left the Arrows driver unable to defend his half-minute advantage. He was passed on the veiy last lap. “Maybe I should be glad to be sec ond,” said team boss Tom Walldnshaw,“but right now Tm just pissed off. “Damon was just cruising for the last 20 laps. The car, the engine and the tyres worked very well round here.”

After the excitement ofwas winning Hockenheim, Benetton back in trouble again with Gerhard Berger and Jean Alesi qualifying seventh and ninth. Berger spoiled his chances by spinning off on his fastest lap while Alesi seemed more intent on his fiitm-e than on the race weekend. Johnny Herbert completed the top 10 in his Sauber but this was not without drama, Sauber being hit by a $25,000 fine on Friday after the FIA discovered that the Swiss team did not have legal fuel. This was an oversight because Shell had supplied two different kinds of fuel. Both were legal but if mixed together the chemical “finger print” of the fuel was not the same as the one held by the FIA. When Sauber pumped one fuel into a tank which contained some of the other petrol the mixture became illegal. “I reached a plateau after my sec ond run,” Herbert reported,“and the performance curve just flattened out. The balance, however, is good. We should be quick in the race.” Gianni MorbideUi, returning from his arm injury, was 15th on the grid, just 0.6s behind his teammate - a good showing. Eleventh on the grid was a good effort from Rubens Banichello in his Stewart-Ford, being only 1.4s off pole. This was obviously helped by the fact that,horsepower - or the lack of it - is not such a problem in Hungary. Jan Magnussen had an engine problem on Saturday morning and lost track time but the young Danish driver was only 0.7s behind Barrichello although the closeness of the grid meant that this left him in 17th.

Qualifying From the beginning of practice Michael Schumacher seemed to be in a class of his own. Everyone made a big fuss about a new lightweight Ferrari, which meant that the weight ballast could be put wherever it was needed in the car. Schumacher said this was an advantage but most people in the paddock reckoned that Michael was probably gaining more from the use of the torque-control system which the FIA has decreed to be legal. Ferrari boss Jean Todt denied that the team was using the elec tronic system but no-one believed him and watching Schumacher out on the circuit one had to say that it was remarkable that his car seemed to float through the corners while his rivals fish-tailed as the power went down. Whether it was natural talent or software skill is really not important because - one way or another everything was legal. Michael reckoned that he might have done even better than the tinfe which gave him pole. “I made a slight mistake on my fastest lap so I should have done a bit better,” he admitted, “but it was enough.”

ddie Irvine was satisfied with his fifth place on the grid, although he was 0.8s behind Michael. The importance of qualifying in Hungary cannot be overstated. The track is a strange and bizarre one with a very curious surface which changes character dramatically as the temperatures go up and down. Off-line the cars almost disappear into clouds of dust, which means that their tyres are rendered grip less. A mistake on a qualifying lap thus is punished heavily. With Bridgestone and Goodyear clearly operating better at different temperatures there was always going to be an element of luck, depending on the weather. On Friday - when it was warmer - the Bridgestone boys looked to be very strong with Jamo Trulli third fastest, Damon Hill fifth (on his one single flying lap in the afternoon session) and Rubens Barrichello sev enth. But on Saturday morning Tndli had dropped back to sixth, the

ALTERED FORTUNES... Former'teammates Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve were reunited on the podium. It was a lucky win for Villeneuve, who had battled David Couithard for much of the race (above) for second. (Photos by LAT Digital)

only Bridgestone man in the top 10. When the qualifying session began the track temperature was 35-deg but it dropped rapidly in the first quarter of an hour and then stabilised. This was clearly a disad¬ vantage for the Bridgestone men. who seemed happier when it was warmer. This meant that Jacques Villeneuve was able to claw his way out of the pack behind Schumacher and claim second place on the grid. Jacques was very much on the edge. going off dramatically - but without major damage-on his third run. “I went into the high-speed comer a httle bit too quick and the car was not turning,” he explained. “It was a shame beca^use on that lap I was quicker up tb that point. “I went for it again on the last run but there was just not enough grip to get Michael. “We’U have a good drag race down to the first comer. It is a very impor¬ tant race as we have to catch up with Michael. We have to get more points than Ferrari.” Heinz-Harald Frentzen made the interesting choice of running with the harder of the two Goodyear tyre compounds. This was obviously going to be a disadvantage in quali fying but might turn out to be the right thing to do in the race. It was a gamble because much would depend on whether race day was hot or not. The fact that HeinzHarald managed to qualify sixth was a good showing. “My choice of tyres was made for the race itself,” Heinz-Harald con firmed. “It is the race which finally matters.”

For many people the position arrival on of Damon HiU in third the grid in the last seconds of quahfying was a huge surprise. It should

not have been. On Friday he had been fifth after just a single flying lap, having sat in the garage for 55 minutes while his mechanics tore the gearbox off the car, looking for an electronic sensor problem. The Hungaroring, it should be remembered, is a track where horse power is not that important and so a good chassis can produce surprises. It is also very important not to be led astray by the changing track conditions. “You need to find a balance,” explained team boss Tom Walkinshaw, “and then you need to stay with it and not get side tracked.” The policy worked wonders and Damon was delighted with his best qualifying performance ofthe year.

“We thought we could get into the top 10, maybe even the top six,” he said, “but to get into top three is really good. “Bridgestone has come here for the first time and got it absolutely perfect. “I knew that if I could get a httle more time it would make a big dif ference and I put the hammer down and went for it. “It all comes down to set-up and the engineers have done a good joh.” Pedro Diniz did not have such a good time and ended up in a miser able 18th position on the grid, hav ing confused himself with the chang ing conditions and raining his tyres, which caused a spin. A similar fate befell David Couithard, although the McLaren boffins later discovered that the

Jarno Trulli’s performance on Saturday was a big disappoint ment for the Frost team as Jamo had been third fastest on Friday and sixth on Saturday morning, but lost track of the set-up in the confusing afternoon. One would be more critical of Jamo if he had done more than 40 motor races in his car racing career. But after only three GPs in a com petitive car it is perhaps a httle too early to judge him harshly. Shinji Nakano continues to look a lot better than he did at the start of the season and qualified 16th, half a second behind Trulh. You may have noticed that we have yet to come to the Jordan team, which was not having a good week end. The team decided to go with the harder Goodyeai- and the team knew this would make it a difficult task in qualifying. But there was not much

HUNGARIAN GP

15AU01W

rows success V

choice as the softer tyres were blis tering quickly and the team could notrisk them in the race. In"'-13th arid 14th positions on the grid - Giancarlo Fisichella ahead of Ralf Schumacher - the chances of making up the gap on Srmday were not very good. n The Tyrrells were disappointing as well, given that this was the team’s big chance on a track where horsepower should not really mat¬ ter. Verstappen reckoned that 18th on the grid was about as good as it was going to get. “I did just about the perfect lap,” he reported. “I don’t think there was much more we could have done.” Sale was 21st and complained that Villeneuve had blocked him. He was a little annoyed as he had blocked Villeneuve by accident on the previous lap and felt that the French-Canadian was simply pay ing him back. “It ruined our schedule, he said, “because it meant that after 25 minutes I had only one nm left and the track was getting better all the time.” The Minardis qualified 20th and 22nd with Ukyo Katayama ahead of Tarso Marques, who had to use

the spare car after an accident on Satarday morning.

Race -77 laps The Sunday morning warm-up provided more interest than usual as Schumacher (who was fastest again) went off and bounced over the sandtrap, damaging his hghtweight Ferrari sufficiently to force him to switch to the spare car for the race. Hakkineri was third quickest but the car ^topped with alternator problenis while David Coulthard also stopped with engine problems.

BACK IN THE LIMELIGHT... Damon Hill burst back into con¬ tention for the first time since winning the World Championship last year. First he joined Michael Schumacher at the post-qualifying press conference after posting third-best time (right) and then he charged past his former arch-<^ rival’s Ferrari in the early stages of the race to take the lead (above).

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32 15AusiJstmi The Benettons and Jordans con tinued to struggle and the big sur prise was the pace of Pedro Diniz in the Aitows,the Brazihan setting the fifth-fastest time, which suggested that the Bridgestone boys were going to be faster in the afternoon During Sunday morning the tem peratures edged ever upwards and while most of the Goodyear men sat chewing theii' finger nails, tiying to conjure up clouds with evil thoughts, three men - Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Giancarlo Fisichella and Ralf Schumacher - were rubbing their hands with glee; their gamble on harder tyres was paying off. Most of the Bridgestone runners had chosen their harder option as there was little difference in the times, but Hill and Diniz had gone softer, reckoning their cars would be able to cope with the wear. And thus it was that most of the field found itself on the wrong tyres. Hill made shghtly better start than poleaman Schumacher but it was not enough to get him ahead at the first comer while Irvine made one of his blinding starts and was immediately past Hakkinen and the slow-starting Villeneuve. The two Benettons nearly coUided as the field streamed down towards the first comer with Berger taking to the gi'ass to avoid an impact with Alesi. It was all rather untidy and as a result they both lost out to Herbert’s Sauber. The order as they headed under the bridge and down the hill was Michael Schumacher, Hill, Irvine, Hakkinen, Villeneuve, Frentzen, Coulthard, Herbert, Alesi, Berger andTruUi. The early laps proved that Schumacher was not going to drive away from Hdl but the two left the rest behind, Irvine holding up his chasers. ‘T could see that Michael had bhstered his tyres and was going to have a problem,” said Hill later. After six laps Michael was ip dire trouble and HiU began to push him hard. For the next four laps Damon piled on the pressure. Irvine had already given up the ghost and came diving into the pits on lap seven to get new rabber, hav ing blistered his first set. Michael’s reduced pace meant that he and Hill were then rejoined by Halddnen,the two Wdhams cars, Coulthard and Herbert and for a while the top seven ran nose-to-tail. On lap 11 Hill made his move, pulling out and diving down the inside of Schumacher at the first corner. Michael left him no space but Damon was not in the mood to mess about with his old rival and Michael was not about to throw the car into a sandtrap. Damon was in the lead! In the television commentary

■ii.

boxes, Murray Walker (a Damon fan) and Martin Brundle (an Arrows director) found aU this rather excitmg. “Martin only just managed to grab my ankle as I was going out through the roof of the commentary box,” reported the explosive Walker after the race. “I had to capitalise on the clear track ahead of me,” reported Hill, “and as the tyres stayed good I was able to puU away.” Schumacher pitted new rubber on lap 14 and whenforthe hydraulic system on Hakkinen’s MercedesBenz engine went wrong it was left to Villeneuve and Frentzen to chase the departing HiU. The gap came down a little on each lap and then went out dramati cally when the pair tried to lap HiU’s teammate Diniz. Villeneuve was the first to pit - on lap 24 - and he was followed by Hill on lap 25. This put Frentzen in the lead for four laps but then HiU was ahead again and after a few laps Damon began to puU away. “I knew that (he tyres were mar ginal,” Jacques reported. “I was hoj)ing the guys ahead would push too hard and bUster their tyres. “On the first set I could keep up with Damon but as soon as I came out of the pits my tyres bhstered. I could not keep pace with him.” HUl soon began to buUd a dramat ic lead. His Bridgestones stayed con sistent while the (Joodyears faded. On lap 36 he had a 12 second lead, but by lap 40 it was up to 17s and by lap 48 had gone out to 25s.

THESTART... Schumacher, Hill and Irvine make the most of start ing on the clean side of the grid to head Hakkinen, Villeneuve and the rest into turn one. BROTHERS... Michael and Ralf Schumacher battled in the closing stages of the race.

Damon pitted for the second time enough hydraulic pressrue to move on lap 51 and kept ahead as everyfrom second to third. Then he was one else pitted before or on the same stuck and to add insult to injury the lap and then he just kept building throttle went on the blink as weU. the lead untU he had half a minute A few times the car just stopped enough to cope with an unexpected but then the engine caught again puncture. It was^ out to 35s with and he continued, three laps to go when suddenly the On lap 75 he lost nine seconds to Arrows faltered. Villeneuve and during the 76th lap “I was beginning to think I could he dropped another 20. As they set win,” admitted Damon, “and when off on the last lap Jacques was right you do that something always goes . behind him. Going downhill from the paddock wrong. “I came out of the chicane and the section Damon jiggled the car, trythrottle wouldn’t shut when I lifted ing to clear the system. Jacques, off. I thought, ‘This is a bit strange, unsure what Damon was going to maybe it’s my foot’ and then there do, went left and took to the grass to were about three or four corners overtake. “I worked on the grip on the grass when it would not change gear prop yesterday,” Jacques joked, “and so it erly.” ■There was an hydraulic problem, was pretty gopd today. The team radioed him to get the car into fifth gear but there was only Once ahead it was a question of cruising forjusthome and Jacques duly took the flag to the delight - and surprise - of the Williams team. Damon managed to keep the car going and was able to get to the fin ish 20s ahead of the third-placed Johnny Herbert. “You just cannot control these things,” he said later. “I was amazed to get to the finish. “I am reaUy pleased to finish sec ond but I have mixed emotions. I would love to have won this race but second place is a good result nonetheless.” Although there was disappoint ment in the Arrows camp - it was the team’s 299th race without a win - there was some satisfaction that

PODIUM FINISH... Johnny Herbert had a strong race for Sauber and finished an excellent third. (Photo by lat)

progress has been made. “The Bridgestone tyres were real ly strong,” said Tom Walkinshaw, “and we spent practice concentrat ing on preparing for the race. The whole package is getting better.” While Bridgestone must take a lot

of the credit, the team had definitely made progress. The Yamaha engine was reliable and pretty strong and the chassis suited the tyres well. Although he was away on holiday, some of this must be due to the influence of new Arrows technical director John Barnard. Pedro Diniz had less fun that his teammate. “I made a good start,” he explained, ‘Tout the two Minardis did a kamikaze manoeuvre trying to overtake me and put all three of us off the track. This made me lose some positions.” He charged back but retired from 10th position after 55 laps with an electrical failure.

llleneuve’s teammate Frentzen . disappeared in bizarre circum stances when he came in for fuel on lap 29. The central part of the refuelling coupling - which is spring-loaded had come imdone and was catapult ed out of the car. This meant that his final lap before the stop was accompanied by curious bursts of flame as fuel spilled from his tank, ran down the rear bod3rwork and hit the exhaust pipes. “I saw something strange in the mirrors,” HH reported. “It looked like lights. I was not sure what it was but I understand that it was flames.” He came into the pits to discover that the team could not refuel the car because the connector was bro ken. In gentle despair Frentzen lobbed his steering wheel out of the cockpit. “It was looking pretty good for me,” he explained later. “I was very happy with my strategy and I would have been able to push right until the end with the tyres I had chosen.” He had made the right decisions and if all had gone well he would probably have emerged ahead of Villeneuve and been able to chase after Hill. With his harder tyres he could have mounted a stronger challenge and might have won the race, but the car had let him down and he was left to wonder about the “what ifs”. The demise of Frentzen left

*’

HUNGARIAN GR

ISAuguslM

his was the first time I had come to a race on my new jet (it's actually more than 20 years old!), which I picked up last week. Using scheduled airlines, I would have had to get up at Sam to get to Hungary on Thursday morning. Instead I got up at 9am, cruised to Dublin airport at my own leisure and it was sitting there waiting for me. It took us two hours, twenty-five minutes from Dublin to Budapest. And I was able to bring I my ma, my da and my sister, Sonia. I can't wait to get back on it again! But to be honest it doesn't feel like me. It's a bit OTT (over the top - Ed)...

was happy enough to qualify fifth. Basically'I had the car good in the morn ing, but on the first qualifying run we had way too much understeer. We thought that was because the temperature had come up. We made a change, but the car felt like it was pivoting round the front end. I realised that the first set of tyres must have been dodgy, as there was no way it should have changed that much. So we went back to the way it was, went out and it understeered like a pig again. So three of my four sets of tyres were gone. I had an OK time on the board, but nowhere near what I should have had. At the end I made another change and it was the right way to go. We actually need ed to go further, but I only had one set of tyres to play with. On that lap I made a few mistakes and that was it. It wasn't really a good lap. But at the time it put me third, behind Schumacher and Hakkinen. I should have been closer to Michael's time, but he's probably saying he could have gone quicker! I was pleased with the position, but I knew that Villeneuve and Hill could get me, and maybe Coulthard. In the end Villeneuve

and Hill did go faster, which knocked me down a couple of spots. I just didn't want to end up fourth or sixth. I was really pleased with fifth - it's almost like third because the right hand side of the grid (second, fourth, sixth and so on) is real ly dusty. People always make a bad start from that side. Sure I made good startinto andthird got STAYING PUTIN ‘98... Schumacher and Irvine have worked pastenough, Hakkinen and a Villeneuve well as partners at Ferrari. place. I thought about passing Hill as well, but it was too big a risk with Michael just in ners and then I'd backed off on them to have been in a sandwich. It was the worst front of him, because Michael didn't make a keep them for the race, which turned out to of both worlds. On the last few corners of the race be a mistake. They weren't expecting such great start. Everything was going fine in the early hot temperatures. I caught up and passed a Michael really slowed down. Half nearly ran laps and I was happy enough to be secure lot of people, including Gerhard Berger. I into the back of him and I nearly hit Half. Nakano didn't slow down in time and in third, with Hakkinen behind me. was passing one a lap. The third set were better because they'd pushed me off. Then suddenly a rear tyre blistered; the inside of the left rear went. I had to slow done more running so I could push a bit You can imagine that I wasn't very down and a couple of guys passed me. It more on them, but it was still very marginal. impressed at losing sixth! But at least 1 was was so bad that I had to come in for a new I went down to eighth after the last stop, very close to Michael after 77 laps, so in set after only seven laps. There was no but I started catching Michael, Half that respect it wasn't too bad. point in continuing like that, but it proved to Schumacher and Shinji Nakano. I was sit be the correct decision, to be honest. Even ting behind Nakano and then I got him, pleased thatthe my pressure contract is if I was last! fixed forI'm next year, but is around the outside. On the same lap Naturally always there to do the job. Especially when The second set of tyres was better. The*~ Coulthard retired, so I went up to sixth. Then I was right behind Half, but with Michael's there, as he always does the job. problem with the first set was that they'd Michael in front of Half it made overtaking a If you took a wheel off the car he'd do the done no running in practice. They were vir tually a brand new set. Whenever you run lot trickier. The thing was I could overtake job! So you're constantly driving your socks them, they harden a bit. I'd done two cor- Half, but I couldn't overtake Michael, so I'd off... n

Grand Prix of Hungary World Championship, round 11 Hungaroring, Budapest, August 10th - 77laps 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

UNRELIABLE... The McLarens performed better than expected on a circuit which does not rely on power, but likely podium finishes for both Hakkinen (above) and Coulthard were ruined by mechanical trouble. (Photo: lat) Villeneuve with Coulthard on his tail but Jacques did not find this a problem. He slowed down on pur pose to save his tyres and keep David bottled up behind him. In the end the McLaren ground to a halt with an engine-related electrical failm'e. This meant that Johnny Herbert was able to move up to third place by the finish. Johnny had made a good start to nm eighth eaify on. He moved up to fifth when the Ferraris ran into their tyre troubles and when Hakkinen retired. He was fifth again after the first stop and then moved to fourth when Frentzen retired and to third when Coulthard stopped. It was a lonely race, but a podium is a podium. “It is good for morale in the team,” Johnny explained. “I was optimistic that we would get points but I was careful to save my tyres as much as possible because I knew they would

Irvine was hit from behind by Nakano and dumped into a sandtrap. He was classified ninth. Ralfs fifth place was some reward for Jordan after a pretty poor week end. "The strategy of using hard tyres was compromised by the lack of pace Fourth place went the end to Schumacher, who in had chosen a in qualifying but Fisichella was still three-stop strategy but had lost any able to work his into contention hope of doing well when his tyres until he spim off while trying to pass Michael Schumacher on lap 43. blistered early on. Nakano was able to limp across “I had to run at a slower pace in order to look after my tyres,” the the line for sixth place after what German reported. “I hoped Hill had been a very impressive race. Frost teammate Trulli did not do would win, as he deserved to and also because it would have helped so well. After the first pit stop the Italian found that his car lost Ml its me m the championship.” At the end ofthe race Michael had grip and he struggled to keep it on his brother Ralf behind him. The the track. He finished seventh. Gerhard Berger was not far Jordan - on hard tyres - was quick er but Michael held off Ralf, Irvine behind at the end but eighth and 11th for.-Jean Alesi was hardly what and Nakano to grab an all-impor one can describe as a good perfor tant three points. Irvine would have finished fifth, mance from Benetton. Pathetic but on the last lap they all had to would be a better word. brake suddenly at.one point and If anyone can explain how a blister and fall apart.” Morbidelli did not have a good race. At the first comer he collided with Magnussen’s Stewart and had to pit for repairs. On lap 8 he had to retire with engine failure.

Jacques Villeneuve, Williams-Renault FW19,1h45m47,149s Damon Hill, Arrows-Yamaha A18, 1h45m56,228s Johnny Herbert, Sauber-Petronas C16, ih46m07,594s Michael Schumacher, Ferrari F310B, 1h46m17,650s Half Schumacher, Jordan-Peugeot 197, 1h46m 17,864s Shinji Nakano, Prost-Mugen Honda JS45, 1h46m28,661s JarnoTrulli, Prost-Mugen Honda JS45, 1h47m02,701s Gerhard Berger, Benetton-Renault B197, 1h47m03,558s Eddie Irvine, Ferrari F310B,76 laps (not running) Ukyo Katayama, Minardi-Hart Ml 97,76 laps Jean Alesi, Benetton-Renault B197, 76 laps

Fastest Lap: Frentzen, lap 25,1 ml8,372s Lap Leaders: Lap 1-10 Schumacher: Lap 11-25 Hill; Lap 26-29 Frentzen; Lap 30- 76 Hill; Lap 77 Villeneuve Retirements: Lap 5. Jan Magnussen, Stewart-Ford SF-1, accident damage Lap 7 Gianni Morbidelli, Sauber-Petronas Cl6, engine Lap 12 Mika Hakkinen, McLaren-Mercedes MP4/12, hydraulics Lap 29 Rubens Barrichelio, Stewart-Ford SF1, engine Lap 29 Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Williams-Renault FW19, fuel coupling Lap 42 Giancarlo Fisichella, Jordan-Peugeot 197, spun off Lap 53 Pedro Diniz, Arrows-Yamaha A18, alternator Lap 61 Jos Verstappen, Tyrrell-Ford 025, air valve leak Lap 65 David Coulthard, McLaren-Mercedes MP4/12, alternator Lap 76 Eddie Irvine, Ferrari F310B, hit by Nakano Drivers' World Championship Points: 1 M. Schumacher 56; 2 Villeneuve 53; 3 Alesi 22; 4 Berger 20; 5 Frentzen 19; 6 Irvine 18; 7 Panis 15; 8 Coulthard 14; 9 Hakkinen 14; 10 R. Schumacher and Herbert 11; 12 Fisichella 8; 13 Hill 7; 14 Barrichelio 6; 15 Wurz 4; 16 Trulli 3; 17 Salo and Nakano 2; 19 Larini 1 Constructors' Championship: 1 Ferrari 74; 2 Williams-Renault 72; 3 Benetton-Renault 46; 4 McLaren-Mercedes 28; 5 Prost-Mugen Honda 20;6 Jordan-Peugeot 19; 7 Sauber-Petronas 12; 8 Arrows-Yamaha 7; 9 Stewart-Ford 6; 10 Tyrrell-Ford 2 Renault-engined car- can end up dic ing with a Minardi, the team would probably like the answer on a post card because it does not seem to have answers of its own at the moment. Katayama and Marques finished 10th and 12th for Minardi while Mika Salo brought his Tyn’ell home 13th. Verstappen retired with pneu matic problems at half distance. As usual neither StewaiT made it veiy far.

Magnussen retired with accident damage after the first corner kerfuffles while Barrichello’s race which might have produced a point or two - ended on lap 29 with an engine failure. It would cruel to suggest that Ford VlOs blow up rather a lot but this will not have escaped the attention of Ford boss Jac “the Knife” Nasser who had turned up to watch the fun ... n

34 15August m/

Rudd's Brickyard BIG BUCKS... Earnhardt’s topped US$30 million. (Martin D Clark)

rett Bodine announced on Friday at Watkins Glen that he has a new partner in his team Andy Evans of IMSA fame has purchased a 50% stake in what is now Bodine Scania Motorsports. Bodine admitted that he would not have been at the Glen on August 10 had the financial help not been forthcoming. Although brother, Bodine,Brett’s cancelled hisGeoff own announcement regarding his new partners, they have at least been made public - Jim Mattel and John Porter are the two business men concerned. Mattel, the founder-owner of the Checkers fast food chain, is a personal friend of Team Sabco’s Felix Sabates and fielded a Winston Cup car for Danny Sullivan in the 1994 Brickyard

in 1996, is now the crew chief on Rick Mast's Butch Mock-owned Remington Ford. In his first crew chief position, Charpentier, one of the most sought-after engineers in the sport, quit his position as manag er of engineering at Sabco to join Mock. Charpentier replaced Gere Kennon, who was fired in May and who is apparently suing Mock.

ale Earnhardt is the first driver in history to collect in excess of US$30 million in winnings, after he won US$40,000 in this year’s IROC series at Michigan on July 27.

The Cartoon Network return to the Winston Cup will series in 1998, but not with Diamond Ridge Motorsports, who they have been with since the start of 1996.

ichard Broome, crew chief with Stavola Brothers and dri ver Hut Stricklin, departed the team on August 7- Stricklin was a surprise non-qualifier at Indianapolis, Broome’s move pos sibly reflecting this.

400.

put Although nothing been 18 in writing, on has August Roush Racing will take over the Mark Rypien Motorsports Pontiac team that fields John Deere-spon sored Pontiacs for Chad Little. The team will remain GM and Little will stay on at least for this year as the pilot. Roush will become the first four-car operation, also fielding Fords for Mark Martin Valvoline, Ted Musgrave Family Channel/Primestar and Jeff Burton Exide. The Rypien team hopes that Roush resources will favour them in testing - they have only been allotted three tests at the GM wind tunnel this year, compared with Bobby Labonte’s Joe Gibbs Pontiac team, which has been allowed 12 tests. The takeover will be gradual and both Little and ex-NFL star Rypien will sell their part of the team, the third silent partner pos sibly remaining on the board. Dave Charpentier, involved in an out of who courtwas set tlement between Ricky Rudd’s RPM operation and Team Sabco

Penske announced it will Motorsports be purchasing North Carolina Motor Speedway, Rockingham. Bruton Smith’s Speedway Motorsports immediately filed a law suit to stop the purchase, his corporation’s offer being consider ably higher. 1

Brickyard winner Ricky Ru(3d had a lucky escape at Watkins Glen while practising on August 8 - he went off the course and slammed into the polystyrene bar riers, causing heavy damage to his Tide ride. Rudd was forced to drive a back-up Ford in qualifying and, with no practice, he posted the 28th fastest time at a track where he has scored two victories.

n a Monte Carlo put together by his Busch Grand National Team 34, Todd Bodine was the surprise polesitter at Watkins Glen on August 8. In front of a hometown crowd favouring himtiself, his local spon sor and his car owners, Bodine who announced a full-time Winston Cup effort with a new team next year - outqualified Dale Jarrett for the top spot.

SURPRISED... A Brickyard 400 victory wasn’t on Ricky Rudd’s Tide Ford schedule.(Martin D Clark pic) Ricky Rudd gambled on fuel fine fifth, banged doors with Kyle and steered his self-owned Tide Petty, before Petty got into it with Ford to victory lane in the Darrell Waltrip, the pair exchangBrickyard 400 at Indianapolis ing heated words post-race and Motor Speedway on August 2, Petty using the term “old man.” Jeff Burton, who started 33rd, pitRudd recording his second win of the season to boot. ted just before the fifth caution with Rudd, who started seventh and a vibration and took on fresh tyi'es. This would have given him an led 14 laps, including the final thir advantage over the leaders who teen, considered himself to be rac ing the third-placed car behind only took on gas and almost cerDale JaiTett and Jeff Gordon near taMy the win, but, sensationally, the race’s end. he was caught speeding on pit road “Unbelievable,” remarked Rudd. and was sent to the rear. Ernie Iiwan won the pole with a “It’s hard to put it into words. “I’ve won 17 or 18 Winston Cup races, new stock car track record of but this race, here, it’s incredible. 177.736 mph,his pole partner none As a kid, I raced karts down the other than “Front Row Joe’ road. I dreamed of racing here, but Nemechek - this was the third I thought it would be in an Indy occasion this year the pair had car. The fastest guy doesn’t always shared the front row, Nemechek win the race, but part of winning out front for the fourth time in six races. races is being smart.” Irvan led the most laps (39) and Rudd - who won US$571,000 covered the final 115 miles on the was among 11 drivers who 2.5-mile Indianapolis oval on a 22 swapped the lead 19 times - but, gallon tank, pitting for the final like fifth-starting Dale Earnhardt, time on lap 114 of 160 when Joe had trouble on pit road and Nemechek hit the wall. dropped down the order. Two more cautions aired in the “Breaking things in the pits event’s final stages, the first for makes for a bad day,” said a dejectRobby Gordon on lap 147, which ed Earnhardt, “We tested here for six days and resulted in a 10-lap caution, the I thought we were ready for the event’s sixth and final yellow wav race. I guess we weren’t.” ing when Rich Bickle hit the wall. “The Intimidator” had an air line Front runners Jarrett and Gordon pitted for a splash of fuel fracture, resulting in an air leak, and other lead lap cars followed, which meant that the crew did not except for Rudd, Bobby Labonte get the light fi'ont wheel tight and and Johnny Benson, who stayed he had to repit 18 laps later. Earnhardt’s team-mate Mike out on the track. At that point, Rudd was not sure Skinner fared better, leading for if he had enough fuel - but, when eight laps near the end and finish the field resumed racing, all doubts ing ninth. Jeff Gordon w ho headed laps were dispelled and he held on by 0.18 seconds to take the win over four times for 25 tours, is now the Labonte’s Pontiac. only driver to have led all four The final three-lap shootout pro Brickyard events. duced furious action behind the He and Jarrett had great bouts leaders, Jarrett pushing Mark during the 400-miler. “Fuel wasn’t an issue for us,” Martin through the turns and into Benson, the latter pair almost said Jarrett, who headed 31 cir cuits. “We weren’t even close.” wrecking. Gordon thought differently: “I Jeremy Mayfield, who recorded a

wanted to chance it, but I didn’t say anything. I always respect the team’s opinion.” Yellow number one didn’t take long to be displayed, appearing when Chad Little was nudged by Lake Speed in the tricky turn 1. Derrike Cope in the Skittle’s Pontiac was the cause df the second caution, slamming the turn 1 wall rearwards. He exited the pits on the inner pit lane and suddenly shot across the gi-ass and track - unfortunately for Michael Waltrip, he hit a blind spot and Cope, the pair sustaining very heavy damage, Bill Elliott and Ted Musgrave were also involved, Elliott recovering to cross the line eighth “Awesome Bill” is now the only driver to finish in the top ten in four Indy races. Hendrick’s Terry Labonte went out early-with a rare blown engine the connecting rod holing the sump - Labonte finished 40th, his worst result of the season and he now has three results of 35th or worse in the past six races. Sterling Marlin’s tough luck streak continued, with a blown engine on lap 13 - it was the Chevy team’s third engine loss at Indy. Mark Martin still holds second in the points race, just 79 back from Jeff Gordon, Jarrett advanc ing to third and TeiTy Labonte now holding fourth. Final results: 1 Rudd (Ford) 130.828 mph, 2 B Labonte (Pontiac), 3 Jarrett (Ford), 4 J Gordon (Chevy), 5 Mayfield (Ford), 6 Martin (Ford), 7 Benson (Pontiac), 8 Elliott (Ford), 9 Skinner(Chevy), 10 Irvan (Ford). Points standings: 1 J Gordon 2834, 2 Martin 2755, 3 Jarrett 2687,4 T Labonte 2603, 5 J Burton 2591, 6 Earnhardt 2491, 7 B Labonte 2411, 8 Rudd 2309, 9 Mayfield 2255,10 Elliott 2179. - MARTIN D CLARK

WINSTON CUP RESULTS The Bud at the Glen ■= Watkins Glen, NY. August 10, 1997 I. 2.

Jeff Gordon, #24 DuPont Automotive Chevrolet Geoff Bodine, #7 QVC Ford Thunderbird

3. 4. 5.

Rusty Wallace, #2 Miller Lite Ford Thunderbird Robby Gordon, #40 Coors Silver Bullet Chevrolet Mark Martin, #6 Valvoline Ford Thunderbird

6. 7.

Ted Musgrave, #16 Family Channel Ford T’bird Bill Elliott, #94 McDonald’s Ford Thunderbird

8. 9.

Terry Labonte, #5 Kellogs Corn Flakes Chevrolet Steve Grissom, # 41 Kodiak Chevrolet Monte Carlo

10. Wally Dallenbach, Jr. #46 First Union Chevrolet

11. Johnny Benson, Jr., #30 Pennzoil Pontiac Grand Prix 12. Joe Nemechek, #42 BellSouth Chevrolet Monte Carlo 13. Sterling Marlin, #4 Kodak Film Chevrolet Monte Carlo 14. Ken Schrader, #33 Skoal Bandit Chevrolet Monte Carlo

imSCARi Current Points After Round 20

I. Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet ..3,019 2,910 2. Mark Martin, Ford 2.759 3. Dale Jarrett, Ford

15. Jeremy Mayfield, #37 Kmart/RC Cola Ford T’bird 16. Dale Earnhardt, #3 GM Goodwrench Plus Chevrolet

4. Terry Labonte, Chev ....2,750 2,667 5. Jeff Burton, Ford 6. Dale Earnhardt, Chev ...2,606

17. 18. 19. 20.

7. Bobby Labonte, Pontiac .2,463 8. Jeremy Mayfield, Ford ...2,373 2,352 9. Ricky Rudd, Ford 2,330 lO.Bill Elliott, Ford

Ricky Craven, #25 Budweiser Chevrolet Monte Carlo Darrell Waltrip, #17 Parts America Chevrolet Mike Skinner, #31 Lowe’s Chevrolet Monte Carlo John Andretti, #98 RCA Ford Thunderbird

15AugusUW

Todd Bodine will drive for a new operation under the Team Cheever banner in 1998. announced Bodine

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FORD’S NEW BABY ... Ford’s Taurus, the 1998 replacement for the long in the tooth Thunderbird, was unveiled on July 30 in Indianapolis(Martin D Clark pics). 'The car in racing form looks similar to the Monte Carlo, although the round headlights give the Taurus a different T\ look and it bears no likeness to the fourdoor shell. It has a longer bonnet than the street version and the boot is higher to accommodate the NASCAR template and make the car more stable on the track. The red, white and blue car built by Penske South was displayed at the Indianapolis garage area until Chevrolet, which co-sponsored the Brickyard 400, had speedway officials move it because of all the attention it was getting fi-om the crowds of intereste'd crews and fans. - MARTIN D CLARK

(5^

Byers returns

“I’m making a return to the Thunderdome with two brand-new Laughlin chassis Chevrolet Monte Carlos, with the aim of winning some races and putting on a good show for the fans,” explained an extremely enthusiastic Terry Byers this week. Byers, who hails from the New South Wales seaside city of Woolongong, was one of the foundation members of the Australian NASCAR scene, after competing at the first super speedway event on the Calder Park tri-oval on February 28,1988. A crowd of 46,000 saw USA star Neil Bonnet in a Pontiac win the inaugural 280-lapper, which featured a typical NASCAR multi-car shunt on lap 80. Byers, Allan Grice, Gary Collins, Dick Johnson, Brad Noffsinger, Harry Goulart, John Lawes and Bill ■Venturini all had a high speed coming together in turn 3 - but, despite return ing home with a torn-up car, Byers was hooked on the super speedway style of racmg. “In the early days at the Thunderdome, we had plenty of television coverage and the prizemoney was good,” Byers recalled. “But, after contesting five series, I decided that it was time to go to the US for a stint, as the sport was going backwards here at a pretty rapid rate. “You can only spend so much' on a project that is los ing money, as the lack of national television coverage prevented the teams from gaining sponsors. In late ’94, Byers set up a race shop in the heartland of NASCAR racing, Charlotte, North Carolina, where he

contracted his services to a speak, along with my second host of/US teams. Monte Carlo, to be shipped “We built sixteen new out to Woolongong. “John Sidney’s engines are school cars in as many weeks for the Richard Petty Driving going to hard to beat, as he Experience,” Byers said, already has several seasons “plus 1 spent some time trav- experience with these eling to the races with vari- reduced compression powerous teams, as well as going plants, I noticed how Kim Jane to their race shops to gather more infoi-mation and experi- dominated the final two ence. rounds of the last series, but “The whole idea was for 1 hope that we can apply me to learn heaps, as I hoped some extra pressure, on him that the sport down here and several of the other would turn around for the front-runners.' better. “Crew chiefing for John The $4 million cost of a Maultsaid for the last two season’s racing in the prestirounds of the ACDelco series gious NASCAR Winston Cup was good for me, as it Series prevented Byers from allowed me to inspect the local scene - plus, John participating full-time. scored his best two finishes, In early ’95, he failed to a second and a fourth.” gain a place in the 40-car field at Daytona, after hit ■While waiting for the bal ting the wall in qualifying. ance of his racing equipment “I ran some impressive to arrive from the US, Byers times during practice in my is attempting to raid a numbrand-new Thunderbird,” he ber of corporate bins, seeking stated. “Then, in qualif3dng, I assistance with fuel, tyre and either cut up a tyre, or made running costs - he has a a mistake and hit the wall at fully-equipped multi-car pana great rate of knots - the tech, which he wants to paint Ford was junked and I had'a in the colours of his corpobusted collar bone and three rate backers, broken ribs. I’m really looking forward Fellow Aussie NASCAR to returning to the Dome, if racer Adam Pay recently ten or twelve of us can run spent six months in fast, hard and close together Charlotte helping Byers at the fi’ont,” he added, build his new Monte Carlos Australians are always in preparation for the forthlooking for close motor raccoming 1997/98 Australian ing. Look at the great crowd NASCAR Championship attendance at Oran Park two series. weekends ago for the 'V8 “We have assembled two Supercars - but, as we all brand-new 9.5:1 compression know, NASCAR racing is engines, using parts that I closer, has more race leaders, sourced from Richard is faster and provides a betChildress Racing, so I should - ter entertainment experibe reasonably competitive ence. straight out of the box,” “It’s been a long time between drinks, but I’m back Byers said. and hoping to be in the win“I’ve got my own engine dyno in our US race shop ners circle at the Goodyear and, in fact, it is being loaded Thunderdome on Saturday, into an container as we November 1.”

recently that he signed a three-year contract with a new team and sponsor to field Pontiacs - the primary sponsor is Tobasco, a hot cooking sauce already gracing Cheever’s IRL car. He will run in the Bob Hancher-managed team at the Charlotte and Atlanta events this year in prepara tion for a full schedule next year. Jerry was releasedNadeau as the driver of Richard Jackson’s number one Pontiac on July 24, sponsor R&L Carriers apparently not happy with his public relations side during his three-race tenure, R&L have signed a contract through 1998, something Nadeau was not willing to do.

I MUl By Martin D Clar He currently competes in NASCAR’s truck series. Vegas Motor ^as Speedway looks set to become the next new addition to the growing Winston Cup schedule. A March 8 date will replace the snowy always cold and often Richmond date, which could move to June 7. Although nothing has been confirmed, NASCAR spokesman Kevin Triplet said, “it’s the first thing that I have seen that looked like a schedule for next year.” Jimmy Martin, a Petty Enterprises employee for

Eighteen Ernie Irvanhours won theafter pole at Indianapolis, current team-owner Robert Yates announced irvan’s replacement in the Texaco Ford for

the 1998 season.

As had 'been rumoured for a few weeks, 28 yearold Kenny Irwin Jr will fill Irvan’s shoes in one of the most competitive rides in the Winston Cup Series. Irwin will start up to five Winston Cup events later this^year with Yates and carry out extensive testing,

28 years, has been named as the general manager of the new Erving Washington Motorsports. Martin had, amongst other things, previousiy worked as team man ager for Petty. Robby Sabco Gordon owner and Team Felix Sabates have an August 15 meeting planned to discuss their possible future. Gordon has wrecked 10 times this year and the pair have had harsh words to say about each other.

To make matters worse, one of Bobby’s cars came loose in the trans porter on the way to Indy and two cars were damaged - “at least they can’t blame me for that.” quipped Gordon!

STP willThe again hold Car’ The Paint King’s contest for the second time. Last year, a aesigner from Sweden won the event this year, you have to be a US student in one of 24,000 US high schools. The track wasIndianapolis faster than previous years, quite possibly down to the repaving of the turns and the addition of some 1.5-inch rumble strips on the inside keeping the heavy cars off the turf. The qualifying difference between polesitter Irvan and 38th Labonte was a mere 0.899s - had Dale Jarrett repeated his Wednesday practice speed of 178.980 mph, he would have sat on the pole. “I don’t forsee running that fast tomorrow,” Jarrett commented. He was right. Robby the fifth Gordon driver became to com pete in both the stock car and Indy car events held at the track, joining John Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Danny and Geoff Sullivan Brabham.

3S 15/\ugiisim7

Cory Mac sizzles in Seattle Bazemore flopper makes it three and Edwards shocks with Yates defeat

FASTEST FOOD... In-form Cory McClenathan racked up his third Top Fuel event win on the trot with a Seattle holeshot in the McDonald’s fueller. (Dave Ostaszewskipics) Report by DAVE OSTASZEWSKI

Force to only 114 points, or six rounds ofracing. Mike Edwards took John Eight’s Pontiac Firebird to an emotional win over swing three-peat hopeful Jim Yates - Right is home, recover ing from a stroke. ; Edwards pulled some upsets on his way to victory, making all his runs in the left lane, which has a bump at the 800 foot mark which unsettled the fuel cars and made the Pro Stocks skate their way to the finish line.

To say that team McDonald’s driver Cory McClenathan has a hot hand right now would be something of an understate ment, as McClenathan, the win ner of the 10th Annual NHRA Northwest Nationals at Seattle, Washington, on August 1-3, has now scored twelve straight round wins for team-owner Joe Gibbs and moved to within 63 Top Fuel points of second place Joe The clutch problems that so Amato in the Top Fuel series pointscore. many teams have struggled with of McClenathan remains unbeaten late seem to be tapering off, as since the debut of a new car at the Scelzi led the troops with a great beginning of the western states 4.667/309.38. Amato followed at 4.703/309.38 swing. In the final, McClenathan’s vic and Kenny Bernstein, who was without crew chief Dale Armstrong tim was the points-leading “Winston” car of Gary Scelzi and for the first time in over 16 years, tuner Alan Johnson. due to an irftestinal virus, laid McClenathan has now taken down a 4.714/312.71 for third. Scelzi out in each of the last three Cristen Powell was back on tour, events and becomes only the second posting a 4.716/301.10 best for Top Fuel driver in history to sweep fourth, while Larry Dixon showed the three-race swing, Joe Amato up with the ’95 car that enjoyed so having done it in 1991. much success and put it into the Whit Bazemore was once again fifth spot at 4.720/306.95. McClenathan nailed down sixth the dominator of the floppers, lay at 4.727/305.18, while Scott Kalitta ing down a string of low 5.00-sec ond runs while taking win number and Bob Vandergriff rounded out three of the 1997 season. the top eight with respective runs Bazemore defeated Castrol driver of 4.748/309.38 and 4.761/296.05. Tony Pedregon in the final, when The first round began with Bob Pedregon’s car lost traction. Vandergriff winning a wild tyre Bazemore also trailered points smoking battle with Jim Head, who leader John Force in the semi-final, debuted a brand-new Jim Davis making this the third straight chassied car and qualified ninth at 4.767/298.11. event that Bazemore has eliminat ed Force - the win narrows the At the green. Head’s mount went series gap between Bazemore and into a small wheelstand, which

unloaded the car as the wheelie bars hit the ground - both drivers fought to regain traction, with Vandergriff talang a close and ugly win, 6.834/228.13 to 6.901/219.94. Eddie Hill - in a lettered, unpainted, new car - drove away from Scott Kalitta, who lost trac tion at the touch of the throttle. Hill dropped some holes and used some parts while trailing smoke most of the way downtrack, posting the win at 4.966/255.60. In a repeat result of the first pair, Tony Schumacher out-pedalled the Royal Purple machine of Powell, 6.907/255.75 to 7.658/140.01. Tim Gibson qualified the Fontana-powered car of Bill Miller at 5.115, but was no match for the 4.723/305.29 blast from Amato, Gibson clicking the car right off the line and slowing to a 12.123/64.71. Scelzi ripped off a stout 4.684/310.34 to easily advance over the “Geronimo” fueller of Australian David Grubnic. In the next pair, Dixon left on and never saw the Parts America dragster of Shelly Anderson, as his cylinder-dropping 4.931/289.94 cov ered the 5.120/298.90 of Shelly. Bernstein put down a 4.825/301.20 to stop Robert Reehl’s clicked-off 7.090/121.75, the round closing with McClenathan’s strong 4.642/313.91 sending Mike Dunn and his 4.815/293.54 back east early. Dixon returned to his qualifying form in round two, when the “Miller Lite” fueller improved to a 4.747/308.43 to easily outdistance the 4.964/264.86 from the LaBac entry of the Peek Bros and Schumacher.

Hill then pulled off the upset of the meet his Pennzoil digger leav ing on and outrunning Amato, 4.759/306.12 to 4.762/301.18. Vandergriff was unable to make the needed repairs to make round two, so Scelzi took a bye into the semis at 4.694/309.59. Bernstein’s day then came to an end at the hands of McClenathan, the Bud King going up in smoke while McClenathan dropped a few holes, but still ran 4.960/298.60. The semis began with Cory Mac turning a 4.712/310.98 to stop HiU, whose car went silent at 600 feet, coasting to a 5.599/151.84. Dixon then drilled Scelzi on the tree, pulling ahead when Scelzi was forced to pedal - Dixon appeared to be on his way to the final, until the blower belt exited the car, handing Scelzi a 4.826/305.29 win. The final was a good one, with McClenathan taking an early lead on the tree - the cars went downtrack side by side to the stripes, with McClenathan pulling out a victory over Scelzi, 4.730/313.26 to 4.719/310.13. “Pm speechless,” McClenathan said. “It doesn’t get any better for a driver to win a race on a holeshot.” Funny Car Ron Capps, fresh from his win in Sonoma, took the pole on his last run with a 5.048/304.05, Force grabbing the second spot with his Friday night shot of 5.068/299.60. Bazemore and Chuck Etchells rounded out the top four, with 5.073/301.70 and 5.080/294.98, respectively. The first round kicked off with a bit of an upset, when Capps

smoked the tyres, pedalling at least three times and almost crossing the centerline. By then, A1 Hofmann was long gone, kicking out a connecting rod and coasting to the finish line, but still managing to stay ahead of Capps and taking the win, 6.846/123.33 to 9.311/181.83. Bazemore then blasted out a great 5.012/303.43 to advance over the tyre-smoking In-N-Out car of Mark Oswald. Not to be outdone. Force laid down low e.t. of the meet at 4.988/304.77 to stop the tyre-smok ing Mitch McDowell. Etchells got out on Del Worsham, but the Kendall GT-1 Dodge got loose, drifting toward the centerline at half-track and allowing Worsham to drive by and take the win, 5.288/284.99 to 5.367/288.18, burning six pistons in the process. Kenji Okazaki took a close win from Gary Densham, 5.113/300.40 to 5.208/290.51 and Cruz Pedregon^ went 5.116/306.12 to eliminate Tom*' Hoover’s 5.227/267.61. Randy Anderson finally shook his first round blues with a 5.143/293.44 win over Dean Skuza, the round coming to an end with Tony Pedregon streaking to a 5.125/297.91 that was too much for Tim Wilkerson’s tractionless 13.749. Okazaki and Worsham began round two, with the Mooneyes Dodge getting out of the groove, spinning the tyres and allowing Worsham to advance, 5.336/280.28 to 7.476/116.45. Cruz Pedregon and Bazemore left together and stayed that way until the 800 foot mark, when the

15AugusU99/

Pro Stock a week ago, was 15th with a 7.041. McDonald’s Pontiac began to haze victory against Larry Morgan. in a true dead heat to win by less Bruce Allen rounded out the field Kurt Johnson led the factory hot the tyres, falling behind and giving In the semis, Mike Edwards had than a thousanth of a second, at 7.047/195.90. more than a tenth of a second lead 7.086/195.73 to 7.088/194.97. the win to Bazemore, 5.075/303.33 rods with a 6.976/197.02, with Steve Schmidt second at to 5.144/294.11. The second round got underway on W.J. at the green and, while It was truly an emotional win for with Kurt Johnson going a Johnson set low e.t. of eliminations Edwards. Force showed some consistency 6.999/197.10. with a 5.052/302.21 win over a tyre Troy Coughlin seems to have 7.033/196.24 to put out the “John Eight’s my hero,” Edwards at 6.997/196.63, it wasn’t enough to smoking Anderson, while Tony solved the Jegs Pontiac’s troubles 7.093/194.67 of Tom Martino. overcome the big holeshot by said. “He gave me my first chance Warren Johnson was almost a Edwards, as his 7.042/196.16 took to drive in Pro Stock and we Pedregon drove to an easy and went 7.003/196.50 for third, 5.048/303.03 victory over Hofmann, while Jim Yates put his Pontiac tenth of a second late against the win. worked awful hard today. who broke more pieces and “This year has been dis slowed to an 11.091/68.08. appointing for us, so it just The Worsham team brings tears to my eyes to installed a new bullet for win for John. He’s home the semi-final round, but struggling with his health, the car never really left but were thinking of him.” well and Worsham clicked it early to a 6.975/126.08 Federal-Mogul meanwhile, Tony Pedregon Alcohol Dragster was taking the Castrol and Funny Car Rick Santos qualified '7 Mustang into the final at 5.052/303.23. number one, set low e.t. at Coming into this three5.498, held top mph at 255.39 and took the win in race swing, Bazemore had never beaten Force - but, the Dragster class at in the last two events, he Seattle - Santos, driving had beaten Force twice. for Jack O’Bannon, defeat ed Alan Hartley, Frank Force took an early lead Pedregon and Jay Payne, at the green in the other semi, but Bazemore thun before defeating final round opponent Bobby dered by right at the finish Taylor in Gary Turner’s line to win with a very close 5.069/299.80 to dragster, 5.514/253.09 to 5.603/250.97. 5.084/300.00, for a .003-secBrian Hough won his ond victory, or about 1.3 first National event in feet. making his first-ever In the final, Bazemore Funny Car final. double-stepped the pedal at Hough qualified tenth at the green, but still man BY THAT MUCH... McDonald’s Pontiac of Jim Yates(above) lost by one thou of a second to Pro Stock’s Mike Edwards. 5.979 and put away Sam aged to leave on the Castrol The other pair saw Yates win a Blue, Steve Sommer and Bernie Cambro.n on the tree, but the car of Pedregon, who broke just fourth with a 7.003/196.16. You had close race with Kurt Johnson, Harrington, before knocking off past the concrete launch pads and to go down to 13th spot to find Beretta vlra's all over the lane and victim to Johnson’s 7.067/194.21 to 7.086/196.12. final round opponent Larry Miner. could only watch Bazemore hit the something other than a Pontiac, fell The Pro Stock final was the closIn the final. Miner banged the bumps and haze the t}rres to take a that being the 7.037 from Scott 7.050/195.06. 5.293/274.89 win. est race of the year, both cars leav- blower, launching the body some 50 Edwards took a huge lead Geoffrion and the black Dodge. Dester Cambron put his against Steve Schmidt and held off ing almost dead even, Yates with a feet skyward while Hough drove his With eight events to go, there is still plenty of time to catch Force Chevrolet Beretta 14th at 7.038 the engine-builder’s Pcmtiac, .477 light and Edwards, a .479. way to victory at 5.947/240.32. They were welded together all the ^ Miner did set low e.t. at 5.759, and, with the way the “Winston” and Mark Pawuk, in an Olds 7.054/195.99 to 7.080/195.95. The round closed with Yates tak way down the Seattle surface, with while Bucky.Austin took the top Mustang is performing, the threat Cutlass borrowed from Dave Belli is for real. following the fire suffered in testing ing a 7.065/193.75 to 7.110/194.00 Edwards turning on the win light mph honors at 244.63 mph.

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15August 1991 ing with a sponsor and, if it lands the deal, as it so thor oughly deserves, the team will contest more rounds of the Australian series during the ’97/98 season... n Confused in the past with two Steve Read/Reeds in Top By Gerald McDori^h Alcohol? Well, how would you go with two Andrew Cowin/Cowans in Top Fuel n Queen of Speed Rachelle Splatt now has a new castle for next season? Motorsport Trailers’ proprietor her extremely potent Valvoline/Dragway wheels Top Andrew Cowan is planning to realise a life-long dream and Fuel team. The world’s first SOOmph debut in the sport’s premier class woman driver has shifted her during the 1997/98 season. Cowan, from the Victorian city team from it’s previous King Lake base, just outside Melbourne, to a of Geelong, has ordered a new car new 1,800 square foot facility in from Sydney chassis builder Rod Thomastown, complete with room Andrews and has joined with one for two cars, trailer, business time Top Fuel runner Dwayne Riley to campaign the car, Riley offices and merchandise show handling the crew chief duties. room. The team, even though it is in With the shift completed, the team is now concentrating its its infancy, already has three efforts on getting Splatt’s new engines ready for its first season Hansen-built fueller ready for the in Top Fuel. Look for a debut of the new new season... Motorsport ’Trailers team around n'The DiFilippo Family Racing Christmas this year. Of course, the other Andrew team is looking to step up in Cowin is the son of the Shell numbers next season, follow ing its great 5.16 second run at Rocketship team leader Graeme and who licensed at the Nitro the Nationals. Charlie DiFilippo has ordered a Champs in May with a stunning new Dave Settles Nuclear fuel 4.92 second run! The younger Cowin is expected pump along with the latest Brad Anderson billet heads in the quest to make his competition debut at the season-opening Premier State for even quicker ets. Currently, the team is negotiat- Nationals in Sydney in October...

ell, no doubt you’ve already seen the story on this page, which was written by D^ve Ostaszewski in the US, about the possibilities of Scotty Cannon coming to tour Australia. By the time you’re reading this, we should have confirmation that he’ll be here this summer and I can tell you that I’m pretty excited about the prospects of racing Scotty. Recently, I went to the states for the first time and I got to spend a fair bit of time with him. He’s a great guy, but he’s also a no-holds barred person who won’t be com ing here for a holiday. In fact, I think we’re going to be in for a bit of a whipping! Hey, you don’t win five IHRA World Pro Modified Championships like Scotty Cannon has by not being the best there is.

y chassis builder Murray Anderson, who has built my three cars, will be building Scotty a Studebaker, similar to the one he built for George Clasby. The only difference between the two Studebakers will be the rear-end, which will be the same as my ladder bar unit. Having the five-time World Champion driving an Australianbuilt doorslammer is a great vote of confidence for Murray, who has really developed his supercharged doorslammer chassis into the best in the world. Murray has copped some flak in his time and he’s had to put up with me, but Scotty coming to drive one of his cars is the ulti mate compliment.

Canberra test ^n tune W

A tech inspection day has been scheduled for the Canberra International Dragway on Sunday, September 14, as a lead-in to the October seasonopener. In conjuncion with the tech inspection, there will be a full test and tune event combined with a street meeting, the facility’s track surface being fully prepared with VHT. The NSW Division has had hm-

ited activity over the winter break, a situation compounded by the rained-out Eastern Creek Raceway July 27 meeting. Entry to the street bracket will be the usual $20 fee for the vehicle and driver. The test and tune category fee will he $40 for the vehicle and dri ver - all spectators and crew will be charged $10 admission. For further information, contact Geoff Devehn on: 0418 628090.

hile some of them out here still run a four-link rear-end, I believe the ladder bar-swing arm unit we have developed together is the way to go. Jim Oddy had Murray build one of the units and shipped it to the US, where he’s run it with great success for the last season. In fact, just a month or two ago, Oddy and his driver, Fred Hahn, beat my world doorslammer record et, running a 6.24 with the Murray Anderson rear-end.

Oddy’s pretty secretive about the whole deal and has actually covered the rear-end in with tinwork! I’ll make a bold statement here. With Oddy using one and with Cannon about to get his hands on a Murray car for the summer, I believe that, within the next two to three years, a ladder bar-swing arm rear-end will be used in pref erence to the four-link by all of the. best doorslammer racers in the world.

"... it shows if you whinge hard enough, you^ll get anything you

liker

he new blower rules from ANDRA’s AGM last weekend aren’t official yet, but from what I’ve heard from the meeting it

shoves that if you whinge hard enough, you’ll get anything you like. I believe the Whipple-blown cars will be able to lift their over drive limit from the current 34% to 47%, which is a huge jump and the Roots-blown cars wili be able to run any overdrive and a mini mum weight of 2,5501b - 1501b iess than the current minimum. The ruies for the PSI, I’m told, haven’t changed. If these are the new rules, they show that the Whipple boys have

whinged long enough and hard enough and now they’ve got anything that they ever dreamt of! , Rules are in place specifically for competi tors to use those rules any way they can to get to the finish iine first. I suppose all this means, with me running the PSI at the moment, that if the Whipple begins to show an advantage. I’ll move over to them.

When spokeand to Scotty last I night I toldbriefly him about the new blower rules, he said ‘I’ll have the right supercharg er under my arm”. He’s got his definite ideas and he knows his stuff back to front, so don’t be surprised to see him running a Roots blower this sum mer. He has also indicated that he’ll be coming here a few weeks early to get in a bit of testing ... and I can tell you that Scotty’s testing doesn’t mean he’ll be doing one or two runs, either. You can be sure that Scotty will probably-have 20-30 runs on the car before he’s seen at an event in public!

hi!e I’m really excited about the prospect of Scotty com ing to Australia, I still can’t lose sight of our next meeting at Wiliowbank Raceway on August 30. I’ll be match racing Peter Gratz’s ’57 Chevy and the event will be an all-out, no rules grudge race. I’ve been able to take 801b out of the car and I’ll up the blower overdrive too. Gratz, while he’s not saying much, is gunning to run in the 6.1s and, with Gary Philiips also on hand, he’s capable of doing just that. Who knows, the Castrol Chevy might just come away with a new world record. Now wouldn’t that be some thing great to hit Scotty with on his arrival?

Cannon to tour OZ in Studebaker? After planning to tour Australia last year with his awsome OnSat satellite guide-sponsored Pro Mod machine and having arrangements not come togeth er, there are more rumors cir culating that Scotty Cannon the five-time IHRA Pro Mod World Champion - may be set ting his sights on Australia’s best Top Doorslammers and heading down under later this year. The buzz going around has Cannon coming to Australia to drive a Murray Anderson-built 1953 Studebaker, the beast con structed to current IHRA specs. The car is rumoured to be pow ered by a 518 inch Keith Black,

complete with “Fat Heads” and a screw supercharger. The chassis is said to feature a ladder bar rear suspension, similar to the successful set-up run by Victor Bray on his world-ranked Castrol ’57 Chevy. The new car may also come back to the United States with Cannon, when he returns from the meetings in Austraha. Cannon is currently battling on the Stateside Pro Mod circuit, hav ing abandoned the supercharged combination and now favouring a nitrous set-up for his wild 1941 Willys - he currently sits in sixth place in the IHRA Snap-On Tools point standings. - DAVE OSTASZEWSKI

KILLER TOMATO BATMOBILE... Five-time World Pro Modified Champion Scotty Cannon is expected to tour Australia this year, driving a Murray Anderson-built Studebaker,just like George Clasby's “Batmobile.”

1997 NHRA WINSTON DRAG RACING SERIES - POINTS AFTER RD. 14, SEATTLE, WA. 1997 Top Fuel Championship 1263 I. Gary Sceizi, Team Winston 2. Joe Amato, Keystone Autoparts ....1053 3. Cory McClenathan, McDonald's 990 4. Scott Kalitta, American Int. Airways ..867 5. Kenny Bernstein, Budweiser King ....797 6. Mike Dunn, Mopar Performance ....719 7. Bob Vandergriff,Jerzees Activewear .663 8. Tony Schumacher. LaBac/Peek Bros ..604 .597 9. Larry Dixon, Miller Lite .597 10. Shelly Anderson, Parts America

1997 Funny Car Championship 106! I. John Force, Castrol Racing 2. Whit Bazemore, Team Winston 947 .856 3. Chuck Etchells, Kendall/Mopar .826 4. Tony Pedregon, Castrol Racing 5. Cruz Pedregon, McDonald's/Coke .. .787 760 6. Randy Anderson, Parts America .74! 7. Kenji Okazaki, Mooneyes .658 8. Ron Capps, Copenhagen/Snake 9. Dean Skuza, Mateo Tools/Mopar ... .637 10. Del Worsham, Checker/Kragen 589

I. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1997 Pro Stock Championship 1274 Jim Yates, McDonald's Warren Johnson, Goodwrench 1 146 1010 Kurt Johnson, ACDelco .771 Bruce Allen, Slick 50 .. Steve Schmidt, Schmidt Automotive ..712 Tom Martino, MaMa Rosa Pizza 642

7. George Marnell, Marneli/Black 8. Troy Coughlin, Jeg’s Mail Order 9. Mike Edwards, Edwards Racing 10. Mark Pawuk, Summit

561 555 546 .529

ISkgmimi

Blaney steals Big E Brazier

Vivarin-backed WoO star Dave Blaney has finally captured Eldora Speedway’s richest Sprintcar payout with a win in the Historical Big One, which paid a whopping $100,000 win ner’s cheque. “The Buckeye Bullet” has spent the last four years trying, but has always come up at least one short now the bridesmaid is finally mar ried! The 35 year-old from Cortland, Ohio, blazed around the monster Eldora half-mile high banks in typi cal Blaney fashion, his traditional three-wide lapping techniques a hallmark of the biggest win of his career. In fact, this recent win may break the hoodoo of a never-ending string of second placings, including runner-up spots in three of the last four World of Outlaws points titles and a second at the 1996 Knoxville Nationals. Blaney, who rarely shows any emotion in or out of the car, was very animated in victory lane, leap ing into the arms of a crew member and whooping it up - as one does when one places $100,000 in the bank account. It could be his last season in Sprintcar racing, though, with plans for next year including either ARCA or Busch Grand National racing with his new Californian car ovraer. Blaney wouldn’t comment on his future in Sprintcar racing, but the

banned!

12 month All Star penalty for Garry Garry Brazier has been told he is “not welcome” to race in the remaining All Star Sprintcar Series events in the United States this year. Brazier, the reigning Australian Sprintcar Champion, has been banned for a twelve-month period over a racing incident that occurred at Alma in Ohio on August 3. The 24 year-old Sydney driver was dicing with US star Kenny Jacobs at K-C Raceway Freedom 40 when, on lap 37 of the 40-lap race. Brazier was put to the rear of the field for a racing indiscretion. Brazier was extremely upset with Jacobs for the incident and, on the restart, waited for Jacobs to come past him and then proceeded to punt the American’s rear nerf bar

several times undej- the caution flags. Brazier was subsequently put to the rear of the field again for his actions - but the aggressive Brazier refused to comply with the official directive and was blackflagged from the event. Upset fans reportedly vented their anger against Brazier by later defacing the team’s race car trans porter with graffiti. A source close to the Brazier rac ing team has indicated that officials from the World of Outlaws series have also given the Australian a stern last chance warning, stress ing that they will not tolerate any more of his style of racing at their Stateside venues. - GEOFF ROUNDS

ational Sprintcar Champion Garry Brazier continues to impress with his concentrated race campaign on the American World of Outlaws Championship Trail. This past fortnight. Brazier has competed across three states and successfully qualified for the A Features at Knoxville Raceway, Iowa, Williams Grove Speedway, Pennsylvania and Hagerstown Speedway, Maryland This latest effort comes hot on the heels of his great showing at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway, where he was placed seventh in the pres tigious King’s Royal and sixth in the A Feature in the previous night’s inaugural Eldora Clash. His strong performances in recent weeks have lifted him into 18th position in the current World of Outlaws point standings, while even more gratifying, his earnings so far this year with the Outlaws have topped the US$20,000 mark. In the current WoO driver earn ing standings Brazier is placed 18th, having pocketed a neat $21,875 (US). Brazier has achieved what no other Australian Sprintcar driver has been able to accomplish and that is to run consistently competi tively at the top level of American Sprintcar competition. The World of Outlaws is the benchmark of American Sprintcar racing and this year Brazier has proven he can cut the mustard with the world’s best drivers.

ne of the highlights of Garry Brazier’s campaign this past fortnight came at the famous Williams Grove Speedway, when he scored an impressive heat race victory against a field which includ ed Sammy Swindell, Stevie Smith and Joe Gaerte. His efforts at Knoxville Raceway served as a form guide to this year’s Nationals. Brazier drove his own Schnee sprinter into a creditable ninth

AT LAST... “Buckeye BuHef Blaney got it right. (Andrew Quinn pic) car owner was quite chatty after the HBO win. Australian Sprintcar Champion Garry Brazier started off his first attempt at the HBO in horrific fashion, flipping the #58 Gambler hard into the Eldora catch-fencing during his qualifying effort. According to Eldora photograph5r Jennifer Patterson, the crash was one of the biggest seen at Eldora and there was some concern for Brazier’s safety - but the talent ed Aussie emerged unhurt to assist crews hauling the wrecked car back to the pits. Amazingly, the team repaired the car in time for his heat race, where

Brazier ran a creditable second, qualifying him for the B main - he ran third in the B, which elevated him to the back of the A Main, where he stormed to an impressive 13th place by the chequer on anoth er dusty night at the “Big E.” Second home was Mark Kinser, followed by Danny Lasoski, Stevie Smith, inaugural winner Jac Haudenschild, 1995 winner Steve Kinser, 1994 winner Kenny Jacobs (the first All Star driver in the top ten), Andy Hillenburg, All Star points leader Frankie Ken- and for mer Aussie tourist Johnny Herrera, who rounded out the top ten. -WADEAUNGER

by Mark Kinser has taken his sea son tally of main event wins to 19 for the season, nine clear of near est rival Sammy Swindell. However, because of his truck racing commitments which have taken him away from the 1997 From Brazier World of Outlaws trail, Mark Kinser wagonKnoxville, hitched upthe its load and headed to the Hagerstown is placed a lowly 14th in the cur Speedway in Hagerstown, rent WoO driver point standings in many ways, an incredible statis Maryland, on Saturday, August 2. Garry cut a strong 15.932-sec- tic, in view of his main event domi ond lap and was eighth fastest nance from the shows he has con tested this season. against 34 cars in time trials. It was also ironic that it was A fourth placing in heat four Mark Kinser and Sammy Swindell meant he automatically qualified for the A Feature, while an eighth (who have a combined total of 29 A Feature wins) should fight out place in the Vivarian determined his starting position in the A the finish of the main event at Feature. Hagerstown Speedway. The duo has developed an It was a similar story in the fea ture, as Brazier kept on the pace intense rivalry and this latest episode has caused their tense and threatened a good top ten fin ish - it was only in the latter relationship to escalate even fur stages of the race that he settled ther. into an eventual eleventh placing This is something like the sev enth main event where the two dri in the main event. vers have swapped the lead throughout the race - the feature Probably the only belowat par per formance came the at Hagerstown was a classic case in point. Lernerville Speedway in Although Mark won the Vivarin Pennsylvania on July 29, when he Dash for the fight to start from the narrowly missed the cut after a pole position in the main event, it fifth placing in heat four (only the first four qualified to the A Feature) was Sammy who took the early lead. Mark took over the front run and he was forced to contest the B Feature. ning late on lap 16 and ultimately wrapped up the victory. With only the top four from the This win came after Mark B progressing through to the main Kinser made a late pass on event. Brazier trailed home in sev Swindell and Cris Eash to win the enth, after Jeff Swindell, Keith Kauffman, Paul McMahon and preliminary feature at Williams Bob Felmlee filled the first four Grove Speedway a couple of days transfer spots - on this night, earlier. Garry was forced to fill the uncus ark Kinser’s winning run was tomary role of watching the A interrupted on July 28 by Feature as a spectator. Andy Hillenburg at the ark Kinser has been the win Ransomville Speedway, New York ning man on the Outlaws trail - it was a rough and tumble A Feature as Hillenburg stayed out in recent weeks, with feature rhce victories at Knoxville, Lernerville of trouble and posted his first main event victory of the year on the Speedway, Williams Grove and World of Outlaws circuit. Hagerstown Speedways. Hillenburg did not have an easy This latest winning sequence

road to victory, after his 15.382second qualifying lap was 1.017 seconds off the pace set by fastest man Mark Kinser (14.365 sec onds). Hillenburg’s eleventh-fastest time left him in a sixth row starting spot in the A Feature. Hillenburg ran in fourth spot when the leaders - Sammy Swindell, Mark Kinser and Greg Hodnett - approached lapped traffic. Mike Stelter and Mike Lauterborn collided in turn three Swindell and Hodnett could not avoid the crash, while Mark Kinser’s car sustained a flat tyre in the melee. When the race resumed, it was Hillenburg who took control of the race and ultimately recorded a comfortable eight car-length win over Dave Blaney and Jac Haudenschild.

Brazier ran strongly in the fea ture and at one point in the race was within the top ten before he finally settled for an eleventh plac ing and a US$1000 pay cheque.

By Dennis New placing in the A, won by Mark Kinser, at the famous Marion County Fairground. Brazier was again impressive in qualifying time trials at Knoxville, when he was 10th fastest from the 48 cars that ran against the clock. Garry timed in at 16.976 sec onds for a one lap journey of the Knoxville circuit to remain in the 16-second bracket of fastest qualifier Mark Kinser, who cut a 16.357-second lap. Brazier then followed home Jeff Swindell, Andy Hillenburg and Scott Whitworth for a fourth place finish in heat two, before he ulti mately finish ninth in the A Feature to be the best-placed Australian competing in the Outlaws show that night at Knoxville. Skip Jackson came home in position 13 jn the A Feature, while Jaymie Moyle was credited with a nineteenth finishing position in the A Feature.

razier’s next impressive perfor mance came on July 31 at the tough Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. He was 14th fastest in time tri als - when he set a lap time of 18.095 seconds - and then provid ed one of the highlights of the show when he won in convincing style the second heat. ^ Brazier led home Stevie Smith, Dion Hindi, Sammy Swindell, Joe Gaerte, Mike Wagner and Shawn Keen to easily qualify for the fea ture race.

eanwhile the incredible battle for leadership in this year’s World of Outlaws Drivers’ Championship continues between Steve Kinser and Sammy Swindell - at this writing, only four points separates the two long-time rivals. Kinser, who has recorded five A Feature race wins this season, has posted 7,328 points against Swindell’s 7,324 points, while Dave Blaney still threatens back in third spot, a mere seven points behind Swindell - just to make matters even more interesting as the high time of the season unfolds, Haudenschild remains in fourth spot, just 17 points adrift of Blaney’s total. The top ten is rounded out by Andy Hillenburg (7092 points), Stevie Smith (6930), Greg Hodnett (6895), Johnny Herrera (6670), Joe Gaerte (6544) and Jeff Swindell (6477). Australian Champion Garry Brazier has scored 2183 points and is placed 18th in the current WoO driver points standings.

15AugustW9/ :

New Sprintcar deal for PCR

Things are changing on the Sydney Sprintcar scene, with most attention controversially focused upon the negotiations between Parramatta City the NSW Raceway and Sprintcar Club. Long-serving President Bob Tanks was recently replaced at the helm of the Sydney club by Billy Roberts, the Grizzly Sprintcar chas sis constructor. One of Roberts’ first tasks was to negotiate prizemoney and race schedules with PCR boss David Lander and this is where things have gone slightly astray. “The dispute centres around money,” Lander told Motorsport News. “They want more money and I can’t justify giving it to them. “The last two seasons, the crowds have been down and I can’t afford to give them a pay rise. “I had originally scheduled a 19race season for them, until they put the price up, so I’ve now offered them a six-race schedule at their prices. “They don’t realise how good they had it. The weekly purse was better than 99% of the weekly purses at the American tracks.” The NSW Sprintcar club has inadvertently forced Lander to review the length of the forthcom ing and subsequent seasons. ■

“After this all happened, I thought about it and decided to shorten our season anyway,” Lander stated. “So now our summer season will start on Friday, October 31, with a Speedcar and Super Sedan show and will finish at the end of March. “We will also run on the long weekends in April, June and October.” Lander’s season will feature more Speedcars and Super Sedans and generally more variety. It will also feature two rounds of the Worlds Series Sprintcars Championship, with the previous O’Brien Aluminimn Nationals twoday event now becoming a single night for round 12 of the WSS tour - PCR will also host the WSS final. “The King,” Steve Kinser, is not headed down under this season, but both Fred Rahmer and Todd Schaffer from Pennsylvania will be making the trip. Ohio’s Sarah McCune will also be coming to Australia for a number of Speedcar races at Bunbury, Parramatta, Newcastle and Archerfield. “She is 19, Miss World gorgeous, still goes to school, is currently sec ond in the NAMARS points and will be here from Boxing day till about January 8,” Lander explained.

The USA sedan team will also make a long awaited return to the PCR clayway for the first time in ten years, as well as running two tests at Lander’s latest acquisition, Newcastle Motordrome. “Things are going well at Newcastle, with a hew safety fence being installed,” said Lander, “but crowds have also been down there last season. “The track has always been a Speedcar and Super Sedan track, but Sprintcars will also feature there with a round of the World Series.” With Lander’s gi'oup purchasing the Motordrome, Parramatta’s race night will return to a Friday night schedule, which led Lander to com ment: “Since going to a Saturday night race night, I couldn’t honestly say whether it’s been a good move, or bad. I couldn’t say whether it’s had a real effect Pn our crowds. “Personally, I believe that return ing to Friday nights will be a good thing. “For one thing, it means we won’t be up against as many forms of competition, such as Oran Park, Eastern Creek and the Sydney Kings [basketball team] and, sec ondly, it means that it allows our guys to travel to shows in Melbourne, or Archerfield.” - BRETT SWANSON

FIM Solo changes

The FIM Technical Committee with responsibilities for speed way met over the weekend in Bradford and has made firm recommendations which it believes will improve the sport. These will go before the FIM Autumn Congress for approval, but it is understood that those on the Committee are unanimous and they believe they will receive no opposition. Terry Russell, the British Speedway supremo who attended the meeting, said he could hot com ment on the exact nature of the rec ommendations, but was prepared to say everyone was agreed that the sport must be slowed down so as to produce more competitive racing. One thing Russell was prepared to say was that there would be no problems where tyres were con cerned in the future. “Tyre controversy is a thing of the past,” he said “and we now have the tyres we want.

“The riders and promoters in every speedway country are mow happy vrith what we are using.” 'Two major changes will, however, be in place for 1998 providing the Congress agrees. All speedway bikes racing in any country affiliated to the FIM will be fitted with dirt deflectors . Former World Champion Barry Briggs, who designed the first ver sions of these, is delighted. “At long last they have listened,” Briggs said. “I have done many experiments and I believe I can improved things even more. “It has been frustrating that so many people have jumped on the bandwagon and virtually made to my design. I have one or two more plans up my-sleeve and I hope to introduce these to the powers that be very soon.” The other major change will be to the carburettors. With an obvious plan to reduce power, the Technical Committee

Vale: Ray Bowers

South Australian speedway has lost a stalwart with the passing of Ray Bowers, who died in Adelaide on August 1 after suffering a stroke. Bowers, 72, a former Speedcar driver from the Rowley Park and Virginia race track era, was Secretary

of the Australian Winged Midget Control CouncU. He had been instrumental in helping establish the move ment for wings on Speedcars, an organisation which has been steadily gaining ground in SA. - DAVID McNABB

has opted for a 28mm carburettor, rather than the conventional 34mm version currently in use. Peter Collins, the 1976 World Champion, has been lobbying for this move for some while. “They have mucked about with tyres for so long, they could not see the wood for the trees,” said Collins. “The reduction in carburettor size will make things slower and ulti mately the ri ders will be able to reduce costs as well if they plan -TONY MILLARD properly.”

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k Lfi HAPPY CAMPERS... Ray and Haydn Bishop. (Brett Swanson pic)

Bishops snare Titan support

John Spencer at the wheel.

“We’re also involved in boat rac ing and had some involvement with Alan Barlee’s Sprintcar a few years back.” “This is the first time for Titan in Speedcar racing,” enthused Ray Bishop. “I think they’re just stand ing back and watching, so now it’s up to us to perform. “Fm starting to get very excited about the season. My car’s just come back from Pearce Chassis and the motor is being freshened up by Gene Cook, while Haydn’s car is currently at Pearce’s. “We’re hoping to have Haydn’s car ready for some display laps at this year’s Royal Show.” Haydn was equally excited about the new deal. “It’s what we’ve been looking for, so now it’s head down, butt up,” he said. “It will definitely be an advan tage for me to have Titan as a spon sor this season, as I’m planning to contest my first Australian Championship. “Apart from doing well there, I’d like to run a top three placing in the club championship’ - something which he narrowly missed out on this season. As for Haydn’s brother, Damian who is currently at the Belville Midget Nationals in the USA there’s also a chance that he may do a few races in the upcoming sea son, as well. - BRETT SWANSON

O’Daniel was elected to the new Speedcar group’s key position by the enthusiastic gathering. Drivers Rep Alan Padsh’s wife Denise was voted in as secretary/treasurer, while Patron is speedcar identity Alec Rowe, who was a foundation member of the now-defunct Racing Drivers Association. “The new club’s charter is to sup port and help promote Speedcar racing in SA, as we perceived a real void in that area under the present set-up,” O’Daniel emphasised, as he reflected on an historic occasion

which will see Speedcar competi tors join their Sprintcar counter parts in now being able to have cars registered and licences issued with out necessarily being SDA mem bers - up until now, this was a prior requirement. The Speedcar Association has already received support from Mr Speedway, former midget car driver Kym Bonython. At the club’s latest meeting held late July, Peter Dodd from FAS was guest speaker and answered ques tions regarding insurance. - DAVID McNABB

Hot on the heels of Haydn Bishop’s successful first full season of Speedcar racing, dur ing which he took out the Motorsport News Rookie of the Year award, comes news that he and his father, Speedcar leg end Ray “Noddy” Bishop, have secured Titan Oils as a major sponsor of the Rob Southouse Merc-Bits outfit. The team will be known as the Merc-Bits Titan Racing Team and will feature Haydn’s JSR-Pro Series Autocraft in the colours /of Titan, while Ray’s Stealth-Gaerte will remain primarily in Merc-Bits liv ery with Titan Oils identification. David Antonelli, the Manager of Titan Oils - which is part of the Fuchs Company, supplier of OEM oil to the likes of BMW, MercedesBenz, Porsche and Volkswagen, as well as diesel oil to M.A.N., Mercedes-Benz and Allison Transmissions - takes up the story. “As both Ray and Haydn are front runners in their class,” Antonelli said, “it was a good oppor tunity to promote the product and raise some product awareness of the Titan brand name. “Titan has been heavily involved in drag racing with Tommy Easton and Ken Stewart and also with the David Amor HQ racing team, which won the HQ series at the ThunderSome last season with

South Australia forms new Speedcar group

An extraordinary meeting con vened in Adelaide last month by South Australian Speedcar drivers, owners and interested parties resolved to form a brand-new club. This new group is to be known as the South Australian Speedcar Association. It will not be aligned with the Speedway Drivers Association, but has affiliated itself with the Australian Speedcar Control Council, whose constitution is being adopted by the SASA. Outgoing SDA President Ian

/5^i/pf 1997 i

New Sprintcar deal for PCR

Things are changing on the Sydney Sprintcar scene, with most attention controversially focused upon the negotiations between Parramatta City NSW Raceway and the Sprintcar Club. Long-serving President Bob Tunks was recently replaced at the helm of the Sydney club by Billy Roberts, the Grizzly Sprintcar chas sis consti-uctor. One of Roberts’ first tasks was to negotiate prizemoney and race schedules with PCR boss David Lander and this is where things have gone slightly astray. “The dispute centres around money,” Lander told Motorsport News. “They want more money and I can’t justify giving it to them. “The last two seasons, the crowds have been down and I can’t afford to give them a pay rise. “I had originally scheduled a 19race season for them, until they put the price up, so I’ve now offered them a six-race schedule at their prices. “They don’t realise how good they had it. The weekly purse was better than 99% of the weekly purses at the American tracks.” The NSW Sprintcar club has inadvertently forced Lander to review the length of the forthcom ing and subsequent seasons. n

“After this all happened, I thought about it and decided to shorten our season anyway,” Lander stated. “So now our summer season will start on Friday, October 31, with a Speedcar and Super Sedan show and will finish at the end of March. “We will also run on the long weekends in April, June and October.” Lander’s season will feature more Speedcars and Super Sedans and generally more variety. It will also feature two rounds of the Worlds Series Sprintcars Championship, with the previous O’Brien Aluminium Nationals twoday event now becoming a single night for round 12 of the WSS tour -PCR will also host the WSS final. “The King,” Steve Kinser, is not headed down under this season, but both Fred Rahmer and Todd Schaffer from Pennsylvania will be making the trip. Ohio’s Sarah McCime will also be coming to Australia for a number of Speedcar races at Bunbury, Parramatta, Newcastle and Archerfield. “She is 19, Miss World gorgeous, still goes to school, is currently sec ond in the NAMARS points and will be here from Boxing day till Lander about January 8, explained.

The USA sedan team will also make a long awaited return to the PCR clayway for the first time in ten years, as well as running two tests at Lander’s latest acquisition, Newcastle Motordrome. “Things are going well at Newcastle, with a hew safety fence being installed,” said Lander, “but crowds have also been down there last season. “The track has always been a Speedcar and Super Sedan track, but Sprintcars will also feature there with a round of the World Series.” With Lander’s group purchasing the Motordrome, Parramatta’s race night will return to a Friday night schedule, which led Lander to com ment; “Since going to a Saturday night race night, I couldn’t honestly say whether it’s been a good move, or bad. I couldn’t say whether it’s had a real effectPn our crowds. “Personally, I believe that return ing to Friday nights will be a good thing. “For one thing, it means we won’t be up against as many forms of competition, such as Oran Park, Eastern Creek and the Sydney Kings [basketball team] and, sec ondly, it means that it allows our guys to travel to shows in Melbourne, or Archerfield.” -BRETT SWANSON

has opted for a 28mm carburettor, rather than the conventional 34mm version currently in use. Peter Collins, the 1976 World Champion, has been lobbying for this move for some while. “They have mucked about with tyres for so long, they could not see the wood for the trees,” said Collins. ‘"The reduction in carburettor size will make things slower and ulti mately the riders will be able to reduce costs as well if they plan -TONY MILLARD properly.

“We’re also involved in boat rac ing and had some involvement with Alan Barlee’s Sprintcar a few years back.” “This is the first time for Titan in Speedcar racing,” enthused Ray Bishop. “I think they’re just stand ing back and watching, so now it’s up to us to perfonn. “Fm stalling to get very excited about the season. My car’s just come back from Pearce Chassis and the motor is being freshened up by Gene Cook, while Haydn’s car is currently at Pearce’s. “We’re hoping to have Haydn’s car ready for some display laps at this year’s Royal Show.” Haydn was equally excited about the new deal. “It’s what we’ve been looking for, so now it’s head down, butt up,” he said. “It wiU definitely be an advan tage for me to have Titan as a spon sor this season, as I’m planning to contest my first Australian Championship. “Apart from doing well there, I’d like to run a top three placing in the club championship’- something which he narrowly missed out on this season. As for Haydn’s brother, Damian who is currently at the Belville Midget Nationals in the USA there’s also a chance that he may do a few races in the upcoming sea son, as well. - BRETT SWANSON

FIM Solo changes “The riders and promoters in every speedway country are iow happy with what we are using.” 'Two major changes will, however, be in place for 1998 providing the Congress agrees. All speedway bikes racing in any country affiliated to the FIM will be fitted with dirt deflectors . Former World Champion Barry Briggs, who designed the first ver sions of these, is delighted. “At long last they have listened,” Briggs said. “I have done many experiments and I believe I can improved things even more. “It has been frustrating that so many people have jumped on the bandwagon and virtually made to my design. I have one or two more plans up my-‘sleeve and I hope to introduce these to the powers that be very soon.” The other major change will be to the cai'burettors. With an obvious plan to reduce power, the Technical Committee

Vale: Ray Bowers

of the Australian Winged Midget Control Council. He had been instrumental in helping establish the move ment for wings on Speedcars, an organisation which has been steadily gaining gi’ound in SA. - DAVID McNABB

Bishops snare Titan support Hot on the heels of Haydn Bishop’s successful first full season of Speedcar racing, dur ing which he took out the Motorsport News Rookie of the Year award, comes news that he and his father, Speedcar leg end Ray “Noddy” Bishop, have secured Titan Oils as a major sponsor bf the Rob Southouse Merc-Bits outfit. The team will be known as the Merc-Bits Titan Racing Team and will feature Haydn’s JSR-Pro Series Autocraft in the colours /6f Titan, while Ray’s Stealth-Gaerte will remain primarily in Merc-Bits liv ery with Titan Oils identification. David Antonelli, the Manager of Titan Oils - which is part of the Fuchs Company, supplier of OEM oil to the likes of BMW, MercedesBenz, Porsche and Volkswagen, as well as diesel oil to M.A.N., Mercedes-Benz and Allison Transmissions - takes up the story. “As both Ray and Haydn are front runners in their class,” Antonelli said, “it was a good oppor tunity to promote the product and raise some product awareness of the Titan brand name. “Titan has been heavily involved in drag racing with Tommy Easton and Ken Stewart and also with the David Amor HQ racing team, which won the HQ series at the Thunderelome last season with John Spencer at the wheel.

●s

The FIM Technical Committee with responsibilities for speed way met over the weekend in Bradford and has made firm recommendations which it believes will improve the sport. These will go before the FIM Autumn Congress for approval, but it is understood that those on the Committee are unanimous and they believe they will receive no opposition. 'Terry Russell, the British Speedway supremo who attended the meeting, said he could not com ment on the exact nature of the rec ommendations, but was prepared to say everyone was agreed that the sport must be slowed down so as to produce more competitive racing. One thing Russell was prepared to say was that there would be no problems where tyres were con cerned in the future. “Tyre controversy is a thing of the cast,” he said “and we now have the tyres we want.

HAPPY CAMPERS... Ray and Haydn Bishop. (Brett Swanson pic)

South Australia forms new Speedcar group

SREEDW/VY

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15August 1997

Rush’s Creek President ousted plans on hold V

Ten-times Australian Sprintcar champion Rush has curtailed his negotiations for a speedway complex at Sydney’s Eastern Creek following the departure “pf Bob Barnard from the opera

tion.

Since handing over the owner ship of Parramatta City Raceway to David Lander some nine years ago. Rush has never made any bones about his desire to be involved again in the ownership of a speed way facility and, for the last few months, Australia’s greatest dirtshifter has been running through plans for a speedway at the Creek, the enigmatic Rush believ ing it could have been up and run ning as early as next year. That was imtil last month, when motor racing prime mover Barnard was released from the operation to travel to the USA with his wife to pursue other interests. Barnard’s involvement with the concept was integral to the success of the million dollar scheme. Rush believed. “I’m disappointed that Bob won’t be involved with the project, because he has so much to offer the facility as a whole,” Rush said, “but I understand his position and wish him well.” Rush is currently talking with the Australian Racing Drivers Club (ARDC)- which runs the multi purpose motor racing venue - and the NSW government, but has elected to put his plans on hold.

Brady to run with Esslinger

In a move that has shocked east coast Speedcar pundits, Australian Speedcar champion Craig Brady announced that he will change from Fontana power to Esslinger for the new season. The talented youngster is con cerned that without change there is no advancement and will take delivery of the new Esslinger some time in the next four weeks. About the same time, his new Murphy chassis should also lob on the doorstep. Craig’s father Steve was hesitant to make the change from Fontana, but believes that his son’s confi dence is at stake here, as much as anything else. - WADE AUNGER

Barnard’s amicable withdrawal and the need for more investors are believed to be the reasons for Rush’s decision to put the project on ice at this stage - “that’s not to say that, if the government called me now and said ‘let’s go,’ that I wouldn’t get straight to work,” Rush added. -WADEAUNGER Motorcycling Australia, the governing body of speedway motorcycle racing in Australia, has announced the proposed dates and venues for the 1997/98 Australian Speedway Solo and Sidecar Championships. The Australian Individual Solo championship is set down for Riverview Speedway, Murray Bridge, in South Australia on Saturday, February 14. The 290 metre dolomite circuit, 80km south-east of Adelaide, host ed the 1997 Australian Sidecar championship with great success and is arguably the best-prepared and promoted track in South Australia. The last time SA hosted the Australian Solo title was back in 1988 at Murray Bridge, which was won by veteran Victorian Phil Crump. Defending national champion Gtaig Boyce from New South Wales, triple South Australian title-holder Ryan Sullivan, triple Aussie title-holder Leigh Adams from Mildura, forpier Australian champ Jason 'Crump from Queensland, dual SA champ and 1992 Australian championship runner-up Shane Parker and Victorian title-holder Jason Lyons will all be among the favourites to take out a hard-fought Australian title next summer. Evergreen Super Sedan stal wart Steve Stewart earned his customary large haul of silver ware at the inaugural Trophy Presentations of the Speedway Drivers Association in Adelaide recently. Few of the large crowd in atten dance at the Croatian Club venue were surprised to see Stewart walk away for the second consecutive year with the Coca-Cola top Division 1 pointscore. Coke highest overall Super Sedans, highest aver age points. Arch Patterson trophy for highest aggregate points, plus the Aunger Driver of the Year, which he shared with Trevor Green. Despite a slightly disappointing showing in Darwin the previous month, Stewart conceded this had been another vintage season. In Street Stocks, last year’s Most Improved Driver Brian Chadwick

Max Dumesny Motorsport

agents for

Less than two weeks before the president of the new club. However, O’Daniel’s alignment inaugural Annual General Meeting of the Speedway with a new Speedcars-only organi Drivers Association m sation formed last month has led Adelaide, the club’s executive the SDA committee to raise conflict has dumped President Ian of interest allegations against it’s O’Daniel, the sensational move outgoing President. “I had planned to retire at the sending shockwaves through the South Australian speedway SDA annual general meeting, but community. this sudden sacking has left a bad O’Daniel had been president for taste,” admitted O’Daniel, who was three years of the the Racing informed of the'decision to rescind Drivers Association, the SDA’s fore .his presidency by registered letter. runner and, when the RDA became “My involvement with the new defunct in 1996, he was voted in as Speedcar Association was never

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONS... Glen Hough and Robert Armstrong.

By Mark Neale For the three-wheel brigade, the big news is that Perth’s Claremont Speedway in Western Australia will host the 1998 Australian Individual Sidecar Championship on Friday, Mar;ch 13, while the fol lowing night, Satm*day, March 14, the Australian Sidecar

maintained the momentum by top scoring in Div 1 races and also won the Scott McIntosh trophies for highest overall Street Stock points and Best All-rounder. Brian Findlay took out the Div 2 pointscore, while Maris Valodze added runner-up in Div 1 and over all points to his Best Turned Out car and crew in Street Stocks, a tro phy he has earned four times in seven years. Best Turned Out Super Sedan deservedly went to Peter Drew, who also finished third in the Coke highest Sedan points, finishing behind Steve Stewart and Rocky Caruso. Best Presented Sprintcar was

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adjudged the J&J #95 of Mark Reuter, who has won the Presentation Award for the past four years in both Speedcars and Sprintcars. Formula 500 trophies, as expect ed, went mainly in the direction of prodigy Luke Dillon, who snared, by an amazing margin, the highest pointscore. Combined Clubs No. 1 award and Rex Cavenett best aggregate points, while Shayne O’Shea won Best Presented F500 and Robert Ransley took out Most Improved. Speedcar honours went to 21 year-old Adam Baines, who earned highest pointscore, Tony Boyle Memorial Trophy, Combined Clubs

No 1 award and Best Turned Out Car and Crew - his main rival, Chas Calandro, was runner-up in the Speedcar pointscore, while Ian O’Daniel was voted Most Improved Driver. The Les Williams Best and Fairest in Sprintcars went to Mark Reuter and the Autocolor Sportsperson of the Year was awarded to Peter Lowe, a long standing helper and mechanic for several drivers. Other Combined Clubs No 1 tro phies were won by Steve Murphy (Sedans), Shane Best (Modified Sedans) and Mark Reuter (Sprintcars). -DAVID McNABB

1997 WORLD OF OUTLAWS/SKOAL OtfTLAW SERIES POINT STANDINGS TO AUGUST 9, 1997

with a new Treloar frame and a new 1997 watercooled GSXR Suzuki engine, which is being pre pared by Phil Tainton Racing. The popular Victorian duo became only the fourth combina tion to win the Grand Slam - their state title, as well as the Australian Individual and Pairs championship - in the one season. Dual Australian champion and five-times New South Wales titleholder Darrin Treloar is returning to racing after a season away from the sport and has built himself a new bike for his comeback. Twice Australian champions Andrew Cleave/David Power from Shepparton in Victoria are expect ed to be amongst the front runners, as are reigning Australia #2, Vic Martin/Bob Hill and 1991 National champ Gary Moon and new pas senger Chiis Hughes. Local hopes will be riding with former Australian champions Russell Mitchell (1992), Mark Drew (1994), WA flyers and crowd favourites Glenn and Nathan O’Brien and second-generation rider Darran Nash and Peter Teale - it is interesting to note that Darren’s dad, legendary WA rider Dennis Nash, won the 1988 Australian Sidecar championship the last time it was held at Perth’s Claremont Speedway. -MARK NEALE

Stewart’s big night

I. Sammy Swindell c 2. Steve Kinser g. 3. Dave l^laney s 4. Jac Haudenschild 5. Andy Hillenburg 6. Stevie Smith 7. Greg Hodnett 8. Johnny Herrera for more information on Hoosier Drag 9. Joe Gaerte and Speedway Tyres call 02 9679 1990 10. Jeff Swindell

^^ RACING TIRE

Pairs championship will be held at Bunbury City Raceway. It will be the first time since 1988 that the cream of Australia’s best three-wheel operators will make the long haul across the Nullabor to compete in an Aussie title. The Robert Griffiths-sponsored racing team, grand slam winners and reigning Australian Sidecar champions Glen Hough and pas senger Robert Armstrong from Bright in Victoria, will be aiming to win back to back titles on the wide open spaces on the 520 metre circuit. The team has spared no expense at trying to win the title two years in a row by updating its equipment

going to win me too many accolades within the SDA. “But the accusations of not hav ing the SDA’s best interests at heart are rather hard to handle, considering what I’ve pui into this club and the Racing Drivers Association over the past five years,” he said. A possible restructure of the SDA could be forthcoming, in light of the separate groups now existing for open-wheelers in Adelaide (see sepai'ate news story on page 40. - DAVID McNABB

7,478 7,466 7,463 7,431 7,236 7,056 7,023 6,794 6,662 6,585

11. Danny Lasoski 12. Donny Schatz 13. Paul McMahan 14. Mark Kinser 15. Dion Hindi 16. Lance Blevins 17. Joey Saldana 18. Garry Brazier 19. Marlon Jones 20. Craig Dollansky

6,391 6,377 6,288 6,266 5,128 3,614 2,787 2,305 1,974 1,834

I. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10

ELDORA SPEEDWAY- AUGUST 8 A-FEATURE(30 LAPS) II. Greg Hodnett Sammy Swindell 12. Stevie Smith Dave Blaney 13. Johnny Herrera Andy Hillenburg Mark Kinser 14. Garry Brazier 15. Keith Kauffman Jac Haudenschild Steve Kinser 16. Joe Gaerte Charlie Fisher 17. Danny Smith Kenny Jacobs 18. Tyler Walker 19. Paul McMahan Dale Blaney Frankie Kerr 20. Dean Jacobs

42 ISAuguslWI

SPEEDWAY

Skip is Knoxville Track Champion World Series Sprintcars Champ Skip Jackson has won the 1997 Knoxville Speedway Track Championship and hanged in a win at the final pre-Nationals feature of the season for good measure. The quietly spoken Sydneysider has looked strong all year in the Jensen Constructions #55 JB Enterprises car, running a top five finish on almost every occasion. Surprisingly, Jackson’s KnoxviUe win was only the second of the sum-

The speedway career may of Perth veteran Giyn Taylor well be over, but the rider himself is not giving up hope of resuming his career. A spectacular crash when rac ing for Newcastle at Craven Park,, Hull, in the British Premier League saw the 43 year-old Welsh-born Aussie go right through the safety fence. A hospital scan to investigate the extent of his injuries showed three damaged vertebrae and additional damage to the spinal cord. After eight days of observation, it was decided an operation to insert metal rods in his back should be performed and this was carried out on July 30. With his condition serious and the possibility of paralysis, there was much deliberation and con sultation before deciding to oper ate - but the operation was wholly successful and the veteran rider has already been walking around the ward. “I was millimetres away from paralysis, but I was very lucky,” he said. “They have fused together five vertebrae with a titanium rod and I am delighted to say every thing still works!” “I have been walking with assistance and I am having phys iotherapy every day. They will be putting me in a special piaster cast around my body shortly and then I will be able to walk unaided. “I will wear that for 12 weeks and then I should be able to walk around without any help at all and they say I will be fully fit within six months. “It is a similar injury to that suf fered by England man Sean

mer at the Marion County Fairgrounds, although there was an additional victory at the Husets Speedway in South Dakota. The win puts Skip in excellent stead for the Nationals - which started on Monday - as the first Australian ever to win a track championship at the famed Knoxville venue. Jackson could not be beaten with only two points race meetings remaining in the season, but the August 9 victory must have been a

confirmation of who really was the hottest Knoxville competitor this season, if anyone was, in fact, won dering. 55 cars were in attendance for the last fling before the Nationals, which may or may not have been an omen for the likeable, bespecta cled Jackson. And Jackson is set for even more excitement, as his wife, Lori, is expecting their first child in the next few weeks. -WADEAUNGER

riders from October’s Grand Prix Challenge in Austria. The FIM is considering increas ing the field by a further four rid ers, which could see the top 12 from this year’s event automatical ly competing next year.

Wilson, but Gary Havelock’s injury was lower in the back. “I want to ride again, but I aim to get fit enough to do so and then make a decision. They are letting me out to watch the British Grand Prix at Bradford.” Taylor has been racing speed way for 25 years and is the oldest contracted rider in British speed way; but it now seems even the toughest of riders may have to call it a day after such serious injuries. esper Jensen of Denmark has won the World Under-21 Championship to gain an automat ic place in'next year’s World Championship Grand Prix series. Jensen totalled 14 points on the Czech Republic track at Mseno to finish two points clear of Poland’s Pavel Dobrucki and Scott Nichols of England. Dobrucki won the ride-off between these two for second place. Jensen joins the Austraiian pair of Ryan Sullivan and Jason Crump, along with Italy’s Armando Castagna and Hungarian rider Zoltan Adorjan, who have quali fied as the top two from the Inter Continental and Continental Finals, respectively, of this year’s Championships. They will join the top eight from this year’s series, plus four more

Top Joe Screen andBritish Kelvin stars Tatum, along with the American former World Champion Sam Ermolenko, have signed contracts to race in the upcoming Series 500 International Speedway Masters in Australia scheduled to run from December 29 to January 31. Promoter Dave Tapp is expect ing to sign at least one more British and American rider, as well as top men from Sweden, Poland, Denmark and the Czech Republic to join the top Aussies in the event.

Former World who Champion Rickardsson, won theTony title in 1994 at Vojens, has returned to Ipswich to race in the British League. Rickardsson last rode in the British League in 1993 and cur rently lies fourth in this year’s World Championship Grand Prix series. 'he Second Test Match between England and Australia will now take place on Monday, August 18, at Eastbourne, having been brought forward from September to avoid a clash of dates for the riders. The final meetings will be at Swindon next month (September). England lead 1-0 in the series, following the first test at Belle Vue Manchester.

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VIC Sprintcar rise 1992/93 Victorian Grand Prix Midget Champion Tony Simone will make his Sprintcar debut in an exKenny Jacobs Maxim pur chased recently from Sean Enterprises in WA. While the chassis is a ’92 model, the running gear has all been updated to more current specs the car will be powered by an allsteel 360 engine, also purchased through Sean Enterprises. Simone, who started his racing career on 250cc production motor cycles before turning his hand to GP Midgets, has sat out of speed way circles for the last few years while building the necessary finances to fund his move into Sprintcars. “Racing the GPs against the likes of Noel Freeman, who I’ve got the utmost respect for, was great,” the 27 year-old motor mechanic from Werribee stated. “But. even though I haven’t dri ven a Sprintcar. I was sure that it was something I wanted to do.” Victorian followers of Super Sedan racing will recognise the name Ron Dalton. Dalton was a consistent front runner, winning a dozen featm-es over the last couple of years with his Camaro, before the escalating cost of engines within the class pushed him out of racing. The car that Dalton has pur chased is the ex-Clayton Walker/Darryn Maggs Gambler, in whith Maggs made his debut last season. “We used to build our own Super Sedan motors, but with dry sumps, fuel injection and the like, it’s probably worth while buying one complete - currently, we’re looking at Colin Bulmer’s Donavon, or a motor from Texas, which Jack Maggs will check out for us when he gets there.” Maggs is currently in the United States looking for a new car and engine for son Darryn for the upcoming season. “Kilsyth Parts Recovery always looked after us with the Super Sedan, so we’re hoping they will come back on board with the Sprintcar,” continued the 44 yearold Dalton. “We will do as much racing as possible, even Tasmania if they ask us. In the last season with the Super Sedan, I think we did 52 shows, so travelling’s not a prob lem for us.” From Western Victoria comes confirmation that a local busi nessman is currently overseas looking to purchase a com plete two-car outfit from down in Dallas, Texas. The person, who wants to remain nameless until the outfit is actually bought and landed in the country, has plans to race one car locally Wmself and hopes that the current driver of the cars will come out and contest the majority of this season’s World Series Sprintcars Championship in the second car. If the purchase goes ahead, there will be two J&Js, plus a dual cab pick-up truck and gooseneck trailer, similar to the outfit owned by Perth’s “Scruff’ Donaldson and used by Jack Hewitt on his Australian Tours. In Speedcars, Rob Brown father of NSW-domiciled Victorian Mark Brown - and Bob Nixon have teamed up to

purchase the ex-Stephen Graham Valvoline Stealth Speedcar, in which Bob is planning to make his retxum to racing in this season, after a lay-off of some 10 years,or so. Still on Speedcars, Troy Jordan, runner-up in last sea son’s Rookie Championship, is trying to buy the Autocraftpowered Stanton owned by his father Paul and driven previ ously by Stan Fax and Ian Lewis The shift leaves a vacant seat in Sam Pappa’s JSR/Toyota. The other piece of news con cerns a former Formula 500 runner who is stepping up into the ex-Butch Nankeville mount. In the Super'Sedan ranks, Mick Nicola has decided to commission Lismore’s Danny Smith to build him a new Camaro Super Sedan. Nicola’s ex-Tony Grinstead VN Commodore is currently up for sale and is fresh and ready to go. “Danny Smith is the best Super Sedan builder in Australia and I like the older Camaro-style bod ies,” Nicola said. “That’s why I’ve decided to get a new car with an ’82-style body. “I beat Loguey [Aussie #1 Peter Logue] once last season and I’m keen to do it again; so, hopefully, the update in chassis technology with the new car will help me to do that.” The team plans to contest the Australian Championship at Warrnambool, as well as all the domestic races and series and will take up another offer to race in Tasmania, as well, after a rela tively successful visit there last season. Nicola’s car will once again be sponsored by his business inter ests, Traralgon Car City, Traralgon Auto Repairs and Ryans Hotel. Word also doing the rounds is that Geoff Trewin has pur chased a new car and the volatile Mark Weaver will be back behind the wheel of the Commodore last campaigned by Dion Amato. Ray Scott, the 47 year-old com pany director of Mt Gambler’s Scott Group of Companies, is setting up both himself and his 21 year-old son, Ashley, for their Sprintcar racing debuts this season. Scott has purchased, with the help of local Sprintcar hero Bill Barrows, the ex-Dave Ferrallowned Jamie Cobby-driven Donovan-powered JSR. “I raced speedway Production Sedans and Sportsmans some^ years ago and, up until a few years back, I was still racing Karts,” Scott stated. ‘"The plan for this season is to do most of the races at Mt Gambier, 'Warrnambool, Avalon, Nyora, some at Adelaide and, of course the Grand Annual Classic and Kings Challenge. "The biggest problem I’ll have this season will be time; so, when I can’t get away to go racing, Ashley will drive the car.” The car, naturally, will be spon sored by Scott’s of Mt Gambier, as well as Cummins, Beaurepaires and J&B Inter. -BRETT SWANSON

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Ex-Hopkirk Mini restored by BRIAN REED

A VERY interesting and extremely rare rally car has popped up in central Victoria where it is under going a major rebuild. Mini Cooper S enthusiast Simon Young of Bendigo has been assigned the task of restoring one of the most sucV cessful of all ‘flying bricks’ the ex-Paddy Hopkirk car (LRX828E). It .was also one of the most used of all works rally cars, and other well known drivers who campaigned it overseas included 'Tony Fall and Rauno Aaltonen, and Evan Green and Colin Bond on home soil. Hopkirk also drove it in Australia in the 1967 Castrol Rally. Of the 60 Cooper Ss special ly built for rallying, only about 30 survived, and of these, only four made it downunder (two were brought in in 1967 and another pair in 1970). A sister car to the Hopkirk car (#829) was destroyed - although the shell is still in existence. What makes LRX828E par ticularly significant (apart from its competition record) is its degree of originality. It still has the original hand-built seats, the works engine, and is the only car of its tjq)e left in the world with its original wiring loom. According to Young the British Mini Cooper Register want him to do a pattern of the loom for them to copy. When Young was given the car some 18 months ago to undertake the restoration, it

THE REAL THING... The ex-Paddy Hopkirk car(with Rauno Aaltonen and Henry Liddon aboard) at the Acropolis Rally in 1967. Did they run over that man’s foot?... (Photo courte'ky Graeme urch) was still fitted with its original Dunlop SP44 tyres on 4 1/2inch Minilite wheels and had a double floor pan to offset the rigours of serious rall3dng. The current owner in Melbourne’s Graeme Urch, who acquired the highly pedigreed Cooper S in the early’70s. He competed'extensively in local ralhes, perhaps not fully realising at the time what an important piece of motorsport history was in his possession. Around the time Hopkirk

contested the ’67 Castrol Rally, the Cooper S was painted green with the traditional white stripe on the bonnet, The new colour scheme will be Tartan Red and Old English White - a throw-back to the original works lively. Simon Young’s passion for BMC cars is reflected in a works replica Cooper S he has built for himself with his own hand-made fuel injection. He has several other projects on the drawing

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boards - naturally with a strong BMC bias, But it’s the ex-Hopkirk restoration that excites him most, and after 18 months the car is close to being back on the tarmac. He says there has been considerable interest in the restoration from various parties in Europe, “For a Mini enthusiast, it’s like the Holy Grail,” he said. MN will present a track test of the famous Austin Mini Cooper S later in the year.

ITNO Leo seems to have a passion for Sebring orange Monaros! He was seen testing a recent acquisition - the ex-Kent Youlden HQ Monaro at Winton in late June - a car that looks for all the world like the ex-Bob Jane HQ 350 Monaro, which he also owns.) The former Jane car was built by John Shepherd (Pat Purcell was the apprentice), and John Harvey first drove the brutish Monaro in 1972 against other big thunderers such as Alan Moffat’s Mustang and ‘Pete’ Geoghegan’s XY Falcon in a class known as ‘Improved Tourers.’ When the Improved Tourers class gave way to Sports Sedans, Jane was a star attraction in his Monaro. He later sold the car to PhU Ward (pictured) and eventually it passed to Shepparton’s Tino Leo who continued to race it as a Sports Sedan. So, Tino now has a pair of Monaros; one representing the 1970s era and the other a much more recent example. And they’re both Sebring orange! -BRIAN REED

GT40 mania hits new heights

by BRIAN REED OUR track test of Robert

Logan’s Ford GT40 replica (MN 106) has triggered some interest with two Austr-alians who have been involved with the famous long-distance sports cars. Ron Rowse of Alice Springs is the owner of #P/1041, the car that was originally owned by Belgian driver Jean Blaton who race under the pseudo nym of “Beurlys”.

This beautifully prepared car won at Zolder, and in its only other race with “Beurlys” blew an engine in the Paris 1000 in October of 1966. It seems that 1041 was

later involved in a major acci dent as its history became rather obscure after 1967. Since then it has been rebuilt and somehow has found its way to Rowse. Another Aussie connection with the GT40 involves for mer Spitfire pilot, and now

Historic race commentator, George Hmnble. George bought #P/1005 on Sept-ember 16, 1967 (the day after his marriage!) to com pete at Oulton Park after his Lotus Elan broke down.

Originally, #P/1005 had been sold by Shelby American Inc. tq Scuderia Filipinetti for the 1965 Le Mans 24-hour race. Humble raced the car extensively in Great Britain and on the continent, and also experienced the GT40s with

4.7 and the giant 7-litre engines. He described the GT40 as “a fabulous motor

car,... terribly forgiving, and... a beautiful looking car... one of the best racing cars I have driven.” Sadly, the #P/1005 example was lost in a garage fire in the USA when it was owned by late IndyCar driver Salt Walther (remember him at Sandown back in the Formula 5000 days when he drove for Lee Seaton?).

n Following the success of the ran to ‘Noorilim’ (the home of Bryan and Loel Thomson)by mem bers ofthe Victorian Historic Racing Register, it has been decided to run another similar eventthis time to the Momington Peninsula. In contrast with the run to ‘Noorilim’ at Murchison, which includ ed lunching in the gardens and inspecting the historic mansion, tasting the prop erty’s first vintage, listen ing to Biyan’s MV Agusta and droobng over his Chewy-powered Benz sports sedan,I have it on good authority that the aim ofthe peninsula run is to have lunch amongst the beautiful people to check out the birds.” Perhaps not as cultural ly uplifting, but neverthe less it sounds a great way to spend part ofa week end. If you would like fur ther information, phone Kel Ricci(03 9570 7417) and start dusting down the sports car and the red club plates. n Another group plan ning to check out the Momington Peninsula is the Maserati Club of Australia, which will con duct its last run for the year on Sunday,August 17. Theirs will be much more sophisticated. Their destination is Stonier Winery, which, according to the Maser Club’s maga zine, produces "... a stun ning chardonnay and pinot noir plus other vari etal wines... Lunch will follow (al fresco) and wine may be purchased from the winery to accompany your meal.”(Sounds good to me-even ifI don’t understand it aU). Meeting place will be The Point Restaurant/Cafe on Aquatic Drive at Albert Park at 9-30 a.m.for a 1015 departure. n TheVHRRwiUbe holding another ofits pop ular auction nights at its monthly general meeting on October 21- we men tion it now in order to give everyone plenty oftime to clear out the attic or shed to enable you to flick pass your treasures to someone else who needs them more than you. The auction night will be held at the Whitehorse Inn Hotel, 58 Burwood Rd., Hawthorn. Contact Noel Robson on (03)9499 6701 for infor mation on how to convert your old bits and pieces into cash (so that you can go out and buy some other old bits and pieces). n Another Sydneysider on a buying spree is Bryan Miller who has just acquired the ex-Warwick Rooklyn 1982 Elw'jm 003 Formula Ford, tire car in which Rooklyn won the 1986 Australian ‘Driver to Europe’Series. Miller says he was real¬

ly after an Elfin, but the Elwyn is straight and original - and the name sounds similar! As for Warwick Rooklyn, he’ll now be able to concentrate more atten tion on his ocean racing yacht. n Supplementaiy regu lations and entry forms are now available for Shannons Mallala Masters Classic meeting being organised by the Austin 7 Club ofSouth Australia Inc. The Historic meeting will be for cars and Classic and Post-Classic motorcy cles and will be held on September 13-14. Feature event will be the Carrie Cooper Memorial Trophy race for openwheelers. For further information contact the secretary of the meeting Tony Morgan, 8 Bank Cres., St. Agnes, S.A., 5097. n Vale: Noel Youden, the father ofKent and Brett, passed away recent ly after being ill for some time. Noel had a long involvement in motorsport, and was a commit tee member ofthe Benalla Auto Club from 1991 to 1993. His interest in racing has been carried on by his sons, and Kent’s son Luke is continuing,the family tradition by competing in the 1997 Australian Formula Ford series. To his wife Leigh and family we extend sincere sympathies. n We also recently lost two ofour great motor rac ing pioneers, men who contributed so much to the development ofour sport from the 1920s and the next 50 years. Jim Leech was one of the founding members of the Light Car Club of Australia and could be described as a connoissemoffine care, especially with a racing heritage. Along with his brother, the late Bill Leech, Jim was a gentleman of the sport, and his tall, stat uesque figure will be sadly missed wherever good cars gather. Arthur Wylie was one of the grand old men of motor sport, and apart fi-om his driving and engi neering skills, he was instrmnental in establish ing “Austrahan Motor Sport” - a key publication soon after World Wai- 2 which is now keenly sought after by collectors. Arthm- was an innova tor, as was evidenced by the cars he constructed. The famous Wyliecar remains one of the most significant‘specials’ to be built in Australia. Motor sport has lost a great part of its colourftil history in the passing of Jim Leech and Arthur Wylie, and to their respec tive families we extend sincere condolences. -BRIAN REED

KARTING

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Savage in superb form at City of Melbourne Titles

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DETERMINED ... #3 Rob Maori heads eventual Clubman Super Heavy winner #12 Andrew Baker. (Graeme Burns pics)

The City of Melbourne Titles event returned to its former glory with the successful running of the 1997 meeting on August 23 at Port Melbourne, where Ben Savage staked his claim as one of Australia’s best barters with a superb win in Clubman Heavy. Savage was simply too good and took a great win from Adam Murray and Brett Davidson. Hosted by the Go-Kart Club of Victoria, the meeting boasted drivers from not only the home state of Victoria, but also New South Wales. South Australia and Western Australia. The revised format meant that time trialling was not held, while there was a very overcrowded format of 17 classes. Despite this, the meeting ran very well, with some of the top classes producing fabulous racing. For 1998, the meeting will revert to time trialhng, with

a vastly reduced number of more professional classes only to compete. Now driving the new Dino chassis, Nathan Gonnan was a class act as he cleaned up the Midgets class, ahead of Leah Unsworth and Justin Cole. Cameron Thorpe took a great win in Junior National Light from state champion Tim Macrow and Travis Medwin. ■ Andrew Baker won a very competitive Clubman Super Heavy class from Rob Maori and Jason Stanja. fantastic Junior A National Heavy race was not decided until the very last corner, as five drivers fought for the chequered flag. But it was Django Hopkins who came thi'ough to win by half a kart from Paul Sera and Luke Harper. State champion James Sera looked set to add the Clubman Light title to his win at this circuit earlier in the year. Sera was fastest all week-

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15Augustl997 end, but it was Sydney’s Mark Winterbottom who led the final, pulling out a small lead and taking the win in a red flag-shortened race. Sera finished second, with a very impressive Will Pristel in third. Jace Lindstrom took out the Rookies class from Matthew Blanchard and Michael Raubner, while Dominic Albanese won the Sportsman class from Glenn Riddell and Frank Falla. A first corner pile-up elimi nated half of the Class Australia field, leaving some of the more fancied runners sitting on the infield. Running the engines that David Cl'ark used to finish ninth in the 1993 Junior World Titles, Tyson Pearce went on to take the win from Vince Santoro and John Tynan. Ken Kelsall won the Clubman 0’40s class from John Pringle and Peter Hallett, while Matthew Adams took home a new ARC engine after winning the ARC-engined. class. Adams won from Jason Loft and Steve Hennig. Mark Winterbottom made it two from two, after taking out the Reed Light class. After dropping a chain and subsequently seizing an engine, David Clark finished second after starting from the back of the grid, while South Australian Michael Lovegrove finished third aboard the new Zip Bullet chassis. A fantastic drive from

Adrian Binns meant a mem orable last to first victory in the Resa class. After engine trouble early in the week end, Binns started the final dead last, fighting his way into second behind Kevin Stray. Stray was forced to retire with a broken header pipe with just two laps to go, leav ing Binns to take a great win from Dwayne Dolling and Deane Shillito. Matthew Wall retained his fourth City of Melbourne title with a great win in Senior National Light. This was another race to be decided on the last comer.

John Merritt taking second from Grant Anderson. Andrew Bua took out the Senior National Heavy class from Brett Arnett and Lee Hanatschek, while national champion Malcolm Kilsby led home Danny Chiriano and Mario Vallese in Reed Heavy. The Junior Clubman class took five attempts to get started, delaying the running of this class until the onset of near darkness - but, with the green light on, Bart Price pulled away to take a great win, ahead of Jamie Whincup and Will Davidson. -lANSALVESTRIN

HOT PURSUIT... Winner #7 Ken Kelsall is tailed by #6 Trevor Ansell in O’40s.

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15AugusU99/ Continued from Page 25 In fact it was Glenn who was in trouble with rear grip and he barely held off a charging Longhurst on the last lap. A couple of seconds further back, Gardner posted a strong sixth place on his series return, having passed a troubled sBowe. "The car has not been bal anced all weekend and when ■the tyres went off there was terrible oversteer,” he said after seeing his title hopes sMde. But JB’s biggest problem ●was a misfire which developed mid-race and on the slowdown Tap almost stopped the car com pletely. He barely limped back to the pits. It would later transpire to be a damaged wire in the loom, the legacy of the rushed engine change earlier, but which was Bot identified until after the second race. Bowe barely held Faulkner off at the line to claim seventh while Richards (with a flatspotted left-front) and Johnson rounded out the ten. White fi nished 11th, just ■ahead of the recovering Perkins, Larkham, Romano andFinnigan. Larlcham had run sixth for the first seven laps, but when Eowe forced his way under the MitrelO car at turn three Larkham ran wide onto the dirt and -cvrecked the front airciam. Not to mention the only real dice of the race. The only retirement apart from Ingall was Trimbole, whose braided power steering hose failed and spewed fluid all over the hot exhaust.

Race 2 - Reduced from 18 laps to 16

The championship was sett3ed quickly - but not alto-

gather tidily - in race two. Ingall was out within sec onds, crashing heavily into the fence just past the startfinish line. He clipped Trimbole’s Commodore on his charge from the back as everyone tried to avoid a stalled Romano (broken axle). The race was quickly redflagged, but not before Brock and Jones had come together in the early jostling for posi tions, resulting in damaged airdams to both cars and - as HRT discovered later - a bent diff housing on 05. Brock’s dam was replaced on the grid while Ingall’s ●wreck was cleared away. If Seton was still feeling nervous sitting on the grid he needn’t have because while one challenger was being towed away the other was not much better off. Bowe’s electrical problem had not been cured and poor JB found himself limping around at barely walking pace on the warm-up lap. It

cleared itself, but by then the race had started and he was a distant last. Bowe completed only two laps before pitting for good. The championship was offi cially Seton’s. Not that he could celebrate too much because a conserva tive start had dropped him to sixth, dicing with a group consisting of Longhurst, Gardner, Richards, Johnson, Perkins and Faulkner. To his credit, though, Glenn raced hard and actual ly nailed Gardner for fifth on the last lap, a suspension change between races having worked a treat on the Ford Credit Falcon. But we are getting ahead of ourselves. Back to the start. Brock on pole was beaten away by both Murphy and Jones and settled into third just ahead of Gardner, Longhurst and the rest. Wayne even tried to get past Brock around the outside, but it only resulted in Longhurst

During the six weeks before the next round, the Commodore was stripped and inspected. This revealed a basic alignment problem with the chassis and, once fixed, Peter was Continued from Page 20 soon back on the pace - although by CAMS before it even started and now out of title contention. Peter was able to give Moffat Allan Moffat summed up their feelings by stating, ‘We got out-homologated”. some serious competition in the neprt Peter raced the SS only once four races, but it seemed that Moffat more in 1982, at the Adelaide was trying to win by the smallest pos ManChamp final in December, but sible margin. He was lobbying CAMS Peter was forced to settle for second, for a more-powerful engine to make well behind Moffat’s increasingly-fast him more competitive at Bathurst and Mazda RX7. was obviously reluctant to damage his cause by blitzing the Commodores. “Moffat is actually quite The MHDTs took capable of mnning away from us and an early blow1983 whencampaign chief mechan ic Bruce Nowacki was struck down by winning by a country mile on most cir a cerebral haemorrhage just after cuits,” Peter suggested, and it would Christmas. Nowacki had been an be crazy to give him even more integral part of the HDT since 1971 power. No one listened. and was the key to Peter’s success Two weeks later, CAMS gave with the team since rejoining in 1978. Moffat his bigger engine and tried to His knowledge of the cars was balance the books by granting the unmatched and his hospitalisation left Commodores and Falcons apparent; ly less-lavish allowances. a big gap in the team’s operation. As luck would have it, Larry At the final roun0, again staged at Perkins had joined the team before Lakeside, Moffat cruised around to Bathurst, as an engineer as much as clinch the title, but the day belonged Peter’s co-driver. For 1983 he took to Peter. On a wet track, he drove over the key role with the team - his brilliantly, the Commodore on the very limit of adhesion throughout. For engineering experience and knowl edge of Holdens making him ideal for only the third time in ATCC history, Peter lapped the entire field, Moffat tiejuD. Everything looked set for a great included. year when Peter charged into the lead of the ATCC opener at Calder, but the old Commodore simply wasn’t glory was short-lived - the gearbox The a match for the increasingly fast ●fated half-way through the race. Nissan Bluebird Turbo of George He was plagued by poor handling Fury in the opening round of the ■dunng the next races at Sandown and Australian Endurance Championship Symmons Plains, a situation which at Amaroo (Peter finishing a lap down in second place) and MHDT gave the was further compounded by the star ring speed being displayed by second round at Oran Park a miss Moffat’s Mazda. The Commodores while it completed a new car for the were burning up tyres and Moffat was big Sandown/Bathurst double. The new car looked magnificent -●autck enough to take over the mnning.

The Peter Brock Story “ Part 5

FAREWELL... Peter Brock aged in the clash and AJ had a went within two taps of a per huge lose at the next comer. fect finish for the huge crowd. He didn’t hit anything but his race was finished. “He had to have a go I Race 3-18 laps guess,” said Murphy of the With both Bowe and Ingall non-starters for the third race Jones move,“but he was never going to get past (cleanly). He and the title in the bag, Glenn hit my rear guard...” Seton was able to race for glory Seton couldn’t believe his without any pressui’e and he luck as he cmised into the lead didn’t let his fans down. and he was able to hold Murf While Brock dropped back wards at the start with too at bay all the way to the flag, capping off a great day with a much wheelspin, Seton burst win. away from the third row and Brock, however, was stUl in even passed Tony Longhiust around the outside of turn line for what would clearly be three to move into a remark- an emotional overall victory on the day, even when he was able third place. passed by Richards for third Murphy had made the best with four laps to go. Fourth start, though, and raced down would be good enough. the inside of pole man Jones to But it was not to be. A tyre lead while Brock dropped back had delaminated and Brock getting ahead and there was to fifth. could barely keep the car on Perkins’ horrible weekend no way past fi-om there. the track for the last two laps Brock was clearly unable continued when he spurn com as he slipped down to 12th ing onto the bridge, which to match the pace of the two leaders, who ran in close dropped him to the tail of the place. The Commodore finished company for the first 12 laps field, while both Russell and vidth a completely flat tyre, but before Murf threw it away Cotter limped to the pits, PB was determined to make it Having started from the with a spin, which dropped across the line. him to third. back of the grid ●with a fresh “I wasn’t going to DNF in “It was just brain fade,” he engine, Dick Johnson moved admitted after following up to 11th after three laps. my very last touring car cham Jones and Brock to the line. Incredibly, he was the highest pionship race; no way!” he said. It was AJ’s first race win Dunlop runnel’. “It was amazing when it The first half of the race was of the year, which represent ed a tremendous result for pretty much a matter of tread- happened because a chunk of him and the team in what ing water with Murphy, Jones rubber somehow bounced and Seton running close, while through the left-hand window has been a trying year. Longhurst survived the Brock moved up to fourth "with and showered me with glass.” He finished fourth overall, close battle for fourth and a smooth pass on Longhurst. behind Murphy, Seton and But all that changed on lap finished with Seton, Gardner, Richards, Perkins 13 when AJ dived down the Longhurst. Gardner took fifth from and Faulkner line astern in inside of Murphy at BP (com, irig onto the main straight). Jones while Richards’ excellent his slipstream. White was about seven sec-' the two cars touched and Murf third place in the final race gave him sixth overall. onds further back in 10th, well ran wide, Faulkner was next, which clear of Finnigan and Hossack. Both Jones and Seton were Dick Johnson’s race ended through in a flash but AJ’s grip extended his winning margin with the team’s second engine of the race apd the overall in the Privateers’ Cup even further. He finished the year round win last only a few sec failure of the day (not to men with 324 points to Mark tion Bowe’s electrical dramas). onds. A tyre valve had been dam- Poole’s 138. ■ It was not a good day for DJR.

with a bold new colour scheme and season started strongly with Peter everything looked good when Peter taking victory in the opening two planted it on pole for the Sandown rounds of the ATCC at Sandown and 500. But the reality was that Peter Symmons Plains, seeing off strong was troubled by understeer and a opposition from the likes of Johnson, Moffat, Grice and Fury. But the cham front brake problem caused by a fail pionship was not to be his; he fin ing hub. When the 05 car was retired, ished second at Wanneroo to Peter jumped into the second car Moffat’s Mazda, missed Surfers while (now in Marlboro Special Mild 'overseas, retired while leading at colours) for an extended test session. Oran Park due to a tailshaft failure, He drove the wheels off the car and then missed the penultimate round at hauled it up to third place, though two Lakeside to race at Le Mans. He laps down on Moffat’s rapid new 1 SB- came back to finish second in the engined Mazda. Peter was later final round and steal second in the excluded from the race because he title to Dick Johnson, despite missing was not officially nominated as a two of the seven rounds. The Le Mans project was certainly reserve driver, but he really didn’t care. Third place meant nothing to the race that kept Peter’s attention him. that year and the ambitious effort For Bathurst there was no prob back by Bob Jane T-Marts - created lem with swapping cars in the race - plenty of interest around Australia. and just as well because it would But ultimately it was not as successful have prevented a seventh Bathurst as Peter had hoped. In the early running, the Team victory. Once again 05 failed early in the race, this time an engine problem, Australia entry ran as high as eighth and Peter and Larry commandeered before a wheel fell off and then a sus John Harvey’s car, catching and pension arm broke, costing two very passing the leaders before racing lengthy pitstops. Peter and co-driver away to a one-lap win over arch-rival Larry Perkins set about regaining as Moffat. much ground as possible, moving up A generally unhappy season to about 20th in the middle of the (even the Bathurst win was less than night when Perkins made a mistake satisfying because he had to change and crashed at about 240km/h. The months of planning and hard work cars) finished with yet another retire ment while leading at Surfers but the had evaporated in a flash. For Sandown and Bathurst, Peter new car finally finished a race in Adelaide, where Peter won easily to produced the last of the Group C allow Holden to tie the championship Commodores, but before that was with Mazda.! the swansong for the VH at Amaroo. This was a truly forgettable affair as le 1984 season was to be the last Peter was caught out by the condi of the Group C big bangers and tions, pitting for slicks just before it Peter's year was to be intermpted by started raining again and later, in a strong attack on the Le Mans 24 appalling conditions, crashing enter Hour race in France with a Porsche ing pit lane! 956. The new VK Commodore On the home front, though, the appeared with a bright new colour

»Xe.

scheme, featuring dayglo orange for what would be Marlboro’s final races with Brock. And it turned out to be a great send-off, starting with the Sandown 500 on a new, extended circuit. Despite being headed by Johnson and Grice early, the Brock/Perkins combination took control of the race in the second half and cruised to the flag more than a lap clear of Moffat’s Mazda, which was now fuel-injected. It was an emphatic debut for the HDT-developed VK Commodore, but the Falcon challenge was still strong and Johnson had been leading com fortably when second gear broke. Bathurst provided Peter with win number eight and what a dominant affair it was, the 05 Commodore leading almost the whole way to win by two laps. The team’s delight was heightened by a strong finish for the Harvey/David Parsons car,^ which recovered to finish second. The team celebrated with a ‘form finish’, sweet revenge for the Moffat team’s famous 1-2 result seven years earlier. The Australian Endurance Championship was still up for grabs at the final round at Surfers Paradise and, although Peter cruised to an emphatic victory, Moffat was able to follow him home and collect enough points to give Mazda the manufacturers’ award and Moffat the drivers’ title. But it was a great farewell to the Group C era for the Commodore. The HDT-developed VK had contested just three races and Peter Brock had won all three of them. Then it was back to the drawing board because 1985 was the dawn of the Group A era, with a new sponsor, a changed lifestyle and problems ahead in the relationship with Holden... ■

15August m

Sedans

RX3 Coupe, rolling chassis, YZ cage, 13B, race exhaust, needs work but genuine 75 model, almost complete. $1,450ono'. Ph: 0412 323 941 (Sydney). io?

QLD Gemini series car, front running car is ready to race for new driver or seasoned competitor looking for the series win. $5,500. Ph: Shayne Melton 07 5495 4095. w?

/a I

Trjt:

VB Commodore,rally car. 1 of 20 factory oars for 1979 Repoo, PRC, 5 litre, extractors, Saginaw gearbox, 10 bolt LS diff, rear discs, seats, harnesses, cage, original 1979 Repco fittings, 10 wheels/tyres, spares, 11/97 reg. Transport Dept approved. Ideal for 1998 Round Australia. $6,000. Ph:07 5464 1273(AH). 108

ci.

Porsche 928S. Great road and competition car, resprayed July 1997. Race cage, seats, harnesses, origi nal leather seats. Rebuilt engine, gearbox, brakes. Targa category, class winner. $35,000ono. Ph: 03 6229 2479 or 018 129 169. 107

1964 Lotus Elan Series 1 Roadster. Car has fresh paint and leather seats, is in excellent mechanical condi tion and would suit fastidious buyer. $38,500. Ph: 03 9534 1426. 10a

Commodore roiling body sheli with full cage and dri vers seat mount. Suit Commodore Cup, rally, club car etc. Pro-built car. $2,000. Ph: 08 8380 5519 (BH), 08 8380 5559(AH). 100

Ford Mondeo, Rouse-built rolling chassis, ex Radisich 94 World Cup winning car. All the best Ford Motorsport factory bits, Penske shocks etc. Realistic offers around $45,000. Ph: 02 9796 4328,02 9597 6393 or 018 117 070. 507

Nota Fang (Type IV). Classic Australian sports car. Everything either new or restored, rare example in near concourse condition. Current NSW registration and possi ble Historic racing eligibility. Must sell. $15,000. Ph: 0411 083 536 or(AH)02 9558 5484.

l»j

Suzuki Mighty Boy 4WB,Toyota 1600 twin cam fuelinjected motor, 5 speed gearbox. Hurricane extractors, Ultimate suspension, SAAS sports seats, alloy roll bar, RTA approved. 12 months rego. $15,500ono. Ph:046 327 592. 107 Appendix J Group NB’1964 Lotus Cortina. Registered, current log book, engine 185hp. Vehicle is in excellent condition. $21,000. Ph: 02 9873 3793(BH & AH)

.I ' I'

Complete HQ outfit includes transporter, two cars (Thunderdome spec), two spare engines, diffs gearboxes, axles etc. Transporter has electfic winch, storage bins, liv ing area. $20,000 the lot. Ph: 03 9432 8038 or 0412 550 Ford EB GT Club Car. SVO Motorsport engine, 5 speed 1:1 ratio gearbox, 9" diff. Proflex suspension, Harrop 4 piston calipers. Stack dash, chrome moly welded cage, on-board fire sustem. Brand new shell, never bent. Car constructed June 96. Ph: 0418 134 011. lo?

Group 2A Sports Car, fully restored, alloy V6, fuel injected with engine management system. Monocoque space frame chassis, Spare nose etc. Enclosed tandem trailer. $45,000neg. Ph: 07 3369 2917(AH). .07

556. 107

LC Torana Sports Sedan,6 cyl turbo Holden motor. M21 g/box, full f/glass front. 16in wheels, some spares, tandem trailer. $5,000 (car only $3;500). Ph: Bruce 042 341 207(BH),044 488 150(AH). 107

’

1996 Ford Mustang, RHDaulo, 289 V8, light metallic blue with new blue interior. RWC, personalised plates (MY MUSY). $19,500. Ph: Paul 03 9870 9189 or 0419 351 929. loe XF Sportsman, complete rolling shell, new roll cage, new front spoiler and more. $3,500ono. Ph: John 03 9529 6422(BH), 03 9580 2337(AH), los NASCAR Chev, ready to race, runs low 29s, front steer, 9.5 to 1. Gene.Cook built engine. 16 spare wheels and lyres, churns and more. $28,000 neg. Ph: 017 860 840. toe VW Beetle race car, 13B pp Micro Tech injected rotary engine, close ratio limited slip box, IRS, 4 wheel disc brakes, very neat car, ready to race. $7,000. Ph: 02 9820 9307 or 0416 087 560. ™

AUSCAR Sportsman #35 Falcon XF, Well present ed and very competitive car in race ready condition. Excellent opportunity to enter Australia’s most economical and competitive moto/ sport class. Car is available com plete or as rolling chassis. $16,900. Call Jamey Hollier. Ph: 03 5367 1087(BH) or 015 502 517(mobile) or 03 5367 6545(AH). 107

A9X Torana, Bathurst supercar, immaculate, 76,000km. Fresh 330+hp motor, very original throughout, only vari able engine enhancement and wide wheels. Quality invest ment only. $22,500ono. Ph: 071 597 130. 107 Commodore VH HDT improved. VC body kit. 4.2 It 4 speed. Long range tank, Irmscher rims etc. New tyres and Bilsteins. No rego. $7,500. Ph: 049 389 524. 107

FIDO, 86 model, p/steering, auto, air con, CD player, lowered, fully worked 351 engine, roller rockers, roller cam. Reg, RWC. PDA. Ph: 03 5996 2263 or 0419 388 192. 107

Lotus Escort Mk 1 twin cam, suit restoration, good body, no rust, good interior, good engine and gearbox. Rare car. $7,500. Ph: 02 9817 5560 or 018 276 323. 107

Datsun 1600, 5 speed, 1800 motor, white, no rust, extractors, wide wheels, new sports exhaust system. Stereo, long reg, RWC. Clean, straight body. $2,800. Ph: 03 5334 6364(AH). 107 AUSCAR Sportsman #8, winner of Best Presented award, very competitive, finished 4th in rookie season. Brand new fuel cell. Complete with all spares inci engine and set-up information. Selling at half replacement cost, $16,000. Ph: 03 9404 4113(AH),0412 257 658. 107

Toyota Celica GT4 turbo 4WD. Rick Bates' current NSW Championship-winning oar. Totally rebuilt and immaculate. Turn key and go rallying. Ideal car for Round Australia or Targa. $36,000. Ph: Rick 018 480 339. 107

Appendix J 64 Cooper S, 48 DCOE Weber, gas flow head, Hepolite pistons, 648 cam, s/c drop gears, SC/C/R gearbox, log book. Marine blue colour. $5,750ono. Ph: 08 8522 5541. 107

Sports Sedan, space .frame by Redline Race Cars. Fresh mid-mount 350 Chev, top hp with your choice of carby or injection, dry sump, triple plate clutch, T10 box, 9" diff, massive brakes and calipers. Covered by VL Commodore panels, easily changed to later vehicle, ready to race. $35,000ono, will consider roller only. All assis tance given, possible finance package available, Ph: James at Walden Motorsport 015 701 103. lo? Qld Gemini series car, ready to race, motor never been raced. Neat and tidy car. Must sell. $4,000. Ph: 07 3263 3607 or 0412 144 381. 107

Volkswagen Scirocco 1986, superb German touring car, engine and suspension have been upgraded and enhanced by VW specialist. This is a good-handling and very quick, unique motor car. Ph: 048 894 340. im AUSCAR VP, 315CC motor, 360bhp, 270km, Super T10 box, Harrop rose-jointed front end, four spot calipers, fully adj Bilstein suspension, Harrop type diff, VDO gauges. Total Recall tacho, Hurst shifter, braided fuel lines, pit equipment etc. Many spares, body parts, too many to mention. Help (crew), given first couple of meetings. $25,000. Ph: 9579 2986 or 015 800 342. 107

Mazda RX4 Club Car. Winner 1995 NSW Club Car Championship. 13BPP, Needham box, MoTeC M4 Pro and much more. Both engine and gearbox recently rebuilt by Selectmaz. $19,000. Ph: 0419 436 085. 107 NASCAR Commodore, True Value #9, complete car with all spares and pit equipment, fresh paint and running gear, less engine. Transporter and engine available sepa rately. $25,000. Ph:03 5966 9532 or 0419 539 320. 107 MQ Race cars, ex D'Ombrain. One circuit, one 'Dome, ready to race. Each has spare engine, sheli and rails, pan els etc. $5,000 each or $9,500 for both. Ph: Leigh 0418 500 287. 107

continued over page

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CATEGORY;

Cars; □ Sedans □ Open Wheelers □ Speedway □ Drag Generali; □ Parts □ Engines □ Trailers □ Wanted □ Photographs □ Other

48 15August 1997

Dud Speedcar or Super Sedan. No remuneration required. Will race anywhere, but team pays travel and aocomm. Happy

Dry sump, complete kit to suit 6 cyl red motor. Includes ' hoses, clamps, sump, pump, filtyers etc. Out of LJ Sports Sedan, but suit any. $750ono. Ph: 02 9628 7269. loe

to help service oar and engine if required. Contact Bruce White. Ph: 018 774 464. (07

Nissan GTR (Godzilla) performance parts. 3” stainless exhaust, fron to back, $800. 17" x 9" Simmons (4) wheels

Solo Speedway bikes; ex Leigh Adams. 1 Antig with

$1200. 260kph speedo (Australian del). $1,000. Group N brake rotors (f&r)$700. t08

Driver available for serious race team - Sprintcar,

laydown GM engine: 1 1^J with laydown GM engine: 1 spare GM laydown freshened engine. All are race ready and have been maintained regardless of cost. Ph? 03 5023

Porsche 911 pistons and sleeves, 2.5 litre. High compression, 87.5mm to suit 2.0 - 2.4 litre engine. Half new cost. $2,000. Ph: 03 9469 5162. .os

5759 after 4pm. J07 Celica GT4 Group A. Top 10 runner last 3 years in Targa Tasmania. Never damaged, and in mint condition.

Very low genuine Kms. All rally equipment included, plus original road equipment. $47,000. Ph; Warwick Freemanlte. 03 9728 4444(BH)or 0411 504 881. lo?

BMW E30, M3 body kit, suit 2 door road or race car,

front/rear bumpers, side skirts and guards, all in fibreglass. Make an offer. Ph: Greg 042 859 155 or 0411 785 915. loe

AtM.

NOTA CLUBMAN, Group M log book, ex Jacques Sapir, Ron Davies etc, Recent front to rear rebuild. Ford

Speedway

engine, Holinger gearbox, BMC rear end, new Dunlop Rs, new custom trailer, huge amount of spares inci 8 diffs,

Compact Speedcaf, Lismore #33, Yamaha FZR 5valve. Hilborn injection, MSD ignition, Dial A Jet, Schroeder, Halibrand quick change, Gardner molly chas sis, tail tank. Includes spares and trailer. Fast and reliable. $10,000. Ph: 07 3808 9578. loe

engine blocks etc. Weil known car with excellent competi

Super Sedan, VN Commodore. Winters quicksteering, complete and ready to race, less motor $13,800. Ph: 0418 514 444 or 03 5176 2257. 107

Speedcar Winters diff, 3.78 ratio, good cond. $1,600. Ph: Glenn 06 241 5122(BH). m

Sprintcar kit, highbar, limited use with all panels, bon net, fuel tank, baldder, arms, stops, 2 top wings and brand

Chevy Monza Super Sedan, Jones quick change, 11

new high back aluminium seat. Clean unit and a bargin at: $3,000. Ph: 08 8269 2928 or 08 8251 3096. ror

rims and tyres, moulds, ready to race less engine. $5,500. Ph: 08 8391 2225 or 018 804 347. loe fTalcon XF Modified Production, professionally builf using only the best equipment. Quick p/steer, triple plate clutch, aluminium seat, new radiator, fresh engine. $7,500. Ph: 018 694 584, or 069 223 558(AH). io8

ing, Winters diff, splined wheels, new paint. $10,000. Ph: 06 297 2818,06 297 4445 or 018 630 408. 107

yoke and shifter. $1,400. Ph: 02 9153 6571 (AH). ™ Porsche front guards to change 911 to drop-nose front. $2,000ono.Ph: 0414 997 303. los 1 pair airflow 220 aluminium heads. Ferrera s/steel valves. Crane tool steel springs. Crane rockers. Stud girdle. $3,000. Hilborn 2 3/16" injection $1,600. Crane roller cams 260 - 262. $250 each. Ph: 08 8263 7719 or 015 794 697. too Wiseco/Cosworth pistons, various,sizes, suit 23

y^iSWOCO

Ford Molorsporl housing #M-7005-B, lots more, unbeatable prices. Ph: Mick 03 5472 4116. 107 Welder, MIG single phase, SIP, 240 voll. $780ono. Ph: Ray 02 9790 1372. lo;

Ex Greg Murphy Formula Holden Reynard 92D, Simoco Pacific Pty Ltd offers for sale this race winning

Open Wheelers

Gearbox, ex-Commodore Cup, W-55 Supra Trump gear set. Cross member, clutch, pressure plate, bell housing,

degree S/BC, assorted valve springs 1.625, S/BC stud gir dles, GM soft touch limiter, 0.43 Speed-Pro rings, Jerico

Sprintcar, 1992 Toggnotti hi-bar less engine. KSE steer

F5000 Gardos, less transmission, $25,000 or complete $37,000. Will be broken up if not sold quickly, so call to nn

tion history. Nothing to spend. Genuine and reluctant forced sale. $21,950 with everything. Contact Len Shaw on 03 9787 0856. io7

change diff, wide five, Willward brakes. Engineering power

$800. Ph: Tony 08 9344 7779 Perth, .os

Speedway Sidecar frame and glass (Nash) style

Jjd

Off Road Gearbox, Albins Porsche G50 5 speed, gears, Super diff, slave, starter. $7,000. Ph: 048 836 906. tor

Reynard, Chassis #023. Comes as raced in 1997 Championship season. 4th AGP, 3rd Calder. Fresh engine, Penske shocks, fire bomb, fully o’hauled calipers.

Porsche wheels, 17" cup, brand new set of four, suit able 928 etc. $2,500. Ph: 014 803 859. loz

Complete ready to race with spares available. Priced to sell at $75,000ono. Call Bruce Williams. Ph: 03 5335 8788 or 0418 349 555. 106 l

3/8 454 bolts/nuts and main and rod bearings. $450. Ph: 049 389 524. lor

L34 308 genuine crankshaft and con rods. New

Honda generator E2500, works well $650ono. Also, Karcher high pressure water cleaner, near new, $280ono. Ph: Steve 02 9517 1306. lor Getrag direct fifth gearbox, from BMW 325i. Dog leg first gear position. $2,500. Ph: 014 803 859. 107 Radiator, aluminium, suit VR Commodore, new, in box, $195. Ph: 0414 756 942. lor

3 Litre UC Torana Modified Production, ex Vic 3, 4 meetings old, very competitive oar, all new fully adjustable suspension, 3 sets new tyres and mags. Fresh engine, heaps spares, tandem trailer. $8,000ono. Ph: Peter 03 5275 4904, m Sprintcar,'91 JSR chassis with all panels, engine plates, side and rear nerfs, floor, pedals. Very good cond. $1,700. Other parts available. Ph: 03 5447 0078. loe

Chev 454, custom forged Ross pistons. 454 -r100 thou. Comp ratio of 10:1 on'large chamber heads. Cost $1,600, consider all serious offers. Ph: 049 389 524. lor Formula Vee Elliott, completely rebuilt for 1997 sea son, fresh Elliott top HP motor, new paint, new tyres, noth ing to spend, just get in and win races, NO EXPENSE SPARED. The best available. $11,000. Mark White. Ph: 03

Junior Dragster, brand new Briggs motor and clutch,

5971 1961(AH). loe

still standard. Minor work/to complete. Never raced. $2,000ono. Ph: 07 5533 7126. loa

Kart - Dino 194 rolling chasis in immaculate condition. Powder coated, black, with magnesium rims, hydraulic

1932 Ford Roadster, nostalgia style, HP 427 Chev alu

Autometer gauges, Carrera shocks, quicksteer adj sus pension. $12,000. Ph: Paul Egan 06 242 0943 or 0411 614 628. ice

brakes. Only raced 4 times. Suit new kart buyer. $1,700ono. Ph: 046 556 266. loe

onds quarter mile. $26,500. Ph: 018 694 584, 'or 069 223 558(AH).

Speedcar, TRC chassis kit, ex Howard car USA. $1,500ono. Ph: 02 9628 2238. 107

Formula Ford, Van Diemen 1996, rolling chassis, almosi

A Modified Production, current Australia No 2, multi feature winner. Fresh engine, new panels, many spares.

Super Sedan chassis, roll cage, fitted with EF Falcon body, alloy interior with chequer floor, AFFCO leaf springs with sliders and nylon bushes, top and lower A arms and

minium Muncie 4 speed, 9" LSD, full NSW reg, 11.9 sec

Wanted - intake manifold, injectors, throttle body, etc from Mazda 2000oc twin cam, 16-valve FE series FWD engine, as fitted to Mazda 626. Ph: Steve 067 665 977 (AH). .07

Various - AP carbon clutch, 5.5" twin plate. Spare plates, just rebuilt by AP in UK $2,000ono. AP four-pot calipers, brand-new, never used CP3344. Lug mount. $1,300 pr. AP ventilated brake discs, 280mm diameter, 22mm thick. Brand new, never used, $500 pr. Dry brake fuel fittings, female, $350 pair. Earls oil cooler, 300 x 70mm, brand new, never used, 41006, $100. Sway bar

new. Used only one meeting. Your chance to buy new al considerable saving. $29,900. Ph: 00 11 6425 325 516 or 00 11 643 366 6175(NZ). is

adjusters, in car, brand new, never used, $200ono. Ph: Steve 02 9517 1306. .07

struts and engine mounts. Radiator fitted to left side, body-

Sprintcar parts, front axle, 3-pin style, complete with brakes, $1,200. Radiator, $200. Aluminium shocks, $95ea.

white, light blue roll cage. All new. $5,500. Must sell this week. Ph: 045 725 949. 107

Complete Winters slider with brake, steel axle, $1,995. Plus more. Ph: 08 8269 2928 or 08 8251 3096. .07

92 Gambler, as new, excellent condition and looks plete, magneto, injection, some spares $1,400ono. Chev 350 type, Millioion alloy block, 4" -r30, tested. $1,800ono. Ph: Ray 02 9790 1372.

107

Super Sedan chassis. Commodore body. $1,000. Quick change diff $1,000. Ph: 03 5996 2263 or 0419 388

Toyota Hi-Lux Super Sedan, set up for Chev. Mark Williams rear, weld wheels. Autometer, Hurst. No motor or

great. Some spares. $7,500. Also, Chewy II motor com

box. $8,000ono. Ph: 03 9731 0470 or 014 694 423. 107

Formula Holden Ralt RT21, silver star series leader. Top hp Rob Benson fengine, extensive spares package, all set up, data included. Ready to race. $40,000. Ph: Dean gg .,24^ 75,41

Drag bike. Andy Wilson's -A/Street Bike. As last run. Has run 9.20 at 153mph. Will run 150mph all day. $10,000ono. Ph: 03 9748 9643. 107

192. 107

Gambler 1993 mod Sprintcar, hibar 30” standard arm. complete ground up. Rebuild features Winter long spline rear end, Sanders top steer front end, Duralite wheels, all-new bolt-ons, 4 wings. Complete with Felsch fully fresh Rodeck engine. Would suit new oar buyer. $32,000 will separate. Can supply spares kit. Ph: John 02 9543 8806 or 018 041 571. 107

Bacchus Clubman, first raced 1965, BMC B series

meetings old since rebuild. EC. $3,500ono. Ph: 03 5447 Porsche 911 engine, 2.7 litre, fuel injected. Complete

wheels, other spares, as new condition. $6,000. Ph: 0412 126 524 or 08 9380 4559. 107

and running. Suit overhaul or parts. $2,500. Ph: 03 9469 5162. 10a Holden 308, new Group A, 4 bolt block, Yella Terra forged rods, AUSCAR heads, HEI ignition, professionally built. $4,400ono. Ph: 03 9803 1579. loa

heavy. Lap record and top points scorer at Old titles, Cairns 97, 4 wins from 4 starts. Very forgiving car, easy to drive. $15,000 incl 4 wheel disc brake trailer with tyre rack.

Top Fuel Dragster, also suit Top Alcohol, rolling chas sis complete with gauges, fuel lines, parachutes, etc. $15,000. Ph: 067 75 2120. 107

No motor or gearbox. Ph: Bruce White 018 774 464. 107 A Modified Production TE Cortina, fully worked 250 Formula Vee R^max, ready to race, excellent hp xflow methanol engine, 4 speed, fully adjustable suspen Kleinig engine, superb cond, meticulously maintained, sion, 15 " wheels, very competitive car, ready to race. regular top 10 car throughout 1996. $7,000, Ph: Chris $8,550. Ph: 03 5996 2263 or 0419 388 192. 107 ' Cummins 02 9709 4655(BH), 02 9876 3446(AH). 107

spares. $11,500. Ph: 03 5942 7739(AH). .07

Formula Ford, Van Diemen RF93, new s'steel floor, 95 style side pods. Todd Kelly's Bathurst winning car '96, 2nd AGP '96, 2nd Sandown 500. Spare nose cone and bonnet. Ph: Peter 02 9630 6509. 107

Parts MinilHe magnesium wheels, 13 x 5.5, suit Ford stud pat tern, genuine period wheels in excellent condition $220. Ph: David 03 9534 1426. 106 Lotus Elan -f2S/130 parts, new and used, incl new Lotus chassis. Phone for price list. Ph: 08 8263 2939. loe Carillo 6 inch large journal second generation rods. 30 up Keith Black 13.4 to 1 pistons with 64cc heads. Plasma moly file fit rings. All brand new. $2,200. Ph: 03 9469 2043 after

■Jl

6pm. 106

V' Winters diff, torsion bars, pedals plus master cylinders, wheels, headers, plus more. $2,800 Ph: 02 9604 0991 (AH). 1C7

ii .j,

■■ ■■

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Manley rods, 12.7 pistons, roller cam cc, rectabgular port heads - Dart, internally balanced, PJ geardrive, race pan.

Race engine 202 Holden turbo, dynoed 400hp, 4

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pistons, MSD ignition, alcohol Predator carburettor. $3,000. Ph: 067 752 120 or 014 426 485. 107 Chev 366 methanol motor, 650hp, 17 degree Dart heads, call for further info. Ph: 0418 514 444 or 03 5176 2257. 107

15August 1997

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car. New 18'x8'x7'8" body, large external toolboxes, alu

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minium ramps, excellent tyres, no signwriting. Low kms,

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range LPG, fyre racks, fold up bench, fluoro lights, ramps and tool trunks. $3,700ono. Ph: 017 862 840. 103

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ning; nowhere in the philosophy

The Price is right

does it mention winning by elimi nation. People who win in such an

Dear Sir,

elitist category as AVESCO deserve

I am a fan of the Australian V8

Editorial

to do so on their own merits and

Supercar series and I was very

i; Hassail

;

impressed when the new concept

arose which allowed young talent to

talents -in other words, skill. Skill in getting past the other person by finding the gap (finding,

be a part of the series (Castrol Tectitwcai tditor :

Tor.', Glynn Auistant Edit."' .

to PO Bo* 1010 North C;iulfield Vic 3161 or lax to

Cougars in particular).

Branagan

GrapNics Co-ordinator

I went to Oran Park’s round 10 of

the SATCC and I was impressed by

the sterling effort put in by the

Castrol Cougar, Melinda Price. I was lucky enough to get an

I was wondering if Motorsport

Advertising Manager L-’f eC.T McOornan

Administration Managing Director

back up the Mountain on one week

Handy for sponsors trying to tar get

was well over the top.

varying

markets

too!

Blind Freddy could see that after

some information which would

the first corner carnage the only

star hotels on the long weekend.

passing move that qualified as rac

Bankcard, beer and burgers two

Mehnda to congratulate her on her

ing in the three processional races

efforts (maybe there is a PO Box

was when Tony Longhurst rounded

address, or the team’s address).

up Dick Johnson.

Gavyn Tomkinson

down into making a mistake (not making the mistake for them). There is no skill in colliding with

end at least.

Their yelling and screaming

News would be able to give me

:Th, Lambden

Contacts

choice.

Sharebrokers, Chardonnay and five

allow me to send a fan letter to

handle to door handle and not man

sponsor logos, skill in wearing them Civilised people will be able to go

about the excitement at Mallala

polite.

Advertising

not making), skill iii racing door

aging to trade paint colours or

The staff nf Mororspon News Goes not necessanly agree with opinions express b>- readers.

ditions that favoured different tyre

autograph and she was extremely

V . Brumby

fw/ //66

Prefoence wit t5e given to aped, brief lettets

people and pushing them off the track - hell, most of us could do that when we were toddlers on our tricycles. I would love to see a Holden win the championship and any other

weeks later. Seriously, hasn’t everyone lost

race possible, but I do not want to see it by unfair tactics; it is an

the plot?

The way Sheene and Diffey rave

Bathurst should be about racing

on about the Australia 1000 classic

something near to consumer prod-

insult to the great roaring lion and all.who believe in it. I still want Brock to win the rest

Milperra, NSW

of the races and best of luck and all

ED; Smitten, huh? Write to my support to the great man in

Melinda at Castrol Perkins

.89 Orrong Cresce.'Tf Cauilielcl \'orth VIC 3161

Racing,

Northern

doing so; but

Ave,

jPC So'x 10 i 0 \'cnh Caulfield 3161)

Moorabbin Airport, Mentone

Pficvie 03 9S27 7744

3194.

go hard FFFFord

(there, I said it) and GSR and DJR and grab that championship from Ingall. Do it with skill and abilities

Tax 03 9527 77*6

Christ, church and Dick

Cm.Til; m*i»ews@ozcmline.com.au

that have made great racers what they are.

Compuse.fx/e ioo237,ii6S

Contributors

This is to you Ingall- do it with

Dear Sir,

skill (show us that you do; in fact,

I started buying your magazine

General Mike Kabie, Jon Thomson.

have some), or do not do it at all -

in 1996 and haven’t missed one

no-one likes an unsportsmanlike

since.

Brw.n R(?ec}, Darpyl Flack FI. Joe SawarcJ, /-'ciam Cooper

wiimer.

I am writing to try and get a

Europe. Ouenfin Spf.irri.ng, Ian Samsey,

postal or E-mail address for the

Gvwn Dolphin

Todd Parkes

Dick Johnson Team and the Ford

US Bfiice Smifh, Ptif! Morm

via E-mail

Credit Team.

NZ .I.C'.hi'. Hav/kins

I would like to wish them both

Speedway Dennis Nev. yn, David

Ingall, you’re a champion

the best of luck.

MciV.Hfcb. Wade /\unger. Geoff

I have just bought Issue 105 and

Rounds. Mark Neale. DavfcJ Lamont, Ov:S Mercalf, Sue Hobson.

was pleased to see that the V8s

Michael Attwell. Tony .Millard <UK)

might still come to NZ.

Dear Sir, The V8 “Dinosaur Drivers” are imder threat and they don’t like it.

I don’t know much about the

: Rally Peier V.rhitten Drag Ractrfg. Gerald McDornan.

expense of it all, but maybe it

Greg Ward. Jon .<ksher (USA),

would be better if they came to

Dave OscasTe'.vsk'(USA),

Wellington.

Nick fvic'nolas. Steverr White,

Russell IngaU has taken the bat HERO OR VILLAIN?... V8 Supercar’s much-dlscuksed Russell Ingall. at Bathurst is also an insult to the

It depends on the teams, but I

uct, not 2-litre or 5-litre Sports

intelhgence of the public.

Sedans.

Bring

back

Series

tle to them and they can’t handle their serene existence being dis turbed. Ingall’s attacking style of driving

K.cn Ferguson. Scott Jug

have

There is only one great race and

Super Speedway: .Martin Clark (USA).

Auckland. I know you will keep me

that is the Bathurst 1000 and that

informed.

is held on the first weekend in

Tony Martin

October.

Mountain Creek, QLD

onship.

Ingall, you’re evil

whinge about his driving style, but

Brett Sv.'anso.n, Sean Hensheiwood, Karts Ian Salvcstrin, Allan Roark,

problem

getting

The person who writes Classic

Graeme Burns. Edward Krause Photographers l' AT. Dirk Klynsmit.h, .Zoom Photographies, Neil Hammond.

Catchpole is very clever. They are

It.will be most interesting to see

always funny. I look forward to a

how the “V8 Spin Doctors” deal

Scan HensheiV/ood, Brad Steele, lanMurie

Inundef-Pics, Mar snail Crus,

Fmnk Midgley. John Sosher,

ED: Write to Shell Helix Racing

a long and illustrious Career. I was

at 160 Ingram Rd,Acacia Ridge,

at Oran Park to say ‘well done

QLD

champ.’

NOTOKSPOST HEWS' potriS-'ieO C/ Mtx.'.'-ipcv Me X A, tioZ-CM Mo 060 I 79 9?'J

driving, if you can call it that.

John Taylor

Enough to drive you Cracters

Pnmed bfi

Why do Bany Sheene and Leigh

Dtftributed l>y:

Diffey continually try to talk up the

NDD Ud

V8 races? They

AiLhiP'.d Oj VOTOR>PO:if k'HWn -'●■j !/r iyj ;cp:ci*jce.j -n fu^i or ■:●! '..nt ot ih-e rn (, r-i<f .velcomA a< ●ii-y

-jT-

take

the

Sure, we had some good racing at Barbagallo, but was that due to the

dec: not i^ccep: vr -css o: .'Ddrefoi ■

L-.d

not

Australian public for fools.

P :rr A fr

r'fy Li'

Two Bathursts? Too right! Reading the correspondence in

weather giving different track con-

sion that the two Bathurst thing might be a very good for the sport

John Bowe should not complain

continues to take that ridiculous defensive racing line. Greg

Murphy

“THE

he is jealous that he wasn’t good

that now that Brock and Murphy

enough to make it to Europe. Without

Ingall,

this

Championship would be a dull pro

Oval Motors (I am sorry, I cannot

cession and if his opponents can’t

bring myself to say the F word) and

hack it, then they should take their

either GSR or (dare I think it) DJR

handbags and go pick up their pen

every best wish on the earth in

sion cards.

Motor racing is all about the best

The Slobs and the Snobs no

driver, car and team package win-

longer have to co-exist!

Chris Whybin via E-mail

.\tyv5: a/a nor

T'.fi!

By Barry Foley

ofiry

O.'.-'fSCxIs ;A' , ,v .....

AT i b’j

■

: Pf

ASiAT

T dir-. Hk .lar<a^.

ijs.

AS 190

;

a*.-.c7

AS7(X1

Post "T fe toastaess abme

ADVERTISING WORKS. IT’S THAT SIMPLE! Calf Gerald or Paul on

03 9527 7744

P \1

year’s

wish the boys from Henry Blue

kicking Ingall’s,butt at Oran Park.

in the long term.

HYP

OCRITE” criticises Ingall because

(yes, it is genetic) and I have to say

Subscriptions i I yo^lr A'j'.rro 'A

vres.

amusement park.

fwrCxr- Af.y Pry I'd cs rA doj

complete genuine passing manoeu

home on a dodgem car ride at an

cannot win the championship, I

Dear Sir,

Talk Converter, I get the impres should

about receiving a tap while ever he

bfefore I was a pair of chromosomes

Dear Sir,

n .V.'.xe Coknr 37-49 e.'o-.-.ns Rd Cayton 31 r>3

continue

I think he would be more at

I have been a Holden man since

North Sydney, NSW

r u.mb(J'’n

C,..

Credit'

Dandenong VIC 3175.

PubUsher:

>n-

am talking about Russell Ingall’s

Racing is based at 31 Ruhr St \

C rircsa.!. A G,'.n

CL-.

4110 and Ford

opponents

because they themselves cannot

I can keep quiet no longer! Yes, I

I would like to take this opportu

Phil Williams. .Mike Patrick 'UK|

His

really they should be adopting it,

nity to congratulate Peter Brock on

Christchurch, NZ

has been the only true racing ele ment to this otherwise dull champi

Dear Sir,

in 1998.

'fsEke Harding. Brisbane Motorsport

with the Gold Coast Indy date clash

good read every fortnight.

Nigel S Dan.) Snow-don,

Production, please!

I/Li'

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It seems that somebody figured out how to beat one of the most versatile drivers on the track.

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