Motorsport News Issue 121 - 27 February-10 March 1998

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Willowbank scores Shell Series contract Competition for rounds heats up as new track gets three-year deal

By CHRIS LAMBDEN V8 Group AVESCO has signed a three-year contract with Motorsport Queensland to stage Shell ATCC rounds at the cluh’s new Willowbank race track even before the first sod is turned.

Queensland Minister for Sport Mick Vievers announced the deal at last Friday’s Queensland CAMS dinner.

The State Government has com mitted $1.5 million to the Willowbank project.

The AVESCO contract is a tremendous boost for the new cir cuit, but with the number of SATCQrounds set at 10, it increases compe tition among circuits to host a Shell round.

It particularly raises the question of what happens to the existing Queensland round at Lakeside, which has been under pressure to up-gi'ade its facilities for some years.

TEGA CEO Garry Craft this week confirmed that, for the next two years at least, there was no prospect of the Shell series exceeding 10 rounds.

“AIl our existing contracts - -with sponsors, TV etc - are set at 10 rounds.

“Any change would necessarily involve all of them and so it isn’t as simple as just wanting extra rounds.

“They also have to be funded ...”

Willowbank’s signing brings to fi ve the number of circuits with multi-year AVESCO contracts - the

others being Sandown, Calder and Phillip Island (all Victoria) and Darwin.

Competition is now on for the remaining five spots for 1999, between seven circuits (Lakeside, Eastern Creek, Oran Park, Winton, Mallala, Wanneroo and Symmons Plains).

And, according to Craft, the desir-

ability of staging a round in each State is “just one of several criteria that we will be using to come up with the top ten circuits”.

“Our main criteria is to satisfy our fan base and present the champi onship at ten quality venues.

“If one of the circuits that falls short is in a single circuit State, then that State will miss out on a round.”

Confirmation of an AVESCO con tract comes as a substantial boost to Motorsport Queensland, whose President Dennis Brown this week called on race fans to get behind the ■venture: “Queensland Raceway will be a fully-fledged participant in the national motorsport calendar from next year and membership of the club will be a worthwhile invest ment, providing exclusive privileges for motorsport enthusiasts,” he said.

The Australian Sports Foundation has confirmed that donations and pledges to MQ are tax deductible.

Construction is to begin shortly at the 54-hectare site, adjacent to the existing Willowbank motorsport facilities.

Controversy looms over tyres

Some think they have been experimenting with wear rates against speed.

On the other hand, some have suggested that the Goodyear teams may be about to be surprised by the consistency of the Bridgestones - just as their rivals have in Australian touring cars and US Indycars.

By DAVID HASSALL and JOE SAWARD

TEAMS and officials alike will be watching the new Formula 1 grooved tyres closely at Albert Park next week, where rubber could play the vital role in deter mining the Grand Prix.

Despite the introduction of the grooved tyres this year, there are still no rules about minimum tread depths on used tyres - only a 2.5mm minimum when new.

Both Goodyear and Bridgestone have told the FIA that tyre deterioration will be such that it does not matter if the tyres are reduced to “slicks” by the end of the race.

Nevertheless, the FIA is keeping its options open and has advised that it reserves the right to introduce a min imum tread depth at any time during the year.

The original intention was for treads to be measured whenever tyres came off a car and insufficient tread remaining would lead to exclusion, but now this will only apply if the FLA scruti neers feel a team is trying to gain an advantage.

According to the British Motoring News, some of the FI teams are concerned that the issue of tyre legality

i GROOVY... But how low can they go before the FIA clamps down on tread depth? may dominate the early races.

Sources at the Barcelona FI tests reported that many drivers’ best times were being set as the grooves wore off their tyres over long distances, effectively leaving them as slicks.

“After a certain number of laps, you can see tyres from both manufacturers going quicker as the grooves dis appear,” said one team tech nical director.

“It’s an area of major con cern between the teams and the FIA and we don’t seem to be getting any satisfacto ry indications of how it’s going to be policed.”

One FI insider told 1

Motorsport News that the tyre manufacturers were convinced that their tyres in “slick” mode would not gen erate the expected improve ment in performance.

It 'is not known what might apply in qualifying, where teams could presum ably use worn tyres which had cooled down and would hold up for a couple of fast laps.

“Shaving” the tyres down before qualifying would be quite obvious to the scruti neers.

“The FIA has gone out of its way not to be driven into a comer,” said Patrick Head this week.

“A lot of people have sent

faxes asking for clarifi ca tion, but the FIA has been very careful not to make any statement.

“What they are saying is that if anyone is deliberately trying to transform the tyre from grooved to slick they will apply the rule.

“They will not necessarilly exclude a car if it happens only once.

“It is a very subjective judgement which can apply or not after a race.”

There has also been con siderable suspicion about Williams and Ferrari - both Goodyear teams - conduct ing their recent testing in total privacy, away from the Barcelona tests.

MEANWHILE, another performance factor to watch at Albert Park is brakes.

These have been a prob lem for many of the teams in the past - remember Frentzen’s retirement last year - and this year’s new rules will reduce perfor mance even more.

The FI cars are now allowed only one caliper per wheel (not two) with six pis tons per caliper (not eight) and only two pads (not four) per wheel.

Twin-discs are out, the calipers must be made of aluminium and there can be no liquid cooling.

There have been no com plaints in testing at Barcelona about brakes, but the weather in Spain will have been considerably cool er than in Melbourne.

After two hours around Albert Park, those brakes could be getting very hot indeed.

3

■ After a further couple of days testing with the Pac West Indy Lights team,Paul Morris has been back in Australia for a brief break. He heads back to the US on Friday to prepare for the opening round of the series on March 15 at Homestead.

■ Rodney Forbes is set to make his V8 Supercar debut in Glenn Seton’s second Falcon at next week’s AGP meeting, fol lowing two days oftesting this week at Phillip Island.

■ Following a query from another manufactm-er at Sandown over lateral protection structures in the new Spectrum, the Formula Ford Association requested a CAMS Eligibility Committee review of the rele vant regulations. It clarified the position of the “datum point” from which relevant measui'ements are made, which in turn has removed doubt over the Spectrum’s eligibility.

■ Congratulations to TEGA CEO Gany Craft, who mamed Leanne Sayers last week.

■ Former head of Ford Motorsport Australia and subse quently Ford Motorsport Europe, Peter Gillitzer, is back in Melbourne and keen to find a niche in motor sport. Gillitzer presided over Ford’s homologa tion ofthe first current genera tion of Falcon V8 and, during his European stint, the introduction of the Ford 'V’lO FI engine.

■ Kiwi Simon Wills, who has a Class 2 British F3 title to his name, will join the Fomula Holden Championship series at Phillip Island in a 92D Reynard prepared by Kevin Murphy.

■ SA Foi-mula Holden front runner Darren Edwards is among a number of drivers returning to the series at the AGP,with the Mallala Motorsport/Panes International 92D Reynai'd.

■ Also making a GP appeai-ance is Melbourne Herald-Sun motoring editor Paul Gover.

Gover will pilot a third Audi in the Super Touring races, pre pared by Brad Jones’team, but under separate sponsorship.

■ Baskerville will celebrate 40 years of racing at the little Tasmanian circuit on April 19.

The event was originally sched uled to take place last %veekend.

■ Entries closed for the 1998 Le Man 24 Hour race last Sunday and, with BMW, Chrysler, Ferrari, MercedesBenz(probably), Nissan, Porsche and Toyota among the big play ers, the June 6/7 race is shaping up as a classic confrontation between major manufacturers.

Mercedes is expected to field a specially-built, even more exotic version of the CLK-GTR. ■ Panoz Motorsport has hint ed that a revolutionary, electrically-power GT racecar is being built to run alongside its hvo conventional Ford-powered Ford pushrod V8-powered GTl entries in this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours race.

■ The promoters of the Kyalami circuit are keen to beat out Bathurst as host of the FLA. Touring Car World Cup. The Johannesburg track,former home to the South African GP, has recently undergone major revisions in a bid to return to the GP calendar. Manufacturers are keen to revive the single-race format for 1998.

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27febmiy W98

Scotland's answer to Ferrari

By JOE SAWARD ARROWS joins Ferrari as the only teams to build their own engines after confirming the expected split with Yamaha at a launch of the Arrows A19 last week.

The “Arrows VIO” has been under development at Brian Hart’s since early last year, but team owner Tom Walkinshaw was keen to stress that it is the team’s engine, not Brian Hart’s (see separate story).

The team’s technical direc tor John Barnard says that he is delighted to have an engine being built in-house as this means that integrat ing the entire design package is a much easier task.

“The cost of a so-called cus tomer engine is so now high - and you have no say on how you want its various fea tures developed - that the concept of designing your own engine is a much more attractive proposition,” said Barnard.

“It also allows continuity of the project.

“It has been a long time since I have done a car with a completely new engine, a completely new gearbox, a completely new chassis and completely new regulations to build it to.”

The result is a car which has some dramatic ideas built into it.

Barnard and his design team have placed the hydraulics and cooling sys tems low down beside the engine with the engine and gearbox oil tanks being slot ted in between the engine and the fuel tank.

This means the engine cover has been lowered, which means that the airflow to the rear wing has been improved.

The A19 features a carbonfibre gearbox casing to keep weight to a minimum and improve the stiffness of the unit.

Barnard and his engineers did the same at Ferrari and learned a great deal from the problems encountered with that unit.

The delays in finishing the car were largely due to the fact that Barnard had to reorganise the way in which Arrows was working.

The team also announced its full sponsorship package for 1998 with a new black colour scheme.

Officially the team will now be called Danka Zepter Arrows, with Zepter having increased its commitment to become the team’s co-title

/ sponsor.

Parmalat remains a big backer while further finance comes from Eagle Star, Quest International, Parmacotto and DiverseyLever.

While the' team may have the right budget to run the

By ADAM COOPER TOM Walkinshaw has revealed that a major manufacturer - likely to be Nissan or Volvo - was

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MOVIE star Sylvester Stallone, who has bought the rights to make a film about Formula 1 racing, is understood to have begun work on a script in which the central character will be based on Ayrton Senna.

Stallone says that he will not act in the movie himself, but there is no word as to who will take the leading role.

Stallone is expected to be in Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix with shooting for the film expected to begin later this year.

Stallone is expected to work with Universal Studios, which is sponsoring the Williams team this season.

-JOE SAWARD

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VIO POWER TO SUCCEED?... Tom Walkinshaw with his new V10 engine. (Photos by latDigital) team, there is no douht that the engine programme is going to need serious invest ment from the TWR Group.

The team also confirmed that Emmanuel Collard will be the team’s official test and reserve driver while South African driver Stephen Watson was also nominated as a test driver for Arrows and for the other TWR racing programs, which include the Volvo British Touting Car Championship challenge and the Nissan Le Mans project.

THE HOUSE THAT TOM BUILT... The front entrance of the impressive new TWR head quarters at Leafield, with a Nissan Le Mans car and Volvo BTCC contender out front.

Stallone to base F1 film on Senna

Nissan behind new VIO?

Yamaha ends a sorry saga

THE announcement that Arrows is to use its own engines brings to a close the disastrous history of Yamaha in Formula 1.

The company entered Grand Prix racing in 1989 with Zakspeed but that debut season was so bad that the company withdrew in 1990.

The engine program was completely reorganised and a new VI2 was designed for Brabham in 1991, which resulted in Mark Blundell scoring Yamaha’s first FI point at the Belgian GP that year.

Brabham’s financial prob lems were so bad that Yamaha had to switch to Jordan in 1992 by which time it was becoming clear that the VIO engine was better than the VI2.

For 1993 Yamaha began a five-year relationship with John Judd’s Engine Developments for Yamaha to badge the Judd VIO. Tyrrell used Yamaha

engines for four years, but the only podium finish was achieved by Blundell, in Spain in 1993.

Arrows took over the engine last year, but it shone only once, when Damon Hill finished second at the H ungarian GP. In its eight seasons of Grand Prix racing, Yamaha scored around 30 points. In the same period Renault col lected over 900.

The lack of success was mystifying because of Yamaha’s tradition of making progress through competition and its incredible success in motorcycle racing.

The announcement also means that John Judd no longer has any involvement in Grand Prix racing, for the first time in 10 years.

Engine Developments, which Judd co-owns with Sir Jack Brabham, entered FI in 1988 with a V8 engine and has been involved ever since.

maroo posts $1.7m loss

By JON THOMSON

ri’ is a case of“steady as she goes” at the troubled ARDC, according to president Damon Beck as the club prepares to offload the Amaroo Park facility to re-stock its fiunances. ' Beck said there are a number of offers on the table at the moment, ranging from pure developers to organisations which will retain the facility as a driver training centre and perhaps even as a club motor racing facility. ^ The ARDC expects a minimum of $2.7 million for the 72 hectares remaining at Amaroo with another $1.3 million to come from six blocks of two hectares each currently being sold by the club on the northern edge of the holding.

Five of the six lots have already been sold, said Beck.

The sale of Amaroo was initially rejected by club members in November because it was believed to be a profit-making venture and should not be sacrificed to prop up the loss-making Eastern Creek.

However, investigaj;ions have revealed that the Amaroo Park facili ty has accrued losses of almost $1.7 million over the last five years.

The club’s accounting was such that this was never revealed as a separate business operation, being lumped together with the profit-mak ing Bathurst operations.

The Club last week appointed for mer board member Chris Hones as the new general manager after he had earlier been assigned the task of interim director of operations.

Hones is being assisted in the financial restructuring by business man and former racer Glenn Molloy, who Beck describes as a “good friend

of the club” and the person who has helped rebuild bridges with Tony Cochrane and the SEL management company.

On rumours that Molloy may be one of those interested in purchasing the Amaroo facility. Beck said that “is something I cannot confirm”.

Opening up contacts with SEL has also given Beck hope that the club may still host a round of the SATCC this year.

“I am not confident, but I am hope ful. Bridges have been repaired and the vibes are good.

“Let’s face it, having only one round in the biggest market in the country does not make sense, so we’ll just have to wait and see,” he said.

Despite the rebuilding, the club is apparently not enjoying support from its members, many of whom have failed to renew their memberships for this year.

providing R&D help and could yet take over the Arrows VIO engine pro ject.

Walkinshaw denied that the loss of Yamaha sup port was simply a case of the Japanese company not wanting to badge the Hart-derived engine.

“No,” he said firmly. “It was a big picture involv ing lots of things and at the end of the day we didn’t reach agreement with them.

“We couldn’t find a com mon way to go forward to satisfy all the objectives we were setting ourselves.

The Yamaha relationship was satisfactory for us last year.

“Going forward, we were demanding more from a partner. I think that they couldn’t do it and that was it.

“We were in contact with Brian Hart when we first, became involved with Arrows, then at the end of last year Brian came to join us; he became a sub sidiary of Arrows in the second half oflast year.

“He’s been in charge of the technical direction of the engine with a whole load of other people brought in to make it a reasonably sized team.

“It’s not a question of the team badging his engine; the engine is the team’s.

“The team wanted to have its own engine and recruited everyone to come and join, including Brian.

“We’ve got another auto motive manufacturer helping us fund the R&B on it and they have the possibility of taking over the project if they decide they want to come into FI. “At the moment they’re interested in the technolo gy,so it obviously helps.”

Walkinshaw refused to elaborate on who the part ner might be.

‘T think you’d be wrong to start eliminating any body, because if you do you’ll eventually guess who it is!

“Fm not going to com ment on who we’ve got helping, but we have got a mqjor player behind us.”

Representatives of Nissan and Volvo - TWR’s partners in sportscai’ and touring car racing - were both present at the launch, but Nissan is the Hkely candidate.

Kunihiko NISMO’s Kawimoto, at TWR’s Leafield base for meetings on the sportscar project, said: “At the moment we are concentrating on Le Mans and after that we’U see.

2mmryW98

Longhurst sticks with Yokohama

Pitstops for Super Tourers The second format involves two 60km races, but with the THERE could be as many second featuring a reverse as three different race grid for the top ten based on formats in the BOC Gases combined qualifying times.

“There are circuits where Australian Super Touring the pitlanes are not ideal for Championship this sea son. stops,” said O’Reilly. “At Series organiser TOCA those tracks we may see two Australia has approved the 60km races, with the top 10 varying formats, Chief qualifying spots inverted.”

While O’Reilly did no't Executive Kelvin O’Reilly stating that he expected “at name the tracks involved, least two” of the formats to be competitors have raised questions about having to seen during the year.

‘We will start with pitstops perform pitstops at Lakeside at our first race at Calder,” he and Amaroo Park. said, “and we will also have It is also possible that last them at Oran Park. year’s format - two 60km “Even though some people races with separate qualify are concerned about the pit ing sessions determining grid entry, the pitlane itself is long positions - will be used.

There are also other and there is plenty ofroom.”

In those races, all cars will changes for 1998. ll Penalties will now be be required to make a pitstop at between 15 and 70 percent 'drive-through style rather of the race distance, changing than stop/go, while new series Race Director will be two wheels and tyres.

The stops will only apply to Mike Dennis, who replaces the second race, which will be Peter Wollermari.

Colin Bond remains as over an 80km distance.

The first race will be of series adviser on driving standards.

40km with no stops.

DESPITE a disastrous Symmons Plains SATCC round, Tony Longhurst will forge on with Yokohama tyres.

Having struggled badly for grip at Symmons, Longtnorst considered other options before deciding to continue his relationship with the Japanese supplier.

“We’ve been with them too

By PHIL BRANAGAN

Sam in AUSCAR TELEVISION personality Sam Newman, star of The Footy Show in southern states, is to make his racing debut at the Thunderdome on March 14.

Newman will contest the AUSCAR race in one of Marshall Brewer’s Ford Falcons.

Newman recently signed a contract with Ford Austraha in his effort to race a Falcon XR6 at Bathurst in the 3-Houi- GTP race this year, as repoiied some months ago by Motorsport News.

Newman is being coached to get his racing licence by John Bowe, Dick Johnson and Glenn Seton, but said he would not race unless he felt he could compete properly.

- DAVID HASSALl

Belgian GP back THE Belgian Grand Prix has been saved, thanks to some neat political side stepping by the local gov ernment, and will take place on August 30.

The unusual form of gov ernment which operates in Belgium appears to have saved the race, which appeared doomed when attempts to change the coun try’s new tobacco laws failed in the courts.

But the Walloonia Regional Government, cover ing the area where Spa is located, has decided to intro duce a law which allows all kinds of sponsorship for world-class events - sporting or cultural.

If this law is passed by the regional parliament there will be no further problems for Spa.

-JOE SAWARD

5

long to not stick with them,” he said this week.

The Castrol Falcon team is

BATHURST-BOUND?... Volkswagen has promised to send three cars to Bathurst if there Is an ‘Ecotech’class and believes other manufacturers would follow their lead.

VW pushes for Bethurst class

bemused by the variation in performance of the current Yokohama tyres, which pro duced good race pace times at Sandown but were then well off the mark in Tasmania.

To compound the confu sion, Longhurst tested with the same tyres at his home Lakeside circuit on Monday, circulating effortlessly in rapid low-5Is times.

“It’s mystifying,” Tony said THERE could be a second While insisting that it on Tuesday. ^“Its success depends on class at the 1998 Bathurst how often the cars have to would not compete against “After Sandown we really 1000-for diesels. stop.” sister company Audi, VW thought we would go well at Bathurst Event The cars are capable of has not ruled out a future Symmons, but it was just Management chief Greg running three hours on a fuel Super Touring program with disastrous, Eaton is looking at a number load and the current a 2-litre petrol-engined car.

I don’t really think it’s a of options for a second class Bathurst 1000 regulations In marketing terms, a temperature thing, but more in the race. require only that a driver front-drive VW Passat compatibility with the differ“The ‘Ecotech’ class is one complete no more than makes more marketing ent suifaces.” sense than a FWD A4, with of the options we are consid- 3h30m continually, Longhurst heads to the GP ering,” he said.

Van der Watt said that the Audi having based its whole next week simply hoping “If we can make it work team would have a team of competition program on that Albert Park will provide this year it would be a good international and Australian quattro 4WDs. a compatible smface. thing, especially if it (the drivers, including Audi team This lends strength to the race) becomes tha FIA World leader Brad Jones. long-running rumours that MEANWHILE, Longhurst’s Cup.' BMW would be likely to Audi might look elsewhere link with Alan Jones has If the class was a starter, respond with two of its E36 for its future motorsports been formalised.

Jones will debut at the up to seven factory entries 320-based cars while Renault program, perhaps a GT look likely.

Sport in France is also said sportscar project.

Lakeside SATCC round, his Following a meeting in to be interested and could In the meantime, Eaton car carrying Komatsu sig Germany last Thmsday, VW roll out two diesels based on has meetings scheduled with nage along with support Motorsport is committed to 3 Williams-developed Super FIA representatives at from Longhurst’s sponsors, running three cars in the Touring components in two- Albert Park to determine including Castrol. race and there could be two door Megane chassis, whether or not World Cup “It’s good to get back to a entries each from BMW and The VW Golf TD Mk3 was status will be assigned. two-car team,” Longhurst Renault. a giant-killer in the ’97 He is confident of getting said this week.

“We would be there if the Nurburgring race, finishing at least 37 entries - 27 local “The extra budget allows conditions are right,” said second overall, and Jones and 10 from overseas - for us to do that bit of additional VWs Andre van der Watt on was involved in the marque’s the October 4 race. testing that we need.”

-PHIL BRANAGAN - CHRIS LAMBDEN Monday. assault on the Spa 24 Hour.

Tyrrell quits Tyrrell team

By JOE SAWARD

KEN TYRRELL ... the end of an era in Formula 1.

KEN Tyrrell has suddenly ended his 30-year career in Grand Prix racing by quitting his own team, a year earlier than his planned retirement.

Ken and his son Bob have resigned from the Tyrrell Racing Organisation with immediate effect, following disputes with new owner British American Racing over how the team should be nm.

BAR managing director Craig Pollock said the resig nations had been accepted with “considerable regret”.

“We have been forced to concede that our respective agendas are probably too far apart for the arrangement to work in the way we had plaimed,” said Pollack.

“After a great deal of thought, Ken and Bob decided

that our objectives were such that they would prefer to step back and let us follow our blueprint for the new team.”

Both Pollack and 'Tyrrell said the split had been amicable.

“We are about to enter what is our final season in the sport and our priorities are necessarily rather more short-term in their focus than those of British American Racing,” said Tyrrell.

BAR bought the Tyrrell team three months ago, so this was to be Tyrrell’s last season an3rway.

The decision to hire Ricardo Rosset - who had about $6.7m sponsorship available - is believed to be one of the reasons behind the split.

The Tyrrells had wanted to hire Jos Verstappen, who has a great deal more experience with the team and in FI.

It is doubtful, however, whether Verstappen would make the difference between lyiTell scoring points or being an also-ran and some observers have concluded that the signing of Rosset was just a convenient excuse for the Tyrrell Family to jump ship and disassociate them selves with the team in its last season.

Ken has been the figure head in recent years and Bob has been supported by a team of marketing types led by Rupert Manwaring, so his departure will have little effect.

Dr Harvey Postlethwaite is now in charge of the entire team - of which he was a 10% shareholder.

Harvey has been Technical Dhector but will now assume the responsibility of Managing Director as well.

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2/Febm/ M

Williams and Ferrari to run ... but new Williams is bn Dunlops? great’, says Jacques

McLaren flies i

GOODYEAE is said to be taking over Sumitomo, which controls the Dunlop brand, and this could explain confusion over Goodyear’s decision to pull out of Grand Prix racing.

It is possible that the entire program could be transferred internally and that Williams and Ferrari may use tyres branded as Dunlops next year.

Dunlop was a major name in Grand Prix racing in the 1960s, winning 83 victories

and eight World titles between 1958 and 1970.

This is purely speculation at the moment, although many FI observers find it very odd that neither Williams nor Ferrari Goodyear’s top teams - have jumped to Bridgestone.

Logically, if Goodyear is going to pull out at the end of 1998, the best thing for both teams would be to switch as

By JOE SAWARD

McLaren has continued its domination of testing in Barcelona, confirming the view of many that the Mercedes-powered team will be the one to beat this year.

Mika Hakkinen last week setting the fastest lap time of the winter with a best lap of lm21.45s at tbe Spanish circuit, where all but Williams and Ferrari tested

quickly as possible, as McLaren and Benetton have done.

- JOE SAWARD

last week. ^ This beat the record estab: lished at the start of the week by his McLaren team mate David Coulthard, who lapped the track in lm21.58s.

This was 0.3s faster than Hakkinen’s best of the previ ous week.

McLaren had two of the new MP4/13S running and there was much optimism within the team, despite the fact that there has not been any head-to-head testing between McLaren, Williams and Ferrari.

“It is still early days,” said Mika Hakkinen.

Tuero set for GP debut at Albert Park f

WORRIES over Esteban Tuero’s supeplicence faded when the FIA agreed that the 19-year-old Argentine will be granted the licence necessary if he completes 2000km of testing before the start of the season in Melbourne on March 8.

Tuero was well on his way to completing that figure as the Minardi pre-season testing program continued this week.

The FIA decision will be welcome news for Minardi boss Gabriele Rumi who would otherwise have had serious budget problems as Tuero is supplying the team with much of its sponsorship this season.

“We have not run with all the other top teams at the same place at the same time so I would not read too much into my times.”

Sauber began a six-day two-car test on Sunday February 15 and both Johnny Herbert and Jean Alesi managed to complete large numbers of laps.

This was despite a variety of problems, the Inost serious of which was au’ear wing failure for Alesi on Monday which seems to have been caused by vibration and some weak composite mater ial.

Herbert set a best time of lm22.84s while Alesi did lm23.19s.''

Jordan started work on Wednesday and on the fol lowing day Ralf Schumacher set a best lap of lm22.47s.

Damon Hill was also in action, testing a modified front suspension, and did a best lap of lm24.12s, although he was not going for times.

Hill reported that good progress is being made with the Mugen Honda engine.

Also in action in Barcelona was the Tyrrell team, which continues to set fast times with the 026.

Toranosuke Takagi set a fastest lap of lm22.89s and the car proved to be very reliable over longer dis tances.

New signing Ricardo Rosset set a best of lm24.70s but continued to get faster with each ran.

Stewart was also in Spain, trying to catch up with its development program after

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The Brazilian set the fastest time of lm25.49s, which is well off the pace of the faster runners.

The team has yet to do any running on light tanks but hopes to be able to do that at Silverstone this week before fl5nng to Australia.

\i

FIRST TEST... Kiwi Craig Baird tries the BTCC Ford Mondeo at Brands Hatch. (Photo by lat)

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Baird has high hopes for BTCC

CRAIG Baird has completed two suc cessful test sessions with Ford’s British Touring Car Championship team.

The New Zealander had his Donington test last Thursday interrupted by an engine prob lem, but not before completing more than 60 laps of the long circuit in the 1997-spec Mondeo.

Baird used the test to familiarise himself with the car and team rather than go for a time, but professed himself satisfied.

Last Monday the team returned to Donington to complete the program and Baird had a trouble-free ran.

That was the last scheduled run for the year-old cars before Baird and teammate Will Hoy start work with the 1998 cars, which Reynard were due to deliver to West SuiTey Racing on Tuesday.

Ford are looking to end a two-year non winning streak in the BTCC.

MEANWHILE,the 1998 BTCC will not have control tyres - but it will have the nearest and, perhaps, next best thing.

With Michelin supplying the whole field since the defection of the works Audi team from Dunlop at the end of last season, the French company now must supply any regis tered competitor on their normal commercial tenns if called to do so.

In other words, anyone who wants to buy a certain tyre from Michelin will be guaranteed supply.

Another innovation is that BTCC Technical Commissioner Peter Riches will be able to swap tyres; in other words, take a tyre from, for instance. Ford and swap it for one of VauxhaH’s.

Other innovations this season are a Bathurst-style, single-lap qualifying session and the compulsoiy pitstops in race two, an example which is being followed here.

n

27febnia!ym

n final F1 testing SETTING THE PACE... David Coulthard had the fastest time of the week until he was pipped by McLaren teammate Mika Hakkinen on the final day.

By contrast, Michael Schumacher and Ferrari(right) have been working privately in Italy with the F300.

/

n Japanese youngster Jeuchi Wakasaka did 12 laps in a Joi-dan at Silverstone last wedc. shaking a carliown in preparation for the Barcelona test. Wakasaka is the first driver to be involved in the Mugen Honda scheme to promote yoimg Japanese stars. n Formula 1journalist Maurice Hamilton hasjust published a new book about Frank Williams which claims to be “the inside story ofthe man behind Wilhams-Renault”. The new book,called simply “Frank WUliaras”,is being published by Macmillan and will go on sale in the UK on March 20.

(Photos by LATDigital and Race Access)

-

n Jordan has confirmed

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MEANWHILE, up at Paul Ricard, Williams completed its long secret test at the French circuit during which both Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Jacques Villeneuve are rumoured to have got down into the lm09s and the FW20 is proving to be both quick and reliable “The car is greM,” com mented Villeneuve. “We are ready to take on everybody.”

Williams is to test for three days this week at Barcelona before the cars are

returned to England to be prepared for the trip to Australia.

The freight is due to depart from London on Friday (February 27).

Ferrari stayed in Italy with both Michael Schumacher and Eddie Irvine doing more miles with the F300 at Mugello.

Despite problems with the rear suspension, the team is saying that the car will be very competitive in

Australia.

Michael Schumacher says that he is happy with the car.-' “It is very much a racing car,” he said. “It has that cer tain kind of nervousness that a racing car should have.”

Schumacher completed full race distance testing during the week while Irvine was able to get his first run in the new car in dry condi tions.

Ferrari was due to have two cars running again at Mugello at the start of the

mmiON

week before preparations begin to ship the cars to Australia.

Prost Grand Prix remained at home in Magny-Cours with Olivier Panis complet ing 100 laps as he worked on gearbox development, which has been causing the team much grief There was action at Silverstone as well as Arrows and Benetton continued their work.

Benetton ran both Giancarlo Fisichella and

Alexander Wurz, the pair bedding in gearboxes and practising pit stops, while Arrows ran three different chassis with Pedro Diniz and Mika Salo doing the driving.

Both teams are due back at Silverstone this v^eek for shakedown testing and are likely to be joined by several others.

Minardi did not run last week as Giancarlo Minardi and Esteban Tuero were on a promotional trip to South America.'

a sponsorship agi'eement with the Spanish fuel com pany Eepsol, which is sup porting the team’s test and reserve driver Pedro de la Rosa. The company intends to form a long-term rela tionship with de la Rosa the current Formula Nippon and Japanese GT Champion - with the inten tion being to help him to get a full-time drive in FI in 1999. n Wednesday,Febinaiy' 18 marked the 100th anniversary ofthe birth of Enzo Ferrari. The Italian team celebrated the event with the opening ofan exhibition entitled “Ferrari 1898-1998”in Maranello.

-JOESAWARD

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11mm mi n Frenchman Emmanuel Collard - who has never raced in a Grand Prix but has completed many thousands of miles of testing with Williams, Benetton, Jordan, Tyrrell and Frost- has signed a deal to be the test and reserve driver for Arrows.

Collard, 26, has done a lot of engine testing in his career- with both Renault and Peugeot-and these skills will be very useful to Arrows as the team works to develop the new Arrows VIO engine built by Brian Hart. n Ferrari’s Ross Brawn has defended its decision to test in private, saying it is impossible to do a race distance run with five other teams on the track and cars breaking down all the time. n Another former Arrows engineer - Steve Clark - has gone to America and will act as Alessandro Zanardi’s race engineer this season in place of Mo Nunn, who is working towards retire ment and will only attend race weekends. n 'There is to be a major change in the format of the Monaco Grand Prix this season with plans for the annual Formifla 3 Grand Prix to be cancelled and replaced by a round of the Formula 3000 Championship.

-JOESAWARD

Benz considers 2-litre program

By MIKE KABLE

MERCEDES-BENZ could be contemplating an assault on Super Touring racing, via a new highperformance 2-litre car it is launching next year.

But Frank Gardner - who has swapped his allegiance from BMW to the threepointed star - says he has not discussed that possibility so far with the company.

The talks he has had with Bernt Schlickum, managing director of Mercedes-Benz Australia, have covered dri ver training and the ongoing development of the Norwell high-performance driving centre to include an elabo rate historic car museum.

“The car Mercedes-Benz will have in 1999 will be con ducive /io 2-litre racing,” Gardner told Motorsport News.

“It remains to be seen whether the company w^nts to move into that specialised area and if commercialism says it should because it has a history of motor racing.”

Gardner’s vast experience

NEW ALLIANCE... Frank Gardner has swapped his BMWs for the three-pointed star.

- and the Norwell facility which served as BMW Australia’s motorsport base - would be invaluable if Mercedes-Benz decides to take the plunge.

His international on-track

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Formula 5000 championship wins.

He envisages some future motorsport activity at Norwell, saying it would be ideal for the likes of an AsiaPacrflc historic racing festival.

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THE use of a clutch pedalmounted potentiometer to measure pedal move ment has been okayed by the CAMS Eligibility Committee.

Fitment of such a device to the HRT car of Mark Skaife (the former Brock car) caused a bit of a ripple when TV footage of Skaife’s feet at Symmons Plains showed his throttle foot hard on the floor and the quickest of dabs on the clutch for upward gearchanges, with no appar ent ripple in engine revs.

While the engine “cut-out” that is fitted to many gearlevers in other tom’ing cai’ cat egories to aid “flat” changes has been banned in V8 Supercars, there were those who felt that the clutch pedal potentiometer could be used to achieve a similar effect.

HRT was able to convince Supercar scrutineer Ray Robins that the potentiome ter was solely for data acqui sition use.

“We’re one of several teams that uses them in that way,” fiRT team manager Jeff Grech said this week, “just the same as they are used on the shock absorbers in data acquisition.”

Skaife’s former boss Fred Gibson laughed at the “con troversy” of the whole affair; “Skaifey’s been flat-changing like that for years ...” he said.

- CHRIS LAMBDEN

j

Macrow looking forward toaV8

By PHIL BRANAGAN MOST of Australia’s best young Formula Ford drivers are determined to win a

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Sensor approved ^

place in Ford Motorsport’s ‘Generation XR Program’.

Ford Motorsport/Slick 50 Formula Ford Championship leader Adam Macrow is hop ing he will be able to take one of the three ‘apprenticeships’ with Dick Johnson’s Shell Helix Racing 'Team, Stone Brothers’ Racing and Ford Credit Racing.

The scheme will allow the drivers to be coached not only on-track but in the areas of corporate sponsorship and media relations.

One of the drivers will get a Bathurst drive with Tony Longhurst’s Castrol team.

“There’s nothing better than this scheme,” said 19-year-old Macrow.

i

“It’s not easy to get a drive in a touring car and that’s what I want to do; race at Sandown and Bathurst.

“We won’t be able to do Formula Ford again and if I can get a drive in a touinng car that would be fantastic.”

Macrow dominated the opening rounds of the 1998 FF title at Sandown and, as the three young drivers vrill be picked after the next rounds at Lakeside on March 29, is one of the drivers likely to get the nod from Ford.

“It’s hard to get noticed and the media exposure would be great,” said Macrow.

“I’ve had a little experience over the years but there’s definitely more emphasis on that these days. ‘"These days winning races is only a quar ter of the effort required to build a successful career.”

Peugeots returning

THE two Peugeot 406s that raced at the 1997 Bathurst 1000 are head ing back to Australia. . Starion Enterprises Racing team manager Paul Grimm confirmed that the ex-MSD cars would be here in time for the first round of the BOC Gases series at Calder on April 5.

Grimm is still to con

firm drivers, though New Zealander Tony Newman, who competed in a

Peugeot 405 last season,is negotiating with his spon sors to remain with the team.

'Tim Harvey and Patrick Watts drove for the team at Bathurst last season and both cars showed a

great turn of speed before stopping with mechanical problems in the race.

Grimm is currently talking with a number of drivers and has not ruled out the possibility of ‘importing’ an overseas

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3

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driver for the squad.

Lee Englishman Brookes was rumoured to have Peugeot support for the drive but reports from Europe indicate that the former British Privateers’ champion wiE now stay in the BTCC. Grimm expects the cars to arrive in Australia soon and will run them on as Michelin tyres, opposed to the Dunlops run on the 405s last year.

-PHIL BRANAGAN ,

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Traction control to be legalised?

By CHRIS LAMBDEN

TRACTION control could be approved for V8 Supercar rac ing in the near future.

TEGA’s Technical Committee again discussed the thorny question at last Friday’s com mittee meeting.

With the increasing complex ity and numbers of ways of achieving the advantage mak ing it more and more difficult to police, TEGA believes the solution may be to legalise traction control.

Technical Committee mem ber Glenn Seton commented after the meeting: “There are so many ways of achieving traction control these days it will be very

expensive and difficult to police.

“You can get it as a $200 add on to most engine management systems these days, anyway, so it’s not an expense item ...”

Co-committee member.

Holden Racing Team engineer Ron Harrop, agrees: “If you can’t police it, then maybe you have to allow it.

“We don’t necessarily want it, hut what is the alternative?”

The revised Motorsport Electronics system incorpo rates a remote crankshaft sen

sor, thereby guaranteeing unencumbered information to the monitor.

The need for a revised sys tem came about following claims that some teams last year had found an electronic way through the existing sys tem and were capable of run ning higher than the 7500 rpm limit.

While' it has taken some weeks for the necessary instal lations to be completed, due to the need to mount the addi tional sensors, all teams are expected to have the new sys tem in place for next week’s AGP meeting at Albert Park.

A recommendation along those lines to TEGA’s board is starting to look a distinct pos sibility.

At the same time, a secondgeneration rev limit monitor for V8 Supercars is virtually complete.

GP goes carbon neutral

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meeting at Albert Park will be carbon-neutral.

Each of the categories involved in racing at the meeting is providing sufficient funding to the “Greenfleet” organisation to ensure that the event is environmentally friendly.

AGP deputy CEO John Hamden said all the category managers had agreed to the plan.

The money will go towards plant ing enough fast-growing trees to combat the effects of the carbon dioxide produced by the race cars.

It will be part of a project to plant 242,000 trees near Wangaratta in northern Victoria.

Greenfleet - which is nm by the Foster Foundation and has Peter Brock as patron - is trying to get all car owners to subscribe $20 a year to help plant more trees.

Greenfleet will have a stand in the GP museum at Albert Park.

- DAVID HASSALL

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McLean tries new BMW

CAMERON McLean is confi dent of success after his first serious shakedown in his exPaul Morris BMW. McLean drove the car at Lakeside last Friday and was happy with the car, despite run ning "Amaroo Park tyres and Phillip Island gearing".

“You can feel what all four wheels on the car are doing," he said.

“After driving the car, despite not pushing, I can see why the BMW team had such a good sea son last year."

The' 1997 Independents’ Champion has also signed a new sponsor for the year to add to Greenfields and RedeX - mobile phone manufacturer Motorola.

McLean has also arranged a similar Michelin tyre deal to the Audi and Volvo works teams and the Brisbane driver is now push ing to win not only the Independents’ title again, but take the overall title as well.

- PHIL BRANAGAN

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Top FI teams chase Zanardi NO sooner has the wheeling and dealing for Fonnula 1 drives in 1998 stopped thdn negotia tions have begun for 1999 with CAR’! star Alex Zanardi admitting that he has already been con tacted by Williams, Fei-rari, Jordan and the new British American Racing.

Zanardi had a disappointing FI career between 1991 and 1994 with Jordan (three races), Minardi (one race) and Lotus (21 races).

He turned to CART racing in 1996 with Target Chip Ganassi Racing, where he took six pole positions and won three races to finish third in the series and rookie of the year.

Last year he won four more races and took the title.

There were serious discussions with Frost Grand Prix but Zanardi decided to stay in America and com plete his three-year deal with Ganassi.

There is little doubt, however, that Alex would love to come back to FI and that several teams would like to have him...

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1 World of Sport

Motor tkuing Calendar Shell Aust. Touring Car Championship* ,Rd3 Mar 29 . . .Lakeside 10 round series held around Australia

Slick 50 Formula Ford* Rd2 Mar 29 .. .Lakeside Eight round series held around Australia

Ausf. Formula Holden Championship* Apr 19 .. .Phillip Island ...Rd2 Five race series held around Australia

FedEx Champ Series* Mar 15 .. .Homestead ....Rd 1 Mar 28 . . .Motegl, Japan . .Rd 2

Ibert Park blues for A4s

THE Audi Sport Australia team is head ing to Albert Park not confident of winning in its 1997 A4 quattros.

Brad Jones and Cameron McConville were due to shake down their new cars at Winton on Friday, but Jones is not confident that the nowMichelin shod- cars will be competitive at the AGP meeting.

“The most difficult thing about the AGP for us is the outright speed the cars must carry around Albert Park,” he said.

“I think we’ll struggle around there.”

Last year, running on Michelins for the first time, the A4s of Jones and Alan Jones were blitzed by

n Jimmy Vasser crashed Chip Ganassi’s Reynard-Honda at Sebring last week and sprained his left wrist. He drove in Daytona’s EROC race with it heavily taped and ran well in the race rmtil spin ning late in the race after colliding with NASCAR star Dale Jan-ett. n Garr>’ McCoy is evaluating a new gearbox. The Shell Advance Honda 500 rider will sort out a new transmission this week in testing at Eastern Creek and PhiUip Island.

THE FAVOURITE... Jim Richards, pictured here in the UK with his new Volvo S40, is the man to beat at Albert Park, according to Brad Jones. (Photo bytAT Digital) the BMWs and Jim Richards’Volvo.

Next week the cars which, it is rumoured, will run in ‘European’ silver will be joined by a third

quattro.

Melbourne journalist and racer Paul Gover has leased a 1£|96 car for the meeting, though he will run the Pennzoil-Herald

Sun-backed car outside the ASA umbrella.

Gover was due to join the team at Winton’s test today.

-PHBLBKANAGAN

11 race series held around the United States

Indy Racing League Rd2 Mar 22 .. .Phoenix 19 race series held around the United States, Australia. Brazil and Japan

FIA GT Championship Rd 1 Mar 22 .. .France to race series held around the world.

Formula I World C'ship Rd 1 Mar 8 .. . .Melbourne Rd2 Mar 29 . . .Brazil 16 race series held around the world

ACDelco CUP NASCAR* Strathfield National Cup Feb 14 ...Thunderdome ..Rd 5 Mar 14 . . .Thunderdome . .Rd 6 6 race series held in Australia

Winston Cup NASCAR ,Rd3 Mar 1 ....Las Vegas ,Rd4 Mar 8 . . . .Atlanta ,Rd5 Mar 22 ...Darlington Rd6 Mar 29 . . .Bristol 33 race series held around the United States

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Gil tries high drag wing

THE days of the 240mph lap in ,CART Championship racing may be over.

Gil de Ferran has tested a new rear wing - a potential way to reduce speeds on CART’s fastest tracks like the California Speedway.

De Ferran/s best lap with the wing was 214mph in his ’97 Reynard, about 14mph slower than what he was able to achieve with the car in ‘normal’ trim.

Team owner Derrick Walker says the idea for the high-drag, lowdownforce wing came from CART’s rules committee.

The unit was designed by Swift and built by Reynard Cars.

Walker described the top portion of the wing as being similar to current designs but with a steep upward angle, with the underside having a flat profile with a 90degree lip and plates on both ends.

ANTHONY Gobert has resumed his racing career in the most emphatic way possible, with a win in the first round of the US Superbike Championship.

Gobert fought a tough bat tle with Mat Mladin for the first half of the race at Phoenix, before pulling away for a seven second win.

The two Australians were the class ofthe field.

Mladin qualified on pole on his Yoshimura Suzuki with Gobert third, the two sand wiching former US champion Doug Chandler’s Kawasaki.

32nd Annual Australian Drag Racing Championships.

The pair dominated the race until Mladin’s rear tyre felt the pinch and he fell back, still well ahead of team-mate Aaron Yates.

“I felt like we didn’t have a chance early,” said Gobert, “but when Mat got by me and couldn’t get away I thought we could get him back.”

Gobert’s win makes him only the fourth international rider to win an AMA Superbike race and marks his Vance&Hines Ducati as the bike to beat in the next 14 races.

/J.

JU UURCOTTS

*Expressions of Interest

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Drag Racing Series Rd3 Mar 8 ,.. .Gainsviile Rd4 Mar 22 . . .Houston .

22 race series held around the United Slates

World Rally Championhip Rd 3 Feb 27 .. .Keiiya .

Rd 4 Mar 23 . . .Portugal 14 rally series held around the world

All event dates in this calendar were correct at the time of printing. Please consult any individual tracks and/or

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Series or events telecast on Network Ten are marked with an asterix.

Check your local guides for screening details.

“This (wing design) is a co-opera tive effort by the engineers repre senting the various chassis manu facturers,” said Walker.

“This is a positive sign of what we’re doing in CART and no other racing series in the world is taking this approach or has an effective rules committee, “It’s good to see how everyone got behind this effort in trying some thing totally different.”

Gobert wins on USA debut

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n Paul Romano has no deal with an oil company. A Pennzoil representative has contacted us to confirm their discussions, but any deal is still some way off yet.

PO. Box 1460, Clayton South 3169 Fax: 9558 5669

n Andre Ribeiro damaged his the new Penske at Firebird Raceway in Arizona. Ribeiro tore the nose offthe car and damaged the right fi’ont and left rear cor ners and rear- wing. The cai' was repaired at Penske Cars in England and Ribeiro was unhurt. n A1 Unser Jr on the Indianapolis 500:‘T want to go back and race there because I love that race. I hope and pray it’s in a CART Championship car- because that is the best cai'. I seriously doubt it will be in an IRL car-.” n Andrej Pavicevic has s\vitched engines in his British Formula 'Thi’ee campaign. His Fortec team switched from its disappointing HKS-Mitsubishi unit to a MugenHonda. n In testing in F3 Class B Phillip Scifleet has led the times in his Rowan Racing DaUara. Scifleet recently placed seventh ovei-all in a test. n Ray Hislop has picked up sup port for the AGP supports. His blue Falcon will bear allegiance to NHP,the electrical engineeiing company which has been seen so fai’ in Formula Holden, n'TWR’s Arrows engine is not the only one causing problems at its Leafield UK base. The 98-spec Volvo S40 has suffered terminal engine problems in testing,to the extent tiiat the team is yet to com pete any meaningful testing.

JACQUES Villeneuve will not be the only World Champion seen in Winfieid red this season.

Mick Doohan has signed a personal sponsorship deai with Winfieid Racing.

Doohan wiil wear the Winfieid red cap but will not carry identification on his leathers, helmet or Honda NSR500.

The move is a reunion of sorts, since Winfield’s parent company Rothmans sponsored the Honda team when Doohan started his SOOcc career in 1989.

Doohan will be at Albert Park next week, where he is hoping to meet up with his four-wheeled counterpart Villeneuve.

n World Kart Champion James Courtney has invitations fi'om Prost Grand Prix and Ferrari to be their guest at Albert Park. Jamo Trulli arranged the invite from Alain Prost while, appar'ently, the Ferrari ask came from Michael Schumacher himself. Or,as James now calls him,‘Made’... n Wiimer ofthe 1997 Formula Xtreme Championship Andr-ew Stroud is heading to World Superbike Champiorrship. The NZer wiU ride a 1997 Kawasaki ZX-7R in a privateer bid to contest the entire 1998 championship. n Stan Adler is uprating his A Class Porsche 911RSR.The Sydney driver will gain 50hp to 340 for his assaults on the Porsche Cup,Ansett Sports Car- series and NSW Mar-qire Sports series.

PETE FROM THE PITS The Pete from the Pats Motorsport Hotiiaie is a diaB up service available eras

005533499

tm .O'

The service is a menu structure and includes; Formula 1 News,results & Championship points.

Results of all races & Championship standings.

Touring Cars News,results and Championship points.

Indycar Super Speedway Results from Oz & when "off 02season" Winston Cup. Two Wheels SOOcc & World Superbike.

Club News Upcomoing club events as sent to me by the clubs.

Each section covets results Sinews(except Club where we can Y offer results). pm FROM IHE FITS - MOTORSPORT HOnJNi - &&SS “Approximale call cost 76 cents per min. A higher rale applies from mobile & pehlic phoees.

27Febwiy W98

Exploding chickens^ mad cows and political minds T

here are times when I find myself wondering what on earth is going in the world of Grand Prix racing. The answer, of accidents wipe out hundreds of course, is progress. thousands of young lives every For better or for year and no-one says: “Hey, worse, I am married to maybe we should ban the adver the sport. In the old days tising of cars.”

I was a plain old sports The French, who love to be reporter. I wrote about pioneers, decided that they must motor races. In those lead the world in anti-tobacco leg days the drivers were islation. The effect of this was that interesting. They said bars all over France are still horri things like: “I hate the ble smoky places full of men with bastard. He tried to kill Gauloises dangling from their me” and “My car handles lower lips. like a bucket of fish” and it never even crossed The government has loads more money to spend on idiotic their mind that they might farmers and missile development be upsetting some fat programs and the French motor sponsor or his fish-loving wife. racing industry is all but dead.

Today we,have a fading Jean Today when you try to Alesi. Do you remember the days talk to a driver, there is a when the French drivers dominatslimy assistant who says [ ed the sport? It is arguable something like: “At this whether France deserves to have moment in time, to the a Grand Prix after such behaviour. best of my knowledge, there is a window of opportunity for a driverBut, of course, these biggest meddlers of alldays are the not media interface situation inr/fluuiiHtuifii national governments but rather in 13 months from the Cartoon by Allan Schofield the people at the European present moment . that politicians are not to be trust- such a thing because tobacco Commission in Brussels.

The boom in Grand Prix racing posse of French police, The Competition Commissioner, He had taken his arrest calmly ed. brings in so much money. In is the reason that such ghastly Karel Van Miert, is leading the I am always amazed when Europe it is estimated that tobac people have crept under the door and asked if he might collect co provides the governments of chase, barking like a beagle and of the sport and I dare say that in something important from the people believe anything a politi seemingly intent on smashing up the years ahead it will become desk in his study. The police cian tells them. They are, of the European Union with $50 bil the current structure of Formula 1. ever more corporate and dull. shrugged, as they do in France, course, a charming lot but I would lion a year.

Now President Bill Clinton - a This is not a good idea because There was a time not very long and he rummaged around until he never buy a used car from anyone saint of a man without any taint on businesses work best with a ago when the initial boom attract- found the hand grenade he was who had ever held office ...

Still, there is nothing wrong his character - has announced benign dictatorship, rather than a ed those who were, how shall we looking for. He .then gave the say, closer to the boundaries of assembled policemen a choice: with these talking heads coming that he is intending to hike taxes democratic arrangement.

There are, undoubtedly, things society and willing to bend the they could all blow up together along to hand out trophies. They on the tobacco products to help that are done which are not very rules a little further than most, there and then, or he could take are happy because they are seen pay for his social policies.

He aims to add $1.50 to every democratic but, iove him or hate They were colourful characters, the police chief hostage and hand- on television, standing next to a pack of cigarettes. This will raise him, Bernie Ecclestone is a but I -must say I did not like most cuff everyone else to the available race winner. of them. Still, they did provide furniture, Apparently this immediately $65 billion a year which can be benign dictator. Yes, he takes a amusement and no shortage of The policemen had a vote and links them in the eyes of the public spent to help the public forget lot of money out of the sport, but were manacled to the fixtures and with success and good times. And about the affair he never had with there would be a lot less for every copy for the journaiists. one else if he wasn’t there. that Monica woman. fittings while Walz and the police the sport is happy because any The British Government is simi Frankly, he is entitled to it and chief went off in a car into the one - even Royal Princesses The contest for the most ridicu are better than a man in a blazer larly nonsensical. It supports a he has worked incredibly hard for lous team boss was a closely- country. On the way he tele ban on tobacco advertising but 25 years to build up his empire fought battle. phoned an accomplice and they from the local automobile club.

There was Andrea Sassetti, met in the hills, leaving the poiice The meddling, however, is too then turns around and bans the when no-one else had the fore sight to do it. sale of British beef on the bone. who always wore black and had chief handcuffed to the steering much to take.

Ironically, if Bernie was allowed pointy shoes. His racing team was wheel of his car and throwing the Apparently a man with letters a disaster and closed down soon hand grenade into a nearby chickafter his name has vaguely proved to get on with his business and For years industry motor racing and that there might be a connection float Formula One Holdings on the after he was arrested by police in en coop. the25 tobacco have lived the paddock at the Belgian Grand A month later Walz was" very happily together. Everyone between eating roast beef and stock exchanges of the world, the Prix. tracked down to a hotel in knows that tobacco is bad for you. having one’s brain melt. And so way the business was being run There was Jean-Pierre Van Germany where, after you are not allowed to buy would change anyway. Bernie is beef attached to the bone. not a corporate type.

Rossem, who had white hair and being surrounded for nine The sport does not need Van You can buy the beef and a beard down to his waist and hours by German police, looked a bit like a seedy Father he shot himself 48 times. you can buy the bones, but Miert. He has no interest in motor Christmas. He kept his wife in a Well, that was the official you cannot have them racing. It is just a vehicle for him to prove whatever it is he is trying deep freeze after her death in the story! together. hope that medical science would They don’t make FI The European farmers to prove.

If I was being cynical I would one day revive her. He’s in jail team bosses like that any are laughing all the way to more. now, too. the slaughter houses, as say that his attacks on big busi their mad cows dance ness in general and FI in particu But 1 have to admit that my j around in circles while the lar are more about building himfavourite team boss is probably . yy Today back in the' Gerard Larrousse’s one-time part land FI of isrespectable British beef industry self- seif a reputation so that he can destructs. make a bid for the Presidency of ner Rainer Walldorf. You have businessmen, insurance “I don’t understand the the European Commission in the probably forgotten him. He companies and pension popped up for a few months in funds. Men in suits and brittle but if it is legal there is no reason law,” I heard a British farmer say year 2000 rather than anything to 1992 I think it was. He looked a bit looking ladies are to be seen wan- why it should not be allowed to the other day on TV. “Beef on the do with the laws of competition.

And if you think I am being dodgy and wore white socks - dering around trying to assess advertise. bone is banned but you are still which is always a bad sign. whether the sport is a good longBut no; the socially-acceptable allowed to smoke. It is not the harsh, you should perhaps know Little did we know at the time term investment, that prior to taking up his current thing is to attack the tobacco com cows that are mad. It is the politi job Van Miert was responsible for that the 50-year-old German was In recent mohths we have seen panies and so, to win votes, the cians.” transport policy at the actually called Klaus Walz and a further development in the sport, politicians have insisted that there was wanted by the police in sever- It has now entered the realms of must be legislation to stop them f one was being difficult one Commission and happily allowed al countries in connection with politics and the sport has caught a advertising. might point out that eating too a whole range of anti-competitive four different - and rather nasty - nasty plague of politicians, who I am not a smoker, but I object much fatty food will also help to activities to take place, allowing European countries to pour murders. have begun meddling in the busi- to this sort of witch-hunting. kill you but you do not hear politi Formula 1 discovered this ness, If smoking is bad for you then cians trying to ban advertisements money into their failing airlines. He was not a born trust-buster... when news came from France I have nothing against these the politicians should ban it. But for French fries and greasy ham Oh, please, for the sake of the that Mr Walldorf’s house had been sort of people in principle, except we all know that this will never burgers.

And what about cars? Road sport, bring back Klaus Walz! n raided early one morning by a that experience has taught me happen. No government will do

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They said things like: hate the bastard.

He tried to kill me.

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GP sho

r/iere w plenty to lookforward to with the start ofthe GP season at Albert Park next week with new rules and the Vdleneuve-Schumacher war. Here our FI man JOE SAWARD gives hisfearless view:

WilliamsMecachrome Williams Grand Prix Engineering (GB) Managing Director: Frank Williams Technical Director: Patrick Head Chief designer (chassis): Gavin Fisher Aerodynamics: Geoff Willis Race engineers: Jock Clear, Craig Wilson Team manager: Dickie Stanford Test drivers: Juan-Pablo Montoya, Max Wilson

air in the FI paddock as he is not bothered about who he upsets or what colour his hair is on any given day. In a world dominated by analrkentive Action Men, this is a good thing.

Jacques will probably improve his image this year as he will not be guarded by his manager Craig Pollock, who wilt be far too busy trying to set up BAR and who has been banned from the Williams pit as a result.

although he can gain some conso lation from the knowledge that Frank and Patrick would quite like to have a German driver with them when they start working with BMW. In short, Heinz-Harald has the world at his feet and if he can grab it with both hands then he can become a big star in his own right.

Frentzen is never going to be a fiery character like Villeneuve but he could be a big surprise ...

Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari (I) Chairman: Luca di Montezemolo Managing Director: Jean Todt Technical Director: Ross Bravrrn Chief designer (chassis): Rory Byrne Chief designer (engines): Paolo Martinelli Aerodynamics: Wilhem Toet n Race engineers: Ignazio Lunetta, Luca Balderisseri Team manager: Stefano Domenicali Team coordinator: Nigel Stepney Test drivers: Nicola Larini, Luca Badoer

Jean Todt and Luca di Moritezemolo have spent an absolute fortune to turn Ferrari around, bringing in all the engineers Schumacher wanted and if the team cannot be successful in 1998, they might as well all give up and go and play golf, Schumacher might be under contract with Ferrari until the end of 1999, but Ferrari knows that they need to do well this year. If Schumacher sees McLarenMercedes coming on strong he will be off to Woking in a flash - much to Ron Dennis’s delight.

Schumacher’s greatest asset has always been his mental strength. He looked decidedly rat tled at the end of last year but his legendary self-confidence will probably keep everything under control.

2Heinz-Harald Frentzen

Jacques Villeneuve is the World Champion but he was not a very convincing winner last year - and he knows it. His aim this year is therefore to show that he truly is a match for Michael Schumacher, which many in FI doubt. Jacques wants to prove them wrong.

The Williams chassis is likely to be as strong as ever but there is a question mark this year on whether or not the Mecachrome engine will receive as much development as it did when it had a Renault badge.

Williams is already working towards its planned relationship in the year 20'00 with BMW and so the team may not be as strong this year as it has been in past years.

Williams must never be under estimated, however. It is a remark able organisation and has some times made its drivers look a lot better than they really are.

Even if Villeneuve wins another World Championship with Williams in 1998 - which is quite possible he is expected to slip away at the end of the season to the all singing, all-dancing BAR/Reynard team for 1999. Frank Williams is clearly not expecting to keep Jacques and is already chatting with CART champion Alessandro Zanard:...

Villeneuve is a breath of fresh

Everyone was very quick to writs off Heinz-Harald after a diffi cult time at the start of the year.

Villeneuve says that he expects his teammate to be a very serious rival in 1998 and I agree.

Towards the end of last year Frentzen looked a lot better and was definitely up with Villeneuve.

At Jerez, for example, he sacrificed his race to give Jacques a helping hand towards the World Championship.

Heinz-Harald had always been a remarkably quick driver but until last year had never really had to apply himself as a driver like Michael Schumacher tioes.

Working with Williams rang Frentzen’s alarm bells, however; he seemed to be putting a lot more effort and thought into the process and emerged as a much better dri ver as a result.

He also seems to be a great deal harder than he used to be working with the granite-like Patrick Head is the best training in the world for a sloppy driver.

One way or another the 1998 season is likely to be the make or break year for Frentzen because if he does not set the house on fire in a Williams he may find himself out of work at the end of the year.

Shell

4 Eddie Irvine 3 Michael Schumacher Michael Schumacher is a bun dle of contradictions. On the one hand he is the cynical spoilt brat who tried to take Jacques Villeneuve out to win the world title and yet at the same time, away from the race tracks, he seems to be a fairly sensible and caring human being.

Whether one likes it or not, he is currently the only man in FI who has that special kind of magic which makes an uncompetitive car become a winner. Alain Prost had it, Ayrton Senna had it and so does Schumacher.

This will be his third year at Ferrari and, no matter how you look at it, this is the year in which he is supposed to win the World Championship for the famous Italian team. There can be no more excuses.

This will be Eddie Irvine’s third year at Ferrari and I doubt that there is another team in the paddock that would now take the errat ic and opinionated Ulsterman.

If he had what it took to beat Schumacher we would have seen it by now but it seems that Eddie is happy to play the second fiddle and collect his money. It is not a recipe which will make him very attractive to rival teams.

If he looked as though he was learning from Schumacher it would help but every year Eddie makes the same mistakes and causes accidents - as he did in Melbourne last year. The other drivers do not feel comfortable fighting with him because they never know what he is going to do.

But, you never know, perhaps he is a late developer. Perhaps this year he will suddenly begin to pro duce the results which have been

i ^ ^

BenettonMecachrome Benetton Formula Ltd (GB) Chairman: Alessandro Benetton Managing Director: David Richards Technical Director: Pat Symmonds Chief designer (chassis): Nick Wirth Aerodynamics:,lames Allison Race engineers: Christian Silk, Rod Nelson.

Alan Permane Team manager: Joan Villadelprat Team coordinator: Greg Field Test drivers: To be announced

pnaelf’l 1 Jacques Villeneuve

so conspicously absent for the last two seasons. I doubt it.

Eddie is a quick driver and his anti-establishment ways do have a limited amount of charm but there are times when one cannot help but wonder if a little thought m.ight come in handy.

Still, he would probably say that he is the man with the pile of money and the one having all the fun with his helicopters and the wild women. Perhaps he is. I hope it will last because I am not sure his Ft career will go on much longer. The sad thing is that Eddie has probably reached the point where he simply does not care. He has made enough ...

3 Giancarlo Fisichella On the face of it Fisichella has all the signs of being a real star in the making. Young women all over the world fall into blubbering heaps when he wanders by, wearing his chic sunglasses and grinning like a schoolboy. He is polite and profes sional, but just occasionally you see the odd flash of the Latin blood which is lurking somewhere in his veins.

He has a lovely smoothe and flowing style of driving but. as he proved at Hockenheim last year.

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Hifdow he is not yet tough enough to keep his emotions in control under pres sure. He should have won the German race but made a mistake when Gerhard Berger appeared on his tail. A top Grand Prix driver cannot afford such things and often it takes a few years to hammer such weaknesses out of a driver.

It will be interesting to see how he fares against the laid-back Wurz because Giancarlo did not win any emotional-stability awards for his relationship with Ralf Schumacher.

In many respects this will be a make-or-break year for him because being the up-and-coming hero can only last so long and then he has to become a winner. If not there is a danger that he will drift off into the world that Jean Alesi has inhabited throughout the 1990s.

They say that Frank Williams is rather keen on Fisichella for the future but, if he is to get to those giddy heights, Giancarlo is going to have grab some trophies with Benetton.

KSRE4N AIR

6 Alexander Wurz Wurz had a brilliant season last year, standing in for the wounded Gerhard Berger. He made a big impression without doing anything really outstanding, which is often the sign of an emerging ace. He made it look easy.

The performances - and his wage demands - meant that Wurz was an obvious choice for the team as it sought to rebuild itself after the departure of the old regime.

Wurz is now in an incredibly for tunate position. He is young and fast and has a good car. His lack of real FI experience means that if he makes mistakes this year he will be forgiven as youthful moments of madness. Whatever he achieves in the way of results will be a bonus. He cannot lose so long as he is fast.

After two years of flops, no-one is expecting much from Benetton

SECOND YEAR: Rubens Barrichello and the Stewart team have a new Ford V10 engine they hope will be more reliable and powerful than last year.

(Photo by LAT Digital)

this year - except the Benetton staff - but I have a vague suspicion that the disappearance of Flavio Briatore will be a real tonic for the team, which will now have a much more stable management that really cares about winning.

It may be that the new team boss David Richards needs a season or two to mould the team as he would like it to be, but he has always been a quick worker and I think Benetton may surprise a few people this year.

McLarenMercedes McLaren International Ltd (GB) Chairman: Ron Dennis Managing Director: Martin Whitmarsh Technical Director: Adrian Newey Chief designer (chassis): Matthew Jeffreys Aerodynamics: Henri Durand Race engineers: Steve Hallam, Pat Fry Team manager: David Ryan Team coordinator: Jo Ramirez Test drivers: Ricardo Zonta, N?ck Heidfeld

sixth season with the McLaren team and it is getting to the point where one has to say that unless the winning machine gets back on the rails soon Mika’s career will have been entirely wasted, Much will now depend on how good the new McLaren chassis is.

If Adrian Newey has produced a good car Mika will fly.

There has never been any doubt about his speed, although his ability to analyse situations has always been a little bit suspect.

After his accident in Adelaide he was not the same man at all, but in the course of last year he became more like his old self again. He regained the Hakkinen smile which had been missing tor two years.

And, of course, he finally scored his first win at Jerez, though only after McLaren management forced David Coulthard to move aside.

Still, a win is a win and Mika’s name is in the record books.

Sols

8 David Coulthard 7 Mika Hakkinen This will be Mika Hakkinen’s

David Coulthard is Britain’s big hope for Grand Prix success as Damon Hill’s star fades gradually

and the other British FI drivers get a little older with each passing year.

The Scotsman is still only 26 years old and has won three races: one with Williams in 1995 and two with McLaren last year. If given the right car he has been ready for some time to win a lot more.

His outright speed has never been quite that of Hakkinen but his remarkable ability to make blister ing starts and his controlled aggression in races have always given him the upper hand in the races.

McLaren’s decision to order Coulthard to move over at uerez for Hakkinen to win the race can not have done anything to ease David's sometimes prickly relation ship with the team. However, Coulthard is smart enough to know that you can put up with a lot if your team can give you a car which is capable of winning races.

McLaren has talked a good game since linking with MercedesBenz back in 1995 but has been unable to produce a consistent winning car for three consecutive seasons. The team may now finally be getting its act together and if that is the case I would expect David to be a very strong chal lenger for the World Championship.

JordanMugen Honda

Jordan Grand Prix Ltd (GB) Chairman: Eddie Jordan Managing Director: Eddie Jordan Technical Director: Gary Anderson Chief designer (chassis): Gary Anderson Aerodynamics: Gary Anderson Race engineers: Sam Michaels, Dino Toso Team manager: Jim Vale Team coordinator: Trevor Foster Test drivers: Pedro de la Rosa

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9 Damon Hill After a less than convincing season with Arrows, Damon Hill joins Jordan for one last chance to prove that he can win races in a car other than a Williams, though he nearly did for Arrows in Hungary last year.

On paper the Jordan package is a good one with plenty of money and new Mugen Honda engines.

The only problem is that it is hard to imagine how Gary Anderson’s style of technical management will meld with the more regimented approach of the Japanese.

There are also question marks over the team's electronics as they have had to start from scratch in recent months because all the electronics were previously done

by Peugeot, but testing has shown the cars to be very reliable.

With Ralf Schumacher as a motivating force. Damon is likely to be right on the ball, which was per haps not the case last year when Pedro Diniz was not really stretch ing Damon to the full - or at least should not have been.

Damon says he is hungrier than ever and gives all the signs that this is true, but sometimes racing drivers lose the edge after winning titles. There is no doubt that Damon’s knowledge and experi ence will help the Jordan team to get closer to winning races.

There are very few people in the paddock who would not be happy to see a Jordan win a race and there would be many who would delight in a little extra success for Damon, simply because he always behaved with great dignity when faced with Michael Schumacher's less-than-sporting behaviour back in 1994.

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2/Fsbruav B8 BACK IN BLACK: Tom Walkinshaw hopes fhie is the car to bring him the elusive F1 success he craves.

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upstart he was last year. Feople goes into the year ahead with what should be a good package. will forgive many things from a win ner but to be difficult and to not win ● ^ He is going to have to work very hard to keep Trulli under control and is a very bad combination. it should be remembered that the last time Fanis was put under pres sure by a teammate (Martin Brundle in 1995) he did nqt react very well, Prost Grand Prix (F) becoming rather sullen and with Chairman; Alain Prost drawn. But he is older now and will Managing Director: Jean-Luc Gripond probably be better able to cope.

Technical Director: Bernard Dudot He is also likely to be a lot Chief designer (chassis): Loic Bigois tougher from a mental point of view Aerodynamics; Loic Bigois Race engineers: Humphrey Corbett, Jacky having had to fight back from his Eeckelaert injury. Everything seems to be fine Team manager: Cesare Fiorio from a physical point of view but Team coordinator: Eric Vuillemin we have yet to see if the crash Test drivep To be announced really did affect him.

The change of engine from Honda to Feugeot may be a dis ruption and the fact that McLaren and Benetton are now both running Bricigestone tyres may mean that the Frost team is not as competi tive as it was last year.

Prost-Peugeot

10

Ralf Schumacher

Half Schumacher got a long way by riding on the shirt-tails of his brother. These things help in the junior formulae but as one rises to the front rank of the sport one has to deliver the goods to survive.

If Half Schumacher does not deliver something in 1998 it is hard to imagine that we will be seeing a great deal more of him in the future. He has had a year learning about FI in a very competitive car and, while he was able to keep up wjth Giancarlo Fisichella in the early part of the season, he gradu ally began to slip behind the Italian and made more and more mis takes as he became frustrated.

This year he is up against Damon Hill. If Damon sees him off - and Hill should never be under estimated, particularly when there are Schumachers involved - it will, be very difficult for him to maintain much credibility as a serious young hope for the future.

The year in FI may have helped him calm down a little so that we can see him in more of a relaxed state, rather than as the arrogant

a

11

the best driver in FI, just as Schumacher once challenged Senna and Senna once challenged ●Frost. It is too early to be sure.

Trulli is a very unitalian Italian.

He has about him a remarkable feel ing of calmness. He knows where he is going and everything he does is aiming for the long-term goal.

There is no bluster and no arro gance, just a quiet confidence. He respects the top drivers but thinks he can beat them and he does not let things get on top of him.

There will probably be a tenden cy for people to judge him a little harshly, forgetting that he has been in FI for a short period and in that time has driven for two differ ent teams, but the most important thing will be how he copes with Fanis.

The first thing any driver must do is to beat his own teammate.

This will not be an easy task as Frost is very much Fanis’s team.

There have been changes since Frost took over Ligier but the mechanics are almost all the same men who were there when Fanis first arrived at Ligier back in 1994.

They love him because he won for them at Monaco in 1995.

That will not be an easy situaton to overcome but if anyone can do it one gets the feeling that Trulli is the man.

SauberPetronas

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Red Bull Sauber AG (CH) Chairman: Peter Sauber Managing Director: Peter Sauber Technical Director: Leo Ress Chief designer (chassis); Leo Ress Aerodynamics: Rene Hilorst, Mike Jennings Race engineers: Gabriele Dellicolli, Tim Preston, Andy Tilley Team manager: Peter Sauber Team coordinator: Beat Zehnder Test driver: Jorg Muller

Olivier Panis

One has to feel a little bit sorry for Olivier Panis. Last year he found himself with a car and tyre package which was clearly capable of winning races but just when it looked as though he was on the verge of a breakthrough he crashed in Montreal and broke both his legs. Then Jarno Trulli came along and looked mightily Impressive in Olivier’s car.

Panis made a sensible come back at the end of the season and

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Red Bull

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Jarno Trulli There are many people in the Formula 1 paddock who feel that Jarno Trulli may be the man who will eventually challenge Michael Schumacher for the title of being

Benetton. He, of course, will not agree and will argue that his pres ence at Sauber can only help the team to continue its gradual climb to the top.

The worry is that when things start to go wrong, Jean will become frustrated, as he did at Benetton. If that happens Jean needs a steady hard to control him and without the recently-deposed team manager Max Welti, Sauber may find that a difficult thing to do.

Jean really needs a quick win to get him flying but it is hard to imag ine that Sauber is going to manage that with a development of 1996 Ferrari VI0 engines.

At 33, Jean has been active in FI since the middle of 1989. In that time he has won only once - and that was a fluke in Canada.

If handled correctly with a good car Jean could be a World Champion, but it is doubtful that is going to happen with Sauber.

Jean Aiesi One cannot but feel that Jean Aiesi is on the slippery slope down f rom the glory days of Ferrari and

Johnny Herbert Johnny Herbert is in a similar situation to Aiesi. They are the same age to within a few days and Johnny’s only wins have come in races when those ahead of him retired.

He has been unlucky but has had the inner strength not to let it get to him, no matter how bad the frustration. This is the difference between the pair and ultimately will make Herbert a better bet for suc cess because he will take the inevitable rough with the smooth.

The departure of Welti - and his influence in the team should not be understated - will have a big effect. Max was a man capable of mixing the different nations, togeth er with a seamless blend. Peter Sauber, for all his skills and charm, does not have that same ability.

The only good news for Johnny is that he will be joined this year by Andy Tilley, an old friend from Lotus days, who will no doubt help keep yp the humour in what is sometimes rather a dour organisation.

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Arrows Arrows Grand Prix International Ltd (GB) Chairman: Tom Walkinshaw Managing-Director: Tom Walkinshaw Technical Director: John Barnard Chief designer (chassis): Mike Coughlan Aerodynamics: Simon Jennings Race engineers: Vincent Gaillardot Team manager: John Walton Team coordinator: Gordon Message Test driver: Emmanuel Collard

rwi

Stewart-Ford Stewart Grand Prix Ltd (GB) Chairman: Jackie Stewart Managing-Director: Paul Stewart _ Technical Director: Alan Jenkins Chief designer (chassis): Alan Jenkins Aerodynamics: Egbahl Hamidy Race engineers: Malcolm Tierney, Andy Le Fleming Team manager: David Stubbs Team coordinator: Andy Miller Test driver: To be announced

16 Pedro Diniz Pedro is a lovely guy and will one day make a great catch for a pouting starlet, but as an absolute top-line Grand Prix star he is not convincing.

Make no mistake, there is some tal ent there but it is not in the same league as the big guys. The Arrows team probably knows that.

As an all-round package, howev er, Pedro is too good to be true. How many drivers with talent can bring that much money to a team? No wonder Tom Walkinshaw has already got Pedro under contract for 1999.

I would not expect Diniz to be in the same league as Mika Salo and I doubt that the Finn will suffer from the same kind of motivational problems that plagued Damon Hill last year.

r V

emimuauB SEAJL

Ttnib-

Mika Salo There was a time when Jean

/

19Jan Magnussen

4

One has to wonder whether or not Jan Magnussen was given enough support in his first F1 sea son last year. For most of the year his performances left everyone wondering why there had been such enthusiasm about him in the junior formulae. He did absolutely nothing of any note.

This may have had a lot to do with the fact that in pre-season testing he suffered a whole string of suspension failures, one of which stuck a suspension part through the back of his leg.

Towards the end of the season there were signs of an improve ment but he will need to do a lot more of the same this year if he is to convince the Ft jury.

Tyrrell-Ford

18 Rubens Barrichello Rubens Barrichello is really a very fortunate young man. He is still only 25 years of age and has five full seasons of FI experience behind him.

A couple of years ago he was an emotional yo-yo - growing up in the sport does that to the stars sometimes - and so has not deliv ered the results which perhaps he is capable of producing, but he is in a nice steady situation with Stewart.

He has a long-term contract and is clearly the team’s number one driver. His self-confidence is back after having suffered quite a lot in the final year at Jordan and every thing is ready for Rubens to devel op - if the car and engine package is up to the job.

If testing is anything to go by, Stewart are going to be struggling a little this year ... in which case Rubens is going to be back where he was last year.

Tyrrell Racing Organisation Ltd (GB) Chairman: Ken Tyrrell Managing Director: Harvey Postlethwaite Technical Director: Harvey Postlethwaite Chief designer (chassis): Mike Gascoyne Aerodynamics: Mike Gascoyne Race engineers: Alex Varnava, David Brown i Team manager: Steve Nielsen’ Team coordinator: Katie Aspinall Test driver: To be announced

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The only real Indication most people in FI have had of Takagi’s talent vvere a few wild races last year in'the Porsche Cup, which supports a number of European GPs each year. It was not very comforting because they all seemed to end up with Takagi hit ting something or someone.

There is clearly a modicum of talent Involved, but that was also true of Satoru Nakajima, Aguri Suzuki and Ukyo Katayama and none of them made it in F1.

Ken Tyrrell seems to rate the young Japanese driver very highly - but one might think that it because there is a hell of a big budget behind him ...

Todt of Ferrari tried hard to get his hands on Mika Salo and would probably have been a better choice than Irvine because Mika seems to be motivated come what may.

After three long years with Tyrrell he needed to get out and find a new challenge and Arrows will probably provide that. The chassis wil l be good and the Bridgestone tyres will be competi tive and so piuch will depend on the new Arrows V10 engine. With’ Brian Hart having designed it, the engine will probably be quite useful.

RA: r §afra

iUROPBAH AnMT/Oit

Toranosuke Takagi

22 Esteban Tuero The cynical members of the F1 fraternity might be forgiven for thinking that signing a 19-year-old Argentine driver without much suc cess in his past record might in some way be related to a large sum of money which the youngster could bring to a team.

There is no doubt that Tuero’s millions will be very useful for Minardi as the team seeks to restructure and build itself up for the future. It remains to be seen whether Tuero will be a top name in the future.

21 Ricardo Rosset Rosset not have started his rac ing career until he was too old to make the most of it, but he was fortunate that his family has no shortage of money, enabling him to rise quickly through the junior formulae.

He did nothing to impress great ly until Formula 3000 when he fin ished runner-up to Vincenzo Sospiri in the European title. This helped him get to Arrows in 1996 but it was not a good period for the team and at Lola in 1997 his talent was completely wasted.

One has to say that with Tyrrell closing down at the end of the 1998 there is a strong possibility that Posset’s talent may once again be well hidden as the season progresses.

IVfinarcii“Forci mobsf

Minardi Team SpA (I) Chairman: Giancarlo Minardi Deputy Chairman: Gabriele Rumi Managing Director: Giancarlo Minardi Technical Director: Gabriele Tredozi Chief designer (chassis): Mauro Gennari Aerodynamics: Mariano Alperin Race engineers: Marco Calavolo Team manager: Frederic Dhainaut Team coordinator: Michel Adreani Test driver: Laurent Redon

23 Shinji Nakano The cynical members of the Formula 1 fraternity might be forgiven for thinking that signing a 25-year-old Japanese driver without much success in his past record might in some way be related ... to good connec tions in Japan and a busload of money.

Nakano showed little sign of vast talent last year with Frost.

Admittedly the team did not want him and he was given little emo tional support in his first season in FI - but it seems to me that the greats never do need that kind of heip... n

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2JFeb!U3ry1998

McLaren: Bac Many people expect McLaren to be the team to beat this year. ADAM COOPER spoke with team boss Ron Dennis to get his own assessment:

the new breed of FI cars finally broke cover at The most eagerly of McLaren’s Wokingawaited HQ three weeks ago, almost a month after Ferrari set the 1998 launch circus in motion.

Its name may incorporate a num ber which is rarely associated with success in motor sport, but the MP4/13 is the car which should improve McLaren’s luck. Many think it Wl win the title, World last team’s The Championship came back in 1991.

After that, McLaren became a pale shadow of the team which once seemed almost unbeatable. With no Honda and then no Ayrton Senna, it went without a win in 1994-’96.

Last year the tide finaUy turned.

David Coulthard and Mika Hakkinen won races at both ends of the season.

Now the overall package is the hottest in the pitlane. With Bridgestone tyres and the inspira tional presence of technical director Adrian Newey, the FI world regards McLaren as the firm favourite for 1998.

iimt m mm will be hard to beat at Albert Parj< next week.

The Adrian Newey factor

w

hen Michael Schumacher went from Benetton to Ferrari, rival teams rued a missed opportunity. Michael had long been at the top of everyone’s wish list. Who wouldn’t want a guy who could make a so-so car into a winner?

There’s no doubt that Adrian Newey is the Schumacher of FI’s backroom boys. There are other very talented people out there whose names are not so well known. And, just as there are drivers who are over-rated, there are designers who have become famous because us journalists get into the habit of dropping their names.

Sometimes we are hoodwinked by guys who can talk a good car, but don’t actually get the job done. Newey does not fall into that category; his media profile is at least matched by the respect in which he is held by his peers, the people who count.

As soon as it became known that Newey was on his way from Williams to McLaren, the opposition realised that Ron Dennis had pulled a masterstroke. Adrian became technical director. a position which had been obsolete at McLaren since John Barnard packed his bags a decade ago.

“I suppose I was a little bit nervous when I started at McLaren,” says Adrian. “I think any body starting a new job is bound to be a little bit nervous.

“But the culture is not nearly as different as people think it is. More importantly, McLaren really is a well-managed, very professional com-

pany. The people, the engineers who work here, are very well disciplined. They’ve made my posi tion very easy, to be perfectly honest.

“Working with the people here like (aerodynamicist) Henri Durand, (chief designer) Neil Oatley and the project leaders, I think it’s been very stimulating, and I hope it’s been stimulating for them as well. We’ve been able to exchange ideas and bat them around.”

So how did he end up at McLaren? Newey got his fair share of credit for his work at Williams, but he wanted more freedom. With company shareholder Patrick Head set to stay as technical director until well into the next century, he had to look elsewhere.

“Basically, I’d been there for quite a few years, had a lot of success and felt it was time for a fresh challenge. I felt my position within the company was stale.”

Between jobs Adrian settled into what turned out to be an eight-month ‘gardening holiday while the two teams came to a suitable arrangement. But it wasn’t all fun, for he had the ongoing Ayrton Senna trial hanging over him. It was an unhappy experience.

‘To me there is nothing positive that could ever come out of the trial. Ayrton undoubtedly was not only a very great driver, but a very great person and a very great'ambassador for Brazil.

The loss will always be felt, obviously for me at a personal level as well.

“Innocent or guilty, it wasn’t going to help Ayrton, it wasn’t going to help his family, it

wasn’t going to help motor racing and therefore I thought it was a pointless trial. It took up a reasonable percentage of my time. There was a degree of background pressure, which I tried to keep in the background. I don’t think any body particularly enjoys being on trial^fiK - ADAM COOPER manslaughter...”

mistic mood in the launch and tevealed that the new caihad Ron Dennis was clearly in opti benefited fi-om 12,000 man-hours in the wind tunnel and from the knowl edge gained during 5000 miles of testing with interim grooved tyre machines.

With considerable pride, he emphasised that the car has passed the stringent FIA crash tests without fuss, something a few other marques struggled to achieve.

“There is tremendous anticipation and expectation of our results,” he announced, “and our approach is veiy much feet on the ground.

“We’ve worked very hard during the winter. I’m sure many other

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2IF8b!U3!y 1998

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c on a winning formuin teams have worked hard; hopefully we’ve worked harder and hopefully we’ve done a better job. And if that’s the case, then we’ll get the results. If not, we’ll try even harder...”

Normally on these occasions team bosses tread carefully, fearing that their words will be used to string them up later in the year. Ron made a half-hearted attempt to play down the team’s role as pre-season favourite, but in truth he couldn’t disguise his own enthusiasm.

“I think it’s flattering, but I don’t think it’s flattery that’s going to actu ally do much as regards lightening our step. As I said, we have our feet absolutely firmly on the ground.

“It’s understandable that people look at the mixture we’ve put togeth er, such as the tyres. ' “We don’t have young immature drivers - we have youthful, experi enced drivers, who have both won, who know what it takes to win and who have plenty of life in them.

They’re in their prime because the/re coming into a situation where they’re fast, they’re experienced, the/ve worked with the team.

“Couple that to the competitive ness of the technical group led by Adrian, plus of course the perfor mance of the engine, which has been ever improving, you can conclude that we’re going to be competitive.

“The worst thing we can do - and there’s not an awful lot we can do to stop it - is to climb willingly onto some hypothetical pedestal.

Inevitably, even if you deserve to be there, it means that you’re subse quently tom do^vn.

“We’ve been there, we Imow what it feels like. Being there stood on the top is great, but the process of com ing down is extremely painful.”

And what,then, ofthe opposition?

“I think that when you are fiercely competitive, you are ^ways evaluat ing your competition. And there are strong elements in every team - let’s say the Schmnacher factor, the com petence of the WflMams organisation.

“You are a fool to even allow your self the luxury ofthinking about how competitive you are, or even worry ing about the competition,” Dennis continues in a way which seems to be contradicting himself”

M

cLaren has kept everyone guessing by coming out so late, but that was always the plan. It’s a ploy that’s worked well in the past for the team, albeit

Williams man was accepted.

“There are no sacred cows in Adrian’s mind. If anybody has a bet ter idea, if anybody can show a beh ter way, he embraces that.

“I’m loathe to portray the technical group as some sort of orchestra with him orchestrating it-it’s not so sim plistic - it’s just pleasing that the whole group has responded the way they have.”

M:

cLaren enters 1998 with the, Hakkihen/David Mika Coulthard pairing in place for a third season. Far from becom

We've been there, we know what itfeels like. Being there stood on the top is great, but the process ofcoming down is extremely painfid.

ing stale, the relationship seems to be getting more productive.

Both men drove exceptionally well last season, albeit with some incon sistency, and Mika in particular came of age with his brilliant perfor mances in the second half of the sea son. Dennis is happy with his lineup.

“I think in overall performance, they’re almost equal. The difference is how that performance is made, because they have a different charac ter, a different approach. They are motivated and demotivated by differ ent things, but overall they can both win, they can both do the job.”

Ron denies that Hakkinen is the favom-ed son.

But are they in the same league as Michael Schumacher?

“It’s a difficult question. You’re always tiying to eliminate the role of the car, the engine and the team when you’re looking at a driver.

“I think what everyone must recognise is that Michael has achieved great results in veryadverse conditions. After that obser vation, almost everything else is unmaterial.

yy

COMBINATION; Dennis believes he has the right ingredients with Mercedes engines, Bridgestone tyres and drivers Mike Hakkinen and David Couithard to challenge for the 1998 championship.

W

(Photos byLAT Digital and Allsport/APL)

2T

quite a few years back. But it doesn’t leave much room for manoeuvre, as Ron admits.

‘Tm relieved that we pretty much hit our deadline. I don’t want to over labour the point, but I do have a sense of relief that we managed to get so cleanly through the crash test.

‘Tt’s not a question of just getting it done; the consequences of failure are unbelievably destructive. Your whole production grinds to a halt and you can lose a month in a blink ofan eyelid.”

Dennis admits that the new rules created a lot of work.

“The fact is that when you narrow the track and introduce the structur al requirements, what unfolds is a tremendously complex problem.

“You have to address one of the most complex jigsaw puzzles, tiying to get aU the ratios right, as regards wheelbase, weight distribution, cen tre of gravity, where the driver sits, how long the gearbox is, where the engine sits in relation to the wheel base.

w “All of these things have to be addressed and then you build into that the structural requirements and the aerodynamic challenge and you have a very difficult time knowing how far to go before you press the button and produce the parts. We’ve cut it really fine. We’re going to be the last car testing, but that is by design.”

Not surprisingly, Ron is full of praise for the role played by Newey, but he admits even he was surprised at how easily the ex-

“Our task is really to provide the driver with a technological advan tage. If we can do that, then, irre spective of who he is, he’s going to be able to win easier, whether he’s a highly talented driver or a driver that needs an edge. That’s our job.

“Drivei-s have a significant role to play and occasionally there is an exceptional driver, but I think after Michael a whole range of drivers, in different ways, have similar performances.

“I still recognise Michael’s abihties, but winning World Championships and races is very much about a team and I feel very comfortable with the performance of the team.” n

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2/Febmyl998

Hill

don’t panic if it doesn’t come right straight away?

HILL; I remember when Benetton switched from Ford to Renault, they hardly got any laps in before the first race and it all looked pretty dire. 1 hope that doesn't hap pen with us, but it doesn’t mean that it’s the end of the world if it does happen.

A new chapter in Damon Hill’s career opened in Barcelona on January 20 when the former World Champion finally got behind the wheel of his new Jordan.

Hill headed out onto a windswept track at around 5.10pm, after a race against time by the Jordan mechanics to get the car ready. It did not arrive at the circuit until 4.25pm.

Damon jumped aboard and set out for his first lap, watched only by the team members and a few photographers.

Hill had not driven a racing car for almost three months — since the European GP in Jerez on October 26 - and after his first brief run was as happy as a kid with a new toy.

ADAM COOPER spoke to him about his latest, and probably last, career change: MOTORSPORT NEWS: What was it like to be back in an FI car?

DAMON HILL: It was fan tastic! The old adrenaline starts flowing again. It was just great being in a race car and going around a race track. If you haven’t had it for three months, it feels great! !’m really pleased.

For a first run and a first test with a new car, this is the best one I’ve ever had.

Everything went smoothly.

Everything ran so bp'lliantly.

I’m really impressed.

MN: Was it good to do your first few laps without any problems?

HILL: It’s not normal for a new car to run without too many hitches. It’s not as straightforward as that to build a prototype car and roll it out, so hats off to Jordan and Mugen Honda-they’ve done a brilliant job.

The engine feels very

MN:Some Jordan people say that you could have won races with the 197. Do you think the car should have won?

HILL: That was just lack of experience, really, from the guys in the car. The hope is that I can add that extra bit that you need to win.

good, beautifully smooth, with a very good torque curve. I’m left-foot braking, and it’s a bit weird. I’m doing a few things differently this year, so I was a bit nervous that I might balls it up. But so far, so good!

MN: What do you think of the new rules?

HILL: I’m happy with what ever they come up with.

That’s the situation and you have to deal with it. My talent is as much that I’m technical

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and I’m good at setting up cars and it’s understanding how to get the best out of a difficult situation, so I’m hop ing that it will benefit me.

MN: What was it like being out of the car for so long?

HILL: I was forced into a sabbatical I suppose, by not being able to test for Arrows or Jordan.

I’ve been able to pay back some of the time I owed my family and just relax really and get away from motor racing for a bit.

I’ve had time to catch up on the business side of things, ski-ing and I’ve also done some karting, practising my left foot braking. That’s been good. There’s nothing to beat outdoor karting - in the wet, on slicks, when it’s freezing cold -for sharpening up the reflexes!

MN: How excited are you about this year?

HILL: I think there is a sense of excite ment about having a serious opportu nity to win races again and get back up the front. I really believe that’s the situation at Jordan. I don’t generally overstate things, but I’m quietly optimistic.

with the sole intention ancf sole purpose of winning the World Championship. It was like a round of golf. Rather than go for a birdie I’d take a par and make sure I went round the whole course with the best possible score and not blow up. That was the way I played ‘96.

In ‘97 I had nothing to lose.

It was much easier to say, “Oh what the hell, we’ll try that and do this,” and be more adventurous with things. And it was fun. Sometimes we got it all wrong and other times we made a gain. I was able to experiment with things. I was able to drive with more free dom and I learned things from that year which I will put to good use this year.

MN:Is the Damon of 1998 a better driver, hungrier than ever?

HILL: The year out, or the year not competing for the championship, has certainly

MM: Now that Gerhard Berger has retired, you are the oldest driver, three years and nine months older than Jean Alesi and Johnny Herbert. How does that feel?

HILL: Three years older?

Am I really? So by a long way I'm the oldest guy in F1. The men in the white coats will be coming to take me away soon!

I know there’s a huge age gap between me and Ralf. It’s extraordinary. It is a problem when it comes to relating to people. I’d only just started car racing when I was his age!

Gerhard was certainly tired out from doing Ft. Something had happened to him; it had lost its attraction, but he’d been doing it for what, 15 years? That’s a long time.

MN: What do you think of this trend towards younger drivers?

HILL; Everyone is hunting around for a new superstar.

That worries me a bit, because you don't know-how long these guys’ careers are going to last.

Sometimes they get replaced after six races and they never get another chance. It’s a pretty tough game and, if you don’t hit the ground run ning, you can be in trouble.

^^Eddie Jordan is completely berserk really.

MN: How is your new boss?

HILL: BJ’s like a cat on a hot tin roof. He’s completely berserk really! Every success ful organisation needs a dynamo and he’s the dynamo.

MN:Some people think that the team’s relaxed approach will prevent it from ever breaking into the top four. Is there a greater depth to Jordan than that?

HILL: I take the view that it is possible to succeed and be happy and when we win a race, everyone will be wel come to celebrate.

MN:So it really is a ques tion of when and not if?

HILL: Yeah. It’s going to happen. I’m convinced of that.

MN: Last year you said that, if nothing else, you were re learning how to race, how to battle in the pack. Was that true?

HILL: I could drive more freely last year. I drove in '96

refuelled my desire to win again. There’s no other rea son to be there. When you come in out of the points you’re just a big nothing in F1.

So I was just waiting for that year to be over to some extent.

Am I more motivated? I would say I’ve always been motivated. It’s not possible for me to be more or less moti vated. By nature I’m a com petitive person. I’d rather do something than sit around on my arse!

MN:Is changing engine suppliers a big problem?

HILL; Yes, that also throws a bit of an unknown factor into the equation. We’ll be extremely lucky if things run completely smoothly. We’ve got a limited amount of testing between now and the first race and if we actually get a significant number of laps in every day, it will be a major achievement, because it isn’t that easy with a whole new engine installation.

MN:So the message is

MN: Will people make too much of you having a Schumacher as a team mate?

HILL; I think they will. They don’t really reckon on the fact that Ralf wants to beat his brother! He’s as wrapped up at beating his brother as he is with beating his teammate.

It certainly could be prob lematical if, for example. I’m in contention after qualifying for a race and the other candi date is Michael. I don’t know how we’ll discuss race tactics in that situation ... It must be very nice for Michael to have a bit of inside information.

The best situation will be if both Ralf and myself are com peting for the championship, but I think there’s a bit of a way to go before that happens.

Anyway, I don’t think Michael will be around so much. I think he’s got his hands full with Ferrari, hasn’t he? There’s a job to do there.

"'So I’m the oldest ^uy in FI by a long way. The men in white coats will be coming to take me awa\ soon!"

race wins MN: Has Michael’s problem with Jacques Villeneuve taken the heat off the Hill/Schumacher relationship?

HILL; I don’t particularly worry about that at all. I’m in there to race against every one. There will be rivalry against everyone you’re rac ing. I don’t think it’s any secret that I don’t particularly agree with some of the things that Michael does, but that doesn’t mean that we’re mortal enemies.

wins and poles?

HILL; Well, there is a drop-off, whether you like it or not. The magic that hap pens when you’re fighting at the front is difficult to re-cre ate for 15th place. Whichever way you try to make it hap-

pen, it’s just not that easy.

No amount of money is going to make you go any faster. It’s an absolutely clas sic example of the fact that money is not the motivator.

It’s getting a sniff of victory that motivates... n

MN: Now you’ve had a few months to think about what happened in 1997, have you been able to put it all into perspective?

HILL; Honestly, I didn’t have any presumptions about last year. I did think we’d get opportunities with the tyres where we would be able to exploit an advantage. That happened a few times, but not enough.

But we certainly did a lot more with the car than I ever thought was possible at the start of the year. We really made some serious progress.

And it has to be said that quite a bit of that was helped

by John Barnard’s arrival. I really enjoyed working with John. Put it this way; he was a strong reason for me to stay at Arrows because I could see how good he was.

MN: Was the fight with Tom at Siiverstone(where Walkinshaw was quoted as saying Damon needed to puli his finger out...) the low point for you?

HILL; Siiverstone wasn’t a low point for me at all, although my Friday was totally ruined by all that press stuff.

But any insinuation that I was more motivated because of it was wrong. Quite the reverse.

If I’m castigated by whoever I’m working for- publicly like that- I’m less likely to deliver, not more.

It was more of a press fest than anything else, a typically British press fest.

I think the lowest point was probably around Imola, when it was clear that the progress we’d expected was just not happening. I had in my mind what needed to be done in the period that we had and not enough was happening. It was going drastically back wards. The engine was the most depressing part of the equation.

MN: Did the relationship with Walkinshaw get worse after Siiverstone?

HILL: Much too much was made of that. I had no prob lem with Tom at all. We had a very good understanding and in fact I’ve got a lot of time for Tom. But to be insinuating that it was all due to my lack of effort...

The fact of the matter is the car had not been anything like as competitive as had been suggested to be the case.

MN: When running in midfield, was it hard to find the same motivation you had while battling for

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20

27February i998 Report by SEAN HENSHELWOOD

For Terry Wyhoon and the BP Car care team, it was almost a fairy tale ending - almost.

After qualifying in pole position and all but annihilating the opposi tion throughout the race at the Thunderdome on February 14, Wyhoon and his all-conquering Australian-built Ford Thunderbird came to grief on lap 116 of 137 while fighting eventual ACDelco Cup winner Dean Wanless for the lead.

Despite his team’s best efforts, Wyhoon was forced to retire within sight of the flag with front suspen sion damage, leaving Wanless to fight points leader Kim Jane and Jim Richards to the flag.

In the best turnout all year, nine teen cars met the green flag for the tenth anniversary meeting, includ ing the first appearance all year of Tasmanian Allan Roark in his ACL Engine Components Pontiac Grand

THUNDERDOIVIE

Wyhoon looked good, but Dean Wanless won

Prix.

“I was here for the first nfeeting ten years ago as a crew meinber on the late Neil Bonnett’s team,” Allan said, “so there was no way I was going to miss the anniversary meet ing.”

Also making an appearance was former Australian Sprintcar cham pion and brother of Dean, Todd Wanless.

In recent weeks, Todd had spent time becoming accustomed to “Sylvester,” Dean’s second car (he preferred to continue running “Tweetie”), finding things very dif ferent from the clay track ovals.

“Just threw everything I knew out the window,” Todd said after his first run. “It’s completely different.”

By the end of the weekend, though, the rookie driver in his ACDelco debut was absolutely sold on the sport. “I’ll be back, if Dean lets me,” he quipped.

His entry to the field certainly added some colour up front. A cou ple of minor excursions off the race line during the week necessitated some front end repair work - but, much to a number of people’s sur prise, by late Saturday morning it was Richards, D.Wanless, T.Wanless.

“I guess you shouldn’t be too sur prised,” Todd said. “I’ve got one of the best crews and crew chiefs in the country in Les [Small] and the boys, one of the quickest cars in the country and all the knowledge that Dean and the boys have built up over the last couple of seasons, so I guess I should be quick.”

Ian Thomas’ fortunes this year continued to be less than

REALITY DOSE... Triumph for #75 Dean Wanless and despair for #25 Terry Wyhoon.(Thunder-Pics photo)

Waste Oldsmobile Cutlass) was a very impressive tenth.

Rouning out the field were Greg Murphy (#34 ClarionWision Chev Monte Carlo), Brewer, Daryl Coon (#10 Simoco/Lease Plan Pontiac Grand Prix), Gene Cook (#41 Austoil Lubricants Ford Thunderbird), Terry Byers (#26 Chev Monte Carlo), Bob Middleton (#95 Whiteline Transport Chev Monte Carlo), Thomas, Jimmy Ellis (#23 Chevrolet Lumina)and Roark.

Roark was doing it hard, despite support from ACL, his trip almost entirely self-funded and a major brake problem had just cost him a fresh set ofrubber.

“I’ve just had to buy a set of new front calipers from Grant Munday to fit on the car, because the old ones wouldn’t stop leaking,” Roark explained. ‘That’s pretty much the budget gone for tyres -1 guess IH just have a look in the used tyre pile and see what I can find that I can use.”

Talk about a man and his passion!

Down in the garages, the gossip was starting, most teams convinced on current form that the #25 BP Car care Thunderbird wouldn’t go the distance on its tyres. “We’ll just wait and see,” was all Wyhoon could say(with a wry smile).

In the Schwantz Pro Team pits, they were busy trying to work out why Murphy was going faster yet the times were slower.

It wasn’t until somebody pointed out how much glowing the discs were doing in the night session that they realised he had been trailing his brakes.

The car was also carrying a mes sage from the team for team owner Schwantz... “Go Kev Daytona 1998” was emblazoned on the hood.

James was back to his usual comic self after the nasty first round accident saw hiin wind up in a hospital bed. “I’m still just a little bit tentative,” he said. “I’ll keep at it and see how we go. The car feels fantastic, so we’ll just hang on for the race and see what happens.”

Cup pole position on the Dome and he was rapt.

“We knew we could be quicker here after the last round and we just went away and worked at it,” he said.‘We’ve lowered the ride height of the car a little and made a couple of other minor set-up changes that seem to be working a treat.

“Out of the corner, it’s just fan tastic. When they get on the throt tle, some cars are pushing and oth ers are loose - this thing just goes and we’re carrying so much speed off the comer because of that.

“The only problem we have to contend with now is a major lack of torque. It’s okay once we get up to speed, but if we get balked it could mean the difference between win ning and not.”

Dean Wanless became only the second driver to get into the 27s with a first lap of 27.685, although he conceded neither lap was pretty.

Qualifying “For some reason, the car’s just Wyhoon set the track alight dur Race(137 laps) ing qualifying with two sub-28-sec- not comfortable,” Dean said.

It was a case of take one, take “Coming out of turn 2, it was dia ond laps, the only driver to do so, scoring pole with his first lap of bolical the first time; it just got two, take three... Nobody knows 27.6552. loose, but I kept the foot in. The what happened at the start, as it This was Wyhoon’s first ACDelco second lap, though, was a real was reformed twice after false starts. tank-slapper.”

STRICKEN... V8 Supercar star Greg Murphy after hitting the wall in the Schwantz Pro Chevy.(Thunder-Pics) Initial speculation suggested that Third quickest and happy to just sit back and wait was points leader Dean Wanless started in front of Kim Jane (#27 Bob Jane T-Marts Wyhoon on the line, due to the slow Chev Monte Carlo), while the other pace Wyhoon was dictating, but leading contender for the title, Wanless was adamant post-race Richards (#1 Pyroil/No Fear/Bob that he was in fact behind the #25 Jane T-Marts Pontiac Grand Prix), car both times.

Whatever the reason,it was third was fourth.

Despite his lack of experience time lucky, with Wyhoon leading behind the wheel of an ACDelco from Dean Wanless, Kim Jane, Cup car, Todd Wanless (#24 Richards, Lance and Todd Wanless.

Wyhoon was showing his hand Metalcorp Steel Thunderbird) pulled up a very respectable fifth, early and proceeded to drive away only nine one hundredths behind from the field, with over a second Richards. lead by lap 4, two seconds by lap 6 Lance pulled out sixth, whilst and over three by lap 10.

Behind him, Wanless continued Max Dumesny (#5 Valvoline Chev Monte Carlo), on his 12th wedding to head Jane, Richards, Lance and anniversary, managed only seventh. Dumesny.

Further back, the new boys, Todd Adelaide sensation Rodney Jane Wanless and Murphy, were (#3 Auscar Alloy Wheels/Exide Batteries Chev Monte Carlo) was embroiled in a battle with James eighth, Ken James (#01 IC Iced and Rodney Jane, Wanless’ dirt Coffee/Wet Paint Chev Monte track experience showing through Carlo), back at the Dome after his as he muscled his way through first round accident, was ninth and after running three-wide with Paul Stocker (#48 Consolidated Mm’ph and James into turn 3. favourable, the #2 Valvoline/Tropic Coast Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo breaking a valve spring in one of Friday’s sessions, before bending a valve in Saturday morn ings practice.

“It wasn’t even the same cylin der,” said crew chiefPeter Sportelli.

This required an engine change to an older, less powerful engine the team had at their disposal prior to qualifying - but, unfortunately, Thommo’s woes didn’t end there, the #2 Monte travelling only six laps of the race before the replace ment engine expired.

After much discussion about bodyshapes and related aerody namic advantages, or disadvan tages, West Australian Neville Lance rolled up with a ’96 front-end on his #14 AutoPro/King Koil TBird, bringing him closer to the spec of the other front-running Thunderbirds.

Unfortunately for him, this seem ingly minor cosmetic change had upset the balance of the car so dra matically that the team spent the weekend looking for its former pace.

After a quick trip to “Uncle

John’s” [Sidney] for a once-over, Marshall Brewer pronounced him self much happier with the han dling of his Monte Carlo.

“The thing was a nightmare around here last time; it kept want ing to turn itself around whenever you got on the gas,” Brewer said.

‘We sent it to JSR for John to go over the car and it’s a completely different experience I’m actually enjoying it.”

The warm and fuzzy feeling wasn’t to last for long, though, the #30 Pennzoil Monte Carlo lasting only 71 laps of the race before a ter minal engine failure.

The funny thing is, we only just got our good engine back from Gregg Hayes in Adelaide on Friday and we weren’t going to run it until next season - it looks as though we’ll debut it now next round.”

27fsbmiyW98 Jane found his way into second on lap 10 and set out in pursuit of Wyhoon, while Dumesny continued his climb through the field, taking Lance for fifth on lap 13.

Making good his promise of a strong finish, Coon was hounding Todd Wanless for tenth before getting loose in turns 3-4 and hitting the outside wall on lap 18 — he continned until lap 23, before pitting permanently on leaders’ lap 29.

The Richards car was still not handling at its optimum and, despite Richo’s best efforts, he couldn’t hold out Dumesny, who took fourth on lap 19.

Todd Wanless was falling victim to traffic at this point and was locked in a four-car battle with Byers, Cook and Ellis.

Meanwhile, Rodney Jane was continuing his good form by taking Lance for seventh on lap 23.

Wyhoon by this stage was well into the lapped traffic, putting Todd Wanless a lap down on lap 26.

His advantage over Jane at thi^ point was a constant three secondsplus.

He had a lucky escape as he came up to lap Byers at the end of lap 28, the #26 car getting loose and spinning across the infield grass as he went by.

James’ good form continued, tak ing Richards for fifth on lap 34.

By this stage, Murphy was starting to get into the groove, following James through on Richards half a lap later, Rodney Jane on his tail.

Richards was visibly man-handling the car at this stage, a big push developing mid-turn and Wyhoon putting him a lap down on lap 52.

Mm’phy was the first to the pits for four tyres on lap 50, followed by Richards for the same four laps later.

Murphy was back two laps after his change with what was discovered to be a leaking shock absorber, team manager Scott Williams forced to run back to the pits toI retrieve a spare.

Dean Wanless was closing in again on Jane, the two cars less: than a second apart, but over three: i seconds behind Wyhoon.

Wyhoon, meantime, was caught in a battle with James as he tried to lap him on lap 67. It took over a lap and a wide run on the exit to turn 2 by James before Wyhoon could get past.

James had tried to lock Wyhoon in behind Middleton as the two cars came up to lap the #95 car, but he ran out of fuel as they exited the turn, lightly brushing the wall as a consequence - he took the #01 car to the pits immediately.

later for repairs - unfortunately for him and the team, though, the sus Jane for second on lap 64, before SIX pension damage was terminal. losing the place to Jane again “I had nowhere to go,” Wyhoon laps later when he pitted for all said afterwards. “Dean’s move was four tyres. _ a bit ambitious. I watched him go Up front, much to his dismay, in and thought, there’s no way he’s Wyhoon again found himself going to make that, this will force behind James, who had returned him to back off, so I just lined Bob from his pit stop. He wasn’t held up for long though, the leader pitting up to go around the outside.

“Next thing I know, my wind on lap 78 for tyres and fuel, before being push-started by the crew screen’s full of the #95 car and I’ve got nowhere to go. I guess that’s after the stop, The leader board now showed racing, but we certainly showed Kim Jane over seven seconds clear them a thing or two.”

Interestingly, Wyhoon’s.team of Wyhoon, Dean Wanless, Richards, Dumesny, Rodney Jane, stated that tyre wear over the first Cook and James.

105 laps was negligible.

Lap 121 was the restart. Dean On new rubber, the times were starting to drop and, by lap 100, Wan'less leading Jane and Richards.

Wyhoon had bought the gap down Kim was throwing everything at to 3.58 seconds and was closing at it at this stage, turning in his best the rate of half a second a lap.

On leaders’ lap 101, Cook hit the lap of 28.1206 on lap 124 in an outside wall in turn 2, ending his effort to bridge the gap 4p Wanless.

With ten to go, it looked as night and in the process bringing out the first caution of the race. though Jane was going to be able to With the pits open on lap 103, take another win, but Wanless had both Richards and Dean Wanless other ideas.

On lap 130, his lead was 0.09 sec elected to pit for four new tyres.

Two laps later in a game of strat- onds - by lap 133, he held an egy, both Kim Jane and Wyhoon advantage of 0.65 seconds and the win was his. did the sarnb at the very last sec After 13 minutes in the pits ond. Rodney Jane, then fourth, also awaiting a shock absorber change, made a dive for the pits the lap Murphy was back on the track, run after, changing only outside tyres ning consistently in the high 28s. before the restart on lap 108.

On leaders’ lap 133, though, it all Wanless took the lead at the greeii, while Wyhoon (inside) and finished, the #34 Monte Carlo spin ning backwards up into the turn 3 Kim Jane (outside) went around wall just ahead of Todd Wanless.

James in turn 3, neither driver conWhile the caution flag was out, ceding an inch. It was Wyhoon, though, who eventually led across Ellis had an engine failure on the back straight, ending his race on the line to be second.

In his pursuit of Wanless, the same lap.

Prior to the lap 140 restart, Wyhoon set down the fastest lap of the night on lap 110, registering a Dumesny and Rodney Jane were arguing over a restart position, the time of 27.9178 - for his part, on the same lap, Wanless polled out a two drivers rubbing panels as they 27.9566. approached the green flag.

Kim Jane was also making his Wyhoon continued in the 27s on laps 111 and 112, bringing the gap intentions felt, lightly tapping the down to 0.29 seconds. A win was rear of the #75 car as they approached the start. looking good, None of this mattered to On lap 116, it all ended in tears.

Wanless, though, as he casually led Leading Wyhoon into turn 3, Wanless made a huge lunge under the field across the line after three Middleton as they went into the clear laps to win 0.58 seconds clear of Kim Jane and a lap clear of turn, ultimately washing off speed on the side of Middleton’s car.

Richards in third, Rodney Jane in This forced the South Australian fourth and Max Dumesny in fifth.

Two laps further back in sixth up the track, right into Wyhoon’s was James, who was two laps clear path, the resultant impact tearing away the bodywork on the right of debutante Todd Wanless - eighth front of Wyhoon’s Thunderbird - was Lance, from final finisher and not doing much for the resale Byers. value of Middleton’s car, either.

Series points: Kim Jane 1353, Wyhoon moved up the track Jim Richards 1330, Rodney Jane slightly to avoid Middleton’s slow- 1231, Terry Wyhoon 1208, Neville ing car, allowing Jane through for Lance 1204, lanThomas 1126, Jimmy Ellis 1077, Max Dumesny second in the process, Wyhoon managed to continue and 1050, Paul Stocker 1050, Bob pitted under the caution two laps Middleton 935.

Wanless, meantime, had passed

g EAi^

21

Thunderdome Briefs jump into the Chev Monte Carlo. n Melinda Dumesny’s inclu sion in the Strathfield “If, after a lot of laps in the off season, I’m not happy with it, then National Cars field prompted some discussion about a battle we’ll stay with National Cars and between the women. just work away at the ACDelco Post qualifying, it appeared as Cup car until I’m happy. The good though Dumesny had the better of thing is that there’s no pressure to the more experienced and reigning just get in one straight away.” rookie of the year Nicole Pretty, Melinda turning in a best lap of n The crowd in the pits for the ACDelco Cup cars on Saturday 31.9236 to Nicole’s 33.1207.

Closer inspection, though, afternoon was most impres revealed that all was not as it sive, a number of drivers tied up for periods of time just should be in the Pretty camp.

Just prior to her run, Nicole signing posters and t-shirts for called over her father and crew fans. One happy spectator chief, Daryl, to show him that the cited the decreased entry fee of $15 as being the major con fuel pressure had dropped from sideration of the large crowd.

61bs to 31bs - with no chance of rec tifying the problem, she was forced n Matthew Coleman was a lit to struggle during qualifying.

An inspection of the entire fuel tle dismayed after Legends qualifying on Saturday after system finally revealed a clogged needle and seat in the carburettor. noon and confused about how This fixed, Nicole immediately got John Faulkner was a second quicker in qualifying. the jump on a large part of the “I just don’t get it,” Matt said field to be running competitively afterwards. “We’ve got all the prior to her engine failure.

“That’s all we need,” said Daiyl. same equipment. Unfortunately, “The engine is veiy tired and proba 'though, we broke a diff on Friday night, which caused a little more bly down between 30 and 50 horse power on the rest of the field. We damage than we hoped and we had to replace it completely this were hoping to get the final round morning. What we’re going to do out of it and get a new engine for next season - looks like we might about John, though,I don’t know.” have to fast track that now.”

Coleman’s championship run was thwarted again in race two, when a starting infringement n Longtime ACDelco Cup enthusiast John Maultsaid forced a stop-go penalty, losing was again missing from the him any chance of taking the fight field of entries for the tenth to Faulkner - interestingly, a sim ilar scenario was played out in the anniversary meeting.

ACDelco Cup race without any Team Manager Christie Sinclair cited constant mechanical failures penalty imposed. and ongoing business commitments as the reasons behind Maultsaid’s n South Australian Bob Middleton’s passion for withdrawal from the champi onship... “We’ll be back next year ACDelco Cup racing is always evident in the presentation of though, bigger and better.” his cars and his team. n Eddie Abelnica confirmed Testament to his love of the his intention to be an entrant sport were two immaculate race cars ready for action, despite the in the ACDelco Cup next sea son, but also suggested that he beatings they had both taken over wasn’t finished with National past meetings.

“The Oldsmobile is ready for con Carsjust yet. version to Monte Carlo as soon as “We’ve invested a lot of time and effort in being successful in the last meeting is over,” Middleton National Cars, so we’re a bit reluc said. “It also appears as though it tant to just go into ACDelco Cup may be a shghtly better car for the cars without giving the National Thunderdome than the existing Monte, so we’ll back to back them Cars our best shot,” he said.

“We will take delivery of the to see which one we use. We’ve also ACDelco Cup cars over the next got a lot more development work to couple of weeks. I want to get out put into the cai-s, so you should see to the track in one of the older- a bigger and better car and team next season.” shaped Oldsmobile Cutlasses and - SEAN HENSHELWOOD gain some experience before I

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THUNDERDOIVtE

OUTER LIMITS... Abel Auto yVreckers Commodore of Luke Sheales was an early retiree In the Yella Terra 200 after contacting the Thunderdome concrete. (Thunder-PIcs photos) Report by SUE HOBSON

Winner McDonald closes on points leader Wyllie

Jason Wyllie, piloting the Trust Bank ComputerLand Auto Pro VS Commodore, holds a narrow lead after February 14 over the Powermac Products Christians Holden VR Commodore of Darren McDonald, who won the Wyllie qualified in sixth in a time after experiencing master cylinder However, it was not all bad news time of31.0420 in the second session.

Yella Terra 200, Round 8 of the Session three also saw some problems and taking the sump off of 31.0647, followed by Nathan Strathfield National Cars. for the Williams team, with With only one round remaining Melinda Dumesny making her impressive times clocked, Matthew on Friday, threw out the challenge Pretty (31.1764), Smith (31.4836), White (Freighter Trailers) lapping in qualifying, setting the fastest Jason Kennedy (Port Link in the series, Wyllie holds the front debut appearance in the Strathfield Warehousing, 31.4919) and position by a margin of only 14 National Cars and steering the sec- in a time of 30.8023, Brewer time of 30.8429 on his second lap.

At the close of qualifying, there Houlahan, who completed the top 30.8969, McDonald 30.9431, points, the gap narrowing after ond #8 Williams team car. and the was only one second separating the ten after clocking a time of 31.6312.

McDonald took the win at Calder Sponsored by Bob Jane T-Marts, Watkins 31.0271 Park’s Thunderdome.

Dumesny finished in 13th place, DeWalt/Goodyear VR Commodore top 13 cars, with less than tenths of Race (95 laps) Wyllie, disappointed with the holding her position although she of Nathan Pretty clocking a time of a second between the top five.

Howe led the cars into the first White qualified in second in a decision to declare the race on lap also sustained tyre damage as a 31.0306.

Saturday practice saw White set time of 30.9289, followed by turn after the green flag fell, with 95, pulled into the pits on lap 83 for result of her avoiding the Williams White moving into second, the fastest time, clocking 30.7287, McDonald, who docked 30.9547 and fresh rubber in an attempt to have incident, McDonald third. Brewer fourth and a strong run home.

Abelnica in fifth, the positions He rejoined the race in sixth posi remaining unchanged as they came tion and was clearly the fastest car around to put the first lap on the on the track, setting the fastest lap board. of the race in a time of 30.7886 on i Positions remained unchanged lap 88, before the yellow was trig until lap 4 saw Wyllie take over gered on lap 90 of the 110 lap event; time restrictions thereafter caused fifth from Abelnica, with Watkins also moving through, coming under the race to be declared on lap 95.

Abelnica in turn 1.

Wyllie’s race plan would have With nothing between the top six ensured a fantastic dash to the flag cars, Wyllie again began to move, had the race gone full distance. this time coming under Brewer as McDonald, who was leading the they came into turn 1 - Watkins race at the time of the final caution, moved up into fifth as he made the also has a reputation as a strong fin move down the back straight to isher and the night may have her make the pass on Brewer also, leav alded a great race between the pair. ing Brewer, Abelnica and Pretty to McDonald (who broke the lap race for sixth. record in Adelaide in the previous .

Lap nine saw the first lead round) had experienced no prob-' lems in practice and qualifying, change, ^Tiite coming under Howe with the only change to the car dur in turn 3, with McDonald following ing the two rounds being the car through. set-up for the two different tracks.

Howe found himself back in fifth, after Wyllie and Watldns also came The Ford banner was flying well for the night also, with second and under him as they came out of turn 1 and into the front straight. third positions going to the EF Falcons of Leigh Watkins (Pennzoil McDonald took the lead on lap Perrows Paints) and Marshall 16, coming under White up the Brewer (CICWeld Goodyear front straight, with Wyllie still Fastrack Racing), respectively, with holding down third from Watkins Matthew White finishing in fourth.

CAREER MOVE... Sprintcar racer Melinda Dumesny has a big future in super speedway.(Sean Henshelwood) in fourth and Brewer in fifth.

Bruce Williams, piloting the A caution was triggered on the Yella Terra VP Commodore for the Dumesny, after an impressive with Pretty next in a time of Brewer, with a time of 30.9958. following lap, Luke Sheales (Abel The #4 Melbourne’s Cheapest Auto Wreckers) retiring from the first time this season, unfortunate^j drive, although she has only very 30.8713, followed by Wyllie ly finished his night’s racing with a limited track time to date, demon 30.9128, Watkins 31.1127, Abelnica Cars VR Commodore of Eddie race after being towed off the track. strated that she will no doubt be a 31.0074, Dick Howe (Ferntree Abelnica that had only returned visit to hospital.

Watkins and Howe both pitted, The #9 Commodore’s left front driver to watch next season.

Gully Bolts) 31.0201, Brewer from the panel shop seven days Watkins retui’ning to the field in 31.0949, McDonald 31.4488 and before race day (sporting all new tyre deflated after losing a valve 14th position and Howe 19th Practice while banging wheels with Eddie Shane Houlahan ((Tierney panels, with the exception of the however, Howe was experiencing Three practice sessions were held Petroleum) 31.6146, with Darryl roof), had been rebuilt in five days, problems and was forced to retmm Woods, Williams hitting the wall before turn 1 and triggering the on Friday, with Tasmanian-based Speers (I&V Truck and Trailer its first run being the Thursday to the pits under green nine laps later. caution on lap 90.

Wyllie again dominating, setting the Repairs) rounding out the top 10 in before practice. a time of 31.8912.

The car sustained major damage fastest times in sessions one and Although a little tight in qualify McDonald again took the lead and Williams, who was unconscious three, clocking 30.9544 and 30.7102, ing, Abelnica’s Commodore set the when the green dropped, with for some minutes, was transferred respectively, with the #38 Qualifying fifth fastest time of 31.0109, the car White second and followed by to hospital for tests before being Supercharge Batteries Commodore of Howe, who had only completed promising to be a good race package Wyllie and Brewer, Pretty coming Wayne Smith clocking the fastest 13 laps for the practice sessions for the distance event. discharged on Tuesday. through, however, to take over

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fourth from Brewer on the next lap.

Lap 39 saw the engine in the #3 DeWalt/Goodyear VR Commodore of Nicole Pretty let go in turn 1, the yellow flag flying as the cars waited for pit lane to open.

The top six positions had remained unchanged between the two cautions, Watkins having moved through the field to be sit ting in seventh behind Abelnica.

When pit lane opened, all cars back to seventh pulled in, leaving Williams to take over the lead.

Abelnica was first out of the pits to take over second, with Nathan Pretty third and followed by White, Watkins, Wyllie, Brewer, McDonald, Spears and Houlahan.

When racing resumed, Williams held the lead, with Abelnica and Pretty leap-frogging for second, before Pretty took the position on lap 53, going on to take the lead from Williams the following lap.

Wyllie also had begun a big run, passing Watkins and McDonald before making a high line move around White to take over fourth and then under Abelnica in turn 3 two laps later, setting himself up in third as Pretty took over the lead.

Wyllie took the lead on lap 59, but McDonald had moved up behind him and, eight laps lat,er, after making the pass under Wyllie on the front straight, McDonald took the lead.

Pretty was in third and Brewer, who was consistently moving up through the field, was holding down fourth.

Watkins, had regained fifth posi tion, with White, Abelnica, Speers, Williams and Houlaban making up the top 10 placings.

McDonald and Wyllie were rac ing nose to tail, as were Pretty and Brewer.

Brewer took over third on lap 78, with Wyllie taking the lead on the following lap after diving down the inside of McDonald going into turn 1.

Watkins had moved up into fourth before the caution was trig gered when Steve McDonald spun in the front straight.

Race strategy then came into play, as Wyllie, Pretty, Abelnica and Williams took advantage of the yellow to put on fresh rubber.

McDonald did not pit and took over the lead, with Brewer holding down second and followed by WatkinSj Speers and White.

Wyllie rejoined the race in sixth position, followed by Pretty, Abelnica, Houlahan and Anthony Leitch (Aust Heavy Haulage), Williams rejoining in 11th place.

McDonald was still holding the lead when Williams went into the wall, causing the last caution.

Watkins had taken over second from Brewer, with Wyllie moving through into fourth - although, as the lap had not been completed, Wyllie officially finished in fifth.

Speers crossed in sixth, followed

by Pretty, Abelnica, Houlahan, Leitch, Jason Morrell (Jason Morell Racing), Eddie Woods (Head Stud Development Co)and Dumesny.

Williams officially finished in 14th, with Amin Chada coming in next after completing 87 laps, fol lowed by Smith.

The results for Round 8 have now thrown the series wide open, with only 130 points separating the top seven placings, which should lead to a top night of action to be held at the final rpiind on March 14.

Series placings with one round to go are; Jason Wyllie 1335, Darren McDonald 1321, Eddie Abelnica 1236, Nathan Pretty 1220, Matthew White 1210, Marshall Brewer 1205, Datryl Speers 1152, Nicole Pretty 1024, Jason Morrell 1010, Dick Howe 1004.

OUTGUNNED... Qualifying board notes superiority of Dick Howe's #11 Ford, which poled with a 30.842 time.(Sean Henshelwood)

PRETTY UPSET... Nicole Pretty loses her engine and drops out of race contention. (Thunder-Pics photo)

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Hurran Memorial Legends win victory by Hepburn and record

Now three-way tussle for Faulkner 1 for series fpoints lea'’

The Holden Quality Parts HQ Holdens raced witha different format for this meeting and, instead of two shorter races, one 40 lap race was scheduled i in memory of Alan Hurran.

Friday practice saw Tracey Moulden fastest, so the decision was made to swap engines with Dallas Crane’s car, which was mar ginally slower.

Another engine change was forced on the team after qualifying, when the motor spat a rod out the side in Crane’s car.

Mark Wicks was fastest in quali fying (36.3709 sec), with John Spencer alongside him and, with less than one second between the top 20 cars, the scene was set for a great race - and points were at a premium with only one more round to go.

Crane’s woes continued when the car died on the parade lap and his car was pushed off.

The green flag was waved and Mark Wicks led the field with Scott

Walker, Steve Walker and John Agosta - from eighth on the grid comprising the top four.

Series leader John Harding had problems and dropped to the rear of the field and had to work his way back. ^ The front bunch of ten or so cars were very close and Paul Bongiomo took the lead briefly on lap 9 - but, unfortunately, he blew a head gas ket and retired soon after.

Things went wrong in turn 2 when Wicks got a tap and went into the wall, brining out the yellows and, oh the restart, the yellows reap peared for an incident in turn 1.

Harding was in trouble with offi cials for a dragging exhaust, Paul Butler had some front damage causing a tyre to rub and Rod Blanche was push-started.

At the restart again, Harding was done along with two others for jumping the start, while Agosta, Spencer and Bob Hepburn went into turn 3 three-wide.

Two packs of six cars developed

up front, with plenty of pushing and bumping as they searched for a way through, Scott Walker pulling away from the bunch.

Leigh Yarnall had a harmless spin and Agosta was smoking and got very sideways before calling into the pits.

Scott Walker developed a prob lem and dropped back through the field, while Robert Wright came spinning out of the pack and out came the yellows again.

For the restart of three clear laps, Andrew Koolan and Harding were put to the rear for ignoring the black flag, Michael Fitzgerald was posted for jumping the start and Robert Wright clipped the wall, but managed to hang on to finish third behind Bob Hepburn and Paul Fairbaim.

Champion road racer Neville Haley, who usually drives a HQ on the flat tracks, came home in 10th place in his first super speedway drive.

'■ - GRAEME BUTINS

The Legends are getting faster as the drivers are working out some little tweaks here and there, as evidenced by the impressive performance of race winner John Faulkner.

Faulkner set a new lap record in qualifying at 29.5487 on February 14, which was .69 secs under his old record.

Matthew Coleman was next fastest, with less than a second sep arating second to eighth.

Race one saw Faulkner take the lead from the start with Matthew in hot pursuit.

Adrian Bartsh chased Alfred Bartsh and, when Alf had a hiccup late in the race, he dived past, along with Rodney Jane and Peter White.

Faulkner led fi-om start to finish with Coleman not far behind, but this fast-moving pair were a long way in front of third-placed Adrian Bartsh.

The second race was totally dif ferent, with a yellow occurring on the second lap after Faulkner got the start from Coleman - who was penalised for jumping the start -

and the close-following Jane.

At turn 2, White had a spin and there was oil left on the track, so while it was cleaned up the pace car came out for a single file restart.

By the time the restart took place, Coleman was on the back of the field after his penalty, but with only a handful of race laps to go he wouldn’t catch Faulkner, who bolt ed away from the rest.

Jane in second led the pack of Adrian Bartsh, Alfred Bartsch, Peter Williamson and Barry Merritt.

Coleman was carving his way through the field, eventually get ting up to fourth place, but Faulkner won with a margin of seven seconds back to Jane and Adrian Bartsh.

Series pointscore: Adrian Bartsch 2087, Alfred Bartsch 2043, Clive Henderson 1868, Geoff Durack 1862, John Faulkner 1856, Rodney Jane 1780, Peter White 1406, Matthew Coleman 1365, Barry Merritt 1170, Peter Williamson 1146.

-GRAEME BURNS

2/Febm!]i1998

25

O'Brien survives horror smash Sportsman thunderdome 14-2-98 Con Vereker’s winning result at the Thunderdome on February 14 was somewhat overshad owed hy the violent crash that Sportsman Graeme O’Brien miraculously survived and which made television head lines around the country.

The Konica Sportsman qualifying saw Graeme Gilliland’s Commodore snatch pole and lower Darren McDonald’s longstanding lap record by .0112 seconds to 32.6716 in the process.

Vereker’s Falcon was alongside, just a couple of tenths slower, but series leader Leanne Ross was back in seventh with the job ahead of her.

When the flag dropped, Gilliland got the jump on Vereker and led

the way.

Then things went horribly wrong for O’Brien when cars in the pack had a small touch and his Falcon got onto the grass and catapulted skyward, pirouetting as it flew to some dizzying heights, before crashing down to earth and taking off again for more aerial acrobatics.

The count was 14 rolls and O’Brien came through the wild ride virtually unscathed, which says great things about the strength of these cars.

While the rescue and clean-up operations took place, the cats were led into pit row and parked behind the pace car.

The restart saw Gilliland back at the front, with Vereker and Andrew Gillespie following.

Gilliland and Vereker pulled

away from the field, which was engaged in a series of battles, espe cially Gillespie, who was pursued

by Chris Robinson and John Umseher.

Ross dropped back through the field and had to work her way back up again with the front panel of her car loose.

Around half-distance, Vereker took over the lead and Tony Howlett had retired with a dead engine.

The only time Gilliland could close up the short space on Vereker was in lapped traffic and Gillespie was under pressime from Robinson until the last few laps, when he put a gap between them.

The rest of the field was spread ing out as Vereker became the winningest Sportsman driver, when he crossed the finish line about .04 seconds ahead of Gilliland after the 30 laps - Gillespie was third from Robinson.

The series lead is now held by Gilliland after Ross, leading the pointscore going into this round, finished in seventh place - but Ross is well within striking distance.

Series pointscore: Graeme Gilliland 949, Leanne Ross 927, Chris Robinson 906, Graham Crawford 904, Ron Savas 898, Con Vereker 875, Tony Howlett 824, Mark Sutherland 814, Gerry Raleigh 800, DaiTyl Howden 765.

- GRAEME BURNS

DEMOLITION... Graeme O'Brien will remember his February Thunderdome outing.(Sean Henshelwood pics)

SHORT WHEELBASE... Comprehensively battered O'Brien Falcon.

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27Febniai^ 1998

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Maybe this year.

Motorsport News: Are you fired up for this year,following your well-reported mid-season slump in ’97?

Aaron Slight: I’m more fired up this year than I’ve ever been. I didn’t know who my team-mate was going to be. I went back home and had bit of a rethink, and started my training early because if it was John, I was going to be ready for him...

After strong pre-season testing form 1998is stacking up as the year Aaron Siight couid finaiiy take the WSC titie.

DARRYL FLACK caught up with the New Zeaianden

MN:...Does it matter who your team-mate is in how hard you train?

AS: Hell, if it’s John, it affects everything! He was a hard guy to deal with.

AS; We’re still testing both. Some places I like one, some places the other. At Malaysia, I could do the same time on both really, but I could be more consistent on the dual arm.

MN: What about Phillip Island?

AS: I’ve gone quicker on the mono-arm. It’s the same thing with the other one (dual-arm), it’s more consistent, with tyre wear as well, but I can’t get the times yet. It’s all part of development.

MN: What’s new with the engine?

AS: It’s got a bit more horsepower apparently.

MN: You can’t feel it?

AS: Nothing you notice, just ‘smoother and stronger’.

MN: Did you have to deal with him?

AS: Oh yeah!

MN; Has the steering and drive out of the corners improved in the last year or two?

AS: No, you can’t change the chassis you know.

MN: In what respect?

AS: Just being around. / MN: You couldn’t ignore him?, AS: He was running the team -,he was the team boss. I mean, you can’t ignore that.

MN: But you can change the link.

AS: Yeah, but we’re pretty set on what we use on the back, and it’s working well.

MN: How was he running the team?

AS: He just ruled the roost, he did what he wanted to do, and that wasn’t on. I was looking forward to the challenge again, but he didn’t sign so now I have a team-mate I can work with.

MN: Did that episode with Kocinski affect your motivation?

AS; Oh yeah... not my motivation, it’s always there, always has been there. I started the year off really well, trying to blank it all out and when I had that bad run in the mid dle of the year with back problems, he was coming strong, winning at his home track.

But that was last year. I’ve learnt a lot from that and I’ve gone from strength to strength with some good testing results.

MN: Can you explain the prob lem you had with your back?

AS: I’ve always run for my general base fitness, and it was all those years of running that started pinch ing a nerve and it was getting worse and worse. It was causing a bad sciatic down one side of my leg, and it wasn’t very comfortabie on the bike.

I could feel it ail the time so it was a matter of getting rid of it, which meant I had to give up run ning which 1 based my fitness pro gram around. That was hard men tally and physically to give up.

MN: Do you do more cycling now*?

AS; Yeah, a lot more than I ever did. I’m enjoying because it’s a change too, so I’ve really got in to that and that’s why I’m a lot fitter and feeling better than ever. My fit ness program has been going real ly well.

MN: Can you detail where things went wrong in ’97?

AS: I had two bad races - at Laguna Seca and Brands Hatch the actual back problem was at Monza, which was an okay race then at Austria I had a second and a third so it was two bad races. t

MN: But that was enough to put you out of contention?

AS: Yeah, some people think it

MN: What about things like ride height?

AS: That was done in the first eight weeks of ‘94 and we haven’t changed it since. You can’t change the chassis. If you change the chassis you’re cheating and Honda doesn’t cheat.

Photos by Thunderpics/Agfb

MN: How old are you now 32, or 33?

AS: Just turned 32.

go out and win it. I mean, I haven’t won it, but I’ve been in the top five for the last six years so that’s not a bad out ing either.

I haven’t won it because I haven’t pre pared myself properly and I think 1 have now.

You know, I didn’t deserve those other years. In ’96, Troy had some bad luck, he could’ve been further out in the points. (In)’94 I was close all the time, but they took points away for the fuel (infringement). That was a bummer of a year too, l^ but the bike wasn’t near quick enough, yet I was still leading the champi onship. I’ve led the championship every year. 1 just haven’t fin ished it off.

People always ask ‘will it be your year’ and that’s a compliment in itself. I think it’ll be a dif ferent year. I’ve made a lot of changes to my team. I’ve got a new crew chief this year, Norris Farrow. He was with our ing’s gone better than ever. It’s funny you mentioning my age, it’s team a few years ago. It just spices not a problem. I’m as fit as ever, things up a bit. We’ve gone age has got nothing to do with it for through a lot of things, I could go me. I’m getting wiser and better at on all day. It’s already making a it. difference.

MN: Can you win the world championship?

AS: For sure. 1 mean this year I’m feeling better than ever, the test-

MN: In what way?

AS: You just learn and pick things along the way. It’s a bugger it’s happened this way, I’d rather just

(the slump) was half the season. At Assen I got a couple of fourths, Spain I was second and third, so it was going pretty good by then - it was just those two bad results. It wasn’t that big a deal.

I think it was the physi cal side of the back thing that let everything else get on top of me.

MN: It’s your fifth year in the team. Did you think you got stale at all last year?

AS: It was a lot of things, mainiy physicai things. I hope it wasn’t (getting stale). I never gave up last year, but the odds were against me half way through. This year, I just want to be better pre pared.

''He was bagging me every time he couid because I was beating him.

MN: Do you feel on top I was beating him in the championship so of it now? , AS; Well yeah, so long he neededsomeone to take his anger out as I don’t stray from my fitness training program on in the press to keep himselfin ajob. and injure something else. That means I have -Slight on Carl Fogarty to keep away from highimpact stuff totaliy. I’ve given up the occasional game of tennis - all that stop-start stuff.

MN: You’ve been testing dual fork swingarms and the single Pro-arm. How’s that been going?

MN: Who’ll be your major threats?

AS: I don’t see anyone as a major threat. I just see the competition as myself, how fast I want to go.

This year, I’m looking at it a little differently.

I’m looking at it in terms of win ning races, and if I’m not in front, the helmet in front of me is the guy I want to beat.

I’m not singling out any names.

I’m not gonna pump someone up when who knows how they’re gonna go. They don’t need a label just yet.

MN: What’s your plans beyond this year. Would you quit if you won the championship?

AS: I don’t know. I’d have to think about it. I really enjoy my racing, that’s why I do it. If I got to the end of the year and won the champi onship, and thought that’s all I wanted it out of it, then maybe, but I still think I enjoy racing. But I think I know when I want to give up. I’m not going to hang around just to ride. If things start to slow up I’ll get out of it. Maybe even race a car.

MN: What sort?

AS: Whatever I can get really. Last year I had a play in a British Touring Car and things went really good. I qualified really well but got knocked off in the race. It was a good experience with a good bunch of people so I’d like to do something like that.

MN: What are the strengths of this team?

AS; When it’s (the team) working (well), everybody’s working togeth er and striving for the same thing, which probably goes back to Honda. With HRC, it’s not the amount of money, it’s how keen

27F^miy1998 they are. They’ll keep developing, keep trying new things. If you request something, they won't turn you down they’il just try it.

Everybody here wants to win races. They’re not doing it for advertising, or for poiiticai reasons.

They ‘re doing it because they love racing.

MN: Does it get you down, all this talk about being the brides maid of the WSC? AS: No it doesn’t get me down. It probabiy gets to everybody else, but not me. I mean hell. I’m doing great, I haven’t won this champi onship, but iike I said, it’s aimost a compliment to be up there chailenging for the championship.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m pissed that I haven’t won it, but no-one eise has been the bridesmaid so it may as weli be me! I’d rather be finishing there than fifth.

MN: Have you been approached by many teams over the years AS: Every year there’s three or four offers at ieast.

MN: Have there been any tempt ing ones?

AS: There have, but sometimes it’s better the devil you know. Even last year, I could’ve ridden for a couple of good teams but I decided to stay here.

MN: Getting back to John Kocinski, is there anything good about him because there seems to a iot of bad things said about him?

AS: He’s very clean.

MN: is that a good thing?

AS: Better than being dirty I sup pose.

MN: How do you think he’ll go in the 500s?

AS: I think John will go really well as long as the team backs him. But if he starts to butt heads, it could be a downward spiral. If the team works with him, there’s no stopping him.

MN: Can he beat Doohan this year?

AS: A couple of times, yeah.

MN: He can’t win the title?

AS: I don’t know, I haven’t seen any times yet.

MN: He went faster than Doohan at Eastern Creek.

AS: Yeah, that’s John’s track. He won on the Cagiva there and he was faster than me at our test last year. That’s proof that he’s up there and on the pace, so good on him. There’s no denying he’s got a talent and I’m just glad I was able

^9

Okada:I can win five GPs

World 500CC number two Tadyuki Okada heads into 1998 with a mission; to win five Grands Prix and take the title fight to Mick Doohan. PHIL BRANAGAN spoke to him.

Motorsport News: What are your expectations for the 1998 season?

Tady Okada: I think that this-season we can take five wins.

MN: Obviousiy when you managed to win a Grand Prix in front of Mick Doohan it was a great breakthrough for you.

TO: Yes. That was a great moment for me.

MN: Is this year’s bike a better bike for you that last year’s?

TO: Yes, because last year, sure we had already tried the same engine as Mick, the screamer engine, but we were not able to tiy it for enough time. This year he may be on the same engine all year, the same as me.

MN: You’ll run that all season,the same as me?

TO: Hhhmmmmm... we will still use the same engine, the Big Bang engine, maybe. That’s today, but tomorrow, and at the end of the season, we don’t know. We will have to make up mind after more testing.

MN: Once you make up your mind will you have to stick with one engine all year or can you change?

TO: Possibly, but we will have to see which engine

were much different for Mick... In the middle of the season we made just a lit tle change to the suspen sion setting and that made it better. It was a good step up.

goes well this year (with unieaded fuel).

MN: What about the ’98 bike. Is that better for you than ’97 bike?

TO: It’s still too early to know. Only once since the end of last season have we tried both bikes. It’s hard because of the way things are at the moment (ie coid) in Japan. We wili test the bike some more.,.

MN: What about this sea son’s opposition? Last year you were looking at ust Doohan and Crivilie as the men to beat and now, just on Hondas, you have Biaggi as well...

TO: And John Kocinski.

Last year Alex had his big crash and that was a real problem. I think this year it will take time for him to win.

It will be tough for Kocinski.

Last year already the 500s were much faster than they were two years before when he raced them. It will be a little bit difficult for him, and for me.

MN: You had a lot to do with the deveiopment of the Honda V-twin. Do you think that there will be races this season when the V-twins will be hard to beat?

TO: Maybe at Phillip Island, especially in the race. On technical circuits.

It will be toughfor Kocinski. Last year already the 500s were muchfaster than they were two years before when he raced them.

Takuma Aoki had a good result here (at PI) so that could be good for him.

Also places like Indonesia, Jerez; that was a good cir cuit in 1996 for me so the V-twin could be good there.

MN: Now that you have had your first 500 win does that mean more pressure from Japan, from the public.

TO: No, no, no. Basically I want to enjoy my life.

There’s not a lot of pres sure.

to beat him a couple of times last year on the same stuff.

weekend, you’re gonna butt heads a few times.

MN: Did you and he get the same equipment?

AS: I don’t know. I wasn't in the same garage and I never saw what his settings were.

MN: You’ve got to beat your team-mate first?

AS: Well yeah, it’s getting like that because he gets the same stuff.

It’s not so bad when you running 1 2 but when there’s a couple of rid ers running in between, it starts to worry you.

MN: What’s the deal with Colin Edwards?

AS: We both employed as equals, getting the same stuff.

MN: And you’re good mates?

AS: Yeah, very good mates which is bit strange in a team environ ment so I think it’ll be testing on the relationship for sure, but that’s racto beat your team-mate every

MN: What about you and Carl Fogarty now. Are things any bet ter?

AS: I’ve given up on needing friends in the paddock. I’ve got my own life. We get along fine, we say hello, and have the odd chat but we’re not going to go out to dinner together.

MN: Did you feel comfortable on the four straight away?

TO: At the beginning of the season three times we had pole position but the races

MN: But you were close friends at one stage?

AS: That was a learning experi ence yeah... we were good mates at one stage. But in ’94 when I joined Honda, he was bagging me every time he could because I was beating him. I was beating him in the championship so he needed someone to take his anger out on in the press to keep himself in a job. He’s burnt to many bridges as far as I’m con cerned.

MN: You also had a pretty intense rivalry with Anthony Gobert. Where do you think his career’s heading?

AS: I’ve got no comment really... it’s up to him. Everybody’s tried to

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MN: Now are there more for opportunities Japanese rider iike yourself and the Aokis? Will the factories want Japanese rider rather that gaijin (foreign) riders?

TO: I think it’s possible. But it’s a big step from 250s, it’s a much different machine in character. You can step from 125s for 250s in one step but getting onto a 500 is another, bigger step again... £33

tell him what to do with his career and tried to guide him so it’s purely up to Anthony Gobert. I don’t need to tell him. He knows what he’s got, and what he has to do. It’s up to him. There’s a lot of talent there so I hope he can work his way through it and get on with it.

MN: Why do you think you’ll win the championship this year?

AS: I haven’t won because I wasn’t good enough, or there were problems but I’m not using them as excuses. I’m happy with the way I’ve been doing things and I’m happy with things now. I think I’m stronger than ever and stronger than anybody out there at the moment. m

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MN: How long can you race? Riders sometimes give themselves two or three years in 500s and go away. Will you continue to improve?'

TO: I don’t know! Last year I started on the four-cylinder and had a lot to learn. I improved during the season.

MN: A few years ago it was Americans doing all the winning on 500s.

Then it was Australians.

Now is seems the next wave is Japanese riders.

Why? TO: I don’t know. Maybe they’re following me! The level of Japanese riders is getting better and also, at this moment, Mick is still faster than everyone but... (makes 'getting smaller’ gesture).

I think it’s difficult for some one like me. Mick was already winning on the four-cylinder when I was racing the V-twin, then I had to change to the fourcylinder,

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30 Report by JON THOMSON Possum Bourne, driving an upgraded version of the Subaru he took the Australian Championship with last year, has posted a devastating win over Toyota’s Neal Bates in the opening round of the 1998 ARC on February 2122, the Bridgestone Coffs Harbour Rally.

While winning the first leg almost by default when Bates just two stages from home ran off the road while leading. Bourne made sure of it by outdriving the Canberra driver in leg two.

Bourne’s win gives him both a lead in the champi onship as well as a clear psy chological advantage over Bates, who many believed was a short-price favourite for the title.

It is now clear that it is

Bourne top banana at Coffs opener l X

... -1^

going to be a another long hard fight to the finish for / these two now traditional ' rivals.

ENTRY A bumper field of over 70 entries made the opening round of the Australian Championship a tantalising prospect- however, with sev eral of the key protagonists watching from the sideline, the Coffs Harbour event lacked some of the sizzle it had promised.

The missing included Ed Ordynski, who, although

OPENING SUCCESS... Reigning ARC Champion Possum Bourne gets 1998 off to a good start. (Jon Thomson pics) entered in a Group A Lancer Evo III, looks destined to sit out the entire title, thanks largely to a lack of funding from Ralliart Japan. At the root of the problem is the contribution massive required fi-om manufacturers for TV coverage of the series.

CONTMJHO A IFADIilON Of ATWJNTIRI

Another last minute with Also out of the picture drawal from Production Car were Group N’s fierce oppo nents from 1997, Michael was David West, who would have started favourite.

Guest and Greg Graham.

The entry was headed by Guest is seeking funding Neal Bates - at car 1 in the for a lash at Asia Pacific and the Kiwi doesn’t have the Corolla WRC rolling off the funding to mount another starting ramp - as clear ^ favourite, while his arch rival.

ARC campaign this year.

Possum Bourne, in an updat ed Subaru Impreza with WRC gearbox, was at car 2.

There was little opposition for this pair at the front of

1998BounaAustraliaBaHy Septemter6-27 wmTimmom-nismcECSBmiYisoKmiN

The 1998 Round Australia Rally is a 22 day event starting in Adelaide on September 6, travelling 18,000km in a clockwise direction around the coastline of Australia, and finishing back in Adelaide on September 27. Competitive special stages will vary in length from 5 to 200km, making up as much as 4,500km in total. \VEHICLE ELIGIBILITY n MODERN RALLY CARS GROUP l FIAGroupA l FIA Group N l CAMS Production Rally Cars n CAMS HISTORIC RALLY CARS GROUP (Cars up to 1967; 1968 to 1975) n RECREATION FOUR WHEEL DRIVE/UTILITIES VEHICLES GROUP l Standard Recreation Four Wheel Drive Passenger Vehicles l Modified Recreation Four Wheel Drive Passenger Vehicles l Utilities l Formula Four (vehicles up to 2000cc)

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the field.

Stewart Reid debuted his ex-Mark Griffith Subaru Impreza and veteran Gr^am Alexander was there in his Lancer - but then the field dropped away to state championship contenders and the Group N battle.

Heading Group N was Paul Kennedy, Queensland’s John Goasdoue and Mark Haybittle in what was a Mitsubishi Lancer benefit.

Only one Subaru Impreza was entered in the Group N category, Michael Thompson from Canberra, this despite a massive incentive scheme

offered by Subaru Australia.

Formula Two was perhaps where the most interest lay, with at least seven serious competitors, all of whom had the potential to win the category.

National F2 Champ Brett Middleton headed the entry in his Honda Civic, with Lee Peterson’s Nissan behind him, then Dean Herridge’s Hyundai Coupe, Ross McKenzie’s works Daihatsu, Simon Evans (now co-driven

by Zara White) in his Corolla and Rick Bates seeded quite inexplicably 14 cars behind the main F2 pack at car 35-it promised to be a gi-eat battle.

The Aussie car class was headed by five-time champ Steve Winwood in an XR8 Falcon, ahead of the Commodore V8 of local Peter Roberts and the Datsun 240Z of Rob Devenish, circuit racer Geoff Full in a Commodore VR V8 and Andrew Murdoch’s XR6 Falcon.

Another disappointment was the Silverstone Challenge, with just five Corolla RVs entered in a class that has

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simply never captured the imagination ofthe rally world.

LEG ONE It was a hot and dry atmosphere competitors faced as the rally got imderway with a short 500 metre special stage around the Goffs Harbour Showgrounds.

Bates and Bourne had equal fastest after the Showground stage and it was then down to the real busi ness in the forest, where Bates immediately gained the upper hand, taking Bourne by one second.

Bourne admitting that there was still a bit more in his “updated Subaru.”

“If we can update the ROMS in the engine man agement system, we proba bly will have a bit more power; but Neal appears to have a wee edge at the moment,” said the reigning champ.

In the F2 ranks, another Bates was leading.

Rick Bates had the edge, his Daihatsu grabbing a four second advantage over Evans’ Corolla.

The Herridge Hyundai was having problems, the limited-slip diff failing in the opening forestiy stage, drop ping 16 secs to Bates, while Middleton’s Honda was pumping oil out of its brandnew engine and dropped 22 secs on the Daihatsu, Reid found little consolation in his switch to Subaru when, on special stage 2, a stick punctoed the radiator, The Subaru was firmly tied to a trailer by mid-afternoon and ready for a trip back to Brisbane.

Neal Bates continued to dominate at the head of the field, with the Corolla taking four seconds off the Subaru in SS3 and another three seconds on SS4, the advantage eight seconds - and Bates was more than happy with the performance.

Bates and Bourne were both encountering problems with excessive amounts of dust on the roads, Heading north around the banana-growing centre of Woolgoolga, the longest stage of the leg, An-awarra, faced the crews, The 26.44km stage climbing through the banana plantations would take its toll

27Febmiyim and emphasise what a sprint-oriented sport rallying has become.

Bates had a moment as he charged the Corolla up the hill, which was dotted with drainage humps, the Toyota bucking wildly and almost sending him off te road.

“The Corolla doesn’t land as well off jumps as the Celica did, which is some thing we are going to have to get used to,” said co-driver Coral Taylor.

Still, the incident didn’t seem to affect Bates’ stage times - he clipped another 3 seconds off Bourne, the gap now out to 11 secs.

Kennedy had slipped into a comfortable gait in his Lancer and was leading the Group N fight, heading Mitchell by 14 seconds in the fight for Production Car honours.

Rick Bates was building a solid margin in F2 as others around him had problems.

Team-mate Mackenzie had fuel starvation affect ,the Daihatsu on stages 4 and 5, which in total cost Rim a massive 31 seconds to Bates.

Middleton dropped a bolt out of a rear engine mount on the Honda and was taking it easy over the jumps on SS5, tiying to nurse the car to the next service only to lose another mount diagonally opposite before it could be fixed, costing him 30 seconds.

“Its shaping as a shocker for us - it’s been pumping oO out of the engine from the word go and we had a spin on SS2; now this,” said Middleton.

Herridge was also having woes, the Hyundai breaking a fuel injection wire on the jumps in 5, causing it to go onto four cylinders for the remainder of the stage.

His crew thought they had fixed the problem, only for it to recur halfway through SS6 and all the way through SS7, dropping masses of time and putting him out of con tention for F2 in this leg.

Winwood also succumbed to the infamous jumps, the Falcon suffering a gear selec tion problem as a result - his crew changed the selector before SS6, but the problem was still there.

“I had to drive it flat in second for much of the remaining stages,” Winwood said, “which meant the engine got pretty hot; but we still managed to hang in there and stay second in the big car class.”

His main opponent, Devenish in the Datsun, was out on SS7 with a blown diff, which was fortuitous for Winwood.

Roberts led the class in his Commodore.

Timing was a problem on SS6 for leader Bates, the offi cial stage time differing by 10 seconds from the time recorded by the car’s onboard ti-ip computer and Taylor’s stop watch - the Taylor evi dence was later backed up by an irrefutable engine logging map from the car’s engine computer.

“Pete Reynolds [team engi neer] was able to show exact ly when we started the stage and when we finished and the time was identical to that recorded by Coral, so I think a mistake has been made,” said Bates.

31

On the final stage, Rick Young Canberra driver - the Toyota driver simply By the fourth stage of the It was all very academic, Bates blitzed them and took did not have an answer. day, Bourne had a 24 second because on the next stage, Steve Forsberg, with Lyndall “I knew I was not getting gap on Bates, with still two six seconds off Herridge, the final forestry test of the Drake alongside, claimed the while both Mackenzie and it right, but the more I tried long stages of 23 and 21 kms leg. Bates would end the leg Silverstone Challenge, ahead Evans were five seconds off stranded with a broken rear of Victorian Ashlea James to get it happening, the more to run to the finish, the flying Bates, the result it seemed to go wrong,” said ‘I was comfortable with strut, the result of getting and West Australian Roman giving him the F2 category Bates. that and knew I could afford caught in some loose dirt and Watkins, while Jo Cadman win from Herridge, with to back off just clipping a small Mackenzie in third and a smidgen from bank.

Evans one second behind in here to the fin “*1 couldn’t fouifh. ish,” said believe it did the Rick Bates’ two victories Bourne sort of damage it meant that he would win the While Bourne did,” said Taylor.

F2 category overall, while may have backed “We hit those Mackenzie’s second and third off. Bates got his sorts of things made it a 1-2 for Daihatsu at head together for all the time and the first round. a charge on the thought we could At the head of the field, fifth stage, a just bounce on piece of road he Bourne put the icing on the and keep going. cake with a stage win on the had been doing a But the whole lot of tyre testing final stage, beating Neal rear-end seized on during the Bates by four seconds to cross up and the car the line 23 seconds ahead. previous week. was stranded in “I knew the A dejected Bates was the middle of the road really well searching for answers. road.”

His second place, combined and I got it Bates would with a failure to finish the together in the score no points previous day, meant he opening part, so from the leg, this would only pick up fourth it just flowed with a lead of place overall, behind Long through the almost 20 sec stage; but by (with a second and a third), onds before the then it was all as well as Paul Kennedy, problem and just V8 MUSCLE... Steve Winwood's XR8 Falcon was under constant pressure.(Thomson) too late,” was who would claim third with the last few kilo his two fourth placings Bates lament,,despite beating In F2, the fight was on had a rally she would prefer metres of the stage and a again, with day one winner Possum by five seconds. to forget, suffering a multi final 500 metre sprint around RESULTS The Group N category was Rick Bates immediately get the Showgrounds standing tude of problems.

LEG ONE Winwood had to settle for sec again being dominated by ting the upper hand, grab between* him and the valu Possum Bourne/ Kennedy, who was in fact 1. bing a seven second advan ond in the big car class, behind able leg win.

Tony Sircombe While Rick Bates was Roberts’ older Commodore, tage over Herridge. leading Long at the end of Subaru Impreza Rick Bates was buoyed by the second stage, before two while Full grabbed third and leading F2, Evans had dri 55mins 50 secs Murdoch fourth. the times from Saturday, offs on the third stage saw ven a consistent and strong John Long/ 2. which, on further analysis, him drop behind Long and Bourne Tclaimed the points leg in the Corolla, which had Damien Long been reshelled and reduced revealed that, if not for losing stay there to the finish. and would go into the second Mitsubishi Lancer But Kennedy’s sights were a fan belt midway through in weight, as well as having leg with at least a psycholog Ihr OOmins 44secs on the Group N category another 15 horsepower found ical advantage over Bates, if the day and a degree of cau Miles Sandy/ tion he showed as a result, he and he was unheaded in that 3. nothing else. in the engine department.

Michelle Murphy class, despite a close fight may well have finished third A driveshaft let go on the LEG TWO Subaru Impreza outright, finishing just 31 throughout the day with next stage, stage 7 and 1 hr 1 min 18 secs Bates’ crew had worked Goasdoue, also in a Lancer, secs shy. dropped the Corolla to sixth in the F2 battle.

Paul Kennedy/ It was more problems for the pair swapping times 4. hard to get the crash damage Ken Behrend Middleton, his Honda hitting stage for stage. repaired, as well as a gear Middleton had more prob Mitsubishi Lancer lems in the Honda.

Kennedy would finish the box pump which had been a ford too hard and damag Ihr 1 min 21secs day just five seconds ahead ing the cooling system.

Despite sorting the engine leaking throughout leg one.

John Mitchell/ 5.

Middleton was not popular of his opponent. mount situation out, he It started right from the Col Trinder Long was having another clipped a barrier on the final word go, with Bates emerg- with the Daihatsu team Mitsubishi Lancer flawless run in his stage of the day at Ihr Imin 23secs updated Lancer the Showgrounds, Graham Alexander/ runnnig in PRC, 6. not losing much Dave Stewart but basically in time, but causing Mitsubishi Lancer Group N trim some damage.

Ihr Imin 27secs With Bates out of save for a bigger turbo restrictor and 7.

Rick Bates/ the rally, all of a sudden former Jenny Brittan forged pistons.

Daihatsu Charade The improve . NSW state champ Ihr Imin 47 secs ments were keep John Long in his Lancer was in sec ing him at the head LEG TWO of the “others,” ond place with a Possum Bomue/ behind the Boiume 1. fast and consistent and Bates battle.

Tony Sircombe run, albeit almost Melbourne five minutes Subaru Impreza 47mins 31secs behind Bourne, youngster Cody Neal Bates/ Crocker was having 2. while reigning Coral Taylor a good run in the NSW champ Miles Toyota Corolla WRC Sandy had moved Subam Legacy, sit 47 mins 54 secs into third in his ting in fifth place but unable to catch 3.

Subaru, 34 secs John Long/ the Lancers ahead Damien Long behind Long Mitsubishi Lancer Kennedy, yet BY THA T MUCH... Bates/Taylor struggled mightily to make up ground.(Thomson) of him, 51mins 38secs another former InF2, Rick Bates was neck and neck with 4. after the incident, because Paul Kennedy/ NSW champ, had snared ing from the opening stage Ken Behi-end with a frown on his face - after he got going again he Herridge and, heading into Group N and was fourth out Mitsubishi Lancer right, just ahead of veteran something wasn’t quite right. pulled back onto the road in the two final long stages, the 52mins 25 secs Graham Alexander (another Moments later, the times front of Bates and caused Daihatsu was trailing by three him to lose almost 16 sec six seconds back) and John confirmed it - Bourne had seconds. Bates having slowly 5.

Cody Crocker/ clawed back the deficit onds in the dust cloud.

Greg Foletta Mitchell, second in Group N taken a massive seven sec The Possum attack was brought about by the earlier and only one second off onds offhim in just 9.5 kms.

Subaru Legacy Alexander.

52mins 28secs Bates was short of soft continuing at the head of the dust holdup.

It would all be decided in 6.

John Goasdoue/ In what was the giant compound rubber and the field, Bomue taking another Alan Bates the final two stages. killing performance of the only new Dunlops he had left four seconds off Neal Bates.

Mitsubishi Lancer Bates was ten seconds rally, the tiny 1.6 litre were too hard for short, After a third on day one, Daihatsu of Rick Bates was sharp stages in the dusty Sandy had hoped to again faster on Plum Pudding, the 52mins SOsecs Rick Bates/ Coffs forests - but he had no seventh outright, just 19 sec first of the two stages giving 7. attack and challenge arch onds off the turbo 4WD alternative. him a three second advan Jenny Brittan rival Long, but on the third Daihatsu Charade Lancer of Mitchell, as well as Underlining Bates’ prob stage of the day a hole in the tage heading into the final lems was the fact that radiator upset the plans.

53mins 12 secs claiming F2. stage.

Bourne was high in his Bourne, on new Pirellis, was If that wasn’t enough, Sandy struggled on, losing POINTS praise for Neal Bates’ perfor losing grip on the front at the a two minute penalty for Evans had been driving the mance in the first heat.

(Provisional) end of the stage, but still was lateness after repairs were Corolla to within an inch ofits “The car is a bullet. Neal able to beat him. made - without the penalty, life and was having an intense 1. Bourne 40; 2. Long 30; 3 The Bourne attack contin he would find later that battle with Mackenzie in the Kennedy 24; 4. Bates 16; 5. did a great job today and it was really bad luck for him ued on the second stage of fourth was a real possibility, other Daihatsu for third in Sandy 14; 6. R.Bates 12; =7 not to claim the win,” said F2, just one second beliind at Mitchell 10; =7 Crocker 10; =9 the day when he grabbed though he was 11 places fur Bourne. another five seconds off Bates ther back.

Alexander 8; =9 Goasdoue 8. the end ofPlum Pudding.

3!

27Fsbwaiy1998 Report by MARTIN D CLARK

THE GATORADE TWIN 125 QUALIFYING RACES The Gatorade Twin 125 qualify ing races took place at Daytona on Thursday, February 12 and two Chevrolets in the form of Sterling Marlin and Dale Earnhardt won their respective races.

Marlin took the first 500 qualifier from the 12th starting slot in the 28-car field, the win somewhat of a surprise as the two-time Daytona 500 winner was in his maiden race with the three-car Sabco operation.

Marlin ran the 1997 Chevrolet

Earnhardt... at last!

The Intimidator wins Daytona

around the outside of Marlin on the DAYTONA 500 Michael Waltrip in the Wood Gordon took the lead pack to pit same lap.

Earning a record $1,059,105, Brothers Taurus moved through road for fuel and tyres, the two cau Gordon was not afraid to show Dale Earnhardt ended a the field from his 13th starting slot, tions that followed hampering his his hand, racing up to four-wide chances of regaining the lead - he but, with Earnhardt’s team-mate drought of 59 points races -with and kicking up the dirt on many Mike Skinner on his tail, the out a win, coming home tri would finish 15th. umphant in the season-opening occasions down the inside of the “We’ve done it before, and have chance of drafting into the lead back stretch from his 30th starting looked slim.

Daytona 500 on February 15. come to the front,” said Gordon of Nothing could be more fitting slot, Schrader in his draft. their mistake.

Waltrip said later he had Gordon took the lead once pit planned an attack on Earnhardt than Earnhardt taking his first The third yellow flag came out on powerplant, whereas Earnhardt Daytona 500 (he’s won 30 other stops had culminated around lap during the final tour, but the caulap 42 for Dan Pardus, who hit the ran the new SB2 engine.

60, Rusty Wallace in his tracks folDaytona events) in wall and then Steve Obviously, the pairing with NASCAR’s 50th lowed by Earnhardt, Labonte and Grissom.

Sterling’s old crew chief from Wallace’s new Penske team-mate, anniversary year.

Marlin held the point Morgan McClure Racing, Tony “It took me 20 years Jeremy Mayfield, who was having a Glover, will be a combination to be on the final six-lap to get here [victory great run in fifth, reckoned with in 1998. green period - Jarrett, lane],” Earnhardt The race lost it’s early spark a surprising second Earnhardt, meanwhile, visited said. around the midway stages, but was victory lane for the ninth straight after cursing the “I’ve had a lot of livened up in the pits when Dale Taurus all week, was year in the Twins, although he^ Jarretf and Greg Sacks slammed good people behind remained to that point 59 races followed by pole-sitter on pit road. me.

They kept saying, Bobby Labonte and an without a victory.

Trickle, Jeff Burton, Martin and ‘this is your week, this Jimmy The 50-lap 125-milers are held impressive the strong-iTinning Derrike Cope in is your week.’

Spencer. each year, with the two pole sitters IS**-; “I cried a little bit in the Bahari Pontiac all made subUnfortunately for - this year, brothers Bobby and the race car on the stantial contact in the pit road Ten-y Labonte - the only two guar Schrader, pi^tting was a way to the chequered '■ scramble, Jarrett a two-time 500 anteed to make the superbowl of big mistake, as David flag. Well, maybe not -victor losing four laps in the melee, Green nudged him stock car racing.

Martin would later drop off the cried, but my eyes Fourteen positions are taken coming off turn 2 on pace with rear axle pinion trouble watered up.

I can’t the final tour. from each of the events. believe we ran as fast and Burton a blown engine, blamed Schi-ader hit the wall The remainder of the -43-car field as we did. This was a on the pit lane incident. with great impact is talcen from the six fastest quali Earnhardt hit the front again on strong race car.

We’ve Johnny head-on, fying speeds of drivers that did not lap 121, but Ward Burton cut a tyre got a great team and make it through results in the Benson also slamming this team can win the to air the first caution flag of the Twins. Also, seven provisional slots the concrete hard, 200-lapper just four circuits later. championship.' which cost him a are allotted, one of those a previous Earnhardt lost the lead to During the preced chance at the 500 in champions enti-y. ing weeks’ practice Wallace in the pits dining the first The unlucky twelve drivers and the virgin Roush team.

Earnhardt made the caution - Earnhardt was second, teams who did not make the cut “Whenever you go comment: 'We’re with Gordon third, but with help were Hut Stricklin-Stavola, Loy from the bottom of the going to start our winfrom team-mate Skinner, Alien-Precision Products, Johnny track to the top, you ning streak here at Earnhardt drafted by Wallace on Benson-Roush, Jeff Green- know it’s gonna be Daytona and go on lap 130.

Diamond Ridge, Todd Bodine-ISM, hard,” said Schrader from that. I’m ready to Earnhardt kept out front through afterwards -the impact Wally Dallenbach-Sabco, Mark start, I don’t want caution two for John Andretti and Gibson-Gibson, Gary Bradberry- was enough to send those other guys to Robert Pressley, who made contact Triad, Michael Ciochetti-Hughes, Schrader to hospital with a broken sternum. have any more time to coming off turn 2. Earnhardt’s crew Kenny Wallace-Filmar, David FINALLY ... Dale Earnhardt netted the big one. (Allsport) Race two was an practice and get their made no mistakes and he stayed Green-American Equipment. cars better. out front after stopping for right tion put paid to that idea. That sec Bobby Labonte lead the first tour Earnhardt benefit. The Intimidator It turned out they needed all the side tyres and fuel, of the first event as NASCAR flew leading from the culmination of lap ond yellow flag was aired by an The remaining laps were a wild practice they could get. incident entering turn 1. the black flag for Wally Dallenbach, 1 through to the chequers, even Earnhardt’s Richard Childress battle, Skinner, Schrader, Wallace, Kenny Wallace, running 15th though he was suffering from a who apparently jumped the start. crew changed an engine after final Mayfield, Labonte and Gordon all and one place from making the 500 Ken Schrader ran second, fol stomach virus and faced the possi practice the day before the 500, the swarming around the stout .#3, but field, “bump drafted’ the lapped Loy lowed by Derrike Cope in his new' bility of vomiting in the car.

Allen a little too hard.

Bahari mount and Jeff Gordon. race engine they planned to use none were successful, Wallace losAgain the second race produced ha-ving broken a push rod - luckily, ing several spots as he mounted a Allen spun without further con cautions, this time two, the first on The caution flag was aired on lap 12 for debris on the front stretch lap 10 wiping out Ricky Ruld, tact and Wallace did not make the the engine broke during that praccharge and the draft passed him by.

With just two laps remaining. tice and not the next time they and, with nothing to lose, some Darrell Waltrip, Ricky Craven, field.

Lake Speed made contact with Dave Marcis and the little-known fired up the Good-wrench Chevrolet.

Allen pursued Wallace in the teams at the rear took on tyres and “The Intimidator’s’ resume is now Andretti, apparently after a nudge Mark Gibson from the ARCA series. garage post-race and laid several fuel during the caution. complete and all that remains is a from Jimmy Spencer coming off blows on the younger Wallace.

On the restart, Gordon made a Craven had ignition trouble record-breaking eighth Winston turn 4 and the yellow flag came out “I tried to apologise, but e-videntmove on Cope, bringing Dale before the wreck, finding himself in Jarrett’s Taurus with him into the wrong place at the wrong time, ly that didn’t, work,” remarked Cup Championship - could this be for the third and final time, All Earnhardt had to do was to the season? He thinks so.

Wallace. third and eventually the lead, with along with Rudd, who had qualified John Andretti in the STP Pontiac poorly. stay out fi'ont through to the yellow The first 50 or so laps were the Ernie Irvan, in his new Pontiac and white flags and this he did most exciting seen during speedride, followed Skinner to the stripe, Luckily for pole-sitter Terry this time glued to Gordon’s rear with the help of the lapped Rick Labonte, he pulled off on lap 17 pursued by Rusty Wallace and Jeff weeks, with plenty of three-wide bumper. racing action - but Bobby Labonte Mast, who he used as a road block, Gordon was the only car working after his Hendrick Chevrolet Burton, both driving a Taurus.

Labonte, one of five drivers try Rookie drivers Andy Hillenburg was able to keep that action in his low, the remainder of the pack appeared to be down on power rear view mirror from his pole posi ing to win the Winston No Bull and Kevin Lepage impressed many using the high groove near the wall. had he been on track,'’he too could tion.

Five and bag an extra miUion if he with their eighth and ninth place Just before rookie Kenny Irwin’s have been involved in the fracas.

The wreck in the entrance of the won the race, passed Mayfield for Earnhardt poked the nose of his results in unsponsored Chevys, as spotter had said, “be patient” on the radio, Irwin’s Yates Texaco Ford hit tri-oval took six laps to clear, with did Jerry Nadeau in the new menacing Che-vrolet out front for second, after banging door handles the first time on lap 16, taking secon the final torn’, Elliott-Marino Taurus, which fin the wall in turn 2, tangling with cars scattered all over the front Todd Bodine and Dick Trickle. ond from Labonte and then the lead ished a solid 12th.

(Continued on next page) stretch grass.

WINSTON CUP RESULTS GM GOODWRENCH 400 - Rockingham, NC Feb 22, 1998= I. 2.

3.

Jeff Gordon, #24 Dupont Chev Monte Carlo Rusty Wallace, # 2 Miller Lite Ford Taurus Mark Martin, #6 Valvoline Ford Taurus

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Jimmy Spencer, #23 Winston Ford Taurus Geoff Bodine, #7 Phillips Consumer Ford Taurus Bill Elliott, #94 McDonald's Racing Ford Taurus Dale Jarrett, #88 Quality Care Ford Taurus Tery Labonte, #5 Kellogg's Chev Monte Carlo V Bobby Hamilton, #4 Kodak Film Chev Monte Carlo Ricky Craven, #50 Budweiser Chev Monte Carlo

11. Ward Burton - MBNA America Pontiac Grand Prix

12. Rick Mast, #7S Remington Arms Ford Taurus 13. John Andretti, #43 STP Pontiac Grand Prix 14. Jeremy Mayfield, #12 Mobil I Ford Taurus 15. Derrike Cope, # Gumout Pontiac Grand Prix 16. Brett Bodine, # Paychex Ford Taurus 17. Dale Earnhardt, #3 GM Goodwrench Chev Monte Carlo 18. Jeff Burton, #99 Exide Ford Taurus 19. Ernie Irvan, # Skittles Pontiac Grand Prix 20. Steve Grissom - Kodiak Chev Monte Carlo

1 furMIL

I

Current Points After Round 2

I. 2.

,335 Rusty Wallace, Ford .

Dale Earnhardt, Chev . . . .302

3.

Jeff Gordon, Chev

300

4.

S.

Jeremy Hayfield, Ford Bill Elliott, Ford

289

6.

7.

8.

Jimmy Spencer, Ford ... .278 271 Terry Labonte, Chev Bobby Hamilton, Chev . . .270

9. Ricky Craven, Chev 10. Ernie Irvan, Pontiac

291

260 .256

27Febm!f1998

N

ASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick is appar ently recovering well from his battle with leukemia and apparently the disease is now in remission.

Hendrick remains under house arrest in his Charlotte, NC, home after being convicted of federal fraud charges.

Several teamsatsuccess fully tested Atlanta Motor Speedway leading up Rockingham.

Jimmy Spencer posted a lap of 191.040 mph in his Travis Carter Camel Taurus and rookie Steve Park click ing off a lap of 190.254 in his Earnhardt-owned Pennzoil Mote Carlo.

All teams were testing with the new spoiler config urations recently laid down

by NASCAR. The speeds compared with Geoff Bodine’s pole speed of 197.478 mph set in November.

G

oodyear unveiled its new rain tyre devel oped for the NASCAR Winston Cup series on February 13. ' The tyre has been tested briefly at Watkins Glen and Martinsville.

“The cars slide, but recover well,” remarked Mark Martin, one of the dri vers who tested the tyres and who was in Japan last November when the field qualified on the grooved tyres.

The tyres will be ready for the Watkins Glen circuit in August of this year and then next year for Sears Point and the short tracks.

The wet tyres will not be used at the larger tracks.

200 pound bracket, wants NASCAR to weigh drivers in their underwear to stamp out any rule bending.

2d

By Martin D Clar The first tyres are hand grooved in England, while the next batch will be moulded.

1

986 Daytona 500 winner Geoff Bodine made the official announcement on February 12 that Philips Electrical will sponsor his Mattel Motorsports Taurus for the next three years.

Terry Wallace Labonte had an andalterca Rusty tion on the backstretch dur ing one practice session at Daytona, Wallace apparent ly forcing Labonte into the dirt.

“Those are the guys who wreck all the time and won der why they wreck,” Labonte said afterwards, “I’ve seen him [Wallace] tumble down the straight away five times and the guy is not any smarter than he was.” /

rain-shortened Jeff Gordon won a Daytona IROC race, which finished on lap fA 40 just as Jeff Burton was about to put a move on Gordon for the point.

Gordon gained the lead from Mark Martin on the final restart, thanks to a push in the draft by Burton, the pair diving under Terry Labonte and Dale Earnhardt before passing Martin.

V

eteran crew chief Bill Ingle resigned from Stavola Brothers Racing and driver Hut Stricklin on February 16.

Ingle gave his resigna tion on January 25, but did not want to sour the team's morale before the Daytona 500.

Unfortunately, the opera tion did not make the 500 and ingle quit the following Monday after a conversa tion with his old employer, Ricky Rudd.

Ingle, who quit Rudd’s Tide team in 1996 for Diamond Ridge Motorsports, will become the general manager, working alongside crew chief Jim Long.

Since incep tion oflast the year’s weight rule by NASCAR, drivers weighing less than 200 pounds must add up to 50 pounds of lead to their car.

Several drivers have apparently been lining their pockets and shoes with bal last to beat the rule.

Jeff Gordon, one of the drivers that fits in the under

Triad and dri ver Motorsports Gary Bradberry picked up sponsor Pilot before the Daytona 500 for the remainder of the season - Pilot is the USA’s largest seller of diesel fuel to the trucking industry.

(Continued from previous page) plete with electronic flak The first five in the 500 jacket to ease the pain. As for are now eligible to win the Wallace, it was his first top bonus at Charlotte’s Coke five at Daytona since 1991.

Gordon faded in the wan 600 in May. Just about every member ing laps, apparently losing a from each team congratulat cylinder to finish a disap ed Dale on a long trip down pointing 16th. Terry Labonte pit road to victory lane - he was a disappointing 13th, while rookie Irwin finished a then celebrated with dough nuts in front of the grand steady 19th - the man he stand on the Daytona 500 n replaced, Irvan, had a good run in sixth and was in conpainted grass.

Bohby Labonte finished a ' tention to win. strong second with Mayfield A special mention has to a superb third and Schrader, go to privateer owner-drivers nursing a broken sternum, Dave Marcis and Billy was an heroic fourth, com- Standridge, both making the

field - for Marcis, it was his 31st straight 500, finishing 36th, with Standridge 35th.

Daytona 500 Top 20; Earnhardt (Chevy) 1'72.712 mph, B Lahonte (Pontiac), Mayfield (Ford), Schrader (Chevy), Wallace (Ford), Irvan (Pontiac), Little (Ford), Skinner (Chevy), M Waltrip (Ford), Elliott (Ford), Petty (Pontiac), Hamilton (Chevy), T Lahonte (Chevy), Craven (Chevy), Spencer (Ford), Gordon (Chevy), Speed (Ford), Andretti (Pontiac), Irwin (Ford), Musgrave (Ford).

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33

Schwantz impresses

Daytona Speedway host ed the opening race for the Busch Grand National division on Valentine’s Day, February 14, with Joe Nemechek leading ^105 of the 120 circuits on the 2.5-mile super speed way to dominate the NAPA Auto Parts 300.

In a new Monte Carlo dubbed ‘Speedy Gonzales,’ Nemechek started alongside pole-sitter Mike McLaughlin, taking the point from McLaughlin on lap 8.

Joe stayed out front through pit stops, avoiding the wreck fest behind him, with four cautions in the final 30 laps.

Dale involved One Earnhardt Jr, who flipped ^dly on the Superstretch. ^ Rookie Tony Stewart later had a tyre going down and was nudged by Mark Martin as he slowed.

Stewart was also done for the day, as he slammed the wall and was then clobbered hard by Larry Pearson.

World of Outlaw star Dave Blaney cut a tyre and his ROOKIE... World champ Kevin Schwantz. (Thunder-Pics) Amoco Pontiac bust into three who have a head start much about it. I won the flames, Blaney luckily escap Daytona 200 Superbike race in this year’s points race. ing unscathed.

Texan Schwantz had a in 1988, so this is my ten Jeff Purvis, who started fourth, finished second, fol particularly strong showing, year anniversary coming lowed by Mark Martin, starting 16th and equalling back to Daytona.

“I made a couple of mis Buckshot Jones, series his best finish,' eighth and takes early on and lost the champ Randy LaJoie, Matt ranking as the highest fin lead draft, but the cautions Kenseth, Michael Waltrip, ishing rookie in the event. played back into our hand “Racing at Daytona is pret Kevin Schwantz, Jimmy said and we finished in the lead ty intimidating, Spencer and Phil Parsons. freight train.”

Only three of the ten top Schwantz.

Schwantz took home “I guess I was too young points leaders in 1997 fin $27,225 for his troubles. and naive when I was racing ished in the top ten - Jones, - MARTIN D CLARK LaJoie and Parsons are the Superbikes to think that

A

3^ nmrn^\m A COMPLETE TURNAROUND n Last year at this time, you probably could have counted A1 Hofmann’s fans on one hand.

Okay,two. Whatever.

Now, however, they number in the thousands.

The unsponsored driver from Florida suffered through a mixed 1997, winning while crashing heav ily at the Gatornationals, strug gling upon his return and finally getting everything together for a big season-ending win at the Revell Nationals in Texas.

In an interview published in Motorsport News last, year, Hofmann vowed to retire before he raced in 1998 without a sponsor yet there he was, pulling to the line with his mostly black Pontiac when qualifying opened, with only “Pontiac” lettered on the car’s flanks.

We’ll forget Thursday’s effort, because the track was far^foo cold to expect much, but on/Friday, Hofmann knocked the fans flat with the sport’s all-time quickest elapsed time for Funny Cars, 4.862 seconds.

Sure, the fans will always acknowledge an outstanding perfor mance, regardless of who puts it forth, but in this instance they real ly responded, cheering loudly as Hofmann made his way down the return road.

Even more surprising was the way they greeted the guy some con sider one of the most difficult to deal with and non-fan-oriented in the sport.

Introduced prior to the start of eliminations with the other drivers, he was greeted with cheers as loud as those of his arch rival, John Force, with Hofmann responding with a huge smile and big wave that brought another wave of cheer ing from the stands.

Hofmann told us that he’ll announce a major sponsorship agi’eement at the Atsco Nationals in Phoenix, Aiizona.

“I’m not sure who it’s going to be yet, as they haven’t decided, but it’s going to be either GM Goodwrench, GM Performance Parts, or GM Restoration Parts.

“There’s no doubt about it, GM’s been great to me and I’m really excited about this,” he said prior to the start of eliminations.

It’s ironic how things work out.

Two years ago, Hofmann tuner Tom Anderson was considered one of the best in the game, with lead mechanic Jimbo Ermalovich consid ered little more than a competent wrench-turner.

Anderson’s departure for the Don Prudhomme camp was widely reported, as was the animosity evi denced by Hofmann at his leaving.

Ermalovich surprised many by maintaining Hofmann’s perfor mance pace and then steadily improving it as the team leader.

Anderson, in the meanwhile, failed miserably in his stint with the Ron Capps-driven Copenhagen Camaro, with the car only coming around after he departed and Roland Leong joined the team.

Anderson is now in semi-retire ment, although he did appear at the US Nationals, where he tuned an alcohol Funny Car to the run ner-up spot.

Ermalovich is now a highly respected tuner, whose advice is sought by those struggling to get down the track and Hofmann, thanks to the Ermalovich-inspired elapsed times and speeds and Al’s increasingly longer burnouts, seems to have achieved a level of popularity he’s never before enjoyed.

DRAG RACING *9

QUICKEST-EVER... Unsponsored cult hero Al Hofmann carded Funny Car’s new benchmark of 4.862 seconds in his Pontiac. (Keith Burgan pic)

The season has hegun^. with some rumours now farts and others just talk News from America by Jon Asher On a more serious note, Hofmann’s legal action against Western Auto continues and, despite a reported settlement offer, the case is being pursued through the courts.

A new defendant has also been added, as well.

Cotter Communications, who at the time represented Western Auto, has been named in the suit as the result of an apparently highly inac curate deposition given by a Cotter employee about Hofmann’s attitude and actions while under contract to the auto parts chain. ' In fact, Hofmann’s attorney was forced to obtain depositions from several racers after the Cotter accu sations/ all of which apparently sided with Hofmann.

According to one source. Western Auto has canned Cotter Communications, at least partially as a I’esult of the depositions pro vided.

THE FORCE FACTOR n Despite the Pomona crowd reaction to Al Hofmann’s quali fying effort, John Force remains THE MAN when it comes to Fxmny Car racing.

Two weeks prior to the Winternationals, Force was in Memphis, Tennessee, on what would have been Elvis Presley’s 60th birthday.

He was there for a press confer ence, during which it was announced that he would compete at the Mac Tools Gatornationals and Pennzoil Nationals in Memphis with an Elvis-themed Castrol Mustang.

Joining Force at the announce ment was NASCAR Winston Cup star Rusty Wallace, who will run an Elvis-themed machine at the Las Vegas Cup race on March 1.

A five-time visitor to Graceland, Presley’s Memphis home, Force needed no convincing when it came to the suggestion that he run a car with The King’s picture on the hood.

From his book, “I Saw Elvis At 1000 Feet,” to his every action.

Force is the legendary musician incarnate.

The real difference is that Force plays a 5,000 horsepower “guitar,” something Elvis probably never could have managed.

Ah, but at the Winternationals Force’s popularity took a solid body punch when it appeared that team mate Tony Pedregon tried to jump on the brakes against his mentor when Force smoked the tyres in their second round race.

There were scattered boos heard along the return road and hack in the pits Force got into it with Whit Bazemore, after the Team Winston Mustang driver made a snotty

remark about the outcome of the race.

Force would later join an NHRA teleconference, during which he vehemently denied that “team orders” had every played a role in has racing endeavors - but there continue to be doubters.

The problem is that with a twocar team the owner is almost always going to be open to these charges.

Warren and Kurt Johnson have faced this kind of thing in the past and the possibihty of similar accu sations existed when both Connie and Scott Kalitta were running Top Fuel - but I can’t recall an instance where it came up.

The disappointing aspect of the Force/Bazemore situation is that the former reportedly called the lat ter’s sponsor to complain about his complaints!

THUNDER VALLEY n Jeff Byrd, manager of Bristol Dragway for owner Bruton Smith, has just announced that the track will be closed this year while some US$6-$7 mil lion in improvements are made.

New IHRA president Bill Bader earlier told us that, in discussions with Byrd, he infonned the former Winston Drag Racing team manag er that, in order for IHRA to return to the track, at least $1.5 million in

improvements would have to be made.

Byrd then asked Bader to hang back for an answer for a couple of weeks while he approached NHRA about bringing a national event back to the facility that once hosted the Springnationals.

We can only assume that Byrd and Smith have been promised an NHRA Winston series national event in 199, which would bring the schedule up to a difficult to deal with 23 points-paying race, not including the non-points Winston Invitational.

Existing contracts with secondrate facilities like Phoenix, Seattle and Memphis preclude a cancella tion in that area and we can’t easily see the elimination of any other races, with the possible exception of one of the Texas “doubles” at Houston,or Dallas.

Politically, the Memphis and St Louis tracks are tied together because of the ownership of Chris Pook, the man behind the CART Long Beach Grand Prix.

While St Louis is a good market and also “politically correct” by being so physically close to Budweiser’s corporate headquarters, Memphis is decidedly not - but you can’t have one without the other.

Bristol Dragway is one of the most unique racing facilities in America.

2IFebfuaiyW8

‘Ir

Colson will reportedly run Drag Review out of an old bank building in Norwalk and has been inteiviewing potential editors, including Top Fuel world champion Paul Romine’s PR man, Indiana University student Matt Davis.

As that end of the operation con tinues to come together, Bader has landed New England Dragway in Epping, New Hampshire, for one event and New York International in Leicester, New York,for another.

In the case of Epping, the track signed on not because of IHRA, but because of tlieir faith in Bader’s ability to make their race a finan cial success.

The same could be said about the parallels the shut-off area.

New York facility, which saw As if that isn’t enough, they’ll Bader’s efforts in action last year also take down a mountain on the when he successfully promoted a east side of the track to provide additional pit space (and parking Fox Hunt at the largely moribund for the round track events), which track.

While Epping will have to make will necessitate another culvert sys tem, as there’s a stream on that what amount to minor upgrades to side of the track as well. bring it into line for national event During last May’s IHRA Spring status, the New York track will require large amounts of money, Nationals, work was already under way on the mountain on the east which the owners have promised.

And, unlike previous IHRA for side of the track and, believe me, this is a massive undertaking, the ays into upstate New York, the likes of which you’re not likely to track will not be leased by IHRA, but will be in full partnership on see outside the scope of some mas sive, government-funded highway the event, so it’s in their best inter est to pull out all the stops in makproject.

Smith has the money for these /ing improvements.

On the sponsorship front, Bader kind of things and certainly/ wouldn’t be going into it without' has already had productive meet assurances from NHRA about a ings with current title rights spon race date. sor Snap-on Tools and has also been in touch with numerous con If Bristol does come on line as we suspect, that means NHRA will tingency awards sponsors, who then have national events in what have promised to hang in vdth the new ownership group. amounts to a rather small geo Given enough time. Bill Bader is graphical area, with Richmond, Memphis, Atlanta, Columbus and the man to bring IHRA back from Indianapolis all placed within a the brink of oblivion. rather small circle.

NEWS’N NOTES The question will then become ■ Australian Garry “Skippy” whether or not the market can sup Kennedy has become a first port an additional event. rate crew chief, as evidenced by At the right time of year and his being selected for the with the right promotion, it proba Craftsman Crew Chief of the bly can. race at the Winternationals for MORE IHRA NEWS his efforts on behalf of Funny Car driver Tim Wilkerson.

1 New IHRA owner Bill Bader Sr has his hands fuU. Back at the Nationals, where Kennedy was also working on the As their season is about to begin, car, another member of the team Bader is trying to move the organi was named for the honor, which zation to Norwalk, Ohio, while at the same time handling track, per rightfully should have gone to the Australian. sonnel and sponsorship problems.

Kennedy has become a proficient Long respected for his profession tuner/mechanic and could be head alism and dedication, Bader ed for a full time gig with a major appears to be the ideal choice to team, if he wants one. salvage drag racing’s “other” sanc tioning organization. .■ After failing to qualify at the It appears that Drag Review edi tor Jeff Stunkard will remain in Winternationals, crew chief Bristol, with Ron Colson taking his Wes Cerny and driver Cruz place.

Pedregon took the Interstate

It’s located in the mountains of eastern Tennessee, on the same grounds with constantly expanding Bristol Raceway, which hosts two extremely successful Winston Cup events each year, along with a select number of additional races featuring the BGN and Craftsman Truck Series.

The dragstrip is wide and long, but just past the finish line the track makes a fairly significant turn to the right because of the terrain.

Smith plans on completely levelling a small mountain to straighten out the shut-off area and will also have to install a massive culvert system to handle the nm-offfrom a sfream that

Batteries Pontiac to Tucson, Arizona,for testing.

After attempting three runs with the same results they’d had at Pomona — dropped cylinders — they changed engines and all of the attendant electrical wiring, switch es and magentos.

On the next run, the car ripped off an .896 sixty foot time that was mated to a 4.98/298, this after Cruz shut off at the 4.5-second mark on the run.

Whatever the problem was with the electrical aspect of the car, or with the shortblock, they seem to have eliminated the problem and could be very tough at Phoenix. n Speaking of Firebird International Raceway, the word is that the track was thor oughly scraped after the test session in late January, so it could be good for the Atsco Nationals, which take place,Just after this writing.

During the test session, new grandstands could be seen under constniction at the facility, but that seems hardly necessary in light of the light turnout the event has attracted in recent years.

Talk about your financially depressing national events... n Ray Alley, who gave Kenny Bernstein his first Funny Car rides back in the late 60s and early 70s when he owned the Engine Masters shop, has resigned from the Bud King team.

Alley was the last remaining member of the “Armstrong gang,” with the Bernstein operation now a complete reflection of Lee Beard’s tuning style.

Bernstein showed extremely well in pre-season testing and, despite the departure of Alley, should be tough in the coming races. n Former Pro Stock driver turned tuner Buddy Ingersol has been playing both ends against the middle in his attempts to become the highest paid crew chief in the category.

Ingersol has been bouncing back and forth between several teams seeking the best deal for himself and, as we hear the story, he not only wants a six figure salary, but then does no actual physical work on the car himself, but delegates everything to underlings.

That has not endeared the former driver to several team owners, with the result being that, while he appears to have a job at present, it might not be long-lasting.

And that’s all the news that fits!

Confusion has reigned with the Funny Car series this year, with the official title being dropped byANDRA after just two cars were booked by Calder Park for the first round in October, although five cars were available to contest the round.

The class, at this stage, has also been removed from the Nationals as an official bracket, although a number of the nation’s leading cars have been booked to run ‘exhibition’ passes at the event.

The Westernationals event is

K’ 4

By Gerald McDor n Perth’s Ravenswood International Raceway has made a last minute decision to drop its round of the Australian Top Fuel Series, which was scheduled to run at next week’s Westernationals event and replaced it with a championship round for the spectacular nitro Funny Cars.

The decision to drop the Top Fuel cars came about due to just one team, the Pennzoil-hacked team of veteran Robin Kirby, entering the event, although it was commonly known for some time that most teams wouldn’t travel to Perth, citing distance, timing and money conceims over the event as their reasons for not making plans for the trip.

Last week, Ravenswood promot er Gary Miocevich signed four eastern states Funny Car drivers ●- Garry McGrath, Glenn Mikrbs, Ron Atholwood and John Taylor to make the trip to the west to contest the event against Perth’s own fuel coupes of Lloyd and Graham Jones and Allan Greene and Allan Dobson.

While no official notification has been given, it is believed the event will be the basis for a one round Australian Funny Car Championship, giving the event victor the right to carry the ‘num ber one’ for the next 12' months, along with a much sought-after gold ANDRA Christmas tree.

Reigning Australian Funny Car Champions Peter and Helen Russo aren’t making the trip to the west, with a prior commitment to their sponsors to run at the Australian Gi'and Prix taking pri ority over the last minute schedul ing of the Westernationals event.

‘We’re disappointed we can’t go to Perth and we’re sorry we had to decline Gary’s [Miocevich] offer, but the Grand Prix is a commit ment we made over three months ago,” Helen Russo told Motorsport News.

“There’s no doubt the cars they have booked, along with the two Perth cars, are quality cars and, given the opportunity, they’ll run good and put on a great show for the fans.”

55

the biggest of the year at Ravenswood and the Top Fuel showdown was scheduled by the track in an effort to showcase the sport to the public and, more importantly, government officials ,who the track management is currently negotiating with in an effort to relocate the track.

■ How nmch damage did Romeo Capitanio’s little indis cretion with the wall at Calder Park cause to his team’s Top Fuel car?

Well, how about the entire front half of the car, from the driver’s feet forward, needs replacing!

Melbourne chassis shop John Lang Race Cai's replaced the bent and twisted front half of the car recently.

■ John Lang Mace Cars also replaced the four link brackets in Peter Kapiris’ Pennzoil Statesman Top Doorslammer last week, in an effort to get the car to handle better and give them more adjustment.

The job appeared to work, with Kapiris mnning his quickest-ever pass - 6.41 - first time out.

Kapiris is also believed to be ready to order a ‘complete’ Mun-ay Anderson car for next season.

■ Former Nationals Super Gas runner-up Wayne Keys cur rently has a BMW AA/AP blown doorelammer being constinicted by Mina-ay Anderson.

Perth-based Keys is expected to take delivery of the rolling chassis within the next week or tw'o.

■ The tenth Bob Meyer-built Top Alcohol dragster should have landed in Australia by now, with North Queensland racer Paul Shackelton having purchased a car recently.

Word from the US has Shackelton purchasing the exTalifero Brothers divisional cham pionship winning digger to replace his previous car, sold in late ’97.

PNOSTALGIA DRi !r?->r

Match Race Madness - Seven second Mown front en§mei dragsters Roly Leahy (Qldl ¥s Maurice Fahietti (NSWI

See drag racing recreated in the wajf it used to he in the sport’s ‘glory days’ at the first round of the 1998 Lucas Oils flostalgla Drag Racing Series. Blown front engined dragsters, wild altereds, hot rods and nostalgia sedans tackle the Raceway Park guarter-mile in n ntfinf fiin-iillpri fstnilu

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Qualifying from 11 .OOam-Racing from 6.00pm. Take the Northern Hwy to Bendigo, off the Mume

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2/Fet)fWfj'W98

Cory Mac,Chuck and WJ rack'em up at Phoenix

322.92 mph record blast by McClenathan \

Report by DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

Cory McClenathan, Chuck Etchells and Warren Johnson scored their first wins of 1998 this past weekend at the 14th Annual Atsco Nationals, held just outside Phoenix, Arizona, on February 19-22.

Rains had washed out all of the racing on Friday and the Pro teams were forced to use only two qualify ing runs to get in the program.

McClenathan put the Joe Gihhs/McDonalds dragster into the victoi'y column by taking a close final round win over new Winston points leader Jim Head.

McClenathan streaked to a 4.627/319.71 to stop the close 4.656/311.52 of Head, McClenathan also establishing a new NHRA National speed mark at 322.92 mph and vaulting into second in the points race.

Etchells drove his KendaR/Mama Rosa Pizza Chevrolet Camaro to a brilliant final round win over Pomona winner and points leader Ron Capps.

“General” Tim Richards had Etchells’ Camaro loaded for bear in the final round as he thimdered to low e.t. and top mph of the event at 4.944 /312.82 to stop the tyre-smok ing Copenhagen Camaro of Capps.

This marked the first time in his tory that two Camaro-bodied cars have met in an NHRA Funny Car final round.

Johnson scored an impressive win in Pro Stock by defeating ’96 and ’97 champion and current point leader Jim Yates in the final round, setting the table for what may be a season that will probably see these two battle all the way to the end.

Johnson cut a great .430 light in the final and led the race all the way to the finish line, winning, 6.974/197.49 to 7.020/196.80.

TOPFUEL Joe Amato led the pack at 4.635/310.88 with McClenathan and his McDonalds ride close behind at 4.661/318.02.

Bruce Sarver, with the tuning help of Bob Brandt, went 4.667/312.17 for third, while Head put down a 4.668/310.55 for fourth.

Doug Kalitta’s 4.671/314.46 was good for fifth and Gary Scelzi’s 4.704/301.00 in the Winston drag ster netted him the sixth position.

Doug Herbert’s 4.713/305.81 was seventh and the top eight was rounded out by Mike Dunn’s 4.719/270.18.

With the rain-shortened qualify ing, there vere some surprises in the show and some not making the cut.

Tim Gibson put the Arias-pow ered dragster of Bill Miller into the show at a career-best 4.733/300.20 and Ron Smith anchored the pro-

EXTREMEL Y FAST FOOD... McDonald's world-fastestTop Fueller of Cory McClenathan rewrote the NHRA record book.(Keith Burgan pic) gram in his Washington-based Rhonda Hartman. Head improved to a second round 4.665/309.49 to fueller at 5.065/289.11.

As for the non-qualifiers, Kenny take out the hole-dropping, tyre Bernstein failed to make a top fuel hazing 4.993/224.55 of I^itta, that show for the first time since the ’96 win moving Head into the Winston Atlanta race, smoking the tyres to a points lead.

Scelzi moved into the semi-finals 5.992 best, while Shelly Amderson and her Parts America dragster with a 4.671/305.91 win over the missed the cut for the second event red-lighting and tyre-smoking Grubnic, while McClenathan in a row, going 5.130 for seven teenth. recorded another consistent Dunn started the day of final 4.613/319.14 to end the day for eliminations by stopping point Herbert, who shook the tyres to a leader Larry Dixon Jr, recording a 4.717/307.37. great 4.665/307.48 while Dixon In the last pair of the round, Amato went 4.657/318.13 to trailer smoked the tyres in Ms Miller Lite dragster. the Mopar Parts dragster of Dunn, Dick LaHaie had the Snap-on whose car was ahead at the eighth Tools dragster of Herbert flying mile mark, but slowed with prob during qualifying and notched their lems to a 4.813/234.37. third consecutive run in the .70s at.

Head put Ms Close Call-backed 4.750/314.57 to stop Tim Gibson. dragster into his second straight In the closest race of the rouifd, final, taking a 4.705/303.43'to Scelzi took a squeaker from Bob 4.762/294.02 win over Amato and Vandergriff, 4.696/302.52 to his Tenneco dragster.

4.709/307.48.

Amato was ahead and pulling Australian David Grubnic, dri away until he started smoking the ving the Montana Express of John tyres just past the eighth mile.

McClenathan moved into the Mitchell, stepped up to record a 4.764/309.59 to take opt number final round when Ms 4.643/291.26 three qualifier Saiwer. ended the day for ’97 Champ Amato set low e.t. of the round Scelzi, who lost traction right off with a 4.570/319.48 that easily the concrete pad and slowed to a 9.043/86.02. stopped Smith.

McClenathan then answered With the sun setting over the Amato’s run with a 4.619 at the horizon of the Arizona desert, the fastest speed ever recorded by a two cars fired for the final round.

Top Fuel dragster at 322.92 mph,to Both cars left closely together, send Tony Schumacher and the with Head having a better .862 60 foot time - but the Mike Green/Jim Peek Brothers packing.

Kalitta took out Eddie Hill’s tyre- Brissette power propelled smoker with a 4.727/309.27 and McClenathan to a close win at Head then had a Close Call as he 4.627/319.71. closed the round, taking a win light The final round mph backed up in a scaiy tyre-smoking battle with McClenathan’s earlier 322.92 mph

blast by 0.01 mph for the new NHRA mark, FUNNY CAR A1 Hofmann was the low qualifier for the second consecutive event with a 4.994/304.67.

Hofmann’s car was painted in a likeness to Warren Johnson’s Pontiac and the team will anounce a sponsorship program before the Gainesville race in two weeks.

Event winner Etchells put his Camaro into the second spot at 5.064/303.54 and Cruz Pedregon, coming off a dismal showing at Pomona, grabbed the third spot at 5.077/300.70 - Dean Skuza, run ner-up here a.year ago, was fourth at 5.089/307.27.

Pomona runner-up Wilkerson put Ms JCIT Pontiac into the fifth posi tion at 5.109/291.07, while ’97 Champ John Force landed sixth at 5.185/299.10.

Tom Hoover put his Pioneer Dodge into seventh at 5.222/264.23 and Pomona winner and points leader Capps anchored the top eight at 5.235/273.30.

Cruz Pedregon began the first round by pushing his Interstate Batteries Pontiac to a great 4.966/310.02 to stop the Mad Magazine Pontiac of Jerry Toliver, who posted a career-best 5.152/270.18.

Etchells began his march to the win by taking a 5.130/304.87 to 5.434/287.90 win over Mitch McDowell.

Wilkerson then put Castrol dri ver Tony Pedregon on the road home, taking a 5.064/301.91 to a tyre-shaking 5.306/290.51.

Hofmann took a 5.020/302.21 win over Del Worsham, who was with Hofmann to half-track until his car drifted toward the wall, forcing him to lift and coast to a 5.794/173.77.

Skuza then took a single at 5.065/302.62 when the Jim Dunn car, driven by Frank Pedregon, began to leak oil following the burnout and was forced to shut off.

TMs event marked the fii-st time in Mstory that three brothers were qualified in the same Professional category, as all three Pedregons made the program.

Randy Anderson then knocked off the other Castrol driver. Force, in a wild race.

Anderson was late by a mile,.657 to .491 and was watcMng Force puU away until the tyres broke loose in the Castrol Mustang.

Anderson chased Force and pulled out a close win, 5.964/190.83 to 6.233/222.38.

The loss for Force put him out of the top ten in the point standings for the first time in a decade.

Whit Bazemore stepped up the Winston Mustang to take a close win over Hoover, 5.059/308.64 to 5.167/294.40 and Capps closed the round at 4.970/301.20 to take out the independent Pontiac of the Creasy Family and driver Dale Creasy Jr. Anderson took advantage of Cruz Pedregon’s tyi’e shake and scored a 5.040/308.11 to 5.238/285.53 win in round two.

Skuza continued to put down consistent runs, his 5.077/307.79 taking out Wilkerson, who was blazing the hides before the 300 foot mark.

2/February 19%

37

Willowbank Top Fuel win

by Kirby

HANDSOME... Chuck Etchells’ nicely proportioned Chevrolet Camaro Funny Car was a victor. (Keith Burgan) Capps and Hofmann staged a good close race until Hofmann’s car started to lose traction at mid track, Capps going into the semis at 5.075/302.01.

Etchells then closed the round with a good one, when his 4.982/299.40 trailered the back ped alling 5.225/297.91 out of the Mustang of Bazemore - the win was costly for the Kendall team, as they had serious engine damage on that run.

Capps moved into his second final round of the new season by leaving first and posting an engine damaging 5.0317286.80 that held off the 5.062/225.96 of Skuza.

Etchells pulled into the lanes at the last minute, following all the work they had before the semis and then made it two Camaros in the final round when he ran 5.008/310.55 to stop the tyre-smok ing Parts America Pontiac of Randy Anderson.

In the final round, Capps got out on Etchells, but was fighting trac tion problems by the 300 foot mark, Etchells and his new Camaro thun dering past to set both ends of the Firebird International Raceway marks for a Funny Car at 4.944/312.82.

PRO STOCK Warren Johnson came to the Atsco Nationals not ever having

won at this race track and began the weekend by qualifying number one for the 90th time at 6.964/197.49.

Yates followed at 6.967/197.28, Troy Coughlin wound up third at 6.988/197.71 and Kurt Johnson put his new Camaro into fourth at 6.991/197.28.

Tom Martino held onto the bump at 7.036/196.29.

Round two action started with the Oldsmobile Cutlass of Pete Williams leaving with and taking out Kurt Johnson’s AC Delco 7.031/195.69 to Camaro, 7.054/197.06.

Yates then posted an impressive 6.997/196.76 in his SplitFire Spark Plugs/Peak Anti Freeze Pontiac to stop the 7.081/195.14 of Steve Schmidt.

Mark Osborne then drove the Dick Sherman Pontiac to a close 7.034 to 7.031 win over new Pro Stock sensation Jeg Coughlin Jr. The round closed with Warren Johnson getting a big break.

Johnson took his time staging and Pawuk left on him by a tenth.

At half-track, Pawuk’s car began to get loose and he was forced to lift, allowing W.J. to squeak one out, 7.146/195.82 to 7.819/137.17.

In the semi-finals, Warren Johnson drilled Williams at the start and charged to a 6.988/197.93 to 7.052/196.85 win.

The other pair saw! Mark Osborne take a slight lead on Yates, but Yates had the power to turn'on the win light, 7.007/196.76 to 7.054/195.35.

Warren Johnson was ready for this final round and cut a fantastic .430 light and stormed to a 6.974/197.49 to hold off the 7.020/196.80 of Yates, winning at Phoenix for the first time in his long career.

FEDERAL MOGUL DRAGSTER AND FUNNY CAR Steve Faria scored a win in the dragster class by defeating Mark Hentges in an all-blown alcohol final round.

Faria went 5.726/209.72 in the final to stop the close 5.764/240.77 of Hentges.

The nitro burning A/Fuel cars were the story of qualifying, taking the three top spots.

Rick Henkelman led the way with an all-time quick 5.368/252.97 pass to lead qualifying.

In the Funny Car class, ’97 Federal Mogul champ Frank Manzo took the honors in Phoenix by tak ing a final round 5.744/250.97 win over Cy Chesterman, who unfortu nately broke.

Manzo ran mid .70s all day at speeds over 250 mph on every pass and John Weaver led qualifying at 5.708/247.38.

THE PROFESSOR... Legendary Warren Johnson took out his first Phoenix Pro Stock win. (Keith Burgan pic)

>]

It was a weekend nothing short of perfection for Pennzoil and Robin Kirby when contesting round five of the Australian Top Fuel Championship at Willowbank Raceway’s third and the final round of the Castrol New Year Series last Saturday night.

Kirby piloted his Pennzoil machine to second spot in qualifying behind Glenn Mikres, following that with his best-ever numbers in the first round of eliminations and, finally, the event win, his first in a very long time.

The other two Pro categories saw the current National Champions in each dominating throughout, but falHng right at the end.

The first round of eliminations in

qualifier spot with a 7.94, pipping Tucker by .01 sec.

Polito stayed just that little bit quicker than Tucker throughout the night, until they met in the final, where Tucker turned the tables on the current national champ.

Tucker’s better-reacting and

quicker 7.91/171 was much too good for Polito’s 7.96/170.

Tucker has now won four straight rounds and has built up a sizeable points lead over Polito and his other rivals.

It was a similar story in the Serco Pro Stock Motorcycle bracket when current national champ Les Donnon rode the Castrol Suzuki to the number one spot in qualifying with a 7.80/167.

Only two other bikes dipped into the sevens in qualifying, Jason Lee and Denis Ackland recording 7.92 and 7.94, respectively, Donnon met Ackland in the final

First Provincial Building Society^ Top Fuel saw Kirby record his most' impressive numbers, a 5.13/284 which also stood as the top speed of the day - in his defeat of Roy Smith, who suffered damage to the and threw it all away on the start differential at half-track and line with a .389 reaction - but slowed to a 6.13.

Donnon still holds a good lead over Mikres recorded a tyre-shaking his rivals in the championship race.

5.17 solo in the Santo’s Cranes car The Wreckers Hotline Top Comp and Terry Sainty produced the bracket attracted 12 entries, with upset of the round, defeating every type of vehicle represented, Cowin’s Shell Rocketship, Cowin including four dragsters, five sedans, shaking hard and being forced to two funny cars, and one T-bucket.

The final featured two of the abort the run.

Kirby earned the bye in the sec- most consistent racers in the class, ond roimd and produced a 5.23 solo with John Payne in his JP Racing to go straight through to the final.

Corvette facing Steve Swinscoe in Sainty again played the role of his Chev Beretta funny car. giant killer in the Eagle Ignition After two relatively quiet meetLeads car when he defeated Mikres ings, Payne returned to the winners with a 5.35/260 - Mikres’ car tossed circle with a close, hard-fought win the blower belt at mid-track. over Swinscoe.

Kirby shut off early in the final, Colin Lloyd took out the as he thought he was far enough in Performance Wholesale Super front at that stage, his 5.39 at only Comp bracket with an easy win 241 mph still too good for Sainty’s over Jon Sting in his potent 5.49/250.

A/Dragster.

Andrew Cowin stepped into the Sting left the line way too early cockpit of the Shell Rocketship for and wasted a sub-index 7.24/176 an exhibition pass midway through and gave the easy win to Lloyd in the night, after father Graeme had his Headsense G/Gas Commodore, been eliminated.

Other winners on the night This was to be his first pass down included Gavin Spann aboard his the Willowbank strip and didn’t he ACB nitrous-fed Suzuki in Morgan show everyone how to run a four? and Wacker Comp Bike.

Cowin Jr shut off at about the Spann defeated the Morgan and 1000 ft mark, but still managed to Wacker-sponsored P/CB Harley run a 4.95 at only 243 mph. With a Davidson of John Parker, half-track speed of 248 mph, one The Ken Lowe Race cars can only wonder what times would Modified bracket was won by have flashed across the scoreboards Graeme Frawley, Cragar had he not shut off early.

Performance Super Sedan by Juan Rob Tucker drove his Kudnig, Superformance Super Perfoi-mance Wholesale Oldsmobile Street by Steve Sander, Pipemaster Cutlass to a win in the Autobarn Modified Bike by Andrew Le Dilly, and Performance Wholesale/Limati Pro Stock bracket.

Joe Polito had earlier put his Junior Dragster by Kerri-Anne -KEN FERGUSON Dynomax Ford Probe into the top Adams.

1997/98 ANDRA CHAMPIONSHIP DRAG RACING SERIES - POINTS TO FEB 27, 1998. \

PE0L

I. 2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

97/98 ANDRA Top Fuel Series .425 Glenn Mikres, Santo’s Cranes Graeme Cowin, Shell/Rocket Indust. .400 .245 Robin Kirby, Pennzoil/Keatings Terry Sainty, Eagle Ignition Leads ....240 Darren DiFilippo, True Flow Exhausts .200 160 Roy Smith, Atholwood & Smith 140 Romeo Capitanio, Top Fuel Inc

I. 2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

97/98 ANDRA Top Alcohol Series .290 Gary Phillips, Lucas Oils Wayne Newby, Newby Blowers ,...240 Steve Flarker, Spectra Thermo-King .215 Scott Ferguson, Tonkin’s Car Audio .180 140 Steve Read, Pommie Steve Racing 120 Stan Tindal, Hi-Tec Oils 100 Matthew Featon, See-Doo

Tom Easton, VDO Eliminator 100 Rachelle Splatt, Valvoline/Dragway ....60 Andrew Cowin, Shell/Rocket IndusL ..40 x- 9. David Hawke, Dave Hawke Racing ....90 .80 10. Mark Brew, BOC Gasses

97/98 ANDRA Pro Stock Series I. Rob Tucker, Performance W’sale 415 2. Joe Polito, Dynomax Perf. Exhausts . .325 .200 3. Tony Wedlock, Hi-Tec Oils .

180 4. Robert Quattrochi, Valvoline .

180 Gerry Parente, Parente Racing 6. John O’Keamey,John Williams Auto ..140 7. Bruno Cugnetto, VPW Mail Order ..120 8. Craig Hastead, Cragar Performance ..100 9. Tony Cusolito, Top Gun Racing 60 Kym Petterwood, Lifestyle Racing ....60

38

27Febmi^1998 Report by GREG WARD

The USA V Australia Jet Car Challenge begins to draw to a fiery close and the Victorian clash of our own Roscoe McGlashan and Arizona’s Joe Brown drew a big crowd in what were perfect conditions for racing at Calder Park Raceway on February 21.

The Top Alcohol brigade upstaged the jet cars with their performances, but the crowd never theless was quite impressed with the fire and smoke show which the ‘thrusters’ were able to lay down each time.

McGlashan’s venerable Auto One-backed ‘Aussie Invader’ drag ster got off to a good start in the evening’s match racing when he left first and then blazed his way to a 7.08/227 which easily out-distanced the Funny Car’s 7.43/215.

The second race saw the results reversed, although the win margin was almost identical, as fhe American got a big jump ah' the green and then flat outran the' West Australian’s 7.45/222 with a 7.34/224.

The big crowd was really hoping for an Aussie win in the final and McGlashan didn’t disappoint, although the win didn’t exactly come in the manner he would have liked.

Brown had trouble holding the jet flopper on the line as the thrust built and left with a very early red light, wasting an unrepresentative 7.90/219, while the dragster thun dered to a 7.35/227.

This meeting featured the third round of the Top Alcohol Championship.

Defending champion Gary Phillips came to Calder with a solid lead over Steve Harker and he seemed to be intent upon building 'upon that when he ripped off a veiy strong 5.77/239.42 off the trailer to lead the field right fi'om the start.

Harker made all three qualifiers in an effort to dislodge Phillips, but his 5.92/240.44 best was only good enough to take second, narrowly edging out Wayne Newby’s 5.99.

Phillips was able to romp his way through to the final, after getting a single in the first round when scheduled opponent Matt Featon couldn’t front.

A solid 5.87/237 in the semis was more than enough to take care of ‘Pommie Steve’ Read’s off-pace 6.44/209.

Read, who had produced steady 6.0-second performances in his last two outings, had straggled through qualifying.

A last ditch 6.32 put him up against Scott Ferguson in the first round and a change of magnetos seemed to have solved the problem as he stepped up to a 6.20 to down Ferguson’s 6.31, but the power had once again gone away in his race against Phillips.

Stan Tindal was also off-pace, after suffering a few problems dur ing the afternoon.

Tyre shake saw him get out of shape and shut off to a 6.55 on his only qualifier.

An oil leak and problems with the clutch saw him forced to sit out the remaining sessions, giving him a first round pairing with Harker.

The Dodge Avenger stepped up to a stout 5.89/241, while Harker once again was forced to click it at half track after shaking the tyres and getting out of shape.

Tom Easton was well and truly on song as he qualified with a 6.43/214 from the VDO Altered, but he turned the tyi-es and got close to

LITTLE PIG, BIG PIG AND JULIAN... Graeme Murphy and the bad boys of Super Eliminator won again for the umpteenth time.(Wayne Nugent)

Surprise alky victory by Newby as Phillips falters

the centreline against Newby.

That pitted Newby against Harker in the semis, but the con test was short-lived as the only Fuimy Car in the field left too early and wasted a 5.95/242.58 with a red light.

It was enough to claim top speed points for the meeting, but it allowed Newby to coast through for an easy passage into the final.

It looked to be ‘how far’ for Phillips in the final, but drag racing once again proved to be an unpre dictable quantity.

Despite ranning in the less-desir able bumpy right lane, Newby got away first vrith a solid .429 to .531 launch, but Phillips’ Lucas Oils rail had reeled him in before turning the tyi'es severely at half-track.

Phillips turned hard left and tagged the centreline with one of his Goodyears before gathering it

all back together and coasting through the traps.

Newby, in the meantime, negoti ated his way down the trickier right hand lane to a solid 5.96/234.80 to take the win over a 6.63/143.

The win was Newby’s first since moving into the ultra-competitive Top Alcohol ranks and the points he gained were enough to see him vault into outright second place, trailing Phillips who gained points for being the low qualifier, runnerup and also setting the low et of the day.

In other racing, Peter Kapiris came unstuck in the final round of Top Comp for the second meeting in a I’ow, but on this occasion his for tunes were much better than last time when he lost to Marcus Chambers.

Sporting a new Pennzoil paint scheme on the Statesman, Kapiris

celebrated dming qualifying with a stunning 6.41 at just 211 mph - a run which saw the front-end bounc ing clear of the track on the top end.

It was easily enough to put him at the head of the pack and he worked his way thi'ough the field in order to meet Ben Gatt in the final.

Gatt, driving the team’s BB/AP XC Falcon at this event, had quali fied with a 7.56 from the small Cleveland and ran right on his 7.64 index through eliminations until he met up with Kapiris.

In the final, both racers had big problems, as Gatt’s mount had something break in the engine and the Statesman ate the clutch discs up.

Both incidents happened well before half-track and the race became a coasting contest over the second part of the quarter mile.

BENCH RACING ... Alky racers Gary Phillips and Steve Harker conferred between rounds. (Thunder-Pics)

Kapiris managed to prevail by a bare half a second, bringing a big smile to both his and crew chief Ian Cleland’s faces.

In Super Comp, Rod Rainford once again pushed his formidable C/Dragster to the edge of the sev ens as he top qualified with a vei-y quick 8.00, but he struck ti-ansmission problems and lost out in the quarter finals to eventual winner Sam Blumenstein.

The Blumenstein brothers were a

possibility to meet in the semis until Issy, who had qualified the A/AP Olds with a great 7.32/189, fouled against Les Heintz in the second round.

That left Sam and the G/Gas Torana to face off against the Chevy Lumina Pi-o Stocker of new comer Jon Andriopolous in the final.

Andriopolous, having completed the first part of his licensing at the previous Canben’a event, sealed his driving ticket with a 8.03 before improving to a 8.00/170 to qualify in fifth spot.

He then (hupped straight into the sevens at his veiy first race, hitting a pair of7.95s before tyre shake in third geai- put him sideways in the final.

That was all the COME Torana needed and Blumenstein drove away with a 9.24/146 for the vidn.

Craig Baker won in Super Modified as he took out Steve Russell in the final, while Craig Marshman knodced out a red light ing Steve Villani in Super Sedan.

Comp Bike went to Angelo Ganitis over Mark Gedye when the tough Harley Top Bike left a red light on the tree, while Lee Bektash went 9.90 in the final of Super Gas to down Des Woolstencroft.

Graeme Murphy dealt out Super Eliminator top qualifier John Depetro with a better reaction, while George Tipouikidis did the same to Glenn Jones in order to taike out Super Street.

Phil Parker soloed to a win in Modified Bike after opponent Terry Emery lunched his motor big-time in the semis, while Leigh HartillLaw prevailed over David Hall in Junior Dragster.

2IFeliwa!y1998

SRA Simpson win to Judd When three-time Victorian tonight - I had it loose to get Super Rod champion Jefif Judd through the turns, but tight to left to take the step up to accelerate up the straights,” Reed Sprintcars, he would have continued, thought that his days of domi“We learnt some thingg tonight nation at his home track of and tried something unusual. When I told Stevie [crew] what I wanted Simpson were over - but, on his first return visit in a Sprintcar, him to do, his eyes just opened up in Judd had the locals in rapture amazement, But he did what I asked and it when he led every lap of the 25 lap feature race in round 8 of worked. The car was the quickest the SRA Series on February 21. car out there in the latter portion of Judd was chased almost the the race.” entire distance by Warrnambool Behind the top trio came high Warrior Phil Johnson, who actually points man Wayne Milburn, who hit the lead briefly, only to have the had inverted the top four cars, folmove negated by a caution. lowed by Mike Van Bremen, Tim The two combatants put on an 'McCubbin, Darren Walsh, Rob excellent display of good, hard,/’ Richardson, Gerard Boult and clean racing, never separated by' Peter Telford, -BRETT SWANSON more than a car length.

Following this duo across the line after a brilliant drive from a tenth place start on this difficult track was series leader Matthew Reed, who was running a “loose but tight” set-up which really brought the car on after some changes during a caution.

“I couldn’t have written it better myself,” said a grinning winner. . “My home crowd, all my sponsors here, it was pretty good. I was hav ing trouble keeping on the pole and I drifted a bit high and Johnno [Phil Johnson] got by, but we were saved by the caution.”

Johnson, too, was pleased with the result.

“It was good to see Juddy win it. I passed him once, but I knew I was on the'infield, so I got off the throt tle and let him go,” he explained.

“Then I passed him square, but there was a yellow. After that, I tried to pass him around the out side a couple of times, but the tyres and the track were going away.”

Johnson was lucky to hold sec ond, as on the last restart the car slowed and he was almost passed

by Reed.

“The car jumped out of gear, so I just jammed it back in. I thought its either going to blow the diff, or go in -luckily, it went back in.”

For the second straight week, Reed proved that you can start towards the back and work your way to the front.

Aided by numerous cautions and some impressive driving, Reed was up to fifth after just 11 laps.

Things didn’t all go his way, though, as a couple of passing moves were negated by the cau■tions.

“I think I passed a couple of these guys two, or three, times,” stated Reed. “We set the car up loose and our object was to try and beat McCubbin and Van Bremen.

“We got going, found a bit of track up high and kept tightening the car on the restarts. We tried something different in the set-up

“The Rocket” Rod Bowen blast ed back into the winner’s circle at Wynns Newcastle Speedway on February 14 in the seventh round of the $100,000 Speedcar Super Series.

Driving the #75 Brayton-powered Lander Toyota Stealth, Bowen turned the tables on previous night winner Steven Graham by leading the youngster comfortably across the line by the fall of the chequers in the 30-lap main.

Just as they did the previous night at Parramatta City Raceway, Bowen and Graham thrilled the fans with a superb display of skilled and clean close racing,'occa sionally banging wheels, but riot to the detriment of theirmachines.

It'whs going to be a dogfight again.

Brett Morris was again impres sive in the spectacular #17 Performance Unlimited Fontanapowered Harris machines.

Just as he had the previous night, Morris showed composure and a calculated game plan to put a Fontana in the top three for series sponsor and visitor Joe Fontana.

Newcastle fans were disappoint-

39

Bowen booms at Newcastle ed to learn early in the night that local heroes Adam Clarke and Gerard Burke would not take their place in the field.

Clarke, who was touted as the hot favourite of the series before it began in early January, has strug gled on some nights and points leader Bowen has gone from strength to strength.

Clarke melted a piston during Friday night’s sixth round at PCR and was unpble to get the motor back in shape prior to racing at his home circuit.

It was Graham who again set quick time in Fontana Automotive qualifying and it’s a trend that has become synonymous with the #14 Fox Sports Stealth showing up in the pits.

Graham won one of his heats and also the pole shuffle in what appeared to be a miiTor image of the previous night.

Poleman Bowen flashed across the line to take the win from a dis tant., Graham in second and Morris in third.

Bowen is virtually assured of the series win, provided he can finish each of the remaining fom’ rounds at Ai'cherfield, Wagga, Parramatta and Newcastle.

Series pointscore; Rod Bowen 5430, Steven Graham 3380, Troy Jenkins 2485, Mark Cooper 2445, Adam Clarke 1600, Robbie Farr 1600, Brett Morris 1330, Ray Bishop 1225, Adam Baines 1130, Dave Lambert 1130.

- WADE AUNGER

PCR thriller victory by Graham

It was the Fox Sports rock at Parramatta City Raceway on February 13 when second gen eration racer Steven Graham piloted his # 14 Fox Sports Gaerte-powered Stealth to a thrilling win in the 30 lap main event.

It was the sixth round of the $100,000 Speedcar Super Series at PCR and it brought together 30 cars and one of the toughest line ups outside ofthe Australian title at Geelong the weekend prior.

Two New Zealanders, series reg ular Mark Cooper and the aggres sive and adaptable Shane Allach, were joined by West Aussie Graham Jones (in the #3 Lendich LTC machine that was originally intended for Sleepy Tripp), Queenslander John Davidson and Victorian Ray Bishop, plus a load of Sydney stars.

The Torco Oils/SplitFire Spark Plugs Quick Time was set by Adam_ Clarke in the #76 Midnight Spares Infinity chassis with a 15.90 goaround, but his night would take a dramatic turn for the worse in his first heat.

After a shocking run of bad luck in recent rounds, Clarke was back on familiar territory at PCR, but melted a piston in the Racerpro Gaerte and would finish the night there and then. t Series leader Rod Bowen was looking to consolidate an almost 3000 point lead in the #7^ Lander Toyota Stealth and he was on target to extend that lead even further.

‘The Rocket’ bailed out early in the pole shuffle, courtesy of a firedup Steven Graham and this left sec ond highest pointscorer Mark Brown to take on Jhe #14 machine in his #33 Duggan-powered Merc Bits entry.

Max Dumesny Motorsport

Bowen and Graham staged one of the contests of the season for 20 of the 30 programmed laps, swapping the lead frequently, but never lay ing a wheel on each other.

Both competitors praised the other after the event, saying that it was a thrill to run so hard with no fear of getting upside down uimecessarily.

Surprise packet of the meeting was unquestionably Brett Morris in the beautiful #17 Harris chassis.

Morris accounted for at least three opponents in the shuffle and then made a determined charge into the top three in the 30 lap Fontana Automotive main.

The battle for the race lead had everyone’s attention, which did tend to take away the interest from an incredible stoush for the fifth10th positions.

Troy Jenkins was craftily zap ping around on the cushion in the Terry and Debbie King-owned Dominator Engines Fontand, though he was outfoxed in the lat ter stages by a low-hne contribution from Morris.

New Australian champion Robbie Farr was quick in the Woods Fontana, though he did take his time and use the restarts to pro duce a spirited attack on the top five.

FaiT managed to inm with Moi'ris for the third position for many laps, until Morris caught the National Champ napping for a split second on the restart and that was all he needed to shuffle Farr back to fourth at the chequer.

West Aussie Graham Jones was flown in as a last minute replace ment for USA’s Sleepy Tripp, when

1997/98 SRA SPRINTCAR SEMES

agents for

^ ^ RACING TIRE

MEMORABLE... Winner Steven Graham in fuii flight. (Tony Loxley pic)

the American star’s father took seriously ill in Cahfornia earlier in the week.

Jones proved to be a worthy addi tion to the ranks, despite a severe lack of race practice since the con● elusion of last season in WA when he announced a retirement of sorts after selling his car to Wayne Cover.

“The Quiet Achiever” slung the #3 Selaks Wines LTC car to an excellent heat win in his second appearance of the night and then hooked himself in for a chance at the top five in the main event, until his left rear tyre rapidly deflated.

Going into the sixth round.

Cooper was holding down second place overall, but mechanical dra mas saw the quietly spoken Kiwi idling around the circuit just to score finishing points.

Fellow countryman Allach made a spectacular debut in a spectacular car.

Driving the # 11 Pontiac-powered Stealth, Allach took little time to adapt to PCR in his debut and looked very strong in the heats, shuffle and main event.

Allach’s battle with Morris in the pole shuffle in particular showed that the driver not only presented a sharp looking team, but knows how to point it in the right direction.

Steven Graham was the man of the horn-, however, blasting away in the last 10 laps to take the win con vincingly over Bowen (who had large chunks of his right rear tyre blistered) and Morris in third, Graham now vaults back into second place overall in the series, but Bowen’s impressive lead contin ues to grow, staking a legitimate claim for the inaugural series for ‘the Rocket’.

-WADE AUNGER

POINT STANDINGS AFTER 8 OF 12 ROUNDS

i

For more information on Hoosier Drag and Speedway Tyres call 02 9679 1990 or 03 9331 6477 Fax 03 9331 7444

I. Matthew Reed 2. Tim McCubbin 3. Mike Van Bremen 4. Darren Walsh 5. Phil Johnson 6. Gerard Boult 7. Jeff Judd 8. Rod Matthews 9. Rob Richardson 10. Steve Knight

-

2707 Kato Excavations/Balcombe Engineering Tiner ICI Autocolour/ Valvoline/Specialised Body Stealth . .2520 2369 Speedway F’glass/Penrit^/D&F Foster . . .2331 Chemblast/Racetech JSR 2088 Rentsch’s Auto Salvage Grizzly 2030 Computer Bits Foster 1970 Autopro/BP Gambler 1853 Ballarat Palette Company JSR 1713 Lubri MaxxAVrightway Refractories JSR 1701 Flocon Engineering Gambler

Mfke iVtlon Bremen

40

21Febiwf^ W98

t

Report by BRETT SWANSON Mike Van Bremen in the Penrite/Speedway Fibreglass Foster was a surprise winner of round seven of the SRA series after leading most of the open ing fifteen laps at Premier Speedway on February 14 before being passed by series leader Matthew Reed, who led the final ten laps and took the chequered flag first - Reed, however, was relegated to sec ond position after having been penalised for passing Van Bremen with three wheels on the infield.

Rob Rankin had a return to form that saw him charge from 11th place to third, which justifiably earned him the Revolution Racegear Hard Charger award.

On a beautiful Valentine’s day,' 25 cars arrived by various means 4t Warrnambool for tbe series spon sored by Spies Hecker, Lubri Maxx, Max Dumesny Motorsport and Flocon Engineering - but, imfortunately with a reported 28 weddings happening locally that day, the crowd was down on what would have been expected normally.

Championship guns Reed, Van Bremen, Tim McCubbin and Darren Walsh were there and Rob Richardson had returned following a hiatus for the birth of his son.

Peter Knight and Karl Enderl were making their debuts and John Doidge was back - that’s right, the same John Doidge who used to nm with a massive wing in the days of the Speedbowl.

Even more incredible was the fact that Doidge was still driving the same OTR chassis, now updat ed to high bar specs with the same 360ci Rambler motor.

Adrian Parr was a welcome addi tion, having repaired his OTR chas-

LADY LUCK... Mike Van Bremen was a fortunate winner at Warrnambool’s Premier Speedway. (Brett Swanson)

Van Bremen scores surprise SRA win

Feature (25 laps) Stephen Bell and Reed were tied on 101 points, so a coin toss gave Reed the Pro Shock and the choice

of inversion and, for the first time in the current series, he inverted the top eight, which put Ray Scott on pole from Ken Veal, Van Bremen, Jeff Judd, Gerard Boult, Phil Johnson, Bell, Reed, Wayne Milburn, Walsh, Rob Rankin, McCubbin, Richardson, Parr, Rod Matthews and Jones, Van Bremen had made a great start to be leading when, on lap 2,

Walsh got high and spun lightly into the turn 1 wall.

For some reason, a complete restart was called and Veal held on to lead the first lap, before Van Bremen took the lead.

Scott was driving well, but had a bunch of cars behind him, which allowed Van Bremen to open up a handy lead as Judd spun twice and dropped to the rear of the field.

Limited Sprintcars the program at headlined Archerfield Speedway on February 7 with their biggest field of the year in atten dance.

Brian Abbott (Eurotech Kitchens Gambler) proved too strong in the feature event, finish ing ahead of Mark Devers (Engine Tech Challenger), Richard Atkinson, Harry Pearson and new

By Chris Metcalf comer David Andrews (Dalby Pet heats before mechanical gremlins Supplies Tognotti).

Les Rodgie (Rodgie Bobcat sidelined him from the main event.

Darren Vine crashed out of the Hire Tognotti) looked to have the Compact Speedcar feature on the race wrapped up until he was con tacted by second-placed Shane opening lap when he flipped along Conradi (Colonial Homes the main straight.

The race went non-stop from Gambler), who started the event as favourite after taking out both the resumption, with Steve qualifying heats in convincing Swingler, who had aisp taken out fashion. the Stars Dash, defeating Brad This collision eliminated both Hilder, Rod Singleton, Darren drivers and promoted Abbott into Barnler and Wayne Corbett, the top spot. ocal hero Cameron Meehan Modified Rod events were dom (Lewin Homes Falcon) extend inated by Lismore’s Ian Vickery, who finished the night undefeated ed his points lead in the Skinner with three wins from as many Engineering Super Sedan series with a narrow win in round four at starts.

Vickery downed Toowoomba’s Gympie’s Mother Mountain Ray Klarich and Gold Coast veter Speedway on February 14.

Starting from pole position in an David Conlin in a hard-fought 20-lap feature event. the 15 lap feature, Meehan was Scott Conlin, Paul Booker and hounded from the outset by Gold Dennis Mazzer were the only other Coast-based Jamie McHugh survivors from the small field.

(Miami Smash Repairs Falcon) Darren Latimer, one of the few and defending series champ Peter Brisbane-based competitors in this Warren (North Coast Concrete division, also collected two heat Commodore), wins.

Wayne Randall (Ian Boettcher Australian champion Brian Motors Mazda RX7) surged from Schrader outpaced his rivals to the rear of the field to make it a take out the 10 lap Microsprint fea four-way scrap throughout the sec ture event, ahead of Bob Hebert, ond half of the event.

Michelle Lawson, Mark Hogan and McHugh, who looks to have Richard McAter. finally overcome the engine mal Peter Clauss blitzed the field in adies that have plagued him in qualifying, taking out all three recent weeks, pressured Meehan

relentlessly, but was unable to execute a pass.

The final podium position wasn't decided until just two laps from home, when Randall slipped beneath Warren along the main straight.

The first stoppage resulted from a clash between Don Birt (Aussie Auto Falcon) and Toowoomba’s John O’Mara (McGrath Toyota Camaro) that put the latter on the infield with a deflated left-rear tyre.

The only other interruption came when Ian Miller, who had been incorrectly blamed for the Birt/O’Mara incident and sent to the rear, clobbered the concrete while trying to regain some placings.

It was a winning night for Ford fans, with McHugh, Meehan and Birt taking out the heats.

Another wise tyre selection from Gary Pagel enabled him to steer his slick-shod Commodore to victory in round five of the Autobarn Modified Production senes.

Series leader Greg Raymont charged from the third row of the grid to snare the runner-up posi tion, ahead of Queensland champ Mark Pagel, Brock Clifford and the much-improved Michael Hally, who put in the best performance of his career to qualify on the front row.

The six qualifying heats saw Gary Pagel and Raymont collect two wins apiece, with Clifford and Andy Geppert also visiting victory lane.

Raymont blotted his copybook when he clipped the wall in his third outing and failed to finish.

Consistency was the order of the day for Hally, finishing in sec ond place on three occasions.

The Street Sedan feature developed into a complete farce, with a spate of crashes bringing the race to a halt after 30 minutes of carnage and mayhem.

With only a handful of laps completed, Lester Wilcox was awarded first place, ahead of Jim Cowley, Jeremy Hassell, Cameron Busiko and Wayne Lawrence.

Andrew Dyne took out the Junior Sedan feature, downing Ty Home, Mark Raymont, Brendan Kelly and Stephen Lahiff.

sis, but his transporter broke down in transit at Terang.

Parr’s race'car, though, was transported to the track courtesy of Aitkens Towing in Terang - but more drama was ahead for Parr,

Noirtiiem

L

Johnson broke a shock absorber and pulled in,just as Bell was mak ing an inside pass.

Contact was made, but Bell con tinued.

On lap 10, Veal spun, but Walsh and Parr, racing behind him, made contact and both rolled out of the event.

At this stage. Van Bremen was leading from Scott, who had actual ly just been passed by Reed, but was saved by the caution.

Boult, Bell, McCubbin, Rankin, Milburn, Richardson, Matthews, Jones, Judd and Veal were next.

Following the restart. Van Bremen had Reed on his tail and they quickly came up to lap Jones as they went down the front straight.

Van Bremen went high and Reed went low - too low, according to the officials, who deemed that Reed had made the pass on the infield.

The,protest flag was shown to Reed, as Van Bremen struggled on in second with a broken front engine mount and a leaking oil can ister.

Bell had climbed to third before difffailure ended his ran.

Reed was fast and took the flag by a good margin over Van Bremen, Rankin and the tight bunch of Scott, McCubbin, Boult and Richardson, followed by Matthews, Milbum, Veal, Jones and Judd.

Van Bremen was surprised and happy about being given the win, having experienced a win being taken away from him earlier in the season.

A pmnped-up Reed was naturally unhappy.

“We come here to race and win, not just to accumulate championship points and its even harder when you not only have to race the other competitors, but the officials as well,” Reed said.

Rankin, on the other hand, was rapt with his result after a frustrat ing season to date.

Dennis Fabian annexed second position ahead of Audie Malt, Wayne Rick and Craig Burgess.

Hawkins also took out the opening heat, before finishing sec ond to Chris Deeks in heat two.

Brad Schomberg proved too strong in the Sedan feature, pilot ing his V8 Torana to victory.

Commodore-mounted Darryl Walsh finished in second spot, fol lowed by Peter Watling, David Wafting and Trevor Oxnam.

risbane Modified Production ace Steve Jordan has had his ueensland’s Speedcar brigade continued their recent spate of suspension reduced on appeal. small fields when only 10 cars Originally banned for 12 fronted at Archerfield Speedway months following a post-race alter on February 14, their last outing cation with another competitor at Gympie’s Mother Mountain before the Super Series hits town.

The feature race was aban Speedway on November 8, Jordan doned after just two laps when will now be able to resume driving John Lennon climbed the wall in in May, 1998, after having the orig turn 3 and upended in what looked inal penalty halved. to be a relatively minor incident.

However, Lennon was injured Brian Abbott holds an extremely in the accident and it took ambu narrow lead in the 1997/98 lance staff over 30 minutes to Brisbane Limited Sprintcar Racing extract the former Modified Association Season Pointscore.

Production driver from the car, Abbott has amassed 418 points thus far this season, a lead of just pushing the meeting beyond cur few time. four points over second-placed Lennon had earlier been the Shane Conradi. victim of a puzzling decision from A long way back in third spot is officials, when he was denied a Richard Atkinson with 292 points, start in the Stars Dash after easily followed by Ray Devers (197) and taking out two qualifying heats.

Danny Devers (118).

The remaining heats were won Ian Willey (111), Les Rodgie by former Litre Sprintcar hotshoe (101), Keith O’Shea (81), Jamie Danny Palmer and Toowoomba Ford (74) and Mark Devers (64) charger Peter Lack. complete the top ten.

Barrie Valentino downed Despite the move of several dri Palmer, Lack and Grant Draney to vers from the class and into the win the Dash.

Open Sprintcar ranks, an influx of Dean Hawkins steered his new faces has seen a steady Mopar-powered mount to victory increase in numbers this season to over a strong 15-car field in the the point where 20 drivers have Stock Rod feature. collected points thus far.

Q

27Febm!y1998

Robway for Farr WoOMopar One of the more interesting hooked to the race'track and get developments of recent times is your engine running properly, the export of the Bill Roberts Roberts continued, and Wayne Jones-developed “The second part is the induction REES fuel injection system that side of it, which is carbon fibre ram is heading overseas to hit the tubes and an air box, the idea being World of Outlaws trail on the to get the air going to the motor at Mopar cars of Garry Stanton, ambient temperature, which is the which will be driven by Garry best you can get.

“The reason for the carbon fibre Brazier and crewed by his father Steve and fellow Aussie is its weight and, secondly, it doesn’t heat sink like aluminium.

Karl Ludeman.

“Steve [Brazier] and I spoke so your engine’s actually running about this deal a while ago pnd air that’s at ambient temperature, then Garry Brazier drove Reter not copping air from the radiator Craft’s car at Parramatta recently that’s 180 degrees, “You’re not running a marathon and, following that, Steve fitted a unit to Garry’s car which they used in a sauna - you’re running a to win the Australian open at marathon,/on a cool day.

“Brazier want’s me to go and Archerfield - this led to the Mopar/Stanton/Brazier American work for the season, which would be an all-Australian team of Steve, connection,” Roberts enthusiastical ly told Motorsport News in an Garry, Karl and myself,” Roberts elaborated. exclusive interview.

“At the minute, we’re not too “At the minute, we are a little in limbo. Mopar would like a 12 sure, as it all depends on whether month exclusive deal on it, but we do an exclusive with Mopar, Steve will have the unit regardless which Steve wants, “If it’s released to the open mar of whether he runs his own car, or ket, it would be a bit unfair for me the Mopar team car.

Right now, we are in negotiation to work full time on Steve’s cars.

“Steve believes it’s a big benefit with Mopar as to exactly what they want to do.” for him, especially where he’s com Stanton and Mopar are not the ing into the game and hasn’t raced at a lot of the race tracks. only team interested in the system.

“He thinks it will fast track a lot “If we don’t sign a Mopar exclu sive deal, there are other teams of the development in himself and interested in it, such as Steve also the Mopar side, where they’re Kinser - who is very interested in playing catch up with the engines.

“From the one meeting here getting it onto his motor pro gramme - Stevie Smith and Karl where he ran the system, Steve Kinser, who’s interested because believes he learnt more about his he doesn’t want anyone else to have motors that night than he has in the last five years. it,” Roberts said.

“The biggest thing was how few “Bob Kriner and Westphal Engines also want to do the deal RPM his motor actually turned dur and there are also some Modified ing a race and the fuel pressure racers, like Kenny Brightbill and side, which is big at the moment some Sedan racers who also want amongst engine builders.

“The kid [Garry], won the the system.

“If we don’t do an exclusive with Australian open using only 70% Mopar, it will be released to throttle. Garry got out and said the America generally. It will be motor’s now smooth; it takes the released to motor builders, because peakiness out of it. they can control the deal and we “He said to his dad that this thing have good connections with Kriner, would be awesome in the States, Westphal and Stevie Smith and because it would stop the wheel that way we can keep a control on spinning coming out of the comers it. That way the engine can be and it wasjust so much nicer, dynoed with it and it can go away “The whole idea is to make the and we know the system’s right,” engines more driveable and more reasoned Roberts. efficient - everyone’s got the same “To fit the system straight up is a horsepower these days, so you have bit hard for the average guy if he to make them more efficient, doesn’t have a dyno and you need to “Our efficiency rate on a 372 run a dyno and get it right. You will engine is about 75% and we believe see improvement straight up on a that we can get it to 85-90%. dyno.”

“If you do that, you get more driThe system itself, as reported veable horsepower,and it makes the exclusively in Motorsport News engine a lot easier to drive on not (Issue 115, December last year) is a good race tracks, like slick tracks. two-part system.

It also helps with engine life, “The electrical side is actually a because it will identify when a fuel nine amp coil which is a very big pump is starting to fail and you’ll spark for a Sprintcar which helps tend to stop over-revving your with methanol, because it burns the ^motor because you’ll know what fuel better and that makes the 'your motors revving at and when. lYhile the Australian Title is on engine more efficient.

“It’s actually a REES system, at Bunbury, I’ll be on my way to which is a Robways Engine Kentucky to fit the system to the Enhancement System.

Stanton/Mopar for it’s first race “It’s a MoTeC base which we with the REES system at Dixie in change around to suit our purpose Georgia and, as of yesterday and it’s a data logging system (February 19), Steve told me that which tells you fuel pressure, oil Mopar want to do the deal on their pressure, water temperature, throt- competition fleet, which means tie position, RPM and uses a lamb- Sprintcars, Champcars and da gauge for air/fuel mixture, all of NASCAR trucks.”

-BRETT SWANSON which is essential to get your car

Winning Australia #1 feeling, - It’s a different kind of cause I’m still on a high and hope I am for a while yet.

Going into the ^Australian Speedcar Championship title race at Avalon, I wasn’t as confident as I have been for other races and the first night I was disappointed in how I drove and disappointed in the car with how I had it set up - so we just went away and changed the balance of the car a bit and just got rnyself in the right frame of mind, I life to think.

As a result, on the second night from the first heat, we just got bet ter and better.

The first night, I thought there were a few cars quicker than us and, to have any chance, we just had to pick it up and it was just lucky we could pick it up on the right night.

I don’t really know what changed - I know what changed with the car, but I just think it was our night.

There were a few crashes and stuff and we were in them, but we didn’t get damaged; normally, you don’t get a chance.

We got a flat left rear, which we changed on the first yellow - nor mally, you wouldn’t get a yellow and you wouldn’t get the chance to change it, so it’s just one of those things where everything clicked on the night and the night it clicked was the Australian Speedcar Championship.

They can’t take it away from us - it’s in the record books. I’m rapt. I’m just rapt to pieces.

irr

deal and he put in his motor, which is a Fontana he put together and is a little bit fresher than Bob’s - we ail just worked together and it just clicked on the weekend.

We never had a problem all weekend, except in the second heat, where we broke the ten lap record. But, on the last lap, the motor went off and it was the mag neto - Barry Graham lent us a magneto, which not a lot of people would do at an Australian Title, so it shows their sportsmanship and that got us through the weekend,

I

feel sorry for Warrene Ekins; he puts on a hell of a show and he’s one of the toughest guys you’d ever race against.

It was a rough track and he was trying to find a way around the outside. I was bouncing and hopping and he was bouncing and hopping and I guess there just wasn’t enough room, or he ran out

get home to get back to work and you can’t celebrate with as many of your friends as you’d like.

The team had worked so hard and, with the other team falling apart and with half the team coming to the Woods team and investing so much time and effort into a dri ver they didn't really know - we’re still getting to know one another they’ve just slipped straight in and put so much effort in.

They could’ve only put half the effort in and I would’ve been appreciative, but they’ve put dou ble the time in that anyone would expect and Bob Woods is the best car owner in Australia and always will be as long as he owns a car, I hope that we can always stay together and do things together.

At the moment, I haven’t got a complaint in the world.

I

fs great to be able to do this for Bob, as Bob’s one of the only guys that have put any trust in me in the past 18 months.

When I came to the Speedcars ,they all kicked me and they didn’t think I’d make it.

I was too erratic, too aggres sive, too out of control, they found a fault in me every which way, but Bob took a chance putting me in the car.

He didn’t listen to them; he believed in what he saw and in me.

A lot of his friends were saying, don’t do it, don’t do it, but a couple of important people like Garry Rush, John Barrett and Max Dumesny, who are good friends of Bob’s, said do it, you won’t regret it - and I thank them for saying that and I thank Bob for giv ing me the chance to prove what I can do.

Ever since we’ve been together we’ve been successful and that proves that, hope fully, I’m the driver that he expected, or wanted in his car.

I’ve won races in other things Speedcars, Sprintcars, Go-Karts - but this says for one year I’m the best and they can’t take that away from me.

Last knowyear, whatI Ididn’t was doing. I didn’t have a Sprintcar ride, but Bob Woods put me in his car and we had a killer Last weekend, flew to Perth and Idid a year.

AUSTRALIA #1... Champ Robbie Fair’s «<?w' tail.(Tony Glynn) show at Claremont in This year. Bob didn’t the Ian McKee-engined O’Brien have enough money to go racing, of room, or whatever.

I can’t really comment, Aluminium Avenger Sprintcar of so he said, go see what you can because I didn’t see him and it’s Ron O’Brien, the car that Pete pick up and see what you can do.

Sort did and I hooked up with hard to comment on things that Murphy was driving.

I'll be driving this car in the some guys, Gerard Bourke and happen beside you, or behind Australian Steve Smith.

Sprintcar you.

The first time we touched, i Championship at Bunbury next That deal was taking a iittle while to get together, so, when we thought, “oh shit” and then, on the weekend.

We did a show the week before got offered to go to New Zealand, red light, I asked who it was.

Everything was fine and then the Title, basically because I we put Bob’s car together and we won the Barry Butterworth the second time I got a reaily good haven't run for a while - I’ve only Memorial and that was like a bump out of the rut and apparently run three shows in two years in a he had both wheels off the ground Sprintcar. chance I’ll never get to do again.

I’d like to have more than one I don’t know whether it’s a big coming off the corner and you show to get back on the pace know it’s just one of those racing thing for other people, but It’s a incidents. .because those guys in the big thing for me.

Barry Butterworth was one of He’s the toughest guy you race Sprintcars are sorted out.

They're on the pace, they know the best speedway racers ever against here - he’s not always the seen in Australia, New Zealand or quickest, but he’s tough, like a lit the team, they know the car and America and to win that race was tle bulldog. they’re driving 11/10ths all the I didn't think there was enough time - I haven’t done a lot of rac a really good thing for me - and now also to have won races in up high and I probably got a bit ing this year, let alone in a America, Australia and New lazy daisy about it.

Sprintcar, so the one show will Zealand, which not a lot of drivers I was just trying to protect the help us and, if we can do all right bottom line and not hit a rut and and open some eyes, then I’ll be have done, is unbelievable. . wash off-line and he had a go on happy and you never know what the outside, which I didn’t think will come out of the weekend.

Then weshows came before back here and anyone would and he almost ran two the title.

We were decent, but we reaped the benefits - but it was Hopefully, in my weren’t standout like last year and our night. be able to tell next you column all how I’ll it feels to win two Australian you start to wonder, what’s miss t was a shame it was a Sunday Championships in less than a ing, what’s going on?

Steve Smith stuck by us in this night, because everyone had to month!

I

42

27FebmryW98

Wells keeps crown

G

ermany has appealed against the FIM decision to race the World Championship Grand Prix events only on Fridays and has got its own way.

The German event will now be staged at Pocking on Saturday June 6, whereas all other meet ings will be raced on Fridays.

This has been allowed despite the fact that it-clashes with World Cup soccer matches being televised through out Europe the same night.

And the FIM is hoping to persuade Sky TV in Britain to show the Grand Prix meetings after all.

The British satellite channel is not planning to show the events this year, after covering the series for the last three seasons.

Hancock will be racing at Costa Mesa in California in the Spring Classic on March 7.

Two Australians haye foundmore new homes in the British Elite League.

Jason Crump and Steve Johnston have signed to race for League newcomers Oxford Cheetahs, alongside British

Jessup as its new national team manager. He will be in charge for this year’S'Test series against Australia and for all other interna tional engagements.

Jessup, now 44 and retired from the sport for ten years, suc ceeds a contemporary of his, John Louis, who has been in charge of the England team for the last four years.

Friday, February 20 and a full field of Sprintcars, including six interstate drivers, competed in ft’ont of a good crowd for the 1998 Westernapolis in Western Australia.

Pino Priolo (IKEA Maxim) start ed the evening off with a quick time of 14.88 seconds, the only competi tor to crack the 14-second barrier.

Heat wins went the way of Alan Haynes (Oztrac Maxim) and Terry Cutts (Cutts Transport Murphy) with two wins each, while Robbie Farr in the O’Brien Aluminium

Victorian JasonofLyons is the only member last year's Belle Vue team who will be racing for the Manchester club this year.

Lyons joins newcomers American Ronnie Correy, Czech Sam Tesar, Slovenian Matej Ferjan and Swede Robert Eriksson, along with the returning former British Champion. Joe Screen, at the Kirkmanshulme Lane track, as six different nationalities in the six-man line-up.

South Australian State Champion Nigel Sadler will be racing a season for Peterborough this year, alongside fellow Aussie Brett Woodifield.

Sadler agreed a con tract during the first week of February to return to England and race at the East of England Showground.

The 19 year-old will be in England in time for Peterborough’s first meet ing on March 20.

He raced at Peterborough twice last season, for Skegness and Isle of Wight in the Conference League.

As he has British par ents, he does not need a work permit.

A

CRASHED OUT... Ron Krikke.

Mark Wells has won his third Western Australian Sprintcar Championship in one of the most dramatic events in years.

The Geraldton Jet, driving his Geoff Kendrick-owned PMFM Maxim, earned pole position on February 15 with a consistent run during heats (one win), while team mate Ryan Fan-ell placed the other PMFM entry on the outside of the front row with two wins in the heats.

Ron Krikke (Performance Direct Maxim) also had two wins, with Ten-y Cutts (Boral Tyres Murphy), Gavin Migro (Rally Services Jenkins) and Pino Priolo (IKEA Maxim) all gi-abbing a win apiece Cutt’s heat win was a new 8-lap record of Imin 55.17 seconds.

Everyone expected Wells to lead from the start, but no-one told Farrell. He bolted away and gi-abbed a healthy lead, only to see this disappear wlien a blocked fuel filter starved the motor - Farrell dropped back through the field, eventually pulling infield.

Wells then inherited the lead, but with Krikke closing as they both went through traffic.

With four to go, Krikke decided to make his move.

As Wells came up on the rear of Scott Milling (Oztrac Maxim), who decided to stay up the track. Wells had to move to the low line going into turn 3 - at the same time, Krikke tried to go underneath Wells.

Contact was made, with Ki-ikke running up and over Wells’ frontend, bringing on the cautions and allowing Wells to restart at the front of the field.

Even with no left-front torsion arm and the steering bent up against the exhaust. Wells jumped away to lead home Shane Ki-ikke (Castrol Maxim)and Cutts.

- BRAD STEELE

agreed terms for a new contract on his 25th birthday on Feb 12.

shock move in British Speedway has seen 1992 World Champion Gary Havelock join the British Cup holders, Eastbourne.

Havelock worked for Sky Television last year ,When not riding, but instead of being in the pits at Grand Prix meetings he is keen to get back to rid ing in them.

He said on Signing for Eastbourne: “I will be tak ing things very seriously this season and I aim to qualify through the Overseas and Inter Continental Finals for the Grand Prix once again. I think I am still better than many riders who have qualified.”

Ryan looks set for aSullivan lot of travelling when the British season starts.

His new home club at VOCAL... World Champion Greg Hancock is unhappy with the CPformat.(Mike Patrick pic) Poole is right on England’s south coast and they race at home England has withdrawn from the Former World has Champion Tony World Team Championship in on Wednesdays.

Rickardsson been injured As the 23 year-old from protest against the format, where while racing trials in Sweden and a Adelaide is contracted to regular by only three riders may be nomi damaged knee may see him miss nated to take part in what is now racing in the Swedish League on the start of the speedway season.

Tuesdays with Kaparna, he’ll be a effectively a pairs competition.

He is expected to be sidelined i lbs.

It is expected that Australia will regular out of Heathrow every for two months, but should be fit in follow suit and pull out of the Tuesday morning and back plenty of time for the first Grand

By Tony event.

Wednesday for the Poole home Prix of the season at Prague in Both England and Australia fixtures.

May. grasstrack expert and speedway were pencilled in to compete in the Ians for regular British League international Paul Hurry and the semi-final at Togliatti in Russia on Poole Pirates in willtheir have three veteran Steve Schofield, who was June 28. speedway on television have Australians line-up been put back until May. when the British Elite League released by Poole for whom he starts next month.

Originally, Sky Sports had has ridden for ten years. has decided not toAdelaide ride in planned to transmit a fixture every Bowes from Former Danish Grand Prix rider Shane With Craig Boyce and Mark Thursday evening starting at the England this year.

Lemon back from last year’s Jan Staechmann, released mid The 28 year-old had already beginning of April, with the cover squad, the signing of Ryan season last year by Peterborough, Sullivan will make Aussie team will also be racing for Oxford. age funded from sponsorship agreed terms with Coventry.

He has raced in UK for the last obtained on behalf of the British manager Neil Street very much at home, with his club teams boast ten seasons, but is taking a year Promoters through a company The shape of will where when Australians beand riding in out to try to build up his father’s called In Line Pro. ing three of his countrymen, lawnmower business in Adelaide.

The production company Britain this year has now been vir His replacement with Coventry Northstar TV is hoping to beam orld Champion Greg tually finalised and the line-up is Hancock has spoken out as follows: Craig Boyce, Ryan will be David Walsh, who joins the fixtures to European countries against the changes in the Grand Sullivan, Mark Lemon (all at Coventry on loan from Bradford, and possibly to Australia, but the Prix format that will see 24 riders Poole); Jason Crump and Steve who are not running this year. domestic coverage on Sky Sports is the key to the whole exercise Johnston (Oxford): Leigh Adams taking part this year. ark Lemon has become the and that has been put back.

“For a start, the top eight riders (Swindon); Jason Lyons (Belle have to sit down and watch the Vue): Shane-Parker (Kings Lynn). last of three Australians to put Sky Producer Rory Hopkins first ten heats and then come into Among those racing in lower pen to paper to ride again for said it is hoped to get going at the beginning of May, assuming the meeting cold against riders Leagues, Brett Woodifield is at British Elite club Poole.

He joins Grand Prix men Craig everything is in place in time. who have already raced at least Peterborough, Mick Powell at twice,” he said.

Top Polish riders Tomasz Glasgow and Glyn Taylor at Boyce and Ryan Sullivan in lining Gollob and Piotr Protasiewicz up for the South coast club.

“It is a drastic change and I Newcastle. have been contracted to race in Lemon enjoyed a mixed sea don’t think it’s a good idea - noone has even discussed it with the Britain, based on League racing son last year, but the 25 year-old England appointed riders.”

World has Number Two former Dave from Brainsdale, Victoria, finally being shown in Poland.

i

W

M

Westernapolis win by Priolo

Avenger and Ray Geneve in the Good, Bad & Ugly Restaurants Gambler gi-abbed one each.

Veteran Geneve had his best run to date by qualfying in top position for the draw for the Pole Dash.

He pulled four, giving Priolo pole for the Dash.

Priolo won comfortably from

Cutts, Geneve, Ron Krikke (Performance Direct Maxim), South Australian Trevor Green in the Freightmaster J&J and Ryan Farrell in the PMFM Murphy.

Paul Stubber(Vision Construction Schnee) and Eddy Gobby (City & Regional J&J) both claimed the transfers from the B-Main.

Priolo jumped away from the start, leading Geneve who pulled a desperation move under Cutts in turn 3 to gi'ab second, followed by Kiikke and Green.

As the field came up on traffic, the caution lights came on for a spun Mark Wells (PMFM Maxim), who made contact with Green,

sending Wells to the rear because of the second push.

Priolo resumed the lead at the restart, going on to take the win from Geneve, Krikke, Farrell and Andrew Scheuerle (Lucas Oils Maxim), the latter rounding out the top five.

- BEAD STEELE

2/Febfieiym

Warwick Farm tribute

By BRIAN REED THE HSRCA kicked off its Historic calendar for 1998 with its 23rd annual meet ing at Amaroo Park on the January 31 - February 1 weekend.

The HSRCA also used the occasion to pay tribute to Warwick Farm’s association with motor sport in Australia during the ’60s.

In spite of the hot weather which made conditions diffi cult for competitors and spec tators alike, there was a big turnout of cars, with a number of Historic cars making their first appearance in anger.

It was a big program with 33 scheduled events catering for all classes, but at tbe end of the day the HSRCA put on two impromptu “Butcher’s Picnics” for the slower Groups N & S cars, and then the Groups J, K, L & M

sports/racing cars - a nice way to round off a great day’s racing just like the good old days.

As expected, Richard Carter dominated the Group Q events in his potent March 73B-BDA with MichaeJ Henderson (Lola 560-BDA) and Jeremy Kenyon (Ralt RTl-BDA) filling the minor placings.

A winning treble was also scored by Adam Bressington in his 1968 Mallock Mk.8b, Peter Addason took the Group M & 0 racing car hon ours in George Goodare’s Brabham BT23 F2 and Bill Hemming continued on from where he left off at Sandown /n his Jaguar XK 150 in the 'Group Sa sports car events.

After an earlier DNF, the evergi'een Ron Reid (Sulman Singer) scored a popular win in the Groups J/'& K catego ry, but could only manage a

Dymonds in the rough

By BRIAN REED PENRITE Oil chief John Dymond has faxed a report from New Zealand’s week-long Southern Festival of Speed.

Dymond and son Mark are com peting in their pretty little Lola Mk.l sports car powered by a 1220cc Coventry Climax engine recently rebuilt in Melbourne by Ian Tate.

The opening event on February 6 was a hillclimb at 3-Mile Hill, Dunedin, and entries varied from a 1907 single cylinder Sizaire et Naudin to a 327 cu. in. Chevroletpowered Devin (an American sports car built along similar lines to a Cobra). The Devin normally runs with a 7-litre CanAm engine, but as its owner is driving it from event to event he has wisely decided to run the ‘small’ engine.

Other overseas entries include a Ginetta 94 with a twin-cam Ford, a 1915 Stutz Indy car and Peter Giddings with both his Ferrari Barchetta 166 and his lat est toy - a 1935 Tipo C Grand Prix Alfa Romeo (where does he find these gems?) After New Zealand the Alfa will be air freighted to Australia for the Shannon’s Phillip Island Classic (Feb. 28-Mar.1).

Among the local NZ cars com peting are a D-type Jaguar, Mk.lX Cooper Vincent, a 500cc JAP-powered JBS, the Lycoming Special and a Formula 3 Stanguellini. The hillclimb results saw Mark Dymond finish a com mendable second, behind the Cooper Vincent, with the Devin third, and the Lycoming Special

fourth.

STAR CAR... Ross Donnelly’s Ford Mustang was a strong performer at Amaroo Park. third place 'in, the event named after the car’s creator - the Tom Sulman Trophy Race. Russ Johnson’s Ford A Special was the winner with David Reid second in the 1939 Reid Ford.

There were several other fine performances, and Ross Donnelley’s charge through the field in his Ford Mustang was a highlight of the meet ing. So too was the stirring battle in the Group Sa sports cars between the Austin Healey Sprite of Lyndal

THE Shannon’s Phillip Island Classic on Feb. 28 to Mar. 1 is shaping up to again be one of the best Historic meetings in Australia with 22 events sched uled for all classes of Historic cars.

Organised by the Victorian Historic Racing Register with assistance from the Victorian Mini Club, the Shannon’s Phillip Island Classic is proud to welcome back to Australia the globe-trotting Peter Giddings, this time behind the wheel of a priceless Tipo C 1935 Alfa Romeo GP car with an impeccable race history.

The 8-cylinder supercharged Alfa Romeo 8C-35 (#50013) was designed

by Vittorio Jano as an interim model between the Tipo B 3.8 (P3) and the 12C-36. It was first introduced in mid1935 for the Scuderia Ferrari drivers Tazio Nuvolari and Rene Dreyfus.

Between September 1935 and August 1936 Nuvolari won the Modena Grand Prix and the Hxmgary Grand Prix. In August 1936 he "fol lowed up with a win in the Coppa Ciano 'Trophy Race at the Circuito del Montenero, having to borrow an 8C-35 from team-mate Carla Pintacuda after retiiing his new 12C-36 with a broken differential.

In 1936 #50013 was acquired by Swiss privateer Hans Ruesch, and it won the Donington GP driven by British ace Dick Seaman. (It is gener ally agreed that it was this drive that secured Seaman’s test drive with Mercedes-Benz). r Another car to be seen at the Island after a major rebuild is Ron Townley’s BWA (pictured above). This interest-

Coote and the Lotus Elite dri ven by Nicholas Mansell.

Lyndal later steered her ‘bugeye’ Sprite to victory beating home Wes Dayton’s Triumph TR3a by one-tenth of a sec ond.

But the ‘Driver of the Meeting’ award went to Neil Dunn in his Austin Healey 3000 Mk.2. Dunn had two titanic struggles with Roger Ealand (Marcos GT), and although Ealand turned the tables in their second encounter, the race was

awarded to Dunn after the Marcos driver was excluded for passing under the yellow flag on the second-last comer of the final lap.

The HSRCA will also con duct Historic meetings at , Eastern Creek, Wakefield Park and Oran Park this year. The Wakefield Park event at the end of February will consist entirely of pre1961 cars, and in August the meeting will be for post-1960 cars on the full circuit at Oran Park.

Shannon's Historic

tailshafts shortened to take Lancia ing Australian-built racer was con structed at A.F. Hollins Motors, axles thus creating a swinging arm Armadale, Melbourne in 1938 by Gib rear end on torsion bar suspension.

Bairett, John White and Alan Ashton The engine is a supercharged - hence the BWA (not “Bloody Work ISOOcc Lea Francis with oil feed modi fications designed by Stud Beasley. of Art” as is commonly suggested!)

In 1948 the BWA was converted Amongst other places, the BWA ran from a racing sports car to a monopos- at Rob Roy, Mt. Panorama, to. Unfortunately the original Gough Fisherman’s Bend and contested the engine from Tim Joshua’s GP Frazer Australian Grands Prix at Point Cook Nash (which features on the Foster’s (1948), Nuriootpa, SA (1949) and Grand Prix posters) does not survive Albert Park (1953).

And it’s a big welcome back to today, and in 1988 the BWA was pur chased from Ron Edgerton “in sad Philip Island to John Caffin who at last has his air-cooled Cooper back in state” and less engine.

'The total rebuild has included the action after a serious accident a couple fitting of a 1928 Lancia sliding pillar of years ago at Rob Roy hillclimb. front end, Lancia steering box, brakes Jolm has been chomping at the bit to and wheels cut down to 16”, Lancia get his famous ex-Murray Rainey Cooper going again and will be looking gearbox mounted to a 1928 Nash dif ferential with axle housings cut off for a less eventful run this time.

- BRIAN REED and replaced by 1935 Chevrolet track

Rallye de Bordeaux makes a splash

By BRIAN REED

THE 3-day Rallye de Bordeaux, the third annu The next event was a street race at Dunedin on February 8, al “Gastronomical Motorand unfortunately Mark had “a .. >ng Event of the Year’ minor off” during practice which attracted 60 classic and caused damage to the rear of the Historic cars from the car. The Lola was taken to pre-December 1975 era.

Invercargill and repaired in time The rally consisted of drifor the next race on the following ving skill tests, some quite weekend. Other events on the tricky navigation (described program include a hillclimb at by that sneaky Director Ian Coronet Peak near Queenstown, a Swan as “straight forward race meeting at Teretonga circuit, intelligent family navigation” Invercargill and finally to to give a false sense of securiRuaprma near Christchurch. tyi), closed road sections.

sprints, motorkhanas and a nice blend of evening dinner parties.

Following a welcome cock tail party in Bendigo on January 22, the event took competitors through some of Victoria’s most attractive countryside stopping at sev eral well known wdneries and finishing at “a secret loca tion” one hour out of Melbourne for an extrava gant presentation luncheon on Sunday,January 25.

All competitors received a dozen bottles of Rallye de

Bordeaux Classic Shiraz for their efforts, a vintage spe cially bottled for the occasion.

Hard luck story involved Margaret Beechey who was navigating for husband Norm in their large Chevy Impala. Marg was breaking in some new bi-focals, but ended up with a severe migi-^ne after the first day, and they had to withdraw from the event. (Norm assures me it was the new glasses she wore and not the ones filled at the wineries that caused the migi-aine!)

Top 10 outright placings:

1 John Smallman/Mark Laidlay (MG B GT V8) 2 Greg Walker/Gerry Bashford (Ford Falcon GT HO Phase 3) 3Steve Goad,mm Barbour (Holden Torana XU-1) 4 Ken JarreVEUnor Jarret (Porsche 911S) 5 Bruce Wilson/Graeme Vaux (Ford Falcon GT HO) 6Jeff Beaumont/Peter Gale(Alfa Romeo GTV) 7Stephen Adrian/Chunnie Ch’ng (Datsun 2000) 8Peter Riseborough/Anne Riseborough(MG BMk.1) 9 Tony Beeston/Toni McNichol (MG B GT V8) 10 John Dunning/Michael St John Cox(Jaguar Mk.2).

43

n Shannon’s traditional drive to Phillip Island on Sunday March 1 wiU leave from their premises in Cheltenham. The caval cade is for 100 classic and collectable cars, and enthu siasts wishing to partici pate can register now(03 95847266), or on the morn ing at 745. As usual, it will be great fun - and great value. For $20 you get an admission ticket to the Phillip Island Classic, a lap ofthe circuit, a commemo rative grille badge, pro gram, a place in the Shannons Classic Vehicle Display and a rally bag.

The run leaves 321 Warrigul Rd. at 8-30am. n On March 9 Shannons will present their olHcial Grand Prix auction at the Melbourne International Motor Show. It has now become a feature ofthe Motor Show with the entire length ofthe foyer of the Melbourne Exhibition Centre devoted to a display of the veteran, vintage and classic cars(including sports and racing cars) with the usual sprinkling ofrare motorcycles for good measure. There’s even a jet aircraft engine to go under the hammer this year! n Julian Cowan, President ofthe Vintage Sports Car Club in W.A,reports there is not very much to write home about in the west.

However,there is an event coming up on April 19- a regularity run around the central busi ness district ofJoondalup which should attract a good turnout. Enquiries can be made to Julian on (08)9299 6904(phone/fax). n The new Group R is creating plenty ofinterest and according to Jeremy Braithwaite there are already three Elwyn FFs in NSW ready to race; Bryan Miller’s ex-Warwick Rooklyn 1986 champi onship-winning car, Jeff Walters’ and Les Wright, President ofthe HSRCA. There are also some arch-rivals from Reynard so, according to Jeremy, “We should have a re-run ofthe Elwyn/Reynai'd bat tles ofthe ’80s.” n Organiser ofthe Swanston Walk Grand Prix Parade, Ron Townley, expects 50 Historic sports and race cars for the event on March 4.

Organisers of the Qantas Australian Grand Prix have also recognised the importance ofthe occasion and as well as the parade of Histories, there will also be a display of 10 Lamborghinis(remember ing that one of the support races this year- will be for 26 European Diablo SV-Rs that contest the European FIA GT Championship).

Another special attrac tion will be a Group A Pitstop Challenge for the V8 Supercai'teams. The Swanston Walk Grand Prix Parade will be a real then’ and ‘now’for race fans, city workers and shoppers- as well as a great publicity campaign for the Qantas AGP. -BRIAN REED

44

KARTING

27Febm(^W8

Impressive win L.

by Whimup at L. Portland GP Report by GRAEME BURNS The Portland Kart club turned on another great race this year for their second annual Portland Street Grand Prix and scored a scoop by having two Japanese drivers out for the event, which saw Jamie Whincup take/the Formula 100 honours on February 7-8.

Entries were up on last year, with around the 310

mark making it one of the bigger meetings of the year.

Saturday turned on some rain, so most racing was done in the wet, but Sunday dawned fine and a large crowd flocked in early to get the best vantage points.

Formula 100 The program commenced with the Formula 100, which was the feature class run ning for the Grand Prix championship, contested over four races with the final only to count.

BAYSIDE... Will Davison in Saturday’s rkin.(Graeme Burns)

u

Takeshi Kitagawa, one of the Japanese drivers, took on some of the best in this class.

WhinCup looked good from the start and was on pole for the final, with Paul Dumbrell beside him.

An incident in turn 1 knocked out six drivers .and spread the field a bit, but Whincup and Dumbrell got through and raced away, with Kitagawa next in third.

Matthew Wall had a faultless drive all weekend, winning all heats in Senior National light, with Ashley Mitchell keeping him honest - and Glenn Jones got through the chaos at the notorious Gordon Hotel esses

for third.

Clubman Super Heavy Mt Gambler’s Anthony Higgs just held off Jason Stania in Clubman Super heavy to take the win by only a few points, with Leigh Dunn just holding out local identity Trevor Bullock.

Junior National Heavy In Junior National Heavy, Aaron Rintoul, after a midfield finish in heat one, got himself into gear and won the next two to beat Philip Bateman, the only other driver to finish all the heats Will Davison’s two second places gave enough points for third.

Clubman Heavy The retirements in Clubman Heavy Division 1 were extremely high, with around half the field in each heat going off.

However, Matthew Adams, with two wins and a second, took the points from Shane Harris, with Adrian Rossetto recovering from a DNF in the second heat for third.

Division 2 was only slight ly better in the retirement department, with Marc Duvoisin winning from -

WET'N WILD... Spec 100 Heavy's #16 Paul Tabbitt at the Gordon Hotel Esses.(Burns)

o*'--

\

DOMINATOR... Jamie Whincup, with no-one in sight in Formula 100.(Graeme Burns pic) Adam Murray - who fared better than in Super Heavy, where he had a weight loss problem — while Tony Pugliese was third.

Junior National Light Junior National light only had three of the 12 starters go the distance in the final heat and, with the points close going into the final, this was costly for some and good for others.

The three who finished the final also held the top three places overall, Andre Morgan stealing the win from Mike Drewer by fourteen points, while Brent Rose was third, Clubman Light Kanta Watanabe, the sec ond of the two Japanese dri vers to compete, was in Clubman Light and, until this weekend, had never driven on slick tyres in the wet.

Whincup again was victorious, with Matthew Wall and Tim O’Leary shadowing him all weekend.

Strathfield National Car super speedway driver Darren McDonald returned to karts for the weekend and had a big rollover in heats.

Piston Port Piston Port was down on entries, with only seven fronting up, but the racing was good, with Paul Sera set ting the pace and Peter Remo Tempoulas and Luciani giving chase, Clubman Over 40s Peter Hallett had another good run in Clubman Over 40s, comfortably winning the points from local Garry Robinson and Andrew Broadbent, who just held off Philip Bee. Senior National Heavy Senior National Heavy saw Robin Dumesny and John Dankowski tied on points going into the final - and starting on the font row with the only other two drivers to complete the first two heats behind them, namely Philip Mackley and Alex Petz.

David Rix, after a DNF, came from back in the field to split Dumesny and Dankowski and take third place overall, both Mackley dhd Petz failing to finish.

RESA Mai Kilsby of Mt Gambier has been around karts a long

time and showed his experience in winning the RESA class by a narrow margin over Ballarat s Craig Shillito, with Gary Pegoraro, who has driven nearly every class of kart including Superkarts, coming home third.

Clubman Medium In Clubman Medium Division 1, Matthew Coleman stepped out of his Bob Jane T-Marts Legend and was looking likely to win, until a DNF in the final put paid to that and Ben Savage look the win from Marc Duvoisin and Geoff Bertram.

In Division 2, over half the field DNF-ed the final, but Mark Domaschenz made no mistake, finishing ahead of Mick Pickert and Vince Misuraca.

Junior Clubman Mark Hester won an inci dent-packed Junior Clubman event. In heat two, six karts

collided on the roll round lap, leaving Leigh Van Den Berghe with damaged ribs.

Kane Rose was second and Aaron Rintoul edged out Will Davison for third, Spec 100 Light Domaschcnz again showed a clean pair of heels to the Spec 100 Light field, with Todd Nicholson and Trevor Gann taking the minors.

Spec 100 Heavy Spec 100 Heavy saw Geoff Bertram in his Swiss Hutless split the Allkart duo of Ben Savage and Adrian Rosselto.

Clubman Twin The Clubman Twins were clocked at over 100 kph along the beach front.

A first corner pile-up in the final spread the field, but local driver Mark Smith came out on top from Ron Smith off Gippsland and Trevor Linke.

Top Kart for champ Neil McFadyen

a second - and the first round of the Southern Cross Series produced three wins m fom’races.

McFadyen, who is under going a regulai' exercise pro gram in an effort to build his strength and fitness, has cur rently been testing his Comer-powered Top Kart in preparation for the first round of the Australian Championships for FMK/FIA classesat Bolivar Raceway in Adelaide this weekend.

Australian Reigning Junior National Light Champion Neil McFadyen will be driving Top Karts in 1998.

McFadyen will be com peting in Junior Clubman and Intercontinental A Junior for Kart One Racing under the guidance of Tim Craig and renowned enginetimer Colin Hurst.

McFadyen will once again be helped by his longtime sponsor. Skilled Engineering.

The change to Top Kart has already met with success in Junior Clubman, with three starts for two wins and

He also recen% drove Top Kart’s 125cc Gearbox kart at Oran Park and was mightily impressed.

The Australian Superkart Championships were held at the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit in Victoria last weekend.

Brian Stockman dominat ed the 250cc Formula E class by winning al! heats and the Championship.

The 125cc class went

light down to the wire, with Pete Carter and Roy Francescato tying on points.

Neil Smart broke a collar bone when his 125cc kart rolled coming onto the straight.

Full report in the next issue of Motorspori News.

-GRAEME BURNS

2IFebmiyW98

15

Australian Champs new deal

Series sponsor and television

The profile of local kart ing has been given a major boost following the announcement that the 1998 Australian Karting Championships will now receive national free to air and Pay TV coverage for each of its four nation al roxmds.

At the same time, longtime motorsport supporter Wjmn’s has secured naming rights for the series, which will now be known as the 1998 Wynn’s Australian Karting Championships.

The television deal will see a one hour special on Optus Vision’s Chequered Flag pro gram following each of the four rounds, along with cov erage across two weeks of the

#

SBS Speedweek program.

The series has been Australian karting’s premier international event since its ipception in 1993, producing drivers of the calibre of reigning World. Karting Champion James Courtney, British Formula 3 driver Phillip Scifleet,(Current V8 Supercar driver Darren Hossack, speedway Speedcar star Adam clarke and Christian Jones, son of the 1980 World Formula One Champion, Alan Jones.

The championship is held for three international karting classes - Formula A, Intercontinental A and Junior Intercontinental A. Round one of the 1998 Wynn’s Australian Karting

BIG YEAR AHEAD... Paul Dumbrell will race Intercontinental A with Wynn’s support in 1998.(Sean Henshelwood pic) Championships will get underway next weekend (March 1) at Adelaide’s Bolivar Raceway, the event marking the first appearance of international sprint kart racing in South Australia.

After Adelaide, the series moves to Willowbank Raceway at Ipswich in Queensland (June 21), then Melbourne Raceway (August 23) and, for the grand final, to Australia’s premier karting venue, the recently opened Eastern Creek International Karting Raceway in Sydney

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scheduled for October 11.

Series sponsor Wynn’s heads the entry list for the 1998 season, with team drivers Mark Winterbottom and Paul Dumbrell.

Winterbottom, a former Australian champion, will be competing in the elite Formula A category and will face the strongest opposition in the series’ histoiy, includ ing the top three placegetters from the 1997 series, Defending champion David Clark will compete for the Merlin Racing Team, while

last year’s runner-up Nick Agland is back with the Australian-made Arrows AX6 chassis. l Adelaide’s Gary Dann, last season’s third placegetter and the only winner of two rounds, will be driving for PCR and will start as favourite for the champi onship with a home-track advantage.

Heading Intercontinental A and driving for the Tony Kart team is the reigning Junior Champion, Michael Caruso, who not only won

last yeai'’s title, but also the North American Junior Championship at Charlotte last November.

Caruso’s strongest opposi tion will come from Sydney’s Alan Gurr, Tasmania’s Ben George and Victorian stars Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell.

Bob Jane T-Marts, another longtime supporter of motorsport in Australia, has secured the naming rights to the Junior Intercontinental A category.

-TREVOR LONG

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KARTING

2/Fsbruao' 1998

STREET RACER... Troy Hunt continued on his winning way, too strong in Clubman 140kg.(Edward Krause pics)

iMwIer wins lighthouse

Wayne Gardner tries Clubman Light

After four years, one of Australia’s favourite karting events ran again.

The Lighthouse circuit in Woolongong has been one of the most popular street circuits and, after several on again/off again dramas, it was most definitely on two weeks ago.

With plenty of spills and close racing, the several

thousand spectators enjoyed the 1998 Woolongong Street Grand Prix. ' Peter Lawler in the new Mike-2 kart, built by six-time world champion Mike Wilson, won the premier Formula 100 race, while last year’s Intercontinental A champion Troy Hunt won Clubman 140kg and teammate Alan Gun- took out the

Light division, which got the nod as the most outstanding final of the weekend.

Andrew Polikarpus won the Heavies and the battle of the Super Heavies was won

by Paul Cooper, Troy Hinder and Matthew Sharpe took out RESA Light and Heavy, respectively, while Stephen Bell and Peter Dell did likewise in the PRD

classes, Peter Hamilton taking the Junior division.

Trent Rogers and Adam Hunter took out the two Senior National divisions.

Local heroes Wayne Gardner and Troy Corser were both on hand, Gardner racing in the extremely competitive Clubman Light division in a Tony Kart and finishing seventh in the final.

WORLD CHAMP... Wayne Gardner had his work cut out.

Gardner also took part in the 125cc Formula C demonstrations, along with Tim Craig (who displayed a pen chant for doing donuts), Damien White and company, while Corser helped with com-

mentaiy and presentations.

A few organisational glitches aside, this was a great meeting and, hopefully, a bigger and better event will be on in 1999, not 2002.

- EDWARD KRAUSE

Coffs Harbour ready for 1998 East Coast KARTING Over 40s Titles international k

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The East Coast Over 40s Titles will again be held at the Coffs Harbour City Raceway, the 1998 event scheduled to be run over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend on June 6-7.

Numbers have increased

yearly at this event, now in its fourth year and organisers are expecting around 250 entries for the 1998 meeting, Racing will be conducted on both the Saturday and

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Sunday. To be eligible for the competition, drivers must be born prior to June 6, 1958 and hold a minimum Grade C Open AKA licence - the event has previously attract ed an 80-plus yeai--old driver!

Races will be run for both men and women in various age and weight categories, from Light to Super Heavy for National, Clubman and Open classes (subject to the number of entries received oper class).

The event will be run by the Coffs Harbour Kart Racing Club under AKA rules, specifications and classes.

The entry fee is $85 for the first entry and $40 per addi tional class.

The closing date for entries is Thursday, May 28 - any entries received after that date will incur a $15 late fee per class entiy.

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Sports Sedan KE70 Corolla. 13 BPP,55mm DCOE, brass button clutch, 5 speed, Volvo 4 spot front, 16” wheels. Spare tyres, panels, parts and reg trailer. $12,000. Ph: 02 4261 5262

1988 Toyota Celica GT4,4WD, turbo, correctly imorted for race or rally. 74K's, air, power steering, climate control, fog lights, new snow tyres, power seats and mirrors. $9500 ono. Ph:(02)4948 5642. i2> Charger E48 R/T VJ. immaculate, original, fully optioned, all matching numbers. Set up for classic racing.

Original motor, diff, brakes etc included. Never damaged, well documented with R/T club. Ph:00 11 643 384 0323. 12:

(AH). .22

2415. 122

Sports Sedan 78 Celica, 3.5 litre Rover alum. V8 motor, Celica 5 speed g/box, LSD, 4-wheel disc brakes, 15x10 Rebel wheels. Dual axle reg trailer. $6,500ono. Ph: 02 6559 4002, 0414 594 002. ,22

m

©

Mazda RX.3 Club Car, brand new 13B race Bridgeport, 5speed. Group A brakes. Koni/Bilstein dampers, Dorian, 6-point rotary harness(new). Recaro, spare engine/gearboxes, wheels, tyres etc. otie winner. $10,000ono. Ph: 03 5248 3044, 015 050 435. 122

Commodore VC Street Sedan (also eligible Club Car).

Bakers built 304, adjustable suspension, LSD, SAAS seat and wheel. Many spares Including tyres. Phone for details. Asking $9,000ono. Ph:02 9809 3407,0417 474 336. 122 Torana LC GTR roiling chassis,9", 15"x10”, 7 point cage, new 2-pack paint, coil-overs. Heaps more. $3,000ono. LJ GTR supercharged 208, top loader, Nissan 10 boll diff, $5,000ono.

Ph:0412 462 501,02 62942719. 122

Mazda RX-7 Club Car. Fresh injected 13B B/poer, c/r gear box, LSD, 4-spot brakes, pedal box, plus more. Fast car, must sell. $16,000ono. Ph: 0411 648 075. 122

Mazda RX7 Bridgeport, 13 B, Haltech injection, c/r gear box, 4.4, 4,1 L.S.D, Kionishockers, foam fuel cell, custom built trailer and lap top computer, s[are set of rims. Regrettable urgent sale. $16,000 neg. Ph:(03)9742 2545 or 0419 542838. 121

The last VH GP III Brock Built (verified), flare kit fitted by HDT along with high output V8. 55000 rm, always garaged, regularly serviced, all parpers and plates included.

Good condition.$21,500 nee. Ph: 0412 386 913. 121

VW 1965 Sports Sedan / Hillciimb Gar. Yellow, 2165CC engine, ZF LSD diff, disc brake front. 96/97 champi onship winner moving to another class. Well known car needs new enthusiastic owner.$6,000. Ph: 026554 1134. 121

Datsua 1600 1970, excellent condition, 1800 motor, twin carbies, mags, tyres, excellent 4 speed, 20QB front struts and discs, lowered. Unreg. $3,700ono. Ph: Michael 02 6621 9198(BH), 02 6624 4040(AH). 121

continued over page

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NAME: ADDRESS:

CATEGORY;

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

□ Speedway □ Drag □ Photographs □ Other □ Wanted

nhh\m ^^38 NASCAR (No 98) Pontiac GP, completely rebuilt, updated chassis, fresh 9.5:1 23 deg Chev, etc. ready to race. 41ft bogie trailer - bathroom, with shower, hydraulic tail loader, fully fitted out. Plus pit equipment, spares etc etc. Must sell urgently. $100,000 the lot or will split. Ph: Col Robinson 02 9605 7013, Stuart Little 02 9603 1527. 121

Drag Raciitg Rear engine Dragster, 205" wheelbase, ex CC/DConvo wheels, Diest belts, chute. Fully enclosed frailer with awning. Blown 352ci, SBC TH400 trans. Complete. $30,000. Less engine/trans $10,000ono. Ph: 02 4627

I

2340. 122

Escort Lotus Twin Cam, 1970 genuine vehicle, matching numbers, minilites, AOOI's, alloy rollcage, huntmaster seats. Stored over 10 years in running condition but requires waterpump overhaul.$6500.Ph:0395809199or0411855704. 120

Datsun 260Z, rebuiit motor (500k), 280 gearbox, full track sus pension, free flow exhaust, triple SU's, extractors. Ideal for club car or Targa. Full rego. $7000 ONO. Ph: 03 6229 3858 lai

Junior Dragster, 105” wheel base, 5FIP Briggs Stratton, Comets clutch, .030” oversize 210oc, runs 13.9/14.0, 43/44mph, on Augas suit, 8-12 yr old, current tech sticker. $5000 ono. Ph: Wayne (07) 3812 4398 or 0418 105 016. iji Junior Dragster, professionally built. 2 meetings old with imported Clements engine. On alcohol runs 11.4 with new 8 year driver or brand new for $8000. Ph: 03 9390 7834 or 0411 094 046 120 Drag car Sports sedan, Mitsubishi Galant, 2 door, full bond alloy roll cage. Enlarged tunnel complete. New pairlt, no interior. $3000. Ph: 019 978 037. 120

Open Wheelers

„

♦

jgrq BMW 323i, 1997 Century Batteries Australian GT Production Class D Championship winning car. New engine this year, new gearbox, spares include wheels, lyres, springs. Very reliable-fin ished every race this year. Ready to race and win. Ph: Beric on 0414328023. m AUSCAR VP, 360hp 315 motor, Super T10 box, Harrop rose jointed front end. 4-sp calipers, adj Bilstein susp.Pi equipment, fuel churn, rattle guns and line, scanners, dent I puller, steel chest. Spares include axles, susp, springs, t shocks, body parts, too many to mention. Help given first meetings. $15,000. Ph: James (03) 9563 7072 or (015) 800

‘64 Lotus Cortina, fully rebuilt motor, Needham g/box, Detroit locker, all alloy panels and best frame, car in race ready condition, a proven front ajnner, comes with spare engine, 8 minilites, various diff ratios etc. $30,000 ONO. Will trade. Ph: 03 9543 4280 or 0418 336181 120

Speedway HZ Camp Quality bash car, rebuilt 202,4 speed, LSD, cage, trip computer, rally suspension, fully equipped car, July rego. Have somefun!$5500.Ph:0249421424or015257984. laj

Richards 201C Fomiula 2, Hewland Mk9, brand new top hp shortstroke Golf, spare Golf, 12 wheels, ratios, trailer. Stack tacho. $29,900. Ph: Mike Drewer 0419 273 333 or 08 8271

Super Production Charger. Mid mounted 265 NASCAR type baring ASCF, NSW ACT .Speedway Racing Board approved. Spares incl 4 tyres with rims, 7 tyres, gearbox, clutch, heaps more. Ready to race. $2,500. Ph; Pete 02 6351 2914. 122 Fender Bender. Motor, sealed body, in good shape.

Three meetings old, ready to race. $1,400. Ph; 02 9981 4713,02 9979 7792. 122 Super Sedan. IROC Z Camaro, Vic #9, less engine spares. $11,000. Frankland. quick-change 4.86, 54 3/4 w $2,200. Trutrac and spud $350. 4.11 crown wheel and pin ion $100. Methanol carby, 750 Holley $600. 253 engine, prepolution $170. Ph; 03 5422 1942 (BH), 03 5422 7037 (AH). 122 Sportsman VL, fresh motor, G/box comes with spare pads, stands trolley jack, radio's and other pit equip. $9000 ono. Urgent Sale. Ph; Cameron AH (02) 6585 1397.

Formula Libre, 0 - 1300cc, ex hill climber, sprint champi onship winning car, 1100 Suzuki engine, some spares. $7000.

Ph; (03) 9735 5315. 121

Formula Vee 95 Sabre. Results: 2nd 97 Nationals, equal track record Lakeside, Eastern Creek. Package 2 David Cutts prepared engines, gearboxes, 2 car fully enclosed trailer, spares. PDA. Ph: 02 4948 9777 (BH), 02 4943 0607 (AH). 122 PRB Clubman. Fully developed race car, road reg. Motec, quad butterfly injection, Quaife gearbox and LSD, extractors, genuine 200hp engine. 3 sets rims. $33,000. Ph: 02 4990 1699 or 02 4998 7385. 122

iV

Formula Holden SPA 002, Top HP engine rebuilt

by John Sidney, fully rebuilt, new loom, brakes, clutch, all parts crack tested. Heaps of spares with fully enclosed trailer. Entry for 1998 AGP races, 8 spare wheels, toal package ready to go. $48,500 ONO. Ph: 03 9543 4280 or 0418 336 181 120 O

A

Kart, 96 CRG Flux Clubman. New tyres, new side pods, tach/temp. Sprinter chassis, KT100S, Tillet seat, new exhaust.

Registered two-kart trailer, trolley and stands. Kart suit, heaps of spares. The lot $4,600neg. Ph: 02 6884 8975. 122 Superkart - 1993 Zip Eagle, never bent. Merlin pipes, 38 flatside DelOrtos, digital ignition, new cranks, rings. 2 full sets Dunlops new, 1 set Dunlop wets new, 16 wheels. Adjustable height. Table-trolley. All serious offers considered. Ph: 07 3219 8305 (BH), 07 3278 8280 (AH). 122

121

Pontiac Firebird Super Sedan. New 350 Chev roller engine, McLeod clutch etc. Winters wide 5 quickchange on purpose-built trailer. Heaps of spares, wheels, panels.

Sell complete. Ph: 03 9431 1459 after 6pm. 120 '

■

1970 Ford Escort V6,4 speed, slightly modified, adjustable suspension, black in colour, GT dash, lots of spares. Full engi neer Cert & Reg. $10,000. Call Robert on 03 9748 4402 or 0412

’& tint .11

369691 120

Modified Sedan Commodore, WK 4 proven, race winner, ex Aust. 1, with spares and fibreglass moulds. $5500 ono. Ph: AH (08) 8541 3204 . 121

Toyota Crown, bash car. Top four finish in seven events, including first. Rally ready, roll cage, harnesses, rally meter, blueprinted engine. $4500 Ph: 041 4842662 anytime. 120 Datsun 1200 Coupe, A great ARN junior challenge car. No expense spared. New engine, full roll cage, recaro seats, 21 wheels and tyres, spare rolling shell and many panels. Much mush more. Sell for $7500. Ph: Mark Beard 066 541 209 (BH) or0417 441 645(AH) 120 Celica Sports Sedan, 1GG 6cyi 24 valve, Race-shift Supra G/Box, 4 spot and vented dix front Twin spot and solid rear Injec EM3 ECU. Twin pumps and surge tank, race seat and harness.

Rego as 6cyl Engineers report. $6950. Ph: 03 9338 4133. 120 Nissan GTiR, 2 litre turbo 4WD. Set-up for GT-Production.

Huge potential, perfect club car or hot road car. Rare light weight (no air etc) complianced and registered. Ph: 0418 995 581. IX) AUSCAR Sportsman VL Commodore #15,95/96 cham pionship win, 96/97 2nd. All spares and spare body shell. $17,500. Ph: 018 507 064. 120

Parrell Clubman 3K Corolla, Webers, Toyota 4sp box, 13" tyres, CAMS log book, complete with trailer, spares incl. Wets on rims, ready to raace, excellent cond. $10,000 ono. Ph: Barry West AH (08) 8341 5407 or 0411 865 906. 121 SuperKart, Peter Worrall’s Australian championship winning kart. 1997 Stockman chassis with full body work 'B’ kit, 1994 RS125 engine, just rebuilt with new crank, mains etc. $8500. Ph: (02) 9824 7350. .21

r

r NASCAR, Ex John Sidney Oldsmobile Cutlass, best available, and will sell as a roller or complete car. front steer, includes wheels, fuel churns and all spares. Also 95 Pontiac long body less calipers and NASCAR service vehicle (Popemobile) Holden to suit a NASCAR team. $55,000 the lot. Will seperate.

Ph:0418336 181or03 9543 4280 120

4280 12)

-esm

■wH

3338. 122

342. 121

88 Wolf RS500 Sierra Turbo, ex B&H Alan Jones, rebuilt engine, 5 spd Getrag, 9” Harrop, ind rear suspension, tri rate springs, rebuilt turbo, as raced at Bathurst 1991-92, good sports sedan or collectors car, spare engine, wheels and lots of acces sories. $30,000 ONO will trade. Ph: 0418 336 181 or 03 9543

■●5

Go-Kart - Arrow AX5 MidgetyRookie. New Yama/ia J engine kit as of Feb. 1997. Like new condition You'll have to look hard to find one any better. Kids helmet, suit and gbves too. Runs great - ready to race. Fully enclosed 2 kart trailer available - priced separately.$2300 ono: Ph:9787 0281 or0419322808. I7t Go-Kart - Arrow AX5, w/Yamaha KT100S eng. Like new condi tion. New engine kit brakes, etc. as of Feb. 1997. Very few laps run. Looks and runs great, ready to race. Fully enclosed custom 2 kart trailer available - priced separartely. $2000 ono. Ph: 9787 0281 or 0419 322808..2.

Formula Vee, original Elfin NG, Barry Look designed, mono shock rear suspension (fabricated by Bernie Cashin). Top hp engine with dyno sheets. Koni front shocks, adjustable brake bias, forward tank, spares. $7,000. Ph: Ted Gair 07 3344 3084 (BH), 07 3216 9327 (AH). ,22 Lola T360 Formula Atlantic. V and H category Group Q with a good history. This quality and unique Lola has been total ly rebuilt and is ready to campaign. It has a fresh Wiessner BDD Cosworth engine and FT200 box. The price is negotiable. Ph: Bob Sanderson (02) 9953 9469.121 Formula Vee, Australian, NSW, championship winner. Hot shot winner. Jacer 95-1. 2 gear boxes long/short set up data. Spare springs/components. Never bent new 1997 bodywork. $16. 500. Ph: (02)96289732. ,21 4 V

1500 Sedan, A15 engine, webers, 5 point 3" harness, aluminium seat and spare wheels, tyres, rear mount, VN radiator ASCF cage complete spare car. $2400. Ph: 02

4883 6253 120

Sprintcar Chassis Kit, complete 1986 otr, panels, bonnet, tailtank, nerf bars, 2 front ends. All other parts $1000 ONO. KSE front cover and pump, $250. CAE Dogbox. $200. Ph: 03 6331 '2849 or 03 63341385. 120 Compact Speedcar, NSW 11, 4 bar Reynolds hi-bar chassis, slreader quick change diff. GSXR 1100 engine,Hilborn injection plus plenty of spares, $8500.

ONO. Ph: 02 9628 2238. 120

Historic BDR Clubman, C/\MS group Q classified, good history, 3 owners, ready to race. 129 bhp Datsun 1300cc. 13.9 sec 1/4 mile. Excellent tandem trailer + $2000 spares. $13,500 (lot) neg. Ph: (03) 5222 4036. 121 Super kart Zip Eagle, 1992 Yamaha, YZ 250cc, new tryes.

Well maintained, competitive kart. Spares, enclosed trailer.

Ready to race. $9000 the lot. Ph: Ken (02) 9820 1673. 121

Ford Mustang 97 V8 sohc and S speed, com plete conversion from fuel tank to computor. air cleaner to exhaust. 3000 miles new. $10,000ono. Ph; James 03 9785 3333. 122

Mazda 13B p/p, Rolomotion housings, 51mm IDA Weber, tooth belt drive, baffles sump, modified distribu tor. Fully rebuilt, 300+ hp. New twin plate clutch, close ratio Holinger gearbox. $5,000 neg. Ph: 02 9579 6382, 015 468 166. ,22 Buick 382ci engine. Best parts money can buy. TRE rods & pistons, Nicken Bros head & sheetmetal mani fold, Hamburger sump, fuel-curve prepped nominators etc etc. Made 810hp at 540 ft'lbs torque. Just freshened with new rods, rings, valve springs etc. $20,000 let's haggle. Ph: 03 5472 1442 (BH), 03 5470 6283 (BH), 03 5472 2556 (AH). 122 VW - brand new 2.7 race block, heaps of race perfor mance goodies. Suit Speedcar, offroad buggy. Sports Sedan or performance street car. Possible 250+hp. $6,500. Ph: 019 125 965. .22 Mazda K8 V6 engine. Complete, running $900.

Mazda KF V6 2-litre, complete, $1,000. Mazda FE 2-litre twin cam, runs, vgc, $500. Ford Zeteo 1.8 (Mondeo) twin cam, tested, complete, $1,500. 5 litre V8 EFI plus 4 speed auto, conversion complete from a EB Falcon, $5,000. Ph: 03 9785 3333. ,22 308-355 Stroker. 450+hp, VN heads, professionally parted, rollers, triple springs, active manifold, solid cam, chev rods, TRW forged pistons, Romac balancer and lots more. Just run in. Will dyno for purchaser. $9500.

Ph: (02) 6020 8621. 121 Pinto 2000 engine. Fully developed forged pistons, cosworth rods, 'O' ring block, dowelled crank, button clutch, alloy sump. Poly V pulleys, 12.25 CR, 45 DCOE. Webers 154 HP ©wheels, fresh build. $6900 ono Ph: (08) 8278 5988 . ir Formula Ford motor. Current spec's last used by Dave Besnard. $5500 ono. Ph: BH (02) 9580 5000 or AH (02) 9543 5092. 121 Approx 200hp 1974cc L-series club cart engine complete from 48mm webers to custom made pipes. As run 60.9 at lakeside, quickest 8 valve club car in QLD no time wasters. $4000. Ph: 0411 843 011. 121 Nissan VQ 20, all alloy, V6, quadcam, 24 valve plusengine plate and drive to suit speedcar. $1000. Ph: Steve (07) 3814 3082. 12.

Mazda 13B Bridgeport, race engine, as new condi tion. Professionally built. $2500 ONO. Selling to finance other project, Ph: 019 978 037 120 Genuine Pro Series HI Autocraft 2600cc engine, 3 stage oil pump, fuel injected, steel crank, Carillo rods, good condition, ex Speedcar engine. S6,800ono. Ph: Clive Baxter 08 8984 4794. 120 Lotus Twin Cam, complete engine. "L’ block Webers, extractors etc. $5000. Ph: 07 3281 7005. 120

27Febmry1998 Holden 308 block JSR, fully machines, bored and honed 30 thou. Decked and line honed. Needs sleeve. $700. Ph: George 03 9598 9172(AH). 120 Chev 366 methanol, bowtie block, 17 degree. Dart aluminium heads, matching manifold. Grower crank, JE

15” by 11" with mobile tyre rack.$120. Ph: (02) 6629 0307. 121

Mazda 13B PP, built tp Racing Beat spec, genuine

throttle body V8 Holden. Ph: 0412 941 812. 121 Smiths 10, 000 RPM chronometre tacho with

Parts

Other

RX7 Harrop floater diff assembly with axles. $1750. Ph:(03)9437 1628. 12' FF historic half chrome Dunlop wheels and tyres. $400 the set BAE racing. Ph:(02)9317 5182. 121 Carbon fibre rocker covers to suit single or double

310hp, Set ip for injection, all brand new. just run in $5700,(0419)334 786. 19

Havoc 2 video.Ph: Kate (07) 4057 7341,

LJ Torana steel wheels. 2 are 13" by 11". 2 are

pistons. T&D roller rockers, dry sump. 650hp strong motor, full recondition. $17,500. Ph: 03 5176 2257, 018 514 444. 19

gear bob and cable drive. Suit historic race car. $500.

Ph:(07) 3205 3165 or (07) 3205 3165. 121

Transporters/Trailers

Corporate seating at Australian Grand Prix: Limited seating available in prime corporate facility on Jones stand.

Superb viewing over turn 1, full catering included. 4 day tick^ available. $1,750 fully inclusive. Call Guy on 0418 341658 or Dale 0417 590841. 121 Tray-mounted car carrier. Unique folding action for one person unloading. Sun deck on top, internal storage. Lifting frame included. Remove complete unit with forklift in minutes. $2,000. Ph: 02 6554 1134. 121 Transporter. Two car. tail lift rear door, 14x6mtr

Small block Chev 18 degree cylinder heads com

awning, hospitality unit, galley, fitted workshop, includes air compressor, engine lift, pit bike,

plete, titanium valves, roller springs, C&C ported in USA. Race ready, as new. $7,500ono. Ph: Warwick Jones 02 9682 5642. 122

240/24V.belly lockers, sleeps 6. NZ$80, 000. Ph: NZ0064 9579 0113, Fax; 0064 9579 0114. 121

Greddy blow-off valve, type R (brand new). $500.

Boost and fuel pressure meter $475; Apex turbo timer $100; Blitz boost controller $600. Neg. Ph: 0412 392

brand new 245x45 P7 M3 Pirelli tyres. Real show stoppers. Also

Total car for parts in good condition and intact. Whole car $600ono. Ph: 03 5282 1613, 015 326 916, 03 9258 7283. 122

Professionali buiit Hino FF racecar transporter. Sleeper,

and HRT scale model workshop, build no. 44 1/24 scale. Ph: 0412 386 913. 122

air-conditioned, 26' pantech, tailgate lifter, inspection deck, inte grated tyre racks, solid workbench, 240v, fluoro spotlights, powerpoints. Only $38,500. Ph:07 3839 2121 or 0418 725 003. 122 Enclosed trailer,6m long, 2m high, 2.3m wide. 4 wheel elec tric brakes, solid axles, rocker spring suspension, 8 ply tyres, 2

shirts, jackets, d/suits. Some signed - Viileneuve Rothmans shirt, Alesi/Berger caps. Also Ir.dy gear signed. Private collec tion, must consolidate. View at AGP. Ph:018 312 526. 122

Formula One genuine team issue gear: caps, bags, Mazda Diesel transporter. 3 tonne with winch, ramps, tyre racks and storage compartments. 48K on clock, 9 mths reg. $4000‘Greg (0419) 36 1908. 121

spare wheels. Needs some work. Suit racing car. Priced to sell $3,500. Ph: 0412880 878 or 07 3264 5391 (AH). 122

elling rig, vent bottle, hoses, two male and 'one female dry break fittings. Suit GTP. Asking $800ono. Ph: 02 9809 3407 or 0417 474 336. 122

calipers with 1.75 to 2 inch dia pistons. Ph: 07 3205 4254. 122

202 - steel main caps & stud kit $375; windage tray

Tamiya FI kits, 1/20th Brabham BT46, Wolf WR1, other early kits. Sports car videos from 60s.

Ph: Andrew 02 4948 4472. 122

OMP three layer drivers surt. Size 52. Nomex boots size 10. OMP gloves size M. All only worn 6 times. Like new. $600.

Ph:(02)66290307. ,21 Sparco double layer Nomex suit. Blue small. Black leather Nomex'boots size 8, Nomex balaclava, socks, all brand new. Will separate. $675 the lot. Ph:(03)9761 1704.121

Pit crew/subcontract, enquiring about any full time/subcontract positions available on a team. I have NASCAR and Speedway exp. Will

0354 221 942(BH), 03 5422 7037(AH). 122 HR Chev tuned length headers, 2” primaries, 34"'

vacuum secondary, just recoed. $120. Ph: 03 6394 3541 or 015 312 918. 122

Badges car clubs etc.; Including herald touring, Western District car club. Motor manual goodwill, muprincess seoroad.

1956 Olympic games many more. Ph: 015 312 918 or 639 435 541. 121

Wanted Two AP or similar alloy two-piston brake

$45; dry sump kit $1,000; 1.6 roller rockers and posilocks $240; Starfire rods, floating $200; Knife-edged Commodore crank .010” $350; GM billet cam $90. Ph;

(BH), 03 5470 6283(BH), 03 5472 2556(AH). 122 Carbies, as new twin 2" SUs $200 pair. Holley 600

Badges, car clubs etc including Herald Touring, Western District Car Club, Motor Manual goodwill, MV Princess Searoad.

1956 Olympic Games. Many more Ph: 015 312 918, 0363 943 541. 122

Bathurst race posters and programmes, back to 1969; Brock Commodore Dinkum Classics 1/18 scale; HRT rac» suit

Dry break system, including 300 litre overfiead refu

long with 3.5" collectors to suit Hadfield mounting kit.

Jet Hot coated in Hi Lustre. $650 ono. Ph: 03 5472 1442

Bathurst 1000 magazine/programme 85, 88, 90, 92. 93. $10 each. Ph:023229 6642. 122

post-race engine measuring. This essential part of kart racing will require you to bef present at the circuit Sundays between 3 and 5pm,4 to 8 times per year. Training provided. Contact Tiger Kart Club on 08 9248 6662 or fax 08 9248 6663. 122

suit VW. Rims & tyres never used.$4,000ono. Ph:019125 965122 Halibrand quick-change rear axle, with six sets of

equivalent). $4,000. 0412 392 729, 03 9804 7582. 122 Datsun 240K. 6 cyl engine, 5 speed box, diff etc.

Arai Quantum helmet, red (as new)$500. Bell Vortex helmet (white)as new $1,100 neg. Ph:0412392 729,03 9804 7582. 12?

Books: Australian fJlotor Racing Yearbook nos 11-17 $20 each; Bathurst 82,89 $20 each; JH 1000 82,83$50,83-89 $20;

Tiger Kart Club requires technical personnel to assist with

729, 03 9804 7582. 122 Porsche IT' AVS original wheels. Highly polished with

gears. Magneto Vertex four-cylinder Volkswagen. Ring and haggle. Ph: 02 6253 1351. 122 Quantum multi-adjustable damper sets (Penske

^9

1972 Bedford Bus car transporter. 6 cyl, turbo diesel, 5spd, semi-auto, seats 8, sleeps 4, frid^ge, cup boards, 12/240 vlts, winch, good tyres, Victorian motor home rego 11-98. $18, 000 ono. Ph:(07) 3812 4398 or 0418 105 016. 121

Gemini coupe fibreglass doors. Single layer cloth.

New enclosed trailer. Lightweight tandem, 4 wheel brakes, s.4x1.95x1.85. 2 tonne capacity. NSW

Big weight saving. Ex-works. $250 pr. Ph: 02 9808 1264. 122

registration. Suit F/Ford or small sedan etc, $5250. Ph: Lew Moore (02) 4735 4100. 121

supply own tools and equip. Ph: 019 9677 450 or (03) 9431 3653. i2i International ladies driver seeks F. Holden for AGP and series there after. Fax details of lease to (02) 4392 2915 Att Brendan. 121 Any parts for 1980 626 Mazda Series one or compatable. Dellorto carbies, Jokiko suspen sion, mag's, anything assoc, with rally. Ph: (07) 4928 1075 or 0419 661 443. 121

^ -'m Holden Racing Team VP Commodores. Two of 50 built, certificates and photo of brock with model. 45cm long. Best offer. Bathurst programmes 1970 to present, good condition.

Offers Ph:(02)48224124.121

y^^^M^rsport News' RACE SH--OP gives you the opportunity to promote your products and services to the widest possible range of motorsport competitors and enthusiasts, i Advertising in RACE S MiOiP costs as little as $50 per issuel , For bookings, call Gerald McDernan on 03 9S27 7744i

I Introducing Drill Dtfctor® 750sp 3/32'-3/4' capadly ntdi

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The Drill BH Sharpener That Works stop Throwing Dull, Worn Drill Bits Away l Easy lo use as a pencil sharpanar - M-SOsec./drill bit. l Sharpen High Steel, ceball & carbide drill bits. l Sharpen 118°, 135° point angles & masonry bits. l Powerful 240 veil motor & six It cord, l 400-500 sharpenings from replaceable Djanignd wheel. l Splits points to make any drill bits sell cantering.

For Drag Racing, Speedway, Super Speedway, Circuit Racing All AFCO Aluminium Shocks are ‘100% Dyno Tested ‘Rebuildable and Re-valveable ‘Custom Valving Available ‘Made in the USA

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Mobile 014 406 980 Ph/Fax:(03) 5827 1359

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NSW:(02)9743 3355 QLD:(07)3808 1986 VIC:(03)9794 5177 WA:(08)9353 1155 Australian importer and distributor:

€

CRANE

TECHrsJOLOGIES PTY. LTD.

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50 27Febm[^W98

COIVIIVIENT CAMS report a disgrace

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Editorial Editor David Hassaii Technical Editor Tony Glynn Assistant Editor Phil Branagan Graphics C»-ordinator Viv Brumby

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i 03 9527 7744

Dear Sir,

U

.1

-p^ Russell Ingall.

Judging from his first effort with the pen, Russell will have some interesting views to express.

If he is as forthright with the pen as he is on the race track, it will 1 make interesting reading!

Good luck for the year Russell and keep that pen fired up.

CAMS’ report “Motor Racing Towards 2000 and Beyond” declares the death of Formula Vee at the end of 1998. The release of the document without the proper c to PO Box 1010 North Cauifi^ Send letters to Talk process of consultation is an Alan Porter Vic 3161, our E-mail address, or fax to 03 9527 7766. absolute disgrace.

The staff of Motorsport News does not necessarily agree with opinions express tt* readers North Ryde, NSW The Formula Vee Association does not accept the verdict and Aussie, Aussie, Aussie... will fight to preserve the class. thought racing clutches are almost Motorsport News - Shame!

Dear Sir, Despite written and verbal impossible to slip. I have heard of l Alas, all is not lost apart from requests CAMS has not provided pressure limiting devices on the that faux pas, please keep up the Formula Vee with a copy of the No disrespect to the imports, but pressure plate that work temporari- great work and how about a special report. The secrecy surrounding ly to achieve this end, but are they feature covering the racing history it was teiTific to see an Australian manufactured Formula Ford taking its preparation, contents and legal? I think not! of Garry Rush as he heads towards the win (Adam Macrow) at the release only serves to further mis As Pauline Hanson would say, retirement at the end of this seaSandown round of the Formula information and contempt. CAMS son. please explain! officials are divided as to whether Ford championship.

Mike Borland has worked for the document is “policy” or “open Keith Mitchell Damien Jones for discussion”. such a long time to build up his Thomastown VIC Coburg Vic The paper contains unsupported damaging statements and com ments in respect of Formula Vee (and other classes) with out pro viding any solutions or alterna tives. The criteria of sporting ver- ‘ sus commercial has no basis and to add to the confusion is not defined.

The document fails to set out a cohesive policy and direction for all classes of motor racing under CAMS control and leaves drivers, constructors, business, sponsors and supporters, of Formula Vee in particular, in limbo.

Motor racing is the only major sport with no recognised youth development programme and this is the perfect opportunity to estab lish one.

The board of CAMS should immediately publicly withdraw the statements and date deadlines ■contained in the report sounding the “death-knell “of various class LOCAL HERO... Mike Borlan d’s championship-leading Spectrum Formula Ford - this is Christian Jones’ es. They should also arrange dis (Photo by Dirk Klynsmith) example at Sandown - has a devoted fan in the form of David Greenwich. cussions with the Formula Vee

Association to formulate an agreed and cohesive policy for entry level into motor sport.

Peter Fry National Administrator Formula Vee Assn of Australia

a

CartOOH WaSO’t funnY

Fan with a ‘Z’

Dear Sir,

Dear Sir,

^

Premier Re Issue 119 Speedway Cartoon, Page 3.

I would like to pass comment about the cartoon depicting the misfortunes of Warrnambool Out to Launch Premier Speedway with their Dear Sir, recent theft of gate takings.

All I can say is that even a qualPm wondering if Motorsport ity magazine such as Motorsport News or one of your readers could v News can occasionally miss the explain something to me? mark with very bad taste humour.

I was one of the thousands of How do Lowndes and Ingall man age to make such great starts withspectators at the Grand Annual out any wheel spin whatsoever?

Sprintcar Classic and witnessed Why do the words ‘launch control’ the amount of effort that the Club come to my mind? and Officials went through to preReplay the telecast -of both sent the drivers, crews, sponsors Sandown and Symmons Plains and and paying public with another top you will see a couple of quite clear show. They don’t deserve a cheap side-on views of their cars “launchshot like that from any publica tion. ing’ without any wheel spin.

To do this they would normally In the words of a past current need to slip the clutch, but I affairs commentator: Shame

I am an Alex Zanardi fan and I was wondering if you have an address for his fan mail, or the Target/Ganassi Racing team, I would like to complime nt you on an excellent magazine. Keep up the good work!

William Guamaccia Lakes Entrance VIC ASST ED: Fm a Zanardi fan too.

Write to Target/Chip Ganassi Racing, 3821 Industrial Blvd, Indianapolis IN 46254 USA.

Russell has write stu ff Dear Sir, What an interesting surprise when I received my latest Motorsport News - a column by

Spectrum chassis’ competitiveness and it’s great to see him rewarded in this way.

Why more people don’t go for the local product is beyond me - I’d guess it’s probably cheaper as well.

David Greenwich Unley, SA

The Kid’s back io business Dear Sir, Good to see Lowndes right back on the pace after his disappointing year in Europe.

Obviously, with a team right behind him, instead of just taking his money, the Kid can deliver the goods.

I bet that Mark Skaife never expected him to be this tough to beat either!

Michael Stanton

Ipswich, QLD

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