Motorsport News Issue 109 - 12-25 September 1997

Glenn Seien

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$3.95 (NZ$5.95 inci GST)

12-25 September 1997

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Dick trials new Falcon

DICK Johnson and John Bowe have shaken down the car they hope will bring them victory tion, is the team’s first at Bathurst next noticeably-changed design month. in several years and one The all-new Shell Helix Falcon will debut at this weekend’s Tickford 500.

The car, some months in the planning and construe-

which it hopes will set the Shell duo up for a serious crack at the Primus 1000 their 10th Classic Bathurst enduro together.

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Kiwi Murray Bunn is responsible for much of the re-design, aimed at curing a persistent mid-corner understeer problem which has troubled the team all year. , The car ran its first ten¬

tative shakedown laps at Lakeside at close to five o’clock last Monday evening, with Johnson and Bowe having time for just five laps each.

The most obvious change in the new Shell Falcon is

the repositioning of the dri ver’s seat.

As our exclusive spy shot from the shakedown shows, the two Shell dri vers will sit lower and some 200-300mm further back - much hke the posi-

tion first adopted by HRT with their 1996 Bathurst winning car.

Other changes further affect the weight distribu tion and front end set-up.

While the car will be described as being new, it is in fact an earlier Shell car - previously driven by Bowe and damaged dming the infamous team double Continued Page 3

INSIDE

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Gobert drug shock Peter Brock

with some speculation about possible changes before next month’s races.

Suzuki has sacked Anthony Gobert after the controversial young Aussie failed a random drug test. See Page 12 for details. insurance and financial services

Bathurst entries Full entry lists for both 1000km races at Bathurst are included in this issue, along

The Peter Brock Story continues this issue with Part 7, covering the three years he spent not racing Holdens. But they were still happy years, as Peter explains on Page 20.

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AS YOU CAN SEE, AT HONDA WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. h

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Alex Zanardi 1997 PPG CART World Series Champion

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Target Ganassi Racing Reynard/Honda

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Finding our happiest customers at the race track should come as no surprise. After all, Alex Zanardi has just wrapped up the 1997 PPG CART World Series, giving Honda our second straight title.

Besides, racing is where we began. Mr. Honda, our founding father himself, designed, built and raced cars in the '30s. He believed racing was the fastest way how to learn to make cars better.

And today, we still train our best people through racing. In fact, every president we've ever had has worked in our racing program.

Because at Honda, racing isn't just in our blood, it's in our system.

Which may explain why we have so many happy, satisfied customers in the first place. For more information contact Honda on 1800 672 217 or on the web at www.honda.com.au

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12Sepleinl)efl997

Hill close to Prost deal

By JOE SAWARD DAMON Hill is close to signing a deal to drive for Prost Grand Prix nexd season - but there are still a number of sticking points in the negotiations.

Prost wants Hill because he appreciates Damon’s abilities as a development driver, which he wit nessed during their year together at Williams in 1993.

When Prost and Hill began negotiations. Hill was asking for US$9 million (about Aus$12m), which Prost rejected out of hand.

He had a budget for $4.5m and said he was not willing to go beyond that.

Hill is understood to have come back with a demand for $7m, but does not want to have to do very much in the way of public relations and sponsorship functions.

He is also believed to want a deal for three years - which will finish off his career in FI. Prost is happy to accept a twoyear deal but wants to keep his options open in the year 2000, by which time he may have lost Olivier Panis.

We understand that the money problems have been solved with backers Alain’s Peugeot, Bridgestone and Total all happy to chip in extra money to secure a dri ver of Damon’s stature.

We expect that the deal will be concluded this week.

“I have a very good idea where I will be next year,” said Hill at Monza. “It’s just a matter of getting a few things sorted oufc before an announcement is made/ “I am looking for the environ ment that gives me the best oppor tunity to give my best. That’s more important to me than anything else.”

Prost denies that a deal is already done but admits that he has been talking with Damon and Jarno Trulli.

One of the drawbacks to having Damon in the team was the worry that Hill’s arrival will destablise

Olivier Panis, who has long been the team leader.

Frost’s logic appears to be that if Panis cannot compete with Hill then he should not be there and is hoping that Olivier will react posi tively and push Hill.

Panis did not react well when Tom Walkinshaw insisted that Martin Brundle drive for the team

in 1995 but he is a stronger driver now and this may not have the same effect as before.

Prost remains on the lookout for a talented young Frenchman for the long-term future and our sources suggest that this will be French Formula 3 Champion Soheil Ayari, who is currently doing very well in Formula 3000 and will be

looking for a way into FI at the end of this season.

Prost is expected to offer Ayari a test early next year and will then decide whether he wants to sign him.

It is likely that Prost will also test another French F3000 driver, Laurent Redon, a family friend of Prost.

Gobert drug shock -P12

■ Larry Perkins and Russell Ingall will compete at this week end’s Tickford 500 in Ingall’s SATCC car. The Castro!

Commodore, badly damaged in Ingall’s Oran Park startline shunt, has been completely rebuilt, incorporating some of the developments in Perkins’ brand new car, which is sitting in the team workshops, less engine and gearbox, read3^or the Primus 1000.

■ Speaking ofPerkins, we hear an intriguing rumour that LP may field up to four cars in next year’s Shell ATCC...

■ Although originally sched uled to rejoin Wayne Gardner Racing for the Sandown/Bathurst period, team manager Alan Heaphy has left after just one week back.'The two were unable to resolve “employment details”.

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NOW AND THEN... The latest Shell Falcon at Lakeside this week shows the seating position well back, com pared to last year’s car (pictured below) which wgs built by the Stone brothers.

Too much money says Garijner WAYNE Gardner partly blames the mega-dollar contracts signed by today’s young riders for Anthony Gobert’s sacking for testing positive to a banned substance.

“It’s really silly,” said the for mer 500cc world champion.

“Obviously the same tempta tions were around when I was racing but we were too dedicat ed to even think about it.”

Gardner has previously nomi nated Gobert as a potential world champion but is unsure where his sacking will leave him.

“I think that the big money some of the riders are earning early in their career is the prob lem.

“Everything comes too quick ly and temptation takes over,so you lose focus and dedication.”

Mick Doohan and Daryl Beattie have made no comment regarding Suzuki’s announce ment.

-DARRYL FLACK

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Shell team’s new Bathurst weapon Continued from Page 1

crash at the Gold Coast IndyCar support race this year - but rebuilt incorporating the team’s revised approach.

It is also the first move away from the existing design, which was built by the Stone brothers during their period with the team before going into partner ship with Alan Jones this year.

Keen to avoid putting pressure or high expectations on themselves, little comment has come from the Shell team in the lead-up to the car’s debut, with all playing down the (Changes in the car, which has yet to be inspected by TEGA Technical Chief Ray Robins.

Dick Johnson himself described the car as “simply a rebuilt car, with a few small developments”, but team mate Bowe was a little more forthcoming:

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“It is a little different,” he said, “and we’re going to have to go through a whole new set-up procedure to get the best out of it.

“Sandown will become virtually a race weekend test for us.

“Normally, you’d be doing it in your own time at another track, but on the other hand there’s nothing like a race to really test a car.

“Don’t expect too much from us this weekend.

“The fact that the car has made Sandown at all is a terrific testament to the guys in the team.

“They’ve worked day and night and getting it there is a big step towards having it fully sorted for Bathurst...”

The first public viewing of the car was expected to be at Sandown’s pre-Tickford 500 media day today (Thursday).

- CHRIS LAMBDEN

■ HRT and Alan Jones Racing recently completed testing of revised Technomagnesio wheels, following the earlier withdrawal of the product after cracking was discovered.

According to Errol Shearsby of Australian distributor Revolution Racegear, the revised wheels came through with flying colours and replacement stocks are being supplied to the affect ed V8 teams.

■ Revolution Racegear itself has changed hands. Well-known motorsport photographer and senior advertising agency execu tive Dale Rodgers has returned from a year in Singapore and completed the purchase of the company last Friday. Founder George Santana will remain in a consultancy role.

■ A raffle is being oi’ganised

by Lenore (wife of privateer Terry) Finnigan and Pam (wife of TEGA man Ken)Potter to assist the family ofTEGA Technical Chief Ray Robins, whose daughter Casey is bat tling leukemia.

Casey, who for the past eight months has been residing at Melbourne’s Ronald McDonald House along with mother Rosie, who has had to give up work to be with her, has recently under gone bone marrow haj-vesting and replacement.

Tickets are $5 with the prize a lap of Bathurst with Peter Brock in the official Pace Car at the Primus 1000. Tickets will be on sale at Sandown or you can phone Lenore(02 9681 1561)or Pam (03 9807 9069).

■ Calder is shortly expected to confirm the appointment of for mer Assistant Meeting Director Steve Allen to the role of Drag Racing Manager.

■ Emerson Fittipaldi frac tured his lower back when the small plane he was piloting from his family citrus farm plunged 300 feet into a swamp early this week. The two-time world cham pion and Indianapolis 500 \vinner was in a stable condition but may need surgerj’. His 6-yearold son, Luca,the only other per son on the plane, received minor scratches.'They were both saved from almost certain death by crashing into a soft swamp.

■ Late word from Monza is that the second and third places are still provisional, subject to closer inspection of the data recording software ofthe Renault-powered cars of Jean Alesi(Benetton)and HeinzHarald Frentzen (Williams).

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12 Septembef 1997

n The V8 Supercar Club will close applica tions for membership on September 27 in order to ensure all memebers will have their Primus 1000 tickets in time. To join the already 1700-strong Club call 0755 88 6800 for an application. n The Women for Wheels reunion is gather ing ex-members but still the himt is on for anyone who has not been contact ed for the September 19 event. Details can be gained from Pam Elam (03 9509 4729)or Heather Watson(03 9528 4803). n Miguel DuHamel is almost home in the AMA Superbike title in the USA. DuHamel led a Canadian 1-2-3 on his Honda RC45 at Sonoma in California last week, ahead of Steve Crevier’s Honda and Pascal Picotte’s Suzuki. Mat Mladin’s Ducati was sixth. n Mick Doohan and Jeff Gordon aren’t the only two racers having dominant seasons.

Tommy Kendall recently took out his 10th straight TransAm race at Road America, giving him his fourth consecutive title. n Allan McCarthy will be driving at the Primus 1000 Classic with Bob Pearson. The duo will share Pearson’s ProDuct VS at the mountain, McCarthy having tested the mount at the recent Eastern Creek AMSCAR round. Claude Giorgi is likely to miss the race in his West Coast Falcon due to business commit ments. n The Bathurst Legends Rally, which was scheduled to leave Melbourne for the Mountain on September 27, has been cancelled due to lack of entries.

Event organiser Peter Mornement is hopeful of holding the event next year. n Mt Leura near Camperdown will host the Australian Hillclimb Championship on October 19. The event will be the first held on the historic track since improvements, including new guard rails and kerbing, were added to the track. It is limited to a total of 120 entries, has already attracted 60 entries from Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia. n Arrows Formula 1 test driver Jorg Muller will be out of action for six to eight weeks after fracturing his right leg when he crashed TWR’s Nissan R390 GTl racecar at Barcelona last week.

Muller and Erik Comas had been carrying out long-distance running with the Le Mans con tender at its first circuit trials since June.

Changes at ^netton New direction for BAT St„

By JOE SAWARD

FLAVIO

Briatore

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expected to leave Benetton Formula at the end of the season, ending a controversial nine-year association with the team.

Alessandro Benetton, the chairman of the team, refused to confirm that Briatore is moving on but hinted that this will be case, telling reporters at Monza that “it is reasonable that he sees his future somewhere other than at Benetton”.

Briatore refuses to say what is going on, but inside sources at Benetton say there is a currently a tussle over how much money Benetton should pay Briatore to step down.

Briatore told reporters that he was not worried about his future but that it may not be in Grand Prix racing.

Our sources, however, sug gest that if he is ousted from Benetton, Briatore will still be involved with the sport in some capacity, either with Minardi - in which he still has a minority shareholding - or with Bernie Ecclestone’s Formula 1 Holdings.

Briatore’s unusual brand of buccaneering capitalism may be a little too wild for a more corporate FI, but there is no reason why he could not be employed by Ecclestone.

The management of Benetton is expected to be completely restructured at the end of the year with the Benetton Family taking a much bigger role through .Alessandro’s 27-year-old brother Rocco, who will take over the marketing depart ments.

We expect that the running of the team will be entrusted to David Richards of Prodrive

AFTER months of talk about a new Formula 1 super team involving Adrian Reynard, Craig Pollock and British American Tobacco, it seems that BAT has decided to look at other possibilities.

If paddock rum our in Italy is to be believed, BAT is now aiming to strike a deal with Benetton, a move which will make the team immediately competitive.

There is no doubt that BAT as a company remains committed to entering FI - to promote its cigarette brands

LUCIANO BENETTON

FLAVIO BRIATORE around the world.

But it has reconsidered how best to achieve this and has realised that trying to ereate a new team is simply too complicated and expensive and will take

(which runs the Subaru rally team), although last week he insisted that he was not in the picture.

“Earlier this year I showed interest in the team and it was made very clear to me that Benetton was not for sale,” Richards reported.

‘That ended our negotiations.

“It is true that we wanted to buy Benetton but only on our terms and conditions.”

Richards seems to be spending more time at Enstone than he does at Prodrive in Banbury at the moment and it may be that a deal is being hammered out for Richards to run the team for the Benettons in exchange for a minority shareholding in the business in a deal similar to that which Tom Walkinshaw did

too long to be competitive, Buying into an existing team even if that means that BAT cannot be the major shareholder - is a better option.

The planned

when he joined Benetton in 1991.

Alessandro Benetton has made it clear on several occasions that the family does not want to lose control of the team it has built up in the course of the last 12 years.

Richfards has all the right credentials to run the team successfully and is extremely well-connected with British American Tobacco, having won several World Rally Championships for the company with his 555-sponsored Subarus.

It may not be a coincidence that stories . about Craig Pollock putting together a BAT-funded superteam have suddenly died a death and Pollock - usually a man with a high-profile in the paddock - looked extremely subdued

launch of the pro gramme at the Luxembourg Grand Prix is now unlikely to take place and it may be some months before a deal is finally put together.

at Monza.

It is also worth noting rumours in June last year that Fuji Heavy Industries the parent company of Subaru - still has FI ambitions, despite a disastrous Grand Prix programme with the Coloni team in 1990.

It is quite possible that Subaru and 555 might copibine once again to help get Richards into Benetton with the aim of continuing their winning alliance in the sport, This could be achieved very simply if the Mecachrome engines which Benetton is planning to use next year are badged as Subaru VlOs or some of this year’s Renault l engines are sold to the team - in a deal similar to the one between Ferrari and Sauber Petronas Engineering.

MULTI Gold Star winner Paul Stokell will share John Bourke’s Toyota Supra at the 3-Hour GT-P race at Bathurst on October 18.

The Tasmanian will drive the turbocharged car - a model not sold in Australia - which has already raced in the Century Batteries F-r GT-P Cheunpionship.

The car features elec- @ tronic traction control and ' launch control, as well as V an electronically controlled n front air dam and a cut-out H on the ignition so that H gearchanges cane be made H at lightning speed.

1 Stokell is hoping that a good showing will help him K get a top-line drive in 1998. n -BARRYLAKE M

Stokell for GT-P Supra

Williams-BMW on for 2000 BMW confirmed on Monday it would return to FI in 2000, building engines for Williams.

As predicted in MN last May BMW, which quit FI 10 years ago, said it had signed a five-year deal with Williams but suggested the company intended to remain in FI even longer.

“The BMW board was united in its belief that now was the time to join FI,” said BMW chairman Bernd Pischetsrieder. “We have the intention

of staying in this over the long term.”

He refused to say how much money BMW would invest in the project but German newspapers last week put the figure at one billion marks ($700 mil lion)for the five-year contract.

BMW’s interest in FI comes as a blessing for Williams whose association with Renault ends this season.

The engine for the “BMW Williams,” is being designed in Munich under Paul Rosche who oversaw development of

BMW Formula One engines in the 1980s.

The move would pit BMW head-tohead with Mercedes-Benz which, with McLaren, has won two GPs this season including the Italian GP last Sunday (see page 14).

BMW, which pulled out of FI partly because of the high cost, had a share in nine race victories between 1982 and 1987 and a world championship title for Nelson Piquet in 1983 with Brabham.

JASON Bright has over come a nasty injury and will take his place in Alan Jones’ Komatsu Falcon this weekend.

Bright suffered a badly sprained ankle during a game of tennis following his return from the US on August 30.

Initially, it was thought the ankle might be broken, but the sprain has healed sufficiently.

Bright last week complet ed 99 laps of testing at Lakeside in Jones’ Falcon and, according to team man ager Ross Stone, settled in well: “He’ll work very well,” he said. “He stayed up here with us for the duration and was a delight to work with.”

Although it is expected to happen, IndyCar star Scott Pruett’s co-drive with the team at Bathurst is still not 100 percent sealed.

However, if there is any last minute hitch with Pruett, Bright will be on hand to take over.

- CHRIS LAMBDEN

Baird's Shell drive KIWI international Craig Baird will join the Shell Helix team to replace Cameron McConville for the Sandown/Bathurst double.

McConville withdrew from the Shell squad after being caught in the crossfire between the two Bathurst races.

Ironically, Baird is a con tracted BMW Super Tourer driver.

The 27 year-old has, how ever, been cooling his heels on the Gold Coast all year after a contractual mix-up found him relegated to a test driver role with BMW Australia.

During that time, Baird has struck up a friendship with the Johnsons and was the immediate choice when McConville withdrew.

Sandown will mark his V8 debut although, apart from his Super Tourer background (he raced for BMW South Africa last year), he is a three-time NZGP (Formula Atlantic) winner and four time NZ Touring Car Champion.

He also won one of the Super Tourer support races at last year’s V8 Bathurst race.

“It’s a great opportunity ... one that I’m welcoming with open arms,” he said when the appointment was announced last week.

“We’re very happy to wel come Craig aboard and delighted to have a driver of his quality available to us at this late stage,” said Dick Johnson.

- CHRIS LAMBDEN

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Primus bucks Holden Racing Team i$2m bici

PRIMUS Communications has extended its backing of the Primus 1000 Classic by negotiating support sponsorship deals with both Glenn Seton Racing andHRT. While Seton’s car, with Primus windscreen signage, has already featured in press advertising, HRT’s deal was concluded late last week, with a logo set to adorn the front

edge of the team’s two cars, plus the Young Lions Commodore. Both deals are for four years.

At the same time, HRT has given its brand new car its first shakedown run. The car ran at Calder last Thursday, with further testing on Tuesday of this week involv ing all three of the team’s race cars.

The new car, which became

a necessity after Greg Murphy’s huge Phillip Island crash, is a matching sister for Peter Brock’s existing race car.

It will be debuted by Murphy and Craig Lowndes at this weekend’s Tickford 500.

Muiphy’s SATCC-finishing car reverts to team spare status.

- CHRIS LAMBDEN

Primus 1000 entry list(provisional)

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PRIMED... Murphy and Lowndes with the new HRT Commodore.

(Photo by Thunderpics/Agfa)

No. Drivers 1 Glenn Seton/David Parsons 05 Peter Brock/Mark Skaife 6 Trevor Ashby/Steve Reed 7 W/ayne Gardner/Neil Crompton 9 Alan Jones/Scott Pruett 10 Mark Larkham/Andrew Miedecke 11 Larry Perkins/Russell Ingall 12 Bruce Wllllams/Paul Gover 13 Ryan McLeod/Darren Pate 14 Malcolm Stenniken/TBA 15 Greg Murphy/Craig Lowndes 16 Melinda Price/Kerryn Brewer 17 Dick Johnson/John Bowe 18 Steve Johnson/Craig Baird 20 Ian Palmer/Brett Peters 21 Brian Walden/Steve Williams 24 Paul Romano/Alan Grice 25 Tony Longhurst/Cherlie O'Brien 26 John Cotter/Peter Doulman 27,Terry Finnlgan/Terry Shiel 28 Kevin Waldock/John Smith 30 Ray Hislop/TBA 33 Bob Pearson/Allan McCarthy 34 Steve Richards/Jim Richards 36 Neil Schembri/TBA 37 Bill Attard/TBA 38 Mark Poole/Peter Gazzard 39 Chris Smerdon/TBA 40 Michael Hart/Peter Laurence 41 Garry Willmington/Bill Sieders 44 Mai Rose/TKevin Burton 45 Darren Hossack/Steve Ellery 46 John FaulknerWVin Percy 47 John Trimbole/Tomas Mezera 49 Greg Crick/Peter Fitzgerald 58 Bill O’Brien/TBA 62 Wayne Russell/Ric Shaw 66 TBATTBA 70 John Briggs/TBA 741 Kevin Hetfeman/Danny Osborne 791 Mike Conway/Gavin Monaghan 97 n Jason Bargwanna/Mark Noske

Car Ford Credit Falcon Mobil Commodore Lansvale Commodore Coca-Cola Commodore Komatsu Falcon Mitre 10 Falcon Castrol Commodore Simoco Commodore CAMPS Commodore Commodore Mobil Commodore Castrol Cougar Commodore Shell Helix Falcon Shell Helix Falcon Commodore Commodore Commodore Castrol Falcon Allens Commodore Sony Commodore Falcon Falcon ProDuct Commodore Valvoline Commodore Commodore Xerox Shop Commodore Scotts Transport Commodore Commodore Commodore Falcon Commodore Wynns Commodore Betta Commodore Bottle Magic Commodore Alcair Commodore Everlast Commodore Union Steel Commodore Wiseman Commodore Falcon Price Attack Commodore Cadillac Falcon Young Lions Commodore'

33 entries for AMP 1000

Comm in n pe for Pate, Steven Richards, David Brabham in - but Ingall’s out McLe III THE entry list for keen to head down the AMP Bathurst under for the first TWO young Formula time.

Holden racers are the 1000 is getting a lit Peugeot team man tle clearer, with 33 stand-out late entry for cars nominated for ager Mick Linford has the Primus 1000 Classic. finalised his two car the October 5 race.

Australian insurance bro But one name miss entry for Tim ker and financial services ing from the entry list Harvey/Paul Radisich provider GAMPS will back and Patrick Watts, is Russell Ingall.

Ryan McLeod and Darren who will share with Castrol The Pate in their attempt to win Commodore star, who Great Race regular the new privateer section of Neil Crompton, fresh was expected to part the Bathurst race. ner John Cleland in from his North The team, to be known as the second Triple 8 American season.

Team GAMPS, will run the Vauxhall Vectra, had Cromley, with signifi ex-Gibson Motorsport his potential drive in cant Bathurst and Commodore raced this year the car evaporate now FWD experience,

by Darren Hossack, with the after several clashes may even be lead dri car prepared as it has been ruled out the drive - ver. all year by John Faulkner and possible alterna A surprise entry is Racing. tives in either a BMW that of father and son The deal came about in Ian and Warren Luff, or a Renault. who will share the exCleland will now just four days and was Richards finalised early this week, share the drive with Steven with an official announce nominee Honda Accord. original One of the private ment scheduled for this James Kaye, who had BMW ‘International’ Saturday at the Gold Coast been in a third Audi.

David Brabham has entries has been con Marriott Hotel. firmed. GTP driver McLeod, son of 1987 race been all but confirmed co-winner Peter McLeod, put to join his brother Troy Searle has Geoff in the second acquired an ex-Works the deal together after aban BMW 318i and doning plans to run a Subaru factory BMW entry.

Bathurst small car An announcement is Impreza in the supporting 3 class winner Geoff expected next week.

Hour GT-P race.

Full has slotted into BMW will run only McLeod (24) has attempt the co-driver’s seat, ed Bathurst three times with two factory entries for second The the race but David his father, while Pate (22) Brabham will have a Hyundai Lantra is has competed at Mt also now filled, with third car at his dis Panorama in both Formula Ric Shaw and posal in practice and Fords and Sports Sedans.

Robson qualifying until the Anthony Both have of course compet putting aside their Friday entry cut-off. ed in the Formula Holden Steven Richards is Suzuki GTi rivalry to Championship this year, now certain to appear share alongside Paul Pate a regular top five run in the Valvoline Pickett/Bill Sieders.

Peter Hills’ two ner, while McLeod has a Nissan Primera strong Production car back- though a co-driver is Ford Mondeos now have drivers: Hills gi'ound. yet to be named. l The team will start testing, Pencil in a Brit: will share with exwith John Faulkner Racing David Leslie, Nissan BMW man Wayne next week.

UK’s lead driver, is 'Wakefield while the - CHRIS LAMBDEN said to be particularly second Rouse-built car I

will be driven by exKleo FF steerer Mandikos and Jenni Thompson from the GT Production series.

Meanwhile David Auger is having diffi culty getting wheels for his Alfa Romeo. He was to get used 19 inch models from the Triple 8 team but there was a break in there recently and the wheels went missing.

- PHIL BRANAGAN

BATHURST BOUND... Harvey(L)and Warwick.

AMP Bathurst 1000 entries

1 2 3 4 05 6 7 8 10 11 14 15 16 20 21 22 23 24 26 30 33 34 36 37 38 40 45 58 60 64 83 88 89

Orix Audi A4 quattro Brad Jones(NSW)/Frank Biela(D) BMW/Diet Coke BMW 320i Paul Morris (Q)/Craig Baird (NZ) Renault Laguna Alain Menu (CH)/Jason Plato n Volvo Aust Volvo 850 Jim Richards (Vic)/Rickard Rydell(Swe) Qantas AGP Vectra Peter Brock (Vic)/Derek Wara/ick (GB) Peugeot 406 Tim Han/ey (GB)/Paul Radisich (NZ) TBN Vauxhall Vectra John Cleland (GB)/James Kaye (GB) Volvo Aust Volvo 850 Jan Nielssen (Swe)/Cameron McLean Phoenix Toyota Camry Mark Adderton (NSVt/)/Neal Bates(ACT) Cameron McConville (Vic)/J-F Hemrouile (Bel) Orix Audi A4 quattro Hve Hyundai Lantra Ric Shaw (NSW)/Anthony Robson (NSW) Toyota Carina Milton Leslight(NSW)rtBA Justin Matthews/Paul Nelson/Bob Holden(NSW) Faber-Castell BMW 3181 BMW318i Dennis Chapman (NZ)/Brian Bradshaw (NZ) Mike Fitzgerald (NSW)ZBrad Rider(NSW)/ Peugeot 405 Rod Chivas(NSW) BMW/Diet Coke BMW 320i David Brabham (UK)/TBA Renault Laguna Alan Jones (Q)/Graham Moore(NSW) BMW318I Darren Law (USA)/TBA Peugeot 406 Patrick Watts (UK)/Neil Crompton(NSW) Roadchill BMW 3181 Troy Searle (NSW)/Geoff Full(NSW) (Skittles?) BMW 318i T8A (Jim Cornish?)7TBA (Nigel Barclay NZ?) Valvoline Nissan Primera Steven Richards (Vic)/TBA (David Leslie UK?) BMW 3181 Miles Pope (NZ)/TBA Fastway Couriers Peugeot 405 Tony Newman (NZ)/Dwayne Bewley(NZ) TBA/TBA Fastway Couriers Peugeot 405 TBA/TBA Orix Audi A4 quattro Fishing Magazine Alfa Romeo David Aunger(Q)/TBN Hve Hyundai Lantra Paul Pickett (NSW)/Bill Sieders(NSW) FAI Insurance Honda Accord Ian Luff(NSW)/Warren Luff(NSW) BMW NZ BMW 320i Jason Richards (NZ)/Brett Riley(NZ) BMW/Diet Coke BMW 3201 Geoff Brabham (Q)/David Brabham (UK) Knight Racing Ford Mondeo Peter Hills (NSW)/Wayne Wakefield (Q) Knight Racing Ford Mondeo Kleo Mandikos (Vic)/Jenni Chapman(ACT)

to win I Bathurst

By JON THOMSON ^ MICHELIN could be in trouble at Bathurst on October 5 if there is any lengthy periods of rain during the week of quali fying at Mount Panorama, despite the fact that the French company will be shipping in a huge num ber of tyres for the race.

Michelin will be freighting close to 2000 competition tyres and flying in leading tyre technicians and engi neers in a bid to win the race.

However only 500 of those will be wet weather or inter mediate tyres and any more than a couple of days rain will severely dent the compa ny’s chances of dominating the race Michelin will spend more than $2 million to win this year’s Bathurst 1000 and its only real opposition in this year’s tyre battle will come from Dunlop. Dunlop’s main hopes rest with the three car factory Audi team.

Michelin hasn’t won since 1969 when Colin Bond pilot ed his Monaro to victory on road-going XAS Michelins.

Michelin’s local motor sport tyre distributor/manag er Trevor Schuemack said the French tyre giant will have eight key engineers at Mount Panorama for the Great Race which the compa ny sees as the major prize of world touring car racing.

Michelin will have the majority of top teams includ ing the Williams Renault Super Touring Car team which was recently crowned British Touring Car Champions, the local and international BMW teams, Volvo and the Vauxhall Vectra teams.

“We will be shipping four 12 metre containers with a total of 2000 competition tyres for this year’s race with a value of more than $1.5 million before engineering and development costs are factored in,” said Scheumack.

“Michelin in France analysed track samples fi'om Mount Panorama earlier this year as well as race data before formulating and man ufacturing tyres which were air freighted here for the test day in July,” he said.

“The data we gained from the test day was sent back to France and the tyres manu factured for the race will have been further refined,” he added.

Michelins team of engi neering personnel will be headed up by Malcolm Scovall the company’s British Touring Car champi onship chief tyre engineer.

Dunlop, with less competi tors, has the luxury of being able to air freight the latest racing rubber from its Birmingham motor sport headquarters for this year’s Great Race.

6

^2September 199/

Wiliiams Earnardt mystery backs drivers

Photo by LAT Archive

Gigi Villoresi

L

uigi “Gigi” Villoresi died on August 24 at the age of 88. Villoresi. will be best remembered as one of Enzo Ferrari’s early drivers and the mentor of the young Alberto Ascari.

Sadly his best years were lost because of World War II. Born in'Milan in May 1909, he and his brother Emilio - “Mimi” - both began racing in 1931 and two years later shared a Fiat on their first major international event - the Mille Miglia.

In the late 1930s both brothers showed them selves to be top class dri vers. Mimi was recruited by Alfa Romeo and Gigi by its rival Maserati.

Gigi won the 1500cc cate gory in the Italian national championship in 1938 and 1939 and won the 1939 and 1940 Targa Florio races.

Unfortunately in June 1939 Mimi was killed while test ing an Alfa Romeo 158 at Monza and Gigi fell out with Enzo Ferrari over n compensation payments to the family.

Imprisoned for much of the war, Villoresi had aged considerably when racing resumed in 1946. He remained with Maserati and won many events in the years after the war, even racing in the Indianapolis 500 - in which he finished seventh, He was Italian national champion in 1947 and 1948 but was coniing to the end of his career by the time the World Championship

was launched in 1950.

By then he was guiding the career of Alberto Ascari and it was this relationship which resulted in Villoresi joining Ferrari with his protege in 1949 - despite the fact that he was not fond of the team owner.

The pair won many races, although Villoresi spun on oil and crashed into a crowd at Geneva in 1950, killing three people and injuring 20 more. He suffered multipie injuries He came back to win the Mille Miglia the following year but was never able to win a World Championship Grand Prix, despite taking part in 31 events between 1950 and 1956.

At the end of 1954, Ascari and Villoresi moved to Lancia but early the follow ing season Ascari was hor ribly injured in a testing crash at Monza. He died in Villoresi’s arms on the way to hospital.

At 46, the death of his protege came as an enor mous blow and after a major accident in the Rome GP of 1956 he retired from

DALE Earnhardt was the subject of an extraordi nary series of events last week.

The seven-time stock car champion twice fell asleep at the wheel of his car moments before he drove onto the track at the Southern 500 and crashed on the first lap, But extensive tests failed to reveal any reason why and he was cleared to race last week end.

NASCAR did not say what caused Earnhardt's sleepiness or what the medical tests had found, but it was described as

red-flag conditions," Hawk said.

Team members became suspicious, though, when Earnhardt fell asleep a second time. But by then the drivers were ordered to start their engines and begin the race.

After Earnhardt went out and hit the wall twice on the first lap, he had difficulty finding the entrance to pit lane and didn’t respond imme diately to radio commands from the pits.

"We screamed at him to park the car right now," Hawk said. "Dale said, 'I'm Sony,I saw two racetracks.’"

Berger future unclear

WITH Williams having closed the door on Gerhard Berger - who was offering to drive for the team for very little money - and McLaren sticking with the same two drivers next year, the Austrian’s future in FI is decidedly uncertain.

Gerhard announced that he would “definitely not be with Benetton next year”

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and would remain in FI “only if I can drive for a top team.”

It is arguable whether Jordan, Frost and Sauber can be described as top teams and it would seem that Berger’s only real choice now is to forget what he said about Benetton and return next year.

There are suggestions in Italy that the Benetton

Family is very keen on that idea and that Berger may agree, but only if the team is reorganised without Flavio Briatore, who is being blamed for Berger’s decision not to stay.

The future of Briatore has been in doubt for some months but the Benetton Family has yet to make any announcement(see story P4).

-JOESAWARD

FRANK Williams has given a clear endorse ment to his current dri vers.

“He is a fantastic driver with a lot of talent,” Williams was quoted as saying of Heinz-Harald Frentzen. “He needs a bit more time. He is getting better with each race and I remain convinced that he can make the most of his ability.”

Williams said that Jacques Villeneuve had the potential to be “one of the greats” and pointed out that this is only the Canadian’s second season in FI while Michael Schumacher is in his sev enth.

“Jacques,” said Williams, “is young, highly intelli gent, brave, committed, ambitious and mentally strong.”

-JOESAWARD

Panis returns to the cockpit OLIVIER Panis was back in a racing car last week and was due to begin test ing a Prost-Mugen Honda on Tuesday of this week.

Panis spent two days last week completing nearly 100 laps of the smaller of the cir cuits at Paul Ricard at the wheel of a Dallara-Fiat Formula 3 car.

Olivier said that driving the car presented no physical problems for him and he was looking forward to getting back into a Grand Prix machine.

“I wanted to get slowly back in the rhythm like this for two reasons,” he said, “Firstly, to get used to the feeling of driving at speed again and, secondly, of

racing, He w as always a versa- ’ tile driver, winning his class on the 1936 Monte Carlo Rally and winning the 1958 Acropolis Rally outright. Although he and Ferrari never got on, Enzo described him as “a real champion, both in terms of style and daring”.

Villoresi was buried in the village of Albareto, near Modena.

-JOESAWARD

course, to ensure that every thing was OK physically,” The Prost team will test from Tuesday to Friday at Magny-Cours, doing develop ment work with a brand new gearbox which has been designed for 1998.

The team is hoping that this unit will be fully reliable before the winter FI testing ban begins after the final race of the season.

The team is hoping to have its 1998 car ready to run in January.

The team has yet to decide at which race Olivier will return but it is likely to be either the Luxembourg GP on September 28 or the Japanese GP on October 12.

-JOESAWARD

MOBILE AGAIN... Panis prepares to go out in the Formula 3car at Paul Ricard last week.

(Photo by LAT Digital)

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Earnhardt has started 537 consecutive races, the secondlongest streak on the circuit behind Terry Labonte's 560.

He raced at the weekend and finished mid-field.

Earnhardt's team boss Don Hawk said no one in Earnhardt's pit became con cerned when the 46-year-old driver nodded off while wait ing for the race to start because the man known as "The Intimidator" is famous for his relaxed demeanor.

"It's not unusual for Dale to doze off before a race or under

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Schumacher blasts French paparazzi MICHAEL Schumacher has spoken out of the unpleasantness of being a personality stalked by paparazzi, and said his worst experience had been in Paris.

“It is not only the paparazzi, but also a certain kind of press that thinks it has the right to interfere in your life when it thinks you are popular,” Schumacher said in reply to questions about harassment.

Schumacher stressed that he could not compare his situ ation with that of Princess f Diana, but said there should be rales.

“Personally, I have a very comfortable life,” he said,“but I am very often disturbed and that makes me very £mgry.”

Schumacher said that when he was trailed by pho tographers, “I stop, I allow them to take photos, I think I am very patient.”

But he said that when he wanted to continue on his way, “unfortunately it doesn’t stop and they pursue you again.

“Notably, I’ve been in that very disagreeable situation in Paris.”

Road Atlanta is go

AS we reported a month ago, Don Panoz is planning to host the United States Grand Prix at Road Atlanta, starting in 1999 and running for a minimum of five years.

The intention is to tie in the race with Sylvester Stallone’s forthcoming movie about Grand Prix racing to relaunch FI into the American market (see page 11).

FIA circuit inspector Roland Bruynseraede visited Road Atlanta two months ago and discussed plans to upgrade the track to FI standard.

A three-phase development pro gramme has already begun to improve the run-off areas.

The trackside facilities will also need to be overhauled but at the moment the circuit is concentrating on improving access.

The State of Georgia and the local authorities are studying a plan to build a four-lane road into the circuit from the nearby Interstate highway.

There are plans for an air strip to be built and for a helipad.

The area around the circuit has developed considerably in recent years

and there are now 20,000 hotel rooms within 20 minutes of the circuit.

While Panoz is sufficiently wealthy not to have to worry about raising money for the project, he and his team at Road Atlanta are hoping that some of Atlanta’s big businesses will get involved, such as Coca-Cola and the courier firm UPS.

7

n The word in the FI paddock is that Jordan Grand Prix will nominate Ricardo Zonta as its reserve and test driver for next season. Zonta, who is leading the Formula 3000 Championship, will bring backing from Brazil’s national oil company Petrobras. The team does not currently have an oil sponsor as Total will be moving to Prost with Peugeot.

Meanwhile, plans are progressing in Las Vegas to organise a race there and it is quite possible that there could one day be two US GPs, as there used to be for many years.

-JOESAWARD

n There are rumours in England that Williams Touring Car Engineering -the sister company of the FI team - has secured

as FI calendar firms

a new two-year deal to ' run Renault Lagunas in the British Touring Car Championship. The team has dominated this year’s championship.

A PROVISIONAL Formula 1 calendar for the 1998 season was doing the rounds in the paddock at Monza.

It is not radically dif ferent to this year’s schedule, except that there are to be 18 races if they all go ahead as planned.

The races on the sched ule we saw are: Australia, Brazil, Argentina, San Marino, Monaco, Spain,' Canada, France, Britain,

Germany, Hungary, Belgium, Italy, Austria, Luxembourg, Portugal, Japan and either Korea or Malaysia.

As Malaysia has already said that it will not be ready for next autumn, the final date is expected to be in Korea, where work is underway at Sepoong, near Kunsan, to the south of Seoul.

South Africa is bidding for a race in March and International the

Olympic Committee’s decision to award the 2004 Olympic Games to Athens in Greece may work in South Africa’s favour.

The Kyalami circuit already has an up-to-date Formula 1 circuit licence but the Automobile Association of South Africa has been unable to raise the money neces sary to fund a race.

With Cape Town failing in itp bid to get the

Olympics the South African government may look to FI as a way of the country hosting a major sporting event.

We understand that the AASA will make a presen tation to the government within the next few days asking for the race to be underwritten by the gov ernment.

The intention is for a race to take place in midMarch.

- JOE SAWARD

The fight for Fisichella rages THE battle between Board does not actually conBenetton and Jordan for sider the full contract unless the services of Giancarlo a dispute develops.

Fisichella goes to the They hold the contracts in High Court in London Sealed envelopes to which this week. /are attached letters stating A preliminary hearing last the duration of the contract week persuaded a judge that and the various options that the case needs to be settled are involved, immediately because of the If there is a dispute over need to find a replacement the details of a,^contract these driver - which may affect the can be opened, but this is an sponsorship situation of the expensive and time-consumteams involved. ing business.

The FIA Contract Benetton does not dispute Recognition Board consid- the fact that Fisichella does ered the case after the have a contract with Jordan, Belgian Grand Prix and con- but argue that there are eluded that, according to the other conflicting contracts in information they have in existence between Jordan Geneva, that Fisichella has a and Minardi - which are not two-year contract with lodged with the Contract Jordan.

Recognition Board - which It is worth noting that the mean that Fisichella is a FIA Contract Recognition Benetton driver.

Jordan wants the High Court to rale on the legality of these contracts.

If the court decides that they are not binding, the con nection between Fisichella and Benetton will be broken.

In all probability Benetton will retain the young Italian, but it remains to be seen how effectively each side deals with the case.

If Fisichella does move to Benetton next year, Jordan will almost certainly take on Jean Alesi to partner Ralf Schumacher, as Damon Hill does not seem to be in the picture.

If Hill goes to Prost, Alesi signs for Jordan and Salo joins Arrows, Sauber is expected to turn to Jarno Tralli.

-JOE SAWARD

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JORDAN OR BENETTON?... Giancarlo Fisichella.

n Minardi is expected to get customer Ford VI0 engines next year, although the future of the team is still uncertain as the Italian operation may yet be taken over by British American Tobacco. n The British minister for public health, Tessa Jowell, is refusing to con firm that existing tobacco sponsorship contracts will be respected when the government introduces anti-tobacco advertising legislation later this year.

The government is risking the loss of the British GP from the FI calendar. FI boss Bernie Ecclestone is expected to leave one major race out of the FI calendar within the next couple of years to show that he is willing to dump countries which refuse to allow tobacco advertising.

n Olivier Panis was back in a racing car last week ,spending two days completing nearly 100 laps of the smaller of the circuits at Paul Ricard at the wheel of a Dallai-aFiat Formula 3 car. He X} was expected to test the 5 Prost FI car this week (n and will return to racing in either the Luxembourg >. n GP on September 28 or o the Japanese GP on £ October 12.

CL -JOE SAWARD

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12Seplembeil997

Zanardi seals it IN the manner of all great operas the battle for the 1997 CART championship ended with a bang - and not drama, but a little comedy.

Alex Zanardi didn’t win at Laguna Seca: he finished third.

Mark Blundell was ahead and Zanardi’s team-mate Jimmy Vasser won, taking his first victo ry of the 1997 and his first in 16 ■' months.

Zanardi, being the sportsman that he is, pulled alongside Vasser on the victory lap and offered his congratulations. He took both wheels off the wheel and clapped before running him off the road...

It was that kind of weekend.

The ongoing Zanardi versus Bryan Herta battle, which started at the California Corkscrew a year earli er and which hit the heights at Vancouver when the two banged wheels while Herta was leading, took another step when the two drivers swapped pole position.

Zanardi led on Friday and most of Saturday as well before Herta pipped him - and then slaugh tered his own time on the final lap, taking pole by almost half a second.

The PacWest duo of Blundell and Mauricio Gugelmin were next but maybe the best performance came from Michel Jourdain Jr, whose Reynard was seventh.

The race for the first corner was intense but Ford beat Honda and Herta led the Italian for the first part of the race, the Ganassi car darting around in Reports by PHIL MORRIS Photos by CART NEWS SERVICE MAURICIO Gugelmin finally broke his duck when he won Vancouvei*’s CART round - and even he was talking about Alex Zanardi’s wild ride.

“I saw some of his action and it was very impressive,” Gugelmin said after winning in his 67th race. “Alex actu ally passed me twice.”

Fourth-placed Zanardi passed almost everyone in the race at least once.

Fighting fading brakes all race, he slipped down an escape road twice (once los ing a whole lap) and charged from 23rd place on a track where passing is supposedly impossible.

“He’s doing everything he can to lose the champi onship,” de Ferran said when asked about Zanardi’s wild drive. “If he’s not careful, we’ll take it away from him.”

Following the race, CART chief steward Wally Dallenbach announced that Zanardi had been fined US$25,000 and placed on probation for the rest of the season for rough driving after bumping leader Bryan Herta into a t3Te wall late in the race.

“With all that happened, I think it’s a miracle we got fourth place,” Zanardi said.

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the Rahal car’s mirrors With a queue of Firestone cars behind him Herta was under plen ty of pressure. Zanardi got under neath once at turn one but Herta beat him out of the corner to keep the lead. Another Zanardi attack on lap 17 was forcefully rebuffed, the Italian taking to the sand and falling back to eighth.

But Herta’s Goodyears couldn’t last and he was soon swamped.

Five laps later Zanardi blasted past, followed by Scott Pruett and Vasser.

The turning point of the race was the first pitstop. Vasser went a lap further than most of the opposition and that put him in clean air. At the second round of stops Blundell beat Zanardi out but Vasser, again pitting a lap later, got out in the lend.

The Brit stayed right under the wing of Vasser all the way to the last lap but this time there was no death-or-glory move at the Corkscrew and Vasser took the win.

“If I have to give up the (PPG) Cup to anybody, this is the guy I want to give it to,” Vasser said.

Zanardi, whose last sevefi starts have included four wins, a second, a third and a fourth, added, “My life is not going to change, but I’m obviously a much happier man.

“Now I’m going to enjoy it. It feels great to win this champi onship and, tomorrow. I’m going to start thinking about all the pain I went through to get here. If you

WHT Hroiiiii

THE AGONY OF VICTORY...

Alex Zanardi was over the moon about winning the 1997 CART title - until team owner Chip Ganassi got him in this bear hug...

THE DROUGHT IS OVER...

Jimmy Vasser drover smart and fast at Laguna, taking his first win of the season in convincing fashion.

● f \

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haven’t experienced feeling bad, you don’t know how good it feels.”

Zanardi moved from up to third ! over the final five laps when Andre Ribeiro and Pruett banged wheels, sending the latter into a sandtrap, and Mauricio Gugelmin ran out of brakes on the final lap.

Amazingly enough, considering j what was at stake, there were no | cautions during the race - a first for a CART eVen since Cleveland in 1994.

-ii’ in:

Points after 16 races: Zanardi 195, de Ferran 154, Vasser 126, Tracy 121, Gugelmin 119, Moore 111, Andretti 108, Pruett 96.

Mo's Vancouver breakthrough

“I’m obviously happy with all the overtaking manoeuvres I did on a circuit where it’s normally very hard to pass.

“Sometimes, the pedal would just go down complete ly. Obviously, it was difficult to drive the car like that. I had to pump the pedal at times. That was disappoint ing because we had the speed to win the race.”

The determined Zanardi, ’96’s top rookie, charged back.

As Gugelmin and Vasser bat tled for the top spot, Zanai’di sliced through traffic, moving all the way to sixth by lap 53 and taking third on lap 70.

However, on lap 83, the brake problem reared its head again and Zanardi slid into the same run-off area, this time killing the engine as his foot got stuck behind the brake pedal.

Course workers gave him a push start and Zanardi, this time falling to 10th a lap down, again charged back.

Herta, who had yet to make his final fuel stop, had Zanardi force his way past to regain the lead lap. The two first touched wheels, then banged together, with Herta sliding off into a tyre wall.

But Zanardi kept moving forward, finally passing four time Vancouver winner A1

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CAN YOU HEAR THE DRUMS FERNANDEZ? Adrian Fernandez was a iucky man. He escaped this ride under Scott Pruett’s Brahma Reynard by the barest of margins - look at the rollover bar on the Lola being flattened by Scotty’s wheel.

Unser Jr. for fourth place on lap 94.

Meanwhile, Gugelmin had taken control of the race, moving to the lead for the final time when Herta crashed . Vasser, getting his

best finish of the season, crossed the line 2.872s behind Gugelmin’s PacWest Reynard-Mercedes.

“I feel about 40 pounds lighter right now,” Gugelmin said. “I knew we could do it. I

just had to be consistent and stay out of trouble.”

Bobby Rahal, who started second, took the lead when Zanardi went off course the first time, but went out of the race early with an

engine failure.

Paul Tracy crashed out of the race on lap one for the third race in a row while Greg Moore and Scott Pruett were also eliminated by crashes.

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n “I would be crazy not to be more conservative tomoiTow,” Zanardi said after taking pole position at Vancouver. The next day he was not really conserva tive... n Vancouver’s track will have a very different look in 1998. Thanks to constant construction the downtown street race will be moved to the opposite side ofthe growing residential and commercial com plex. Local Greg Moore has been a consultant in developing the new layout, along with fellow Canadian Paul Tracy. The new track is designed to create more passing areas and has a longer,faster main straight.

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n Rookie Gualter Salles sat out Vancouver after some expected funds failed to materialize but returned to finish a brilliant seventh at Laguna.

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n Patrick Carpentier missed both races. He broke his collarbone in a bicycling accident before Vancouver and tried to drive in practice at Laguna.

He was replaced for by Roberto Moreno. n Michael Andretti made his 209th career start at Vancouver, matching his father Mario, who retired after the 1994 season.

I

n Those Wascally Weynards! CART and Warner Bros have entered into a worldwide, multi-year, cross-licensing agreement combining CART and Looney Tunes characters. n The U.S. Auto Club has rejected an appeal by A.J. Foyt, who punched Arie Luyendyk in victory lane and filed a protest when the finish ofthe June 7IRL race at Texas Motor Speedway was reversed.

Both Foyt and Luyendyk were fined last month by the Indy Racing League for unsportsmanlike coilduct. n The IRL has reshuffled management. Bill Donaldson, who heads the League’s marketing and sales team,is now on special assignment which will not include negotiating sponsorsWp,licencing or TV deals. A recent survey of motorsport sponsorship revealed IRL attracted US$30m ($42m)in total sponsorship while CART attracted US$387m... n Rumours at Laguna suggested that PPG may end its sponsorship of the series and that Federal Express would take over the series’ name next sea son. “CART intends to make an announcement regarding the overall title arrangements for the future and this will follow in the coming weeks,” said CART CEO Andrew Craig. PPG has sponsored the CART series since 1979. n Mercedes-Benz took the manufacturer’s cham pionship at Laguna. The German maker has had eight victories this season after Honda dominated last year. n After retiring from the past three races during the first lap, Paul Tracy lasted 23 laps at Laguna, reporting an engine problem. n Alex Zanardi becomes only the second driver to win the Rookie of the Year title and CART championship in consecutive years. The first was Jacques Villeneuve, who did it in 1994-’95.

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COMING HOME.... Crompton’s Honda finished the season with two wins at Laguna Seca.

Neil’s winning finish

NEIL Crompton has ended the 1997 North American Touring Car Champion ship the way he started it - with two wins in California.

The Sydney driver domi nated the racing in the final round of the series at Laguna Seca near Monterey in his Labatts Honda Accord but it was not enough to win the series.

After two years of running on the biggest budget in the series Dodge finally took the title with David Donohue winning in his Stratus, while Peter Cunningham took sec ond in the championship in his Honda Accord.

“This is a nice way to finish and let everyone know we were here,” said Crompton after the racing.

“I was thrilled with the car this weekend, it was hooked up from the moment we got here.”

Crompton missed the Portland round of the series due to a lack of sponsorship for his Tasman Motorsport Honda but starred in the sec ond half of the season.

In the final tally he took wins in seven wins and a fur ther seven podium places.

While he - and Tasman are yet to announce their plans for 1998 he is hopeful of continuing the relationship.

* “I also want to thank (team owner) Steve and Christine Horne for the opportunity and my crew for the out standing job. I really enjoyed this season and hope to be back next year.”

Straight after the racing at Monterey Crompton caught a flight for San Francisco where he connected with a plane bound for home. He will line up in this weekend’s Sandown 500 with Wayne Gardner in the Coke Commodore.

After that he will continue his FWD Super Touring schedule with a drive for the Peugeot works team in the AMP 1000 at Bathurst.

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Fittipaldi, a ‘conversion’ is relatively easy.

Carl Haas, who owns the marketing rights to the chassis, and John Della Penna have already come to a “handshake agreement’ for 1998 but this race will be a one-off ‘freebie’. according to Della Penna.

Hearn will test the car at Portland after this

YourtxdOsivrGuicle to ItieJ

GAINFULLY EMPLOYED... de ferran, Gugelmin and Vasser will be back in 1998. years. The team will also keep its two Super Touring drivers, Dominic Dobson and David Donohue.

Both A1 Unser and Paul Tracy are in the second year of three-year contracts with Marlboro Team Penske.

Despite that , rumours

suggest Dario Franchitti will move to Penske next year with the support of Mercedes-Benz. The alternative would appear to be another Benz outfit: maybe alongside Greg Moore at Forsythe?

Jerry Forsythe and

/

Player’s continue to attempt to buy Patrick Carpentier’s contract with Tony Bettenhausen in a bid to run two cars next year for Moore and Cai-pentier. Bettenhausen is adamant however, that Carpentier will continue with his team next year.

J i . ’1

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week and it will be reconfigured to speedway spec for Fontana’s 500 miler.

Hearn’s regular crew will be boosted by three Newman-Haas mechanics for the race.

“Forsythe and Player’s have been working hard on Patrick,” Bettenhausen admitted, “but his contract is not for sale.”

NASCAR rookie Robby Gordon hopes to jump back into CART with Barry Green’s team, and Green confirmed that he’s talking to Gordon. “I’ve been talking to him for some time,” Green said. “We have to decide soon with Kool whether oi not we’re going to run a sec ond car next yeai-.”

Green and Honda are both keen to keep current diiver Parker Johnstone, who is almost certain to stay.

Newman-Haas is yet to announce plans but Michael Andretti and Christian Fittipaldi are sure to stay.

Gil de Feiran is secure at Walker Racing and Tasman Motorsport has said nothing but Adrian Fernandez will definitely leave while Alex Ribeiro looks like staying.

-PHILBRANAGAN

■i’>s

1

Hearn goes for 007

RICHIE Hearn has become the latest and maybe last - driver to jump ship from the Lola camp.

The Californian, who has put in some encouraging performances in his rookie season, will drive a Swift 007i in the final CART round at California Speedway on September 28.

Della Penna Motorsports has run a Lola for Hearn all season and, since they share a Ford/Goodyear combination with the Newman/ Haas Swifts of Michael Andretti and Christian

■

●,>> -. .

LGRIS

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CART 1998: who goes where?

THE CART sUly season is in full swing.

Despite talk several lead ing teams are keeping their drivers next season.

Champion Alex Zanardi is staying put - probably.

“I’m staying with Chip (Ganassi) next year,” says Zanardi. “At the end of 1998 I’ll be a free agent, and I’ll decide what will be the best move for my life.

“If I had an opportunity from Formula One I will investigate how good it is and compare it to what I’ve got. If it’s good enough for me I may decide to go back to FI, but I’m not prepared to take anything less, and I’ve got a lot here.”

Outgoing champ Jimmy Vasser will also stay but has mentioned a possible move for ’99. Penske seems his prime target.

PaeWest will keep both its race winners, Mauricio Gugelmin and Mark Blun dell both re-signing for two

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OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

\

Firsts- and lasts?- at Brands

World of Sport

n Motor Raiing Calendar ♦V8 SUPERCAR ENDURANCE SERIES *TICKFORD 500 Sept 14 . .Sandown, Melbourne

*PRIMUS 1000 CLASSIC

Oct 19 . . .Mt. Panorama, Bathurst

*BOC GASES AUST. SUPER TOURING CHAMPIONSHIP

Oct'26 . . .Lakeside Nov 9 . . . .Amaroo

,Rd 7 Rd 8

8 round series held around Australia

35h AMP BATHURST 1000

Oct 5 . . . .Mt. Panorama, Bathurst

♦CENTURY BAHERIES AUST. GTP C'SHIP

,Rd 7 Rd 8

Oct 26 . . .Lakeside Nov 9 . . . .Amaroo

8 round series held around Australia

WINSTON CUP NASCAR SERIES Sept 14 . .New Hampshire .Rd 25 Sept 21 . .Dover Downs . .Rd 26 Sept 28 . .Martinsville . . . .Rd 27 Oct 5 Charlotte Rd 28 Oct 12 . . .Talledega Rd 29 Oct 26 . . .Nth Carolina . . .Rd30 32 race series held in the United States.

FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Rd 14 Sept 21 . .Austria Sept 28 . .Luxembourg . . .Rd 15 Rd 16 Oct 5 . . . .Japan 16 race series held around the world

♦PPG CART WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Sept 28 . .Fontana

OUTGOING champion Frank Biela and Rickard Rydell each scored BTCC victories at Brands Hatch.

Rydell took the first win for Volvo’s S40 while the German took maybe the last for the all-wheel drive version of Audi’s A4 before it goes front-drive for 1998.

There was a good finish also for Nissan’s Anthony Reid, who claimed second place behind Rydell in the second race. Newly crowned champion Alain Menu had to be content with two third places in his Renault Laguna.

The pattern of round 21 was dic tated by the unusual qualifying pro cedures forced by the abandonment of Saturday’s practice sessions as a mark of respect for the Princess of Wales.

A 15-minute Sunday morning qualifying session saw Biela take pole ahead of Gabriele Tarquini’s Honda and John Bintcliffe, with Menu and his team-mate Jason Plato fourth and fifth. Grid placings for round 22 would be settled by fastest race lap times in round 21 offering the prqspect of early pit stops for drivers hoping to start nearer the sharp end for the second of the day’s races.

First to take the opportunity was Nissan’s Anthony Reid. After engine problems hampered his qualifying he peeled into the pits at the end of the warm-up lap to bolt on some softer rubber and bagged fastest race lap and thus pole position for round 22.

Biela made the best start to lead Bintcliffe but Menu’s getaway was exceptional and at Druids for the first time he had nosed into second place, with Bintcliffe holding off Tarquini, Plato and James Thompson in the second Honda.

The Renault rookie took advan tage of a mistake from Tarquini on lap two and the Honda challenge soon faded, both Thompson and Tarquini picking up light damage

LAST START? Biela roared away in race one, leaving all in his wake. Even the Renaults couldn’t keep up. which prompted them to visit the pits for repairs (and qualifying tyres).

Menu chased old title-holder Biela but all eyes were on Plato, who narrowed the gap between himself and Bintcliffe and eventual ly forced his way through and into third place on lap 11. Rydell made his way fi'om ninth to fifth by mid distance before he opted to pit for new tyres.

Despite pressure from Menu Biela - expected next year to retupn to Germany to race - was havirig none of it and held sway to the che quered flag. “If this proves to have been my last win in a quattro, it will have been a special one...” he said.

Menu handed second place to Plato on the final lap, in the hope that it would help his teani;mate in his duel with Biela for the series runner-up spot. Bintcliffe was fourth with Tim Harvey (Peugeot)

Rd 17

17 race series held in the US, Ausl. & Brazil.

♦500cc WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Sept 14 . .Spanish Sept 28 . .Indonesia Oct 12 . . .Australia

,Rd13 Rd 14 Rd 15

15 race series held around the world.

NHRA WINSTON DRAG RACING SERIES Sept 14 . .Reading, PA . .Rd 18 Sept 28 . .Topeka, KS . . .Rd 19 Oct 5 . . . .Memphis, TN . .Rd 20 Oct 19 . . .Dallas, TX . . . .Rd21 Oct 26 . . .Houston, TX . . .Rd 22 Nov 9 . . . .Pomona, CA . .Rd 23 23 race series held in the United States

AUSTRALIAN DRAG RACING

Oct 17/18 .Premier State Nationals Eastern Creek, NSW .

ADRS1/TF1/TA1/TD1/PS1

Oct 25 . . .National Open . . .CP Nitro Funny Car Feature

♦WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

Sep 19-21 Rally Indonesia Rd 11 Oct 11-15 .Rally San Remo .Rd 12 0ct30Nov3 Rally Australia . . . .Rd 13 .Rd14 Nov 21-24. .RAC Rally 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.

By JOE SAWARD 'TYRRELL has confirmed its deal to run Ford VIO engines in 1998 and launched a plan called it Racing Towards the Millenium”, a compre hensive programme designed to make Tyrrell competitive in FI by the year 2000.

Although no details of this scheme have been announced, it will include the expansion of the team’s headquarters on its 13-acre site near Ockham in Surrey and the construction of a state-of-the-art windtunnel.

The team has been based at the site - an old brick yard - since 1960 when Tyrrell ran his racing activi ties from an old wooden shack.

In order to challenge the big teams, the team will need to double in size from its current staff of 115.

The only thing standing in the way of such a plan is finance although the team is expected to announce a major new sponsorship deal with a big Japanese compa ny within the next month.

As part of the “Racing Towards the Millenium” plan, Tyrrell is trying to get a factory engine deal.

Nakajima Planning, the Japanese company run by former Tyrrell racer Satoru Nakajima, which has strong links with the Honda and with Mugen, is believed to be working on tHis and it seems that Tyrrell’s target is to have an engine built specifically by Mugen, when Honda returns to FI with its own programme.

The deal with Ford is a step in the right direction and, we understand, is rather different from nor mal customer Ford engine deals.

Tyrrell will not use old Stewart engines but rather will use this year’s VIO engine, developed by Cosworth Racing’s V8 devel opment group, while Stewart will get an all-new Ford VIO. Although the team has yet to decide on drivers for 1998 we understand that Jos Verstappen is under option and that Toranosuke Takagi is the likely second driver.

MEANWHILE, Tyrrell’s plan to build its own half-scale rolling-road windtunnel is to be uutiveiled later this week.

This will not be at Tyrrell’s base in Ockham but will be in the genteel

lifting fifth place from David Leslie and Nissan’s grasp in the late stages.

Round 22 was just as hardBritish Touring Car Championship Brands Hatch

Round 21 38 laps 1 Frank Biela. Audi A4, 29m 12.007s, 93.97mph 2 Jason Plato. Renault Laguna, +1.872s 3 Alain Menu, Renault Laguna. +2.463S 4 John Bintcliffe, Audi A4. +10.015s 5 Tim Harvey, Peugeot 406, +13 937s 6 David Leslie, Nissan Primera, +15.250s 7 Will Hoy, Ford Mondeo. +15.556S 8 Patrick Watts. Peugeot 406, +32.909S 9 Lee Brookes, Peugeot 406, +44.762S 10 Robb Gravett, Honda Accord. 37 laps Round 22-38 laps

1 Rickard Rydell Volvo S40,29m 04.698s, 94.37mph 2 Anthony Reid. Nissan Primera. +3.562S 3 Menu. +8.209s 4 Paul Radisich, Ford Mondeo. +10.455S 5 Biela, +10.691s 6 Kelvin Burt. Volvo S40, +11.330s 7 Gabriele Tarquini, Honda Accord, +11.682s 8 Leslie, +22.100s 9 Harvey. +23.374s 10 Watts. +28.217S Fastest lap Reid, 44.674s, 96.99mph (record) Points: Menu 271. Biela 168. Plato 144. Rydell 133, Thompson 120, Bintcliffe 119, Tarquini 112.

into 21st

fought, with Reid looking to make the most of pole to lead Rydell, Radisich and Thompson into the first lap but, as they crossed the startyfinish line to start the second tour, Rydell’s Volvo was alongside and swept past through Paddock.

Behind Thompson and Plato clashed at Druids, the Honda man recovering but then spinning into the barriers with a puncture at Graham Hill Bend and out of the race. Menu was already past for fourth, but with Biela looming large in his mirrors. Plato meanwhile headed for the pits, his Laguna suf fering terminal damage.

Reid’s run into second was as encouraging as RydelTs victory. At the flag he was only 3.5s adrift of the Volvo.

Menu stole third from Radisich 14 laps from the end, but fourth was the best result of the year for Ford.

Biela was fifth ahead of Kelvin Burt’s Volvo.'

SALO AND TYRRELL... will they split for ’98? (Nigeisnowden) seaside resort town of Tyrrell and European Bournemouth on England’s Aviation, which has been with the team since April south coast where Tyrrell sponsor European Aviation this year when it was signed as the team’s Official is based at the grandlynamed Bournemouth Airline.

This summer 'Tyrrell per International Airport. sonnel are being flown to all The plan is for the windtunnel to be built in a 11 Grands Prix in European hangar at the airfield as a Aviation’s fleet of small 50seater jets. joint venture between

...but without Mika Salo?

TOM Walkinshaw and Mika Salo have been in heavy negotiation in the last few days as it has become clear that Damon Hill is not likely to stay at Arrows next season.

Salo is just Rnishing a three-year contract with Tyrrell and needs to move on.

He was hoping to get the second Ferrari drive but the Italians decided to keep Eddie Irvine for another sea son.

We understand that Fei-rari boss Jean Todt has asked Sauber to consider taking Salo the Swiss team using Ferrari engines.

Salo, however, may consider the offer from Walkinshaw to be a bet ter deal as he will be undisputed number one in the team and will have a John Barnarddesigned chassis and Bridgestone tyres.

- JOE SAWARD

1

12Seplmtierm7

r- Now for Formula 1 - The Movie FILM star Sylvester Stallone is planning to make a blockbuster film about Grand Prix rac

racing attracts millions of fans around the world and a good film about the sport could make him a great deal of money.

Stallone is well aware of the merchandising possibilities of such an enterprise, many modem movies making more money from merchandis ing than from ticket sales.

ing.

Stallone was in Monza last weekend to sign the deal with Bernie Ecclestone, the man who controls the commercial rights to the sport.

Stallone has been talk ing to Ecclestone for three years and is plan ning to produce the film.

He is also expected to star in it, possibly with Sharon Stone.

Stallone refused to give many details about the planned movie but he is hoping it will be finished within 18 months.

This will mean that it would hit the cinemas at the start of 1999, which wduld neatly coincide with Bernie Ecclestone’s plans to relaunch Grand Prix racing in the US. “This is the most excit ing sport in the world,” Stallone said, “and hope fully we can do a film to show the sport in all its grandeur.

“The challenge will be to use technology which has never been seen before to show what it is like to be in one of these extraordinary machines.

“It is a gigantic under-

Stallone may also be interested in other Flrelated projects in the United States.

As one of the principal shareholders in the Planet Hollywood chain of restaurants (along with fellow film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Wilbs) he may want to be involved in fthe foundation of FI Cafes as well.

The last major film about Formula 1 was in John Frankenheimer’s

ROCKY ROAD... Sly Stallone at Monza last weekend with Michael Schumacher. taking but hopefully it will all come together because it has a tremen dous appeal around the world.”

Stallone said that the production would be based mainly in Europe but that there would be an international cast.

The intention is for the production to include actual racing footage and staged footage.

“It has to be an inter esting movie all the way

through,” he said, “and the main thing is to be sincere to the characters

ing have always been two of my favourite sports,” Stallone said.

and the storyline. That takes delicate writing which will cover all the different aspects and emotions of this sport.”

He added that the pro duction would probably use some of the current FI drivers.

“Many of them have star quality,” Stallone saijd,“So why not?

“Boxing and auto rac-

The plot has yet to be decided but is reportedly going to be a story featuring four main characters.

The deal is a smart move for both Stallone and Ecclestone.

Bernie wants FI to reestablish itself in the US and a film about the sport will make that a great deal easier.

Stallone knows that FI

“Grand Prix” in the late 1960s, which starred James Garner, Yves Montand and Eva-Marie Saint.

There are a number of current FI film projects being developed, notably a film about the life of Ayrton Senna and another on the life of Enzo Ferrari.

-JOESAWARD

n Jacques Villeneuve and David Coulthard both got into trouble during the wann-up for the Italian GP for ignoring waved yellow flags after Michael Schumacher went off. It was the third time that Villeneuve has seen the stewards for the same offence and the stewards decided to give him a onerace suspension, suspend ed for the next eight races.

Coulthard was given a one-race suspension, sus pended for the rest of the current season. n Giancarlo Minardi confirmed at Monza that Gabriele Rumi now con trols 70 percent ofthe shares in his team, having the majority shareholding in the holding comnany which owns that many shares in the team.

Minardi retains 15 per cent himself and Scuderia Italia boss Beppe Lucchini owns 15 percent. n PI engine builders have rejected Bemie Ecclestone’s request that they consider a new rule forcing them to each sup ply two Grand Prix teams - if called upon to do so. n There are still rumours that several FI teams are considering switching from Goodyear to Bridgestone for next season. The names being mentioned are Benetton, McLaren and Jordan.

-JOESAWARD

Hakkinen loses Spa oints, McLaren fined '' 1

I,

THE FIA International Court of Appeal last week ruled that the fuel in Mika Hakkinen’s McLaren-Mercedes in quali fying for the recent Belgian GP was ille gal and that he should be deprived of his third place finish as a resxdt.

The team has also been fined $50,000 for the fuel irregularity.

However, the court concluded that McLaren and Mobil had acted in good faith and that the problem was “due to a mistake and was unintentional”.

The decision gave Jacques Villeneuve an extra World Championship point, moving from

sixth to fifth in the classification, while Williams gained another point thanks to HeinzHarald Frentzen being moved up to third.

Benetton’s Gerhard Berger also gained a point for sixth position.

In a statement, the team said that it “accepted that a minor analytical difference existed”.

The team added that the difference between the fuel used in qualifying at Spa and the one submitted to the FIA was “a con sequence of ageing and/or minor contamina tion of a small quantity of the fuel”.

-JOESAWARD

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12 ^2September 1997

Gobert fired after drug test Who takes Suzuki ride?

Wild Child's career may be over

THE Show will not go on : Suzuki has sacked Anthony Gobert.

Gobert’s Grand Prix career is in tatters after he returned a positive drug test at the recent British Grand Prix.

His Lucky Strike ride will be taken over for the rest of the 1997 season by fellow Aussie Peter Goddard.

The test was a private one taken by Team Suzuki but Gobert is also likely to face action from the FIM over their test taken in the Czech Republic last week.

The 22-year-old was going to miss the final three GPs of the year any way after breaking his right tibia in a road acci-

dent in Italy last Friday.

A Suzuki spokesman said that Gobert had already been advised of his dismissal when the accident occurred.

Gobert has been on a tight rein for most of the season after a rocky start this season.

He first fell foul of the team when he pulled out of qualifying at the Malaysian GP due to injuries, despite being cleared to ride by the team’s medical advisers.

It was after that inci dent that restrictions were placed on Gobert regarding his off-track behaviour.

Goddard, the current World Endurance and

Australian Superbike Champion, filled in for Gobert earlier in the sea son and has considerable GP experience with the team.

Gobert’s brother Aaron was also injured in the accident, more seriously than Anthony. At one point doctors thought he may suffer permanent injuries but his prognosis has improved consider ably.

Unconfirmed reports from Italy say that it was Aaron who was riding the Suzuki Cub when the acci dent occurred.

The brothers are expect ed to return to Australia as soon as Aaron is fit to travel.

J

WHILE there is yet to be any official word from Lucky Strike team man ager Garry Taylor regard ing a permanent replace ment for Gobert he recently admitted that discussions had taken place with Troy Corser.

Corser, out of a GP ride since his relationship with the Red Bull/WCM team went sour two months ago, would seem to be a better long-term proposition that Peter Goddard, whosfe future with Suzuki would seem to be in four-stroke racing.

Another possibility for the ride is Japanese star Noriyuki Haga. He is leading the All-Japan Superbike senes for Yamaha and is said to be a coming man in Grand Prix racing.

And, of course, Suzuki has been talking to Kevin Schwantz recently...

Rossi^s 125 title VALENTINO Rossi, the precocious Italian teenag er, clinched the 125cc GP title when he finished t^ird behind Japan’s Noboru Ueda at the Czech Grand Prix.

The 18-year-old, who won nine ofthe 12 races this year, needed only a third place fin ish on his Aprilia to take the title and that is exactly what he did, as mechanical prob lems left him little hope of catching.Ueda’s Honda or the Aprilia of second place Masaki Tokudome.

Third place gave Rossi 261

ONE ONE... Doohan won AGAIN at Brno to take his 11th win of 1997. (Photo by Race Access)

Mick’s 11th in Czech

MICK Doohan continued his complete domination of the 1997 season when he won the Czech Grand Prix.

Doohan, who has already sealed his fourth straight world title, won for the 11th time in 12 races as he equaled the season record set by Italian Giacomo Agostini in 1972.

Doohan, who crossed the finish line on one wheel, ended up almost 15 seconds in front of Italy’s Luca Cadalora after 22 laps of circuit. the 5.39km Cadalora was second on a Yamaha with Japan’s Nobuatsu Aoki on a Honda f third.

Doohan was duelling with Japan’s Tadayuki Okada at the start of the final lap when Okada tumbled to the ground in a high-speed crash as he sought the first 500cc victory of his career.

He was unhurt.

“Everything worked real ly well,” Doohan said. “It was a bit of a gamble on the

points, 77 ahead of Ueda with only three grands prix with a maximum of75 points remaining this season.

Rossi, who won one race last year in his champi onship debut season - also in Brno - and only gained his public driving license this year, is still the bikemad kid next door who wall race anything on wheels for fun.

Next season he will move up to 250cc racing where he could face his Italian rival Max Biaggi.

1 Valentino Rossi Photo by Mike Cooper/Allsport

Foggy, Little John split Assen

THE battle for the World Superbike title between Carl A. Fogarty (Ducati) Alex CriVille finished his and John Kocinski race set-up. Mine didn’t work that well and the tyres comeback race at Brno in (Castrol Honda) fever fourth place - a result that reached were slipping, but thankful ly (Okada) made a mistake suggests he will make a full pitch at Assen in and complete recovery from Holland, with both pushing too hard.

“My tyres were moving the horrible hand injury he riders taking a win around quite a bit - that’s sustained at Assen two apiece in front of a when Okada caught me,” he months ago. huge crowd con Criville admitted he didn’t sisting mainly of said.

“With seven laps to go I know how badly his career British fans. decided to let him by to see would be affected by the Both 16-lap races were thrillers and what he could do, but he lost injury, until he rode the momentum. His bike was so race. kept the crowd on the He diced with Yamaha’s edge of their seats. fast though, so I passed him in a tight section, then got Norick Abe and Sete Fogarty led off the COVER ME SLIGHTYi... Kocinski leads Aaron Slight in race one.

This time Ch ili Gibernau and Honda’s line in the first race, Kocinski made a taking third. my head down.

Fogarty blamed his was his main aggres “I braked really late on Takuma Aoki, finally finish- with Scott Russell bad start and was the last lap, but he still tried ing at the front of the pack (Yamaha) in close only in eleventh place inability to pass sor, but although the to come by. I knew he wasn’t and just two tenths down on attention, but Russell at the end of lap one, Kocinski on the last Italian passed him going to make it.”

Nobuatsu Aoki. lost ground as his but then he powered lap in the first race once, Fogarty got him Cadalora said he was Of the other Aussies Dunlops faded. back straightaway his way through the on loss of vision due Russell and the field and began to to his visor being and was determined stunned to finish second. “It Daryl Beattie was 10th, by enough to take victowas a really nice fight Anthony Gobert 12th while other Dunlop riders challenge Fogarty for obscured the lead. all blamed their lack “Holland’s biggest ly by nearly a second. between me and Aoki,” he Kirk McCarthy DNF’d.

He overtook the squashed fly”.

Kocinski charged said. “We thought we were- MAX Biaggi, riding a lustre results on poor Once again. up the field again, racing for a place on the ros- Honda, won the 250cc tyres. Afterwards, Briton two laps from trum. We didn’t know it was race ahead of France’s Russell said. the end and, despite Kocinski failed to but this time had to make use of his pole settle for third. for second place.”

Olivier Jacques (Honda) “Towards the end of Fogarty’s efforts on position and made Points: Kocinski 314, Aoki was equally sur- and Japan’s Tetsuya the race, eveiy time I the last lap, narrowly yet another bad start Fogarty 312, Slight 249, prised to find himself on the Harada (Aprilia). tipped into a comer,I held him off to win by Russell 190, Chili 183, podium. “I was surprised to Biaggi closed to within 11 never knew if I was just over a tenth of a in the second race Crafar, Yanagawa 162, be third. I never saw Okada- points of championship going to come out - second, with Chili and Fogarty led at Hodgson 118, Whitham (Gattolone Ducati) the end of lap one.

116, Bontempi 97. san crash,” he said. leader Harada. upright!”

a

1

)

i

12September 1997

13

Sweet and Sour

w

ho’s that girl?” I don’t know how many times I was asked the same question at Monza and, after a while, I didn’t even bother to turn around to look to see who it was that people were talking about. I knew.

“She’s a student,” I would reply.

“She is doing a film and TV course and she is spending the summer working with the French TV chan nel as a researcher or something with their F1 operation. Jacques Laffite did tell me her name but I cannot remember what it is.”

“She’s very pretty,” came the reply. “Lovely.”

She was. And she knew it. It must be nice to be the prettiest girl in the Formula 1 paddock.

There was a time, a few years ago, when that honour was seri ously disputed at Monza.

Supermodels would turn up, being shepherded around by sleazy RESPECT:Damon Hill looking men from the Balkans, and arranged this minute of would strut around, wiggling what silence as a mark of ever they had to wiggle, zapping respectfor Princess passing innocent folk with smiles Diana. Among the like X- rays. One could fall in love - mourners are Tom or what passes for it these days - Walkinshaw, Bernie three times a day.

The introduction of the swipe Ecclestone, Murray Walker, Martin Bnmdle, card gates in the FI paddock has Johnny Herbert, Pedro caused the pretty girl quota to dive Diniz, Jackie Oliver and like an Asian currency.

Gianni Morhidelli.

This year at Monza there were two or three raunchy little numbers who had somehow convinced ESSENCE OF MONZA: The tifosi welcome the someone - and I don’t want to go arrival of Michael into details - that they should be Schumacher's Ferrari. allowed into the paddock and, so as not to take up too much space (Photos by John Dunbar-Zoootn) in the car, had left most of their underwear behind. Classy, they were not, but clearly they had a fair agreed to do it was grasp on the basics of the human Luca Badoer, but then he has nothing else to reproductive processes. do at the moment.

There was a time when you There was a steady went to Monza and found yourself drooling at herds - or whatever the stream of little boys collective noun is for such a thing - who somehow managed to scale the steel bars and slither down into of startling women.

Today the paddock is full of the inner sanctum. They remained boffins getting lost between the pits at liberty for an average of 30 sec and the motorhomes; there are onds before a big hairy guard arrived and marched them out of scruffy journalists, hairy TV crews, the paddock, and probably out of paranoid team bosses and earnest marketing types. Just occasionally the autodromo, ignoring their pleas an over-dressed sponsor will be that all they really wanted to do allowed in but they tend to get in was get an autograph.

One has to question the philos the way and use up valuable passophy of this sort of thing. I under es.

In recent years the sport has stand that if one creates the feeling that an FI paddock is somehow an gradually moved to wipe out any thing vaguely colourful in the pad- exclusive place, one creates a demand which can be translated dock. into the sale of a tee-shirt. onza held on, the Italians There is no doubt that the spec always somehow managing to tators get a much better deal arrange a few passes for the pretty around the track - with diamond people. Even when the swipe vision screens and improved spec cards arrived last year, Monza tator positions - and everyone gen managed to maintain its atmos erally goes home talking about the phere, thanks to the tifosi who speed and the violence of the cars would cling to the steel bars and how exciting it was when all around the paddock - the chain the engines screamed at the start. link had to replaced because they But the people have absolutely no used to use wirecutters to break in contact with the drivers.

- and shout and scream at the Let us not get carried away stars. thinking that it was very different in This year they were gone, the past. When I was a spectator shunted away from the gates, and 15 years ago, the only drivers I the paddock was a poorer place as ever saw were through chain-link a result. fences. You could buy a pitlane A small section of fence was left walkabout ticket, but the drivers open to them, down in the small were never in the garages. Getting square of shops at the back of the autographs was just as hard as it is paddock. From here the fans could today. gawp and make contact with the Perhaps the stars of today can FI world. get away with being on television a I spent a short time one day just lot, but I cannot see it does any watching their antics. Whenever a harm for the circuits to organise a driver came within view they would place - as happened at Silverstone shout his name and beg for auto - where they can spend a few min graphs. The only man I saw who utes signing autographs for the

By Joe Saward

r

M

fans. And they should be made to do so.

If there was one lesson to be learned from the amazing outpour ings of grief which surrounded the death of Princess Diana, it was that she had the common touch and could appeal to vast numbers of people who had never met her, but for some reason felt that they l<new her.

The only thing common about most of the drivers today is their background.

The at Monza was, as onepaddock would expect, completely dominated by conversations about the goings-on in London. On Friday a debate raged as to whether or not the sport should make a public gesture to mark the funeral of Diana on Saturday morning.

Motor racing people are hard and for many in FI the outpouring of emotion in Britain at the death of the Princess was hard to compre hend. It started as a shock, but the grief seemed to snowball and turned into an avalanche that became impossible to ignore.

Probably some day - when it has all died down - some worthy sociologist will explain the phenom enon. Perhaps they will say it was a nationalistic thing, an outpouring of grief like that in Brazil after Ayrton Senna died. Perhaps they will conclude that anyone who ever bought a magazine with her picture inside felt a little to blame for the fact that she died being chased by photographers.

Some in the paddock felt that it was not for the sport to react as a

whole, but rather for each individ ual to do as they felt fit.

“I have been in FI for a very long time,” said one team owner on Friday evening. “I have seen my share of death and I know that grief is a very private thing. I am not going to make any public gesture and I expect I will be criticised for it - but who is to say that I am not going to go to church on Saturday morning and say my own prayers for Diana?”

But World Champion Damon Hill felt that something should hap pen and wrote to the teams on Friday asking them to join him in a ges ture.

“In 1994 I was presented the winner’s tro phy at the British Grand Prix by Diana, Princess of Wales,” he wrote. “I was particularly proud of that victory and I felt that her pres ence on the podium was a tribute to British motorsport.

“In this very sad moment, I would like to pay my respects to her memory. Tomorrow I will stand in the pitlane for one minute of silence in her memory. I invite all of my British fellow competitors and anyone else who wants to join to do the same.”

other teams stopped work and' came out to pass a minute in silence.

Up in the grandstands even the Italians rose to their feet. It was a touching moment and, as it turned out, a dignified way for the sport to express itself.

I stayed silent for that minute not because I had any particular feelings for the Princess, but because it was a moment to remember absent friends, a few fleeting moments in which to put things into perspective and recall the bright and beautiful people who have gone before they should have done. It is sad that it should be so, but it is a part of life.

In motor racing one has to expect that some of those involved will die young. The dri vers accept it and believe - as we ail do in life - that it will always be someone else who gets hit by lightning or has an accident.

It was during that minute of silence that I realised that just across the race track from the Arrows pit, where today there is a grandstand, a fine racing driver called Emilio Materassi crashed in the summer of 1928. His car som-| ersaulted off the track and he was n killed. So too were 27 people in the crowd, making it the worst accident in motor racing history until the Le Mans disaster of 1955. , Motor racing has forgotten the dead of 1928. In the rush to remember the Princess, motor rac ing had forgotten that Monza was once the worst killing field of them all in our sport.

You have only to walk in the woods of the park to feel the ghosts of the racers. Some are vague memories to the fans:

recent years the sport has gradually moved to wipe out any thing vaguely colourful in the paddock.

A

nd so it was that at midday on Saturday, as the TV screens were beaming pictures of the funeral in London, Damon and hundreds of other FI people gath ered outside the Arrows pit. All along the pitlane, members of

Alberto Ascari, Wolfgang Von Trips, Jochen Rindt and Ronnie Peterson. Others have long since been forgotten: Luigi Arcangeli, Giuseppe Campari, Baconin Borzacchini, Count Stanislas Czaykowski, Count Zobrowski... the list goes on and on. It is frightening.

And yet, on a clear day, with the mountains visible in the distance, away beyond the Curva Grande and the old banking, there is some thing about Monza which lifts it above all the other race tracks. If motor racing has a soul, this is where it can be found.

And, while it was right for us to mark the passing of the Princess of Wales, it is perhaps a good moment to remember others as

well. n

u

12 September 1997

Report by JOE SAWARD JUST 6.4 seconds covered the first six placegetters in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza last Sunday, yet it was still one of the dullest

r

races in Formula 1 history.

Not that it mattered to McLaren and to David Coulthard, who beat Jean Alesi and Heinz-Harald Frentzen to the line.

A win is a win and this was a finely-judged one, an indication that McLaren may not have been building the best cars in recent years but the team still knows how to call the best tactics.

It was a good comeback for the team, which had been set back during the week by an International Court of Appeal finding that its fuel in qualifying at Spa was indeed illegal.

Mika Hakkinen lost his third place from Spa and the team was fined $50,000, but all that was forgotten as Coulthard scored his second win of the year at Monza.

In terms of the championship. though, little has changed.

The revised points from Belgium brought Jacques Villeneuve one point closer to leader Michael Schumacher; and fifth and sixth places respectively at Monza nar rowed the lead by one more point so that Michael is now 10 points ahead with four races to go.

In the Constructors’ Championship, though, the gap has been reduced considerably, with only one point now separating Ferrari and Williams.

Qualifying Jean Alesi always does well at Monza and seems to thrive on the excitement and chaos which surrounds the Italian race.

My passport is French,” he said.

“But my father and mother come from Sicily. I feel French, but my blood is Italian. I am in love with this circuit. You can push for the whole lap.

Jean took his only pole position of a long career at Monza in a Ferrari in 1994. This year he did it again in a Benetton.

JUMPING AHEAD... Slick work by the McLaren team helped David Coulthard score his second GP win of the season.

This was not really a surprise but this meant that he was seventh because the Benetton was competi- on the grid, tive on the fdst blasts at My car is good,” explained the Hockenheim and Monza is not very Austrian, “but it’s not perfect and I different these days. There is not just could not match Jean’s lap much fiddly stuff with which the time.

Second-fastest was the Williams B197 has struggled all season.

Jean was delighted, of course, ‘of Heinz-Harald Frentzen, who had particularly as he has still to find been on the pace all day. In the final moments he went out and employment for next year.

“I have a massive chance to win everyone waited for a Wilhams pole but, rather oddly, HH aborted both the race,” he said. “I have no com plaints. I had a bit of a shock after my first qualifying run when I saw the lap time. I asked them to change the tyres and let me have another try and it was a good one.”

In fact Jean took pole by the smallest of margins - 0.052s - on a day ^hen the top five teams had their drivers covered by a single second.

Gerhard Berger was just fourtenths slower than his teammate

FIERY END ... Jarno Trulli had an exciting moment when the Mugen(Photos by LAT) Honda engine in his Prost exploded and caught fire.

his final attempts.

“I knew it was going to be very tight,” he explained. “I thought I could have improved a little bit and I was going for another try but I there was some dirt and stones at the first chicane and I could not continue my lap. The second time I ran very hard over the kerb and lost a couple of tenths. I had to stop my lap because I had no laps left.”

Second on the grid was still a

(Photo by LAT Digital)

good effort and Heinz was happy, although he knew that he would have to help Jacques Villeneuve in the race

j ]

back World Championship Michael on VUIeneuve to claw points - desperate Schumacher - was fourth on the grid with a lap time just a tenth slower than Frentzen.

“We are more competitive than we expected after testing here last week,” Jacques said, “but when you are fighting for pole position it is always fimstrating when you do not get it. For the race it is not very important because it is a track where you can overtake.”

This comment raised an eyebrow or two in the press room.

Overtaking easy at Monza? Yes, it was in the 1950s, but in recent years this has not really been the case. Overtaking at Monza is very hard.

The man who split the two Williams boys was Italy’s rising star. Giancarlo Fisichella, who was just 0.076s off pole position. He is still of an age where being third on the grid is a thrill.

“I am very excited,” he admitted.

“I hope to get on the podium for my fans. Their support is incredible: there is a lot of support for Ferrari, but also for me.”

For the third time in succession, Giancarlo was faster than his Half teammate Jordan Schumacher, who was half a second slower and five places further back on the grid - in eighth place. Half complained that he had lost time with a steering problem in the morning and then struggled with set-up.

“I am finding the chicanes the most difficult,” he admitted.

The most interesting thing about the Jordan effort was that it was the only team to risk going with Goodyear’s softer tyre compound while all the others decided to use the safer hard tyres. Monza is not a track which is particularly hard on

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tyres and everyone seemed to be considering the best strategy to be a one-stop race.

Fifth and sixth on the grid were the two McLarens with Mika Hakkinen just 0.007s ahead of David Coulthard.

This was disappointing because the team had hoped to be right up on the front two rows - as has been the case in recent races - and Hakkinen felt he might have done better had he not had an engine failure in the Saturday morning session.

The possibility of further Mercedes engine failures on race day hung over the team. They have a great engine, but it is still not 100 percent reliable and Monza is very tough on engines,

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he Ferraris were ninth and tenth on the grid with Michael Schumacher only two-tenths faster than Irvine.

The team tried to say that it was pretty much what they had expect ed to happen but there must have been some disappointment with the home crowd turning up in force to see the red cars doing battle with the Williams.

It was the team’s worst qualify ing of the year and the local press were quick to point it out.

“I could not do better,” admitted Michael. “I think that the moment the track temperature goes up, our tyres overheat so they do not work properly and lose grip.”

Irvine has rarely managed to get as close to Schumacher, so he was quite pleased and looking forward to the race.

At best Ferrari was looking for a podium finish for Schumacher as he tried to defend his World Championship lead against the Villeneuve attack.

The Bridgestone boys were rather less competitive at Monza with the tyres chosen around ^ sec ond off the Goodyear pace iii quali fying trim and a certain amount of blistering going on.

Fastest of the lot was Rubens Barrichello in his Stewart-Ford, who qualified 11th with his team mate Jan Magnussen in 13th slot on the grid.

This was a good performance and, for once, the Ford engines managed to hold together although Jan Magnussen would suffer a failure in the Sunday morning warm-up.

Splitting the two Stewart boys was Johnny Herbert’s Sauber in 12th position, which was a disap pointment.

Johnny’s efforts were not helped by the fact that he crashed at the Ascari chicane in the last few min utes of Saturday morning practice.

“I’d been pushing a bit too hard

HI

HEAVY IMPACT... Ukyo Katayama gets it all wrong, sliding across the (Photos by LAT Digital) sand and hitting the barriers in his Minardi. on worn tyres,” Johnny explained, I touched the kerb when the car slid a little and it came round on me and I hit the wall. But you’ve got to try, haven’t you?”

Sauber teammate Gianni Morbidelli was struggling with understeer in the Parabolica, which meant that he was losing speed all the way down the main straight, He was 18th on the grid. The Swiss team was not very pleased.

showing and both drivers were hoping for much better showings in the race - which is usually the case with the two Prost-Mugen Hondas.

At the back end of the grid the two Tyrrells were 19th and 20th, Mika Salo outrunning Jos Verstappen on this occasion, both drivers complaining that the cars lacked straightline speed.

It was a similar story with Minardi.

Ukyo Katayama qualified 21st on amon Hill was the centre of the grid, despite a couple of nasty m uch talk in the paddock moments when he had car failures but was not going very well .at high speed. on the race track, qualifying 14th with Pedro Diniz 17th. Damon was short of horsepower and tried to get Vt a tow from Heinz-Harald Frentzen on his final runs.

“I got a tow over the start-finish line and then he backed off,” Damon reported. “I went ahead with my lap. It wasn’t going to be a ij good lap so I slowed down and wait ed for him to come past, thinking he must be on his run now, put my foot down, got a tow and he lifted off again. I am not sure what he was doing.”

Prost was a disappointment with Shinji Nakano 15th and Jarno Trulli 16th.

On Friday Jarno had been a lot quicker but on Saturday morning he damaged the hydraulic pump when he spun over a kerb and had a dramatic fiery moment as all the fluid came out onto the exhausts.

In the afternoon he found the car to be very nervous and went off at the second chicane and had to take to the spare, with which he could not attack.

Nakano was happy with his BAD DAY... Both Tyrreils retired with engine probiems. This is Jos Verstappen.

D

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16 12Seplemlieil997 Now it was a question of who had the most fuel on board. The cars with the heavier fuel loads would need less fuel and would therefore be able to get away faster,

The first was on Friday at the Parabolica when his front suspen sion broke under braking and he was pitched sideways and hit the barriers very hard.

The second was on Saturday when his gearbox locked solid and he was turfed into the sand trap at the first chicane.

0

(Photo by Zooom)

n lap 31 Coulthard - who had survived a very sideways moment at the Ascari Chicane the lap before - saw Alesi’s pitboard calling Jean in next time around. He decided to follow the Benetton into the pits.

David had extra fuel in his tank, which meant that he could go on longer if he had wanted to, but he figured that it would be better to pit with Alesi and get ahead there and then rather than risk staying out with the risk of traffic disrupt ing the plan.

David radioed in and the McLaren team confirmed that the Benetton crew was ready for Jean.

The first men in were the two Williams drivers: Villeneuve com ing in on lap 28 and Frentzen on lap 29.

Prior to his stop Heinz-Harald had been looking very strong. He was running second and reckoned that he would have been quicker than Alesi had he been ahead. He later admitted that his stop was probably too early.

“I was quicker than Jean but it was really difficult to overtake,” he said. “Our plan was to come into the pits on a schedule and I think it was slightly too early.”

Alesi was still ahead with Coulthard on his tail but we knew that both would have to pit very soon.

“I thought it was best to follow him. We know that McLaren does the best pit stops. If you look at the pit stops this year we are always quick because the guys are the best.

It was down to them. They did a fantastic job.”

It was a straight race between the pit crews and as Jean and David sat immobile in their cars the seconds must have dragged by very slowly.

“When you see someone pitting at the same time as you there is a massive tension,” Alesi explained.

“I think the boys did a good job, but getting the fuel in took a little bit more time.”

David was at rest for 7.8s. Jean was stationary for 8.7s. It was not a

Race - 53 laps With overtaking so difficult at Monza, the start and the run down to the first corner is incredibly important.

Traditionally at Monza drivers have been told that they must not cross the white line as drivers who did so in 1978 were blamed for the accident which killed Ronnie Peterson.

This no longer seems to matter.

Before the race a couple of teams enquired whether the white line could be crossed or not and there is apparently no regulation which says one should not do it.

When the lights went out, there fore, David Coulthard and Eddie Irvine - on the left side of the grid got away well, as they so often do, and, to avoid the slower cars ahead of them, went left over the line.

As the field filed into the first chicane, Alesi and Frentzen were ahead as expected, but then in swooped Coulthard, having blown past Hakkinen, Villeneuve and Fisichella.

Michael Schumacher also did a good job and passed his brother and Berger to grab seventh.

Also on the move was Herbert up two places from 12th - and Trulli,

JUMPING THE PACK... Alesi heads, Frentzen, Coulthard and the rest at the first chicane. who blasted from 16th to 12th.

The big losers were Ralf Schumacher, who dropped from eighth to 11th, and Barrichello, who went from 11th to 15th.

“The start of the race is always one of the most important things you do,” Coulthard explained. “You can gain places in a few seconds which might take you 30 laps other wise. It is an area on which I have always concentrated.”

Despite Coulthard’s great start, Alesi was in the lead and there he stayed. He managed to pull out a tenth here and there but never really broke away from his chasers and after lap 18 the gap began to close again.

“I had a little bit of oversteer in the low-speed corners,” Jean explained later. “It was quite diffi cult to judge how to use the throt tle. I had an accident in the warm up when I had the same feeling so I slowed down a little bit. It is really impossible to overtake unless you make a mistake.”

T

he drivers all knew that any changes in position would come during the pit stops and so it became a question of pacing themselves until the stops began.

The men who could go furthest would have to stop for less time because they would need to take on less fuel.

j 3

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:

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t's easy to be wise after the event, but had we made a decision to put a bit more fuel in for the start of the race, the outcome might have been very different.

As it was, I had to pit when I did but, with a few more laps on the track and a light car, I might well have been able to make up enough time to have taken the lead at the all-important pit stops that were to decide the finishing order.

Had we put in more fuel, I don't think it would have made much difference to the early part of the race, but it might have made a big difference to the end...

I

t's the first time I've ever scored points on a Thursday. I had a nice surprise when I got to Monza and learned that I had been moved up to third place for the Spa race fol lowing Mika Hakkinen's disqualification.

Now its up to the team to get the silverware from McLaren. I hope they give it a polish!

After the test here I was quite optimistic for the race.

Things didn't start too well when I had to switch to the spare car on Friday morning because of a problem with one of the sen sors on our new electronic braking system.

The spare was good, but the team decid ed to go back to the race car on Saturday.

Although the cars are theoretically identical, there are always some small differences, so 1 had to spend most of the morning fine-tun ing the race car.

The electronic brake system didn't really affect the braking performance much. It just meant that you always had a nice firm pedal.

The car was pretty good for qualifying. I did my first run and then pushed harder on my second. It was a very good lap. I took the pole, but then I was quite surprised when Jean Alesi took it off me.

HEADED FOR THE PODIUM... HHF puts the Williams-Renault through its paces in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

(Photo hy Zooom Photographic)

I

I had one more chance, but I knew it was going to have to be a pretty spectacular lap.

I did one lap to get the tyres up to tempera ture and then went for it.

Unfortunately, the lap didn't last long.

Just as I got to the first chicane Magnussen was running across the gravel trap and spread stones everywhere. 1 got into a slide, went up the kerb and had to lift off.

After that I knew there was no way to better my previous time so I lifted off and drove back to the pits. My seventh second spot of the season,

I

made a good start and held on to second place going into the chicane, I thought it was Hakkinen behind me, but it turned out to be Coulthard.

Alesi was a bit faster in the opening laps.

My car was understeering a bit too much, so I spent the early laps looking after the front tyres and brakes and waiting for the

fuel load to get lighter.

The car got better and I could see Alesi was getting a bit more oversteer as we got closer to the half-way stage. I pushed and closed the gap, but then I had no choice to head for the pits on lap 29, while Alesi and Coulthard went on to lap 32.

I saw Alesi coming out of the pits just ahead of me again and I wasn't sure who was ahead of him. It didn't take long before I discovered that I had lost a place at the stops and I was surprised to learn that Coulthard was ahead of him.

A couple of laps later Hakkinen made his stop and he came out just behind me. He was pushing hard, but then he disappeared and the pressure was less.

The car was good and started to push harder than it had at the start; I was able to close on Alesi, but there really wasn't much chance of getting past him unless he had a problem. *

I was going to pile on the pressure in the final laps, but then Gianni Morbidelli got between us and wasn't too helpful at letting me get by. I lost quite a lot of time on Alesi and had no chance to try for second place.

F

isichella was far enough behind not to have to worry about fighting for third place and I had to settle for that.

It would have been nice to finish higher, but there really wasn't anything I could have done about it. I was happy with my race; I didn't make any mistakes and the car ran well.

As the number of overtaking manoeuvres throughout the race showed, it wasn't easy around a track like Monza, especially with cars so closely matched.

With six seconds covering the first five cars, I'm sure I was not the only one to be a little disappointed with the result. But at least I got to enjoy the podium this time. n

4

ITALIAN GR

12Sept&ntie{m7

11

Italian Grand Prix World Championship of Drivers, round 13 Monza, September 7th, 1997- 53 laps 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

David Coulthard, McLaren-Mercedes MP4/12,1h17m04,609s Jean Alesi, Benetton-Renault B197, 1 h17m06,546s Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Williams-Renault FW19,1 hi 7m08,952s Giancarlo Fisichella, Jordan-Peugeot 197,1h17m10,480s Jacques Villeneuve, Williams-Renault FW19,1h17m11,025s Michael Schumacher, Ferrari F310B, 1 hi7m16,090s Gerhard Berger, Benetton-Renault B197,1h17m17,080s Eddie Irvine, Ferrari F310B, 1h17m22,248s

9 10 11 12 13 14

Mika Hakkinen, McLaren-Mercedes MP4/12, 1h17m53,982s Jarno Trulli, Prost-Mugen Honda JS45, 1h18m07,315s Shinji Nakano, Prost-Mugen Honda JS45, 1h18m07.936s Gianni Morbidelli, Sauber-Petronas Cl6,52 laps Rubens Barrichello, Stewart-Ford SF1, 52 laps Tarso Marques, Minardi-Hart Ml97, 50 laps

Fastest lap: Hakkinen, lap 49,1m24,808s Retirements:

VITAL ... Pit work was the difference at the end of the day, but it didn’t help Schumacher. vast difference, but it was enough to win the race.

Coulthard’s speed in the pits cer tainly caught Frentzen unawares.

“I was really surprised that David came out in front of me,” shrugged Heinz-Harald. “It was quite a good manoeuvre to pit quite late. It is good experience.”

The race was effectively over.

When everyone else had pitted Hakkinen and Michael Schumacher both briefly led before they stopped - David was ahead of Jean and Heinz-Harald was down in third place.

Hakkinen was fourth - McLaren having pulled the same trick with

Mika to get him ahead of Fisichella and Villeneuve, who he had been shadowing since the start.

M

ika’s race was to be dis rupted on his second lap after his stop when a big chunk of rubber came out of his tyre, which meant that for Mika it was like trying to lap Monza as if it were one long cattle grid.

Mika slowed dovra and headed for the pits. New tyres were put on but he had lost far too much time to fig ure in the race. He set a series of fastest laps as he charged back and even managed to overtake a few backmarkers- a major achievement.

Lap 4 Lap 8 Lap 12 Lap 31 Lap 33 Lap 38 Lap 39 Lap 46

(Photo by Zooom)

The tyre delamination surprised Goodyear, which had not experi enced anything like it all week end.

Hakkinen was history and McLaren was totally focused on Coulthard.

“The second half of the race was really just cruising,” David admit ted. “Once you have a lead you obvi ously don’t want to make a mis take.”

His driving become wonderfully smooth as he reeled off the laps, unperturbed by the efforts of Alesi and Frentzen behind him.

Pedro Diniz, Arrows-Yamaha A18, suspension failure Ukyo Katayama, Minardi-Hart M197, suspension damage Jos Verstappen, Tyrrell-Ford 025, engine problem Jan Magnussen, Stewart-Ford SF-1, transmission Mika Salo, Tyrrell-Ford 025, engine Johnny Herbert, Sauber-Petronas C16, accident Ralf Schumacher, Jordan-Peugeot 197, accident Damon Hill, Arrows-Yamaha A18, engine

Drivers' World Championship standings: 1 M.Schumacher 67; 2 Villeneuve 57; 3 Alesi 28; 4 Frentzen 27; 5 Coulthard 24;6 Berger 21; 7 In/ine 18; 8 Fisichella 17; 9 Panis 15; 10 Hakkinen and Herbert 14; 12 R.Schumacher 11; 13 Hill 7; ,14 Barrichello 6; 15 Wurz 4; 16 Trulli 3; 17 Salo 2; 18 Nakano 2; 19 Larini 1 Constructors' Championship: 1 Ferrari 85; 2 Williams-Renault 84; 3 Benetton-Renault 53; 4 McLaren-Mercedes 38; 5 Jordan-Peugeot 28; 6 Prost-Mugen Honda 20; 7 Sauber-Petronas 15; 8 Arrows-Yamaha 7; 9 Stewart-Ford 6; 10 Tyrrell-Ford 2

Continued Page 46

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IS 12September 1997

The first Rose of Spring i

That left 13, but in Saturday practice WA Amscar debutant Shaun Walker’s VR suffered a major engine fail ure while fellow Sandgroper Tim Slako’s VS dropped a valve. Frantic overnight work to try to swap components from Geoff Kendrick’s spare engine came to nought.

Then there was the raceday withdrawal of Simon Emerzidis’ Commodore with electrical problems...

But the crucial no-show was Allan McCarthy. The points leader practiced on Saturday, but not at the wheel of his regular West Coast Racing Falcon.

McCarthy and West Coast had parted ways, and McCarthy was on hand merely to test Bob Pearson’s Commodore in preparation for the pair’s planned attack on the Primus 1000.

After qualifying that looked the most likely outcome. The Fairfax Community Classified Commodore VS

Report by STEVE NORMOYLE MAL Rose didn’t wait until the last day of win ter was over to come into bloom - just as he didn’t wait for his opposition in round three of the ARDC AIMSCAR Series at Eastern Creek.

In fact, following another set of three wins. Rose is now in an unbeatable points posi tion with one round left to run.

And then there were 10...

The entry, already down to a slender 16 with Kevin Waldock engaged overseas on business, was further reduced by the withdrawal of the evertroubled Brian Waldon Commodore VP, along with the similar Holden model of Michael Donaher which hadn’t quite been repaired after its big shunt at the Bathurst 1000 media day.

Also missing was Mike Conway’s Commodore, which had been sold to Wayne Russell.

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was an easy pole wiimer, his best of lm36.08s, well clear of Pearson’s lm36.52s.

Rose was delighted with a car that was unchanged fi-om the last round at Amaroo, but Pearson couldn’t get the ProDuct car to change direction.

“I’m not happy but who ever is?” Pearson asked. “It’s got an uncharacteristic understeer condition. It’s never had it before.”

Peter Doulman was third fastest but he lamented the near full second between his lm36.98s lap and Rose’s time.

“A second’s a long way,” he observed. “I didn’t really get a clear lap, but I thought we’d have gone quicker than that.”

Doulman might have been a little annoyed, but his row two colleague couldn’t help but smile. “rm._loving it,” Neil I

ALL TYPES OF RACING ^ * Sales # Service 7 /

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BY ANY OTHER NAME... Rose has dominated the AMSCAR series, seaiing the title in round three. (Photo by John MomsMiPix)

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Schembri beamed after clock ing lm37.47s. “It’s much bet ter with new sway ba^s - it’s just up to the driver now.”

Angther improver was Geoff Kendrick, the WA Commodore driver setting a lm39.35s.

Alongside was Richard Mork’s VP (its four-speed gearbox now replaced with a fivespeed) on lm39.67s, just ahead ofthe only Falcon in the field, the EB of Garry Willmington on lm39.96s.

Don Pulver’s ex-Lansvale VP Commodore was eighth on lm40.35s, while the lone VL Commodore of Tasmanian Gary Cannan was a distant ninth on lm44.54s. But this time Cannan looked set to have*,someone to race against - he had outpaced the Xerox Commodore VP, driven this time by Scotty Taylor in the veteran’s first visit to the cir cuit.

If Pearson appeared the only realistic threat to Rose, there was going to be no ●challenge to the number 44 VS in this race. Pearson was late out on account of some last-minute suspension changes and was forced to start from pitlane.

Rose made the best of it off the line in first 10 lapper, heading Doulman, Schembri, Kendrick, Willmington and Cannan.

As Pearson began to scythe his way through the field. Rose and Doulman opened a gap on Schembri.

By the halfway point Pearson was up to fourth and closing rapidly on Schembri, now trailing Doulman by

close to five seconds. stay ahead of Doulman, who There seemed more than finished a further four sec enough time for Pearson to onds away. He was five sec overhaul the Gearbox car, but onds to the good of Kendrick, suddenly the gap increased. who had plenty in hand over The Pro-Duct car’s rear end the recovering Schembri.

Behind them Mork and grip had left the car along with some errant wheelnuts, Willmington waged an enter and Pearson was probably taining battle, but in the end lucky to finish the race at aU. Mork’s power advantage won He was overhauled by out over the Falcon’s superior handling. It didn’t help Kendrick at the last comer.

Sixth was Mork, who earh- that the Ford ran out of fuel er had pushed Kendrick hard, on the last lap.

The start in race three was ahead of Pulver, Willmington, scrappy, but not as far as Taylor and Cannan.

At the head of the field it Doulman was concerned. He won the jump to lead Rose, had been all Rose, Doulman conceding afterwards that Kendrick and Pearson. he could match the black So Rose was chasing for the car despite the small 1.6s first time all day. For the first gap that separated them at few laps he sat tight, awaiting his moment. But it came prethe fall of the flag.

Doulman didn’t do his maturely on lap three, when chances a lot of good in the the black car touched Doulman’s rear into Turn 9. second race. He made a terri It was a small tap - even ble start to go to Turn 2 fourth behind leader Rose, Pearson Doulman conceded he felt it and Schembri. Kendrick wasn’t deliberate - but it tucked in behind the M3 was enough to push the car Motorsport VP, chased by around. Rose escaping with out damage.

Mork and Willmington.

As Rose and Pearson, Pearson applied the pres opened a gap on Schembri, sure all the way, revelling in Doulman was becoming more a much better handling car and more desperate to get by. after they’d made some sus pension changes between But on lap six he got too close, the two cars touching races. But Rose held on to complete the hat trick. at Turn 9 and Schembri spin Schembri was a lonely ning back to fifth place.

Pearson seemed comfortable third, ahead of Kendrick who matching Rose’s pace, but just held off the fast-closing Doulman across the line inside the car he was strag gling with ‘plough’ understeer POINTS: Rose 131; McCarthy 91; - which was not helped by a Donaher 67; Schembri 62; Pearson 60; Doulman 52; Kendrick 31; deflating right front tjre.

Willmington 28; Mork 27; Slako 23; Finally it got the better of Attard 22; Monaghan 18; Conway him with a spin at Turn 2, 15; Waldock 14; Pulver 11; Cannan Pearson resuming in time to 9; Taylor 5.

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The Great Race

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12Seplemterl997

The Peter Brock Story - Part 7

The Wilderness Years Holden’s hero was finally forced to abandon the marque, moving to BMWs and then - whisper it- Fords, as DAVID HASSALL explains in the continuing Peter Brock Story:

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Ihe acrimony over his split with Holden had made it virtually impossible for Peter to a continue OUTCLASSED: racing Commodore after the 1987 season.

The move to BMW It was not just that there was bad in 1989 came just as blood; HDT simply could not get the the M3 was no materials it needed to go racing. longer competitive, There was also the financial and but at least eased operational consideration of no the way into a Ford longer having a factory connection, .for the following which Peter had enjoyed almost season. throughout his racing career.

Overall the situation made things very difficult and, in addition, Mobil’s / needs had to be considered. They always preferred a factory relation ship for obvious marketing and able title defence; he finished technical reasons. fourth.

Perhaps the man who was clos But the split had also harmed est to Peter professionally, as well Holden, with the ‘ new Tom as personally, at this time was Walkinshaw Racing Group A SS Alan Gow, who he had met many Commodore being badly delayed years earlier. He had offered his and finally arriving only in time for assistance to run HDT Special the endurance races at the end of Vehicles and during 1987 had the year - and then being greeted assumed the management of the as being ugly and ineffective. race team because so many peo The first endurance race of the ple had left in the wake of the year, at Oran Park, attracted a Holden split. slim field, but pr^ovided the Mobil“Alan Gow stepped in working BMW team with its only success. for HDT Special Vehicles and the Thanks to slick pit work, Peter and race team for free simply because Jim were able to get to the line he wanted to help. It was an ektraahead of the fast-finishing Peter ordinary gesture and the people like were concerned.

“The timing wasn’t all that Jackson Nissan Skyline of George that who stuck by me at that time have my eternal gratitude,” says thrilling, though, because, Fury and Mark Skaife.

At Sandown, a real power cir although they had gone extremely Peter today. cuit, Peter was a surprise fourthwell the year before, for 1988 the It is worth noting that in this peri od Gow saw the need for the tour cars were heavier, the tyres were fastest in qualifying, but the nor ing car teams to band together so narrower and the opposition was mally reliable M3s both had engine they could have a say in how the faster. So it was very difficult to problems and retired from the race. category was run. He established get some results.”

There were huge political dra That was quite an understate the Australian Touring Car Entrants Group, which has since developed ment. Long gone were the days of mas at Bathurst and this time T987 when the BMW M3s were Brock was not a part of them. He into TEGA, of course.

And it was this experience with the best Group A cars around, was able to sit back and watch which he later went to Britain to enabling the German company to them slugging it out over various work for team owner Andy Rouse, win almost everything, including technical issues concerning the then created TOCA - making him the inaugural - and only the unchallenged guru of 2-litre - World Touring Car (( touring car racing around the world Championship through and a very powerful man as a Roberto Ravaglia and the Schnitzer team and the result.

Shell Australian Touring ack at the end of 1987, Car Championship though, thoughts of grandeur through Jim Richards and were far from the minds of Gow the Gardner-run JPS and Brock. This was a question of BMW operation. survival, of creating something For 1988 the Group A rules Sierras and Commodores. viable for the 1988 season for were changed to bring the BMWs Unfortunately, he was also themselves and for loyal sponsor back to the field a little and, at the watching them slug it out on the Mobil, which, to its credit, had same time. Ford introduced an track, the little M3 simply unable to stuck with Peter through all the evolution model of the Sierra match the potent V8s and turbo dramas of the previous year. called the RS500 which would go cars up and down Mount It was difficult to consider racing on to dominate touring car racing Panorama, even though BMW now had six-speed gearboxes avail anything but a Holden after all around the world. able. For the first time in his 20 those years - for the fans as well as Peter - but a reasonably years at Bathurst, Peter Brock was acceptable alternative arose with Atmove the time lookedbut likeboth a great for itBrock, he little more than a contender for the retirement of the veteran Frank and new teammate Richards (a class honours. And he wasn’t even allowed to run his famous 05 num Gardner, who had run the BMW comfortable renewal of the part factory teams for many years in nership which won Bathurst three ber because the race was run Australia. years running from 1978 to 1980) under international FIA regulations.

“We realised as 1987 was were committed to a season which unfolding that we couldn’t race a provided very few rewards. The For notonce reverse the Brock his fortunes magic could at Holden. Mobil realised it and it was M3s were totally outclassed. time to look around for another Bathurst, the M3 simply unable to In the touring car champi partner,” Peter recalls. onship, Peter went winless and get around the track fast enough, “As it transpired, Frank Gardner finished only equal-fifth on points and very early in the piece Peter was suffering from a serious ill - the only consolation being that suffered the ignominy of being ness and was getting out of motor he was ahead of the best-placed lapped. Later on he hit an errant sport, so BMW was available", Commodore driver, L^rry Perkins. wheel and tyre at full noise down which was fantastic as far as we For Jim Richards, it was a miser- Conrod Straight and wrecked the

front of the car. It was repaired, but seventh place was the final result.

Peter had even prepared to jump into the team’s second car. but it retired before he could climb aboard.

The last race for BMW was the Grand Prix meeting at Adelaide another circuit where lack of power would commit Peter to a support role. He qualified only 10th (just ahead of Jim) and in a race of attrition managed to finish the 120km event in fourth place while JR retired.

It was a fairly lacklustre finish to a season which, while enjoyable from an operational level, was a huge disappointment on the track.

During the year, BMW looked seriously at producing a tur bocharged version of the M3 to tackle the Sierras head-on, but when that was rejected by the board in Germany, there was little future for BMW Australia and Peter Brock.

“There was talk of a tur bocharged M3 - and they built a prototype engine in Munich which I had a look at - but as the year

that aside. I had to get on with life and go motor racing.’ here was naturally some conTsternation about Peter driving a Ford after all those years with Holden, but at least it was only a Sierra and not a Falcon. And Peter found the turbocar less of a handful than he had expected.

I never found the Sierra a difficult car to drive. People used to talk about the turbo lag and said it wag a pig to drive, but I thought they were delightful. They were so easy, so well-balanced, so compact from the first time I stepped into one. The first time I went out in a practice session was at Amaroo and, if memory serves me right, I was quickest in the wet.”

Indeed he was; a typical Brock first-up performance which imme diately thrust him back into the touring car spotlight, just when many people had been prepared to write him off as a spent force. In fact, he backed up that opening gambit by taking pole again for the second round at Symmons Plains and was on the front row for round three as well.

It was an interesting season, with a great turn of speed, but it was not until the final round of the SATCC at Oran Park always a happy hunting ground - that he finally scored his first victory in a Ford. It also made him the most successful driver in ATCC his tory, breaking him out of a tie with Allan Moffat for the most number of wins which had existed for three years.

Third place in the series behind Dick Johnson and John Bowe of the Shell team, which was in its third year of running Sierras, was a tremendous first-up effort. The mes sage was clear: Brock was back.

The enduros, however, were a disappointment, starting with DNFs at Oran Park and Sandown (where he was paired with kiwi Paul Radisich).

As part of the deal to buy the two Sierras at the start of the year, Andy Rouse came across for Bathurst and everything was look ing good in the build-up. Peter scored his sixth pole position in the top ten run-off and the Mobil car was clearly a match for the dominant Shell car.

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There was emotion attached to the move to

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Ford, butI had to set that aside. / had to get on with life and go motor racing. ticked by it became apparent that the car to beat (in 1989) was going to be the RS500 Ford. Mobil said to us, ‘Peter, we have to get up the pointy end of the grid; what will it take to get a couple of cars?’ So I had a look around and eventually decided to buy a couple of cars from Andy Rouse.

“I enjoyed working with BMW and we tried our hardest with what we had, but the car was totaliy out classed.

“If you looked at the overall tim ing, though, the year with BMW worked out beautifully because it allowed a transition from a Holden to a Ford. If I hadn’t gone via BMW, 1 think it would have been seen as extremely reactionary (to step into a Ford), As it was, it was just a matter of what was available and that was the next logical step.

“There was emotion attached to the move to Ford, but I had to set

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12Sep^ber199/

^iRmBeswne for the enduros, but it started badly when 05 stripped a suspension strut nut on only the second lap of the Sandown 500. Peter then jumped into the second car with Charlie COMPETITIVE AGAIN: Peter needed a Ford to become a winner again, but note the missing nose badge ...

O’Brien and hauled it up to second Peter made a superb start to produced about 300 modified six- slowed them, but caused terrible piace, 27 seconds behind winners trouble for the Mobil team’s Glenn Seton and George Fury in lead away, but was soon passed cylinder Falcons. their Peter Jackson Sierra.

“I had Alan Gow with me and Bridgestone tyres.

by Johnson and a few laps later The situation was so bad that for Rouse returned to partner PB at headed for the pits to check what Brad Jones as a co-driver and we seemed to be a loose wheel. Peter had a lot of fun that year. We had a the fourth and fifth rounds of the Bathurst and crashed in practice charged back into the fray and few games we’d play and side bets SATCC Peter qualified only 13th when a privateer got in the way, but the team seemed back on target by climbed up to fourth by lap 30, but on things; it was a really interesting, and 12th, yet when new rubber final the wheel hub thread had stripped fun period. But Gow’s like that; he is ly arrived for the final three rounds, qualifying third for the race. and the car was retired.

It was not to be, though, as the the sort of person that can get fun he was on the front row for all three.

The season finished as usual in out of situations. rear tyres suddenly started delami Peter’s strong finish to the sea New Zealand, where Peter was ’’We’d sold off the special vehi son, winning the penultimate round nating very early in the race, putting again joined by Radisich. PB took cles factory (in Port Melbourne) and and taking second in the final, them well down the order. Once the pole for both races, but the car equipment and it was just nice to be somehow gave him second place in problem had been rectified, they the series, well behind the dominant were well over a lap behind and it broke a half-shaft at Wellington and a happy, compact team.” finished second to the Shell team at Nissan of Jim Richards but ahead took an heroic drive just to finish Pukekohe. of arch-rival Dick Johnpon and the fourth.

Peter remembers 1989 as a The team happy the rest of the Sierras, including new “It didn’t matter what compound start of was the less 1990, butatonly because results were hard to come teammate Andrew Miedecke. we put on; it delaminated. It must happy season, in which he also set up a small special vehicles opera by. The Sierras had been given There was every reason to feel have been a case construction that tion in Brunswick, which eventually 85kg of ballast and that not only confident about the team’s package didn’t allow the heat to get away or

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something like that. When they resurfaced Bathurst some years ago it went from being a track which was never tyre sensitive to being quite tyre sensitive. But we never really got to the bottom of that.”

The season finished poorly with two DNFs at the AGP meeting and a third place in the opening meeting at Eastern Creek, but it was still a good one for the Mobil team.

The cars had generally been fast and new team manager, long-time Brock team member Graeme ‘Mort’ Brown, who is now Bridgestone’s motor sport manager, did a fine job, and they had developed and built their own Sierras - at considerable expense.

But the days of racing Fords were over. It had been a necessary move, but it was time to move on.

Time to get the legend back behind the wheel of a Holden...

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New touring car champion Glenn Seton has come close, but never quite won at Bathurst-hut each time he^s learned. Armed with his strongest package ever, Seton is well prepared this time.

He spoke with CHRIS LAMBDEN about his year to date, his rivals, politics and... Bathurst.

MOTORSPORT NEWS; Looking back at the Shell series, it was a close-run thing, but you’ve become the first driver to win two chattipionships in the V8 era. Given that you’ve also had to economise and rationalise your team to one car, does that make it a bigger achievement in your view?

GLENN SETON: The second one was more important than the first, mainly because at the end of 1995 I didn’t know whether I would be racing at all. We struggled to find the sponsorship to run the one-car team we have now.

The first one, 1993, is always memorable and I’ll never forget it, but there were a lot of things which went on this year which made this one more rewarding than 1993.

The first is, as I said, the fact that we were there at all! The sec ond was the Lakeside crash. To be leading the championship so clear ly and to make an error like that was ... I was pretty hard on myself.

MN: What were your thoughts in the days immediately following that?

GS: It was just that I knew I shouldn’t have made the error, simple as that.

But this is motor racing and we are driving on the edge all the time and these things do happen. But you don’t allow yourself those sort of errors. And I don’t.

I don’t crash a lot, and to make that error when I was leading the championship, when this year was so important to win - because we had been struggling financially and things were tight...

MN: Has the win helped the sponsorship cause? I see that you have a Primus deal...

GS: There’s no doubt that win ning races and winning the cham pionship helps in that area. The Primus deal is for four years and of course it’s come since the champi onship.

I’d just like to get my team into a secure long-term arrangement.

That allows you to plan and devel op properly.

At the moment, we’ve been on one-year contracts and it’s been very difficult to plan for next year and the year after. If you can plan further ahead, you come up with better results - it’s as simple as that. You can offset your develop ment, which is the important part of this game, not only on the track but

in the workshop and everywhere.

So winning the championship isn’t just about prestige; it helps us put the package together better for the future.

MN: What was it that won this championship for you?

GS: Consistency more than anything. Finishing on the podium quite often.

MN: I can’t recall you having a mechanical failure in a race...

GS: Never had one mechanical failure in a race. Not one engine drama all year. The only thing we did have was the bottom control arm breakage at Wanneroo, in practice (it was a material problem, not a manufacturing one) and the start-line tail-shaft at Philip Island.

We blew a power steering hose in a heat at Winton, but it didn’t stop us, and that’s about it.

MN: You’d have to say there was a new level of “aggro” this year between the title contenders.

GS: From my corner there was no level of aggro at all. I just got on and did my own job and stayed as much as I could out of the politics.

There were some competitors who wanted to play mind games and, I suppose, create some aggro, but I don’t get involved in that sort of stuff. I just get on with doing what I’ve got to do.

I always look at it as going there and doing the best you can do on the day. At the end of the day that takes the pressure off, whether or not someone is trying to put the pressure on you.

I don’t react to that stuff. It doesn’t bother me any more.

MN: Your three main rivals for the championship - John Bowe, Russell Ingall and Greg Murphy.

How, as rivals, do they stack up as drivers and how do you get on with them?

GS: I get on fine, have no real problem with any of them. They all have talent. There’s no doubting their ability or they wouldn’t be

((

There were some competitors who wanted to

play mind games and,I suppose, create some aggro, butI don't get involved in that sort ofstuff. /just get on with doing what Fve got to do

there. In fact, there's no doubting the ability of the top dozen in tour ing car racing.

But you can’t just be a top dri ver. You’ve got to have the equip ment and the team and you’ve got to put it alt together right on the day. That’s what wins champi onships and that’s what we are focused on.

MN; You mentioned before that you avoid the politics. In fact, you’ve pretty much dropped out of it by having your manager Noel Watson represent you in TEGA and AVESCO dealings. Is that a good move and, if so, how has it helped?

GS: Noel became involved more heavily around mid-’95 and, really, if it wasn’t for Noel I definite ly wouldn’t be racing today, to tell you the truth. I’m very grateful for that.

He’s put a lot into it and taken the TEGA and sponsorship side of things away from me. I’ve just got to concentrate on my driving and running the race team.

Not having that other pressure has been tremendous, for sure.

You can only do so many things.

There’s only a certain number of hours in the day!

MN: There are other drivers still active in the political and admin istration areas of racing. Would you advise them to do the same?

12September m?

23

GS: That’s their decision.

this year. Are you a supporter of as much of that as possible?

MN: Since this time last year, GS: Absolutely. I support cost what technical gains have you reductions, but you’ve got to be made? careful. There are still a couple of GS: The biggest gain we’ve areas we can save money, but made is reliability. The whole sometimes what might seem like team is identical to last year - the a cost reduction can actually cost same guys; we don’t change staff. more.

The ability of those guys is sec For example, valve lift. Say ond to none; as good as any in everyone today is using 650 thou the industry. valve lift and you bring it back to We’ve had a few engine prob- 630 or 600, that will make no dif iems in the past at Bathurst, no ference in the cost. It will actually doubt about that, but this year cost more money to develop a we’ve run a lot of miles on the camshaft to work with less lift and engines, in exactly the same spec the durability of valve springs will as John Sidney had them at the be no better. end of last year. We’ve simply You’d need to come back to assembled the engines and run 500 thou to make a difference. them - lots of miles - to see if Same with revs. Uniess you’re there are any problems. going to drop it back a long way, Since the end of the touring you’re not going to have a gain car championship, in August, because you’re going to spend a we’ve done over 2,500km of test lot of money re-developing. ing using the same engine Any number one category in we’ve not changed a valve spring, any country is going to be very not changed anything - and so expensive. There’s no doubt reliability of the engines I have no about that. It’s the competition drama with. which draws the cost into any Things can always happen, but sport, if we were racing HQs or at this stage I don’t see Bathurst AUSCARs as number one cate being a reliability problem. gory in this country, you’d still be Bathurst is going to be won by spending the same amount of competitiveness on the circuit and money. competitiveness in the pits.

It’s hard to pick an area where there are great savings to be MN: When you switched to full- made. spec Sidney engines this time The (Holinger) gearboxes are last year, the increase in an initial expense, but are so straight-line speed could be strong and have sensational seen. Why did your engine longevity - one of my gearboxes preparation come back in- is from ‘94 and I’m still using it house this year? today.

GS: The deal I had with John You can buy a last year was simply a swap - I $4,000 gearbox and gave him one of my spare cars for spend $50,000 on it his team and he looked after my in the next four to engines. Last year I financially five years, or you just couldn’t afford to do our own can have a $17engines.

18,000 gearbox and This year, having got myself only spend probably back on my feet, we thought it $5,000 on it. The best to bring the assembly back initial cost is expen in-house. John was stepping back sive but the actual from his touring car project and long-term cost of it selling his car. is very cheap.

He’s still a mate and still offers us advice, but I’ve always MN: What do you believed it best to do as much in- make of the man agement of the house as possible.

I employ five people here and, category in this apart from some bits and pieces iast year? in parwe get from Ron Harrop, we build ticuiar, the V8s the cars and maintain them our have moved away selves. That way, you know from their traditionai Bathurst exactly what’s going on.

The Sidney spec we ran in last date to make a year’s endurance races is what point and we now we’ve run all year in the short have two long-disraces and what we’ll run in this tance races there year’s Sandown and Bathurst if you win on races.

October 19, wili you consider you have won MN: Cost reduction, in a techni Bathurst”? cal sense, has been a big topic

t Photo by Graeme Neander- Coventry Studios

THE SMILING ASSASIN: Glenn Seton's boyish looks conceal the passion and skill ofa real racer.

GS: I think so. Traditionally, Bathurst has been a V8 race and what attracts the crowd - and that’s the important part. It’s been the Ford/Hoiden battle over the years that has, if you like, bound Bathurst together.

It is a disappointment to see

two Bathursts. No-one will deny Bathurst. What does the cate that, but at the end of the day we gory need to do next year to as competitors needed a better replace the Brock factor, to TV set-up - running at 11pm on keep the momentum going?

Sunday nights in Victoria for tourGS: People are starting to ask ing car rounds just wasn’t good who will take over from Peter, but enough. For the category to grow I don’t think one single person will long-term, we simply couldn’t (take over), mainly because we’re afford to be on at 11 in a different era now.

We’ve been in an era where o’clock at night.

For people who Brock has dominated. He’s been have done very little a fantastic competitor and a great motor sport in the ambassador, but I think that there past, Channei 10 have will now be a group of maybe half done a great job this a dozen guys who will be very year. It’s been in a much up there.

I don’t think there wili be one great time slot and the ratings have picked up person to take over - let’s face it, tremendously through it’s a fairly big task to take over where Brock left off. the year.

For us, or any sport, We’ll all be sad to see him go, to survive, we need but it’s his decision and he’s got a record to look back on that any sponsorship and with out the TV coverage one would be proud of. There’s a few competitors out there who you don’t get the spon want to knock him, but at the end sorship.

It’s a shame that it of the day he’s got the record on has resulted in two the board and he’s been great for races but, at the end the public and great for the sport. of the day, hopefully MN: Not too many peopie in they’ll both survive. sport get to leave at a time of MN: Since May, when their own choosing...

Brock Peter GS: Absolutely, and he’s leav announced his retire ing on a high. He’s still competi ment, the V8 catego tive, can still win races and this ry has had enormous year could quite easily win attendances, and Bathurst. HRT are the team to ito by Dirk that will obviously Klynsmilh Continued next page continue on to

^^Winning the championship isn Yjust about prestige; it helps us put the package together betterfor the future.

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Please contact:

Greg Ritter

Greg Ritter Born: 20 February 1973 Home state: Victoria Car: Van Diemen RF94

Definitely a raw talent Greg Ritter has challenged some of the bigger budget teams with considerable success.

A top three finisher on four occasions this year Ritter is one of the favourites for the Tickford 500 Formula Ford support races.

Likes: fast cars, sexy women, having fun Dislikes: Melbourne traffic, whingers, police radar Three words that you would use to describe yourself: Determined, committed, easy going

1995 Factory Team Cars with 1996 updates l Completely rebuilt l S42 New Generation engines l S42 Spare engine if required l Sequential gearbox l PI System ●BBS 18" or 19" Wheels "Spares package available.

These cars are available for immediate sale and will be tested for new purchaser if required.

Ambition in motorsport: To make a successful career out of motorsport

Ambitions for 1998: To win the 1998 Ford Motorsport/Slick 50 Australian Formula Ford Championship Most memorable moment in Formula Ford: Qualifying on the front row at Sandown in 1996 while still on P-plates Most admired Australian driver: Russell Ingall Most admired international driver: Giancarlo Fisichella Most admired competitor: Garth Tander Favourite catch-phrase: “What’s the go?’

Lyall Williamson BMW Motorsport Australia Ph: 0755 461 366 Mobile; 015 183 030 Fax: 0755 461 850

24 12September 199/

INTERVIEW

Continued from previous page

^Tm 32 now

beat and he has a great co-driver in Mark (Skaife).

He’s ieaving the way you’d want to and that’s great.

It wouid be good to see him still involved in the sport in one way or another. I think he will be because, let’s face it, motor sport is a drug and it’s a sport we are very dear to and I think it will be difficult to just walk away at 5pm on October 19...

MN: Turning to Sandown and par ticularly the Primus 1000 at Bathurst, you’ve won Sandown, but of the main contenders you’re the one who hasn’t yet won Bathurst. You’ve come desperate ly close - within 10 laps a couple of years ago - but it’s never hap pened. Is the approach this year any different? You do come in with the Shell series and a good reliability record.

GS: In the past we have changed a few things in the engines leading up to Bathurst. This year we’re not doing that. We’re going to Bathurst with what we ran in the champi onship.

As I said, it’s been reliable through the year and we’ve done 2,500km since then, so I really think we have reliability.

I’m going to go to Bathurst a hell of a lot more relaxed this year than I have been in the past, because I guess I can only go up there and do my best and if at the end of the day we don’t win the race there’s not much I can do about it.

We’re going to do our best to win it. I have a great co-driver in Skippy (Parsons). Last year I think there were only three drivers who got into the 1:13s - Craig Lowndes, Skippy and myself - so I have no doubts about Skippy.

I

MN: Of all the top team co-dri-

and people are starting to rate me as an ‘old bloke ^ ...

GS: No doubt Holden Racing Team their speed and last year’s dominance. You wouldn’t discount the Shell team. Larry will be there -1 don’t discount Larry and Russell.

But HRT are the big threat.

PARTNERS: G/enn hasforged a successful relationship with David Parsons, despite the Tasmanian’s lack ofrace miles. vers, Skippy is the one who but missed out...

He’s a great supporter of the doesn’t race through the year, but team, has been with us a long time, it doesn’t seem to be a probiem...

GS: It hasn’t been in the past, and is great to get along with - and that’s for sure. The only problem that’s important for an endurance race when you’re trying to put with his not racing is his driving fit ness. He’s been spending time in together a team effort.

Conflict among the team, or the the gym, swimming, etc, but without the actual miles in the car you do drivers, is not going to win you Bathurst. struggle a bit with fitness.

That’s why, after the end of the championship, 1 try and give him as MN: 2,500km since Qran Park is a many miles as I can, because it’s lot...

GS: It is a lot of miles. We’ve important to both of us.

It’s important for us to win the I been to Winton for two days, Calder race. In ‘95 we got close together, ’'for two days, Phillip Island for two

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days. Skippy did most of Winton and Calder and we probably shared Phillip Isiand.

Between now and Bathurst we’ll go back to Phillip Island again, as well as Sandown for the race, so I reckon he should have enough miles under his belt by Bathurst.

The only thing is, they aren’t all race miles, but in an endurance race the co-driver has less racing pres sure than you have in a 20-minute sprint race.

MN: So who do you have to beat to win?

MN: Looking ahead to 1998, do you hope to have that longer-term commitment from your spon sors?

GS: Yes, we’re talking now and, to be honest, I hope to have a threeyear commitment from our main sponsors. Ford Credit and Ford, before we go to Bathurst.

As I said earlier, apart from the security, it’ll enable us to plan ahead and have a better race team for 1998 and beyond.

I want to win the championship again next year and as many after that as I can, because I’m 32 now and people are starting to rate me as an “old bloke’’...

I’ve always thought I’d race until I’m 45. If I’m still competitive at 45 I’ll keep going. If I’m not I’ll stand down and become a full-time team owner.

MN: Any desire to get back to a two-car team?

GS: I’d love to, but you’ve got to have the budget to do it and right now we don’t have it.

MN:Thanks and good luck.

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Showroom Showdown hotline today on(07)55328060 With three-hours ot live television on Network Ten,there will never be a better opportunity to provide your sponsors with outstanding television exposure while doing battle at Australia’s spiritual home of production car racing. vu J

You can race for the chequered flag on Saturday, October 18, and be there for the V8 Supercar Primus 1000 Classic the following day.

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Trevor Cole-74 years young

TREVOR Cole, one of the country’s best-known enthusiasts, clicked over 74 years recently.

(Dole’s career began in speedway on the cinders at the Sydney Showgrounds.

The year was 1951 and he recalls once driving against another newcomer to the sport - a Sydneysider named Jack Brabham.

“Brabham won, and I prob ably came last, but I had fun and speedway was where I learnt to drive,” said Cole. His car at the time was a pre-war midget based on the popular Model T Ford chassis.

A Victorian by birth, Trevor Cole went on a working holi day to Sydney around 1950 and finished up staying there for three years. He became involved with NSW speedway star Ray Revell and worked I on his Offenhauser, but in 1953 he was homesick for Victoria and returned to Melbourne.

It was about this time his interest in Austin 7s took hold - 45 years later the pop ular veteran is still racing them! “You haven’t lived until you’ve had an Austin 7,” he said enthusiastically - and that comes from someone who knows!

In 1958 Trevor Cole comONE of the interest ing side events of the Shannons MaUala Masters meeting this weekend (Sept ember 13/14) is a parade of 250 classic and exotic cars which will leave Adelaide on the Sunday morning imd drive in convoy to the circuit.

The cars will then be on display through out the day, and will do a parade lap of Mallala. Race meeting secretary Tony Mor gan says Mallala has successfully negotiated having Garrie Cooper’s final masterpiece, the ground effects Elfin MR9 Formula 5000 on show at the meeting in honour of the founder of Elfin Sports Cars

FAVOURITE... Cole aboard his favourite Austin 7in the Six Hour Relay at Calder, October 1963. At right 60 years sepa rate Matthew White (14)and Cole at this year's Eddington Sprints. Matthew was also driving an Austin 7in his first (Photos by Brian Reed) competitive run. menced work with John the first run up St. Georges Fleming, the man he calls Rd. and the following weekthe doyen of Austin 7s” at end I had my first race at Merri Bridge Motors in Fishermans Bend,” Cole Northcote. said. The date was October Lots of drivers brought 1958.

Cole’s latest car was their Austin 7s in for repairs, and John Fleming also built acquired in 1971, and he and up cars for racing,” Cole his pale green Austin 7 are recalls. “I was offered the familiar sights wherever bones of a racing car, and I Historic racers gather. “This bought it. There was a body, car originally had a Renault front axle and steering box -1 engine,” he said, “and I was had to find the rest. the fourth owner. Len Shaw “Six weeks later I gave it was also a previous owner.”

Elfin MR9 F5000 remembered

after whom the feature race is named.

The MR9 (Brian Reed pic above), the world’s most advanced F5000 racing car, is on permanent display at

the Birdwood Mill Motor Museum, and it is a major logistical exercise to shift it fi-om its usual resting place, Maybe one day we will see and hear the big

“T^C'lto^Cc n Wattle Park Cellars is the sponsor of the 1997 Formula 5000 series, and provide a trophy for each meeting as well as a bottle of champagne (naturally!) for the first three placegetters. Coordinator of F5000 News, David Doubtfire has asked we take every oppor tunity to support their new sponsor. Wattle Park Cellars is at 160 Elgar Rd., Box Hill (phone 03 9888 7778.)

you need to book with Kel Ricci(03)9570 7417. n The Vintage Sports Car Club, Austin 7 Club and MG Car Club have com bined forces to run the Three HiUs Series 1997 at Arthur’s Seat(September 7), Mt. Tarrengower (October 25-26)and Rob Roy(November 29-30)- all famous hillclimb venues.

Through generous spon sorship and backing fixim John Dj-mond’s Penrite Oil Co., John Needham’s Old Gearbox Co and Shannon’s Corporation a number of' new trophies have been donated in addition to those offered by the organising clubs.

The Penrite'Three Hills Shield is for the most con sistent performances by a pre-war road equipped sports car.'The result will be judged on the most con sistent times recorded in two of the three meetings.

n The VHRR Committee has had some difficulty firming up a date for the 1997 TattersaU’s Historic Sandown due to complica tions caused by the schedul ing of two Bathurst races in October. This has now been resolved, and the Historic Sandown meeting will be held on November 8-9.

When asked about retirement, the spritely Cole says “I plan to take it year by year.”

It sounds like he’s aiming for a few more seasons before he hangs up the helmet!

-BRIAN REED

open-wheeler fire up again.

Cooper-s widow Lorraine, who is patron of the Elfin Owners & Drivers Club Inc. has agreed to

attend the meeting and present the Garrie Cooper Memorial Trophy for Historic racing cars to the winning driver, -BRIAN REED

25

Because of the large financial commitment involved, the Historic fra ternity is urged to get behind this meeting to ensure its continuation in years to come. Untimed practice will take place on Friday November 7, and there will be events for all Historic classes.'The theme will be “Tribute to Fifty Years of Ferrari” and the meeting will feature a large display by the various Ferrari registers through out Australia as well as demonstration laps by their lucky owners.

Entry forms can be obtained from the Honom-aiy Secretary Dot Devine on(03)94714407.

n The VHRR has appointed Ray DaCosta as the club’s representative on the CAMS Hillclimb Committee. As Ray often runs at these events he has a wealth of knowledge to represent the interests of members. Ray can be con tacted on (03)5940 1647 and is happy to talk to you about what Historic hiUclimbing has to offer. n If you happen to miss the screening of“A Moment in Time” presented by Optus Local Vision on the popular Melbourne-based motorsport show “In Pit Larie” Friday September 12 at 8pm., don’t despair- a video of the program has just been released.

“In Pit Lane’s” crew spent a considerable amount of money and almost 3 months in time on the production, and the limited release video can be purchased for $40 from the show’s produc er/host Brett Ramsay,do 6 Sunshine St., Rowville, Vic., 3178. Brett suggests you phone first on(03)9764 4044 before placing your order.

-BRIAN REED

n For those who enjoy a more leisurely approach to motoring, a sports car red plates tour is being organ ised by Kel Ricci on behalf ofthe VHRR. The event is on Sunday September 21, and will start fi'om ‘ Southland Shopping Centre (highway side). Meeting place is Coldstore, Moorooduc for a browse of the antiques(no, not the drivers!) and morning tea, and then the tour wiU leave for Coolhart for lunch in the dining room around 1pm.

BYO lunch and drinks, and maps will be provided, but

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Famous names - Jane, Beechey, Gibson, Matich, Geoghegan, Brown, Moffat, Brock, Bond, Bartlett... Famous cars - Monaro, Camaro, GTHO, XU-1, Valiant et al! * Main picture 200 mm x 400 mm * Overall size 400 mm x 450 mm # Superb reproductions in black and white and colour # Limited production run * Mail order only

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12Septeuil}ef19S/ Report by PETER WHITTEN

Back to back titles for Possum and Guest

After he blitzed the field at the opening round of this year’s Australian Rally Championship in Perth, Neal Bates was the immediate odds-on favourite to win his fourth crown but Possum Bourne had dif ferent ideas, re-emerging at round two in Queensland and going on to win seven of the next eight championship heats to claim his second con secutive Australian title, a victory he clinched at the Rally of Melbourne final round on August 30 and 31.

As was the case in the out right category, both the Group N and Formula 2 classes went right down to the wire, only being decided on the final stage of the final heat Michael Guest secured Group N after an enthralling tussle with Greg Graham, while in Formula 2 Brett Middleton was the unexpected victor.

The 1997 Rally of Melbourne attracted the best ARC entry of the year, with SLIDING AWAY... Bates/Taylor Celica GT-Four lost any hope of a title shot after the centre diff failed and a tyre punctured in Heat 2.(Peter Whitten pics) 80 crews indicating their intention to compete. ensuring the action would be the stages in his Lancer, but last stage of the day, allow- from six states competing for two minutes, but it had Of those, many were vying well worth watching. was very happy with his inp; Middleton to win, with a lucrative prize package, seemed worth it. for points to secure their stage times to date.

Mackenzie in third place.

Victorian Rowan Quill win Going into the stage, the Heat 1 respective class wins, while Similarly, the best placed “I think the biggest ning the day in his Mazda Mitsubishi driver trailed by others were interested in After a publicity start in improvement is me getting of the three on day two RX7, but only after a close only three seconds and had other battles - the Victorian the centre of Melbourne on used to the car,” he said, would win the close-fought battle with Tasmanian dri decided on an ‘all or nothing’ Championship, for example, the Friday night, competitors “After all, it?s only our third championship, ver Roger Brownrigg in a aproach to victory. or the final of the ARN The other two F2 front Datsun 240Z. His Lancer was undam headed out early on event in it.

Junior Rally Challenge.

Saturday for 100km and Canberra’s Mark Banyard aged after the ‘off,’ but he By the end of the Heat, runners had departed early, In the outright stakes. seven stages that would Ordynski trailed Bates by 48 Peterson blowing a gearbox finished the day in third had to follow Bourne out of Bourne, Bates and Ordynski make up Heat 1. seconds, with another 48 sec- in his Nissan, while Evans place. the stage and watch the Eiwi Bates and Bourne shared a onds back to Bourne, who*” suffered another engine failwere all still in the running celebrate a satisfying win.

Heat 1 Results While these two battled for the championship, but on fastest time each on the was delayed by the afore- ure in the fragile Corolla, corrected points the New opening two stages - but, mentoned puncture.

Outside the championship 1. N. Bates/C. Taylor amongst themselves, Bates Zealander stood the best 'after that, it was, surprisingToyota Celica GT-Four Guest had set the early race, Victorian Cody Crocker had had a shocking day, chance of victory. / ly, the Toyota driver who set pace in Group N, but, when had been the star of the day, 2. E. Ordynski/F. Gocentas breaking the centre diff in His Subaru seemed to be the pace.

Mitsubishi Lancer his Lancer’s turbo failed on finishing fifth and beating the gearbox on the start of Evo 3 the pacesetter in the field A minor wastegate actua- stage 3, he dropped valuable rivals Graeme Wise, Mike the day’s third stage, a prob 3. P. Bourne/C. Vincent and top five placings in both tor problem and a flat tyre time and eventually finished Reeves and Graham lem the Toyota mechanics were not able to fix in the Alexander - and all this in a heats would again mean he certainly did the Subaru star the day in 21st place.

Subaru Impreza WRX That handed Graham the now-outdated Subaru. service time allowed. no favours, -but over the was champion.

4. M. GuesfrM. Stacey Mitsubishi Lancer The Lancer of Guest need- stages it was Bates who was win, ahead of David West’s Then, on the penultimate Also surprising was NSWs Evo 3(N) ed to beat the Subaru of generally faster.

Lancer and set up a show stage, he punctured a tyre Jo Cadman, who upset the established Silverstone 5. G. Graham/G. Macneall Graham in Group N, while The dry, yet damp, gravel down for Heat 2. and his championship hopes any one of five drivers (all in surfaces were suiting the were well and truly dashed Subaru Impreza Whoever finished first out Challenge competitors to win he finished the heat in 10th WRX(N) different makes of car) could Celica’s Dunlop tyres and of Guest and Gbaham would the day - there were some claim Formula 2. win the title. sombre faces on the males at 6. C. Crocker/G. Foletta Bates was determined to give place.

Dean Herridge (Hyundai), his car a grand send-off on That was the scenario in the bar that night.

Subaru Legacy RS Turbo As the battle raged up front. Guest and Graham Middleton (Honda), Ross what was probably its last FormMa 2, as well.

Rob Devenish claimed big Heat 2 were involved in a similar Mackenzie (Daihatsu), Lee Australian rally.

Herridge and Middleton car honours after Steve Peterson (Nissan) and Simon Bourne had no intentions scrap.

Running first car on the had a ding-dong battle all Winwood was excluded for Evans(Toyota) all had math- road, Ordynski was sweeping day, but Herridge grazed & missing a regroup in his of letting the championship The Kiwi lost time early in ematical chances of winning, much of the loose gravel off tree and spun on the second Falcon and John Spencer slip, but he must have had the day with a down on took third in the-big V8 his heart in his month on the power engine, but stormed Commodore - but the class win final forest stage when he back and ended the day just for the year wouldn’t be spun the Impreza on a fast four seconds in arrears. decided until the end ofHeat 2. downhill section.

Had he been five seconds The final of the ARN Ordynski had gone off on faster, it would have been he, not Guest, who won the Junior Challenge saw drivers the same corner and dropped # §

tyres no w/ailabL

vour tyre order?

FORMULA 2 WINNER... Honda of Brett Middleton comprehensively outgunned its rivals.

Contact your Dunlop Motorsport distributor urgently

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12Sep!mtier199I Group N Championship - it was a battle that emphasised the closeness of the year.

Middleton outclassed the Formula 2 field in Heat 2 and took an unlikely win, given his Honda’s lack of engine capacity and Middleton’s 18 months out of the driver’s seat - but he was too good for Herridge and Mackenzie on the final day and reaped the rewards.

Again, local youngster Crocker had set the forests alight in his ageing Subaru Legacy, finishing in fifth place and earmarking him self as a driver of the future, if not the present.

For the second day run ning, he finished well clear of the more fancied Victorian crews of Reeves and Wise.

Winwood’s Heat 1 exclu sion left the big car class winnable for either Devenish, or Spencer, f On home ground, Devenish and his Datsun 240Z were too quick and celebrated a very popular home-town vic tory. Outpaced by Winwood and Spencer for most of the year, Devenish proved that local knowledge - even on a pacenoted rally - counts for a lot.

The Silverstone Challenge saw Jason Slot only just overcome the flying Cadman, hut Kirk Marks took the title for the year after a consis tent and reliable drive.

The other title on offer was the ARN Junior Rally Challenge and local knowl edge proved to be a factor there, as well. Rowan Quill,

having a troublefree run in his Mazda RX7, held off the determined Brownrigg to win the lucrative prize of $13,000 in cash and prizes.

The Rally of Melbourne finished back at the Domain Chandon Winery, where a huge crowd of spectators watched the exciting end to a hugely successful ARC Super Series. The new formula had proven to be a winner and has set the national champi onship up for an increase in popularity and competitor and sponsor support.

Heat 2 Results 1. P. Bourne/C. Vincent Subaru Impreza WRX 55m33s 2. E. Ordynski/F. Gocentas Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 3 57.53 3. M. Guest/M. Stacey Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 3(N), 58.19 4. G. Graham/G. Macneall Subaru Impreza WRX(N), 58.23 5. C. Crocker/G. Foletta Subaru Legacy RS Turbo 59.15 6. M. Beckton/E. Osawa Proton Wira Evo 3(N) 59.31 7. M. Reeves/R. Smalley Mitsubishi Galant VR4 59.35 8. G. Wise/R. Beekman Mitsubishi Lancer RS-E Ih00ml7s 9. D. West/T. Best Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 2(N), 1.00.21 10. N. Bates/C. Taylor Toyota Celica GT-Four 1.00.49

Roben wins Rallysprint Wagga Kevin Roben driver and first-time co-driver Kane Burgess scored a good win the North Eastern Car Club’s rallysprint on August 9.

Held in wet conditions, the Datsun 1600 mounted pair took a narrow victory ahead of the local Galant pairing of Robin Box and Steve Roman, with Peter and Dean Price in third place.

Held in the Merriang for est near Myrtleford, the rallysprint offered competi tors eight runs for the day with a total competitive dis tance of 50km.

The roads dried up somewhat during the day, but a late shower during the final run kept all competitors on their toes.

Nick Lorraine was the first Grade 4 driver home, despite hitting a bank and bending a tie-rod on the final run, while Jim McIntosh (with Cody Crocker co-dri ving) excited the spectators before blowing the motor on his HQ Holden on the final run of the day.

Locals for Rally OZ AAussie demonstration run the by cars around Langley Park Super Special Stage will precede each night’s entertainment at Rally Australia in Perth this year.

In a deal just finalised, a Holden vs Ford run-off will take place each night, with the possibility of Peter

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Kia confirmed in Motorsport Finland that it hps handed over its competition activities to Timor, the national Indonesian motor manufacturer.

The FIA has already con firmed that the Kia Sephia 1.6 model can compete under the name of Timor, using the designation S515.

Timor, meanwhile, is continuing with the develop ment work of a new compe tition car, which it hopes to homologate as a World Rally Car in time for a debut at the Thailand Rally in March 1998.

The aerodynamics of this WRCar project were devel oped by Prodrive in April

F2 win for MRT rett Middleton, twice Australian F2 champion in 1993 and ’94, has returned after a year and a half with another win for the ’97 season in the recent Rally of Melbourne.

Any of the top three teams - Honda, Daihatsu and Hyundai - were able to win the coveted crown in

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the final event of the Super Series.

But Middleton bridged the leaders gap of six points (held by Hyundai), in Heat One on Saturday, allowing the three to battle it out on Sunday, winner take all.

The Sanyo, Falken Tyres-sponsored car went

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Brock and Dick Johnson taking part as well.

The cars to be used will be Mark Pedder’s Commodore Lite and John Spencer’s V8 sedan, while Ford will be represented by the 6-cylinder Falcon XR6s of Ian Swan and Andrew Murdoch.

More details on the local derby will be announced shortly.

to an early lead of two seconds in Special Stage one, only to have this reduced in the second stage when the team’s vital in-car intercom failed to work, This forced co-driver Linda Long to use hand sig nals for the pace notes.

The following stages suited the Honda Civic, allowing the team to siowly extend a vital lead which they maintained until the end of the event.

“We had several ‘moments’ in the event,” Middleton said.

“Such was the pace, we could not back off one bit. I had to take calculated risks.”

The top three crews were never more than serveral seconds apart over each special stage and even on the longest stage of 29km, only six seconds separated the three!

Ironically, the MRT crew were without gearbox prob lems, a fault that has caused nightmares for the team all year.

We crack-tested the gearbox and needed to replace a lot of parts some arrived, some didn’t!

“So we worried all weekend, hoping the box would last.

The MRT crew will now miss the Manufacturers Championship (Perth, Adelaide and Canberra) due to lack of funds.

They hope to defend their title in 1998, pending advertising arrangements.

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1997, but currently decisions concerning the engine and trans mission are awaited.

It is not yet known if the engine will have the full 2-litre engine size.

This depends on whether the company will be allowed to run with a modified 1.8 litre engine, in a chassis homologated with the 1.6 litre block.

The FIA has already given consent for adjust ments to regulations to accommodate the use of this car with a four door body.

All previous WRCars have had two door bodies and the regulations were originally written with two door bodies in mind.

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' OPENING END OF SEPTEMBER:

370 MAIN NORTH RD, BIAIR ATHOL

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12Seplembsr1997

Tommies fighting fourth Tommi Makinen created history in Finland when he won his fomi;h consec utive Rally of Finland formerly the 1000 Lakes Rally - on September 1.

The reigning World Champion extended his 1997 championship lead by taking his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 4 to a slender seven second victory over friend and fellow Finn, Juha Kankkunen.

Kankkunen and his Ford team-mate Carlos Sainz looked set to take an historic 1-2 victory, until Sainz retired early on the final day with transmission failure and Makinen’s Mitsubishi received a new lease of life.

Makinen had complained about a lack of power in his engine and once the tur bocharger was changed it was immediately quicker.

“From that moment on, I knew we could stay in front of the Fords,” Makinen said.

It was a horror event for the Subaru team, with both Colin McRae and Kenneth Eriksson retiring with cam pulley failures on their Impreza World Rally Cars.

McRae retired with the same problem at the previ ous round in New Zealand, leaving the reigning

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EARLY DAYS ... World debut of Mdrcus Gronholm’s Toyota Corolla World Rally Car looked promising after the Finn sensationally led day one.

Manufacturers’ Champions with plenty of questions to be answered.

The rally saw the World Championship debut of Toyota’s new Corolla World

WINNERS CHOOSE In 1995 Jacques Villeneuve won with Koni, then in 1996 Jimmy Vasser won the Indycar Championship in his Koni/Reynard-Honda.

Rally Car and, for a while, it looked like the car could cause the upset of the year.

Finnish driver Marcus Gronholm actually led the rally after the first day, but he dropped back to fourth before eventually retiring on the final day - the second Corolla of Didier Auriol had a troubled event and finished outside the top 10.

Third place went to anoth er Escort World Rally Car, that of Jarmo Kytolehto, meaning the top three placings were exactly the same as they had been 12 months earlier - indeed, Escorts took four of the top six places.

1996 Group N Champion Gustavo Trelles, running a

Lancer Evo 4 for the first time, scored enough points to retain his title in Finland and Harri Rovanpera took Formula 2 victoiy for Seat.

Makinen’s win gives him an 18 point lead in the World Drivers’ Championship over Sainz, but Subaru’s double failure has given both Ford and Mitsubishi new hope of claiming the all-important, highly-prized Manufacturers’ Championship. * Results 1. T. Makine/S. Haijanne Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 4 3hl6ml8s 2. J. Kankkunen/J. Repo Ford Escort WRCar 3.16.25 3. J. Kytolehto/A. Kapanen

Ford Escort WRCar 3.18.18 4. S. Lindholm/T. Hantunen Ford Escort WRCar 3.18.53 5. T. Jansson/P.O. Svensson Toyota Celica GT4 3.21.12 6. P. Hagstrom/ T. Gardemeister Toyota Celica GT4 3.22.48 World Rally Championship Pointscore Drivers Championship: T. Makinen 52, Sainz 34, McRae 32, Eriksson 24, Liatti 18, Kankkunen 16.

Manxifacturers Championship: Subaru 74, Mitsubishi 66, Ford 61.

-PETER WHITTEN

FAST FREDDY... Loix (below) wasn’t in winner Makinnen’s league on this occasion.

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CARRIE NEAL’S TRAGIC DEMISE During Friday afternoon qualifying at the Autolite Nationals, 25-year old neo phyte Federal-Mogul Dragster driver Carrie Neal was killed after the throttle on her nitro-injected machine stuck on her burnout.

The inexperienced Neal tried to slow the car with the brakes, to no avail.

Compounding her problems was the fact that Sears Point lacks a true return road, meaning the chase vehicles are sent down the racing surface, with several still being in the vacinity of the last turn-off road when the race car arrived, still under at least partial throttle.

Neal’s car bounced off the left side guardrail, shot across the track, hit an embankment and vaulted over a hill and into the pits.

She was killed instantly when the car hit the ground.

An emergency medical technician working at the track was also injured, but not critically.

The races were halted immediately, as the county coroner had to be located to perform an on-site investigation of the accident.

While the coroner was on the way to the track, a number of racers, including PRO board members Brad Anderson, Jerry Gwynn and Jim Head, along with PRO safety com mittee member Ray Alley, co-crew chief on Kenny Bernstein’s Bud ffing dragster, gath ered at the finish line to inspect the track.

They were less than pleased with what they found, which included an exposed gener ator for additional lighting, several telephone poles and the embankment that played a role in Neal’s death.

An immediate demand was made for addi tional concrete guardwalls to be installed, but track and NHRA officials first balked, citing the time necessary to make the,'adjustments and the crowd that was then filing in for the scheduled Friday evening pro qualifying ses sion.

A meeting was held in the tower with vari ous NHRA officials, including president Dallas Gardner, along with additional racers, including PRO board member Whit Bazemore.

Surprisingly, Jim Head said that since he’d already run safely and that the odds of an incident were low, he was willing to run again. Kenny Bernstein, no longer even a member of the PRO, also wanted to run, but the others present refused.

At that point, Gardner stepped in to say that if the racers felt the track wasn’t safe, the changes would be made, with NHRA offering some sort of compensation for the fans. That ended the discussion, with the remainder of Friday’s action immediately cancelled. l Some of the fans had less than generous reactions to the cancellation and, while track security personnel later expressed their con cerns that a riot might have ensued, other than some shouting and name calling, there was no major incident.

NHRA officials told this reporter that the fuel and magneto shut-off systems recovered from Neal’s car both worked perfectly, so it appears more and more likely that at least partially as a result of her inexperience, she failed to utilize either one when the throttle stuck.

The braking system of the car was obvious ly unable to overcome the engine speed.

3^

HAVING HIS SAY... After many years In the wjiderness, Whit Bazemore, now that he’s experiencing success, has become outspoken.

Death and politics

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Stateside news by Jon Asher Anything from a slightly different weld on a particular junction of tubing to a millimeter of difference in an engine mounting location could mean the difference from a 4.50 to 4.70second performer.

Remember how, earlier in the year, Scott Kalitta could not get his McKinney car down any dragstrip without smoking the tyres, or worse? Yet, when he climbed into his father’s car, which was supposed to be a virtual dupli cate other than the larger cage size, his for tunes instantly improved.

He later called his own car “evil” and there just might be something to that.

BAZEMORE GETS VOCAL Whit Bazemore made two final round appearances in the Team Winston Mustang, winning twice thanks to the timing of Rob Flynn.

As the former race photographer says, “things are a lot more fun now” - and who can blame him for his enthusiasm?

Including his first victory at Topeka, he made four of the next five final possible final PINPOINTING SUCCESS round appearances.

Already a seasoned veteran, Bazemore is The superstar of the West Coast Swing also calling today’s Funny Cars “too slow.” was certainly Cory McClenathan and co crew chiefs Mike Green and Jim Maybe he’s getting bored with those 300 Brissette. mile per hour runs, one of which netted him They debuted a new Murf McKinney-built Top Speed at Denver (to go along with Low car in Denver and won 12 straight rounds of E.'T. of the Meet at 5.13).

Bazemore has also become more outspoken competition.

Although the McDonald’s/Joe Gibbs Racing in his desire to see things improve in drag team claims that the car is identical to the racing and, while he’s been on the board of one that they’d been running all season, directors'of the PRO for some time now, it’s only since he’s been winning that the other there was something magic about the pipe that won the West. drivers are paying serious attention to his pronouncements.

It’s also quite possible that the strain being He played an integral role in the negotia put on today’s race car chassis by 310-plus mile per hour speeds is somehow making tions with NHRA over track conditions at those cars “old” before their time.

Sonoma and also got into it with NHRA offiAnother factor may be that no matter how ,cials in Denver, after being paired with Len hard a builder may try, it’s impossible to Seroka in qualifying.

Before Bazemore could say anything, crew accurately duplicate one car from another.

a licence doesn’t necessarily mean one is chief Flynn was objecting to NHRA senior VP Graham Light on the grounds that Seroka, truly capable of driving a 300 mph race car in who hadn’t raced since the previous year’s the opposite lane with a truly experienced driver. race in Denver,should have been making sin As the best drivers will also admit, when gles in an effort to get into the program.

Bazemore’s objection to racing Seroka was the track is perfect and the car is handling based not just on that, but on the fact that the way it should, driving isn’t that difficult when he had raced in Denver the previous (and I am not suggesting that just anyone can do it, including myselD. season he’d hit the guardrail.

It’s when things go wrong that experience As he points out, “I don’t think it’s fair to the guys who race all year long to risk their counts.

Despite having a licence, will the driver equipment, lives and position in the points react properly when oil gets under the tyres, race by forcing them to run against guys like Seroka. or will he or she react quickly enough when, “He’s a heck of a nice guy, but that has out of the corner of his eye, he sees the car in nothing to do with it. He simply doesn’t race the other lane heading his way?

And will he react properly when the throt enough and I don’t like having to run in the tle sticks? other lane against him.”

When Light pointed out that Seroka was MASKIN WOES CONTINUE legally licenced (as were two other drivers Bazemore and some others voiced concerns Last season’s Pro Stock points race was about in Denver), Bazemore responded by dominated by Jim Yates and then-crew chief Dick Maskin, but since this year’s suggesting that it would be possible for him very public split, Yates has continued to to sit out for five or six years, but maintain his licence by simply completing a physical be the man to beat.

Chassis-builder Jerry Bickle stepped in to exam each year.

Light reportedly had no real answer when take over the crew chief chores and has done Bazemore then asked how he would feel hav an excellent job, as has engine-builder Bob ing to race against a driver who, although Ingles.

Ingles did, apparently, have one of the legally licenced, hadn’t driven a Funny Car in half a decade.

Maskin engines to copy, but he’s nevertheless Driver licencing has become a sore subject managed to keep the horsepower high and with many drivers, who continue to cite a that’s made the (fifference.

Maskin’s customer base declined dramati lack of real racing experience as a growing cally as this year began, with independent problem area.

Peter Williams, his last real hope for national In the last year. I’ve heard that problem event honors, announcing his retirement a voiced by numerous drivers.

The latest to voice their concerns are couple of months ago.

Maskin’s legal battle with Yates is ongoing Bazemore and Autolite Nationals Funny Car and he’s got other problems as well, for it winner, Ron Capps.

Surprisingly, it seems to be some of the seems that his partners in World Products, the cast iron division of Dart Industries, yoimger drivers who are most concerned. decided to end the arrangement by stripping It may be that they can more readily remember the ease with which they were the building when he wasn’t around.

Continued on next page licenced,just as they may realize that having

32

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Death and politics Continued from page 31 Maskin’s partners. Bill Mitchell and Gary St. Dennis, apparently arrived at the World Products facilities a few week well after dark with a crew of movers, who fi lled (depending upon your choice of rumors) somewhere between seven and 13 tractor/trailer loads of products and office equipment and records and drove away.

Since then, Maskin has fired his advertis ing agency and also discharged advisor Arlen Fadley, Oldsmobile’s former front man in drag racing - his future in the sport remains clouded.

■'

Jack Roush Racing built the Ford engines, which to this point are being outperformed by the Chevies and Dodges.

Elapsed times are running in the 7.7s and 7.8s for the Chevies, marginally slower for the Dodges and in the 8.1s and 8.2s for the Fords.

Dodge driver Alderman has won a couple of the Chicago-style eliminators on his ability to leave the line first, not on horsepower.

The term “Chicago-style” racing derived from events held at the now defunct U.S. 30 Dragstrip in Gary, Indiana, just a few miles from the Windy City.

The track would hire in a number of head line drivers, with everyone making two runs.

The two cars with the quickest winning elapsed times after the first two rounds would be brought back for a finale - and thus ends today’s history lesson!

If you’re wondering where the 358 cubic inch engine displacement came from, it’s a direct reflection of the current NASCAR Winston Cup rules and clearly shows NHRA’s - or Detroit’s - bent on following the “establishment.”

For all practical purposes, the trucks fit closest to the current NHRA C/Altered rules, yet they can’t come close to an altered’s 60foot or quarter mile elapsed times.

The vehicle’s wheelbases are just too long to “work” like a real altered.

In some respects, the trucks are like the early Funny Cars, in that what they do before they actually race is more interesting and exciting than the actual competition.

Their burnouts are good and smoky, but the runs themselves are less than scintillat ing. The vehicles don’t leave with the wheels up and the rate of acceleration is visibly slow.

CONTROVERSIAL TRUCKS One of Maskin’s most recent projects was the building of the 358ci engines that power the Dodge Dakota Pro Stock trucks that were recently debuted under the Mopar Parts banner and driven by Darrell Alderman and Scott Geoffrion.

The Dodge debut came at the Mile-High Nationals and followed the Chevy S-10 intro duction that had come at the Pontiac Excitement Nationals in Columbus.

The Chevies are driven by Jerry Haas and Competition eliminator standout/enginebuilder, John Lingenfelter.

Despite one industry expert’s having called the whole Pro Stock truck program “two years late and nohody’s going to care,” the factory and NHRA hype has been non-stop.

Chassis builder Jerry Haas, who built the Chevy and Ford Rangers and Jerry Bickle, who built the Dodges, report their phones are ringing constantly with potential customers, but spectator interest has been decidedly mixed.

SUPPORT FOR PAWUK During the Chevrolet introduction at Columbus, the factory brass all but During the week between the Autolite announced that there’d be a new class for the and Northwest Nationals, there’s always an excellent Pro Stock show at tracks next year, but Dallas Gardner careful ly distanced the NHRA from that kind of Woodbum, Oregon and this year was no '● 1 commitment, saying instead that they would exception. continue to monitor fan and racer reaction For Summit Racing driver Mark Pawuk, however,the Woodburn stop was a disaster. before any decision was made.

He kicked the number one rod out of his Chrysler racing honcho Lou Patane admits number two engine while testing, the rod cut that his interest in the tracks is based upon their potential ability to rekindle interest in ting an oil and fuel line on its way out.

That poured the flammable liquids on the small block parts sales, which he says have ,headers, instantly engulfing the car in a fire been stagnant for the last several years.

Ironically, some of the people directly, observers on the scene called more reminis involved in the program reflect the kind of cent of a Funny Car conflagration than any ambivalence that’s been seen from the fans. thing they’d ever seen from a Pro Stock.

Pawuk said the car filled with smoke and “As usual,” one of them told me, “someone flame almost immediately and he did hit the set up these rules without ever having asked guardrail slightly - but the real damage someone who actually races if they’d work. came from the fire, which destroyed the They don’t.

‘The wheelbases of these trucks are too front-end, all of the car’s electrical wiring and long to successfully work with engines this lines and even burned the parachutes off the back. small. If they wanted these things to be excit Pawuk was unhurt, but the car couldn’t be ing, they should have given ’em 800 cubic repaired in time for Seattle. inch engines.”

A number of other drivers offered spare* A major contingency award sponsor for NHRA called the tracks “at least a second too cars for Pawuk’s use, with still others offer slow to be interesting. They’re boring” - and ing to step out of their own rides if it would help keep the Ohio runner in the Top 10. many of the fans seem to agree.

Arizonan Gordie Rivera offered his car, but Introducing a new eliminator category in the face of the current payout in Pro Stock Pawuk couldn’t fit inside the cage.

Warren Johnson, Larry Morgan and will not go over well with those competitors, George Mamell also offered cars, while chas who have shown their loyalty to the class by sis builder Jerry Haas not only offered to try having once again turned out in large num and fix the car, but made the rounds trying to bers this year.

Well over 60 different drivers have already find a ride for Pawuk, who is not one of his earned Pro Stock points, about double the customers.

Californian Dave Belli stepped up with his number of participants in Top Fuel and Oldsmobile, which Pawuk and crew chief Funny Car. They see the trucks as cutting into their Dave Butner and the team hastily prepped for Seattle. potential income and are not amused.

They got the car in the show with their The reaction one gets from individual rac ers about the tracks seems to be a reflection engine in place, but Pawuk lost in the first round of eliminations. of the strength, or lack of same, of their facto ry affiliations.

EDWARDS’ BOOST FOR RIGHT Don “The Snake” Pradhomme, who has the Mike Edwards’ outstanding Pro Stock only Chevrolet deal in the sport, says he win in Washington was his first of the wants to get one - this from the man who has yeai*. denigrated all doorslammers on numerous The win did much to cheer car owner John occasions - while Warren Johnson, on the Right, who remained at home in Las Vegas, other hand, simply looks askance when ques tioned.

Nevada, where’s he’s confined to a wheelchair following a series of strokes.

Others without any Detroit connection are He was recently diagnosed with cancer and outright negative, correctly wondering out has begun a rigorous regimen of chemothera loud why the sanctioning organization would consider another class when one of their most py and is in the process of selling his con struction company so he can devote more heavily supported classes continues to be time to the race car. under paid.

He’s definitely having some problems, but The Fords driven by IHRA competitors Roy as team PR manger Lisa Edward reports, Hill and Richie Stevens were finally ready for introduction at the Autolite Nationals, where every time the car runs well, he seems'to improve. side-by-side “racing” commenced.

By Gerald Me Dor VICTOR ON THE WEB Top Doorslammer legend Victor Bray has jumped on the information super-highway with his bad ’57 Chevy. Bray now has his own web site, which can be found at http://server.ats.com.au/victor-bray.

Drop by and have a look ...

US NATS WEBS RESULTS Speaking of dragway racing and the internet, the quickest of finding out the results from the US Nationals was through the events own internet site, which carried a broadcast of the track commentaryf The broadcast included all of the final qualifying sessions and the final rounds of racing.

So you know for next year, the site is at www.USNationals.com.

BROWN TO TOUR JET his summer’s jet car events will again contain an American content, with Joe Brown about to announced as the star attraction.

Brown will race his flame-throwing J34powered ’57 Chevy Jet Funny Car against Perth’s Ross McGlashan in a six-event tour.

T

RAVENSWOOD UPGRADES Perth’s Internatinal Raceway Ravepswood has had major works complet ed on the facility, with Pioneer Road Services laying over 50 tonnes of asphalt to the racing surface.

Also included in the works were a start line scraping, track grinding from half-track through to the finish line and new concrete launch pads.

Ravenswood will be a busy place over the coming season, with nine national opens and 47 (yes, 47) street meetings!

RECORD DOORSLAMMER PASS ictor Bray and Peter Gratz’s 224 to 220 mph side by side pass at Willowbank’s August 30 meeting created a little bit of world drag racing history.

The pass was the fastest ever doorslam mer race and the first ever side by side 220+ mph duel by doorslammers anywhere in the world!

V

RACE TO AMERICA Canberra International Raceway has announced" an excellent point-score series with the winner jetting off to the US for the 1998 Winston Finals at Pomona, California, in November 1998.

With help from Brisbane’s Travelaire Tours, Canberra’s track is able to offer the prize winner a return air fare, plus six nights accomodation in Los Angeles and a rental car.

Also included is a general admission ticket for the event with reserved grand stand seating and pit entry for final day of the Winston Finals.

Value of the prize is $1,995.

The “Race To America” series will be run over four events - the Supercharged Shootout (Nov 8), NSW Wild Bunch Titles (Dec 6), New Year Nitro Funny Car Challenge (Jan 1) and the USA v Australia Jet Car Challenge (Feb 7).

Points will be allocated to competitors according to results, with bonuses for pre entering and for the series final round.

Second prize in the series will be an open order of tyres to the value of $500 from any JAX Transtate tyre outlet in Canberra.

For further information regarding the “Race To America” series, contact Geoff Develin on 0418 628 090.

THE ULTIMATE BRACKET RACE ational Recording-holding Super Stock racer Garth Bell has announced the running of Australia’s most ambitious and richest-ever bracket race, the “Ultimate

N

Bracket Race” at Canberra International Raceway’s eighth mile facility on October 4.

Limited to just 200 pre-entries, with an entry fee of $500 per vehicle, the Ultimate Bracket Race offers an amazing $25,000 for the event win and $10,000 for the run ner-up spot.

Semi-finalists at the Ultimate Bracket Race still receive $2,000, while quarterfinalists win $1,000 and the next 16 get back their entry fee.

“The timing is right and, with drag racing being a little quiet in Sydney and the south ern states over the winter, what better way to kick off a new season with a drag race that offers some real money,” Bell said.

The DYO event is open to street vehi cles, bracket sedan, dragsters and altereds, although motorcycles and Junior Dragsters aren’t permitted.

Vehicles aren’t allowed to run delay boxes or nitro.

The elapsed time limit is between 5.5-9 seconds, which equates to 8-14 seconds over a quarter-mile.

For further information concerning the Ultimate Bracket Race, contact Garth Bell on (02) 9894 4400, or write to the Ultimate Bracket Race at PO Box 6492, Baulkham Hills, NSW. But, if you’re thinking of entering, you’d better hurry, as it has been reported that nearly 100 entries have already been received in the chase for the Ultimate Bracket Race.

FAN APPRECIATION DAY Adelaide International Raceway Day, has announced a Fan Appreciation that will be held at the venue, located on Port Wakefield Road, Virginia on Sunday, September 21 from 10am-4pm.

There is no admission charge for the Fan Appreciation Day, with the public being invited to experience the sheer thrill and excitement that makes drag racing Australia’s most popular motor sport.

The Fan Appreciation Day will be used as a test and tune by many drag racing competitors for the coming season, with fans being able to meet their favourite rac ers and crews in the relaxed family atmos phere.

Patrons will be able to walk freely around the pit area, collecting autographs, posters and stickers, as well as having a chance to win rides in two seater vehicles.

For more information, call AIR’S raceway office on (08) 8280 8154.

ANDRA AWARDS AND ROCKET The 1997 ANDRA Awards Banquet, whichChampionship will take place at Sydney’s Rosehill Function Centre on Thursday evening, October 16, will be sup ported by leading high performance parts importer Rocket Industries.

The function will be known as the 1997 ANDRA Championship Awards Banquet presented by Rocket Industries.

“This function is a very important step in the ever-increasing profile of ANDRA Championship Drag Racing,” said ANDRA Marketing Consultant Vic Wood.

“To have a company such as Rocket Industries joining us as a partner is very gratifying."

Rocket Industries Managing Director and Australian Drag Racing legend Graeme Cowin said that the company is thrilled to be associated with the awards night.

“Rocket Industries prides itself on high performance and this night recognises the highest performers in the tough, competi tive world of ANDRA Championship Drag Racing.”

All of the 1996/97 ANDRA Champions will be presented with their championship awards at the function, which will precede the first-ever running of the Premier State Nationals at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway over the following two days.

Ticket reservations for the 1997 ANDRA Championship Awards Banquet presented

by Rocket Industries can be made with Irene Kampes, by calling (08) 8271 5355 during business hours.

BURNER WINGS IT TO US NATS VICTORY Legendary alky win racerat Jeff experi enced a great the Burnett prestigious US Nats recently - the carbon-fibre wing used by alky dragster winner Darrell Russell was built by the Burner in Brisbane.

12Septembef1997 Report and photos by KEN FERGUSON

V

33

Gratz burns after 6.36 win over Victor Bray

Peter Gratz succeeded in his quest to defeat Australia’s quickest and fastest blown Doorslammer driver, but suf fered the cruellest possible out come against legend Victor Bray when his engine exploded in the top-end in the third and deciding race at Willowbank Raceway last Saturday night and his car fireballed. >> Travelaire,Tours presented ^arguably the most eagerly awaited showdown of the year, a threeround match race between Bray in his Castrol Chevy and Gratz in his Valvoline/Autobarn Ipswich-spon I sored ’57 Chev.

It was a battle royale, ’57 versus ’57, Valvoline versus Castrol and the rule book thrown out the back door, both cars having weight removed and their blower over drives upped.

Bray had earlier gone one up in the first round with a solo 6.48/221, while Gratz shut his car off after the burnout - the problem was later identified as a simple error in the fitting of two ignition leads.

Gratz evened the score in the sec ond with his quickest-ever 6.39/ 220 over Bray’s 6.42/224.

Bray had already handed the win to Gratz on the startline in the third, when he pulled his first red light in what seems an eternity.

Whether Gratz saw the win light in his lane, or not, didn’t matter, as he says he is always here to put on BIG NIGHT OUT... Peter Gratz produced the big numbers and a win when it counted, but grenaded an expensive engine in the process. a good show for his fans and spon Payne’s near-perfect 7.43/174 on country is the “Thunder Road into the sixes once the bugs are Jodanna Pullen in Junior Dragster. sors alike and, in doing so, went on Queensland street cars are gear a 7.40 dial-in with a perfect .400 Racing” ’41 Willys of the father and ironed out and should hopefully be to record an even quicker 6.36/217. reaction was too hot for Coonan’s son team of Mick and Shane seen as a regular in the Top ing up for their showdown with Bray slowed to a 6.55 after lifting Elcoate.

Doorslammer series in the new sea- their NSW counterparts in the the blower somewhere past half '8.09 on his 8.00 disd-in.

Performance Car Shootout on track.

Payne went on to defeat The car was built totally in-house son.

A bonus three-round match race October 11 at Willowbank.

But all hell broke loose as Gratz Swinscoe in the final to take both at the Elcoate’s own business, Two drivers who have stepped up crossed the finish line, as his the event apd the series win.

Gladstone Dyno Tuning, in a total for the crowd was between Kym Also impressive in Top Comp was of just 16 weeks - but the car is Petterwood and John O’Keamey in their act are Mick Varney - who engine block literally blew apart, pushed his Torana to a best of 9.29 unable to be run Top Doorslammer their Pontiac Pro Stockers. which resulted in a huge 200 mph Graham Porter in his Ragged Edge fireball.

O’Keamey took the honours with at a whopping 150.30 mph - and dragster, who has got his combo at this stage, due to a continuing Gratz was unsighted from this sorted fairly well and recorded his battle with an ANDRA official a 2-1 win and ran a best of 7.88/171 » Chris Hollingworth, who ran a 9.21/148.08 in his Holden one tonregarding differences in the design in the third and deciding round. point on and, after a few scary best numbers with a 6.72/203.

The winners in other brackets on net. of the vehicle.

Andrew Searle finally debuted moments, managed to bring the car Both cars mn small blocks with Wjth Shane at the helm, the car the night included Juan Kudnig in to a halt deep into the braking his brand-new Ford Customline at area.

Willowbank. Searle as quick as recorded a strong 6.80 early in the the Super Eliminator bracket, Paul the aid of a heap of good old laugh day, before succumbing to magneto Beauchamp in Super Gas, Ross ing gas and each is adamant his car He escaped without injury, but 6.85/202 on his second pass. will be the first Queensland street suffered from smoke inhalation.

Munster in Super Street, Steve One of the most impressive Top and diff problems.

The car will no doubt mn deeper Jurgensen in Modified Bike and car into the eight second zone.

Early estimates of the damage Doorslammers to be seen in the sustained put repair bills some NOT THIS TIME... Uncharacteristically, Victor Bray and his formidable Castrol ‘57 Chevy failed to come up trumps this time out. where in the vicinity of $40,000 this has now cast serious doubts on Gratz’s 1997/98 campaign, as he already races on a very tight budget.

Gratz’s assessment of the engine limits salvageable parts to as few as the blower and possibly the head and, with a spare parts collection containing only a selection of of sec ond-hand pistons and rods, a new coil and a few new pushrods, a new engine seems to be a fair way off.

Gratz wished to extend his spe cial thanks to the fire crewj who were on the scene immediately, as well as thanks to his sponsors Valvoline and Autobarn Ipswich and associate sponsors Currumbin Transmissions, Aussie Dills, Beadsense, along with Gary Phillips, Ron Newton and his entire crew for their valued support.

The grand final of the 1997 Rocket Industries Top Comp series was contested as well, with the top two in the points, John Payne (187.5 points) and Tom Coonan (187), the hot favourites, f However, it was Steve Swinscoe in his Beretta Funny Car who w-as first into the final, courtesy of a semi-final bye.

Payne and Coonan met in the other semi and it was Payne who put his Corvette into the final to meet Swinscoe.

12 Seplembef 199/

Head tops US Nationals

Wins for Kurt Johnson and Meyers, as Bazemore makes it four for the season Report and photos

¤,

by DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

Jim Head, Whit Bazemore and Kurt Johnson were among the professional winners during Monday’s finals of the 43rd run ning of the U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park on September 1, Head outlasting miKBU the all-time quickest Top Fuel field in NHRA history to grab his first Indy Top Fuel win and become the fourth driver to win in both Top Fuel and Funny Car at the Nationals.

Head and his Close Call fueller lined up for the final round along side red hot Cory McClenathan, who in the semi finals tied the con secutive round win record of Scott Kalitta at 19.

Whit Bazemore continued to look J Sf¥PS0H Kjwpnow good in Funny Car, taking his Winston Ford Mustang to his fourth win of 1997 with a victory over surprising final round oppo nent Tim Wilkerson.

Bazemore was consistent throughout eliminations with three 4.99s and speeds in excess of 304 on' every pass.

Kurt Johnson put his AC Delco TWO IN A ROW... Top qualifier Kurt Johnson backed up last year’s US Nationals win with a Pro Stock victory in hisACDelco Pontiac.

Pontiac into the winners circle at In the final round, with the tun Indy for the second straight year consecutive win number 18 when lead at the start, but the Winston semi final round, Hartman’s car up with a final round win over the ing help of Alan Johnson, Head left his 4.684/313/^7 easily stopped the car lost traction, handing a win to in smoke instantly, with Head spin even with McClenathan. very surprising Western Pennzoil entry of Hill, when Hill the JerZees dragster of Bob ning the tyres at half-track.

At about 100 feet, the The engine in Head’s car then Vandergriff at 4.746/305.70. had problems and shut off.

Motorsports Pontiac of V. Gaines.

The last pair of the round saw started to eat itself up, fireballing McDonald’s car lost traction, Hartman then paired up with John Myers took the win in Pro Powell in what was the first pairing Head take on Amato, who had reset just before the lights and still going McClenathan pedalling it, only to Stock Motorcycle over Matt Hines. go back up in smoke.

In the Federal Mogul ranks, of two females in a pro category at the speed record in round one at 4.802/299.40.

318.24' with a 4.610 win over Head was long gone and took the McClenathan then got the jump Darrell Russell won in the Dragster the Nationals. on Vandergriff and never saw him, biggest win of his career at class, while Frank Manzo took the At the green, Rhonda got the Dakin.

Amato got the jump at the tree, as Vandergriffs motor let go with a 4.738/300.00. jump and drove away when Cristen Funny Car honors.

The win was Head’s first since lost traction and blistered the tyres, but started to smoke the tyres at flash at 300 feet. McClenathan TOP FUEL Hartman advancing to the semis at around 200 feet. Head driving past marched on to take a 4.774/300.20 Topeka last year and his first in and into the semis at 4.815/295.95. win, tying the 19 round winning Indy since he won Funny Car back The quickest Top Fuel field ever 4.866/301.00. in 1984.

Head and Hartman kicked off the streak in the process.

Scelzi took a tenth of a second saw Joe Amato steal the number one spot on his last pass at FUNNY CAR 4.600/317.90.

As in Top Fuel, Funny Car saw Right behind was Gary Scelzi at the same great performances.

4.613/312.60, while McClenathan John Force unveiled the 1996 was third at 4.654/313.37 and Driver of the Year car on Friday Larry Dixon fourth at 4.660/306.74. night and posted a 4.935/309.38 to The remaining top half included hold onto the top spot, while Whit Cristen Powell at 4.670/304.56, Bazemore was close at Bruce Sarver at 4.685/312.60, Bob 4.954/309.49.

Vandergriff at 4.689/308.32 and Jim Head at 4.700/309.32.

Ron Capps ran his first four at 4.958/310.55 for third and Chuck Paul Romine made the program Etchells put his Dodge into the in ninth spot with a blower belt fourth spot at 4.987/309.38. breaking 4.709/263.46, a run that Randy Anderson continued the definitely would have had him torid four second pace at quicker.

4.989/303.64 for fifth, while Tony Kenny Bernstein made the show Pedregon was sixth at 4.996/306.85. on his last run at 4.718/314.46.

M

Eddie Hill wound up eleventh at 4.728/288.46, while Mike Dunn held twelfth at 4.741/305.08.

The field was rounded out by Rhonda Hartman’s 4.741/299.90, Scott Kalitta’s 4.744/308.21, Shelly Anderson’s 4.749/303.13 and Pat Dakin’s 4.758/303.54.

Doug Herbert became the quick est alternate in drag racing history t at 4.779/309.17.

Round two got under way with McClenathan stretching it out to

FROM ADVERSITY... Jim Head bounced back from a disastrous ’96 Nationals when he lost two of his closest friends, Blaine Johnson and Elmer Trett, to claim a win at this year’s event in Top Fuel. Head also became just the fourth driver to have claimed victo ries in both Top Fuel and Funny Car.

nSeptembetWI Gary Densham blasted out a 5.034/301.70 for seventh and Freddie Neely went 5.039/296.34 in the House Racing Pontiac for eighth.

Kenji Okazaki went 5.049 for ninth, Cruz Pedregon followed with a 5.074/298.30.

The field was filled by Del Worsham’s 5.083/289.48, Tim Wilkerson’s 5.101/294.50, Tom Hoover’s 5.112/302.92, Mark Oswald’s 5.122/308.64, Dean Skuza’s 5.140/304.77 and Dale Creasy Jr and his all-time quick bump time of 5.167/287.35.

The close second round began with Capps and the Copenhagen Camaro taking a 5.077/307.37 win over Tony Pedregon, who red light ed on a 5.142/278.81 pass.

Wilkerson and Etchells staged quite a battle, with Etchells taking the early lead only to have Wilkerson blow past to take a close 5.025/297.61 to 5.080/305.91 win.

Force then took a starting line lead against Okazaki and stormed to low e.t. of eliminations at 4.953 at the second fastest speed in Funny Car history at 312.93 mph.

Okazaki trailed with a good 5.038/302.0, but his chances of scor ing a double payday this weekend were erased.

The final pair saw Bazemore show his consistency at 4.998/305.49 to stop the 5.051/294.31 from Cruz Pedregon.

The semis started with a battle of good drivers and good crewchiefs, Bazemore and Flynn up against Capps and Leong.

At the green, both drivers were welded together, but the Winston car of Bazemore kept pulling away, winning by just over a car length, 4.991/306.01 to 5.036/305.91.

Force then lined up aganst the underdog car of Wilkerson.

Force took a slight lead, but went violently up in smoke at around 300 feet, while Wilkerson put down a good 5.074/266.42, but it came at the expense of some parts, leaving a trail of oil in the shut-down area.

In the final round, both cars left together, but the race was over when the car of Wilkerson lost trac tion.

Bazemore went right down the middle of the track to take his biggest win in a career full of fi^es and crashes.

Again, Bazemore went 4.996/306.85 to take the Indy title and close the gap a little more between him and top point runner John Force.

This thing ain’t over yet!!

PRO STOCK The warm and sometimes muggy weather played a big factor in the Pro Stock performance at the Nationals, but 10 cars still man aged to break the old track record during qualifying.

Kurt Johnson was the only car to find the six second zone, as he went 6.984/196.89 to p-ab the top spot.

Steve Schmidt was second at 7.002/197.36 and Warren Johnson wound up third at 7.004/197.19, while Jim Yates rounded out the top four at 7.016/196.37.

David Nickens held on to the bump spot at 7.066/195.56.

After the first roiand, Warren Johnson was loading his GM Goodwrench Service Pliis Pontiac into the trailer, as his 7.067 was not enough to overcome the holeshot 7,103 of Scott Geof&ion.

Also going home was point leader Yates, who too fell victim to a holeshot, Bruce Allen’s 7.103 enough to send Yates’ 7.082 pack ing.

Round two started with the Pontiac of Gaines taking a big win against the strong car of Schmidt.

7.096/194.76 to 7.117/H94.63.

The next pair saw the Dodge of Geoffrion and the Poatiae of Mike Thomas face off and„ after a long staging process, both dtrivers moved m.

Geoffrion was off first, winning with a 7.121/193.79, while Thomas recieved a red light start, tossing away a more than enough 7.095/195.31.

Kurt Johnson then overcame a slight holeshot by Ron Krisher to post a winning 7.09'1/195.67 to 7.160/194.51.

The last pair saw Bruce Allen post the quickest run erf the round at 7.087/194.93 to stop the Pontiac of Larry Morgan, who had problems and clicked it early.

The semis started with the Dodge of Geoffrion playing games during the staging process.

Gaines then proceeded to leave on the Mopar and just drive away from it, posting a 7.090/194.84 to 7.115/194.09 win.

The other pair saw a great race, with both drivers leaving together and staying that way for the entire quarter mile.

At the finish, though it was Kurt Johnson getting there first with a 7.044/195.82 victory o<ver the 7.078/195.01 of Allen.

The final round was a good one, with Gaines getting a slight advan tage at the start.

But, by 330 feet. Kart Johnson had made it up and was slipping ahead - and, at the finish, it was KJ and his AC Delco Po-ntiac taking his second straight Emdy win at 7.046/195.82 to Gaines’ respectable 7.069/194.88.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE, FEDERAL MOGUL I>R\GSTER and FUNNY CAR In a repeat final of the ’96 Nationals, John Myers took advantage of a Matt Hines red. light start, Hines, who also wais going for the $10,000 bonus for winping the Wax Shop Dash - as in ’96 — as well as the Nationals crown,, redlighted away a 7.439/174.75.

Myers took the win in 7.500 seconds at 175.71 mph, low e,t. going to Hines at 7.392, while top mph went to Myers at 183.631 In a record quick fiield for the alcohol dragsters with a bump of 5.660, Darrell Russell was able to notch a win.

In the final round, RusseR defeated the injected nitro A/Tuel car of Rich McPhillips, 5.625/248.89 to 6.085/195.95.

Russell had earlier defeated Frank Pedregon, Mike Austin and low qualifier Ken Zeal - Zeal’s 5.506 held up for low e.t., while Jay

35

r

WHAT YOU LOOKIN’AT?... Kenji Okazaki stormed home in the Big Bud Shootout to claim US$100,000.

This Bud’s for Kenji Kenji Okazaki outlasted a tough field of Funny Cars to claim tile $100,000 winner’s prize in the 16th Annual Budweiser Big Bud Shootout NHRA’s original race within a race - at Indianapolis Raceway Park on August 31.

The “Big” Jim Dunn-tuned Mooneyes Dodge Avenger saved the best for last when it recorded low e.t. of the eight-car eliminations at 4.972/308.32 to defeat final round foe Tony Pedregon and the always tough Castrol Ford Mustang.

This marked the third time that Okazaki has qualified for the event and made it his second final round appearance - he runner-upped to A1 Hofmann back in 1994.

Round one kicked off under sunny skies, with Chuck Etchells taking a rare jump on Okazaki at the green - but Etchell’s motor went away, allowing Okazaki to ^ Pa)me set top mph at 255.39.

The alcohol Funny Car class saw Frank Manzo and his Kendall GT-1 Dodge Avenger grab a win when he defeated the Pontiac of Jim Sickles, now tuned by former fuel crew chief Tom Anderson, In the final round. Manzo used a holeshot-aided 5.833/250.48 to defeat the quicker 5.810/243.63 of Sickles, Manzo had defeated the cars of Kim Fritts, Fran Monaghan and Bob Newberry before meeting with Sickles.

Low qualifier Tony Bartone held both low e.t. and top mph at 5.710/254.38.

drive by to take a 5.103/301.81 to 5.208/271.32 win.

Cruz Pedregon then left on Dean Skuza and appeared to have him covered, until the motor broke and Skuza drove past, taking a close 5.140/304.77 to 5.208/271.65 victoryThe next pair found Gary Densham and Tony Pedregon fac ing off.

At the green, Densham suffered an instant loss of traction, while Pedregon, who was there for the taking, could only run a 5.358/288.55 for the win.

The final pair brought out the new, one-race look. Driver of the Year John Force Mustang and Del Worsham.

Worsham left on Force, but that lead was gone at 330 feet, as Force was on his way to low e.t. of the round at 4.994/298.50 to trounce the 5.199/293.44 of Worsham.

In the semis, Skuza and Pedregon left together and stayed that way, at least until the blower belt exited the Mateo Dodge, allow ing the Castrol Mustang to take a 5.032/309.27 win.

The next pair saw the other Castrol Mustang lose traction just before the tree, while Okazaki was long gone, breaking the burst panel at 900 feet and coasting to a 5.689/182.92 to get into the final.

Before the final, Dunn had stated that they really hopped the thing up, as they had a guaranteed run ner-up, so go “kick butt and go for the throat.”

Okazaki took a big lead right at the start and just pulled away from there, running his first-ever four second run at 4.972 and posting his career-best speed at 308.32 - mean while, Pedregon trailed home at 5.143/279.85.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

Hines continues win hot streak

Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Matt Hines defeated Dave Schultz in the final round of the 7th annual Wax Shop Dash to claim $15,000 in prize money at Indianapolis on August 30.

Hines used a final round 7.412 to defeat Schultz, who redlighted

throwing away a close 7.418.

In preliminary rounds, Hines had defeated Ron Ayers and John Myers, Schultz earned a final round meeting with Hines by earlier defeating Steve Johnson and Angelle Seeling, - DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

1997 NHRA WINSTON DRAG RACING SERIES - POINTS AFTER RD. 16, INDIANAPOLIS, IN.

PEHHMIIT HERE

ARE

IMP

LIMITS

11997 Top Fuel Championship 1356 I. Gary Sceti, Team Winston 2. Coit-y McClenathan. McDonald's ....1203 3. Joe Amato, Keystone Warehouse ..1 169 4. Scott Kalitta, American Inu Airways . .973 5. Kenny Bernstein. Budweiser King ....860 6. Bob Vandergriff, Jerzees Activewear .829 7. Mike Dunn, Mopar Performance ... .783 8. Larry Dixon, Mille'' Lite/Snake Racing . .686 .659 9. She:lly Anderson, Parts America 10. Tony Schumacher. LaBac/Peek Bros ..646

1997 Funny Car Championship 1255 I. John Force, Castrol Racing 2. Whit Bazemore, Tearn Winston 1 122 .964 3. Chuck Etchells, Kendall/Mopar .957 4. Tony Pedregon, Castrol Racing 5. Cruz Pedregon, McDonald’s/Coke .. .871 .848 6. Randy Anderson, Parts America 754 7. Ron Capps, Copenhagen/Snake 8. Kenji Okazaki. Mooneyes/Prolong ...825 9. Dean Skuza, Mateo Tools/Mopar 702 10. = Dei Worsham & Tim Wilkerson .. .673

1997 Pro Stock Championship 1404 I. jim Yates. McDonald’s 2. Warren Johnson, Goodwrench 1260 1244 3. Kurt Johnson, ACDelco 4. Bruce Allen, Slick 50/Reher-Morrison 875 5. Steve Schmidt, Schmidt Automotive ..846 704 6. Tom Martino, MaMa Rosa Pizza .645 7. George Marnell, Marnell/Black 8. Scott Geoffrion. Mopar Performance .629 .599 9. Troy Coughlin, Jeg's Mail Order .587 10. Mike Edwards, Winnabago ....

3S 12September W97 Report by MARTIN D CLARK Jeff Gordon won the Winston Million with his third straight Southern 500 at Darlington on August 31 and became the first driver in the event’s 47 years to achieve three in a row.

Gordon, who had already won the Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600, needed to capture the Round 23 Darlington event to enable him to take home an extra $1 million.

Gordon’s day was anything but easy - the track flip-flopped and the start line on the other side of the track further hindered matters - as his car suffered from loose and tight handling conditions during most of the 367 laps on the tricky 1.366-mile egg-shaped track.

But his Hendrick Motorsports crew kept working in a style that has made them winners and, with lucky Breaks coming in the shape of late-race caution periods, the Chevrolet team was able to make the necessary adjustments for the million bucks.

With bright sun warming the track, Gordon’s car got looser after leading 44 tours - the team tight ened it back up, only for clouds to cover the track and he then fought a car that wouldn’t turn.

Gordon even hit the wall late in the going just to make the turn and, with a tyre now rubbing, a win looked doubtful - but a caution came out for a shower on lap 295 and that was the only break he needed to make several changes and pull the wrinkled panels away from the tyres.

The ‘Rainbow Warriors’ pitted five times during two cautions to make the winning adjustments.

“We had an unbelievable team and they never gave up today and, because they were so strong, I never gave up,” commented Gordon on Hendrick Motorsports 100th win.

Bill Elliott is the only other dri ver to have won the Winston Million, in 1985, earning him the nickname ‘Million Dollar Bill’ Gordon’s $1,131,330 race purse make him sixth on the all-time win nings list, with a total prizemoney of $13,995,336 to his credit.

Elliott led the most laps, 181, taking the lead from pole-sitter Bobby Labonte on the second lap and leading a stretch of 118 circuits midway in the race - but he, too, fell foul to the cloudy conditions and fell back to finish fourth.

Everyone was out to get Gordon.

Jarrett’s crew chief Todd Parrott was asked near completion if they had anything for Gordon.

“We’re gonna do anything we can to spoil his day,” he replied.

However, his crew' helped Gordon to the win when they told Jarrett not to pit during the rain caution.

Jarrett stayed on the track and then dived onto pit road almost too late and almost hit the inside wall, something his team-mate, Ernie Irvan, did earlier on.

Jarrett lost the lead with that move and entered pit road in third, behind Burton.

Gordon takes his third hig bucks Darlington

Earnhardt’s mysteiy illness baffles doctors and officials

CURIOUS... Healthwise, Dale Earnhardt remains something of an unknown quantity. (Martin D Clark pic) “If I’d have been out front, I think I could have held him [Gordon] off,” Jarett said.

Gordon’s win also enabled him to take back the series points lead by 25 from Mark Martin.

“We were off everywhere,” eighth-placed Martin remarked. “In the pits, on the handling; we just didn’t do veiy good at all.”

Jeff Burton, who had a strong car most of the race, had trouble in the 11th and final caution when glued wheel nuts fell off a wheel and dropped him back from third to sev enth on the final restart.

But, in the waning laps, he was able to pass second-placed Dale Jarrett, then hound Gordon for the top spot in one of NASCAR’s most prestigious events.

The pair traded paint several times during the final circuit.

“I saw him coming and I blocked

him,” said Gordon of Burton. “I’m sure he’s not happy, but man, a million dollars, what did you expect me to do?”

Burton commented: “Gordon was facing for a million dollars. I got under him, he cut me down. I’m gonna tell the truth - when he cut me down, I turned right on him, ’cause he turned left. I tried to knock the s—^t out of him when he hit me. I tried to put him in the wall and I missed him.”

Gordon held on to win by .144 seconds, shouting on his radio as he passed under the chequered flag, “we did it! Holy cow, show me the money!”

The first wreck occurred on lap one, when Earnhardt hit the wall in turn one and then two, in what looked like light contact with the concrete when he slowed to run at the rear of the pack.

‘The Intimidator’ tried to pit,^ but missed the entrance and drove round slowly for a second time.

When he did reach his pit, he was helped from his car and taken to a nearby hospital, where he was detained overnight.

It appears that Earnhardt was ill before the race and had fallen asleep twice before the field made the track He was unconscious when taken from the car and, when he regained consciousness, admitted that he had suffered a vision problem before crashing.

Earnhardt later underwent a comprehensive testing programme at the hospital which failed to pin point any problems, Don Hawk, President of Dale Earnhardt Inc, commenting that “we’ve got to wait and see what happens; more tests are coming.

“We were going to try and get him in the pits before the race ever started, but he didn’t hear us.”

“He don’t even remember start ing the race,” said team owner Richard Childress.

Mike Dillon, a Busch Grand National driver and Childress’ son in law, took over the reins, finish ing 30th in Earnhardt’s car after repairs by the Goodwrench crew.

All this cost Earnhardt fifth in the points standings, an eighth title now looking ftirther from his grasp.

Post-race.,NASCAR officials were concerned about Earnhardt’s mys terious profelem and wanted a prop er medical clearance before allow ing him to compete again - the allclear was finahy given later in the week for Earnhardt to participate in last weekend's Richmond outing.

Meanwhile, back at Darlington, Ted Musgrave, again running in the top five, was punted from behind by Lake Speed.

“We’re glad Lake Speed has a sponsor for next year, the Cartoon Network - the idiot needs one,” Musgrave later said. ‘Hell, what is he, three laps down and I’m on the lead lap and be takes me out.”

Michael Waltrip had a good run, going inside the top five, but glanced the waU and (bopped back to finish ninth - he hasn’t finished better than 22nd in his last seven races.

Hut Stricklin, who raced Gordon for the win last year, was again running strong, but was involved in a wreck with Kenny Wallace to knock him out of contention.

Todd Iodine, driving relief for David Green, blew a radiator hose to air the first caution on lap seven in turn one, collecting Robby Gordon,Kyle Petty and the luckless Rusty' Wallace.

Final results: 1 Gordon 121.149 mph (Chevy), 2 J Burton (Ford), 3 Jarrett (Ford), 4 Elliott (Ford), 5 Rudd (Ford I, 6 T Labonte (Chevy), 7 B Labonte (Pontiac), 8 Martin (Ford), 9 M Waltrip (Ford), 10 Schrader i Chevy).

Points standings: 1 J Gordon 3437, 2 Martin 3412, 3 Jarrett 3269,4 T Labonte 3180, 5 J Burton 3154, '6 Earnhardt 2938, 7 B Labonte 2911, 8 Elliott 2761, 9 Rudd 2689,10 Musgrave 2678.

T~W

Current Points After Round 24

Exide Select Batteries 400 - Richmond, VA. Sept 6th, 1997.

I. 2.

3.

4.

Dale Jarrett,#88 Quality Care Ford Thundebird Jeff Burton,#99 Exide Batteries Ford Thundebird Jeff Gordon,#24 DuPont Auto Refinishes Chev Geoff Bodine,#7 QVC Ford Thundebird

5.

6.

7.

Rusty Wallace,# 2 Miller Lite Ford Thundebird Joe Nemechek,#42 BellSouth Chev Monte Carlo Ward Burton,#22 MBNA America Pontiac Grand Prix

© 8. Kenny Irwin,#27 Tonka Ford Thundebird

9. Ted Musgrave,#l6 Family Channel Ford Thunderbird 10. Jeremy Mayfield,#37 Kmart/RC Cola Ford Thunderbird

¤

11. Jimmy Spencer,#23 Camel Ford Thundebird 12. Steve Grissom,#41 Kodiak Chev Monte Carlo

I. Jeff Gordon ...

2. Hark Martin ..

13. Johnny Benson,Jr., #30 Pennzoil Pontiac Grand Prix 14. Ken Schrader,#33 Skoal Bandit Chev Monte Carlo IS. Dale Earnhardt,#3 GM Goodwrench Chev Monte Cario

3. Dale Jarrett ...

4. Jeff Burton 5. Terry Labonte 6. Dale Earnhardt

16. Derrike Cope,#36 Skittles Ponliac Grand Prix 17. Terry Labonte,#5 Kellogg’s Chev Monte Carlo 18. Ricky Craven,#25 Budweiser Chev Monte Carlo 19. Dick Trickle,#90 Heilig-Meyers Ford Thundebird 20. Kyle Petty,#44 Mattel Hot Wheels Pontiac Grand Prix

r

]SCARi

WINSTON CUP RESULTS

Hi-^i

7.

8.

Bobby Labonte Bill. Eliott

9. Ted Musgrave .

10 Ricky Rudd ...

.3,602 .3,505 .3,449 .3,334 .3,292 .3,056 .2,972 .2,839 .2,816 .2,768

12Se0nber1997

/^Cp0®l78[^l70

J7

NASCAR and AUSCAR categories renamed The Marketing Group at Calder Park Raceway has decided to add some extra spice to the sponsorship packages that they are offering corporations and, as a result, the next super speedway season will see exist ing categories renamed and

competing under corporate banners.

The NASCAR class is now known as ACDelco Cup Cars and the AUS CAR category will be known as National Cars, with its new series sponsor to be announced in the next month.

Holden Quality Parts has re signed for the HQ Holden Quality Parts Cup, with an expected 33-35 competitors appearing at the open ing round on November 1.

Naming rights for the Sportsman and Legends championships are currently being negiotated.

*.

Race distances finalised

The race distances for the ACDelco Cup Cars (NASCAlR) and National Cars (AUSCAR) categories for the 1997/98 Australian Superspeedway Championships have been announced.

According to Steve Bettes, the Motor Racing Manager at Calder Park Raceway, the racing schedule has been designed to provide a vari ety of events for spectator enjoy ment, as well as providing a chal lenge for the competitors.

The majority of requests from the five categories have been taken into account during the planning of the the National Cars will have two 25see ACDelco Cup Cars competing in forthcoming racing format. lappers and a 50-lapper. a 40-lapper and a 60-lapper, while The season-opener Round 1 (November 1) at the Goodyear Round 5 (February 14) sees comtwo 40-lappers are set down for the National Cars.

Thunderdome will The schedule see the ACDelco results in a total of Cup Series competi 10 races for the tors scheduled for renamed ACDelco two races, a 40-lapper and a 60-lapper, Cup Series cover ing 625 laps, while while the V8-powered National Cars the popular Ford Holden versus will have two 40National Cars will lappers.

The second round NEW TECHNICAL DIRECTOR ... Highly respected motor' compete in 12 (December 6) at the rs^cing engineer John Sheppard has been appointed as the events totalling Thunderdome has super speedway Technical Director at the Goodyear 550 laps.

Thunderdome and Adelaide International Raceway.

The Sportsman two 40-lappers scheduled for the Sheppard, who was one of the founding members of V8 category will super speedway racing in Australia, will be responsible for contest 30 lap ACDelco Cup Cars, events at each of the sport’s rule book, vehicle inspections, category clarifi with a 40-lapper cations and aU relevant technical matters. the series rounds and a 60-lapper for the National Cars.

He will be based at Calder Park Raceway on a part-time and the compact four The third round basis and, late last week, had begun some initial work on cylinder the new season’s rule book.

(December 27), is Yamaha-powered Legends have been again at the Thunderdome and has a 120-lapper petitors return to the Thunderdome given either three 10-lappers, or for the ACDelco Cup Cars and a for a schedule which has the two 10 lap races, at each of the 110-lapper for the National Cars.

ACDelco Cup Cars down for a 150meetings.

Round 4 (January 17) at the lapper and the National Cars for A series of 20, 25 and 40-lap events have been scheduled for the Adelaide International Raceway two 40-lappers. sees the ACDelco Cup Cars running Round 6 (March 14), the final Holden Quality Parts Australian a 25-lapper and a 50-lapper, while round of the 1997/98 season, will HQ Holden series competitors.

John Sheppard Tech Director

F

By Martin D Clarl|,Uj^ Asof reported in previous issues Motorsport News, the fol lowing rumours have now materi alised; Melling Racing and driver Lake Speed have signed the Cartoon Network as their primary sponsor for the 1998 season the TV channel vacates Diamond Ridge Motorsports and driver Jeff Green.

Ernie irvan will drive the MB2 Motorsports Skittles Pontiac in place of Derrike Cope. It was announced on August 27 that Irvan will drive the Hendrick-pow ered car - Cope’s release was announced two days prior.

Also confirmed, Bobby Hamilton will be the new driver of the Morgan McClure Kodak-spon sored Chevrolet, replacing' Sterling Marlin, who, although unconfirmed, looks set to replace Robby Gordon at Team Sabco.

Hamilton’s first race in his new mount will be the Japan exhibition race in November. ‘

B

ill Ingle, who recently departed Diamond Ridge Motorsports, is with Stavola Brothers and dri ver Hut Stricklin for two races, replacing Richard Broome, who was fired in early August.

Stricklin has only finished bet ter than 22nd twice in his last 14 starts.

KmKMAHCf nOWJCTS

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ERNIE IRVAN will now drive the Skittles Pontiac. {Martin D dark pic)

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Gary Bradberry looks set to compete the remainder of the season with Triad Motorsports, having competed in the Michigan, Bristol and Darlington events after Bobby Hillin, who he replaced, failed to qualify for the previous four events.

Bradberry will stay with the team on a race to race basis, depending on his performance.

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odd Bodine subbed at Darlington for the injured David Green, who broke his shoulder and lost a tooth at Bristol the previous week - Todd fin ished 42nd.

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ike Skinner has signed a con tract with Richard Childress Racing through the 1998 season - Earnhardt's stable-mate is cur rently leading the points standings for Rookie of The Year honours. teve Park, Dale and Teresa 'Earnhardt’s Busch Grand National driver, announced he has signed a three-year contract on the Winston Cup circuit, start ing in 1998 for the Earnhardts.

The sponsor of the Chevrolets will be Pennzoil and not Burger King, who sponsored him for two Cup events this year - Pennzoil moves from Johnny Benson’s Bahari Pontiac, which will possi bly receive backing from the sister company, Dura-Lube.

John to stay by with the #23 Deere Pontiacis driven (Shad Little through at least 1998 - the team was recently taken over by Roush Racing, though it is not yet known if Pontiac will be the mar que of choice for next year.

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JARRETT RACKS UP ANOTHER ... Dale Jarrett (Jamie Squire/Allsport pic) claimed his fifth win of the year and the 13th of his career after taking theWinston Cup Series Round 24 flag at Richmond last weekend (September 6).

Final Results: 1 Jarrett (Ford), 2 J Burton (Ford), 3 J Gordon (Chevy), 4 G Bodine (Ford), 5 R Wallace (Ford), 6 Nemechek (Chevy), 7 W Burton (Pontiac), 8 Irwin (Ford), 9 Musgrave (Ford), 10 Mayfield (Ford).

Points standings: 1 J Gordon 3602, 2 Martin 3505, 3 Jarrett 3449, 4 J Burton 3334, 5 T Labonte 3292, 6 Earnhardt 3056, 7 B Labonte 2972, 8 Elliott 2839, 9 Musgrave 2816, 10 - MARTIN D CLARK Rudd 2768.

WALLACE AND ELLIOTT TEST TAURUS ... While Dale Earnhardt was undergoing health tests. Rusty Wallace and Bill Elliott were under going tests of a different kind, dri ving the new Taurus at Daytona on September 2.

The Penske-built car was released

to the public at Indianapolis and has now b.een painted in Miller colours.

Both Elliott and Wallace took turns at the wheel, Wallace’s best lap of 49.50 seconds - around 182 mph slower than Mike Skinner’s July pole-winning time of 47.424.

- MARTIN D CLARK

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While Barry Blake’s latest visit to Indonesia didn’t see him come home with the requisite signature on the NASCAR demonstra tion deal, it was still a rel atively successful visit for him with a ninth place finish in the Pro'ton 300 race.

Blake is still optimistic about the NASCAR tour, cit ing the only reason that the deal wasn’t concluded was that the person who has to sign the final agreement was out of the coimtry and didn’t return until after Blake had

left.

While Blake concedes that the time is running out to organise the demonstration, he thinks it can still be done as the only drivers invited to, take part are those teams which have spare cars that dan be shipped over without interfering with the start of the upcoming domestic ACDelco Cup Cars series at the Calder Park Thunderdome.

Terang AUSCAR driver Darren McDonald will race a new car this com ing season.

McDonald, 23 - who fin ished third in the super speedway title last year has bought a John Faulknerprepared VS Commodore that has been raced only once during the final round of last season’s championship by the Melbourne-based race-car builder.

The car is ready to go and only needs its engine that has been prepared by Ian Tate and McDonald’s other sponsor. Port City Engines.

Last year’s Commodore will now be used for demon strations and promotions.

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Clock ticking for Blake’s NASCAR Malaysia deal

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As for the Proton 300 result, the outcome for the Blake entry was actually much better than mere num bers suggest.

The 1.6 litre Proton that Blake was to drive was late in its completion, the team only putting the finishing touches to it on Saturday morning.

Blake then went out and qualified third out of 47 cars, behind two of the biggerengined 1.8 litre Protons, but ahead of the other ten 1.8s in the field.

The engine was then removed and put on the dyno overnight, but the cooling fans were not switched on and the engine ran hot.

It was reinstalled into the car for Sunday’s race, but was not quite right, so the decision was made to change the head - the head change was completed ten minutes before the race start, but the team had forgotten to top up the fuel tank.

Blake started the race and was running second before handing over to his co-driver, who, unfortunately, was about eight seconds a lap slower, an ability mismatch that could not be overcome.

When Blake got back into the car, which had lost some laps for the unscheduled fuel stop, it was in 14th place. He worked the car back to sixth before handing over again.

Next time he got into it, it was in 24th place and he brought it back to a ninth place finish in his first race in a front wheel drive car and the only other road race apart from Oran Park in the NASCAR. Blake also went within a whisker of setting the fastest lap and, based on the lap times of the lead drivers only, Blake would have won the race comfortably.

As a result, Blake has been asked back to do the complete series next year.

-BRETT SWANSON

Darren Mac gets JFR VS “We’re hopping that this new car will help us go close to winning this year’s cham pionship,” said Peter McDonald, Darren’s father.

“We have committed our selves to another season of AUSCAR and last year was our most successful so far.

“We do also hopefully plan to go into NASCAR in the

future and need to have another good year in AUS CAR first, I believe.

“Darren is in America at Watkins Glen at the moment, getting ideas and learning and we hope that some of his ideas will benefit us in our future plans.”

-GEOFF ROUNDS

CDelco Cup Cars to run mandatoiy OZ-built mufflers Melbourne-based John Faulkner Racing has developed a new stainless steel muffler in-house that wiU be mandatory on all the ACDelco Cup Cars this season.

The mufflers have been inspected by leading NASCAR preparers John Sidney and Les Small, with a set of the mufflers tested on a Chevrolet NASCAR powerplant on Sidney’s dyno.

Each of the mufflers will be numbered and allocated to the various ACDelco teams and a full replacement warranty scheme has been put in place by JFR. A pair of the units \vill be available for $560.

It is expected that stage one of the track repair work on the Goodyear Thunderdome will com mence within the next

fortnight, hich is good news for competitors and spectators.

The initial work will see the ‘washboard’ section on the rear straight leading into turn three removed, as well as the bump exiting turn foui-.

A new electronic spectator scoreboard will be installed in the centre of the tri-oval before the November meet ing kicks off the new season.

12September 1997

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Newcastle $10,000 payout for Street StcKks "StocksvHle" respect to Knoxville), the two-d^y event carries $10,000 in overall prize money and pays a whopping $1,000 to win the main event.

Slated for the long weekend in June, the event is expected to attract 150-200 cars from all over the country and may appeal to stars not normally seated in these cars - twice Aussie Sprintcar champ Ron Krikke looks set to have

a skid at Stocksville and was reported to have said: “I know those Street Stock guys will be taking it seriously, but I’m just really keen to have a go for the fun of it.

“I’ve got in-laws in Sydney, so I’ll come over from Bunbury, run the car and have a helluva good week end.”

Newcastle racing identities John Pyne and Adam Clarke are also showing interest in running cars for the weekend.

Based on a format for 150 cars entering - organisers at Wynns Newcastle Speedway are actually hoping for a lot more - no less than 45 heats will be contested, three per driver, with E, D, C and B

Mains qualifying the field for the $1,000 to win, 24-car, 40-laf finale.

Heat races will pay first through fourth, the preliminary mains wall all offer prize money and even dri vers not making the’cut for the E Main will be compensated.

The long weekend blowout is designed to give the grass roots division a real incentive to shine in its very own championship event.

Not only will the winner bag a grand in the hand, but his/her tro phy measures a sizeable five feet

for a race schedule embracing Parramatta, Newcastle and Archerfield - shot to the lead and stayed there, ending the four main winning streak of Hawk chassis pilot Jim Hettinger.

“The fans j,ust love her and 1 mean, who wbuldn’t?” said Jack Calabrase, NAMARS boss.

“She’s got blue eyes, long blonde hair, she’s cute as a button and she

can stand on the gas. I’m telling you, when she won the Galesburg main, I thought the stands were going to fall down.”

Sarah races a mix of NAMARS and USAC commitments, while at the same time juggling college stud ies in the field of commerce.

If you follow US Speedcqr and NASCAR racing, her family name should sound familiar - her cousin.

Jimmy McCune, is a stand on the gas USAC prospect and a hot shoe in the ARCA NASCAR competition.

McCune will arrive in Australia for Christmas, then race at Parramatta City Raceway on Monday, December 29, Archerfield Astradome on Thursday, January 1 and Wynn’s Newcastle Speedway on Srmday, January 4.

- WADEAUNGER

street Stock racing has received a massive shot in the arm with the announcement this week that a $10,000 twoday event will be held at Wynns Newcastle Speedway in June 1998.

Called “Stocksville” (with all due

McCune tour for Christmas 19 year-old college student Sarah McCune has created history in the North American Midget Auto Racing Series (NAMARS) by becoming the first female to win a featiu-e in the association’s lifetime.

McCune’s win at Michigan’s Galesburg Speedway put her within striking distance of points leader Mel Kenyon.

McCune - who will tour the eastern seaboard of Australia,during late December and early January

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tall.

The event is being promoted as “Stocksville - The Richest Street Stock In Australian History.”

-WADEAUNGER

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The Great Race

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12September 1997

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AUSSIE STATESIDE LATE-MODEL RACER ... Ex-rally driver MARK PLOWS (Steve Stewart pic) moved to the US last year to try his hand in Modifieds, before moving up this season and competing in the Snap-on Tools Late-Model Grandstock Series at Old Dominion Speedway in Virginia.

While top five performer Plows’ long-term goal is to race NASCAR, the Grandstock series has proven to be a useful training ground for the 28 year-old, opening doors to American corporate sponsors.

Plows, who races Gary Blakley’s ’91 Camaro Late-Model, enjoys valuable support from Power Point, an Australian computer software company and PPG Paints, both companies indicating ongoing support for 1998 Yellow Cabs will also come aboard for the next year. US company Positive Motorsports is now looking after Plows’ promotional and marketing interests.

A win at Old Dominion in the fourth round of this season’s Grandstock Series put Plows on the map and an impressive recovery from a racing incident to claim sixth on August 30 means Plows should more than comfort ably retain his front-running status for the remainder of the US season.

- TONY GLYNN

SRA resignations All is not well within the ranks Some of us disagree with what’s of the high-profile Sprintcar going on with the way people are Racing Association of Victoria, tackling things. There is some with half of the SRA Executive disharmony within the committee, If people think they can do a betresigning for various reasons.

First to go was Committeeman ter job, then let them have a go.

“I sincerely regret the fact that Matthew Reed, followed shortly the club has made a financial loss afterwards by long-serving secre last season, but that has nothing to tary Mandy Searle.

President Jon Evans went soon ' do with my decision.

“If I was still there. I’d be doing after his return from the USA, as did National Technical Officer everything to overcome this,” Evans continued.

Lance McMinn.

Searle’s reasons for leaving after Reed’s position has been filled in ten or so years are similar to those the interim by team-owner Jim Knight, but it seems more than of Evans.

‘There’s no personality clash and likely that a Special General Meeting will be called by the club, it’s not a dispute with any one per son, but rather the fact that I’m not at which all positions will be re elected. happy with the direction the sport “The resignations of people from is going,” Searle stated. “It’s a dif ferent direction to that which I the executive of the SRA is a reflec tion of people making a stance,” have for the future growth of the sport.” explained former President Evans.

All Speedway in the three League operating in Britain was cancelled on Saturday, September 6, the day of the funeral of Diana Princess of Wales.

All League meetings were re arranged, with the televised sec ond leg of the Cup Final between Eastbourne and Poole put back just 24 hours.

With Eastbourne winning the first stage at Poole, despite a fine performance with an 18 point return from Aussie Champion Craig Boyce for the home club, the second leg was a formality for Eastbourne, who won the Cup for the sec ond time in fom" years!

'The World Under-21 Champion Jesper Jensen from Denmark has been nominated by the FIM as the wild card rider in the Danish roimd of the World Championship Grand Prix at Vojens.

...LATE NEWS

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Jensen joins fellow Danes Hans Nielsen and Brian Andersen in the 16-man field, although Andersen is still troubled by a shoulder injury suffered while racing in the Swedish League on August 26.

Andersen rode in Poland with the shoulder strapped and plated and was way below his best.

His hopes of challenging for the title went by the board when he could only finish 13th in Wroclaw.

After the furore caused by the canceUation of the Second Test Match between England and Australia at Eastbourne, a peace formula has been found and the remaining meeting will go ahead at Swandon on September 14.

Top England riders Gary Havelock, Mark Loram and Joe Screen had refused to ride at E^tbourne when England manag er John Louis left out his own son, Chris Louis, so that he could race

The club’s poor financial perfor mance over the last season - which has led'^o some fundamental changes focusing on consultative issues and accountability within the club - was, ironically, the direct result of the success of the SRA/Hoosier series.

The success of the series was a double-edged sword, with more cars contesting the popular series and with the Victorian body being possi bly the only club in Australia to pay the SCCA’s recommended tow money rate of 50 cents per kilome tre - the tow money paid out over the series exceeded the prize money and tow money paid by the tracks for each round of the series.

This resulted in a loss to the club over the season and has led to some rethinking of strategies within the SRA. - BRE'TT SWANSON for his club the same night. The trio have agreed to race at Swindon, providing the whole England management set-up is reviewed in the close season.

It is believed Louis proposes to step down from his post, anyway.

The all-conquering Americans are set to race a Test Match against Poland in Wroclaw next month.

A deal was thrashed out by James Easter, the former Aussie boss now managing the Americans in Europe, when he attended the Polish Grand Prix.

USA will include Grand Prix top two Greg Hancock and Billy Hamill, Sam Ermolenko and Chris Manchester among their six-man squad.

Poland will include all four rid ers who took part in their home Grand Prix, headed by the contro versial but highly talented Tomasz Gollob, who is believed to be his country’s highest paid sportsman.

-TONY MILLARD

Logue wins Ian Campbell Super award

Followers of Super Sedan rac ing again were again treated to a great night of entertainment, although this time it was not at the race track - instead, dri vers, crews and supporters were invited to the North Melbourne Football Club Rooms for the Victorian Super Sedan Association Inc Presentation Night.

Doug Carson hosted the festivi ties and started the night rolling by making presentations to those com panies who have supported the V.S.S.A. Inc. during the 1996/97 season - these included the V.S.S.A. Inc. sponsors Stihl, Dark Zone, Victorian Speedway Round Up Magazine and Scotcher Petroleum.

The V.S.S.A. Inc, this year, incor porated an eight round series with in their Blue Ribbon calendar, the Stihl Super Sedan Southern Nationals.

Points were awarded on both heats and finals, with bonus points being eamt throughout the season.

There were sixteen placings in the series with trophies awarded to each pointscorer, the final placings being: 2707 1 Peter Logue 2295 2 Michael Clark 2046 Geoff'Trewin 3 2041 4 John Rodda 2037 Gavin McKenzie 5 1952 6 Tracey Duncan 1814 Mick Nicola 7 1674 8 (Jeorge Courtot 1590 9 Tony Grinstead 1573 10 Wayne Belk 1512 Les Faulkhead 11 1303 Lionel West 12 1131 13 Philip Pauli 902 14 Gary Biyans 373 Peter Nicola 15 150 Ken Pierce 16 The prestigious Dark Zone/Repco Ambassador Award, designed for the driver who has best represented the Association throughout Victoria and interstate, was won by Peter Logue.

Peter won every round of the Stihl Series and numerous other feature events, as well as taking the flag in the Victorian State 'Title.

Peter went on to cement this award, however, by taking victory

at the National Super Sedan Tide at Darwin in June.

The McKenzie Plant Hire/XJltra Steel Acknowledgement Award was won by Wayne Belk for his reliabili ty and support toward the Association, with the Cheap Tyres Morwell/Traralgon Car City Rookie of the Year going to Peter Nicola.

The Stonehouse Racing/Boronia Quality Used Cars Best Presented Car and Crew went to Gavin McKenzie.

This award was not only decided on by the appearance of the car, but also by the professionalism under which the team operated and the promotional work they undertook.

The U-Pick Wreckers/A.K.Z. Engineering Most Improved Driver went to Geoff Trewin, who finished off the season with a fifth place in Swan Hill after blowing his motor the night before when racing at Mildura.

The new Club Person of the Year Award, which was sponsored

by Traralgon Printers and Fun City Go Karting, was won by Sharon Kerr-Chapman, who successfully managed the V.S.S.A Inc. during the 1996/97 racing year.

The final award on the night was the presentation of the perpetual Ian Campbell Dedication to the Sport Award - the award that is truly the pinnacle of Super Sedan racing in Victoria.

Named in honour of the dynamic motorsport personality, Ian Campbell, who died in November 1995, the winner of this award is determined by those he, or she, is in competition against.

This is the highest honoui- that a driver can receive - that is, a com petitor being acknowledged by one of his peers.

This year, the award was won by Peter Logue.

Many other presentations were awarded during the night and, although it may have been Peter Logue who was cleaning up the tro phies - taking three awards on the night - it was the old rocker from Kyneton, Bruce Tait, who cleaned up the dance floor and took out the Travolta Floor Prize with some hard and fast foot moves!

- SUE HOBSON

New president for Premier Graeme Hose will again take on the role of President at Premier Speedway,Warmambool.

Hose, who was a former president, takes over finm Bill Hicks.

Assisting Hose for the 1997/98 sea son will be vice-president Gerard Fotheringham, secretary/assistant treasurer Phyllis McLeish and re elected treasurer/assistant secretary Ross Harper.

The committee will consist of Coral Clarke, Jim Lewis, Rob Nicol, Peter McKenna and Peter Sheppard.

Jamie Nicolson will continue as the club’s racing director.

The introduction of a Junior divi sion of racing is a new venture the club hopes will be successful.

"The class is open to all 10-16 yearold girls and boys and will be limited to cars with a 1600cc maximum engine capacity.

A meeting held in Warmambool to gauge interest in the Juniors class already established in other states met with a favourable response.

-GEOFFROUNDS

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alifornian Greg Hancock looks set to succeed his compatriot and fellow Team Exide rider Billy Hamill as World Champion this year.

After winning in Wroclaw, Hancock needs just a second place in the B Final in Vojens in the final meeting to be sure of the crown.

If Billy Hamill wins in Vojens, that will be Hancock’s aim; but, if Hamill does not win, a C final vic tory would be enough to give Hancock the title.

The only other rider with a very outside chance is the Pole, Tomasz Gollob, but he is 24 points behind.

He would need to win in Denmark, with Hancock absent and Hamill making only the C Final - a very unlikely scenario, given the startling form of the two Americans.

“I have one hand on the world title and I don’t intend to let it go,” Hancock said after his triumph.

“I will be going all out to win at Vojens, but I have already won two GPs this year and I am very confident.”

Hamill has not given up hope.

“We are a team, but when it comes to racing for the title it is every man for himself,” he said.

“I can still win it, but Greg would have to have a really poor night in Vojens and I don’t think that will happen.”

Leigh Adams from Mildura, the only Australian in the GP series this year, had another disappoint ing night.

He managed just three points from his qualifying races and was totally unsuited to the big and, at times, rather wet track.

However, he came second in the D Final behind Brian Andersen, but ahead of Henrik Gustafsson and wild card rider from Poland, Rafal Dobruckl.

It means Adams lies 11th in the

By Tony M i11ar They take the place of Simon Wigg and Henrik Gustafsson, with Britain’s Wigg now certain to miss even the GP Challenge, so he has probably ridden his last Grand Prix.

ELITE LEAGUE WINNERS PETERBOROUGH... Happy victors ofthe Four Team Championships last month at Peterborough. Back: Sullivan, Crump and Rene Madsen. Front: Jirout and Tesar.^ike Patrick pic) standings and faces a certain bat Smith andstarting Mikaelline-up Karlsson will be in the in tle in the GP Challenge in Austria Andy next month if he is to join Ryan the final meeting at Vojens and Sullivan and Jason Crump to that will ensure each a place in the make it three Aussies in next sea- Challenge and a chance of cornson’s series. peting next year.

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ational Sprintcar Champion Garry Brazier took out the Amain at Iowa’s Knoxville Raceway this past fortnight, while Sydney’s c Peter Murphy has expanded his b race commitments and his current- a iMi ly competing with the World of Outlaws.

The win by Brazier at Knoxville

By Dennis New comes after his thirteenth place finish in the Knoxville Nationals and a concentrated effort over the junior filled the runner-up spot to past several months on the World l Brazier, while another Aussie, of Outlaws Championship trail.

Jaymie Moyle, took third placing in the 25-lap feature race, s the battle for the World of Brazier started the night as Outlaws National Driving eleventh fastest in time trials when Championship enters the last por- he cut out a 16.369-second lap. tion of the season, former title Skip Jackson was sixth-fastest holder Sammy Swindell has taken when he timed in at 16.254-seca stronger grip on the crown and, onds, while Moyle was eighthby the end of August, led the title quickest with a 16.307-second contenders by a comfortable 106 journey of the Marion County points.

Fairground.

Fastest man in the time trials was veteran Doug Wolfgang, who The win by Garry Knoxville pettedBrazier him at a stopped the clocks at 16.123 sec US$3000 pay cheque as he onds. became the eleventh different dri In the early stages of the 25-lap ver of the season to ciaim A-main A-main, Droud junior was the event honours. pace-setter after starting from the The consistent Don Droud pole position.

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Droud held a 30 metre advan tage before Brazier commenced his run for honours.

By lap seven, Brazier had caught Droud - however. Brazier’s initial chances of taking a run at the leader were blocked by lapped traffic.

Three laps later, Brazier seized the opportunity.

This time, he was right on Droud’s tail and, two laps later, executed an inside pass coming out of turn two when Droud was caught behind a lapped car.

By the time the two front run ners hit the back straight, Brazier had bolted into the lead.

From that point, Garry was never challenged as he raced to his first career A-main event win at the famous Knoxville Raceway.

Droud was a safe second at the chequered flag from Jaymie Moyle, while Brent Antill was fourth and Steve Beitler fifth.

The top ten was rounded out by Dennis Moore junior, Doug Wolfgang, Matt Morom, Marion Jones and Rich Bubak.

It was, however, a tough night for 1997 Knoxville Raceway Track

When the meeting finally got underway, there were thrills aplenty and much for the 25,000 predominantly Polish crowd to cheer.

Their riders, Gollob, Orabik and Protasiewicz, won seven races between them, while the American challenge was always there, Hancock and Hamill also winning seven of the qualifiers.

But, after a very long parade lasting some 40 minutes, the rid ers decided to meet behind closed doors and it was not for another two hours that things finally started.

They were unhappy with the wet track and the absence of a wide blade to clear the top surface meant at one time there were 23 vehicles circling the track to tyre pack the surface, which had been absolutely drenched by 24 hours of continuous and some times heavy rain.

Eventually, racing started after Hans Nielsen, Chris Louis, Billy Hamill, and Tomas Gollob tested the track aboard their bikes.

When Gollob started to perform wheelies to entertain the crowd, there was no doubt then that things would get started.

The early racing was somewhat processional, but once the racihg had moved the slimy top surface there was some spectacular stuff.

Champion Skip Jackson, who was forced out of the maih event with engine problems while placed fourth and was ultimately credited with 17th finishing position.

Sydney’s Peter Murphy, after ini tially basing himself at Knoxville earlier in the season, has picked up a drive on the World of Outlaws trail.

Driving the #0 Williams car, Murphy has campaigned exten sively with the Outlaws in the past weeks.

His most recent outing was at the well-known Calistoga Speedway in California and the running of the fifth-annual Harvest Classic. The two night show was dominated by Sammy Swindell, who won both features to consoli date his position at the top of the World of Outlaws ieaderboard.

Thirty-four cars ran against the clock on the first night and Murphy was 26th fastest with a time of 17.607-seconds.

An eighth placing in the second heat meant he was forced to enter the main event via the B-main however, with the first four piac-

even if they did race well into !

Sunday before it was all over!

As far as Poland is concerned, GP racing is here to stay.

A big crowd, spectacular speedway and massive sponsor ship all contributed to a fine show.

Other venues could well note the superb lighting, considerable arena advertising and much that a big sporting event should possess,

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here could be 24 riders in each Grand Prix next year atid, if Race Director Ole Olsen has his way, there will be up to nine Grand Prix the following season.

Olsen wants to take his show to Australia in January, South Africa in February and California in March and TV company Nordisk Film (which has a four year con tract for the event) would also like to stage a Grand Prix in Malaysia.

But Olsen says the format will have to change for the spectators to understand what is happening.

He plans eight seeded riders for each GP - they would be the top eight from the previous year for the first meetings and then the top eight from each successive GP. The next 16 riders would com pete over eight heats on a knock out basis, such that eight would be eliminated to allow the top eight to meet the qualifiers over another ten heats.

The same knock-out format would then leve eight to race in two semi-finals.

Olsen would like to see the first three in each semi-final then meet in a six-man, six-lap Final to the title.

All his proposals will go before the Autumn Congress of the FIM and there is growing support for a change.

Already it is confirmed that a smaller carburettor and dirt deflec tors will be used and these will help to make racing more competi tive. ings from the B-main transferring to the main event, Pete missed his chance by one position when he came home fifth in the B. He made amends the following night at Calistoga when he suc cessfully qualified through to the 30-lap A-main, after he filled a fourth placing in the fourth heat.

Lining up against the top names on the World of Outlaws trail, Murphy acquitted himself well and came home in position 12 in the A Feature, won by Sammy Swindell from Stevie Smith, Steve Kinser and Mark Kinser.

Murphy picked up a neat US$1200 for his efforts.

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he man of the moment on the World of Outlaws National Championship trail has been Sammy Swindell, who is doing his best to turn the race for 1997 WoO title honours into a chase.

Recent wins at Calistoga, Southern Oregon Speedway, Riverside Speedway in Cottage Grove, OR and Grays Harbour Raceway Park in Elma, WA. have ; given Sammy an almost vice-like| grip on the championship.

1997 WORLD OF OUTLAWS/SKOAl(XJTLAW SERIES POINT STANDINGS TO SEPTEMBER 7TH, 1997

I. Sammy Swindell 2. Dave Blaney 3. Steve Kinser 4. Jac Haudenschild 5. Andy Hillenburg ^^ RACING TIRE 1 6.

Greg Hodnett 7. Stevie Smith For more information on Hoosier Drag 8. Johnny Herrera and Speedway Tyres call 02 9679 1990 9. Joe Gaerte 10. Jeff Swindell or 03 9331 6477 Fax 03 9331 7444

8,693 8,598 8,594 8,453 8,266 8,143 8,086 7,866 7,731 7,609

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

7,398 7,301 7,297 6,024 4,937 3,825 2,908 2,886 2,461 2,396

SAN JOSE SPEEDWAY- SEPTEMBER 6TH A-FEATURE (30 LAPS) I. Mark Kinser II. Craig Dollansky 12. Jeff Swindell 2. Sammy Swindell 3. Steve Kinser 13. Johnny Herrera 14. Paul McMahan 4. Dave Blaney IS. Joe Gaerte 5. Randy Tiner 6. Stevie Smith 16. Peter Murphy 17. Jason Lund 7. Greg Hodnett 18. Dion Hindi 8. Andy Hillenburg 19. Jason Meyers 9. Danny Lasoski 20. Ronnie Day 10. Brent Kaeding

I :i

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42

12September 199/

Mcuor support on HM Racing agenda

Murphy’s ride of a lifetime deal The quiet man of Australian Sprintcar racing, Peter Murphy,has been having a very interesting season of racing in America.

Murphy initially went over to run one of Steve Kinser’s cars, but .after just four shows, he damaged the motor and was forced to park it.

In between, Murphy picked up a ride with another team and did a couple of shows.

For the month of May, Murphy spent most of his time at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a crew man on Kinser’s IRL ride.

Murphy was a bit daunted about having to go over the wall, but on race day a professional crew was hired to do thatjob.

Murphy met many influential people during his time at Indy and was asked to continue on with the team after Indy - Murphy declined, preferring to continue with Kinser and pursue his own Sprintcar rac ing career.

Come the Knoxville Nationals and Mm-phy had a less than satis factory run; but he did, however, attract the attention of California

car owner Maurie Williams Williams was so impressed with Murphy’s efforts with less than per fect equipment that he offered him the ride in his car, a ride which Knoxville regular Dennis Moore Jnr was after.

Murphy took up the offer at the next meeting and the team was so impressed they decided to compete in the remainder of the World of Outlaws Series (they are not regu lar Outlaw competitors) and have asked Murphy to do the"complete championship next year.

Murphy now has the best ride of his much under-rated career, with three Maxim chassis, two engines, a semi-trailer and two full-time paid crew men.

As Kinser said, “Pete, you’ve never had so much car to work with before.”

In terms of his return to Australia, engine wiz and mentor Ian McKee is busy setting up a ride for Murphy, who looks like he won’t be returning home,subject to secur ing a visa extension, until November.

- BRETT SWANSON

HM Racing - one of the most professional two-Sprintcar teams in Australian Speedway is busily putting sponsorship deals together for next summer, in a bid to storm the local and interstate scene.

Already one of the best-equipped outfits in the league, Haynes Milling Racing is a two man opera tion based in metropolitan Perth, but funded from Kalgoorlie.

Though they invested heavily in race equipment, spares and a not insubstantial transporter, the tal ented duo amazingly failed to regis ter a top three finish in any main event they contested last year.

“I don’t think we could put our finger on any one thing we did wrong; it was just a lot of times we were dead unlucky,” team partner and driver Scott Milling said.

“Wrong place, right time - stuff like that.”

Alan Haynes’ third placing in the

Bunbury City and Regional (known as “boom town” for some), Raceway pointscore, a result of his but would like to add more substan consistency on the hooky clay, was tial sponsorship support to this a highlight, though. year’s racing.

The team has a balanced blend of Jet Sprinting World Series hotaggi’ession and calculation, Haynes shoe Jeremy O’Driscoll’s company certainly providing the intestinal Oztrac Hydraulics has lent the fortitude, while Milling is the more team a much-needed hand in past seasons, but, save for some devoted patient of the two.

Binding the whole operation local support, a major backer has together is enigmatic former never been forthcoming.

Currently, the team is talking Kendrick crew chief Buzzy Buswell, who builds and maintains the J&J with at least two major corpora and Maxim cars out of the team’s tions, in the hope that they may come for the ride.

Malaga workshop.

That ride includes all the local Buswell spent most of the 1996 American racing summer working West Aussie commitments, plus with good friend Randy Hannagan numerous rounds of the Worjd during the World of Outlaws sched- Series competition and the obligato ule. ry stops at the Warrnambool When Hannagan and the Mopar Classic and the Kings Challenge in Mt Gambier - and the Australian team split, Buswell stayed on and gained more valuable experience Championships being contested at and wrench time.

Bunbury in WA this year are obvi Both Haynes and Milling have ously high on the agenda -WADEAUNGER thriving businesses in Kalgoorlie

Three of South Australia’s speedway groups are refusing to join the sport’s new govern ing body, which was formed in Adelaide during August.

The Speedway Control Council of SA has been set up to take over the role of the Speedway Drivers Association in administering the state’s oval track activities and issuing licences.

A steering committee headed by FAS spokesman Peter Dodd has now stepped aside to allow the inaugural Control Council to for mally proceed with its task of over seeing speedway operations throughout South Australia.

However, Speedcar and Sprintcar drivers, along with the State’s main metropolitan track. Speedway City, have expressed initial disinterest at

Clubs refuse to align with Control Council in SA

Australian Sidecar Stan Hough and champions passenger Robert Armstrong from Victoria are going to England later this year to compete in a number of major grass track meetings.

The duo, who run under the Robert Griffiths racing team ban ner, will compete in a number of events during their foray.

They will stay with ex-racer Terry Skinner and will be using Roger Measor’s work shop facili ties.

They have already been accepted for the Tonbridge Club’s Bonfire Burn-up and the Ace of Aces meetings (both classic grass track events) and there is every chance of a couple of speedway meetings at Swindon and Coventry.

The air tickets have been pur chased and the bike is already in transit.

The team leaves Melbourne on October 8 and returns a month later.

Four-times British Masters Sidecar champion Roger Measor is expected to announce his retirement from the sport after being seriously injured in a crash at Zweibrucken, Germany.

Measor, who has ridden in Australia in the past, suffered a serious shoulder injury when the bike hit a hole on a wet and heavy track and flipped.

coming on board with the Control Council. '● i “I can see no obvious benefits for our race track in belonging to this new Control Council,” said Speedway City promoter Wendy Turner.

Similar sentiments are being expressed by Sprintcar Action, the group which looks after the inter¬

ests of SA’s Sprintcar drivers, along with the SA Speedcar Association which similarly represents local Speedcar drivers.

These two open wheel groups declared themselves autonomous from the .^peedway Drivers Association in recent months and were given the rights to handle their own car registration and

licence requirements - in the eyes rep), along with key personnel of of these clubs, aligning themselves Leanne Wilson, Charlie Kovacs, with the new Control Council Chris Craven, Moss Buchanan and would effectively mean duplicating Ivan Golding.

The executive will be appointing responsibilities.

The Control Council’s President an administrative (non-voting) sec is Mt Gambier Sprintcar identity retary and has already moved into Bill Barrows, who heads an execu .the SDA’s office, taking over SDA phone and fax numbers. tive comprising Pain Bissett (trea - DAVID McNABB surer) and Jeff Alexander (SDA two-year layoff. He will have bike owner Mick Nixon in the chair as passenger and they will use a 1993 GSXR Suzuki powerplant.

F

ormer Australian Individual and Pairs champion Mark Drew and passenger Tina Karan from Western Australia are making a comeback after a few years away from the sport - also with an Eliminator frame.

Clarke himself will use the frame to compete in about six meetings with Duane Brittgin as passenger - they will have a 1995 GSX-R Suzuki powerplant. yj

K DUAL AUSTRALIAN SIDECAR CHAMPIONS ... Andrew Cleave and David Power. (Mark Neale pic)

By Mark Neale Measor broke the ball Joint on the top of his arm, while passen ger Shane Lapham broke an ankle (which needed to be plated) and a collarbone.

The duo had been flying throughout the meeting, having already won three races as well as setting the fastest time in practice.

In a separate accident in the same race, Ivor Matthews’ pas senger lain Weatherley missed his hand grip and put his hand on the ground, suffering a compound fracture. He is expected to under go surgery in a German hospital.

Former South Australian Sidecar champion and dual Australian finalist Paul Clarke from Murray Bridge has been busy over the

long cold winter building five new Eliminator frames.

One is for dual National cham pion and 1997 Grand Slam winner Andrew Cleave from Shepparton in Victoria, who will put a 1996 GSX-R watercooled Suzuki into it.

This is Cleave’s second Eliminator frame, his first being fit ted with a Yamaha FZR. Another is for Murray Bridge hard-charger Mick Headland, who will use 1991 Suzuki GSXR power - his wife, Angie, will bo in the chair. A third is for Ajay Webb, who is returning to racing after a

Reigning Australian champion South and national Pairs title-holder Col Winzar/Craig Fordham from Shepparton in Victoria have sold their Yamahapowered Milch outfit to Mildura's Jason Bradshaw.

They will ride a Honda-powered Eliminator frame outfit this season. 'ormer Australia number two and dual Western Australian champion Ed Blakeney has pur chased a new Treloar frame, which will be fitted with a Yamaha engine.

N

ew South Wales young gun Mark Griffiths is another rider to purchase a Treloar frame, which will be powered by a Suzuki RF 900 engine.

43 Newcastle Exciting Speedcar prospect Adam Clarke wants to be a ‘jet’ this year, as this Tony Loxley shot attests.

Taken at RAAF Base Williamtown, Clarke propped his Ellis chassis against the awesome lines of an FA-18 Hornet for some promotional shots recently that will be used to promote the Air Force and the Wynns Newcastle Speedway.

With Speedcars scheduled for every second show at the Wynns Newcastle Speedway this summer, the “Hunter Valley Hurricane” knows the ball is well and truly in his court for some local victories.

“We’ve really worked hard on weight this year,” Clarke said. “Every possible reduc tion has been made to ensure we’ve got one of the lightest cars on the track.

“It’s amazing where you can drop off a pound or two here, or there, when you’re really looking for an advan tage.”

Weight isn’t the only issue though, as horsepower is a major consideration.

With competition like Aussie champ Craig Brady’s new Esslinger, Troy Jenkins’ new Fontana, Rod Bowen’s ultra-competitive motor pro gram and some super-fast gear that will regularly appear at Newcastle, Adam knows he’s gotta have the mumbo to win on the gumbo.

This year, Clarke’s pack age will be powered by Steve Smith’s expertise.

The Steve Smith Racer Pro touch on the Gaerte should manufacture the necessary straightline speed and torque that Adam needs against a very competitive line-up.

Though he’s lost the Valvoline sponsorship.

TV

HURRICANE MEETS HORNET... Grunt and thrust are a way of life for Speedcar hot shoe Adam “Hunter Valley Hurricane" Clarke.(Tony Loxley pic)

Clarke wants to be a[et Steven Graham is another young prospect that will give Clarke plenty of curry on his home turf.

Also battling sponsor woes is star competitor Robbie Farr - unfortunately, a lucrative deal put to Orix recently didn’t quite come

off, so the Bob Woods-funded operation may have to look at running more economical ly this year.

It’s Clarke, though, who knows he has the most to gain from the heightened promotion of Speedcar fhcing in Newcastle.

Bumper season for Queensland Super Sedans Queensland’s burgeoning Super Sedan ranks are set for a bumper season in 1997/98, with over 35 shows planned for the tin top brigade between September and June.

Headlining the season schedule will be the 25 round Super Series, with seven cir cuits taking part in the trail this season.

Archerfield, where the series kicks off on October, Yandina, Rockhampton, Toowoomba, Bundaberg and Gympie have booked multi ple appearances, while Maryborough replaces Lismore and joins the trail for the first time.

The remaining dates are still being finalised and will be revealed in these pages as soon as they are available.

Other meetings scheduled

for the Super Sedans include the Skinner Engineering Series at Gympie’s Mothar Mountain circuit over 10 rounds and two confirmed test matches against John Soares’ American quartet at Gympie (December 13) and Archerfield (December 26). team Ipswich-based owner Ian Boettcher has successfully appealed his 12 month ban from com petition and will rejoin the fray at the start of the coming season.

Suspended in somewhat dubious circumstances late last season, Boettcher is planning to approach the ASCF to seek clarification on a series of technical matters in an effort to avoid a similar mix-up in future.

Team driver Wayne Randall has also had his ban

lifted and will be back behind the wheel of the team’s fire-breathing Mazda RX7.

Dalby-based Peter Trezise will also be back in action this summer, having taken delivery of the Camaro cam paigned by Allan Butcher last season.

Speaking of Butcher, no word yet as to whether the former Australian champion will be returning to competi tion during the coming sea son at the completion of his 12 month enforced holiday.

A newcomer to the division this year will be Mark Bell, who has made the step up into the Super Sedan ranks after several years competing in Aixherfield’s Bomber divisions in an ageing, but quick, Chevy Monza.

-CHRIS METCALF

“I’m really excited about it,” he enthused. “I get to be the local hero in the promo tions they [the promoters] run there and I’m keen to back it up with my track results.”

Adam’s dad Roger has just returned with some more

trick bits for Adam’s striking green machine and the yoimg charger knows there’s very little holding him back.

The team will run all the Parramatta City Raceway and Newcastle commitments, as well as the $100,000 Speedcar Super Series and

the Australian title at Geelong.

With the Steve Smith Gaerte firepower locked and loaded and all the additional weight shaved off the Ellis, Adam Clarke could easily ‘jet’ into the winner’s circle.

-WADEAUNGER

Newcastle and Sprintcars agree The New South Wales Sprintcar Club and the new promotional team at Newcastle International Motordrome have recent ly settled terms for the upcoming season.

“The NSW Sprintcar Club has considered the financial restraints of the Newcastle area with the closure of the BHP plant and have agreed to take a pay cut for this sea-

hit

sons races at Newcastle,” explained cliib President Bill Roberts.

The club will be entering the new season with a unique situation where the promoters will pay $9,500 per night and the club will self-fund an additional $1,000.

The club was forced to seek out and secure their own sponsor for the addition¬

al Newcastle prize money and were most gracious and appreciative that Sydney Caterpillar Distributor Gough & Gilmore will take up that role, making a total prize pool of$10,500.

“The intention of the club is to help the new promotion get a foot in the door and have a successful season,” Roberts concluded.

-BRETT SWANSON

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44 12September 1997 Report by DIRK KLYNSMITH With scintillating skill and deft passing, Ben Savage came firom behind to win the feature race at the Epson City of Adelaide Titles and claim the $2000 winner’s prize for the Pro Clubman Tolmer Earth Moving final.

It was, of course, rightfully his, as he dominated the class all weekend and was challenged seriously only by Matthew Wall.

Michael Lovegrove made some noises, particularly when he set fastest lap in the second race of heat one and then when he launched sky wards in the third heat.

But, with only the final counting toward the prize money, Savage really showed that no else was in the hunt.

Pro Clubman Savage started on the front row with Wall - who deserved to be second if you take his overall weekend into account - and the pair got away well.

Bolivar utilises a hairpinesque corner at the end of the start finish straight, which delves immediately into esses - this has always been cause for concern, with karts having to brake hard, turn, accelerate and turn again.

As if on cue. Savage and Wall came together, Savage leaving the circuit in the ver tical plane and then getting all crossed up - it was little wonder that the pursuing pack crashed!

That Savage kept going was as much luck as it was skill, but for the eight drivers behind it was hell.

Wall nearly made it through, but a flying (literal ly) Stuart Morrison landed on his kart and he was out.

Gone also were Adam Klunyk, George Kyritsis, Tyson Pearce, Geoffry Bertram, Stewart Campbell and Will Pristel - it was a most Sony sight!

First round on the next tour were Adrian Rossetto and Darren Edwards (of Formula Holden fame) and then Savage, who was being hustled by Reif Corbett.

KARTING ner was Jake Wigley, with Cam Farr second and Blake Mooney third.

The Clubman Light was an aggregate score over the five races, as were all the classes except for Pro Clubman and, to add spice to the racing, there was a pair of New Zealand visitors.

The most successful of the Kiwis was Dale Lambert, who managed eighth, third, dnf, fourth and an excellent second to Peter Glastonbury in the final - unfortunately, Lambert’s efforts did not see him make it into the major placings at the end of the day.

Will Pristel took the major honour, with Glastonbury second and Joel King third.

Adam Klunyk and Darryl Tolmer rounded out the top five.

Matthew Wall did not leave Bolivar empty-handed following his demise in Pro LIBERACED ... Pro Clubman drama as #11 Morrison is launched into #15 Wall and #67 Pristel. (Dirk Klynsmith pics) Clubman, as he was the Formula 100 major winner in the Senior the second row, behind The final standings for the The 22-lap distance also While the Pro Clubman Kilsby and Mike Cain - it top four were Kilsby first, National Light, beating played into Savage’s hands and he was to use this to stole the limelight, the only took two tours for Cain then Denton, Cain and Craig home Roger Goss, Stewart Campbell and Jeff Boyd.

Manning. to be relegated to third, great effect to chase down Formula 100 class provided The final saw Wall lead Dino Morona and Stuart its own show, albeit without the duelling pair up front. throughout, with Boyd, Supports Edwards led briefly, but in the theatrics of the former Lord had an early battle for sixth and seventh, which was While the two premier cat- Campbell, Benjamin Cook a one lap effort Savage was class, Malcolm Kilsby won three won out by the latter, who egories enjoyed the best of and Shayne Ohara running into the lead and never again troubled - it was stirring of the five races and was went on to finish the final in the foul weather early in the in line astern - the race was stuff. day, it could not be robbed of a possible duel, said that the other with Roger Goss, Wayne Poor Wall faced a classes were so lucky Arthur and Peter Hay on the Stewards charge for his trouble to rub salt - the Midgets copped first lap after crashing. the worst of the rain Results for the remaining into wounds, but was and it was to their classes are as follows: cleared after some credit that karts Junior National Light discussion; it would not have affected the weren’t sent spinning 1 Cameron Thorpe, 2 Max De in all directions.

Meyrick,3 Wade Cunningham result, though.

Winner after the Junior National Heavy Rossetto outpaced five heats was Leah 1 Jason Farrier, 2 Sean Edwards, who was to Wyatt,3 Steve Kwiatkowski Unsworth, with fall back to fourth, for Junior Clubman Michael Court second the $1500 second 1 Will Davison, 2 Gavin and Leigh Harrison prize trophy, while third.

Walker,3 Jamie Carter Adam Murray fin The rookies didn’t Senior National Heavy ished an excellent fare well with the rain 1 Darren Clee, 2 Terry third after a persis tent run. . either, but again they Squires, 3 Dane Bobart LUCKY ... Winner #2 Savage scoots inland and escapes the carnage.

Senior National Over 35s ran extremely well Behind Edwards 1 Dennis Miller, 2 Ian with slicks on a very wet cirwas Loy'egrove, who came beaten by Craig Denton in fifth behind Cain, who could Williams, 3 Alex Petz not keep up the pace up cuit, indeed - to give an idea back from the dead after fail- the final, while Denton deed Clubman Heavy on how tricky conditions ing to finish the third heat heated with John Karavas in front. the third heat.

Kilsby had looked good up were, several drivers in the 1 Adam Murray, 2 Ben and the pre final.

Sixth went to Scott A fourth placing in the front and was set for his higher classes were to lose Griffiths, 3 David Burton Clubman Super Heavy Collins, while fastest qualifi- third heat, along with second fourth win and seemed to control on the roll around in the final, ensured that have the charge from Denton laps, resulting in the pre 1 Jason Stania, 2 Terry er Darryl Tolmer was sev enth. under control - not so, for finals for Clubman light and Squires, 3 John Economou Kilsby took the trophy home Clubman Over 35s once Denton found his way Clubman Heavy being The top ten was rounded to Mt Gambler.

1 Andrew Modra, 2 Greg It was a cracker of a final, past at turn 6, he just opened rescheduled, out by Michael Miller, who with Denton starting from a gap and won at a canter.

Anyway, the overall win- Savage,3 Geoff Butler had done some wheel bang ing with Lovegrove, who obviously came out the better fter much discussion It seems that they vious mount off at Eastern - ninth was Steve Hennig lost their October date Creek and, with the KTM about the pros and cons m and 10th Scott Bartlett. because they procras now working well, should be concerning a multiple round tinated over just when a big threat to Chris Staff Australian Championship, to hold the race and and Roger Tapper. the National Council has the track was booked The meeting will consist dumped the format for from under them! of qualifying on Friday and a 1998. race on Saturday afternoon Next year the Australian and a second on Sunday Superkart titles will revert Entries for the port race atsup the morning. back to a single round dealer [nquirieP^ 500CC Bike GP at Some controversy sur championship and will be Weltome j Phillip Island is standing at rounds the event, though did not increase accordingly held at Victoria’s Phillip Island circuit.

- in fact, entries at Eastern 43, with a bumper entry of ,with drivers not happy with the number of stickers The news will be met Creek were lower than 90 Formula E runners. required to go on the karts All the top runners will be with mixed reactions, some and, while Tasmania was present and out of the 25 and their size. low, it was expected to be feeling that the sport should Valentine has chosen not Twins the winner of the two promote itself to future so due to it’s location.

There is no guarantee races can come out of to attend, saying that the sponsors as a serious for stickers will effectively blot mula and to do this they that numbers will skyrocket three, or four, runners.

Siebert, Lambous and out his sponsor’s signage, and it’s a gamble for the need a multiple round Baker will go into the event while other drivers, although Championship. championship. not liking them, have cho Others claim that the favourites, but you can’t dis .$5.00 Throttle shaft.... sen to live with it. count the likes of Haywood, series is simply too expen One driver was con .$5.50 In-line fuel filter Adelaide Superkart Maddern, Peilicano and Club has announced sive for the average karter The cerned that the requirement .$3.50 Inlet fuel needle to attend and that numbers that the final round of the Raymond Ross.

West Australian racer to have a sticker on the I will rise with a single round Championship will now be Mail Order Specialist |championship. held on the weekend of Mark Hanson will make the visor (300mmx35mm) was biggest journey and should going too far, while it was y/SA Certainly, the arguments December 13-14. also necessary to have a An incredible decision, figure well. from both camps are strong, In the National class, sticker on the chest! but when the Championship given the tradition of No name has yet been was reduced from five Gary Pegoraro will return Australia shutting up shop rounds in 1994 to three in and going walkabout at that with a brand-new kart after decided for the sticker and it the shunt that wrote his pre- may well be Melbourne.

1995/6 and 1997, numbers time of the year.

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By Dirk Klynsm

i

KARTING STEFANO LUCCHESI, the editor of Karting international Magazine, spoke with FIA President Ernest C Buser for Ki’s next edition about a vari ety of topics that provide a timely overview of international karting and Australia’s status in the FIA big picture.

In an exclusive arrange ment with Motorsport News, Ki Magazine has released excerpts from that interview that are particularly relevant to local associations, pro moters and competitors.

What is happening with regards to racing in the Asia region?

In Australia, the Oceania Cup will be organised again in November, the last week end of November.

Because they want to get a new rhythm, we had long discussions and meetings with CAMS about the situa tion at the beginning of the year.

It is very difficult, because we have a new homologation at the beginning of every chassis, engines. year tyres.

Problems of supply, prob lems also of the teams from Europe and so we all agreed that January is not a good period to hold the event.

So as not to lose a year, we agreed that they can organ ise another CIK/FIA race in Melbourne in November.

The event will still be the Oceania Cup, but it will have a second title “The

The Big Picture

FIA President Buser’s view Australian Pre-Olympics” because we are planning to organise at Sydney prior to the Olympics an important race there and to qualify and enter the pre-Olympic event in Sydney drivers must have participated in the previous years in the pre-Olympic event.

CAMS will establish the criteria for qualifying through the pre-Olympic Series over the next few years to the year 2000.

The site for the race in the year 2000 will be at Eastern

Creek.

When I go to Australia in November, the layout of the track should be done, so we can check to see if there needs to be any changes before they begin construc tion of the track.

What is very good about this proposed facility is that we will have a new circuit to international standards not far from Sydney airport.

So, for the teams from Europe and the manufactur ers and the rest of the world, it will make it a lot easier from a logistic point of view

w

for transportation of their materials, chassis, engines. etc.

I understand that Australia is very keen to hold a World Championship.

Yes, we talked about the World Championships.

I said, look, we need to be a little reasonable in our thinkmg.

The Championships now have a good success of entries.

If we are organising a World Championship over seas, we must make sure that most of the drivers have a chance to enter.

You must find a sponsor, an airline who will provide the flights for the drivers and mechanics and accomodation, maybe rooms on a college campus, or whatever, but not expensive.

Of course, people who want to go five star will go there anyway, because they can afford it.

But we have many young people who do not have the money to make the budget for the travelling, or the budget for the equipment and the

k

budget for the luxury hotel accomodation.

If the CAMS cannot organ ise something like this, then I prefer having an important race with a nice title which is not obligatory for everybody to participate - and the World Championship is something that everybody wants to' par ticipate in. It is the most important race on the calen dar, so it is almost a must for every driver.

So, in the Olympic year 2000, we will have a special race in Sydney.

We will have a nice,important event in Australia, but not a World Championship as long as we cannot have a guarantee that everyone from overseas will receive travel, transportation and accomoda tion assistance.

Because it is not like Europe, where 75% or 80% of the drivers live on the Continent, with Australia everyone, apart from the Australians, are from over seas, so we must be very pru dent and pay attention.

I do not want to see young people suffer because some

international

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When organising an event, the promoting body must make sure that they can put on a race with the national drivers - then everybody from overseas will then be the cream on the cake.

But I am convinced we will find a solution.

What we have in this area will certainly oblige the CIK to think about the Championship titles and about the Zones.

drivers can go and some can not go to our most prestigious event.

What about karting in New Zealand, because our sales of Ki Magazine on the news stand are quite How does the change of strong - is there any news dates of the Australian about New Zealand? race affect the Manila Yes, we have more contact race? now with New Zealand than The race at Manila is on the ever before and this makes same weekend. me very, very happy.

I must have a talk with Mr New Zealand, shall we say, Ayuyao. The problem we are has always been a little bit more off-side than others. facing with the organisation But they came to see me in is that, although they are very nice people and they do Australia and they are very everything to make you feel nice people.

For many years now, they as comfortable as they can, they do not have the same have been racing on a single thinking we have. make and now are absolutely They are putting their open to CIK/FIA regulations. event on the calendar and We also have Polynesia and Micronesia and there is then they wait for entries.

I told them if I do not send some activity in the a minimum of two reminders American islands over there.

I am also in discussion for our championships here, we would only have half of with these people, but not for the entries and this is some a CIK/FIA championship, thing they must do well in but more for an exhibition advance. event in the holiday season, And, as long as they have when there are lots of tourists a little effort, we cannot give - and this is a new chance for them protection of the date if young drivers to have an the entry is not so good - but event in this beautiful island I believe we can find a solu where transportation and tion. hotel and ever^hing is paid.

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Italian Grand Prix Continued from Page 17 Did it mean that McLaren was competitive again?

“We have proved that on certain tracks we have a winning advan tage,” David said diplomatically.

“We have found something this weekend which may have been causing some of the reliability problems. This was changed at the race track.”

This turned out to be something complicated in the oil pressure system, but whatever it was it seemed to have worked.

In the closing laps David admit ted that he was thinking about the events in Britain in recent days and after the race he dedicated the win to the memory of the Princess of Wales.

“I have only scored four points since Melbourne,” he said later, “so this comes at a good time for me. It was largely down to team work that I got out ahead of Jean.

It was down to the mechanics.”

A

lesi finished second 1.9s behind and, while disap pointed not to have won, was happy to be on the podium.

“Nobody is to blame,” he said.

“That’s racing. Once David was ahead I was not able to overtake

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him. But I was pushing until the last lap hoping he would make a mistake. It was not an easy end to the Grand Prix.”

Frentzen was 2.4s behind the Benetton but seemed quite happy to be there.

Fourth, 1.5s behind Frentzen, was Fisichella and right behind him was Villeneuve. It all looked very close but the fact was that there really was no hope of any overtaking.

Fisichella did not get the podi um he had hoped for, but was con tent with fourth place.

“I still feel I did a good job. I was quite nervous and excited before the race and at the start I made a mistake which cost me a place.”

Villeneuve collected only two points, which was a pretty cata strophic result given that many people felt that Monza was an opportunity to claw back some points to Michael Schumacher.

“I really pushed hard,” Jacques explained.

“The car was better than fifth but the start was just average. I was between Fisichella and Coulthard before the braking and I didn’t want to get stuck in a sandwich so I braked early and let them-fight it out in front of me.

“Then I was stuck behind

Fisichella. 3 could run quicker than him bat as soon as I got close, I could not fight.”

To minimise the damage in the World Championship, Michael fin ished sixth so Jacques gained back only one point.

“Considering everything that happened this weekend, we can be really satisfied with this result,” Schumacher said. “It could have been a lot worse.

“The next two races are on tracks which require much more aerodynamic downforce so I am sure we will once again be compet itive.”

Irvine finished eighth after a lonely but xincontroversial race,

S

plittingthe two Ferraris was the Benetton of Gerhard Berger, but the veteran’s story was much the same as everyone else; “With so many cars running at very similar speeds on the circuit there was very little to do,” he reported.

Hakkinen ended up ninth and was naturally disappointed.

The first of the Bridgestone men was Trulli, a minute behind the winner at the end of the race, proving fhftt the tyre gap was much the same in the race as it had been in qualifying.

46-52 Nobility Street, Moolap, VIC 3221

IfteClmfiKe te 'Bo&mt TaiM B

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3 - 6 October 1997 Super Tourers

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7 17-20 October 1997 V8 Super Cars

® All mcab Saturday & Sunday

iucCiu^ ® Entry & pit passes ● Retam Coach travel

Departs: Fridays. Betums: Early Morulay.

Pick ups: Melb, Seymour, Shepparton, Narranderra, Tcmora, Young, etc

Emowico & Imkwgn ph bli jim auylim I800 249 02I

Nakano followed his teammate home in 11th, while Morbidelli was 12th - a lacklustre perfor mance.

Johnny Herbert might have given Sauber a slightly better result - ninth - but he retired in spectacular fashion on lap 39 in an accident with Ralf Schumacher. Naturally both dri vers blamed the other.

“He overtook me going past the pits,” said Johnny, “but I stayed close to him into the braking area down to the first chicane. I just had time to brake a little when he pulled right into my path and left me nowhere to go.

“What he doesn’t seem to under stand is that in very high-speed places like that you need to give the other guy racing room and he didn’t do that.

“I don’t mind a battle or a bit of racing, but what he did is not the way to do it. It was unnecessary and unacceptable and the sign of an inexperienced driver who still has a lot to learn about the art of racing closely at high speeds.”

The rest of the Sauber team was as outraged as Johnny.

Ralf said that he felt he had given Johnny enough room but that under braking Johnny had hit his right rear wheel. The inci dent caused Ralf to retire.

“The car felt unstable and I was not happy to drive it like that.”

B

arrichello managed to get his Stewart home in 13th place but Magnussen retired with no drive after his second pit stop. He had struggled for most of the race with a bad vibration.

Tarso Marques finished 14th in his Minardi but Katayama went off after eight laps and clipped a wall which damaged his brakes beyond repair.

Neither Tyrrell nor Arrows managed to get a car to the finish, but none of the cars were on the pace.

Damon Hill suffered a major engine blow-up while Pedro Diniz suffered a rear suspension failure and went off on the fifth lap.

Jos Verstappen retired after 12 laps with a gearbox problem while Sale went out with an engine fail ure on lap 34, After the race, curiously, many of the drivers said they had enjoyed themselves enormously, despite the fact that the crowds were dozing off in the grand stands.

One must only presume that they stayed just in case the five cars ahead of Michael Schumacher all went out with mechanical trou

ble ...

■

12Septsmt)erm7 .

Sedans

GT Production Mazda 626 V6, Class D road reg 98.

Pole in class last four tracks, heaps of spares, paid up for final 2 rounds. Available after Bathurst. $22,000. Ph: Phil 03 9306 5715(AH),03 9357 0855(BH). 110

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Commodore VH VS rally car, Presh, major overhaul, Mazda RX7 Club Car, 12APP, 5 speed quiCKShift,

Bathurst Super Tourer, Vauxhall Cavalier (Vectra), entered for October 5 Bathurst 1000, would be very com petitive. Spares available inci engine, wheels etc etc. Also available for Bathurst only, buy or lease. Full support given if required. Ph: Rob Tweedie 02 9817 5654. no

series VI calipers/discs, Harrop full floating rear end, 8 NASCAR Pontiac GP, genuine US built NASCAR. Last

point steel cage, 15" alloys, 1.49s at Eastern Creek. Paced

raced Calder (undamaged). All spares, pit equipment

3 times, plus dual axle trailer with tilt ramps. $19,500. Ph:

included. Complete less engine, for sale due to family commitments. $17,500 neg. Ph: Dave Barnett 08 8388 4090 or 018 822 937. no

0417 337 485. no

all right bits, super strong and quick Victorian rally reg.

Spares. $14,000ono Ph: Glen 03 9701 3313(BH). 109

^

Jaguar XJS, Targa Tasmania developed road registered racer, 5 speed Getrag, TWR wheels, suspension, body kit.

Holden Commodore 1985 sedan, white, 310 engine, Heatseeker camshaft, M21 4 speed, LSD, 600 Holley, HM

Twin plate clutch, Haltech, extractors, new bearings, injec tors etc. $20,000. Ph: 02 4990 1699. 110

extractors, CSA rims, Group 3 body lit, air conditioning, clean machine. $8,000. Ph: Bill Cody 02 9938 4410 or 02 9969 2555. no

Torana ASX sedan, unrestored condition, all matching numbers, $15,000. Reg AX 901. Ph: 02 4481 5300.

Hour winner, still set up for racing and is road registered.

only 40 made. Full roll cage, all fibregaiss bits, complete

CAMS log book, very quick car with plenty of extras.

Immaculate condition. Must sell urgently. $18,750ono. Ph: 0414 797 999. ,oo

electrics, dashboard, some spares, comes with original log book. $7,000. No offers. Ph: 03 5996 5609. i-

Mazda 626, 334oi Windsor, full manual C4, 3500 stall, 9"

Toyota Supra 1988 Turbo, genuine 1991 Bathurst 12

Walkinshaw Commodore shell, ex Bathurst, one of

diff. Autometer, Hurst, full custom beige trim, half cage, fuel cell, Craggars, metallic green. Reg Nov 97. $17,500.

Ph; 06 287 1829. no

1970 XW Falcon Wagon Charity Bash Car. V8, 4sp, 6 point roll cage chassis kit, rally suspension, proven performer.many spares. $3,500. Ph: 015 004 723. no

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'3Ui(/jcnj

Holden Jackaroo ex Mark Manns IGM sponsored

AUSCAR Sportsman, XF Falcon, brand new car, pro fessionally built, ready to go, reluctant sale. Fully enclosed

Class 7 off road vehicle. Featured in many magazine arti

Sports Sedan, Cortina, full space frame, 350 Chev, top

cles. Old Road Registered. Many spares, Kuster shocks,

HQ race cars (2). One new Gene Cook motor, one

loader, full floating 9", fresh engine, gearbox. Very fast,

g/box, diffs, etc. $25,000. Ph: 07 5592 4733(BH), 07 5574 9100(AH). no

used Richard Famam race motor, plus two spare motors. 4

reliable complete car with spares, ready to race. $22,500.

Cobra seats, 4 harnesses. Race one and have one spare.

Ph: 02 4943 5488(BH), 0411 727 558(AH).

$9,500 the lot. Negotiable, will consider split. Ph: 03 9793

10

trailer to suit. $17,500 the lot or will separate. Ph: Trevor 08 8231 5706(BH)or 08 8263 2159(AH). 10

Escort 1972: Lotus twin cam, 1760cc, Minilites, reg 1/97 AEH 07F $7,500ono. Ph; 02 9450 2506. .io

5588(BH)or 0418 361 399. 109

HQ race car, mechanically OK, needs paint job, full roll

Porsche rolling body shell, 1994 C2, wide body

cond. Supra gearbox, some spares. Ph: 019 402 319. i*

Commodore Cup car. Only three meetings old. As nevr

cage, sealed engine, gearbox and diff. CAMS log book,

LHD, power steering, ABS 993 brakes, std suspension,

Falcon XE Sports Sedan, fully prepared and ready to

only raced 7 times, urgent sale. $2,000. Ph: Bill Cody 02 9938 4410 or 02 9969 2555. no

fuel tank etc. $20,000ono. Ph: Tony 018 286 002. no

race, full steel engine, dyno at 530hp, dry sump, full float ing rear end. Fabricated front and rear suspension, rack and pinion steering. Heaps of spares. Genuine price (no time wasters), POA. Must sell. Ph; 02 9905 5814(BH), 018 556 798(AH). ,ts

EH Group N. Five wins from last six starts. Immaculate condition, no expense spared. Top HP motor. Ready to race. An affordable racing classic. $7,500. Ph: Robert 08 8370 5134 or 0418 821 213. no Mazda RX7 rally car, numerous spares including gearboxes, engines, wheels and a spare body. Car needs some tidy-up work. $9350. Ph: 03 6456 6139. no Daihatsu Charade GT1, Gp N. Fresh motor, gearbox.

Extensive spares inventory. Very tidy, quick little car, lots of fun to drive. $14,750ono. Ph/fax; 03 6456 6139. no

Nissan GTR, 1991 Australian delivery, original Nissan specs, full service history. No competition use. Metallic dark red/grey interior. Zenon alarm. Immobiliser. $59,990ono. Ph; 03 9793 5588(BH),03 9775 7515(AH). ii»

Toyota MR2 1990, 5 speed, air, 82,000kms, 3/98 Old rego, immaculate cond. $22,500. Ph: 015 755 768,

cage, perspex windows, spares. Reg trailer. Holds two hillclimb records. Getting desperate. Offers? Ph: Steve 067 665 977. .to Mazda R100 turbo, 400-r hp engine. Supra, 9 inch.

Momo, Simmons, harnesses. All mechanicals new.

Escort Twin cam, genuine Lotus-powered car, alloy rollcage, Minilityes with AOOIs, as new Huntmaster seeSs arid racing harnesses. Stored for over 10 years. $8,500 Ph: 03 9580 9199 or 0411 855 704. ..o

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Engineered, registered. Extremely last, reliable. Best of everything. Ideal race car. Will consider trade. $16,500.

Ph: 0419 602 633. .to Fiat 2300, red. white strip, 6cyl, 3 Del Ortos, heaps of

HQ, suit young mechanio/panelbeater for build-up. 202, Ford Sierra turbo RS500, ex Seton 1992 Group A,

spares. Super reliable, competitive in 2600 class. Great

3-speed gearbox x 2, 3.55 diff plus spare LSD. Spare

580bhp, 6 speed Holinger etc. Totally original. $35,000

fun car and It's different. All this for only $3.0OQono. Ph:

steering and suspension. $500 neg. Ph: (leave message) 02 9540 1494. no

044 217 386 after 6pm. los

firm (spares extra). Ph: 018 162 762(Sydney). no

Mk2 Cortina Sports Sedan, Toyota 1G-GE six. 4 speed, 4.4 to 1. Minilites. wing, rose joint suspension, alloy

Fiat, 1969 124 Sports Coupe AC. Needs paint and reassemble. Excellent body. Suit race. Historic rally or re shell. $750ono. Ph:03 9889 1149. 109

continued over page

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ABSOLUTELY FREE PLEASE KEEP ADS TO NO MORE THAN 30 WORDS, PLUS A PHOTO IF REQUIRED. Postto Motorsport News Free Classifieds, P.O. Box 1010, Caulfield North, VIC 3161 or Fox: (03) 9527 7766 NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS Please use the form provided and print clearly. Please note we are unable to return photographs used in classified ads. Ads will appear as soon as possible after receipt. FREE Classifieds are for the sale of private goods and vehicles only, not business advertising. Classifieds close last mail Thursday prior to on sole dote, photos marked 'proof' will not be used.

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CATEGORY; Cars: □ Speedway □ Drag □ Sedans □ Open Wheelers General: □ Parts □ Engines □ Trailers □ Wanted □ Photographs □ Other

12Sepleml)Sf W97 LJ XU-1, purpose-built Group N (C). White/black, full trim. Strong fresh motor on Webers. Detroit locker, watts linkage rear. Full cage/raoe seat/harness, extra instrumen tation, isolator switch, battery in boot. Hoosiers and Yokohamas. Spare panels, wheels, springs included. No expense spared project ready for serious Historic or Targa/GP Rallies. $11,500. Ph: 018 632 267 or 06 241

Mazda RX5 rally car, 13B rotary, 5 speed, Koni sus pension, LSD, rally setas, 4 pt harnesses, roll cage, Halda.

Many spares. Regd RX 050. Ph: 03 5143 0896. m Lotus Cortina race car, red/gold, 207hp with ultra c/r box, Salisbury diff etc. Race ready V8 beater, low kms on engine. $27,500. Ph: Pro-Duct 02 9758 1377. m

LX Torana Hatch. X Modified Production or Bommer.

Very competitive. Fully adjustable suspension. 4 speed gearbox, all instruments, aluminium fuel tank. Fibreglass seat and 5-point harness. Helmet net. Plenty spares included. $2,500. Ph: Troy 07 5491 2251 (BH). 109

Tr'-a--

3862(AH). 109

Torana LX Hatch, 253 V8. Aussie 5 speed, Banjo LSD, alloy cage, drop tank, hotwires, good tyres, straight, digital stereo. Unregd, needs tidy up, runs well. $4,000. Ph: 03 9802 5806(AH). 109 ■37TT

VB Commodore rally car. 1 of 20 factory cars for 1979 Repco, 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). ice Ferrari 275 Spyder. Class winner, GP Rally. Twice class winner Geelong Sprints - 13.68 seconds. Class win ner. Phillip Island, Oran Park, Winton, Mallala. Rob Roy 26.91 secs, Tarrengower 46.36 secs. Docile, with out standing performance. Ph/Fax: 03 9551 1837. 109 Datsun 1600, 5 speed, 1800 motor, white, no rust, g'xtractors, wide wheels, new sports exhaust system, stereo, long reg, RWC. Clean straight body. $2,800ono.

Ph: 03 5334 6364 (AH). 109

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. loe Commodore rolling body shell 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). 108

Compact Speedcar, 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 Speedway Sidecar frame and glass (Nash) style $800. Ph: Tony 08 9344 2779 Perth, m Speedcar Winters diff, 3.78 ratio, good cond. $1,600.

Ph: Glenn 06 241 5122 (BH). toe

6109 (BH). 109 ■

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. ira

3 Litre UC Torana Modified Production, ex Vic 3, 4 meetings old, very competitive car, all new fully adjustable

A Modified Production, current Australia No 2, multi feature winner. Fresh engine, new panels, many spares, Aytometer gauges, Carrera shocks, quicksteer adj sus pension. $12,000. Ph: Paul Egan 06 242 0943 or 0411 614

1996 Ford Mustang, RHDauto, 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

Wheelers

Kart - Kali Lonato. Front running rolling chassis, only raced 4 times in 1996/7, suit Clubman or National class.

Sold with mufflers, spare tyres, sprockets, chains etc.

Selling due to sponsorship commitments. $1,850. Ph: Anthony 02 9610 5019.

NASCAR Chev, ready to race, runs low 29s, front steer, 9.5 to 1. Gene Cook built engine. 16 spare wheels and tyres, churns and more. $28,000 neg. Ph: 017 860 840. loe 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. 106

043 676 706. 109

rer-—:

Speedway Cortine TE Modified Production, methanol motor, 8 spare wheels, McCreary tyres, needs some work. Spare diff. ERW tube, cage, fibreglass panels. $3,000ono. Must sell. Ph: 06 231 7818. no Mod Rod, Foy Classic. KSE p/steer, quickchange diff, fuel cell . Autometer gauges, c/mount front axle, Pro shocks, fresh paint, new body, sell less engine, as roller. $7,000ono. Ph; 02 4959 2185 or 0414 686 929. no Modified Production Commodore VL, Nissan RB30, Carillos, Ross pistons, Motec, injection or carby, adj sus pension, Koni, AFCO, Tilton, all the best gear, heaps of spares. Will separate car. engine, trailer. $12,000ono the lot. Ph: 06 258 9519 or 0414 853 45. loe Torana Hatch Modified Prod. V. competitive, adj suspension, 4 speed, F/G seat and belts, all instruments, ally tank, all electrics, ally rad, 4/w discs, 12 wheels, heaps spares. Less motor. $2,500, Ph: 07 5491 2251 Or 07 5491 8185 (AH). 109

Litre Sprintcar, QLD 39. Chrome moly Gerhardt low bar chassis. Kawasaki 1175cc fuel injected engine.

Halibrand quick change diff. Well pfesented car comes complete, ready to race, less trailer. $6,500 or as roller (less engine) $3,500. Ph: 018 783 332 or 018 798 994. 109

Gordon Clubman (Sports 1300), front running car, top hp Datsun motor, straight out C/r gears, Datsun rear end.

Eligible Group Q Historic, with simple bodywork. Includes trailer, spares, body moulds. $15,000. Ph: 08 8211 8855 (BH), 08 8379 2242 (AH), no

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Formula Vee NG Elfin. Brand new Elliott Bond motor (zero miles), hi flow manifold, Bilsteins all round, Aeroquip lines, new panels and paint. All top equipment, proven record (94 NSE Champion) very quick in novice's hands.

Lots of spares, immac cond. $10,500ono. Ph: 03 9598 7558 (AH), no Formula Holden Reynard 94D. Complete rolling chassis in immaculate condition, with an extremely limited race history (stored since 1994). Shipping to Australia in early October after thorough inspection. $47,500 landed.

Sales tax and freight paid. Can assist with spares or con version, may consider F Holden engine and/or conversion as part exchange. Ph: Steve Kelly 08 8371 3700 or 08 8297 9741 (AH). .10

Holden Rod, VC Commodore VIC 46. comp car. Hussey motor, auto with JAP. Good looking car with racing rubber.

Urgent sale. $4,500. Ph: Robert 03 9876 5356 or 0412 362

Compact Speedcar: Datsun 1200, Hilborn injection, Streader rear end, spare rims and tyres. Reg trailer (ACT) with box. Ready to race. $9,500. Ph: 06 241 5686. 109

970 646. 109

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Formula Vee Renmax, ready to race, excellent hp Kleinig engine, superb cond, meticulously maintained, regular top 10 car throughout 1996. $7,000. Ph: Chris Cummins 02 9709 4655 (BH), 02 9876 3446 (AH). -Swiss Hutless 80cc Yamaha Superkart, excellent cond, freshly rebuilt motor, wets on rims. Goes very well. $2,100. Ph: Jeff or Paul Hodges 044 217 386 or 015 128 770. 1®

Go Kart, with KT100S motor, new exhaust, only one meeting old. 3 bearing axle, good paintwork, blue in colour, complete with spare set of tyres. As is $1,300. Ph: 03 5995 6004 after 6pm. im F5000 Gardes, less transmission, $25,000 or complete $37,000. Will be broken up if not sold quickly, so calhto register interest in remains. Ph: 02 9683 3666 strictly 69pm weeknights, or 015 438 945 any time. ●

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 5971 1961(AH). i®

655. 109

Fender Bender, VC Valiant, Nowra 05. rebuilt motor, best of everything. Front running car in any club. Reddy to race with spares. $2,000ono, Ph: 02 9525 3430 or 0418

Road Race Zip Kart, Rotax 125, extras, gears, tyres, stand. $3,000. Ph: 03 5341 3291. IIM

628. loe

FIDO, 86 model, p/steering, auto, air con, CD player, lowered, fully worked 351 engine, roller rockers, roller cam.

Reg. RWC. PQA. Ph: 03 5996 2263 or 0419 388 192. 107 I

XD Falcon, XF panels, 460 C6 4 link rear clip (not fitted) with shortened, braced 9" Summer Bros axles, XF rear discs, billet alloy Dragway Draglites with M&H rubber, coil over shocks, XF dash. Fairmont velour seats. Unfinished project. $6,500 Ph: Jason 0419 364 361. i®

655, .00

Superkart. Zip Eagle 93 model, never bent. Lastest spec barrels, digital ignition, spare wheels x 12, new slicks x 4. new wets, spare barrel (new), gearing, jets, 38mm flatside Del Qrtos, Digitron temp, Scitsu. $10,000. Ph: 07 3278

' K ●rsssias®

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). i«

Supercar Commodore, Perkins-built car, Chev engine.

In pristine cond, quickest Priv car (has done 13.2 at Bathurst). Reluctant sale, consider lease for Bathurst. Phil Ward 018 276 323 or 02 9817 5560. 1®

Kart (urgent sale) Arrow ASS with KT100S Yamaha, blueprinted by McAuley Engines, c/w tacho, stand, trolley, sprockets. $2,000 Ph; Robert 03 9876 5356 or 0412 362

Chevy Monza Super Sedan, Jones quick change, 11 rims and tyres, moulds, ready to race less engine. $5,500.

Ph: 08 8391 2225 or 018 804 347. ,oe

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

Ford Anglia 105E deluxe. Good body strip down, no gearbox or motor. Plus 2 litre Escort motor and diff. Good for classic racing or restoration. No reg. Ph: 03 9808 5622 or 0418 749 403. 109

Nissan Bluebird Sports Sedan, 355 ci Chev, 9" diff.

Ford g/box, Simmons wheels, top ten finisher. Full set MLDS wets, trailer, 12 spare tyres, all time sheets, many extras. $18,000ono. NSW. Ph: 047 774 708, 02 9623 7936 or 018 476 895. m

PRB Clubman, fully developed race car, road regis tered. Motec quad, butterfly injection, Quaife Gearbox and LSD, extractors, genuine 200hp engine, 3 sets rims. $36,000. Ph: 02 49 90 1699 or 02 4998 7345. 1:0

susperi^ion, 3 sets new tyres and mags. Fresh engine, heaps spares, tandem trailer. $8,000ono. Ph: Peter 03 5275 4904. ,oe

Mini. Excellent original Cooper 'S', professionally built to be very competitive, but not run. Easily made into a road oar. Some spares. $10,000. Ph: David 03 9870 0744 or 018 377 327. 109

Rare EBII Falcon SS. Qnly 5 built. Car won 1993 Australian Production car Championship. Fully rebuilt including back-to-metal respray. 5 speed manual. Recaro seats with matching upholstery. 27,100 km. $25,000. Ph:

Formula Holdens, for sale or lease (at attractive rates).

Reynard 92D complete. Reynard 91D complete, Reynard 90D complete or rolling. Hocking 911, aluminium, rolling.

Ph: Chris Hocking 03 9796 2066(BH). 110

Falcon XF Modified Production, professionally built 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).

HQ Holden sedan, 202 manual. Strong motor, gearbox, diff. Suit HQ racer or road. No RWC. $500ono. Ph: 03 9587

Datsun 260Z 2-seater, pre cvatalytic converter model.

Rolling shell in exc cond. Suit circuit, rally or for complete restoration. Also spares. $3,500. Ph: 0199 60228. 109

Cortina TE, 250ci, newly built.-Never raced, reoo motor.

Plenty spares, suit street stock, standard saloon.

Beautifully prepared. Forced reluctant sale, $1900 ono. 03 5127 7338 or 03 5127 4309. 109

Vector TF 94FF. Fantastic bargain opportunity to step into a late model FF. Comes complete with engine, gear ratios, and new fire bomb. Vectors won the 1994 British FF Championship. Competitive car in the right hands. Bargain at $24,500 firm. No tyre kickers please. Ph: Les Ccgmpton 03 9701 0806(AH),03 9776 4266, 0412 386 315. no

F2 Mantis, 93 model, third Sportsman 95. Nissan Pulsar engine, Hewland Mk9, 2 spare engines, ratios, wings, sus pension, wets. $28,500.Ph: Mark 0418 531 797 or 03 9720 7249. no

Kart - Dino 194 rolling chasis in immaculate condition.

Powder coated, black, with magnesium rims, hydraulic brakes. Only raced 4 times. Suit new kart buyer $1,700ono. Ph; 046 556 266. 106

12SepMer1997

/W®9®I7SJ]^[P0 Body kit, BMW E30 2 door, M3 lookalike front and rear bumpers, side skirts, 4 guards. Easily fitted, suit road or race oar. Make an offer. Ph: Greg 024285 9155 or 0411 785 915. itO Holden 2 speed modified auto transmission, tap dri ven, all fittings including oil cooler. Ideal for Speedway. $750.

Ph:Les 03 5726 9298. no Ford Laser TX3 4WD geaitiox. KH-KF has just been fully rebuilt. Brand new parts, comes with Ford factory warranty only. $1,650. Good for spare or replacement. Ph: 07 3800 0747 or 0419 732 402. m Escort parts, 13x6 Globe mags, t/c gearboxes, Xtrac c/r box, forged pistons, adjustable sway bars, 1' block with new Cosworth pistons and rods. Ph: 02 9740 4644. icq NOTA CLUBMAN, Group M log book, ex Jacques Sapir, Ron Davies etc, Recent front to rear rebuild. Ford engine, Holinger gearbox, BMC rear end, new Dunlop Rs, new custom trailer, huge amount of spares incI 8 diffs, engine blocks etc. Well known car with excellent competi tion history. Nothing to spend. Genuine and reluctant forced sale. $21,950 with everything. Contact Len Shaw on 03 9787 0856. loe

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Ex Greg Murphy Formula Holden Reynard 92D, Simoco Pacific Pty Ltd offers for sale this race winning Reynard, Chassis #023. Comes as raced in 1997 Championship season. 4th AGP, 3rd Calder. Fresh engine, Penske shocks, fire bomb, fully o'hauled calipers.

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

Ralliart LSD, suit Lancer 4WD or Galant VR4. Approx 100 ks old (no time wasters). $1500(03)9545 0338 Murph. kb Gip A parts, VL extractors, power steering, flywheels, rocker covers. 3-link diff housing, VR/VS front spoilers, assorted used discs.(02)9750 4644. ic» Harrop 6 piston calipers, discs and hats, like new. $4,800. Ph:03 9728 6915 or 0416 323 442. kb Lotus Cortina parts, most body parts and mechanicals.

(02)9750 4644. ,09 Fuel Chums(2)and 1 catch can. $1500. Ph: 03 9728 6915 or 0416 323 442. ,cb Radiator, suit Capri V8 $100. Capri GT dash (with V8 tach) $80. Ph 08 8443 3435 after 4pm.,oq Holden HQ parts, front panels, nosecone, two guards, bonnet. No rust, some repairs (minor dents). 3-sp synchro g'box $300. Ph 017 962 336 Wangaratta. ,oq Tyres, new and used slicks, wets. Various sizes and com pounds, 13-14-15-16-17-18-19" from $10. Must sell, ph 047 73 4134,02 9328 6787. ,09 Wheels, Perkins 17 inch x 11. Five stud, $550 each (08) 8524 8131. James Rosenberg, its Yella Tena roller rockers, complete with posi locks, stud girdles, guide plates, pushrods. Suit 253-308 Flolden. $650.

Grp A Flolden conrods. ACL, .030" Duralite pistons, standard crankshaft, $500.308 Flolden cyl. heads, ported, 1-pce valves, Isky springs. $1000. Ph Chris of Geoff 0419 33 4434. ks Alloy mag wheels, suit Datsun/Celica. 14 x 7 ATS light weight, $250. Cheviot Flurricane, $250. Enkei Competition, 13 X 6, $200. Also alloy rear wing, suit small car, $100. Marchall lights, $80 pair. David AH 03 98025808 ra

Drag boat. Delmarco hydroplane, complete less engine, with extras. On stainless steel dual axle trailer. $8,000 neg.

Ph: Ian 02 9631 9775. no

SBC Dart heads, 550hp 'C ringed. Complete with studs, guide plates, girdle (brand new). Never used. Solid F/tappet, Crow Cam and lifters. Six runs. Cost $4000, sell package deal $2500. PhtJl12 121615 Woollongong. too Cylinder heads, pair of Ford SVO C-3L Yates heads. Brand new, $4200. Phone(07)3395 5786. ks Blower, Litterfield blower (freshened). Enderle Bird Hat (complete). 1995 Hairyglass Dodge Avenger body kit (com plete). Must sell, all offers considered.Phone (08) 8260 1235 after 6pm. ics Minilite magnesium wheels, 13 x 5.5, suit Ford stud pat tern. genuine period wheels in excellent condition $220. Ph: David 03 9534 1426. m

Blackjack Commodore. Winner 1996 Grand Finale.

Complete with trailer, separate engine and trans, rolling chassis only, tandem trailer only. PdA, Make a fair offer for complete car or separate. Ph: 02 9821 3688. too LH Torana drag car, 95% complete. 9" diff, minispool, 4 link steering, new wheels and MT tyres. Engine plate, trans mount, tubbed, roll cage, seal, low lines. $6,000onc): Ph: DesCurnow02 9821 3688or018 242 157. too ' Drag Car, Sports Sedan Mitsubishi Galant 2 door, full Bond alloy roll cage, enlarged tunnel, complete new paint, no interior. Selling to finance other project. $3,000ono. Ph: 019 978 037. too Dragster, 192 in 15x15x33 new slicks, 9 in 31 spline, 2 speed 5000 Dominbator stall. Autometer s/I taoho. Pro Control, flatbed trailer set up for small block. Add engine, go racing. $10,000 ono. Ph: John 070 362 333(Cairns). 109

Lotus Elan +2S/130 parts, new and used, inci new Lotu? chassis. Phone for price list. Ph:08 8263 2939. toe 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 6pm.

Chev pistons 14 to 1 $200. Titanium valves $200. Valve springs $400. Ph;017 862 840. kb Pit boom and equipment.Ph: Chris Wiles 042 262 112 or 015 273 355. ,oe

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. loa Nissan GTR (Godzilla) performance parts. 3" stainless exhaust, Iron to back, $800. 17" x 9" Simmons (4) wheels $1200. 260kph speedo (Australian del). $1,000. Group N brake rotors (f&r)$700. KB 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. kb

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Junior Dragster, brand new Briggs motor and clutch, still standard. Minor work to complete. Never raced. $2,000ono. Ph: 07 5533 7126. 109

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. 109

Lenco 3-speed, with levers and Chev clutch can $5250.

Ph 08 8443 3435 after 4pm.

Gearbox, ex-Commodore Cup, W-55 Supra Trump gear set. Cross member, clutch, pressure plate, bell housing, yoke and shifter. $1,400. Ph; 02 91536571 (AH). 106

1932 Ford Roadster, nostalgia style, HP 427 Chev alu minium Muncie 4 speed, 9" LSD, full NSW reg, 11.9 sec onds quarter mile. $26,500. Ph; 018 694 584, or 069 223 558(AH). 109

Parts Injection Enderle USA Holden 202 red. Also V8 metering valve, nozzles, pump. Halibrand quick-change. Bord and Beck triple plate clutch, GMH spline. Vertex 4cyl magneto. Ph/fax: 02 6253 1351. 110 Diff breather tanks $90, tire tapes $9. alum seat large $150, MSDT MSD 6 al $265, $330, LW fuel lights $29, Heavy duty kill switch $68, Bead breakers $90, Hyme joints 3/4 $17.

Zip tyres 100 x 7.25 $12, lOOmph tape $12, roll bar pad $10, Box t/offs 200 $35, Holley carb parts, neck braces $45. Ph: 07 5599 8763 or 018 740 522. HO

Holden 308 engine, complete with alloy heads, roller rockers, head and main stud kit. Romac steel balancer, good rods, forged pistons, MSD ignition, alcohol Predator carburettor, $3,000. Ph: 02 6775 2120 or 0412 426 485 (Armidale).'^io BB Chew, carby to pan, 468ci, steel crank, indexed Manley rods, 12.7 pistons, roller cam cc, rectabgutar port heads - Dart, internally balanced, PJ geardrive, race pan.

Ready to go. ET 8.4, 159mph in 20001b drag car. Ph: 046 552 422. loe Reco 250ci engine, altoy head, crossflow. Jones Racing cam, all new parts, spare block, pistons, etc. Never started, reluctant forced sale. $600 ono (03) 5127 7338 or (03) 5127 4309 BE QUICK! kb

Porsche front guards to change 911 to drop-nose front. $2,000ono.Ph: 0414 997 303. kb 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. kb

Ford 351, 4MAB crank with top loader and box mounted shifter. Has run 13s in XY Falcon. Needs freshen. $2000, Call Jason (0419)36 4361.100 Group A Holden engine. Completely rebuilt. New Perkins heads. Used by Mark Poole Bathurst '96 (best lap 2m15.8s). $22,000(08)8524 8131. James Rosenberg, kb Race engine. Ford 351 Cleveland. Nesco block, 4V heads, roller cam, dry sump oil pump (complete engine). Doug Nash 5-sp gearbox (brand new)POA Must sell(02)9905 5815(BH) or 018 55 6798. .09

Nissan RB30, Carillo rods, pistons, solid cam and lifters.

Extensive head work, triple plate clutch. Dry sump oil pump. Vtfith MoTec Injection and carby, good HP. $5800.

Ph 062 589 519,0414 485 345. ,09 Race engine 202 Holden turbo, dynoed 400hp, 4 meetings old since rebuild. EC. $3,500ono. Ph: 03 5447 0590(AH). 106 Porsche 911 engine, 2.7 litre, fuel injected. Complete and running. Suit overhaul or parts. $2,500. Ph: 03 9469 5162. lOQ Holden 308, new Group A, 4 bolt block, Yella Terra forged rods, AUSCAR heads, HEI Ignition, professionally built. $4,400ono.Ph: 03 9803 1579. m SB Chew 366ci, 5/8 stroke, C&A rods, Vt/iseco pistons, HDGM 4 bolt block. Pontiac heads, roller cam and rock ers. Victor Junior, compiete. $13,500. Ph: 049 342 302. toe Group A Chew engine, freshly rebuilt, built by HRT. HRT manifold, injector rails. Very cheap, this month only. $22,900. Ph: David 02 9545 0088 or(AH)02 9540 3643. toe Chew 355, 18 degree heads, bowtie block, BRC crank, new alloy rods, JE pistons, Jesel rockers, Lunati roller cam. Crane lifters. Hilborn injector, 727hp/547lb. $15,000ono. Ph: George 02 9724 9615(AH). k»

Trailers/Trawsporters Fully enclosed trailer, 22ft long, tri axle, canopy, air conditioned, work bench, grinder compressor, winch, 240v/12v. Lots of storage, tows extremely well. $10,000ono.

Ph: 03 9532 3550(BH), 03 9799 1464(AH), no Tandem trailer, 1800 x 4500, tilting, ramps, winch, load sharing suspension, light truck tyres, electric brakes, RWC, 12 months rego. $2,450. Ph: 07 5535 6266. 110 Isuzu 1984 28ft Pantec, winch, ramps, bench, tool lockers, tyre racks, storage lockers, water tanks, CB radio, phone, 240 and gen, tail gate loader. $22,000neg. Ph: 03 5943 2294 or 015 820 883. no Car trailer, suit open wheeler, 1 yr rego, hydraulic brakes, ramps, winch. Ph: 02 9623 7777. no

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Race car transporter, 1967 Bedford bus, 300ci motor.

5 speed synchro box, high speed diff, no rego, near road worthy, sleeps 4, interior all new. VGC. $6,200ono. Ph: Peter 03 5275 4904. kb Tandem trailer, home made lightweight, no winch, with ramps and tyre rack, beaver tail and jockey wheel. Lights and reg. $1,700. Ph: Robert 03 9876 5356 or 0412 362 655. KB

Chev Duallie, 454, new engine, T400, 6 new tyres, a/c, p/s, new rad, dual tanks, 120 litre LPG, sleeper box, etc.

12 months reg. $28,000ono. Also, 32ft enclosed goose neck trailer, 12 mths reg, elect brakes, lined inside, 240v lights, tyre rack etc $12,000 Ph; 02 4959 2185. 109 Bus, fits car in back. Mid engine, a/c, p/s, 10 speed Road Ranger, new turbo engine. EC. $12,000ono. Ph: 03 9728 6915 or 0416 323 442. kb

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Dodge DF3 transporter, pan, 318 V8 dual fuel, long range LPG, tyre racks, fold up bench, fluoro lights, ramps and tool trunks. $3,700ono. Ph: 017 862 840. :«

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Mazda 13B Bridgeport, race engine. Professionally built, as new condition. Selling to finance other project, $2500. 019 97 8037. ,09 '

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NASCAR engine, Chev 9.5 to 1. New block, Lunati crank, Carillo rods, Wiseco pistons. Isky cam and lifters. Timing chain set, valves and springs. All machining and prep, by Keith Darton, Charlotte USA. Done 2 races since new, comes with Quartermaster clutch, flywheel, Tilton starter, headers, power steering pump, etc etc. $15,800 Ph: 03 9728 6915 or 0416

Trailer, carries 6 Formula Fords or 4 Formula Brabhams.

Single axle, fresh paint, belly lockers. Crane to lift 1000kg. reg. $18,000 Ph Brett, 08 9242 2208. no

Holden V8, 280ci (4.6L). Chev rods, Zolner pistons, Jones cam. Group A oil pan. Rollmaster, Crane Rollers. Ported heads, complete manifold to fan. All new and balanced, $5000. Ph Chris of Geoff 0419 334434. kb

Chev small block Victor Jnr manifold, ported $290. 350 4 bolt block $300. Lunati roller cam, rev range 4000 - 7200, Esky roller lifters. Rev Kit push rods $850. Ph:045 725 949. kb LA billet crankshaft, 3 5/8 strokq, suit 350 Chev. EC. $3,000. Speedway Engineering QC diff, steel tubes, GM calipers, 4 wideshubs, $1,500. Ph:03 5862 1238. 10B

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GMC Dually 454 auto, air cond, cruise, power steeing, twin fuel tanks (3001tr), gas tank. Far too many features and extras to list. As new cond. $45,000ono. Ph: 03 5448 8487. 10.

F350, 302 V8, tyre rack, plenty storage. Dual fuel, reco heads, 12 month rego.$8,000ono. Ph- 035792 3221 (AH). r»

Other Dinkum Classic 1:43 large private collection, all race cars. Fords, Holdens. Jags, NIssans and more. Will separate.

Ph: 07 5596 6169 9.30am to 2.30pm. no Driwer, A-rB Licence, highly experienced advanced, acci dent-free record cars, 4X4s, trucks. Family man, needs fulF time employment. Mechanical knowledge. Ideal private chauffeur. Drive anything, anywhere, anytime. Immediate start. Ph:08 9343 2507,fax 08 9247 3952. 110 Dinkum Classics, 1/43rd 93VP, 95VR Bathurst winners $225 each or $430 pr. 1/24th VL Group A Walkinshaw $340 or $750 the lot. All mint cond. only 99 of each produced. Ph: 03 5971 1165(AH). tto Books, The Great Race Vol 1-10, all in perfect cond. $500, will not split. AH 07 3262 2395. .cq Racesuit, Simpson, for female size 10/12. Mid blue, triple layer, excellent cond. $400. Ring vxtrk (03)9567 4161. home (03)9873 1103. hb Go-Ped, the fold away pit bike, with bag. $730 (049)59 8555. KB

Models, Onyx 1/43 1988-89 FI sets, some 1990. Sports prototype, most of '88, some '89, all of ‘90. All B&M. Valued $1700, offers. 04959 8555. too

Wanted Historic Formula Ford wanted, prefer in good condi tion. Ph:03 9459 8274 or 0419 356 819. no NASCAR 01 front-running team based Melbourne Eastern suburbs requires 2 experienced NASCAR/AUSCAR people. However, if you have access to a prime mover, join our crew and tow our rig. Ph: Andrew 03 9758 0448(BH). tto HQ Thunderdome fuel cell. Ph: Andre 08 8723 1020 or 0418 838 491. tto Formula Vee, condition not important, but prefer in working order, up to $3,000. Ph: Michael 03 9893 3424 or 014 807 501. tut Ford Sports Sedan, rolling shell only, from XA-XC Coupe, XD-XE Sedan or Capri. Ph: 019 600 256. .

Transporter. Tandem axle semi-trailer to 45ft. Drop deck type preferred, need not be fitted out. but in good condition. Ph: Chris 03 5987 2691. tos Videos: This is your Life, with Brocky; Rounds 1-5 SATCC 1997; V8 Supercar photos of Seton. Murphy. Ingatl. Wilt pay for videos, postage, photos. Contact Roe, P.O. Box 514, Katoomba, NSW 2780 ICO Gregg Hansford signed 1993 Bathurst photo Ph: Richard 03 9827 9882(BH). 109 Job wanted, in marketing, sales, anything in motor rac ing industry. Sydney-based, ambitious and keen. Please ph (047)51 7670 or 0418 767 665. kb Book, The Great Race Vol 10 (1990) Allan GriceAVin Percy year. Must be in reas cond. Rease contact Anthony (Wk)03 9208 1227. or Ah 9387 7695 kb

You’ve just looked at over SI.6 million dollars worth of cars and parts for sale in Motorsport News Free Classifieds.

$1.6m Let’s face it, there’s no better way to sell your motor sport equipment than in Motorsport News- it’s free and it works!

50 12Seplembef W97 Mick rates a front page P(0_ Ni

Editorial Editor ' David Nassau Technical Editor ■Tony Glynn Assistant editor Phil Branagan ;Graphics Co-ordinator Viv Brumby

Advertising Adwertismg Manager .Gerald McDornan

Administration Managing Pirectoi Gins Lambden

Contacts 89 Oirong Cre^ceni Caulf;.’k1 Norm VIC 3161 . (I>0 Box 1010 Nonh Cauindd 3161) Phone 03 9527 7744 Fax 03 9527 7766 Fmail. msnews@oionline.com.au

CompuServe: iooi37.ii6s

Contributors General. Mike feible, Jon Thomson, Brian Reed, Darryl Flack FI . Joe Saward, Adam Cooper Europe Ouenun Spurring, Ian Bamsey, Gw-yn Dolphin US: Bruce Smith, Phil Morris NZ: John Hawkins Speedway Dennis Newlyn, David McNabb, Wade Aunger, Oeorf Rounds, Mark Neale, David Lamont, Chris Metcalf, Sue Hobson. .Michael Attweil, Tony Millard (UK) Rally: Peter Wfiitten Drag Racing: Gerald ,McDornan, Greg Ward, Jon Asher (USA), Dave Ostaszewski (USA), Nick Nictiolas, Steven White, Ken Ferguson, Scott Jug Super Speedway. Martin Clark (USA), Brett Swanson Karts Ian Salvestrin. Allan Roark.

Graeme Burns, Edward Krause Photographers: lAT, Dirk Klynsmitn, Zoorri Photographies. Neil Hammond, Nigel 6. Diana Snowdon, Brad Steele. Tony Glynn, Thundei-fkcs, Marshall Cass, Mike Harding. Brisbane Motorspoit, Frank Midgley, John Bosher, Phil Williams, Mike Patrick (UK) MOTORSPORT NEWS is ponliVfrl DvAj5tirfl.lii.in Mouxspott K'vws Pty Lie ACN' No 060 ! 79 92H . C rv.tv . C 1.1100.600 {.W'r.ig.rvjl. D KisSrf!!. A GljT^n Publisher: C lamtiOon Printed by: Wilkti Color T 7^9 Browns Rd Cti>1on 316fl Distributed by: NOD Ud ‘M.rffiMl publii'iod by MOTORSPOin NI;WS o tOp\'r’cjht «=»n<1 mjy no: ‘op .n or m pjrr w.tMool ino ViMfcn pcrm.ssien oi inc , poPhsncT frecf.inre conrr.bjtions wclrornc rjp.d wfhic .111 fore ia'!* be Mken. Aosrrnl.v.',To ' Id does not Ar.- ept MolorspoFt News rospons'b'I'fy fo'- dGMiogc or los5 o! morenDi ; subnirUtNJ Opinions expressed M-ororspod Ne\‘-s ore not riecess<’cl)’ rnose of rVistrei;*s».Tn MoJonpo't {Id Of ii\ sMff . ’/?ef-oO)2K.‘n(>ed .--nd n'.iUyfTium p .'.e Liply-

Dear Sir, After reading Issue 108 of Motorsport News, we have the fol lowing to say: How is it that the VT Commodore rates a front page spread and four time 500cc World Champion Mick Doohan doesn’t even get a whole page on {hang on we’re still looking for it)- there it is -PAGE 21?!!!!

And not to put down what Jason Bright has achieved, he is a great young driver, but surely after win ning his fourth world championship in a row Mick deserves at least a colour centre spread - if not several pages reviewing his career achieve ments.

But you couldn’t even manage a colour photo, let alone a colour poster.

We buy your magazine every fortnight, because we feel it gives the best coverage of the motorsports that we follow, including FI, Drag Racing, Indy Cars, Superbikes, V8 Supercars and SOOcc Bikes. So we were very sur prised and disappointed at the lack of attention given Mick’s champi onship win.

We would be interested in hear ing from you as to why it was given so little attention when he is clearly our greatest-ever (and I include Alan Jones and Wayne Gardner in that comparison) sporting superstar both at home and overseas.

Cate Williams & Andrew Marshall Hampton Park, VIC ASST ED: The VT Commodore WAS a big story - another pub lication followed the theme a week later. But, while we are all huge Doohan fans here and we delight in the occasional bike scoop, MN is primarily a car racing magazine which hap pens to cover the top end of two wheel racing as well. Rest assured - we have a Doohan tribute planned.

Re Mai Rose at Bathurst Dear Sir, Bearing in mind your editorial in issue number 108 of Motorsport News about integrity, I am sure you will not mind my pointing out that in the same issue of MN there was a news item published under my name, headed “Rose to tackle 1000,” which contained a para graph that was not written by me and which I believe is misleading.

The, paragraph in question, fol lowing the news that Rose had become a late entry for the Primus 1000 Classic, states: “It is a minor coup for the race because Rose is a former board member of the rival ARDC and was a supporter of the AMSCAR series.”'

I agree that Rose’s entry is a

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minor coup for the race, in more ways than one, but to suggest that Rose has “jumped ship” or turned against anyone is completely untrue.

Mai Rose quit the board of the ARDC not only so he could focus his attention on his career as a touring car racer, but also to offset any potential backlash against him when the current political situation in V8 Supercar racing reared its head. He explained his position to the other board members of the ARDC, who understood his reasoning.

Rose has remained on good terms with the ARDC, but has continued to let it be known that his driving

Barry Lake via E-mail

Dear Sir, In response to David Hassall’s

ED - I fail to see your problem, Barry. The facts are not in dis pute and you agree that it is a minor coup, so how is it mis leading? We never used the words “jumped ship.” To have not pointed out the fact that

Editorial (^ssue 108), I have to say, “hear hear”.

The article by your rival Australian Auto Action on Mark Webber’s secret test of a McLarenMercedes made me realise that my decision to switch camps earlier this year was correct.

Having been a long time reader of that publication, I had become somewhat disenchanted over the last couple of years with the ‘quali ty’ and direction the magazine was taking.

I don’t know who is in charge of the ACP-Syme magazine group, however I am sure that they are not interested in producing serious automotive/motorsport publica tions. Look at what they did to (Modern) MOTOR since they took control. They have turned a wellbalanced publication into nothing more than a wank mag. It is disap pointing that they have to resort to this ‘tabloid’ type of journalism.

I just hope they don’t start hiring paparazzi to start chasing our upand-coming stars on motor scooters for that ‘exclusive’ scoop.

Any chance of this publication moving to a weekly format somewhere in the future?

WAR OF WORDS... Clarifying Mai’s political status. (Mpix photo) career has to come first in any deci sions he makes.

The statement that Rose “...was a supporter of the AMSCAR series” was ironic in that it came on the eve of his taking another cleansweep of the three races in Round Three at Eastern Creek, as he had done for Round Two. I understand that Rose now has sufficient points in hand to win the AMSCAR series even without con testing the final round at the AMP Bathurst 1000 meeting on October 4-5, but he is planning to run in that event as well as in the Primus 1000.

Perhaps it also is ironic that the $23,000 Rose already has won in the AMSCAR series plus, potential ly, up to a further $20,000 from the Bathurst round will be spent on running his car in the Primus 1000 event.

I prefer to look on it as an exam ple of how co-operation between the rival factions in Australian touring car racing could be beneficial to all, whereas continued political squab-

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concede the line and make the dri\ ving skills more important than the 1^ '! so-called‘racing tactics.’

Constant overtaking would make it even more exciting for you than watching the mirror and protecting the line lap after lap.

I am an avid Wayne Gardner fan, even in the V8s. It is a shame the “heroes’ considered he needed to be ‘taught’ how to handle the car on the grass before he was allowed to bling has the potential to hamper race with them. Hang in there Wayne, there’s many who support the careers of drivers such as Rose you. and, as just one other example, Cameron McConville, who has been forced to miss a competitive drive John Bamford with Dick Johnson’s team at Manila, Philippines Bathurst through no fault of his own.

Every seven days, please

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Mal was a former ARDC boa rd member would have been to miss the relevance of the story.

We are here to present the facts, not just select facts. It would have been misleading not to have added the para graph.

A view from Asia Dear Sir, I was an avid reader of Auto Action from the day it first hit the streets. That indicates I have been around for a long time. I discovered your mag about two years ago and now read it exclusively. Keep up the good work.

Talk Converter is one of my favourite reads and I must say the furore about the two “Bathursts’ and Russell “BingaU’ have tickled my fancy.

John Bowe, should remember he used to have the same title in openwheelers that Russell Bingall is attracting now, except now Bowe is also the master blocker (oops defen sive driver). Give it a break fellas ...

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Robert Miljko via E-mail ASST ED: Thanks for the com plimentary words but there is almost no chance of MN running weakly - er, weekly. *

Short: Succinct: Confused?

Dear Sir, October 18-19: Bathurst, GM, Ford (and Brock).

October 4-5: Bathurst, GM, Audi, BMW, Williams Renault, Volvo, Peugeot, Ford, Toyota, Hyundai, Alfa Romeo (and Brock).

You decide. I know where I’ll be.

Nicolas Hogios Taren Point, NSW ASST ED: Good. And you’ll be. where?

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