Motorsport News Issue 230 - May 1-14, 2002

V8s Phoenix

John Faulkner

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CAUTION: Tight tracks produce skidmarks

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It should come as no surprise that Australia's most exciting street circuit happens to stretch the anxiety levels of even our best V8 Supercar Drivers. But for you, the spectator, the Canberra 400 means a long weekend of unmatchable excitement as Holdens and Fords hit speeds in excess of 260 km/h on the streets of our National Capital.

We understand that families have a budget. That's why all kids 12 and under get in free. Plus we've got family and student concessions that make the weekend great value for all the family.

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The Canberra 400 is on this June long weekend (June 7-9) and you can be trackside for as little as $20*1

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Make sure you're in pol l position for the long weekend. Cal l Ticketek now and log on to www.canberra400.com.au for ful l

details. For Accommodation and Ticket Packages call Canberra I Getaways on 1800 100 666. For general event and tourism | information phone 1300 554114.

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Grandstand Seats start $195*and will have a better view from of the action. no one, except the drivers,

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Exciting corporate packages are also available. For further information phone (02) 6205 0622.

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Issue 230

1 -14 May 2002

news and opinion

features uowri jonn r-auiKner 68 On TRAC A special peek at the US's newest racing series

race coverage

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Maintain the pressure ,'l id and ths wins

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Marsh/BOTHWELL Dirk Klynsmilh. Allsport

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Maintain the press as Lowndes joins in

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IS Ferrari headed for a year of domination similar to that of McLaren in 1988?

That is the question on Formula 1 's lips after Michael Schumacher's fourth win of the year, from five races - victory in the fifth only snatched away due to a first corner fracas with Juan Pablo Montoya, 1988 saw total domination of FI by McLaren, its Hondapowered cars driven by Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost winning 15 out of 16 races - the 16th only forfeited aft'er a crazy incident while Senna lapped Williams one race ring-in Jean-Louis Schlesser at Monza.

The 2002 Schumacher-F2002-Bridgestone combination is an , awesome one, which has exposed weaknesses in both Williams and McLaren's 2002 armoury.

And while the tyre war was expected to produce a split in dominance through the season, to date Bridgestone has not been at a disadvantage anywhere.

As MN's FI correspondent Joe Saward concludes in his post race analysis, Williams' prodigously powerful BMW engine IS being let down by the chassis/tyre combo, while at McLaren, the problem is seen as a lack of grunt from the llmor-produced Mercedes power unit.

Ferrari is on top of its game. The others are not.

Some hope for FI fans looking for variety may come from Schumacher's amazing run of luck - or rather the appalling run of i bad luck afflicting team-mate Barrichello, who has DNF'd or DNS'd four of the five races to date (keeping Ferrari's Constructor's Championship points lead to just seven).

Increasing temperatures as Europe moves through Spring into Summer are also expected to boost the Michelin-shod teams.

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ure on Skaife" says Ambrose the chase fer HRT's V8 Champ Photo by Dirk Klynsmith

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KEEP the pressure on and the wins will' come.

That is the view shared hy Ford’s two most likely challengers to the dominance of defending V8 Supercar champion Mark Skaife.

Marcos Ambrose, second to Skaife at the weekend round at Eastern Creek,is confident outright success is just around the corner for the Stone Brothers Pirtek Falcon: “Mark’s got a great package and he’s performing very well,” he told MN on Monday.

“We’ve got everyone else’s measure - it’s just a matter of keeping the pressure on him and the result will come. Maybe next week, maybe not- but it will come.

“Everyone, it doesn’t matter who they are, reacts and performs differently if the pressure goes on. It was there at the start of race three at the vveekend and,for most of the race, Mark was second.

“That pressure just has to be maintained.

“The championship is by no means over.

I’ve seen a lot of championships won from far greater margins before. We’ve just got to

firstly rack up the points to get into a clear second in the championship,then see ifjust a bit of luck goes our way.”

Ambrose, who won the Darwin round last year despite not winning any of the individual races, heads north in a fortnight confident of another strong showing: ‘We’re in good form; we won there last year. Why wouldn’t we go in with some confidence?” he concluded.

Lowndes, whose period in the lead of Sunday’s third race set the fans alight, looks like he’s clawing his way back to the top of the V8 Supercar pile.

“It was important to gain a strong result this weekend, and the reward of third overall has us heading in the right direction,” said Lowndes.

‘We just missed the mark in qualifying we’ll improve in that'area as we’ve shown our race pace is amongst the very best.

“The races were very hard on the driver as well as the car and tyres. The final laps of the last race were especially tough, but you have to give 100 percent in this sport if you want to gain results.”

Changes to PreQual

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THE controversial PreQualifying system for the V8 Supercar Championship Series has been changed for the remaining rounds of the 2002 series.

From the next round at Hidden Valley in two weeks time, the top 25 cars in the championship wili gain automatic starts in the races, with PreQualifying providing up to another seven cars, depending on the number of entries.

Previously, the top 25 qualifiers for a race gained automatic entry to the next round, which ied to ridiculous situations like the one Cameron McConville faced at Eastern Creek.

Despite running hard at Phillip Island, where he was fifth overall for the weekend, the Lansvale Racing driver had to line

●Back for more Friday action: Paul Morris.

(PImlo by Marshall Cass)

up in Pre Qualifying at the team’s home circuit because of the fact that he qualified 31st at the Island.

One criticism has been settled already; for the first time this season, at Eastern Creek all Pre Qualifiers were able to run on new tyres, whereas

previously the wear on previously marked and used tyres played a large role in deciding who raced on the weekend and who did not.

One of the men who will lose out from the move is, ironically, John Faulkner.

After qualifying on the second row at Eastern Creek, Faulkner would have been an automatic starter at Darwin under the ‘old’ system.

But his final race DNF in Sydney has dropped him from 25th after Race 2 to 27th, meaning that once again the Dynapack Commodore will have to face the music on Friday afternoon up north ...

Another man to ‘do Friday’ will be Paul Morris, whose problems in the last two rounds have seen him pack up early for both races.

- PHIL BRANAGAN

NEWS Murf in trouble with Stewards A STEWARD’S Inquiry was opened at Eastern Creek into the alleged comments made by Greg Murphy in another motorsport magazine following the incident between he and Jason Bargwanna at Phiilip Island, Bringing the sport into disrepute is apparently the charge, with the inquiry adjourned until Hidden Valley. n Among other penalties at Eastern Creek were 32s penalties to the racetimes of Jason Richards (race two) and Rick Keily (race three)for driving infringements, reprimands for the K&J Themal and Castrol/Perkins for losing wheels, a reprimand for John Faulkner for refuelling in the pit garage, a black flag for Simon Wills for a lack of brake lights and a bad sportsmanship flag for Steve Johnson for kerb-hopping.

The only monetary fine apart from that handed to Paul Romano (see story on page eight), was $300 slapped on Craig Lowndes for exceeding the pit lane speed limit on Saturday. But a penalty should go to CAMS for including in their media release an apparent 32s penalty for Jason Bright. If only they could get the Bright '2' distinct from the Kelly '02' .., n Craig Lowndes was back in a familiar car at Eastern Creek.

Lowndes drove the ex-Stone Brothers car he raced at the start of the 2001 season after his new #00 car, which was involved in a shunt with Max Wilson at Phillip Island, proved to be a tougher repair than first thought. Lowndes will Face his newer car in the next round. n Leanne Perrier was on hand at Eastern Creek, sharing the news that her Commodore VS will miss the Phillip Island Konica V8 Supercar Championship Series. The car's engine problems, whiich sidelined her from the opening KV8SS race at Wakefield Park, are expected to be solved for the following round at Oran Park. n Did anybody catch the Australian Olympic Distance Triathlon Championships at Mooloolaba on Queensland's Sunshine Coast recently? The guy who finished 201st out of 870 starters and 31st out of 110 competitors in his age group was .... Lansvale Racing's Cameron McConville. The Victorian has thrown himself into triathlon training in recent times and completed the 1.5km swim, 40km ride and 10km run in two hours and 15 minutes.

This came after finishing 11 th in age group in the Victorian Gatorade Triathlon Series during 2001/2002.

"I did a personal best and plan to be back next year to run even harder," said McConville.

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by AARON NOONAN KIWI Champ Car star Scott Dixon may be among the flood of CART drivers to take a shot at the Indianapolis 500 this May. The PWR Championship driver, who sits a lovtly 14th in the Champ Car pointscore after last weekend's third round at Motegi in Japan, has confirmed to Motorsport News that he is looking at running the IRL blue riband event.

"We may do the '500, which would definitely keep us pretty busy," Dixon told us on Monday.

"We should hopefully know next week. In some ways it's good because it keeps me busy but it's the only month we get off for quite a while. There's a couple of ways at looking at it, but I think it would be good for the experience."

Djxon confirmed that if a deal did go ahead, it would be with a team other than his own PWR outfit, which is focusing on the CART series.

So who could he drive for?

Team Menard need a replacement for the injured Jaques Lazier. The team scored pole for the Indy event in 2000 with Greg Ray and won the 1999 IRL championship with Ray driving. They have regularly been pace-setters in qualifying at the Brickyard but haven't placed strongly in the 500miler.

Other teams yet to fill driving vacancies include Walker Racing's entry, the third Kelley Racing entry, the third AJ Foyt machine and a second Hemelgarn Racing car.

Entries for the May classic have closed, though it's a regular occurrence for teams to chop and change entries as each and every car, whether it's a back-up or primary vehicle, must be entered in the event.

Already there are eight CART regulars entered for the Indy 500, with Dario Franchitti, Paul Tracy, Michael Andretti, Jimmy Vasser, Kenny Brack, Bruno Junqueira, Max Papis and Tony Kanaan joining former rivals Gil de Ferran and Hello Castroneves in the field vying for the 33 spots on the grid.

TEGA’s V8 control ECU getting closer THE matter of a control electronic control unit in V8 Supercar racing is far from settled, with TEGA approving, in principle, specifications for the unit.

TEGA's Board is believed to have approved, effective from May 1, what they require of the system, the main objective of which is to prohibit the use of illegal technology, such as traction control.

But, at the moment, there is no time frame in place for the use of the units.

"We need to go and find somebody to build it," a Board member said this week.

"Project Blueprint (Ed's note: the program which equalises the performance between Holden Commodore and Ford's Falcon) has moved the class forward very well. But we need to build on that and the ECU is the next step."

At the moment, V8 Supercars use either a MoTeC system or one from Autronic, both Melbourne-based companies.

- PHIL BRANAGAIM 6

PAUL Stoddart gained the respect of FI team managers and drivers with his decision to withdraw the Minardi team from Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona.

Having responded to two front wing mount failures on Saturday with a massive overnight refabrication job at the team’s Faenza (Italy) base, the team suffered another blow with a rear wing failure on Mark Webber’s car late in the Sunday warm-up(see Webber’s GP Diary).

With little time to evaluate the problem, Stoddart withdrew the team from the race: “One ofthe toughest decisions a team ovmer can be called upon to

on race day to do that, so we have taken the only decision possible under the circumstances, which is to withdraw from the event.

“It’s worth noting that we are not the only team to have suffered such problems this weekend, as we saw during toda/s race. It is clear that the Circuit de Catalunya, while a great track, is also extremely hard on wings and associated components.

“For KL Minardi Asiatech, this was a difficult caU, but where safety is concerned, there can be no argument. I reaUy feel for Mark, Alex and the whole team, both here at the circuit and back at the factory, as well as for our partners,Asiatech, Go KL and Magnum, plus our other

"Vlte have taken the only decision possible inder the crcunstances, vvhich is to vvithdravv from the evenT'

- Paul stoddart

make is to withdraw his team from a race. Following the problem with the rear wing on Mark Webber’s car in this morning’s warm-up session, regrettably, I took the decision to withdraw both KL Minardi Asiatech entries from today’s Spanish Grand Prix,” Stoddart said later.

“We have examined the component that failed on Mark’s car, which was a newly fabricated part but to the same design and specification as we have used all season, and the initial conclusion is that a manufacturing fault specific to that piece was responsible for the problem.

“If this had happened yesterday, then we would have had time to get the parts back to the factory to have them stress-tested and could have raced today. Unfortunately, there is simply not the time available to us

sponsors. Everyone has worked so hard, and to have to miss a Grand Prix is just hugely disappointing.

“As ever, though, we will now put this event behind us,learn any lessons that need to be learned, and concentrate our energies on preparing for the next race,in Austria.”

Webber too was philosophical: “It was a difficult weekend for the team and myself,” he explained in a post-race statement.

‘The issue with the front wing on Saturday was a shame as we lost a lot of time in the practice sessions but the guys did a greatjob in getting the car sorted as best they could for qualifying. Then,they worked really hard on getting the front wings back to the factory in Italy on Saturday night and

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Wings clipped Stoddart withdravirs Webber, Yoong from

n Ooopps Dept. In our last issue, we said that Todd Kelly and Kmart Racing had the support of Bridgestone. We were wrong; the team has sponsorship from Goodyear, which is under the Pacific Dunlop umbrella. n Both Holden Racing Team Commodores carried the name of Chris Thornton at the Sydney races.

Senior Constable Thornton, who was tragically killed in the line of duty on the NSW Central Coast, was a part of the team's Bathurst campaign in recent years and, prior to that, was a member of Gibson Motorsport's team. n Matty White is a dad. No, not the driver, but the Netwok 10 commentator was presented with a son during the week prior to the race. n Former Australian Rally Champion and suspension specialist Murray Coote has been re-acquired

by Ford Credit Racing in a bid to improve the performance of Glenn Seton's team, particularly on the new Dunlop control tyre.

The wingless wonders: After having a front wing fail on Saturday, above, Webber lost a rear wing during the Sunday warm-up and had to take a truck back to the pits, below. The same thing happened to Yoong after some injudicious kerb-hopping.

(Photos by Sutton-lmages)

working through the night to have them fully prepared for the race and back at the track in time for the warm-up.

“The failm'e that occurred on my car in today’s warm-up is something that has never, ever happened to us before and, because we didn’t fully understand this failure and didn’t have the time to work through it, we took the decision not to compete today.

“I have absolute full confidence in the team that this will be fully sorted in time for the next Grand Prix in Austria. For sure, it was fhistrating not to be able to continue the good run that we’ve had to date but we’ll bounce back at the Al-Ring.”

For more see Webber’s GP Diary, page 59 1 May 2002

Sex, death, murder, trees and F1 racing

THE Save Albert Park movement in Melbourne has in recent years attracted some unusual folk.

The Australian Grand Prix they are there to stop has been a huge success and the few remaining members of SAP are the subject of ridicule from most of the Melbourne population.

The movement will not be helped by news of a love affair which went wrong between two members of SAP which ended up with a murder.

Romance blossomed between David Vance Mizon and Lucy May when they manned the barricades of Albert Park back in 1995. They broke up in 1997 but the relationship was rekindled in 1999, despite the fact the Mizon was living

with someone else.

The Supreme Court in Melbourne heard this week that May became pregnant and in September 2000 Mizon tried to Strangle May at her home in the south-east of Melbourne. He then stabbed her 16 times. He later returned to the scene to "discover the body" in an effort to create an alibi but police were suspicious that he did not call an ambulance and because he had cuts on his hand.

Mizon denied the charges but was convicted of the crime in February and has now been given a 21-year jail sentence.

Justice Bernard Bongiorno ordered that he serve a minimum of 17 years.

There are therefore two less protesters in the park...

JOE SAWARD

n PROCAR will stick with the Top Eight Eliminator qualifying concept for the Oran Park round of the Nations Cup series this weekend.

Following a meeting late last week, category management run will run it again to gauge response from teams and spectators, with a single championship point going to the fastest qualifier from the actual qualifying session.

Following Oran Park a final decision will be made on the future of the concept.

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n Tragedy struck the Australian Superbike Championship at Mallala on the weekend, with the death of 19-year-old Ballarat rider Liam Magee. The 19-year-old nephew of Grand Prix winner Kevin Magee, died at the scene of the accident during the second qualifying race on Saturday. The up-and-coming rider, who finished fourth in last year's 250cc Production class lost control at turn four. There was a moment's silence at Sunday's riders briefing, and, as a mark of respect to Liam and his family, all three of the Superbike races began with the front row of the grid unoccupied.

Motorsport News extends its sympathies to his family and friends. n British-based Aussie Ross Buckingham has finalised plans to race in this year's Nurburgring 24 Hour on June 1. The British GT driver will share a Caterham 7 in the world's biggest race, which has an entry list of some 210 cars and an estimated 100,000 spectators lining the 25.3-kilometre circuit.

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In the negative

PAUL Romano has been hit with a huge penalty over his driving conduct in the second round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series at Phillip Island.

The Queenslander, who clashed with Rodney Forhes in Race 2 at the Island, was found guilty of driving in a dangerous, reckless

and careless manner when he allowed his car to hit Forbes's while both were off the track after contact between the two on the circuit. He was also found guilty of bringing the sport into disrepute, and of causing damage to property (ie, Forbes’s car).

Romano,left, was fined $20,000 for the incident and penalised 50 points on each count which, in what is believed to be a first, means that he has a negative score for the championship. He has indicated that he will

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appeal the decision.

Forbes was also found guilty of failing to exercise reasonable care and given a severe reprimand over the incident.

-PHIL BRANAGAN

Taken for a ride? Call for Are media rides turning into fuii-house test sessions?

A CONTROVERSY looks to be brewing regarding Friday afternoon media rides in V8 Supercar racing.

A number of team owners have made quiet comments on the fact that more and more teams are making more rides available for guests and members of the press, arid allege that the rides are actually turning into impromptu test sessions.

On Friday at Eastern Creek, several observers reported that cars were going at almost race pace, with one team member clocking a rival car in the high 1 m34s bracket - a decent race lap time - with a passenger on board.

Quite apart from the possibility of having an incident at near-race speed, some people have concerns that data gained during the sessions may provide an unfair advantage to competitors who take past in the session. The restriction on testing, which this season limits teams to 10 test days at onlv one nominated track, make anv

anonymous, suggested that one car involved in the session at Eastern Creek had suspension changes made immediately after the session, though MN was unable to verify this.

The guidelines regarding media rides are clear.

Drivers are supposed to stay within an 80 percent of the speed potential of cars and drivers, and maintain a proper distance to other cars on the track, The usual number of rides in an afternoon session is in the high 20s, and 28 rides were conducted at Eastern Creek.

The activities are overseen by Tim Schenken, Race Director for the V8 Supercar Championship S©ri©s "There's always the temptation that it will turn into a test session, isn't there?" said Schenken on Monday. "Some years ago, teams did use the session as a test session, with team mennber on board with passengers, but we stopped that.

"We have not monitored the situation terribly

TEGA Board member

TEGA Board Member Kim Jones has spoken out on the current political situation facing the V8 Supercar category.

The co-owner of OzEmail Racing has said that "it is time that someone spoke publicly" about current matters, but stressed he was doing so not in his role as a Board member but as a team principal, "We have to be very careful about what happens in the future," Jones said.

"If you take Mark Skaife out of the equation last weekend, we had 29 cars covered by a second in qualifying, and that is in a 1m30Plus lap. Even three years ago, such a thing did not seem possible. I know people in racing all around the world and they cannot believe what a competitive category we have.

So, the goal to make the ^cing closer, which was, uppermost in people's few years ago, has been he goal of the sport to ^ glso nnore commercially .,h been achieved. Nobody co^ia argue that the category nas moved forward in that area in the last three years. do is to work "What we need to want to be in the out where we future and how we want to get there.

'Look at the grids. We are over-

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■d struggles on .\\

THE ongoing dispute over the future of the Board of the Touring Car Entrants’ Group TEGA continued at Eastern Creek, with a number of team principals calling for the Board to be left in place for the remainder of its term.

At the behest of several team owners, notably Dugal McDougall Motorsport’s Peter McDougall, an Extraordinary General Meeting of the teams has been called, but already a number of team owners have question whether such a meeting, and the likelihood and a vacating of all Board positions, is good for the category.

One team owner spoke about the matter off the record; “There is no doubt that changing the board would help my team,” he

stability

im Jones urges caution

subscribed. That is an envious position to be in. The goal of making the grid as large as 36 cars is a Band-Aid solution. That does not fit in places like Canberra or Perth, so what would we do there?

"And, with the 'Level-4-teams running three cars. If you take HRT down to two cars and apply the same rule to the other threecar teams, that opens up seven grid spots. But if there is an economic downturn, it may go up to 26 cars again.

"The Konica Series needs to have its profile raised. Maybe there should be Konica round at one of our races. And there are people (in the V8SCS) who may be better-placed in the Konica Series.

"We need to be stable for commercial dealings. As we sit here today, that's impossible to say to a sponsor that we will be going to every race and starting each round. But at the moment . . . you are damned if you do and damned if you don't.

"There is a push to unseat the Board. It consumes a lot of time. I have been on it only six months and there has been a lot of turmoil in that time. I think that it would be unproductive to unseat the Board but, if that is what the members want, there is a process to be followed in doing so."

- PHIL BRAWAGAN

1 Mav 2002

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said. “I have some issues with some of the current board members, who indicated to me that they would vote one way on issues and then voted another way.

“But we voted them in in December last year to serve a oneyear term. Since I got into this sport, my word has been my bond and I am not going to start changing that now.”

There are also likely to be a number of issues decided in the near future, regardless of whether there is a board ‘spill’ or not. One is the reformation of TEGAs Technical Committee, which was abandoned some time ago, as well as a possible Drivers’ Committee, which could have input into the ^ setting and maintaining of Dnvers Conduct.

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All-rounders: IMG's Martin Jolly, Mark Skaife, Bob Jane and Brad Jones.

It’s the Bob 1000

BATHURST has a sponsor Bob Jane T-Marts.

Forty years after he won the first classic enduro at Mount Panorama, touring car legend Bob Jane will return to the mountain this season, sponsoring the 1000 in the first year of a three-year naming rights deal.

"It would be fair to say we did not realise how big the Bathurst race would become, or that one day I would be sponsoring it," said Jane at the event's Melbourne launch last month.

"I am very proud considering that I won this race and the Touring Car Championship 40 years ago and this was the foundation from which the Bob Jane T Marts business was built.

This is an excellent way to

celebrate 40 years in the tyre industry for our company and it also recognises the important role that motorsport has played in my building of that business."

Jane and co-driver Harry Firth won the race in 1963, driving a Ford Cortina GT. The following year, Jane won it again, this time partnered by George Reynolds.

The announcement comes after the race, which is run by sports management company IMG, was sponsor-less in 2001.

This year's race, the 10th round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series, will be held from October 10-13.

Tickets on sale through Ticketmaster? on 1300 136 122 or through the event's official website, www.vBsupercarl000.com,

NEWS ■ James Cressey will have a new, Alfa Romeo-powered, Dallara F301 for this weekend's third round of the Australian Formula 3 Championship at Oran Park. The 18-year-old Kiwi will drive the 2001 Italian championship-winning chassis, which arrived at the team’s Sydney workshop late last week, with a shakedown due to Wakefield Park as we went to press. Flis original car, of course, was destroyed after a road accident and subsequent fire after round one in Adelaide, ■ Making his national Formula Ford championship debut in a Spectrum 06B this weekend at Phillip Island will be Tim Macrow, the younger brother of 1998 Formula Ford champion Adam.

■ Sam Dale missed the Mallala round of the Super Tourer series on the Power Tour circus, his duties as a helicopter pilot with the Royal Australian Navy meaning that he had to forego a drive his Ford Mondeo.

Dale will be back behind the wheel for the next Power Tour event at Queensland Raceway on June 23, ■ Among those at Motegi last weekend was president of the IRL, Tony George, as well as other league officials. George was evaluating conditions for a possible IRL race at the 1.5-mile oval. The series is yet to venture away from American shores, though with Toyota joining the IRL, the push for a Japanese race from the manufacturer could be strong.

Some media outlets directly linked Honda to joining the IRL with George being in Japan, though Honda America once again has stressed that it won't have an engine for any American racing series next year. i ■ Adrian Fernandez has been named as the new President of the Championship Drivers Association, the body made up of drivers from both CART and the IRL that works to improve safety and business issues in the sport. The Mexican driver/team owner replaces Mauricio Gugelmin, who will stay on as an advisor. The Board of Directors includes Fernandez, Robbie Buhl and Jimmy Vasser.

■ CART has made a rule change In regards to testing for 2003 in a further bid to reduce costs. Each team will be allowed a total of eight days testing for each driver/car combination, with six of those to be used at CART-sanctioned open test sessions. If a team decides not to use the open test days, they will lose them. Teams were previously allowed 14 days for a one-car team and 20 for a two-car team. The testing window is open from January 3 next year until the first race of the season as well as the entire month of May. 9

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V8 Supercar Championship* .Rd 4

May 19 ...Hidden Valley ..

Jun 9 ....Canberra

,Rd 5

Jun 30 .. .Barbagallo

l Rd 6

Jl;; 28 ... .Oran Park

.Rd 7

Aug 18 .. .Winton

.Rd 8

Sep 15 ...Old Raceway ..

.Rd 9

Oct 13 ... .Bathurst

.Rd 10

Oct 27 ... .Surfers Paradise

.Rdll

Nov 10 ...New Zealand ..

.Rd 12

Dec 1 ....Sandown

.Rd 13

Konica V8 Series* May 5

. .Phillip Island

,Rd2

Jun 16

..Oran Park

.Rd3

Jul7

..Winton

.Rd4

Aug 4 ... .Mallala

.Rd5

Oct 12

Bathurst

.(non Championship)

.FiA Formula One World Championship May 12 ...A1-Ring

,Rd6

May 26 ...Monaco Montreal ...

Jun 9

.Rd8

Jun 23 ... .Nurburgring . .Silverstone , Jul 7

.Rd 10

n Rd7 l

.●Rd9

Jul 21 ... .Magny Cours

.Rd 11

Jul 28 . .. .Hockenheim

.Rd12

Aug 18 ...Hungaroring

.Rd.13

Sep 1 ... .Spa .......

.Rd 14

Sep 15 .. .Monza ....

.Rd 15

Photo by Marsh/Bothwell

Rubens or Jenson?

by JOE SAWARD IT is still early yet but the driver line-up for Formula 1 in 2003 is already being discussed and there are signs that the first moves are now beginning to be made.

The most important move is for Ferrari to decide who is going to be its second driver next year. Rubens BarricheUo has been negotiating hard in recent days with the Ferrari management to secure another season with the team.

There is no real reason for the team to changes things as the current situation is perfect for team leader Michael Schumacher.

We hear that the basis of a new deal is now in place, with Barrichello once again believed to have a one-year agreement.

Barrichello is thought to have

turned down a three-year deal with Toyota Motorsport, although it is difficult to verify that at the moment. Such a move does make sense for Toyota as the team looks to build up the operation to take it to a new level.

There have been a few stories in recent days about the possibility of Jenson Button moving to Ferrari.

The team is happy to have the rumours out there as negotiations push on with Barrichello. The Scuderia needs a credible alternative if it is to keep Barrichello’s demands down. For Button,it is good news as it raises his reputation and at the same time reminds Renault that it may not be in the team’s interest to let him go.

But it is all largely irrelevant because the only person making decisions is Sir Frank Williams,

who has the first option on Button’s services in 2003 and 200^4 and is believed to have an option for him in 2005. Sir Frank will not want Jenson going off to Ferrari on a long-term deal as he is likely to take the Englishman on when the current deals with Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya ends.

By then the Williams team will know which is the better driver of the two.

Pfmm hy \t(ir\li/liolh\u ll

CART FedEx Championship* 2 Milwaukee ,Rd 4 9

Montreal .

,Rd 5

Jun 16 . . . .Portland .

.Rd 6

Jun 30 . . . .Chicago .

.Rd 7

MotoGP Motorcycle Championship* May 5 . . . .Spain

.Rd3

May 19 . . .France

.Rd4

Jun 2

.Rd5

Italy

Jun 16 . . . .Catalunya

.Rd6

Jun 29 . . . .Assen . . .

●Rd 7

SBK World Super Bike Championship* May 12 . . .Monza

●Rd5

May 26 . . .Britain Jun 9 .Lausitzr ing

.Rd6

Jun 23 . . . .Misano

■ Rd8

,Rd7

Nations Cup May 5 . . . .Oran Park

,Rd3

Jun 9

■Rd4

Canberra

Jun 23 . . . .Winton

.Rd5

Jul 14

Old Raceway .

,Rd6

Aug 11

. . .Wakefield Park

,Rd7

home of

motorsport^ ,

All event dates in this calendar were correct at the , time ol printing. Please consult any Individual tracks and/or associations (or dale changes.

SerioQ or ovontc totocaot on Network Ten are marked with an asterisk. Check your local guides for screening details.

JAGUAR Racing has strengthened its technical staff with the hiring of two aerodynamicists: one from McLaren and the other from Arrows.

Mark Gillan has been poached from Woking and Peter Matchin from Arrows. The latter recruitment is the more controversial as Jaguar's sister company Cosworth is supplying engines to Arrows.

However, to be successful in Formula 1 there are no time for niceties and so Jaguar should be applauded for doing what is necessary to get the problems fixed. The recruitments have been in the pipeline for some time and are not the result of the recent management changes. These are expected to have a positive effect on the team as they bring it closer to the Ford Motor Company's top engineers and also to the bosses in Detroit. If they continue to support the project things will get better.

Jaguar Racing is not having an easy time at the moment but adversity can often be the best spur for future success and so we should watch out for a much better package next year. The most important thing in the interim is that Jaguar starts

to make improvements in the months ahead, even if it is only to outqualify and outrace Arrows, Much will therefore depend on the quality of the aerodynamic information coming out of the new Jaguar Racing windtunnel at Brackley.

A little success now will go a long way to giving the team confidence and that is vital for morale, the first step will be to regularly beat Arrows, which IS struggling along on an insufficient budget and without any testing, but'is using the same engines as Jaguar.

The Ford Motor Company has in the meantime been planning more cuts in sor^^oSumpean toT^ ^he Premier AuffimoSe Group expected to be moving out of its swish headquarters in the West End of London to move to the Gay(don site.

It is expected that there will be a new head of Ford Europe to replace David Thursfield who will move up to a new role as head of international operations. Thursfield is being groomed as a replacement for the company chief operating officer Sir Nick Scheele, who is 57. ~ JOE SAWARD molorsport news

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NEWS

Jordan goes for slash

Massive lay-offs at Jordan GP as Eddie (and Honda)tightens the purse strings

by JOE SAWARD

JORDAN Grand Prix has laid off more than 50 of its staff in a bid to economise on costs as rumours suggest that the team's budget is considerably less than is needed this year.

The cuts will mean that the Jordan testing and development budgets have been slashed to a minimum. It is believed that some of the staff who are leaving decided to do so of their own accord when told what team owner Eddie Jordan, right, was planning.

Jordan dressed up the cuts saying that they would make the team “tighter, more committed and harder.”

Among the victims of the cuts are five of the team’s best known names, although technical director Egbahl Hamidy, whose departure we predicted some weeks ago, has not been with the team for some time.

The victims of the cuts and walkouts include Joint Managing Director Trevor Foster, one of the

I Eddie Jordan says that he will I now oversee sporting and I commercial issues.

“Jordan has always been at its ^ best when lean and efficient,” he = said. “Once you sense complacency I creeping in, or costs becoming I exorbitant, a prudent business 5^ needs to take action. These changes will generate a more efficient structure at a time when I om- focus is on the performance I and reliability of our cars.” i The job cuts come at the same time as rumours that Jordan and Honda are going to split at the end of the season. The paddock in Barcelona was full of rumours suggesting that Honda has decided to ask the team to pay ‘a fair 1 market price.’

The big question is, of course, what ‘a fair market price’ should more highly-rated managers in FI, the hugely-experienced head of be. Arrows is believed to be paying Ford $47.2m for its Cosworth engineering Tim Holloway, chief engines this year while Sauber’s operating officer John Putt and deal with Ferrari is thought to be race engineer David Brown.

There have even been rumours worth $60m. There were unsubstantiated rumours in that the team’s new head of design Barcelona suggesting that Honda Henri Durand may decide not to has asked Jordan for $84m. stay.

gets ,Sullivan starts a trail Saelens Minardi seat DANNY Sullivan, the former F1 driver, the 1988 €ART Champion (and winner of 17 CART races between 1984 and 1993, including the 1985 Indianapolis 500) has launched a new initiative to help young American racing drivers to make it in Formula 1.

The program is to be backed

by Austrian energy drink company Red Bull, which is currently expanding fast in the US and backs Sauber, right, and Arrows as well as Team Cheever.

“I read that Red Bull wanted to increase its sales in the United States,” Sullivan said, “so I just called them up.

“What we want to do is to find US talent and bring them over here to Europe so they can get a open-wheeler education in European formula racing.”

The program is still being fully defined but will probably consist of backing for two drivers in the British Formula 3 series next year, with another two being supported in junior formulae.

- JOE SAWARD 1 May 2002

KL Minardi Asiatech has named David Saelens, above,as its official test and reserve driver.

The Belgian driver was the French Formula 3 Champion in 1998, when he won 12 consecutive race victories with the ASM team’s DallaraRenault and ended his season by winning the high-profile Marlboro Masters at Zandvoort. Saelens, 27, has since competed in the FIA Formula 3000 series, latterly with the European Minardi team.

- QUENTIN SPURRING

n Although his team has yet to rise like a phoenix from the ashes, Alain Prost was back in the Formula 1 paddock in Barcelona as a guest of Ferrari. The Frenchman's FI team went out of business at the start of the year with huge debts, leaving more than 100 people out of work but Prost seemed to be fit and healthy despite the stresses and strains of recent months.

There was a certain irony in the fact that while Prost was hanging out with Michael Schumacher, members of his old staff were either grumbling about money that they are owed or going from team to team looking for work at the other end of the paddock. There is not much hope that the planned Phoenix team will ever materialise as the whole business is now wrapped up in legal action and will remain so for some time to come. n Pedro de la Rosa says that Jaguar Racing needs two months more development before it can be properly judged this year. The Spanish driver said that the Jaguar team will produce new parts for the British GP in July which will have been developed in the team's brand new 50 percent windtunnel. n Ferrari's Luca di Montezemolo recently offered Michael Schumacher the chance to work for Ferrari for life.

Schumacher revealed the news in an interview with a Cologne newspaper.

Schumacher has said for a long time that he intends to end his driving career with Ferrari and has a vague idea of acting as an ambassador for Ferrari after that. Schumacher told the newspaper that he is not interested in running the Ferrari FI team. n The boss of GPWC, Fiat chairman Paolo Cantarella, sent out a letter to the Formula 1 team bosses in Barcelona, underlining the organisation's commitment to starting its own World Championship in 2008 if no agreement can be found between the organisation, Bernie Ecclestone and Kirch (or whoever owns the SLEC shares belonging to Kirch). Cantarella said that the organisation would make a presentation to the teams later this summer about how the championship would be structured but there are several FI team bosses who still feel that the GPWC is a bluff and the car manufacturers are not really serious about starting a new series.

H It is no big surprise that Portugal's Tiago Monteiro has been named as a member of the Renault FI Driver Development Program. The youngster has raced for most of his career in France and is backed by Renault Portugal.

He drives for Super Nova Racing in Formula 3000 and the team has a link with Renault as the cars are running in Renault FT colours.

-JOE SAWARD 11

Winterbottom signs for SBR

Karting star does five-year deal; eyes Konica V8 Series in 2003

STONE Brothers Racing has signed 2001 Ford KartStars winner and current Formula Fordster Mark Winterbottom to a five-year contract.

The deal, which marks the launch of SBR’s new V8 Supercar junior development program, will see Winterbottom receive financial support from SBR through the remainder of the Formula Ford National series, before considering the next step for the Sydeysider in 2003 and beyond.

“Mark is obviously one of the bright young talents in this country and we are delighted to welcome him as part of SBR,” said Ross Stone.

“We have had our eye on him for some time and have been impressed with his progression through the last couple of years.”

One option for the future is the formation of a SBR Formula Ford team for Winterbottom next year, however there is also the chance of sending the 20-yearold straight into the Konica V8 Supercar Series if he succeeds in taking the FFord title this season.

Bargi

by PHIL BRANAGAN

Besnard better watch his back! Winterbottom with SBR team owners Jimmy and Ross Stone at Eastern Creek on the weekend.

(Photo by Dirk Klynsmlth) There will also be opportunies for Winterbottom to be loaned out to other V8 Supercar teams should the need arise.

It is anticipated that Winterbottom will get his frst run in an SBR Falcon at the end of the year before embarking on a testing program through 2003 that may culminate in a co¬

driving role in the Queensland 500 and at Bathurst.

“I guess this is a dream come true,” said Winterbottom.

“My dream has been to race V8 Supercars at the highest level and this new program with the Stone Brothers will give me every opportunity.”

- MARK GLENDENNING

JASON Bargwanna raced without a lot of success at Eastern Creek last weekend but, remarkably,he drove the same car which somersaulted at Phillip Island last month.

Rather than drive an updated Garry Rogers Motorsport Commodore VT in Sydney, the team assessed the damage straight after the PI shunt and, after approximately 1200 man hours of effort, resurrected the GRM VX03 chassis to brand-new condition in time for the trip up the Hume Highway in the team's transporter.

In the races, Bargwanna battled away for an understeering 24th in Race 1, 26th in Race 2 and 13th in Race 3.

“It was an amazing effort,” said Bargwanna.“By the Friday after the Phillip Island crash, the car was in the paintshop and it came out looking brand new.”

The GRM team raised over $5500 for the Salvation Army at Eastern Creek last weekend by auctioning off damaged parts of the car.

Renault Youlden for KV8 debut powered ^ I l

by AARON NOONAN

F3 for Oz

A RENAULT-powered Formula 3 machine is soon the join the field in the Australian Formula 3 Championship.

Tony Astuti has bought a 1996 model Dallara from France for brother Sam to drive, the car due to arrive in about a fortnight.

Sam Astuti has been out of the cockpit following his last run in Formula Holden in 1999, spending the last two seasons working on Formula Ford and Formula 3 cars.

“It’ll be interesting to see how it goes at Wakefield Park,” said Tony.

“We’ll use some of our contacts overseas to build this Renault engine up to deal with our conditions in Australia.”

Astuti also confirmed the purchase of a Ferrari 355 Challenge from Italy with the Bathurst 24-Hour in mind.

-AARON NOONAN 12

'll,,

'■

LUKE Youlden will make his debut for the Super Cheap Auto Racing squad at this weekend’s second round of the Konica V8 Supercar Series at Phillip Island.

The 2000 Formula Ford champion will drive the car at the ’Island, Oran Park and the Bathurst Konica 30-lapper. Bob Thorn has stepped down from driving duties due to business commitments.

“I’m expecting to be competitive for sure,” said Youlden.

“I haven’t been in the car for a while. The deal only just happened was in last week so fortunately I the Sports Sedan a couple of weeks ago there. Being at the trac recently in a similarly-P^^® car a

Thorn steps out, Youlden steps in: Expect the #30 Super Cheap Falcon to be at the front at Phillip Isiand, even though Youiden hasn’t driven a V8 Supercar in anger at the Isiand.

Ian en engineer, will »«f "‘bVould;.. with Ellery himself also on hand for the weekend.

●"“●orsoon news

back n action New CAMS CEO made official CAMS has appointed Dr. Robert Nethercote as its new Chief Executive Officer. He wiil commence his new position in June this year.

“It has been a long process to appoint a CEO who we feel will be able to lead CAMS into the future and tackle the challenges that we foresee for the organisation in the next few years,” said Colin Osborne, CAMS President.

Nethercote, who completed his Doctorate in Education in 1998, has spent his working career in the education field, and sees his new position as a great challenge.

‘This is going to be quite a steep learning curve but I am looking forward to the opportunity of working with all CAMS stakeholders to bring

about improvements,” said Nethercote.

How good’s this! Garry Rogers, Jason Bargwanna and the Valvoline/Cummins crew with the finished Commodore product after a big week at the team’s Springvale headquarters.

Dr Nethercote has recently become involved as both a competitor and official with the Formula Vee Association of Victoria. His brother Andy is a regular Formula Vee racer.

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n Michael Schumacher damaged his Ferrari 2002 in a crash during a simulated race-distance test at Mugello the weekend before the Spanish Grand Prix. The underside of the car could not be repaired at the circuit, and the test was abandoned.

Schumacher had just set a new lap record for the Italian venue. n The Taiwanese computer maker, Acer, has become a sponsor and supplier of BAR. Acer became involved in Formula 1 with Prost Grand Prix in 2001, when it bought naming rights to the team's Ferrari VI0 engine. n The new, two-litre MercedesBenz Formula 3 engine was raced for the first time at Hockenheim a fortnight ago in the opening rounds of the German national series.

Markus Winkelhock's DallaraMercedes finished fifth in both races. n Nelson Piquet teamed up with teenage son Nelsinho to win the Brasilia 1000-kilometre in an MCR Sportscar last weekend. Young Piquet is a leading contender in the SudAm Formula 3 Championship. n The Korean automobile manufacturer, Kia is appraising a Touring Car project for 2003 linked to Art Engineering, which has run Porsches in the FIA GT Series. The FIA European Touring Car Championship, currently contested by Alfa Romeo (Nordauto), BMW (Schnitzer and Ravaglia) and Volvo (Prodrive) is the

likely battleground. SEAT, Nissan and Opel all had respresentatives at the Magny-Cours round to check out the opening round's action.

“I am really looking forward to the challenges ahead and I am approaching this career change with enormous enthusiasm.”

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n

n Retired Formula 1 commentator Murray Walker was among the recipients at last week's BAFTA television presentations in London.

The annual awards recognise contributions to the screen world and the ceremony was conducted by Sir Jackie Stewart.

- QUENTIN SPURRING

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13

Andretti cops At last, he Beach fine can rest

LONG Beach CART winner Michael Andretti was fined $39,000 after his car failed to pass a post-race inspection.

The American’s Team Green Honda/Reynard did not meet the minimum underbody height measurement, widely known as the ‘two-inch rule’. Andretti’s car conformed to the rule during in pre-race inspection.

The penalty was issued by CART director of technology and competition Lee Dykstra after consultation with CART stewards.

Under an anomaly in the rules, though, both the team and Andretti will get to retain the victory and the 21 points earned. It was Ajidretti’s 42nd career CART victory, which is top among active drivers.

Senna'B car, helmet destroyed AFTER eight years,the authorities in Bologna have released the helmet that Ayrton Senna was using when he was killed at Imofa in May 1994.

The helmet was handed over to representatives from Bell Racing Europe and the Senna Family at the Bologna police headquarters after a court hearing agreed that the authorities had no further use for the helmet.

Bell and the Senna Family had agreed that as soon as the helmet was released it would be destroyed and it was incinerated later that day in

Bologna. The helmet was destroyed to avoid the unpleasant trading which was seen over other Items of equipment used that day by Senna.

His overalls and his gloves are both believed to have raised considerable sums of money as ghoulish collectors' iternis.

There had been speculation thSt the car was being stored at Williams's Didcot HQ, but Sir Frank Williams confimred last week that the car had been destroyed, as per his and the Senna family's wishes.

-JOE SAWARD

CART goes Reynard sold

WHILE Reynard-built Champ Cars continue to run at the fi-ont in the CART series, the Reynard Motorsport group, which is in receivership,is being sold off by the company’s UK-appointed administrator.

British investor Paul Shakespeare is reported to have bought the company’s UK operations last week, while CART team owner Derrick Walker independently completed a deal to purchase the main elements ofthe Reynard North America operation.

Neither party has yet revealed their 14

intentions with the acquisitions.

After a vote by CART franchise holders at Twin Ring Motegi last Thursday to implement a freeze on 2003 chassis and aerodynamics rules at the specifications at the end of 2002, Walker said he was disappointed that development will be allowed to continue through the rest of this year.

‘This will be detrimental to the Reynard teams because, with the financial problems, there will be no further development this year from Reynard,” he said.

- QUENTIN SPURRING

THE CART team owners have voted to freeze their chassis rules for the next two seasons.

While there will stiU be room for minor ‘tweaks’to the current chassis, it means that there will be no major technical changes to the cars until the end of the 2004 season.

The move is seen as a way of not only ensuring that the teams currently competing the FedEx Championship Series are able to keep their costs down, but as a way of encouraging new teams or, perhaps, make it affordable for teams to expand from one to two cars without overstretching budgets.

Currently, teams can buy as many as eight chassis in a year, with expenditure upwards of $8 million in cars and spares.

WTiile the move is a plus on many fronts, it is seen as a minus for the teams which are still running Lolas. With the freeze not coming into effect until the end of the season, Lola and its teams can continue to develop their cars, but the Re3mard risers will be ‘orphaned’by the loss of the constructor to bankruptcy.

That may provide the opportunity for a return to CART

racing of its most famous team Penske. While the Penske works team moved to the Indy Racing League for this season, the recent refusal of the IRL to allow the team, which has a major R&D facility in Poole in England, had meant that its intended IRL chassis program is effectively dead.

If it were able to amortise development costs of a CART chassis over the next two seasons, Penske may just be tempted back into CART competition, either as a supplier, a team, or both.

Indeed, there are suggestions that its 2001 cars, which were heavily developed by the team and which were referred to last seasons as ‘Renskes’, are almost ready to go testing...

There are suggestions that, while the team management never expected to whitewash the IRL competition in its maiden year, Penske team member miss the variation in CART competition and are itching to return to its road and street courses.

Any changes which may have to be made to current cars to fit either ‘spec’or different branded normally-aspirated engines a la IRL, would be allowable under the new rules. motorsport news

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NEWS .v'

The FIA Foundation goes on a spend

PlMo.by Mike UiiWiu/Alhphn

THE FIA Foundation,the new charity set up by the money raised from the sale of the commercial rights to Formula 1 for the next 108 years, has begun to invest some of the $600m raised.

We hear that the FIA Foundation, which will be run independently of the federation itself, has just bought a four-storey building on London's Trafalgar Square to act as its headquarters. Such an investment is believed to be worth around $29m at current property values. We understand that the FIA will rent out offices in the building to offset the cost.

The exact location of the building is not clear but as three sides of the square are taken up by the Canadian and South African Embassies and The National Gallery it is safe to assume that the building in question is on the south side of the famous square. It is the perfect location for the foundation as it is a stone's throw from the government ministries which are lined up along Whitehall and within easy reach of 10 Downing Street (the Prime Minister's residence) and the House of Parliament.

The setting up of the FIA Foundation is expected to result in some restructuring at the FIA as it will also coincide with the return of certain FIA departments to the federation's traditional offices in the Automobile Club de France on the Place de la Concorde in Paris.

The FIA will retain offices in Brussels and in Geneva. The Belgian office is used for the FIA campaigns in relation to the European Commission while the Swiss bureau is a point of contact between the FIA and the international organisations based in Geneva, notably the United Nations and the World Health Organisation.

-JOESAWARD

for chassis freeze

I

n Paul O'Neill, who claimed his first ever race win by winning the BTCC feature race at Oulton Park recently,(see page 17), still works at Ikea, a European furniture shop, even despite the trappings of wealth his family has through his popstar sister Mel C! Talk about keeping your feet on the ground! n Former World Superbike star Carl Fogarty was at Oulton Park as a guest of the Team Petronas Syntium Proton squad but has ruled out a move into car racing. "I’m too busy with my Superbike team," said the Brit. "A move into car racing doesn't interest me." n The BTCC is to adopt forensic science methods to stop cheating.

Technical bosses have joined forces with SmartWater, an award-winning scientific crime prevention company, to develop a system that will enable scrutineers to mark sealed components with a solution containing a unique identity. The solution can be detected with ultra violet light and can provide scrutineers with data such as time and date of application, and by whom. n BTCC series boss Richard West is going rallying, The former FI commercial guru is driving a Peugeot 206 on the Welsh Rally in May. n Carl Breeze is looking to move into the BTCC. The Norfolk driver who won last year's Formula Renault UK title, had planned to move up to the British F3 series this year but quit the Ford-powered Motaworld team on the eve of the first race, Flis manager Jerry Mahony, a former BTCC race winner and proprietor of the Touring Car VIP Club, is attempting to place Breeze in yic Lee's Peugeot team.

LSi]

Reynard versus Lola: Dario Franchitti’s Reynard Honda and Bruno Junqueira's Lola Toyota battle for the lead (Photo by Sutton-lmagos) at Motegi.

1 May 2002

n British oval track Rockingham has hit problems. After the track surface leaked at its Champ Car event last year, the track needs to be resurfaced. A sealant had been put on the track to enable the circuit to run a club race meeting but ASCAR testing was halted after the sealant stuck to the tyres of the cars and caused them to crash into the wall. Flence, the club meeting has been cancelled and rapid resurfacing work is under way. n South African Earl Goddard is to race the ex-Michael Schumacher Benetton B194 in the UK-based EuroBOSS championship this year.

The series, devised by Roger Cowman, caters for Big Open Single Seaters and has attracted an amazing entry, including Klaas Zwart's V12 Ferrari and Tony Worswick's exRubens Barrichello Jordan, Also on the entry are two Ascaris of ex-rally man Hard Toivonen and Phil Andrews, - DAVID ADDISON 15

Aussies struggle in F3000

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by AARON NOONAN

Hanging around one another a Utile too much: Briscoe and Nguyen are rarelyfar apart in qualifying and races. They nowjust need to do it at the front ofthefield. Pantano, below right chasing Enge, took the win. (Sumn-imasrs)

AUSTRALIA’S Formula 3000 drivers Ryan Briscoe and Rob Nguyen have continued to struggle against their vastly more experienced rivals.

Both struggled in qualifying on the weekend at Barceiona, Nguyen out-qualifying Briscoe in 16th spot, one up on the Toyota FI test driver.

But in the race, Briscoe turned the tabies, picking his way up the order by virtue of a number of drivers in front making mistakes. In the end, Briscoe took 12th, Nguyen 14th.

“The car feels quite good and the set-up is not bad,” said Briscoe.

“It is difficult because we cannot test much, but we are improving. At the moment ail the learning is done at race weekends. I just have to work a lot harder.”

Out in front, Giorgio Pantano won and moved to equal second in the championship with Super Nova’s Sebastien Bourdais, after the Frenchman made a mistake on the last lap.

Bourdais ied Pantano and Tomas Enge (Arden Team Russia) away, and that’s how they ran for the majority of the race distance.

Pantano passed with three 16

WILL Davison has emerged unscathed after a nasty Formula Renault testing accident on the Brands Hatch Indy circuit.

Fresh from a sixth-place finish in the last round of the series at the undulating Oulton Park layout, the Motaworld driver came to grief in the second session of the day last Thursday, severely damaging his machine.

“Ijust made a bit of a mistake through the really quick Surtees comer,” said Davison.“It did a fair bit of damage and I was lucky not to hurt myself really. The car’s OK, with just a bruise or two for me.

“Lots of people put new tyres on at the end ofthe day which pushed me

back. I’m building my confidence.

Over the last three or four tests, I’m starting to get into it.”

Better news was his sixth-place result at Oulton Park.

While he did finish fifth on the road, the 19-year-old was handed a 10-second penalty for missing a chicane after an unsuccessful manoeuvre under brakes on team mate Gary Turkington.

“I was really happy with the race. I made a good start but got moved onto the grass and lost a spot and then it was a full-blown dogfight for 15 laps.

“I slowly picked them off one-byone. There was lots of wheel hanging and it was certainly an eye-opener.”

The championship moves to Thruxton this weekend.

Character building laps to go but Bourdais got back in front, oniy to lock up and spear off into the turn seven gravei trap on the final lap.

Pantano sailed to his second F3000 win over Enge, whiie Bourdais resumed to trundle home in third. Red Buii’s Ricardo Mauricio took fourth, ahead of Mario Haberfield (Astromega) and Pantano’s team-mate, Enrico Toccacelo.

The series moves along with the Formuia 1 circus to the A1Ring in Austria next weekend.

Points: R.Sperafico 16, Pantano/Bourdais 14, Haberfeld 8.

AUSSIE Alex Davison has ended what can only be dubbed a character-building start to his racing season, with a crash and a mechanical failure keeping him out of a podium-challenging position.

Having qualified seventh in the Porsche Supercup round at Barceiona on the weekend, he yet again suffered a broken driveshaft that left him stranded on the grid as the field left on the warm-up lap.

"It's pretty bad but I can’t really do anything about it. My race doesn't have too much of a story! I was happy with the whole weekend and the job I did but I'd like to find a reason (for the failure)."

A week earlier in the opening round of the Carrera Cup series at Hockenheim, a mistake in qualifying left him in the wall after crashing. He faught back through the field from a lowly grid spot and ended up ninth at race's end.

- AARON NOONAN motorsport news

NEWS s

Spicing up the BTCC

6th

It at Brands Hatch

IT wasn’t a surprise that Vauxhall picked up two more wins in the BTCC at Oulton Park,hut it was a surprise that Egg Sport driver Paul O’Neill won one of them.

The brother of Spice Girl Mel C won the feature race after Muller had won the sprint race.

The Frenchman made the most of a drive-through penalty that was handed to Matt Neal (for starting out of his grid position) to take his first win of the year, clear of Warren Hughes(MG ZS)and James Thompson (Astra).

“I really can’t believe the result,” said O’Neill. “The crowd and everyone has bSen simply mega!"

Neal made another bungle in the feature race when he accidently drove into the Honda team’s pits, mistaking their red

Eggs and spice and all things nice: Paul O’Neill picked up the pieces for Vauxhall at Oulton Park.

(Photo by

uniforms for the Team Dynamics outfits he’s been so used to in the past!

He ended up out of the race after nmning into Hughes, while Muller (intermittent electrical problem) and Thompson (punctured front tyre) both had troubles and handed the win to O’Neill.

Tim Harvey(Peugeot 406) finished second, but was demoted to sixth for only changing one t3rre at his compulsory pit stop due to equipment failure.

Hughes therefore took second ahead of David Leslie, who grabbed Proton’s first-ever podium finish.

'■

%

■i'

All Audi and Aiello

AUDI has turned the tables on Mercedes-Benz in the opening round of the D'TM series at i Hockenheim.

Former BTCC champ Laurent AieUo, above, took his Abt Audi TT-R to victory over team-mate Mattias Ekstrom and Mercedes debutant Jean Alesi.

Defending Champion Bemd Schneider took fourth ahead of Opel young gun Timo Scheider.

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17

Photos bv Sutlon-lmaaes and Bothwell Photoaraohic

At Motegi it was time Bruno Junqueira to...

Bounce BaclP

by PHIL MORRIS

Don’t take it lying down; Paul Tracy switched chassis to Lola for Motegi, though a wheel bearing failure put him out while in a strong (Photo by Boyd/Bothwell Photographic) position up front.

VMNT TO RACE A

V8 SUPERCAR! You could own your own V8 Supercar and pit equipment for if you are the successful Tenderee for CM Motorsports V8 Supercar.

Tender Application Forms available for ^220.00. Minimum of Five Hundred (500)Tenders required.

Tenders closing date is 21 June 2002.

The V8 Supercar outfit competed in last years Konica V8 Supercar

Series with several top -lo finishes and competed at selected Shell Rounds.

Car is ready to race Konica V8 Supercar or Sports Sedan complete with huge amount of spares and pit equipment.

057 for your tender application package.

18

THERE has been a round of the FedEx Championship Series at the Honda-owned Twin Ring Motegi oval ever sjnce 1998, but a Honda-powered car has never won there.

Well, that fact remains the same, as last Saturday it was Bridgestone Potenza 500 pole-sitter Bruno Junqueira in the Target Lola/Toyota that took victory.

“I’m very happy to get this win for Toyota,” said the Brazilan of his second Champ Car win.

“They gave me good engines all three days here. It means a lot to Toyota to win here in Japan. Tony (Kanaan)and (Paul)Tracy were up there with me and they were fast. I knew they would try to pass me on the first lap.

“I tried to relax, follow them, and just let them fight for it. They got into traffic later on and I caught back up to them.”

Honda-powered drivers Tracy and Kanaan dominated the race’s first 110 of 201 laps, though wheel bearing and engine failure respectively sidelined both and allowed Junqueira to win by 12.8s over Alex Tagliani and Dario Franchitti, sticking with the Reynard/Honda combination while his team-mate Tracy moved to a Lola chassis.

Franchitti lost a shot at victory as early as lap 44, when he and quasi-team-mate Michael Andretti

(who would later fall victim to a broken rear wing mounting plate) fell off the lead lap due to mistiming their pit stops under caution. They pitted under yellow, but the race went straight back to green flag conditions and they weren’t able to get up to speed to hold out the leaders.

If there was some consolation for the Scotsman, it was that his third-place puts him in the lead of the series, ^er Cristiano da Matta had a shocker and retired with handling difficulties.

Another of Junqueira’s challengers, Patrick Carpentier, was eliminating from contention by getting a drive-through penalty for crossing the yellow line entering pitlane.

“How can it be dangerous when you’re going 40 miles an hour?” asked Carpentier. “It’s illogical. I’m very disappointed they saw things that way. Between the penalty and the time lost getting back to the track, it put me two laps down.”

Carpentier recovered to take fourth, ahead of the everconsistent Michel Jourdain Jr, Oriol Servia and Adrian Fernandez.

Kenny Brack’s horror season continued with boost problems putting him out, while Jimmy Vasser was the first retirement after an accident.

Points: Franchitti 34, Joiirdain Jr 32, da Matta 27, TagUani 26, Junqueira 23, Andretti 22,Papis 18.

raoiorsDori news

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World Superbikes

Tornado Warning IT’S a pretty small club, the “We Beat Troy Bayliss in 2002’ Association. It has two members; Colin Edwards and Makato Tamada.

The American and the Japanese Honda riders shared the wins in the fourth round of the World Superhike Championship at Sugo, Edwards becoming the first nonJapanese rider to win at the track in seven years.

In the opening race, Edwards had to fight off challenges from both Tamada and poleman , Noriyuki Haga. In the second, n Edwards got stuck in third behind Neil Hodgson’s Ducati and, by the time he got by, a lack of grip forced him to settle for second and points.

“I was confident of being able to win here but when you’ve got a couple of riders like Tamada and Haga and at their home track tailing you, it’s never going to be easy,” said Edwards.

Bayliss took fifth in the first race, behind Haga and Hodgson, while the Aussie was fourth in Race 2, again trailing the Brit Ducati rider.

“I was still disappointed to finish behind Colin, but I tried as hard as I could and that was the best I could do today,” admitted Bayliss after Race 2.

Ben Bostrom had a bad day, a spill leaving him hurt in Race 1 before he battled on to ninth in the second race.

Points: Bayliss 174, Edwards 150, Hodgson 98,Bostrom (Ducati)95, Haga 87.

SUZUKI finally won something in 2002, Stephane Chambon taking a neat Supersports win.

The Frenchman held off a late challenge from his Suzuki team mate Katsuaki Fujiwara, Chambon winning by only 0.282s.

Fabien Foret was third on his Honda.

Karl Muggeridge was the best of the Aussie, taking fourth late in the race, while Andrew Pitt finished seventh after problems in qualifying. Kevin Curtain took ninth on his Yamaha.

Points: Chambon 77 points, Pitt 70, Foret 59, Kellner 47, Fujiwara 33.

»c.‘ I*.

JI.

Tyred and emotional: Tohru Ukawa leads Valentino Rossi to the flag on the Ph

Top-Ool

4 a set in Rossi drops

Happy as Rally: Edwards and Tamada celebrate not having Bayliss on the podium at Sugo.

JUST when it looked like Valentino Rossi was going to win whatever and whenever he liked, Tohru Ukawa scored the win in the second round of the MotoGP Championship at Welkom,South Africa.

The Japanese turned the tables on his illustrious team-mate, superior tyre choice deciding what was an all-Honda affair. On the Phakisa Freeway circuit, which has eight right-hand corners and three left-handers, Ukawa’s choice of a dual-compound rear, with a harder compound on the righthand side, meant that he could out-last Rossi by just under a second at the flag.

But it was a tough fight. Rossi twice passed for the lead on the final lap, only to run wide and allow Ukawa through to his first win in the premier category.

“I’m very happy to have scored this victory in the first year of the MotoGP category,” beamed Ukawa after the race. “I knew Rossi would attack me over the last three laps, and I remember a 250 race in 1999 which was very similar. The victory today is a good first step in the championship.”

Rossi bemoaned his tyi-e choice but was gracious in defeat.

“I got off to a good start, and had a good rhythm going, but I couldn’t shake off Ukawa who came with

me,” he said. “In the end I made a mistake which cost me, but second place is still good for the championship.”

Loris Capirossi won the ‘twostroke class’ on his Honda NSR500, getting the better of a tight battle with Daijiro Katoh (Honda), Carlos Checa’s Yamaha four-stroke and the Yamaha 500s of Olivier Jacque, Norick Abe and Shinya Nakano.

“V^en Rossi and Ukawa broke away, I tried to go with them,” said Capirossi, “but I had to be satisfied with third in the end because if I had pushed too much it would have been dangerous because of the state of the tyres.”

Rubber also decided the day for Suzuki. After their good showing in Japan, Sete Gibernau and Kenny Roberts were hampei'ed by their Dunlops, the hardest compound of which still would not last the race distance. In the end, both riders pumped for medium compounds and made what appeared to be planned pitstops. Gibernau was the last of the finishers, while Roberts retired with tyr-e vibration.

Aussie Garry McCoy qualified a promising fifth fastest and held his ground at the start, but fell to 10th at the flag after having grip pi'oblems,just behind Max Biaggi, who made a terrible start from which he never recovered after ■notorspori news

MOTOGP

.\

Mladin/Gobert feud

1

firisa Freeway track. Nope, he did. Really.

loh

’^outh Africa clutch problems in the warm-up.

Points: Rossi 45, Checa 27, Ukawa 25, ^Capirossi 23, Ryo and Abe 20.

1

MARCO Melandri must love it when a plan comes together.

The Italian broke away from the pack at the start and watched his gap stretch to 3s at the flag to take his second career 250cc GP win.

Poleman Franco Battaini wandered around in second place from Fonsi Nieto to take an Aprilia 1-2-3, while Roberto Rolfo was fourth on his Honda.

Aussie teenager Casey Stoner starred. After qualifying in eighth place, the 16-year-old leapt to second within two laps, only to hit the deck on his Aprilia. He was unhurt in the crash.

Points: Battaini 26,Randy de Puniet 26, Miyazaki 25, Melandri 25,Alzamora 22.

ARNAIID Vincent’s great start to the 125cc Championship continued, despite having to give best to Manual Poggiali.

The World Champion’s Gilera emerged from a seven-bike battle to take the win,from Vincent, Daniel Pedrosa(Honda)and Honda punters Steve Jenlmer, Pablo Nieto, Alex de Angelis and Gino Borsoi.

Points: Vincent 45,Poggiali 41, Pedrosa 24, Giansanti 20, Sanna 19.

1 Ma» 2002

A war of words has broken out between Mat Mladin and Anthony Gobert - in the US press.

The two Australian Superbike stars are at loggerheads over comments Gobert made recently regarding the 1994 Australian Superbike Championship.

"I've kinda sat back and listened to him talk a lot of crap about me all year and I'm tired of it," said Gobert.

"I'm sick of him writing in and saying that I'm nothing and I have neve/ done anything. He even said that in '94 that I only beat him because he broke his back - that's not true at all. He had some puny little fracture, a whisker, which was nothing really. And that was only for one round and he didn't even miss a race. Meanwhile, he's on a semi-factory Kawasaki and I'm on an anyone-can-buy RC45 and it broke a couple of times."

Mladin countered; "I was lifted onto my bike for both races (at Wanneroo) by Pete (Kawasaki's Peter Doyle) and my then-crew chief Wayne Smith and finished sixth in the first race.

"I got lucky in the second

race as it rained heavily and was a completely wet track. 1 then got lucky for a second time won the second race and beat'MY HERO'(Gobert).

"I had some CT Scans done of my back and they showed Thoracic number 6 through 10 were fractured severely and wedging occurred of Thoracic 6, 7 and 8. They said,that if I had tumbled at the race again I would have more than likely now been in a wheelchair."

Gobert, right, continues: "We, me and Yamaha, go to each test and race to make Yamaha at the top. When you are the quickest and guys like Mladin lie to make himself and Suzuki look better, it's just pathetic.

"He (Mladin) trashes me continually because he knows I'm a better rider than him everybody knows I'm a better rider than him."

Back to Mladin; "I've been hard on 'MY HERO' because he has won the 1994 Australian Superbike Championship. Congrats. After I won my first championship in 1999, I somehow recall 'MY HERO' saying how easy it was over in the U.S. and how fat he

was and still winning races. Not that easy on an inline, hey big boy?"

Mladin also pointed to Gobert's defection from Honda to Kawasaki for the 1994 World Superbike Championship race at Phillip Island, which he won.

It looks like the two riders might continue with this for some time ...

Ducati OR shock:

still no update!

AS Motorsport News closed for press came the startling revelation that there has still been no decision as to who will test Ducati’s V4 MotoGP bike later in the year.

Despite World Superbike Champion 'Troy Bayliss and team mate Ben Bostrom both being anxious to ii\v out the new machine, it was apparent that there would be no rea.son to run a photo of the new miK'hlw. pictured left, thi.^ week.

“There is ab.snlutley no rea.son for you to run a photo of the bilce, apart from the fact that it is a gorgeous piece of kit,” one team insider told MN. One a serious note, we have heard that Bayliss has intimated privately that he believes he will test the bike first, but he refused to put down rumours that he already had.

Whatever, Ducati will launch the bike at Mugello on May 30.

21

Nazareth w l 't

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Four winnersfrom four races: Scott Sharp became thefirst winner ofan IRL race at Nazareth.

(Photo by Suiton-Imagcs)

A Sharp Strategy Kelley Racing’s king: Scott Sharp, above, benefittedfrom Gil de Ferran's misfortunes, while Sarah Fisher, below, proved herselfin the Purex machine,finishingfourth.

(Photos by Sufton-Images)

SCOTT Sharp earned his first Indy Racing League victory of the season when leader Gil de Ferran ran out of fuel on the final lap of the Firestone Indy 225 on April 21 at Nazareth Speedway.

Sharp held off Felipe Giaffone's Hollywood Mo Nunn Racing G Force/Chevrolet by 0.4969s for his first victory since the Casino Magic 500 in June 2001 at Texas Motor Speedway, de Ferran coasted to the finish to take third.

"We knew we had enough fuel there at the end," said team owner Tom Kelley. "We just told Scott to push Gil as hard as he possibly could.

Fortunately, maybe that ate up an extra half of a gallon or whatever it took for him to run

'A

f',..

.N

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out at the end."

Sarah Fisher finished fourth in her first start of the season in the Purex G Force/Infiniti (standing in for the still-injured Robbie Buhl), while Helio Castroneves was fifth in the second of the Penskes.

The final-lap drama occurred as de Ferran was trying to finish the final 130 laps of the race without pitting.

His last stop came on lap 95 as team owner Roger Penske elected to gamble by keeping the pole winner on the track during late-race caution periods, hoping either rain would end the race early or de Ferran would conserve enough fuel during the lengthy caution periods to have enough to run to the finish.

"It was a shame, but nevertheless I thought it was a great strategy by Roger and the team," said de Ferran.

Sam Hornish Jr. kept the points lead despite placing 17th. He was forced to pit for repairs for 47 laps after the leftfront suspension on his Pannzoil Dallara was damaged in a collision with Buddy Lazier.

Alex Barron, Eddie Cheever, Billy Boat, Anthony Lazzaro and Shigeaki Hattori rounded out the top 10.

The Indy 500 awaits ...

Point standings: Hornish 154, de Ferran 149, Castroneves 145, Giaffone 105, Sharp 98, J, Lazier 90, Redon 81, Unser Jr. 78, Salazar/Barron 77.

Penske rr-j'.i

PENSKE Cars has been informed by the Indy Racing League that it hasn’t been chosen to produce IRL chassis in 2003.

“The Indy Racing League is moving forward in its selection ot approved chassis suppliers based upon what it believes is in the oest interests of the league and its participants,” said Brian IRL vice president of opera lo l “The league acknowledge high level of product and extent customer service that Pens has provided in other fsties, u we have decided we will no consider its application tur er.

IRL officials intend to finish the review of the proposals put forward by other potential chassis manufacturers as we go to press.

Penske Cars and other chassis manufacturers who are not selected to supply chassis in 2003 will be allowed to resubmit applications for the 2004 season, molorspori news

i

INDY RACING LEAGUE

izar injured

Papisjoins Red Bull Team Cheever for Indy 500

Chilean out for year, replaced by American Greg Ray into 2003

ELISEO Salazar, left, will be forced to sit out the remainder of the Indy Racing League season after a testing crash at Indianapolis put him in hospital.

Doctors repaired a torn vertebral artery in the 46-year-old veteran’s chest following a hit with the outside wall in turn one and he will be out for nine months, if indeed he decides to return to racing at all.

“Eliseo had a close call at Indy, but he is going to be OK,” said AJ Foyt. “It’s been tough on our team because he has become a friend, and it really shook us up. We were

really looking forward to nmning here with him hut the main thing is that he heals up and takes the time he needs to do it.”

Tests carried out at Methodist Hospital following the crash revealed the tear, which had it gone untreated, could have been fatal.

It’s not the first time the former Formula 1 driver has been injured in an IRL car. He badly broke his leg in a practice accident at Walt Disney World Speedway in 1996 and suffered multiple leg fractures in another practice crash at Dover in 1998.

Richie Hearn replaced Salazar in the car for the Nazareth race.

though Foyt has announced that he has signed Team Menard off cast Greg Ray to drive the car for the rest of this year as well as in 2003.

“When I drove for A.J. before, I really enjoyed working with him and the team,” Ray said.

“Over the last 10 years. I’ve spent a lot of time hanging out with the guys on Foyt’s team. I always raced against him at Indy, so teaming up with A.J. there will he a special experience for me.

“Our personalities match extremely well, so I’m sure that’s worth a couple tenths.”

- PHIL MORRIS

iisses out Arie quick at Indy ARIE Luyendyk has turned a lap of 226.873 mph In testing at Indianapolis in preparation for the May 26 event.

The Treadway Racing pilot, who retired after the 1999 race but came back for last year's event, set the speed in near perfect conditions. The early testing speeds are making predictions of a return to the 230 mph ceiling not seen at the Speedway since the era of the turbocharged cars came to an end in 1996.

"I felt we were going to be quick just because we had such a good test at (Las) Vegas," Luyendyk said.

fr

Photo

*

Sutlon-imffgfs

^4

Lazier hurt at Nazareth

by PHIL MORRIS JAQUES Lazier and Tomas Scheckter,two of the fastest young guns in the IRL, are in different stages of doubt for the Indy 500 after both were hospitalised following a collision in the Firestone Indy 225 at Nazareth.

Lazier has a fractured lower back that will keep him out the cockpit for at least six months, while the South African may cop a suspension for causing the accident, which occurred on lap 122 when Scheckter tried to pass on the low side of Lazier.

“It would have been nice to roll into Indy with another good result under our belt,” Lazier said.

Team owner John Menard will need to find a new driver for the 1 May 2002

Feeling a touch of the blues: Jaques Lazier is attended to by recovery crews at Nazareth, (Photo by Sulton-lmages) majority of the season and has already talked to Roberto Moreno, Donnie Beechler, Max Papis, Memo Gidley and J.J. Yeley about taking over the #2 machine.

An announcement on a replacement is yet to be made.

Scheckter suffered a bruised

lung and concussion as a result of the incident, where both drivers spun tail-first into the wall outside wall. The son of 1979 world champion Jody Scheckter has come under fire in the opening races of the season for his aggi-ession on the oval tracks.

Photo by Sutton-lma^es

RticKWeli,. jnmJ,l‘S7'

MAX Papis will make his Indy 500 debut this year behind the wheel of a third Red Bull Team Cheever Dallara/lnfiniti.

The Italian, who drives for the Sigma Autosport team in the CART series, will drive a third car as team mate to Eddie Cheever and Tomas Scheckter.

"I will have a strong opportunity that I am ready to grab," said Papis.

"I have prepared myself physically, mentally and with a great will to succeed." n Indy Racing League veteran Mark Dismore will return for the Indy 500 in a second car fielded by Sam Schmidt Motorsports.

Out of a ride since he lost his seat at Kelley Racing at the end of last year, the 45-year-old veteran will drive a car backed by Grill2Go, which backed Scott Goodyear's TeSm Cheever oar in last year's race.

Dismore qualified fourth for the 2001 Indianapolis 500 and led for 29 laps before being forced to make a pit stop due to mechanical problems. n Present at Nazareth was Tom Walkinshaw. The chairman of TWR Group, which builds the Infiniti engines used by Team Cheever and Team Purex said that, "It's good racing, and we enjoy it. It's been a big challenge." n Last year he was a commentator for the IRL, but this year he's getting behind the wheel.

Actor Jason Priestley is the latest to sign up for the new indy Racing Infiniti Pro Series, announcing that he will drive a car fielded by IRL car owner Kelley Racing.

Priestley, 32, has competed in various forms of motorsports, including IMSA, the SCCA Pro Rally Series, the Magna Enduro Series and the FIA World Rally Championship, including Rally Australia in 1995 in a Ford Escort.

23

Sportscar Ney^s

Bentley inte orbit! van de Poele emerges unscathed after high-speed Paul Ricard crash

Stef to ORECA

by GARY WATKINS BENTLEY Le Mans driver Eric van de Poele walked away from the wreckage of his EXP Speed 8 after a 320kph flip during testing at Paul Ricard last week.

The accident began when van de Poele hit the brakes at the end of the French track’s mile-long straight. The car snapped sideways when he hit the brakes for a third-gear version of the Signes right-hander, clipped a kerb and became airborne. It touched the top of the barriers and came to rest against a retaining walk The Belgian driver was able to extricate himselffrom the car unaided, was not taken to hospital and returned to the cockpit of a second EXP Speed 8 the following day.

Van de Poele said: “As soon as I hit the brakes the car went sideways, got onto the kerbs and started to fly” A brake problem was believed to

Better not happen at Le Mans: van de Poele was lucky at Paul Ricard.

(Photo by Sutton-lmages) Fingers crossed for Le Mans. be the cause of the accident. There was no puncture, the cause of Michele Alboreto’s fatal flip at the Lausitzring last year.

Bentley was taking part in a 24hour pre-race simulation for Le Mans. The car had successfully completed 14 hours when the accident happened.

Meanwhile, Guy Smith has been confirmed as Bentley’s test and reserve driver for Le Mans. The deal means he will not now drive for the factory Riley & Scott team.

His place alongside Marc Goossens and car owner Jim Matthews has been taken by Belgian Didier Theys.

Old for new policy

Champs at Champion Racing: Audi will run its old car, above left, at Sears Point.

(Photo by Sutton-lmages) AUDI will take all four of its Amiericaii Le Mans Series regulars to the next round of the championship despite not entering its own cars.

The German manufacturer has confirmed that it will lease a two-year-old R8 back from the customer Champion team. Works drivers Dindo Capello, Frank Biela and Emanuele Capello will drive this car.

'The fourth driver, Tom Kristensen, will line up alongside Johnny Herbert and Andy Wallace in Champion’s 2001-spec car.

The arrangement follows Audi’s decision not to send its regular cars to the Californian race, which falls between this weekend’s Le Mans test day and the 24 Hours in June.

-GARY WATKINS 24

Double Dutch LEADING GT team Carsport Holland is aiming to put a new make on the grid at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

The Dutch team, run by former Targa Florio winner Toine Hezemans, plans to develop the Mercedes-engined Pagani for the GTS class. It has approached AMG for a supply of the V12 engines that powered the Mercedes CLK-GTR racer in 1997.

Carsport has been toid that the car will eligible for Le Mans in 2003. This signals the organisers’ intent to allow carbon chassis in for next season.

- GARY WATKINS

Switching places: Stefan Johansson will step into an ORECA-run Dallara at Le Mans.

(Photo by Sutton-lmages)

FORMER Le Mans winner Stefan Johansson will contest this year's race with the French ORECA team.

The 45-year-old's deal to drive a Dallara-Judd LMP marks his return to the team after an 11 year absence. He raced an ORECA-run Mazda 787B at Le Mans in 1991.

"I didn't get an entry with my own car (a privateer Audi), but I still wanted to do the race in something competitive. The Dallara is a good car and ORECA is a good team," he said.

Johansson has taken one of the two remaining places in the two-car squad. Pedro Lamy is favourite for thejother, but a German V8-STAR race on the same weekend threatens to keep him out of the running.

Johansson had his first run in a Dallara during a 24-hour test at Paul Ricard last week. Team boss Hugues de Chanauc expressed himself content with the run, which was interrupted only by one change of gearbox internals and the replacement of a driveshaft.

-GARYWATKliMS motorsport news

OPINION

l ^s-

Barry s Sheen «

S

/

'Fortune favours the Brave' There is anDay old4saying that but, after of Targa Tasmania, I'm not sure if 'Ignorance is Bliss' may not be more appropriate for Jim Richards and myself in the DAMPS Porsche Turbo.

The Cethana stage was always going to be the most challenging in the event, with a base time of 17 minutes for the 34 kilometres. This tortuous piece to tarmac snaked its way up steep hills and through a deep valley and has everything, from first-gear hairpins to a sixthgear, 250kmh straight (I know; I had a peek!) Because of its length, you would expect to catch slower cars and, from past expe/ience, there was every chance of oil from blown engines, wet and dry conditions, enough gravel on the corners to fill a dump truck and wandering wildlife ... in short, it was a real 'bum puckerer' of a stage which-demanded absolute concentration and the best possible team effort from driver and navigator.

Everything was going well until, about eight km into the stage, we hit a depression in the road at over 200kmh. It seems a pothole repair had subsided, leaving a sharp edge and the 'bang' on the right-hand side certainly grabb'ed our attention. For the next few lefthand corners, Jim was a little

any different; because it felt okay, circumspect to see if the car felt we pressed on.

As we pulled into control, I clicked my stopwatch to see it read 17m26s - which was nine seconds faster than our time last year in similar conditions. Any joy was short-lived, however, when we discovered both right-side rims were bent and, while the rear was not too bad, the front was; it was incredible that the tyre didn't deflate,

I

really didn't want to think about what could have happened if the tyre had let go, considering the speeds were travelling on unforgiving terrain.

Fortunately, there was a Porsche service vehicle available nearby and a decision was made to try and hammer the rim into place, as we had no spare on board, and replacing the wheel and tyre meant a two minute penalty.

There was no point in getting out of the car so I concentrated on working out how much time we needed to get to the next control without exceeding the late time limit.

Then disaster.

As is often the case in the heat

wrong. The hammer slipped off of the moment,block things went the aluminium and hit the valve and smashed it, allowing the air to escape. My heart sank. The prime objective this year had been to get a diamond Targa plate and it seemed my hopes were disappearing as fast as the escaping air.

Ifstage you complete Targa under theevery nominated maximum time, you earn a Targa piate. If you do it three years in a row, you get a gold Targa plate and if you repeat that (ie, two lots of three), you get Platinum.

A Diamond is for doing three lots of three, with no more than a one-year break between each three year segment. Going into this year's event, only one person, Reg Kenny, had earned Diamond status, and I wanted a Diamond plate more than an outright win.

As the tyre went flat, I felt gutted. We still had four stages to go before the overnight Parc Ferme in Burnie and it seemed like we were not going to be able to continue. But luck was on our side; in the service vehicle was a GTS front wheel, fitted with the same

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MWith otorBarry Mou th fllBMer Pirelli tyre which was not fl at. So we decided to fit the new wheel, cop the two-minute penalty and press on.

Our pre-event strategy had been to press on early in the event and build a buffer in case of late problems forced us to ease off and conserve our tyres. We still had a lead after the penalty, which made the win even more satisfying.

Following this year's event, I added up some statistics and discovered that Jim and I have covered 420 Targa stages and completed over 4300 competitive kilometres. It is an achievement of which 1 feel immensely proud, particularly as 1 have been able to do it alongside one of the all-time greats of Australian motorsport.

Tasmanian Barry Oliver co-drove Jim

As the tyre went flat, 1 felt gutted. We still had tour stages

Richards to a sixth Targa Tasmania victory last month. He is also the V8 Supercar track commentator.

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f you ever happen to find yourself in the US State of Maine, look out for the town of East Otisfield for there is, in the Elmwood Cemetery there, the grave of a man called Professor Holden.

History does not relate what his Christian name may have been but his tombstone does record the fact that the Professor "discovered that the earth is flat".

1 was reminded of this the other day when I heard of the campaign being orchestrated by a few of the team bosses who were trying to convince everyone that Formula 1 is in crisis. One of them told me that "the ship is on fire. We all know 26

it is going to sink and it is just a matter of when it is going to happen".

It was a lovely image but, try as I might, I just could not see it and my metaphors were getting all mixed up: if you cannot take the heat on a^burning boat I felt like saying they you should stay out of the kitchen.

Let's face it. The big teams are not going to help the small teams. Formula 1, like George Orwell's Animal Farm, is a world where "everyone is equal but some are more equal than others".

"Here lies an FI team boss," the tombstone may say. "He discovered that costs could be cut."

M

otor raci?ig is not a cheap business. In the early days, it was the preserve of the wealthy gentleman as automobiles were outrageously expensive and so one had wonderfully colourful characters spending their own money to have some fun at weekends.

There were the Guinness Brothers (Algy - later Sir Algernon - and Bill) who were busy spending the Guinness family money. There were the likes of Edward Howe (later Earl Howe) and John Moore-Brabazon (later Lord Brabazon of Tara, a government minister) and a string of Continental aristocrats who raced, bob-sleighed, yachted and generally had a good time. Racing

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was the life of playboys like Count Louis Zborowski, Baron Philippe de Rothschild or Woolf Barnato (the son of the owner of the Kimberly diamond mine).

Even in amateur old England, getting onto the grid was not easy unless you had been to Rugby School and Trinity Col lege, Cambridge. One paid 'men' to build the cars and one thrashed about in them, crashed them horribly, escaped without a scratch and went home with the prettiest girl in the paddock, stopping for pink champagne on the way...

The gentlemen liked to play at being mechanics and the fastest way to make a fortune in motor racing was to start with two motorsport news

FORMULA ONE

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Utopia I Prix of (and other paddock tales) The Box Seat wl n f‘t:

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fortunes. Once in a while, a recession or a depression would come along and the grids would be cut back but then the good times would return and there would be more cars, more girls and more pink champagne.

“The numbers involved may have gone up but the sums are no more fantastic than once they were.

What has changed is that the 'men' haye become the playboys and the mechanics are playing at being gentlemen.

The sport is no better and no worse off for it. It is just different.

Recessions and depressions will come and go and times will be hard. The collapse of a team or 1 May 2002

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About tfie only thing that airthese people had in common was their desire to give Mr Ecclestone a large sum of money to get him to agree to send his circus to their town"

two will not be the end of civilisation as we know it but evidence that the team was not a viable business - and if one will not put one's own money into the operation one cannot expect to go on playing.

These are concept as old as

the hills and one can only say to these poor folk (and I use the word in a relative sense, judging by the published lists of wealthy people) that there is no room on the Formula 1 World Championship calendar for the Grand Prix of Utopia. he paddock m Barcelona was bubbling with delegations trom unusual places all talking to the nnan m the grey bus about their plans for a race. There were Chinese, Turks, Lebanese, Bahrainis and folk from Duba i. I expect there were a few Russians too. There were representatives from the French GP and from Canada trying to make sure that their events do not disappear.

About the only thing that all these people had in common was their desire to give Mr Ecclestone a large sum of money to get him to agree to send his circus (let us not get into arguments about who owns what) to their town.

Mr E had a spring in his step as, like a theatrical farce, one lot went out through one door as the next lot came in through another.

I am not a great economist but it struck me that if the teams could convince Mr E to give

them some of the money he is collecting from the race promoters then perhaps their financial problems could be solved.

Or, if Bernie v''/as not keen on that, they could, as some teams have done, use the cars to promote the places that want to use Grand Prix racing to their advantage - as the Malaysians are doing by pouring cash into Sauber and Minardi, Perhaps the Russians would like to give some money to Arrows (The Red Arrows’ is a good name for a team)or the Arabs could give Jordan a bit of a boost (admittedly this might be difficult given the fact that there is a country called Jordan, which the Bahrain tourist board may not be keen to promote).

Perhaps in order to avoid being stuffed, Jordan will have to change its name to Team Turkey Team bosses will tell you that these are not laughing matters but usually in the middle of these solemn speeches, a mobile phone will go and they will discuss with their pilots at what time they wish to fly away or a press officer will burst in and remind them that they have an appointment for an interview with 'Nouveau Riche' magazine.

Get serious, boys ...

2J

Five Minutes vrith ...

ScottISxon

The 2001 Chanw Car Rookie of the Year is having a much harder 2002.

So how does the PWR Championshiii Racing(formeriy PacWest)driver turn it aii around? He spoke with AARIMV NOOMAN MOTORSPORT NEWS:Your “* second year in Champ Car racing has so far been a bit of a struggle, particularly compared to last year’s Rookie of the Year performance including a win at Nazareth.

What’s not happening?

SCOTT DIXON; We’re just not that well prepared at the moment.

The boys have been working really hard getting the car up to pace. I _ think probably about mid-year we should have a turnaround.

MN:The limitations on testing must play quite a part in the struggle to develop a new car for the new season.

SD: This year’s kind of hard. Last year, at least, we had rookie test days and things like that but we’ve only got 10 days to play with this year.

I think we’ve only got one day left at Mid-Ohio which we’ll probably do on the 13th or 14th of May. So we haven’t got that much testing to do but we need to do more things like getting it onto the seven-post rig (racetrack simulator for a chassis) and try and work out what we need to do.

MN: With having such large gaps in between the races now and with limited testing, what does that actually leave a driver to do in between races?

SD: We’ve got other things planned. We may do the (Indy) ’500, which would definitely keep us pretty busy. We should hopefully know next week. No hints so far...

In some ways it’s good because it keeps me busy but it’s the only month we get off for quite a while.

There’s a couple of ways at looking at it, but I think it would be good for the experience.

MN:People probably didn’t expect you to go so well last year, particularly winning so early at Nazareth.In terms of the second-year blues,smd the toughness of the series - even with the loss of Penske -is it even harder on an overall scale?

SD; The competition’s really

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Different colours and different team name, but not the same results: 2002 has been fough so far for Dixon (Photo by Sutton-lmages) and the PWR Championship Racing outfit. always been there. Basically we’ve been with Reynard for five years and now we’re with Lola so it’s going to be a big struggle for us.

We can get over the blues and start having some decent runs.

The economy’s been a big part (of the lack of a major backer on the cars), so hopefully we can get something on those sidepods fairly soon.

MIN:A lot has been made back here in Australia about your time in Formula Holden and the relevance to furthering oneself in open wheelers. How great an impact has it had on you,even now as a Champ Car driver in, arguably, the closest series in the world?

SD: They (the Americans) don’t really know too much about it(the category). Basically you have to go over there and prove yourself.

I think Formula Holden definitely gives you good grounding and good race craft, especially with having winged cars. I think it’s a good series but you have to get over there (America) and prove yourself MIN: From there you had two years in Indy Lights and won the title in 2000 before jumping to Champ Cars. Is it stiO a case oflearning more and more about driving the Champ Car

or simply refining it for pace?

SD: Still, sometimes the car can catch you out, but with reduced horsepower nowadays, it’s not so much that, but trjdng to get the speed out of the car and trying to find a window that we can work within when we turn up to each track.

MIN: The series has fewer ovals this year; is that something that plays into your hands? Are you more of a road track kind of guy?

SD: I definitely prefer the road courses. The ovals are always kind of hard. If you’ve got a bad car, you’re not really going to do all that well. You can drive around it a bit on some road courses and still have a fairly good race with an average car.

MN:Motegi last weekend saw you grab some more points for the year,finishing ninth. Does that get the ball rolling?

SD: We should have ended up a lot better there. Maybe fourth or fifth if we didn’t have to have an extra pit stop.

One of the guys left the left front loose, so it was disappointing. We had something fall into our hands where we could have walked away with some decent points. It’s hard on the guys too.

MN:And now on to Milwaukee

at the start of June.

SD:Yeah, Milwaukee wiU probably suit the Ix)la more than Motegi. The difference in the Reynard and the Lola is basically in the preparation.

It’s basically like a kit car in the old days, where you put a lot of the preparation in yourself and learn from a lot of mistakes.

With the Reynard it came prepared properly with a lot of start-up information.

MN:How have you found working with Oriol (Servia, team-mate)?

SD: On a personal basis we never used to get along. Now this season, so far, we’ve been getting on pretty good. From a driving point of view, we’re not as close in our styles as I was with Mauricio (Gugelmin, former team-mate). That makes it hard to determine what kind of set-up we want.

MIN; So is it more advantageous for the team to have two young guns trying to out-do one another, or one young gun with an elder statesman like Mlauricio to calm them down?

SD: It can cause some internal problems, but generally so far it’s been pretty good. At least you know both drivers will be going out there to do the one thing.

motorsporl news

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INTERVIEW

1 May 2002

Son Marino Grand Prix f you like to think that you're a rea/petrol-head (and most MN readers do) then at least once in your life you have to get to an FI Grand Prix in Italy.

If you have any reason to travel to that part of the world, try and make it in early April, or early Sept^ber and block out three days for Imola or Monza. You won't be disappointed.

We have an excellent Grand Prix here in Australia in terms of organisation, facilities and so on, but there is something about Italy, the way the Italians do it, «* the history and mystique of the two circuits and the raw passion of the Italian crowds for racing and for Ferrari which makes fora unique experience.

Imola'two weeks ago was a 'first visit' for me. It's always been a circuit that's looked good on TV, always ^ somewhere I've wanted to go - despite the fact that the place will always be saddled with the death of Ayrton r Senna. I had in fact planned to visit the memorial plaque

atTamburello, but didn't quite get there, in the end, I guess I was enjoying the up-beat stuff too much...

Senna still haunts the place.

The official programme still dwells on the 'Senna incident' and there is ongoing discussion about the pluses and minuses of the circuit changes brought on by the 1994 tragedy.

To a man, all of the drivers still competing who were around at the time clearly miss the old layout. They all understand the process that led to the changes, but miss the rhythm and satisfaction that the old, fast layout allowed.

Italian Autosprint magazine blames the changes - there are four chicanes in all (although Autospr/nf cheekily added

that "that excludes the fifth chicane — Yoong!")-for the relatively processional race that Imola 2002 turned-on.

Despite that, there is still plenty to see and absorb for the Imola debutant.

Pay the extraseat and get a good grandstand if you can.

It's quite an experience. I spent Saturday's practice and qualifying on the outside of the fabulous Aqua Minerals - a brilliant piece of road that has remained unchanged by the safety fanatics.

The fast right-hand kink.

leading into a tightish right hander and a steep uphill left on exit looks so much better in the flesh than on the box. Flere you can physically see the downforce and grip level of the Ferrari F2002 at work; see the other drivers battling with the comparative inadequacies of their equipment; see Fisichella work out the limit by going faster and faster until he goes off...

And the crowd loves it all.

Every appearance by the red cars is greeted by a deafening roar; . even Fisi - having deposited his '’H Jordan in the sand - is greeted with approval as he steps from the car (okay, it's not a Ferrari, but he's from Rome...).

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Ferrari's dominance may help, but everyone loves what they are seeing with a passion. You can't help but absorb some of it.

Everyone. Even the police.

Even the officials. Like the chief corner marshall at Aqua Minerale who spent the entire 30 minutes between the two morning sessions juggling the crane, the ambulance and doctor's car in his zone just a few feet either way to get them 'just so,' It required animated discussion, with at least three other co-workers and much arm waving. But in the end it was, in his eyes, perfect...

The circuit winds through the trees of a park right in the outskirts of the little town of

Imola (listening are we SAPs?).

There are houses and shops within metres of the track. The wail of 17,000rpm FI engines echoes off the buildings.

It's just great.

Like I said, if you are a real petrol head, then you need to go there once in your life...

■yhe other aspect of interest at Imola 2002 was of course the progress of Australia's Mark Webber.

While the unbelievable events of Melbourne are still fresh in many circles (Webber’s approval rating, driving for that country's second team, is pretty okay in Italy!), that was three races ago

now and the realities of driving for the most modest team in the pit lane have become apparent.

Still, I can report that Webber is impressing people who matter in FI. Anything that lifts the number 23 Minardi above 21st spot is noteworthy. Jaguar engineers in particular, have confessed their embarrassment that the Minardi team, with a fraction of Jaguar's budget, could get one of its cars in front of one or both of its own on such a regular basis.

In Imola, Webber's qualifying effort was simply superb.

Limited time in the dry before qualifying: an engine failure on the second run; a switch to the spare (set up for Yoong); yet an

FORMULA ONE improvement on the final run sufficient to outqualify de la Rosa's Jaguar and Bernoldi's Arrows. Team-mate Yoong, a massive 2.3 seconds away, didn't make the race...

Beating Yoong is, frankly, no big deal. Indeed, what Webber needs now is a top rate, competitive team-mate to compare himself with.

In the meantime, beating other cars, any other cars, is impressive stuff. People are noticing...

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REMEMBER where I was when I found out John Lennon was dead. When Ronald Reagan was shot, I remember that I watched the aftermath of the incident on television in a Miami hotel.

In motor racing terms, when Ayrton Senna died, I recall I was glued to a TV in my Melbourne lounge room. When Dale Earnhardt was killed at Daytona last year, I got a call in the office soon after.

And I remember where I was when I first heard of the death of Gilles Villeneuve.

Right at home; Gilles Villeneuve and Ferrari were made for each other, the Canadian fulfilling a life-long dream to drive for the Scuderia in his second GP. (Photos by Steve Powell/ALLSPORT)

motorsport news

RETROSPECTIVE lS

The mercurial Canadian died in a honible qualifying accident at a honible racetrack, Zolder in Belgium, 20 years ago next week. I was watching Channel 7’s “World of Sport’on Sunday morning and listened to Sandy Roberts’s voice while vision of the FeiTari cartwheeling through the air was played and replayed, over and over,

until I felt ill.

Gilles Villeneuve was a hero. I saw him race only once, at Long Beach in 1981, where he wrestled his Ferrari around the Californian streets, never giving an inch. He retired after only 17 laps with a broken driveshaft, on a day when world champion Alan Jones won.

But I will never forget the sight of the red car being driven beyond its natural limits through the concrete canyons.

In terms of pure statistics, Villeneuve was not a great Formula One driver. He drove in only 67 Grands Prix (Jos Verstappen has

driven in more races), and he won but six of them. He was on pole position twice, which is a testament not to his driving ability, but rather to Ferrari’s inability to put a decent car under him.

But even 20 years after his death, Villeneuve’s name lives on in GP racing. That is the impact that the small man from Quebec had on the sport that he loved, and the people who loved watching him race. He was a racer, through and through, and drove every lap as if his life depended on it.

Villeneuve appeared almost from nowhere. He translated an awesome talent for racing snowmobiles into racing cars, first in Formula Ford, then Formula Atlantic. In 1976, he won the Atlantic race at the classic Trois-Rivieres track in Quebec, against James Hunt(who was four races from winning the world drivers’ championship) and Jones, both taking a break from GP duties.

As he was to do in 10 of the 11

championship races that season, Villeneuve won easily and the rest was about to become history.

Far from being embarrassed about being thrashed by an unknown. Hunt recommended Villeneuve to McLaren boss Teddy Mayer, who ran him in a third McLaren in the ’77 British GP. He stayed out oftrouble after an early pitstop (which left him a lap behind the leaders) but, despite his impressive debut and having an option on Gilles for the following season, Mayer wanted Jochen Mass in the team for 1978 and did not grab the young star.

So Enzo Ferrari did; “Enzo Ferrari himself called me and said,‘Are you ready to drive for us?’And I said,‘Of course I’m m ready!

So,in his second GP,in Montreal in 1977, Gilles Villeneuve and Ferrari began their partnership.

“If someone said to me that you can have three wishes, my first

would have been to get into racing, my second to be in Formula 1, my third to drive for Ferrari ...”

Villeneuve said some time later.

At Ferrari, he partnered first Carlos Reutemann, then Jody Scheckter,then Didier Pironi. The Argentinean was a senior driver, so Villeneuve played a back-up role, as he would when Scheckter was fighting for the world championship the following year. Dutifully, Villeneuve followed the South African in numerous GPs and finished second in the championship.

But it is not the races which Villeneuve won that are remembered, but rather how he performed in races he did not win.

In France in 1979, Renault won its first race, Jean-Pierre JabouiUe taking an historic home win for Le Regie. But no-one was watching; Villeneuve and Rene Amoux were continued on page 34

Gilles Villenelfve continued from page 33 staging a war for second, the red and yellow cars aU over each other for the final two laps, Villeneuve taking the spot on the final lap by a quarter-second. The fact that the battle is still talked about now, almost 23 years later, shows what a fight it was; the hkes of it have not been seen in FI since.

Four races later at Zandvoort, Villeneuve led Jones by as much as four seconds before a tyre started to deflate -then it burst. Villeneuve spun, stalled, restarted the flat-12 and motored back to the pits at speed, shedding parts of Ferrari all over the track. The now three wheeled car drunkenly lurched around the track and, by the time he arrive at the pits, team boss Mauro Forghieri quickly surveyed

the wreckage and knew that the race was over. But Villenueve was yelling at the crew; he wanted a new wheel and it was only when he was calmed down and out of the car that he reahsed that his race was done.

Later in the season, the FI circus was at Watkins Glen for the USGP. Villeneuve won from Amoux and Pironi, but that meeting is possibly best remembered not for the race. but for a wet practice session, so wet that some drivers simply sat it out.

But the Ferraris were out there, running 1-2 in the session. Even that is not the memorable part; Villeneuve had been fastest in the flood, topping Scheckter by ELEVEN SECONDS. The following season, 1980, was a terrible one, Ferrari’s T5 no match for the opposition, led by Jones. But in 1981 came the car which would stamp Villeneuve as one of the 34

greats; the 126C, Ferrari’s first turbocharged'car which had, at the same time, the most powerful FI engine at the time in probably the worst chassis. No-one should have been able to win a race in that car, but Villeneuve won two in a row.

One was at Monaco. Jones should have won after hunting down Nelson Piquet and pressuring him into error, but fuel pressure problems forced AJ to pit, and Gilles somehow kept the bucking turbo off the walls to pass the Williams late in the race. Jones also should have won the following race, in Spain, but a rare error while leading by 8s and pulling saw the FW07 off the road,leaving Villeneuve in the lead.

It was blazing hot in Spain, and Villeneuve was under pressure.

With the turbo engine doing his Michelins no favours, he was soon

That is the way they finished, the five cars covered by a scant 1.24s, the second-closest GP finish in history. It was his final GP win.

Brabham designer Gordon Murray summed up the achievement; “I honestly think it was the greatest drive I’ve ever seen by anybody,” he said. “His driving was just unreal.”

The death of ViUeneuve at Zolder was tinged with sadness before the teams even arrived. In the previous race, at Imola, the war between the FISA(which ran motor racing) and FOCA(the Formula One Constructors’Association) was at its peak, with many of the FOCA teams boycotting the event. In their absence, and on home turf, Ferrari had a 1-2, but it was Pironi who took the flag head of his team-mate, Villeneuve feeling betrayed that the

"Enzo Ferrari himself called me and said, 'Are you ready to drive lor us?' And I said,'Of course I'm ready!

Villeneuve went to the right of the March, cUpped its rear tyre at around 225kmh and took off.

The car somersaulted across the track and was airborne for an estimated 100 metres before it crashed nose-first into an earth bank. The impact tore the steering and seat (still holding Villeneuve) from the car, and lifted the helmet off his head. He was attended to by track medical officials and air-lifted to the University of St. Raphael Hospital in Louvain where, after being treated on life-support, he died at 9:12pm.

Ferrari withdrew Pironi’s car from the race, and he raced a sole Ferrari at the following race at Monaco(where Villeneuve had scored his famous win the year before), Detroit and Canada. In the next race in Holland, Patrick

Open season: Uniquely among Ferrari drivers.

Villeneuve was openly critical of some of his cars, describing one as “A big, red Cadillac”.

(Photos by Steve Powell/ALLSPORT)

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- Gilles Villeneuve

reeled in and led a five car train; Jacques Laffite’s Ligier, John Watson (McLaren), Reutemann’s Williams and Elio de Angelis (Lotus). Time and time again, the more nimble nomally-aspirated cars challenged the Ferrari in the comers; time and time again, Villeneuve held his line and wrestled the car around to the straight, where his power advantage carried him to safety.

Frenchman had disobeyed team orders. He vowed never to speak to Pironi again.

And he would not. During qualifying for the Belgian GP, Villeneuve was on his third and final mn,and had just set his best time. He was on an ‘in’ lap with eight minutes left in the session when he came up upon Mass, who was expecting the Ferrari to pass him on the left. But he did not;

Tambay drove the famous number n 27.

Twenty years later, the legacy of Gilles Villeneuve lives on. His son Jacques, of course, won the 1997 drivers’championship, and continues to race in Formula One for British American Racing. But, with the possible exception of Jean Alesi, no-one has gone close to capturing the spirit of Villeneuve, and the hearts offans across the globe, in the same manner as the French-Canadian,foot flat to the floor and, almost always, smiling under his helmet.

motorsport news

Wr

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John Faulkner

The trouble wit .s

John Faulkner has had some lean years but he bounced back into form at Eastern Creek-after admitting that the trouble with John Faulkner Racing was John Faulkner. PHIL BRANAGAN spoke to the Kiwi about taking one step back and at least two forward

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MOTORSPORT NEWS:Tell us about The Dark Years', as they are now going to be referred to.

JOHN FAULKNER: You start to efoubt yourself; that is the first thing. I believe that our whole trouble, since 1999, hasiceen me.

With the engineering standards I have in the book, 1 adhere to those standards and anyone who comes into the team has to deal with that.

But a couple of them (the standards) are wrong and it took a brave engineer to come into the team for us to go away from that. That was against my wishes, but it was the one thing that hit it right on the head.

With our engine development: we were going in the wrong direction. Dean Leopold is now doing our engines; he is ex-HRT, so that is a walk-up start. That has allowed up to put some common sense back into the car.

We were a bit like Mark Larkham's (team) when he built his first car - it was a bit over engineered. And it's not as if we have not had some good engineers through here; some of our guys have gone to Rogers, Seton and now Kmart. That happens and it's not hard to be humble ...

So, this is the way that it is

now. I am being kept out of it (engineering the car). That's good. So we are headed in the right direction. HRT has helped us out with the steering problem we had, Peter (Turk) is on top of the car and Dean is on top o^the engine. It's working really well.

MN; All that means it is a change of culture. That makes it a permanent change.

JF; Very much. There are a few , things I still want to grumble about. I still like to worry about things like tyre pressures but, at the end of the day, that's just something I need to learn to deal with.

But things like ... we have never really had four guys who were stable enough to do the pit stops. We have a new guy here this weekend, he has never done it, so I think that the guys are doing a pretty good job.

They are rising to the leadership of someone else, not me - I can't motivate people. I am just a grumpy old prick who owns the car and I get to drive it as well.

MN: Does all that free you mentally to just concentrate on driving the car?

JF: Yes. I am still in the team management side but (wife) motorsport news

INTERVIEW

hJFR nkUl-KNBn ftACINV

Here’s the problem!

Faulkner openly ailmits that lies been the problem with John Faulkner Raeiiif'. Now with fn'sh backing from GJ Gardner and Dynupaek he s looking at movingfurther up the grid.

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There are people out there who genuinely reckon that I am a wanker...

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- John Faulkner Alyson has taken a bigger role there. She is working really well with Peter so I do what I always do, which is to hide from the autograph hunters and media ...

MN:Successfully! Tell us about how far your confidence went down. People up and down pit lane rate your ability.

JF: Well, I wish that they would tell me that more often I When you start reading things on the internet, which I have only started doing recently, because of this Pre Qualifying rubbish, there are people out there who genuinely reckon that I am a wanker. I should be out of the sport and deserve to be down the back of the field.

But people have short memories. The memories are still very strong within me. I have had a lot of podiums, and wins, in everything I have driven until I got into this. We came into this thinking, 'Gee, how easy is this?'

We were straight into the top 10, but we built a new car ourselves in 1999 and we have had some bloody lean years.

1 May 2002

I think that we lost faith in the sponsors, so it was out with the old crew and in with a new crew so TFIEY could do it my way, but they got sick of it.

So you start to doubt your own ability. You are doing it hard, you start to feel like you are getting older and it's harder to do. But now, I am bouncing out of the car. I am doing more laps in practice and they are all much more consistent.

Two meetings ago, I would go out and take a deep breath and get one on the board, usually in the top 15, and come in shaking, because the car was just a pig to drive. Now, it is quite nice and it is hard to get me out of the car, I want to run the whole session with minimum fuel loads. That is where 1 want to be. But I don't know for how much longer.

MN: Really?

JF: Yep, Last night (Saturday), I was anxious; I was running around, trying to find out how these 'limiter' starts work. There is no point in getting the car up the front and then doing what I usually do, which is to blow six

7\y X spots right off the start, because I am trying to look after axles which have done 8000 kays.

But back to short memories; whenever we have had money, we have had pace. Now I have a little bit of money and 1 have some pace.

MN: Is it still all about that trying to make the money last, even with the sponsors you have on board now?

JF: Most of our money is in administration and logistics trucks, the equipment you need to go racing.

Looking down the barrel at going to Darwin, which costs 10 grand, and not getting to race just consumes me.

I have spent time, more time than I would like to admit, trying to find a way around the situation that the teams have got themselves into. Everyone seems to have a fix for it, but it's a quick fix.

Look; I race cars. I don't bake bloody cakes and sell them so that I can race cars. I race cars.

That is my living. And I can just see it all coming tumbling down around our ears unless I do something about it. So I put my foot in, got my head chopped off a bit, but I am going to stick with it. I believe that everyone around

here is good - you only have to look at the time sheets.

MN:So you yourself have taken a step back so that the team can take a step forward and then you can take a step forward as a driver.

JF: Yes. It's a cliche; we have seen Glenn Se*ton try to do it, we have seen Larry Perkins do it. It has worked up and down.

You are probably only as good as your race engineer; if you can t relate to your engineer, then you make a decision that can over-ride him. Peter is working really well; he is understanding what I like. We have a Pom and a Kiwi putting the car together!

MN: What do you need for the next step - a new car?

JF: No, this is a brand new car.

We are trying to get the other car up to this spec for Mark Noske, when and if they resolve this Pre Qualifying drama, I would not dare put him in at the deep end at this stage.

We need to get a third engine running, we need to have duplication of the parts we need to have to be competitive. continued on page 38 37

John Faulkner continued from page 37 It was only in the first race on Sunday that we fired on all-new brakes, because we got-a result in the race on Saturday. We need new equipment, and you can only commit to that if you have a secure future. That's the way it is.

MN: You mentioned that one of the disadvantages you have is on cold tyres, compared to the 'Pros'.

JF; It’s a bit of an eye-opener. I really though that I had the car to run with Skaife and Ambrose if I made a good start. I had it all clear; I was going to win the start and jump between them. I made the jump, but... ~ They obviously understand how much they have riding on their first lap. Now I know from being up there wh^t it's like.

When you are 20th, the first lap is start, stop. You are almost in first gear.

I need to try and set the car up a little more to my liking. I still play around with tyre pressures-... but they get to go hard from the start. It's'-'like any other form of motorsport; if you get an early break, they can see your speed and see your position and think, 'Gee, he's fast, I think I will just sit here and settle for a bit'. That is what you need to be able to do; to demoralise them a bit.

From there ... Ingall was fast, and I knew that. I thought,'my neck is going to give out from looking for him', or I was going to start driving his line.

It was only when I got onto the radio going down the straight that I let him pull alongside. That bloody radio I Every time I get on it, I just go backwards. I don't like to talk on it unless I have to.

MN: Is it gratifying to see that, even from the opposition teams, everyone seems to be genuinely pleased to see you up there?

JF: I couldn't believe the slowdown lap after the top 10,

^aer,cQin.a I4 Looking at thingsfrom a different angle: Some new staffat JFR, including engineer Peter Turk and engine man Dean Leopold, left in photo above, have helped Faulkner change his philosophy. The days ofAsia Online backing in 2000, (Photos by Slipstrvam Photographic) below, seem so long ago.

or even the reception after the first race. There is, obviously, a lot of support out there for us, but you never get to see that when you are 20th.

When I am stuck and demoralised, I go and hide in the'truck. But now, it seems, people are coming out and the support from the other teams is good.

People are coming up and wishing us well. They are calling us underdogs, which I am not that keen on.

MN: Under-funded?

JF; I don't like that, eitherl I don't know what we are. Maybe I am just someone who deserved a better break. But I do not want to be tagged as 'unlucky'.

I think you will find that this will not be a flash in the pan.

People who have worked with the team before say that we have all the right parts to be a competitive team.

They say,'we don't know why it is not fast', so that means that it squarely falls back on my shoulders. That proves it is not luck, it is a combination of other things. And that is where we are now.

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- Faulkner m Ms ‘new’ role in the team management stnature of John Faulkner Eaeing motorsport news

by MARK GLENDENNING

s

TEWART McCoU broke a year-long victory drought when he led a pair of oiietwo finishes for the Ralt team in the second round of the Formula Holden series at Eastern Creek last weekend.

Despite the best efforts of both the weather and team-mate Will Power, McColl held it together for a perfect result on a day that proved eventful for a number of his rivals.

When the field formed up for the start of race one, there was a gap at P4 where Christian Murchison’s car should have been. The Hocking Motorsport Reynard 97D broke a diff while trying to begin the parade lap, leaving Murcho watching from the pitwall.

McColl made the mother of all starts from third on the grid to pass polesitter Peter Hackett and Power to take the lead, however within a few corners, Hackett had regained his spot at the front.

Making the most of his horsepower advantage, McColl latched on to Hackett’s slipstream and slipped past at the start oflap four. He immediately began pulhng out a gap,,leaving Power to start looking for a way into second place.

As the rain began to fall harder, parts of the already-slippery track surface were becoming increasingly precarious.

Then,Power’s day became a whole lot easier when the conditions claimed Hackett as one of its victims when he looped his way out ofsecond place. The Sydneysider rejoined well out of contention and had to settle for third.

1 May 2002

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Welcome back: Stewart McColl, top, made a perfect return to FHolden by winning both races at Eastern Creek. Behind him, one of the highlights of the weekend was the excellent showing by Peter Hill in the Murphy Motorsport Ecko/M-One-11 car, above, which resulted in a third place in race two. (photosbyOIrkKIynsmilh) 10 seconds behind the leaders.

Power put in a series offlyers to get within range of his team-mate, but McColl had the situation under control and went on to take the flag by 0.9s.

The result hinted at a great showdown between the pair in race two, but it came to nothing after Power made a slow getaway at the lights and allowed McColl to shoot off into the lead unchallenged.

Peter Hill, meanwhile, made a fantastic start and slotted himself into second,leaving Power to battle Hackett and Akihiro Asai.

They were soon joined by Murchison, who had cut his way through ft-om the back of the field in record time and was closing up behind his Japanese team-mate.

Before long. Power found a way past Hill and took off in pursuit of McColl. Lapped traffic aside, McColl was again able to keep Power at a comfortable distance and the pair went on to finish the race 0.57s apart, and 37s ahead of their nearest rival.

“It was awesome!” McColl grinned later.

Behind them though it was,in Hacket’s words,“on for young and old.” Hill, Hackett, Murchison and, occasionally, Asai spent lap after lap drafting one another, running side by side - amazingly without hitting each other too hard.

Going into the final lap, Murchison was holding down third place over Hackett, the pair having opened up a sizeable gap on Hill.

Hackett made a huge lunge around the outside of turn one, the pair touched, and it was all over.

Murchison made it through a couple more comers before his rear right suspension collapsed, while Hackett struggled across the line to finish fifth.

“It was a good race regardless,” rued Murchison.

“I Imew it(the collision) was going to happen as soon as I turned in and saw where he was.

He gave me absolutely no room.”

The incident gifted Hill with third, a well-deserved result after a great performance throughout the day, with Asai coming home fourth.

Points:Power 70, Hill 49, McColl 40,Asai 31, Hackett 28,Murchison 21, Oakcshott 20

39

Eastern Creek

Tonight we po

Mark Skaife had the biggest crash of his career at Eastern Creek - and has been exacting revenge on the track ever since.

PHIL BRANAGAN reports on another perfect Skaife weekend in Sydney

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O-ONE has ever won at the same track in four consecutive years of the Australian Touring Car Championship. Well, almost noone.

Mark Skaife erased another record from the books at Eastern Creek, adding 2002 to his wins at the track in 1999, 2000 and 2001 when he swept the third round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series in Sydney.

After topping qualifying and taking pole in the top 10 Shoot-out, Skaife took the Saturday evening and Sunday morning races in assured manner, but had to come from behind to win the final 39-lap outing in Sunday afternoon. And that victory only came when Craig Lowndes spun out of the lead late in the race, the Ford driver admitting that he was forcing

everything from his car in an effort to hold off the charging Holden Racing Team VX. Marcos Ambrose took second overall on the weekend from Lowndes, while the Good News story of the weekend was that of John Faulkner, the Melbournebased Kiwi returning to form with third in qualifying and the opening race before, ultimately, stopping in the final race with fuel starvation problems.

A huge crowd saw plenty of action in the pack while the first two races were processional at the front, but the last race made up for that. So did Saturday qualifying. with five cars from the ‘slower’ half of the field crashing into the top 10, led again by speedmeister Max Wilson, who was second fastest in continued on page 42 motorsport news

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Daytime, nighttime, anytime: Skaife ruled the Creek again, but Lowndes, right, challenged hard in the 00 Falcon, leading Race 3 until he spun. So Skaife got to spray the shampoo again and saved himseif $2000 by wearing the right hat on the podium, left.

Ambrose, top left, took second overaii and was again the ciosest consistent chaiiengerto Skaife.

{Photos by Marshall Cass and Dirk Klynsmilh)

t Mav 2002

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Eastern Creek

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$60K, accord'ihg toiMofrfe AFtiR the hiccups of Phillip The other name not to make island, there was a stellar cast of names lined up for the weekend was Wayne Gardner. The Caltex Havoline the Friday shoot-out and, Ford came across debris this time, there were better results for some (like Greg dragged onto the track during Ritter), worse results for the session and, by the time some (like Paul Romano) and Gardner got around it and back the same results for others. up to speed, it was too late. It One man to suffer from the was the first time the former same result was Paul Morris. world champion has failed to qualify for a race, on two After voicing his opinion re the fact that all drivers could now wheels or four. avail themselves of better So four Fords went through in order; Brad Jones, Seton, (read new) tyres, 'The Dude', above, was looking forward to Neil Crompton, Ritter.

Cameron McConville followed making the weekend in the Sirromet Commodore and (as you would expect on headed out to battle with 'home' turf and after his strong PI performance), Mark justifiable confidence.

Larkham and Cameron But he was not to make the McLean. field. While on a quick lap, The weekend-offs were led Morris found Steve Owen's

by Romano (who missed out Imrie Commodore coming back onto the track after an off by 0.036s), Gardner, Morris, and the right-rear of the Anthony Tratt, Dugal , McDougall and Owen.

Oueenslander's VX tagged Owen's left-front corner.

The margin between Ritter, Morris sorted the moment, but fourth, and Romano, eighth? A tenth. Flero to zero in a blink of a damper shaft was broken and the silver and black car an eye. It's a tough business, this V8 Supercar Show ... spun before heading to the pitlane as the chequer waved.

Fie was not happy afterwards; 1 Jones lm33.0200s 2 Seton 1m33.2849s "There's no drivers' briefing 3 Crompton 1m33.4170s for us, even for a new driver," 4 Ritter lni33.5169s he said. "He (Owen) should 5 McConville 1ni33.5503s : have been sat down and told 6 Larkham lni33.5718s what was expected of him. It's 7 McLean Im33,5740s : ruined my weekend; the car 1m33.6100s Romano ‘ speed was pretty good, up till 9 Gardner 1m33.7429s then."

1m33.8544s 10 Morris And the cost of a Gold Coast 11 Tratt 1m34.1156s ' team not Pre Qualifying for 12 McDougall 1m35.0030s 13 Owen 1ni35.1333s : two straight races? About

Pre Qualifying

42

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POSNO DRIVER 1 1 Mark Skalfe 2 65 Max Wilson 3 34 Garth Tander 4 46 John Faulkner 5 31 Steven Ellery 6 51 Greg Murphy 7 4 Marcos Ambrose 8 8 Russell Ingall 9 16 Steven Richards 10 9 David Besnard 11 2 Jason Bright 12 15 Todd Kelly 13 00 Craig Lowndes 14 888 John Bowe 15 02 Rick Kelly 16 18 PaulRadlsIch 17 Steven Johnson 17 5 Glenn Seton 18 19 71 Greg Ritter 20 27 Nell Crompton 21 40 Cameron McLean 22 021 Jason Richards 23 66 ● Tony Longhurst 24 11 Larry Perkins 25 3 Cameron McConvIlle 26 21 Brad Jones 43 PaulWeel 27 28 35 Jason Bargwanna 29 600 Simon Wills 30 54 Craig Baird 31 10 MarkLarkham 32 7 Rodney Forbes

CAR TIME lm31.8873s Holden Racing Team Commodore VX lm32.3208s Bella Electrical/Briggs Falcon AU Vaivciine/Cummins Commodore VX lm32.3955s lm32.4509s Dynapack/GJ Gardner Commodore VX lm32.4681s Super Cheap Falcon AU 1m32.4739s Kmart Racing Commodore VX Pirtek/Stone Brothers Falcon AU lm32.4802s Castrol/Perkins Commodore VX 1m32.4995s lm32.6782s Castrol/Perkins Commodore VX lm32.7186s Caltex Havoline/Stone Brothers Falcon AU lm32.77Q6s Holden Racing Team Commodore VX lm32.8048s Kmart Racing Commodore VX lm32.8511s 00 Motorsport Falcon AU 1m32.8647s OzEmail Racing Falcon AU lm32.8716s -Holden Young Lions Commodore VX lm32.9025s Shell Helix/DJR Falcon AU lm32.9815s Shell Helix/DJR Falcon AU Ford Credit Falcon AU lm33.0320s lm33.0703s Shell Helix/DJR Falcon AU lm33.1175s 00 Motorsport Falcon AU VIP Pet Foods Falcon AU lm33.1346s lm33.1425s Team Kiwi Commodore VX lm33.1488s Betta Electrical Falcon AU '^lm33.1661s Castrol/Perkins Commodore VX lm33.2054s Rexel/Lansvale Commodore VX lm33.2267s OzEmail Falcon AU lm33.2354s Du PonVK&J Thermal Falcon AU lm33.2659s Valvollne/Cummins Commodore VX lm33.3197s CAT Racing Falcon AU 1m33.4470s Team Brock Commodore VX lm33.97I5s Orrcon Racing Falcon AU lm34.4304s 00 Motorsport Falcon AU

Top 10 Shoot-out 1 2 3 4 5

Skalfe Ambrose Faulkner Ellery Murphy

lm31.3824s lm32.0264s 1m32.3034s 1m32.2773s lm32.5073s

6 7 8 9 10

Tander Ingall Wilson Besnard S. Richards

lm32.5614s lm32.6291s lm32.7077s 1m32.7970s lm32.8942s

V8SCSROund3 EASTERN CREEK continued from page 40 the sessions proper, and Faulkner.

Skaife’s lead in the championship is now an astonishing 410 points, the same total on which Greg Murphy sits in second place. Skaife keeps talking about the need for consistency, and he is right. But, as one pit pundit mused after another red crush, “We do not mind the best driver winning the championship. We just don’t want him to go out and win all the races ...”

Qualifying IF you areyou under 25 years of age, readers, do not remember the 1970s, when Endless Summer was a record by Donna Summer and, when Harry Wayne Casey told everyone to dance, they did.

The popular dance at discos (yes, kids, we had them then) was ‘The Bump’ when, if lucky, one got to rub uglies with barely-known lovelies on the dance floor, all while wearing wide trousers, Cuban heels and satin shirts (don’t ask), and The Mullet was king.

At Eastern Creek’s qualifier, The Bump made a comeback, albeit briefly. Anyone who sat at number 10 and, therefore, was looking

forward to making the run-off chewed their fingernails to the quick as they waited, then wilted, as the sun shone - literally - on the ‘slow’ group. Even a little sun at Eastern can have beneficial effects, the track temperature up to 29 degrees by the time the cars went out. Of the final 10 cars, five made it from the bottom 50 percent group.

Skaife was safe. Such things happen when you run a fast time, retire to think about life, then emerge from The Red Cave on fresh tyres and zing in a lm31.8873s, at that stage a whopping half-second clear of the pack.

But the little man hunted him down. That man Max Wilson did it again, crashing into the top 10 to second, bumping Seton from the Run-off The times kept coming. John Faulkner leapt to fourth, then Tander joined in, bumping Lowndes out. Ingall stormed around to bump out Todd Kelly, then Ellei-y reduced Bright’s role in the Run-off to that of spectator after leaping to fifth.

The Tander effort was interesting; Jason Bargwanna’s miracle of a rebuild car was, technically, set up identically to his motorsport news

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U8 SUPERCAR CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES team-mate’s but, while Garth’s car was a jet, Bargs’s was a slug, understeering into the corners and oversteering out. Changes made the car more manageable, which meant that the rears would at least last through the race, but the team was perplexed.

At the end of the session, David Besnard was the last man standing in 10th, but no-one else came to challenge the standing of the two SBR cars in the top 10.

It was remarkable effort by several of the teams. Ellery’s Ford was an ugly, understeering purple pig in practice, during which it was 22nd and 14th fastest in the two sessions. Faulkner was no better, 20th and 15th, but on new rubber, both under-exposed teams and drivers came through in the clinch.

Faulkner was aided, no doubt, by the influence of Peter Turk as a race engineer. The former CastroiyPerkins man had experience in making Ingall’s similar car go fast and Faulkner, for one, was enjoying his input; “It’s a strong package and a good foundation to work from,” he said.

“We have added some people to the team and that makes a difference.

“We were looking down the barrel at not going to Darwin. I

continued on page 44

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NUMBERS are like signatures in V8 Supercar racing.

Who is number 8? The Enforcer, of course. Who is 10? Mark Larkham, partially due to former sponsor Mitre ,10. And so it goes down the list.

And Greg Ritter is 71. When the car appeared at Phillip Island's Pre Qualifying session, there was a 7 and a 1 on the side of the car, but that may not have been the DJR team's first choice.

"We looked at getting 16 or 19," said Ritter, "but they were already allocated, so we got 71."

It makes perfect sense. The team already has the appropriate decals in stock from Steven Johnson's car and reversed them for Ritter's. But there is more to it than that.

When team boss Dick Johnson started his racing career in a Holden (true), he was running alongside

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Graham Middleton, whom Dick describes as "a bloody quick driver, and a lovely guy. He passed away from cancer some years ago. Very sad."

Johnson and Middleton wanted to run consecutive numbers all those years ago but, as fate would have it, the adjacent numbers were already taken. So Dick reversed the digits, ran 17 on his car and the rest is history, commemorated on personalised number plates across the country.

And, while we are on numbers, one more thing. With the change in the Holden Young Lions team being run in-house from TWR Racing in Melbourne, Rick Kelly is running number 02 this season, for 2002. Next season, presumably, this will become 03 and, a year later, it will be 04.

So what will they do in 2005 ... ?

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Eastern Creek I

continued from page 43 have been running in the 20s and have gone through Pre Qualifying and that is a stress I would not want to go through again.”

It was a good effort from the battling Kiwi, but let’s put this in perspective; Skaife’s edge in qualifying was 0.4335s. From Wilson to Bargwaima was just under 0.9s but there were 25 cars within that time gap. That works out to an average gap of 0.04s between each car; it is a good thing that the timing system goes down to four decimal places ...

Whatever, it mattered little in the Top 10. The splits were fairly even among the early runners but last man out Skaife put on the hurts, making more than 0.4s in the first split(of around 27 seconds) and taking pole position by a stunning 0.644s. Ambrose was second,from Faulkner(we are not

Mobi^Fi

supposed to be biased here, but Yippee) and Mui-phy.

Race 1(13 laps) ASaturday nightin race is nothing new, especially New South Wales. Heck, some years ago, it used to happen all the time at Oran Park, but never at a round of the

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Australian Touring Car Championship.

But, after some talk, if happened here. At 5;00pm, the cars rolled around on their formation lap, under a setting sun, to take up the cudgels. And it all went according to Hoyle; as Skaife pointed out later, it was a good thing that there was no Safety Car intervention, or a red light stoppage. If there had been, the lack of Eastern Creek track lighting may have led to a problem.

In a nutshell; Lowndes passed four cars during the race; Wilson completed the first lap in 21st position and finished the race with team-mate Tony Longhurst under his rear wing. They were the highlights of the race.

OLD

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Queensland Raceway Champion’s Way Willowbank Qld 4306 Tel 07 54619100 Fax 07 S46I9I I I

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MOTORSPORTDEALERS

w molorspon news

J

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V8 SUPERCAR CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Betta times ahead: Max Wilson may have the edge in qualifying but Tony Longhurst has had better racedays that his Brazilian team-mate.

(Photo by Dirk Klynsmith)

TWRmy versus the Oh-Ohs; Lowndes made great progress through the Saturday night and Sunday morning races; here he challenges Murphy in Race 2.

40 kays of takka-takka-takka: The Race 3 pitstops only maintained the status quo, Lowndes leading our Ambrose and Skaife.

(Photo Dirk Klynsmith and Marshall Cass)

The ‘lowlights’, if that is the right expression, was the rest of the event. Skaife and Ambrose were pretty level at the start, but the red car took the Turn 1 line from the blue at the start and sped away to an easy win, and that was all you needed to know about the race for the chequered flag.

Yawn...

Faulkner was third. The Dynapack driver admitted after the race that he had a lot to learn about racing on cold tyres from the two blokes ahead of him, but he was well clear of Murphy by mid race and took third. Ellery was next from Ingall, while Besnard held out Tander and, by the end of the race, Lowndes,for the minors.

Richards S and Kelly T followed from Bowe and Kelly R. The only other happening of note was that Bright, who peeked about the back of the top 10 early on, but slowed, allowed a few cars by and eventually stopped on the grass verge around the back. The #2 car had an oil scavenge problem and would need a new engine overnight.

And that was that. Short report?

Yep, sorry. Lousy race? Yep, sorry.

Race 2(39 laps) So, the big two - Skaife the red corner, Ambrose inin the blue comer -faced off for another drag race to the first comer.

Had they been alone, mano y mano,it would have been honours even, with the Holden and the Ford matching each other at the jump. But Murphy also wanted to get into the act, scorching away from the second row, quickly past Faulkner and, for a second, the Kmart car threatened the first two on the outside.

“I got too good a start,” said Murf “I wasn’t trying for the lead; I couldn’t see where Ambrose was, and I was trying to slot in. I ran wide, turned it, it didn’t turn and it went...”

OS’. By the time he recovered, he

continued on page 45

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[astern Creek continued from page 45 was 12th. He made it to seventh hy the end of the race. Good for points, but not as many as he may have got otherwise.

So it was Skaife v Ambrose

again. Kind of; Skaife belted away once he settled, 2s clear after six laps, 3s after seven, 4s after eight.

He pitted a lap later, one lap before Ambrose, who was 5.8s in arrears when they got clean air between them.

The chase was brave, but futile.

Ambrose was aggressive in traffic and hauled the gap down to just over a second, but Skaife got the message, turned up the wick and restored the gap to 2s-plus. By the end, he was 2.14s to the good.

But it had been tough. One-third of the way into the race, Skaife had the clutch go ‘funny’; the hydraulics had packed up and, while some drivers change gears in V8 Supercars with no clutch, Skaife does ndl. He ‘flat-changes’ (ie, holds the throttle flat and quickly fans the clutch). “It was sticking in gear,” he said later. “It took a while to get my head into gear, if you know what I mean.”

We do. He adapted well. He won well. Again.

The race behind was stretching out. Faulkner fell back and pitted on lap 9, but Kelly got ahead of him in the pits and turned up the wick. Alas, Todd’s tyres didn’t like it and he lost some spots, first to Ingall, then Lowndes, before be righted the Good Ship Grip to come home in fifth position.

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continued on page 48 00 Behaviour: Lowndes looked in control of Race 3 until his off. Notice the TV image from the back of his camera caught on the TV Superscreen.

Nice one ...

Another charger: Jason bright is getting to be awfully good at making up ground, the HRT man adding an Eastern Creek charge to the ones he did at

Phillip Island.

(Photos by Dirk Klynsmith and John Morris/Mpix)

'i«Loe' t.-

46

moiorsport news

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Eastern Creek

»

continued from page 47

Rtee tlms Fsiisst lap on

1 Skaife 2 Ambrose 3 Faulkner 4 Murphy S Ingall 6 Ellery 7 Besnard 8 Tander 9 Lowndes 10 S. Richards 11 T. Kelly 12 Bowe 13 R. Kelly 14 Radisich 15 Johnson 16 Seton 17 J. Richards 18 Crompton 19 Ritter 20 Jones 21 Wilson 22 Longhurst 23 Perkins 24 Bargwanna 25 Weel 26 Baird 27 McLean 28 Larkham 29 Forbes DNF Bright DNFWIIs DNFMcConville

20ml2.5059 *lm32.2375 20ml5.3259 lm32.3536 20m23.8990 lm32.9318 20m26.0712 lm32.7701 20m28.0336 lm33.3454 20m32.6529 lm33.4204 20m35.1742 lm33.7559 20m35.4037 lm33.6470 20m35.8203 lm33.6486 20m36,6736 lm33.5219 20m37.1703 lm33.7111 20m37.8274 lm33.5208 20m38,6999 lm33.7801 20m39.4549 lm33.8792 20m43.9242 lm34.6221 20m44.7038 lm34.5682 20m45i2446 lm34.5734 20m46.1292 lm34.6756 20m48.1412 lm34.5938 20m48.B254 lm34.5170 20m50.5029 lm34.8574 20m51.1384 lm34.5680 20m51.4360 lm34.1179 20m51.7033 lm34.5626 20m5Z1191 1m34.3267 20m53.5417 1m34.4948 20m54.9813 lm34.8191 20m55.4585 lm34.7993 20m56.2409 1m34.9150 Slaps. Im33.7100 Slaps 1m33.8035 ■■ 4 laps lm34.6927

Race 2-39 laps 1 Skaife 2 Ambrose 3 Lowndes 4 Tander 5 T. Kelly 6 Faulkner 7 Murphy 8 Johnson 9 Radisich 10 Bowe 11 S. Richards 12 Crompton 13 Bright 14 McConville 15 Seton 16 Larkham 17 Longhurst 18 Besnard 19 Wills 20 Baird 21 Ellery 22 R, Kelly 23 Perkins 24 Jones 25 J. Richards 26 Bargwanna 27 Wlson 28 Forbes 29 Ingall 30 Weel DNF McLean DNFRitter

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V8SCS Round 3 Eastern Creek Rie« 1-13 laps PPS Driver

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3 2 3 3 3 3 2 2 9 3 3 3 5 5 8 5 8 5 3 2 2 3 3 3 6 6 6 4 4 5 2 3

I h01m53.0093 lm32.9959 3 Ih01m55,1535 ●1m32.9629 3 1h02m20.1665 lm33,7506 14 1h02m24.9935 lm33.5436 25 1h02m42,1657 lm33.2288 10 Ih02m44.7156 1m34,0612 11 Ih02m50,2204 lm33.1492 8 lm34.1769 7 lh03m01,6S22 lm33,S523 6 Ih03m02.i'316 lm33.1577 11 1h03m02.4766 '1h03m03,3262 ' lm33.8935 15 1m34.2127 7 Ih03m05.5925 1h03m05.7414 lm33.9240 7 lm33.6027 5 Ih03m06,5981 lm34.5502 12 1h03m07.5026 Ih03ml2,1215 lm34.2043 12 lm33.9693 22 lh03ml4.D030 lm33.8878 17 Ih03ml5.1078 lm34.0413 5 Ih03ml7.7847 lm34.0538 17 Ih03m20.5651 1m34.1015 21 lh03m21.S665 1m34.2293 5 1h03m22.1282 lm34.2382 21 1h03m25.3508 lm33.9644 24 Ih03m25.5987 Ih03m45.6042 lm34.3056 20 lm34.4420 22 3S laps lm34,6285 9 38 laps lm35,14S2 24 3S laps lm33.9829 20 3S laps lm34,7824 7 35 laps lm35.2593 7 29 laps 1m33.8110 7 21 laps

But there had been plenty going on. Besnard was in the fight until his pitstop, the Stone crew turning the Caltex car around just in time to beat Lowndes out. Alas, the car’s right-front wheel escaped from the crew and rolled into the fast lane, leaving Bezzy to report for a penalty two laps later. That left him stranded well down the order in 29th, from where he recovered to 18th, Best not to know Besnard’s reaction ...

Ingall and Tander both stayed out on longer first stints than most of their opponents, but it only worked out for Tander, who took fourth behind Lowndes. Ingall looked set for a top-five finish but, after his stop, the Castrol car started to wobble, then slowed, then shed a wheel. Rusty hauled the car into the pits for a new

.,■ ■ rA

Tuan

Some Fuel for thought

ON a weekend when John Faulkner made a welcome return to the sharp end of V8 Supercar racing, the final race at the Creek was less than kind to the Melbourne driver.

"I was having problems," he said later. "I think I hit a kerb (Ed: though the'rear of the car also showed some signs of contact) and one of the fuel pickups must have had a problem. So I was having fuel starvation."

So he told the team on the dreaded radio. They were quick to understand that the rules prohibited refuelling the car in pit lane, so they asked an official if they could do it in the garage.

"They said we could, so I decided to come in," continued Faulkner. "Then they said that maybe we could not fill it, but it was too late then.

So JF nosed the VX into the garage, got some fuel, was pulled out and snaked back into the race, only for the problem to get terminal and DNF.

But then, Faulkner's crew was told that they had not been allowed to refill it. When MN's man was taking to Faulkner, he was holding a 'Please explain' note from the stewards.

If Faulkner is correct and an official told the team they could/efuel in their garage - and if that official was wrong - then the appropriate action should be taken against the official, not the team. Faulkner is man enough to stand up and admit that he has made mistakes (see Feature, page 36) and that is a good example for others to follow as well.

No-one ever promised that motor racing was fair; Faulkner has been around long enough to know that, But penalising a team, which asked for a ruling and followed that ruling, is worse than unfair; it is cruel. V8 Supercar racing needs more John Faulkners, not less. And it needs some clarity, please?

- PHIL BRANAGAN

Rsep 3-39 ISPS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Skaife Lowndes Tander Ambrose Murphy T. Kelly Bright Bowe 9 Radisich 10 McConuille 11 Ritter 12 S. Richards 13 Bargwanna 14 Crompton 15 Besnard 16 Longhurst 17 Jones 18 J. Richards 19 Wilson 20 Perkins 21 Wills 22 McLean 23 Larkham 24 Johnson 25 R. Kelly 26 Weel 27 Ingall 28 Forbes ONF Faulkner DNF Ellery DNF Seton DNF Baird

48

Ih01m55,1475 Ih01m59.4227 Ih02m03.9189 Ih02m05.0632 Ih02m07.6022 Ih02m07,7998 1h02m09.4877 1h02m35.8604 Ih02m39.2027 Ih02m51.1528 Ih02m53.8510 Ih02m54.2095 Ih02m54.4744 1h02m55,2963 Ih02m56.6168 Ih02m57.0943 1h02m57,3560 Ih02m58.4888 1h02m58.8176 1h02m59.6197 Ih03m06.2002 1h03m25.8245 1h03m26.3345 Ih03m31.5261 Ih03m40.4275 38 laps 31 laps 30 laps 36 laps 29 laps 5 laps 4 laps

lm33,09B5 13 lm33.2206 13 lm32.9199 13 lm33.0258 11 1m33,OOD5 8 lm33,4877 16 *1m32,9041 16 lm33.1801 5 lm33.8892 10 lm33.6966 6 1m33.3656 6 lm34.2531 9 1m34,1712 23 lm34.2365 12 lm34.0931 17 lm34.0871 23 lm33.8174 20 lra33.6853 6 1m33.8513 26 1m34.3842 21 1m33.8751 13 1m34.1202 23 lm34.1604 17 lm34.8884 9 1m34.5799 13 lm35.3034 10 1m34.1776 27 lm36.5764 7 lm33.9974 11 lm34.0909 13 lm36,9093 2 lm37.0771 2

Putting the end in ‘weekend’: Faulkner walks away from the stopped JFR Commodore in Race 3,

(Photo by Chris Corlcri

moiorsport news

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n

V8 SUPERCAR CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

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Stone Age Mutant Ninja battles: Current SBR man Besnard raced former SBR mgn Longhurst, above, and came off second best.

And GRM got to pack up Bargs’s Commodore, not sweep it up ...

(Photos by Dirk Klynsmilh and John Morris/Mpix)

Points after

I

Skaife 820, Murphy 410, Tander 408, Ambrose 374, Lowndes 355, T. Kelly 341, S. Richards 284, Johnson 230, Bright 217, Longhurst 216, Bowe 202, Ingall 173, Radisich 167, Perkins 160, Bargwanna 149, Larkham 132, Besnard J3J, Seton 121, McConville 116, Jonesll2, Baird 107, Richards 102, R. Kelly 95, Wills 94, Weel 94, Crompton 89, Faulkner 83, Forbes 82, Ellery 62, Tratt 54, Wilson 43, Gardner 36, Ritter 35, McLean 32, White 32, McDougal 24, Morris 16, Romano -104#. # Romano’s score includes 150 penalty for Phillip Island driving infringement

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right-rear and resumed at the back, getting only 29th at the end.

Best not to know his reaction, either... .Paul Weel had also had the same misfortune, and worse, when a right-front went flat, so he was the only finisher behind The Enforcer.

And Bright started at the back, made good early ground and got into the teens by lap 10. He got onto the rear of a battle between Steven Richards and Neil Crompton, which allowed the former to make some ground, and Brighty stayed there for the rest of the race, finishing 13th. Greg Ritter’s formation run with the team cars of Steven Johnson and Paul Radisich ended when he broke a gear selector, while Cameron McLean battled the loss of power steering until it all got to tough and he pitted the VIP Pet

Foods AU.

Race 3 (39 laps)

w

e needed a good race to finish the weekend - and we got

one.

Again, Skaife and Ambrose moved as one, but the blue Falcon gained more momentum more quickly and stormed around the outside of Skaife into Turn 1. Into the lead, right?

Wrong. Lowndes had made a dream getaway from three. “We

lA

really got it right,” Craig understated later. “From there, I was trying to get the biggest gap I could.”

The crowd went nuts. Lowndes led by more than a second after a lap and was stretching away until the round of pitstops approached.

On lap 8, Ambrose radioed his intention to pit and - guess what?

- the other two followed him in.

Obviously, there was a fair bit of scanning going on in the pits.

The heat was on but the status quo was preserved, but only among those three. Lowndes led them out but, as Ambrose and Skaife left the pits, Murphy (who had pitted two laps earlier) was up to an effective second place, 2s behind Lowndes.

Aided by a quick Kmart stop and a stunning out lap, he was looking like upsetting the applecart.

It took Ambrose around four laps to find a way past when Murf locked a brake and ran wide at Turn 2, and four laps later Ambrose had a similar incident at the same spot and Skaife, who had also got Murphy, was through as well, into second and chasing his former team-mate. He was 4s down and closing ...

“That was one of the best races I have ever been in,” gidnned Skaife afterwards. “I thought I was in the Gulf War following Lowndesy; it

was like a sandstorm.”

It was like a war. Both drivers admitted to driving at 110 per cent (mathematics and Latin scholars may wince at the expression, but the intent is clear) and they availed themselves of every millimeter of track they could find.

Lowndes was squeezing as much speed as he could from the black car and Skaife was pushing as hard as he could. Something had to give.

Unusually, it was Lovmdes. On lap 33, he locked the rears for a split second and gyrated off the track at Turn 2. The car quickly regained the track but, by then, Skaife and four seconds were gone, Craig hanging on for second.

“Mark said we were at 110 percent,” he said later. “I went to 112 and lost it.”

But it had been a great battle ...

Ambrose hung on for fourth, struggling for grip at the end which forced him to concede to a flying Tander, w'hile behind came the Kmart duo (Murphy leading Kelly), Bright (another charge from the teens with fastest lap) and Bowe, who soldiered on with an oil leak which left the OzEmail car trailing smoke for much of the race.

Then came a trio of current and ex-DJR drivers; Radisich and Ritter were split by McConville, who had again motored fi’om a rear of grid Race 2 start through the pack. He is starting to take some prime scalps, is Cam. If there were still ‘passing points’ in the championship, perhaps he would be the one to challenge Skaife.

The signs are that the pack is getting close to HRT. Bright is the one to suffer much of the team’s bad luck; Skaife adapted well to his clutch pi;pblem and made the most of it. The signs are there that the future may be less successful.

But 410 points are an awful, awful lot to make up.

Darwin beckons. The Top End holds some mysteries, they say.

Good. We need some ...

^ YOU IN YOUR IfiACKSI

'oMy..

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49

If you want to win Targa Tasmania, you'll have to beat these ...

Grumi T

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HEY may have a combined age of more than a century,but Jim Richards and Barry Olivier were more than a match for the opposition in the 2002 Targa Tasmania,the flying kiwi taking his sixth victoryin the blast around the Island state.

Richards was dominant in the event, taking the lead on the opening prologue and holding it all. the way to the finish, despite copping a two-minute penalty for changing a tyre after hitting a pothole on day 4.

At that stage, Richards was in danger of being caught by rookie Steve Glenneys Nissan GT-R, but the South Australian crashed out of the event on the Cethana stage, leaving the finish an all-Porsche affair. Peter Fitzgerald took second in co-driver Michael Mansour’s Porsche, after Terry Quinn’s Porsche Turbo, which had been second, crashed on the Strahan » stage on the final day.

“We hit a pot-hole which could have put us out, but luckily all we did was damage a rim,” said Richards. “It cost us two minutes, but at least we could keep going.

Unfortunately when things went wrong for some of the others it put them out of the race. We just kept racing hard doing the best we could.

Some people think all we have to do is turn up every year to win.

That’s not the case. This year we gave away two minutes to everyone else and things could easily have

moiorspori news

TARGA TASMANIA

IV Bold Men Mellow, yellow; Jim Richards and Barry Oiiver, above, took out another Targa Tasmania title, their experience and Porsche telling over the six days of the event. Peter Brock, below, was almost as busy out of the Monaro, bottom, as he was in it; Holden gave away 50,000 posters during the week.

Game Over: Richards Junior had a tough run in the Monaro, having this off on Cygnet. The car was repaired overnight and Richo continued.

I..

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Filling out the podium was local Jason White, navigated by his uncle John White,in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII,from Jeff Beable’s Nissan Skyline and Tasmanian Greg Garwood (Lancer Evo VI).

Taking a strong sixth outright

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was Peter and James Brock. The nine-time Bathurst winner took the opening stages of the event quietly and was outside the top 20 after the Prologue but, once he settled, the red Holden Monaro surged through the top 10, setting

impressive times and taking the title of the first two-wheel-drive car home in the typically trying conditions.

“Fd like to come back and do this again with Holden if I get the chance,” Brock Sr said after the event. “I need more practice because that’s what I’m lacking.

The event itself is fantastic - the organisation to move so many cars around in one event is unbelievable.”

While Porsche and Holden came away from the event smiling, it was less happy news for the other bigname entries in the 2002 race. The works Mazda RX-7SP was in contention in third place after Leg 2, but the rotary-engined car started to suffer from clutch problems, sending it down the order. Eventually, the ACT driver was forced out of the event after exhaust problems on Leg 4.

Also having drama was Steven Richards. The Victorian ran off the road and into an earth bank on the Cygnet stage on Day 3 after a moment of confusion when he saw the Karl Farmer/John Grounds Subai’u WR-X parked off the road 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

J. Richards (Vici/B. Oliver ITas) P. Fitzgerald (Vic)/M. Mansour (Vic) Jason White (Tas)/John White (TasI J. Beable (Vicl/N. Beable (Vic) G. Garwood (T8s)/M. Perry(Tas) P Brock (Vic)/J. Brock (Vic) R. Lintott|NSW)/F. Gocentas(NSW) W. Freemantle (Vic)/C. Smith (Vic) K. Burke(NSW)/N. Botha (SA) C. Dean (Vic|/6. Bell (Vic)

on the very same corner.

“It was confusing because when I saw the Subaru next to the road and the skid marks I thought the road went left, but it actually went right,” said the V8 Supercar driver. “(Navigator) Jenny(Cole) made the right call, but in the confusion I got onto the gravel and it was over.

I wanted to get through this race without a scratch on the car, but the roads down here demand respect and I got it wrong.”

The Monaro was rebuilt overnight and continued in the event, albeit well down the order.

So the baftle at the front was between Richards and Quinn, the Nations Cup driver having problems with his Tm'bo; “This week we’ve spent four days trying to get it right,” he said,“but the car is bmmcing all over the road. We’re going to go back to the suspension we had on the car before, and hopefully that will give us a better chance of putting some pressm-e on Jim.” His off on the final day put paid to his chance. Maybe next year he can stop Richards from getting his seventh win...

Porsche 911 Porsche 911 Mitsubishi Evo VII Nissan Skyline GT/R (Vlilsubishi Evo VI V8 Flolden Monaro Porsche 911 Nissan Skyline Porsche 911 Toyota Supra

llm41s 14ml4s 16m30s 16m35s 16ni38s 16m48s 19m46s 20m53s 21m31s 22m01s

Results Targa Tasmania 2002 1 May 2002

51

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HERE are times when a team becomes dominant in a World Championship, and rather than celebrate the achievement fans and observers tend to say that things have become boring.

Michael Schumacher led from start to finish in the Spanish Grand Prix to record his 57th victory. It was a magnificent result, but if one was looking for an all-action,gunfight at the OK

you.

Crushing mayfor be Corral this wasdomination not the movie i mpressive but it ain’t show business.

Still, there was a few moments of excitement back down through the field - which was rather better than the San Marino Grand Prix.

Hopefully now we will move on |- to circuits which promote a little . CO more action.

Ferrari is doing it right. The rest ' 3 ai-e doing it wrong. End of story.

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molorsRort news

52 H

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FORMULA ONE

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Sweet spray of success: Schuey Snr is spending so much time drenched in champagne that he must be approaching ‘marinated’ status, left.

So close, but oh so very far: Montoya, above, and Coulthard, beiow, are ieading the campaign to end the Ferrari dominance, but on Barceiona form there’s stiil a iong way to go yet...

(Photos by Sutton-lmages and Marsh/BOTHWELL)

All great World Champions are also lucky men and this has always been an element in Michael Schumacher's career. He always seems to have problems at the right moments and it happened again in Spain when Schumacher’s car stopped out on the circuit during the warm-up with an hydraulic failure. Michael went into the spare car for the race but the set-up was not a problem.

When Rubens Barrichello has a failure it tends to affect his races and it happened again in Spain.

As the cars were setting off on the final parade lap something went wrong with Rubens’s gearbox and the car stopped. The mechanics tried to get the car going again but it was clear this was something major and the car was pushed away. It would never emerge from pitlane. Rubens’s weekend ended there and then.

This meant that there was no1 Mav 2002

one to challenge Michael on the run down to the first coi'ner, and after that eveiyone else was wasting their time.

“It’s really bad luck for Rubens,” said Schumacher. “Everything that has gone wrong this year so far has gone wrong for him.”

Afterwards, Jean Todt described it as “a tense race”, but then he had a vested interest and was probably worried that Michael’s gearbox would lunch itself But Michael’s fairy godmother was flying around as Michael’s wingwoman as usual, and the car

ran without a hiccough all the way to the chequered flag.

One should salute that achievement.This was 24-carat domination. Four wins in five races this year. Seven out of the last 10 Grands Prix.

Success is often based as much on one own’s efficiency as on the failing of others, and while no-one would detract from the Ferrari’s achievement, one does have to point out that if McLaren had a better engine or Williams a betterchassis the story would not necessarily be the same.

The issues of tyres is also an important one, but when all is said and done the package is what is needed and Ferrari has it.

Williams-BMW remains the nearest challenger, but in Spain that challenge was not as strong as one might have expected. Juan Pablo Montoya ended the day in second position and he was happy enough with that.

“I think we made the best of what we had,” he said. It was not

continued on page 55 S3

Spanish GP Qualifying

Hope on the horizon

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LATE on the evening of the San Marino Grand Prix two weeks earlier the paddock in Imola was a pretty subdued place. At Williams and McLaren they were down in the dumps and the mood was reflected in their views about v/hat was going to happen in Spain.

"It'll be the same," they said.

Ferrari and Bridgestone had got ahead and there was not enough time to close the gap.

The BMW engine may be the most powerful engine in FI by about 30 horsepower, but the Williams chassis could be better and the McLaren chassis may be good but the Mercedes-Benz engine (dare we say it) is seriously down on power.

When one adds in the fact that Bridgestone is clearly working very closely with Ferrari and that Michelin has to split its effort between-Williams and McLaren, and that Michael Schumacher is a cut about the rest of them in FI at the moment, the result is that Ferrari has the best package.

And that will not change until Williams get some more aerodynamic efficiency or McLaren get some more power, and Michelin gets up on the pace of Bridgestone. All these things can be achieved. The big question then is whether Michael Schumacher's abilities can be matched by his adversaries...

Until then, we have to sit and watch as Ferrari dominate. The team has worked hard for many years to get to where it currently is and the pressure now is for the others to catch up and overtake. It will happen, but that will take time. You cannot cut corners in the ups

and downs of Grand Prix racing.

You just have to invest more and work harder than those around you.

Ferrari never looked like being beaten in qualifying in Barcelona but for a while it looked as though Rubens Barrichello might actually outpace Michael Schumacher, but it was a mirage in the desert for in the dying moments of the qualifying session Michael put it all together and so zipped across the finishing line with a time which was three-tenths of a second faster than Barriochello's best effort.

Michael was almost a second clear of his brother, Ralf, who once again managed to outqualify Juan Pablo Montoya by slightly more than a tenth.

"That was a dream qualifying session, said Jean Todt. "We have an excellent car and engine, supported by very good Bridgestone tyres."

More importantly perhaps, Ferrari also managed to save a set of tyres for each driver which the team reckoned could be crucial on Sunday as strategy tends to be for two or more pit stops.

It is often hard to tell how these things will pan out, but on Saturday the mood across the paddock was that Sunday would bring another Ferrari massacre.

It is a story which has become a little too familiar in recent months, but it is hard to see from where the solution will come until some fairly big things are shaken up.

Williams put a brave face on the situation but a second a lap in qualifying trim is a lot.

Perhaps the gap was going to reduce when it came to the

race. We could but hope. In fact the numbers did not tell the whole story. The team spent Friday working on race set-ups and doing all the necessary homeworki so while other teams showboated Williams looked to be struggling.

"We looked maybe worse than how we actually were," Ralf Schumacher said.

It was good therefore that everything came together on Saturday, because otherwise it might have been embarrassing.

But a second a lap is a big chunk of time. The fact is that qualifying and races these days bear only a passing ressemblance to one another because of the use of what some refer to as as 'Kleenex' engines, designed and built to last only for qualifying and then thrown away like a used tissue.

Some teams use them but -■ Williams solidly (and one can use such a word when Patrick Head is involved) denies that it is the case. Thus, the trend appears to be towards Williams racing better than they qualify.

This offers some hope.

The statistics say that Ralf beat Montoya again, but the Colombian did a good job in the circumstances. His BMW engine was misfiring and the team took the decision to switch him to the spare rather than trying to fix the problem, and so he was catching up all the way. His last-minute lunge to fourth was a mighty effort.

"I don't know how it worked," he said. "But it definitely didi" The McLaren world was looking bronze rather than silver as the team is very definitely in third place right now.

Kimi Raikkonen qualified fifth, just a tenth adrift of Montoya and a tenth ahead of Jenson Button's Benetton. The young Englishman did a good job to outqualify David Coulthard by a margin that was so tight that not even a Scotsman could top it, and was three-tenths faster than his Renault team mate Jarno Trulli. If Button is not careful he'll find himself being rehired by Renault next year.

"As always we will do our best," said Coulthard with a face as dour as Edinburgh when there's a good east wind whistling in.

"Our grid positions are no great surprise," said Ron Dennis.

Of the rest there were a few performances of note. HeinzHarald Frentzen again drove the socks off his Arrows to be the top Cosworth-powered car, while Giancarlo Fisichella again won 'Formula Honda' but he was down in 12th place and being 1.9seconds behind Schumacher's pole lap cannot have inspired much confidence.

There were red faces at / Jaguar by the end of it all after Eddie Irvine's fuel sample was found not to match the 'fingerprint' it should be matching. His times were taken away and so he tumbled from 15th to the back of the grid.

The Toyotas were back where we thought they might be, proving that a good start is worth its weight in gold from an image point of view. Better to start well and then reach a lower plafeau than to start at the back and plod in a sombre fashion up the mountain.

I - JOE SAWARD

It ^ ;

54

motorsport news

FORMULA ONE continued from page 53 quite that simple, because at his pit stop a confused signal had caused a fair old mess. The lollipop man (the man who tells the driver whether he can depart)is chief mechanic Carl Gaden. For some reason which he probably does not even know he was under the impression that the refuellers had finished their job. The lollipop went up, Montoya took off.

In a split second Gaden realised that things were not right and tried to stop the disaster that was about to happen. He stepped forward and as he did so the car

went over his foot. This tumbled him over forwards. At the same time, on the other side of the car, one of the front wheel men was tumbled into another.

The fuelman himself had an uncomfortable couple of seconds as found himself riding the sidepod.

Montoya had realised quickly that something was wrong.

“I managed to stop fairly quickly,” he said.

“It was lucky I still had my hand on the clutch.”

The car stopped - unfortunately on Gaden’s foot- but one of the continued on page 56

Clipped wings: Kimi Raikkonen, top, and the Minardi team, above, were both sent packing after suffering rear wing faiiures.

Arrow shot straight and true: The siience was deafening in Holland as H-HF, left, crossed the line in sixth place to score Arrows’s first point in (Photos by'feuttori-lmages and Marsh/BOTHWELL) way, way too long.

POS DRIVER 1 Michael Schumacher 2 Rubens Barrichello 3 Ralf Schumacher 4 Juan Pablo Montoya 5 Kimi Raikkonen 6 Jenson Button 7 David Coulthard 8 Nick Heidfeld 9 Jarno Trulli 10 Heinz-Harald Frentzen 11 Felipe Massa 12 Giancarlo Fisichella 13 Olivier Panis 14 Enrique Bernoldi 15 Jacques Villeneuve 16 Pedro de la Rosa 17 Mika Salo 18 Takuma Sato 19 Allan McNish 20 Mark Webber 21 Alex Yoong 22 Eddie Irvine

1 Mau 2002

CAR Marlboro Ferrari F2002 Marlboro Ferrari F2002 Compaq Williams.BMW FW24 Compaq Williams.BMW FW24 West McLaren-Mercedes MP4/17 Mild Seven Renault R202 West McLaren-Mercedes MP4/17 Sauber Petronas C21 Mild Seven Renault R202 Orange Arrows/Cosworth A23 Sauber Petronas C21 DHL Jordan/Honda EJ12 Lucky Strike BAR/Honda 003 Orange Arrows/Cosworth A23 Lucky Strike BAR/Honda 003 Jaguar/Cosworth A3 Panasonic Toyota TF102 DHL Jordan/Honda EJ12 Panasonic Toyota TF102 KL Mlnardi/Asiatech PS02 KL Mlnardi/Asiatech PS02 Jaguar/Cosworth A3

TIME 1m16.364s lm16.630s lm17.277s 1m17,425s 1ml7.519s 1ml7.638s lml7.662s lml7.851s lml7.929s lml8.121s lml8.139s lml8,291s lml8.472s lml8.515s lml8.847s lml8.885s lml8.897s lml9.002s lml9.025s 1ml9.802s lm21.415s No time

Who is Europe’s number one performance and motor sport air filter manufacturer?

55

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Spanish GP A

Spanish GP lap by lap

MARK Webber suffered a rear

wing failure in the Sunday morning warm-up and Minardi took the responsible decision not to risk racing because they were not sure of the case of the failure.

During the warm up Michael Schumacher also hit problems with an hydraulic failure on his Ferrari. He went to the spare and it was just as quiok as his race car. His team-mate was not so luoky'- Barrichello ran into dramas prior to the warm-up lap and failed to make the start.

Lapi: Michael Schumacher went straight into the lead ahead of Half, Montoya, Raikkonen, Button, Coulthard, Trulli, Heidfeld and Massa. he drove quickly away from the field and was 10 seconds ahead after the first 10 laps.

Lap 3: Pedro de la Rosa spun his Jaguar into a sandtrap.

Lap 4: Kimi Raikkonen's rear wing collapsed. Raikkonen drove to the pits to retire. This left Button fourth, Coulthard fifth and Trulli sixth.

Lap 34: After several laps of battling, Coulthard overtook Button to take third place - the first major passing move of the race. It soon became clear that Button has problems and was dropping away.

Lap 37: Villeneuve was able to pass Enrique Bernoldi for 10th place but the Arrows was in trouble with an hydraulic leak and Bernoldi shortly afterwards.

Lap 40: Half Schumacher stopped for another new nose because the handling of his car was so bad.

Lap 41: The race ended for Jaguar when Irvine retired with an hydraulic problem.

Lap 43: During the second round of pit stops Ranis retired with a broken exhaust as he left the pits.

Lap 45: Drama in the Williams pit. Montoya pitted and the chief mechanic waved him away a fraction too early. He realised his mistake and-tried to

stop the car leaving and ended up having his foot run over.

Montoya rejoined without losing a place while the team looked after Its troops. There were no serious injuries.

Lap 56: Button had been holding off Massa and Frentzen but dropping hydraulic pressure resulted in a gearbox glitch which let them both get ahead.

Lap 61: McNish passed Button and Trulli was passed by Massa and Frentzen.

Lap 62: Trulli was overtaken by Villeneuve. Button retires.

Lap 63: Trulli retired. Ralf stopped with an engine failure.

Lap 65: Michael Schumacher takes his fourth win in five races.

Lap 23: Trulli was the first major runner to pit. All the major runners stopped in the course of the next six laps. Olivier Ranis got ahead of Heinz-Harald Frentzen for ninth place.

Lap 29: Ralf Schumacher went off. He damaged his front wing and had to pit for a new nose.

He dropped baok to 13th place.

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Lap 58: Villeneuve passed Button to take eighth.

Lap 11: Sato spins and retires.

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Lap 57: Trulli's Renault hit a similar problem and began to slow down. Heidfeld took fourth.

Lap 5: Giancarlo Fisichella retired with a loss of hydraulic pressure.

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continued from page 55 other mechanics came in quickly and heaved the wheel upwards, allowing Gaden to pull his foot out of the way.

Montoya took off. A second or two had been wasted.

Gaden was in pain but it soon emerged that nothing was broken.

The team would have other dramas as well because Ralf Schumacher’s race did not go well either. Initially he was second b^it unable to match his brother, and then on lap 29 he made a mistake and went bouncing across the grass.

This removed the barge boards and part of the front wing. He had to pit and from then on the race turned sour. The front wing fitted had a different wing configuration and the car did not handle at all well and so later on they had to change it again.

continued on page 57

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motorsport news

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Stop/go penalty: JPM’s lollypop man, above, paid a painful price when he released Montoya from his pitstop too early - and was cleaned up by the hastily-departing Colombian as a result. There were no serious injuries.

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Looking at a bright future: Another great outing from Jenson Button, top right, suggests that the horrors of 2001 may be a thing of the past.

A the series wing breakages, iastofduring the Sunday morning warm-up, caused Paui Stoddart to withdraw the KL Minardi team from the Spanish Grand Prix.

The last time such an occurrence took place was at the Brazilian GP in 2000 when the Sauber team was afflicted by a series of rear wing failures.

After front wing failures on Saturday - both on different spec front wing mountings affected both Minardis (although Yoong’s resulted from a major kerb-climbing moment), all the team’s front wings were flown to Faenza for overnight checking and refabrication of the mounting system.

It was a major undertaking, yet both cars were ready for the Sunday morning warm-up.

How shattering for the team, then, to see the rear wing detach itself from Webber’s car just a few moments before the 1 May 2002

end of the session.

The car spun into the traps at the end of the straight, but was otherwise undamaged.

With no time to fully evaluate the problem, Stoddatl took the only responsible decision: “”We have examined the component that failed on Mark’s car, which was a newly fabricated part but to the same design and specification as we have used aii season, and the initial conclusion is that a manufacturing fault specific to that piece was responsible for the problem.

“If this had happened yesterday, then we would have had time to get the parts back to the factory to have them stress-tested and could have raced today.

“Unfortunately, there is simply not the time available to us on race day to do that, so we have taken the only decision possible under the circumstances, which is to withdraw from the event.”

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"Wisdom from the hill: For one spectator, the solution to McLaren’s (Photos by Marsh/BOTHWELL ) problems is simple, bottom right.

Biting the builet Minardi takes the tough decision

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Spanish GP continued from page 58

What they said

Highlights of the post-race press conference

Q: Rubens had a problem off the dummy grid and you had a problem this morning. How worried were you about reliability?

MS: Obviously as we had the problem with Rubens we tried to take care of whatever he had. I don't know 100 percent what it was but we did a safe pit stop and did certain things a little more carefully in order to make sure the same thing didn't happen. But it's really bad luck for Rubens. Everything that has gone wrong this year so far has gone wrong for him. You can't really think it will always go that way. You know that one day it's going to hit you. We will simply try our best not to let it happen and again and I'm sorry for Rubens.

Q: Juan Pablo.what exactly happened at the second pit stop? It looked as though the lollipop man lifted the lollipop just that little bit too soon.

JPM: Yeah, I think he lifted it because he thought I could go.

He tried to stop me with his body. I managed to stop as fast as I could'but I had already run over him!

Q: David, starting seventh on the grid, did you ever think you would be up here in the unilateral conference?

David Coulthard: Well, I knew it would come through other people having problems and clearly that's what happened today. The only battle I had was with Jenson. After the first pit stop, I was able to overtake him

down into the first corner but other than that we were just having a lonely battle. I benefited from other people's misfortune, but you accept that because that's motor racing.

Q: What did the team tell you after Kimi Raikkonen's rear wing came off?

DC: Well, they didn't tell me anything. It was quite obvious what had happened. There's no reason to pull the car out or for me to be worried about it because we haven't had a wing failure this year at all. Obviously they will look at the remains of what's actually there and try and understand exactly why it failed, whether it was fatigue or whether it was manufacturing.

But unfortunately those are the stresses and strains that are on Grand Prix cars. Occasionally they fail.

Q: Michael, can you see this domination being threatened, apart from by reliability problems?

MS: Honestly, yes. This is basically the same car we had in Brazil and I thought we had a very close battle in Brazil. So you have circuits which really favour us and circuits which are very close. We have seen in Australia, at the end of the stint, that the Michelin runners were very competitive so if they get the consistency somehow. They can be very competitive there this year.

We know what happened last year in Canada so there will be circuits which are much more difficult for us. But here, we

know that the Bridgestone tyre works very well, plus our car is simply phenomenal and it shows up here. Aerodynamics, we had something last year which was very good but our engineers really have managed to improve that and that's what you can see very well.

Q: Juan Pablo. After the second pit stop did you call the team to see the condition of the people?

JPM: I saw when I hit him and when they pushed the car back he was actually standing there by himself so I knew he was alright and as soon as I got out of the car at the finish of the race they told me. It was okay.

Q: Juan Pablo. When Ralf had his problem, you were just behind him. What did you see?

JPM: From my understanding, ^ but I don't know if something failed, I just saw him run wide on the blind right-hander that goes onto the back straight. He missed the apex and when I came to the top of the crest he was in the gravel.

Q: Michael. Because of the problem Rubens had, did you have to change anything or be careful of anything during the race?

MS: We.tried to just adapt a little bit during our pit stop so that nothing happened in that area. 1 don't think we really understood 100 percent what the problem was, but we tried to be as careful as we could be.

By then Ralf was down at the back of the field where he had a lengthy dice with Mika Salo which ended on the last lap when Ralfs engine failed him.

He ended up being classified 11th. It was nothing to write home about.

The McLaren team ended up with third place for David Coulthard which was a better result than the team ever imagined would come from the weekend.

At the start of the race, Kimi Raikkonen was beaten off the line

by Jenson Button but the Finn then made a brave move around the outside of the Renault at the first corner and so was in fourth place until the start of the fourth lap when his rear wing disintegrated on the straight.

Following the problems Minardi had had this was a worry but the team decided not to call in David Coulthard.

“Within less than a minute we were able to interrogate our database and confirm that the wing assembly on David’s car was

RESULTS Spanish GP.

April 28 2002. 05 laps/30l.323kms /

Pos Dilvar 1 M Schumacher 2 Montoya 3 Coulthard 4 Heidfeld 5 Massa 6 Frentzen 7 Villeneuve 8 McNish 9 Salo 10 Trulli 11 fl Schumacher 12 Button

Race lime lh28m 14.494s Ih28ml5.598s Ih28m52.590s Ih28m57.775s Ih29m04.408s Ih29ml0.478s Ih29m26.874s Ih29m42.302s 1h29m43.602s Ih29m46.049s Ih29m48.617s 43 Laps

FASTEST LAP M Schumacher 1m20.355s on lap 49 .

RETIREMENTS Penis Irvine Bernoldi Sato FIsichella Raikkonen de la Rosa Barrichello

44 laps 42 laps 41 laps 11 laps 6 laps B laps 3 laps 0 laps

DRIVERS POINTS M Schumacher 44, Montoya 23, R Schumacher 20, Coulthard 9, Button 8, Barrichello 6, Heidfeld 5, Raikkonen 4, Irvine 3, Massa 3, Webber 2, Salo 2, Frentzen 1, CONSTRUCTORS POINTS Ferrari 50, Williams.BMW 43, McLarenMercedes 13, Sauber-Petronas 8, Renault 8, Jaguar-Cosworth 3, Minardi-Asiatech 2, Toyota 2, Arrows 1. pnolo fjy Simon-ininjjtis

motorsDori news

FORMULA ONE effectively new which, supported by our extensive test mileage convinced us that there was no risk to David.”

When all is said and done teams make choices. Minardi had said that morning that they were confident that their rear wings were all right but could not be 100% sure until the failure had been analysed and so decided not to race. McLaren decided to go on.

There was no way of analysing what had happened on Raikkonen’s car in the time available. No database in the world will tell you if there is going to be a catastrophic structural failure.

Coulthard’s rear wing did not fail. That’s fine. But what if it had?

Racing is all about taking risks and if the team is comfortable with that there can be no reproach.

Coulthard ended up third but only really because he profited from the misfortunes of others.

And he waa honest enough to admit that at the end of the race.

Sauber came home fourth and fifth after the demise of the two Renaults which fell fould of hydraulic failures in the closing laps after a pretty good showing. /Heidfeld was fourth and Massa, who had a good fight with Button, was fifth.

The final point went to the Ajtows of Heinz-Harald Frentzen, which was a good effort given the troubles that the team has been struggling through in recent month.

It was the first point the team has rnanaged to pick up since Jos Verstappen finished sixth in the Austrian GP, seventeen races ago.

Team-mate Enrique Bernoldi was forced to park after suffering a hydraulic problem.

Jacques Villeneuve was seventh which was not bad given the problems the Honda men have had this year.

Neither BAR nor Jordan has scored to date - everyone else now has. Olivier Panis also showed well for much of the race before driving into the garage and onto the retirement list on lap 44.

Jordan’s recent unhappy run continued when Giancarlo Fisichella departed after five laps, and Takuma Sato spun himself into oblivion a few tours later.

Toyota was happy to see both cars gi’eet the finish line, albeit in eighth (Mika Salo) and ninth (Alan McNish) after both cars struggled in qualifying, and Salo was further troubled by a puncture that forced an unscheduled early stop.

And Jaguar made another deposit to their bulging ‘weekend to forget’ file. Irvine retired with a fuel problem,joining Pedro de la Rosa, who had earned his spot on the DNF list by spinning on lap three.

1 Mav 2002

Webber'S GP Diary Barcelona Barcelona Airport 2.05pm Sunday

w

ell I suppose the good news (for MN's Editor) is that this weekend's Diary gets done early. Not that I'm enjoying sitting at Barcelona Airport as the Spanish Grand Prix gets under way.

What started as a difficult weekend turned completely to mud this morning when the rear wing flew off my Minardi at something like 300kmh.

After the problems we’d had over the previous 24 hours with front wings, there was no way this could be written off as coincidence, so Paul Stoddart did the only reasonable thing and withdrew the team from the race.

While it was disappointing for everyone in the team, he gained a deal of respect from the other team owners and drivers. A similar failure during the race could have had a far more damaging outcome and involved others.

If all this had happened on Friday, there would have been time to get the offending parts back to Faenza for thorough checks, but three hours before the start of a GP... not enough time.

The rear wing was brand new this morning and identical to the spec that we ran at Brazil with no problem at all. It suggests there may have been a fabrication problem.

I was making Ismail adjustment inside the car when it flew off - I gather the TV caught it all, so depending on Channel 9's access, many of you may have seen it. The car wavered slightly and I thought it was simply a result of my fiddling around, but as soon as I braked it became pretty obvious that wasn't the case!

With no downforce on the rear, it simply locked up and rotated like a top, deep into the kitty litter at the end of the straight.

My week had actually started off with a win - I teamed up with Sandon Stolle in an invitation doubles match linked to the Seat Open tennis that was also on in Barcelona this week and we won!

He and Lleyton Hewitt came down to the track on Thursday and both hopped into the Minardi - once we got Lleyton right into

the car, down into the proper seating position, he couldn't believe how low and confined the space in the car is.

He'd got a bit of a sweat up already and couldn't imagine two hours in there. We had a good chat - he's a great guy.

Our problem weekend began in Friday's first session when a clutch seal blew. It meant I was quite late out for the second session, but there was still time to do the tyre back-to-back.

There was little to choose, but the prime tyre gave us the best balance - decision made. was when the Saturday wheels, or rather wings. really fell off the wagon.

I got a fair bit of press after the front wing mounting failed and it folded under the front of the car late in the first session. It was a hairy moment, fortunately on the

4 I

Photo by MafsJvDOTHWi-Li.

straight rather than in a fast corner and I was able to drive the car back to the pits.

It was one of a slightly different spec front wing that we'd tested at Silverstone, so we took the decision to revert to the existing spec, although it meant I only got out for the last 15 minutes of the second session.

But things became more desperate when Alex (Yoong) had a similar failure during qualifying. In his case, it transpired that he'd whacked a kerb quite hard, but it was still enough for Paul to insist that things be modified overnight back at Italian HQ in Faenza.

Yet again, owning his own airline wqs to prove handy.

The guys worked all night and we fronted up for the warm-up with fully re-done front wing mounts. Pretty good effort.

Regardless, qualifying hadn't gone that badly. The third run was reasonable okay - although Montoya got in the way a little. I didn't get a fourth run as the team called a halt following Alex's problem.

My time was about 2.5 seconds off the Williams cars (the leading Michelin runners), which is about where we are at right now. The Ferraris ... well, they've got everyone stumped.

Which brings us to Sunday morning and my early departure for home.

We were scheduled to test at Valencia on Tuesday but given the problems that now have to be addressed, that's off. The next time I drive the car will probably be Friday morning at the Austrian GP. Frustrating, but it seems I'm in for a quiet week.

59

Cyprus Rail]

M

Ford's Colin McRao looked set to finally break Peugeofs grip on the WRC until he threw away his lead with a series of rolls late in the Cyprus Rally.

Guess who was there to pick up the pieces...?

JON THOMSONPeooFts

LTD, dust and tears flowed in ample quantities in Cyprus ’after torrential spring rains drenched the Mediterranean island and saw rally leader Colin McRae lose an almost certain victory after two rolls in the final handful of stages.

It was a devastating blow to Ford and McRae, who had been hoping to break the dominance of Peugeot but instead handed yet another 1-2 finish to them on a platter.

Marcus Gronholm led home team-mate Richard Burns; the pair pla3ung a canny game for the French manufacturer to get the best out of the conditions giving them a strong lead in the Championship heading to the half way point in the title

Day 1 ter rain earlygot in the week the Af rally actually underway in dry and dusty conditions, and the carnage started immediately.

Carlos Sainz damaged his driveshaft about seven kilometres into the first stage and was forced to nurse his Focus through the next two stages, dropping to 21st place.

McRae'took the lead immediately, dominating the opening stage before coming under attack from his young Ford team mates. First, 21-year-old Francois Duval attacked on stage two, taking the lead before Markko Martin took his Focus to the fore on stage three.

McRae’s experience and knowledge got the better of the youngsters and he took back the lead on SS4 and held onto it to the end of the leg.

Fetter Solberg got off to a great start and was second to McRae after SSI, however throttle problems on the day’s third stage cost him four minutes.

Solberg’s team-mate Tommi Makinen started slowly but dialled into the difficult conditions and moved up the leader board as the day wore on finishing in fifth.

Gronholm was the biggest threat to McRae. Consistently quick and without problems, he ensured Ford

did not succeed in gaining total domination. He finished the day in second, 6.9 seconds behind McRae. Alister McRae struck brake problems on SS2, losing over a.^ minute to the leaders, but the Mitsubishi driver’s woes continued, breaking a driveshaft on the day's final stage to finish the day 4m42.2s behind brother Colin, and struggling to be inside the top 20.

Sainz’s horrible luck continued as his Ford's power steering failed on SS4, meaning Spaniard struggled home outside the top 20.

McRae and Gronholm enjoyed a good fight all day, the pair split by under seven seconds. Gronholm had the disadvantage of running first on the road all day but would be in a much better position to challenge McRae in the long,eightstage, 145 km grind on day two.

Day 2 The rain came early on torrential day two and drenched the stages, making what were rough and dusty mountain tracks into fast flovring mountain streams.

McRae built his lead slightly on the first two stages as the Ford splashed its way through the mud.

But then he lost time to Gronholm on SS9, the longest of the day, with a power steering problem which allowed the Peugeot star to close in.

motorsport news

WORLD RALLY

So close, yet ever so far: Colin McRae, above, overcame the weather, the opposition, and virtually every other obstacle to have the Cyprus Rally in the bag - until he rolled twice in the twilight stages. Peugeot were there to pick up the pieces and score their third-straight one-two finish. If the Mitsubishi, left, is anything to go by, then at least McRae can take some consolation from the fact that he wasn’t the only one to struggle in the difficult conditions ...

(Photos by Sutton-lmages)

It was a lacklustre performance for Bm-ns on the opening leg but he found his rh}dhm, moving up from 10th to sixth with a string of inspired stages.

It was, however, a tougher morning for Alister McRae. The Scot rolled on SS8, but managed to continue despite dropping well down the overall standings.

Solberg started a big fightback in the next brace of stages, recording four-straight stage wins and moving from 13th to eighth as team-mate Makinen consolidated his third place behind the rampaging McRae and Gronholm.

The torrential rain made tyre choice a nightmare as the first two stages were wet but the long third stage was dry,forcing teams to balance traction over with wear resistance on a brace of stages.

McRae’s tyre choice saw him take time back off Gronholm, who had made too few extra hand cuts to his tyres and lost his chance to stay in touch with the leader.

Burns slid past Martin into fourth place as he appeared to be coming to grips with the 206 on gravel.

The rally started to take a toll as Duval retired with engine problems, Jani Paasonen smashed his suspension on a concrete block dming SS7 and on the treacherous SS12, Alister McRae and Freddy Loix both suffered transmission failures.

The torrid pace meant only 33 1 May 2002

cars made it back to Limassol for the overnight halt with McRae’s comfortable 26.2s lead on Gronholm, while Burns was in third and Makinen fourth.

Day 3 l The cleared on the final dayweather for a straight dogfight to the finish between McRae and Gronholm. Gronholm was in no mood to settle for second, taking 13s out of McRae’sJead on SS15.

Under pressure and misinterpreting a mid-stage signal board, McRae made his first big error, rolling the Focus on SS16 and losing the lead to Gronholm.

“We cut a corner and caught something on the inside and rolled.

It was a second gear left which tightened, there was no power steering -the rack had split,” said McRae. That turned his lead into a 5.5s deficit to Gronholm with just the faint hope he could recover the lost time.

He made sure of that two stages later when he tipped the car over again, dropping back to seventh and a fight with Hyundai’s Ai-rnin Schwarz to even gain points.

There was a tough fight on for second now, with Makinen and Burns battling; Burns countering every attack with faster times himself.

Despite the drier conditions it was still treacherous. Both Solberg and Martin rolled. The Ford Focus and broke its power steering, bumping him back to eighth while Solberg continued on with only a few seconds lost.

If that wasn’t enough, Sainz also suffered powersteering failure and dropped a place to 11th, completing a miserable morning for Ford.

But in the end Gronholm drove an exemplary rally, gi-afting away at McRae and applying the pressure when needed.

Bums would finish 56.8s behind his teammate to give his team its fourth 1-2 WRC result this year.

Makinen fought hard all day with Burns and almost had second

for Subaru only to see the Peugeot driver grab it back on the final test of the day to he 2.2s ahead at the finish. Harri Rovanpera finished in fourth.

Fetter Solberg climbed from seventh to fifth during the course of the day to give Subaru another strong points result.

McRa^salvaged some Ford pride overtaking Schwarz’s H3uindai to take sixth on the final stage.

Malaysian Karamjit Singh took a smprise Group N win in his Proton ahead of Gustavo Trelles’s Mitsubishi.

The championship now moves on to another stern gravel test in Argentina where Peugeot has performances signalling an ominous sign for the opposition.

(KionJ

1 2 3 4 5 6

Marcus Gronholm/Timo Rautianen Richard Burns/Robert Reid Tommi Makinon/Kaj Lindstrom Henri Rovanpera/Risto Pietilainen Patter Soiberg/Phil Mills Colin McRae/Nicky Grist

Peugeot 206 Peugeot 206 Subaru Impreza Peugeot 206 Subaru Impreza Ford Focus

4hr21min25.7s 4hr22min22.5s 4hr22min24.7s 4hr23min43.6s 4hr24minll.2s 4hr24minl3.1s

Drivers Championship points: Gronholm 31, Panitzi 20, Burns 19, Makinen 14, Rovanpera / Sainz 9, Bugalski / Solberg 7, Loeb 6, C McRae 6, A. McRae 2 Manufacturers Championship points: Peugeot 68, Subaru 27, Ford 27, Mitsubishi 6, Hyundai 2, Skoda 0

WRC Rouiiii 5 Cvprus Rally 81

Singh if you are winning CURRENT Asia Pacific Rally Champions Karamjit Singh and CO driver Allen Oh were the surprise Group N victors in Cyprus, round 5 of the World Rally Championship.

Karamjit is no stranger to the WRC circus, having done various events on the calendar including Indonesia Australia, New Zealand and the Rally GB.

He dominated the class in Cyprus, winning by just under six minutes from four-time Group N WRC champion Gustavo Trelles.

Singh, Oh and the Proton PERT team had less than two weeks to bring the car, and.the top form shown in Cyprus-to the Rally of Canberra, to start their attack on the 2002 APRC. - JON THOMSON

Flittio by

Signalling disaster

THE place of racing-style pit signal boards in rallying has to be questioned after yet another stuff-up in their use resulting in a lost victory.

Colin McRae went rapidly from hero to zero after he was informed he was well ahead of Gronholm on SSI 5 in Cyprus. The problem was that he down on time, and he lost 12 seconds as a result of backing off\ The deficit meant McRae went off the planet in SSI6 and rolled his victory away.

Ford's Malcom Wison confirmed that McRae had been given a wrong time, but added that he didn't think that was the main contributory factor to the driver's demise.

Stuff-ups with the now-trendy pit signal boards caused Richard Burns to crash on the Acropolis last year and have seen several other mix-ups cost drivers time.

McRae's first crash came after he saw the line someone else had got away with though some grass, but unbeknownst to him there was also a lump of concrete there, and that pushed him over.

- JON THOMSON

r

New EVO for Italian attack A

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ITALIAN Asia Pacific Rally Championship contender Nico Caldarola will have the latest Mitsubishi weaponry on hand for his opening assault on the 2002 title in Canberra this weekend.

The Italian is airfreighting a brand-new Lancer Evo VII to the Rally of Canberra in a bid to secure as many points as possible for the upcoming opening battle for the APR title.

Caldarola finished second in last year’s APRC,claiming wins in both the Rally of China and Rally of Thailand.

The 1995 Italian Rally champion plans to contest the entire 2002 APRC series, reuniting with co-driver Qiovanni Agnese who last co drove for Caldarola in their successful Italian championship campaign.

The pair arrived in Australia last Friday for some R&R with family in Sydney and a leisurely preparation before the Canberra rally this weekend.

Hpeaking with rally.com, Caldarola said that he had initially planta-d to compete in the same Evo VI which took him into sixth place in Canberra last year “I am really happy and excited about having a new car for Canberra. I am looking forward to competing at a veiy high level,” said Calderola.

“I still do not know who the other competitors are but I hope they will be many, because in Italy we say:‘many enemies, much honour’."

- JON THOMSON moiorspon news

1

RALLYING

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AUSTRALIA could become the final round of the World Rally Championship in 2003 if radical moves to re-jig the WRC calendar and reduce costs come off .

The use of a faster, roll-on roll-off ferry to transport spares and service vehicles this year means that the extra set of 'long-haul' equipment will be required only for New Zealand and Australia later in the season.

Works team managers, however, say that that extra set could be pruned back to a single outfit if the calendar was changed to put the antipodean rounds last on the calendar.

The possible move is said to be popular with many competitors, as it was when the FI Championship finished in Adelaide.

WRC boss David Richards welcomes the idea of eliminating the extra equipment and trimming costs, and concedes the appeal of finishing in Australia.

- JON THOMSON

SIMON Evans will debut a brand-new Subaru at the Rally of Canberra in a bid to maintain the pace that has worried the factory-backed teams so far this year.

Evans finished ahead of Possum Bourne (Subaru) and Ed Ordynski (Mitsubishi Ralliart) in Heat 2 in WA, and has shown stunning pace in his ageing car which will now be offered for sale or lease.

"It's a 2000 model WRX STi Version 6 that we have put together from an import with some minor body damage," said Evans "We wanted to have it ready for the start of this year, but we had a few problems so we used the 'old' car for Sydney and Perth. It was good, but this one is much better."

Evans has former Possum Bourne employee James Laird building the engines, so horsepower is not a problem, while the car is a lefthand-drive model just like the driver's former VW F2 car.

- JON THOMSON

—!COTTONAm mnni i

Which air filter was used by the winners of the first four rounds of

Ed gets rally art

A CASE of good things coming in small packages?

No, we’re not talking about Ed Ordynski. Nor Jon Thomson, MN’s on-the-spot rally man. We’re talking about the Group N Lancer that Ed drove so superbly in last year’s ARC, where he registered consistently good results against the might of the WRC machines.

The reward for Ed’s efforts came when he received the 2001 Australian MotorSport Award for Rally Driver of the Year. Thomson was on hand at the Forest Rally in WA to make the presentation.

1 Mav 2002

the World Rally Championship in 2002, with 1st and 2nd places at Cyprus WRC?

83

Smee takes OLD title

by ROD BRITTON

MARK Brown was the man to beat in the heats of the Queensland Speedcar Championship at Charlton Raceway on the weekend,but Nathan Smee’s road to the front in the Pole Shuffle to take the pole for the final led to a 30-lap showdown that fell in favour of Smee.

Brovm had battled all season with the #1 Smith and Woods Speedcar. With Adam Clarke heading for America, it was the same car, though different driver, as Smee took the helm of the re numbered N13 Speedcar.

“I have been chasing that orange car all year,” said Brown.

“I knew Adam (Clarke) was a good driver, but now I am wondering if it’s the car. Take nothing away from Nathan, he did a great job.”

Smee and Brown slugged it out over the championship feature with Smee setting the pace, and the “Rondalee Rocket’refusing to give in with steam pouring off Brown’s right rear tyre as he attempted to mow Smee down, with the occasional lunge for the lead.

Sme.e’s use oflapped traffic was superb to gain the break he needed over Brown as he went on to win his first-ever Championship event in his short career.

That’s a good car; Nathan Smee took over the seat from Adam Clarke (Photo by Rod Britton) but the results stayed the same.

Nearly 30 Speedcars were in the pit area for the title. The depth of talent was not to be overlooked, as the 11 NSW competitors included the likes of defending Champion Craig Brady, three times Victorian Speedcar Champion Brown, Dave Lambert, Smee and American Keith Rauch in the second Ross Keihne machine alongside Todd Wanless.

Not even a two-hour delay in the program due to high winds and

thunderstorms in surrounding the south-east Queensland area that caused two separate blackouts at the track could waiver the enthusiasm for the event. The scheduled third round of heats were dropped to speed up the program.

There were many different approaches to the 30-lap final on the Toowoomba track that was beginning to dry off. Those at the front of the starting grid went for a

more conservative harder tyre, while a few top runners further back gambled with a soft right rear tyre to move forward early in the race.

The race began with two separate red light stoppages from the 24-car starting grid. First Mohammed Ali and^drew Barr came together, leavingdjoth out of the race and Ban- upside down.

Then, on the second attempt, Chris Gardiner and Jayden Edge came together with Edge ending up worst for wear after catapulting over Gardiner.

On the third attempt, the trio of Smee,Brown and Brady broke away from the rest of the pack.

Both Rauch and Wanless moved up through the field early, with Wanless to begin a race long battle with fourth-placed Glenn Stewart.

The yellows came out after 10 laps when Brady stopped with a broken driveline. Smee led away from Brown and went on to a close win over Brown. Wanless improved throughout the night for the third podium position with Dave Lambert a close fourth after starting 15th.

Stewart, in the old cast-iron V4 Chev, was the surprise packet of the weekend finishing fifth and American Rauch sixth.

Brent Jameson, Barry Valentino, Grant Draney and Mark George rounded out the top 10 finishers.

New tow money system for WSS

WORLD Series Sprintcars is implementing a Tow Money system for the 2002/2003 Championship that could allow as many as 25 cars to contract to the series if they so desire.

This new Top 16 Tow Money' system will work on a performance basis where contracted teams will need to remain within the top sixteen series points (again this will be the top 16 contracted drivers in points) at the conclusion of each round to qualify for that period's tow money allowance.

"Last year we had about 36 teams who wanted a contract when there was only about 15 available," said David Lander.

"This year we already have 26 teams asking for a spot. I can see us having the same

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I

low me in: There could be many more contracted cars for the World Series (Photo by Paris Chartes) Sprintcar title chase in 2002/2003. dilemma each year over who we do or don't take. At the end of the day, it's too damn hard to scale down the field, so we're going to make it a self-regulating process this time around.

"Ultimately each driver will have to make up their own minds when they contract wit h us shortly if they back themselves to run Top 16 all year.

"They also have to ask

themselves the question that if they fall out of that points position, will they be able to afford to run for any rounds until they get back into the tow money bracket?"

The idea is that a tow money allocation will be made .for teams travelling to the series opener in Western Australia.

When the series comes out of Kalgoorlie and gets to Speedway City, WSS will then start paying tow money to only the top 16 (contracted drivers) in points.

If a driver drops out of the top 16, he/she either stays on and tries to get back into the pay structure or they consider their position in the Series.

There may be a travelling band of 20-24 WSS contracted drivers.

motorsport news

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SPEEDWAY

Murcott makes debut

DAVID Murcott made his debut at Knoxville last

weekend with the 'big boys' as the World of Outlaws were in town. was rained out a week prior.

"I guess if you're going to be the best, you've got to race with the best," said Murcott, who drives the #20 J&J, Murcott is the first driver selected for the KIDD program Knoxville Raceway driving a car that will be tuned by Hall of Famer, Bob Trostle. The 31-year-old has previously driven a

Aussies taste success in WoO

J&J and really likes the equipment he will be using on the legendary half-mile dirt oval.

"I've raced a J&J before in Australia and really think they are the nicest cars out there. I felt really good in our practice

AUSTRALIAN drivers have been having good runs of results lately in the World of Outlaws series.

session and having a guy like Bob Trostle in my corner is a real advantage. He's been really successful for a long time and I'm just thankful to be driving this race car."

Kerry Madsen starred at Knoxville last Friday, time-trialling his Gunder #82 machine in 10th, taking second in his heat and a win in his dash,

"Being named to the KIDD program is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I can't explain in words how excited I am to be racing here for the season. Our goal is to make as many features as possible. I know it's going to be tough,

before running fifth in the feature behind Steve Kinser, Danny Lasoski, Jac Haudenschild and Tim Shaffer.

but I'm going to try to have fun along the way too."

Skip Jackson ended up 18th in the feature, while Brooke Tatnell ran fifth

Morse’s

in the B-Main, missing out by one spot on a transfer to the final.

Tatnell, however, had already had a strong result against the Outlaws, taking eighth in the A-Main at Lakeside Speedway two days earlier.

WARRNAMBOOL’S'Km Morse won the South Australian V8 Dirt Modified Ktle at the final

meeting of the season at Riverview Speedway, Murray Bridge.

This now makes the 23-year-old a four-time winner of the event.

372 engines frozen to 2007 OPEN Sprintcar engines will remain at 372 cubic inches, after it

Defending titleholder, New Sotrth Welshman Mark Robinson,

Absent from the feature field

second in his three heats, with his first win carving three seconds off the record set by Goonan last season.

Starting off the front row with Morse was Shane Wigzell, who had

was voted on by all current owners and drivers at the recent Sprintcar Control Council of Australia conference in Launceston.

The current engine package is frozen to 30 June 2007, as is that of

the 360 division.

Green machines go better: Morse runs up the inside of defending champ Mark Robinson on his way to victory at Riverview Speedway.

(Photo by Frank Midgley) recorded two thirds and a win in

well clear of the rest of the field.

his heats. Wigzell took the lead at the start of the 25-lap final and successfully held Morse at bay until lap eight, when a deflating left rear tyre slowed him, allowing Morse and Robinson to slip by.

Despite several caution lights, Morse was untroubled in keeping his lead to the end, coming home

On the same programme, Broken Hill’s Jeremy McClure took out the SA Modified Sedan Title.

It was made all the more

Max Dumesny Motorsport Australian Distributors for

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for more InfonvatJon on Hocsier Drag and Speedwuylyres calk NSW:02 9679 1990 l Fax 02 9679 1187 VIC:03 9331 6477 l Fax 03 9331 7444 SA 08 8332 0800 l Fax 08 8364 0296 1 May 2002

Queensland Sprintcar Title and the Australian Compact Speedcar Title feature races to be abandoned at

the front row on Saturday night, though the weather meant the event was postponed until Sunday, which also was called off due to rain.

and will spend the entire 2002 racing season competing at

was Jim Wright, who, after taking out the one lap ‘dash for cash’in record-breaking time, struck trouble in his third heat, putting him out for the night.

Morse had two wins and a

HEAVY rains forced the

Brisbane International Speedway.

Max Dumesny and Robbie Farr were due to start the feature from

Murcott finished fourth in the C-Main, after his debut

took runner-up spot head of Victorian Murray Atkin and locals Glen Goonan and Cory Hodgson, with the only other finishers in the 11-car field being Tony Moore and Daryl White, both from Victoria.

QLD Sprintcar Title rained out

sweeter by the fact that McClure was disqualified after being first over the line in the title held at Murray Bridge six years ago.

- FRANK MIDGLEY

More of Max MAX Dumesny has yet again picked up the Australian National Sprintcar Poll 'Driver of the Year' award, collecting all 15 first-place votes on offer.

Ranked second was Donny Schatz, ahead of Robbie Farr and Brooke Tatnell. Rookie of the Year honours went to Tasmanian Adrian Redpath.

2002 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINTCAR SERIES Knoxville Raceway April 26

1. Steve Kinser 2. Danny Lasoski 3, Jac Haudenschild 4. Tim Shaffer 5. Kerry Madsen 6. Paul McMahan 7. Stevie Smith 8. Donny Schatz 9. Daryn Pittman 10. Terry McCarl

11. Mark Kinser 12. Craig Doliansky 13. Blake Feese 14. Brad Furr 15. Randy Hannagan 16. Ricky Logan 17. Joey Saldana 18. Skip Jackson 19. Mike Reinke 20. Don Droud, Jr.

Standings to April 26 .2338 1.Steve Kinser . . . . .2326 2.Danny Lasoski . . .2310 3.Mark Kinser . . . . .2213 4.Craig Doilansky . . .2200 5.Tim Shaffer .2161 6.Joey Saldana . . . .2153 7.Brad Furr .2148 8.Donny Schatz . . .

9.Stevie Smith . . . . .2131 10.Jac Haudenschild .2129 OS

Ford drivers call for aero aid SEVERAL of the Ford drivers complained they needed aerodynamic aid post-race at Talladega.

"There wasn't a Ford in the field that could win," said Jeff Burton, "no way.” Sixth-placed Dale Jarrett was of a similar opinion; "Our car was good when it had another car shoved up behind, otherwise it was like someone threw out a parachute when we were in clean air." Third-placed Kurt Busch'failed to agree though.

"The cars are so equal, I believe the Fords are balanced with the other makes, there's just no stopping those DEI cars," he remarked. n Ken Schrader lost a iap at Talladega. But why? A piece of roll bar padding fell down and knocked the ignition switch to off, putting him down a lap. "I've been doing this a long time apd that's a first," he quipped. n Three drivers had to revert to back-up cars for the Talladega race and start at the rear of the field.

Bobby Hamilton, Mike Wallace and Steve Park all crashed in practice, and, ironically all three were also Involved in the race's big wreck. The cars of Shawna Robinson, Rick Mast, Dick Trickle and Bobby Gerhart failed to make the field via qualifying, while Matt Kenseth, Ricky Rudd, Bill Elliott, Elliott Sadler, Dale Jarrett, Mike Skinner and Hamilton exercised the seven provisionals to make the race.

Photo by Marlin D Clark

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n Veteran crew chief Tony Furr, above, has parted ways with Hendrick Motorsports and driver Jerry Nadeau, leaving to apparently pursue other opportunities. He has been replaced on an interim basis by South African-born Ken Howes, a former Hendrick crew chief and employee of Hendrick since 1985.

Furr had been with the #25 team since 1998, while Howes currently heads up research and development under the title of competition manager.

- MARTIN D CLARK 86

Chev get on the board! It took nine races, but Chevrolet finally got a Winston Cup win at Talladega. Dale (Photo by Sutton-lmagos) Earnhardt Junior led the majority of the race, rare in a restrictor plate race.

No restrictions

Earnhardt Jr dominates Talladega

by MARTIN D CLARK DALE Earnhardt Jr totally dominated the Talladega race on April 21,leading 133 of the 188 laps to win the event.

He got plenty of blocking help from team-mate Michael Waltrip, who tried to pass ‘Little E’on the front stretch as they took the chequered flag, but finished a car length in arrears.

“Our car pretty much effortlessly led all day long,” said Junior of Chev’s first 2002 win.

“We had the best car after we went back to some old notes following practice.

“This is the same car we wrecked in the Daytona 500, and they did a great job with the body, this thing really works good in the corners.”

For Earnhardt, it was his second straight Talladega victory and third of four restrictor plate track wins, including his July 2001 Daytona triumph in which Waltrip again finished bridesmaid.

Of course, Waltrip won the 2001 Daytona 500, so DEI are four from six in the plate events.

As with the previous day’s Busch race, the ‘big one’ everybody has come to expect at the restrictor plate tracks happened and involved 24 cars some 14 laps from the end of the race.

Thankfully all drivers emerged from very battered cars with no injuries.

Front-running Elliott Sadler took the hardest lick, while Johnny Benson climbed from his Pontiac after it was engulfed in flames as he drove the car to pit lane.

He was treated at the track care centre with oxygen and water after he inhaled fire extinguisher fumes.

There were plenty of big names involved in the accident, which occured Mike Wallace moved Tony Stewart into the wall and the chaos included Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin, top five contender Ryan Newman,Kevin Harvick, Bobby Labonte, Robby Gordon, Steve Park and Ken Schrader to name just a few.

When the green flag flew after the incident, it didn’t take long for the yellow flag to uncoil again, this time for Stewart’s already damaged car that left a trail of oil on the track and NASCAR throwing a red flag for a four-lap run to the finish, Kurt Busch equalled his last Talladega appearance with a third place result, with Jeff Gordon fourth and points leader Sterling Marlin fifth.

Final result; Earnhardt Jr.(Chevy), M Waltrip (Chevy), Busch (Ford), J Gordon (Chevy), Marlin (Dodge), Jarrett(Ford), Johnson (Chevy),R Wallace (Ford), J Burton (Ford),Petty (Dodge).

Vale: Buck Baker

TWO-TIME NASCAR champ Buck Baker, above, passed away at age 83 on April 15.

The father of fellow driver and now TV announcer Buddy Baker, Buck won the 1956 and 1957 titles along with 46 events starting in 1952.

Buck and Buddy owned the Buck Baker Driving School, where Jeff Gordon got his first drive in a stock car. The school is now owned by Buck's other son Randy and has been renamed.

- MARTIN D CLARK molorsporl news

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NASCAR

Rookie brea

Buckshot gets the boot ')»● Martin p Clark

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JIMMIE Johnson, right, took his first career Winston Cup win at California Speedway on Sunday in only his 13th st gambling on a no-tyre pit stop to take the win over Kurt Busch and Ricky Rudd.

"To know how competitive Winston Cup racing is, this is a dream come true for me and it's so special to win in my hom^ state. Chad (Knaus, crew chief) made the call for a gas up, wl turned out to be the right thing to do and keep track position.

However Johnson's win could be in jeopardy as we go to p as his Hendrick/Gordon-owned Chev went through the scaler post-race several times. This left the team scrambling to grat containers of oil to be weighed due to the fact the engine dumped most of its oil in victory lane.

Busch led the most laps, dominating when out front in clea air and opening up to a 10-second advantage over Dale Jarret the halfway point. The fifth and final caution came out when Kevin Harvick blew a tyre and this left a 14 lap shootout, with Johnson holding on for the win. With three laps to go, Busch passed veteran Rudd for the runner-up slot, but did not have power to catch Johnson.

Of the others, Bobby Labonte threw a belt on lap 13 and lo seven laps replacing it, while his team-mate Tony Stewart suffered a broken throttle linkage. Defending race winner Ru' Wal lace was off the pace with 42 laps to run, his ignition faili] before he switched over to the back-up box dropping him fro what would have been his first top five result of the year, i

I

1

BUCKSHOT Jones, above, has been released as the driver of the Petty Enterprises #44 Georgia Pacific Dodge and replaced, at least for the time being, by 1993 Busch Series champ Steve Grissom.

Grissom, 38, last drove in Winston Cup for the now-defunct Larry Hedrick Motorsports outfit in the #41 Kodiak Chevy. Since then he has driven Truck races for the Petty team and acted as a test driver for its Cup cars.

Final Result; Johnson (Chevy), Busch (Ford), Rudd (Ford), Elliott (Dodge), Martin (Ford), Jarrett (Ford), Marlin (Dodge), R Wallace (Ford), Blaney (For Waltrip (Chevy).

Points standings; Marlin 1515, Busch 1372, Kenseth 1363, R Wallace 1354, Jo) 1352, Martin 1292, J Gordon 1283, Rudd 1279, Earnhardt Jr. 1233, Stewart 12'

Roush survives - MARTIN D CL

Winston Cup ownor suffers head injuries in plane wreck JACK Roush, right, was celebrating his 60th birthday with friends on April 19 in Alabama flying an experimental Air Cam twinengine aircraft, when the plane crashed in a lake in Troy, Alabama.

Amazingly, a resident pulled Roush, who was not breathing, from the lake, but the resident Larry Hicks, 52, was able to resuscitate him before being airlifted to a local hospital.

He was diagnosed with three breaks in his left leg, a fractured thigh and a broken right leg, and a closed head injury. His internal injuries including a collapsed lung and broken ribs.

He was placed on a ventilator and listed in critical condition, but this was updated to serious condition later in the week, being taken off the ventilator.

He has had pins inserted in his legs and surgery to close the wounds was completed successfully.

1 Mat) 2002

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Roush spoke to the media at California Speedway by way of a telephone link up fi'om his hospital bed in Alabama.

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“On a scale of one to 10, I’m about an eight right now,” he quipped in his usual manner.

I was doing something I was unfamiliar with and something went totally wrong.

“Since I have no recollection of the day, I can’t know if I had a problem with the aircraft or if I simply had a pilot problem of judging in not seeing the wire.”

Roush has been a long-time NASCAR team owner, fielding a car for Martin and now owns the Cup teams of Martin, Jeff Burton, Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle along with Busch and Ti-uck Series operations.

Roush is a major aircraft enthusiast, owning two World War II P-51 Mustangs and two 727s for Roush Air that ferry many teams to racetracks across the country.

Roush has 53 Cup wins, three this year, as the operation turned the corner following a rough performing 2001.

- MARTIN D CLARK

■ Brendan Gaughan, Hermie Sadler and a returning Chad Little failed to make the field for the Fontana race. Ryan Newman took the pole with a new track record 187.843 mph, cold cloudy conditions helping the quick lap times.

■ A new racing movie is in the works staring Dennis Quaid and to centre around the lives of Lee and Richard Petty. Apparently the film will be targeted more toward the relationship between father and son rather than concentrate on racing.

Quaid will play the late Lee, who passed away in April 2000.

4

■ Jeff Gordon is counter-suing his estranged wife Brooke, saying that giving her 50 percent of their wealth is unfair as she did not work and he was the sole income provider in a dangerous profession. According to leading US legal experts, the counter claim is unlikely to help Jeffs plea.

■ NASCAR has now gone to payper view in the US, with five channels covering live team audio, incar cameras, animated dash boards and real time performance data.

English company Pi Research, who supply teams with data acquisition equipment for testing, are involved in the major project.

■ Joe Nemechek was back in the Haas-Carter Ford in Fontana, the team holding him under contract to run the event with backing from Kragen and Checker Auto Parts, a west coast chain. Frank Kimmel will be back in the car at Richmond and Charlotte with his Advanced Auto Parts/Pork sponsorship.

- MARTliM D CLARK 6?

TRAC Series

Making a new TRAC In the US ef A

The new TRAC Series was launched in Charlotte last week.

MARTIN D CLARK takes a look at this new racing category that mixes Sportscars and TranZam cars with NASCARs

T

EAM Racing Auto Circuit, the new racing series planned for the US in April of 2003, made its official debut to the media on April 24 at Lowes Motor Speedway, Charlotte and announced a partnership with Speedway Motorsports Inc. to run two events at each of five SMI tracks.

"I keep on telling people we need something else to put on at these Superspeedways," said SMI President Humpy Wheeler.

"They wake up every morning and eat up large gobs of money, I really believe this has the potential of really being something."

The series will kick off at Charlotte in April next year with a 20 race schedule planned through September. An all-star race and world championship event are also planned.

The five SMI tracks to step up and host 10 of the inaugural season events are Charlotte, Bristol, Texas, Las Vegas and Atlanta.

The organisation is to revolve around franchised teams similar to the NFL or NBA and will be sold to team owners in cities or regions designated by TRAC, the team will then represent the city and race under that name.

Ten franchises are available for US$11 million, with six million going toward franchise fees, or territorial rights as they like to call it. So far one franchise has been sold, but the city and 68

Facing the media: TRAC heavyweights, including President Jon Pritchett,face the media at the launch ofthe TRAC series.

(Phoxo by Martin D Clark)

owner is being kept under wraps. Expansion plans beyond the first year are for up to 16 teams with races of duration up to three hours.

Each team will have six drivers, three of them substitutes, so if a car or driver gets eliminated, the sub can apparently take his place. Drivers will be paid a salary, plus benefits and a performancerelated bonus.

There have been 1500 driver applications for the series, of which 500 are apparently qualified drivers for the series, but this will have to be whittled down from what TRAC call a 'Driver Assignment Pool' to a final 60 for

the possible 10 teams.

Much of the leg work has already been done since the initial TRAC announcement was made last year, but a TV contract although apparently close - still has to be signed along with finding host cities and prospective team buyers, plus at least five top class racing facilities seating at least 45,000 that are not associated with NASCAR's International Speedway Corp.

Rules also have to be put in writing, although one can only assume some of the plans if back-up drivers are to be used maybe they will allow blocking?

TRAC insist they are not in competition with NASCAR, but

that remains to be seen as races are planned for Saturday afternoons and evenings, competing with NASCAR's second division, Busch Grand National Series.

Indeed, they will put things in place where NASCAR have failed. There will be a traveling medical team present at each race and the cars have been designed from a clean sheet of paper and focused around driver safety.

Add in modern engines and electronic fuel injection along with engine management, (something NASCAR continues to shy away from), plus all races, unless affected by weather, mototsRon news

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More high-tech than a NASCAR: The new Viper, Mustang and Corvette TRAC machinesfeature Pi Research systems, above left, and a Katech-built, seven-litre Chevrolet engine, above right. Riley & Scott, which is perhaps best blown for its success in Sportscar racing, below, has put together the tube and box chassis that lies underneath the kevlar body.

finishing with a green flag, and you have plenty of elements that say the new venture will be a success.

The three winged cars present at the unveiling are what TRAC term '21st century stock cars', a Dodge Viper, Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Corvette, all with the same underlying tube and box chassis clothed by a kevlar body.

They are powered by a Katech-built Chevrolet seven-litre engine designed around the LSI and putting out around 600-625 hp. All engines will be sealed and rebuilt only by Katech.

Interest from European or oriental auto manufactured is not being ruled out for the future, 1 Mav 2002

(Photos by Marlin D Clark and Sulton-Images)

something again that NASCAR has shunned.

The cars themselves are the brainchild of Indianapolis builder Riley and Scott and look very familiar to Trans-Am cars, but feature some added front-end chassis and crush zone improvements to aid in safety on the fast ovals they will visit.

The FIA standard cars come equipped with air-jacks to lessen the number of crew members, centre nut and locking alloy wheels. Pi data acquisition systems and coil over shocks.

Over the years Riley and Scott have been involved with Sportscars, IRL, and TranZam car building and have acted as

independent engineers for several NASCAR teams in the past, including Richard Childress Racing under the reign of the late Dale Earnhardt.

Tests have been carried out at the five-eighth-mile Indianapolis Raceway Park, Atlanta Motor Speedway and the Langley, Virginia wind tunnel, all with positive results. Lap times at Atlanta were in the 29.5s range, which compares to Winston Cup times at the track.

TRAC is traded publicly on NASDAQ and headed by Robert Wussler, who is president/CEQ of Ted Turner Pictures and a former president of CBS. Others involved include top business

and entertainment executives such as Chuck Jarvie, a former president of Dr Pepper, and racing legend Cale Yarborough as the series spokesperson.

"We know that everything we do should reinforce the concept of a modern, 21st century, racing league designed to attract a broader base of fans," said TRAC president Jon Pritchett.

"That's why we chose three of the most visually appealing car styles in America. Everybody loves a sports car."

It looks like everything is a go for this extreme series and maybe everybody loves a sports car, but how many people will love TRAC? 69

Thunderstri

by DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

LARRY Dixon, Whit Bazemore and Warren Johnson were victorious at the second annual Mac Tools Thunder Valley Nationals last weekend at Bristol Dragway.

Thunder Valley lived up to its name both on the racetrack and from the skies as final ehminations were interrupted before the final rounds by a thunderstorm complete witE lightning, heavy rain, wind, hail and even a tornado warning.

Dixon blasted to a winning 4.64/317 in the final round to stop a rejuvinated Darrell Russell, who hazed the tyres in the final and trailed at 4.97/268.

Dick LaHaie’s superb tuning ability enabled Dixon to top qualify at 4.58/323. Early round 4.79/310 and 4.70/313 passes advanced Dixon past NHRA-newcomer Roger Dean and Melanie Troxel.

The Miller Lite dragster then belted out low e.t. of the meet at 4.582s at 323.19mph to dispose of Cory McClenathan.

Russell and the Joe Amato/ ni ill iiiiJt'iii'' Flush team have struggled this season, but with the aquisition of Wayne Dupuy, the

team has progressed closer to their performance of last year.

Russell recorded a 4.68/308 to qualify,sixth, then nearly duphcated it with a 4.69/313 win over the blower belt-tossing 4.98/243 ofAndrew Cowin.

A close 4.70/312 to 4.74/303 decision dropped Doug Kalitta and another 4.70/312 took out the other Aussie in the show, David Grubnic.

Grubnic, right, had a good outing at Bristol, lasting until the semis. In rmmd one he trailered Doug Herbert, 4.91/295 to 4.94/300 and in round two out-pedalled Bernstein to take a 5.02/295 to , 5.17/254 win.

Cowin and the Darrell Gwynn team struggled in qualifying, recording a 4.79/312 on their last shot to get into the dlth spot.

In round one, Cowin dropped cylinders at the hit, then tossed the blower belt in a losing 4.98/243 effort against runner-up Russell.

Bazemore used a final round 4.93/310 to defeat Gary Densham, who lost traction at mid-track.

Despite damaging six engines on the weekend,vthe Mateo team has performed well at tH^ast^vents on the NHRA POWERade Series.

After qfualifeipg^xth at 4.91/312,

●'“Bazemore, j^/oic, dt^ped up to ai*_

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70

4.85/315 in the opening round to stop Dale Creasy Jr. and a 4.92/311 held off the 5.02/305 of Tommy Johnson. His toughest race of the day came in the semis against number two qualifier, Tim Wilkerson, who recorded a 4.92/307, but came up just short against Bazemore’s 4.90/309.

The win, coupled to a first round loss by point leader, John Force, has Bazemore sitting sixth in the points, just 116 shy of the lead.

Densham has moved into second, followed by Del Worsham, Johnson and Tony Pedregon.

Warren Johnson became the sixth different Pro Stock winner this season, stopping Ron Krisher in the final round on a holeshot, 6.98/198 to 6.97/198.

Not known for his starting line prowess, Johnson’s driving was superb in Bristol, with his worst reaction time on Sunday being a .467 in an opening round win over 2001IHRA champion Gene Wilson.

After taking out new Dodge-boy Wilson in the opening frame, Johnson’s GM Performance Parts Pontiac powered to a 6.98/198 win over George Marnell and a 6.96/198 to 6.97/198 win over Vieri Gaines to move into the final.

Krisher and the Eagle One

Chevy Cavalier had taken out Darrell Alderman, Greg Anderson and Mike Edwards to reach the final.

The AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod final round came down to the classic nitrous vs. blown battle, but was washed out by rain.

Thomas Patterson's blown 63 Corvette will square off with Rickie Smith’s nitrous-injected Dodge Viper at in Atlantq-next week.

Patterson top qualified at 6.24/226Tand stopped teammate Troy Critchley in the opening round, then defeated Tim McAmis to head into the final round.

Critchley held the bump in his

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Smith, one of two nitrous cars that qualified for the eight-car show, had bettered Chip King in round one, and took out two-time 2002 NHRA Pro Mod winner Shannon Jenkins in the semis.

GARY Scelzi failed to qualify for the NHRA Funny Car field in Bristol last weekend.

It marked only the second time that the former Tbp Fuel champion has failed to qualify during his professional career, the last being the spring 1999 event in Houston. The White Cap Toyota smoked the tyres on its first pass, and Scelzi had to click off early during the second run when the car made a move toward the centerline. Following a blower belt tossing 5.21/232 on Saturday morning, Scelzi came back for his final attempt, only to lose traction about 100 feet out, leaving him eighteenth.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

IHRA Richmond rained out

Points; Top Fuel: Dixon 604, Bernstein .

McClenathan 430, Schumacher 407, Kalit 328, Grubnic 316, Russell 273, Hartman236, Herbert 215, Smith 206. Funny Can .

Jr 459, Densham 413, Worsham 393, J72, Pedrcgon 350, Bazemorc -Cannon 301, Scelzi 291, Gray 267.

Ca« Johnson 462, Yates 397, Mamell ^ 29 381, Edwards 375. Pro Stock Bike: ^ble 2^, Savoie 174, Gann 134, Scab 126, Johnson 125.

1

STEADY rain and a dismal forecast have postponed the final eliminations of the IHRA AC Delco Nationals in Riclmnond, Virginia.

Despite pushing the start of eliminations 30 minutes early, showers cut the action short after nearly completing the opening round of Pro Stock.

The event has been re scheduled for June 1, with qualified contestants given a check-out pass, followed by the completion of final eliminations.

Bruce Litton leads the Top Fuel field with a 4.74/308 pass from his Lucas Oil dragster, followed by Clay Millican's 4.81/299, Seventeen-year-old newcomer Josh Starcher surprised everyone, making three good qualifying runs and winding up third at 4.82/300.

Paul Romine rounded out the top half of the field at 4.90/289.

Fred Flahn holds on to the top spot in Pro Mod, posting a 6.25/221 in Jim Oddy's Summit Corvette. He will face the winner of the season opener Al Billes in round one.

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Reigning World Champion Mike Janis recorded a 6,27/226 for the second position. Bob Reiger and Thomas Patterson

round out the all-supercharged top four at 6.28/222 and 6.29/224 respectively.

Harold Martin and Shannon Jenkins were the best of the nitrous crowd, Martin rebounding nicely from his Rockingham fire with a fifth best 6.31/221, with red-hot asof-late, Jenkins, right behind at 6.31/220.

Australian Troy Critchley put the HeadHunter '53 Corvette into the eleventh spot with a 6.33/221 and will face Jenkins in round one.

Pro Stock nearly completed their first round, with the exception of Elijah Morton and Tim Nabors, who came to the line twice in their match-up, only to be shut off for rain on both tries. Low qualifier (6.60/210) Carl Baker advanced into round two where he will face Dwayne Rice.

Other round one winners included Chris Holbrook, John Montecalvo, Brian Gahm, Ron Miller, and Jeff Dobbins.

Ray Price recorded a careerbest at 6.37/219 to head up the Nitro Harley division while Dale Brand took the top spot in, Alcohol Funny Car at 5.82/237.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

QUEENSLAND Pro Stock driver Tony Wedlock was formally appointed to the ANDRA National Executive recently.

The ANDRA National Control Council endorsed the position after giving final approval to the new Standing Orders for the committee, which will see one other Group One representative appointed by current Group One stakeholders.

Wedlock attended the February and April meetings of the committee, joining Gary Miocevich, Dale Rodgers, Peter Sammut, Dennis Syrmis, Harry White and Tony Thornton.

■ Former Joe Amato crew chief, Jimmy Walsh, was spotted at the IHRA AC Delco Nationals in Virginia helping out Top Fuel racer, Don Reed.

A 5.10/232 got Reed into the show, where he will face Clay Millican when racing resumes in June, ■ Could the current tyre being used in the NHRA fuel classes be through? Word has it that a meeting took place following the NHRA event in Houston, involving several name fuel-crew chiefs, NHRA officials and representatives from Goodyear regarding the current spec tyre being used in the fuel ranks.

Rumor has the tyre being shelved to be replaced by last year's issue.

■ Former Top Fuel and Funny Car driver, Leroy Goldstein passed away on April 24th following a lengthy bout with cancer. Goldstein can be best remembered for his driving years with the Ramchargers and Candies & Hughes teams of the early '70s.

After winning the Springnationals in 1970 with a 7,03 second elapsed *time, Goldstein stunned the drag racing world when he strung five-six second runs together at York, PA, the quickest being a 6.95.

Later that year, he officially became the first Funny Car racer in the sixes when he posted a 6.92 at the U.S. Nationals in Indy.

■ Summit Racing Equipment will become the title sponsor for next event on the NHRA POWERade series at Atlanta Dragway. The Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals presented by Pontiac will be held May 2-5 at the Commerce, GA facility. Summit also sponsors events on the tour in Las Vegas and Columbus, Ohio.

■ The IHRA has announced that K&N Filters will become the title sponsor of its next event on the IHRA Hooters Drag Racing Series at Red River Raceway in Shreveport, Louisiana. The K&N Filters Nationals will take place on the weekend of May 3-5.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI / STAFF 71

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AFTER their opening run of the year at Phillip Island was reduced to a demonstration, the Kumho Tyres/MoPro Australia MGF Trophy kicked

5 M.ay

off for real at Eastern Creek on the weekend. '' The one-make series, organised

by MoPro’s Paul Pickett, featured plenty of close action in both the

in KARTING 0 COMING EVENTS

12 May

Open AA.ecting — Eastern Lions o Open Meeting

26 May

Club Day

2 June

Cidy of Wodonga Titles — AJBury Wodonga

races. Former Daewoo steerer Ben Morley and rallyman Rick Bates, above, were easily the quality of the field on the 3.93-kilometre layout, with Bates taking pole in lm55.5770s, nearly nine-tenths faster than Morley.

Chris Oxley, Richard Buttrose, Ian Kegg, Yanis Derums, former Supra GT-P pilot Jamie Cartwright, Doug Gilford and Nandi Kiss rounded out the top 10.

The races were a straight Morley versus Bates fight. Morley won race one by a couple of seconds over Bates, with Oxley, Cartwright and

Derums rounding out the top five.

Buttrose slipped back to sixth, ahead of Gilford, Kegg, Mark Williamson and Robert Rowe.

In the second 10-lapper, Bates reversed the tables, holding off Morley and Oxley for the win.

Kegg, Cartwight, Clive Henderson, Gilford, Wehsley Carroll, Rowe and Bruce Thomlinson rounded out for the top 10.

The entire series will be screened on Network Ten’s ‘Trackside’ program- throughout the year.

Por^^^S

s 18/19 May Road Victoria 2002 Grand Prix Series — Bairnsdale

For further imformatioH om. any of the albo^e events call the Victorian Karting Association

03 S449 6302 or 03 93621144 Y\CTOWAHKAW\NG ASSOQMVOH

TVVTw.vika. asn.au v&a@tor40.aonc.net.ail 72

t feel Brand new AMONG the drivers at the recent Queensland State Championship meeting at Queensland Raceway was none other than country singer Adam Brand.

The self-confessed rev-head, who will step into a Falcon V8 BRute shortly as part of the PROCAR Championship Series, was busy in a HQ Holden, clocking up the experience in a bid to gain more signatures on his licence before he graduates to the Ute category.

-AARON NOONAN motorsport news

NATIONAL

VMRC kicks off THE Victorian Motor Racing Championships are set for another humper year, almost 300 race cars and drivers jam ming Calder Park Raceway for the first round on April 20-21.

Every class boasted large fields; HQ Holden and Formula Vee each with a capacity grid while Improved Production and Marque Sports cars were split into two fields each.

Former state karting champion Tony Pugliese(Van Diemen)took pole and a six second win over exVee’er Daniel Reinhardt in the Formula Ford feature, followed by Bryce Washington with Matthew Wall next in his debut with the Ford-backed Spectrum.

Dean Camm (Honda Prelude) took victory in Sports Sedans after earlier winner Chris Muscat (Mazda RX-7)struck problems, these two the only drivers of the meeting to lap under the one minute bai-rier.

Reigning Champion Andrew Nowland overcame some earber brake problems to win aU three HQ races, Richard Gay challenging in the closing laps with Daniel Orr third.

A grandstand Formula Vee

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No, it’s not Jeff Gordon: Craig Domaschenz found the kerbs in his (Photo by Chris Carter) Commodore Cup machine in the Sports Sedan races, finish didn’t eventuate after a backmarker spun and stalled on the circuit, bringing out the red flag. This handed the win to Andy Nethercote (Elfin) ahead of Drew Beacham (debuting his new Jacer) and Tom Drawer (Spectre).

MGs easily went to Peter Clark (MGB V8) while Jamie Augustine’s demise in Under 2-litre Sports Sedans opened the way for the Alfa of Peter Beninca to win. Marque Sports had a dedicated Porsche 944 field (Paul Faulkner winning) with all the others thrown in a separate class, although another

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WAKEFIELD Park hosted round two of the NSW State Championships with an overflowing program of races.

Formula Ford, above, produced a red flag in race one, then Matthew Floward went on to win the shortened, but difficult race, followed by Laurence Burford and Grant Ashby. Race two again went to Floward and Burford, with Tim Beale completing the podium.

Gary Ogden took three close fought victories in Monoposto from Mark McHenry in race 1 and Jason Cutts in the other two, while Chris Barry dominated the three Clubman Challenge races, taking the wins in each.

The Aussie Racing Cars produced the closest finish of the event in their third race, when James Ward crossed the line 0,002s ahead of Jamie Miller. Paul Kemal took out races one, two and four.

Improved Production Under Two-Litre was a 1 May 2002

Porsche won, the 911 of John Good.

RX-7s won all of the ‘fast division’ Improved Production races, Ken Douglas and Rohan Ambrose splitting the preliminaries before Douglas took the pointscore.

John Agosta took his Saloon Car spec VN Commodore to the ‘remainder’ Improved Production class win ahead of the similar machine of Paul Pennisi. Darren Hill led home a quartet of Mustangs in the Historic Touring Car class.

-MARK WIC KS

i

battle between James Kirkwood and Paul Zyfert al l weekend. Kirkwood got the upper hand in the first two races, whi le Zyfert won race three. David Crighton spoilt their party by taking second in race three.

Peter Rushton cruised to three wins from three races in Improved Production Over Two-Litre.

Gavin Fazakerley took two seconds and a third place, Chris Jackson looked set for a clean sweep of Sports Sedan races until just before the start of race three when the car lurched forward, signalling the end of his run. Steve Vigurs, after a fourth and a second place, took the race three win.

Charles D'Aquino and Richard Huer took a win and second place each in the HQ races after a red flag and lack of time meant the first race was abandoned.

- WIICHAELSHAW

Bolivar to host CIK season opener AUSTRALIA'S premier karting series gets underway at Bolivar, Adelaide, this weekend with the opening round of the APS Racing CIK Australian Championships.

Run over four rounds, National titles for the CIK 'international' style classes are up for the taking in Formula A, senior and junior Intercontinental A, plus, for the first time, 125cc gearbox Intercontinental C. Predicting a winner this year is tougher than ever, particularly in the premier Formula A class.

Top Kart has an enviable line-up with Troy Hunt, Andrew Tomlinson and Geoff Grant, while Tony Kart has Matt Wall and Daniel Elliot. Many believe the winner will come from those stables, but throw in Adam Graham on the local Arrow chassis plus Jason Hn/niuk (CRG), Barclay Holden (Trulli), Michael Patrizi (Birel), Richard McLeod (Azzurro) and local driver Tyson Pearce (Omega, making a one-off appearance), and the winner is anyone's guess.

■ Matthew Wall leads the Road King Karting series after a dominant victory in the Formula 100 class at the opening round at Shepparton on April 13-14.

Wall overcame problems in the heats to totally demoralise the opposition in the final, winning the 15 lapper by several hundred metres.

Ben Guest (Azzurro) and Mark Hester (Tony Kart) won the heats on the 900-metre temporary circuit, which was set up around the town's civic precinct, Hester was proving super competitive until he spun out while drying for the lead in the pre-final.

Wall (Azzurro) came through from the rear of the pre-final for a narrow win, then started off pole for the final, and simply drove away with ease. Timm Weitzel (Tecno) took a well earned second while Guest proved consistent with third.

In the Junior Clubman feature, Rohan Kinens (Benson) wound up the winner after leader Leigh Gallace clipped a barrier, taking David Sera out with him. A similar accident took Luke Skinner and Remo Luciani out of the Leopard final allowing Paul Grieve (Monaco) to pick up the win.

Clubman Light provided some of the best racing of the weekend.

National Champion Jason Hryniuk battling hard with Dale Carpenter and Adam Klunyk. Klunyk (Arrow) took the win after Carpenter suffered brake failure in the final.

Taz Douglas (Azzurro) had an easy win in Formula Australia Light, as did Mark Hester in Rotax Light.

The next Road King round is at Morwell on May 18-19.

- MARK WICKS 53

Mallala Powder Tour Photo b^aris Charies

Gunn, b A-

LAN Gurr was the domi

nant force in the Super .Touring series races at Mallala, the BMW driver win ning all three races as he pleased.

After qualifying on pole with a lml3.6761s, the former karter

Miedecke and Ternpier share wins WHITELINE Racing team-mates Andrew Miedecke and Chris Templer shared the wins in round two of the V8 Stock Car Series at Mallala.

Chev dominated the podium placings with Mark Harrison and Tony Southwell, above, both sporting new sponsorship on the weekend, finishing equal second. Harrison's Pontiac carried bacing from The Fireworks King, though he did break a gearbox in practice that hampered his speed. Southwell was debuting support from Quickpages on his Chev Monte Carlo.

Miedecke took race one after team-mate Templer had Duncan Cain slide into, and spin, him, with Harrison getting stuck in incident as well. Miedecke fought off Dean Wanless's Ford and then an attack from Southwell to take the win.

Race two was a reverse grid affair and Templer took it by three tenths over Miedecke, with V8 Stock Car Points Harrison and Wanless next.

Miedecke held out Southwel and Harrison in the final race.

was never headed, leaving the squabble for the minors to be faught out between Ford Mondeo drivers Peter Hills and Grant Johnson.

Hills’s V6 flyer refused to start as the grid set off for the two-lap warm-up, so he was sent to the back of the grid for the start.

Gu'rr made a good getaway to lead Johnson and youngster Andre Morgan (Alfa Romeo 155TS) into the first corner while Hills

(Toyota Carina) pitted to check front suspension problems.

Gurr won from Hills and

stormed through to fourth.

As Gurr set about establishing a

Morgan,though it all went pearshaped for the Ford drivers in race

leading break, Hills relegated Morgan and worked on his team mate Johnson until the latter had

two. Hills copped a stop-go for jumping the start, while alternator problems hit Johnson’s car again, though the two Mondeos still finished second and third, such was the weakness in the field.

The third and final race saw a

to let Hills through, the second of the Mondeos pulling out shortly after with alternator problems.

Trouble struck the rest of the field; Paul Leabeater’s Hyundai’s engine stopped, while Carlos Rolfo

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much closer result, but the man

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INKY Tulloch is quickly becoming the Mark Skaife of Super Truck racing, with yet another strong performance at Mallala.

The CAT Freightliner driver took the points in both the Top Gun and Race One,though the Top Gun win was tight, the Kiwi taking a narrow half-point victory over Rodney Crick, who was aboard Rod Neven’s Volvo after forsaking his unsorted and troublesome machine.

Tulloch took race one from Luke Sieders and John Bomberle, after Crick’s Volvo spluttered to a halt thanks to a wire that had come adrift from the fuel pump. Sieders was later penalised for exceeding the category’s 160km/h limit.

Tulloch took race two from Crick (who crossed the line in front) after ‘Captain Kangaroo’ was given a 10s penalty of a speed infringement.

The Superprix fell to Bomberle after Tulloch and Crick clashed on the first lap.

Super truck P@ihfs Tulloch 139, Sieders 106.5, Middleton 84, Amoroso 62, Crick 60.5.

motorspofi news

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NATIONAL

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And he’s only 16 years old!: Andre Morgan shares the Super n Touring title lead after' V at Mallala. hoto hy Paris Charles)

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out in front was still the same one, as Gurr took the chequer some 2.-6s clear of former team-mate

Back in action: 2000/2001 Future Tourer Champion Tim Shaw bounced back from a shocking opening round to win in round two at Mallala.

Hills.

Morgan slipped off the road while battling Johnson for third, leaving the West Aussie in the final podium position, clear of Malcolm Rea’s Carina.

Super Touring Points Morgan/Gurr 102, Rea 92, Johnson 90, Hiils 77, Leabeater 63, Shaw 55.

same

(Photo by Paris Charles)

A Shaw Thing

Future Tourer Champ bounces back at Mallala TIM Shaw,in the Isaso Commodore VS took out an action packed second round of the Future Touring Championship at Mallala, thus ending the round winning streak of Ray Sidebottom.

After quali^ng, all the regular suspects were at the top of the sheets, Sidebottom fastest ahead of Shaw,then Oran Park third race winner, Terry Bosnjak in the Magna and local boy Mark Papendel]. Shanan Sidebottom was fifth in the second APS Holden and Mark Sutherland was sixth.

Local di-iver, Leanne Ross was unable to make Sunday’s giid after detonating an engine in practice, while category founder Bmce Williams was unable to make the trek to Adelaide from Melbourne after his team were unable to solve the problem that saw his Commodore nmning on seven cylinders.

In the first race, Sidebottom Senior was best away, before Shaw got in front, with Bosnjak’s Magna following close behind. The three waged a sensational battle for the entire race, with Sidebottom taking the lead midway through the race, where he would stay until the end.

Shaw was his typical spectacular self, fending off the advances of Bosnjak, who finished six-tenths of a second behind the Tasmanian wild man.

The second race provided the

IB

1

Sidebottom Slam! Mark Sutherland copped a hit from Ray Sidebottom in race two.

(Photo by Paris Charies) most action of the day, with a full reverse grid based on qualifying order. Sidebottom got away to a sensational start, passing Bosnjak and Shaw, but when arriving at turn one, he ploughed into the rear of Sutherland’s car, causing day ending damage.

Once the safety car left the track, Papendell was in the lead, and withstood pressiu’e from Shaw and Bosnjak to hold them out to take his first FT win on home soil.

Shaw led the start of race three from Papendell, Bosnjak, Sutherland and Gillespie, though the Magna suddenly pulled into the pits to retire.

Shanan Sidebottom’s run of misfortune continued. After clouting of the Oran Park wall at round one, the former karter was putting pressure on Andrew Gillespie before the Falcon jumped out of gear, leaving Sidebottom nowhere to go but into the rear of the Victorian’s car, in a carbon

copy of his father’s earlier accident with Sutherland.

Shaw’s run looked like it was about to end, with the Tasmanian’s Commodore experiencing engine problems, allowing Papendell to gradually close the gap.

Shaw’s fears were allayed late in the race when Papendell took an excursion off track, recovering for third, with Sutherland taking the first podium for a Ford in this year’s championship. Amin Chahda was foiuth, with Gillespie fifth.

The next round for the Future Tourers will be at Queensland Raceway on June 21-23, coupling with the second round of the APS CIK Australian Karting Championships at the nearby Ipswich Kartway.

Future Tourer Points Papendell 247, Bosnjak 224, Gillespie 209, R. Sidebottom 197, Shaw 182, Sutherland 115.

7S

news

RACESHOP gives you the opportunity to promote your products and services to the widest possible range of motorsport competitors and enthusiasts. Advertising in RACESHOP costs as little as $60 per issue! Call Brendon Sheridan on 03 9596 5555 now!

CumeSn

HAWK^

ENGINE BEARII

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AUSTRAL

Ph. 02 9758 1966

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RACIIMC3 CAMS

www.holley.com

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VIC 37A Fenton Sl Ookleigh 3166 Ph: 03 9543 6222 Fox: 03 9543 6244 OLD 3/26 Expo Cri Ashmore 4214 Ph/Fox: 07 5531 0181 NSW 2/109 Airds Sl Minlo NSW 2566 Ph: 02 9820 4255

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Hawk Performance dice brake pads have the slopping power and brake modolatlon to reduce lap times and put RACING PRODUCTS you In the winners' circle - with S ditferent race compounds.

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lV Dynapack Dynometer Service Centres

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Williamstown Dyno TuneJ?3 9397 1211

Fax. 02 9758 1155

Remorkoble Windows @f Opportunity for Engine Experts

» Take manual control or honds-free ° Accurate, Repealable, Versnlile »Local design, support, development, inslollolion ond on-sile Iroining

“ Top names demand lop equipment (users inc HIZPRO, HSV, HUT & John Sidney Rudng) l( Infomafton ond a demonsiration tonlocit AREX Computing PO Box 151 Monirose Vic 3765 Ph 03 9751 1142 ftKl)3 9751 2173 Mob 0408 055 541 Email aeldendmelbpi.ofg.ou

“ Engine, chassis, go-kort or molothike

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Eastern Raceparts

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Trade enquiries weicome

Where sealing Is a science

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Hybrid Developments 02 9966 0699

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Widow Maker Speed Shop 07 54

Trade enquiries welcome

Phe 02 9780 1906

Phone (07) 3808 1986

Visit our website for your nearest distributor.

www.performancewholesale.com.au

CMASSI.S m DV^A^fOMETeRS '

Easy to m Extra Power Max Engine Protection Uamd by the Mitsubishi Ralliart WRC team.

CRANKSHAFTS, CON-RODS, RACE CAMS & VALVE TRAIN COMPONENTS XSp^kFORMANCE Y-fWMOLESALElZ

Visit our website for your nearest distributor.

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Now available in 3 sizes 2.4m X 2.4m 3m X 3m '-4.5m X 3m to cover all situations.

Maintenance free.

The 60 second shade structure.

C^f>SPOItTSCARS RACE

DESIGNED AERODYNAMICS

V8 Supercar Race and Show Car body kits. Available in jgfci^^^lj^Kevlar/Carbon Fibre, composite and

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^fibrelass (GRP). Repairs also available.

m 3

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Fax. 02 9758 1155

Ph. 02 97SB 1966

41 SON Chrome Molybdenum Steel

Large inventory held In stock

Sheet - cut to your requirements, sold per square (exit Tubing, round, square, solid rod per linear (exit Aircraft aluminium Billet metals 2024T3, 6061T6, SCAT, Rresleeve

Hawker Paeffie Call us today with your requirements

ph 03 9738 1588 I Factory 5 48 Malvern Street Bayswater 3153 Mob 0418 374 841

Freecall 1800 654 983 Freefax 1800 808158

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STROKER CRANKSHAFT

PERFORMANCE a REUABIUTY ●NEW NODUIAR CASTING PRECISION CNC MACHINED, GROUND TO EXAQING TOLERANCES 'SUIT 308 RODS, BALANCER, FLYWHEEL, UP OR ROPE MAIN SEAL HARROP ENGINEERING AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

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interstate transport

ALL ROUNDS ALL CLASSES Fully enclosed custom built race car transporters Professional race car logistic and event specialists Security for car and equipment

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Contact Neil Griffiths on 0418 474 816

race® tnt.com.au moiorsaort news

MARKET PLACE

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Casirol Perkins j Racing Team^

ONE PIECE RACE PUSHRODS As used by top touring car. speedway & drag racing teams. l .080" wall chrome moly l one piece construction

RACING BATTERIES

l available in Mi" & M" diamet

and Electrical

l .050" length steps

Components for severe environments

Hawker Pacific Ph: 02 9708 8503 Fax: 02 9790 3306

Email : custservice@spares.hawkerpac.com.au

COMPOMOT/VE MOTOHSPOWr WHEELS i

VIC 03 9386 5331 NSW 02 9676 8655 SA 08 8387 3522 WA 08 9293 3500 TAS 03 6273 7555 NT 08 8941 5388 ;iUCKEY QLD 07 3217 1188 www.stuckey.com.au

VALVE TRAIN INNOVATION

y LTy

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Plione (07) 3808 1986 www.performancewhoiesale.com.au o its

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Phone (07)3808 1986

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www.performancewholesale.com.au If

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■Oemmnd the bmat!

High performancm angina componantm tor ovar 30 yaata.

Raea, atrip or atraat.

Trade enquiries welcome Ph. 02 07SB 1006

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Fax. 02 gras iibll

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RADIATORS, INTERCOOLERS & OIL COOLERS o Offroad cars ® Motorbikes ® Boats ® Hot Rods ® Street Cars ® Circuit Cars

Contact Paul Weel on 07 55 981 499 or Fax drawings to 07 55 981 980 ,MANDBUj.l.T ANp.AUAUSJR/LlAft^Api^

1 MlV 2802

NEW street race version^

p:03 9357 0469 f:

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Ph 03 9357 0469 or Fax 03 9357 0001

Visit our website: www.crowcams.com.au

Visit our website: www.crowcams.com.au

f^RANE tMmmi flywheels M^ams

The ultimate in strength & safety

State Distributors

NSW:(02)9678 9977 QLD:(07) 3808 1986 VIC:(03)9794 5177 WA:(08)9353 1155 Australian Importer and distributor:

Ph:08 8363 5566 CRANE TECHNOLOGIES Fax: 08 8363 5633 PTY. LTD. www.cranecams.com.au

'

l Your choice of lightweight steel or alloy l Available for all popular applications including Ford, Cleveland and Windsor V8, Holden 6 & V8. Chev SB & BB V8

Ph 03 9555 5522 Fax 03 9555 4152

helblem PLATINUM

CREATIVE

The world’s strongest and most affordable shaft type roller rocker

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— posters SPECIAUSTS - business cards In motorsport proposals DESIGN for - hero cards banners MOTORSPORT - large murals

Tel:(03)9530 9011

- websites

ENGINE FASTENERS & ACCESSORIES ^^^FORMANCE ytwHOLESALElZ

AUSTRAL

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l .080" wall hardened steel

SHAFT MOUNTED ROCKER ARM SYSTEMS & CAM DRIVES

Visit our website for your nearest distributor.

/

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from 6.00" to 10.00"

CROWCAMS

l Fast profile design service to your requirements l Custom ground roller, solid and hydraulic profiles using unique computer controlled V' machines for unrivalled accuracy l Matching race valve train components outs including PSi(USA) valve springs and a huge range of one piece super duty ^ pushrods

l Available in twin shaft and unique single shaft designs for all parallel and cant valve engines l Strongest race rocker available with unique lifetime warranty for road and race applications

LJ

Ph 03 9555 5522 Fax 03 9555 4152

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World's leaders in Motorsport Safety Technology Helmets l Suits l Bools l Gloves l Harnesses l Crew Gear l and all accessories for all motorsports Quality l Price l Service Simpson Safety Equipment Australia 91 Rookwood Road Yagoona NSW 2199 Ph 02 9791 ^OOI Fax 02 9791 6002 AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTORS

2-day CAMS C3/R2/R5 L-icence Courses @ Oran Park monthly. $605 in your car, includes C3/R2/5 Observed Licence Test and C3 Lecture. R2 OLT can be completed in a single day for $385.

Peter Finlay's International Racing Drivers School For more info ph 02 9873 1773, fax 02 9871 1018 or email peter@finlays.com.au

w wtiy ■ f I n I a ys . com .a u Melbourne 44 Racecourse Rd North Melbourne 03 9326 6088

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DrivePerform full-day program can double as your C3 licence, evaluation - $330 available. i

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Enjoy a great day with Championship level instruaors in small groups. The following dates are currently available: l April 4- Winton l May 5 - Winton l July 21 - Winton Call 1300 720 666to book. All credit cards accepted.

RACE PISTONS, GUDGEON PINS & RINGS fjERFORMANCE

wholesale:::

Phone (07) 3808 1986

Visit our website for your nearest distributor.

iWww;performancewholesale.com.au )

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Sydney Unite 79 Newton Rd Wetherill Park 02 9609 1101

CompAitibn disc pads ● Race brakes ● Pagid . Hawk ● Endless ● Performance Friction Over 10 years experience of brake modifications and upgrades for road and race. Caliper conversion 1, 2, 4 & 6 piston. Custom made disc rotors,

Manufacturers 6 distributors of i

races High performAnee 6 racing disc brakes

moiorsRori news

njrace shop

RADIATOR

CUSTOM FABRICATION

A

●Oil Coolers

IKi Enterprises con help you with any

●Radiators ●Exhaust Systems ●Intake & Exhaust Manifolds

LOCK-DOWN SAFETY CAPS

dealer enquiries by Phoning 0413 520 852 email: myent@ozeman.com.au

i

Also available from ^ American Tire & Racing Services (02) 9790 7571

ir

●Intercoolers

Specialists

We drive U tune if you prefer

^13 t^ffmviauL SIPbbDFLOW H premium Motorsport Hose & Fittings! li

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Contact your state distributor...

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Hardiman Auto Supplies Motorsport Connections

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Victorian Speed Pro Performance Wholesale Crane Technologies Gogear Racing Services

(02) 9771 5877 (02) 9838 7272 (03) 9794 5177 (07) 3808 1986 (08) 8363 5566 (08) 9443 4400

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Inc aST

Performance Manifolds^T^ TRADE ENQUIRIES WELCOME

\

^

Will suitVS, 2V or 4V Cleveland.

Up to 30ft/lb torque nd_40 hp gain over similar manifolds.

We also have manifolds to suit:

Hi feth visors of thoiee in furopi

karting, PF, f3, fSOOO & ft

Anti’Glare Anti-Fog

ArallBblo la rod, bho, gold & sihor

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World Karting Champions 2000

'V

.R

Importers Clearance Dir

Lazer car racing helmets FIA Approved suitable for all motorsport applications includin, open wheel competition, fire proof lining, all new supersedec f stock, while stocks last

^Blue & Red motor Holden - $440 incgsi EFi manifolds - coming soon.

Bruce Collins Enterprises Pty Ltd 2/10 Pilgrim Court Ringwood Vic 3134 Ph 03 98T3 2091 Fax 03 9873 2015 Vine gst & delive^ all major capitalto ^

Ph 07 3800 9188 Fax 07 3800 9177 ABN 23 091 653 SIS

^^B^ORMANCE vIwholesale:z

Phone (07) 3808 1986

Visit our website for your nearest distributor.

Capri Components

V6-RS3100, MKll & MKlll 1600 Datsun 240, 260, S80ZX & 300ZX Tuning-repairs.mods-spare parts LAWRIE

20 Kerrs Rd St Andrews

www.performancewholesale.com.au

● ●●●●●●●●●●●●●●

Steel Main Caps to suit most V8 applications

icommi PERFORMANCE CAMS&

Manufactured in USA by Pro-Gram Engineering

1st, 2nd, 3rd In Formula A IstlCondlCAJ ‘xJo <mpcr»yj - 7>yr/ Koi, fcanc fai. Venea !. ilC v;

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NELSON

Tel 03 9710 1091 Fax 03 9710 1887

Australian Oteania Cup 2000

Kart AastraSia Pty Ltd

\

I Dealer enguiries welcome. I ^

^

VAWE TRAIN COMPONENTS

^

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1st, 2nd, 3m Both Formula Super A S Formula from 630 Foundry Rexd Seven Hills 2147 Ph 02 9620 6055 Fox 02 9839 9055

.to Public I

Any colour as long as it's white!

Corporation dYNO'S, FLOWBENCH, DATA ACQUISITION & DYNO SOFTWARE

lie Iridium Visors a

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XE, XF 250 X-Flow Falcon - $440 inc gst

SuperFlow engine & chassis

RCS - The new racing clutch system from Sachs «5,760 combinations pdssible ● torque range 300 - 1800 nm ● individual tuning to any vehicle Sachs Boge Australia i^y Ltci Ph 02 9B75 5388 Fax 02 9875 323p. SACH S SACHS ^^Ema|lMnfo@sachs^bo2exomjau^^^^

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Available for Commodore VN to VT, EF to All Falcon, BMW, Lancer, Magna & Excel Ph 08 8371 1500 Mob 0418 600 751 AUTOMOTIVn

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AIR RESEARCH

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200 -

ph:334l 7223/^“^

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Inhouse 2 (£ 4WD Dyno Hire:

Performance Wholesale (07) 3808 1986

W HITE FACED DIALS

Australia by

Ph 03 5339 5159 Fax 03 5339 2144

Phone (07) 3808 1986

Visit our website for your nearest distributor.

www.performancewholesale.com.au PORTABLE FLOORING

Your II Source For U.S, Diecast and Collectables Drag Racine, Hot Rodding, NASCAR, Sprint Car

ei‘

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5

1 1 1

PO Box 340 Springwood NSW 2777 (02) 4751 2473

This space could be yours

www.pro-fioor.com ● ph 03 9804 3455

,j Send IIS your classified ads and we’ll run them for FREE^ OateSOnf: □ Sedans □ Open Wheelers □ Speedway DDrag □ Parts □ Engines □ Trailers □ Wanted □ Photographs □ Other

Deseriptioii; Please keep adsto no more thanSO words, plus a photo if required.

NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS Please use the form provided and print dearly. Note: we are unable to return photographs used in classified ads. Ads will appear as soon as possible after receipt. ‘FREE Classifieds are ror the sale of private goods and vehicles only, not business advertising (Trade advertisers see Classifieds header for rates). Photos marked "proof" v/iil not be used.

?8

Name: Address: Ph (

) aolorspon sews

i

AMRKET PLACE

niFREE Sedans/Sports Cars

Classifieds

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 on 03 9596 5555.

Classifieds can be mailed, faxed or emailed. Classifieds are not accepted over the telephone.

Forward to Motorsport News Free Classifieds, 357 Nepean Highway Brighton East 3187. Fax: 03 9596 5030. Email: mnews@mnews.com.au. Make sure to list your category.

Ford Capri 2.8 injection special, 1985 V6 5 speed PAS LSD leather recaros sunroof classic English muscle car, may trade Escort similar. $11950, ph 03 9888 7992 or 0419 335 670.231

joints throughout new spacers coil outers, fully adjustable front and rear suspension. Fresh Avon 15 inch slicks, fibreglass panels. New Willwood 4spotters, Quiffe super close ratio dog box, full floating diff. Dynoed single rotor full injected turbo motor with Motec M4 ECU developing 300hp with 14 psi boost. The only one in Oz (passed by CAMS). Car professionally built, many more new and numerous parts, weighs approx 700kg, never raced since rebuild. Very tidy and clean car, spent well over $50,000, will take offers.

Ph Mark 02 9686 8596 or 0417 475 409.230

— 12-222

SViTMnHS TRUm VS V8 Supercar, HRT-built, Din cat body shell, Benson Holden engine with crossover ignition, Motec, Hollinger gearbox, Harrop brakes and suspension. This car is brand new, will suit Konica Series, will trade, can finance, $65,000. Ph 0412 399 987.231

South Eastern QLD Touring Car, also suit club car or Sports Sedan. Fresh 202 - Brass Button clutch. 2 sets of racing tyres, all fibreglass moulds, fast reliable car, heaps of spares. Must sell. $3000 On0.23i

J Two litre Sport Sedan, Ford Cosworth 4 Victorian lap records, 40 race wins, 3 Victorian club championships, 1999, 2000, 2001, 1 Vic State champion 2001. $27,000, ph 0438 128 287.231

HSV Commodore VN SVLE, Marinelio red, one of 25 5-speed manuals, build No. 29, featured 19881991 HSV book, all factory extras: air cond, elec windows, big bore exhaust, new tyres, rego SVLE, genuine HSV Performance car, top original condition, $15,000, ph 03 9762 2282 or 0414 508 723.230

n?--

i

MAZDA RX3 Sports Sedan,13B-PP, fresh engine,48 IDA Weber, full stainless steel exhaust by T.A.5. Performance, 5 speed supra, full steel structural cage, fibreglass front, current log book, car has done minimum racing, early in development, ready to race, ring for full listing, $16000. Ph 0409875381. 230 Falcon Thunderdome car, 302 Cleveland Balanced, Blueprint, holley-blue etc. Great engine.

ROMAC LSD, DISC rear end. Oval Track seat, AUS. Fuel cells tank, lots more, will seperate. Suit Club/short circuit etc. $3700 the lot. Ph Glenn 0410 488 831.230

j Ford Cortina TF, 351 Windsor fresh engine, alloy heads, roller cam, roller rockers, dry sumpeci, 600+ hp, big brakes, Koni fully adj shocks. Super t 10 box, full floater 9 inch Ford diff, fab front end, big rose joints all round, Simmons wheels, all moulds new paint. Ready to race for $25,000 ono, ph Frank Sola 0412 328 124 or 03 5940 2478.231

D Current model 2002 Honda Integra Type R, This is a new car, travelled only 3500kms & is currently road registered. Car is race-ready with o/b Firebomb, b/d rollcage, Recaro seat, Sabelt harness, window net, kill switches, 2.0 engine, 6 speed trans, LSD & current CAMS logbook. Suit GTP/Targa/Improved Production etc. Perfect car/dass winning package for Bathurst 24 hour.

Package is complete with all original Honda road going components, making an easy conversion

11 April 2002

GTP Class D Magna Sports, Ideal for GTP, Targa, Club Cars etc, Top runner in GTP Class D, less than 3000 km from new. Spare wheels, tyres, brakes, panels etc. No expense was spared in preparing this immaculate car. Offers invited - ph Trent 0412 131 628 or Jim 0410 634 670.230

r

.’f

Ford Capri Sport Sedan, 12A PP 51 ML. Webber goes hard all body mould included. Includes log book, hasn't been raced for three years. Must be sold. $4500 no offers. Ph Alan Younes bh 02 9708 3499 ah 0411 502 437.230

RX3 club car, 13 B B 48ML expanded fuel bowl, running good and log book. Must be sold. $3990 No offers. Ph Alan Younes Bh 02 9708 3499 ah 0411 502 437.230

A QLD Gemini Series car, consistently top 5, fastest laps etc. Top HP Superservice Centre engine. Could convert to rally or club car. Spent over $15,000 to set up. Forced sale, $4500 ono, ph 0438 592 771.231

IH

Jacob Kenny Racing offers its two Subaru STi GTP cars and spares for sale from $48,000. Also used 16" Falken slicks for sale. Perfect for Bathurst 24 Hour race. Ph Scott 0413 443 222.230

X ifefWV Mftoce

Historic Group R Sports Racing Car, Auscam 13B PP Rotary. Built in 1978 by Auscam Developments using Elfin 600 components and raced by Ken Peters. A fast and successful car of the era and winner of 1982 Lakeside round of the Aust. Sportscar Championship. Restored to that era with current Log Book & Certificate rot Description. This is now an URGENT SALE, so if you want to go fast and economical historic racing, price is reduced to $45,000 with enclosed tandem trailer. Ph 0413 121717.231 Datsun 240Z Targa Car, Fully prepared.Front runner in Class and Category. L28 Eng-HaltechBrantz. Many spares. $12,000 Ph:0417640775.231

moulds and tyres. $30,000, call Brad or Ray bh 02 6680 9133 or ah 6687 5131.230

W

!

Suzuki Swift Group A, dose ratio box, Bilsteins, Terratrip, Marchal lights, seats and harnesses, 16 wheels and tyres, spares including gearbox, cams, all suspension components, brakes etc. Everything you need to start rallying. Won the 1999 NSW PI class, 1995 and 1996 ARC A1 class. $ 11,500 ono. ' Car trailer also available with tool box $1900 ono.

Ph Michael 02 9419 7639 or 0402 108 915.231

absolutelyfree*

*Motorsport News Classifieds are FREE for private sales. Classifieds from motor sport traders are

back to road car. POA, Ph Carl 03 9783 1309 or 0414 725 75S.;3i

One of Australia's fastest Saloon Cars, fastest Saloon Car ever at QLD Raceway. Immaculately prepared and maintained. Sell complete with spares. Registered for current National Series. $27,000, ph John Lawrence 0400 851 851.231

2 issues

Nascar Chev Calibra, #32 one of Aust fastest. Set up for roardcoarse, new engine, Jerico, Wilwooid brakes, full set wet tyres, pit equipment 8< much more - $60,000.00 TeL; 0419886338,230

MAZDA S4 Turbo,

1986,

Haltech F9a

engine management, 3" exhaust, 12 a/t seconday injectors, S5 turbo, K&N pod filter, new h/d clutch. Kings lowered springs, Koni adjustable shocks, LSD, alloy 1/2 cage, fibreglass bonnet and sunroof, Harrop front brake rotors, 16x8 race wheels, Falken Azenis tyres, spare set of wheels and diff, 12 months NSW rego, TUR80J, $13000 ph 02 6332 4072 or 0409 771 317 Bathurst, NSW. 230

\ Torana Sports Sedan, 202 5-speed,Fibreglass pannels. Quick & ready to race.Spares include Rims.Spoilers,Mould5,Diff,Springs,Bootlid. Must sell due to new project $8,500 ono. Free interstate delivery it requirerJ. Ph Michael BH 02 47325011, AH 02 4731-1574.230

Fastest Saloon Car in the country, 2001 Results: Wakefield Park and Lakeside Konica rounds, Pole position. Lap record. Race Win QLD 500 Support race Winner Ready to Win again & nothing to spend. Must Sell $25,000 Ph Kurt Kratzmann 0419 705531, bh (07) 3368 1188, 230 NASCAR 96 Pontiac, excellent condition full roller $20,000, ex Dale Earnhardt engine cost $48,000 sell $35,000 new, only the best, heaps of spares available. Ph 0419 898 749.230

Ford Escort Mk 1 Sports Sedan, 1/2 space frame, four link watts linkage rear end. Rose

Alfa Sport Sedan, front running car in Qld and awarded best presented car. Full space frame 17" centre lock wheels, on-board air jacks, 13BPP with MoTec fuel injection, Gertrog gear box, full D/F rear end. Group A Ford Sierra, all spare and

Sports Sedan TF Cortina, full space frame, full floater 9 inch, big brakes, 2 sets of wheels, spare panels, full set of moulds, complete car minus engine and gearbox, $11,000, ph 02 4659 6470 or 0408 113 716. .no

19

Two litre Sport Sedan, RS Ford Cosworth, 4 Victorian lap records, 40 race wins, 3 Victorian Club Championships 1999, 2000, 2001, 1 Vic State Champion 2001, $27,000 ph 0438 128 287. 230 VP Commodore race shell, (ex Supercar), suitable for Sports Sedan, complete with doors, two spare spoilers, race seat, fuel tank, rear wing, skirts and many other spares. Also for sale VS body shell, suitable for someone building a race car. Make an offer, ph 03 5626 1319 all hours. 230 GTP XR6 AUll Falcon, ex-Longhurst as raced Bathurst 99/00. Upgraded to AUll spec as per PROCAR requirements. Perfect entry level car. List of spares available. $35,000, Ph Guy 07 3343 1566. 230 V8 Supercar VS Commodore, Perkins engineering chassis, Perkins-built Chev, car in excellent condition for Konica series or

126 (Brisbane). 230 07 Spectrum update ADL, with many spares ind three engines, all fresh $32,000 plus 03 9725 3234 or 0418 389 438.230

Speedway AX6 CIK Clubman Sprint Kart, w/ YAM KlOOs blueprinted motor, 0th EC, comes with all neccessary extras. Ready to race. Also older style 2-kart marquee and registered 2-kart metalcovered, single-axle trailer, EC. Reluctant sale. $4500 ono. Ph Peter Crawford 0407 880 194 (Vic). 231

Chev 302, Buick heads, titanium vlaves, Hogan sheetmetal intake, Holley 660 Centre Squirters, Roller Cam, Jessel rockers and belt drive, Bowtie Supersedan, 307 Chevy, Powerglide, Toyota dyna diff, little work req, suit board/country trada + unreg trailer needs work, $1300, ph David 0427 611 030 (Sydney).. 231

1

Sports Sedans, fastest Bathurst time 2m13.2s, $69,900 will trade, ph 0417 778 188. 230

Torana SLR 5000, genuine 400+hp, rebuilt single rail 4-speed, lo bolt diff, SAAS, Simmons, 1/2 cage, harness, sprint, Hillclimb, 1st outright Bathurst Flying 1/5, fast. $15000, ph 02 6884 3418. 230 Saloon Car #399 VN Commodore, only two races since rebuilt engine, some spares, 1.26 sec at Qld raceway, no expense spared, $27,000 ph 07 3209 8755. 230 Saloon Car #77, fastest Commodre at last round of Championship, consistent top runner, 3 meets old, $20,000, new cars from $19,000, ph 03 9725 3234 or 0418 389 438. 230

NASCAR/V8 Stockcar Pontiac Grand Prix, ex-Alan Grice #3 Valvoline car, fresh engine, gearbox, fast car with spares, $60,000 or lease. Ph 03 9725 3234 or 0418 389 438.230

Formula Ford Swift 93F, completely rebuilt front to back. Total engine rebuild, dutch, new wiring loom, some spares, 4 spare vvheels and tyres, some panels. $18,000 ph 0409 337 378.231

March 77B Cosworth, Historic and hillclimb.

Approved in principle for Group R. Currently fitted with 495 bhp Cosworth Sierra engine, FT 200. All original parts and many spares supplied.

Must be sold NOW. Full info sheet available. Ph Peter Finlay 02 9873 1773 or email pfirds@optushome.com.au. 231

NASCAR/V8 Stockcar, Pontiac Grand Prix, ex-Petty Enterprises, roller complete. Join Power Tour with assistance at a respectable cost. $10,000, ph 03 9725 3234. 230 Sports Sedan Datsun 1000, 13 BPP Rotary TAS built. Top HP fuel injected, carbon airbox RX-4 4-speed, car, engine and gearbox just rebuilt fast car, QR lap record, 55.7 Lakeside. $15,000 Ph 07 4635 0272, may be viewed at www.uq.net.au/~z2walke/team/hamilt0nmotorsport/index.htm. 230 180B Sports Sedan, fuel injected L28, aultronic management system, wets and slicks, 260 BHP, some spare parts with car, log book, colour: red, $7000 ono, ph 0425 798 020. 230

Superkart 250, int 96TZ Yamaha engine 80 hp, Stockman chassis, brakes and body work. Spare engine 80 hp both have own pipes by Peter Warroll. Engines prepared by Tony Sims, spares include barrels, heads, crank pistons, gears, good assortment of all jets, 3 sets wheelsf 2 dry, 1 wet, leathers colour matched to kart to suit 5'10" 85k.

Two kart trailer will separate and neg. Ph 02 6766 4522.230

AMCA National RHD Redline chassis, competitive race car with spares and trailer, $11,000 ono, ph 08 8557 7408 or 0408 898 542,231 Sprintcar- Gambler, late model highbar 40 inch car, 30 inch torsion bars, 18 race meets, complete roller (no motor or seat), K5E power steering.

Winters 4.86 diff, Willwood brakes, midget tank, top wing & front wing plus all new fibreglass. $12000.00 Ph 0438.387.892 (Vic) 231

3040.230

'■■I rt

Speedcar parts. Stealth Birdcages s/hand $150.Front hubs spindles only $200.Shocks all alloy threaded near new $150 plus many other pa'rts Ph Craig 0246309312 ah email ,craighickey@bigpond.com. 230 n Modified Sedan, TE Cortina, Methanol engine 14:5, long rods just rebuilt not raced since, adjustable susp, spare rims and tyres with trailer, $7,500, ph 0410 501 618. 230 Mazda RX7 Super Sedan, Rolling chassis, Frankland Quick change diff and spare gears.Afco quick steer, 5 link. Set up for Rotary. VDO gauges.seat and harness and spare wheels and tyres included. $3000.00 ono. Ph: 02 60432 449 (Albury) or email topha@iprimus.com.au. 230

Draa Racina

304,231

80

starter and spares $5000 ono. Ph 0438 628 224.230 Mazda 208, $4500 ono, 0418 459 218.230 Shaver Sprintcar engine, 12 Weldtech heads, Donovan block, Hilbourne in], Callies crank, JE pistons, rev kit, Sprintcar headers, DSR fuel pump, fresh, ready to race, $22,000 ono, ph 03 6362 3900.230

38 Turbo Injected, Complete. Series 4 turbo, STD port (so you can do your ownj.Microtech digil ECU, 3mm seals,10mm leads with electronic ignition, hear running in Super Sedan $2250.00 ono Ph: 02 60432 449 (Albury) or email topha@iprimus.com.au. 230

Parts 6 speed gearbox, Toyota or Mazda MX5, reputedly good for 300-1- hp, negligible miles. $2000, ph Terry 07 3814 3762.231

Puma Clubman 1300, strong motor, dry sump, Webbers, 5 speed, 4 wheel discs, spare wheels, current log book, very reliable, on registered trailer, $8750, ph 02 4272 1164 or 0417 665

Cortina TD Street/Strip, 302 Windsor full manual C.9 4000 Dominator 3.9 9 inch runs 11.7 on Optimax engineered. Sell with reg and RWC free 02. $9500 firm or $8500 as is. Ph Daryl 0407 958 252 or 03 5192 4466 ah.230 Chev Pro Stock motor, ran 8.4 $16,000, Holden 388 Tuff motor 9 sec $15,000, full chassis Capri professionally built car. Only the best, regrettable sale $17,000. Heaps of spares. Ph 0419 898 749.230

Formula Libre, 1997 Pirahna, powered by Suzuki GSX-R 1100 WC, mounted wets, spare nose. wing, suspension, winner 2000'Winton Masters, log book, ready to race or hillclimb. $15,000. Ph

Engines

('1

Formula 2 Historic Group Q, restored and raceworthy, fresh Ford engine, excel tyres, easy and cheap to maintain, $16,500, ph 0403 131

Holden 6 cylinder. Bill Man bottom end.XUI spec cylinder head. Brass button Race clutch.Strong street/strip/track engine. Hear running. $1200 ono, ph 02 66247593 ah. 230 Two Holden Supercar engines, Perkins slide ‘manifolds on both, one wet sump engine, one dry sump engine, both complete with exhaust systems, many options, make an offer, ph 03 5626 1319 all hours. 230

JNR Piston Port motors,2 x 98 Parillas and 2 x 99 Parillas ex Elliot and Grant, with starter and spares $5250 ono. 2 x 99 CRG and 1 x 2000 CRG with

03 9723 6632.230

Onen Wheelers

Chev 3581, Bowtie block, Lunatti crank, Carillo rods, Pontiac 867 alum heads, stainless roller rockers, forged pistons, Holley strip dom manifold, dry sump and pump, engine fresh, ready to run, never started. Built by Paul Rogers. $16,000, ph 0438 006 912.23,

Bridgestone 4 225/50/16 5205 race tyres, new $600. Ph 0419 708 647 (Brisbane). 231

238. 230

WELSOR Clubman 1976, (Car #12) Datsun A12 1300CC, Dry sumped, blue printed and balanced, 2x45mm Webers.Datsun 4 speed, 'Beam' front axle, BMC 'A' rear axle. Disc's all round. Fully restored from bare chassis, new alloy undertray and panels, painted Black. Guidance and advice provided by (late) Colin Wear and Trevor Booth.Group Q log book and Cof D. Ready to race, $18,500. Ph Barry 0412 703 635.230

block, dry sump and pump, Lunatti crank 15.8 to 1 comp, alum rods, engine brand new, never run, top hp, built by Les Heinz. $23,000, ph 0438 006 912.23,

Alloy 3.5 Rover motors, one thick Webb block, two new heads ported, with Chev springs and one complete motor the lot $2500, ph John 02 6734 2259 or 02 6732 3353.230

AC Cobra rep, blue met and light blue met strips, black leather interior, Smith's instruments, four-speed box, 302 w new, LSD 3.55 Jag bracks front and rear. $45,000, Ph dr fax 07 3269 1815. 230 VC Commodore rolling race shell, was Commodore Cup car, minor panel damage left rear quarter panel and left front guard.

CAMS vehicle log, $1500 ono ph 03 9729

T&D rockers, Geardrive Isky Cam, WGR molly sump. Genuine 610hp/ 456ft/lp.

Complete with 4 stage oil pump, Motec injection harness, alternator, lightweight flywheel, AP clutch, fabricated engine mounts, braided lines, distributor caps and leads. Maintained by Neil Burns. Fully history, kms and dyno sheets. $34,500, ph 0418 551 170.23,

Dallara 396 F3, Spiess Opel engine nedr new.

Winning car in 2001, comprehensive spares package including PI System 2 club exper, Penske dampers, many g/ratios, spare set of wheels fitted with wets, technical assistance, $80,000, Ph:Bronte 08 8332 5585 AH. 230 Formula Ford, Van Diemen RF90/91, VGC won last time out but stored for five years. Needs minor finishing $ 17,5000. Single axle open trailer steel floot, electric brakes $1500. Ph 0412 421

Chev V8 Supercar engine. Current spec, Benson original build, Bowtie block, Morrison inlet manifold, 18 deg weltech hand-finished heads, C.R crank, Carillo rods,

Chev SB Bowtie aluminium heads complete with 2.02/1.60 valves. Crane roller cockers, ex drag car, $4500. MSD-7A electronic system $750. Mallory Unilite distributor $130. Predator 930 cfm carburettor $350. Ph Jim 0419 552 875 (Mel). 231 6 Cylinder parts for sale, 2 cam shafts, 35/75 (Ivan tye)and a 104 waggot. Romac bolt on harmonic balancer 1.6 chev roller rockers with guide plates and brass bobbins. 2 veriejet carbys ex-malrose, exHalliays engineering. Ported and flowed blue motor manifold, JP high volume water pump, steel 186 crankshaft, finer filter air filter. $550 or nearest offer. Please phone 02 6624 7593 ah. 231 l USED PARTS FOR SALE Motec Fuel Injecton crossover manifold complete with distributor less injectors - $2500; Chev forged cranks used 3000, 3030,3075 - $1200ea; Cranks Chev forged 5140 material, 3.75, 3030 stroke - $1200 ea; ALCON 4 pot calipeis - $1200: Flywheel V8 supercar suit 7 1/4" clutch - $380; Ford V8 Supercar engine sump ex Dick Johnson n $600; Borg Warner Crown Wheel & pinions to suit Commodore - various ratios - $100; Ford 302 Windsor Block new with stud girdle - $1300; Fluidyne Heat Exchanges $750 ea; Chev. Roller Lifters Used - $250 set; Used Brake Pads - 6 pot, 4 pot, PFC 93 & Pagid Compounds from - $150 pr set; Richmond Ford 9" Ring & Pinions - heaps of ratios, new & used from $250; Tilton 7 1/4" Triple Plate Clutches - $950; Tilton 7 1/4" Twin Plate Carbon Clutches (PDA); MSD 6T Ignition Boxes & soft touch rev control, new & used Bosch V8 Supercar Starters (PDA); Disc Rotors - Assorted from 11" to 15“ - Harrop, Wiiwood & Alcon (PDA); Patterson Dry Sump

motorsaort news

AMRKET PLACE Tanks - new & used Penske Shocks suit Nascar Car Set - $1400; SCP one stage diff pump & bracket to bolt 9" diff - $500; Nascar Steering Boxes - front & rear swaybars - $950; Axle Housing Nascar $500; Isky Roller Lifters S/B Chev & Ford - $250 set: Titanium Valves both Ford & 18° Chev - $950; Wilwood GT Front Calipers 4 Pot new - normally $2400 pair - Sell $1100; Jessell Shaft Rockers 18° S/B Chev - $1300; S/B Chev Comp. Cams & Isky Valve Springs (PDA); Ford Rev Kit (PDA); Ford Nascar Inlet Manifold (PDA); Engine - Complete Chev 6 Litre 18° 688HP - $18,000; Tilton & Wilwood Master Cylinders - new & used(P0 A); FUEL INJECTION Chev V8 Supercar '95 HRT Spec $2190; Aluminium Spool Ford 9" - new $250; Brake Pads V8 Supercar 6 pot PFC 93, 83 & Pagid (POA); 4 & 5 stage weaver dry sump pumps from $1300; Weldteck 18° Chev Aluminium Heads ex.

V8 Supercar, complete with Titanium valves, Isky valve springs, retainers etc. 1997 spec - $5000; Super T10 road race g/box with shifter.

Magnesium main case and extension housing $3800; New Ross Pistons suit CHEV 18° 6" Rod $1300; T& D SHAFT ROCKERS Chev 18 - $900; $650; HPI Electric Power Steer Pumps RADIATORS ALLOY ex VT V8 Supercar as new $600; BREMBO & POT CALIPERS WERE $12000 NOW $4000. POWER STEER SET UP FOR VT V8 SUPERCAR, inci rack, servo, ram hoses, uni joints $1300. SUBARU LIBERTY RS TURBO parts inc, 4 race struts & inserts, springs, clutch & pressure Plates, thrust bearing, diffs etc all ex GTP as new make an offer BREMBO ROTORS NEW 370mm x 35mm bedded - $550; BREMBO ROTORS USED 370mm x 35mm - $300; BREMBO ROTORS USED 333mm x 33mm - $300; HARROP ROTORS USED 343mm x 35mm & also 30mm - $300; HARROP ROTORS with HATS 343mm x 35mm & also 30mm - $450. HARROP CAMBER WEDGES V8 SUPERCAR NEW 3 DEGREE Radial mount - $530; HARROP CAMBER WEDGES V8 SUPERCAR NEW 2 DEGREE Radial mount - $350. VT V8 Supercar Tailshafts 1350 series uni - $650 Wiper motor set up floor mount off V8 Supercar $175. SPA twii> chamber firebottle Carbon Fibre $325; T 10 |xtension Housing - $350; Nascar Rattle guns'hi speed with hoses - $500; Victor Regulator - $350; Engine mounts 308 Holden hardened no longer available pair $150. This is a clearance sale. Genuine offers considered. Cash or cheque only. Ph 0418 341 261.231 - Drummond Subaru Impreza suspension 60mm Super Strut, new, no 2066-2071, 3 front 3 rear 4 springs $13,5000. Bilstein Prodrive Safari spec 2 front 2 rear 120km use, sereiced $10,900.

Ph Tim 03 9555 2144 bh.

Brembo 6-spot calipers, new, $6000, ph 03 6243 6000 or 03 6249 26S4 ah. 231 Assorted 2nd hand parts. Shocks, tortion bars & tyres.Wide five wheels aluminium & steel. Six pin front wheels aluminium & steel, coil springs, wide

mandrel bends, reducers etc$100.00 All parts ex Super Sedan PH: 02 60432 449 (Albury) or email topha@iprimus.com.au. 230 l Race seats, top quality imported race seats at wholesale prices. Ph 02 6562 7762 or 0412 785 486. l Clutches, 7.25, 5.5, 5.0 single, twin, triple plate, sintered or carbon, AP-Tilton-QM, new/used. Spare covers, rings, plates also available. CCI Ph 0418 925 767. l Pedals, brake/clutch, floor mount/hanging, new/sued. Also available, bias valves, bias cables, master cylinders, reservoirs etc. CCI Ph 0418 925 767. ● Air jacks, new/used, large range, most applications, quick release handles available, top quality. C.C.i. Ph 0418 925 767. ● Brake calipers, discs, pads. Mega range, new/used, exc condition - AP, Alcon, Brembo, Outlaw, Willwood. Overnight delivery. CCI Ph 0418 925 767. ● 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. CCI Ph 0418 925 767. ● Oil coolers - heat exchangers, Earls, Setrab, Serck, 6-70 rOw, new/used, also used water to oil heat exchangers, over 100 in stock. CCI Ph 0418 925 767. ● Racecar parts, brake parts, chassis stands, diff oil pumps, exhaust collectors, fuel cell accessories, oil filters, quicklift jacks, ratio boxes, radiator caps, springs, spoilers, wings etc. CCI Ph 0418 925 767. ● Uprights, fabricated/cast, fronts/rears, various sizes, new/used, also CVs, driveshafts, wishbones, rockers, pushrods, all top quality, exc condition.

CCIPh 0418 925 767. ● Radiators, aluminium, new/used, single/dual pass, lop quality, large range, various sizes, suit all applications, fr $300. CCI Ph 0418 925 767.

Transporiers/Trailers

I

..

Mitsubishi 1985 FK415K, Hyd tailgate loader and ramps, bull bar, long range tanks, 6 cyl diesel, 5 speed 5.4m vanj'oller doors reg 1/2001, RWC, EC, $19,750, ph 0417 581 443.231

complete $450, ph 02 9686 8596 or 0417 475 409. 230 Steel wheels, 4 off 7" x 13" Triumph Spitfire, $100. 2 off 7" X 13" Cortina 4 stud $50, all excellent cond. Ph 0419 898 835 (Melbourne). 230

CF Bedford 308, turbo 350, 9" dual diff, dual air cond, cruise control, dual tanks and batteries, seats 4, double bed, under storage, CD mod plates RWC, $8900, ph 07 5596 6432.231

$500 the lot (or offer), ph 0419 898 835 (Melbourne). 230 Cortina 1500 single side draught manifold, plus 45mm side draught Dellorto and single side draught x flow manifold. Suit Escort, Cortina $450 the lot, ph Russ 03 9354 7665.230 Sprintmag III, fully reconditioned $1200, Barnes 3 stage dry sump pump, ph 03 6362 3900.230 12 Wesmar heads, Jessell rockers, new springs, Kinsler 2 7/16 inj, DSR fuel pump, nozzles, ram tubes, $8500, ph 03 6362 3900.230 Used parts for sale, Mazda series 4 turbo 5 speed g/box with twin plate clutch, lightened flywheel and tailshaft yolk. $500.00 RX4 4 speed g/box with very light flywheel and AP triple plate clutch $400.00 Aluminium 5 x 5 to Wide 5 wheel adaptors (4) $125.00 VT Commadore radiator and thermofan shroud $150.00 Truck intercooler cut down ready for piping and 3" s/steel tubing,

11 April 2002

■mnwitssw:

Chev C30, QLD rego, 350 4 sp, red, large aluminium tray with drop sides heavy duty tow bar new tyres less than 12 months sice full rebuit. $13,500 Ph 07 4978 0078 or 0408 754 191.23.

PtPtfB/M

F350, 351 gas 4 spd manual, power steering, 5 1/2 mtr Pan with side door, tilt back, belly storage, winch, tyre racks, shelving, good tyres, 10/02 rego, drive on car licence, $17,000 ph 02 6628 3510.230 Mazda bus 6 Hemi, auto, hi range Hino diff, seats 10, driving lights, good tyres. Pioneer radio, cassette, lots of room, 16 x 8 fully enclosed awning, cruises 110, $4200 ono, ph 0438 628 224.230 Chev C60 articulated low line, ex mags rebuilt everything. Real head turner and practical.

1000km range on LPG. Fresh Chev, split diff, new tyres, reg Oct, $50,000, ph 03 9725 3234 or 0418 389 438.230

Other Driving suits, FIA approved. Flamecrusher lightweight GP cool suit. Black/yellow, small size, used once. Cost $850, sell $700. 3 layer suit, blue/white/red, medium size, used once, $595.

Ph 02 9726 7331.231 Australian Motor Racing Yearbooks, No 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 24, 25, all in perfect condition. $30 to $200 each. Ph Bob 0402 068 289 or email mustang_australia@ mbox.com.au.23i James Hardie - The Great Race books, 81/82, 83/84, 84/85, 85/86, 86/87, 87/88-95, 96, 97, 98, all in good condition from $30. Ph Bob 0402 068 289 or email mustang_australia@mbox.com.au. 231 Race suit/Kit for sale. Revolution Racegear, Trans Am kit. Size Medium Tripple Layer Nomex blue/white suit. Size 8 1/2 Le Mans high boots, large gloves with full underwear set. Used once for cams 2 day course, never raced in cost new $1270.00 Selling $1000.00 Call Ian on 0249664434, Mobil 0439081156.231 Factory, Kyneton, Vic, 1/2 hr from Calder Raceway, suit race car team, 1500 sq ft, 3 phase, $110/wk, ph Bruce 03 5422 1942 or 03 5422 7037.230

Tyres, Historic Dunlop, 2 of 4.50M13 1/4 worn, 2 of 5.00M13 3/4 worn, 2 of 5.50M13 1/4 worn,

Ford 350 1984, Good paint, full LPG, reconditioned engine, transmission, brakes, hydraulics, radiator, new tyres, new air con and sleeper cab, new upholstery, new steering, winch, full annexe. Vehicle was reconditioned from the chassis up 18 months ago with only 8000km since. The rear lifts with electric/hydraulics for esy loading and short ramps. Rear size 5.2m x 2.4m. $25,000, ph 0411 072 965 or 02 9610 5994. 231 Alloy pan, suits Isuzu SBR, cab over storage, will take two Formula Fords or Sedan, winch, alloy ramps, workbench, storage drawers, tyre racks, side door, gas ram rear door, full length annexe and sides, $6000, ph Greg 0411 052 944. 231

Magazines, Car -i-Car Conversions, Car 19662000, offers, 0418 459 218.230 Aust Motor Racing y/books 13/14, J Hardie 1000 81-85, Bathurst Programs 82, 91, British GP programs 81, 91, 94, ph 03 9772 9112 ah. 230 Sparco 2 racesuit, large, comply FIA, $400, Sparco Pro FI gloves (new) $90, ph 03 9772 9112 ah. 230

MotorSpoliTours

Kart trailer, fits 3 plus spares, tows well, $1400, ph 03 9725 3234 or 0418 389 438. 230 Car trailer, tandem axel tilting type, 1850 x 4200.

Regd until October $1800.00 ono Ph: 02 60432 449 (Albury) or email topha@iprimus.com.au. 230

five spacer, bird cages, aluminum fuel tank. Ph 02 43 334 070 or 0408246032. 230 Stuska engine dyno, complete, excellent condition, $45,000, ph 0419 898 749.230 Dunlop X-ply slicks 285/590/16, 255/570/16, all each. Sports Sedan centre-mount rear new, $250 , wing element, VS Group A copy. $300 ono. Linear position sensors (5)- 100mm travel, never used, suit use with Motec ADL etc, $800 ono. Ph Clint 0414 943 987 or 03 9706 1279.230 Dorian data transmitter, brand new still in box,

Isuzu NPR 400 turbo, 5 mt alloy pan, rego 5/02, good tyres, air con, 240v shelving, tyre rack, side door, tailgate lifter to suit FFord, Sports Car. $11,750 ono, ph Greg 07 5446 7611 or 0411 052 944.231

Queensland Raceway competitor level pass, free practice, circuit entry, discounts, VIP carparking, $1750, ph 0415 357 398.230 Race programmes, (AGPs, Bathurst 50s/60s, 500s/1000s, Hume Weir, Mt Druitt, Oran Park, P'matta Park etc) magazines (AMS, RCN, SON, M/spt Qld, Tas Mtrst and lots more). List from Max Stahl, 02 4362 2000.230 FI models, Schumacher, Alesi, Villeneuve, Irvine, Barrichello, Berger, 1/43 and 1/18 scale, many rare items, plus prints, kits and sent with free postage.

All in original boxes. Ph 0414 527 289.230 Motor Racing Yearbooks, 11, 12, 13 $60 each Bathurst programmes 83 and 84 $30 each. Ph 08 8389 1457 ah.230 RPM racesuit, in new condition, size L, colour blue/white, $900, ph 0400 121 340 or 03 9307 0009. 230

● One call does it all - Event List Eastern Creek, 26 - 28 April fr. $479 pp, Phillip Island, Konica 4-5 May fr.$379pp, Darwin, Supercars, 17-19 May, fr.$649pp Canberra 400, 7 - 9 June, fr. $499 pp Barbagallo WA, 28-30 June, fr. $499 pp Oran Park, 26-28 July, fr. $479 pp Hidden Valley, Darwin, 22- 25 August, Legends of Motorsport, from $ 649 pp V8 SUPERCAR 1000 - BATHURST, 10 - 13 OCTOBER, fr.$319 per person Phillip Island, 18-20 October, MOTO GP Championship, from $ 379 per person Stadium Australia, 26 October, World Solo Speedway Champs Final fr.$399pp OLD 500, HONDA INDY 300 & NZ V8 SUPERCARS AVAILABLE SOON! Most packages include accommodation b/fast, ticketing, transfers, MST event pack, gst, booking & service fees.

Enquiries & Bookings call the team at Motor Sport Tours Pty Ltd Ph. 07 4691 5833 Fax 07 4691 5733 Mobile 0412 900 228, Postal Address PO BOX 83 Oakey QLD 4401.

Email - motorsportours@ozemail.com.au Web - www.motorsportours.com ● Driving suits, top brand imported race suits, boots, gloves etc. Many styles and colours at wholesale prices, Ph 02 6562 7762 or 0412 785 486.

Photographs

● Mallala Historic races, Easter Mallala photographs for sale. For details phone Peter Bachelor 08 8634 5310.231 ● Clipsal 500 photos for sale, most V8's, Utes and F3. Some photos or other classes. For details ph David Batchelor 08 8634 5310.230

Wanted Sponsors wanted for 2002tKonica V8 Supercar team. All budgets catered for. Maximum exposure guaranteed. First in, best dressed. Ph Daniel 0419 257 921.231 Bolwell Mark 4, any condition, if good condition OK but very happy to completely rebuild if neccessary, Ph 0418 272 491.231 Position Vacant, Part time/full time mechanics, req experience in tuning, dyno, engine prep, pestige, performance, race preferred. Ph Bill 03 9588 1725 or email duvall@satlink.com.au. 231 Hillman Imp, wanted parts and information on building to Historic Nb class specifications.

Chasing parts and photos. Ph 08 9495 4170.231 Wanted to buy.

Improved production Commodore/Commodore Cup car. Minus engine and gearbox. Ph Colin 08 8671 2775 or 0417 655 223.231 Motor racing programs, any track, Ph Bob 0402 068 289 or email mustang_australia® mbox.com.au. 231 Armstrong AT9 shocks, two front and rear needed, ph 0412 215 490.230 Grand Prix telecasts on video pre-1987, must be good quality. Buyer is a collector and huge fan, so please contact me if you have any pre-1987 Formula One complete races. Ph 03 9894 0140 or 0418 378 858. 230 Experienced manager/race engineer seeks position with leading Melb-based race team, 24 yrs experience in the racing industry. Someone else^ loss could be your gain. Ph Andy 0427 847 776.230 Kerry George Kokotis, a driver with huge ability looking for a chance in V8 Supercars, Konica or GTP! I don't promise podiums I promise top 10 I'm a driver! Ph 0418 835 727.230 Anything HDT, hats, shirts, flags, jackects, etc by private collector, ph Wade on 46472923, or email, kiggins@bigpond.com.au. 230

81

OPINION

Btttrsiioil EDiTORiiii snrF

In need of support What were the organisers thinking when they planned the support events at Phillip

Island?

Editor: Phil Branagan l editor@mnew5.com.au Assistant Editor: Aaron Noonan l noonz@mnews.com.au Staff Journalist: Mark Glendenning l mark@mnews.com.au

PRODUCTION Adv & Graphics Co-ordinator: Viv Brumby l viv@mnews.com.au

IDVERTISING Advertising Manager: Brendon Sheridan l ads@mnews.com.au

RDMINISTRUriON Managing Director: Chris Lambden l publisher@mnews.com.au

COHTRCTS 357 Nepean Highway, Brighton East Vic 3187 (PO Box 1010 North Caulfield Vic 3161) Ph: 03 9596 5555 Fax: 03 9596 5030 Email: mnews@mnews.com.au

CONTRIRUTORS General: Grant Nicholas, Darryl Flack, MarkJones, Jon Thomson FI: Joe Saward, Adam Cooper Europe: Quentin Spurring, Gary Watkins US: Phil Morris Speedway: Brett Swanson, Julie Pearce, Geoff Rounds, Wade Aunger, Tony Millard (UK), Greg Boscato Rally: Jon Thomson Histories: Brian Reed Drag Racing: Greg Ward, Jon Asher (USA), Dave Ostaszewski (USA), Nick Nicholas, Steven White, Ken Ferguson Super Speedway: Martin D Clark (USA) National: Mark Wicks, Sean Henshelwood, Erin McCowatt Photographers: Sutton'Motorsport Images, Dirk Klynsmith, Bothwell Photographic, Marshall Cass, Nigel Snowdon & Diana Burnett, AF1 Images, Neil Hammond, Slipstream Photographic, Phil Williams, Allsport, John Morris/Mpix, Frank Midgley, Peter Bury, Mike Patrick (UK), Peter French, Chris Carter, James Smith, Paris Charles, Bob Potts Cartoonist: Allan Schofield Motorsport News is published by Australasian Motorsport News - ABN 55 125 120 702 Publisher: C Lambden Printed by: Offset Alpine Printing Pty Ltd, Lidcombe, NSW. Distributed by: NDD Ltd Material published by MOTORSPORT NEWS is copyright and may not be reproduced in full or in part without the written permission of the publisher. Freelance contributions are welcome, and while all care will be taken, Australasian Motorsport News does not accept responsibility for damage or loss of material submitted.

Surely the V8s deserve better than a depleted field of Formula Holdens running round in formation, or a weak field of Sports Sedans running with a couple of Konica drivers looking for some race miles.

While the Porsche Cup had an interesting couple of laps, they soon became boring. As for the MGFers class, you’ve got to be kidding. Surely there are support classes around that can keep the crowd entertained for more than two laps. I am sure that 30 or 40 HQs or a swarm of Formula Fords racing in tight formation would be much more interesting than what we had to endure.

Brian Cotterell splitpin@accessin.com.au

Pre-qual solutions This new pre qualify system for V8 Supercars is fast becoming a joke, or rather a cross between a lottery and a three ring circus.

-Opinions have been passed by most, but as yet no solution has been forthcoming. How about the following idea; l Scrap pre-qualifying. l On Friday or Saturday (whatever is deemed feasible) all cars that are entered for the event will have a 60 minute session to qualify for a starting position.

This will apply to everyone from HRT to J Smith at the other end of the field. The fastest 36 or 40 cars will start in race one in the position they qualified in.

The rest of the field will then become reserves should anyone not make the start of race one or two.

At least they have a chance of getting one start at the meeting.

0 The only exception to this would be a further 20 min session on the same day, two hours after the qualifying session, for any car

converter Send us your thoughts: mail: 357 Nepean Highway, Brighton East, VIC 3187 fax: 03 9596 5030 email: mnews@mnews.conn.au

that suffers a major mechanical failure , i.e. engine/gearbox failure or severe body damage that stopped it from qualifying under the normal circumstances. This will give the entrant time to fix the car. l If no one requires the last session then put the VB Challenge cars.into that slot. They are always good value! l This solution is feasible but then I suppose not everyone will agree - but that’s life! At least there is not more lottery involved.

You know where you stand. If you are quick, you are in. That’s the bottom line.

Great magazine, keep it up.

Stan Chasen Templestowe, VIC

Xenophobia The cultural cringe strikes again, with the news that the Kmart team has signed Andy Priaulx for the enduros and is considering Yvan Muller for the second seat.

Why is it that teams feel the need to import some spectacularly named hot shot, who has never seen the Bathurst track, when Australia is littered with driving talent their equal or better ? Is it because we feel so inferior we need

‘Opinions expressed in Motorsport News are not necessarily those of Australasian Motorsport News or its staff.

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Home grown: Should V8 teams be looking harder for Aussie talent like (Photo by Dirk Klynsmith) Wayne Wakefield when hunting down enduro drivers?

some young Pom who wheels a Honda Blot around a couple of English go kart tracks to tell us what a fantastic place Bathurst is? We already know.

Is it because teams feel the need to grandstand about who will be driving for them this year and some bloke with a funny sounding name from overseas sounds heaps more impressive than Wayne Wakefield from Brissie, Paul Stokell from Tassie or Tim Leahy from Orange? Doesn’t impress me one bit.

The story of Bathurst is littered with the broken reputations of innumerable overseas giants who have come, seen and been conquered. With rare exceptions (Jacky Ickx, John Cleland, Win Percy for example), most have gone home with their Australian driving file stamped Do Not Ever Invite Back.

The fact that Andy Whatsisname was once a hotshot powerboat racer and has had a meteoric rise to motor racing fame no doubt makes him a really interesting guy, but will it make me follow the Kmart car with greater interest? Not likely.

Peter Jolly pjolly@biggs.com.au

Clean up the act I’ve bought a few issues of the mag and I must say that it’s a very good read.

Occasionally you do have pictures of women, which is a little disappointing because the reason I first bought your mag over others is that you didn’t seem to need half-naked women to be in a sports magazine.

I love sport in general, but I get very annoyed at the fact that most of the mags out there think that to sell something, you need to exploit females, which is so wrong - if we wish to see that sort of thing, there are plenty of non-sporting magazines.

For the people that do wish to read about sport, it would be good for mags like yours to leave the women to the others and give us, the reader, the satisfaction of buying a mag knowing there isn’t anything in there likely to offend.

So if you could at least consider all this and give us all a fair go then that would be gi'eatly appreciated, because your mag is by so far the best value for money, and you certainly haven’t gone as far off the track as other sports mags, so hopefully it can’t be that difficult to make a few minor changes in order to keep a good, clean Motorsport News.

Tonie Matthews Oberon, NSW motorspon news

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