Motorsport News Issue 166 - 19 November-2 December 1999 by V8 Sleuth

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19 November 1999

Indy lights Rush Bright, Lowndes, Murphy, Noske and Wills head for USA JASON Bright has now joined a stampede which will see up to four current V8 Supercar con tenders racing Indy Lights in the US next year! Bright this week heads to the States to test for the Pac West team

at Firebird Raceway in Arizona and has relinquished his 2000 con tract with the Stone Brothers/

Pirtek team to pursue the path he hopes will lead to Champ Cars. “We’re committed to the move

now, so it has to happen,” Bright said on Saturday, when formally announcing his second US bid (he finished runner-up in the 1997 US

Formula Ford 2000 champi onship).

“I’m not getting any younger and

so we have to bite the bullet and go for it.

“If I have to come back with my tail between my legs, then so be it but we’ll have given it a fair shot. Bright has the support of the Honda Indy organisation (which is almost desparate to get an Aussie on the grid at the Gold Coast) and

a number of supporting sponsors, making up around $300,000 of the US$1.1 million needed for the

drive, but is hopeful of putting the whole deal together shortly. Bright was in the US a couple of weeks back having initial discus sions with the Pac West team and

while there was some disquiet at Stone Brothers Racing that Bright had not made his intentions clear

at that time, Ross Stone this week wished his former Bathurst winner well:

“Jason actually had an opportu nity come up this time last year and we were right behind him then, if it had come to pass, so the same applies now.”

Bright will probably share the same US-bound flight as Craig Lowndes and Mark Noske as the

HRT-linked duo also heads to

37"*^

Tpr"

Firebird for their respective tests

Longhurst out, Brad Jones in? Hot rumour of the week; Tony Longhurst has reportedly sold his AVESCO franchise to Brad Jones for the latter’s forthcom

ing entry into the V8 category. Tony is rumoured to be going to Stone Brothers, along with Castrol budget, to drive one of two planned 2000 SBR Falcons. Why? We hear that Castrol recently won a bidding contest to buy Pirtek. Makes

with Team Green.

Lowndes left mid-Wednesday for two days with the team, before fly ing back for next Monday’s V8 Supercar presentation dinner in Melbourne.

He’ll decide his future then.

“After the test, we’ll know how I went, how I fit in with the team. It’s a big decision. We’ve lived over

sense?

seas before and so know what to

■ At the same time, we hear

expect, and we have to look at that

Jones actually tested a Longhurst

in view of what there is for us here.

Falcon at Calder a week or so back...

Once I get back we’ll sit down and figure out what’s best for me and Natalie...”

■ Much mumbling among some Holden teams about the straight line speed of some Fords at the

The fourth, and least public, con tender for a 2000 US Indy Lights berth is Bathurst winner Greg

weekend. Recent TEGA discus

Murphy.

sions have centred around the pos sible use of the latest high-port heads by some teams. According to our sources, it was all supposed to

Murfs NZ backers have made

significant progress recently and, although Greg himself is saying lit tle about it, preferring to wait until

be ‘sorted’ prior to Bathurst, but

any potential deal is close, our sources suggest that he, too, was in

there were still a few Holden folk a

bit stvmned by the speed of a cou ple ofFords...

the States a fortnight ago. Our spies tell us that Murf quiet ly tested with the Dorricott/Mears

■ Rumoured replacement for

team - which finished 1-2-3 in the 1999 series.

departing AVESCO CEO Gany

“There’s a lot of things likely to happen in the next couple of weeks in relation to what I’m doing next year,” is all Greg was able to say

Craft is none other than current Board member and Shell team

this week.

■ John Faulkner is very hopeful of a major sponsor for 2000. The company concerned was at

“There are obviously options, but we’ll just have to see what is going to work out best.”

manager Wayne Cattach...

Red, blue. Green? Triple Champ Lowndes will have to re-acquaint him self with open-wheelers with Team Green this week. (Photo by Lyniey Rew)

Bathurst at the weekend and full of enthusiasm for JT”s efforts

Adding to the Australasian US jigsaw even further is the late

despite the untimely exit.

news that 1999 Lights Rookie of the Year runner-up Scott Dixon is also likely to test for Pac West, following rumours about

■ According to AVESCO Chairman Tony Cochrane, repre sentatives from Taipei, Malaysia

the future of Stefan Johansson’s

on staging a V8 Supercar race in their respective coimtries.

and New Zealand were all at Bathurst for further discussions

Lights operation.

Silly season back on

■ Todd Wanless has, we hear, secured the support of his Bathurst sponsor 131 Shop for a full-on go at V8 Supercars in 2000. ■ Did we hear that two senior Holden execs arrived back at their

accommodation after Sunday

Rumours of my early demise are greatly exaggerated: Larry Perkins is not hanging up the helmet, despite the rumours. (Photo by Marshall Cass)

Perkins: I’m Hands off; Steve Ellery is not on the driver market. (Photo by Marshall cass)

THE departure of Jason Bright

both SBR and Wynns should his

from the Stone Brothers’ Ford team has re-ignited the V8

US project not come to pass,

Supercar silly season as teams seek to settle their 2000 hne-up. With Messrs Bright, Lowndes and now Murphy (see separate story) all looking Stateside for next year, the next few weeks will see

unparallelled activity on the local driver market.

While it is expected that co-dri vers McConville and Morris will vie

for the vacancy at HRT should Lowndes depart, the vacancies at

SBR and potentially the Wynns

team could provide a number of interesting outcomes.

Murphy is likely to be sought by

The possibilities then become fas cinating. McConville is likely to become a

factor, regardless of HRT’s position, while others of the now experienced younger brigade - Bargwanna, Tender, Ellery - could also be in

demand, although we understand

that Tender has, in fact, re-signed with Garry Rogers Motorsport for the next two years. Ellery is said to be committed to

running his own team. Indeed, there was talk at Bathurst that he

had landed substantial backing for 2000 and would update to an AU, which would be built in-house.

not retiring LARRY Perkins has shrugged off rumours circulating in the lead-up to Bathurst that he is about to quit driving.

“I plan to run a third car

occasionally through 2000, he said. “There are a number of

“No, I’m not quite ready to

good youg drivers in Formula

do that yet and at this point I’m planning to race next year,” he told us at Bathurst. “The day I feel I’m becoming the weak link in the team, as a driver, Is the day I’ll quit...” LP does have plans in place already for the succession and plans to bring on a third, young driver to team up with

Ford and Formula Holden and

Russell ingall come the day:

I’d like to be in a position to try some out, so we’re ready for the day when I do call it quits. “One day I’ll wake up in the morning and just decide ‘hey, I should give It away.’ “That’s not now, but

obviously it’s got to happen some time...”

-CHRIS LAMBDEN

night’s celebrations - in a shop ping trolley?...

■ 'The Honda Indy 300 has won the Major Festivals and Events section of the 1999 Australian Tomism Awards. The award was

presented recently at the Melbourne Convention Centre

and was accepted by Honda Indy 300 Chairman, Mr John Cowley. The event also retiuned $53.7 mOlion in economic benefit to the

state of Queensland and was the only motorsport event nominated for the national award.

■ Speaking of the Indy race, well-known media man Brett

Murray is heading State-side as well. ‘Crusher’, who handles the

Indy job vrith the print coverage for AVESCO, is to take over the

PR job at PacWest Racing. He left on Wednesday to shop for accom modation in Indianapolis and will return to Australian briefly at Christmas before heading back for the 2000 season.

19 November W99

[^®9(D[F8fp®!79

Bathurst coverage in

Huge program for 2000 AGP

Adelaide and Perth. It seems that the race start ed at 10:00 in both mar

Brock vs Moffat, and Supersports lead the bill

■ There were a number

of complaints regarding the delayed nature of lO’s

kets, meaning that the locals watched it up to

By PHIL BRANAGAN

three hours late in those cities. If Ten hadn’t done

THE reincarnation of the Peter Brock/Allan Moffat

it, the Sunday coverage

rivalry will be one of the highlights of the 2000

would have started at 4AM.

Austrahan Grand Prix.

The two titans of touring

Park track for the first time, with a full field of McLarens,

Lola, Chaparrals and Ferraris expected for the race. It is also likely that Bob Jane’s superb McLaren M6Repco, which John Harvey drove to a famous win at

■ Apologies to Terry Rose, who took out the

car racing in the 1970s and

Australian Off-road cham

reported last issue. Rose

during the March 9-12 AGP meeting in the ‘Australian Legends’ V8 demonstration. While cars are yet to be

drove a Raseco-Chev

confirmed for the match race,

field limited to 26 front-run

buddy to the title from

ners, plus four ‘wildcard’

Matthew Owen, with

it is certain that Moffat will be in a Ford and Brock a

class-winner Zaifati third.

Holden and it is likely that

pionship this year, not Fabio Zarfati, as we

’80s will face off on the track

H What team manager from a high profile factory team incurred the wrath

of the boys in blue the Melbourne side of Cowra

on his way back from the mountain? We can’t say but his station wagon was apparently apprehended for travelling as fast as his fleet of finishing cars...

I^Tell team in 1996. The Arab was also cleared of a

variety of charges. AlKehaimi, the son of a diplo mat, said that delays in making payments were caused because the Saudi

Arabian ministry of defence failed to settle bills

of US$160m which he was

owed for supplying hospi tals with medical equip ment.

■ Among the new dri ver-team combinations in action at the Jerez Formula 3000 test were Mario Haberfeld and Jensen Button with

the

entries invited by the organis ers. There is a possibility that

the foresight to get a number of classic cars; we had the foresight but not the funds.” Moffat is looking forward to not only rekindling his rivalry with Brock, but the whole AGP meeting. “The AGP Corporation goes

other than David Brabham at the wheel of the BMW M

to enormous trouble to enter tain the fans all the time

incentive for the best-dressed

which, believe me, is not always the case at other FI races. I can’t wait to see the action.” And who wiU win?

“I can assure you it will not be a Holden product!” 'The Brock-Moffat race will

Coupe. The BMW Celebrity Challenge and demonstra tions from drag cars and his tories will feature again, and there will be a $5000 cash

fan in a ‘crazy costume’, so get out your Ferrari flag. Jaguar deerstalkers and No Fear

gear to win the cash. And, oh yeah, there will be the Formula One GP, with

Friends and rivals: Brock (top) and Moffat will go at it at Albert Park. (Photos courtesy Chevron/Aopc) the first appearance of Jaguar Tickets were due to go on Adult General Admission Sunday, March 12. FI, the return of Honda with on Concessions for seniors and sale Wednesday, BAR and Jordan and two ’ tickets are $33 for the open-

be only one of the highlights of the meeting. The thunder ing CanAms from the 60s and

double World Champions Mika Hakkinen and Michael

70s will hit the famed Albert

the 2000 title.

Schumacher - facing off for

■ Sulaiman Al-Kehaimi

has been foimd not guilty of trying to obtain money by deception from the

Park, while the Dutton Grand Prix Rally will feature none

the Bathurst cars,” Moffat

son bash.

run

“Collectors like (Brisbane enthusiast) Dave Bowden had

prizegiving dinner looks like being bigger than Ten Bears. Heading the Monday night is none other that Skyhooks, the legendary (and superan nuated) ’70s group brush ing off their trusses and guitars for the end-of-sea-

unbeaten

VSSupercar events, with a

said this week.

“We’re trying to assemble

(Melbourne) blast next

the to the circuit. Holden will defends its

at least one of the wildcards will be an international. NASCARs and Formula Fords will return to Albert

both will be V8s.

■ AVESCO’s annual

bill for the Crown Casino

Mount Fuji against the American giants, will take

ing day of the event, Thursday, March 9, $43 for the Friday, $65 for the Saturday and $80 for the

children range from $15 to $55 over the same period. An adult four-day General

November 17, and will be

Admission ticket is $135.

the country.

Phillip Island's

2000 blockbuster Island.

AVESCO Chairman Tony Cochrane and Phillip Island’s Fergus Cameron have confirmed plans for the new spec season opener, on February 11/12/13. Friday will feature the unveiling of several teams’ new livery, a late morning practice ses sion, a media/corporate lunch and an afternoon VB-sponsored fan barheque.

Saturday’s programme will feature the first of two 45 minute races (with a compulsory pit-stop), with a second identical race on Sunday. Points from both will combine to provide over all results. A One Hour GTP race will also feature on

AVESCO Chief Tony

the

support for a major overhaul of facilities at Bathurst.

existing pit and corporate faciiities

During a press

at Mount Panorama

Federal Government

conference on

Philhp Island’s camping grounds can cater for 4,500 people and the promoters expect February’s favourable climate to attract substan

Saturday at the FAi

tial numbers of fans.

1000, Cochrane caiied for upwards of $10 miiiion of Federal support for a

rebuilding programme at “an icon sporting site in

Mai-k Webber with

Australia’’ ' ■ A ■

'A.

aithough this had risen to $20-30

with Supernova; Turner, Kristian Kolby and Darren Manning with Petrobras

million by the time he did a radio interview later in the

Junior team and Fabrice Walfisch and Andreas

day. “This is a national

Scheld with Astromega.

yoimgsters in December

Alonso, Swedish Formula 3

Champion Peter Simberg and Italian Formula 3000

Champion Giorgio Vinella.

Island fling: Phillip Island’s SCS 2000 opener looks like being a huge meeting. (Photo by oirk Kiynsmith)

other spectator facilities. “We could have

100,000 people here if we had the

faciiities,” he said. One dark cloud

hanging over Cochrane’s plans is the fact that the facilities are

currently owned by the Seven Network

(which broadcasts

regional

the November race).

the sun has some form of Federal

Nissan driver Fernando

grandstands and

committed ot

development. Every other sport under

with those expected to be appear being Fomiula

and start again, while adding

the October Bathurst race and rents the faciiities ot IMG for

icon,” he said, “and the government is

■ The Minardi team is due to test a handful of

governments, but to date we can’t get the Feds...” Cochrane wants to buiidoze the

flagged a bid to gain

Sunday s programme.

European Formula Racing; Button, Darren Turner, Dominik Schwager, Robert

-JOESAWARD

all

Bathurst money from government Cochrane has

THE 2000 Shell Championship Series will open with a three-day Fan-Fest at Phillip

from

I’icketmaster outlets around

AVESCO calls for

Fortec; Marc Hynes and

Lechner and Pierre Kaffer

available

“Channel 7 have

to get real and admit that it’s over” [the October race], he

support. It’s our turn, our time.

said.

“We currently have support from

hope they’ll see the sense in co

five State

operating.”

“The war’s over. I

19 November 1999

Ron ‘No’ to FOH

■ The financial power of motor racing companies was shown this week when NASCAR announced that

it has sold the rights to the Winston Cup and the Busch Series for six years

rumour

to a consortium of Fox

By JOE SAWARD McLaren

boss

Broadcasting, NBC and Turner Broadcasting in a

Ron

deal worth around

Dennis has finally denied suggestions that he is try ing to buy out Formula 1

US$2.5bn. Around

US$625m will go to the NASCAR teams as prize money. In the circum

boss Bemie Ecclestone.

Dennis says he is not inter

stances Formula 1 teams

ested in the job of running

have little to complain

Formula 1. He says that he is

about. At the moment

aiming to concentrate on building up the TAG McLaren empire. This is

Bemie Ecclestone brings in about US$300m fi”om TV income and the FI teams

■ strange.

get armmd half of that

When it was announced last summer that Daimler

Chrysler would acquire a 40 percent shareholding in the company, there were rumours that it was the fimt phase of a deal which eventually would

money. Fox currently has the rights to FI in the

The boys of summer: The BOG Super Touring series is heading for the warmer months. (Photo by oirk Kiynsmith)

result in the German car

Super Touring summer series

giant taking full control of

SUPER Touring racing

TAG McLaren. The timetable for the take

will take on a new look in

Australia next season,

warmer conditions,” said OReilly.

The opening four roimds of the 2000-2001 championship

Adelaide on August 13.

“This is not a new concept -

will be held during winter from May to August, but O’Reilly said that was to ensure teams and competitors were not left idle for a lengthy period after this year’s Bob

Queensland (TBN, depending on what happens to

over remains a mystery but it

with a season which will

the rest of the world has been

is expected to be completed by the time McLaren produces

begin in May and end in February 2001.

doing it for decades, at inter

the first Mercedes-Benz SLR

supercar in 2003.

The

BOC

Championship

Gases

will

also

It also fails to fit in with a

return to Tasmania for the

variety of different sources

first time since 1995, and run

which all indicate that Dennis is - or at least was -

at Sandown for the first time. TOCA Australia Chief

aiming to buy control of the Formula One Holdings empire. It may be that Dennis feels that he can now deny an interest in the company hav ing been outbid by Morgan

Executive Kelvin O’Reilly

Grenfell Private Equity Ltd, which announced its inten

tion to acquire 50 percent of FOH last week.

national level with Formula

One, NASCAR in the United States, and in the major tour ing car championships in

Britain and Europe. We view the move to Siunmer as a cru

cial step forward.” O’Reilly also points out that

maximise the confirmed 16 hours of television on the Seven Network.

was that the series will be

(1.9km) in Sydney, followed by Lakeside in Queensland on

moved significantly from the Shell Championship Series,

June 16. Round three is at Oran Park’s Grand Prix cir

which will continue to run

cuit (2.6km) on July 9, and

through autumn-winter-spiing.

round four is at Mallala near

Oran Park’s South Circuit

edly criticised former

“particularly sporting” and “not good for team morale.”

team Ferrari for being a “one-man band”. Extracts

from

the

Ulsterman’s autobiography ‘Living in the Fast Lane’ were published in Sunday’s

He said: “It’s backfired this

year as I have lost points which would have been use ful now!”

appears to criticise Ferrari

In the newspaper, Irvine, who has joined the Jaguar team for 2000, attacks the

for not concentrating on his world championship chase. Instead, he claims the

Italian marque for refusing

marque

equal, despite his success throughout the season. “Ferrari is a one-man

gave

Michael

Schumacher preferential testing time during his Grand Prix.

around Michael Schumacher

the ball concerning this,”

and

the

whole

team

designed for him to be No 1 and win races. When the No

2 wins it puts everything out of gear.”

Irvine claims the team

“put their eggs in one bas¬

All rounds will be televised

by the Seven Network - 16 hours of coverage in total Support categories are expected to be the Bathurst Tourers and Formula 3, fol lowing the announcement

that the Porsche Cup series will be run on a combined SCS/V8 Lites calendar in 2000.

I’ve never seen before and quite a number of

for the FAI1000.

drivers I haven’t heard of before and who

Following a number of practice incidents and a stunning 10 Pace Car incidents in 75 laps on Sunday, senior drivers are calling for

clearly haven’t driven a V8 Supercar before... “There has to be some tougher form of qualification for this event. Maybe people who come here to race have to have done

soine V8 Supercar roimds first...”

the Bathurst race.

CAMS Motor Sport Manager Tim Schenken confirmed on Monday that “ every

After qualifying, provisional pole man Glenn Seton - himself lucky to get away with at least

for an International licence” (5 races at State

one in the race had met the current criteria

one big moment with a slower car - reckoned

Level or higher observed by Stewards) but

that a smaller field was the way to go: “That may be the way,” he said. ‘This race

ble.

could run quite fine with 40 cars. It would be much safer..”

His concerns became even more relevant

that a review of the criteria was always possi“Long distance races around the world have this problem,” he said. “I can remamber

after Sunday’s series of incidents - probably eight of the 10 related to inexperienced dri

at Le Mans on occasions thinking that some of the drivers must have got their interna tional licences in a Com Flakes packet...

vers - although race winner Richards was

“The new Lites V8 series may well provide

more inclined to toughen qualification stan

an answer. Bathurst may be restricted to the

dards for the race.

professional teams plus the top ten or what

“The size of the field is fine,” he said. ‘The

ever in the Lites series.”

Cardoso had his car stolen in Sao Paulo over the week

end will not be greeted favourably in Grand Prix circles. Cardoso was away in Brasilia at the time but he often returns to Sao Paulo at weekends. His

Volkswagen is one of 90,000 cars stolen each

year in the Brazilian city... Nelson Piquet has been campaigning in recent years for the Brazilian GP to be switched back to Rio.

Formula 1 driver in the future. McRae said that

were “really a bit of PR for Ford” but said that he was still keen to have a test in one of the Stewart cars. ■ Shareholders in

Spain’s tobacco company Tabacalera have agreed to the planned merger with France’s SEITA The move will create the world’s

fourth largest tobacco firm which will be known as the

Altadis European Tobacco Company. Altadis is expected to look for new acquisitions as soon as

SEITA shareholders agreed to the deal. Its potential targets include Gallaher (which made a bid for SEITA last week) and British American Tobacco is also said to be interested

v^;dm

m ItSOilKCE

in buying Gallaher.

Gallaher (Benson &

Hedges), SEITA (Gauloises), Reemstma (West) and BAT (Lucky

L'immrns

■WKig-.:

Strike/555) are aU involved

in FI and any mergers could mean the loss of more ■>

tobacco money to FI. ■ Ferrari has announced that it is con

newspaper.

Championship and that was

the only thing that mattered.’

orous locations so the news

that Brazilian president Fernando Hemique

Germany’s Reemstma. M

Irvine reportedly told the

was going for the World

■ Formula 1 likes to be

seen to be visiting glam

stories that he might switch to Grand Prix racing

problem is there are several cars out there

‘The team took its foot off

“Whether he returned or not was not the main issue. I

Championship.

LEADING V8 Supercar drivers are call ing for tougher qualification for drivers

recovering from the broken leg he suffered at the British

band,” Irvine reportedly said. “Everything revolves

Tasmania on December 10,

In his book, Irvine also

News of the World.

to ti'eat him as Schumacher’s

12, followed by Symmons Plains or Baskerville

for the Formula 1 World

Drivers call for action either a reduction in the size of the field to

ket”, which he claims is not

Queensland) on November

av^able CBS/TNN and Disney/ABC/ESPN may bid

■ Rallying star Cohn McRae says that he has no plans of trying to become a

weed out the less competent drivers, or a more stringent set of guidelines to qualify for

EDDIE Irvine has report

January 7, and Oran Park’s South Circuit on February 11.

What he did not point out

Eddie slams Ferrari

meeting in October. The following 2001/2002 series will run entirely through the summer period. The 2000-2001 champi onship starts on May 28 at

daylight hours, and would

Not happy: Irvine is less than pleased with Ferrari. (Sutton images)

will

Sandown in Melbourne on

would take advantage of opti mum weather and longer

“Motor racing in summer has obvious advantages with

five

Jane T-Marts Bathurst 99

the move vrill free series tele caster Network Seven from its AFL winter commitments.

said the move to summer

Round

United States of America but with NASCAR not

End of an era? Once a year drivers may be an endangered species. (Photo by Lynisy Reid)

solidating all its media activities through its Press Office in Maranello. - JOE SAWARD

19 November 1999

niiissan: no to Le Mans NISSAN has with drawn from the 2000 Le

Mans 24 Hours, two seasons short of the end

of a five-year commit ment to the big race. Hajime Kawasaki,

Nissan’s senior vice-presi dent responsible for motorsport, said: “We are eager to return to Le Mans, but only when our resources will allow us to

be fully competitive. We compete in motorsport to win, not to make up the numbers.” The news followed hot on the heels of Nissan’s

biggest sportscar win since its triumph in the 1994 Daytona and Sebring enduros in the US. The

British-built R391 sports racer beat the GT-One of

arch-rival Toyota in this month’s non-champi onship Fuji lOOOKM sportscar race, which ran to the Le Mans rules book. -GARYWA’TKINS

Brabham cries foul DAVID Brabham has

criticised the points sys

INI

Jacques to quit BAR? reportedly threatening to quit British American if Adrian Racing Reynard replaces Craig

Courtney ready for 2000

tive.

The reports appeared in Canadian newspapers and quoted Villeneuve as saying that “Craig was ‘a big reason for me joining the team’ and

too infrequent trips home,

a third of the season to become accustomed to how

‘a key element for me remain ing in the team”’.

two-time world karting

the car works,” he said.

champion James Courtney

“I found, with suspension, I couldn’t accelerate through the comers anymore, as a car tends to sag in the rear and

Less than 24 hours after

was on a plane headed

back to the UK to begin testing Van Diemen’s iast FFord chassis in

score a single point in its first lofty claims before the start of the year.

rounds.

Coming, going? Damon is gone from FI - will Villeneuve jump ship from BAR and go to — where? (Photo by Sutton-lmages)

Craggill

The relationship with Honda is a key element in the

back to

future of the team and every one is well aware that Honda

loose

alliance with Jordan Grand

Kawasaki?

Prix in case BAR flops again in 2000. 'This would give the Japanese two possible courses of action: to buy BAR and run

AFTER a difficult

debut year in the British Superbike Championship, former

outperformed the Dyson team [for which Forbes-

Robinson races], but we’ve

been playing catch-up all year. If someone wins the

majority of races, they should be champion.”

Marty Craggill has

the team.

been linked to the official Kawasaki team.

From Honda’s point of view, the second course of Jordan is a much smaller

BAR has good facilities but is clearly too new to have

that he was happy with the scoring system “the way it is irght now” ... -GARY WATKINS

Meanwhile, Jacques has other things to worry about. He

and

fiance

Minogue have set a date for

their wedding - December 31 in Sydney.

feedback to the team

won’t be too happy,” Courtney

where ifs all happening so fast and, with the long

said. “Its nothing ^ort of

sale of Arrows to David

number one for me...”

Richards of Prodrive, but

Courtney backed up his ambitions by saying his

most Formula 1 sources do not seem to beheve the Scotsman. statement

denied “any talks now or in the

brilliant second at the recent Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch wasn’t the desired result.

engineers.

“Everything felt as though it reacted slower than a kart

straights on the circuits, I actually had a fair amount of

time to think about things...” Thinking about the future is what Courtney has done a lot of, with last season

providing him with a wealth of experience for the future.

first... but I was pleased," he

year and I had a lot of

take over the Formula One

said.

Sixth in the series, the highest rookie in the competitive series, also

toughening up - nearfy every

team”.

It added that Walkinshaw

“strongly objects to what he considers frivolous and unfounded rumours.” It is a sad reflection for

Team Kawasaki

Walkinshaw that hardly

Australia,'pundits believe Craggill will be a title

anyone in FI believes the

threat in 2000 with a year belt on a bike he’s

unlikely that he has been talking to Richards as the two have long been rivals

enjoyed much success

and to sell out to Prodrive

with.

would be a hefty blow to the Walkinshaw ego.

of experience under his

Dannii

vehemently denied stories that he is negotiating the

goals are set firmly on the 2000 championship. “The championship is the goal and if I don’t win that, I

Prodrive regarding a bid to

After scoring three' Australian Superhike Championships with

cient FI experience and the management is split into fac

One area Courtney quickly adapted to was giving

experience in cars, but his

TOM Walkinshaw has

Arrows

concentrate harder, but then I snapped and the results were good.”

enlightening one, especially in regards to gaining

By JOE SAWARD

The

different and 1 had to

Team Green has increased in recent

runner-up, Chris Walker.

staff members without suffi

season as the number two driver for the works Van Diemen team was an

“If you’re happy with second you’ll never come

of three-time BSB

been forged into a proper team. There are too many

the weeks following. The recently-turned 19-

being drafted in to the

weeks, following the exit

tions.

Forbes-Robinson said

“I also found it difficult to

not fall back into my old routines, having been in karting for 10 years,” he said. "The techniques are quite

year-old said his debut

Tom: no sale at Arrows

probably the biggest thing to get used to.

past with David Richards of

Speculation of Craggill

action is less attractive, as

points system,” said Panoz driver Brabham. “We’ve

Clarion Suzuki rider

Eddie Jordan and take over

operation and will need more

the comer-that was

testing planned for France in

are a credible team.”

investment in new facilities.

championship. UK on Friday with further

Reynard. “The directors want to see changes in the team from top to bottom, so that we can improve our performance and prove to Honda that we

“We need to look at the

more speed in and around

the new Van Diemen in the

go with Jordan - the long term aim being to buy out

Elliott Forbes-Robinson by six points, even though they won three out of eight

get used to carrying a lot

on the 2000 British

Courtney will begin testing

“We are very unhappy with the results this year,” said

then understeer, so I had to

preparation for his assault

season of Formula 1 - despite

maintaining

year, it really took me at least

the race on one of his all-

reshuffled after it failed to

troubled Courtney initially. “Thinking back over the

the chequer flew at Bathurst, having watched

Reynard is arguing that the team needs to be completely

operation or to drop BAR and

lost the title to veteran

CIPriOIXI

Boyz 2 Men: James Courtney, Ryan Briscoe and David Besnard.

Pollock as the team’s chairman and chief execu

gural American Le team mate Eric Bernard

)to by Dirk Klynsmith

JACQUES Villeneuve is

the team as an all-Honda

The Australian and

1X5.

By JOE SAWARD

tem that allowed a dri ver who hadn’t won a race to claim the inau Mans Series crown.

- DARRYL FLACK

denial although it is actually

pleased Courtney although his number one status at VD

in 2000 comes with high expectations.

“If I keep going the way I have been, getting results, then everything should fall into place.” Adapting to cars instead

of karts was something that,

while on the surface didn’t

appear to take too long.

“It was a good learning race I’d bend the rear wishbone from someone

ramming me,” he said. The Brazilians don’t seem

to be scared of closing their eyes and accelerating down the inside when they should

be braking, then spearing off into the distance, so you have to look in your mirrors a lot.

“And the irdi Europeans don’t really care too much about the damage, but thafs okay. - GERALD McDORNAN

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INI

19 November 1999

Stop press:

Montoya and WMber happy

ANDRA issues Williams FI Creek By JOE SAWARD

permit VETERAN drag racer Jim Read says champi

onship drag racing in Australia has again suf fered following ANDRA’s decision to issue a permit for a pro-am event at Eastern Creek Raceway on the evening prior to the NSW Government

handing down its deci sion on Read’s proposal for a stand-alone facility adjacent to Eastern

THE future of Juan-Pablo Montoya in the United States of America remains ciouded following his title victory at Fontana.

The Colombian driver has nothing left to prove in CART,

having won the title at his first attempt. A second year in America wili prove nothing.

There is the added complication that Montoya’s team boss

Chip Ganassi has decided to switch from Honda to Toyota engines next year. Toyota has spent four years developing its V8 engine but has won nothing and whiie there are signs of improvement winning the championship with Toyota engines in 2000 is going to be a Herculean task for Ganassi and Montoya. At the moment both men are saying that they wili be together in 2000 but there are many who feel this is unlikely to happen. Williams has first option on Montoya’s services in 2001 but with the Wiliiams-Alex Zanardi relationship ciearly lacking the right

chemistry there may be a chance for Montoya to get into FI with the Grove team in 2000.

At the moment Zanardi is under contract to Wiiiiams and

everyone says that they wili honour the arrangement. Zanardi, however, may feei that he does not have the team’s confidence and that it would be best not to continue. A second year being

Creek.

the state government to

●beaten by Ralf Schumacher will destroy his reputation completely. He is under considerable pressure from his family to race in Europe rather than in the United States.

issue a permit for the event, although its status reflects

to another FI team or to retire. Alex has only just turned 33 so it

ANDRA has succumbed to

pressure from CAMS and

the level of track prepara tion the ARDC is willing to undertake - track prepara tion the sticking point in a long, on-going argument. ANDRA’s permit for the event

restricts

The best soiutions for Zanardi would, therefore, be to switch

would be a very early retirement, although not unprecedented in that Niki Lauda, James Hunt and Jody Scheckter were all younger when they stopped racing in FI (although Lauda did later make a comeback).

There is also the possibility that Jacques Villeneuve might leave BAR (see page 6), which would open the way for Alex...

with Jepez

F8000 test DESPITE only participating on the last day of this week’s official two day FIA F3000 test at Jerez, Spain, Mark Webber has emerged fourth fastest, setting a time of Imin 35.710s in the European Formula Racing Lola.

I A

Predictably though, the day’s quickest times were all set in the opening 30 minutes of the morning session when the track was at its peak. Unfortunately for Webber, he was only just coming up to speed with both the track and the car at that time, and up against drivers who had been testing at Jerez for the previous two days (Monday was a private test day for many

i , mg Mark: V”

of them) had to be content with 16th overall, with a time of Imin 35.342s.

'●N.

“It was pretty tough going,” commented the Yellow Pages-backed driver. “The rules are

such that each car has two sets of new tyres

per day and you have to start the day on a fresh set.

“That meant I virtually wasted my first set of tyres just getting myself up to speed but that was always going to be the case. “We could have run the two sets of new tyres back to back as a lot of the drivers did in order

to set a decent time but that wasn’t our plan.” However, once on a more level playing field at the start of the afternoon session with every one on old tyres, Webber set the sixth fastest time and later improved to fourth fastest after

bolting on his second set of new tyres. “I was very happy with my time in the after noon although being realistic, I don’t think fourth was really where we were at. But, I can say at best we were sixth and worst eighth, so all things considered, we came away pretty happy and I think we can make further progress at Barcelona in two weeks time.” European Formula Racing also etsted newly crowned British Formula 3 Champion Marc Hynes on Tuesday, Hynes setting a best time of Imin 36.5s.

vehicles

quicker than 5.4 seconds over the eighth mile to solo passes and those quicker than 4.9s will not be permit

Congratulations to all Crow Cams Customers for outstanding performances at Bathurst

ted.

“Once again New South Wales, Sydney and Australia misses out... this

event is for amateurs, not

1. Steven Richards, Greg Murphy, Gibson Motorsport

professional, championship drag racing,” Read said.

3. Mark Skaife, Paul Morris, Holden Racing Team

said there are some benefits. “Fm concerned the latest

6. Todd Kelly, Mark Noske, Holden Racing Team

developments may compro mise the alternative before

9. Steve Owen, Greg Ritter, Garry Rogers Motorsport

the Premier’s Department, but I’m pleased that CAMS

Congratulations to

has agreed to actively sup port the speedy approval of

CRAIG LOWNDES

a stand-alone drag racing facility.” Only after Motorsport News closed for press would any compromise be known...

3/3 Australian Touring Car Championships Crow Cams the choice of Champions ph 03 9357 0469 Fax 03 9357 0001 Decisions, decisions: Montoya may go to FI. (Photo by Kiynsmiih)

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2. Craig Lowndes, Cameron McConvilie, Holden Racing Teamj

ANDRA CEO Tony Thornton, while not happy with issuing the sanction

- GERALD MCDORNAN

EarP62802.LS#860

long distance racing returns to NZ By SANDY MYHRE IS there life after the

Wellington Street Race in

New Zealand? Yes, but it’s taken some time.

In fact, (Aussie visitors aside) we’ve never had a

Holden-Ford battle of touring cars, but the inaugural LiquorKing Drivesafe 500 at Pukekohe shaped up as a competent contender.

19 November 1999

Paul) Pedersen.

Bernie and Dubai GP

In fact, just over a second

separated the top ten quali

By JOE SAWARD

fiers, all in Commodores with two exceptions - Wayne

IN April Formula 1 boss

Huxford and Andrew Fawcett in the lone Falcon XR8 and

Bernie Ecclestone con firmed that he was talk

Craig Baird/Jason Richards running a BMW 320i for Lyall Williamson. These two ‘outsiders’ qualified fourth and eighth respectively.

ing to the government of Dubai about a Grand Prix

and

Dubai’s

recent most

days

famous

motorsport personality Mohammed Bin Sulayem

Stars in cars included (the

There was even a visit from

other

Bathurst winner),

a ghost of Bathurst past when

Jamie

Brock

Wade

confirmed that those talks

a sudden, brief, torrential del

are now very advanced with the government tak ing them “very seriously”.

cars were long distance racing virgins. The Kiwi-style V8s

Henshaw who qualified 7th, Superbike Superstar, Aaron Slight, teamed with Greg Brink in a Commodore (quali fying 9th). Paul Radisich, Possum Bourne and Greg Murphy had been earmarked

(best described as Aussie

to drive when the race was

Junior V8s) had only been tested with sprint racing. The

announced last April but

uge caused more than half the field to skid off, crash out or head for the pits. Most of the drivers and

same went for the dozen 2.0

litre NZ Touring Cars (Schedule S) making up the

with

none of these deals materi alised. A trouble-free start contin

Dubai is one of the United

Arab Emirates, an union of seven small but oil-rich king doms in the Persian Gulf

region. With oil revenues on the

10 points: Andrew Fawcett and Wayne Huxford won the LiquorKing Drivesafe 500. hope destroyed for some. The front-running Commodores of Paul Pedersen, Simon Wills, Michael Thom, Chris Butler,

stop strategies of the 2.0

ued for 20 minutes until Rhys McKay in a Toyota Corona rolled spectacularly at the top of Dunlop Hill causing the race to be held under yellow for 10 laps while McKay, who suffered a suspected broken

litres.

collar bone, was extracted.

BMW and several middle runners before the demolition

Paul Pedersen, teamed with

The larger drama, however, came half way through the

derby was red flagged. In the end though, this

Paul Manuell and these two

event as the famous micro-cli

experienced drivers landed their Commodore on pole but only a few tenths of a second

mate of Pukekohe, which is terrific for spud and onion growing, blighted almost a

frustration was academic because the Falcon XR8 of

ahead of Australian Formula

third of the field. Three minutes of a torren

field.

Inevitably, pre-race hype centred on whether gasthirsty V8 power could outmuscle the agility and oneLocal V8 sprint champion,

Holden champion, Simon Wills, in another Commodore with Mark (no relation to

tial deluge destroyed months of preparation and weeks of

Dave

Slater

and

Wade

Henshaw all aquaplaned off. So did Craig Baird in the

Wellingtonians, Andrew Fawcett and Wayne Huxford, made up the time in the final two hours to claim a rightfiil first, thanks to canny driving, good team management and

LOWNDES WINS WITH RPM

normal long-distance race attrition.

The XR8 hadn’t even man

aged a pre-race fuel test. Huxford says it was “just guesswork” during the race. Second place went to dri vers usually peddling HQs, Dave

Salter

and

Bruce

the race was red flagged and were “hugely disappointed” not to make up the deficit. Aaron Slight’s Commodore succumbed to a broken half

shaft with half an hour to go. Jamie Brock didn’t even get a run when his Commodore

wane, however, the city has been investing heavily in tourism with the construction

of new hotels and heavy investment in duty-free activ ities and in international

sporting events, notably the Dubai World Cup, the richest horse race in the world.

In August a delegation

was too badly damaged in the

from

Kennedy, in a Commodore.

off-shore excursion.

Third was a BMW 320i of Kevin Bell and Rod Hicks and

Belgian GP at Spa.

starting field of 28 but a good

if BMW executives glowed, they had every reason. They helped the team. The Lexus-with-a-Toyotamotor was fourth although they were ahead of the even tual third placegetters when

Only ten finishers in a re-enactment of long distance racing and a good ploy by the NZ Racing Drivers Club to sign a liquor company as major sponsor and register the trade-marked Drivesafe

insignia.

Dubai

visited

the

Despite the tdks, it should be remembered that there

have often been plans for races in the Middle East but

none have yet happened. These have included projects in Beirut, Jordan, Qatar and even in Abu Dhabi, another of the United Arab Emirates.

RPM Racegear woul(j| like to congratulate Craig Lowndes

for securing his third Australian Touring Car Championship at Bathurst last Sunday. We’re proud to have been along for the ride on all three occasions.

In fact, Revolution Racegear would like to congratulate all the teams using RPM Racegear for their great efforts throughout the 1999 Shell Championship Series.

Craig Lowndes celebrates victory with RPM Racegear.

(O iO

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S SUPERCAR AUSTRALIA

E U3

O o >

REVOLUTION RACEGEAR IS AN OFFICIAL SUPPLIER TO AVESCC

Q o8

INI

GM Wheels eut its weapens world of Sport

Motor Rmng Calendar .. .Great Britain

.. .Rd 14

2000

Shell Championship

m Series V8 Supercars*

sJ Feb 13 ...Philip Island

Rd1

Mar 19 ,. .Wanneroo .

Rd2

Apr 8-9 .. .Adelaide ..

Rd3

have started track testing.

behind closed doors. No drivers

have yet been officially named for the Opel squad. The car shares a number of

engine components with the Cadillac Northstar, which has been undergoing testing at Puttnam Park in Indiana.

Canadian Ron Fellows is roading the Riley&Scott-built car which

Apr 30 .. .Eastern Creek .. .Rd 4

has been extremely reliable, if not

May 21 .. .Hidden Valley .. .Rd 5

extremely fast, in its shakedown.

Junll

...Canberra

July 2 ... ,Q1and(TBA)

,Rd6

... .Rd 7

2000 FIA Formula One

World Championship Mar 12

General Motors’ colours in the DTM 2000 and at Le Mans

Opel’s new Astra V8 coupe hit the track last week, the Ray Mallock Racing-built car running

FIA World Rally Championship* Nov 23

THE cars which will carry

...Melbourne

Rd 1

The twin-turbo V8-engined car bears little resemblance to the

show car unveiled earlier this year and front aerodynamics appear similar to the Reynard-built Mopar 2KQ car which it will face next sea son.

Mar 26 .. .Brazil

Rd2

Apr 9

San Marino

Rd 3

Apr 23

Britain

Rd 4

Fellows is expected to continue testing while Briton Andy Wallace is rumoured to be joining the Cadillac squad in the next few

May 7 ... .Spain

Rd 5

weeks.

Putting the ‘Gee’ in GM: Opel’s new Astra DTM 2000 car looks a likely match for Mercedes-Benz’s CLK.

2000 FIA Formula 3000

International C'ship .TBA

Aprs

D :□

Engine shares a number of components with Northstar. Note the tricky horizontal front dampers (below). Fellows

Rdl

May 6 ... .TBA ...

Rd2

June 3

Rd3

.. .Monaco

has been impressive in Cadillac’s new Le Mans

'■■■ “i-

contender, which has been very reliable in testing so far.

^ --1

2000 FIA World Rally Championship* Jan 23

.. .Monte Carlo

Feb 13

...Sweden

....Rdl Rd2

Feb 27 .. .Kenya . Mar 19 ...Portugal

Rd3 Rd4 iT

ID.

2000 NHRA Winston

Drag Racing Series Feb 6

... .Pomona

Rd 1

Feb 27 .. .Phoenix ..

Rd2

Mar 19 ...Gainesville

Rd3

Apr 9

Rd4

.Las Vegas

2000 Australian Rally Championship* Apr 2

... .Forest W.A.

Rd 1

May 5 ... .Canberra .. I Jun 4 —Queensland

.Rd2

Jun 25

Rd3

.. .Coffs Harbour .. .Rd 4

Photo by GM Racing/Suttor

CART teams for Indy 500

Rahal Calendar gap means hO or 12’ cars for Speedway confirms be feasible to compete in the Indy Brack THE IRL expects up to a dozen By PHIL MORRIS

500.

CART announced its 2000

Kenny Brack may get a chance to defend his Indianapolis 500 title after Bobby Rahal spoke of return ing to the Indianapolis Motor . Speedway next season as a team

Shell Ford/Reynard. As widely expected, Rahal has

schedule last week.

owner.

signed Brack to what has only been

drivers from the rival CART

Aug 27 .. .Melbourne

Rd5

Oct 8 ... .Tasmania

Rd 6

FedEx series to show up for next year’s Indianapolis 500 after

SOOcc World Grand Prix

Motorcycle C'Ship* Mar 19 .. .South Africa

Rdl

Apr 2 . .f ..Argentina ..

,Rd2

Apr 9

Bd3

■Japan

Apr 30 ... .Spain ..

Rd4

May 14 .. .Le Mans

Rd5

I "*7

CART will race in Japan the week before 500 practice and will not race again until June 4 in

Milwaukee, leaving teams free to participate in the Indy qualifica tions [May 20-21] and the May 28 race.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway,

lots of work to be done and it has to

issued an Indy 500 invitation to

be done in the next 60 days if we

CART teams last week. “We will have a number of CART

are to go forward."

teams running at the Speedway for

"Not only would I like to take Kenny there. I’m looking forward

the year 2000,” Leo Mehl, executive

to getting (fellow Rahal driver)

director of the IRL, stated.

Max (Papis) there as well. I think

he would light the place up."

Check your local guides for

Champ Car teams in the race. “It is widely known that we made

believe for us, it would have to be a parallel project, and the CART pro

"But it can not come at the

gram must come first."

Team personnel, chassis, and a move from the team’s Ford engines to an IRL-approved Oldsmobile

ed CART and IRL,” said Craig. “When it became apparent in

Aurora or Nissan Infinity power

Ten are marked with an asterix.

early October that our efforts were not going to result in a resolution of

Check your local guides

those issues, CART and its team

considered, along with the sponsors and relationships that go along with

for screening details.

owners examined whether it would

championship contender. It didn't

sider, and it is not as if it is an

CART boss Andrew Craig has endorsed the participation of

Series or events telecast on Network

"He has consistently proven over his career that he is a

"There are a lot of things to con

Categories marked * are telecast by the Ten Network.

associations for date changes.

said Rahal.

that," Rahal said.

inexpensive proposition. There’s

significant efforts to secure a reso lution to the issues that have divid

young stars in open wheel racing,"

doing that was as easy as saying

expense of our CART program. I

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

are going though the process of participating in May. Now, I wish

have 10 or 12 (CART) cars at the Speedway,” he said.

screening times

disclosed as a “multi-year deal”. "Kenny is one of the bright

"Our view is that we certainly

IRL boss Tony George, who owns

“I think for sure we’re going to

KENNY Brack 1s to replace Bryan Herta In Bobby Rahal's

plant are all factors that must be them.

'I haven’t even broached the sub-

take long to realize what a highly motivated and focused individual

he is, one who has been

successful in everything he has undertaken.

"I have no doubt that the

combination of Kenny and Max

Class act: Kenny Brack (SuHon) ject with Ford yet, and that would be a key element," Rahal said. "My relationship with Ford is paramount to me, and I will do

nothing that compromises that. "I think you’re looking at an investment of at least a million dol

lars if you’re going to go to Indy," he said. "But if you’re going to go, you’ve got to go to win. It would mean multiple cars and multiple engines. There are some good teams in the IRL, and it wouldn’t be very smart to think that you’re going to go in there and blow everybody off."

[Papis] will push us to new heights and enable Team Rahal to challenge for the championship in 2000 and beyond." The Swede is a former

European F3000 champion as well as a winner on the all-oval IRL trail. Team Rahal also has another

new signing. Don Halliday, former technical director and chief

engineer for Team KOOL Green, will engineer Brack.

The New Zealander, who engineered Dario Franchitti this

season, replaces Tim Cindric, who recently departed for Penske. - PHIL MORRIS

oXo.

19 November 1999

^tSiUV for Dodae NASCAR m-

A ...4..,

I-*.

y^lp?

a c

Power Seat: Victorian Premier Steve Bracks has guaranteed support for the state’s two GPs. And ... Is this a new Toyota Avalon he is sitting in?

●V

Eti V-..

■:rr

■

Bracks backs GPs

"rr^’

Dodge City: Richard Petty’s 175 Dodge victories may be boosted by grandson Adam. (Photoby-of aiisources-FordMedia) HOT on the heels that Petty Enterprises will who is competing on the Busch Grand National cirswitch its Winston Cup teams from Pontiacs to cuit, is expected to move up to NASCAR’s top circuit as soon as 2001.

Dodges beginning with the 2001 season comes

- the news that Adam Petty wiU be the driver.

Richard Petty “scared 175 of his all-time Winston

The Charlotte Observer has reported that Pontiac

officials have already been notified of the switch.

Cup record 200 career victories in Chrysler vehicles.

The Petty operation fields the No. 43 Pontiac for

Ray Evernham, the crew chief for Jeff Gordon’s

dnver John Andretti and Kyle Petty’s No. 44 Grand

three Winston Cup championship seasons at

Pri^-

Hendrick Motorsports, left that team in September to

Adam Petty, the family’s fourth-generation driver

spearhead Chrysler’s return to the sport.

$12m Dek head

Latest Lotus FI MICHAEL Schumacher may return rumour

/■●I

“I want to make it absolutely clear that the new Government is

committed to keeping the Grand

million in direct tax receipts to the

Prix,” he said.

Government.

“We want to keep it in Victoria. The same with the motorcycle

The motorcycie GP is estimated to generate A$54 million in economic benefits, with

Grand Prix.”

The Australian Grand Prix

A$3.7 million in tax receipts for

Corporation's annuai report,

the Government.

see Lotus Engineering becom

Drivers’ Club has

announced plans to promote young

whose identification he has carried on his helmet ever since

his

first

World

driving

for

(number 127)

By JOE SAWARD

in recent years and for some

Benetton in 1994.

months he have been hearing that

The 30-year-old German has earned an estimated $130m since moving to Ferrari as team

in order to save the company the

Michael and Ralf Schumacher

fi:x)m the veiy start of their motor racing careers.

The merchandising of the caps has been wildly successful and Schumacher fans have earned

government is going to sell it to

cash-rich Petronas, the primary sponsor of Sauber which spends US$20m on re-badged Ferrari engines.

According to the reports in

oping

seems to ignore the

Jenson Button and Matthew Davies. With a dozen

fact that there are

actually a large num

to find their way into FI, notably Formula 3000 drivers Justin

Wilson, Oliver Gavin, Jamie Davies, Kevin and McGarrity

youngest at 28 years of age but Irvine is

has

now 34 and Herbert is

Japan and in sports-

already 35.

car racing while over

step towards reintroducing the

Lotus name into Grand Prix racing.

Whether this will involve Peter

Sauber’s operation in Switzerland or David Hunt, the msm who owns

the rights to the Lotus name in FI, remains to be seen.

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“We dominate the

world with our racing car production and in so many aspects of

Gareth Rees. Peter Dumbreck

done

well

pion

Marc

Hynes,

youngsters already trying to break into

Grand Prix racing one can only conclude that

the BRDC’s plans to offer a $200,000 “scholarship” to the most

successful

British driver in the national class of the British Formula 3

in America Dario Franchitti has starred in CART and Ben

series is really only a publicity exercise to try and improve the tarnished image of the club, which runs

Collins, Jonny Kane

Silverstone.

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the new British cham

The retirement of

Irvine

talents

that.” The announcement

ber of good young British drivers trying

Britain with only David Coulthard,

In addition there are a number of devel

Formula 3, notably

racers, who are get ting old. Damon Hill, leaves

all been active in Indy Lights.

slipping back from

headquarters in Britain as a first

installations as used by Jim Richards &

Bob Romano

the current genera tion of British El

and Guy Smith have

vers too but we are

Eddie

Siipercharger kits for AU Falcon, Turbo &

UNICHtP

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ed in the past as dri

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Unleash the power with

the hope of finding

Brundle. “We have dominat

Lotus Engineering to design and build Formula 1 engines at his

<l|fnamometer only one in Qld IINinUJPl

British drivers in

motor racing,” said

Malaysia, Petronas will conunission

new 4WD 650 dyno max

SicMoime.

a loss.

While the AGPC accounts

ing involved in Grand Prix rac ing once again. Lotus is currently owned by the Malaysian government car compa ny Proton. This has been struggling

and facsimiles are assiduously marketed by Willi Weber, the astute Stuttgart-based entrepre neur who has managed both

MUbll 1

in the state, despite operating at

show these ‘losses’, the FI event is estimated to generate $95.6 million a year in economic benefits for Victoria, with $6.8

THE British Racing

motorsport fans across the world

Prix iost $4.4 million.

gest is a convoluted deal will

Schumacher caps have long since assumed cult status among

Dekra on Schumacher’s bonce.

Premier told Melbourne’s Herald Sun that the events would remain

champ to carry its logo on his cap for the nest three years. DVAG will replace Dekra, the German motor accessory chain,

leader.

Dek’s final ride: DVAG will replace

Prix lost $3.2 million. Phillip Island’s 1998 motorcycle Grand

BRDC director Martin

Championship

Photo by Sutton-lmages

were in danger. The newly-elected Labour

REPORTS from Malaysia sug

winning

Parliament last week, revealed this year’s Formula One Grand

that amount for the double world

company DVAG has paid just

●

that the state’s two Grands Prix

BRDC youth plan

German asset management

which was tabled in the Victorian

Bracks has scotched reports

By JOE SAWARD

have a dodgy leg, hut his head has just been valued at $12m.

J> D£KRa

NEW Victorian Premier Steve

19 November 1999

Each

way bet for Chip? HOT on the heels of the announcement that

The Brazilian, who has been in outstanding form

ride in 2000.

denying the story,

the Patrick team on a full

told Motorsport News that

time basis.

the four-time CART

will back-to-back the cars

‘Pat’ Patrick looks likely to confirm the 40-year-old as a replacement for PJ Jones who, after being

against two Reynard

dropped in

Moreno earlier in the sea

The move would mean that drivers Juan

Fernandez when the Mexican broke a wrist dur

benchmark times to

chase in Lola-Toyotas in

son, subbed for Adrian

Nunn By PHIL MORRIS

January. The move, if

successful, may also lead to a 'works’ status for the

team with Lola, which

has been searching for a front-running team to re establish itself in the US

marketplace. The manufacturer’s 1999 chassis earned admiration after Helio Castro-Neves scored

FAR from retiring from CART racing as rumoured, veteran race engineer Morris

Nunn says he’s close to signing a deal to own and operate a fac tory-backed Mercedes-

in a refugee camp where the family was located after the

Fontana that he would not be

family settled in Nazareth, His sons Mario and Aldo

both raced, though Aldo’s promising career was cut

“As we regroup following the tragic loss of Greg Moore,

short by an injury. Mario’s Aldo’s son John all raced

year, but Carl is gone and Helio is Penske-bound. (Sutton-images ) Brazilian pairing for the red- where he scored three victories, and-whites. four podium finishes and four Prior to racing in Champ poles to finish second in the

to join our team.” The 24-year-old CastroNeves will partner Gil de Ferran in two Reynard-

Hondas,

sons Michael and Jeff, and

Ins and outs: Hogan and Castro-Neves made progress this

we are fortimate to have a dri ver of Helio’s cahbre available

cars, Castro-Neves competed in

making an all-

professionally. In addition to Mario and

Aldo, Alvise Andretti is sur

vived by his wife, Rina, and his daughter, Anna Marie

series in 1997.

the Indy Lights Championship

-PHILIVIORRIS

Burley.

and Schneider? - for Benz team 1988/’89 for Zakspeed.

PacWest is the only

satellite outfit, to be run

back because I don’t see

a long-time Mercedes

by former Patrick man ager Steve Newey.

anybody out there who I

works driver, has said

Nunn also has links

believe can win races.

privately that he would like to race open-wheel

with GP racing, having

Car team to continue

owned

the

with Mercedes into 2000, s'o that Nunn’s team would mean PacWest is

and

run

announcement regard

“But we’re taking a look at everyone that’s

ers again and is keen on

Ensign team between

ing a driver. Nunn and

available. We’re looking

the CART series.

Rumours suggest that Schneider has recently been in America, looking

1973 and ’82. If the team comes

The

has

been

had

at guys in Formula 1

hoped to sign Helio

and Formula 3000. I’m

but

not sure there’s anyone

Castro-Neves has signed

in Indy Lights who can do the job.”

Mercedes-Benz

Castro-Neves,

for a suitable house near

major two-car Champ

by far Mercedes-Benz’s

together it will operate initially out of an unused, older PacWest shop in Indianapolis.

most serious player in CART. “Bruce McCaw has

laid out his proposal as

driver a While announcement is some

Indianapohs. Despite being a noted sports and touring car

After a few months the team will move to a

well,” Nunn says.

“Castro-Neves was the

time away, Motorsport

expert, the former DTM,

newer,

guy we wanted,” Nunn

News believes that the

man on pole is Bernd

ITC and GT champion was also an FI driver,

near PacWest’s current

said. “That’s a bit of a set-

this a joint effort with PacWest so everybody can work together and

Schneider. The German,

running nine GPs in

instead for Penske to

Greg Moore.

front-row starts at

‘Mo’ Nunn will form a with partnership PacWest boss Bruce

Portland and Nazareth.

McCaw to be a minority owner in the Mercedes

Pennsylvania.

Penske.

replace the deceased

-PHIL MORRIS

CART

disbanded his team,” said

Benz CART team.

pole at Nazareth and

end of World War II. The

FedEx Series in 2000 and had

2000is during off-season testing.

Reynard-Toyotas before the new year, setting

1955, following seven years

his Reading, Pennsylvania headquarters last week. “Carl Hogan announced at

competing in the

favour of

ing 1999.

immigrated to America in

made the announcement at

-sources in the UK have

Montoya and Jimmy

Andretti Sr and his family

Team boss Roger Penske

PacWest year, looks close to agreeing terms to join

Vasser would test

died of cancer.

Penske next season.

with Newman-Haas and

two Lola B2K/00 cars and

Andretti racing family, has

Moore at Marlboro Team

comes news that they

Champions have ordered

year-old patriarch of the

be the man to replace Greg

SUPERSUB Roberto Moreno looks like hav

ing a permanent CART

as weii. While the team is

ALVISE Andretti, the 90-

HELIO Castro-Neves will

Target Ganassi will run Toyota power in 2000

may run Loia chassis

Andretti Sr dies at 90

Hello joins Penske

Moreno to Patrick

larger

shop

facility in northwest ern Indianapolis.

“He wants to make

benefit fi"om it.”

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DRIVER

TRAINING

19 November 1999

j-'ishes, dunnies and the Great Wall ofBathurst R

etuming to Bathurst for the first time since 1987 was an

weekend.

this past week, at the same time

less than substantial 16 seater

plane that flies from the Olympic city to Bathurst, I happened to bump into Santo Cilauro from Channel 10’s The Panel’ and

Dog Production's new movie, ‘The Dish’.

Amazingly, the production company was planning this shoot during the biggest race week of the year.

That meant that there was a

shortage of a number of things that affect both racing and movie making, like accommodation,

portable toilets and the availability of helicopters. Bathurst won the day; The Dish’ had to wait its turn ...

After a quick flight, during which I pondered the effectiveness of the

airline’s mechanics when bolting on the propellers, we arrived in Bathurst. Unlike our esteemed Joe

Saward who wrote recently of seeing a “very Japanese man in a white helmet so serious about his

performing his job right it looked like ballet” on his recent arrival at Narita

Airport, Bathurst Airport presented

me with the sight of a guy wearing tracksuit pants and runners. It was very Australian, and not

Joe S award is on leave

heading to Geneva to tie up the franchise for when Wayno, Gazza and the rest of the hill-top gang arrive to take up positions for the Geneva 500 street race (five 100 km heats, no doubt).

For presumably ’safety' reasons, they've added arond half a metre to

viewing from ground level spectators across the road is pretty much gone too.

film the final scenes for Working

By Gerald McDornan

to terms with the construction of the track’s own wall - the Great Pit Wall of Mount Panorama.

the D-Generation, the Late Show

Cilauro revealed he was heading

afki

those at Bathurst were still coming

the height of the damn thing and

to nearby Parkes where he was to

from pit lane you now can’t see a

thing. And I suspect that pit lane

But there were other types

cleaning up on the mountain quite literally, in some cases. On the way out of Bathurst

With radios and car-pit telemetry now the vogue, there's no need for

pit boards any more - you'd have to be over 7ft to hang one over

International airport, the passenger next to me on the plane was no less that the 'purveyor of poop.' He was the man responsible for

anyway...

The revised wall height was actually mandated, Ihear, by the

seeing that there were enough

good Burghers of the FIA who, these days, make their homes in

toilets on the mountain to service all

the punters. What a job.. He also explained that Bathurst

Switzerland (having been chased away at the end of ’87). Not many motor races happen in Switzerland, to my knowledge,

was one of his tougher gigs seems that, while the major challenge during the week Is to see how long you can 'hold on' and then maximise the number of times you can get the flap in the unit to flap’ open under the weight of expectations (apparently, 15 is a good performance) taking the units home again is not a high priority.

though I did see a pleasant-enough chappie in the pits wearing a Germanic-styled hat. Perhaps he was the bloke bidding for an around-the-houses V8

Supercar race in Geneva. Dr it may have just been someone breaking in a new funny hat for Paul Morris.

The lads make sure that he

While who allknow mightmany say that my me previous visits to Bathurst were probably spent lying unconscious up on the mountain with ail my yobbo mates.

needn’t bother. After the race, a few unhappy Ford fans took out their

Pass the chardonnay, Wayno: The crowds were out in force on the mountain and, as the man on the plane pointed out, where there are spectators, there have to

be toilets.This one toppled over with a punter seated inside ... (Photos by Chris oner)

There’s manyandchanges, both at been Bathurst around the

With Luciano Pavarotti, that’s

The world has, literally, come

how.

and gone from Bathurst with the great race of that year, a round of

My man flew back to Melbourne

to supply the loos for the up-coming

the one-off Worid Touring Car Championship now iong gone.

concert put on by the world’s

greatest tenor. There was a big crowd expected and he needed plenty.

The European Sierras, BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes aren’t

anywhere to be seen at Bathurst

And, no doubt, he would have

nowadays except, of course, in the

needed a whopper for the star of

VIP carpark where the chardonnay

the show. Luciano is a big man.

set are keen to enlighten you on how they’ve supported V8s for

with big, er, needs. The man was confident that he had the job

years and our own ciass should take over the world...

covered...

A colonial, cultural outpost? No way. Bathurst to Pavarotti in one fell swoop. Let’s see them do that

Naturally, AVESCD’s own Tony

Whether the number of overseas

interests present was three, four, five or more (depending on where and when you picked up the conversation) remains to be seen ... I’m sure our honourable Minister

for Sport, Jackie Kelly, can distinguish between the $10, $20 or

$30 million which Tony said at different times over the weekend he

needs to give Bathurst a facelift and handle the crowds that will be

coming to the mountain now the

world is watching.

Df course, the question of just

how an upgrade of the pit buildings - all of which are actually owned by

Joy.

What do you do after supplying the dunnies to the biggest touring car race in the worid? How do you top a Steven Richards/Greg Murphy win?

world since '87.

where we all may be heading.

anger on the structures, providing

plenty of work for the garbage detail,

But, the piece de resistance...

at all continental.

Cochrane, never one to let an opportunity go by when it may be presented, was quite quick to point out to whoever was listening that, in fact, the world wanted us and that’s

4 a

anniversary of the Berlin wall falling

began chatting about all things great about his career on great radio and TV programmes such as and Frontline.

U77>

sn’t it ironic that, while we’re

were celebrating the 10th

Waiting at Sydney airport for the

^ (

I talking of the world and how we

interesting venture into the world that captivates a nation for a

in Geneva.

most would be surprised to know I

actually travelled in style and went the corporate way. Lying on the ground of a

People from all

corporate tent just gives you that little more style...

over the world

Cut of interest Ithought I’d head up the mountain on Thursday and visit the ‘old stomping ground’.

will now be

Thinking I had travelled to the

future, to a place beyond Thunderdome, Icouldn’t believe

the leveis a few people have now

wanting to head to Bathurst.

gravitated to. There were the usual collection

Perhaps, just like

of banners, temporary ‘motels’, extravagant camping structures

1987 - when we

and vendors of everything from hot dogs on a stick to the amber fluid.

The hot dog bloke did pretty

the Seven Network — would be

well; and the amber fluid blokes

executed was not fully explained. Tricky one that...

are, even now, pocketing their profits from the weekend and

chased them all away... Luciano, the Umo is here: Business as usual on the mountain. (Pboo by oi* Kiynsmiih)

/]Md9®I70[V(DI7O

19 November 1999

nd Mika shall inherit At a time when many expected him to drop the ball, Mika Hakkinen sealed his second

World Drivers’ title with a career-best V

performance at Suzuka. But what makes the double Champion the Ice Man? ADAM COOPER asked those in the know. THERE’S no question that a second World Championship moves Mika Hakkinen up a

to win that sustained you for so

division in the history books. Hitherto, few would have

want to let someone else take it

considered him a candidate even

away.

for the top 25 GP drivers of all time. It’s not because he’s still racing; Michael Schumacher has

frequently featured in the top five in polls.

But, having now won a second

many years. But you certainly don't “I would say last year it was -

about the joy of the possibility of winning the championship,” says Rosberg. ‘This year it was the fear of the possibility of losing it!” There’s no doubt that Mika was

crown and taken an impressive 11

desperate to make his mark with a

pole positions this year, Hakkinen will perhaps start to figure in

second title.

people’s calculations. Of course, Nigel Mansell only won a single World Championship,

and Stiriing Moss never won at all,

"Definitely, you want to retain it,” agrees Mrs H. “At the beginning of the season Mika said he didn’t want

to say, Tve been World Champion once’. He was joking about it, that

Scheckter and his own manager

so many World Champions were for one year, like Keke! There’s a joke in Finnish, which I can’t quite translate into English, but which means something like ‘Simple World Champion.’ So Mika said, ‘I never want to say Simple World Champion.’ Now he’s done it twice,

Keke Rosberg.

so it’s OKI”

All top drivers in their day, but who largely earned their single championships through being in the

he should now get his full due. For years it’s been Schumacher and

so the number of titles is not the

only measure of an all-time great. But Mika has broken clear of a

group of one-time winners which includes names such as Mika

Hawthorn, Phil Hill, Denny Hulme, James Hunt, Mario Andretti, Jody

right car at the right time. You don’t win it twice through luck. He has also joined that elite

group who have won back-to-back titles, namely Alberto Ascari, Juan Manuel Fangio, Jack Brabham,

Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna and Schumacher. You might argue that

Those close to Mika argue that then the rest, but Hakkinen should be now be considered a worthy rival for the German.

‘There are World Champions

that not only have qualities as drivers, but are also highly-polished out of the car,” says Ron Dennis. “And there is no doubt that isn’t

two in a row is no different from two

one of Mika’s strengths. He isn’t a

earned in alternate years, but

good communicator, but he is a very good racing driver, and two

history has proved how hard it is for both a driver and his team to

World Championships demonstrate

maintain their winning momentum. On the other hand, going into this season as reigning World

that.

Champion must have been a

press conference and interview, they should appreciate that it has nothing to do with winning the World Championship. And probably

massive boost for his morale.

“It did change him,” says Mika’s wife, Erja Hakkinen. “I don’t think it put more confidence in him, but it could have made him more

relaxed, because the first title is

quite tough to catch, and that was done. You’re World Champion

once, and you want to have it a second time, but it’s not the same motivation.” In other words there are two

forces at play on anybody

■●r- ^

defending the title. You no longer have that desperate, burning desire

‘To all the people who leap to criticise his weaknesses in the odd

a lot easier to fix than trying to

make a slow racing driver fast, or a good racing driver World Champion.” Mercedes motor sport boss

Norbert Haug believes that the second title puts Mika among the greats.

“It certainly does. He was excellent in Japan. Suzuka is a real

drivers’ circuit, and if you can

respond like that, Ithink it’s fantastic. It was a special win and a

special championship, because we didn’t make it easy for him, and he didn’t make it easy for himself. To have two mistakes while in the

lead, and then still fight back, that is very impressive. Ironically, Mika has probably done himself more good in the eyes of the world by the way he won the title. Had he won races all through the summer, and wrapped up the

crown by Monza or Nurburgring, there would have been some polite

applause from' neutrals, but probably not much else. But by overcoming months of adversity and doing an impeccable job in the finale, his stock has risen massively and his earlier mistakes have been put into perspective. “It’s been a very scrappy year

really,” says McLaren technical guru Adrian Newey. We obviously missed a lot of opportunities, but overall Mika really deserved the

championship, and I’m very happy for him.

“He’s obviously very talented, he’s very calm, and Ithink he has a pretty good feel for the car. Obviously through driving for one team for so long, he knows the

The Dream Team: Hakkinen and Newey have made a formidable pairing.

drive that was probably more

under control, but not everyone in the Hakkinen camp was as

difficult psychologically than the Nurburgring last year. So many

positive. “It’s been a very hard season.

memorable drive,” says Dennis. “A

people misunderstand so many aspects of him, from the mental fatigue that he had in Malaysia, to the frustration that he had in

Monza, and the discipline that he brings to his racing. Suzuka was a complete demonstration of his discipline. He is the iceman, and people don’t understand that.” “Most people thought that he was under enormous pressure,”

and of course it culminated with the

Paris mayhem,” says Rosberg. “I was wondering to myself if he could pick up the pieces after that, and find the mental strength that he was going to need the Suzuka weekend. You could see Eddie

(Irvine) was getting more and more nervous all weekend. Mika was

getting stronger and calmer all weekend. It was an incredible

transformation, which was nothing else but mental power.”

team well and we know him well.

adds Haug, “but he was just concentrated. What happened left

“In a perverse sort of way perhaps it’s easier when you’re no longer the firm favourite. When you are, everybody thinks it’s a done

good thing is he loves to drive a perfect car, and when the car is perfect, he delivers. Michael was

deal, and then it almost can work in reverse. He came to Japan as the

there, and it was very good that he came back, because people would

underdog, and I think he really responded to that.”

have said it was a bit easier.”

Mika. The general perception is that he is not very bright, and indeed he may not be a potential rocket scientist (how many F1

Norbert may have been confident that Mika had everything

drivers are?). But as Haug hinted, he does have an uncanny ability to

“I think that Suzuka was another

and right, he just did not care. The

This mental strength is

something which often crops up in conversations with those who know

19 November 1999

the earth

No tears IT was surely one of the great sporting TV images of the year; Mika Hakkinen weeping into his hands after throwing away the lead at Monza, completely unaware that his every move was being relayed to the pits and the rest of the world by a helicopter hovering above. For many observers, it was a clear sign of the strain Mika had been under

as he fought for his second title. “He’s

lost it,” was a common cry after that race.

“It was a terrible moment,” agrees Eija Hakkinen, who was as surprised as anyone by this sudden display of emotion.

“But in a way I also felt relieved, because I don’t like this picture which is sometimes given about FI drivers that

they are cold people, they are hke robots. That’s not true. I know the guys, and they are warm, they have their feehngs, they’re human beings. “I think Mika did the right thing. There are so many people crying out there when he makes a mistake or he doesn’t finish the race. For once he

Mr and Mrs Champion: Hakkinen's marriage to TV star Erja has had a positive effect on him, according FI insiders like Keke Other people. That means he has

shared this kind of feehng with the fans, and I think that brought him closer to them, and that’s brilliant. And we saw

the next race there were two Italians who had exactly the same reaction

his own idea about things that he doesn’t want to share with others. “What was excellent from the

(Giancarlo Fisichella and Luca Badoer).

So it’s like it’s opened a new era.”

team was that after Malaysia Mika

So did the Monza disaster have a

had the chance to have a week off.

lasting effect on Hakkinen, or did he

The whole polemic that was going

simply switch off and focus on the next

on didn’t really touch Mika. Ithink he was very lucky, and the team made the right decision to leave Mika out of it. He could just concentrate on getting his mental and physical state ready for the last

race?

“He did switch off, and I think when

you say did it have an effect on him, yes it did, but I think only in a positive way.

■■rv"

He was so disappointed about himself, he made his ovm mistakes, and Mika’s

race.

mental power comes from mistakes.

“I think this is very crucial, because he had nothing to do with the whole thing. He decided that he

“He stops and starts thinking how and why it happened. 'That doesn’t put him down - it’s vice versa. It really takes his power out and then he starts thinking this can’t happen again. “And that’s what really happened,

wanted to fight for the

championship, he hoped that it would happen in Malaysia, but that was not the case, and he was very sure it would happen in Japan. So

Highs and lows:

focus and block out distractions.

Hakkinen’s career almost ended on the streets of Adelaide. The Marlboro

Sometimes that works against him, in that his true feelings are kept

McLaren was a weapon in his hands

well away from publioview.

into that weekend, and it worked.”

in 1994 (above) but almost claimed

“I think Mika’s been very confident, right until the end,” says

So what next for Mika Hakkinen? We can assume that he

Erja.

will stay with McLaren and.

treat him on the scene of his crash;

“So many people told me after Thursday in Japan that Mika was

Mercedes for as long as he wants to. He is still only 31, and if he can

changes, engine changes, or

despite the fact that his eyes are open,

very tense and worried, and I said I

maintain his motivation, the sky is limit in terms of what he might achieve in the coming years.

said to me the next day, ‘I’m happy it happened, because it happened now, and year, Michael v Mika, or Mika v it opened my eyes that this is possible.’

his life when he crashed there in ’95.

In this graphic photo left, doctors

bystanders report that Hakkinen was

don’t agree. Mika is the kind of

actually unconscious at the time.

person who can hide quite easily what he’s really thinking. He has this certain mental power with which he tries to get distance frorn

(Pliuto by Pairick Wcdcs. All others by Sunon-Imagcs)

“Mika’s potential depends on

PERFORMANCE M ■

level of performance. We are not expecting regulation

“He said to me that he’s never, even when he was a little child in karts, made such a mistake. He just couldn’t believe that he could make such a mistake. He

anything dramatic, so I think

it’ll be business as usual next

Michael. If you look at Japan, those two guys could have

in a team which can maintain the

lapped the entire field.”

■■

And he could react and make himself better for the next race.” -ADAM COOPER

o: i

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19 November 1999

Three heurs and 36! With the help of Mark Williamson, Terry Bosnjak finished the job he started 12 months ago... EDWARD KRAUSE captured all of the drama and thrills of this year's Poolrite GTP 3 Hour race at Mt. Panorama Si L

I ¥

A-

Phone home: Terry Bosnjack and Mark Williamson were

more than happy to have survived the carnage of this year’s 3 hour, taking the chequer first. (Photos by Di* Klynsmith/MarsHal lCass) ERRY Bosnjak finished the

GTP

3-hour

job

started

Race

third in their Falken Porsche 911

Panorama 12 months ago, taking victory in the Poolrite

RSCS, Fitzgerald setting time despite a major baulk on his fastest lap.

Itwasseemed thatsprint driversas opposed thought toit a 10 lap

“I would have like to have been

Safety Car was on the track after only 9m30 when Megan Kirkham

race

Fitzgerald and Richards were

the

Saturday afternoon. Bosnjak took pole position in

second, but it doesn’t matter

1998 in his Mazda RX-7 SP but

because the Viper and Ferrari

failed to finish. This year he

would get us up Mountain Straight anyway”, quipped the veteran champion afterwards.

came

with

around

less

horsepower, and less speed, but at the end of a tumultuous

and highly destructive three hours he and team mate Mark

Williamson, outlasted the European marques to give the

Japanese brand another pro duction car endurance victory at Bathurst. John Faulkner

and Ed Aitken finished second in their

Porsche 911RSCS, Jamie Cartwright and Aaron McGill

were third in the Toyota Supra after leading much of the race. Last year’s champions Peter Fitzgerald and Jim Richards suffered a gearbox failure and the Ferrari challenge ended in

Ed Aitken and John Faulkner would share the second row in

another 911, followed by another powerhouse, the Toyota Supra twin-turbo of Cartwright and McGill, the pair getting together in a deal done around 7pm Wednesday night. Geoff Morgan had his Porsche sixth and then there was the

Mazda RX-7 SP of Bosnjak and Williamson, the ex-Super Touring driver linking up for his first GTP

red Ferrari 355 Challenge driven by Wayne Park and Darren Palmer.

rest in the middle of the circuit.

Only a few metres up the road was the damaged BMW M3R of Beric Lynton. Craig Dean had a truly spectacular accident off Skyline when his Dodge Viper turned right and into the wall, ploughing through the sandtrap ending their race.

er Porsche.

B, Peter Phelan and David Wood in Class

went

Tom

Watkinson/Grant Denyer in the twice Bathurst-winning Mazda 626. Class E fastest was the media

car pair of Peter McKay and Paul Gover in the Proton M21 coupe while Class S was the BMW 323i

of Wayne Russell and Robert Middleton.

PO Box 6330 Shepparton 3632 Ph/Fax: 03 5827 1359 Mobile: 014 406 980

Email: salesf^speedwerx.com.au Website: www.speedwerx.com.au

msatirs

laps! ! The Waldon/Bowe Viper didn’t even make the start. After the

warm-up the wheels were found to be cracked, so the car was with

tious outside move at the Cutting. Side-by-side through the tight cor ner, Cartwright pulled it off. The front four were Cartwright, Fitzgerald, Palmer and Morgan. The Vodafone Porsche then moved

past Palmer and was closing on Fitzgerald as they went through

Aitken in Porsches.

the traffic. Just before the 45 minute mark

AtSupra’s the restart Cartwright, engine temps werewho’s irs-

Fitzgerald made his first stop and

ing steadily due to following the Porsches, wound up the twin-turbo straight six and attacked the inside of Palmer at Hell Corner for second. He was then on the tail of

Fitzgerald at the end of Mountain Straight and went for an ambi-

handed over to Jim Richards, the 23s stop dropping last year’s champions back to eighth. Six minutes later Morgan smacked the wall at the Dipper, bringing out the second Saftty Car. He was only 20 metres away from the MR2 of Clayton Haynes

CHASSIS

ENGINE

OTHER

TOOLS

● Lap timers

● Tube notcher

● Camber/caster gauges

● Porting kits ● Bore gauges ● Valve sprung testers

» Spring rate testers

● Oil filter cutters

● Scales

● Stagger gauges

● Height micrometers ● Ring compressors

● Tyre pyrometers

● Burettes

● Durometers

● Micrometers ● Verniers

● Tube bender

Wifm

And all this within the first five

The Safety Car picked up race leader Peter Fitzgerald in the Falken Porsche, who was beings chased by Palmer in the Ferrari, Cartwright (Supra), Morgan and

their Commodore VT SS in Class C,

spot, a whole 1.1s ahead of the also-

wall at Forest Elbow, coming to

drawn.

Qualifying

pole position on the Friday. Bowe did a 2m23.61 second to put himself and Garry Waldon on the prime

slammed her Mazda MX-5 into the

drive, while the fourth row was

a ball of flames.

John Bowe usedGTSthepower eight litres of Dodge Viper to grab

a three-hour enduro. 'The first

rounded out by Mathew Stoupas and Christian D’Agostin in anoth Bob Hughes and Rick Bates put the Mazda RX-7 quickest for Class

Falken gearbox: Rare mechanical failure kept reigning champions, Peter Fitzgerald and Jim Richards from SUCCesfully defending their title. (Photo by Marshall Cass)

● Tyre pressure gauges

who clipped the inside wall. Cartwright pitted for fuel, as did Darren Palmer in the Ferrari, handing over to Wayne Park, and Stoupas in the Porsche. Jim Richards brought his Porsche back in stuck in third

gear, ending the race for he and Fitzgerald.

The series pitthestops saw Aitken take of over lead from Williamson with Cartwright third. Aitken got a great start to pull out

about a second but the green peri od was short-lived as Leanne Ferrier in the Rebound Mazda 626

collided heavily with the fence at Murrays Corner.

● Pit canopies ● Exhaust gas temp gauges ● Technical videos

● Drill sharpners ● Go-kart tools

Unit features a 32 lap

recall memory '

'99 Catalogue

and Includes the

available

trackside transmitter.

19 November 1999

5 days Cartwright again wasted no time in blasting off past Aitken and Williamson. These two gave chase for another seven and eight laps when, firstly Williamson, then Aitken pitted. But Aitken had luck on his side

improving after a

handed over to Bosnjak, the

conservative start and took over sec

GTR blew a tyre down Conrod, clouting the wall at well over 200km/h and coming to a stop in the sandpit in the Chase.

HyiDS

ly, taking ImlOs and pushing them

because just after Williamson Church/Dillon/Stubber Nissan

HOT

stop was more cost

down to fifth. All the while the Ferrari of Park had been steadily

ond, with Bosnjak leading... From then on it

was a three-way battle between the

Safety Car number fourperiod was outto and Aitken used this

RX-7, the Ferrari,

bring in his Porsche to hand over to Faulkner, the race half-com pleted with lhr37minutes and 32 laps gone. Cartwright held onto his lead

with

from Greg Waters in Murray Carter’s Corvette. Mike Kilpatrick was third in John Teulan’s GTR, followed by Faulkner, Bosnjak, Stoupas and Park, who made a fuel stop in this period. Three laps later Cartwright simply blew off again. Waters sec ond while Faulkner had a hard

time finding a way past Kilpatrick, held up over the moun tain, and the gap from Cartwright to Waters was five seconds after

one lap.

Faulkner finally got through, with Bosnjak in close pursuit, and then chases down Waters, who then had to pit with mechanical problems. The gap from Cartwright to Faulkner was now 16s, but the V8 star began edging that back, with Bosnjak right

behind. Kilpatrick then brought the GTR in at the two-hour mark to hand over to Teulan for the run home. Three minutes later

and

the

Porsche Faulkner

aboard.

Bosnjak had 27 seconds up his sleeve to Park,

with a further seven to Faulkner - Faulkner then turned in the

fastest

lap

of the

race,

2m26.9260.

Faulkner was on a charge and he caught and passed Park down Conrod and into the Chase, Park getting him back up Mountain Straight. All the while Bosnjak was keeping the gap constant at

SteAf'm

Then at 2hr20mins, while lap ping a Class C Falcon, Park appeared to clip the Falcon and it flung him into the wall at Sulman Park.

Pinballing across the track and smacking the outside wall, the Ferrari exploding in a ball of flames before coming to a rest on the inside of the circuit again.

That brought out the Safety Car, and was fifth the chance Faulkner needed. When the race restarted with 23 minutes

but it was a near disaster, as he wasn’t close enough for the fuel

to go, the gap was down to seven seconds between Bosnjak and

Cartwright was in the next lap

Faulkner. There were four cars between them in the line and at the restart the Mazda driver was

to hand over to McGill, but their

obviously pushing on as hard as

time but only two positions.

Sulman Park-1, Wayne Park-0: After clipping a slower class Falcon, Wayne Park’s Ferrari careered into the safety fence and spectacularly caught on fire, crossing the track before coming to a rest. Thankfully, Park emerged unscathed although it will take a whole bunch of Meguiars polish to get it looking good again... (Photos by John womsAApix)

about 25 seconds.

Faulkner made a fuel-only stop, hose to reach. It cost him a lot of

he could, getting very light through McPhillamy the first time. It worked because by the time Faulkner worked his way through, the gap was now 10 sec onds after one lap. Much as Faulkner tried, every time he went quicker Bosnjak responded, and the gap remained fairly static. Then, on the final lap Faulkner was badly baulked by the Evo V driven by Ross Palmer. While Faulkner admitted it didn’t

^FenfeT] A

Haniiiion Jarm & Bnice avjvt,op

affect the end result, it was a frus trating way to end the race, which deservingly went to the Mazda

duo, ably helped by Mazda Motorsport boss Allan Horsley, who has won here several times with RX-7s.

“This was a sweet victory. Last year we started the race in pole

&ef position in this car but lasted only three laps, so we came to the Mountain today with unfinished business,” Bosnjak said after the race.

“Mark did a fantastic job at the beginning. We only changed the outside tyres at our stop, which caused us some grief at the end, but if we had’ve changed all four,

- T"

we wouldn’t have won”.

V-

Cartwright and McGill picked up third in the Supra, a pleasing result for them after such a strong run early. Stoupas and D’Agostin picked up fourth, while fifth posi tion went to the Class B-winning car of Chris Kousparis and Mark Brame, who finished a lap up on second-placed Don Pulver and

Terry Shiel. Only 12 seconds sepa rated the top two Class C cars, with championship-winner Peter Phelan and debutante co-driver

David Wood defeating Tony Longhurst and Guy Andrews.

Inomen what for was obviously good I Sunday, aSteve

Richards and Greg Murphy won Class D in the K-Mart Vectra, If I could be like

Mike, err... Mika: Leanne Ferrier was

disappointed with sticking her Mazda 626 in at Murray’s corner.

Ferrier wasn’t alone

in the crash stakes,

; 'sSfi

the Safety Car making numerous trips out onto the track during the three hours. (Photos by Marshall Cass)

their main rival on the track

seemingly the Class E Proton M21, which was used to win the

championship, driven by media ring-ins Paul Gover and Peter McKay and added another first place trophy to Proton’s ‘99 cabi net.

Class S went to the ‘dad’s army’ of Bruce Lynton and Ian Simpson, who used a simple one-stop strate gy and steady driving to take out

the sports car class from Wayne Russell and Robert Middleton, giv ing the BMW 323i a 1-2 finish at Bathurst.

CIN

APHIX

Fartonf 10/65 Voltri Street Mentone vie 5194

n: 05 95M 7177

19 November 1999

Gun of a son !

by MARK JONES

SECOND generation racer Luke Youlden gave Mygale a great finish to a landmark year for the French manufac turer, setting pole and collect ing two wins. Driving Greg Ritter’s champi onship winning car, Youlden set pole position in the Formula Fords with a 2:26.0215, three tenths under Rodney Forbes’ lap record, and almost a second clear

of pre-race

favourite

Tyler

Mecklem (Van Diemen). Chris Dell (Van Diemen) was

third fastest from Nick Agland

(Spectrum), Greg (Mygale), Wayne

Woodrow Stoddart

(Vector), and Robert Jones (Van Diemen), just outside 2s slower then Youlden.

In the first race it was Mecklem

who won the start, with Youlden

right behind and took the lead around the outside at Speed Stick Corner. Mecklem retook the lead

into Challenge Chase. Youlden got the lead back again after Mecklem got very wide at Speed Stick. Just behind a fierce battle between Agland, Woodrow and Dell raged. Climbing away from the Cutting Mecklem was touched by Agland and Mecklem spun into the wall, with little damage. Agland’s car received a bent steering arm. Youlden got away at this point and, with no need to cover his

lines defensively, pulled away to win by 8s.

The minor podium battle was won by Dell, with Agland snatch ing third from Woodrow on the run the Murrays, after Woodrow missed a gear. Timo Hulkko (Swift) had a look at Woodrow as well but had to settled for fifth.

For the Sunday morning start

Youlden won the drag race to Hell Corner, with four cars hard behind - Agland, Woodrow, Dell and Hulkko.

These five staged a sensational dice, with Youlden, Agland, Woodrow and Dell each taking turns at the lead while Hulkko hovered in fifth.

Further back Mecklem was involved in another incident at

Speed Stick Corner with Shane Fifield (Swift) and retired. Fifield

was struck by a flying wheel and taken to hospital for head x-rays. The front runners slowed con

siderably for the last lap, each not wanting to lead. Coming down Conrod the last time Dell

led Youlden, Woodrow, Agland and Hulkko as they jockeyed for position through the chase. Youlden led into the chase and Hulkko dived in under brakes

passing Woodrow and Agland, Agland regained third on the exit. Into Murrays Youlden held the centreline and Dell was unable to

attempt a passing move, giving Youlden the win from Dell,

Agland, Woodrow and Hulkko leaving each of the top five posi tions to a different manufacturer for the first time in at least 10 years.

Bearing up: If this keeps up, Kent The Bear’ Youlden will be known as Luke’s father, not the other way around. The Melbourne flier took both Formula Ford events in his Mygale. (Photo by Marshall cass)

Neville Haley and the Gemets NEVILLE Haley got revenge on Peter Dane for losing the HQ Nationals six weeks ago by tak

ing the win in the first race. Haley won the start and lead up the hill. At the end of the first lap the Haley led from Charles D’Aquino and Jason Tilley. Peter Dane came through the field passing Andrew Simpson, then D’Aquino on pit straight on lap before the race was red flagged, leaving Haley the win from Tiliey, Dane, D’Aquino, David Dejtano and Simpson. Haiey led away on the Saturday morning race while a very close battle behind between Tilley, Dane and D’Aquino. The race was declared after only two

Off-roader: The HQ action was furious on - and off - the track. (PhoiobyKiynsmith)

laps when three separate crashes ocurred up the top of the

but Haley won the meeting from Dane, D’Aquino and Simpson,

mounatin.

- MARK JONES

Dane came through for the win.

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PfuUo<i by John OroU'

The T999 FA! 1000 was a race of

two halues; the first ruled by chaos and confusion, the second ruled by calm and control.

The winners were Steven Richards

and Greg Murphy. Their win marked the return to the top ranks of Gibson Motarsport, the once-dominant force in touring car racing. Holden dominated the race, with HRT

finishing second and third and Craig Lowndes taking his third touring car title in three attempts. And an era ended when Dick Johnson and his son and heir

Steven finished

fourth, first Ford home.

Motorsport News takes you behind the scenes of the

big race.

IIP

±rHI

INSURANCE

19 November 1999

In the !

Corner

while Bright gets the Day One blues

Easy as she goes was the attitude mast teams were taking, na-one wanting to really show their hand this early, but for others it provided more

worries and dramas than had ever

been envisaged. GERALD McD0Rl\!AlM reports. (

T was all about taking things steady, scrubbing and heat cycling Bridgestone’s control tyre - being used at the mountain by everyone for the first time - the right way and bedding-in all the necessary components correctly. While there was plenty of buzz around the pits in regard to news about who was doing what for next year, out on the

track it was all about doing things right and readying for Friday’s qualifying and Sunday’s race. It should also be noted that

both of Thursday's sessions, and Friday’s first session, were qualifying sessions for

the drivers only (each having to qualifying within 130 per cent of the quickest time), with grid positions being deter mined solely by Friday after noon’s sessions and Saturday morning’s top 10 shootout.

from the first and second ses

sions. Perhaps there was no more solid confirmation of the

ease in which everyone was

attacking Bathurst’s first day than in the fact that privateer Garry Willmington (in Simon Emerzidis’ Falcon), for much of the early session, were listed as 14th quickest outright...

For most, the day was okay but not for everyone - for some, like the defending event champion Jason Bright and the Stone Brothers Racing team, it wasn’t... In the early morning session, perhaps providing a little bit of deja vu and maybe an omen for Sunday, Bright’s

Pirtek/Stone Brothers Racing AU Falcon, on an out lap, can noned

into

the

tear

Cameron McLean’s parked Greenfield Mowers EL after

half losing it at McPhillamy. McLean had parked with a broken throttle cable and, despite requests from the

Teams were making only subtle changes during and

team

between sessions with no real

retrieved, it remained on-line

ly dramatic changes coming

and in a dangerous position.

for

the

car

Nothing too Radical: Paul Radisieh snatched fastest time of day at the very last minute. (Photo by Dirk KiynsmUh) When the incident occurred it Glenn Seton explaining later “The car was handling a lit Ashby/Reed and Forbes/Full brought out the third red-flag that, at such a high speed, tle indifferently but it was my stopped with diff problems of the first session, exactly blind corner, the car provided mistake again. within two laps of each other. what the team had requested

too much of a surprise for any-

“We fixed the car and won

The Lansvale team said

earlier.

one.

last year and hopefully we can

there was oil in the diffs, so

The damage to the McLean/Cleland car was

do it again...”

repairable for the second ses

proved to be the biggest prob

the problem obviously laid elsewhere in the preparation... With Bright and co-driver Craig Baird out for the day at least, the remaining race chances,: perhaps around 14 others, just kept going about their business, not taking any

“This could

avoided,”

have been

obviously

annoyed McLean said later.

i Red mist, red flag: Bright had another Thursday shocker, running off at McPhillamy and belting the parked McLean Falcon. Brighty wasn’t impressed with his efforts - and neither was McLean ... (Photos by dm KiynsmUh)

Traffic out on the track

"Jason was lucky he didn't

sion - the car and drivers

hit the car nose to tail or it could have been a whole lot

being clearly quick enough to be considered amongst the bunch of outright contenders instead of being looked upon

teams with the closing rates

as merely privateers but Bright’s, with two bent front

At the wheel of the Coke Commodore, David Brabham ran into problems while com

worse.

“I could have chosen to stop the car in the middle of

the track to force a red flag, but that’s not right. What started out as a little job to fix means we now have a cou ple of hours work.”

rails and a caved in rear, wasn’t and the team’s ability to repair in time for Friday’s

Still, as was pointed by

qualifying was cast into doubt. The news wasn’t good for

track

officials,

the SBR team and the atmos

McLean’s car had been there for

the situation and other unex

over 10 minutes when it was hit...

phere in the camp reflected

That excuse,

pected problems concerning its future (see news items). “I’m devastated,” Bright

though, didn't carry much weight

offered after his second firstday Bathurst mistake in two

with other drivers.

years.

lem for most of the leading between the faster and slow

cars

providing

many

moments of concern.

chances.

ing across Steve Owen run ning slowly in the second of

Much to the delight of Ford’s racing boss, Howard Marsden, the three quickest cars on the day were all AUs

Garry Rogers’ Valvoline/

- Radisieh, Bowe and Seton

Cummins VTs.

leading the way. Radisieh produced a quick

Brabham was closing fast on Owen who, apparently, closed an open door on top of

of Thursday’s last session,

the mountain, the two touch

the Shell Helix Falcon’s time

ing and bringing out the sec ond red flag of the session the first having been provided

coming after the chequered had already waved and a simultaneous timing system

when the two Lansvale-pre-

failure - officially Seton being

pared

proclaimed the quickest of the day. Radisieh, though, was happy with his effort, the quick time coming in a lap clear for only three-quarters:

Commodores

2:11.22 at the last moment

"It’s early, early days and

we still have a long way to go and we’ll continue working on the car to fine tune our race set-up,” Radisieh said.

“The last lap I thought I’d have a go and it was only really three-quarters of a lap

so Iwas happy... it’s all going to be about getting your tim ing right and getting the traffic right to be faster.”

Seton really didn't have too many problems, even the

absence of co-driver Neil

Crompton (suffering food poi-

iKo.

r'lA/n//

during the day, but signs were there as to their potential. Like many, the Gibson team continually tried differ ent combinations of springs,

No Drive-Thru: David Brabham had

a bad start, beaching Wayne Gardner’s

Commodore over

shock settings and ride heights while working out their qualifying and race day

Skyline after a fracas with the Ritter!Owen car.

(Photos: Klynsmith and Cass)

; ¥h

Faulkner and Simon Wills had

your teeth into it and charge around corners

a number of problems early, the steering going into “non-

down

another...”

Longhurst offered about the track he took a win at in 1988.

potential series winner more laps than usual in the car.

Wynn’s ‘team-mates’ John

cult where you can get

instead of blasting down a straight, going around a corner and blasting

soning), allowing Ford’s only

set-up.

Still, we’re going alright for a small team that’s got

power”

“The pump quit on the first lap so we replaced it," a dis appointed Faulkner said.

ued to bed themselves and

catering!” Tender and Bargwanna were both happy with the lead VCRT car, the pair making a few small changes in the hope

line apparently coming adrift. Perhaps the most quietly

the car would be even better.

problems associated with

confident of the bunch was

here easy," Tender offered.

Larry Perkins who, with co-dri ver Russell Ingall, came home as the quickest Flolden at the end of the first day, fourth

“We’re just massaging things, making small shock changes

yellow and black Falcon, an oil

overall with a 2:12.14 in the new Castrol VT.

“We haven’t crashed it so I

suppose it’s going alright," LP said with a knowing smirk on his face, the six-time event

winner more than happy with his new car and his first run at

the mountain on Bridgestone’s control tyre. "The grip is unbelievable, I

just can’t believe how good the tyres are and what these guys had up here in the past. Our corner speed is up sub stantially. “Whatever way it was in the past doesn’t matter, though, what it is now is fair." Tony Longhurst and Adam

“The car’s running around

... it’ll be good tomorrow." Both the lead MHRT Commodores ran to the stan

before the second session

while Tratt’s efforts were

Lowndes and Skaife although, with

all

four

drivers

behind.

Crick’s appearance with the Weel team was a confi

dence builder with the experi enced Tasmanian helping the improve the set-up of the car.

Queenslander

entered into each car, there

In the end, it was a day

still was a whisper that Craig and Mark could drive together in the big race... whispers,

which followed the modern

pattern - bedding tyres, fid dling with shocks. The serious laps were yet to come and

Macrow were comfortable with the Castrol Falcon -

whispers, whispers! True to expectations, the

the

being quick early on is a posi tion Tony’s been in before. “It’s great coming to a cir-

Gibson Motorsport/ Wynn’s duo of Steven Richards and

weren’t taking any risks apart from passing slow

Greg Murphy took things easy

cars...

■"V^RANEX

ing raced just once this year and being only slightly

young

ALENDAR

IS HERE!

notable for being quicker

and Morris - being cross-

I I

than Jones, albeit Jones hav

Lowndes, Skaife, McConville

f k

MILLENNIUM

with the K&J Radiators AU. Poole and Scott reached

the top 10 early on, finally finishing 15th on the first day

championship lead of Lowndes to protect and two potential race winners with

ULTIMATE

their early incident. Also worth noting were the early form of the Mark Poole/ Tony Scott John Deere VT, Anthony Tratt/Aian Jones Toll AU and Paul Weel and Greg Crick

dard operating procedure with the team even taking the step of finishing pretty much did, Jeff Grech deciding that there wasn’t a lot of point cre ating trouble for the team. It wasn’t a silly idea with a

D A R

, AUSTRAIIA'S

“Still, better now than later.

It’s all new which is annoy ing." The pair ended up just

people that looks after FIRT’s

sion when smoked trailed the

E N

mountain.

Bowe and Richards contin

the CAT car in, the only prob lem coming in the second ses

mode across the

outside the top 10, in 12th at the end of day one. Beside the Bright/Baird disappointment, the Brabham/ Gardner car were probably the only other team that didn’t fin ish where expected, the duo trying hard to overcome the

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19 November 1999

QualHying

Holden owns die morning ■

Ford owns the afternoon

Live it After a quiet start, Friday at Bathurst saw some serious times

starting to emerge. Hoiden dominated the morning, Mark Skaife heading a Lion 1-2-3-4, but the Blue OuaS and Slenn Seton ended the

day fastest when it counted, with a 1-8-3-4 of their own.

The dramas surrounded Larry Perkins, who scraped into the top TO on the final lap of the day, while Dick Johnson made his final Top TO. SEPALD McDBRNAN reports. was immediately on the pace in the lead FTR Falcon while, just

Practice first session A'gain Friday’s a ‘non counter’, as

r\ . iwas

were both of Thursday’s, with the times recorded simply counting towards ‘driver qualify ing’ against the '130 percent’ criteria.

With qualifying split into two groups as well, it was important for the contenders to make sure they ended up in the top 26 in this session and, thus, ensure they ran in the faster qualifying session, without the traffic problems brought on by the slow cars. Naturally, all were keen to improve on the previous day and, with conditions almost perfect and the track less ’green’, it began from the moment cars hit the track.

Still, bragging rights weren’t yet up for grabs - it all came later and, for those

19 minutes after the session

Mambo Number FIVE: Seton was unstoppable in the afternoon qualifier, slicing into the low 10s. (Photo by Dirk Kiynsmith)

opened, the Pirtek team sur prised everyone by appearing on pit lane with their rebuilt AU.

Mowers Falcon added to his

The Stone Brothers team

and the TAPE repairers had per formed miracles [the crew get ting the shell back from TAPE at 4.30am!] but, perhaps of more significance, was that the

car appeared initially with Baird, not Bright at the wheel... The team had a problem with the steering, Baird com ing in after Just one lap, so, after changing racks and power-steering pumps. Bright was put into the car to ensure a place in the quickest 50 percent club. He did It with a late, late run between red

flags, although Baird’s lack of time in the car was beginning to frustrate - and show...

To end the session, anoth

er red waved when Wayne lucky enough to earn a spot in Gardner beached the Coke the Saturday shootout. Commodore after losing his ● Unfortunately, the session brakes on the mountain. After wasn’t great for everyone, ‘Truckle’ Parsons stepped the - miraculously keeping it off the concrete and giving himself Challenge Recruitment/ the fright of his life, Gardner Gibson Motorsport VT out on couldn’t stop at the Chase the ripple strip into Reid Park, and that was all she wrote! the car turning right and hit ting the wall opposite. The result meant the team,

which had been sitting in 18th with

best

date

2:13.3018, literally now had a challenge on their hands to get the

car

back

time

for

Saturday to, at least, run some laps. Friday was finished and a rear of grid spot a certainty. The same too for Privateer

Dean

le afternoon was just per-

T?. _ feet and, with the conditions

conducive to good times, and with the qualifying field, split into two, Perkins was quick to predict times in the 2:09 range, meaning last year’s record [by Skaife] would fall. It didn’t but the battle was

Tasmanian at the wheel of

Intriguing all the more with, early on, the Commodores holding most of the top posi tions, with the ledger shifting towards the Falcons a quarter of the way through the 45

teenager

Layton

Crambrook’s VS Commodore. Crosswell hit the wall at

McPhillamy, ending their day. Both incidents brought out the red flag, which badly affected some of the remain

ing teams’ fast runs. While some went quicker, [Lowndes’ first up was a 2:11.3160], oth ers just continued to make fine adjustments, Perkins and

Ingall among those spending time making little ride height, shock and spring adjustments. Neil Crompton finally made his first appearance and he

in the session.

Naturally, the game of sitand-wait began, with Skaife heading into the pits after two laps, content to revert to race set-up testing after one more fast run, making the opportu nity for Radisich to reel one off - first into the 10s, the #18 Shell Helix Falcon record

ing a 2:10.9349. Having made the quick list. Bright was slow early, the Pirtek car recording a 2:17.7177 that was far from where the SBR team wanted

to be. Still, It could have been

worse, they could have still been fixing the car... Seton threw his name into

the ring with an 11.0887, while Gardner also ran into the top 10 with a 2:12.2775. A run like

that wouldn’t last, though... Skaife jumped back out onto the track and, after three

more laps, went to the top of the pile with a 10.6544. Radisich, also on his sixth lap, reclaimed the lead moments

later

with

10.4088.

the

Darwin

Crosswell,

Qualifying

impressive year, the EL appearing in the top 10 early

The jostling and juggling had begun... Larkham, Bargwanna and Murphy all began to make their presence felt, Bargs jumping into the 2:10 range. Positions in the Top 10 Shootout are highly sought and valued, never more so

than in your last race. Dick Johnson ensured his name

beginning, although the #2

would be among the list at his final mountain appearance, putting the #17 into sixth and pushing former team-mate Bowe back one spot at this stage. Seton improved again, his 10.6605 not moving him up the list, but making it just

HRT Commodore held the

that little bit harder for him to

advantage with a 2:11.1939

be pushed back. Bowe did just that, for the moment, with the CAT Falcon dropping in a 2:10.4360 which

minute session.

Skaife,

Lowndes

and

Radisich traded blows from the

ahead of Lowndes’ 2:11.7943.

Bowe quickly jumped up into contention with the CAT

Falcon, running a 2:11.5001, while McLean’s impressive weekend with the Greenfield

moved him into second.

With just 10 minutes remaining most expected a

The Prince of Times: Skaife was the only Holden to make the top five. (Photo by Lyniey Reid) flutter of activity, but it didn’t really didn’t eventuate. Most settled

for

their

time,

although things were a little fraught down at the Castrol Perkins team...

Saturday morning line-up by

way through the session to put in three laps, simply to qualify - the only laps he was

John Faulkner with just two and a half minutes to spare -

until

the second Wynn’s car finding

Saturday’s free practice! Seton pitted and headed

itself [for the moment] with the last shootout spot and

the

car

was,

back out in the FTR Falcon

Mezera not able to find any

strangely, on full tanks as Ingall [Lowndes’ main SCS title challenger, remember] emerged for his run after LP had put in a few. There was

and, with previously scrubbed

more time.

The

Castrol

car

too much understeer and he

clipped the wall, bending the steering. The Castrol car was just 16th In the times when Ingall pitted, an annoyed team owner jumping back in the car once quick repairs had been made [an upright was dam aged]. The tension, especially within the Perkins pit, began to build, as did the excitement...

Bright moved the Pirtek car into seventh

as the team

quickly zeroed in on a set-up following its dramas on Thursday, a 2:11.2173 enough to encourage Bright to again head to the pits and put on fresh rubber for another dig. Amid

all

this

co-driver

Baird had the opportunity mid-

tyres aboard, the AU went even

faster, claiming provisional pole with a 2:10.2560 - a Falcon on pole and followed by, at this point, two more AUs. Tm surprised it did the time

that it did with the

tyres,” Seton said. "We went out on new tyres,

did a couple of laps but didn’t get what we were looking for so we came in and put on a set that we’d roaded earlier in

the day. The car seems to be quicker on scrubbed tyres...” For Tomas Mezera the last

moments of qualifying were, perhaps, a little heartbreaking. After remaining in the top

quick

succession

Larkham moved the Mitre 10

car into fifth, then fourth, with a 2:10.5931. But things weren’t finished as, with the

clock ticking down, Perkins was still in 16th and on a flyer. A last ditch effort by the #11 didn’t appear to be enough as the 45 minute mark [on the timing screens] was passed - although, as the car crossed the line, no chequered flag flew.

Perkins, not looking at a clock and ever the oppor tunist, kept running hard. Lights blazing, the Castrol car stormed on a clean run up,

10 for much of the 45 minute

across and down the moun

session - holding out the Longhurst/Macrow, McLean/ Cleland, Murphy/Richards and Perkins/Ingall combos -

tain. A little slowing traffic pre

the Densitron Commodore

was

bumped

out

of the

sented not too much drama

and Larry headed for the line.

2:10.9889. Seventh. Larry was in!

Continued on page 24

19 November 1999

TICK

Lansvales lead the Chase of McLean S almost everyone at the track

Aexpected, Cameron McLean topped the privateers in practice with 15th after a few dramas [see main story].

■ With everything booked or sold out in

Bathurst, it wasn’t surpris ing to find out that heli copters were also scarce. Working Dog Productions, the producers of cult movie ‘The Castle’ and Channel

Second fastest was the perennial privateer favourites from Lansvale. They

lO’s ‘The Panel’, tried to

hire a chopper to film the final touch-up shots for their new movie ‘The Dish’, being filmed in nearby Parkes. But they were quite quickly told they would

had been struggling for pace earlier after losing a session with a broken differential when Trevor Ashby came to a halt in Challenge Chase with no oil in the diff. Within moments team mate

Rodney Forbes came to a halt in the Chase as well with an identical problem. The team was left scratching their

have to wait until the fol

lowing week to do the aerial shots. Even Hollywood stops for Tony and his V8s!

heads...

Steve Reed set a 2:13.69, which was

good enough for 23rd on the grid. Forbes and Geoff Full made the top half of qualifying but the time lost earlier told and they ended up 28th. 57 cars in qualifying became 55 after the Cassidy/Rowe Commodore was withdrawn and Phil Ward crashed heavily

■ Sign seen on top of the mountain. Q: What’s the dif ference between Dick Johnson and a Dinosaur? A: PhUo by Dirk Klyn^jnUk

at Forrests Elbow. Ward was unhurt

Cool Runnings: Cotter and Doulman had a flawless buildup to the race.

apart from bruising and after two hours the decision was made scratch the car, thus allowing the Ron Barnacle/Tim

the pits it jammed again. With the team’s other gearbox having faiied on Thursday, the team arranged a lease

Donaher qualified the Faicon in 30th grid position. After some early steering

Rowse Commodore back into the race

from the Lansvale team for the race.

Sen/ices Commodore in 31st.

after a broken crank sensor had put them out of the race in pre-qualifying.

Wakefield's one flying lap was good enough only for 33rd on the grid. Third fastest of the privateers was the Gatorade team. A completeiy trouble-free practice and qualifying

Craig Flarris set a time just behind Smerdon and was very happy with the vehicular defending champ.

netted Peter Douiman 25th.

eariy pace, well up on their expectations. A broken valve spring and a coming together with another car at

Nathan Pretty missed most of

qualifying after going off at McPhiilamy. Fie had the car almost recovered when the wall came out to meet him at

Skyline, wrecking the front right corner. At the back with no time was Layton

problems Chris Smerdon put the IT

Rookies Damien White and Rod Salmon had been ecstatic with their

Terry Finnigan and Darren Pate were next and similarly had little to report and would line up alongside. Just behind in 27th were big improvers, Gary Willmington & Simon Emerzidis. The

Crambrook after the an axle broke on

the first flying iap and immediateiy after repairs Dean Crosswell crashed heavily at Reid Park.

Simon's Wastebins Falcon was having no problems and Willmington himself was flying, and working hard, putting in a few laps in the team car of Gary Flolt

Consistently fastest of the non-

McLean privateers in practice, Wayne Wakefield only got a single flying lap before the car Jammed in gear. Repairs

and Bill Seiders.

to the gear seiector were made, but as soon as Wakefield changed to second in

Forrests Elbow set them back and White

qualified 35th. 43rd was all D’arcy Russell could get after gearbox Dean Lindstrom was back in 48th

after a tyre blew on Conrod straight and Richard Mork had broken rockers in the them 51st.

the race engine went off song but Mick

- MARK JONES

in the CAT pits, with John Bowe being joined by former DJE team manager Neal

FOR DULY $435

brought in as team manager, overseeing the whole opera tion while Horsley, known for his expertise in tactics for the big race, was brought into the fold to plot the Bowe/

Richard plan of attack.

■ With slow traffic being the major area of concern on the mountain this year expressed by the leading drivers, it was interesting to hear John Faulkner’s

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Supercar category in more than one way, with his fam ily’s KJ Radiators business supplying over 40 of the 55 cars lining up on the grid with one of their aluminium

racing radiators. But, with

business booming due to the items’ vulnerability in a crash, Weel couldn’t work out if the recent ‘quiet’

Queensland 500 was good for business: “It was great to see eveiyone get through

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■ Paul Weel is making an impact in the V8

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FOR EXAMPLE:

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be a little busier in the ■ It seemed like Old Times

problems.

V8Racing Commodore twice putting

Alan Fleath had some problems when

Nothing, ‘cause they’re both extinct! 'The camp was sur rounded by Holden banners...

view on the problem... “It’s a game out there -

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Commodore, although the presence of the shiny new piece worried co-driver. Dean Wanless. “With my histoiy for bringing a car back ‘used’ after a race, I asked Rod to go out and, at least, put a bit of a scratch on it,” Wanless said with a laugh. “The car feels great, a lot different to the VS - tight, responsive... and they keep on polishing it every time a speck of dust fails on it.” -CL/GMcD

oJllCo.

19 November 1999

Continued from page 22

1999 FAI1099 Practice and Qualifying resuits

“It doesn’t matter when you do the time," a relieved LP quipped. “It’s hap

PosNo

pened before but it’s not the situation we

Team/Car FordTiddofd Falcon AU Shell Helix Falcon AU

Drivers

5 G.Seton/N. Crompton 2 18 P.Rodisich/S.BIery 3 600 J.Bowe/J. Richards 4 10 M.Larkham/B. Jones 5 2 M.Sknife/P.Monis 6 34 G.Tonder/J.Borgwonna 7 11 LPerWns/R Ingall 8 1 CLowndes/CMcConville 9 4 J. Bright/C. Baird 10 17 D. Johnson/S.Johnson 11 46 J.Faulkner/S.Wills 12 7 S.Rkhards/G. Murphy 13 32 T.Mezero/T.Riodardello 14 25 T.Longhursb'A.Mocrow 15 40 CMcLean/J.CIeland 16 66 MPoote/T.Scott 17 19 W.Gofdner/D.Brabham 18 43 P.Weel/G.Crick 19 15 T.Kelty/MNoske 20 6 G.Brobham/N.Botes 21 24 P.Romono/D.Hossack 22 75 A.Tratt/A.Jones 23 3 S.Reed/r.Ashby 24 16 D.McDougall/A.Miedecke 25 26 J.Cotter/P.Doulmon 26 27 T.Rnnigan/D.Pafe 27 54 S.Emerzidis/G.Willmington 28 28 R.Fbrbes/G.FuU 29 35 G.Ritler/S.Owen 30 134 A.Healh/MDonaher 31 39 C.Smerdon/C.Cox 32 30 CHorris/T.Shaw 1

like to find ourselves in..."

With whispers of a possible protest

[Faulkner having been bumped from the shootout] Perkins was quite matter of fact about his run: “I’ve heard the talk but there

was no flag and Icould keep going until the flag was waved.” Faulkner was naturally disappointed but his team said they had no thoughts of a protest. 'John was out of the car and in the 10

and he was really happy, it’s what he was shooting for," one team member said. “It’s not Larry’s fault and there’s not a lot we can do.”

Seton was happy with his provisional pole, although he wasn’t about to get car ried away:

"We’ve been here at this point before

Red faces, but no embarassment;

and come away disappointed," he said. Radisich, despite not getting another run

“Okay. I’ll brush the wall, you heave me out and start the lap with 10 seconds i^f/. way, we’ll get the headlines and our faces in Motorsport News”.

at provisional pole after having a throttle

sensor problem, achieved what he desired and was looking forward to Saturday. Bright too was pleased with his top 10 spot considering all the dramas and ten sion created within the team over the previ ous few days. “We set our sights on mak ing the shootout and it’s great credit to the

"We’re looking forward to the shootout and the race and enjoying ourselves." Again, Mark Poole and Greg Crick’s per formances were notable in the session that

counted for positions, the pair squeezing past Gardner/Brabham in 17th. While gunning for a top 10 spot, leading

team that we did achieve that.

“We made a large number of changes to the car as it wasn’t handling well and, thankfully, they seemed to work.” Bright acknowledge the fact that the team’s testing on the fiat, smooth Queensland Raceway track didn’t send

privateer McLean was disappointed with his 15th result:

“The car didn’t improve on its earlier

speed. It ran the same time and when it’s at such an important time, you’ve got to

them into Bathurst with a suitable set-up.

improve.

It shouldn’t be forgotten that the race was won from 15th last year... In the end, the top 11 cars were sepa-

"We’ll work on the car and tomorrow and

try and improve it further for the race.” Perhaps the most elated of the lead

bunch was Dick, having set the time which

rated\by less than one second, with the top

secured their 10th spot. "I must say that our car was an

20 spijt by little over two seconds,

unknown quantity here, but it’s probably the

hard to gain, the closeness of the field promised something special come Sunday...

On a^track; where time is easily

best car I’ve ever driven around the mountain,” a smiling Johnson said later.

lost and

34 35

96 P.Dumbrell/MWhite 87 D.White/R.Salmon

CATRodnq Falcon AU MitrelOFolconAU

J.Trimbote/K.Heffeman B.1honvT.Wanless B.Sieders/G.Holt D.Osbome/B.Peters R.Nash/D.Wanless D.Russell/G.Johnson

44 45 46 47

79 36 84 42

MConway/R-Show N.Schembri/G.Quartty D.MiUer/G.Kendrick M Williams/S. Flemming

D.lindstrom/M Price

Pirtek Falcon AU SheU Helix Falcon AU

Wynn’s/Cummins Commodore VT

W^n’sAusBoliaCommcxJoreVr DensHron Ccxnmodore VT

Castrol Longhurst Falcon AU Greenfield Mowers Falcon EL John Deere Commodore VT Cdca-Cola CommcxJore VT K&JThermal Products Falcon AU

214.0659 213.6921 107.4349 213.9862 216.2124 212.4386 213.8476 213.8680 217.0476 215.4902

MobilHotdenRadngTeamCommodoreVS 227.9077 FbrdTiddbrdFdlconAU

Romano Radng Commcxlore VS ToU Falcon AU

Lansvale/PPG Commodore VS

Aloe Qench Commodore VT Team Gatorade Commodore VT

Terry Hnnigan Commodore VS Smorfs Earthworks Falcon B. Rodney Forbes Radng Commodore VS

P P P

216.8448 214.9964 216.1207 218.9368 215.4138 217.3302 219.4697 215.6576

P 225.8437

TeomValvoline/CumminsCommodoreVT 220.0856 Wes1TetTace4WD Falcon B. Vittorki Coffee Commodore VS

Harris Radng Falcon EL Graphic Skills Commodore VS Wynn’s Australia ComnxxioreVS The Race Centre Commodore VR

P P P P P

225.9154 216.4462 218.9074 215.9521 218.3683 223.5440 220.2364

Super Cheap Auto Falcon AU SaobwffeckMotorsportCommodoreVS P 2262827 P Notime The Doily Planet CommcxJore vs P 224.6281 Super Cheap Auto Falcon AU Simon's Earthworks Falcon B. Colourscon Falcon AU

Autopro Racing CcxnrtxxJore VT RodSmfih Racing Commodore VS CadiUac Productions Falcon B.

GeorboxMotorsportCommcxioreVS Miller Racing CommcxJore VS Ozemail Falcon B.

UltraTune Racing Commodcxe VS TheXeroxShop Commcxlore VS V8 Radng CommcxJore VS Tim Rowse CcxnrtxxJore VP

81 T.Rowse/R.Bamade 38 P. Held/S. Howison 73

213.1449

Castrol Perkins Commodore VT

Scxith Pacific Rodng.CcxnnxxJcxe VS Pretty MotorspcxtCcxnmcxJcxe VS Challenge Recruitment CcxnmtxJcxieVT CrambrookRodngCommodoreVS

53 60 N. Pretty/A. Fowcet 54

Fri PM

210.2560 210.4088 210.4368 210.5931 210.6544 210.9809 210.9889 211.1934 211.2173 211.2316 211.2497 211.4004 211.4793 211.4940 211.6708 211.7586 212.2775 212.3802 2124370 2126669 213.1752 213.5645 213.6995 213.8774 214.1123 214.5386 214.6472 214.7409 214.7595 214.8458 215.0589

MobilHotdenRadngTeamCommodoreVT 212.8649

49 37 S.Tayior/B.Attard 51 77 R.Motk/CD’AgosSn 50 52

Fri AM

211.5456 212.0340 212.2965 2122770 211.0667 211.1051 211.3522 211.3160 213.7081 211.8885 212.4734 211.7861 213.1835 2122868 211.4965 2128890 2122554 213.3582 212.9665 213.7562 213.9191 213.6648 214.9105 214.2081 214.3086 215.1930 213.9274 214.2902 214.4682 241.3829 215.5339

TeamVatvoUne/CumminsCommodoreVT 215.0458

36 70 J.Briggs/T. Leahy 37 14 Mlmrie/R.Crick 47 80 41 22 55 48

ThursPM

212.1473 2112267 212.1465 214.3691 212.5190 213.0752 2122203 213.0813 Notime 213.9570 2142262 213.1380 214.7837 2122471 214.8085 2152569 Notime 214.7858 215.1984 216.5286 215.4603 214.1453 215.5447 220.1421 2182287 2172378 216.5861 216.7047 216.9801 NoBme 217.1654

MobilHoldenRadngTeamCommodoreVT 213.1635

W.Wokefietd/D.Conto

38 39 40 41 42 43

ThursAM

212.3018 212.7862 213.0450 214.6386

D. Parsons/S. Parsons

55 49 LCrambrook/D.CrossweU

218.1335 218.6395 P 2229852 P 226.6443 P 219.8573 P 221.7028 P 221.9928 P 228.7807 P 222.5732 P 228.0203 P 223.8734 P Notime P 228.4188 P 219.4372 216.5339 P 217.4174

219.4856 215.8159 2152347 2152795 2172683 2162966 218.1278 220.1690 224.0650 222.7805 218.6909 217.5616 2228272 2226386 219.5998 306.8526 221.7003 224.3375 228.6140 227.9089 2224233 2272633 NoBme NoBme 216.5603 215.5150

213.9079 216.1607 218.9474 217.3284 218.7910 216.8677 218.9638 220.6383 216.4908 219.0222 2163438 218.3009 218.6408 218.9168 221.4220 Notime 2224573 221.8387 NoBme NoBme 215.4027 213.3081 254.0060

215.3284 216.1421 2162008 216.8581 216.9780 217.0056 2172675 2172896 217.4485 217.4698 217.5601 218.1570 218.1884 220.0793 221.5128 221.6840 223.6365 225.2048 224.4066 235.8070 244.9172 NoBme NoBme

Note: Grid set on Fri PM times, except for top 10. P denotes Privateer status.

.-■●S

.-*,1

.●A >

f i *s

The Cross” Is back to be go -Sr

Mark February 5 until 12 as an extended Christmas Holiday!

^ The inaugural AussieDuct Southern Cross Rally rolls into Melbourne town on Saturday 5th with competition commencing on the 7th. Take Wm your pick which event you wish to compete in. International, National, Regularity or Touring. Ahhh, what tough decisions! But some things are

■certain. Fast, flowing roads, beautiful scenery and topnotch

\ -f

accommodation. See who's first into the pool after a hard day at the wheel! Don't wait! Book your place in history and be a part of the Legendary Cross.

X-

. V iSfe.,, i V

-V

I’Escmt BOA

G-

.ItJ

-.A,

m *

info@southernxrally.com.au or visit us at www.southernxrally.com .au

'EiLfC.K

19 November 1999

10 out of 10 Larkham gets it oh so right By CHRIS LAMBDEN

we’ve got a pretty consistent race car...”

Thewritten. introduction was“Skaife's already You know, HRT’s poie specialist iooked the goods in the warmup and again when it counted, but then aiong came Mark Larkham and stunned everybody. It was a well-

Bright foilowed, the Pirtek car getting better with each outing as the team made up for iost time. The team even made a spring change for the Top Ten and, on green Bridgestones, Jason moved himseif up the grid with a clean 2:10.42.

calculated, extraordinarily welldriven pian, executed to

Lowndes was next out just! The team had quickiy

perfection ... The warm-up for the ten

diagnosed

pole trebie".

contenders provided eariy

his

eiectricai

problem as a detached crank sensor lead, but even so, the

Lowndes, who found the

car fired up literaily 30 seconds before it was required

freshiy-engined

out on the track,

drama, none more so than for

HRT

car

grinding to a hait half way up the mountain on Just the

On scrubbed rubber, Craig did an excelient Job, rocketing

second iap out. From the

himseif up to what would be an eventual grid three with his first 2:09 ever. Without a singie iap in anger in the warm-

cockpit, he couidn’t find the probiem, so had to sit it out

and get a tow back at the end of the session. The team would have very little time to

up, it was a stunning effort, Perkins was next. He hung

find a fix...

it out a bit but the result was a

Bowe too was in trouble. A fresh engine too in the CAT car was 13kph slower than the old one and it was blowing smoke, He’d iash together a Top Ten lap before the team whisked the car

nett gain in grid spots and a PB. “It was my best lap here ever by quite a iong shot,” he reported. “In fact, it’s over three seconds up on my best from last year...

away for some serious work.

Out came Tender in the

Meantime there was some

Valvoline car, but he struck a

deja vu in the Skaife pit. In a carbon copy of last year, Skaife

problem. Was it brake balance or a fault? Either way, he had

ran a green tyre trial run, clocking the first sub-2:10 of

little in front retardation, locked the rears into the first corner, then settied for completing his run in one piece. 2:11.76 would

the week again, a 2:09.71. That was going to be hard to

beat. Johnson was first out for

be good enough for ninth,

seemed like it would be pole. HRT had got serious at last. But what happened next was amazing. Larko’s iap didn’t even look fast. On fresh

rubber it was smooth, smooth, but by the time he got to the

So, a boilover. Skaife had

thought he had it. “The car was great in the warm-up so I thought we might do it, but then Larko the very next car knocked it off. At that point, it

was sensational.

"We’ve had a plan all week and the car has gone fast when we’ve wanted it to,” he related.

“I got 100 percent throttle out of the Cutting very early and that’s always a good sign. “Like everyone, we have a ‘reference’ lap in our teienpetry system and as I went across the top ,1 looked down and we

were way up on that -1 thought they’d put the wrong reference

Putting the ‘10’ into Top 10: Larkham’s lap was smooth, brilliant and FAST. The Mitre 10 team scored its

first Shell Series pole position at the biggest race of the year (nobody say ‘Millenium’). (Photos by Dirk Kiynsmitk)

No answer: MHRT and Craig Lowndes could match the speed of the Ford. He was third, behind team-mate Skaife.

thus far.

be good, good. In the end it

TOP TEN SHOOTOUT RESULTS 1

MarkLipUian

MRralOFonIFalcaa

2n08^145s

MapkSkaHe

Crablowndes

MoHHoUBn Racing MaUHoMenRacing

2m08.57S2s 2n09.8088s

was hard to imagine Just how

PadRaiHch

SbelHobFatcon

2M10.0001S

quick some of the others would go!”

5 8

laFPyPspUB Jason Bright

CaatralCoanodora PirtetcFatcon

2m18.3407s

Glenn Seton

FopdCpeHtFaicon

understandably. It’s been a tough season for the Mitre 10

2ni10vt287s 2n10.7088s

John Bowe

CRT being Ford

2m11.8880s

team, but exactly as last year, Bathurst was starting to look

GamTaidap

ValvoineCunnh»Con»iodope

Zm11J88Ss

18 DickJohnson

SiielHabFaicM

2in11^m

Larkham

was

elated

like his saviour...

« nKord: Skatte [189812m09.8S4Ss

lap in...

“The team gave me a really good car - it was very easy to commit yourself without risking the car. "It’s a concentration

thing as well, and the level of concentration was right there...”

Bowe was next, the car handling great he said, but down in straight line speed. He salvaged eighth.

Radisich and Seton to go. The Sheil man put in a ciean on one iightly scrubbed rubber. “I thought we were good for a high 2:09,” he said, “and we were.” Weii 2:10.00...

aimost

Seton aimost didn’t get out. The FTR car refused to start. The starter had a soienoid

"It’s the first time I’ve been

in the top ten ali year," he quipped, "and I was pretty

car for a while, got his mind together and repeated, no

cautious.” He’d stay tenth, later adding that "JB and Iwon

improved on, the warm-up time, 2:09.57 was pretty bloody

Last to go, his iightly scrubbed tyres cooler than he’d hoped, Glenn’s first half

in ‘94 from grid 10 and I think

impressive and, frankly, it

lap wasn’t his best. The car

part of it at his iast race:

and he dropped time. “There was no way we expected to do a 2:09,” he would report, but a 2:10.7 undid a lot of the good work

Chase it was obviousiy going to

nevertheiess. Skaife wheeied out the second HRT car on another set of green rubber. He’d sat in the

the hot lap and thrilled to be

iooked to be pushing a littie

If you have the need for

Courses at Oran Parit & Lakeside

speed that you just can’t

Enquiries 1800 44 1151

contain, GSR Motorsport can

Fax 07 55 767 858

help you let it loose behind the wheel of a Formula hQ-

We’U, put you in the driver’s seat and in control

for 10 totally wild lapsS

probiem and it Jammed. In the

Or, if you love speed but prefer the view from the passenger’s

end they push-started it, then Gienn switched it off and, phew, it fired up on the starter.

seat, then strap in and hold on as one of our professional drivers takes you for three hot laps! Lakeside International Raceway Lakeside Road Kurwonjbah Old 4503

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When it s Wynn’s, it works!

19 November 1999

/j5i]®0®I78U)(D[F0

the more they the same NCE the crash-fest which characterised the first 75

laps of the FAI 1000, involv ing no less than 10 Safety Car periods, was over, the

field poured back down Con

Warm-up

Rod

adisich provided the drama

R when the Shell Falcon

serious contenders with the

erupted in smoke. Fortunately

pace to win the 1999 race

it was simply a detached power steering line, relatively easily fixed.

became obvious.

The leading Shell Falcon, the lead Wynns Commodore

for

the

first

time.

Johnson too had a look inside

The CAT team had been

Bright as they came down to Murrays Corner for the first time, but thought better of it. Through they came: Radisich, Lowndes, Larkham,

Skaife, Bright, Johnson, Perkins, Bowe, Bargwanna,

and the HRT duo looked to

forced to re-fit its practice

have the goods but for the first time in a long time it was HRT found wanting for sheer

engine after the race unit had proven down-on-power on Saturday, while the Perkins

the rest of the line. So far so

speed.

team had also had to remove

good.

Seton, Richards, Faulkner, Mezera, Poole, Longhurst, McLean, Brabham, Weel and

Radisich/

its race engine to repair a

The view had been that the

Richards duel looked set to

hairline leak in the sump. It

front runners would jostle

take the 1999 V8 race right

was re-fitted and fine.

around for a stint or two,

Race - 161 laps

nobody taking serious risks, waiting to see how it panned out. Maybe so, but Radisich didn’t seem to want to hang

thrilling

to the wire until Radisich clashed with a backmarker,

damaged a tyre valve and the right front tyre deflated. From there, Steven Richards stroked it home, with a little inter-Holden team

co-operation, to complete a

stunning victory for himself, Greg Murphy, Wynns and Gibson Motorsport. They didn’t luck it in. The strategy

was right, the car quick in race trim, and they simply had HRT's measure.

he front

row was

slow

T away, Skaife having no less than three goes at get ting his HRT car mobile, allow

ing Lowndes and Radisich to sweep by, Lowndes nosing into Hell Corner first only to

managed a strong and senti mental fourth to salvage something from the day for Ford, while of the rest of the contenders

Seton’s FTR Falcon and Perkins' Castrol

Commodore simply didn’t quite have the pace to chal lenge, while mechanical woes claimed pole man Larkham, 1998 winner Bright, and the CAT Falcon.

Having bizarrely led the race outright for one glorious lap, the Forbes/Full Commodore took privateer, honours, but only after pace-setter Cameron McLean crashed out

late in the race following a mechanical failure. It was cer

tainly an intriguing day...

No advantage: The front row of Larkham and Skaife was swamped at the start. Before the first run through Hell Skaife and Radisich were already past and Bright was threatening. Everyone made it through the first corners safely, but it wasn’t to last. (Photo by Bob Potts)

Within six laps, he’d put in a 2:12.5, on full tanks, and eked out nearly three sec onds over the pursuing Lowndes, who in turn had

have the Falcon blast past as

some space, Larkham and the attentive Skaife nose-to-

Larkham, Bright, Skaife,

Dick and Steven Johnson

around.

they powered up Mountain Straight - a sample of things to come.

Johnson

and

Perkins

fol

lowed, with Skaife slingshot-

ting past the Pirtek car as the

INSURANCE

tail a couple of seconds back (Skaife would lunge through on the inside

at Forrest’s

Elbow on lap eight). Already, three privateers were out (Cotter/Doulman on

Wynners are grinners: Wynns Racing put their best foot forward in the endurance races - again. Flawless driving from Richards and Murphy, superbly backed up by Gibson Motorsport’s pit work, won the day in the biggest race of year. (Photo by John Morris iMpix)

oJLfCo.

lap four, the Xerox Shop VS two later and the Willmington/Emerzidis Falcon two later after being bundled into the fence at Murrays by one of its peers) and the first of the big Safety Car inducing crashes wasn’t far away. Radisich had eased out five seconds over Lowndes by lap 10, with Skaife a similar distance back, then Bright and a highspeed queue made up

of Larkham, Johnson, Perkins, Bargwanna and Seton, with Richards - having slipped by Bowe - starting to show some pace as he loomed in on the tail of that queue.

leading off the restart, This time there was only five more laps before the next disaster. While Radisich had set the race's fastest lap (a 2:12.56 on lap 27), Bargwanna had slipped by Johnson

and

Gardner’s

strong early run had received a set-back with a Stop-Go he’d been judged to have passed McLean under a yellow - before the Miller/ Kendrick VS had tagged the wall out of Speed Stick (formerly XL, Volvo etc.). This was lap 31 and well within most teams’ planned fuel windows, so everyone who hadn’t already pitted, did

McConville’s boot lid, but he

was unable to do much about the leader before Ellery, charging forward from sixth, arrived on their tail. Man, that

Falcon had some straight line speed. Ellery was lapping a full second quicker than the

lap 14. He’d clipped a wall a couple of laps earlier, unset tling the steering, but after a quick pit check, pressed on.

He hit the front on lap 39, at the same time as Brad

Jones brought the Mitre 10 car in for an unscheduled

stop. It was the beginning of the end, clutch failure eventu-

Now Mezera’s glorious run

pinion failed and the car plunged into the outside wall.

Mezera, McDougall and Longhurst took this early punt on getting out of synch with the rest and pitted for fuel and tyres. It went green on lap 17

and, having already lapped several cars, Radisich had a six-car buffer between himself

and Lowndes, which pretty much reinstated his five sec

ond lead straight away.

next to each other and this

precipitated a near disaster,

with Murphy into the Wynns car very quickly and stuck behind the Pirtek Falcon, the latter hooking an air line with the rear wing as Baird took off.

Down

came the

Pirtek

team gantry and the gas bot tle assembly. Fortunately noone was hurt and the team

immediately carried out run ning repairs. It went green on lap 25, with a Radisich, Lowndes, Skaife, Johnson, Bargwanna, Perkins, Seton, Bowe, Faulkner, Gardner, Poole, Brabham top dozen

so - although Perkins stayed Safety Car than most and dropped well back down the

queue. The team explained later that the radio was on the fritz.

Lap 34, green, and what a strange-looking queue:

McConvilie (courtesy of a super-quick stop), Mezera, Murphy, Longhurst, Baird, Ellery, Morris, Jnr Johnson, Crompton, Tander, Jones (Brad), Kelly, Crick, Richo Snr and so on. Ingall was 27th

near the front was about to end. He was in fourth as the

lead queue lapped the Pretty/Fawcet Commodore heading down towards Forrest’s Elbow. The front

three went through,

but

Tomas got squeezed into the wall and the Densitron car spun across the road.

Tander, two back, took the

outside avoidance option, but it was the wrong one and the Valvoline car ploughed into Mezera. Two cars out and

and about to embark on a

another Safety Car. Only Baird pitted this time,

tough double stint with a car

not that it mattered - the

that had somehow developed

Safety Car was out again two laps later. The Wakefield/

bad understeer. Not fun...

Murphy soon slipped by Mezera

onto

Canto

Commodore,

Vi V

distance.

Ring 13 1000 for car insurance, Tomas: Mezera was running with the leaders when it all got ugly at Forrest’s Elbow on lap 42. The Desitron Commodore was spun into the wall and Tander, having nowhere to go, hammered it. Both were through for the day.

out one lap more behind the

ally diagnosed. The car would return to the race some laps down, but retire before half

Across Reid Park, the steering

Hardly had the race regained pace than the sec ond Safety Car was out. This time it was the Thorn/ Wanless Super Cheap Falcon and this time. Bright, Larkham and Richards (along with the Young Lions HRT car and priva teer leader McLean) dived in. The first three were pitted

two in front of him...

First of many

Young PaulfirstDumbrell out the Safety brought Car on

with

Continued on page 30

Look familiar? The Radisich !Ellery blur led much of the race, obviously utilising a set-up notunlike the old Skaife ‘roll in the rear! pick up a front’ Gibson Motorsport days. Craig Lowndes got a good look at the rear of the car. (Photo my Marshall Cass)

19 November 1999 /

some time (about 11 years)

Continued from page 29 Canto at the wheel, had clashed with Pate (in Terry

Finnigan’s VS) heading up to the Cutting and speared into the wall. Hard.

It went green again on lap 53, with only Kelly using this period to stop. Steven Johnson had been

on a bit of a charge of his

Briefly? Yes, because two

both starred in the

laps more and the seventh, yes seventh. Safety Car was

pits. Here Lowndes

out. This was becoming a joke. The Williams/Flemming

McConville is ready to leap into the #1

Ozemail EL was in the wall at Forrest's Elbow and it started

a flurry of pit calls, including the two leading Shell cars,

and. slipping past Murphy, actually closed in on McConville before, guess what, another Safety Car.

ing contenders, only Lowndes

This time it was Brabham,

in the Coke Commodore. The

left-rear tyre exploded as he peeled into the Chase and

the car spun wildly all the way to the far sand trap. Although he was able to drive it back on the rim after it was towed

out, the car would lose three

laps, although the duo then

Skaife and Poole. Of the lead

and Murphy (both handing their cars over) didn’t use this stop to make their pad

Faulkner’s Wynns car, head ing an ‘interim’ queue con sisting Parsons, Full, Macrow, Noske, Owen and so on. But

guess what? Two more laps. Another crash. Safety Car. Exit Nash/Wanless. Green

car had felt a little soggy In right-handers, the team sus pecting the tyre had been going down for some time. Bright, right behind, got a

for just two corners. Wills fell for the cold tyre trick and it simply got away

propped in front of him, then

again on lap 66, but this time

from him as he led the field

up towards the Cutting. Bang! Safety Car number NINE.

zoomed back across the track

into the kitty litter. Both FTR cars pitted this

time, doing their compulsory pad change, along with Richards (Snr) in the CAT car.

Privateer leads! 1th Parsons 1 having pit ted

for

Parsons

the #1 Commodore and when

it went green again (lap 58),

FAI 1000. What next?

both Johnson and Murphy slipped by, the former setting up, albeit briefly, the first Shell 1000 1-2 for quite

The first rounds of stops was a

nightmare. Stone Brothers had their

gantry pulled down when Baird left a bit soon. No-one was

injured but this was a very close call. (Photos by Dirk IGynsmith)

Brabham, Skaife, Ingall

(recovering from the earlier glitch) and the rest.

“I really tried, because I wanted to say I led the FAI 1000 for a lap,” he would later report. And he did, because Macrow and Noske had their hands full with the

probing Richards, who took himself and Seton past both, onto Full’s tail a lap later. Full sensibly offered no resistance as Richo, Seton

(remember, they started at the back!), this now provided the stunningly bizarre sight of a privateer now leading the

McConville was starting to struggle with the rear tyres on

Commodore.

And then there’s...

change. All this left Wills, in John

ran to the finish. David said later that the

scare when the Coke-adore

slides out while

Murphy, Ingall, McConville, Cleland, Reed (the two priva teer contenders together on the road, eighth and ninth),

own between Safety Cars

How to do a pitstop; MHRT and Wynns

Well, Full took the green ahead of Macrow, Noske,

Richards (Jnr), Seton, Bowe Lowndes, Bright, Romano,

and then Noske went by, but was then spun out at the Chase by Bowe, who came from a fair way back to try the inside pass. Two more laps. Safety Car. This was the tenth Safety Car (yes, 10) and this was lap 73.

and

the

time

was

1.30pm. At this rate (with no prescribed maximum race time) this was going to be a

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19 November 1999

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late finish!

For the record,

it was

1999 FA11000

Osborne in the Colourscan Falcon who found himself in

the Reid Park wall, bringing out the Safety Car for what was, mercifully, to be the last

Mt Panorama, Bathurst

time...

14 November 1999 - Final Results

Let’s race!

The FAI 1000 really started

on iap 77 when the race went green for the last time. Richards headed Seton,

Pos Drivers

V--'\

■V

C. Lowndes/C. McConville 6:52:14.1565

2:12.6819 27 2:12.7774 28

6:52:49.2414

2:13.5733

G. Seton/N. Crompton

6:52:52.5967

2:13.2512

T. Kelly/M. Noske

L. Perkins/R. IngoU

6:53'.23.8099 6:53:38.9554

2:13.2875 81 2:13.0874160

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

P.Weel/G. Crick G. Ritter/S. Owen G. Brobhom/N. Boles D. Porsons/S. Parsons R. Forbes/G. Full P. Romono/D. Hossock W. Gordner/D. Brabham M. PooleA. Scott

S.ReedA. Ashby

55, most had done so on lap

ping inside Richards into

61 and could be confident of going all the way with two

Speed Stick (turn two), on lap 89. In the meantime, Bowe’s

more stops.

race had ended with a smoky engine failure all the way across the top of the moun-

Both FTR Falcons stopped for fuel on lap 93. Ingall was in on 97, Radisich 98, Richards, Skaife, Johnson

tain, while Bright too was out of contention.

and the steady Ritter on lap 100. The Wynns crew did

As earlier, Radisich was

He’d lost several laps as the team diagnosed and fixed a broken main power cable

pads and swapped Richo for Murf in a stunning 32 sec

the man on the move. In the

under the car. His last race

space of ten laps he reeled

All this left Lowndes way

with the Stones wasn’t going

them all in, blasting past

out in front, by 36 seconds, from McLean (about to pit for Cleland), Radisich, Morris, Murphy, Steve Johnson, Kelly

DNF A. Tratt/A. Jones

and Perkins.

DNF J.Bright/C. Baird

restart Stop-Go infringement), McLean, Romano, Smerdon, Reed, Weei and so on. With

Longhurst had refuelled at

all those interruptions and

the last Safety Car, out of

restarts, there were still 21

sequence, and had a full

cars on the lead lap.

tank.

Things to consider? Of the

top ten, just the Wynns car and the Lowndes/McConville HRT car had not yet made the compulsory brake pad change - although 30 second pad changes these days add virtu ally nothing in time to a full green fuel stop. Fuel. While the FTR cars

had last fuelled back on iap

Consumption and fuel win dows could become critical.

HRT’s best down Con Rod or

to be a memorable one. Seton had fallen back off

up Mountain. The Shell car

the pace, behind Ingall and,

had straight-line speed to die

frankly, neither looked to have the pace at this point. It

for...

Radisich hit the front, slip-

Radisich, Lowndes, Skaife.

Richards,

onds...

looked like a four car contest

Continued on page 32 Photo by Dirk Klynsmith

M.Skaife/P. Morris D. Johnson/S. Johnson

rapid South Australian coming back from a hair's breadth

Fasttap

2:13.1143139

Wynners and losers; It wasn’t all good news for the Wynns team. John Faulkner’s VT ended the day in the dead carpark but, at least, he was in good company. (Dirk Kfynsmith)

6:51:48.8354

3 4

then an HRT trio - Noske, Lowndes, Skaife - with Bright, Radisich, Ingall, Bowe and Brabham rounding out the top ten, then Johnson, Scott (hav ing taken over from Poole, the

36b

Race time/laps

S.Richards/G. Murphy

D. Lindstrom/M. Price

N. Schembri/G. Quartly

6:52:14.4883

D. Russell/G. Johnson

20 21

D. McDougoll/A. Miedecke N. Prelty/A. Fawcet

P. Field/S. Howison

160 laps 2:14.7375 87 160 laps 2:14.5223 28 159 laps 2:14.1281 80 159laps 2:15.9513 10 158 laps 2:14.7075 27 158 laps 2:14.7139 28 157 laps 2:13.8908 27 157 laps 2:14.3096 59 152 laps 2:14.2279144 151 laps 2:21.2408 6 146 laps 2:22.2139 76 146 laps 2:21.0275 37 141 laps 2:15.0090 78 134 laps 2:19.8007 97 134 laps 2:24.8049 36 150 laps 2:13.7159 9 147 laps 2:12.5624 27 147 laps 2:15.7307 19 145 laps 2:12.9518 5 138laps 2:14.1219 80 122 laps 2:16.4527 12 119 laps 2:16.9212 76 116 laps 2:16.3063 78 115 laps 2:21.7871 19 108laps 2:16.6195 12 lollops -216.4955 59 90 laps 2:18.4803 58 83 laps 218.3791 5 82 laps 213.5743 28 78 laps 221.8536 37 70 laps 2:16.7619 58 65 laps 213.2348 28 62laps 213.1545 18 61 atps 217.3521 58 53 atps 2:18.5858 39 46 atps 216.9172 17 46 atps 216.5218 10 41 atps 2:14.5877 38 41taps 213.0538 27 33 atps 219.6681 11 27 atps 220.5792 26 19 atps 218.7657 12 14 atps 227.3834 7 11 atps 220.6114 10 maps 217.3083 5 8 atps 2:16.8093 5 6 atps 2:29.0146 5 4 atps 219.0609 3

DNF T. Longhurst/A. Macrow

DNF P.Radisich/S. Ellery

DNF C. McLean/J. Cleland DNF C. Smerdon/C. Cox DNF L. Crambrook/D. Crosswell

DNF J. BriggsA. Leahy DNF R.Mork/C.D'Agostin DNF C.HarrisA.Shaw DNF A. Heath/M. Donaher DNF J.Trimbole/K.Heffernan DNF D.Whlte/R. Salmon DNF J.Bowe/J. Richards

DNF M. Williams/S. Flemming DNF D. Osborne/B. Peters DNF J. Faulkner/S. Wills DNF M.Larkham/B. Jones DNF R. Nash/D. Wanless DNF M.lmrie/R. Crick DNF W. Wakefield/D. Canto

DNF T.Finnigan/D.Pate DNF T.MezeraA.Ricciardello

DNF G. Tander/J. Bargwanna DNF M. Conway/R. Shaw DNF D.Miller/G. Kendrick DNF B. ThornA. Wanless DNF T. Rowse/R. Barnacle DNF B.Sieders/G.Holt

DNF P.Dumbrell/M. While

DNF S.Emerzidis/G.Willminglon DNF S. Taylor/B. Attard DNF J. Cotter/P. Doulman

DNS B. Cassidy/N. Crow

Shake, rattle, roll; Geoff Full became the first Privateer to lead the race but, at the Chase, Bowe gave him a tap and the Diet Shake car turned around. Morris zooms by the stricken car, while Full!Forbes recovered to be top Privateer.

Fastest Lap Radisich 2m12.5624s.

Lap Record Larry Perkins [Commodore] 19972:12.3398s

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19 November 1999

2 Skaife/Morris

10 Larkham/B. Jones

yg&J) Skatfe Qualifiedwassecond. the

Brillant pole by Larkham. Swamped

obvious hare in HRTs

^arly but hung onto

race plan. Bad start, but gave chase to the flying Fords, despite brief Morris ‘off. From then on shadowed Lowndes, HFfT conceding the win to Wynns

leaders until Larko briefly ran off the road. Swapped to Jones, but resulting overheating was so severe that the clutch packed up after 40 laps.

after Radisich’s exit

1 Lowndes/McConville

18 Radisich/Ellery Car looked the goods

Qualified third by Lowndes. Car looked

from the moment the Kiwi hit the track.

to have the handling on new rubber but struggled,

Took off at start and built lead

especially during heat of day, on used tyres. Lowndes chased the

whenever Safety Car allowed.

Radisich/Richards battle hard,

Radisich snagged tyre valve on slower car, pitting for new nose soon after. Then engine failed.

Ellery supported strongly, but

but settled for second and his

third championship win.

practice, and managed best ever lap in Top Ten. Never quite had the race pace-due to persistent

4 Bright/Baird Behind the eight-ball after practice shunt, but still in good race trim. Ran with the pack, made several stops under Safety Car

understeer problem, which

to maintain fuel window until

resulted in one tyre delamination and an extra pit stop.

main power cable broke. Fixed and ran some laps down until

11 Perkins4ngall

'-‘1*%

Looked the goods in

rear axle broke after 145 laps.

600 Bowe/ J Richards

5 Seton/Crompton Pace-setter during

IML

Near the pace in

practice and qualifying.

practice, qualifying/race

Not quite on lead race pace, not the fastest in a straight line and got a little out of fuel sequence early on. Ran steadily nevertheless for 5th place finish and 3rd in championship.

engine down on power, so started with practice engine. Ran just behind the front pack, not quite on the main race pace. No damage from incident with Full at Chase, but engine expired after 82 laps. DNF

34 Bargwanna/Tander : , Brake problem ’ affected Top Ten I effort. Bargwanna compieted first stint running strongly inside top ten, Tander holding easy seventh 10 laps into his stint before becoming innocent victim in Pretty/Mezera incident on lap 42. DNF

46 Faulkner/Wills

L Unlucky to miss Top Improved position in first stint to be sixth after series of Safety Cars, then inherited lead as others made their second stops. Wills caught out on cold tyres, hitting Cutting Wall on eighth Safety Car restart, lap 66. DNF

32 Mezera/RScciardello

L[ '

. Early Safety Car stop saw Mezera elevated to second and able to

hang in top four with Murphy and Macrow. Oil breather

'emitting oil, but no serious problem. Crowded by lapped car into Elbow and spun, involving folliTwing Tander on lap 42. DNF

17 Johnson/Johnson .

H j ten Feel-good spot in top for retiree. Ran strongly throughout race, always in top ten. Minor incident with Morris at Chase with Jnr at wheel. Otherwise

straight-forward run for 4th at finish despite bad headache for Dick in final stint.

7 Richards/Murphy Just missed Top Ten spot but put together perfect race day startegy and driver performance. In lead pack throughout, but fuel-efficiency of Gibson Chev

^ qualifying

performance. Made use of early Safety Car to get ‘off sequence’, ran in or near top ten with Ashby/Reed for a while. Leading privateer contest, one lap down, when rear axle broke,

qualifying order Continued from p. 31 Lowndes spun it out (his fuel that is) to lap 104 when he stopped, the last to do a pad change (34 seconds), and handing over to McConville. He rejoined in fourth.

Ellery led, 13 seconds clear of Murphy, who’d slipped past Morris, with McConville seven seconds

away, Johnson, Kelly, Perkins, Crompton, Cleland, and Weel rounding out the cars on the lead lap.

Lap 127 now became important. 34 from the end.

Radisich, in third, was 39 seconds away from Murphy at this stage. Every extra iap Murf could squeeze out was less fuel needed for the final

sprint and thus a shorter fuel stop.

In the end, Murf did it to perfection. In four laps the gap opened up by six seconds,

allowing the team 45 seconds in all for the final stop. In fuel terms, it was about three-

Come in no. 17, your time is up: DJ was busy all weekend. If it wasn’t autographs and interviews, there was

quarters of a tank (20 seconds-worth, according to the team). Junior slipped in to hand

a Falcon to drive, hard. So long, Dick. (Phoios by Phu Williams)

over to Snr for his last ever

About as far as most could

sprint to the flag on lap 135

expect to go flat out on a tank of gas. Anyone stopping before that point was going to be marginal on fuel, ever the length of the stint, Murphy actually gained some five seconds on Ellery, the

and still Murf stayed out. The

Shell man under 8 seconds in front when he wheeled the Falcon in for the final hand

low fuel light flickered on 136 and the Wynns car headed in - needing only 25 laps-worth of fuel. It worked - almost. Richards burst out onto

Mountain Straight some 40 metres clear of Radisich, but

on cold tyres, and could offer

over to Radisich.

no resistance when the Shell

In the meantime, Steve Johnson had worked his way

car powered past on Con Rod.

up onto Morris’ tail (assisted by a brief Chase ‘off’ by the Dude), only to undo the good work with a slightly ambitious

race. Lowndes was 28 sec

inside move, aiso at the Chase which he couldn’t pull out of in time to avoid a iight tap and a quick spin on the

grass. No damage done, he resumed

the

chase

with

Crompton now on his tail. A tyre problem forced Perkins in early (lap 124) to hand over to Ingall, while Crompton (125) and Brabham (127) were close to the win dow when they too stopped to

It was now a two-horse

onds away, Skaife a further six, Johnson and Seton togeth er, Ingall and Noske complet ing the unlapped runners. Weel, Longhurst, Brabham and Ritter ran a lap down. Parsons and Poole minus two.

Anyone who thought it was all over was mistaken. Having warmed his tyres, Radisich getting out to 2s, Richards set the car’s fastest lap of the race on lap 139 - a 2:13.11 and began to claw it back...

The final act

hand their cars over. Morris was in on 127 also

delicious final contest was

Apromised, but a lap later it

(HRT confident of making the finish) although Johnson had managed to get by late in the

was over.

stint.

with a back-marker across the

Kelly stopped for Noske Ellery

and

had a moment

top of the mountain, there

McConville were in on 131.

was contact, and the valve was ripped, out of the right-

leader Radisich. Not needed...

That left Murphy, in front, and the only one left to stop

front wheel. Exit air... As he struggled to get it

(apart from Johnson, briefly in second). One thing the Gibson

back to the pits, Richards swept past,

efficient and now it was going to be crucial .

As it was last year, Richo was left to bring it home safe-

25 Longhurst/Macrow Early stop got car off-sequence to bulk of field, but ended up a lap down as the day wore on. Looking good for top ten finish, however, when crown wheel & pinion failed on lap 151.

while

Radisich

(129),

cars have always been is fuel-'

All over. Game, set, match,

ly, without pressure. Without pressure? What about Lowndes, 20 seconds

some locals feeding horses in a nearby paddock... In

the

meantime,

McLean’s privateer win had

back, with 20 laps to go? A big ask. And HRT’s Jeff Grech

also gone by the board. The

settled it. With the champi

Greenfield Falcon

onship in the bag and a

axle as McLean powered

broke an

Holden 1-2-3 on offer, he

across the

walked up to the Gibson pit and simply told Fred Gibson “take it easy, we won’t race

veered sharply into the wall. That left Forbes (in 12th) as the top privateer. The laps ground by. Well, hardly ground. Richards was

you... While Richards set about

mountain and

concentrating to the end (the spectre of a Safety Car never too far away), Radisich’s fine day ended miserably. The front spoiler had been dam aged on the way in, the Falcon slipping over the pit entry

comfortable in the mid 2;13s

kerb, and it took a couple of

with a crown wheel failure. Both FTR cars needed a

stops to fix everything up. He continued, well down, but

then - with about 10 to go the engine let go on Mountain

Straight - a legacy of the earli er damage perhaps. A weary Paul Joined

and only disaster was going to stop a sensational win. Late drama hit Bright, out for good on iap 145 with a broken axle (well down anyway) and Longhurst too ground to a halt

late fuel splash and Ingall too had to stop once more than planned. It had been a tough day, but as it went on the Castrol car’s handling actually improved. Russell set its fastest lap with one to go... No late drama intervened

DNF

and Richards brought the Wynns car home to a raptur 66 Poole/Scott

Strong practice and qualifying effort. Ran close to top ten, but had to recover from veiy close restart Stop-Go penalty. Eased back in later stages as water temperature started to climb. Nursed to finish. 15th

crashed. DNF

43 Weel/Crick

19 Gardner/Brabham

Early progress nullified by Stop-Go for passing under yellow. Big moment for Brabham when left rear tyre, which may have had slow leak, let go as he

Who did what, listed in

allowed a late light-load fuel stop and late-race pace to attack

40 McLean/Cleland

» , Enormously strong

Car by car results

(P*

Plagued by rough running engine for

Game over:

ous

The end of Radisich,

slowed for an HRT 2-3 form

as he breaks his

finish and a Shell title that

splitter on the way

few would begrudge him. Johnson, his ongoing sinus problems giving him a huge . late headache, missed a fairy tale rostrum by one, but it was still a pretty damn good finale. Nice way to go out. Seton, Noske (completing a super run for the Young Lions) and Ingall completed

in. But Shell Helix

still had its fans .... (Photos by Chris Carter and Marshall Cass)

welcome.

Lowndes

the unlapped runners, while the effort from Weel/Crick in

finishing eighth. Just a lap

most of the week.

down, in a Falcon which ran

Ran strongly throughout, no major problems, on lead lap

anything but cleanly for most of the day, was terrific for what is a modestly budgeted

turned into the Chase. Lost three

after last Safety Car, hung on for most of race, but went one down

laps, but soldiered on strongly to

late in race. Super effort from

finish 14th.

small team to finish 8th

team. The second Valvoline and FTR cars rounded out the

top 10.

19 November 1999 15 Kelty/Noske Superb race after norisk practice &

6 Brabham/Bates

I' I Steady back-up to sister car. Also

qualifying. Stopped under early Safety Car and ran out of sequence to sister HRT cars. Trouble-free run, no incidents, able to run in 2:13s when needed. Strong fifth after last Safety Car. Ran home. 6th

stopped early and got

into top ten as a result. Delayed by Stop-Go (pit lane speeding) and contact with slower car, but soldiered on to reclaim top ten spot late in the race, one lap down. 10th

24 Romano/Hossack

75 Tratt/Jones

Conservative

Steady qualifying

qualifying effort, but made progress in

effort. Lost fourth gear early in race but

early stages of the race. Dipped into top ten during Safety Car shuffle, lapped consistently

soldiered on. Alternator then

failed and car finally stopped after 147 laps. DNF

thereafter to come home three

laps down. 13th

Cunning plan: Ifyou’d told Rodney Forbes and Geoff Full before the race they’d lead the race OUTRIGHT, spin at the Chase and stdl win the Privateers’ title, they wouldn’t believe it. But they did, they did and they did. (Photo: Klynsniith)

3 Ashby/Reed

iig Boys' Privateer Toys

to the weekend, ran

“ ■*' After having a minor

well early but

Rodney Forbes and Geoff Full didn’t have the pace of the McLean/Cleland

Falcon, but they won their class and LED the race. MARK JONES reports.

After a difficult start

McDougall/Miedecke

affected by a chip packet in the

touch on lap 26, the Aloe Quench car was soon

radiator! Had electrical dramas

troubled with electrical problems

but, after alternator was repaired, continued on to finish 16th (second privateer).

for the remainders of the race.

Despite stopping nine times, soldiered on to finish in 20th.

lODNEY Forbes and Geoff

Full in the Diet Shake/PPG Holden Commodore VS tri 26 Doulman/Cotter Car ran over debris

umphed in the privateer’s 'race within a race’ with a

on lap 3, the resulting split radiator hose causing

consistent race-long drive that outlasted and out run the survivors.

They

led

home

overheating which destroyed the

team

engine - the race's first

mates Trevor Ashby and Steve Reed (Optus Internet Commodore VS) and just five

27 Finnigan/Pate Pitted early with gear stick problems, lost three laps. Pate

involved in crash with Canto.

Later right rear wheel bearing failed ending their day. DNF

retirement. DNF

other privateers after the field

was decimated by retire ments.

By one tenth distance five cars were gone and that set

the tone in a torrid day for the smaller teams. Third place went to another Holden that ran all day, the Ultra Tune Commodore VS of Dean Lindstrom and Melinda Price.

With an eight spot grid advantage Cameron McLean (Greenfield Mowers Falcon

EL) was always going to win the start and was in 16th at

the end of the first lap ahead of Terry Finnigan (23rd), Peter Doulman, Craig Harris, Forbes, Garry Willmington, Ashby, Alan Heath, Chris Smerdon and Damien White. Daniel Miller was the first

to pit along with Wayne Wakefield on lap 3. Doulman would be the first retirement

after running over some debris which slit a radiator

hose, in turn cooking the engine.

Willmington was tapped into a spin by Paul Dumbrell

them in front of Cleland. Daniel Miller had been involved In an Incident with

crashed

lap 65

Full

became the new race leader.

the track behind Dean Lindstrom in the Ultra Tune

For four laps behind the pace car he carefully kept his

Commodore but caught and passed with 20 laps to go.

Danny Osborne at Griffins leaving the PM FM

tyres warm and drive as hard

Commodore stranded and

lap to keep the lead then started letting the leaders

bringing out another pace car. Retrieving Miller’s car caused Nell Crompton some anxious moments, as the car was dragged across the track as he arrived at Griffins.

Forbes stopped on lap 31 leaving class lead to Harris. Steve Reed took the lead on lap 36 and continued to move steadily up the charts until lap 47 when John Cleland took the lead.

The order at lap 50 saw Reed (10th) and Cleland ahead of Full and pit bound

as he could on the first flying

break early In the race and

Terrific race, ran

that maybe wasn’t really

Neil Schembri’s middle stint was driven without one. The

there, hit Full and spun him

steadily all day, moving up consistently to record strong

team re-welded and replaced

top ten result. What could have

around.

It, and the Gearbox Commodore ran like a train to

been for Bargs/Tander... 9th

Once It stayed green after lap 76, it became a race to

the finish in 18th.

the finish.

Right at the finish D’arcy Russell was just ahead of

Williams

and

Flemming gave up on the dia bolical wing-less, power steerIng-less car and Trimbole had a wheel bearing fail. From approximately 3;00pm to 3:40pm the heart was cut out of the privateer field as cars died under con-

ed the wall. Scotty Taylor’s Holden dropped a valve and retired. Emerzidis having

Tim Shaw. Coming into the Cutting, Darren Pate touched

taken over the Simon’s Wastebins Falcon went off

Graphic Skills Commodore Into the wall hard. Canto left the car as marshal’s descended on the now burn

White/Salmon (gearbox), Harris/Shaw (differential), Heath/Donaher (engine),

and bogged at McPhillamy. Bill Solders broke a rocker,

Dean Canto launching the

Tim Rowse a differential and

ing car.

Bob Thorn was tapped into a

A lap later Pate was limp ing into the pits with wheel

spin

and

retirement

stant

racing

conditions.

Mork/D’Agostin (cam'follow-

er), Crambrook/Crosswell (CV Joint) and Smerdon/Cox (wheel bearing) all disap peared. Cleland was ninth when he

20.

next half hour Mike Imrie

With Rnnigan delayed and Doulman out, Forbes took up

pitted on lap 135, the car was jumping out of fourth gear and a disconcerting dif

coasted to a halt just past

ferential leak had the team

Griffins and Dean Wanless crashed at the Cutting after a

worried, but three laps later,

Forrest’s Elbow all before lap

bearing failure. Within the

Coming home in 21st was Andrew Fawcett in the Pretty car. They’d lost the clutch, power steering and the diff seal was leaking but they were a going concern, and even took a position on the last lap.

McLean's first pitstop on

stint In the car as long as

and then sent out for a last

sixth with Forbes staying out

front of the field dived pitward

Ashby was nominally in sec

slow lap to limp home to

ond but the car was in the

22nd place.

garage, a race-long electrical problem manifested as a

barely existing two weeks ago

on lap 60 Full found himself in third place. Parsons dived

White rose to second in the

for the pits and it was sec-

failed alternator and new one

One World Hotel Commodore,

ond.

was being installed. Ashby made it back out in

with Rod Nash and Craig

When

Simon

Wills

134 HeatlVDonaher

-c

Starter motor gave trouble at the first pit stop requiring a push start. Later, an oil line blew and the engine overheated. Retired after 101 laps. DNF

30 Harris/Shaw

Ran consistently despite steering

Ran well early, inside top 10

problems. A wheel

bearing finally failed the team and produced a DNF after 122 laps.

privateers. With a

troubled gearbox and noisy diff, the car climbed as high as 17th before the gearbox cried enough on lap 109.

car ducts.

This left Forbes in lead.

during the early pace car induced pitstops. Damien

in 12th.

39 Smerdon/Cox

atures after fouling a spoiler early and wrecking the under

under the car and the car flew into the wail at Reid Park.

possible. While most of the

-c

neering without having com pleted the final lap. Initially given a DNF, they were re instated to 19th. They’d had problems all day with temper

touch with another car. Geoff Full extended his

lap 21 dropped Cleland to

lead Valvoline car.

Steven Richards and was

and Karris in close attendance.

McLean felt something break

35 Ritter/Owen

waved by officials Into scrutl-

VYith a lap to go Peter Field bounced acrosb the ripple strips at The Chase, derang ing the front end geometry. Field pitted and Shane Howison as strapped in whilst the damage was inspected

the early running with Ashby

under Safety Car). Relatively untroubled run to finish, leading privateer, just outside the top 10

Forbes finished in 12th, 3 Strong support for

through. Next lap Bowe went for a small gap at the chase

lapped consistently to the end - actually led the race for four laps (three

the car. DNF

laps down, Ashby 16th, and Lindstrom 17th. Gary Quartiy had had the rear sway bar

Charlie Cox, then Mick Donaher, Dean Wanless and

at Murrays Corner and clout

28 Forbes/Full Started well and

crunching the wall at Murrays. After a long stop to repair broken front steering arms, Emeizidis went out, but left the track at McPhillamy and bogged

Pace, but no luck: McLean /Clelandpressed on, but DNF with axle failure. (Photo by Cass)

Harris staying out putting

Willmington/Emeizidis Willmington assisted into a spin on lap 6,

For a team which

had

it was an excellent result. One that Bathurst tales are full of...

p) 96 DumbreKAWhite

97 Wakefield/Canto

J|] *fter being extremely quick in practice and

qualifying, the pair battled hard to recover from a slow early pit stop when hit by Darren Pate at the Cutting, Canto crashing heavily and the car caught fire.

First major incident

of the race. Steering damage after earfy brush with wall. Pitted, but steering box pinion broke at Reid Park after 11 laps. Big hit, first Safety Car. DNF

DNF

87 White/Salmon Broke the throttle

pedal on lap 26 and lost several laps

repairing. Spun at Reid Park, then had sepearate incidents with Greg Crick and Melinda

Price, before gearbox failed after 83 laps.

70 Bri^s/Ieahey Early drive train problems slowed the car, then broke Watts linkage bolt. Retired after 120 laps. DNF

^UCo_

19 November 1999

14 Itnrie/R. Crick

Pitted for a blown tyre

Trimbole/Heffeman

The Daily Planet

on lap 14, then the

Commodore ran

STP VS Commodore

stopped at Griffins on lap 54 after a persistent engine misfire.

consistently and well until wheel bearing failure ended the team’s

DNF

race after 90 laps.

DNF

41 Holt/Seiders

80 Thom/T. Wanless

"4^ 1 A spin had the

9)(o_

Engine dramas ended

the Eastern Creek

Supercheap EL Falcon touching the wall just

Karting team's run

after just 11 laps - a broken rocker the culprit in the team’s

before Forrest elbow on 19th

lap. Little damage to car but required a tow down the

EL Mkll Falcon. DNF

mountain... DNF

■

22 Osbome/Peters

55 Nash/Wanless

The second

New self-built VT

—

finally had a good set up sorted after a difficult time in practice and was

Colourscan Falcon

circulated steadily

until its crash aty Reid Park on lap 72 of the race, bringing out the final Safety Car. DNF

lapping weli when the car was tapped into the wall at the Cutting finishing the day for the Autopro team. DNF

rFAm. II What they said: Post-race media conference *

Steven Richards: I think we

The last laps that Murf did

had one of the best driver combinations in the car,

were significant. While the

which was able to circulate at

ting back up to speed, he put

the same pace all day. 48 Russell/G. Johnson

An early race off rearranged the front

< ■

■

point causing temperatures to rise as ducting was fouled.

79 Conway/Shaw Blew a bead gasket

best race car you can and today Idrove at ten-tenths all

early in the race,

day.

that stage, so when we stopped we were able to hop out just in front.

DNF

[Answering the question, “did you think it was over when Radisich went past?]: Not at all. I’d been behind

and in front of him in the pre vious

stint

and for them

brakes were a problem, because he was having to get

■ bar at Griffins and,

84 Miller/Kendrick

Pitted lap 3, then was tapped around by Danny Osborne at

after the remaining

happen - but we won the race. We had a good race car all week and I think the track ‘came to us’ a little bit too.

he started to come back to

to finish 18th.

DNF

me, so I thought that if I could stay with him and keep on the pressure, who knows

spin, contact with Bright and the Cutting wall and, finally, power steering failure. Heavy steering and no rear wing caused the team to retire the car on lap 78 rather than be a potential risk to other cars...

what would happen. And sure enough, a slow

Lack of sorting time lot in practice left the car handling badly during the race. Steering heavy from a practice incident and Price made contact with Salmon. Finished

to be an issue after our runs

mid-10 on its ear. It didn’t

necessitatng a tilt truck and Safety Car. Almost took out Crompton during retrieval...

Lindstrom/Price

[On missing the Top Ten in qualifying]: I must admit I real ly believed that getting into the Top Ten wasn’t even going

but our car was superior under brakes. In my second stint, when Iwas behind him,

Griffins. Gearbox locked

42 Williams/Fleming Miriad of dramas- a

pressure on.

on Thursday and Friday. With a new tyre, Ithought it'd do a

pieces Were removed, Schembri

■'.j'

I knew Paul would pass

me, but it let us keep the

the pedal up - whether it was a safety tap I don’t know -

continued. Another was later

Installed and car ran fauHlessy

In a string of mid 13s - a

very, very good race time at

Continued on to finish 19th, completing 14G laps.

36Schembri/Quartly Broke.the rear sway

Shell car was pitting and get

You come here with the

completing just 33 laps in their EL Mkll Falcon.

air dam and mounting

Greg Murphy: It was full-on all day. Right through to late in the race there was a line

car and ... there we were. I’d

of cars on the same lap so

actually started to close on

you didn’t know what was going to happen. Coming from where we’ve been all this year makes this

him, but whether I could have

got past was another ques tion.

17th.

DNF

The advantage of NOT driving across the line: Murf and Angela Richards celebrate. (Photo by Dirk Kiynsmith) a bit special - we haven’t exactly been championship contenders all year - so it’s amazing that we can come

ball game. The crash and the injury was of course the low point of the year, but with the fantastic gupport of the team

here and do what we did. At the beginning of the year it

and my wife, we were able to come back,

became a focus early on and

we talked about it every day.

Cameron McConville: It’s

That it should happen is fairly fairy-tale, but we deserved it, I think, and the team deserved it, because they

have gone so hard and

been a great experience to join HRT and share the car with Craig. I’ve learnt a lot and hopefully it will lead to a more permanent ride next

worked so hard for this. This

year,

one's for them.

37 Taylor/Attard , Thq Xerox Shop VP Commodore, started

smoking right from the start with a suspected dropped valve and was retired on lap 6.

^ 81 Bamacle/Rowse

Craig Lowndes: 1 don't think we did anything wrong all

H j qualifying, After not prethe team

week and our car ran strongly. Cameron did an excellent job, especially coming in part way

got a run at making the field when the Pro-Duct team

withdrew. It wasn’t a good weekendwith the VP

through the year and having the pressure of helping some

Commodore breaking its diff after just 14 laps. DNF

one to win the championship. With the championship

including the long distance races, it's been a whole new ^

77 Mork/D'Agostin

38 Field/Howison

Ran well early on and

Problems with brakes

VS Commodore

slowed early progress. A trip

climbed into the top 20. Pitted for a suspected

Photo by Lynley Reid

Mark Skaife: Today’s race was as tough as they come. To do mid-13s all day is a very tough ask. When Craig and I both finished that mid

dle stint, we sat down in the

garage and admitted we were absolutely buggered - really pressing on! Our cars ran faultlessly all

day. Cam and Paul did a fan tastic job and the team did a good job in the pits. For us it was almost the best result

we could get - just first and second of the losers...

^ross the ripple strip at the Chase deranged the front

the Fords to be fast, but it

became a broken cam follower...

steering but soldiered on to

wasn’t until we got with them

Out after 115 laps. DNF

finish 22nd.

on the track that we could

broken exhaust valve which soon

eo Pretty/Fawcelt After practice crash, the car was repaired

for the race.

Develped clutch problems, lost power steering and a diff seal started smoking, but soldiered on, passing Field and Howison on the last lap to finish 21st.

We came here expecting

see where - Radisich pulled out and passed me up Mountain Straight like I was stopped...

74 Parsons/Parsons Crash ruled out

qualifying, but pressed on in race in second Gibson entry. Strong run, no real dramas, finished a satisfying 11th - terrific considering back-of-fteld start. (Note: 55th quaBfier, Crambrook/ Crosswell ran steadOy, DNF lap 49|

Paul Morris: The more time I

spent in the car the more comfortable I got and, apart from that little off in the Chase and the moment with

‘Custard’ (Steve Johnson),

who got a bit excited, there

FAI bloke #3: And what do you do for a living? FAI bloke #4:1 sell bloody insurance.

was no problem.

19Noveml)erl999 35

down the house Burning ● Richard Burns takes Rally Australia ● Sainz chases hard for second place ● Makinen cruises to fourth WRC title

● Crashes claim Auriol, McRae

● Aussies out of luck again; Ordynski 12th ● Toshihiro Asai wins Group N for Subaru Report by JON THOMSON

RITON Richard Burns took his

problems.

first ever-victory

spectator stage in front of the Eastern grandstands; first Queenslander Steven Shepheard inverted his Lancer, then Japanese Subaru driver Yujiro Nishio rolled and, finally, Aussie Group N favourite Simon Evans tipped his Golf kit car

Three cars rolled on the

in Rally Australia with an and exciting thrilling battle to the

line with Carlos Sainz. Burns’ Subaru beat the

Spaniard’s Toyota driver by just 11.6s in a rally marked by its high retirement rate and unrelenting pace.

over. All three cars weren’t

badly damaged and were again underway, the organ isers forced into a rapid pro gram of re-grading to fix the

While Burns and Sainz

battled all the way to the finish for the rally win, Tommi Makinen etched his

name in rally history by clinching his fourth straight World Championship as a result of his third place fin ish, outlasting his main rival to stake a claim as the

World’s best ever rally driver.

Crashes claimed some of

the front-runners, with Colin McRae, Juha Kankkunen

and Didier Auriol all being forced out as a result of skir

mishes with the rugged Western Australian bush, the long dry autumn turning the roads into super slippery dust bowls and providing supremely testing conditions. It was also a bad event for

the Australian contingent, with crashes accounting for Michael Guest, Cody Crocker and Neal Bates, while Possum Bourne didn’t

make it past Day 1 when his

Subaru stopped with engine failure.

But at

least the local

Group N pilots were in good company, four-time World Champ Gustavo Trelles also

falling over, leaving the class win

Japanese

ace

Toshihiro Arai (Subaru).

An entry of 89 cars includ ing a massive fleet of 18

works rally machines gave the event a depth and quali ty

not

seen

before

Australia.

Thenowrally started with the traditional Thursday night blast around

the- Langley park Super Special stage and there was plenty of drama for the mid

When one 5 will do it: Richard Burns was in

problem for the next night. McRae set the agenda

electrifying form in the west, taking his second win for

however with fastest time on

the opening stage, the Scot just 0.4s faster than Auriol,

1999.

with Makinen another tenth

Fly high, land hard: McRae set a hot pace but

behind.

The rally proper started on Friday morning with the soft and sandy York railway

the Ford went out of Focus when he crashed into an

unfriendly tree at 160kmh.

stage in the farmlands to the East of Perth. Didier Auriol

(Photos by Sutton-lmages and Hardwick/I_AT)

lit up the track to move into the lead with a dominant

performance over the Ford of McRae.

On the first three stages of the day Auriol ripped time of McRae to lead McRae by 2.8s after the second time

While the Bourne problem

through the Muresk stage

sidelined him Guest was

around

able to limp to service and

the

Curtin

Agricultural University. Dust was the biggest com plaint amongst drivers with the dry spring bringing both

a loose surface and billowing clouds behind every car. Rally Australia was also trying a new system in which the fastest on each

night of the event got the chance to choose their start

ing position in the field the

next day with in the top seeded group of 16. McRae had chosen 16th and Auriol was in 15th where the dust

didn’t seem to be causing him too many problems. “I love that stage the jumps are great and the dust wasn’t a problem for us,” said the smiling Frenchman

Day 1 (Friday)

'T ●

after Muresk 1. 'There was drama for some

penalty he was back in the

er fastest on the second run

rally in 22nd place just behind Ed Ordynski his local Group N rivd in 21st.

stage heading to the Langley Park Super Special.

the road through long grass.

The Spaniard was firing. taking fastest at Langley and going to the overnight

Kankkunen was out of the

halt with a 6.3s lead over Bums with McRae in third.

Group N was being led by Hamed A1 Waihibi in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI from Arai and Gustavo

Makinen was sitting com¬ fortably in fourth while team-mate Freddy Loix was driving steadily in fifth

Trelles, while F2 was being held down by Kenneth Eriksson, his Hyundai well ahead of British driver Martin

Rowe in his Renault Megane . McRae put the pressure on Auriol, recapturing the lead by the sixth stage of the day in Atkins. Auriol had

had an off and subsequently damaged the engine slipping Frenchman , the Corolla engine failing as a result of

the car as he drove back on to

through the slippery Atkins

rally after he tore the front right wheel off his Subaru

with a broken cam belt and

and some soft edges causing

ber one position with anoth¬

ping a ten second road

back to fifth. But it would

fielders with a new surface

Sainz cemented the num¬

effect repairs despite drop

of the leading locals, with Bourne out on York Railway Guest running off the road in Muresk one and damaging

leaving. McRae to take the stage and Sainz the lead

soon come to a close for the

the damage, ending not only his charge on Rally Australia but also on the

the road and when I arrived

ahead

it was unavoidable,” said the disappointed Guest.

Gardermeister (SEAT), his team-mate Harri Rovanpera,

Makinen had moved ahead into the lead on

Tomas Radstrom (Focus) and Bates in ninth, ahead of

Flynns, with McRae just

the Peugeot 206 of Markus Gronholm.

Guest was the next vic

0.3s behind and Burns 1.5s back in third. Trelles was

tim, clipping a rock on stage seven, rolling the Group N Subam out of the rally and

out of the rally on this stage with a broken suspension after hitting a rock on the

ending what has been a

edge of the road.

fraught rookie year in the

Megane while, in Group N, the flying Arai was 37s

But the order changed dramatically on the next

ahead of Uwe (Mitsubishi).

World title. McRae was

now

pitched fight with Burns in the Subam and Makinen in

the Mitsubishi, the trio shattering stage records as the pace whs upped.

World Series.

“A car in front had clipped the rock and dragged it on to

stage. Makinen punctured and lost almost a minute.

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19 November 1999

All change in 2000 WRC SAINZ TO FORD, AURIOL TO SIGN FOR SEAT ■X

Continued from page 35

positions tomorrow and while

Day 2 (Saturday)

nothing is guaranteed I think

cRae went for broke

M from the word go and paid the price. The Ford Focus got airborne on a flat right over crest and landed badly. The Ford slammed into a tree and spun down the road tearing the front of

the car off. Both McRae and Grist were shaken but not

badly hurt. Grist slightly injuring his foot. With McRae out, the battle

/cvfStar'

for first was between Burns

and Sainz. Burns storming

Fatherly advice: Outgoing Toyota pair Didier Auriol (R) and navigator Denis Giraudet get some financial advice from Team Toyota Europe chief Ove Andersson in Perth, ffhoto by smion-ima£cs)

By JON THOMSON

quite as high as Coiin McRae, Sainz and Tommi Makinen, sources close to

TWO former world

champions will line up for different teams in 2000.

Following the confirmation that Carlos

Sainz will join Ford’s Focus WRC program comes the news that Didier Auriol looks set to

sign a multi-million dollar contract with SEAT. The deal will almost

certainly see the Frenchman see out his

career with the Spanish marque. Sainz announced at

Rally Australia that he will return to Ford next

season, resuming a relationship which started in 1996/’97.

It is expected to be announced some time in

the next 10 days, with Auriol expected to start work with the company almost immediately after the final round of the

World Championship, the Rally of Great Britain on

the team suggest Auriol will be taking home around A$8 million a year. Auriol’s enormous

ahead on the stage to lead the Toyota by 1.4s. Francois Delecour who had

finished the previous night in 11th with gearbox prob lems was out on the first

stage when the Peugeot’s ‘’box seized. Burns lost 7s when he overshot a fast corner on

where he did most of the

Stirling East but, on the longest stage of the rally [the 45 k m Wellington Dam] Burns would emerge with a

development on the Corolla World Rally Car,

5.6s lead. But the bad news of the

development experience, which he honed at Toyota

will make the Frenchman an invaluable asset to the

stage was the demise of Bates. Holding eighth the

SEAT team.

Canberra driver rolled the

SEAT has struggled to get the Cordoba World Rally Car on a level with

Corolla at relatively low speed in soft sand on a left-

the established teams from Subaru Mitsubishi

and Toyota.

be fought out between the Group N cars of Ed Ordynski

left without a drive when

in the Mitsubishi and the

Toyota announced it was pulling out of rallying, won the World Championship for the Japanese maker in

Subaru of Crocker now up into 12th and 13th outright.

1994 and was in the hunt until his exit from last

week’s Rally Australia. He will join the two drivers already on the

19s behind in third Crocker close on back. But

Rovanpera and Toni

commanding a salary

Gardermeister.

clipped an obsta

.ystiolia

we have what is needed to

enough to give the marque

win here,” said Bums.

the manufacturer’s title.

Day 3 (Sunday)

That honour fell to Toyota thanks in part to Carlos Sainz’s second place 11.6

Sainz on Burnsput onthe the pressure long 35km opening stage and went into the next stage just Is behind the Briton.

seconds behind Burns.

Said Sainz, “I did my best and we gave it our best shot. For sure we would love to have won but the manufac

turer’s title for Toyota is the

“I am putting the pressure on; I have to. I want to win this one,” said Sainz.

best result.”

But while the Spaniard thought he might force

around in third to clinch his fourth consecutive title. The Finn finished 4ml9s behind

Bums into an error, the Brit responded in kind taking a

Makinen just

cruised

Sainz, content that he had

massive 10.8s off him on the

written his name in the his

next stage, all but putting

tory books as the first and only driver to win four straight titles. “It is unbelievable, fantas tic. I am just so happy, it

him out of reach of Sainz.

Nittel, who appeared to have Group N in the bag, hit a rock on Stage 21 and stopped to check for damage.

has been a difficult and at

times dangerous rally and it wasn’t easy,” said Makinen. “But to clinch the title before the British event

means I can really concen trate on attacking there because I have never won

that rally,” he added. Ordynski very nearly claimed the Group N crown in an under-powered and out-paced car, the seven time Rally Oz Group N Vin ner coming within 50s of beating Arai. Eriksson clinched the F2

title with Hyundai, which had also won the F2 makes title. All that remains now is for the final round of the series in Great Britain start

ing on November 21 which should provide fireworks despite being a ‘dead rub ber’.

and

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Ow, Ow, Ow: It was a case of What Might Have Been for most

of the Australian contingent. Cody Crocker (above) fell foul of the WA constabulary, forced to park on a transport stage while Neal Bates flew to challenge the 0/S brigade, only to roll the Corolla WRC out of contention. (Photos by John MorrisAApix)

his heels, just 7s

SEAT books, Finns Harri

PRODRIVE GETS 7-UP FOR 2000

the

Nittel had raced ahead of

Arai in the group N contest to be leading the class by 49s. Ordynski was a further

November 21. While Auriol will not be

Subaru gets fizzy-cal

winning,

hand comer. The honours for first Australian home would now

Auriol, who had been

to take another crown up

Despite

Subaru driver’s effort wasn’t

Crocker

cle with the rear

left tyre damag.ing the suspen sion and limping out of the stage on a flat tyre. On the long trans port back to Langley Park the tyre blew, forcing him to drive on the rim

until a police patrol stopped him, putting him out of the rally,

Ml! Ditch the champers, Dick: Bums will drink 7-Up in 2000.

was Sainz fastest on the

THE now familiar blue of

Richard Burns, who has

the Subaru World Rally team is set to change

won two events this year and been acknowledged

from the 2000

as one of the favourites for

Championship, with the likely announcement

the 2000 Championship.

final Langley Park stage on Saturday night, just 0.2s faster than Burns, not enough to give him first pick of the starting positions in the draw that night. At the end of the day

Burns will do a full

that the Prodrive-run

program of events, while

team will carry sponsorship from 7-Up

Juha Kankkunen will wind

soft drink.

The Impreza World Rally Cars will be turned out in the green and red of the 7-Up brand, which was last seen in motorsport when it sponsored the Jordan FI team in 1992 and ’93. Prodrive has been

funded directly by Subaru throughout 1999 after British American Tobacco

with drew its long-term 555 sponsorship to

back his program, missing many of the tarmac events as the driver with the

highest number of WRC wins and a four times

World Champ enters his 18th season at the top level of the sport. Kankkunen and Burns

are expected to be joined by a tarmac expert whom Subaru is yet to announce.

Belgian Bruno Thiry, who was the team’s

tarmac expert this year,

concentrate on FI.

has been dumped by the

The Subaru llne-up for 2000 will be spearheaded by Rally Oz winner

team and will drive with Skoda in 2000. - JON THOMSON

Bums lead of 4.4s over Sainz

meant the pair would have a knock down fight the next day. Makinen was third place from the hard-working Loix, Radstrom’s Ford and Gi'onholm’s Peugeot Nittel had maintained the

“The tyre wasn’t punc tured but the suspension is class, that’s rallying I guess,” The final fling was the 2.7km television stage and Burns only had to maintain the 11s gap to ensure victory. Sainz beat his own stage record but was only 0.2s faster than Burns, giving the Subaru driver victory, his second for the year following his win in Greece.

outright, 54s ahead of Arai, with Ordynski a strong third.

tic feeling to win here,”

ing slot for the final day tak ing position eight while Sainz, with second choice, grabbed seventh, the scene set for a titanic fight on the final four stages. “I drove very hard to day to get the first pick of starting

World Rally Championsliip Rd 13 - Results

said the German.

group N lead and was eighth Bums chose the last start

Rally Aaslpalla

bent and that has cost us the

“It is an absolutely fantas grinned the Brit after the battle

“I’ve had another really great fight with Carlos, just like

had

with

him

Greece. I had a couple of scary moments in stage 21, but that was worth it because

I clinched the rally there.”

2 3 4

R Burns/R Reid Subaru Impreza Toyota Corolla CSainz/LMoya TMakinen/RMannisenmaki Mitsubishi Lancer Mitsubishi Carisma FLoix/SSmeets

MGronholm/TRautiainen

Peugeot 206

3:52:33.4

6 7 8

H Rovanpera/R Pietiiainen TRadstrom/FGaiiagher T Arai/RFreeman

Seat Cordoba

3:52:44.3

Ford Focus

3:53:01.1 4K)5:49.8

K Eriksson/S Parmander

10 M Rowe/D Ringer

Subaru impreza (Cp N) Hyundai (F2) Renault Megane(F2)

Group N - final result 1 T Arai/RFreeman

Subaru Impreza

4-.0S:49.8

Mitsubishi Lancer

406:39.9

Mitsubishi Carisma

4-.07O3.9

Mitsubishi Lancer

4:1-X08.8

Subaru Impreza Subaru Impreza

4:13:51.7

2 3 4 5 6

E Ordynski/L Stewart U Nittel/T Harryman KTaguchi/RTeoh D Herridge/1 Cariton 0 Yamaguchi/K Kotani

3:44:31.5 3:44:43.1

3:49K)2.9 3:52:04.0

4:05:58.4 4:06^9.1

4:15:59.1

Pointsofter 13 rounds:Makinen62, Auriol52, Burns45,Solnz44, Kankkunen 38, McRae 23, Bugolski 20, LoIx 12, Ponlzzl 6, Rodstrom 5, Rovonpero 5, Gronholm 5, Gordemelster 4, Delecour 3, Thiry 3, Duncan 3, Bourne 2, Solberg 2, Martin 2, Aghini 2, Gardemeister 1, Isik I, KIrkos t, Liatti I, Rovonpero I.

lij^®9®[FSfo)®[F{j’

19 November 1999

Johnson confirms

Fifteen iniured in majnr TF expiesien

nitro Funny Car By GERALD MCDORNAN

ONE of the worst kept secrets in US drag racing

FOURTEEN spectators and one televi

Alan Johnson announcing the formation of a new

Fimny Car team. As expected, former Top

weekend.

Firebird entry will be backed by E-Moola.com, a multi

ported to hospital for treatment.

national company which bills

the body panels of Herbert’s car for ward, knocked out the front end of the cockpit footbox and blasted the visor off

itself as the “media for the new millennium.”

“This is a great challenge

for me,” Johnson said of the announcement prior to the NHRA Finals last weekend.

“Obviously, John Force has set an incredibly high bench

mark in the Funny Car class and it’ll be tough to even come close to matching his performances. But we’re going to work as hard as we

Wally Parks remains on

ing at 150 degrees or zero. We think it was

the boEU'd and moves to

Herbert's drama comes just weeks after

Motorsports Museum at

chair the body's Pomona.

■ PhO Burkhart Jr will campaign full-time on the

Herbert made two more attempts to qualify

with chunks of the powerplant sailing

NHRA in Funny Car tomnext season after having

on Saturday, falling short for the first time in 1999 and ending up 18th with a 4.76 best.

into the grandstands. Top Eliminator Club compound, staging lanes and pits. At least 10 of the injured were trans

been named head wi’ench. Johnson’s new Pontiac

becomes Chairman of the board. NHRA founder

with the second blast knocking HOI out of the Pomona event with back injuries.

hit of the throttle during Friday's qualifying session

Compton replaces Dallas Gardner, who now

Eddie Hill suffered two massive engine explo sions, one in Dallas, the other in Houston,

Herbert grenaded the motor right at the

Jerry Toliver’s WWF team crew chief Rob Flynn has

has been named as the

sanctioning body's new President, effective January 1,2000.

the ignition control box.''

scattered the raceway in Pomona last

Fuel racer Bruce Sarver has been named driver while

■ NHRA General

Manager Tom Compton

mal 45 or 50 degrees. It might have been fir

sion crewman were injured when flying debris from a massive engine explosion Doug Herbert's Top Fuel dragster

has been confirmed with

signed Nitro Fish apparel

and NuTrend.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

Bmkhart surprised many with a win in

The blast was so intense that it peeled

No laughing matter: Alan Johnson will run FC in 2000.

can to close the gap.” Johnson and Flynn have

had a close working relation ship for the past four seasons, Flynn having worked with Whit Bazemore prior to joining Toliver’s outfit this year, and the pair have a

workable, competitive combi nation already.

Helen Hofmann

Columbus, Ohio at the wheel of Paul Grattan's car, with Nitro Pish support, but will run his

Herbert's helmet.

own 2000 Pontiac-

One supercharger rotor landed 80

Grattan having parked his

metres downtrack, while the other land

own operation. A crew chief and crew members

ed in the pits, near the John Force trail er some 200 metres away. The intake manifold landed near the head of the

for Grattan's team will be

announced shortly, with

staging lanes.

Wayne Dupuy expected to

"I had no idea it was that big,'' said Herbert, who had his bell rung and eye

be appointed as head wrench.

brows singed. ''I figured the blower would be hanging off to the side. ''When I looked at it, I couldn't believe it... the top half of the motor was gone

■ Eddie Hill had to

miss the season-ending

NHRA Finals at Pomona

and the heads were spht in half."

after being ruled out by his doctor - a compressed

The crew speculates the explosion began with an ignition failme, based on

fi-acture of his lumbar

temperature readngs from the data

signs Powell

vertebrae being the result of massive engine

recorder.

AUSTRALIAN Helen Hofinann has confirmed she will contest the 2000 season with her Pontiac Car operation with the signing of 20 -year-

old female sensation Cristen Powell.

Hoftnann made the announcement just prior to the NHRA Finals in Pomona, the event being the last

"Going into stage, the temperatures all looked normal. As soon as I flipped it onto the high side, the temperatures just went crazy. Some of them went up

explosions in the Pennzoil fueller in Dallas and Houston.

"I've been at this for 48

to 1000 degrees and some went down to

200 degrees. It looks like the ignition

was firing randomly, instead of the nor-

years and I've never

missed a race," a disappointed HjU said.

Snap, crackle and pop: Doug Herbert’s Snapon car helped hospitalise at least 10 people.

"But this decision was

New template for Pro Stock?

appeaiance for husband A1 with the team, the 15-time national event winner having signed to drive with Jim

made for me..."

Hill, 64, may now have made his last appearance

D^n’s Mooneyes-backed Pontiac team next season.

as he has commented in the past he would not race

“I sat down, weighed all of my options and came to the obvious conclusion that Cristen was the best

without a backer.

person for the job,” Hofinann said.

Vi' afe-

“Cristen’s an excellent driver who will continue to

get better every time she gets in a Funny Car. She’s

■ What was the cause

of Hill's giant explosions?

intelligent, she’s personable, she has a tremendous work ethic and she has the desire to be successful in

this sport. In other words, she’s the total package.”

A crew chief is expected to be announced soon with talk having Larry Meyer, currently with the soon-to-

John Force crew chief Austin Coil believes cast aluminium blocks are now

m $

a weak point in the combination and Rodeck's new forged blocks could

its Detroit wind tunnel recently. Apparently, the new car has produced

help solve the problems. "When you have a explosion like HiU’s you've had component failure or something unavoidable go WTong. We had problems like this years ago but better ignition systems

be-parked Gwynn/Dunn Top Fuel team, already signed.

- GERALD McDORNAN

New Millennium changes: Pro Stock is rumoured to be heading down anew path in 2001. RUMOURS floating around in the US have

the NHRA introducing a new body rule for Pro Stock which will see all cars beginning in

2001 use full composite bodies instead of the

current, highly modified, steel factory panels. It is believed a number of car constructors approached the NHRA about

the use of composite bodies with their

introduction offering a number of benefits,

most notably easier construction of new

vehicles and better policing of body shapes

with each body bding constructed to fit NHRA's templates.

WHILE on the 2001 cars, GM is believed to

All the girls: Cristen Powell and Helen Hofmann. (Pontiac)

have busily testing its new generation Pontiac Pro Stock model, the Grand Am, in

some stunning numbers in the tunnel with some predicting that it will take 20 less

horsepower to top 200 mile per hour than

what it currently does.

pretty much eliminated a

GM has also recently developed a new Pontiac Funny Car body in the tunnel with

lot of the catastrophic

different to what's being seen at the moment. The recent extensive use by GM, Ford

block is probably twice as

the 2000 Firebird, reportedly, considerably

and Dodge of their factory resources points to the manufacturers now fully recognising the marketing value of drag racing and the benefits it can produce.

- GERALD McDORNAN

explosions," Coil said. "A forged aluminum strong and durable as what we've had and will

probably prevent something like that where the crankshaft comes out of the motor."

1999 WINSTON DRAG RACING SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS AT NOVEMBER 14 1999 1999 Winston Top Fuel Championship

1. Tony Schumacher 2. GarySceIzi 3. Joe Amato 4. Mike Dunn

5. Doug Kalitta

1999 Winston Funny Car Championship

,1488

John Force

.2071

.1380

2. Tony Pedregon

1604

.1345

Whit Bazemore

1413

1327

4. Frank Pedregon

1028

1306

.977

6. Kenny Bernstein ... 7. Doug Herbert 8. Larry Dixon 9. Cory MoClenathan

,1149

10. Bob Vandergriff ...

1131

Dean Skuza

1260

6. Jim Epier

.960

.1259

.928

1210

Dei Worsham ....

8. Jerry Toiiver 9. Ron Capps

.891

10. Tommy Johnson

.881

,923

1999 Winston Pro Stock Championship 1. Warren Johnson 2. Jeg Coughlin 3. Kurt Johnson 4. Jim Yates 5. Richie Stevens 6. Troy Coughlin 7. Mike Edwards 8, Mark Pawuk 9. Allen Johnson lO.Greg Anderson

1802

1458

1434 1288 1141

1046 ,1029 1004 .916 .795

/jLii®0(o)[f’Sfp(D[?0

19 November 1999

H Professional bracket racer Sherman Adcock Jr

walked away with a US$205,000 winner's cheque from the fourth annual B&M Million Dollar Bracket Race at

Motorsports Park in Montgomery, Alabama

Toliver downs Force Stone Cold Toliver wins first Aussies: Harker-round two, Cowin-round one, Russo-dnq championship,

lighting Craig Treble.

Panella in the final on a

but it wasn’t meant to be.

Matt Hines was able to win the Pro Stock

holeshot,

■#

last week...

“We

■ It looks as though

Gary Ormsby Jr, son of thel989 NHRA Top Fuel champion, the late Gary Ormsby will be piloting

but to win both Pomona

testament

this team.”

Tony

John Force during the 2000 campaign. Force feeling that GO Jr has many of the same

Schumacher secured the

NHRA F

attributes that his father and former Castrol

year, it looks as though Ormsby will become

Starting in Super Gas, Gray moved up through Super Comp, Competition, Pro Stock, both alcohol classes and is now set to hit the fuel classes.

Gray ran A/Dragster’s first ever 200 mph run and won nationM events in three of the classes he has contested.

Driving Paul Smith's Dodge Avenger, Gray’s debut wasn’t brilliant, but also not bad, falling short of the 5.25 bump with a 5.62/277 best.

■ On a sad note, former Funny car pilot, Tripp Shiunake was IdUed in a

motorcycle accident. Shumake, 51, was struck by a hit and run driver, who had wrecklessly turned in front of Shumake.

Schumake reportedly skidded along the freeway for 100 feet after laying the bike down to avoid the collision. Shumake had driven

Funny Cars for several teams, including the Sundance of Dennis

Fowler as well as the feared Powers Steel

Camaro in the late '70s,

War is Raw: Jerry Toliver captured his first NHRA title at the season ending AAA of SoCal Finals at Pomona on Sunday. (Photo by oave osiaszewsw) JERRY Toliver and the

WWF team pulled off a huge upset when they nine-time pile-drove Winston champion John Force in a tyre-smoking fight to the finish in the final round of the NHRA season at Pomona on

Sunday, Tohver taking his first ever national event win on the NHRA tour.

Force left first in the final, but was instantly up in smoke with Toliver’s tyres breaking loose soon after. Both drivers were on and

off the throttle several time, Toliver out pedalling the master to take the win.

“Wow!,” said a very excited

Finals win

over Warren

Johnson,

6.87/200

we got ‘em. I took out both of those Castrol cars - they did

6.97/194.

4.69/301 race.

-DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

Harker had mixed results;

and

Steve

with a 7.25/183 to 7.34/176

Cowin qualifying on the last shot but losing in the

win over Tony Mullen.

first round, Russo succumb

Bob Panella Jr secured the Pro Stock Truck cham

and Harker making it to

pionship, but it was Steve Johns coming away with the event title, defeating

ing to tyre-smoke each run the second round before

being out run. - DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

Coughlin left on WJ and posted the quickest run for the class in the final round. weekend would not have

been enough to catch the deg’s Oldsmobfie. “My hats off to the whole Jeg’s team,” said Coughlin. “We’ve had one phenomenal year. Today we snuck past Kurt(Johnson) for number

two in the points, which was our main goal here.”

“I’ll tell you what,” said Duim. “We finished the year the way we started it - we

Antron Brown scored his third Pro Bike win of the

would have liked to win the

year when he defeated a red-

Somebody bring Sceizi a beer GARY Sceizi scored his second Big Bud win in three years as he piloted the Winston dragster to final round 4.59/320 to stop defending event champion, Doug Kalitta, who smoked the tires.

Sceizi was the number one seed in the Shootout, hav

ing earned the spot with consistent qualifying efforts throughout the 1999 season. He won US$100,000. - DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

Bray runs 232.13 - world’s fastest Ridgeway, Smith win Pro Stock and Top Bike - Smith runs 202 on Hariey VICTOR Bray was back on top of the world on Saturday night with the four-time Australian Top Doorslammer Champion running the world’s fastest ever speed 232.65 mph - in winning the opening round of 1999/2000 series in Melbourne.

Bra/s performance was stunning, the Castrol Chev never running slow er than 229 mph and, in the final round running the country’s quickest ever official doorslammer pass of 6.256s at 230 while downing surprise

He had driven sprint cars in the Phoenix area, also working as a color commentator during the

right-side guardwall while attempting to land.

Two pairs later, Hines put the icing on the cake

Johnson’s best pass of the

away a winner in a great side by side, 4.66/291 to

car down off the line. We’re now

had apparently made

for

the final round and came

about our combination, calmed the

contact with the track's

week

Mike Dunn ended the year the way he began it - win ning again in Pomona. Dunn’s Mopar Parts drag ster took on Doug Kalitta in

wards. “We’ve had a total rethink

during pre-race

last

$100,000, there’s their pay

where he reached three finals and won two.

ceremonies. The victim

back!”

team and Castrol,” Bray said after

received in an accident

Peter Russo

to Dunn.

Toliver. “I can’t believe it...

dri\dng for Johnny Loper,

■ A licensed, professional sky-diver was pronounced dead at Pomona Valley Medical Center following injuries

Aussies Andrew Cowin,

7.25s.

Jeg Coughlin also swept both Pomona events, taking the

6.71/300 to 8.89/122.

finalist, Marcus Chambers.

International Raceway.

al record of 7.491 to qualify number one and clinched the title when Brad Jeter lost in round two.

before falling

but can best be remembered for his stint

NHRA events at Firebird

Motorcycle championship when point leader Angelle Seeling cut a horror .563 light in round two and fell by only .009 seconds to Greg Underdahl - 7.35s to

the semi-finals

Force’s test pilot.

12 eliminator categories

tour by qualify ing; the ‘Shoe’ advancing to

at least 10 events in the

in the NHRA.

Top e

in his first full season on the

budget big enough to run

competed in seven of the

Championship

teammate had and, with a

Car in Pomona, has now

events

tic. ^

the third team car for

■ Johnny Gray, who made his professional fuel class debut in nitro Funny

strug

gled mid-year,

7.56/178

7.50/178. Panella set a new nation

“This is a fantastic result for the

using the horsepower we’ve got to its full potential after that...” The Top Doorslammer bracket was

littered with dramas; Peter Kapiris qualifying but unable to front for eliminations after destroying an engine in the Kapiris Brothers Studebaker, Peter Gratz trailering his Valvoline Daytona after a wild ride bent a front strut and Andrew

Searle also missing eliminations after tearing the diff centre out of his ACME Fibreglass Customline. Former Australian Top Bike Champion Jeff Smith was also in the

history-writing mood, running the first ever 200 mph terminal for a nitro Harley in the country - a 202.20 mph first round blast. Like Bray, Smith also won the event.

Fellow Queenslander Brett Stevens also created his own little piece of his tory, top qualifying in both Top Bike and Top Doorslammer, his doorslammer debut quite impressive. His 7.13s top qualifying pass in Top Bike stood for low et of the event, while a final round finish compli mented his day. Peter Ridgeway opened his 1999/2000 Pro Stock campaign with a dominating win in his John William Auto Sales/No Fear Olds Cutlass.

Ridgeway top qualified, set low et and top speed of the event with a 7.69/177 pass prior to advancing to the final where he downed Bruce Leake - 7.79 to 7.95.

While Top Doorslammer and Top Bike attracted full fields, numbers were extremely short in most other brackets. Pro Stock having just six.

Super Stock just eight. Sydney’s Dennis Gatt took the Comp Eliminator win over Wayne Cartledge, both drivers slowing after Cartledge red-lighted. In Super Stock, after having been denied his chance of taking a win in Adelaide the previous week (see sepa rate report next page), Les Heintz defeated the hot Nick Xerakis with his F/Gas Camaro. Heintz ran a sub-index 9.16/151 to down Xerakis’ G/Gas 8.61/155 -

Xerakis also having run an 8.59. Other winners were Craig Geddes (Super Gas), Mark Mitchell (Modified), Matt Street (Super Sedan), Sam Giassara (Super Street) and Raymond Gould (Junior Dragster).

World’s best practice: Victor Bray again put his name on the ‘world’s fastest' title, running 232.13 mph with his (Dastrol Chevy, (pnoio by ihunderpics) Who said kiwis can’t fiy? Mike Nola topped 200 mph with his Pontiac the first nitrous-injected car to do so down-under. (Photo by wayne Nugent)

19 November 1999 0. W.TV

Smith’s Perfect Perth FORMER Australian Top

Bike Champion Jeff Smith opened his account in the 1999/2000 series with a win at Ravenswood

Raceway in Perth on October 31. The Queenslander had

the perfect event aboard his fuel-burning HarleyDavidson, top qualifying and taking the win along with the extra points for low elapsed time and top speed of the event - the Western Australian round

also offering a 50 percent points bonus.

Smith topped 195 mile per hour in qualifying for top speed, while his low et points came with his best ever run, 7.15s, in his first round win over fellow Queenslander Steve Kitchen.

Reigning Australian Champion, Townsville’s Craig McPhee, made the trek to Perth, qualifying fourth. McPhee advanced

to the semis, losing to Stevens.

The all-Harley final round nearly proved to be the only dent in Smith’s armour for the weekend

with opponent with Brett Stevens appearing to be headed for the win before the Jack Daniels bike shut

down too early. Smith scampering past to take the win by just six thousandths of a second. Doorslammer racer

Robin Judd won the Top Comp bracket, downing Nationals Super Stock champion Grant O’Rourke, the event providing Judd with the perfect preparation for the first round of the Top Doorslammer series at Calder Park in Melbourne.

000 Feb 6 Feb 27 Mar 19

Apr 9 Apr 16 Apr 30 May 7 May 21 May 28

Pomona, Ca Phoenix, /Lr Gainesville, FI

Las Vegas, Nv

Houston, Tx Richmond, Va. Atianta, Ga E’town, NJ Dallas, Tx Jun 4 Chicago, lii Jun 18 Columbus, Oh Jun 24 Madison, iii Jul 8* Bristol, Tn Jul 16 Denver, Co Jul 30 Seattle, Wa Aug 6 Sonoma, Ca Aug 20 Brainerd, Mn Aug 4 Indy, In Sep 17 Reading, Pa Octi Oct 8

Oct 22 Oct 29 Nov 12

Topeka, Ka Memphis, Tn Daiias, Tx Houston, Tx Pomona, Ca *non-polnts event

Garlits v Muldowney ■ c him to compete at historic events. The bitter rivalry between

DRAG racing’s living legends, Don Garlits and Shirley Muldowney, will revive their once-bitter rivalry

Motorsports Park in Florida on New Year’s eve.

The two triple NHRA World Champions and pioneers of the sport will race into 2000, leaving the line at the AUTOfest 2000 event at 11.59pm in the last drag race of the century. This will be the first meeting between Garlits and Muldowney in over 10 years

- Garlits having retired from driving jn 1992, while Muldowney still continues to match race her signatiue pink fueller

along with making the occasional IHRA

Muldowney and Garlits was very much

' o the centre of the storyline for the movie I “Heart like a wheel” - the story of

in a one-off match race at Moroso

g ■

Drag racing’s first Lady: Three-time NHRA Champion, Shirley Muldowney. and NHRA appearance. Garlits recently renewed his Top Fuel licence to enable

■ Further to our

Hofmann Racing story (see page 37) it is now certain that ace tuner

Ronnie Swearingen will crew chief Helen Hofmann’s Cristen Powell-driven Pontiac in 2000.

While rumours late last

Muldowneys life. AUTOfest 2000 will be a four day event with the Garlits/Muldowney fea

week had Larry Meyer signing for the position,

ture being complimented by the Top Fuellers and Funny Cars of Tony

varying teams’ plans at

Schumacher, Scotty Cannon, Larry

Pomona had ‘Rolex Ron’

Creasy Jr, and Paul Smith. Nine-time NHRA Funny

available with Cruz

Dixon, Ron Capps, Phil Burkart Jr, Steve Smith, Doug Herbert, Dale

Car

Champion John Force will be Grand Marshall of the “party so big it spans two centuries”

further news about the NHRA Finals in

available for the job... ■ Swearingen becomes

Pedregon’s five race deal with goracing.com coming to an end - an expected 2000 deal between

Spring hasn’t sprnng

Pedregon and goracing.com not coming

Oildowns and curfews leave first ADRS round event incomplete

Flynn and Wayne Dupuy both departing Jerry

to fhiition...

■ With crew chiefs Rob

Toliver’s WWF team

By STEVEN WHITE

following Pomona last

ADELAIDE International Raceway

though Dale Annstrong and Terry Manzer have

weekend, it appears as

hosted the opening rounds of the ANDRA ADR Series and Top Fuel Championships on November 5 and 6 at the West End Springnationals. The racing was some of the best ever seen in the country but there were, in everything excepting Top Fuel, no winners...

found themselves new

jobs for the new year. Armstrong split with Don Pradhomme’s ‘dream

team’just prior to Pomona while Manzer has been

out of a job since John Costanza parked his

With an entry list of 220 competitors, the event produced some truly amazing

Cristen Powell-driven

operation...

racing however it all fell apart with half an hour to go.

91 Dupuy and Phil Burkhart, with Nitro Fish money backing an entire

How did it happen? Well, with the finalists in Group 2 and semi-finalists in Groups 3 and 4 lin

ing the staging lanes, instead of at least running up to the point of necessity, the track management elected to run the Top Fuel final at 10.37. Literally moments later, at 10.38, with a two-laned, half track-on oil down

facing the clean-up crews, and with the 11.00 pm curfew just 22 minutes away, there was little choice but to end the

1999 Springnationals. Pressure from ANDRA officials, rac

ers and the paying public on the track management to finalise eliminations Sunday morning were all in vein - the record books showing Darren DiFilippo the only winner from the event while the sport, racers and fans all lost... It wasn’t all doom and gloom with the track temperature never looking better and the atmospheric conditions almost as good. Bruno Cugnetto was a late entrant in Super Stock and he made a huge impact, the VPW Olds Pro Stocker run ning the quickest times ever for the class - 7.681 and 7.651 - setting a new national record. There were two other ANDRA nation

al records reset, both in Super Stock. Les Heintz reset E/Gas to 9.21s and Graeme Walker lowered the C/Gas mark to 8.46s.

Top Fuel saw the five car field being led by Rachelle Splatt, making her last appearance at AIR. A strong 5.00/282

2000 season, have

round of Top Fuel.

Swinging Sixties: Bruno Cugnetto

lowered Pro Stock’s record to 7.65. (Photos by Steven While)

on to the top spot, Darren DiFilippo’s 5.08s good for second. Steve Read filled in for third with a 5.10s while Jim Read’s shut-off 5.20s

run in the Gregory’s Automotive Publications fueller was next. Robin

Kirby was fifth with a 5.32s best.

Splatt earned the bye in the first round, a shut-off 4.95 at only 255 mph impressive considering a half-track speed of 245.83. The Read battle saw Steve take a win

with a 5.08/245 over Jim’s 5.38/194

while

DiFilippo

downed Kirby’s

Pennzoil moimt 5.11/231 to 5.33/255.

the tour...

DiFilippo launched H strongly in the semis,

having a bye through to the final while Splatt downed Read to advance, the Valvoline/Cummins

car

running

5.01/235 to 8.23/86,

The final saw DiFilippo and Splatt leave together but that was about it Splatt’s engine breaking the crank at half-track and fireballing in spectacular fashion right through the finish fine. Crew chief Peter Wileman was disap pointed with the run. “The car hasn’t hurt a bearing or

spark plug all weekend but then breaks a brand new crankshaft for no reason,” he said. “This hurts, not only the pro gramme, but our pride...” DiFilippo’s engine suffered the same demise at the finish, although a

respectable 5.19/215 was good enough

for the win for the Performance Exhaust team.

Redback

Brad’ Anderson who has

There were a number of other stand

reportedly purchased Joe Gibbs’ now parked Pontiac Funny Car.

out performances in other brackets, most notably in Competition and Super Stock - Dave Koop recording his best ever 6.52s in Top Doorslammer and Sav Ali a 7.88 in B/AJtered.

Nick Xerakis also created history with the first 8.5s run in G/Gas, his

Dominator

Torque

Converters/

Northern Dynamics Probe running a sfunning 8.59. After being labelled a ‘millionaire’ by

in Queensland after losing the final of the Winternationals, Xerakis was qxiick and proud to point out his achievement. “Those backyard boys in Queensland need to go and get a part-time job...”

and ail finals of the first ADRS round,

finals of Comp and Super Stock. Both the Top Fuel cars of finalists Darren DiFilippo and Rachelle Splatt

the Springnationals, in Adelaide last weekend by directing the track to

succumbed to the inherent nature of the beasts and left oil trails after

equally divide the total prizemoney between the remaining competitors.

suffering engine damage, the resulting clean-up required proving to be too

It is believed to be the first time in

history that a track has been directed

much to complete in time for the event to recommence prior to the 11.00 pm

by the sanctioning body to pay out the

deadline.

ANDRA has responded to AIR’s inability to complete some semi-finals

total posted monies. With the event running slightly behind and only half an hour to curfew, the decision was made to run the final round of Top Fuel prior to the semi-finals of Groups 3 and 4 and the

■ Also in the Funny

Car buying mood is ‘Bad

It was a sad way to end the event...

#iit wUh

from the Valvoline/Cummins car held Redback Performance Exhausts car’s

apparently offered to huy Toliver’s Jim Epler driven car, turnkey. Dupuy set the car up and is totally familiar with the equipment with the pair believing it to be the ideal way to make an immediate impression on

Read all about it: Steve Read took out Jim Read in the first

Despite intense pressure from ANDRA officials and racers to

complete the event on the following morning, the track management was unable to allocate the time and the event cancelled.

Anderson, who has no

backer for his son, Randy’s team, will apparently ‘part the car out’... ■ Mike Dunn has re

signed with Darrell Gwynn’s team and, although the have no backer for 2000, the pair are expected to run in an attempt to attract a major sponsor.

The same can’t be said

for Bob Vandergriff, Eddie HOI, Tim Wilkerson and Cory Lee, all who are expected to be missing next season thanks to no

sponsor dollars. ■ Still appearing next season, albiet in just onecar form’, will be the Kalittas with uncle

Connie running just

nephew Doug in Top Fuel. Without KittyHawk backing their operation, Connie has decided that

digging deep for one car is enough...

19 November 1999

■ The Performance Wholesale

Queensland Sprintcar Summer Shoot-Out has certainly captured the imagination of competitors,

with several new cars and drivers

set to join the fray in the coming months. David Grose and Brian Dixon

will be returning to competition very soon and there are rumours circulating at the moment that suggest a return by Terry Bracken and a move by Speedcar star John Davidson into the V8 ranks.

Tony Bridge, who led the series pointscore after the opening two rounds, has a new Avenger chas sis almost ready to go. The Summer Shoot-Out has

given Queensland Sprintcar rac ing an enormous injection of excitement and professionalism and everyone involved is to be con

gratulated. Bill Mann, Peter Mitchell and Tony Loxley have worked tireless ly to make this series a success and their efforts have certainly been rewarded with plenty of great racing.

■ Inclement weather forced a prema ture end to round three of the

Coastline Vehicle Transport Super Sedan Series at Gympie’s Mothar Mountain Speedway on November 6. Rain swept across the complexafter the qualiljdng heats had been completed and washed out the remainder of the program. Although only a small field fronted for competition yet again, the racing was quite entertaining on a circuit that always produces plenty of action. Michael Gee, Jamie McHugh, John Leslight and Geoff Phillips, who is improving with every out ing aboard his ex-Stu Robertson Caloundra City Autos Pontiac, col lected heat wins.

Austrahan Saloon Car Federation Phil Jackson Memorial Award to

Brisbane Super Sedan veteran Ian “Gabby” Marshall. Queensland Saloon Car

Association president Paul Garmon presented Marshall with a sizeable trophy in recognition of

his outstanding contribution to the development and promotion of speedway sedan racing across Australia.

A former national champion and stiU one of Australia’s most popu lar Super Sedan drivers, Marshall was announced as the wirmer of the “Jacko Award” earher this sea-

VETERAN campaigner Bob Domjahn survived a late race hiccup to record an overdue fea ture race victory when he took round

two

the

Queensland Country Super Sedan

Series

By Chris Metcalf son, in recognition of his efforts as a competitor and his work as an administrator and official with the

ASCFandtheQSCA. ■ Formula 500s continue to thrive

throughout Central Queensland

and are providing re^ar updates about their activities. They have their next meeting scheduled at Rockhampton Speedway on November 27.

■ Rod Wilson emerged victorious when a group of Queenslandbased Limited Sprintcars ven tured south for a show at Grafton

Speedway on October 30. Wilson (Ipswich & West Moreton Fencing Gambler) sur vived a late challenge from Danny Devers to snare the feature race

win, former Queensland champion Ed Thorley (Mechanical Network Gambler) finishing third. John Hall exited the race when

he flipped in tium 1 and Wayne Head was also a casualty with a broken driveline.

Devers (Aussie Auto

Challenger) scored two heat wins and 'Thorley won the other. Brisbane Limited Sprintcar Club Championship pointscore: Danny Devers 102, Rod Wilson 88, Adrian O’Connell 56, Ed Thorley 44, Wayne Head 43, Rob ZiebeUs 36, Nathan Wotton 22, John Hall 12, Richard Atkinson 10, Zac Powell 10. a In a commendable initiative

Modified Productions also pro duced some good, close racing, with Greg Raymont (2) and Brock Clifford snaring heat victories. A highlight of the night was the presentation of the 1999

out

Yandina

Speedway on October 30. Domjahn advanced from the out side of row four to take over the

front running, but then had to sur vive a strong challenge in the clos-

from the Queensland Saloon Car

Association, a representative from the Department of Tourism, Sport and Racing was able to experience the excitement of speedway com petition at Gympie’s Mothar Mountain Speedway recently. Helen Carroll, who has been working closely with the QSCA in recent months in a bid to secure

government funding for the sport, occupied the passenger seat along side several Street Sedan competi tors and was absolutely rapt with the experience. “It was fantastic and now I’m

hooked,” she beamed after her dirt

track debut - after completing several events alongside talented Jxmior Sedan pilot Robert White, Helen commented that “this kid is

only 13 years old and he drives better than I do!”

Second Outlaws title for Mooar Mark Kinser THE

Outlaws

first pass and then Brent Kaeding

Championship has been decid ed, with Mark Kinser taking his second title in four years and his first with Mopar power.

World

rolled, nullifying Schatz’s second pass for the lead. From the restart, Swindell held on till the end - Schatz again threatened to steal victory on the last lap, but had to settle for second. Little brother Sammy Swindell finished third, ahead of Shaffer and Greg Hodnett - Lasoski tightened the points gap by finishing 12th to

The championship was also the second-closest in history, with Danny Lasoski finishing just 71 points adrift, with the King of Outlaws and last season’s champi on Steve Kinser third, a further 158 points behind. Brooke Tatnell, the first Aussie to contest the full gruelling Outlaws schedule, finished a cred itable 12th without the use of any provisional starts - the experience

gained by Tatnell with the world’s elite racers should make him the

man to beat locally, as long as the team can keep the gear under him.

Perria Auto Speedway The final four races of the season

fell to four different drivers, with battler Craig Dollansky taking his maiden feature at the “PAS” (Perris

Mark Kinser’s 21st.

Tatnell won the C-Feature and

then backed up to sixth in the B, where Murphy ran 17th a On Tuesday, it was again a Swindell in victory lane - this time however, it was Sammy in the

and won his second Channellock

also had his best Outlaws feature result when he crossed the line

behind Dollansky. Tim Shaffer, Steve Kinser and Sammy Swindell completed the top five, with Aussie Pete Murphy 23rd - Tatnell, however, had a bad night

and finished 13th in the B-Feature.

Las Vegas The fined event was a triple head er at Las Vegas Motor Speedway supported by Wirtgen. On the opening night (Monday, November 1) Jeff Swindell in the 104+ Octane Boost J&J led all but

one lap on his way to his first victo ry in 14 months. After winning the third heat and his second Dash and then starting from pole, Swindell had a race-long battle with Aussie-bound Donny Schatz before taking a one-car length win. Schatz actually hit the lead twice, but Swindell countered the

the

1999

World

Outlaws

Championship - Schatz has now won two of the last three events, including the Western World

Championship, where he swept both nights’ featm-es. After starting alongside Sammy Swindell, Schatz drove his Parker Stores Maxim around the outside of

the triple Outlaws Champion and was never headed throughout the duration of the 30-lap event. In the championship battle, Lasoski pulled infield with a severe driveline vibration to finish last, while Mark Kinser lasted until lap'

Channellock Stealth.

16 and was credited in 21st.

Sammy, who’d set a new track record in Monday’s qualifying, was only 15th fastest of the 75 competi

Johnny Herrera worked his way up to second, ahead of Shepard and Jeff and Sammy Swindell.

tors, but he won the second heat

Tatnell had made the race and

and the dash to start from pole. After colliding with Dollansky as they took the green flag, Swindell was never headed, leading all 20 laps and securing pole for Wednesday’s Feature. Top qualifier Joey Saldana was second, ahead of Jeff Shepard,

finished 18th after stopping twice with problems - Murphy wasn’t as lucky, finishing his season with a

Auto Speedway) - it was also DoUansky’s first Outlaws A-Feature victory. Dollansky drove his Polydome , Stevie Smith and Paul McMahan. Maxim to victory in the third heat Lasoski was sixth and Mark

Dash of the year, before leading all 30 laps of the main event and thus becoming the 14th different feature wirmer this year. In a night of firsts, Terry McCarl

tender when he hits Australia, after taking the final A-Feature of

Kinser finished outside the top ten. Tatnell did finish in the top ten (10th), while Murphy had to win the first non-qualifiers’ race to make the C, where he came eighth, a On Wednesday, Schatz showed that he will be a formidable con¬

fourth in the C.

a In other Outlaws news, Andy Hillenburg has announced a multi year extension of his current spon sorship deal with Luxaire. ■

’The famed

Bristol

Motor

Speedway will import more than 8,000 cubic yards of dirt to cover its concrete surface so that it can host the World of Outlaws and the Hav-

A-Tampa racing series - the Outlaws will hit Bristol for a two-

night show on June 9-10, 2000. -BRETT SWANSON

Another win for Leslight ROUND two of the Coastline Vehicle Transport Super Sedan Series at Rockhampton Speedway on October 30 was won by John Leshght. Leslight (Hi-Tec Oils Camaro) proved too strong in the shortened 20-; lap feature event after inheriting a front row start when local lad Jim ■ Williams failed to take his place on the gi-id - Leslight went to the fi-ont ^ when the race commenced and remained in control to the chequer. Mick Doblo, who clocked the quickest lap in time trials before chawing position six in the pre-race lottery, looked safe in second spot untU he was forced infield with just half a lap remaining. Matt Pascoe inherited the runner-up spot aboard his Ian Boettcher; Motors Mazda RX7 in only his second outing in the division, with Rob; Irwin finishing third. The 10-car field was depleted even further for the featuj-e when mechanical maladies prevented Jamie McHugh and Queensland champi-: on Lyndsay Hawkings from participating. The four qualifying heats were won by Leslight (2), Hawkings and McHugh, who swept around the outside after being sent rear of field. - CHRIS METCALF

Veteran Domjahn scores win in OLD Country Super Sedans

second place, with Lee Noon com pleting a Commodore trifecta in third spot. Geoff O’Keeffe was next best,

Barstow, with Kev Barkle and Rohan Cravino rounding out the top five. Five qualifying heats were contested, with wins falling to Barkle (2), Domjahn, Albert and Noon. Brett Hancock made his competi tion debut and acquitted himself quite well with a third place finish

ahead

in his first event.

ing stages after his supercharged Commodore dropped a cylinder. Chris Albert (Crescent Discount Paints Commodore) worked his way from the rear of the field to snare

newcomer

Max Dymasny Motorsport

the full schedule of events for the remainder of the season and they are as follows: November 27 - Bundaberg, December 18 - Maryborough, January 15 - Gympie, February 5 Bundaberg, February 12 - G^pie, March4 - Yandina, April 1 Gympie, May 6 - Maryborough.

Series organisers have finalised

- CHRIS METCALF

1999 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SERIES POINTS SCORE

Australian Distributors for

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1999/2000 Queensland Country Super Sedan Series progressive pointscore after round two: Lee Noon 362, Warren Barstow 351, Kev Barkle 341, Chris Albert 309, Don Birt 297, Wayne Kirkman 296, Rohan Cravino 280, Geoff O’Keeffe 270, Darren Bates 259, Bob Domjahn 228.

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2. Danny Lasoski 3. Steve Kinser. 4. Stevie Smith.

10561 10490 10332 10147

5. Sammy Swindell.... 10124 6. Johnny Herrera 10104 9996 7. Donny Schatz 9433 8. Jeff Swindell . 9. Tim Shaffer..

9342

10. Andy Hillenberg .... 9326

11. Daryn Pittman 12. Brooke Tatnell .... 13. Lance Blevins

14. Dale Blaney 15. Kevin Gobrecht....

8804 8198 5924 5553 5069

16. Jac Haudenschild ... 5047 4838 17. Tyler Walker.. 3952 18. Craig Dollansky 3816 19. Joey Saldana... 20. Frankie Kerr ..

3548

LAS VEGAS, OCTOBER 3, 1999 I. Donny Schatz 2. Johnny Herrera 3. Jeff Shepard 4. Jeff Swindell 5. Sammy Swindell 6. Stevie Smith

7. Kasey Kahne 8. Tim Shaffer 9. Steve Kinser

10. Randy Hannagan

11. Craig Dollansky 12. Terry McCarl 13. Daryn Pittman

14. Dean Jacobs 15. Paul McMahan

16. Andy Hillenburg 17. Joey Saldana 18. Brooke Tatnell

19. Greg Hodnett 20. Kenny Jacobs

lKl®9®[?Sfp®i79

19 November 1999

o Dominator

a..

I Tu //

snares WAR win

Hot’n willing: i ’Fresh from his

USA sojourn, a fiery Kerry Madsen didn’t

get past his

Mark Blyton too good in Brown & Skinner Series

first heat. (Swanson)

time and both retired; Barlee, though, was able to restart. Blyton led away again from Chippindall and McCubbin. The Knight team’s woes continued when Steve spun next. McCubbin started his charge and took second - as they charged down the back chute, he took the lead from Blyton, but again his lead was

Early leader: Unfortunately, Tim McCubbin retired

damaged from the feature. (Brett Swanson)

short-lived.

Further up the track, rookies Vogels and Bastow made contact

PCR winner. Max Dumesny.

and Bastow’s car turned hard left

with deranged steering just as McCubbin was storming through heavy contact ehminated both. Thomsen was now third from

NEW South Wales Sprintcar racer Mark Blyton left Western Auto Raceway at Bacchus Marsh with his maiden feature win and a new nickname on

November 13 - “Blyton the Battler” can now make way for the “Dubbo Dominator” after he

virtually led the crash-punctu ated second round of the Brown

& Skinner Transport Sprintcar Series from start to finish.

Blyton did have a slice of luck, twice, when local young gun Tim

McCubbin passed him, only to be called back for a spun car and then taken out in a heavy impact with rookie Paul Bastow. Second across the line after a

in heat two, the team suffered an engine lean out and retired the Craft Diffs/Scotts Transport Grizzly for the night. Ian Thomsen in the Apex Roof Trusses Maxim retook the lead and the win.

Earlier in the opening heat, Allan Barlee pushed the South Eastern Trucks Avenger to the win. Barlee’s father in law, Garry

Chippindall, drove the Hussey Performance Gambler brilliantly to pass leader Tony Pryor in the Tucker Time/BC Motorsport Gambler to take the win in heat three.

There was plenty of action in the final heat, when Steve Knight in the Flocon Engineering Foster stripped a spline in the left rear wheel and came to a sudden halt

hard night was Matthew Reed, with his good mate Darren Walsh third after spinning to the rear early in the race. The number of stoppages that occurred had a major bearing on the race, with a couple of competi tors losing good finishes and a potential win after running out of

after a spin - Blyton was leading

fuel.

drive to run second, ahead of

Fiery Kerry Madsen was a wel come late addition, driving for Peter and Richard Craft - but,

Barlee, McCubbin (PPG/Specialised

unfortunately after taking the lead

PCR) and Thomsen.

and went on to take the win.

In the stars dash, Blyton (Dyno Flow Exhaust Avenger) showed what was to come, as he started sixth and swept around the outside into the lead by the time they got to the back straight for the first time.

Blyton was on pole, ahead of the other dash stars and then Reed

(KatoAVholesale Automatics JSR), Pryor, Frank Ramsdale (D&G Plaster Transport Schnee), Bob Forbes (Culpen New Steel Stealth), Tony Simone (Performance West Gambler), John Vogels (Total Dairy Service Jenkins), Ron Dalton (East Ringwood Panels Gambler), Rob Farrer (Hi Fert Gambler), Ian Smith (Gambler), Steve Knight, Bastow (KwikseVApex Roof TVusses J&J), John Knight (PBR Gambler), David Swayn (Himgry Hound JSR), Peter Knight (Flocon Engineering

Forbes spun again, the last cau tion, as Blyton took the win - on the sniff of fumes only - from Reed, Walsh, Thomsen, Swayn, Dalton

Foster)

and Barlee and Farrer.

and

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Steve Knight had been fifth, but spun on the last lap.

McCubbin repeated Blyton’s stars dash start and swept around the outside of the pack into the lead by the back straight.

“This is our first feature win and

Panels J&J), Darren Walsh (CBIC

Hunter soon retired, followed hy Barlee just as Peter Knight experi enced brakes problems again and

Motorsport Supplies/Steelmark

spun - team-mate and cousin John

times bruising race with Chris Campbell - fellow young gun Neale Peachy took third from Scott Ellis and Mick Reidy.

IMght also stopped for the second

- BRETT SWANSON

Chippindall put in another great

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Weaver took the feature event in the AMCA Nationals after a some-

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didn’t make the same mistake and held the lead.

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Dubbo tonight,” said an elated firstup winner. “We’ll he hack here here - this is just a fantastic venue,” Blyton enthused. ■ Veteran speedway star Mark

rear

Left

Hunter

Just when he looked threatening, Ramsdale’s car ran out of fuel, as

But, unluckily for McCuhbin, Walsh spun in turn 3 and Peter Knight spun into him. Second time around, Blyton

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Ramsdale and was lucky, as he spun next but continued, just as Dalton spun and stalled. Ramsdale was now flying and, following cautions for spins by Forbes, Smith and Simone, was up to second, but Chippindall’s race ended, as he faded fast with a slick

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■ Newcastle Raceway Sprintcars, November 13 1st Skip Jackson 2nd Darryl Hodges 3rd

Bob Jackson

■ Pan-amatta City Raceway Sprintcars, November 6 1st Max Dumesny 2nd Skip Jackson 3rd

Peter Attard

■ Claremont Speedway Late Model Sedans, November 12

1st

Rody Schroyer

2nd

Brad Blake

3rd

Todd Schroyer

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Brad Blake

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19 November 1999

Coastline z^ener

to chamih Leslight NEW South Wales champion

John Leslight debuted his new Hi-Tec Oils Camaro in winning fashion with victory in the open

ing round of the 1999/2000 Coastline Vehicle Transport

Super Series at Kingaroy Speedway on October 23. Heat

wins

went

Jamie

for another lap before officials

when the chequer appeared and they finished as they started, with Leslight the victor from Randall and an ailing McHugh.

Domjahn was blackflagged from the event as a result, -joining Sheehan, Michael Gee (Weatherall Prestige Autobody Taurus), Geary, Graeme Lehmann (Wynn’s Commodore) and Mark O’Brien on

- CHRIS METCALF

ByTony MillarcljlsSUf

“I would like to be back with

Ipswich,” he said. “Foxhall Stadium has one of the best pre pared tracks. Some clubs do not start to get serious about their too late. I shall come back a better

rider next March and hope I will still be with the club. I just love the atmosphere.”

Marsama in Sweden.

Woodifield realises that he must finish in the first two in the South

“It is about time I made some

progress towards the Grand Prix,” he added.

■ Sydney irder Craig Watson is currently a target for many top

Watson was named “Rider of

the Year” at his Premier League club, Newpoi-t Wasps and feels he has some loyalty to the fans in South Wales.

“If I move on, I will need to be really sure I can make a go of it,” Watson said.

well and had the look of a team

■ Craig Boyce will be the only Australian to race in the big indoor meeting in Brighton short ly before Christmas. Grand Prix irders Joe Screen

Wiltshire is looking forward to

and Mark Loram are among a

his first year in the Grand Prix series next year, when he will be one of four Aussies taking part -

star-studded field for the only indoor meeting in Europe, which

he joins Jason Crump, Ryan Sullivan and Leigh Adams.

This year’s meeting is the third staged at the south coast resort and Boyce is expected to enjoy a short holiday back home in Sydney after the event.

H Brett Woodifield flew home to

Adelaide with two objectives.

Grizzly), who crossed the line with Bob Forbes (Forbes

way to take a comfortable win over Morris Ahearn’s Torana and Matt Bourke’s Commodore.

The field for the Street Stocks was huge and so was the action curd, for “stock-engined” sedans, these cars were really getting some fantastic speed around the big track.

Brad McClure seemed to be the class of the field in

his Falcon, going on in the final to take the win easily in the end, while the action behind was nerve-wracking. Northern Territory Champion Darren Job eventually took second after a torrid race-long battle with a gaggle of cars - Robbie Faux grabbed third. The next meeting, which features Super Sedans, Modified Production, GP Midgets and Standard Saloons, is scheduled for November 27. -BRETT SWANSON

Avenger. Kerang’s Rob Fairer had looked solid while leading the first half of the race in

he was squeezed while try ing to lap Darryl Bottams (Mallee Bakery JSR) and spun into the wall. Chippindall and Brennan

MSHH

had shared the heat wins.

In the 3 Litre Sedans, it was Michael Kiraly who took the honours in his VL

Commodore, leading aU the

wtorStreet $toQk vieteF Ira#

Rookie Robertson wins again Second Super Sedan win at Newcastle in only third drive has done it again, winning

“The tmth is that I have not yet made my mind up, nor will I for some time yet. It’s far too big a decision to make vrithout veiy careful consideration,” he said.

us all.”

took the win from Harold Brennan Jnr (Murray Panels

step towards the World Championships.

lining up for Oxford next season.

who might do something during the season,” he said, “but it just hasn’t worked out that way and that’s obviously disappointing for

In the Sprintcar final, it was veteran Garry Chippindall in the Hussey Performance Gambler who

18 year-old rookie V8 Super

the end of October.

’

the action was first class.

Sedan racer David Robertson

rider Todd Wiltshire will again be

But Wiltshire topped the aver ages for the Cheetahs. Wiltshire shared the disappoint ment of his promoter with the League season. “We seemed to start off quite

Standard Saloons were the fare for the night and,

while the Sprintcars and crowd numbers weren’t huge,

to make the Aussie final as a first

■ It now seems certain Sydney

purge.

Sprintcars, 3 Litre Modifieds, Street Stocks and

Australian Championships if he is

British Ehte League clubs. But the 23 year-old was having second thoughts as to whether he should step up to the top League when he flew back to Sydney at

Boyce could be victims of the

WHILE speedways throughout the rest of the state cancelled their meetings due to bad, or potentially bad, weather, new Bendigo International Raceway promoter Dave Roberts went ahead as planned and was rewarded with a rain-free meeting on November 6.

tracks until six o’clock, when it is

The Mildura irder has already signed contracts to race for Leszno in the Polish League and for

Aussies Steve Johnston and Craig

his Hi Fert Gambler, until

The 23 year-old wants to stay with the Ipswich Witches for next season and also hopes to gain a place in the Overseas Final of the World Championships.

way season.

threatened a major clear-out of his under-achieving team and fellow

the South Eastern Trucks

The American star moved to

Promoter Steve Purchase has

Automotive Stealth) ranging alongside. Barlee (nee Sally Chippindall) was fourth in

■ Former world Champion Billy Hamill, who won the crovra in 1996, has decided to base himself in Britain once again.

“I like it at Kings Lynn because it is such a fantastic track,” Adams said. “But, at the same time, it’s a difficult home track because everyone likes irding it. “It’s a nice big track and, when you are on the pace, you know you are set up for the Grand Piix.” Adams expects to have Mildura colleague Travis McGowan with him at Kings Lynn again - the youngster took a while to adapt to British racing, but, as the season went on, started to look the part.

■q.

mately slammed his Camaro into

slipped under Wayne Randall (Murrays Race Parts Mazda RX7) for second spot. Paul Geary (Tool Truck Pontiac) spun infield in turn 3 on the open-

H Leigh Adams tied up his future at Kings Lynn before jetting home to Austraha for the home speed

into a fight for survival, with John Sheehan advancing to fourth until he ventured uptrack in turn 1, was contacted by Bob Domjahn and ulti

the infield. Just three cai-s were still mobile

Prix commitments.

decided to halt proceedings Once underway, the race settled

In the feature event, Leslight went to the front as McHugh

Swedish and Polish League matches, as well as for his Grand

(/)

to third - and the race continued

the fence.

the Midland and will commute for

ing lap - after advancing from fifth

McHugh (two) in his Miami Smash ' Repairs Camaro and Leslight (two), while the totally unnecessary Top Ten Shootout resulted in Leslight clocking fast time with a 16.64-second lap and then selecting pole position for the feature.

Sweden this year when he thought he would not get a team spot in Britain - but, by May, he was back at Coventry and believes he will be there again next season. As a result, he will be setting up home and workshop facilities in

uses a shale-based circuit.

another main event at the

Wynn’s Newcastle Speedway. In only his third competitive V8 Super Sedan drive, the second gen eration (son of Maitland Sedan vet

eran Stu Robertson) teenager blitzed a class' field to win the open

ing round of the $27,000 Gough and Gilmour Series on November 6.

. 23 cars fronted for the first night of the six round series, with only Robert Carrig and Alan Shirley missing firom the pre-meeting nomi nation list - Carrig had come up short of time, only getting son Joel’s Pontiac on to the track for the

series opener, rather than his own for the plaimed two-car operation. Shirley’s excuse was far more painful - working on the team cars on the top shelf within the Valley Tyres Racing pantec, he slipped and fell to the bottom of the truck,

badly damaging his knee and aggravating a reconstruction from the past.

It may be as long as March next year before Shirley is able to com pete, leaving the bulk of the racing

two heat victories in the Nissan Lift-trucks #64 VT Commodore.

pits, his striking new colour scheme complete with Valvoline artwork on

Not to be outdone, son Keith scored a direct hit in the following heat, taking the #64 VT team car to an easy win - “I can’t let the old boy get one up on me,” he said. With Keith’s brother, Chris, also campaigning a Commodore, it must be quite an effort to prepare the three-car operation for racing each

the bonnet.

week for dad Dennis and the crew.

to team-mate Bruce Gillon in the

sister Valley Tyres/BF Goodrich Pontiac.

The head-turning PEPS Spares VT Commodore of Peter Garratt was the centre of attention in the

The meeting signalled the return of two of the Hunter’s most volatile

competitors, Australian champion Ron Pyne and Alan Baker. Pyne made his debut in the #1 Auto One/Shell Helix Pontiac after his 16 year-old (and Parramatta feature winner) son, Clayton, vacat

ed the cockpit and went back to the spanners for dad to contest the Gough and Gihnour Series. It was a night to remember for the Sims family, which featured prominently in all the heats and wound up winning more than their share of the early programme. Dennis Sims scorched away to BreR Swanson pic

Get it right... Nathan MacDonald’s engine didn’t blow in QSSS Rd 1 OUR story in the last issue of Motorsport News on the opening round of the Queensland Sprintcar Summer Shootout was not entirely correct - while Dean McComb certainly won the race (and deservedlsr so), Nathan MacDonald’s new Mad engine didn’t explode, as was reported.

THIRD GENERATION: Five months old Jac Barlee fits

comfortably in the seat of his dad’s Sprintcar. Jac’s father, Allan, his mum,

MacDonald exited the race after a clash with Drew Kruck's Titan

Sally (nee Chippindall) and grand-dad Gany Chippindall all race the winged beasts, while aunt Tracy Chippindall races Standard Saloons - all things

Garages machine - apologies to-the MacDonald team, as from all reports this self-developed engine and chassis combination appeal's to be a rocket.

considered, Jac looks a good bet for a speedway racing future.

-BRETT SWANSON

c 0)

T9 November 1999

KkComb wins wet 'n wiU QSSS Round 3 DEAN McComb may have won a

wet

third

fans, though. Brazier’s engine

round of the

threw a rod as he started for the

Queensland Sprintcar Summer Shoot-Out on November 6, but

3X3 Shoot-Out, putting him out for the night and robbing the event of

it was Clem Hoffman who won

the hearts of the crowd, the budget racer leading the first third of the event until low oil pressure and a determined

McComb ended what had been a valiant effort.

It was also a night when 131Shop/TruckMasters driver John

Kelly finally found the form he had been looking for to finish second in

the 25-lap feature, an unlucky Steve Mortimer in his eye-popping “pretty in pink” machine rounding

out the top three.

Despite the inclement weather, a good crowd was kept on its toes throughout the night, which saw many drivers finding the fast, tacky clay surface a handful - upside down club membership forms were handed out with monotonous regu larity, Cameron Gessner, Todd Wanless, Adam Tulloch and Phil

Foster assisting the economy over the next few weeks with some large repair bills.

Gessner came out the worst, bicy

cling violently in turn 1 at the start

of the main and end for ending to

destroy the front of his attractive

#88 Union Steel sprinter, leaving the rest of the car in a sorry state. Garry Brazier dominated the heats, the #28 House of Auto

Styling/Capalaba 4WD Wreckers Maxim running rough-shod over the opposition to record two victories.

Sadly for the Barry and Chris Lawrence-owned team and the

its top qualifier.

After the series of three-lap sprints for the 3X3 Shoot-Out were completed, it was Wanless who took

home another $1000 pay cheque for winning the event - Drew Kruck

claimed second place, ahead of Kohn Kelly. Lucas Oils driver Andrew Scheuerle won the B-Main with ease from Andrew McKenzie and Brock Dean.

With McComb and Hoffman off

the front row, the 25-lap feature was considered to be a McComb

3X3 Shoot-Out winner, Todd Wanless. cTony iloxie/rte)^ With eight laps to go, Wanless’ exciting run came unstuck when he bicycled into turns 3-4 and back-

flipped into the fence, broken sus-

Dean McComb and

pension components and a bent

third-placed Steve

rear axle ending his night.

Mortimer.

benefit - but Hoffman’s #8 Sponsor Wanted Avenger drove away, leav

McComb only had to maintain his

As the pack entered turn 1,

and, in the end, the Titan Garages

ing the field in his wake!

Gessner lost control and took a big tumble, taking out Ricky Mitchell and damaging others - Darryl Hodges had to replace two wings, while Mitchell was out for the night, allowing first reserve Tony

Michelle into the field. At the restart, Hoffman again

ran away from McComb, while

Wanless,

Kruck, Kelly

and

Happy boys: Runner-up John Kelly (left), winner

With only seven cars remaining,

pace and the win would be his -

pilot got the job done, claiming his second QSSS feature victory in three weeks. Scheurele, after a solid drive from position 13 to fourth, claimed the Hard Cheu’ger award.

McComb thus bumped series leader Tony Bridge from the niun-

ber one spot in the points. Bridge

faiUng to contest the feature due to

Scheuerle surged forward to peg final heat mechanical problems, back the leaders. McComb now heads the QSSS As his oil pressure fell, Hoffman series with 165 points, Kruck folsurrendered the lead to McComb lowing with 149 points, ahead of

and then pulled infield to retire, a

sad end to an impressive run.

Adam Tulloch also retired after flipping in turns 1-2, McComb leading the restart ahead of Mortimer,

Kelly and a desperate Wanless, who was throwing everything at his third-placed team-mate.

Bridge (142), Gessner (142), Hodges

(137), Wanless (137), Sherri

Schaffer (135), Mitchell (115), Brazier (112) and Dean (110). The next round of the

Queensland Sprintcar Summer Shoot-Out is at Lismore Speedway

on November 20.

Impressive: Clem Hoffman

.^surprised everyone with

his pace, at least until the

oil pressure dropped.

DARRIN Treloar and Alan Griffiths (Frank Midgley pic, above)

I (Tony Loxley pic)

emerged victors at round 3 of the Clean Team Sidecar Super Prix

at Riverview Speedway, Murray Bridge, on October 30.

However, the second place finish by Victorians Andrew Cleave and

Dave Power was sufficient for them to take the series lead by one point. West Aussies Glenn O’Brien and Jeff Gittus - round one winners at Western Auto Raceway, Bacchus Marsh - finished third. Dave Bottrell and Mick Nixon rolled their outfit in their first heat and

Bottrell spent some time in hospital with severe bruising to the neck.

- BRE'TT SWANSON

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I <9

TONY Stewart became the first

three races in one season with

By Martin D Clar ■ Ted Musgrave encountered ignition failure in his GlaxyButch Mock Taurus in Miami and announced to the team he

would not get back in the car to complete the race, or he in Atlanta for the season-ender. “It

makes me look bad,” he said. “It makes the team look bad, so I’d rather sit back and watch some

body else go downhill.” ■ Ryan Pemberton, younger brother of Robin Pemberton, the

crew chief for Rusty Wallace, will head up Jasper Motorsports next year as crew chief - he’s current ly working for MB2 Motorsports and driver Jerry Nadeau, who replaced the retfted Ernie Irvan. Charley Pressley, who Pemberton replaces, has joined Mid West Transit Racing and driver Ricky Craven as it’s team manager.

■ Eive of Jeff Gordon’s Hendrick crew members have been hired

away by Robert Yates Racing to perform race day pit stop duties on Dale Jarrett’s Taurus starting next season.

‘T thought they would have had a little more respect for us and at least come to talk to us, so we could sit down and talk to

them,” said Gordon. “We’ve gone through some changes this year

so change is not new to us.” The jackman, two tyre carriers and two tyre changers told Yates

they would only leave the Rainbow Warriors as a group two members have been with the

team since it’s inception seven years ago.

!fi Ray Evernham’s two-car Dodge team will run numbers #01 and #19 in Winston Cup competition in 2001, the #01 sig nifying the year and #19 Evernham’s old Modified racing number.

E Jack Sprauge recently won the NASCAR truck Series champi onship in a Hendrick Chevrolet. It was his second title in three

years following a last lap pass of two trucks for the win at the

California Speedway. Tlie series will race for the first '

MARTIN D CLARK

Winston Cup rookie to win

Report by

siirv

19 November 1999

time at Daytona on February 18 next year.

No restrictor plate will be used, due to the aerodynamics, or lack of, with the truck fronts. ■ Dale Earnhardt Jr won his sec ond NASCAR Busch Series title

in two years, after a runner-up finish at Phoenix on November 6

in a Monte Carlo owned by his

father.

Gordon won the event.

Winston Cup Champion Jeff

his victory at the inaugural Miami-Homestead

race

November 14, the event also

seeing Dale Jarrett clinch his first Winston Cup champi

onship by finishing a solid and steady fifth. Bobby Labonte’s runner-up finish to Stewart by 5.289 seconds in the race was not enough to overcome Jarrett’s 211-point lead at race’s end and even the extra points he gained for leading the most laps could no nothing - Jarrett only had to end the day with a 186-point advantage. “I love this. Man, what a day,”

said Jarrett. “To me, this is the ulti

mate accomplishment to say that you can be called champion. That you’ve done your job. “In this sport, it takes everybody to make that happen - we are the champions and that’s just an incredible feeling.” Aside from Jarrett’s post-race cel ebration, the only excitement in the race was Stewart getting together

second scheduled pit stop saw him collecting a stop and go penalty for speeding on pit road. Mayfield would finish 13th, one spot behind his Penske team-mate. Rusty Wallace, both Fords one lap

off the pace and Wallace lapped during the long green flag runs.

with his Joe Gibbs stable-mate, B

The race, which was run over 267

Labonte.

The pair raced hard after final pit stops and Stewart got into Labonte as he came off the pit speed build-up lane, sending the latter up the track and out of con

ing the event - and even the teams thought so, two seen watching a football game on the pit cart TV monitors during the latter half! Burton’s strong finish dropkicked Gordon back to sixth in the

owned Taurus on lap 185. This left Rudd one race, Atlanta,

many races.

has attained, winning at least one

“That was a rookie mistake. I’d

would be one word used in describ

laps and 300 miles, featured only one caution for Ricky Rudd, who blew the Yates engine in his selfto accomplish a feat no other driver

tention in turn 3.

Stewart joining Gordon as the sea son’s only back to back winner. As for the race, or lack of it, dull

current Winston Cup pointscore standings, his second drop in as Although the top ten in points is sewn up for the prestigious banquet in New York city on December 3,

some places are subject to change within the ten following the season ending Atlanta race. Final positions; Stewart (Pontiac) 140.335 mph, B Labonte (Pontiac), J Burton (Ford), Martin (Ford), Jarrett (Ford), Skinner (Chevy), Petty (Pontiac), Earnhardt (Chevy), Dallenbach (Chevy), Gordon (Chevy). Points standings: Jarrett 5087, B Labonte 4876, Martin 4778, Stewart 4651, J Burton 4573, Gordon 4571, Earnhardt 4354, R Wallace 4031, W Burton 3927, Skinner 3861.

race in 17 straight years - “I told

like to apologise to Bohby,” remarked Stewart in victory lane. Labonte was not happy when he

Robert (Yates) if he wanted to try

an34hing experimental at the end of the year he could,” said Rudd. “We’re not running for points at this stage, but I would like to keep

radioed about the incident to his

team, but was noncommittal post race.

Points leader Dale Jarrett head

When the green flag replaced the yellow, 76 laps of racing remained and Stewart was first off pit road, Labonte, Martin and Jarrett the remaining front runners - Stewart took off like a jack rabbit, but

threat he is going to be on his way to winning the Winston Cup title in 2000 with his sec ond win of his rookie year at

ed 50 laps before halfway, but ran over a beer can to cut a tyre and fall a lap down on lap 149 in 26th place.

Labonte soon reeled him in and ten

with at Richmond, where he

laps later was in front again.

scored his first win in September,

that streak ahve.”

“We were both trying to go for the same piece of real estate at the same time. It really didn’t matter,

as my car got tight there at the end and he caught me and passed me,” said a disappointed Labonte. The Pontiacs set a blistering pace amid the palm trees, their downforce showing up on the 1.5-mile flat speedway and left NASCAR talking about aerodynamic changes for next year.

The marque captured six of the top seven starting positions, with David Green the surprise pole-sit ter in his Tyler Jet 10-10-345 entry at 155.759 mph - Chevrolets and Fords only led during the exchange of pit stops, or during the caution period. Green headed the first seven

Tony takes tw TONY Stewart showed what a

But, once Labonte’s tyres got

older, his car got tighter and Stewart again fought back for the lead, heading the way through a final round of green flag stops (on lap 248 for Stewart and 244 for Labonte).

Both took on right side tyres and one can of fuel and, just after the stop, Stewart forced Labonte wide

Phoenix on November 7.

Driving the same car he won Stewart set a new track record in

leading 150 of the 312 laps and 147 of the final 154 circuits - his win also moved him to fourth in

series points to head Jeff Gordon by 39 points. “I’ve got people calling me every week wanting me to kick Gordon’s rear-end, so Fm glad I was able to

keep up my end of the bargain,”

into the marbles - the rest was his

remarked Stewart, who became

tory.

only the second driver to win two

tours and then outside pole-sitter John Andretti took up the running through lap 27, before Labonte first showed his strength and carried on

Jeff Burton took fuel only on his

races in a rookie season - no rook

final pit stop, taking the lead for a

ie has finished in the top five in points since the current system started in the early seventies.

to dominate the first two thirds of

Burton to come home third, one

the race through two rounds of green flag pit stops. Stewart moved into second on lap 98, after adjustments on his Grand Prix during the first stop, ahead of Andretti and Mark Martin, the lat

ter the strongest of the non-Pontiac brigade and fourth, with Jarrett’s similar Taurus riding fifth. Jeremy Mayfield had run as high as third in the early going, but his

few circuits - but, on two fresher boots, Stewart and Labonte soon

passed the Roush Taurus, leaving place in front of his Roush team mate, Martin. Mike Skinner and Kyle Petty

were the only other cars on the lead lap, such was the Gibbs dominance, while Dale Earnhardt posted a good non-restrictor plate run in eighth. Wally Dallenbach, just for a change, had the better of the Hendrick Chevys in ninth, while a subdued Jeff Gordon was tenth.

Mark Martin was overshadowed

as the ruimer-up in an uninterest ing race, Martin some 2.081 sec onds in arrears, with Stewart’s Gibbs team-mate Bobby Labonte good for third, followed by Jeff Burton and previous Phoenix win ner Ricky Rudd. Martin sewed up the manufac turers title for Ford by finishing second - Ford won the award in 1997 and Chevrolet in 1998.

Four Pontiacs finished in the

top ten, even after NASCAR offi

cios ordered changes to the top of

the rear quarters at Phoenix prior

to qualifying - it was clear that the GM marque had the advan tage in Florida, Stewart taking the spoils and John Andretti grab bing the pole with a 132.714 mph lap. Andretti, whose grandfather

passed away only days before, des perately wanted to win the race for him, but his crew’s late two-

tyre gamble under green flag con ditions did not' pay off and eighth was all he could muster, one place behind team-mate Kyle Petty.

Final positions: Stewart (Pontiac) 118.132 mph, Martin (Ford), B Labonte (Pontiac), J Burton (Ford), Rudd (Ford), Jarrett (Ford), Petty (Pontiac), Andretti (Pontiac), Dallenbach (Chevy), Gordon (Chevy). Points standings; Jarrett 4927, B Labonte 4696, Martin 4613, Stewart 4471, Gordon 4432, J Burton 4403, Earnhardt 4212, R Wallace 3904, W Burton 3806, Skinner 3706. - MARTIN D CLARK

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1999 WINSTON CUP SERIES RESULTS Homestead Miami Speedway 14 November 1999 4. Mark Martin

Ford

5. Dale Jarrett

Ford

6. Mike Skinner

.Chevrolet

7. Kyle Petty

.. .Pontiac

11 .Geoffrey Bodine l2.Rusty Wallace I l.Jeremy Mayfleld 14.WardBurton .. I S.Kenny Wallace 16John Andretti .. I T.Sterling Marlin .

...

.Chevrolet

I S.EIIIott Sadler ..

9. Wally Dallenbach Jr. I O.Jeff Gordon

.Chevrolet

l9.StevePark

.Chevrolet

20.Jimmy Spencer

1. Tony Stewart 2. Bobby Labonte 3. Jeff Burton

8. Dale Earnhardt

.. .Pontiac

...

.. .Pontiac Ford

....

Points to 7 Nov 1999 I Dale Jarrett .. 2 Bobby Labonte

.4927

Ford Ford

3 Mark Martin ..

.4613

.. .Pontiac

.4471

.. .Pontiac

4 Tony Stewart . S Jeff Gordon ... 6 Jeff Burton ...

.Chevrolet

7 Dale Earnhardt

.4212

Ford

3 Rusty Wallace

,3904

.Chevrolet

9 Ward Burton .

3806

Ford

iO Mike Skinner

.3706

■Chevrolet

.Chevrolet

.4696

,4432 .4403

19 November 1999 FOR what is likely to be the final time, Japan will host the World Cup at the Suzuka kart circuit, which is situated just beside the famous Grand Prix track - in 2000 and

beyond, the World Cup will move to the new

Motegi circuit, sight of the famous “twin-ring.” Leading the charge will be Formula A drivers Mark

Winterbottom (Kosmic) and

Brendan Dive (Birel), while in

ttustralia's f

Gurr (Kosmic) and Andrew

ICA Champion Neil McFadyen will be looking for his third season

victory in a row

■3

when he moves

w V

to fa in 2000. (Henshelwood pic)

I 1^

issault

-» 1

LEO phar^

o'J

15^ CKELK

MUIhL'

Wynn’s Series will be healed

- Hunt qualified third, fin

in time.

ished second in both heats

THE hottest piece of news

Gurr is looking to prove a point or two in Japan, the

this stage haven’t officially

and won the pre-final.

in local Formula A has been the announcement

been announced.

Swiss Hutless has been a

tinue until at least the close

that newly-crowned Junior Intercontinental A Champ Adam Graham is moving straight to Formula A, instead of using the more traditional quafifying route

major player on the world arena in recent years, with victories in Super A and

of the 2000 series. Also unsure of his future is

Tomlinson (Tony Kart). Dive, like Winterbottom, is having his first visit to the

runner-up position behind

land of the rising sun and is

McFadyen in the Wynn’s

hoping that the collarbone he

broke in the roll-around laps

Series and show that he has what it takes to emulate

He will also be looking to make up for the disappoint ment of not making the start of the European ICA Championship, which was won by former FI driver Teo Fabi’s son, Stefano.

at the final round of the

Hunt’s record there last year

- SEAN HENSHELWOOD

talented Konica-backed dri

ver hoping to improve on his

Hageman's dose win at Caider Park Superkarts SOME of the closest racing of the year was witnessed at Caider Park during the penultimate roimd of the Victorian Superkart Series on October 31, the tape measure coming out for the 80cc

race where only a few centimetres sepa rated Peter Windhager and Darren Dunn on the fine,

'fhe windy conditions on the day made slipstreaming very important, a feature employed by the lOOcc drivers to good effect.

100CC Light Colin McIntyre, Ben Castles, Rod

Prickett, Jason Desailly, Jason McIntyre and Tim Macrow constantly swapped places early in all the heats, one little slip enough to drop off the pack.

Colin McIntyre won the first three heats, the other drivers raffling the minor places. The final was close, placings changing constantly until late in the race, when

Prickett, Castles and Colin McIntyre broke away and crossed the line three abreast, only inches separating them.

Castles won the final, but Colin McIntyre bad the overall points and Prickett was

Windhager in front from Dunn by 60mm, with James third.

James moved up one place in the final to finish behind Dunn, but his earlier DNF dropped him back to overall third behind Dunn.

Dean Currie again won the restricted class.

It took a few laps before the group com prising Michael Chiodo, Rod Clarke, Ricky Setterfield, Darren Spencer, Scott Atwell, Graeme Clarke, Nicholas Higgins and Rolf Grieve split into two and, with the place swapping at the front, it was very close between Chiodo and Clarke going into the final.

The latter pair- got a small break early in the final, only to have the pursuing bunch

work together to close up again. Eventually, though, the leaders broke the slipstream of the following karts and Clarke

took the win ahead of Chiodo and Spencer. 100CC Junior

'Ti'ent McIntosh and Ulrich Deyssing went at it hammer and tongs right from the start, making it very hard for Travis Grigg and Ian Jones to get a look in. Deyssing won heats one and three, while

McIntosh took heat two - but McIntosh

stole the final to win the day, with Gregg

third.

80cc gb

Heat one saw Darren Dunn, Peter

Windhager and Darren James pull away

Smart across the line.

Race three saw Bakker break a chain

adjuster and Smart’s engine let go in a big way. Barker and Hageman leading Neville home.

Hageman reversed the finish in the final

by leading Barker across the line in a close

finish - but Barker had the points to win overall, \vith Neville third.

Clarke Todd made the switch from his 125cc into the 250cc Nationals with mixed fortunes.

Wayne Schultz was kept on the job by P-

plater Matt Thomas, who took the win in

heat two, Schultz winning the third heat and setting up a good race for the final.

Unfortunately, 'Thomas then had a DNF,

was brought out to split

Australian

shores

Austrahan Junior Champion prior to joining the European Formula A scene - fellow

Sydney driver Ryan Briscoe

“So far, we’re two from two (having become the ’98

followed the same route the

Junior Intercontinental A

year after Courtney.

champion

Not only is Graham jump ing straight to the elite class, but he is joining a new team. International Karting have

been

already impressive line-up their first course of action is

to put together a team that can take out the Australian

FMK Championships. Joining Graham in the team will be some pretty interesting names, who at

and

the

’99

2000, including the Elf La Filiere school and a run in

Formula Super A for Top Kart in Eruope. Another young sensation to join the Formula A ranks will be Tony Kart’s Andrew Tomlinson. Tomlinson is somewhat of

Intercontinental A Champ), so we are looking seriously at

a newcomer to the sport, having been involved for a

three from three. No-one’s

ever done it before, so we’re out to prove we can,” McFadyen said. New FA Champion Jamie Whincup was emother driver

mere 18 months, but his

debut race in the Wynn’s Series saw a fantastic pre

Ryan

final win prior to a second place finish in the final. With the might of World Champions Tony Kart behind him, Tomlinson will be worth watching. Throw in reigning ICA Oceania Champion Alan

Wldozinski also hinted at retirement at the close of

drivers from the 1999 FA

due to be lost to Formula

Ford, but rumours suggest that the talented Melbournian has been made a number of

offers by top teams. 1998 champion

Gurr and a feast of hungry

this year’s series - but, after his podium finish for the Energy Karts/Bill Heath

ranks and 2000 is shaping up to be one hell of a season. - SEAN HENSHELWOOD

European Champions in Cairns just outside Cairns, for a week of entertainment and driving schools. The two Swiss Hutless drivers have been invited by circuit owner Horst Kipper to com_ plete a number of kait schools with the circuit’s extensive array of Swiss Hutless Karts, as

well as provide on-track demonstrations of the new range of 2000-homologation Swiss

Hutless chassis and the awesome 1751cm/li Formula C gearbox karts.

An invitation is extended to all karters in Australia to attend the Thursday. December 2 to Sunday, December 5, schools and celebrations. Interested parties should contact MakoTrac on 07 4039.1155. - SEAN HENSHELWOOD

250CC International Eight of these machines came out to play, with Tony Rath and Mike McCrudden really fired up and Jason Perry chasing them

hard.

Rath had a moment 100 metres from turn

1 when a left front tyre cried enough and

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luckily, no damage was done, McCrudden going on to win, ahead of Perry, Mark

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Brundell and Chris Mann.

Heat two saw McCrudden and Rath in serious mode, a situation that continued for

the remaining heats - Perry drove as hard as he could, but, with the leaders pushing each other on, it was hard to stay in touch. Heats three and four saw Rath and

McCrudden swapping places several times as they raced inches apart at speeds over 200 km/h. Perry following this pair over the

McCrudden, with Rath snatching third from Brundell (tied on points) by finishing higher

Heat three was so close that the tape

file offers on the board for

Ford, but the exposure gained from the coverage of the FMK Championships has prompted a retWnk.

handing the win to Schultz, with Todd third.

.Heat two saw James coast to a stop, while

three.

tially linked to Formula

THE week following the World Cup at Suzuka, reigning European Champions Giuseppi Palmieri and Julien Poncelet will visit Queensland’s MakoTrac, situated

line and Wishing second on the day behind

Daniel Protzman tried to tack onto the front

World Formula A Champion James Courtney, who left

led Neil Smart and Simon Neville over the

from the rest on lap two, with Robi Canuti

the closest to them.

was tenth in the final of this

ing in recent years and the relatively young business has just added Swiss Hutless chassis and Vega tyres to its

had an off on the hill, recovering to follow

Also rumoured to be mak

ing the move to Formula A is

year’s World Championships - has a number of high pro

takeover in Australian kart

line, Mick Bakker retiring with an overheat

European Championships.

World Championship sensa tion TVoy Hunt. At this stage, details have not been finalised, but the young Sydney driver - who

Champion, Neil McFadyen. The Top Kart star was ini

125CC gb

ing problem. Hageman got it all together in heat two and the pressure was taken off when Barker

Formula A in the recent

Racing team at Eastern Creek, he looks likely to con

the new Intercontinental A

mounting somewhat of a

250cc National

100cc Heavy

via Intercontinental A. The last driver to make such a bold move was 1997

Distributors

Peter Hageman had a bad first heat, but there were no dramas for David Baker, who

third.

measure

Intercontinental A we will be

represented by Australian Champion NeU McFadyen (Top Kart), Oceania Champion Alan

flffl

Japanese

up in the final. The final round

of the

Victorian

Superkart Series is scheduled for Winton on November 28.

-GRAEME BURNS

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19 November 1999

Lancia day in Castiemaine

Roaring 6T40 for Adelaide By BRIAN REED

CASTLEMAINE In central Victoria Is the traditional home of the Australian Lancia

THERE’LL be a touch of Le

Manjs about this year’s Classic Adelaide with the inclusion of a rare GT40 Ford.

Queensland car collector

of the faithful took place on October 15-17.

David Bowden has entered the

And what a gathering it was with 127 Lancias from all parts of Australia along with 54 international guests from nine countries attending. Sunday’s program started with a assembly of the

built at Lola Cars for Ford in 1965 and sold in 1966. Ford dom inated the Le Mans 24-hour race in the mid-60s and this GT40 is

participating cars in front of the historic market building while a meeting of the International

first road-going version of the GT40 Mark 1 (chassis No. 1034)

one of six other Le Mans-type

racers that will be part of the parade section of the rally. The GT40 was previously owned by German driver Peter

Association of Lancia Clubs was held inside. Then it was off

Rossier and has been leading

to Tarnagulla Historical Park for lunch and judging of the

the European GTM Historic sports car series this year hav ing won the series previously in

Concours. There was a fine cross-

1997.

ranging from the long, rakish

#1034 will be piloted in the Adelaide Classic by champion

KB in a GT40: Kevin Bartlett will pilot David Bowden’s Ford GT40 in Adelaide later this month,

Lambdas of the 1920s through to the revolutionary Stratos - the

Australian

litre configuration.

Bartlett, who won the CAMS

The SR featured a steel mono-

car that dominated the World

Gold Star on two consecutive

Rally Championship on the mid

occasions - 1968 and ’69. ‘Big Rev Kev’ was a fearless competi tor during the Formula 5000 era and will also be long remem bered for his stirring win against adversity in the 1974

coque with a suspension system copied from the Ford GT40, a Hewland gearbox, side-mounted Sprite radiators. Girling light alloy brakes and a Birmabright aluminium alloy body. Drivers of the Austin Healey SR were Andrew Hedges, Clive

section of Lancias taking part

seventies. The Bertone

designed Stratos taking part in the 15th National Lancia Rally is owned by Rod Quinn from W.A. and not surprisingly won the Best Car award at the rally. Special guest of honour this year was Dr. Enrico Masala, Lancia’s Director of Policy and Strategy, an Italian with a passion for the marque and the man who has been largely responsible for the re establishment of the Turin

factory’s Lancia collection which now numbers 72 cars.

Of significance is the fact that Lancia topped the list with six nominations. These included

the Lambda of the '20s, the

Aprilia of the '30s, the Aurelia BIO and the B24 Spider of the ’50s, the Fulvia HF1600 of the '60s and the Stratos of the ’70s.

Lancia’s closest rivals in the top 100 are Alfa Romeo, BMW,

Ford and Jaguar, all equal second with four nominations. As to which car will be voted

The Car of the Century, we’ll have to wait and see. But

Lancia buffs have their fingers crossed.

driver

Kevin

Hardie Ferodo 1000 at Bathxmst with John Goss in a Ford

Baker and John Harris but

after a promising start during

Falcon GT. His other inspiring performances in a big blue

which it recorded more than 260km/h down Mulsanne

Channel Nine Camaro are now

Straight, it retired after 21 laps

legendary. British

collector

with clutch failiu'e.

Mark

Popular Porsche Cup com petitor Warwick Miller will be

Spitzley will drive his 1932 supercharged straight eight Alfa Romeo sports roadster that competed at Le Mans in the

behind the wheel of his 1966 Porsche 906 - a 2-litre flat-six

1932 race.

with the typical Le Mans styling

last week. 355s were all over

South Australia’s Tom Barr-

that was later to influence the

Smith is bringing along one of only three rear-engined Healeys ever built for the long distance classic. Over the years Austin Healey had been successful at Le

design of the awesome 917 Le Mans winning cars of the 70s.

(bottom) but Alfas (right) and Maseratis (top) also invaded

Other

Mans with a number of class wins

with the Sprite, but in 1968 it moimted a challenge for a higher outright placing with the SR. The stylish rear-engined racer was powered by a 2-litre twin cam Coventry Climax powerplant used so successful ly in Formula One, but which

Mans

classics

The Red Devils:

There were more than just Ferraris at the annual gather¬

ing of the clan at Vallelunga

the Roman circuit. Michael Schumacher was there as well. (Phnlor. liv Imaninnti irolln .Sulloni)

FI and Le Mans star of the ‘six

ties Roy Salvadori. The Classic Adelaide will

start each morning in front of the Hilton Adelaide in Victoria

Square fi-om November 18 to 21, finishing in Rundle St. East on the Sunday at 3pm.

regulations changing to a 3-

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Contact Paul Weel on 07 55 981 499 or Fax drawings to 07 55 981 980

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H!^®9®I7SUXDItO

19 November 1999

CLASSIFIED

I ■

Motorsport News Ciassifieds are FREE for private sales. Classifieds from motor sport traders are accepted (marked with a ●) and must be prepaid, at the following per issue rates: $5 per 10 words (min $10 per ad), photo $10. Further enquiries to our advertising department. Sedans/Sports Cars

Mitsubishi Lancer EVO RS. Ex-Jeff Beaumont. Fully seam-welded, tower to tower cage, DMS 50mm suspension, Ralliart bushes, Ralliart computer, extensive underbody proteotion. Total harnesses, OMP seats, Rallymaster, light pods, Pagid pads, new clutch, 12 mths rally rego, ready to rally. Excellent condition with some spares. $24,000.

13B, brand-new Weber, factory LSD, large axles, Koni fully adjustable suspension, AP calipers all round, fuel churn, Group C body kit and struts, two sets wheels. $18,000. PH 089 300 1700. Mob 0418 951072

Torana XU-I group NC. Ready to race. Alloy cage, motor.

2 meetings old. top 10 finisher. Trade in considered. $14,500 ono with spares. Ph 0419 440 973

PH 02 6585 3766 BH, 02 6585 1796 AH. w

167

Monaro HK drag car. Summers Bros 35 spline diff, lad der bar, 4 wheel discs, glass front boot, bumpers, chassied front, back, complete roller. Raced once since built. Plus spares. Ph 02 4257 7303 le? Bathurst Tourer Falcon, Auscraft barred-out body shell, brand-new in undercoat, with AUSCAR Falcon - complete

2 Litre Sports Sedan, ’97 Aust Championship oar. 4AGE 20-valve (fresh) 210 HP, 5 spd, Harrop floating axles,

less motor and gearbox. Log book, VIN A226. $19,500. Will separate. Ph 02 4937 3333 is?

,AP and new Brembo discs, 4 sets of wheels, wets and new

Mob 0411 547 158. w?

Arrow AX6 Clubman kart, complete with fast blue

printed fresh Clubman motor, spare mufflers, tacho, trolley, supplied with race set-up info. Suitable Junior/Senior class es. Assistance given to beginners. Perfect condition. $2650. PH 07 3345 7267, Mob 0411 547 158.

.67

CRG Detroit Clubman kart, 3 bearing 40mm axle,

complete with fast blueprinted fresh Clubman motor, spare axle, rims, tacho, mufflers, trolley. Suitable Junior/Senior classes. Assistance given to beginners. Perfect condition. $2650. PH 07 3345 7267, Mob 0411 547 158. .67

Inc spare engine & g/box, plus more. Call for details. $4,500ono. Ph: 03 5827 1256 (AH).

V#-'

Sports 1300 Mallock Mk31. Brand new Suzuki t/c motor. Alfa g/box, Konis all round. Stack dash. Data logger.

Datsun 260Z, VL turbo powered, 5 spd, intercooled, blow-off valve, 6-25psi boost, button clutch, 4WD 4 spots, 16x8 ROH, full cage, 2 Sparco seats, RTA approved, 12 months reg, tandem trailer. $15,200. Ph: 03 6431 4675,

Car built 1998, fully set up with spares. Immaculate.

slicks. Autometer, King springs, spares, fast. $13,800. PH

$35,000 Ph: 0414 816 555, 02 9653 2254 (AH), ot

03 5243 9031 AH. w

MG Midget rolling chassis, one-piece fibreglass front, roll bar, racing seat, 8-inch wheels (Supalights). No motor or gearbox, $2000 ono. PH 03 5155 3172. 167 Arrow AX6 J kart, complete with blueprinted J motor, tacho, trolley. Suitable for Junior/Senior classes, ready to race, supplied with race set-up info. Assistance given to beginners. Perfect condition. $2600. PH 07 3345 7267,

vs j *■

Nissan March: As quick as a WRX and ready to race.

0419 152 032. .65

Cortina Mkl GT Group N. Completely rebuilt for 1999

season, fresh engine, new Quaife gearbox, close ratio steering box, new paint, new Bilstein suspension, new electrics. Lots of spares. $15,500. Ph: 03 9726 7431. .66 Lotus Escort twin cam, 1970, original English delivery, round h/light. White, FIA moly cage, side intrusion, FIA seats + fire bomb. World Cup struts, new shocks, 4 spots ventilated fronts. Minilites, LSD. Ready for Classic Adelaide, Targa. $15,000. Ph: 0417 083 096. .66 HQ Holden. Good starting package, fresh paint, good hp

Mazda RX4 13B, 4 speed, spooled diff, half cage, H/D

suspension. Marsh seat, 4p harness, built for Vic 6 Hr. Reliable car, logged S/S, easy ooncerf to Club Car. Great

Peugeot 405 Super Tourer. Fresh engine, clutch and 6 speed X-trac gearbox. Ready to race with good inventory

start for new driver. $2,500. Ph: 03 9449 1404.

engine, recently run at Calder & Winton. Get an HQ, go racing!. $4,500. Ph: 0419 139 303. .66

HQ race car #70. New brakes from front to rear, fresh .. J

Formula Libre, 12A rotary, twin dist, VW front and rear ends. Engine needs seals. Spare engine (dismantled) and four sets end plates, std to B'port. Great hillclimb or club car. $3400 ono. PH 03 9799 0053. .er

engine, best presented Sandown 500 1997. Plenty of spares, top 10 car easy, ready to race. $7800. Ph: Adam Group C RX7, ex Murray Carter, engine rebuilt & ready to run in. Trailer & lots of spares. $15,000. Ph: 0412 624 130,

0414 564 327. .66

GTP Hyundai Excel. Fresh engine and gearbox, spare

03 5825 3125.

engines, gearboxes, wheels & tyres. Ready for Bathurst or 2000

,bs

season. Genuine enquiries to Darren Best 0418 178159. .ee VS Commodore Sports Sedan chassis, push rod suspension, quiokchange diff, 2 body kits, big brakes,

unfinished project. All parts to finish are supplied. $12,000. Ph: 03 6330 1881 (BH).

.66

Australian Porsche Cup Winner. Winner of 1999 Porsche Cup. Consistent winner, holding the lap records at Winton, Willowbank and Oran Park GP race circuits.

Professionally built in Jan 1998 to highest of standards. Absolutely immaculate. 3.6 It turbo, 6 speed box, Motec, 3 sets 18' Simmons wheels. Complete history and assistance Toyota Celica RA28 1977. Rebuilt engine (road race &

Off Road Class 4 VW Baja, Nissan CA18 fuel-injected turbo engine, Bilstein shocks with coils, Saas seat, quick and reliable. NSW Class Champion last three years straight. Ready to race. $8000 ono. PH 02 4832 1321. 167 Japanese imports for road/rally/race. PH Michael 0413 824 048.

.67

Escort Twin Cam '70, white duco, std engine, clean, original, Bilsteins. Full drivetrain, suspension, brakes rebuild. Will separate engine. $10,750 or $6500 engine only, PH 08 8204 8869 BH, or 08 8278 5988. 167 HQ Holden race car (circuit), '99 log book, very competi tive, CB Wilson-prepared motor, heaps of spares. $5500

available. Ph: (02) 9418-3711 BH .es

Sports Sedan, mid mounted 202, dry sumped, Webers, forged pistons, triple plate BB, c/r Chev muncie. Ford rear end, Detroit locker, big brakes, 14 wheels, slicks & wets. Quickest, most successful 6 cylinder in SA. Ph: 08 8565

6273. .65'

rally), cage, 4 point harness & race seat, log book. Great for hillclimbs or circuit racing. $3,995. Ph: 03 9735 5315. .66 HQ Holden, 99 log book, competitive, h/d steel cage, Salisbury diff, VDQ. Inc many spares and wheels. Ready to I race. $4,000ono. Ph: 0417 882 781. 166 Group C A9X, Bob Morris Channel 7 Bathurst car.

Current road rego, recent restoration, complete history includes log books. Qriginal L34 race eng. Super T10, 4 spots etc. Best offer. May separate or consider trade. Ph: 02 6242 6675. .66

RX7 GTP race car. Fastest vehicle in its class, ultra reliable.

4 pole positions at last two championship rounds. Immaculately prepared by Maztech and stunning graphics by Metal Morphis. Spares package, data logger. Ready to win 2000 series.

ono. PH 03 9803 1728 AH. .67

Mazda RX4 Coupe, incomplete project. 13B with extrac tors, 5 speed box, 6 point cage, Hoosier slicks, two sets of spare mags. Turbo 5 speed and windscreen. PH 0416 237

$62,000. Ph: 03 9461 0981.0419 897 217,

Escort Sports Sedan: ex Bob Holden with Group C log book, brand-new 2 Itr engine, all the best gear, race win ner. $11,000. Ph: Trevor 03 9763 7898, 0413 128 287. .66

Speedway

Modified"ProduSioirTE'5ortm?"SooTnFengin? new Quick Steer, fuel tank, Bilstein and Koni shocks.

216. .67

Heaps of spares. $6000 ono. PH 02 6032 9654 BH., .67 RX-7 Modified Production, almost complete, with

spares and tyres. $1600 ono. PH 03 5261 3995, Mob 0411

Ca|X>iSrk/vTe [Jl HQ Holden race car. No expense spared on this com petitive race car, including top horsepower Swift motor. Consistent top 10 runner in QLD at Lakeside and '98 Indy Grand Prix. Ready to race, nothing to spend. $6900 ono. PH 0417 399 162 Bus, 07 3824 2818 AH. .67

Mazda RX-7, just built, mid-mounted 20B, adjustable everything, big brakes, 8 point rollcage, Mazdaspeed colours, professionally built. Very quick oar and handles. Too much to list. $25,000 ono. Genuine enquiries only. PH 07 5570 4135.

.67

Toyota Corolla club car, 3rd in '97 State Champs, 4AG twin cam, 5 spd, LSD, TRD centre, 4 wheel discs, new SUSP, full cage, Dorian plus charger. OP 51s, WP 1.15s, EC 1.54s, quick, reliable and cheap to run. Genuine applicants only. $11,000 ono. PH 02 4736 3882. 167 Nissan Pulsar GTi-R (’91), fully Aust complianced, 4WD, exhaust, 16-inoh mags, adjustable boost, many extras, WRX beater! Great performance car, $22,500 ono. PH 08 8353 1200, Mob 0407 724 862. .67

Mazda RX-7 WA's most successful street car. Strong

869 851. .67

Honda Prelude VTi-R, '97, 53,000 kms. Car is dark green, in immaculate condition, with rear spoiler, carpets, 10 stack CD etc. Never thrashed, raced etc, terrific road

car. $35,500ovno. Ph: Chris 0418 580 700 (BH) Melbourne. Lotus Esprit turbo. Superb performance car, red with

i Corvette Stingray 1974, 350 motor, turbo 400 trans. Excellent oond. $30,000. Ph: 07-5598 3166,07 5534 6881. .es

black leather, 50,000kms since full rebuild. Sunroof, CD.

Very reliable. Reduced to sell, $36,000ono. Ph: Mark 02 9827 0738. .66

Nissan Stanza coupe, new Z18 turbo, space frame, FGA 400 Hewland transaxle, 16x10" wheels, 4 spot calipers, Motec ecu, independent suspension, fibreglass

i.-,-

ranels. $25,000. Ph: 03 9876 3993. .66

■

RX2, 12A Bridge port, Motec M4 pro Lambda logging. Full floater rose jointed LSD. Big brakes, Bilsteins, bias, hydraulic handbrake, intercom, Terratrip + more. $11,000. Ph: 07 4926 0303. .ee

Ford Escort 2lt Club Car. Twin sidedraught Webers, new manifold, new cam, extractors and exhaust. Very quick car. 7" mags, roll cage, race seat and belts, with log book. $5,500ono. Ph: 03 5126 2822 anytime, .ee Mazda RX-7 Club Car, Bond roll cage welded in, half finished project. Motec ecu series 3, rear axle and diff. Spare ratios. Memo seats & steering wheel. No expense spared. $9,000ono. Ph: 0410 500 007. .66

-M ]

Mazda RX7 Club Car - 13B BP, Haltech F7, laptop, 4 speed or, 8x14" mags, spare springs & diff, tandem trailer, ready to race, $16,000. Ph: 0419 688 214. 165 Formula Ford RF94, '95 update. Penske front shock,

wide track front suspension, s/s floor. Tidy car. $20,000 rolling, or engine etc available. PH 08 9458 4586 BH. 167

Super Sedan Camaro. Ex-Australia One. Heaps of spares. Roller ready to race less motor. Engine parts avail able. $7000 neg. PH 03 5447 1232, Mob 0417 106 711. .67 Stealth Pontiac Speedcar #73. Near new, all genuine

gear. Ring for further info, plus assorted secondhand Speedcar parts. PH 02 9875 1041 BH, 02 9624 6428 AH. .67

Escort Twin Cam, 1970, original condition, Sydney, $12,000. PH 0418 899 982. .67

Super Sedan. Urgent sale. VS Commodore. 366 Chev,

19 November 1999

lDu®U’S[JXH Quick-change gearbox (auto), many spares, tyres, rims.

LPG. 30' trailer originally constructed to carry 2 F. Holdens. Includes original benches & loading crane. Front section

Must sell before 26/11/99. $10,000. Ph Col on 07 5441 3789.

TE Cortina “A” Modified, 250 new rings and bearings, 350 Avgas Holley, 12 tyres and mag wheels, spares, reg '99-2000, with trailer, will separate. $5800 ono. Ph David on 03 5221 6135

has lounge area & kitchen facilities. $42,000. Ph: 03 9872 4522 (BH), 0417 511 911.

166

Enclosed trailer, 6900 long, 2400 wide, tandem heavy duty axles, 4 wheel electric brakes, rear door and side

door. 90% finished. Can take wide car. Priced to sell. $4,400. Ph: 0412 880 878. 166

Formula Vee Spectre. Brand new body, engine fully rebuilt by Volks Performance, new tyres & spares. $3,990. Ph: 03 9735 5315. m

Mazda 6 cyl diesel, 5 sp, elec o'drive, pwr steer, ramps, winch, tyre rack, storage boxes, carries HQ. A1 reli Fuel tank (new) $250. Also, 35GE Toyota motor $850. 2 X 48mm Webers $900pr. Holden hubs & Harrop rotors, 14',

able. $6,990. Ph: 03 9596 1624.

166

$500. Ph: 0418 736 619. i66

Porsche 911/930 bits. Power brake booster $430; half

cage, alloy, $400; 'Bra' for pre-C2 930, $125; wheel nut impact gun, batt, op, brand new, $120 (cost $180). 'RSR 3.3' Vic No. plates, $250. Ph: 03 9822 5034. i66

Super Sedan VN. VR Commodore. Rayburn chassis, 6 cyl Holden engine, new Torana diff, single leaf rear end. Plus

Race tyres 4 off 190-535x13, 2 off 230-570x13 Dunlops. Cheap, Ph: 02 4942 2490 (AH). ,66

spares -r tandem trailer. Good cheap car. $8,000ono. Ph: 02

Cosworth type front mounted oil pump to suit 105E 120E Ford motor $550. Laystall steel crank (4 bolt) to suit

6352 2773. ,66

EL Falcon Mod Production. Forte race car, bar work to

ASCF specs. Full race oar, full suspension rear end, front end, complete. Can be used as 3 litre Sedan in Vic only. (No motor

or gearbox). Ph: 03 5339 5834,0411 540 809 after 4pm, lee Sprintcar engine, 640 hp Chev 369oi, steel block, alloy heads, injected, dry sump, geardrive. Fully fresh & race ready. $16,000. Ph: 02 4362 8453,0418 391 443.

Formula Holden 92D. Good hp engine, competitive car, Tickford 500 winner, spares & trailer available. Make an offerl Ph: Owen Osborne 0417 320 866. 165

Lotus twin cam. Std stroke. $600. Ph: 03 9592 5706.

166

350 Chev block, 430 It main, never used, brand new.

team trailer. New tyres, set up for professional team. Carries 2 cars. Everything you need. $48,500, will trade

new, $350 each. Ph: 02 9604 7725.

Converted school bus registered as camper van, elec tric winch at back, huge rear door. Fully reconditioned

166

RX3 Coupe shell $3,000; Needham 1:1 5th $1,500; Volvo brake kit (f) + 2 discs + 2 calipers + seal kit, $500. Momo

166

Litre Sprintcar, 94 high bar, Hilbrand quickchange diff, fresh 2pk paint, complete roller. Spare tyres, wings etc, with

wheel + boss $100. Phone for these and more 0419 576

reg trailer. $6,200. Ph: 02 4647 8531. 166

830. 166

JSR Sprintcar, hi-bar, roller less engine. Heaps of spares. Comes with 24ft trailer. Priced for urgent sale. Ph: Richard 03 5282 2792. m

Super Sedan - Ford body, new chassis, new shocks, new leaf springs, only had 2 race meetings and handles extremely well. 1st in first A Grade race at Newcastle. $30,000. Ph: 02 4929 2193. igc

Sigma Production, 3 litre. Junior or similar division Sedan. Car has good background, comes as roller, with heaps of parts and goodies. $3,000ono. Ph: 02 6963 6367. 166

Open Wheelers Kart, Tibi Kart with J motor. $2850. 3 kart trailer, regis

tered. $1450. Heaps of spares available. Ring for list, PH 03 9704 8123. w

Chevron B29 Formuia Atlantic 1975 Group Q Historic, with COD Cosworth BDD fresh engine. New mounted wets. Ex Albert Poon. Race ready, spares, trailer available. $54,000. Ph: Geoff Wieland 0412 333 332, 03 9816 4639 (AH). 165

Elfin 622 Historic Group Q. Full restoration to F3 spec completed 5 years ago. Top hp 1300 Cosworth Ford engine, BDA crank & rods, twin plate B&B clutch, Mk8 Hewland. Beautifully presented & maintained car. Offers

over $30,000 to Richard Harward. Ph: 02 9568 4147 (AH), 02 9789 8470 (BH).

Formula Ford drivers required to compete in the

166

Engines

877 268.

fully rebuilt, started once. $2000. PH 03 5261 3995, Mob

167

0411 869 851.

etc. Must sell. $1800 ono. PH 07 5570 4135.

Mazda Rotary engine with Wade supercharger (run in), professionally built, 3-inch drive belt, spare pulleys, perfor

167

Formula Ford, RF94/95 Van Dieman. Two complete engines, two sets of wheels, ratios and spares. Top finishes in national series. PH Graham Wade 08 9458 4586 (W). 167

167

mance engine. $3500. PH 07 5570 4135.

pension, ROH Wheels with Lt tyres {+2 spares), 7kVa gen set, 12 cfm compressor, fluoro lighting, side door, pro-built.

Romac, active inlet, 600+ HP. $8900. PH 07 3878 2740, Mob 0419 655 701. i67

400ci Bowtie Chev ,Ross pistons, 15:1, Kryptonite rods, Lunati crak, Pontiac heads, Peterson dry sump, 700+hp, Methanol, all best parts. New and spares cost

Immaculate, all brand new. $12,000. Ph: 0416 194 763. 166

Wanted

double springs. Suit Speedway, off road or performance VW. $1,000. Ph: 02 6655 5715, 0409 125 965.

166

Dunlop slicks, 16', near new. 2 off 285/590, $300pr; 2 off 325/625, $350 pr.Ph: 03 9318 7515. lee Tex Racing Super T10 gearbox, 'X' ratio, steel case, magnesium external housing, Hurst Super Shifter -r straight linkages. VGC. $3,200. Ph: 0418 546 318, 03 9761 0166 (BH).

$240. Ph: 03 9889 1149.

166

Dorian timer $350; 4 stage dry sump pump $600; Oberg filter ass $150; Crane H16 ign kit $350; Mallory dist, suit 350, $100; Lockwire gun-wire $180. Ph: 03 6330 1881.

166

Drive wanted by keen 16 year-old for 2000. Will drive anything to get a start, as Ican't afford my own. Prefer SAbased. Ask for Scott. PH 08 8756 5057 AH. 167 Harness, race suit, race seat for MGB. Plus similar bits for

historic racing. PH Tim on 02 6583 5955 BH. 4167 167

Motor racing proyams & posters, any track, buy, sell swap. /Mso, Photos and info of Ford Mustangs racing 1964 to now, Aust & NZ- Improved Prod, Sports Sedan, Group N, Drag, Speedway etc. Ph: Bob Willamson 02 9627 3799,02 9629 7178 (AH), ar Photos from Aust GP held at Longford, Tas, 1959 or 1964. Ph: Stewart 02 6299 8239. les

Tyres, R spec, used to suit 99 WRX, 205-50-16. Ph: Glenn 0414

Transporters/Trailers

2 BBS 19 inch Snake Tongue touring oar rims with centre lock

Custom-built three-kart trailer. Holds up to three karts, full interior lighting, fitted fire extinguisher, gas strut doors, heaps of storage space, easy access to karts and equipment, lockable, fully registered, lightweight and easy

Pirelli'P700 tyres 245x45 in showroom cond. Ph: 02 6655 5715,

nut pattern, or swap 4 Porsche AUS rims, 17x8 with brand new

to tow and manouevre. Perfect condition. $2150. PH 07 3345 7267, Mob 0411 547 158.

0409 125965. lee

High compression pistons for Toyota 4AGE. Ph: 03 9889 1149. IK

For 350 Chev, 2 good Manley alum rods, 5.7, small journal. Ph: 03 5422 1942. .ee

$35000. Will sell $18,000 ono. Ph 02 4257 7303 167

Other

Nissan FJ20 turbo, ex 'the Sprite' Australia's fastest 4 Lynx FJ, second-last Lynx built. 1500cc Ford motor, exc cond, log book, cert of description, suits small drivers only.

$28,500. Ph: Dick Willis 02 6652 2099 (AH). TO Elfin 622 Historic Group Q. Full restoration to F3 spec.

Top hp Cosworth engine with BDA crank & rods. Twin plate B&B clutch, Mk8 Hewland. Beautifully presentaed & main tained, all best equipment. Spares, full history available. Offers over $30,000 to Richard Harward, Ph: 02 9568 4147 (AH), 02 9789 8470 (BH),

cylinder Doorslammer. 630hp, 8.18 sec, 162mph. Complete as last run. Hilborn fuel injection, Carillo rods, Cosworth pistons. Ph: Jeff Watson 07 3891 2424, 07 3341 1873 (AH). 166

12.5 to 1 comp, roller valve train, 4 boll bottom end, approx

420-450hp. Can supply thicker head gaskets to make more streelable. Quality brand names inside engine. Will sep heads/manifold from bottom end. $6,000ono, Ph: 02 9604 8910, 0417 253 324.

166

wheel, turbo clutch, slide plate injection 42mm. Suit Z18.

108 128.

/! Van Die

by BanI ratii

Ie<

internal dimensions - 5.00m long, 1.85m wide, 1.5m high,

Carillo rods, Cosworth pistons, dry sump, triple plate

ample storage inside. Suit FF. $4000 ono. PH Jim

clutch, Haltech efi fuel Inj system. Top engine. $12,000ono.

MoConville 03 5367 5292. i67

Ph: 03 63301581. ot

ACCO Crew Cab, ex-fire truck, V8 auto, new paint, very good condition, 82,000 kms, ideal gooseneck vehicle.

250CC In

chassis, K(

lal Superkart. Yamaha engine. Zip

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19 November 1999

;

e=^

Not so quiet Christmas

MatsmnsFt

Dear Sir,

Editorial

comments on sexual discrimination

E«aStor

in issue 165.

Phil Branagan

Racing superkarts and in supersprints with nothing else on?

NEWS

;

In reply to Gai-Louise Holden’s

’ !

a different venue and seen a different race from the one which

Talk Converter

was shown on television, because no amount of talking it up can

lOlOtetliCk^

a to 03 9527 77^

TechmScaD Editor

Hhmmmm... I’d like to see that!

Tony Glynn

Viv Brumby

Guess you wouldn’t have much problem having your race suit accepted by scrutineers, but sewing on a sponsors patch could bring tears to the eyes. On a more serious note, given

the nitro cars? Top Fuellers are

I would love to hear from those of

Advertising

that over the Christmas break

there is generally nothing to report

temperamental at the best of times,

your readers who have an interesting anecdote concerning

of seeing, at least, another 20

John,

Assistant Editor Gerald McDornan

Graphics Co-or«Sihatos-

going on in motor sport, would it be

Advertising Manager

at £dl possible to run some general

Brendon Sheridan

Aediffef

allowed the vehicles that are more

editing John Harvey’s biography. Needless to say, the telling of John’s life story is a project long

know quantities to run, then run

overdue,

Wouldn’t it have been better to have held off for 10 minutes and

Poor management has robbed us

Managing CSorector Chris Lambden

Contacts 89 Orrong Crescent Caulneld North VIC 3161

(PO Box 1010 North Caulfield 3161) Phone: 03 9527 7744 Fax. 03 9527 7766

overseas teams who race in this to fall in line with them?

They were at home, watching the 500cc Grand Prix, because they had already found out that a track with 600 metres of rise and fall just makes a 2-Litre car look like it is

going so SLOW! 3 - Despite the presence of The King and others in the commentaiy team, the fact is that, even as a televison event, it didn’t cut it.

Email: <slide@hotkey.net.au> Ed: Over the Christmas break General: Aaron Noonan, Brian Reed,

Grant Nicholas, Darryl Flack, Jon Thomson, Mike Kable

FI: Joe Saward, Adam Cooper Europe: Quentin Spurring US: Phil Morris

NZ: John Hawkins

Speedway: Brett Swanson, Dennis Newlyn, Sue Hobson, Geoff Rounds, Tony Millard (UK), Rally: Peter Whitten, Jon Thomson Drag Racing: Greg Ward, Jon Asher (USA), Dave Ostaszewski (USA), Nick Nicholas, Steven White,

Ken Ferguson Super Speedway: Martin Clark (USA) Karts; Sean Henshelwood, Graeme Burns, Frank Viola, John Morris

Photographers: Sutton Motorsport Images, Dirk Klynsmith, Bothwell Photographic, Neil Hammond, Nigel Snowdon & Diana Burnett, Tony Glynn, Thunder-Pics, Marshall Cass, Mike Harding, John Morris/Mpix, Frank Midgley, John Bosher, Phil Williams,

Mike Patrick (UK), Daniel Wilkins, Wayne Nugent, Peter French

It is a pity to see a TV crew which has brought us decades of gripping stuff - Willo hacking open

there is generally nothing to report going on in motor sport? Hhmmmm.... we’d like to see that! What about FI new cars and

his bootlid with an axe. Brock power-sliding the VL through the cutting in the wet, Dickie’s rock, John Fitzpatrick’s stroke-inducing urging of ids dying car to the finish line, et al - having to try and make a spectacle out of something that

testing, CART pre-season, touring car plans, the drag racing, speedway and super speedway seasons in full swing?

What about the fans?

patently wasn’t. It wasn’t only not a spectator race, it wasn’t even a TV

Dear Sir,

paid

$40

be there would have had to have

“categoiy of the world” and want us

Tim Slide.

Contributors

because she must have made up about 30% of the spectators. And please, let’s not have a rain excuse; anyone who had wanted to weather was fine. 2 - Where were all the hot-shot

are they nows?’ on cars of yore like Norm Beechey’s Monaro, Fatty Geoghan’s Mustang, the Bathurst winning Mini, or maybe something like the Mille Miglia drive by Sterling Moss, the development of such marques as Auto Union, Ferrari, Alfa etc, just to keep us car heads occupied until the racing starts again? Many thanks for a killer mag!

Email: msnews®ozema[I.com.au

CompuServe: 100237.1155

convince anyone that the Bathurst 300 was anything less than an unqualified disaster, from any one of a number of aspects. 1 - It’s just as well there was a cardboard cutout girl in the crowd,

bought tickets beforehand when the

interest stories like some ‘where

Administration

attending Bathurst since 1965, but reading your race report from Bathurst, I am forced to conclude that your people must have been at

enter

the

Springnationals drag racing event

BMW star Paul Morris and his Super Tourer buddies’ efforts at Bathurst last month didn’t excite MN reader Paul Hall. (Papeiera pic)

at Adelaide International Raceway

minutes of good racing before the

and I walked away without seeing any conclusion to the racing. Why, when they are running behind early in the night, would

11.00 pm curfew. Sadly, no-one thought of the paying spectator again.

they run Junior Dragsters before

Michael Yates

proper competition vehicles? These go-karts of drag racing should be

Para Hills, SA

out of the way before real racing

Tony McGirr Unanderra, NSW

SlUQ rGSt

meeting was drawing to a close, why would they run Top Fuellers?

co-operate in a gigantic weekend of racing. The only chance 2-Litre has at Bathurst is a quickie marriage, or it will be surely left a lonely, bitter spinster. ● Yours mournfully.

Were you really there?

begins.

Also, with cars lined up as the

There may even be those willing to share a copy of a treasured photograph. Be assured, I will welcome all responses. Please phone me on (02) 4271 7356.

race; it missed on both counts! It is a shame to see tradition die, but I seriously doubt if Bathurst in this format, even with the diet-Kte V8s, can be saved. It’s time for the 2-Litre brigade to make peace with the big boys, and

Dear Sir, I am writing to you to inform your readers that I am engaged in

Dear Sir, I have been watching

Paul Hall

and

Email <pauIhall@optusnet.com.au>

Artist: Bernie Walsh

Cartoonist: Allan Schofield

Motorsport News is published by

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All men

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Reality just narrows

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4 !5

r A' )

i 1

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MUSBU,

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