Motorsport News Issue 126 - 8-21 May 1998 by V8 Sleuth

Ff X-wmgs (NZ$5.95incl GST)

8-21 May 1998

TITLE-DEFINING MOMENT?: Russell Ingall (right) barely survived this hairy moment at Winton on Sunday, which sent him almost spinning out of control. Ironically, it was a second collision with title rival Craig Lowndes a moment later which straightened him up and allowed him to finish strongly... while Lowndes headed for the pits. Those developments saw a turnaround of as much as 70 points and allowed Ingall to take the series lead at the half-way point. (Photo by Graeme Neander- Coventry studios)

Radical proposal splits TEGA board V8 Supercars could adopt a spectacular reverse grid format as soon as Mallala's Shell series round in two weeks - although a TEGA Board split may delay the change. Often discussed (but rejected) over the years, the move to a par tially reversed grid in the second race of the day would represent a philosophical revolution in Australian circuit racing. A regular feature of Speedway Sprintcar racing, which forces the fastest competitors to pass numbers of cars to get to the front, the proposal in respect of the V8 Supercars could provide spectacular race two action. The proposal, to be considered by TEGA's Board in a phone hook-up later this week, is that, following a normal race one, the race two grid would see the top 18 spots from qualifying reversed.

By CHRIS LAMBDEN In other words, the 18th fastest qualifier would start from pole, Race three's grid would be decided by aggregating the drivers' results from the two previ ous heats, putting the tcfp-scorer on pole. If implemented at last weekend's Winton round, that would have seen Darren Hossack and Terry Finnigan fill the front row for race two, with Skaife, Bowe, Perkins and Ingall facing off on rows eight and nine ... TEGA Chail’man Garry Craft spent the Winton weekend canvassing Level 1 teams for their views and emerged quite confi dent that the initiative would get the green light, However, it seems he faces stern opposition from some quar ters. Continued Page 4

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8May 1998

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FIA bans X-wings By JOE SAWARD

THE FIA has decided to ban the ugly sidepodmounted winglets, known in FI circles as X wings.

The FIA letter cited Article 127 of the International Sporting Code, which states that “the stewards of the meet ing may exclude a vehicle whose construction is deemed to be dangerous.” The FIA argues that these wings might break off in an accident and could cause injury. However, the same can be said for most of the onboard cameras used on the cars.

RELEGATED TO THE X FILES... The ugly sidepod-mounted wings will not be seen again in Formula 1.

Tyrrell chief slams ban

for banning X wings is that they are ugly and detract from the spectacle of Grand Prix racing.

TYRRELL deputy technical director Mike Gascoyne, has hit out at the ban on sidepod-mounted X-wings. Gascoyne, who invented the wings last year, claims the FIA has set a dangerous precedent by telling teams they believe the wings contravene safety regula tions. “I’m not surprised by the ban, but I am disappointed with the manner in which it has been done," he said. “Clearly these wings are within

the technical regulations, but they have been banned on safety grounds. “If they consider them danger ous, then they should look at some other areas as well. “For example, the FIA ask us to fit a 2kg television camera to the top of our cars, which would be more dangerous in a crash. “And no mention has been made of the wing mirrors, which are made of the same material as the wings.”

Gascoyne claims that while some of the wings on rival cars may pose a danger, he believes Tyrrell’s are completely safe. “Some of these wings on other cars do look flimsy, but ours have been designed as an integral part of the car. “Ours are lower in height, too, so if they folded back they would not hit a driver on the head. “I don’t feel the FIA’s argument is valid and it is certainly not con sistent.”

teams have not used X wings in races as they do not produce

been used to good effect by Ferrari and Jordan.

ban whatever it chooses if it is done on the grounds of

Most of the front-running FI

enough of a gain, but they have

The FIA has the right to

Indeed, one of these fell off Jean Alesi’s Ferrari at Monza in 1995 and damaged the front suspension of Gerhard Bergerts similar car, which was close behind. Berger was unable to steer and went off into a sandtrap. Onboard cameras have not been banned and one can only assume that the real reason

safety.

Schuey key to silly season IT is still very early in the Formula 1 season for there to be much move ment on the driver mar ket for 1999, but there is no doubt that West McLaren Mercedes will be making a bid for Michael Schiunacher. While the team says that it is quite happy with its current drivers, there is no doubt that Mercedes and West want Schumacher in the team. This is not an idea which will appeal to Bernie Ecclestone because Michael in the McLaren-Mercedes could dominate racing, at the expense of the FI televi sion viewing statistics. But there is no love lost between Bernie and McLaren boss Ron Dennis

Ferrari needs to keep Schumacher because the minute he departs the team is likely to come apart. Ferrari has been recon structed around bim and it would take a driver of con siderable skill and character to hold it together, particu if Luca di larly Montezemolo and Jean Todt took the opportunity to depart. The battle for Schumacher’s services is

■ An option deadline has passed for Tickford’s continuing sponsorship of the Sandown 500. While still in discussion with Ford’s performance car arm, Sandown promoter Jon Davison has confirmed that he is “out in the marketplace” looking for a potential replacement sponsor for the traditional pre-Bathurst V8 long distance race. Plans to run a 3 Hour support ing GT-P race are still under dis cussion with GT-P group Procar. ■ HRT’s engineering consul tant Ron Harrop is bemused by rumours that he is to start man ufacturing racing Commodores and/or mn his ovra team. “No way, not at all,” he said this week.‘The most we’ve ever considered is getting a spare Dencar shell, fitting it out with all our parts and having it sit there for anyone contemplating buying a car.”

The news only came to light at the end of last week after the FIA Technical Department sent a letter to each Formula 1 team informing them that it consid ers that these devices are unsafe.

likely to be intense, therefore, with Michael in no huiTy to make up his mind. If Schumacher is lured away from Ferrari to join McLaren, the most likely replacement remains Jacques Villeneuve and it would be mad for Jacques to commit himself to Williams just yet. He is not very bappy with the Williams team at the moment and knows that in all probability the team will slip further back next year while awaiting BMW engines in the year 2000. It is too early for him to consider moving to one of the new teams being planned, such as British American Racing or Honda, and so Williams is still a good choice unless a FeiTari offer comes up. A Villeneuve in a Feirari is big box office - and Jacques is smart enough to know it. The risk is that Villeneuve will wait too long and that Frank Williams will drop him in favour of a younger and cheaper driver like Juan-Pablo Montoya. Some rumours suggest that this deal is already done for 1999. Williams has often made sucb moves before and they make a

great deal of sense for the team, which has always preferred to invest in research and development rather than buying star drivers. _ All this would not seem to leave much oppoiTunity for Alexander Wurz at Ferrari - as the rumours suggest although Wurz could, in theory at least, move to Maranello to partner Schumacher or Villeneuve. Wurz, who has done an impressive job to date in his drives for Benetton, began last season as the Benetton test driver, having previously done a test with Sauber in the summer of 1996. That same year he won the Le Mans 24 Hours, becoming the youngest ever winner of the classic French sportscar race, So farrthis year he has outshone the more experienced Giancarlo Fisichella with two fourth places in the South American races. He is under a long-term contract to Benetton - the word is that this lasts for four years - and, as Benetton boss David Richards is building up a new structure at Benetton and Wurz is clearly part of the package, he might not be prepared to sell his driver, -JOE SAWARD

■ TEGA expects to have its 1999 calendar finalised within a couple of weeks, but already the likelihood is that the series won’t start until after the Australian FI Grand Prix in March. Our sources suggest Easter, four weeks later, as best odds for the latest start ever for the national championship. ■ Confirmation of the uncer tainty suiTounding Primus involvement in the V8 endurance race at Bathurst has come with the latest press releases from promoters IMG, which refer to the “Australian 1000 Classic”. At the same time,IMG has appointed a new Event Manager. Geoff Jones joins IMG after 19 years as an operations expert in the Australian Anny. The company is also looking to hear from volunteers and mar shalls wishing to be involved in this year’s race(Ph: Kerrie Butcher,07 5588 6888). ■ Following the departure of Calder MD Ed Ritchie, circuit owner Bob Jane is returning to a more hands-on role at the venue. Jane is to concentrate his efforts on Thunderdome(see our Super Speedway pages)and has appointed a new Marketing Manager, Genevieve Rourke. Jane has also confirmed dis cussions aimed at NASCAR pro viding a support race at the AMP Bathurst 1000. ■ Sadly, we report the sudden passing of well-known open wheeler engineer Alan Russell last week at the age of46. Russell worked in FI and F5000 before returning to Australia in 1984, subsequently engineering John Bowe’s Formula Pacific, Peter Hopwood’s Mondial, Chris Hacking’s Formula Brabham and a number of other local cars. Russell is smwived by his wife Vanessa. ■ More late changes have come to hand on Targa Tasmania, too late to be included in our report on pages 12-13. The revised results(correct on page 20) put the Nissan GT-R of Warwick Freemantle out of the top ten. Third and fourth places have gone to the Mazda RX7s driven by Mark Rathbone and Lynn Ratray.

JN MARINO 1998 PONDERING THE FUTURE ... Jacques Villeneuve (left) and Michael Schumacher are deep in thought during a press conference at last week’s San Marino Grand Prix.

■ Mark Adderton may be changing his colours for the next BOC Gases round. The Sydney driver is talking to a new title sponsor and the Honda Accord may look different at Phillip Island. Current sponsor Attitude Spoiiswear is staying on board.

8 May 1998

Longhurst joins control tyre call

FORD team owner Tony believes Longhurst Control tyres for all wonld do away with the need for a reverse grid format to spice up V8 racing. “I don’t really care [about the reverse grid proposal],” he told Motorsport News on Tuesday. “A Control t3Te is the one thing which will produce the sort of racing we want.” Despite setting the fastest race lap of the weekend at Winton, courtesy of a revised Yokohama compound, Longhurst still believes one tyre for all is the solution: “Knowing what I know now [with the new tyre], I can see how I’ve been wasting my time for the past four years...” Longhurst also believes that consigning Privateers alone to a Control tyre, as at present, is handicapping them excessively: “I know my tyres are 1.5 seconds a lap quicker than the tyre the Privateers are using,” he said (having backto-backed both at Lakeside), “and what’s more, which I’m sick about, they only get six

Continued from Page 1

than a majority one to consider such a change “Most of the teams seem mid-season. positive about it,” Craft “My view is that this said on Tuesday. will end up being consid “Those few who aren’t ered for next year’s are pointing to potential series,” Shell team man cost increases.” ager Wayne Cattach sug-“My view is that the gested. long-term benefits of the NEW REAR END... Improvements in the Williams cannot come fast enough for Villeneuve. His view was backed by obvious gains in terms of Ross Brodie, Motorsport putting on a show out Manager of series sponsor SheO. weigh that.” “We can’t do it mid Motorsport News under stands that, coincidental year,” was Brodie’s simple ly, all the Level 1 Holden response. teams are in favour of the Such a radical change idea while the Ford teams mid-year would also are against. require the co-operation It is, it seems, a genuine of CAMS as it would “It’s bad to start know JACQUES Villeneuve is as well. As soon as you are coincidence... require alterations to the ing you can hardly win not very good, people for having a difficult cham While the Holden teams series regulations. the race.il’m not enjoying get what you have done.” pionship defence, hav Craft believes that also represent a majority, Villeneuve, who has 11 ing failed to even make driving any more under the Ford teams’ view is would be forthcoming. present circiunstances.” FI victories, is racing fod that the Board needs a the podium in four As they say, watch this Even a glimmer of hope der now because of specu unanimous vote rather space... Grands Prix this year. often seems to be dashed lation about his future. And his once-dominant “I don’t want to be by bad luck, an ill-hand Williams team is a snail ing car or poor crew dragged into talks about of them to race on, where we ject again recently, TEGA compared with the chee work. the next season,” he said get eight. What is this — Chairman Garry Craft con tahs as disguised The Imola race was a when asked about reports some sort of Level 1 Boys firmed this week that, sub McLarens and Ferraris. Club?... good example. Villeneuve that he would replace ject to each being able to supVilleneuve and team started well and moved to Schumacher at Ferrari. “To my mind, there’s one ply sufficient quantity, cur- mate Heinz-Harald third by passing the Schumacher, whose solution, and one solution rent policy was to encourage Frentzen are clearly Ferrari of Eddie Irvine, contract with the Italian only — a Control tyre for aU all three current tyre manu struggling and there’s but wound up fourth team expires at the end of of us.” facturers to stay in the sport. speculation Villeneuve because of a slow stop. 1999, joked about the CHRIS LAMBDEN Having broached the suband Williams will part The youngest CART reports, saying he was company at the end of the champion in 1995, and unwilling to leave his seat season. to his Canadian rival. last year one of the “You feel frustrated lag A move by Villeneuve to youngest FI champs, THE Touring Car World Cup, which was South Africa - has suffered a general lack of ging behind,” Villeneuve Villeneuve is resigned to the team that once his fate but not bitter employed his late father, scheduled to be run at Kyalami in support from manufacturers, which had been said after finishing a sea about it. Gilles, would be a shock unimpressed by the lack of a television pack- son-best fourth in the San November,is in jeopardy. Marino Grand Prix. “The team is working considering how little The race has struggled to van the support age for the race, “We have been unable While a few manufacturers had committed regard he seems to have hard to catch up to the of the manufacturers involved in Super so far to solve the car leading teams,” he said. “I for Ferrari chairman Touring racing and now word comes that a to the event, several had already stated cateLuca Montezemolo. hope we can be more com round of the FIA GT Championship has been gorically that they would not attend the problems, mostly under “He does not under petitive ... I have not steering, and are trailing Kyalami race. scheduled for the Johannesburg track. The Super Touring race - which would However, it appears that there will be no our leading competitors given up my ambitions stand anything of cars and races,” Villeneuve by at least one second ^ yet. have seen the cars visiting the AMP 1000 at chance that the Bathurst event could pick up said. “I’m aware of criticism lap. Bathurst and they being sea-freighted to the World Cup status this year.

Villeneuve finds the ride getting bumpy

World Cup on shakey ground

BAT likely te settle get Ferrari ' for Mecadirome engines m

WITH Sauber looking elsewhere for engines in 1999, Ferrari may have a spare supply of customer engines available in 1999 and we hear that Minardi boss Gabriele Rumi has already begun talks to ensure that the little team from Faenza will get the VlOs. Such a deal would give the team a much better engine package than is currently the case and with some top level designers now on the Minardi staff the entire package should be com petitive enough for Rumi to be able to find the money necessary to pay Ferrari for the deal.

THERE is now no doubt that the British America Rumi and Ferrari have Racing operation is to use recently agreed to a non planning poaching pact over staff, Mecachrome engines in that 1999, but the delay in means This announcing the arrange Minardi is protected ment is presumably from raids on its person caused by the team’s nel by Ferrari - as have desire to badge the often happened in the engine differently. past - but at the same It is difficult to see how time has made it a lot Renault will accept a hedg more difficult for Rumi ing deal involving another to find topline engineers. car manufacturer so the We believe that Rumi most likely outcome is a is also looking very deal similar to Playlife or closely at establishing a Petronas, names which are chassis-building opera not involved in the world’s tion in Britain, as was car markets. the case when he The only possible way in revamped the Osella which the new team can, team at the start of the therefore, pretend to have 1990s. works engines is if Renault - JOE SAWARD agrees to take the VlOs in-

Sauber also in the bidding TFIE Sauber Petronas team is bidding for the second supply of Mecachrome V10 engines in 1999 because it does not want to go on working with Ferrari. The Sauber line is that the engines sup plied will never be able to beat the factory Ferrari units and they are very expensive. The Mecachrome engines would be badged as Sauber Petronas \/'10s to contin ue the Malaysian presence in FI. house once again, which seems unlikely. If Renault is going to come back within the next

five years we expect the French to follow Honda’s lead and build its own chas sis as well. Whatever the case, it looks likely that BAR will be entering FI with a pack-

The long-term aim is for Sauber Petronas to build its own engines but the recent eco nomic crisis in Asia and the astounding costs of engine-building in F1 have delayed plans to have its own engines by the year 2000. Williams is expected to continue with Mecachrome next year and Benetton is expected to give up its Mecachrome supply (badged as Playlife VlOs) next year to begin a new relationship with Ford.

age which will be much weaker than the team has been promising and that situation flies in the face of Adrian Reynard’s stated philosophy of not entering FI unless he had engines from a major manufacturer. The Mecachrome supply w ill become available because of Benetton’s

expected switch to Ford engines next year. The advantage of the Mecachrome is that iVis a reliable unit but by the start of next season,it will be getting very old and ,, development is not keeping pace with that of MercedesBenz and Ferrari, - JOE SAWARD

FH for NZ? 0

A TWO-RACE international series for Formula Holden openwheelers is being planned for late November in New Zealand. The series, which would incorporate a New Zealand Grand Prix at Pukekohe and the Lady Wigram Trophy Race at Christchurch’s Ruapuna Park, is scheduled for November 29 and December 6. Mobil (NZ) and Holden (NZ) are reportedly both being courted to play a major part in the series.

n The FIA has asked the Technical Working Group to come up with new ideas to try to slow down the Formula 1 car's yet again, the narrowtrack regulations and treaded tyr-es having failed to achieve the desired effect. There is pressure from some engineers for a change in the engine for mula with a reduction from the current 3.0litres, but the governing body is unlikely to agree as such a decision could drive away some of the car companies involved in FI without attracting new ones.

Discussions relating to the atten dance of most of the leading Australian teams at the series have been going on for some time and are looking positive, according to category co-ordinator Malcolm Ramsay. “The last time a New Zealand series was planned, it didn’t come to fruition, but it looks as though this might,” said Ramsay. “I hope so. If not, NZ openwheeler racing faces a pretty bleak future.” - CHRIS LAMBDEN

Crompton at Mallala NEIL Crompton is expect ed to debut a second Ford Credit Falcon at Mallala in a fortnight. Glenn Seton’s endurance signing gets his opportunity a little earlier than planned following the breakdown of the deal between Seton’s team and V8 rookie Rodney Forbes to run a GSR Falcon. The parties split after the Lakeside SATCC round, where the team retired

Forbes’ car for the weekend after a practice accident, with Forbes’ supporters dis appointed that the car could not be repaired for racing. Forbes will A'un his

Porsche for the/rest of the year as plans are developed for a new V8 challenge next year. In the meantime, Crompton’s Mallala debut, his first race in a Ford V8, will attract much interest. He is due to drive in the

car in which Seton started the 1998 season, although, after the tough weekend he suffered at Winton, Seton said that “he could probably have either car at the moment”. A by-product of the Forbes split is that Tasmanian David Parsons, originally slated to drive with the new comer at Bathurst, is back on the “looking for a drive” market. - CHRIS LAMBDEN

n There have been

ON A WING AND'A PRAYER... DJR engineer Lee Geyer with the wing from the race-winning carat Winton ready for the scrutineers. (Photo by Dirk Klynsmith)

Wings the cause of ilagnussen keeps confusion Stewart FI drive JAN Magnussen, who has been struggling this year with the.Stewart Ford team, looks like staying for the rest of the year, despite attempts by the team to replace him. Stewart management has been involved in talks with Holland’s Jos Verstappen but it seems that Verstappen’s manager, Huub Rothengatter, was not able to agree financial terms with Jackie Stewart and so Verstappen looks likely to stay as the unofficial test driver for Benetton - at least for the moment. Stewart managing director Paul Stewart said that Magnussen would “probably” be in the car for the rest of the year. Stewart says that the team wants to build up Magnussen’s confidence so

TROUBLED TIMES ... The Stewart team has had a horror start to the season and may have to beat Benetton in Fordengined cars next year. that he will perform with the same brilliance as he did in the junior formulae. In order to do that Stewart needs to produce a better car and be in a position to run it

Marko goes bust RSM Marko, the team which ran Craig Lowndes in Formula 3000 last season, has gone bust. Reports in Europe indicate that the team, which won the F3000 title in 1996 with Jorg Muller, has been closed down after financial problems associated with an unsuccessful tilt at the Indy Racing League. The difficulties facing an Austrianbased team intending to run an American program proved insur mountable and team owner Dr Helmut Marko has terminated the project. The team reportedly had employ ment problems with its European staff and already faced a loss of around US$lm.

more effectively than is cur rently the case so that the drivers feel that every possi ble effort is going towards making them successful, -JOESAWARD

THE CAMS Eligibility Committee is due to meet soon to tidy up the inter pretation of measure ments covering V8 Supercar rear wings. A discrepancy between means of measuring the depth of the rear gurney lip ;on the V8 wings came to light late last week as a result of the recent Review Performance Committee decision to chop 2mm off the Holden. Depending on how the depth is measured (either from the top of the rear wing or the top of the gur ney flap mount), the figure varies by a couple of mil limetres. In the end, it resulted in a rather undignified spat between CAMS Motorsport Manager Tim Schenken, the Ste.wards, Holden teams and Ford teams and a protest from Larry Perkins

to clarify the situation late on Saturday. The crux of the matter appeared to be that the spec ified height also differed from those on the sample wings deposited at CAMS by both Holden and Ford - the question being whether the actual item or the technical drawing accompanying it is the defining measurement. Whew... A number of wing mea surements were taken post race on Sunday and one Holden and one Ford wing were removed by series scru tineer Ray Robbins. The Eligibility Committee’s deliberations will sort out what is the cor rect measurement and the means of measurement and therefore whether that deci sion affects the current pari ty balance. Get it?... -CHRIS LAMBDEN

FIA to sue Commission

THE FIA and FI boss Bernie Ecclestone are considering tak ing legal action against the European Commission and its Competition Commissioner, Karel Van Mierd. The German newspaper Spiegel claims that the FIA and Ecclestone are seeking nearly $1.35 billion in damages which result from the EU’s inteivention in Ecclestone’s plans to float Formula 1 Holdings. According to the newspaper, FIA R-esident Max Mosley will open pro ceedings formally this week at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, asking for $450m in

damages for the EU’s meddling and damage caused to the reputation of the FIA. Mosley is also expected to institute an action against Van Miert himself for public comments the Competition Commissioner made. Spiegel said that Ecclestone is expected to begin an independent but connected law suit seeldng $900m in damages. Ecclestone submitted his plans to the Commission in September last year, but in December Van Miert announced that the FIA and Ecclestone were abusing a monopoly situation and that he would be tak ing action against them.

Nothing has happened since and Ecclestone’s plans to float Foi-mula 1 Holdings remain in limbo, which has frustrated Ecclestone and the FIA, which stands to gain considerable money fi'om the flotation. The FIA is already planning to move its headquarters out France, which is in the European Union, to Switzerland to avoid having to answer to Brussels. The intention of legal action against the European Union seems to be to force the issue and remove the block on the flotation which Van Miert is causing. -JOESAWARD

major ructions at Bi-itain’s Royal Automobile Club in recent weeks with the dis missal of chairman Jeffrey Rose, a Vice-President of the FIA and the man who stood against Mas Mosley ●in the FIA presidential election in 1993. ■ Honda president Nobuhiko I^wamoto, who was a team mechanic in the 1960s and who pushed the company’s FI involve ment in the 1980s, is to retire later this summer. At 62 years of age he is already over the official retirement age of the com pany but the move had not been expected. ■ The European Commission last week launched a road safety campaign using that paragon of automotive virtue, Michael Schumacher, as part of his penalty for trying to take Jacques VOleneuve out of last yeai'’s GP at Jerez. The Ferrari star and Europe’s Transport Commissioner Neil Kinnock urged motorists to ensure that all passen gers wear seat belts; that small children be put in child seats and that pack ages should be secured as they can be lethal in the event of an accident. ■ Benetton Spoi'tsystem - which has been bought by the main Benetton company and renamed Playlife - has just announced its financial results for the last 12 months with a loss of $24m. The company says this was caused by the cri sis in Asia. The main Benetton company announced a profit of $250m. ■ One story doing the rounds in the paddock at Imola was that WiOiams has already signed Colombian rising stai' Juan-Pablo Montoya to race in 1999. Montoya is cui'rently the team's main test driver and is compet ing in Fomula 3000 with David Sears’ Super Nova Racing. While the team will probably want to hold on to Heinz-Harald Frentzen so that it will have a German when the BMW engine deal begins in the year 2000, Jacques Villeneuve’s futoe is much less certain. -JOESAWARD

s n The authorities at Estoril in Portugal are hoping to get back onto the Formula 1 World Championship calendar in 1999. The track neaiLisbon has been out of the series since 1996 because safety work was slowbeing completed. The Poi-tuguese have also lost an important negotiator within the FIA with the death of FIA Deputy President Cesar Torres last autumn. n Arrows boss Tom Walkinshaw has rejected rumours that technical director John Barnard may be on the move to Prost shortly. Prost is looking for a new techni cal chief as Bernard Dudot is not a chassis engineer and is nearing retirement age. The obvi ous choice is Barnard but if he is not available Prost will be looking at Alan Jenkins(who worked with Prost at McLaren), Han'ey Postlethwaite and his current deputy at Tyrrell, Mike Gascojme. n The FIA Technical Working Group met at Imola to discuss the long term future of the FI engine regulations. We understand that there was considerable discus sion over the merits of the regenerative braking sys tems which teams have been developing but that the engineers have con cluded that these should not be allowed before the yeai- 2000. The current 3.0-litre formula is due to continue until 2006. n We understand that the latest draft of the Concorde Agreement has been agreed by all the teams except for Sauber' and that the Swiss team is coming under consider able pressure to agree terms. n Damon Hdl has admitted that he does not think Jordan is likely to win a race this year but says that this has not affected his motivation. Damon has a contract to continue with the team next season. n Giancarlo Fisichella has emerged unscathed from a road accident in Pesaro, Italy. The Benetton driver destroyed his new Porsche Boxster when another car pulled out in front of him. The two cars collided but nei ther driver was hurt. n Prost Grand Prix has a new Press Officer with a famous Formula 1 name. Marie-Pierre Dupasquier, the daughter of Michelin’s competition boss Pierre Dupasquier, has taken over the role fi-om Christine Marquilie. However, the move is understood to have angered Bridgestone and perhaps points to a future for Prost with Michelin ... -JOESAWARD

Porsche tops Le Mans test

THE 1998 Le Mans 24 Hour race looks like being the toughest on record after a sensationally close Pre Qualifying session on the weekend. Porsche topped the timesheets, beating Toyota by just 0.009 seconds. And Mercedes-Benz’s num ber one CLK-GTR - driven by Mark Webber, Klaus Ludwig and Bernd Schneider - was third fastest. Sixty-one cars battled for the 48 places in the 75th run ning of the world’s top sports car event. Scotland’s Allan McNish took his factory Porsche 911 GTl around the 13.6-kilomeire road circuit in 3m37.687s at an average of 224.993 kilo metres per hour Martin Brundle showed he has lost none of his talent with the second-fastest time for Toyota, soaring around in the GT-One in 3m37.696s. The fascinating part of the weekend’s activities was that there were six different mar ques in the top 10 quahfiers, which were covered by less than four seconds. Former FI star Thierry Boutsen was sixth fastest in the second Toyota, while the Erik Comas/Jan Lammers/ Andrea Montermini Nissan R390 led the way for the TWR team, followed by the sister car of Franck Lagorce/ John Nielsen. Leading Ferrari was the Boullion/Sospiri/Policand 333SP, ahead of the third Toyota (Ukyo Katayama/Ralf Kelleners). Rounding out the top 10 in a brilliant performance was the new WUhams Grand Prixdeveloped, V12-engined BMW Le Mans, driven hy Pierluigi Martini and Johnny Cecotto. Foi-mer Sauber driver Karl Wendlinger topped the GT drivers in his Dodge Viper, 4.5s clear of the Porsche of Tom Seiler. The race will be held over June 6-7.

rtlMOMyAl

MARK AT THE SARTHE... Webber steers the Benz CLK-GTR around the Le Mans circuit in Pre Quaiifying.

Webber,Brabham make 0T1 fief

MARK Webber and David Brabham are both looking forward to flying the Aussie flag at Le Mans after they qualified for the 24 Hours. Webber and Brabham were on two ofthe 15 GT crews to make it into the race following the two day session and both are looking forward to the great event. “I only did about six laps and, even though that doesn’t sound a lot,I was out there for almost 40 minutes!,” said Webber after his Le Mans bap tism. “I had really been looking forwai’d to seeing the track for the first time, but even everything I had heard about the place could not prepare me for what it was all about. I didn’t expect it to be THAT good!” Brabham ended up 11th fastest for the race, driving the works-run Panoz GTR that he will share with Andy Wallace and Jamie Davies. “We always knew it was going to be very tough,” he said.‘T was only 0.3s behind the Nissan and 0.7s behind the Toyota, which was very encour aging.”

DON’T SAY DATSU'n... One of the superb TWR-built Nissan R390s. The effort was particularly good in light of the fact that the team lost an home’s track time when the ceu" was stranded in the pits while a broken bracket was being fixed. The second

McLaren tops Barcelona By JOE SAWARD

MIKA Hakkinen and David Coulthard once dominated again when the majority of the FI teams went testing at Barcelona in preparation for weekend’s this Spanish Grand Prix although both drivers crashed in the course of extensive running. The test began on the Tuesday after the San Marino GP and contin ued for four full days, although there were some unseasonal show ers later in the week. Hakkinen completed a mammoth 230 laps of the track - over 1000km - and set his best time of lm21.51s in the course of the final day of testing on Friday. Coulthard’s best was a lm22.28s after 210 laps.

STILL THE ONE... Coulthard won in Italy and looked good In Spain. The team concentrat

giving McLaren 2000km of running in the course of the week. * Coulthard’s progress was delayed a little on Wednesday when he had an accident at the fast

ed its efforts on tyre test ing and the only mechanical trouble was a hydraulic problem for Hakkinen at one point. Benetton’s Alexander

right-hander before the pits, causing consider able bodywork and wing damage to his MP4-13.

Wurz also managed to do a considerable amount of work in the course of his four days of

testing, the Austrian completing 224 laps. Giancarlo Fisichella missed the first day of the test because of a stiff neck resulting from his crash at Imola and had done only 25 laps on Wednesday morning when he crashed again, hitting the wall heavily.

Panoz of Eric Bernard failed to make one of the 15 spots allocated to the GT class, while the Panoz electrichybrid car also failed to make the race.

Honda moves TYRRELL’S technical director Harvey Postlethwaite is reportedly top of the list to head the chassis design side of the planned Honda-Honda FI team, which will debut in 2000. Postlethwaite will he able to bring a team of experienced engineers to the project as many of his designers do not wish to move across to BAR. For the last couple of months Honda has been looking for the best possible site for a British fac tory and we understand that it has decided to huild a new facility rather than buy the existing Tyrrell site, which still belongs to the Tyrrell Family. The team is expected to be headed in Japan by former driver Satoru Nakajima, who is cizrrently director of racing at Tyrrell. The team is expected to run Japanese rising star Toranosuke Takagi and another topline dri ver - possibly Jacques Villeneuve - but Takagi needs somewhere to race next year as he is not expected to be involved with BAR. It is probably significant that Takagi’s manag er was spotted at Imola in talks with Jordan Grand Prix. Eddie Jordan has a contract with Mugen Honda engines in 1999 and the deal will be a ^ great deal cheaper if Eddie agrees to accept Takagi. This will mean that he has to drop either Damon Hill or Ralf Schumacher. -JOE SAWARD

8Maf1998

Road Atlanta atest

V Photo: Neil Hammond

f you are a motorsport fan and you either didn’t watch or enjoy the racing from Winton last weekend, do us all a favour and take up lawn bowls. It must have been one of the most entertaining races for years. I just can't believe how strong the fields have been getting in this V8 Supercar category and to see a full grid of 36 cars line up was absolute ly awesome. With so much action throughout the whole field it must be difficult for Channel Ten to catch everything that is going on, yet they give a good run to everyone, not only the leading cars. It is good to see Ten giving the Privateers a decent run, they certainiy deserve it! Their pre sentation and battle for the Privateers Cup is excellent.

ell, we are now exactly half the through way Championship and I must say it is a nice feeling coming away from Winton with the Championship lead - albeit only 4 points ahead. After a disappointing run at Sandown early in the .year, I have been playing catch up ‘till now. Now we are back to where we should be in the Championship and we can get on

with it and the let best man win.

fter the week end I am sure we won’t hear too much about the parity issue with the two Shell cars going very strong and Tony Longhurst putting up the fastest race lap of the weekend. Hopefully we won’t see any more whingeing from the Ford brigade. The Commodore was definitely more ‘lively’ to drive now that we have lost a bit of down force from the rear. Who knows, maybe we should go like F1 and reduce the overall grip on both makes of car and get a bit of sideways action happening. Could make things interesting! The grid’ theory seems be ‘reverse picking up speed. The idea to is to reverse the top 10 or 12 cars,for the second race based on qualifying results, with the third race being the highest points from race one and fwo combined, starting from the pole down. I know with the level one teams

there is strong support for this and I am sure the ones that are against it are the ones that have problems overtaking in a field. I just think it would be a superb spectacle and give more of a chance of a wider range of race winners. Remember that word - entertain ment, entertainment, entertainment

would like to make a special men tion and thanks to all my old mates at CAMS, most of which I haven’t seen much of this year (thank good ness) for allowing the racing to take its own course on the racetrack. Winton is a very tight circuit and with 36 cars no matter how you look at it, you are going to get plenty of biff and barge. It was great to see Mr Black Flag stay away and let the drivers sort it out on the racetrack, I think at the end of the day, most had got pretty well even, one way or another. We are all big boys out there and I am sure we can look

after ourselves. Saying that, there still has to be guidelines drawn between forceful driving and blatant, dangerous, deliberate driving tactics that obvi ously need disciplining. After wasa great seen weekend’s at Winton racing there as wasn’t too much for my Shame File. The only shameful thing that could happen is if the organisers promoters and anyone associated with V8 Supercar racing starts kick ing their heels up and saying “Yep! we’ve got a good category now, that will do” and stops pushing for ward. Come on boys, this is truly the start, let’s keep going and every individual team, team member and everyone associated make this one of the best sports spectaculars in Australia!

ALTHOUGH Don Panoz says he would like to host the United States Grand Prix at his Road Atlanta facility, he is not willing to pay the $10m fee which is being demanded by boss Bernie Ecclestone - at least not in the short tenn. Panoz has invested consid erably in the racing circuit and hopes to run a CART race at the circuit next season. This would help to pay for further modifications which are needed for Grand Prix racing, including more grand stands, a new pitlane and race control building, hospitality suites and better access. “We are not paying the lype of money that they want,” says the track’s new executive director, expatriate Australian Bob Barnard. ‘Tt does not make commer cial sense. This is a fabulous piece of asphalt. We have the best facility if they want to bring Grand Prix racing here. “If Bei-nie Ecclestone is seri ous about wanting to make FI work in the United States, this is the place he needs to come.” Ecclestone is believed to be more interested in a deal with Las Vegas. -JOESAWARD

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VAUXHALL’s John Cleland made it five different winners from five races - a first for the Auto Trader RAC British Touring Car Championship with a storming Sprint Race vic tory at Bonington Park. In the Feature Race, Da\dd Leslie made it an all-Scottish victory parade with a well-judged tactical win for Nissan. Cleland’s Sprint Race win was his first since his championship winning season of 1995; for Vauxhall it ended a two-year drought. His victory was sealed at the start when the double champi on stormed away from his third position on the giid to slice between the Volvo of surprised pole-sitter Rydell and the Honda of Thompson. By the end of the second lap the canny Scot had eked out a one-sec ond advantage over Thompson. ‘T knew how important it was to get a good start and once I got in front it was relatively easy to control the pace,”said Cleland afterwaids. “The driver is the same as in 1995, it’s just that I haven’t had the kit in the meantime. I’ve always consid-

double Scotch

ered myself a title contender this scalded cat and it was going to be a unusually subdued Alain Menu, the year.” big risk to pass bim.” reigning champion finishing comfort But tiy as he might, Cleland could Fourth place had looked set to fall ably ahead of the sole surviving not shake off his pursuers; to erstwhile championship leader Nissan (after Anthony Reid’s demise Thompson reduced the gap to a car’s Jason Plato but, four laps fi’om the with engine problems) of Autosport end, the Renault man clashed with length by mid-distance and seemed Cup for Independents runner Matt set to threaten until his mirrors were Neal. Yvan Muller was sixth to score Leslie’s Nissan. Leslie spim into the Audi’s best result ofthe season so fai\ filled by Rydell’s Volvo and the bid Redgate Corner gravel trap and for the lead turned into a defence of instant retirement; Plato limped to Leslie made up for his Sprint Race second place. the pits and his early exit with acci disappointments with a strong start That allowed Cleland to ease away dent damage. That gifted forndh to an from the Feature Race pole, nosing his Nissan Primera a little to a winning mar British Touring Car Championship Bonington 4 May 1998 ahead of Menu’s gin of a second and a Round 5 18 laps GB Vauxhall Vectra2lm 39.927s Round 618 laps half. Thompson’s defence 1 John Cleland Renault as the pack 1 Leslie 43m 50.894s of second place succeed 2 James Thompson GB Honda Accord^ +1.488s 2 Menu streamed through +6.258S 3 Rickard Rydell SWE VoIvqS40 +1.792s 3 Cleland +18.552$ ed, but only just; Rydell 4 Alain Menu Redgate Comer. Menu’s SWI Renault Laguna +2.305s 4 Thompson +19.400s GB Nissan Primera +17.706s 5 wasjust three-tenths of a 5 Matt Neal tenure of second place Plato +19.786s AudiA4 +18.791s 6 Reid FRA Yvan Muller was short-lived: Cleland +32.255S second adrift at the flag. 6 7 Peter Kox NL Honda Accord +19.088s +32.379S 7 Rydell “Our day will come - 8 Will Hoy made another superb GB FordMondeo +19.640s 8 Warwick +36.926S -we will win soon. But at 9 Tim Harvey start to displace GB Peugeot 406 +22.483s 9 Neal +40.132S GB Audi A4 +23.513S 10 Muller +43.680S the end of the day it’s the 10John Bintcliffe Thompson fi’om third on FASTEST LAP Leslie1m 11.048s99.17mph (record) championship we want CHAMPIONSHIP PLACINGS the di'ag to the first cor rather than race wins. Thompson 56, Rydell 52, Plato 50, Cleland 48, Menu 42, Leslie 36, Warwick 23, ner, then snatched sec Reid 22. Hoy 21, Morbidelli 14. Cleland started like a ond from the reigning

champion before the first lap’s end. Thompson was the first of the front-i-unners to make his mandatory stop, pitting from fourth on lap 12 as Leslie was easing his way into a sixsecond lead over Cleland, who in turn had a comfortable advantage over Menu. By lap 20, Leslie’s margin over the Vauxhall man was 8.5s; not enough to guarantee victory should Cleland’s crew tmn in a swifter pitlane perfonnance. Leslie had no need to wony,howev er: when he stopped on lap 21 the Nissan mechanics returned him to the track in third place on the road and, when subsequent leaders Cleland and Rydell pitted, the Scotsman was promoted back to the fixmt. Giving chase was Menu who, after a typically slick stop from the Williams Renault team, had taken over second. Cleland found himself back in fourth, his victory hopes dashed. He did make it on to the podium for a second time, however, overhauling Thompson for third four laps firom the flag. LesUe enjoyed a six-second advan tage over Menu at the end.

Mon-Day-Oh!

IT was great to be a Ford Mondeo fan at Silver-stone’s second round of the British Touring Car Championship. Will Hoy took the Feature race in his Ford V6, the first for the blue oval for three seasons, while David Leslie brought a tear to British eyes when he led the fiirt ever British 1-2-34 in the Sprint race. Best of aU for any watching xenophobes defending Champion Alain Menu failed to score a point after two DNFs in his Williams-Renault. The fun started in qualifying. with English youn^uns James Thompson and Jason Plato heading the sheets for Honda and Renault respectively. Menu’s lousy weekend started here; for the second time in two weeks he would start the sprint race from the last row after he spun before recording a timed

lap. After qualifying second Leslie streaked away at the start but the racing only lasted a single lap - Peter Kox beached his

Honda Accord in a gravel trap and the race was stopped. At the restart Leslie pulled away from the field by a few tenths per lap. Gianni MorbideUi’s Volvo managed to force his way back past Hoy, taking current championship leader and Volvo team-mate Rickard Rydell with him. Hoy, clearly suffering, lost another place a couple oflapslater to the Vauxhall of John Cleland, and then fell back to ninth when Anthony Reid got past in his Nissan Primera. Just on half-distance, Rydell found a way past Morbidelli to reverse the order of the two Volvo men; four laps later, Cleland went past Morbidelli, and his slide was completed on the final lap when Reid over¬ took the Volvo, After making two spots on lap one Menu pulled in to the pits on lap four with a bent track-rod after a collision with Nissan Independent driver Matt Neal, Plato started to challenge

Thompson for second but, once the cars reached the first comer, n the top foul- order was settled. Showery weather played havoc with the teams’ pit-stop strategies in the Feature Race, which started 10 minutes late on a diy but declared “wet’track. A light sprinkle of rain became a deluge on the foxnth WHERE THERE’S A WILL... Will Hoy's Ford was victorious at SUverstone. (Photo by latDigital) lap, sending the race into confu doubt. He became the fourth dif- onship leader Rickard Rydell sion. Early leader and pole-sit which guessed best tbe one to ferent winner from four Auto crashed out on the 10th lap. ter Plato was the first to fall foul rundown. Gravett staged a superb Ford’s West Surrey Racing Trader BTCC races. of the conditions, sliding off at Reid - also on hand-cut slicks Independents win, snatching Becketts but managing to team got it right. They called victory from Tommy Rustad’s Hoy in late and sent him back - sliced through to third ahead regain the track unscathed. His Renault team-mate out on intermediate rubber, of Kiwi Paul Radisich in the Renault on the final lap. Peugeot, with Gianni Morbidelli Gravett, the 1990 champ who Menu had earlier proved less regaining the lead from took the Sprint race win as well, fortunate, the Swiss colliding Independent Robb Gravett, who fifth for Volvo. Volvo team leader and erstwhile champi- ran on slicks throughout. with Leslie on the first lap as had led(on slicks!)for two laps. Hoy built up a massive lead the duo disputed second place. The incident caused the retire British Touring Car Championship Siiverstone, 26 April 1998 but Plato made a stunning Round 3:17laps ment ofboth cars. 1 David Leslie GB Nissan Primera25m 34.057s Round4:30laps comeback from his earlier spin 46m 49.868s +6.600S 1 Hoy 2 James Thompson GB Honda Accord As the rain continued to fall (which had dropped him almost +6.867S +7.090S '2 Plato 3 Jason Plato GB Renault Laguna +11.812$ +11.118s 3 Reid GB Vauxhall Vectra 4 Derek Warwick to last), aided by a swap td and Plato skated off, Thompson +13.045s 4 Paul Radisich +19.943s Volvo S40 SWE 5 Rickard Rydell grooved, hand-cut slick +28.287S picked up the lead for a lap +14.412s 5 Morbidelli GB Vauxhall Vectra 6 John Cleland +1m 09.885s +17.729s 6 Warwick GB Nissan Primera Michelins. The Renault man’s 7 Anthony Reid before pitting for a tyre change +1m21.276s +18.167S 7 Cleland Volvo S40 8 Gianni Morbidelli ITA +1m 30.345s +22.673S 8 Muller Ford Mondeo and handing the baton to Hoy. charge back up fium 14th took GB 9 Will Hoy Audi A4 lOYvan Muller +24 080s 9 Thompson +1m 34.029s , FRA him to second, within seven sec In two laps the leading 12 cars 29 laps loCraig Baird Fastest lap Lesliytm 24.576s onds ofthe Ford by the end, but pitted for a mix ofcut slicks and / intermediates, leaving the team Hoy’s victory was never in

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BOTH World Motorcycle Champion Michael Doohan and World Rally Champion Tommi Makkinen crashed a WilliamsMecachrome FW19 last week in a test organised by Winfield. Doohan and Makkinen found that the cars were a lot more difficult to drive than they had anticipated. Doohan wiped off one comer on Wednesday, though, con trary to many Australian media reports, competed a session after about 30 minutes of repairs by the Williams staff. Straight from the Catalunya rally, Makkinen demolished two comers on Thursday morn ing. Both were caught out by the impressive acceleration of the modem generation of Formula 1 engines. “I will take the experience of driving a Formula 1 car for the first time with me for a very long time,” said a rather chas tened Doohan. “It was an awesome experi ence.” Doohan said he had no plans to embark on a car racing career when he retires from bike racing. Jacques Villeneuve was pre sent at the promotional event and said he would have loved to have ridden Doohan’s Honda 500cc Grand Prix bike but Frank Williams would not let

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Mixed results for UK Aussies

PHILLIP Scifleet celebrated turning 21 in style last week with a resounding victory in the sixth round of the Formula 3 Championship National Class at Oidton. Scifleet has now won five of the six rounds of the series. The meeting was held over two days with qualifying on Sunday and racing on Monday. Scifleet qualified 19th overall, first in his class and one second faster than team mate Warren Carway who had taken class honours the week before at Brands Hatch. After a safety car period Scifleet made a strong start, mov ing into 11th position ahead of a number of A class cars. He passed two cars to get to ninth; however, he finished 12th overall with a count back on aggregate times over the two sessions. The previous weekend Scifleet shared the class wins with Carway in a double-header, which saw three Australians rac ing in British F3 for the fi rst time. Apart from Andrej Pavicevic, who finished 10th and 15th in the two races, Stephen White raced a B class F3 car for the first time while awaiting the (overdue) arrival of his Formula Audi Palmer car. White was out of luck in the Dallara Mugen-Honda, being eliminated on the first lap of the first race before diiving to a con servative 17th place finish in race two. Pavicevic finished 16th in race one after battling brother and sis ter David and Paula Cook, but had a better run in race two to

finish 10th.

●€ -

Ambrose unlucky

SHORT DEBUT... Stepehen White struggled in Formula Three at Brands Hatch.

and next, Dumbrell?

* PAUL Dumbrell has competed a successful car racing debut in the UK. The 15-year-old Melbourne karter attended the famous Jim Russell Racing School at Donington last month, where he was the fastest driver in his class by a full second. But because he was underage, Dumbrell, the son of Wynns Racing boss Garry Dumbrell, was not permitted to race in the school’s event. Dumhrell is believ ed to be in line to run

’

in several Victorian and NSW state Form ula Ford events once his CAMS licence is issued.

He is intending to race in the Australian Drivers’ Champion ship in 1999. -PHILBRANAGAN

MARCOS Ambrose has again been out of luck in the British Formula Ford Championship. The Tasmanian was knocked out of contention when holding down second place on lap nine and failed to finish at Bonington Park. He had already qualified second fastest for the race in his work Van Diemen, 0.3s behind Danny Wheldon. Under cool skies Ambrose fined up with the other 26 cars and Ambrose slotted into the leading bunch of seven cars. On lap nine he moved up to second but, by the time he and Craig Murray got to the Old Hairpin there was contact and both were out. “I just cannot believe it,” he said after the race. “The whole race I was making sm-e that I kept out of trouble and then, all of a sudden, I get punted off the race track. The race was won by Jenson Button in a Mygale, from Van Diemen’s Ricardo van der Ende and Derek Hayes. The week before at Bonington Ambrose was mov ing thi'ough the pack after an ECU problem hampered him in quMifying, but he kerbed a tyre at Ireland Bend and had to pit to replace it, losing a lap. 'That race was also won by Button, who now leads the series points on 37 from Hayes on 30.

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Biaggi for all of the race and just managed to hold out the four-time World Champion in front of 120,000 screaming locals. Criville dedicated his seventh 500

Eight round series held in Australia

success to his father, who died in

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Cerrtury BoMeries Gf Pmdudiom Series

February. “I’m satisfied to win here again,” he said. “I knew Mick was right behind me, and I was very, very ner vous until I finally saw the che quered flag.” Doohan confounded his critics to take second after qualifying off the front row (in fifth) for the first time in 30 GPs. “I upped the pace with thi-ee laps to go but I messed up the last lap,” said Doohan, who finished 0.39 sec onds down on Criville. “There were only a couple of

Carlos Checa failed to live up to the promise of his pole position, chasing the leading trio in vain to finish fourth. “I made a mistake when I was with Ban-os and lost my rhythm,” he said. “It took me a while to pick up my pace again, and that didn’t leave me enough time to get with the lead ers.” Norick Abe took sixth after a racelong tussle with the Hondas of Alex Barros and Tady Okada, finishing sandwiched between'the two NSRs on his Yamaha. ' Garry McCoy scored one hardfought 'World Championship point after a long and frantic skirmish with the factory Yamahas of Regis Laconi and Kyoji Nanba. And the Aussie would’ve been 14th if Laconi hadn’t colhded with him on the last lap. “He shoved it in under me and hit me, but I had hit him earlier- it was fun!” gi-inned McCoy. “I was having some BIG slides - pretty much full-lock in places.” LORIS Capirossi won the race by 3.4 seconds from fellow factoi-y Aprilia rider Valentino Rossi. It was Capirossi’s first win for Aprilia and his first GP win since his sole 500 success on his Marlboro

May 17 . . .Phillip Island . . .Rd 3 June 7 ...Eastern Creek . .Rd 4 ,Rd5 June 28 . .Lakeside

places 1 could nm it in on him, but my front tyre wasn’t too flash so I didn’t want to risk some more of our

Eight round series held in Australia

Jerez antics.” (referring to Criville’s last-comer crash two years ago). Biaggi rode a circumspect race to keep his series lead. “During the first few laps I had several chances

“It was a perfect race,” said Capirossi. “But evei-y time I looked over my shoulder Valentino was right there.”

to go ahead, but I didn’t because I wasn’t sure I could hold onto the

THE 125 race was won by facto

Giansanti. Johor winner Nobby

lead,” he said. “In two weeks we race in Italy. 1 hope it will be my race.”

ry Aprilia rider Kazuto Sakata, who ran away at the front to

Ueda struggled to fifth with bike problems.

DARYL Beattie has ruled out

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IT was a great time for the Spanish when Alex Criville tri umphed at the Spanish GP for the second year running, resist ing massive pressure from World Champion Mick Doohan and Max Biaggi. In an amazing turnaround - the Spaniai’d stmggled to fourth at the season’s opening two GPs - Criville went wheel-to-wheel with Honda team-mate Doohan and series leader

Team Rainey Yamaha at Eastern Creek in ’96.

A1... Alex Criville took his second successive GP at home,(note:RaceAccess) win his second GP of the year and go to the top of the World Championship table. Tomomi Manako took second just ahead of fellow Honda rider Mirko

,Rd3 May 25 .. .Indy 500 . Rd4 June 6 .. .Fort Worth ,Rd5 June 28 . .Loudon .. 11 race series held inthe United States

MARTY Craggill hit top form at Win ton’s third round of the

Craggill bounces back

any retm-n to two-wheel com petition. Following a run of serious mjm-ies that slowly diminished the 27-year-old Australian from title contender to a disheai-tened strag

Formula I World C'shsp

Shell Superbike series, taking a win in a crash-ridden but

gler, Beattie now plans to travel around Australia with his partner Meg and four-month old son Zen, before pursuing a career in avia tion.

Pep Eo Racing

May 10 . . .Spain . May 24 . , .Monaco June 7 ...Canada

\ .Rd 5 Rd6 ,Rd7

July 12 .. .Britain Rd 8 16 race series held around the world

Wmsf@n Cap NASCAR May 16 .. .Charlotte ... .non points Rd 11 May 24 .. .Charlotte May 31 . . .Dover Downs . .Rd 12 June 6 .. .Richmond ... .Rd 13 Rd 14 June 14 . .Michigan 33 race series held in the United States n

NHRA Winsfaij Drag lacing Series May 17 .. .Englishtown . . .Rd 8 Rd9 May 31 .. .Chicago June 14 ..Columbus ... .Rd 10 Rd 11 June 28 . .Madison 22 race series held in the United States

5©0€€ Mofrorcyde Grand Prix C'ship*

Rd 4 May 17 .. .Italy .. Rd 5 May 31 .. .France Rd 6 June 14 . .Portugal 16 round series held around the world

Aystraiien Rally Championsliip May 24 . . .SE Queensland .Rd 3 7round series held in Australia

World Rally Chempionhip’*

Rd 7 May 21 ...Argentina Rd 8 June 7 .. .Acropolis 14 rally series held around the world All event dates in this calendar were correct at the time ot printing. Please consult any individual tracks and/or associations lor dale changes. Series or events telecast on Network Ten are marked with an asterix. Check vour locai guides

spectacular race. Craggill was beaten to pole position by fired-up Suzuki man Mark Willis, who was looking for ward to celebrating his 22nd

Commenting on press I'eports suggesting he would return next year, Beattie told Network lO’s RPM, “I don’t know how that (the report) came about, really. A lot of people still think that I might be away for the year, and try and come back but (the decision) is

birthday on Sunday with a win for the Ansett Airfreight team. In the Kawasaki camp Damon Buckmaster had the hardest time in qualifying, dumping his Zurich Greenslips ZXR into the Shell

indefinitely; I don’t wanna come back.”

straight concrete at high speed. The crash left Bucky with a stiff shoulder and headache but he

Recently, Beattie reportedly turned down the Repsol Honda Vtwin 500 seat now occupied by Sete Gibernau, the replacement for Takuma Aoki who was left

was cleared to race. More was to follow when the racing started. On the way to turn: one Paul Free’s Suzuki and Kirk' McCarthy’s Kawasaki locked together and tumbled into the sand, both riders hitting the tar mac hard. At the front of the field Willis led until he got to Repco and high sided off his GSXR. With three bikes on the deck 30 seconds into

STILL NO. 1? Craggill won the only race at Winton. (Phow by ark xiynsmith) the race the race was red-flagged. Willis just made the restart, throwing a leg over his cold-tyred

Prior to planning the tour, he has been studying for his commercial

Maxwell(Kawa). The front four broke away,

pilot’s licence but didn’t get through one of his exams, and has put the course on hold until he returns from his vacation.

Connell taking the point at turn

from Craig Connell, Craggill,

one on lap four and Craggill fol

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02 i

Giles (Mobil-Honda), Steve Martin (Ducati) and Alister

spare as the lights went green. The brave Buckmaster led away

ill"Perfformaii<e Swqp IVIeet Sunday 10 May

lOO soo

paralysed after crashing in Mai'ch. Beattie has just bought a motorhome for his six-month trip around Australia with his family.

lowing him at Penrite. These two broke away and, on the last lap of the shortened eight lap race, Craggill hammered by the Ducati at Penrite to take the win by 0.42s. A second back Buckmaster held off Giles and Martin. The programme was running an hour late and, when the officials of the meeting put the start of race two back to 4;30pm the prospect of racing on hard slicks on a cold track forced the cancellation of the race. Points: Connell 93, Craggill 85, Buckmaster 78, Martin 74, Giles 63, Willis 62.

An experienced helicopter and Sukhoi stunt plane pilot, Beattie is happy to have made a complete cut from his time as a professional motorcycle racer. Asked if the birth of his first child played any part in his deci sion, Beattie said, “I felt like -I could’ve done what Rainey did and raced with a new-born son, and have it not bother me. But I was pretty much sick of racing so, for tunately, it(retirement and father hood) has all fallen in to the same pile.’

-DARRYL FLACK

8 May 1998

Contacting the President and hanging team bosses ff o Cartoon by Allan Schofield

n the first day of the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola there was much talk about the problems of trav elling around in Europe these days. “Do you remem ber the good oid days during the Gulf War,” mumbled one of my colleagues. “It was wonderful. Noone was travelling. The planes were empty. The airlines were desperate and tickets were cheap. It was really brilliant then.” It is not the case now. It seems now that more and more people are travel ling. There are too few slots at airports. Air traffic control cannot cope. One delayed plane leads to another and every single plane in Europe seems to operate at ieast one hour behind schedule. “What we need,” said a frus trated soul when we arrived in Milan on Thursday - Bologna was completely booked out - “is that nice Mr Clinton in Washington to stop getting into trouble with all those ladies and go back to bashing Saddam Flussein. A few tanks in the desert and everyone would decide to stay home again. Life would be a lot easier.” Yes, that is all very well, but you cannot just walk into the White House and ask the President to start a war. How does one get through to Clinton? “Dress up in a frock?” mut tered an evil soul. Such manoeuvres are proba bly not necessary, however, because everyone seems to have a Website these day. They say that Queen Elizabeth surfs the net from Buckingham Palace (which conjures up some inter esting images) and I expect that you can probably find Old Bill Clinton. He’s probably on www.President.com or some such cyber address.

t is really amazing what you can do with the Internet. If you feel the need to chat to a Palestinian extremist all you have to do is tap www.hizbollah.org and you can. A friend tells me that there are all kinds of rather fruity web sites which advertise such delightful things as “hot naked celebrities" and “nude college girls”. I must have a look some time ... If you are interested in motor racing there are, so I am told, around 1000 different web-sites about the sport. I’ve even got one somewhere, although I haven’t quite managed to upload anything interesting into it as yet ... Trawling through the FI sites is about as exciting as watching porridge set. A large number of them are “chat sites” on which

By Joe Saward

UeAl

people with no idea about motor racing give their opinions. And there are official team sites full of official team information which makes setting porridge look like really racy stuff. If you want to die of boredom you can always try www.FIA.com and learn all about the governing body of the sport. If you want a good laugh you can try www.Stout.Demon.Co.UK and you can read about the sport in “astonishing Bernierama”. Now you would think that the cutting-edge marketing depart ments of Ft would have brilliant web-sites with flashing knobs and buttons and dancing girls but in fact it seems to me that all the really bright electronics peo ple are employed by the teams to design systems to confuse the FIA, rather than natty web sites to sell the sport to the computer nerds of the world.

only, Ferrari - which had always built V12s - went so far as to build an Indycar in an effort to convince the governing body that it would leave F1 if the V12s were banned. The FIA backed down. Ferrari went on building V12 engines and everyone else con cluded that VI Os were the thing to have and beat Ferrari a lot. Eventually Ferrari gave up V12s and built a VI0. Ferrari was behind all the polit ical in-fighting in Brazil recently because it felt various McLaren systems were illegal and should be banned. McLaren was way ahead and Ferrari - which, according to Maranello corporate waffle, is sup posed to win the World Championship this year - was off the pace ... even with Michael Schumacher driving. The FIA - which understands that the sport grows when Ferrari wins - decided that the Italians were yy right and all McLaren’s brilliant systems were banned. I am not con vinced that this was a were sent to Australia and some wise move, particularly when F1 were hanged, but for some rea is struggling to produce a good son the name remained in the show. English language. Anyone who It has been a lot of years is violently opposed to technical since Grand Prix racing had the change is a Luddite and you opportunity to really benefit the have to say that in the FI pad- motor industry. To date the dock these days there are a lot sport has not given a damn of Luddites about. about that because there was always plenty of money coming in from the tobacco companies. For a sport is supposed FI has drifted from its roots to be at thewhich pinnacle of tech nology, FI is beginning to look and it seems to me rather a very dated, when you consider dangerous route to take. what the aerospace, defence and automotive industries are arguesystems that some of coming to grips with these days. You the can McLaren have The team with the loudest no relevance for the car compa Luddite views has always been nies, but it is just not logical to Ferrari. ban regenerative braking sys Back in the mid-1980s, when tems. the FIA was considering a new What is a regenerative brak formula for 3.5-litre V8 engines ing system? Well, you use enerideas like flying fire extinguish ers around Europe in private jets, this argument is less than convincing. Back in the old days when England ruled the waves, there was a group of textile workers in the Nottingham area who took to smashing up new machinery because they felt - quite rightly - that machines were doing them out of their jobs. They were led by a rather mystical Robin Hood kind of figure called Ned Ludd - known to his friends as “King” - and soon the machinebreakers became known as Luddites. They did not last long. Some

^^For a sport which is supposed to be at the pinnacle oftechnology, FI is beginning to look very dated.

hile I am sure that the FIA detective boffins have a good understanding of what t he byte-bandits are doing, I get the very distinct feeling that the FIA bosses do not really understand all these electronic things and are rather scared by them. The result is that, whenever any team does something clever, they ban it, just in case they let something slip through the net which turns out to open the floodgates for all the other banned systems. And it is not just the FIA. While McLaren is very keen to embrace new technologies, some of its rivals are rather less enthusiastic, complaining that new ideas cost far too much money. Given that there are a hand ful of Ft team bosses on the list of Britain’s richest people and that they think nothing of daft

gy generated by the braking sys tem and store it for a short peri od in lightweight capacitors. These power electric motors which run the auxiliary engine pumps at certain times each lap. Engine pumps soak up some thing like 40 horsepower from an engine so, in effect, when the electric motors take over, a dri ver can suddenly get a load more power and that means that overtaking is much easier than normal. The systems cannot currently generate enough electrical ener gy to run the auxiliary pumps all the time, but research and development into this would improve the breed very quickly and would be of particular inter est to road car manufacturers, which are all working like crazy to come up with electrical gener ation and storage systems for hybrid cars, so as to cut down nasty emissions and improve fuel efficiency. Ferrari is not the kind of com pany which is going to build hybrid cars for earth-loving vege tarians when there are still people out there who want to buy osten tatious gas-guzzling supercars. The Italians would prefer to spend all their money on Michael Schumacher. The other Luddites in the paddock argue that research into alternative power systems and hybrid petrol/electrical engines would be far too expen sive for them to consider. They seem to ignore the fact that at car shows all over the world such vehicles are already appearing and most of the major F1 teams are supported by car companies which already have some of the technology necessary. errari is important to FI. It is by far the best known of all the racing teams and the famous Prancing Horse logo is one of the world’s strongest brand images. There are more Ferrari fans than there are supporters for any other team, but just because Ferrari does not want something to happen is not a good enough excuse for F1 to turn its back on a wonderful opportunity to improve racing and generate a better relation ship with the motor industry. The FIA seems keener to pla cate Ferrari and throw away the opportunity rather than leap at the chance and tell Ferrari to like it or lump it. Ferrari can always threaten to race in America or somesuch silly idea, but when you think about it, most of the magic of the Ferrari name is about Grand Prix racing and the company needs F1 as much as F1 needs Ferrari. Would it not be better to transport the F1 Luddites to Australia or to hang them - just like in the good old days ... n

TAMtGA TASMANIA

8 May 1998

Richo shares Targa spotlight Jim Richards took out his third successive Targa Tasmania at the weekend ... sort of. MIKE BROWNING reports:

NOW to the news. Despite a faultless performance in their awesome Porsche 911 Turbo, which saw them complete the 2100km, 40-stage course some 4m35s faster than any of the 240-odd other starters, Jim

Richards and V8 Supercar com mentator Barry Oliver did not win their third successive ;

Targa Tasmania on May 3. To be politically correct and despite any impressions you may have been given by TV news or even the official 'Targa Times', they simply won the new 'Modern Competition', for cars built since 1977. Technically sharing the spotlight with them as the winners of the

equally-new 'Classic Competition' for vehicles from 1900 to 1981 was the unlikely combination of reign ing GT-Production Champion Peter Fitzgerald and German journalist Michael Petersen in a Porsche Museum-entered 1960 356 Carrera GS, while the 'Historic' competition

for cars from 1900 to 1965 fell to the 1963 EH Holden of Tasmania's

IVIodern Competition

Ray Williams and Victoria's Robert Taylor. After six sometimes tentative

Their combined effect was to see a number of former front-runners

years, during which entries have been on a roller-coaster ride and the event (and a number of com

was prepared to bite the bullet and many of the others weren't. He shed about 70-80kW and added

to give middle income and budget competitors in older cars their place in the sun.

1996 911 Turbo, but still won as he pleased, leading from the George Town Prologue to Rally's end, dri-

The medicine appears to have worked, but like any solid dose of 'salts', the rumblings are still going on beneath the surface.

ving conservatively on the same four tyres throughout, Yet, amazingly, he and Oliver were faster on several Targa sec-

Entries overall were up, notably among 'Classic' cars, and, despite some spectacular accidents, the event finished as one of the safest

tions a day than they were in 1997. His win in 'Modern', together

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twice (1993, 968CS and 1995, 911 RS CS) - all in Porsches.

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CLASS OF HIS OWN... Jim Richards won the non-existent outright honours in Targa Tasmania driving his own road Porsche. OWNER OF HIS CLASS... Peter Fitzgeraldjumped into the works Porsche and scored an excellent win in the Classic Competition against some tough opposition. (Photos by Perfect Prints)

Arrowsmith and lost boost, provi sionally finishing fourth (third). In what was widely hailed by Richards and other competitors as the 'drive of the event', their place was taken by the unlikely 1840kg 2.5-litre Twin-Turbo Toyota Soarer of Melbourne pair Craig Dean and Graham Bell. Their first motor sport event was last year's Targa,.in which they fin ished 14th. This year Craig only gained his CAMS General Competition licence with hours to spare, getting his fifth and final licence signature at Sandown on the Sunday before the event started in a 'rented' Holden

HQ. "Our goal was Top 10 this year," he said afterwards. A conseiwative goal. They were fifth outright on day one, fourth by day three, and moved ahead of the stricken Freemantle GT-R on the final run to Hobart to claim third outright and were then elevated to second after scmtineering. Dean said their inspiration came from the CD player in the Toyota's leather-clad interior, with James Brown pumping out 'I Feel Good!' at the start of each day ...

Classic Competition The most varied entry and the hottest competition was in the Classic Competition, the heartland class which represents the futm-e of Targa Tasmania. With over 140 entries, spanning six classes covering vehicles from a 1933 MG J3 to a 1981 Mazda RX7 and a Lancia Monte Carlo, the com petition was diverse, to say the least. However, the real sparkle given to the category Was the entry by tbe Porsche Museum in Stuttgart of two rare and treasured aluminium bodied 356 models - a 1953 Porsche American Roadster and a 1960 356B Carrera GS. This is the third successive year that the Porsche factory has sup-

ported the event, thanks largely to the personal enthusiasm of Museum Director Klaus Bischof, who elected to personally drive the American Roadster worth $500,000 - plus as a full-on 'seWice car' for the more exotic quad-cam Coupe. Originally the Coupe was to be have been driven by ex-Formula 1 driver Jochen Mass, who won the Handicap award in Targa three years ago, but a last minute com mitment with German television, for whom he is a commentator, made him a scratching. At short notice, GT-P Champion Peter Fitzgerald got the call to fill in and his initial reaction was more of horror than delight. "I'd never driven a 356 in my life before," said Fitzy, "and when I did around the Boulevard in Richmond it scared me. "It had old-style sharp-edged rac ing tyres and felt really loose com pared with the modern Porsches I have been used to. "I asked whether we could go onto iome sticky modern radials, but Klaus said 'No - we run them just as they did in their era. You'll have to get used to driving it as it is'. So I did! / In his own words, he and German co-driver Michael Petersen "had a ball". Despite an all-up Targa weight approaching 1100kg and just 106kW (142HP) to drive it, the 356 Carrera severely embarrassed a lot of mucb more potent machinery, including a number of 911 Porscbes, Ferraris, Datsuns and V8 Toranas and GT Falcons to win 'Classic'. Early opposition came from Victorian couple Henry and Roslyn Draper, having their first rally together in 25 years in a deceptive ly impotent-looking 1961 Mini Minor, with Paul and Christine Freestone taking over the chase by Day Two in their bellowing 1958 BN4 Austin-Healey 'six'. But in the end, Porsche power won the day, with Tasmanians Leigh Mundy and Guy Dunstan in their 1974 911 Carrera RSR surg ing up the leader board on the final West Coast run to Hobart to claim second, some 2ml7s behind Fitzgerald. Third, in one of the other great drives of this year's Targa, were Victorian husband and wife Steven and Rachael Coad in their 1973 Holden Torana XU-1. The placing was all the more meritorious considering that Rachael had given birth to their son Harrison just eight weeks earlier and she had to double up between co-driving and maternal duties at major breaks and overnight stops, assisted by Henry Draper's wife Chiistine, who is a trained midwife! Who said Targa wasn't a family event? Unfortunately, the worst of Targa also struck the Classic Competition, first with the spectac-

ular demise of the magnificent 1963 Speedwell Mini Sprint of South Australia's Craig Williams and Gregory Hewson on the notorious Sideling stage, the spectacular rollover at Ross by Keith Brodie and Tracey Watts in their 1960 Elfin Streamliner and the terrible accident on Riana by the Sydney Porsche crew of Lloyd Hughes and Colin Raftos, when their 911E hit a tree almost head on. Both were still in serious condition at the time of going to press, The hottest day's-end topic among almost all Classic competitors at each day's end concerned the appropriateness - or otherwise - of the complicated Targa Base Times which each had to meet. In many cases, these appeared ridicu lous, requiring smaller-engined, older cars to meet the same target stage times as much younger, bigger-engined machinery. However, Targa Chairman Jo^in Large defended the system strongly both during and after the event, cit ing historical records over the past six years as the basis for the calcu lations. The debate still rages ...

: m

Continued Page 20

EXTREME FORTUNES... Keith Brodie sits in his wrecked Elfin Streamliner(above) after rotting off the road, thankfully without hitting the ground when upside down. Below, Ray Williams drives his EH Holden to victory (Photos by Perfect Prints) in the Historic Competition with Robert Taylor in the co-driver’s seat.

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● Audi’s Brad Jones take double win at Oran Park ● Cameron McConville take two seconds, shares series lead ● Cameron McLean leads for first time but backmarker incident causes race one DNF ● Jim Richards’ Volvo still frustrating team and showing potential ● Much larger field than Calder opener - 20 cars ● John Henderson takes impressive Independents win ● Trevor Sheumack makes strong debut P :

i. JEWELS and OPALS... Jones was untouchable at Oran Park and took his first two wins of the season.

Report by PHIL BRANAGAN BRAD Jones put his 1998 BOC Gases Super Touring Championship campaign back on course at Oran Park by taking his first two wins of the season. Jones kept Audi Sport Australia’s winning run intact by holding sway over Cameron team-mate McConville, whose weekend never recovered after losing most of his Friday with an undamaging, but messy spin. Jim Richards struggled with understeer in the Volvo S40 but kept the two A4s in sight all weekend, taking the fight right to McConville in race two and finishing with two thirds, the top three cars covered by a second in the longer 41-lap race. Cameron McLean flew BMW’s banner high, leading the first race until Jones took over mid-distance. An inci-' dent with a backmarker was costly, forcing a DNF, and McLean only just made it out for the second race. Best of the Independents for the weekend was Mark Adderton, who took the sec ond win after a drive-through penalty for a jumped Race One start put him well back in the pack. The first Indie win was taken by a slightly John shell-shocked Henderson in his second out ing in his Opel Vectra. The other notable perfor mance of the weekend was that of Trevor Sheumack, who combined his Michelin tyre technical duties with a first-up appearance in FaberCastell Racing’s BMW. He showed plenty of speed in qualifying but had ill-luck in both races.

Entry & Qualifying Anyone imminent who forecast demise the of Super Touring after Calder Park’s thinly-supported open er was in for a surprise at Oran Park when 19 cars fronted for qualifying - and that would be boosted to 20 when Troy Searle, who does not drive on Saturdays on religious grounds, joined the fun on raceday. Still, there were some absentees. Graham Dodd’s

COP THIS... Sydney police officer John Henderson drove superbly to take Independent honours in race one but a bent valve kept him out of race two. (Photos by Dirk Klynsmith)

OUCHI... Carlos Rolfo had a harmless spin - until the unfortunate Milton Leslight lost it and clanged his Carina into the BBXBMW. Both drivers made the racing after a lot of work. (Photos by Marshall Cass).

ex-Crompton Honda was still MIA, stuck on a Sydney Mike while wharf,

Fitzgerald’s bid to fix his crashed-at-Amaroo Peugeot just failed to make the race meeting. Thursday was as good as useless as far as motor racing was concerned, rain making it impossible to do anything and, even though Friday was fine, there were still conse quences. McConville looped the quattro in a bunker and lost a session and a half while the crew cleaned all the mud out of the car, eventual ly taking it to a car wash to steam it properly. Because of all that, when it came time to go for a quick lap. Brad was at 100 percent and Cam was not. In the first session BJ did five laps with a best of 42.67s; in the second

his knocked off four laps, including a 42.68s. And that was that. “We found the balance quickly,” he understated after the sessions. Jones had good reason to be confident. McConville had a second and a third in the two ses sions, three and two tenths back respectively, ruing his ‘off, which was so rare many had trouble remembering the last time he looped a car. After an understeering 43.13s lap for third in the first session Richards improved four tenths and one spot in the second, running minimal laps. The team was happy enough with the car and Jim, as ever, was resting his race day results on the state of his rubber at the end of the races. Equally as ever, hd was not banking on mak-

ing a strong start. McLean was. After a 43.15s in the first session the Queenslander realised there was little point busting his butt to improve and get onto the other side of the second row, so a 43.57s lap was suffi cient for the second session. He was struggling a little with gear ratios in qualifying, and saving rubber as well on a track where his BMW still held the lap record. Adderton was becoming known as the ‘Mister Five’ of Super Touring and kept the trend alive with a pair of fifths in the Attitude Honda. He was slightly frustrated; apart from the Dodd Accord sitting behind the picket lines on the docks there were also several crates of updates for the ex-Richards Honda there, and Mark was getting

a wee bit frustrated. “The car needs the bits,” he said. “After Bathurst it was tired and there’s a lot of updating we can do.” It is not, strictly speaking, a surprise to see a BMW sixth on any Super Touring grid, but it was a surprise to see rookie Sheumack putting one there. Sure, with a long a distinguished background in race car engineering he knew how to making them go fast but here he was, with a back ground of Group N and some GTP racing, playing with the big boys. And the McDougall Motors-supported car was fly ing. Okay, he was two whole seconds off pole, but the car was getting quicker (Ql’s 44.85s to 44.69s in the second session) and ‘Shuey’ was giv ing Bob Holden and the team

more feedback than they had had before. No other drivers had an ill word about his dri ving manners; all in all it was very impressive. “Every lap is a new experi ence,” he grinned after quali fying was over. And, he meant it; despite what he does for a job - oversee race cars and tyres - this was his first ever run on new Michelins as a driver. Ron Searle took a pair of sevenths in the Transtar Express Toyota. Between the sessions he improved 0.3s to 44.80s in Q2 and the Phoenix ^ team was generally content. Tony Newman was not. He and Starion Racing team manager Paul Grimm were scratching their heads and everything else trying to fig ure out why the Peugeot 406 had no go.

: V

^ I’ABER

NEW FACES... Kaplan had a solid run in the exRichards Nissan Primera

but Sheumack (above) was the revelation of the meeting in his first run in the FaberCastell BMW. (Photos by Dirk Klynsmith)

CastroJ

end - 18 inch Dunlops - and the aim of the entire exercise was to emerge with points and an intact car. The biggest problem in qualifying was a short sixth gear and an odd first session vibration, which turned out to be a driveshaft bottoming out. Bob Tweedie put up an 11th and an eighth in the other Vectra’(okay, Vauxhall Cavalier) while Craig Bradshaw as another to put in a big jump.in the second session, taking half a second off his 45.58s first session time to move to ninth from

HUNTtR HCtOEN

1 j

mm In the first session Newman drove around an occasional misfire to I'ecord a 45.15s lap - good, considering that the car was miles away from a set-up due to the inconsistent nature of the misfire. That wasn’t a problem in the second session; the car was glugging around all the time now, despite the fact that the computer said every thing was kosher, electroni¬

cally. Facing grids eight and 16 the team pulled every thing electrical out of the car and replaced it overnight. Newcomer Adam Kaplan had a ninth on 45:37s in the first session but dropped to 13th in the second. His team had taken delivery of the Hunter Holden Primera (no “Nissan’, please) only a week before the race and it was running in ‘Garry Rogers’ white with temporary sig¬

nage. Never having driven the car before Kaplan was com ing to terms with FWD and power steering for the first time. Expect to see him fur ther up the grid - in a repainted red ‘Holden’- next time out. was Right behind Henderson. The Sydney policeman was on a shoestiing all weekend. The team had four tyres for the week-

12th. Paul Pickett led Peter Hills in both sessions, which proves there are no team orders in this Ford outfit. Pickett shaded his ‘boss’ by 0.09s in both sessions, runming fresh yellow paint on the front of his car so they could be easily distinguished. PP had also been playing with springs, changing Hills’ set-up from soft front/stiff rear 180 degrees in a bid to cure the car’s mid-corner understeer woes which was symptomatic of the nonadjustable viscous diff the cars run. It was a surprise to see

Dwayne Bewley 15th and 12th. Not because the young Ejwi can’t drive that quick, but because he only got the call to drive the car on Friday night. He was also driving Oran Park for the first time, learning it on second-hand Michelins which would have to last all weekend. David Auger’s Alfa Romeo was next. His times were well off what the fast guys were doing but, as he pointed out, the car was not significantly slower that it was when Steven Richards drove it. Oran Park was, it seems, just not a happy hunting ground for Alfas - well, not 155s, anyway. Claude Elias was running Pickett’s Hyundai Lantra for the second time, while Milton Leslight missed qualifying altogether and Carlos Rolfo just made it out for the second session. Rolfo had looped the ex-CPW BMW at the bottom of the hill in the Saturday morning session and was waiting in the car to see if the session would be red-flagged. It wasn’t, but maybe it should have been. Just as Rolfo was about to pop the belts and hop out the Leslight car snapped away over the hill, spun onto the gi-ass and hammered nosefirst into the Bimmer’s B-pillar. Both cars were well dam aged but both would make the races after some fairly heroic late-night efforts fi’om both crews.

Race 1 (21 laps)

o-one really expected the Volvo to get away from the lights in any sort of shape and they were not disappointed. It looked like an Audi benefit &s McLean crept, then stopped, as the front row of Jones and McConville zoomed away. It looked like the silver slingshots would lead out of the first corner but they didn’t; the yellow Greenfields BMW did. Once he missed the jumped McLean nailed the getaway and, on the outside of the A4s, diwe aggressively inside the pack and. banging mirrors with Brad, seized the lead. McConville was fourth ahead of Richards, Henderson, Sheumack, Adderton, Tweedie, Searle, Hills, Pickett, Auger, Bradshaw, Newman, Searle, Rolfo, Kaplan, Elias and Leslight. It was all bad news for Bewley (who snapped a half¬ shaft on the line) and Adderton, who was about to be black-flagged for jumping the start. He was initially upset about the call but relented later; “I went up and saw the (video) tape and it was clear. I’m glad I didn’t go up and yell like an idiot”. Jones was crawling all over the back of the BMW but McLean was driving superbly and leaving no Audi-sized holes. The two built a small gap over McConville and Richards who, after a few

Continued over page

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ORAN PARK BOC Gases Super Touring Championship Oran Park, 26/27 April 1998 4.

Race 1(21 laps) Pos

Driver

Team/Car

Race lima

1 Brad Jones 15:34.53 Audi Sport Australia A4 quattro 15:37.88 2 Cameron McConville Audi Sport Australia A4 quattro 3 Jim Richards Volvo Australia S40 15:38.42 4 John Henderson 16:10.20 Opel Vectra 5 Trevor Sheumack Faber-Castell BMW 3181 16:13.51 6 Ron Searle Transtar Express Toyota Camry, 16:21.27 Attitude Honda Accord 7 Mark Adderton 20 laps 8 Paul Pickett Knight Racing Ford Mondeo 20 laps 9 Bob Tweedie Vauxhall Cavalier 20 laps to Peter Hills Knight Racing Ford Mondeo 20 laps 11 Tony Newman Starion Enterprises Peugeot 406 20 laps Hunter Holden Nissan Primera 12 Adam Kaplan 20 laps 13 David Auger Olympus Alfa Romeo 155TS 20 laps BMW318i 14 Craig Bradshaw 20 laps 15 Carlos Rolfo BBX BMW318I 19 laps 16 Milton Leslight 19 laps aap Toyota Carina GTI 17 Claude Elias 19 laps HVE Hyundai Lantra 18 Troy Searle 16 laps Roadchill Express BMW 320 DNF Cameron McLean Greenfield/Redex BMW 320 15 laps DNF Dwayne Bewiey Fastway Couriers Peugeot 405

F/lap

Qual

F/lap

Oual

Grid

43.05 3 42.67 1 43.39 3 43.07 2 43.42 3 43.13 3 44.90 2 45.43 10 45.38 4 44.85 6 45.26 4 45.10 7 44.76 2 44.49 5 45.68 5 45,62 13 45.31 3 45.46 11 45.75 6 45.71 14 45.99 2 45.15 8 46.05 2 45.37 9 46.36 3 46.11 16 45.74 6 45.58 12 47.55 3 No time 20 49,08 12 No time 19 47.94 16 48.19 17 46.09 2 No time 18 43.10 2 43.15 4 46.00 15

Race 2(41 laps) Pos

Continued from page 15 laps, started losing pace as McConville moved up towards the fight for the lead. With Adderton hauling through the pack - touching the wall at BP tmce as he sui'ged onto the straight - the leading Independent driver was now Henderson who, old used tyres or not, was looking sohd as a rock and losing around a second and a half a lap to the leaders. Jones was sniffing inside the leader at almost evezy corner and, on lap 17, finally found a spot at turn one and took the point. Almost immediately he received a baulk from Leslight and McLean was almost past,but Jones held on. The next time around McLean had dramas in traffic. Elias was in the middle of the road in the second cor ner and the Hjomdai and 320i collid ed, the Lantra bouncing to the out side ofthe track as McLean sped on. But his steering rack shaft was broken and, with no steering, McLean had no choice but to hit the brakes and roll to a safe spot. “There were two cars heading for a one car space,” he said later with admirable sang froid. The only other drama for the lead ers was when McConville was lap ping a remarkably stubborn Adderton on the straight and Richards was close enough to have an unsuccessful look at turn one. It didn’t come off and the two silver cars were covered by 0.6s at the flag, almost four seconds behind Jones. The amazing Henderson was a barely believing fourth, 31s behind the Volvo, but was in trouble. The car had been sticking in gear and, on the last lap, the engine overrewed on a downshift. The team was being hopeful for race two, but the buzz had bent a valve and, after the biggest success of his career, Henderson was a DNS for race two. He was still grinning, though ... Behind him Sheumack brought his car home fifth from a lonely Ron Searle, while Adderton had belted past the Mondeo v Tweedie battle for seventh. Further back there had been another drama involving the Hyundai. As Hills approached to lap it Elias swapped lines and Pickett. Right behind the other Mondeo, banged the boss in the boot. Both Fords kept going - Pickett dragging Tweedie past the recovering Hills for eighth to 10th.

The chances that McLean waswere goingalways to make it two from two at the start but, this time, Jones held him out at turn one and kept the lead. The other BMW had made an even better start. Sheumack shot past Richards and was almost chal lenging McConvOle for third. “I saw Jim in my mirror and thought, ‘I don’t want to be a part of this’,” Trevor said later. “So I let him through”.

GOOD TIMES, BAD TIMES... McLean led a BOC race for the first time (above) but was nerfed out ofsecond with broken steering. (Photos by Marshall cass)

I tSf: ' r'Drruor-- .:

But while he was being a nice rubber and he was in on lap 10. bloke the Bimmer ran wide and Kaplan was in three later, followed by scraped the wall, pushing a tyre Tweedie,Hills, Bradshaw and Pickett. The leaders were closing up. On a onto a guard. After a long stay in the pits he got out again, only to different set of fronts Richo was having far less understeer this time find a gearbox full of neutrals and retire. There are times when it around and was catching McConville, who was closing on doesn’t pay to be too nice ... Jones. By the time that McLean While Jones was doing a runner the twin Cams led Richards, started the leaders’ pit cycle on lap Adderton, Bradshaw (another fast 18 the three silver cars were almost starter), R Searle, Pickett, Newman, nose-to-tail. After battling the car - the caster Kaplan, Hills, Bewiey and Auger. and camber was out in the rush to The gap up front stabilised after three laps and McLean was under fix his steering - McLean put his serious threat from McConville and Calder nightmares behind him with Richards. When the Greenfields car a 16s stop for two tyres, while Jones ran wide at turn one on lap eight peeled in, leaving McConville lead ing, on lap 20. The stop was good McConville dived through into sec Kim Jones claimed 11.1s - and he ond and Richards, ever the oppor tunist, followed and had a sniff at resumed in third. the Audi on the exit. The Audi held A lap later McConville and Richards pitted together, leaving in him out, but only just. order and a 17s stop. After the kerThe pit window opened and the cycle started with Newman, whose fuffles Jones led by 2.8s, with Richo Is behind the second A4. The gaps lack of set-up after his engine woes disappeared over the next 10 laps meant that the 406 was destroying

Driver

Team/Car

1 Brad Jones Audi Sport Australia A4 quattro 2 Cameron McConville Audi Sport Australia A4 quattro 3 Jim Richards Volvo Australia S40 4 Cameron McLean Greenfield/Redex BMW 320 5 Mark Adderton Attitude Honda Accord 6 Ron Searle Transtar Express Toyota Camry Hunter Holden Nissan Primera 7 Adam Kaplan 8 Peter Hills Knight Racing Ford Mondeo 9 Bob Tweedie Vauxhall Cavalier 10 Dwayne Bewiey Fastway Couriers Peugeot 405 II Troy Searle Roadchill Express BMW 320 12 Paul Pickett Knight Racing Ford Mondeo 13 David Auger Olympus Alfa Romeo 155TS BMW318I 14 Craig Bradshaw 15 Claude Elias HVE Hyundai Lantra 16 Milton Leslight aap Toyota Carina GTI 17 Carlos Rolfo BBX‘BMW318i DNFTony Newman Starion Enterprises Peugeot 406 Faber-Casleli BMW318I DNF Trevor Sheumack DNS John Henderson Opel Vectra

Race lime

30:41.95 30:42.14 30:42.81 30:54.95 40 laps 39 laps 39 laps 39 laps 38 laps 38 laps 38 laps 38 laps 38 laps 37 laps 36 laps 35 laps 33 laps 27 laps 16 laps

Grid

42.80 2 42.68 1 43,32 3 42.88 3 43.04 24 42.73 2 43.33 5 43.57 4 44.22 2 44.49 5 45.18 5 44.80 7 45.40 8 45.76 13 45.74 19 45.55 11 45.53 3 45.06 8 45.89 8 45.69 12 45.91 5 No lime 18 45.68 5 45.46 10 46.34 5 45.91 15 45.47 8 45.09 9 47.79 12 48.19 17 47.80 34 No time 19 48.14 3 No time 20 45.17 14 45.91 15 45.54 5 44.69 6 45.80 14

Drivers Points; Jones/McConville 54, Richards 38, McLean 30, Adderton 22, Hills 13, Tweedie 13, R Searle 10, Henderson 8, Auger 6, Pickett/Sheumack 6, Kaplan 4, Robson 2, Holden/Bewiey 1. Manufacturers Points: Audi 60, Volvo 48. Independents Points: McLean 49, Adderton 44, Hills 28, Tweedie 28, R Searle 20, Pickett 17, Henderson 14, Auger 14, Sheumack 12, Kaplan 10, Robson 8, Holden 7, Bewiey 4, T Searle/Newman 3. Teams Points: Audi Sport Australia 108, Knight Racing 66, Faber-Casteli/IBC 28.

and Richards was alongside McConville at turn two on lap 37, but the youngster held him out to make the foimation finish 0.7s clear of the S40 after 41 laps. McLean was a lonely fourth from Adderton, Searle (who lost a rear bumper mid-race courtesy of a bump from McLean while being lapped), Kaplan, Hills (who recov ered well from a lose at the flip-flop) and Tweedie, while Bewiey recov ered something from the shoestring weekend with a 10th. It was a relieved Audi team that celebrated after the race, Jones and McConville sharing the series lead. Richards’ S40 still show the poten tial, but is^'yet to make that break through. ' And if there is anyone out there looking for talent to put in a newer car to challenge the establishment, John Henderson and/Trevor Sheumack would be onl:;7 to willing to help.

Brad and Cani- but who’s that other dork? THE races were over and the winners were there on the podi um to collect the trophies and spray the champagne. All the legends were there; Brad, Cameron, Jim, Jianni... Who? There was a third Apdi Sport Australia driver on the podi um at Oran Park - until team manager Kim Jones walked over and dragged him off the stage. ‘Jianni’ was, in fact, an American actor named Tom. A dozen TV people had flown to Oran Park from the USA to make a commercial for American telly and up to 20 locals supplemented their efforts. It was an impressive roll-out: you couldn't move in the pits for ponytails and cappucci nos. So we had a Jianni-fest. Jianni in pit lane waving to the ‘crowd’ LIGHTS, CAMERA, MOUSSE... ‘Jianni’and friends. (Photo by ark Houywood) (use your imagination, it was take your racing gloves off for this Monday to shoot some footage of Saturday). Jianni being 'inter cars following cars. viewed' by the local media (who bit, Jianni. Jianni will, presumably, be There were bonuses though. will, presumably, have their ‘for eign’ accents dubbed out back in Did you walk into a shot, sir? Sign back in the States when the circus the USA), Jianni standing on the this release, take this $30 and you hits Phillip Island. But, just in case could end up on a commercial someone is needed to walk podium, ready to spray cham during ‘The Simpsons’. around in an Audi Sport racesuit, pagne with Brad. Jones, McConville, McLean and there are plenty of ‘extras’ right Just a second though; despite what the continuity gurus say, you CO were detained at the track on nearby. They’re called penguins...

n Sub Editor ne.eded; while it is not likely that the Knight Racing crew wanted to upset the MUA they did managed to get a reference to the dockers’ union onto their Ford Mondeo, spelling one of their drivers’ names ‘Picket’, not Tickett’. n Waste not, want not. After David Auger’s Alfa had a huge roll-over at Phillip Island last year’, he was missing a suspen sion spring fi’om the car when he got all the bits back. A spectator parked a huge distance from the shunt picked it up and returned it to Auger at the following race at Calder, and he ran it on the car at Oran Park. n Carlos Rolfo’s damaged BMW received help from all directions. Several of Bob Holden’s crew were in and out of the team’s marquee during the day and, when the car jammed in gear in the second session it was a Faber-Castell trooper who was helping to get it fixed. n Maybe it’s a Beemer thing? McLean’s broken steering input shaft was fixable but, before it was,Sheumack offered to step out ofthe Faber-Castell car and give Cameron his rack, figuring it was more important for a series contender to race than a ‘guest’ driver. n McLean on leading a BOC round forthe first time;“It’s good when you look out the wind screen and there’s no-one there. It’s quite exciting.” n Pressure? Richards on his prospects at the next round;“If we don’t win at Phillip Island, we’re never going to.” n Geoff Morgan’s new Vodaphone Porsche 911RSC^ represents a return to the track of sorts for its chassis. The car has been built around the chassis that Terry Bosnjak drove at Amaroo Park two years ago and which was virtually destroyed when ‘Boz’ had the brake pedal hit the floor at stop/go.

Walden Vines up By EDWARD KRAUSE

GARRY Waldon has thrown down the gauntlet to technol ogy, his good grunty Dodge Viper taking the honours at the second round of the Century Batteries GTP cham pionship at Oran Park. Peter Fitzgerald in the Falken Porsche 911 RSCS won the opening race, while Waldon’s GTS VIO took out race two, helped by both Fitzgerald and the Ferrari 355 Challenge of John Bowe jumping the start.

Qualifying Bowe took pole for both races with a 45.15s and then a shatter ing 44.21SS, more than a second under his own lap record. His major concern was the Ferrari’s tendency to get loose at the end of the straight, as well as tyre life. Defending Champ Fitzger-ald (with a new engine after his pre vious powerplant detonated pis tons) topped both sessions on Friday but could only manage second and third in qualifying as did Waldon, who still had his brake concerns. They both did 45.3s and then 45.0s. Round one winner Domenic Beninca had a deflating tyre in the first qualifier, leaving him fifth and nearly a second off Bowe. Aborting a more radical set-up for the second session, he went back to his tried and true formula and dropped three tenths to qualify fourth for race two. Giving his Falcon V8 SuperCar a rest was Rodney Forbes who qualified fourth and fifth. Following them were Paul Stokell in the Lotus Elise, Peter McKay in the Maserati Ghibli Cup, which he didn’t drive until Saturday morning, swapping sixth and seventh, then Ross Almond and Bob Thorn in the Lancer Evo V and Toyota Supra respectively. Murray Carter (Nissan 200SX) was quickest in Class B both times from Chris' Kousparis in the Subaru WRX, who had a power steering reservoir come loose. David Ratcliffs Toyota Camry topped Class C, Ric Shaw led Class D with his Toyota MR2 and Aaron McGill bested round one winner Nigel Stones (both in Suzuki GTis) in Class E.

Race One The switch from Pirellis to Dunlops allowed Waldon to start with an extra lOOOrpm and he split the front row, took the lead and pulled away, setting a new lap record of 45.17s. Bowe held second from Fitzgerald until lap five, Fitzy passing the ‘Fez’ at the end of the straight. At about the same time Waldon hit the first of the lapped traffic and with that, a fast-fad-

ing brake pedal and the rear tyres falling away, it was only a matter of time before Fitzgerald caught him. At Recaro corner with four to

go, Fitzgerald dived for a hole he thought was there, Waldon shut the gate, they touched and the Porsche managed to get the inside line down the straight and take the lead. Bowe took Waldon two laps later, again down the straight as Waldon nursed the Viper home. Beninca dost ground on the opening few laps, with both he and Forbes having lonely drives to fourth and fifth while, behind them, the battle between Stokell and McKay for sixth ended in McKay’s favour. Stokel/l hit a kerb a fraction too hard, causing the engine’s computer to shut down as an in-built precaution ary measure a few laps from the end. Ross Almond in the Mitsubishi Evo V was seventh, while. Thorn in the Supra went to last after a first lap spin at the esses. He came back to 10th. Murray Carter won Class B from John Trimbole, both Kousparis and Dean Canto flatspotting tyres for DNFs in their WRXs. Ratcliff had a relatively comfortable win in the Camry for Class C, as did Shaw in the MR2 in Class D, while Aaron McGill won Class E.

RED FIVE?,..

Waldon had the Dodge perolationg in the GTP races, his win aided by jumped starts by Peter Fitzgerald and John Bowe. THEY’RE RALLY CARS... Andjust as well, as Ross Almond and Peter Boylon take to the marbles for a Colin McRae and Tommi Makinen Show in the turbo car class. (Photos by Marshall Cass)

Bradbury tops Porsdies

Race Two A carbon copy start for Waldon, but disaster for Fitzgerald and Bowe, who both received stop-go penalties for jumping the green. Bowe pitted on lap six, while Fitzgerald wait ed a further two laps to ensure he got out ahead of Bowe. Waldon had already pulled away, setting another lap record, this time a 45.06s. With Fitzgerald and Bowe out of the running. Waldon could be kinder to the car and this time brought it home with rubber and brake pads to give the Viper its first win. Beninca made good his promise to go harder in the open ing laps and he ended up a dis tant second from Forbes. Fitzgerald came storming back for fourth from Bowe, while McKay again trumped Stokell for sixth, storming past with three to go. Almond took eighth after an collision with Class B runner Peter Boylan. Kousparis won Class B from Carter, but only after a controversial collision in turn one with Trimbole, which the Mitsubishi out. Ratcliff, Shaw and McGill made it perfect scores in their classes. Pointscore: Outright: Beninca 51, Bowe 44, Fitzgerald 43, Waldon 38, Costanzo 16. Class B: Carter 57. Class C: Ratcliff 52; Class D: Shaw 60; Class E: Stones 50.

TNT, DYNAMITE... Peter Bradbury took his breakthrough Porsche Cup wins at Oran Park. (Photo byoirkKiynsmnh) PETER Bradbury was the pacesetter at the sec ond round of the Porsche Cup series, taking two pole positions and a first and second in the races, denied the perfect weekend only by Geoff Morgan. Driving the TNT Porsche GT2 turbo, Bradbury was the only driver to get into the 44s, a 44.99s and a 44.7969 the pace setting times. His only concern was the brakes on his non-ABS car which he hadn't got the adjustable rear bias right, while his only changes were to the rear suspension. In race one Bradbury got off tbe line quickest, set the fastest lap, and led until half distance when Morgan,in his all-new Vodafone 911 RSCS, closed up and took the lead at turn one. Two laps later Bradbury tried to take it back but locked the rears and slid off, rejoining the track and still holding second place. In race two he was never headed and took a convincing victory. Morgan’s brand new 911 turned a wheel for the first time on Friday and he spent the weekend tuning the car’s suspension. He changed the entire induction sys tem on Friday night after it bent the throttle linkages. Qualifying second and fourth for the two races, he wore down Bradbury to win tbe first, but a bad start m the second saw him fall to fifth. He came through to take second from Max Dunn with four to go but

Bradbury was long gone. For round one winner Martin Wagg, it wasn’t a good meeting. It started promisingly enough, the XL Concrete Super Cup car qualifying third and second, but the left brakes kept locking in race one which, com bined with a bad start, resulted in seventh placing. He was then mnning second early in race two when a ball joint broke. Max Dunn brought his 911 RSR home third in both races after qualifying fifth and third. Both time he was involved in early battles with Julian Harburg. which included some audacious outside passing moves, but they were comfortable finishes, and he set the fastest lap in race two. Behind him it was a constant string of battles between Roger Paterson, Rusty French. Rodney Forbes and Harburg. with Trevor John sticking his nose in during race one until he spun. Fi-ench led home Forbes and Harburg in the first race, then again he took fourth, this time from Paterson, Forbes and Harburg. In Class B. Peter Bolton was well in control in his 911 C2, qualifying fastest for both races and then win ning both races comfortably. His nearest competitors were Peter McRae and Rob Porter in qualifying and McRae and Ross Seller in the two races. -EDWARD KRAUSE

8 May 1998

Jimmy takes Nazareth n ROBBY Gordon looks like being the answer to Toyota’s prayers in their so-far unsuccessftd bid to become a major player in CART racing. Not only did the American finish a best result seventh at Nazareth (Fangio was eighth two years ago) he was truly competitive; thii'd in the warm-up (after being second for most of the session), held third dming the race and finished sev enth after the higher-powered cars of Tracy and Moore blasted past.

n Swift’s chief designer David Bruns has left Swift Cars, and is expected to join Dan Gurney’s All-American l^cers as early as this week. Bruns’job at Swift has been taken over by aerodynamicist Mark Handford who until now has actually been employed by Newman-Haas. AAR has always built its own cars of course, running Eagles two years ago, and hopes to produce a new Eagle for either 1999 or 2000. n Andre Ribeiro failed to qualify at Nazareth while Penske team leader A1 Unser Jr reverted to one oflast year’s PC26s to make the i-ace, after neither Unser nor Ribeiro could find any grip or speed from this year’s PC27. Ribeiro crashed heavily in the first session on Friday morning, half-spinning in turn two and hitting the wall backwards, recording 110 g impact. n CART president Andrew Craig says Road Atlanta and Mexico City are the next two likeliest venues CART will expand into but says scheduling problems have not yet been resolved. CART recently announced it will add a 20th race to its 1999 schedule at Chip Ganassi’s to-be-built Chicago Motor Speedway, and Road Atlanta and Mexico City would bring the series up to 22 races, possibly too many races for CART’s teams.

JIMMY Vasser was less than happy with his Nazareth race strategy, a two stop schedule forcing him to cruise the final 60 laps while team-mate Alex Zanardi and the pack closed on his TargetGanassi Reynard-Honda. Mind you, he won the race... Vasser and Zanardi ended Ganassi Racing’s drought on shorter ovals in emphatic fashion in an event delayed 24 hours due to rain. Greg Moore was third from Gil de Ferran and Paul Tracy. “I actually feel lucky that (making only two pit stops) worked out for us,” said Vasser after the race. “At the time I was really questioning the move. I don’t think it was the right thing for us to do. ‘Tf there would have been a

through to the lead and led the most laps with 102 in the books, but he spun on a restart in turn three after cutting a tyre and made con tact with the wall on lap 122. Bryan Herta led after that incident with Vasser and the dazzling Robby Gordon in third. Robby, who substituted for Hiro Matsushita in the Panasonic entry, pitted about the same time as Vasser took the lead with 65 laps to go and, when the leaders all pit ted on a three stop schedule,' Jimmy resumed up front and hung on to win by Is. Ironically, given Honda’s success in CART in the past three seasons, it was the Japanese manufacturer’s first win on a short oval. Bobby Rahal finished sixth ahead of an impressive sev enth place finish by Robby yellow after my last stop, I Gordon, the best-ever finish by a Toyota-powered car in would have been a lap down CART competition. Gordon, with no way to catch up.” who was subbing for an Qualifying was a triumph for the Forsythe/Players injured Hiro Matsushita, tvill team. Patrick Carpentier take over the ride full-time after the Japanese driver’s dominated qualifying, pip ping Moore for pole. But a swansong at Rio de Janeiro this month. last-minute hitch with Moore’s race car forced him to Herta faded to finish eighth transfer into Carpentier’s ahead of star rookie Tony Kanaan, while Richie Hearn spare for the race, the neces sary working being completed (Swift)round out the top 10. in less than an hour before Adrian Fernandez, the the 10.00am start of the race. points leader coming into the event, had trouble at the Carpentier led the field away from Michael Andretti, start by spinning coming out Moore and Gil de Ferran. ofturn two on lap one. -PHIL MORRIS After 11 laps Michael was-

TWO by TWO... Vasser and Zanardi (above) led the field at the finish of the race, while Carpentier(below) led early from pole position. (MyCarphotos)

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Morris’ Lights go out

PAUL Morris’ latest Indy Lights drive ended quickly at Nazareth. The Queenslander was taken to hospi tal after his PacWest Lola-Buick tangled with fellow rookie Guy Smith on the opening lap of'the third'‘round of the series. Smith made contact with Morris’ car, spearing it into the outside concrete wall. “The back went in first and I have trouble remembering much after that,” said a recovered Morris after the race. The 30-year-old had suffered a fraught qualifying session to line up in 14th but, on the race-day morning of the delayed event, was sixth in the warm-up. “The car was going like a jet and that is one of the most frustrating things. I had gone quicker in the warm-up than I did in qualifying and that was with full tanks and on old tyres.” The race was won by Brazilian Cristiano da Matta, who took his second win of the season by 14s, while Morris’ team-mate Didier Andi-e was second. Morris is now recovering at home in Indianapolis, prior to taking on the fourth round of the series at Gateway on May 23.

OUT OF LUCK... Morris In his Lola. (Photo by oannphotos)

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SMaytm By CHRIS LAMBDEN

I. I: I: I I I

THE V8s have the Enforcer, while Formula Ford - this weekend anyway - had the Dominator. Adam Macrow completely domi nated the weekend’s proceedings as the Slick 50 Ford Motorsport Formula Ford Championship moved past the half way point. Quickest in both qualifying ses sions, he gapped the field in the opening laps of both races then eased back to win both and take away maximum points and a sub stantially increased lead in the 1998 series. His nearest competition, also Specti'um-mounted, was Christian Jones. Second in qualifying and the opening race, Jones had a brief off early in the second, but went home with some satisfaction after smashing nearly a second off his own heat 1 lap record in a charge back to

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Qualifying

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GONE... Macrow (centre) is already clear as the Formula Ford pack heads towards turn one. The race was for second. between sessions after struggling earlier. McDougall improved to a 1:28.48 for fourth, ahead of Zerner, Christian Jory, Kelly, Leahey, Tyler Mecklem and Kerry Wade making up the top ten.

Race 1-10 laps

There was air already between Macrow and the pursuing Jones by the time the field hit the sweeper for the first time. By the end of the |i Macrow (1:28.3995) shaded Jones lap, the Spectrum twitching spec | : by just two-tenths in the early ses- tacularly under brakes for the I sion, with McDougall (Mygale) and Motorsport News esses, the gap I Leahey (Van Diemen) a further was a stunning 1.8 seconds. Bye I couple of tenths back from the fly- bye. Ritter was right with Jones, vrith I ing Spectra (plural of Spectrum?), I but the cooler conditions for the sec- another second back to Zerner, I ond session were always likely to Kelly, a fast-starting Alex Davison I provide quicker times, and so it (from 11), Cotter (from 13), Wade I transpired. and McDougall, who’d been delayed I Macrow came out of the box fly- by an incident which saw Leahey I' ing and rapidly dropped to a 1:28.1 out of the race. Mecklem too had beached himself at turn one and then a 1:27.9 while it took the oppo sition most of the session to get would take no further part. within a second of that. Up front, the crush continued. However, the last ten minutes of While Jones was having to work to 1 the session saw all the contenders keep Ritter at bay, Macrow was dis I in the gi'oove, with times tumbling, appearing. After three laps the gap r Macrow could have sat on his was 3.3 seconds. r earlier time, but with Jones out on Although Macrow set his quick [' the circuit and looking ominous, he est lap on lap five, it was simply a emerged again to improve to his matter of gap management from I final 1:27.7509. Spectrum colleague here. Ritter eventually fell back off Jones did improve to a 1:28.0759, Jones’ gearbox and began to get three tenths up on Ritter, who’d engulfed by the pack (headed by found a substantial 1.2 seconds Zerner and Kelly), Zerner muscling

I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I. I; 1; r r I I I

Continued from Page 13

competitors, as they competed in fewer over all Targa stages and had New to this year's a rest day mid-way on Targa was the Shannons the Friday, while Classic Historic Competition, and Modem competitors did the Targa loop down aimed at luring the the Huon area. older vehicles back to While resting in the event they gave the thumbs down to several Hobart, they took part in a Salamanca Place years ago, when the concours d'elegance, focus shifted firmly to current model cars. where they were joined The aim was 30 by a number of entrants, so by that Tasmanian veteran and standard 16 entrants vintage cars, which in and 13 runners was a the sunny weather that disappointment, as was bathed the final days of the status they were this year's Targa was a popular and well-attend accorded, according to a petition of competitors ed side-show. The real problem with collected during the Historic, as the results event, Nevertheless, almost show, was the huge age everyone who took part gap among competing machinery. indicated they would be back for more in 1999 Winners Ray Williams and Robert Taylor, who and would encourage their friends, indicating have competed in the previous two Targas, that the start, if not per decided that, as "we're fect, is on solid founda tions. getting a bit older, like Shannons Historic our car”, they would competitors had an easi- enter the easier-format Historic rather than the er time than Classic

Targa Historic

past on the seventh lap. Kelly had a go at the esses a cou ple of laps later, but ended up spearing across the grass, without actually losing a spot. McDougall worked hard to get back to sixth by race end, from Cotter and Harrington, who emerged from a couple of mid-race fracas which delayed firstly Davison, then Ken Douglas, and outed both Christian Murchison and Ty Hanger. Macrow paced it out to the end, with Jones setting fastest lap (new record) in his late pursuit, the pair some five seconds clear of Zerner and Ritter, a gap to Kelly, and more space to McDougall, Cotter and Harrington. Jory and Kerry Wade completed the top ten, the penulti mate lap featuring a four car spat at the esses involving mid-fielders McKinnon, Grocl, Woelders and Dedear, with wheels off three of the four cars...

points, but press on he did — even tually slashing his lap record to a 1:27.9 on the very last lap having toiled for tenth and a single point. Another four car pile-up at the Motorsport News esses diverted attention from the front, with Leanne Ferrier out and March inverted in his tub, with just one wheel still attached... They were far enough out of the way for the race to continue, although it was again for second. Macrow again got it out to three seconds by half race, leaving Ritter and Zerner to tough out a tight con test. Ritter eventually broke clear after a lapped car got in the way.

Photo by Dirk Klynsmith

leaving Zerner to contend with the advancing McDougall, the latter getting the better of Harrington mid-race before disposing of Zerner with a lap to go. A good comeback from the Mygale man for third, but at the end of the day Macrow looks a long way ahead down the championship road... Harrington took fifth fi-om Kelly, Jory, Leahey (a great effort fi-om a rear-of-field start), Wade and the charging Jones. Points after round 5(of 8): Macrow 140; McDougall 92; Jones 67; Leahey 66; Zerner 62; Ritter 48; Owen 42; McNally 35; Harrington 32; Seward 31.

AT THE BEACH ...A good qualifying effort was wasted when Mecklem Photo by Dirk Klynsmith was the first to visit the sand on race day.

Race 2-10 laps Macrow repeated his opening lap sprint again, to lead by 1.4 seconds, but this time Jones hadn’t got away so well, trailing through behind Ritter and Zerner at the end of the opener. He made it tougher still by mis judging a pass on the second, scrab bling on the grass, before rejoining back in 14th. It would be a struggle from here even to get back into the

Classic Competition, as the regulations allqwed them to do with their EH Holden. But in doing so they found their 'rivals’ to include Melbourne's John Link and John Quid in a 1921 Simplex Roadster, which had ini tially been a fiije engine, and sponsor Robert Shannon in his superb Low-Chassis 1930 Invicta 'S' - worthy vehicles, but hardly a match for a car which was one of Australia's 'gun' performance vehi cles in the early 1960s! Indicative of the inequality, Williams and Taylor clean-sheeted the entire event - the only competitors in any cate gory to do so - while Robert Shannon finished his Tai^a some 42ml2s behind in 12th place. Some of his time loss was due to a jammed throttle on the Invicta on Day One, which present^d him with the pos-

sibility of hitting a bridge or damaging the engine. He chose the latter, but the loose piston caps in were repaired Launceston that evening by Nick Langford, who was forced to abandon Shannons' other team car - and 1998 Targa's oldest competitor, the 1915 Locomobile - after rims began cracking early in the event. Second in Shannons Historic was the 1960 MGA Twin Cam of Victoria's Hamish and Robert Barr, while third place went to the Queensland-entered Aston Martin DB4 of Paul Tucker and Gordon Lepp. There's little doubt that the Shannons Historic section will be back as part of the 1999 Targa Tasmania, but the packaging will be different, following long discussions between Shannon and John Large on Monday.

Provisional 1998 Targa Tasmania Results

MODERN Pos Crew

Vehicle

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. 10

1996 Porsche 911 Turbo 1993 Toyota Soarer 1992 Mazda RX7 1995 Mazda RX7 1994 Nissan 200SX 1996 Porsche 911 RS CS 1993 Porsche 968CS 1995 Mazda RX7 1989 Chevrolet Corvette 1996 Holden HSV

Jim Richards (Vic)/Barry Oliver (Tas) Craig Dean (Vic)/Graham Bell (Vic) Mark & Ric Rathbone (Tas) Lynn Ratray (Tas)/Hedley Browning (Tas) Howard & Linda Long(NSW) Max & Georgia Warwick (Vic) Michael Catchpole (Tas)/ Michael Darling(Vic) Garry Scott (NSW)/Richard Francke(NSW) Greg Waters (Qld)/Brian Learoyd (Qld) Jeff Church (NSW)/Ross Dillon (Qld)

CLASSIC 1 Peter Fitzgerald (Vic)/Michael Petersen (Germ) 1960 Porsche 356B Carrera GS 1974 Porsche 911 RSR 2 Leigh Mundy (Tas)/ Guy Dunstan (Tas) 1973 Holden Torana XU-1 3 Steven & Rachael Coad (Vic) 1978 Ford Falcon XC Cobra 4 Farrel White (Tas)/ Daniel Townsend (Tas) 1977 Holden Torana A9X 5 Paul Wilson (Vic)/ Danielle Alderson (Vic) 1960 Jaguar Mkll 3.4 6 Reg Kenny (SA)/Mae-Lin Hendry (SA) 1961 Morris Mini Minor 7 Henry & Christine Draper (Vic) 8 Greg McPherson (Vic)ZWayne Bradshaw (Vic) 1965 Ford Cortina GT500 9 Chas Latter(NSW)Terry Smith (Qld) 1972 Holden Torana XU-1 10 David White (NSW)/Phil Russell (Tas) ’ 1974 Torana SLR 5000 L34 HISTORIC 1 Ray Williams (Tas)/Robert Taylor (Vic) 2 Hamish & Robert Barr (Vic) 3 Paul Tucker (Qld)/ Gordon Lepp (Qld) 4 Ian Cummins (Tas)/ Kay Kilgariff(ACT) 5 Laurence Donnan (Qld)/ Antony Donnan (Vic) 6 Bill Griffiths (Tas)/Russell Jackson (Tas) 7 Stanley O’Brien (Qld)/Donna Geddes (Qld) 8 Paul Kemp (Tas)/ Shaun Kelly (Tas) 9 Neil & Ros Frankhauser (Vic) 10 Tony Cameron (NSW)/Dean Tapping (Tas)

1963 EH Holden 1960 MGA Twin Cam 1962 Aston Martin DB4

V-

1936 Jaguar SS100 1928 Fraser Nash Boulogne 1956 AC Ace-Bristol 1960 Mercedes-Benz 190SL 1962 Standard Vanguard 6 1935 Dodge DU 1961 Renault Gordini

8MsyW98

Formula Holden y

Tasman tussle By CHRIS LAMBDEN KIWI Scott Dixon emerged from round three of the Holden Australian Drivers Champion ship with an increased points lead as he attempts to become the youngest driver ever and only the second foreigner to take out Australia’s Gold Star Championship. While Dixon streeted them in the first race, the highlight of the day was race two in which the young Kiwi spent the entire race trying to dislodge Mark Noske from the lead. Noske didn’t flinch and didn’t look like making the mistake Dixon needed, getting home to tie the out right points for the day and get himself back into second spot in the championship. It was a top race and a credit to both contenders. Todd Kelly looked less comfort able than of late, stmggling a little for race set-up. He was a distant third in the opening race, then dropped to fourth in the second after a couple of excursions. Picking up the third rostrum spot in race two was Brenton Ramsay after a strong drive, some consola tion for an early race incident in race one which saw him struggle home seventh with deranged steeling. John De Vries was the most con sistent of the rest, Asai and Friesacher each dropping a race, while unluckiest again was Kiwi Simon Wills, completing one soli tary race lap thanks to an unfortu nate combination of engine and gearbox maladies.

Qualifying The tight pole contests are an integral part of this championship in 1998, and this was no exception. Early in the opening session, Dixon, Kelly and Noske were a mere four hundredths apart, in that order, until Kelly found three tenths in the dying stages, only to be Humped by Dixon’s final flyer, a

stunning 1:16.1073, which grabbed pole by a fairly substantial half a second. Noske too was a last minute vic tim, that other Kiwi, Wills, shaving his time by a few hundredths to gi-ab third. Friesacher, Asai and Osborne would line up next, with Ramsay the one missing out. A little fast too soon saw the Birrana car in the sand after just four laps and he would start an unaccustomed 14th. If Dixon’s last lap flier impressed in the opening session, he did the same to stunning effect in the second. Mid-session, he held pole with a 1:16.6, but as Noske worked to get into the 16s (a 1:16.75 would be his best shot), the young Kiwi reeled off three late beauties — 1:16.33, 1:16.13, 1:15.87. Cop that. Pole by nine-tenths of a second. Kelly looked uncomfortable and couldn’t beat 1:17.5 (albeit good enough for third), ahead of a stronger Ramsay (1:18.5), Wills (who hardly got mobile before aborting the session with a stripped third gear, 1:18.8) and Friesacher (1:19.07). Asai, De Vries, Power and Digby rounded out the ten.

Race 1-15 laps Wills was missing from the grid, the engine failing to start(the team now keen to trade their race num ber, 13). Kelly made the best start to head Dixon and Noske as they wound off around the sweeper, but Toddler’s lead was to be short-lived. Into Repco (the tight right-han der onto the back straight), Dixon slipped down the inside (no easy thing in an'open-wheeler) and that was that. By lap’s end he had 1.5 seconds in hand, leaving Kelly to worry about the attentive Noske, with Friesacher heading Asai and Osborne, the latter able to sneak past the Japanese driver on lap thi-ee, before going out on lap 11.

MAGNETIC ... Noske spent the whole of the second race fending off the persistent Dixon in the best contest Photo by Dirk Ktynsmith of the season to date. Further back, Digby, De Vries and Ramsay had come together at the esses, Ramsay continuing with a great deal of toe-in, while Chas Jacobson rotated gently into the tyres at Penrite. Up front, Dixon was disappearing, while Kelly was looking decidedly twitchy as he attempted to keep his Young Lion colleague at bay. He managed it for five laps — until Noske got his nose inside at turn one and made it stick through and out of turn two. It was a pretty stable race from here, Dixon breaking Jason Bright’s lap record as he cruised away to a 13 second win. Noske too cleared away from Kelly, who ended up a massive 20 seconds clear of a lonely Friesacher, Asai (who survived a spin), De Vries, Ramsay, Digby, Power and Sampson,the latter pair lapped.

Race 2- 15 laps Akai was an early casualty, his car mis-firing arormd the warm-up lap and heading to the pits. This time it was Noske who bet tered Dixon off the line, heading the Kiwi, a fast-starting Ramsay, Kelly, Digby (quick off the line but about to suffer a major mis fire), Friesacher, De Vries, Wills and Power as they filed around

He regained half of it on lap 14, the back part of the circuit. Kelly had a go at Ramsay at the setting a neW (1:17.2) lap record in Motorsport News esses, but ran the process, and actually got onto Noske’s tail with about a third of a wide across the grass, to rejoin lap to go to the chequer. behind Power, eighth at the end of Without a banzai dive or a Noske lap one. error, there was no real prospect of Wills’ race was about to end, the a pass and neither came, Noske second Kiwi already in fresh gear crossing the line a car’s length in box problems and headed for retire front. For his part, Dixon’s last lap ment. The luck must change soon... had taken another half a second off Dixon was already all over Noske the lap record set the previous time and it would go on and on — the yellow car nosing inside at the around — 1:16.72 the final mark. Ramsay completed a solid race in esses, pit corner, Penrite, Repco. third, from the distant Kelly, De Lap after lap. Vries, Power, Jacobson, Johansson, Noske had it covered and there Crampton and Oakeshott, the lat were no mistakes. ter pair a lap dovm. Ramsay was running securely in Dixon is now clearly the man to third, while Friesacher spun away fourth on lap four, leaving De Vries beat for the title. 17 points is no and the rapidly-closing Kelly next huge margin, but at Winton there was the pace and clear head that in line until Todd went by and spells danger for his young Aussie pulled clear in fourth a lap later. Kelly made no impression on rivals. If he can get it off the line Ramsay and indeed spun himself better, it could get one-sided. And for those who’ve been headback to a 28 second gap in fourth on scratching, the youngest Gold Star lap 12,just as it began to get really winmer to date was David Brabham serious up front. Just over two to go and Noske (a one-offF2 race at the AGP in 1987, lapped a battling Oakeshott and age 22) and Kiwi Graham “Cassius” Crampton into the Motorsport McRae the only foreigner to win the News esses. They clearly didn’t see championship to date,in 1978. Dixon close behind and he was Points after round 3(of 6):Dixon 95; badly baulked, scrabbling through to cross the line nearly two seconds behind Noske.

Noske 78; Kelly 77;Ramsay 50; Frlesaoher 40; De Vries 36; Cramp 17; Asai 12; Edwards,Jacobson 10.

MAGINE YOURSELF IN THIS PICTURE. If you’ve always had a yearning to take to the track like the Castrol Cougars, but haven’t had a clue where to start, now’s your chance.

FAST WOMEN COME TO YOUR CITY.

FAST WOMEN VICTORI.4 Sat. May 23 at Sandown Raceway SOUTH .AUSTR.-VLIA Sat. June 13 at Mallala Motorsport Park

The Women in Motorsport Association is staging a series of spe cial events called ‘FastWomcn’ at race tracks around the country.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Join us and take part in a series of lectures and presentations

Sun. July 5 at Barbagnllo Raceway

from some of Australian Motor Sport’s most talented women - the Castrol Cougars, Tracey O’Rourke, Roslyn Poon, Amanda Sparks, Paula Elstrek, Magic Pass and Barbara Hepworth.

Name: Address:

There’ll be displays of racing apparel, a go-karting display and Holden’s racing Astra’s. Best of all, 40 women will be given the opportunity to learn advanced driving techniques in their own cars under the supervision of Jim Murcott’s Advanced Driving Centre. So, for a taste of the thrill of motor sport in a

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11 8MayW98

WINTON

ATCC

EVERY WHICH WAY... but gone. Ingall got the Castro! Commodore VERY

Ul Squ

50-^

l Bowe takes win at action-packed Winton l Ingall finishes 1-2-3 to take series lead l Lowndes DNFs in Race 3 after clash with Perkins

l Skaife upsets Dunlop with pole and third overall l Seton struggles to stay in championship contention l Commodore wing controversy results in successful Perkins protest l Mai Rose wins fierce battle in Privateer ranks . Report by PHIL BRANAGAN HELPING HAND... Skaife speared off In race one (top) but, after grassing It for a while (above) rejoined to take third on the day. MR CONSISTENT... Dunlop were expecting to win at Winton but the identity of the driver(below) was a bit of a surprise, even to Mr Bowe... (Photos by MPix, Phil Williams and Dirk Klynsmith)

RUSSELL Ingall and Craig Lowndes head into the second half of the 1998 Shell Australian Touring Car Championship practically level on points after

a dramatic weekend’s racing at Winton Motor Raceway. John Bowe took the honours for the weekend with two wins and a second in the Shell Helix Falcon, while a first-corner race three inci dent involving Lowndes, Ingall and Larry Perkins had dramatic consequences. While Craig and Larry suffered broken wheels in the incident Russell bounced -literally - out of it almost unscathed and launched a brilliant charge into third place to take the series lead by four points. After taking a stunning pole on Saturday Mark Skaife survived his own turn one drama in race one, and took third overall on the day with a dogged display. Other Bridgestone runners especially in Falcons - struggled. Defending Champion Glenn Seton had one of his least competitive showings for years. Apart from lack¬ ing tyre speed the Ford Credit driver suffered a blown engine and a myri¬ ad ofset-up problems. There were spins and incidents aplenty in the races, many involving leading cars and, after the racing, the stewards’ office was a busy place. A controversy regarding the mea¬ surement of the newly-trimmed Commodores’ Gurney flap blew up on Saturday when Perkins protested an apparently revised method of measurement. The stewards agreed with LP and the established mea¬ surements were used to ensure all Commodore wings were trimmed the required 2mm. \ Following the racing CAMS scru-, tineers measured all wings and impounded two for measurement (see news pages). After suffering a blown engine on

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s/deivays at the start of race three. If not for the helpful’ tap from Lowndes he would have beached the car and DNF’d. He finished third- and Lowndes DNF’d.(p^cos by Peter Has,is ana mp,.,

re in Love and War Shell Australian Touring Car Championship

Round 5 lV/HICT Friday Mai Rose bounced back by taking overall Privateer honours in what were great battles throughout all three races.

Entry and qualifying Boom (noun); a sudden increase in activity, a concentration of interest (esp. in a commodity) [source: Oxford dictionary]. Boom (noun);41V8 Supercars at Winton [source: SATCC pro¬ gramme]. here were cars, cars, cars Tjammed into Winton’s brand new and particularly impressive garages. All they needed to ensime good rac ing was co-operation from the mete-

orologists. It was raining - everywhere. In Melbourne people were freezing; in Sydney, they were doing their dough as unknown mud-pluggers beat the fancies at the races. In Brisbane league legends were sliding in the mud. But in Benalla, it was perfect. Fiercely cold in the morning, sure. but as the cars and drivers warmed to the task of going fast, so did the weather. Victoria - perfect one day. owned by Kennett’s mates the next. Continued over page TIMELY TONY... Longhursthad his best result of the season, finish¬ ing fourth overall. (Photos by Dirk Klynsmith)

BOREB

season, Superkarttng offers you an affordable means to go racing competitively. For more information on how to become involved in Superkarts and about coming events, where they are racmg in your area contact your local Superkarting association on the numbers listed:

Classes to choose from:lOOcc noii-Gcarliox, 80cc Gearbox,125cc Gearbox & 250cc National & Mternational MCTORIA (03)9701 5566 6-7/6 Winton (Victorian Champs)

NEW SOUTH WALES (02)9868 1178 17/5 Wakefield Park

QUEENSLAND (07)3899 5618 AH 10/5 Lakeside 31/5 Lakeside

SOUTH AUSTRALIA (08)8278 9148 AH 7/6 Mallala

Vl^STAUSTTLALIA (08)939^ 0^5'’ 7/6 Wanmeroo

24 8May ms

WINTON

ATCC

Continued from page 23 For the first time in ages two yeare, actually - the Big Kids were allowed to play on Friday. Skaife topped Bowe by 0.03s in the solo 30-minute with session, eight Bridgestone cars next. When it came time to go fast for the clocks the Friday Ford time meant plenty. Bowe set the ball rolling. After easing out to warm up his Dunlops the Ford man came up with a pretty damn dazzling lm23.37s to take the lead and, for a brief moment, the DJR team (running on Dunlop’s 359s) 1-2 was Bowe and Johnson - Steven. The A DUNLOP CIRCUIT? Maybe, but everyone gives it lots in qualifying. Above, Perkins skates off backwards,%st missing Racing for Life cai' was going the marshalls’post. The Commodores had their Gurney flap trimmed; look at the attack angle ofLP’s rear wing... for its life and Junior whis DITTO... Johnson Sr had one of his best-ever runs at Winton, giving his new Falcon a hard workout. (Photos by ark Kiynsmuh) tled mound in lm24.03s, only to be heaved five seconds after he split the timing beam by Perkins with a lm24.00s. Then, a red flag. Garth Tander, struggling to get speed out of his new rubber, hurled the Valvoline Commodore into the sand at Penrite and the session was halted for almost three min utes while the youngster was extracted. When things restarted the m3fth of Dunlop Winton supe riority was shattered. Almost unseen Skaife - who had been as low as seventh in the noon session - had bombed in a 23.56s, before the stoppage, for second and, when he got a clear track, bested it was a startling lm23.08s. Jaws dropped everywhere. Including in the Mobil pit. “We’re a bit surprised,” Skaife admitted. “We did mid-24s on despite picking up 0.3s in the - Darren Hossack - went the to face a fairly uneventful session arguing with the old tyres, but you never know afternoon, the defending wrong way on set-up and Simday in Benalla. stewards,” he said. He won how much you’re going to pick Champ was way back in 11th. missed the fastest 50 percent the argument, and third was The car was just not working, cut but still hauled up to 18th up (on new ones, not necessarily a bad place to Privateer Dash overall. be. Bridgestone’s 377). We especisdly on new tyres, team (6 laps) manager Tony Murphy not Steven Ellery was in the thought a mid-to-late 24, but That said. Ingall was not this...” enamoured with fourth. After ing a lack of any temperature ●same boat in the Konica HYL Skaife went on to describe machine, suffering the a 23.81s lap in the morning - in the rubber. “We’re stuck Any of first cor nerpredictions carnage were settled now,” he said on Sunday Winton new tyre syndrome. it as one of the best laps in on three used Dunlops and a very early. At the first comer He was 20th. morning. “He’s just going to his life, together with his newie - he was looking for a Conway rubbed another car have to drive the wheels off Skaife-like time in the 14 With the huge field the Primus 1000 pole lap. He and half-spun into the middle heat was on for the Privateers it.” would have few arguments, minute session and emerged ^'of the road. D’arcy Russell and the emerging Kevin Another perplexed driver Lowndes was sixth. He from the car looking like was left with nowhere to go Heffeman came through with was Jason Bargwanna. He thunder when the time didn’t had, in his understated man and clouted the GAMPS car the Level 3 pole position. 'The was feeling down, down, ner, “lots of little problems” come. He was confident that heavily. Both were out for the down after the session; on Price Attack car was right on his race times would be quick and thought that his best day. the mark with a lm26.65s lap Monday he had fired in a er than his qualifier (they time of lm24.07s would only In the mayhem 'Tratt shot and ‘Heff was suitable 23.9s on less-that-new rubber were in 1997) but, even for be good enough to squeeze away from pole and was lead pleased that he had such a and thought himself a shot him into the top 10. He was .him, passing at Winton was ing by 3s after a single lap, for at least the first two rows. huge lead over the opposition going to be a big ask. happily wrong, but faced a going on to an effortless win -all of 0.16s! A lm24.87s t«et with two In seventh was Tony busy warm-up. from the feisty Gary Quartly Second in class was Rose, a wheels on the grass for 50m Longhurst on lm24.27s. His and Chris Smerdon. Bowe was delighted with on Shell straight) left him top job in hght of the fact that car - and that of team-mate Imrie was fourth after his own time, admitting that downcast; “I know the car is an overnight engine rebuild Skaife’s time was out of Alan Jones - was suffering withstanding a hard chal meant the first time he got better than that, and I can go the usual-for-this-track reach, but less rapt in his lenge from Crick, who lost faster, but I’m 12th. If you new tjTes was in the session understeer problems, which understeering car. He was patience at Penrite on lap itself. thought qualifying at the team thought was worse four and looped the still looking for perfect bal Steve Reed was third in Symmons was important, on AJ’s car because his dri Commodore. ance. here it’s vital.” class after going the wrong Best drive of the race - and ving style accentuated it com Steven J’s time was good Garth 'Tander was kicking way on set-up, while Anthony pared to Tony’s. There was a fastest lap - went to Melinda enough for fifth. He had sur himself for his off and not Tratt was 0.05s back ii\ new, slightly softer Price. After almost missing vived a big morning moment fourth in the Toll Falcon. pleased for failing to get the Yokohama tyre to assist the the start (the Cougars car when his throttle stuck open best out of himself and the On his return to racing cause. was sitting at 45 degrees to in the Motorsport News car. He was 19th on after his Lakeside shunt Greg Behind Johnson Sr came traffic and being instructed Esses, missing the flaggies lm25.58s. Crick was back in eighth in Jason Bright. The Pirtek by an official when the green point by “about two thou”. He John Faulkner had shown class. His Ericsson Falcon was wanting “to swap went on) she avoided all the tried to motor the full-pow Commodore was suffering the good form in the ‘untimed’ ends in the corners. We chaos around he and howled ered RFL Falcon to a safe sessions (eighth in the AM) in same problem as quite a few played with the set-up for through the field, hauling all spot in the infield, adding the Betta Commodore, only to Privateers; it was SLOWER qualifying and picked up sixthe way to seventh after “I’m glad Dad didn’t see me.” suffer a drop-off (or, more on fresh tyres, in this case by tenths in the session, so we ■starting 15th in a top drive. Dad had his own problems. accurately, a lack of pick up) a whopping 0.6s. The cause of are heading in the right direc The new Helix car picked up on fresh rubber when the the problem (new tyres) was tion. But we ran out of time.” 0.7s on fresh rubber and Dick time came. He was 13th, fully now gone and Crick was con Mark Larkham was back in Race 1 (15 laps) was eighth, a fair spot on a 1.8s off the identically-tyred fi dent of a good showing on 11th. His driving style (he track he cares little for, kaife was looking for a Skaife. race day, but faced a lot of likes a ‘nosy’ car) was exacer though he was only two good start to get into the overtaking on raceday. D2 -.Darren Pate - was bating the same problem tenths offrow two. fi rst corner in the lead. He At the tail end of the field providing some light in Bright was having and, Perkins’ 24 neat had been didn’t get that far; after 50m the ‘bubble’ was close. Mike Gibson Motorsport’s tunnel. despite picking up almost set after two offs in the morn the car was suddenly side Imrie beat Richard Mork to He qualified 14th, a season 1.5s between the sessions, ing session and the time 36th best time by all of ways on the grass after a tap best for himself and the there was still more work for bounced the Enforcer off third from Perkins spun him. He 0.0018s to make the field, Wynns team, and looked the Stones team to do. by 0.03s. LP said he was fair zoomed across the green and leaving Mork, Bob Pearson, capable of improving follow Seton’s lm24.7s lap in the ly happy. “I thought I’d be resumed fifth. Simon Emerzidis, Barry noon session had been good^ ing some mid:-week testing further back after spending That allowed Bowe to lead Morcom and Charles R3anan which aided rear end grip. D1 enough for second but. an hour and a half before the

JM Ingall, Perkins, Johnson S, Skaife, Lowndes, Longhurst, Bright, Bargwanna, Johnson D,Seton and Larkham. Bowe wasted no time, building a lead of a 1,7s after a lap but, after three more, he knew he was a dead duck, “it was oversteering hadly,” he said later. Soon Ingall wasi enforcing his way to the tail of the Ford. By lap five he had arrived. Skaife was feeling feisty, tapping Perkins at Repco on lap two to get by but, sorting out the moment, Lowndes and Larry got him on the exit. With the car not 100 percent after the hit Skaife could not keep up with those two; soon he would have Longhurst all over him. The first of the battles was for eighth between Bargwanna, the Johnsons and Seton who, even at this stage, was straggling to hang onto the DJR cars. Worse, Steven was having a wheel bearing fail and still Glenn battled. By lap eight Lowndes was almost with Ingall. Russell wasn’t going to wait; he tapped JB at Penrite and rifled through to the lead. Neither driver complained afterwards and Ingall had pulled out 1.32s by the end of the race. Behind the race was on for the scraps. Lowndes gave chase to Perkips for the first half of the race until a front tyre started to fade hadly and Craig fell back, finishing just clear of Longhurst in

fifth.

He had moved through on Skaife, who had Bargwanna all over him for the last few laps after Jason had forced his namesake Bright into an error at Yokohama on lap 11. Bright led home the Dunlop shod Fords of Steven and Dick Johnson, Jr just nurs ing home his wonky bearing. Seton was even luckier than that. He had been up with the family feud until the engine suddenly soured and, after the chequered flag fell, Glenn staggered only as far as Penrite before having to be unceremoniously towed back to his garage. A new V8 went in for race two. Following his Dash win Tratt was untouchable in Privateer ranks, heading home Rod Nash, Rose and Smerdon, while Reed and Crick were just clear of Week

Race 2 (15 laps)

eton made it out in time for the second race while Bowe (running much revised suspension) faced beating Ingall to the first corner. He didn’t have to, as it turned out. Ingall led away from Bowe, Perkins, Lowndes, Skaife, Longhurst, Bright, Johnson and son and Seton. All eyes went towards turn one oh lap two. Tander spun on the exit after a tap and, in the melee Larkham (who had been looking up Garth’s inside) and Finnigan got involved, the Mitre 10 Fnrd leaping a metre or so into the air before continuing. . In the next race there was another Larkham/Tander incident and, after the rac ing, the stewards called both in for a ‘Please explain’.

^ *'

■'

8Msfim

/]^®0®[fs[P®[f0 KIDS JUST WANNA HA VE FUN... And win races. Bright, '\Bargwanna and Steven Johnson had some strong battles.

n The impressive new hospitality suites at Winton set a new stan dard for most of the tracks in the country and certain ly caught the eye of the drivers. Jason Bright after qualifying;“If things don’t improve that’s where you’ll find me tomoiTow.

(Photo by Dirk Klynsmith)

Ingall wasn’t running away this time. Much happi er on revised settings Bowe’s car was flowing around the track, hauling onto Ingall’s bumper on lap three. Having disposed of Perkins, Lowndes was also closing and it was looking like a three-way bat tle up front. Further back there was an all-Ford war between the Longhurst, Bright, the Johnsons and Seton. Glenn was still battling the car and almost ran into the rear of Steven at Yokohama on lap five, spinning to the. outside before resuming in 15th. Immediately after. Junior slowed with engine problems and pitted, the RFL team facing their own quick engine change. Afterwards there was oil (Helix?) running from the Dunlop straight to Masport turn, claiming several dri vers as the laps ticked by.

■ Fast engines; Seton’s and Johnson’s crews perfoi-med some swift engine changes after race one and two respectively. Glenn’s lads won the race with a handy 48 minute out-and-

in effort.

It was only a matter of time before the battle for the lead went in favour of the Ford and Bowe eased past on

behind, Skaife was driving like a demon to hold out Perkins, the two nose-to-tail ahead of the closing

lap 10. He jjulled a little Longhurst, whose tyres clean air but couldn’t get seemed to be getting stronger away from Ingall, who as the others went off. Johnson Sr was seventh stayed within three car lengths until the run to the from Romano (a strong run flag. j after starting 18th), Bright Lowndes had fallen a full and Faulkner, who was being 10s back by the end but, hauled in by the impressive

Shell Australian Touring Car Championship Qualifying Time Car Fte Driver 1:23.0877 Mobil-HRT Commodore 1 Mark Skaife 1:23.3767 Shell Helix Falcon 2 John Bowe 1:24.0014 Castrol-Perkins Commodore 3 Larry Perkins 1:24.0303 Castrol-Perkins Commodore 4 Russell Ingall 1:24.0461 5 Steven Johnson Racing for Life Falcon 1:24.0736 6 Craig Lowndes Mobil-HRT Commodore 1:24.2724 7 Tony Longhurst Castrol-Longhurst Falcon 1:24.2785 8 Dick Johnson Shell Helix Falcon 1:24.3120 Pirtek Falcon 9 Jason Bright 1:24.4130 10 Glenn Seton Ford Credit Falcon 1:24.4431 Mitre 10 Falcon 11 Mark Larkham 12 Jason Bargwanna Valvoline-Cummins Commodore 1:24.8778 13 John Faulkner Betta-Fisher&Paykel Commodore 1:24.9162 1:24.9209 14 Darren Pate Wynns-Kmart Commodore 15 Paul Romano Commodore 1:24.9312 1:25.3280 16 Alan Jones Komatsu-Castrol Falcon 1:25.3733 17 Terry Finnigan Sony Commodore 1:25.4881 18 Darren Hossack Wynns-Kniart Commodore 19 Garth Tander Valvoline-Cummins Commodore 1:25.5833 1:25.7901 20 Steve Ellery Konica-HYL Commodore 1:26.6568 21 Kevin Heffernan Price Attack Commodore 22 Mai Rose Fairfax-McGraths Commodore 1:26.8176 23 Steve Reed 1:27.0345 Lansvale Smash Commodore 1:27.0841 Toll Falcon 24 Anthony Tratt 25 Rod Nash Nash Commodore 1:27.3431 26 Paul We 1:27.5176 Tradelink Falcon 27 Chris Smerdon IT Services Commodore 1:27.7579 Trust Bank-Ericsson Commodore 1:27.7841 28 Greg Crick 29 Peter Doulman Happy Birthday Grant Commodore 1:27.8219 1:28.1396 30 Melinda Price Castrol Cougars Commodore 1:28.1560 31 Danny Osborne Colourscan Falcon 1:28.3490 32 D'arcy Russell Rod Smith Racing Commodore 1:28.4867 33 Gary Quartly Gearbox Commodore 1:28.9381 34 Mike Conway OAMPS Falcon 35 Michael Donaher Ultra Tune Commodore 1:29.1748 36 Mike Imrie SAAB Wreck Commodore 1:29.6023 37 Richard Mork Mork Commodore 1:30.6041 Pro-duct Commodore 38 Bob Pearson 1:31.4256 39 Simon Emerzidis Simon Earthworks Commodore 1:31.5964 1:32.0478 40 Barry Morcom Plasta Masta Commodore 1:32.7454 41 Charles Ryman Falcon Race 2-15 laps Rds Driver Race time 1 John Bowe ' 21:29.0688 21:29.4668 2 Russell Ingall 21:39.9276 3 Craig Lowndes 21:43.3097 4 Larry Perkins 5 Mark Skaife 21:44.0336 6 Tony Longhurst 21:45.1506 7 Dick Johnson 21:45.8864 8 Paul Romano 21:50.7188 21:51.7618 9 Jason Bright 10 John Faulkner 21:57.9709 11 Darren Hossack 21:58.5494 22:07.1348 12 Steve Eiiery 13 Garth Tander 22:12.8306 14 Glenn Seton 22:21.6334 15 Mark Larkham 22:24.7451 16 Chris Smerdon 22:37.7266 22:38.0727 17 Anthony Tratt 18 Steve Reed 22:38.6171 22:38.8445 19 Greg Crick 20 Mai Rose 22:47.4402 21 Rod Nash 22:50.9469 22 Melinda Price 22:51.1995 23 Peter Doulman 14 laps 24 Gary Quartly 14 laps 25 Simon Emerzidis 14 laps 26 Michael Donaher 14 laps DNF Kevin Heffernan 13 laps ■ DNF PaulWeel maps DNF Jason Bargwanna 10 laps DNF Charles Ryman 8 laps DNF Alan Jones 7 laps DNF Steven Johnson Slaps DNF Darren Pate Slaps DNF Danny Osborne Slaps DNF Terry Finnigan 1 lap

F4ap On 1:24.6577 5 1:24.6760 5 1:24.9229 5 1:25.3308 4 1:25.705411 1:25.2631 11 1:25.674112 1:25.479211 1:25.8407 6 1:25.8117 6 1:26.0068 5 1:25.9348 6 1:26.5723 5 1:25.4263 5 1:26.140512 1:28.5324 9 1:28.073510 1:28.059313 1:27.439213 1:28.4689 8 1:28.6727 9 1:28.749310 1:28.7504 8 1:29.631313 1:29.883610 1:29.9061 5 1:28.245910 1:28.172010 1:25.4311 9 1:32.7879 3 1:25.7034 5 1:26.6716 5 1:25.8010 5 1:29.6025 3 No Time

Race 1 -15 laps Race time Rb Driver 21:34.6658 1 Russell Ingall 21:35.9874 2 John Bowe 21:37.3656 3 Larry Perkins 21:44.1316 4 Craig Lowndes 5 Tony Longhurst 21:48.8793 21:51.3876 6 Mark Skaife 7 Jason Bargwanna 21:51.6871 21:53.7951 8 Jason Bright 9 Steven Johnson 21:54.2012 21:54.8611 10 Dick Johnson 11 Glenn Seton 21:58.3242 21:59.7061 12 John Faulkner 13 Alan Jones 21:59.9887 22:07.1049 14 Steve Ellery 22:16.7901 15 Mark Larkham 22:16.9954 16 Terry Finnigan 17 Darren Pate 22:17.4090 18 Paul Romano 22:17.8919 19 Garth Tander 22:23.3324 22:25.8875 20 Anthony Tratt 21 Darren Hossack 22:31.5742 22:32.1093 22 Rod Nash 23 Mai Rose 22:36.8034 22:41.5779 24 Chris Smerdon 25 Steve Reed 22:43.6350 22:44.7982 26 Greg Crick 27 PaulWeel 22:45.4839 28 Peter Doulman 22:45.8492 29 Kevin Heffernan 22:46.2594 22:51.7363 30 Danny Osborne 31 Michael Donaher 14 laps 32 Simon Emerzidis 14 laps 33 Gary Quartly 12 laps DNF Melinda Price 10 laps DNF Charles Ryman 8 laps

Race 3-15 laps ft® Driver Race time 1 John Bowe 21:26.4177 2 Mark Skaife 21:40.5899 21:40.6698 3 Russell Ingall 4 Tony Longhurst 21:40.9519 5 Dick Johnson 21:41.2866 6 Paul Romano 21:42.2027 21:44.0442 7 Jason Bright 21:47.4693 8 Steve Ellery 9 Glenn Seton 21:48.7919 10 Steven Johnson 21:49.3229 11 Jason Bargwanna 21:49.7707 12 Darren Hossack 21:50.2198 13 Alan Jones 22:01.5727 14 Darren Pate 22:02.2202 15 PaulWeel 22:19.6541 16 Garth Tander 22:21.5567 22:24.3012 17 Larry Perkins 18 Steve Reed 22:28.2086 19 Mai Rose 22:31.5249 20 Rod Nash 22:32.6084 22:38.1819 21 GregCriok 22 Chris Smerdon 22:56.11 23 Peter Doulman 22:56.6230 24 Michael Donaher 14 laps 25 Gary Quartly 14 laps 26 Melinda Price 13 laps DNF Craig Lowndes 8 laps DNF Mark Larkham 7 laps DNF Anthony Tratt Slaps DNF Charles Ryman Slaps DNF Kevin Heffernan 1 lap

F4ap On 1:24.5869 5 1:25.3588*4 1:24.1926 4 1:24.108613 1:25.0821 4 1:24.7410 3 1:24.3074 4 1:25.4164 5 1:25.264611 1:24.7638 4 1:25.155112 1:25.4531 4 1:25.405812 1:25.830712 1:27.276511 1:26.0635 5 1:24.816411 1:27.2831 2 1:27.7712 4 1:27.6000 9 1:27.8408 8 1:29.4892 8 1:29.394010 1:28.836014 1:29.246710 1:31.9779 3 1:26,8151 4 1:25.2588 5 1:28.4572 4 1:31.2502 5 No Time

F4ap On 1:24.9037 5 1:25.4071 5 1:25.0745 5 1:24.8827 5 1:24.9950 5 1:25.2036 4 1:25.6605 6 1:25.4839 4 1:25.6635 6 1:25.5701 7 1:25.5295 7 1:25.9486 4 1:26.0160 6 1:26.0325 6 1:26.3877 6 1:26.5821 9 1:26.381010 1:26.2899 5 1:26.6477 5 1:27.3898 4 1:26.834214 1:27.326413 1:28.1729 5 1:27.9192 8 1:27.4006 5 1:28.4773 6 1:27.692711 1:28.6980 9 t:28.7834 7 1:28.8987 5 1:29.1089 5 1:29.456910 1:31.266310 1:28.3298 9 1:32.4009 5

POINTSCORE 504 Ingcill Lowndes 500 Bowe 424 Perkins 422 Skaife 406 D.Johnson 340 334 Longliurst 330 Selon 324 Bargwanna 268 Romano 204 Richards Larkham 184 Faulkner 158 140 Ellery Jones 133 107 Finnigon Hossack 118 S.Johnson 82 Crick 60 58 Ashby Tander 51 Pate 50 48 Poole 44 Mezera Reed 41 Smerdon 36 Doulman 26 24 20 Hislop Rose 23 Weel 26 Brewer 14 Osborne 12 Trott 11 McLeod 10 Price 8 Heffernan 8 Mork 4 Nash 3

Hossack at the end. The Privates battle was brilliant. In 16th Smerdon led Tratt, Reed, Crick, Rose, Nash and a closing Price in a pack which swirled around the track for all 15 laps, Chris held on to win by a nan-ow 0.35s.

Race 3 (15 laps) One-all and Ingall. between The bestBowe starter in the business against, er, one not so good. What were the . odds of Ford leading into the first comer? Pretty damn good. JB and Russell leapt away together while, behind, Lowndes and Perkins had a reasonably harmless-looking rubbing session ori the way to the corner. Only it wasn’t harmless, Both cars hit hard enough to break wheels. Perkins (who also thought he felt a hit in the rear) was having trouble stopping for the corner and hit Ingall. The #8 Commodore was sideways on turn-in, rubbing the door of Bowe. “I was gone,” Ingall said later. “On full lock, tail heading for the sand, gone.” He needed help. He got it from Lowndes. The Mobil car crunched the Castrol one, knocked it straight, Russell grabbed a gear and got on with it - in seventh. All this left Bowe with a car’s length gap over Skaife, Johnson Sr, Lowndes (who was about to pit). Bright, Ingall, Longhurst, Perkins (also pit-bound), Hossack, Romano, Ellery and Seton. From the back Bargwanna and Johnson Jr were ablaze. After a lap Bargs was 13th, having passed 16.cars (!) and Junior was two spots behind. Bargwanna lost two spots on the next lap, allowing Steven past, but the two would play together for the rest of the race. This was a heaven-sent gift for Bowe. He just drove away from the field and, by the end of the 15 laps, was more than 14s clear _ _ of _ Skaife in a brilliant display. But all eyes were on Ingall. Once he figured out the car was okay (well, the steering was a little ofD he went after Bright. It took some time tq, find a way through and he found a way between turns one and two on lap 10, immediately

pulling away. That meant that he took the effective lead in the championship. The broken splitter on Lowndes’ car had caused grief, forcing him to run wide in corners a few times and, after eight laps and several incidents (one of which involved turning Larkham around on Shell straight on lap aseven), for DNF. he had parked it Ingall wasn’t finished. Next time around he exited the Motorsport News Esses with momentum on Johnson Sr. Dick squeezed him but Ingall kept coming, just making it through at turn one for third, Skaife was a different matter. His tyres were well used and his adjustable rollbars were maxed out, but Skaife wasn’t giving way, driving hard on the defensive line. Ingall knew that a real big go could have both off the track and threw a lot, but not everything, at him with no success. Right behind in fourth was Longhurst . While he showed plenty of speed, setting fastest lap of the three races on lap 13 (and a faster lap than he qualified with) Tony wasn’t really able to pick up spots on the track. His 5-6-4 result got him fourth overall on the day. With a good qualifying run his first win of the season may be just around the corner. Johnson was next, ahead of the gaining Romano, Bright and Ellery, who had moved ahead of Seton, while Johnson Jr was 10th just deal’ of Romano. Star of the Privateers’ bat tle this time was Paul Week In the early rush the Tradelink Falcon put a cou ple of contenders between itself and the opposition and the young Queenslander eked out eight seconds over Reed, Rose and Nash by the end. Three different winners on the day and Rose, who hadn’t been one of them, took the honours for the round. This control tyre class is going from strength to strength. The moral of the weekend was that a DNF can really affect the championship and that, while the series is now definitely between the top five, there are still a few wildcard results in the offing.

■ Bagging flaggies is usually considered poor form, but not a single dri ver reported seeing a yel low flag preceding the beached-at-theMotorsport-News-Esses Perkins Commodoi’e in the Saturday noon session. The reason was that the flaggies (THREE of them) were all watching the cars come towards them, rather than away as per normal. During Sunday’s warm-up they were little better. As Ingall might say, “Shine up, boys”... ■ While Sam Newman’s Falcon-in-an-HQ-race drive was looked upon as a PR coup for the class, Holden PR reps showed considerable restraint by not issuing bulletins after seven of the 25 plus-yearold Qs out-qualified the sliiny XR6... ■ Damon Buckmaster’s big off in qualifying left him in a hazy state, even at the meet-the-people ses sion hours later. Host; “You hit the wall on the straight, Damon”. Bucky; “Did I?” ■ Peter Doulman was running unusual signage on his Commodore ‘Happy Birthday Grant’. His son was tuning 10 on the weekend but he didn’t get his birthday wish, which was a trip to Winton wdth dad for the Shell round. ■ Don’t believe evei’ything you read. Those decals on the front of Anthony Tratt’s Toll Falcon reads ‘Bridgestone’ but the car, like all the Level 3s, runs on Yokohamas. ■ Privateer winner Mai Rose proudly displayed his new McGraths-supplied transporter at Winton, putting an end to years of towing his race cars behind his faithful (and presumably, by now, weUused) Falcon ute. Rose still has to drive the rig, though. ■ With regular Shell Series commentator Barry Oliver busy on Targa Tasmania duties, Chris Jewell stepped into the breach. By Satm'day a combination of a bad throat and his usual microphone enthusiasm already had him hoarse... - PHIL BRANAGAN

„..k.oJ53C110KIS AIR

Pos.Driver

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8 Jimmy Ellis 9 Bob Middleton 10 Paul Stocker 1 1 Dean Wanless 12 Daryl Coon 13 Gene Cook 14 15 16 17

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Ken James Andrew Calvert Sign Pro Pro Heads Scott March Marshall Brewer Pennzoil ‘ ClarionA/ision Car Alarms/No Fear 18 Greg Murphy Consolidated Waste 19 John Maultsaid Terry Byers Motorsport 20 Terry Byers 21 Leslie Kenneweli Mark Colin Packaging 22 Todd Wanless Metalcorp Steel 23 Allan Roark ACL Bearings/Mita Copiers 24 Graham Smith Graham Smith Racing 25 Kevin Schwantz Clarion/Vision Car Alarms/No Fear 26 Nathan Pretty 27 Mark Harrison

NEWS

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2S 8May^998

Thunderdome my priority: Jane Shift in focus for Calder Park Raceway

NASCAR racing is the undis puted priority at Calder Park. That’s the message from the cir cuit’s owner, Bob Jane, who is returning to the helm in a day to day fashion following the recent departure of Calder MD Ed Ritchie. While the future of Drag and Circuit racing, or the degree to which either will play a part in Calder operations, has yet to be decided, the man who built the Dome is adamant that NASCAR racing will be his prime focus: “My recent trip to the new race in Japan, at Motegi, was inspira tional,” Jane told Motorsport News this week. “Honda spent $850 million build ing that place and to see and hear NASCARs running there was unbe lievable. “There’ll be a number of useful spin-offs from the Japanese

involvement for us - for example, we can expect to see Japanese dri vers down here testing and proba bly racing.” Jane, looking healthy after a recent battle with cancer and a recent back operation, has announced the appointment of a new Calder Marketing Manager. Genevieve Rourke, based at Bob Jane International’s offices in Melbourne, takes over the role immediately. “We are modernising the struc ture of the way we go about run ning Calder,” Jane said in reference to the recent departures from the Calder staff, “and looking at all aspects of the other types of motorsport we run at Calder.” While drag racing is under the microscope, Jane also intends addressing the sheer costs (specifi cally CAMS permit costs) involved

Racing a Chevrolet Monte Carlo in run the NASCAR Busch series is currently ning both up and down as we’ve lost our major sponsor, so I’m trying to find some money to allow us to go to as many races as we can - ifs sure tough out there. Our primary sponsor, Ryder, has moved away from the race scene. It appears to be as a result of a power struggle amongst their management guys at the top - the new man will not support any of the previous manager’s marketing strategies, regardless of whether they were good or bad. We still have Galaxy pre-paid Phone Cards on board and they are doing what they can to assist - we’re trying to help them get more places to sell their cards, which will result increased funding for us. If we don’t get more financial support, we might do another ten series races this year. I’ll race at the ones that are important and at the events where we can get some test time at and, hopefully, we’ll attract enough attention for next'year’s assault on the series. Suzuki is on board with me this year and that helps,

he team is now called Lone Star Motorsport and, at the recent Talladega super speedway event, we had sponsorship from the Texas Border Tourism - we had Texas and 1800 telephone markings on the car for them and that continued support is a possibility, along with several other things. We're going Speedway to New at Hampshire International Loudon this weekend [May 9] and then we go to Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 23. I’ve just come back from testing on the 1.5-miler at Charlotte and everything went not too bad. Many of you will remember that I compet ed in my first-ever Busch race there last year - I also ran an ARCA car there last season. During last week’s test, we had some problems with the shocks on the car and I lost it between turns 3-4 and just barely brushed the wall with the back-end of it -

BRIGHT PROSPECTS ... Bob Jane has committed himself to a V8 Stock Car future. (Thunder-Pics photo) in running circuit racing. “We used to run up to 10 circuit

race meetings a year,” he said, “Nowadays, only the V8 Supercar

spot, I would give them the spot, I got shoved up into the wall a couple of times and had the nose taken off the car. After that meet, I decided I’d be a bit more aggressive - the next raceway we went to was Darlington and it is not a place where you can afford to be aggressive. I got involved in an accident after a cou ple of guys in front braked slightly and I tapped the back of one of them, resulting in an accident that never allowed me to get back out of the pits.

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nothing major, just a quick fibreglass and paint repair on the tail section. The guys in our raceshop had it just about finished the next day. Folk askWell, me how I’menjoy enjoying the Busch series. I really the racing part of it, but the worry about the funding and having to spend my money to do it has taken a lot of the fun out of it. I’m going to continue to foot the bill for this year, while we provide our current sup porters with as much coverage as possible for the balance of this season - and maybe they and some others will be with us into the future.

ey. I’m learning heaps over here, after starting to race these cars on the Calder Park Thunderdome, but getting the car set up for the long and short tracks takes some getting used too. The first short track 1 competed on was at Rockingham’s North Carolina Motor Speedway, which is one mile long and we didn’t have much of a racd car there - it was too tight all day long and I couldn’t do much with it. The next short track we went to was Nashville Speedway and I decided that I would go out there for the 320-lap race and stay out of trouble. When I got there, I was a little bit too easy - somebody would stick their nose up under me and, instead of fighting for the

t is definitely a great learning experience for me. The competition in Australia assist ed me a bit, but I’m losing about 2/10ths of a second on the other main racers during qualifying - there is that fine line between practice times and gaining a good grid posi tion. At several tracks I have gone faster in qualifying, but, most of the time, where I practice is where I start the races. I’ve got to learn to get the best out of the sticker tyres and the car's qualifying set-up if I’m to be further towards the front for the start of the races. I believe it will come with time.

Mooresville, where my raceshop is located. I shifted a bunch of my stuff from Texas over to here, plus my parents have arrived to help to get the race team sorted out. They are helping with the running of things with sponsorship, plus we’re looking for someone that we can trust to come in as our team manager and get everything going in a winning direction. Atwas Talladega, I told myself that the extra race more important than seeking sponsorship and I should concentrate on setting up the car properly. Then I'm late for the driver’s meeting, because a guy from ESPN wants to talk financials with me. so i had to start from the back of the field. In the race, I got collected In a wreck in the sixth lap because I was running around in 30th spot - I should have been 10 to 15 places ahead of that incident. But, every time I go to the track, I learn more and I feel confident that things will work out okay.

Several weeks ago. Mum and Dad and I were home and watched the motorcycle Grand Prix races at Malaysia’s Johor circuit on'television, plus we took in the World keep telling myself that the guys running Siiperbike Championship at Donington and for ‘Rookie of the Year’ is not really the bur own AMA Superbike series round at correct status for the majority of them -they Laguana Seca. Ifs good to see some guys giving Mick may be first-time Busch series racers, but they have been racing cars since they were Doohan a fair run for a change. I didn’t see the Cobra snake that kids and also competing in Late Models, appeared on the track during the race and Modifieds, ARCA, etc. We’re learning a tremendous amount made the news headlines, but I heard about each weekend, whereas they have been it from others. When we used to test the Suzukis in running on the tracks for years. Malaysia, we had the big iguanas and other At certain places we have been right there with them, giving them a good run for wild-life things crossing the track. If you ever crashed, it didn’t matter how rookie of the race. I still feel that it will be okay, but it’ll just bad you were hurt, you would crawl, or make your way off the grass and back onto take me a tad longer to learn, as we’re giv the pavement - never stay in the grass, or ing a lot away to some guys that have com peted on the Northern tracks for something woods, when you’re there. ' Noriyuki Haga is killing them in the World like the past six years, Supers at the moment and Ifs great to see ’ve purchased a house about thirty miles some new talent coming into the series north of Charlotte in a little town called he’s racing on circuits that he has never seen Davidson - it’s about 15 to 20 minutes from and is kicking the established guys’ butts.

1998 WINSTON CUP SERIES RESULTS California 500 - Fontana, CA. May 3rd, 1998. I.

Mark Martin,#6 Valvoline Ford Taurus

Jeremy Mayfield,#12 Mobil Ford Taurus

race is viable - and even that’s debatable.” - CHRIS LAMBDEN

3. t Terry Labonte,#5 Kellogg’s Chev Monte Carlo 4. Jeff Gordon,#24 DuPont Chev Monte Carlo 5. Darrell Waltrip,#1 Pennzoil Chev Monte Carlo 6. Chad Little,#97 John Deere Ford Taurus 7.

Geoff Bodine,#7 Philips Consumer Ford Taurus

Johnny Benson Jr, #26 Cheerios Ford Taurus

9. Dale ^amhardt,#3 GM Goodwrench Chev Monte Carlo 10. Jeff Burton,#99 Exide Batteries Ford Taurus

II. Ricky Rudd,#l0 Tide Ford Taurus 12. Ward Burton,#22 MBNA America Pontiac Grand Prix

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Current Points After Round 10

I. Jeremy Mayfield, Ford ....14571421 1410

13. Ernie Irvan, #36 Skitties Pontiac Grand Prix

2. Terry Labonte, Chev 3. Jeff Gordon, Chev ..

14. Sterling Marlin,#40 Coors Light Chev Monte Carlo 15. Ken Schrader,#33 Skoal Bandit Chev Monte Carlo

4. Rusty Wallace, Ford 5. Mark Martin, Ford ..

16. Kenny Irwin Jr,#28 Texaco Havoline Ford Taurus 17. Robert Pressley,#77 Jasper Ford Taurus 18. David Green,#96 Caterpillar Chev Monte Carlo

6. Dale Jarrett, Ford .. 7. Dale Earnhardt, Chev ....1223 I 184 8. Jimmy Spencer, Ford . 9. Bobby Labonte, Pontiac ..1 169 10. Ken Schrader, Chev 1 158

19. Kenny Wallace,#81 Square D Ford Taurus 20. Michael Waltrip,#21 Citgo Ford Taurus

1384 1334 1295

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BETTER DAYS... "Awesome Bill from Dawsonville” has now racked up two major wrecks in consecutive races. Elliott (left) was the innocent victim of an incident involv ing Ward Burton and Dale Earnhardt at the high-speed restrictor plate Talladega circuit and, one week later, the #94 Ford driver got caught up with Kyle Petty and again caught fire in simiar cir cumstances in the California 500. (Martin D Clark pic)

Elliott hurt again,this time in California Mark Martin totally dominated the California 500 on Sunday, May 3, leading the most laps and taking his third win of the year by 1.2 seconds. Jeremy Mayfield finished a strong second, his career-best result after a two-tyre stop late in the going. Mayfield’s Penske team-mate Rusty Wallace was running second and hounding Martin for the lead after the final caution, but unfortu nately Wallace’s engine went sour and cost him the chance of victory he finished 34th. The mechanical failure also cost Wallace his points lead, dropping him to fourth in the running, some 73 points in arrears, with Ma}dield now heading the way for the first time in his career. Martin lost the race last year on fuel mileage - this year they had that covered, but caution flags helped out the situation and changed the complexion of the race, “This Taurus was on the money today,” Martin said. “I was disap pointed last year, so this one is a redemption for last year.” Terry Labonte, inconspicuous as usual, bung around the front all of the four hours it took to run the 500 miler on the two-mile track, record ing a third place finish. Unlike the inaugural California event, there was a rash of wrecks and six cautions, the scariest involving - for the second week in a row - Bill Elliott and Kyle Petty. Elliott’s wreck was much like the previous week at Talladega, as he was again pinned against the fence on the front stretch and again he caught on fire. Elliott was airlifted to hospital complaining of a sore stomach and ankle - he also suffered cuts to his chin. Dale Jarrett blew his engine and this triggered the wreck in which Petty spun into Elliott - Dale Earnhardt was also involved and received damage, his team pitting five times under the caution with out losing a lap to net a ninth-place finish. Jeff Gordon pitted late for fuel and tyres, dropping him from third to 13th, but he charged back through the pack to finish fourth. “My car was pushing really, real-

ly bad,” said Gordon of his surpris ing stop, “so it wasn’t worth chanc ing. We have the best Chevrolet, but I’m not sure it’s enough.” Along with Martin, Jack Roush had Chad Little, Johnny Benson and Jeff Burton all in the top ten. Darrell Waltrip finished fifth, passing his car owner. Dale ^ Earnhardt, in the closing laps - not able to fend off Gordon, Waltrip still posted his best result since Sears Point last year.

Final result: Martin (Ford), Mayfield (Ford), T Labonte (Chevy), Gordon (Chevy), D Waltrip (Chevy), Little (Ford), G Bodine (Ford), Benson (Ford), Earnhardt (Chevy), J Burton (Ford). Points standings: Mayfield 1457, T Labonte 1421, Gordon, 1410, E Wallace 1384, Martin 1334, Jarrett 1295, Earnhardt 1223, Spencer 1184, B Labonte 1169, Schrader 1158. - MARTIN D CLARK

Talladega wreck-fest claims Bill and Dale Bobby Labonte, starting from the pole in the Die liard 500 at the daunting 2.5-mile TaUadega Speedway on April 26, also came away with the race win, passing brother Terry for the lead with less than two laps to nm in the 188-lap event. It was the first win for Pontiac at a restrictor plate track and the first for Pontiac at Talladega since Richai-d Petty in 1983-indeed, they are the only drivers to take Pontiac to victory lane at the big track. It was Labonte’s second straight pole in a restrictor plate race, after capturing the season-opening Daytona 500 front slot also. The schedule went from one extreme to the other, from Martinsville one weekend - the shortest track on the tour - to Talladega, the longest. Talladega is famous for it’s wild ■wrecks and this event was no different. On lap 142 enteidng the tri-oval on the front stretch. Ward Burton barely tapped Dale Earnhardt in the left-rear quarter. “I think I messed up. There was a lot of cars in front of me. I believe I got the left-front maybe four of five inches on the apron; that got me loose and chased the car up the track,” Burton admitted honestly. “I got into the side of the #3 [Earnhardt] car - I almost missed

him, but, hell, it doesn’t take much. “I’ve been preaching cause I’ve been caught in a lot of people’s wrecks here and never caused one but I think it was my fault today.” Burton’s ‘mess up’ and slight nudge resulted in the following: Earnhardt spun wildly at over 200 mph, taking Bill Elliott into the wall with him. The pair rode on their sides down the front stretch, with Kyle Petty propping the two against the catch fencing, Elliott’s front-end torn off and flames licking from the engine bay. An additional 16 cars were swept into the melee, many of them front runners and possible ■winners. Mark Martin, Ricky Rudd, Derrike Cope, John Andretti, Lake Speed, Michael Waltrip and Chad Little were among the unlucky that went along for the rollercoaster ride ■without a ticket. Thankfully, only Elliott and Earnhardt were injured and their injuries were considered minor, Elliott with a bruised sternum and Earnhardt with second degree bums around his face and neck. The fire from Elliott’s car also singed The Intimidator’s moustache and eyebrows through the vfindow. “It was just a big wreck,” said Earnhardt, the outside pole sitter. “This is not good racing. Our car

was good today, but we can’t keep racing like this, running over each other.” The first caution aired on lap 110, when Billy Standridge cut a right front tyre and planted debris on the back stretch. The only other time the yellow lights were switched on was for oil from the Johnny Benson Roush Taurus, Kenny Irwin in the similar Yates car detonating at the same point in time. Benson’s team-mate Jeff Burton was the first car out of the event, also with a spent powerplant, drop ping him six places in the points battle to 16th. The other Roush cars of Chad Little (crash), Mark Martin (crash) and Ted Musgrave (ignition) did not finish the event. The two Labontes, Jarrett and Earnhardt all dominated before the big shunt - in typical Talladega style, a freight train of over 20 cars was running together at the time of the wreck. After a 27 minute red flag period and seven caution laps, just five cars remained in the lead car draft once the green flag uncoiled for the battle over the final 31 circuits. Bobby Labonte headed the pack on the restart. Dale Jarrett taking the lead on the third occasion for three laps, before Terry Labonte

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drafted past on lap 186, with team mate Jeff Gordon in his miiTors. Gordon attempted to pass and was hung out to dry, signalhng to Bobby to run with him. “You’ve got to go for it. I did and nobody went with,me, but I didn’t really expect them to,” said Gordon, who dropped back to fifth and even tually lost the lead pack of four at the chequers. Terry held on for 20 tours until, with hel,p from Jimmy Spencer, Bobby drafted by his older brother down the backstretch, Jarrett also passing the Ice Man. Bobby held off Spencer by a mere .167 seconds at the stripe. Apparently Terry, who led the most laps, was not so cool after the race, disappearing before the media could get to him and was possibly fired up by his brother. Rusty Wallace, with an ill-draft ing Taurus, clung onto his points lead with a 12th-placed result, fol lowed by Penske team-mate Jeremy Mayfield, the last car on the lead lap - Wallace was extremely lucky, going through the middle of the wreck practically unscathed, excepting minor front-end damage, “It’s inevitable when you’re run ning that close. You’re running wide open and you’re at the mercy of the draft,” Rusty said. Final result: B Labonte (Pontiac) 163.439 mph, Spencer (Ford), Jarrett (Ford), T Labonte (Chevy), Gordon (Chevy), Irvan (Pontiac), K WaUace (Ford), W Burton (Pontiac), Mai’lin (Chevy), LaJoie(Chevy). Points standings: R Wallace 1318, Mayfield 1282, T Labonte 1256, Jarrett 1255, Gordon 1245, Martin 1149, B Labonte 1120, EUiott 1105, Earnhardt 1085, Spencer 1079. - MARTIN D CLARK

3d 8May ms

Coulthard's hot I

Not even an overheating car could stop David Coulthard from putting McLaren-Mercedes back in the winner’s circle in San Marino, as JOE SAWARD reports: DAVID Coulthard beat every one in the San Marino GP at Imola but he was nearly defeat ed by an overheating problem which had McLaren gnawing at finger-nails in the closing laps of the race. But the Scotsman did a sterling job to control the race and came home for his first win of the year and he is now only three points behind Mika Hakkinen, who retired with a gearbox problem ... That allowed Michael Schumacher to move up to a close second place at the finish while Eddie Irvine made it a 2-3 result for Ferrari. The Williams were barely com petitive, Jacques Villeneuve follow ing Irvine home with Frentzen much further back in fifth. It was still a good race, though, full of atmosphere and with a result which closed up the World Championship standings.

After six weeks of South American adventures, the Formula 1 circus is always glad to be back in Europe. The joy that one associates with Imola has been missing these last

WURZ LUCK... Young Austrian Alexander Wurz was again impressive, qualifying ahead of teammate Fisichella, but his car stuck in gear soon after the start and he lost a lap.

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few years. The evil race in 1994 cast a long dark shadow over the circuit but now the bad vibes are lifting. Imola will always be the place where Ayrton Senna died but the passion and the Spring fever associated with the San Marino GP are back. In the grandstands are Ferrari fans who speak Italian and in the fields and beer halls are the Schumi Troopers of Michael’s First Camper Car Division, enjoying their first assault of the year across the German border. The Italian and German fans have one thing in common. They have come to see Schumi win for

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Ferrari, for Italy, for Gennany, for the greater glory of the sport. The guys in the way are the evil darkclothed forces of McLaren, the Darth Vaders of the pitlane under Ron Dennis. Unfortunately in the current FI Star Wars, Darth Vader Dennis is winning and at Imola the momen tary'aberration of Buenos Aires was quickly forgotten as the McLaren boys got back into their stride, which seems to be about 40 horsepower longer than the opposi tion. On Friday Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard were 1-2 in the morning session and then again in the afternoon. On Saturday morn ing the roles were reversed, but the message was clear - McLaren was back on top as everyone had expected they would be. The qualifying session on a hot and sunny Saturday afternoon was a straight fight between the McLaren boys. After swapping fastest times in the second half of the session, it was Coulthard who nailed the pole from Hakkinen. It was Mika’s 100th Grand Prix and he would have liked pole posi-

tion, but he said he was not wor

ried.

Coulthard admitted that he thought that he was going to lose out at the end of the session. “The car was not as good as it could have been,” he said, “and not as good as it was when it was cool in the morning sessions. The bal ance changed and I did not have quite the same confidence. The time could easily have slipped no-one Thankfully away, improved.’ The tyres one played although has their to saypart, that McLaren is still a good enough package not to have to rely on Bridgestone having a better tyre than Goodyear, though Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari looked sud denly better than it had when the temperatures were cooler. All last year the Goodyears worked better than the Bridgestones in higher temperatures. / Michael did his bes^ for the Ferrari fans and to get to within four-tenths of a McLaren these days is no mean achievement. “The gap is not too big and to be

honest I lost a cquple of tenths in the final corner. We can still improve here and there and there are some things we want to try overnight,” he said. Eddie Irvine did a sound job to grab fourth but he was seventenths off Schumacher’s time and over a second down on the slower of the two McLarens. Still, fourth on the gi-id is not bad for Eddie. There was much talk about Ferrari using the ugly sidepod wings which are the vogue these days in FI but it is doubtful they make much difference. McLaren do not need them and some teams scale back for the race. “Anything that is ugly becomes suddenly beautiful if it is quick,” said Jordan’s Gary Anderson. “Since we do not have a technical regulation to prevent ugliness I think they are OK.” These horrid devices are not only unpleasant to look at but they are also the source of much media debate as to what they should be called. They began as “the X Wings”, the name Tyrrell used when it intro duced them. Some people call them “the Tyrrell Towers” but at Sauber they are smart. They called them “The Twin Towers” in reference to the new Petronas building in Kuala Lumpur. The Italians call them candelabra, the French call them “Penguins” or “Mickey Mouse ears”. Benetton does not use X wings but that did not stop Alexander Wurz from continuing his fine showing in FI with a solid fifth place on the grid, five places ahead of Giancarlo Fisichella, the pair being separated by 0.7s. The Italian reckoned he would have done better if he had not lost time with a spin. Alongside Wurz on the third row was Jacques Villeneuve in his

POINTING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION?... Williams continues to perform well below expectations, with both Villeneuve and Frentzen struggling at Imola. They were out-qualified by the similarly-powered Benetton. THE START... The McLarens leap away from Schumacher while Villeneuve makes a flyer from the third row and passes both Irvine and Wurz. ' '1* I' -$

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8Ma^W8

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Williams, using the same engine as the young Austrian. The Williams FW20 will proba¬ bly not be remembered as a great car although it may get better if the team decided to graft the rear end of the 1997 car onto the 1998 version. This was tried at the recent secret test at Jerez and it worked well so it is likely there will be further work in that direction. “The rear of the cars sometimes goes away,” explained Jacques, “so you are always fighting the car and I think we are both trying to over¬ drive it to go faster than it will go. Heinz-Harald Frentzen was only 0.8s slower than Jacques but that meant he was down in 10th place, having lost setting-up time thanks to an oil leak and having had his fastest lap in qualifying spoiled by dirt on the track. ust behind Villeneuve on the Jgrid was his old Williams team¬ mate Damon Hill in his best show¬ ing so far in the Jordan-Mugen Honda. The team has made a whole series of modifications to the car in the wake of the miserable times so far this year and the result .was a much more competi tive car and a more motivated Hill. Damon reckoned he might have gone quicker but he suffered an engine failure at the start of his final flying run. He was, nonethe less, able to beat Half Schumacher for the first time this year. Ralf continues to be rather too wild for his own good and seemed to be throwing up dust and stones wherever he went. He was ninth on the grid. With the top five teams filling the top 10 places it was left to Sauber to fill the sixth row with Johnny Herbert outpacing Jean Alesi. The Swiss team is not a very happy place at the moment and neither driver is particularly happy with the way things are. The car is not gi-eat. The two were split by a few hundredths of a second. Next up was Olivier Panis in the Prost-Peugeot, which continues to look as though it may soon begin to produce some good results but has yet to actually deliver. Panis did particularly well given

that he had to use the spare car for most of qualifying and only got back into his own chassis for the last couple of laps. Jarno Trulli had a less easy time and ended up a disappointed 16th in front of his home crowd, over a second behind Panis. This was down to gearbox troubles. Arrows was looking rather better than it did in South America and Mika Sale’s 14th place on the grid was a good effort. Brian Hart had his first evolution VIO engines and they were clearly very good. The team is also beginning to get over its gearbox troubles and with the new Bridgestone rubber working well there was a lot of optimism at the team.

DAVID’S WEEKEND ... Coulthard started the race from pole and drove a controlled race with an overheating problem to get on top of the podium with Ferrari drivers Schumacher and Irvine. MORE TROUBLE

Stewart is in dire trouble, being outpaced by the customer Tyrrell of Takagi.

en Salo set the second . . fastest time of the Sunday morning warm-up people sat up and took notice. Pedro Diniz suffered a gearbox failure on Saturday morning and lost time setting up the car which meant that he was down in 18th, over a second behind Salo. Once again the fastest of the Ford drivers was Tyrrell’s Tora

Continued next page

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8MayW98 >--i n

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Welcome PfebS

/iLircedes-BeDZ Motoi'sport

»»«i u i

UPS AND DOWNS ...

World Championship leader welcomes the media to a celebration of his 100th Grand Prix start at Imola (left), but finished the weekend looking stressed after being forced out by a gear box problem (above).

West,

‘'-'WtowiCB

imola Briefs n Frank Williams missed the San Marino GP as it was decided it was wiser for him to stay in England because he is suffering from a bladder infection. Patrick Head ran the team for the week end wliile Frank kept ijj touch with the action by telephone and thi’ough his son Jonathan who was present in the paddock. n Flavio Briatore was a visitor to the Imola paddock and some more ridiculous Italian newspa pers suggested that Briatore' might replace Jean Todt at Ferrari. Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo dismissed the stories with the comment: "Briatore coming to Ferrari is as likely as me going to Mars." Montezemolo said that Michael Schumacher and Jean Todt wiO both stay with the team next year.

Takagi in 15th, which was a very that Stewart has the Ford works good result given that the engine there are very few excuses Japanese driver has not raced at which can be made. The entire paddock is waiting for change at Imola before. He completely over shadowed Ricardo Rosset (again) Stewart and there is no end to the and Ricardo has little excuse for speculation about which heads need to roll. his lack of performance. The two Minardis were 19th and Clearly all is not well because he was a very useful driver in 21st, which was much as expected. Formula 3000 but seems unable to The team is not expecting great translate that speed to FI. He things this year and so is putting a looks, frankly, rather out of his lot of effort into the plans for 1999. depth. He qualified 22nd and last on the grid in the T-car as his own blew its engine in the opening min The main talking morning was thepoint speedonofrace the utes of qualifying. Takagi’s pace was another Arrows in the warm-up. This may embarrassment to the Stewart have been related to the fact that team, which had Rubens lihe new engine was quite good. Barrichello 17th and Jan Perhaps there was not much fuel Magnussen 20th. Given the fact in Sale’s tank. For sure, though.

Race -62 laps

the team had some potential spon sors there who needed to be impressed ... As the start drew near the hills became Ferrari red and the sun beat down, pushing the tempera tures up. And now we had an inter esting situation. The Goodyear tyi'es seem to work better when the temperatures are up but the Ferrari engine men would prefer the temperatures to stay low. When the lights went out, Hakkinen and Coulthard, Schumacher all got away well but behind them Villeneuve got away really well and went around the outside of Irvine. As Jacques was haring through the dust, Wurz was changing up through the gears, but when he tried to selected fourth the Benetton electronic brain refused to agi-ee. The car stayed in thii-d. This caught out Damon Hill. He heard Wurz’s engine make an odd noise and jinked to avoid the Benetton. But it was no good. He clipped Wurz’s rear wheel with the front wing of the Jordan, which sent him to the pits. But if Benetton and Jordan were not having a good day, it was noth ing compared to the adventures of Stewart Grand Prix. From the back Magnussen had made a good start and was charging through the pack ... until he ran into the back of his teammate. “I had nowhere to go,” he explained. If paddock rumour is to be believed, Jackie and Paul Stewart will be giving Jan directions to the job centre later this week. The impact removed Rubens’ rear wing, but the Brazilian kept going, hoping to get round to the pits. It was probably fortunate that he never got there because Magnussen would have been there as well and that would been a right royal mess. Instead he spun off at the top of the hill. Jan rejoined and ran for a while at the back of the pack before retir ing with gearbox trouble. “People should remember that we are working to a five-year plan,” said Paul Stewart - who always gets to make official comments when things go wrong. One cari only hope that Ford’s top management has such a clear and precise memory... In all the chaos there were some dramatic place gains, notably from Giancarlo Fisichella (who went from 10th to 7th), Jean Alesi (12th to 8th) and Jarno Trulli (16th to 10th). Up at the front Coulthard set six fastest laps in the first 10 laps to

n There were rumours in Imola that Ferrari is talking to Alexander Wurz about a possible drive. The Austrian, who has done so well this year with Benetton, is under a four-year contract to Benetton, although in FI such things can always be negotiated away. n Among those seen in the paddock at Imola were BMW engine supremo Paul Rosche. He is pushing ahead with a proto type VIO engine to be used for testing by Williams next year, although we hear that the pro ject is running into some difficul ties as Rosche's knowledge of FI engines is a little out of date and he has few experienced FI engine designers on his staff in Munich.

MECACHROME BATTLE... Heinz-Harald Frentzen fends off the Benettons of Giancarlo Fisichella and Alex Wurz(a lap down after his pit stop) in another race that Williams would want to forget.

build a lead over Halddnen of near ly thi-ee seconds. Mika was under no pressure from Michael Schumacher because the Ferrari could not match the McLarens. Michael was seven sec onds behind Hakkinen after 10 laps. Hakkinen doubled his advantage by lap 16 but then he suddenly slowed. The McLaren was stuck in fourth gear. Mika toured round to the pits to retire. Four years ago Michael Schumacher won the Spanish GP despite being stuck in fifth gear, but no amount of magic or talent made such a thing possible for Hakkinen. If it had been possible, McLaren would have done it which begs questions about that famous Spanish GP victory ... With Hakkinen Coulthard found himselfgone, with a 15s lead over Schumacher and really there was no way that Michael was going to make that up unless something went wrong with David. Coulthard and Schumacher pit ted together on lap 26 and then David stopped again on lap 44, two laps before Michael. There was a 20s gap when they both rejoined and Michael brought this down to just 4.5s by the finish. It may have looked as though David was cruising but in fact there was a problem with the McLaren. Some debris had hit an oil cooler and the engine temperatm'es were running very high. The only hint of this came when Ron Dennis left the pitwall and walked as relaxed as possible into the garage to study the engine data banks. He repeated the manoeuvre three times. The problem was clearly serious. But David made it to the flag to score his fourth Grand Prix victory, Schumacher followed home and in third - a long way back - came Irvine to give Ferrari a two-three result. Eddie had run fifth early on, having not had a very good first lap, but slow pit stops by Williams got him ahead of Villeneuve after the first stop and, with Hakkinen out of the way, Eddie was on the podium. It was not a good day for Williams. The flap on the side of the car, which opens at pit stops, did not work properly on either car. The mechanics had to open the flap manually during Jacques’ first stop and they then taped the flap shut. This meant his stop was 3.5s slow er than Irvine’s. During the’second stint the fuel flap popped open but it then fell down during the second pit stop and Jacques lost more time while the mechanics cut the pneumatic pipe which operates the system. There were similar problems for Frentzen and it dropped him behind Alesi in the middle part of the race. Luckily at the second stop he was able to win back fifth place. Early on Heinz-Harald had been under serious pressure from Fisichella but the Italian got a lit tle carried away on lap 18 and spun at the Villeneuve chicane and hit the wall very heavily, doing serious damage to the car. After the race the team was unsure if the monocoque had been damaged but the team is fortunate in that it currently has six chassis available, which is the result of fin ishing the first B198 in midDecember, long before its rivals. Wurz’s engine-buzzing ofi^the first lap resulted in most of the oil from his Mecachrome ending up on the circuit. He pitted and rejoined ^ but the team knew the engine was damaged and it duly blew up on lap 19.

SAN IVIARINO The disappearing Benettons put Alesi into the top six in his Sauber, which was a good result from 12th 'on the grid. Johnny Herbert might have been seventh but for a monster error by the Swiss team. Johnny had to take avoiding action when Hill and Wurz collided and so lost places and was then stuck behind Tralli. After 12 laps he had a puncture and came into the pits. Someone at the front of the car indicated to Johnny that his race was over and he climbed out, believing that the rear suspension had been damaged as he three-wheeled around to the pits. By the time the team discovered that there was nothing wrong with the suspension it was too late for Johnny to rejoin. All he had needed was a new tyre ... , Seventh place went to Ralf Schumacher in his Jordan but it was not a good day for the team. Ralf was delayed by a problem with the fuel flap, similar to that which dismpted Williams, and this cost him a lot of time in the pits. It also disrupted the car as it was opening and closing during his stints. Hill’s race was ruined at the start and he had to pit for a new nose cone. He rejoined at the back ' of the field and charged but had to retire with just a few laps to go because of an air valve problem with his Mugen-Honda engine. He was classified 10th. Tuero brought his Minardi home in eighth place while Nakano’s race ended with what the man from Cosworth was forced to described as “a catastrophic failure” which involved lots of smoke and a fair bit of flame as well. Arrows hadalmost a dreadful afternoon as well, a comedy of errors. Salo made a good start and ran in 12th place until his first planned stop on lap 18. The intention was for him to do a long middle stint but there was a problem with the refuelling flap which activated the

safety mechanism on the refuelling machine and it stopped pumping fuel into the car. Mika went out with only half the necessary fuel. As the team engineers were real ising what had happened, Diniz had an engine problem and was ordered into the pits. Now there was a new problem. The team manager’s radio to the mechanics was not working, so when Pedro arrived they thought he was coming in for fuel and tried to refuel him. The refuelling machine safety mechanism shut the machine down again. The team decided to switch to Diniz’s refuelling machine to get fuel for Salo, but wh^en he pitted again on lap 27 the’^same thing happened and the refuellers seemed to spend forever trying to get fuel into the car while the team manager screamed into his dead radio for them to send Mika out. Eventually he realised that noone could hear him, switched to a different radio and Salo was sent out. The problems were sorted out and Mika came back and was given fuel to get him to the finish. This meaW that his tyres were very sec ond hand by the end of the race, but he made it to the flag. Frost failed to get either driver home, but it was close. Trulli led the way early on after his great first lap but he dropped behind Fanis at the pit stops. On lap 34 his throttle stuck open and he went for a ride over the sandtrap before driving back to the pit to retire. Fanis ran 7th until the last few laps when his Feugeot failed with an identical problem to that which stopped him in Argentina. Neither Tyrrell made it to the finish, either, both Takagi and Rosset suffering pneumatic valve failures in their Ford VlOs. It was not a great race but the tifosi enjoyed it and it did wonders for the World Championship: Hakkinen, Coulthard and Schumacher are now covered by just six points ... ■

San Marino Grand Prix World Championship, round 4 Imola, April 26th, 1998 - 62 laps 1 David Coulthard, McLaren-Mercedes MP4/13,1h34m24,593s 2 Michael Schumacher, Ferrari F300, 1 h34m29,147s 3 Eddie Irvine, Ferrari F300,1h35m16,368s 4 Jacques Villeneuve, Williams-Mecachrome FW20, 1h35m19,183s 5 Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Williams-Mecachrome FW20, 1h35m42,069s 6 Jean Alesi, Sauber-Petronas C17, 61 laps 7 Ralf Schumacher, Jordan-Mugen-Honda 198, 60 laps 8 Esteban Tuero, Minardi-Ford Ml 98, 60 laps 9 Mika Salo, Arrows A19, 60 laps 10 Damon Hill, Jordan-Mugen-Honda 198, 57 laps, DNF 11 Olivier Panis, Prost-Peugeot AP01, 56 laps, DNF Fastest Lap: Schumacher, lap 48, 1m29,345s Lap Leaders; Coulthard; 1-62 Retirements:

8Ma^1998

I was right behind them and there was dirt and debris everywhere. I had to brake and take avoiding action, which cost me momentum and let Jarno Trulli slip by me in the Prost-Peugeot. I got bottled up behind him and on the one occasion I got along side, he just powered away. Then I felt the right rear tyre go flat as I went through I suppose the previous gb week's test at Magny-Cours ^ I the top chicane. I guess I'd Bk run over debris on that first should have been an omen. It lap. rained and, though I had a I made it back to the pits, but new diffuser to try on the Red Bull time Damon Hill's Jordan-Peugeot Sauber Petronas, our work was had blown its engine, so instead then there was a misunderstand inconclusive. That meant that of the traditional tifosi sea of red ing between myself and the team. Jean and I had to spend most of around the track, all 1 could see They changed my tyres, then kept Friday's practice sessions doing^ was yellow. Yellow flags. Exit our me waiting while they checked the suspension. Then one of the crew back-to-back testing between the! chance to improve. members drew his hand across 'Twin Tower' wings that mount on We ended up 11th and 12th the sidepods and the new under- and the sole consolation was edg- his throat, a sign which I took to floor. -■ f Jean liked the winglets, but I thought I'd go without them on Friday afternoon and, to be hon est, it was the wrong thing to do. It seemed that whatever my engi neer Gil and I tried on the s"i&t-up, it just made it more nervous. I concluded that as a package the 'Twin Towers' were the better way to go and decided I'd definitely run them on Saturday. To end a frustrating day, my final scheduled run came to noth \ ing when my car developed an oil vdomm leak. I ended the day in 15th posi tion, not far behind Jean, who'd had a mainly troublefree practice. hat did I say after the '4 South American races? Wasn't I lookf ing forward to Imola and a change in my fortunes for the ' start of the European season? I If I'd known what lay in *. store in the San Marino GP, I might well have decided I'd be better off taking a boat ride up the Parana Riverl

fi f

Saturday failed bring the improverhent I'd to been looking ;Vfor, so it became a matter of stay ing motivated and committed while struggling with the car. That's not always easy, to be frank. The car felt as if it was f , T, mean that the suspension weaving slightly on the I probably wasn t very continue. was too badly damaged to 1 switched off the straight, but going into the corners the initial turn-in was and got out of the okay. That much was better, good company for a few but in the middle of the cor ner the understeer would hours after the race.” "len^a come back and then turn communications misunder suddenly into snap oversteer on ing out Jean. Both of us had standing and that the problem the exit. expected better. was just the puncture, it was too It didn't matter what I tried to late to continue because the rules It's a shame we were having counter it, the car would just push such a tough time because both don't let you get back into the car and then snap. If I used too much of us love Imola. There's some- once you've got out. Frustrated? You'd better throttle, to try and kill the under- thing about the ambience of the steer and bring the back end place and I guess it emanates believe it! I probably wasn't very round, all it did was make the from the sheer enthusiasm of the good company for a few hours damn understeer worse. The car Italians. They really love their after the race. was very difficult to drive. motor racing. Before going to Italy, I had pre I'd edged ahead of Jean by a sented an award to tennis player fraction, but neither of us was Sergi Brugiera at the ATP Tour in the start and I gothen, t too on much able to make the best of our final Atwheelspin the Monaco. There's no truth in the run because Ralf Schumacher run towards Tosa, Alexander rumour that I'm considering an had gone off the road on the run Wurz's Benetton almost stopped. alternative career, but after week down to Tosa. He'd thrown gravel Damon had to brake hard and just ends like Imola 1 could be forgiven onto the line, while at the same clipped the back of it. for being tempted! ■

Lap 0 Rubens Barrichello, Stewart-Ford SF2, hit by Magnussen ' Lap 8 Jan Magnussen, Stewart-Ford SF2, gearbox Lap 12 Johnny Herbert, Sauber-Petronas C17, puncture/suspension damage Lap 17 Alex Wurz, Benetton-Mecachrome B198, engine Lap 17 Giancarlo Fisicheila, Benetton-Mecachrome B198, spun Lap 17 Mika Hakkinen, McLaren-Mercedes MP4/13, gearbox Lap 18 Pedro Diniz, Arrows A19, engine ' Lap 27 Shinji Nakano, Minardi-Ford Ml 98, engine Lap 34 Jarno Trulli, Prost-Peugeot AP01, stuck throttle Lap 40 Tora Takagi, Tyrrell-Ford 026, air pressure/gearbox Lap 48 Riccardo Rosset, Tyrrell-Ford 026, air pressure/gearbox Lap 56 Olivier Panis, Prost-Peugeot AP01, gearbox Lap 57 Damon Hill, Jordan-Mugen-Honda 198, engine air pressure Drivers Worid Championship standings after 4 rounds: 1 Hakkinen 26; 2 Coulthard 23; 3 Schumacher 20; 4 Irvine 11; 5 Frentzen 8; 6 Wurz 6; 7 Villeneuve 5; 8 Alesi 3; 9 Herbert and Fisicheila 1 Constructors' Championship standings: 1 McLaren-Mercedes 49; 2 Ferrari 31; 3 Williams 13; 4 BenettonMecachrome 7; 5 Sauber-Petronas 4

ROTTEN JOHNNY: Herbert manhandles the difficult Sauber at Imola (above) and talks it over with team boss Peter Sauber (top).

RALLYING

8May 1998

Auriol ends his drought

Frenchman Didier Auriol recorded his first World Championship victory since the Tour de Corse in 1995 to repair his season after a series of unsuc cessful runs in the new Toyota Corolla World Rally Car. “I am delighted. I had a difficult start to the season, but always felt I could still win,” said Auriol. “With Corsica just two weeks away. I’m very confi dent.” Belgian star Freddy Loix in the Marlboro-liveried Toyota Belgium entiy scored a fine second place after a ferocious battle with World Champion Tommi Makinen over the six stages of the final leg. Loix won the first stage of the day but the Finn fought back winning stage 16, before Loix responded to win the penultimate test. Makinen appeared to set tle for a secure third over the final 19km stage with Loix beating him by 5 seconds to secure the second podium place by 16 seconds. “I had to drive with my eye on Makinen because he got quite close early today,” said 27-year-old Loix. “But the best way to defend is to attack, and it’s just great to be in the top Makinen three again, gained a place on the first stage of the day at the expense of Carlos Sainz. But the local hero’s chances of points vanished when a tyre valve was lost on stage 16, the tyre eventually

coming off the rim. He fell to eighth and never got back into the top six. Richard Burns moved to sec ond in the championship after another brilliant drive from the young Briton. Burns, who won the Safari Rally, now has a realistic chance of winning this year’s World Championship. In the Teams Cup contest, Sweden’s Thomas Radstrom in the Marlboro Corolla of Toyota Sweden finished a strong second, holding off a big attack over the closing stages from Krzysztof Holowczyc. Both Ford Escorts retired on the final leg. Bruno Thiry held third place after the first leg of the rally, but stopped at the ser vice before the final test with irreparable engine problems. His team-mate, Juha Kankkunen, retired at the end of stage 16 after hitting a post and damaging the rear suspension. With no ser vice available he was out. For Subaru the event was little short of a disaster. Neither car was on the pace, seemingly due to lack of grip. Piero Liatti retired after going off on the second leg, and Colin McRae retired after breaking a drive shaft and losing 90 seconds on stage 15. Adruzilio Lopes from Portugal in the SG Team Peugeot took a strong fourth place in the two litre catego ry, only beaten by the factory entered Peugeots and a Citroen. Didier Auriol was

DROUGHT BREAKER... Didier Auriol won in Spain but Toyota hadn’t registered him for Manufacturers points. consistently fastest through out the rally, winning 10 stages. He was not nominated to score points for the Makes title however, Loix and Sainz being Toyota’s nominees. Thus Makinen and Burns, finishing third and fourth give Mitsubishi the lead in the Makes title by a single point from Toyota. Sainz retains the lead in the Drivers Championship, but

Richard Burns moves to sec ond ahead of Kankkunen. Makinen, McRae and Auriol share fourth with Loix sev enth. The next round of the. World Rally Championship is also a tarmac affair, being held on the small island of Corsica. After their domina tion in Spain, Toyota could again be a safe bet for anoth er one-two finish. -PETER WHITTEN

Final Results- Catalunya Rally

1. D. Aurlol/D Glraudet Toyota Corolla WRC 2. F. Loix/S Smeets Toyota Corolla WRC 3. T. Makinen/R Maanisenmaki Mitsubishi Lancer E5 Mitsubishi Carisma 4. R. Burns/R Reid Citroen Xsara 5. P. Bugalski/J-P Chiaroni 6. G. Panizzi/H Panizzi Peugeot 306 Toyota Corolla WRC 7. C. Sainz/L Moya Peugeot 306 8. F. Delecour/D Grataloup Mitsubishi Carisma 9. U. Nittel/T Thorner 10. R. Madeira/N Da Silva Toyota Corolla WRC World Championship standings

4h18m36.9 4:19:30.3 4:19:46.3 4:20:10.4 4:20:28.3 4:20:44.0 4:21:05.7 4:21:24.6 4:22:45.6 4:25:24.5

Makes: 1. Mitsubishi 32, 2. Toyota 31, 3. Ford 23, 4. Subaru 21. Drivers; 1. Sainz 22, 2. Bums 18,3. Kankkunen 16, =4. Auriol, McRae, Makinen 14, 7. Loix 10,8. Vatanen 6.

Win gives Seat British series lead

GWYNDAF Evans won the two day Pirelli Rally, the first time that SEAT had won a full inter national rally in Britain. He was second on the first day and the outright winner on the sec ond day. His SEAT team are now leading the British manufacturers’ championship. Martin Rowe (Renault Maxi Megane) won the first da/s event and finished third on the second, but is leading the drivers’ champi onship. The event was run in the border country forests between England and Scotland in change able conditions. Evans had been delayed on the first day with elec tronic problems, and finished the event without his clutch working! The Renaults of Tapio Laukkanen and Martin Rowe were consistently fast, though Laukkanen was delayed on the first day with a puncture after hit ting a bridge. McRae’s VW was the fastest car on the event but twice suffered brake problems and also had throttie trouble. Ford drivers had a bad event. Lars Goran Andersson overturned on the first day after the suspension failed, and Andreas Eriksson finally fiinished only ninth. The Vauxhall Astra prototype of Jarmo<None> Kytolehto finished the first day in third position, but lost considerable time on the second.

underlined the increased impor tance this year of the gravel as opposed to asphalt rounds of the series. The route of the Pirelli event was semi-secret, as competitors had to rely on organisers’ pacenotes, which made many leading competitors such as Martin Rowe and Tapio' Laukkanen say they were particu larly looking forward to the Scottish, the next and final gravel event in the series, where com petitors can check the route for themselves in advance. The Scottish Rally will also fea ture a double-header system, how ever. Group N cars once again competed, albeit outside the championship, and the Finnish driver Marco Ipatti was fastest, even winning the final stage on the first day outright. A surprise was the performance of an unknown Finn, Janne Tuohino, who was leading the cat egory with one stage to run, and FEELING... Evans’ win in the Pirelli Rally allow Spanish manufacturer Seat to lead the British was fourth overall at that time. championship for the first time in the company’s history. -PETER WHITTEN A brake caliper broke and this caused many problems, including going off the road. Neil Wearden won the new category for 1600cc cars with his Honda, while Christer Steen had won the category on the first day with his Skoda. Justin Dale had oil cooling problems with his Peugeot 106 Maxi on tlje first day

and retired after going off the road on the second. Mats Andersson’s Proton retired on the first day with piston failure, exactly as had happened on the Rally ot Wales Wearden won seven out of nine stages in the 1600cc class. For the first time the lady driver, Barbara Armstrong, won her category, beat-

ing the Ford driver Stephanie Simmonite, giving SEAT an impressive double victory. The rally was run under a controversial double-header system. This year this means that each day’s event will give the competi tors as many points as all the Vauxhall Rally of Wales did. It also

Overall results (both days): 1. Gwyndaf Evans, SEAT; 2. Tapio, Laukkanen, Renault; 3. Martin Rowe, Renault; 4. Alister McRae, VW; 5. Marco Ipatti, Mitsubishi;6. Gavin Cox, Mitsubishi. Drivers’ championship: 1. Rowe, 2. Evans, 3. Wearden, 4. Laukkanen,5. McRae. Manufacturers’: 1. SEAT 120, 2. Renault 115.5, 3. Ford 87, 4. Peugeot 82,5.

35 V

t was Friday evening and I was set tling in for a rare weekend at home. Contemplating mowing the lawns and taking my son, Harry to visit the '■‘The Big Boys Toys’ show. Then the phone rang. Charles Faizon was competing in Targa Tasmania in an MR2. Unfortunately his mother had taken seriously ill necessitating him to fly out of Tasmania immediately. He was three days into the five day Targa event. Would I be interested in flying down and driving his car for the final two days? The organisers of the event had allowed a driver change so that his co-driver, Graham Simmons, could be eligible to collect his ‘Gold Targa Trophy’ (issued after three consecutive Targas). I must admit at first I didn’t jump at the idea. The IV1R2 was a standard car and my competitive nature wasn't too keen to run mid-field. I would like to be up the front trying to give Jim Richards the hurry-up. However, as soon as I took off on the ‘Cethana’ stage I thor oughly enjoyed myself (and I hate mowing the lawns anyway), j It’s been a couple of years since 1 ■ competed in Targa and it is a great event. Fantastic roads. It felt really odd using someone else's pace notes and even more strange not having Coral sitting in the co-driver’s seat. Graham called the shots and we only went the wrong way once! The 1998 Targa Tasmania was won by Jim Richards and Barry Oliver. Second went to Vaughan Guthrie and David Parsons in a Mazda RX7 and Third to Craig Dean and Graham Bell in a Toyota Soarer who did a superb job. Mark Seltin did a great job once again to win his class in his Lexus ●LS400. I would love to go back to Targa in the Corolla WRC car. Coral keeps telling the organisers that the Corolla

It felt really odd using someone else’s pace notes and even more strange not having Coral^ sitting^ in the co-driver’s seat fits the new event regulations perfectly but they keep declining our entry. Tasmania has to be the most motorsport oriented state in the coun try. Targa has a huge following and it’s unbelievable the number of locals who get involved as officials or sit on the side of the road to watch the passing parade. We have enjoyed a high pro file in Tassie, largely due to Targa, and over the weekend many times people asked me when I was coming back to 'compete again,

ut right now we are concentrating on our next round of the ARC in Queensland. / The testing 4ie carried out in Perth last month proved very interesting. Qver our 3.60km test track the Corolla was six seconds a lap faster compared to Rally Australia last November. Which goes to show how important the set-up of the car is. Last November I wasn’t happy at all with it and obvi ously we have made some significant gains since then. The active diffs in the car measure

man-y different parameters and are imfinitely adjustable. This is for brakiimg, turn-in and high speed corners etc., and .you could test for weeks to liiincl the perfect set up. You.can see how a World Championship Rally Team can benefit from their compre hensive test programs with test cars and test drivers able to try every possibility in set up. For US, it becomes a compromise to get the best possible set up in a reasonably short period of time, makimg judgements to set up the diffs for what the majority of the rally will be like. Anyone who said they had the per fect set up would be lying - unless they had weeks of testing to try every parameter. The boys inare currently engrossed the also build of, our new Hinio Service Truck. We hdve out grown our Coaster Bus and hope to have itlge Hiino ready in time for the trip to Rally Queensland. Trying to build a mobile workshop involves many design difficulties. So far we've drawn 20 mud-maps on how it’s all going to work (and run out of paper). Every member of the team has their own ideas - relative to their areas of tresponsibility on the car. Al (in charge of tyres) wants a certain area for tifje rubber. Darryl pn charge of gearbox and drivedine) wants his bits in front. And then the boys claim trying to think of the driver and co-driver’s needs is a pain in the neck, because we want a cupboard tor the shoes, driving suits and: handbags! All in all the design layout has been diffieult and we’ve bounced it back and forward for the past week. So, between the unexpected trip to Targa, preparations on the Corolla, the new Mine and some customer work as welll, thiings are pretty busy at the moment-

HRS to compete in Queensland By PETER WHITTEN

’WA'YNE Bell, Iain Stewart and their Hynndai Coupe Kit Car are a surprise entry for the Queensland round of the Australian Rally Super Series on the weekend of May 23/24, 1998. While two of the HRS Australian-built Hyundai Coupes are presently compet ing under the MSD/Hyundai Motorsport colour’s in Europe, Bell has retained one car in Australia in which he will compete the Super Series rally in Queensland with assistance from the Australian Hyundai distributors. Bell announced the chal lenge this week, saying he ■whl use the event as a warm up for his attack on the forthcoming FIA WRC Acropolis Rally in Greece, his second outing with the British based Hyundai Motorsport team from MSD and Hyundai Motor Company. “It’s always great to com pete at home, and the Queensland Rally is a good event in which to gain some last minute R&D and some extra driver training before heading out to Greece!” Bell made his European rally debut in the recent TAP Rally of Portugal with a strong fourth-placed finish in his Australian-built Hyundai Coupe in a 40-car F2 field! Like Portugal, the Acropolis is a rough event. “The Indonesia of Europe,” is how Bell describes the Grecian rally, long renowned for its tough going.

FrofTi. the 13

The 1998 Rally Queensland, thfe third Round of 1998 the Australian Rally T Championship, will | be based in Caloundra on By Peter WhittM' Queensland’s Editor-Australian Ra'.vuoorf^^ Sunshine Coast. The event will be based at the luxury Oasis Resort Hotel on McRae and Piero Liatti Caloundra’s Golden and Mitsubishi Tommi I Beach. If your unable to Makinen and Richard ■ make it to the event, you Burns, Mitsubishi are using the can keep up to date with all the latest news and same Evolution V cars as results via the new 1998 first seen in Catalunya. , Rally Queensland web site Burns is the only top dri which can be found at; ver new to the event, but currently has an amazing http://www.rallyqld.com.au For the spectators, all reliability record. He has finished his last the latest information regarding event details ten rallies. Once again the Formula 2 challenge will . can be obtained before ; you head out to the forest be as strong as ever. In Catalunya both to watch the rally stars, and the latest press Citroen and Peugeot cars releases will also be avail- scored fastest stage able, updated throughout times, O n this event Citroen the event. A huge field of entries is expected for the will increase their pres rally, with some insiders ence from two to three Xsara Kit Cars. Favien even tipping that the num ber may hit the magical Doenlen has been invited 100 mark. for this event to move up A full preview on the from a Saxo Kit Car to join rally will appear in the next Philippe Bugalski and Patrick Magaud in these issue of Motorsport News. cars, niy 12 days after the Peugeot have two offiend of the Catalunya cial entries (Gilles Panizzi Rally comes the Tour de and Francois Delecour) Corse, the second sue- with 306 Maxis. The most cessive ali-asphalt World bizarre entries come from Renault. The French man Championship rally. ufacturer, outright event Toyota Castrol Team are making the journey to winners in 1996, is repre the Mediterranean island sented on this event not by the Barosso team with high hopes. They have now won which drives their cars on both aii asphalt World the national championship rallies, but by the two championship rallies this team Maxi year - the wintry Monte British Carlo Rally with Carlos Meganes. Sainz and the clear condiTheir drivers, Tapio tion Catalunya Rally with Laukkanen and Martin Rowe finished second Didier Auriol. After running as a and third at the Pirelli works driver-at-large in Rally in the UK, but neiCatalunya, Auriol has ther of them have cornbeen invited back as team peted on this specialised nominated driver for this event before. Skoda and event, which 10 years ago Hyundai will be in Corsica was where for the first with one car each, time he won a world Pavel Sibera drives a championship event. All Castrol supported Octavia four world championship Kit Car, while for this teams are fielding their event Hyundai again has regular drivers. the guest driver Alister Ford are running Juha McRae from Scotland. Kankkunen and Bruno The rally runs from May 4 Thiry, Subaru Colin to 6.

PORTUGAL ONE DAY, OLD THE NEXT... Bell and Hyndal on the Tour de Corse. “The tough conditions will suit the Hyundai however,” Bell says. “The Coupe is good in the rough and we were totally competitive in Indonesia last year in the rough conditions and able to go head-to-head with Seat.” “It’s a little different in Em’ope wth many, many good F2 cars in each WRC round, and the likes of Peugeot and Citroen are always going to be hard to beat but the rough and rocky roads in Greece will slow them down more than us!” “We ■will also face some stiff opposition in Queensland, hopefullyled by our o^wn WA ‘team-mate’, Dean Herridge who is going well in his Gp A Hyrmdai and then there’s Rick Bates in his Daihatsu, Brett Middleton in his Honda and some other great cars and dri ver combinations too.”

Subaru for Jarmo Kytolehto

IN their bid to claim a fourth consecutive FIA World Rally Champion ship, the 555 Subaru World Rally Team have signed flying Finn Jaraio Kytolehto to contest tire Rally Finland. Kytolehto has won tbe Group N category in Finland three times (9i294), and for the past three years has taken third ouitright. For the Rally Finland he will partner regular Subaru number one driver Colin McRae .

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beheves that with the freshen-up, along with the results from a recent test day the team under took at Willowbank, Bray’s team will be back to winning form. Bray is hoping to have the car ready to run at this weekend’s Willowbank Wild Bunch meeting. J fastest doorslammer, although he

n Doorslammer legend Scotty Cannon has continued on his winning way with his Australian-built Pro Modified ’53 Studebaker, winning the sec ond EHRA national event of the year, the rain-affected Southern Nationals at Darlington Raceway,SC,on Tuesday morn ing(Austoralian time). Cannon drove his Stude to a close 6.51/213 to 6.51/209 holeshot win in the delayed final over Ed Hoover, after having defeated Pro Mod notables Fred Hahn and Carl Moyer the previous day, before the event was postponed by rain. The event was the seventh Cannon had contested on US soil with the MuiTay Anderson-built car since returning home from his Australian tour in Januaiy and, to date, the car remains undefeated. In Top Fuel, Tommy Johnson Jr defeated Paul Romine in a close final round, Johnson winning with a 4.94/288 over Romine’s 4.97/289. n Legend Jim Read will be back in his familiar four sec ond Top Fuel dragster at next month’s Winternationals, fol lowing the conclusion of a sponsorship deal with fuel and oil additives giant Wynn’s. Talking to Motorsport News just prior to departing to the United States on a parts buying trip last week. Read said that the famous Wynn’s name, which has graced his Top Fuel dragsters in some form or other virtually since he began racing, will be featured everywhere on his fueller where his loyal long-time backer Winfield had been featured so prominently in the past. “It’s great to know that we’re going racing again,” Read told Motorsport News “and I’m thank ful that Wynn’s has stepped up to back us as our major sponsor for an event like the Winternationals. “Peter Savage from Wynn’s in Queensland and Col Davies from Wynn’s in New South Wales were keen to do something with me and I’m just as keen to help them expose their name and fabulous range of products in such a major way to the hundreds of thousands of people exposed to the Wintemats.” n Hot off taking his second IHRA Pro Modified national event as winning chassis builder, guru Murray Anderson has almost finished work on his next creation, a potent Nissan 200SX DD/Gasser for Mark Ashford and his father, former North Queensland ANDRA Division Director Noel. The new mount is almost ready to roll out of Anderson’s Chambers the Flat workshops and Ashelfords are expected to be debuting the car next season. n Also at Anderson’s shop for this past week was Victor Bray’s world record-setting Castrol Chev, which received a freshen-up in readiness for the upcoming Winternationals. In an exclusive, Anderson told Motorsport News that the massive amount of runs that Victor’s done, along with some severe tyre-shak ing runs in Perth a season ago, had taken its toll on the world’s

n Triple Australian and Nationals Pro Stock champ Hans 't^an Dyk is set to climb back to the top of the Pro Stock ranks with the pmchase ofa new Jerry Haas-built *97 Camaro. Van Dyk has purchased the car, originally brought into the country to nm Pro Stock by Sydney Super Stock racer Garth Bell, from another Sydneysider Des Cumow, who had campaigned the car in Super Sedan for a limited time, winning last year’s Wintemats. After successfully debuting his VN Commodore at the Nationals back in ’92 and winning consecu tive Australian Pro Stock Championships, Van Dyk has struggled in the ever-improving heads-up class in recent years, many competitors stating that the body shape of his Commodore was holding him back. Van Dyk continued with his development, extracting perfor mances that many thought weren’t possible, although in the last 12 months the class has again advanced in leaps and bounds, neccessitating the move to a new, more slippery US-built car. Having recently taken posses sion of the mount. Van Dyk is cur rently freshening his potent small block engine in readiness for the Camaro’s debut next season. n Will Geelong football legend Gary Ablett, considered to be one of the greatest footballers ever, soon be seated behind the wheel of a Pro Stock car? Don’t laugh, because word from a reliable source has Ablett slated to drive one of Bruno Cugnetto’s VPW Olds Cutlasses next season. While no one is talking, we beheve the secret word to get the truth on the matter is “quack, quack.” n The chase for 300 mph is heating up, with many Top Fuel teams gearing up for next month’s Wintemats and most believing the long sought-after mark will finally.fall in the usually perfect conditions in Queensland. While it is know that Jim Read is making an effort to break the barrier, rumour has it that Austraha’s quickest racer Graeme Cowin will have expat Aussie Gary Kennedy and American Terry Manzer again on hand to help out crew chief Steve Munday with the Shell Rocketship. Kennedy and Manzer are crew chiefs on American Tim Wikerson’s four second, 310 mph Funny Car and both have been to Australia to assist Covrai in the past. It is behoved the talented young Munday will be heading to the US after the Wintemats to further his career on the tough NHRA tour. n European Pro Stock racer Jan Muren has retired from competitive driving and his place behind the wheel of the European McDonald’s Pro Stock team’s Pontiac wUl be taken by 25 year-old Niclas Andersson; Following a disastrous crash with their 1990 Pontiac at Santa Pod last year, the team has also upped the ante for the tough European Pro Stock tour with the purchase of a newer ’96 Pontiac.

FIRST BLOOD... Joe Amato took his first win of the season in his Tenneco fueller. (David Ostaszewski pic)

Amato opens card at Lone Star Nats Capps nails Force and Edwards downs Kurt J Joe Amato, Ron Capps and Mike Edwards shared the win ners circle at the 2nd Annual Castrol Lone Star Nationals at the Texas Motorplex this past weekend. It was the first win of the season for Amato, who had had the perfor mance to win several events thus far this season, but has not had the consistency to string four runs together on race day. Last weekend, April 30-May 3, Amato qualified the Tenneco/ Keystone Automotive dragster number one at 4.639/318.47 and used a soft first round 4.766/314.90 to stop Vicky Fanning. In round two, a 4.725/306.53 got past a tractionless Jim Head and a 4.720/315.12 took a close semi-final round win over Mike Dunn’s 4.749/303.84. That set up a final round match with Doug Kalitta and the American International Airways dragster. Kalitta had been strong during qualifying, ending up second with a 4.650/314.68 and set low e.t. of the meet at 4.629/312.82 in a first round win ovei: Tony Schumacher. Kalitta then took a round two win at 4.633/314.79 over point leader Cory McClenathan, who lost traction immediately. This set up a semi-final match with defending Winston champ Gary Scelzi, which Kalitta won 5.630/316.34 to 4.706/308.95. In the final, Amato left first and took a close win, recording his quickest pass of the day at 4.695/313.58 to stop Kalitta, who was right there at a quicker 4.686/312.82. Amato jumps up to second in the Winston standings as the tour moves to Englishtown, New Jersey, in two weeks, an event that Amato has won four times. Funny Car had it’s share of shockers, as recent Virginia winner Chuck Etchells failed to qualify for the event. His 5.228 fell short of the 5.217 bump held by Frank Pedregon. Pedregon was involved in what one would have to call an upset, based on recent performance, as his quicker leaving, first round

5.113/298.50 defeated low qualifier (4.855/314.79) Craz Pedregon. Cruz chased Frank all the way to the stripes at 5.047/302.52, but Frank in the Jim Dunn “Johnny Lightning” Dodge took the win. When all the smoke cleared, it was Ron Capps and the Copenhagen Camaro winning the event. Capps had qualified number four with a 4.946/301.20, after suffering a fire on Saturday’s first session and stepped up to a 4.924/310.88 in round one to stop Phil Biukhart. In round two, a 5.102/286.35 stopped Del Worsham, who ran his first four at 4.983 in qualifying and a semi-final 5.139/292.39 win ended the day for Frank Pedregon. This sent Capps into his third final of the year, where he would meet up with the Castrol/Elvis Presley Mustang of John Force. Force sat number two at the end of qualifying at 4.945/311.20 and, with Priscilla Presley on the start ing line looking on, blasted another 4.940/312.60 to get past Dale Creasy Jr. Force improved in round two at 4.905/310.55 to take out Jim Epler, who also became a member of the four second club with a round one 4.957/308.11. This set up a semi-final round battle with the team car of Tony Pedregon. Force cranked out another four at 4.931/313.80 that easily advanced over the “new-look” Castrol Syntec Mustang, which broke at mid-track.

On paper. Force looked like the man to beat, but it was not to be, as the tyres on the “OF Hound Dog” broke loose at 300 feet and Capps went thundering past to take his second win of the year at 4.960/292.39. With Etchells a DNQ and Cruz exiting in round one, Force becomes the new man at the point, followed by Capps, Etchells, Cruz and Tim Wilkerson. Mike Edwards claimed an emo tional victory in Pro Stock, with a final roimd Win over the AC Delco Camaro of Kurt Johnson. It was just this past January that the owner of Edwards’ Pontiac, John Right, had passed away. Edwards qualified second with a 7.014/196.50 and took advantage of a Mark Osborne red light in round one. Great reaction times and good performance gave Edwards round wins over Darrell Alderman and Jim Yates. In the final round, Edwards used a holeshot and a 7.024/195.56 to defeat the quicker 7.018/196.89 of Johnson and moves into sixth place in the point standings. Johnson moves up to fourth, just behind Osborne, second place Jim Yates and leader Warren Johnson. Johnson, the low qualifier (7.004/197.54), was ousted in round one by Bruce Allen. Johnson cut a good .447 reaction time, but Allen’s .413, coupled with a 7.017, was enough to stop the Professor’s 7.011. - DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

SUPERIOR... Ron Capps(below) ousted Force.(David Ostaszewski pic)

8Mayim

Three in a row for Cory Mac at Richmond To say Cory McClenathan is dominating the Top Fuel class on the NHRA tour would be quite an understatement. The driver of the McDonald's dragster is running the way he fin ished the 1997 season, stringing wins together and starting to build up his lead in the NHRA Winston Championship point standings. His win at the 4th Annual Pennzoil Nationals in Richmond, Virginia, on April 23-26, extended his win streak to three in a row and gave him his fourth win in six events for the year. Despite qualifying 12th at 4.751 seconds, McClenathan rolled through eliminations, taking a ped alling contest with Mike Dunn in round one at 6.226/231.36. In round two, a 4.714/299.60 stopped Bob Vandergriff and a 4.661/314.24 stopped Paul Romine in the semis to advance him into the finals, where McClenathan woojd square off with Joe Amato. Amato had qualified number two at 4.647, behind Kenny Bernstein’s 4.637 and advanced into the final round after taking wins over Randy Parks, Doug Kalitta and Gary Scelzi. In the final, Amato had the jump at the gi’een, but the Tenneco drag ster lost traction before it reached the Christmas tree. McClenathan took the win at 4.723/302.01, his second win at this event in four years and his third final round appearance. Chuck Etchells scored his second Funny Car win of the year in his Kendall/Mama Rosa’s Pizza-backed Chevrolet Camaro, defeating Tim Wilkerson in a tyre-smoking, ped alling final round. Etchells had qualified number three at 4.976/306.12 and scored a first round win over Del Worsham at 5.078. In round two, a 5.061 stopped Randy Anderson and, in the semis, Etchells stepped up to a 4.998 to eliminate low qualifier (4.887) John Force. Wilkerson qualified number two at 4.912/305.49 and was ripping off four second runs throughout elimi nations. Runs of 4.937, 4.944 and 4.969 resulted in wins over Bob Weickgenannt, Whit Bazemore and A1 Hofmann, earning him a final round berth for the second time this season. In the final, Etchells was out . first, but began to smoke the tyres, with Wilkerson’s JCIT Pontiac los ing traction at the same time. Etchells pedalled first and fought his way downtrack to take a smoky.

on and off the throttle win at 6.019/238.79, both cars trailing tyre smoke to the finish line. This was Etchells’ second straight win at this event and he now takes over the lead in the point standings for the first time in his career. Etchells credited his crew chiefs, Tim and Kim Richards, with the win; “My crew chiefs won three rounds and I only had to win one. I’ve been match raping Funny Cars since 1975 and, the promoters would cut your nioney if you didn’t get from point A to point B.... It was pretty exciting from where I was sitting.” Warren Johnson claimed yet another victory at this event - in fact, he has never been beaten at Virginia. Johnson put his GM Goodwrench Plus Pontiac into the number two qualifying spot at 6.927, behind a surprising Barry Grant(6.926). Even more surprising than that was the absence in eliminations of twice Winston champion Jim Yates, who failed to make the program for the first time since October of 1993, thus ending an 84-race qualifying streak. Johnson’s day was not without close races, or mechanical prob lems, as he turned on the win light in round one in a mathematical dead heat with recent Atlanta win ner Mark Osborne, 6.942 to 6.950. Prior to round two, his car would not start, forcing replacement of an ignition box right before the cars were scheduled to mn. In that race, Johnson took a 6.953 win over Richie Stevens. A semi-final round win over Jeg Coughlin moved Johnson into the final round to face Tom Martino. Martino had qualified on the bump at 6.974 and scored 6.988, 7.016 and 7.014 wins over Grant, Bob Benza and Pete Williams. In the final round, following a lit tle staging dual, Martino got the jump on W.J.,. but the tyres spun and started to shake, forcing Martino to click the Pontiac off and watch Johnson streak off into the sunset at 6.952/198.50. That is career win number 67 for Johnson and his fourth of the sea son, giving him a 210 point lead over second place Jim Yates. Matt Hines remains undefeated in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class in 1998, after taking his third win of the season. In the final round, he defeated a red-lighting Angelle Seeling, click I ing it early with a 7.424/172.'77. - DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

Atcatch last up I have time as to with some my column, well as reflect on the past couple of race meetings. The ’97 TAG Nationals at Calder Park in late March were the best Nationals we have had there for a while - everything worked out really well, as over recent years there had been a few problems. It was unfortunate that it was such a hot day on the Sunday and the northerly wind played a bit of havoc at times - but you can’t blame the management at the track for the weather. The' meeting itself went down quite well and I enjoyed it, even though we had another drama at a major race meeting - still, if it was easy to do, we’d all be doing it.

believe that I never went over the line along the side of the track in the first round of the elimination finals at Calder Park on the Sunday afternoon and the video footage shows that I didn’t. But, like everything else, we do have to have an umpire in our sport and I do abide by the umpire's decision. Even though I don’t agree with the decision, the matter is over and finished, so now I look for ward to the Konica Winternats at Willowbank Raceway next month.

in the Funny Car and my son Ben in his Junior Dragster - that will keep us all pretty busy over the three days.

going fast enough and, as I step the horsepower up, it just goes faster and faster - like I ran the world’s fastest run at the Nationals, a 228.60 mph terminal in 6.30-seconds - yet I can’t get it to run consistently. I shouldn’t have been any where neat that white line on the side of the track at the Nationals, as the car should have been going straight down the centre of the lane. During a recent test session, I completed six passes and one was real fast, but the other five weren’t as good - I mean, they were'pretty quick, but I can’t keep repeating them on a regular basis and that’s what you have to do at the race meetings if you're going to achieve success. The car’s back Murray Anderson’s shop at at present, where he’s putting it on the jig, as well as checking out a lot of other small details that could be restrict ing the overall performance of the car. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get back together by Friday night, as I would like to give it a run at this weekend’s Wild Bunch meeting up here in Queensland in preparation for the Winternationals. I suspect that there may be something not quite right, as the car was built by Murray in 1994 and it has in excess of 1,000 passes under it’s belt. We need to have a good look at it and make sure everything is okay - if there’s nothing much wrong, then we need to start look ing at the clutch, the gear ratios and other assorted things.

We son’s should calendar be getting soonnext andsea it is going to interesting to see where everything goes with our sport in the future, There maybe a bit of an upheaval in the Group One end of the sport, so I’ll be watching to see how the cards fall. The major shareholders in the sport are the track owners and operators, plus the racers and, if you added up all the money, I believe that the racers would have the larger investment. The drop in the local dollar to 64 cents compared with the US dollar is hurting all the drag racing competitors around the country, as the majority of the equipment is made in the USA. I know that my operating expenses have increased by 25 to 30% as the dollar plummets further against the US currency: behind the scenes, that is all the racers talk about- we’re all hurting. The promoters need to have a say in their future, the same way that the racers need to have a word, but we don’t rteed to be told how things are going to be when we have such a large financial stake in the future of drag racing. The sport has been growing at a great rate of knots over recent years and the venues have been improving; but the cost of running our machines is quite high, thanks to price of race components. Everyone needs to pull their heads out of their arses and maybe have a morotorium in the near future with ANDRA, the pro moters and the leading racers present, so we can make plans for the next five to ten years otherwise nothing will get done and a host of sports and enter tainment attractions will pass us by. We all have to get together to ensure that we can make some thing work that benefits all partici pating parties, otherwise there will be a lot more unnecessary hurt.

Michael Castrol King Ford took Customline over our at the Nationals meet and, in hind sight, he got the deal together a little too close to the event, which prevented him from getting any testing done in the car. He had to rush the installation of his engine, plus perform a cou ple of burnouts at the F1 Grand Prix meeting in Melbourne prior to the Nationals and so he didn’t get a lot of time with the car to check all the systems out. He had a new car problem that bit him - but, when we went to Perth’s Ravenswood Raceway the following weekend, he whipped my arse over there. t the Winternationals, our When he put his engine combi nation into my car there were a Castrol team will consist of my couple of things that were different Chev, Michael’s Ford, plus Dean in the wiring and NOT SO GOOD ... The ’97 Nationals dicln ’/ go Victor's way at all.(Wayne Nugent pic) magnetos and it bit him pretty bad at the Nationals - it was a shame that it cost so much money for such a small minute problem.

fromreturning the Since West, I’ve been out to Willowbank on several occa sions doing a bit of testirfg with my Chevrolet, with the aim of getting to the bottom of the various prob lems that we’ve been experienc¬ ing. The car seems to be

1998 NHRA CHAMPIONSHIP DRAG RACING SERIES - POINTS TO MAY 3RD, 1998.

PENNZOIL 'ar

1998 NHRA Top Fuel Championship . I. Cory McClenathan, McDonald’s 604 2. Joe Amato, Tenneco Automotive ....513 3. Mike Dunn, Mopar Performance ....445 .443 4. Jim Head, Close Call Racing 5. Gary Scelzi, Team Winston-No Bull ..427 .344 6. Larry Dixon, Miller Lite/MBNA 7. Doug Kalitta, Kalitta International ...334 .334 David Grubnic(Aust) .. ,334 Kenny Bernstein, Budweiser 10. Bruce Sarver, ATSCO ,330

1998 NHRA Funny Car Championship .553 I. John Force, Castrol/Mac Tools 2. Ron Capps, Copenhagen/MBNA 499 3. Chuck Etchells, Kendall/MaMa Rosa ..497 4. Cruz Pedregon, Interstate Batteries ..494 5. Tim Wilkerson, JCIT international ...440 6. Tony Pedregon, Caslrol/Mac Tools ..436 .348 7. Randy Anderson, Parts America 8. Al Hofmann, GM Perf. Parts/Pontiac .341 9. Dean Skuza, Mateo Tools/Mopar ....31 1 10. WhitBazemore,Team Winston-No Bull ..287

1998 NHRA Pro Stock Championship I. Wairen Johnson, Goodwrench/Pontiac ..635 2. Jim Yates, Peak Anti-Freeze/Splitfire .. .459 3. Mark Osborne, Dick Sherman Racing 416 4. Kurt Johnson, ACDelco/Chevrolet ..401 5. Jeg Coughlin Jnr.,Jegs Mail Order ... .391 6. Mike Edwards,John Kight Racing ... 308 .294 7. Mike Thomas, Gumout .279 8. Tom Martino, Six Flags Thrill Parks ,266 9. George Marnell,JK Racing ... 10. Pete Williams, Pete Williams Racing ..265

0/ «^uit 0uit.

Stateside: David Grubnic Drag racing fans, our rejoice! DAVID GRUBNIC, man racing in the States has come aboard - Australia’s quickest and fastest now has a regular column in Motorsport News.

y good friends at Motorsport News have asked me to write a column, detailing what happens on this side of the pacific. With some luck and good man agement, our cross-country jour neys should be filled with a lot of success and a bit of fun.

Giants rock drag racing T

After rocking drag strips around Australia with their stunning six second nitro Harley Davidson, the Excessive Force team - led by rider Mark Gedye, hike owner Peter Salmon and crew chief Ken McGill - is ready to further rock race fans around the world with a song titled “Six Second Man.” The song, which has been dedi cated to them by Australia’s lead ing biker band “The Giants,” w'as debuted to the public at the recent : Nationals. The band, led by giant Stuart Wood, has written and recorded the song after being suitably

impressed by the team’s historical on-ti'ack efforts with their Harley, the first nitro Harley in Australia to record a six second et and the third-quickest Harley in the world. Recently, the Giants filmed a video clip for the song at Adelaide International Raceway, obviously featui'ing the bike and team and their exploits. The clip, which was directed by English movie director Peter Corbett - who directed the feature film “Sid and Nancy”-is said to be stunning and gives a great impres sion of drag racing, while also being extremely entertaining. It also contains footage of the team racing around Australia,

including at the Nationals in March. An exciting aspect of the gi-eat song and video is that Country Music Television(CMT)has picked it up for broadcast on its channel, which is seen right around the world on vainous pay-tv providers. In Australia, CMT is broadcast on Optus,Foxtel and Galaxy. “Six Second Man” is featured on the Giants’ new “Working Underground” album, their fifth album to date - the album is dis tributed by Black Market Music and is available nationally. As the man in the hat says, “Do yourselves a favour...” - GERALD McDORNAN

Steve Bettes loses Raceway Park %

Doors close as bank moves on Heathcote drag strip

Victorian drag racing is again back to just one ANDRA-affiliated quarter mile drag racing strip following the voluntary placing of Raceway Park Heathcote Victoria Pty Ltd, the track’s promoting company owned by longtime Calder man ager Steve Bettes, into the hands of administrators on April 2§. Following a meeting with credi tors and a thorough investigation into the company, the administra tors, Planning, Recovery and Insolvency Management, have decided that, with insufficient funds to trade, the lease on the Heathcote facility would be discon tinued. An extremely disappointed Bettes told Motorsport News that the need to place the company into the hands of administrators came about due to a number of national events at the track being severely affected by weather. Bettes said that, after a reason ably successful opening of the venue on Boxing Day with the International Top Doorslammer Series, the venue’s luck changed, with a major heatwave at the fol lowing meeting and, unfortunately, a complete washout at the third. “The need to do what we have done has broken our hearts,” Bettes said of the effect that placing the company in the hands of adminis trators has had on himself and his

NO MORE... The Victorian Nostaigia Titles last February at Raceway Park was the final national open event for the venue.(Wayne Nugent pic) family. A further meeting of the administrators and the creditors of Raceway Park Heathcote (Victoria)

Pty Ltd was scheduled to take place as Motorsport News closed for press. - GERALD McDORNAN

he last few months have been rather hectic. I went home to Brisbane at Xmas time, the first time for about three years. Luckily, most of my buddies are still in the area and we man aged to blow the froth off a couple of beers in the short time that I had to spend with them.

This season, I’mand working for Mitchell Racing that has meant that I’ve moved from sunny California to the rather colder Colorado area in America’s Northwest. This is pretty much akin to leaving Darwin and heading south to Tasmania - bloody cold. However, if the year we’ve had so far is any indication, it’s certainly been a smart move.

e came into the Winter Nationals at Pomona with bugger-all pre-season testing, but managed to rip off a great 4.69 in qualifying, which was only good enough for tenth. That race came to an abrupt end in round one, when we were shut off/in after the burnout with the rear main leaking oil from the back of the engine.

Crew chiefs Richard Hogan and Bob Noice stepped on it for round one and we shocked every body, especiaiiy Cory McCienathan, when we ran 4.573/298 to beat Cory’s 4.64/315. At Gainesville, Joe Amato made a 4.523/322 lap, the quick est quarter mile pass ever. On our 4.57 run, we ran 3.041 to half-track, the quickest ever. Gainesville also gave me the chance to meet one of my heroes. Big Daddy Don Garlits. Richard used to work for Big and whenever Big comes to an NHRA event, he usually hangs out with the Mitchell team. He would talk to me after each pass, giving me some tips on my driving technique and it was a big buzz having the one and only Big Daddy backing me up after each burnout.

ouston proved that Gainesville was no fluke, as we qualified number eight with a 4.65. We ran mid-4.70s during elimi nations and two holeshots got us to the final where we faced McCienathan. The McDonald's boys weren't mucking about and their 4.55/320 gave them the win. We celebrated with a few beers after the race and I sported a pretty major headache the next day. In the television interview after the race, McCienathan referred to me as “that Grubnic kid.” That cracked me up, as I’m actually one year older than McCienathan.

The us a next taste race ofinwhatfseems Phoenix gave to have become the norrn in recent races, rain. , Friday was completely washed out, leaving Saturday as a two shot deal to make the field. We got in with a not so hot 4.95 and the king of speed, Kenny Bernstein, didn’t even qualify, which made him none to happy. We stepped the car up for round one and ran a 4.76 to beat Bruce Server, even though I was on and off the throttle twice. Our next opponent was defending Winston champ Gary Sceizi and I was pumped up a bit too much and drew a red light.

We skipped and the the Winston Invitational Fram Nationals at Atlanta was the next race - and a pretty stressful one at that. After numerous problems including a malfunctioning clutch, we found ourselves not qualified coming into the final session. A major embarrassment was looming, especially after the great result at Houston. We put a “safe” tune-up back in the car and, luckily enough, we qualified with a 4.69, even though I had to pedal the car 150ft out. In round one of eliminations, the switch for the fuel timers didn’t work and, fortunately, Shelley Anderson redlighted. Mike Dunn was our next adver sary and he was pumped up to beat me after my holeshot win over him at Houston. This time, we blazed the tyres pretty hard and Dunn was gone. At one stage, my car was up on two wheels! Needless to say the crowd got a major kick out of that, but the team owner was a lit tle more circumspect, suggesting that we didn’t need to win that badly.

ainesville represented the arrival of Mitchell Racing and, after the Friday qualifying ses sions were cancelled due to rain, we managed to qualify with a 4.71when racing resumed the next weekend. We had installed one of the hew carbon fibre fuel injection hats during the week’s break and we are getting a lot more air in the engine, creating more horsepower. The only problem is we aren’t getting enough fuel to the car in the second half of the track.

e passed over on the Virginia race and have spent the past week letting our hair down in Dallas before the next race here. After working on the race car seven days a week since the start of the year, you can believe me when I tell you that we are hell bent on enjoying any R&R that we get. The Motorplex is renowned for having great traction and, if the air is good, who knows what sort of times we’ll see. I, for one, can’t wait.

8Maym

iJd

Wet From Nats no problem for Cory NbUg Cruz and Osl me

Matt Hines downs Cast in Pro Stock Bike

IMPRESSIVE... Eddie Hill(above) doesn’t mess about in the traction stakes, but was still outgunned by runner-up Pat Dakin at Atlanta in round two of Top Fuel. (David Ostaszewski pic) Following persistent rains that moved through the Atlanta area on Sunday, the 18th Annual Fram Nationals were con cluded under sunny skies on Monday, April 20, with Cory McClenathan, Cruz Pedregon, Mark Osborne and Matt Hines all taking victories. McClenathan, tuner Mike Green and the McDonald’s team had a good read on the tricky Atlanta racing surface, consistently posting runs in the low 4.70s on their way to the win. Following a fourth-best qualifying effort, Cory used a first round 4.733/301.70 to stop Doug Herbert and, in round two, a 4.824/291.63 defeated a t}rre-smoking Joe Amato, while a 4.773/292.20 put out number one qualifier Mike Dunn in the semi. In the final, McClenathan squared off with strong inde pendent Pat Dakin and his Commercial Metal Fabricators fueller. Dakin, too, had been a pic-

ture of consistency, stopping Jim Head with a 4.712, Eddie Hill with a 4.738 and Bob Vandergriff with a 4.719, earning him a shot at the event title. In the final, McClenathan went 4.756/306.12 to stop Dakin, who clicked it off, slowing to a 5.944/147.13. That gave McClenathan his third win of the year and his eighth in the last fifteen events - it also extended his lead in the Winston Championship point standings. In Funny Car, the hottest driver on the tour, Cruz Pedregon, piloted the Interstate Batteries/Hot Rod Magazine Pontiac to it’s sec ond victory of the season over final round opponent John Force. Pedregon had some luck in round one, when he had problems and slowed to a 5.518/203.57 win over Dale Creasy Jr, who lost traction immediately. Cruz then used a second round 5.024/295.85 to stop Whit Bazemore and a

5.040/295.76 stole a semi final win from Chuck Etchells, who had Pedregon covered until the motor in the Kendall GT-1 Dodge let go just before the lights. In the final, Pedregon and Force put on a great side by side race, until the Goodyears on the Castrol Mustang started to spin at around 800 feet. Force hazed the tyres through the lights, falling behind and allowing Cruz to turn on the win light and back up his big Winston Invitational win with anoth er victory, his second pointsearning win of the season. Mark Osborne also backed up his Pro Stock win at the “Rock” a fortnight earlier by scoring a final round victory over Bruce Allen. Osborne drove the Dick Shei-man Pontiac to victories over Troy Coughlin, Mike Thomas and Rickie Smith, before a meeting with Allen in the final round. Allen, meanwhile, had dri ven his Outlaw Fuel Additive

BACK TO BACK... Mark Osborne took the Atlanta Pro Stock gold. (David Ostaszewski pic)

Pontiac to wins over John Nobile, Mike Edwards and Steve Schmidt. In the final, Osborne over-

came Allen’s small holeshot and posted a 6.996/198.10 to take the victory. Matt Hines defeated Paul

Gast with a 7.338/188.67 blast to take the event title in Pro Stock Bike. - DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

SOUTHSIDEI

[ENGINE CEN TRE! HIGH QUALITY MACHINING FOR STANDARD AND RACE ENGINES SPECiALiSED MACHINING FOR * RESTORING 1950'S & LATER ENGINES TO STANDARD I * SPEEDWAY I * DRAG RACING

I SKI BOATS I * STREET MACHINES I * CIRCLE TRACK I * HISTORICS John Zappia relies on Southside Engine Centre to keep his Zap’s Rat III runningfast & reliably

SPECIALISTS IN CYLINDER HEAD SERVICE BORING AND SUNNEN HONING CON ROD RESIZING CRANKSHAFT REGRINDING LINE HONING PIN BORING ENGINE BALANCING SURFACE GRINDING ALLOY WELDING MAGNAFLUXING/CRACK TESTING ALL TYPE OF PRECISION MACHINING

Ph:(08)9317 1233 Fax;(08)9317 1922

Unit 3/7 Blaikie St Myaree WA 6154

^0 8Msf1998

SPEEDWAY

World of Outlaws: Brett Swanson ELDORA n The Outlaws hit Rossburg’s Eldora Speedway over Easter and it was former Australian

points chase. Smith worked his way past Saldana, as did Haudenschild and Steve Kinser.

tourist Joey Saldana who led all 20 laps of Good Friday’s Preliminary Feature to pocket $4,500. Kenny Jacobs, back after a six week break for a back injury, set a new lap record of 12.945 seconds on his way to setting the Vivarin Fast Time. Steve ICinser qualified fifth, ahead of Saldana (sixth). Oui- own Brooke Tatnell in the RE Technologies #7K timed 23rd at 13.404, just ahead of Mark Kinser(24th). Saldana just secured a position in the feature by finishing fifth in his heat, while Tatnell just missed the cut ranning sixth in his. Steve Kinser was in trouble when a steering failure saw him hit the wall in his heat.

Following a stoppage, Kinser challenged Haudenschild, who moved past Smith for second mid race. The “Wild Child” was then catching Swindell, until he crashed into the wall, Despite engine problems, Mark Kinser came from last to run down his rivals and grab third in the dying stages, with Steve fourth and Hillenburg fifth - Saldana faded to ninth by race’s end. PADUCAH a April 17 at Paducah International Raceway saw the second straight victory for a Swindell, but this time it was big brother Jeff, in the 104+ Octane Ford-powered J&J who took the main event.

The King used a back-up car to Haudenschild set a new one lap run from the rear of the B-Main to record, with Mark Kinser eighth, sixth place and second alternate Steve 10th, Tatnell 25th and position and, when Keith Danny Smith, driving the Brazier Kaufmann blew his motor at the 21S, in 19th. Steve Kinser, Jeff Swindell and end of the B and couldn’t get it changed in time and then Randy Danny Smith all made the feature Kinser(who drives a car owned by through the first heat, where Steve) scratched, Steve was into Tatnell finished 10th. Mark Kinser ran third in heat the feature. A blown engine less than a lap two, Hillenburg won the dash from the chequered flag saw Steve from Swindell and Tatnell was out credited 20th. of luck, finishing last (12th) in the Tatnell ran third in the B-Main, B. Starting on the front row, making the transfer to the featoe where he finished 13th, once again Swindell was never headed and, ahead of Mark Kinser (14th). despite restarts, crossed the line In the 20 lap preliminary fea- seven lengths clear of Greg ture, Saldana drove around the Hodnett. outside of the Channellock Dash Steve Kinser pulled back a couwinner, Sammy Swindell and was pie of points by finishing third never headed. just ahead of Mark. Swindell maintained second Danny Smith finished ninth on over Jac Haudenschild and Stevie debut for Steve Brazier. Smith, all four qualifying straight WEST PLAINS into Saturday’s Channellock Dash. The following night, it was n The following night, the Swindell’s turn, recording his first teams were at West Plains win this season in his new Motor Speedway and yet Channellock-Stealth operation. another driver, Stevie Smith, Andy Hillenburg dropped the took his first Outlaws main of lap record to 12.908 on his way to the season. Smith set a new one lap record setting the Vivarin Fpst Time. Steve Kinser was fourth, while during time trials, which saw 20 cousin and arch-rival Mark was cars go under the existing lap back in 24th. record set a year ago by Joe Tatnell was slightly slower than Gaerte. Mark Kinser was less than the previous night, back in 26th 2/lOths behind in fourth, with position. Tatnell only managed seventh cousin Steve 12th, Danny Smith 14th and Tatnell 17th. in his heat and joining him in the In the first heat, Mark Kinser B-Main was Mark Kinser, who only managed a fifth in his heat, ran fifth, followed by Stevie the same heat in which Steve fin- Smith, while Danny Smith won heat two in which Tatnell ran ished third. Saldana then won the Dash third. Steve Kinser qualified into from Swindell, Haudenschild, the feature by running third in his Smith, Hillenburg and Jacobs, heat. Stevie Smith followed Mark while Mark Kinser secured the last transfer position in the B- Kinser home once again irr the Main, which was won by Craig dash, finishing 4th behind bale DollanskyintheStanton-Mopar. Blaney, Haudenschild, Jeff Tatnell earned $150 for his sev- Swindell and Kinser. enth place finish. Blaney off pole led the opening At the start of the A, Swindell laps, until Dion Hindi and Craig surged to the lead in turn 2 and DoUansky crashed in front of him. went on to win his first feature for Blaney and Mark Kinser hit the season - worth $10,000 - and Dollansky, who rolled - both to push himself to fourth in the Blaney and Dollansky were out.

Stevie Smith was now leading and went on to win over Haudenschild, Jeff Swindell and Steve Kinser. Mark Kinser came back to finish sixth - Danny Smith ran 11th and Tatnell 15th. KNOXVILLE n Next stop was a two night show at Sprintcar Mecca, Knoxville. Friday night, April 24, was an almost perfect night for the ‘Wild Child” and the Pennzoil team, led by six-time Knoxville track cham pion crew chief Guy Forbrook. Haudenschild won his fourth Vivarin fast time award, won his heat and then led all 20 laps of the feature. The only thing he didn’t win was the Dash, where he finished second behind Sammy Swindell. In time trails, it was Haudenschild’s Maxim first, Mark Kinser second, Steve sixth, Skip Jackson eighth, Tatnell 15th, Danny Smith 25th and Jamie Moyle 30th out of the 52 cars in attendance. Steve Kinser had problems in his heat, which saw him just miss the feature - if he had run fourth instead of fifth, he would have started the dash from pole. Instead, he was now in the BMain. Mark Kinser and Jackson ran fourth in their heats, while Danny Smith and Moyle ran first and third in the final heat. Tatnell just missed out, running fifth behind Sammy Swindell. Jackson then ran eighth in the dash. Tatnell won'the 12 lap B-Main, with Steve Kinser third. In the feature, Haudenschild passed Swindell in turn 4 of the opening lap and was never headdespite a couple of challenges from Swindell. Back in the pack, though, the action was fierce, with passes aplenty. Mark Kinser ended up grabbing second from SwindeU, while Steve worked his way to ninth - Danny Smith was 11th, with Tatnell 12th, Jackson 15th and Moyle 22nd. Saturday’s feature was post poned, when rain made the leg endary semi-banked oval unsafe. It was rescheduled for May 2. Rain once again spoiled the Outlaws plans when they were washed out on Sunday (April 26) , tt i. o j cv' n at Husets Speedway, Sioux Falls, SouthDakota. a 16 pint break (1556 to 1540) over arch-nval Steve Kinser. Stevie Smith s consistency has him third on 1503 ahead of Haudenschild (1482) and Andy Hillenburg U48U).

Champ Thomas takes Curren Memorial win In his first race as the new Australian Compact Speedcar Champion, Ken Thomas did everything he could to win the Curren Memorial at Rosedale Speedway on ApriPlS - but, after a thrilling dice in which the lead changed hands nirnierous times, Thomas had to settle for second place behind Brian Cardwell. Peter Robotham completed the top three placings. Whenever a Cardwell starts on pole he usually wins and heat one was no exception. Robotham put in a solid drive, coming from fifth to second, with Andrew baker third. The second heat was a reverse grid affair and Thomas used the confidence of being the nation’s numero uno to sweep around the outside (position 6)to the lead. Robotham got everyone’s atten tion when he charged from eighth to second and Cardwell moved to

third from the back of the pack. The Curren Memorial was con tested over 12 laps and Cardwell and Thomas put on a hell of a dice, swapping the lead back and forth on many occasions. Robotham shadowed the pair only metres behind, carrying the left front wheel in the air as he chased hard. Glen Wiles moved to fourth on the last lap as he passed Baker. In the 8-lap Indian File handicap race, it was Tiger Martin who led the early stages, followed by Baker, who was nipping at Martin’s heels. Robotham and Simon Amato clashed, both retiring, along with Thomas, who spun. With three laps to go. Baker made his move and passed Martin for the lead, going on to win from Wiles, who closely followed Baker across the line. Martin held on for third, with Bryon Woods fourth. -BRETT SWANSON

Battlers Chance Sprintcar Raffle

Ticket sales in the SRA’s Battlers Chance Raffle have heen selling steadily since word first got out on the grapevine about the sensation al raffle, where first prize is a fully set up, brand-new, full titanium kitted 1998 Gambler Sprintcar with a John Sidneybuilt aluminium engine. Second and third place prizes of a trip to the Knoxville Nationals and a trip to the Australian Championship are also worthy prizes, but as an added bonus, anyone who buys a book of ten tickets(10 X $15) will not only win the car, but a week of tuition at Jimmy Sills School of Open Wheel Racing. According to raffle organiser Colin Rosewarne, this seems to be a keenly-sought prize, as most people buying tickets have been buying them in books of ten. The book buyer’s bonus, which includes airfares and accomoda tion, covers Plan A and Plan C courses. Plan A is a two day course designed for novices, or first-time drivers. It starts with a short ori entation period, where basic safety and driving procedures are taught. Over the two days, you will learn how to enter and exit the

corner, throttle control, line, how to drive a loose car and how to make it tight, how to read a race track and find the best line to suit the conditions. You are also taught how to start and restart a race, give a slide job and iTin traffic. Once suited up in the Simpson uniform, or your own, you are let loose in a car. The whole thing is video-taped by Quality Video Productions. During both days, you will spend time behind the wheel. The next stage is Plan C Advanced. The first day of Plan C is spent in the shop and classroom, with more extensive training in driving technique, track savvy and setups. On the final day, watch out. This is devoted totally to track time, where you will run 130 laps with the set-ups discussed in the classroom. So, even if an absolute beginner wins the car, they will be able to make their race debut with a degree of knowledge and confi dence after a week’s intensive, but

fun, training at the Jimmy Sills School of Open Wheel Racing in a 410 Sprintcar in sunny California, - BRETT SWANSON

1998 WORLD OF OUTLAWS/SKOAL OUTLAW SERIES

\Mbk OuiKiesny Motorsport AmtrQllGm Distributors for

j{bo$irrJ

POINT STANDINGS TO mAY 3RD, 1998

I. Steve Kinser 2. Mark Kinder 3. Stevie Smith 4. Jac Haudenschild 5. Sammy Sv/indell 6. Andy Hillenburg For more information on HoosierDrag and Speedway Tyres call: 7. Johnny Herrera NSW; 02 9679 1990 Fax §2 9679 1187 8. Jeff Swindell VSO 03 933! 6477 Fax 03 9331 1444 9. Danny Lasosko SAi 08 8332 0800 Fax 08 8364 0296 18. Joe Gaerte

^^ RACING TIRE

Sammy Swindell was now in the lead, but Smith’s Ingersoll Rand/Smith was challenging. Swindell went high around a slower car, bumped the wall and spun. Steve Kinser and Tyler Walker then collided while trying to avoid Swindell, which saw Walker’s Air Sep Eagle hit Swindell.

1,865 1,864 1,841 1,778 1,762 1,761 1,752 1,733 1,729 1,726

1 1. Donny Schatz 12. Greg Hodnett 13. Dale Blaney 14. Tyler Walker 15. Craig Dollansky 16. Larry Neighbors 17. Dion Hindi 18. Lance Blevins 19. Terry McCarl 20. Daryn Pittman

1,657 1,652 ,648 1,589 1,420 ,348 1,218 1,055 1,048 685

KNOXVILLE SPEEDWAY- MAY 2ND A-FEATURE(30 LAPS) II. Greg Hodnett I. Jac Haudenschild 2. Mark Kinser 12. Donny Schatz . 3. Stevie Smith 13. Skip Jackson 4. Steve Kinser 14. Danny Smith IS. Joe Gaerte 5. Johnny Herrera 16. Lance Blevins 6. Danny Lasoski 17. Don Droud,Jr. 7. Dale Blaney 18. Craig Dollansky 8. Sammy Swindell 19. John Kearney 9. Tyler Walker 20. Brent Antill 10. Jeff Swindell

8May 1998

Ken Willsher’s NASR scuttled by SCCA F500 VIC Title Laang motorcycle mechanic Ken Willsher has taken out the 1998 Victorian Formula 500 Title in convincing style at Horsham’s Blue Ribhon Raceway. Starting from position three on the grid, alongside former nation al champion Phillip Woodberry from Tasmania and Ian Burrows from Goulburn, Willsher moved into second off the start behind Woodberry. On turn 3 of lap 2, Willsher took over the front running and held a commanding lead until an inci dent between brothers Adrian and Joseph Redpath and Troy Anderson on turn 4 of lap 8 brought out the cautions - Jason would take no further part in the proceedings. On the restart, it was Willsher ahead of Woodberry and Burrows,

with two laps being completed before another caution. At the restart. Burrows got the jump on Woodberry and moved into second position behind Willsher. Positions for the lead trio remained unchanged to the flag, Ken Willsher taking the chequer by half a lap from Burrows, Woodberry, Victorians Darryl Willsher and Troy Anderson and sixth-placed Brian Thorley (NSW). Ken Willsher lowered the lap record in the feature from 16.61 seconds to 16.49, making the Formula 500s the second fastest class at Blue Ribbon Raceway. The final race on the Victorian calendar this season is Round 6 of the Tucker Time Championship, which is to be held at Swan Hill’s

down to Claremont Speedway.. The Speedway is located at the Claremont Showgrounds and has been so for 71 years, but a couple of weeks ago the Royal Agricultural Society ended the lease. This has forced the closure of one of the oldest and most famous dirt racing venues in the world. The RAS gave the speedway two years’ notice and attempts were made to relocate the venue.

“NASR will now have to come to the compromise table, on our terms,” stated Bill Roberts, presi dent of the NSW Sprintcar club. “The Sprintcar clubs were not going to be bullied into joining NASR in it’s proposed structure. “I think it should have a board of four driver representatives and four representatives appointed by the promoters, but not necessarily pro moters themselves. “NASR needs our membership to fund itself, so they will now have to compromise if they want it to still

go ahead,” Roberts continued. “NASR should be a promotional body only and a point of reference for Government bodies - they don’t need to have control over licenses etc. “I think they should be funded by the clubs, not by the individual members. “With the SCCA refusing to come to the party, I think other divisions may now think twice about joining NASR until the structure is suit ably changed.” - BRETT SWANSON

Sonic Speedway on June 7.

Protest march ih W to grant Claremont stay of execution A street parade will be held in Perth this Thursday, May 7, to highlight to the State Government the importance of speedway in the Western Australian community. The march, organised by the Claremont Speedway Competitors and Supporters Club, is protesting the recent eviction notice handed

At the national conference of the Sprintcar Control Council of Australia (SCCA) last week end (May 1-2), the states and territories voted unanimously to reject the National Association of Speedway Racing(NASR)proposal. While most people can see the benefits of the NASR objectives of a unified body and “one stop shop,” many have doubts as to the struc ture and control of the body and also as to who manages the compa ny and how they are appointed.

A PRESSURE... #9 Ben Ludlow asserts himself with Ellenbrook runner-up John Cardy.(Brad Steele pic)

After 38 years in speedway, Alan “A J” Nylander has won his first title after taking the final round of the LMRA Championship at Ellenbrook Speedway in WA. The 52-year “yoimg” racer capped off a consistent season to win the Relevant government authori inaugural LMRA Championship ties and speedway management and the right to carry the coveted are close to announcing where a #1 next season. new multi-purpose motor sport Nylander was in an intense bat facility (including drag racing) will tle with John Cardy - driving the be located in Perth. Cardy Components #60 Camaro But they need time and another with another veteran, Ben Ludlow two-year lease extension is being (DiCandilo Avenger), also a chance to grab the crown if things went his sought. Speedway riders, drivers, pit way. Bad luck struck the Avenger crew, officials and supporters have pairing, of Brad Ludlow been encouraged to take part in (Performance Direct) and Kevin the historic march, that will meet Bell (Giacci Earthmoving), both of in Nelson Crescent, East Perth, at whom were quick during the day. 9:00am. While having comfortable leads A big cavalcade of transporters, in their final heats, both would race cars and trailers is expected leave the track with expired powerin the peaceful presentation to the - plants. government. Nylander started the feature The march will arrive at from pole after a fine run in the Parliament House around 9.45 heats, which included a win in heat am. 3 - Ludlow, Cardy and youngster - DARREN O’DEA Ryan Halliday (in the Tudor Lane

Nylander wins his first crown RX7)aU grabbed one win apiece. The surprise packet of the day was Meekatharra resident Bruce Trenaman, who grabbed two fine wins in only his third appearance in the left hand beasts. With the pole position goes a bonus five points, thus giving Nylander a nine point buffer which would allow him to finish two posi tions behind Cardy and still secure the crown. But that was never a problem, as Nylander powered away at every start. Luke Halliday, in the second AJN Camaro, brought on the first yeUows when he backed his car into the turn 3 wall, after a good run in the heats saw him quahfy third. Ben Ludlow was starting to put the pressure on Cardy until, after a

little assistance, the rear-e nd snapped an axle, leaving what looked to be a certain third-placed contender parked on the infield. Even with the problem of a spark plug lead falling off, Nylander easi ly took the win over Cardy, Ivor Ladwig (DiCandilo Trans Am), Ryan Halliday Rob McGregor (Optel Camaro)and Trenaman, In the end, 12 points separated Nylander and Cardy (452 for the season-long state championship), with Ben Ludlow a further 47 points behind. McGregor, Ladwig, Rob Whittington (#11 Lumina), Brad Ludlow, Ryan Halliday, Willie Powell (Jason Pallets Avenger) and Bell rounded out the top ten in the points for the season. - BRAD STEELE

John Sidney Racing

^ Race winning machining services. ^

With over 25 years experience in performance Fully computerised Engme Dyno facility & complete race engine engines, John Sidney Racing is renowned for their machining service including: experience and knowledge in NASCAR/AUSCAR, Cylinder block - Block squaring and decking. Line honing, block squaring-off crankshaft centre-line, reboring and power honing Sprintcar, Speedway and Group A engine prepara (with strain plates and bore-true plates using SUNNEN CK-10 tion and development. You too can use our expert hone machine) lifter-bore re-sizing and aligning. Sonic cylinder¬ services to gain a competitive edge utilising the testing same quality and track-proven reliability for your crankshaft - Fully computerised balancing, crack testing, conrod race engine, re-sizing. We use the latest electronic/computer controlled machining equipment and as our machini^sts are p,race winning engine builders, you can be sure they know the importance of getting it right, © Moiors/jort News

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SPEEDWAY

S May 1998

Leslight tops McHugh at Gym pie clash

John Leslight’s season of domi nation continued at Gympie’s Mothai’ Mountain Speedway on April 4 when he notched up yet another feature race win to take out round 18 of the Coastline Vehicle Transport Super Series. After cutting the fastest lap in time trials and drawing position four in the pre-race draw, the veter an Super Sedan steerer had to work hard in 33 lap feature to over come a detei-mined Jamie McHugh before securing victory. McHugh (Miami Smash Repairs Falcon), who started from the out side front row, led the first half of the race as Leslight worked his way forward from grid four. When polesitter Peter Warren took his North Coast Concrete Commodoi-e to the infield on lap 10 with a flat tyre, Leslight moved into second spot and started to make his move. McHugh, one of only three dri vers to win a Super Series feature thus far this season, drifted a frac tion wide in turn 2 on lap 16 and Leslight scampered through into the lead. These two remained locked together as they weaved through backmarkers, but McHugh wasn’t provided with an opportunity to reclaim the fi’ont running and had to settle for the runner-up spot.

Local hero Cameron Meehan (Lewin Homes Falcon) started and finished in third spot, followed home by the consistent Rod Gough (American Truck Spares Pontiac), Shane Paulger (Breaka Pontiac), Kelvin Hamilton (Midas Camaro), and Corey Brough (Fibretech Camaro), who was hampered by a flat tyre in the closing stages. AI Starling (Shell Pontiac), Bruce Marshall (Dumesny Motorsport Commodore) and Shayne Lau (McGrath Toyota Camaro) rounded out the top ten. The six qualifying heats provided plenty of action on an excellent rac ing surface and were taken out by McHugh, Gough, Meehan, Leshght, Warren and Brough, who collected his first win in the division with a terrific performance under pressure. Modified Productions were down in numbers for the running of round 8 of the Autobarn Series. Gary Pagel streeted the field in the 20 lap feature, finishing ahead of his cousin Mark Pagel, the cur rent Queensland and New South Wales champion, who topped quali fying and started from pole posi tion. Veteran Peter Doyle made it a Commodore trifecta, with a third place finish ahead of exciting youngster Andy Geppert and the improving Troy Brittle. - CHRIS METCALF

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ON A ROLL ... For the third consecutive time, Skip Jackson is Australia’s “Driver of the Year."(Tony Loxiey pic)

Sprintcar Poll results For the third, straight year, Skip Jackson has been nomi nated as the Driver of the Year by the Australian National Sprintcar Poll. Jackson, the defending World Series Sprintcar Champion, Knoxville track Champion and Grand Annual Classic Champion, received 13 of the 16 first place votes cast by the select panel. Jackson’s award will be formally bestowed upon him on Thursday, August 13, during the annual “Salute to Australia” at the Amoco Knoxville Nationals. Current Aussie Champion Max Dumesny received one first place vote on his way to runner-up in the poll, ahead of 1994/95 winner

Brooke Tatnell, retiring superstar Garry Rush and American Todd Shaffer. Trevor Green, 1993/94 winner Garry Brazier, Kerry Madsen, Ron Krikke, Robbie Farr and Phil Mai’ch completed the top ten finish ers(Farr and March tied for 10th). There was a triple celebration for the Jackson clan, as Skip’s brother Paul and mechanic Tim “Moth” Gleeson won the “Team of the Year” award, while another brother, Jeff, who built the chassis that Skip used to such great effect, won the “Builder/Manufacturer of the Year.” Retiring ten-time Australian Champion Garry Rush was the unanimous decision for the

“Outstanding Contribution to the Sport Award” - a fitting tribute to the living legend. Victoria’s Stephen Bell and Queensland’s Cameron Gessner were named “Co-Rookies of the Year,” following a tied vote and American Terry McCarl was the “Wild Card” winner for exciting performances. Bunbury promoter Des Ferris was voted the “Promoter of the Year”, while after just a couple of months at the helm of Speedway Racing News, Wade Aunger secured the “Media Member of the Year” award, which he will receive in person at the Knoxville Nationals. - BRETT SWANSON

D ” XI lAf A the upcoming World Series Sprintcars, States with engine builder Joe FRANKIE’S FIVE GRAND Dri6llYa VwdCI0 Allll£0r with a possible joint operation with Ashley Fontana’s backing and the support of n Triple All Star Circuit of Champions ^ Anthony in the #49 Vision Kart Hire Ellis chassis. winner Frankie Kerr snared the $5,000 BROOKE’S GOING FOR BROKE Clarke caught the eye of Fontana when on offer to win the Coors Spring sprinter. Madsen showed his versatility this sea- the Californian engine builder was in Nationals at Attica Raceway Park in n If not for engine problems with his RE son with several starring performances in Australia recently and, through Steve Ohio recently. Memphis Tennessee-based Kerr took the win from Joey Saldana, Technologies team; Brooke Tatnell Bruce and Gavin Leer’s #3 Fontana Smith, the two struck a deal. / Clarke will run for around four months Kelly Kinser, Dean Jacobs and Kevin has had a good start to his USA cam- St^lth Speedcar. The highlight of the way he races in any in selected shows that will include Beaver Huntley. paign. Rounding out the top ten were Jeff division is how straight he keeps the car, Dam, Hales Corners, Sun Prairie and Brooke impressed the fans and the oppo maybe even 16th Street Speedway in Shepard, Kenny Jacobs, Charlie Fisher, regardless of slick, or heavy, track condi sition with a solid drive in Knoxville. ,Qhad Kemenah and Todd Kane. tions. Brooke drove the car to 15th fastest time Indianapolis. ^ As for the biggest race of the year, the . ' in the 52-car-field, finished fifth in his AND SAMMY’S TEN MURPH’S TURF Belleville Nationals in Kansas, Clarke’ heat and won the B Main. n Slammin Sammy Swindell kept his From there, he blasted from position #20 n Peter Murphy is go,ing well in says that they will assess how the team is WoO points chase on the upside with a to finish a creditable 12th in the A Main, California, driving for car owner going before making a decision on that and $10,000 win at Eldora Speedway recentfinishing ahead of Skip Jackson. Maurice Williams in the #0 Williams other shows they may run. This impressive result occurred despite Motorsport Maxim. When they return from the USA (in ly. The defending World of Outlaws champ a broken left hand front torsion bar. Murphy struck up the deal with Williams September, they expect) Clarke will take ' , , r .u a n Tatnell’s crew chief Deuce Turrill knows last season in the US, when the Penrith, .. delivery of a new Infinity chassis built by started on the front row of the A Main a thing or two about the Marion County NSW-based wheeler was helping out good fellow Newcastle racer Gerard Burke. alongside Joey Saldana, but surged ahead Fairgrounds and Tatnell, too, has done a friend Steve Kinser. Clarke, who ended up with 12 main and was never caught despite the best few laps around the circuit in the past. Murphy got to audition for Williams in a event wins this season, wants to concen- efforts of Jac Haudenschild. The Haudenschild #22 was catching the They could be quite a handy combination couple of WoO races afyer their meeting and trate on two events he was tipped to win, leader, but slammed the wall in ton 3 with around mid-August, when the Nationals the California garbage contractor liked what but didn’t... the Aussie title and the ten laps remaining and broke the front-end. come to town. he saw. $100,000 Super S'eries. Brooke will concentrate his efforts now Pete has been running nearly every weekThe talented 22 year-old burst into allowing Swindell to get away, on returning to Memphis(where the opera- end in California now that the cold snap prominence two seasons ago when he won RTTnnv tion is based) and then following the weather has settled down and, as of last the Suzuki GTi series, then promptly BANK THIS,BUDDY Outlaws to Pennsylvania where they race weekend, was listed as 12th in the NARC turned his back on road racing and bought n Current WoO series leader Mark at Budweiser Sprintcar Challenge in a complete Ellis Speedcar with trailer from ^r remlfne^^fnd Tri Citv in Illinois Terra Haute (Indiana) California, just 65 points off the pace set by the USA. $50,000 in prizemoney and we re and then back to L^rnerville. early leader Randy “Boo” Tiner. It didn’t take the kid dubbed as “The only a handful of races into the 98 Oridnallv struggling with motor trouAn excellent five-way battle for second is Hunter Valley Hurricane long to settle in season, bles Brooke is ba^k on track and finding the highlight of the points at present, with either - he, along with Stephen Graham, Though Mark Kinser has certainly p ’ Brent Kaeding Kevin Pylant, Jason Lund are regarded as two of the hottest prospects become one of the biggest threats for The team is c„rre„lly short of pit crew, though. MADSEN HEADS TO KNOXVILLE n Kerry Madsen has left for the USA now, too - he’s joining forces with Sid Moore in a Knoxville-based operation. The talented young charger from St. Marys in NSW may cause some concern for his USA and Aussie opposition if the pack age comes together as planned. Madsen is also trying to work a deal for

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Mumhv, meanwhile, will concentrate his efforts L the California scene until July/August, when the’team will head to the mid-west and begin their build up to Knoxville. CLARKE RACES WITH FONTANA n Newcastle Speedcar star Adam Clarke is now in the USA gearing up for his dream shot, racing in the

in the Speedcar game,

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DANNY SMITH DRIVES BRAZIER SPRINTER n Danny Smith has been driving the Steve Brazier-owned Sprintcar. Smith has been pretty consistent, too, by all reports, an 11th place finish at West Plains Speedway in Missouri a highlight. Brooke Tatnell qualified 17th quick that night and finished a commendable 15th in the main event.

win list. dm Steve ffinser boasts an unbelievable 418 career WoO wins, while Mark has 88. Second in the all-time standings-is Sammy Swindell with 229 and Doug Wolfgang has 107. n j l * The next best current WoO driver is Stevie Smith, with 34 wins No Australian driver has ever won a World of Outlaw mam event.

8 May ms t V

Grand Toohey's National glory for John ^ne

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The 1998 Tooheys East Coast Grand National, Australia’s most presti gious non-championship Super Sedan event, was taken out by Newcastle’s John Pyne in farcical cir cumstances at Lismore City Speedway on April 25. The event, the first for new promoter Ben Hall, was awarded to Pyne (Teterin Camaro) after only 26 of the scheduled 50 laps had been completed by the strict 10.30pm curfew. Pyne was a worthy winner, though, having taken the lead on lap 3 after starting the race from pole position. Defending Champ Alan Baker (Stein Earthmoving Falcon) captured second posi tion, ahead of John Leslight (American Truck Parts Camaro), Paul O’Neill (Lismore Nissan Camaro) and Ross Brims (Independent Fuels Camaro). A lengthy delay at the start of the night to get an over-watered track into race shape would ultimately prove costly as the night wore on. While lacking in quantity, the 20-car fi eld was of the absolute highest quality, with the best from Queensland and New South "Wales in attendance to chal lenge Australian Champ Mick Nicola (Traralgon Car City Camaro). On a track that has been widened and completely reshaped, Pyne outpaced Larry Nelson (Redline Camaro) and Leslight to win the opening heat. Shane Paulger charged from the rear of the field to win heat two, ahead of O’Neill and Ian Marshall (Federal Tyres Commodore). Brims clocked his first win when he downed Queensland

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HAPPY MAN... Lismore was good for Grand National winner John Pyne. (Tony Loxley pic) Report by CHRIS METCALF

WET, WET. WET... Jason Crump surfs to the lead ahead ofCharlie Gjedde and Leigh Adams during the not so Good Friday meeting at Swindon in the UK.(Mike Patrick pics) the last six seasons, The Czech Republic has is racing for Ornarna, been guaranteed a wild for whom he has card rider in each of the six signed to race in nine Grand Prijr events this year, League meetings. simply because the Czech channel Cable Plus has Every meeting in \s! Sweden is on a agreed to show a one hour Tuesday and there transmission of every event. will be no clash with It has set a dangerous his British League precedent, but Race commitments. Director Ole Olsen said “we meant wholesale cancella have to consider all the Jason Crump was the tion of meetings throughout 'man who advised his fellow commercial aspects of Grand Prix racing and, if the length and breadth of countryman to go to Sweden. Britain. that means giving one of the

Champ Lyndsay Hawkings (McDonald and Murphy Camaro) and Robert Carrig (Manual Transmission Factory Camaro)in heat three. Nicola’s night started badly when he spun in turn 1 and was clipped by AI Starling, who flipped hi§ Shell Camaro as a result. Starling, who journeyed south to compete at Newcastle, only to find the meeting washed out, was a late addition to the field. While forced to miss his remaining heats, he had the car back on the track for the feature. Pyne doubled up in heat four, when he disposed of Leslight and O’Neill in emphatic fashion. Brims disposed of Wayne Randall (Ian Boettcher Motors Mazda RX7) and Baker in heat five. Stu Robertson (Teny Olson Transport Falcon) proved too strong in heat six, finishing half a lap clear of Jamie McHugh (Miami Smash Repairs Falcon) and Pyne, who had been sent to the rear for an infringement at a restart. Carrig joined the winners list with'victoiy in the penul timate heat over Nicola and Nick Girdlestone (Murray’s Race Parts Camaro). The final qualifier went to Baker ahead of Hawkings who set a new lap record before sun’endering the lead - and Randall. All 20 cars took their place in the field for the main event and the grid assembled as follows: Pyne, Brims, Baker, Carrig, Leslight, Paulger, O’Neill, Randall, Hawkings, Nelson, Nicola, Robertson, McHugh, Girdlestone, Marshall, Kelvin Hamilton, Brian Missen, Paul Geaiy, Graeme, Lehmann and Starling. Brims led away when the green flag flew, while Pyne settled into second spot,

ahead of Baker, Carrig, Paulger, Leslight and Randall. Starling encountered fur ther problems and headed infield on the opening lap and was quickly followed by Hawkings, who rejoined briefly before retiring for good. Pyne moved to the front with an outside swoop through turn 4 on lap three and had established a fourlength lead by lap 5. After a slow start, McHugh was making progi'ess from the back of the field, disposing of Nicola, Marshall and Girdlestone in quick succession. The first stoppage came on lap 8, when Paulger, having been relegated to eighth, spun his Breaka Pontiac in turn 1 and was banished to the rear. Brims waS slow to go at the resumption and allowed both Leslight Baker to move ahead. Three laps later. Baker dived under Leslight to grab second and set out after the I’ace leader. As the field bunched again on lap 14, following a spin from young Hamilton (Midas Exhausts Camaro) in turn 3, a broken ball joint ended Marshall’s race. Just one more lap was completed before fifth-placed Randall survived a big moment in turn 1 that ended his challenge. Baker was on a charge and was taking the challenge to Pyne, until the race was halted once more when Nelson contacted several cars, including McHugh, who lost three spots as a result, while attempting to continue with an outside front flat tyre. One lap into the resump tion, Can-ig tagged the turn 3 concrete and triggered a four-car pile-up that prompted officials to halt proceeding, a decision that didn’t

wild card places at each GP to a Czech rider, then so be it.” The series will reach Australia this year on the Fox net work and is also going to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Canada, Brazil and Israel, in addition to most European countries.

Wiltshire led his Sydney's Todd German club, Landshut, to victory in the first Superliga meeting of the sea son at Wittstock where he totalled 14 points of his club’s 43 point total - his team finishing ahead of the host club Wittstock, Gustrow and Teterow. he closure of In the second tracks in Britain at has become a cru meeting sade for the 'Friends Diedenbergen, Wiltshire’s Landshut of Speedway’ organi JASON LYONS ...UK and Swedish schedule. finished second to sation and they are Diedenbergen, Wiltshire Aussie Craig Boyce, who currently working hard to scoring 11 points, behind save Long Eaton from the spent a rare winter in the team-mate Marvyn Cox, Northern hemisphere, has developers. who scored a total of 12. been amazed. Chairman of the body is Danish rider Brian “ I don’t remember the Ron Delane,y who is based in Essex on the outskirts of Andersen (with 15) andlast time I went 17 days London and he has asked without a meeting after a England’s Chris Louis (with 14) proved a handful with supporters to lobby their season had already start ed," he said. their scoring for the hosts. MPs to prevent any more closures. “I can't remember a gap like this in ten years I have Edinburgh's Powderhall Th e weekend May 8-10 promises of to be a been in Europe. Stadium, Middlesbrough “I even drove to Poland big one for Danish speed and Cradley are all among recent closures, not to men way, with the big money at Easter and the meeting tion the former Grand Prix was rained off... it was a 24 Gold Bar event at Vojens hour drive in each direc attracting an international venue at Hackney in tion.” field on Friday, May 8. London, along with Many of the riders will Wimbledon and White City, also be moving a few hun which were strongholds of dred kilometres north for Jason Lyons, the Aussie who rides in England for the sport not so long ago. the Hans Nielsen Jubilee Belle Vue, will also be rac The capital city now has no major track. meeting at his home town ing in the Swedish League this season. of Brovst, as the triple World Champion celebrates The 27 year-old, who The weather has been with Belle Vue for for worst manyApril years has 25 years in the sport.

prove too popular with the huge crowd that was in attendance. Pyne was declared the vic tor, ahead of Baker, Leslight, Brims and O’Neill, with Robertson, Girdlestone. Carrig, Nicola and McHugh completing the top ten. The supporting Modified Production feature was taken out by Allan Irwin, ahead of Neville Mansted, Ten-y Layton. Wayne Carter and Bob Worling. - CHRIS METCALF

Hi"Ferformance Swap Meel Sunday 10 May Fairfield Showground Smithfield Road Smithfield NSW.

All undercover sites. Great food, great venue. Rain, hail or shine, we swap! All admitted from 7 am. For further information contact the Australian Nostalgia Racers Info Line on

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Omega on pace

Since developing the new Omega TP13 chassis late in 1997, Omega Karts Australia has spent a lot of time testing and improving the kart in preparation for the Australian and New Zealand Nationals. At Geelong, Omega lead driver Tyson Pearce came very close to two national titles - in both Formula 100 Light and Piston Port, the talented South Australian started third, right where he wanted to be. He may have been in the right place in the changeable conditions, but it still didn’t stop him from being helped off the circuit in Piston Port

Atomik attack on Ipswich

after only a couple of corners. Ultimately, he finished a fighting second, only metres behind eventual champion Peter Temopolous after com ing from well down the pack, his battle through the field one ofthe meeting highlights. In Formula 100 Light, Pearce started well and was within the leading group of four karts when, after only eight laps, his hydraulic brake line blew, leaving him without brakes in the slip pery conditions for the remainder of the race. Despite this, however, he fought his way to a very close fifth place, only metres behind the leading group. -SEAN HENSHELWOOD

After the departure of Australian reigning Formula A champion David Clark to the LMR/CRG team, Merlin Racing Australia was faced with the prospect of finding a replacement dri ver for the second round of the Wynn’s Australian Karting Championships at Ipswich on June 21. Initially, Merlin’s number one reed driver Brendan May was considering fielding a Merlin/Atomik in Foi-mula A and Intercontinental A, how ever some quick calls by Merlin distributor Tony Brancalion saw three replacement drivers ready to

represent Merlin in Formula A at the Queensland meetmg. Geelong driver Mark Domaschenz lines up along side Queenslanders Patrick Buckley and Simon Richardson in the Eastern Creek international Karting Raceway Formula A class, while round one Merlin debutante Ian Cash is joined by Warrick Spooner in Intercontinental A. Making it seven Merlin representatives at the second round of the W3mn’s champi onship will be Kiel Johnston and Regan Payne in the Bob Jane T-Marts Junior Intercontinental A class.

STRONG PRESENCE... Merlin's reed driver Brendan May. If the debut run for the anything to go by, the Merlin new 1998 Merlin Atomik Formula A team will be one rotary valve engine at the to keep an eye on. -SEAN HENSHELWOOD 1998 Geelong Nationals is

Clearance sale by Wynn’s Racing Rageman impresses at

Following the recent announcement of Wynn’s Racing’s purchase of the ex-Steve Cramp Reynard Formula Holden comes a downsizing in the team’s karting equipment. A collection of chassis, engines, spares, wheels etc suitable for FMK to

Clubman classes will be up for public sale at a clear ance at the team’s Melbourne base. The doors will be open between 9;00am and 4:00pm this Saturday (May 9) at Wynn’s Racing, Unit 1/72-74 Chifley Drive, Preston.

Calder Park Superkarts A very wet track greeted the drivers at Calder Park Raceway for the sec ond round of the Victorian

Superkart Club Championships. The dramas started in practice for Ben Castles, when a kart spun in front of him and he had nowhere to go, leav ing a huge bend in his rear axle - but he was able to borrow an axle for racing, with good results. I The lOOcc Junior ranks swelled to er Enquiries N five, with Ulrich Deyssis having his first Weltome

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Sio€kists of all

After winning the first two heats, Jared Laws looked good, but Lee Barabasz and Evan Rogerson found Yamaha style more speed as the track dried arid bat sarbvrelfors, tled out the front positions. When the points were added up. Laws parts, gas^ ^ was the winner from Rogerson, with kefs, filters, Barabasz not far behind and Dean Crooke only one point behind him in repair kits, fourth. .$5.00 WB3A carburettor ..$99.00 Throttle shaft .... Ian Lennox set the pace early in lOOcc .$5.50 Gasket kit $10.00 In-line fuel filter Light, with David Williams and Castles $3.50 Repair <6 gasket kJt..$IS.00 Inlet fuel needle the only ones to run with him. Williams found a bit extra by the second heat, Mail Order Specialist | dropping Lennox back a place, while Euro 24127 mm VISA Rodney Reynolds and Rod Prickett both WB32 carburettor ..$99.00 got in front of Castles, with John Sciarra and Richard Stupka on his tail. IAN WILLIAMS TUNING Castles got it all together for the final 68 RiGliiiiond Rd Keswick SA 5035 two heats, winning the third heat com fortably from Prickett, but he had to

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work very hard in the final, with Prickett and Darryl Bredenback close on his tail. Castles won the day from Prickett and Sciarra. lOOcc Heavy saw Gary Pegoraro have four wins, although in the final he didn’t get in front until the last lap. He loaned his kart to John Goughian to run in the Light class and, unfortu nately, he (Goughian) seized the motor in the final. Pegoraro and crew freed the motor, poured some oil in the bore and away he went, after almost missing the start. There was a bunch at the front most of the day, with some entertaining rac ing between Pegoraro, Michael Bramich (whose DNF in the final cost him dearly overall), Ken Knight and Rod Clarke, who swapped places back and forth. Knight finished second on the day with Clarke third. Ross Hansen made the trip from NSW to mix it with the locals in the 80cc class. Darren Dunn was the only driver tp' really push Hansen, with the pair trad ing places on several occasions during the day. Hansen took the four wins, with Dunn second in each race. The next bunch of Peter Windhager, Greg Folletta, Joe Misitano, Paul Ristic

and Nick Mann raced very close, with positions changing constantly. Windhager just had enough for third, with Folletta and Misitano next. Tony Lapozzuto led Bruce Sturrock home by three points in the B Grade. The 125cc and 250cc classes ran together and, in the 125cc class, Peter Rageman had probably his best day, with four straight wins and giving some of the 250cc drivers the hurry up. Superkarts newcomer Mark Purcell battled it out with Ian Fairer, beating him into second place on the day. Another new driver, James Graham, came home fourth. 250cc National driver Clint Thompson started the day with a good second place behind Ross Higgins, but in heat two a large puddle put him out of business when a waterlogged engine stopped him dead. In his first drive in superkarting, Shane Perry did well and finished sec ond, getting faster each heat. Five 250cc Internationals faced the starter and the races between Tony Rath and Robert Erlenwein started in earnest, with Rath winning out and Chris Mallet overcoming mechanical problems in practice to take out third. The next round will be at Calder Park Raceway on May 17. - GRAEME BURNS

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KARTING

French farce halts Courtney's charge ft

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SHIPSHAPE... Daniel Richert, Orient-bound with Tenix support. (Sean Henshelwood)

ienix backs Richert

PCR Australia Formula A driver Daniel Ridhiert has confirmed his entry into

the^dpveted Ayrton Senna Memorial Trog% for Intercontinental A karts at the^World Cup meeting at Suzuka in Jdpau later this month, after the ; Geeiong teenager received support ; from Melhourne ship building giant ilenix. Richert, who is an'apprentice mechanical [ fitter with the Williamstown-based Tenix, [ has been given the green fight to represent I his country against the World’s top karters, including fellow Aussie and reigning Australian Intercontinental A Champion Troy Hunt. AJong with Support from Tenix, Richert

has also been given support by the Geelong Go Kart Club, Bridgestone Australia and the Australian Institute of Sport. Also confirmed as entries representing Australia in the second most important race of the world karting calendar (behind the World Championships) are James Courtney (Tony Kart) and Ben Horstman (Birel) in Super A and William Yarwood (CRG), Ryan Briscoe (CRG) and Gary Dann (PCR) in Formula A. NSW gun Wesley May may also be repre senting Australia in Formula A, with the assistance of expat Aussie Jon Targett in the Energy team, although details were still to be confirmed. - SEAN BDENSHELWOOD

An amazing sequence of events led to the final of the second round of the European Formula Super A Championship at Val D’Argenton, France, on May 3 being contested by just six drivers and pre vented Australian double

It was an unfortunate conelusion to a promising weekend for Courtney, who was

involved in a collision which

pension for disobeying an official order if they didn’t. The race was run, but the drivers remained in order as per team instructions and the final outcome on whether the race will count towards the championship is still uncertain.

bumped back to sixth,” Courtney explained. Couidney took a sixth and an eighth in the first two heats and was challenging for the lead in the last heat when the ignition cut out and he was forced to stop. In the pre-final, he was

good chance, so it was very disappointing for it all to end the way it did.” Courtney’s next race is the imminent World Cup at Suzuka, Japan, on May 2324, where he’ll be looking to improve on last year’s second place finish.

put him half a lap beliind in 36th position. However, the Shannons having his best run of the Insurance-supported driver season so far, time-trialling quickly reduced the defecit sixth fastest and with only as he charged back up to one tenth of a second cover20th, lapping five tenths of a ing the first six. second faster than the race “I was actualy third-fastest leaders. for three-quarters of the ses world champion James “The speed is definitely sion, but then the track con Courtney from capitalis there now,” said Courtney, ditions improved and I got ing on his good perfor much happier now mances in the earli that his team has er heats. resolved the engine It appears that the problems it had expe vast majority of dri rienced at the start of vers boycotted the the season. main event after a “But I’m just having race official was a bit of bad luck at the knocked over by the moment,” he added, pace car. ‘^vei-yone was looking However, Courtney’s forwai'd to the final to Tony Kart team boss see whether I would Roberto Robazzi be able to come instructed his drivers through from 20th to take to the grid, and challenge for the fearing that they lead. would face an auto JAMES COURTNEY (Thunder-Pics) “I think I stood a matic six month sus

Nationals domination BOB JANE t-marts 1998 EAST COAST OVER 40’S TITLE S by Tecno/Parilla Coffe Harbour Kart

Since becoming an importer for Parilla engines late last year, Remo Luciani hasn’t looked back when it comes to results. At the recent 1998 Nationals, Parilla engines took first to fourth and sixth in Formula 100 Heavy, with Mt Gambler’s Malcolm Kilsby taking back to back titles.

In Piston Port, Parilla took first to third and fifth place, with Melbourne’s Peter Temopolous taking his sec ond title, while in Formula 100 Light they qualified fastest and finished second, third, fifth and sixth. This almost overwhelming outcome was reinforced by the already impressive first and third placings at the opening round of the Wynn’s

Australian Championship, where Jamie Whincup took a comfortable victory, as he did at the 1998 Portland Street Grand Prix in Formula 100. Adding further lustre to Luciani’s scoresheet is the fact that all of the Parilla vic tories have=come on Tecno chassis expertly driven by Temopolous, Kilsby and Whincup. - SEAN HENSHELWOOD

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Eligibility Open to all AKA licenced drivers born prior to

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DOiN’ THE JOB ... Peter Temopolous (Tecno/Parilla) on his way to victory in Piston Port at the Geelong Nationals three weeks ago. The title win was the second for Temopolous. Also contributing to the grin on the face of importer Remo Luciani are the results achieved by the other Tecno/Parilla notables, Jamie Whincup and Malcolm Kilsby. (Sean Henshelwood)

June 6th 1958, holding a minimum Grade C Open Licence.

Entiy Fees $85 for I St entry & $40 for additional entries. Late fees of $ 15 apply to each class entry.

eiLcan Travelodge Resort C O F F S

A fi B O U R

Fermat 3 Heats and Final - FINAL only counts.

Classes NATIONAL - Light, heavy, super heavy. CLUBMAN - Light, heavy, super heavy.

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OPEN - Including RESA, Reed, Twins, Piston Port, PRD.

Tropliies Presented to the first 5 places within each class.

Entries Close 5pm Thursday 28th May 1998.

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Northern New South Wales

Enquiries Entry forms and information kits are available from Nicole Rosevear on 02 6651 7868.

4S SMaym

l^®0®[7S[p®l70

The Fox turns 80 By BRIAN REED THE impressive shared clubrooms of the Austin Healey and Jaguar clubs in Springvale, Melbourne were the setting for the celebration of a very special event recently - the 80th birth day of“the Fox”,Hany Firth. A large and very enthusiastic gath ering of motorsports friends, col leagues and representatives of Ford Motor Company and GM-H joined in paying tribute to a man who has had a profoimd influence on not only the direction of motor racing in this coun try but on the lives of many people involved in the sport. The party on Saturday, April 18 saw many famous - and infamous Firth stories told by Harry and his

friends.

His 1968 Australian Rally Championship navigator Graham HoinviJle had the audience in stiches with a story from the 1964 Round Australia Trial. Harry was renowned for travelling light {a couple of pairs of underpants rolled up in a singlet, and a tooth brush with the handle cut off). Harry

was in his shorts, the weather was cold, and they lost the heater in their Ford Cortina Mk.l. They pushed on to Brisbane and Hoinville suggested Harry should buy some long trousers. As luck would have it, Harry found a wad of paper rolled up in his shorts pocket - a diy cleaning docket from the Lowood 3-hour meet ing the previous year. Amazingly the trousers were stiU at the drycleaners, Harry exchanged them for the dock et, and then proceeded on his way to victoiy in the event. The night was fiiU offunny stories, and Harry was in good form as he recalled how, unlike the big contracts of today, the early motor racing deals were done with Ford and Holden on the basis of a handshake. According to Lewis-Williams, GMH was not able to allocate funds for racing, although rallying was accept able by the company, so the early Armstrongs at Mt. Panorama were referred to as “the Bathurst rallies 500-mile tarmac events around the mountains of Bathurst!” And when the GM executives from America became suspicious and came

out for an inspection, Harry took them out for an extended lunch while the mechanics fitted fog lights, rally tyres and Helgas to the race cars and everyone was happy! An important part of the evening centred on his special relationship with master apprentice Peter Brock, and Harry described how their suc cessful union was nurtured. In Harry’s eyes, Brocky had not only talent but was prepared to listen and learn - others without these qualities were very short-term under Firth’s leadership. Harry told the audience about tak ing the young Brock to Macau “to teach him a few things about life” and Brocky couldn’t understand why the local Chinese girls were chasing him. It turns out that Harry had written his resume, part of which said he was a great lover! In response. Brock spoke in glow ing terms about the man who Has been a profound influence in his life, and the gratitude he has for Harry Firth. Brocky also had some good yarns to tell in his usual polished manner.

MASTER AND PUPIL... Two blokes who are rarely shy of a microphone - 'master' Harry Firth and 'apprentice'Peter Brock. (Photo by Brian Reed)

FFs star at Wakefield By BRIAN REED INCLUDED on the Wakefield Park NSW Championship meeting of April 18-19 Avere some important events for two new Historic categories Formula Juniors and Formula Fords. Organiser of the Historic Formula Junior races, Kelvin Pryor said that although the ONE GENUINE OWNER... John Crouch imported his Cooper M4-Jap 1100 grids for the 3 events consisted of only five cars", the competition when it was new. The current(second owner)is Mike Gosbells. (Photo by Brian Reed) was fierce and the FJs provided some of the closest racing on the program. In spite of not having been to Wakefield Park before and racing an unfamiliar car Victorian Nick McDonald took the honours in the ex-Bob Olthof 1962 Brabham Macarthur Onslow rolled out his 1961 BT2. After claiming pole position, GUYRA, a small rural community McDonald ‘fluffed’ the start in located in New England midway Lotus 20B Formula Junior. every race and had to fight his Patron of the meeting was John between Sydney and Brisbane may way through the field. Crouch, the winner of the 1949 be better known for its farming and Bruce Mansell in the ex-Jo Australian Grand Prix. Crouch drove, cbilly winters, but is rapidly estab Siffert Lotus 22 and Gary Ryan his 3.51itre 135MS Delahaye to victory lishing a reputation as an impor tant centre for Historic motor on the old disused airfield at Leybum, driving a similar car formerly campaigned by Leo Geoghegan Queensland back in 1949 and later sport. also contested the lead, but became the distributor of Cooper cars to On April 4-5, Guyra hosted its second McDonald’s Brabham had too Grand Parade with 110 Historic cars Australia. At Guyra he was reunited many legs on'the day. Mansell with one of the cars he imported in taking part - double the number of the was next best, although Ryan 1950 - a Mk.4 powered by an llOOcc previous year. turned the tables in the third, JAP engine which now belongs to'Mike The success of the Guyra GP is large race. Gosbells. I ly due to the high levels of enthusiasm It was unfortunate that several Another very special car was the exon the part of all members of the local cars being prepared for the inau-' Stirling Moss, ex-Bib Stillwell Cooper community, the shire council and police. gural meeting didn’t quite make Monaco sports car which is now owned It is organised by a group of keen volun by one of the stalwarts of the event, it in time including the ex-Greg teers, so the cost of staging the event is Cusack Brabham BT6 now owned Paul Moxham. It is 25 years since this kept to a minimum. by Brian Pymble. In spite of a last Added to the big jump in entries, famous sports racing cai' was fitted with ditched effort to get it ready in a 2.51itre Coventry Climax engine, and some 10,000 spectators lined the 1.7km. the pits, the car missed out on the course to see the cars in action around after a major rebuild the Cooper made a day’s racing. Mary Packard’s Corner, Cummo’s brief but troublesome reappearance in The new Australian Formula the parade. Better luck next time, Paul. Comer, Old Dog Comer, The Flip Flop Junior Association believes the The Guyra GP Grand Marshall was and along the Mother of Ducks next all-FJ event will also be another famous racing identity, Dick Straight. hotly contested, especially as Cobden, who competed successfully in Many notable cars and drivers took there are discussions underway Australia and also was part of the part this year including Ian Cummins regarding an Australian champi (Prad Holden), Chris Haigh in the ex- “Kangaroo Stable” overseas in an Aston onship trophy, initially based on Martin DB3S. David McKay Jaguar Mk.l, an annual event and then possi Apart from the cars, the social activi Queensland’s Don Thallon (Chev. bly on a national series. Corvette), Ivan Glasby in his 1952 ties were second to none, the culinary In spite of the small numbers delights were ehough to upset every Cooper Bristol and Peter Mohr in the at Wakefield Park it has been a one’s power-to-weight ratio and the jazz ex-Stumpy Russell Nedloh. pleasing start, according to provided by Bill Boldiston and the Les Wright was back with his awe Kelvin Pryor. From small some Dalro Jaguar, Paul Samuels Blowies was just what the doctor acorns.... entered his 1949 Healey Silverstone, ordered. Round 1 of the Aviation Theory Will it be on agaimnext year? You another Healey Silverstone was driven Challenge for Historic Formula by Lincoln Sell, Grant Gibson’s famous bet! -BRIAN REED Fords was better supported, with Lotus 15 Le Mans took part, and Dick

The legend of Guyra continues to grow

points being awarded in three classes - 1967 to 1972, 1973 to 1977 and 1978 to 1983. The meeting was the first opportunity to see some of the soon-to-be Group R cars including the RF82 Van Diemen of Andrew Wilson driven by Ben Ruggles, and the Damon Hancock RF83. There were two Royale RP31s belonging to Laurence Burford and Eamonn Matthews, and the famous Mawer (the car that won the 1975 Driver to Europe series for Paul Bemasconi and again in 1979 with Russell Norden) made a welcome return after a mam moth 3-ye^r rebuild. Paul Revell’s Lola, which won the 1981 Driver to Europe series is now driven by Tony Harper, the sponsor of the Historic FF Challenge and principal of the Aviation Theory Centre., Harper drove from Melbourne especially to present last year’s Class A tro phy to Alan Smart driving the Age & Treachery Lotus 61. The Class B trophy was won by John Goddard of Bendigo. After pole sitter Barton Mawer incurred a 1-minute penalty for jumping the start, it was Mike Beeley’s Van Diemen RF77 that took the first race from Alan Smart (Bowin P6F) and Ben Ruggle'*s (Van Diemen RF82). Mawer scored fastest lap in fm-

ishing seventh, with & time of 108.88s., almost a second under the existing lap record. Robin Bishop had a lucky escape when his Merlyn caught fire in spectacular fashion follow ing a huge explosion. Thanks to the quick response of the fire attendants and the quality fire proof apparel worn by the driver a major catastrophe was avoided.In the second race, the Historic FFs were combined with the Formula Juniors, and this time Bart Mawer made no mistake to score an impressive victory and demolish his previously estab lished lap record by another half a second, leaving it at 1-08.38s Mike Beeley and Alan Smart fol lowed him over the line. The Historic Formula Ford series now moves to Lakeside for round 2 of the Aviation Theory Challenge on July 4. It will be the official start of Group R so it is important that prospective entrants get their log book appli cations in at least 6 weeks prior to the meeting. The next meeting at Wakefield Park on June 7 will include a 100km race for Group S(a) and S(b) cars as well as events for Group N(a) and N(b). Also, the A9X Club will be holding its annual Show ‘n Shine Nationals event on the day.

COMING CLASS... FFS-like Glen Hastings Elfin -are catching on.

Photo by Peter Scbeli

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Escort, Lotus twin cann 1970. All original parts, while, rust-tree. new rubbers, crashpad. Disassembled engine, many spares. $7,500. Other RS parts available ex-England 7-10 days. Ph; 08 8278 5988,08 8204 8869(BH). 127 Holden Torana Hatchback, 1976 SS. Bonnet scoop, 120 It tank. Hotwire wheels.$4,500ono, Ph:029626 7761. 127

Sedqns/Sports Cars

Norax Sports Racing, one of three, inboard suspension, front 4-spot calipers and ventilated discs, Mazda 12A p/p rotary, factory housings, 48IDA Weber(no trans), mounted wets, trailer, $12,500, Ph: Ken 08 8272 7341, 127 Pontiac Grand Prix NASCAR. Race ready $25,000, Cambered rear end, complete $3,000: NASCAR block $3,000; two-wyas $5,000; Chev and Pontiac heads, rims and lyres, springs, Jerico box $3,500; scales $3,000, Ph:02 9636 4447, \27 Torana Sports Sedan, turbo, 500bhp, Harrop discs, 4 spots, Muncie 16”, Simmons, Four link Watts linkage. Specially built trailer, spares, all included. Never road reg. Will trade, $15,000, Ph; Dave 03 6394 3541,015 312918, 127 Porsche 911 Carrera, 3,0, 1976, race prepared, full cage, Momo seat, OMP harness, adjustable Konis, Ideal Classic or Club racing. Fresh engine, spare wheels, outstanding condition, $35,000, Ph;00 11 649 445 3175(NZ), 127 Thunderdome HQ, all log books, fully scrutineered, sealed motor and gearbox. Ready to go,$7,200. Ph:03 9563 7072. 127 r

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Mini Cooper S, Group NC, 1330. Straight cut geras, alloy panels, LSD, 6x10 Minilites, perspex. Nothing to spend, with trailer, $12,000ono. Consider part swap for XU1 road/race. Ph: 035977 8372. 127 Torana Gen L34, yellow, needs restoration. H2 eng no, ID tags, GMH letter, eng and box out. Drop tank. Ford diff. Good investment. Reg V2R 519. $5,500. Ph: 02 9632 0202. 127 Tow car: V8 Fairmont Sedan, t-bar auto, (new) velour trim. Excellent condition, no further use. 12 months reg. Swap, trade, whatever. Ph: 03 6394 3541,015 312 918. 127 ■ AUSCAR Sportsman, #54 Falcon, race winning car, 4th serires finish 97/98. Complete, ready to race, with spare top hp engine. C/w dyno and set-up sheets and heaps of spares. Urgent and genuine sale. $12,500. Ph: 03 5964 8405 (AH). 127

126

Suzuki Swiff GTi. Black duco, 15 inch alloys, Pirelli tyres. Koni adjustable suspension, engine mods, power chip, K&N Ram-pod filter, stainless extractors, Tokico brakes, tidy interior. 12 months reg/RWC. $10,500ono. Ph: 03 5248 3044, 015 050

Sale or lease. Commodore V8,Supercar. VR, Perkinsbuilt and unchanged since delivery Chev engine. Lease to driver with correct budget or sale, with or without engine. POA. Ph: Phil Ward 018 276 323, 02 9533 4909 (BH), 02

435. 1*

9817 5560(AH). 126

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VesKanda Group G1 sports car. Australia’s fastest, as driven by John Bowe. 61 Chev, Motec fuel injection, DE300 Hewland g/box with ratios, spare wheels. Totally rebuilt by K&A. POA,Ph:015397251or0883621977. 126

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Mazda RX2 rallsr car, 13B extend port, 48mm DD Webber, twin turbo, 5 speed, LSD, roll cage, brake bias adj. Suit parte, too much more to mention. $3,000. Ph: 03 9890 3987.0418 375 038. ia Escort 9/70 Lotus twin cam. Original car, rebuilt engine. $8,500. Ph:039499 3088(BH),018 367 004.

Gemini Coupe, ready for 98 Old series. Front runner 97. Complete with mountain of spares, plus set-up advice. Cheap entry at $4,000ono. Ph: John English 07 3826 4146 (BH), 0418 736 619 (AH)

1975 Galant GC Coupe Race Car, ex Brown Davis, 2 litre, twin 48ml webbers, 5 speed close ratio, 4 wheel discs with bias. Marsh seats, full cage, 2 sets of mags, blue 2 PAK, adj. front end, 4 - 6 locked diff and more. $5800. Ph: AH (03) 9886 3772. 126 ■> 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 Bolwell Nagari. One owner from new. Road or race. Mallala puller, steel chest. Spares include axles, susp, springs, shocks, body parts, too many to mention. Help given first record holder. 5L Ford, Super T10 g/box. Ford diff. Spare meetings. $15,000. Ph: James (03) 9563 7072 or (015) 800 wheels. Totally rebuilt by K&A. POA. Ph: 015 397 251 or 08 342. ,26

8362 1977. 126

Torana ASX Hatchback Sports Sedan. Grp A 5 litre, Motec, 3 plate AP, top loader, 9" Detroit, 4 spot APs, alloy hubs, 10x15x10 rims, dry sump, heaps more. 90% comp. $19,000. Ph: 03 9850 7666. 126

Commodore Cup car. New T10 gearbox, gocxJ competitive engine 2 races old: Trump engineered chassis: 12 v/heels, spares, trailer with tyre rack. Reduced to $21,500 for quick sale. Ph: Roger Paterson 08 8362 7263,0414 993 930. :26

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ROH Commodore Cup Car. Professionally-built turn key car, no expense spared. Platt engine. Semi enclosed dual wheel trailer, electric brakes. Enclosed pit tent and awning. Car $23,500, trailer $3,000. Ph: Ian Holding 03 9556 5400,0413 395 566. 127

7-“.'

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Mazda RX-3 Group 2E Club Car. New 13B Bridgeport, 5 speed. 4-spot brakes with vented discs, Koni and Bilstein, Recaro, title winner. Many spares including 13B motor, gear 1 boxes, wheels, tyres. $8,500ono. Ph: 03 5248 3044, 015 050 435. 126

Commodore Sports Sedan. Immaculate condition, fully adjustable, mid mount 350, polished alloy internals, 16x10 wheels. Heaps of spares. For sale less mechanicals or will split. Ph: 03 6330 1881. 12c

HQ Holden, good motor, g/box, diff, new tyres, needs sus pension update, Very tidy car. $3,000. Ph: 02 4782 4411 (BH), 02 4787 7900 (AH). 126 LX Torana; fresh 308, Super T10, 9 inch diff, SAAS seats, matching interior, Simmons wheels, 6 point roll cage. Clean car $15,000ono. Ph: Tony 02 6297 1149,0417 693 871. 120 Commodore VN bare body shell. No mechs or trim. No damage. Painted engine bay and under floor pan. Suit race or drag car build. $2,750ono. Ph: 02 6291 9662. ,26

NASCAR Ford Thundertjird (#14) clearance. 1997 Ex Tri-Star, 4th o/r 1997/8 season, rolling chassis or complete car, POA; 1995 ex Junior Johnson (pictured), 3rd 1997/8 Adelaide. Rolling chassis $25,000, complete car $55,000; 1991 ex Junior Johnson, ex Aus champ. Rolling chassis $20,000, compiete car $40,000; 1 motor Penske $30,000; 1 motor Mark Smith Tri Star $50,000; 1 motor Jnr Johnson $20,000. 1 pr Robert Yates heads, oompi with valves, rocker gear $10,000; 1 Ford Louisville LN800 plus 2 car transporter, full annexe etc etc $90,000. Or $250,000 the lot. Ph: Bruce Peacock 08 9353 2533 (BH), 08 9293 2269 (AH), fax 08 9353 1215. 126 AUSCAR Sportsman, XF Falcon. One season old, never bent, fresh 9.5 engine + paint. Ready to race next season. Urgent regretful sale - moving o/s. $11,000. Ph: 03 9844 3657, 0413 743 573. 126 Galant VR4, Australian Rally Champ and Rally Australia win ner Group N. Ideal Round Australia Rally or PRC 6. Special price to rebuild engine yourself to your needs. Urgent sale. Ph: Bob Whyatt 0418 816 889. 126

Historic Sports Car, Group M Renmax 23B, Ford twin-cam, Hewland box. $45,000. Must sell (retired, moving North). Ph: Laurie Knight 02 6925 3257. 125 E-type Jaguar, 6 cylinder, marque sports. Eastern Creek 1:47, Oran Park 48 secs. New engine, 325 bhp, nev/ LSD, fresh paint (black) and very fast, $36,000. Ph: 02 4990 1699, 0414 801699. 125

HQ ntumderdome. Proven winner, record holder, ready to race. Spare car complete less fuel cell. Many spares and engines. Assistance given.' Will separate or package to suit Urgent sale, all offers considered. Ph: John 03 9742 3234 (BH). is

continued over page

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□ Speedway □ Drag □ Wanted □ Photagraphs □ Other

^8 8Ma^im Elfin Cnisader Formula Vee. A no expense spared proven race winner. Recently refurbished and eomplele with compre hensive spares, including gearbox and front end. New project forces sale at $8,000. Ph: Steve Kelly 08 8297 9741, 015 397

622. 126

Group A Sports Gar, 1981 All Get MK3. 10A PP Rotary. 48 IDA Weber, dry sumped. Hewland MK8, log book. As raced with spares, eligible for historic group R. $14,500 Ph: 03 9608 7486 (BH) 03 9592 6186 (AH). ,25

AUSCAR Sportsman #2 Falcon, regular top 5 finisher, 5 best presented car awards. Finished 4th on 14-3-98 at Thunderdome. Spare engine and diff, 12 wheels, road race spoiler and suspension. Set up and dyno sheets. New fuel cell and fire system. New helmet, full radio systerri,(3). 5 boxes of spares. Ready to race, nothing to spend. $16,000 OBO Ph: Gerry on 03 9873 5969 (BH) or 018 101 712. 125

19911 Ford Laser TX3 PRC rally car. 200hp motor, limited slip gear box, light pod. fully intergrated cage, car has won WA Rally Championship. Fully sorted, spare parts package. $9,100ono. Ph: 08 8244 3094,0412 260 264. 125

m Super Sedan, ASCF lie, NASCAR high comp engine, 650bhp, bow-tie block, dry sump. Super T10 gearbox, plenty of spares. NASCAR al. seat. Winning car, $30,000. Ph: Barry Blake 08 9361 6222 (BH), 08 9453 9482 (AH). 127

U) Torana , ASCF and Board rego, methanol engine, alu minium seat, aluminium tank. Lift off wheel, spare fibreglass front, heaps of wheels and tyres and spares. $2,500ono. Ph: 02

Holden HQ Racer, ready to race. Excellent condition, heaps of spares, second set of wheels, spare gearbox and diff etc. Must sell $4,750 Ph: 02-4647 1896 or 0418 211 341 (AH). 125

HQ Holden race car. Yqu won't beat the Danes' or Haleys in this beauty but you'll have just as much fun. All current control parts and seals. $2,850 ONO Ph: 02 6765 4279. 125

Datsun 1600, 13B rotary, 48 Weber, ACT & NSW Board rego. 3 meetings old, very competitive, heaps of spares - too many to list. POA. Ph: 02 6297 7206. 127 Litre Sprinter, roller, OLD 39. Chrome moly Gerhardt low bar chassis, Halibrand quick-change diff. Well presented car, all panels, less top wing. $3,500. Ph: 018 783 332 or 07 5443 ,

Speedcar, hi-bar JSR, built to current Stealth specs. Long spline National diff, Sanders front and coil-over front, 166ci, dry sumped Pajero rrrator. Car is 4 meetings oid, competitive and race ready. Comes with comprehensive spares kit. A sacrifice at $15,000ono. Ph: 02 9543 8806, 0411 012 527. 127

Modified Rod, new 351 Cleveland, new 750 Holley on methanol, new Dyna diff and brakes. Plus more and spares. $7,000ono. Ph: 02 6622 4414,02 6629 0219,0418 640 318. 126 Fender Bender - HG Holden, one meeting since full car rebuild. Motor sealed, very competitive car, ready to race with spares. $2,500ono. Ph: Ed 0414 240 006, or 02 9628 5170 (AH). 126

Modified Rod chassis and body, radius rods, torsion bars, $1.500. Haiibrand diff, just rebuilt $1,000. Ph: Scott Foy 02 4933

6671. 126

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Drag Racing

Junior Dragster"To?"^heeibase!5h^^nggs"o^ oversize, 210oc. Commet clutch. Runs coosistent 14s on Avgas. Current tech. Driver outgrowing vehicle. Has heaps more potential. $3,500. Ph: Wayne 07 3812 4398,0418 105 016. 126

News

Elfin MRS Chev F5000. Ex-Cooper, Perkins, Schuppan, Pironi 1979 Rothmans winner. Superb cond, good spares pack age. $78,000neg. Ph: Peter 03 9890 6586,0418 556 934. 125 Superkart - Peter Worrall's 125cc Austraiian Championshipwinning kart. 97 Stockman chassis with full bodywork. 'B' kit '94 RSI 25 engine, just rebuilt with new crank, mains etc. $7,500. ‘Ph: 02 9824 7350. IS

Historic Group Q Bowin P4. 1300cc Corolla motor, Hewland gearbox. Must sell (retiring, going North). Offers around $35,000. Ph: Laurie Knight 02 6925 3257.

03 :■kJ _ 'eriipN'. f

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Engines

166. 126

Formula Ford, Van Diemen RF93, 95 update bodywork. Fresh Lamer engine, ratios, spares. No expense spared on preparation. $29,900. Ph: Rod Wilson 0417 511 911. 127

Elfin 622 Historic Group Q. Total restoration completed 5 years ago and has been running competitively since in F3 trim. Full Cosworlh Ford engine with BDA crank and rods, gear dri ven Camshaft, twin plate clutch. Mk 8 Hewland and all the best equipment on board. Some spares available. A beautifully presented oar which currently holds Group Q under 1300cc lap records at Amaroo and Eastern Creek. Ph: Richard Harv/ard 02 9789 8470 (BH), 02 9568 4147 (AH). IS

Ford 5 litre, SVO block. Kings crank, JE pistons, Manley titanium valves, Cunningham rods, Yates heads. Weaver dry sump, MSD ignition, Holley carb. Run three meetings $25,000. Ph: Ron 07 5539 9337, Ross 00 11 642 536 0915. 127 Holbay 2400 engine kit (new) for Cosworth YB, includes RS500 block, crank, rods, pistons $8,000. Cosworth RS500 head, ported N/A specification, new guides, solid buckets flow charts, $3,250. Ph: 08 8204 8869, 08 8278 5988 (AH). 127 Chev dry sump set-up. 3 stage external pump, ,4ump, round alloy tank and braided hoses. $1,200. Ph: Class One Buggy - 2.7 litre Subaru 6 cyl, Kombi gearbox, / gg 8272 7774 7am-7pm. 127 Bilstein c/overs, spun alloy rims, stainless exhaust. Marsh seats. / Holden alloy 12 port head, complete and as new Immaculate, near new vehicle ready to race. $13,500. Ph: 03 with shaft mounted rockers. Great power increase. 9898 4925,0411 868 440. 126 $2,300. Ph: Fred 0412 487 771. 127 Weldtech -12 heads, latest design, 267cc, runner, fuily CNC ported and lightened. Brand new. $6,000. Ph: 08 8272 7774, 7am-7pm. 127 Chev 400, -r30, Manley 5.7” steel rods, Arais 11.5:1 pistons, TCI balancer, ARP stud kit, windage tray, turbo 292 heads, standard ports 1.60 and 2.02. Heaps more, most parts new. $5,200. Will separate. Ph: 07 3812 4398,0418 105 016. 127 Ford 2 litre race head. Kent RC31 cam, Vizzard valves. Vernier, twin 45mm Webers, hand-built 4 into 1 exhaust, twin throttle cable. Complete top end $3,200. t May separate. Heaps more. Ph: Scott 08 8389 6745 . 126 Monaco GP2 sprint'kart rolling chassis. Done little Mazda 13B p/p Rotomotion housings, 51mm IDA work. Easy kart to set up. Like new condition, urgent sale. Weber, tooth belt drive, baffled sump, moddified dissy, $2,000ono. Ph: 03 5422 3628,0418 590 275. 126 fully rebuilt, 300-rhp, new twin plate clutch, close ratio Holinger g/box. $5,000 neg. Ph: 02 9579 6382, 015 468

Open Wheelers

5^3 l ntmn"

Van Diemen RF92: excellent condition, completely rebuilt, many spares. Fresh Lamer engine. $26,000. Trailer, fully enclosed with work bench (oval axle), carry F/Ford. Registered. i ●RB Clubman, Toyota twin cam. Fresh race engine, Motec, $5,500. Ph: John or David Frazzetto 0413 750 401. 127 Quaife gearbox and diff. Competitive car, must sell. $32,000. Van Diemen RF94-95, immaculate condition, no expense Ph: 02 4990 1699,0414 801 699. 125 spared in maintaining. Blueprinted gearbox. Lamer engine, Superkart; Ex-Australian champ. Centreline upright chassis, ready to race. $35,000. May trade or swap for road oar. Ph: 03 full Zip bodywork, iittle use, c/w new leathers. $2,000. Ph: Scott 5275 2305. 127 02 4938 5457 (AH). 125 Go Kart - Birel Rookie/Junior, 96 model. State title holder, complete with J engine. Ready to race, all data and advice included. $2,250. Ph: 03 5275 2305. 127

96285990. 127

Speedcar; QLD61, Beast 4 bar chassis. Fresh 2.6 Mitsubishi engine. Winters splined diff. Weld wheels. Pro shocks, HPD power steering with KSE power steer/fuel pump. Spares. Ready to race. New - 10 shows old and never bent. $22,000. Ph: 07 3267 5211 (AH). 126 Mazda RX7, Series 4, EFI Turbo, 13B Race purpose only. Excellent condition 24,000km, $8,000 Ph: 02 6734 2259 or 02 6732 3353. 125

Kestrel KC 3 F/Vee. 1989, rarely used. Ask anyone in FAfee - this is the car that set the standard for presentation. Like new. $11,500. not neg. Ph: 0412 430 900,

Historic Group O Renmax Palliser. Ford twin cam motor, Hewland box, needs 1 wheel, windscreen to complete. Must sell (retired, moving North). Offers around $28,000. Ph: Laurie Knight 02 6925 3257. 125

Sprintcar: 1989 JSR high-bar, ready to race, less engine. Winters diff, long splined alloy axle, Lee p/steering. Waterman fuel pump, braided hoses. $8,500 with spare wings (new). Torque tube wheels. Ph: 08 8272 7774. 127

9878. 127

Torana, prepared for '96 Targa Tasmania, 4 wheel discs, Detroit Locker, chrome moly cage, 223BHP, 3D Motec, fuel injected engine, close ratio gearbox. $35,000 in parts only, ask ing $25,000- offers considered. For more information Ph/fax: 07 5474 9380. is

1977 Mk6 Cheetah, Celica engine, Mk9 Hewland, ratios, spares, mounted wets, original log book. Last race 1991. $22,000. Ph: 03 9376 7631 (BH). w Foimula Ford Van Diemen RF86. Excellent condition, exDavid Bruce car. Many extras, too many to list, including fully enclosed trailer, $13,000. Ph: 03 5426 1856. 127 Formula Holden Rail RT21, ex-McLaighlin/Thalgo car. No expense spared restoration to original condition and set-up by FI experienced mechanic. $42,000 neg. Ph: 0413 731 362 or (AH) 08 8272 5372. 127 , Superkart - Yamaha 250 National. Momo steering wheel,Edwards wheels x 3 sets, slicks, wets and intermediate tyres, tacho, heaps of spares including barrel, head, and gear ratios. $3,500. Ph: 0417 462 664. 127

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Formula Vee, Top Ten car, comes with fully enclosed colour coded trailer, heaps of spares, adjustable shocks. Great looking car with full body moulds, very reliable and ready to race. $9,500. Ph: 03 5967 4489. 125

Paris Sparco Pro 2000 race seats, perfect, nearly new, black. Cost $954 ea inci mounts. Sell $720 each (no offers). Ph: 03 9822 5034. 127 Datsun 1600 parts - doors, struts, hubcaps, diff, har ness, seats, tail-light, headlight, gearbox, 1800 motor, carbies, bumper bar, boot lid. Priced from $5. Ph: 03 5334 6364 Ballarat. 127 Chev s/block 350, steel crank, splayed 4 bolt caps, $2,000; Chev b/blook ARP stud kit, steel crank, $2,250; Chev blower manifold, with burst panel, alj trick part?. Ph: < 0412 487 771,02 6297 5895. 127 VC Commodore race shell, Dencar, chrome moly cage, acid dipped, ready for top coat. A1 cond; $3,000; Bilstein suspension, coil over fronts, K-mac strut tops, new springs, sway bar, panhard bar, new control arms/bushes, new 9" locked diff, 3.5 ratio. New ROH race wheels with new Bridgestone R520 race tyres. HSV premium brake package (as used in Commodore Cup), new Pagid braker pads. Sold complete as rolling shell with the above $8,500. Ph: 0417 382 773. 127

8Ma^im McGee fuel injection, reco pump, flow tested, filters, »27

lines, spare pills, $1,100ono. Ph: 02 9628 5990. Fierra Borg Warner LSD axle assembly, includes tailshaft brakes, fits Escort $1,250. New 5.1, 4.8, 4.1 ratios $690. Quaife full floater axle kit for Escort/Cortina, English axle, $1,400. Ph: 08 8204 8869, 08 8278 5988 (AH), 12/ ,EF Falcon chassis, roll cage & interior, comes with alloy radiator & electric fan in left side. New car, only done a few races. Has AFCO leaf springs with sliders, adjustable low ering blocks, u-bolts, alloy lower plates, bolt on pads, fuel cell, braided fuel line with tap & filter, front upper and lower A arms. $4,500. Ph: 02 4572 5949. 127 Brodix 18 degree heads, including Hillborn 3 piece manifold and as-new JessI shaft rockers, $4,500. Ph: 0412 120 720. .27 Recoed polished 2” SUs,2 only, $200 pair. Various 6 cyl Holden turbo cams, all solid, dyno use only. $50 each. Ph: 03 6394 4299, 015 312 918. 127

Chev 350 TPI motor, complete with computer $4,200. BBS rim selection from $50 per piece (ring for sizes). 302W Ford fuel injection, complete with harness and com puter, $1,800, Ph: Kevin 02 4782 1145 (BH). 126 Escort Parts: Twin cam front guards, brand new, genuine

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assembled. Wave meri etc, 1980s, definitely no new stuff. Ph: Bill 03 5243 3660 (AH). 127

Enclosed trailer, suit Super Sedan, 27'x7'9”x6'4”, tyre racks,

damage. Painted engine bay and under floor pan. Suit race or drag car build. $2,750ono, Ph:02 6291 9662. 120 Alla Romeo Alfetta competition parts: close ratio LSD gearbox (rebuilt) $1600: brake conversion (4 vented discs, recond V6 caliper, 5 sets pads) $500; Bilstein gas shox (exc) $275; Luke 3pt harness, red (exc). Can arrange delivery. Ph:03 9889 1149. 126

reg (NSW), 240/12 volt lights and power, points fuse box. $3,500. Ph:02 4948 7209,0418 494 006. .26 Go Kart trailer, takes four karts, plus plenty of storage

Transporters/Trailers

Pit Crew, Super Tourer, Sydney based. Must be

space. Excellent condition, light weight, easy towing, 12 months reg. $1,950. Ph: 035275 2305. 127 Fully enclosed tandem trailer, aluminium clad, side door, lifty-up rear door. Inside dimensions 17'8" long, 77" wide, 5'6" high. Hydraulic brakes. $4,600. Ph:039589 7082(AH). .27 Car stacker, for use in transporter. Hydraulic raise/lower, heavy duty frame. Suitable for Porsches or other. $9,000. Ph: 07 5593 7133. 127 Ford D series, 351 V8, 8 speed gearbox, 24' pan, large underbody tool boxes, twin fuel tanks. Lounge, sink, cupboards, lockers, full length annexe, long rego. $22,000. Ph: Kevin 02 47821145(BH). ue Enclosed trailer, inside 5.7m long, 2.3m wide, 1.9m high. 4 wheel electric brakes, 8|bly tyres, 2 spares, h/duty coupling, break away switch, 8,000kg dectric winch -r more. Suit race car etc. Ready for registration. $5,400. Ph:073886 7474,0419 737044. 126

tings. $100ono. Ph: Tim 018 556 415. 127 Ross lightweight pistons: 12.5:1 comp, suit 350 Chev, 20 thou over, brand new $800. Dart II heads (bare, cast iron) 64cc, angle plug, been port matched and lightly Race car transporter, hydraulic electric lift platform, Maxi brakes, professionally built. Scania, 86 T112M motor, rebuilt, loads of extras. $85,000. Ph: 08 9361 6222(AH) or 08 9453 9482,fax 08 9470 2649. 127

Wanted Cortina GT Mkll, complete or in parts. Ph or fax David 02 6761 8981. 127

over 19 yrs old male/female, committed to long term. No time wasters. Ph: 02 9153 8872. 126 One bowtie angle plug cylinder head to suit SB Chevrolet. Ph: 03 9569 8225. 126

Other Swap: Sports Sedan, big hp turbo, prof built from XLI1 shell, 1973 and updated each year. Just rebuilt, inci new brakes, clutch, engine etc. Ph:036394 3541,015 312 918. 127 Books: Australian Competition Year Nos 3-12, 15, 16, 18, 19. 22: James Hardie 1000 '82-'88; Bathurst Yearbooks Nos 1-4, 6, 7. All excellent condition. Ph;08 8645 9483,015 994 594. 127 Hi-performance Swap Meet; Sunday May 10, Fairfield Showground, Smithfield Road, Smithfield, NSW. All undercover sites, great food, great venue. Rain, hail or shine, we swap. All admitted from 7am. Further information, contact the ANR info line on 02 96 100500. la Books: Australian Motor Racing Yearbooks nos 9, 10, $125 each or $220 pair: Australian Grand Prix 50 Race History $75: Autocourse 1986, 89, 90, $M each or $150 the lot. All books excellent condition. Postage extra. Ph:02 9829 1735. 12B Foimula One 1/43 scale diecast Onyx 88-89-90 models. Also Minichamp 95-96-97 models, all box^,surplus to my col lection needs. From $25 each. Send sae to R. Krahe, 11 Rogers Court, Ballarat for list. 126

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Super T10 gearbox, brand new $3,100. Tilton clutch package: consists twin plate 7 1/4 inch clutch, pressure plate, hydraulic release bearing, steel lightweight 10 1/2 inch flywheel, alloy bellhousing (Chev to T10), Tilton Super starter. Brand new $3,000 Ph: 0417 382 773. 127

ported by HRT, Brand new $900. Ph: 0417 382 773. 127 Twin Webers, 40mm IDF downdraught, good working order, no manifold, suit Escort or Gemini, $250ono. Ph: Daniel 02 9484 6127 or fax 02 9481 9946. .26

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COlVIlVIENT More sand in bags Dear Sir, So the HET teams accused rival FORD teams at Philip Island of ‘sandbagging’. And in one respect, Jeff Grech was correct - there was sandbagging occurring in an to influence the attempt Performance Review Committee. However, the question has to be asked, Svhy did the HRT cars slow down by a second a lap’? As Jeff stated, ‘the FORD teams followed suit’. Clearly this was of no advantage to the FORD teams, as the gap between them and the Holdens would have remained con stant at that rate. The truth is that by slowing down, the HRT team tried to reduce its winning margin and hide its performance advantage. By doing so, they probably would have used the ‘close results’ from Philip Island to try and overturn the recommendations of the Performance Review Committee

Editorial C«to; : rri'.Tc- Hassali Taciaciml Etfttor l^.v Glynn ; Phi; Branagan ^nptiicr:. Co pirJiturt^^r \ Brumby

Advertising McDornan

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Administration oovctor Lambden

Contacts IS9 Crrong Crescent sC.v,;i;ie!d North VK 3161 ■ ,'PC Sox 10! 0 North Caulfield 316! j ^one: 03 9527 7744 fn> 03 9527 7766

All round, I found it a great ser vice that was much more helpful with information as to what was happening at Albert Park and had some real alternative entertain ment when there was no action on the track.

-"aJf c'.ttocouporr

aoes .ncx .necessanl>'acieeuirn opinions express by readers. -■

one or more of the meeting’s top performers or winners featured on the coyer. The coverage of the event was top quality as usual, but the cover yet again featured a touring car. Perhaps the photo of Charlie DiFillipo launching his top fuel dragster printed in the national wrap-up could have been the cover shot. His brilliant 4.85/298 qualify ing pass surely made him worthy of this position. Touring cars are great and they

and I used to find this very irritat ing, with a whole bunch of commen tator^ battling each other to get their voices on in a continuous rush of babbling nonsense all day long. We hated it and wished we could turn it off, or cut the speaker wires. This year, the AGP got it right and it was far more civilised and entertaining. It struck me that there were many of the same commentators, but the poorer ones had been weed ed out. I noticed that Neil

iTisnews@corplink.com.au

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Contributors

General .Mike Kabie, jon Thomson, Srian Peed. Darryl Flart jFl Joe Saward, ,'\dam Cooper Europe Ouentin Spuninq, tan ’ : Ba.msey iUS. Bruce Smith. Phil Morns ' NZ. John Hawiani 'Speedway Dennis Newiyn, David Ib'cNaPb, Wade Aunqei, Geoff j?OLinds. David Lamoni Chris Metcalf, : ' Sue HoDion. Michael Atrwell, *Fhny Millard (UKj, Darren O'Dea Rally. Peter W'hirten. Jon fhoinson ; Drag Racing Gerald McDornan, Greg Ward, Jon Ather jUSA). Dave Ostaszewski (USA). Nic.holas .Steven White, ' Ken Ferguson, Scott .lug ■ Super Speedway Martin Clark |USA), Brett Swanson, Grant Nicholas : Karts' Ian Saivestrin, Alan Roark, SGiaeme Burns, Edward Krause Photographers: LAT, Dirk Klynsmith Zcti,''n Ftiotcgraphics, .Neil Hammond, Nice! Snov.'oon & Diana Suinett, lArad Steele, Tony Glynn, ihundet Pics, Marshall Cass, ^ibke haiclmg, Brisbane Motorsport, d-rarik Mirtgley, John Bosfter. Pm! Mike ,Patrick (UK) MOTOBSPOBT NEWS

iXim.-.r'*-.,' -jy Auuv.i!.«.^in

Covering your bases

Tii/h?TF^‘Ai ivubi.’s'irj bv M-0“C>PSPO!w ,iJ 'r. 3/ oo; L'».n f'j!l or 'O /. .[■‘r.'.ii ioi;- u-.'.-.Men .-j* ilie

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Dear Sir, Why is it that touring cars and FI are the only cars to ever make the cover of the magazine? After attending the 1998 TAG drag racing Nationals at Calder Park last month, I was looking for ward to reading your informative coverage of the event and seeing

often do deserve to be on the front cover, but it is time that other classes are given exposure too. Russell Meadows Ballan, ’VIC

Public announcement Dear Sir, I have just read your April 24 edition and can’t believe the com ments from Vin Doquile of Kew in Talk Converter. I, too, have attended the AGP over the last three yeaps.and whilst I have found the FI events disapipointing in that time, the whole (event in itself has been great, espe cially the V8s and Formula Ford. With regards to the public address commentary, my friends

Crompton added a lot to the stan dard of racing information and it was terrific to ,hear Leigh Diffey join the team this year, along -with an Enghsh gentleman who’s name I didn’t hear (Bob Constanduros: Asst Ed). I was also pleased to hear ybur Phil Branagan, who has do^ie it before. Their commentary enlightened me a lot more about this sport than I had experienced in the pre'vious two years. I was at Phillip Island last week and they could take some advice from the AGP about the commen tary. Best of all, we were blessed with breaks in the commentary without going on and* on with wall to wall egos, as in the previous years.

David Barr-Smith Mount’Waverley, VIC

A wish list from Rocky Dear Editor, Now that Supercars.are so popu lar, I feel CAMS must act now and ensure it stays that way. From 1999, I feel the champi onship should be for current model cars only (VT Commodore and new Falcon). The current VS and ELs should be then a Junior class, with some modifications to reduce downforce and, perhaps, a further reduction in rev limits to, perhaps, 7000i-pm. Other areas such as brake type, wheels (perhaps a control Australian-built wheel) and elec tronic dashes and engine computer specifications should be considered. To ensure an even playing field for both cases, a control tyre should be used, with a brand for each class. A Junior class should have its own series and run on tracks that don’t get a Supercar rpund and have Formula Holden, Production Cars support races (for class ‘C’ cars down, only). The class ‘A’ and ‘B’ Procar cars could still support the 2L cars, if they are still in a series in 1999. I feel CAMS should now get con firmation of entrants for ’99, before the calendar for 1999 is released. I doubt that Audi will be there next year and there may be only one or two works teams with cur rent cars next year. This would hardly merit a National Championship for that class and pei'haps they could run with the Junior V8 class. Anyway, that’s how I see it and perhaps your paper could do a poll, or put it to (JAMS and get their reaction. Before I go, I would like to say welcome back Tomas Mezera and here’s a list of drivers I feel will do well in the future if they keep going - Paul Weel, Steve Owen, Jason Cutts, Christian Murchison, Ryan Pate, Ryan Wlodzinski and Michael Cai’uso. Maybe a driver profile could be done on these drivers, as you did with FF last year. Do profiles on new drivers, not the same few you have done before. Peter Traves Rockhampton, QLD

c'x’G r.cr

By Barry Foley

n y rc c-.r>'V

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from the previous week to slow the Holdens. The FORD teams realised what was occurring and foiled the plan. Hence the dununy spit by Jeff Grech. Sandbagging? Yes, .the Holden boys definitely were. Robert Miljko Endeavour Hills, VIC

Publisher: K Lamb.'K:.'' Printed by; WhiKv Color T ? -■;9 Br-y.vr,s Rcl Osyiori 3168 distributed by: ■NCf.gj

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FAIR DINKUM?... Reader Robert Miljko has his doubts about which team is sandbagging. (Phil Williams pic)

My congratulations to Leigh, Neil, Phil and the AGP on improv ing the standard for 1998 and I look forward to more in 1999.

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