Motorsport News Issue 182 - 22 June-6 July 2000

BTCC star for Bathurst Falcon »■!

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Steven

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Up close and personal with the Canberra winner

HRT

Who turned down an

Bathurst offer?

Wlain dig: apt Irrages. Others: Sutton images

PLUS

□ McLaren star seeks CART future? □ Canberra, Oran Park & Lakeside action

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20-27 August

23 June 2000

New Zealanders coming

Two Commmi

Holden backing ● 4 drivers in frame

By GERALD iVicDORNAN IF having two Kiwis win Bathnrst last year wasn't enough for Australian V8 Supercar fans, then a twocar operaition titled 'Team Kiwi' certainly should be.

Auckland businessman David John will launch the 'Team Kiwi' concept onto the New Zealand market in the first week of July with the kiwi committed to a Holden New Zealand-supported twocar VT Commodore assault on next year's Shell Championship Series.

John will take delivery of Larry Perkins' Castrol VT Commodore next month and has just signed off on the purchase of Russell Ingall's current car.

Initially the team were to run an AU Falcon, having purchased one of Tony Longhurst's cars at the end of last season, although a lack of interest from Ford NZ saw John accept an offer of support from rival, Holden NZ. It is believed a further 24 New Zealand companies have signed up to support the project, while the 'Team Kiwi' concept will be utilised to garner more financial support from their home base.

John told Motorspoi-t News four di’ivers - Jason Richards, Shane Drake, Angus Fogg and Ashley Stitchbury - had been targetted to ti-y out for the campaign vsdth the successful two taking the prime seats in the SCS cars, while the other two will drive for Team Kiwi in the New Zealand Schedule S

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More SCS Reverse Grids?

We may not have seen the last of the Reverse Grid format in the Shell Championship. There was talk that the format was discussed for the Queensland Raceway SCS roimd but decided against because ofthe lack of notice for the teams.

It may still happen later in the season; who will be on pole this time...?

■ Speaking of Reverse grid pole men,Brad Jones has announced his co-driver for the endures. The Falcon driver will bejoined by Tomas Mezera for both the Q500 and BIOOO races.

■ Deon Joubert, who was in Canberra to see the GMC 400, has predicted that up to 50,000 people could roll out to see an SCS race at Cape Town. The Opel works driver was impressed with the local series and says that the site for the South African race(in 2CK32?) could be the Eollamey track.

All Black podium: Greg Murphy and Steven Richards took the FA11000 Classic last November and now their countrymen are planning a Kiwi assault on the Shell Championship Series. (Photo by Aiisport) series, using two two-litre Nissan Primeras, The team has set up base in Auckland, with all the required equipment and transporters already in place.

The Australian SCS campaign will be serviced out of a yet-t^obe-decided workshop site in' Melbourne.

U We're getting set to launch the team to the local market on July 10 and from there it is an all-out campaign to be ready,firstly for Bathurst and then for the opening round of

the Shell Championship Series at Pukekohe next February,” John said.

While not being able to secure a Level 1 franchise with AVESCO,John is confident his team will be able to get a start in next year's series.

“We have to be good enough to get in there and while my preference would be for a Level 1 franchise, none are available at the moment. We're sure we have assembled all of the right personnel.

equipment and support for a successful campaign.

“With the Shell Series also coming to New Zealand for the first time, we think it's the opportune time to begin what we've planned for quite some time. It's going to be an exciting period in the lead up to next year's series and we are looking forward to it.”

'Team Kiwi' will debut one car in the FAI1000 at Bathurst in November, while its second car won't hit the track until Pukekohe.

WHR TURNS DOWN HRT BATHURST DRIVE

...but lie’s raring to p for first 2000 Arrows test ON the eve of his first test session in the current Arrows FI car, Mark Webber has turned down a Bathurst drive with HRT. The offer came during a meeting with team owner Tom Walkinshaw after the Monaco F1/F3000 weekend, Walkinshaw offering Webber a spot with the V8 Supercar team in which he retains part ownership.

“It was nice to be asked and, one day, it would be a good thing to do,” Webber told us this week.

Webber considered the offer for a few days before politely declining: “I told Tom that it (Bathurst) isn’t what I’m after right now. My focus is solely and completely on F3000 and FI. He understood that and, I think, appreciated where I’m coming from.

“Obviously, if you were going to be doing Bathurst, HRT would be one of the best teams to drive for in Australia, so one day when it’s the right time, then for sure...’’

In the meantime Webber is set to conduct his first full-on test with the team, in the current Arrows A21 Supertec at Silverstone on July 6.

A seat-fitting and set-up session was completed at the team’s headquarters last Thursday, in preparation for the ■ test, at which a number of other major teams will be present.

“It’s great at last to get a proper run in the car,” Webber said this week.

‘Tve been waiting for this moment.

and hope I get a good clean day of run ning, to show what I can do.”

Webber returns to F3000 action late next week at the Magny Cours French GP round of the series, keen to get a serious result under his belt after the disappointment at Monaco. He retains third in the championship.

Further time in the Arrows FI car will come during three days of straight line testing at Vairano, in Italy, on July 19-21.

■ ACT Chief Minister Kate CameR was involved in a drama during the GMC 4Q0 in Canben’a.

Ms Camel!revived a boy who had fallen from a stand, using CPR. Observers say that she saved to young lad’s life.

■ Two hearings relating to the GMC 400 will be held at Queensland Raceway. The first is in relation to an incident between Lany Perkins and Steve Reed in race three which saw Reed hit the wall and retire, and the second relates to an incident between Rodney Forbes and Steve Elleiy in the same race.

■ In other judicial news,Paul Morris was fined $500 after failing to obey the direction of an ofiicial on the race one grid while Cameron McLean had the same amount removed from his pocket for an unauthorised bum-out at the end ofthe race. To compoimd Russell Ingall’s shocking weekend on track, The Enforcer was fined $300 for exceeding the speed limit, $1000 for a burnout after race three and severely reprimanded, along with Paul Weel,for an incident between the pair.

WHILE Webber will be a TV view er for the enduros, Mark Noske has been named as one of Holden Racing Team’s enduro drivers - by Craig Lowndes.

Noske’s name jumped out of the hat when Lowndes confirmed that the Ferrari Nations Cup driver would join himself and Mark Skaife at the post race media conference in Canberra.

When asked whether Noske had actually been confirmed in the squad, HRT spokesman Paul Weissell said, “he has now”.

While three drivers have been con-’’ firmed in the squad, and Canberra race winner Todd Kelly seems certain to drive the mycar Young Lions VT, David Brabham’s name continues to be linked to the team, while there could be a fourth driver (and second interna tional) in the squad, meaning that Noske may join Kelly in the HYL car.

Just see if this fits: Mark Webber gets familiar with the Jos - PHIL BRANAGAN Verstappen Arrows A21 during his seat fitting this week.

■ Also on hand in Canberra was HRH Prince Qawi,nephew of the Sultan ofBrunei. Ihe 23 yearold prince’s presence, as a guest of AVESCO,has led to the obvious speculation that the SE Asian V8 Supercar race being mooted will take place in the oil-rich countr3^ Any Asian race is most likely to be in 2002,AVESCO’s Tony Cochrane suggesting that“two new overseas races in one year might be a bit too much..”

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■ The Big Kev Racing team gave FF driver Owen Kelly a test in one its VS Commodores at Queensland Raceway on Wednesday. The ex-Ymmg Lions VT intended for Paul Morris will not be ready for another few romids due to delays hi the preparation ofHRTs new car for Craig Lowndes.

■ Former F3000 driver Jaj>on Watt made a return to racing last weekend, six months after being paralysed from the chest down in a motorcycle accident.

Watt drove a specially modified Super Production-spec Peugeot 306 in the Danish Toining Car Challenge and finished sixth.

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n The Australian Safari has been upgraded and included on the World Cup calendar for international motorcycling cross country rally events in 2001.

Australia will host the fourth of six rounds in the FIM Cross Country Rallies World Cup as part of next year's Safari, which is scheduled to be held from Au^st 19-26 and will also include an Auto Division for 4WD vehicles. n Porsche Cup racer Ed Aitken is moving towards running in tJie Century Batteries Production Series with the Melbourne steering ready to debut a Class A HSV GTS Commodore. John Faulkner Racing are almost finished with the vehicle’s preparation for Aitken to m^e its debut.

Ross Dillon debuted the first of the potent 300kw Commodores in Canberra last weekend. n The Dodge Viper GTS’contesting the Nations Cup series might appear to have a little more venom in the coming weeks with components for the approved ACR performance kit starting to come through to teams.

Improved cylinder heads, different rocker arm ratios, an improved exhaust system and better rear end ratios are amongst the impi-ovements expected to boost the potent American beasts’ power from between 60 to lOOhp. Now all they have to do is get a second brake booster approved by CAMS to allow them to stop better...

S Alan Heath has taken delivery of an ex-Tony '■,'Onghurst AU Falcon, with the South Australian having purchased the car from the soon-to-belaimched Team Kiwi. The NZ-based team has gained the support of Holden NZ and have switched thefr allegiances to VT Commodores.

■ Seven people have now filled lawsuits against the Charlotte Motor Speedway and the maniifacturers of the pedestrian bridge that collapsed at the track on May 20. The husbands of two women injured at the track, both of who weren’t in attendance at the race, are suing for a loss of companionship while the women were in hospital!

■ Former US shorttrack cable broadcaster LaiTy Nuber passed away on June 9. Nuber was a familiar face and voice on ESPN during the early years of short-track broadcasts and was a regular reporter on Indy' 500 telecasts. In recent years Nuber had managed the Wynn's motorsport programs.

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23 June 2000

Seton rejects Crompton sack talk

By CHRIS LAMBDEN

GLENN Seton has dispelled a rumour circulating this week Neil Crompton’s that immediate future with the FTR team was under review.

“No, absolutely not,” said Glenn when we spoke to him while FTR was testing at Phillip Island on Tuesday.

“Neil is contracted through to the end of the year and we have first option on him next year. Part of that agreement is that we’ll sit down after Bathurst and discuss « it.

The pace of Crompton’s #6 FTR Falcon has been modest for the past few rounds, but a change in engineering approach this week has, according to Seton, cured the problem. From Adelaide through to Canberra, Crompton’s car has

been engineered on an experimental basis by engineers from Ford at Broadmeadows.

That his car has returned to a data-sharing jointly-engineered set-up with Seton’s as of this week suggests the experiment wasn’t a success.

“His car is right back on the pace,” Seton said. “There’s nothing wrong with his driving...”

For Crompton’s part, he was philosophical about the rumours: “If you’re not getting results it doesn’t take long for the rumours to start, does it!” he joked. “I’m fortunate to have got away with it this long,I guess...

“The changes we’ve made this week will, however, redress the situation. Glenn drove my car and there was a few-hundredths in it.

Getting back to a unified process will be a great help.”

Photo by Dirk KiynsmiJh

still the 2: Neil Crompton’s seat at FTR is safe for the remainder of the year.

Montoya staying in GIRT, F1 in 2002?

By JOE SAWARD

FRANK Williams confirmed last weekend that JuanPablo Montoya has one more yeai* to run on a solid three-year contract with Target Chip Ganassi Racing in the United States.

Williams said that he has first option on Montoya's services in Formula 1 and added that he believes that the Colombian is "ready to move on".

This may be the cape but it is worth remembering that Ganassi may not be fully the master of his own destiny as he has to keep his backers Target and Toyota happy. have Both companies

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marketing programs based on the personalities involved in CART and it is hard to imagine that they will be happy to let a high-profile driver like Montoya go until they have achieved their publicity aims.

Montoya says he will honour the third year of his current contract with Ganassi.

JASON Bright’s Indy Lights campaign thudded back to earth at Detroit on the weekend, the Gold Coaster crashing out of the third round of the Dayton Indy Lights series.

While running in sixth place on lap 12, Bright Mt the turn 12 wall and was forced into retirement. He was uninjured, although his. championsMp prospects were injured moreso with Scott Dixon taking fourth place to

extend his championship lead.

"I was settling into a race pace when I got caught out in turn 12," said Bright.

"I imderbraked and locked up the rear wheels. I ran out of road on the corner exit with too much speed to miss the tire barrier. I may have touched a painted line or a wet patch.

"I’m still decent in the standings. Dixon obviously stretched his lead but it’s not as if we only have a few

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Jordan

By JOE SAWARD THE future of Jordan’s ©npne snpply was the topic of some daseussioB in the Montreal paddock with Eddie Jordan

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Photo by SuBon-lmas®!

races left.

"We have three-quarters of the season remaining. We aU have good days and bad days. 'This was a bad day for me but I have many good days yet to come."

Irishman Jenny Kane, above, bounced back from a big accident at Milwaukee to win for Team Kool Green ahead of Felipe Giafibne and Bright’s team-mate Casey Mears, who recently tested a PacWest Champ Car. The Indy Lights series now moves ●

admitting that that he was in discussion with “a n®mber of maairfacturers” about possible engiue supplies in the future.

Jordan said that he had been quite open with Ms current engine partner Mugen and that they agreed that the next step forward for the team was in partnersMp with a major automobile manufacturer.

TMs is easy to say but very difficult to achieve.

The consolidation in the car industry means that there are not many car companies left wMch are : available to supply Jordan.

Honda is one option as its current relationship with ' BAR is becoming more and more confused as the future of the team is in doubt.

Toyota is obviously a ehoice as it has committed itself to FI and it still could see the benefits of an affiance with I an existiag team rather than starting up its own ! team.

I There are hopes that ' Volkswagen could become ’ involved in FI but it seems i unlikely until the future of i BMW is decided. It seems , likely VW could buy BMW ^ in the next two years.

That leaves General Motors. The American ; giant seems to be becoming aware that it needs a ' presence in FI now that Ford and others have I Gommitted themselves to Formula 1 in the future.

The first signs of a long term 6M invol vememt i came last year when the J company’s head of motorsport activities \ appeared at the Belgian ’ Grand Prix, saying that he was “on holiday”..

Links between Honda and GM are also growing and there is a possilhitily that Honda mdighft be in a position to supply GM w4th its technology at some point in the feture.

■ ■^atever happens w4th ' Jordan, it is hikely to be 2002 at the earlest before j the team gets a maniufactorer deal and it is expected that the cuirrent relationship with Mugen wil continue next year.

The complex nature of the relationship hetwnen Mugen and Hond:a is very i difficult to fathom with j Mugen engines being designed by Honda ! engneers. We hear that \ Jordan will next year have 1 engines similar to idtose being used by BAR this season but whether this J wnll become an official j factory supply is another f matter. i Whatever the ease, Eddie Jordan has sent out i a message that he is | interested in talking to a ; major car company and this may bring hiin opportunities which are ; not currently obvious. | In the meantime the team is due to dehut a Bversion of the current car in Austria next month.

This will be flitted with a new version of the current Mugen engine and with major aerodynamic modifications which have

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been produced bj' chief aerodynamieist John Iley at the team’s windtunnel

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23 June 2000

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Dennis Champ Car future for DC? CBE

By PHIL BRANAGAN

McLaren boss Ron Dennis has finally been rewai'ded for his services to motor racing with the annoimcement that he has been appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

The CBE is the top award beneath a knighthood and in the past only three other racing names have been recognised with the award: John Cooper of the Cooper Car Company, Robin Herd of March and Frank Williams.

Under Dennis’s management McLaren has won a string of World Championships as well as the Le Mans 24 Hours and the company is a big earner of export income for Britain.

Dennis and Sir Frank Williams have been recognised for their achievements but FI boss Bernie Ecclestone and FIA President Max Mosley have again been overlooked for their services to the sport.

There is no doubt that Ecclestone has done enough to justify an award but the 1998 scandal over Ecclestone’s political donations will probably mean that such an award would be impossible, at least as long as Tony Blair’s government(which decides on honours)is still in power.

-JOESAWARD.

bny Wong MOTOR racing has been saddened by the death of Tony Wong.

The 44-year-old died near his home on the NSW Central Coast on May 31. It is believed he died from complications of a long-term heart condition.

Tony was best-known by many in the sport as the advertising manager of Chevron Publishing, which produces Motor Racing Australia, RPM Magazine and the progi-ams for many of Australia’s major racing events.

During each season Tony also turned his hand to reporting, making significant contributions to The Great Race books as well as many of Chevron’s other sporting publications.

While filling this role he made friends with many of the leading drivers in the sport, including the internationals who visited for the Bathurst race.

While he spent much of his time working in, or talking about, the sport, Tony was also a keen breeder of Alpacas, the unusual South American animal noted for its fine fleece.

Tony leaves behind his wife Kim and sons Kris and Russell, as well as many friends both in and outside his sport. To all of these Motorsport News extends our deepest sympathies.

DAVID Coulthard has indicated that he may race in the Champ Car Championship when he retires from Formula One. The Scot made the comments last Monday when he appeared on the American TV show, ‘Late Night with David Letterman’.

Coulthard and Letterman, who is a co-owner of the Team Kahal CART outfit, were discussing the merits of Formula One versus Champ Cai- racing.

“Definitely, in the future.

I’d like to come out here and race in the Champ Car series,” said Coulthard. “Part of my heart’s in America anyway because my fiancee (model Heidi Wichlinski) is American.”

The McLaren-Mercedes

driver also made reference to Michael Schumacher when Letterman asked about the infamous incident the two drivers had in the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix.

“Michael has been very good throughout his career at deflecting mistakes that he has made and trying to put them as someone else’s mistake.”

Coulthard was a late inclusion in the CBS network show, which is shown locally on Channel Nine. Letterman was to

speak to Indy 500 winner Juan Montoya, who will apparently appear on the program in the near future.

When asked what he thought of Montoya, Coulthard said, “We know he’s an excellent driver. He’s done a lot of racing in Europe and he won the (Formula) 3000 Championship.”

McLeod, McColl, Hossack and Grant Kenny among long list

By AARON NOONAN

OTHLEV oajEC'

V Hot seat: An enduro ride in a proven GMS/Kmart Commodore is up for grabs and it could be one'of the best rides available. (Phoio by oi* Kiynsmith) Holden and Formula Palmer-Audi(UK) contender Stephen White; GTP racer (and former iron-man) Grant Kenny and NZ TraNZam/open-

wheeler driver Shane Drake.

‘The obvious thing to do is favour drivers who have had V8 Supercar experience and there are a few

among the list who have punted around Bathurst in particular,” said team owner Garry Dumbrell.

“But in this case. I’ll be looking more for a

well-rounded driver with the necessary skills and, importantly, temperament to finish Bathurst somewhere in the top 10, which is no mean feat.

“We’ll take them all out for testing, look at their times, how they handle the whole experience and make a decision from there,” he said.

“It’s also important that we choose someone who can work in well with Terry Finnigan, and with the rest of the team in the pits - all who are keen to repeat last year’s win.”

Last year the second GMS car fielded at Bathurstdriven by the two David Parsons finished strongly in 11th after starting last following a qualifying accident.

Puibiisfier’s Message

Look Motorsport News i MOTORSPORT News wiU take on an all-new look from its next issue. Seven years after its launch in the tabloid format familiar to motor sport fans, Australia’s leading motor sport publication is making its biggest developmental change yet.

As any race team will tell you, “stand still and the competition wdl overtake.” It’s the same in the . motorsport publishing world, where consmner demands around the world are changing as motorsport becomes an increasingly colorirful, global Spectacle.

Motorsport News is stepping up to the mark to again set a new standard in motor racing news publishmg in Australia. From the next issue, on sale from Thursday July 6 around Australia and New

n Honda has extended its contract as naming rights sponsor of the Honda Indy 300. The manufacturer will now sponsor the event until the 2002 event, with an option for a third year extension after that. n The Sports Car Club of America(SCCA)has announced that former NHRA drag racing VP Steve Johnson has joined the organization as CEO. Johnson was in charge of sales within the NHRA for the last two years.

The appointment is effective immediately.

Kmart shops for fourth driver KMART Racing will test no less than seven drivers to seek a partner for Terry Finnigan in its second car for Bathurst.

1999 Bathurst winners Greg Murphy and Steven Richards are naturally confirmed starters in the team’s lead car, a new car due to debut at Calder in Murphy’s hands before becoming their 2000 Bathurst car.

Those scheduled to test for the fourth seat include: Formula Holden stand-out Matthew Halliday: Kmart V8 kites driver Ryan McLeod; Kmart Formula Ford driver Stewart McColl; former Wynns team driver Darren Hossack; former Formula

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Zealand, Motorsport News will take on a full-colour “news magazine” format.

The fundamentM commitment to digging out the motorsport news and providing ‘hehind-the-scenes’ race coverage and news-based features won’t change. There wiU be one or two additions to the magazine to even more fuUy keep you informed about what’s going on in Austi'aUan and international motor sport.

The difference is in the packaging. We expect you wiU find the new Motorsport News easier and more fun to read. You may also find it easier to locate at your newsagent« with the mainstream motoring and motorsport titles rather than,in many cases,hidden away with the Soccer, Greyhound and multicultural tabloids!

Despite the obvious cost

increases, we are attempting to : maintam the new Motorsport News at the old price - apart from GST. The cover price of the new-look ; Motorsport News wUl be $4.95 the same as this issue of MSN if you have bought it after July 1.

I Tremendous value, we think. | As ever, we welcome your ! feedback. We are looking foi'ward to the new look with fremendous enthusiasm and hope you enjoy it.

Over the page you wUl find a ! dUmmied-up version of the new I look size, inclu(fing our up-dated masthead. | It almost seems Mke we are saying goodbye to an old friend with this,issue 182,of Motorsport | News.But we’re not really - she’s just going out to get some new clothes!... i - CHRIS LAMBDEN

n With all of the seats in CART, and indeed most other forms of motor racing, each driver needs a custom seat for each chassis model. Memo Gidley, the ‘Supersub’ of the FedEx series this year, has spent some of the winnings he has earnt as a fill-in on 2000 Reynard and 2000 Lola custom seats and carries them to all races he attends in the back of his 1978 pick-up in the hope of getting a ride for the weekend! n Team Penske tried a new device for their fuel/vent men during the weekend in Detroit. The device is a pair of red LEDs that are attached to the helmet and are in the sight lines. A member in the pits presses a button to signify the team has enough fiiel onboard, causing the LEDs to blink. This informs the fuel/vent man they have sufficient fuel in the car and they can then complete the stop. n The Sepang racing circuit in Malaysia will be significantly updated this year with two vast new grandstands under construction. The work vriR mean that there were will be 75,000 covered seats at this year's race.

The organisers hope to attract a crowd of 100,000 this year compared to 75,000 last season. n We hear that the giant French insurance company Axa has now decided against becoming involved in Formula 1.

There was talk that the company was looking at rival Allianz’s involvement with Williams. n McLaren celebrated the team's 500th World Championship Grand Prix last weekend in Canada. The team has been in action in FI since 1966 and in that time has won 11 Drivers' World Championships and eight Constructors' titles. The team marked the occasion by surrounding the McLaren hospitality area by a wall of helium balloons. There have been a total of 663 World Championship events.

-JOESAWARD

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[Mo)0®D’SUXD[F{}

23 June 2000 ALAEN Menu is heading back to Bathurst, where he will drive with Mark Larkham in the Mitre 10 Ford Falcon.

The Swiss star wiD have his second V8 chive in the race,after an unsuccessful foray in Tomas Mezera’s Commodore VT in 1998.

The Queensland-based team owner/ driver is delighted with his selection; "Alain is the last piece of tjie puzzle for us," Larkham said.

"We have the team and the car and

n Jaguar Racing has signed up a new head of marketing. Simon Crane was previously head of sponsorships at the brewing company Bass where he was responsible for the Carling Black Label sponsorship of Britain's Premier League soccer. Ip recent months he has been chiefexecutive of Loftus Road pic, a company which runs thg stadium used by the Qubens Park Rangers soccer team and the Wasps rugby squad. n British American Racing is pushing to produce an all-new aerodynamic package for the cars in time for the French Grand Prix. The package will include a variety of new ideas although the chassis will remain unchanged. The team is hoping that the new package will greatly improve the grip ofthe cars. n Among the many visitors to the Formula 1 paddock in Montreal were film stars Robert de Niro and Paul Newman. Olympic athlete Ed Moses was present as was leading French politician Philippe Seguin. Former Beatle George Haiiison was also spotted. Missing from the paddock,incidentally, was FI boss Bemie Ecclestone who stayed in Europe.

].

Menujoins Larkham

Photo by Bothwell.Photographic

the pace as we proved last year. AU we needed was the best co-driver and Alain certainly fills that bUl. "He is not only an excellent driver who has proved that with his record in Europe but, most importantly, he’s driven at Bathurst before.

"When you mix the kind of motor racing experience that Alain has with the knowledge ofthe Mount Panorama circuit, you get a pretty formidable package."

Menu first raced at Bathurst in 1997 as the reigning British Touring Car Champion. This season he has been racing for Team Mondeo, recording four race wins with seven podiums for the year.

-PHEL BRANAGAN

1

H Jaguar's Eddie Irvine, Johnny Herbert and Luciano Burti took part m a media promotion at the PMG Test and Research Centre in Blainville, Quebec in the days before the Canadian GP.The trio gave m(^ia men rides around in a variety ofJaguar machinery including a 1953 XK120,ararel957XKSS and 1958 XK150 and a 1973 V12 E-'Type. The modem machinery included a new supercharged XKR. n The Minardi team were victims ofa robbery from the pit gcirages in Montreal hi the week leading up to the race. The team lost two computers with important data on the hard drives.

While most ofthe information was backed-up by the team some ofit has been lost.

’■i..

n Franz Tost, Ralf Schumacher's manager in recent years,is to give up hisjob with the German driver to take on new responsibilities at BMW Motorsport where he is expected to be given thejob ofrunning the logistical side ofthe engine program. The BMW engineers have been struggling to meet the demand for engines in recent months and with the' Michelin test program also requiring engines the existing structure has been under strain. We hear that the Williams test team will reduce tojust one car for the next few weeks as a result of this. We also hear, incidentally,that the number ofBMW Williams engine changes this year is now 126.

JOE SAWARD

Cadillac commits to 2001 CADILLAC looks likely to enter the full American Le Mans Series next year and is already stepping up its commitment to this year's championship. ' General Motors Racing boss Herb Fishel said there was a “good chance” of a full ALMS program.‘To get the precision in a team you need to win Le Mans, you need to compete regularly,” he said.

This year, the Portland and Laguna Seca rounds of the ALMS have been added to the factory Riley & Scott

team's schedule in addition to September's Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.

Plans to contest the Watkins Glen Six Hours have been axed and Fishel explained that no decision had been made on participation in next February's Daytona 24 Hours, also a Grand-Am race.

“Our focus next year will be on racing to Le Mans oiles. They have the stability and the structure,” he said. “If we go to Daytona it would be market-driven.”

Fishel explained that he wasn't

interested in developing a second version of the car to enable it to run in Grand-Am and the European-based SportsRacing World Cup. The sister Chevy team is also stepping up its program. The Pratt & Miller team will take the Conrette C5-R to the Mosport, Las Vegas and Laguna rounds. Other outings could be in the pipeline, including the end-of-season Australian race.

The Vettes, however, look certain to be at Daytona.

-GARY WATKINS

Sequential gearboxes on TEGA agenda?

By PHIL BRANAGAN SEQUENTIAL gearbox es for V8 Supercars are due to be discussed at the next TEGA Technical Committee meeting today (Thursday) - and it could be close whether they get passed or not.

Team representatives questioned by Motorsport News in Canberra were split 50/50 as to whether the use of the ’boxes would be passed, half saying it would pass and half assur ing us it would not.

The pro-sequential lobby said that the cost of con verting current boxes would be met with reduced gear box wear and less chance of buzzing an engine with a wrong change (ie 5-1 downchange instead of 5-3).

The anti-sequential lobby pointed to the cost of the exercise and the fact that sequential changes reduce the skill factor of the driver and widen the gap between the well-financed Pro teams and the Privateers.

All V8 Supercars us Holinger H6S gearboxes with the conventional Hpattern change. These retail for $14,000 plus GST, while the sequential ver sion of the ’box is $15,000 plus GST. A kit to convert the change to sequential on an existing H-pattem box is $3500 plus GST. Melbourne engineer Peter Holinger, who designed and built the current boxes, says that the sequential change reduces costs signif icantly.

“They (the people who point to higher wear) are totally incorrect,” he said.

“It reduces missed changes and there is no possibility of getting neutral or reverse by mistake.

“You pull back to change up and push to go down. You can only get neutral or reverse by pushing the lever from first gear.

“We have sold around 50 sequential versions of the geacrbox and our customers say that wear is greatly reduced.”

Holinger’s customers for the H6S Sequential include Toyota Motorsport (for its Supra GT car) and BMW Motorsport, which uses the heavy duty unit in its 325 Diesel enduro car.

Benetton-Renault in 2001 }

the Enstone-based team.

It remains to be seen THE Benetton team’s what the specification of the VIO engines, currently T-,1 TP engines will be next year run under the Playlife ^ ^ut it is expected that they banner, may be called - ^in be an all-new engine Renaults as soon as next which will be made competi season. tive and reliable in the We hear that the engines course of 2001 so that will revert to the Renault Renault can be seen to be name once again as the competitive from the moment the official Renault French car company pre pares to return to the sport team appears, in 2002 when it takes over A large number of the

By JOE SAWARD

MILD SEVEN n jva-

Renault Sport staff have been at working Mecachrome and Supertec in the last couple of years and these engineers are expected to return to Renault full-time in 2001.

It remains to be seen what happens next season with the second Supertec supply which is currently being used by Arrows.

It may be that the old engines will continue to be

supphed by Mecachrome to Arrows, although Tom Walkinshaw is beUeved to be looking elsewhere for an engine as the 2000 units are not likely to be very compet itive in 2001.

The team has been linked to a variety of different deals, notably Honda, Toyota and the current Peugeot engines which are expected to be used next year with different badgmg.

The all-new look COLLECTOR’S FIRST ‘NEW LOOK’ ISSUE #

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Australia $4.95 NZ $6.50 inel GST

No, 183 6-19 July 2000 /j

^

The Motorsport News you've come to know and love over the past seven years

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only better.

DON'T MISS IT! At newsagents from July 6

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23 June 2000

n Craig Harris has added a second EL Falcon to his Queensland stable.

Harris bought the former CAT EL last weekend at Oran Park from WA’s Peter Hansen, who had planned to race it.

However,the two came to an arrangement that the car would head to Queensland unraced.

Harris hopes to develop a young driver through the KonicavLites series in the car with four drivers currently in negotiations. n Former Le Mans winner Bertrand Gachot returned to the cockpit at Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium last weekend, and finished a clutch slipping sixth in the Mazda MX5 sportscar series. In addition to winning the 1991 Le Mans for Mazda,with Johnny Herbert and Volker Weidler, Gachot(in fifth) and Andrea de Cesaris(in fourth)netted Jordan’s first Formula 1 World Championship points in the 1991 Canadian Grand Prix. n A MotoGP race simulation ofthe World 500cc Motorcycle Championship is being developed for the Sony Playstation 2. Claimed to be the first on the market, the new game is scheduled for an autumn release in Japan.

H'There has also been a new version of the Colin McRae game. Cohn McRae Rally 2.0 featmes more vehicles(including McRae’s Ford Focus)as well as events like Kenya for the first time. The game is available for PlayStation from Ozisoft.

Congratulations are due to our FI man Adam Cooper. The long-haired guru of the GP pit lane was married to the lovely Tinneke last week in Belgium before jetting off for a romantic honeymoon at, where else, a GP. Arrows FI pilot Pedro de la Rosa was among the guests at the wedding, while George Harrison sent a videoed message to the couple. n Paul Romano is returning to the SCS after missing the GMC 400. The Queenslander will drive his famihar Commodore VS at Queensland Raceway. n Speaking of QR, tickets have gone on sale through Ticketek, with a three-day gate pass costing $62.80 and a Friday only pass for only $7.80. All prices include GST. n David Coulthai'd gave an interesting insight into . the glamourous life of a GP driver by telling American talk show host that it was impossible to fart in an FI car.

Apparently you can do it on the straights okay but the G-forces make it dodgy in the comers...

Again I had probably one of theamazing! worst meetings of all time at Canberra and Motorsport News still asked me to do a column! I knew all the bribery with my sponsorship contra would come in handy...

Or maybe it is just my popularity with the fans for doing burn outs after the race but, I can tell you, at $1000 a pop for the CAMS fine, I’m afraid I might have to limit them down.

Of course I should mention a few words about Canberra as I have had hundreds of people ask me “gee, how tight was that track?” Well yes, it was advertising you do. you still have to ridiculously narrow and, at some points, have a track that facilitates good racing.

Amongst others I was quite amazed it was like’ racing at 240km/h up your that there weren’t more bent cars by driveway at home. the end of the meeting and must admit The actual track layout was quite most of us behaved ourselves rather good, the pit facilities were adequate, well considering the limited passing the Canberra people were fantastic and opportunities the circuit provided. very enthusiastic about the race and overall it was just okay. I think we were all expecting a little bit more by the (thought the format of the and threewould races was absolutely excellent organisers but I ’spose for the first time ” have to say that is probably one of the you are going to get a few hiccups. best formats that AVESCO have come Minor but very important things such up with so far. Having the shootout on as the PA system at the circuit all the Saturday provided good weekend was apparently not working entertainment,(but I would say it would according to a few disgruntled be better to have a top 10 and not top spectators. Don’t get me wrong, I am not 15 shootout) and the two races on the having a whinge, but after all the hype Sunday short and long with pit stops before the race, I was probably filled the day quite nicely. expecting a bit more.

The circuit has got to be widened for . Of course the reverse grid race, even though not the best place to have next year’s race because at the end of it, will be outstanding at circuits where the day, no matter how much tricky

^ HOtO

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passing is not a problem.

At the risk of getting multiple black flags at the next race meeting. I have to tell you about a ridiculous situation that occurred,in race 2 on Sunday. I was given a Stop/go penalty for going through a run off area around a chicane -a rear wheel had come loose and I was trying to coast back to the pits.

I find it amazing that I took a course of action as a safety measure to keep out of the way of other cars(my car was obviously in trouble and possibly risked blocking the track if the wheel had fallen off), and was penalised for such an action.

If it is a safety issue during a race it should be totally the drivers judgement as to what will be the best course of action. To be penalised for that because of a black and white rule is a joke. if the powers to be can’t differentiate between a deliberate action to gain a race advantage compared to an action for safety of competitors maybe they shouldn’t be there at all.

I

n case you haven’t noticed I have not gone into much detail about my weekend at Canberra! After qualifying 19th (an all time career worst) it was quite frustrating sitting in the Holden hospitality suite watching the top 15 shootout and not being in it.

For various reasons we were just having a hard time finding a set up in the Castrol Commodore.

Not even the flash new paint scheme (left) helped it, even though I must admit personally I will be happy to be back in the usual silver colours at the next race meeting (the aqua colour was a touch too feminine for my liking no offence ladies),

W,

illowbank is the next race and we have won a few races there in the past, but the way my season is going so far, I think I’ll just keep quiet and play it by ear.

Hope to see you all there.

i

Kanaan injured in Detroit

By PHIL MORRIS

TONY Kanaan will be out of action for between six and eight weeks after a qualifying crash at Detroit in the Mo Nunn Racing Reynard.

The Brazilian broke his forearm in two places as well as receiving four cracked ribs, a collapsed left lung and a mild concussion in the accident. The car was destroyed in the impact.

Talk now focuses upon who will replace Kanaan in the #55 machine while he recovers.

‘Supersub’ Memo Gidley has been directly linked with the team and is known to have spoken to Mo Nunn about the drive, while another possibili ty is Bryan Herta, who last drove a Champ Car for Derrick Walker at Long Beach.

Herta is strongly tipped to get the drive beginning at Portland to be re-united with his 1995 engineer at Ganassi this weekend while the per sistent talk of Alex Zanardi being re-united with his old engineer from his time at Ganassi has also flared.

“Every indication, from what we have seen of the racecar, is that he clipped the inside wall with his right-front wheel,” said Mo Nunn.

“We found pieces of a ban ner in the wheel and that

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from CART

Gone; Former CART Chairman/CEO Andrew Craig.

CAET CEO and Chairman Andrew Craig was a shock resignation following a special meeting called by the series’ board of direc tors in Detroit, Michigan, last Friday.

An unscheduled meeting of the CART board of direc tors was called last Friday morning, with the directors locking themselves away for a number of hours to discuss some major items.

Insiders suggest Craig’s head was on the chopping block following concerns regarding the series’ sched uling, the stock price and rumblings concerning the Englishman’s'leadership of the series. And, while sources say that neccessarily wasn’t the case, his sud den resignation suggests he didn’t have the support of the entire board and would have found his position untenable to continue.

Craig joined CART as Chairman and CEO in 1994 and oversaw the expansion of the series internationally, along with the public float of the company in March 1998.

Previously a privately-held company with revenues of US$25million per annum, CART has grown three-fold in that time.

Team owner and recently retired driver Bobby Rahal has replaced Craig as inter im CEO of CART, while James Hardymon, who was formerly the Chairman and CEO of Textron, has been

was the only indication of contact on that side of the car - and it appears he then

was thrown across the track into the outside wall.

“We’ll have to look closely

at the data before we can try and determine what might have gone wrong.

IRL picks up CART venues for 2001

THE Indy Racing Northern Light Series has announced a 12-race schedule for 2001 with some surprises.

The league will head to new venues in Nashville and Kansas City as well as Homestead and Gateway, both venues to be dumped

by CART from its 2001 schedule. Multi-year agreements have been signed with all venues on the calendar, which also includes a trip to Richmond.

The glaring exception is the traditional series opener at Walt Disney World in Orlando, reportedly due to an inability to agree on a date.

Further races may still be added to what is the largest schedule the league has hed since its 1996 inception.

League officials are in negotiations with Las Vegas and Atlanta Motor Speedways, a 14-race series not out of the question.

The 2001 Indy Racing Northern Light Series schedule begins in Phoenix on March 18 before the following rounds as follows: Homestead (April 8), Indianapolis(May 27), Texas (June 9), Pikes Peak (June 17), Richmond (June 30), Kansas (July 8), Nashville (July 21), Gateway (August 26), Chicagoland (September 2), Kentucky (September 16) and Texas(September 30).

elected Chairman. Craig will remain as a consultant with CART for 12 months.

“I have enjoyed my six years at CAR'T and I am proud of the growth the series has experienced in that time,” Craig said.

“However, a motorsports sanctioning body is only as good as its race teams and it is a tribute to them that CART has prospered. I now want to move in another direction, but I remain com mitted to assisting the board during the transition.”

Rahal has already cited the 2001 schedule, one of the major points of concern leading to the last-minute meeting, as his first concern.

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You win some, you lose some Courtney takes fifth win while Ambrose struggles at Pau

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FIA World Rally Championship* Jul 16 New Zealand —Rd 8 Aug 20 . . .Finland Sep 10 . . .China

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MEANWHILE, the same good fortune has not been shining on Marcos Ambrose across the Channel in the French F3 Championship.

Ambrose ran on the same weekend on the tight street track at the southern French city of Pau and really struggled, a lack of power and overall speed leaving the young Tasmanian last on the grid.

The narrow confines and lack of passing opportunities meant that 16th was a good fight but overall he is struggling with his Martini, which is being run by the Mygale team.

FedEx CART Rd 8

Jul 2

Cleveland

Rd 9

Jul 16

Toronto

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Jul 23

Michigan

Jul 30

Chicago ,

●Rdll ●Rd 12

Australian Rally Championship* ,Rd5 Aug 27 . . .Melbourne Oct 8 Tasmania ●Rd6 Nov 12 . . .Rally Australia . . .Rd 7 SOOcc World Grand Prix Motorcycle C'Ship* Jun 24 . . .Netherlands Rd 8 Rd 9 Rd 10 Rdl 1

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I can fix that hair in my new wind tunnel: Ecclestone and Stewart.

PANOZ i s to build a new car to

Drivers' Championship* Jul 2 .OLD ●Rd5 Jul 16 Winton . . .

Rd6 Jul 30 Oran Park Rd7 Rd8 Aug 27 . . .Mallala . . .

take on Chrysler's Viper and the Chevrolet Corvette in GT racing - and it could be built in Australia.

Marque founder Don Panoz took the wraps off a full-scale styling mock-up of the so-called GTS-R at last weekend's Le Mans 24 Hours.

“We need to give the Viper and the Corvettes some competition,” said Panoz. “We've talked about doing a GTS for more than a year, but now we are going to make it happen.”

The GTS-R coupe vrill be built on the aluminium chassis from the Panoz Esperanto, which is already in production in Atlanta. A sister car will be the open-top GT3-type dubbed the Adelaide Roadster LM Panoz revealed exclusively in

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[motorsport All event dates In this calendar were correct at the time of printing. Please consult any Individual tracks and/or associations for date changes.

Series or events telecast on Network Ten are marked with an asterix. Check your local guides tor screening details.

(Photos by Sutton-lmages)

THE management of Jaguar Racing has finally settled on Silverstone as the location for its new Formula 1 head quarters.

A new factory will be built in the course of the next 18 months while a windtunnel, currently being designed in the United States by the Sverdrup company, will be built on the site, which will integrate both the Jaguar Racing team (which will move from Milton Keynes) and Cosworth Racing (which will move from Northampton).

The team has decided that to minimise the disruption involved, both companies will be relocated at the same time to avoid prob lems dragging on over a period of months.

The choice of Silverstone means that only a few members of the current staffs of the two firms will need to move. The deal is expected to produce around US$6m a year in rents for Silverstone.

keeps drivers

AS the mid-season Svho goes where’ Formnla 1 rontine gets into gear, Eddie Jordan says that he expects to retain both Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Jamo Tralli in 2001.

Frentzen has told the B&H Jordan team principal that he intends to stay.

Although Benetton has an option on Trulli, the Italian is contracted to Jordan until the end of 2001.

- QUENTIN SPUREMG

Panoz plans GT contender

Holden Australian

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FORMULA FORD ZETEC ViONSHIP

Courtney took another win and cup home from his seventh 2000 FF race at Silverstone.

By JOE SAWARD

Championship Series*

Jun 25 . . .Portland

The tough streets!

Ambrose Struggled at Pau (above) while

Jaguar picks Silverstone Jordan

Rd 14

I ■ Julio Donington Jul 23 Germany I ■ Aug 20 . . .Czech Rep

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having to settle for second behind British diiver Anthony Davidson in the eighth round of the British Formula Ford Championship.

But the preceding day the young Aussie took his fifth win ofthe year.

Spearhead for the Van Diemen factory team, Courtney now leads the championship by 19 points over Mygale driver Mark Taylor.

Courtney started from pole for the round, the grid determined by round seven’s results.

“I'm a little disappointed not to win, but I am concentrating on the championship and there was no point trying anything too daring today,” Courtney said.

“I had a good start, but Davidson overtook me on the inside going into the hairpin. He was all over the grass and I decided not to get tan gled up.

“My car was great and towards the end of the race I was closing on Davidson in the lead. I set the fastest lap of the race and began to think about a win when Davidson's car started spewing oil aU over the track.

“I had to drop back. I lost about three seconds a lap and decided to concentrate on making it to the fin ish. In the end, second is a good result.”

The next round of the champi onship is at Croft on June 25.

Three way fight? Could Panoz challenge the Corvettes and Vipers?

Autoweek in March.

Panoz hopes to rush both cars into production inside a year by carrying-over homologation from the

Ford Mustang-engined roadster.

Production could start early next year after which Panoz hopes to develop racing versions of both

cars, possibly in conjunction with privateer teams.

They will initially be built in England at one of two specialist race car companies owned by Panoz's Elan Motorsport Technologies Group, Van Diemen and G-Force.

Parallel production is also planned at a new facibty in Austraba.

Initial production vwR be in righthand drive. Panoz estimates the Adelaide and the GTS-R will sell for 40,000 and 80,000 pounds in Britain. That compares to the 69,000 pound British price tag for a Chrysler Viper.

Both cars will be powered by Ford-based V8 units tuned at Elan Power Products.

“We'U use Ford blocks and do our own stuff after that,” he said.

-GAEY WATKINS

23 June 2000

11

Aussie mechanic escapes coup

By PHIL BRANAGAN

AARON McGill’s Nissan

“We couldn’t get out word that we wanted to get out until we found an old satellite

phone which had been used by the Peace Corps. I worked on that for a while until I got a dial tone and rang Australia. mechanic got stuck in a “Luckily they were able to South Pacific coup. organise a charter for us, but Graeme Julias, whose we had to get from Honiara to responsibility it was to work Munda on the north side of on the car before the meeting, the island.” was working in the Solomon Julias had to ‘commandeer’ Islands when armed rebels a 4WD for the trip and run took control of the capital, roadblocks which were Honiara. Julias was working manned by armed rebels. on a job, fixing Suzuki Vitaras “We got there and the chart for international courier DHL ed left. We hopped from island when the coup happened. to island until we got to “It was all a bit exciting,” Papua New Guinea. From Julias said last weekend. there we made our way down to Brisbane, “It’s not something I would George. George. George of like to go through again the Jungle. Strong as Ironically, after his ordeal he can be...

Julias and his fellow trav Graeme'‘Rambo’ Julius could ellers were the first Aussies to still smile after fighting his way make it back to home soil. The out of the Solomon Islands.

Australian Navy’s vessel, sent After finding a stash of old to the Solomons to repatriate machine guns, he took on a citizen back home, arrive gang of 500 militia men... back the day after Julias and CO landed.

(Photo by Dirk Klynsmith) Primera was late getting prepared for Lakeside for an unusual reason - his

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Ford drops AU Rally program

I in iPl.wh;en_the series visits It the fi^edeiifeadt for the first I tuSe'jM^gptenalber. i , Frenfzen visited the track i,wh®e%aveliing to Canada for ; last,weekend’s Gana^an Gr^d I saying the track’s mixture J'of high speed-^d twisting sec: tions'woiilid make for an inter; esting’chall'emjge for drivers : the cars travelling in the oppo; site dirdction to normal.

"It's, a race track you can ; divide into two parts," Frentzen ; said. "The infield, it is like a ' proper F-1 track. Then there is : the other side of the race track, n which,is an oval. The challenge wil be finding the right compro; mdse.

"I have never raced on an oval and FT cars are not built for ^ oveds.- But nearly every FI dri ver enjoys high-speed comers. If it happens to rain, then turn one will become very exciting because I understand Indy cars don’t run ovals in the rain. But that's why we get paid. We do that.”

FORD is dropping its support of Steve Winwood’s Aussie Car Class Falcon in the Australian Rally Championship.

While Winwood is disappointed about losing his opportunity to defend his title, there are other things for him to look forward to.

“I’m looking forward to working with Ford on promotional programs but hope that it won’t be too long before I’m able to get back to rallying and live up to the Mr Sideways tag!” said Winwood.

But Ford’s withdrawal is not permanent, according to Motorsport Manager Howard Marsden; “We are in the process of sorting out what Ford Motor Company as a company will do,” he said.

“It’s more of a matter of taking pause in proceedings.”

Marsden also said that there was not necessarily going to be a change in direction in Ford’s rally program and that rumours of a Focus WRC car coming to Australia was just that, rumours.

PerkinS ENGINEERING

Frentzen predicted speeds of up to 350m/h on the front straight, with the first corner speeds expected to top over 300km/h.

"That first corner is going to be around 300km. Whether it's easy or going to be challenging, I don't know, but it should be exciting.”

With Jacques Villeneuve hav ing already won at Indy, Frentzen said 'Villeneuve’s expe rience at the famed ‘Brickyard’ won’t give him too mnch advan tage over the opposition. , “He will probably know the quickest way back to the hotel but that’s about it.” ^ QUENTIN SPURRING /AGENCIES

POSITIONS VACANT Mechanic Must have experience

Shocker Absorber, Data Aquisition & Engineering Person

Engine Builsier I

Checking out the brickwork; Heinz-Harald Frentzen tpok in a flyin’^visit to 9\e . i ‘Brickyard’ whHe in transit to Canada. l+4dF predicts .fprrte fast speeds at Indy. (^tion5 n -

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Fax resume to Larry or Kim on 03 9587 6807

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12 23 June 2000

Helio, Hello, what's all this then?

By PHIL MORRIS

HELIO Castroneves may have dropped the dash from his surname but he picked up the lead of the Tenneco Autmotive Detroit Grand Prix and went on to take his first CART career win when Juan Montoya fell by the wayside.

“I’m still looking at myself, pulling my hair and saying ‘did it really happen?’,” said Castroneves as tears fell from his eyes.

“Now they will recognize my name with out the dash. Maybe that’s what did it. The dash was slowing me down a little bit.”

Once again Montoya’s luck deserted him, this time a CV-joint failure knocked him out ofthe race while in the lead (having led 59 of the 84 laps in the race), leaving Penske to take its 101st win, with Castroneves becom ing the seventh different race winner in as many races.

Max Papis finished just over four seconds behind, ahead of rookie Oriol Servia, who took the first podium finish for Cal Wells’PPI team.

Dario Franchitti was fourth after quahfying on the front row with Montoya, while Adrian Fernandez found a freak way to retire.

When he removed a tear-off at a pit stop, the strip of plastic was sucked into the tur bocharger intake. It wasn’t long before the car ground to a halt.

Paul Tracy retained his points lead in the FedEx series, however he failed to add to his tally after a pit incident with Castroneves’ team-mate Gil de FeiTan. The Canadian, pit ting just ahead of de Ferran, had to cut in hard to squeeze into his pit box around the stationary Penske machine.

Tracy locked the brakes and slid into team refueller Jeff Simon. While injuries were slight (Simon suffering a broken toe), Tracy was disqualified fi-om the race in accordance with cart’s new zero-tolerance pit safety rules.

Jimmy Vasser clawed back some ground to Tracy with seventh place behind the two Player’s cars of Patrick Carpentier and Alex Tagliani, while Roberto Moreno crashed out.

Tony Kanaan failed to start the race after being taken to hospital following a qualify ing crash in the Mo Nunn Racing Reynard-

Mercedes. The Brazilian broke his forearm in two places as well as cracking four ribs and suffering mild concussion. Doctors say he will be out of action for up to six weeks.

Anybody got Memo Gidley’s phone number? Or what about Alex Zanardi’s?

The Detroit race is the beginning of a long haul for CART teams with six events over a seven week span, covering each of the many disciplines of Champ Car racing. From the permanent road track in Portland and MidOhio to Cleveland’s airport, to the streets of Toronto, the 230mph-plus Michigan, and then the 1-mile oval at Chicago, the identity of the 2000 CART champion will likely be clearer once the stretch is over.

The championship chase is still tight anyone of the top 12 drivers a title contender considering the current points tally. The top 10 are separated by 21 points, with one race result being able to change the points tally. such is the closeness of competition.

Points: Tracy 59, Vasser 54, Moreno 52, Papis, de Ferran 47, Montoya 46, Andretti 44, Franchitti 40, Brack 39, Fernandez 38.

Who’s the imposter?

Helio Castroneves may have won the Detroit Grand Prix with his Penske Reynard-Honda but Sylvester Stallone raised the winner’s trophy in victory lane.

Stallone was in Detroit filming for his up-coming ‘Champs’ movie.

rever EDDIE Cheever had become so used to answering questions about when Nissan was going to win a race in the Northern Light Indy Racing Series in post-race press confer ences. On Sunday at Pikes Peak he changed all that.

The American took not only Nissan’s first win in the League since entering in 1997, but also the IRNLS pointscore lead, now 10 points clear offormer leader Buddy Lazier who blew an engine on the first lap of the race.

“We got the first-win for Oldsmobile, and the first win for Infimiti,” said Cheever.

“That’s really nice. I had such an advan tage today. I was getting sick of being asked when Infiniti was going to win. Now we’ll get asked when Infiniti is going to win it’s first championship.”

As the 200-lapper wound by, it looked like it would be Robbie Buhl who would take Nissan’s first win, but he retired with an engine problem while leading comfortably, handing the lead to Stephan Gregoire.

Cheever got by with 29 laps to go and cruised to4he line under caution. With two laps to go Donnie Beechler touched A1 Unser Jr while trying to wrest third place from Scott Sharp.

Following Cheever across the line, in another impressive display, was Brazilian Airton Dare, with Sharp, Mark Dismore, Beechler,Eliseo Salazar and Jeret Schroeder following.

Greg Ray’s horror title defence continued with a crash while Sarah Fisher made con tact with the concrete, both failing to finish.

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Points: Cheever 176, Lazier 168, Sharp 159, Goodyear 156,Dismore 155. i

Sharp as a tack: Scott Sharp just edges out Robby McGehee in Texas.

THE Casino Magic 500 IRNLS race at Texas saw the closest finish in the history of the league with just 0.059s between race winner Scott Sharp and Robby McGehee a week prior to the Pikes Peak race.

However, television viewers were ouraged when ESPN lost the feed from the speedway and instead cut to an NFL program, while Sharp and McGehee were running wheelto-wheel and side-by-side right around the 1.5 mile oval. And there were still six laps left!

“It was ovenvhelming because everyone was so impressed with the racing,” Sharp said. “I signed autographs in the rain for 45 minutes and there were so many fans that told me that they were NASCAR fans but now they were going to pay

more attention to open-wheel racing.”

There were 31 lead changes among eight drivers in the 208 lap race but Scott Goodyear wasn’t as impressed with some of the other drivers as the spectators in the stands were.

“I understand running people to the grass in the last 10 laps, but they (Eliseo Salazar and McGehee) did it (throughout the race),” Goodyear said.

“Salazar always drives like an idiot... but McGehee, I expected more of him.”

Al Unser Jr was third ahead of Buzz Calkins, Goodyear, Mark Dismore, Buddy Lazier, Shigeaki Hattori (making an impressive IRLNS debut after his CART licence was revoked last year), Eddie Cheever and Airton Dare.

23 June 2000

j)(A

Double, double. Troy. Troy

By DARRYL FLACK ●t

IT was an alhAustralian Troy benefit at the Misano round of the 2000 World Superbike Championship on Sunday with Troy Corser and Troy Bayliss recording two l-2s.

Corser scored two convinc ing victories, recording Aprilia’s first wins in Europe - and the first in dry condi tions - to gi’ab second place in the title chase, while Bayliss, still filling in for world champ Carl Fogarty, brought home two distant second places aboard his Infostrada Ducati.

Starting from pole posi tion, the 1996 world champ split in the first race and was set for a race-long stoush with Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha) in the second race until the Japanese star crashed out on lap three.

“It’s been a great day for us all and it’s been great to do it for Aprilia in Italy,” said Corser. “The win in Australia could have been considered a bit lucky but now that I’ve won in the dry, everybody knows that the Apriha can do it.

“If the results continue to come our way, we could real ly give Colin [Edwards] and the rest a fright. Right now it’s going to take a little while to take in all that’s happened today.”

Bayhss was -forced to fight for his seconds in both races.

He was nin off the track by Haga’s crash in race 2 but fought back typically to get by Katsuaki Fujiwara (Corona Suzuki), who claimed a fine third, then a fourth in race two.

“When Haga slid off, I was

very close and the most obvi ous thing to do was to go off the track,” said Bayhss.

“I think Juan [Boija] made the same decision behind me. I lost more than four seconds and it wasn’t that easy to catch up to Fujiwara again I’m really pleased with today’s races, the final details that we sorted out in the morning warm-up made me very competitive.”

Ben Bostrom (NCR Ducati) regained some much-needed credibility after bringing home a deter mined sixth in race 1 and a brilliant podium finish in the second where he harried Bayliss right imtil the end.

'The weekend was a disas ter, however, for champi onship leader Edwards (Castrol Honda), the Texan crashing in the Superpole and doing likewise in the first race before claiming a distant 10th in race 2.

The only other Australian in the field, Peter Goddard (Kawasaki), shrugged off his poor form in the British Superbike Championship and carded a pair of eighths after qualifying seventh, the former Australian and World Endurance champ again deputizing for the injured Gregorio Lavilla.

Hoping to capitalise on Edward’s misfortune, sec ond-placed man in the cham pionship Frankie Chili suf fered a worse fate when broke his left collarbone after he was brought down by debris left by Haga’s crash, and was forced retire in race 1.

“I’m not sure what I hit but I felt the bike go from me and I couldn’t do any thing,” Chili said of the acci dent. “I knew that I had done something to my left collarbone and the X-rays confirmed it was broken.”

n In the World Supersport race won by Christian Kellner (Yamaha),Aussie Karl Muggeridge(Honda) finished fifth, with Andrew Pitt(Kawasaki) eighth. Fellow Aussie Nigel Arnold(Honda) crashed out, while Kevin Curtain(Yamaha)retired after two laps.

■ Noriyuki Haga’s 30day race ban was suspended pending an appeal submitted by Yamaha, which is why he was allowed to compete at Mission. The appeal to the FIM Tribunal of Appeal, was to be heard as we went to press.

■ The MVR Bimota team is to be disbanded after it failed to attract a major sponsor in addition to the bike suffering a lack of performance and reliabdity. The decision has allowed Phillip Island race winner Anthony Gobert to look for another ride.

■ As we went to press, the Loudon, Hew Hampshire round of the AMA Superbike Championship had been postponed one day due to bad weather. At the previous double header at Road America, Wisconsin, Honda’s Nicky Hayden took out both races, but defending champ Mat Mladin (Suzuki) still led the title chase 171 to 170 over the teenage rookie.

Cragill gets UK Kawa call-up

TWO-time Australian Superbike Champion Marty Cragill will be contesting this weekend’s round of the British Superbike Series at Snetterton Circuit near Norwich on a Kawasaki normally ridden by fellow Aussie Peter Goddard. !

Cragill flew out of Melbourne early last week and spent three hours on Thursday at Snetterton testing Kawasaki’s latest machine with sources within the team saying he was quickly putting in laps quicker than Goddard’s previous best at the same venue.

Last year Cragill contested the British series on a works Suzuki, although a serious leg injury compromised his riding style and hampered his campaign.

Goddard, who is contracted to contest the British series, will again deputise for injured Kawasaki-factory rider Gregorio Lavillia in the Valencia round of the World Superbike Championship this weekend.

Sources suggest Cragill may in fact stay with the British Kawasaki team for the remainder of the year, which is ironic considering the team passed over him for Goddard at the beginning of the season.

Look Ma, no feet: Former Superbike World Champ Troy Corser celebrates two more victories aboard his Aprilia.

■ Mark Willis is back in Europe and told us he is testing for the Yamaha Endurance Team as well as the Red Bull Yamaha GP squad in Brno, and may race for the world endurance outfit in the remaining rounds.

-DARRYL FLACK made an early pitstop and I just pushed hard on the new tyres to get ahead of the Fords and it worked.”

JAMES Thompson and Yvan Muller shared the BTCC wins at Silverstone, the former brushing aside his early season injury and the latter

Rydell crossed the line in second but was booted from the

boosting himself to third in the cham

Oshsloshbeen or somewhere like that: Reuter’s manual Opel took two wins in the DTM. OPEL’s Manual Reuter bounced back for GM in roimd two of the DTM at Oschersleben on the weekend, taking two convincing victories in his Opel Astra.

The former ITC champion was never headed in the first race, holding off Michael Bartels for the majority of the race before Bartels spun, aUowing Joahcim Winkelhock into second.

DTM points leader Bemd Schneider followed the Opel duo home in race one with third place, recovering after a poor start which dropped him to seventh.

Reuter again held off Winkelhock in race two, however it was Marcel

Fassler (Mercedes) who grabbed third from ninth on the grid, helped in part by a series of accidents. Schneider and fellow Merc driver Darren ' Turner both crashed out, leaving junior di-iver 'Thomas Jager to fibnish fourth.

James Thompson made his debut in the series in the still too-new Audi 'TT but had a tough time, failing to set a qualifying time. The Yorkshireman had to receive treatment for bums after the team had cut a hole in his seat due to his height which exposed the exhaust and burnt his legs.

Thompson is unsure whether he ■wiU be fit to drive in this weekend’s BTCC round at Croft.

13

pionship.

Thompson blew the start of the sprint race and dropped to fourth, while team mate Gabriele Tarquini charged through to lead.

However the Italian hit a patch of oil and spun out of the race leaving ^ Ford’s Rickard Rydell in the lead.

Rydell was forced to pit by officials to remove & flapping rear bumper and Thompson seized the lead as the rest of the field self-destruc ted.

Vauxhall team mate Muller copped a drive-through

penalty for startingahead of the marked grid position.

Stoved in at Stowe? Vincent Radermeckefs Vauxhall looked very second hand. (Pic by sothweii)

Thompson and Muller share BTCC wins

Anthony Reid was second ahead of Kristensen and top Independent Matt Neal.

“I think this makes up for the all the bad luck I’ve had so far this season,” said Thompson.

Muller won the feature after a quick pit stop and some quick ‘out’ laps, which gave him track position over Rydell

and Reid.

Muller’s team mate Vincent Radermecker came with together Thompson and the Belgian spun into Reid, causing severe damage to the Vectra, but Muller was unstoppable.

“I’m very happy with this result - it puts me right back in the championship,” said Muller. “We

results for an illegal rear wing with Ford set to appeal, lifting Tarquini and a slow ing Menu to the top three. ’ Tarquini believed that the 1997 BTCC champ was slowing to avoid success bal last as a result of fin ishing in the top three. Rydell’s exclu sion put paid to that!

In Class B, the Peugeot 306 of Scot Alan Morrison picked up two more wins but was under pres sure from former BTCC champ Will Hoy who also drove a 306.

Points: Menu 110, Reid 105, Muller 98, Plato 85, Rydell 84, Tarquini 75, Kristensen 66, Thompson 49, Radmermecker 48, Neal 40.

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S119 B®@K WQ'm BASS SIAL'N CHABOE 13 12 AS OB ONLINE www.b@ss.ses.£@m.as£i All 3-day ticket prices for the 2001 CUpsal 500

these prices. But only before June 30th, 2000.

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V8 race and Adelaide’s 3-day party.

Chicane $169* each

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Tra'ckside $75*each

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*Plus Bass booking charges.(Price includes GST.)

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Please note: l.AH booking? are processed by BASS South Australia immediately in order ofreceipt and seats will be allocated as dose as possible to your request. 2. Full payment must be made to secure booking. 3.Tickets cannot be exdungcd or refunded after purchase under any drcumstances.4.This offer must be rcceK-ed by 5.00 pm Friday’ 30th June 2000.

iigg

AI»RIL

2001

PARTY

A II R I. A I 0 E

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23June 2000

15

Families,passions, cabbies and Ecclestone’s theoty ofexclusivity V

have to admit that, like many people in Formula 1, 1 have a rather strange family. One of my ancestors was a man who helped to capture the famous highwayman Dick Turpin. Another was a wellknown forger.

More recently there was a tax Inspector who wrote humorous books in his spare time, a man who holds the world record for drowning rnembers of the Salvation Army, a Canon of St Paul’s Cathedral In London and a man who wrote a Japanese-Engllsh military dictionary: “Excuse me,sir, could you please tell me the way to Singapore”. Cthers in the paddock can lay claim to Nobel Prize winners and so on And yet, despite this bizarre crew, I have always rather envied FIA President Max Mosley for the colourful nature of some of his relatives, not least his remarkable selection of aunts. Their stories are a bit of a jumble in my mind but they were known in the 1930s as the Mitford Sisters and, off the top of my head, I do remember that one ran off to the Spanish Civil War with a Co,\,munist and ended up becoming a duchess, another went off to America and became a muck raking journalist, a third was a close friend of a well-known European dictator and shot herself when war was declared between England and Germany.

And then there was Aunt Nancy who wrote wonderful books about the strange world inhabited by the British upper classes in the 1930s; the most famous of which is called ‘Love in a Cold Climate’.

Mosley obviously inherited much of the charm and non-conformity of the Mitford Family and I blame Max’s Aunt Nancy for a fax I received the other day from Mosley complaining about the lack of literature in Grand Prix racing, presumably as a result of a recent column I wrote about the need for poets in the paddock.

Not content with doing his utmost to annoy European politicians and car manufacturers.

Max still somehow has the time to play around with the Formula 1 journalists when he had nothing better to do on a wet Friday afternoon at FIA headquarters in London. The fax read as follows: ‘The article below is from the Calcutta Telegraph. Why can’t you and the other Formula 1 media people write as well as this?”

I was laughing before I even read the article attached because my mind conjured up a bizarre image of Mosley sitting down for n - breakfast with a grapefruit, a man with a big fan and a copy of the Calcutta Telegraph. Somehow the image of Mosley in a colonial role did not fit with the President's normal suit and tie world.

But 1 suppose that when you are the FIA boss you need to know what the man on the banks of the Hooghly River is saying about matters relating to the automobile and their views of crash-testing.

Automobiles are not really a problem when you are living in abject poverty on the streets of Calcutta.

Quietly giggling, I moved on to the article in question. It was a little bit over the top.

“An air of hushec^ expectancy prevails in the pits,” it read (it actually said “pith”'but 1 am sure that must have been a misprint).

“Men in overalls rush around with a reassuring efficiency to ensure the safety of life. Cars rev up, the / adrenalins starts pumping. The milling crowd at the circuit keeps swelling, while a gut-wrenching excitement permeates the atmosphere. Welcome to the world of Formula 1. A world of do-or-die trials, life-depending precisionturnings, engine settings, track time sheets, hairpin bends and zooming machines. A world inhabited by the bold and the beautiful, a world of the chosen few - which Calcutta is poised to join.”

Stirring stuff. A literary charge of the Light Brigade. was not sure whether or not I was supposed to be impressed but what shone through the clumsiness of the words was a wild enthusiasm for Formula 1. It was leaking from every phrase. Would that all the people In Formula 1 were as keen to go to Calcutta as Calcutta appears to be to welcome Formula 1. It Is not exactly the kind of place one expects in the glamorous world of Grand Prix racing.,“From Monaco to Calcutta” is not a motto which will be emblazoned on many Formula 1 tee shirts but if all goes to plan Grand Prix racing will be dropping into West Bengal in a couple of years from now. I am all for that. I think the World Championship needs to expand to places where they don’t have room service.

This is not a popular view, of course, because the FI world likes to travel In style and visit places where one knows the good restaurants and one is not faced by too many uncomfortable moral dilemmas. There are still folk in the paddock who find it hard to reconcile taking a glittering moneywasting circus to a place where people,live in squalid conditions.

Others are simply worried that when they get back from the racetrack, someone will be living inside their executive jets.

Montreal is much more in keeping with FI’s glossy image but it has one thing in common with the journalist from Calcutta. There is rampant enthusiasm for the sport. I have always found that the best way to judge any city is to talk to the taxi drivers (if you have a language in common). This is not always

Wir

Exclusive family? Jackie Stew Fittipaldi, right, are certainly considersSIS movie star cum championship-win Newman,above left, would have to be easy because one needs a grasp of Swahili to talk to most of the cabbies in New York and in these days of Balkan problems, SerboCroat is also very useful.

On my ride into Montreal from Dorval Airport the cab driver(who was Greek or Turkish) was chatting merrily about the Grand Prix, telling me about how excited everyone in the city was about the race. The city was full of fans he said. Every hotel room Is full. After a quick wander around Downtown 1 had to agree. It was hopping. All the shops seemed to have motor racing-themed windows. It was just a big party.

This is what happens when a city embraces Formula 1 as they are intended to do. It was like that in Adelaide and it is like that in Melbourne.

In Montreal the interest seems to get bigger every year. On Friday the grandstands at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve were full.

They even closed down traffic to the lie de Notre Dame because It was sold out.

Trying to analyse why a race gets a crowd is not always easy, but In Montreal it is simple. There is this little fellow who doesn’t shave a lot called Jacques Villeneuve and the Canadians get excited about him. It was never like that in the days of when Formula 1 was without aCanadian.

The crowdslesson in Montreal provide a valuable for anyone wantingjfo hold a Grand Prix. A local driver can work wonders on the levels of interest in a race. Even if the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has sold all its 200,000 grandstands tickets and scalpers are ready to pay fortunes for good seats this is still something which the United States Grand Prix is going to need at some point in the future. There is nothing like a local star to get people excited. Formula 1 does not always make this an easy thing to achieve.

I happen to know a very good young American racing driver and with a little skill and underhand behaviour, we managed to sneak

him into the padaocK in Montreal to meet a few of the movers and shakers and to give him some advice about what it takes to get into Formula 1.

The message was very clear. Go and race in Europe. That is not an easy thing for a young American kid to do when everything is so different from the homogenous world of home.

After meeting a few people we were wandering through the paddock chatting when one of the human guard dogs who prowl about checking passes challenged the American driver and demanded to see his pass. He did not have one and so he was directed to the gate and shown the door. It struck me that there are times when perhaps Formula 1 needs to take off its blinkers for a moment and work out what is important.

At the same time one can understand the theory of exclusivity which Formula 1 has operated with paddock access. If you keep people out they will want to come in. It is human nature. You have only to wander the streets of Montreal to understand that everyone there wants people to think that they are somehow involved in FI. They are all dressed up in every piece of merchandise that money can buy in the hope that the others will figure that they are someone important, like the man who always stands next to Mrs Hakkinen and who seems to be employed for his ability to crate the right facial expression at the right moment.

The easiest way to spot people who are really involved in FI is to spot people who are NOT wearing team gear when they get back to town. They want to be left alone and get a little peace (or in some case a little piece).

w-

'cclestone’s theory of exclusivity ■is that if one has a paddock which is protected from the masses, there are likely to be more real VIPs who will be happy to hang out there because they know that once they are inside the walls of the FI city they know they will be looked after by fawning flunkies and will not be overly hassled by members of the general public.

FI has long attracted Euro Trash and people who are famous for being famous but in recent years it has started to attract real celebrities and in Montreal at the weekend there were discreet visits from Robert De Niro, Paul Newman, George Harrison (a regular) and the Olympic athlete Ed Moses, a man who really does qualify as a legendary figure in a world where legends has become a de-valued word.

What happens then is that the VIPs are photographed inside the paddock and so the perceived glamour and the demand to get in increases still further. It is a very sound theory and while the real race fans may not like it much, it is probably in the best interests of the sport in the longer-term.

The only problem is how in the world is FI going to get celebrities to go to Calcutta. I’m not sure that powerful prose will do the job...

16

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23 June 2000 u

Personally, as a team, we’re shooting for number one.

We don’t like being where we are and it’s definitely on the impro¥e, we fust have to keep walking up 3 banging our heads against the wall and staying 33 dedicated.

..

StCTeii Ridiards

I

1NG THE NEXT GENERATION

iteven Rishards came through with his GiC 400 Canberra win at an interesting time in his life -settling into new colours at Kmart Racing and getting used to being a father. PIL lifldAGSN spoke to him.

Motorsport News: On the personal side of things, has becoming a father affected your racing?

Steven Richards; No, not at all.

Whether it’s my own responsibility, I don’t have a feeling of any more responsibility because of Clayton. I still go out there and do exactly what I was doing prior to having

him.

MN: But does it change the way you look at things? In my experience racing drivers tend to be a)selfish and b) holding on a bit tight.

SR: I haven’t noticed a change in my own personal standing except that he takes up a lot more of my time, time which I had for a lot of other things in the past whereas now I sort of am focused more on him.

As far as the motor racing goes my commitment is 100 percent to that, that’s what I do for a job and how Clayton is going to be supported so I’ve got to keep working my bum off because I’m not there yet!

MN; How have you gone through this year? Racing drivers often get a bit cranky when they’re not winning races.

SR; I suppose one of my biggest attributes, although sometimes I think it doesn’t get me very far, is my patience.

I realised at the beginning of last year when I took on the role at Wynn’s Racing, which is now Kmart

Racing, that things were going to be pretty tough and, naturally enough, you give yourself a little bit of time before things start happening. Really, as a motor racing driver, you want results as soon as you can get them.

Eighteen months down the track I would say that we have had quite a few very good results and that has been attributed to good car speed and organisation.

Our qualifying performance still leaves a fair bit to be desired and until you can qualify well (in sprint races) you’re going to struggle. I’m not happy necessarily at all with the qualifying situation but I’m very happy with the team and the way everything’s going and the car they produce is a very good car. It’s nice and reliable and I think that’s half the battle.

MN: Are you happier now that the (race)format Is starting to shift your way with, maybe, less emphasis on the sprint races?

SR: Not really, because we still have to perform in the sprint races.

To win a championship you have to perform well in every type of format, t still believe that we had the car speed in Canberra and we proved that in races two and three by setting some very fast times. Butyou still have to go out in qualifying and be quick, and the Canberra race for us was won by our pit strategy.

In the reverse grid race we out did most of the other teams with our strategy so I’d have to say that was

Winner, not Wynner: Richards scored his first win of the season in Canberra last week.(Photo by Noel Papeiera) the big reason why we came away with the points.

MN: That’s fairly impressive in itself because you spoke about the organisation of the team and there has been a lot of changes since you’ve been there.

SR: For sure. The main structure of the team is reasonably in place.

The people we had working on the strategy last year are still there and they play a big role in what happens. In some areas there is a lot that’s changed but I think that as far as the team structure is going at the moment, things are getting there. We’re on the improve with every race meeting - everybody’s finding their feet in their new respective roles and again !think again come Bathurst time we’ll be looking strong.

MN: In your V8 experience, you’ve driven for, as it was, Winfield Racing and then Garry Rogers Motorsport now Wynn’s/Kmart. Can you make comparisons between the teams?

SR; Yes I can. GRM was something that started right from the very beginning. We started in AUSCAR and moved into Super Touring and then V8s, and that was something which was growing all the time, which was a little bit different from the Winfield scenario where we had a lot of money, a lot of resources, really no reason not to perform.

Coming back to the Wynn’s/ Kmart organisation, that was different again in that it has seen the highs of success and had been re-born in, I guess, the second era of the VSSupercar category with the (introduction of a) control tyre.

From there it’s been a whole new ball game and a whole new learning curve.

MN; And in between that was a year in England with Nissan’s BTCC team. What are your thoughts looking back on that?

Regret?

SR; No, definitely not. That was actually the best thing I have ever had the opportunity to do. Although

the race mileage wasn’t a heap, it was a lot of time spent, a) having a look how things were done with absolute limitless resources and b) learning a lot about my own personal self and what made me tick.

I definitely came away fro m that experience not only a better driver but a better person, even though I didn’t do that many miles that year.

MN: When you came back and drove at Bathurst with Jason Bright, Ross Stone said that there was an enormous amount of maturity in you as a driver from that experience.

SR; I think so, I was perhaps a bit more worldly prior to that. Garry Rogers and I had built the team to where it needed to reach the next level and I was a big part of that.

I was probably kept under wraps in that situation and by going overseas and then coming back, I was a lot more open to the ways of the world and came back with a lot more benefit from the knowledge I’d gained.

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23 June 2000

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days, that for a lot of other reasons, other than our result, that was really done as a favour for me for sitting around a lot of the time over in Europe.

Alec Poole, the Motorsport Manager of the touring car program, got the car over here, but I had to organise the logistics of spares etc.

I had to go to Ray Mallock Limited, which is about 55 miles away and pick up all the spares that I had picked, take it to the airport and pack all the spares.

I got to pick the team of guys that went there and there was a lot of satisfaction in that result in itself because we were really a very small group of guys taking on the might of TWR and almost came away with the win.

MN: Was it also good timing on your behalf? You’ve gone from, I guess it wasn’t a struggling championship, but it was a growing championship, you’ve gone to the BTCC which is very professional and then you’ve come Back to find a year’s development in the Supercar series here which is becoming more professional by the race.

SR: Sure, if you miss 12 months of the Australian series, you really struggle and I did find that. I wasn’t quite up to speed with what the cars required and the shock absorber technology had come a long way in the 12 months I’d missed out.

It was a case of re-learning and we as a team are still not all there with that. We’ve got more hard work to do and making the cars faster is the area we have to concentrate on.

It’s been the best thing that’s happened, to come back to a series that is world class and at the moment the most healthy touring car championship in the world.

MN: From the problems you and Greg (Murphy) were having on Friday morning at Canberra, to the results on Sunday night, they were quite poles apart. What’s your take on the whole thing?

SR: It’s quite funny, our cars are very reliable and we don’t have any mechanic problems with them at all but for some reason, with my car in particular, we were having overheating problems in 10 degree ambient temperature.

It took us all by surprise. It’s the first time that the practice sessions were really critical to the overall time you had to make the car fast.

Even in the second session we made some changes from the first session based on the three laps that I’d actually competed and.it made the car a little bit better.

Because of the overheating, in order for the guys to have enough time to potentially change an engine, if it was required, I was trying to get the car in the second session (bottom 50 percent)for qualifying. That’s quite an unusual scenario so I was driving seveneighths of the lap as hard as I could and then backing off coming onto the straight and losing up to a second-and-a-half.

In the end it worked. We didn’t have to change the engine but it was fairly critical to the outcome of the weekend.

MN: It was unusual that a number of guys, yourself included, made the jump from the second session (into the top 50 percent).

SR: The car felt pretty good in the second practice session but 1

MN: And then after all that you got to drive the car...

SR: Yeah! That’s been one of the (career) highlights actually.

Bathurst metaories: Richards won with Wynns Racing last November (left) and finished sec ond for Nissan in the Super Touring event in 1998.

[Photos by Dirk Klynsmith)

Naturally they think you’re there because of who you are.

MN: You can’t pick your parents either. , SR: No, that’s right!

couldn’t do much about it. With a few more changes in the Saturday warm-up we had a pretty good race car.

Coupled with the warm-up on Sunday, because that was the first race where we’ve really started our race tuning, the warm-ups were very critical to that.

MN: So where to from here? The team has a problem with qualifying speed. How do you get on top of that?

SR: We’re working as hard as we can and we won’t give up until it’s achieved. We’re 18 months down the track in a lot of respects now and Kmart have been terrific and they’re ecstatic at the results we’ve been getting.

Personally, as a team, we’re shooting for number one. We don’t like being where we are and it’s definitely on the improve, we just have to keep walking up, banging our heads against the wall and staying dedicated.

MN: From the outside it looks like your straight-line speed is in the ball park of the fast guys and your car is pretty strong under brakes. Is it just down to power down and handling?

SR: Nowadays it’s all chassis. Most of the cars have the same amount of downforce and braking capacity, the same weight, they’ve all roughly got, well Holden I can speak for, roughly 600-610 horsepower, and it comes down to how well you can n get those four rubber things to get the best grip available.

MN: You’ve been in this game now for just on 10 years. When did you start being Steve Richards and not‘Jim Richards’ son’?

SR: I don’t know, I think there’ll always be comparisons. I’ll always been known as Jim’s son but that’s never been a concern for me. I’ve always gone out and done the best I can on any given day.

You can’t stop what people think.

MN: Any real highlights spring to mind from this year? There’s obviously been days when you’ve gone out and driven the thing as fast as it will go.

SR: Sometimes the best races you have aren’t necessarily the races you win. There have been occasions where, on the outside, it hasn’t looked like anything too special, but feel a sense of achievement.

There’s been quite a few races this year where I’ve got out of car and felt pretty good. I think the last race at Eastern Creek was one of those. The car was handling good, I thought I was driving it pretty good, and I think we ended up ninth or something but it was just one of those days where you think ‘I didn’t make too many mistakes today’.

MN: I guess a lot of us miss those sort of things and we tend to pay attention to things like the Bathurst ’98 battle between you and Matt Neal and Dad and Rickard (Rydell) in the Volvo.

SR: For sure, they are special moments and that was one of those

MN: The future of the sport.

More growth from here?

SR: Definitely, I think a lot of other major sports we had to be very careful of. Being involved in V8 Supercars, we have to be mindful of the basis for the success that the category has had and that is that it is a very approachable sport, the fans can get up close to the cars and the drivers etc.

We have to make sure we don’t become elitist like other sports look like they are becoming. We’re a sport for the people and we have to make sure we maintain that, because that’s why the category has become what it has.

MN: You get a strong sense of that when you go to street events like Canberra and you see so many people getting so up close with the drivers.

SR: That’s what it’s all about. As a team, Kmart Racing try not to got back into the garage sit out the back out of the view of everyone.

We sign autographs and chat to people and get involved as much as we can because that’s what has made the category such a success.

At the end of the day, that’s what I’m employed to do. I’m a professional racing car driver and I want that to happen as long as I drive racing cars.

MN: Finally, what sort of grandad is Jim? SR: He’s fantastic. Any excuse he has, he drops in. If he’s 15 kilometres within Berwick, he calls in and has a nurse for 15 minutes and then disappears again.

He’s rapt. It’s probably surprised Ange and I how much!

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23 June 2000

Jarning with Jarno Sixth place for Jarno Trulls in Montreal hardly made up for the disappointment of Monaco, but it was better than nothing. And at least he got past Turn 1!

Adam Cooper spoke to the Italian about Montreal and the season so far.

Motorsport News: Are you pleased to get to the finish and score a point?

Jarno Trulli: Actually I had very bad lucki I had a very good start, but at the first corner I was side-by-side with Heinz, and to avoid a collision I lost two places. Then I was behind Ricardo Zonta, and I couldn't push properly.

Once I overtook him I was very, very quick. I caught Villeneuve and Hakkinen in a couple of laps, and then I had to refuel just three laps before it started to rain. So we were very unlucky.

MN; What was it like in the rain?

JT: It was very hard, and I took many risks. I went straight on at the chicane, and had a very tough moment. Fortunately I got hold of the car and was able to carry on. I had a big battle with the guys behind me, and in the end I got one point,.?, very hard point! One more point is good, but for sure it's not what we expected.

MN: Were you surprised to lose out to Jos Verstappen?

JT: Well, he was very quick from the beginning, I don't know why. His acceleration and general grip was very good - maybe he had more downforce than me. He was definitely quicker than me in the wet. My car was very good when it was raining on slick tyres, but on wet tyres I couldn't get hold of the car.

MN: You were obviously disappointed on the Sunday night in Monaco. Have you had time to put it all into perspective and realise that a lot of good things happened that weekend?

JT: You're right. I was very, very disappointed. Even more so when I a

very good car before. This year for saw Michael going off, because I the first time I'm driving for a good realised that I'd lost a big chance to win a race. team, with a pretty good car, and We have calculated in the team once more I'm showing that i can be that until now I have lost 14 or 15 there, I can be right at the top, .

I was fighting with Schumacher points, just for reliability problems for pole position, during the race I not mistakes by me or the team. was holding very well with That makes the situation not easy Coulthard and keeping my pace, for us. We are working very hard, doing my strategy. Everything was and I'm happy with the team perfect. But I stiii missed the because they are working very hard, but unfortunately^it seems that podium, we cannot get it right.

When I came to Jordan I was MN: Monaco was a special situation, but do you think there pretty sure to have a reliable car. I will be other races this year didn't know how competitive it would have been, but for sure I was where you can get amongst the Ferraris and McLarens in very confident that it would be reliable, knowing myself that I can / qualifying?

JT: I hope so. I hope that Jordan will be very reliable during the races, improve the car. Soon we will get very strong, i was expecting to new pieces, aerodynamically and score more points than I have now. on the engine side. Honestly we At the moment I can say that I'm must say Ferrari and McLaren look a little bit disappointed about how so strong for everybody. the season has gone. In the For sure what we can confirm beginning my target was to fight for this year is that we can probably the podium at every single race. If again be the third team by the end we look back, every single race I of the season, but the way is still was running for the points, until something went wrong. It makes me very long at the moment. feel a little bit sad, a littie bit disappointed.

C( This season should have been one of my best seasons in FI. OK, we are not even at halfway of the season, but at the moment it doesn't look like that in terms of results. I'm performing very well. I'm proving that I can be very good. In Monaco I proved once more that I can win races, but unfortunately for me I can't get the points.

MN: Monaco was the first time we'd really seen you with a chance of winning since Austria '97 with Frost. That seems a long time ago...

JT: Yes, it was a long time! But as everybody knows I didn't drive a

With Eddie ifs different to Alain Frost. You can talk to him about girls, drums and business, but not a lot about the )}

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Trulli on Eddie Jordan

MN: Of course you still have a big fight with Williams to finish third...

JT; Yes, we've seen that Williams has been very strong in a couple of situations, a couple of races. And Benetton has a very reliable car, and sometimes a very quick car.

We just have to push very hard, because every single race we have a different problem. We'lost a big chance not only in Monaco, but also in Australia, and again in Brazii.

Things are becoming for everybody tougher and tougher, and whenever you lose points, even one, it's very important, very hard. So Monaco was a pretty difficult situation!

No- one made a mistake during the weekend. The team was perfect, the car was perfect, I haven't made any mistakes, and in one second you lose everything, and you go away from the race with nothing. Sometimes silly problems are stopping us. You feel that you are running behind the problems, without really catching them or stopping them.

MN: How difficult is it going to be to close the gap to McLaren and Ferrari?

JT: Realistically it's going to be very tough for us to catch McLaren and Ferrari. We can get closer for sure at some tracks and in some situations, but we will probably never close completely the gap.

We can probably fight with Williams for the rest of the season, but even that is going to be a very tough job for us. I must say we've found some problems at some tracks, for example Barcelona. For sure that wasn't a good track for us, our car doesn't seem to suit very well this track.

MN: You've driven for an Italian team and a French team, what's it like being in a British team - or an Irish team maybe?

JT: It's good. They are very professional and generally they are very organised, which makes a driver's life easier, it's easier to

''i-.

Two Italians in Montreal: Trulli had a strong race with Fisichella, the two Latins fighting for top dog status with their home fans. Fisico won this round...

(Photos by Sutton-Images)

work with the mechanics and engineers and everybody. So generaliy the life is better, as you can see from the results.

I feel very confident this year, I feel I'm working very well with the mechanics and the engineers, and the atmosphere inside the team is very good, which is important, because when you have a tough season, you need to keep the moraie high.

MN: When you start in a new team what is the most difficult thing to learn or to get used to?

JT: So many things. It's not so easy! First of all you need to find a good compromise to talk and communicate with everybody, when you on the track, when you are at home. And you need to understand the car. Because every single car on every single circuit reacts differently. So if you know the car already from one year before, you can understand and anyway manage the situation better.

An example was at Nurburgring; Heinz aiready knew that we were going to have some problems, but I didn't, because I didn't drive this car on that track last year, so at one stage I was really struggling to understand which way to go. Then I found out the way, and I am happy. So many things.

You never finish learning, even when you’re running in one team for several years. Even for Michael Schumacher there are still things to learn.

MN: Your team boss is a very different character from the one you had last year! What is Eddie Jordan like to work for?

JT; It's a completely different relationship from what I had with Alain Prost. He was more into the technicalities of the car, so we were taiking a lot about set-up, the general feeling.

With Eddie it's different. You can taik to him about girls, drums and business, but not a lot about the car! Which in one way is good, because he has his own people doing that job, so I know who I have to speak to about the car, which is the most important thing.

MN: Realistically, what is your target for this year?

JT: I think we will get better and better now, especially as we will have better track characteristics for our car. So the next races will hopefully very successful. I feel very confident, because the team has done very well in the past, especially from the middle to the end of the season.

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20 23June 2000

PAO^

Four rings times three

I

T would b^too obvi ous to say that Audi ran rings around their opponents in the 2000 Le Mans 24 Hours, but that’s exactly what they did.

The Joest-run R8Rs were the class of the field, sweep ing a 1-2-3 finish with Audi soldiers Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro joined by Tom Kristensen in the lead car. For the latter it was his second win at the Sarthe, and his second with the Joest team.

Behind the lead car came Laurent Aiello, Allan McNish and Stephane Ortelli with Michele Alboreto, Christian Abt and Rinaldo Capello completing the trifecta, one mirroring the efforts of Ford, Porsche and Peugeot in the past. It must be said though that without BMW, Mercedes and Toyota, the 2000 ver sion of the race was a bit depleted in terms of manu facturers if not in terms of good teams.

Such was the domination of the three Audis, the fourth-placed car Peugeot prototype was some 24 laps behind the winners!

One element in the win ning strategy was fuel-con sumption. The Audis were capabi,' of running one extra lap from a tank of fuel than their manin challengers, the Panozes, which meant up to two fewer pit stops than their rivals over the race distance.

Australian’s great red hope David Brabham had another disappointing run in the French classic, the Panoz Roadster he shared with Jan Magnussen and Mario Andretti finishing 16th after a litany of dra mas, which including an off from the American.

“The car had a really good balance and I was just trying to keep a good rhythm,” said Magnussen. “The car was a lot better than I expected.”

The Dodge Viper versus

Chevrolet Corvette rivalry which really began at the Daytona 24 Hours in January continued but again the VIO machine had enough to win the class, with Karl Wendlinger, Olivier Beretta and Dominic Dupuy doing the driving duties.

The other challengers petered out without so much as a whimper.

Cadillac, who openly admitted that their focus is on the 2001 event and that this year was merely a 24hour test session, had their challenge erupt in flames within a handful of laps.

Christophe Tinseau lost his eyebrows and eyelashes in the fire, while Eric van de Poele spun the other factory car into a tyrewall at the second chicane on the Mulsanne Straight, both incidents within the first two hours.

The DAMS-run Cadillacs weren’t without their dra-' overall outcome while Abt in

mas either. Franck Lagorqe trailed into the pits with wheel and rear suspension damage. It didn’t look too bad for the Frenchman but a rear tyre had blown at over 320krn/h and another blown tyi-e meant more pit stops to fix the suspension. . Brabham took up the early running with the three Audis hot on the exhaust of the 6litre V8 but it wasn’t too long before all three found their way by and from there they were never really headed for the next 22 hours.

Andretti was never likely to be an Audi-frightener, with the 1978 FI Champ lapping up to some nine sec onds off Brabham and Magnussen, maintaining a car preserving pace.

As is the case at Le Mans, the wirming car doesn’t have a hiccup, while the chal lengers have enough nig gling dramas to render them just that, challengers.

Ortelli, in the lead after hour four, biffed the barrier at Indianapolis, dumping some time which in the end would not really upset the

the third car shot down the escape road.

Later on, a seemingly routine stop for Aiello had tongues wagging down pit lane and other teams smiling. Not for long. There was a problem with the rear end SO the Audi was pushed into the garage for a pre-built gearbox and rear end to be winched into position. Pity for the rest that they could get the job done in about four minutes, which included gearbox, uprights and suspension ...

McNish took over the car and blasted back into third by passing Brabham, who was trying to make up time which Andretti had lost dur-

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sure while the Vipers slithered there way into the top 10. But the Audis looked untouchable.

“You never really want to wish anybody else bad luck. but mechanical failure for the Audis is our best bet of a podium,” said Don Panoz cautiously at hour 11.

His prophecy came true just 15 minutes later when Abt pitted for a precautioning his double stint. ary gearbox change, but By hour 10 Audi had a lit- came back to bite when his tie problem to worry about. own lead cai- was forced in to The team replaced the dif- change a gearbox as well.

The Audis rumbled on fuser on car #9 which had fallen off on the track, and through the night with which also included the Biela/Kristensen/Pirro a lap telemetry transponder, so all up on Aiello/McNish/Ortelli three cars were checked. and two laps up on Alboreto/ Stefan Johansson’s Abt/Capello. The Brabham Reynard 2KQ-Judd was car slid down the leader forced out with no oil pres- board while the remaining Cadillac, spearheaded by "former Panoz driver Eric Bernard, worked its way into sixth.

Brabham would shde fur-

Tarmac special stage raHying GOLD COAU at its BEST 3j|fiff

Timeless setting: The grandstand, the clock. the flag. Audi takes its first win at Le Mans. McNish (right) was the star of the show, while Dodge’s Viper (bottom) took its third class win in the French classic.

www.goldcoasttoiuiristtrophy.iorg.au

ther when smoke began to billow, prompting a lengthy stop to fix the engine prob lem. The Panoz stayed still in the pits for virtually an hour, lifting the Cadillac to fourth. Pity it wasn’t a Le Mans 23 Hour ...

While the Panoz fell, McNish was flying as the sun rose, trying to make up time on leader Biela, who had run a huge stint. But the laps margin was just too great to make up with out risking an off and a

23 June 2000

21

Panoz: Three series in 2001?

DON Panoz is pushing ahead with plans to run parallel Le Mans Series in America, Europe and, pos sibly the Asia Pacific Rim, next yeai’.

The founder of the American Le Mans Series, now in its second year, is planning as many as five races in Europe in 2001 under the ELMS banner.

They would form a separate championship to its Stateside parent.

“If you had four or five races in Europe and added Sebring and Petit Le Mans [at Road Atlantal in the United States, you'd have a pretty good championship,” he said. “That could become eight if you included a race in Asia.

“It would definitely be a separate championship, and I'd like to see an AsianPacific series following what we are doing in Europe, as weU.” Panoz said the ALMS is Goliath beats David: Brabham had a promising run but the Panozes were subject to mechanical problems during the race.

F3 and WGGTS in Adelaide AN announcement is imminent that Formula 3 and the

Barber-gallow?

Nope, La Sarthe. Dick Barbour’s Porsche took the win in the GT3 category.

retirement.

Retirement finally hit the remaining Cadillac after an impressive 21 hour run from fourth place after suspension failure, allowing the Peugeot Courage Stephane Bourdais to grab fourth, a place he would not lose to the chequer.

While the outright race was all Germanic, the battle for the GT class wasn’t quite as clear-cut. The Dick Barbour Racing GT3 Porsche had been a class apart from the rest, includ ing the Porsche owned by Aussie Rohan Skea.

In the dying moments of the race though the GT class was the focus of all when driver Fabio Babini in the second-placed car had the bonnet blow open. He drove back to the pits with his head sticking out of the door, allowing Sascha

Maassen through in the Skea car to third place and a podium finish in the team’s first attempt at Le Mans, The ORECA Viper wiped the Corvettes off by six laps to win in a 1-2 for the class and seventh and ninth overall ahead of the lead Corvette spearheaded,by Bob Andy Pilgrim.

Wollek/Dirk Muller/Lucas Luhr were far too strong in GT but it was Audi’s day.

They came, they saw, they wiped the Le Mans floor ...

Le Mans 24 Hours results Pos Drivers 1 Biela/Kristensen/Pirro 2 McNish/Aiello/Ortelli 3 Alboreto/Capelio/Abt 4 Grouillard/Bourdais/Cierico 5 O’Connell/Katoh/Raphanel 6 Kageyama/Kageyama/Suzuki 7 BerettaA/Vendiinger/Dupuy* 8 Kondo/Tsuchiya/lida 9 Amorim/Donohue/Beltoise 10 Pilgrim/Collins/Freon 13 Muller/Luhr/Wollek** *— Indicates GTS winner ** - Indicates GT winner

Car Laps 368 Audi R8R 367 Audi R8R 365 Audi R8R 344 Courage C52/Peugeot Panoz LMP-1 Roadster 342 Panoz LMP-1 Roadster 340 335 Dodge Viper GTS-R Panoz LMP-1 Roadster 332 328 Dodge Viper GTS-R Chevrolet Con/ette C5-R 327 319 Porsche 911 GT3-R

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likely to be downsized from the present nine North American rounds to eight next year. Only one of the European races would hkely count to the American series.

“I think asking the teams to cross the Pond to do two races either side of the Le Mans 24 Hours is a httle too much.” and Silverstone Nurhurgring, home to this year's European ALMS rounds, are likely to stay on the schedule. Panoz wouldn't discuss possible venues beyond saying that he would like to take the championship to Italy. and Monza SpaFrancorchamps have both been linked to rounds, as has the new Rockingham motorsport complex in Britain.

The Australian round in Adelaide will be joined by a race at Sepang in Malaysia next year. An event in Japan is “possible”, according to Panoz. . - GARY WATKINS

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Women’s Global GT Series will be the main support events for the Race of 1000 Years at Adelaide in December. ‘ Race promoters are beheved to have a deal in place to stage an international F3 event which wfil foUow on from the Macau GP and Korean races which will be staged in mid-to-late November.

The field, which are expected to have entries from the UK, Germany, Italy, France and Japan, would be freighted to Adelaide by sea. The field could also be bolstered by local entries and, possibly, entries from the new US F3 championship.

All cars would run on Yokohama control tyres, which wiU featoe in the Macau and Korean races and which have just been made the control tyre for the Austrahan series.

The WGGTS is a one-make series for Ford-engined Panoz Esperanto coupes and usually attracts more that 20 competi tors. The cars feature 4.6 htre V8 engines in space frame cars, running on Michelin tyres.

Last year the series attracted drivers like ex-Fl steerers Davina Galhca and Giovanna Amati.

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Mario and Mikey in Adelaide?

DON Panoz wants to pair Mario Andretti with son Michael in the end-of-season ALMS race in Australia.

The series boss said of 60year-old Mario, who made his racing comeback at Le Mans last weekend: “If he'll come, we'll have him. I'd like to get Mario and

Michael together. It could happen.”

Panoz will enter three cars in the race and an Andretti/ Andretti pairing would be a great drawcards.

Michael would need the approval of both NewmanHaas Racing and Ford to be able to accept the drive.

-GARY WATKINS

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23 June 2000

Simply Redin Canada Schumacher and Barrichello

go 1-2 again in Montreal as McLaren struggles.

JOE SAWARD reports.

TO win World Champion ships one needs a bit of luck and in Canada, Michael Schumacher had more than a little.

David Coulthard looked threatening but the FIA Stewards demolished any chance that McLaren had of beating Schumacher. David's mechanics did work on the car after the 15 second limit before the parade lap. That was illegal but the punish ment was a httle harsh.

David was bounced down the oraer and with Jacques Villeneuve doing an imper sonation of a Dutch caravan in his BAE-Honda there was no chance for anyone else to get close to Michael, despite the fact that the leading Ferrari had a problem.

If it had not been for the weather changing in mid race, many insomniacs would have been cured. In the end, though, it was a good show. A jolly good show for Ferrari, even if team orders were applied to prevent Rubens Barrichello beating Michael in the closing laps...

Qualifying There was a time when people in Quebec were the big. on the idea of becoming,a separate country but it seeihs that they now understand that there are enough Third World countries in the world and so they have settled into life as America's next door neighbour.

Whenever you meet a Canadian anywhere in the world they always have a Maple Leaf flag on their Tshirt, rucksack or forehead and so you get the impression that suggesting that Canada is like America's 51st state is probably not a good idea.

You are likely to get a simi lar reaction these days if you suggest that Jacques Villeneuve is not very Canadian. He was bom there but the family moved to Monaco when Jacques was about eight and he grew up in the fairytale principality.

He went to school there and in Switzerland and then went to race in Japan before returning to North America to make his name in Formula

Atlantic and then in CART. But it does not matter to the folks of Montreal.

Villeneuve is a local boy and they love him. Even if the car he is driving is not very com petitive. The newspapers were packed full of Villeneuve throughout the week leading up to the Grand Prix but once the racing began it was rather more dif ficult because Jacques was not really making that much of an impact.

It was all about Ferrari and McLaren. As usual.

On Friday Coulthard con tinued his run of good show ings by being faster than the two Ferraris and Johnny Herbert. But it meant little.

On Saturday morning Coulthard was quickest again but Michael Schumacher was right with him again and Barrichello was only a fraction away.

Hakkinen was fourth.

And so it came to qualify ing and the fight was on.

Hakkinen set the ball rolhng with fastest lap on his first run after 20 minutes. A cou¬

Who are you calling perfect? Michael was brilliant, but not perfect, in Montreal. He took pole in the dying minutes after a spin (below) and dominated the race once David Coulthard was penalised and dropped down the field. (Photos by Sutton-images and RaceAccess)

ple of minutes later Coulthard chopped four tenths from Hakkinen's best.

Michael Schumacher went for it but could not beat David and Barrichello slotted into third.

Ten minutes later Hakkinen and Coulthard were out again and the pat¬

'■>»●● ● ●

Blame Canada; Schuey leads away from Coulthard and the llghtning-quick Villeneuve. (Photo by RaceAccess)

Coulthard admitted to tern was the same. Hakkinen took pole, Coulthard beat being “slightly disappointed” him and a couple of minutes having been fastest in the after that Schumacher went other sessions.

“You don't score points in second. Then Jos Verstappen squashed his Orange Arrows qualifying,” he said. into a wall and out came red Barrichello reckoned he flags. had been a bit unlucky As soon as the session was because he lost his second restarted there was a rush run because of the red flags and in the scramble Michael and then had traffic trouble at the end ofthe session.

Schumacher came out on top and so we waited for the finM “My time does not reflect runs as the session ticked the potential of the car because I could at least have away. Barrichello was the first to go on that final run been on the front row,” he said. Mika Hakkinen was and he hauled himself up to second place but Coulthard, fourth and he did not seem to Schumacher and Hakkinen be his usual speedy self. His were all behind him. qualifying was trouble-free Coulthard did not seem to but he said that he was los be much of a threat but in ing time at the hairpin but he the final sector he pulled out did not seem to know why.”

The tyre situation was a couple of tenths and grabbed pole. Out on the interesting because everyone track behind him was was on the softest tyres avail able. These proved to be too Schumacher and he was fly ing. But was he flying hard for the circuit and a lot enough? of teams were complaining of The spht times were incon understeer and balance prob clusive so as the Ferrari lems. The best solution accelerated down the start- appeared to be to used old finish straight for the last tyres on the front of the car time everyone was holding and new ones at the rear. their breath. The timing Fifth on the grid belonged screens flashed up the news. to Heinz-Harald Frentzen in Michael had done it by a his Jordan Mugen and he tenth of a second. was quite happy with that “That was very exciting,” while Jarno Trulli was not Michael explained. “I was overjoyed with being seventh, told on the radio that complaining of a lack of grip Coulthard was quickest and I in qualifying. He was firuswas told to keep pushing. I trated. did not know what time I had Villeneuve qualified sixth to beat so Ijust went for it.” which was a good effort. The

23June 2000

lKl®9®[?sfD®[r{)

The Orange Man: Verstappen scored for Arrows in their best race of the year. (Photo by sutton) performance was greatly helped by a change of brake pad material. Jacques reck oned that his best lap “wasn't very good” but he was still happy to be sixth. Fifth would have been better but beyond that would have been impossible.

Ricardo Zonta did a good job too, despite the fact that he had more mechanical trouble on Friday. Saturday gave him a clear run and he delivered, ending up eighth on the grid. While one must applaud the effort it must also be said that Williams, Benetton and Jaguar aU seri ously underperformed so the BAR result was maybe a Uttle flattering.

That is as may be, a result is a result. With the BAR,

ended up 13th on the gnd.

Giancarlo Fisichella was 10th in his Benetton but it was not a great showing.

Fisichella complained of a lack of grip in qualifying trim. Alexander Wurz was

starting system being very good the team had a right to hope that Sunday would bring good things if the cars were reliable and if accidents could be avoided. Canada is a curious track in that there is very little run-off and it is very easy to be involved in someone else's accident. The BAE folk were crossing their fingers that aU would go well.

Pedro de la Rosa gave Arrows a bit of a boost with ninth place on the gri(J' but once again this was in part due to the lack of perfor mance of others as much as to the speed of the Arrows.

De la Rosa was dehghted.

Jos Verstappen attracted rather less praise having stuck his car into the barri ers. He went to the spare and

again overshadowed, finish ing up 14th on the grid, los ing one of his runs as a result of the red flag and complain ing that he was twice stopped for weighing. This meant that he ran out of time to make changes. He also felt that his engine was not as good as Fisichella's.

Jaguar also underper formed quite dramatically after Herbert's good showing on Friday. On Saturday the team seemed to lose its way completely and so Herbert ended up 11th with Eddie

Irvine a mystified 16th. Both men were hoping that steady races would bring results.

Williams also made a bit of a mess of the weekend. To begin with the team was nmning a rather strange rear

wing arrangement on Friday, This made the cars fast in a straight line but lousy in the corners. The result was an embarrassing 16th and 21st for Jenson Button and Ralf Schumacher(in that order).

Ralf did not seem to be troubled by his leg problems but he was still limping quite badly when he forgot to try to disguise the limp.

On Saturday he was able to get ahead of Button to qualify 12th with Jenson 18th but this was not really a clear picture because Jenson had problems vrith fuel pick-up on his fast laps and could not go as fast as he would have done. He Continued on page 24

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24 23 June 2000 Continuedfrom page 23 also lost one of his fast runs because of the red flag. All in all it was very disappointing for the team and not at all what had been expected.

Sauber w.as as disappoint ing as usual with the same problem of a lack of grip.

Mika Salo was^l5th and Pedro Diniz l-9th, the Brazilian not helping his cause when he went sideways on his fastest lap.

Alain Frost had talked whimsically about getting a car into the top 10 after Jean Alesi was 11th fastest on Friday but on Saturday there was an outbreak of reality in the Prost garage with two Peugeot engines popping like cockroaches and Alesi ending up 17th and Nick Heidfeld (who gave a chassis a work ing out with the wall on Friday) 21st.

This meant that Minardi succeeded in getting a car off the back row of the grid with Marc Gene 20th and Gaston Mazzacane 22nd. The Argentine had a lively time in qualifying, smashing his car up and then going to the spare. This had an engine problem and so Mazzacane had to wait until Gene was finished and the car switched over before he managed to qualify. For a while his involvement in the race looked to be in some doubt.

/lE®{J(D[TSf^[F9 Hakkinen was also quite had slow away and Bairichello right behind him and Villeneuve looking to be a hero on the outside. Mika kept his cool but as they braked for the corner with Villeneuve and Hakkinen side by side, Barrichello had to stand on the brakes to avoid the rear of the Finn's car.

Villeneuve had the advantage for the second part of the comer and he made sure of it by running a little wide at the exit, which pushed Hakkinen out , Barrichello tried to have a look on the inside of both men but Villeneuve swimg back across in front of the Brazilian.

Jacques was third.

And those behind would come to regi'et those frantic few seconds as they watched Schumacher and Coulthard disappearing up the road ahead of them. The BAR was clearly slower than the Ferrari and the McLaren trapped behind it but being

the role of champagne cork, the race seemed to be over and everyone got ready to curl up and a have a bit of a snooze while Michael reeled off the necessary laps.

He was half a minute behind Michael by the time everyone was back up to speed and he began to close more and more. In the closing laps he backed off a little to protect

Coulthard. The pair collided on the penultimate lap and both went off.

This meant that Wurz had to pit which dropped him from seventh to ninth. All in

liTirnrcro

Look closely, we may not see this for a while; A Prost (Alesi) leads a McLaren (Coulthard). Really.

National colours: Verstappen is a passionate Dutchman and wore his colours to spur on his Euro Cup heroes.

Photo by Sutton-lmage^S

Photo by Suflcto-lmages

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The morning brought good warm-up news for with Michael Ferrari ahead of Schumacher Barrichello. Hakkinen and Coulthard were third and fourth. there is one thing, overtaking There' was bad news for quite another.

The Villeneuve convoy Zonta who suffered a major blow-up on his first lap out of would soon be joined by De la the pits, while Villeneuve Rosa's Arrows (obviously run had a spin when his rear ning with a light fuel load) brakes seized. which had made quick work The morning was very cool of the two Jordans. and the weather was decidely Coulthard was able to stay uncertain as the start time with Schumacher easily and approached. There was talk could close up when he of rain at two o'clock. The' pleased, suggesting that if he grandstands were packed had been ahead he would with enthusiastic Villeneuve have been pulling away. But fans. he was not and so it was an There were no major prob- irrelevant point. The two cars lems until the last seconds were never more than a secbefore the parade lap began ond apart in the first 10 laps when David Coulthard's and they shared the fastest McLaren stalled. The laps between them.

McLaren mechanics went Everyone else was out of back to the car to restart it the mnning. Villeneuve had and were still working on it seen to that. The Ferrari in the 15-second period team told Schumacher that before the cars went off. he should not worry too much In fact they got the car about Coulthard but he said going and David accelerated it made no difference, away with the rest of his “David was not close rivals. Many times in the enough to attack me,” he past we have seen crews said. “I just went for my working on cars as the field style.” goes away but normally this After 11 laps the stewards means that the car has to decided that rules are rules start from the back of the and Coulthard (and the race) grid which the stewards seem must suffer. He was given a^ to think is penalty enough.

10-second Stop-go penalty. Of In this case, however, course a Stop-go penalty is McLaren - and the race - really half a minute when would pay a much heavier you add in the time lost going penalty. More of that later. into and out of the pitlane.

At the start everyone got By the time David rejoined a\j^ay without too much trou- he was lost in the midfield. ble.

He tried to battle back up the Coulthard was a little order but when raindrops faster than Schumacher but began to fall he went off the Ferrari driver came while trying to avoid a spinacross the road (as is now the ning Verstappen and dropped vogue) and blocked his rival, even fuidher down the order.

They were nose-to-tail as It was just not his day. they went down to the notoriWith Coulthard gone and ous first comer.

Villeneuve continuing to play

MSI*'

“After David was gone I took it a bit easier,” said Michael,“just to make sure I didn't make any mistakes.”

It was not all plain sailing because something was amiss in the back end of the Ferrari.

“We don't know what it is, “ Michael said. “It may just have been a sensor failing and giving us the wrong information. But because I had such a gap, we took things safe and I came in earlier than planned.”

The stop took place on lap 34. Team members had a close look at the rear of the car but nothing was visible and Michael was soon on his way again, although he emerged behind Barrichello and was unable to keep up with Brazilian.

Rubens stopped on lap 43 but the timing was just too early and when the rain came he went back to the pits two laps later. He arrived just as Schumacher was leaving and the team was not really ready. But Rubens decided that he would take his chances.

“At the Nurburgring I missed my pit stop by one or two laps,” he explained later.

“This time there was a radio conversation between me and Ross Brawn. If I had put the wets on at the right moment in Germany I would probably have won the race.”

So Rubens'came in and waited. He lost around 17 seconds as the team mem bers got themselves sorted out. Schumacher was in pitlane for 29 seconds, Banichello was there for 46.

Schumacher and the two cars crossed the line almost side by side.

“I have no problem with backing off to protect Michael when asked to do so by the team. I trust the team and I am sure that if I am in front of Michael I will be allowed to win.”

We shall see.

The mid-race rain storm was to have a profound effect on the result with FisicheUa, who had been running around in the midfield, leap frogging the opposition with a clever (and one must say somewhat fortunate) piece of strategy.

The Itahan had started the race with a heavy fuel load so as to go as far as possible before having to stop. He was due to pit when the rain began and Giancarlo radioed in to ask for rain tyres. The result was that while most of his rivals had to make two stops, Fisichella got away with one and so vaulted from what had become seventh position to second place.

As he has sometimes done

aU, however, it was positive result for Benetton - which had not been expected after the lacklustre qualifying.

The other man who made a huge gain from the rain was Verstappen. It was clear early on that both men were running with very light fuel loads. The cynics said that there was no tactical value in such a strategy and that it was about getting the cars on television, but Tom Walkinshaw had an explana tion.

“We knew it was going to rain,” he said, “so we ran a higher downforce than nor mal and we split the cars with different strategies in the hope that one of them would catch the weather window.”

As all their rivals were running with heavy fuel loads the two Arrows men looked very good as De la Rosa overtook Zonta and Trulli at the start and then got past Frentzen on the sec ond lap.

He then tagged along with the Villeneuve gang until lap in the pasj; Fisichella then 20 when he pitted and made a ' mistake which dropped right back to 13th. allowed Barrichello through, He made little progress into second. Wurz also bene and was only 11th when he fited from the quick strategic had to stop again, which thinking and so went from dropped him to 15th. He 11th to 'sixth. He seemed to went off which did not help get pretty excited about this and then had to pit again for because in the laps that fol wet tyres and by the time all lowed he went off a couple of that was done he was 13th. times and banged into He started charging back Verstappen while battling and overtook Diniz on lap 47 with the Dutchman. but next time round was Once Jos was ahead pushed off very rudely by Alexander could do nothing Pedro Diniz.

“I was next to him and he and in the fiinal laps he drift ed back to fight with pushed me onto the grass,”

explained Pedro later. “I think it was a very dangerous move from lum.”

Verstappen's strategy worked out better. He too made an impact in the early laps, jumping ahead of Herbert and Ralf Schumacher at the start and then passing Fisichella. He then held station until lap 24 when he went off while bat tling with Coulthard and so pitted immediately, dropping from eighth to 19th despite a very fast stop. Things did not look great.

By lap 44 he was running 11th (thanks entirely to the departure of others rather than overtaking manoeu vres). At his stop, however, he was able to take on fuel and wet tyres and as ever}'one apart from the Benettons stopped again Jos found himselfin eighth place des-pite another quick off along the way.

Villeneuve did him a favour by stalling during his pit stop and losing six sec onds and then losing another five seconds on the next lap by going off and so Jos was seventh and ahead was Wurz. When these two run together on a race track there is a certain edge to the contest as both always seem to be on the verge of an acci dent.

The war raged between them for 11 laps - at one point they both went off without hitting ope another and again a few laps later when they made contact and Jos got ahead. He then blast ed ahead of Trulli to take fifth and having done that had nothing else to do because Hakkinen was so far ahead on the road.

It was a great result for the team and evidence that a risky strategy can some times pay off.

Hakkinen's fourth place was a really dreary result for the Finn. He had lost all chance of making much of an impact while stuck behind Villeneuve and Barrichello in the early laps. He had one big attempt to pass Rubens but it did not come off and so settled back to wait.

Barrichello finally got ahead of Villeneuve and but it then took Mika another 11 laps before he dealt with the BAR. Once free he set a cou ple of fastest laps but he was 11 seconds and a pit stop behind so there was never any real hope of success.

He pitted on lap 42 two laps before the rain and by the time he had been and gone again he had dived from a close third to a dis tant fourth, 52 seconds behind Michael. If he had stopped two laps later he might have been able to win the race but instead he was fourth...

One had to feel a little sorry for Coulthard because after the stewards had worked him over he was 10th and stuck in the traffic jam behind Zonta. He had to take avoiding action when Verstappen had one of his moments and so dropped back another two places. He pitted on lap 43, just before the rain and went onto slicks. Two laps later he was back and went onto wets and when all that was finished

23June 2000

■w.

he was ninth in another train of cars.

Villeneuve helped him out by completing a completely mad overtaking manoeuvre which resulted ip the BAR going past Coulthard and straight into the side of Ralf Schumacher'S Williams.

David then set about trying to find a way to get ahead of wobbly Wurz. On lap 68 he tried a little too hard and the pair of them bumped each other off over the grass at the first corner. It achieved the desired effect because the Benetton went into the pits but David was still only seventh.

Of McLaren's 500 Grand Prix starts this one will not be remembered as one of the classics.

Trulli's sixth place was not very exciting either and he had to work for it. At the start he was squeezed out and dropped from seventh to ninth. This meant that he was stuck behind Zonta until it spat with rain on lap 24 and the BAR became a real handful. Once clear of the BAR Jarno put his head down and charged, his lap times came down dramati cally and he closed right up on Villeneuve. He stopped early hoping to get ahead of the next BAR during the pit stop sequence but when the rains came he had to go back into the pits and so made no ground at all.

There was nothing he could do to hold off Verstappen in the closing laps because the car was handling badly in the wet and so sixth was a good result.

Frentzen's race was along similar lines with a slow start meaning he dropped from fifth on the grid to sev enth by the end of the sec ond lap. Nothing much hap pened to him then until Trulli overtook him on lap 27 by which time HeinzHarald had some brake trou bles which caused him to retire from seventh place at the end of the 33rd lap.

The BAR story looked to be pretty good early on thanks to Villeneuve's aggressive attack at the start but both he and eighthplaced Zonta were slowing up the cars behind them.

When it rained briefly on lap 24 each man dropped a place but the problems of others and the mid-race stops meant that for a glorious moment the pair were run ning third and fourth.

They needed to pit, of course, and while the team could be forgiven for getting it wrong with Zonta (a lap before the rain came), there was no real excuse for Villeneuve who was in at the same time as Fisichella was picking up his wets.

Jacques's car stalled and when he rejoined he found it was pouring and so the pair of them came back to the pits on the next lap, Zonta losing six seconds because of the congestion.

By the time that had all been sorted out the two cars were down in seventh and 11th place. Villeneuve then went off and dropped to 10th and there they stayed.

Towards the end Villeneuve seemed to go slightly bonkers

and on lap 64 tried a wild overtaking manoeuvre at the hairpin, sailing past Coulthard and then over shooting and dropping behind him again. On the next lap he did the same again and this time drove straight into the side of Ralf Schumacher's Williams. He

^ ^

PRix CANADA iooo .

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apologised and (one must presume) went to have a lie down in a dark room. Zonta finished eighth.

It was not a ^eat day for Sauber, Salo going out with an engine problem on lap 42 while running in the midfield. Diniz (behind him) then had a monster moment with de la Rosa and seemed unperturbed about bouncing the Spaniard into the barri ers at very high speed.

“I just took my normal racing line,” he said. This was true but there was a car in the way...

Later on he went off again in the wet but he kept it all going and fin ished 10th.

It was a pretty grey for day Williams as well with both drivers losing »● ^ a place at the start. Early on Button’s car began to sound rougher than a tattooed biker and he had to battle with Frosts and Minardis. He pitted before the rain came and made a mistake and needed a new nose when he came in for wet tyres. In the wet he was quick and caught Gene, the Spaniard going off and let ting Jenson up to 11th.

Ralf Schumacher's day was little better. The car was all right in the dry but when the rain came Ralf was in big trouble.

“It was almost out of my control,” he said. He would have made it to the finish in eighth place if Villeneuve had not lost his marbles with five laps to go. Jacques apologised and Ralf did not bear a grudge. It was not a day for grudges.

Given that Button was fastest in the Monza test before Canada one must assume that the Montreal event was just one error leading to another. If not, Williams and BMW may not have to worry about JuanPablo Montoya because he will want to stay in America next year.

Minardi's race was much as normal Gene fell' off and Mazzacane was 12thi.

Jaguar barely deserve a mention because Irvine's race was ruined at the start at there was never a chance that he would catch up with anyone. In the wet the car was “like a skateboard” and so Eddie went off a number of times, tending the trackside lawns.

Herbert's race ended after 14 laps with a gearbox prob lem.

And while we are in gloss ing over mode, a quick men tion for the Prost-Peugeot team. Drone, drone. Boom!

m

25

MR CAN

■) Al

Red champagne: Schuey and Ruey celebrate, while Ferrari’s Ross Brawn checks the opposition.

69 laps, 305.049kms 1h41m12.313s 1 Michael Schumachei* Ferrari 1h41 ml 2.487s Ferrari 2 Rubens Barrichelio 1 h41 m27.678s 3 Giandarlo Fisichella Benetto n-Playlife 1 h41 m30.874s McLaren-Mercedes 4 Mika Hakkinen 1h42m04.521s 5 Jos Verstappen Arrows-Supertec 6 Jarno Trulli Jordan Mugen-Honda 1h42m14.000s 1h42m14.529s McLaren-Mercedes 7 David Couithard 1 h42m22.768s BAR-Flonda 8 Ricardo Zonta 1h42m32.212s 9 Alexander Wurz Benetton-Playlife 1h42m41.857s Sauber-Petronas 10 Pedro Diniz Wi!!iams-BMW 68 laps 11 Jenson Button 68 laps 12 Gaston Mazzacane Minardi-Ford 66 laps 13 Eddie Irvine Jaguar-Cosworth Williams-BMW retired lap 65 14 Ralf Schumacher (accident with Vilieneuve) r etired lap 65 15 Jacques Villeneuve BAR-Honda (accident with Schumacher) Minardi-Ford retired lap 65 16 Marc Gene (spun off) Fastest lap Hakkinen, 1 ml 9.049s on lap 37, 201.338kmh Retirements Lap 49 Pedro De la Rosa Lap 42 Mika Salo Lap 39 Jean Alesi Lap 35 Nick Heidfeld Lap 33 H-H Frentzen Lap 15 Johnny Herbert

Arrows-Supertec accident ( Diniz) Sauber-Petronas engine electrics hydraulics Prost-Peugeot engine Prost-Peugeot brakes Jordan Mugen-Honda gearbox Jaguar-Cosworth

Lap leaders M. Schumacher 1-34 Barrichelio 35-42 M. Schumacher 43-69 World Drivers’ Championship: M. Schumacher 56, Coulthard 34, Hakkinen 32, Barrichelio 28, Fisichella 18, R. Schumacher 12. Frentzen, Villeneuve and Trulli 5, Irvine 3, Button and Salo 3, Verstappen 2, Zonta and De la Rosa 1 Constructors: Ferrari 84, McLaren-Mercedes 66, Benetton Playlife 18, BMW.WilliamsFI 15, Jordan 10, BAR Honda 6, Jaguar Racing 3, Sauber Petronas 3, Arrows 3.

What they said: Highlights of the posUrace Press conference Michael, many congratulations on your victory, and on breaking the jinx of pole position after 12 races. It was a race of many changing fortunes, which you had almost won before it started because of the Stop-go penalty imposed on David Coulthard. Did the knowledge of David's penalty affect the way you drove today?

Michael Schumacher: I basically ... guessed that something was going on, because my team informed me that [McLaren] had whatever problem on the car, and they had stayed working on it in the last 15 seconds, which is obviously not allowed.

But honestly it didn't affect the way I drove my race, and David wasn't close enough to attack me at all. So I just went for my style.

Afterwards, when [David had] gone, I took it a bit easier, but just to make sure I didn't make any mistakes.

I just took it easy, honestly, until Rubens was out, when I started going a little bit faster because obviously he was able to catch me much faster than Villeneuve would have been able to do.

As you say, you were pulling away effortlessly in the first period of the race. But your first pit stop was out of synch with everyone else and some of your people were looking very carefully at the back of the car when you came in.

Was that stop rather earlier-than you had expected?

MS: Yes, we had some kind of worry going on throughout the race. We don't know what it is, and it may just have been a sensor failing and giving us the wrong information.

But because I had such a [big] gap, we took things safe and I came in earlier.

They couldn't see anything, so off we went. From that moment on I just drove a safe race without pushing too hard.

Just after the rain fell, at a point when you were already on rain tyres, you had an 'off at the first corner. Were the conditions very tricky at that point?

MS: Yes, due to the guess we had about a possible problem, and because we wanted to be safe, we had put the brake balance completely to the front.

That meant that I locked up the front going into Turn 1 - and 1 couldn't stop the car anymore. It's such an easy run-off area there that I decided not to risk anything, not put the car into a spin, and come back [to the track by driving] through the gravel.

Rubens, once again you got squeezed out of a position at the start. It looked as though you may even have allowed Jacques Villeneuve through in front of you. Was that the case - and did you regret it?

Rubens Barrichelio; No, I am not here to let anyone by, it's just the case that [other] people seem to make such a good start, in fact a perfect start, because my own start wasn't bad at all. In fact, although Mika had a better start than me, I was able to run alongside him.

In a way we were all going at the same speed, but then Jacques came on the outside and ran by. It was a strange feelings, although in a strange way it was better it was Villeneuve than Mika [who went through], because I knew he wouldn't be able to [keep on going] that fast, so I might have a chance to overtake. But it was only when it did start to rain a little bit that I got my chance to overtake.

When you came in to change for wet tyres, you had to wait for the crew to finish Michael's tyre change. Did you know that was going to happen? Was it a gamble that you were prepared to take?

RB: Because of what happened at

the Ntirburgring, where I missed my pit stop by one or two laps, there was a radio conversation between me and Ross [Brawn], If I had put the wets on at the right moment [there], I would probably have won the race.

Here it was very close and I was telling Ross that it was raining more and more, [in fact raining so hard] that I told him that even if it only rained for another ten laps it would still be quicker to make the extra stop. So they told me to come in and [wait my turn] behind Michael.

Giancario, this must be another of your lucky tracks, because it is the fourth time you have appeared on the podium here.

One of the factors was the perfect timing of your single pit stop when you made the change from dry tyres to wets. Was that luck or does Benetton have a very skilled weather forecaster?

Giancario Fisichella; The strategy was obviously for one pit stop and my car was carrying maximum fuel, a lot. At the beginning it was quite difficult, so I drove quite a safe race.

When it started to rain quite heavily I called my engineers to ask them for wet tyres. They called me in one lap later, and that was the right moment.

In the end of the race, in the wet, when you were being pressurised from behind by Mika Hakkinen, you had a slight 'off at the first corner. Was that caused by the pressure, or by something else?

GF; The problem was the downforce. We had started the race with very low downforce settings and in the wet conditions it was difficult to drive the car. So I drove very slowly.

After the pit stop the gap between me and Mika was 18 seconds [which he reduced to 2.5 seconds with four laps to go]. At the end it was raining so heavily that it must have been difficult for him to be behind me.

26 23June 2000

Du(D[F8[JXI.

^ /

Q|

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Double Dissillusion? No way. Kmart Racing’s Greg Murphy and Steven Richards had a lousy practice, a slightly better qualifying, and great races. Richo won the day, Murf won Race 1. (Photo by Dirk Kiynsmith)

ireg, Steve, Todd

Ff

Mi Oraig. The QST came early

Report by PHIL BRANAGAN nothing unpre dictable WHO says ever that happens in Canberra?

Not the combatants of the Shell Championship Series after the sixth round of the 2000 series, the GMC 400, around the narrow and bumpy streets of the national capital.

After having an absolutely dreadful buildup to the weekend, Kmart Racing hit its straps in the biggest way pos sible, Greg Murphy winning the team’s first race and Steven Richards taking the round hon ours with a 3-4-5 result.

When the racing was done it was Mark Skaife who extended his points lead but, remarkably, he was not one of the two Holden Racing Team drivers to win a race.

He followed Craig Lowndes across the line in the double points final after having watched Todd Kelly take his first win in the Mycar Young Lions car in the reverse grid race after an early pit call decided the race.

Neil Crompton was third for the weekend, while other fancied runners struggled.

Russell Ingall, after a firstup fourth, fell to 19th and DNF in the final events, while Garth Tander was

even worse off, leaving the track with a zero score after a weekend in the horrors, pole position apart.

There was plenty of cars in walls, Craig Baird coming off the worst, while hardly a car went home unmarked.

Ford threatened, again, but lost, again. The VT ver sus AU scoreline is now 47-4, Not even an Indian bookie would take those odds ...

Qualifying Canberra; colder the next. cold one day, Whosoever’s idea it was to run the first V8 Supercar race in the nation’s capital

The Firm is back in town: Lowndes and Skaife set up a form finish in the final race.

(Photo by Dirk Kiynsmith)

Big Kev, Big Lose: Paul Morris lost the front brakes in Race 2 and took emergency action, throwing the VS into a tyre barrier.

Morris was unhurt and the car returned to finish 10th in the final race.

(Photos by John Morris/Mpix)

mycar, mywin: Kelly took his first win in race 2, using smart pit strs

23 June 2000

on the Queens Birthday weekend must have had his ears burning on the way to the track. Cold weatherlooked a monty and, with the race sandwiched between Darwin and Brisbane, no-one seemed happy.

But, madness sometimes contains'method. June is, statistically, the driest month of the year in the ACT. Sure, it was chilly (below zero in the AM) but there was no wind and the afternoons were sunny and almost warm before another blast of cold around 1530.

Mr Cochrane, if you’re The Man, you’re a genius.

The locals, after getting over the traffic hassle and assault on their pristine city, embraced the race (or much of it, anyway) and rolled out to see and hear the show.

There were some drivers grumbling quietly about the track, especially its narrow ness and bumps but, gener ally, when it came time to get on with it, they did.

The Usual Suspects were in the usual places, mostly, during practice, though there were some ‘irregulari ties’. Bargwanna put his late horror stretch behind him by shading Tander; Glenn Seton and Crompton, obvi ously running varied set ups, were almost poles apart Castrol the while Commodores were strug gling, Larry Perkins and Ingall belching over the bumps with no apparent flu ency.

And then there was Kmart Racing, which was having a disaster. During the first Richards was session AWOL, his car having - of all things - overheated before it went out. Murf managed eight laps before his engine cried enough, then managed two laps in Practice Two before the power steering died.

Then came time to do IT for the Top 15. When the smoke cleared it was Larkham, smoothly persuad ing the Mitre 10 AU around the tight confines of the track, who pipped the Contenders for FTD and last spot in the run-off’. Lowndes was second, half a second back, from Paul Radisich, Tony Longhurst, Skaife, the flying Kelly, the surprising Cameron McLean, Seton, Tander and the three Steves:

Ellery (getting faster by the session), Johnson and Richards.

Larkham was rapt; ‘"When I got here and went around the circuit, I said to the guys,‘Whatever it is around here, this is ME!’” Thoughts of his Bathurst pole lap returned.

But the real interest was in the fight for the end of the top 15, or ‘Bump Spot’, as any Indy 500-phile would call it. Bargwanna was eighth when he finished his second run and team boss Garry Rogers was confident he would stay in the top 15.

Bargs wanted a second crack at it but the Boss had spo ken and that was that. Md when the ‘faster’ session fin ished, he was 12th and look ing vulnerable.

Worse was to come.

McLean jumped to eighth with a clean lap, then Richards, who had three goes at it, went to 13th. That put Ingall on the ‘bump’ and who popped him out?

Perkins, who had had a problem with his rev moni tor sensor early on and was now gaining his lost ground.

That left Bargs on the ‘bump’.

Johnson tipped him out.

We had a very unhappy Elroy Jetson and Enforcer ...

That left Cameron McConville, who had looked neat and unobtrusive in the top 10 all the way through practice, on the danger spot.

He got tipped out by Murphy, who had had a shocker of a weekend up to this point. First the engine went west after eight laps in the first session and then the power steering followed after two laps in session two.

He was not angry,just utter ly dejected.

But at least McConville was reprieved. The CAT Falcon was found to have an illegal oil cooler mounting and JB was DQed. Cam, his former DJR protege, was back in. Bowe was now 32nd and last. The team elected not to appeal the decision.

So, to the Shoot-out.

McConville was first, keep ing it neat for a lm46.0805s.

Then Larry came out with one of those deceptive, fast laps Peter Brock used to pull out. He was into the 44s with a lm44.94448s, which rocked the opposition. Noone mention the ‘R’ word

itegy to lead home Crompton and Johnson. (Photo by Noei Papeiera)

(retirement)just yet...

Richards twitched his way to a lm45.7574s, while Murphy was back on a lm46.5243s after giving a concrete wall a big scare.

Ellery was almost a full sec ond quicker despite a lockup at The Archives.

Then came Garth. He picked up 1.1s over his qual ifying time with a dazzling lm44.1103s effort which threw the gauntlet down to HRT. Seton responded with a lm44.6217s for second, and McLean made a mess of it when he straight-lined a chicane and almost tagged a wall.

“There was a lot of time to be made up there,” he said.

“I failed, basically...”

27

Slide - Live it: Tander was charging back when he looked inside Jones at the Ford Sweeper. He was on the kerb and keen to miss the BJR Falcon, looping the VT into a wall-hitting spin.

He ended the weekend with zero points.

(Photo sequence by Chris Carter)

F

6

(/-

V

7iL

If Kelly was conservative with a lm46.2340s and then Skaife came out. The Gun Qualifier was smooth as silk but came up 0.73s short.

Longhurst had a big shde at the Chicane for a lm46.1629s, Radisich was jerky and got a lm45.329s, Lowndes had a lm44.913s (after a moment on his out lap) and then final man Larkham- came out for the final run. The car looked good, despite the odd lockup, but he fell short with a lm44.8694s.

It was Tander’s second pole, the first coming at the equivalent Rxm-off (though it was a Top 10) at the Adelaide 500. He must like Shoot-outs, the Tall Guy. Behind Bargwanna came Paul Weel, looking more impressive as time goes by.

Ingall, Paul Morris (who hit the tyres at the ‘flip-flop’ and beached the Big Kev VS on top of the offending tyres) and Cromley.

Baird was really strug gling in 23rd, with the Pirtek AU actually 0.1s faster to the Parliament than its Caltex sibling - and then was almost 2s slower on the way back to the pits. And just ahead of Bowe was John Faulkner, who tagged a wall in the first session and then had a suspension failure in the second, perhaps as a result of unspotted damage from the first hit.

Race 1 (25 Baps plus Safety Cars) In a world of order, In chaos rules.

Apparently. the ordered domains of the head, if not heart, of the Big Brown Land, order triumphed over the chaos.

IL

●4

1

m

The pit window was to open at the end of lap 2. As soon as it did, guess what happened?

We digress. There was a first comer to go through. Seton out-guessed Tander but the Valvoline car held the line enough to lead through the corner from Skaife, and Larkham Lowndes.

Further back, chaos had a temporary round win, with Brad Jones clouting Forbes.

“I JUST got it stopped before I hit him, Bradley explained. “Then I got it WHAM in the back.”

The BJR AU got it front and rear and pitted. Jones was unsure even as to who had hit him, but thought the unintentional hit came from Tomas Mezera. Ironic, that, since he’d just signed him for the endures...

As the leaders stretched it out the pit window opened and in they came - anyone who had a lot to gain and not much to lose. GRM and Kmart, pitted together, had a deal; Murphy and Bargs pit ted together, both driving through the GRM pit and exiting through the Kmart one. There was almost tragedy when a .Kmart mechanic, job done, was almost nailed by the wheel; spinning Bargwanna on the way out.

“I missed him by that (1cm?) much,” said a relieved Jason afterwards.

Others to stop were Ingall, McDougall, McLean, Poole, both Lansvales and Week AU but McLean finished in the top 10. The only top 10 quaU-

Ho Hum, Silver: Ingall also had a shocker, with blown

tyres, black flags and a 4-DNF-19 result. (Photo by oi*Kiynsmith) fier to finish in the top 10 in the race was Bargwanna.

The Kmarts pitted Richo a lap later and he resumed on Bargwanna’s tail after anoth er great stop.

It was a case of perfect tac tics. When the early pitters resumed and the S^ety Car (dispatched to protect the stranded McConville car, which had had a hit) fined up the field Murphy was 14th, Bargwanna 15th, Richards 16th. Murf counted the cars in front; none had pitted. AU he had to do was keep his head, not screw up and he was home.

He did, he didn’t, and he

was. As Bargs’s rear tyre s went off, Greg eased away to pull a 10s lead before hit Cruise before the flag.

Simple, reaUy. Doomed as they were, the Big Lads put on a good show.

Skaife chased Tander to little avail, while Lowndes passed Seton to take a position which he lost in the pits.

Then, drama. Bowe was charging finm the rear and was pressing Baird on lap 11. But, despite having pitted, Craig was coming in to have his pit stop ID ‘strip’ (which had been mistakenly left on) removed.

Continued on page 28

23 June 2000

Hi

i

6- Qtialilyiiig

Car

Pos Driver

1 Mark Larkham 2 Craig,Lowndes 3 Paul Radisich, 4 Tony Longhurst 5 Mark Skaife 6 Todd KellyT 7 John Bowe 8 Cameron McLean 9 Glenn Seton 10 Garth Tander 11 Steve Ellery 12 Greg Murphy 13 Steven Johnson 14 Steven Richards 15 Larry Perkins 16 Cameron McConville 17 Jason Bargwanna 18 Paul Weel 19 Russell Ingall 20 Paul Morris 21 Neil Crompton 22 Mark Poole 23 Rodney Forbes 24 Craig Baird 25 Dugal McDougall 26 Brad Jones 27 Anthony Tratt 28 Tomas Mezera 29 Steve Reed 30 Mike Donaher 31 Trevor Ashby 32 John Faulkner

Time

1 ;44.0931 Mitre 10 Ford Racing Falcon AU 1:44.4543 Holden Racing Team Commodore VT 1:44.5822 Shell Helix Racing Falcon AU 1:44.7630 Caltex Havoline Race Team Falcon AU 1:44.7741 Holden Racing Team Commodore VT 1:45.0015 Holden Young Lions Commodore VT 1:45.0354 Caterpillar Racing Falcon AU 1:45.1564 Greenfield Mowers Falcon AU 1:45.2054 Ford Tickford Racing Falcon AU 1:45.2467 Valvoline Cummins Commodore VT 1:45.3722 Super Cheap Auto racing Falcon AU 1:45.4283 Kmart Racing Commodore VT 1:45.4875 Shell Helix Racing Falcon AU 1:45.6118 Kmart Racing Commodore VT 1:45.6209 Castro! Perkins Racing Commodore VT 1:45.6314 Autopro Racing Commodore VT 1:45.6841 Valvoline Cummins Commodore VT K & J Thermal Products Racing Falcon AU 1:45.6959 1:45.7739 Castrol Perkins Racing Commodore VT 1:45.8324 Big Kev/Nemo Racing Commodore VS 1:45.9030 Ford Tickford Racing Falcon AU 1:46.1212 John Deere Racing Commodore VT 1:46.2549 Wynns Racing Commodore VT 1:46.6263 Pirtek Racing Falcon AU 1 .-46.6850 Pepsi Cola Commodore VT 1:46.8969 OzEmail Internet Racing Falcon AU 1:47.1298 Toll Racing Falcon AU 1:47.1754 Densitron Commodore VT 1:47.2046 Lansvale/PPG/Optus Commodore VS 1:48.1149 Ultra Tune TDK Racing Commodore VS 1:51.3801 Lansvale/PPG/Optus Commodore VS 1:59.0575 Team Asia Online Commodore VT

Photo by Dirk Klv

Close shave: The walls were close to the cars, or vice versa, during the Canberra race weekend. This is Steve Ellery going close in Race 1.

Continuedfrom page 27

The Pirtek car slowed on the last comer; the CAT AU ham mered it twice and Baird shot towards the wall.

It hit at 2.5G. Baird hopped out, okay but absolutely fuming. Bowe con tinued, only to stop with a small engine fire later. He was off to see the stewards again but race data indicated that Baird car was off the throttle when he mightn’t have been otherwise and it was put down to a ‘racing incident’. Bowe was to race on come Sunday; Baird was

lop 11 Shoouf»out Driver

Time

1 Tander 1:44.1103 2 Seton 1:44.6217 3 Skaife 1:44.8469 4 Larkham 1:44.8694 5 Lowndes 1:44.9137 6 Perkins 1:44.9448 7 Radisich 1:45.3292 1:45.5797 8 Ellery 9 Richards 1:45.7574 10 Johnson 1:45.7941 11 McConville 1:46.0805 12 Longhurst 1:46.1623 1:46.2347 13 Kelly 1:46.5243 14 Murphy 15 McLean 1:54.4873

out for the weekend. A Safety Car was sent out again.

The other incident de jour was between Lowndes and Longhurst. The HRT VT clanged into the Caltex AU at the chicane before press ing on. Again, despite Longhurst’s opinion to the contrary, it was also a ‘racing incident’.

Tander’s pit strategy had worked out badly. He was pressing on when he tagged the left-rear against the wall.

He pitted but, with only two laps left and the DNFs sent to the back of the grid, limped around to record a 25th. He would start from row two on Simday.

In front of him would be Jones. After a couple of lengthy stops the Falcon actually ran okay and Brad finished 27th, earning his first V8 Supercar pole posi-

The Fifth Man? No Fear-sponsored drivers scored a 1-2-3-4 in Race 1.

This must be one of their enduro drivers...

tion - the hard way. Not what he had planned ...

Race 2(reverse grid, 25 laps) With team tossing andmanagers turning overnight it was a walk-up start that there were be mass pitstops as soon as the pit window opened at the end of lap 2. One guy waiting for them was Crompton: “It was a dead cert that everyone would be in at the end oflap 2. Then a few would pit a lap later. I planned on lap 4; when I arrived there was no-one there ...”

He was right. Led by Tander, who had seized the lead, 17 cars pitted on lap 2 and 10 more on lap 4. With the congestion on pit road the early stoppers, most of whom had been late stoppers first up, were wrong - again.

Cromley was right; so was Kelly; “I was on the radio asking, ‘will I come in? Will I come in? I couldn’t hear, so it was Tm coming in!’” explained The Toddler.

When the HYL and FTR cars exited the empty pits they were in fourth and fifth.

Ahead were only Morris, Richards and Mezera.

Behind, already, were some cars who had yet to pit. They were,in a word, buggered.

Todd only had to keep it on the island to win his first race. That said, it was a big ask for a 20-year-old in a big race. He didn’t put a wheel wrong and took a deserved win by 2.5s; It was his, and HYL’s,first\^.Brilliant.

Crompton took second (a career-equalling best) from Johnson, who had come out behind the Jones/McLeaq^ battle but gazumped them for the spot when they got physi cal around the back of the track. Richards added a fourth to his first result after a strong drive aided, again, by a brilliant pit call and clean stop.

If there is such a thing as a great fifth, Jones got it. For the second half of the race he had Skaife locked to his bumper in an obviously faster car and, despite throwing everything but the kitchen sink at the Falcon, Skaifey couldn’t force a mistake. After locking horns over parity over the preceding week it was a keen battle - and a clean one.

Not a bad scalp for Bradley to take ...

Despite dire predictions the carnage was kept to a mini mum but there was some and it was important. Before Skaife took up the Jones chal lenge it was Tander who looked for a way past the Ford and he, frankly, cocked up. Entering the straight on lap 20, the GRM Commodore went for the inside, climbed the kerb and looped back wards into the wall. Garth got going again but he was miles back and finished 21st.

“I tried to avoid a touch,” he rued later. “I should have stayed there(on Jones’inside) but I didn’t do myself any favours.”

Morris bowled along out front for as long as he could before pitting but then had a drama. Coming into the first turn on lap 17 he lost his front brakes (tyre build-up ate through his front brake lines). In a flash The Dude threw the car around beforeft

Sh^ll Cliaiii^ieiisliiip Series Rit 6 SilC 400, Caiilierra, Imme Race 1 (29 Saps, inc Safety Cars) Race time Pos Driver Fast lap On 1:00:13.3208 1 :46.8343 16 1 Murphy 1:00:23.0368 1:47.2708 9 2 Bargwanna 1:00:23.2281 1 :47.5907 9 3 Richards ' 1:00:23.7859 1 :47.8880 10 4 Ingall 1:00:43.9035 1 :48.2825 16 5* Weel 1:00:46.0411 1 ;48.4943 10 6 McDougall 1:00:46.4234 ^ :48.7860 9 7 Poole 1:00:46.8870 ";48.8472 9 8 Reed 1:00:47.2298 ^48.7172 9 9 Crompton 1:00:49.4062 i :48.8337 9 10 Ashby 1:00:51.4269 1 :48.5963 9 11 Faulkner 1:00:51.7296 1 :47.0641 2 12 Seton 1:00:52.0544 1:45.3569 18 13 Lowndes 1:00:52.3076 1:46.2865 10 14 Skaife 1:00:52.7845 1:46.8917 8 15 Radisich 1:01:02.2061 1:46.8857 2 16 Perkins 1 ;01:03.0329 1:46.7386 10 17 Larkham 1:01:03.1908 1:47.1958 9 18 Longhurst 1:01:05.9529 1:47.1734 8 19 Kelly 1:01:09.7730 1:47.8778 10 20 Morris 1:01:09.8343 1:47.1045 9 21 Johnson 1:01:10.2387 1:47.1874 17 22 Ellery 1:01 ;17.7734 1:47.8226 16 23 McLean 1:01:49.1026 1:47.2817 17 24 Forbes 25 Tander 27 laps 1:46.1671 2 26 Tratt 23 laps 1:48.7296 9 27 Jones 22 laps 1:50.0426 20 DNF Donaher 26 laps 1 .-50.0458 20 DNF Bowe 11 laps 1:48.7209 9 DNF Baird 10 laps 1:48.6618 9 DNF McConville 1 lap 2:35.1956 1 DNF Mezera Race 2(25 laps)

Pos

Driver

Race time

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 DNF DNF DNF DNF DNF DNF DNF DNF

Kelly Crompton Johnson Richards Jones Skaife Perkins Seton Radisich Lowndes Larkham Murphy Bargwanna McDougall Poole Ashby Bowe Weel Longhurst Tratt Tander Mezera Forbes Ingall Morris McLean Faulkner Ellery McConville Donaher Reed

45:44.3771 45:46.8772 45:55.5547 46:10.5786 46:13.5954 46:14.1840 46:15.7236 46:16.6902 46:18.6243 46:21.1037 46:22.9537 46:24.4710 46:29.5627 46:40.0773 46:41.4440 46:46.7999 46:54.5670 47:08.0032 47:18.5784 47:37.8131 24 laps 23 laps 21 laps 18 laps 16 laps 14 laps 13 laps 12 laps 11 laps 2 laps 2 laps

Fast lap

On

9 1:46.7049 8 1:46.9881 9 1 ;47.0899 3 1:45.7445 6 1:47.2430 7 1:47.7930 5 1:47.2626 5 1:46.2531 6 1:46.2478 6 1:46.9098 5 1:46.2590 9 1:47.3011 5 1:46.8939 5 1:48.0197 5 1:47.8397 6 1:47.9089 1:45.6655 8 6 1:47.9379 7 1:46.3081 1:49.6013 4 8 1:46.8455 3 1:48.1598 6 1:47.5698 1:46.7740 18 3 1:47.1093 7 1:47.7708 6 1:46.4185 6 1:48.2730 6 1:47.9209 2 1:51.4914 1 2:07.2654

Race 3(53 laps, in Safety Car) Race time On Driver Fast lap 1 Lowndes 1:42:04.9373 1:45.9930 26 1:42:05.1815 1:46.2006 22 2 Skaife 1:42:17.3078 1:46.8231 3 Seton 3 1:42:19.1458 1:46.9721 4 4 Kelly 1:42:28.5713 1:46.4535 5 Richards 3 1:42:40.8627 1:46.6941 2 6 Crompton 7 Perkins 1:42:43.7240 1:47.5134 5 1 ;42:44.0393 1:47.2782 8 Radisich 6 1:42:52.2729 1:47.1955 11 9 Longhurst 1:43:02.1610 1:47.5065 25 10 Morris 1:43:11.1474 1:47.7986 13 11 Bowe 1:43:11.3619 1:47.1453 25 12 Johnson 1:43:30.8025 1:47.7484 35 13 Jones 1:43:50.7522 1:46.9415 14 Poole 5 15 McDougall 52 laps 1:48.1378 37 16 McLean 52 laps 1:48.6145 11 52 laps 1:47.8853 11 17 Ashby 18 Mezera 52 laps 1:48.2048 11 7 52 laps 1:47.7273 19 Ingall 20 McConville 52 laps 1:47.7969 25 DNF Tratt 46 laps 1:48.3405 22 9 DNF Murphy 41 laps 1:46.7927 DNF Reed 7 37 laps 1:47.2500 DNF Forbes 6 26 laps 1:48.6065 3 24 laps 1:46.7803 DNF Bargwanna DNF Donaher 9 22 laps 1:48.4611 DNF Weel 9 18 laps 1:48.1923 7 DNF Tander 9 laps 1:47.2635 DNF Larkham 4 5 laps 1:49.9225 3 DNF Ellery 4 laps 1:48.1496 DNS Faulkner Pos

Points after six rounds: Skaife 764, Seton 638, Tander 584, Lowndes 526.

Radisich 523, Longhurst 427, Murphy 423, Ingall 414. Richards 412, Johnson 411, Crompton 403, Larkham 364, Bargwanna 341, Bowe 335, Perkins 323, Baird 299, Faulkner 279, Kelly 255, Morris 247, Jones 217, McDougall 190, Weel 156, Ellery 109, Poole 103, Ashby 94, McLean 67, Reed 63, McConville 58, Forbes 54, Mezera 34, Donaher 19, Tratt 13, Smerdon. Doulman 4, Romano, Heath 1.

0

23June 2000

JJ&

Official: The Toddler is young

re spinning me out, Man!

SOME days, you should stay in bed.

After starting the weekend in promising fashion with a fourth place, Russell Ingall should have done just that.

Rusty’s Canberra experience started with suspension problems in practice, the car pogoing over the bumps. Ingall worked hard on the I problem and', while new rubber made the car better, it wasn’t by much, i But while Race t was not a bad ; result for someone who qualified so Kbadly, Race 2 paid him back with spades: he was almost hammered by a ' brakeless John Faulkner and then was ^hammered by the officials. "'I was going through the corner - before (the Parliamentchicane) and a ! tyre went down,” Ihgall explained.‘The ear was up like this (on an angle) and I I was touringi in, basically. Then I saw i Faulkner coming... .'^thought, T can either stay here -and get hit and block the track and, probably, stop the race, or jump it up cnmched into the tyre barrier nose-first. Morris was fine and the car looked bad, but the Nemo crew fixed it with, no doubt, the aid of many Big Kev cleaning products.

And Perkins - and others were the subject of an unusu al problem. For about half a lap there was a ‘Safety Car’ sign on display around the back of the circuit and LP, at the time right up Skaife’s tail, backed off. But when the Safety Car didn’t appear and the sign(s?) disappeared, Perkins found himself with 3C0m to make up on the red VT.:He did, but it was too late to make a position.

There were a few instances where the officiating were pretty sub-standard over the weekend. Several drivers commented that blue flags were being used sparingly, for instance, so perhaps the locals need a Uttle experience to get things right all- the time.

Race 3(53 laps incl.

Safety Car) After it allahead up Richo wasadding on pole of Crompton. Murphy and Bargwanna were next from Seton and Skaife. Kelly was seventh; Lowndes 10th; Tander 19th.

Richards made an amazing start. By the end of the lap he

With his reverse grid win Todd Kelly becomes the yoimgest-ever race winner in the Austrahan Touring Car Championship. The Toddler was all of 20 years, 8 months and 2 days in Canberra, replacing Charlie O’Brien who was 21 years and 23 days when he won at Amaroo Park in 1976 - four years before Kelly was bom. Craig Lowndes(21y7m6d)is next ahead of Glenn Seton (21y9m24d)

went as weel and I had to park it.”

Ingali went to discuss the matter with Clerk of Course Tim Schenken but got little joy. The only good news was that his stop/go penalty for not stopping the first time was cancelled by his DNF. The Enforcer gave up his silver warpaint for the weekend to become Captain Magnatec. Bet he can’t wait to get his own colours back again.

onto the kerb’.,That’s what I did; I floored it and got onto the concrete, which didn’t do the bottom of the ear any good.

“I pitted for tyres and then got word that t had a stop/go. I came in, saw the red paddle, and got ready to stop. But the lights on the left went from red to green, so I figured it was a Drive-Thru and kept going. Then the new tyre

points Richards didn’t fight over-hard when Seton (who

i

m Ouch: The aftermath of the Bowe/Baird incident. (Kiynsmith) was more than Is clear and flying away from Crompton, Barg^vanna, Murphy, Seton, Skaife, Lowndes, Kelly and Perkins.

On lap 2 the window opened and the baclonarkers took the punt again.

Larkham, Reed, McLean and Bowe all pitted but, for the Mitre 10 car, it was more than a planned stop. Water was falling from underneath the car and, after a quick return, Larko was through.

Crompton and Murphy were the first of the top 10 to pit, but now the big guys had their strategy straightened out. Skaife was in on lap 9, Lowndes a lap later, passing the series leader for track position when he exited.

Bargwanna pitted for fuel on lap 15, while Richards and Mark Poole continued to grind away until lap 17 when Steven pitted. This was cru¬

f, r

#

cial; he took tyres in 16s while Lowndes, who had been 20s behind before the stop, had taken fuel in 11s.

Craig had track position and used it to advantage.

That- and something from 72 hours earher - decided the race. Richards’s lost Friday AM practice session meant that he had little choice but to do as many laps as he could in qualifying, and he roaded all three sets of tyres to do them.'That meant that, come the final race, Lowndes had fresher rubber and used it to his advantage to pull a lead, Skaife, in second, wasn’t close enough to challenge.

The Kid backed off for a 1-2 finish, HRT leaving the cold with two race winners and a bloke with a big mid-season points lead.

Indeed, with a slowing car and one eye on the overall

29

had had a short trip up^ an escape road on lap 6) and Kelly both moved past, leav ing Richo a happy fifth. It was his second SCS win, the first coming at Bathurst last November.

The rest of the race was fairly straightforward.

Crompton took third for the day and sixth in the race from Perkins (who clashed with Reed along the way), Radisich, Longhurst and Morris,\vhose car looked ugly with its Race 2 damage but which went hke a train.

Tander’s assorted tags with the wall cost him dearly.

He diff cried enough and he parked on lap 10, while Bargwanna’s luck died with a broken throttle cable while well-placed. He tried another lap with a new cable but a stuck throttle talked him into parking against the concrete.

So, if that was Canberra, we’ve had it. Yes, the track was too narrow; yes, it was chilly and yes, people criti cised the reverse-grid, pit stop format.

But over 100,000 punters rolled up on the weekend and the organisers were only too willing to listen what needs fixing for 2001.

Skaife has a big points lead - but there’s plenty of points left and hey, it’s only June, guys ...

n While she may not be currently overawed with the power of her GTP Holden Vectra, having been used to driving a 600hp V8 Commodore a couple of years back,for Melinda Price there was an indication of more power to come outside the trackside Canberra Hyatt hotel. Price’s new Ferrari 360, which she is soon expected to debut in the Nations Cup series was on display.

Unfortunately, for this weekend. Price’s new mount was covered in a layer offrost each chilly morning. n One of the drawbacks of the new track, observers felt, was a lack of identifiable landmarks for the corners, so suggestions were put forward to name the corners after politicians. The pit straight became ‘Howard’s Way’; there was the ‘Con Schiacca Chicane’;‘Beasley Bend’ and ‘Kerr’s Cur Curve’... n Brad 3:16 Dept: At Thursday's GMC 400 barbecue Skaife and Jones were introduced to the fans

by Bill Woods, who likened their recent rivaly to the WWF wrestling. Both showed their knowledge of the sport - “I’ll be The Claw. Who do you want to be?” asked Skaife. Jones thought for second before replying “Stone Cold Steve Austin.” n The crowd figures for the first GMC 400 far exceeded the organisers’

M

hopes, A claimed 22,000 rolled up on Friday, 37,000 were there for Saturday and an even 50,000 on Sunday, giving 109,000 for the weekend.

ACT Chief Minister Kate Carnell had predicted just 50,000 would attend the race, although a story in the event’s own program suggested a three-day crowd of over 100,000.

Canberra Tourism boss James Service did predict 25,000 visitors would visit the territory. n Garth Tander and Neil Crompton became the latest V8 Supercar drivers to hitch a ride with the RAAF’s aerobatics squad, the Roulettes.

“It’s the best thing I’ve ever done,” proclaimed Tander after his extended 50-minute ride over the nation’s capital.

While both emerged a little ‘white’ from their rides, both drivers said the use of the ‘little browubag’ placed in the aircraft for safety reasons was not required. n Security at the inaugural GMC400 were labelled the ‘Lamington Pohce’ and the racing precinct was dubbed a ‘sandwich free zone’ after it was announced that no food or drinks would be allowed into the race track.

Locals were upset at the late notification of a ban, with some protesting that, at the time of purchasing their tickets, they hadn’t been informed.

A compromise was reached with race organiser James Service suggesting staff would exercise “sensible discretion” in their search for food. n Traffic chaos hit Canberra with the arrival of the GMC400 with some drivers experiencing delays of up to 30 minutes in reaching work. Oh, how frustrating that would be, to be in traffic for 30 minutes each day...

B.

I

Then see how quick it is getting in and out of the improved Queensiand Raceway.

'L,

m

~7\ Increased road access 4 traffic lanes 35 Access roads 2 10,000 New carparks 16 Ticket boxes

VB SUPERCARS SHELL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES ROUND 7

.1 LL

^RACEWAY I'tip'

'f,

I' t»i

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JULY 1

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23 June 2000

Staff recruitment: Kiwi Chris Staff performed the move of the event in race 2 on Murchisob - the move helping Staff earn his fir^t FH win.

So-so: Wills had mixed results, a win in the first, and a troubled run in race 2.

(Photos by Dirk Klynsmith)

Murchison’s Capital Gain

19-year-old leads FHolden out of/ Canberra

CHRISTIAN Murchison and Simon Wills resumed their battle for the Formula Holden Championship in Canberra and both had degrees of success where red tape noi-mally curtails any progress one might be seeking.

Th<;j category produced some fabulous racing, some surprise results and some new winners, all in the name of being on the support card for the biggest show in ACT history.

The biggest news from the FHolden camp of the week end came when all the com petitors met late Friday fy discuss their ongoing partici pation in the event. The track surface, its tightness and the ambient tempera tures of the Territory were all areas of major concern for Australia’s premier open wheel drivers, and rightly so.

Tn some places, the car is bouncing so hard I can hard ly see,” points leader Murchison said about the extremely rough surface and how the low riding Reynards reacted to it. Strangely, most of Canberra’s cabbies thought the roads were super-smooth...

First corner disasters were also predicted thanks to the tightness of that turn and the capital’s T)risk’ conditions were said to not allow the control Dunlops up to the correct operating tempera tures fast enough.

Cooler heads prevailed over the threats of withdraw al and a number of compro mises were reached; 1 - the grids would be double-spaced, allowing all cars and teams the opportu nity to get underway without immediately having to worry too much about a car run ning alongside and, 2 - two warm-up laps were to be introduced to at least allow the tyres to reach a respectable temperature.

Qualifying and practice didn’t produce many surpris es, although Tim Leahey’s winning of the actual pole from Simon Wills came after an enthralling battle between the young M-One-11 team member and the reign ing series champion, the two the class of the field in the chase for the quickest lap.

Race 1-10 laps (reduced to 7)

After that incredible quali fying session, race one was pretty much a standard affair and really over at the beginning, after Wills stormed from the start and into the lead by the first turn, never to be headed despite Leahey’s best attempts.

The bumpy surface was playing havoc with the field, many cars bouncing out of line and quite visibly on the edge of control.

Both Wills and Leahey traded quickest laps back wards and forwards, the pair coming close to their front

row qualify ing times although any thoughts of a further heated battle were thrown oubthe window when Roger Oakeshott ripped three wheels of his 97D in a spectacular shimt.

Thankfully, Oakeshott emerged unhurt from the incident (as too did Paul Dumbrell who received a huge fright when the Kmart car was hit by flying debris) although that couldn’t be said for his car or the race, which was red-flagged.

Wills was declared the vic tor, his 17th FH race win equaling three-time Gold Star Champion Paul Stokell’s class record and, for a short time on the weekend, reclaiming his championship lead from Murchison.

Mui’chison was home third, just ahead of Halhday, Brede, Staff, Leroy Stevenson, Peter Hill, Andy Booth and debu tante Steve Owen.

were also holding their breaths when his car also tapped the wall just a lap from home, but Staff held on to lead when it counted.

Rightly so, when Staff, who started in sixth, took the chequered flag in Graham Watson’s Ralt Challenge Reynard, he punched the air with both hands in triumph.

Aside from Staffs great win, a fantastic nose-to-tail battle that contained the next six cars was exciting and had many on the edges

of their seats for the majority of the 10 lap race (which was extended by two laps thanks to the appearance of the Safety Car). The results were as follows: Murchison’s race, after being strong early, was cur tailed thanks to the autumn leaves clogging his radiators and sending the NRC Reynard’s engine temperatures through the roof Stm, the 19-year-old West Australian continued circulating to come home just in

front of Brede and ensure his third round win in succession.

Local Brede secured his best ever result, third, bringing home the second NRC car ahead of a flock of other Reynards - Stevenson, Dumbrell and Owen making up the remainder of the lead bunch.

What al ■<3ut Wills?

An ignition problem sent him to the pits at the end of the first lap and, while it was fixed and he didn’t lose too much ground, the pres sure of setting fastest lap each time aroimd while try ing to play catch-up showed, the Kiwi looping it at one stage before actually claim ing the quickest laps - some 4s faster than anyone else!

For the M-ONE-11 team race 2 was a race of joy, heartbreak and then more heartbreak as Leahey stormed into the lead at the start, only to have the Safety Car appear with team sponsor Peter Hill hav ing stuck his Reynard in at turn one. Before the restart could get underway, Leahey’s 92D dropped a valve and the second green and white machine was parked, It was interesting to note that the Safety Car was called to remove Hill’s stranded car and, after its removal, the race continued despite race officials having notified all support cate gories that, if a full-course yellow was needed, that race would be called. It was, it wasn’t and some rejoiced while others, namely Nations Cup, didn’t, - GERALD McDORNAN

The lakes Waters Commodore Cup - Lakeside, June 18

Race 2-10 laps (extended to 12)

have labeled Many Adelaide’s first FH race the ‘race of the year’ and, having not been witness to that, I would find it hard for it to top Canberra’s second.

The race consisted of many factors, most notable Staffs first ever FH race win, one which was the result of some forceful, yet careful moves firstly on Brede, then Murchison that both impressed and had many holding their breaths. They

Q-P-1: Tim Leahey qualified the M-ONE-11 Reynard on pole. (Phoio by Dirk Kiynsmith)

Quality not quantity: The Commodore numbers may have been low but the action was just as strong THE points race to the 2000 ROH Wheels lead around the outside under the bridge.

Commodore Cup tightened with a win Emery then fell back into a fierce battle and a second for local Greg Waters and a with D'Agostin with D'Agostin taking second on the inside into Karrussel. second and a win for Christian D'Agostin.

Waters had the race under control Geoff Emery took the remaining podium piaces in both races. though, and led home D'Agostin, Emery, Waters led the thin field of 10 cars in Parker, Gittus, Holdsworth, Murray qualifying with a 59.5596s lap time ahead Walker, Tim Pierce and Mark Papendall. of Emery, D'Agostin, Geoff Parker, Brett In race 2 D'Agostin made a clean start Holdsworth and Phonsy Mullan - all from Waters and just held out to win. within a second. In the Sunday warm-up Parker had a big slide off the track at the Mullan struggled around with fuel kink after a touch with Emery and problems. rejoined just behind Gittus in fifth.

In race 1 Mullan crawled away from the Parker later spun out of contention at dummy grid, still suffering fuel problems, Hungry Corner. Emery held third ahead while Emery won the start. Waters got of Gittus, the recovering Mullan, Pierce, crowded on the run through the kink and Parker, Walker, Holdsworth and was forced onto the infield.

Papendall.

On the second lap. Waters took the - MARK JONES

23 June 2000

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31

Diplomatic Immunity

Wins by Richards, Williamson and Fitzgerald Porsches give Germans clean sweep in Nations Cup

By GERALD McDORNAN

IT seems appropriate that in the nation’s capital, where almost every comer of the globe is represented with some bureaucratic presence, the burgeoning Nations Cup, where auto mobile manufacturers of the v/orld are represented, should be presented.

But, unlike the streets of Canberra, where each nation has a presence, the top step of the podium at the race track was reserved exclusive ly for drivers of the German Porsche marque with Jim Richards, Mark Williamson and Peter Fitzgerald taking wins in the three races.

Even though he didn’t claim a win in the three races, Mark Noske did hold on to his series win over Jim Richards, the slim margin being reduced from five to two points over the weekend.

“Our main aim coming into Canberra was to hold onto the lead in the champi onship, so to have achieved that given the format of the round, is fantastic,” Noske said. j^We need to concentrate on improving the Ferrari’s per formance off the line as the semi-automatic gearbox has really made things difficult for us but, if everything goes to plan, we should be in a good position after the next round at Queensland Raceway.”

Fitzgerald claimed the round win on the weekend, edging out Richards, who was just ahead of a tying Noske and Williamson.

Richards, who was quite dominating in the early prac tice sessions, running some 2secs quicker than anyone else, put his Oamps/CAT GTS on the pole by a little over half a second ahead of Noske’s Prancing Horse Ferrari 360 Modena Challenge, while Wayne Park’s debut in Ross Palmer’s second 360 netted a third qualifying spot.

The Lamborghini Diablo of Paul Stokell was in fifth, squeezed between the Porsches of Fitzgerald and Peter Bradbury, while Williamson, Greg Keene,

Steve Webb and Geoff Morgan rounded out the top 10 quali fiers in the 23 car field.

Race 1 With the prime position, Richards was first away from the line while Noske again ‘floundered’ in the Ferrari, the Italian machine obvious ly quite difficult to launch from the line. Fitzgerald moved past Noske into sec ond with the Falken Tyres GT3 while Bradbury moved passed Park’s similarly-difficult Ferrari to take fourth, Stokell settling in sixth.

Once the Ferraris actually got moving, both Noske and Park were soon on the tails of their respective leaders and pushing hard to move past.

Soon Stokell forced/his way past the battling'Park and Bradbury, taking advantage to move the Wilkerson Sword Lambo into fourth while Park even tually pushed the yellow Ferrari past Bradbury’s GT3 soon after.

Noske edged closer to Fitzy’s Porsche, the 360 fill ing the mirrors to the point that the car was actually ‘closer than what it appeared...’

After a few little taps on the rear of the Stuttgart flyer, Noske moved alongside Fitzgerald on the main straight and took over second heading into the tight first turn.

With all the action taking place behind him, Richards was cruising in first, despite a little close attention towards the end of the race from Noske, the veteran was able to withstand the pres sure and take the win, Noske second ahead of Fitzgerald, Stokell, Park, Bradbury, Keene, Williamson, Morgan and Michael Simpson(BMW M3R).

Race 2(reverse grid) The second race gave Sunday morning race fans a bit of a sneak preview of what to expect later in the day in the V8 Supercar race and most were excited with expectations.

But, despite strong support for the concept, opposition to the reverse grid race was quite strong amongst

the competitors, with every driver har one voting for its demise before the race had even begun. As with another of other incidents over the weekend, the officialdom decided to ignore the protests and proceed ahead as planned.

Fitzgerald fairly well summed up the thoughts of everyone else when he said: “I told them I’d be happy to run the reverse grid race and come through the field if they were happy to own my car for an hour...”.

But, despite the drivers’ protests, the race proceeded with caution and little dam age was done and no real cat astrophes had.

A fiirther problem was pre sented to the competitors when they were advised hy Race Control not long before the beginning of the race that the tender vehicles would not he allowed into pit lane. After negotiations between race control and the categoiy managers, the ten ders were sent around to where they were needed and the race proceeded as planned.

With the day’s previous placegetters starting from the back, aU interest was on the start to see who could get a flyer and move through the field unscathed.

D’arcy Russell started up front and the intimidating black Viper stormed away from the field, leading Ian Palmer’s Honda and Max Warwick’s GT3.

Bradbury fell victim to slower traffic, his GT3 wear ing the scars from a first lap altercation, the incident causing concerns for Keene and Morgan, Morgan touch ing Steve Webb’s Porsche and the Monster.com.au Viper getting turned around.

Williamson and Stokell had moved forward strongly, the two in second and third and chasing Russell.

Stokell’s Lambo touched Williamson’s GT3 and the front bumper went astray (surely that would be $50k’s worth?), allowing Wilhamson to move ahead.

Brake problems started to show with the lead Viper, allowing Williamson and the fleet of buzzing'GT3s to close rapidly. With just a couple of

/ ■d

.i:: S’-

nifTr Close attention: Round winner Peter Fitzgerald came in for some close attention, first by Mark Noske in race 1, then by Jim Richards in the third race.

(Photos by Dirk Klynsmith)

laps from home, Williamson finally passed Russell, while Fitzgerald, Richards and Noske also soon went on by Stokell not amongst the lead bunch thanks to a broken tailshaft, the Lambo left parked.

■When the chequered flew, Williamson took his first win ahead of Fitzgerald, Richards, Noske, Park, Warwick, who withstood the leading cars’ charges, Darren Palmer (360) and Russell.

Race 3

Thankfully, things were back to normal with the last race, although it should be said the reverse grid race did prove to be extremely enter taining. Is this the future of both V8 Supercars and ~‘

Nations Cup? Maybe the concept will remain a part of the make-up of both series.

Richo didn’t have a great start in the third race, dropping back a couple of spots after having a slight touch with Fitzgerald at the first turn.

Fitzy used the start to his advantage, getting out in front of Williamson and Noske and building a comfortable lead over the battling duo, Richards moving onto their tails to begin applying his trademark pressiue.

Noske and Williamson’s cars touched many times, the exotic supercars later bear ing the obvious scars of thenbattle.

King’s monarchy rule.

MITSUBISHI Lancer Evo IV driver Mark King ended Ric Shaw’s dom ination of the Century Batteries GT Production Car Championship, taking two wins in two races around the streets of Canberra.

King was the class of the field with his potent King Springs Evo, although Shaw held onto both the series and High Performance class points leads, a second place finish in the first race a solid result before a split water hose ended his second race run.

Gary Deane’s debut of his new Subaru WRX STi was solid, a third in race 1 pre-empted his second

place finish in race 2.

Robert Hughes claimed a fourth and third in his Lancer Evo V, while ironman Grant Kenny pro duced a strong performance with the Austar Subaru WRX STi, fin ishing fifth and fourth respectively.

David Wood dominated the Sports Touring category, taking wins in both races ahead of Peter Boylan (race 1) and Wayne Russell (race. 2).

V8 Touring class points leader Scott Loadsman had one of the spectacular moments of the week end, putting his VT SS Commodore on its roof in the first

race, allowing Craig Dontas and Warren Millet to take a win apiece in their similar Commodores, Millet moving into the class lead.

Robert Chadwick took the win on the weekend for the Six cylinder Touring class, the Mitsubishi Magna driver sharing race wins with class leader Daryl Coon (Ford Falcon).

Kosi Kalaitzidis took wins in both races to further extend his series lead in the Four cylinder class.

Series points: Shaw 88, King 56, Hughes 53, Morcom 45, Kenny 39.

Ciass points: Shaw (HP) 88, Wood (ST) 90, Miilet (V8), Coon (6cyi), Kalaitzidis (4cyl) 91.

the C'hinosc omh;iss\ ’ .p;,<.

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Despite the intensity of the fight, Williamson held out Noske to take second.

Richards fourth ahead of Warwick, Darren Palmer, Russell, Bradbury, Park (who had been black-flagged) and Webb, Despite not getting a lot of TV time, thanks to disappearing off into the distance, Fitzgerald was not too disturbed, the veteran Melbourne racer more concerned about securing the immediate race and round wins for both his team and sponsors.

Points: Noske 83, Richards 81, Fitzgerald 63, Stokell 46, Williamson 42, Bradbury 29, D Palmer 22, Webb 21, Keene 17, Morgan 11.

32 23June 2000

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Two out of three ain’t bad: Canto won two of the three races at Oran Park to claim his second win in the three Lites rounds to date.

Stocking up on tyres; It looks as though Bill Sieders’ AllTrans Trucks and Spares will soon start retailing tyres as well...

(Photos by Lynley Reid & John Morris/Mpix)

€ant& takes second Lites win wMIe his opposition stumbles Report by STEVE NORMOYLE

Qualifying

On Saturday, series new

comer Mai Rose served notice on the field by top DEAN Canto can prob ping all the unofficial ses ably hardly believe his Inch. As if two wins sions. But in qualifying Rose, unaccustomed to the and a third placing new compound Bridgestone from round three of the tyres, dropped to fourth.

Konica V8 Lites Series Quickest was 'Craig at Oran Park wasn’t Harris, but while the carsales.com.au Falcon was enough, all of Canto’s the only car under ImlOs rivals suffered major the (lm09.7881s), misfortunes.

Queenslander was not confiChief among the casual dent that he had the consisties was Ryan McLeod. tency to remain fast over the Points leader into the 17-lap journeys. round, McLeod’s weekend Canto made it an all-Ford was set back when he front row, while Wayne crashed heavily on Wakefield believed his Saturday, destroying the Graphic Skills Commodore rear of the Kmart “had been on a lap that Commodore. An all- would have beaten both nighter from McLeod and Falcons when the red flags his crew, assisted by came out for McLeod’s Lansvale team chief WaUy crash.

Storey, got the car Garry Holt was the big repaired for Sunday, but improver to be only fractionthey would struggle to get ally slower (ImlO.3553s) in the handling right. the Eastern Creek Karting

Smokin’ guns: Garry Holt’s promo girls were quick on the draw while Rob Smith’s VS Commodore, right, left a trail of smoke that wouldn’t have pleased him greatly. (Morris/Mpix)

Falcon, and he headed Matthew White, who had picked up Challenge Recruitment sponsorship for his virgin white Commodore on a one-meeting basis.

The improving Daniel Miller was not far away on to head ImlO.3701s McLeod, but McLeod would start from the rear on account of using more than the quota of six tyres.

Neil Schembri was debut ing his ex-DJR Falcon from ninth on the grid, ahead of the similar EL of Rod Salmon.

Race 1 In race one Canto showed how important the start can be at Oran Park. As the BMC Software Falcon sprinted into the lead.

Harris banged panels with a challenging Wakefield at tum one. Harris kept second place, but by then Canto was gone. Keeping an eye on the two-second gap. Canto drove to conserve his tyres from too much understeer and never let Harris get close enough to challenge, Wakefield, too, never got to have another go at Harris, and had plenty on his plate keeping Rose (who’d made a bad start in was his first race since Bathurst ‘98) out of third place. Right behind them was White, the positions static throughout. They’d left Holt for dead but he was suffering the combined effects of cooked tyres and only having 70 percent throttle opening. A wild spin

over the dogleg didn’t help.

The same thing happened to Schembri after a tiny nudge from Miller.

It was Miller who took the all-important sixth place (the top six grid spots for race two being reversed) but for a while it looked like being a fairytale result for McLeod.

From the rear he had made good progress but, by the time he got to Miller, his tyres were finished. The team would spend the time between races trjhng to find the chassis problem, without success. In reality, though, it was a minor miracle that they were racing at all.

Race 2 Miller’s luck in getting onto the front row turned sour when the lights changed and he discovered his clutch had cooked itself.

He was out at the end of the lap, by which time White had shot to the front, head ing Rose, Wakefield, Harris, Canto and Holt.

Once the smoke from a guard rubbing on a front tyre on Rose’s car had set tled (touch with White at the first comer), the Sydney driver set about hauling in White. It took some time, but as the race drew to a close White knew he was in trouble. A delaminating left rear was making an already oversteering car even more loose, and when White ran wide at Rimula Super and then again over the dogleg on the final lap, Rose was ready to strike. He dived

o))f(o.

23June 2000

JXo. inside at Recaro but White hung on and they raced side-by-side to the flag.

White got there first by a mere 0.01s.

Behind them was Canto, who inherited third when Harris and Wakefield clashed. Wakefield was out with a flat tyre, while Harris copped a slowly deflating t3rre and was lucky to salvage fourth. (( There goes my championship,” said an unhappy Wakefield. “I’d like to see the video but I’m pretty sure he’s in the wrong.”

Harris called it a ‘racing incident’.

A disappointed McLeod was sixth, unable to chal-

Copybook slide: Ross Halliday didn’t have a great week end in his newly 3M-liveried Falcon,(pnoto by Noei Papaiera)

lenge Holt. McLeod had now lost the lead in the points but would have to start at the rear again after destroy ing another set of tyres. “If I could have started some where near the front it wouldn’t be so bad,” he said, “because then I could at least look after the tyres. » The car’s not that bad.

Race 3 Race three was Canto’s as he pleased. Wakefield, off the rear, went out of contention on the opening lap when he clashed firstly with Rod Salmon and then Shane Howison (Wakefield was the innocent victim in Howison’s accident). The carnage brought out the Safety Car. Wakefield Recovered h mas sive amount of ground, aggressively scything through the field to end up eighth at the end, but his progress was helped by a tale of woe up and down the order.

Rose copped a stop/go for jumping the start but retired later with falling oil pressure, while White’s gearbox blew on lap 10, the resulting oil spill causing Harris to spin. Harris recov ered to finish two spots behind Wakefield.

While Canto cruised to the easiest of wins, it was left to Ri(;hard Mork to finish second, just ahead of Miller - who had come from the rear!

if® R1 R2 R3 Pts Qua) Car 1 1 54 2 3 Falcon EL 1 dnf 30 5 6 Commodore VS 4 1 2 10 29 Falcon EL 4 4 2 dnf 28 Commodore VS dnf 3 22 7 6 Commodore VS 17 2 20 Commodore VS 15 ,8 5 7 20 5 8 Falcon EL 3 dnf 8 18 3 Commodore VS 14 8 7 6 dnf Commodore VS 12 9 11 9 5 Falcon EL 4 12 Commodore VS 16 13 dnf 14 10 11 6 9 Commodore VS 12 7 9 8 Commodore VP dnf 11 9 13 2 10 Falcon EL 1 12 10 dnf Commodore VS 20 12 12 13 15 Commodore VS 11 13 Falcon EL 18 dnf 14 19 16 dnf Falcon EL .

18 dns dnf dnf Commodore VS t 17 14 dnf dns Falcon EL Falcon EL 21 dns dns dns Points: Canto 142, White 116, McLeod 114, Wakefield 88, Harris 53, Holt 52, Miller 46, Schembri 42, Mork 32, Wyhoon 29, Rose 28, Butler 20, Salmon/Kendrick 16, Bastian 10, Rowse 10, Halliday 7, Attard 6. Smith 4, Falk/Sieders 2, Howson/Field 1 Driver Dean Canto Matthew White Craig Harris Mai Rose Daniel Miller Richard Mork Garry Holt Wayne Wakefield Ryan McLeod Neil Schembri Chris Butler Terry Wyhoon Tim Rowse Rod Salmon Shane Howison BillAttard Bill Sieders Ross Halliday Robert Smith John Falk Peter Hansen

One of these days these boots are gonna' walK am t/yef privateer wnner Mai Rose made his kites debmt Mork would have fallen to Schembri earlier on had the Falcon not spun at Recaro, while Holt dropped outs)f contention on the opening lap with a shpping clutch. Miller was third from Chris Butler, Terry Wyhoon and Holt, With his rivals falling down around him. Canto left Oran Park with a 26-point lead over White, McLeod trailing by a further two.

Lakeside in six weeks will be crucial.

Stop Harris-ing me: Craig Harris sat the carsales.com.au Falcon on pole but didn’t have the same..success on Sunday. Still, a second, fourth and 10th netted hiim third! overall.

A

Pos 1 2 3 4 5 6 = 8 9 10 = 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

33

V8 Lites on Playstation: Ryan McLeod came back from a big endo on Saturday to end up ninth in the points. That said, his run for the championship appears over.

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34 23June 2000

0X0 ss=f

Start,stopf

pit, win

Not even aflat tyre and an unscheduled pit stop could stop Paul Morris at Lakeside, He’s won fivefrom flve in 2000, PHIL BRANAGAN reports. sleet, nor snow, nor Neither rain,keep nor flat tyres shall Paul Morris from his appointed duty of dominat ing the 2000 BOC Gases Touring Super Championship.

It didn't sleet or snow at Lakeside - and it only rained in qualifying- but Morris put a Race 2 flat t5rre behind to streak to two wins in the sec ond round of the series ht Lakeside.

The BMW driver came from a half-lap deficit to catch and pass the leaders in a dominant display after swap ping the lead (and a little paint) with John Henderson's Holden Vectra in the first race.

Best of the remaining dri vers was Alan Gurr who took a third and a second in an impressive first race at Morris's home circuit.

But Henderson was out of luck, suspension problems keeping him out of the second race. Gurr’s team-mate Peter Hills had engine problems, allowing an intense David Auger versus Jim Cornish battle take centre stage in both races.

Qualifying

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Transpor RAllHl \OtOHAMA

Photo t5y Marshall Cass

Maybe an earthquake can stop him: Morris was in fine form at home. Not even this Race 1 incident with Henderson (above) which cut a tyre prevented Morris from winning.

Black and Blue: Cornish was pinged points for this incident with Searle.

P

^ ^orris arrived home from Canberra with a bent Big Kevs Commodore but barely enough time to even think about fixing it. The Mount Cotton Estate BMW was ready to go and, with about 1000 laps experience at his 'home' track. The Dude wasted no time dipping into the high 53s during Friday practice.

Come qualifying it was the same story, 40kgs of weight or not. Morris managed a 53.95s in the first session and

54.48s in the second on a damp track.

“We tried wets but after a lap I told the guys we needed slicks,” he reported, adding that part of the 0.8s drop off from 1999 was due to the shppeiy-even-when-diy track.

Apart from that, and the weight, there was little to report from Nemoland.

Henderson took a second and a third in the Vectra. In only his 12th Super Touring race the Sydney driver looked consistent; missing the drier part of Q2 when he was late getting out. He also admitted taking it a little easy in the Karussel, where he beached the car last season.

Henderson had decided that topping his car up with fuel was a good way of accounting for the 15kg weight penalty he faced after OP, but added ballast when the team realised that the 27 lap second race would leave him only 1kg over at the end ofthe day.

Cornish beat him in the second session. The re-liver ied Honda had been shaken down at Oran Park the pre ceding Monday and was run ning well. Cornish reported that it felt much more secure than the Nissan he had run in ’99. He clocked a 55.99s in Q2, half-a-second slower than the first session.

Hills was fifth in the first session but missed aU of the second when his V6 broke a piston ring. Team Mondeo had httle choice but to leave the car as it was and hope for the best on Simday.

In the other Mondeo Gunhad no problems, other than taking his time playing him self in his first drive of the Ford V6 in the damp.

Auger was fointh and sixth on the two grids, the Leatherman Alfa 155 having no problems, but the Trinovin team was having a few prob lems. AUan Letcher was going fine in the black Mondeo but Aaron McGill basically ran out of time when his crew missed the first session and elected to skip the second when the Nissan Primera was ready, but not checked in time.

The reason was a doozy.

Head mechanic Graeme Julias was late getting back to Australia after getting caught in the latest coup in the Solomon Islands the week before the meeting (see news pages).

Carlos Rolfo put his Oran Park problems behind him with a steady run in the red Peugeot 405 (still running only one engine)but the other

Peugeot, Tony Newman's 406, was out after practice when his only engine popped a head gasket and was parked for the weekend, Paul Leabeater was next the Hyundai Lantra running reliably, while Michael Downard brought up the rear after missing session two in the Playboy Bimmer when he decided to skip the session, perhaps not reahsing that the sessions were separate, not combined.

Malcolm Rea made it to the track but missed the sessions when the Toyota Carinas of Brad Stratton and himself had electrical problems.

Race 1 (17 laps)

ain threatened but held iff as the cars gridded.

Henderson out-jumped Morris before the car bogged down, quickly recovering but the fast-starting Gurr threat ened both, dropping into sec ond at the Karussel.

Hills was fourth but the battle against physics was soon to be lost. The Mondeo started trailing smoke and, on lap 2 the blue car trailed into the pits. Oil was being pumped past the damaged ring and he was through for the day.

That left fourth up for grabs between Auger and Cornish in a battle that would rage all race. Both had moments- there was a touch between the pair at the Karussel - and both scored hits on BMWs. Cornish got Searle at the Karussel on lap 4 after the black Beemer scythed through from the rear, while Auger flicked Downard into a spin at Himgry on lap 14 when the Playboy car moved right to try and stay out of the way.

After the race Cornish was penalised points over the incident, but kept his result.

He lost 7 points in the Independents' category and 3 in the Drivers' points, giving him the same score as Searle.

Gurr's mn behind Morris ended at the Kink on lap 3 when the Vectra rounded him up on the outside and set off after Morris, who was already keeping a wary eye on his left-rear tyre.

He sized up the 320i each time on the straight but it took until lap 9 to get it right, hugging the white line at the Karussel and sneaking through into the lead. The Sydney policeman pulled a small gap but Morris reeled him back in and, with Gunlosing 2s lapping Downard the leaders set out to decide

23June 2000

S£®0(o)U‘sm®o^{} the race.

They didn't did. brakes When Menderhit the son

Gases Super leuriug Ctianipieusliip Round 2, Lalieside, June 17/IB QualBfying

brake pedal at the Karussel'hn

Driver Paul Morris John Henderson Jim Cornish Alan Gurr Peter Hills David Auger Alan Letcher Carlos Rolfo Paul Leabeater Michael Downard Luke Searle Malcolm Rea Brad Stratton

lap 13 it went to the floor. As he slid wide, pumping the pedal, Morris took back the point and pulled away.

Henderson looked in his and mirror

m mft

dropped back, using what little braking he had to limp home second.

“I just held it,” he said later. “When I pulled it up near the podium it had no brakes left at all.”

There was worse. The front suspension strut was damaged and, like his adver sary Hills, he would sit out Race 2.

Third was a lonely Gurr, while the Honda versus Alfa battle went to the penulti mate lap. Cornish came onto BP Bend on Auger's right and issued an ultimatum; lift or crash. Mr Leatherman lifted and Cornish took the spot.

There was an all-Trinovin battle between McGill and Letcher until the Nissan blew a CV joint, leaving him to trail in ninth.

Letcher was sixth from Searle and Rolfo, while Downard limped in two laps down in 10th after a quick pit stop to check the car after his incident.

Race 2(27 laps)

Wi

35

ith Henderson and HUls MIA there was a chance for the Auger/Cornish battle to move up a spot but not even they would have guessed that it was be for the lead.

Morris leapt away while Auger got the best of the start behind, pulling ahead of the Honda and the Gurr Mondeo, which was slower away this time. But then, on lap two, Morris had an understeering slide at Hungry.

“I got on the radio and said, 'I think a front tyi-e is going down' and (team manager) Greg (Wooster) said, 'Let's be safe and change it'.”

The tyre had been cut in the first race when Henderson took the lead and Morris was 25s behind the leaders when he got going agam.

Playboys and men: Downard and Stratton put on an entertaining dice in the second race. (Photo by Marshall cass) And it was some battle. lap but the Queenslander had Auger had the Accord and 0.1s in hand to hold on to Gurr all over him and, with third.

Cornish was fifth from the defensive fight up front, McGill closed in to make it a Stratton, whose engine blew four car battle, five if you as he crossed the line, and include Searle, who closed for Letcher. McGill parked it on lap 20 with a broken drivea while before dropping back.

It raged strongly for 12 shaft joint, Rea went out with a broken alternator and laps, close enough to have the odd belt in the bumper but Rolfo and Leabeater parked not with any significant under the bridge with engine dramas. change. Then came their ter Will Morris sweep the rible wake-up call; Morris had caught them. His first lap out series? Probably not, given of the pits was a 53.6s, faster that sometimes, despite the than he qualified, and he had best preparation, race cars break. Even if TOCA intro closed the gap at 2s a lap. duces compulsory tyre stops He took all over 500m to go from fifth to second, then he just for T^e Dude, he'U take shot past Auger around the some beating. outside of the Kink. He sped off into the sunset to a 25s win. It was pretty impressive stuff.

The funny thing was, though, that Auger didn't realise fully what was going on; I didn't know I was lead ing,” he admitted later.

“I didn't realise Paul had pitted and, when the crew told me he was coming I assumed it was to lap us.”

Still, there was second to settle. After lamning further than he ever had on a set of tyres in the Honda, Cornish started to feel the pace in the gi-ip department, falling back to a safe fourth once McGill and Gurr went past, followed soon after by Searle.

Then the sprint for the fin ish started. GmT had a run,at the Alfa on the straight on lap 21 but, even though he ran two wheels on the dirt he couldn't find a way through until he muscled his way past at the Karussel two laps later. At the same time Searle was getting past Cornish and closed on Auger over the final

* Car Mount Cotton BMW 320i Hi Tech Holden Vectra Visit Your Vet Honda Accord Team Mondeo Ford Mondeo Team Mondeo Ford Mondeo Leatherman Alfa Romeo 155 Trinovin Ford Mondeo Peugeot 405 Redline Hyundai Lantra Playboy BMW SAE/Roadchill BMW Rea Toyota Carina E Rea Toyota Carina E

Race 1 (17 laps)

Pos Driver Race time F/lap On 1 Morris 15m58.2247 54.8187 10 2 Henderson 16m07.8668 ‘ 54.7237 2 16m14.6925 55.9998 5 3 Gurr 4 Cornish 16m18.7339 55.8263 3 16m19.3164 56.5780 9 5 Auger 16m31.9321 57.1150 8 6 Letcher 16m36.1017 55.6711 12 7 Searle 16m44.7831 57.8215 17 8 Rolfo 16m55.1249 56.2913 8 9 McGill 10 Downard 15 laps 59.7740 2 11 Leabeater ladaps 60.2670 13 DNF Stratton 5 laps 58.9894 5 DNF Hills 1 lap 66.1488 1 DNS Rea

Qual 1 53.9540(1) 54.6647(2) 55.4562(4) 54.9943(3) 55.8373(S') 56.5215(6) 57.6253(7) . 57.9415(8) 59.2703(9) 60.4561 (10) No time No time No time

Race 2(27 laps)

Qua! 2 54.4894 (1) 56.0220(3) 55.9902(2) 57.2229(4) No time .57.0816 (4) 59.3379(6) 60.0988 (7) 63.5717(8) No time No time No time No time

Race time Pos Driver 25m07.8811 1 Morris 25m32.9082 2 Gurr 25m33.9873 3 Auger 25m34.0965 4 Searle 25m36.9195 5 Cornish 6 Stratton 26 laps 7 Letcher 26 laps 8 Downard 25 laps DNF McGill 19 laps DNF Rea 10 laps DNF Leabeater 7 laps DNF Rolfo 6 laps DNS Henderson DNS Hills

F/lap On 53.6021 4 55.3702 17 56.0359 20 55.1564 25 55.9872 20 58.4735 5 57.4600 4 59.5295 4 57.4600 4 59.2212 6 59.9897 4 57.3078 4

DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (after round 2): Morris 78, Auger 46. Gurr 40. Henderson 28, Letcher 25, Hills 22, Searle 18, Downard 14, McGill 13, Miller 11, Cornish 10(includes penalty), Leabeater 8, Stratton 5, Rolfo 3, Fitzgerald 2.

INDEPENDENTS CUP (after round 2): Auger 73, Letcher 46, Downard 33, Searle 32, Leabeater 24, Miller 22, Cornish 20(includes penalty), Stratton 8, Rolfo 6, Fitzgerald 6. ^ Next round: Oran Park(GP circuit), Juiy 9. n Luke Searle is a dad.

The BMW driver arrived in Queensland with the news that wife Sarah had presented him with a son, Griffen, who was actually due on Oran Park's race weekend. n David Auger had a new engine in his Alfa at Lakeside. The unit arrived from Engstler in Germany and provides about an extra lOkW. n Channel 7 was quite pleased with the ratings for the first broadcast from the BOC Gases Series. The Oran Park rated 4s last week, about double what the network would expect fi'om a late night time slot.

. .

Holden up front: Hend erson was in strong form again, leading in Race 1. But broken suspension prevented him from starting the 27-lap second race.

Lead Battle: Auger led, but didn’t even realise it at the time. Cornish, Gurr and McGili made sure that he had enough to think about anyway.(Photos by oirk Kiynsmitu)

n Speaking of Seven, Melinda Price was present to work for the network.

The Ferrari Nations Cup driver will be doing reports on the series during the year around her racing commitments.

'IS'

n The age ofsome ofthe Super Touring cars is starting to show. While Morris can stdl get factory bits for his BMW (which was buUt in 1996) Henderson has just one set offront struts left for his Vectra, while Hills has five damaged wheels for his two Mondeos,leaving him with two sets per car or an $8000 bill for replacements. n The Guia Touring Car race at Macau will not feature Super Touring cars this year. The classic will cater for only Super Production cars in November, with up to 50 entries expected.

-PHILBRANAGAN

36 23June 2000 n Top Doorsiammer racer, and,round winner, Les Winter has topped his aluminium powerplant with a new 16-71 supercharger,similar to what‘in-form’ racers, Robin Judd and Peter Kapiris have been using.

Winter stepped up the tune-up in his Winter’s Smash Repairs ’55 Chev for the first round of qualifying but was forced to shut-off when the ‘wild fridge’ headed towards the concrete. n Shane Elcoate’s return to the track in the famihar Thimder Road ’41 Willys was far from what was hoped for...

While on his Friday night qualifier, Elcoate’s car suffered a massive engine explosion which saw the car engulfed in flames at mid-track. A large piece of the manifold was pushed by the explosion through the firewall and hit Elcoate’s hand,Elcoate suffering one broken finger while also losing the tip of another.

Elcoate has actually sold the Willys to Brisbane racer Chris Wicks, although Wicks has yet to hcence, hence Elcoate’s appearance at the Winters.

H Top Bike racer Steve Kitchen had US turbo bike gmn Terry Keiser on hand at theAVintemationals,as well as at a test day a week prior, to help sort file Budweiser-backed whistle blower out. Keiser influence appeared to be helping the team head in the right direction, with Kitchen cmrenfiy listed in fifth.

B Veteran Pro Stock racer Tony Wedlock’s recent return to form is continuing with the Queenslander impressing considerable at a ‘test & time’ at Willowbank the week prior to the Winternats.

Wedlock’s Ultimate Financial Services Pontiac rolled out of the trailer and recorded a 7.72/176, followed by back-to-back 7.69s.

While his first qualifier at the Winternats didn’t dip into the ‘sixties’, a 7.70 had Wedlock confident of a soUd showing. n Former Top Bike racer and drag racing cartoonist Graham Slapp is making a return to the racetrack with, perhaps, Australian drag racing’s wildest vehicle -a twin injected and blown-engined’38 Fiat Topohno altered!

Slapp, who now resides ‘‘'on the (iold Coast, has wedged two lOOOhp,468ci big block Chevs between the chassis rails of his altered, with which he plans on doing 170mph burnouts!

While the vehicle made an appearance at the Winternats, Slapp hopes to have the vehicle actually on-track within the next month. We can’t wait...

-KEN FERGUSON

Ml®9®!7SrP®[F9

Winternats Wa

By KEN FERGUSON

i

ALTHOUGH a couple of world record performances were the highlights, the only rear winner at this Konica year’s Winternationals was the weather.

With Friday night’s first qualifying sessions complet ed, and a little running on Saturday morning, the rain set in before lunch and never stopped, resulting in the postponement of the event until October 6/7.

Fields in all categories, bar Top Bike and Super Stock, have been set and have been seeded and only competitors in the two brackets that aren’t set will get a shot at qualifying at the re-run.

The world record-setting performances came in Top Doorsiammer and Pro Stock, Robin Judd the real attention getting with his stunning 6.179sec top qualifying run.

Judd’s run was the quick est ever doorsiammer pass seen in this country and matched, to the thousandth, Fred Hahn’s run at the wheel of Jim Oddy’s Summitbacked ‘53 Corvette at an IHRA national event in Grand Bend, Canada just the previous week.

Making the pass all the more stunning was Judd’s top end speed of just 220mph, seven mph down on Hahn and indicating that there’s far more left yet in the West Australian’s ‘53 Studebaker.

Almost going unnoticed alongside was Andrew Searle’s 6.25/222 in the ACME Fibreglass Ford Cusso, the run Searle’s quickest ever - the run also now raiiking as the quickest side-by-side doorsiammer race in the world!

The run also now jettisons Searle past Victor Bray and into second in Australia’s quickest list, quick an impressive feat for the lowbuck Queensland racer.

Thanks to just one qualify ing shot before the rain stopped play, Judd and Searle are well in front of their protagonists; Peter Kapiris sits next with a 6.41, Brett Stevens next with the Jack Daniels Stude (6.44), followed by championship leader Dave Koop (6.50).

Bray, hoping to secure his fifth consecutive champi onship, was left languishing in eighth with a shut-off 7.68, althought the tomato farmer was quite happy to, at least made the eight before the rain came.

In contrast to Top Doorsiammer, Top Fuel seemed a non-event with the championship virtually locked up by Darren DiFilippo before the event and only six entries showing up.

Of the six, only four had qualifying shots with Jim Read in the Gregory’s Automotive fueller top quali fying with a 4.99/275 - the

i ’T-'

\

first four second pass seen at Willowbank in over a year and just the fourth recorded by the class ah season.

DiFilippo was next with the Redback Performance Exhausts dragster, way back with a 10.^2 thanks to a blower belt and sparkplug going astray before the 330fl mark.

Steve Read and Robin Kirby also attempted launch es and they’re in the show, although Terry Sainty (pre sent to drive Dwayne Riley’s car) and Nationals-winner Roy Smith didn’t, so they won’t be able to participate at the re-running of the event.

Gary Phillips put his Lucas Oils Products dragster into the number one spot in Top Alcohol with a 5.77/245 while his hottest rival, Mark Brew in the Romac/Proforce drag ster, grabbed second place with a 5.86/241.

Other five second qualifiers in the field included Paul Shackleton (5.89), Steve Reed in his Reed Transport Olds Fimny Car (5.92), and Dean Oakey (5.95).

Reed’s wife Debbie again stepped up into the Top Alcohol ranks in her small block Chev-powered dragster and thrilled the crowd with a wild wheelstand, reminiscent of Stan Tindall’s a few years ago. Although only recording a 19.70, Reed was stfll in the field in seventh spot. Damage resulting from the wheel stand was fixed later in the night, with a new pair of front wheels and a.bit of oxy work.

Tom Easton qualified in eighth while Wayne Newby’s 6.13 was disqualified after his Newby Blowers dragster pushed out a gasket, got oil on the tyres and crossed the centreline.

Peter Ridgeway predicted his John William Auto Sales/No Fear Olds Cutlass would run quick before the event and he was spot on, a 7.61/179.21 the quickest and fastest run recorded in history.

While the elapsed time was more than impressive, the speed gave Ridgeway - who had already stitched up the championship prior to this meeting - the fastest 6.51b per cube sedan in the world.

History in the making: Judd and Searle’s Friday night qualifier was the quickest side-by-side race in world doorsiammer history -6.17/220 to 6.25/222.

False advertising: Judd needed to adjust his sign to read ‘world record’ following his record-equalling effort.

No Grace Kellys here: This trio performed an anti-rain dance. It didn’t work...

(Photos by Marshall Cass)

K- l

-I,.

-i:

\

d

Kct ntaUmt his mark beating both the Austrahan Pro Stock and the NHRA C/A records.

Jon Andriopoulos also stunned a few with his quick est ever in his Auto Concepts Chev Lumina - a 7.65/175 good enough to take second behind Ridgeway.

Bruce Leake and Tony Wedlock both went into the 7.70s, while Pro Stock rookie John Barbagallo, stepping up from Super Stock with his Ford Probe, surprised with an off the trailer 7.82/172.

Rod Ware, making his first appearance in five years and using new Pro Stock racer, Mike Tinney’s new engine, was the only other seven sec ond runner with a 7.86/171,

while outgoing national champion Craig Hasted (8.00)rounded out the field.

Col Shore (8.13) and anoth er Pro Stock other rookie. Jay Watson, in his former Rob Quattrochi Penrith Auto Wreckers Chev Beretta, qual ified outside the field with a 9.16. Watson suffered from a mysterious electrical prob lem, and was stfll yet to recti fy the problem, although a frill re-wire of the car was in progress in the pits.

Brett Stevens qualified bet ter in Top Bike than he did in Top Doorsiammer when he put the Jack Daniels Hailey Davidson into the number one spot with a 7.37/183 ahead of Craig McPhee, Jeff

Smith and Jay Upton. Turbo bikes featured well with Steve Kitchen, Gary Thomas and Dave Boreham holding the fifth, sixth and eighth spots respectively.

Pro Stock Motorcycle saw only two seven second pass es, with many looking for ward to the opportunity to try again before the rain came. Jason Lee top quali fied with a 7.85/166 ahead of Angelo Ganitis’ 7.88/164 while Peter Cochrane rounded out the field with a shut off 10.4.

Super Stock was again riddled with controversy when championship con tender Nick Xerakis’ nowB/Gas Ford Probe was rejected by ANDRA at the scrutineering sheds. After having had up to eight ANDRA officials swarm over his car and then hav ing to wait over four hours for a verdict, Xerakis was finally informed that he wouldn’t be allowed to run unless two and a half inches were trimmed from the car’s overhang.

An all-day and night thrash by Xerakis and his crew and friends performed the work necessary and had the car ready for qualifying on Saturday.

With, quite obviously, a number of other cars not fully meeting the vague rulebook, it seems strange that ANDRA would con stantly target this one car.

Perhaps, with Xerakis quite disturbed over what he believes is discriminatory treatment, a conflict in court won’t be too far away.

Top qualifier in Super Stock, at the moment, is Graeme Walker with his C/Gas Commodore going .188sec under his index.

Rod Rainford holds the top spot in Competition with his potent C/Altered (.309), Rainford miles in front of his opposition.

Daniel Peatey’s C/Comp Bike holds the top spot in Competition Bike - 8.12,'64 (8.35 index).

23 June 2000

Changes made ishout

Qualifying will resume at Wintemationals

%

^ 'Si-

N /

ANDRA confirmed late

Monday.

be scheduled for the night

Monday night that the viiTUTiiinBr of the re-runnmg ot Wintemationals event in October would included further qualitying sessions for all categories.

The decision comes after the initial announcement called for all qualifying to be con sidered finished and fields seeded on the quali fying ladders at the time of the event’s postpone ment due to rain.

"The track has a huge the investment in Wintemationals event and responsibilities to spectators and sponsors," ANDRA CEO Tony Thornton said on

"ANDRA accepts that of Fnday, October 6, vnth and in View of the great early eliminations for support the sport enjoys lower categories during WiUowbank Fm sure the day on Saturday, racers are pleased to October 7, and racing share the load. The from late afternoon, integrity of our ANDRA Junior Dragster’s elimiChampionships must nations, which had remain a high priority as already begun, would well. continue as per the elimination ladders.

"In accepting amend At the same time as ments to the conditions announced when the announcing the format \ change, Thornton also event was postponed, cer tainly where qualifying squashed reports that was concerned, we also ANDRA had declared the had to consider the effect championships for the on the points chase. The season, "Depending on some of fairest approach in the circumstances was to the issues before us, that resume activities from was one of the options but, by far, our least prethe point the rain began Qualifying sessions for ferred."

- GERALD McDORNAN all categories would now

/

Sydney meeting called

Personal motivation: Victorian Rod Rainford has qualified on top in Competition Eliminator with the Motivator Racing Engines C/Altered. Rainford is chasing his second Australian Championship.

A meeting for racers and supporters of drag racing in Sydney to express their concerns regarding the current state of affairs, has been called for Wednesday, July 12.

Federal Minister for Sport and Tourism Jackie Kelly has confirmed she will be present at the meeting, which will take place at Blacktown’s Bowman Hall, as too has Sydney media personality Alan Jones and state opposition spokesman on Western Sydney, Charlie Lynn.

“This will be a vitally important meeting and could'possibly be our last opportunity to organise action - and I mean action -to impress upon those in the NSW Government who think they can dismiss our future into a bucket that we need to be taken seriously," said organiser, and Western

Sydney Motorplex proponent David Cook.

"At the end of the day, the future of our sport lies in our hands, but his won’t just be a talk-fest. We will be able to hear from the invited guests their views and ideas as well as convey what we are trying to achieve."

Cook said the meeting will get underway at 8pm and it is advised to be early as a similar meeting last year was attended by more than 1,500 people.

Eager expressions of interest have been received from both Channel 7 and Channel 10 networks, as well as the Sydney Morning Herald and western Sydney newspapers.

Racer interest has developed rapidly already, with a bus or buses coming from the south coast, and possibly others from the north.

37

n Funny Car hopeful Luke Shepherd passed his final license test at last week’s Wintemationals, the 17-year-old Sydneysider running a 7.93sec/187mph pass in his Wreckair Hire flopper. n F arther to our story last issue, Melbourne Firo Stock racer Bruno Cugnetto is getting closer to a deal to race Pro Stock Truck in the US. Cugnetto will meet with Randy Daniels at the US Nationals in September where a deal for 2000/2001 is expected to be finalised. n Rumours in the US have the two-car Jerry ToHver-owned WWF team about to scale back to a one-car outfit. The talk is that the dollars to run the two-car operation, and include all the big-buck crew chiefs, may just be a httle too much for the team's budget. Recent talk had the team also adding a Top Fuel car, although if the current rumours are true, the appearance of a team dragster would now be doubtM. n Further news has come to fight regarding the WWF team and that is that Terry Manzer has been released as co-crew chieffrom the team.

Manzer has had quite a successful stint with different teams over the last couple ofseasons, helping Tim Wilkerson, Jim Epler and Jerry Toliver claim wins in the fuel Funny Cai- ranks.

Manzer also paid a fleeting visit to Australia a couple of years ago to help Garry‘Skippy’ Kennedy with Graeme Cowin’s Shell Rocketship at an Adelaide Top Fuel round.

(Photo by Marshall Cass)

Muldowney withdraws

'U,

Bad weather four-cast: Veteran Jim Read was the class of the four Top Fuellers that attempted to qualify at the Wintemationals, a 4.99/275 coming up on the timecard for the Gregory’s Automotive Publications dragster.

(Photo by Marshall Cass)

SHIRLEY Muldowney has withdrawn from the IHRA REPORTS in the US have Don Garlits again series following notification that her sponsor, returning to the seat of a Top Fuel dragster, with goracing.com, would not renew its sponsorship of the ‘Big Daddy’ expected to take part in a match race against long-time rival Chris ‘the Greek’ four-time World Champion.

Muldowney was told of the company’s decision not to Karamesines. extend its contract last week following its parent company.

It is believed the veteran pair, who traded blows on Action Performance’s decision to immediately change the con the tracks from the 1950s through to the early ‘90s, will tent of the website from a news reporting service to an e-com take part in the World Series of Drag Racing at merce only site.

Cordova Dragway in Illinois on August 26/27- this year “We’re certainly not happy about this but we understand being the 46th running of the world’s oldest indepen why the decision was made from the business standpoint,” dent drag race. r Muldowney said. Muldowney had been supported by Action Garlits is rumoured to be readying the ‘mono-pod’ since 1996 and said without their support, they couldn’t have fueller which is the last ‘Swamp Rat’ built and cam raced at all since that time. paigned by the three-time world champion, Funny Car Muldowney’s husband and crew chief, Rahn Tobler, also pioneer Bruce Larson doing the driving after medical used the announcement to take a swipe at the IHRA’s new problems ruled Garlits out of the seat. fuel policies, which fine competitors points and money for oilHaving received medical clearance, Garlits did downs, and disqualifies any qualifying runs where an oildown renew his driving license last year and took part in a occurs. Tobler also criticised the sanctioning body’s consisten match race with arch-rival Shirley Muldowney last cy in rule interpretations and prize money payouts. new year’s eve.

Muldowney made he last appearance last weekend, top Despite being well into his 60s, Karamesines, the qualifying at the Amalie Nationals at Cordova, Illinois, top first drag racer to ever top 200mph, has continued quafifjdng in the eight-car field before red-fighting away her racing and recently upgraded Ms equipment to cur chances in the first round. rent ‘spec’.

-PHIL MORRIS - PHIL MORRIS

2000 WINSTON DRAG RACING SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS AT JUNE 20.

Winston Top Fuel Championship 876 1. Gary Scelzi, Winston 844 2. Tony Schumacher, Exide Batteries 3. Larry Dixon, Miller Lite/MBNA

792

4. Kenny Bernstein, Bud King Racing .... 676 661 5. Joe Amato, Tenneco/Dynomax .

519 6. Doug Kalitta, MGM Grand Hotel 501 7. Cory McClenathan, MBNA ....

420 8. Doug Herbert, Snap-On Tools ..

9. David Grubnic, John Mitchell Racing ..380 377 10. Don Lampus, eXpress Online

Winston Funny Car Championship

Winston Pro Stock Championship 937

1. Jerry Toliver, WWF Racing Camaro ... 837 826 2. John Force, Castrol GTX Mustang 731 3. Ron Capps, US Tobacco Camaro.

l.Jeg Coughlin, Jeg's Olds Cutlass 2.Warren Johnson, GM Pontiac

653

3. Ron Krisher, Eagle One Pontiac

645

4. Tony Pedregon, Castrol Syntec Mustang 703 555 5. Jim Epler, WWF Racing Camaro.

459 6. Scotty Cannon, Oakley Camaro ..

446 7. Dean Skuza, Mateo Tools Avenger

4. Troy Coughlin, Jeg's Olds Cutlass 583 5. Mark Pawuk,Summit Racing Pontiac .. 580 526 6. Kurt Johnson, ACDelco Camaro

415 8. Del Worsham, CSK Pontiac 9. Whit Bazemore, Kendall GT-1 Camaro.404 400 10. Frank Pedregon, CSK Pontiac

522 505 8. Richie Stevens, Vaispar Pontiac, 9. Bruce Allen, Reher-Morrison Pontiac ..468 7. Jim Yates, Splitfire/Peak Pontiac

10, Tom Martino, Century 21 Pontiac .... 452

L

38 23 June 2000

lM^{}(D[i’SffXo)n1] seasju

Etchells Richards Split HAVING joined together eight yeai's ago to create history with the first ever four-second pass by a Funny Car, Chuck Etchells and legendary crew chiefTim Richards have spht.

After a poor start to the NHRA season for Etchells’ Whit Bazemore-diiven Chev Camaro Z28 Funny Car, the record-setting team ovmer has decided to release Richards and co crew chief wife Kim from their positions on the team.

"The business of racing often forces you to make some difficult decisions, and I would have to say this was one of my toughest," Etchells said of the move.

"Tim and Kim’s contributions have been invaluable to the success of this organization and I want to thank them for eveiything they have done. I simply felt that, given om- cmnent situation, a fresh perspective was needed."

Etchells has signed Teny Manzer who was last week let go by deny Toliver’s two-car WWF team.

"Teny brings a wealth of experience to our progi'am, and has already proven his abiUty to produce a winner.

We look foiivard to a successful future with him," Etchells said.

Hofmann Sacks Powell AUSTRALIAN Helen Hofmann has taken another step towards reshaping her NHRA Funny Car team into national event-winning status by releasing driver Cristen Powell.

Hofmann released Powell following qualifying for the Pontiac Excitement Nationals in Columbus, Ohio last Saturday,Powell having just not qualified for the sixth time this season.

"We felt at this time it was in the best interest of the team to go in another direction," Hofinann said.

"We have enjoyed working with Cristen during the last few months and we wish her the best in her future plans."

Powell has qualified for just four races this year, logging only one elimination 'round win in Dallas.

The 21-year-old college student fi-om joined Hofinann’s team at the start ofthe 2000 season, taking over the seat vacated

by Hofmann's husband Al, who left his team to drive for Jim Dunn.

Hofmann’s dismissing of Powell comes just three events after the Australian also sacked crew chief Ronnie Sweai-ingen.

Schuey takes the spoils

By PHIL MORRIS

GARY Scelzi’s threerace winning streak came to an end with reigning Winston Top Fuel Tony Schumacher taking the win at the Pontiac Excitement Nationals in Columbus, Ohio on Sunday.

Schumacher’s win, which came over five-time champion Joe Amato, also closed the championship points battle with Scelzi to just 32 points.

In the final, Schumacher ran 4.64secs/316mph while Amato's car slowed to a 5.16/178 when his para chutes fell out a mid-track.

"We really stepped on it that last run and my car left great," Schumacher said. "I didn't see Joe during the entire run - we knew' he was going to be tough because he had beeh ruiinhig 4.62s all day."

With it being Father’s in the US, Day Schumacher dedicated his victory to his father, veter an racer Don The Shoe’.

“Dad made a great call and tliis vrin is for him. He made it possible, and everything else that’s hap pened possible.”

Tony Pedregon pleased his boss, John Force, by downing Jerry Toliver in the final of Funny Car, Toliver’s although advancement to the final, and his first round victory over Force, gave him the points lead in the fuel coupe category.

Pedregon used a holeshot to hold off ToUver for his first Funny Car vic tory of the season, his Castrol Syntec Mustang’s 4.89/316 holding out Toliver’s quicker 4.87/310 in the WWF Pontiac Fii-ebird.

'1 guess being per-sistent pays off," said Pedregon of his first win in four finals this season.'T owed Tohver that one for beating me earlier in the year at Pomona. I think that final was the first full run down track we made all week-

end. Fortunately it came at the right time."

Mark Pawuk ended a

five-year wiMess streak by claiming the Pro Stock crown over Ron Krisher, 6.98/197 to 6.97/197.

"It’s been a long-time between wins but to win my home town race, in fi-ont of my family, friends and sponsors is terrific," an elated Pawuk said later.

"We’re having a great year and I’m certain that this team is op the verge of exploding through for many more wins.

Angelle Seeling claimed her third win of the season in Pro Stock Motorcycle, riding past Tony MuUen’s similar Suzuki, while Randy Daniels claimed his fifth win of the year in Pi’o Stock Truck, Daniels again defeating rival Bob PaneUa in the final.

Like Schumacher, Daniels also dedicated his win to his father and crew chief, Garley.

"He's totally behind the operation and the main reason that I've been able to win so much this season.

'I feel so lucky to be able to race writh him. I'm sort of getting used to this winning thing, Despite losing the final round, Panella maintained a 14-point lead over Daniels in the Winston point standings, while Seeling has a strong lead in the two wheeled bracket.

Not hanging up his helmet: Schumacher’s win again puts him in the picture for the Top Fuel championship.

Hanging up her helmet: Following another non-qualifying effort, Flelen Hofmann released driver Cristen Powell (see separate story).

(Photos by Dave Ostaszewski)

Mustang One: John Force debuted a new, aerodynamically-improved Mustang in Columbus. It didn’t help,(nhra)

Eagle Two: Ron Krisher made yet another final round, although this time Mark Pawuk took the win. (Dave ostaszewski)

Critchley comeback continues

' TROY Critchley’s return to form on the IHRA Pro Modified tour

prior, Fred Hahn, again wonfthe event, defeating Billy Harper’s

continued with a strong showing

nitrous-powered Dodge Viper in a

at last weekend’s Amalie Oil Summernationals in Cordova, X... . ’ Critchley qualified second in the strong 16-car Pro Modified field (6.33/225) and it was only a fall in performance of his car that stopped the yoimg Australian from advancing past the second round.

“We’re starting to come around and I think we re going to be a real chance of taking our first ever national event win soon,” Critchley said. “We ran a 6.30 in the first round and I left on my opponent in the second, so it may just all come together again soon.”

Critchle3'’s final round opponent at Grand Bend, Onterio just two weeks

S

~ 6.320/205.60 to

Hahn s Jim Oddy-prepared 53 Corvette continued to set the pace in the highly competitive class, foelhng the blown versus nitrous controversy with the nitrous competitors and their supporting industry calling for a reduction in the allowable blower overdrive.

“If you want parity, that would be eight blown cars and eight nitrous cars making the field,” team owner Hahn said. “No one complained last ■year when I qualified first at five straight events and then smoked my tyres in went out in round one at all five races. Give them more power, don’t take it away from us.”

Bruce Litton defeated Paul Romine

to take the Top Fuel title, Litton’s Wix dragster taking the win with a 4.75/305 over Romine’s 4.74/309.

“I never knew I was going to win this race, until the cameras came over to me and the lady handed me the trophy,” said a happy but emo tional Litton.

Litton needed the win, as he was fined and lost championship points for oiling the track down during eliminations.

In Nitro Harley, it was an allMancuso final as recent Australian tourist Johnny Mancuso and team mate Steve Stordeur faced off.

Mancuso experienced problems at half-track and shut the bike off, giv ing Stordeur the easy win.

Consolation for Mancuso came with the veteran recording a new speed record for the class at 216mph.

- PHIL MORRIS

Ironhorse: Troy Critchley’s Pro Mod.

26 May 2000

TKl

NASCAR's next'Boy Juan-der' not

By MARTIN D CLARK

JUAN Montoya won’t be making a return to the site of his recent Indy 500 in a stock car, with the team spokesman for world motor racing’s hottest property last week denying Montoya would make his Winston Cup debut at the Brickyard 400 in August.

It was rumom’ed Montoya would take the wheel of a SABCO Chevy in the race, with the Columbian’s CART series team owner, Chip Ganassi, recently assuming control of the team from Felix Sabates but team members late last week dismissed the rumours.

“Om’schedule is full, we’ve got 11 races over the next 14

w^eeks and we’ll be testing the other three,” a Target Ganassi spokesman said.

Ganassi’s raid on the Indy 500 was led by former Hendrick team manager Andy Graves and it was rumoured that Graves, who orchestrated the purchase of 80 percent of Sabates’SABCO team for Ganassi, would act as crew chief for Montoya.

Had the rumour been true, it would have been quite possible that Montoya could have taken both the Indy 500 and Brickyard 400 titles, along with this year’s CART crown (he’s currently looking the goods to back up last year’s title) with him to Formula One next year and that would be just what the American racing industry wouldn’t want!

m

We’ll come back here, real soon; Will Montoya return to the Brickyard for the Winston Cup race next month? His team says hb but rumours persist. (Sutton-images)

for2ml

THE veteran Wood Brothers Racing team, famous for the Ford campaigns over the last 35 years, have extended its relationship with Jack Roush’s outfit.

Roush Racing' have been supplying the Wood Brothers team with engines for its #21 Citgo Ford Taurus entry this season and Wood Brothers have now closed the doors on its new chassis manufacturing shop Roush will now supply the rolling stock for the Elliott Sadler-driven entry.

Team co-owner Eddie Wood sees the move as being one which can help the team build a stronger Winston Cup effort.

"Being a single car team like we are, this enables us to be a multi-car team by associa tion to help us do the right stuff to start with," he said.

fJACK.RouSh’s Mark Martin-driven Ford Taurus team won’t tbe ‘too haiPd- up’ fer cash im 2001 after Valvoline’s ^departure, with Pfizer’s Viagra believed to have signed on ■as major spohsor.

Valvo'ljna departed after the asking price for the #6 rtearri ir0se t0>iySfl!g rnillion, with Pfizer deciding te ‘up the = ante’, with^ the jRdush camp after having paid $5 millien to |?t‘h^iel 'l!tiv.er team this season, i’l^^hile .inb .Gonfifiihation has come from the Roush camp, i iRiiwer’s- crew chief and co-owner, Barry Dodson, ; ^^fiirmed the move ;in Michigan last weekend, at the j bsame time saying that they were yet to find a replacement : b,ponsorfer their Mike Bliss-driVen Pontiac. | f: Meanwhile,-Robert Yates is apparently still talking with i

Joint effort: The famous Wood Brothers will now use Roush chassis, (ciark)

JEREMY Mayfield drove his #12 Mobil Taurus to victory lane at the rain-delayed race at Pocono on Tuesday morning (Australian time). Mayfield intimidated the ‘Intimidator’, giving Dale Earnhardt a tap to move into the lead in the final turn.

RAIN is not some thing you usually want to see at a NASCAR race but on June 11 at Michigan it was welcome, livening up what had been, to that point, a ho-hum race dom inated by Jeremy Mayfield’s Ford Taurus.

The rain did strike and a lengthy delay and red-flag period followed. However, after the break, things changed with Tony Stewart jump ing to the lead - and that’s where he stayed until the heav ens opened again six laps shy of the sched-

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n Elliott Sadler was lucky to survive a ‘happy hour’ practice wreck at Michigan on June 10 with just bruises and a cut tongue after his Wood Brothers Taurus cut a rear tyre and rolled 12 times.

It took 10 minutes to cut Sadler from the car, the driver emerging to thank'the safety crews and fellow driver Kyle Petty.

“T^yle stopped and made sure my ignition and everything else was cut off -it’s great to have friends like that in racing,” he said.

Wood Brothers further link with Roush Racing

llarrett in: 2001, replacing Ford Quality Care as the major backer. 1 is'believed Ford’ will remain with the team, Dossibly moving to an assoeiate role with the champ and he second RYR car driven by veteran Ricky Rudd.

Power Team have also notified Joe and Nancy Bessey (tiiat pey. will mot return to their Geoffrey Bodine team in 20Ol’; the jehirgy broker cutting it’s contract for back to a two-year deal from an* original three years after recently i mergingfreight with another company, !|lobal company UPS about sponsorship of Dale; - MARTIN P CLARK

39

uled 200 laps.

“It’s either impres sive or lucky, which ever way you want to call it, the fact is we won, that’s all we care about, “ said Stewart about his second win of the year in the Joe Gibbs-owned Home Depot Pontiac.

“I’m encouraged about the rest of the season, I feel like this has turned a lot of things around for us.'

With the win Stewart surged from ninth to seventh in the standings, 295 markers behind Gibbs team mate Bobby Labonte who finished third.

Labonte captured the pole for the race ■with a 189.883 mph new track record lap and, like the other Pontiac teams, was using the new rear bumper recently by approved NASCAR for the marque. NASCAR’s allowance must have worked as four of the top 10 at the finish were Pontiacs.

Stewart Besults; (Pontiac) 143.926 mph, Earnhardt (Chevy), B Labonte (Pontiac), Jarrett (Ford), Pressley (Ford), W Burton (Pontiac), R Wallace (Ford), EUiott (Ford), Andretti (Pontiac), Marlin (Chevy).

-MARTIN CLARK

n Chad Little crewmember Dave Rush was killed in a boating accident on a Charlotte lake on Jime 5. Rush was the fuel ‘catch can’ man on race day for Little. n Ray Evemham expects to have the first race-ready Dodge Intrepid ready for inspection by NASCAR on August 8.

Once NASCAR has approved the car, the remaining Dodge teams will be able to fall into place with their build programs.

The engine program is well under way,with test mules already running 500 miles successfully although Ford are stUl, apparently, not happy with the design of the Dodge motor.

■ In other Dodge news, Melling Racing has joined the fray of teams running the marque next seascn, Melhng’s 2000 rookie driver, Stacy Compton, joining a grovhng list of ‘pentastaF drivers ■ Chip McPherson is the new ‘mystery’ owner of Cale Yarborough’s CYM team, McPherson’s ‘Premier Racing Team’ having recently taken control. McPherson plans to run five races later this season, with Jeff Fuller driving, with a full campaign in 2001 expected.

■ Steve Park and Jeremy Mayfield have secm-ed their future contracts with Dale Earnliai'dt Inc and Penske Kranefuss respectively.

Parks’ extension is for two more years with a third year option thrown in, while Mayfield’s is also for a minimum of two seasons.

- MARTIN D CLARK

?000 WINSTON DRAG RACING SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS AT JUNE 18.

Winston Top Fuel Championship 876 1. Gary Scelzi, Winston 844 2. Tony .Schumacher, Exide Batteries 792 3. Larry Di.xon, Miller Lite/MBNA 4. Kenny Bem.stein, Bud King Racing. . . . 676 661 5. Joe Amato, Tenncco/Dynomax .

519 6. Doug Kalitta, MGM Grand Hotel -501 7. Cory McClenathan, MBNA 420 8. Doug Herbert. Snap-On Tools . .

9. David Grubnic. John Mitchell Racing . , 3.80 377 10. Don Lampus. eXpres.s Online

Winston Funny Car Championship 1. Jerry Toliver, WWF Racing Camaro SJ6 2. John Force, Castrol GTX Mustang. .

731 3. Ron Capps, US Tobacco Camaro. , .

4. Tony Pedregon, Castrol Syntec Mustang '".)3 5. Jim Epler. WWT Racing Camaro .‘(55 4591 6. Scotty Cannon, Oakley Camaro. .

446 7, Dean Skuza, Mateo Tools Avenger 8. Del Worsham, CSK Pontiac 415 9, WTiit Bazemore, Kendall GT-1 Camaro. 4)4 400 10. Frank Predergon

WiastoD Pro Stock Championship 937 I .Jeg Coughlin, Jeg's Olds Cutlass 2.Warren Johnson, GM Pontiac 653 (>45 Ron Kri.sher, Eagle One Pontiac 58.^ 4. Troy Coughlin, .leg's Olds Cutla.ss

5. Mark Rawuk. Summit Racing Pontiac . . 580 526 6. Kun Ji'hnsoG. .\CDelco Camaro .5'22 7. Jim ^'ates. SplilTire/Peak Pontiac .8. Richie Slei.ens. Valspar Pontiac 522 9, Bruce .Allen. Rcher-Morrison Pontiac. . 468 10. Tom Martino, Century 21 Ponti.ac . . . 452

40 23 June 2000

Bulmer’s back

By BRETT SWANSON him like a lifetime in to After what seemed purgatory, Colin Bulmer, the always upbeat Victorian Sprintcar racer, is back.

Bulmer hasn’t raced consistently for the past couple of seasons due to budgetary restraints but is well placed to make the upcoming season his best ever.

“You’ve got no idea how much we’re looking forward to coming back this season!” exclaimed Bulmer.

“We’re sitting better at the moment, equipmentwise, than I think we’ve ever been and just can’t wait to get back amongst it.”

Since he last raced full time Bulmer has been extremely busy, getting married to Kerry, visiting the USA, having a son (Ryley) buying a house and getting his business, Bayaire Industries, to the point where it can sustain his need for speed.

Fc'vthe 2000/2001 season, Bulmer has purchased the ‘99 Gambler that was given away in the SRA battler’s chance raffle and a near new engine from Paul Knott.

“Both Jim Knight and Paul Knott have been really helpful with the chassis and engine they've sold me.The frame is obviously brand new and the Rodeck block has half a dozen shows on it, while the rest of the motor, including the 18 degree Brodix heads, are brand new,” Bulmer enthused.

The team recently discovered that their last chassis, a J&J, was a bit of an oddity dimensionally, which accounted for their lack of performance.

It has since been modified and will be kept as a back-up frame, should it be required.

Bulmer’s Drake chassis, built on the west coast of the USA, is for sale at a bargain price.

Bulmer’s crew will consist mainly of long time members Garry Eastwood, Gary Bulmer and Lance Stevenson, and Bulmer will concentrate his season on ichasing down the SRA Hoosier title along with other Victorian races; the Grand Annual Classic, Easter Trail and maybe some World Series rounds and a few Adelaide shows.

However, don’t expect to see #23 on the tail.

‘We wanted to run the number zero because it would have tied in with a potential sponsor, but we were told we couldn’t mn it at national events,” he said.

“So we thought we might go for a totally new start - new car, new engine, new number, new driving suit and hopefully new and better luck.”

/lM(o)0®[FSfJXD[70

Don't Crump my style

kussie takes Speedway Grand Prix round two

By TONY MILLARD THE Swedish Grand Prix at Linkoping proved the best yet for Australians and a personal triumph over adversity for Gold Coast rider Jason Crump who took the title.

Four Aussies made the semi-finals, including Todd Wiltshire, who did so for the IVSSaA second time in two events in his debut season as a Grand Prix rider. Four Aussies are also in the current top eight,, with Adelaide rider Ryap Sullivan seventh and Leigh Adams eighth.

The meeting proved arguably the most controver sial and incident-packed since the GP series started five years ago, with German referee Wolfgang Glas much criticised for the exclusion in the final of World Champion Tony Rickardsson, who appeared to be brought down

by Mark Loram “P Jason Crump celebrates his vicAn earlier exclusion of torv in round two of the FIM Speedway Grand Prix in Polish favourite Tomasz Sweden. (Photo by Mike Patrick)

Rrek

Gollob (following an incident with Crump) also posed questions and the controversial intervention of race director Ole Olsen almost brought a strike by the riders when Olsen tried to get Rickai'dsson put back into the final.

But it was Crump who won, despite two major inci dents that could have seen him eliminated.

In his very first race he was excluded by the referee for touching the tapes after

they had been held down for an extra long time, It meant he had to finish in the first two in heat six to stay in the meeting and he raced from the tapes to win the heat with some comfort.

He repeated the perfor mance in heat 10 ahead of Adams to win through to the main event.

When beating Gollob, Wiltshire and Screen in heat 14 he knew he was just two races from the final. Another

flying start took him away from Loram, Stonehewer and Louis and he was intotthe semi-finals.

But he then hit the fence in spectacular style coming into the home straight in an inci dent with Gollob. He was car ried from the track, but got to his feet, claiming just a painful lower back.

The track doctor thought differently and said he should not race again, but this was overruled by race

director Olsen and the British-born Aussie again flew from the tapes to win his fourth race of the night and sail through to the final. arguments had already raged about the exclusion of Gollob but that was nothing compared with what happened when Loram appeared to bring down Rickardsson after Crump led off the sec ond bend in the final.

Rickardsson protested and Olsen insisted he should be put back in the race. Loram sat astride his machine in the pits patiently awaiting the result of all the argu ments and Crump said he would pull out of the race if Rickardsson was reinstated.

Eventually calm was restored and the Gold Coaster won yet another race ahead of Loram and Wiltshire.

Rickardsson’s exclusion meant he finished third behind Crump and Loram while Sullivan was fast all night but failed to produce when it really mattered.

He won his first race in heat one and then spreadeagled the field in his second ride in heat seven to head home Hancock, Screen and Brian Karger to win through to the main event.

It meant all four Aussies were in the semi-finals but with three in the second of these, at least one was going to be disappointed.

A third place behind Crump and Wiltshire meant Sullivan had to be content with a place in the consola tion final where he came third, but that was enough to get him into the main event at Wroclaw and leave him seventh overall.

For Adams, now eighth, there is also a main event placing in Poland but his evening was very much an in-and-out affair and he, like Crump, had a clash with the safety fence.

In heat five he needed a

Aussie, Aussie, Swede; Crump and Wiltshire head off the advances of World Champ Rickardsson.

(Photo by Mike Patrick)

top two finish to stay in the show and came second behind Toni Kasper but made sure of his place in the main event by finishing second to Crump in heat 10.

A third place in heat 13 meant pressure again,but he stormed back to win heat 15 and when he took the chequered flag again in heat 19 a semi-final place was his.

He trailed in last as he did

in the consolation final, but eighth place on the night enabled him to stay eighth in the series, as well as securing the main event place in the third GP. The new safety fence in use for all the GPs has the effect of a car’s airbag and the addition of a kickboard around its base‘ makes it just about the best at any track.

With Crump, Adams, GoUob and Screen aU testing it out to the full, there is lit tle doubt it will be more extensively used in the future and it is now standard for all GPs in the series.

Crump said amid his cele brations afterwards, “I’m in agony. I’ve badly bruised my back. If that air-filled safety fence had not been there I would have been in bits.”

He also spoke about the controversial night ofracing.

“The referee made a deci sion which, looking at the replays, may have been wrong. But there can only be one man to make those deci sions and it was totally wrong for Ole Olsen to try and get involved. He did it at Coventry last year and that was out of order.”

Both Crump and Adams were taken to hospital after the meeting. The GP champi on was diagnosed as badly braised with X-rays showing no bone damage.

Adams suffered a damaged hand and there was evidence of cracked bones and while both may miss domestic meetings in Europe will cer tainly be OK for the next GP at Wroclaw in Poland on July 1.

Pointscore: Lorain 40, Wiltshire 34, Hamill 31, Rickardsson, Crump 30, GoUob 29, Louis 25, NUsen 21,Sullivan, Karlsson 20.

Dillon’S F500 Winter Nats LUKE Dillon capped off a remarkable season by winning the Tucker Time/NASR F500 Winter Nationals at Rivervjew Speedway, Murray Bridge on June 10.

He added the crown to his Australian and South Australian titles in an event which was run along the same lines as World Series Sprintcar events.

Dillon clocked the fastest Time Trial time (13.802s) which was fortunate as he crashed out in the opening

heat and only hurried repairs got him out in time for the 25-lap A Main.

Thirty-six cars were entered for the event and the opening eight lap heat made it only so far as lap two when Roley Pearce (WA) and Ian Burrows (NS’W) tangled at turn two.

Dillon had nowhere to go and ploughed into them which gave his crew some work to get him back on track in time for the A-Main.

On the restart Steven PhMps(SA)slammed into the wall after his steering wheel

came adrift. He roUed in dra matic fashion, sustaining a damaged knee while his car was a httle worse for wear.

In the A Main Dillon, who had started fi'om eighth on the grid, threaded his way through the field to take the lead.

The caution lights came on lap 19 when Marc Macsai spun, reducing Dillon’s leadalthough the latter was untroubled in pulling away to win the $5000 first prize cheque as winner of the first F500 Winter Nationals.

-FRANK MIDGLEY

Close call: Dillon (#1) managed to bounce back from this heat crash, which involved Roley Pearce, Ian Burrows and Roy Urpeth, to win the F500 Winter Nats. (Photo by Frank MWgiey)

23 June 2000

41

JX<i

World Series calendar announced

THE

2000/01

World

Series Sprintcar champi onship will receive some 16 hours of live coverage with each of the four Sydney rounds of the 17race national series being covered in four-hour, live broadcasts on C7 Sport.

That was the highlight of the series calendar which was announced recently.

“The arrangement with C7 adds a new dimension to televising domestic speedway racing with a whole new audience accessible to Australia’s most profession al, prestigious and lucrative Sprintcar series,” said NASR General Manager John Hughes.

To take advantage of the live television coverage the series will, for the first time.

commence earlier than usual, and in New South Wales rather than the tradi tional Wild, Wild West”tour Western in opener

T

Australia. The WA leg of three rounds at Kalgoorlie, Perth and Bunbury will immediately follow the series start at Newcastle and Parramatta.

Last summer’s newest inclusion on the calendar, Riverview Speedway in Murray Bridge (SA) now has its round brought forward to December 2 from the con gested New Year period to cater for teams as they return to the east coast.

Geelong’s Avalon Raceway will stage a two-night major show on December 9-10 prior to the annual Christmas break.

Wheels up if you want to go WSS racing! 1999/2000 World Series Sprintcar champion Brooke Tatnell. (Photo by Brett Swanson)

2000/0t World Seiies Sprintcaf' Caieiiclar

■>ih.

Slamming Sam: Sammy Swindell has been the man to catch in the World of Outlaws series over the past few weeks. (Photo by Martin □ Clark) The actions were te rmed SAMMY Swindell has fined $US10,000 for going after a series official after his ‘detrimental to the sport’ and been making plenty of the fine also came for accost heat race earlier in the day, headlines in recent times in the Pennzoil World of the fine amounting to half of ing an official. the purse Swindell earned The good news for Outlaws series, beginning for winning the feature.

Australian fans was the per it all by taking a clean SwindeU had been upset at formance of Brooke Tatnell. sweep of heat, dash and a decision on the start where Tatnell took a well-earned feature wins on the officials ruled that he did not ninth place in the feature. banks of Bristol Motor get up to speed on the green At Farmer City’s quarterSpeedway. flag. mile oval two nights later, Both he and Butch On the night prior, Swindell grabbed fourth S'vvindell had been in a com Scroeder were sent to the place behind Blaney, Kinser manding position to win the second row, and, even though and Joey Saldana. .

Preliminary Feature but hit “Any time you have Steve Swindell powered his way a wall and suffered a punc back through the field to Kinser right behind you, you ture. win, he scaled the pit wall to know he’s going to run you Swindell took out the fea seek out the official. hard and run you clean,” said ture win over Stevie Smith, “They consistently have Blaney. been inconsistent with their claiming victory by just 0.7s.

“I actually started feeling Steve Kinser was third decisions,” Swindell said after my (right rear) tyre shake ahead of cousin Mark with the heat race. “I don’t think about halfway through, hut Dale Blaney fifth. the other starts were any bet everything just worked out However, Swindell was ter) but that’s their decision.” our way. It seemed like every

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King Parkinson on Queen’s Birthday

Date

Vieniue

Nov 11 Nov 18 Nov 22 Nov 24 Nov 25 Dec 2 Dec 9 Dec to Dec 27 Dec 29 Dec 30 Jan 1 Jan 2 Jan 5 Jan 6 Jan 10 Jan 12 Jan 13 Jan 17 Jan 20

Newcastle Psrraiiiiiatta Kalgoorlie Perth Bunbury Miuirray Bridge Avalon Avalon Adelaide Horsham Nyora WarrnamiboOi Mt. Gambier Parramaitta Parramatta Brisibaine Brisbane Brisibame Newcastle Parramatta

time we got into traffic, we’d catch a yellow. I’m going to call (brother and now NASCAR racer) Dave as soon as I get back to the pits.”

Swindell was back into the groove on the first of three nights of racing in the Sunflower Shootout at Martin Cat Speedway in Heartland Park Topeka, putting together another clean sweep while Tatnell was seventh, In the second preliminary feature, Andy Hillenburg

HE Queen’s Cup, held at Bendigo on the Queen’s Birthday weekend, used to be a high profile event for Super Sedans and while the big V8’s are still on the program, it’s the smaller Modified Production Sedans that now have top billing.

Australian Champion Ashley Parkinson continued to display his like of the big tracks with a win in the Queen’s Cup feature.

Corowa’s Trevor Mills crossed the line second with Neil Watson taking third - backwards!

Peter Dowling’s luck turned sour as they lined up for the feature event when he was forced to miss the line-up due to mechanical dramas.

Parkinson slotted into pole but was headed early by Paul Salau. With just one lap left to run, Martin Hawson’s new car lost it’s right front wheel, setting up a one lap sprint to the flag.

Parkinson made a

NSW NSW WA WA WA

good enough start but behind all hell broke loose as Salau spun with Darren Cockerill ploughing into him and spinning.

Watson spun as well but just managed to cross the line third, marginally ahead of Andy Gardner.

Cockerill clearly blamed Mills for the incident.

¥ic Vic SA Vic Vic Vic SA OLD OLD OLD NSW NSW

passed 17 cars to win the fea ture, his first win since September last year.

Steve Kinser was second ahead of cousin Mark, Craig Dollanksy and Dean Jacobs.

Hillenburg backed up his form on the third night by taking an even bigger prize cheque home, winning the feature having led all 30 laps.

The victory pushed him past Saldana into seventh place in the points standings, becoming the 10th driver to win a WoO ‘A’ Feature this season.

“You (Mills) spun him (Salau) and took us all out. I was following you and you spun him.”

Mills however replied, “I know the last turn was pretty willing but how could I spin him when I was already alongside him and just in f'ont? They can put me back to third but they’re not going to exclude me.” in the Super Sedans, the feature was shortened to just ten laps with Lucas Roberts leading until a spin.

When new leader Lionel West drifted high on lap six, Paul Tindall passed him for the lead going on for the win from West, Craig Wicks, Roberts and Jason Whitburn.

- BRETT SWANSON

2000 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SERIES POINTS SCORE Point Standings To 8 8 June 2000

I. Steve Kinser 2. Mark Kinser 3. Stevie Smith

4. Sammy Swindell .

5. Danny Lasoski ...

6. Dale Blaney 7. Andy Hillenburg .

8. Joey Saldana 9. Johnny Herrera ..

10. Jac Haudenschild

4207 4088 4028 4014 3940 3828 3770 3727 3605 3597

I I. Daryn Pittman . ..

12. Donny Schatz 13. Tim Shaffer 14. Danny Wood . . . .

IS. Lance Blevins ....

16. Greg Hodnett.. .V 17. Brooke Tatnell...

18. Paul McMahan ...

19. Brian Paulus 20. Craig Dollansky ..

3524 3443 3431 3408 3397 3104 3071 2641 2349 2271

Topeka 18 June 2000 I. Andy Hillenburg 2. Craig Dollansky 3. Mark Kinser 4. Steve Kinser S. Tim Shaffer 6. Danny Lasoski 7. Danny Wood 8. Shane Stewart 9. Jason Meyers 10. Johnny Herrera

11. Greg Hodnett 12. Daryn Pittman 13. Paul McMahan 14. Stevie Smith IS. Lance Blevins 16. Dale Blaney 17. Donny Schatz 18. Sammy Swindell 19. Ronald Laney 20. Dean Jacobs

42 23 June 2000

Vauxhall pulls out

Bye: Vauxhall Motorsport boss Mike Nicholson.

VAUXHALL has announced that it will be pulling out of British rallying at the end of the season.

The GM subsidiary, which sells more cars in Britain than any maker other than Ford, blamed the move on the Motorsports Association's decision to re-admit all four-wheel-drive cars to the 2001 British Championship,including World Rally Cars, as it will instantly make its Astras uncompetitive.

Vauxhall's withdrawal may also heighten concerns that rallying is becoming too expensive for professional teams at a time -.((lien the British motor industry is under more pressure than ever before to cut prices - and to cut marketing budgets in particular.

-PETER WHITTEN

Sandy returns FORMER NSW Champion Miles Sandy returned to rallying after a 12 month layoff to win the Bega Valley Rally on June 10.

Sandy and new co driver Rachel Bruty took their Group A Impreza WRX to a one minute victoi-y, from the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 3 of Michael Boaden.

Former state champion Craig Stallard (Subaru) and Howard Grove (Mitsubishi) both pushed Sandy early in the event, but reth’ed before the day was over, allowing the Galant VR4 of Campbell Waller to finish third.

-PETER WHITTEN

We were wrong

THE FIA has not made

gloves compulsory for co drivers, as Motorsport News reported last issue.

FIA-homologated race suits will'be compulsory on all CAMS-approved events, as we reported, but whether or not navigators wear gloves will be up to them.

The error was made by a reporter.

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WRC Melbourne-bound?

Tug of war brewing after CAMS backs Perth — could Australia get a second WRC event?

By PHIL BRANAGAN and JON THOMSON

When ‘contacted by Motorsport News, Mr Walker was unable to clarify

THE fight to host a round of the World Rally

just what may happen move to ^

Championship is heating up after WA Minister ot Tourism Norman Moore

S., sions about the World Rally Championship but, for the announced last Friday time being, we are still a that the FIA would only long way from sorting out back a round in Perth. what will happen,” he said.

Mr Moore’s announcement A story in the West came after new broke that Australian newspaper on Melbourne Major Events June 9 said that MME had Company Chief Executive secured the rally for Victoria and Australian Grand Prix at the cost of WA’s event.

Chairman Ron Walker was The story had an explosive said to have secured an effect with the WA govern ment and the tourism comagreement to conduct an event in Melbourne from mission, with Mr Moore stat2002. / ing that the WA government CAMS has confirmed its had a watertight contract with CAMS which, according nomination of Perth,” said Mr Moore in his release. to reports, ran indefinitely. no A delegation, headed by “Accordingly, Austrahan venue, other than CAMS President John Perth, will be nominated by Osborn, mqt with Prodrive CAMS.” boss David Richards (who

now controls the WRC’s TV contracts through his International Sportsworld Communications company) and FIA President Max Mosley in London last week.

The delegation also includ ed event board of governors Shane Crockett (WA’s Tourism Commission Chief Executive) and lawyer Clare Power.

While the powers-that-be in WA will, no doubt, contin ue to fight to keep their event, it appears that Melbourne could host a sec ond WRC event, with the idea that it would attract

While the WA government is said to have a long-term contract ivith CAMS, which effectively gives the West first right of refusal for a rally, it is believed that WA does not have a deal in place with either the FLA or ISC beyond the 2001 event.

WA Premier Richard

Australia team, capable of running a WEC event, Cuthbert is currently acting as Clerk of Course on the London-Sydney Marathon and Motorsport News was able to contact him while he was driving through Turkey. However Cuthbert would not com-

Co,urt was quoted in the ment on the speculation.

Wdst Australian on “I think it would be great Saturday June 10 regarding for Australian motorsport if . communication he had had Rally Australia was run on the East Coast but I can't with Richards; “At the request of my comment on who would run tourism minister Mr it at this stage,” he said.

Norman Moore I contacted Speculation is that a posMr Richards, who was in sible format for the rally would see it headquartered more sponsorship and., Greece for the Acropolis national media attention in Melbourne’s inner-city Rally,” Mr Court said.

Colonial Docklands' “Mr Richards gave me an than Rally Australia which assurance that he had not Stadium, with a Super would, eventually, die had contact vnth Melbourne Special Stage either there or through attrition.

The event could be nomi Major Events Company,” Mr at the now little-used Waverley Park VFL ground. nated as the ‘Rally of Asia- Court added.

Pacific’ (in much the same A Melbourne-based Rally However, Mr Court’s Australia could then run way as Italy hosts the San statement does not preclude Marino FI GP). any discussions which the over three legs; one in the FIA and ICN may have con- Healesville area, one in the ducted with MME through Mt Disappointment forest and possibly one leg in the third parties.

Victorian Premier Steve Daylesford area. ^ANpRRA’S Rick Bates Bracks’ office stopped just While Rally Australia in ^iohtinues to.perform well short of confirming the coup, Perth has been a success, in hin:the London'to'Sydney a spokesman saying, “We reality, time differences and [ 4MPiiathph.as.this issue pfhaven't secured it, so it's a a general apathy amongst MotPFsport Mews went-to bit premature to say that we mainstream media has press. have.” meant that it hasn't capL. n lates held down third The spokesman would not tured the attention that y|iaoeInthe eventin his confirm or deny that it had events like the Formula One Porsche 91:J, and trailed bid for the rally. “But I can Grand Prix and the 500 cc rally leader Stig Blornqvist in n aipofd Capri V8. say we have not secured it GP have, Rally legends Hannti at this stage.”

It is fair to say that if run - Mikkola(Ford;Escort) and Speculation suggests that in Melbourne, Rally 'Michele Mouton (Porsche Rally of Melbourne.Clerk of Australia would enjoy a lot ; ;9i:l!)lwere also in the top Course Glenn Cuthbert more attention than it curi five. would be most likely to run rently attracts in the West, The rally lands in' the Melbourne event, by dint of the fact that Australiaton June 24th, and; Cuthbert is possibly the only media deadlines would be finishes iri Sydney on July 4. man, apart from Garry more in tune with the daily ; ~ PiliiRi WHITTiN. Still doing!It: Hannu Mikkola Is In. contention in his Escort.

I Connelly and his Rally rally timetable.

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Ford slammed over team orders What's the fuss about?

FORD'S resounding Acropolis Rally one-two has been clouded by a very public team orders row in which Carlos Sainz only conceded vic tory to Colin McRae a handful of metres from the end of the last stage.

As a result, both Ford and Sainz were repri manded by the event stewards and there is a possi bility of further FIA action.

Sainz has won a number of ralhes in the past on team orders, including two in 1997 with Ford, but instead of accepting Ford bosses' instructions when Richard Burns's retirement on the last day of the ' rally removed the last threat to the Focuses, he blasted past McRae into the lead.

Ford chiefs Martin Whitaker and Malcolm Wilson drove out of the service point to a road sec tion to reason with the Spanish star who, having promised to follow orders, made the most public protest possible, puUing up just short of the finish of the last stage.

Sainz's grievance was that it was too early in the season to orchestrate the result and there are Done deal: McRae and Wilson. (Photo by Sutton) unconfirmed reports that Ford had promised him that there would be no such orders until the end of ‘It's a difficult situation for drivers and team the year - and then only if World Championship management, but we had a special situation here,” McRae said. considerations required.

“We had an eight-minute lead [over the best He also claimed that there had been no attempt to slow McRae when the Martini Fords were sec non-Ford] and it would have been crazy to fight ond and third in the closing stages of the Monte with two cars on the toughest rally we do.”

CaiTo Rally.

He had led for the most of the rally and was “I don't think there is any problem between more than 20 seconds in front of Sainz when the Colin and myself,” Sainz said. order to maintain positions was imposed.

“I understand the team orders more at the end of “Carlos has to remember he's part of a team. the year. I absolutely agree to help a team-mate When you're in front of goal, you don't have to be the one that scores,” stated 'Whitaker. but at the end of the year. It is not a problem with orders. It is the situation.”

-JON THOMSON

Comment by PHIL BRANAGAN

THE FIA’s reprimand of Ford for issuing team orders in Greece is yet another episode in a strange saga.

Team orders in motor racing have been around since Moses drove in the Palestine Grand Prix.

And they still exist today. It just seems that the FIA has selective blindness when it comes to upholding its anti-team orders regulations, which came about become some people got on their high horses after the 1998 Australian F1 Grand Prix when Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard played team orders in McLaren's 1-2.

Why are reprimands being handed out now?

Where was the FIA when Mika Salo let Eddie Irvine win in Germany last season? Where was the FIA when Richard Burns had to give best publicly - to Juha Kankkunen in Argentina in 1999?

It could be argued that Holden Racing Team issued team orders to ensure a form finish in the GMC 400. Should Mark Skaife lose Shell Championship Series points because he stayed behind Craig Lowndes, even though he had to lap 2s slower on the final lap to do it?

Skaifey only lost by 0.2s. If he had done a 1 m48.6s like he had the lap before, he would have won.

Or are team orders only team orders when they change a position - or are blindingly obvious?

The FIA should make up its mind. Either penalise everyone who it suspects is issuing team orders, or penalise no-one.

Fond, McLaren, Ferrari and co are the biggest investors in the sport. They should be allowed to make their own decisions. Let's stop listening to an ill-informed minority and get on with our sport.

23 June 2000

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« He is going to move over, right Malcolm? McRae and Grist took the Greek round of the WRC after Ford boss Malcolm Wilson intervened with team orders to move Carlos Sainz over on the final stage.

By JON THOMSON

mils woW!

COLIN McRae has taken his second WRC win of the season with a controver sial victory in arguably The toughest Acropolis Rally of the modem era.

McRae led for most of the event before team-mate Carlos Sainz took the lead late in the rally, only to have team orders imposed which let the Scot through to take the win.

Series leader Richard Bums had a tough event, eventually retiring on the final leg while third. However team-mate Juha Kankkunen salvaged some pride for Subaru with an inherited thh’d.

The Acropolis' reputation as a rough, tough rally for cars and drivers was under lined over the opening three stages but the Ford Focus pair of McRae and Sainz stayed out of trouble to lead from Burns at the first ser vice halt.

Burns, first on the road, lost time ‘sweeping’ the sur face for later runners and was also slowed by a soft front damper.

McRae was relaxed and, at last, happy with the Ford while Mitsubishi was having a shocking opening day, los ing Freddy Loix halfway through the first stage.

“We have no idea what happened,” said Lok. “We tinned into a left cor ner and knew that something was broken in the suspension.

In 300m everything was gone in the middle of the stage. It's bad luck but it's aU part of the game.”

A similar fate befell Makinen on the third stage after he hit a bank, breaking his left front suspension.

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Acropolis Rally, WRC Rd 7, June 8-11

4h56m54.8s Ford Focus WRC 1 McRae/Grist 4h57m 17.9s Ford Focus WRC 2 Sainz/Moya 3 Kankkunen/Repo Subaru Impreza WRC 5h03m33.1s 4 Arai/Freeman Subaru Impreza WRC 5h04m35.6s 5 Schwarz/Hiemer Skoda Octavia WRC 5h06m05.8s 6 Bakhashab/Willis Toyota Corolla WRC 5h90m49.7s Drivers points: Bums 38, Gronholm and C. McRae 24, Makinen and Sainz 23, Kankkunen 18 Manufacturers points: Subaru 58, Ford 47, Peugeot 31, Mitsubishi 29, Skoda 8, SEAT 7, Hyundai 1.

Good Day, Bad Day, Hyundai: Michael Guest had a great result, taking second in Formula 2. But Hyundai had a rough time in the WRC class, with Alistair McRae (right) and Kenneth Eriksson both DNFing.

(Photo by Sutton-lmages)

Marcus Gronholm in the Peugeot had led early before he fell foul of the scenery on stage three, hitting a concrete post hidden in the grass and rolling over with the front left wheel jammed under the car as he limped 8km to the finish.

Francois Delecour in the second Peugeot was going well but Kenneth Eriksson was another forced out early with engine failure in the Hyundai on the third stage.

Two stages later team-mate Alistair McRae was out with steering rack problems.

There was little doubt McRae benefited from being fifth on the road during day one, taking advantage of the clean roads to have a secure

lead of almost 40 seconds over team-mate Sainz at the ovemighf halt.

More pleasing still was his margin over Bums, now two minutes behind the Scot and struggling in the rough. If that wasn't enough, the intense heat was also taking its toll on Burns's co-driver Robert Reid, collapsing with heat exhaustion.

“I'm very happy right now,” said McRae. “I thought we might build a lead but not as big as 40 sec onds. I've never known such a dramatic first day here. You always expect someone to

have problems but it seems everyone else had been in the wars except us today.”

Didier Auriol also had a troubled time in the SEAT with overheating, power steering failure and a differ ential problem. He was well out of the points at the day's end.

Day two saw McRae put in an amazing performance in a car which had proved itself less than reliable on just about every rally so farfthis year. On the rockiest rally of the series, the Scot managed to hang on to his lead despite being first car on the road.

The man on a charge throughout the day was Bums, setting fastest time on four stages. But even though he was the fastest, a run of damper problems left him further adrift of McRae. Gronholm was eliminated when he had suspension fail ure followed by a terminal engine problem while trying to Ump out of a stage.

“When you get on the rough the suspension just goes soft,” said a fhistrated Burns.

“The engineers don't understand it. I can't do any thing - as soon as it goes soft, what can you do? I'll be relatively happy with third but it's very finstrating con sidering the car's capabili ties.”

McRae and Sainz had a mortgage on the lead heading into the final leg, the Scot heading Sainz by 48s and Burns by almost three min utes.

The good news came for Ford early on day three when Burns went out of the rally on the opening stage of the final leg with tirrbo failure.

His departure took away any remaining pressure on Sainz, but McRae was now imder the hammer from the Spaniard, his lead cut almost in half on the opening two tests of the leg.

McRae lost 21s to Sainz on the third stage, with the Spaniard going ahead two stages later.

It was here that team orders were imposed. Ford M

Sport boss Malcolm Wilson told Sainz that if both cars finished McRae had to be the winner.

It was a bitter Sainz who relented and let the Scot through despite the team's best efforts to handicap the Spaniard. The team insisted he take two spare wheels into the final stages but Sainz angrily discarded one at a refuel point, racing off before the team could do anything about it Sainz has not won a WRC event since 1998 but accepted the orders and parked for two minutes on the final trans port to take a road penalty and finish behind the Scot.

Kankkunen brought the second Subaru home a good third, four Manufacturers points ensuring that Subam goes to New Zealand with a double figure lead over Ford.

Toshi Aral's performance taking fourth at the wheel of a ’99 Impreza WRC added to his strong reputation earned in Group N while Armin Schwarz took fifth despite driving the last two stages with deranged rear suspen sion in the Skoda. He still managed to bring the car home to earn two points for the Czech marque.

Australian Michael Guest finished second in F2 behind the Citroen Saxo of Phillippe Bugalski. It was a perfor mance Guest was pleased with despite the fact that the Citroen lower-powered should have been outrun by the 2-litre Hjmndai.

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44 23June 2000

n Much of a muchness Briefs

THE Intercontinental A class ran the same ‘one set plus one spare’ tyre rule, despite talk of changing the regulations to mirror the Formula A class where two sets are allowed. On a track where front tyres were prone to graining, tyre preservation was critical during the heats and pre-final to ensure sufficient rubber was left for the 28 lap final. n Former champion David Clark was temporarily hospitalized after suffering complete brake failure during heat three of Formula A. Clark went off the end of the back straight at full speed (115km/h)sliding sideways into, and over, a high mound of wood chips, injuring his back. Luckily Clark missed hitting a nearby steel advertising sign...

K^ayden Patrizi (Teclio) was about to be head-hunted by the stewards after punting another competitor off the end of the straight in the third heat of JICA. No action was taken, however, when it became apparent that he too had suffered a complete brake failure after a sudden loss of brake fluid.

H John Most3m (PCR) took victory in the McPherson Media Re-Sa support class. John Grother(Mike Wilson) finished second, 0.45s behind with round one winner Kenton Ferguson (TibiKart) third from Peter Darmanin (Swiss Hutless) and Ben Hall (Tony Kart). Scott Howard (Arrow) won Rotax Max. n New Zealand ICA frontranner Jonathon Reid suffered a frightening crash during the second qualifying session. Reid rode over the rear tyre of the kart in front which had slowed suddenly, the Kiwi and his Kosmic landing upside down mid way down the back straight.

Reid wrecked his helmet and injured his left hand, but was even more concerned when he looked down at his tom glove and couldn’t see anything inside.

“I thought Td lost my finger!” he joked aftemards. n There were no losers in the Ipswich tyre war, all three of the manufacturers involved winning a class. Vega took out JICA, Dunlop in ICA and Bridgestone FA. -MARK WICKS

By MARK WICKS

LOOK at who claimed the first place trophy in A and Formula Intercontinental A at the second round of the APS senes at Racing Willowbank last weekend, and one could think it was merely a repeat of the first round.

Neil McFadyen and Brendan May kept their win ning record intact, however this time both came up against stiff opposition to earn well deserved wins, May having to survive two heavy contacts and a trip across the grass.

Junior Intercontinental A was all about one boy, 12 year-old Andrew Thompson dominating the meeting with victory in every heat, the pre-final and find.

Pettaras Press Formula A

ing to McFadyen by only 4.5s.

The Haase-mounted Dive brothers ran in the top six all weekend, Brendan going on to take fourth, younger sibling Clinton fifth. Pontello, despite a promising early pace, slipped out of contention with rotary valve problems while early favourite Mark Winterbottom (Kosmic) struggled with set-up all weekend, but not to the extent of Jamie Whincup.

On the pace in practice.

Whincup just couldn’t get the speed when it mattered. qualifying dead last and not finishing much better in the heats. To his and the team’s

Hey Chargers: Neil McFadyen again was the man in Formula A to beat while Tim Macrow, left, faught from a low grid position in Intercontinental A.

What can be said about Neil McFadyen and the Kart One racing team? Having domi nated the final at round one in Adelaide, McFadyen once again pulled away to win by a comfortable margin, how ever this victory was much credit they persevered and Barclay Holden stole third harder than it appeared. were rewarded with a finish from Jason Hryniuk (Haase) Ryan Wlodzinski (Energy) inside the top 10. in the last comer. Rogers was qualified fastest and looked fifth ahead ofReid and Hogan. set for a heat one win luitil APS Racing the drive sprocket and igni KartOz Junior tion fell off, handing Intercontinental A intercontinental A Brendan May (Mike Wilson) McFadyen (Top Kart)victory.

Wlodzinski bounced back, only won one race all week Andrew Thompson gave winning heats two and three end - the one that mattered. notice of his capabilities on as Simon Richardson (PCR) Time trialling third. May his debut at round one. and Michael Caruso (Tony circulated in the lead group Round two confirmed his Kart) also fared well. Caruso all weekend before leading opponents fears - this kid was shaping up to be very the last two laps of an enter and his gear are seriously competitive, a DNF in the taining final. pre-final after an engine Trent Rogers (Top Kart) problem possibly robbing qualified fastest but it was him of the round win.

WA’s Jade Hogan (Tecno) Queensland’s Bradley and Daniel Elliott (Tony Brown (Energy) took a well Kart) who won the first two deserved win in the pre-final heats. Barclay Holden

By IAN SALVESTRIM ' having worked up through the (Azzurro) bounced back from heats after qualifidng back in multiple engine seizures in BEN Horstman became 14th. Meantime McFadyen, practice, winning heat three. only the fourth Australian Elliott then defeated despite racking up a bunch of driver to make it onto a second placings, appeared to Holden by 0.1s in the pre Formula Super A podium final, May only another 0.18s be struggling with set-up. after a stunning third place Brown leapt to the lead at behind. in the third round of the the start of the final ahead of The question on everyone’s European Karting mind for the final was ‘who Wlodzinski, McFadyen and Championships at Valence Joshua Pontello (Parolin) as has the best rubber?’ in France.

Adam Graham (Swiss It appeared that Elliot and In his second season Hutless) and Clint Cathcart May did, the duo breaking with the Italian Biesse team, (Arrow) made contact in the away in the opening laps.

Horstman was back on the first turn.

May tailgating but never podium for the first time making an attempt to pass.

After being tentative in since winning the opening May took over the lead on the early laps, McFadyen round of last year’s Italian stamped his authority on the lap six but couldn’t break Formula A Championships. race in the space of a quarter free of Elliott who re-passed Friday's 30-degree lap, powering past both several comers later. temperatures were replaced Bart Price (Arrow) soon Wlodzinski and Brown and on Saturday by torrential joined this lead group but it immediately opening a gap. rain that saw two inches of all got tod close for comfort Brown couldn’t stay with rain fall within a single hour. when Price rode over McFadyen and this appeared Not only did this force to frustrate Wlodzinski who Jonathon Reid’s rear tyre, alterations to the was eager not to let forcing May to take to the programme but it also McFadyen get away. The two grass, Brendan bursting meant that the rubber on Energy drivers touched at back onto the track in front the track was gone. On a the pit corner, putting Brown of race leader Elliott! May track without rubber, the into the woodchips as subsequently allowed Elliott Bridgestone-shod drivers by but, with two laps to go, Wlodzinksi continued, even struggled and the Dunlop Elliott seized on the back tually taking third. drivers came to the fore.

The drive of the final straight. May tagged the At the start of the first of belonged to Michael Caruso. spinning kart but still won. the two 22-lap finals, the Starting off the back, Caruso Tim Macrow (Kosmic) put rain stopped and the track systematically carved through in an excellent drive fi’om 10th was greasy although all the the field, eventually taking on the grid and was more than field started on wet tyres. second on lap 20 of 28 and los- happy with second, while

(Photos by Sean HenshelwootJ)

one winner Ryal Harris (Azzurro), complaining of chassis and engine problems and throwing his machine at the corners in a desperate attempt to make amends.

Starting fourth and fifth.

Lindstrom and Tim Slade(Top Kart) crashed on the opening lap of the final but a restart allowed Lindstrom back into the event while Slade was not able to continue.

quick.

Having now switched to Tony Kart, he took maximum points after a dominant display all weekend. The only occasion Thompson was head Thompsonjumped straight to ed was in qualifying, local dri the lead to record a dominant ver Geoffrey Grant(CRG)tak win. Grant claimed second fix>m ing pole (49.127s) ahead of Powles on the final lap while Thompson and Glenn Powles New Zealand’s Colin Corkery (Tecno).

The battle for second was (Tony Kart) again featured in where attention was focused, the final to register another Powles, Grant and Jace fourth place finish ahead of Lindstrom (Arrow) taking Lindstrom and Queensland’s turns as runner up in the Tobia Kipper (Swiss Hutless) who made a strong series debut. heats. Grant also taking sec The next round of the APS ond in the pre-final.

Missing from the pointy Racing series is at Eastern end of the field was round Creek on August 19 and 20.

Horstman on FSA podnn The front was shared by two Finnish drivers in Heikki Kovalainen and Tony Vilander with the latter taking the lead and immediately beginning to pull away from the field.

The three Bridgestoneshod Australian drivers were midfield and struggling, Ben Horstman the best of them in eighth, Ryan Briscoe 15th and Troy Hunt 20th.

Vilander took the win from another Finn, Oskari Heikkenen, with Frenchman Johan Besnault third.

The track had dried for the start of race two However this did not help Hilander who was out on the formation lap with a failed engine.

Heikkenen led away at the start from Besnault and Nelson Van Der Pol with Horstman ninth.

Briscoe retired when a stone went through his airbox and into his engine as Horstman continued his run fonward.

Immediately in front of the Australian was Sauro Cesetti who, like Horstman. was also on a charge. Ceseti

worked his way through into i third position to be on the tail | of David Fore and Tony Kart : driver Benjamini.

These three diced for fhe n lead as Horstman got past ; Heikkenen and then I multiple 125CC World Champion and ex-Italian i Formula 3 front-runner

Gianluca Beggio. | Cesetti took the lead j going into the last lap , ahead of Fore and i Benjamini with Horstman ! driving the wheels off his | Biesse kart in fourth.

Going up the hill for the last time, Fore's engine n failed, allowing Horstman | into third. Cesetti took the i win from Benjamini and i then the Australian.

“I’m absolutely rapt," said i Horstman. | “This is a fantastic result ! for the team and also for i me personally. I’m also really pleased for my | mechanic who has worked | so hard since coming here ; from Australia in January.

"We got onto the podium| not using our best engine, so we’re looking good for the next round and the World Titles in September." ,

V

23 June 2000 iJKo

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Brock Commodore heads home Report and photo by NEIL HAMMOND THE 1984 Bathurst-win ning Holden Commodore is returning to Australia after much effort from new owner, Wdhe Van Wersch.

Dubbed ‘the last of the Big Bangers’, the Peter Brock/ Larry Perkins car led a Holden Dealer Team 1-2, finishing ahead of the John Harvey/ David ‘Skipp/ Parsons cai'.

One of the victorious Marlboro-bedecked VKs, which were made obsolete by the arrival of Group A in Australia at the start of the ’85 season, was raced briefly during 1985 by John Farrell.

The Van Wersch car was taken over by Vauxhall UK,

John Cleland racing it as a Vauxhall Carlton in the local Thundersaloon Series. The Scot won in 1987. Following another season in ’88 the car was taken over by Allan Waters, who was fanatical enough to ensure that the car was kept in its original condi tion. Waters even imported a fresh, HSV-built V8 for the car, which got httle use as his car of choice for club sprints was a genuine, ex-Le Mans Silk Cut Jag...

Van Wersch located the car in England during a Christmas ’99 trip, and the car came complete with not only spares but paperwork which indicated that the car is, in fact, the ’84 Great Rgce winner.

-

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Age of advertising: You’ll never see TAA,3XY and Marlboro on a Commodore again.

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Singing in the dry: A Singer Gazelle on last year’s Targa New Zealand.

[Ed’s note: My whole family were dancers, except for the car, which was a Singer...]

Stay where you are, Targa New Zealand INTERESTED spectators at Targa Tasmania 2000 were the director of Targa New Zealand, Mike John and his wife Sue. They’re keen to attract more entries from across the Tasman by offering an attractive entry package which includes return shipping for competitors’ cars starting from A$3000. An international CAMS Hcence is not required just a CAMS national hcence and visa.

The temporary importation of cars to NZ is simple and straightforward with no duty payable and well worth the effort to sample some of New Zealand’s magirificent roads and scenery.

Targa NZ differs from Targa Tasmania in that ehgibility is more relaxed. A small num ber of late model 4WD cars like Subaru Imprezas are allowed. Also, entries are limited to 100 cars, and of the 60-plus cars so far entered for this year’s event, the vast majority come from the ‘classic’ era. 'i. There are already 12 husband and wife teams, eighteen women and five parent and sibling teams. As there are Targa trophies specifically for these groups there should be some interesting rivalry.

Movable aerodynamic aid?

The Mike Lowe/Mal Simmonds Fiat Arbarth eats up the countryside on the ’99 Targa NZ. But is the boot open just for cooling - or downforce?

(Photos by Positive Images)

The route, which varies from year to year and covers aroimd 600kms of closed roads and 1700kms of touring is not pace noted, but instead has cautions marked in the route book and by signs on the road, alleviating the need for pre-event reconnaissance.

A big plus is that the event is run during daylight saving.

Now in its sixth year, the Dunlop Tyres Targa New Zealand has attracted a small number of competitors from Australia previ ously including Jim Richards, Ray Lintott, John Potter, John Fisher and Ian Percy.

Running in conjunction with Targa NZ is the Blitz Targa Tour - a low cost event where entrants can sample some of the stages, spec tate, and join in the functions and socialising with no need for competition licences or the usual mandatory safety equipment in their cars.

The six-day Dunlop Tyres Targa New Zealand will be held during the last week of October.

For further information phone +649 2988 322, the e-mail contact is targa@ix.net.nz or visit their web site www.targa.co.nz -BRIAN REED

45

Briefly Historic John Large’s life has taken a new;um with his marri.-ge to his long time assistant and Targa Tasmania Event Manager Ronda Matthews.

The ceremony took place at Sylvania Waters on June 4 and was attended by motor sport friends and colleagues of the couple as well as a number of business associates. Best man was Bill O’Gorman, and the bride was ‘given away by long time friend Harry Firth.

A reaflBrmation of vows ceremony, which will be attended by several of the guests, will be held at Talloires on Lake Annecy, Prance on June 26. n Organisers ofthis year’s Classic Adelaide, Rally have announced that the same core

Longford-Fast Track Back

management team will spearhead this year’s event. David Edwards will

Although 14 annual only race meetings were ever staged on the road circuit around the quaint little English style village just south of Launceston, Longford has become one of those legendary places in the annals of Australian motor sport.

The story of Longford is told enthusiastically by author Barry Green who has thoroughly researched his topic. This included staying with mine hosts Denis and Yvonne Jones at the famous Longford Country Club Hotel while he collected his material and met with many of the identities who helped put Longford on the map.

The first open meeting was held in 1953 and featured the Australian Motorcycle TT and the Tasmanian Car Grand Prix. It attracted 40,000 spectators and saw the emergence of a young Australian rider, Maurie Quincey who was to go on and achieve greatness, both here and overseas.

Within two years, Longford had attracted its first great international rider, Geoff Duke who showed his outstanding skills aboard his Gilera, and who described Longford as one of the best circuits he had ridden on.

In 1958 the long road circuit on the Apple Isle was granted a round of the Australian Gold Star Championship, and the following year Longford hosted the Australian Grand Prix, a sure sign that it had really come of age.

But it was during ther. great era of the Tasman Series that Longford was thrust into the limelight and saw the likes of Jack Brabham, Jim Clark, Bruce McLaren, John Surtees,

again look after promotion, Ben Rainsford remains event manager, and the clerk ofcourse and competition manager is Jeremy Brovme.

Sir Jack Brabham has already indicated his intention to compete in Classic Adelaide 2000 in spite of his unscheduled confrontation with a large tree in last year’s event.

He will drive the same Aston Martin that was

Barry Green Graham Hill, Denny Hulme, Roy Salvador!, Chris Amon and other top internationals do battle with the cream of our local talent. This was surely the golden era of racing in Tassie.

Even by today’s standards, Longford was a very fast circuit. Surtees, for instance, clocked 275km/h along the flying mile on his way to winning the 1962 South Pacific Championship in his Cooper Climax. Similar speeds were recorded by Australian driver Austin Miller in his Corvettepowered Cooper built by Syd Fisher.

Where else in the world could spectators watch the action through the bottom of a pot of Boags from the steps of the Country Club pub with only a couple of haybales and some chicken wire separating them from the cars and bikes?

“Longford - Fast Track Back” is generously illustrated with black and white photographs, and at $35 is a worthy addition to the bookshelves. It is published by B.W. Green and is available by contacting Barry Green at 69A Dragon St., Warwick, Queensland 4370, or from the Longford Country Club Hotel.

- BRIAN REED

quite badly damaged in the incident, and is out to make amends this time around.

The Classic Adelaide Rally 2000 administration has moved into the city and the new address is do Austrahan Major Events, GPO Box 1972, Adelaide, SA,5001.

Phone(08)8463 4675, fax 8463 4718, or mobile 0407 766 880. n For the first time the State Library of Victoria is establishing a photographic archive whicb will include famous Australian racing cars. The archive wiU ensure photographs are preserved securely and wiU be available on the library website.

The success ofthis unique venture will depend entirely on contributions from people who are in possession of suitable old photographs.

Although established in Victoria, the VHRR and the State Library of Victoria hope the motorsport photographic library will be embraced nationally with access to people from all parts of Austraha.

The VHRR is hopeful this venture will be the beginning of a complete and lasting reference of Australian racing cars.

For further information contact the VHRR archivist John CafBn,63 Riddell Rd., Sunbury,3429 (phone(03)9744 1807,fax 9740 5769).

-BRIAN REED

46 23June 2000

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CLASSIFIEDS

Motorsport News Classifieds 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.

§edaBgs/Sp@rts Cars

HQ Sedan Belmont. 202 Auto, One Owner. 97000 Original Miles. Complete, unmodified. Very Straight. NSW Rego 09/00 COI 498. $4500 ono. Ph,02 9955 3623. 163

1 Mazda RX7 Turbo, 1989 series 5, imported for rally.

Only $8500 ono. Ph 08 8344 7999. ia2

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Elfin Climax Streamliner, Lb logbook & C of D. Superb fresh restoration throughout. Steel Climax ItOOco, discs, independent susp, C/R gearbox, spares & jigs.

Highest spec Streamliner available. Offers over $60,000.

Ph0411 195 937. 183

«

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Historic Rallye Imp, Group N, ex-Rootes,Group facto ry oar driven by Rosemary Smith. Fresh engine, new Hoosier tyres, 2 sets genuine Minilites, lots of spares, on tilt trailer. $6000 ono. Ph 03 9562 2985. m

Chevy Blazer 1977, LPG, very good condition, new big tyres, 350, 4 speed, used as tow vehicle, for limited time only $7800. Ph 02 9745 3881. ra Nissan Pulsar GTiR, silver 1993 model, 2 litre turbo 4WD, 106km, air, power steer, mags, ABS, rally rego, log book, eng no SR20437387A. $10,500 ono. Ph 07 3209 2073 or 0414 645 755. .83

Sierra. Cosworth, moonstone blue, Recaro trim, twin cam turbo, 5sp 4WDB, LSD, ABS, oomplianced, HPI checked EC, reg RWC $35,000 ono. Wil trade Mkl Twin Cam or RS Escort. Ph 03 5977 2154 or 0412 814 609. TO

Super Competitive V8 Supercar, ready to race.

Raced by Rodney Forbes and Wayne Gardner. 1st Privateer 1999 FAI 1000.1999 Shell Series Rookie of the

Commodore Cup car, '99 spec, good condition, heaps of spares, inc body shell and engine. All realistic offers considered. Ph 03 5149 2379 or 0412 243 184. TO

Year, 1999 Privateer Championship Runner Up. New Heads, As new gearbox, Penske Shocks. Assorted spares.

No work necessary. $115,000 Phone 0413 046 318. to

Ex-Glenn Seton, EL Falcon, ready to race $110,000.

Spare engine $35,000. Plus spares about $15,000. Ph Simon 02 9618 7133. TO

Jaguar Sports Sedan, V12 E Type-based, uncomplet ed project near final ssembly. Huge number of spares, sen sible offers. Ph 03 5251 3685 AH or 03 5222 1300 BH. 183

Race car, VS Commodore $70,000. Ex-HRT Holden engine, 6 spd gearbox, spare engine and spares. Two car transporter for $25,000. Ph Simon 02 9618 7133. TO

Alfasud ‘79 Tl rally, 100% finisher, 2 owner history, class win or place in major classics inol Targa 2000, pro fessionally maintained, safe sorted, ready to go, regis tered, inspect and make an offer. Ph 02 9802 2255. to Torana LJ Sports Sedan, lightweight, 4 spots.

15x1 Os, fully adj susp, Marsh seat, Luke harness, less eng/g/box. $5400 ono. Ph 03 9764 1571. to Mazda RX7 Series 6, upgraded to SP. Haltech, Simmons wheels, low km, excel cond. $55,000 ono. Ph 02 9732 3033 BH or 0417 207 192,. to Porsche 911 1971, red, later model bumpers, resprayed, retrimmed, bigger cross drilled & ventillated brakes (front), 2.4L, 5 speed, Sony CD player, carbys just rebuilt, good clean condition. New clutch. $33,000 ono. Ph 02 4774 2267, to HQ racer, QLD top 10, spar^ diff, box, suspension, brakes, two pak paint. Urgent sale. $5300. Ph 07 5520 4855. TO Gemini Coupe Sports Sedan, roller, eight 16” wheels & tyres, big brakes $3500. New steel AP four spots $150 each. Ph/fax 02 6734 2259. to

Sports Sedan, Hume Rotary Mini, 600kg, 330hp, Hewland FT200, LSD, adjustable wishbone susp all round, vent discs, class winner circuits, outright hillclimbar. Offers invited over $20,000. Ph 03 9742 5277 AH. ik BMW S-IHre Super Tourer, 1998 ex-Winkelhock works car, maintained by Schnitzer, capable of winning Aust series, never crashed, race ready. $US85,000. Spares package (inc engine) available. Ph 0417 755 747. las AUSCAR VS Commodore, as run by Matthew White. 2 X championship winning car, top HP engine, Harrop run ning gear, suit AUSCAR or Future Tourer, very competitive, assistance provided for flat track. Ph 0417 558 452. ik

/

48 23 June 2000 BMW 633* CSi, ex-Frank Sytner UK, LHD BMW factory built, chassis no E24RAI-22, complete with spare Alpina engine & spares. $59,000. Ph 0064 9 274 8646. 182 Future Tourer ©ommodore VS, as raced at Bathurst.

Big Harrop brakes,'Tilton pedal assembly, top Hp engine, HM latest spec exhaust, Harrop sway bar, wheels & nut retainers, fire bomb, Bilstein shocks Bathurst spec. T10. cambered ditf. This car was 3rd fastest on the Saturday & was capable of being fastest. Car capable of running top 5 as is. Engine has 500km since reco. Ph 0417 558 452! m

03 9308 7663 or 0416 210 778. .82 Fommula Ford, Historic Van Diemen 1976, fresh Lowndes engine, properly prepared, ready to race, additional tyres & ratios available. CAMs cert, offers invited round $18,000, Ph 03 9742 5277. 102

f »uper Sedan fcorv’ette, quSt chStge^ Bert box, 4 bar susp, Chev motor, Brodix aluminium heads, full roller motor, heaps of spares, very competitive. Also full Pantec trailer with elec winch, discs brakes, the lot $20,000. Ph 08

Commodore Brock Calais Sport, no 4076. Group A spec, 304, factory sunroof, full Brook optioned with books and build sheets. Very clean $17,800 ono. Ph 08 8270

8570 1050.- ,83

5921, 1B2

1980 Ford Escort, 2lt in reasonable condition, comes with spare motor and gearbox. $3500. Ph 03 5134 6126 after 7pm. ,b2

Morris Cooper S Mkll, genuine 4/69, mags, cage, race seats, 1310cc, comes with Weber or SUs. White body, burgandy roof. $8000. Ph 03 5470 5563. ,82 HQ racer, new motor, #1 1998, #2 1999, consistent front runner for 5 years. Very well prepared & presented, log book & lots of spares. $7500. Ph 08 9405 2265 AH.

Nedlofi 2,famous Aust special, first time offered tor sale, 3 L/S/diffs and spares. 5 times FTD Mt. Tarrengower, for mer outright record holder Arthurs Seat. Immaculate con dition, COD, ready to race. $35,000. Ph 03 5428 5343. ,82 Formula Vee,'99 Mantis chassis, needs engine, brakes, wheels etc. $3000. Ph Mark 0418 531 797. ,b2 Go Karts (2), Birel AR4 with Clubman engine (very fast) $2500, twin Benson with very fast Clublman (suit Super Heavy) $2300 or will swap for race car etc. Ph 07 5428 6369. ,82

Ford GTD 40 1991, 302 Mustang, Renault 24 transaxle, full factory kit inol air con & Connelly hide leather, stunning & immaculate. 4,500 miles. $NZ65,000. Ph 0064 9 5220887. ,82 EB/EL Ford Falcon, sports sedan project. Welded 16point roll cage, 9" diff with 4-link, huge 4 spot calipers, pedal box with bias, Bilstein suspension fully rose-jointed.

Johnson 120-litre bladder tank. 80% complete roller. $4000. Will separate. Ph 02 4578 3434. ,b2

0pen Wheelers -C Escort Sports Sedan, 13B PP rotary, 5 speed, c/ratio g/box, E2200 full floating r/end, new AP front 4 spot brakes, very fast Club race car, spares include 4 spd g/box, wheels, sloiks & wets (near new) full set body moulds etc. $18,500 ono. Ph 02 4721 8125 or 0417 401

H,

/

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15*-.':

1

658. .82

VIL Sportsman AUSCAR, JFR built & race prepared.

Front running car, no expense spared. Best offer, will trade. Urgent sale. Ph 03 9551 6585,

Go Kart, CRG/Parilla. Last raced Singapore 1998.

Rebuilt ground up Auckland 1999. Receipts. Not run since. Spare wheels/slicks, some parts. Trolley, must be sold. Best offer around $2000. Ph 0412 251 221. .b3

EDva DKW,Formula Junior 1959, stored for last 33 years, orig cond, has genuine chassisplate, bargain at $29,000.

Ph 0064 9 274 8646.. ,82 Halt RT4 1982, chassis #295, complete history avail able minus engine. $25,000. Ph 0064 9 274 8646. ,82 Ralt RT4 1986, chassis #594, complete history avail able minus engine. $25,000. Ph 0064 9 274 8646. 1B2 125cc Super Kart, temp gauge, wets on rims, spare sprockets, eng plates, pod, chains, rims & nose cones, $2500. Ph 02 4933 4637. 102 Spectrum 06, “One of the fastest Formula Fords I've ever driven - Christian Murchison 29/3/00”. Complete with top HP DAMEC engine, just 1 race meet new. 3 sets wheels, huge lisr of spares, 28 sets of gear ratios, Dorian.

With MoTec and data $34,500, without MoTec $27,500, Lamer engine $2900. Front & rear jacks also available, stands & engine fitting trolley. Ph Michael 08 9377 2999 or Jamie 08 9356 1415. ,s3

Speedway

Toyota Sprinter ’83, twin cam, white/blue trim, air con, disc brake rear end, Koni shocks, 15x7 wheels. $4500. Ph 07 3216 7780. .82 HQ Holden race car, 8 meetings old, ready to race, plenty of spares, comes with Dorian timer & 2nd HQ sedan. $4000 ono. Ph 0407 144 796. ib2 ■8X7T

Reynard 913 F3, Golf 16V, 26mm. $40,000. Large spares package & trailer available. Serious inquiries please. Ph 03 5881 4411 BH or 03 5881 1506 AH. .b3 Go Kart, PCR Jaguar Sprint, 6 months old, KT100S, just rebuilt, race suit, helmet, boots, tyres (only 1 meeting old), spares available at extra cost. $4000 ono. Ph 07 5465 7729. .63

F3 racing slicks, Dunlop, 190/535/R13 front, 230/570/R13 rear. Good selection available, all sets used one meeting and one practice only. $600 per set. Ph Bronte Rundle 08 8332 5585 or Ian Richards 08 8363 5657. 183

Off Road Class 4 VW Baha, Nissan CA18 fuel inject ed turbo engine. Bilstein shocks with coils, SAAS seat, quick & reliable, NSW class champion last 3 years, ready to race $9000 ono. Ph 02 4832 1321. .b2 Club Car TF Cortina, 4.1 6 cyl, 350hp, Top Loader, car has been developed and is strong, quick and relaible.

Ready to race comes with spares and trailer. $10,000 neg.

Ph Ken 0403 011 924. ,b2 Cortina GT 2 door Gp Mb, red/white, full cage, Koni suspension, sealed engine, SCCR g/box, Quaitfe LSD, 2 sets wheels, 1st in class ‘99 AGP, excellent condition. $18,000. Ph 03 9265 5038 BH or 0419 552 875,

Formula Ford Vector TF94, not raced since compete rebuild. Similar to car which won last year's NSW State Championship. Priced to sell. $17,000 ono. Ph 03 9791 6599 or 0419 353 011. .83 Formula Ford Reynard 90F, rolling chassis, sparecorners, ratios, 94 update, spare 90F bodywork, 3rd '98 NSW Championship, spare radiators, good first car or hillclimb. May consider with engine. $15,500 ono. Ph 02 4774 2267 or 0412 043 605. .83 Historic Formula Ford, 1972 Bowin. Complete recent rebuild, engine 3 meetings old. Additional gear sets, spare wheels and tyres. $25,000. Ph 0413 051 454. .83 Class 1 Bullet, 3.8 V6, Porsche box, ooilover Bilsteins, 85L tank, tandem trailer, spares, no expense spared, will separate motor, box, trailer. Ph 03 6265 3369. .b2 Formula Vee, chassis. Narrowed with Sabre body kit to suit monoshock rear end & front end $1200. Brand new F Vee engine, not started $1000. Short ratio gearbox $500.

Ph 03 9722.9315. ,b2

Production Sedan Torana U, 3.3 (James race eng) Holley power steering, Toyota 5 sp, 15” Ford wheels, EL radiator & tans, adjustable suspension, very competitive & reliable, heaps of spares. $5500 ono. Ph 03 5358 2526 or 0428 519 311. ,83 Go Karts x2, Benson chassis, 100J motor VGC, tacho, new chain, gears. Arrow AX5 rolling chassis, C/W stand & trolley, many spares $1600 ono or swap for standard speedway saloon car. Ph 03 9836 9901 or 0419 500 168.

183

Modified Production TE Cortina, fresh engine, 4 speed gearbox, adj suspension, p/s & reduction. Plenty of spares, competitive car, must sell $6300 ono. Ph 03 5978 7679or 0419 388 192. .83 Modified Rod, brand new 350, 500hp, Q/C diff, Powerglide with tap, heaps of spares, never raced, gen uine reason for sale. $10,000 ono. Ph 0419 101 139 or 03 5996 7087. ,83 Super Sedan chassis new, Afeo upper and lower control arms, wide 5 hubs, Afeo rear left springs, alloy tank, pedals and master cylinders. $3200 ono. Ph 0416 241 006. .83

f

Holden HG GTS 350 Monaro, race car. New suspen sion, Wilwood, 4 spot brakes, front-rear, 15x8 Superlites, li, A008RS, full cage, Sparco seats. Memo, 9” diff, needs engine, gearbox. May separate. $7000. Ph 08 8270 5921.

Super Sedan, Rayburn copy chassis, Camaro body, Quickchange diff, aluminium hubs and radiator, Ivan Warlker race engine, ready to race. $25,000 will separate.

Ph Jason 0418 861 224 or Mathew 0417 065 066. ,83 ’97 High Bar Gambler Sprintear, complete roller, new chassis & body, Sanders wheels. Winters diff, JKSE steering, Sanders bars, Willwood brakes, braided lines, complete ready for engine. $16,000. Ph 03 9735 1307. ,83 Microsprint, chrome moly hi-bar, Gardner front end, splined rear weld wheels. Pro & Carrera shook, Schroder steering box, Kirkey seat, Simpson belts, Kawasaki 550 engine plus spares $14,000. Ph 07 3207 5436. ,s3

Super Sedan Commodore, Dave Best chassis.

Winters quick change diff, 4 aluminium beed lock rims, ready to race. Less engine and gearbox. $9,900. Ph: 0418 134 174 or 03 5176 1352. .83

3 Ltr Standard LJ Torana, with hot cam, ready to race, reg AX58, previously placed at Alex, plenty of spares, tidy car, suit beginner or keen person. $950. Ph 03 5962 5656. .82 Torana Ld, 3.3 red g/lite pistons, Yella Terra head, elec tronic ignition, 1 ton clutch, high vol/oil pump, Romac bal ancer, 4 speed g/box, mags, racks, axles, cross members, difrf housings, 5 point harness f/glass seats, wings & spares. Complete car & spares $4000. Less motor & box, some spares $2500. Ph 07 4954 5225 or 0427 969 876. .s2 Super Sedan, Rayburn chassis, club sport body, full polished aluminium interior, aluminium fuel tank and line, window net, aluminium rear spoiler, electrical & ignition panel, throttle pedal & linkage, bolt on bumpers, built ‘93. $3000. Ph 0416 048 962. .82 NSW Speedcar #6, chassis kit including all panels (some new) all swegded radius rods with aluminium hems, torsion bars, arms, stops 2xfront axles, aluminium radiator & ducting, nerf bars including spares & FBI lightweight tail.

Priced to sell. Ph 02 9681 3462. .82 Speedcar, Sanders shorty stubs, hubs, brake rotor & calliper complete to BOH on $1500 ono. Ph 02 6288 6924 AH. 182

VK Commodore Modified Production, fully worked Jack Bros eng, Tilton ped & cyls, adjustable suspension, auto metre tacho and gauges, MSD igni, quioksteer, new f/glass, 4 wheel disc brakes, strong & competitive. Quick sale $5500. Ph 07 4954 5225 or 0427 969 876. is2 Hi Bar Sprintear, complete less engine, pumps, quick change,3 sets of wheels, wings and lot more. All you need is a motor. $12,500. Ph 03 5282 2792. .82 Macdonald Racing Sclinne Hi>bar or low-bar, your choice. All the best running gear, lightweight and competitive oar, set up sheets and after sales service inclusive. Bolt in a motor and win! $16,000. Ph Nathan 0419 756 212.. 182 Super Sedan Falcon, Frankland diff, Brinn trans, 2 wheels tyres. 366 Chev, Lunati crank. Diamond pistons, Kryptonite rods, Brodix heads, dry-sump, consider trade, cheap but good. Ph 03 6340 1884. .62 Pontiac body and chassis, done four meetings, no running gear $2000. Two front spindles $250 pair. AFCO single leaf springs 5" arc $150 pair. Struts $100 pair. Ph 02 4572 5949. i82 Modified Production Commodore, less motor on 15", P/S, r/box. All adjustable with spare parts. $2100 ono.

Ph 03 5331 5870. ia2

iiigiiies Kaditcha F2 1979, Mk 9 with ratios. Golf engine, some spares, laps Winlon short circuit 58.82s. Make a reason able offer. Ph 03 5881 4411 BH or 03 5881 1506. .83

Group C Gemini, with logbook, Haltech injected DOHC, Konis, AP brakes, Detroit locker. Watts linkage & more.

Immaculate condition inc spare engines, wheels & more.

Close to Grp.C trim or ideal Club Car/Sports Sedan. $9500 ono. Ph 0414 943 987 or 03 9706 1279. .b2

I

Formula Vee Elliot 01, top HP Elliot Bond engine. ExMark White 1996 pointscore winner, fresh paint & nose cone. Comes with Pi, gearbox, trailer & spares. $9000. Ph

AMCA racing team, oar and trailer plus all spares including 3 spare engines, 4 gear boxes, 3 diffs, 4 spare wheels, etc. Car is a proven winner and holds all track records at Speedway City plus other tracks. Must sell to race Sprintcars next season. $17,500 Ph Brett 0418 586 022 .83 ’96 Jl&«l Sprintear, complete roller. Winters diff, Willwood brakes, KSE steering, braided line, Sanders bars, new body, fresh powder coated chassis, ready for engine. $11,000. Ph 03 9735 1307. .S3 Formula 500, ^ Vic 27. Foster chassis, 4130 chrome moly, torsion bar, ;r, reverse arm front. 494 Rotax, Bewley twospeed, singl & twin pipes. Lots of spares, fully enclosed trailer. POA. Ph 03 5566 2207. .b3

KT100J, with header & pipe, just rebuilt and run in $900.

Ph 07 3465 7729. .83 Donovan Sprintear engine, complete, JE pistons, Weld Tech heads, Kinsler in], Barnes pump aluminium sump, Jessel rockers, built by John Sidney, not yet been run, ready for dyno. POA. Ph 03 9735 1307. .83 Rotary 13B PP, dyno 330hp, ceramic seals, lightweight rotors, alloy pump as fitted in Hume Mini. Hear running $5500 ono. Ph 03 9742 5277. .S2 MoTec M8 engine management, system $2500.

Memo volante steering wheel 25om new $100. New Simmons 18" Porsche wheels 8" front 10" rear with new slicks. Best offer, Ph 0413 943 425. .S3 1 set 18 deg heads, & Jessel rockers, Vertex magneto & tach, alum tail shaft, 3 stage dry sump, pump, suit CHev.

23June 2000 'iWuCo. belt driven fuel pump, Wildwood powersteer pump.

Complete Chev short block. Ph 0416 049 442. to 97 Chev LT1 350, a/c, ps, 6 spd trans, complete pack age new from GM $9500. Ex-Frank Gardner F5000 race engine, fresh with all the good parts. $8500. Ph 08 9305 8763. 188

Holden 6 cyl methanol, 3.3 Itr blue Jack Bros built, roller rockers & cam, Sacks clutch, HQ racing pistons, 7 litre sump, power steering pump & pulleys, Romao bal ancer, holley & manifold, excellent HP. Quick sale, cheap at $4000. Ph 07 4954 5225 or 0427 969 876. to Mazda 20B rotairy, twin turbo, import with all acces sories, low kms & good compression. $4800. Ph 03 9782 5998. 182

Lotus Twin Cam, all steel, Brian Hart-built 1600co, slide injection, full orig, very rare engine. $15,000. Ph 0064 9 274 8646. to Toyota 4AG, Formula Atlantic 1600cc all steel Bertils USA, complete rebuild including pistons, not used since. $14,000. Ph 0064 9 274 8646. to Power Dyne supercharger, 8 psi unit, complete.

VS/VT EcoTech V6 Holden, done SOOOkms. $5000. Ph 07 3374 2149. 182 Chevy 4, Historic Speedoar motor, just rebuilt, not run.

Spare engine parts, also header pipes and injection with trumpets. Ph Allan 08 8342 4433 BH. to Nissan FJ20 turbo engines, ex-Carling, x2 long motors, different specs, one fully rebuilt, one suit rebuild.

All custom internal parts, big plenum/throttle body, extrac tors etc. Best offer. Ph 02 6231 1144 or 08 8527 2266. i82

Drags

MoTec M8 engine management, system $2500.

Momo volante steering wheel 25cm new $100. New Simmons 18” Porsche wheels 8" front 10” rear with new slicks. Best offer. Ph 0413 943 425. m Tyres, Dunlop wets 265x590x16", brand new $350 each.

Ph 0402 021 362. m l Hewland, DGB,5 speed transaxle, top condition, new 9:31 CWP, ratio choices and spares available, $14K ratios, over 300 in stock to suit DGB, GFGB, TPT, FT200. Ph 0418 925 767. 183

Quaife 2000E S/C, C/R 'Pro' gearbox. $1950. Cosworth BDA narrow journal rods $895, 2400 Holbay stroker kit new $6500, Cosworth YB Sierra Group A cams (BD14) $950. Ph 08 8278 5988 home after 6pm. m Fuel safety cell, complete with Dry Break Filler system ex-GTP race car. Ex cond $750 the lot. Ph Bob 0419 130 671 or 08 8449 9196. m Roll cage, suit EA tyo ED Falcon, all steel, de-mountable type by Bond Roll Cages, CAMS approved, $500 com plete with all bolts and plates. Ph Bob 0419 130 671 or 08 8449 9196. ib3 » Seats, ex-Falcon EB SS, limited edition with belts and all fastenings, never used, excellent cond, front $500 pr, rear $150. Ph Bob 0419 130 671 or 08 8449 9196. m Extractors, suit Falcon EA to ED, specially tuned con struction by D&T Performance, $250. Ph Bob 0419 130 671 or 08 8449 9196 183 V8 Supercar tyres, Dunlop & Yokohama, second-hand 17x11 from $50 each. Ph 07 5495 6920. is2 McCreary race tyres, ASCF Modified Production class 10 McCreary, 1 Hoosier & 1 Dunlop, all 95% tread, on rims. Borg Warner diff complete, fine s/axles, 4 power s/racks, f/glass & some more bits all to suit VB & up Commodores. $1500 the lot. Ph 07 4954 5225 or 0427 969

30 ARP main stud kit, fully prepped, new, unused $1000.-' Ph 08 8270 5921. TO Dunlop slicks, 30% wear. 2 x 24&x 550 x 13”; 2 x 250 535 X 13”, excellent condition $400. Ph 0418 582 882 or 0408 522 175.. is2 Chev AP Racing, 7 1/4 triple plate clutch & explosion proof flywheel $950. Ph 08 8270 5921. TO 202 + 60, motor meeds rebuild + spare block, crank used $100. HY chassis with front end $100, four grain scales on wheels $1200. Ph 02 4572 5949. les New Pro 956 hold down shock, & 180 AFCO rear, new coil spring 275+250 $85 each &two used 175-450 $60 each. Sweet power head, ram plus two hoses $550.

Ph 02 4572 5949. lez Mark Williams II/16” diameter, wheel stud kit. Part No 51540. New, $180. Ph 03 5265 1240 AH or 0416 099

1988 Camaro, complete less engine, has Lenco 4 spd, struts, US Pro diff, M.W Autometer, Koni, chute, cell, Lexan glass, BB Headers, tube chassis. 1080kg W/BB welds. $AUS20,000 obo. Ph 0064 04 938 5426. isa

Street machine, 1954 Chrysler Desoto sedan.

Completre car has extensively modified body, chassis, suspension, interior and driveline, A new car with less than 200km since completion. Painted 'Happy Days' yellow, 600hp 502CU in aluminium head Chev engine. Voted 5th in Street Machine of the Year. Full 12 months NSW rego. Gas 454 plates included. $42,000 ono. Ph 02 9728 6183. to

Ewarts 0 Air jacks, new/used, large range, most applications, quick release handles available, top quality. Ph 0418 925 767. ,B3

Renmax wheels, Mildren yellow submarine. 1x13x10 and 1x13x14. $1000. Ph 07 4636 3567 AH. to ® CluSches, 7.25, 5.5, 5.0 single, twin, triple plate, sin tered or carbon, AP-Tilton-QM, new/used. Spare covers, rings, plates also available. Ph 0418 925 767. TO Mazda HX7 S OV/V springs, set of 4 coils, 1 inch low ered, suit stock struts, 50km use only. Cost $520, sell $400. Ph 0412 296 750. to ® Brake calipers, discs, pads. Mega range, new/used, exc condition - AP, Alcon, Brembo, Outlaw, Willwood.

Overnight delivery. Ph 0418 925 767. TO Rotary PP, racing plugs. Champion N80 & N555Q, equivilent to NGK BIO EGV and 59EGV. $7 each if you buy all. Ph 08 8357 2319. 103 FT200 gears, 20/28, 20/24, 30/16, 34/14, 46/14, 28/18, 17/30, 7 dog rings 2 1/2" clutch disc, 10 spline 1 x 7 1/4” $750. Champion N80 and N555G $10 each. Ph 08 8357 2319. TO

» Pedals, brake/clutch, floor mount/hanging, new/sued.

Also available, bias valves, bias cables, master cylinders, reservoirs etc. Ph 0418 925 767. to Quad 48mm, IDF Webers on Holden V8 manifold with links. $2500 ono. Excellent cond. Ph 0419 947 971. to VS Sports Sedan, parts inci carbon panels, 350 exhaust system. Rose joints, alloy radiator, big brake system com plete, independent rear, alloy fuel tank, coil overs, gauges, quick release wheel, windows. Ph 03 6330 1881. to Brodix, 12 cyl head package, reco ready to race.

Includes 2 1/2 Kinsler injector, Jessel rockers, Isky camshaft, offset lifters, pushrods, air filters, rooker covers, high HP. Bargain $9900 ono. Ph 03 5594 3288. to Kart trolley, $80. Ph 07 3465 7729. 103 Litre Sprintcar, quick change LE Hane diff. Damaged $500. Ideal for classic or vintage speedway car. Ph 07 5475 4356. to Gearbox, straight cut close ratio 4 speed Tranex. Small Ford to approx 300hp. Totally rebuilt with new gear & not run. $2000. Ph 0419 335 670 or 03 9696 9147; to

3038. .62

! /

DC 300, complete with spare housings, s/hats, ew/p & assorted parts $12,000. Triple plate clutch with spare top/body, used plates $800. Ph 07 3202 2830 AH. IB2 l Oil coolers - heat exchangers, Earls, Setrab, Serck, 6-70 row, new/used, also used water to oil heat exchangers, over 100 in stock. Ph 0418 925 767. is3 48mm down draught Webers, Group C type, ex-HDT with linkages and fuel lines to suit spreadbone manifold. $1000 ono. Ph 0402 212 562. to l Racecar parts, vbrake parts, chassis stands, ditf oil pumps, exhaust collectors, fuel cell accessories, oil filters, quicklift jacks, ratio boxes, radiator caps, springs, spoilers, wings etc. Ph 0418 925 767. to Holden B-cast V8 cylinder heads, machined for large springs, polished chambers, throated with 3 angle seats & s/s 1 piece valves $550.. Ph 0417 558 452. TO Sach clutch, (lite weight) suit Holden or Ford race car.

Ph 0417 558 452. to l Uprights, fabrioated/cast, fronts/rears, various sizes, new/used, also CVs, driveshafts, wishbones, rockers, pushrods, all top quality, exc condition. Ph 0418 925 767. to Telia Terra, billet lite weight flywheel to suit Holden $150. Yella Terra roller rockers new 5020 suit Holden V8, in box as per Future Tourer spec $600. AUSCAR front Harrop discs & hats $1000. to Group A 2 stage dry sump, oil tank, hardly used with modify oil stick & breather outlets. $500. Ph 0409 125 965. to ^ l Radiators, aluminium, new/used, single/dual pass, top quality, large range, various sizes, suit all applications, from $300. Ph 0418 925 767. to 4 Ohiins shock absorbers, triple adjustable for FHolden.'$8000. Ph 0412 895 560. TO 3 19-inch snake tongue touring car rims, centrelock. German made, good condition, regret sale. $600. Ph 0409 125 965. TO VW flywheel, balanced & dowelled to suit 'L' box $160.

Berg push rods with oil squirters, top of line to suit type 4 2ltr$100. Ph0409 125 965. to AP Racing brake calipers, & 330mm rotors c/w braid ed lines, suit BMW M3 as new, also tuned custom exhaust $2500 the lot or offer. Ph 0419 559 816. i82 Carburettors, Weber 45 DC03 sidedraft and parts want ed, also 40 and 58DC03 wanted, must be DC03, good prices paid. Ph 02 9713 9280.. 182 Datsun 1600, parts. Doors, struts, hub caps, diff, har ness, seats, gearbox, 1800 motor, carbies, bumper bar, rollcage, boot lid. Priced from $5. Ph Ross 03 5334 6364 AH. TO ,

Carillo conrods, new in box, 308 b/e, 5.900" C-C + .995 $2000. Ph 03 5988 0666. to 2L SOHC Ford head, S/S large valifes, Manx oam.

Vernier pully, double valve springs, choice of either Mandrel bent extractors or anti-reversion extractors. $1200. Ph 02 4933 4637. to Chev 350, +30, 12.5:1 Wiseco pistons new $850, Crane solid cam CC - 290A new $150, Eoelbrock Super Victor manifold new $500, Holley 850 Annular record unused $650. Ph 08 8270 5921. to Chev 350 Bowtie, raised runner alloy heads bare with Grower shaft rockers new $2000. 350 010 4 bolt block +

Transporter, 25' elec brakes, 240v/12v, benches, cup boards & kitchen stove, sink, fridge etc, 6x5 fully enclosed annex, ask for tax sheet. $13,000. Ph 02 9879 6555 BH or 0408 369 070. to

727. 182

Taylor Pro Competition, dual boot mount battery kit.

All hardware new. Part No. Tay048600. $140. Ph 03 5265 1240 AH or 0416 099 727. m Supertrapps, 2x Stainless steel 2.5” inlet, 5” outlet, 19" long Supertrapp muffler and two optional Supertrapp mounting kits. All parts new, sell wel^ below cost. $850. Ph 03 5265 1240 AH or 0416 099 727.^ Holley HP 950 methanol carb,’ bowl extensions and jet pack to tune all, as new. $1100. Ph 0419 655 701. 182 Tyres, Hoosier 245x60x15, 70-80% tread off. Street TD, $200 oho.. Ph 0412 996 433 or 02 4226 3402. ie2

Isuzu SBR Dualcab, updated drivetrain, new Pantech, checkerplate, rear ramp door, Duratorque tow bar, electric brakes, tyre rack, just passed RTA inspection, low kms very clean. Just serviced. $16,500. Ph 0414 248 855 or 02 9528 3168. to

Transporters/Trqilers Sprintcar Pantec, 22x8x8, 240 volt, lights, full side boxes, tilt rear door with winch, interior racks for all spares.

S7000. Ph 07 4634 3477. w

876. 182

OH Roa'd buggy, secondhand parts sale. Wright, CNC, Beard/Centreline, Summers Bros, engines & gearboxes.

Call for detailed list. Ph 0414 367 997. ia2 Cosworth twin cam head, complete with DJR CAMS, Vernier cam pulleys, R200 block, low comp pistons, rods, DJR crankshaft, new HP oil pump, complete inlet & exhaust manifolds. Sell the. lot. $7500 ono. Ph 02 9613

49

Iwli*

Transporter, 8x2.5x3, electric brakes plus breakaway, aluminium cladded, wired with full lighting and powerpoints, superwinch, work bench, cupboards, aluminium checkerplate floor. Full length enclosed awning. $14,800.

Ph 0414 248 855 or 02 9528 3168. 182

kL V

Tow Truck, F350 Banana Back 17ft tray, 351c, auto, air, p/s, LPG, USA flashers, Warne winch, Telma retarder, 10 stack CD player, will not disappoint. $34,000 ono. Ph 0412 300 506. TO

Chev Crew Cab. Dually 1990 model. 454 auto, central locking, cruise control, bucket seats, cloth trim, excellent condition. RHD. Vin. IGTHR33NZLF703850. $38,000. Ph: 0418 134 174 or 03 5176 1352.

Fully enclosed, dual axle trailer 25’ long, electric break away brakes, large annex, fold down tailgate and ramps, 240/12V, storage shelves, tyre racks, suit large Sports Sedan. Ph 03 9543 6869 or 0408 543 808. to

Waiifed Pit crew for Sports Sedan, voluntary, expenses paid, must be enthusiastic, preferably with mechanical skills but not essential. Car based at Mittagong, mostly Sydney rac ing. Ph Glenn 02 4861 4906. to Quiekchange diff, to suit Super Sedan. Ph 07 3267 8192 or 0419 382 769. to VW Passat/Golf 74-77 ISO©, twin Weber inlet mani fold or fuel injection, extractors and any information on tun ing & setup. Ph 0407 364 543 or 07 3391 3022 AH. to Ford 1500 Cortina engine, to Volkswagen Type 3 gearbox adaptor, 2 1/2”-4” deep, alloy or magnesium. Ph 0407 364 543 or 07 3391 3022 AH. to Sponsors for V8 Lites series, QLD 500 and Bathurst.

Packages to suit any budget. Ph 07 5428 6369. to Holden aluminium cylinder head, Phil Irving or Duggan. Would consider complete engine, must be in good condition. Ph 02 9531 0151 AH. to VSSupercar co-driver for Bathurst, must have suit able budget. Please send e.xpressions of interest to 5c Industrial Ave, Cabolpture QLD 4510 or Ph 07 5495 6920, attn: T.C.M. to Oval Track 253/308 sump, rear of motor, urgently. Ph 02 9745 3881. to Mini Cooper S, photos & information of car raced by Ern Abbott 1964-65, Greg McEwin and Les Jesser 1966-69. Ph 08 8336 3498 AH or e-mail - memteoh@camtech.net.au.

TO

Sponsorship, needed for 2001 Formula Holden team. If interested please contact Benn Anthony 02 4388 1582 Rally junior champion at NAMS level for 1998 & 99. to

Other

n

Video tapes. Beta & 2 video recorders. Touring cars. Grand Prix, Indycars, Speedway, Drag Racing, Motorbikes and NASCAR. Over 400 tapes. $1500. Ph Rob 0412000 438. to l Superflow, SF110 flowbench with V8 adaptor, carbu rettor adaptor and extra manometer $4500. Also Audie Cam Pro $1500 an dynomation engine simulator $500. Ph Mark 03 9647 2099 or Ray 03 9725 2255. to ‘Longford: Fast Track Back’ book, now out. 184 pages, 87 photos, also results index. $35 pre-GST. Ph 07 4661 5196. TO Momocorse boots, size 45 (11) worn once $100. RPM Indy boots size 9, worn once $50. Ph 0419 895 692. to New Generators, 450 watt portable generator $610.

680 watt generator $730. Prices include sales tax. Ph Engineered Products Group 03 9312 7999. to The Great Race books, Nos 14-17. (1994-1997). In perfect condition, will be sought after books in years to come for complete set of TGR books. Offers. Ph 0417 163

Pantec purpose built dual axle, electric brakes, alu minium checkaplate floor, drop tail door, side doors, tyre rack & 240 volt light setup. Suit small Sports Sedan, karts, motor bikes, Speedcar. $4,000. Ph 0409 125 965. to

Helmet, Shoei, small size (kids), good cond. 3 visors. $150 ono. Ph 02 9670 4091 AH. 182 Helmet, Simpson Size 60, Super Speedway shark, never used, cost $1500, sell $1000. Ph 0412 895 560.. to Motoring books & magazines, large run of Autosport 1988-1998. Full set Sports Car World 1957-, set of Modern Motor. Ph 08 9279 7003 or Fax 08 9377 3939. to Alfa Romeo showroom sales brochures, various models - Giulietta Sprint, Alfa Sud, GTV Alfa 75, 33 16v. $3 each plus postage, glossy, exc condition. Ph Gail 03 5334 6364 AH. TO

Chev ‘89 Silverado Crewcab, '94 upgrade, 5.7L auto, pure white, maroon int, (6 seater), fully loaded, ideal tow vehicles, ask for fax sheet. $35,000. Ph 02 9879 6555 BH or 0408 369 070. to .-aat — -

1'

%

i

r 1K

Dodge V8 Twin Cab, dual fuel beaver back with elec winch, demountable tool & access, container converts to flat tray. RWC $9500 ono. Optional three car tent. $1500.

Ph 03 9742 5277. to Brand new purpose built, dual axle, elec brakes, reg, flat white aluminium sliding, front office area & seating. Tie cfown hooks, aluminium ramps, rear door, gas struts, 21x7x8, FHolden or FFord. $8000. Ph Craig 0412 895 560.

TO

193. TO

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Contacts 89 Orrong Crescent Caulfield North VIC 3161 (PO Box 1010 North Caulfield 3161) Phone: 03 9527 7744 Fax. 03 9527 7766 Email: msnews@02emai1.com.au

Not Sheene’s league

Contributors General: Brian Reed, Grant Nicholas, Darryl Flack, Tony Glynn, Mark .Jones, Jon Thomson FI: Joe Saward, Adam Cooper Eure i't; Quentin Spurring, Gary'Watkins US: Phil Morris NZ: John Hawkins Speedway: Brett Swanson, Julie Pearce, 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, John Morris, Mark Wicks Photographers: Sutton Motorsport Images, Dirk Klynsmith, Bothwell Photographic, Marshall Cass, Nigel Snowdon & Diana Burnett, Tony Glynn, AFi Images, Neil Hammond, Slipstream Photographic, Thunder-Pics, Phil Williams, Alisport, John Morris/Mpix, Frank Midgley, John Bosher, Lynley Reid, Mike Patrick (UK), Daniel Wilkins, Wayne Nugent, Peter French, Chris Carter Artist: Bernie Walsh Cartoonist: Allan Schofield

/ Send your letters to PO Box 1010 North Caulfield Vic 3161, fax to 03 9527 7766, or email to us at msnews@02email.com.au The staff of Motorsport News does not necessarily agree with opinions express by readers.

Stuart, The Grand Prixtender, E-mail-stuartl@vision.net.au

But sSr Dear Sir, Why can’t Ford have a competitive edge at Bathurst, when according to technical data, Holden still carries an advantage at all tracks bar Phillip Island and Mt Panorama?

Is 11 out of 13 not enough for them?

To use Russell Ingall’s words-the Fords are being handicapped at Bathurst “because of one team’s

Jamie Purcell, E-mail -jpurcell@pacific.net.au

Reverse it up!

CompuServe: 100237,116s

J

Dear Sir, Good to see Barry Sheene is out of his league once again when it comes to car racing.

His comment over Russell Ingall's black flag (Canberra) was quite uncalled for. During the start of race two (lap one, turn one) Russell blatantly drove outside the circuit to gain an unfair advantage on the competitors in front of him.

If nothing else, a black flag is called for. As for the loose wheel nut later in the race, I think the only person who knew that RusseU had a wheel coming off was probably Russell.

Besides, if they didn’t have stupid rules to force pitstops to try and get some interest out of cars following cars the wheelnut wouldn't have come off in the first place.

What did Alan Jones say about Monaco without the harbour!

If you think it would make no difference as to who would win, then you are wrong.

In the Constructor’s Title, Ferrari would have won by 40 points and the Driver’s Title was won by Irvine by nine points.

MSN’s little piece said about lower teams being able to score more points.

Every driver scored points last year using the system I used, with Takagi coming in last with 13 points.

y'

Bazza and the Toddler: Barry Sheene speaks with Young Lion Todd Kelly after Kelly won race two in Canberra. Barry hasn’t won James ' Purcell as a fan though ... (Photo by slipstream Photographic)

Dear Sir, If the reverse grid and points format of the Canberra V8 round were used at all the sprint rounds, it would be unbeatable.

Three different polesitters and three different winners; it just doesn’t get any more exciting ! The series needs this levelling. If every previous round had Canberra’s result, parity would not be an issue.

On Channel Ten’s recent ‘V8 Superstars’, Neil Crompton said that the Canberra points system would be too difficult for V8 fans.

Well Neil, thanks for the insult but most of us CAN add up. The atmosphere in the main grandstands at Canberra prior to races two and three, regarding the grid positions, was the most enthusiastic I have ever witnessed, A request to the organisers, please listen to us paying fans a little more and the two biggest budgeted teams a Httle less.

Dear Sir, I’d like to ask a simple ques^tion.

Has a sliding weight scale system been considered as a solution for the current roxmd of parity woes in Supercars?

If not, why? It seems to work very well in other series that use it (the new DTM and Nations Cup for example) so why stuff about chopping bits off of one make when it doesn’t seem to make a difference to the end result?

With the weight system you target the individuals doing well, pulling them back to the rest of the field. Surely this is a far fairer and more flexible system which could even be changed between sprint rounds if necessary.

It’s time Cattach stopped harping on about how fantastic the series is and how it’s the heart of Australian

Glenda WOson, Alexandria, NSW.

racing and concentrated on making the racing better by ehminating the politics of parity altogether.

Weigh ‘em down!

Anyway I hope Ford does puU out and goes to a DTM-style Future Tourers category instead, as only having two manufacturers involved is not exactly representative of the Australian motoring public and it would be better value for money for them.

It would also give other manufacturers a less costly incentive to get involved in top level racing.

Brett Kidd, Brisbane, QLD.

Making a point Dear Sir, After reading in Issue 180 that FI team bosses are talking about changing the points system to the system used in the 500cc bikes, I thought I would write that last season I ran a httle project where I used the CART scoring system (including a point for pole and a point for most laps led) for the FI championship.

performance.”

Sure, the Shell Falcons were the fastest cars at Bathurst in 1999 but no more than HRT’s» dominance there in 1998. If this precedence is set, then surely this method of parity should apply to every track.

If parity is to be acheived as per the Macquarie Dictionary definition, (equality in amount) Ford must be given the advantage needed to win 43 of the next 47 races. As ridiculous as this may sound it is exactly the situation that Holden has enjoyed since introducing the VT. History shows that Ford will never be allowed to maintain a competitive edge but the decision for Bathurst 2000 takes the cake.

Ford has had the advantage taken away before proving that the advantage did ever exist. For Ford it has taken 18 months of losing and lobbying to hopefully create an even playing field. For Holden the threat of legal action was all it took to remove a hypothetical disadvantage and restore unfair dominance. SHAME TEGA! Jason Coffins, Warners Bay NSW.

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