Motorsport News Issue 127 - 22 May-4 June 1998

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WHAT'S UP r

Issue 127

$4.20

(NZ$5.95incl GST)

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NEWS A’ V

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MANSELL

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Exclusive -see page 3

INSIDE Volvo’s breakthrough

Jim Richards and Volvo’s S40 took out their first BOC Gases series win at Phillip Island.

See page 16 for our detailed coverage.

Doohan, Besoaiti cont

Mark Webber wasn’t the only person hoisting the flag overseas. Mick Doohan won his sixth Italian Grand Prix while David Besnard continued on his winning way in the USFF2000 series. Full reports inside.

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Driving Ford's WBC oar

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Webber's big win

MARK Webber has scored his first win for Mercedes-Benz’s GT team.

at Silverstone in Epgland last Sunday.

Webber handed the number 1

“It was a big bonus for the team,” said Webber. “We’re heading to the Le Man 24 Hour race full of confi-

The Australian FI hopeful, CLK-GTR back to Schneider with a 'dence. paired with team leader Bernd 35 second lead and the German See page 8 for the full race Schneider, won an action-packed cruised home, eight seconds clear story and Webber’s exclusive second round of the FIA GT series of the works Porsches.

Motorsport News column.

What’s it like to strap into a World Rally Car? We found out in the UK. Full story on page 28.

Youngsters speak up Scott Dixon and Adam

Macrow are leading the Formula Flolden and Formula Ford champion ships respectively. We speak to them and look at — their careers and hopes for ^ the future on page 22.

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Mansell for Bathurst?

By CHRIS LAMBDEN NIGEL Mansell would like to race,in this year’s AMP 1000.

The crowd-pulling former FI champion is set to make the first of three appearances in the UK for Ford’s British Super Tourer team on June 14 and this week indicated a willingness to contest Bathurst’s long distance race in October.

The stumbling block, however, is money, according to TOCA UK boss Alan Gow who dined with Mansell last Thursday to assess the possibili ties.

“Nigel is still very much in demand,” Gow told Motorsport News this week. “He’s still getting all sorts of offers to drive, all over the world, some of them involving substantial money, and most of which he is turn ing down.

“He’s doing these three Super Tourer races here for Ford, loves Australia and he’d love to do Bathurst, but at the end of the day his fee - which he’s prepared to reduce as a kind of personal favour is a lot of money in Australian teims.

“I’m unsure whether any promoter in Australia could do it. Still, we have to look at it. Nigel on the giid at Bathm-st would be tremendous...”

According to Gow, Mansell isn’t necessarily restricted to Ford, although it is with Ford that he is contesting three British Super Tourer rounds this year. At this stage, however. Ford is probably the UK manufacturer least likely to con test the AMP 1000 - Ford’s presence in Australian motor sport focused on its V8 programme.

“He wouldn’t have to be in a Ford at Bathurst, so that opens up the options,” Gow said.

3

Honda-is it over?

Although recent discussions involving Honda Australia and an entr>'into Super Tourer rac ing here were said to be dead, a little bird tells us that there may be some life in the tale yet.

Latest rumours suggest a possi ble hnk with a V8-experienced team...

■ Hog’s Breath Cafe has renewed its backing for the V8 Supercar support races at the IndyCar GP,on October 15-18.

Tickets for the Gold Coast Indy go on sale next week at Ticketek outlets, with prices from $450 for the top-of-the-range Chequered Flag covered stand seat to single day General Admissions, start ing at $20 for Thursday,through to $48 for Sunday.

IMAGINE WHAT MURRAY WILL SAY... Mansell has said he Is keen to head to the Mountain in October. Last week he drove a 1998-spec Ford Mondeo for the first time at Brands Hatch. The engine broke... (BothweiiPhotographic) “As I said, the amount of money involved makes it a long shot, but you never know. We have to see what can be done...”

CEO of the Bathurst Event Management Group, Greg Eaton, confirmed this week that the Mansell ^ossibOity was “on the agen-

da.

“Mal Hemmerling is part of our team now, and that’s the sort of thing that, if anyone’s going to pull it together, he will.” , AT THE SAME TIME another FI champion is keen to enter the fray.

1979 FI World Champion Jody Scheckter is looking for a ride in the British series and TOCA UK’s Alan Gow is trying to arrange it.

“There’s no doubting Jody’s enthusiasm to do it,” Gow told Motorsport News this week.

“The problem is finding a team which has the capacity to run aq^ extra car properly at this stage ofthe season.

“The other difficulty is that with the championship so close at the moment, a number of teams are reluctant to compromise their effort.

“We’re talking to a couple of them, and I’d say that the chances are looking like about 60% that it will happen - up on 50:50 a couple of weeks back...”

Son Jason is racing in Formula Vauxhall Junior and Scheckter lives in the UK, and is particularly keen to take on Mansell in his three BTCC appearances.

Chrysler for FI - soon?

DODGING THE OPPOSITION... Could Mercedes be joined by Chrysler In FI 7 (Photo by Pascal Rondeau/Aiisport)

By JOE SAWARD THE merger between Daimler Benz and Chrysler could have very interesting repercussions in Formula 1 racing.

The surprise merger seems to be a perfect fit, with Mercedes wanting to expand into the mass market middle-range sectors and Chrysler wanting to-make a bigger impact in Europe, where it has only one percent of the market.

The interesting thing for Formula 1 fans is that both Mercedes - Daimler’s car company - and Chrysler are both keen to use Formula 1 racing to promote their products.

Chrysler came very close to launching a major Formula 1 programme back in 1993. The company had been involved in FI through its Italian subsidiary Lamborghini and this programme led to increased Chrysler involvement.

In mid-1993 Chrysler bosses Bob Eaton and Bob Lutz decided to take the plunge and asked McLaren to build a car with which to assess the Lamborghini V12 engine, to see if it might become a top-level engine. The car was tested during the summer of 1993 by both Mika Hakkinen and Ayrton Senna and a verbal agreeVnent was reached between Eaton and McLaren’s Ron

Dennis for a programme to be started.

McLaren later decided to join forces with Peugeo t and the sudden switch of direction left Chrysler with out the possibility of doing a deal with a top FI team.

The Lamborghini VIO programme was cancelled by furious Chrysler management although, in the years which followed, it .was clear that Chrysler still felt that FI was a valuable marketing tool if the right opportu nity were to ari^e.

It is ironic that five years after the McLarenLamborghini debacle, (Chrysler has merged with Daimler-Benz, the parent company of McLaren’s cur rent engine supplier.

Logic dictates that Chrysler could very simply and easily get into FI racing by using a rebadged Mercedes VIO. This would be competitive and would guarantee that both Chrysler and Mercedes-Benz could exploit FI. It is also an idea that would appeal to FI boss Bernie Ecclestone, because the current McLaren-Mercedes domination is not likely to be threatened in the next couple of years. A Chrysler engine supply would pro duce a competitor for McLaren.

The idea would probably be opposed by McLaren which does not really want the competition.

JeanTodt’s new F1 contract ■»

► .1

FERRARI’S sporting director Jean Todt (above) is in the process of negotiating a new con tract for himself at Ferrari and although Ferraid President Luca di Montezemok) says that there is a job for him at MaraneUo for as long as he would like it, Todt has yet to agree on the tei-ms of the contract.

Todt joined Feirari on a five-year contract on July 1 1993. He com pletely restructured the team and played a major role in signing up Michael Schumacher. Since then Ferrari has been built around the Gei-man driver.

This has proved to be very suc cessful but the danger is that Schumacher could leave Maranello which would plunge the team back into instability as others follow Michael - as happened at Benetton.

The 52-year-old Todt was hoping that the team would be in a position to win the World Championship this year with Schumacher but the per formance of the two McLarenMercedes has made this seem rather unlikely, although officially Ferrari team members are still saying that all is not lost in the World Championship.

Todt and Schumacher are realists and know that it is not veiy likely although Michael may be able to win occasional races when McLaren makes mistakes or when there is wet weather.

We would expect Todt to sign another long-term deal with Ferrari in the hope that Schumacher will stay with the team for another three years.

-JOE SAWARD

■ TEGA has appointed long time motor sport engineer John Sheppard to the position of Technical Manager. His role will include liaison with CAMS to enable better drafting, imple mentation and enforcement of the rules — particularly in rela tion to new technology — and homologation.

■ A combined field of40 NASCARs and AUSCARs may contest a one hour supporting race at the AMP 1000, in October.

Calder Thimderdome officials are among the groups talking with the Bathurst Management Group abbut the October 4 sup port programme.

BMG Chief Greg Eaton has confirmed the discussions but says that nothing is yet finalised.

■ Changes in the senior race stewarding line-up have followed the retirement of V8 series stew ard Nick Ledingham. Tasmanian Garth Wigston moves across from the Super Tourer series to replace Ledingham, with Queenslander Martin Chambers switching from the Truck cham pionship to Super Tourers and Peter Zylstra (NSW) coming in to look after the Truck series.

At the same time, CAMS has appointed Peter Lawrence to the role of Technical Services Manager, taking on some of the responsibilities previously under taken by Bmce Keys, who now concentrates on circuits and safe ty issues.

■ The Women in Motorsport Association (wimsa) has announced a sponsorship deal vdth car audio manufacturer Clarion. The sponsorship fundingwill provide practical support for women who want to take part in motor sport, as competitors or on the operational side.

The Clarion/wimsa alliance will be formally launched at wimsa’s “Fast Woman” day, at Sandown, this Saturday (May 23). Other Fast Woman pro grammes are scheduled for Mallala (June 13) and Wanneroo

(July 5).

■ Not such good news for the all-female Castrol Cougars V8 Supercar squad. Larry Perkins has withdrawn the ear from the next two rounds of the Shell series, citing pressure of work on his staff to complete the Castrol team’s new VT Commodore.

The girls are expected back on track for the Calder round, in June, but may miss the sub sequent Darwin race.

22M3yW98

n CommodcH'e Cup’s Dean Crosswell will make his V8 Supercar debut at Mallala. Crosswell, set to partner regulai- driver Greg Crick at Sandown and Bathurst, will drive the Ericsson/iVust Bank Commodore. Crick will return for the following week’s Perth rormd, while Crosswell will contest the Calder round in June.

“We’ve always been keen for Dean to get race miles in the cai- at circuits he knows weU,^ Crick said this week.'“Mallala and Calder are the two obvious ones.” n Tlie late mail on the shark; Greg Noi-man is out ofthis weekend’s Indy 500. The golfing legend, who recently underwent shoulder sm-gery,is not fit to drive the Chevrolet Corvette pace car and will be subbed by PameUi : Jones. Could have been worse; Nick Faldo could have driven instead... n There is a new National body for Formula Two, which wiU comprise of delegates from NSW and Victoria. Chas Jacobsen is President of the new aroangement, which will put forward a business plan to CAMS for the management, mar keting and promotion of the Formula. n Mark Webber almost didn’t make it to Silverstone for his first GT race wdn. On the way to the track on Sunday Webber’s Mercedes was in an accident with a panel van, the driver of which was attempting a U-tum in a roundabout. He doesn’t know how lucky he was; rather than clean out his bank account, AMG management decid ed to fix the car in-house... n Bill Forsyth had some camera equipment stolen during his coverage of the recent Targa Tasmania.

Taken from his South Hobart home were two Nikon cameras (s/no 3085034 and 2117423) and a 300mm/F2.8 lens (s/no 200525)and a 200mm/F2.8 zoom lens (s/no 719970). Any infor mation about the missing items can be reported to Crime Stoppers on 1800 005 555. n Seen at Philip Island; Geoff Brabham was pre sent to help out with the television commentary in the absence of usual man jockey Greg Murphy... ... who was at Brands Hatch. Murph was there to take in the BTCC race and have ‘meaningful’ meetings with a few peo ple before heading off to Monaco this weekend for the Grand Prix. n Also at Brands was Peter Brock. The other half of HRrs 1997 line-up was there to talk turkey with the stars of the BTCC for Seven’s lead-up to the AMP Bathurst 1000. The footage should be seen at the media day for the Great Race on June 9.

Bathurst Privateer tyre option

By CHRIS LARflBDEN PRIVATEERS will have the option of contesting a Control tyre category or taking on the Mg-timers with open tyres at this year’s Sandown and Bathurst long distance races.

The freedom of choice comes after a handful- of current Level 3 Privateers expressed disappointment at being restricted to the Control tyre category

in the Shell series.

“I guess we’re in the process of modifying what we have c^led privateers,” TEGA chief Garry Craft said this week.

“In fact, we have to get rid of the whole ‘privateer’ philosophy, if you like.

“Things have changed a bit these days. A number of our so-called privateers. Level 3 teams, are really more

than that. Some of them have fulltime staff, and ate semi factory-supported, “Really, if they choose to race in the open category, against the top teams, then they shorrld be able to do so.

“Level 1,2,3 in our fi-anchise system really reflects the amount of time a team has been in the category and not necessarily their level of perforr >j mance.

Craft confirmed, however, that the Control tyre Privateer contest would still very much be part of Sandown and Bathurst for those teams who chose to ran it:

“We’re still supporrive of the privateer contest and there are many teams which it suits to run in that category. But those who want to run open tyres and race against the majorteams will be free to do so.”

Besnard's stranglehold

DAVID Besnard took his third-straight US F2000 National Championship win and a second place in a doubleheader-weekend at Homestead in Florida.

Besnard, who started from pole position in both races, survived an assault which knocked his rear wing off in race one to win, but was beat en by arch-rival Bobby McGehee in the second after his engine broke two valve spr-ings.

In the first race on the com bination road/oval course Besnard watched fourth qual ifier Ryan Hampton lead the first seven laps in his Tatuus and, after swapping the lead several times, the two came together, launching Hampton into the air and down onto Besnard’s rear wing, knock ing it off.

As Hampton faded to third, Canadian newcomer MarcAntoine Camirand challenged the wingless Van Diemen for the remainder ofthe 22-laps.

On the last lap, Camirand made one last attempt at the lead, but spun back to fourth, ^behind Besnard, Hampton and former Tour de France winner Greg LeMond.

“Once the wing was gone, it drove like a top fueler, all straight-line and no corner-

DRIVE, WIN, TALK...

Besnard leads McGehee(above) and then tells 'em how it’s done. ing,” said Besnard. “I have a lot of karting background, and it helped because it acted like a kai-t - no front brakes, and you had to pitch the car to get it turned. I didn’t think I could win, hut I was. sure going to tiy.”

“It was a racing incident. My car was pushing and he came around the outside,” said Hampton.“I basically did a big wheelie.

My suspension was definitely hurt; the wheels were both pointing in, but it held on.”

In the second race on Sunday, McGehee captured

By JOE SAWARD THE Foi-mula 1 teams have had a heavy testing schedule this year but it seems that the pressure of work is increasing as more teams have cars available to do devel opment work.

In recent days both Ferrari and Frost have conducted two simultane ous tests at different circuits as they try to close the gap on the opposition.

McLaren also ran at two tracks

his first-ever victory over Besnard, breaking the Australian’s three-race win streak, “I can focus on the champi onship now, and not getting my first win,” said McGehee.

“I knew I was faster than

David (Besnard) in a straight fine, and I was glad to see all the guys behind me fighting with each other. That helped me get away.”

Besnard had a furious racelong battle with Hampton, Camirand and the Tatuus of Steve Rikert, eventually fin ishing second for the first time this year.

“I’m happy for Robby. He deserves to win,” said Besnard, down-playing his valve spring problems. “My car was good in the corners, but not as fast as Robby and the Tatuus in a straight line.”

Hampton looked to have second locked-up for the sec ond-straight day, but clipped the wall just before taking the white flag, bending his sus pension and slowly deflating his right front tire. After allowing Besnard and Camirand through, Hampton dove his ill-handling car inside Camirand in turn six to seal second place.

Besnard retained his point lead, with 125, followed by Hampton and McGehee with 88, Lally with 67 and Jon Herb'with 65.

The next rounds of the series will be a double-header on the classic Watkins Glen road course in two weeks.

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Reverse grids off this year V8 SUPERCAR teams have scrapped any plans to hold a reverse grid race,for this year at least.

The idea, which gained significant momentum over recent weeks failed to get a significant major ity when teams were asked to vote on the prin ciple after the recent Winton Shell series race.

While Level 1 Holden teams liked the idea, it appears that Ford’s troops didn’t.

As well, the concept of changing the Shell series n regulations mid-season provided some obstacles.

“It’s still very much on , the agenda for 1999,” TEGA boss Garry Craft told Motorspoyt News this week.

Craft, who was person ally in favour of the change as early as next week’s Mallala SATCC round, said the revised race format really needed a substantial majority for change to happen.

- CHRIS LAMBDEN

Testing pace hots up -js -

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last week, starting work on Tuesday ^i| at the Lurcy-Levis testing facility, not far from Magny-Cours in France.

The FI teams use the track - which features a long runway section - to do aerodynamic mapping tests. This work was carried out for McLaren by test driver Nick Heidfeld.

The McLaren test team then switched to nearby Magny-Cours with both Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard in action for three sunny and warm days. Coulthard set the fastest lap time of the week with a TT best of lml7.32s in the coui’se of his 170 laps of the 2.64 mile track. The Scot lost some time with a couple of WIZARD OF ED... Irvine is getting cioser to the pace of the two McLarensmall offs and with a hydraulic fail Mercedes. The Ferrari was oniy down 0.3s at Magny-Cours. (Photo byAiisport) ure.

Hakkinen did over 200 laps of the best time of lml7.83s, while the Irvine, fresh from Magny-Cours. The main purpose of the Magny-Cours track in his car to record a best lap of team’s test driver Luca Badoer and lml7.53s which was three-tenths of Michael Schumacher both worked at test was to try out new rubber which a second faster than the best time the Ferrari test track at Fiorano, Goodyear intends to introduce at Monaco. Goodyear had three truckworking on the set-up for Monaco. achieved by Ferrari driver Eddie Badoer completed 80 laps before loads of tyres at Magny-Cours.

Iivine in the course of his three-day test. handing over to Schumacher who ran Doing a lot of the Goodyear work Irvine completed 250 laps of the from Thursday to Saturday, being were Williams drivers Jacques track in his Ferrari F300, setting a joined on the final day of the test by Villeneuve and Heinz-Harald

Frentzen, who each did two days of testing. Villeneuve completed a total of 125 laps with a best lap of lml8.42s, while Frentzen did a total of 160 laps to record an almost iden tical time- lml8.50s.

Also working with Goodyear on all four days was the Jordan team which ran all four of its drivers once again.

The test began on Tuesday with Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa complet ing 102 laps to record a best of lm22.10s.

On Wednesday both Ralf Schumacher and Juichi Wakisaki were in action and the German ran on both Thursday and Friday as well to complete a total of 150 laps with a best of lml8.76s. Wakisaki did 50

laps with a best of lm21.80s, before handing over to Damon Hill on Thursday. Damon completed 86 laps in a day and set a best time of lm20.42s, leaving Schumacher to test alone on Friday morning.

Sauber Petronas was also given the chance to try to latest Goodyear rear tyres with both Jean Alesi and Johnny Herbert each spending two days at the track.

Alesi completed 76 laps with a best of lml9.74s while Herbert did over 100 laps and recorded a best of lm20.38s.

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22MayW9S

Boat takes 500 pole

THE ‘World’s Greatest Motor Race’ will start with a Boat on pole position!

Billy Boat has won the pole position for the 82nd Indianapolis 500 with a fourlap average of 223.503 mph in his Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear, owned by four-time Indy win ner A.J. Foyt.

The former USAC shorttrack standout led a front row comprised of second-year Indy starters. Unheralded Greg Ray will start second at 221.125 in his Genoa Racing Dallara and Boat’s teammate, foimer F300 champion Kenny Brack, was third at 220.982 in the Dallara/Aurora/Good year. It’s the first time that three second-year 500 drivers are starting on the fi'ont row.

This is the first time a Foyt-owned car has won the pole at Indy since 1975, when Foyt won the last of his four pole positions.

“We didn’t have the best conditions, but we had a great car,” Boat said. “You know A.J. He never shows his hand. He’s always been one of my heroes. He is so intense and committed to try and nm fast and build a good racecar.”

Boat’s qualifying run was even more impressive consid ering he produced during midday temperatures that approached 85 degrees.

“The only problem I had was in Turn One with the wind,” Boat said. “I was real loose, and I Icnew I’d have to ran it through because I was OK in the others. On the fourth lap, I lost it in Turn One and I held my breath three times.”

Indy Racing League points leader Tony Stewart earned the fourth starting spot at 220.386 in the GliddenMenards Special Dallara/

Now Ws FI, the Soap

THE British Broadcasting Corporation is working on a plan to produce a 10episode television series based on Grand Prix rac ing.

Former rock and roll star Adam Faith has been com missioned by the BBC to pro duce the series and he was in Barcelona in the company of two top television scriptwi’iters. We understand that Faith will play a character based on Bernie Ecclestone.

The two not only look alike but they have actually been friends since the 1960s, when Faith was one of Britain’s top pop singers. He went on to build a successful empire in music production and management, overseeing the careers of Leo Sayer and Roger Daltrey. He and Ecclestone are not only friends, but also business partners in a number of property ventures in London.

- JOE SAWARD

Aurora/Firestone. Stewart was the fastest on four of the

six days of practice preceding Pole Day, but his car devel oped handling problems dur ing the morning practice on the 2.5-mile oval.

Defending Indianapolis 500 polesitter and Champion Arie Luyendyk initially failed to qualify in his G-Force/Aurora/ Firestone. He waved off his only qualifying attempt, with 25 minutes remaining in qualifications, after turning his first lap at just 214.618 mph due to persistent engine problems. ’’ Luyendyk wasted little time earning the 28th spot.

He posted a fourlap average of on 218.935 Sunday’s ‘Bump Day’, as part of Indy’s new oneweekend qualify ing foi-mat.

“The crew put in h motor today, the last one we had available, which had way too many miles on it to be crisp,” Luyendyk said./ “But it perfoi-med. For sure, we’d look stupid not making the show after win ning it last year.”

Rookie Robby Unser became the sixth member of the famous racing family to quali fy for the Indy 500. Unser, son of three-time winner Bobby Unser, will start 21st at 216.534 in the Team Cheever Dallara/Aurora/ Goodyear.

He was one of six rooldes to qualify Saturday. Robby Unser’s cousin, Johnny

n Former Tyrrell team boss Ken Tyrrell is to visit the Canadian Grand Prix.

Tyrrell sold his team to British American Racing at the end oflast year but was expected to stay with the team until the end ofthis season. He then fell out with BAR management and quit the team and has not been seen at any FI races this season. n Damon Hill and Eddie Jordan benefited from the Jordan team’s Benson & Hedges sponsorship last week when the tobacco company invited the pair to take part in the pre-event activities at the B&H Open Golf Championship at Thame in Oxfordshire. Hill

FLYING KITE... Jimmy Kite had a tough week in Andy Evans’Dallara, crashing three times.

FLOATING... Billy B (below) looked cool all week in AJ Foyt’s car. (Photos by David Tayior/Aiispon)

Unser, will start 25th.

Johnny Unser is the son of the late Jerry Unser.

Jimmy Kite, Eliseo Salazar ^ and Tyce Carlson all were unhmi in separate accidents.

Only two drivers - Billy Roe (who qualified anyway in his backup car) and ex-Fl man Eliseo Salazar did not qualify.

1 2 3 4 5 0>, 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

Starting grid 1998 Indianapolis 50® 223.503 D/A/G

Billy Boat Greg Ray Kenny Brack Tony Stewart Robby Buhl Sam Schmidt Scott Sharp Davey Hamilton .

Roberto Guerrero Scott Goodyear Buddy Lazier Mark Dismore J.J. Yeley Marco Greco Dr. Jack Miller John Paul Jr. Eddie Cheever Jr. Buzz Calkins Andy Michner Jim Guthrie Robby Unser Jack Hewitt Steve Knapp Donnie Beechler Johnny Unser Jimmy Kite Jeff Ward Arie Luyendyk Stan Wattles Raul Boesel Stephan Gregoire Mike Groff Billy Roe

AJ Foyt Racing TKM/Genoa Racing AJ Foyt PowerTeam Racing Glidden/Menards Specia l Menards Special Gold Crown Racing Delphi Automotive Systems Nienhouse Motorsports Pagan Racing Panther Hemelgarn Racing Kelley Automotive Menards SRS Phoenix Racing Crest Racing Team Pelfrey Team Cheever International Star Syan Racing ISM Racing Team Cheever Parker Machinery ISM Racing Cahill Auto Racing Hemelgarn Racing Scandia ISM Racing Sprint PCS Metro Racing Systems McCormack Mtrspts.

Blue Star Jonathan Byrd’s Scandia

DNQ Eliseo Salazar Scandia DNQ Lyn St James DNQ Claude Bourbonnais Legend; D - Dallara, G - G-Force, R - Riley&Scott A - Aurora I - Infinity G - Goodyear F - Firestone

D/A/F D/A/G D/A/F D/A/F D//VF D/A/G G/A/G D/A/G G/A/G D/A/G D/A/G D/A/F G/A/F D/l/F D/A/F D//VG G//VG D//VG G//VG D/A/G G/A/G G/A/G G/A/F D/Ai/G D/A/G G/A/G G/A/F R/A/G G/A/G G/A/G G/AF D/AG

221.125 220.982 220.386 220.236 219.982 219.910 219.748 218.911 218.868 218.288 218.096 218.044 217.953 217.800 21,7.351 217.334 217.197 216.922 216.604 216.534 216.456 216.445 216.357 216.316 219,297 219.086 218.935 217.477 217.303 217.036 216.704 217.835

R/AG G/l/G R/AG

215.642 215.001

Gardner’s Le Mans drive

By PHIL BRANAGAN

WAYNE Gardner will be competing at the Le Mans 24 Horn’race.

The foimer world 500cc champion will team up with old motorcycle adversary Didier de Radigues and Frenchman Phillippe Cache for the event.

The three will drive a Ford-powered Riley&Scott in the World Sports Car Class, taking on the Williams-prepared, BMW-powered factory cars and Ferrari’s Daytona and Sebring-winning 333SP. Gardner has been working on ranning in the event for some time and was a happy man when confirmation of the drive came through last week, “Didier and I wanted to go to Le Mans,” he said. “He’s a contracted BMW driver and it was only when he was released for the race that we said, ‘let’s do something together’.”

The car, which will be ran by Cache’s team,is a new 1998-model. Gardner and de Radigues will join the team for a test late this month, probably at Paul Ricai’d in the south of France.

De Radigues has already qualified the car in the field for the June 5/6 classic and, while Gardner is not making any big prediction for the race, he is happy with his prospects.

“I think we’re a bit of a dark horse, Mark Webber and Mercedes obviously have a great shot at winning the race but I feel we will be able to circulate all day and we might even have a shot at a top 10. But in such a competitive field a podium finish is ceidainly not out ofthe question.”

Gardner will take personal sponsorship from Coke and Donut King for the

race, and is searching for extra sponsorship as well, Following his Ricard test he will fly to Japan to test at Sendai for the Japanese GT series. He will return to Europe for the Le Mans race, before heading back to Japan to race with co-driver Minori Tanaka at Sendai for the FET/Toyota team.

Wayne grabs Pau Stokell for V8 endurance races GARDNER has also confirmed his co-dri ver for the Australian V8 endurance races.

Gardner will share his Coke/Donut King Commodore with Paul Stokell, who made his V8 debut last season in a second WGR Commodore.

At the Primus 1000 Classic, Stokell, shar ing the car with Peter

and Bradbury Tratt, Anthony impressed in qualify ing, but was let down 15 laps into the race when the engine blew.

It was easy to recognise Paul’s tal ent,” said Gardner.

He only got in 15 laps but he was very impressive.

“For the limited time that he had in

the car his computer read-outs were excel lent.

He needs a break in his career and I’m happy that this could be it.

U We’ll be having a real shot at the race with Paul. I feel like the driving combina tion will be strong and so will the car.”

- PHIL BRAMAGAN

5

played a round with Spanish golfing legend Seve Ballesteros. n We expect Williams to be sponsored by the Belgium fuel company Fina when the team begins its relationship with BMW. Fina has long supported BMW sporting activities and is expected to continue in FI. The company is cm’rently backing BMW in Formula 3000, World Sportscai-s and in touring car racing. n Ferrari President Luca di Montezefnolo last week announced plans to relaunch the Maserati car company in the United States ofAmerica. This has added to speculation that Maserati may produce an engine for either CART or IRL racing in the United States. Montezemolo ruled out any possible involve ment ofMaserati in FI. At the same time he made the curious observation that: “If anything when Ferraii loses in FI we tend to sell more cars” but added that ‘El activities add fuel to the Fen-ari legend”. n Williams test driver Juan-Pablo Montoya won his second consecutive Formula 3000 event at Silverstone on Saturday and he now leads the FIA International F3000 Championship as the teams head for Monaco where they win support the Grand Rtx for the first time. n Fomer Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Bnmdtland, who held office between 1986-1989 and 1990-1996, has been appointed head ofthe World Health Organisation and is promising to launch further attacks on the tobacco industry. A former doctor, Harlem Brandtland called for a global attack on tobacco companies in her election speech. n Tire Brabham family have blocked attempts by a consmtium of businessmen to revive the Brabham name.The consoi-tium, using the Motor Racing Developments name,had planned to build Fonnula 3 cars called Brabhams. This name is registered by the Brabham family and cannot be used without their- per mission.

-JOE SAWARD

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Bathurst 2-litre taking shape

No World Cupfor ’98 BATHURST is likely to host the Super Tourer World Cup next year.

Despite South Africa’s withdrawal from staging an event this year, it is unlikely that a World Cup will be ran at Bathurst this yeai% according to TOCA UK boss Alan Gow:

“I’ve spoken with Bernie Ecclestone about it,” Gow said this week,“and there won’t be a World Cup this year.

“To switch it across to Bathurst at this stage of the year smacks of knee-jerk reaction.

“However, Bernie dlid say that, as far as he was con cerned, Bathurst is in pole position to stage the World Cup next year.”

- CHRIS LAMBDEN

Bigger role for Channel 7 CHANNEL 7 has taken over a number of the ARDC’s commitments at Bathurst and, with the Bathurst City Council, will assume responsibility for the promotion of the AMP Bathui'st 1000.

At the same time, the Network has retained former GP supremo . Mai Hemmerling to oversee its involvement.

A series of agreements wdth the ARDC sees Channel 7 take over the ARDC’s stake in the ownership of the event (the ARDC has a contract to conduct a major motor sport event at the Mountain on the first weekend in October, until 2004) and the leases for the motor sport infrastruc-’ ture at Mount Panorama.

While the Network has re affirmed its commitment to

Audi settles on driving squad

THE Audi Sport Australia team is close to finalising its driver line-up for the AMP Bathurst 1000.

Team manager Kim Jones has just returned from a two week trip to Germany to meet with Audi motorsport management and the driving staff for the October classic was high on the agenda.

Brad Jones, Cameron McConville and JeanFranfois Hemroulle is certain to return to the squad, to be joined by Audi’s BTCC team leader Yvan Muller. The team expects confirmation of the Frenchman and Belgian Hemroulle by the end of June.

Frank Biela, who finished second with Jones last year, has been ruled out of the race due to the clashing final round of the German STW series.

Super Touring as its formula for the Bathui’st 1000, some fence-mending is also in the offing with the V8 fi*atemity.

But while the driving line In announcing the changes at the Mountain, Seven’s up seems set, it is by no means certain that the team CEO Gary Rice said that the network will be working will race its current A4 quatclosely with the organisers of tros in the 1000km race.

While the form of the 1998 the (V8) Australian 1000 Classic in mid-November, front-wheel-drive A4s in leasing the facilities to race Germany and England has organisers IMG/Bathurst been has not been encourag ing, Kim Jones is not pre City Council. pared to write off the newer “Today’s agreement closes the book on the war of words car as a contender for between both races. Both Bathurst. events are successful and we “Things can change very look forward to playing a quickly,” he said. “Look at major role in the AMP England; Nissan have won Bathurst 1000 and working two races and Vauxhall have closely with the organisers in also broken through after a the staging of the Australian couple of seasons in the dol1000 Classic following our dnims. The newer car could event.” be competitive this year. I - CHRIS LAMBDEN mean, BMW just won in

Neal to lead Independent assault

FRANKIE AND JEAN-NIE... Biela leads Hemroulle at Bathurst last year. The German is staying home this time but 'Hemi' will be joined by Yvan Muller.

Germany with a year-old car.”

One thing in favour of the newer car could be that the curi-ent generation Michelin tyres are primarily designed to work with FWD Super Tourers like the 1998 A4.

But Brad Jones Racing is

almost cei'tain to run their current 4WD cars at Macau in November. A driver to run alongside Jones has not been confirmed, but it is likely to be Italian Emanuele Pin'o.

“Frank ran at Bathurst, Macau and Kyalami last year,” Kim Jones said. “It’s

(Photo by Marshall Cass)

Pirro’s turn to travel now...”

No other works team is yet to firm up its involvement in the race - though a large accomodation booking has been made in Bathurst with a contact address in Leafield, England - home of TWR/ Volvo...

Three classes for race?

By PHIL BRANAGAN THERE could be as many as three class es,in the Bathurst 1000 in October.

While the Super Tourers and Ecotech cars are already well-planned - and as many as eight of the diesel-powered cars are still a possibility - there may be a section of the race for Schedule S cars from New Zealand.

The cars - which are a cross'between Super Tourers and improved production Group N - are run across the Tasman by MANZ TOCA-style under the direction of Chris Abbott, it is supported in NZ by BMW, Ford, Nissan and Toyota, and runs two series; one during the winter and a summer series alongside the traditional TraNZam races.

They are almost identical to similar cate gories which exist in Germany, Holland and Italy, and the British GpN series is currently

being led by an NZ-built Toyota Carina.

“We’ve received an approach to run them,” said TOCA Australia Chief Executive Kelvin O’Reilly on Tuesday.

“If they can say there is a minimum num ber of cars that would come across for the race, we’ll look at it.”

O’Reilly would not elaborate what a realis tic minimum would be but race m-ganisers would be looking for at least six starters to make the class viable.

O’Reilly has already received a set of Schedule S regulations, which he has exam ined thoroughly. / “It has always been a part of the plan to return the Bathurst 1000 to a class race,” O’Reilly says.

“If the New Zealand people say that there is ‘X’ cars and that is satisfactory to the organiser, I’d say it could well happen.”

BMW help for McLean?

NEAL ON THE WHEEL... Matt Neal’s Dynamics Nissan has been turning a few heads in the BTCC. Yes, that is current Champ Alain Menu struggling to get past. (Photo by Bomweii Photographic) IF there is still to any firm announce ment from the works teams in the BTCC about the AMP Bathurst 1000 a number of Independents’ teams have their plans well and truly in hand.

Leading the way will be Matt Neal. The English giant, who was here last year, is almost certain to team again with Steven Richards, but this time in Neal’s Team Dynamics Nissan Primera which is cuiTently embarrassing most of the factory entries in the series.

Neal (whose 1997 race car came to Bathurst to serve as ‘spares’ for Richards’ Primera) has the use of a brand hew car,

built to 1997 spec, but with a ’98 wing kit.

Current ‘Indy’ points leader Robb Gravett is almost certain to appear at the race. The 1990 BTCC winner is expected to make his second trip to the race with his Rock-It Cargo Honda Accord, to be co-driven by the 1996 Privateers winner Lee Brookes.

The third outfit to be looking seriously at the race is the DC Cook team, which runs an ex-works Renault for Tommy Rustad. The Norwegian is not, however, likely to come and the Cook team is likely to run either or both of its Formula 3 drivers, David and Paula Cook, or one of them with a local.

-PHIL BRANAGAN

WHILE Audi seems set for its endurance program BMW has several options in the fire.

While Cameron McLean’s 1997 race performance for Volvo (where he fin ished fifth with Jan ‘Flash’ Nielsen) has him on several European teams’ shopping lists, the Queenslander has had no approaches for the race and Volvo seems sure to run Nielsen, Jim Richards, Rickard Rydell and his BTCC partner HANG ON... Help Is on the way, maybe, for McLean.(Photo by chrts carter) Gianni Morbidelli.

But McLean did say that ver for the race - or, at a before the season he had Unless any other long shot, even run a newer European teams sign him works-supported 320i for discussed sharing a car in the race with ex-BMW man quickly McLean will drive the race. his current Greenfield BMW Australia’s John Paul Morris, though link with Mowers BMW. Kananghinis was at Phillip Morris’ But it is not out of the Island the Friday before the Mercedes-Benz through question that McLean could be partnered in the car by a European factory BMW dri-

BOC round but McLean was non-committal about the outcome of his visit.

his current PacWest Indy Lights drive makes that look unlikely.

22May m ●●●●***««»a***««*«

Tough times in UK series for White, Ambrose IT’S been a tough time for the Australian competing in the UK open-wheeler series.

Marcos Ambrose showed great form in the FT races at Brands Hatch, finishing in third in the first race, but he was deliberately shunted off the track on the slow-down lap by another competitor, leav ing him slumped in the car with concussion.

Ambrose had qualified sixth for the race and, after a steady start, was closing on the lead group of cars. He got into a battle for third with Craig Murray. With eight laps left the Tasmanian slid through into third and, despite being contacted several times, held the British driver out until the end of the race.

But, as Ambrose slowed down into Paddock Bend on the slow-down lap, Murray slammed him at 200kmh, ploughing him into the tyre wall.

An official enquiry was launched by the stewards but an incorrect report by a corner marshall meant that it was dismissed on a technicality.

The impact was so hai'd that Ambrose will be need ing a new chassis for the next round of the series this weekend at Oulton Park.

The previous weekend Oulton Park hosted the first round of the British Formula Audi Palmer series.

Stephen White topped the sheets during Friday practice and qualified fifth fastest for the race. He jumped away in the six cai’ group that was fighting for the lead but, after nine laps, a Brazilian driver spun in fifont of him, leav ing the Melbourne driver mth nowhere to go.

White lost a wheel in the incident and was out for the day.

The next race in the series is this weekend at Croft, a new circuit for White and the circus.

7

McConville's strong

CAMERON McConville took in a two day Barber-Dodge test before the third round of the BOC Gases Super Touring Championship at

|H

Phillip Island.

The Audi Sport Australia driver completed 320km of testing at Sebring in Florida, with a view of perhaps running a full program in 1999.

The 24-year-old was happy with his performance, especially on day two.

“On day one I was driving the car like a tin top," he said. “I had slow mid-comer speed and I had to think it through and adjust overnight.”

On the second day McConville post ed the second fastest time of the test at lm08.22s, just 0.2s off the fastest time of the 12 drivers.

McConville and a visiting British driver were the only twp present lyho were not series regulars, encouraging him greatly.

“They are great things to drive. The cars are new for this season, with Reynard carbon fibre tubs and 3.21itre V6s, out of the Dodge Intrepid. They also have sequential gearboxes and run on control Michelin tyres.”

McConville’s performance was even better in light of the fact that the 10 regular drivers present for the test were ah regulars in the 1998 champi onship.

Despite the performance McConville is not getting too carried away with the chance of a regular drive in ’99.

“It’s early days. I want to go to Laguna Seca in October for the sec ond-last race in the series, which is a support event for the GT round there.

After that race I’ll hopefully know what’s on for ‘99 with BJR and we’ll sit down and assess it from there.

“It’s a big decision to make, whether to head overseas and throw in the chance to do something here. I have to

BACK IN THE USA... McConville put his two days testing at Sebring to good use^ setting second-quickest time among a bunch of drivers with more experience.

INTREPID... Reynard-bullt chassis uses Dodge Intrepid V6. McConville described car as cross between F3 and Formula Holden. assess whether to take the chance and go there and whether it will be a costeffective way of establishing a career there.”

McConville feels that he is perhaps too old to have a career in Europe but that the United States offered a better alternative. The Dodge series offers a fully-paid Indy Lights season for the winner and even a US$150,000 prize for rookie of the year.

His decision would also be affected by his sponsors, Tattersalls and Globe sports shoes, -PHILBRANAGAN

A passage to India Four Mecachrome teams in 1999 - but who will get them?

By JOE SAWARD ALTHOUGH officially Mecachrome bosses are saying that the company is able to supply three teams with its VIO engines next season, we believe that it is more likely that there will be four supplies of the French engines in FI in 1999.

Mecachrome manufactures and services the former Renault VIO engines. This is a very lucrative an-angement for Mecachrome as Williams and Benetton are each currently paying around $20m a year for the engines.

Renault is in no position to return to FI at the moment because there are more important problems needing to be solved and it seems that Mecachrome is being left largely to its own devices.

While Mecachrome works closely with Renault, it is an independent company and in recent years has been struggling because of the cutbacks in defence spending in France. To increase the FI involvement is a good way to increase profits, as supplying extra engines does not increase costs enormously.

We understand, however, that it makes more finan cial sense to supply four teams rather than three.

This is very good news for Sauber and British American Racing, both of which have been trying to

sign Mecachrome deals in recent weeks. Sauber wants to get the engines and rebadge them Sauber Petronas, while BAR needs a stop-gap engine for a season or two before the team’s intended engine sup plier - which we believe to be Honda - is ready.

The only thing standing in the way of a quadruple Mecachrome supply is Frank Williams who has a written agreement - although not, as we understand it, a contract - that supply will be restricted to two teams. There is some doubt as to whether the agree ment is with Renault or with Mecachrome but, either way, Williams is not likely to fight too hard.

The team knows that the engines are not going to be right up there with Ferrari and Mercedes in 1999 and that it would be wiser to sell the exclusirity and use the money to invest in the Williams-BMW project for the year 2000.

Williams made a similar compromise in 1994 when Benetton negotiated a deal with Renault. Williams ended up with a lucrative contract to run Renault’s touring car team in the British Touring Car Championship.

We expect, therefore, that negotiations will be com pleted within the next few weeks for Williams, Benetton, Sauber and BAR to all have Mecachrome engines in 1999.

THERE are plans for India to stage a Formula 1 Grand Prix in the year 2000 although the people behind the deal are keeping their cards very close to their chests at the moment.

British-based businessman Michael Taub and Anwar Saleem are behind the idea and have established a company in London called Grand Prix (India) PLC. They have the blessing of FI boss Bernie Ecclestone and are currently involved in researching the best possible location for an Indian race.

The plan involves the construction of a world-class racing facility in preparation for a race in the year 2000.

Taub and Saleem visited Barcelona in order to look at the installations and talk to some of those involved in the organisation of Grands Prix.

The pair are confident that money for the project can be raised both fi’om local govern ment in India and from the business com munity. There are several companies involved in FI which are veiy interested in making a bigger impact on the vast Indian markets, with the car and tobacco compa nies being the obvious candidates.

Taub and Saleem spent a lot of their time at Barcelona in the company of representa tives of British American Tobacco.

-JOE SAWARD

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Webber & Scbneider head thampionship 1 after Silverstone win Brock set for Round Australia piaySpfiOJR

‘ -.998

Sony MD Mike Ephraim (right) weicomes Brock into the PiayStation Raiiy fieid.

Peter Brock has con firmed his participation in the 1998 Round Australia Rally, which has just announced sponsorship from Sony PlayStation.

Brock will drive a Holden Jackaroo, sponsored by AMP, as he attempts to match his famous victory in the 1979 Repco ReliabilityTrial.

The PlayStation Rally — Round Australia ’98, as it will be called, kicks off in Adelaide on September 6 and finishes back there on Sunday September 27.

Over 150 entrants are expected to start the rally, following the success of the first re-established rally. the Advantage International-promoted 1995 Mobil Trial (won by Ed Ordynski).

The AMP sponsorship of Brock’s entry dovetails in with the company’s spon sorship of the Bathurst 1000 and support sponsor ship for the PlayStation Rally itself Sony has secured the naming rights to the rally as part of PlayStation’s release of a new interactive racing game.

Gran Tuidsmo.

AT the same time, we hear that Brock is to contest the 23rd run ning of the 500km Finke Desert Race, on June 6/7.

Brock will drive the 6litre Chev-powered Class 5 V8 Commodore ute owned

by Queensland friend Peter Champion, with the car!s regular sponsors Caterpillar Earthmovers

Dallam the mterim option for Honda M?

THERE have been many rumours in Europe in recent days suggesting that a deal is being dis cussed between the Honda Motor Company and Dallara for the sup ply of Formula 1 chassis in the future.

Our investigations have revealed that there are talks between the two companies, but that it is not a long-term project.

Rather, it is a way in which Honda can get on with its own engine testing pro gramme in Europe without having to set up its own car production facility.

Honda is expected to set up its own FI factory in Britain but, in order to cut a few corners, it will run a Dallara-Honda prototype in the interim.

The car could be up and running as early as the start of next year in preparation for the Honda assault on FI in the year 2000.

Dallara has not been involved in Formula 1 racing for some years (since the collapse of its Scuderia Italia deal in 1991) but the fi rm does have FI experience and the capacity to produce chassis very quickly.

-JOESAWARD

MARK Webber has bro ken through for his first win with Mercedes-Benz’s GT team.

Webber and Bernd Schneider scored their first victory of the 1998 FIA GT at Championship Silverstone, finishing eight seconds ahead of the Porsche of Jorg Muller after nearly three hours of competition.

Webber drove the middle stint of the race, stretching an 19s lead to 35s, despite flat-spotting a front tyre after being baulked lapping a tail-ender.

It was the second victory in the second race of the sea son for AMG Mercedes, and moves Webber and reigning OOPS ... Porsche had a sniff of the iead, but Aizen (above) copped a 30 second penaity GT champion Schneider to the points lead, one point for hitting David Brabham’s Panoz as he attempted to take the front running. ahead of Klaus Ludwig and passing Bartels for fourth on A thrilling battle fol Ricardo Zonta, who finished shod Panoz-Ford second back lap 19 and team-mate lowed as the lead pair the race in fourth place after fastest. Further Schneider, who had qualified Ludwig the following lap. lapped at record pace, traf suffering a misfire.

He took advantage of a colfic playing its part as the “It was a bonus win for the fifth, dropped to seventh when a move by Persson’s lision between Brabham and gap fluctuated. team,” said Webber this Christophe Bouchut put him Uwe Aizen to take the lead, By the end of the race week.

Schneider crossed the line and then set about pulling “Before the race (Mercedes '■wide and lost his momenturn. out a gap over the chasers. just eight seconds clear of Motorsport manager) Norbert But leader McNish soon What could have been a Muller.

Haug told us that he would be Zonta did a double stint in slowed with mechanical fairytale result for the small happy if we scored a podium the other AMG car, a fuelproblems, leaving the frontPanoz outfit ended in the position. But the team only stop helping it into engined car of Brabham to gravel as Aizen pushed worked really hard and the fourth place just 10s behind race just worked out perfectly lead from the factory Porsche through in his Porsche, and Mercedes-Benz teams.

Schneider took advantage of the third placed Porsche of for us.”

Bartels.

On lap five the other Benz the confusion to sUp into the “The car was perfect,” said The extra fuel used due to of Christophe Bouchut lost lead and the 30s penalty Schneider after the victory. the misfire forced Zonta into control on the entry to Priory awarded to Aizen reinforced “I saved the tyres a little the pits for a ‘splash and corner and spun into the his advantage, which he was bit in the last stint and, / dash’ just five laps from the gravel. not to lose. when the Porsche began to end, the Brazilian retaining Although Bouchut made it Schneider pitted from the close, I still .^ad some in fourth position. back to the pits, and rejoined lead on lap 32, handing over reserve, and I was able to Porsches completed the the race having lost three to Webber. The Aussie put in push a bit more. I must podium, with Aizen and laps in 19th position. a quick and consistent stint. thank the team, they have Muller ahead of the privateer It was very close at the lapping in the lm44s brack worked very hard for this Zakspeed Porsche of Bartels et, and building the lead up and Mark did a very good &ont, with the first cars covand Hahne. to 35 seconds. ered by just eight seconds stint . We’re very happy.”

Brabham finished back in Schneider took over again after 15 laps.

At the start Allan McNish eighth place but the car, and After carefully making during the stop on lap 65 and took off from pole position in his partnership with Eric sure his Bridgestone tyres emerged with a lead of 13.5s his Porsc|ie 911 G'T98 ahead Bernard, showed enough to were up to temperature over the Porsche GTl of of Aussie David Brabham, be a thi'eat at Le Mans.

Schneider put on a charge,-* Muller. who qualified his Michelin-

Friesacher jumps to NRC F/H team

Neil s debut

NEIL Crompton recently conducted his initial tests with Glenn Seton’s Ford Credit team in preparation for his first race with the team next week at Mallala.

Crompton put in a full day at Phillip Island in the

team’s spare car, which will carry sponsorship from Crompton’s personal spon sors Windscreens O’Brien as well as the normal Ford

Credit livery.

The two will pair up for the Sandown and Bathurst endurance races.

MARKUS Friesacher will switch Formula Holden teams for this weekend’s races at Mallala.

The Austrian and his sub stantial Red Bull budget have left the Graham Watson Ralt Australia team and will appear in the exBruce Williams Reynard which will be run alongside the Mark Noske car by Arthur Abrahams.

This will be an interim measure as the team will prepare a Reynard 95D for Friesacher to drive later in the season.

Friesacher has not been happy with the performance of the car for some time and.

while he was not expecting to come to Australia and win every race, his Formula 3000 qualifying speed suggested that he would at least be closer to the leaders of the class than his positions so far in 1998 have suggested. ' WHILE Friesacher has left the Watson team Darren Edwards has joined it.

The Adelaide driver will appear in his familiar Mallala Motorsport Park colours in the Ralt Reynard this weekend after strug gling with a lack of horse power in his previous Reynard.

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t’s a fantastic feeling to have knocked up my first win of the season for Mercedes-Benz.

It really has been a perfect start to the championship for the AMG team, with Ricardo Zonta and Klaus Ludwig winning the first round at Oschersleben and then Bernd and myself at Silverstone last weekend.

On Sunday morning, Mr Haug pulled all the drivers into the motor home and said if we could get one of our cars onto the podi um, it would be a realistic achievement for the day. The first two rounds of the championship have been a big bonus for us in SIX OF THE BEST... While Webber and Schneider were busy winning at Silverstone Mercedes-Benz some ways and have enabled us have finally announced their Le Mans crews. Schneider and Webber will team up with Klaus Ludwig, to put some points in the bag while Ricardo Zonta, Christophe Bouchut and Jean-Marc Gounon will drive the other car. before we start our season-proper with the new car. tively between 7am and 10pm for the sensation of speed is slightly I’m sure Porsche must be feel racingfew though... must three days. say to a quick words I about increased and you feel even more Back I racked up roughly 900kms ing a little bit disappointed, as alone than normal - it’s a nice my first visit to Le Mans for pre each day, so I was pretty tired qualifying. they’ve been running their new feeling!

As a single-seater racer, I coming into Silverstone the next cars since the opening round but haven’t beaten us in our old CLKs e had a bit of spare time in didn’t know very much about the day, as was the team. yet. We will be running the new Florida prior to the test, so circuit itself and having experi CLK LM in the GT series after Le We all had a bash of golf and enced it now, it’s definitely not one That though, was my all forgotten when I brought left over Mans, so Silverstone last week went down to the beach where to tackle in a single-seaterl champagne into the garage for the It’s fabulous!

Obviously the end was a fitting swansong for the there wasn’t much to be seen in boys to share after Sunday’s win. “old” car. best experience and the one I’ll terms of dress sense! But, there remember for a very long time is They were all very quickly back to were some rathe/ nice girls all the the top speed of the car along the the AMG factory in Stuttgart on t has been a very busy start to same! the season. Mercedes are defi Mulsanne Straight - sorry I can’t Sunday night to put the old cars I think Ricardo and I being give you exact figures - but for me into the corners, so that we can nitely using my services and I’ve Brazilian and Australian helped to be driving in excess of 330kms really concentrate on the new been enjoying every minute of it. us fit into the beach scene a bit cars. plus, prompted a rush of adrena Since my last column I’ve been It was quite difficult to prepare to a lot of different countries, better than our French and line during the first few laps! two completely different cars hotels, tracks and airports and I German team-mates - and I let under the same roof, so it’s nice to must now be one of the world’s them know that, too! and pre-qualifying, 1 blasted acrossRicardo France have the new car for both pro Oh yeah, I nearly forget, while After best drivers of an airport trolley!

The reason we’ve been so we were at Homestead, I was for the official test for round four of grams now. busy with the travelling is woken up one morning by two the GT championship at Dijon. To because there’s been a lot of helicopters flying above the hotel. say that these cars have outgrown Le Mans is definitely theinto focus and the effort that goes this this circuit in regard to safety, preparation for Le Mans, as well It turned out that there just hap as running the normal program of pened to be a very big man hunt would be an understatement but one race is simply unbelievable.

We have learned so much over official tests and races for the FIA going on outside for a very dan the layout is quite nice.

From there, we went on to Paul the last three months with the new GT Championship. gerous guy who was armed and One of our endurance test for was within 500 metres of the Ricard with the Le Mans car for car that I’m confident my Three the Le Mans car took us to Pointed Star won’t be too far away some more endurance testing.

Homestead in Florida where we hotel - and to think, the morning Unlike Florida, we couldn’t run come June 6/7! before Ricardo and I were run Don’t forget you can keep up to through the early hours of the used half the banking and all of ning in the same area. the infield section for the circuit. morning due to noise restrictions date with all my racing on my fan Fortunately for the police and but, nevertheless, we shared the tastic Yellow Pages website.

That’s where I drove for the the rest of us, he made his own circuit with Williams-BMW and first time in the night. It is a Toyota to use the time very effecunique feeling because, I think. decision about life.

w

More FI teams look at F3000

WITH Formula 3000 receiving much more coverage this season thanks to a calendar which is more closely linked with Formula 1 racing, more Grand Prix teams are considering becoming involved in the junior series as a way of maximising the exposure for their spon sors.

A season of Foi-mula 3000 remains very cheap in Formula 1 terms and already McLaren is running two cars under the West Competition banner for Nick Heidfeld and Nicholas Minassian and a Formula 3 car in Germany for Norman Simon.

Prost is currently sup porting the two Apomatox cars of Stephane Sarrazin and Marcelo Battistuzzi.

We also believe that

Williams is supplying much of the finance for JuanPablo Montoya’s Formula 3000 bid with Super Nova Racing, although the car carries minimal sponsor ship. All three will drive in this weekend’s inaugural Monaco F3000 race.

We have also heard of a British American Racing Formula 3000 project and a team to be run Ln Arrows colours by Jackie Oliver.

Benetton is also tipped to have a junior teams in Formula 3000. At the moment the team is sup porting a three-car team in the German Formula 3 series for former karting ace Johnny Mislijevic, Thomas Mutsch and Jeffrey von Hooydonk.

Jordan is also involved in the promotion of young Japanese drivers and may decide to run a Formula 3000

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t:en]| Edwards Doubles, Motor Raiing Corser Calendar Closes World of Sport

Shell Australian Touring Car C'ship*

Rd6 May 24 . . .Mallala . .

Rd7 May 31 , . .Wanneroo June 21 . .Calder Park .,. .Rd 8 10 round series held around Australia

Slick 50 Formula Ford*’ Rd6 May 24 ...Mallala . .

Rd7 May 31 . ..Wanneroo June 21 . .Calder Park . . . .Rd 8 Eight round series held in Auslraim

Australian Formula Holden Championship’*

Rd3 May 24 . . .Mallala June 21 . .Calder Park . . . Ro 4 Five race series held in Australia

BOC Gases Super Touring Championship’*

June 7 . . .Eastern Creek . .Rci 4 June 28 . .Lakeside Rd 5 Eight round series held in Australia

t

Century Batteries

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

Eight round series held in Australia

FedEx Champ Series*

Rd6 Rd 7 Rd8 Rd9

May 24 . . .Madison May 31 ...Milwaukee June 7 .. .Detroit June 21 . .Portland

19 race series held in the United States, Australia. Brazil and Japan

Pep Boys Indy Racing league

May 25 .. .Indy 500 .

June 6 .. .Fort Worth June 28 . .Loudon ..

Rd 3 ,Rd 4 Rd 5

11 race series held inthe United States

Formula 1 World C'ship Rd6 Rd7 Rd8

May 24 ...Monaco June 7 .. .Canada July 12 .. .Britain

16 race series held around the world

Winston Cup NASCAR

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

NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series

Rd9 May 31 ...Chicago June 14 . .Columbus .. . .Rd 10 June 28 . .Madison Rd 11 22 race series held in the United States

AN DRA Australian Drag Racing Series

June 5-7 ....Wintemalionals ...Wbank Final round of the series, featuring Top Fuel, Top Doorslammer, Top Alcohol. Pro Stock

SOOcc Motorcycle Grand Prix C'ship*

Rd 5 Rd 6

May 31 . . .France June 14 . .Portugal

16 round series held around the world

Australian Rally Championship

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

World Rally Championhip*

June 7 , . .Acropolis . . . .

Rd8

14 rally series held around the world

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

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

Check your local guides for screening details.

DOOHAN'S SIXTH WIN AT MUGELIO IWkk narrows the gap to points leader Biaggi

MICK Doohan IS unbeatable

AMERICAN Colin Edwards II chalked up his long-awaited World Superbike debut win after dominating round three of the 1998 championship at Monza,Italy on May 10.

The new Castrol Honda rider backed up his debut victory with a comfortable win in the second leg when luckless Aaron Slight suc cumbed to a rare mechanical fail ure.

I \ i j

Claiming he had finally “cracked the code” of riding his RC45 hard in : Friday’s practice, the 24-year-old i Texan dedicated his double victory I to his Castrol Honda Supersport I 600 team-mate Michael Paquay, I who was fatally injured in a crash i on Saturday, and to his Australian father who is suffering hepatitis after a recent kidney transplant.

In the first 22-lap leg, the Hondas of Edwards of team-mate and pole-sitter Aaron Slight held sway over the Ducati trio of Carl Fogarty, Pierfrancesco Chili and Troy Corser.

Akira Yanagawa (Kawasaki) was among the leading group when he unloaded at the Ascari Chicane, only to watch his bike burst in to flames after the fuel tank split.

His team-mate Neil Hodgson duelled with Corser at the tail of the front bunch, that saw Slight and Edwards finally break away, setting up an intriguing game of cat and mouse which the New Zealander admitted he may have overplayed.

“Maybe I was a bit too tactical for my own good,” Slight said.

“In the beginning of the race, I tried to pull a break, and almost got off. Even though I knew we had a speed advantage, I didn’t want the other guys to stay with us until the end. I did everything I planned, but then made a mess of the last lap.”

After dropping off from Chili and Fogarty, Corser staged a clever late run to grab an unlikely third podi um finish.

“I knew we stood little chance against the Hondas, but later I got a tow from Pierfrancesco when he was on a charge. Then at oiie moment, the oil flag went out, bull I saw it too late, which worked out fine, because I could make up some ground on the Hondas.

“A few laps before the end, I got a slight front-brake problem (as did Fogarty and Chili), but I still was able to outbroke everybody.”

After edging out Slight by just 0.083sec, Edwards took out the sec ond race by 2.4sec from Fogarty after Slight’s engine let go whilst lying in a close second on the start of the final lap.

Corser again dared a brave latebraking move under Fogarty, this time at the Parabolica, but ended up in the gravel. * The Australian recovered well to finish fourth, and has whittled away Noriyuki Haga’s points’ lead from 21 to just five after the Yamaha sensation struggled to bring home ninth and tenth follow ing a heavy fall in practice.

“I’m happy it’s all over,” Haga said after having to be lifted from the bike by his crew.

“Braking was not so bad, but

MICK LEADS MAX. AGAIN... Doohan was in untouchable for, as usual, at Mugello, taking his sixth Italian GP run and stopping Biaggi in his tracks. It seems like only yesterday that Biaggi was being whis pered about as the challenger to Doohan's crown, that Mick was (Photo by Allsport) complaining about a lack of horepower, etc... changing direction was the real problem. The fast chicanes where you really have to force the bike was very bad.”

Peter Goddard (Suzuki) made the most of a disastrous qualifying per formance to claim seventh and eighth placings at his first-ever race at the Milan circuit located in Umberto Park.

The former Australian Superbike Champion crashed out of his Superpole qualifying lap and was forced to start from 16th grid posi tion.

Following a lonely first race, Goddard was given the wake-up call of a lifetime in leg two.

“Towards the end of the race, I grabbed the front brake going in to the first chicane, and nothing hap pened!

“I shot passed James (Whitham) and over the gravel trap at 250 kays.

“It was one of the most terrifying moments of my racing career.”

Points: Haga 104, Corser 99, Fogarty 96, Edwards 87, Slight 73, Chili 67, Yanagawa/Goddard 43, Whitham 39, Hodgson 34.

-DARRYL FLACK

at Mugello - and that’s oMcial.

Doohan and arch-rival Max Biaggi faced off on Max’s home turf last weekend and, despite the fact that the Italian has been as dominant there on 250s as the Australian has been on 500s, j Doohan gave him a thoi'ough lesI son in GP-winning,500 style.

Doohan got back into ‘business j as normal’ swing by planting his Repsol Honda on pole position and leading 16 of the 23 laps. Initially it was Brazilian Alex Barros who ' lead but Biaggi and then Doohan ; forced past. | Once the Australian was into the lead he slowed the pace to : allow Biaggi to follow but poured ' on the pressure late in the going, j ranning lm53s lap to pull away to a 5.4s win.

I upped the pace near the end and Max wasn’t able to come with me,” said the delighted Doohan after his win. ‘The Michelin guys told me to take it easy for a few laps to build some temperature into the tyres, but that plan ende^ when Biaggi was leading and started to pull away. I had- to go with him.”

Third was Alex Criville ahead of Carlo Checa and a revitalised John Kocinski, while Noricjk Abe was the best of the non-Hbndas, running sixth on his Yamaha ahead of Kiwi Simon Crafar.

The Suzuki of Nobby Aoki was eighth.

The other Aussie in the'race.

Garry McCoy, was a disappointed man after the race, He had his piloted Shell/Marlboro Honda to a careerbest ninth in qualifying and was lining in the top 10 for most of the race.

But his V-twin developed-tyre problems late in the race-and, rather than force the issue and slide off, he dropped back to 12th by the end of the race.

Shumacher’s Benetton-VW? It sounds bizarre - but they’ve talked

By JOE SAWARD FORMULA 1 is big news in Germany these days with the success of Michael Schumacher and the victories this year of the McLaren-Mercedes combina tion, and German involvement in FI is likely to increase with the planned Williams-BMW part nership which will begin testing in 1999.

With Mercedes and BMW both involved in FI, there are many in Germany who believe that it is inevitable that Volkswagen will have to mount an FI programme as well.

This week Bunte magazine is reporting that Volkswagen’s chair man Ferdinand Piech has already had talks with Michael Schumacher about putting together a team for

the 2000 season. The stoi7 suggests that Michael Schumacher has been asked to drive a BenettonVolkswagen.

Until recently Volkswagen was unchallenged as Europe’s biggest car manufacturer - being the fourth largest automobile company behind (General Motors, Ford and Toyota.

The recent merger between Chrysler and Daimler-Benz pd'ts this position under threat although Volkswagen is still expanding with plans to buy Rolls Royce and rumours of a takeover of Lamborghini.

To beat Mercedes-Benz and BMW in Formula 1 would help that task.

The earliest such a programme could happen is the 2000 season but a decision will be needed shortly if this is to become a reality.

'■

22 May 1998

V

Rydell doubles UD at Brands

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WELL DONE JIM - ER, RICKARD...

Rydell dominated Brands with two poles and twin wins.

HOW SIDEWA YS CAN A PRIMERA GO?... Plenty, if you're Anthony Reid. In race one the Nissan driver threw everything at Rydell (leading) but couldn’t get by.

(Photos by Bolhwell Photographic)

E'.

RICKARD Rydell made it a great day for Volvo on both sides of the world when he regained the British Touring Car Champion ship lead at Brands Hatch, winning both the Sprint Race and the Feature Race having started each from pole position.

The Volvo ace left the Kent circuit with a 15-point series lead over Honda driver James Thompson - who ran Rydell close in the pit-stop Feature Race with Renault clinging on to a two-point lead over Volvo in the BTCC manufacturers’ title chase.

Twenty-five furious laps of the Brands Indy circuit layout proved as demanding as expected for many of the ranners in the Sprint Race. But not for RydeU, who claimed his second victory of the ’98 sea son by leading all the way from green light to chequered flag.

Rydell’s S40 made an impeccable getaway fi’om the pole, an early and typically robust challenge from Anthony Reid’s Nissan failing to unsettle the Swede, with Will Hoy holding third in his Ford and Independent front-

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Credit

runner Matt Neal fomth in his Nissan. , Neal quickly moved up to third past Hoy and looked set to make it a three-way battle for the lead, but a broken track rod sent him into the pits before the end of the sixth

lap.

Neal’s demise and Hoy’s rel ative lack of pace gave Rydell and Reid the chance they needed to pull clear of the pack; by the time the Renaults of reigning champion Alain Menu and Jason Plato had made it up to third and fom-th, the leading duo were long gone.

Rydell’s run to victory was by no means an easy one: Reid kept up the pressm-e through out, the gap between Volvo and Nissan never exceeding a car’s length. Menu held on ahead of Plato for third, with Yvan Muller fifth to claim his and Audi’s best result to date.

Thompson, who had anived at Brands as championship leader, fought through to ninth from a back-of-giid start slot, while Noi-wegian Tommy Rustad collected the Independents honours, finish ing 12th overall in his Renault.

Rydell and the master pit crew of the TWR-Volvo team made no mistake in the Feature Race either. Rickard again made a clean start from the pole, eased out a modest advantage in the early laps, and regained the lead 20 laps from the end of the 50-lap marathon after a slick and efficient pit visit.

But for a brief spell after Rydell’s stop, when the pursu ing Thompson’s tyres^ appeared to be working better than the Volvo’s, the Swede never looked in danger of missing out on his thii'd win of the ’98 season.

Recovered from his firstrace disappointments, Neal once again took a starring role. The Nissan slotted into third behind 'Thompson at the start, holding off a determined challenge from Reid in the works cai-. Reid took 12 laps to find his way past and into third place.

Rydell pitted on lap 25, handing the leader’s baton to the Vauxhall of John Cleland for four laps, and retook his rightful place on lap 30 after Rustad’s Renault had enjoyed a moment in the limelight.

Despite the pressure from

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Thompson, Rydell eased away to a 2.4-second victory over the Honda driver, with Reid third ahead of Menu and Independents victor Neal, Leslie claimed sixth, with Peter Kox seventh for Honda ahead of John Bintcliffe’s Audi, Cleland and the Volvo of Gianni Morbidelli. Jason Plato’s strong showing lasted hut 17 laps, his Renault,mis firing into retirement.

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Round 8 50 laps 1 Rydeil 39m 17.876s 2 Thompson +2.372s +2.964S 3 Reid +10.660s 4 Menu 5 Matt Neal +13.192S 6 David Leslie+14.180s 7 Peter Kox +23.666S 8 Bintcliffe +30.834S +31.274s 9 James Thompson GB Honda Accord rd+19.140s 9 Cleland +19.642S 10 Morbidelli +35.260S GB Audi A4 10 John Bintcliffe 19m 09833 SWE Volvo S40 GB Nissan Primera +0 659s swi Renault Laguna +6838s GB Renault Laguna +7.903S +12.425S FRA Audi A4 GB Vauxhall Vectra+12.90.9s +16.515S GB Ford Mondeo +1'6.58.1s NZ Peugeot 406

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12 You meet the nicest people at GPs 22Ma^im

AMONG those in the paddock at Barcelona were several Michelin tyre engineers, although they were not wearing any Michelin identification, withdrawal The of Goodyear may have given the French tyremaker second thoughts about not entering FI, particularly as both Williams and Ferrari will be available at the end of the year- unless Goodyear decides to reverse its decision and stay in FI. The entire Goodyear board of directors will be visiting Europe this week and we expect there be to be talks about FI between the board and the managingdirectors of the local Goodyear subsidiaries.

-JOE SAWARD

NASCAR comes visiting

Who will drive for BAR in 1999?

By JOE SAWARD

WHILE many still expect British American Racing to run Alex Zanardi in FI next year - probably with former Williams test driver Jean-Christophe Boullion alongside - the team’s longer-term plans are very interesting.

In the last few months BAR boss Craig Pollock has con cluded several new manage ment deals which suggest that there could be some real sur prises in the future.

The biggest name signed by Pollock is motorcycle racer Max Biaggi. This might appear to be a deal to expand his management empire into motorcycle racing, but it is well known that Biaggi would love to move into car racing when he retires from bikes.

Biaggi has been badgering FI teams for a test drive for some seasons but there has been little reason for them to run him. Pollock, however, seems to have spotted the potential of becoming involved

with the Italian ace - who has won four World 250cc titles and recently became the first rider since the 1960s to win a 500cc Grand Prix at his first attempt.

Motorcycle racing is big news in Asia and Biaggi is one of the biggest names in the sport. If that reputation could"' be transferred to FI, it would help British American Tobacco in its campaign to make a big impact on the Asian markets through Grand Prix racing.

If this sounds far-fetched, one should bear in mind that another recent Pollock signing is Portuguese Formula 3000 driver Andre Couto, who is racing this year with the Prema Powerteam.

Couto is a fairly useful dri ver but his chief importance appears to be that, while he is a Portuguese national, he actually comes from the Portuguese enclave of Macau,' which will shortly become part of China. This means that Couto will soon become some one who can be promoted as a Chinese driver...

/

POLLOCK... if he knows he isn'tsaying.(Coopermspoi)'

Work starts on German ova

CART president Andrew Craig con THE Formula 1 paddock in Barcelona was full of firmed in Brazil that work has begun unusual characters - on construction of the Lausitzring in NASCAR south-east Germany and added that he including believes CART’s Champ cars will race Winston Cup driver Johnny Benson Jr, paying at the track once it is finished. his first visit to a Grand “I don’t know when it will be completed or Prix. when we will race there,” said Craig, “but I Benson drives the do believe that it will happen.”

Cheerios-sponsored Roush Craig added that he expected Dekra Racing Ford Taurus in would be the promoter of any motor races at NASCAR but is interested in the track. A ground-breaking ceremony took FI which he follows on tele place a few weeks ago, and Craig says the vision, often while at plan is to build a multi-purpose facility with NASCAR race meetings.

Benson was given tours of both an oval track and road circuit. several team garages and A sponsor of Ferrari FI superstar Michael was impressed with what he Schumacher, Dekra is a German company saw. whose primary business is car inspection.

“It’s pretty awesome,” he The company also does event promotions, said. “It is the first time I and apparently both Dekra and the track’s have seen how Formula 1 financial backers harbour ambitions not I am and operates only of running a CART Championship race impressed. The technology is on the oval, but also attracting the German really impressive and a lot Grand Prix FI race which faces steady oppo different to what we have in sition from the Green Party and other envi NASCAR. People have been ronmental groups at Hockenheim, its'curreally friendly.”

- JOE SAWARD rent home.

n

Craig Pollock has doubts

l IN the face of recent spec ulation Pollock has said that he will not be consid ering Zanardi because hiss driving style “is not particuiariy suited to grand prix racing”.

“I think Zanardi is briiliant,” Pollock told US publication On Track, “But I’ve been there and seen the way he drives.

He’s bloody fast, but I’ve seen all the bent pieces on the car. You can’t do that in FI. Struts coliapse.

Alex is actually made for the Champ Car style of driving.

“The same applies to Michael Andretti,” he added. Gil deFerran has apparently not been ruled out.

Pollock also seems to believe that BAR will con sider running a four-car team, even suggesting what he thinks McLaren should do- buy Minardi.

Atlanta could host 20th race WITH announcements of new CART-friendly ovals in Chicago and, now, Germany, the race is on to become CART’s 20th race and the front-runner may be Road Atlanta.

In a recent interview in the US publication National Speed Sport News, Craig acknowledged that the 1983 Road Atlanta IndyCar race had a dismal crowd and that CART was then inexperi enced in promoting the race.

But he also says that now they are considering return ing to the drastically upgrad ed track.

“I think "also Atlanta’s changed; it’s a huge corporate centre - a huge prosperous city - and I think our kind of racing would play pretty well in Atlanta,” Craig said.

“I guess the concern is, and has been with ‘open wheel’ whether it is CART, IRL or whatever, it seems that NASCAR places the fans first, then brings in the corpora tions.

“I’m trying to be naive here by saying fans alone carry NASCAR but, I feel there is a mix.

“I feel, as well as oth ers, CART has alienated a fan base which eventu ally looked toward the south for their racing interest.”

He commented that Chicago and Road Atlanta would improve CART’s corporate ‘show’ but that another new track, at Houston, would not.

’S'

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^ ANDREW CRAiG

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13 Emmo and Piquet to take over Rio 400

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1 GREG Moore executed a daring pass of Alex Zanardi with four laps remaining to take his third career CART victory in the Rio 400.

Moore’s Reynard-Mercedes took a high line to get araund Zanardi’s Reynard Honda on the 129th of 132 laps, then held off the defending PPG Cup champion to win by 0.427 seconds and become the fifth different winner in as many events this season.

Zanardi led all but 16 of the 133 laps. Moore led only five - but they were enough to allow him to remain the only driver to lead every event this season. After starting the race with a one-point lead over Zanardi, Moore extended his advantage to four, 71-67, over Zanardi while Adrian Fernandez (Reynard Ford), who finished third, remained third in the championship with 55 points.

“I’m obviously very pleased with today,” Moore said. “I would have liked to have led every lap like Alex [almost] did. When he got the [PPG l Cup championship] point for most laps led midway through the race, we were tied in the championship, so it’s nice to leave Rio with the championship lead.” l Moore’s victory was spun-ed by a decision not to take on tyres during his final pit stop on Lap 92. The time Moore saved in the pits allowed him to move from fifth to second and trim what

.1!

N;

ON TOP OF THE WORLD... Moore leads Zanardi to the flag after taking over whith four laps to go. No wonder he was happy...

Moore and more was a 1.279-second advantage

by Zanardi on Lap 107 to 0.275 seconds on Lap 120.

Traffic became the next fac tor to play a major role in the outcome, particularly at the conclusion of Lap 128 when Zanardi and Moore came up along both sides of Arnd Meier as the trio crossed the start/finish line. Zanardi opted for the high fine around Meier and Moore took the low route and the duo sprinted to Turn 1 in pursuit ofthe lead.

Moore then went high into Turn 1 and was able to tuck his Player’s/Indeck Reynard Mercedes in front of Zanardi, who was charging on the inside of the turn. Moore cap tured the lead, one who would not relinquish for the remain der of the race.

“Alex [Zanardi]is one ofthe best [drivers] out there, and to be able to race with him and pass him like I did, with three or four laps to go, is very, very gi’atifying,” Moore said “I can’t leave Brazil any happier, that’s for sure.”

Zanardi’s sentiments were in contrast to those of Moore.

‘Tt was anything but excit ing for me,” Zanardi said fol lowing his fourth podium in the past five events and 10th

in his past 12 starts. “I was not looking for any excitement today. I think that today I had the best car, and that the Target/Chip Ganassi team gave me a great caithe whole weekend. It is very disappointing to me that we lost this race.

“At the very end, I was conserving fuel, and I don’t think Greg could have caught me. But I came up behind the same backmarker [Meier] that made me lose second place in Miami and for some reason he decided to slow down in the mid dle of the straightaway. I don’t understand how things like that happen when you’re competing at n this level. It’s very disap pointing that we lost this race.”

Richie Hearn (SwiftFord) assumed the lead when Zanardi pitted on Lap 77, then Franchitti took over for seven laps from Laps 82 through 88.

Franchitti pitted with electri cal problems on Lap 89, returning the lead to Zanardi, who held it until being passed

by Moore.

SO LONG HIRO... Matshushita drove his final CART race in Rio, finishing 15th and last. (Photos RaceAccess/CART News service) Michael Andretti (SwiftBryan Herta (ReynardFord) finished fourth and Ford) finished fifth, a career best in three starts at Rio de moved from seventh to fifth in the championship, with 37 Janeiro and his third top-five effort ofthe season. points.

CART and Emerson Fittipaldi have agreed to a three-year contract for the retired Brazil ian superstar to take over the promotion and operation of CART’s race in Rio de Janeiro.

Negotiations are also underway with Nelson Rquet who is interested in buying the track, known as the Autodromo Nelson Piquet.

The facility includes a road course (once the site of the Brazilian GP Formula One race) and a 1.864-mile semi-oval, sepa rately known as the Emerson Fittipaldi Speed way, so that both drivers already have strong ties to the place.

“I can’t say for sure yet,” commented CART’s CEO Andrew Craig in Brazil, “but it appears that Emer son Fittipaldi and Nelson Piquet will take over ranning races at this facility.

The facility will be priva tised. Essentially, they will lease the facility.”

The promotion and oper ations of this season’s Rio race was underwritten by CART following numerous problems with Cintra and Intag. Ticket and corpo rate suite sales were down dramatically this year because of serious over pricing and a lack of pro motion, and tickets were given away on raceday in order to at least half-fill the gi’andstands.

“I’m really looking for Emerson ward to it grinned in response to questions about his new venture. “I can’t say any thing until the end of next week, but it will be great.

We want to make this race a big success.”

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22 May ms

Randy rides again i nn

t was great to win the Winton round of the Shell Superbike, especially after having a re-start because several of the guys dropped their machines on the opening lap, it didn’t effect my race per formance on the weekend.

I think some of them were trying too hard, there wasn’t anything wrong with the track, none of the main champi onship contenders dropped their bikes so to rack maximum championship points for the round plus get the round win is a satisfying feeling.

t was a good call not to run the sec ond series race at Winton late in the day. We needed to make a stand oth erwise the Superbike guys will get treated like shit all of the time.

RANDY?... No, Half, but the bike is the same.(RaceAccessphoto) The race programme was running late and it was proposed by the officials FOUR-time world 500cc runrer-up, Randy Mamola, that we’d race late in the afternoon. We made a surprise return to the pro GP ranks when he had a meeting and voted not to ride. It guest rode Ralf Waldmann’s Modenas KR-3 at the was really on the grounds of safety that recent IRTA test at Jarama. we didn’t race, the track gets slippery The 38-year-old Califor-nian, who retired at the end of there in the later stages of the day plus 1992, completed 67 laps at the tight Spanish lay-out, record the asphalt temperature was dropping ing a fastest lap time two seconds slower than regular team and our bikes were rider Kenny Roberts Jnr. After test riding for Team Marlboro fitted with hard Roberts after he quit racing, Mamola has now turned his compound tyres to attention to GP television commentary. suit the earlier He recently commentated a classic event at Assen in warm conditions.

Holland, which was won by an even older veteran - Barry We’re always Sheene... the ones that get -DARRYL FLACK put on holed or shifted around the it programme, should be the nonchampionship BEFORE being driven up the wall at Winton during events that get the Shell ATCC, Victorian Superbike rider Kirk moved around on McCarthy was having a happier time at the opening the race meeting round of the German Pro Superbike Championship at schedule - the pro- j moters should Zweibrucken on April 26. ensure that the Straddling a Suzuki GSX-R750, the former works SWC and GP 500 rider scored an impressive fourth and second in national champi wet conditions, and currently lies third behind former SWC onship races run as entrants Jochen Schmid and Christer Lindholm in the title set down in the original program chase.

-DARRYL FLACK ming.

L

tour and it’s refreshing to have another new motor sporting complex being added to the Shell series.

The whole Superbike paddock is looking forward to the trip to the Northern Territory, we’re planning to go Barrumundi fishing plus have a look around the country side.

I’m second the points behind CraigonConnell, just scoreboard eight points in arrears, and my fitness has really improved after injuring my self on the 900 at Barbagallo several months ago.

I bruised a kidney and it’s just come good for me. I started training again a week before the Winton meet - in fact it didn’t give me any trouble over that weekend.

That’s why the Phillip Island round was a bit of a struggle for me.

Now that my fitness has improved vastly I’m determined that I’ll be putting in some stronger performances on my Zurich Greenslips Kawasaki ZXR, as I want to score back-to-back Shell Superbike championship titles.

Former rider RobbieTeam PhyllisKawasaki travelled Team down frorh Albury to be with us at Winton, he clowned around and kept everyone in the paddock entertained as well as passing on some of his vast racing knowledge on to some of us - he is a classic.

r.

lis weekend we’re at Mallala, then a _ week later we’re at Perth’s Barbagallo Raceway before we all head of Jor our first ever meeting at Hidden Valley near Darwin which will be great.

This is my sixth season on the national

by,Dirk H^nsmith ’

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FORMULA 1

22Ma^im

15

Samuel Clemens, strange powers and beating McLaren-Mercedes s amuel Ciemens was a great traveiier. Born in Fiorida, he was brought up in the town Hannibai, Missouri, on the banks of the Mississippi river.

Watching the riverboats ploughing their way up and down the great river, Clemens dreamed of travelling the world and, in time, he packed his bags and left Hannibal, heading for New York, in search of fame and fortune, using the unlikely pseudonym of Thomas Jefferson Snodgrass.

Fame passed him by on that occasion and so he travelled west to California and tried his luck in San Francisco with the name Mark Twain.

Being a success did not stop him travelling and this made it very hard for his friends to track him down in a world without mobile phones. At one point, leg end has it, desperate to find him some of his friends mailed a let ter addressed: “Mark Twain, God Knows Where.”

For a while they heard nothing and then there came a two word reply from the author.

if we were, we might appreciate more the kind of magic which lurks In the brain of Adrian Newey.

How is it that a man can go from one team to another and have such a dramatic effect in such a short time? Particularly when the McLaren folk admit that their windtunnel is not on a par with the one used by Williams.

The answer is that it is not the machine that is brilliant, it is the interpretation of the results which the machine produces.

^^Bernie Ecclestone does not want to see Schumacher

driving a McLaren-Mercedeso Domination is not goodfor television viewingfigures

ly when the French national arsenal which incidentally used to build racing cars in the early went on 1950s strike because the government had decided to give the service contracts for its nuclear submarines to a private company because the arsenal would cost twice as much and take twice as long.

“He did”.

While the US Postal Service would probably like to take some of the credit for the delivery of the letter. Twain was probably right.

I

cannot say that I am much taken by religion, magic and such things but there are times in life when one suspects that there n are forces in this world greater and more powerful even than Bernie Ecclestone.

This was driven home to me the other day when I was reading a story to my four-year-old son.

He suddenly decided that he wanted to tell me a story and began to describe the day he was born. I had read somewhere that kids of that age can sometimes describe what it was like to be born, although scientists have proved that within a few months, that ability fades as the childish brain closes down memories of the infant years and prepares for growing up. I never really took it seriously, but here it was, a lesson of the incredible powers which humans possess which some times we do not understand.

There are times when watching motor racing that one has that same sense of magic. Some things are beyond explanation.

Anyone who witnessed the great qualifying of Ayrton Senna in the late 1980s or who witnessed Michael Schumacher’s drives in the wet in recent seasons is left in awe at the ability which comes so naturally to men like Senna and Schumacher.

They know they can do some thing and they do it. It takes very lit tle effort. Others have to use all their mental capacity to keep the cars on the track. These men are so natu rally gifted that they have the ability not only to drive quickly but also to be able to think about technical and strategic issues at the same time.

They can see if the wind changes direction and can watch what other drivers are doing on the giant television screens which are dotted around the modern race tracks. It is man/ellous to see.

Formula 1 journalists are not very technical people but, perhaps

I

n Barcelona the Formula 1 paddock was ruminating gently over not Michael whether or Schumacher, the giant among the modern generation of drivers, will do the logical thing next year and go to McLaren to be in the best car.

This is, fundamentally, a philo sophical question. Michael has all the money he can possibly use in this world and so it is really down to whether he is keen on having more money and playing power games or whether he still wants to win races.

There is no doubt that from a commercial point of view, grab bing Schumacher would be a sen sible'move for McLaren partners Mercedes-Benz and West.

At the moment they are being cast in the role of villains in Germany because they are keep ing Michael from glorious victo ries. At the same time McLaren knows that if Michael does join the team it will be Schumacher who gets the glory for winning rather than McLaren itself.

It is also very much in Ferrari’s interest to keep Michael because if he goes the whole operation will falUapart because it has been carefully built around him.

You might think that it is siitiply a battle between McLaren and Ferrari over who can pay the most but in any driver deal of such importance one must take into account the influence in FI of Bernie Ecclestone.

He does not want to see Schumacher driving' a McLarenMercedes. Domination is dull and dull is not good for television view ing figures and as these seem to drive everything in Grand Prix rac ing today (except the cars) they m.ust be taken into account.

so they stayed out, despite know The problem FI is and that ing that an FI project would help right now facing McLaren Mercedes have cornered the mar them as they embarked on ket and it looks like being a while expanding their sales in Europe.

The merger with Daimler-Benz before anyone else drags up into the same ball park. FI is, in does nothing to change those essence, a cyclical business and objectives and provides the new right now, Williams and Benetton company with the opportunity to cannot react because the sell two types of cars through Mecachrome V10 is not a Formula 1.

Renault. Ferrari is doing better All they need to do is to badge than normal (but Is still not doing the Mercedes VI0 with Chrysler enough) while Honda, Peugeot, and next year two teams can be Ford and so on have not got their fighting for wins and it does not matter to Daimler-Chrysler which packages sorted out.

So what can be done in the one is the winner because either short-term to improve the show? one will sell cars for the new There is a quick way around the group, problem if one listens to what the paddock gossip were suggesting t is not always going to be this !easy because BMW and Honda in Spain.

“The fastest way to create will be thundering into FI in the strong opposition to McLaren is to year 2000 and it is possible that apply commercial logic and have other German and Japanese com Mercedes supply a second team. panies such as Toyota, Nissan, In the past Mercedes has resisted Volkswagen and Porsche might all this idea but the sudden become involved. The world has announcement last week that too many car companies and Daimler-Benz and Chrysler are to those that are going to survive merge gives FI and Daimler- need to be growing fast or mergChrysler an important opportunity ing. for the future.

The middle-sized manufactur For years, Chrysler has been ers seem to think that they will sniffing around the edges of FI. survive anything and are plod The company funded the ding along as they always have.

Perhaps the management of Lamborghini VI2 engine in its lat ter years and was gearing up for a Peugeot and Renault realise the major assault of its own in 1994 dangers ahead but there are no when there was an unfortunate signs of the two doing the most interlude which left the Chrysler logical thing and merging with one another. bosses standing at the altar look Both need to make them ing for a bride called McLaren, who had waltzed off with those selves more efficient but cannot charming French folk at Peugeot- because of the strength of the French unions. Renault had to a mismatch, as it turned out.

The Chrysler boys went home pull out of FI because it was felt and bandaged their wounds, but impossible to keep an expensive the opportunity was gone and they programme like FI going while were stuck without a top team and people were being laid off.

T

he English used to say that Africa began in Calais but today it would be fair to say that Africa begins at Ashford, because France’s taxation poli cy is so draconian that hun dreds of small French compa nies have given up trying and relocated to Kent so that their staff can zip backwards and for wards through the Channel Tunnel.

But if France, the cradle of Grand Prix racing, is drifting away from the sport. Grand Prix racing continues to grow world wide and the Daimler-Chrysler deal could, if handled properly, be a big bonus for FI in the United States of America. The sport’s failure to get into America remains a great blot of FI’s bright and shiny image.

There are now two of the three giant automotive compa nies from Detroit involved in FI and some day one of them will work out that it would be in their interest for Grand Prix racing to be in the ’States.

The problem is that FI racing has veered from one extreme to the other in America. It was either held at tracks as remote as Watkins Glen or on the worthless streets of cities which did not care and soon gave up.

“See you in Boise, Idaho,” said the cynical US pressmen when we left the media centre in Phoenix for the last time back in 1991.

Let us hope that the DaimlerChrysler link and a little magic will help to take us back to the US. One can dream.

Still, it worked wonders for Samuel Clemens in Hannibal.

16

PHILLIP ISLAND

22 May 1998

Life begins "K4

at Forty

® Volvo breaks through for first series win l Richards takes twin poles and race 2 win l Jones and McLean clash in heat one l McConville re-takes lead in championship l McLean tops Independents field « Car troubles lead to smallest field of season Report by PHIL BRANAGAN VOLVO finally broke through for its first round win in a championship round when Jim Richards took a well-deserved win in the third round of the series at Phillip Island.

Richards won the second, pit stop race when he swept past the Audi Sport Australia A4 of Brad Jones with two laps remaining of the 18-lap, pit stop race.

Having already scored a second in the Sprint race Richards took overall hon ours from the man who won that race, Cameron McConville.

Top Independent Cameron McLean was third on the day with two third placings, hav ing tangled with Audi’s Brad Jones in race one. Jones was forced to pit for a new tyre while, in race two, McConville was hit with a drive-through penalty for speeding through the pits.

Best of the rest was Mark Adderton in the Honda Accord, who battled and down-on-power engine in both races.

The second race featured the smallest gild of the sea son after mechanical damage limited the field to 10 finish-

S*kidlex

< I

Entry & Qualifying Phillip island inwindy May usually means cold, and wet weather. That was true on Friday; the cars faced woeful conditions, leaving Richards to do best and top the ultimately-meaningless sheets.

Saturday was much better - cool, but dry, though the clouds threatened all day without dropping anything.

Rain or shine Richai-ds was not going to let the chance of two poles get by. The Volvo S40 was right on the pace, running top speeds through the traps on Gai'dner Straight faster than anything else in the field.

He was really consistent, too. After a lm36.62s in Q1 Jim repeated the time save for a tenth in the second session.

And he was even feeling rea sonably happy about the start too, Pi’s long run to the first corner limiting the potential damage a FWD car can do.

If Richards’ poles were no surprise, McLean’s first ses sion second was. While not forgetting that the similar car of Geoff Brabham holds the lap record at the track the

'ft r^

.■Sif-.-

V

>■

THE TASTE OF VICTORY... Richards and Volvo's first championship win was well-deserved, even if it was a long time coming. The veteran easily sped to two pole positions in quaiifying (above) and needed no excuses to celebrate after his race two victory.

NOW THAT’S A HANDFUL... No-one ever seems to say that the Audis have a chance at Phiilip Island, despite the fact that they keep winning races there. The answer must be that the drivers never stop trying: this is Jones during the races.

(Photos by Dirk Ktynsmith)

Queenslander was content with his first ever front row spot, even if he was slightly surprised at the sub-record pace of the S40 ahead of him.

McLean had little to report in the way of problems 'The Audis were off the front row for the first time this sea son in the first session, but Jones redressed the irregular ity in Q2 to take secojnd fastest with lm37.21s, slight ly ironically a tenth slower than his first session time which was good for only thfrd.

Team manager Kim Jones

felt that the ‘standard’ spec Michelin tyre - which was based on the 1997 race-win ning 33 - was doing few favours for the quattros but, as usual, both Jones lads were looking past the ‘go fast’ ses sions for the ‘go racing’ ones on Sunday.

McConville, just off the plane from the USA, was back into the swing of sedan racing quickly, despite an indiscre tion during the second session which saw the Oilx car off the track for 200 metres of grassy ‘fun’. McConville was not

iN THE PiTS... Cam McConville took heat one but the pit stop caused his undoing. He broke the speed limit and was calied in for a drive through penaity. (Photos byxtynsmith and wuiiams)

A

few WARWICK! ORIX

t.

SUPER TOURING

22M3yl99S

1/

*

V MJCHPUH

MICHCUN

MOTOROLA

CMSH OF THE MARQUES...

Jones and McLean tangled in race one. Brad left a gap at Honda and the Queenslander wasted no time going into it(above).

But the rear braked of the Greenfield Bimmer locked and, as he gyrated onto the grass, he impacted Jones, right-rear guard. McLean continued with only g slight delay but Jones had to pit for a ffesh tyre.

i

“ MOTOROLA

(Photos by Dirk Klynsmith)

impressed with the ca^e ofit.

I was being baulked by slower cars all around,” he said. “I thought running with the headhghts on (on a quali fying lap) was well-known. I foimd quite a few mobOe chi canes out there.”

Fifth fastest - in what is becoming a habit - was Adderton, The Attitude Sportswear Honda, now run ning with support from North Shore motors and M. E. Ward Electrical, was suffering from an untraced electrical prob lems which was causing Nigel Barclay and the team a few scratched heads.

Next was Ron Searle. The Ti-anstar Toyota Camry was well-suited to the faster first and last corners, though

■t sf..

£

i-'-i

time in the slowish Honda and MG comers.

During qualifying it was not suffering anything in the way of problems. “The cars strong suit is that it is so wellsorted,” reported Searle.

“With our reliability we should be able to pick up some spots in the races.”

But the warm-up session was a disaster for the Phoenix team. The Hewland gearbox broke a selector (the same problem the car suffered at Bathurst last years) and, with no fix quickly available, Searle was out for Srmday.

Just behind in the first ses sion was Justin Matthews.

Just returned from the US of A he faced the problem of get-

ting used the driving a race car for the first time in six months. Worse than that, Justin had not even driven on the ROAD for two months.

In the second session it was Anthony Robson leading the way for the BMW ‘duo’ shar ing a double garage. The Sydney driver picked up a useful 0.8s between sessions to leap to seventh on the grid, a useful effort in what is now a four-year-old 318i.

The Knight Racing Team was running two .cars, as usual, but new to the team was Ric Shaw, running in the BOG series for the first time.

He adapted well to the FWD machine and qualified 12th in the lm45s bracket. In the first session a similar time had put

him 13th, though it was even tually disallowed for missing a weighbridge call.

Tony Newman was in all sorts of trouble. The Peugeot 406 had apparently decided to declare war on its own gear box and, while the usual BTCC practice would have been to change the units like tyres, the Starion team rebuilt the trouble unit four times in the three days leading up to the race. Even after all the peering inside they were little closer to figuring out what the problem was.

After a lm43.75s for ninth in the first session he went three second slower in the sec ond to be stoney last.

Newman was perplexed. “I just don’t know what to do,”

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he shrugged. “The old 405 did a 41.3 here last year and I can’t get near that.”

Like Searle, the transmis sion problems would force him out for Sunday.

A year after he hit televi sion highlight reels around the world David Auger returned to the Island with his re-bodied Alfa Romeo. He broke a driveshaft on Friday, and burned a hole in a faulty alternator.

During qualifying he felt that the car’s camber was not doing his tyres any favours in the long comers, leaving him graining the inside of his Michehns.

Bob Tweedie was strug gling. After a few sleepless

Continued on page 18

18

'^UCK.

JM

22 May 1998 A DRIVE BY THE OCEAN...

The Independents'battles were entertaining. Here Hiils hoids out Matthews, Tweedie, Auger and Robson at Siberia in race one. Troy Searle who, as usual, started from the rear of the grid, is hauiing them ail in at a rate of (Photo by Dirk Klynsmith) knots.

Continued from page 17 nights leading up to the race the Sydney Independent was finding that Richards’ 1996 set-up was not well suited to him, the ratios being out for everything except first and sixth. The car would be bet ter ill the warm-up.

The neat AAP Toyota of Milton Leslight was 14th in the first, session with 2m01.78, the car stopping after two laps when a driveshaft popped out. The car missed the second session while the crew fixed the problem.

Race 1 (9 laps) If Richards not expect ing a greatwas start the Audi drivers were. If they got it right they could get to the first corner ahead and chal lenge McLean.

They did better than that.

McLean made an ordinary start, Jones a very good one - but not as good at McConville’s. The number three car hammered away into the lead ahead of Jones, McLean, Richards, Matthews and Adderton. After half a

the bumper-flapping Beemer had shot past, While all this was going

moment in Richards’ bid to win.

Next time around Jones

lap the two silver A4s were a second in front.

The order behind was Hills, Tweedie, Auger,

on at the pointy end Searle was making great ground from the rear, moving into a battle between Auger and

came in and had a 12s stop,

Robson, Troy Searle (starting off the back after missing

Shaw, dragging the battle onto the rear of the next

qualifying), Shaw and Leslight(who would pit after a lap with a broken axle).

The two Audis were run-

group of Hills, Robfeon and Tweedie.

Searle moved past the Hills Mondeo on the final

ning in formation. They matched times on their first

lap for a strong fifth, while further back was Tweedie,

flying lap to within the hundredth, but McLean was closing and was close enough through the run under the GIO bridge to have a look at tbe rear of Jones at Honda

Auger who headed Matthews, who had an off at mG on lap six on his way to

on lap three.

Jones ran a little wide into the turn and Cameron need

ted after eight laps with dropped valves, meaning that, with Leslight out, the

at 65km/h (despite his data

ed no invitation. He slid down the inside and ran a little wide, the left rear of the BMW hitting the opposite side of the Audi. In a yellow flash he was off.

grid would be two cars smaller for the second race,

drive-through penalty. That cost around 30s and even

The

Greenfields

car

mowed around for a-while, half-dislodging the bumper and losing 12s before regain ing the track behind Adderton in fourth, moving past on the following lap at Southern Loop.

But Jones had not emerged unscathed. His right-rear tyre was blowing smoke from a pushed guard and he immediately pitted for a new Michelin. He resumed about 10s in front of leader McConville, ran hard to the finish, and made it into the top 10.

All McConville had to do was not lose any time, but Richards was closing behind him. With four laps to go the two were reliving their 1996 GT Production championship battle, the Volvo showing more speed through the highspeed stuff but the Audi too smooth out of the tight going.

On the final charge to Honda Richards looked hard around the outside but, under maximum braking, the S40 twitched and tem

ninth.

Behind Jones the last fin isher was Shaw. Robson pit

w

RSC6 2(18 isps) ith Jones on the front

row an Audi leading into the first corner was, again, odds-on, but it was McConville who burst through from row two to take the lead from Jones, Richards, McLean, Adderton, Matthews, Hills, Tweedie, Shaw, Auger and Searle.

The

two

Audis

were,

again, well-matched for pace, the drivers repeating times over the opening laps as they built a small gap, but the threat was going to Richards, who got alongside McLean exiting Siberia on lap three and beat him to the long right-hander on the back straight. He didn’t close on the leaders immediately though, running high 38s taking care not to over-work bis tyres, After the pit window opened Auger set mff the cycle on lap five but two laps later McLean started things in earnest, leaving fourth and returning with two fresh hoops in 16s.

With the front three cov-

but a temporary stall cost him and he was not happy when he returned.

But he needn’t have wor ried. McConville came in on the next lap and got out after 14 seconds. He wasjust in front of the boss as he went up through the gears, but 5rad wasn’t going to horse around and drilled past for the lead entering' the Loop.

The leading four were now covered by about 1.5s but the damage had been done.

McConville had been clocked acquisition showing 58 kays) and he was called in for a

though he closed the gap to McLean to 20s by race end. he was done.

Richards was not. It took only two laps for him to get onto Jones’ tail and he start ed to look for a way past.

Jones wasn’t leaving any gaps but, at the start of lap 15, Richards sling-shotted out of the final corner and surged around the outside of the Audi to take the line into Southern Loop.

He immediately built a gap, but Jones closed over the last two laps to keep the margin to 0.51s. McLean was a long third from and even longer McConville, who eased off he was almost caught by Adderton.

‘Mr

Five’

Searle had again surged through the field to take sixth, helped by a friendly wave-through on the way from Hills, while Matthews was next, having edged away from the-Auger vs Tweedie battle., “This is fantastic for Volvo,”

said

Richards.

“They’ve been trying for this for four years. ((The car has been fast

porarily went straight on.

That was all the break

ered by 0.8s Jim was in after eight, and he just got back onto the track in front of

enough to win in the first two rounds, but we haven’t done it.”

McConville needed; he eased it around the last half-lap to win by just over five seconds.

McLean was third, 11s back from Adderton, who had little excitement once

McLean, who had warm rub ber and car speed on Richo.

He had a huge look around the outside of Southern Loop but didn’t make it. That

Now they have. Eastern Creek’s next round looks to

would

be

the .^defining

be on neutral ground, while Lakeside should favour the S40 again. The race is well and truly on.

REAR-WHEEL DRIVE, KIND OF... Ric Shaw had a big task getting to grips with a V6, FWD Mondeo in a short space of time. He ‘backwards’-ed the Ford into the bunker at (Photo by Dirk Klynsmith) Sourthern Loop, luckily without damage.

BOC Gases Super Touring Championship Round 3,Phillip Isiand, 16/17 May 1998

Race 1(9 laps) Pos Orfrer 1 . Cameron McConville 2 Jim Richards 3 Cameron McLean 4 Mark Adderton 5 Troy Searle 6 Peter Hills 7 Bob Tweedie 8 David Auger 9 Justin Matthews 10 Brad Jones 11 Ric Shaw DNF Anthony Robson DNF Milton Leslight DNS Tony Newman DNS Ron Searle

Tesm/Car Audi Sport Australia A4 quattro Volvo Australia S40 Greenfield/RedEx BMW 320 Attitude Honda Accord Roadchill/Hartge BMW 320 Knight Racing Ford Mondeo IBC Vauxhall Cavalier Olympus Alta Romeo 155TS Faber-Castell BMW 3181 Audi Sport Australia A4 quattro Knight Racing Ford Mondeo BMW318i AAP Toyota Carina Station Peugeot 406 Transtar Toyota Camry

Race 2(18 lapsi Pos Driver 1 Jim Richards 2 Brad Jones 3 Cameron McLean 4 Cameron McConville 5_ r Mark Adderton 6 Troy Searle 7 Peter Hills 8 Justin Matthews 9 Bob Tweedie 10 David Auger DNF Ric Shaw DNS Ron Searle DNS Tony Newman DNS Milton Leslight

Team/Car Volvo Australia S40 Audi Sport Australia A4 quattro Greenfield/RedEx BMW 320 Audi Sport Australia A4 quattro Attitude Honda Accord Roadchill/Hartge BMW 320 Knight Racing Ford Mondeo Faber-Castell BMW 3181 IBC Vauxhall Cavalier Olympus Alfa Romeo 155TS Knight Racing Ford Mondeo Transtar Toyota Camry Starion Peugeot 406 AAP Toyota Carina

Race time 15:01.9519 15:07.4099 15:18.1666 15:40.4017 15:45.9392 15:46.0683 15:58.0020 16:07.2152 16:20.2073 16:22.5025 8 laps 8 laps 1 lap

Race time 30:32.2171 30:32.6280 30:36.1348 30:56.2165 31:58.9970 32:03.3694 32:13.7048 17 laps 17 laps 17 laps 1 lap

F/lap 1:38.6486 1:38.0355 1:38.5174 1:42.5072 1:42.0268 1:43.0389 1:43.5396 1:43.6839 1:43.5693 1:38.6720 1:45.3324 1:42.9882

On Qualifying Grid 3 1:37.4631 4 6 1:36.6241 1 2 1:37.0682 2 2 1:41.9263 5 7 No time 14 2 1:43.3942 8 2 1:44.2342 11 2 1:44.4094 12 4 1:43.1063 7 2 1:37.1238 3 6 1:45.6899 13 5 1:43.8686 10 2:01.7833 13 1:43.7553 9 1:42.0545 6

FAap 1:38.5187 1:38.6761 1:38.7801 1:38.4708 1:42.1687 1:42.3634 1:42.7374 1:43.8598 1:44.4907 1:43.8094 No Time

On 12 18 11 12 4 10 2 8 3 2

Qualifying Grid 1:36.7220 1 1:37.2199 2 1:37.7633 4 1:37.6010 3 1:42.0197 5 No time 14 1:43.9685 10 1:43.3305 8 1:44.3717 11 1:43.6637 9 1:45.3535 12 1:42.0545 6 1:43.7553 9 No time 13

Points: Drivers; McConville 77. Richards and Jones 67, McLean 50, Adderton 36, Hills 22, Tweedie 16.

Holden/Sheumack/Matthews 12, T Searle 11. R Searle 10, Auger 10, Henderson 8, Pickett 6, Kaplan 4.

Robson/Bradshaw 2, Bewley 1.

Manufacturers: Audi 87, Volvo 75.

Independents: McLean 81, Adderton 68, Hills 44, Tweedie 39, Holden/Sheumack/Matthews 29, Auger 23. T Searle 23, R Searle 20, Pickett 17, Henderson 15, Kaplan 10, RobsomBradshaw 8, Bewley 4. Newman 3, Shaw 3.

Teams: Audi Sport Australia 81, Knight Racing 42.

/

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Winner will be notified by certified moil and result published in The Australian Newspaper on 3/7/98. All proceeds to benefit the Rids At Sea Programme.

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20 22May ms

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Viper grunt saves GARRY Waldon and defending champ Peter Fitzgerald provided the highlight of the third round of the Century Batteries GT-P Champion ship at Phillip Island.

The pair fought out a racelong duel to decide the sec ond race of the day, the straight-line speed of Waldon’s massive 8-litre Viper proving the decisive factor,on the stail/finish part of the lap, getting him home by a few metres.

It had taken a lap record

day from Waldon to reclaim the lead after Fitzgerald’s Porsche 911 RSCS had made the best start, bettering the record lap set in the opening heat by Alfredo Costanzo’s increasingly impressive Maserati Ghibli.

A cracked turbo manifold brought Alfredo’s race one challenge undone and a.lap one off put the car at the rear of the field in the second — although Costanzo recovered for fifth.

Waldon had led the first race all the way, with

BYE... Waldon leaves his three side-by-side challengers to it in race one.

Fitzgerald recovering from a moderate start for second.

Domenic Beninca retained the championship lead with third in both races, clear of Neil Crompton, subbing for John Bowe in Ross Palmer’s Ferrari.

Ex-karter Dean Canto (Subaru Impreza) got the best of a day-long scrap for Class B honours with John Trimbole (Lancer EVO HI), Class C wins were shared by Paul Gover (Falcon XR8)and

David Ratcliff(Magna TE Sport), while Ric Shaw (Toyota MR2) and Nigel Stones (Suzuki Swift GTi), dominated Classed D and E respectively.

rounding out the top 10.

Race 1-12 laps

Qualifying Morgan, Aitken and Wagg were the qualifying pacesetters, the race one grid emerging in that order.

Keene, French, Bradbury, Trevor John and Rodney Forbes completed the first four rows.

In the second session, Wagg chopped six-tenths off his time to edge out Morgan, with Aitken third, from an improving Forbes, Keene, French, John and Bradbury.

the EVO III on the dirt.

An off by Ratcliff handed Class C to Gover, while Shaw and Stones were comfortable Class D and E winners.

The start did it all for Waldon. He made beauty, followed by Fitzgerald, who found Beninca muscling Race 2- 12 laps Qualifying inside for third on the open Fitzgerald got the jump this time as Waldon missed The timed sessions showed ing lap, then Costanzo com ing down the inside as they it, the porsche heading the just how close the wide-rang Viper into the sweeper, from ing exotica of this category dived into Honda for the sec ond time. are at the Island. a fast-starting Crompton.

Costanzo eased clear of the Into the Southern Loop While Waldon grabbed pole for race one (1:42.5367), two Porsches and actually and the Mas«rati (with replacement turbo manifold by a tenth from Fitzgerald, made some inroads into the nicked from a road car) then Beninca, Costanzo, 3.5 second gap Waldon had Crompton, Rodney Forbes after three laps, getting it speared straight ahead onto (Porsche 911 RSCS) and down to two seconds on lap the grass, and into the sand.

Paul Stokell (Lotus Elise), seven before the turbo hous Fortunately, Costanzo was able to extricate the car and the second session produced ing cracked and he retired. illustrate its promise, lap Fitzgerald had by now an extraordinarily close front TRYING... reclaimed what was now sec two rows. ping as fast as the leaders as Alfie Late in the session ond from Beninca and indeed he worked his way back Costanzo Costanzo held pole closed a little on Waldon through the field. had the (1:42.8690), but a rash of late before giving it away to save Crompton and Beninca Maserati right times saw him drop to the rubber for race two. doorhandled each other on the front fourth, mere hundredths off Crompton completed his through Honda, Siberia and runners’pace retaining a front row spot.

GTP debut , in a settled Lukey Heights, the Ferrari and could In the end, Fitzgerald got fourth, ahead of Forbes and eventually completing the well have the best run (1:42.5113), to Stokell some distance back. opener in third, with Beninca surprised in head Waldon, Beninca, Canto and Trimbole put on and Forbes glued to his tail. race two if Costanzo, Crompton, Forbes a terrific dice for Class B Fitzgerald led, but second not for a rare and Stokell, the Class B cars honours with the youngster time onto the start/finish off-track of Canto, Carter (Nissan greeting the gold after a last straight, Waldon powered by, excursion...

200SX turbo) and Trimbole lap lunge from Trimbole saw opening up a small lead over the next couple oflaps.

But just as noticeably, the gap came down until Fitzgerald was right on the Viper’s bumper. Clearly quicker around the back of the circuit, he made several Up front, Morgan had also got it Keene, then Morgan at Honda to Race 1-10 laps serious attempts to get by, the With Wagg out at the start, ease out a small gap at the end of together, closing in on Wagg at half pair side-by-side on more than lap three. distance and slipping through to Morgan and Keene battled through one occasion, but each time control the race, albeit by the French was in space in fourth, while out and were never more than a few Viper grunt settling the issue. lengths apart, Keene getting up Bradbury, Forbes, Harburg and Dunn slimmest of margins — two-tenths A last lap attempt around despite Morgan’s obvious pace (the battled it out in pursuit. Bradbury of a second as they crossed the line, some seven seconds clear of Keene. the outside at the Lukey broke clear and eventually reeled in Vodafone car setting a new lap Hairpin almost came off, but - CHRIS LAMBDEN Fi’ench to grab fourth on lap six. record of 1:41.3850 on lap two), again Waldon had the power was Bradbury Photo: Phil Williams to pull clear for the double. third throughout, TOO KEENE?... Morgan and Keene at odds during their tough scrap.

Crompton held Beninca while a gaggle of and Forbes at bay for five cars battled it out laps before a small indiscre for the minor plaction let them both through, ings. although Forbes was to be an John spun, Forbes unfortunate late retirement slipped back and when a tyre went down.

Aitken spun into the Costanzo recovered for tyres on lap nine, fifth, from Stokell and Ross which left French Almond (Lancer RS), while alone in forndh from Canto again took Class B Dunn and Harburg. honours, Ratcliff kept it on Race 2the road to take Class C and the two smaller classes again 10 laps went to Shaw and Stones.

Morgan led Keene Points after 3 rormds:Beninca 71; away, but things Waldon 69; Fitzgerald 68; Bowe were about to 44; Almond 23; Forbes 22: Stokell, Costanzo 22. change, with Wagg Class B: Carter 70; Class C: looking aggi'essive.

Ratcliff 67; Class D: Shaw 90; Lap two brought Class D:Stones 84. action as Wagg slipped inside

Morgan, Keene share spoils

GEOFF Morgan came away with a points victory after a pair of toughly contested Porsche Cup races at the Island.

After giving best to Greg Keene in the opening race, Morgan survived an equally close contest with Martin Wagg (who failed to start the first heat) and Keene to take the second heat and the outright win on the day.

Best of the rest was Peter Bradbury, with a third and fourth respectively, while Rusty French, Rodney Forbes and Max Dunn bat tled over the places in both races.

Ed Aitken looked a likely con tender, with a front row grid for race one, but he damaged his car during a race one off and called it a day.

Photos: Dirk Klynsmith

w

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12

SCOTT DIXON

22Ma^im

{ THE 1998 motor racing season willprobably be remembered as the Year ofthe Young Driver. With Craig Lowndes, Jason Bargwanna and Jason Bright upsetting the order in Y8 Supercar racing the spotlight hasfallen on the under-25 brigade. In open-wheeler racing two even younger drivers have hit the headlines. The Formula Holden series is being led by Kiwi youngster Scott Dixon while, in Formula Ford, 19-year-old Adam Macrow appears to have the title almost at his mercy.

PHIL BRANAGAN spoke to the two young’uns about livingfast and driving young.

MOTORSPORT NEWS; You’re very young. When were you born? . SCOTT DIXON; July 1980.

WIN: flow do you find the competition in Australia? Is it as tough as you expected?

SD: Yes. It's always hard in the first year that you move into a new class. The last year has just been a learning curve.

This year there seems to be a lot of competition, but you don’t really look at it that way. You just have to concentrate on what you are doing, really.

MN: Did you start this season with any sort of expectations?

SD: We really needed to win the championship this year. We’re moving over to the ‘States in August after Oran Park to follow a few things up there so we need to win it this year.

We went over last year for about three weeks, Kenny (Smith) and I, and we are looking at the classes over there.

MN; He’s become a sort of mentor for you. How did you meet him?

SD: When I started in karting in New Zealand he kind of helped me through that and the different categories. We built up a friendship and we went on from there, really.

MN: And, despite the fact that you’re yet to turn 18, you’ve actually been racing for a long time, haven’t you?

SD: |. started when I was seven.

At 13 I started in Formula Vee and 14 and 15 I was in'Formula Fords.

MN: Getting into Formula Vee at 13 caused a few waves, I under stand.

SD: Yes, a lot of people didn’t like the fact that I was racing at that age. But, after a few of the meetings they kind of got over it and started to look at me as just one of the competitors. That was quite a nice thing to happen ...

MN; How did you cope with it all? At 13 and 14 most kids are squeezing zits and dreaming of racing cars, not doing it.

SD: That’s right. It was hard to start with and there was a lot of media stuff going on. But over the years you get used to it. It just becomes your life in the end.

And I was successful in Formula Vee and Formula Ford. I won four championships in four years. I’d also won a North Island and South Island championship in karts so I was quite successful over the years.

MN: Where do you want to end up? Obviously you’re not going to be happy to stay here and race touring cars for the rest of your life.

SD: That is not something that I'm looking towards. I look at that as something to retire at but, at the same time, if something comes up you’d obviously have a try at it, so we’ll just see how that goes.

But, obviously. I’m looking for something in the Indy cars or Formula One kind of style. I have a preference for single seaters.

MN: Do you feel some sort of pressure from the fact that there has been a long list of New Zealand drivers like Bruce McLaren, Denny Hulme and onto Paul Radisich, Baird and Murphy who have been successful and now people are looking at you?

SD: Some people sort of say that.

But you never think about it, really.

That’s part of what it is, but you never really look at it yourself in that way.

MN: What are your Impressions on where you are now in Formula Holden?

SD: The class has definitely picked up, especially this season with all the international drivers. This sea son seems to be going pretty well at this stage but it is still pretty early. * It’s always nice to be leading a championship, isn’t it? We’ll be try ing hard to keep it that way.

AT WORK... Is Scott Dixon going to be the youngest-ever Australian Gold Star winner? At 17, time looks to be on his side to make a career at the highest levels of the sport. (Photos by Dirk Kiynsmuh, with a nine help from soon axon) MN: The cars are pretty costeffective and they are, obvious ly, good things to drive.

SD: Yes, the first time especially when I drove one. That’s always the way but, after you do 20 laps, you always feel like driving some thing with a bit more grunt!

They are a very nice car to drive but it’s not like I have driven any thing before with wings, slicks and things like that.

MN: It must be comforting to go against an experienced driver

like Markus Friesacher who had reasonable Formula 3000 experience and be ahead of him as you have been so far.

SD: It is, but he has been com plaining about his car so far and now he has gone to Arthur Abrahams’ team. That will be interesting to see how he goes. It will be interesting to see how he goes in the new car.

MN: How do you do this? You must have sponsors in New Zealand.

SD: There has been a company set up which has 12 investors and they all put in so much money. It’s only been set up for me, a private set up, which has been operating this year. They have helped me all the way through and this year they have set up a company and done it properly, MN: Ideally, regardless of the championship this year, what do you want to be in next season?

SD: We’re definitely looking towards Indy Lights.

122

Wp0®lT8[p®l70

ADAM IVIACROW ‘a

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quite slidy and they haven’t got a real large amount of power. It was a big step.

I’ve been driving the thing .smooth and gently, caressing it around the track. That’s been the hardest thing for me to learn. In 10 years of karts, to go quick you grab the thing by the scruff of the neck and drive it as hard as you pos.sibly can.

MN; The Ford Generation XR prograin must have been a big thing as well.

AM: It was, it was one of the best things that’s ever happened.

It’s a great thing to be a part of and I hope it can lead to something else in the future. Just being a part of something like that is fantastic.

MR SMOOTH... In 1998 Adam Macrow has treated the Ford Motorsport/Slick 50 series as his own personal playground, though he Is not getting too far ahead of himselfjust yet. This Is a typical pose for the season so far; check the amount of empty race track behind him ... (Photos by ark Kiynsmiih) MOTORSPORT NEWS: It’s a lit tle obvious to say that things have started for you about as well as they could have this sea son.

ADAM MACROW: They could not have been much better. We’re 48 points ahead, but we're treating it as though we’re only eight ahead. That makes us still want to fight for it.

Otherwise you’d naturally think, ‘We’re 48 up, we’ll be right’, but you have to keep going. We’re only half-way; there’s a long way to go.

Someone can pass me very easily.

We’ve got to keep plugging along.

MN: So there will be no change in the tactics?

AM; We’ve got to finish, but we don’t have to win to get points.

Ideally winning is the objective but, if we have to come third, we’ll come third.

We don’t waste to take big risks.

It’s better to come third and get the 14 points rather than come off and get zip. If we can win, great. It’s good to get a pole, get the jump from the start and get away. It’s a hell of a lot safer than being in the pack because you can get tangled up really easily with other people.

^ AM: I like to drive the car MN: There’s been a big very smoothly. I’ve had to step up in performance from you this year. What’s rd also like to have a drive work on that a lot. Being an ex-karter I tend to throw changed since last sea son? in a Formula Holden, but we them around a Httle bit and I ve had to work really hard AM: I’ve worked really hard on my approach to it. I’ve will have to see what hap“mooth^'''^ been flat-out in the gym, tuning myself, and we’ve got new motors this year pens. Anything with four °TJe''f“stTlp‘‘is m?™ from Peter Lamer. whpph T think important than the fifth.

The first race I had with wnPPLd, I irunii, ...

You’re off and you’re on.

Peter was at the Sandown The car has always been 500 and we won instantly. really good on cold tyres but That’s made most of the differ But I’m not really sure WHERE the car, obviously, slides around ence. it’s better to be honest - I’ve never more when they’re cold. So trying I’ve got the same car as last driven any other car! It just seems to be smooth has helped a lot. year, with a bit of fine-tuning. We to be very easy to drive and it had a few different changes, but seems to have a little more grip, MN: You mentioned karting. Was it’s more neutral that the other it a big step from a successful nothing really major. cars. It has a bunch of problems as karting career into Formula MN: Where is the Spectrum so well but we know how to get over Ford? good? In previous years it’s them. We’ve had problems but AM: It was, definitely. Driving a car we’ve fixed them. looked pretty level but this sea and a kart are completely different son the Australian car seems to With the builder of the car being things. have an edge. next to you ail the time it’s so much In a way it’s like taking a step AM: Definitely. Michael Borland easier. If there is a problem he backwards. That may sound ridicu has worked very hard. Jason knows what to do. That’s the lous, but a kart has a lot of grip and Bargwanna and I have tested the biggest help. a lot of horsepower. Its power-tocar a lot over jts development weight ratio is a lot better. phase. Jason hasn’t tested it for a MN: The most visible thing is that Coming from a heap of powerlong time and I did most of the pre you ere very quick on cold tyres to-wreight to a Formula Ford, every season. everywhere. How do you do that? thing happens quite slowly. They’re

V, RowGr is nothing with ♦ National Race Tyre Sales ♦ Complete, professional trackside Service at all GTP and Porsche Pirelli dominates Phillip Island GTP Congratulations GTP Class 'A' Cup rounds winner - Garry Waldon

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MN; What’s your understanding of what will actually happen?

When do you drive a touring car?

AM: I don’t know anything yet! I haven't really been filled in but I know that they are working on it and that progress is being made.

We’ll have a talk about it at Mallala.

MN: Is that your future, touring cars? is that where you want to go?

AM: Definitely. I’d love to drive a touring car and race at Bathurst and in the Shell Series. That’s my main goal at the moment, to try and do well in Australia.

I’d also like to have a drive in a Formula Flolden, but we will have to see what happens. Anything with four wheels, I think ...

MN: What about taking an Australian-built Formula Ford overseas for a race?

AM: It’s feasible, I think. I think that the car would go really well. I think that Michael has had a look at it but I know know whether he is interested in doing it.

I’m not sure but, if we decided to do it, the car would definitely go very well.

For me, overseas is a bit of a long-term goal, more so that a Formula Holden drive or a drive in touring cars, maybe.

But going overseas, or any rac ing, would be great.

LLI

Australian Motorsport Distributor

Motorsport Concepts

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24 1998 Formula 1 season I has not been very inter1,^ esting to date.

The two McLaren-Mercedes have dominated and only Michael Schumacher’s victory in Argentina has dented the unblemished McLarfen recoi’d. Race fans around the world may appreciate the McLaren efficiency but it is not making for fascinating TV viewing - unless, of course, you have trou ble sleeping ...

The more experienced observers will tell that motor racing was always like this but that the increased exposure to the sport and the modern trend towards instant gi’atification means that everything has to be all-action and people have to talk in sound bytes. And yet soporific sports like golf and cricket survive on television.

So is there really a problem for . motor racing or is the sport simply not being presented in the correct fash ion? Do the regulations need to be changed to make overtaking easier or will the suspense of a possible move keep people glued to the screens?

There are plenty of conflicting opinions but not much in the way of fact. The FIA says there is no need to change things.

“There has been a feeling that over taking should not be too easy,”.says FIA President Max Mosley. “Much of the drama comes from the fact that overtaking is hard and it matters who comes out of the pits ahead.”

Mosley does not want to change the rules because that forces the teams to spend more money with out any guarantees that the racing will be better.

In 1996 the governing body invested a considerable amount of money in a windtunnel progi-amme at the Honda windtunnel at Imperial College, London, running two models nose-to-tail in the tun nel to find out how to make the cars less; aerodyn'amically sensitive when running close together.

The study found that it was almost impossible to have modern cars running close to one another.

When one car runs close to another the one behind suffers a serious loss of downforce and loses grip which means that inevitably it drops back.

This is not just a problem in Formula 1 racing. It exists also in Formula 3000 and in Indycars. The recent CART race at Rio de Janeiro gave a very graphic demonstration of this when Greg Moore sliced in front of Alex Zanardi to grab the lead. Zanardi lost downforce and slid right out to the edge of the track. By the time he had recovered and fought back the race was over. .

Some people ai-gue that the only way that racing can be made more exciting is to remove all the wings and thus reduce the downforce. This has safety implications because the sidepods provide veiy useful crushable structures in the event of sideon impacts. They are also, of course, billboards for the sponsors and have a commercial importance.

One thing which no-one disputes - unless they have visited FI races too often - is that when you go to a race it is not boring. A first-time vis itor to an FI race is left shocked at the awesome spectacle: the speed, the violence and the noise of the cars is extraordinary. Television diminishes this impact to such an Lextent that Grands Prix lull viewers to sleep with only the occasional eyelid-lifting squawk from commen tators who are trying to make the show more exciting than it really is.

FI bosses want to improve the racing, but they do not want to become what they call “a show busi ness formula”.

They point to NASCAR stock car racing in America as an example.

Putting the Racing Seen any gripping Formula One races recently? Ifovertaking equals excitement^ then the 1998 Grand Prix season thusfar has not been the most interesting on record.

JOE SAWARD looks at The Show and what can be done to improve it The NASCAR rules can be changed overnight if someone gets too far ahead; the cars are virtually identical - to such an extent that what is a Buick one year can become a Chevrolet the next with only a quick change of bodywork. Races are stage-managed with yellow warning flags and pace cars to keep the cars together. But the formula works.

The racing is hugely popular. everyone has a chance to vrin races and everyone involved makes money, not caring too much about the concept - so dear to FI folk - of pure racing”.

FI is in the process of deciding FAMILIAR LOOK...

The performance of the McLaren MP4-13 has set everyone back on their heels this-season. With the difficuity in overtaking the heat is aiways on in the eariy taps;in this picture Eddie irvine (equal third, on right) is about to make a position ahead of Benetton’s Giancarlo Fisichell'a.

COMMON DOMINATOR...

White Patrick Head (below, left) and Ron Dennis (betow, right) receive credit for their race-winning cars, the man in both pictures, former Wiliiams and now McLaren chief designer Adrian Newey, is aimost certainty the main man for both teams'success.

whether it stands for technical excellence and whether it wants to be able to claim to be the cutting edge of automotive technology or whether it should be a circus.

The pi-oblem with technology is that the big teams have more than the little teams. This is clearly demonstrated in the fact that with the exception of Benetton’s win in 1995 (which was largely due to Michael Schumacher) no team other than McLaren or Williams

There have been moves towards show business racing with the introduction ofthe ‘‘Safety Car”, stop-go penalties and the reintroduction ofrefuelling.

But is it enough? Is it too much?

What else can be done?

has won the Constructors’ title show business racing with the since 1983 (Williams has won introduction of the “Safety Car”, seven, McLaren six). stop-go penalties and the reintroBut the march of technology and duction of refuelling. But is it the yawning spectators has not enough? Is it too muchf What else stopped the increase in audiences can be done? and each year FI becomes healthier than-ever. There is no shortage of sponsorship these days for the big i teams and the an-ival of big money RaC6S from television contracts means t n fiiere are many ways in which that the existing 11 teams are all 1 Grands Prix could be stagefunded to a greater or lesser extent managed by officials as races are in

by TV money. In some cases this the United States of America. amounts to as much as 40% of the There could be more use of the budget of a team-;!

Safety Car to close up the field to There have been moves towards

Stage-Management Of

ensure that the cars remain close together. There are more radical ideas such as weight-handicapping and reversing grids. Horse racing has long survived using handicap ping techniques and FI has a mini mum weight limit to ensure that expensive materials are kept to a minimum so that all the cars can race at around the same weight.

In horse racing the competitors are not rewarded for being fast as everyone starts in a single row, rather than on a gidd.

Putting the faster runners at the front of a grid does not help the

show but reversing the grid under mines the fundamental principles on which FI is built. It is about excellence rather than show busi ness and it will always suffer by comparison to touring car racing if it follows the show business route because single-seaters can never be as entertaining because of the safe ty aspects of the sport.

If you are going to create show business racing you would not choose a single-seater formula to do it.

Shorter Races In recent many ofrun rac ing have years adopted thekinds idea of ning two shorter events rather than a long race. This means that you have the cars closer together for shorter periods of time and there fore the action is more intense.

As such it is more dangerous as drivers have less time in which to make their moves and would take more risks. The adoption of refu elling is actually quite similar in effect as a race consists of sprints between pit stops.

22Msyim

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SECOND RATE?... Technical F1 purists may scoff at the tight regulation and ‘arranged’ nature of NASCAR and CART racing - but teii Alex Zanardi(above, following Bryan Herta at Long Beach)or Qale Earnhardt that. And try to pick the winner of the next round of the Winston Cup and FedEx series.

20 YEARS ON... GP racing is cyclical, says Saward. The 1998 McLaren steamroller is nothing new;20 years ago Lotus were doing it with Mario Andretti and Ronnie Peterson. They finished 1-2 in five GPs including the ’78 French Grand Prix at Paul (Photos by AllSport) Ricard (left).

Levelling Performance Formula in the 1960s 1 wasand closer 1970s for abecause period almost all the teams used the same Ford Cosworth DPY engines.

The cars were not very technical ly advanced and aerodynamics had not really be applied to the machin ery and so kit-cars were produced and the racing was close.

The aiTival of major motor manu facturers such as Renault, BMW, Honda and Porsche in the early 1980s upset that equilibrium and since then the relative performance of the teams has been dictated largely by the amount of money they have had for research and for hiring the best brains.

There ai-e some in FI who would argue that without the motor man ufacturers the performance of engines would be closer. The prob lem is that Formula 1 does not want to lose manufacturers because they bring money.

One way to level performance is to insist that engine manufacturers be willing to supply more than one team. Ferrari is currently doing that with Sauber but in order to win you have to be a pioneer which is why Sauber is looking for a supply of Mecachrome engines next year.

Changing The Circuits If the cars cannot made more competitive with be one another, there is an argument that the cir cuits need to be changed to make overtaking easier.

It is no coincidence that the most exciting CART race every year is at Cleveland, where the races race on the wide runways of Burke Lakefront Airport. This means that cars can run five, six or even seven abreast and there is plenty of room to overtake.

The drawback is that in order to avoid the possibility of cars flying into a crowded spectator ai'ea, cir cuit owners bave to increase mn-off areas and thus push spectators fur ther away fi-om the action, while at the same time increasing their '-prices to pay for the work. As the FI circus already demands a vast sum of money to go to a track cir cuit owners have nothing to gain from alienating paying spectators and so are opposed to change.

The FIA and Bernie Ecclestone, who are making the most out of the

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action. Often there are good battles down in the field which convention al TV does not show.

Bemie’s TV is expensive pay-perview television and at the moment there are very few viewers. As payper-view becomes more widely accepted this will grow but there will be resistance from some fans.

Doing Nothing

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careers and young exciting sport, do not seem very young drivers will have interested in reinvesting less chance to break into in the sport but they The RACpeople were asked the sport. could buy up tracks and to identify the FI car in the The other problem is make the necessary that there is currently only changes or build totally photo and everyone picked the new facilities. one major talent in FI Michael Schumacher. The After the FIA aerody Formula 3000 because it looked namic studies in 1996 the other drivers are all high Technical Working Group ly-skilled but Schumacher more like an FI car should... concluded that the only is the only one with a little extra - which is what way to make overtaking easier was to bring back makes him so popular and ing and so the big teams invest in what draws in the crowds. more challenging corners so that the other areas of research to find Teams need to find new stars... most skilful drivers could gain an advantages which results in devices advantage. such as McLaren’s steering brake Better Presentation and the regenerative power sys Limiting Technology tems which have been under devel 1 is veryitspectacular when you watch live at the opment in recent months. The FIA Formula Formula has so many limita tions at 1 the moment that there has banned these. track but this is rarely translated to TV screens because in order to is a danger that they are in danger minimise cost cameras tend to be of driving away manufacturers Making The Cars More located above the tracks with a which want to use the sport to train Difficult To Drive engineers. wide sweep of vision.

The other day, in an unofficial TV coverage would be a great There an argument that more is difficult the cars arethe to deal better if cameras were down at survey at Britain’s Royal Automobile Club Motor Sports drive, the more advantage a team car-level and viewers could appreci can gain from having a good driver.

Association staff were shown a pho ate what was going on. In-car cam The 1998 cars are certainly not tograph from McLaren illustrating eras development has also been the various formulae with which easy but there are not nearly as stagnant for a long time with no many mistakes being made as was the team was involved. The RAC moving cameras at the moment and predicted before the season began people were asked to identify the there has been no development of Fl car and everyone picked the because the value of finishing races driver-to-viewer communications. means that the drivers do not take Formula 3000 because it looked Bernie Ecclestone has built an extra risks. Making cars more diffi more like an Fl car should... incredible TV facility to produce a show with six different channels Aerodynamics are already very cult to drive also means that expe restricted but Fl is abaut packag- rienced drivers will have longer which enables viewers to see all the

ome team owners argue that keeping the regulations the same is the best thing one can do to make good racing.

“What happens when the regula tions change,” says Ron Dennis of McLaren, “ is that it plays into the hands of the strong teams because they have more resources and tech nical expertise to throw at the prob lems. In other words when there is a cost implication it favours the top teams. The best way to have com petitive motor racing is to have total technical stability.”

The fact that McLaren is domi nant is due to several factors.

The team has done a great job and all five elements of the package are good: engine, tyres, chassis, dri vers and team. FI is a cyclical busi ness and McLaren has had to fight back from the depths of 1995 and 1996. At the same time Renault has pulled out and so Williams and Benetton are inevitably suffering not just in terms of engine power but also with the psychology associ ated with a team in a slide.

David Richards is in the process of reversing that problem at Benetton while Frank Williams knows that it will not be until the arrival of BMW in 2000 that the team can have the same hunger and enthusiasm as it has done in recent years. It takes time to build a winning package.

Ferrari should be more competi tive than it is but there are always organisational problems with the team because its policy of partying vast sums to hire the best men mean that there are always inter nal stresses and strains at Maranello. Jean Todt and Ross Brawn have gone a long way towards solving that problem but it is not sorted yet.

Frost, Arrow's, Jordan, Sauber and Stewart all have big ambitions but do not have the packages neces sary to challenge McLaren now’.

They wall be closer next year. EJ

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22 May 1998

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ankkunen's weapon

The curtain is about tofall on Ford’s potent Escort, the Blue Oval brigade’s sublime WRC contender.

Now in its swansong season, the turbocharged 4WD powerhouse prepared by M Sport and driven by rally champion Juha Kankkunenfound its way into the hands ofPAUL GOVER, who savoured his brief- but memorable — stint behind the wheel of the world’sfastest Escort.

JUHA KANKKUNEN’S Ford Escort is a blue and white World Rally Championship bat tle wagon.

It has the subtlety of a cavalry charge, the firepower of an artillery barrage, the cabin comfort of a main battle tank and an exhaust rattle like a machine gun.

When it howls into action, it also has the speed of a ground attack fighter and the accuracy of a cruise missile.

skids into forward speed, which turns the future into the past as rapidly as the road unwinds.

It’s the world’s fastest Escort and it would cost more than $500,000 to park one in your driveway - with out the tyres, panels, spares, or support crew it would take to run it for longer than a quick trip down to the shops.

Just starting the- M Sport Escort and running it over a make-believe special stage at Carlisle aii-port, in the far north EL PERFECTO... Herald Sun motoring guru Gover in his element.(Edward Rowe pic) of England near the Scottish bor der, takes two mechanics, a service van, around 100 litres / of super-special rally brew and a budget of around $500.0 for fresh tyres, new mudflaps, a span ner check and clutch change afterwards.

Taming the clutch is the «.* toughest job for a fun run in the ulti mate Escort it’s a no-feel, all or noth-

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It’s a sliding, barking, beast of a thing - but it is also light, respon sive and surprisingly easy to drive.

It’s even easy for someone whose name isn’t Juha and who hasn’t won more than two dozen world championship rallies, four world titles and is running second in this year’s WRC title chase.

Juha’s new-age Escort slides its tail as easily and controllably as the howling RS Escorts of the 1980s, but converts its sideways

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ing, in-or-out racing job.

You cannot shp it, or go easy on it and a stall is always just a mil limetre away.

But, once you get the Escort rolling, its big-torque turbomotor makes it tractable, grunty and easy to learn.

It’s never easy to drive - with tricks like a touch-change sequen tial shift and non-assisted monster brakes - even if, at a pinch, your granny really could drive the blue and white battle wagon to the shops.

But there’s no fun in trundling az’ound in a car which was built to go fast, faster and fastest on some of the world’s toughest roads.

Uncork the whistling, banging, sliding, stunning Escort and it’s fun on the run.

It works with the driver, thanks to electrohic control of its active dif ferentials, which can be tuned as precisely as any hydraulic damper.

Juha has his car set for turn-in oversteer, mid-corner grip and only slightly-sideways exits, even on the slipperiest broken bitumen, or muddy patch.

The exotic and erotic Escort doesn’t come with cupholders, or carpet - but, if you’re into serious speed, then the only thing quicker with a Ford family tie lives in the unattainable world of grand prix racing.

It doesn’t need the brutal treat ment and left-foot braking of earlier 4x4 rally cars, which had to be

hurled sideways, or forced into a slide, by using the rear discs almost like a handbrake.

It responds to finesse, a light touch on the steering and pre-plan ning to make the most of its grip and balance.

You don’t have to be a flying Finn to slide into Juha’s Escort, as I dis covered in England last month less than a week after Kankkunen had come home second in the Portugal Rally.

If you’ve got friends at Ford and rally boss Malcolm Wilson says it’s OK, then a quick sprint is pai-t of the menu for a visit to the M Sport base at Cockermouth, near the Scottish border.

“Just take things easy. You’U get the hang of it,” was Wilson’s advice from the passenger seat as we began the Escort experience.

The former British champion didn’t bother with a helmet - or removing his tie - for a journalist jolly, although he insisted on full protection for his driver.

He showed how it was done, then offered encouragement as the tui'bocharged 300 horsepower engine complete with a flame-firing anti lag exhaust - got closer to take-otf speed.

Just turn in and stand on it. The car will work with you,” Wilson coached. “Now, now, that’s right, we’re going now.”

The Escort is relatively easy to drive, but it is loaded with confus ing switches and dials, as well as a

22 May 1998

23

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YOU DA MAN... M Sport principal, Malcolm Wilson.(Edward Rowe pic)

SANITARY... A brace of tasty morsels is prepped at M Sport’s clinically clean workshop.(Edward Rowe pic) digital dash with pages and pages of data on demand.

It’s built for serious speed, so there is carbon fibre, magnesium and titanium for weight saving, meaty Michelin tyres to maximum grip and matched Sparco racing buckets with six-point harnesses for maximum protection.

The only thing you really have to watch is the up-change warning light, which comes on when the Escort is approaching its TOOOrpm limit.

That upper limit seems low, but world rally cars are choked down by turbo inlet restrictors and are tuned to give top torque ahead of outright power.

The airflow restrictor means they all make around 310 horsepower, just above the FIA’s safety limit, but 500 newton-metres of torque is only the starting point.

The Escort’s six-speed sequential shift is used up in less than 400 metres with forest gearing for a 200kmh top end, but it’s at its best in tight turns and at times when you have to use the tasty new upright handbrake lever lurking like a second shift control behind the gearlever.

Tug the lever, stand on the gas and the Escort erupts with hardly a trace of wheelspin, or sideways slidmg.

Wilson’s warrior shoots to

lOOkmh in a tick over four seconds on the broken bitumen at Carlisle airport and is hitting the rev-lim iter in top gear less than 10 seconds later.

The only punctuation for the punishing push is the speed you can shift the sequential six-speed.

The fire fight is accompanied by a constant rattle from stones thrown by the meaty Michelins, as well as the whine of big gears and diffs hard at work and the suck and drone of the flat-sounding turbomotor.

It’s noisier than a V8 Supercar, more high-tech than a Formula One racer and more fun than a ; night out with the Chippendales.

JUST LIKE THIS ... Malcolm Wilson demonstrates Escort technique to young Gover.(Edward Rowe pic)

Malcolm Wilson: M Sport's WRC Escort and the new Ford Focus MALCOLM Wilson never won a World Rally Championship as a driver - he never even fin ished first on an individual event.

But things have changed since he became a team owner.

His M Sport Escorts have scored WRC victories with Carlos Sainz and Juha Kankkunen and he believes it’s only a matter of time before he gets the world title he still craves.

“I never achieved what I wanted to achieve; I was never satisfied,” Wilson says of his driving career.

“I’m so desperate for success at the highest level. We’ve won 11 national championships in three years and now we’ve moved onto the world scene.”

Wilson first starred in a series of wildly-sideways Escorts in the 1980s.

He even came to Australia twice for the old Dunlop-2GO Rally in the forests near Newcastle, once in an Escort RS1800 and once in a V8 Triumph TR7 built by Colin Bond.

He progressed through a series of top-class Audi Quattros into the MG Metro 6R4 world title squad alongside Tony Pond, never quite building the pace to be a serious contender, before retreating to a series of successes in the British rally championship with current shaped Escorts and a test role with the Ford WRC team in Sierras, Sapphires and Escorts.

Finally, just before his 40th birthday, Wilson took his helmet off and began to concentrate full time on building his own team - M Sport.

At the start of the 1997 season.

Ford decided it was time to take its rally program away from the

traditional base at Boreham, going to an outside contractor as Subaru did with Prodrive. Wilson got the job.

“My head is on the chopping block,” he said simply.

He turned the Escort from an easy-beat into a contender last year, first with Carlos Sair.> as a rally-winning spearhead and then with Juha Kankkunen as his wing man, then shifted up a gear this year with new development work and Kankkunen, Thiry and Vatanen as his front-line drivers.

M Sport has just added launch control to its technical package and Wilson is working on approval for a massive new headquarters near his home town, which will cost more than $10 million and include a museum and test track.

But he says he’s always search ing for something new or better, no matter how much work it takes or what it costs.

“You never have enough bud get,” he said. “I’m looking to the long term.”

Wilson’s future already stretch es to the Escort’s successor, the Ford Focus, which will become Ford’s front-line rally weapon next year.

He still believes the Escort and Kankkunen can take the world title in 1998, but the focus is already on the Focus and what it will take to beat Toyota’s pace-set ting Corolla and Mitsubishi’s new Evolution V Lancer.

“Our deadline is Monte Carlo next year. It’s definitely a possibil ity,” Wilson said.

“It was my idea, although there were lots of options. The plan is to fight for the championship with the Focus in 2000.”

-PAUL GOVER

Ford Escort World Rally Car- Technical Specificatiofis ENGINE: Ford YB 4-cylinder, 16 valve, 2 litre. Electronic Ford F8 engine manage ment system. Turbocharger with FIA required 34mm restrictor. Catalytic conver tor.

POWER: SOObhp ELECTRONICS: Full chassis and engine data acquisition for on-event diagnostics and performance development.

INTERCOOLER: Air/air/intercooler with external water spray.

FUEL TANK: 75 litre capacity, located cen trally in rear compartment.

DRIVE SYSTEM: Permanent four wheel drive, with Ford designed and manufactured active front and centre differentials.

Electronic differential control units.

TRANSMISSION: Ford/M Sport 6-speed

sequential gearbox.

SUSPENSION: MacPherson struts with adjustable dampers at the front. Fully adjustable links.

MacPherson struts at rear with adjustable dampers and adjustable links.

BRAKES: Asphalt - ventilated discs, 378 mm front, 8-pot calipers and 313 mm rear, 4-pot calipers.

STEERING: Power-assisted high-ratio (12:1) rack and pinion. 2.4 turns lock to lock.

OVERAIE LENGTH: OVERALL WIDTH: OVERALL HEIGHT: WHEELBASE: WEIGHT: LUBRICANTS:

4211 mm 1770 mm 1425 mm 2550 mm 1230 kgs Valvoline

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VICTORIOUS... Mika Hakkinen was far too good at the Spanish Grand Prix. After celebrating his pole position with llmor Engineering’s Paui Morgan (above) he gave the field no chance right from the start(right).

H-H Frentzen (bottom) had a lonely race. (Phoios by RaceAccess and Aiisport)

Mika Hakkinen slammed the Grand Prix field in Spain with pole position, an all-the-way win and fastest lap.

JOE SAWARD reports on the Finn’s finest hour.

MIKA Hakkinen took pole position and led the Spanish GP in Barcelona from start to finish to demonstrate the cur rent domination of the McLaren-Mercedes package.

If there are many more races like this during the 1998 season, Ferrari’s dream of winning the World Championship will go up in smoke. The Italians are not admit ting defeat just yet - at least not in public...

Hakkinen’s dominance was backed up by the able David Coulthard, the Scot too fast for the opposition despite never feeling completely comfortable with his McLaren during qualifying and the race.

Feriari’s leader Michael Schumacher overcame a stop-go penalty to sneak onto the podium, any challenge aided by a messy first-corner contretemps between his team-mate Eddie Irvine and Benetton’s Giancarlo Fisichella.

Williams were blown away, Jacques Villeneuve salvaging a point while Heinz-Harald Frentzen put on a charge after a lap one clattering with Jean Alesi.

Best news in what was an other wise dull race was the perfor mance of Rubens Barrichello, fifth in the newly-engined StewartFord which easily held off Villeveuve at the end.

Qualifying

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arcelona is like a second home to many of the Formula One community.

The fact that today most of FI’s testing work is done at the track suggests that the circm't is as popu lar as ever for rarely does a fort night pass without the scream of FI engines in the valley.

As such the track is probably the best possible indicator for the level of performance of the cars as virtu- ' ally all the teams have managed to find good set-ups for the Circuit de Catalunya. It was no surprise therefore to find the two McLarenMercedes MP4-13s of Hakkinen and Coulthard sharing the front row of the giid for the fourth time in five races. On this occasion it was the Finn who got the better of the Scotsman, ending up 0.7s faster.

Coulthard was 0.8s clear of the Ferrari of Michael Schumacher, underlining the McLaren advan tage. Hakkinen was happy with his car from the start but David was act together. I haven’t had the con never able to feel the same land of fidence to attack the track. It is no good going into a comer wondering confidence and it showed. He had what the car is going to do. It is a spins on both Friday and Saturday.

“It is down to the confidence of simple as that.”

The dominant McLarens meant the driver in being able to extract that Michael Schumacher had no all the performance form his car,” explained David. “Mika has been choice but to pick up the crumbs as able to do that this weekend, right he has had to do so far this year.

Michael stopped out on track after from the word Go. I haven’t got my

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his car broke down on Saturday morning and he reckoned that the McLaren advantage is largely down to the tyres - “about 70 percent” Michael opined.

Testing had suggested that this would be a Bridgestone track and so it appeared with the two Benettons fourth and fifth, ahead of Schumacher’s Ferrari team mate Irvine.

Eddie said he was disappointed to be 0.56s slower than his team leader but given Schumacher’s usual pace, this was a pretty good effort from Eddie, although Michael would probably have got more from his car if it had been more reliable than it was in practice.

The battle of the Benetton boys was as intense as ever, with Alexander Wurz and Fisichella still trying to sort out who is the quicker of the two. Fisichella won the quali fying battle in Australia but since

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WHAT A DIFFERENCE A FORTNIGHT MAKES...

In Italy Rubens Barrichello was out-run by Tiger Takagi’s Fordengined Tyrreil but, at Barcelona, a new spec Ford V10 made a hell of a difference. Rubens finished fifth, hotding out Worid Champion Jacques Viileneuve’s Wiliiams.

«

then it has been Wurz every time.

But in Barcelona Giancarlo finally got the better for the Austrian to make it three-two - although the gap between the two youngsters was less than a tenth of a second.

“I think I did a very good job,” commented Fisichella.

Behind the two Benettons and Irvine was the Sauber Petronas of Johnny Herbert. Johnny had been very quick on Friday, setting the third fastest time ahead of the two factory Ferraris. Johnny took the unusual step of using Goodyear’s softer tyres, while all the other Goodyear runners opted for the harder compound.

Whether such a move works or not these days in FI is largely a matter of luck because it is virtual ly impossible to predict tempera tures on race day when you have to make a decision 24 hom-s before the race. If it stayed cool Johnny would be in a good position but if Sunday afternoon was hot Johnny was going to straggle.

Alesi went for hard tyres and that meant that he was over half a second and seven places on the giid behind Herbert. He complained of the usual Sauber understeer into corners and could not find a good car balance.

Alongside Johnny on the fourth row of the grid was Damon Hill, giving British fans a boost with fom- drivers in the top eight places on the gi'id. Damon seems to have

bows to Hakkinen ●V,

22 May 1998

F

THE KNIGHTS AND THEIR STEEDS... Hakkinen and Coulthard celebrate on their podium above their victorious cars.

OUT OF AMMUNITION... Young Gun Giancarlo Fisichella (left) was having a great race behind Eddie Irvine and was still behind him when the two returned to the pits - on foot... /

got to grips with the Jordan after the initial disappointment this year Ralf and he outqualified

Schumacher again, making it 3-2 this year.

“I think I got the best out of the car today,” Damon said, “plus or minus a couple of tenths. It ran really well and the balance felt very good. The times are very close and there are cars ahead of us which are there because they are running different tyres so I think I will have an advantage in the race. We have the option to make fewer pit stops.”

Schumacher Jr was three places behind Damon , in 11th, but he was only a tenth slower than Hill. He complained of traffic.

There was good news from Stewart in the form of Rubens BarricheUo in ninth position on the grid. The team has made a number of important changes to the car since the miserable time in Imola and Rubens had the advantage of

being able to use the latest version of the Ford VIO. This was not available for poor old Jan Magnussen, who is really not being given a great deal of help by the team at the moment. It looks, however, as though the team has moved away from the idea of using Magnussen as a scapegoat.

Jan suffered a string of mechani cal troubles which meant that 18th on the grid was not a bad effort, We have reached the 10th slot on the grid without reference to Williams, which is an amazing state of affairs given the team’s dominance of FI in recent years.

Jacques Villeneuve would probably have done a little better had he not gone off on his final flying run.

“I was trying harder and harder but as soon as I turned the wheel the rear snapped away. I caught it but by the time I had done that I was going straight into the sand...” he explained.

Barcelona is a track which requires a well-balanced car and it is quite clear that the WilliamsMecachrome FW20 is not a the easiest beast to drive and it does not look as though it is going to get a great deal better, although the team engineers are working on a new rear suspension to try to improve matters.

Heinz-Harald Frentzen was in similar problems and was only 13th on the grid. This did not look very good but it should be remembered that behind Herbert there were six cars covered by only 0.169s.

The last of this little group was Olivier Panis is his Prost-Peugeot.

There had been some pre-race trumpet-blowing about a new Peugeot evolution engine for qualifying and, if he had been 0.170s quicker, I dare say that there vvould have been a lot of words written about the improvement in perfor mance. But the tiniest little blink

can make all the differ ence and so the Peugeot qualifying engine went almost unnoticed.

Jarno Trulli was not happy at all with the handling of his Prost and one cannot help but think that his rapid rise to stardom meant that he was left with some lessons to be learned in setting-up FI cars. Jarno is philosophical about these things. He knows that he has to learn and that , he must be able to accept that there will be times when Panis is faster than he is. The score is currently 41 to Panis.

Jamo qualified 16th but was 0.8s ’slower than his team mate.

Fifteenth on the giid was Pedro Diniz in the Arrows, with his teammate Mika Salo behind him in 17th. The team decided that it was more important to spend last week sorting out the gearbox problems and so the recent Barcelona test was missed. This was the major reason for the Arrows lack of per formance, although the gains in reliability should pay off as the season goes on.

Nineteenth and 20th on the grid were the two Minardis, with Esteban Tuero again out-running the more experienced Shinji Nakano. It was about what the team expected, so there is little more that cane be said.

(Photos by Michael Cooper/AUSport and RaceAccess)

TyiTell was suffering badly with an engine failure upsetting things on Saturday. As a result of the lost time Toranosuke Takagi had two spins in qualifying while trying to push too hard and had to make do with 21st on the grid. He admitted that some of the problem had been of his own making, Ricardo Rosset failed to qualify missing the 107 per cent cut-off point by six- hundredths of a second. The Brazilian seems to be com pletely out of his depth in FI this year, which is strange given his previous speed in other formulae, The only conclusion is that all is not well in Ricardo’s head and in the circumstances it would perhaps be wiser to stop FI rather than con tinuing if his heart is not in it... _ .

KaC© - DO lapS The wasSunday a hint ofmorning what was warm-up to come in the afternoon, with Hakkinen 0.8s fastest than ,Coulthard and David a similar margin clear of the next man which, on this occasion, was Fisichella. V Also looking good wasiPanis in the Prost which had suddenly found a good balance. The Frenchman was faster than Michael Schumacher, making it a Bridgestone 1-2-3-4. The Goodyear troops looked wistfully to the sky for salvation but all that arrived was a helicopter bearing King Juan

Continued over page

32

22 May 1998

Barcelona Briefs n Minardi’s aerodynamicist Mariano Alperin is to move to British American Racing, along with Benetton’s team co-ordinator Greg Field, who will become BAR team manager. Benetton is in the process of choosing Field’s replacement and we hear that for mer Williams, March and Simtek man Charlie Moody has already been to visit the Benetton factory. n Jordan test driver Pedro de la Rosa was much in evidence at the Spanish GP and drove a Mercedes W196 Grand Prix car from the 1950s.

H Jean Alesi had a big day recently when French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl met for an economic summit in Jean’s home town of Avignon. The Sauber driver was called up by the local authorities to give the two statesman a quick tour of the city. n Aitows Grand Prix has hired Richard West to be its marketing and commercial manager. West has a long history in top line rac ing, including a long spell with McLaren. He then moved to TWR’s Silk Cut Jaguar team and then to Williams. In recent years he has been employed by Reynard.

B Jos Verstappen is due to test for Benetton this week at Jerez in southern Spain. The Dutchman’s hopes of a deal with Stewart Grand Prix are fading as Stewart seems to have decided to keep Jan Magnussen.

n Jordan has appointed John Davis to be its chief race engineer and head of research and develop ment. David joined the team last year to help to upgrade the Jordan windtunnel at Brackley. He has a long FI history, including spells at Team Lotus and at Ligier. n Goodyear is to introduce a completely new rear tyre at the forthcoming Monaco Grand Prix with a constniction which is very different to the existing tyres. The new rubber has been tested by both Williams and Ferrari and has produced encouraging results. n Among those spotted in the paddock at Barcelona were film star Anthony Quinn,former FI team boss Walter Wolf, King Juan Carlos, French film star Vincent Landon and the President of the International Olympic Committee Juan Antonio Samaranch. n Ron Dennis has revealed that Mika Hakkinen’s retirement at Imola was caused by counterfeit gearbox bearings. These had apparently got into the distribu tion system ofMcLaren’s suppli ers and are believed to have origi nated in the Far East. n We hear that the FIA is plan ning to move its headquarters from Paris to Geneva later this year to put the organisation outside Em'opean Union territory.

Switzerland is also the home ofover 150 international organisations, including the International Olympic Committee and various other worldwide sporting authorities.

-JOESAWARD

STILL LOOKING FOR THE STING... Damon Hill is struggling at Jordan. The former world champion tangled with the man who replaced him at Williams, Heinz-Harald ^rentzen, and later described the German as being “a brick short of the fuil load”.

Continued from page 31

sj

Carlos, who wandered around the paddock with an army of suited men with bulges under their arms looking for Basque terrorists.

The grid formed up as normal but as the field set off for the final parade lap, Diniz’s Arrows refused to fire up and the car had to be pushed into the pitlane, where the Arrows mechanics kick-started it into action.

The start was a McLarenMercedes benefit with both Hakkinen and Coulthard getting away well and slotting into the first corner in first and second places.

The Schumacher Brothers were rather less effective and both made

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Ferrari debuted its new ‘over the top’ exhaust system in Spain, the idea being to aid the aerodynamic flow ^ over the rear wing. Both F300s had good runs in the race, though Michael Schumacher is still not hearing the right(winning) noises.

very poor starts, which meant that Ralf disappeared into the back of the field and Michael slipped behind the fast-starting h-vine and Fisichella. Wurz also made a less than brilliant start and found him

self sixths

In the first corner Fisichella and Irvine were side-by-side with Giancarlo on the inside.

“He was on the outside,” Fisichella said later, “If I wanted to hold the position I could have done and we would have gone off but that would have achieved nothing. I let him in.”

Further back Barrichello and Villeneuve were able to get the jump on Hill and Herbert and so found themselves seventh and eighth at the end of the first lap.

In the midfield Heinz-Harald Frentzen was tipped into a spin by Alesi.

“I had passed him on the outside at'the hairpin,” Heinz explained later,j‘T was ahead but then he hit my rear wheel with his front and it spun me around.”

Heinz-Harald would pit at the end of the second lap and he then began an impressive charge through the field.

“I went for it,” he said. “I had nothing to lose. My car was much better in the race than it was in qualifying.”

The order quickly settled down and the McLarens began to pull away from the field Hakkinen building up a lead of 10s in the first 10 laps. Coulthard tried to keep up but there was nothing he could do.

“Mika was really at one with his car this weekend,” he admitted. “I wasn’t able to keep pace.”

Coulthard was, however, still able to pull out a seven second lead on Irvine, who had Fisichella in his mirrors. Behind them came Michael Schumacher and Wurz and then there was a big gap back to Barrichello and Villeneuve. The order remained imchanged until the first pit stops and there was little excitement to commend the race.

Having built the initial gap Hakkinen eased off a little, but he was still 14s ahead when he pit ted on lap 26. This put Coulthard into the lead for a lap but after his stop he was still 15s behind the Finn. In the middle section of the Coulthard was able to hold the gap and as a result was ahead again for a lap when Hakkinen stopped on lap 45. This time Mika’s advantage was seriously dented as there were several cars in the pits at the same time and to avoid an incident the McLaren men held him a little longer than normal. His IN and

OUT laps were also slower than those of Coulthard and so, sudden ly, David was only 4.6s behind Mika.

And then Mika put the hammer down and the gap began to grow again. David got the message and the two McLarenS sailed through the final stint to win in dominant form, recording their third 1-2 of the season.

Behind the two McLarens Irvine and Fisichella pitted together on lap 25. Michael Schumacher stayed out for two extra quick laps and this meant that he was able to get ahead of both his team-mate and Fisichella. He need not have both ered because, on lap 29 the two took each other out of the race.

It was a reverse situation to the one at the first corner, with Fisichella challenging Eddie around the outside on this occasion.

And, inevitably, it ended in tears, because Irvine has a different phi losophy to other drivers.

“At the start when he was trying to overtake me I let him in,” said Fisichella, “but in this case when I was overtaking him he did not think in the same way.”

Irvine’s view was very simple.

“They should all know by now that I don’t lift off for anybody,” he commented.

As Fisichella held his line, Irvine realised that there was going to be a crash. He braked and, as he did it, the rear of the car broke loose and the Ferrari rammed into the Benetton. Both men were out.

Everyone is quick to blame Irvine for such incidents but, in this case, it was simply a difference in the philosophy of the two drivers.

Fisichella realises that scoring points is all about finishing races and is willing to lift to avoid an accident. Iiwine will not lift for any one.

The fact that the FIA stewards decided to blame Fisichella is more a comment on the gentlemen in blazers than on Fisichella’s con duct. Perhaps it would have been wiser for the stewards to credit Fisichella $7500 for avoiding an avoidable accident at the first cor ner...

With Fisichella and Irvine gone Schumacher was left in a fairly solid third place, but he had his work cut out when the FIA gave him a lOsec stop-go penalty for speeding in the pitlane during his first stop. Michael knew had done it and had been hoping that the race director had not noticed. Charlie Whiting does not miss much...

The penalty put him behind Wurz but he charged back and a

33

22May 1998 good stop by the Ferrari crew on lap 48 put him back to third.

Wurz finished fourth - his third of the year - which was a bonus for the team and puts the Austrian in fifth place in the World Championship.

The Pisichella-Irvine crash pro moted Barrichello to fifth place, but he had his work cut out to keep ahead of Villeneuve and Herbert.

The pattern- would repeat itself right through the race - the pit stops made no difference - and the three finished in close order in fifth, sixth and seventh places.

It was an encouraging result for Stewart, which is a team that need ed some encouragement after a miserable start to the year.

Hopefully there is still a lot more to come. It was a less successful day for Magnussen, but he finished 12th and hoped that it would be the start of a more successful period in his career.

Villeneuve’s race was a fmstrating one but there is little the Wilhams team can do until the new rear end appears which will make the car easier to drive. Jacques reckoned that he might have beaten Rubens if there had not been anoth er problem with the refiieUing flap.

Frentzen drove a pretty good race given his misfortunes at the start. He chased hard and worked his way up. Just after his pit stop he accidentally got in the way of Hill, which sent the Englishman on a rough ride across a sandtrap. In the closing laps he closed in on the battle for eighth between Trulli, Alesi and Ralf Schumacher. He slipped past Alesi and Ralf with four laps to go and managed to exploit a mistake by Trulli on the very last lap to grab the place.

Herbert’s seventh position was not a bad result but he was very disappointed at having made such

a poor start which deprived him of the chance to score points. His team-mate Alesi was also annoyed by the incident with Frentzen on the first lap as he felt this had rained his race. He also had a prob lem with the refuelling rig at his first stop so he had to pit early for the second stop.

Eighth place would have gone to Fanis’s Frost but, for the fourth consecutive race, the Frenchman retired in the closing laps of a race with mechanical trouble. This time the throttle hydraulics were to blame. TraUi was driving good race until he began to suffer from tyre vibration - caused by a tyre which had turned on the rim - which forced him to make an early second stop. He then gave away eighth place on the last lap because he thought that Frentzen was a lap ahead and that the blue flags being waved were directed at him...

It was not a good day for Jordan, although Ralf Schumacher did eventually get to the finish in 11th place. Hill did not make it, retiring with engine failure while running in ninth position on lap 47.

Takagi brought the Tyrrell home in 13th position with not a great deal to report, while the two Minardis finished nose-to-tail in 14th and 15th places, Nakano beat ing Tuero on this occasion. The Argentine driver had lost a lot time because of a 10-sec stop-go penalty for speeding during his pit stop.

Neither Arrows made it to the finish both retiring at the same moment with engine failure.

The Spanish GF will not be remembered as a great race but it was a fair indication that on nor mal tracks this year, McLaren is not going to be beaten.

At Monaco, where Schumacher magic can take over, it may be a different story...

Spanish Grand Prix World Championship Round 5 Catalunya, Barcelona, May 10th -65 laps

M. Hakkinen

I

went to Spain absolutely still thought it was worth trying determined to get things i the options on Saturday mornback on track and to score mg. some points after three dis When we managed a 20-lap appointing outings since run without any problem, I fig> Melbourne. And it almost ured it was worth taking the happened. gamble. Nobody else did, At the end of the Spanish including my team-mate Jean Grand Prix, though, 1 was Alesi.. kicking myself over and over I decided not to go out for my after losing the chance of fifth fourth run because the only two place the moment that the likely challengers were red,lights went out'at the Barrichello and Villeneuve. start. In that one moment, all When it became clear that nei the good work we had put in ther was going to pose a threat I during practice and qualify decided it was more sensi ing went out of the window. I Last year I was always one ble to save a new set of was gutted. tyres for the race. ofthe best startersy but Our qualifying hasn’t been great this year, since I was, sitting on despite practising a lot this Sothethere grid, with many Australia, so on Friday we things apparently in my deliberately concentrated all day on getting a good bal season I still haven Y got them favour. But I made such a bad start that Villeneuve, ance on the c_ar..lt helped right. Itjust hasn’t clicked. Barrichello and Hill all that we had been testing at jumped me. I was livid with the track for four days the previous week, but so, of course, again the conditions had changed, myself. Last year I was always one of the best starters, but despite had everyone else. At least we but again Gii and I worked careful practising a lot this season I still knew what we were looking for, but ly and dialled that out.

By qualifying the car felt the haven’t got them right. It just hasn’t the weather was better, with higher ambient temperature. That would same as it had on that last Friday clicked. run, but unfortunately some others My race wasn’t bad. I was affect our set-ups. improved, as I had expected they pleased that I kept the tyres at would. The Benettons got into their their best, although I couldn’t really On Friday morning I had the stride, and so did the Ferraris. lean on them when the fuel load usual problem of understeer going into corners, and oversteer Michael, in particular, put in a was at its lowest as I was worried coming out. But my engineer Gil storming performance to take third they wouldn’t stand much treat and I worked hard and each on the grid. ment at that stage.

But I was reasonably happy change we tried made the han But I just couldn’t slipstream dling better. By my last run of the with seventh place, although we anyone. I could get close to day we had ironed out most of the still have a lot of hard work ahead Jacques, but there was no chance imbalance. I knew that the race if we are to close the gap to those to pass. Even Michael said the same thing. I did get alongside would be all about looking after the in front of us.

Tyres were the crucial thing last Jacques in the third corner, on the tyres, just as I did last year, so neutral balance was imperative. weekend, and I had a little bit of first lap, just after I’d disposed of The car felt good, and we ended good fortune there. The softer Damon. But he just accelerated the day third fastest, behind those compound Goodyear option tyre away.

I also had an exhaust problem all-conquering McLarens. It was a just hadn’t wanted to live long enough in testing, so most people 10 or so laps into the race, though good start.

I wasn’t kidding myself; I knew were already looking at the harder it didn’t really affect the performance. we’d be lucky to stay that high, but prime tyre choice.

On Friday I’d tried the options Our pit stops were great, and I thought a top 10 slot was on the cards. Anything higher than that again, and while I was quite happy the car was reliable, but it all came with them, Goodyear didn’t think down to the start and I got it was going to be a bonus.

Saturday began with yet more / they’d last enough to race. They wrong. Believe me, I was the most understeer then oversteer because advised other runners of this, but I disappointed man on the team.

1h33m37.621s 196.863kph McLaren-Mercedes MP4/13 1 h33m47.060s 2 D. Coulthard 1h34m24.716s 3 M. Schumacher Ferrari F300 Benetton-Mecachrome B198 1 h34m40.159s 4 , A. Wurz Stewart-Ford SF2 5 R. Barrichello 64 laps Williams-Mecachrome FW20 6 J. Villeneuve 64laps Sauber-Petronas Cl7 7 J. Herbert 64 laps Williams-Mecachrome FW20 8 H.H. Frentzen 63 laps 9 J. Trulli 63 laps Prost-Peugeot AP01 10 J. Alesi Sauber-Petronas Cl7 63 laps 11 R. Schumacher Jordan-Mugen-Honda 198 63 laps Stewart-Ford SF2 63 laps 12 J. Magnussen 13 R. Rosset 63 laps Tyrrell-Ford 026 Minardi-Ford Ml98 14 S. Nakano 63 laps Minardi-Ford Ml98 15 E. Tuero ' 63 laps 63 laps 16 O. Panis Prost-Peugeot AP01 1

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McLaren-Mercedes MP4/13

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Fastest Lap: Hakkinen, lap 25, 1m 24.275s Lap Leaders: Lap 1 to 65 Hakkinen.

Retirements; Arrows A19 engine Lap 20 P. Diniz Arrows A19 engine Lap 21 M. Salo accident Irvine Benetton-Mecachrome B198 Lap 28 G.Fisichella accident with Fisichella Ferrari F300 Lap 28 E. Irvine engine Jordan-Mugen-Honda 198 Lap 46 D. Hill gearbox Prost-Peugeot AP01 Lap 60 O. Panis Drivers World Championship Hakkinen 36, Coulthard 29, Schumacher 24. Irvine 11. Wurz 9. Frentzen 8, , Villeneuve 6, Alesi 3, Barrichello 2, Herbert and Fisichella 1.

Constructors’ Championship McLaren-Mercedes 65, Marlboro-Ferrari 35, Williams 14, Benetton-Playlife 10, Sauber-Petronas 4, Stewart 2.

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34

22 May 1998

Chinese WRC on for ’99: Mosley V

McRae doubles up

By PETER WHITTEN

RALLYING will be the first form of motorsport to have a championship round in the People’s Republic of China.

FIA President Max Mosley has announced that the China Rally will be included in an expanded version of the World Rally Championship calendar next year.

"We can anticipate that China will be on the 1999 calen dar." Mosley has said that the number of Rallies will proba bly not be increased from the present number, 14.

"The problem is logistics and transport for the teams.

Before we increase the number, we have to discuss it with

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all the people concerned."

He admitted that one of the rallies currently on the cal endar could go saying, "the most determining criterion would be safety of spectators."

Subaru have announced their intentions to compete in the 555-sponsored China Rally, and Prodrive boss David Richards has committed that the team will send both Colin McRae and Piero Liatti in Impreza World Rally Cars.

Peugeot to build WRC car PEUGEOT is set to announce its full return to World Champ ionship rallying in 1999 with an all new fourwheel-drive turbocharged World Rally Car The French car maker has scored some giant-killing performances in recent tarmac rounds of the World Champion ship with its 306 KiGCar but the company believes it can recapture THE END?.. Deiecour’s Corsica second could be it for the 306 kit car. the success of its legendary 206 T16 Group B car of the mid under the WRC code homologating a small 1980s. number of competition kits for a mass sell The company has been almost impossible ing model allows them back in at a reason able cost. to beat in World Champ F2 competition on Peugeot’s return to the World Rally cham tarmac including second place outright on the recent Rally of France on Corsica in the pionship may mean some changes in the hands of Francois Delecour but front drive company’s attitude to FI in which its VIO two litre normally aspirated Kit Car has engine has struggled since debuting with McLaren in 1993. It still seems as far off the never had any major outings on the dirt.

The World Rally Car rules have allowed pace as it ever did and may even be scraped Peugeot to contemplate a return to outright if the company can vrin in the rally arena.

The new car, the Peugeot 207 WRC,is set competition which it abandoned at the end to be announced in Paris in early June with of 1987 when Group B rales came to an end.

Manufacturers no longer have to make a debut at the start of the 1999 season in 2500 homologation specials which are often Monte Carlo.

-JON THOMSON hard to sell in full turbo 4WD trim, instead

COLIN McRae won the Tour de Corse, the sixth round of the World Rally Championship, to put his campaign firmly on com^e for a second WRC title.

The Scot won the first stage of the rally and was in com mand from then on.

The changeable conditions forced difficult tyre choices from all the drivers, and on the first two days made the going tougher for the lightweight two-wheel-drive cars.

But McRae, in the Subaru, established his advantage then and held it to the finish. The Scot won in Corsica last year, but Subaru’s performance in the recent Catdunya Rally did not auger well.

But he was always in a class slightly above the opposition.

Only Carlos Sainz seemed to have the pace to challenge and his effort was halted by a puncture on the last leg. Sainz had decided to run a stage without the ATS mousse inserts in his tyres to save weight on a 25km stage, but paid the penalty, puncturing and having to stop and change the wheel.

A single point was the only reward for Didier Amiol - who

TWO for 555...

McRae (top) took his sec ond win of’98 ahead of the pack (Photo by RaceAccess)

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Find us on internet: f http://www.stuckey.com.au

■/

in touch but Bruno Thity held on well to take some points, while Juha Kankkxmen’s bitu men bogie continued. Ninth place was the best the fourtime World Champion could muster.

The win takes McRae into the lead for the World Championship and Subaru to the top of the Manufactm’ers title table by two points from Carlos Sainz, with Burns a fur ther four points back.

Wet conditions early in the event hampered the Formula 2 runners, but Peugeot’s Francois Delecour stormed through the stages to eventual ly finish second, just 28 sec onds behind winner McRae. Manfi-ed Stohi won the Group N contest in his Mitsubishi.

-PETER WHITTEN

Guest gets Mad Australian Group N champion moves to revive his career after six months on the sideline.

il

8 CSainz/LMoya Toyota Corolla WRC 4h06:50.4 4h07;34.5 9 J Kankkunen/J Repo Ford Escort WRC 4h10:59.1 10 P Magaud/M Perin Citroen Xsara Drivers points: McRae 24, Sainz 22, Bums 18, Kankkunen 16, Aurioi 15, Makinen 14, Loix 10.

Manufacturers points: Subaru 35, Toyota and Mitsubishi 32, Ford 25.

Formula 2: Peugeot 52,Seat 33, VW 17. Hyundai 8.

Group N: Stohi 50. Trelles 34, Climent 24.

also lost time on the last leg when a turbo pipe came adrift - was little reward for Toyota, which looked as if it could win early in the event.

The Mitsubishis of Tommi Makinen and Richard Burns both retired, the first time that Mitsubishi has failed to score points since this rally last year.

Both problems were quite minor but had terminal i-esults. Makinen’s car refused to start before ,a stage due to water getting into the ECU. Burns has a minor off, bend ing a track control arm, but without service before the longest stage of the rally its eventual failure was almost inevitable, rendering a further 40 mile drive to service impos sible.

The Fords were never quite

By JON THOMSON MICHAEL Guest has secured a sponsor for the Rally Queensland and possibly the remainder of 1998 as the twice

VIC: Stuckey Tyre Service Ph:(03) 9386 5331 Fax:(03)9383 2514 SA: The Mag Wheel Centre Ph:(08) 8269 4100 Fax:(08) 8269 7805 T, yy NSW:Stuckey Tyre Service si Ph:(02) 9676 8655 Fax:(02) 9676 5300 1*bT ?1 QLD: Road & Race Spare Parts Vj Ph:(07) 3279 1533 Fax:(07) 3376 5804 pi WA: Kostera's Tyre Service Ph:(09) 293 3500 Fax:(09) 293 1355 Ti TAS: Bob's Speed Shop Ph:(03) 6273 7555 Fax:(03) 6273 7666 r.

Results, 1998 Tour de Corse WRC round 6

1 C McRae/N Grist Subaru Impreza WRC4h02m46.9s 4h03:14.l 2 F Delecour/D Grataloup Peugeot 306 3 P Liatti/F Pons !Subaru Impreza WRC 4h03:16.9 4h03:23.0 4 G Panizzi/H Panizzi Peugeot 306 4h03:32.7 Ford Escort WRC 5 B Thiry/S Prevot 4h05;26.2 6 D Auriol/D Giraudet Toyota Corolla WRC 4h06;48.0 7 F Doenlen/J-M Andrie Citroen Xsara

The sponsor. Home Entertainment, is backing Guest and his Subara will wear sig nage for its Mad Katz range of computer game steering wheels.

According to Guest, Rally Queensland will be used as a shakedown for his major goals this year, an all out attack on Group N in the Rally of New Zealand in late July and Rally Australia later in the year. He will also com pete in the Southern Safari in July and the rally of Melbourne in late August.

“I don’t really care if I come first or fom'th in Queensland, the main aim is to get some practice and get back in the swing of things, my main aim being to win Group N in NZ,” said Guest.

“I want to do more World Championship rallies in 1999 and I am working toward that at the moment.

“It has been good having six months off to have a rest. It makes you hungry and eager to get back out there.

“I didn’t want to go back out and do Group N again in the ARC this year, winning two championships is enough, I need new chal lenges and have to keep moving up - the WRC is the next goal!” he added.

“It is fantastic to have a sponsor after what has been a tough time looking for money to mount a campaign and I hope this can lead to bigger things,” said Guest.

Guest’s 1997 sponsor Sony Playstation dumped the young Newcastle driver and has taken up the naming rights sponsorship for the Round Australia Rally in September.

“It was very disappointing, we thought they would come back in and kept putting us off and now we find out they have gone with the Round Australia, still we’ve got some backing now so it doesn’t matter,” he said.

He says he would like to compete in the Round Australia but believes it will only happen if someone offers him a drive. The young Newcastle flyer placed second outright in the last Round Australia in 1995.

22M3y^998

By BRIAN REED THE introduction of sepa rate competitions for Historic and Classic cars in this year’s Targa Tasmania was a welcome initiative and helped swell the entry list by encouraging some very interesting vehicles.

John Link’s massive 1921 14.5-litre Simplex La France created lots of interest wher ever it went and was the largest, heaviest and tallest machine taking part.

However, its owner was quick to point out that it wasn’t the slowest, having eclipsed one other car in the Prologue at Georgetown.

It also wasn’t the oldest.

This honour went to the superb 1915 American Locomobile with Nick Langford and Mike Dodds aboard. The Locomobile was discovered as a wreck in the Arizona desert and has been lovingly restored in recent years. Sadly it developed cracks in its wooden wheels and wasn’t able to complete the demanding 2,100km. course.

Australia’s top production car racer Peter Fitzgerald was a last minute inclusion in the field when former German Formula One driver Jochen Mass was unable to make the trip down under due to work commitments in Europe, Mass was listed to drive the limited-production Porsche 356B coupe which was air freighted from the Porsche museum in Stuttgart especial ly for the event. Fitzgerald was having his first drive in an Historic event, although he had previously competed suc cessfully in Targa Tasmania with a besj; placing of fifth outright in 1996 driving his Porsche 968.

The saga of the Targa l^hoto by. Brian Reed

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GET THIS NUMBER A BIGGER CAR!... The two have almost 15 litres of engine capacity. Most of the ccs are in John Link’s 1921 Simplex La France. And no, Mark Webber isn’t driving the Goggomobile at Le Mans - at ieast, not the Dart...

“It’s a real honour to be asked to drive such a rare and important car,” Fitzgerald said. “This is the 911 RS CS of its era and it very clearly shows how Porsche developed its reputa tion as the world’s greatest sportscar maker,” he said.

German navigator, motor ing writer and photographer Michael Petersen teamed with Fitzgerald to win the Classic competition in the aluminium-bodied, 142hp. quad-cam, 2-litre coupe.

A second car from the Porsche collection of 330 cars was driven by the museum’s curator Klaus Bischof with

Baskerville turns 40

By BRIAN REED FORTY years of “True Motor Racing” was cele brated at Tasmania’s Baskerville Raceway on April 18 and 19 - Australia’s oldest continuously used race track.

Back in 1958, land was made available by Calin Morrisby for volunteers of the Hobart Sporting Car Club to prepare the foundations, and the task of laying the sevenmetre wide bitumen track was contracted to the Public Works Department.

A crowd of more than 20,000 fans attended the open ing meeting on 1 February 1958, and according to 40th anniversary event co-ordinator Andrew Lamont, “It caused Tasmania’s biggest traffic jam, and a 20km drive from Hobart took four hours.”

One of the pioneers of Baskerville, Lyn Archer, who won a sports car race at the inaugural meeting in his “bob tail” Cooper said, “The traffic was queued up for five miles.

The cars (and tempers) were overheating.”

A report in the Mercury next day (2 February 1958) said

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“Tasmania’s top (motorcycle) rider Dave Powell fell twice during the program, once at speed, without injury. He went on to win a later race ; “A highlight of the day wa5 the battle between Ray Long and Lou Kingsley, and Donald Gorringe and Don Elliott in their sports cars.”

Other top Tasmanians to appear in the results were Dick Crawford (Morris Major), Lyn Archer (Cooper Climax), Robin Bessant (MG TC Special) and John Youl (Porsche Super).

Lyn Archer was back behind the wheel 40 years later, this time driving his Elfin open wheeler. “It was fabulous to be able to drive there after, winning on the first day,” he said.

I ran the Elfin on a five-lap demonstration four times dur

the mechanic who looks after the entire collection, Hermann Ruettger as navi gator. Their car was an opentop 356 American Roadster and finished a creditable sec ond. in class.

The presence of these two valuable museum pieces was especially significant as 1998 represents fifty years of Porsche. The factory is mak ing every effort 4o celebrate this important anniversary by making available many of the cars for Historic race meetings and displays at events throughout the world.

Targa Tasmania 1998 was a case of peacocks to feather

dusters for Craig Williams and Greg Hewson. Last year their 1963 Speedwell Mini Sprint was judged “Best Presented Car” at the Silverdome in Launceston.

This year it’s a mangled mess after first going over an embankment into the trees below, rejoining and then being rolled in spectacular fashion to add further insult to injury.

Fortunately both driver and navigator escaped with all but their pride intact, and the car is now at British Sporting Cars P/L in Bendigo undergoing a total rebuild.

The aim? To be ready for

Targa Tasmania 19991 THE Historic and Classic competitions in Targa Tasmania have been given equal status with the Modern category with all three competitions having their own result classifi cations at the end.

Being the first time for the new regulations there were a number of problems, some of which affected the interna tional teams.

With a little work and some fine tuning, the Historic competition in particular has the potential to be the big growth area of Targa Tasmania in futui'e.

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DA Y ONE... The fieid looked different and the crowd was huge at Baskervilie in 1958.

Hudson Special and tuned Archer’s Austin Healey back in 1 954. “He (Crawford) is about 80, you know, and still raced

until about two years ago. He hardly missed a meeting, “There were also lots of early officials - it was fabulousl” said Archer, A display of notable vehicles included Sir Jack Brabham’s world championship winning BT-19 FI car along with an ing the weekend. It made my Ariel 500 and Manx Norton weekend. that competed at the opening “I met people I hadn’t seen for so meeting in 1958. A medallion long - John Youl, Robin Bessant, John McCormack and Mick Watt ● was presented to all who parwho built two famous Ford 10 ticipated at that first meeting. and former racing champion Specials, one of which is now John Harvey was guest speakowned by Ian Tate,” Archer said.

He spoke enthusiastically er at the “Back to the Ville” lunch held in the Legends about Dick Crawford, who -with Earl Davey-Milne built the Marquee.

THE Olde BP Rally 1998 has been run and with the won, Presentation Night to be held at the June meeting of the Historic Rally Association at the Caulfield RSL, St."" Georges Rd., Elsternwick on Wednesday, June 10.

Meals will be available from 7pm, and a video of the 1998 event, courtesy of Graeme Wakeling and his crew will be shown.

There will be some special guests on hand to present the awards.

In the word of rally director Bob Watson, “it was a tough event.” In spite of the challenges, he said the rally was run in great spirit and he paid tribute to his co-directors Raymond Daniel and Rob Knight, the organising committee and the many officials who banded together to make the Olde BP Rally such a success.

As for the next one that will depend on the level of demand from com petitors and the willing ness of someone to take on ■the organising role. (I reckon 2000 is looking good!)

Results (Top 10): 1. Naish/Runnalls (Datsun) 2. Devenish/Wylie (Datsun) 3. Upton/Laidlay (Datsun) 4. Wallis/NIchoIas (Peugeot) 5. Riseborough/Smith (Cortina) 6. Perkins/Bashford (Holden) 7. Fernie/Smalley (Datsun) 8. Reynolds/Osborne (VW) 9. Lee/Lee (Triumph) 10. Thompson/Siler (Datsun).

■ The 22nd Historic Winton meeting will be held this weekend, May 30-31, and will feature 44 events (27 for cars and 17 for motorcycles) at the popular circuit near Benalla.

The Austin 7 Club has received some 270 car entries plus 110 bikes, making it one of the biggest Historic meetings in Australia.

Practice gets underway at 9-30 on Saturday with races to follow, and a full day’s racing will start at 9-30 on Sunday morning.

Full on-course catering is available and there will be car parks set aside for enthusiasts and various clubs - always a feature at Winton.

A full report and results will appear in the next issue.'

- BRIAN REED

and now for the ultimate gift

Dear Santa, I know this is not a motorcycle magazine but we found details of this new Honda bike on the internet.

Honda has built a replica of their first racing bike, the CRllO. It is called the CB50, is a 49cc twin cam four-stroke single, which revs to 14,500 revs and cranks out 14hp.

The bike is for the Japanese market only and has sold like crazy, but some Tokyo dealers are selling them for export for around $4800.

The best thing is they only weight 81kg so you will not do your back getting it out of the sled!

Best regards Santa, Philip.

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22MayW8

Winning is everything With a new race team behind him, Winston Cup legend Darrell Waltrip is girding his loinsfor thefinal sprintforfurther NASCAR glory. had I’ve ‘JAWS’ was a name Darrell tually owe me, some wonder that’s it.

It’s Waltrip was given by Gale ful offers from Yarborough in the heyday of just too much. some car own That’s really his controversial career - but, ers who are in what happened. as that career winds down, he real dilemmas this When now has new nicknames and themselves.

‘Or DW’ is more typical for sponsor thing Some that went south, I NASCAR’s elder statesman have no dri said, ‘that’s it, I these days. vers, but spon And many feel that, before don’t want to be sors and some a car owner people forget how good Darrell, that have dri now aged 51, really was in the anymore, it’s vers and no too many peak of career, he should hang sponsors, so headaches.’ up his silver driving boots and you can see helmet for his ovm sake.

I just wanna the connection get out of that Waltrip formed his own team there. role and I after leaving Hendrick I’ve taken wanna drive a Motoi’sports in 1990. He then advantage of lost sponsor Western Auto at race car. one of those I need to the end of 1997, but picked up with Dale prove to every new backer, Speedblock and Earnhardt Inc one I can still HQ, a DIY store, just prior to but I owe it to get the job Daytona. the 45 people However, they did not fulfil done, that I’m a that worked their sponsorship agreement driver and I for me and with Waltrip and, following haven’t forgot have for quite Atlanta, he removed their ten how to a while to be drive. decals from the #17 car. sure that my Even though It didn’t take long for rumours to circulate around I get out there team stays intact and that the garage area of Waltrip’s some Sundays they don’t retirement and impending sale and I’m smart close the doors enough and old of h^s team, the latter happen and auction ing In mid-March to a Texas enough to know businessman. everything off. to get out of the So that’s way and not Waltrip, now in his 27th year really what with the series, has 84 career make a fool of I’m trying to victories and ranks as equal myself by run do. third with Bobby Allison on the ning over some aU-time win list.

When you body, or run sell a Winston He once won seven events in ning into some Cup team, it’s a row, starting in 1980 at body in a car not like selling Bristol, regarded by many as that’s just not a used car. the toughest track on the tour - up to the speed There’s a lot in March, he took a champion’s that it needs to MORE TO COME... Darrell Waltrip has targeted 1999 as his final year. be to be com of inventory. I provisional and finished 23rd. driver/owner. It’s too hard. own 10 acres of land, a 40,000 petitive, you just can’t ride around While the newly-named TJ When I started this race team in square foot building, a truck team, a Motorsports has closed its on these race tracks and be a halfsecond off.

1991, you took the sponsor’s money, Winston Cup team, two haulers, 50 doors to regroup over the com engines, 12 race cars, 45 people and You get lapped all the time and, you spent it and you went'out and ing months, when the operation reopens, D.W. will be back when you get out of the way you get raced and there were a couple of all that goes into making it happen. multi-car teams and that was it. behind the wheel of the familiar all that rubber and stuff on your It’s not an easy thing to do, to tyres and you’re car won’t drive #17 again.

But, with the budgets these find someone first of all that can With his last win coming at right, so you have to park it - that’s teams have today, if you get a good afford to buy it, then second, some guy working for you these days, one one who wants to buy it and then Darlington in 1992, Waltrip l the bottom line. reaUy needs to prove his critics “I told my team time you gotta work out all the details. wrong. and time again they’re Maybe his brief association fortunate enough to I have no regrets with Dale Earnhardt to drive have me as a driver about forming my own team. the #1 Pennzoil Monte Carlo, as because, if they didn’t, I think it was some relieffor the injured Steve Park they’d be doing a lot of in the coming months, will be bodywork, because thing I had to do - it his best chance in a good many anybody else would was just one of those drive this car until years. things I just had to do.

Darrell Waltrip reflected they wrecked it and upon his current status within then they’d load up Having worked for Junior Johnson and the sport with Motorsport and take it home. I News' Stateside representative, own the stupid thing, Rick Hendrick, Rick MARTEN D CLARK. so I can’t do that. was really the one Greg Sacks at who inspired me to do Rockingham dumped it, ’cause I could see what he was able to Thad actually been negotiat- oil on the track in front do.

I ing with Tim Beverley for a of me, but when we got J-period of time, as he was to Las Vegas at the I wouldn’t say Rick SUBSTITUTE... Waltrip at Bristol behind the wheel of Dale interested in buying my Winston next race he ran up to encouraged me, but me and he was shak Earnhardt’s Pennzoil Monte Carlo. (Taylor/Allsport pics) Cup team, so the negotiations were he thought it was the i accelerated because of the sponsor ing in his boots and he right thing for me to I says, ‘I’m sorry Darrell, I didn’t of those bigger teams is snatching do. situation.

I can deal with the guys on a day know it was gonna blow up right in them up and paying them more The first two or three years it to day basis, the 40 guys that work front and throw all that oil out.’ money. was really fun. Putting it together at Darrell Waltrip Motorsports, the I hugged his neck and said thank It’s just too many headaches. It’s was fun, seeing it come up and see role changes and all that goes into you very much. I wanted to do that just not a battle that one guy from ing it win a race was fun, seeing all a Winston Cup race team. [hit the wall] myself, but I wasn’t Franklin, Tennessee, wants to fight that happen was fiin.

But, when I get to the point brave enough to get out of that by himself But then it got into that routine where I have to start taking legal joint!

You feel like you went to a gun- of maintaining it - I think that where the driver/owner fails is action against a sponsor to be able I’d just like to get myself in a fight with a knife and that knife to get the money that they position where I can be a race car wasn’t even sharp - that’s the prob maintaining some kinda momen promised me, or that they contrac- driver and not a race car lem. tum.

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I won five races. I won two in ’91 and I won three in ’92 and I felt like I had it figured out. I can do this, this is a piece of cake.

I think you lose your focus; you kinda put it on cruise, thinking it will take care of itself and it won’t.

I think the excitement of all that happening keeps you going.

It’s new cars, new trucks, new shop, everything’s new. But, when that new wears off, you gotta main tain that program to keep it going. I think you lose your interest.

I should have stayed affiliated with Rick. I had the best of every thing, but, as I said, I wanted to do it myself.

I don’t think I was being selfish. I don’t think it was my ego, it’s just how I became involved in the Sport to the point where I just wanted to do my own deal.

I don’t think there is a man, or woman, who can’t look back five years and take something back that happened to them. l LFnfortunately, it just doesn’t work that way.

It really was gratifying to me to get some of the phone calls I have gotten, offering me opportunities.

That in itself told me that I might be crazy, but there’s a whole bunch of people out there who might be as crazy as I am.

In all honesty, that made me say, ‘well I’m gonna keep going, ’cause there’s an awful lotta people who think I should and there’s only a handful who think I shouldn’t!’

I think a lot of us owner/drivers and single car teams feel like we’re being outnumbered when you go to negotiate with sponsors.

You’re one guy; you can’t offer an A,B,C, D, E; you’ve only got one plan, you’ve only got one car, you only got one driver, you got all your eggs in one basket.

Sometimes you just get over whelmed by this sport.

One of the things you don’t do very well as an owner/driver is you don’t make good business deci sions.

You tend to deal from the heart and you get attached to things and attached to situations and attached to people that you can’t break away from.

It would be my anticipation that Tim Beverley, my new owner, is a very wise businessman that would look at numbers and results and he would make decisions based on hard facts, instead on emotions, which is what I tend to do.

I’m a people person and I have a soft heart - the problem with that is where I’m at.

I love what I do. As aggi-avated as 1 get and as non-productive as it can be sometimes, that race track is still out there and, as long as that race track is still out there, then that challenge is still out there.

I can’t quit chasing that dream I had the first time I ever won a race out there.

Right now. I’m trying to use the rest of this year to try to get the team to where we can get some what competitive and, if that hap pens, you can look at ’99 as being my final year - but all these things are about trying to win a race, that’s om- goal, that’s om- push.”

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22M3^W8

37

Luck favours Martin over Gordon t

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Wallace made what he termed Jeff Gordon stamped his to 19 drivers, plus the winner of would be inverted for the next segWhen they took the green for the authority all over The Winston, The Winston Open, a 50-lapper for ment. the stupidest mistake of his career, second time, Gordon made no such held under the lights of the allcomers, unlike the main event, The wheel stopped on four, mean ending what could have been a mistakes and pulled away froffi Charlotte Motor Speedway on which only features past race, or ing the first driver home would strong run in a wicked-looking Martin. Until the final lap The May 16, but when the white flag championship winners and car start fourth and the fourth driver Penske horse.

Winston was a Gordon runaway, as he was in a different time zone waved on the final lap, his owners of previous Winston win- would start first.

He received some damage to his ners.

For Gordon, this would mean he door in the Irwin altercation and Hendi'ick Chevy lost both domi but the rest is history. nation and fuel to hand the win would start fourth in the second looked over to examine the wrin To set the grid for ThetWinston Martin, on four new Goodyears, over to Mark Martin.

Open, two Friday night qualifying heat, as he won, quite convincingly, kles, rear-ending Dale Jarrett, passed B Labonte as he accepted Racing fuel costs around $4 per events are held. The No Bull 25s, the first event, damaging the nose and the car’s the ’White flag and drove around Gordon in turn one. two 25 lap heats.

The first lap spelt trouble for aero effect. gallon, but, for the fuel misers on Gordon’s team, the mistake cost Points leader Jeremy Mayfield Ernie Irvan, who was contacted by Results, segment two: Martin, For Labonte, it was the second them the $200,000 winners purse made easy work of the first heat Darrell Waltrip and sent packing Gordon, JaiTett, B Labonte, Marlin, year in a row he finished second and a shot at their second consecu J Burton, R Wallace, G Bodine. over Johnny Benson, the returned into the wall. and for Jarrett, third was his best tive Winston and third of his Mike Skinner, Wally Dallenbach Darrell did his normal deal,” Pit stops after the second event Winston result.

Irvan said. saw Gordon and Bobby Labonte career.

Martin romped away with “I’d rather run in “They threw the taking on right side tyres and the $257,500 for his troubles on a the middle of the green and he remainder of the pack four, so sticky Saturday night in front of was on his way Gordon headed the fi-ay. around 100,000 cheering fans. pack all day, or at to the back. We the tail of the field The final 10-lapper started with Final results: Martin, B Labonte, were all trying Gordon jumping the restart, the Jarrett, J Burton, R Wallace, all day long, instead of taking Marlin, Elliott, G Bodine, yellow lights soon flashing as the to pass him on the outside and Hamilton, Bickle. the white flag and pack regrouped - that mistake pos - MARTIN D CLARK he slid up and sibly cost Gordon the win. run out of gas and hit me in the lose the race like quarter panel.” this,” said Gordon.

- Texas and Martinsville, but they After the “This is my kind tested twice at Talladega and felt restart. Dale of race, this is this confident of a good result. team’s kind of race; Earnhardt spun Sadly, Green was unable to in turn four, I just hope that we %; qualify and Bechtel announced ( '3 luckily without learnt something that, with no sponsor coming forr contact with the tonight that we can IVk I 3 ward to help back a team that wall or other run this well next . does not make races, he will weekend at the competitors.

I close the team.

The Intimidator Coca-Cola 600.”

ByMaitiin O'Clarl I Green wi l l remain on the pitted to make Last year, the * team's payrol l until he finds team won the event major suspen another ride, while Diamond sion adjust Darrell Waltrip has signed a with an experimen Ridge will continue to run their contract with TJ Motorsports HAPPY CAMPER... A grateful Mark Martin. (Taylor/Allsport) ments to the tal chassis, though to drive the newly-named team he two Busch Series teams for Elliott and Hermie Sadler, both in the T-Rex was later outlawed by piloting the Hendrick Bud car and special black and gold #3 during sold to Tim Beverley recently. the caution, but to no avail, as top ten in points.

NASCAR - so the crew brought out Kyle Petty in sixth.

Waltrip’s contract is good from The second heat to set the out Also, Elliott wil l enter a Waltrip would blow an engine in a semi-retired multi-winning car, the Brickyard 400 (when he stops Winston Cup car. at Charldfte in Blacker, for the event. driving in place of the injured side of the grid for the Open saw front of John Andretti in the open May, along with four othe'i Cup Steve Park) through the remain For Martin, it was his first win in Jimmy Spencer fend off Ward ing laps. events in 1998, with a view to run The Petty Pontiac spun in DW’s ing fourteen 1998 events and all nine starts in the non-points all- Burton, Joe Nemechek, Dick Trickle and Hut Stricklin for the ning a full schedule next year if star event. of the 1999 season - that year oil, Andretti collecting Earnhardt, Bechtel is satisfied with the per will possibly feature a 'Farewell sending both into the wall.and “Fm pretty stupid,” Martin said. win. formance.

Tour’ similar to Richard Petty in Jeremy Mayfield took the final Earnhardt to the hospital for X“I forget a lot, but I thought it was 1992. starting spot in The Winston when rays on his ribs, those tests proving the white flag and not the che endrick Motorsports fielded a Sponsorship is still being negative the irony of the wreck he won the Winston Open, but not quered flag. I saw him slow and I Pontiac Grand Prix in the was that Waltrip was driving a car / sought for the operation’s thought, ‘Gbrdon’s going to let me without a fight in the early going.

Winston Open for Randy LaJoie Winston Cup and Truck Series catch him and make a show out of Spencer headed the way early, owned by Earnhardt. teams. at Charlotte on May 16.

Lap 12 and Mayfield retired with Brett Bodine making contact with this,’ but he never picked up speed The Budweiser #25 team built a bad vibration in the drivetrain, as David Green and looping around to again. I couldn’t believe it.” the car last year and was to use it Gordon dominated the remainder of The Winston qualifying is over air the first caution.

Bob Dell has departed Jasper at Atlanta, but the plan was Motorspcirts as its general the 30 laps, Bobby Labonte finish Burton, looking like a winner, three laps and a mandatory pit stop shelved. manager tp join Pro Motor and for two tyres, with no pit road took up the running, only for ing second, with Martin third.

Crew chief Tony Furr decided will oversee the engine program Results, segment one: Gordon, B Mayfield to battle back and again speed. for Mattei Motorsports and driver to run the car and see what s. head the 30-car field.

Labonte, Martin, Marlin, Jarrett, Rusty Wallace and Jeff Gordon Geoff Bodine. advantages, if any, the car has Irwin, R Wallace, T Labonte, J Laps later. Burton aired the sec both overshot their pit stalls in the over the usual Chevy Monte Carlo Dell previously headed up ond caution when his Pontiac Burton, Elliott. previous two years and this year it they run.

Jasper Performance, the engine Segment two saw the first four was Dale Earnhardt’s turn, as he engine expired and opened pit road development company that sup overshot his pit and would start on for drivers to make adjustments - finishers in segment one inverted, endrick Motorsports is appar plies powerplants to its Winston the caution was much needed for so Sterling Marlin took the green the back row of the gidd. ently looking into the possibili Cup team.

Awesome Bill From Dawsonville Spencer, who had picked up a flag, biit his lead was shortlived, as ty of constructing a wind tunnel in vibration and fallen back in the Kenny Irwin spun exiting turn two. made no such mistakes and, for the six drivers have been run- the Charlotte, North Carolina, The result was a three-car wreck, J second year in succession, Elliott pack. area. nirng at the end of all ten with Ricky Rudd and Terry But for Spencer, time ran out and grabbed the pole.

Currently, NASCAR takes cars Winston Cup events this season he would finish third, behind Labonte also involved and Labonte Wallace posted the best overall Steve Grissom, Jeremy Mayfield, it wishes to test to the Lockheed Nemechek and a very strong erupting in flames as he drove time, but was penalised for running Mark Martin, Terry Labonte, Brett facility in Georgia, while teams away - thankfully, a not so cool Ice Mayfield. over his air wrench air line, after a test at either the Georgia tunnel, Bodine and Ward Burton are the Man made a hastily retreat.

Trickle came home fourth, fol or a NASA tunnel in Maryland and crew member dropped the jack too reliable six.

“The #28 car [Irwin] was in the lowed by Petty, Chad Little, Ken the GM tunnel in Michigan. early - NASCAR also discovered Schrader and Stricklin. race due to a loophole in the rules, two loose wheel nuts and the Bringing a tunnel to the NC ary Bechtel, owner of The Winston is split into three the all star event for past winners,” Penske crew were assessed a four Diamond Ridge Motorsports, area, where the majority of teams segments, two 30-lappers with a 15 Labonte lamented. “He spun in has decided to shut down the #29 are located, would be an advan second penalty. front of me and I tried to miss him minute break and one 10-lap shoot Winston Cup operation driven by tage to Hendrick Motorsports, Terry and Bobby Labonte were NASCAR and the other teams and somebody hit me in the back.” out for the big bucks.

Jeff Green. second and third on the gi’id, with Martin went on to take the spoils that would ultimately rent the use The team took a break from After the first segment, a giant Gordon and Martin fourth and with ease over Gordon, Jarrett and of the equipment from Hendrick. roulette wheel was spun to decide racing after Bristol, sitting,out fifth, respectively. how many of the front running cars B Labonte.

The Winston was open this year

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1998 WINSTON CUP SERIES RESULTS The Winston - Charlotte, NC. May 17th, 1998.*non-points race I. Mark Martin,#6 Valvoline/Cummins Ford Taurus 2. Bobby Labonte,#18 Interstate Batteries Pontiac GP 3. Dale Jarrett,#88 Quality Care Ford Taurus 4. Jeff Burton,#99 Exide Batteries Ford Taurus S. Rusty Wallace,#2 Miller Lite Ford Taurus 6. Sterling Marlin,#40 Coors Light Chev Monte Carlo 7. Bill Elliott, #94 McDonald's Ford Taurus 8. Geoff Bodine,#7 Philips Ford Taurus 9. Bobby Hamilton,#4 Kodak Film Chev Monte Carlo 10. Rich Bickle,#98 Thorn Apple Valley

1 1. Michael Waltrip,#21 Citgo Ford Taurus 12. Jeff Gordon,#24 DuPont Chev Monte Carlo 13. Kenny Irwin,#28 Texaco Havoline Ford Taurus 14. Terry Labonte,#5 Kellogg’s Chev Monte Carlo 15. Ricky Rudd,#10 Tide Ford Taurus 16. Jeremy Mayfield,#12 Mobil I Ford Taurus 17. Darrell Waltrip,#1 Pennzoll Chev Monte Carlo 18. John Andretti,#43 STP Pontiac Grand Prix 19. Dale Earnhardt,#3 GM Goodwrench Monte Carlo 20. Ernie Irvan,#36 Skittles Pontiac Grand Prix

Current Points After Round lO

I. Jeremy Mayfield, Ford .. .1457 2. Terry Labonte, Chev ... 1421 1410 3. Jeff Gordon, Chev 4. Rusty Wallace, Ford ... 1384 1334 5. Mark Martin, Ford 1295 6. Dale jarrett, Ford 7.,Dale Earnhardt, Chev .. .1223 8. Jimmy Spencer, Ford .. .1 184 9. Bobby Labonte, Pontiac .1 169 10. Ken Schrader, Chev

1 158

3S 22May ms

DRAG RACING

METAMORPHOSIS... Albiiry’s Cameron Brooks’Pennzoil doorslammer is about to undergo a dramatic change to make it legalfor the booming Top Doorslammer bracket.

The car, which is the third-fastest doorslammer in the worldfollowing Brooks’225.64 mph charge at the 1998 TAC Nationals, is to have a stunning ’63 split window Corvette body replace the Beretta panels currently gracing its Murray Anderson chassis. Ace Melbourne graphics man Shane Abbott, who has just opened a new workshop in Moorabbin, Melbourne, under the Warpaint Racingraphix banner,penned this rendition ofhow Brooks’Pennzoil car should look when it hits the track later this year.

I

inon on a roll Funny costs

Scotty Cannon’s incredible form with his Anderson-huilt Studebaker has con tinued in the US with the five-time World Pro Modified Champion taking his eighth conseeutive win at an eighth mile, quiek eight meeting last weekend.

While details were sketchy, Anderson told Motorsport News that Cannon called him to report on his weekly outing and was delighted to tell him that the car remains unbeaten on US soil.

“Scotty told me the car again was two tenths in front of everyone else and he’s just having the time of his life racing at the

moment,” Anderson said. “The Stude has equalled his best-ever winning streak already and he’s only been to eight shows in the US with it.

“All up, he’s been to 13 events for 11 wins and two runner-ups.

“And Victor [Bray] will tell you that, while he’s happy to take those two wins against Scotty at Calder and Willowbank during Scotty’s recent tour - and so he should be - had Scotty not had some silly mechanical problems, he’d be unbeaten everywhere.”

- GERALD McDORNAN

MAKELA REPLACES PERSSON ... Former European Top Alcohol Champion Anita Makela, the second racer in Europe into the fiive second zone following Australia’s own “Pommie Steve” Read’s efforts at Avon Park back in July ’92, has been confirmed as the driver for Peter Lantz’s Top Fuel Optima Batteriesbacked team.

Makela is replacing Kent Persson behind the wheel of the European-built car, Persson having run Europe’s first four second elapsed time

in the car at Hockenheim, Germany,last season.

Makela’s debut behind the wheel of Lantz’s fueller, though, won’t come at the first round of the FIA Top Fuel Championship at Santa Pod Raceway next weekend, with the Swede and her hus band, former fuel racer Tommi Haapanen, having given birth to a daughter on May 3.

Makela’s debut fuel meet ing will instead be at the Nitro Nationals being held at Alastaro Raceway in Finland on July 3-5.

Top Alcohol dragster building guru Bob Meyer will again be more than a tourist when he visits Australia for next month’s Winternationals at Willowbank.

Meyer, who has over 10 of his world championship-win ning creations in this coun try, is being flown to OZ from America by Romac team owner Bob Brackham and driver David Glenwright to lend the defending event champion team a hand in their campaign for back to back wins.

But Brackham’s team won’t be the only one’s benefitting from his tuning exper-

Bob Meyer for OZ tise, with “Pommie Steve” Read, Dave Hawke, Paul Shackleton and Stan Tindal, all owners of Meyer drag sters, expected to receive assistance irom Meyer.

Meyer’s business in the US, once the most prolific alky dragster building opera tion stateside, has tapered off dramatically over the last two seasons due to the everinci-easing number of unsu percharged, nitro-fuelled A/Fuel dragsters entering the Top Alcohol dragster categoiy for which they are legal.

Following elections for the position of Division Director in four Divisions and ADRPA delegates at the recent ANDRA Promoters Conference, there are two new faces on the National Control Council.

Existing directors Bob Castle (South Queensland), Hairy White (South Australia) and Phil Woodman (New South Wales) were re-elected to their positions, while former Townsville competitor Ken Melvin comes into the North Queensland position for the first time.

In his first year as Calder Park Raceway’s

Makela’s step up to Top Fuel adds her name to a long, illustrious list of European women who have raced in drag racing’s pre mier class in Europe over the years, including Liv Berstad and Monica Oberg - who have both retired - and for mer body-building champion Viveca Averstadt.

Averstadt has relocated her racing operation to the United States for the 1998 year, with her Valvolinebacked team undertaking a limited IHRA and NHRA national event schedule.

The A/Fuel dragsters have begun to take over the alky dragster class in the US over the last two seasons, due to the fact that they are now considerably more reliable and predictable thanks to better ignition, clutch and fuel systems.

While Meyer is more than capable of building a winning A/Fuel car, many teaftis are opting for the much easier and cheaper option of purchasing year-old Top Fuel chassis from the professional teams.

- GERALD McDORNAN

on the rise

How much has the cost of racing plating selling the car, ready to replace it if increased in the US? Well, if what they find a backer.

Russo, though, knows that he won’t be Funny Car champion Peter Russo is finding out is true, then it is starting purchasing the unit as, after talking with to become truly just a rich man’s Schultz, he believes the US$60,000 (approximately $100,000 Australian) for game.

Russo, who is planning to make his the rolling chassis (yep!) is way, way, way debut in the US at the season-ending out of his league.

“We’re a little up in the air about what Winston Finals at Pomona, has scoured America looking for a good Steve Plueger- we’re going to do in regards to a car yet,” built chassis, similar to the two chassis he Russo told Motorsports News. “Obviously, has here - but, while he has come across at the price that some of them are going two units, the stories behind each start to for, they’re way too expensive, especially make you think that things, as the sport considering what the exchange rate is at, becomes increasingly more professional, at the moment.”

‘We have a number of options that we’re are really getting out of hand.

The first car available was a three year- going to look at at the moment and we’ll old Ford Mustang-bodied car which Whit make a decision soon about which way Bazemore’s team, who bought the car from we’ll be going.”

Candies and Hughes when the Winston While they would prefer to buy a proven sponsorship changed from one team to the car to make the transition to the US easier, other, had for sale. other than purchasing a car in the US the Russo’s longtime US friend John options facing Russo and his wife Helen are Lindsay, who has campaigned Funny Cars upgrading their current car, or building an for over 20 years, told Russo about the unit entirely new car. and then decided to purchase the car to “Murray Anderson has been a good Mend replace his own, worn-out Pontiac. of ours for a number of years and crewed Lindsay paid US$30,000 for the rolling with us for a few seasons and he is keen to chassis, but was then stunned to find out build us a car.

“He has a mould for the ’97 Pontiac that the day after he paid the deposit for the car John Force, who was in desperate Firebird bodies and we all know he can need of another display car to add to his build a great car, so that will be something fleet, reportedly offered Bazemore another that we look at carefully as well.”

US$10,000 for the unit!

Thankfully, for Lindsay’s sake, n While having just mentioned Murray Bazemore honoured the deal.

Anderson, it is worth noting that the The second Plueger unit that Russo world-renowned chassis builder will came across was the In-N-Out Burger be based back in Melbourne by the Dodge Avenger car that Bill Schultz’s end of Jime.

Anderson and his family have sold their “Over the Hill Gang” team ran last year with former Winston Champion Mark property just outside Brisbane and have Oswald driving. begun readying themselves for the move Schultz’s team is currently sponsorless back to their home state.

- GERALD McDORNAN and hot running the circuit and is contem-

New facesfor ANDRk i

Drag Racing Manager, Steve Allen was elect ed to be one of the three representatives for the Australian Drag Racing Promoters Association.

Allen was elected to the position vacated by the resignation of former Calder represen tative Steve Bettes last year, a position which has been filled in the meantime by an alternate.

Melvin’s first task will be to rebuild ANDRA operations in North Queensland, after the division has operated for some months without senior ANDRA personnel.

“I believe I have both the background and knowledge of the sport and I know I can be a good link between the racers and promoters,” said Melvin following his election.

“The fact that the member^ip voted for so

little change at the administration level is a great endorsement for the job ANDRA is doing,” commented ANDRA CEO Tony Thornton.

“Like most sports, drag racing faces new challenges as the century draws to a close.

We need the best possible people assessing the situation and setting the direction.”

The new NCC members didn’t have long to rest on their laurels, with a special NCC meeting being held in Adelaide last weekend to discuss changes to the structure of ANDRA. - GERALD McDORNAN

DRAG RACING

0

John Force, the man who has dominated the fuel Funny Car ranks this decade after winning seven of the eight Winston Championships on offer, again rewrote the history books last weekend at the running of the 29th Annual Mopar Parts Nationals at Old Bridge in Township Raceway Englishtown, New Jersey Force stunned the world with the fastest ever runs in the his tory of drag racing for either Funny Car OR Top Fuel by belt ing out passes of 323.35 and 323.89 miles per hour while claiming his first NHRA event win of the season.

The runs, recorded in qualifying and the final round, siu’passed the sport’s previous best of 322.9 mph, set by Cory McClenathan earlier this year and, due to being backed up by the required one percent, gave Force the honour of being the first ever Funny Car pilot to hold a mph record faster than any Top Fuel record.

Amazingly, despite recording the 323.35 blast in qualifying. Force could “only” muster a 4.843 second et that qualified him second behind Cniz Pedi'egon’s quicker 4.83!

Joe Amato, Jeg Coughlin Jr and Angelle Seeling all scored wins at the event - Amato even took back the title of the fastest ever for a few hom’s with a 323.50 mph run in the first round of Top Fuel - but it was all Force, as he continued to steal the show with an onslaught of record-shattering speeds during eliminations, his slowest of the rounds being “just” 318.92 mph in the semi-finals!

The Castrol Mustang opened eliminations with a 4.91 second wm over Dale Creasy Jr, but more importantly, his 321.27 mph blast backed up his earlier speed for a new national record.

22 May ms

33

323.89mph! Force now fastest ever

know what it is - destiny, it just does it,” he reflected. “I don’t want to get in the gmove of losing. Like fourteen bridesmaids, I don’t like being in four or five final rounds and losing.”

Amato’s win in Top Fuel, while not as dramatic as Force’s Funny Car win, was impressive, as the driver of the Tenneco dragster scored his second straight win and also established a new speed record for the class at 323.50 mph.

Amato qualified second behind Gary Scelzi (4.58) at 4.58/318.84 and used a “soft” 4.66/321.81 to take out Jim Head in round one.

Amato then made his quickest and fastest pass of the weekend at 4.57/323.50 to end the day for Doug Kalitta, who trailed at 4.65/316.38.

In the semi, he squared off with Larry Dixon Jr, leaving first and carrying the front-end two feet off the ground, When the car came down it unloaded the rear tyi-es and,lwith

Dixon losing traction in the other lane, this became a pedalling battie to the finish line, which Amato took, 5.58/262.54 to 5.63/253.47.

It also moved Amato into his third final round of the year where he would meet current points leader McClenathan.

McClenathan in the McDonalds dragster was consistent all day, taking 4.684 and 4.648 wins over Pat Dakin and Shelly Anderson.

He,like Amato, had the benefit of some good luck in the semis, when defending series champion, Scelzi left way too soon.

The'Winston driver red-lighted away a better 4.609/311.34, com pared to the winning 4.636/313.95 for McClenathan.

In the final, the two lined up for what would be a great race.

Amato took a slight lead at the start and the two cars were glued together until the 1000 foot mark, where the power of the Amato drag ster kicked in, giving Amato a

4.614/319.90 to 4.660/314.39 win.

The win was Amato’s second of 1998 and 43rd of his career.

He was pleased with the win and downplayed the importance of the overall speed record: “That’s just bragging rights. The important point is to win the races, get the elapsed time record and get the round points. We all like to go fast, but we want to win.”

Jeg Coughlin Jr. took the Pro stock honors, claiming his first win of 1998 and his second career victory.

Coughlin scored 6.967, 6.957 and 6.967 wins over Vieri Gaines, Warren Johnson and Jim Yates, before facing Mike Edwards in the final round.

Edwards moved into his second straight final round by taking earli er wins over Troy Coughlin, Mark Osborne and DaiTell Aldennan.

The previous day’s Pro Stock Challenge winner and low qualifier, Kurt Johnson (6.906), broke in

round one and fell to Aldennan.

In the final round, Edwards lit the big red bulb and had to watch the Oldsmobile of Coughlin streak to his best pass of the afternoon at 6.932/198.52.

Angelle Seeling became the only other 1998 winner in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class, when her final round 7.286/180.72 defeated the 7.394/181.59 of Greg Underdahl.

Points leader Matt Hines’ dreams of a perfect season ended in round one when he was defeated by Gary Tonglet - Hines’ earlier 7.270 stood as low e.t. and Seeling’s 188.73 held up for top speed.

On Saturday, Larry Kopp took his second straight win in the Pro Stock Truck class, his Chevy S-10 recording a 7.707/175.03 to defeat the Chevy of John Lingenfelter, which trailed with a 7.883/150.46 David Nickens’ Dodge Dakota had low e.t. at 7.670 seconds and JeiTy Haas’ Chevy set top mph at 176.70.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

Wild Bunch victory by

Wild Bunch stalwart John Payne, took another deserved win at the annual Coca-Cola Australian Wild Bunch titles at WiUowhank Raceway on May 9.

Twelve cars fronted for the event, with several recording their person al bests on the day.

Mathew Abel towed from Darwin with his Capri and, although end ing up in the sand trap on his sec ond round pass, recorded his best numbers yet with a 7.51/182.

Lindsay Churchill also recorded his best, with a 7.17/183 in his ’57 Chev.

In round two, he squared off with Cory Lee and the Pioneer Dodge of the injured Tom Hoover, Force’s 4.88/321.35 turning back the good 5.03/308.71 of Lee. Force slowed in his semi match with a tyre-smoking Chuck Etchells to the previously mentioned 318.92 mph at 4.88, setting up a surprising final round clash with the Dodge of thd first ever Funny Car racer to top 300 mph, Jim Epler.

Epler had qualified eighth at 5.01/309.84 and moved through eliminations after becoming the Alfy Sorbello belted out a best of benificiary of some good racing luck, as Gary Densham struck the 6.83/184 in his BMW and Kevin centerline cone in round one and Campbell recorded a best of low qualifier (4.832) Cruz 7.60/174 behind the wheel of Bob Scott’s ’34 Ford Hot Rod. Pedregqn redlighted in round two.

Les Winter and Andrew Searle Epler’s only solid pass came in the semi finals, when his career- never had much luck with their best 4.939/308.99 stopped Whit Doorslammers, Winter having trou Bazemore. ble keeping his ’55 Chev straight In the final, Epler was instantly and Searle suffering from severe up in smoke, but the Castrol t5Te shake.

Kevin Campbell was the first Mustang capped off a record-shat through to the final, with two wins tering race weekend in just 4.845 seconds, again recording the fastest from his two rounds of racing.

John Mol appeared to be the speed ever in the sport of drag rac other driver into the final, also with ing at 323.89 mph.

Force was very enthusiastic two wins - however, Payne had the chance to edge Mol out of the final about his historic victory.

“I’m just happy to win. The other if he could run closer than .06 sec to deal is just a blessing... I don’t his dial-in.

Payne took the challenge and Wholesale Oldsmobile and Hasted recorded a perfect 7.50 on his 7.50 in his Cragar Performance Ford dial-in to register his second win Thunderbird meeting in the final. and earn a place in the final.

Hasted took the honours in a Payne then took an easy win / close race, his best-ever 7.80/171

114 mph, but it was the half-track burnouts by the eight tonne mon ster that the crowd had come to see.

Gaffiero completed the night TOth a burnout which began at the finish I line and contin ued all the way back up to the start line.

The Ken Lowe Race Cars Super Eliminator brack et featured a mix ture of Super Sedans, Super Gas, Modified and Comp vehicles all rolled into one.

The final saw a Super Sedan and a Super Gasser, Cameron Hill dri ving his Chevpowered Torana HANDSOME... BMW ofAlf Sorbello was good for an impressive 6.83/184. (Nix Fix) Super Sedan to defeat David Gauldie’s perfect 9.83 with an early shut-off 7.74/134 downing Tucker’s 7.82/173. on a 9.83 with a quicker-reacting The consolation saw O’Kearney after Campbell was out of shape off 10.05 on a 10.02 dial-in. the fine and lifted his foot. back in form in the John William Other winners included Ross Autosales Pontiac, recording a Rob Tucker, Craig Hasted, John Munster in Superformance Super O’Kearney and Kym Petterwood 7.84/170 to defeat Petterwood’s turned out for a Pro Stock 7.90/170 in the Lifestyles Pontiac.

Street, Trevor Sage in Pipemaster Modified Bike and Kerri-Anne Invitational and used the event as An added bonus for the crowd Adams, who successfully took out a good test session for the upcoming ●was the tyre-frying antics of Frank the Performance Wholesale/Lunati Konica Winternationals.

Gaffiero in his Bandag Bullet.

The Kenworth T-400 recorded Junior Dragster bracket.

A round robin was contested, -KEN FERGUSON with Tucker in his Performance two high twelve second passes at

● 1998 NHRA CHAMPIONSHIP DRAG RACING SERIES - POINTS TO MAY 18TH, 1998.

PEKNMW-

1998 NHRA Top Fuel Championship .699 I. Cory McClenathan, McDonald’s 2. Joe Amato, Tenneco Automotive 630 3. Gary Scelzi, Team Winston-No Bull . .505 4. Mike Dunn, Mopar Performance . . . .478 .474 5. Jim Head, Jim Head Racing . . . .418 6. Larry Dixon, Miller Lite/MBNA 7. Doug Kalitta, Kalitta International . . .387 8. Kenny Bernstein, Budweiser/Prolong .370 9. Bruce Sarver, ATSCO Power Steer . .362 ,335 10. Doug Herbert, Snap-on Tools

1998 NHRA Funny Car Championship I. John Force, Castrol/Mac Tools 670 2. Chuck Etchells, Kendall/MaMa Rosa . .571 3. Cruz Pedregon, Interstate Batteries . .552 4. Ron Capps, Copenhagen/MBNA . . . .534 5. Tim Wilkerson, JCIT International . . .495 .487 6. Tony Pedregon, Castrol Syntec 7. Randy Anderson, Parts America 379 8. Al Hofmann, GM Perf. Parts/Pontiac .374 9. Whit Bazemore, Team Winston-No Bull ..356 10. Dean Skuza, Mateo Tools/Mopar . . . .343

1998 NHRA Pro Stock Championship I. Warren Johnson, Goodsvrench/Pontiac . .689 2. Jim Yates, Peak Anti-Freeze/Splitflre'- . . .532 3. Jeg Coughlin Jnr., Jegs Mail Order . . . .507 4. Mark Osborne, Dick Sherman Racing 470 5. Kurt Johnson, ACDelco/Chevrolet . .439 399 6. Mike Edwards, JK Racing Pontiac . . ,331 7. Mike Thomas, Pennzoil/Gumout 8. Pete Williams, Pete Williams Racing . .317 ,298 9. George Marnell, JK Racing 10. Tom Martino, Six Flags Thrill Parks . .289

40

22MayW9S

Despite running into the four second zone for the first time at the Castrol Lone Star Nationals at Dallas recently, US Funny Car star Del Worsham dropped his self-made Funny Car chassis in favour of a new Victory Race Cars unit.

Unfortunately, though, despite a great debut at the Coors 32 Funny Car match racing event held at Firebird International Raceway in Phoenix, Ai'izona, two weeks

n The 1998 FIA Drag

Racing Championship Series begins this weekend in England, with eight Top Fuellers cars expected to front for the first round.

The 1998 Schedule is: l May 23-25 Santa Pod, England l July 3-5 Alastaro, Finland » July 24-26 Mantorp Park, Sweden l Aug 22-23 Hockenheim, Germany ” Sept 11-13 Santa Pod, England g “Pommie Read” to go Top Fuel? Well, that appears to be correct. with Custom Car magaziiie in the UK reporting that Robin Read, brother of Australian Nationals Top Fuel and Top Alcohol winner “Pommie Steve” Read, is negotiating to purchase Jens Nybos fueller.

Read has campaigned some interesting cars in the past, including a rearengined dragster with a blown Rover V6 on fuel.

Nybo is also looking to step up, as it is reported that he has bought Swede Tony Bryntenson’s car Bryntenson’s team in the past being led by reigning Australian Top Fuel Champion Glenn Mikres. n American Harlan Thompson, who has made an excellent living out of racing in Europe over the years with his series of Budweiserbacked nitro Funny Cars, will be racing in the FIA European Top Fuel Series this year.

Thompson has teamed up

Worsham's new chassis ago, the team failed to quahfy the new car at its NHRA national event debut at Englishtown on the weekend.

“The chassis we built has great potential,” said Del Worsham “and the results from Dallas prove that. But we still think we’re right on the edge of what that car

j

* *

- 1

1

By Gerald McDorj with his old partner, Knut Soderquist, to run in the series and the pair have acquired a brand-new chassis from the States, along with several new motors.

could do - it took a perfect run to post the 4.98. To keep improving and to win races, we need the Victory car; we need that consistency, “We owe it to our sponsors to be as competitive as possi ble, so after Houston earlier this year we made the deci sion to buy the Victory chassee its first six second Pro Stock run this sea son, if conditions that confront his team at any of the events are right.

Malmgren, who has run a limited campaign in the U‘S on the NHRA Winston tour in the past, has a new Bob Ingles engine under the hood of his Jerry Haas-built Panasonic Olds Cutlass and is confident that crew chief Christer Gustavsson will be able to pull the numbers out.

n On the fuel Funny Car , n Also on the European front in the UK, John, Pro Stock front comes Spuffard is about to' word that Finland’s Nixon « debut a new Dodge Rickard Avenger fuel coupe, Sundblom has purwhile his previous 5.4 chased the remains of second Pontiac Trans Arto Sandberg’s Ford Am is now in the hands Probe, wrecked in a of Gordon Smith. crash at Mantorp in ’96, Spuffard, who has led the and finished a full fuel coupe ranks in the UK rebuild of the car in readiness for the 1998 over the past couple of sea sons and had some titanic season. battles with former Sundblom has departed Australian tourist Gary from the car’s previous Page, has purchased the exterior’s marque and car from leading NHRA replaced the Probe panels runner Dean Skuza, the with those of a Dodge Avenger being the Mateo Avenger.

Tools team’s spare car for the 1997 season, n Hot off a great season Smith, who was a leading behind the wheel of his English Super Pro cam- Powerball/Pennzoil Olds paigner with an altered, Cutlass Funny Car, made a couple of runs at Melbourne racer Garry the season-opening event at McGrath has purchased Santa Pod, although a Rachelle Splatt’s spare major lack of traction, four second fueller. which also hampered the Splatt crew chief Peter headling Top Alcohol cars Wileman told Motorsport News that McGrath took at the event, prevented him from getting off the start- delivery of the car last line, Wednesday.

“It’s been a great car for n One of Europe’s us and it should be for strongest-running Pro Garry, too, when he makes Stock racers, Michael the step up next season to Malmgren, is predicting the Top Fuel class,” that the continent might Wileman said.

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sis and put the other chassis program on the shelf “We also just got the first of our new 1998 Firebirds, so we now have a whole new look. People have asked if we’re going to change our minds after we ran the 4.98, but the answer was no, we have to keep moving.”

Worsham’s debut at the Coors 32 match racing event went better than expected, the with CheckerS c h u c k ’s Kragen Pontiac, on its first pass, running to 330ft quicker than what the team recorded ... ,on their 4.98-sec: ond run in Dallas, before smoking the tyres.

“We get spoiled By the NHRA Safety Safari and the work'they do on our race tracks. At a match race like this you’re lucky to have any grip at all, although, com pared to some I’ve seen, it wasn’t all that bad.

“But, I wasn’t sure you could run better than a 5.40 out there,” said Worsham.

The CSK team detuned the car as much as possible

for a final pass on the slick track, then posted an early shut-off 5.22.

“I ran it as long as I could, to give the fans their money’s worth, but it was spinning the tyres pretty good out there. This car is gi’eat and once we get it sorted, it should be great on a national event track,” Worsham said after the night-time blast.

The 5.22 was the quickest ET of the event by a fhll twotenths of a second, bettering fellow NEERA tour campaign er Jerry Toliver’s 5.45 run earlier in the evening.

- GEKALD MdDORNAN

(Funny Car art: Greg Ozubko.)

.

1

nother for Scotty

Scotty Cannon claimed his second straight IHRA event win on April 30-May 3 at the rain-delayed Southern Nationals in Darlington, SC. The five time IHRA Pro Mod World Champion scored his 25th career win and now takes a commanding lead in the points race for title num ber six.

Cannon’s Cable TV Magazine ’53 Studebaker qualified third at 6.509/ 214.69, behind defending series champ. Shannon Jenkins’ 6.441/214.79 and fellow Murray Anderson cus tomer Fred Hahn, who card ed a 6.471/211.43 for second.

In round one. Cannon scored an engine-damaging 6.526/214.42 win over the ’63 Corvette of Robbie Diamond.

A broken oil pump and another damaged powerplant in a 6.526/209.39 round two win over Carl Moyer’s ’57 "Chevy Bel Air forced the team to make an engine change before the semis.

The team was late getting the car into the lanes for the semi-final match with Hahn, as the other pair was already fired and rolling into the water.

In the hurried engine swap, the team noticed that the supercharger rotors had been installed backwards.

This forced Cannon and crew to switch superchargers.

The team finished the swap in a matter of minutes, Johnny Rocca helping in the thrash as well, buttoning the car up in the staging lanes.

On paper, Hahn was a tenth stronger, taking 6.431 and 6.464 wins over Johnny Rocca and Todd Tutterow.

When the two lined up, Hahn welded Cannon to the tree (.432 to .510) only to get out of the groove and watch Cannon pull even and take a narrow win, 6.527/211.39 to 6.613/208.88 - a margin of victory ofjust .008 seconds.

Rain forced the final round to be run on Monday and that gave Cannon time to work out some of the prob lems the team faced during Sunday’s rounds of racing.

Cannon lined up in the final round against Ed Hoover and the Trussell Motorsports ’63 Corvette.

At the green. Cannon took a small holeshot and never gave up the lead, his 6.518/213.84 holding off the 6.510/209.36 of Hoover.

In Top Fuel action. Tommy Johnson Jr also scored his second win of 1998 and his third win in three tries on the IHRA trail.

Johnson qualified number one at 4.791/283.31 and scored 4.835/303.30 and

4.868/300.20 wins over John Smith in Rhonda Hartman’s

dragster and Sweden’s Viveca Averstedt.

That moved Johnson into the final round, where he would square off with ’97 series champion Paul Romine.

Both cars launched hard, with the slight edge going to Romine, but Romine had to pedal once at half-track allowing Johnson go by to take a close 4.941/288.83 to 4.972/289.01 victory.

Pro Stock saw a first time winner, as Daniel Seamon di'ove his Ford Probe to a final round 6.716/205.76 win over Tim Nabor’s Monte Caido.

Tom Lee remains in the points lead, followed by Seamon.

Alcohol Funny Car found chassis builder Scott Weney a holeshot 6.022/234.74 to 5.992/231.56 win over former IHRA Champion Von Smith.

Jimmy Rector is still the points leader, following a semi-final finish and is fol lowed by,Smith, Weney and Mark Thomas.

The IHRA/Snap On Tools tour takes some time off before heading to Cordova, Illinois, on the July 4 week end for the Summer Nationals.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

LSR Davis looks to broaden hori»ms GLEN DAVIS, the designer/builder/driver of the Branson GDSOO Woomera 1 wheeldriven Land Speed Record contender, is aiming to secure employment in the motor racing industry.

Davis feels that he has much to offer a racing team and would brmg with him a significant depth of experience in project management, team management, fitting and machining, vehicle design, fibreglass construction and mouldwork.

Full or part-time positions would be considered.

Davis can be contacted by phone on: (03) 9700 3225. t*

22 M3^ 1998 Some concerned and pow erful players in the Sydney Sprintcar ranks recently called a meeting with the drivers and Bill Roberts, the President of the NSW Sprintcar Association, with a view to getting something started that would help take this sport forward.

The likes of the recently retired Garry Rush, Mike Raymond and sponsor extra ordinaire Ron O’Brien have thrown their not inconsider able weight behind the pro ject, which has resulted in the formation of a steering committee.

“Following a heated com mittee meeting where the be on the steering committee, ideas from the previous but there will be a promo meeting were aired, the tional person, a corporate NSW club has decided to set person, a PR officer and up a steering committee, maybe some others.

“Darren Orchard from whose goals will be to seek O’Brien Aluminium and sponsorship and secure tele vision time,” Roberts told Alan Maher will both be part Motorsport News. of it and already we have “At this stage, we aren’t - secured 21 shows on SBS sure how many people will but we’re not content to leave

NSW Sprinkar push to take sport forward

SUPPORTER... Garry Rush behind NSW push.(Swanson) After running a disap pointing fifth in the national title - “Bunbury is a big horsepower track and we were definitely down on horsepower” Ken Willsher returned to his home state of Victoria, changed the exhaust sysJean his temon Jail/PRC/Powermac/Max Taylor Signs Kenser and won his second Victorian Formula 500 champi onship.

“We put a new set of pipes on the car and it made all the difference,” stated Willsher, after his victory at Horsham’s Blue Ribbon Raceway on May 2.

“The car is running well and it has so much more power now. It was excellent, the best it’s ever been.”

Following Willsher across the line was Goulburn’s Ian Burrows and the recently deposed Aussie #1, Phillip Woodberry from Tasmania.

“Considering the tempera ture, it was a good crowd,” stated Willsher. “Last time we ran here, it was 44 degrees - this time, I think it was -4.”

At the conclusion of the six heats, there was no definite favourite after six different drivers shared the heat wins.

Burrows got his night off to a good start, winning the opening heat in his Motorola Rotax ahead of veteran Jack Willsher (Laang Motorcycle Wreckers), Ben Dillon and Danny Jury.

Adelaide’s Jason Loveday reset the eight lap record when he won the second heat in his Show and Go machine.

Second VIC F500 Title to Ken Willsher Woodberry was next in the Kenser Chassis/Racetec Rotax, ahead of Canberra’s Danny Hogan and Adelaide’s DaiTen Disbury. to Heat three went

and Anderson tangled on lap 8- Jason Redpath was elimi nated in the incident.

Two laps after the restart, another caution occurred and then, on the subsequent restart. Burrows got the jump on Woodberry and moved into second place.

Ken Willsher reset the one

defending VIC #1 David Swayn (Hayes Livestock/ Hungry Hound Rotax) from Burrows, Ken Willsher and Troy Anderson (Anderson’s lap record to 16.49 seconds as he went on to take his sec Bobcat Services Rotax).

Another Willsher - Danyl ond Victorian Title (his first - won heat four in the was 13 years ago in 1985) by Warrnambool Tyrepower over half a lap to add it to Rotax and lowered the one the Tasmanian Title won earlier in the season. lap record to 16.52 seconds Burrows ran second from as he defeated Woodberry, Woodberry, Darryl Willsher, Brian Thorley and Hogan.

Woodberry claimed the Anderson and Thorley.

The formula 500s have fifth heat over Ken Willsher, cousin Darryl Willsher and rated at the Horsham venue twice and both times Ken Tasmanian Jason Redpath.

Dillon won the final heat, Willsher has won - “I guess I beating Anderson, Paul love the track now,” he said.

Willsher’s second 'Ktle win Campbell and Swayn.

The front row for the title of the season gives him race saw Woodberry on pole renewed confidence as he from Burrows and Ken prepares for the final round of the Tucker 'Time Series at Willsher. t Woodberry lead away at Swan Hill’s Sonic Speedway the fall of the green, but on June 7- Willsher current Willsher took the lead ly sits nine points adrift of series leader Darryl Willsher towards the end oflap 2.

He started to open up a (236 points) and five behind handy lead, until brothers Woodberry(232 points).

-BRETT SWANSON Adrian and Jason Redpath

OUTGUNNED ... AUS #1 Phillip Woodberry only managed third spot. (Brett Swanson pic)

it there,” Roberts continued.

“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” was all that National and State Secretary Viv Lewis had to say, when asked for her comments.

“We are trying to lift the profile of the sport and the drivers,” explained Roberts.

“We have to make it hap pen and look to the future.

We’ve been living in the past; it’s time to up the ante.

“If the members don’t like it, I’ll die by the sword at the next election - but television is the key. You just have to look at the World of Outlaws now that they’ve got TNN (The Nashville Network) television coverage.”

-BRETT SWANSON

CRUMP TEAMS WITH GERMAN TUNING ACE ...

Aussie star Jason Crump (right) was disappointed in his performance in the first Grand Prix of the year in Prague, but is delighted to have top engine tuner Klaus Lausch with him at all the major events this year.

The German tuning ace has previously worked with Hans Nielsen and Tony Rickardsson and Crump is adamant top class pits assistance is needed to be successful.

‘The GP circuit is so, so professional, you need individual , attention for your own needs,” Crump said. “There’s no place for conflicting interests. Klaus works 100 per cent for me and what is so good about him is that he listens and looks to see how I ride the bike. I’m not just another rider who needs his -TONY MILLARD engine tuned.”(Mike Patrick pic)

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42

22 May 1998

At the end of May, Steven Graham will soar out of Sydney heading towards the USA and his father’s Charlotte-hased NASCAR race shop, where preparations have already begun on furnishing the 29 year-old Speedcar racer with the latest offering from the Stealth chassis organisation.

Also waiting for him will he his Gaerte SB2 engine, which was shipped to the US for a rebuild and update in readiness for the young Aussie’s fourweek assault on the American Midget scene.

Steven’s father, Barry, is well respected on both sides of the Pacific Ocean for his speedway exploits over the past thirty years.

Graham senior has won all of Australia’s major Grand National and Speedcar features on both dirt and asphalt sur faces, as well as winning the ’93/94 Australian NASCAR Championship series at the wheel of an Oldsmobile Cutlass owned and prepared by John Sidney Racing.

Steven Graham spoke about his forthcoming Stateside tour with GRANT NICHOLAS.

“Dad has already commenced assembling all of the components into a new Stealth chassis and, hopefully, it will be almost com plete by the time I arrive, as I’ll only have time to finish off the final details before we head off to Milwaukee for the month of June, I’ll be racing with the Badger Midget Association at their two main t;acks, with the first meet scheduled for Sun Prairie in Wisconsin and then at Beaver Dam. If all is going well and the car and myself are in one piece. I’d like to go to Indianapolis on June 16 for a race at their speedway, which is a little bull ring-style of track that tends to caive up a lot of cars - it’s an ex-baseball stadium that the locals built into a race track.'

Sun Prairie, which is about a third of a mile long, is similar in length to PaiTamatta City Raceway and that should suit my style of racing, while Beaver Dam is a fast half-mile venue.

It would be silly to go to some of their big tracks straight out of the bag, as they would blow us away.

Hopefully, I should be able to take in seven race meetings during the course of the month, so it’s going to be quite an introduction to their style of racing.

It has been a goal of mine to race over there, as the States have always been the home of speedway racing and I’ve wanted to compete with the world’s best.

This is where all the cars are built, the race equipment is manu factured, our engines are developed and the good drivers can run pro fessionally.

I’ll be running against a number of professional teams over there and, really, we are amateurs over here coinpared to them, so I’m look ing foi-ward to the challenge of com^ting against them on their terms.

Hopefully, I’ll learn a lot, so I can incoi-porate that knowledge into my racing activities back here in Australia.

I’ve just had my best season since I commenced racing the Speedcars, as I won the track championship at Parramatta City Raceway by tak ing out six of the nine races con ducted at the track, plus I took out the New South Wales title, which has always eluded me.

POCKET ROCKET L It’s been a most successful Australian Speedcar season for Steven Graham in his Gaerte-powered Stealth.(Tony Loxley pic)

Honing the edge

Speedcar ace Steven Graham is heading Stateside to campaign in the Midget ranks We came second to Rod Bowen in the inaugural Speedcar Super Series that ran over eleven rounds, taking in tracks as far North as Yandina in Queensland and across to Speedway City in Adelaide.

Series promoter Dave Lander should be applauded for putting the series on - there were some teething problems, but I’m sure that the series will be bigger and better next season.

Drivers from all over Australia and New Zealand contested the series and some of the Sprintcar drivers ran at different rounds, which added some spice to the show.

I enjoyed the racing, plus I man aged to record the quickest time in half of the time trials - this was the first time that time trails have been run by the Speedcars here and the experience will help me in the US, as all their events have time trials at the start of a meeting.

It’s quite difficult to go out there and rattle out a quick time straight after leaving the pits and it added an extra dimension to the race meetings that the spectators enjoyed.

In addition, I managed to win the Australian Grand Prix, which Dad won approximately two decades ago - that was kind of special to me, as it’s not often that a junior member of a family manages to gain a tro phy that one oftheir parents won.

The cuiTent plan is to leave my new car in the US and go back there on several occasions over the next twelve months to contest more of their midget events - my position

as an aircraft engineer at QANTAS allows me to make the journey on a semi-regular basis.

While I’m racing at Milwaukee, dad is conducting a Richard Petty Driving Experience NASCAR School on the Milwaukee Mile, which is home to a NASCAR Busch Series race in July.

I’ll be working for him during the day in one of his ride cars and he’ll crew for me while he’s there for the school.

Richard Petty and dad are going great guns with their NASCAR exploits and they have schools run ning full-time at Charlotte, Disney World in Florida and at Las Vegas, plus they’re taking a travelling roadshow that featm’es semi-loads of NASCAR race vehicles to Atlanta, New Hampshire, Texas, Indianapolis and the Milwaukee Mile.

So you can understand that it will be difficult for dad to spend any length offime with me as I race, as it is in the middle of their busy sea son - but, no doubt both he and mum will be at all of the meetings that are possible. ' For the latter part of June, fellow Sydney racer Adam Clarke will be racing in several of the events with ine, as he is currently taking in some races in California.

Between the two of us, we should gain some valuable experience that will improve our racing back home next season.”

STAR ASCENDENT ... A US tour

in the Midget class is the next chaiienge for Steven Graham, OZ Speedcar gun.(David Lament pic)

SREEDWAY

^^^0(p£S[J^I79 n The World of Outlaws cham pionship is shaping up as one of the most open in its 20-year history, with Pennsylvania’s Stevie Smith taking three main event wins to put himself into the lead in the championship chase for the first time in his career.

1-80 n When the travelling circus hit 1-80 speedway for the first night of a two-night show, it was Smith in his IngersollRand car that added his name to the list of feature winners. becoming the fifth different winner so far this season.

Steve Kinser was now second, with Walker securing third from Hillenburg, only to have Mark Kinser pass him.

With the aid of lapped traffic, “The King" drove his Quaker State Maxim around the outside of Smith and into the lead, but when a lapped car baulked Kinser, Smith retook the lead which he held to the end.

The Kinser cousins battled for second, with Steve getting the nod and the two extra points that go with it.

Hillenburg was fourth from Walker, while Danny Smith finished 12th.

almost half a lap over Kinser, with Smith third and Steve Kinser fourth.

Herrera finished fifth and Jackson-was 13th, just ahead of Danny Smith.

Steve now had a one point lead in the title chase over Mark.

Beaver Dam n For the eighth time in the 23 events scheduled to that point, rain intervened, causing the postponement of the Beaver Dam race on May 3.

22 Ma^ 1998

A spin by Craig Dollansky dropped him six places.

Haudenschild faded to sixth midrace, before moving up once again, passing Mark Kinser and battling with Lasoski until he W'as disquali fied for losing a muffler.

On the 25th lap, Swindell caught Smith and raced wheel to wheel, but never led a lap as Smith took a naiTow win.

Steve Kinser was third, extend ing his series lead to five points Lasoski was fourth from Mark Kinser.

State Fair n Stevie Smith likes winning Outlaws feature and took his third win in the last four races when he lead aU 30 laps of the State Fair feature on May 8.

In the process, he moved to with in 14 points of the series leader, Steve Kinser.

Tri-City n Following his narrow runner-up position the night Knoxville Tyler Walker set a new lap before, Sammy Swindell moved back into the winners circle record on his way to winning the n 24 hours later, Haudenschild Vivarin Fast Time award, his first completed his first-ever Outlaw with victory in the 30-lap fea ever, at the 4/lOth-mile high- sweep when he won the ture Tri-City race. banked oval.

Swindell left the venue brimrescheduled 30-lap A-Main Danny Smith in the Brazier 2IS event at Knoxville, ming with confidence.

“We’ve been had a good run, timing 14th The “Wild fastest. Jamie Moyle could only Child” won in fast all year. It record time. manage 24th of the 29 cars. just seems like we’ve run into Stevie Smith just made the A winning the The Outlaws rolled into Terra Haute’s Action Track for a dou feature, after running sixth in his Amoco feature problems here ble-header on May 15-16 and it looked like Mark Kinser was and there and heat and then ran second to Andy and taking just going to make it a clean sweep on both nights.

Hillenburg in the Channellock 7 minutes 12 it’s kept us from Unfortunately, he ultimately only took out the Friday night Dash. seconds for the getting as many Preliminary Feature and dominated Saturday’s A-Feature until wins as we At the start of the 20-lap feature, 15 mile race at rear-end failure late in the race while leading by half a lap cost Hillenburg’s car was sluggish off an average should have,” he him victory. the line, causing Sammy Swindell, speed of 125 stated, after Jac Haudenschild was second, Danny Lasoski third and Stevie Dion Hindi and Johnny Herrera to miles per hour, having closed to Smith fourth, the latter maintaining his narrow series points flip and Mark Kinser, Greg some six miles within 79 points lead - Steve Kinser finished 10th and Danny Smith passed 12 of the new Hodnett, Bill Robertson and Lany per hour faster cars to finish 12th,just behind Brooke Tatnell. than Mark leader Smith.

Neighbors also to pile up.

'The following night, it was Smith who took the chequer ahead Kinser lost the series lead when Kinser’s one “We’re still of Sammy Swindell after Mark K’s rear-end failed - Steve Kinser he, along with Herrera, was unable lap record set going to win the finished eighth, with Danny Smith 10th, Tatnell 18th and Mark to restart. title. We were last April.

Kinser credited with 20th. farther behind Smith jumped into the lead folHis win in Stevie Smith (2470) now has a 38 point lead over Mark Kinser than this last lowing a complete restart and the preliminary (2432), with Steve Kinser just two points back on 2430 - Sammy opened a gap immediately. part of the proyear.

Swindell(2382) is fourth and Johnny Herrera (2341)is fifth.

A couple of incidents brought gram back on The only race that Swindell Smith back to the field.

April 24 meant didn’t win was the second heat, Hillenburg then challenged that Haudenschild, Sammy Smith for the lead, but was unable Swindell, Mark Rinser and Danny when Sarah Fisher brought the crowd to its feet after beating the to keep up>and faded.

Lasoski had all gone straight into Jac Haudenschild ran third and the dash, which was won by cuirent champ to the line.

Mark Kinser was again the top Steve Kinsei-’s fourth place put him Haudenschild. qualifier, with Smith fourth, into the series lead by three points.

Stevie Smith was the fastest of Swindell fifth, Steve Kinser sixth, Danny Smith managed an those who had to requalify, with Danny Smith 16th and Tatnell eighth place finish in the Schnee.

Steve Kinser fift h ahead of Jackson Mark Kinser, as is his way, set 18th. . The next night, Stevie Smith sixth, Danny Smith 22nd and The two Smiths ran second and fast time again with a new lap completed a clean sweep of the 1-80 Moyle 38th. third in heat one and Tatnell beat All except Moyle qualified into .record,just ahead of Steve Kinser. event, following some daring moves Smith was sixth, while Danny Steve Kinser in heat three. in lapped traffic which helped him the A-Main through their heats, Swindell won the Dash from take his third-ever clean sweep of Moyle went no further than third Smith was 18th and Brooke Tatnell returned to the Outlaws Steve Kinser and Smith. in the C-Main. an Outlaw event.

The first fom- finishers from the Haudenschild led away from the bunch in 24th.

At the drop of the green, All of these guys, except Tatnell, Swindell and Kinser ran wheel to previous night’s feature had quali- gi-een, but Hillenburg hit the turn made the feature via their heats, wheel, with Swindell marginally in fied straight into the second 1 wall and flipped, bringing out the Tatnell having to use second in the front until Dollansky stopped on evening’s Channellock Dash, which red. lap 2.

Once the race restarted, it ran B-Main to get there. was won by Smith, earning him Dale Blaney then flipped on the As with Knoxville previously. non-stop, with Haijidenschild lead pole for the 30-lap feature.

Walker was once again fast ing all the way and making up the apart from a red flag on the open- restart.

Swindell then took control from timer, while Danny Smith was points ground he had lost the night ing lap, the race ran hon-stop fbr ' Kinser, who soon came under pres30 laps. slower, but was 14th quickest once pi’eviously.

Lasoski drove the Beef Packers The red flag was caused by Jeff sure from Smith, who took second again. on lap 18.

Eagle around Sammy Swindell and Swindell and Hillenburg colliding.

Skip Jackson timed in 17th.

Kinser lost third place when a Jackson then ran seventh in his Mark Kinser to second and chalHillenburg’s cousin Lance Blevins was also involved, with mechanical problem forced him heat and was forced into the B- lenged for the early lead before he Swindell unable to restart. from the event on lap 22.

Main, where he grabbed the last almost spun, Haudenschild, who won the Smith pressured Swindell, but Kinser retook second place and transfer position, fifth, before then the margin to Haudenschild dash, burst into the lead at the some superb passes in traffic saw climbing to 17th in the A-Main.

Stevie Smith led from the drop of opened and closed, depending on drop of the green, but Smith took . him open the gap to ten lengths at the end. the green, with Haudenschild chalwho made the more daring move in the lead through turn 4 with a low Haudenschild ran third from pass. lenging until Smith split Neighbors traffic, Sammy Swindell demoted Herrera, Hillenburg and Danny and Leonard Lee. On lap 19, Kinser actually drew Haudenschild tried to duplicate alongside, but couldn’t make the Haudenschild to third from Steve Srnith.

Tatnell ran a great 10th, while Kinser and the pairing of Mark the move and rubbed wheels, flip pass.

Haudenschild then pulled some Kinser and Lasoski, who were Mark Kinser was 13th and Steve ping the Pennzoil Maxim out of the credited with 20th. event. sweet passes to go on and win by swapping fifth place.

LATE NEWS LATE NEWS

Xoo^irr

Tri-State n Following an eight-race nonwin streak, which is a long, time for legendary car owner Karl Kinser, Mark Kinser was back in the winners circle when he took a hard-fought win in the 40-lap feature race at the Tri-State Speedway on May 10.

The ever more confident Sammy Swindell was the quickest driver around Haubstadt in the record time of 11.512 seconds, with the Kinser cousins Mark and Steve third and fourth.

Points leader Stevie Smith was ninth, Tatnell 28th (less than a second off the pace) and Danny Smith 35th.

Haudenschild won the Channellock Dash from Joe Gaerte, the Kinsers, Lasoski and Stevie Smith.

After running ninth in his heat, Tatnell just missed the A-Main when he finished fifth in the BMain behind Greg Hodnett, Hindi, Blevins and Randy Kinser.

The front row pair raced wheel to wheel down the front straight fi'om the start of the featm-e, with Gaerte taking the early lead befoi-e Haudenschild took the lead on lap 5.

Steve Kinser had moved past Mark and then Gaerte to take sec ond place.

By lap 26, Haudenschild had a four-car gap over Kinser, but smoke started to billow from the rear of the Pennzoil Maxim.

Two laps later, Steve Kinser tried to take the lead from a brake less Haudenschild-, but slipp* d out of the low gi'oove, allowing Mark Kinser to jump from third to first.

Following a lap 33 restart, Steve made his move on Mark, but couldn’t quite complete the pass, as Haudenschild dropped out with a broken rear-end.

Steve had another go on lap 37, but Mark held on for the win over Steve, with Walker grabbing his first Outlaws podium finish in third.

Stevie Smith finished fourth, ahead of Sammy Swindell, while Danny Smith i-an a strong 12th. . In the points chase. Smith now maintained his lead by 5 points over Mark Kinser (2283 - 2278).

Steve Kinser was a further 13 points behind (2265), with Swindell fourth on 2202 and Hillenburg on 2163.

Little 500 n 15-time World of Outlaws championship-winning car owner Karl Kinser was to be inducted into the Little 500 Hall of Fame on Wednesday, May 20, as part of the special celebration of the 50th running of the famed Sprintcar Classic event.

Kinser’s claims to the race include ten entries from 1970 to 1979 and dual wins and pole posi tions with driver Dick (Jaines in 1973 and 1976.

Jim Childers and Bentley Warren, both dual winners as dri vers, will be inducted along with Kinser.

1998 WORLD OF OUTLAWS/SKOAL OUTLAW SERIES

Max Oymesny Motorsport

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I. Stevie Smith 2. Mark Kinser 3. Steve Kinser 4. Sammy Swindell 5. Andy Hillenburg 6. Johnny Herrera 7. Jac Haudenschild 8. Danny Lasoski 9. Joe Gaerte 10. Jeff Swindell

2,283 2,278 2,265 2,202 2,163 2,162 2,140 2,III 2,104 2,089

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

2,041 2,024 2,024 2,001 1,733 1,694 1,523 1,433 1,048 685

43

TRI-STATE SPEEDWAY - MAY lOTH A-FEATURE (40 LAPS) I. Mark Kinser I I. joe Gaerte 2. Steve Kinser 12. Danny Smith 13. Lee Dunn 3. Tyler Walker 4. Stevie Smith 14. Donny Schatz IS. J.C. Sulawske 5. Sammy Swindell 16. Gary Hayhurst, Jr. 6. Andy Hillenburg 17. Larry Neighbors 7. Dale Blaney 18. Dion Hindi 8. Jeff Swindell 9. Lance Blevins 19. Jac Haudenschild 20. Greg Hodnett 10. Johnny Herrera

SREEDWAY

22 May 1998

Easy win in QID litle for Mighty Max

The deluge stopped early enough Australian Sprintcar Champion Max Dumesny was untroubled for the track to be whipped into in taking out the 1998 shape and the show was completed Sprintcar without intemiption.

Queensland Grose topped qualifying on open Championship at Rockhampton ing night with two wins, the second Showgrounds on May 2-3.

Starting from the outside front of which came in bizarre circum row, Dumesny went to the front in stances in the final heat of the night. the early stages of the 35-lap cham This race, which was originally pionship finale and cleared away from any potential challengers with declared in favour of Grose after ridiculous ease. several unsuccessful attempts to Defending champ Dean McComb complete the distance, proved criti confirmed his ranking as cal to the overall results.

When officials ordered a rerun.

Queensland’s best when he steered his Titan Garages Maxim to a solid Andrew Scheurele (Lucas Oils n Maxim)started back in his original second placing. spot, after originally being ban David Grose proved to be the sur ished to the rear for a starting prise packet of the weekend, quali fying his BXl/Crazies J&J on pole infringement and promptly cleared position and then finishing in third away for his second win.

It was then announced that the spot.

Despite the appearance ofjust 16 rerun was invalid, which handed cars, which reflects the state of Grose the win and propelled him to Sprintcar racing in Queensland at the top of the points chart.

The remaining preliminaries on the moment, promoter Larry Nelson still persisted with a two opening night were .taken out by McComb, Paul Liridberg (Kelly night fonnat.

The opening night of competition Wrecking Tognotti) and Ricky looked in doubt for most of the day, Mitchell (Premier Auto Parts Tognotti). with heavy rain swamping the com - CHRIS METCALF plex until late afternoon.

^*

omas’ OZ mpact Title

Victorian racer Ken Thomas has been consistently in the top finishing positions among the Victorian Compact Speedcar Ranks and has been threaten ing to break through for his first feature win - well, finally he’s done it and at no less a meeting than the Australian held at Championship, Victoria’s Bairnsdale Speedway on Easter Saturday.

Thomas bested a 26-car field, including New Zealand champion Glenn Smith, when he led the majority of the 20-lap feature and defeated Gordon Cardwell, Peter Robotham, early leader Andrew Baker and Steve Isdale.

24 cars faced the starter for the 20 lap Title race and the action started before the green flag was even waved.

Glen Wiles’ car fuelled up and he dropped out of position - the engine then cleared itself and he came around the outside of the grid to resume his position.

As a result, the start was abdrted and then the ti’ouble started - Hill was put into a spin and Eugene Charvat clipped him and went end over end. At the next start, the field headed,off as far as turn 3, where Steve Swingler up-ended his car.

With the race stopped, potential placegetter Baker got cramps, but was able to remedy the situation before the restart - and just as well, as he led away the restart and the field for the first five and a half

laps, until a stoppage for Tony Abson and Hill.

Seventeen cars remained, with Thomas assuming the lead at the restart and never to be headed.

Cardwell worked his way through the field, but couldn’t wrest the lead away fi-om Thomas.

Robotham closed in, but wasn’t quite close enough to change the order. Baker drove a great race to hang on for fourth, with Isdale snaring fifh.

Best Presented car and crew award went to Hill’s NSW#14.

Presidents Cup In the warm-up event to the National Title, the Presidents Cup at Simpson Speedway on April 4, it was the Kiwi, Smith, who took the honours in both heats, the final and the Indian File Handicap.

Eleven cars started the 12-lap Presidents Cup featoe, which saw David Robotham ride out one of the most horrific flips seen tliis season.

Coming out of position seven.

Smith took just four laps to hit the lead.

Boast had his car mobile, making the Kiwi earn his victory, as Thomas and Peter Robotham diced hard for third place, Robotham eventually getting the upper hand.

The Indian File Handicap also fell to Smith, who started out of position six - Thomas and Baker completed the top three.

-BRETT SWANSON

SMART TACTICS... Frank Smart(nearest camera)at Newport, alongside Anders Eriksson.(Mike Patrick) The rider who was third in the Australia’s Nigel Sadler has 1990 World Final is already emerged as a surprise qualifieT for the World Under-21 German Champion and he won the Krsko World Championship Championship Semi-finals when he will race at Abensburg in qualifier with some style in a rideoff with local favourite Matej Germany.

Ferjan.

Sadler qualified from Stralsund The Aussie could yet make it with just eight points in sixth'place through to next year’s GP rounds,

By Tony Millar in a field headed by Polish riders Robert Dados and Robert as his win in the Czech Republic Kosiecha. means he’s through to the group meetings been Continental semi-final of the World completed in have Britain’s Britain's 16 year-old star David The Howe took third place ahead of Speedw^ Cup Competition and Championships, pair Polish-based Canadian Krzysztof the semi-finals will olish star Sebastian Ulamek Slabon.

Wolverhampton with arch rivals Eastbourne, who won the cup last had to pull out of the first Andre Compton, who rides for Grand Prix of the season with a Sheffield, came fifth and also year.

The other semi-finals will see broken collarbone. qualified.

Sadler, who had a bad crash in Coventry and Ipswich in opposi He suffered the injury racing in heat seven that saw him suffer rib tion. Both are raced over two legs, a Testimonial meeting held at Brovst in Denmark for the four injuries, said afterwards: “I think I home and away. am more relieved than time World Champion, Hans Nielsen. pleased right now.

E“I honestly thought I’d blown my chances with The insistence by the British Promoters’ that fall in my fourth ride rise Association that the and maybe it helped British Championship going into my final race will be raced on the FIMwith no pressure.

“These meeting are so approved hard com hard because the tracks pound tyres has meant the withdrawal from the are flat and, if you miss the gate, it’s not easy to event by Eastbourne and England star Martin pass.

‘The track itself was a Dugard.

The Eastbourne rider neat shape and you could ride it hard, but believes the tyres add to passing wasn’t easy.” danger and softer tyres are ridden in the British Elite League.

Former Prixcould rider Peter Grand Karlsson be on his way back to the GP series for next sea led Swedish club Sydney’s Craig Boyce Vastervik to a dramatic son, after winning the 49-47 victory against Swedish round of the j World Championship in rivals Vargana, who included fellow Aussie Gothenburg.

Karlsson took the hon- I Jason Crump in their ours ahead of Stefan squad.

SURPRISE... Nigel Sadler made Under-21 Semis.(Patrick) Andersson with a maxi Boyce totalled 14 mum 145 point return. points for the winners and Crump who rides 10 for his club.

The riders .are joined by Aussie in the Frank BritishSmart, Premier League Andreas Jonsson Niklas for Exeter, is attracting plenty of It was a dramatic penultimate Karlsson, Niklas Klingberg,Per guest bookings to replace injured heat in which Swede Stefan Wester, Tomas Olsson and riders at other tracks.

Andersson beat Crump into sec Christer Jonsson in the Swedish He has already raced a couple ond place that decided the meetGrand Prix qualifier at Kumla. of times for Elite League Swindon ing. and he joined Reading tor their League newcomers Kaparna, tour north to Scotland to race at who include Adelaide's Ryan Britain’s Marvynlicence, Cox, who races on a German won the Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Sullivan in their team, lost their “I’d like to thank the clubs for opening meeting against Ornarna World Championship quarter-final event staged at the their bookings,” said Smart. “It has by 58 popints to 38 - Sullivan Moorwinkelsdamm track in got to such a level that I have scored just 9.

Germany.bought a new engine for the guest Leigh Adams rode to an 11 Czeph Republic rider Tomas bookings only.The last thing I point return in Indianerna’s 59-37 Topinka came second, ahead of want to do is to let my Exeter home win against Vetlanda. team suffer.”

Germany’s Robert Barth.

A similar round in Austria at the Australian speedway has odd Wiltshire Mureck was won by Polish rider received a big boost In Britain Ratal Dobrucki, ahead of Austrian Sydneysider who could think with the marketing of a full-length Andy Bossner and the Italian, he’s speedway's forgotten man in video of Dave Tapp’s Series 500 Andrea Maida.

Europe, as work permit restric International Speedway Masters.

I Both Topinka and Dobrucki are tions prevent him racing in Already sales are booming for in the first of this year’s Grand Prix England - is riding well at the the tape, which sells in the UK at moment. in Prague as wild card riders. £14.99(approximately A$37).

I k L*1 4

P

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22Ma^W98

45

Impressive debut

by Wilson chassis i

CLASSIC WINNER ... Bouncing back after after an 18 month layoff, #50 Darren Roe won Senior National Heavy at the Grand Annual Sprintkart Classic, Cobden, last month.

(Graeme Bums pic)

Formosa,Barabasz and Knight too good

New to Australia is the kart which carries the name of the most prolific world karting champion ever - Mike Wilson.

The six-time Formula K World Champion - 1981-83, 1985, 1986 and 1988 - chas sis are being imported by Cid Maroun from the Sydney -Discount Kart Centre and are available in a range of sizes and configurations to suit most classes.

The Mikel chassis is best The Mike4 chassis is best suited to Clubman classes, suited to the National class while the Mike2 is an inter categories and Clubman national class kart, as cam Light. paigned by Peter Lawler at If the debut meeting for the 1998 Nationals in Piston the chassis at the recent Port.

Wollongong Street Race is It is also lilmly that Lawler anything to go by, when will campaign the chassis in Lawler absolutely dominated Intercontinental A at round a very competitive Formula two of the Wynn’s Australian 100 field, this will not be the Karting Championships, last time we hear of Mike which is scheduled to be run Wilson.

-SEAN HENSHELWOOD atTpswich on June 21.

PEDIGREE... Mike2 chassis in Peter Lawler's hands at the 1998 Nationals. (Henshelwood)

out over his nemesis, class raced hard all day, with Darren Formosa, Lee Bai-abasz and Ken Knight Rogerson. no-one really dominating, The front bunch of lOOcc although Windhager strug were worthy winners at the third round of the Light was great racing to gled at times to hang onto Victorian Superkart watch, with Darren Formosa, the bunch.

Misitano held on to win by series, which was was Ben Castles, Rod Prickett, held at Calder Park Jason McIntyre, Barry two points from Dunn and Thompson.

Stephen Raceway two weekends Bredenback, Warwick Foletta ran the Castles, David Williams and ago and attracted an Richard Stupka (who has first ofthe B-Grade karts and, enti’y of 70 karts. with several more almost A new system of grading found some form to run with the 80cc karts was intro this bunch) trading positions ready, he will have some com more frequently than my petition next meeting. duced. Instead of the old per Although a good roll-up of formance-based system, the pencil could keep up with.

125cc karts arrived, prob Formosa amassed enough new system is based on the mechanical side of things, points to win, but Prickett lems dropped the number with the aim. of making it and McIntyre tied on points, down, with Pete Carter win cheaper for people entering Prickett getting the nod for ning all heats, although he did coast across the line in the class an^ to be able to second. lOOcc Heavy was another the final. iTin competitively.

The motors are restricted close bunch, with Ken Mark Purcell, having his third drive, was second to the pre-coated barrels Knight, the only one to con ahead of brother Larry, who with modifications free, but sistently finish in the top with a maximum carburettor three, taking the win. was having his first drive.

Shane Perry won from a The rest were battling in a size of 28mm, rear-only tight bunch, with fists being small field of 250cc Nationals brakes and SL4 tyi’es.

The Juniors had another waved at each other as they and Tony Rath overcame two tried to get through the tight bungled starts and a strong new entry, swelhng the class to six. challenge from John formations on the straight.

Lee Barabasz and Evan Despite two wins and a Coughlan to win the six Rogerson raced wheel to second. Rod Clarke was strong field of 250cc wheel for most of the day, di'opped back to second by a Internationals.

Mike McCnidden Hvas sec bad first heat and Gary with eye contact being made on several occasions. ond, ahead of Coughlan.

Pegoraro, also with one bad The next meeting is at Jared.,Laws was right heat, came home third.

Joe Misitano, Darrens Winton on June 6-7, the behind, but could only man event incorporating the Dunn, David Thompson age four thirds on the day.

Victorian Championship. (with his new engine) and But, when it really count - GRAEME BURNS ed, Barabasz eventually won Peter Windhager in the 80cc

!

Eastrn llegion Series Rd 3 Goulburn Valiev Kart Glob = l^umurkah Enquiries 03 5821 4950 Western Region Series Rd 3 South West Kart Club ~ Cobden Enquiries 03 5594 6291

TOP THREE FINISH... #10 Gary Pegoraro made the lOOcc Heavy podium.(Graeme Burns)

June 6/7

North West Titles Midura Kart Club Enquiries 03 5023 5792

June 14

Star Round 3 Goulburn Valley Kart Club - Numurkah EnquiHes 03 5821 4950

June 21

National Classic B^digo Kart Club EAquiries 03 5443 6065

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Ph (03) 5449 6362 or (03) 9362 1144

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46 22Msi'm8

INDUSTRY NEWS

Look like an Original Holden

New clothing range celebrates 50th anniversary i

I

Warpaint RacingrapMx, a company recently formed by signwriting and graphics artist Shane Abbott and , award-winning spray painter Con Herouvim, has opened its doors at a new premises in Moorabbin,Melbourne.

Abbott has earned an enviable reputation around the world as being one of the most talented : and respected graphic artists in motor sport.

He has worked fill time in the United States and has done work for some of the biggest names m racing, ineluding five-time ' Winston Drag Racing Chamipion Kenny Bernstein, painting trans porters and cars for both of Bernstein’s drag racing and My Car teams.

Abbott has also designed and painted cars in Australia for legendaiy drag racers such as Graeme Cowin, Rachelle Splatt, Charlie DiPihppo and Peter Ridgeway.

Herouvim, while remaining based in Australia, still has an excellent reputation, winning numerous accolades for the vehi

GET THE LOOK ... To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ailstralia’s ‘original’ car-maker, Holden have released the great looking ‘Holden Originals’ range ofclothing. The merchandise is available from your local Holden dealer.

To commemorate its 50th rugby tops, t-shirt, jackets, anniversary, Holden has anoraks and caps, launched a specially According to Holden’s designed range of casual Director of Marketing, Kevin clothing known as Holden Wale, there has been high Originals. ' initial demand for the clothHolden fans - male and ing range, which is available female - can now declare at Holden dealerships aci’oss their allegiance- by choosing Australia and at major motor fi'om a co-ordinated selection sport events, of ‘Proudly Australian “Holden Originals was Holden Originals Since 1948’ introduced specifically to gear that includes denim mark the golden anniversary shirts, classic polo tops, of the introduction of the

Classifieds continued from page 49'

Parts BalsuinBOO parts - doors, struts, hubcapslTIfTT^ ness, seats, tail-light, headlight, gearbox, 1800 motor, carbies, bumper bar, boot lid. Priced from $5. Ph: 03 5334 6364 Ballarat. .27 Compomotive rims, 4 stud 15x6. Also Evo 2/3 spares, shafts, suspension, bumpers. Mazda 323 4x4, fully rebuilt gearbox. Ph: 0419 040 788 (Perth). 128 Motorola two-way radios. Two crew, one driver, car harness with aerial, chargers, two headsets, one helmet kit. As new $2,900. Ph: 02 4628 8322(AH). 128 Sparco Pro 2000 race seats, perfect, nearly new, black. Cost $954 ea inci mounts. Sell $720 each (no offers). Ph: 03 9822 5034. 127 Chev s/block 350, steel crank, splayed 4 bolt caps, $2,000; Chev b/block ARP stud kit, steel crank, $2,250; Chev blower manifold, with burst panel, all trick parts. Ph; 0412 487 771,02 6297 5895. 127 VC Commodore race shell, Dencar, chrome moly cage, acid dipped, ready for top coat. Al 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 McGee fuel injection, reoo pump, flow tested, filters, lines, spatb pills, $1,1 OOono. Ph; 02 9628 5990. 127

first Holden in Australia.

At the same time, it adds further dimension to the

D1 & D2... Shane Abbott of Warpaint Racingraphix has workedfor some ofthe best in world motor sports, includ ing Kenny Bernstein. He has also design numberous tee- ; shirts, including this one for the Wynn’s V8 Supercar i team.

cles he has painted including Best Custom Paint three years running at the annual Street Machine Nationals.

Warpaint Racingraphix can take any ideas from concept to reality with both Abbott and Herouvim applying their talents to al areas of motor racing, including t-shirt design, helmet design and painting, sign-

existing Holden Special Vehicles, Holden Racing Team and Brock collection

writing and fuM'paint schemes. !

They can help a customer achieve the i required corporate look’ that they’re after j or, cut loose, can give you the wildest look n out there. ; Call Con and Shane direct at Warpaint i Racingraphix on (03)9584 7177 to discuss : your racing graphics requirements.

We thought we’d show you the new Jaz radiator overflow catch can which

ed-in mo-unting inserts.

The overflow features a seamless construction along

which is marketed by HSV through the national dealer network,” Mr Wale said.

“It seems obvious that this

is now available from

with a swivel input fitting

Jaz’s Australian agents,

and a level handle petcock

Eagle Motorsports in Adelaide.

for easy draining and has a

new Holden Originals family will prove equally as popular' with fashion conscious Holden enthusiasts.”

The overflow catch can ... if you can draw your attention

Order your Jaz radiator overflow catch can from

to it... can be flxed anywhere in a race car due to its mould-

Eagle Motorsports by calling 08 8347 2480.

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). 127 Brodix 18 degree heads, including Hillborn 3 piece manifold and as-new JessI shaft rockers, $4,500. Ph: 0412

Tandem trailer, up and over style, plenty storage under neath. Used for Super Sedan & Modified Production. $2,500.

Ph:035978 7679,0419 388 192. 128

120 720. .27

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 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 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. .27 Simmons 3 piece wheels (PS), 17x10 with 8" offset; 17x12 with 7" offset; 4 3/4" PCD. Ph: 0412 120 720. 127 Swirl pot, aluminium, one litre capacity, as new, with fit 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 ported by HRT. Brand new $900. Ph: 0417 382 773. 127

Transporfers/Trailers FIDO, 82 model, ex ambulance, 351 V8, auto, dual juel, 150lt gas tank & twin fuel tank. Tow bar, with or without 12mths reg & RWC.$10,000ono. Ph;035978 7679,0419 388 192. 129 Fully enclosed trailer, with self supporting canvas annex, ideally suited for Formula Ford/Vee. Overhead storage area, mag wheels.$5,500. Ph: Jeff 9570 3683,0418 172 889. 128

one quart capacity.

Tamiya FI kits, Wolf WR1 1/20th. First issue FI Racing. Ph: Andrew 02 4948 4472. 128 Cortina GT MkllD, complete or in parts. Ph or fax David 02 6761 8981. 127 4-spot brake callipers, discs, rotors, to suit A9X Torana, front and rear, to suit 15" diameter wheels, Ph: Tony 0417 693 871, 02 6297 1149 (AH). .27

Grand Prix model cars 1:43 scale, kits or assembled. Wave meri etc, 1980s, definitely no new stuff. Ph: Bill 03 5243 3660 (AH). 127 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 Go Kart trailer, takes four karts, plus plenty of storage space. Excellent condition, light weight, easy towing, 12 months reg. $1,950. Ph:03 5275 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). 127 Car stacker, for use in transporter. Hydraulic raise/iower, heavy duty frame. Suitable for Porsches or other. $9,000. Ph:07

Other Magazines & Books for sale: RCN, AA, Chequered Rag. all 1970 to 1990 approx, plus other assorted magazines and programmes. Also Motor Racing Yearbooks. Will separate. Ph: 039873 2656,0416 131 546. m

5593 7133. 127

Wanted Chev 350 +30 forged pistons to suit 5.7 rods, new or second-hand. Ph: Jason 08 8261 6672, 015 793 613. 120 Copy of'lakeside ATCC telecast 29/3/98. I will pay any expenses or swap for copies of any thing in my large motor sport video collection. Ph: 07 4773 5215 (AH). 128 Information on Group C Geminis that raced at Bathurst and their drivers. Any photos, articles, or if you know where the drivers can be reached.

Ph: D. Beck 03 5996 5609. 128

Historic Photos; 70s and 80s, Brock, Johnson, Richards, Senna, Prost etc, b/w and colour, majority unpublished. Tourers, F5000, FI, Sports, also V8s, 2-litre, SOOcc, Histories. Fax for details 02 9960 6552. i2b Swap: Sports Sedan, big hp turbo, prof built from XU1 shell.

1973 and updated each year. Just rebuilt, incI new brakes, clutch, engine etc. Ph:036394 3541.015 312 918. 1Books: 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:088645 9483,015 994 594. 127

22M3^W98

i

Mazda RX-7 series II, 13BBP, 48IDA Weber, extractors, light ened flywheel, 6,000kms on engine, new tyres, 8/98 rego, new two-pack paint, red. $9,000. Ph:02 6281 3576. 126 Datsun Sports 2000 Marque Sports Car. 2nd in Vic championship 1996, 1997; 1:50s at PI. Fully rebuilt, ready to race. Group 0 history. $22,900ono. Ph: Tom 03 9510 1781, 0419356 572,

Sedans/Sports Cars

Nissan Silhouette GTS. SVD, series 2, manual, low kms, immaculate and original, $21,000ono. Ph:026331 8707. la Alfa Romeo Guilia Sprint GT. Full off body restoration, 2 litre motor, adjustable suspension. 5 speed gearbox, log book, LSD. trip computer. Great Targa, Dutton or Club Car. 3rd in class Targa NZ, 3rd in class Targa Tas 97. Spent $45,000. ask ing $16,500. Ph: 0418 793 390. I2S Mazda RX3 Coupe rolling shell. Good tyres, mags, needs paint/panel work. Good for Club Car or rally. $2,500ono. Ph; 08 8261 6672,015793613. 128

Subaru 94/95 WRX, Quiktrac, 12 months reg, 3" exhaust, AVO intercooler & blow-off valve. 4 x D98J tyres -r rims, turbo timer, spray kit. Amaroo 58 sec, E. Creek 1:51. Second outright, NSW Sprint title. Best offer over $30,000. Ph: 02 9524 7849. .a KE20 Corolla Sports Sedan. 2TG Twin Cam, 5 speed Celica box, diff, A008Rs (5000) 7x13 rims. Harness, race seat, alloy cage, perspex windows, adjustable struts. 2 spare shells, 1 engine in bits. $2,500ono. Ph: 018 659 123

Toyota Starlet, twin<rode turbo, EFI, roll cage, full adjustable suspension, HKS Racing electronics, adjustable boost control. Factory rally car, fully imported. $16,000ono. Ph: 0412 259 212. ,28 Celica Sports Sedan. Built from Lola F5000, it has 5000cc Chev engine, McKay manifold, Luca timed injection, DG300 g/box and diff, Lola uprights and axles. Many spar^ Complete car $38,000. Vt/ill sell body shell c/w moulds, panels, dobrs sep arately ($3,000) if motor and gearbox sold separately. Ph: Bob Gill 03 9510 7418, 018 378 943. i:b Holden HQ racer, ready to race, excellent condition, heaps of spares, second sk of wheels, spare gearbox & diff etc. Must sell. $4,000. Ph: 02 4647 1896,0418 211 341 (AH). 12s

7=

BuTiii Tlf il

*●4.

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 tyres, springs, Jerico box $3,500: scales $3,000, Ph: 02 9636 4447. 127 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 3541,015 312 918. ,2?

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

Chevrolet Camaro Z28 95, and Pontiac Rrebird 94. Both with 350 LTI Chev engine, 4 speed auto, twin air bags, ABS, RHD, complianced. $57,000 each. Ph: 03 9772 9907, 03 9634 4333 (BH),

Clubman Sports 1300, absolutely race ready, in contempo rary form or eligible Group Q. Spares include 8 wheels, reg trail er, body moulds, $12,000ono, Ph: 0412 147 605 (SA),

Commodore Sports Sedan, two races old, new 350 Chev mid-mounted^TIO gearbox, 9' floater rear, fibreglass panels all round. Comes with spare springs, moulds, wets etc. $26,000.

Ph; 02 6355 5995. .26 Datsun 1600 Sports Sedan. Full space frame chassis, full fibreglass body, 2 sets Nissan factory race wheels, 4 spare R180 diffs, A arm suspension and more. $5,700. Ph: 03 5422 7474.0419334 786. i2e

Escort, Lotus twin cam 1970. All original parts, while, rust-free, 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.

J

Celica 1988 GT4, intercooled turbo, 74,000kms, race sus pension, electronic diff lock, electric leather seats. Not for road rego, but can be rally registered. $7,300ono, Ph: 02 4957 2905 or 0419 434 311,

- \

Mini Cooper S, Group NC, 1330. Straight cut geras, alloy panels, LSD, 6x10 Mlnilites, perspex. Nothing to spend, with trailer, $12,000ono. Consider part swap for XU1 road/race. Ph: 03 5977 8372.

Torana Gen L34, yellow, needs restoration. H2/eng no, ID tags, GMH letter, eng and box out. Drop tank, Fgrd diff. Good investment. Reg VZR 519. $5,500. Ph: 02 9632 0202. 127 Tow car: V8 Fairmont Sedan, t-barauto, (new) velour trim.

Excellent condition, no further use, 12 months reg. Swap, trade, whatever. Ph: 03 6394 3541,015 312 918. 127

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 9817 5560 (AH). 126

s

'im

Gemini Coupe, ready for 98 Old series. Front runner 97.

Complete with mountain of spares, plus set-up advice. CTieap entry at S4,000ono. Ph: John English 07 3826 4146 (BH),‘f|418 736 619(,AH). ,26 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). .27

Bolwell Naqari. One owner from new. Road or race. Mallala record holder. 5L Ford, Super T10 g/box, Ford diff. Spare wheels. Totally rebuilt by K&A. POA. Ph: 015 397 251 or 08 8362 1977. ia Torana A9X 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

ROH Commodore Cup Car. Professionally-built turn key car, no expense sparedi 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 5400.0418 395 566. .27

t

MG Holden Special, only one built, grey motor, triple carbs, straight cut Needham box, reg to Dec 98. $8,750. Ph: 03 5775 2643 (Mansfield, VIC). .29

Commodore VS Group A, HRT shell, Benson engine, Harrop running gear. Mofec system. Comes with spares pack age including wheels & tyres. Assistance given to purchaser.

POA. Ph: 02 6355 5995. 12s

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. .26

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 boxes, wheels, tyres. $8,500ono. Ph: 03 5248 3044, 015 050 435. .»

HQ Holden, good motor, g/box, diff, new tyres, needs suspen sion update. Very tidy car. $3,000. Ph; 02 4782 4411 (BH), 02 4787 7900 (AH). .26

continued over page

Sf ND US YOUR CLASSIFIEDS AND WE'LL RUN THEM FREE! YES, MOTORSPORT NEWS CLASSIFIEDS ARE ABSOLUTELY FREE FOR READERS’ PRIVATE CAR AND EQUIPMENT SALES. SIMPLY POST OR FAX YOUR AD TO US AND WE’LL RUN IT FOR TWO ISSUES

ABSOLUTELY FREE

PLEASE KEEP ADS TO NO MORE THAN 30 WORDS, PLUS A PHOTO IF REQUIRED. Post to Motorsport News Free Clossifieds, P.O. Box 1010, Caulfield North, VIC 3161 or Fox: (03) 9527 7766

NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS Please use the form provided and print clearly. Please note we are unable to return photographs used in dossified ods. Ads will appear as soon as possible after receipt. FREE Classifieds are for the sale of prwate goods and vehicles only, not business advertising. Classifieds close last mail Thursday prior to on sale date, photos marked "proor will not be used.

NAME; ADDRESS:

47

CATEGORY; Cars: □ Speedway □ Drag □ Sedans □ Open Wheelers General: □ Parts □ Engines □ Trailers □ Wanted □ Photographs □ Other

n >»

45 22Ma^ 1998

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Kart - Azzuro, with Yamaha Clubman engine, new powder coated blue, AX6 sidepods. Comes with stand. Suit beginner.

Urgent sale $1,800 ono. Ph: Geoff 035275 3140. <zs Elfin Aero Eoroiula Ford. This unique car is for sale with spares and trailer. Own a piece of Australian motor sport history.

Eligible for Historic racing. Ph:039563 1390,0417 774193. 12B Karts (2), CRG rolling chassis, 40mm rear axle, front camber adjuster. About 8 months old, excellent condition. Also, Kali frame with National engine, ready to race, good cond. Ph:(Tas) 036391 1890 between 6.30am & 7pm. i2b

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 026297 1149,0417 693 871, .re 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. irc

Cortina 2-litre Sports Sedan. Amaroo 62 sec, new engine, heaps of spares, with tandem trailer. Complete race package $2,700ono. Will separate. Ph:0412008 101. .26

Commodore Cup car. New T10 gearbox, good competitive engine 2 races old: Trump engineered chassis; 12 wheels, spares, trailer with tyre rack. Reduced to $21,500 for quick sale.

Ph: Roger Paterson 08 8362 7263,0414 993930. .26

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

Speedway Modified Production. Strong 250 Xflow motor, 4 speed.

Good car, plenty of spares, ready to race. Ph: 03 5978 7679, 0419388 192. .re

VesKanda Group Cl sports car. Australia’s fastest, as dri ven by John Bowe. 61 Chev, Motec fuel injection, DE300 Hewland g/box with ratios, spare wheels. Totally rebuilt by K&A. POA,Ph:015 397 251 or 08 8362 1977. m Sprintcar, V92, I/w Tiner chassis. All best running gear.

Winner past 2 years SRA Hoosier series. Available with or without JSR engine, wide range spares and 16' trailer. Ph: Matthew Reed 039763 0827. .rs Fender Bender, VC Valiant, 1 meeting since engine rebuild. sealed motor. Ultra competitive car, best of everything. Huge quantity quality spares, including approx 20 wheels & tyres.

Ready to race. $1,500ono. Ph:02 9525 3430,0418 970 646. .29 1975 Galant GC Coupe Race Car, ex Brown Davis, 2 litre, twin 48ml webbers, 5 speed close ratio, 4 wheel discs with bias, Marsh seals, full cage, 2 sets of mags, blue 2 PAK, adj. front end, 4 - 6 locked diff and more. $5800. Ph: AH (03) 9886 3772. 12C 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 puller, steel chest. Spares include axles, susp, springs, shocks, body parts, too many to mention. Help given first meetings. $15,000. Ph: James (03)9563 7072 or (015)800 342.

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. a.

LJ Torana , ASCF and Board rego, methanol engine, alu minium seat, alurninium tank. Lift off wheel, spare fibreglass front, heaps of wheels and tyres and spares. $2,500ono. Ph: 02 9628 5990. w Speedcar, hi-bar JSR, built to current Stealth specs. Long spline National diff, Sanders front and coil-over front, 166ci, dry sumped Pajero motor. Car is 4 meetings old, competitive and race ready. Comes with comprehensive spares kit. A sacrifice at $15,000ono. Ph:029543 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:026622 4414,026629 0219,0418 640 318. 126 Fender Bender - HG Hoiden,one meeting ^ince full car rebuild.

Motor sealed, very competitive car, ready ti race with spares. $2,500ono. Ph: Ed 0414 240006, or 029628 5170(AH). 126

i

’©Ipbfli 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. w

fi

1977 Mk6 Cheetah, Celica engine, Mk9 Hewland, ratios, spares, mounted wets, original log book. Last race 1991. $22,000. Ph:03 9376 7631 (BH). ,27 Formula Ford Van Diemen RF86. Excellent condition, exDavid Bruce car. Many extras, too many to list, including fully

y

3 Litre UC Torana Mod Prod. Ex Vic3,6 meetings old, very competitive, adjustable suspension,3sets new tyres and mags, fresh engine, Powerglide Centura diff. Power Head. Best of everything. Sold with all spares & tandem trailer. $7,500ono. Ph: Peter 035275 4904. ,2t

saw if m f Modified Rod chassis and body,radius rods, torsion bars, $1,500. Halibrand diff, just rebuilt $1,000. Ph: Scott Foy 02 4933

NASCAR Ford Thundeihird (#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, complete car $40,000; 1 motor Penske $30,000; 1 motor Mark Smith Tri Star $50,000: 1 motor Jnr Johnson $20,000. Ipr Robert Yates heads, compi with valves, rocker gear $10,000; T 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. i2c

News

6671. .26

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 Litre Sprintcar, QLD 37, midbar Gerhardt chassis, cut-off Kawasaki, Motec injection, Halibrand quick-change. Proshocks, Schroeder g/box. Complete with spares, wings etc. $16,500ono. Ph:07 4636 0397(AH),07 4638 3533(BH). 128 Modified Production, LH Torana 3 litre Production Sedan. 2 years old and emphatically maintained as new. Ready to race with spares and trailer. $7,500 or packaged to suit. Ph: Kevin or Neale 039744 2434. 128

Drag Racing panels. Late modeel, low drag. 5 T/Bird, hairy glass panels speed Lenco titanium gear set. Mark Williams modular 4 link housing, model no. 97000. Aluma Star wheels, MSD ignition. For a Windsor. Lakewood bell housing.

Peter Undy, RMB 5695, Koroit, Vic 3282. 128 Junior Dragster. 105" wheelbase, 5hp Briggs .030 oversize, 210cc. Commet clutch. Runs cocsistent 14s on Avgas. Current tech. Driver outgrowing vehicle. Has heaps more potential. $3,500. Ph; Wayne 07 3812 4398,0418 105 016. 126

enclosed trailer. $13,000. Ph:035426 1856. 127 Formula Holden RaK 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 wheeI.Edwards wheels x 3 sets, slicks, wets and intermediate tyres, tacho, heaps of spares including barrel, head, and gear ratios. $3,500. Ph;0417 462664. ,27

Open Wheelers 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. $5,500. Ph: John or David Frazzetto 0413 750 401. 127 Van Diemen RF94-95, immaculate condition, no expense spared in maintaining. Blueprinted gearbox. Lamer engine, ready to race, $35,000. May trade or swap tor road car. Ph: 03

Suzuki Swift 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, 015 050 435. 126

5275 2305. 127

Complete, ready to race, in NSW now. Offers. Ph: 02 6543 7540, 126

1991 Reynard, ex-factory car, low kms, fully rebuild Benson RED engine, good assortment of spares, POA. Ph; Jeff 9570

3683,0418 172 889

TW .y

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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:035275 2305. 527 Superkart - Peter Worrall's 125cc Australian Championship winning kart. 97 Stockman chassis with full bodywork. ’B’ kit ‘94 RS125 engine, just rebuilt with new crank, mains etc. $7,500.

Ph:029824 7a50. i26

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Mazda RX2 rally car, 13B extend port, 48mm DD Webber, twin turbo, 5 speed, LSD, roll cage, brake bias adj. Suit parts, too much more to mention. $3,000. Ph: 03 9890 3987, 0418 375 038. 126

Escort 9/70 Lotus twin cam. Original oar, rebuilt engine $8,500, Ph: 03 9499 3088 (BH), 018 367 004. 126 AUSCAR Sportsman, XF Falcon. One season old never bent, fresh 9.5 engine -r 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. PhBob Whyatt 0418 816 889. 120

Super Sedan, ASCF lie, NASCAR high comp engine, 650bhp, bow-tie block, dry sump. Super T10 gearbox, plenty of spares. NASCAR al. seat. Winning oar. $30,000. Ph: Barry-Blake 08 9361 6222 (BH), 08 9453 9482 (AH). 127 Datsun 1600,13B rotary. 48 Weber, ACT & NSW Board rego.

3 meetings old, very competitive, heaps of spares - too many to list. POA. Phi02 6297 7206. 127 litre Sprititcar, roller, QLD 39. Chrome moly Gerhardt low bar chassis, Halibrand quick-change ditf. Well presented car, all pan els, less top wing. $3,500. Ph: 018 783 332 or 07 5443 9878. 127

*» Elfin 622 Historic Group Q. Total restoration completed 5 years ago, now running F3 configuration. Quick, relaible car holds Group Q Under 1300 lap records at Amaroo and E, Creek. Full Cosworth Ford engine ex UK, specifically built for F3 with BDA,crank and rods, gear driven camshaft etc, twin plate clutch and Mk8 Hewland. Flawless in finish and presentation.

Documentation available, spares incl. Ph: Richard Harward 02 9789 8470 (BH), 02 9568 4147 (AH)'. 130

Monaco GP2 sprint kart rolling cDiassis. Done little work. Easy kart to set up. Like new condition, urgent sale. $2,000ono. Ph: 03 5422 3628,0418 590 275. lae Elfin Crusader Formula Vee. A no expense spared proven race winner. Recently refurbished and complete wth compre hensive spares, including gearbox and front end. New project forces sale at $8,000. Ph: Steve Kelly 08 8297 9741. 015 397 622. ,26

22 May ms Engines

Ford 5 litre, SVO block, Kings crank, JE pistons, Manley titanium valves, Cunningham rods, Yates heads.

Holden 202 race engine. Fully rebuilt, balanced, blueprinted. Fully worked head, roller rockers, ACL rac

Weaver dry sump, MSD ignition, Holley oarb. Run three meetings $25,000. Ph: Ron 07 5539 9337, Ross 00 11 642 536 0915. .27

ing pistons, Starfire rods. Crow cam, straight cut gears.

Hi Energy sump. $2,200. Ph: 03 5978 7679, 0419 388 192. .26 Formula Ford current spec engine, fully rebuilt, no miles, manifold to clutch. Just bolt it in. $6,500. Ph: Jeff 9570 3683, 0418 172 889. 128 Mazda 12A Bridgeport, fuel injected, complete with computer, all ready to install. Has had low road use, will Class One Buggy - 2.7 litre Subaru 6 cyl, Kombi gearbox, Bilstein c/overs, spun alloy rims, stainless exhaust. Marsh seats.

Immaculate, near new vehicle ready to race. $13,500. Ph: 03 9898 4925,0411 868 440. 126

Chev 400, +30, 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

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 Hoiden aiioy 12 port head, complete and as new

suit race car, 155 rear wheel hp. $4,500. Ph: 02 9482 8358. 128

JTvith shaft mounted rockers. Great power increase. $2,300. Ph:Fred 0412 487 771. 127

Chev dry sump set-up. 3 stage external pump, sump, round alloy tank and braided hoses. $1,200. Ph: 08 8272 7774 7am-7pm. 127

Weldtech -12 heads, latest design, 267cc, runner, fully CMC ported and lightened. Brand new. $6,000. Ph: 08 8272 7774, 7am-7pm. 127

49

Parts Various: Weaver dry sump pump & dry sump tank, with heater. Many ratios for Jerico box. Ford stroke camshaft, bladder safety petrol tank and a lot more. Ph: Bob Gill 03 9510 7418,018 378 943. 128 Longacre computer scales, new, never used. Ph: 02 4628 8322(AH). 128

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Queensland Raceway, and would welcome any discussion on the

Weight of numbers Editorial : Editor David Hassall Technical Editor Tony Glynn Assistant Editor : Phil Branagan Graphics Co-ordinator Viv Brumby

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ADVERTISING WORKS.i ITS THAT SIMPLE! | Cali Gerald McDornan on i

03 9527 7744 I

Dear Sir, I can’t believe how the Holden teams have been treated by the Performance Review Committee.

With the closeness of the racing that we’ve been experiencing, it is hard to comprehend how they have come to the decision of penalising the teams.

At the recent Winton meeting, there were 41 cars entered. Of that 41, only 13 Fords were entered, with the remaining field being Holdens. With that ratio you don’t have to be a genius to work out that the Holdens do have one advan tage, and that’s racers willing to drive their product.

And what about Tony Longhm’st rejecting the idea of a reverse grid at Mallala, and joining Larry ‘the Barger’ Perkins in the control tyre call? Maybe he would prefer to have a control car, Holdens racing against Holdens and Fords against Fords. Maybe then he could win a race.

We need to have all the tyre companies involved in motor sport.

It’s the only way that the public (bread and butter for motorsport) gets to see how the different tyres perform.

And finally, what do you think would happen to Russell Ingall or Craig Lowndes if they had barged through the start at Winton, cost ing Mark Skaife any chance of a podium finish? Come on Larry, yo,u used to be a fair racer, or have you forgotten the good old days racing in Peter Brock’s team in the early ‘80s.

Allan Shipway shippy@chariot.net.au

A solution to all our problems?

Dear Sir, Everyone has been up in arms over the early season performances of the McLaren-Mercedes in Grand Prix racing. The best brains in the business have been up till the small hours working on a way to beat them, or slow them down.

1416 answer is blindingly obvious.

Make HakkineU' and Coulthard drive McLaren’s two-seater cars and, if they are.10s ahead after 10 laps or so, black-flag them, haul them into the pits and install a pas senger.

Repeat the procedure until eitl^er the car slows down or you run 6ut of passengers.

Oh, but just a word of advice; don’t install your Assistant Editor.

His performance in Mercedes-pow ered race cars isn’t that impressive, or so I read somewhere.

Martin O’Neill Subiaco, WA ASST ED: BriUiant, O’Neill. The O’Neills of Subiaco, eh? I’ll

, track design via our E-mail: tonys@queensland-raceway.org.au.

To view the design and find out more about Queensland Raceway readers can visit our Webpage: http://www.queenslandraceway.org.au.

Send letters to Talk Converter to: ^ 7 7766.

PO Box 1010 North Caulfield Vic 3161 our E-mail address, or fax to 03 The staff of Motorsport News does not necessarily agree with opinions express by readers.

bring a curry over for dinner.

Better lay down plastic...

Dear Sir, While there’s a wave of criticism of the lack of close I’acing in FI these days, it still pulls the crowds from what I can see.

Am I the only one who noticed the complete lack of spectators at the recent Rio 400 Champcar (nee IndyCar)race?

mm pa..

ronmentally a more feasible propos al. Plans to run races in parks in the USA tend to generate opposi tion.

Having visited San Francisco’s Presidio I cannot image the locals or the American Congress agreeing to hold a race there. Perhaps Joe Saward could check this story.

W. Hunter

Springvale VIC

M bn II

s’*'

&gsn

HANDICAP? ... Reader Martin O’Neill’s solution to the McLaren domination of Ft is unique...

Let’s face it, FI is still the ultimate test and what’s more the racing isn’t “contrived”.

Long may it stay that way.

Having paid that, the idea of the top half of the V8 grid being reversed for one of the three races is very appealing...

Michael Paterson Berwick, VIC

"L

No day in the park Dear Sir, I was a little surprised to read that San Francisco was proposing to run a Grand Prix in Presidio Park (Joe Saward, 24/4/98).

The Presidio is classified as a Golden Gate National Recreation Area under an Act of the US Congress, and is the site of a militaiy cemetery.

According to Toby Waller and Larry Roberts the proposed site is in fact Treasure Island, which is linked to the mainland via the Bay Bridge. Treasure Island is rather similar to the site of the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal It is an artificial island built for the 1939 World Fair - and is now the site of an abandoned naval base.

This sounds politically and envi-

u

I

Go Skaifey Dear Sir, We would like to congratulate Mai'k Skaife on a great podium fin ish at Winton.

It’s great^ to see Garth Tander, Jason Bright and Jason Bargwanna mixing it at the pointy end of the field as well.

Someone had better ring the PRC and tell them the Fords mysteriously found some extra pace at Winton ...

Keep up the good work Ten and Motorsport News. ●s

Stratton and Michael PowellHughes RandwickNSW

What’s on Pay? Dear Sir, Would it be possible to add a cal endar for both Optus and Foxtel for those who like to pay for their rac ing telly fix? Having Optus means you can watch FedEx rounds ri ncluding qualifying) as well as South American F3 Series to name only two. I believe NASCARs are available on Foxtel, but what else am I missing?

For your readers who may be interested, I am the designer of

r Q ]

.. .SITTING IN THE SOM SWINE ' AT THRUXTON., -

Tony Slattery Willowbank QLD royclark@dingley.net ASST ED; If you’ve got Fox, you can watch V8 replays, Super Tourer replays, with NASCAR, US Drags, the Bike GPs and Superbike World Champion ship rounds all live...

Wioton forever...

Dear Sir, Winton’s newly enlarged track and Channel 10 combined to pro vide coverage that deserves an award for the most exciting motor sport viewing for many years and at last puts paid to those critics who moan about processional rac ing at the old track.

Ten’s cheiTy-picker showed many of the best overhead shots in memo ry (how about another one at turn one to cover the start?) and made Winton the number one circuit for entertainment.

I hope CAMS and Tim Schenken realise this and try and prevent this V8 sport turning inot boring no-contact Fl-style of racing.

Please AVESCO, put a stop to the rumours taht Winton is one of the tracks to miss out in the future. If this happens, V8 Supercars will lose many 'TV viewers as no other track comes close for TV entertainment.

Remember loss of viewers = loss of income = loss of your jobs. Retain Winton..

Special thanks to Motorpsort News for using consecutive pages for their race reports. It sure makes reading more pleasant than flicking pages back and forth and searching for the next page like some mags.

Doug Sunderland Wangaratta

Court report?

Dear Sir, Congratulations on the paper it’s just gi-eat.

I was wodering if it would be pos sible after each round of the V8 races to publish a copy of the Stewards’ report.

With so much happening during the racing I am sure everyone would enjoy fi nding out who paid what for being in the wrong place at the wrong time...

Les Power

Perth, WA

ASS'T ED: Good idea, though Winton’s report would have required a couple of extra pages...

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Scorpion

X

X

Trunnion is weakest part in most rockers in this test.

X (ground)

X (turned)

X

X

/

and pushrod cup essential for long service life of these and mating parts.

X ●Note

Poor geometry limits available lift and increases wear. '+.200 pushrods req'd.

/

/

/

/

/

X

Pushrod cup and arm geometry

/

/

/

/

/

/

/

Yella Terra

Street Terra

Grane Gold

Crane Hi INSTENSITY

Lunati

Erson

Scorpion

Extensive range in various configurations Fitting instructions included Posiloks included in set PUBLISHED LIFETIME WARRANTY. A YELLA TERRA EXCLUSIVE

/ / / /

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

/ /

/ /

/ X

/ /

/

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

12 month warranty including racing

/

X

12 month warranty excluding racing

/

/

Individual arms available

/

/

Service parts available

/

/

TECHNICAL

Yella Terra

Street Terra

/

/

/

/

COMMENTS Anodized looks great but degrades material. Weakens arm by 20%.

/

/ / / / / /

Speed Master X

Pushrod cup satisfactory surface finish

Manufacturers technical advice service

Only Yella Terra and Street Terra have precision ground trunnions necessary for long serve life of bearings and trunnions. Good surface finish of roller

Speed Master

/ /

Advice and service readily available.

VERY IMPORTANT!

X

X

Worlds largest range.

X

X

VERY IMPORTANT!

X

Extra cost of rockers if not included.

X

Against breakage of arms, trunnions, shafts or posiloks - regardless of use.

Since 1/6/91**.

X

X

The only rockers guaranteed for racing

/

/

/

/ /

Limited

Limited

2yr Limited

Limited

When available

When available

When available

When available

X

X

X

X

X

Grane Gold

Crane Hi INSTENSITY

Lunati

Erson

Scorpion

Limited

Against faulty workmanship and materials excluding racing.

Engine failures may damage rollers requiring replacement Yella Terra and Street Terra are not throw away rockers.

Speed Master

Effective ratio

1 .51

1 .48

1.52

1 .51

1 .52

1.52

1 .50

1 .57

Advertised ratio 1.5: 1

Deflection test @ 4201b .380" cam lift.

(This is a severe test.)

.017'

.015'

.019'

.017"

.018'

.018"

.018"

.026'

High deflection indicates inferior material and limits available lift.

Nett ratio including deflection

1 .46

1 .44

1 .47

1 .47

1 .47

1 .47

1.46

1 .51

All rockers deflect reducing ratio slightly including stainless valve spring.

Nose weight static in grams

I4. I

15.9

12.2

17.2

13.5

20.2

22.0

14.2

Roller contact patch on valve tip width

.066"

.085'

.068'

.088'

.068'

.090'

. 1 15"

.082'

16

13

6

6

5

6

4

6

TICK TOTAL - YOU BE THE JUDGE

High nose weight reduces life on race engines.

Top engine builders chase minimum contact patch width.

HIGHER SCORE = BEST VALUE

** Lifetime warranty on breakage of Yella Terra arms, shafts or trunnions and Posilok nuts. Subject to proof of purchase and inspection at factory. Excludes damage caused by engine failure.

World’s only published LIFETIME WARRANTY... including RACING!

Yella Terra products are available Australia wide from over 600 performance specialists and thousands of auto parts stores in Australia and New Zealand.

:

re 4D

Hydraulic press breakage test until failure of weakest link - either trunnion or arm -

/

Australian made and Australian owned

1

CO C 3

depending on design^ Tests averaged over 4 arms of each brand.

Roller bore precision finish

BACKUP

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When you are shopping for roller rockers, make sure these elements are on your list.

Yella Terra

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1-

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STRENGTH & RELIABILITY

5.25

Perfectune Engineering

273 Wickham Road Moorabbin 3189 Ph 03 9555 5522 Fax 03 9555 4152

i

M

7

OVER

J.30

MODELS

Rockers available for these engines: * AMC V8 " ® Chevrolet SB, 6, V6, V8 - Over 20 types ® Chevrolet BB ® Chrysler Hemi 6, SB & BB V8 ® Jeep 4 & 6 * Ford V6 UK, Australian 6, Windsor, Cleveland & Big Block V8 * Holden - Red, Blue & Black 6, V6 and all model V8s » BMC A & B series * Leyland V8 ® Nissan A series ● Oldsmobile V8 ● Pontiac V8 * Rover V8 Talk to your supplier or phone or fax our technical department for recommendations and literature.

Motorsport Trailers

46 - 52'Nobility Street Moolap VIC 3221 Phone:03 5248 7377 Fax: 03 5248 7322 Mobile: 0418 108 356

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MatarsiII.rt Trailers PH:(03) 5248 7377

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m Bridgestone Truck Tyres m Up to 8000 Kg ATM m 2X3 Ton Drop Leg Jacks m 1.0 mm Smooth Alloy Siding ai Spring Assisted Rear Ramp Door m 4D Ring Tie Down Points a ATP Front Door Step a Long Life 2 Pack a Choice Of Colours a Drop Deck Semis also available

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