Motorsport News Issue 111 - 10-23 October 1997 by V8 Sleuth

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10 October 1997

Bathurst winners outed but team to fight on with appeai

By PHIL BRANAGAN THE 1997 AMP Bathurst 1000 ended in disarray and controversy last Sunday when the winning BMW of Paul Morris and Craig Baird was disquali fied. Five hours after the chequered flag fell, the stewards excluded the car because Baird exceeded the three and a half hour limit for a dri ving stint. BMW Motorsport Australia was also fined US$40,000 ($55,000) for breaking the rule. The exclusion lifts the secondplaced BMW of Geoff and David Brabham to first, ahead of the Audis of Brad Jones/Frank Biela and.Cameron McConville/Jean Frangois Hemroulle. The BMW team has appealed the decision and, until that is heard, aU results remain provisional. Morris started the race and drove

a double stint, interrupted by an early pitstop for a rear tyre prob lem. He handed over to Baird at 12:43pm on lap 67, leaving the Kiwi to drive the final 94 laps to the flag. That is well inside the 107 lap limit any single driver allowed in the regulations, but Baird was in the car for 3h59ml8s, well over the long-standing time limit. Whify the BMW Motorsport Australia team is being tight-lipped about the matter, it is believed that their appeal will be based on two counts. Firstly, that the wording of the regulation is vague because the words ‘continuous driving’ could allow it to be interrupted by pitstops, even if the driver stays in the car. The second is'to claim a prece dent from the race last year, when the mle was worded slightly differ ently. On that occasion, Craig Lowndes was in danger of exceed ing the time limit, but the rule was vague regarding time or distance.

Consequently, this year the rul ing refers to both time behind the wheel and the maximum distance an individual can Srive. With the appeal pending. Team Manager Lyall Williamson declined to comment on the matter, saying only that “we still won Bathurst”. ‘We either got fii-st and second oiv just first. The team did the right thing; that’s the main thing.” Despite the controversy, the race was a triumph for the local Super Touring teams, which filled the top six placings on the track. Peter Brock was seventh in his Vectra, the only European car to finish the race, after eai’her delays. The other visiting cars fell out one by one. The blindingly fast WilliamsRenaults, one of which dominated the early going,’succumbed to a crash and differential failme, while broken suspension and an oil pump failure parked the neat Peugeot Sport 406s. More on the BMW appeal next issue.

BA CKINTO THE FRA Y... BMW team manager Lyle Williamson (far right in dark trousers)stands back as the Brabham 320i storms back into the race... and eventual victory. (Photo by Charles Coates -LAT)

No new New show for Nine? BMWs this year BMW Team manager Lyle Williamson has refuted rumours that his team would run two new cars in the final two BOC Gases rounds at Lakeside and Amaroo. European sources suggest enquiries were made regarding two 1997-spec Bigazzi cars, but that they will not be heading south for the summer. “Our current cars are fast,” said Williamson on Tuesday. “We can still update them with some new parts. I think we’ve proved they’re competitive.” On the same question, Orix Audi Sport Manager Kim Jones also confirmed that his team would run their two 1996-spec cars for Brad Jones and Cameron McConville at the final races. But there is also a chance that the 1996-spec Volvo driven by Rickard Rydell and Jim Richards will be at the races. The car’s Bathurst race engine (which logged 1700km!) has returned to TWR in the UK for a rebuild and, if it can return in time, Richards may drive the newer car in two weeks time. -PHIL BRANAGAN

Hills hoisted after 1000 breaches PETER Hills’ weekend went from bad to worse on Sunday night when one of his Ford Mondeos was disqualified from the Bathurst 1000. Officials announced that the paperwork for car number 89, dri ven by Jenni Thompson, Terry Skene and Aaron McGill, had been ‘doctored’ and disqualified the car from the result. As entrant of the Mondeo, Hills was fined $5000 for presenting an illegal car. Earlier in the day, Skene and McGill were reprimanded and banned from the race for five and three years respectively - for reversing the Ford do'wn the moun tain against the direction of traffic. Both drivers were having fuel pressure problems and the car was having difficulty climbing the severely uphill ‘shelf to the Cutting. Before the meeting Hills’ team had put in a big effort, building the second car from a shell in only nine days. During the race the Hills/Andrej Pavicevic was troubled with gear box problems. -PHIL BRANAGAN

Australian motor sport fans may get a new weekly TV program as a result of Channel Ten’s bid to get the FI rights. It seems that Nine has promised Bernie Ecclestone a much better run for FI and, to make sui-e of the deal, will also take on the Formula 3000 pack age. The new progi-am, which would go to air on Sunday nights at 10.30, would feature the F3000 and FI qualifying high

lights.

■ Scott Pruett’s arrival in Australia for the Primus 1000 has been delayed until Tuesday. The IndyCar star will now get his first laps in Alan Jones’ Komatsu Falcon on Thursday morning, at Mount Panorama. ■ The Shell Helix team ran two test days at Lakeside last week with their new spec Falcon and were due for another this week, weather peiuiitting, prior to the Primus 1000. Team man ager Les Laidlaw wouldn’t be specific on the testing outcome, other than to confirm that “after going through a lot more stuff, the car is better and the drivers are happier - which is what matters. There’s still some more to do, but we’re happy vrith the way it’s going.” ■ Long-time Ford campaigner Garry Willmington has pur chased the ex-HRT, ex-Peter McLeod Enzed Commodore and will run it in next week’s Primus 1000 Classic, with Bill Sieders as co-driver. The team has back ing from Sydney company Simon’s Earthworks, 2KY and Austec Homes. Willmington gave the com pletely rebuilt car a 50-lap trou ble-free shakedown at Oran Park last Sunday. ■ Brit Charlie Cox,former Super Tourer racer and now BBC/Foxtel commentator, has secured sponsorship from Vittoria Coffee for Chris Smerdon’s Commodore,in which he will co-drive his first Bathurst race next week. ■ Tasmanian privateer Ray Hislop, with Spoi-ts Sedan racer Tim Briggs co-driving, will con test the privateer category at the Primus 1000 with support spon sorship from Skilled Engineering. ■ Wayne Russell will caiT}' the Newcastle Knights’ colours at Bathurst next week. The proud Novocastrian will carry the hues ofthe ARL Champions and “NEWCASTLE’ across the windscreen. ■ Winton will host the Winton Historic Motorfest next season. The two-day event, on October 24/25. will cater for veteran, vin tage and classic cai’ clubs. The event is being organised with the assistance of our ovm Historic guru, Brian Reed. ■ Kevin Schwantz appears to have landed a top drive in the NASCAR Busch Series for the rest of this year and 1998. The former world motorcycle champi on finished 29th in his first out ing at the wheel of David Ridling’s #88 Chevrolet at Charlotte Motor Speedway last Saturday. More details in the Super Speedway section next issue.

l^®9®ITS[p®l70 n Kevin Heffernan has received some much need ed support from KFC Queensland for the Primus Australian 1000 and 1998 season. He and Danny Osborne will fly the Kilo Foxtrot Charlie colours on the Price Attack Holden Commodore. n If you want to see Mark Webber at Macau’s Grand Prix you’d better hurry. Only a few spots are left on the tour to the colony’s biggest motorsport event. Ring Ray Venn-Brown on(02)9281 4888 for details. n Duttons has again been confirmed as the sponsor of the Australian Grand Prix Rally. The Melbourne prestige car retailer wiU support the 10th anniversary event, which will start on Friday February 27 and end on Wednesday March 4. n Brian Sampson has taken out the penultimate round of the Australian Formula Two Championship at Wakefield Park. The Melbourne veteran is now within six points ofleader Wayne Ford with only one round to go.

Y8 Bathurst to move to November? i

V8 group AVESCO will reveal the date of the 1998 Primus 1000 next week. The date will be among a number of items set for announcement at a press conference scheduled at Bathurst next Saturday. According to AVESCO Chairman Tony Cochrane, “there will be a number of announcements and initiatives revealed there, which will lock in the success of the V8 category for the next 8 years”. Of particular interest will be the date for the 1998 and subsequent Primus 1000 Classics which, speculation suggests, will be mid-late November or, less likely, September.

With the Super_Tourer AMP Bathurst 1000 having cemented its first weekend in October date, the Australian IndyCar GP on October 18 (at which the V8s put in an appearance) and a four-week gap prior to the Primus 1000 seen as essential by the teams, November 15 becomes a possible choice. Moving to September would allow the V8s to precede the Super Tourer race, but it would also produce a clash with the end of the football season in all codes and spell the end of the traditional Sandown 500 - not that tradition has proven much of a guide line in these turbulent times. -CHRIS LAMBDEN

n IndyCar Australia Chief Executive Tony Cociu-ane is negotiating an extension to the IndyCarnival contract until 2003. An economic impact study of this year’s event revealed a $53.4m return to Queensland. n Speaking of Cochrane, he has been elected Vice-Pi-esident of the CART World Series Promoters’ Association. n Next season’s Gold Coast CART event on October 18 will be the penultimate race in the 19 round calendar. n It was a busy last couple of weekends for Craig Baird and Julian Bailey. The pair finished second in the American GT series at Pikes Peak Raceway in the USA before leaping on the bomber for the trip to Bathurst. Both arrived on Wednesday morning. n Calling all Dick surfers; action from the Primus 1000 will be broadcast on the internet. Vision from car 17 will be continuously shown, accessible from the www.quicknet.com.au /djr site. n If that isn’t fast enough, get some Thrust into your PC. The ThrustSSC team, which recently belted the World Land Speed record, is recording a million hits a day on its sight. Have a surf to htlp:!/ihrustssc.digital.co.uk n Alain Menu and Jason Plato will be renew ing their fnendship next season. The pair will carry Renault’s hopes of a BTCC double after sign ing for 1998just before heading to Australia.

A TRIBUTE...No one else will ever use the 05 number again.

CAMS will retire 05 CAMS has decided that Peter Brock’s 05 number will be “retired”. Following a practice pio neered in football, basket ball and baseball, where the numbers of legendary play ers are retired when they give up the game, CAMS has decided to bestow a sim ilar honour, for the first time, on the retiring Brock. The formal presentation of a commemorative “05” to Brock will take place at the 1997 Australian MotorSport m Awards Dinner, Melbourne, on Friday January 30 - the eve of the 1998 Shell ATCC opener at Sandown. It was at the 1975 Sandown 500 that Brock first appeared with the number/95 as part of the first d/Tink-driving cam-

paign following the intro duction of .05 blood-alcohol level legislation in Victoria. It has since become syn onymous with Brock, who heads to Bathurst next week with one last chance to win his 10th long dis tance race at Mount Panorama. CAMS CEO Gregg Swann said he is delighted that the governing body can honour Brock in this way: “There will never be another Peter Brock, and so there should never be another 05,” said Swann this week. “His contribution to the profile of motor sport in this country is unparalleled and it’s appropriate and a plea sure that we honour him in this way. -CHRIS LAMBDEN

Bernie’s float No reward for super effort still afloat

One ofthe most dramatic moments ofthe AMP 1000 was when Dwayne Bewley pushed his Peugeofup the rise to thefinish line while being cheered on by a growing crowd. But it was allfor nothing. Cars must cross the line under their own power, so the exhausted driver was excludedfrom the results. Bewley was told of this by officials during his great effort. Not that it mattered. This was a great sporting moment and the effort to get the car to the line was reward enough. (Photo by Charles Coates - LAT)'

BERNIE Ecclestone’s plans to float Formula One Holdings, the compa ny which exploits the commercial rights to Grand Prix racing on behalf of the FIA, will ahead, probably early next year. Ecclestone told The Financial Times newspa per in London that he is not worried about the

ongoing dispute with the Formula 1 teams and said that they would not be given any shares in the company, although they will be offered shares at reduced rates before the general public is allowed to buy into the business. Bernie is hoping to raise $2.5 billion in the sale. -JOESAWARD

Top Renault man to Frost By JOE SAWARD

AS we have been predicting for nearly a year, Bernard Dudot is to leave his job as technical direc tor of Renault Sport and take up a similar position with Prost Grand Prix at the end of October. Dudot has been with Renault for 30 years. At 58, the man who pioneered turbo technology in FI is approaching retirement but his vast experience will be invaluable the Prost-Peugeot team as it seeks to take on Williams,

McLaren and Ferrari. It is significant that Peugeot Sport’s technical director Jean-Pierre Boudy and Dudot worked together at Renault for 15 years and know one another well. It should also be remembered that in the early 1980s Dudot worked as a Alain Prost’s chassis engineer with Renault Sport in addition to design ing the engines. The most significant aspect of the announcement, however, is that Dudot’s defection will be seen by oth¬

ers at Renault Sport as a sign that the company has nothing in the pipeline to keep Dudot and many of the other staff at Viry-Chatillon may now start looking for work elsewhere. Prost designer Loic Bigois will remain as Project Leader for the design and development of the ProstPeugeot APOl chassis which is cur rently being prepared at the team’s Magny-Cours factory. He will report to Dudot, as will Prost’s head of research and develop ment George Ryton and the yet-to-

announced technical co-ordinatqr Jacky Eeckelaert - who is currently working at Peugeot. “I have no doubt that Bernard’s vast experience of motor sport will be of exceptional value to us,” said Alain Prost. “Very few people can claim to have his global vision of the sport and his skills are not simply restricted to engines. “The five world titles - perhaps six soon - that Renault has won under his direction speak for themselves.”

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5-year deal for Super Tourers at Bathurst By PHIL BRANAGAN

THE Bathurst 1000 is set to become the world’s pre-eminent Super Touring car race follow ing the announcement of a fiveyear deal to keep Super Touring cars in the race. That is the future of the Great Race after Bathurst Event Management Chief Executive Greg Eaton announced that the ARDC, TOCA and the Seven Network had reached an agreement to stage the race for the 2-litre touring cars until 2002. Eaton announced the deal in con junction with ARDC President Colin Bond, TOCA Chief Executive Alan Gow and Seven’s Geoff Weil. The race will be held on the tra ditional NSW long weekend next year, on Sunday October 4. Gow said that he would “do everything in my power” to secure long-term commitments to the event. ’There’s no doubt in the world

Hemmerling joins TOCA

FORMER Australian Grand Prix boss Mai Hemmerling has joined TOCA Australia. Dr Hemmerling, 51, who was Chief Executive for the Sydney 2000 organising committee SOCOG after the GP left Adelaide, will handle special projects for TOCA from his Sydney base. He will operate alongside

TOCA Australia’s Chief Executive Kelvin O’Reilly, who is based on the Gold Coast. Dr Hemmerling’s brief is to enhance and consolidate the Bathurst 1000 and the BOC Gases series, as well as pursuing the growth of Super Touring events in the Asia-Pacific basin, perhaps in conjunction with the Bathurst 1000.

that manufacturers will make that commitment,” he said. “This is absolutely the first year of a building program. And it’s the hardest year.” Derek Warwick, present as team co-owner of Triple 8, said that he was keen to ensure he and his team returns. “I will do everything in my power to make sure that we will be back here in 1998,” said Warwick.

He also said that, as well as seek ing support from Vauxhall for the race, there was a possibility of sup port from General Motors Holden. “We already have that,” he said, alluding to Holjden’s loan cars and, it was rumoured, financial support. However, there appears to be some dissent among the race’s man agement over whether or not the race could possibly include some local V8 cars.

Bathurst chief to watch rival race

THERE will be an Racing When quizzed over the matter, Australian Eaton said “perhaps” V8s could be Drivers Club involvement included in the race program; “I in next week’s Primus would not discount V8s being in the 1000 Classic. Great Race,” he said. Following a meeting However, Gow immediately shut between ARDC officials the door when asked if he thought and IMG at Bathurst last such a thing was possible. “No,” Saturday, Bathurst 1000 was his brief and firm reply. Race Director Ivan Gow indicated that the race Stibbard will attend the would be accommodated on all race as an observer. international Super Touring calen “It’s basically to keep dars. The provisional German STW an eye on things,” said date of October 4 will be moved into ARDC President Colin Bond. September while the Bonington “The Club leases the Park TT in England, scheduled for October 19 this year, would be facilities for $4000, which is an absurd nrunber, but pushed later into the year next sea son. we never envisaged that Weil was also firm when asked if what has happened would happen. he would enter into a co-operative agreement with Channel 10, which “Because we own the has a multi-year deal to broadcast infrastructure we natu the Australian 1000 Classic at rally would like to have Mount Panorama. someone on the scene.” “We would never share our facili -PHILBRANAGAN ties with 10,” he said.

Now for the Greater Tony catches his breath Race”-TEGA boss

SUPER tourer chiefs have was alsd happy. hailed last Sunday’s AMP “Everyone knew we’d take Bathurst 1000 a success, a bath financially with this while V8’s heavyweights first one - the race was creare highlighting a likely ated after the UK teams had multi-million dollar loss set their budgets - but it was in their post-race assess- superb, ment. For an event that had TOCA Australia Chief everything going against it, Kelvin O’Reilly is happy with it tm-ned out far better than the race as a spectacle. we’d imagined - it was a “It worked out exactly as Great Race. “The overseas TV was a we knew it would,” he said on Monday. huge success and, with our “The teams put on a gi’eat re-affirmation of the next show and (produced) the five years, it now has a firm closest finish ever seen in the place on the international race. motor sport calendar.” “It was a tough project to AVESCO Chairman Tony get it all together, given the Cochrane was reluctant to late horn- of the decision to go pass judgement on the race. Super Tourer and the conflict “It would be inappropriate and barriers put in our way, . for me to comment on their but it can only get better race,” said the former IMG from here. executive. “We simply have “We did it, got a 40 percent to ensure that we run our finish rate, and put on a race next week well. Great Race.” In our case, the three TOCA UK Chief Alan Gow camping grounds ai-e booked

out, Channel 10 has, I believe, six major national advertisers supporting the telecast, and I’m expecting a crowd of 35,000-plus although others are predict ing 50,000.” Wayne Cattach, TEGA Chairman: “As Tony Cochrane would say, now is the time for the accountants. “It’s all very well to put on a race - and it wa§ quite a good finish - but at the end of the day when all the emo tion has died down, can Channel 7, or indeed the ARDC, cop the sort of losses that will have been incurred on a recurring basis? “It was a Great Race - now for the Greater Race ...” Official figures list the attendance, including pai-ticipating teams and corporate ticket sales, at around 18,000. - CHRIS LAMBDEN

Tony Longhurst shook down his Bathurst Falcon at Lakeside on Monday and is raring to gofor the Primus 1000 at Bathurst next week. And he has new backingfor the race with Hog’s Breath Cafe joining the team. Co-driver Charlie O’Brien (left) helped him launch the car.

Holden mystery

WHEN is a Holden not a Holden - or, for that matter, a Vauxhall or an Opel? When Peter Brock drives one in the Bathurst 1000. That was one of the questions being asked last weekend when Brock’s red racesuit appeared with a ‘Holden Vectra’badge on its sleeve (left). Brock wore the logo on Wednesday, but not on Thursday when

he changed suits, But later Tim Pemberton, Holden’s PR man, appeared with a half dozen sewon ‘Holden Vectra’ badges and Brock wore the logo for the rest of the week, When quizzed on the matter. Pemberton said,“It’s a Vectra. There is a Vectra website, which will carry in-car footage during the race, which Holden is

paying for.” Yes; but was the car a Holden? “It’s a VEC TRA. You can read into that what you will, but it’s a Vectra.” Brock’s co-driver Derek Warwick wore no brand identifica tion on his uniform while both John Cleland and James Kaye in the sister car featured heavy Vauxhall identifica tion. -PHIL BRANAGAN

Berger Ferrari link

GERHARD Berger said on Sunday he could not confirm speculation he would be replacing Ireland’s Eddie Irvine at Ferrari next season. “There were rumors that under certain circum stances I might drive for Ferrari in the upcoming FI season. At this point, this cannot be confirmed,” Berger said in a press release. Berger, 38, admitted he had recently visited his for mer team’s Italian head quarters in Maranello and had met with Ferrari boss

Luca di Montezemolo. “It is true that I was in Maranello and had dinner with Luca di Montezemolo — this was an-anged a few weeks ago,” he said. “But this does not really allow conclusions about my future.” Last month, Ferrari said Irvine would again partner Germany’s two-times world Michael champion Schumacher next year. “If there ai'e no complica tions, I will announce my plans between the races in Suzuka and Jerez,” he

said.

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McLaren chases engine glitches The West McLaren Mercedes team did not do any major testing last week, giving Ilmor and Mercedes-Benz boffins the chance to try to pin down the problem which has been causing the team’s VIO engines to blow up at recent races. The engine failures have robbed the team of several possible victories this year - most embarrassingly at the Nurburgi’ing where the cars were running 1-2 with the Mercedes top manage ment watching when they broke down. n Chrysler chief executive Robert Eaton announced this weekend in Germany that the company is intend ing to double its sales in Europe in the next five years. Not surprisingly, this has led to renewed specula tion that America’s thii-d biggest car- manufacturerbehind General Motors and Ford -is having another look at Grand Prix racing. It is worth bearing in mind Chrysleris links with Reynard (which will be part ofthe soon to be armounced BAT superteam in 1999). n FIA President Max Mosley is expected to be re elected unopposed for another four-year term by the delegates ofthe 144 member clubs from 113 j countries at the FIA i Congress in Paris this

i week. '

n The Stewart team will announce its 1998 driver line-up this weekend. The team is expected to retain both Rubens Barrichello and Jan Magnussen but may also nominate a test driver. Formula 3000 driver Juan-Pablo Montoya has been mentioned in connec tion with a deal. n Congratulations this week go to Jos and Sophie Verstappen on the birth of their first child, a son called Max-Emilian, at Hasselt in Belgium on Tuesday after noon. Jos is expected to re sign for Tyrrell in the next few weeks and we believe that the team’s test driver Toranosuke Takagi will be named the second driver at Suzuka. n We hear that FeiTari is to end its associations with the clothing company Cerruti and with the Japanese electronics firm Pioneer. Neither is believed to be very keen on paying the price being demanded by Ferrari.

n The FIA Formula 1 Commission has rejected a push to reinstate Friday as official qualifying. The FIA seems determined to push ahead with plans to end the Friday sessions completely, despite resistance from the race promoters. n The FIA has decided to ^trict the number of dif ferent wet tyres next year to just two. instead of the four or five compounds that

Goodyear and Bridgestone are providing this season. n Long-time TWR man Tony Dowe, who switched from the role of operations manager to that of market ing manager at Aitows a few months ago, has quit Tom Walkinshaw’s team and is rumoui-ed to be returning to the USA to work for Panoz Motor Sports in Atlanta, Georgia. n The organisers of the Elf Masters karting compe tition at Bercy exhibition centre have issued a remarkable press release giving details of this year’s event, scheduled to take place on the weekend of November 29-30. The release said that Sir Frank Williams and Ron Dennis have released Jacques Villeneuve and David Coulthard to take part in the event. Frank was delighted to discover he has been knighted but is await ing oiBcial confirmation! n Tarso Marques has a new manager. McLaren shai-eholder Creighton Brown is moving into driver management and, having a big farm in Brazil, is a friend ofthe Marques fami ly. Brown’s connections in the FI paddock should prove to be very useful for young Mai’ques. n Although rumours con tinue to circulate in FI, there does not appear to much evidence that any of the current Goodyear teams are planning to defect to Bridgestone next year. n Since Damon Hill signed for the Benson & Hedges Joi’dan team,the number of callers to the team’s Internet site has doubled. There have been demands for merchandise and Honda dealers are already tiying to get hold of show cars and organise events with Hill. The team has had several approaches from potential sponsors including a couple of com panies involved with Arrows this year. n Jordan is to continue to test with Peugeot engines until the end of the year. The new Honda VIO engine is rumoured to be behind schedule and will not be run in a car until the new Jordan 198 is ready for testing in January. The recent spate of engine blow ups at Prost have led to suggestions in the FI paddock that development parts for the 1998 engines are already being tried by Honda engineers. n The McDonalds ham burger corporation is plan ning a major expansion in South America over the next four years, aiming to double its sales in Brazil, and we expect that some of the $500m pledged for this programme will find its way into Grand Prix racing. -JOESAWARD

OA/F FINGER SALUTE... Bernie Ecclestone discusses his differences with McLaren boss Ron Dennis.

Let's get legal! By JOE SAWARD

THE three “rebel” teams McLaren, Williams and Tyrrell - which last year refused to sign the 19972001 Concorde Agreement, are understood to have lodged a formal complaint with the European Commission against the agreement. Them grounds are that the agreement is in violation of Articles 85 and 86 of the Treaty of Rome, prohibiting cartels and the abuse of a dominant position. This will take some months to sort out, but it

may not be hugely relevant as negotiations are continu ing ovgr a 1998-2008 Concorde Agreement, which would replace the trouble some 1997-2001 deal. A meeting at Silverstone in July resulted in broad agreement but leaving a 'few questions over 15 issues. These were discussed at anpther meeting at the Nurburgring last week and Bernie Ecclestone and Max Mosley were reportedly rather upset when the rebel teams came up with 126 points of disagi-eement. Our sources say that only three or four present real

problems, but it may still be some months before a deal is struck. The effect of all this on FI will be to continue the cur rent uncomfortable cohabita tion which is going on between the signatory teams of the 1997-2001 Concorde Agreement and the rebels. It will mean that the three teams will have to continue to run without the money which Ecclestone has guaranteed to the sig which natory teams amounts to around $12m per team this year - in exchange for their commit ment to be at all the races

Fittipaldi retires

FOR Emerson Fittipaldi, one of the sport’s most decorated chapipions, the race is over. By order of God. Fittipaldi said last week that the recent plane crash in which he suffered a spinal cord injury has caused him to rethink his life and give up racing and other extreme sports. “It was not a message; it was an order,” Fittipaldi said, looking up to the ceiling. “I have to stop extreme sports. It’s over. “Physically, yes, I could do it,” he said. “But mentally, I wouldn’t be ready.” This was the Brazilian driver’s second brush with near- paralysis. The two-time Indianapolis 500 winner broke his neck in an IndyCar race in Michigan last year, requiring even more sen sitive spinal surgery. “I have to think about everything that hap pened and play golf,” Fittipaldi said, chuck ling in his downtown Miami office. Wearing a brace on his torso, Fittipaldi returned to work last week, continuing his recovery. He continues physical therapy and said his left leg is still giving him trouble. But Fittipaldi vowed not to leave racing completely. “I want to get involved on the other side of the wall ... on the sSfe side of the wall,” he

for the duration of the agreement, the agreement not to compete in any other open-wheeler racing with out FIA consent and the acceptance that they cannot change the names of the cars for the duration of the agreement. If the complaint is rejected by the Commission, the rebel teams may find themselves from the excluded

Agreement until the end of 2001, although in all proba bility Ecclestone and the teams will hammer out a new deal to bring peace to FI and thus prepare the sport for flotation.

New owner plans Lola Indy team THE troubled Lola Cars

GLORY DAYS ... Emmo heads for his sec ond world title driving for McLaren. said, adding that he was looking at the possi bility of owning his own team. Fittipaldi won the World Formula 1 Championship in 1972(the youngest in histo ry at the age of 25) and 1974 and the Indianapolis 500 in 1989 and 1993. He won a total of 22 IndyCar races and 14 Grands Prix. Fittipaldi said he feels lucky because, unlike many other less fortunate people, he has received a second chance. “I’m either the luckiest or the unluckiest man,” he said smiling. “I’d say the luckiest.”

company has been bought by Irish business man Martin Birrane, a former racing driver and the owner of the Mondello Park racing circuit. Birrane intends to rebuild the customer side of the business, con centrating on Indy Lights and Formula 3000, but is expected to relaunch Lola in Indycar racing next year with a factory team. Rumours suggest that this will be run by for mer Pacific Grand Prix boss Keith Wiggins, who has closed down his European Formula 3000 and sportscar opera tions.

10 October 1997

Doohan a |V|CII*IIjOI*0 muII l race plans i

unlike in 250cc racing where the two Marlboro Hondas of Biaggi and Waldmann are run by com pletely separate teams). However, a Marlboro insider told Motorsport News this week that such a deal was “unlikely”. “Kenny Roberts has his Marlboro deal for 1998 locked in and they’re unlikely to fund two teams at that level,” our source said. What may solve Doohan’s dilemma to some degi-ee is the fact that his biggest in team rival at Repsol Honda, Alex Criville, is being touted as JeanMichel Bayle’s replacement at Marlboro Team Roberts. With the Yamaha door now closed and Suzuki reportedly not an option, Honda remains as Doohan’s only realistic option. Insiders are saying he’d rather quit than press on with an unsatisfactory Honda deal, but in the end it comes down to how much Honda values Doohan. For his part, Doohan’s final words on the subject, as he left Phillip Island, were: “1 will be speaking about my plans with some people over the next few weeks. Possibly my future will be with Honda, but that is all I /can say at this stage.’

By CHRIS LAMBDEN MICK Doohan could head a separate Marlborobacked Honda GP bike team next year. That was the intriguing scenario suggested to Motorsport News over the Phillip Island weekend which, on the face of it, would help satisfy Mick’s i-equirements for continu ing to race in 1998 - with Honda. Doohan’s increasing frus tration with his current sit uation at Repsol Honda has been the requirement to share all his set-up data with his Honda teammates, usually to their great advantage. And it seems that all Honda SOOcc riders - not just his Repsol teammates - benefit from Mick’s hard work. It is this sticking point which, according to insid ers, has resulted in Mick’s delay in finalising his plans for 1998. Now, out of the blue, has come the suggestion that Doohan might set up his own off-shoot Honda team (with factory blessing), run by crew chief Jerry Burgess and backed by Marlboro. Certainly, this would go a long way to providing the operating independence which Doohan seeks (not

Mick upsets Rainey

A FRUSTRA'TED Wayne Rainey confirmed at tbe weekend that his offer to Mick Doohan to join Rainey Yamaha had been off the table since September 1. Rainey announced the retention of Norick Abe and the replacement of Sete Gibemau with Jean-Michel Bayle for 1998 during a Saturday press briefing at Phillip Island. ' At the same time, Rainey expressed his frustration dvfer the Doohan negotiations. According to Rainey, Mick was never serious. Responding to a question asking whether he thought Doohan was using the situation to up the ante,_with Honda, he said: “In the end, I think he was. When Mick'

and I talked I said,‘No games; what’s it going to take?’ “We drew up a list of the three demands he needed and I met them. “Then I had a deadline (September 1) and he knew what it was. And I withdrew the offer after that. “After two months of negotiations to get everything he wanted approved, he start ed playing games. “Up to September 11 was sure it would happen. But in the end, we were not very close (to it). I say that because of the 9f delays. I was upset about it. With Yamaha talking about a new chas sis and engine for 1998, Rainey remains optimistic that his team can compete strongly for the championship next year.

in jeopardy

MALAYSIA’S financial problems bave continued in recent days with the linggit once again diving against the dollar, forcing the Malaysian government to cancel some of its more ambitious development schemes. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad admits that it has set the country back 15 years. In motor racing terms this means that if Malaysia wants to hold a Grand Prix the whole process will cost 25 percent more than had originally been planned and funding of Sauber Petronas Engineering will have gone up by a similar margin. n Federico Bendinelli, the director of the Imola race ti’ack and a defendant in the Senna manslaughter case, has testi fied that he believes the change in FI regulations at the start of 1994 was responsible for a series of large accidents in the first months of that year. He cited JJ Lehto's accident at SOverstone, Jean Alesi's crash at Mugello and the multiple pile-up involving Eddie bvine and Martin Brandle in Brazil. Bendinelli said that some of these were probably caused by the FIA's decision to ban trac tion control and active suspen sion. -JOESAWARD

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8 10October m/ n On-board warning lights to notify' drivers of on-track hazards could be introduced to Formula One next yeai\ The teams discussed the possibility last weekend, noting that in light of what happened to Michael Schumacher in Austria that it would help a driver when he w’as unsighted in traffic. The dash-mounted lights would be set to react to transponders placed around the circuit, although marshals’ sig nals would still be used. Tlie FIA is also looking at using a light to convey blue flag signals. n Andy Rouse,the for mer British Touring Car Champion,is aiming to complete his new Rouse Sport Toyota in time for next week’s RAC Tourist Trophy at Bonington in the UK. Rouse is keeping secret the model on which the cai- is based. n Total Oil has announced that it will no longer support the Independents class in the BTCC. The company has supported the categoiy since 1994, and cun’ently sponsors the works Peugeot BTCC team. n Arrows Formula 1 test driver Jorg Muller will be out of action for six to eight weeks after fi-acturing his right leg when he crashed TWR’s Nissan R390 GTl racecar at Barcelona last week. Muller and Erik Comas bad been carrying out long-distance running with tlie Le Mans con tender at its first circuit trials since June. n Tire German Super Touring manufacturers and teams have been guaranteed stability in the regulations, regard less of what changes the FIA may want to intro duce for Super Touiung cars. The organiser of the STW series says that its competitors are opposed to any kind of vehicle revi sions, other than those intended for safety. -QUENTIN SPURRING

Rkhards/Benetton set By JOE SAWARD

BENETTON has finally announced that Flavio Briatore is to leave the team and that David Richards has been appointed chief execu tive, as we reported exclu sively last issue. Alessandro Benetton remains the chairman of Benetton Formula Ltd but, as part of the restructming, his younger brother Rocco Benetton becomes the team’s commercial director. The 27-year-old has an engineering degree from Boston University but has been working in finance in New York since he graduated. Richards remains the chairman and the major shareholder in Prodrive, which will continue to oper ate independently of Benetton. Richards said that he intends to spend a few weeks “learning and listening” before making any changes to the structm-e of the team, but confirmed that Benetton does have a two-year con tract to run Mecachrome VIO engines - something which Briatore refused to confirm even though the deal was done several months ago. The only logical explana tion was that Briatore was trying to find someone to

DAV and FLAV... Richards and Briatore are heading in opposite directions.(PhotobyAiisport) badge the engine differently. Richards admitted that he has been looking at FI for some time. “I considered building a team from nothing,” he confirmed, “but I realised that this was completely out of the question given the financial resources necessaiy. “I also looked at buying a team but ruled that out for similar reasons.” Briatore remains coy about his future, the team announcing that he is leaving to “take on new challenges”.

In a letter to the teams Briatore said that “at this point” his future plans do not have anything to do with football, In a bizarre note of farewell, FI boss Bernie Ecclestone said that FI would miss Briatore’s charm although more than a few people in the paddock seemed not to agree, Briatore’s buccaneering business methods having upset many FI insiders along the way. Ecclestone added that “contrary to popular belief.

due to media speculation, I would like to make it clear that although Flavio is a friend of my family I have never had any business asso ciation with him or any of his companies - other than through Benetton Formula”. Quite why Ecclestone felt the need to distance himself from Flavio remains to be seen... We also understand that Briatore has got rid of his shareholding in the Minardi team, Gabriele Rumi and his associates having bought him out.

Will Repsol go into Formula One?

RUMOURS in the Luxembourg Grand Prix paddock suggested that Spanish driver Pedro de la Rosa, who has recently clinched the Formula Nippon Championship in Japan, will be moving into FI next season with backing from the Spanish oil company Repsol. Repsol is a big player in motor sport sponsorship, backing the factory Ford rally team - and driver Carlos Sainz - and the Honda World SOOcc Motorcycle team. Sainz has recently signed a deal to return to the factory Toyota rally team - which is supported by Castrol. The Repsol budget may therefore be made available to de la Rosa to ease his way ioto FI. The only current vacancies are with Tyrrell and Minardi both of which will be using the Ford VIO engine next season.^ The most likely berth for de la Rosa is the Minardi team, presumably as teammate to Brazilian Tarso Marques, who has a two-year contract with the team. Ukyo Katayama has been offered a drive if he can bring sponsorship from Mild Seven. -JOE SAWARD

GOODB YE MICK?... Wili Repsol drop Honda?(Photo by Tony aiynn)

Crick mobile with support ELECTRONICS company Ericsson has signed a one-off sponsorship deal for the Primus 1000 with the Alcair team. Lead driver Greg Crick has put the deal together and hopes it might be extended into 1998. Crick has had support from the company before they backed him during his two'Targa Tasmania wins. The Alcair Commodore, now to be the Ericsson Commodore, put on an impressive turn of speed at Sandown to lead a number of Level 1 cars at one stage before it suffered an exhaust extractor failure. Crick is confident of a strong Bathurst showing; “Last year we were ham pered by a simple straight line speed problem at Bathurst,” he said this week, “but this year we’ve brought our engine work in-house, with Warwick Jones and Bob Tindal doing the work, and we’re looking very strong.” Crick will be partnered by GT-P specialist Peter Fitzgerald at Bathurst and is looking for a strong top ten finish. “The past two years we’ve been in the top ten late in the race and gone out through mechanical and crash problems. “So I’m looking for a strong finish firstly, but I genuinely think we might surprise a number of Level 1 teams ...” Running in the Special Level 1 category will, in fact, give the team free choice of Dunlop’s race rubber which, with Level 1 teams commit ted to a common compound from each manufacturer, could well prove an interest ing asset. The Ericsson Commodore, with its revised livery, can be seen in our extensive Bathurst preview section. -CHRIS LAMBDEN

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Lowndes unlucl^ at Mugello Webber in

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third in F3 IT’S been a busy couple of weekends in the British F3 Championship for Aussie Mark Webber. The 21-year-old driver has moved within 11 points of third-placed Peter Dumbreck in the battle for the 1997 Championship. Webber did well at Silverstone last weekend, setting second fastest time at the FOTA test day on MARKO MAN... Craig Lowndes had a troubled run in his RSM-Marko Lola in Italy. (Phoiobyomna Bumeii) Wednesday but slipped to fourth in CRAIG Lowndes head home for repairs and continued after los but, this time, came across the qualifying, within 0.2s of the the Primus 1000 Classic at ing a lap, eventually finishing front of my Lola, knocking off Renaults of Nicolas Minassian and Bathurst next week after anoth in 21st position. the front wing and forcing me Enrique Bernoldi and Mario “Max (Wilson) slipstreamed into the pits for a replacement.” Habeifeld’s Opel. er disappointing round of the Wilson finished the race in European Formula 3000 me down the straight and was Webber was in fourth place exit Championship at Mugello. on the outside of me going into fourth position, hehind Ricardo ing the fii'st comer but found him Lowndes qualified 12th turn one,” said Lpwndes after Zonta, Dane Jason Watt and self trapped behind fast-starting fastest in his RSM-Marko Lola the race. Lowndes’ team-mate Juan- Briton Ben Collins. “Our wheels locked for a time Pablo Montoya. < and was running strongly on It took the Queanbeyan driver After the Prim US race fully 19 laps to find a hole in lap six when his nosecone was before I broke away, maintain dislodged after contact with ing my lead over him. Lowndes will return to Europe Collins’ defence, nailing his at Brazilian Max Wilson. “Wilson repeated the process for the F3000 finale at Jerez’s Becketts. The HRT star pitted for at the same spot the next lap GP meeting on October 25. From there he finished third, but earned the ‘Drive of the Day’ award from the media present. The- previous weekend the British series ventures to Spa in Belgium where Webber qualified third behind the flying MartiniOpel of Frenchman Franck WITH Benetton having .Yamaha engine will be a having been colleagues at Japanese GP in Suzuka. Hart’s deal with TWR Montagny and Bernoldi. finally admitted that it badged version of Brian Cosworth for many years. has a deal to run Hart’s new VIO design. After a lap one red flag Webber Goddard is expected to and Yamaha is expected Mecachrome VIO Brian has missed three look after the develop made a good start and was fighting to be a long-term arrange for the lead in the first comer until ment. engines in 1998, Tom of the last four Grands ment of the engines with Walkinshaw is almost Prix and is believed to be finance and technical Brian is a sprightly 61 forced onto the grass by Montagny. He fell back behind Belgian certain to put the fin working flat ouf to ensure assistance from Yamaha. and seems to want to go ishing touches to that the engine will be The deal - if it is signed on building FI engines for David Saelens but could not get by another deal with ready to begin testing as - will mean the end of the as long as he can, but the pair, or leader Bernoldi, for the rest of the race. Yamaha collaboration WaUdnshaw may be offer Yamaha — despite a soon as possible. He is understood to be However he was the best-placed string of engine prob with John Judd’s Engine ing him a deal in which lems this season. of the British regulars and the working-closely with TWR Developments company. the Hart company is even However, the current engine wizard Geoff If everything goes to tually absorbed into the result, and that at Silverstone, has him in real contention for third in plan the deal will be TWR automotive empire. VIO engine will be Goddard - the two enjoy at the -JOESAWARD the championship, which will end dumped and the 1998 ing a good relationship. announced at Thruxton this weekend.

Tom to keen Yamahas

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Williams confirms for ’98 Trulli in for

JACQUES Villeneuve and HeinzHarald Frentzen have been con firmed as staying with Williams in 1998 and the continuity of dri vers should help the team as it tackles the new narrow-track regulations next season. It will be Villeneuve’s tlurd season with Williams while Frentzen wiU be going into the second year of his con tract with the team. Williams is already in the process of negotiating for the 1999 jSeason with Jarno Trulli being mentioned as a likely replacement for Villeneuve, who is expected to join the much talked about BAT Reynai'd team, in which he will have a share holding. Williams has been following Ti-ulli’s career since the end of 1995 and is a big fan. It remains to be seen what Trulli will do next yeai-. It would be logical for him to stay with Prost but Alain may want a longer-temi deal, which ' could mean that Jarno will have to sit out the 1998 season as the Williams test driver - as Mika Hakkinen did with McLaren in 1993. Prost continues to examine other possibilities, although a deal with CART Champion Alex Zanardi does not look like happening as Chip Ganassi wants to keep hold of the talented Italian. It is logical for Prost to keep TruUi

Nakano at Jerez GP

HANDS UP... If you’re driving for Williams-Mecachrome next season. In all likelihood Rothmans would for one more year, which will give him time to bring on new French tal either be sold to a competitor or ent Soheil Ayai-i for 1999. floated as an independent company The recruitment of Trulli - if it and it would then be up to the new happens - is not expected to be the management to decide whether to only big change at Williams as its continue in FI. contract with Rothmans runs out at Thanks to its extraordinaiy run of the end of the season and the signs n results in recent yeai's, Williams is in are that the cigai-ette maker is not the position that if Rothmans did planning to cojitinue after five yeai’s pull out other big sponsors would and over 30 Grand Prix victories probably offerto sponsor the team. with the team. With an FI boom going on in For some time there have been Germany and BMW becoming the rumom-s that the Rembrandt Group Williams engine supplier in the year2000, the team should not have too - which owns Rothmans - is plan much trouble finding replacement ning to get out of the tobacco busi ness because of the increasing money. -JOESAWARD restrictions around the world.

JARNO Trulli may be back in a Prost-Mugen Honda at the sea son-closing European Grand Prix at Jerez on October 26, according to ramours in the FI world. The young Italian, who led the Austrian GP in such dominant fashion a few weeks ago, stood down for the Luxembourg GP to make way for Olivier Panis on his return from injury. Panis finished sixth to the delight of the Prost team. The team’s second driver, Shinji Nakano, has not been very convinc ing this season - although he has improved from a disastrous early few races - but Alain Prost has been unable to replace him because of Nakano’s support from Mugen Honda. After the Japanese GP, however, Prost has got nothing to lose as he is switching to Peugeot engines next year. We believe that he is insisting that Trulli take over the car so that the team can add to its score in the Constructors’ Championship. -JOESAWARD

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Calendar *V8 SUPiRCAR ENDURANCE SERIES *PRIMUS 1000 CLASSIC Oct 19 . . .Mt. Panorama, Bathurst

*BOC GASES AUSTo SUPER TOURING CHAMPIONSHIP Rd 7 Rd 8

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

8 round series held around Australia

●CENTURY BATTIRIES AUST. GTP C'SHIP Rd7 ,Rd 8

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

8 round series held around Australia

WINSTON CUP NASCAR SERIES Rd 2 9 Oct 12 . . .Talledega Oct 26 . . .Nth Carolina . . .Rd 30 Rd 31 Nov 2 . . . .Phoenix R d 32 Nov 16 . . .Atlanta Nov 23 . . .Suzuka, Japan 32 race series held in the United States.

ACDdc® CUP NASCAR SERIES Nov 1 . . . .Thunderdome , .Rd 1 Dec 6 . . . .Thunderdome . .Rd 2 Dec 27 . . .Thunderdome . .Rd 3 Jan 17 . . .Adelaide R’way . .Rd 4 Feb 14 . . .Thunderdome . .Rd 5 Mar 14 . . .Thunderdome . .Rd 6 6 race series.

FORMULA ©NE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Oct 12 . . .Japan Oct 26 . . .Jerez

Rd 16 Rd 17

17 race series held around the world

NHRA WINSTON DRAG RACING SERIES 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

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Nov 8 . . . .National Open . . .RIR Top Bike Feature

Nov 8 . . . .Pro Am

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Supercharged Shootout

Nov 15 . . .National Open . . .CP Top Fuel Feature Track legend: AIR-Adelaide Int. R’way. CIOCanberra Int. D'way. CP-Calder Park, ECEastern Creek. PAL-Palmyra R'way. RIRRavenswood Int. R'way. TID-Townsville, WBWiUowbank R'way

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CHAMPIONSHIP oat 11-15 .Rally San Remo .Rd 12 Oct30Ncw3 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.

he Nurburgring was another big disappointment. Looking back, i think i could even have been second, because I was eight seconds behind Alesi. But unlike him I was on a one stop schedule. The car was quite heavy, and I just had to wait and see what came out in the wash, but it broke down before I got a chance... We thought it wouid be an OK track for us, but I ended up in 14th place on the grid. The frustrating thing is that just haif a second wouid have moved me up to fifth place, where Michael qualified. I was at the back of a close group of cars, but saying that I was lucky at Silverstone when I was at the right end of the queue. But it’s depressing, isn’t it? At the end of the day I was just about four tenths from Michaei, and I was nine places behind him. Any other year if I was that close to him I’d be on the second row or something! It’s annoying because on the last run I was just over a tenth up, and I lost it with a mistake at the last corner. The problem is simply not hav ing enough grip. In qualifying I ran with a bit less downforce than Michael; he took downforce off and tried with my level, and he didn’t like it, and went back again. But I felt it was OK,to be honest.

ut our places on the grid show how competitive it is. I think we’ve stood still, and I think the other guys have gone forward. Williams, McLaren, Jordan and Benetton have all got good cars, it’s as simple as that. McLaren have really made a step forward. In the last few races Hakkinen has really made

I /, 4 * ●x

●

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Suzuka is obviously one of my favourite circuits.., but I don't think it's going to be one of our better races progress. His confidence is high, and the car is just agreeing with him. Perhaps it’s because of their new technical director, Adrian Newey. Damon Hill might regret not going there when he had the chance, but he’s not going to be in a bad little team either at Jordan, and he’s being paid good money, which is obviously important to him. For the last two races I’ve been near Michael on the grid, and that’s obviously been a concern in terms of not getting involved in an accident with him. To be honest this time I could just get stuck in without having to worry where he was. I’d made some average starts recently, but 1 practiced two starts on Saturday, and they weren’t bad. We’ve changed the clutch recently, and we’d definitely improved it, or so I thought.

nitially I got away really well but then the clutch bit and I got loads of wheelspin, so everyone pulled away. The same thing happened to Michael. Then the Jordans tangled at the first corner, and Half Schumacher went into Michael. From what I’ve seen on TV, Fisichella just took Half out. He wasn’t even alongside; he hit Half’s back wheel. Everyone blamed me for Melbourne, and I was ahead. Fisichelia wasn’t even alongside! Michael came back onto the track in front of me. I had to back off for him, and that cost me a lot of time. There were bits of car flying all over the place as well, so I was trying to avoid all that. A piece of yellow bodywork hit my car. There was so much dust as well - you couldn’t see a damn thing for a second or so. I was in 11th place, behind

Panis. I tried to pass him some where and I got dirt on my tyres. I couldn’t stay on the track after that and I was just siiding around. Frentzen got aiongside me in the last corner and the two of us slid wide and that led Berger through. Frentzen also got by so I was down to 13th. I tried to hang on to Frentzen for a whiie. I was just sitting there. Then the engine suddenly stopped on the way down to the hairpin so I pulied off. They reck on it was a crank problem. We scored no points, and everyone at Ferrari seemed pretty depressed... Suzuka is obviously one itofwas my favourite circuits, and the ideai place to make my debut in 1993. I finished sixth, fifth and fourth there with Jordan, and last year was going to be another fourth until Gerhard Berger drove into me. That was two races in a row he did that... I don’t think it’s going to be one of our better races. It’s a aerody namic efficiency track, and we could be struggling. I think it’s going to be between Williams and McLaren. It will be very close between Villeneuve and Frentzen, but Mika Hakkinen could upset the Williams steamroller. He’s going to fly round there, and he’s always very good at the last chicane. But for some reason David Coulthard doesn’t go quite so well at Suzuka. Bridgestone are going to be very strong, let’s face it, so their teams could be the biggest threat, Of course rain is always a possibility, and if it does rain it could give us a chance. I really want to get some points!

KocinskVs WSC title White

AKIRA Yanagawa and Noriyuki Haga made it a Japanese double by winning one race each at the Sugo circuit on Sunday, the 11th leg of the 12-round world super bike championship series. But American Honda rider John Kocinski clinched the overall title by finishing ninth and third to add 24 points for a total of 391 points, far ahead of Carl Fogarty of Britain and Aaron Slight of New Zealand. Fogarty managed to add only five points from the first race for 317 points, while Slight ended at sixth and fourth to add 24 points for 310 points, leaving Kocinski unreachable. Yanagawa on a Kawasaki clocked 31min 53.323secs to beat Haga by 0.033sec and Simon Crafar of Australia by 4.106secs, covering 21

laps of the 3.737 kilometre (2.32 mile) course. Haga covered 25 laps over 93.425km riding a Yamaha to beat Crafar by 2. 676secs and Kocinski by 5.883 to win the second race in 38:04.349. In the superhport race, Italian Ducati rider Paolo Casoli took the overall title by adding 25 points from winning the race for an insurmount able 145 points, ahead of Italian Yamaha rider Vittoriano Guareschi on 119 and Yves Briguet ‘of Switzerland on 114. Casoli timed 40:14.742 over 25 laps, followed by Briguet in 40:25.465 and Fabrizio Pirovano of Italy third in 40:25.740. The final round will be in Indonesia this Sunday.

for Nations Cup

WORLD CHAMP... John Kocinski

STEPHEN White will return to Europe next week to lead Australia’s team in the GM Nations Cup. The Holden Young Lion will represent us at the Bonington Park event on October 19, joined by British-based Aussie Ian Agnew. Australia’s cars will be run in the event by ex-Fl star Martin Donnelly and, while in the UK. White will test one of Donnelly’s F3 cars. He is hopeful that the drive will re-establish his career in the UK. “My aims have never changed and Formula One is still my goal,” he said. “I’m never going to lose sight of what I want to do.” White’s form at the track is very good. He won his last Formula Renault race there two years ago, and he competed in the 1994 event at Zandvoort in Holland with Paul Stokell. The team will be support ed by TNT International, Coogi Clothing, the Australian Sports Commission and CAMS.

You won at Bathurst GANT

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New world record - now f I

PREVAILING sand storms have to date prevented Richard Noble’s Thrust SSC team from attempt ing to break the Sound Barrier on land. Thrust set a new World Land Speed record of 714.144mph on (1149.06kmh) Nevada’s Black Rock desert on September 25 and has been waiting since for conditions to settle to try for the mag ical Mach 1 - the speed of sound. Thrust, driven by 35 year-old British fighter pilot Andy Green, set the new mark with two runs in opposite direc tions, within an hour of at each other, 700.661mph and a strong 728.008mph to average out at the 714.144mph record. This broke the previ ous record, set on October 4, 1983 by car owner Noble, by some 80mph. “We’ll not celebrate too much over this,” Noble said.

“Our number one objective remains Mach 1. “When we get to that we can relax and have a hell of a party!” The twin-engined jet car, with approximately 110,000 horsepower, had hit 719mph two days earlier on its first of two planned runs. But the team was forced to cancel the sec ond run after a problem with the parachutes in the first forced him to use Thrust’s brakes at 200mph. The resulting heat generated (approxi mately 1500 degrees fahrenheit) forced the team to take a day to assess possible damage to the car before its record run. At the same time, American Craig Breedlove, the first man to break 400, 500 and OOOmph on land, could only watch as his dream to add 700mph to that list was thwarted. Breedlove’s Spirit of America has been plagued by fuel feed and wheelbearimg problems, to date running just a

r:>ir-r

conservative 380mph. “Congratulations to Andy (Green),” Breedlove said. ‘It was a beautiful run and he deserves the credit for it. “We set out to bring the

record back to America, but the British have raised the bar significantly higher...” {In the meantime, the Thrust crew waits for the right conditions to attempt Mach 1.

At the 4,000ft altitude of Black Rock, Mach 1 is expected to be between 750-760mph. Green’s last 728mph run brought a small taste of what he might expect: I’m beginning to feel

shock waves,” he said. “I’m getting used to the feel “I have no anxiety in going supersonic. “The ride today was very smooth and the car was very stable.”

Williams Crafar signs misses V8 privateers push hearing for new SATCC class for Yamaha

FRANK Williams, Patrick I was started thinking ing which allows a single set of tyres per KAWASAKI SWC star Head, Adrian Newey and MOVES are afoot among privateer V8 round, at a subsidised price, and - to allow Simon Crafar has heen about it when one of my competitors to extend the Control tyre David Coulthard last week missed their category they will contest at the Primus for the fact that very few private teams are signed by the Red Bull , old mechanics Mike Webb, able to contest all 10 rounds - a suggestion Yamaha GP 500 team to / who works for Team 1000 Classic into next year’s Shell series. appearances in court at that entrants nominate six SATCC rounds Imola - because there i The matter is up for discussion at TEGA’s contest the 1998 world Rainey Yamaha, asked if before the series starts at which they are able I’d be interested. were no hotel rooms Annual General Meeting next month and it 500 championship. available in the entire seems - even before the concept is put to the to score privateer points. The Kiwi has now land “After the Japanese Privateer John Cotter is one driver who is test at Bathurst - that it has strong support confirmed it would be a ed the ride of a lifetime. Bologna region. Mly behind the concept; and is most likely to happen. The four were due to give “It was an offer I could full factory machine, the “I suppose it’s a logical progression from Thought has already been given to how the evidence on Friday but had not turn down,” the Gold decision to switch classes what’s about to happen at Bathurst and what 99 advised the court that there concept would integrate into the 10-round the ARDC did with its AMSCAR series this Coast based 27-year-old was not too difficult, championship. was no accommodation avail -DARRYL FLACK said. {N At this stage, a written proposal is circidat- year,” he said this week. able. The judge appears to have overlooked this as the court gathered as usual. The case has had to be adjourned once again and it “I would love the cars to stay; it that the Williams Touring Car ONE of the talking points of the was returning to England. will resume on Tuesday, would save us a lot of trouble ship “We need it to run two cars in the Engineering team was listening to 1997 Bathurst 1000 was which, if October 28, when David approaches to run the cars here, so ping them home.” Coulthard - the Williams any, of the imported cars would (October 19, Bonington) TT,” he said. One of the prospective buyers, who stay in Australia. Similarly, Graham Moore, the man long as they included flying WTCE test driver in 1994 - will give wished to remain anonymous, said engineers to Australia to run them. The answer, despite much talking responsible for the Williams-Renault his evidence, which is likely The cars that looked most likely to that the MSD-built cars were “sur and negotiating, was none. team arriving, denied that at least to be largely related to the Despite rumours that the John one of the cars would race in stay were Peugeot Sport’s 406s, but prisingly reasonable” in price. behaviour of the steering “They’d be less than a V8,” he said. team manager Mick Linford said no wheel in the Williams- Cleland/James Kaye Vauxhall Vectra Australia next season. deal was done. had been sold to New Zealander “I sure would like to get one for next “Impossible,” he said. “I woMd love Renault FW16. “There have been people looking in season.” Bruce Miles, Triple 8 team owner it if they did.” -JOESAWARD Derek Warwick insisted that the car -PHELBRANAGAN Specdation at the track suggested and out all week,” said Linford. t

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10 October 1991

or the speed of sound Noble close to history WHILE RAF pilot Richard Green will have his name on the record sheet, Richard Noble QBE is likely to return to the UK a hero if Thrust SSC (Supersonic Car) can reach Mach 1. 51 year-old Noble has held the existing record for 14 years and has worked over that time to build and run the current car in its attempt to break the speed of sound. Without major corporate support (although Castrol came in at the last moment) Noble has managed to assemble and motivate a team of 30 people to bring the project to fruition. He formed the Mach 1 Club, a supporters’ group, which has raised a quarter of the budget for the project, and cajoled upwards of 200 individual sponsors to finance the rest. The salesman, who abandoned his career in 1974 to devote him self to his obsession of being fastest man on earth, did it with a 633.5mph record and then set about the latest Mach 1 target, has only days left to achieve it this year. Seasonal rains are due any day and will bring the current bid to a halt.

ABOVE: Thrust heads to a new Land Speed Record. LEFT: The world’s fastest land vehicle at rest. RIGHT: The fastest man in the world, driver Andy Green. (Photos by LAT Digital)

Green’s selection by Noble to drive Thrust was largely based on his expe rience as a fighter test pilot flying at speeds of Mach 1-plus. Nevertheless, Nohle and Green are approaching

the mark slowly, not cer tain as to a car’s behav iour as it moves through the transonic range and into supersonic - accom panied hy the obligatory boom.

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JUST when touring car racing started to look boring Honda GB have brought the ultimate weapon into their team for the British TT on October 19. The Prodrive-run team will suit up Honda’s World Superbike Star Aaron Slight for his first race on four wheels, alongside British F3 regu lar Jonny Kane. “It couldn’t be better,” said the cockatoo-haired New Zealander, a former winner of the Australian Superbike title. “I love Bonington Pai-k and I’ve always wanted to race one of these modern high-tech Super Tourers”. The winner of the TT race will pick up a £25,000 ($55,000) cheque for the event, which will be decided over two 20-lap heats, from which grid positions will be decided for the 25-lap final.

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Mansell CART comeback? '■A-

developed a strong friend ship. "’We've been talking for some time," Patrick com mented about Mansell. "Nigel would like to come back with Jim McGee. , We've been talking to a sponsor and if it comes together we want to test Nigel. He's told us he wants to test one of our cars to, as he put it, see if he still has

driver to replace Raul Boesel in his second car. Patrick has been talking to Adrian Fernandez and his sponsors Tecate and Quaker State, but is also talking to another sponsor about bring ing Mansell out of retire ment. Patrick’s team is man aged by Jim McGee who ran Newman-Haas when Mansell raced Indy cars in 1993 and '94, and McGee arid Mansell

Pat Patrick is talking to Nigel Mansell about dri ving one of his Firestoneshod Reynard-Fords next year beside Patrick's established number one Scott Pruett. Patrick’s team is losing its primary sponsor Brahma, Brazil's largest brewery, to Steve Horne's Tasman team which means Patrick is look ing for a new sponsor and a

the firs and desire to do it." The question of course is whether Mansell is sufficiently motivated and capable of get ting back onto the pace at 44 years of age after being out of the cockpit for two and a half years. Mansell is still formally under contract to NewmanHaas for IndyGars, but that contract expires at the end of January, 1998.

Blundell survives hot Fontana

MARK Blundell has suf fered from bad luck this season but finally had some good go his way the while winning Marlboro 500 at Fontana, California. The ex-Fl driver took out the race after ill fortune accounted for everyone who got in front of him over the final 38 green flag laps of the race. First team-mate Mauricio Gugelmin pitted after blis tering a tyre while leading. Greg Moore charged through to the lead only to have his Mercedes-Benz engine fail 10 laps from home and that blow-up prompted Jimmy Vasser to lift, expecting a yellow flag. That allowed Blundell to swoop by and take his third win of the season. The race was the hottest of the year, both in tempera ture and pace. Gugelmin toasted Roger Penske's new 2-mile superspeedway by taking pole with a lap of 240.9mph, a new world record for a closed circuit. But while the numbers were impressive many dri vers, even Gugelmin, were ■ critical of the sheer speed of the racetrack. "I think nobody's comfort able at these speeds," he said. "I'm not. I feel like we're pushing the laws of physics... "At these speeds, by the time you feel a problem, it's too late. You have to be very confident of your car." a It was a weekend of records at Fontana. While Gugelmin's 240.9mph was a new race record he went faster in practice, hitting 242 on Saturday morning. a It was also record heat. With 108 degrees recorded in the shade it was the hottest race of the year. It was so hot that the few fans that ventured outside were sitting UNDER the grand stand. a Something old; Robby Gordon was delighted to be back in an open wheeler and the Hogan team was pleased with his feedback over the weekend. Look for him to race something without a roof in 1998. a Something new; Fernandez's great run was aided by a new undertray

HOT STUFF... High temperatures, high speeds, high drama and a massive crowd at Roger Penske’s new track

There were some major crashes in qualifying. Patrick Carpentier, who gained the rookie of the year title, missed the race after a Friday shunt. Alex Zanardi wrecked his race car after running over some of the Canadian's debris. But soon after he had an enormous accident in his back-up car, backing it into a wall at around 220mph. Despite pulling an estimated 88g on impact the new Champion was not knocked out but dizziness put him out of the race. Chip Ganassi on his Lola. The Mexican reported that it didn't make the car any faster but that it was a lot more stable, especially in traffic. a Something borrowed; after much work by Newman-Haas and Della Penna Motorsports Richie Hearn didn't get to race his new Swift at Fontana. The Californian backed it into a wall on Friday and had tp race his unloved back-up Lola for the last time. He was classified 15th. a Something blew; Fangio's Toyota engine did, on the formation lap, to be exact. Of the other Toyotas in the race Matsushita ran over some debris and stopped on lap 40 but both PJ Jones and Max Papis made it to the finish, six and eight laps down respec tively.

starting Arie Luyendyk in Yasser’s spare car. Gugelmin lead away in the race in oppressive 40 degree heat but most of the going was led by Andre Ribeiro in the Tasman Reynard-Honda. But shock of shocks; right behind for most of the dis tance was team-mate Adrian Fernandez, storming along in the unloved Lola. Ribeiro's lead ran out after he lost control at turn two on lap 207, swiping the wall. Soon after Fernandez lost his balance in the heat and fell back through the field, only to mount a late chai'ge. Gugelmin charged away after final stops only to have a blister halt his run, while Vasser was \rild after CART decided to not wave a yellow following Moore's engine blow.. He was 200m ahead of Blundell but slowed right down, expecting a safety car. There was none...

"In my opinion I feel that CART made a big mistake," he said. "I don't know how they knew no fluid had come from the back of Greg's car." "It was the right call," said Blundell. "All the oil was up high in the grey." Third was Fernandez after a late charge, while Gugelmin recovered to fourth ahead of Bobby Rahal, hav ing his last race on Goodyear tyres before switching to Firestones next season. Scott Pruett was seventh after a solid run. Next was Robby Gordon. After apparently agreeing terms for 1998 with Kool Team Green Dario Franchitti was fired from Team Hogan and the NASCAR refugee was quick to take up the offer to re-establish his openwheel career. After starting last Luyendyk's race ended with a big crash on lap 39 while

Michael Andretti, never a factor after qualifying sev enth, retired with an over heated Ford. But that was better than the home team. Penkse's Paul Tracy and A1 Unser Jr lined up 19th and 20th, just behind Juan Fangio IPs Toyota and retired after a crash and exhaust problems respectively. Using engines identical to poleman Gugelmin's the pair were TWENTY miles an hour off Mo's speed. That's the bad news but there is good; with 1998 cars already in production in Poole England, neither Paul nor A1 will have to drive these cars ever again... Final points: Zanardi 195, de Ferran 162, Vasser 144, Gugelmin 132, Tracy 121, Blundell 115, Moore 111, Andretti 108, Pruett 102, Boesel 93, Herta 72, Rahal 70, Unser 57, Ribeiro 45, Fittipaldi 42, Johnstone 36 etc.

HERO TO... New champion Zanardi’s season ended badiy - out after this practice shunt.

n Bobby Roba! is to switch tyre brands. The Ohio-based team owner and driver will run his Miller car and (and Bryan Herta's Shell machine)on Firestones next season. n Despite missing the season's last three races, Patrick Carpentier has won this year's CART Jim Trueman rookie ofthe year award. Last year's Toyota/Atlantic champion collected 27 points this year, all but one of those coming in the year's first seven races. Gualter Salles and Dario Franchitti finished equal second with 10 points. n cart's proposed new engine rules for 2000 have been tabled rather than adopted by CART's board of directors. CART's engine manu facturers and technical committee have agreed on a reduction in engine size from 2.65 to 1.8 litres in company vrith a slight increase in boost from 40 inches to around 50-55 inches manifold pressure. All four of CART'S engine manufacturers say they want to continue building and developing turbocharged engines rather than naturallyaspirated engines. n Carl Hogan says his CART team will soon test Finish McLaren-BM'W GT driver J.J. Lehto as a pos sible replacement for the departed Dario Franchitti next year. Hogan did not run Franchitti in last week's season finale, putting Robby (Jordon in his Reynard-Mercedes in place of Franchitti who has agreed to terms to drive for Barry Green's Reynard-Honda team next year. Hogan has signed an option with Gordon for 1998, but is also talking to Lehto and Buddy Lazier. H Newman-Haas Racing has signed new long term contracts with Michael Andretti and Christan Fittipaldi. ■ CART has annomiced it's 1998 19-round sched ule. As expected, the schedule includes two new races at the new 1.5-mile oval at Motegi, Japan in March and a street race in downtown Houston in October. Surfers Paradise has been confirmed at 14 October. An announcement about FedEx's new series sponsorship deal wth CART is expected in the next two to three weeks. ■ Mo Nunn, who has been a very successful Indy car engineer for the last ten years, has decided to retire to north Florida, near Jacksomdlle. Nunn has engineered Alex Zanardi's car the last two yeai’S with Chip Ganassi’s team, winning this year's CART title. He also won the champi onship, and the Indy 500. with Emerson Fittipaldi and Pat Patrick's team in 1989.

FORIXHULA 1

Men of vision w

WOctobef1997

there to exploit the interest created by the film and to put F1 back on the map in America. All this should hap pen in the next cou ple of years: the plan is for the film to appear in 1999 and there are plans for races later that same year. In all probability, however, things will not be in place before the year 2000.

hat FI needs to make it big time ell, thank you Bemie. That in America is a star was a very pleasant week. driver, someone for It was so nice to be able to the home fans to do a little pottering about between cheer for. This is not races. going to be easy Having back-to-back Grands because American Prix used to be one of the plea¬ single-seater racers sures of the busy FI season, offer¬ are in short supply. ing the opportunity of a few days of rest wherever we were in the Most of the big names in CART rac world. ing are too old to be Today, of course, the concept of embarking on careers having a break confuses some in FI. Others have members of the FI fraternity who such a good life in think that one must always be run¬ America that they ning to catch a helicopter with a have no reai ambition briefcase in one hand and a mobile to try to take on the phone in the other. Running world of FI, an alien around in circles is their favourite environment where kind of exercise and I have to say one of the stars of that whenever I see these folk I am Michael CART, struck by an intense urge to quote Sharon Stone. “Get a life!” Andretti, was embar rassingly crucified in Any sensible folk took a break 1994. between the Austrian and The fact is that Luxembourg GPs. We left Zeltweg Michael made mis THE WAY IT USED TO BE: Niki Lauda hurls his Ferrari around the grand old Nurburgring in 1976,just before his huge shunt. - or Spielberg as we supposed to takes and underesti call it these days - with no real mated just how diffi plans beyond the vague idea of was most bizarre. 1927, ‘The Ring” has been a part and all the great early racing going to see Schloss I thought for a moment of of motor racing foiklore and for events were organised from Paris cult it is to make it in FI, particular Neuschwanstein, the extraordinary becoming the visionary of many years was the home of the to other European cities. The first ly if you do not know the tracks and Grand Prix was held at Le Mans in you do not have the opportunity to castle built by the barking mad Frankenstein; of stopping for 10 German Grand Prix. test. It is not, however, impossible, King Ludwig II of Bavaria at the years to rebuild the ruin and then It was, therefore, rather strange 1906. as Jacques Villeneuve has proved. I am sure that when the calen end of the last century. If you have settle back and collect Deutsch to discover that, when fio-one was trouble conjuring up the image of marks from the blue rinse armies. looking, the Nurburgring sneaked dar becomes official, there will be the place just think about the castle One can only presume that there is 50 miles to the West and settled in an uproar in France and the gov was lucky, that he had a background in in European in the 1960s car movie Chitty no tourist trade in the town the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. ernment will come under pressure Villeneuve racing and understood exactly because the Germans consider Chitty Bang Bang or the building Either that or those canny to back down. The same happened what a cut-throat business it is. which inspired Walt Disney to’ build that Frankenstein was a literary Luxembourgeois have invaded a last year but everything was com This is not always the case with character. the Magic Kingdom. chunk of Germany without anyone promised away and nothing has non-Europeans and is why You can say many things about In my experience that has never getting annoyed. really changed. Mad King Ludwig, but after a trip really stood in the way of the tourist Stili, motor racing has a history I get the feeling that this year Australians and Japanese drivers around the castle one has to con industry. If there is no celebrity on of such curious phenomena: the there will be no compromise and often struggle when they first arrive clude that he was a man of vision. which to build a local tourist attrac San Marino GP is heid every year France will be out - as a lesson to, in Europe. The only Americans I There is a fine line-between being tion one simply has to adopt one. in Italy and is governed by Italian all those countries which do not can think of who have that kind of a a visionary and being a lunatic. The best example of this I know is law - as we are currently finding want to do as the FIA would Ijke background are Richie Hearn and Elton Julian. One could argue (and if you do that town of Bergerac in France, a out in court in Imola. Fifteen years them to. Hearn raced in Europe when he not agree please do not write com scenic spot on the Dordogne River ago the Swiss Grand Prix was held started out in single-seaters, taking plaining letters) that Adolf Hitler with a few vineyards and a grotty at Dijon in France but, as Swiss was a man of vision because he tobacco museum. fact that FI is cana boss law bans motor racing, this must The governments sign around of the part in the cut-and-thrust of French built the German motorway system If you ask the average man on have been held under French law. strength of our sport, but if there Formula Renault racing with the - down which we hurtled with the street about generation of French drivers now has been one weak some efficiency. Bergerac, he will ness in recent years it competing in Formula 3000. He has been the failure of found it hard going but was suc probably say some thing about a detec Grand Prix racing to cessful when he returned to the Our trip fromwas Austria the tive series on TV. He Nurburgring full of to monu succeed in the United US. ments to men of vision: from those might mention the Julian spent more time in States of America. who built the bridges and dug the name Cyrano de FI was simply too Europe, racing in both British and tunnels through the Alpine passes Bergerac, famous demanding for any French Formula 3, and did well in 9? l ll to the vast Zeppelin sheds at nasally-challenged American promoter to both. He moved up to Formula Frederickhafen, the cradle of the poet and duellist. This risk putting on a race. 3000 and even tested for It is therefore odd that cars run German aviation industry. Up in the gentleman caught the attention of People in America were just not Larrousse at the end of 1994, Black Forest some bright spark the tourist authorities of the town ning at the Nurburgring were all interested and FI was asking too impressing the team with his pace at Paul Ricard. He is still in his had even come up with the idea of and they put up a statue to the running with tobacco advertising - much money. early-twenties but seems to have The recent announcement that creating employment by declaring hero. Today, ladies with blue rinses which is banned in Germany but the area the capital of clock-mak- and Japanese folk drop by and allowed in Luxembourg... Sylvester Stallone is planning to run out of money and disappeared mg. have their photographs taken with The question of a Pan- make a film about Grand Prix rac from the European scene. If I was Bernie Ecclestone I Funnily enough, the one place Cyrano. They go home happy, European ban on tobacco advertis ing will change all that, which is the would find out what happened to where we saw no sign of any vision blissfuily unaware that Cyrano de ing is expected to come up at the best possible news for the sport. at all was in the little village of Bergerac had absolutely nothing to next Council of Ministers and the Films may have global appeal Julian and throw some money at Frankenstein, which is dominated do with the town of Bergerac and decisions made could have a pro but most of the movies made in him and get him in at Minardi - or wherever - so that there will be an by an old ruined castle, presum never even visited the place. He found effect on the shape of FI in America are aimed first and fore American interest in FI when the future. ably once owned by Count lived up near Paris. most at the home audience and, Frankenstein. with a star of Stallone’s stature and Grand Prix racing arrives. Already there are such prob People in FI and CART have lems with France over TV issues modern technology available for One would have thought that not brings alwaysme, as they such a place would have attracted Things seem.are Which in a and television that there is no special effects, the film should be a been saying for years that Grand Prix racing will never go to busloads of Japanese tourists and round about way, to the French GP listed on the provisional big success in the US. little old German ladies with blue Nurburgring - a visionary project in FI calendar for next year. The As film-making these days is Indianapolis. This is incredibly rinses, who now seem to jam every itself - dreamed up by the gover French will probably say that this is aimed as much at merchandising short-sighted as it makes perfect sense for both FI and for the tourist attraction from Hamburg to nor of the region. Dr Otto Creutz, in because the traditional date clash as at ticket sales, the film will stim Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Botswana, buying horrid china 1925. ulate enormous interest in Grand es with the World Cup, which is thimbles and teacups with pictures As any race fan knows, this being held in France Prix racing and it is no coincidence Sorting out how it could be done is of cocker spaniels stamped on monument to automotive madness It would be a shame if France that suddenly there is talk of the work of an afternoon if the peo them. In Frankenstein, however, (and cheap labour) is to be found lost the Grand Prix because the Grands Prix being held at Road ple have any vision. we found not a single postcard; nor in the picturesque Eifel mountains country has a great heritage in rac Perhaps they should learn from Atlanta and at Indianapolis Motor a t-shirt or even a china thimble. It of Germany. Since it opened in ing. It was the cradle of the sport Speedway. These races would be mad old King Ludwig ... n

‘‘Cars were running with tobacco advertising - which is bainned in Germany but allowed in Luxembourg

BATtfURST SUPPORTS

Morgan,Smith share Porsche spoils by PAUL BURFITT

GEOFF Morgan and John Smith shared the honours in the Porsche Cup support events at Bathurst. Morgan took pole for both races but Smith, driving Chris Stannard’s 911 RSR and qualified second, ensured the two had excit ing races, which included a few lit tle nudges across the top of the mountain. Peter Fitzgerald took a well deserved third on the grid, more than three seconds ahead of Ed Aitken’s similar 911 RSCS. Rounding out the top five was Martin Wagg’s blue 911.

Race 1-8 laps Morgan and Smith got away very fast with the latter taking the early lead up the mountain followed by Morgan’s Vodafone entry, Ed Aitken and the Falken Tyres car of Fitzgerald, with the fast starting Greg Keene up to fifth from 11th. Fitzgerald pushed Aitken hard over the top while Rick Scarf parked his 911RS in pit lane. By mid-race Morgan had .closed on Smith, Fitzgerald had/passed Aitken and Anthony Tratt'was in a great battle with Brett Wentworth in a 930. Fitzgerald parked his 911 RSCS with a flat tyre while up front Morgan tried everything to get past Smith, the latter covering his lines very well with and headlights ablaze the pair started to lap slower cars. Into Hell comer for the final lap Smith made a small error and ran wide, giving Morgan the run up Mountain Straight for the last time. Smith was unable to get back the place, giving Morgan the win after a race-long battle. Third was Aitken fi-om Wagg and Rodney Forbes in another 911

WHA T TEAM ORDERS? Morgan pushes Smith. The two shared the wins in some tight racing at Bathurst. (Photo by Marshall cass) RSCS. Forbes’GIO entry passed started well and entered Hell Tratt on the last lap after Tratt’s Corner two wide, closely followed Toll Express 911 lost fourth gear. "by Fitzgerald. Trevor John took out seventh The leading pair seemed to with Wentworth eighth. The GT2 of bang wheels heading up The David Withers and Stan Adler’s 911 Mountain, Morgan allowing RSR rounded out the top 10. Smith to take the lead for the run across the top. Race 2-5 laps By lap two the leaders and With the race one incidents team-mates had created a big gap behind them, Morgan and Smith back to Wagg in fourth with

Aitken rounding out the five. As the leading group continued to pull out a gap on the Wagg/Aitken battle. Keene spun his GT2 at Caltex Chase to end lap four. Again Smith covered his lines well and Morgan was going to have to do something special to get past for any chance of another win.

Morgan tried everything, including an outside pass at Murrays to get by, but Smith greeted the flag to take the win. Third was Fitzgerald from Wagg, Aitken, John and Forbes. Eighth was the recovering Keene with Wentworth and the OAMPSsponsored 930S of Sydney’s Chris Hones which rounded out the top ten.

Commodore Cup turns It on

UP AND AT'EM... The V8 Commodores turned back the clock and turned on the action. (Photo by Marshall cass)

the in ALEX Shearn Repco/Castrol Commodore shared the wins with Victorian Steve Carless in the Commodore Cup supports in fine conditions at the AMP 1000 last weekend. In race one the field got away well and went into Hell Comer three wide, with Shearn taking the lead and pushing Carless wide. Crosswell dived through to keep second spot, the position he would finish. Going into Caltex Chase for the first time Shearn and Crosswell were two wide, the latter sliding sideways through the 220 km/h kink. Carless had dropped back through the field and was barging his way past everyone in an attempt to get back to the front.

Taking orders for GTP Bathurst race nowI Cameron McConville wins 1996 Australian GTP Series Championship , on Pirelli tyres

♦ On-track servicing - Super Tourer rounds & GTP 3-hour Primus WOO events ♦ 17"and 18"Slicks and Wets available ♦ Road, race and rally

A last lap incident saw Ian Holding, Barry Cassidy and Ricky Lane crash at Tyrepower'Turn. At the flag it was a deserving winner in Shearn from CrossweO. Nine seconds back was Carless, with Maurie Platt and Peter Knight taking out the top five. In race two Shearn and Crosswell came together exit ing the Cutting. Shearn’s Revmaster sponsored car was all but destroyed. This left the way open for pole sitter Carless to take the win over Crosswell with Shaun Wilkinson, Knight and David Sala rounding out the top five. Shearn had to be content with the fastest lap, a very tidy 2m38.22s. -PAUL BURFITT

Australian Motorsport Distributor Motorsport Concepts Factory 2/8 Nicole Close Bayswater Vic 3153

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Aussies kick Euro ass at Bathurst O

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The Europeans came back for The Great Race and threatened to thrash the

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Bathurst - and swept through to dominate the final placings.

In an extraordinary finish^ the arch-rival BMW and Audi teams went head to

head^ with a nasty twist in the tail when the race winners were disqualified. On the following pages, we tell you how it all unfolded...

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CELEBRATION: With a BMW halo making him look more saintly than knightly, Sir Jack and his sons already looked like winners on Saturday (above). On Sunday David and Geoff climbed the podium for what turned out to be victory (right), accepting the plaudits of the healthy crowd (feft).

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An/IP BATHURST 1000

Menu sets hot pace

The internationals wasted little time getting on the pace at Bathurst and, not surprisingly, it was the Williams-Renault ofBritish champ Alain Menu to thefore, but he was pipped by the BMWs,as PHIL BRANAGAN explains: of recent weeks it was a relief After allcai’S the actually to-ing and fro-ing to see drive out onto the circuit. But there were still some late movements and no-shows. The Milton Leslight/Dennis Cribbin Toyota Carina failed to show while the Knight Racing Mondeo team was changing its structure. Peter Hills was going to share with Bob Tweedie until the two couldn’t settle on a financial arrangement, leaving Hills to grab Andrej Pavicevic for the seat, leav ing Jenni Thompson to share the other car with Formula Forder Aaron McGill. Terry Skene also moved into that the BMWs from car Barclay/Cornish BMW, replaced by Blair Smith. One of the great Great Race myths is that European drivers will be daunted by the forces of tKe Mountain on their first visit to Bathurst. About the only stand-out from the rule was Jo Winkelhock who starred after only four laps of circuit learning on his debut in 1993. On Wednesday Alain Menu added his name to that list. After tooling around in the Williams-Renault on old tyres he pitted for new Michelins and dived straight into the low 2m20s, fmish-

ing the first session with a startling 2ml8.05s effort which sent every one reeling; he was 0.4s clear of everyone else. Backing up the new British Champion was Jason Plato. He was a little more awed by the track and took time in the interrupted after noon session to settle in but eventu ally dialled in to less than a second back from his team leader. The other Renault was going through a tough time. Alan Jones lost most of the morn ing session when an alternator seized, shredding a drive belt and the problem followed through the afternoon when Graham Moore had a warning light appear, discourag ing him from further activity until the trouble was sorted. Moore man aged only seven laps. The next morning Menu went even faster. He pulled out a blind ing 2ml7.46s laps, fully 1.27s clear of the opposition. With that, Renault’s place on top of the heap apparently secure, Plato was sent out on a race run in the afternoon, running full tanks and a single set of Micheliiis for the first time in the 45 minute session. The problem Moore was having was apparently that he was not “caning” the car. The Laguna was designed to run at 100 percent - all the time - and while Graham was

learning the car, oil and fuel pumps were under-running and alarms were going off, prompting Moore to park. After all manner of disasters including firing the fire bomb when trying to start the car on the weigh bridge on Friday morning - AJ finally found some clear track in the afternoon and delivered a 2ml8.14s, commendably close to specialists who had been driving the Lagunas all year.

on Friday afternoon Platopush was came in thetomiddle When shove of a full tank run. He was quickly pulled into the pits for fresh rubber at the end of the session and went out to set a time, getting within 0.7s of Menu’s best, but it wasn’t good enough for proihsional pole. But the Renaults didn’t get the first day headlines - Brock did. After team owner Derek Warwick starred in the morning, running solid 19s on what he described as the “best racetrack I have driven on, ever”. Brock similarly took to the Vectra in the afternoon session, running off some quick times despite a skittery rear end. That caught him out. Just after setting the fastest time of the ses sion (a 2ml8.98s) he was on an even quicker lap when he touched a

kerb at the Chase, lost the rear and rolled into a sandtrap. Brock was unhurt and showed remarkable sang froid when describing the incident, but the 05 car was through for the day, the TAPE boys attacking it immediate ly. It was the first time in his 30 year career that Peter had inverted a car... Remarkably the car appeared for the Thursday morning session. Warwick immediately reeled off a 20 neat; obviously the car was pret ty close to the mark. Cleland was likewise quick in his car, within tenths of Warwick on day one, while James Kaye lost a lot of wheel time getting comfort able after breaking a collarbone five weeks earlier in a mountain bike accident.

The following day he got more seat time in the morning, running solid 20s but w^hen JC popped in for a quick run at the end of the ses sion he didn’t like the car. A rear damper change had backfired and the car was difficult to keep on the road. The next morning the Scot was right on the pedal with a 2ml7.92s for third fastest time overall, but on the next lap he suffered an under dash fire and pulled over on Mountain Straight. The car was fine and Cleland took it all in his stride. “All I really needed for the barbecue was sausages,” he smirked. In the afternoon, Kaye went out to try the car on full tanks so they missed the final stoush for times. The 17.9s would get them sixth,

LEFT: Andrej Pavicevic had a troubled run, inciuding this big off in Peter Hills’Ford Mondeo. (Photo by Marshall Cass) BELOW LEFT: Cameron McLean was startling, the former privateer setting the week’s best time for the Volvo team. (Photo by otrk Kiynsmtth) BELOW:Brad Jones inspects the damage after brushing the wall coming out of the Cutting on Thursday. (Photo by Dirk Kiynsmith)

QUALIFYING

WOclobef1997

UNDEREXCITED: Swiss star Alain Menu might be an excitement machine at the wheel of his Renault, but not when it comes to talking ...

Commodore among the pigeons i

JUST ONE OF LIFE’S TRIALS... Peter Brock was left to explain to his crew (right) that he had never rolled a car in his life before, let alone at Bathurst. Thankfully dam age to the Vectra (top) was rela tively light and it was in the paint shop by Sam the following day, Thursday. (Photos by Dirk Klynsmith and Marshall Cass) three spots ahead of the boss, Warwick. Like Renault, Peugeot had done little to their 406s to prepare them for a distance race but they didn’t lack pace. New 1998 signing Paul Radisich wasted none of his Bathurst experi ence on the way to a 2ml8.45s lap, ably backed up by Neil Crompton, who clocked a 20.86s. Neil buzzed a valve after missing a shift, which was unexplained by the team (though the 406 does have a shift pattern the reverse of Neil’s more regular mount, the Honda Accord). Regardless of why, it hurt the team. It was their only qualifying engine. That damaged valve cost Patrick Watts a little pace in his afternoon run (the crew changing engines overnight) but Tim Harvey, like Warwick absolutely gob-smacked by the track, resolutely set a 23.15s in the afternoon,

Garry Rogers Motorsport caused some excitement when they wheeled their race car out of their transporter. It wasn’t a Nissan; it was a Commodore! The team had decided to stock up their pantech with both their racecars and make one trip to Bathurst for the two 1000km races instead of two.

n The week before the race David Auger’s new wheels were waiting for him in London; all he had to do was get them to Bathurst. Rock-it Cargo briefly considered sending an employee to Australia for a few hours until they discovered someone head ing this way who could bring them as hand luggage. The White Knight was none other than TOGA supremo Alan Gow ...

. I

n Alain Menu is a very under excited person. He described his first experience of the track as ‘nice’; when pressed he upped the ante to ‘very nice’. His comments after running 17s ir) quali fying went unrecorded ...! n John Cleland’s reaction to Brock’s Thursday rollover was predictable. “I’m sleeping in my race car tonight,” he grinned. “Noone’s going to steal this from me!”

he next morning could have been brilliant for the Pugs.

Watts was on a hot lap when the red flag came out after David Auger had an accident and cost him his best lap but Radisich and Harvey had a cleairer run, both drivers sep arated by a hundredth in the 19.5s. In the afternoon Harvey got the green light and had a huge try. The result was a superb 2ml7.73s, very near to the lead Renault which was in cruise trim. Radisich’s real shot at best time was thwarted (again) by a redflagged session but in the afternoon Harvey had no such woes, with a 2ml7.54s for third overall. Better, Watts was only 0.01s and a spot back, he being happy but not so Crompton, whose morning lappery brought his total to about 20 for the week. He was clearly hoping for a better run in the race. The BMWs were right in the thick of things. Geoff Brabham started proceed ings, holding best time with an 18.8s until Hurricane Menu blew by. Brother David, straight off the plane from Mugello, ran a few laps in the 22 T-car until a driveshaft broke, which the team put down to “something we tried which didn’t work”. In the afternoon David settled into car 83, running 20s while con-

centrating on long-ish runs. Paul Morris broke into the 19s in the morning, backing up the times in the afternoon in car 22 while Craig Baird, straight off a plane from Colorado (where he had shared a GT drive with Julian Bailey) ran 20s in the afternoon. All drivers were clearly on a tight rein as far as sprint times were con cerned. David’s afternoon run in 83 came to an abrupt halt when the trans mission broke on the run to Reid Park, but Morris was clearly on the noise with an 18.13s to take second spot for the session. The only other problems the team faced all week were one of compatibility - Morris’s race differ ential needed attention when the 96-spec cooler and fitting didn’t quite match the new unit. In the afternoon the Empire fought back. Geoffs first flier was a 2ml7.97s and Morris wasn’t far behind. Running ‘dinner plate’ rear wheel aero covers, the reins were clearly off and both howled in for rubber.

After a 17.58, Brabham cruised for a lap and, despite a little baulk, the result was a 17.42s, the fastest '● time for the three days. Then Morris backed him up with a 17.58s. T^e locals were first and fifth overall. Arch-rivals Audi played them selves in gently. The two Australians drove on Wednesday morning, Jones pipping McConville by a tenth, but both were at the 2m21s level.

the afternoon he com When Frank Biela in plained of the car’sdrove balance (apparently the German is very finicky on set-up) and was looking for a big improvement for Thursday. ‘JF’ Hemroulle made a tough job of learning the track with the after noon interruptions, running 26s. McConville did better on the follow ing day but, clearly, the cars were either being run VERY conserva tively or the set-up on both was slightly amiss. Continued Page 21

n Alain Menu not only didn’t get pole in qualifying, he suffered a financial set-back as well. He was fined $5000 for failing to exercise due care after tapping Mike Fitzgerald’s Peugeot on Friday. The Swiss appealed the decision. ■ Rickard Rydell also earned the wrath of the stewards. During one of the (numerous) red-flag periods the Swede was timed at over 200kmh on Conrod. He escaped with a reprimand. ■ Murray Walker got plenty of track time. Apart from some familiarisation laps in Allan Moffat’s road car. Walker was chauffeured around the track in two race cars - first Jamie Brock’s Austin A30 replica (with Peter at the wheel) and on Friday in Audi’s ‘passenger’ A4 quattro. Brad Jones driving. ■ Patrick Watts was downcast about his chances of finishing the race at the post-qualifying media conference. “I’ve never finished a six hour race,” he mused, before adding positively, “but I have gone six hours in a 24 hour race!”

n Seen at Bathurst; Holden Motorsport Manager John Stevenson and PR man Tim ‘Plastic’ Pemberton. Both were downplaying their presence (’We’re just having a look,” said Stevenson) but admitted that Holden supplied the Triple 8 team with loaned road cars. There was also a Holden-funded internet site featuring live Racecam footage from the 05 Vectra. That may not l seem a big deal, but three months ago they didn’t even (offi cially) recognise that Super Touring and racing Vectras existed ... n The Brock Factor: when Derek Warwick, John Cleland, James Kaye and Peter Brock attended the ‘Breakfast with the Stars’ on Friday, Peter was briefly called away from autograph sign ing for a phone call. While Peter was away, the fans stopped pre senting their posters for signing.

n Peter himself had a less than perfect lead-up. On top of his Wednesday rollover, he had his Friday afternoon qualifying times disallowed after missing a weighbridge call. ■-The Milton Leslight/Dennis Cribbin Toyota appeared at the track late - at lunchtime on Saturday - after missing qualify ing. The Carina needed work before it got onto the track but the crew could not manage it by Sunday morning. ■ Michelin’s hearts beat a little faster when a shipment of Dunlop tyres suddenly arrived late on Friday. According to Dunlop’s Russell Stuckey, it was a matter of the shipment going to Perth by mistake. The next day the Dunlop-shod Audis went signifi cantly faster. ■ Michelin certainly had the Lion’s share of the field. They dominated qualifying with the first seven grid spots and supplied 20 of the cars in the field. ■ Despite the impressive qual ifying speeds, it seems that a 2:15 remained a possibility, given newer tyres. One of the overseas drivers said that Michelin’s Bathurst tyres were four genera tions behind the latest BTCC spec rubber, which he reckoned would be up to 1.5s faster over a single lap. - PHIL BRANAGAN

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QUALIFYING

W October 1997

Continued from page 19 It looked like more a case of the latter. It took until Friday morning for the team to show any real speed, McConville dipping into the 19s for the first time with a 2ml9.39s, exactly a second faster than Biela. The German was set back a little on Thursday afternoon after tap ping a Fastway Peugeot at the Dipper, also running across Bradshaw’s bows at MmTays while on a hot lap. This came after Jones got sideways exiting the Cutting and clouted the wall, thankfully squai'e-on. On Friday they finally found their feet, and some speed. Jones went all the way into the low-18s with a 2ml8.19s for eighth, three spots up on McConville whose 19.39s made him 11th.

he Volvos were also sticking resolutely to the ‘race set-up’ theme, which was just as well. The cars were, in a word, slow to start with. None of the drivers came close to Richards’ media day times, the 1996 car avoiding all efforts of the team to gain balance. Gradually things started to change. By Friday, Rydell and Richards found a set-up they were happy with in the 1996 car, while Nilsson worked away to get himself happy and balanced with car and track. But they were all overshadowed by McLean. The Queenslander came good on Friday afternoon with a 2ml9.94s for 12th fastest, the leading time of any of the four drivers. Okay, the Volvos were here for the race, not qualifying, but the quality of his teammates put his effort in per spective. Steven Richards was best of the

‘Independents’. The Valvoline Nissan was joined for the week by the ‘same-ish’ car of co-driver Matt Neal, the giant Pom’s car being a source of spares should they be needed. Neal had an embarrassing moment when he spun at the Elbow on his out lap and, when he backed out of the way, found the car stuck in reverse. He shd the car down the hill as well as he could, foimd a flat piece of road and hopped out. He disengaged the gear under the bonnet and got the car back to the pits. by which time the session was over. The following day was mostly ruined by a broken driveshaft in the morning, leaving the team httle Continued next page

HIGHFLYER... John Cleland admits his Top Ten lap was a shocker, ‘highlighted” by this leap off the kerb at the Chase. (Photo by Rob Cox Action Photographies) FAST MOVER... Alain Menu and Jason Plato were the stars of practice and qualifying with their BTCC Renaults. (Photo by Dirk Klynsmith)

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AIUIP BATHURST TOOO

Foreigners’ folly

ne of the more remarkable aspects in the lead-up to the race was not so much the performance of the leading BTCC cars - most notably the Renault and Peugeot outfits - but the lack of changes made in the cars to run the 1000km race, an approach which would haunt the imports come race day ... Both the Williams and MSDPeugeot team arrived with their cars basically still in sprint trim, save for larger fuel tanks to allow the cars to run the 80 minutes or so between stops. Both teams arrived with similar RELIABILITY FACTOR:The Brits didn’t think they needed to change their cars. attitudes. “Our cars have been very reliable all year,” said strong enough and if we have a endurance experience; I’ve done Renault team manager Didier problem we can change gear sportscar racing, so we won’t be clusters in two and a half minutes. doing anything silly.” Debae. Linford was confident enough “We will run thicker brake pads “We feel that if we change to state they may have a reliability which will be necessary for the things on the car that will hurt the ADVANTAGE; reliability, not help it. If we race but, otherwise, we’re confi dent.” “Hopefully we’ll keep going strengthen one thing it could “We’re only a little worried,” around and some of the cars in affect som.ething else.” front of us will have problems,” he Peugeot boss Mick Linford said driver Tim Harvey. ‘The cars have been very good said. echoed the philosophy. And at that stage of qualifying ‘We run our engines to around all season but this is a long race 1200km anyway,” he said. ‘They like 10 BTCC races one after the the only car in front had ‘Renault’ written on it... other. I will not be a problem. - PHIL BRANAGAN But our drivers ali have “The transmissions should be according to the TOMS engine bible which mentioned nothing of reoption but to allow Neal to run torquing the cylinder head. A hose alone on Friday morning to accli or two blew off with the pressure matise to the track and car. and it wasn’t until the crew caught But, as he almost always does, on that the problem was solved. any time lost during a race build-up The race engine would not suffer is usually overcome by Richards’ the same problem. speed. He carried the car into the They finally got a good nm in the top 10 with a 2ml8.84s lap for afternoon, both drivers i-unning 23s tenth, the team reporting the car to with fuel loads and reporting no be well balanced and consistent. problems. Troy Searle’s 1995 Roadchill he FAI Honda Accord looked BMW had a solid introduction to brilliant sitting in the pit lane him and co-driver Geoff Full, on Wednesday but it wasn’t despite having a newly-painted running. wheel work loose when backing Nominated number one driver tape was left on it. Both drivers Julian Bailey was late getting in from the USA and until the team were delighted with the car, describing it as forgiving, and with did the paperwork to make Warren a 2m23.98s lap the car started Luff eligible to drive the session, 18th. the car went nowhere. Jim Cornish and New Zealanders With the engine already having 'Smith and Barclay came to grips done some work, the team was lim well with the ex-McLean BMW. It ited by its mileage but Bailey took didn’t exactly hurt that fellow Kiwi 14th with a 2m21.18s lap. One of the more remarkable runs Greg Murphy was on hand to pass on any tips on the track. was that of the Fastway Couriers After starting in the 30s, the team. Tony Newman and Dwayne times gradually came down with a Bewley ran Wednesday, Thursday 2m24.89s best for 21st. WELCOME HOME... David and Friday alone in a car each, still Bob Holden blotted the copybook waiting hopefully for co-drivers of.the Faber-Castell team. On Brabham’s first drive of the BMW Australia car ended with a broken with a budget to step forward. Wednesday afternoon he got his Running on Dunlops, the team driveshaft (“Sorhething we tried foot caught between the brake and chipped away at the set-up, despite didn’t work...”),leaving him to the accelerator at the Cutting and delays with a broken exhaust head watch proceedings trackside. half-spun the car square on into the er (Bewley) and a bung driveshaft wall. (Photos by Dirk Klynsmith) (Newman). The car was an easy fix but the On Friday morning both team lost all of Thursday while the ing a clutch on Thursday. But when Peugeots ran like trains, Bewley’s he did manage to keep rolling he car was repaired, missing the after 2m24.01s pipping his boss by 0.8s. jumped at once into the mid-30s. noon session by 30 seconds. The time was within 0.4s of an The other car was having prob The car finally had a solid run on admittedly mileage-hampered Friday and all three drivers safely lems with a Zytek module and, Crompton whose car was three while the matter was sorted, a qualified for the race, which was years and maybe $lm newer. working unit was swapped between the aim of the exercise, Even more remarkable was the cars. afternoon. Bewley returned a The Hyundais were having all he two Knight Mondeos were 2m22.20s lap for 16th. That put the suffering. The team played a sorts of woes. Kiwi in the company of some fast little musical chairs before Paul Pickett had a fuel pump cars. problem he just couldn’t figure, the hitting the track. Bob Tweedie step No-one came forward to co-drive ping in then out of the Peter Hills team pulling the unit apart and so the two NZers pooled their tal car until Andrej Pavicevic hopped finding a foreign part inside. They ents in car 37 for the race. aboard for the ride. suspected sabotage (?) and when The Phoenix Camry was having a In the other car Jenni 'Thompson engine builder Daryl Ritchie tough initiation to the Mountain. was joined by FF driver Aaron arrived with three fresh units they 'The cay arrived rebuilt from stem McGill, neither having any Super were a relieved bunch. to stem, including the first of the Touring experience. Skene joined in David Auger, now running 19team’s Aussie-built engines. as well and was up to the task of inch wheels and 1997 wings and Everything worked fine when sorting the cars. splitters, had a run-in with the A(|derton and Bates were rolling bank at Forrest’s Elbow on The cars had engine manage around running things in but, when ment problems during the week Thursday and then damaged the they tried to go fast on Thursday, and Pavicevic in particular had all front of the car when getting onto things started to go wrong. sorts of woes getting the car going, the low loader. The engine had been assembled stalling the car regularly and bumBrian Bradshaw and Dennis

/^®0®j7S[p®g^0

Practice & Qualifying Times Qual No

Wed

Drivers

Thu

Fri 2m17.42s 2m18.01s 2m17.54s 2m17.55s 2m17.58s 2m17.92s 2m18.14s 2m18.19s 2m18.33s 2m18.84s 2m19.39s 2m19.94s 2m20.18s 2m21.18s 2m22.20s 2m23.02s 2m26.22s 2m24.89s 2m24.89s 2m31.18s 2m31.79s 2m33.88s 2m37.06s 2m34.18s 2m36.62s 2m41.96s 2m38.36s 2m24.90s

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

83 3 6 26 2

22 23

89 Thompson/McGill/Skene 2m45.45s 3m44.60s 14 Shaw/Robson 2m38.29s 45 Auger/Kyte 2m41,77s 20 Chapman/Bradshaw 2m44.52s 21 Fitzgerald/Miller 3m58.19s 58 Pickett/Sieders

2m18.74s 2m17.46s 2m17.73s 2m20.07s 2m18.18s 2m18.85s 2m20.54s 2m20.87s 2m19.19s 2m22.54s 2m20;40s 2m21.51s 2m20.20s 2m24.21s 2m25.38s 3m29.72s 2m23.98s 2m25.39s 2m36.75s No time 2m35.92s 2m42.97s 2m44.38s 2m35.67s 2m35.80s 2m38.17s 3m07.68s

2m28.87s

2m25.81s

2m18.86s 2m18.05s 2m18.45s 2m20.86s 2m19.68s 2m21.12s 7 Cieland/Kaye 2m31.66 23 A Jones/Moore 2m21.97s 1 B Jones/Biela 2m18.98s 05 Warwick/Brock ' 2m20.61s 10 34^ S Richards/Neal 2m22.07s 11 . 11 McConville/Hemroulle 2m24.00s 8 McLean/Nilsson 12 2m22.94s 13 4 Jim Richards/Rydell 2m33.19s 14 60 Luff Jr/Bailey 2m35.80s 15 37 Bewley/Newman 2m28.18s 16 10 Adderton/Bates 2m25.81s 17 64 Jas Richards/Riley 2m29.45s 18 30 Searle/Full 2m43.33s 19 12 Barclay/Smith/Cornish 20 16 Nelson/Matthews/Holden 2m33.20s No time 21 88 Hills/Pavicevic

24 25 26 27

W/D 38

G Brabham/D Brabham Menu/Plato Harvey/Radisich CromptonAIVatts Morris/Baird

Newman/Bewley

* Bold indicates the driver who set the qualifying time

Continued from previous page

Castrol

’-

--Ji

Chapman brought their ex-Diet Coke BMW over from the Shakey Isles. The car’s main claim to fame was that it was once used as a punching bag at Winton Motor Raceway (no names) and the Kiwi enthusiasts looked a little skittish zooming around in the 2m36s. They had a Thursday time disal lowed when they missed a weigh-

bridge call and earned the wrath of the stewards. Finally, the Mike Fitzgerald/Jamie Miller Peugeot 405 completed the field. They had a problem on Thursday when Fitzgerald heard a noise on pit straight and parked up the escape road, but the noise turned out to be a phantom and the car was none the worse for the short excur

sion. n

TOP TEN

rack conditions were perfect for the Top 10 shoot-out. The track was clean - save for a little cement dust, courtesy of Group N oil - but the track was cool. Ambient temperature was 15 degrees, while track temp was 26.5 degrees. Haiwey topped the warm-up in the Peugeot, while Steven Richards was unusually sedate, saving car and man for the single lap sprint. BMW had a little problem; Geoff Brabham missed getting out of the pit exit in time by 10s so his Q tyi'es were um-oaded. One of the problems the frontwheel drive cars faced were a lack of heat in their rear tyres after their single warm-up lap, while everyone missed the almost tradi tional retmn through the pit exit. Without enough lock to make the turn, an extra full ‘return’ lap was on the cards for everyone. Richards led off with a very clean lap of 2ml7.27s, an improvement which set the pace for the rest to follow. Warvrick charged out on 05. He was smooth as silk over the first half but missed the apex at McPhillamy by around a metre. His 2ml7.27s was the fastest so far. He would, in the end, start fourth. Brad Jones was not expecting too much in the Audi. The single lap format conspired against the heavy German car and a 2ml8.87s lap was good under the circumstances, eighth being his reward. His namesake Alan followed. The Renault was well over the exit kerb at Hell and carried plenty of speed all around the lap, but on the run down to Murrays AJ smoked both fronts under brakes and almost surfed down the escape road. With a 2m20.52s he was rel egated to tail-end 10th. Cleland had suffered a small gearbox niggle in the warm-up but was determined to beat boss Warwick’s time. John had a moment on the run down to the Elbow but, worse, made a pig’s dinner of the exit to the Chase, vaulting over a kerb and landing hard on the way out. His 2ml9.58s effort led only Alan Jones. Morris was next. Running din ner plates on his rear wheels,‘The Dude’ drove an animal of a lap; not quite perfect (he was finding the rear a little loose and lifted at McPhillamy) but the rest of the lap more than made up for it. His brilliant 2ml6.59s took the

W October W97

Local Hero

TOP OPERATOR:Alain Menu had not even seen a complete lap of Bathurst on video before coming here and setting the pace.

BEATING THE BEST... Paul Morris took pole position by the siimmest of margins. lead for the ‘home team’. Watts, having stayed out of trouble all week, was on a hiding to nothing in the single lap format but the bespectacled Pom kept his and the car’s nose perfectly clean during a smooth 2ml7.56s lap, good for fifth. Teammate Harvey got the nod in the 6 car and he justified team manager Mick Linford’s faith with a very neat 2ml7.15s effort, good for the second row. Everyone was waiting for Menu. The Renault was running aero wheel covers all around and during the lap he was matching Morris’s splits almost to the hundredth. He rocketed down Conrod and flew into Hell but the result was all of 0.02s short. The roar from the BMW team almost shook the house down. Last man Brabham was on a mission. He expected a lot and drove a clean lap except for a squirrelly moment at the Elbow. His 2ml7.58s was uncharacteristi cally slow and the BMWs were first and sixth. Morris was a happy man after the session. The local and his team had gone eye-to-eye with the best in the business and come away with honours. And qualifying was expected to be Menu’s and Williams’ domain ... - PBHL BRANAGAN

(Photo by Marshall Cass)

Top Ten Times 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Paul Morris Alain Menu Tim Harvey Derek Warwick Patrick Watts Geoff Brabham Steven Richards Brad Jones John Cleland Alan Jones

BMW Renault Peugeot Vauxhall Peugeot BMW Nissan Audi Vauxhall Renault

2m16.5958s 2m16.6158s 2m17.1536s 2m17.2754s 2m17.5623s 2m17.5823s 2m17.9726s 2m18.8756s 2m19.5864s 2m20.5274s

FOREIGN INVASION... John Cleland talks (now, there’s a surprise) with fellow internationals David Brabham, Jan Nilsson and Rickard Rydell as Jim Richards listens in. (Photo by Dirk Klynsmith)

No track preparation on the Menu

Alain at Bathurst was Menu’s the talk pace of qualifying, especially as the Swiss star hit the top of the timesheets In the very first session. But Menu armed himself with very little Inside knowledge of the track. “I tried to get hold of some videos of previous races, but I left It too late, “in the end, TOGA sent me a five-minute promotional video, but that just cut between the corners so I never knew what a whole lap looked like!” explained Menu. “To be honest, every time I went out I found more time from myself. “I think the biggest gain came on Friday morning when I found a different line in the Sulman, Reid and McPhillamy corners.” The Renault Lagunas were lit tle changed from BTCC sprint spec, with the exception of adding 80-litre fuel tanks and refuelling points. Williams already had refu, elling equipment and special i cooling fans for pit stops from the 1996 Tourist trophy meeting. Menu and teammate Jason Plato used the team’s designat ed BTCC spare car, while Plato’s BTCC spare chassis, which he raced earlier in the year, was handled by Alan Jones and Graham Moore. -GWYN DOLPHIN

Limited Edition t Panorama badge This is a colourful collectors badge celebrating the home of Australia's I

greatest race.

All proceeds given ^ to charity. Allow 21 days for delivery

Send your cheques/money orders to:

Lions Club of Bathurst Inc. ' PO Box 200 Bathurst NSW 2795

24 W October mi

Great race ends in

It started in controversy and ended the same way. After a race which climaxed wonderfully^ the winning BMW was excluded, allowing the Brabham brothers to take victory in BMW^s second can PHIL BRANAGAN reports on an extraordinary day in which the Aussies kicked butt o0e

t wasn’t the race against the opposition or even the mountain that beat the

BMW Motorsport Australia team at Bathurst, it was the race against time. The Diet Coke team ran a superb race, overcoming a flat tyre, a colli sion and a late-race black flag to see Paul Morris and Craig Baird lead team-mates Geoff and David Brabham home to a brilliant 1-2 finish. But an oversight saw the lead car disqualified and the team fined US$40,000 for allowing Baird to drive more than the three an^ a half hour time limit. , They have appealed the dqdision but, as Motorsport News went to press, Brabham and Brabham are the race winners. The controversy took the sheen off what was a classic Great Race. The Orix Audis took second and third, Frank Biela and JeanFrancois Hemroulle backing up Brad Jones and Cameron McConville and taking the fight right up to the Beemers but, ulti mately - in a tactical contest- they were just beaten for car speed. The trans-continental Volvo team followed in fourth and fifth, but Peter Brock’s final Bathurst 1000 ended in disappointment, a sham bolic pitstop and mechanical woes putting his Vectra well back in sev enth. Highlight of the race was a stunning opening blast from Jason Plato’s Renault before the car suc cumbed to diff failure, while Alan Jones’ similar car was well-placed until an oil slick sent him into the Cutting wall. The Aussie teams looked awfully good against the best Europe had to offer. In the end, the Euro teams got their butt kicked... *

E yj

n a. WHERE IT ALL STARTED... Morrisjumped aivay to lead the pack into Hell Corner, but he could do nothing about the Plato’s blistering pace. f I '^he faceday warm-up gave a I preview of what was going to _L happen once the light went green. In bitter cold Plato led the times with a 2ml7.43s lap, almost two seconds clear of McConville and Cleland, while Warwick, Jim Richards and Nilsson followed. The BMWs declined to set a representa tive time while Radisich drove only two slow laps to look at the track. Things were slightly warmer as the cars lined up for the start. The surprise was that Plato was in the Renault - as, apparently, agreed

before the team left Blighty - while Warwick offered Brock the start in his final 1000. The other shock was a little less obvious. Radisich, starting the lead Peugeot, had half a tank of fuel. “We want to get clear of the pack in clean air,” said Team Manager Mick Linford. “And, of course, it will look good on television.” Last-minute delays sent Pickett into pitlane with electrical dramas while Hills was to stall the Mondeo on the line before getting towed in through the pit entry.

Morris, predictably, made the best of the jump and, with Plato locked to his rear bumper, led up Mountain Straight. The lightweight Radisich 406 beat the wheelspin ning Brock away ahead of Geoff Brabham, Watts, Steven Richards, Brad Jones, Moore, Cleland, McConville, Bailey, Jim Richards, Bates,Full and Riley. In the ruck McLean had stalled the Volvo (“tall first gear. I’m a dickhead”) and led Newman, Smith, Auger, Thompson, Matthews, Shaw, Chapman and

Fitzgerald. Plato sniffed at Morris at Griffins, Paul holding him out but, at the Cutting the Renault simply drove around the OUTSIDE of the 320i and rocketed by. Then followed the most sensa tional opening burst in the race’s history. The normally laid-back Plato, not exactly overwhelmed by his lack of pre-race attention, blast ed away from the field at an unbe lievable rate. His first flying lap was a 2ml7.99s; his second 16.90s, fol-

MicHctm

PRIME MOVER... Jim Richards and Rickard Rydell had a steady race into fourth place In the corrected results. Here the Volvo leads the Richards Jr Nissan and the Bailey/Luff Honda. (Photo by Marshall Cass)

THEY’RE A WIERD MOB... The Williams-Renault crew hams it up for the folks back home before the race. (Photo by Charles Coates - LAT)

controversy - ^:

NOT SO FAST... Baird and Morris take the winner’s trophy, but hours (Photo by Dirk Klynsmith) later they had to hand it back. WINNING SALUTE... The BMW team hails Brabham’s fine drive into second place, which turned out to be victory. (Photo by Charles Coates- LAT) lowed by 17.01s, 16.80s and anoth resumed, the bonnet flew up at the er 16.90s. The rest of the leaders pit exit (odd, since the crew hadn’t were in the 19s and, on lap seven, opened it). The crew took her out Plato was 9s clear and already lap some race tape to jam it down and ping traffic. she returned to the pits for a fix. When Morris, in second, was Meanwhile Hills, who missed the asked later if he was tempted to first lap while a new battery was chase the yellow streak, he said, “I fitted, had a rear panel flapping thought I was!” and pitted to have it hauled off on While Radisich was easing away lap 20. (running a 2ml8s for the first time While the yellow comet was run¬ on lap seven) Brabham and Watts ning away and the BMs were hold¬ started to push Brock, vnthout suc ing their own (though Brabham felt cess, for fomth. Brock’s blocking was a little early After struggling earlier in the Continued next page week, Moore was having a strong run in the 21s and was pushing the TATTERED... Tim Harvey hauls lead Volvo. He got a little too close his Peugeot to the pits with the on Conrod on lap eight and tapped tyre in pieces, the legacy of a the 850’s bumper loose. Next time, failed lower front control arm. around it fell off at the Chase and Jim continued, bumperless, for the CLOSE... The Audi team put up a rest of the race. great challenge and failed by a small margin to get the A4s ahead leland had been sitting back of the BMWs at the flag. In the in seventh and looked com end they were a worthy second fortable but the power steer and third. ing pump stopped working and the (Photos by Dirk Klynsmith) Scot wrestled the car into the pits on lap 13. He sat patiently in the car while the crew diagnosed the problem (which had never hap pened before) and he hopped out after almost 20 minutes. It would take 28 laps to fix. While that was happening Auger pitted the Alfa. An alternator had failed and the team fixed it in 15 minutes, the car returning to what would be a trouble-free run. On lap 15 Radisich came in for the planned early handover to Harvey but the stop was slow, 74s, and Tim retiumed in 13th. McLean had recovered from his dodgy start but the steering started to feel funny and he pitted on lap 16 for an inspection. The crew found nothing wrong with the front end and he returned, he and Flash having to drive around a rack with too much play until the end of the race. The secand-a-lap charge from Plato continued. Far from running light like the Peugeot he kept going, finally easing into the 2m20s on lap 19 when he was 20s clear of the steady Morris. The Mondeos were in all sorts of problems. Thompson pitted with a rubbing wheel and, when she

1^-

2S WOclobsrmi Aussies on the job Not all of the international teams were full offoreigners. Long-time Graham Moore ally Peter Molloy was with the Williams team all week, while former BMW and current Alan Jones Racing engineer Campbell Little was with the Triple 8 Vauxhall outfit. n The immediate response to Bathurst’s international TV cov erage was very positive. Giant screens showed the race at Silverstone in England, while screens also showed the event between STW races at the Nurburgring in Germany. n Murray Walker’s televised lap in Brad Jones’ Audi was his second in that car. During the first on Thursday Walker carried a map of the circuit, prompting Jones to comment,“I don’t need a map to find my way around here!” n Williams-Renault didn’t rely on an overhead boom and/our air hoses for their wheel '' changes. Instead they had four separate, portable trolleys vnth twin bottles of compressed air and a single rattle gun. Very swish. n What pre-race tension? Shortly before the start, Vauxhall drivers Derek Warwick and James Kaye indulged in some high-jinks. While leaning innocently against an air bottle, Kaye suddenly found himself being race-taped to the bottle by the boss... n Speaking of Kaye, his bro ken collarbone was helped no end during the week by some reflexology treatments by none other than Bev Brock. n Not all Vectras are created equal. Due to personal prefer ences between Warwick and Cleland, the 05 and 7 cars had opposite shift patterns on their column-mounted gear levers. n Regardless of the outcome of the BMW disqualification, the team set some kind of record at Bathurst.'The winning car was the first left-hand drive model to win the 1000. -PHILBRANAGAN

AIVIR BATHURST 1000 and forceful) Jones and McConville were falling back. By lap 25 they were a half lap behind, running in formation in seventh and eighth, playing their economy and reliabili ty hand. The Bates Camry had run well, holding station with Bailey in the early laps but fell back before pit ting with gearbox problems on lap 31. A brand new third ratio had bro ken and the Phoenix crew set to repairing it. They did - only for that ratio to break too, requiring another replacement. Eventually the car was parked after 64 trou bled laps with transmission failure. Two laps later the opening sprint ended when Plato handed over to Menu. While that was going on Brock came in for his first chaotic stop (see break-out) and Warwick resumed, a lap down,in 13th. Then, unexpectedly, Morris came in too. He reported that a tyre had gone down at the first hump on'- i Conrod - though Michelin later insisted it wasn’t flat - and the crew, in stand-by ‘yellow’ status MARATHON EFFORT... It may have been against the rules, but (fuel window open, be ready at Craig Baird’s effort of driving short notice) rushed around to ser almost four hours without a break vice what was now the leader. The and crossing the line first was an stop took a longish 40 seconds and amazing effort all the same. Morris stayed aboard. RACEY VIEWING... Julian Bailey ow the stops were coming adjusts the TV monitor in his pit thick and fast for the leadwhile preparing to take over the X 1 ers. Watts pitting in synch wheel of the FAI Honda Accord and'Moore hapding over to ,Jones. from Warren Luff. That left Steven Richahds leading (Photos by Dirk Klynsmith) in the Nissan though he was soon swamped by the flying Menu, rdn- lap down) by around three seconds... ning 18s straight away. At the restart Menu was almost McConville went as far as lap 36 three seconds clear of Morris and before handing over to Hemroulle., Brabham and began to stretch the while, the next lap, both Brabham lead. Crompton was fourth from and Jones pitted, showing impres- Neal, Biela and Hemroulle, who sive range. The Renault’s fuel win- almost caused a catastrophe by tapdow was just going to make it a ping Frank at the Elbow on lap 47. four stop race while the Audis were Both continued without damage, shooting for three. Rydell and Radisich were next, Jones was gaining ground in the with Warwick leading the lapped second Laguna until, on lap 38, he cars from Jason Richards and found oil on the apex at the McLean. Cutting. Nigel Barclay’s BMW had While Alain was rebuilding car just boomed a rod through the block 3’g lead Rydell called in. The Volvo and the hapless Jones went had a sticking throttle and the straight on into the wall. The car Swede was getting spooked. It took was smashed. a whole lap to sort it out, which was Right behind was McLean. Even costly; for the rest of the race the with dodgy steering the lead 850 would hold station with Queenslander was able to haul the the leaders. 850 sideways to miss the Renault. If the Williams team had a weak The track was partially blocked and ness it was their pitstops. After the safety car headed out. building a 33 second lead Menu Almost eveiyone had made ‘green screamed in on lap 64 for Plato, but pitstops. Peugeot took the opportu- the stop took 53s without a pad uity to bring Harvey in for a pad change.'When David Brabham, who change, the twin calipers taking had been third, came in he stayed lm40s to change. Radisich beat the aboard and gained 28s. safety car out (and avoided going a The Vectra’s day was going from

Castrof

BMW Insurance

bad to worse. The changeover to Brock and pad change took an agonising 2m30s and Peter resumed two laps behind the leaders. Soon a muffler would fall off, but the car would continue to run, albeit loudly, and it wasn’t black-flagged for noise either...

he second Peugeot pad change was done in lm43s before Watts resumed while BMW didn’t need one when Morris ended his double stint, handing over to Baird in 50s. The car needed an oil top-up (which the crew said was routine).

ifi

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The time was 12:43pm, which would be significant, Then another safety car came out. One of the Mondeos had stopped on the ‘Shelf to the Cutting and it had to back up to move to safety. It was while this was being recov ered that Harvey’s race ended. A front suspension arm had broken and, while he was burning a tyre to get back to the pits, the damage the wheel did was too serious to contin ue. Another European car was out. Steven Richards also had had a drama. A left-front brake rotor exploded on Conrod and he wres-

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Continued from previous page

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The Brock stop, what happened? o

ne of the most contentious issues of the race was the first pitstop for the 05 Vectra. On lap 32 Peter Brock brought the third placed-car in for its first scheduled service. The sister car of John Cleland was station ary in the pit bay in front while, behind, the leading Renault Laguna was already pitted for fuel, tyres and a driver swap. With the Renault and Triple 8 teams in adjacent pits, that end of the pitroad was crowded with expectant people. All week the Super Tourers (which have far less steering lock than a 5-litre car) had been angling into their bays. In this instance, Peter simply didn’t have enough room to square up the car. What followed was comic, and tragic. With the Vectra on an odd angle, the airhoses wouldn’t reach, so the crew tried to make them. That almost toppled their air bottles over, incoming driver Derek Warwick literally saving them from falling altogether. The car, driverless with Brock out and Wanwick caught up in the mayhem, started to roll away until grabbed by the crew. Eventually the crew squared up the car, it was serviced and Warwick was back in the race - after losing a lap.

Who was to blame? There were a combi nation of factors. First; entry end of the pitroad was too tightly arranged. With less than 30 cars in the race, a spare pit bunker could easily have separated each team. Half-way up pit road, the BMW works team had an empty pit bay on entry and FOUR on exit. Second; Triple 8 made a meal of their pit layout. After the stop it was reorganised and, at the end of the race, team co-owner Warwick admitted to some of the blame. Third; the pitlane officials failed to per form their jobs properly BEFORE the fuss. Both the Williams and Triple 8 teams were laid out well before their stops. It was obvi ous what was going to happen; the cars were going to arrive at almost the same time. They should have ensured clear access well before the cars arrived. Fourth; the TV crews have little sense of what can happen. A Channel Seven crew member was warned by a Triple 8 mechan ic to make way well before the Vectra arrived and then, for a second time, (“If I move you, you will stay moved!”). Something similar - unheeded warnings from mechanics - has happened for at least the last two years.

BROCK STOP: Thefirst one was not this orderly, thanks to the TV crew. (Photo by Charle.t Coate.t-lat) While reporters and photographers are mostly familiar with pitlane protocol, the TV crews’ only exposure to pitlanes Is, in the main, Bathurst. Some journalists refer to them as ‘cowboys’. Worse was to follow. After Jnstructions, apparently from Race Director Ivan Stibbard, pitlane marshalls over-reacted and bounced everyone - except TV person nel!-from pitlane. This reporter was ushered out of pitlane twice in 30 minutes while trying to perform normal duties, after having been professional ly involved without incident as commentator or reporter in the pits in nine consecutive 1000s.

If only they had been so diligent when it was really needed. Then Channel Seven had the audacity to blame the entire incident on ‘Photographers and people’ without any explanation, even using that description as an answer in their trite phone-in quiz. Yes; there were photographers involved in the scene but most of the blame laid with Seven’s own personnel. The irony of this - that Brock was disad vantaged by employees of the network for which he is now a major attraction - is not to be lost. - PHIL BRANAGAN

tied the car to the pits. The crew would repair it after a long stop but a brake-related vibration would end what had been a promising run. While the track was yellow Baird pitted for a splash and leader HemrouUe came in as well. He had managed 42 laps in the stint and the Audi master plan was looking good. But Faber-CastelFs was hiccuping. When Matthews was aboard he found Chapman in front, going too slow to catch the queue. When Nelson was in for his stint he found the same car - with Bradshaw dri ving - causing the same problem. Rather than pit and lose a lap they waited both times until the green flag and pitted to lose half a lap. That was to be their only problem; despite a hot diff the 318i ran like a clock all day. n lap 81 the Safety Car pulled off and away went Plato again. While he was spearing away Watts peeled in for attention to the right rear hub and, while there, the crew changed pads. Again, it was a drama; after 3m50s Crompton headed out, now a lap behind. David Brabham and Baird were now second and third, from Brad Jones and McConville(who went by on lap 94j. Jim Richards led the lapped cars, from Crompton, Brock, Nilsson and Jason Richards, having a solid run in the CPW BMW. But the second-placed Brabham car was burning oil. When David handed over to Geoff on lap 94 they topped up the oil and the car returned, still on its original pads, fifth. That handed Plato a 45s lead over Baird, which he would stretch to just under 50s when he handed over to Menu on lap 98. AU that lead went- and more. A brake piston wouldn’t stay back and a mechanic coxildn’t fit a new, thicker pad in. By the time Menu returned after 3ml5s he was a lap and 28s behind. But he had only one more stop... On lap 105 Baird vacated a 23s lead over McConville, staying aboard, in 51s. That left an Audi 12, from Brabham, Baird and Menu,

17s behind the leader and closing at 4s a lap. At this rate he would soon unlap himself. But he didn’t get to. Running hard the Swiss ran wide at McPhillamy and put all four wheels off the track. He kept his boot in and tried to regain the track, surf ing the centre of the car over the kerb. He pitted immediately for an inspection and resumed, but parked for good two laps later. While tl^e team did not directly blame the incident for the failure it seemed the likeliest cause. Like his son, Jim Richards also had a drama on Conrod. He had a Continued next page

AWESOME... Jason Plato was breathtaking in the opening ses sion of the race, setting consecu tive lap times on fuil tanks that were faster than anyone had man aged until Saturday qualifying. It was a truly memorable perfor mance which, along with the capti vating Australian panorama, was a hit with British viewers.

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(Photo by Charjps Coates - LAT) STEADY... The most notable aspect of David Auger’s weekend was that his wheels were flown in from the UK as TOCA boss Alan Gow’s hand luggage. The Alfa dri ver had a steady run to the finish. (Photo by Dirk Klynsmith

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Continued from previous page right front tyre go down and Rydell resumed almost two laps down after the unscheduled stop. At the same time Crompton struggled up pitlane in a dead Pug. An oil pump drive belt tensioner had broken in half and the oil pres sure dropped. The team repaired it and refired the engine but it was obvious it had partially seized and the car was pushed away, f I ihe Searle/Full car had been I howling along, as high as JL eighth, but all that ended on lap 121 when Geoff pulled off on Mountain Straight with a blown engine. After 123 laps GeoffBrabham pit ted the second-placed car, which was blowing more oil haze than Baird’s and more Castrol was pumped in for David to run to the

finish.

SMILE... The 1997AMP Bathurst 1000 dri¬ vers get together before the big race. (Photo by LAT)

NOT INDEPEN¬ DENTS’DAY... Both Hyundais had a troubled day, as did the BMW of Kiwis Jason Richards and Brett Riley after a promising start. (Photo by Dirk Klynsmith)

This set up a fascinating battle. Biela and Hemroulle had also taken over their Audis and resumed in for mation, 35s behind leader Baird, The A4s had 41 and 42 laps to go respectively, which was on the limit of their fuel window. With 38 to go so was Brabham, who rejoined 26s behind ‘J-F’ and stai-ted to close. With Baird needing a half tank to make the finish a fascinating fourway battle was looming. Rydell was holding station but was two laps behind, a lap clear of Nilsson, who had three laps on the next car, Luff. The Honda was suf fering from a slipping clutch; the team tried Coke to stop it and, after a long stop it would eventual ly come back out to be classified 11th. Riley, who had taken over after Jason Richards pitted with a loose gear linkage, was next until his engine blew after 125 Ians, while

the noisy t>5 car (with Brock in for the finish: was two laps back, two clear of the amazingly'reliable Bob Holden BMW. The BMW'team were a little con cerned. Baird's oil pressure Was a little low aiBd the crew asked him for a reading from the Pi dash under load exiting the Cutting. They were satisfied it wasn’t going to blow, bail Craig was instructed to build the lead! carefully and stretch the windo.%iv while they hoped for a yellow flag. Meanwhie Morris was suited up. While the 'Clodc ticked he stood in front of a monitor in helmet and gloves, ready to go. He was there for about 35 minuites... At the effld of lap 342 Baird had been at tfos wheel for 3 hours and 6 minutes. With a 42s lead he squealed imi for a stop, the team throwing in Inalf a load and the car tore out aider a 14s halt. It speared up Mountrin Straight only Is clear of second main Biela. But Mcaris wasn’t in it; Baird still was.

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0 save the extra 10 seconds or so a driver change would have tafeen the team went for track positio.n. Clearly, they hadn’t realised Sihe significance of the time rule. The diie was east. Two lapis later Brabham had caught Hemroulle and, after nosing at the Ah£ at Hell eased by on the right at the Shelf. But the Belgian saw a small gap and went for the inside ad:the Cutting. Both (car-s spun lightly into the walls on opposite sides of the track. After fniEibling for reverse, both lightly damaged cars got going again. Brabham trailing a rear bumper for which he was immedi ately blaek-ila^ed. Fortnuaiely for both cars, the

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BOOM TIME ... This incredible photo of a Peugeot pit stop was taken by our regular man Dirk Klynsmith, who attached his camera (with a wide angie iens) to the team’s boom. But don’t look at it too iong or you will start feeling a little... aaaaaaauuuuuuggggggghhhhhhh. Safety Car came out while both pit from the very reliable Chapman/ ted. Brabham’s left rear wheel was Bradshaw 3181, the even slower stuck but the crew changed the Fitzgerald/Miller Peugeot, Bailey other three and they resumed nose- and Luffs staggering Honda and to-tail back in the queue, again the David Auger’s Alfa. Audi in front. In the end, this was a really good Biela tried hard to stay with motor race. Ignoring the post-race Baird at the lap 148 restart but dramas, the on-track racing was as couldn’t, though he was offered good as any Bathurst 1000 in the another chance two laps later when last decade. Baird lost a vital two seconds while Renault’s speed was exhilarating, stuck behind an unco-operative BMW had the best of both worlds Hyundai at Griffins. speed and reliability, and Audi’s That meant that, with 10 laps to focus and commitment to a strategy go, the leading four cars were cov which came so close to delivering ered by 4 seconds!. was impressive. But the BMWs had the Audis cov Despite everything that’s hap ered for car speed. Baird eased pened this season,‘The Great Race’ END OF THE ROAD... Alan Jones inspects his damaged Renault after away and, even with no bumper and is still an apt description... n going off on oil at The Cutting (Photo by Stewart Clark) trailing haze, Brabham was run-, ning in the 19s and gunned past Hemroulle immediately. The Audis fought hard. Biela and Hemroulle set the cars’ fastest laps on lap 152 and 151 respectively but they still couldn’t beat 2m20s. Brabham roared up to Biela and Pos Car Entrant Driver Vehicle passed at GrifBns for ‘second’ on lap 155. 2 BMW Motorsport Australia DQ* P. Morris/C. Baird BMW 320i But the drama wasn’t over yet. 1 83 BMW Motorsport Australia G. Brabham/D. Brabham BMW 320i As Baird set off on the final lap with a 4s lead Hemroulle blew a 2 1 B. Jones/F. Biela Audi Quattro ORIX Audi Sport Australia left-rear tyre. The Audi staggered 3 11 C. McConville/J. Hemroulle Audi Quattro ORIX Audi Sport Australia aroimd, losing 55s on the final lap, 4 4 Volvo 850 Volvo Dealer Racing J. Richards/R. Rydell but kept fourth as the tight three 5 8 J. Nilsson/C. McLean Volvo 850 Volvo Dealer Racing some ahead received the chequer. 6 05 D. Warwick/P. Brock Vauxhail Vectra Where was the Fastway Pug? It Vauxhail Sport/888 Race Eng broke a transaxle and the crew 7 16 P. Nelson/J. Matthews/B. Holden BMW 320i Faber-Castell Racing rebuilt it. A front window blew out 8 20 BMW318I Brian Bradshaw Race Prep D. Chapman/B. Bradshaw' and they fixed that. They replaced 9 21 M F Motorsport THREE front drive shafts. M. Fitzgerald/J. Miller Peugeot 405 10 60 FAI Insurance Honda Accord But, with eight laps to go, the car J. Bailey/W. Luff 11 45 died on Conrod. Bewley parked on Alfa Romeo 155 David Auger D. Auger/L. Kyte the verge and waited for the final NC 88 P. Hills/A. Pavicevic Ford Mondeo Knight Racing lap to roll down the hill, finishing DNF 64 BMW318I CPW Motorsport J. Richards/B. Riley 20m short ofthe finish line. DNF 37 Fastway Couriers Peugeot 405 T. Newman/D. Bewley So he got out and pushed. And DNF 30 BMW 320i T. Searle/G. Full pushed. And pushed. As soon as he Roadchill Express touched the rear of the car he was DNF 3 Williams Renault Dealer Racing A. Menu/J. Plato Renault Laguna classified a non-finisher and two DNF 26 Esso Ultron Team Peugeot P. Watts/N. Crompton Peugeot 406 officials rushed over and ordered DNF 14 R. Shaw/A. Robson HVE Motorsport Hyundai Lantra him to stop. DNF 34 S. Richards/M. Neal Nissan Primera G Rogers Valvoline/Cummins But he kept pushing and the DNF 58 crowd, now huge, roared him home. P. Pickett/B. Seiders HVE Motorsport Hyundai Lantra He made it, collapsed - and made DNF 6 Esso Ultron Team Peugeot T. Han/ey/P. Radisich Peugeot 406 national papers across the country... DNF 10 N. Bates/M. Adderton Phoenix Motorsport Toyota Camry So the locals dominated. On the DQ 89 Knight Racing J. Thompson/A. McGill/T. Skene Ford Mondeo road BMW Motorsport finished 1-2, DNF 23 Williams Renault Dealer Racing A. Jones/G. Moore Orix Audi Sport 3-4 and Prime Renault Laguna DNF 12 Team Volvo 5-6. BMW318I Nigel Barclay N. Barclay/B. Smith/J. Cornish Brock, 10 laps dovra, was seventh DNF 7 Vauxhail Sport/888 Race Eng Vauxhail Vectra J. Cleland/J. Kaye in his final Bathurst 1000 and received a huge ovation, while the * Appeal Pending for car 2 Faber-Castell Bimmer was eighth

or the many people who live the Bathurst 1000 in the pits, one of the me re impressive aspects of the 1997 Great Race was the attitude and professional ism of the teams. Quite apart from the stunning presentation and technology of the leading cars- we expected that-the way that the teams went about their day-to-day busi ness was an eye-opener for any one with significant experience in the sport. Whiie the race did not appiy the same pressure to the visiting teams as the hurly-burly of a BTCC round, and its end-of-season nature meant that everyone was in a good mood anyway,they certainly impressed anyone who deait with them with their manner. During race week it was extremeiy rare to see a car shut tered away behind its garage door. In one Saturday afternoon example,the Peugeot Sport team wheeled the Radisich/Harvey race engine on its stand out of the garage whiie preparing it to be instaiied in the number six 406. And while that was being done peopie-spectators,journaiists or passing members of local teams- were not ushered away. For someone used to seeing buriy mechanics hiding their pre cious airboxes from the gaze of anyone,that was very different. The iocai teams foilowed the same phiiosophy. BMW Motorsport Australia pro vided their own weil-equipped marquee where invited media couid work -and talk to the dri vers and team members and guests- in comfort and privacy. Simiiariy, the Audi and Volvo outfits-and aimost ail the Independent teams- wentthe extra yards to make life as stressfree and pleasant as possible. - PHIL BRANAGAN

AMP Bathurst 1000-5 October 1997 Provisional results

Time/Laps Fastest Lap 6:41:21.4784 6:41:25.4072 6:41:37.5589 6:42:36.6631 159 laps 158 laps 148 laps 146 laps 144 laps 139 laps 138 laps 134 laps 80 laps 125 laps 121 laps 115 laps 114 laps 112 laps 110 laps 84 laps 73 laps 70 laps 64 laps 56 laps 38 laps 37 laps 32 laps

2:18.3745 2:19.1380 2:20.3621 2:20.5015 2:20.0407 2:20.6767 2:19.4110 2:32.6052 2:37.2584 2:35.3371 2:21.1566 2:35.0635 2:26.4470 2:23.7114 2:25.7235 2:24.8793 2:16.8034 2:18.6335 2:35.6114 2:19.8009 2:30.2624 2:18.0355 2:21.4151 2:36.4544 2:20.9863 2:27.4934 2:19.1797

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The Primus 1000 ' Classic is going to be the last race for motor sport icon Peter Brock. Not too many racing drivers go into their last race with a genuine chance to win but, as CHRIS LAMBDEN explains. Brock is in one of five cars at short odds for a Mount Panorama victory. ■ . 3

come to a peak on October Five monthsPeter of emotion will 19 when Brock takes an early morning lap of honour in front of what is expected to be a record crowd at Bathurst prior to the start of the Primus 1000. Some six and a half hours later the motor sport world will know whether his career came to a fairy tale end or not, but in the lead-up to the race even an unemotional examination of form suggests he's got as good a chance as anybody. Indeed, recent form suggests that one thing hasn't changed since the 1996 Bathurst race - HRT is the team to beat. Do that and you will probably win the Primus 1000. Despite a wrong tyre choice mid race and a couple of "moments" in the appalling conditions, Greg Murphy and Craig Lowndes still managed to win the Tickford 500 by nearly a lap. The Young Guns of 1996 were in the Mobil team's all-

from a strange electrical cut-out new sister car to Brock's and apart which ruined qualifying - it-didn't miss a beat, The team's compulsory brake pad change pitstop was smooth and quick and the whole day's, effort reinforced'HRT's number one seed status. ' The Brock/Skaife car was equally impressive, if out of contention for most of the day. Mark Skaife put together a blistering lap to put.it on pole, then Brock led, only to have a simple throttle assembly retaining clip break, Once that had been repaired, he and Skaife pressed on as fast as they could to complete a full-on race test. It's a sobering thought that. adding in the laps lost due to the breakage. Brock and Skaife would probably have won the race ... The Mobil Holden Race Team goes to Bathurst with a proven, solid package. Bridgestone has made its

pound (a 465 derivative) that they tyre decision and won't the common cornwill use certainly have a durability problem. Indeed, if you were looking for one chink in the HRT armour it might be that, given a free choice, Holden's factory team would most likely get away with a marginally softer tyre. All four of HRT's drivers have won Bathurst. The team knows how to win. It will be a strong team which outruns them,

lenn Seton is the only dri ver in the "Motorsport News Top Five Most Likely" who hasn't yet won at the Mountain - and it hurts. On the plus side, the Ford Credit Falcon team hasn't suffered a single engine problem this year - and it has been engine maladies which have proven to be Glenn's Bathurst down fall every time. The newly crowned touring car

champ won that title with an envi able reliability record and that, allied with his often stunning pace at Bathurst (remember he took pole last year), could help him break the duck. Co-driver David Parsons isn't a year-long racer, but Seton has given him a huge amount of testing laps, plus of course the Sandown race. The Tickford 500, however, pro duced a strange set of problems for the team. Struggling to get the car right over the bumps, the team made fundamental suspension changes mid-Saturday - including a change of shock-absorber brands (to positive effect) - and then suffered brake dra mas in the race, emanating from a pad problem. However, another bout of lengthy testing since Sandown has convinced Seton that (a) the brake problems are cured and (b) the Ohiins shockers he's switched to (ex-John Sidney) are a step forward.

Seton has always been at cr ne=.' the front when he's gone out a Bathurst. With a reliable rur'., iteKid be his year,

f Bathurst is the foca . pcim most teams' year, witn Perkins it is an obsession. LP always peaks for Bathurst aoi given that he and, m particuiar, teammate Russell Ingai! were competitive than usual in the Shei series, the Castrol Commodore teto be a big chance. The duo has won there befece. e cr that amazing last-to-frrst 1995, and LP w'li debut a braod-eo^v Castrol Commodore at the Mountam -~ "nothing radical, just a few miner evolutions". Negatives? Weil, again *r.= requirement for common Qu"iop compound choice \v;trJohnson's Falcon looms as one Continued neu page

Primus 1OOO Entry List NOo

FATHER AIND SON: The Richards family should be a force in the Valvoline Commodore. Steven ran third early in last year's Bathurst 1000. Continued from previous page Perkins reckons that he can run softer than the Ford team, but may have to accept the more conserva tive choice. Dunlop will make its decision after Thursday mor/iing practice. There are more than a few observers who reckon LP is under some pressure this year. The tyre 'thing has got under his skin and there have been a number of other niggles that, some say, may have contributed to his uncharacteristic crash at the Bathurst test day. When did LP last scratch a car all by himself? - never mind write one off because of a missed gear... The Castrol duo were also forced onto the harder Dunlop option at Sandown, didn't qualify well, but were extremely confident of dry race pace. We'll never know, but given the same tyre situation don't expect qualifying miracles from LP at Bathurst. The race? Well, that's another matter...

i nal pairing in our top seeds is the Johnson/Bowe combination in the Shell Falcon. Stats tell you that this will be the duo's tenth Bathurst together and when they've finished, it's either been first or second. A quite remark able record over a decade. Bowe's Shell series effort was superb - second in the series in a car with a nagging understeer problem while Dick is a little (and’he won't like this!) like Perkins in that he saves his absolute best for Bathurst. It is a strong, enduring pairing; the only question mark is the intro duction of the all-new Shell Falcon. The wet weather at Sandown made that outing largely inconclusive and - despite some testing since the team goes to Bathurst still learn ing about the substantially changed car and how to apply the complexi ties of modern spring/shock technol-ogy to it for best effect. at a pinch, should join the There oneasmore car which, aboveisfive a potential race

1 3 4 05 7 9 10 11 12 15 14 15 16 17 18 20 21 23 24 25 26 27 28 33 34 36 37 38 39 40 41 44 45 46 47 49 58 62 66 74 79 97

Drivers Glenn Seton/David Parsons Trevor Ashby/Steve Reed Paul Stokell/Anthony Tratt/Peter Bradbury Peter Brock/Mark Skaife Wayne Gardner/Neil Crompton Alan Jones/Scott Pruett Mark Larkham/Andrew Miedecke Larry Perkins/Russell Ingall Bruce Williams/Paul Qover Ryan McLeod/Darren Pate Malcolm Stenniken/Peter Gazzard Greg Murphy/Craig Lowndes Melinda Price/Kerryn Brewer Dick Johnson/John Bowe Steve Johnson/Craig Baird Ian Palmer/Brett Peters Brian Walden/Steve Williams Ray Hislop/Tim Briggs Paul Romano/Alan Grice Tony Longhurst/Charlie O'Brien John Cotter/Peter Doulman Terry Finnigan/Terty Shiel Kevin Waldock/John Smith Bob Pearson/Allan McCarthy Steve Richards/Jim Richards Heil Schembri/TBA Bill Attard/Scotty Taylor/Stephen Bell Mark Poole/Tony Scott Chris Smerdon/Charlie Cox Michael Hart/Peter Laurence Garry Willmington/Bill Sieders Mai Rose/Kevin Burton Darren Hossack/Steve Ellery John Faulkner/Win Percy John Trimbole/Tomas Mezera Greg Crick/Peter Fitzgerald Bill O'Brien/Brian Callaghan/Ron Barnacle Wayne Russell/Ric Shaw Michael Donaher/TBA Kevin Heffernan/Danny Osborne Mike Conway/Qavin Monaghan Jason Bargwanna/Mark Noske

Car Ford Credit Falcon EL Lansvale Commodore VS WQR Commodore VS Mobii Commodore VS Coca-Cola Commodore VS Komatsu Falcon EL Mitre 10 Falcon EL Castrol Commodore VS Simoco Commodore VS* OAMPS Commodore VS* Scotts TVansport Commodore VS* Mobii Commodore VS Castrol Cougar Commodore VS* Shell Helix Falcon EL Shell Helix Falcon EL Commodore VS* Commodore VP* Falcon EF* Commodore VS Castrol Falcon EL Allens Commodore VP* Sony Commodore VS Falcon EF* ProDuct Commodore VS* Valvoline Commodore VS Commodore VS* Xerox Shop Commodore VP* City of Qawler Commodore VS . Commodore VS* Commodore VR* Commodore VR* Commodore VS* Wynns Commodore VS Betta Commodore VS Bottle Magic Commodore VS Ericsson Commodore VS Everlast Commodore VR* Union Steel Commodore VS* Wiseman Commodore VS* Price Attack Commodore VS * Cadillac Falcon EB* Young Lions Commodore VS

* Privateers winner - certainly on recent form and pace - and that's the Komatsu Falcon. Alan Jones was quick at the Oran Park SATCC finale and, in his open ing stint at Sandown, stunningly fast. His team (and Mark Larkham has done a fair bit of the testing work) has come up with a basically good set-up after losing the way earlier in the year and, after all, AJ was racing

Given that, and a good clean run, away out front at Bathurst last year AJ could pull off the big surprise. when the damn thing caught fire! Wayne Gardner and Tony Pace isn't a problem. The team was a tad slow with its brake pad Longhurst have to be considered change at Sandown, but the biggest rostrum possibilities. Both have unknown is AJ's untried teammate. done it before (Longhurst winning A lot will depend on just how well way back in '88) and, if a couple of favourites fell over, could jump in IndyCar star Scott Pruett comes up. Internationals haven't been a for the win. Gardner retains Neil Crompton major success at Bathurst in the past and, while Pruett (who is, of course, (now becoming the consummate pro with his US Super Tourer career) used to V8 racing, as a former multi ple TransAm champ) will get some as co-driver in the Coke pre-event running at Lakeside, he'll Commodore, while Tony has the need to be at his professional best to experienced Charlie O'Brien in the get it all together quickly at Mount Castrol Falcon. The fate of both cars will also Panorama.

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THE ENFORCER: Russell Ingall has been superb this year and presents a formidable combination with multiple Bathurst winner Lany Perkins in the Castrol Commodore. (Photos by Dirk Klynsmith)

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A I hile 21 cars will con- Ericsson Commodore (with GT-P i mi test the new, and contender Peter Fitzgerald co-dri- ; If competitive, privateer ving); Terry Finnigan's Sony category, six non-Level 1 teams Commodore {Terry Shiel); the have either opted out of it or are Ashby/Reed Lansvale car; Mark i not eligible and will take their Poole (Gawler Commodore), with . chances against the Pros in what new co-driver Tony Scott; Paul Romano with former winner Allan is being tagged Special Level 1. Quite simply, this allows the Grice; and John Trimbole's CDS teams concerned to run their Bottle Magic Commodore, with ' choice of tyres and have a real go former HRT star Tomas Mezera : at getting in among the profes- sharing the driving. There are some interesting ; ; sional teams, as John Faulkner i running as a privateer - did last combinations, but recent form ; suggests the Crick and Finnigan ; 1 year. The six are Greg Crick's cars as potentially quite swift.

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MAKING A SPLASH; Craig Lowndes and Qreg Murphy have an excellent chance of making it two in a row for the Mobil Holden Racing Team this year, the Mitre 10 Falcon. The final Level 1 entry is very much a late one - the second Coke team car. With a scratch line-up including multi-Gold Star champ Paul Stokell, Porsche Cup winner Anthony Tratt and Porsche racer Peter Bradbury, a consistent run and a strong finish would be a good result.

depend on how well its selected rub ber - a revised construction A04 performs and, in Gardner's case, the ability of his compact team to pre pare three cars (including the Lansvale team car) and race two.

cars form a group from The remaining seven isLevel which a winner very1 unlikely to come, but from which a rostrum spot is entirely possible if everything were to go perfectly and attrition took out a few front-run ners. Last year's privateer star, John Faulkner, is back, now with Level 1 status and a very experienced co-dri ver in Win Percy. The Betta/Fisher & Paykel Commodore has been in among the Level Is all the way through the Shell series while domi nating the privateer ranks. The car fell over mechanically last year, but the team now has that much more experience. Much the same goes for the Richards family Valvoline Commodore. Richo Jnr was in third

OrSE THING ON HIS MIND; This fan will be one of many backing Brock.

NUMBER NINE: Can Peter Perfect finally get off that haunted number?

requiring a minimum of four stops have taken the emphasis off fuel economy, there are still circum stances under which it could be an advantage. Steve Jo hnson and Craig Baird fin ished seventh at Sandown, neither having raced the second Shell Falcon previously this year. "Junior" in particular put in a very strong first stint, harassing John Bowe in the team's new car for much of the time. Again, another car from a strong team which could surprise with a perfect run. We've been saying it all year (and

this is the last time!), but if Mark Larkham can stay out of trouble and the car holds together, anything is possible. The front row start at Sandown was indicative of the speed that the team and Larkham have built up. The early spin, in the wet, was also unfor tunately almost predictable although to be fair the entire field would follow suit at some stagel^ When it does all come together and there's nobody putting in more effort^- it will be spectacular. And Andrew Miedecke is an eminently experienced and capable partner in

most likely to win the first After all1000 that,Classic? who is the Primus The phrase "with a good run" keeps cropping up. The category is so close that margins are tiny and "a good run" is what will make the dif ference. Mechanical failures should be as minimal as ever these days, so apart from out-and-out speed and tyre performance, it'll be the little things which will make'the difference speed of pitwork for example. And then there's the unknowns. Pace Cars in particular. Everything / can change with a Pace Car within the last 40 laps of the race. Then, the quick-thinking team manager can win the race or get a lost cause back in the hunt. That's when it gets fascinating. But we'll stick with our Top Five. You don't have to be Einstein to punt on one of them taking it out and, "with a good run," it could just be the retiring Brock. Funnier things have happened... ■

spot when he rotated the car out of last year's race and has spent much of this year battling with Faulkner. Super Tourer commitments have, however, stretched this small team. A real dark horse possibility is HRT's Young Lions car. Mark Noske exhibited consistent pace at Sandown and Jason Bargwanna perhaps the "find" of the year - was matching the pace of the sister HRT cars during the second part of the race. The car is obviously good and with a trouble-free day a top five is well on the cards. The two remaining "youngster" cars are both run by extremely pro fessional teams and will give a good account of themselves, although only one of the four drivers concerned has been running all year. That's Darren Hossack. His promising debut in the Wynns car has resulted in the sponsor taking him a further step - into the Gibson Motorsport Commodore, where he's joined by the relatively experienced Steve Ellery, who left the Shell series mid-way after his fall-out with Longhurst. The Gibson car recorded extraor dinary fuel mileage at Sandown, which pushed them to the front at GIVING IT EVERYTHING: Alan Jones was awesome at Sandown and led at Bathurst last year until the car one stage. Although new race regs caught fire. Can the former world champion break through at Mount Panorama with the Komatsu Falcon?

re companies and their teams will save huge dolars as a result of the tightest tyre regulations ever at Bathurst. However, the restriction com¬ mits the manufacturers to a prerace choice of tyre which must be used - even if conditions change during Sunday's race. In the past, teams have on occasion switched from one tyre to another compound/construc¬ tion as the day has progressed. With that option out, the decision becomes a crucial and binding one for the tyre engineers. Each tyre manufacturer is limit- I ed to just one compound, size and construction of tyre among its : Level 1 teams (7 sets per car) for qualifying and the race, while half the field wilf also contest the Control Dunlop lyre privateer'category (6 sets per car): Teams are also able to use two sets of previously used tyres and one set of another compound (new) in Thursday morning's first "practice" session. Both and Bridgestone Yokohama have nominated their tyre for the race and will simply have sufficient quantities on hand for their cars. Bridgestone will go with a new, ■ as yet un-numbered, compound evolved from its previous 465 compound. It was tested at both ' the Bathurst test day and the fol lowing day's Eastern Creek test. All three HRT cars, Glenn Seton, Alan Jones, Mark Larkham, Steve Richards and John Faulkner will use Bridgestones. Yokohama's choice is a revised construction of its A04, again , tested at and since the Bathurst ' test day. None were available for Sandown, so Bathurst will be their debut in the hands of Tony Longhurst, both Wayne Gardner Gibson Racing cars and Motorsport's Wynns Commodore. Dunlop will make use of the "one set of different compound" tyre rule to make a final decision between its 359 and harder 975 compound on Thursday morning before making its final choice. Fortunately, with just three Level 1 cars (Larry Perkins and the two Shell cars), having sufficient quantities of both on hand isn't the strain it could be. However, pre-event, Perkins and the Shell team have contrast ing views on which of the two choices should be used, LP con vinced on the softer 359, the Shell team leaning towards the 975s. Thursday morning should be inter esting-even more so if it rains! Interestingly, the six Special Level 1 entries have a free tyre choice so, for example, Dunlop runners Greg Crick and John Trimbole will go with 507s, a com pound smack in the middle between 359 and 975, which may have been the ideal solution to the Perkins/Shell dilemma! The Dunlop Control tyre for the 21-car Privateer contest is a Japanese-sourced K1.

They are very reliable, great to watch and, after a spectacular season, the leading V8 Supercar teams and drivers are very evenly matched. So what will the major players in the Primus 1000 Classic be concentrating on when they get to Mount Panorama next week? What are the factors that can make the difference between winning and losing? Surprisingly, as they told PHIL BRANAGAN, there is^po concensus among the leading players as to the issues that will decide the race.

Schedule Thursday 1000

V8 Supercars

Qualifying 1

1415

V8 Supercars

Qualifying 2 .

0845 1300

V8 Supercars V8 Supercars

Qualifying 3 Qual; fast 50%

1350

V8 Supercars

Qual; slow 50%

Friday

Saturday 0750 HQ Holden

Race (6 laps)

0830

Formula Ford

Race(6 laps)

0945

V8 Supercars

1015 1245

V8 Supercars GT Production

1630

V8 Supercars

Top 10 Warm-up Top 10 Shootout Race (3 hours) Free Practice

Sunday 0715 0750

V8 Supercars HQ Holden

0825

Formula Ford

Warm-up Race(4 laps)

0845

Race (5 laps) Peter Brock/Drivers Parade

1000

Primus 1000 Classic (161 laps)

n Note: V8 Supercar Qualifying Sessions 13 qualify car and drivers to start the race. Grid positions will be decided in Friday's split sessions, from 1 pm (these will be com bined if variable weather conditions exist - ie rain). Fastest 50% for final qualifying is taken from Friday morning's Qualifying 3 session. n The action will be broadcast on Network 10 on Saturday from 12 midday until 5pm (Eastern time) and Sunday from 7am until 5pm.

quick; everyone knows that. Australia's V8 Supercars are Most people look at the Holden Racing Team as the team to beat. After winning the SandownBathurst double last season they look the logical favourites to add the Primus 1000 Classic to their 1997 Tickford 500 win. Team manager Jeff Grech will have a big say in proceedings. Last year Grech's calls went a long way towards Craig Lowndes and Greg ^Murphy winning the Great Race. "That's what it's come down to," Grech said this week. "Given that all the leading cars are pretty similar in performance, it's how a team reacts to change'or adversity that can make all the differ ence. "We follow the cars lap by lap and we have something of a "float ing" strategy, which allows us to react as quickly as possible to events. "The team which jumps quickest and makes the correct decisions wins the race. "In mechanical terms, you have to pick the right compromise between speed and reliability. "More speed generally means less reliability, it's a matter of getting that compromise right."

lenn Seton is heading to Mount Panorama to right what he sees as a great wrong; to win at Mount Panorama

and finally get the Bathurst bogey off his back. Despite recnt brake problems at the Sandown 500 he is happy with his brake Set-up and doesn't believe that the compulsory brake change will affect him. "We've always changed pads at Bathurst so it doesn't impact us at all. Our Sandown brake problems are behind us. It was a couple of things which I won't go into but they won't happen again." Seton wi l l retain the Brembo brake set-up he switched to prior to Oran Park, despite the Sandown hitch - reputedly a pad problem. "Brakes have come a long way but, at the same time I think every one is on top of their brake problems and no-one will have any significant advantage. "Fuel range is about the same. Everyone can run between 32 and 38 laps so'there is no advantage either way. We have similar power and range but fuel economy can vary a little with the conditions. It doesn't change much." Even though Seton owns the team he does not have the final say while at a race meeting. Team man ager Tony Murphy makes makes the calls for the Ford Credit team and is also team tactician. "He'll ask what we think, like any other team manager, but at the end of the day it's his decision. He'll lean

o w

o CL

COSTLY DAMAGE: Most agree that keeping out oftrouble is vital, as Mark Larkham has discovered on occasion.

on driver's judgements, like on a wet/dry track. "Pace cars can either help or hurt you. It's necessary to have them and it sets up a great spectacle at the end of the race. But as to whether they're good or bad for you in a race it's really just a lottery." Which leaves tyres: "Tyres are not an issue," says Seton surprisingly. "Tyres have not been an issue in the past and I don't see why this year should be any different. ‘ "Bathurst is less critical on tyres than any other venue." "We're going there to have a reli able run. We've had a reliable run and, while we've lacked engine relia bility in the past, we've had it all year and we're happy with it"

arry Perkins also has a dual role, as team owner and driver and some of his views are at variance to those of Seton's. "There are only two issues that count at Bathurst," opines the five time Bathurst winner. "Head and shoulders above every f thing else - you MUST be mechani cally reliable," he says emphatically. "And you have to be able to drive the car accurately; be reliable in a dri ving suit. "Once you have those two you can couple them with speed out of TEAMWORK:Pit action will be impomni the drivers and speed out of the recent Sandown 500 to get them right. Thi machinery. But without the first two you might as well forget the second about that. We all make about the two... same mileage." Brakes are not an issue," says But the person sharing the car matters. Perkins. "Co-drivers are a big issue. You "Brakes have always been a factor have to have someone who is reli in the race, but never THE crucial fac tor. There are other corners of the able, fast if he has to be, and honest with the machinery. Somone of not a car we put more effort into." Unlike Seton's outfit, Perkins has low IQ. "You also need a bloke who is had no brake woes this season with his own braking system, which has able to think about the situation been almost totally reliable since it rather than worrying whether, for was introduced at Bathurst two years example, someone is 10 seconds ahead of you - if he has to do more ago. The team will continue to run the stops than you, that doesn't matter; Perkins Engineering-built front brake you have to know all of those things. "Our car is very well set up for calipers and extra-thick Endless brake both drivers. Russell (Ingall) and I are pads. "The compulsory brake pad always within a tenth of a second of change will not change things. We each other and it's crucial that the can change them as quick as the drivers are not at each others' throats next mob, around 40 seconds. It about set-up." won't bean issue." By having the man who finished In 1993 Perkins and co-driver third in the Shell ATCC series as co Gregg Hansford won the first of the driver Perkins has a bonus which 'V8' Bathursts after a race-long tussle could see him, potentially, choose with the Mark Skaife/Jim Richards not to start the race himself without car. The two cars were almost per losing anything in the cockpit. But fectly matched for speed but the that is unlikely to happen. "There are factors under which he Gibson Motorsport Commodore had to make a crucial late-race fuel stop would start the race but the fact that and that gave Perkins and Hansford he does excellent starts is not a fac tor, not in this race. the edge they needed. "There is no tactical reason for me Four years later that won't matter, says Perkins. "Fuel range is not even to start the race and there's no nega a factor. Everyone can just forget tives to be had if Russell starts."

CRITICAl CHOICE: Tyres could be mtalfor the Dunlop runners, with the Shell team wanting to go with the harder option than the Castrol team. since then and we've pulled a lot of time out of that. We've got it cov ered. "We all have a mimimum of four fuel stops. It's not even borderline; everyone should be fine." Co-drivers is one area where Stone thinks they will be on a par with the opposition. "No one will be able to afford to drop any pace. I'm sure that's where the race will be won. "If conditions get a bit dodgy that's where it tells. You can leave someone out on slicks if they are both number ones. "That's where Pruett will be good; look at what he has done in the past and look at the different disciplines they run on in the States. "Andy will be good at that, too. At Sandown he was right there and with (Paul) Romano he did a great job last year." Tactically the two blue Falcons run as single car teams at the track. "You've got to be able to think on your feet. If you have a fixed plan and you're not flexible with it you're stuck; you've got to be able to fit in with Pace Cars and whatever comes

s always and all the teams used the

s the HRT Young Lions crew. Tactically Perkins falls into the same category as Seton; the boss is the lead driver. He doesn't feel that is a disadvantage. "I have a bloke who wears the headsets. The whole team liaises with the man on the radio and, depending on the issue, they have the say. " And, unlike Seton, Perkins believes that tyres could decide the race. "Tyre choice is crucial. Once you have reliability in place, you need speed. If you get the speed wrong - like at Oran Park and at Sandown -- you'll never ever win the race. You can lose the race on tyre choice. "You've got to have the speed and the easiest way to have the speed is to have a better tyre." ne of the most experi enced - and successful-

at you. You need to have all your information at your fingertips. "You need to keep an eye on the opposition. If someone goes on slicks, for instance, you need to keep an eye oh them to make the call yourself." Pace Cars present a challenge, Look at according to Stone. Sandown; appalling conditions but no pace cars. No-one would have bet on that. It could happen again at Bathurst. "But the other things with Pace Cars; you've got to know the regula tions. You've got to know where you're placed, not only on the track but where the opposition are in their pit cycles. You've got to have all your crew knowing what's going on. "This is the decade of communi cation. All our blokes are on a radio, on the crew channel. They can always know what's going on." Stone's views on tyres are at log gerheads with fellow Bridgestone man Seton's. "How many times have we been to Bathurst and seen cars in after the opening stint with blistered

Alan Jones Racing boss will be over-

tyres? Even Lowndes and Murphy blistered a tyre last year. "it will be a little different for us this time with the common tyre for

seeing the Mark Larkham/Andrew Miedecke Mitre 10 Falcon in the race while brother Jimmy keeps an

everyone. I have every confidence in (Bridgestone Motorsport's) Graeme Brown and the new compound and

eye on the Jones/Scott Pruett Komatsu entry. "Our brake, pad change at Sandown was pretty ordinary," says Stone. "We've done a modification

construction tyre. "Our new tyre is just a derivative of what we've been using so we've got no concerns, even though it's a brand new tyre." n

team managers at Bathurst will be Ross Stone. The

MOVING UP: Now trith Ericsson hacking. Greg Crick's Alcair team has gone to Special Level 1 (see page 2).

Privateers go into battle

ne of the real innovations

in ihe Primus 1000

Classic is the advent of

the new Privateers' class. For the first time, V8 Supercars Wi lake to the Mount Panorama

track on a control tyre, ensuring that the competition will toe the most even yet seen at the track. The tyre is part of a new package designed to encourage dri vers cf smaller-budgeted teams to make a commitment to the race.

noted for the Privateer doss - half the field. The cars will be easily identifi able as, above their windscreens on he roof front, all cars will carry a

he has former producl an car adversary Kevin Burton alongside in the Fairfax Community car. The one car all the boys will be keeping an eye on will be the

yellow stripe with the Dunlop logo on it.

a solid preparation Melinda Price

So who are the contenders to

and Kerryn Brewer did a good job

lake the honours? Starling as many people's favourites will be the Bruce Williams/Paul Cover pairing. Although this is their first Bathurst

Castrol Cougars Commodore. After

at Sandown, leading the class until Brewer stopped with fuel feed prob lems. If the ladies can stay on schedule they have Perkins' crew to back

together in a car neither driver had

them up and that could be a signifi

raced a month ago, the AUSCAR/Foimula Holden driver

cant edge. There is also a real chance of a

count ion the other lyres that they will our more buy for th'

and the Melbourne journalist (with

Falcon breaking through for class honours. Kevin Waldock has an

sets m tctal (teams can use two used

great job first time out at Sandown

sets, from earlier race meetings, tor

last month, steering Robert Smith's

practice). To accommodate the class

Simoco-sponsored Commodore

the perennially under-rated John

through the appalling raceday con ditions to stay out of trouble and take the honours.

Smith alongside. Smith's list of previ

As part of the package all nominees in le class gel two sets of tyres for free. They will also receive a dis

Dunlop has produced a new L/re, the K1 The Japanese-built tyre is

rally and Prodcar experience) did a

impressive long-distance record and thrives on this sort of event. He has

ous co-drivers reads extremely well; Johnson, Bowe, Bond ... Back in the Commodoie ranks,

designed for maximum consistency,

Other FH drivers making the

according to Dunlop Motorsporl's Russel! Stuckey.

move to tin lops will be Ryan McLeod and Darren Pale. Both have

also keep an eye on the Bob

new generatiori compound which '.ve evaluated for the first lime

V8 experience at the track and their e.x-Darren Hossack OAMPS

car. McCarthy was very impressive in the AMSCAR series this season

showed outin January." he says siananrg durability bul we did 1 1 use il be ause we had already lade F-qiisn le de.;is lon to qo t( or cn Level I t.'ie ' In tie case of we weolner there

Insuiance Commodore has been at

while Pearson has a ton of Mountain

or near the point/ end of tfie

experience.

Privateer ranks all season

Olher likely contenders foi the $25,000 first prizemoney in the crat-

Mai Rose has already had a good season with dominant perfor mances in the AMSCAR senes.

is also a control wet Dunlop s V

Despite running on the lightest of

which IS being used by all llie teams mclud g Levi

budgets. Rose is always in excellent arm at aihursi (last year he led his

A lofol of 21 learns have nurni-

Pearson/Allan McCarthy Pro-Duct

ss ur-ilil his co-driver crashed) and

egoiy include Chris Smerdon (with UK racer Charlie Cox|, perennial Ball ,t racers John Coller/Peter Doulman and the Kevin Heffernan/Danny Osborne pairing. - PHIL BRANAGAN

SJ V

Force vs. Velocity

-1S0O Velocity (Caches / Second CHARACTERIS'TIC CURVES: A printoutfrom John Sidney’s computer with the red lines showing a linear shock, the green lines showing a digressive unit, while the blue lines indicate a shock with digressive com pression and linear rebound. AT WORK; Glemi Seton puts the Sidney suspension package through its paces at Sandoivn last month.

-N

V shock

With so much standardisation in V8 Supercar racing, possibly the biggest area for development is now in shock absorbers. Technical editor TONY GLYNN takes us into the wonderful world of damping:

data-Iogging, there is now an With the advent on-board enormous poolofof knowl edge accumulated by the front-running teams concerning completely effective suspension settings that ensure a V8 Supercar keeps its tyres firmly in contact with the track surface. As a consequence, those teams have now moved away from the tra ditionally independent and apolitical suspension experts who frantically revalved shock absorbers en masse at the end of each day's practice, or qualifying, so that the race-day set-up was as close to perfection as humanly possible. But, having invested heavily In the mandatory technology and expertise to function independently of those sus pension wizards and achieve the ulti mate in legal traction control, those same Level 1 teams have inadvertently created yet another divide between the professional and privateer competitors. From a professional perspective, the fruits of extensive shock absorber and spring development programs have come at an inordinately high cost. Having entered this reclusive devel opment spiral, it is hardly surprising that an individual team's rapidly expanding, high-dollar data base is regarded as a closely guarded secret which, quite rea sonably, is not accessible to outsiders. As a consequence, the not so cashed-up privateer teams which can not afford a serious testing program are not able to generate a significant vol ume of the necessary data to enable their traditional aftermarket suspension

Enduro showroom showdovm

Production cars return to Bathurst for endurance race action and AARON NOONAN takes us through the contenders:

and Wayne Park's HSV Commodore should see the big Aussie muscle car give the turbocar

I a fight. In the experience corner is ever-

his year's inaugural GT-P 3Hour 'Showroom Showdown' at Mount Panorama features five classes, but only two will fight it out for out right honours. And, as has been the case all season, two makes stand out as the cars to beat. In the red corner will be the Prancing Horse, Ferrari, with two of Enzo's best ready to take on the Mount. The lead car will be driven by John Bowe and production car ace Garry Waldon, while team owner Ross Palmer will pair up with Greg Crick in the second car, which will be-run under the banner of 'Rough Red Ferrari' in dedication to a friend of Palmer's who is suffering from cancer. Both Bowe and Crick will have busy weekends, with their V8 Supercar commitments on top of their GT-P workload. In the green corner are the Stuttgart stormtroopers, headed by Peter Fitzgerald and Jim Richards in the Falken Tyres 911 RSCS. In previous production car

_ ®

green Murray Carter and his Nissan 200SX.

jfc “

Also Subaru-mounted will be Chris Kousparis, while the whistling turbo Volvo of Ian M cAlister will be in the frame, con sidering the car's enduro pedigree. The family car class, othenwise known as Class C, will see the Mitsubishi Magna of Robert Chadwick, which won on debut at : Mallala, go head to head with members of Australia's motoring media - the Ford Falcon XR6 media car will be steered by Paul Gover, Michael Stahl and Chris Nixon. Now we get down to the ankle biters. Classes D and E. The BMW of the Lyntons - Beric and father Bruce - will be the car to beat, but the Honda of Letcher/Johnson will be snapping at the heels of Bavaria's best. Class E should be a Suzuki bene fit, but the Laser TX3 of Trevor Haines may have something to say about that. It's shaping up to be a typical production car race. Something exotic, something practical and, most of all, something different. For armchair racers. Network Ten will televise all three hours of the race during the five-hour cover age from Bathurst on Saturday, October 18. ■

FERRARI VERSUS PORSCHE: Vk-year-long hatl.le hits Bathurst next irhulii by tiirh Klvn.-umlh week with a three-hour contest to test thefield. enduros, Porsche has been the bridesmaid, but now that their nemesis Mazda is gone, the German marque is well-placed to break through. Those waiting to tag into the royal rumble read like a who's who of exotic marques. From the good ol' USA, the Dodge Viper VI0 of Ray Lintott, rallymeister Neal Bates and American Neil Hennerman will be sure to give the Euro cars a run for their money up and down the hill, but can the tyres last? The Viper hasn't got the tyre width it requires to perform to its full potential, although Bates' effort at the tight Winton circuit earlier in the year proves that the car has the potential.

The Japanese assault is in the hands of the turbo Supra of John Bourke and Paul Stokell. With a trick front spoiler, the Supra may be in its element in cooler conditions. Also a contender in the 'Supercar' class is the Maserati of Alf Costanzo and journalist Peter McKay. If conditions turn wet on October 18, the Evo 3 Lancer 4WD of Ross Almond and Trevor John will surely be up at the pointy end of the field. The Class B title will be'a straight fight between youth and experience Andrej Pavicevic has been the man to beat in the class this year with his Subaru Impreza, but the sheer horsepower of John Cowley

tuners to reach the benchmarks set by the big boys. In a sport where success levels are measured in mere fractions of a second, this situation is bad news for the majori ty of the privateers and, as the profes sionals further refine their activities, the existing performance deficit will become even more marired. Nonetheless, one privateer who is happily conducting his own in-house shock absorber development program is John Sidney, whose Falcon tourer has been sidelined this season due to a dearth of sponsorship, but whose expertise has been eagerly sought. The ever-inquisitive Sidney has retained his links with a number of his active peers and, using their available data to boost his own substantial knowledge pool, has come up with a spring/shocker combination that result ed in his very effective Ohiins units being pressed into sen/ice by a more ●than satisfied Glenn Seton at the recent Sandown 500 enduro. Acknowledging the fact that the subtleties of shock absorber valving and on-track performance would be impossible to master without the requisite mechanical and electronic hardware, Sidney has dug deep and acquired the standard kit that is now the norm for the front-running operations. "In order to determine the correct shock absorber set-up for any vehicle on any track, it's certainly necessary for all those competitors who are really seri ous about their racing to have access to a shock dyno, that's for sure," said Sidney. "What suits one car doesn't neces sarily suit another, in terms of models, weights, weight distribution, personal preferences for springs and even tyre combinations, particularly as some tyres have more grip than others."

e aring in mind that a shock absorber's prime function is not to support the car, but rather to act as a damper for the spring which does carry the weight of the vehicle, the variety of spring locations, actuation methods and resultant ratios as seen by the wheels makes any cross-fertilisation of settings between ostensibly similar vehicles almost impossible. "1 believe a Commodore runs 1000-1400 pound springs at the front and around 400 pounds in the rear," Sidney explained, "while a Falcon with an inboard front spring worked on a ratio runs a completely different set of numbers, ranging from 1400 up to 1900 pounds." The actual brand of shock absorber employed is not really an issue in Sidney's mind, "though there are four of them out there that seem to be quite good". "But they do have different charac teristics and the changeover period from bump to rebound seems to be the big issue. "Some have a better recovery rate when they change from bump to rebound and others seem to be afflict¬ ed with a bad changeover period. "Now a lot of people can't measure that changeover period and can't deter mine what's actually going on. They'll revalve the shocks, but it's got nothing to do with valving. It's the transition from bump to rebound - the recovery rate, in other words." While the on-board data-Iogging facility happily accumulates information at a prodigious rate, it's actually the cor rect interpretation of that information that provides the key to success.

Preuieuj

treatment I

I V

believes that a modem racing car needs a full range of adjustability in both areas to achieve ultimate performance, a goal clearly beyond the capabilities of a com promise unit. "But, if you do know what you want and you have your portable shock dyno at the track, 30 minutes later you 'will have changed the shim package and have such a lower-cost shocker performing closer to what you feel is the ideal," Sidney added. "At least with adjustable units, if you can get the car close to where you want it and all those settings are in the halfway position, you can go either way, which means you've got the best of both worlds." The double adjusters on the remote reservoir shocks are for low-speed and high-speed variations, the low-speed concerned with rates in the 1-3 inches per second range, while the high-speed control caters for rates from 5-7 inches upwards. There could be up to 20 bump click stops, or sweeps, available and as many as 40 settings for rebound, the relation ship between sweeps being either lin ear, or digressive, depending on the shock absorber's chosen piston shape,

From a driver’s position Shock absorber tuning is perhaps the most com plex part of touring car set-up these days. The Shell team's JOHN BOWE is among the more technically-minded drivers on the scene and gives us a driver's per spective on the subject:

o much has changed over the last six to eight years. Back then we used Bilstein shock absorbers, which were a good shock absorber but you didn't do much to them. The bet ter-funded teams had multiple sets of shock absorbers with vari ous"bump" and "rebound" set tings in them. 4 ^ What's happened with the evo COMPUTER SCIENCE:John Sidney at luork with a mobile shock absorber dyno at his Melbourne workshop. lution of these other types of shock absorbers- and Penske ontrary to a popular misconcep "The first movement needs to be "it's very easy to misunderstand the ond," Sidney explained. "Suddenly, if tion, the shock unit is built by were the first to do it-is that the 'the team to function in set shock absorber becomes more infi situation and draw a wrong conclusion you hit something that could be as big reasonably supple, so there is some about what's really happening with the as a kerb, you could shoot up to 17 absorption of the load, but then you've regimes only and cannot jump arbitrari nitely tuneable,so you can change got to put the brakes on and reduce ly between linear and digressive merely the way the shock absorber works, shocker," Sidney said. "While I don't inches, or more. "If the shocker is too linear, which the speed at which the wheel wants to by turning a knob. totally understand it all. I've been where it works, veiocities it works informed by some clever people over means it starts off at a low pressure and go up into the car. Sidney finds that working with such at... "The shocker should then allow it to controllable units pays immediate divi seas as to how to read it, which has goes in a straight line to a high pres It is possible to do many, many put the wheel back on the road, but it dends during practice sessions, but proven to be a practical time-saver. sure, it almost locks the suspension out "You could see 15-17 inches per "But, if it's digressive, it rises quickly should not be fired back onto the track, again cautioned that the "telemetry things with them. The shock second of wheel travel at times, which and early and then flattens off and as it will then skip and then progressive homework is vital, if the team's efforts absorber is no longer just a damp ing force -they can change the are not to be wasted". is basically because you've got the doesn't go off the scale - the force ly wheel hop. "The idea is to allow the axle to go "If the telemetry tells you that the characteristics of the car to some wrong spring and the wrong shock - which it's damping at reaches a peak up and down while following the road car is skittery, or jittery, on the normal degree and you can use them to that rate refers to how quickly the and then flattens off." wheel wants to slam into the body The philosophical approach to be and not to have the car too soft so that rough undulations, you'd work on the change the overall set-up of the work. adopted by the shock absorber tuner it rolls right over and unloads itself. If a low-speed setting and back it off a bit car. They are much more of a tun ing mechanism than ever before. "If you see a high readout, you thus becomes the issue, as does the car doesn't roll, it won't shift weight to try and make the car ride comfort and increase the load onto the outside ably through all that. It's not black and white- in shouldn't automatically conclude that establishment of the point of digres "But you'd want to make sure that fact it's probably the most grey sion, if that then becomes a focus. tyre and cause it to stick. It's all about your problem is where that high read you really were able to interpret the area in motor sport- and the out occurs - it's actually before the high "Some shocks will have linear bump degrees of movement. "But, if you've got the suspension data correctly before making any more I have to do with it, the readout; it's what's happened just prior and digressive rebound, or digressive to it and I think that's where a lot of bump and linear rebound," Sidney too soft, you've got to try and hold the adjustments. more I realise how complex it is. Even though you have a shock elaborated, "or will be linear on both car up with sway bars, which increases people get confused. Sometimes it is necessary to "I think I would have been dyno and someone competent change the internals of the shock confused about it, had I not had making the decisions, you 66 absorber to achieve what you won't get the settings right in it pointed out to me on a graph, want to achieve, but you can where there were four or five the workshop - if you want to be ultra-competitive, it's have so many different damping peaks. They progressively got absolutely imperative to have characteristics that it allows you worse and, after it was pointed that dyno at the track and for mucli more scope in tuning the out that the bumps were all l the precise decisions that really car-and ultimately getting more nearly the same, you had to ask V. needed to be made to be grip out of it. why the situation had worsened. The bottom line is that most implemented there and then. "Well, it started on the first teams now need a dedicated crew You see, tyres also come into it and and second bump and was really bad sides, bump and rebound, or will be the spring rate suddenly by 400-500 member to look after shock pounds and that's something the the spring rate of the tyre itself is a fac by the third and fourth bumps, so peo digressive both ways. tor. So, when new tyres with, say, stiffer absorbers and a portable shock ple would say that, as it was so bad, we "The shock absorber piston shape shocker wasn't valved to control. needed to address the 15-17 inches to determines the basic characteristics of "In that circumstance, the shocker is sidewalls are employed, the spring rates "dyno". While modern data acquisition solve the problem. the functions and, if you want to work just not up to the task and the car starts'' change and the car reacts differently "But you don't when you're work satisfactorily in any of those four areas, to patter wheels and so forth round the and what you had three months ago techniques assist in arriving at ’● on the same track isn't necessarily still improved set-ups, driver "feel" is ing with a shocker. You need to' your chassis data logger naturally comes comer." address it at, say, 3-7 inches per second into it. Now that's a depressingly familiar applicable. still an important ingredient. "If you have that shock dyno at the Sometimes you can have two to put the brakes on the suspension "If you run around a track with lin scenario for those teams unable to put and prevent the follow-on. ear both ways, you then have a look at in the testing miles and adequately track and you really do determine that shocks that, on the shock dyno, "It seems to be a rule of thumb that the chassis movements and so on. You resolve the shock valving issue, the end you need to change something, then look the same, but in the car feel shocker speeds on corner entry - not then put on a set of shocks, or revalve result being a bewilderingly unpre you can actually do it - otherwise your differently. hands are tied until you come home. on every corner, of course - should be your shocks, with digressive on the dictable loss of traction when attempt Progress is a result of data between 1-2 inches per second when rebound, and run around the same ing to comer on the limit with a body "In the last few years, the profes acquisition, driver input and,at track. sional teams have become deadly seri turning. pounding up and down, the end of the day, lap times. It's ous about their shock absorber devel "Going down a straight, such as at "You'll soon see piston speeds not hard and fast or black and Calder Park or Sandown, where it's rea e commonly used shock opment, as it's arguably one of the last changing in the shock, or there'll be less white. A change might not sonably bumpy, the range the wheel movement in the car as the shock grabs absorber units proliferating on areas under investigation in this class improve the times, but it may the tourers these days all sport where there are real advantages still to affect how the car feels, how it speed moves in seems to be from one hold quicker, or it'll ride the bumps bet ter or there could be more wheel be gained. click stop adjusters which permit the up to, possibly, five inches." looks after the tyres. As I said, it's movement, but the car is affected less. "So, regardless of whether you real team to make rapid rebound, or bump, is is when discussions about "The idea is to fire the axle into the adjustments while in the pits - both ly understand the workings of a double very grey... There's so much information the relative merits of linear and chassis. Remember, the wheel does not areas are usually catered for individually, digressive shock absorber or not, you're which, in our case, Alan Draper, digressive shock absorbers ride through a hole; it crashes into a though there are more affordable units now obliged to contemplate a frontier come into play. that we've never really been able to Dick Johnson and myself can hole and the spring wants to fire the with only one adjuster that simultane attack before and come to terms with have available to digest that you "If you're rolling down a straight wheel back up into the car. But, if ously alters both bump and rebound. The latter units are not viewed the fact that if you're not involved, then could end up never getting out and run over normal bumps, your shock everything is too stiff, it'll fire the car*off is working around 2-3 inches per sec- the ground. favourably by Sidney, however, as he you'll be left a little further behind." n on the track ... n

You are now obliged to contemplate afrontier that we've never really been able to attack before.

Get with the winning team! I

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AUSTRALIAN BIKE GR Report by TONY GLYNN Mick Doohan failed in his bid to take out the 1997 Australian 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island last Sunday. The four-times World Champion crashed out of contention on lap 17 after blitzing the field and was obliged to w'atch from the sidelines as Repsol Honda team-mates Alex Criville and Takuma Aoki took the flag ahead of Rainey Yamaha’s Norick (Norifnme)Abe, Poleman Doohan cleared away from the field after the green, drift ing at full throttle through the cor ners and dropping comfortably under Wayne Gardner’s 1990 lap record of 1:34.560. before setting a quickest time of 1:34.113 on lap 16 of the 27-lapper. .After barrelling down (he main straight at some 305 km/h-plus, Doohan then came to grief in tu-n 1 at the start of the very next lap, his vee-four Honda NSRSOO’s rear Michelin losing traction as the champion cranked over into the fast right-hander - Doohan backed off a tad, but the front-end then gave way and he slithered off the track in a siiower of shrapnel. Having pulled out a lead of more than seven seconds over Criville before the incident, Doohan’s later comment that he was nursing his > ijTes took most observers by sur prise. as it appeared all weekend that he was determined to demon strate his absolute superiority and crush his team-mates once and for all. After survi\'ing the rain and wind on Friday, Doohan’s warm and sunny Saturday 1:33.135 pole time was more than eight tenths quicker than Criviile’s best, while Aoki’s grid three time was three tenths nhan fehe Spanish rider’s A ‘ n n ^ffterestingly, Aoki was fielding ,' lhe lighter (lOlkg minimum : wcigho), itsss-powerful, vee-twin NS^OOY and tits performance was j;;: ; itsil(ioncern for his vee-foui- peers i(l|3^;k}i Jtiinimum), the nimble inacnine proving to oe ideally suit ed to the fast, flowing 4.45km Phillip Island circuit. During the last qualifying session on .Saturday. Doohan was foiced to take evasive action after a .slower machine unexpectedly changed lines, (he incident resulting in an off-track excursion in the turn 2 left-hand sweeper that ultimately pitched the chatiip onto the grass at a moderate speed - the Honda sustained only minor damage and. after u trip back to the pits, resurfaced for she remainder of the sessmn. A recurring theme in the pre-race press concerned Doohan’s well-doc-

W October

and speed as he struggled to get enough feel from the reportedly 200 horsepower, brutal vee-four “Screamer” engine with its 180 degree firing order, the demanding powerplant also the weapon of choice for guru Doohan. Fifth on the grid was Abe on the Yamaha Team Rainey YZR500, the Japanese not particularly happy with his overall lack of speed, but pleased, nonetheless, to have / achieved his best qualifying result of the season. Next was Luca Cadalora’s Red Bull Yamaha WCM YZR500 which experienced a few set-up problems - and the lone Aprilia RSV500 vee-twin of the IP Aprilia Racing Team’s Doriano Romboni, who kiOed an engine in final quali fying on his best bike and then swapped to his less-desirable sec ond bike, which also ran a 480cc engine. The Movistar Honda Pons NSR500 of Spaniard Carlos Checa was next, heading the vee-twin Honda Gresini NSR500V of FOUR AND COUNTING... Champion Mick Doohan was undoubtedly the Island's class act.(Tony Glynn pic) Brazilian Alex Barros - who experi enced gearbox problems during the last qualifying session - and the tenth-placed Tecmas Honda Elf NSR500 of Regis Laconi. Aussie Daryl Beattie was eleventh on the Lucky Strike Suzuki RGV500, but was scratched from the race on doctor’s orders after a bout of influenza, while Peter Goddard put another of the team’s Suzuki’s on grid 15. Twelfth was 500 debutantant Yukio.Kagayama (Lucky Strike Suzuki), ahead of Jurgen V. D. Goorbergh (Team Millar MQP Honda NSR500’i^), Team Rainey’s Sete Gibernau (Yamaha) and Goddard, who was a mere three hundredths behind Kagayama we’re taLking a close group here. . Then came Nobuatsu Aoki on the FCC Technical Sports ex-Doohan NSR500 and Kenny Roberts Junior on the interesting three cylinder 1 500cc Modenas KR3 of Marlboro Team Roberts, which ran a smaller Michelin fear and showed promise, until the lightweight U16kg) machine highsided in the Qantas hair-pin and ultimately slipped out of the top ten. / Juan Borja on the Elf 500 ROC Swissauto-powered vee-four was BUGGER IT!... Doohan checks out the turn 1 run-off in spectacular style. (Thunder-Pics/Agfa pic) Continued on next page umented exasperation with the raderie, the issue was no longer to

Mkk crashes out Max makes it four, as lex and Nobby score

Honda factory team’s insistence upon his hard-won bike settings determined in practice and qualifying being automatically shared with his lesser-performing teammates, which then enabled them to close up for the race itself Surprisingly, Doohan was at pains on the Saturday post-qualifying press conference to point out that, as the whole affair was now getting out of hand and that any further verbage would only prove to be detrimental to the team’s cama-

be publicly discussed. Period. Having secured his 50th pole. Doohan was joined on the front row by Criville, Aoki and Tady Okada (NSR500), the four Repsol Honda Racing Team riders notching up an historic first for the legendary Japanese HRC factory. Aoki happily elected to run similar settings to those used in the recent Indonesian Grand Prix on his developmental vee-twin, while Okada, the surprise winner of that event, continued to chase both giip

LETS PARTY... 125cc World Champion Valentino Rossi (right) chats with Barry Sheene post qualifying. MIGHTY MAX... Four-times 250cc World Champion Max Biaggi(below) meets the press.(Tony Glynn pics)

Mick crashes out Continued from page 39 18th, ahead of Jean Michel Bayle on the second Modenas KR3, which was adversely affected by aerodynamic lift problems that were unable to be satisfactorily resolved. Jurgen Fuchs on the other Elf 500 was 20th, but seven hundredths quicker than Alberto Puig’s Movistar Honda Pons NSR500 and Lucio Pedercini’s ROC Yamaha. The last of the locals to get a guernsey was a totally dejected Kirk McCarthy, whose Red Bull Yamaha WCM Yamaha YZR500 lanHERO TO ZERO... Winning the AGP wasn’t quite enough for poor Raif. (Tony Glynn pic)

guished down in 23rd, after losing most of the final quali fying session to mechanical woes. Nonetheless, McCarthy still headed Frederic Protat’s Soverex FP Racing NSR500V and the Millet Racing ROC Yamaha of Belgian Laurent Naveau, which brought up the rear ofthe field. After the first couple of laps of the main event, Doohan had Abe, Criville, Takuma Aoki, Okada, a fast launching Barros, Cadalora, Gibemau and the Suzukis of Goddard and Kagayama snapping at his heels. But fastest laps set on laps 4 and 5 highlighted Doohan’s

TITLE UP FOR GRABS... Biaggi shadows AGP winner Waldmann.(Tony Glynn pic)

Waldmann shock AGP 250cc winner Half Waldmann dropped a bombshell at the post race press conference when he announced that he was almost certainly leaving his team. A clearly emotionallycharged Waldmann gained little satisfaction from his victory over Max Biaggi, who tailed Waldmann home in second spot to claim his fourth consecutive World Championship by two points. Waldmann’s mechanics, it transpired, had been point ing the finger al the German rider, accusing him of not being up to the mark

and being directly responsi ble for the breakages that occurred during the season - and, thanks to his poor showing, the team had lost the world title. The shattered Waldmann stated that, unless the philosophical impasse could be overcome, he w'ould have little option left but to depart from the Germanybased Marlboro Honda Team. With four victories, two seconds and two thirds to his credit this year, the extremely popular Honda NSR250 rider scored 248 points to Biaggi’s 250 - the latter scored five victories,

go for broke mind-set as he relentlessly began to open out a significant gap between himself and his challengers. Criville was all over Abe, moving up to second on lap 6 at turn 1 and watching Doohan’s pipes disappear into the distance. On the next lap, Takuma Aoki also displaced Abe, the group of three riders already 3.6 sec onds adrift of the leader. By lap 10, Goddard was up to fifth, though ten seconds behind the top four, with Abe now finding it difficult to hang onto third-placed Takuma’s rear wheel. By lap 12, Doohan was a whisker over five seconds up

three seconds and two third placings to wrap up the 1997 championship. Now in his fourth Grand Prix season, Waldmann won 14 GP victories prior to 1997 and came within six points of winning tbe 1996 title. Bearing all this in mind, it was hardly surprising that the assembled press lapsed into a stunned silence. And, for good measure, a.s he later unburdened himself to a crew. German pre; Waldmann's tears began tii flow. More details as they come to hand. -TONY GLYNN

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AUSTRALIAN BIKE GP on Criville, the leading foursome 13.5 seconds ahead of Checa, Barros, Gibemau, Romboni, Laconi, Kagayama, Goddard, Nobuatsu Aoki, Okada, V. D. Goorbergh, McCarthy, Borja, Roberts Jr and Pnig. Barros slipped back a couple of spots two laps later and, on lap 16, Doohan - moments before his spec tacular demise - lowered the fastest lap time to the 1:34.113 mark that stood for the remainder ofthe event. Unfortunately, on the penulti mate lap, Nobuatsu Aoki fell while dicing with Gibemau and Checa. Despite Takuma Aoki’s best efforts, new race leader Criville w'hose best lap was four tenths slower than Doohan - was able to maintain the front running to the flag, with Abe claiming a safe but distant third.

Seven seconds further back was the pack that provided much of the real race entertainment, Okada taking fourth ahead of Laconi, Gibernau, Kagayama, Barros, Goddai-d and Checa. Regardless of the outcome, Doohan was still the new World Champion, Okada finishing in the runner-up spot with 197 points to Doohan’s sensational 340. Next was Nobuatsu Aoki (179), Criville (172), Takuma Aoki (134), Cadalora (129), Abe (126), Checa (119), Barros (101) and Romboni (88)- Beattie finished 11th (63), while McCarthy was 21st (20), Goddai'd 22nd (13) and Troy Corser 23rd (11). Honda (375) took out the Constructor’s title, ahead of Yamaha (188), Suzuki (90), Aprilia (88), Modenas KR3 (68), Elf 500 (60)and ROC Yamaha (12).

IT had to happeB sooner, or later and it finally did in Indonesia - Mick Doohan lost a 500cc Grand Prix. It wasn’t due to lack of trying, of course, as Doohan and Tadayuki Okada went wheel-to-wheel for most of the 30 lap race as they fid-in rider Peter Goddard after he howled away from the pack on (Beattie) had been informed his theii- Repsol Hondas. services were not going to be needOver the last two laps, Doohan ed in the future. Doohan looked to have every ! looked to assert bis authority and n regedned the lead - but Okada, rid- one’s measure and made a good n ing the hig bang’ Honda NSE50O, start, running in the top two as he ; swooped back to the fi-ont and held and Okada held off the impressive i on to take the first win of his two Alex Crivdle, making a good fist of his late-season comeback from yearGP career. The world ehampion-elect and injury, But the Spaniard,the only other the Japanese swapped the lead lider to win a GP off Doohan this five times in those faal two laps. For much of the weekend, the season, lost momentum when he racing followed its now-traditional ran wide in the first comer 20 laps into the race. pattern. That put him back to sixth place Doohan took pole from Okada, with qualifying specialist Doriano and he had to ride hard to regain Romboni planting his Aprilia V- groimd. twin on the fi-ont row. Ihe two-man Honda war up firont Again, as usual, the Suzuki- settled down, Okada eventually mounted Aussies were nowhere, hammering the lap record on the Daryl Beattie just out-qiualifying final lap to take the win by 0.07s.

Tody's first “Of course I feel happy, because this is my first victory in the 500ee class, especially as I had difficul ties with my tyies,” Okada said. Criville finished third just ahead of Japan’s Nobuatsu Aoki. Okada’s first wm moved him to second place in the title standings on 184 points, trailing Doohan on 340 and ahead of Aoki on 179. Max Biaggi, on a Kanemoto Honda, regained his championship points lead mth a win in the 250ec race - in an uncharacteristieally boring race, the Italian streeted the field to win by 10 secends, Valentino Rossi won the 125cc race by a mile on his Aprilia, showing that a car crash in which he received minor injuries the pre vious weekend in Italy had not affected Ms form.

STAR ASCENDENT ... Aussie Superbike star Troy Bayliss (right) caused a panic in the 250 GP ranks at the Island, eventual third place-getter Olivier Jacque paying homage to the startling perfor mance of the novice on the Team Molenaar Suzuki RGV250, who ran very comfortably with the big boys.(Thunder-Pics/Agfa pic) REAL McCOY ... Garry McCoy (left) had to settle for ninth spot in the 125CC GP finishing order and seventh on the title pointscore. He crashed Friday, but qualified fifth on Saturday, behind runner-up Sakata, Ui, Rossi and race winner Ueda.(Thunder-Pics/Agfa pic)

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Peter Brock’s love affaii fame and the Bathurs hard times, as DAVID

Photo by Chevron Publishing

THE MOBIL MOUNTAIN MAN: ABOVE:Peter clamed his ninth Bathurst crown with a stunning drive at the wheel ofHDT'^ numher two car in 1987, but only after two intemational Ford Sierras were excluded. LEFT: Two years driving Fords- though the badges were removedfrom thefront of the carssaw Peter mixing it with the best, but various problems kept the Sierrasfrom gaining the results Peter had anticipated. BELOW: Thefamous 1985 race in which Peter almost snatched victory in thefirst HDT Group A Commodore. Here he charges on valiantly without the benefit ofa windscreen.

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eter’s reputation as the King of the Mountain was made with his trio of wins in 197879-80, but it was cast in stone.with another three on the trot in 1982-83-84. Six wins in seven years was an extraordinary achievement and one which is never likely to be repeated. This period also marked a changing in the Australian motor sport landscape as Peter’s traditional rivalry with Allan Moffat changed across to Ford’s new hero, Dick Johnson. As Moffat aligned himself with Mazda. Johnson established himself with his thundering Falcons,

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Limited edition: Shell Australian Touring Car Championship Round at Oran Park 1997. Superb panorama camera colour quality. Poster is A2 size. Image is 555 mm x 185 mm. White border for framing. Cost ofposter is $45 plus $5 p&h. Send to: L. Ross Photo Please send me Payment by: □ cheque □ money order Dvisanb/card □ m/card Name_ PO Box 215 Address posters at $45 each. C ard no L Mosman NSW 2088 P/c Add $5 for postage and handling. Allow 20 days Amount $ or fax 02 9960 6552 expiry date Phone, Signature

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Brock Story

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untain

Years- 1982-1996

wth Mount Panorama brought him untold flame has never waned, even through the HASSALL recalls: AGONY AND ECSTASY: For the first year of Group A, The 1983 Bathurst 1000 saw another HDT had to make do with a car was storming victory after Peter comman¬ that was too heavy and underpow deered the number two HDT ered, yet Peter still went close to Commodore (above), but in 1992 he upstaging the faster factory Jaguar and BMW teams in the 1985 didn’t get off the line when a driveBathurst 1000. This was one of shaft broke, causing a problem with Peter’s best drives and a race he officialdom (right) and a TV-winning comeback drive... recalls as a career highlight, even up against l]is nine victories. Through sheer persistence, Peter the pits that there was nothing found himself catching the two lead wrong with the car and that I was ers in the late stages of the race running the double-row timing chain when the windscreen cracked and and I’d done this just for TV and finally broke, sending him to the pits maximum publicity. So, before the where it was removed. He charged race had even finished, I pulled the Mobil Commodore,forcing Peter out back, but the officials rightly told the distributor cap off and cranked the of the Top Ten run-off, team that the rear screen also had engine over to show the scrutineers Peter made a glorious start, mov to be removed and Peter pitted and a few assembled media that the ing up from 11 th on the grid to be again, whereupon Marty Watt look rotor button was not turning around second after oniy three laps, where one big swing from the roll cage and and was not connected to the crank- he stayed for half the race. shaft. kicked the rear glass out. However, at the end of his first stint, Even with these-delays, Peter “1 guess what threw everyone Moffat damaged the oil cooler com was still gaining on the lead Jaguar was that we were actually-,quite ing into the pits and the repairs and would probably have caught it, cheerful. I guess we should have dropped them well down the order. but the timing chain - a single-row looked downcast, but we’d come They finished fifth. chain and a known weak point in the from nowhere in a car that was so engine - suddenly snapped and uncompetitive and almost won the Peter coasted into the pits. T'he was quite incredi race, so we felt pretty good! ble;1987 a winrace completely against the ‘This was always going to be our “By memory, we had one of the odds. The're had been the big split achilles heel and all the other biggest parties ever seen at with Holden earlier in the year and Holdens had succumbed to it, but I’d Bathurst that night.’ t. the toughest international field ever been nursing this thing all day and The car was much iipproved for assembled for Bathurst as a round was nearly there. It just went ping 1986 and Allan Moffat became of the World Touring Car and I’ll never forget the guys when I Peter’s co-driver. It was a strong Championship. And the weather coasted in. They wanted to know partnership, but the Bathurst cam was atrocious. and C Marlboro its Group came to introduced an end in 1984 why I was there and I told them it paign was seriously set back when “What an event,” says Peter of worldwide dayglo orange colours to was gone, finished. They just Moffat crashed at the top of the that race. “That would have to go what HDT dubbed ‘The Last of the couldn’t believe it. mountain on Friday and the team down as one of the most extraordi Big Bangers’. “Within minutes rumours swept lost a valuable day repairing the nary weekends that you could ever With the most competitive field ever assembled after qualifying, it BACK WITH THE FACTORY: The move to HRT brought high hopes ofsuccess again, but the speed has been should not have been an easy race, matched by some bizarre incidents which have kept win number 10 as elusive as ever. (Pholu by Dirk Klynsmith) but it turned into a massive crush by the HDT, resulting in the team’s first 1-2 finish. Finally Peter was able to get Moffat back for his famous 1977 ‘Form Finish’. The race itself was remarkable because from the second start (the first was aborted because of a crash), Peter and LP were never headed all the way to the chequered flag, winning by two laps from team mates Harvey and David Parsons. It was an awesome performance, Peter’s sixth at Bathurst in seven years. But that was the end of the Group C era. For 1985 there was the new international Group A for mula, which supposedly put Australia on an equal footing with the rest of the world. In reality, it was a huge handicap because of our small car market. Ford simply was not interested (forcing Dick Johnson into an American Mustang) and Holden was forced to change its entire engineering approach for the Commodore just to suit racing.

a willing smile and a fierce competi tive urge. The 1982 race, though, was the perfect comeback for Brock after being beaten by Dick the previous year. Now with Larry Perkins shar ing the drive, Peter drove away from ' the field to win by more than a lap while John Harvey and Gary Scott in the second HDT car narrowly missed making it a team 1-2. The following year Peter planted the Marlboro Commodore on pole and built up a huge lead in the early laps - the famous “Brock Crush” before a bent valve sent 05 to the pits for good. In those days, however, drivers could swap between team cars and Peter wasted no time transferring himself and Perkins into car 25, which was running third in the hands of Harvey. Unfortunately, that move denied Phil Brock his drive in the race and, as it turned out, a place in the winning crew. Peter took over an lap 20 and, by the time everyone else had made their first stops, was some 90 sec onds in front. From there it was smooth sailing and Peter lapped the second-placed Allan Moffat Mazda in the closing stages. Win number seven.

irtiagine. I was served some legal paper in the pits by some sheriff. Bill Tuckey released his story of ‘The Rise and Fall of Peter Brock’ and I had great difficulty/buying any parts for my Commodore to even get onto the grid. “Consequently I had one car for which I’d saved up bits and pieces and was basically as good as I could make it. The other car what was left over - that was car 10. The good car snapped a conrod in half early in the race - don’t ask me how; it wasn’t revs, it was just a fracture in a brand new Carilio rod - so I hopped into car 10 and thought. Til just get out and have some fun, just roar around and see what happens’. “It rained, it turned fine, there were pace cars, there were all sorts of incidents; it was just one of the most incredible races I’ve ever been a part of. Then, of course, with the way things worked out, to be award ed the win at that event, despite all the obstacles and adversity, made me just sit back and think there is some justice in this world! It was absolutely incredible.” Peter actually finished third on the road behind the two Eggenberger Ford Sierras - which were subsequently disqualified over technical breaches - but the crowd reaction for Peter in particular (with out wanting to denigrate co-drivers David Parsons and Peter McLeod) was startling. As far as they were concerned. Brock was the real win ner. Clearly the dramas of the year and the split with Holden had not tarnished the great champion in the eyes of the Australian people. “Even before the Sierras were excluded, we felt like winners. We knew they were running rocket fuel and stuff like that, but I still remem ber sitting at the press conference defending these guys in the Sierras saying they have given it their best shot ... Notwithstanding that, we just had a terrific run blasting around the track, enjoying myself sliding Continued Page 60

3 .:>

INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

1997 PREMIER STATE NATIONALS

PREMIER STATE NATIONALS

^EASTERN CREEK INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY IHATIONALSI OCTOBER 16 -18, 19 9 7

Adult Thursday October l6 Friday October 17 Saturday October 18

The Australian Racing Drivers Club is proud to present the Premier State Nationals, the first round ofthe 1997Australian Drag Racing Championships.

$10 $15 $20

Concessions Pit Pass FREE $5

$8 $10

$10

Adults Concessions

$12

$ 5

FREE Car Parking FREE Main Grandstand Children 12 & under FREE

3-Day adlmission Including Pit Pass $40 (Pre Purchase $30) Phone(02)9672 1000

Expectations are highfor a strong level ofentries with lots ofexcitement in all categories, including Top Doorstammer, Top Fuel Bike and ofcourse Top Fuel dragster. Will this be the occasion when we see thefirst 300 mph pass in Australia?

STREET MEETING

NOSTALGIA AND WILD BUNCH MEETING Tlris event is a major component ofa two week drag racingfestival at Eastern Creek International Raceway. It will incoiporate street meets, test ‘n'tunes, Nostalgia and Wild Bunch.

Adults

$15 6 Q

CATEGORIES

Don’t miss the action, tue've even reduced our admission prices to encourage you to he there! / H. Ivan Stibbard

General Manager

GENERAL INFORMATION Ample free parking, excellent

ANDRA CHAMPIONSHIP DINNER:

viewing from embankments and grandstand.

Thursday, October l6

Accommodation: Eastern Creek

Baguette/Mascay Room RosehUl Gardens Racecourse

International Raceway has a variety ofconveniently located hotels, motels and caravan parks for you to choose from. Call(02)9672 1000 and we can fax you the range of options. Group Bookings: Attractive corporate

INTERNATIONAL RACEWA'

$45 per head includes a three-course dinner plus a complimentary drink. Join the 1996-97 Australian Champions as they are honoured for their season’s success.

and private packages are available

Tickets strictly limited and available from ANDRA.

and cdn be tailored to your specific

Phone(08)8271 5355 - ask for Irene

PREMIER STATE

NATIONALS

TOP FUEL TOP ALCOHOL TOP DOORSLAMMER TOP BIKE PRO STOCK PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE COMPETITION SUPER STOCK COMPETITION BIKE MODIFIED SUPER SEDAN SUPER STREET MODIFIED BIKE SUPER GAS JLTNIOR DRAGSTER

PROGRAM OF EVENTS

requirements. These range from admission only to fully catered options in our trackside suites. Call(02)9672 1000 for further information. Competitor Entries: Call(02)9672 1000 for details, entries close Friday, October 3

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’est ‘n’ Tune

Sunday

October 12

10 am - 4 pm

est ‘n’ Tune

Tuesday

October l4

10 am - 4 pm

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treet Meeting 'rentier State Nationals - Qualifying

Wednesday October 15

5 pm -10 pm

Thursday

October l6

9 am - 4 pm

'rentier State Nationals - Qualifying

Friday

'rentier State Nationals - Eliminations

Saturday

October 17 October 18

11 am -10 pm

treet Meeting

Friday

October 24

5 pm -10 pm

iostalgia Drags

Saturday

October 25

II am -10 pm

Saturday

October 25

11 am -10 pm

Phone: 1800 025 496 (Toll Free) Phone:(02)9672 1000 Fax: (02)9672 0208

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EASTERN CREEK INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY October 16, 17,18 ■AUTOONE

PARTS AND ACCESSORIES

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GOOD'fYEAR

LUXEMBOURG Gf»

That's motor racing! Report by JOE SAWARD

JACQUES Villeneuve and the Williams team were extremely fortunate to win at the Nurburgring, which gives the Canadian a handy nine-point lead in the World Championship. Previous leader Michael Schumacher was taken out at the first comer by his brother Ralf and then the two dominant McLarenMercedes cars of Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthai-d blew up - one after the other. Consequently, Jacques was able to get maximum points on a day when not even the armies of Schumi fans could help their hero ... Williams driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen collected third place - for the fourth time in succession! The Benettons were again disap pointing in qualifying, but came through to finish second (Alesi) and fourth (Berger), which gave Renault the distinction of taking the first fom- places in its third-last Grand Prix. Pedro Diniz scored a hard-earned fifth place at the expense of Arrows teammate Damon Hill, who blew his race by stalling at the pitstop, while Olivier Panis delighted the Prost team by taking the final point in his comeback drive. Continued next page

LUCKY LEADER... Jacques Villeneuve admitted he could not catch the McLarens, but was grateful to be handed the champi onship lead. (Photo by LATDigital)

or something

n the middle of the last centu ry the leading lights of the Great Powers of Europe used to get together from time to time at big Congresses to go shopping, have lunch and tidy up the map of Europe. By doing so they avoided fight ing wars, which was cheaper and much better for commerce than the bad old days when the British, French, Russians, Prussians and Austro-Hungarians spent their time marching armies here and there, naming railway stations after then victories. It was during one of these European spring cleaning ses sions that it was decided that the nasty gap on the map where Belgium, P’rance and Germany met should be given a monarch and called Luxembourg. This was logical because there iiad been an independent state I there for some years and the fortres. of Luxembourg - which used to be called “the Gibraltar of the North” - would have been too difficult to storm. To avoid the need to do this it was declared neutral and given the status of a Grand Duchy with a leftover royal put in charge. The tiny country has its own language and its own currency. It now’ al^ has a Grand Prix, which IS a remarkable achievement as the race was taking place 80km outside the Grand Duchy - at the

Nurburgring, which when FI last visited was definitely in Germany. Given the number of drunks clianting the name “Schumi” and the facts that the Luxembourg Franc was not a currency that the wurst-salesman were keen to accept and they did not seem to understand Letzeburgesch which is, apparently, a language rather than a kind of fast food one must assume that the Nurburgring is still in Germany, despite the legal twist which allowed the FI cars to run in full tobacco liverj'... There must be a moral in all this somewhere, although one must conclude that it probably has something to do with the hun dreds of camper vans, full of mon| eyed louts which keep turning up at every race, leaving trails of Bitburger on the roads behind them. Still, His Schumi-ship is in the World running for the FIRST CORNER MA YHEM... Championship - although, given With Fisichella’s Jordan slow the car he is driving at the away and Coulthard’s McLaren moment, if he wins it the victory very fast, there was chaos at turn will be entirely down to his abilione. In the top photo, Williams ties behind the wheel. teammates Villeneuve and In a perfect world Schumacher Frentzen have just touched(which would have been on pole in front put HHF to the rear of the field), of his compatriots, but this then the two Jordans tangled seemed as likely as peace in the (above), sending Ralf over brother Middle East when serious prac Michael’s Ferrari, resulting in all tice got underway on Friday three retiring from the race. morning. (Photos by LAT Digital andZooom)

W0ctobsrl99/ Continued from previous page

Qualifying The Friday sessions provided McLaren-Mercedes with the oppor tunity to get the locals excited about German engines, but would it be a similar story on Saturday? The qualifying session would be a fight between McLaren and Williams. To begin with Frentzen and Hakkinen exchanged pole a few times but with 20 minutes to go Mika broke into the lml6s. From then on its was a matter of waiting for the Williams reaction. “We went a bit early for the last run,” Mika admitted, “and obvious ly that gave the others the opportu nity to improve. I was really ner vous.” There was no need to be because in those final minutes of the session Villeneuve and Frentzen both failed to bounce Mika off the top of the timesheets. There was a tenth of a second between the three of them but the McLaren was still ahead. It was Mika’s first pole position in Foi-mula 1. “Mika did a good job,” admitted We Villeneuve afterwards,

half a second slower than His Schumi-ship. The Benetton team was in the news during the weekend with the departure of Flavio Briatore and the arrival of David Richards. The cars were much the same as ever with Gerhard Berger and Jean Alesi complaining that they had trouble finding a balance. Gerhai'd qualified seventh while Jean was 10th, only a few hundredths apart. Rubens Barrichello made it into the top 10 in his Stewart-Ford in ninth position, evidence that the package is getting better as long as the Ford VIO engine stays in one piece. CONGRATULATiONS... Mika Hakkinen scored his iong-awaited first poie position, much to the delight of the McLaren crew. (Photo by LAT Digital) IMPROVING ... Pedro Diniz con¬ tinues to show better form and did well to hold onto fifth position at the finish for Arrows. (Photo by John Dunbar-Zooom) the race were none too special. “We did some good homewoi'k and we should be well prepared for tomorrow,” Jacques Villeneuve explained. “The car is pretty strong and I am very confident for the race. It is more difficult to overtake here than it was in Austria so this race will happen either at the start or in the pitlane.’

improved the car throughout the weekend and finally got it going well. I made a few mistakes and Mika stayed in front but the good thing for me is that Michael Schumacher is behind me.” David Coulthard was disappoint ed to be only sixth but had the excuse that his morning session had been ruined with an engine failure on his first lap out of the pits. Fourth fastest was 0iancarlo Fisichella in his Jordah-Peugeot, which was still a bit of a disap pointment because the Jordan boys had decided that it would be possi ble to use the softer Goodyear com pounds while all the other major teams were running the harder tyres. The Jordan logic was to qual ify well because overtaking would be very difficult in the race. tenths slower thanwas Giancarlo Ralf Schumacher threebut this meant that he was down in eighth position on the grid after having pushed too hard trying to compete with Fisichella. He spun off once and made a mistake on his final set. Michael Schumacher was fifth on the grid and reckoned that he had got everything out of the car. Michael was being diplomatic, say ing that he had no complaints. Eddie Irvine was way back down the grid in 14th place but took some comfort in the fact that he was only

Despite his blow-up, Jan jumped It did not for Jan Magnussen, the Dane’s qualifying session being into the T-car and was able to grab 12th on the grid. A good effort. spoiled by a large cloud of smoke. The Ford men gabbled on about Eleventh on the grid was a rea Project this and Step that but the sonable comeback from Olivier fact is that at the moment they all Panis on a day when the seem to go bang. This is not really Bridgestone men were clearly criticism because Ford has clearly stmggling a little. Ohvier has a slight limp but oth adopted a policy of going for horse power first and reliability later. As erwise seems to be pretty much as Peugeot and Mercedes have proved, he was when we last saw him rac this is the way to do it. It is just ing in Canada. It was nice to have 'him back. rather painful for the first year.

MORE PAIN... The two Stewarts were again a force, but dropped out with mechanical problems. (PhotobyLAT)

It was only a shame that we have lost Jarno Trulli as a result and, while it would be churlish to suggest that the second Prost is being wasted on Shinji Nakano, there is no doubt that Trulli would have been higher than Nakano’s 17th on the grid. The Arrows were not very competitive on this occasion with Damon Hill 13th and Pedro Diniz 15th. The two were split by just 0.2s, which was surprising as Diniz had spent the entire qualifying session in the T-car. “The grip is good,” explained Damon, “the balance is good but you cannot get around the fact that we are slow dovm the straights.”

The steer Saubers trouble were for in reasons deep underwhich were not apparent to emyone, least of all the team itself, with Johnny Herbert 16th and Gianni Morbidelh 19th. 'An unpleasant result,” gmmbled Peter Sauber. Some teams are used to such dire situations and so there was no great sobbing or grinding of teeth at Tyrrell and Minardi - both teams have ground their teeth so much they are down to the gums. The battle of the V8s was won on this occasion by Tarso Marques, who was a tenth faster than Mika Sale 'with Jos Verstappen five onethousandths behind. Ukyo Katayama was trolling around the back. It had not been a vastly entertaining qualifying session and on Saturday night the prospects for

Sunday was Hakkinen’s birthday and he was hoping that finally he might be given a bit of good fortune after a series of mechanical failures at vital moments so far this year. There was plenty to celebrate for McLaren and Mercedes-Benz: it was McLaren’s first pole position since Ayrton Senna’s last race with the team back in Australia in 1993 and Mercedes-Benz’s first since the Itahan GP of 1955. Race morning saw the warm-up completely dominated by McLaren with Mika Hakkinen over a second clear of Coulthard. It no doubt impressed the visiting MercedesBenz top brass, The race start was much the same as Villeneuve came away slightly slower than he hoped, Behind him Fisichella had a clutch problem and was quite slow away while Coulthard made an amazing getaway from sixth to gi’ab second position as they all braked for the first comer. As they turned into the corner Villeneuve banged wheels with Frentzen, who accidentally knocked off his ignition switch. By the time Heinz-Hai-ald realised the problem he had dropped back to 13th position. But this was nothing compared to the chaos that was going on behind them as Michael Schumacher came thundering andinto thethe twocomer, Jordans On the mn down fi’om the start Michael had got alongside Fisichella but he then found his brother Ralf going faster on the outside of both of them. Wisely Michael decided to get out of the Jordan sandwich and switched to the outside, leaving Ralf to continue his charge towards the apex, This was not bright because Fisichella had nowhere to go when they arrived in the corner. “I went round the comer and hit him because there was nowhere I could go,” explained Fisichella. “It would have been worse if I had braked because I would have gone straight on.” And so the two Jordans collided and Ralf was lobbed across the track and landed on his brother Michael’s Ferrari, destroying not

47 only his race but any real hope he had of winning the World Championship. One day some Greek will write a tragedy along these lines... Michael will no doubt see the video and will make up his own mind about the incident, although we will probably never know what he really thinks of his brother’s manoeuvre. He said all the right things, of course, but then he was ti-ained to do that by the Mercedes Benz Junior Team. After the crash the two brothers spent some time together in the Ferrari tmck and as Ralf emerged without a bloody nose one must assume that they made some kind of peace. “There was just not enough room,” Half said. “I was hit by Giancarlo and my car jumped in the air and I hit Michael. It was potentially quite dangerous so I suppose we should be happy no-one was hurt.”

ichael looked rather down in the dumps afterwai'ds - as one would expect. “It is a shame that the incident happened with my brother, but I don’t think anyone is to blame for what happened as it was not a deliberate move. That’s motor rac ing.” While all this was going on Gerhard Berger had to take to the sand to avoid the crash and in the dust and sand Ukyo Katayama ploughed into Fisichella’s car and ripped a wheel off his Minardi. It was not a good day for Ferrari as Irvine, who was trolling around in the midfield, retired on lap 22 with an engine failure. Villeneuve heard the news of Schumacher’s demise from the pits

n Goodyear’s Chairman and chief executive Sam Gibafa visit ed the FI paddock at the Nurburgring on Friday and met the principals of aU the Goodyear teams. Gibara was in Emnpe for another meeting but took the opportunity to have a look at FI. Gibara'is no stranger to Grand Prix racing. He was President of Goodyear France for six years in the 1980s. n Alain Prost was in the United States of America between the Austrian and Luxembourg Grands Prix. Although paddock rumours in FI suggest that the trip was an attempt to sign up CART Champion Alex Zanardi we hear that Prost was meeting with a large American company looking for a Sponsorship deal. n To celebrate his 100th Grand Prix Michael Schumacher was presented vnth a large chocolate cake by the Ferrari team. In the course of the presentation Bemie Ecclestone and Michael somehow contrived to end up with cake all over their faces...

FAST BUT FRAGILE... The two McLarens were running comfort ably at the front of the pack until the potent Mercedes engines both expired within a iap. (Photo by lat)

n BMW’s top sporting engineer Paul Rosche was in the paddock at the Nurburgring last weekend, taking a close look at the latest FI engines. He was in the compa ny ofsome less wellknown BMW engineers who have been spotted at a couple ofraces already this year.

SLOW AND FRAGILE... The Tyrrells continue to disappoint (Photo by John Dunbar-Zooom) but was able to confirm the news as he watched one of the big screens and saw Michael climbing out of his Ferrari in the pitlane. “On the big screen outside the hairpin I saw Michael in the pits, getting out the car,” Jacques said. “It was a very comforting thought.”

n Among the spectators at the Nurburgring were German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and Prince Joachim of Denmark,the second in the line to the throne of Denmark.

Continued next page

y fourth third place in a row, only this time I was more than happy to take a place on the podium after what had happened at the start of the race. It could so nearly have been a big disaster that I don’t even want to think about it. I made a good start and was just ahead of Jacques on the outside as we went into the first corner. Hakkinen had also made a good start from the pole and was well in the lead while Coulthard had made an incredible get away from the third row and was alongside Jacques on the inside. I don’t know what it is that helps the McLarens off the line, but I sure wish we had the same thing! I was busy checking my mirrors to see where Schumacher was and then I was oblig ed to turn into the comer as I was getting left out wide off the line. Jacques was getting squeezed out from the inside by Coulthard

There certainly would have beendrama even more ahead of me but for another that was going on just behind me. I learned later that Ralf Schumacher hqd collided with his team-mate Fisichella, arid then Ralfs car had jumped up and landed on his brother’s Ferrari. Rothmans Williams Renault had definitely thrown a ‘double six’ into that first comer, even though it didn’t feel like it to me at the time from back in 14th place! I found myself stuck behind Panis, Irvine and just ahead of Berger, but already moving up another place when Schumacher was forced to park his Ferrari at the end of the second lap after it had suffered suspension damage in the first comer accident. Overtaking at the new Nurburgring circuit is really tough and things started getting pretty hectic after a few laps. In/ine went wide into the chicane and I made a move on him, but he put me off line and Gerhard went by us both. I spent most of the race chasing Berger’s gearbox except when our different pit stop strategies saw us part company for a time.

donH know what it is that helps the McLarens offthe line^ butIsure wish we had the same things with the result that there wasn’t enough room for all of us to get into the first turn. I lifted and turned in as Jacques moved over to give Coulthard room and my front wheel hit Jacques’ rear. Luckily it was wheel to wheel and neither of us spun and it didn’t do any damage to either car, but the impact through the steering threw my hand off the wheel and into the switches on the instrument panel, hard enough to hurt the knuckle of my middle finger, even through my glove. ,1 don’t know how I got through the corner. Suddenly everything went dead and I had no gears. I coasted around in third and it wasn’t until I got to the exit of the corner that I realised that I had knocked off the ignition switch. I put it back on again and the engine came back to life and I was able to change gear and carry on racing, although by this time there weren’t many people left behind me.

After first stop I as had a clear track to fortry a whilemy and pushed hard as I could and make up some time, setting fastest iap of the race and a new record for the Nurburgring which, I am happy to say, will probably stand for a long time with the change of regulations next year. When Gerhard went in for his second stop I pushed hard again and managed to come out of the pits after my stop ahead of him, but I was still behind Alesi. We got lucky again when both the

PEACE MEAL: Our man catches a quick bite with teammate and new championship leader Jacques Villeneuve in the Williams motorhome. McLarens stopped with engine problems within a lap of each other while both the Stewarts had also dropped out of the race. Jacques look the lead and I moved up to fin ish third between the two Benettons, which also made it an impressive first four places to Renault.

of Berger’s Benetton again and on the third I lost time with all the dirt on the circuit that had been thrown up by other cars cutting the kerbs or going off the circuit, especially at the chicane. The saloon cars can cut the chicane kerbs without a problem so, as a result, the grass is With a nine point lead with two races to go gone and it’s just sand on the inside of the and another 14 points to add to our corners which then gets spread all over the Constructors’ Championship lead, things are circuit. They really need to have a rethink looking pretty good for another Rothmans about the problem and put something down Williams Renault double at the end of the that’s going to prevent the same thing hap season. pening next year. My fourth run was my best, but the times showed I was a bit too conservative through Although was my home race I really didn’t the last section. I didn’t make any mistakes, feel anyitextra pressure during the week end. We were in Schumacher territory, most but I didn’t push hard enough over the chi of the fans leaving us in no doubt as to who canes where you could make up some time. they supported. In the end I was only just over a tenth of a I was pretty confident about taking the second away from the pole, but that was pole at the Nurburgring. The car was just enough to put me on the second row behind about perfect and I had set the fastest time in. Hakkinen and Jacques on the front row. the morning without too much trouble. As it I was going to get a good view of the action into the first turned out, it was between three of us and I comer, but I drew the short straw. I was a little disappoint wasn’t ed not to have taken the pole, but it was so close it wasn’t a disaster. expecting just My first run I locked up my brakes and flathow good! spotted the tyres, which spoiled the run. On my second run I got stuck behind the gearbox

FORMULA 1

W October 1S97

Brotherly love means not having to say sorry

RALF Schumacher, who shunted his brother Michael out of the Luxembourg Grand Prix and probably lost hirn the 1997 world championship, does not believe he has to say sorry. “It’s doubly bitter for him but he doesn’t blame me,and why should he?” the younger Schumacher told German newspaper Bild two days after the race. The Jordan driver did not believe he should say sorry. “There’s no reason to do so. There were three of us involved in that accident — (Giancarlo) Fisichella, Michael and me. It was just one of those things. “I didn’t have a chance. Fisichella nudged my rear wheel and I went over Michael. If everybody had been paying attention nothing would have happened.” “What should I do, brake simply because I’m Michael’s brother? I have to drive my own race. I’m not the third Ferrari driver,” he added. Bild also reported that when Canadian Jacques Villeneuve bumped into Ralf Schumacher after winning the race, he said: “Thanks for the points.”

FV>

V-

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/■IMASA-

SNAKE TALES... Giancarlo Fisichella qualified fourth on soft Goodyears, but a slow start because of clutch trouble saw him become part of the (Photo by LATDigital) first corner mayhem which eliminated both Jordans as well as title leader Michael Schumacher. Continued from previous page The team to gain most from all this was Stewart, Rubens Barrichello finding himself in a miraculous fourth place - from ninth on the grid - with Jan Magnussen sixth (from 12th). The pair were split by an equally lucky Jean Alesi. Hakkinen began to pull away, setting a string of fastest laps, to build a lead of 10 seconds in the course of the first 17 laps. Coulthard could not keep up Wt

'Jacques Villeneuve was able to hang on to David’s tail. “Their car seemed to be really flying on this track,” Jacques admitted. The top positions remained unchanged - as is now the norm until the pit stops began on lap 16 with Herbert becoming the first of the two-stoppers to come in, fol lowed by the two Benetton boys and on lap 28 by the leader Hakkinen.

illeneuve chose the same moment to stop and so when they rejoined they were second and third behind Coulthard. David spent three laps in the lead before he too came in, rejoining behind Mika but ahead of Jacques thanks to a very rapid 4.9s stop, the McLaren strategy being for David to do a short middle stint on a clear track before his second pit stop to TALL ORDER... Michael Schumacher celebrated his 100th GP start. At left he is congratulat¬ ed by German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and below he cuts a special cake with Bernie Ecclestone, teammate Eddie Irvine, Ferrari team manager Jean Todt, Ferrari chief Luca de Montezemolo and designer Ross Brawn. Moments later, Ecclestone and Schumacher had much of the cake spread over their faces...

get clear of Villeneuve, who had been pressuring him before the first stop. It was total McLaren domination unto the end of lap 42 when David suddenly slowed as he came past the pits and the car trickled down past the pits. David shook his head in disbelief Moments later Mika Hakkinen’s birthday and the Mercedes Septemberfest ended in another cloud of smoke as Mika’s Mercedes engine digested itself There is no doubting that the Mercedes VlOs are great engines.

but they are not reliable. Risks are still being taken on reliability and the team is suffering as a result. “What can I say?” said Mika. “I really thought we were looking good today. That’s motor racing!” This and the demise of both the Stewarts left Jacques with an enor mous advantage. The Benettons pitted for their second stops and Villeneuve was suddenly nearly a minute clear of Alesi. Frentzen was behind him. The two Williams men had to pit again, of course, but this was exe cuted without drama, although

Grand Prix of Luxembourg World Championship, round 15 Nurburgring, September 28th, 1997 - 67 laps 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Jacques Villeneuve, Williams-Renault FW19B, 1h31m27.843s Jean Alesi, Benetton-Renault B197,1h31m39.613s Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Williams-Renault FW19, 1h31m41.323s Gerhard Berger, Benetton-Renault B197,1h31m44.259s Pedro Diniz, Arrows-Yamaha A18,1 h32m10.990s Olivier Panis, Prost-Mugen Honda JS45,1 h32m11.593s Johnny Herbert, Sauber-Petronas Cl 6, 1h32m12.197s Damon Hill, Arrows-Yamaha A18, 1h32m12.620s Gianni Morbidelli, Sauber-Petronas C16, 66 laps Mika Salo, Tyrrell-Ford 025, 66 laps

; , i | 1

^ Frentzen, Lap 32, 1m18,805s ? g Lap 1-28 Hakkinen; Lap 29-31 Coulthard; Lap 32-43 Hakkinen; Lap 44-67 Villeneuve Lap 0 Lap 0 Lap 1 Lap 1 Lap 2 Lap 16 Lap 22 Lap 40 Lap 42 Lap 43 Lap 43 Lap 50

Giancarlo Fisichella, Jordan-Peugeot 197, accident Ralf Schumacher, Jordan-Peugeot 197, accident Ukyo Katayama, Minardi-Hart Ml97, accident damage Tarso Marques, Minardi-Hart Ml 97, valve air pressure Michael Schumacher, Ferrari F310B, accident damage Shinji Nakano, Prost-Mugen Honda JS45, engine Eddie In/ine, Ferrari F310B, engine Jan Magnussen, Stewart-Ford SF1, driveshaft David Coulthard, McLaren-Mencedes MP4/12. engine Rubens Barrichello, Stewart-Ford SF1, hydraulic leak Mika Hakkinen, McLaren-Mercedes MP4/12, engine Jos Verstappen, Tyrrell-Ford 025. engine

1 Villeneuve 77, 2 Schumacher 68; 3 Frentzen 35: 4 Alesi 34; 5 David Coulthard 30; 6 Berger 24; 7 Fisichella 20; 8 Irvine 18; 9 Panis 16; 10 Hakkinen and Herbert, 14; 12 R.Schumacher 13; 13 Hill 7; 14 Barrichello 6; 15 Wurz 4; 16 Trulli 3; 17 Salo, Diniz and Nakano 2; 20 Larini 1 1 Williams-Renault 112; 2 Ferrari 86; 3 Benetton-Renault 62; 4 McLaren-Mercedes 44; 5 Jordan-Peugeot 33: 6 Prost-Mugen Honda 21; 7 Sauber-Petronas 15; 8 Arrows-Yamaha 9; 9 Stewart-Ford 6:10 Tyrrell-Ford 2

i :1

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LUXEIVIBOURG Gf» Heinz-Harald was just a little too slow to get ahead of Alesi. He was ahead of Berger and that was how they stayed all the way to the flag. Alesi was delighted - but sur prised - when he found himself second after his second stop. “I saw P2 on the pitboard and I did not believe it because when I stopped I was eighth,” said Jean. Well. Thathe iswas notactually strictly trueUm. because second when he pitted; the only possible explanation was that the last time Jean had looked at his pitboard he had been eighth, but that was eight laps before his stop ... Alesi was delighted nonetheless. “Especially as the team is a little bit giving up,” he said. “It is good to remind them that the Championship is not finished.” It was thus a Renault 1-2-3-4 finish, which in Mercedes-Benz country is just about as good as it gets ... But McLaren had sent a message to the opposition. The fact that there were grumbles in the paddock afterwards about the team’s electronic systems was, more than likely,just sour- grapes. The decimation at the start and the mid-race self-destruction of the McLarens and Stewarts meant that there was not much running at the end, but Pedro Diniz was a worthy fifth, holding off Olivier Panis, Johnny Herbert and Damon HiU. Hill would have finished third or fourth had he not stalled during his pit stop. Tom Walkinshaw was none too impressed with his number one driver (again) although the official team version suggested that Tom accepted the mishap with the rally ing cry of; “That’s motor racing”. Somehow I doubt it. Tom is not like that, especially when he is paying multiple millions of dollars for expertise. Panis’s sixth place was a good result and evidence that Olivier is back to his old form, despite his leg-breaking crash in Canada in June. “The only remaining doubt I had after my accident was that I did not have the stamina for a full race distance. That doubt is now gone,” said a smiling Panis. Nakano’s race ended on the 17th lap when he suffered an engine failure. Herbert finished seventh, which was some consolation for Sauber after a bad weekend. “The car was never quite quick enough in the right places to let me challenge Panis and Diniz,” report ed Johimy. Gianni Morbidelli finished ninth and had to struggle for the last part of the race without a clutch and in the final laps with brake trouble as well. Mika Salo finished 10th for Tyrrell, half a minute behind Morbidelli. “All I could hope was that some more people would fall off,” he reported. “And they didn’t!” JOB Verstappen retired on lap 48 when his engine failed, which locked his reah wheels and pitched the imfortunate Dutchman into a sandtrap, which made it look as though he had dropped the ball. It was not the case at all - Ford was to blame for this one. The Stewart challenge fell apart at mid-race with Magnussen suf fering a driveshaft failure on lap 39 and Barrichello’s gearbox breaking on lap 42. This was a shame as the team might have been on for a podium finish. Minardi’s race does not really bear thinking about. At the first

corner Katayama smashed into a parked Jordan and retired while Tai’so Marques lasted little longer before retiring with an engine fail ure. And so Williams needs six points for another Constructors’ World Championship and Villeneuve needs to score only one point more than Michael in Japan this week end and he has won the Drivers’ Championship. With seven wins this year to Michael’s four it is only logical that the title should go to Jacques. It looks easy, but you never know; something strange might happen. That’s motor racing ... n G/V/h/G IT EVERYTHING... Michael Schumacher did his best, but it was another bad weekend for Ferrari.

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Jarrett applies the pressure Dale Jarrett took out round 28 of the Winston Cup Series after heading Bobby Labonte and Dale Earnhardt at Charlotte on October 5. Jarrett commented before the event that he’d have to win the remaining races to win the title well, on the basis of his current form, maybe this is the start of a series-winning roll. Earnhardt recorded another strong finish, second place again looking to be in his grasp for the third straight race, until Labonte passed him in the closing stages. “I’d have like to have went for ward instead of backwards, as from second to third don’t get it,” said Earnhardt. “We’d have liked to have went from second to first. It’s just a matter of time before we win.”

The first caution aired on lap one, Ernie Irvan and Hut Stricklin coming together before they’d even taken the green flag. An incident occurred in front of

the pair and they were caught in the domino effect as the field stacked up. Caution three aired when John Andretti transferred some of his RCA paint on the turn three wall and Jeff Purvis also made contact with the concrete. The field went green briefly, but then Lake Speed detonated his Melling engine and the yellow uncoiled again. Jeff Burton finished a fine sixth after leadiftg 14 circuits, both he and Ken Schrader, who finished 15th, the only two drivers to have finished in the top 15 since the California race on June 22.

Kyle Petty ran strongly after starting 40th, rallying to come home ninth, sandwiched between fellow Pontiac jKlots Ward Burton and Johnny Benson - the latter is having a great finish to his final season with Bahari Racing. Nine cars led the event, Geoff Bodine managing to lead four tours. Final results; 1 Jarrett (Ford), 2 B Labonte (Pontiac), 3 Earnhardt (Chevy), 4 Martin (F'ord), 5 Gordon (Chevy),6 J Burton (Ford), 7 Elliott (Ford), 8 W Burton (Pontiac), 9 Petty (Pontiac), 10 Benson (Pontiac). Points standings: 1 Gordon 4258, 2 Martin 4133, 3 Jarrett 4061, 4 J Burton 3920,5 Earnhardt 3713,6 T Labonte 3611, 7 B Labonte 3512, 8 Elhott 3412, 9IMusgrave 3192, 10 Mayfield 3132. > - MARTIN D CLARK

Fortune smiles on Jeff Burton

Jeff Burton emerged victorious in the rain-delayed Hanes 500 at Martinsville on September 29 after race-leader Rusty Wallace was black-flagged for jumping the restart with only 22 laps to go on the half-mile track. Wallace was sent to the pits for a stop-go penalty in the closing stage of the 500-lapper and ultimately leader can control the restart, but Wallace mashed the gas at the slipped to 15th spot. “If the fans didn’t get their wrong side of the gate. I don’t agree with it. I think it money’s worth today, they never / will,” said Burton, who clinched the was a terrible technicality,” Manufacturer’s title for Ford. Wallace said - unfortunately, the Wallace, who led the most laps next remark earned him a $5000 with a tally of 225 to his credit, fine the following Thursday, took the lead on lap 293 and it “I’ve won a hunch of races. I don’t wasn’t until lap 400 that Burton’s give a shit about myself, but the Roush Ford started to loom in his team went through hell and I feel had for them.” min-or. Wallace said the fine for bad lanBurton pursued for 43 tours before wrestling the lead away from Wallace, until Michael Waltrip who lost his power steering early in the going - wrecked and caused a multi-car incident which brought out the tenth caution. All the front runners pitted for tyres and fuel and Wallace’s Penske crew again got him out of the pits first, with Burton, a menacing Dale Earnhardt and Bobhy Hamilton lined up behind. Just four laps later, Terry Labonte, Ricky Rudd, Ernie Irvan and Earnhardt all slipped on oil and the caution aired for the eleventh and last time. Wallace, who had been warned about jumping the restarts twice in the event, got a rocket of a start, leaving the lapped cars onhis inside to fight with Burton. NASCAR mandated the crossover gate as the point from which the

guage was “like adding insult to injury. I’ll pay that $5000 and go racing.” While we will never know whether Wallace could have held off Burton, Wallace admitted that Burton had a really strong car, though he (Wallace) would have had the preferred line, Bobby Hamilton, who started 22nd, finished a fine third after leading 70 laps, thanks to some great pit strategy by the Petty crew. He battled hard with Burton, but his left-side tyres had 180 laps on them and he soon lost traction, allowing Earnhardt to slip hy into second with just five laps to run it was The Intimidator’s second runner-up placing in as many races, “I think aliens picked me up at Darlington and took me up in the spaceship and straightened me out.

Now that I’m back, I’m running bet ter,” commented Earnhardt about his recent mystery illness. Jeff Gordon claimed a consistent fourth, gaining an all-important 30 points over rival Mark Martin, who trails by 135 points after starting on the front row and finishing 11th. Dale Jarrett, third in the points, shadowed Martin across the stripe after starting a back-up car at the rear of the field, his primary Yates Ford catching fire in practice. Bill Elliott came home fifth, the ninth time in eleven racves he has come home 11th or better. Kenny Irwin Jr, Ernie Irvan’s replacement next year at Robert Yates Racing, qualified a sound third, but finished 37th after a wreck and an overheating engine took their toll - in only his second race, he again impressed. Final results; 1 J Burton (Ford), 2 Earnhardt (Chevy), 3 Hamilton (Pontiac), 4 J Gordon (Chevy), 5 Elliott (Ford), 6 K Wallace (Ford), 7 W Burton (Pontiac), 8 Craven (Chevy), 9 Schrader (Chevy), 10 Irvan (Ford). Points standings: 1 Gordon 4103, 2 Martin 3968, 3 Jarrett 3881, 4 J Burton 3765, 5 Earnhardt 3543,6 T Labonte 3481, 7 B Labonte 3332, 8 Elliott 3266, 9 Musgrave 3080, 10 Rudd 3079. - MARTIN D CLARK

argument with a fellow crew member at Martinsville prior to the race and it is thought that incident led to his resignation.

Rusty Wallace, who after was fined $5000 by NASCAR post race comments he made at Martinsville, paid his fine on October 3 in the shape of 500,000 pennies. The small coins were delivered at Charlotte Motor Speedway in an armoured car to NASCAR president Bill France Jr.

CA electronics will not return as sponsor on Gale Yarborough’s Ford’s next year, citing their decision to move the money spent for sponsorship to development of their digital sys tems. The loss of the sponsor further fuels speculation and a source close to Petty commented that driver John Andretti is wanting to leave the team and return to Petty Enterprises, replacing Bobby Hamilton.

Also heard inisthe garage is that Hamilton regretting his move to Morgan McLure in the Kodak Chevy. new for 1998released Taurus his at Jimmy Spencer Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 1. Taking the place of the yellow and mauve Camel colors will be a red, white and silver Winston ‘Win’ scheme - Camel is a brand of RJ Reynolds (Winston) tobacco. rett Bodine has filed a law suit 'against Catetyst Conpmunications, the mother company of his 1997 sponsor. Close Call phone cards. The suit is for non-payment of sponsorship for the season. $13.8 million is the amount of the suit, the sum deriving from what they say are “actual and consequential damages.” Terry Labonte’s of a repeat Winston chances Cup title took another blow on October 1, when his crew chief, Gary DeHart resigned. DeHart, who was in his sixth season as a crew chief with Hendrick Motorsports, cited per sonal reasons for the move and will return with Hendrick in anoth er capacity after a leave of absence. DeHart, a former drag car owner, has guided Greg Sacks, Ricky Rudd and Labonte to victo ry lane. Eddie Dickerson, who runs Hendrick’s research and develop ment program and head enginebuilder Randy Dorton, will share the duties involved in the crew chief’s role until a replacement can be found. DeHart, 49, was involved in an

owner Robby carparted Felix Gordon Sabatesand have company after competing in just 20 events this season. Gordon was excused from dri ving duties at Martinsville by Sabates to allow Robby to com pete in the Caiitornia IRL race, where he came home eighth. "I'm sorry it didn’t vjork out,” remarked Sabates. “You get mar ried and think it's going to be a honeymoon for ever and it doesn’t work out. “Robby’s a fine young man and he’s got a lot of talent. Unfortunately, he didn’t fit in with our organisation. ""I’m sure he’s gonna find a place he fits in a lot better than he did with us at Team Sabco.” Gordon commented that he liked the closeness of NASCAR racing and he is talking to a cou ple of team owners regarding possible 1998 rides and also CART team owner Carl Hogan. Elliott Sadler, a Busch Series rookie, attempted to qualify Sabate’s Coor’s Chevy at Charlotte, but was not fast enough to make the cut. Gordon’s best results were a fourth at the Watkins Glen circuit in August and a pole in Atlanta back in March. officially announced the worst-kept Sterling Marlin secret around the garage all sum mer - that he will join Team Sabco, replacing the departed Robby Gordon. He is also reunited with former crew chief Tony Glover. Darrell failed tothe qualify for theWaltrlp Charlotte race, first race he has missed after trying to qualify in his 25-year Winston Cup career. “01 DW” posted the 48th fastest time of 50 cars in first round night qualifying. He elected not to run in second round trials, thinking that the times would be slower due to the heat of the day - but he and many others thought wrongly. Waltrip’s time was not fast enough and this time he couldn’t fall back on his past champion’s provisional - Terry Labonte, who also stood on his time and is the newest champion, took that honour. Waltrip last missed a race at Darlington in September, 1990, due to injury - NASCAR’s elder statesman used three provision als in 1997 and has six wins at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. |ther Charlotte non-qualifiers were veteran Dave Marcis, rookie Mike Skinner, Rick Mast, Elliott Sadler, Steve Park and Greg Sacks (in the Bud Moore Daytona USA Thunderbird). Surprises in the field were Jeff Purvis in eighth, Busch Series regular Kevin LePage in 12th and Rick Wilson in 32nd.

'WINSTON CUP RESULTS

UAW/GM QUALITY SO0 = Charlotte, NC„ Oct Sth, 1997. I.

Dale Jarrett,#88 Quality Care Ford Thunderbird

2. Bobby Labonte,#18 Interstate Batteries Pontiac 3. Dale Earnhardt,#3 GM Goodwrench Monte Carlo 4. Mark Martin,#6 Valvoline Ford Thunderbird 5. Jeff Gordon,#24 Dupont Auto Refinish Monte Carlo 6. Jeff Burton,#99 Exide Batteries Ford Thunderbird 7. Bill.Elliott, #94 McDonalds Ford Thunderbird 8. Ward Burton,#22 MBNA America Pontiac G. Prix 9. Kyle Petty,#44 Hot Wheels Pontiac Grand Prix 10. Johnny Benson,#30 Pennzoil Pontiac Grand Prix

11. Terry Labonte,#5 Kellogg’s Chevy Monte Carlo 12. Rusty Wallace,#2 Miller Lite Ford Thunderbird 13. Steve Grissom,#41 Kodiak Chevy Monte Carlo 14. Dick Trickle,#90 Heilig-Meyers Ford Thunderbird 15. Ken Schrader,#33 Skoal Bandit Chevy Monte Carlo

muj

Current Points After Rd 28 2.

Jeff Gordon ... Hark Martin ...

Dale Jarrett ...

4. Jeff Burton S. Dale Earnhardt

16. Joe Nemechek,#42 BellSouth Chevy Monte Carlo 17. Ted Musgrave,#16 Family Channel Ford T’bird 18. Ernie Irvan,#28 Texaco Havoline Ford Thunderbird 19 Rick Wilson,#27 DBMS Ford Thunderbird

6. 7. 8.

Terry Labonte . Bobby Labonte Bill Elliott

Ted Musgrave .

20. Sterling Marlin,#4 Kodak Film Chevy Monte Carlo

10. Jeremy Mayfield

.4258 .4133 .4061 .3920 ,3713 .3611 ,3512 ,3412 .3192 .3132

SAINZ JOINS TOYOTA Carlos Sainz will lead the Toyota Castrol Team’s challenge for the World Rally Championship “from next year onwards,” accord ing to the Cologne-based Team. Sainz, who won both his World Championship titles (in 1990 and 1992) with Toyota, is presently second in the 1997 series, leading the Ford team. He joined Ford from Subaru in 1996 and has this year led the marque, now run by the M-Sport opera tion, to new success. With wins in Greece and Indonesia and second places in Monte Carlo, Sweden, Corsica and New Zealand, he is challenging for the Drivers title, eight points behind Makinen. The Ford team is just one point behind Subaru going into the final three rounds. “We are all very pleased to welcome Carlos back to Toyota Team Europe,” said Ove Andersson, President of Toyota Motorsport. “His experience and technical knowledge will be enormous assets and we hope it will put us in con tention for a third Manufacturers title from Monte Carlo onwards next year.” Sainz, 35, will test the new Corolla early in the new year.

Championship, some thing that has been lacking since BP pulled out in the early 1990s. popular CAMS figure

3n TREVOR/ANDY SWAP Trevor Fry has had

a job swap with long time employee Andy Clarke. Clarke now takes on Fry’s role as CAMS Rally Manager, while Fry will take the reins of CAMS’ Victorian Manager, compatriot Clarke’s former position. Both are settling into their new positions well, but are sharing many phone calls until they get the hang of their jobs.

By Peter Whitt Editor-Australian Rallyspo ■News ●

Rally of Melbourne /August 28-30 ● Manufacturers’ Series Rally of Adelaide October 9-11 ● Rally Australia November 5-8 j ● Rally of Canberra November 27-29

A conference at the Opal Cove Resoft on the original weekend meant the rally could use the resort, forcing the change of date. Clerk of Course Bob Halpin, although not happy with having to run the event in February, rather than June, said the route would be very similar to this year, as time won’t allow any major changes. “We’ve only got about 20 weeks until the event, so we’ll stick to the tried and proven event and format we’ve used for a few years,” Halpin said. Halpin said minimum temperatures of 27 degrees

1998 ARC CALENDAR The Australian Rally Commission has released a draft calendar for the 1998 Australian Rally Championship. Although calendared as the first round, it has not yet been decided which event will count as the Rally of New South Wales. The draft calendar is as follows; Super Series Rally of NSW February 27-March 1 Respect Yourself Forest Rally (WA) April 3-5 Falken Tyres Rally Queensland May 22-24 Saxon Safari Tasmania July 3-5

Further details on the finishing third in his Subaru Impreza WRX - Jones now 1998 Respect Yourself looks like taking his second Forest Rally are available NZ Championship, while from Ross Tapper on (08) Dean Buist leads the 94514764 Formula 2 category in his Corolla. FORD CONFIDENT alcolm Wilson’s MJoe McAndrew and Greg Graham, both in Group A i Sport team is confident Imprezas and Mitsubishi’s of retaining Carlos Sainz Geoff Argyle have all had and Juha Kankkunen as the miserable seasons and are team’s drivers for the 1998 out of the running for the World Rally Championship. Wilson’s team has just championship. been given approval from Ford to tackle the World NO RALLY OZ FOR LES Championship next year, Itthat appears almost Rallying certain and the team manager and Les Waikden will miss API Rally Australia former rally star is eager to this year, although it is not get their signatures on con yet clear at this stage tracts. whether Michael Guest will The rapid progression in the Escort World Rally Car’s compete. Speaking from the team’s peformance this year is Launceston base, Waikden expected to encourage both said that Rally Australia was drivers to stay with Ford never really in the team’s although an unconfirmed budget and now all their driver line-up at Toyota may Group N Lancers have been prove a stumbling block for sold they could not compete Wilson, as both Sainz and Kankkunen are former with a competitive car. Co-driver Mark Stacey, Toytoa drivers. who is contracted to the Indeed, Sainz had signed Waikden team, looks certain to rejoin Toyota before their from the to partner Ed Ordynski in a exclusion Group A Lancer Evo 3 at Catalunya Rally in 1995. API Rally Australia, with the NEXT VRC ROUND pairing likely to continue until the Rally of Canberra The Bright Eastern Rally, the North next round of later this year. Victorian the R ally WA SPONSOR Championship, is well in the erth’s prestigious planning and will take place Novotel Vines Resort is on October 18. to play host to the 1998 Sponsored this year by Respect Yourself Forest the Bright Business Centre, Rally, to be run from April 3- the event will be centred in and around Bright and 5 next year. Located in the Swan offers competitors 150km of Valley, the resort will serve competitive stages with only as headquarters for the 80km of transport. The fight for the Victorian three-day ARC Super Series round, the 103-room title will continue, with series motel acting as the ideal leader Mike Reeves expect venue for media events and ed to dominate, particularly as Subaru driver Cody corporate hospitality. Despite being recognised Crocker is overseas and will not enter. as one of WA’s most luxuri Reeves has recently pur ous resorts, accommodation at the Vines will be remark chased the Group N Lancer ably reasonably priced, Evolution 3 used by Michael Guest in this year’s ARC according to event organis Super Series, although it is ers, the WA Car Club. Next year’s Forest Rally uncertain at this point if he will use this car in the North is expected to follow a simi lar format to the 1997 event, Eastern. Competitor and spectator with a publicity start at Forrest Place on the Friday information is available from night, followed by the rally director Mark Sullivan on (02)60431414. on Saturday and Sunday.

NEW RIDE... Neal Bate.^/Coral Taylor struck problems with the new Corolla WRC in Indonesia.

Targa Tasmania will be run in April and May next year, while the 1998 Round Australia Rally will be held in September, starting and finishing in Adelaide. At this stage, the calen dar is only a draft. SEARCH IS OVER

COFFS REPRIEVE he Coffs Harbour Rally will be the NSW round of Australian Rally the Championship Super Series in 1998, despite initially los ing the right to hold the pre mier event in the state. A survey sent out to ARC

Sally is the new ' competitors andata the petition CAMSJones Rally Development being distributed Rally Officer, replacing Glenr^ of Melbourne worked hugely Macneall, who has moved in Coffs Harbour’s favour, jobs and is now working for giving CAMS little option but the Rally of Canberra. to award the round to Coffs. Sally’s major task within The rally will be held on CAMS is expected to be the weekend of February 21 chasing a sponsor for the and 22, a week earlier than Australian Rally first calendared.

could be expected at Coffs in February, although dust may not be such a big prob lem, given that it is also the wet season. REECE LEADS Former Jones champion leads theReece New Zealand Rally Championship with one round to go, follow ing his victory in the Rally of Hawkes Bay on September 13. Jones, driving a Group N Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 4, beat home the Celica GT4 of veteran kiwi driver Ross Meekings by over two min utes, with Stumpy Holmes

52 10October m/

Head wins again in Close Call Force storms to Funny Car 314 mph!

Just one month after he clinched his first title for the year and second in his Top Fuel career, an ecstatic Jim Head stormed to Ms second victory of the season at the NHRA’s Pennzoil Nationals held in MempMs last weekend. The event, formerly known as the Mid-South Nationals, was being run for the first time in cooler autumn conditions after being switched from its traditional May date and produced some of the fastest and closest racing of the sea son. The conditions enabled the in form Cory McClenathan to record the second fastest run in history, a 318.58 mph charge during qualify ing and John Force card the fastest Funny Car speed in history at 314.36 mph. In fact, there were 79 300 mph runs recorded over the course of the event in Top Fuel (51) and Funny Car (28), an amazing 30 of those being over the once-magical 310 mph(500 kmh)mark! Along with those outstanding performances and statistics, every track record in the professional classes was broken, validating the NHRA’s decision to move the event to a cooler time of year. In a sensational Top Fuel final round, Head drove his quite aptly sponsored “Close Call” dragster to a strong 4.67/308 to 4.67/312 win over the Don “the Snake” Prudhomme-owned Miller Lite dragster ofLany Dixon. Dixon spoiled points leader Gary Scelzi’s opportunity of extending his lead in the championship by downing him by just 25-thou sandths of a second in an excellent semi-final round - Scelzi’s closest opponents in the points chase, Joe /toato and McClenathan, losing in rounds one and two, respectively. The win by Head, secured by a holeshot which enabled the Close Call car to reach the finish line just three-thousandths of a second before Dixon, was his third in the class and his sixth career title - the other three came in Funny Car, the class to which he is expected to return next season. For Dixon, the result comes just over a week after the announce ment that current crew chief Wes Cerny is to leave the team at the end of the season, his place for the 1998 Winston season being taken by long-time Kenny Bernstein crew chief Dale Araistrong. Force’s storming first round 314 mph performance was backed up in the second round for a new national record and the six-time Winston Funny Car Champion went all the way to claim the event vrin, push ing him one step closer to claiming a record seventh Funny Car crown. Working in Force’s favour for a fifth straight title was the non qualifying effort of his nearest rival in the points, the Winston-support ed Whit Bazemore - Bazemore’s 5.189-second best only good enough for the first alternate’s spot. In the final, Force, turning the tyres hard for the first time in elim inations, slipped from his earlier efforts (having run consecutive passes of 4.93/314, 4.95/312 and 4.93/313 in the first three rounds) and ran a 5.17/296 to claim the win.

A BURNT TO THE GROUND... Cruz Pedregon’s McDonald’s Podtiac Funny Car fireballed spectacularly at Memphis.(David OstaszewskI pic) Unfortunately for his opponent, the apparently “down on his luck” Cruz Pedregon - who was having his best meeting for the season fol lowing the departure of crew chief Dave Settles the week prior - the good day came to a flaming end, the McDonald’s car erupting into a ball offlame and burning to the ground. Pedregon, who only had an emer gency appendix opei-ation on the Monday prior to the race, was transported to the nearby Regional Hospital, suffering a serious burn to his right hand. Coming back into form over the past two meetings was long-time Force rival A1 Hofmann, the now self-funded racer running a string of shut-off low 5.0-second runs. Hofmann drove to the finish line just once during the event, running a 5.00/305 in the second roimd and lasting until the semis when, with Force out in front and his Pontiac “mixing up the cylinders,” the 15time national event winner wisely shut-off to come back and fight another day. In Pro Stock, Jim Yates moved into an almost unbeatable lead in the chase for the Winston Championships with a solid final round win over Mark Osborne. Yates’ victory, his eighth of the year and 18th of his career, came with the added bonus of rivals Warren and Kurt Johnson both losing in the first round of elimina tions - WJ lost to ye?t another holeshot-aided opponent, this time Larry Morgan and then KJ had to shut off early in his match-up with Steve Schmidt when his ACDelco Pontiac headed towards the centre

line. In Pro Stock Motorcycle, with the Winston title already secured by the exciting Matt Hines, the event came down to a final round show down between the new champ and Ang:elle Seeling, the Close Call/Star Racing rider who upset Hines’ cele brations in Topeka the previous weekend with a final round defeat. Hines, ready to exact revenge, didn’t have to wait long, the sopho more rider redlighting in the final round and then, despite running a strong 7.38/181, still trailing Hines’ 7.35/182 from the Vance and Hines Suzuki across the finish line. In the Federal-Mogul Dragster

and Funny Car classes. Jay Payne and Johnny Gray claimed the national event victories. Payne’s event was a stunner, the boyfriend of Top Fuel racer Shelly Anderson getting amongst the big speeds like his nitro counterparts and running an unbelievable 5.49 at 257.95 in qualifying! In the final round, he took an easy win over the wounded Bill Reichart, Reichart just idling down track and allowing Payne to score with a 5.70/250. First naturally aspirated dragster over 200” driver Gray, in his

first year in alky Funny Car after spending ’96 in the alky dragster class, fought hard for his win over the small 11-car FM/FC field. In the final. Gray took the win with a 5.77/250, dowhing John Powell’s close 5.88/242. In the Sportsman classes, it is worth noting that bracket racing guru Edmond Richardson took wins in both the Stock and Super Comp (8.90) classes, the wins marking his 29th and 30th career national event victories! For his weekend at the track, Richardson, whose brother Scotty

has also claimed approximately the same number of victories and championships, earned around US$30,000! The “pro” Sportsman racers ruled in the bracket classes at the Pennzoil event, with super-hot Super Stock racer Dan Fletcher claiming his 10th national event title and Pennzoil-supported Mike Eederer winning in Super Gas. Fellow hitter David Rampy just missed joining the bunch in Comp, the multi-world champion redlighting in the final. -GERALD McDORNAN

O'Kearney Pro Stock has Whale of a time The Whale Motors Pro Stock Shootout at Willowbank Raceway last weekend saw the John William Autosales Pontiac of John O’Kearney emerge the winner after downing the Cylinder Head Development Camaro of Mike Reilly in the fiiqpl. Problems meant that O’Kearney was unable to put in a qualifier, but his first round 7.89U71 easily defeated Mark Marchetti’s 8.16/166. His next victim was Rob Tucker’s Performance Wholesale Oldsmobile, O’Keamey using a one tenth advan tage and a 7.84/171 to hold off Tucker’s quickest-yet 7.76/173. Reilly knocked out Tony Wedlock with a 7.99/165 in round one and ran his first seven in the process, before eliminating John Galea in the next roimd with an 8.03/165. In the final, though, Reilly was outclased by O’Kearney, who took the win, 7.87/171 to 8.05/166, while Reilly took home a Whale Motors encouragement award. Top Comp saw Dean McLennan make his Funny Car debut at the wheel of Victor Bray’s Castrol Oldsmobile, McLennan qualifying at 7.43/181 and improving to

7.24/181 in his first round loss to Tom Coonan. Former Modified racer Russell Schafer has also stepped up to the Top Comp ranks, debuting a brandnew big block-powered rear-engined dragster. Schafer qualified with a 7.50/180 in the Caloundra Wreckers entry, but withdrew from eliminations with gearbox problems. Andrew Searle’s Ford Customline - which has carded a best of 6.85 was sporting a PSI blower from Victor Bray and ran 6.61/209 in a round one clash with Steve Swinscoe’s Speedworks Beretta Funny Car, which won with a 7.70/171 on a 7.63 dial-in. Swinscoe then eliminated Coonan’s CF Performance LTD with a perfect 7.63 to advance to the final after a round three bye. Last season’s Top Comp winner John Payne defeated Garthe McIntyre, Debbie Reed and Graham Porter to make the final, where his JP Racing Corvette went down to Swinscoe’s 7.64 on a 7.63 dial-in, Payne losing with 7.46 on a 7.40 dial-in. The Headsense Super Comp bracket saw the demise of the crowd-pleasing DD/G turbocharged

Austin Healey Sprite of Jeff Watson, who earlier recorded his . best numbers in the Pro Gas-spon sored machine with an 8.18/161. Watson made his way through to the final to meet Colin Lloyd’s Headsense Commodore, Lloyd winnning 9.40/134 on the 9.32 index, while Watson stopped the clocks with an 8.29/160. The Sprite then got loose as Watson lifted off in the braking area, hitting the left wall hard and careering in front of Lloyd, who pulled up quickly. Watson then hit the right-side wall, the car suffering extensive chassis damage, but the driver emerging unscathed. Other bracket winners included John Parker in Comp Bike, Arthur Telford in Modified, Aaron Gregory in Super Sedan, Paul Doblien in Super Street, Fabio Crystal in Modified Bike and Daniel McBumey in Junior Dragster. Queensland’s quickest street car and the first into the eight-second zone belongs to Mick Varney, his Hatchback Torana running as quick as 9.29/150 last August, but improv ing markedly to a best of 8.80/155 at last weekend’s outing. -KEN FERGUSON

lOOcloberigg/

announced just prior to this month’s Premier State Nationals at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway.

By Gerald MeDor As Newswas was in going toMotorsport press, ANDRA the final stages of negotiations for a last minute Australian drag racing tour of Japan. With the blessing of the NHRA, who have organised the past tours by some of the world’s most notable drag racers to Japan, ANDRA set out to find two teams who were willing to go at such short notice after a desperate plea from the Japanese just two weeks ago. It is believed that, following his commitments at the upcoming Premier State Nationals, Top Fuel racer Robin Kirby will be loading his Keatings Transport fueller into a container in readiness for his third tour of Japan. Top Alcohol champions Jim and Steve Reed are also expect ed to attend the race meeting at Fuji on November 16, although they are believed to be packing their Olds Funny Car into a con tainer prior to the Sydney event. Look for an announcement of the tour at the Premier State Nationals.

While on isthe subject of Pro Stock, Melbourne Super Stock racer Bruno Cavallo plan ning a move up to the heads-up class? Cavallo has recently pur chased a Jerry Haas-built 1989 Pontiac, which will take the place of his current VH Commodore. The new mount is currently being updated to a ’97 model by “first over 200” Wayne Rowe, in readiness for a ’98/99 season debut. Cavallo is unsure about what class he’ll run, although Pro Stock is not out of the equation just yet. Reigning Australian Top Fuel Champion Glenn Mikres has an extremely busy few weeks on the schedule. Mikres will be driving Santo Rapisarda’s fueller at the Premier State Nationals in just over a week’s time, before heading to Melbourne the following weekend to help Funny Car racers Dave Hoffman and Keith Agius with their Hi-Tec Oils Ford Probe at the fuel coupe brigade’s first out ing for the season at Calder Park. And, before he can finally depart our shores to go work on his own, recently-purchased Funny Car, the talented Mikres will then head over to Perth to work on the Southside Engine Centre Dodge of Graham and Lloyd Jones at Ravenswood’s Funny Car meeting.

The much forgotten Heathcote Park Dragway, situated just outside Bendigo in Victoria, might be back on the ANDRA calendar if negotiations between Willnerand (International Product Marketing Melbourne Funny Car racer Garry Bill McGrath and current owner Manager) and Raymond King (VP Russell Clark are concluded suc- of Fel-Pro/TCI Motorsports) will be in Melbourne for a product cessfully. McGrath is currently trying to introduction and information night secure a lease on the facility, at the Celtic Club, on the corner which hasn’t run under ANDRA /of Queen and LaTrobe Streets, sanctioning since mid-1993, to Melbourne, on October 14. The two will talk about the run a number of events over the range of new products available upcoming drag racing season. Negotiations are hoped to be from Fel-Pro and TCI and will be completed within the next few available to answer any questions weeks, with an announcement of racers may have. an events calendar soon after. Snacks will be provided at the conclusion of the evening, compliLegendary drag racer the ’60s and early ’70s, of Barry Seckold passed away suddenly last week. Seckold, 54, campaigned a series of cars during his time in the sport, the most famous being the “Sexy” trio of vehicles. Motorsport News offers its con dolences to Barry’s family and many friends. not

officially

Although announced yet, look for now

two-time Pro Stock Champion Joe Polito to carry the Dynomax sig nage on his super-quick Ford Probe this season. The performance muffler man ufacturer has switched its support from the series sponsorship to the class’ leading racer for the ’97/98 season. It is expected that the sponsorship arrangement will be

ments of at Fel-Pro, while drinks are available bar prices. Admission is free, but numbers are limited. For bookings, contact Stephen Crook, after hours, on 03 9464 4220.

Pipemaster Motorcycle Exhausts have signed up to support Willowbank Raceway’s track championship, with a spon sorship of the Modified Bike bracket announced last week. Series prizemoney for Modified Bike is now in excess of $14,000 and for competitors to be eligible for the bonuses offered by Pipemaster Motorcycle Exhaust, series decals must be displayed on their bikes. The Winters Smash Repairs Willowbank Track Championships started this month and continue with rounds being held all the way through to July 1998.

EUROPE’S FIRST FOUR... Kent Persson created history in the Optima Batteries fueiier. (Stefan Boman pic)

Persson scores at record Euro Finals Just weeks after running Europe’s first four second elapsed time at Germany’s Hockenheim, Swede Kent Persson took out the final round of the FIA European Top Fuel Championship, held at England’s Santa Pod Raceway on September 14. Driving former European Top Fuel champion Peter Lantz’s Optima Batteries fueller, Persson took a close win over The Valvolinebacked dragster of former European Women’s Body-building champion Vivica Averstadt, Averstadt’s holeshot-aided 5.26/250 falling just six thousandth’s short of downing Persson’s 5.13/277. Persson also claimed low et and top speed of the event with a 5.03/286, while Averstadt also ran a 5.03/274. Ex-Top Alcohol racer, Britain’s Barry Sheavills belted out a 5.08/271 in his Wynn’s-backed entry with Scandinavian Jens Nybo running a 5.09.

Gary Page, who toured Australia four years ago driving Stuart Vallence’s Pommie Raider McGeepowered Beretta Funny Car, won the fuel coupe bracket on the weekend. Page’s Mustang flopper running a blower-banging 5.77/187 to defeat the wildly out ofshape, stunning “Showtime” Pontiac of John Spuffard. Both Page and Spuffard had earlier run shut-off 5.48s in their exciting fuel coupes, while Alan Jackson recorded a 5.59 in his fuel Funny Car.' It appears that the sport’s most spectacular class is experiencing a revival in Europe. Jarmo Roivas appeared to be unstoppable in Top Alcohol, run ning consecutive passes of 5.81, 5.85 and 5.77 in qualifying, before a first round 5.83/230.13. But, unfortunately for the new European Top Alcohol record holder, engine damage prevented him from fronting for the semi-finals, allowing rivals Peter Schofer and

Mikael Kagered through to the final round. In a thrilling final, Schofer took a well-deserved win with a consistent 6.02/218, downing former European champion Kagered’s ofF-pace 6.21/221. In stark contrast to Australia’s near blower-exclusive Top Doorslammer, England’s Pro Modified class consists only of nitrous-oxide injected doorslammers. Gordon Appleton recorded a strong 6.79/196 in the semi-final, but damage prevented him from appealing in the final round, allow ing Nick Davies to solo for the win with a 7.00/181, his best run of the event. The Scandinavian Pro Stock class, which runs almost identical rules to the NHEA’s 500 cubic inch formula, was won by Tomi Laine. Laine’s Pontiac reset the European Pro Stock record to 7.06/194, while downing Jari Konola’s 7.20/192. - GERALD McDORNAN

1997 NHRA WINSTON DRAG RACING SERIES - POINTS AFTER RD, 18, TOPEKA, KA=

PENNMIL 'ar THERE

ARE

LIMITS

1997 Top Fuel Championship 1469 I. Gary Sceizi, Team Winston 2. Cory McClenathan, McDonald’s 1353 3. Joe Amato, Keystone Warehouse ..1318 4. Scott Kalitta, American Int. Airways .1082 5. Kenny Bernstein, Budweiser King ...1068 6. Bob Vandergriff, Jerzees Activewear .914 7. Mike Dunn, Mopar Performance 870 8. Larry Dixon, Miller Lite/Snake Racing ..792 9. Shelly Anderson, Parts America 764 10. Tony Schumacher, LaBac/Peek Bros . .728

1997 Funny Car Championship 1490 I. John Force, Castrol Racing 2. Whit Bazemore, Tearn Winston ....125S 3. Chuck Etchells, Kendall/Mopar 1 1 15 4. Tony Pedregon, Castrol Racing 1063 995 S. Randy Anderson, Parts America 6. Cruz Pedregon, McDonald's/Coke ...953 7. Ron Capps, Copenhagen/Snake 915 8. Kenji Okazaki, Mooneyes/Prolong ...866 9. Dean Skuza, Mateo Tools/Mopar ....827 10. = Dei Worsham & Tim Wilkerson ...759

1997 Pro Stock Championship 1639 Jim Yates, McDonald's Warren Johnson, Goodwrench ....1371 1333 Kurt Johnson, ACDelco Bruce Allen, Slick SO/Reher-Morrison 982 Steve Schmidt, Schmidt Automotive ..909 .752 6. George Marnell, Marnell/Black 745 7. Tom Martino, MaMa Rosa Pizza ,731 8. Mike Edwards, Winnabago ... 9. Scott Geoffrion, Mopar Performance .692 10. Larry Morgan, Raybestos Racing 632 I. 2 3. 4. 5.

51 Worsham who, despite being just 27 years old, is one of the most experienced flopper racers on the tour. After suffering severe stomach pains following the Topeka race, Pedregon checked himself into the Stormont-Vail Regional Health Centre in Topeka, where he had surgery the following morning. Pedregon received medical clearance to drive at last week end’s race in Memphis.

t didn’t take long for the leg endary Dale Armstrong to find employment for the 1998 season, after the recent shock ending of his 16-year tenure at Kenny Bernstein’s Budweiser King oper ation. “Double A" Dale’s services were quickly snapped up by another legend of the sport, Don ‘the Snake’ Prudhomme, Armstrong being hired to lead Prudhomme’s Larry Dixon-driven Miller Lite Top Fuel car. Also joining the Prudhomme camp for'98 will be AFT Clutches’ Bob Brookes, who left from his advisory position with Bernstein’s team at the same time as Armstrong - Brookes actually made an appearance in the Miller Lite team colours at Topeka. “We’re ecstatic to have DEL WORSHAM(Burgan pic) Armstrong on our side,” said t is interesting to note that Cruz Prudhomme. “He’s proven he is Pedregon might be making the capable of winning champi onships and we think we’li be a step up from hired shoe to ownerchampionship contender next driver next season, with a strong rumour doing the rounds having year. “Miller Brewing Company team owner Joe Gibbs selling his Funny Car operation to his driver. made a three-year commitment to For the 1998 season, the team us [1998-2000] and it is important is currently without a sponsor, for us to be competitive. McDonald’s having announced in ‘They have faith in us and we couldn’t pass up the opportunity June that they were departing the to have a person of Dale’s calibre quarter-mile sport at the end of this season. on our team. He’s already work But, in a strange twist, Gibbs' ing on next season.” Current crew chief Wes Cerny Top Fuel operation, with Cory will leave the team at the end of McClenathan driving, is expected the season, with his plans for ’98 to announce shortly that McDonald’s will be staying on not yet known. board with them for a further 12 months.

Romine new IHR^ Top Fuel Champ *

Paul Romine has been crowned the 1997 IHRA Top Fuel Champion, despite rain forcing the postponement of the 2nd Annual Snap-on Finals at Darlington, the final event of the season, until October 10-11. Friday’s (September 26) sched uled qualifying was completed and Doug Herbert sits in the number one spot at 4.941/299.60. Romine (below)- having entered the event and made a pass during qualifying to become the 1997

IHRA Snap-on Tools Series Points Champion in Top Fuel - is cun-ently second at 4.955/293.73, while Luigi Novelli sits in third with a 5.300/209.49. Angelo Alesci leads the quick Pro Stock field at 6.727/205.15. With two runs remaining, the field already has a bump spot of 6.796, that belonging to Stuart Evans’ Ford Thunderbird. Wally Stroupe put his Trim Parts ’63 Corvette on top of the 45-car Pro Modified field at 6.485/215.00.

Points contender Shannon Jenkins is third at 6.509/211.76, with points leader Tommy Mauney still not in the program. The cur rent bump spot is Johnny Rocca’s 6.599/208.76. Snap-on Tools World champi onships are still being fought out in Pro Stock, Pro Mod and Alcohol Funny Car, as well as several of the sportsman classes. Qualifying remains open for the pro classes, as well as some of the sportsman. -DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

DAVE SETTLES(Burgan pic) ave Settles, who has led the Cruz Pedregon-driven McDonald’s Funny Car team since the start of 1996, is looking for employment, following his departure from the Joe Gibbsowned team following the Topeka event. While Gibbs’ Top Fuel team has been on a roll lately, fuel sys tem guru Settles has had an extremely hard time getting the Mickev Dees Pontiac into the win ners circle. His departure was immediate. Top Fuel crew chief Mike Green will oversee the tuneup on the Funny Car. The Funny Car teamMcDonald’s tested the day following the Topeka race, although Cruz wasn't behind the butterfly of the Pontiac fuel coupe - instead, the '92 Winston Champion was recu perating in a nearby hospital, fol lowing an emergency appendix operation. Helping out the team and tak ing Cruz’s place for the day was fellow Funny Car racer Del

Recent winner US Jim Nationals Head will Top next Fuel season be returning to the Funny Car class, where he won his first US Nationals title back in the mid eighties. Head currently has on order two McKinney fioppers and is believed to be attacking the class with current sponsor Close Calls’ continued support. Head’s win in Top Fuel at the prestigious US Nationals puts him in an exclusive club, with only three other racers having ever won the event in both the sport’s leading nitro brackets, the others being Don Prudhomme, Ed ‘the Ace’ McCulloch and ‘King’ Kenny Bernstein.

Top Fuel was Harley racer Jim McClure seriously injured recently while on a run at an event at Atlanta Dragway. McClure’s Harley engine exploded on the qualifying run, the cause being a loose ground wire allowing the engine to hydraulic, with the force of the blast sending the cylinder heads through the chassis’ top frame rails and into his chest. Amazingly, despite breaking all his ribs, bruising his heart and liver and having a small tear in his pancreas, McClure never lost conciousness and brought his bike to a stop before receiving medical attention. McClure was airlifted from the local hospital to Georgia Baptist Hospital in Atlanta where he received expert attention, doctors relieving him of a blood clot in his heart and fluid on the lungs. The champion racer is current ly recovering from the injuries.

Premier State Nats at Eastern Creek The inaugural Premier State Nationals, to be held at Eastern Creek between October 16-18 is, while stiU being held at a simi lar time of year and along very much of the same format as the now-defunct ADRS Grand Finals, the start of a new gener ation for both the sport of drag racing and the now Australian Racing Drivers Club-run venue. The move to the Premier State Nationals title comes about with the first full season since the changing of the official Australian drag racing calendar to the finan cial year. Like the Grand Finals in years gone by, the Premier State Nationals will highlight every ANDRA championship eliminator, except the spectacular Funny Cars, although unlike years gone by, the event will be the beginning of a long and hard-fought contest by lit erally hundreds of enthusiastic rac ers for championship honours. Highlighting the Premier State Nationals will be an expected eight car Top Fuel field. Leading the field will be a pair of Shell-Rocket Industries fullers, with “first in the fours” Graeme Cowin lining up alongside son Andrew in an historic first for the class in Australia. The senior Cowin, hot off a record-shattering 4.81-second per formance at last season’s

Winternationals, will again be attacking the 300 mph mark, while also looking to take part in the first side hy side four second race with his son. “It will be a proud moment to have both Shell-Rocket Top Fuel cars competing,” a sentimental Graeme Cowin said this week. “I am sure I will have tears in my eyes if Andrew and I have the opportunity to race one another.” Returning to defend his title will be current champion Californian Glenn Mikres, back at the wheel of Santo Rapisarda’s back-up drag ster. It will be the first time Mikres will be back at the Creek, following his 280 mph accident at the Nitro Champs meeting back in April. The legendary Jim Read is believed to be also heading to Eastern Creek for the event in an effort to gain valuable exposure that may attract a well-deserved sponsor. Read’s record in the sport is sec ond to none and, with proven four second/290 pmh performances, the living legend will be a major threat to add the Premier State Nationals trophy to his tally. Also expected to be in the field will be Victorians Darren DiFilippo, at the wheel of his family’s potent True Flow Exhausts fueller and Robin Kirby (Keatings Transport), along with the two Sainty-engined

mounts of Terry Sainty and Roy Smith. The other Group One brackets of Top Alcohol, Top Doorslammer, Pro Stock, Top Bike and Pro Stock Motorcycle will again have fully subscribed fields, with the action, as per usual, expected to be non stop. The extremely competitive Group Two and Three brackets will again provide the event with the majority of competitors and, if the racing at June’s 'Winternationals at Willowhank Raceway is any indica tion to go by, these brackets may also provide the most entertain ment with excellent close racing 7, and, in Group Two, tense qualifying sessions. It should also be noted that the Premier State Nationals also marks the historic first points scoring round for the Junior Dragster class, with ANDRA offering an Australian Championship trophy for the first time for the series’ n highest points scorer) Qualifying gets under at Eastern Creek on Thursday, October 16, running through Friday, October 17, while eliminations take place on Saturday, October 18. In an excellent move, the ARDC has dropped admission prices, mak ing the event even more affordable for patrons to attend all three days of the inaugural event. -GERALD McDORNAN

10 October mi Report by DAVID OSTASZEWSKI Kenny Bernstein appeared in his second straight final round and returned to the winner’s circle for the first time since April after defeating Joe Amato in a close final Top Fuel round at the Sears Craftsman Nationals in Topeka, Kansas,on September 28. In only two races since Lee Beard joined the Budweiser team, replac ing Dale Armstrong, Bernstein and the Bud team rattled off a string of 'mid-4.60s on the way to the win. Amato appeared to be the car to beat, making seven runs during the event, all of them in the 4.60s at over 300 mph. John Force showed why he is still the leader in the Funny Car points standings, winning the event in convincing fashion after defeating Randy Anderson and the Parts America Pontiac in the final round. Force qualified number one at 4.936/308.21, set a new NHRA Funny Car mph mark at 313.15 and extended his points lead in winning his fifth event of the year and third in the last four events. Jim Yates and his McDonald’s team scored yet another win in Topeka by defeating Mike Edwards’ Pontiac in the final Pro Stock round. Yates all but clinched his second straight title when his closest rivals in the title chase went out in the first round - Edwards put Kurt Johnson on the trailer with a holeshot 7.061 to 7.046, while Warren Johnson was flat outrun by

Relentless Force

The final round paired Force against Anderson and, in the two other final rounds (Dallas and Atlanta) that the two have faced each other, Anderson held a 2-0 record. At the gi-een, Force left first and was on his way to a win as the Firebird of Anderson started to lose traction. Anderson did a good job of con trolling the tyi-e smoke, but by then Force was long gone for his fourth four second run of the day at 4.988/308.74. PRO STOCK

The surprise number one qualifi er in Pro Stock was the ex-Jerry Eckmann Pontiac now owned by Dick Sherman Racing and driven by Mai'k Osborne, whose 7.026 was followed by Jim Yates’ 7.051, Mike Bell’s 7.057 and Kurt Johnson’s 7.058. Holeshots were the story in round one, with six of the eight races being decided on the tree. After the fust round, the number three car of Bell and, uncharacter istically, the fourth and fifth cars of the Pontiac Johnsons were being loaded on the trailer. Scott Geoffrion used a 7.120 to stop the 7.029 of Mike Thomas, while Tom Martino, who held the bump at 7.100, had the quickest pass of the first round at 7.017, only to lose to the 7.065 of Osborne. Round two saw Osborne take the win over the Dodge of Geoffrion, 7.037/195.82 to 7.203/190.11, while Allen Johnson used a 7.077/192.71 FASTEST PAIRING ... John Force and his Castro!team-mate, Tony Pedregon (above), recorded the fastest to put his Dodge into the semis over /Side by side pass in Funny Car history. Force also resetting the terminal speed mark.(David Ostaszewski pic) Bruce Allen’s 7.064/194.97. George Marnell, 7.018 to 7.030. ^ Yates stretched his point lead n Ron Capps moved into round two In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Matt.' and Schumacher came by, right at so intense that the fuel tank with a 5.153/287.44 win over Tim with a v^in over Larry Morgan, Hines became the first professional the stripes, to take the win, exploded, splitting the chassis and 7.033/195.60 to 7.064/194.59, while Wilkerson, who smoked the tyres. Hofmann raced on Sunday with a Winston Champion for 1997, when 4.943/264.62 to 4.935/237.34. Chuck Etchells then made his Edwards closed the round with a The round came to a close when rival David Schultz was defeated in back-up car, now possible under the the second round. best pass of the weekend in the 7.072/194.76 win over George the Bud King and Bernstein used a “Eddie Hill” rule. GT-1 Dodge at Marnell, who red lighted and Force’s Castrol team-mate, Tony Kendall Angelle Seeling took the event 4.741/309.70,do stop a tractionless title when she used a holeshot in Pat Dakin. clicked the car off to a 9.614/95.75. Pedregon, rounded out the top four 5.023/300.00, while Gary Densham at 5.007/300.10. the final round to defeat Hines. broke following the burnout and , Edwards then strapped a great Round two got started with Scumacher and the Peek Bros car The bump spot was a good 5.187 had to be pushed back. .421 light on Osborne to advance TOP FUEL Round two kicked off with into the final at 7.081/194.46, while going up in smoke, giving a win to by Kenji (Okazaki and failing to make the cut was the McDonald’s Anderson laying down another four, Yates made it an all-Pontiac final Amato grabbed the number one Sarver at 4.711/310.34. In a battle of the beer brands, Firebird of Cruz Pedregon, which this time a 4.961/305.60 that barely with a 7.019/195.82 to 7.119/193.59 position with his Friday afternoon covered the 5.026/310.13 from the victory over Allen Johnson. 4.616/314.46, followed by Gary Bernstein laid down his best pass of had a qualifying best of 5.192. the weekend and did it in the heat Scelzi’s 4.632/310.88. In the final, Edwards got the Round one opened with a great Mateo Tools Dodge of Skuza. Worsham took a huge holeshot jump at the green, but the power in side by side battle between Randy Cory McClenathan wound up of the day, his 4.678/314.02 enough Anderson and Mark Oswald, on Pedregon, only to have the car the Yates Pontiac was there to give third at 4.651/314.46, with Mike to handle the 4.706/313.26 from the Yates his seventh win of the year Anderson squeaking out the win, drift over to the right, spinning the Dunn rounding out the top four at Miller Lite car of Dixon. 4.657/307.27. Scelzi moved into the semis and 4.977/307.27 to 5.024/302.11. tyres and allowing the Castrol and almost put a lock on the 1997 In a tyre-smoking war, Del Mustang to go into the semis at Winston Pro Stock crown. The opening race in the first increased his point lead with a win round saw Jim Head and the Close over the JerZees car of Vandergriff, Worsham grabbed a win as his 4.986/305.60. PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE Force and Etchells then staged a tyre-burning and clicked-off ' Call dragster jump out to a huge 4.728/302.31 to 4.914/273.72. Amato then ended the round Seeling took a win in the Pro 6.239/152.61 took out the instantly great race, with the Castrol car of lead over Shelly Anderson and the Stock Bike class, her first of the Parts America/Texaco-Havoline with a 4.680/300.60 to 4.702/307.58 up in smoke Pioneer Electronics Force out first. win over Anderson. The two were right together rmtil year, after defeating 1997 Winston Dodge Avenger of Tom Hoover. entry - but, at mid-track. Head Force started his march with a 800 feet, where Force began to pull Champ Matt Hines on a holeshot in In the semi-final round, Amato, began to spin the tyres, allowing ahead and ultimately take the win, the final round, 7.435/178.74 to Anderson to get the win, with bracket-like consistency, first round conquest of Okazaki. 4.958/298.40 to 4.996/298.80. 7.399/176.81. Force and crew did not underesti moved first to take a 4.641/314.02 4.767/299.10 to 4.874/279.24. The round closed with another Bob Vandergriff laid down a win when the Car Quest dragster of mate the driving of Okazaki, or the FEDERAL MOGUL 4.732/299.70 to defeat Scott Kalitta, Sarver lost traction at half-track tuning ability of Jim Dunn, as the great close race, this time with DRAGSTER & FUNNY CAR Cdstrol Mustang came loaded for Bazemore overcoming a Capps and gave up the chase. who lost traction right at the start. Scelzi left first in his match with Rick Santos, guided the Jack bear, winning, 4.978/312.50 to holeshot to take the win, Bruce Saiwer, now relying on the 5.064/302.31 to 5.097/304.67. O’Bannon alcohol dragster to victo tuning talent of Johnny West, took Bernstein, but Bernstein had.the 5.099/276.92. The first match of the semis ry for the third time in 1997. out Eddie Hill, 4.757/308.53 to power to drive around him to take a Mitch McDowell, who had quali Santos had defeated Shelly 4.837/301.50. Larry Dixon then narrow .016-second victory, fied at 5.182/294.11, then came up found the Parts America Firebird of ended McClenathan’s consecutive 4.680/309.17 to 4.717/308.95. Howard, Bill Reichert and Frank to face the Winston Mustang of Anderson getting an early lead on The final round saw Bernstein, in Bazemore - after the green, Bazemore and stretching it out Pedregon, before taking out final streak at six, when his Michael Gunderson in the final, 4.682/316.34 easily defeated the his fourth final round of the year McDowell lost traction, while when the Winston Mustang began 5.585/251.53 to 5.662/230.71. to lose traction. McDonald’s dragster, which was up and his second straight, take a Bazemore thundered to a tyre-haz Anderson shed a blower belt at Santos’ earlier 253.37 was good small lead at the tree and, with the ing win at 5.104/282.04. in smoke right at the green. Dean Skuza then ended the 1000 feet, slowing him from his ear for top mph, while the low qualifier Scelzi left on Rhonda Hartman, two side by side, take the holeshot weekend for Hofmann with a lier four second pace to a injected nitro-burner of Ken Zeal but had to pedal once, keeping this win over Amato, 4.656/317.34 to race a lot closer than it should have 4.644/309.81. 5.055/306.53, which covered the 5.064/277.00, while Bazemore set low e.t. at 5.483 seconds. Steve Sommer qualified number been - but Scelzi recovered and The 317.34 mph pass gives tractionless white Pontiac of trailed at 5.317/265.64. The other pairing saw one of the 16 and scored his first national held on to win, 4.739/312.17 to Bernstein the Heartland Park Hofmann. Jim Blake was back in the seat of greatest Funny Car races in histo- event win in the alcohol Funny Cai4.776/297.42. Topeka Top Fuel speed mark. the Rex Nix Pontiac for this event ry, as Force left on Castrol team- class, defeating low qualifier Amato then lined up against the FUNNYCAR Johnny Gray (5.779), Saun Blue and and in the first round had a super- mate Pedregon,.493 to.500. Bill Miller Enterprises dragster dri The pair were side by side for the Todd Baton en route to a final Force took the number one quali- .'‘charger explosion that sent the ven by Tim Gibson. At the gi’een, Amato was gone, charging to a fying position witb a 4.936/308.21, body skyward, flipping it and hav- entire quarter-mile, with Force round clash with Cy Chesterman. In the filial, Chesterman got out 4.662/313.58, while the BME Chevy followed by Whit Bazemore at ing it land upright against the lighting the win bulb to take a 4.943/313.15 to 4.944/310.13 victo- of shape, crossing the centerline 4.952/311.85. guardwall. broke right off the line. and giving the win to Sommer at Blake kept the on-fire motor and ryA1 Hofmann made his best pass Dunn overcame a small starting The 313.15 is a new NHRA mph 6.126/235.41. line advantage by Tony Scumacher since Gainesville at 4.953/290.79^ chassis straight, coasting to a stop Frank Manzo held onto low e.t. at and appeared to have the win in but crossed the finish line on fire, just past the finish line - mean- mark and that Castrol team pairing was the fastest, side by side Funny 5.742, while top mph honors went hand, until the Mopar Parts drag- after a spark plug exited the head while, Pedregon was thundering to to Chesterman at 253.37. Car race in histoi-y. ster began to drop some cylinders and ignited the body - the fire was a 4.993/306.95 win.

By Dennis NewKpfT Skip Jackson and Jaymie Moyle both competed in the World of Outlaws as the show made its mid-western swing towards the end of the season. The two Aussies ran consecu tive days at the 1-80 Speedway and came up with a mixed bag of results. WoO points leader Sammy Swindell took out the main at 1-80, while arch-rival Mark Kinser won the Preliminary Feature.

SREEDWAV gled for a ninth placing in the B Main. In winning the main event, Swindell broke the sequence of wins enjoyed by Mark Kinser at the 1-80 Speedway. Mark was shooting for his sixth straight win at the venue before Swindell came from third to first in a spectacular passing move on both Mark and Steve Kinser.

The nightthe at 1-80, carsprevious ran against clock35 Jackson was 19th fastest in quali fying time trials with a time of 15.092 seconds, while Moyle was 30th after posting a time of 15.521 seconds. Moyle missed a transfer spot to the main event by one placing after he finished fifth in the B Main, while Jackson made safe a start in the Preliminary Feature after he filled a third placing in heat three - each heat race trans ferred the first five placegetters to the main event. The Prelim was taken out by Mark Kinser from Sammy Swindell and Steve Kinser, this trio dominating the main event results from both nights.

Within the has past five aweeks, Swindell taken virtual stranglehold on the WoO title after dominating the main event results. Prior to his onslaught, if was a fascinating points battle between Swindell, Steve Kinser, Dave Swindell, however, was Blaney and Jac Haudenschild. the star £ of the two-day At one point midway through the season, less than 100 points stopover at 1-80 after he took out the A Feature on the second night separated the four drivers. Ironically, it all turned around - and it was the spectacular manoeuvre that took Swindell into for Swindell after the disappoint ment of Knoxville last August, the lead from third spot that had when he was crashed out of con the fans talking after the race. “I think Mark and Steve had tention. Since then, Swindell has been good tyres for the start of the on a roll and now looks almost race, but we had the tyres at the certain to wrap up his third WoO end,” Swindell said. “On a track like this, you have National Championship. to drive it as if it’s asphalt and you really have to be patient in lapped Skip Jackson turned in linked a fine traffic. performance when he “The Channel Lock car was up with the Outlaws for the show at 1-80 in Greenwood, NE. working good tonight and I knew, Driving the #55 Serace car, with the choice we made in tyres, Jackson drove to a creditable that we would be around at the end,” Swindell explained. seventh placing in the 30-lap A The winning pass came late in Feature and picked up a neat the race as Swindell made his US$2300 for his efforts. charge to the chequered flag. Earlier in the night, Jackson “I caught up to Mark and Steve was fourth fastest in qualifying time trials when he stopped the when they were having trouble clocks at 15.097 seconds for a holding the bottom of the circuit,” one lap journey of the i-80 circuit he said. “That was my chance to - fastest man was Haudenschild, get by. Fortunately for us, the who timed in at 14.666 seconds. move paid off.” Jaymie Moyle was 22nd fastest from the 28 cars that ran The previous night, itthe wasway Mark Kinser who showed to against the clock - Moyle, driving the chequer in the Preliminary the Vandrerecken #1OV car, post Feature at 1-80. ed a time of 16.001 seconds. The win was his fifth straight Jackson made good his entry into the A Feature when he feature success at the circuit. “I don’t know what it is about picked up the last remaining transfer spot in the first heat with this state,” Kinser said, referring to his success in this area of the a fifth-placed finish. mid-west. Moyle, who was experiencing “Crossing the state line always problems with the car, was unplaced in his heat and strug- brings a smile to my face.”

Sammy

Krikke’s NT Title Western Australia’s Ron Krikke held out Peter Craft and John Shore to claim the 1997 Pro-Air NT State Championships at the Crossroads Speedway on the outskirts of Katherine. With the final round of heats being dropped due to the lateness of the evening, the pole shuffle involved the top ten qualifiers. A notable withdrawal was that of equal top pointscorer Dave McFadden. T don’t believe the track is up to what it should be and my feelings are that, if you are going to race for an NT title, the track should be racy. I’m a racer, not a pedaller,” McFadden said. “I believe there’s going to be some carnage out there. I would have been starting out of two, probably hung out to dry and run into in turn 2. j “It’s probably one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made and my crew’s fairly upset with me, but we’ll see how we go in Alice Springs.” What McFadden said may have been true, but, as everyone in the pits had been anticipating the ensuing carnage, the main became a timid affair, with only eleven cars starting the final event of the night. Krikke, who had won the pole shuffle final over Mclver, took advantage of the inside front row start and grabbed the lead from the drop of the green. Terry Bracken pulled a huge wheelstand as the field entered turn 1, but was able to hold onto third. The cars immediately behind Shore and Craft - became unsettled and Shore was the one that recov ered first.

Australian fans to a farewell Masters attempt, a la Peter Brock, as this is tipped to be Rush’s testi monial season at the helm of his Castrol Maxim. The $30,000 purse, including tow allowance, has attracted more than 20 of the country’s top steerers, including Victorian champion and 1992 Masters winner David Anderson and the man who relieved Anderson of the SA title last season, Trevor Green. Reigning Grand Annual Classic champion Green has spent up big

Bracken had his hands full with Downing as they raced for third, until Shore passed both of them to get up to third on lap 7.y The cautions flew on lap 11 when Dean Gebert spun to a stop to avoid the spinning Mclver, who was sent back to second position, which didn’t impress Shore, who refused to let Mclver in. This would be the final restart, with Krikke taking the chequered flag over Mclver and Craft flying home in the final laps to move from sixth to third.

Shore, Bracken and Downing would round out the top six. With a few people less than impressed with the decision. Chief Steward Bob Aysom reviewed the lap 11 incident and ultimately relegated Mclver to eighth, behind Kuhn and Priolo. ;The final results of the controver sial 1997 Pro-Air NT State Championships were thus officially revised, with Krikke still in first, Craft now awarded second and Shore up to third, -BRAD STEELE

Pynd and Jenkins Newcastle victors ‘The Teterin Tearaway’ and ‘The Dazzler’ Darren Jenkins were big winners in their respective fields for the Wynns Newcastle Speedway opener. Super Sedan champ John Pyne started off the season in fine form, with a clean sheet of the night’s

Sprintcar Masters returns to Adelaide

Adelaide’s new season is sched uled to kick off at Speedway City on November 1 with a big attraction, the reintroduction of the Australian Sprintcar Masters. The large number of confirmed nominations includes ten-time national champion Garry Rush, who will be attempting to take out an unprecedented seventh Masters title. The Master Blaster himself already has six wins to his credit and will be treating South

RON KRIKKE, NORTHERN TERRITORY SPRINTCAR CHAMPION.

on a recent USA shopping trip and is hoping to maintain the momen tum from his excellent 1996/97 rac ing season. The Australian Masters ran con tinuously for 11 years from 1985 in conjunction with the Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Adelaide, the first race being won by Randy Kinser - following plenty of inquiries from interested connec tions, the Speedway City promoters have decided to reinstate the event, featuring a 25-lap A Main. -DAVID McNABB

proceedings in the #9 Teterin Camaro. Though he had lost his National crown to Peter Logue in Darwin earlier this year, the hard-charging Kurri native showed he’s lost none of his intensity with a convincing win in the 20-lap NBN Television final. Pyne steered the pristine Camaro to a win in his heat, a win in the Dash after starting off the back and followed that with a determined victory in the Main. The only driver to hold a candle to Pyne consistently was Peter Garratt, who muscled the #5 Peps Commodore to a strong second in the Dash - he led most of the event, before John eventually got by with one lap to go - and a gutsy third in the main. NSW #1 Alan Baker was sorely lacking in race practice and set-up time with the new motor, having missed practice the previous week end, but was able to put in some stirring drives in the bright yellow Stein entry. Baker was making serious inroads on the leaders in the Dash when a spin sent him to the tail, but he would avenge that with a solid second to Pyne in the Feature. Ron Pyne suffered ignition prob-

lems in the Dash, the car stalling midway through a turn and being drilled by Peter Garratt from behind. Pyne pulled out of the main event at half-distance, citing rear axle damage as the reason. Second generation Speedcar racer Darren Jenkins bagged the first main event win of the season. l Jenkins won his first heat after a thrilling battle with Warren Ferguson in the #20 Esslinger pow ered Stealth, then followed that up with a determined (yet narrow, in the end) win over good mate Adam Clarke. Jenkins chased down early leader Rod Bowen in the #57 Gaerte-powered Stealth and made the pass as his predecessor went infield with what was later diagnosed as a blocked nozzle. It was not a happy night for Bowen, who flipped his first car, then went to the spare for the fea ture, before pulling out with only five laps to go. Jenkins swept away for the win, but had Clarke right on his push bar at the end - third across the line was Phil Chilton in the #40 Avon T3Tes Nissan, Chilton elated to perform so well against the big -WADEAUNGER ger motors.

lOOctobefW?

Gambler of Mclver to fall onto it’s left hand side. The final restart saw Gebert

Report & photos by BRAD STEELE Peter Mclver topped Warrene Ekins to take out the 1997 KFC/Tubemakers Sprintcar Spectacular at Darwin’s Northline Speedway on September 19-20. New banking to the track gave this quarter-mile circuit an added dimension, producing some fantas tic side by side four wheel racing. The practice session on the Thursday evening would see Warrene Ekins blow up the motor of the Ray David-owned PDQ coilover Murphy. Up till then, Ekins, with constant big race companion Geoff Murphy by his side, had started to impress and it was the generosity of the LJM/Ron Krikke Auto Centre team lending them a motor that would see the four-tirne Australian Speedcar champion back for the first night of qualifying. Night one and last year’s winner Peter Mclver (Mclver Cylinder Heads/Gambler) showed that none of last year’s form had faded by set ting a new track record with a one lap time of 12.72 seconds. The opening heat of the weekend would see second year racer Mick Hanlon (Alice Computers/Stealth) take an all the way over the Perth combination of Pino Priolo (Ikea/Gambler) and Paul Stubber (Vision Constructions/Schnee). Come the start of heat two and Krikke tried for the high line, only to find that local Dean Gebert in the Pro-Air/Gambler #7 tried the same move, ending up with Krikke contacting the wall and breaking off the right front shock tower. In the end. Gore’s David Greatz (Darwin Bakeries/Gambler) drot^e away for a convincing win overftellow Territorians Barry Porter (All Engineering/Murphy) and Ekins in a new eight lap record of 2.20:41. Victorian Darryl Downing (Downing Bros/Maxim) looked the goods in heat three, with an all the n way win over youngster Ben Atkinson (Pro-Air/Gambler), while the race between Terry Bracken (Titan Garages/J&J) and Peter Craft (Craft Differentials/Grizzly) for third had the crowd talking. Craft tried again and again to go under the Queensland youngster, but was denied the chance to grab third as Bracken continually held the veteran at bay. Porter proved that you could run the top of the track at the start of heat 4 with a fantastic move around the outside of everyone to n take the lead at the end oflap one. Porter finished with the win and the track record in a time of 2.17:26 over Ekins and Queenslander Steve Kuhn. After a restart for an incident between Stubber and Downing in heat 6, with the latter having to go ROF, Stubber lead the field away at least until becoming untidy on the exit to turn 4, when John Shore (Caltex/J&J) executed a nice move up high to grab the lead as they crossed the line for the second last time.

climb the wall in turn 1, breaking one of the fence posts and causing the race to be declared - Goldini took the win over Krikke, Shore, Bracken and Craft, while Russ Walker in the ex-Wanless Schnee rounded out the final placings. Goldini was one happy fella, con sidering the problems just to get to the track, an accident a few weeks prior forcing the chassis to Victoria’s D&F products for repairs. “I can’t thank the guys from down there enough. Without their great work, I would have been a spectator again, like last year,” said a delighted Goldini. The next night, the action wak just as hot as the weather. The preparation of the surface was looking gi'eat, but the banking along the fence line finished up about a foot shorter than it had been the night before. This didn’t prove to be a hin TOP END STAR... Peter Mclver claimed the 1997 KFC/Tubemakers Sprintcar Spectacular in his Gambler. drance, the first three heat win ners, Mclver, Porter and then Craft, lowering the track record to 2.12:76. Shore puled the number six pill for the Dash, but things would get worse from there. A bent exhaust valve at the start of the dash would necessitate an engine change that, unfortunately, would keep him from starting the main. Locals Mclver and Ekins drew the front row and it was the latter 1 who would take the win, with Goldini hadn’t managed a top Pidolo taking out third. Alice Springs’ Dave McFadden in as Ekins then switched to the low the Dave’s Auto’s/Maxim closed on line*in the last half of the race and three finish and hadn’t made an Afterwards, Ekins remarked that Stubber, but had to settle for third. continued his dominance - Shore impression, except for his brake “maybe winning the Dash wasn’t Heat seven was pad fire after heat the smartest thing, as the outside one. pole was the place to start.” another brain snapper World Series commentator Come the start of when Greatz, Mclver the feature and Jimmy Shone handled the driver and Gebert went at it both Ekins (wrong introductions and then they were lap after lap, running within inches of each gears) and Stubber away in what would be an excep other. (oil pressure) tional race. infield Mclver led Ekins at the start, but pulled What they weren’t before the race the first of many stoppages hap counting on was Krikke pened on lap 19 for a spun Greatz. even began. lurking behind and, in Goldini bolted at Other cautions would come out one fell pwoop through the start and never for Atkinson (lap 17), a red light turns 1-2, passed all looked threatened when Walker rolled after contact three to go from fourth to first. by Krikke, who h‘ad with Kuhn in turn 1-2 vrith 14 left, moved to second by followed by another caution at the Mclver would finally restart when Goldini ran over the lap 2. gi-ab a top three with a The race to front wing of Priolo. second (having had watch would be When they finally got imderway, some motor problems behind these two Mclver was once again the master early) and Gebert between Bracken, of the low line, while Ekins knew rounded out the top Mclver and Shore. three. he had to be fast up top to get by It wasn’t until a his impressive rival. By heat 8, the sur after And, come lap 13, he got his restart, face had developed a few ruts at about midAtkinson parked chance and grabbed it with both the model on the hands. Ekins started to move away, track, and you could go KFC/TUBEMAKERS WINNER, PETER MdVER. track with eleven but Mclver was never far away around, under or laps to i-un, that Mclver was able to and, when he got his chance, he was second, with Downing third. through them. At the end of all the heats, Shore pass Bracken, running over took it back. Atkinson decided on the latter, Bracken’s left front tyre and front With two to go, Ekins made con was leading the points on 193, fol pulling a huge bicycle entering turn tact with Downing, putting Mclver 3 and having to pull out with dam lowed by Ekins (190), Krikke (186), wing in the process. back on his tail and, as Ekins drift With five to go. Shore produced a Mclver (184), Saint Goldini in the age. Stubher led home the fast finish Satellite City Smash Gambler in fantastic outside move to pass ed up high on the last lap as he ing McFadden after the restart, fifth with 165 points, then Mclver for third, but Mclver tried exited turn 2, it gave Mclver the with Bracken bringing home the McFadden (163), Stubber (156), to come back three laps later in the chance to get by. Mclver’s right rear brushed the beautiful black #36 for third. Porter (155), Russ Walker middle of turns 1-2, which proved left front of Ekins, but the contact The final heat of the evening (Specialised Labour/Schnee, 149) to be his downfall. Mclver clipped the inside berm, was minimal and Mclver went on showed just how talented Ekins is and Gebert, who rounded out the causing him to pull a wheelstand as to claim victory in the 1997 top ten. with anything on four wheels. KFC/Tubemakers Spectacular-. The Mystery Feature would he entered the back straight. He made the move to the high Krikke would hold onto a strong line and went from the rear to first round out the night’s activities and As he came back to earth, his the draw for positions would see right front clipped the left rear of third, with Bracken and Craft in one and a halflaps. Shore’s Red #66, causing the rounding out the top'five. Goldini on the pole. Shore had no option but to watch

1^.

Mclver tops Ekins at NT Spectacular

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1997 WORLD OF OUTLAWS/SKOAL OUTLAW SIKES POINT STANDINGS TO OCTOBER 5TH, 1997 1. Sammy Swindell 2. Dave Blaney 3. Steve Kinser 4. Jac Haudenschild 5. Andy Hillenbiirg 6. Greg Hodnett 7. Stevie Smith 8. Johnny Herrera 9. joe Gaerte 10. Jeff Swindell

9,555 9,398 9,381 9,198 8,978 8,903 8,843 8,526 8,414 8,329

1 1. Mark Kinser 12. Donny Schatz 13. Paul McMahan 14. Dion Hindi IS. Danny Lasoski 16. Lance Blevins 17. Craig Dollansky 18. Joey Saldana 19. Randy Hannagan 20. Garry Brazier

S 325 4.077 3,543 2,886 2,755 2,461

WILLIAMS GROVE RACEWAY - OCTOBER 4TH A-FEATURE(40 LAPS) 11. Greg Hodnett l l Sammy Swindell 2. Mark Kinser 12. Craig Dollansky 3. Stevie Smith 13. Don Kreitz, Jr. !4. Johnny Herrera Pauch 1S. Tim Shaffer 5. Jac Haudenschild 6. Fred Rahmer 16. Steve Siegel 7. Dave Blaney 17. Jeff Swindell - Jeff Shepard 18. Joe Gaerte 8. 19. Todd Shaffer 9. Lance Dewease 20. Cris Eash 10. Donny Schatz

SPEEDWAY i

By Neville Har

All centred the concern on the lately new has NASR been body that is trying to get speed way in Australia under its control. There has been some discus sion on NASR at the ASCF National Conference and, although we did ask John Hughes not to speak to our members until such time as we had sent infor mation through official channels, he did unfortunately go to our members, leading, I believe, to a lot of confusion about the whole deal. So far, I must admit that I am very disenchanted with the way NASR is trying to rush its concept through, with no consultation with the appropriate bodies. There have already been changes to its proposed corporate structure and talks are continuing, with the next meeting scheduled to be held in Ballarat with the VSC later this month. The ASCF has been approached by other national sporting bodies to affiliate and this will give us a bigger voice. n other news, there has been a rule change to Super Sedans. There has been a relaxation of body dimensions and measure ments, allowing 5 Star American type bodies now to have a car representative body, rather than having to make a replica. This will be implemented immediately. It was totally unworkable the way it was before and we felt it to be fair and reasonable to bring it in now, creating harmony along with better-looking cars,

he demonstration event for Super Sedans at the Melbourne Show went off well. Remembering that it was designed for the crowds in Melbourne and that driving was adapted to suit safety aspects, all concerned felt that it was a highly successful run.

Tasmania has calendar created for a great Super Sedan next season, offering $60,000-plus in prizemoney during January and February, 1998 and culminating in the “Cascade Apple Isle Grand Prix.”

After flipping his Brayton; powered Stealth in the Stars ' Dash, swapping to the Gaerte spare car and then having a blocked nozzle force him out while leading the feature at I Newcastle the weekend before, : there was no way Rod Bowen ; was going down like that at ; Parramatta last Saturday night. The enigmatic Blacktown show^ man steered his pristine black and gold machine to a thrilling win

This race, offering a payout of $30,000, is scheduled for r February 6-7, the event gaining in momentum with the purse increasing each year. First across the line takes $10,000 with $100 going to the leader of each lap in the final and the placegetters back to 10th also getting a share of the prize pool. $1,000 is awarded to the pole sitter, with $500 to the best improver in the pole shuffle. There progress also has \A/ithbeen themuch ASCF 30th Anniversary celebrations, that will be held the week prior to the Tasmanian Grand Prix. A marquee displaying some great memorabilia has been organised, along with a cocktail night held in conjunction with a Show ’n Shine on the Thursday night, with other great events still being negotiated. Modified ■he National Production Title will be held on the weekend of January 30, with the State Title the following week. 'here are several new Super Sedans currently under con struction and car ownership changes are being undertaken. Rick Slatter has sold his ‘Giant Killer’ Gaerte-engined John Soares Camaro to Mt Gambler’s Gavin McEachern. The car, driven by David Nicholls, has been virtually unbeatable in the latter part of 1997. Initially, suffering from ill-han dling, the car was transformed into a winner after Rick flew in Charlie Swartz (USA) to give some obviously good advice on chassis tuning. Rick is now constructing a new car for next season and, with knowledge gained from past experience, will no doubt be on the pace for the $60,000-plus prizemoney on offer in Tasmania during January and February. Tasmania is definitely the place to be in January and February, as the Modified Production National Title will be held the week prior to the Cascade Apple Isle Grand Prix, the “Richest Super Sedan Race in Australia.” The Modified Production State Title will be held on the same weekend as this event, both the State Title and Grand Prix being run at the same track. All the above will also be held in conjunction with the ASCF 30th year anniversary celebrations rest assured, summer in the Deep South will be action-packed and not for the faint-hearted.

over Warren Ferguson and Troy Jenkins in the PCR Main, but not before enduring an epic battle with Newcastle racer Adam Clarke, Clarke hooked a rut and bicy cled heavily, tearing his muffler off in the process and being blackflagged as a i-esult. Previous week’s winner Darren Jenkins crashed out in a qualify ing heat and did not appear in the main event. -WADEAUNGER

Strong Aussie Gr presence for ’98 There will be four Australians in next year’s Speedway World Championship Grand Prix series, which means Australia will have more riders than any other single country in the six meeting schedule staged in Europe. Leigh Adams and Craig Boyce, the current Australian champion, both qualified from the Grand Prix Challenge round staged in Vienna Neustadt in Austria last Sunday. For Adams, it was very much a case of deja vu, as it is the third time he has qualified from the Challenge after missing out on automatic qualification. He missed the start badly in his first outing, but stormed back to need a win in his final ride to earn a ride-off for second place - he missed the start and that meant third place overall. “I have mixed feelings about the result,” he said afterwards. “It’s good to be in the series next year, but it’s a shame it’s only as reserve. “We will see how it goes, but you are always playing catch-up when you sit out the first GP - I know that fi'om experience.” Boyce started with two straight wins, but then a third and two sec onds saw him relying on the mis takes of others to get the second reserve slot in fourth place. “Maybe I should have changed my bike after a couple of rides, because they were a little bit flat,” Boyce said, “but I felt happy after two race wins and I have to thank Steve Langdon for all the hours he has put in on my equipment.” Fo4 British speedway, the meet ing was a disappointment and only one British rider, Mark Loram, will now race in next year’s series. Based on the old 20 heat World Championship format, the meeting was. won by Poland’s Piotr Protasiewicz, who dropped just a single point to finish with 14 points. The 1996 World Under 21 Champion joins Tomasz Gollob to make it two from Poland next year. Swedish rider Stefan Danno, who qualified via the Inter-Continental Final, finished as runner-up and

LEIGH ADAMS... Ergonomic tidy-up at Vojens. (Mike Patrick pic) will now join fellow countrymen Tony Rickardsson and Jimmy Nilsen next year. Adams came third on 12 points, with Boyce a point behind. The only disadvantage for both Australians is that they will race at reserve in the first meeting next year and will therefore have to quickly make up lost ground on the 16 who start the series - both will come in for the second round.

Jason Crump and Ryan Sullivan both qualified from the Inter Continental Final to go straight into the GP series. There were five riders who raced in this year’s series who were elimi nated - Henrik Gustafsson, Andy Smith, Chris Louis, Peter Karlsson and Slawomir Drabik. Joe Screen and Sam Ermolenko both raced in the series two years ago, but miss out for 1998. -TONY MILLARD

Six from six by Super Pyne at Newcastle

Australia number two John Pyne has won six races from as many starts at the new Wynn’s Newcastle Speedway, sending out a clear message to the oppo sition that his #9 Teterin Camaro is going to be the car to beat this summer. Pyne’s latest achievement was a clean sweep of the Beechwood Homes Top Gun Series first round last weekend. His six from six sweep - three victories from as many starts on both nights - has the field guessing as to how they’re going to slow him down. ‘You’ve got to get the runs early for when the bad nights do come,”

Pyne said after Saturday night’s convincing affair, “That way, you’ve got some ground up your sleeve.” P3me was trailed by his younger brother, Ron, in the #7 Auto One machine, spirited veteran Stu Robertson performing well from the back of the field to round out the trifecta.

Robertson’s stealthy drive from the tail of the field was a confidence boost for the quietly-spoken Maitland charger, after his opening night bad luck run. Alan Baker looked to be John Pyne’s biggest threat in the 20-lap final, but he was nudged from the track in turn 1 by a following car and received a flat rear tyre.

An incensed Baker kept his emo tions in check over the infield pub lic address system, but stated that “six pairs of eyes in the stewards tower should have seen that” to a vocal crowd. Victorian Compact Speedcar star Brian Cardwell made the long haul worthwhile, with a great win in the 15-lap feature. Earlier in the night, it appeared that Steve Pollock would be the man to beat, but driveline problems caused him some gi’ief in the second heat. Matthew Lodge was second in the Main to Cardwell, with Paul Raynes in third. -WADEAUNGER

HISTORIC

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Briefly Historic I

t seems there is a resur gence of interest in Clubman sports cars, if the entry list for this year’s Historic Winton was any indication. 12 of those most unlikely look ing but deceptively quick front-engined, non-aerodynamic dashers were entered - it must have made John Sexton feel his hard work with the Historic Clubman Racing Association was all worth while. Although the grids could hardly be described as over-subscribed, there is an interesting assort ment of cars contesting the 1997 Simmons Wheels Clubman Series. Groups L and M feature Lotus, Elfin, HRB Ford, Minda, Bulant and Nota, while the later cars in Groups O and Q have attracted marques such as Hustler, Schazum, Welsor, ASP, Lotuz, U2 and Trevethan. The next round for 1997 will be raced at Wakefield Park on October 26, and John Sexton tells me the Clubmans will have three races in one day - hope fully enough to attract a few more out of the closet for the occasion.

ongoing debate, it is hoped that at the annual meeting of the Historic Clubman Racing Association later in the year an agreed format for the next two years can be worked out in order to bring some stability and common sense to the issue. According to John Sexton, a likely proposal is that all classes from Group L to Group Q run tyres selected from a list approved by members of the association - you can’t be more democratic than that! These tyres should be treaded tyres and would conform to the choices shown in the accompany ing chart. According to John Sexton “....slicks are defi nitely a nd-no for any Group Q Clubman wanti ng to run in the Clubman Series. They are just too quick and give a distorted perception of perfor mance.”

This year’s Australian Hillclimb Championships at Mt. Leura, Camperdown will include classes for all Historic cars and will be held at the popular Western District venue on October 16-19. ne such Clubman racer For modern cars, private from the past and win practice will be held on ner of the 1972 Clubman Thursday, and official prac Championship, Ray Hangar, tice will take place on the still has his old Nota Friday. However it is not Sportsman Ford, and after /'mandatory for Historic cars all these years gave it an to participate in this. The airing at Lakeside recently. usual and more civilised Running in the 1300cc procedure will be that sports car class, Ray was Historic cars can practice on reminded of the dramas that Saturday prior tb the official so often are part of the sport timed runs at the hill on and generally had a miser Sunday, October 19. able weekend with mechan The meeting is organised ical ailments on his return to by the Ford Four Car Club, and further information can racing. Ray will be applying for a be obtained from Ian Tate Category 5 logbook and in on (03) 9818 8406. future will be running as a 1600CC Group Q car. It will seems thatare politics and be good to see him back in It dissention affecting the swing of things again. Historic motor racing just like other forms of the sport. More’s the pity, as Like so of many other cate the Historic scene has tra gories Historic racing. the question of tyres is an ditionally catered for com-

petitors who enjoy racing for racing’s sake - without the hassles. Recently the Victorian Historic Racing Register met with the Historic Touring Car Association “to discuss items of mutual interest.” An out come of this meeting was the establishment of a working party consisting of three members from each club to look at prob lems of communication with the Historic Car Commission, and to joint ly develop a strategy plan for submission to the HCC.

he at organisers Wakefield Park are attempting to resurrect the Formula Junior class, and plan to run specific races solely for FJ cars at their next single seater meeting in April 1998. They will be providing trophies for both front and rear engined cars. For more information contact Robert Colgan at .Wakefield Park on (048) 222 811. Richard Look out Richard Stanley! BendafI, a former owner of the fearsoifie Dairo Jaguar has recently pur chased from the USA a 5.2-litre, 4-cylinder Offenhauser powered car to contest the 1930-31 Group J and K class. With a reputed 340 bhp on tap, the car was previ ously owned by American Don Vescoe, a former world record holder on two wheels. Four years ago the car was taken for a run at Boneville Salt Flats and clocked 169 mph (more than 270 km/h) - enough to worry the opposition in Groups J and,K, at least in a straight line! Bendall has also acquired a 1955 4.5 litre Offenhauser from George Shalalar and is currently having it fitted into an AModel chassis in the USA. We don’t have many American cars racing here

start after contacting the back straight wall, took full advantage of an opening lap spin fi-om Shane Malt to lead away at the second attempt. Paul Lindberg was very fast in the opening laps and briefly moved ahead of Bracken until the engine in his Tognotti expired. Young Ricky Mitchell had a miraculous escape when his John Dean Autos

Tognotti finished upside down atop the concrete wall in turn 3 after a series of flips and gyrations. The race was interrupted on two other occasions to restart stationary vehicles belonging to Maitthew Sutherland (Fisher & Paykel Tognotti) and David Grose

(Crazies Restaurant J&J). After losing the lead to Bracken, Bridge started to encounter some handling dif ficulties and had to suivive a last gasp challenge from John Kelly before securing the runner-up berth. Kathy Kelly followed her husband home in fourth spot, followed by Darrell Hodges (Hoosier Maxim), Grose, Ross Tulloch (Ryco Tognotti) and impressive Toowoomba rookie Cameron Gessner. The four heats were embroiled in controversy because of a mix-up by offi cialdom that resulted in heat 2 victor John Kelly and Mitchell, who showed good speed without recording a win, finishing as top

Proposed tyre softection list Group L

Group M

Group O

Hoosier Vintage TD Dunlop CR-65 Dunlop CR-84 Goodyear G12 Hoosier Vintage in Historic categories, so both cars will create plenty of interest, and will no doubt spice up the competition.

although it uses many Jaguar XK bits, the question now is will the car be called the Prad Alta?

ood news is that Winton’s 6-Hour Relay has attracted a good repre sentation of Historic com petitors for cars built prior to 1970. One group taking the event very seriously is Henry Draper’s BMC team which consists of two Cooper Ss and a potent lit tle Morris 850 which ran strongly in this year’s Targa Tasmania before crashing out of the event. It has now been rebuilt and is ready to tackle the Winton race which will be held on the new extended track on October 18-19.

keen motorsport enthusiasts, RACV ext year will be the 30th Two anniversary of an impor- motoring journalist Ernest tant safety organisation Litera and John Hazeiden which had its origins at a (the owner of the famous Phillip Island endurance-' and very unusual race - “Women for Wheels.” Chamberlain Special) have The inaugural meeting combined forces to estabwas held at the Light Car lish “The Motorist” - a Club of Australia clubrooms tourist, educational and club in Queens Rd. on April 25, facility related to Australian 1968. “Many ladies joined motoring and motorsport Women for Wheels at that history, meeting and thereafter were A former garage in the really happy years of beautiful village of fundraising and donating of Gembrook in the equipment to be used in Dandenong Ranges is newly established Victoria,” said one of the being converted into a The Group R category is three founding members, motor museum and meeting likely to add a new dimen sion to Historic Formula Pam Elam, when we spoke place, recently. It is hoped that many of Ford racing. A reunion dinner was the 250,000 tourists who Three Elwyn FFs held last month at the home travel annually on Puffing belonging to Bryan Miller, of Jim and Joan Smith in Billy and many of Victoria’s Jeff Walters and Les Balwyn Iwith 32 women 30,000 car club members Wright are preparing to do will be attracted to the cen- battle with several attending] tre which will feature Reynards, reviving the (amongst other things) an epic battles between the One of Australia’s D-type Jaguars,rare the ever-changing display of two marques during the ex-Duncan Hamilton car Australia’s automotive past, 1980s. (#XKD 510) was recently present and future. sold by Sydney’s Ian Highlight the October Cummins to Warren Daly general of meeting of the seventeenth annual Victorian Historic Racing (of Daly-Wilson Big Band The Vintage and Historic fame). Mt. Tarrengower Hillclimb Register will be the annual Cummins has now will be staged at Auction Night to be held on turned his attention to his Australia’s oldest and October 21. Prad Holden which has longest This event creates a venue near been undergoing a major Maldon on Sunday tremendous amount of inter October 26. rebuild. He has acquired est and spirited bidding for the original Alta engine Following the success books and magazines, car from Clive Adams (the last year of holding scruti- parts (many of them rare), man who built the car in neering in the streets of badges and other memora the historic old town of bilia. Sydney). Back in the late 50s the Maldon on the day before The VHRR meeting is Prad ran at Bathurst pow the competition, a similar held at the Whitehorse Hotel, Burwood Rd., ered by the Alta engine, format will be followed and during the 60s it was this year with “early bird” Hawthorn and is preceded driven on occasions by scrutineering taking place by dinner. It’s time to clear out the Spencer Martin before a on Saturday in Fountain shed, so get those items Holden powerplant was St. For further information labelled and let Noel fitted - no doubt for easier contact the Secretary of Robson know what trea and less costly mainte nance. the Meeting, Roger sures you have for sale on The Prad is a very pret Boehme on phone/fax (03) (03)9499 6701. - BRIAN REED ty sports car, and 5443 7008.

Bracken downs Bridge

Terry Bracken clinched a narrow victory in a thrilling, action-packed 25-lap Sprintcar feature event at Archerfield Speedway on October 4. Starting from pole, Bracken found himself in third position at one stage, before he began a terrific charge that ultimately took him to the lead with just four laps remaining. Tony Bridge (Aussie Trackwear Stealth) looked set to score his second fea ture race victory in as many 'weeks, until Bracken took his Titan Garages Maxim tb the front vwth an inside pass in turn 2. Bridge, who was shuffled back to fourth at the initial

woctoixfm/

pointscorers after being gi-anted two front row starts apiece. Bridge, Lindberg and Kathy Kelly (Border Smash Repairs Tognotti) also visited victory lane. Patrick Moroney became a victim of the very bumpy track when he took a big dump in hot laps that, despite a miraculous effort from his crew to repair the car, brought his night to a premature end. Darren Dillon proved too good for a veiy depleted field in the Compact Speedcai- fea ture, finishing half a lap clear of Wayne Corbett, Darren Barnier and Ray Doolan.

-CHRIS METCALF

1974 Elfin 623 With Historic Log Book, Cosworth 1598 motor, FT200 gearbox with spare ratios, new tyres. Complete rebuild. Fully enclosed transporter/trailer.This is s competitive car and can be viewed in Adelaide. Ph/f«ix 08 9S8I 843S Inr aietqiis,.

WOclobffm/

KARTING

The Continued from Page 43 around on slicks in the wet which I’ve always enjoyed thoroughly. It was just one of those weekends you wouldn’t swap for anything.” Win number nine was formally declared a couple of months after the race and it seemed inevitable that number ten would be recorded in due course. But all those years of defeating the odds and coming out on top would change; the bal ance of luck would be restored, helped by a new rule preventing drivers from changing cars during the race. Not that anything would V t ''whave helped in 1988 as Peter and Jim Richards DISTRAUGHT; Allan Mojfat gets roasted by the crowd after crashing 05 in qualifying in 1986. struggled to seventh place in (Photo by Chevron Publishing ) He kept the helmet on, presumably so he wouldn't hear the abuse the frankly outclassed BMW for 1995. But the Bathurst ing up through the floor of but the problem persisted. M3, a result which helped curse which had struck Another one was rebuilt for the car! Bathurst is just one the decision to find a more the race. Brock post-1987 struck of those tracks; just when competitive car for 1989. again, this time afflicting the The move to a Ford was you think you’ve got it all “By this time I had a very under control ...” whole team. The engines in uneasy feeling about tailnot as tumultuous as it might shafts. As I sat on the startboth cars failed early in the Five laps were lost and have been, partly because of race because of a cylinder 17th place was the final line, I thought, ‘If it gets off the year with BMW and also head gasket leakage. result, though the TV cover because the faithful did not the line we’ll be OK’. As his “Water was leaking out age was again much better really regard the Ford Sierra tory shows, it didn’t move. It than that. past the cylinder head gas as a ‘properi Ford; it would just sat there.” ket, into the valley of the V8 Returning to the Holden have been somewhat differ ent if it had been a V8 Racing Team in 1994, Peter and diluting the oil until it was The tailshaft hadwas broken basically mnning on mayon Falcon. was paired with Tomas again. His race shot, naise. There had been a Mezera for the first time and Paired with British car but Peter wanted to get back small change in the spec of by the end of the, race they builder Andy Rouse, Peter in and wouldn’t, let the offi were well in contention, PB cylinder head gasket prepa staked an early claim for that cials push the Commodore ration - from the factory, not to the outside of the track, driving hard to catch John 10th Bathurst win by taking our preparation. Bowe in the leading Shell where it would have stayed. pole, but the race was a dis Falcon. But then the unthink “Craig’s car lasted only a aster. A loose wheel caused He eventually convinced handful of laps. I was out able happened; instead of them to push him across the an early stop and a typical there looking pretty good in manufacturing another victo charge back up the field track so he could reverse about third spot, cruising, ry, Peter Brock crashed! down pit lane. came to nothing when the pulled up in the pits and “I was chasing hard and “It was quite funny really rear wheel hub had stripped gave it to Tomas Mezera. put the car into the wall at because they were trying to so badly that the Sierra was Reid Park near the end of “Now Tomas - judging by push me up the right hand wheeled away. some of his comments since side of the track and I was the race. I had a car that v^as The following year was - feels that I knew what was not happy and I was just dri sitting there with my foot on again doomed, this time by a going on when I handed over ving it too hard. It was just the brake! Anyway, we got mysterious rear tyre delami the car, but I was astonished bouncing around at the back back down pit lane, put the nation problem in the early to see him come back in a and it felt like someone original tailshaft back in and part of the race - a mystery lap later with no oil pressure. blasted off. I was something pulled the aig from under my which remains to this day. It He thought I had handed him cost Brock and Rouse well feet; it spun around and I hit like 17 minutes behind by over a car that was already the wall - but I was just then but we pressed on, did over a lap and, despite an blown up. That’s not so. If going too fast. heroic comeback drive, all the pit stops, did all the “We found out some the car was crook, why driver changes, everything resulted in a fourth place finmonths later that the shock as fast as we could as a ish. wouldn’t you say there was absorbers hadn’t been re something wrong with it? Of group of guys - as if we course you would. bled after being re-valved, so were winning the race. Much thethe delight the “Tomas probably thought every now and then it would 'Then, when they did the boystoon hill, of Peter I was making out that I was go like a bike pump, just run analysis of the television cov was back in a (Perkins-pre doing OK and that there was ning in air, then it would erage, we came up with a pared) Holden for the 1991 some sort of blame being come good. Bathurst 1000, but it was not very pleasant surprise cast on him because he was “This wasn’t disco\;ered because, despite the fact I to be a fairytale return. had finished 21st or some driving when it stopped. until the beginning of the Keeping the revs down to 1995 season and a lot of Well, nothing could be fur protect the crank and valves, thing, I actually achieved the ther from the tmth. To win a things slotted back into place third-highest amount of TV Peter was fairly happy to because we couldn’t under race at Bathurst is a partne r coverage behind the winner qualify sixth, but on Saturday afternoon the car started to and the second-placegetter stand why it would just step ship. “All I can think is that s it in the race. suffer a strange misfire out every now and then. “Mobil came to me after That’s about when we got which returned on race ting in the pits idling it had our own shock absorber enough water build-up with morning, causing much that and said, ‘Peter, we just the new oil to never recover machine. panic before it was traced to want to tell you that, as long and that was our race. I “But it doesn’t change the ■ a throttle potentiometer. as you want to be involved in guess Tomas really neede d fact that I was responsible In the race, a relay in the motor sport, we would love and should have backed off a good result to keep the fuel system vibrated part, to be with you’. So I would drive and he never got to do because you should be dri stranding co-driver Andrew have to say that it was Miedecke out on the circuit. a lap. Tomas probably felt ving according to the condi extremely successful from cheated.” He had to hot-wire the car to tions. But I saw Johnny that point of view.” German driver Manuel Bowe up ahead, I was catch Last year, of course, HRT get back to the pits, but a Reuter was Peter’s co-driver dominated the race, but it ing him; I thought ‘I could win number of laps were lost and this race’. You tend not to lis was the Lowndes/Murphy that year, but for 1993 John they finished seventh. Cleland came out from car at the head of the pack. ten to the warning bells in The following year, now Britain to start his love affair those situations and I paid. Peter was certainly on the running under Advantage “I had never had a with Mt Panorama. But again pace all week, but had to Racing, funds were very tight and short-cuts were made settle for fourth place after there were mechanical prob moment at Bathurst in my lems for the Advantage having the gearshift break. life. It was just out of the on preparation. They proved The Bathurst curse had blue. Whammo. It was like to be terminal short-cuts. team, initially with the valvestruck again and win number train in practice and then, in an exercise in mortality; On Saturday afternoon 10 had eluded him once Peter found the tailshaft the race, the tailshaft prob ‘Hang on, I can do it, too’.” more. lems resurfaced... vibrating and throwing oil out Next week he has one “John Cleland was com of the centre bearing. The last chance... years HRT of under achieving, was shaft was replaced, but it ing down Conrod Straight After was no better. Another was becoming the team to beat only to see this black snake Continued next issue - as he described it - comand there were high hopes fitted for Sunday morning,

■1^®0®J?S[P®[7G’

Rossi’s back Lonato, 15 September 1996; Danilo Rossi is intently watching the Formula Super A World Championship race. Rossi had been racing at the event also, but just wasn’t fast enough to even make it to the finals. His weekend was over after the second chance, where he was ranked 26th, far away from the guys up front. Things used to be different before Danilo switched to racing cars. Now, at his return to top level karting, he has a lot of work to do if he wants to make it to the podium again. Corridonia, 15 June 1997: Since Lonato, Rossi has shone on many occasions, but this is his best race so far. He wins the first final of the European Formula Super A race, ahead of Alessandro

Manetti - Danilo showed he’s back to his best and a force to be reckoned with again. Salbris, 14 September 1997: Rossi becomes the 1997 Formula Super A World Champion. In a breathtaking final, he resists the attacks of his young and super-talented countryman, Giorgio Pantano and manages to fight off his highly talented and experi enced CRG/FM colleague, Alessandro Manetti. Rossi’s experience showed in a race which was tough, but fair and truly a race of champions. A year ago, people laughed at him, or they felt sorry for him. But now things have changed. Rossi is back! Danilo is now the biggest champion of them all. - STEFANO LUCCHESI

French favourite Martinet is Go! French ace Alban Martinet was the home crowd favourite for the Formula A honors at the World Championship in Salbris. Sadly for Alban, though. the crowds cheered for another Frenchman after the Formula A race. Guillaume Renaux finished a surprising third in the Final, while Martinet didn’t make it to the finish. The Go Kart/Sirio/Dunlop star was the fastest in the timfed practice. Helped by the changing weather conditions, he was a massive 0.6 seconds clear of second-placed Tom Sisley. But, after his five heats had been concluded, the pleasant Martinet had fallen back to 26th position. He did well ii} three of his heats, but two heats were ruined by all sorts of prob lems. His fortunes wouldn’t change in the finals. In the first final, the 23 year-old Alban suffered a

broken chain - in the second final, he ran into engine problems. -TSfaturally, Alban was very /disappointed. Still, I’m happy for Go Kart,” he said. “We had a very good season and, for a small manufacturer like Go Kart, the second place in the European championship, for example, is very important especially commercially and that’s one of the main reasons for Go Kart to go racing, “It’s a pity it didn’t work out at this year’s World Championships, as the potential was there.” Martinet used to race in Formula Campus and Formula Renault, but a lack of sponsorship money ended his auto racing career. “Now I will stay in karting; next year I will step up to Formula Super A. “I will stay with Go Kart. Despite their small budget, they made a fantastic chassis and I think we can give the big manufacturers a scare.” - STEFANO LUCCHESI

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KARTING

WOctoterm/

Everything as planned for World Champion Courtney

All the karting experts had Australian James Courtney on their short list of favourites to grab the Formula A World Championship at Salbris. James is very talented, of course, but he also has the material to win races. The Tony Kart chassis have been difficult to beat this year, as have the Martijn Koene tuned Vortex engines. Of course there were the tyres. Courtney struggled on his Bridgestones in this year’s hotly contested CI^FIA European Championships, but the biggest tyre manu facturer of the world - realiz ing the importance of the CIK/FIA Formula A World Championships - provided their FA drivers with better tyres, the same tyres that were used in Formula Super A. Being a favourite isn’t enough to become champion, though. You also have to perform and make no mistakes.

despite the pressure on one’s shoulders. Perform is what Courtney

did.

He won the biggest title of his career so far and made it look almost easy. “In the time trials, I just made sure I didn’t crash, because I didn’t want to be down in 105th spot,” explained ‘Skippy,’ looking back at the weekend. “In the heats, I stayed out of trouble and in the,first

In the long lunch break between the heats and the Finals on Sunday at Salbris, all the spectators, journalists, mechanics, engineers and drivers were discussing the forth coming finals. When they were talking about the Super A race, a lot of people mentioned European Champion Jenson Button as one of the favourites. Just like in the European races, his TecnoSS22/Paul Lemmens-tuned Rotax-DSDR/Bridgestone

final I tried to preserve my tyres while I climbed up from fifth spot at the start to first at the finish. “Between the finals, we changed engines. “I had a good start in the final and could stay out front. “I knew I had a good mar gin, but that didn’t make it any easier. “I had to pace myself and stay concentrated.” The 17 year-old made no

mistakes and he won the most important race of them all, the World Championship final. This makes it a hat trick for Tony Kart in FA, having won the title last year with Ravier and in ’95, with Fraguas just pipping Jenson Button in the last couple of laps. -STEFANO LUCCHESI JAMES COURTNEY ...New 1997 CIK/FIA Senior World Champion.(Krause pic)

You can’t win ’em all combination looked ultra quick. As did the mega-talented Jenson. In the time trials, the Brit managed eleventh spot, which was reasonable. In the heats, he Showed his abilities once again by finishing fourth, second, sec ond, first and first - especial ly the heat in which the 17

year-old beat the Italian heroes, Manetti, Rossi and Orsini and gave Button’s fans good reaspn to cheer. The fans kept on cheering during the first laps of the prefinal, when Button was up race leader Manetti’s exhaust. Suddenly, their cheers turned into screams of disaster.

Button’s engine had seized and he slid off into the gravel trap at the flat-out right hander after the start/finish straight. He came to rest right in front of his fans. Button also didn’t make it to the end of the final, because of a bent chassis when he gave his all to make it to the front.

“It would have been a nice bonus if I would have won the World Championship after I already grabbed the European title,” he said. ■'“My times were quick and the chassis, engines and tyres were perfect again, but this time out, it just wasn’t to be.” - STEFANO LUCCHESI

KAETIKG

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Managing Directors posi tion at Pennzoil, is the appointment of Mr Neville Wilson to the role of Victorian State Manager. Mr Wilson has extensive experience in the automotive aftermarket area, along with a vast knowledge of the motor racing industry.

10 October 1997

Sedans

Subaru Impreza WRX, 1996 model, full GT Production specs. Complete ground-up rebuild just completed, with new engine, gearbox, suspension, etc, best of everything. Just get in and drive - can be entered for Bathurst 3 Hour. Must sell now $45,000ono. Ph: Ryan McLeod 0418 425 254 or Paul Burfitt 0418 823 475. n? Escort Lotus twin cam, 9/70. Compliance, rebuilt engine, Koni suspension, otherwise original car. $8,500. Ph: 03 9499 3088 (BH)or 018 367 004,

729'. 1,2

AUSCAR Sportsman, Commodore VL, very competi tive and ready to win races. High hp with dyno sheets and all spares needed to go racing, including wheels, rims, swaybars and engine. Must sell. $15,000. Ph: 03 9404

Datsun 1600, good 1800 twin carb engine, 5-speed CR option 1 gearbox, 240k diff, mags, sports seat, wheel, roll cage available. $750. Ph: 02 9428 3709(AH)

Sportsman AUSCAR, VL Commodore, fresh engine, good hp, spare body with oage and spares. Race ready. $13,000 neg.Ph: 018 811 458. 112 HQ race car. Excellently prepared car, good condition, CAMS approved. Heaps of spares, on new tilt trailer. Nothing to spend. Must sell, can deliver. Will separate. $7,500. Ph: Stewart 02 4647 1896 or 018 211 341. 112 Escort Lotus twin cam 12/71, compliance,' rebuilt from ground up including engine receipts dating back to 1977. Ex John Bowe road car. $11,800. Ph 03,9499 3088 (BH)or 018 367 004, 12 AUSCAR Sportsman VL Commodore #15, 95/96 championsip winner, 96/97 2nd. All spares and spare body shell. $18,000. Ph; 018 507 064. 12

1992 VP HSV GTS Commodore, build 14/128, anthracite grey, lealher/velour steel blue interior, all GTS features - glass sunroof (tilt/slide), tinted windows, Kenwood stereo with 10 stack CD changer. Air fare deducted from sale price for Interstate buyers. $32,500ono. Ph: 0419 540 538. 112

Escort 2E Cosworth Sierra, normally aspirated, dry sumped engine. SG/CR gearbox, twin plate clutch. Make fantastic Under 2L Sports Sedan. $12,000. Ph: Glenn 03 6249 5003(AH)or 018 132 509. ,1

665977. Ill

Escort Sports Sedan, mid-mounted Falcon alloy head six, single rail 4 speed, 15 x 10 Hoosiers, Hilux diff, Amaroo 58 sec. Log book. Ready to race, on reg trailer, some spares. $5,500ono. Ph: 02 4973 1605. ,12

4113. ,12

XD Falcon, XF panels, 460, C6, 4-link rear clip (not fit ted) with shortened, braced 9", Summer Bros axles, XF 'rear discs, billet alloy Dragway Draglites with Matt rubber, coil over shocks, XF dash, Fairmont velour seats. Unfinished project - make an offer. Ph: Jason 0417 544 491. 112

Urn MK-2 Cortina Sports Sedan, Toyota 1G-GE six, 4 speed, 4.4 to 1, minilites, wing, rose joint suspension, alloy cage, perspex windows, spares, MUST SELL. Will sepa rate or wreck. Getting desperate. Offers? Ph: Steve 067

Charity Bash Car - Peugeot 404 sedan, 1996. Full roll cage, harnesses, sump guard, new suspension, lights and bells and much, much morel. Everything brand new with receipts. Never competed in a Bash or Historic rally event. $4,000. Ph: Joseph 03 9460 2583 or 018 522 270. 112 HQ racing car, ex-D'Ombrain circuit car. No oil paint ing. but has excellent lop hp motor. Ready to race, spares, urgent sale. Bargain at firm $5,000. Ph: Andrew 0412 238

Sports Sedan, TE Cortina, full space frame. Complete car. less engine. Full floatingn 9" diff, big brakes, 2 sets wheels, full body moulds, spare panels $17,000 or trade for Commodore ute. Ph: 046 596 470. 12 Mazda MX5 Marque Sports. Brembo discs, Bilstein coil-over suspension, 8 x 15 Simmons, Hoosiers, Sparco seat, Willans harness, plus much more. Selling due to house renovations. Vie^ at AROC 6 Hour, Eastern Creek, 1/11/97. $17,500ono. Ph: 02 4268 4142. 112 Works Escort RSI800 BDA. 1977 English Ford facto ry. Boreham-built. Colin Bond owned, Greg Carr driven, "lYK)))". Winner 1978 ARC, 1978/9 Castrol Internationals. Full bare shell restoration. Cosworth BDG 2C-alloy block, ZF 5-speed, Fierra 5.1 locker, AP Racing brakes/clutch. Genuine piece of history with major original content. $60,000. Ph:07 5529 7146. 112

Mazda MX5 turbo, Stage 2. Fully adjustable suspen sion, upgraded brakes, hard top, full instrumentation, reg 5/98. Headrest speakers. Sprinted: 1:53 Island, 2nd Tour D’Adelaide, 19th o/right Targa Tasmania, 4th Three Peaks. Fantastio condition. $32,500ono. Ph: 0412 337 227. 111 Alfa Romeo Giulia Super 1970 Sedan. Complete, tidy, original unit, excellent machanical cond. Easy restora tion. $5,750. Ph: Dean 08 8260 3577 (BH), 08 8370 9452

HQ race car. Well presented and very competitive, in race ready condition. No expense has been spared. Brand new Shane Lowe-built HP engine. Some spares. $12,000ono. Ph: Diego 0418 525 642. m Commodore VIC Calais, 5 litre V8 auto, mechanically A1, colour coded, power options, original alloy wheels, immaculate cond, 11 mths rego. First to see will buy. UJE441. $8,500ono. Ph: 0414 372 956 or 02 4930 4529.

(AH). Ill

Ford Sierra 5 speed manual, good condition, NSW rego. $12,000ono. Ph:02 9958 0839 or 015 435 109. in Mazda RX-4 Coupe, less engine, gearbox, radiator, otherwise complete. Body, interior rough, RX7 alloy wheels, just taken off street. $600ono. Ph: 03 5248 3044 or 015 050 435. " Datsun 1000', Sports Sedan, full space frame, fully rose jointed, fully adjustable suspension, 4 wheel disc brakes, mid-mounted A14, 5 speed, wets, log book, trailer, spares package available. $18,000. Ph: Gerald 03 5977 7973 anytime, m

XA GT replica, new capricorn blue, black interior, has all GT gear, new 351, C4, 3.23 LSD, rego til 12/97, XA V84V plates included. Must sell $5,500 or best offer. Ph: 02 6545 3959. 1 1 Jaguar E Type Marque Sports Coupe, 6 cylinder, new engine, 3 x Webers, AP calipers, front suspension overhauled, 5 speed gearbox, extractors, 10" rims etc. $35,000. Ph: 02 4990 1699 or 02 4998 7345. m Subary RS turbo Liberty rally car, 1995 WA Championship winner, not rallied since. Drummond sus pension, Button clutch, STI computer, Compmotive wheels: some spares and standard parts. $18,000. Ph: 08 9651 1461. ,1. AUSCAR Sportsman. Gene Cook-built. 253. Fully rebuilt g/box, in car radio system, 4 spare wheels, tools. Ready to race. Very negotiable. Urgent sale. $13.000ono. Ph: 03 9336 2999(BH), 065 851 397(AH). IV

85/93b turbo, guards red, 51,000km. Deadlock alarm, elect leather sports seats, Aust compliance. 4" Monty s/s exhaust system. No competition use. Always garaged. Concours winner. Exciting investment. $115,000, may trade. Ph: 03 6248 7077, 0418 120 441. m NASCARs (2), Pontiac race car, complete, ready to race, $22,000. Slab side VR Commodore ride arid display car, $7,000. Jerico w/shifter, $4,000. Pit gear etc. Will sell the lot. Separate or dismantle. Ph;03 9800 3111. 111 Lotus Escort, genuine car, new 1760 motor, new brakes, new 14 inch Supalite's, registered and rwc. Much more done. $12,500. Ph: 03 9486 9262. m Commodore VL Thunderdome Sportsman. Near new motor, rebuilt M21, comes with trolley jack, tools, 4 spare wheels, radio system. Very urgent sale. $12,500 ono. Very negotiable. Ph: 03 9336 2999 (BH) or 03 6585 1397(AH) 111

Offroad USA Import. Fox, S/Bros Hubs, (Floaters), Wright, Willwood, Saginaw, CNC, Centerlines etc. Big trav el, build a winner. $15,000 or $21,000 with full Albins G50 5 speed and V6. Consider swap 1, 2, 9 car. or make an offer. Must sell. Ph: 048 836 906. 111

Inkmh h'

LJ Torana Club Car, possible Group NC. Fresh 208 motor, XU1 gearbox, race seat, roll cage, complete with spares and tandem trailer with brakes, toolbox, tyre rack. $10,000ono. Ph: Steve 02 9824 9406(AH)or 02 9752 1618 (BH). II

Bathurst Super Tourer, Vauxhall Cavalier (Veclra), 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 HQ race car, mechanically OK, needs paint job, full roll cage, sealed engine, gearbox and diff. CAMS log book, only raced 7 times, urgent sale. $2,000, Ph: Bill Cody 02 9938 4410 or 02 9969 2555. 110

continued over page

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CATEGORY; Cars;

□ Sedans □ Open Wheelers General; □ Parts □ Engines □ Trailers

□ Speedway □ Drag □ Wanted

□ Photographs □ Other

oJlfCo.

Mazda S26, 334ci Windsor, full manual C4, 3500 stall, 9" diff, Autometer, Hurst, full custom beige trim, half cage, fuel cell, Craggars, metallic green. Reg Nov 97. $17,500. Ph: 06 287 1829. no

AUSCAR Sportsman, XF Falcon, brand new car, pro fessionally built, ready to go, reluctant sale. Fully enclosed trailer to suit. $17,500 the lot or will separate. Ph: Trevor 08 8231 5706(BH)or 08 8263 2159(AH). .10

Daihatsu Charade GTt, 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 Toyota MR2 1990, 5 speed, air, 82,000kms, 3/98 Old rego, immaculate cond, $22,500. Ph: 015 755 768. 110 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

Escort Twin cam, genuine Lotus-powered car, alloy rollcage, Minilityes with AOOIs, as new Hunlmaster seats and racing harnesses. Stored for over 10 years. $8,500 Ph: 03 9580 9199 or 0411 855 704. no Mazda KX7 rally car, numerous spares including gearboxes, engines, wheels and a spare body. Car needs some tidy-up work. $9350. Ph: 03 6456 6139. 1 10

Std Saloon XW Ford No. 40. 302 auto, two fibreglass seats, two five-point harness belts, window nets both sides. New fuel tank, protection barworkjitted. Ready to race. $3,000ono. Ph: Chris 03 9726 4297(AH). 112

Mazda RX7 Club Car, 12APP, 5 speed quickshift, series VI calipers/discs, Harrop full floating rear end, 8 point steel cage, 15" alloys, 1.49s at Eastern Creek. Raced 3 times, plus dual axle trailer with lilt ramps. $19,500. Ph: 0417 337 485, no

Super Sedan, VN Commodore. Winters quickchange diff, wide five, Willward brakes. Engineering power steering, complete and ready to race, less motor $12,800. Ph: 0418 514 444 or 03 5176 2257. ni

daguar XJS, Targa Tasmania developed road regis tered racer, 5 speed Getrag, TWR wheels, suspension, body kit. Twin plate clutch, Haltech, extractors, new bear ings, injectors etc. $20,000. Ph: 02 4990 1699. no Torana A9X sedan, unrestored condition, all matching numbers, $15,000. Reg AX 901. Ph: 02 4421 5300. 10 Walkinshaw Commodore shell, ex Bathurst, one of only 40 made. Full roll cage, all fibregaiss bits, complete electrics, dashboard, some spares, comes with original log book. $7,000. No offers. Ph: 03 5996 5609. no

-1

' to.'

Sprintcar Chassis Kit, 1991 model Hi-Bar, all panels, nerf bars, engine plates, pedals, etc. Very straight. $800. Ph: 03 5248 3044 or 015 050 435. m Ford Falcon XF Modified or Production Sedan.

VCo

Superkart- Gladiator, Yamaha YZ 80 W, totally rebuilt, very competitive kart. National #1 1994 and 1995, heaps of spares, new tyres, ready to race, $4900. Ph: Brett 07 5482 2229 Bus/After Hrs. 111 Formula Ford, Van Diemen RF93, complete. Excellent condition, Dorian timer. Huge spares package - engine wheels, panels, ratios, etc. Serious callers only. Available now. $33,000. Ph: 0418 507 260 Fax: 03 5439 5177. 111 March 793 F3/AF2, interesting UK/Aust history, eligible historic 1998. Complete with Golf engine. MK9, spare wheels, ratios, corners, even sliding skirts, $39,500. Ph 08 8260 3577(BH)or 08 8370 9452(AH), i.i Formula Holden 89D Reynard, for sale or lease. Huge spare package, $48,500. Ph: Mark Potter on 0417 353 642 or 03 9764 4866, or Greg on 0414 857 241. Kart, with KT11J motor, new exhaust, only one meeting old. 3 bearing axle, good paint work, black in colour. Complete with spare set of tyres. As is $1,200. Ph: 03 5995 6004 after 6pm. m

3 ●Si

Proven car, ready to race. $4,000ono. Chevy Monza Super Sedan rolling shell, plus spare diff. $1,000. Ph: 02 6963 6367 or 02 6963 6276. 111 Cortina 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

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. no

Sports Sedan, Cortina, full space frarne, 350 Chev, top loader, full floating 9", fresh engine, gearbox. Very fast, Ford Sierra turbo RS500, ex Seton 1992 Group A, 580bhp, 6 speed Holinger etc. Totally original. $35,000 firm (spares extra). Ph: 018 162 762 (Sydney).

reliable complete car with spares, ready to race. $22,500.-^ Ph: 02 4943 5488 (BH), 0411 727 558 (AH), no Escort 1972: Lotus twin cam, 1760cc, Minilites, reg 1/97 AEH 07F $7,500ono. Ph: 02 9450 2506. no Porsche rolling body shell, 1994 C2, wide body LHD, power steering, ABS 993 brakes, std suspension, fuel tank etc. $20,000ono. Ph: Tony 018 286 002. no

Cortina TE, 250ci, newly built. Never raced, reco motor. Plenty spares, suit street stock, standard saloon. Beautifully prepared. Forced reluctant sale, $1500 ono. 03 5127 7338 or 03 5127 4309. m

Open Wheelers

Formula Ford Van Diemen RF94, 95 update, Penske shock, excellent condition. Running, $30,000. Ph: Kerry Wade 08 9401 5643 (AH), 08 9458 4586 (BH). m

NASCAR Pontiac GP, genuine US built NASCAR. Last raced Calder (undamaged). All spares, pit equipment included. Complete less engine, for sale due to family commitments. $17,500 neg. Ph: Dave Barnett 08 8388 4090 or 018 822 937. no Holden Commodore 198S sedan, white, 310 engine, Heatseeker camshaft, M21 4 speed, LSD, 600 Holley, HM extractors, CSA rims. Group 3 body lit, air conditioning, clean machine. $8,000. Ph: Bill Cody 02 9938 4410 or 02 9969 2555. no

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. no

Speedway

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 Holden Jackaroo ex Mark Manns IGM sponsored Class 7 off road vehicle. Featured in many magazine arti cles. Old Road Registered. Many spares, Kuster shocks, g/box, diffs, etc. $25,000. Ph: 07 5592 4733 (BH), 07 5574 9100 (AH), no

EH Group M. 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 HQ, suit young mechanic/panelbeater for build-up. 202,3speed gearbox x 2, 3.55 diff plus spare LSD. Spare steer ing and suspension. $500 neg. Ph: (leave message) 02 9540 1494.

Chevron B34, 1976 Formula 3, with Historic logbook. As new 2 litre Novamotor. Spare set of rims with new wets. Spares. All in excellent condition. Recent Leyburn outright winner. Reduced to $45,000. Ph: 07 3396 1624

Formula Vee NG Elfin. Brand new Elliott Bond motor Street Stocker, TE Cortina. Fresh motor, top equip ment. heaps of spares, including complete spare car. Just hop in and win. $2,500 Ph: 02 6621 6072. 112

Super Sedan EA Falcon, ASCF rego, 355 Chev, methanol carby, speedway sump, coilovers, ally radiator, tandem trailer. Competitive car, nothing to spend. $12,000ono. Ph: 07 5447 1904. 12 Super Sedan, Commodore, quick-change diff, coil overs, ready to race less engine. POA. Ph: 03 5996 2263 or 0419 388 192. 112 Fender Benders NSW 1 VC Valiant, nii miles since engine rebuild only six meetings old. Also Mowra 05. Both complete ready to race, must be sold, these oars are win ners. Offers? Ph: 0418 970 646 or 02 9525 3430 . II

(zero miles), hi flow manifold, Bilsteins all round, Aeroquip lines, new panels and paint. All top equipment, proven record (94 NSW Champion) very quick in novice's hands. Lots of spares, immac cond. $10,500ono. Ph: 03 9598 7558 (AH). 112

Chevron B42 F2, chassis no. 1, factory team car. Immaculate and completely original. FT200 gearbox with spare ratios, fitted Australian F2 motor, can run BDA or BDG in Historic. Will trade road car American, European or Clubman. Ph: 03 9560 0801 or 018 105 348. 112 Westfield SEl wide kit, part assembled. Latest model, very little needed to complete. Fully independent suspen sion, 4 wheel disc brakes. $14,000. Ph: 07 5532 7630. 112

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), m

Gordon Clubman (Sports 1300), front running oar, top hp Datsun motor, straight cut 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).

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 Seca 3 Sports 1300/Historic, 2 1300oc race engines and 1 1600CC, Alfa C/R gearbox, 4 whel discs, mounted wets, competitive, reliable, total restoration 1996. Semi enclosed trailer, $12,000 ono. May Separate. Ph: 07 5543 1061 111

lOOdolKf 1997 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). 110 Formula Holdens, for sale or lease (at attractive rates). Reynard 92D complete, Reynard 91D complete, Reynard 90D complete or rolling. Hooking 911, aluminium, rolling. Ph: Chris Hocking 03 9796 2066(BH). no 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. no

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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. Complefe ready to race with spares available. Priced to sell at $75,000ono. Call Bruce Williams. Ph: 03 5335 8788 or 0418 349 555. no

Draa Racin< TTporT'^n?aIumlraurmieaTPerlectunST4?5nT7T"ro blower manifold and extractors, suit 202, spare belts and pulleys. $1,500. Ph: 035422 1942. no

Drag boat. Delmarco hydroplane, complete less engine, with extras. On stainless steel dual axle trailer. $8,000 neg. Ph: Ian 02 9631 9775. 110

Parts AP four-spot calipers (ex Nissan 61H racing calipers), one pair in excellent condition. Also brand new brake pads to suit. Selling $800. Ph: George 03 9478 0121 (AH). 1.2 Super T-IOs, 3 new, 2 recos, 2 s/hand, from $1,300. Ph: 018 597 063 (VIC). 112 Frankland 4.86 quickchange 54 3/4" w $2,200. Yella Terra 186 head $300; 186-202 roller rockers $240; knife edged Commodore crank .010" $350; 202 dry sump sys tem $1,000; 202 stud girdle and cover $150. Ph; 03 5422 1942. 1,2

SAAS racing seats, black velour, excellent condition hardly used. $700ono. Ph; 02 6361 9469. ue Toyota Corolla 3k block, 60 thou bore, decked, new welch plugs. Many other spares. $100ono. Ph: Ian 02 9897 1617. 1,2

Pedals: clutch, brake and accelerator, one piece floor mount. $120. Ph: 018 597 063. 112 Escort Twin Cam, genuine Ford brand: new front guards, one pair $1,000. Escort 13 x 5.5 Rebel wheels centres, painted gold, near new Yokohama A008 tyres $750. Ph:- 03 9499 3088 (BH) or 018 367 004. 12 Triple plate AP clutch, coarse spline, brand new still in box $1,350. Ph: 018 597 063. 112 Terratrip, new model 303 Plus. Used on one rally only, in box with instructions. New $850, sell for $550. Ph: Nick Brittan 02 99798882. n.

Rally tyres, set of 4 Dunlop SP83R 185x165 R14 radials as new condition. $500. Ph:0354 762 686. 111 Brake calipers - twin front caliper from Datsun 240K, suit rally cars + brake upgrades. Only $90. Ph:0412 337 227. m Mazda MX5 standard parts, including exhaust, f&r shocks and springs, front brake rotors and calipers, radiator, clutch. Ph:0412 337 227. n, Commodore VN V8 TS 5-speed gearbox and all parts to convert auto to manual, from flywheel to diff. $1,400. Ph: Ross 02 4956 6339 or 019 450 874. 111 Boss 302 Webber manifold $1,000 (firm). 289/302 Windsor Webber manifold $800ono. T/bird 4 spot Kealsey Hayes front calipers, one set new, $250 each, plus used pair $400. Ph: 02 9652 2818. 111 Carillos, heavy duty Buick V6, 6.5" length. Jaguar D-Type cylinder head, originated from Ian Cummins D Type featured front page August "Unique Cars". 351C crankshaft, balanced, micro polished. Ph:02 4324 3526(AH), m Nissan GTR (Godzilla) performance parts. 3" stainless exhaust, front to back $1,000. 260kmh speedo (Australian delivery)$1,000. Ph: 0412 337 227. in 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. no Diff breather tanks $90, tire tapes $9, alum seat large $150, MSDTMSD 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. no Body kit, BMW E30 2 door, M3 lookalike front and rear bumpers, side skirts, 4 guards. Easily fitted, suit road or race car. Make an offer. Ph: Greg 024285 9155 or 0411 785915. no Holden 2 speed modified auto transmission, tap dri ven, all fittings including oil cooler. Ideal for Speedway. $750. Ph:Les 035726 9298. 110

Engines Pord Windsor, ilat tops, Hottenhauser rSiIIoI3!T55 Holley, freshened. Also complete Hadfield conversion for XM XT. May separate $1500. Ph: 018 597 063 Vic. no Holden 202 T04 turbo, studded block, 12 port Mankin head and cam, stainless manifolds and exhaust, 650 Holley, gauges, sump, crank $2,000 Ph: 018 597 063. 112 Ford 351C, 4MAB crank with top loader and box mounted shifter. Has run 13s in XY Falcon. Needs freshen. $2,000. Ph: Jason 0417544 491. it2 Subaru engine, new 2.5 1998 specs, wire harness and lot more. Ph: 07 3841 4922. 112 202 Holden, fully rebuilt, balanced, blueprinted. Fully worked head, roller rockers. Hi Energy sump, McGee injec tion. Will sell with or without . POA. Ph: 03 5996 2263 or 0419 388 192. ,12 Chev 366 Methanol, Bowtie block. 17 degree Dart alumini um heads, matching manifold. Grower crank, JE pistons, T&D roller rockers, dry sump, 650hp, strong motor. $16,800. Ph: 03 5176 2257 or 018 514 444. ni Porsche 914, Type 4, 2.0 litre. Recent rebuild, IDA Webers, Mahle pistons, complete with 5 speed gearbox, exhaust sys tem, engine sheet metal for 914. $3,000, will separate. Ph: 08 8349 6104 or 08 8339 2942 (AH). 1.. Chev 366 engine, complete. Dash 10 Brodix heads. Magneto, Triple Plate Clutch, Super Staher, Crane Overhead gear. Roller Cam and lifters, Draime Carb, Lunati crank, LA Cryptonite Rods, excellent condition. $12,500 ono. Ph: 0418 130 459 or 03 6844 9111. HI 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 Darlon, 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 323442. .09 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). 110

Trailers/Transporters

Romac all sleel high performance balancer to suit 289/302 Windsor. Neutral balance, timed for driver-side

SAAS racing seat and 4-point harness. S200. Ph: Ian 02 9897 1617. uz Wheels magazine collection,spanning 26 years. Oct 1970 - Dec 1996, all in excellent cond. $200ono. Ph: Peter 03 5338 1519. lu Number plates: GODZLA - Vic plates, currently held at Vic Roads, white on black. $3,000ono. Ph:0412 337 227. II Sparco Formula One driving suit, best-known owner Nicola Larini (Ferrari test driver). Last used Adelaide GP. $1,000ono. Ph: Alan 02 9979 8616. ni Isuzu SBR 6 cyl, 5-speed, diesel. 5.5m pan, 3001 fuel tank, 1400km range, 5m aluminium ramps, 60001b warn winch, new tyres and trim. Suit up to large sedan. Very reli able, clean and tidy. $12,000. Ph: Mark o8 8326 5775. 112 ACCO twin-cab, good cond, set up for race car carry ing $12,500. Trailer also available. Ph: 018 507 064. 112

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.

Historic photos, seventies and eighties. Brock, Johnson, Richards, Senna, Prost etc. B&W and colour. Majority unpub lished. Tourers, F5000, FI, sports. Also 2-litre, V8s, 500cc. Fax for details, 02 9960 6552. in International 1630N turbo, set up for Sprintcar/NASCAR, 12/240v lighting, internal/external ramps, electric winch, tyre racks, bench, external toolbox es, air-conditioned. Very low kms. $36,000ono. Ph: Ron Cameron 046 288 322. na

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Driver, A+B Licence, highly experienced advanced, acci dent-free record cars, 4X4s, trucks. Family man, needs full time employment. Mechanical knowledge. Ideal private chauffeur. Drive anything, anywhere, anytime. Immediate start. Ph: 08 9343 2507, fax 08 9247 3952. i.o 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), no Drives available, Formula Ford, Formula Holden, plus OLD and NSW Stale Championships. Join winning team for 1998. Ph: Greg 07 5446 7611 or 0418 797 038. in

Wanteci Nissan U-D Turbo transporter, 6 speed, prof, built pan, large belly lockers. I/range tanks, long reg, comfortable, clean, reliable, impressive, selling well below oost to finance Super Tourer, $18,500 ono. Ph: 03 5248 3044 or 015 050 435. Trailer, tandem alloy wheels, torsion suspension, electric brakes, uridertray ramps, winch, wheel rack, spare attached, silver grey, excellent condition, $4,500. Ph: Graham 03 9429 5696 or 03 9824 7777. ...

Race car trailer, 42 ft fully enclosed fibreglass sided semi trailer. Carries 2 full size cars. Extras include hydraulic tailgate lifter, brand new air ride bogie suspen sion, brand new axles, hubs, brakes etc. Undercarriage storage compartments, side access door, rear roller door. $47,500. Ph: Geoff Develin 0418 628 090 Canberra. ... 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. no Isuzu 1984 28ft Pantec, winch, ramps, bench, tool lockers, tyre racks, storage lookers, water tanks, C6 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 □rakes, ramps, winch. Ph: 02 9623 7777. 110

timimg pointer. Brand new, never used. $270. Ph: 076 271 497. m

Formula One kits - iamiya 1/20 Wolf Wf^l, lirabham BT46. Other early ones. Protar FI Sports Car videos from 60s - 70s. Ph: Andrew 049 484 472. 112 Heuer dash-mounted rally stop watches. 8 day clocks. Haldas, speed pilots. Ph: Glenn Coad 03 9533 0100 or 0418 389 549. 112 1960 Beli Star helmet carry bags, double and sin gle, any condition. Ph: Glenn Coad 03 9533 0100 or 0418 389 549. ..2 Salisbury 10 bolt 3.9 crown wheel & pinion. Ph: 018 597 063. 12 Experienced male or female co-driver for 1998 NSW Clubman rally series. Driver and car (Datsun 1600), well sorted after winning 1996 SA Pedders series. Ph: Peter Sayers (Nowra) 02 4447 8697. 112 F5000 parts required - wheels, suspension, engine, transmission parts, body panels and glass moulds required. Ph: 03 5762 1266. 1.2 Clubman 1300, comoplete car or roller. Ph: John 02 6734 2259. ... Getrag 5-speed gearbox to suit 600hp V8 for Sports Sedan. Ph: Ross 02 4956 6339 or 019 450 874 (Leave message). ... One video tape of 1997 Tickford 500, just for a week. Please, Please! Ph: Eric 0417 118 955 or 03 9568 7469 (AH). .11 Position wanted. 31 year old male with class 5B licence, thirteen years interstate experience, looking for work as transporter driver or general hand. Ph: 0412 402 982. n. Historic Formula Ford wanted, prefer in good condi tion. Ph: 03 9459 8274 or 0419 356 819. 10 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). no HG Thunderdome fuel cell.. Ph: Andre 08 8723 1020 or 0418 838 491. no Valiant 16:1 steering box and steering shaft. Must be in good condition and reasonably priced. Ph: 03 5476 2686. n.

2000 twin cam Alfa engine and five-speed gearbox , with all accessories. Ph: 07 3294 6888

Bedford truck 32ft pantech, racing car transporter. Recond 308, new gearbox, dual fuel, new brakes. Clean unit. Save on motel bills. Must sell, $5,000otio. Ph: 02 6621 6072. 1.2

Wheels, 4 off composite alloys. Simmons rims, Mawer cen tres. 15" dia 10" wide. Suit Torana or Holden, with chrome nuts and screw-in valves. $780ono. Ph: 03 9801 8504. 111

Enclosed race trailer, ideal for speedway Mini Sprints, F500. 240v lighting, 12 wheel rack, great race trailer. Must sell. $2,500. Ph: 014 453 615 (AH), 03 9704 9754 (BH). .,2 FIDO, 82 model, ex Ambulance, auto, dual fuel, tow hitch, long reg and RWC. $10,500^ Ph: 03 5996 2263 or 0419 388 192. ..2

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

Other binkum Classic models, 1/43 scale: LC loranas Brock & Bond 1971 Sandown. LJ Torana XU1 HDT 1 Bathurst, L34 Toranas HDT 1 & 2 1974 Bathurst, L34 Torana HDT 1 1976 Bathurst, A9X Torana Brock 1977 Bathurst, VK Commodore Grice 1986 Bathurst, VL Commodore HSV 1988 Bathurst. Price neg. Ph: 02 4822 2938 after 7pm. 112

You’ve just looked at over SI .6 million dollars ' worth of cars and parts for sale in Motorsport : News Free Classifieds. '

$1.6111 Let's face it, there’s no better way to seli your motor sport equipment than in Motorsport News - it’s free and it works!

Tell 'em you saw it in Motorsport News jt'

^^®0®[F3[p®[7D Ai’e we so insecure that we need

Bathurst, Bathurst Dear Sir, I watched it last Sunday (Bathurst that is) and have a few comments.

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all closely this year, they (TOGA) did well to get the field there that they did. Overall, not a bad race. Assuming the finances work out, it obviously has a future. Channel 7? Good pictures, but the commentary team has to go. How about some people who actually KNOW what is going on...

Dear Sir, Last weekend’s Bathurst 1000

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: ftO So.x 10 i 0 iMonh Caulfield 116!) 03 9527 7744 f.t> 03 9527 7766

The field was smaller and there were less people there than there will be on October 19, but in the

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end it was a good motor race. When was the last time there were four cars that close with so

has thrown down the challenge to

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Contributors : General. Mike KaPS?, Jon Thomson.

; Bfian Read, Darryl Fl.^ck i F! Joe Saward.,Adam Cooper Europe- -Ooenun Spur,mg, la.n Barnsej'. . : Qv.yn iJoIpntn US Sruce Smith. Fhii Momt NZ John Hawkins Speedway Dennis Mew'iyn, David iMc.Nabb, vVade Aunger. Geoff Roo.nds, f'/trk .W.-ale, David Lamoni, . Chris Metcalf, 5ue Hobson, .V'.'Ciafl.-Av-.vell, TonviViiilard (UK) Rally. Perer wTnrien Drag Racing Ge.'^ald McDorn.an, Gied U'arcf Jon Asher (USA), C-jv-e Ostasze'.vski (USA), Mick Nicf.oiak Sifven White, Ken Scerr Jug Super Speedway .VUn'in Gar;.; (U.SA), Brcrr Swanson Karts Ian Saivestrin. AHan'Roafk, C:..;ane & Edv/ard Krause

JfOTOttroiT news a.:. v< '‘'.r;\'o060 ;ry vya

Dear Sir, I am trying to obtain an address for Greg Moore and the Forsythe/Players CART team. I hope that someone may be able to assist. I am a keen follower of Moore and would be most grateful if you could assist. John Guy Mittagong NSW ASST ED : We’re Moore fans too. Write to Player’s Forsythe Racing, 9350 Castlegate Drive Indianapolis IN 46256.

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SoieCtive Viewing

over the year, but was disappointed with their endurance race coverage. I hope channel 10 can improve their ways for Bathurst. I would also like to comment on

Dear Sir, Had I known that the Bathurst

all the people who are arguing over which Bathm-st will be best. I real

1000 telecast of the 15 lap sprint started at 4.10pm, I would have stayed at North Sydney oval to watch the NSW Blues whip the South Australian Redbacks.

ly don’t care. I’ll be watching both (providing Channel 10 improves their coverage of the Primus 1000). I hope you become a weekly pub lication soon and I also hope you put your Peter Brock specials into a booklet, because it has heen great reading.

However, we won’t be at the cricket on the 19th! Skaifey, congratulations and good luck on your appointment as co-driver to Peter Brock. We know you’U do a greatjob!

Once again Australia has proven to the world we can, have and will

Ben Shephard via E-mail

letes and venues, The professionalism displayed by the motor racing industry over the recent weekend of hoth motor car motorcycle racing was admirable. Anything that receives criticism. I’m sure, will he assessed hy the relevant people and the correct action will he taken. To the rest of the world watching on television, not only did we stage professional events, more importantly we once again encouraged and stimulated their thought about this wonderful place, Australia. Congratulations and thanks to all involved. Stephen Lee Malmsbury, VIC

Right on, Mick Dear Sir, I’d like to agree with Mick Doohan about the disgraceful way the newspaper and TV media treat ed him last week.

SERIOUS STUFF... tliumbs up for Bathurst big event. (Marshall Cass) Thanks Motorspo rt h aven’t missed an issue ...

News

1 There’s only one Great Race. Stratton & Michael Pow ell-Hughes Randwick, NSW Not ten OUt Of ten Dear Sir, I am a regular reader of your publication and am writing to discuss Channel lO’s poor coverage of the Tickford 500. I watched the program up until just after the first round of pit stops. I turned the TV off after that. The reason: Channel lO’s com-

Dear Sir,

* mentators had no idea of the placCould you please,.give me contact ings of most drivers. details for the Michael Schumacher That is pathetic. fan club? Are we supposed to just watch Mary Douglas Ryde, NSW ASST ED: The official Michael Schumacher Fan Club is now in Australia. Phone on 08 9458

continue to provide world class ath7875, or fax 08 9358 3553 for

Andrew Galsworthy North Melbourne, VIC ASST ED: Actually, Andrew, both Super Tourer and V8 Bathurst races are, to some degree, in the hands of the Safety Car. All it needs is an incident late in the race to close

... and Michael

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few laps to go?

We want Moore

Dear Sir,

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it up. It was a good race, though.

Photographers lA.T, Oiik Klynsrnith. Todio f'-'OiogrjQh'r s. Neil Hammond, (Nigel & Diana Snc.vdon, -■rag ;y Glynn. i. ■idtT-hcs. .Maribri!l Cass, Ha'Cina. Br; : le Moto rsport, F'arA MKlglC)'. John Bosher. ' V'Juam: like PfOick (UK.)

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Who’s the best?

get a bit boring then, but what a finish! As someone who has followed it

Michael Arrowsmith via E-mail

O^rectar C-’.:. Lambden

Shayne Hunter and Paul Tidswell via E-mail

Thank goodness the bikes were on in the middle of the day. It did

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constant approval?

the drivers go around without knowing what position they were in (Murphy/Lowndes being the exception)? I was impressed by Channel lO’s coverage of the Shell sprint races

More tens Dear Sir, I’m just writing a note to you to ask'why would we want Channel 10 to cover the Grands Prix in future? Look at what they have done to Indy Car coverage this year, only showing two hours of highlights on Monday nights. Even worse, if you happen to be watching Sports Tonight before the race, you get to see the winner (that’s good). How could anyone say the Channel Nine commentators are not good enough? Who is Alan Jones? Didn’t he win a Championship somewhere? I guess 10 could give us John Smailes. So I would say Nine should show a bit more of the qualifying, which is what the agreement calls for, but otherwise they do an excellent job. The other point is, why do we constantly ask visiting foreign drivers how good our tracks are?

As he himself pleaded on TV at the Island: “This isn’t a soap opera - how about highlighting the rac●9” mg.' Right on, Mick. You’re a four time world champion and we’re right behind you. Tell the sensation-seeking news papers, in particular, to get stuffed! Alan J. Sanderson Woolhara, NSW

Give us a break Dear Sir, Well, I’ve seen the first of the Bathurst telecasts and my only criticism relates to the commentary team’s lack of expertise. How much longer does the view ing public have to be subjected to hour after hour of mind-numbing piffle before someone out there in television land actually wakes up to the fact that commentators are there to inform, not just waffle on and contemplate their hefty pay packets and over-massaged egos. Surely it must be possible to find three or four enthusiasts who are articulate enough to do the joK.^ properly. The curent pretenders are nothing but a waste of time. Give them the arse! Hill L ake Mundi, VIC

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ADVERTISING WORKS. i IT'S THAT SIMPLE! Cali Gerald McOornan on

03 9527 7744

B . 0 ^sesT qftaMDPRixDRweRiMTueh VJOOlO , He's eeATEN AU- RIR AND £Q0/«!,e,H£WiLi.6e'S(W«s«rt*J oF-rwe. veAR', AND HfiSHootn ee.^

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