Motorsport News Issue 240 - September 17-30, 2002

FERRARI SHOW-BOATS AT HOME! CC

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Australia $5.95 NZ $7.50 inci GST No. 240 Sept 17-30 2002

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ould Ford’s star e on the move

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Besnard/Wills land Ford counterpunch in Qld 500

PLUS Steven Richards ● Mario Magic ● Dario Franchitti

from the official event merchandise collection Value

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BOB JANE T-MARTS

motoispoit

news

Issue 240

18 September -10ctober 2002

news and opinions 7

00 or Oh-Oh? Lowndes to stay with Ford, but where?

8

V8 Supercars latest Dates, QSOO's future, sponsors and ... is that Dario Franchitti?

10 Nine dumps FI No more Eddie Maguire hosting the Albert Park telecast. Yippee!!

12 FI in Barhrain? Where is that? And will Arrows go?

27 Motor Mouth Dario wins at home and tells us how 28 Box Seat Saward gets the good gigs. This week, Monza 92 Talk Converter Attn Mark Oastler, skip this page ...

63

features

30 5 minutes with Q500 winners A champagne-drenched Besnard and Wills 32 Davison on Whincup "If I was in Formula Ford I'd kick your butt, Jamie ..."

34 Life at Chez Perkins Steven Richards on life with Rusty and LP 38 mario.on.pole@monza.com Some Andretti Ferrari Magic in Italy from 1982

race coverage wnsiinl nmumsHow

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[SliTil

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iniNIES

regulars Photos: Cover: Marshall Cass. Dirk Klynsmith. Contents: John Morris/Mpix, Bothweil Photographic, suttonimages.com, Marshall Cass and AFl-lmages

20 Motorcycles

68 Rallying

70 NASCAR

72 Speedway

74 Drag Racing

78 Histories

82 National Scene

86 Marketplace 5

Photo by Dirk Klynsmith

lUil I

» -I ’’

TWR moves in at JFR Kmart Racing will run under John Faulkner’s franchise the Young Lions program is still not

TWR Racing will continue its Kmart Racing program next season through John Faulkner's team.

Faulkner and the Clayton-based team have entered into a threeyear deal that will see the two KRT Commodores entered through JFR's two-car Level 1 franchise, and Faulkner tap into TWR's technology base for a new project.

"This has been percolating for a while," Faulkner said.

"The frustration I have been experiencing to be able to get the right budget to go racing has been hard. AVESCO has been putting the pressure on to lift your game; we were going to be left behind, like one or two of the other teams are going to be, unless we did something.

"We will be announcing what we will be doing in the next 10 days or so."

Faulkner says he has not stepped down from driving.

"The team has offered me a spot in its endurance line-up but, at first, 1 declined. That is not why I am doing this; it is because I am excited about the prospect of taking on something new.

"But then, 1 see how Tomas Mezera and Jim Richards go in TWR-built cars and I think I might like to do it, if I can get enough testing. I will have a role with the team; I will be freed up to learn some of the technology that they have. We will have a lot of responsibility but the exciting thing is what they are going to do for me.

"I am not retiring. We will be expanding JFR and the sponsors have are very happy with what is going on."

6

"I am doing this... because I am excited about the prospect of taking on something new"

-John Faulkner, above While Faulkner would not clarify what his future will hold, rumours at QR linked his team with Flolden's Monaro Nations Cup project. The car, which has been built at Garry Rogers Motorsport's HQ, will make its race debut at Bathurst in November and, given its performance potential compared to a V8 Supercar, Faulkner would appear to be wellplaced to be involved in the program in the future.

While the TWR/JFR deal takes care of Kmart Racing, the future of

entirely clear. Should end-of season franchise agreement changes force teams to run a maximum of only two cars from one Level 1 franchise, TWR may be required to either acquire another franchise or move the HYL program to another team.

Rumours at QR on the weekend linked the Lions program and driver Rick Kelly to a new Adelaidebased team owned by Birrana's Malcolm Ramsay and NZ businessman Keiran Wills (father of Q500 winner Simon), but TWR Racing General Manager Jeff Grech would not clarify the rumours.

We could still run three cars out of a Level 1 franchise next season," he said. "Until that changes, there is no point even in discussing it.

- PHIL BRANAGAN

moiorsport news

NEWS Kerb that enthusiasm i:

npossible - but be may have an out at 00

Photo h\ ihii. KIviiMiiilh

STAR Ford V8 Supercar signing Craig Lowndes could be on the move at the end of the year.

Senior Ford officials are, we hear, becoming increasingly uncomfortable at the lack of results coming from 00 Motorsport and are considering the options for moving Lowndes to another For^ team for 2003.

The Queensland 500 pit lane was rife with rumours, with the most obvious destination being Stone Brothers Racing.

Whether Lowndes would join incumbent David Besnard in an expanded Caltex team, or whether the two would simply swap teams is one issue, as is the placement of Russell Ingall, still expected to join the Blue Oval at the end of the year.

In terms of alternatives, the OzEmail team’s two-car operation looks settled while rumours suggesting that Paul Radisich is not destined to remain at the Shell team remain - although its performance is currently below that of‘00’ anyway. The Briggs Ford squad is looking for at least one driver, but it too has yet to prove itself a consistent performer.

At the weekend, Besnard would only confirm that “I know what I’m doing for 2003 and I’m happy with it.” He could not confirm the team.

On Monday, team boss Ross Stone told MN that he had no current plans to expand in 2003: “We’re a single two-car Level 1

franchise,” he said. “We don’t have the funds to acquire an additional franchise.”

However,the weekend’s result, along with SBR’s overall competitiveness through the year, might well find Ford with a helpful view on those matters. He did confirm ongoing discussions with Besnard and that it was probable that the youngster would stay.

In the interim, MN understands that, while Lowndes is tightly contracted to Ford for three more years, his separate contract with 00 Motorsport is less tight and may offer the opportunity for change. Lowndes’ original contract with the team apparently provided for a review at around this time, with Ford President Geoff Polites very much involved in the process.

TTie tightness of his main Ford contract, however, would seem to scotch additional rumours late last week suggesting that Holden would back a bid by Team Brock to lure the former Holden star back to a team that would unite him with former HRT engineer Ron Harrop.

MN believes the question as to the water-tightness of Lowndes’ Ford contract has been asked, but that the response is not encouraging for Holden.

Intriguing times are ahead as Ford Racing juggles a strong supply of well-credentialled drivers among a list of teams that include a number of current under performers ...

Toyota keeps Briscoe 21-year-old Aussie stays with Formula 3and FI test program RYAN Briscoe will stay with Toyota next season.

An annoiincoment dial tlie Gniman laserl Foi nmla One Iciim will keen llio younti Austialicin as a lest di ivca ends some sfieciilalion llial it was lookiny an ciilliny itsell lice ol le Its lO-yc'ai commilmenL Ri iscoe will continiie wi le.nii as test di ivei l),i(:knu| up new siyniny Olivier Hams iiiid a di ivc'i to l)(‘ aiinouiia'd, lUmOUKM o Massa lai lieeii lumouis to

18 SeDtember 2002

Iioofleci tiuil Bi iscoe's loiitjli season, liislly in llie nieinational Foinuila 3000 Giainpioiisliip and llien in German Fomuila 3, liad |)iom|)tt)d Toyota inanayement to send him llie way ol di ivers Mika Salo and Allan McNisli, who will le,ive u' Coloyiio h<ised team allei Iwo moie I aces I iowevei, Moloispoi l News has been lold Ih.il liu; team leaded by Ove Aiideisson nid Aiiye liave been impie

resolule rlenieanoiir of llie Sydney drivei, cJespile llie lack ol losulls in races lliis year Toyola had uiilil November to pick up Briscoe's option but liave sliowi i consideialile lailli liy pict iny it u|) two montlis f;arly.

Bi iscoe will conliiHio in 13 lexl season, ali iiosl ceilaiiily in Cjciinaiiy, and conliiiue ins lole lest diivei. Despile Ins toiiyi I laciny season iiiscoe has consisleiilly malciniiy Salo and McNisli and (II tester, .Sle|)liane Saiia/in.

AN eagle-eyed Motorsport News reader has alerted us to some works going on at Mount Panorama. It seems that there are new, and higher, kerbs being installed at the track in preparation for the Bob Jane T-Marts 1000 next month, with reports that the new kerbing at Castrol Curve is as much as twice as high as the kerbs it replaced. n Penalty city: While he did have the honour of waving the chequered flag at Sunday's VIP Pet Foods Queensland 500, Dick Johnson has had his pocket lightened. Then Shell Helix team owner was fined $1000 for failing to obey the proper directions or instructions of an official appointed to the Meeting at Winton and also got slugged $1000 for entering Parc Ferrne. 'DJ' got a reprimand for "intimidating another person." n More penalties: The unbroken yellow line at the exit of the pitlane caught a few drivers out on Sunday.

Six cars received drive-through penalties for entering the race track that little bit too early, while Greg Murphy and Todd Kelly copped an extra 30 seconds on their race time for short-cutting the circuit in the race's closing stages. n The merry-go-round at Paragon Motorsport continues, with Tony Scott again being called back into the fold for Queensland and Bathurst. A lower back injury to his original replacement Peter Doulman, meant that the Queenslander was back,in a drive, especially considering he has no sold his business, which had forced his decision to withdraw in the first place. n The long-running Trevor Ashby, and Steve Reed combination will have its streak broken this year at Bathurst. The duo, who made their first '1000 start in 1986, won't be racing on the Mountain this year, leaving the Lansvale team to focus its energies and budget on the Cameron McConvilleAA/arren Luff machine. n Rumours are swirling of interest from Hollywood action man Nicolas Cage in the Bathurst 24 Hour. The star of 'Gone in 60 Seconds' has spoken to Lamborghini about a berth in the race and owns several of the marque's finest vehicles. He's also a good friend of Lamborghini marketing manager Manfred Fitzgerald. But we'd rather his 'Gone in 60 Seconds' co-star, Angelina Jolie ...

7

Old 500f W

Franchitti: “I am gonna drive one!”

Dario wants aV8! No joy for Ford Photo by Dirk Klynsmitr

WHILE it’s up in the air as to where he will race in 2003, one thing’s for sure - Dario Franchitti has been offered a drive in a V8 Supercar, and the Scot is eager to take up the offer.

“People have been asking me as well about driving a V8 Supercar,” Franchitti told us.

“I would love to drive a V8 and I have been offered a chance to drive one later this year, but whether I have the time - or am allowed - to drive one I really don’t know.

“I can promise you, though, that at some point I am gonna drive one. They look awesome and I want to be a part of it.”

Franchitti is yet to sort out a deal for his 2003 program.

He’s not too keen on moving to the IRL with Honda and the Andretti/Green team and a move to Newman/Haas in CART is a mooted possibility.

However, the Team KOOL Green driver wants to stay in CART rather than race purely on ovals.

-AARON NOONAN

For a Motor Mouth column with the Champ Car star, turn to page 27.

in parity testing

COMPUTER-calculated Ford/Holden performance parity has been introduced - but there is a nasty sting in the tail for Ford teams.

The system, exclusively revealed in the last issue of MN,was approved by the TEGA Board 4:0 10 days ago, but when the calculations were subsequently done by the group,there was insufficient difference to initiate a performance change.

The TEGA system averages the fastest 20 laps over the most recent four race meetings for both the top ten Holden and Ford cars, expressing any difference as time per minute. The trigger for a change was set at 0.13 seconds per minute.

Initial calculations by one Ford group had shown a likely outcome of 0.23 seconds per minute, but when TEGA offioials did the sums, it came out at less than 0.13.

As MN closed for press, it was uncertain where or how the discrepancy had crept in, but, having done the calculations and

Back to the drawing board; Ford's Howard Marsden. announced “no change”, TEGA Is unlikely to want to consider the matter again until after the NZ round in November.

However, Ford teams, aghast at the outcome, may press TEGA to look at the situation again.

“Overall race results showed there’s an obvious need for some

change, yet they introduce a system that results in no ohange!” one stunned team manager told MN. “Ford might have had a win at the weekend, but it took a major TWR failure to do it. If nothing's done, they’ll walk Bathurst The release to the teams of the figures garnered from the Avalon TEGA testing would seem to support Ford’s continued claim of a significant front downforce shortfall.

Whether that will now lead to any pre-Bathurst change is, however, another question.

TEGA Chairman Wayne Cattach said on Monday;’The Board voted the system in unanimously and the results seem to have been accepted. It’s a dead issue.

“Interestingly, if it had applied to the first four races this year, there would have been a change required, but the most recent four races didn’t show the required difference.

“On the evidence, you would say that Ford have closed the gap...”

-CHRIS LAMBDEN moiorsport news

NEWS Gulf goes West

by PHIL BRANAGAN THE future of the VIP Pet Foods Queensland 500 remains in doubt following the announcement of the V8 Supercar Championship Series calendar last weekend.

AVESCO Chairman Ibny Cochrane stunned observers last Friday with the news that the conti'act for the race would not be renewed for next season.

On Sunday, he announced a 13race calendar for 2003 with two TEA’ (to be announced)dates reserved.

“We know when we are not wanted,” Cochrane said, refening to an apparent refusal by the Queensland Events Corporation to be involved in the race in the future.

However,the corporation issued a media release shortly afterwards, saying: “Neither Mr Cochrane nor anyone associated with Queensland Raceway has approached us to continue funding. Queensland Events Corporation is in no way responsible for Mr Cochrane’s decision to move the event to another state.”

Clearly, that leaves the door open to allow discussions to continue regarding the future ofthe event.

One ofthe major sticking points for the race is rumoured to be the sanctioning fee and, while no numbers are available, Motorsport News has been told that the fee for an endurance event is well in excess ofthat for a sprint race, but without. any likelihood for increased spectator attendance(and hence, revenue)for the longer race.

There is also the possibility of AVESCO staging a 500km race itself, perhaps in conjunction with IMG (which promotes V8 Supercar races at Adelaide, Bathiust,Pukekohe, Sandown, and, until recently, Canben-a)or Octagon Motorsport (which promoted the Queensland 500 for the first time last weekend).

V8 Supercar Championship Series

NC Rd.1 Rd.2 Rd.3 Rd.4 Rd.5 Rd.6 Rd.7 Rd.8 Rd.9 Rd.10 Rd.11 Rd.12 Rd.13

Australian GP, Albert Park Clipsal 500, Adelaide Phillip Island Eastern Creek Winton Barbagallo Hidden Valley TBA Oran Park TBA Bathurst Surfers Paradise Pukekohe, New Zealand Sandown

March 7-9 March 21-23 April 11-13 May 2-4 May 23-25 June 6-8 July 27-29 July 18-20 August 15-17 September 12-14 October 9-12 October 24-26 November 7-9 November 28-30

Konica V8 Supercar Series

Rd.1 Rd.2 Rd.3 Rd.4 Rd.5 Rd.6 NC

Wakefield Park Clipsal 500 (Support) Eastern Creek (Support) Phillip Island Winton Mallala Bathurst

Cochrane admitted that AVESCO may look at nmning its own event and did not rule out doing so at Queensland Raceway.

There are two significant reasons why AVESCO may retm-n a similar event to QR. With almost half ofthe teams of TEGA(which is a 75 percent shareholder in AVESCO)based in south-east Queensland,the loss ofa race would force teams to nominate a test track at which they do not race.

Tliat would leave them severely disadvantaged over Victorian-based teams that can test at either Winton or Philhp Island, both of which host V8SCS and Konica Series races.

Secondly,AVESCO has deals in place with current sponsors that are likely to require 13 rounds ofthe

February 22-23 March 21-22 May 2-4 July 5-6 August 2-3 August 30-31 October 9-11

championship and there are no obvious venues to host a 500km race to replace the VIP 500.

Phillip Island, Eastern Creek and Sandovra have aH conducted 500km races in the past, but those tracks already have dates allocated for 2003.

Cochrane said that AVESCO’s preferred option was not to have ‘repeat’venues (ie, having one track host more than one round)but he would not nde it out.

Will there be a round ofthe V8 Supercar Championship in Queensland, apart fi'om Surfers?

There are a lot of reasons that there wiH; we would suggest that, after much negotiation, there wdl be a splint race at the track in July and possibly a return to Symmons Plains in Tasmania in September.

No title sponsor for V8 series

THERE will be no title sponsor for the V8 Supercar Championship Series next season - but there will be a boost in series sponsorship.

AVESCO Chairman Tony Cochrane said in Queensland last week that the series would have two major ‘platform’ sponsors, with the series to be known as the “VS Supercar 18 SeDtember 2002

Championship Series, presented by X and V. He further said that the sponsorship deals woidd raise as much as $35 million over the next five years.

While no details of the companies involved was forthcoming, Motorsport News believes that one of them will be Carlton Brewing.

The company currently sponsors the category through the VB Challenge and is title sponsor of the Barbagallo Raceway round of the series, the VB 300.

MN has been told that the company has agreed to a sixyear deal worth approximately $20 million.

- PHIL BRANAGAN

THERE will be no Gulf Western entry in the Bob Jane T-Marts Bathurst 1000.

The team, which took second place in the Konica V8 Supercar Series, has withdrawn the entry of the Harris Racing Falcon AU that was to be driven by Andy Jones and aTBA, n Nathan Pilkington will be among the first to race the new Nissan 350Z sports car when he lines up for the inaugural Bathurst 24 Hours in November. Pilkington, the 2001 Sports Touring champion in the Australian GT Production Car series, took delivery of his new car from Japan last weekend at his raceshop in Sydney. The 350Z is expected to become a popular alternative to the ubiquitous Porsche 'customer' GT racecars. n The battle for the Australian F3 tyre tender has boiled down to just two candidates - current supplier Yokohama, and Hankook. Both were tested at Phillip Island last week, with Yokohama providing the same specification of rubber as that which it supplies to the German series, and Hankook bringing its considerably harder-compound Italian series-spec tyre. A final decision is still on the horizon. n Expect a further influx of new cars to the Australian F3 series next year. A Perth-based outfit. Race Torque, is believed to be entering three 2001-model cars that are currently battling out the Asian F3 series. The cars will be steered by drivers from Hong Kong, and will be powered by Renault engines. It seems probable that the cars will run at Phillip Island's Island Magic meeting later this year ahead of their entry in next year's championship. n Former Ferrari FI driver Ivan Capelli is making a return to racing in a Ferrari. The Italian, who started 93 Grands Prix, has been working as an FI commentator for Italian TV, will join the British GT series in a Ferrari 360 GT this weekend at Donington, The Veloqx team, which runs ex-PHR Scuderia machines from here in Australia, is intending to run in the pan-European FIA GT Championship next season. n Former Minardi and Prost FI racer Gaston Mazzacane is looking at going racing in America. The Argentinean, who competed in 21 GPs between 2000 and 2001, has been speaking with Derrick Walker about either a program in CART or the IRL for next season. He is still only 27 years old.

9

ten home of

[motorsport] V8 Supercar Championship* Oct 13 Bathurst ,. ,Rd 10 Oct 23

Gold Coast

.Rd 11

Nov 10 ...Pukekohe .

,Rd12

Deo 1

,Rd 13

Sandown .

Konica V8 Series*

Oct 12

Bathurst

Nine to drop I

Ten antiFox Sports negotiating new do

by JON THOMSON/STAFF

.(non Championship)

FIA Formula One World Championship .Rd 16

Sep 29 ...Indianapolis Oct 13 Suzuka ...

.Rd 17

CART FedEx Championship* .Rd 16

Sep 21 ...Lausitzring

.Rd17

Oct 13 ...Mexico City ....

Oct 27 Surfers Paradise

.Rdie

Nov 3 ... .California

.Rd 19

1

MotoGP Motorcycle Championship* Sep 21 ...Jacarepagua Oct 6 .Motegi

.Rd12

Oct 13 ...Sepang

.Rd14

.Rd13

SBK World Super Bike Championship* ,Rd13 Sep 29 ...Imola

Now I’ll never get to be on 60 Minutes: Like the rest of us, Toyota’s Ove Andersson will be hoping for better Ft coverage ...(Photobysutton-images.com)

Nations Cup Sep 22 ...Philip Island Oct 27 ....Surfers Paradise .

Nov 17 ...Bathurst

THE Nine Network will pass up the rights to broadcast FI Grand Prix racing in Australia in 2003, with the Ten Network the only seeming contender for free-to-air rights.

Senior management at Nine are said to have totally lost interest in the sport.

A Nine source told Motorsport News that there was cheering at a Nine Sports staff meeting recently when it was announced the network would not be pursuing the FI rights for next year.

The loss of interest by Nine in the category it pioneered in Australia in 1980 is apparently down to the exorbitant cost and the “pedantic demands” made by FI

,Rd9 n RdlO

.(non Championship)

T

World Rally Championship* .Rdll

Sep 19-22 .San Remo .

Oct 3-6 ...New Zealand

.Rd 12

Nov 1 -3 ...Australia ...

.Rd13

Nov 14-17 .Great Britain

.Rd14

World Series Sprintcars .Rdl

Nov 16 .. .Bunbury Nov 23 .. .Kwinana

,Rd2 ,Rd3

Nov 27 ...Kalgooriie Nov 30 ...Adelaide

.Rd4

Deo 7 ... .Avalon

.Rd5

Dec 14 ...TBA

.Rd6

Deo 26 .. .Adelaide

.Rd7

Dec 27 .. .Murray Bridge

.RdS

2003 CART FedEx Championship* Feb 23 ...St Petersburg

.Rd1

Mar 23 ...Monterrey

.Rd2

Apr 13

Long Beach

,Rd3

Apr 27

Europe

.Rd4

May 4 ... .Rockingham

.Rd5

May 18 ...Chicago

.Rd6

r

1 ten k A

home of

motorsport n

All event dates in this calendar were correct tracks at the lime ol printing.

Please consult any individual md 'or associations for date changes.

I n^ I n

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

NEAL Bates's new Group N prototype has broken cover ahead of this weekend's final round of the ARC Super Series.

The car has been constructed in Bates's workshop in Canberra, using the running gear from a Celica GT Four Group N car. The project has consumed the team with some long nights put in to get the car ready in time for Melbourne.

Bates tested the car in Canberra last week but tempered any enthusiasm with a warning that it will not be as fast as the Subaru and Mitsubishi Group N cars initially.

"We have to make sure that everything works properly and then we will get down to some development work," said Bates, "It's very early days; our main aim at this stage is to make sure the car is ready for Melbourne.

"I am pretty happy with everything: it feels like

we have a strong package to work on and I'm sure we'll make plenty of as time goes on.

"I'll be very happy if we can score a result inside the top 10 in Melbourne. I like the roads there and I'm just eager to get out and drive a rally again.

"The car feels very stable at high speed, the handling feels very much like that of a GT-Four, but unfortunately you just never know how good any package is in testing until you can prove it in competition."

Bates maintains that Melbourne is purely a test to check the viability of the .car within the Group N Prototype rules and that there is no commitments to campaign the full Championship next year.

However one would assume that the sort of money invested in this car already would mean that it would have at least one year ahead of it in the ARC. - JON THOMSON motorsport news

1 TV

3/ With Bennie supremo Bemie Eccelstone who has been descriToed as “the hardest person I have ever dealt with” by one senior Nine Network executive.

“We have also copped a hell of a lot of criticism from the public, because of scheduling and such like, and the management have had enough,” said the Nine som-ce.

“There are people in the Nine Network who have been frustrated with the programming decisions as well but the Nine Sports management are not big motorsport fans.

“The progi-ammers maintain there is more money to be made from a feature movie than from an over-priced motorsport category late on a Sunday night,” MN’s source added.

It is understood that Network Ten is in deep iiiegotiation with Ecclestone in a deal that would see FI on both Ten and Fox Sports pay TV. However they are not offering anywhere near the money Nine has been paying for the rights.

It is understood nothing has yet been signed with Ten but 1980 world champ Alian Jones is negotiating with the network for a similar role to the one he currently fulfils with Nine.

Long time Nine FI anchor Darrell Eastlake will stay with 'the Nine Network to handle other sports duties.

Ten’s Head of Sport David White,

NEWS

The Numbers Game Richo to pick a number for 03 VY STEVEN Richards and Russell Ingall carried #16 onto the podium at QR last weekend but what number will Richo carry next season?

The choice is up to him, according to team boss Larry Perkins; // They had 16 at this race because it is Richo's number and his car," he said on Sunday.

He can have 8 or he can It

have 16; the choice is up to him."

Perkins'owns' both numbers plus, of course, his famed 11. Paul Dumbrell will also, probably, have the option to run with that number though LP is not known for being sentimental about those sorts of things.

Maybe Motorsport News should run a readers' poll on the subject...

CLASSIC - nnoo^LCJktws

_<

Great 8 or Sweet 16? What number will Richo's VY have on board next year?

(Digital image hy Maiirizio Miou}

who negotiated the network’s V8 Supercar and other motorsport deals, couldn’t comment when contacted by MN on Monday.

Interestingly, Mun-ay Walker will partner Eastlake on Nine’s

final FI telecast, the Japanese Grand Prix on October 13, when Jones will be otherwise engaged at the Bathurst 1000. Walker will be in Australia on a promotional tour for his new autobiography.

Melbourne presses on C of C Glenn Cuthbert missing but Rally will go ahead

THE 2002 Rally of Melbourne will go ahead as planned for the weekend of September 20 and 21, despite the tragic circumstances involving the Managing Director of the company that operates the event, Glenn Cuthbert.

Cuthbert, who is also the event’s Clerk of Course, was involved in a boating accident on Sunday 8 September on Yictoria’s Lake Eildon, as of the morning of Saturday 14 September he is still officially listed as being missing by Victorian Police, Car manufacturers Mitsubishi and Subaru, as well as Network Ten, Neal Bates Motorsport, Yokohama, Pedders Suspension, Hella, Oneworld Sport, Tourism Victoria and the Shire of Yarra Ranges have jointly ensured that the event will go ahead both for Cuthbert and the sport. A close personnel friend of the family, John Hills, from AussieDuct has also significantly contributed to the event.

18 Sepiemher 2002

From an organisation point of view, one of Australia’s leading rally officials, Ross Tapper of Western Australia will take over Clerk of Course duties for the event. Tapper is the Clerk of Course for the Respect Yourself Forest Rally, a round of the Australian Rally Super Series.

The event will go ahead with the full blessing of the Cuthbert family, as they have stated that this would have been what Glenn would have wanted.

“It’s been very much a case that everyone wants the event to run as a fitting memory to Glenn in the first instance, as the grand final to one of the best seasons in the history of the sport a secondary consideration,” said RoM Event Secretary Justin Hunt.

“To the competitors and spectator,? who will be out in the Yarra Valley next weekend, everyone will see a fully professionally run event by a team of people wanting to uphold what Glenn started 10 years ago.”

Lausitzring files for protection THE Lausitzring company filed for protection from its creditors recently but it now seems that the debts are too big to be able to save the company and the whole project is expected to go into receivership shortly. It is believed that there are several potential buyers for the facility in the old East Germany. The Euro Speedway was built in 2000 in the hope that it would help to boost tourism and jobs in the area. It featured a huge oval and a road course that was designed for Formula 1 cars. The state government invested over US$120m in the program but the facility quickly ran into trouble when it failed to get the German GP. n The Sauber team has joined forces with two United Nations agencies in an effort to increase AIDS-awareness around the world.

The cars will carry the message 'STOP AIDS' and a representation of the red ribbon which has grown to symbolise the disease in recent years. The team will carry the message in the final three races of the year in an effort to help the United Nations Programme on AIDS and the United Nations Development Programme. n The Silverstone bypass has finally been opened although for the moment there is still only going to be one lane operational in each direction. The new road has been planned for years as part of the scheme to make a faster link between the Ml and M40 motorways and to reduce the number of accidents that occur in the villages along the route of the existing A43. On average, there are around 30,000 cars a day passing through the villages. The new road is important for the Silverstone racing circuit as it allows a large number of cars to come and go when the big events take place. The track has long been a traffic nightmare, particularly at the British Grand Prix. n Ferrari has opened a shop at Bologna Airport, the nearest international airport to the team's headquarters in Maranello. The opening ceremony featured Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello.

The shop is the first sign of Ferrari's current policy to expand its merchandising operations in major airports and shopping areas around the world. The shops will be franchised and the products will include a range of original Ferrari products, including FI memorabilia, clothing, leather goods, scale models and toys.

-JOE SAWARD 11

Where is Bahrain?

2004 date a goer for Middle East GP - ^ hr

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J ft’s all about the power: Just what engines will power Minardi in 2003 is up tPlutfohv \l„ in the air.

These guys know where Bahrain is: The Crown Prince ofthe Kingdom of Bahrain, centre and rally driver Mohammed Bin Sulayem, right, were at (Photo by .sulton-imascs.com) Monza.

WE have been suggesting for some months that Bahrain would be confirmed as the venue for the first Grand Prix in the Middie East.

The Crown Prince of Bahrain was at Monza over the weekend and confirmed that a contract has been signed by the Bahrain authorities with the Formula 1 authorities for the event.

The Bahrainis will now build the planned racing circuit at AlJazair on Bahrian’s west coast, and this will then be cleared by the FIA safety Inspectors. It is anticipated that the race will be

Engineering an engine deal

the final event in 2004.

This is logical, as Bahrain is only two hours ahead of Europe and Is also rn a better time zone for the F1 markets in Asia. In the past World Championship showdowns have often taken place In Asia, which means that the audience figures in Europe have suffered badly.

It Is not yet clear which race will be dropped from the calendar to make way for Bahrain, but speculation suggests that the most likely victim will be Austria or San Marino.

- JOE SAWAR D

BM bubble?

THERE are a number of executives withui the BMW empire who believe that the company should be winning in FI this year and that the Williams team has let them down.

Their argument is that the company should follow the lead of the Toyota Motor Company and create its own factory Formula 1 team.

“They are right to be disappointed,” said a Williams insider.“We are disappointed. We have not done a good enough job but we intend to in the future.

They can look at doing their own thing but there is no way that they are going to get to where we are within a couple of years.”

We hear that the Munich executives have already had a very close look at the Sauber team. This is headed by former BMW engineer Willy Rampf.If the money was right, Peter Sauber would probably sell his control of the team, although the actual team is owned these days by the Credit Suisse bank.

Williams and BMW are currently in discussion about the future. The contract in existence runs out at the end of 2004 and BMW needs to decide soon what it is going to do.

- JOE SAWARD 12

THE recent days have seen much speculation about possible engine deals for Minardi.

The team has a choice at the moment between Ferrari, Cosworth, Asiatech and its own European VI Os. Each choice has its advantages and disadvantages.

Ferrari is probably the best package in terms of performance but it is also the most expensive. A Ferrari engine deal costs - officially at least-something like $38m.

Ferrari would no doubt be willing to bring the price down a little but, even with a discount, it is hard to see that it could match the kind of deal being offered by Cosworth Racing.

The Cosworth engines are

good and not expensive, with the latest suggestions being that a Cosworth deal in 2003 can be had for as little as US$12m.

The big issue is what specification these engines would be. At the moment, a third Cosworth supply will provide (with a good chassis) the kind of performance we have seen this year from Arrows. Everyone else will, of course, have moved on a bit.

The other option would be for Stoddart to invest in a major development of the European VI0. The engineers know what can be done but we hear that such a program would cost about the same as a Cosworth deal and so it makes little sense to go down this route.

- JOE SAWARD

We’re

STnoB/iai

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by JOE SAWARD

A

\l

ARROWS dodged a winding-up petition last week by paying off Champion Recruitment Ltd at the last minute before the petition was due to go to court in Leeds.

This meant that the petition had to be adjourned, despite the fact that eight other creditors were supporting the winding-up move.

The creditors then lodged a new winding-up petition in the name of Heinz-Harald Frentzen, who is claiming $230,000.

It is possible that Arrows could stop this case by paying off Frentzen, as the law allows for one creditor to be favoured over another if the settlement is of an existing debt and is made in cash.

This would,in effect, buy the

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NEWS

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Berger wants an u quantum leap

da Matta and Toyota Where to for Champ Car racing's brightest star?

FOR some weeks it had been taken for granted that Toyota’s second driver in 2003 will be Cristiano da Matta, but da Matta has made some.comments which seemed to suggest that he would not be moving to n ; Formula 1. . This opened up a new source of rspeculation about who will join . Olivier Panis next year. The i favourite was Felipe Massa, t, although Toyota came close to ^ giving Antonio Pizzonia a test run f-in one of the cars.

J But it now seems that the da F Matta deal is back on, with j- Cristiano signing an FI deal in r exchange for Carl Haas getting a n ’fi’ee supply of Toyota engines for Jnext year’s Indy Racing League I; and a considerable sum of money ‘'in return for giving up da ii? Matta’s contract.

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'O h, the decisions: da Matta has Ibeen the form man in the CART !series in 2002. (Pholos by sullon images.com ) It seems however that Haas will not be deserting CART, but rather running a sepai ate operation while Newman/Haas

ng tired of team another month and that would mean that it would get to the end of the season and the winter months could then be spent restructuring the business and getting ready for next year.

The FIA has continued to adopt a very wary approach towards the issue of Arrows. The Federation issued a statement when Arrows failed to appear at Monza, which outlined what everyone already knows - that if Arrow's is in an insolvent state it has lost its rights under the Concorde Agreement.

" fa' ' '

18 Seglember 2002

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Just cover it up and walk away: OK, so we're a racing magazine and it’s news but we’re sick of hearing about Arrows too. Just stop drawing it out ...

(Photo by sutton-images.com)

will remain one of the major players in the series.

The big question if this deal is confirmed is what will happen with Felipe Massa.

The Brazilian says he does not know what he is doing next year but it is clear that there have been contacts with Jordan.

Pizzonia, on the other hand, is going to be confirmed as the Williams BMW test driver alongside Marc Gene.

Penske’s IRL gun Helio Castroneves is due to have a test of Toyota’s FI car this week as well, though he isn’t in the mix for a 2003 race seat.

It’s merely been organised through Toyota contacts via his boss, Roger Penske. Penske’s team will switch to Toyota engines for next year’s IRL series.

-JOESAWARD

But, quite rightly, the FIA also said that there is no definite proof that the team is insolvent. A High Court judge has given his opinion that the team is insolvent, but that is not a legal ruling.

Attempts have been made to convince Toyota to buy the Arrows Concorde Agreement rights and benefits.

There was some logic in this, as Toyota is not eligible for any benefits from the Concorde Agreement until the 2005 season.

By purchasing the Arrows rights for, let us say $38m, the team would be buying benefits worth an estimated $58m, thus making a profit of $20m on the deal.

This would have allowed Arrows to pay off some of its creditors, which would open the way for the team to be closed down quietly.

n A MUCH-improved 2003 WilliamsBMW is anticipated in order to challenge the Ferrari stranglehold on Formula 1.

BMW Motorsport director Gerhard Berger remarked: "To really draw level with Ferrari, Williams must make a quantum leap. Just like vje had to make an effort two years ago with the engine, it's now Williams's job to improve the chassis. I'm convinced they will manage the huge step."

Although the BMW VI0 is believed to be the most powerful in Formula 1, the performance of the Williams FW24 has been disappointing. One weakness identified is aerodynamics and Williams technical director Patrick Flead said that this was a focus of attention with the new FW25.

"We've significantly strengthened the group and increased the amount of time the windtunnel runs, and the number of people we have in that department. But, as with ail these things, it usually takes a bit of time before the results start coming."

■ McLaren will introduce its revised MP4-17 chassis in the US Grand Prix at Indianapolis at the end of this month. The modifications mainly concern the rear suspension and gearbox and were tested at length, and in private, by Kimi Raikkonen and Alex Wurz at Silverstone last week, McLaren managing director Martin Whitmarsh said: "The test was one of the best we've had all season and we're working at having the new parts available in two weeks time."

■ Rumours abound in Europe that Renault FI has abandoned its wideangle (111deg) Formula 1 engine and will instead run a new 90deg VI0 in 2003. The French company has refused to comment until it launches its new racecar in November.

■ Ferrari started the Italian Grand Prix without ace technical director Ross Brawn at the helm. Brawn was in England and undergoing treatment for back pain. Luca Baldisseri, Michael Schumacher's engineer, took charge of the pitlane formalities until Brawn's arrival in Monza.

■ McLaren has revealed that it will collaborate with rival Williams to develop their Michelin tyres, in a bid to defeat the awesome FerrariBridgestone alliance. MD Martin Whitmarsh said: "Where there's a common interest - and there's none more obvious than tyres at the moment - we're going to work together. Our relationship has always been competitive, but with a tremendous amount of mutual respect and pragmatism.

-QUENTIN SPURRING 13

Jos to Boss in Minardi

Asiatech reveals I ASIATECH unveiled a wind s' tunnel model of its chassis and i uni-cylinder engine in the I paddock at Monza on the weekend.

The engine company, which supplies Minardi with free motors this season, hopes to have its own Formula 1 challenger in 2004, building not just the chassis but the engine as well - in the same mould as Ferrari and Toyota.

Asiatech’s John Gano said that the team was technically sorted to carry out the project but not financially.

Their deal with Paul Stoddart and Minardi ends at the end of this season.

Courtney up against it K ? JAMES Courtney will

by JOE SAWARD IT is expected that Jos Verstappen will sign for Minardi shortly.

The deal could be announced as soon as the United States Grand Prix in Indianapolis in two weeks.

Verstappen could have driven for the team this year but did not want to get involved because he was not convinced that the Asiatech engine would allow him to make a decent impression. ^ If Minardi concludes its deal with Cosworth Racing - which will now happen - Verstappen will sign for the team.

Team boss Paul Stoddart would then have the impressive line-up of Verstappen and Mark Webber for the 2003 season but it may be wiser for him to allow Webber to go next year in exchange for a better deal on the Cosworth engines.

As Webber is expected to go to Jaguar Racing, a reduction in the Minardi engine bills is an obvious solution.

If Webber does move on, Stoddart is spoiled for choice for a second driver with at least eight drivers in line for the job: Justin Wilson is believed to be the favourite but Antony Davidson, Giorgio Pantano, Bryan Herta, Townsend Bell, Mika Salo and David Saelens are all in with a chance.

Enrique Bernoldi might also be in the picture if Red Bull was to offer enough money.

It is anticipated that Alex Yoong will be named as the team’s 2003 test driver, as Minardi will almost certainly maintain its Malaysian sponsorship.

14

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■g l need a pretty special "| weekend at Donington - '11 this weekend in the final round of the British Formula 3 Championship if he is to win the title.

The Carlin Motorsport driver had a DNF and a fourth in the two races at Thruxton on the weekend, and trails Robbie Kerr's Dallara/ Mugen-Honda by 21 points, with 42 up for grabs. , Renault's Heikki Kovalainen won both races at Thruxton, and trails Courtney by 29 points in the championship.

Courtney and Kerr again

were involved in drama.

Courtney became embroiled in contact at Allard, pitching his car into the barriers.

He was joined by three other battered cars and caused three laps under the safety car meaning that just one racing lap was run before the end I Courtney's Monza FI testing accident has played a massive role in his turn-around in fortunes in the F3 title, though the Australian will have added help, considering Carlin runs four cars and Docking just two ...

Nguygen flies at Monza

Until team-mate Haberfeld takes out F3000 rookie, that is...

MONZA'S final round of the FIA Formula 3000 Championship was looking like the best of the season for Australian rookie Rob Nguyen, who qualified an impressive fourth.

The Team Astromega driver made a good start but several cars ran off the track at the first corner and in the confusion Mario Haberfeld clipped his team-mate into a spin.

Nguyen subsequently flew through the field and had sliced his way from last place to seventh when Ricardo Mauricio (Red Bull Junior team)

ran into him under braking for the first corner.

"I felt a thump and found myself facing the wrong way," he said of the first corner hit.

"I was surprised how easy it was to pass some of the other guys and then I came up

behind Ricardo Mauricio. I didn't like his over-defensive style and he was costing me about two seconds per lap. I passed him a couple of times but he kept shortcutting chicanes to get the place back, which was annoying." motofsport news

NEWS TJ

I HANS up for I Sauber’s necks THE Sauber team completed the first full race distance test of 'HANS'(the head and neck safety system) at Monza last week, and will use it in both its cars in the Italian Grand Prix there.

Driver Felipe Massa said: "Having driven a fuli race distance with the system, I'm very happy with the way we've adjusted it now to suit me. I felt completely comfortable with it."

Chlp% full move

by PHIL MORRIS

ALTHOUGH he’s refused to make further comment,expect a full move hy Chip Ganassi’s Target squad to the Indy Racing League in 2003.

The three-time CART champion team has run parallel programs this season - with Kenny Brack, Bruno Junqueira and Scott Dixon in CART and Jeff Ward,above, in the IRL - but with engine partner Toyota moving to the all-oval

series next year, it’s only logical that the team dance to 'Toyota’s tune and follow them across.

Reports stateside indicate that the team is thinking of running up to four cars in the IRL. Junqueira, easily the team’s best-performed driver this year, hasn’t had his option taken up by Ganassi and is negotiating to take over a seat at Newman/Haas Racing, while Kenny Brack, who has had a poor season by his standards, is apparently out of

favour with the team.

Dixon would appear to therefore be the team’s ‘main man’, though whether he wants to race purely on ovals is another matter.

Although it’s all quiet on the front, the new Andretti/Green operation will make the move, while Mo Nunn’s outfit willjump as well.

Considering that all three weren’t in attendance at the CART ‘united we stand’ press conference at Denver recently, it’s just a case of reading between the lines.

Enge nabbed CZECH Tomas Enge, left, who won the FIA Formula 3000 Championship at Monza on Saturday, has been summoned to appear before the World Motor Sport Council after allegedly testing positive in a drug test after the Hungarian race last month.

Enge, who made his F1 debut with Prost last year, tested positive to cannabis. At Monza on Thursday, Enge’s team manager Christian Horner said that Enge did not knowingly take any illegal substance and is ‘‘completely shocked and surprised.’i The WMSC will convene in Paris on October 1.

- QUENTIN SPURRING

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18 September 2002

^tlkiCAL Faults

n The Russian GP will not be held in Moscow, after all. The new circuit project on Nagatino Island in the capital has effectively been cancelled

by Eugeni Panteleev, the director of the city government's science and industrial politics department, in rejecting all non-residential plans for the island. National hopes for an FI fixture now rest with the new Pulkovoring circuit which is now under construction in St Petersburg, with national government funding.

This is more bad news for beleagured Arrows FI boss Tom Walkinshaw, whose TWR Group had a lucrative consultancy deal with the Moscow race promoters. n Swiss-based Formula 1 team Sauber Petronas has renewed with tyre supplier Bridgestone through 2004.

- QUENTIN SPURRING

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n Mika Hakkinen has been signed up as a co-commentator for the US Grand Prix by Canal Digital, which broadcasts Formula 1 in Finland.

Hakkinen, McLaren's 1998-99 Formula 1 World Champion, started this year on a 'sabbatical', before formally announcing his retirement.

"I believe that, as a former professional, I can offer viewers small but significant details, especially from a driver's point of view," he said.

7

deFi

Brazilian misses Ghana

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by AARON NOONAN ALEX Davison has again put in a stunning drive to force his way onto the podium in the latest round of the Porsche Supercup at Monza.

The Manthey Racing driver finished second behind race winner Marco Werner to take his second runner-up spot in the last three races.

Davison was in the middle of a frantic dice for second throughout the 12 lap distance, and forced his way by Timo Bernhard under brakes into the Parabolica on the last lap.

The result moves Davison into ninth in the Supercup series with one round to go at

l PhtUo by auimn-imaycs

I fVoo lioo! Davison's Manthey Racing team were quick to greet their lad after another podium finish in the Supercup, above. The Aussie had to work his (Photos by sutton'images.com) way past Christophe Bouchut, top, among others. fourth place In the latest round of the German-based Carrera Cup series at the Al-Ring in Austria.

Indianapolis in a fortnight's time. A week earlier, the 22year-old had taken his Team Phoenix GTS Cup machine to

4 new Rex fen Peters McRae DEFENDING GT-Performance Champion Brett Peters will have a new Subaru Impreza STi for this weekend’s round of the series at Phillip Island and will use the event as a lead-in for an assaxilt on the Bathurst 24 Hour.

The new car, built by Rod Dawson in Queensland, has some advantages over the car it replaces, mainly in terms of gearbox durability, a problem which befell the car in the recent Sandown 500.

“We felt the latest model STi was the way to go for Bathurst,” Peters, right, said.

“It will be more attractive for our sponsors and it has some mechanical advantages, such as a stronger, six-speed gearbox, bigger brakes and stiffen body shell that will definitely contribute to its reliability.

‘We’ll be competing in Group 16

goes oval tracking

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Five, but I’m hoping the reliability of our production car will allow us to fight above our weight against faster but more fragile cars.

‘We’re going to Bathurst determined to do well, but even to compete in such an event is going to be a great motorsport

■■

adventure. I’m looking forward to it immensely.”

Deane and Robert Rubis will join Peters, with a fourth driver thought to be Sandown 500 co driver Grant Denyer - yet to be signed.

-AARON NOONAN

COLIN McRae, above, made an entertaining ASCAR debut in the support races to the Rockingham 500 Champ Car race on the weekend.

The WRC Ford star finished sixth, having qualified 11th in his Bintcliffe Sport-run Pontiac and copped a few cheers for scraping the wall during his first qualifying runs.

“I was trying to find the limit of the car,” McRae said.

“I really didn't know what to expect, racing with other cars is totally out of my field. I knew I was enjoying myself when my right knee started shaking! I couldn’t stop it.” motorsport news

NEWS

trran injuped I

to add IRL crown to CART championships after Chicagoiand crash

Mad Max in white and red: Max Papis, above, took over from Gil de Ferran, right, at Texas but didn’t have the luck.

(Photos by sutton-images.com)

by PHIL MORRIS GIL de Ferran has rejected talk of retirement after suffering a heavy crash in the penultimate round of the Indy Racing League at Chicagoiand Speedway on September 8.

The accident forced the Brazilian to miss last weekend’s season finale at Texas, therefore conceding his shot at the championship to team-mate Helio Castroneves and eventual Champ Sam Hornish Jr. de Ferran suffered a concusison and hairline fracture of his left wrist in a crash on lap 52, meaning he’d been unable to make it three championships in a row, having ^ won the 2000 and 2001 CART

FedEx Championship Series.

He’d been following Tony Renna when the American’s Kelley Racing machine slowed with a fuel pick-up problem and the Penske driver swerved high into the wall to avoid him.

“Recovery periods for any type of concussion vary for many reasons, but rarely do symptoms completely disappear in seven to 10 days,” said Dr. Henry Bock said.

“As with any head injury, it is better to be cautious and not put the driver at risk. That’s what we’re doing with Gil.” Max Papis replaced de Ferran in the team’s #6 Dallara/Chevrolet, though engine failure meant he wasn’t in the race for the chequered flag.

“I really felt we had a chance to do well today,” said the Italian.

“We had a good start and were running as planned. After about the first 30 to 40 laps, however, it was harder to maintain the pace.

“The car was pushing, so we made changes during our pit stops, and the handling improved. We were running 12th with about 35 laps to go when unfortunately we lost power.

“I wish I could have contributed more, but everyone did their best today, and everyone at Marlboro Team Penske should feel proud for the terrific job they’ve done in their rookie IRL season.”

Changes for G Force Panozname to adorn 2003Indy Racing Leagne chassis

G FORCE will have an all-new look for the 2003 Indy Racing League season.

The chassis supplier which has been involved in the League since 1997, will adopt a new moniker in deference to its parent company next year, with the cars to be known as Panoz G Force, It reflects the unprecedented commitment company owner Panoz has placed in the IRL program.

"The level of competition in the Indy Racing League has increased remarkably. and

18 September 2002

we believed our commitment to the program needed to reflect that," said owner Don Panoz.

"Over the past 12 months, we have closely examined every area of G Force and have worked toward providing significant improvements in design, manufacturing and customer service.

"Our target is the IRL championship and the Indy 500 - that is our complete goal.

The G Force

chassis has been completely overshadowed by championship (and Indy 500) winners Dallara this season, leaving G Force with just two wins for the season.

The new 2003 Panoz G Force is undergoing wind-tunnel development in the UK and the first car is expected to be ready for delivery in early December, The company expects to build 30 Panoz G Force chassis.

CART loses traction for 2003 CHAMP Car drivers will be without traction control in 2003.

The CART Franchise Board has voted to remove the rule allowing traction control for 2003/04 as well as the ability of Cosworth's track support engineers to simulate it. The one-engine rule currently in place has also been rescinded starting next year, while the fuel enrichment control switch, which gives drivers extra power, will also be a thing of the past. n In a bid to make the cars more driveable on the one-mile ovals, CART has decided that road course wings will be used rather than the super-speedway spec wings in 2003.

They will be tested this weekend at Milwaukee where three Ford/Cosworth teams will test 700horsepower versions of the XF engine that will be used next year.

The goal is to keep the speeds around the current levels but make the cars conducive to good, side-byside racing in more than one 'groove'.

n See, nice guys do win I Prior to the final round of the Formula Ford championship at Queensland Raceway, Valvoline duo Jamie Whincup and Marcus Marshall, above, paid a visit to the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne. The duo were besieged by autograph hunters in the kiddies ward and took time to meet some of the patients. n AJ Foyt IV has become the first champion of the IRL's Infiniti Pro Series, by winning the BG Products 100 at Texas on the weekend. The grandson of four-time Indy 500 winner AJ Foyt, edged runner-up Cory Witherill by 0.03s at the line. n IRL Champions Pennzoil Panther Racing will be expanding into the Infiniti Pro Series next season, British F3 championship front-runner Mark Taylor will join the team next year with a view to moving into the IRL in the near future. n VVith Tomas Scheckter departing from Red Bull/Team Cheever prior to the end of the IRL season. Frenchman Laurent Redon has picked up the Rookie of the Year Award. n Narain Karthikeyan, the 2001 Korean Superprix winner, is to return to Formula 3 this winter to bid for the Macau-Korea double with Carlin Motorsport.

1J

News Can ya chuck another Michy in the microwave, piease Dari?

THIS year there have been some problems for Michelin getting enough heat into its tyres, and this has been one of the major causes of Bridgestone's domination with Ferrari.

Our sources suggest that Michelin is going to try to develop a system by which the tyres are heated up in large microwaves so that they will be up to working temperatures when they go on the cars. This is not easy to do given that the tyres have to be mounted on a metal wheel rim and microwaving metal can lead to some dramatic results.

It seems however that technologies have been developed that will make this possible and that the tyres will come out of the ovens and go straight onto the cars.

-JOESAWAED

Chev unveils new IRL donk CHEVROLET has taken the with four valves per cylinder, dual overhead camshafts and wraps off its all-new, thirdsequential electronic fuel generation IRL engine. injection. It produces more than Designed and developed by GM 675 horsepower and weighs Racing, the 2003 Chevy Indy V8 is 138kg. smaller, lighter and more powerful TWR Racing will be one of five than the championship-winning 2002 version. Chevy's latest racing engine will make it competition debut March 2, 2003, at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the IRL season opener.

"Chevy races to win in every form of motorsports in which we compete," said Steve Shannon, GM executive director marketing services. "We recognise that the bar will be raised next year with new .1 manufacturers entering the IRL ' series. This new Chevrolet racing engine, designed and developed n in-house at GM, is a symbol of our commitment to continue Chevy,s winning tradition against international competition."

The 2003 Chevy Indy V8 is 75mm narrower, 75mm shorter and 16kg lighter than the 2002 version. The 3.5-litre (214ci) engine has an aluminum cylinder case, aluminum cylinder heads

BM W E46 2001 FIA Super Production Car

approved engine suppliers for Chevrolet teams in the series, including Panther Pennzoil, Blair Racing, Menard, Hemelgarn and, possibly. Team Cheever, which has lost its Infiniti deal and has links with TWR.

Jordan still keen| Qms B+H+£= Irvine?

i

Sato

E

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Ideal Bathurst 24 Hour Class Winner l Full Factory Spec 2 litre Engine - 2001/2 camshafts l Factory Gearbox -Factory Long Range 100 Litre Fuel Bladder l Motec Data Logging, Motec MS ECU and Motec ADL Dash l 2001/2 Face Lift Body Kit -Diff and Gear Box Coolers l Factory Carbon Side Impact Safety Panel -OZ. wheels l AP Air Jack System - Factory Carbon Interior Kit This car’s had very little use since being built and is in immaculate condition with a comprehensive spares package along with all technical data and information.

Price dependant on package and available on application!

Contact Kevin Bell, International Motorsport Ltd, in New Zealand on ph 03 323 6150(NZ) mob 021 845 102(NZ) email kbell@gtech-bellmor.co.nz

18

& Hedges continuing its relationship with the Jordan team for another three years at least.

B&H has always wanted a topline British driver to help maintain its strong position in the British tobacco market but has been less than enchanted with the sponsorship since Damon Hill retired.

Jordan has been trying to work a deal to get some British interest in the team - using Justin Wilson on occasion this year as a test driver - and the latest word from Detroit is that Eddie Irvine is likely to be announced soon as a

Jordan driver in 2003. Irvine is the perfect name for Benson & Hedges as he is both British and, thanks to his garrulous nature, is constantly in the newspapers.

It is rumoured that Jordan is also looking at some kind of an arrangement with rising star Gary Paffett, who is currently leading the German Formula 3 series. Paffett is a McLaren protege but the team has little or nothing to offer him at the moment and the Jordan route, presumably as a test driver, would be a good one for the youngster.

-JOESAWAHD molorsporl news

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Honda MotoGP for Hayden

NICKY Hayden is set to be confirmed to ride in MotoGP racing next season - with Honda.

It appears that the 21-year-old American, who won the AMA Superbike title this season, was on the verge of signing a deal with Yamaha when Honda, which wanted him to stay in the USA and capitalise on his title, gave in at the last minute, It was either that or lose him - probably for good...

Hayden is expected to partner Valentino Rossi in a two-bike HRC team next season. Honda had planned to promote Daijiro Kato to that spot but the recent form of their favourite son, especially in the wet, appears to have put the former 250 World Champion on hold for at least another season.

It also appears likely that Phillip Morris's sponsorship of Ducati's GP team next season will be via its L&M brand, not Marlboro.

Loris Capirossi is favoured to partner Troy Bayliss in the team.

Sete gets the l *>

Pride goeth before a fall: Sete Gibernau looked set for victory until a fall allowed Rossi, following, to win.

s'top him!

Bayliss falls, Edwards takes SBK lead

THE battle for the 2002 World Superbike Championship will go to the wire after Colin Edwards took his winning streak to seven at Assen.

The Texas Tornado took both races in Holland, while erstwhile series leader Troy Bayliss fell in Race 2, leaving Edwards with a one point lead^heading into the final race of the sea^son in Italy on September 29.

Edwards won Race 1 with Bayliss second, but after the Aussie fell, the second podium featured some first time visitors, Pierfrancesco Chili taking his NCR Ducati to second from James Toseland (HMN Plant Ducati).

Neil Hodgson had been on course for a podium finish until he was struck from behind by Noriyuki Haga's Aprilia. Both stayed on their machines before Hodgson worked his way back to fourth. Ben Busting his proverbial: Colin Edwards's late-season surge has taken him to seven wins in a row -and the World Superbike championship points lead.

20

Bostrom held off Haga for fifth, "That feels pretty sweet," grinned Edwards after Race 2. "It feels great to be leading the championship. I've been busting my ass all season and it's finally paid off. Now going to the last round at Imola, it's all to shoot for and it's a one-race championship."

Bayliss, who fell at the same spot in practice, was realistic about his tough weekend: "I had exactly the same highside crash as yesterday, only smaller. I was catching Chili and I was going to have him, but the rear of the bike just went away from me. The whole weekend we've been struggling and the bike just hasn't felt the same."

Broc Parkes was the best of the other Aussies, new Pirelli tyres helping him to ninth and eighth in the two races, while Peter Goddard continued to show the improvement in the Benelli 900, taking 12th in Race 1 and going one spot better in the second race.

Points: Edwards 502, Bayliss 501, Hodgson 302, Haga 254, Ben Bostrom 248, Ruben Xaus 217, Toseland 175, Chili 158.

moiortport news

BIKES

Giberty Jibberties Suzuki loses it as Rossi scores win number 9 LIFE just aint fair. Ask Sete Gibernau.

The Spaniard rode the race of his career in Portugal,leading Valentino Rossi hy 6s with only a few laps standing between his and Suzuki’s first win of the season.

But,in the slippery conditions, a combination of a new clutch and relentless pressure from Rossi saw Gibernau cart the bike down the road, allowing the Italian to take his ninth chequered flag of the year.

“I could have backed off a bit and taken second,” said Sete after the race. “Rossi was taking back a bit but I was it still holding around 3.6 seconds and things were looking OK when the clutch let me down and locked up the rear.”

Rossi was sympathetic, but happy; “I knew I could not catch Sete but I thought if I kept the pressure on he might make a mistake. I feel

sorry for Sete because he was riding so well, but I was very happy to win.”

Rossi took the early lead from Alex Barros, but Gibernau was into the lead by lap three. As the rain got heavier, we even saw the unusual sight of Rossi being passed by team-mate Tohru Ukawa,though The Doctor was soon back into second.

But in the end,it was poleman Carlos Checa, after a terrible start that had him in 12th place at the end of the opening lap, who zoomed through to second, aided by changed settings in his Yamaha’s traction control system.

Ukawa took third from Kenny Roberts, who at least salvaged something for Suzuki.

A total of seven riders crashed out, starting with Olivier Jacque and Pere Riba(Yamahas)on lap one. Other crashers were Jeremy McWilliams (Proton), Regis Laconi

driving life driver education S motorsport academy

FRENCHMAN Amaud Vincent leads the 125 championship after a crash-marred race.

Vincent’s Aprilia just held out Simone Sanna, with Steve Jenkner and Pablo Nieto filling the minor placings.

Manuel Poggiali fell on the sighting lap and had to start last instead of second while the other championship contender, Daniel Pedrosa, finished 10th.

Points: Vincent 194, Poggiali 171, Pedrosa 166, Cecchinello 126, Jenkner 122, Sanna 87.

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Points: Melandri 215, Nieto 183, Rolfo 140,Porto 110, Elias 105, Locatelli 98.

FONSI Nieto may have felt like a diU when his Aprilia got away from him but his still won the 250cc GP. The Telefonica MoviStar rider was battling for second place when he fell, his bike spinning like a top while he held onto the clutch. But he remounted and started to chase and, when a number of riders ahead of him were also beaten by the conditions, he came through to what had looked an unlikely win, despite almost high-siding off at the final corner.

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and Roberto Rolfo (after a stop/go penalty), while Roberto Locatelli was fifth.

Points: Rossi 245, Ukawa 156, Biaggi 144, Checa 116, Barros 105,Abe 99, Kato 80.

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Marco Melandri took second from Yamaha’s Sebastien Porto

(Aprilia), Loris Capirossi(Honda), Shinya Nakano(Yamaha)and, finally, Gibernau.

Barros took two-stroke honours in fifth while Garry McCoy, struggling on the Red Bull Yamaha, was 11th.

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Overseas Nev^s Ah, those wacky Brazilians...

THE South American F3 Series has collapsed in farce after a leading driver was threatened by a gun.

Controversy has raged over the conduct of Piquet Sports, run by three-times FI world champion Nelson Piquet, which has allegedly flouted the cost-cutting rule on testing. The regulations prevent teams testing at a circuit until after a race has been held there, but the Piquet team has modified its cars to a sports-prototype specification and gone testing.

A petition was led by front-runner Thiago Medeiros, but he claims that an event sponsor, Arialdo Pinho, grabbed a gun and held It to his head.

Future races have been cancelled ... n Speaking of Nelson Piquet Junior, he is to follow his father (the 1978 champion) and head to Europe next year to contest the British Formula 3 Championship. Piquet (17) is the clear leader of the 2002 SudAm F3 series. n Britain's burgeoning ASCAR championship has had a further boost with the signing of some more star names. Le Mans heroes Kevin McGarrity and Ian McKellar Jr have signed for the Deuce team, replacing Toby Scheckter and Pete Storm.

McGarrity plans to complete the season, whilst'Joons' will do a limited programme to fit around his British GT campaign.

H A works Ford Focus turbodiesel racing project is under evaluation for the British Touring Car Championship.

The TDCi model could provide the basis for a Ford of Britain entry in 2004, running under a waiver in the two-litre gasoline-engined Touring category. n Japan's greatest ever race driver, Kazuyoshi Hoshino has announced his retirement after almost 40 years as one of Japan's most successful racers.

A multiple champion in All-Japan Formula 3000 and Formula 2, he has also been a Daytona 24 Hours winner, for Nissan.

Explaining that ongoing back pains have forced him to quit the factory Nissan team in the All-Japan GT Championship in mid-season, 55-yearold Hoshino said: '' It's time to say take Hoshino off the roster. And I'm very sorry for all the crashes, which must have totalled several hundred million yen..."

Hoshino will remain in the motorsport as the owner of Team Impul, which competes in the national Formula Nippon (neb F3000) series.

He raced at Bathurst in 1981 and 1982 as part of Nissan's Bluebird squad.

- DAVID ADDISON/ QUENTIN SPURRING 22

Herbert, Brundle, Blundeli and McNIsh in frame for2003 Le Mans assauili

Get the capes out, it’s a SuperTeam!! There’s a chance that Bentley’s 2003 Le Mans assault could be filled {Photo by sutton-images.com) with Brits who have won the race previously.

by GARY WATKINS BENTLEY’S victory bid in next season’s Le Mans 24 Hours could bring together three former winners of the French enduro in what could end up as an all-British superteam.

Martin Brundle, Johnny Herbert, Mark Blundell and Allan McNish -winners at Le Mans in 1988,’91,’92 and ’98 respectively are all known to be on the Volkswagen-owned marque’s ‘shopping list’ for its all-out assault on the 24 Hours.

Another former winner in the frame is JJ Lehto, who is now on the market after current employer Cadillac decided to pull out of the prototype division.

An all-British line-up in the lead car is believed to be the favoured option for Bentley, which has raced in British Racing Green for the past two years. The high public profile of one driving crew compromising three of the Brits would give luxury car maker the exposure it is looking for in a year that it will go into Le Mans as pre event favourite.

Herbert, who finished runner-up in a factory Audi at Le Mans in June, is making no secret of his desire to drive one of the British EXP Speed 8 coupes in 2003.

He said that a sideways move within the VW-Audi group could be on the cards once Audi firms up a strategy that is likely to keep its factory squad away from La Sarthe.

“The Bentley team is something I’d love to get involved with,” said Herbert, who was in the frame at Bentley last year.

“I would love to do Le Mans with them.”

Brundle stood down from Bentley’s attack with the Apex Motorsport team this year, but has never ruled out a return in 2003.

McNish, meanwhile, is known to have been in contact with the VWAudi sports bosses since he learned that he wouldn’t be retained by the Toyota FI team.

Bentley intends to run two EXP Speed 8s, which are expected to be heavily reworked versions of this year’s design. An announcement on who will run them should be made by the end of the month.

PHR driver eyes V8s i

1

Servia stays on

ORIOL Servia will remain on-board the Visteon/Patrick Racing Reynard/Toyota, above,for the rest of the 2002 FedEx Championship Series.

The-Spaniard, who replaced Townsend Bell after the young American struggled for results, was originally on a five-race deal, but his results have prompted the team to stick with him for the rest of the season.

"We have been very competitive, but have not achieved the results we wanted," said Servia.

"I am grateful for the chance to continue the work the Visteon/Patrick Racing Team has started. With the progress we have made so far, these next five events should give us the opportunity to reach our goal of winning races."

Servia had his best result of the season on the weekend at Rockingham, running fourth.

- PHIL MORRIS

5 I

NATIONS Cup Ferrari racer j Steve Beards is eyeing a move to V8 Supercars and the Konica V8 Series.

The Melbourne-based racer, who finished third in the Sandown 500 with John Bowe this year, is on the look-out for a drive in the 30-lap race at Bathurst and is skipping this weekend's Nations Cup round at Phillip Island to concentrate on the Bathurst 24 Hour and his V8 aspirations.

“It's going to be a tough climb but 1 am on the prowl with a lot of Konica teams for a good drive,” said Beards.

“I have got some good support and am looking while I am out of the car for a couple of months for some testing and perhaps to race in the 30 lapper Konica support at Bathurst.”

-AARON NOONAN motorsport news

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Peimzoil Panther driver outpeints Castroneves at Texas to take back-to-back titles

by PHIL MORRIS CLOSE finishes have become the hallmark of the Indy Racing League and Sunday’s Chewy 500 at Texas was no exception as Sam Hornish Jr clinched his second successive IRL title.

Again it was a close finish, but Hornish Jr had the wood on title rival Helio Castroneves, outpointing the Marlboro Dallara'' Chevrolet by 0.0096s at the finish to win his fifth race of the season and the title by 20 points.

“It has been an incredible season,” Hornish said.

“It would have been a little bit better if the driver hadn’t have screwed up at a couple of races.

This year I needed to win. It’s a gi-eat feeling.”

A lot had been made of the arrival of Team Penske in the IRL, but the League’s best team was up to the challenge and scooped the $2 million bonus for claiming the championship.

“Sam is just the greatest driver I have ever seen,” said Pennzoil Panther co-owner John Barnes, a veteran of more than 30 years in Indy-style racing. ^ “We’re just so blessed, lucky to have him,to have him a part of our team and, you know, he understands these blessings, also.”

Hornish could have clinched the title by finishing second to Castroneves, as both drivers would have finished with 521 points, but Hornish would have won the tiebreaker by having more victories this season.

But he went for the win ...

On the other hand, Castroneves couldn’t help but think about his bad round at Richmond.

You can’t touch this: Hornish Jr had enough to cover the might of Castroneves and Team Penske to take titie number two.

(Photos courtesy indyracing.com

Today I’m thinking about Richmond,” said the Brazilian.

“That was the result that really basically hurt my points over here. at the end of the season. But certainly you have to be consistent. you have to be up there.

I wouldn’t change, obviously, my Indy 500 victories. But just gives me more excitement, more power to make sure I come back next year. see if we can do it again.

A highly impressive run from Brazilian rookie Vitor Meira landed the Menard pilot third spot as well as his first pole position. while Scott Sharp and Alex Barron rounded out the top five, separated by just 0.3628s in a last-gasp sprint to the line.

“■J)

“The car was very, very good but then on traffic wasn’t that good said Meira.

‘T have to learn how to run - how those guys run. By the end, they were fighting really, really tough, like using aU the track and everything.

Those guys were fighting very hai’d. I didn’t want to go between them.’

The top 10 was completed by Buddy Rice, Buddy Lazier, Eddie Cheever, Tony Renna and Laurent Redon.

Max Papis replaced Gil de Ferran in the second Penske machine but suffered an engine failure.

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Final points: Hornish Jr 531, Castroneves 511, de Feran 443, Giaffone 432, Barron 366, Sharp 332, Unser Jr 311, Lazier 305, Dare 304, Cheever 280.

finish!

iTHE IRL finale was set up a week earlier by the closest [finish ever in the League between Sam Hornish Jr and !:AtUnser Jr at Chicagoland Speedway.

A massive freight-train formed in the race's last 20 laps ● and the winning margin in the end was an amazing 0.0024s, left, leaving Hornish with a 12-point lead over Helio Castroneves, who finished fourth behind Buddy Lazier. Just 0.9387s separated the top 10 cars at the end ...

Gil de Ferran's title chase was ended when he crashed heavily on lap 52 and was concussed, unable to be cleared to drive in the title-decider at Texas. motorspon news

ROCKINGHAM CART

Franchitti flies

Dario gets 'home' victory at Rockingham; da Matta adds to his points iead

AMAZING a statistic as it may be, but Dario Franchitti's win in the Sure For Men Rockingham 500 in the UK on Saturday was the Scot's first victory on an oval track.

And what a place he picked to win his first! The Team KOOL Green Lola/Honda driver led the last 39 of 211 laps after quick pit work on his final pit stop put him ahead on his 'home' track. From there he held out championship leader Cristiano da Matta to the chequered flag.

"My mum, both grandmothers, great aunt and everybody I've ever met in my life seemed to be here," said Franchitti.

"At the start of the race it was difficult to get around anybody. On the first stop I was on the rev limiter and it just stalled.

"We got out of sequence and the leaders didn't dictate the laps I was turning. It came down to the last stop and the guys, who I have been pretty hard on this year, had a peach.

They put me out in the lead and

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Definitely notfeeling green or blue: Franchitti’s victory was his 10th in his Champ Car career, top and right, whilefellow Brit Darren Manning, above, (Photos by Sutlon-lmagcs) made a strogn debut in ninth.

I was able to stretch my legs."

The final caution, which came out for Tony Kanaan's crash in turn two, put Franchitti back in sync with the field, though da Matta's runner-up spot leaves him with a mammoth 58 point lead over Bruno Junqueira in the FedEx Championship Series chase.

"It's very important when you can collect 16 points at this stage in the season," said da Matta, "That's just one less race we have left."

Junqueira's Target/Ganassi

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team-mate Kenny Brack started from pole, though the Swede, who led 134 laps, fell from the lead to ninth on his last stop and had to settle for eighth.

That let Player's/Forsythe driver Patrick Carpentier take third, his first oval podium of 2002.

Oriol Servia starred in Patrick Racing's Visteon Reynard/ Toyota, taking fourth, ahead of Junqueira and Tora Takagi, the Walker Racing pilot having challenged Brack during the second stint only to pit early on the last stop and get held-up behind Kanaan entering and

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9 exiting the pits before the Brazilian crashed.

The day was also a success for the all-English Team St. George. Rookie Darren Manning steered the team's Lola/Ford to ninth after leading 18 laps while out of sync with pit strategy and suffering the loss of an end plate from his rear wing.

Points: da Matta 191, Junqueira 133, Franchitti 126, Carpentier 115, Fittipaldi 98, Jourdain Jr 94.

For a 'Motor Mouth' column with winner Dario Franchitti, turn to page 27.

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OPINION

The Rock,’03 and V8s Motor Mouth

■III Dirit Frueliitl

w

INNING at Rockingham, my home track, is pretty good, I have to say. It's difficult to say this is the best.

Right now this is a great feeling, put it that way. But, after tomorrow, it will ail be about the next race in Miami.

Right now it feels great.

This has been a very up and down sort of season for me. In most races we have been very competitive and yet, in others, all of the Team KOOL Green cars have been off the pace.

That in itself has been frustrating but the real downside is that we have had too many mechanical failures to mount a championship challenge.

Over the season you have to score points all the time and certainly the number of retirements have hit us hard.

And the accident in Denver with my team-mate Paul Tracy didn't help either. We have talked about it and the atmosphere in the team is better now.

Paul is a Jekyll and Hyde character: he is great out of the car but when he is in the car, he only knows one way to drive and that's how he will always drive - he is aggressive.

Racing at Rockingham this weekend is just another weekend for me really. It is good to be racing at home and seeing my friends, but once you are at the track, there is no real difference.

You sti ll have to get on with the job, just at a different venue.

I was looking forward to seeing my friend Colin McRae racing in the ASCAR race. I have just got my helicopter 18 September 2002

Mid-season switch: Things have turned around for Franchitti since he switched to a blue paint scheme from Milwaukee onwards. Wins at Montreal, above, and Rockingham have helped. Where the Scot ends up in 2003 is in the air, but current team owner Barry Green, below, won't be around in his current role. Team-mate Paul Tracy, bottom at (Photos by Sutton-lmagcs) Indy, is the ‘Jekyll and Hyde' of Champ Car racing, according to Dario.

for next year is a shame but if anyone can turn it around it is Chris Pook and the management team he has with him.

People are looking more closely at IRL and whilst I don't know if that is a threat to Champ Car racing, it certainly dilutes things to have two similar classes.

I think that what Champ Car has to offer is great. We have a good mix of ovals and street courses, which I love.

I think that the street races are what really makes the FedEx Championship Series stand out and I certainly wouldn't say that there are too many street races.

pilot's licence and we flew down together so I was cheering for him and for another friend Kevin McGarrity, who was also racing and actually won in the ASCARs.

w

HAT 2003 holds for me, I can't yet tell you. There

are a number of conversations taking place at the moment, but as you will appreciate, these have to remain confidential for now.

What the future holds for CART and Champ Car racing is difficult to say. Losing the different engine manufacturers

People have been asking as wel l about driving a V8 me Supercar.

I would love to drive a V8 and I have been offered a chance to drive one later this year, but whether I have the time, or am allowed to drive one, I really don't know.

I can promise you, though, that at some point I am gonna drive one.

They look awesome and I want to be a part of it.

2J

HE Formula 1 calendar as it now stands is a very fine thing - probably by When you reach the autumn after six months on the road you get a little boost to help you along. It is, I suppose, a bit like being at school and knowing that when the classes end, you can run out into the playground and enjoy the thrill of the slide or the hirl of the carousel. //We are in the home stretch.

We have had Spa, followed by Monza, and look forward to Indianapolis, followed by Suzuka.

These are not the nasty 'Tilke Rings' of the mid-season, which have been modified for television. These are proper racetracks each with years of history to offer.

Suzuka is the baby. It has been around only 40 years. Spa and Monza are over 80 and ane needs only to dway) is knocking

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on towards 100. For race fans these are places which are like Lourdes to a Catholic or Mecca to a Muslim. They are places you just have to go, even if it is just once in a lifetime ... f you took a net and trawled up five random people from the Formula 1 Paddock, you would probably get one or two who have been around a while. Ask them to tell you the five most impressive places they have ever been racing and I will guarantee you - absolutely guarantee you - that they will say 'Monza' and 'Indianapolis' in that list. They might say Daytona' or 'Bathurst' or 'Spa or even 'Le Mans' but their list will include Monza and Indianapolis, the two places that people like me like to call the cathedrals of motor racing.

Last year, I was at Monza with a young guy who had never been there before and it was great to see that the old Monza magic was still working its charm.

FORMULA ONE Arrive there early in the morning with a little mist in the trees or some smoke from the campfires and walk through the trees towards the paddock and I defy you not to get a whisper down the spine. This is Monza.

This is what motor racing is all about.

"You know," said the young guy. "I would give up all the other race tracks to come here.

1 sent him off into the woods to find the old banking, to see the Lesmo corners, to chat to ' the spooks that lurk around out r there and he came back bright eyed and excited.

T

hink of John Frankenheimer's movie Grand Prix and ask why it was that the World Championship finale took place at Monza and why it was that, as the film ends, James Garner is standing on the main straight in the early morning on the day after the race, mulling over his victory.

Monza is motor racing. It was the third permanent racing

circuit ever built and over the years, it has witnessed the high and the lows of the sport. For many years it was the venue of the worst-ever motor racing accident.

In 1928 Emilio Materassi cartwheeled his Talbot off the main straight and into the crowd.

Twenty-eight people died. Five years later three Grand Prix drivers died on the same weekend, including two of the big stars. And so it goes on ...

This is Monza. This is what motor racing is aii ahoirt"

W

And there were the good times too. It was at Monza in 1976 that Niki Lauda returned to racing just a few weeks after his fiery accident at the Nurburgring.

The frightened, bloodied figure, disfigured by his burns, battled his fears and became a legend.

Monza remains the venue of the fastest ever Grand Prix - in 1971 when the race had an average snefid of 15D 7.54mnh It wa.q

’eet revenge: If look Ayrton Senna two years to avenge his loss ofthe 19SH Italian Grand Prix — which cost McLaren the ‘perfect'season.

Here the great Brazilian takes thejlag at Monza in 1990.

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also the closest ever FI finish.

I was at Monza in 1988, the year of the amazing McLarenHonda domination (15 wins in 16 races) and I remember the amazement when, just a few weeks after Enzo Ferrari's death, Ayrton Senna misjudged a manoeuvre as he tried to lap the Williams of Jean-Louis Schlesser in the closing laps of the race.

Senna ended up in the sandtrap and the Ferraris came home 1-2.

Ask the fans and they will tell you that Enzo was getting his revenge that day, ruining Ron's perfect record.

“There is at Monza every year a wonderful moment when, on a Sunday afternoon, we reach a point in proceedings when everyone inside the paddock wants to get out and everyone outside the paddock wants to get in.

It is one of the funniest moments of the year because what happens is that nothing much happens - until graduallly the fans begin the drift away and the beautiful people of FI rush off to their helicopters and gradually sanity is restored.

It i<; one of thn.qp thinn?? in lifp

race track. The Gods are different but they are Gods none the less. Talk to the average European race fan and they will draw a blank when you say 'Bill Vukovich' but at Indianapolis the 'Mad Russian' will never be forgotten.

Fie won the 500 in 1953 and 1954 and was way out ahead in 1955 when Fate rode into The Brickyard. Rodger Ward broke an axle and flipped coming out of Turn 2. Al Keller dived for the inside but had to swerve back to avoid a bridge support and collided with Johnny Boyd.

At that very moment Vukovich was going around the outside of Boyd. Vukovich's car shot 20 ft into the air and then went end over end seven times. Fie was (and stop and think of this for a moment)the 46th man to die at the Speedway - and that was back in 1955...

One can dine out on the stories of Monza and Indianapolis for months on end but one of my favourites is a Vukovich story. On the 1954 Carrera Panamericana, Vuky was driving a Lincoln and pushing it far too hard. In the end he made a miatalfp and nff a cliff it wpnt

Five minutes with

ai^M Besnart!an I Simon Wills r.

Besnard and Wills have had their share offrustrations over the past couple of seasons, but, as they tell us, victory in the Queensland 500 and a first V8 Supercar Championship round win for both drivers goes some way to making up for it QUESTION:David, describe those last couple of laps, especially what happened over DAVID BESNARD: We heard word on the first pace car lap - about six laps to go, I guess it was - that they(Kmart Racing) were in trouble with fuel and I thought, ‘well, nijust put the pressure on and we’ll see what happens’.

I would love to have led the whole way after the restart, because if he didn’t run out offuel we could have had a crack at doing it fair and square.

At the end of the day, you can say we’re lucky but their strategy was based on one, I guess, that needed a whole lot of pace car laps to get them to the end.

In the end it didn’t work for them, and bad luck for them, but here we are and we’re pretty happy about it!

Q:You had a quick car all day, so the set-up obviously worked the way you planned?

DB:Yeah, exactly. We had a good strategy from the team,the boys had good pitstops, eveiything went according to plan.

We came in a little bit earlier and put Simon in the car and didn’t do our brake pad change, which turned out to be a pretty good strategy, because I still had good brakes at the end and the thing was still quick.

Aso, what helped us a lot was that we were never out of touch.

Siinon had a great stint. When it was wet I was watching the times, and most of his laps were the quickest laps out there. So it was just a good effort all round.

Q:Simon,not that long ago you didn't even have a drive, having just left the Briggs team.All of a sudden the opportunity came from SBR you’ve got to be ecstatic?

SIMON WILLS:Yeah, it was a fantastic opportunity.

The drive came up and it was just one of those things that I had to take and it turned out really 30

■KTTj.nOQ1 V

good for me.

The team’s been fantastic this weekend. I didn’t really have to do much work, they just put me up front, I had to maintain it and hand it back to David.

wdnning every time I go out, and I try to win every time I go out. It’s great to do it for the team, and it’s great to do it for your sponsors, but we’re all pretty selfish and we want to do it for ourselves as well.

Q: What was it like for you to stand on pit wall, because my guess it was a pretty stressful time for you over those last few laps?

SW: I was really hanging for a Safety Car period, and I said I’d even start throwing bottles at other cars or something just to get one!

But yeah, my nails are really short now. They haven’t been this short in a long time.

It’s just gi-eat... you couldn’t ask for anything better.

"i was really hanging for a Safety Car period, and said I'd start throwing bottles at other cars just to get one!

Q: David, do you think you had a point to prove today?

DB: No ... questions like this come up all the time. Was it because of the pressure, or was it this, or was it that...?’.

I’ll tell you a secret. I like

-Simon Wills

So every time I get into the car I try and win, and it all came together today and ... it should be a good night!

Q: Simon, do you feel vindicated?

SW: It is a pretty good feeling, I suppose.

I’ve had a pretty rough year, through all sorts of dramas I won’t go into, but really, the atmosphere that I was in this weekend with

the team has been a great relief and I’m pretty happy with the result, obviously.

Q: David, this first win is a long time coming. What do you think this will do for your career this year, and into the next couple of years?

DB: It was good to get the monkey off the back, and success always breeds success.

When you get a win you open gates, everything becomes a bit easier. The team’s got more confidence. I’ve got more confidence ... so as far as that goes, it was my biggest hurdle so far, and I’m over that.

I expected it to happen the first time I hopped in one of these cars, and I learned a lesson in a hurry.

It was a lot tougher than I thought, and I’ve spent the last 18 months trying to work out how to do it.

It’s all starting to come together, and I’ve done it today, so hopefully we can do it a lot more in the future. motorsporl news

INTERVIEW

18 sepiemher 2002

Jamie Whincup

Whincup the Wii In a busy weekend at Queensland Raceway, Jamie Whincup sealed the Formula Ford title and made a steady V8 debut.

MARK GLENDENNING had last year's champ, Will Davison, along to help throw some questions at the 2002 Champ

MOTORSPORT NEWS: How does it feel to have nailed the title?

JAMIE WHINCUP: Very good!

To win the Formula Ford Championship, you become part of an elite group. Every Formula Ford champion in the past has moved on to bigger and better things, and hopefully I can follow the same path.

championship. I was racing with the best team in Formula Ford, Sonic Motorsport, and they put in 100 percent, and I put in 100 percent myself, and I would have been a bit disappointed if I hadn't won the championship.

I just put in whatever it took to win, and whatever it cost, not so much in terms of money, but whatever we took to win, we were prepared to have a crack.

MN: You were the dominant force for most of the year, but there were a few hurdles along the way as well.

JW: Yeah, it hasn't been all that consistent. We've either been right at the front or we haven't finished races.

We won the first five rounds and then we had a lot of bad luck - we had a flat tyre, and a racing incident in one round put us back - but it's just great that we've come out on top. It's a bit of a relief. We had our ^ opportunities at Winton to finish off the championship and it never happened, so it's a relief now to be able to finish off here.

MN: Was trying to take the title on the same weekend that you make your V8 Supercar a pressure you could have done without?

JW: Well, no, we spoke about that before the weekend, and we all came up with the decision, Michael Ritter and Garry Rogers included, that we'll run in the V8 and the FFord.

I think, looking at my future, we really needed to run the V8 for me to be able to run the V8 next year and even at Bathurst.

So it was a risk we had to take and I'm glad that it has played into our hands.

MN: Was it a case of 'championship or bust'this year?

JW: It was, actually. My aim was to win the Formula Ford

MN: Did pay much attention to Will's data from last year?

JW: Yeah, definitely. There were a few tracks where I could see what Will did last year, and

directly overlay that to ours, and know what direction to go in.

But there were new tracks this year, and other tracks where it had been completely different?

But Will's data, Stewart McColl's data, Alex Davison's data, it has all been built up over the years, as it does in any other major race team, and it's definitely an advantage.

WILL DAVISON: I couldn't help but notice that a 1m15.7s was your qualifying time. I looked at the data and saw that I did a 1m15.4s last year, is there a reason behind that? (laughter) Is the car not quite up to standard?

JW:(laughs) No, definitely it's been pretty funny over this year, seeing what Will's done a few times I've been nowhere near quick enough, and a few times it's gone the other way.

Will set a good pace last year and it's been a struggle to live up to that standard!

WD: How was your relationship with Michael Ritter?

JW: To find a mechanic as dedicated as the driver is is pretty rare, and Michael Ritter is just so dedicated.

No matter what he's doing on

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I would have been a bit disappointed if I hadn't won the championship"

u

- Whincup on season 2002 the car, he's just 100 percent concentration. He's really helped me to be a better driver. He's right into professionalism. He watches my diet all the time, and makes sure I've got my team shirt on and that it's nice and clean, and just acting in a pretty good manner!

So he's just helped me to become a better driver overall, and that's why people who have come from the team have gone on to bigger and better things.

MN: Speaking of your diet and stuff like that, did you change the way you prepared for this year, given that you were going full-tilt at the title?

JW: Definately, yeah. I really concentrated on my physical fitness and also my mental preparation. And we've worked with that all year.

At the Grand Prix, my mental preparation was a bit out and I crashed in the race, and we've

To find a mechanic as dedicated as the driver is pretty rare and Michael Ritter is just so dedicatedn

u

Sprintcar star and Formula Fordflyer; Whincup s V8 Supercar debut on the weekend was strong, he and Max Dumesny (Photo by Dirk Klymmith) running welt in the top 15 before Dumesny had a run into the sandpit at turn one.

32

- Whincup on team ‘guru’Ritter motorsport news

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looked at that and learnt over the year, and we've just got better and better as the year's gone on.

Although we did win the first five rounds, it was really close, and compared to what Will did last year, we were probably a bit behind the eight ball.

But we picked up on that, and did a lot of testing, and the last few rounds have been really good for us.

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Number one, baby: Whincup had a Imsy time of it at Queensland Raceway, but in the end became 2002 Australian Formula Ford Champion, above. Theformer karter has become one ofthe young talents that V8 Supercar teams are looking at for 2003.

They're so good to drive, and so much fun, and it's like a part of you, you really love driving Formula Ford.

It's pretty sad when you're driving those last few laps. You're thinking, 'this is the last gearchange, the last brake', and it's all a bit sad I

WD: How did you find that last lap? You knew the championship was yours.

Was the car making some funny noises? I remember it making some strange

WD; Have you got any plans for next year?

Obviously you'd love to go to Europe ...

JW: Yeah, I'd love to go to Europe. We've had a bit of a look at running in Europe next year.

At this stage it's not looking very realistic for us,

MN: Formula Renault, like Will?

JW: Could be a Renault, could be Formula Ford, there are iust a lot of those o

JW: I was quite nervousi You would have had the same thought as I did. It's j ust going through your mind that 'this is probably the last time I'll drive a Formula Ford.

anyway. I think my shortterm future will be in a V8 Supercar, and when we get b ack on our feet financially after this year, maybe we'll look at going overseas and have a crack there.

are really good If you go re of those catec a good.opport into Formula f the ultimate r category in th

ones last year!

not in the short-term

categories in Ei

Give it large: Graeme Whincup, main pic - himself a successful racer-has been fiilly supportive of his nephetv's career along with Jamies father Dave.

Dave's Diner 'has quickly become the MNews eatety of choice at all FF rounds'. iPhdu bv .dtjrvn Soonjnl

Steven Richards

Captain'in*wai

I

Steven Richards is poised to assume the mantle oflead driver at Castro!Perkins Racing in 2003./4s he told CHRIS LAMBDEN, he’s more than happy about the way things are heading

s

TEVEN Richards has found his home - at last.

When the announcement came that he would join Larry Perkins’ team at the start of this season, wise heads nodded. Steven’s no bullshit approach to racing(now where did he learn that...) always seemed likely to fit in with the philosophy at Perkins Engineering and, after six months, and with Russell Ingall now headed elsewhere, Richo Junior is already well established.

“It’s a far better environment than I’ve had before. I’m not down at the workshop day-in, day-out, so I don’t get to see exactly what goes on all the time, but the appointment of Jim (Vale) as team

manager has allowed Larry to step back from the day-to-day decisions.

When there are big decisions to be made, Jim and Larry get together to sort that out among themselves.

“I’m not sure about the structural changes down at the factory, because I’m not there all the time, but I know our debriefs have changed, in terms of the personnel who now come to them, which is a positive thing.

“I wasn’t there long enough before Jim arrived to say whether there’s any great difference between Larry and Jim in terms of dealing with LaiTy’s main men, but Jim is doing a good job and that’s allowing Larry to concentrate on other things.

including his interest in the aviation side of things.

“But I’m having a ball down there. Sure, there are hard times and busy times, but everyone down there is really keen and enthusiastic and working harder to make the whole thing work better.”

It’s been a tough season or two for the Castrol squad, in the shade of the all-conquering Red Team from Clayton. But things are on the up - starting with the cars themselves.

“Definitely. When I arrived the cars had a bit of an oversteering problem and they were hard on their rear tyres. That’s probably best illustrated by race two in Adelaide, where I had to fight off

Lowndes for the last 15-20 laps.

“Since then we’ve made the cars make their rear t}rres live, which was an important step, and the cars are still qualifying well. So as the year has gone on, sure, HRT have continued their winning ways, but we’ve got a lot closer to the pointy end of the field.

“We’re maintaining the rage, staying inside that top five or six cars at the moment- that was really my ambition. My goal for this year was to finish in the top five in the championship - and that is still very much achievable.

“The car has come a fair way, all the guys are having good input in terms of where we are going with the cars and we have a list as long

moiorspon news

V8 SUPERCARS

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as our arms and legs of things we want to try in the future - but that we need the proper time and efficiency to get 5)them all together to test properly.

Is the team getting closer to the V8 benchmark?

“I admire HRT in the way they have gone about what they do and the way they have put things in place. I’ve always been of the belief over the past two or three years that they have always got something sitting up in their cupboard that - as everyone gets closer - there’s always another little trick to pull out of that cupboard!

continued on page 36

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Pressing: on;: Riehards and Ingall pushed the Castrol Gowirhoddre into second place at the Queensland 50@ in their debut as a pairing;

Photo; Dlfk KIynsmilh

18 September 2002

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Photo by AFl lm.Tges

35

Steven Richards continued from page 35 “But this year, the field has got quite a bit closer and maybe their little advantages are being closed up. They are not finding as many big gains as they used to -thanks in part to the regulations which aim for parity and restricting costs.

“We are getting closer, but there are a lot of things which go into making up a result- car preparation and speed is one, but it’s also the ability of the team to work well, make fast decisions on their feet, strategy. All that starts back at the workshop and that’s what teams have to put into place before they really kick on.

A big part of HRT’s success has been continuity - of personnel.

Already knowing that he is staying on for 2003 is a bit of a first for Richo lately and he sees it as a huge plus: ‘Tou can see the positive things that are going to come out of being there over Christmas. We’ve got a stable core group of people who have been at Perkins Engineering for a long time and, as I said, a long list of things we want to try.

“That’s a nice thing to have, because you can develop those things over the break and by the time mid-January comes around you’ve already got some of the things you need in place that need to be made or trialed and tested.

They’re there, sitting on the table.

“The last couple of years, I’ve gone to a new team - and if you’ve got some ideas, it’s March or April before you see them go on the car or start to be implemented ...

“It’s going to be great. I’ve been looking forward to the Queensland 500 and Bathurst this year and, with the stuff ^e’ve got planned, it’s only going to get better.”

After much speculation, the team announced that Richards

f r

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would pair up with the outgoing (in more ways than one!) Ingall.

Good decision? Who made it?

“It was a team decision. The core group of guys - Larry and Jim, plus Sean from the engine department, Steve the engineer, Barry Abbotmeier, who’s been there for years and years, all sat down and went through the options, to pick the combination which suited our objective best.

Castrol would have been involved in the discussions too.

“Based on the cuiTent thinking that to still go well in the championship you have to put your best foot forward, put your two most currently successful drivers together - the decision went the way it has.

“Also, with a young guy coming in for those races, Larry has a lot

W

It'S the best outcome - provided Russell can keep his mind on this yoarl ff

-Steven Richards on his endurance race pairing with Russeli Ingaii

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Pedigree: Like his new team mate, Richo Jnr has two V8 Bathurst wins on his resume 1998 with Jason Bright in the Pirtek SBR Falcon left, and, above, 1999 with good mate Murph in the Wynns Gibson Commodore. of experience he can lay off to Paul, and that will help Paul out.

“It’s the best outcome - provided Russell can keep his mind on this year!...”

The two also have similar views on car set-up: “There’s a little bit of a difference in height in terms of ergonomics, but we’ve worked around those and overcome them.

“As far as the way in which the car needs to be set up, there’s no real issues or differences. I want a car that’ll be on pole, so however I have to adjust my driving style to suit a car set-up that does that, that’s the way I want it. I think Russell’s the same - he drives a car to get the most speed out of it, but with an eye to having a car that will look after its t3rres, particularly around Queensland.”

Sunday’s VIP Petfoods 500 suggests that the new pairing will be one of the strongest going into Bathurst.

Car 16 did look after its rear tyres and, despite not making any big gains through the pit stop cycle, was in the frame when the late race shoot-out started.

“The car was great,” Richo reported.

“We’d worked on a strong race set-up and, really, it was quick.

“The only strange thing was that on the last set of t3rres, it wasn’t quite as good as it had been

18 September 2002

I s.

earlier, so we weren’t quite quick enough to hold David Besnard at bay late in the race.

“But as a Bathurst warm-up, it was very, very encouraging.”

Richards now goes into the late season races fully fit, after coping vnth a somewhat elongated period of‘flatness’ mid-season: “I think it was because my son Clayton broughtjust about everything home from creche! Just before Darwin I got a bit crook and lived with a box of tissues for about 13 weeks all up.

“When you are training, your immune system is down a little bit and it’s harder to get well. After about five weeks of trying to train through it, I realised that perhaps I should lay off a bit.'The fact that I’ve been able to get back into it lately is a positive thing primarily for the brain than anything else, but it’s nice to get back in the groove.”

In 2003, Steven looks likely to, at last, assume the lead driving role in a settled, productive team.

Does that create any additional pressure, particularly should he end up ‘mentoring’a young second driver, such as Dumbrell?

“I’ve been in similar roles in the past. It doesn’t worry me. Back in the days of the Gibson Vectra thing, I kinda helped out Sam Newman and Melinda Price, so I’ve been there before.

“My philosophy, if you like, has always been to do the best for the team and to do that we need to have two drivers of equal standing to get some results. That’s how we are going to move forward, and anything I can do to help whoever LP has in the team for next year I’m more than happy.”

Katherine

At the momentI am studying to become a dance and drama teacher. I love the thought of teaching dance and drama to students. I have been dancing since I was three years old and have been involved in drama since a young age also.

I am currently working part time at a multimedia company to get me through college. This I enjoy but my passion still lies in teaching dance and drama.

I have travelled overseas to America, Mexico, Japan and Bali. These trips have all been holidays sofar. I would love to travel through Europe and really experience some of the culture and history of the countries.

I did years of roller skating to keep mefit asI was growing up but to stayfit now I am at the gym at least three times a week and I enjoy riding my bike along the St Kilda Esplanade.

I have been modellingforfive years, mostly photographic work. I would like to expand on my modelling, as I enjoy working on photo shoots and the locations that you travel to.

I have worked at the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix, World Superbikes, Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix and at the V8 Supercars, but I have to say that Formula 1 is my all-timefavourite.

For more pictures of Katherine visit www.sppromotions.com.au

sipl Promotions!

PO Box 4052 Patterson VIC 3204 Phone/Fax 03 9557 7750 imuu (iWi]

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pE 1982 season was one of the classics of Formula One. There was drama; there was a classic underdog; there was power; there was passion and, sadly, there was death.

There were an ongoing series of performances that, these days, seem a lifetime ago. And there were some truly great, gi'eat laps.

Three years after the 1982 season there was a book published by -American racing writer Lyle Kenyon Engle about one of the greatest drivers in the history of the sport. The second part of the title was "The Man who could win anv race". Mavbe a tall order38

until you marry that line to the first two words of the book’s title; Mario Andretti.

The mercurial American has won almost everything there is to win in motor racing; 12 GPs and the world drivers’ championship (with Lotus in 1978); the Indianapolis 500 (in 1969); the Daytona 500 (in 1967) and the Sebring 12 Hour. OK, the Le Mans 24 Hour still remains missing from his CV, but it is an amazing record, unparalleled in the sport’s history.

But. by 1982, he had retired from Formula One. Following his triumphant years at Lotus, he endured an unsatisfactory year with Alfa Romeo, dropping to an

imrepresentative 17th in the 1981 world championship, and he hated the stiff and unwieldy gfbiiiideffects cars, which Andretti thought required no finesse to drive fast.

So, when there were no competitive FI drives on offer for 1982, he decided to concentrate on the growing American CART series.

And that is what happened. In 1982, he drove for Pat Patrick’s team (for which he had driven in eight races the year heforei and took third in the .series behind Rick Mears and Bobby Rahal. despite not winning a race.

But. even if he didn’t have a full-

time nde, FI still rdmerabered the then 42-year-old. When Carlos Reutemann unexpectedly and suddenly retired after the Brazilian Grand Prk, Frank Williams needed a driver for Long Beach and Andretti was the mam. to whom he turned. In the one-off appearance he'was dusted hy team-mate Keke Rosherg and. it seems, with growing commitments in the USA. it seemed that Mario’s hrilliant FI career was done.

But drama was brewing at Maranello. First of all, drivers Gilles Villcneuve and Didier Pironi were engaged in .silent waifare following the controversial San Marino Grand Prix. at which know motorsDorl news

RETROSPECTIVE

(HnoJos Dy sunon-imao« oon",

Villeneuve felt betrayed by his team-mate’s disinclination to abide by a pre-race agreement between the drivers. Two weeks later, the Canadian was tragically killed at Zolder while qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix.

Pironi took over the role of team leader,joined by countryman Patrick Tambay at Zandvooi-t. But three races later at Hockenheim, Pironi suffered career-ending injuries when his Ferrari 126C cartwheeled into the back of Alain Frost’s Renault in the warm-up, leaving Tambay to battle alone in Austria and the ‘Swiss’ GP at Dijon.

But even he was having II ScDlember ZII2

problems. Patrick was suffering back pain brought on by the stifilysprung cars and he was,for a time, in doubt for the Italian GP himself.

Suddenly, Enzo Ferrari faced the possibility of having no experienced drivers for the final two races of the season.

So,the Old Man knew what he had to do. It was just a matter of doing it. When did he make the phone call?

“I think it was about two weeks before the race,” says Andretti now.

“The week before (the race), I went to Italy and tested at Fiorano, because I had not driven Formula One cars with a turbo, so I had to familiarise myself with

gro-sind cfFef cl sothae cars were ver^:,very diferent;. A lot of dowviafoiice atthe finont and they dicEin'l have;';a goad,feel about them, to biehoies^..

“S® I wasdiarc the Saturday beftbu® tlbe iT«e and I \vas slated to test Satnrd:!;®- aaid Sunday. I ran all dajrr.Sahrdiay -I dad 87 laps,I thimlk -land I bmkffi the Fiorano recffluid. At ttluat ipoimt I felt pretty goo«Sabout, ule(car - and.at that po&ni they sdarted; throwing some diffSarent aasw pieces at me that the3,-lhaiilldiisrariedl. 1 thought.'You

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Mario Andretti continued from page 39 what? I don’t need to go through that now, I came here to get familiar with the car and its set up’. So we scrubbed the test on Sunday and I spent a few days gallivanting around Italy, as usual, for a few days before the race.”

Legend has it that‘gallivanting’ included Mario and wife Dee Dee cruising the highways and byways on a motorcycle.borrowed from Moto Guzzi boss, Alessandro de Tomaso.

At one stage, the duo rode past Fen-ari’s test track, which was under siege from Andretti-crazed Tifosi hoping for a glimpse ofthe great man - who was riding past anonymously behind them ...

Did Andretti, a year out ofFI and in his early 40s, come to the race with expectations?

“I was 42,right? I thought I was pretty much right-on, as far as my driving was concerned. Even in my 40s, I felt just fine, as good as ever.

But again, going back after being absent for a year, I was in contention thei-e, no question. The reason I accepted the invitation with open arms was that I knew that the car was quite competitive and I really wanted to do it, and I am glad I id.It was good that I had the test and it was a matter ofjust getting on with it.”

Ihe news that Andretti was returning to Monza for the race meant that the Autodromo was packed, and the fans were not to be disappointed. More than 70,000 watched a classic qualifying battle between the young lions of FI at the time. Nelson Piquet and Rene A-noux staging a war until the ^ final minutes of qualifying when car number 28, packing Lordknows how much boost, emerged from Ferraii’s garage.

“I felt quite good about the car,” smiles Andretti. “The Monza set-up seemed to be OK.I had no idea how competitive I was going to be against the likes of Piquet, who was going to be my match for the week,in qualifying anyway.

“Heck! I felt like I had a shot of pole and the race. There was good power in the engines, especially in qualifying. Fen-ari always seems to come up with something extra for Monza and it felt right. My times started to click in and I felt it was realistic to be right up front.

“There was a lot of emotion from the crowd,it was such a great feeling. The Italians go crazy, the fans really get with it and do not hold anything back. It’s always a gi’eat feeling.

“To me,it was so meaningful to wind up my Formula One career with Ferrari. It was a Ferrari in which I had my first win in South Africa and the last drive had to be 40

"No-one - no-oneexpected me to do thatleast of all Piquet; I think he was pretty annoyed about it!

II

-Andretti on taking poie position

Set turbo boost to ‘Holy Mother of God’: Andretti tips the Ferrari into the Parabolica during qualifying, top.

The following day was less successful; after being the centre of attention pre-race, above, Mario eventually took third place behind the Ferrari-bound Renault driver Rene Arnoux, centre, and Patrick Tambay, below left. {Photo by suHon-images.com)

with Ferrari, so that was quite good for me.

“When I was first offered the ride, I did not have those expectations. I thought,‘OK,I think I can cover for Pironi the best way that I can’ but I had no way of assessing the situation. It all came together.

It sure did; It seemed like, during the last 20 or 30 minutes of qualifying, the last guy who came in was the quickest. Finally, I went out and took the second Lesmo flat, which was a bit dodgy there. It was a bit of a ‘pucker factor’! And that was that for pole ...

The place went nuts. As a 14year-old, Andretti had watched Alberto Ascari race at Monza before, nine months later, emigrating to America vrith his family. Now,27 years later, he was in Ferrari red, on pole position for the Italian Grand Prix for the second time in his career.

“It was fine,” he says. “The timing was a factor and no-one no-one - expected me to do that, least of all Piquet; I think he was pretty annoyed about it! To me, that’s the way it is. I had no problem with my team-mate;I was quicker than him immediately, through practice and qualifying.”

T. * 0

,e crowds on the next day were _ even bigger but they were not to see the fairytale come true. Andretti had been impressive in practice and qualifying but, not having raced a turbochai’ged FI car all season, was at a disadvantage to his rivals.

“But the only thing that I should have done more of is practice starts,” he admits. “I did just one on the side of the road at Fiorano and I should have done some more. With a 1.5-litre engine, turbocharged, normally there is nothing there.

You really have to regulate yom’ power and, at the start, I lit them up too much. iDotorsport news

RETROSPECTIVE “I am usually pretty good at standing starts; I had never been beaten to the first corner from pole but this time, I was. Anyway, no big thing - but I should have practiced starting more!”

He was back in the leading pack at the start of the race but he was not to be a factor. Amoux’s Renault had too much speed for the Italian cars and won handily, with Tambay second and Andretti a gallant, if hobbled, third.

“I think I could have won the race,” Mario says. “There was a problem with one of the two turbos, the one on the left bank ‘pinched’. I lost quite a bit of power and I finished third. I think that,if the thing had stayed together, I could have won the race.”

A thought echoed, no doubt, by many of the Ferrari fans who filed out of the track in a sea of red. But still, there was some consolation; it had been announced during the week that Enzo Ferrari, no doubt remembering Arnoux’s epic battle

"I went out and took the second Lesmo flat, which was a hit dodgy there, it was a hit of a 'pucker factor'!"

- Andretti on qualifying with Villeneuve at Dijon in 1979, had signed him to partner Tambay for the following year. So,in Tifosi thinking, there had been three FeiTari diivers on the podium!

But the drama and the setting of the occasion has stayed with ^ Andretti these past two decades.

“No question. It could have happened anywhere but Monza was the place. I saw my first Grand Prix there when I was 14 years old, then I clinched the World Championship thebe and I was winding down, or up, or whichever way you look at it!

“I had one more race in Fonnula One, with Ferrari at Las Vegas. We had a wishbone break in the leftrear suspension, so we didn’t finish, so that does not really count!

“No, we had Monza and,in my mind, that was one of those moments that stays with you forever.”

As it stays in the minds of anyone who loves Grand Prix racing. Mario Andretti was 42 years old, out of Formula One for most of the year and, at Monza, the odds were stacked against him.

But on Saturday, 11 September 1982, on the biggest stage in the sport, for just under 90 seconds, he was the best racing driver in the world for one more day.

18 September 2002

Andretti says

While we were chatting to Mario we just had to ask about Another Le Mans - with Audi?

Formula One today

"I like to stay informed. They are different now, but it has always been that way, to some degree, I have particular interests in some drivers, like Juan-Pablo Montoya, who 1 think is very exciting, and it is great to see Michael Schumacher achieve what he has. He is totally awesome. I will always enjoy that.

"A lot of people think that the cars are too sophisticated but, to some degree, I think they are not. The more automation that you find in a racecar, the more that is expected of the driver.

With the paddles, where you do not have to take your hands off the wheel to change gears, you expect the drive to raise the level of performance of the car. Again, I think that the drivers are in command, and you will still see The Usual Suspects in FI to move to the front, and that is expected of them.

"Yes, there is a lot of disparity between the teams but every team has two drivers and there is always one who is better. The drivers still play an important part. I always welcome technology: even with the way the cars are now, the driver is the one who makes it all happen."

CART versus IRL "I think that it is interesting to see what is happening to the series. The fact that two engine manufacturers, Honda and Toyota, have defected to the IRL is a loss for CART. But I still think that the CART series has so much to offer in terms of diversity and the venues that they go to, especially Australia. It is a spectacular show. That will ultimately prevail.

"The IRL series, in my opinion, is totally 'blah'.

Some of the ovals they go to are just flat all the way around; you bolt out of (turn) four and steer ' and it's kind of a joke, actually. So I have no desire to be any part of that, quite honestly. There is no technical value and I just prefer road racing, anyway. I like ovals but there has to be road racing in there. An all-oval series will never do for me."

"Oh yes I That could get me back in a car, for sure! I am not giving up on that idea, not yet!"

More American CART drivers "Obviously, it would be very helpful. Some of the fans would probably fire up a little more if we had more American drivers to cheer for.

"However, you can't force that. You have to let it come, somehow. There are normal cycles and there are a couple of good prospects coming through the ranks. They could be the next stars.

"But the bottom line is, whatever American talent CART will groom will have to go up against the best in the world. To me, that's what makes it special; that is a big part of the series."

His long driving career

"In my career, I pushed the envelope as late as I could, and always felt that, maybe if I had taken a sabbatical, I could have come back and had another one or three years left in me. I really, really love my driving. I have a burning passion for it.

"Obviously, this different role (Ed: as a CART Board member) does not suit me very well but it's a new chapter in my life. I want to go on and be thankful for what I have achieved in my life.

"I have raced everything, pretty much whatever 1 wanted to race. I certainly would not be interested in any drag racing, or off-road racing.

Rallying is interesting but something like that is pretty specialised. Everything that turned me on, that tickled my curiosity, I was lucky enough to be able to do. The bottom line is I can count my blessings every day."

His favourite racecar "I always liked road racing and my preference was for that. So the one car that I understood so well was the Lotus 79, (below). I really, really understood that car and it paid me back really handsomely. I just had to give it a little tweak and I felt very involved."

41

s viPPet Foods

H

OWARD Marsden, temporarily, ran his hand over his eyes, as if afraid to see what would happen next.

All of 20 seconds into the VIP Pet Foods Queensland 500, the manager of Ford Racing watched as David Besnard had all four wheels of the Caltex/Havoline Falcon off the tarmac at the second corner of a 161-lap race.

After team-mate Marcos Ambrose missed that start, it was starting to look like Stone Brothers Racing was not even going to wait until the pitstops to compromise its winning hopes.

Almost three hours later, it was smiles all round for Marsden, 42

Besnard,Ambrose and Ross and Jimmy Stone. For once, the fate that intervened favoured Ford, and Bezzy and co-driver Simon Wills took an unlikely and emotional victory in the race on the anniversary of the Blue Oval’s last win in a V8 Supercar Championship Series race.

But again, it had been looking like a win for TWR Racing. Greg Murphy had the race shot to pieces, only to have the Kmart Commodore he shared with Todd Kelly run dry on the penultimate lap while leading. There was chaos on the final circuit as Murphy, whose car had a pick-up problem, chugged around the track and dropped back through the field.

For once, the Claytons looked distinctly mortal. Jason Bright, having taken over the Holden Racing Team lead car from early race leader Mark Skaife, had an engine failure, while the second HRT VX was fourth, delayed early by a poor grid spot and a spin from Tomas Mezera.

Internationals Andy Priaulx and Yvan Muller never got to the shiny end of the race and had a run-in with Craig Baird while Young Lions Rick Kelly and Nathan Pretty suffered a drive-through penalty for the pit speed limit infringement.

Through the carnage caused by Murphy’s problems came Steven Richards and Russell Ingall, the

pair underlining yet again what an endure force Castrol Perkins Racing is, while Garth Tander and Jason Bargwanna made a welcome return to the podium in a wellraced (but slowish) Valvoline Commodore.

For most of the other teams,it was a matter of which mistakes they made. John Bowe and Brad Jones both had drive-through penalties that put their quick OzEmail Ford behind the eightball, while a slow final pitstop trapped Ambrose behind Tander in the final sprint. Craig Lowndes did a greatjob to haul the 00 Motorsport into sixth (aided by some slick pit calls) while Paul Dumbrell and Larry Perkins took

motorsport news

V8 SUPERGAR CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

acewavi

Champagne and Dog Food: Besnard and Wills celebrate the end of Ford’s drought and their maiden V8 Supercar wins at Queensland Raceway.The Ford PR crew finally got rid of some of the material they (Photos by Dirk Klynsmilh) have been carrying all season, below...

9

r *'

seventh, the Konica Series Champion showing excellent racecraft in a double stint finish.

The crowds were huge, perhaps jolted into action with news before the weekend of the possible loss of a V8 race at their track, and the racing pretty good (well, as good as it can be at such an uninspiring layout). And the finish of the race will be talked about for all time, just like last year’s ...

Practice and Qualifying There lot lookingwere in a a lot ofof people directions when the cars fired 18 September 2002

up for the first session of Friday.

In light of AVESCO boss Tony Cochrane’s extraordinary comments regarding the future (or otherwise) of the VIP Pet Foods 500(see news pages)they could have been looking to take in the scenery, for perhaps the last time.

Not that too many visitors have a good word to say about‘The Paperclip’; the conversations usually contain words like ‘remote’, ‘dull’ and ‘boring’, even if the spectators can see most or all of the track, in between usually interminable waits to get in or out of the circuit.

There was also a fair bit of headscratching being done. The Shell

cars, which had exhausted drivers Paul Radisich and Steven Johnson by forcing them to walk to the rear of the grid in recent times, had apparently run consistent 10s in testing. Would they really turn it around when the tough got going?

Would the Stone cars be faster?

And, after Winton saw the dominance of the ‘home’teams, would the locals belt the visitors on their home tuif?

As usual, results in the practice sessions were less than conclusive, new or newer tyres deciding much of the pecking order. Rick Kelly topped the combined times from the day in conditions cooler than had prevailed at the most recent test. The Rickler had the car

almost to himself; co-driver Nathan Pretty was looking like death after coming down with food poisoning, scraping himself out of bed to do three laps, after which he returned to looking fairly green.

By the next day, he was fine, though.

The SBR cars were still going to be the ones to which most eyes turned when it came time to Go Fast or Go Home, however.

Ambrose was shooting for his third straight pole position and he admitted that he was pretty confident, citing Besnard as the only man from who he really continued on page 44 43

I/IP Pel Foods Queensland 500 continued from page 43 feared a challenge. As it turned out, he was right; Cossie stuck it on provisional pole and Bezzy, who had a faster lap going until he locked his rears in Turn 6(“a common problem this session, but don’t worry”, he mused) was second.

Thereafter, the pecking order was about what one expects these days. Car 1 was third, but it was Bright(in the car he debuted successfully at Winton) at the wheel, not Skaife. The series leader ‘dressed’for qualifying (ie, he was racesuit-ready) but the team had already decided that the roles that the drivers filled a year ago would be reversed, so Brighty would do qualifying and the Top 15 shoot-out.

There were, as usual, no hitches worth mentioning in the Big Red Machine, but even therein lay a tale. Skaife and Bright do have slightly different set-ups and, while they were still pursuing ultimate speed, the team was also conscious of having a car that would be driver-friendly to both its drivers. So perhaps the ultimate car speed was sacrificed slightly in the pursuit of both drivers ... look, it’s not much in a team that has so few chinks in its armour - but it

POS NO 1 4 2 9 3 1 4 66 51 5 6 21 7 02 54 9 15 10 65 11 11 12 16 13 31 14 5 15 10 16 34 17 17 18 40 19 3 20 2 21 021 22 18 23 00 24 25 600 26 7 27 29 28 46 29 161 30 75 31 35 32 22 33 43 34 14 35 76

DRIVERS Marcos Ambrose/Paul Weel David Besnard/Simon Wills Mark Skaife/Jason Bright Max Wilson/Dean Canto Brag Murphy/Todd Kelly Brad Jones/John Bowe Rick Kelly/Nathan Pretty Craig Baird/Mark Noske Andy Priaulx/Yvan Muller Tony Longhurst/Matthew White Larry Perkins/Paul Dumbrell Steven Richards/Russell Ingall Steve Ellery/Luke Youlden Glenn Seton/Owen Kelly Mark Larkham/Will Power Garth Tander/Jason Bargwanna Steven Johnson/Paul Radisich Cameron McLean/Tony Scott Cameron McConvilleWarren Luff Jim Richards/Tomas Mezera Jason Richards/John McIntyre Greg Ritter/Alan Jones Craig Lowndes/Neil Crompton John Cleland/Tim Leahey Steve Owen/Daie Brede Rodney Forbes/Neal Bates Paul Morris/Wayne Wakefield John Faulkner/Rick Bates Greg Crick/Phil Scifleet Anthony Tratt/Paul Stokell Jamie Whincup/Max Dumesny Dugal McDougall/Alan Gurr Mark Porter/Geoff Full Daryl Beattie/Christian D'Agostin Andrew Miedecke/Tony Quinn

CQualifying^

TIME 1:10.7937 1:10.8019 1:10.9161 1:10.9680 1:11.0039 1:11.0527 1:11.1974 1:11.2306 1:11.2855 1:11.3047 1:11.3624 1:11.3927 1:11.4224 1:11.4441 1:11.4686 1:11.4796 1:11.5058 1:11.5292 1:11.5464 1:11.5998 1:11.6002 1:11.6212 1:11.6953 1:11.7096 1:11.7699 1:11.7863 1:11.8167 1:11.8487 1:11.8935 1:12.1289 1:12.1637 1:12.3242 1:12.3702 1:12.8706 1:13.5453

GAR Pirtek Falcon AU Caltex Falcon AU HRT Commodore VX Betta Falcon AU Kmart Commodore VX OzEmail Falcon AU EAHYL Commodore VX Team Brock Commodore VX Kmart Commodore VX Betta Falcon AU Castrol Commodore VX Castrol Commodore VX Super Cheap Falcon AU Ford Credit Falcon AU Orrcon Falcon AU Valvoline Commodore VX Shell Helix Falcon AU VIP Falcon AU Lansvale Commodore VX HRT Commodore VX Team Kiwi Commodore VX Shell Helix Falcon AU 00 M’Sport Falcon AU OzEmail Falcon AU CAT Falcon AU 00 M'Sport Falcon AU Sirromet Commodore VX Dynapack Commodore VX HMS/Coopers Falcon AU Toll Falcon AU Valvoline Commodore VX Pepsi Commodore VX K&J Thermal Falcon AU IMS/Donut King Commodore VX VIP Commodore VT

TOP 15 Shootout 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1:10.8741 1:10.9174 1:11.1053 1:11.1886 1:11.3788 1:11.3912 1:11.4089 1:11.4485

Marcos Ambrose Jason Bright John Bowe David Besnard Greg Morphy Max Wilson Rick Kelly Russell Ingall

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

1:11.8369 1:11.9261 1:11.9604 1:11.9956 1:12.0298 1:12.3594 1:13.0190

Larry Perkins Craig Baird MarkLarkham Matthew White Andy Priaulx Steve Ellery Glenn Seton

was something!

Max Wilson was fourth. As usual, the Brazilian (fresh from winning a 500km race at home) hauled the Betta car from nowhere

—W- IVv

to put it among the pigeons, but this time, he had company. With Tony Longhurst being a noted racer this season and less-so of a qualifier, Matty White qualified the #65 car - and qualified it superbly in 10th. The Victorian is no QR expert, sure, but let it not

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Oh no, not again: No, it’s not. Skaife won the start from Ambrose (as usuai), setting up a near-50 iap staiemate at the front of the fieid.

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V8 SUPERCAR GHAMPIONSHtP SERIES be forgotten that he performed well here last year with SBR and, before that, showed sparkling form in an old Commodore VS he shared with Terry Wyhoon in 2000. With the ongoingly impressive Dean Canto driving well too, the Briggs team appears to have shown considerable merit in determining its driver pairings for the enduros.

Murphy was next, not entirely happy with the KRT VX. He and Todd Kelly had played around with the car for much of the practice sessions and, basically, felt like they had done a pretty good job in a less-than-perfect car. They were four spots ahead of their sister car (see breakout over page).

As one expects now, the ‘other’ Ford teams were led by Bowe. The OzEmail cars were enjoying the straights, courtesy of some recent engine development, and JB and Brad Jones both looked strong. So did John Cleland; from the time the 888 car rolled out of the transporter, the Scot and co-driver Tim Leahey were among what Cleland describes as ‘The Angi-y End’ of the field, but the former BTCC champ felt that, having limited time in the car on Dunlops, he left a fair slice of time behind.

“There was loads left(in the car) but I just couldn’t unlock it,” rued the 24th-fastest visitor.

Craig Baird was eighth, driving quite superbly on a track he knows well(see breakout) while, in back of White, the Castrols were led by

continued on page 46

D I

D

Shock tactics THERE it was,for all to see, in the top 10 in qualifying.

Team Brock, having recently shown glimpses of form, was showing genuine pace. Craig Baird hauled the 05 (oops,54) car up to eighth in the 'slower'session, less than half a second from fastest time. The team were pleased while, among the media, heads were scratched.

Was it now a TWR car? Was it magic? Could it even be the 'other' P word - a Polarizer?

None of the above. It was a combination of some tweakage to the car and a big effort from Baird, left, the Kiwi, lest we forget, having the race under control in 1999 until his Pirtek Falcon stopped with engine failure.

More to the point was improvement in the damper department. Team co-owner

18 Sepiamber 2002

Ron Harrop (like Peter Brock, also nursing some sore parts from his recent Darwin racing adventures) alluded, vaguely, to some new suspension bits that had been tried largely on Friday before things were set to a more conservative setting for qualifying itself.

Harrop, understandably, was less than willing to reveal details until a deal was locked away. Smart fella, Ron ...

We can wonder,though, whether the recent arrival on the scene of Canberra-based John Wills to fettle Eibach dampers has had a beneficial effect on the car. The dominant unit until this point has been the Penskes, featured large on the TWRmy but now, it appears,there could be a fascinating little battle in prospect.

- PHIL BRANAGAN 45

UIPPet Foods Queensland 500 continued from page 45

hov-'

Back in red: Jim Richards made good ground early, mooing from 20th on the grid into the top 10 after 50 laps.

(Photo by Dirk Klynsmith) Here the #2 HRT car lines up Alan Jones in the DJR Falcon.

HP THERE was a clear delineation in the two garages at Kmart Racing in Queensland.

On one side, it was the ANZACs, Greg Murphy and Todd Kelly speaking with Aussie accents (well, sort of) while, on the other, there was a sign marked 'Euros'. Andy Priaulx and Yvan Muller were in town to drive the second KRT Commodore and, by all accounts, they mostly did a pretty good job of it.

Priaulx, from Guernsey in the Channel Islands, was particularly impressive, qualifying ninth fastest before he dropped back to 13th in the shoot-out. Even that was pretty good; he had never done a single-car lap of that type in anything, let alone a V8 Supercar on cold tyres on a track he had never seen before.

Under the circumstances, it isn't too much of a surprise. Priaulx cut his competition teeth in hillclimbing which, in the UK way of things, caters largely for wickedly powerful F1-style cars launching up what resemble uphill driveways, with about the same

amount of run-off. So 600hp on cold slicks was not THAT frightening for him. After attacking the hills, Priaulx made the leap to sedans and the British Touring Car Championship from Formula 3, in which he was the last man to defeat current Jordan FI crashmeister Takuma Sato. So he is not lacking talent.

In the race, Priaulx made a bad start (another legacy of being a first-time V8 Supercar driver) and was challenging Craig Baird when the KRT machine fired the TB car off the road.

"I was a bit late on the brakes, I think," Priaulx admitted."He braked really late and I tried to brake a bit later and ... whooooo!

Hopefully, we can make up for it at Bathurst."

Maybe. There is a school of thought that is take internationals several years to come to grips with the place. Priaulx and Muller want a good finish this year. Should make good watching ...

- PHIL BRANAGAN

Perkins. That in itself was interesting; while he ‘jumped’ past Ingall from the slower session, LP showed that he had plenty of speed when it counted. And the good news was that, when on similar tyres, Perkins was a sniff slower than co-driver Dumhrell, who was expecting to drive a double stint in the race. In the young Konica V8SS Champ,Perkins appears to have garnered himself a big-time talent for the future.

Ingall followed from Steven Ellery, who took some time to get the lap he needed in the Super Cheap car. Glenn Seton wound up 14th, a team member joking(we think)that thpy would have to go and relearn what they needed to do for a shoot-out, while Mark Larkham brought up the kaboose for the ‘homies’in the 15, the Orrcon Falcon looking poised and unruffled for most of practice, o But not so some of the rest.

Running in the slower group, Tander cracked the top 10 for a time, only to be shuffled rearwards, while the DJR battle with the watch proved to be less fraught than has been the recent case. Paul Radisich and Greg Ritter both ‘made’the shoot-out only to be out-sped by others, the team more or less admitting that one car in the top 15 would have been a bonus.

As is becoming common, Ritter was proving to be a talent, outspeeding Alan Jones but, to be fair to the ex-world champ,AJ was fulfilling the role the team handed him and keeping his nose clean while Ritter was the man searching for tenths.

If you looked at the grid past 20th position, there were some impressive names. Jim Richards and Mezera were 20th in the second HRT car, Jim admitting that they “out-bamboozled” themselves chasing the track in qualifying. “Still,” he wondered out loud,“that will mean that we can pass more cars in the race.”

Right behind was the Team Kiwi car, Jason Richards looking smooth as usual, while behind Ritter came the 00 Falcon in 23rd. The black and silvers looked very ordinary, with set-up the major problem.

Their race pace was pretty good, but clearly, there was something that the car did not like about the track (or vice versa) and the team had a long discussion Saturday night about raceday.

The other local to have drama was Paul Morris’s Sirromet Commodore. After showing form in practice, co-driver Wayne Wakefield got in a muddle with a continued on page 51 molorsport naws

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V8 SUPERGAR CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES continued from page 46 pitting Steven Richards and the two VXs had a clang, resulting in minor side damage to the Castrol car but some more serious frontend derangement to the #29, which put them in catch-up mode.

So, how did the Queensland vs The Rest of The World scoreline look? The home team had six cars in the top 15, the rest nine. After the whupping handed out at Winton, the ‘visiting’ sides had righted the ship somewhat, even if Bowe and Baird have prior form at QR. Still, after what Ambrose did at Winton, maybe home ground advantage is less of an advantage than it used to be.

Race(161 laps) Th e skiesperfect, above Ipswich looked the roads less so. From the wee small hours,there was a long queue to get into the track though, to be fair to the organisers and police, it did keep moving and was not too much of a hassle.

The warm-up looked a little prophetic; Besnard was fastest from Murf and the Toddler, while Wilson pipped the #1 HRT car. The sun beat down, with the ambient in the high-20s and the track in the high-30s when the cars assembled for the start.

But one victim of the warm-up was Bargwanna. The former Bathurst winner had the car jump out of gear on him, and the result was a dislocated finger on his left hand. Bargs quickly sought treatment and had the injured digit anesthetised, and he would start the race before turning over to Tander for a double stint.

The race boiled down to a threelap sprint to the flag. Dale Brede, who had done a good job in the CAT Falcon he shared with Steve Owen, had the car get away from him at Turn 1 and pitched it off into the kitty litter on lap 155.

While the car was recovered, the field trailed around behind the Safety Car (in operation for the fifth time during the race) and everyone drew a deep breath.

How the players got to here was interesting. Todd Kelly started in the Kmart VX, settling into fifth early behind Skaife, Ambrose (another slow start), Besnard and Bowe, who lost the position to Bezzy on lap 4. And that is the way they trailed around until lap 46.

The only things to keep an eye on were the progress of Jim Richards(who, true to his word, settled into a rhythm then started picking off cars; he was eighth by lap 46) and how far back the 00 Falcon was. Crompton was at one stage back in 21st and under threat from Rodney Forbes; clearly, 18 Sspisnber 2002

Cromley was on a mission to stretch the car’s fuel window as far as he could before The Kid leapt in to complete the race.

By the time the yellows came out for Brede, Besnard was second about seven seconds back from Murphy. The gap went up and down in traffic, Besnard particularly badly held up when lapping Cleland, but it looked like the two cars were well-matched for pace.

SBR’s pit calls were about perfect; Wills leapt in on lap 47 when Besnard was called in while the Safety Car was out for an Andrew Miedecke bunkering. At the time, though, leader Skaife stayed out until a few laps later, pitting under green to hand over to Bright and get his compulsory pad change completed.

It looked like a mistake - the

I

Channeling 10: Smart work by Mark Larkham at the Orrcon team saw Will Power, right, make his first V8 Supercar appearance in second spot early in the race.

Dead Rattler: The HRT lads got a workout pushing car 1 in, leaving Bright to explain what broke to TV viewers, bottom.(Photos by Marshall Cass and Dirk Klynsmilh)

\ holi

Caltex car had a quarter-lap lead over Bright when they got up to speed and,for a while, it looked like we would enjoy the rare sight of HRT in chase mode.

No such luck. On lap 64, Bright had a bolt depart from the motor and, while it was rattling around the engine bay, it damaged various fittings that led to engine failure.

No points for Skaife or Bright and the series, suddenly, showed a heartbeat.

continued on page 52

VIP Pet Foods Queensland 500

Perfect restart: Murphy timed the final restart to perfection but, two laps later, it all went pear-shaped for KRT. Oh, my aching hand: Bargwanna, right, drove the opening stint before Tander brought the car home third.

(Photos by Dirk Klynsmith)

U8SCS Round 9 Queensland Raceififav 161 ItiS RACE TIME/LAPS PCS DRIVER 3:38:04.2825 Besnard/Wills : Ingall/S.Richards 3:38:06.7554 3 Tander/Bargwanna 3:38:10.3075 4 J.Richards/Mezera 3:38:11:3426 3:38:12.1389 5 Ambrose/Weel 6 Lowndes/Crompton 3:38:12.6760 7 Perkins/Dumbrell 3:38:13.0698 3:38:14.1930 A.Jones/Ritter 3:38:14.3155 9 B.Jones/Bowe 3:38:53.8119 10 Murphy/T.Kelly r 11 Larknam/Powe 160 laps 12 Forbas/N.Bates 13 Johnson/Radisich 160 laps 14 Ellery/Youlden 15 McLean/Scott 159 laps 16 Crick/Scifleet 159 laps 17 Cleland/Leahey 18 Porter/Full 158 laps 19 Owen/Brede 157 laps 156 laps 20 Whincup/Dumesny 21 Tratt/Stokell 156 laps 155 laps 22 J.Richards/McIntyre 23 Miedecke/Quinn 149 laps 145 laps 24 Longhurst/White 145 laps 25 D'Agostin/Beattie 26 Morris/Wakefield 139 laps 139 laps DNF R.Ketly/Pretty DNF Priauix/Muller 95 laps DNF Wilson/Canto 88 laps 62 laps DNF Skaife/Bright 61 laps DNF Seton/O.Kelly 53 laps DNF McDougall/Gurr DNF Baird/Noske 44 laps DNF McConville/Luff 33 laps DNF Faulkner/R.Bates 33 laps

FASTEST 1:11.7396 1:11.9559 1:12.2929 1:12.1354 1:11.8333 1:12.0913 1:12.3197 1:12.3731 1:11.8156 1:11.7057* 1:12.3886 1:12.6820 1:12.3916 1:12.3549 1:12.2684 1:12.6987 1:113037 1:13.3270 1:12.4134 1:12.7015 1:12.5946 1:12.7321 1:13.8882 1:12.5916 1:13.4007 1:12.0092 1:11.8351 1:12.6673 1:12.3304 1:11.7332 1:12.5682 1:13.7371 1:12.5056 1:12.9131 1:12.8368

Points after nine rounds: Skaife 1775, Bright 1096, Murphy 1058, Ambrose 1029, T.Kelly 1002, S.Richards 951, Besnard 819, Lowndes 802, Tander 771, Ingall 716, Bowe 598, Longhurst 521, Bargwanna 517, S.Johnson 487, B.Jones 464, Crompton 451, Wills 439, Perkins 376, Ja.Richards 363, Larkham 354, Radisich 336, Seton 320, Baird 309, Ellery 287, McConville 284, Weel 277, R.Kelly 274, Faulkner 267, McLean 250, Forbes 221, Tratt 207, Wilson 189, Morris 184, J.Richards/Mezera 104, Ritter 100, Dumbrell 72, Wakefield 70, A.Jones 64, Gardner 62, Power 52, N.Bates 48, S.White 43, McDougall 41, Youlden 40, Owen 38, Scott 36, Scifleet/Crick 34, Cleland/Leahey 32, Porter/Full 30, Brede 28, Dumesny/Whincup 26, Stokell 24, McIntyre 22, Miedecke/Quinn 20, M.White 18, D'Agostin/Beattie 16, Romano-58.

52

continued from page 51 More was to come later. After Jim’s exemplary work, Mezera hopped into the #2 car but, when the rain abated, he over-corrected his brake bias settings and had the car get away from him at Turn 1.

He recovered and Richo got back into the noisy end of the field late in the race but, given another opportunity, HRT management may have preferred to keep Bright and Skaife in separate cars. Maybe, perhaps, if...

Bowe drove the opening stint in the OzEmail car and hung on to the race leaders, and followed Besnard in for his handover to Brad Jones and the car looked like a contender.

But Brad crossed a yellow line on

the way out and had to serve a drive-through penalty three laps later, losing ground which good driving and slick pitwork would recover later in the race.

Which left Tbdd Kelly up near the lead ... imder difficult circumstances. He had picked up a lurgy from somewhere and was having trouble talking, which was dramatic because he needed to talk to the team about the car. It was not behaving and, when he pitted (from the lead)after 62 laps, he had already told the team what he wanted done to the car.

It worked. Murffound the car a much better beast after the rear dampers were clicked, put his head down and headed for a late (lap 115) second stop. And what would

happen here looked like determining the race ...

The other standout from the first round of stops was Larkham. The Orrcon Falcon made ground early and, after a slick early stop, Will Power made his V8 Supercar debut by running in second place for a time. But the rookie got a helping hand off the track and lost position and, when he recovered, he was just outside the top 10.

The other factor was the rain.

After threatening for a while, with the odd spit in pit lane, it came down properly on lap 77, tempting a few drivers into the pitlane for wet tyres. Johnson, having taken over from Radisich, headed in but, when the team realised that the showers were about to cease and a drier line was appearing, they waved him through for what turned out to be a self-imposed drivethrough penalty. It dropped himfrom 10th to 16th and, without the car speed to redress it, sentenced the pair to 13th,five spots behind the AJ/Ritter car. Jones started before Greg drove a double stint, the car usually running just inside the top 10.

The Safetyadvantage.

Car wiped outlate Murphy’s The early pad change had, clearly, been the way to go and, when Murf pitted, he needed only 46 laps worth offuel to get home, meaning two-thirds of a tank of fuel.

With no driver or pad change to worry about, he faced a stop of around 16 seconds but, even so, team manager Rob Crawford played conservative. Murfleft with a wide margin fuel-wise (about 20 litres were in the car at the end of the race, the team said) and it motorsport news

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Sweet 16; Slick tactics and absolute commitment got Ingall and Richards to second.(Photo by Marshall cass) looked like a straightforward run to victory.

With the car now behaving itself, Murfs car speed was a match for everything else on the track and, when Ambrose emerged after his final stop trapped behind Tander, KRT looked home and hosed.

Until the final three laps ...

Even then, Murphy made a perfect restart, Besnard taking a Kttle time to get by Miedecke and Morris (“I saw them coming and got out ofthe way,” commented The Dude). Steve Richards was right behind, having put an off-track excursion at'Turn 1 behind him and driving superbly, while Lowndes was fourth but well back from Tander, who was stubbornly holding back Ambrose,then Bowe, until JB’s drive-through for giving the GRM Commodore a belt in the backside on lap 126 put him back.

But Murf had concerns; “The yellow (fuel warning) light was on as soon as the Safety Car came out,” he reported. “I was hoping it was a mistake; I was sure it was wrong...”

It was. Sort of; the car wasn’t out offuel but there was some malfunction that was stopping the fuel pump from picking it up. On lap 160, Mtuphy turned m to Turn 3 and had the car virtually stop on the exit.

Besnard swept by on his left and into the lead.

While Todd Kelly buried his head in his hands, worse was to come. Murphy propped again

IB September 2002

in the final comer of the lap and Richards, right behind, hit him in the tail. Lowndes had to take avoiding action and dropped spots to Tander, Jim R and Ambrose in the melee while Murphy lurched around the final lap take 10th.

“It should not have run out,” he said later. “No way should it have. We were second here in 1999 when the brakes failed.

What can I say? I give up ...”

So, the drought broke. David Besnard, who may or may not be changing rides for 2003, and Simon Wills(who someone nicknamed The Fish John Briggs rejects’)together took their maiden V8 Supercar Championship win. As disappointed as he was after losing pole position, Besnard was grinning like a loon after the race. Wills moves on, of course, to Team Kiwi for Bathurst. Wayne Gardner joins the Havohnes and,in Japan, he must have read the results from the race with glee.

Second was a great result for Richards S and Ingall, the car showing race speed (if not qualifying mumbo)and rehabihty, as you would expect.

Same for Bargwanna/Tander, only the car is not quick. The team has reliability and slick strategy but, when it comes to the final sprint in October, car speed is going to count.

Richo Sr and Mezera were fourth, the old hands(sorry lads)showing that there is a lot more to endurance racing than youthful testosterone and a wise head and good driving

coimts for a lot. Ambrose and Weel followed; Marcos did the ‘star’ stuff and,in his first drive with the Stones, Weel was unobtrusively impressive.

When Ambrose hopped into the car for the final stint, Weel was only four seconds offthe lead.

Lowndes was next, losing spots in the final shuffle when Murf stopped mid-comer.

Fourth was a more representative result for the 00 car, but the lack of qualifying speed is a ghtch that the team can do without. I mean, we know it’s not the driver ...

And DumbreU? Perkins was impressed. So must have been anyone else who watched. The new Castrol driver stepped up a notch big-time and looked unruffled in senior company.

The performances from Dumbrell and Wills were a great advertisement for the Konica series.

So, the drought ended. Ford has broken through for its first round win in a season ofTWR dominance and, expectedly, it was the Stones who did it. The reds are still the favourites for the Bob Jane T-Marts 1000 at Bathurst but, finally, there are chinks in the previouslybulletproof TWRmour.

What was looking like a walk-up start a few months ago may just turn out to be the best editions of Mountain Madness we have ever seen.

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Racing / Performance / Safety S3

Come up here and ril have you all on! Rubens Barrichello fires up the tifosi as he crosses the vantry to the new podium above the adoring crowd (belowjt

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FORMULA ONE

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It was an Italian lovefest at Monza as the Ferraris romped to another 1-2 finish. JOE SAWARD reports

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Photos by Marsh/Bothwell and sutton-images.com)

the home crowd,cruising to another 1-2 victory that sent the tifosi crazy and began a Fbrrari turned it on again for wild series of celebrations in and around Monza.

There is no way ofknowing how hard Michael Schumacher was tiying, but team-mate Rubens Banichello drove a strong race on a different strategy and emerged from his second pit stop just a few metres ahead ofthe World Champion.

Michael never challenged Rubens, who wanted the victory to help secure second place in the championship, so it was another ceremonial cniise to the line for the red cars.

The Wdliams-BMW threat had long evaporated and the McLarens were never really in the hunt, so it was a joyous Eddie Irvine who climbed the podium to collect the silverware for third place -a mighty achievement for the troubled Jaguar outfit, and well-deserved.

Jamo TniUi came from the back of the grid to finish a worthy fourth, ahead of Renault team-mate Jenson Button, while Oliver Panis collected the final point for BAR-Honda.

Mai-k Webber again ran strongly in the race, despite his massive power deficit, but the MinardiAsiatech’s electricals failed him after 20 laps.

It was a record-breaking weekend for FI, with Juan Montoya completing the fastest lap in history to take pole. BarricheUo may have also broken the record for the fastest race in history had the Ferrari team raced seriously to the finish.

B

efore the race,the men at Bridgestone were worried.

Half Schumacher was fastest in the warm-up and there looked to be a real chance that Ferrari was going to beaten - and at home as weU. The BMW Williams looked very

18 September 2002

impressive, but things were going wrong even before the race began as Ralf had to switch to the T-car during the recognition laps after his own carwas fotmd to have a fuel pressure problem.

Then, when the fights trrmed to gr-een, Montoya made a poor start and so moved across to block Michael Schumacher's progr-ess, which opened the door for RalfSchumacher to go up the outside.

The two Wfiliams-BMWs were side-by-side as they went into the first comer and, to avoid a collision, Montoya moved over and Ralf went into the lead, charging across the chicane as he did.

Montoya, who disappeared later with a chassis failure after bormcmg over a kerb, departed before the end ofthe race. Most ofthe team management had gone, too, by the time the media had time to go looking for them,but sources within the team said that Montoya was “firming” at what Ralf had done to

him.

Later it emerged that Williams emailed Race Control to ask if Half should be told to puU over and let Juan Pablo go ahead. Race Director Charlie Whiting replied that he would be reporting the chicane-

The Cat pounces; Eddie Irvine scored an overdue podium for Jaguar. (Photo by Marsh/Bolhwell)

cutting incident to the stewards and that Ralf would probably be given a penal^ if he did not let Montoya go ahead.

In the end it was irrelevant because, as Ralf went across tbe start-finish fine at the end oflap four, his engine blew up.

A fter the first chicane xmMontoya had managed to scramble back onto the racing line in second place,thanks mainly to the fact that Michael had been helping BarricheUo out,knowing that his team-mate was on a two-stop strategy. So BarricheUo emerged in third place with Schiunacher fourth, Raikkonen fifth and Eddie Irvine sixth.

Behind them there was a bit of action when Coulthard ran into the back ofteam-mate Raikkonen in the first comer. Fortunately for McLaren this did not affect the Finn, but it did mean that Coulthard was left without a front wing and had to pit at the end ofthe first lap. Dm-ing the melee that followed,Pedro de la Rosa lost momentum and dropped back to

15th.

continued on page 57

Italian GP - Qualifying

Monty's single lap record in 1985 to see Keke Rosberg's Those who were at Siiverstone Williams-Honda pole position will never forget the lap he produced. For 17 years Keke's average speed remained the fastest ever at 160.938mph. The cars were slowed down by rule changes and speeded up by the engineers and the circuits were altered and so Rosberg's record remained a Holy Grail.

The FI Tyre War in has created a big leap forward in terms of lap times and when Juan Pablo Montoya and his engineers walked the track on Thursday they talked about whether Rosberg's record could be beaten.

Monza is the place to do it for it is the last of the great speed circuits.

There are a couple of twiddly chicanes, but for 70 percent of the lap the engines are at full power, so horsepower is the biggest issue at the Autodromo Nazionale.

When it comes to grunt, one is wise to look in the direction of Munich for at BMW they understand the concept well. Back in the 1980s the BMW turbocharged engines took horsepower figures to 1500 and beyond (amazing for a 1.5-litre engine) and today the 3-litre normally-aspirated BMW VI Os are kicking out close to 900.

Normally these sort of figures are kept very secret but at Monza BMW wanted everyone (particularly the Williams team)to know that they are building the fastest engines in the

56

world. For some time now there have been whispers from Munich that the Vi Os have been hitting lO.OOOrpm on the dynos and. rather than hide the secret. BMW chose to announce that they had been the first to go through this new frontier.

This was a neat bit of PR for BMW. but also added a little more ' pressure on Williams to do the job with the chassis.

Monza is not just about power.

Aerodynamic efficiency is also important as drag must be minimised, but the most important factor of all in qualifying is probably the ability of a car to ride the kerbs without being destabilised too much.

It has been a tough summer for Ferrari's rivals and on Friday it looked like a similar story. Michael Schumacher and Ferrari were ahead -despite a clear tyre advantage for Michelin.

"The fact is that these Ferraris would be quickest on wooden tyres," a rival engineer grumbled.

But all was not entirely well in the Ferrari camp.The two cars were ahead of the rest on Friday but behind them there were eight Michelin users.

Rubens Barrichello was far from happy. His weekend began badly with a brake problem. The brake system was bled and then Rubens was back in the car-and the brake pedal went to the floor again.

Rubens hit the roof. At the end of the day he had done just 29 laps while Michael had done 43 and was

ahead of the game on set-up.

Bridgestone had been busy after the Monza test and had a completely new tyre which was based on the results of that testing (an impressive thought). These tyres were good but they needed two laps to get up to temperature.

It was not a question of the tyres lasting because Monza is not that bad on tyres, but the long corners mean that heat builds up and blistering can be a problem. The two Bridgestone tyre choices were close in terms of their performance but the harder one was more consistent.

And that meant it was going to be tough in qualifying.

As usual, qualifying took some time to get going. Mark Webber, struggling with the lack of horsepower from the Asiatech engine, went out for a look after eight minutes but was soon back in the pits.

Barrichello, still worried about brakes, missed the chicane and his first chance. Michael Schumacher went fastest with Kimi Raikkonen second and then Montoya banged in a 1 m21.162s, but Michael went quicker again.

It was clear was that the McLarens were not going to be challenging tor pole. It was a straight fight between Williams and Ferrari.

A bit later, Michael brought it down again, only to be beaten by Ralf, then things got serious again in the last 10 minutes.

Ralf tried hard but made a

mistake so all eyes switched to Montoya. The split times were good and as the Williams went hurtling across the line a little bit of FI history tumbled as Monty dispensed with Rosberg's famous record.

1 m20.264s -161.448mph -the fastest ever pole position in the history of the sport.

"Probably next year the record is going to be broken again," said Montoya.“And it will happen again and again until the day we stop coming to Monza."

But, he added, it was “pretty impressive" and watching the , Williams-BMWs on the in-car cameras was exactly that. They were fast.

On his last run, Michael was ahead at the first split time lost time i n the second sector, so he tried again and the result was the same.

Michael was second. His bolt was . shot.

Montoya went out for another crack, only to be foiled by an accident between Kimi Raikkonepy" who was just getting ready for his Jji last run and obviously not ,5 concentrating on anything butth^' job in hand, and Takuma Sato.The two cars collided and both spun off in spectaoular fashion.

Luckily neither made a very big impact, but it was time for a red flag to clear up the mess. The fast laps had to be aborted and with two minutes to go there was no time to play with.

Eddie Irvine gave the McLareh<

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Jamo TrJJi was 11th for Renault, which was fast through the speed fraps. but only because the team had laid the v/ings back.

This resulted in Jenson Button going off on Saturday morning and that meant that he never had the set-up he wanted and so ended up 17th on the grid.

Fisichella was only 12th in his Jordan and the Saubers were also in trouble, the Swiss team suffering from the classic Monza problem of too much bottoming out. Felipe Massa was 14th and Nick Heidfeld 15th. The Brazilian was, once again, making a point about Saubeds choice of drivers for 2003.

It was a point well made.

With the Arrows team not being around, this left the back of the grid to Minardi (as ever). There was never much hope because of the _ reckoned lorsepower, that in the circumstances being only ■<>

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It was just a blur, boss: Both Toyotas were well-placed for points ■finishes until McNish broke his suspension and Salo crossed the pitlane line. And they wondered why they got the sack... (Photo by sutton-images.com)

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continued from page 55

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The excitement in the midfield meant that one or two drivers made up a considerable number of positions, notably Allan McNish, who emerged in seventh despite having started 13th on the grid. Ohvier Panis was ninth from 16th on the grid and Jamo Trulh was 12th despite having started fi'om the back of the grid after his Renault refused to fire up at the start of the final parade lap.

It looked, however, as though WUhams was in the position it needed to be with Ralf beginning to puU away while Montoya held the Femaris at bay, until RaFs BMW

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engine blew. Montoya hesitated for a moment and this allowed Barrichello to get a nm at him as they went down to the first comer. Ralf pulled off on the inside and at the same moment Rubens went into the lead.

The Williams dream had gone, quite hterally, up in smoke.

Once he was ahead, Baixichello simply took off. His strategy was to run two stops, a decision made because Ferrari was not sure what Williams was going to do and so covered all bases by having Barrichello on one strategy and Schumacher on the other.

As things turned out, it is hard to continued on page 58

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second car after his lay-off and the break had obviously helped to clear his mind for he looked a lot better.

He'was T3 seconds slower than WeBber'because he lost his best lap to the red flag and he would have been closer but, alas, he is Jiever going to beat Mark Webber.

“End of story...

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57

Michael at speed: It was not always thus...

(Photo by Marsh/Bothwelt)

continued from page 51 say for sure what was best because by the end ofthe race the Perrari men were playing about in order to get to the finish line together.

When Rubens had his second stop on lap 37 he emerged just ahead of Schumacher, but as Michael said later, “it was going to be tight and we dealt with it appropriately”. In other words, Michael did not force the issue. He could probably have won the race.

After that, Michael let the gap go out to 18 seconds on lap 46 and then

closed back up to finish right behind Rubens. The Perrari men were playing by then and ifthey had not been there is httle doubt that they would have broken the record for the fastest ever Pormula 1 race. As it tm-ned out the average speed ofthe race was 149.806mph,compared to the 150.753mph in 1971 at Monza, when the track was free of chicanes.

Montoya became irrelevant to the race when he went wide at the Ascari chicane on lap five and Michael Schumacher went ahead and then Montoya sKpped quickly back. He ultimately retired from third place

afterwards,“and it wasjust full of the tifosi. That was an amazing feeling. I have plenty ofexperience being on the podium, but I have never seen anything bice this. It was .the perfect day for all of us.”

With the disappearance of Montoya on lap 33,there was no-one left to challenge the Perraris.

Raikkonen was not on the pace of either the Perraris or the WilhamsBMWs and he disappeared on the 30th lap when his Mercedes-Benz engine blew up (again).

Coulthard was at the back from the start and chased hard through the backmarkers to work his way up to finish seventh, which was not a bad effort given that he had blown aU his chances at the fii-st comer.

In recent weeks there has been a war of words between Coulthard and Eddie Irvine, each describing the with a “chassis problem” which may have resulted from his earher off. other at best as being poor racing drivers and at worst as being unpleasant human beings. Irvine got In Italy, of coiu-se, do not care about whichthey Ferrari is the the last laugh at Monza as he found himself being promoted to third place winner,judging by the “as those ahead ofhim fell away. thousands offans who poured onto the track to celebrate the The Jag was sixth at the end ofthe fir'st lap and went to fifth when Half team's 13th victory of the year. departed,fourth when Raiklconen The new Monza podium sticks out went boom and third when Montoya from the pit buildings and fi-om there disappeared into the garages. It was one can see all the way down the a lucky result but it was one that main straight to the Curva Grande. was much-needed by the JaguarThis made an impressive sight. team.It could not have come at a “I could look all the way down the better time. main straight,” Michael said

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molorsport news

FORMULA ONE “We were,” he admitted,“a bit foitimate.”

Pedi’o de la Rosa fared badly as the first lap incident dumped him back into the midfield and then as he tried to make up ground he tangled with Felipe Massa at the Ascari chicane. A lap earlier de la Rosa had cut the first chicane to stay ahead of the Sauber and Massa might have been wiser to wait and see if the Jaguar was ordered to let him pass but instead tried to take the Jaguar and the two coUided. Later, the FIA Stewards decided that Massa was to blame and wiU be punished with the loss of 10 grid positions at Indianapolis in a fortnight. The punishment seemed rather harsh.

The crash resulted de la Rosa retiring andin a few laps later Massa went out with a suspension faUiu-e. After that Sauber had no chance reaUy as Heidfeld's two-stop strategy that did not work. He was running eighth early on,dropped to 13th, came back to sixth and then dropped to 10th, where he ended the afternoon. Not a classic event for Sauber.

AH ofthis handed points on a plate to Renault. The two cars were never on the pace but they were (for once) reliable and Trulli and Button finished fourth and fifth.

TruUi's result was pretty impressive considering he started fi'om the back ofthe grid. Jamo was helped by the fact that the team radioed Button and told him to let Jamo get ahead after he had fallen behind at the pit stops. Still, the five points gained virtually guai-antees Renault fourth place in the Constmctors' Championship.

The last World Championship point went to Ohvier Panis in his BAR-Honda and that was a great efibrt from 16th on the grid. The team chose a two-stop strategy and it worked perfectly.

Villeneuve, who ran a one-stop race, ended up 10th - which was where he was at the end ofthe first

lap.

The two Jordans made it to the finish with Fisichella eighth and Sato 12th (after a spin), but even

ITALIAN GRAND PRIX

Hands up ... who wears

RACE RESULT - 53 LAPS

Ihl6ml9.982s im6m20.237s Ihl7ml2.561s Ihl7ml8.201s Ihl7m27.752s Ihl7m28.473s Ihl7m29.030s Ihl7m30.874s Ihl7m41.051s Ihl7m42.028s

^WBarrichello 2 M. Schumacher 3 Irvine 4 Trulli 5 Button 6 Panis 7 Coulthard 8 Rsichella 9 Villeneuve 10 Heidfeld 11 Salo 12 Sato 13 Yoong R Montoya R Raikkonen R Webber R Massa R de la Rosa R McNish R R. Schumacher

Congratulations Paul Stokell and Team Lamborghini!

52 laps 52 laps 47 laps 33 laps 29 laps 20 laps 16 laps .5 laps 13 laps 4 laps

Chassis

Engine Electrical Collision Collision Suspension Engine

Fastest lap: Bam'chello oirlap IS, lm23.657s Drfvef^' points: M. Schumacher 128, Bamchello 61, Montoya 44, R. Schumacher 42, CouHhanl 37, Raikkonen 20, Button 13, Irvine 8, Truhi, Heldfeid arxl Rsichella 7, Massa 4, Villeneuve and Panis 3, Webber, Frentzen and Salo 2.

Constructors' points: Ferrari 189, WilHams/EMW 86, McLaren/Mercedes 57, Renault 20,Sauber/Petronas 11, Jaguar/Cosworth 8,Jonlan/Honda 7, BAR/Honda 6 Minarrii/Asiatech, Toyota and ArrowsA^osworth 2.

team boss Eddie Jordan admitted that the cars were just not quick enough.

It was a bad day for Tbyota because early promise when McNish and Salo were running seventh and eighth at the end ofthe first lap evaporated.

McNish ended up going out early with a front suspension problem when he was running sixth (after HalfSchumacher's demise).

Salo also got up into the top six in the middle ofthe race but blew his chances when he drove across the white line at the pit exit and was given a drive-through penalty that dropped him back to 11th by the finish.

Minardi managed to get Yoong to the finish, but he was six laps down after the car suffered an electronic problem during the pit stop. The problem was solved and Yoong rejoined but there was nothing much he could do.

^

WINNER 2002 SANDOWN 500

3

A II

Team up with Sparco at The expected mayhem: Ralf charges across the first corner chicane - to his cost- leaving the (Photo by Marsh/Bolhwell) rest to scrabble through.

18 September 2002

www.speedzone.com.au 59

Italian GP

What they saU

Highlights Inm the post-race press centereace Q; Rubens,fantastic race, but what was it like out there on that podium?

Rubens BARRICHELLO: It was such a feeling. I don't think we're ever going to experience something like that again. It was just unbelievable. As far as my eyes could go I saw only people, it was amazing. And with this new podium it was just a way to be with them, and the next thing would have been to be a rock and roll star and jump in the middle of them.

Q: In the race itself, the key point for you seemed to be when you managed to get the lead when Ralf Schumacher had an engine problem. Can you talk us through that because it seemed Juan Pablo was momentarily confused?

RB: Well, to be honest, I was confused as well because I didn't know what was happening. I just saw a moment there and all of a sudden I saw Ralf slowing down a little bit and I dived on the inside and I was able to get the slipstream off Montoya as well so I had a perfect lap when I went up from third to first.

'/

Q: And the new tyres from Bridgestone?

RB: This tyre was really the one to have for the race. What a tyre. This tyre was just fantastic. It was just getting better and better the whole time. The car was just getting faster and faster all the way through. It was really well balanced, really good under braking.

Italians know how to have(un and I like to join in.

It

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-Etlilie Irvine

going to get a podium, Monaco and here are the two to get and I have got both of them now with Jaguar, which is...we were a bit fortunate but we have been unfortunate the way the R3 was born, to be honest.

Q: Michael, it was a bit like the Hungaroring when Rubens came out of his second pit stop and you were coming up on him fast.

MS: Interesting.

Q: Presumably you weren't tempted. Was it the same situation?

MS: I was told that it would be very tight and Ross informed me so we dealt with it appropriately.

Q; And was it good to be out on that rostrum?

El: Oh, that was fantastic. If you are

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Q: You have a lot of friends in Italy. Do you see this as your home Grand Prix?

El: It is the one race I do stay at home at. My apartment is only 20 minutes from here on a motorino, three hours by car! It's great. On the slowing down lap the tifosi were great. They were going bananas shouting and screaming for me. The reason I spend so much time in Italy is because Italians know how to have fun and I like to join in.

Q; Eddie,somebody said this is a Jaguar miracle. You don't believe in miracles in Formula One,so how do you explain the evolution of the car?

El: This is not the car we started the season with. We have changed the front suspension, rear suspension, front uprights, rear uprights, floor, front wing, turning vanes, erm, rear wing, erm...

MS: Tell us what is old.

El: The bit I sit in the chassis is the same. The engine we have

Q: Eddie, it's very good to see you. It's been too long, hasn't it?

El: It's just over a year, isn't it, a year and a bit, actually.

Italian Grand Prix

changed, we have modified ... ,1, there is nothing the same. Bobby can't claim: 'Judge me on this car'.

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18 19 20 motorsport news

FORMULA ONE

WSBER'S GP MARY A

fter such a brilliant reliability record over the first half of the year, we're certainly experiencing a little string of 'outs' at the moment.

Monza was, as has been the case quite often, looking quite reasonable for us in race trim, but a broken sensor on the Asiatech engine brought me to an early halt.

At that point I had team-mate Alex Yoong and Jordan's Takuma Sato behind me and was closing down Fisi in the other Jordan. I guess, had we gone on, there would have been a reasonable top 10 finish - eighth maybe - but first you must finish...

I had got a reasonable start but, a lap in, the auto only went down to second rather than first at the first chicane and Alex

ItaHan fif

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onza is a brilliantly fast circuit, but for us that means a fair compromise on wing settings to get any sort of straight line speed.

We struggled to get a good set up on Friday and Saturday morning until the team discovered a small bulge in the car's underfloor on the right hand side.

Not much -just 4-5mm - but it was stalling the air significantly to the rear diffuser.

A side effect was that I was running substantially less front flap angle than Alex and, overall, the car just wasn't happy.

With that out

found a fair bit on the third run, despite taking on too much curb going into the Ascari left-right-left.

I would have liked a fourth run qualifying laps are something I really enjoy - but the shunt between Sato.and Raikkonen cut that last few minutes off the session. I don't think we'd have made up the half a second to the next spot, but it would have been fun trying...

Monza is a funny place in that it often takes the tyres a while to come in. Some teams ran two consecutive hot laps at a time, which would have been a good

idea. The first two sectors of my 'in' lap on that third run were quicker than the qualifying lap itself.

Yes, what's happening nextyes, year?

Thought you'd never ask!

About the best I can confirm at this minute is that the situation is narrowing down very, very quickly.

I'm confident of being wellplaced next year whatever the outcome and, if nothing is announced later on next week at the US Grand Prix, then I'm sure something wiil be at or in the leadup to Suzuka.

In the meantime, we have two; more races to go and I'd like to finish on a high - but first we have to finish...

As gcrordoi^ I fhe final lap. MARK GLENDENNING was on hand to see Paul StokdII md \] ^yie second year in a row, Anthony the Sandown was fought dowh Tratt500 notch one up forout theright Lamb&igfrini and just over three and a After sookm, lei laps, half hours of racing, Paid Stokell and Anthony 'Tratt had less than a three second advantage when their Lamborghini Diablo GTR crossed the finish line to win the Sandown 500 two weeks ago.

In a battle reminiscent of the showdown between John Bowe’s Ferrari and Neal Bates’s Porsche 12 months ago, Stokell was chased

all the way to the flag by the VIP Petfoods Porsche GTS Cup of Jim Richards and Tony Quinn, who had earlier held command until being thwarted by a drama in the pits.

Memories of being parked with a suspension failure while holding a handsome lead in last year’s event left Stokell all the more delighted with the result.

“This more than makes up for last year,” he grinned.

“It was good to have a race to

the end. You feel all the more gratitude when you’ve had to really work for a win.”

It was a remarkable turnaround for Team Lamborghini, who had earlier spent a long night in the garage after co-driver Anthony 'Tratt backed the car into the wall during practice on Friday.

The 35th edition of the endurance classic(and second under the PROCAR banner) was run before a disappointing crowd.

The great chase: Richards and Quinn took the fight to the Lamborghini but were thwarted by pitlane problems. {Photo by Dirt Klynsmith)

62

but those who did turn up were treated to a gi'eat race that ultimately boiled down to a sprint run over an enduro distance.

It was clear very early on that this would be a two-horse race, and this was reinforced when the race reached quarter-distance with only Richards and Stokell on the lead lap.

Had either machine experienced problems victory would be a cakewalk for the lucky pair in the other car, and more than a few onlookers were nervous about the Lamborghini’s chances of going the distance if pushed hard.

But given that Stokell posted his fastest lap on the Lambo’s 158th tour of the circuit, concerns for the car’s staying power were wide of the mark ...

Richards took charge at the start and wasted no-time in maximising the advantage of a clear track ahead. By lap three he was seven seconds ahead of the Falken Tyres Porsche GTS Cup of stablemate Peter Fitzgerald; by lap six he had begun lapping backmarkers.

Stokell, meanwhile, had lost a little time with an off-track excursion at the start, but was recovering strongly and had worked his way up to second place by lap nine. He set about trying to close the gap, and things gradually

moiorsport news

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Dignity be damned, we won the race! The Team Lamborghini crew had some special moves on tap to mark the occasion, below, but Stokell was content to simply put some footprints on the car, above.

(Photos by Dirk Klynsmith)

started swinging the Lamborghini’s way. By lap 32 there was just 3.3s between them, but Richards made shorter work of the lapped traffic and gradually opened up a little extra breathing space for himself.

As the race neared the 50-lap mark, the lead teams began preparing for their first driver change of the afternoon. A larger fuel tank gave the Lamborghini the opportunity to run a little longer than its rival, prompting Stokell to put the hammer down in an effort to strip as much of the Porsche’s lead away as possible before pitting.

It worked for a while, and by lap 48 there was just 2.5s separating the leaders, but once again lapped traffic came into play. When Richards handed the car over to co driver(and car owner)Tony Quinn on lap 54, the Diablo was almost eight seconds down the road.

Naturally, Stokell inherited the lead when the Porsche pitted, and received an extra helping hand when Quinn had a bit of a moment on his first lap. The Lamborghini rejoined marginally ahead of Quinn after Tratt got into the car a few laps later, but the Porsche reclaimed the lead at turn one.

With the Lambo tip-toeing around on cold tyres, it was ‘make 18 September 2002

hay while the sun shines’ time for the Porsche, and accordingly, Quinn vanished into the distance.

By lap 72 there was 22 seconds between Quinn and Tratt, but then the Lambo got up to speed and once again the chase was on, and in a big way.

Tratt reeled the Porsche in to the point where on lap 92 he was less than eight seconds in arrears.

Then, on lap 95, the Prancing Horse Ferrari 360 GT of Brad Jones stuttered to a halt on the exit of Dandenong Road corner.

The Ferrari had encountered earlier strife when it refused to fire up after Jones jumped into the car to replace Maher Algadri.

It finally got going, albeit with the assistance of a few PHR mechanics. This didn’t go unnoticed by rival teams in pitlane, nor, it would seem by race control, for Jones was called to serve a drive-through penalty a short time later. The car was towed back to the pits where the team tried fruitlessly to cure the electrical gremlin before finally pulling the plug and retiring.

It was bad news for Jones, and not great news for Quinn either, for the recovery of the stricken Ferrari required the services of the Safety Car, which enabled Tratt to instantly wipe out the remaining

.'

gap between himself and the Porsche.

The toagai” the pitsSafety on lapCar 100returned and Tratt turned up the heat. Just 1.03s separated the pair on lap 107, so when Quinn pitted a couple of tours later to hand the car back to Richards, a quick turnaround was an absolute priority.

The driver changeover went smoothly, but a jammed nutcaused, perhaps, by the Porsche’s earlier trip into the gravel prevented the rear left wheel from

locking on properly. By the time the crew had got the problem sorted, the car had been stationary for well over a minute. Not exactly what the doctor ordered.

Tratt pitted to allow Stokell back into the car a short time later, and when everything settled down again it became apparent that the Porsche’s pitlane problems had cost it approximately half a lap.

But there were still 40 laps left to run, so if Richards could pull something out of the bag then

continued on page 64 63

Sandovsfn 500

The rain dance ON the Thursday prior to the Sandown 500, PROCAR holds a media day at the track that culminates with racing journalists being placed at the mercy of one of the competitors for a handful of hot laps.

I was slotted in to ride as a passenger in Sam Newman's PHR Ferrari 360 Challenge, and while I enjoyed my three laps with Newman enormously, it must be said that at no time did it cross my mind that I was sitting in the car that would start from pole.

To be honest, I doubt that it had occurred to Sam either.

Fast-forward a couple of days though, and at the end of the Top Gun Challenge (a top-10 shootout), PHR #17 - Newman - was indeed sitting at PI. With just five minutes of the main qualifying session on Saturday morning remaining, it was a three-way tussle between the Ferraris of Jones and Bowe, and Richards in the Porsche. But chances of a lastgasp shot at PI went out the window when Peter Floyd had the mother of all shunts and brought out the red flags.

The Commodore HSVVX GTS put a wheel on the grass coming through the Esses. It was into a

guardrail, which it proceed to mount and launch into a series of rolls that ended a considerable distance further down the hill. Floyd walked away unharmed, but the car itself was less fortunate.

The destruction of the HSV reduced the afternoon's top 10 shootout to a top nine, and the session was opened by tenthfastest qualifier Newman, who took the Ferrari around the ^ circuit in 1 ml8.5170s. King' followed him out in the EVO VII but looped it at the first corner.

By the time the Viper had taken to the tarmac, the heavens had well and truly opened again. Game over.

With Newman now untouchable, the battle was on to see who would be the quickest of the 'wet class'.

Richards claimed the honours ahead of Paul Morris, who was joined on the second row by PHR stablemate Bowe.

But the bottom line was that Sam Newman would start the Sandown 500 from pole. Sure he was lucky, but a result is a result however it happens to come your way. And was Newman pleased?

"How good is this? I'm going to bolt the trophy to the car!"

We think so.

- MARK GLENDENNING

Rfllu by Dirk Klynsmith

Lonely road: Bowe and Beards pushed the Ferrari to its limits but couldn't match the pace of the Lambo and VIP Porsche. (Photo by Dirk Klynsmilti) continued from page 63 maybe there was a glimmer of hope that the race could be salvaged.

The final quarter of the race was enthralling. Richards had the Porsche running in warp mode as it took bite after bite out of the deficit, and things got a whole lot more interesting on lap 132 when Gary Deane’s Subaru WRX came together with Klark Quinn’s Integra Type R. Deane was able to continue, but the Integra was outand stranded. The Safety Car again took to the track, and in a matter of seconds the huge lead enjoyed by the Lamborghini was all but vaporised.

Just six lapped cars stood between Stokell and Richards, and when the green flags came out on lap 135, this gave the Lamborghini an extra lap of breathing space

while Richards sliced his way through the backmarkers.

With the slower cars finally out of the way, Richards hit the proverbial nitro switch. The Porsche put in a series of stupendously quick laps, culminating in a staggering lml3.8765s - easily the fastest lap of the race, and one that would have rivaled some of the slower V8 Supercars at the same circuit last year. But Stokell was not messing around either, and as the race drew nearer to its conclusion, the gap between the pair fluctuated between two and 3.5 seconds as they each tried to make the shortest possible work of the ever present backmarkers. lap They as close as dug 1.4saon 154 got before Stokell tiny bit deeper and put the race beyond

Holden’s new compact: Floyd was fine after his monster shunt, the Commodore was not.

(Photo by James Smith) moiorsporl news

PROCAR f Results ^

Great Performance: Graham Alexander and John Woodberry took the class win in their Mitsubishi Lancer.

(Photo by Dirk Klynsmitfi} reach, rounding the last corner and greeting the chequered flag 2.89 seconds ahead of Richards.

“Over the last few laps there was absolutely nothing left,” Stokell said.

“The rear tyres were starting to go away - another five or six laps and I tliink I would have been in trouble. But maybe Jim was having the same problem, I don’t know.”

Richards was disappointed.

“We needed another 15 laps and a lot of traffic to help us catch the Lamborghini, although we got pretty close,” he said.

The performance ofthe Porsche was one ofthe big surprises over the weekend. Power circuits are not usually the marque’s forte compared with the Lamborghini, Viper, and Ferraris, but on this occasion it was having httle trouble matching the Diablo on the straights.

“I was surprised at their outright pace,” said Stokell. “I thinlc Jim did have the edge on us throughout the whole event but he had some bad luck in the pitstop. If it hadn’t been for that, we may not be sitting here.”

John Bowe, along with co-driver Steve Beards, took the final podium spot in the PHR Ferrari 360GT, despite finishing a lap down. The Ferrari spent much of the early part of the race running

fourth, but looked to have struck some bad luck when Bowe fell just short of being able to unlap himself when the Safety Car took to the track on lap 95.

But the second Safety Car period,just a handful of laps later, worked out beautifully for the OzEmail Racing V8 Supercar star, who had pulled in for fuel just before tbe Safety Car took to the circuit and was able to rejoin the back of the field after having effectively made a free stop. In the end however, the Ferrari simply didn't have the pace to capitalise on its good fortune.

“The car just wasn’t fast enough, so we were pretty grateful to finish where we did, really,” said Bowe.

Peter Fitzgerald and Porsche Cup racer Matthew Coleman were fourth in the Falken TVi-es Porsche GTS Cup car, a further two laps behind the Ferrari, while fifth and first of the Group Twos - was the PHR 360 Challenge of Paul Morris and John Teulan.

This was a sensational effort on the part of Teulan and ‘The Dude’.

The team had been stung with a stop/go penalty at the beginning of the race after being deemed to have jumped the start, but after serving his penance, Morris rejoined in 18th, and carved his way through the field to rejoin the

POS DRIVERS 1 Paul Stokell/AnthonyTratt 2 Tony Quinn/Jim Richards 3 John Bowe/Steve Beards 4 Peter Rcgerald/Matt Coleman 5 John Teulan/Paul Morris 6 Sam Newman/Scott Shearman 7 Graham Alexander/John Woodbetry 8 Mark King/Geotf Full 9 Don Puluer/Mark Brame 10 Gary Young/Michael Brock 11 Dennis Gilben/Trevor McGuinness 12 Peters/Deane/Denyer 13 Haines/Aitken/Hughes 14 Alford/Grounds/Robinson 15 Smith/Cooper/Boatwright 16 James Philip/Ken Talbert 17 Trevor Keene/Rob Rubis 18 Woods/Dean/Haysom NC Steve KnighVAndrewTaplin l\IC D'Arcy Russell/Darren Palmer DNF Cave/Turner/Green DNF Brad Jones/MaherAlgadri DNF Mark Cohen/Phil Polites DNF Barrie Nesbitt/David Lawson DNF Nathan Dunkley/Steve Drake DNS Peter Floyd/Rod Wilson

GAR Lamborghini Diablo GTR Porsche GT3 Cup Ferrari 360 GT Porsche GT3 Cup Ferrari 360 Challenge Ferrari 360 Challenge Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII Nissan 200SX Spec-R Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI Subaru WRX Sti Tickford TE50 Nissan 200SX Spec-R Porsche GT3 Cup Honda S2000 Toyota MR2 Nissan 200SX Spec-R Mitsubishi Lancer EVO VI Chrysler Viper ACR Nissan 200SX Spec-R Ferrari 360 GT HSV GTS HSV GTS Toyota MR2 HSV GTS

top 10 on lap four!

A further two laps behind was the sister Group 2 Prancing Horse 360 Challenge of Sam Newman and Scott Shearman. The surprise pole-sitting car was swamped at the start and dropped to sixth on the opening lap, before being further hindered by a stop/go after jumping a restart.

But such misfortunes paled in comparison with what was going a further down pitlane.

The mighty Chrysler Viper ACR, driven by D’Arcy Russell and Darren Palmer, failed to be classified after an assortment of problems kept the red and white beast darting in and out of the pits so often that it managed to complete just 82 laps.

The dramas began when it threw a belt on lap 17. That also took out the power steering, which dropped a pulley, which Russell proceeded to run over, causing a puncture.

A left hand rear driveshaft was the next to go, and to cap things off, the engine developed a sick head gasket, which necessitated regular stops to keep the water topped up.

TIME/IRPS 3:35:12.3288 3:35:15.3186 160 laps 158 laps 155 laps 153 laps 147 laps 146 laps 146 laps 144 laps 141 laps 140 laps 139 laps 137 laps 135 laps 133 laps 131 laps 124 laps 98 laps 82 laps 126 laps 88 laps 79 laps 54 laps 21 laps 0 laps

FASTEST 1:14.1128 1:13.8765 1:14.7850 1:15.8360 1:16.7200 1:18.6843 1:21.9895 1:21.7838 1:22.9439 1:23.4398 1:24.3477 1:24.2355 1:24.5468 1:26.1708 1:17.3275 1:29.9924 1:32.0402 1:26.1462 1:23.4400 1:16.6321 1:27.5491 1:16.0452 1:23.4547 1:24.0189 1:33.9256

G

rahamMexander and John

Woodberry took tbe honours in the GT Performance class, bringing their Mitsubishi Evo V home seventh overall and 14 laps down on the leaders.

The pair enjoyed a long battle with the newer Evo VII of Mark

King and Geoff Full, who gi’adually faded as a series of problems struck the King Springs/Delphi entiy They managed to finish second in class ahead of Don Pulver and Mark Brame’s Nissan 200SX. A Honda S2000 won the battle of the little cars in GT Production, with James Philip and Ken Talbert taking the prize.

“The car is just a bulletproof little thing, it just went and went all day on one set of tyres, one set of brakes,” said Philip, i^d so, for the second year in a row, the Sandown 500 produced an endurance race where the outcome hung in the balance right up to when the winning car gi'eeted the finish line.

The only thing missing was a crowd - and hopefully those who took a raincheck won’t make the same mistake next year ...

Catch up with us at www.delphi.com

D€LPHI.

Driving To morrow’s "Technology

18 September 2002

Delphi Automotive Systems Australia Ltd 86 Fairbank Road, Clayton South, Victoria Australia 3169 Telephone; 03 9551 8700 Facsimile: 03 9551 8215 65

Sando\>^n Formula 3

Manderson moves closer to Australian championship after a hectic Sandown

It’s heating up: James Cressey, James Manderson and Will Power duked out a fantastic race one, above, until Power smacked the Cooltemp car into the wall entering the back straight, below right. Cressey, below, again starred, while Manderson, bottom leading the field, holds a handy title (Photos by Dirk Klynsmith) buffer with two rounds to go.

by MARK GLENDENNING JAMES Manderson took another step towards the 2002 Australian F3 title after a hardfought win at Sandown two weeks ago.

Manderson emerged triumphant after an eventful weekend that saw team-mate Darren Palmer finish second overall for a BRM one-two. Peter Hackett, making another one-off(perhaps it should be two-off) appearance for Piccola Scuderia Corse, was third.

A disappointingly small crowd populated the grandstands when the first race got underway on Saturday, but those who turned up were rewarded with the best open wheeler race seen in this country all year.

Manderson converted his pole position to the race lead when the flag dropped, with Kiwi teenager James Cressey(Timberworld Dallara 301)and Will Power (Cooltemp Dallara 398)giving chase.

The leading trio wasted no time in opening a gap over the rest of the field. What followed in the next few laps was a staggering display of close racing as the three swapped positions continuously,. with Power in particular attracting the cheers for some demon late braking and a couple of great moves around the outside.

The situation swung against Manderson when he attempted to go around the outside of John Boothman’s lapped car with a handful of laps to go and was chopped. The BRM rode up the ripple strips and collected some 66

markers, which swiped the front wing off its mountings and folded it under the car. Manderson was able to continue, but he was no longer a threat to the leaders. He eventually finished fifth.

Power was next to fall by the wayside when his overexerted himself in his efforts to pass Cressey and looped into the barriers.

T ruined it for myself, but you can’t settle for second,” he said later.

Power’s shunt left Cressey with a huge lead, and he went on to take a win that was well-deserved after a smart drive.

Palmer was second ahead of Hackett, who earned his spot on the podium after a great battle with fellow Sydneysider Michael Caruso.

Race 2 was comparatively tame.

Manderson won the start and soared away to an untroubled win, leaving Palmer to follow him home after a neat drive through the field from sixth.

't ■3

Hackett was third after a late move on Power, who had earlier dropped a couple of positions after getting out of shape due to a huge lockup.

The podium for Piccola was some consolation for the fact that only one of their cars had made it onto the track after a broken fuel pump prevented Justin Watt from making the start.

Cressey, too, had a disappointing end to the race

when he pushed a little too hard and backed himself into the barriers. He was flagged off the track a couple of laps later when the rear wing parted company with the rest of the car.

Also spinning from contention was Caruso, who ran as high as third before making a mistake and falling back to fi nish fifth.

Points: Manderson 180, Palmer 144, Cressey 132, Power 131, Caruso 57, Hackett 55.

motorsport news

FORMULA FORD

^Nafja

by MARK GLENDENNING I^OTOJ

IT'S rare for a polesitter not to turn up for the start of a race, but for Jamie Whincup,there was a pretty good reason at Queensland Raceway last Sunday.

The 19-year-old Victorian had came out on top after a shoulderto-shoulder battle with Sonic Motorsport team-mate Marcus Marshall in race one of the final round of the Australian Formula Ford series the day before, and the victory was enough to seal his claim to the 2002 title.

“It's fantastic,” Whincup grinned. “It’s finally happened for a while there, I didn’t think it would."

Whincup went into the round needing only to finish ahead of rival Mark Winterbottom in the first race to claim the title, and things got off to the best possible start when he claimed pole for both races with Marshall filling the other front row spot.

Marshall got the better start, leaving Whincup to slot into second ahead of Brett Francis, who was making the most of being on home turf.

The Sonic Van Diemens set off for a flurry of lead changes over the next few laps, while 18 September 2002

© Not the right angle: Winterbottom had this moment, above, in his chase of Marshall, right, who took out the round in the #7 Valvoline/Sonic Van Diemen.

But Jamie Whincup, top, wa^ the man ofthe moment with the championship (Photos by Dirk Klynsniifli) secured in his grasp.

Winterbottom was trying to rescue his title hopes. The Sydneysider had started from P6, and had not long found a way past Tony Pugliese before going wide and dropping the position.

Francis had just joined the battle at the front when an errant piece of bodywork from Daniel Pappas’s car wound up on the racing line and brought out the Safety Car. The interruption lasted one lap, and when the race restarted, Winterbottom wasted little time in reclaiming fourth from Pugliese.

Francis briefly joined the fray by passing Marshall, but went wide while trying to defend a few corners later and dropped two spots to fall behind Winterbottom.

With just a couple of laps left, Winterbottom got past Marshall and set up a last-gasp attack on Whincup, but it was not to be.

Whincup took the win and the Championship, with Marshall following him home ahead of Winterbottom.

Marshall had the front row all to himself for race two on Sunday and held the lead at the start from Winterbottom and Francis.

In a display reminiscent of race one, the lead pair embarked upon a series of lead swaps which again were borne mainly out of the tow down the back straight, but the battle ended when Winterbottom put a wheel on the grass and lost the rear.

By the time he had rescued it, he had dropped to third behind Francis.

Neil McFadyen joined the fray, and as the race ticked away the trio had closed up on Marshall for a four-way fight to the finish.

Marshall had the smallest of gaps on his pursuers and it proved

to be just enough to give him both the race and the round win.

Francis and McFadyen competed the podium, the latter beating Winterbottom to the flag by just half a car’s length.

While disappointed to have missed out on the title, Winterbottom’s efforts were enough to earn him the Rookie of the Year award.

“I'm pretty happy with the way the season has gone,” he reflected.

“It makes it hard when you’re out there by yourself and you’re up against a two-car team.”

Final Points: Whincup 243, Winterbottom 227, Marshall 224, McFadyen 150, Mawer 128, Jones 114.

67

Changes at Prodrive

Richards wants 'the Ferrari of rallying' WORLD rally supremo Dave Richards has signalled some big changes at Prodrive Subaru after telling key employees that the performance of the team has not been up to expectation.

A source within Prodrive has revealed to Motorsport News that Richards is, among other things, unhappy with the performance of team manager George Donaldson, the engine power of the latest Impreza WRC and the motivation of the team's drivers.

According to the Prodrive source, Tommi Makinen will almost certainly leave the team at the end of this year, despite having a contract for 2003 with the Finn, below, apparently keen to retire from the sport.

The arrival of Australian Steve Farrell from the BAR Honda FI team to oversee the operational of

the Prodrive Subaru team is a sign of Richards's dissatisfaction.

In the past, Richards has stepped back into the role himself when the teams fortunes had flagged but, with his increased workload at BAR and in managing the commercial and broadcast rights for the World Rally Championship, that is no longer possible.

Dave Lapworth, who has been running Prodrive, has failed to impress Richards, who has described Lapworth as "a good' engineer but not a very good option for running the team overall."

Farrell's arrival has meant Lapworth has been moved sideways to look after engineering only.

Richards has delivered an ultimatum to tyre supplier Pirelli, telling the Italian maker that Subaru wants No 1 status or exclusive use of the tyres (ahead of Ford) or Subaru will go to Michelin.

He has also declared he wants Subaru to be "the Ferrari of rallying", saying that he wants the team mechanics to have the same attitude and bearing as those of the dominant Italian FI team.

"A layman could pick the Ferrari mechanics from a group of people, they have the winning look and that is what the Subaru team will have again," said Richards.

"We need to get Subaru back to its winning ways and Steve Farrell is part of the strategy to achieve that."

-JOIN! THOMSON

Possu

by JON THOMSON SUBARU driver Possum Bourne has won the fourth round of the FIAAsia Pacific Championship,Japan’s Rally Hokkaido,after a closelyfought battle with Lancer driver Katsuhiko Taguchi during the first two legs.

At the end ofleg 2 there was only an 8.5s between the two, but Bourne paced himself through the twisty and difficult stages of the final leg to win by 6m24s from Argentinean Marcos Ligato, after Taguchi retired just two stages from home. » Unbeknown to his rivals, Bourne only just made it home after his Subaru started consuming water and oil at an alarming rate in the final few stages.

“On Friday we got a lot of grass in the radiator and it cooked the engine,” said Bourne.“Ever since then, it’s been guzzling more and more water. On the last morning, it really started using oil and water ...

We quietly struggled along.”

Incredibly heavy rain fell for most of the first two legs, making the going tough for competitors including Australian Ed Ordynski, who had no mud tyres to cope with the unseasonal downpour and lost big-time on the first day.

The final day was rtm in same area as day one but fortunately for rally organisers, the weather held out and there was no rain, but in some places the stages became deeply rutted causing and revealing many potential hazards for the unwary.

Richards plans WRC shakeup

NOT content with just getting Subaru back on the rails, Dave Richards has also signaUed some major changes to the World RaUy Championship with more rounds and an increase in TV coverage.

Richards, right, has said the series will have 18 rounds by 2004, with WRC events scheduled on the ‘opposite’ weekend to F1.

Events in the current 14 round Championship will come under pressure with a plethora of new rallies lining up for WRC status.

First change will be the dropping of Cyprus in favour of the Rally of Turkey, which was observed by the FLA last week as a round of the Middle East Championship and 68

apparently passed with flying colours.

Next will come a scrapping of the current method of shipping teams around the Championship, with all equipment to be flown on charter jets by 2004. Flying will allow the Championship to get cars and equipment to all rounds of the series more efficiently and without the delays and worries caused by shipping this year.

Richards has apparently had extensive meetings with manufacturers to allay fears of a massive rise in costs but has told them that they need to invest at least 20 percent more for what will be a 30 percent increase in the publicity and profile of rallying.

Richards has also told WRC telecaster Channel 4 in Britain that it needs to better exploit the rising profile of the sport by raising its ad rates and shooting for premium advertisers.

Rallying in Britain has been seen as a cheaper form of motorsport, but this year has attracted bigger audiences than Who Wants To Be a Millionaire and Blind Date.

Subaru is seen as a premium brand in Britain and, along with Ford (which will launch its latest Focus RS with a big ad campaign around the rally telecasts), are seen to be leading the trend to the high end of the market.

-JON THOMSON

*hoto by sutton-images.com

I motorsport news

n-San in Hokkaido Mitsubishi driver Taguchi was one such unwary victim, suffering three punctures after hitting drainage ditches. With only one spare, he had no other option but to retire.

Karamjit Singh looks in a good position to retain his current Asia Pacific title after taking fifth just ahead of Ordynski, who finished sixth.

Only two more rounds remain in China and Thailand, and with Bourne not competing in either rally, Singh is in a strong position to clinch a second APRC crown.

Possum, with Udon noodles: Possum Bourne and Mark Stacey made their trip to Japan worthwhile with a win in Flokkaido. (Photo by Linear Photographic)

AFTER dropping Mitsubishi, tobacco giant Philip Morris has confirmed that it has agreed a four-year sponsorship contract with Peugeot for its World Championship rally team from next year.

It will cover all three works cars and last until the FlA's proposed ban on tobacco sponsorship of international motorsport comes into force at the end of 2006.

The deal, rumoured to run to tens of millions of dollars per year, is unusually long by Marlboro's standards and underlines its confidence that the World Rally Championship is attracting a growing audience.

Mitsubishi had struggled over the past two seasons to achieve

»

18 September 2002

RESULTS 1 Bourne-Subaru Impreza 2 Ligato - Mitsubishi Lancer Eve 6(+6:24.7) 3 Nutahara - Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7(+7:03.8) 4 Yanagisawa -Subaru impreza (+9:26.3) 5 Singh - Proton Pert(+11:30.9) 6 Ordynski- Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7(+11:51.0)

-carfirthe results and exposure for the cigarette maker, particularly compared with the relationship it has enjoyed with Ferrari in Formula 1.

"It's a good contract for Peugeot and a good contract for Marlboro," commented Peugeot's Sporting Director

Jean-Pierre Nicolas, Richard Burns will be obliged to end his contract with Nicorette, which makes products designed to help smokers quit, but Nicolas maintained that this was "no problem".

-JON THOMSON

● Pedals (FloorMountor Pendant types) ● Aiosfer Cylinders ● Balance Bars & Adjuster Cables ● Lever-adjust (the best) Prop. Valves ● Spare parts

Also

RALLY NEWS

Ford boss rallies behind Colin

FORD motorsport chief Martin Whitaker has dismissed reports that Colin , McRae is as good as certain /. to join Citroen next year and maintained that he is keen to retain the Scot at the Blue Oval.

McRae, above, has scored all but two of the Focus's 11 World Championship rally wins and his departure could leave, Ford looking vulnerable in the’ short term, given that the . company’s only confirmed 2003 drivers, Francois Duval and ' ..

Markko Martin, have yet to win ■' at world championship level.

At this point in time however' cost seems to be the sticking point with Ford keen to reduce . outgoings particularly in the areas of huge driver retainers.

"We have to believe that Colin wants to stay at Ford, and feels comfortable with the team," Whitaker said. "We would negotiate with that in mind. But whatever we dO in our motorsport activities, we have to demonstrate value to ■ the company," Whitaker said.

Sources close to McRae confirmed that no deal had been signed. It is no secret however that talks with Citroen are in progress.

-JON THOMSON

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69

An overseas flavour

d.

HAAS Carter Motorsports is currently looking outside the regular NASCAR driver pool recently testing with Max Papis at Lakeland Speedway in Florida.

Papis is apparently eyeing the Busch Series for the 2003 season if suitable funding can be found and will possibly drive a car out of the Travis Carter run operation.

Former Japanese GT champion Hideo Fukuyama,above, also tested with Carter at Dover. He drove in 1998 for Carter at the NASCAR exhibition race at Motegi.

Plans are for Fukuyama to run Rockingham, Dover and Martinsville with backing coming from Japan.

- MARTIN D CLARK

I

Big Mac and Cliiiis Hellov Ganassi signs Busch driver and Texaco IN a ride rumoured to be filled by Bobby Hamilton and John Andretti, Busch Series driver Jamie McMurray, right, was named as the driver for the third Ganassi Racing Winston Cup team.

It will be sponsored by Texaco-Chevron and carry the familiar #28 it has run with Robert Yates Racing for 15 years. McMurray, 26, finished a career-best second in the Richmond event.

He is currently ninth in the Busch standings with nine top 10 results during his second year with the Williamssponsored BREWCO Motorsports after successful year in the Truck Series and, prior to that, karts.

- MARTIN D CLARK

by MARTIN D CLARK

NEW Hampshire on Sunday was all about new faces with 24-year-old Ryan Newman, right, taking his first Winston Cup points and veteran Mark Martin eclipsing Sterling Marlin’s points lead by a slim six points at the end of the rain-hampered event.

207 of the scheduled 300 lapswere run before rain stopped play.

Newman led 143 tours and held off a hard-charging Kurt Busch as the cloud cover thickened. Busch piled the pressure on Newman for the fop spot but was unable to ; dismount him.

“The guys did a great job getting me off pit road first,” said Newman of his final stop.

“Fve got to thank Kurt Busch, he raced me extremely clean on a track that was real tough to pass on. This is awesome and I’m probably not showing the emotion I should, but Td like to thank Roger Penske for giving me the opportunity, this was a lot of fun.”

After a rain delay at the start, the field completed 20 laps under the green flag with Newman heading all laps before the caution and eventual red flag and rain delay for almost two hours.

Newman continued to lead Johnny Benson and Bobby Labonte on the restart and through pit

fl IM f! o

Switch it up: Colours ‘will change at Petty Enterprises in 2003.

(Plioin by Marlin D Clark)

PETTY Enterprises announced the obvious at Richmond, with Kyle Petty’s sponsor Sprint not returning in 2003.

Georgia Pacific will now switch from the current #44 driven by Jerry Nadeau to the #45 team, while General Mills foods will stay on the #43 currently driven by John Andretti. The #44 team will be disbanded if backing can’t be found.

Andretti has not re-upped his contract with Petty and is rumoured to be heading to Hendrick Motorsports to pilot the #25 UAWGM Chev, replacing Joe Nemechek who definitely will not return in 2003.

Andretti remains good friends with Robbie Loomis, crew chief to Jeff Gordon, and he could be influencing an Andretti move to Hendrick.

- MARTIN D CLARK 70

Demit/ mh,De Mim! Matt Kenseth steered his Polish tejang Font Taurus to victory at Rin ttgtd getting another wiirjhr of Winston Cup. the ‘votin§*gt

(1‘hulv bv Mania P C lurki

motorsport news

NASCAR

Newman!

I Stewart denies I another assault o

I

Rudd in punch-up

stops for a caution when Rusty Wallace rode up the side of Kyle Petty, knocking Petty into the wall.

Benson snuck under Newman, whose Penske Ford was pushing, and opened up a healthy advantage until he came upon the lapped Mike Wallace. Benson made heavy contact with Wallace, knocking him up the slippery flat oval and allowing Newman and Kurt Busch through for the lead spots.

Martin, who entered New Hampshire just nine points in arrears of Marlin in the points race, cut a t3rre and slipped from

seventh position to finish 16th, but took the points lead by six over Marlin, who came home 21st.

Benson was passed by Tony Stewart for third with a handful of laps remaining, but led 53 laps until the contact which upset the handling of his Valvoline Pontiac.

Final result; Newman (Ford), Busch (Ford), Stewart(Pontiac), Benson (Pontiac), B Labonte (Pontiac), Craven (Ford), Jarrett(Ford), Waltrip (Chev), Johnson (Chev), Kenseth (Ford).

Points standings; Martin 3545, Marlin 3539, Johnson 3505, Stewart 3486, J Gordon 3478,R Wallace 3399, Elliott 3354, Newman 3353, Kenseth 3325, Rudd 3318.

RICKY Rudd,above, got into an altercation with a Robert Yates employee after the Richmond race.

Lairy Lackey, a member of the engine department, punched Rudd in the left eye. Rudd then threw a plastic water bottle back and the incident was broken up

by Earl Barban, Rusty Wallace’s fuel man.

Apparently, Lackey was upset at remarks Rudd made on the radio that the car had no power coming up off the corners.

“All ofa sudden hejust threw a right hook and about laid me out,” said Rudd.

Since the incident. Lackey has resigned fi-om the RYR outfit. He was fined $20,000 by NASCAR over the incident while Rudd copped a $10,000 fine.

- MARTIN D CLARK

p gets Richmond

by MARTIN D CLARK

MATT Kenseth overcame a one lap deficit caused by two cut right front tyres due to a low air pressure gamble by his Roush crew to win the Richmond event on the evening of September 7.

Kenseth was also conserving fuel, running 126 laps on the L final tank.

Il "I would be lying if I said I didn't have concerns about Ktfiiel " said Kenseth, "I was if~.||fnore concerned about the right ^^ront tyre, that's all I kept ^thi nking about." ! The win was Kenseth's fourth 'of the year, becoming the first d river to achieve the feat in 2002.

The big news was the bad

*■

I

18 September 2002

luck that played upon series contenders Sterling Marlin and Jeff Gordon.

The latter suffered a broken camshaft in his back-up car after wrecking his primary in practice and finished 40th, while points leader Marlin was swept into a lap 10 wreck that also wiped out his Ganassi team-mate Jimmy Spencer and Jeff Burton.

Mark Martin's sixth placing moved him to within nine points

bridesmaid for the fifth time in 2002 after leading 145 of the race's 400 laps, while Tony Stewart was running fourth with 10 laps to run, but a broken gearbox dropped him to 30th The track was very slick in the early going. A show car on a parade lap had blown an engine and oiled down the racing groove, which resulted in the first two of 11 cautions. The second involved Marlin,

of Marlin.

R usty Wallace was a serious contender for the win, challenging Kenseth with 11 l aps remaining when his right front tyre let ^ go and he finished

"We've got 10 races left and I guess it's going to be really tonight," commented Marlin

'

,

R ookis Ry0n NGWm3n is so close to his first win, finishing

(Ford), J Green (Chev), Earnhardt Jr. (Chev), T Bodine (Ford), IVlartin (Ford),

Rudd (Ford), W Burton (Dodge), Blaney (Ford),(Mayfield (Dodge).

TONY Stewart is again being accused of assault.

Following the incident post-race at Indy where he punched a photographer, Stewart is now being investigated by Tennessee police after he allegedly shoved a female fan in the garage area after the Bristol night race.

Stewart denied in a prepared statement that he assaulted anyone, while Joe Gibbs addressed the media at Richmond, saying that the truth will come out, but in talking to team members nothing out of the ordinary happened. n In an unexpected move, Paul Andrews has departed Dale Earnhardt Inc as crew chief for Steve Park to manage the same role for Jeff Burton at Roush Racing, replacing Frank Stoddard.

DEI team manager Steve FImiel and head engineer Dave Charpentier will replace Andrews on an interim basis. Before going to DEI, Andrews was crew chief for Jeremy Mayfield at Penske Racing and took the late Alan Kulwicki to the Winston Cup title in 1992.

Ward Burton's current crew chief.

Tommy Baldwin, has apparently no yet re-upped with Bill Davis Racing for 2003 and could be a contender to be Park's crew chief. The only thing holding Baldwin back would be his self-owned Busch team is housed and powered by Davis. n Peter Sospenzo has been hired as crew chief for the Flendrick Motorsports #25 Chev currently driven by Joe Nemechek. Fie replaces Brian Pattie, an employee of Nemechek's family-owned Busch team. Sospenzo has been out of work since the Penske Mobil-backed #12 team disbanded at the end of last year, where he was crew chief for Jeremy Mayfield and responsible for two wins.

■ Todd Berrier, crew chief for Jeff Green, has been fined $10,000 for an illegal left front spring found on the Childress/AOL Chev during post-race inspection at Richmond. The illegality also cost the driver and owner 25 points in the standings. Green finished a career best third at Richmond.

■ A new Winston Cup team was seen for the first time at the recent Charlotte test. BH Motorsports had a pair of ex-Flendrick Terry Labonte Chevs with Truck Series champ Ron Flornaday at the wheel for African American owners Sam Blevins and Tinsley Flughes. Flornaday was there to help the team out and will drive for them at Charlotte, Rockingham and Atlanta before plans for a minority driver to take over in 2003.

- MARTIN D CLARK 71

Sullivan injured

Dane takes Euro SGP as Aussie hurts shoulder

ft

If*

Ouch!!.' Sullivan walks awayfrom his accident, above, while Crump and (Photos by Terr)' Dale) American Greg Hancock, below,fightfor racing room.

/-

>-.

WHILE he may have emerged largely unscathed from a massive crash in the European Grand Prix in Poland on the weekend, Aussie Ryan Sullivan remains in the fight for the Speedway Grand Prix title.

The South Aussie suffered a badly bruised shoulder during the semi-final, where he was running second, oniy to have his bike's engine start to miss.

He wrestled the bike for the next lap, only to have it throw him violently into the fence on the iast corner. After laying on the track for a few worrying moments, Suilivan limped from the track. He remains second in the points, 14 behind Swede Tony Rickardsson with two Grands Prix to go.

Dane Nicki Pedersen was the winner on the night storming to victory in the Grand Prix finai ahead of Gold Coaster Jason Crump, who is now just six points behind Sullivan in the Championship.

Swedes Mikael Karlsson and Rickardsson were third and fourth in the final, Rickardsson picking up 16 valuable points as he attempts to hold off the Australian onslaught and retain the World title.

“It was very bad luck for Ryan but it is getting stronger for the Aussie contingent, we have the advantage of a home crowd in the final race and that will make it tough for Rickardsson," said Crump, who will race in front of his home crowd on October 26 at Telstra Stadium in Sydney.

UttI

New South Wale

by GREG BOSCATO

TALENTED 20-year-old Sydney speedster Troy Little is gearing up for his biggest season ever, with the former Rookie of the Year preparing his two Maxim Sprintcars for the tough Parramatta City Raceway Summer of Speed starting on October 6.

Last year Little was the find of the season, and in only his second season of open Sprintcar competition, gave Robbie Farr a , hard time in the 2001/2 PCR Track Premiership Driver to the World of Outlaws series. Little was leading the prestigious premiership at one 11 stage and, by season’s end, was g just pipped by the vastly more ,I experienced Farr to end up with -- second place.

In the five month off-season, CfcSB igt Troy and his Barry Smith Isuzu/HSV team have completely rebuilt and updated both Maxims iw, with Adelaide engine specialists Maxwell Motors having also Association series and is second in prepared and refined the 700 horsepower engine. the 2002 SCRA standings with Last month Little jetted off to four victories in the series, based the USA,taking in the Knoxville primarily on the West Coast.

Nationals, but more importantly Kruseman won the prestigious brought home many new parts for Chili Bowl Midget Nationals at his 2002/3 racing campaign.

Tulsa in 2000.

Krusing into an Indy car

SPRINTCAR star Cory Kruseman made his Indy Racing League debut in PDM Racing’s Dallara/Chevrolet, right, at Texas on the weekend.

“It’s a dream of mine to run an Indy car,’’ Kruseman said. “I’m pretty excited that I’ve got a great group of people behind me to help make this happen.

“I think it’s neat that a Sprintcar driver is actually making it. That’s where we’re all hoping to go, the Infiniti Pro Series and the IRL.” Kruseman failed to finish the IRL’s season finale with J2

1i

transmission problems after 74 laps.

He won the coveted USAC Valvohne Indiana Sprint Week championship this year, capturing four victories in the eight-race series.

Kruseman is also the reigning champion in the Sprint Car Racing

moiorsport news

SPEEDWAY

e lining up

2002/03

Oz Super Sedan Title for PCR

^2

i.TTtS

The team will start this season using the older ex-Chas Calandro Maxim which has been repaired from its huge crash last November.

He is saving the newer machine for the big Christmas/New Year shows.

“Although Robbie Farr will not be a regular runner this year at

Parramatta, it’s still going to be very hard to win,” Little told Motorsport News.

“There is going to be so many good cars and drivers racing here.

I have only one goal this year and that is to improve just one position, and win the PCR Track premiership series.”

Little’s racing programme while based around the ultra-competitive PCR, and will also take in the big meetings like the Classic and the 2003 Australia Title.

After winning the Wagga round of the Victorian PRC Sprintcar Series last year, Little also plans to return and compete in a round or two of the SRA series.

Support for the 2002/3 summer speedway season comes from Barry Smith Isuzu/HSV, Kimbo Transport, Translease Pty Ltd and Georob Smash.

Max Dumesny Motorsport Australian Distributors for

Xooslrr

y/

THE prizemoney for World Series Sprintcar's final round at Speedway City this season has taken a step up, with the track to double the $5000 winner's prize in the main event provided the winner has competed in both previous WSS rounds at the venue.

"The concept is to reward the drivers commitment and loyalty to World Series Sprintcars events at Speedway City," said promoter Wendy Turner.

"It will still be a handsome pay day to win $5000 if you haven't raced in the previous two events on November 30 and December 26 but it will be even sweeter to pick up $10,000 if you have!"

The idea was met with immediate support from WSS contracted teams.

"Naturally we're pleased to see incentive programs that reward attendance," says Robbie Farr's car owner Shane Krikke. "We're going to be at three and we'll be more than happy to pick up 10,000 instead of 5000." ' n The cut-off for drivers and teams to sign-up for WSS and season 2002/2003 is October 1. Series organisers expect a couple of more drivers to sign up prior to the deadline. n Recently confirmed as a starter in this season's World Series Sprintcar schedule, Brooke Tatnell has had another run with the World of Outlaws, this time at Texas in the O'Reilly Texas Showdown.

The #66 Grandstaff machine timetrialled 13th and ran sixth in its heat, before Tatneii ended up third in the B-Main and 18th in the A-Main, which was won by reigning Champ Danny Lasoski. n Time to get excited if you're a PlayStation 2 user, because Ratbag's latest release of 'World of Outlaws Sprintcars 2002' is currently in production and due out in October this year. n After lengthy negotiations between the ASCF Inc and NASR, the ASCF Inc. Federal Council, at their September Conference, voted to become part of a National Body.

A seven point agreement, signed

by NASR, was instrumental in assisting with this decision.

2002 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINTCAR SERIES Texas Motor Speedway September 14

1. Danny Lasoski 2. Tim Shatter 3. Brad Furr 4. Stevie Smith ^^ RACING TIRE 5. Tyler Walker For more information on Hoosier Drag and SpeedvnjyTyres calk 6. Steve Kinser NSW:02 9679 1990 l Fax 02 9679 1187 7. Craig Dollansky 8. Daryn Pittman VIQ03 9331 6477 l Fax 03 9331 7444 9, Joey Saldana SA- 08 8332 0800 l Fax 08 8364 0296 10. Randy Hannagan

18 September 2002 -

FOR the first time ever, the Australian Super Sedan Title will be held at Parramatta City Raceway this summer.

Set to run on February 2022 of next year, PCR sees the announcement as a timely and important boost for the class considering the demise of Newcastle Speedway.

"We are extremely glad to see the Super Sedan National Title at PCR," said Australian Saloon Car Federation President John Wilson. // With such a high profile venue in Australia's biggest city used as the place to stage the event, it will be a great shot in the arm for Super Sedan racing.

"The location also means we will definitely have a very large car count there for the title."

"Racing at any new track is a challenge," says reigning Australian Champion Mick Nicola.

PCR is a very good track from what I have experienced of it so far. It suits sedan racing down to the ground."

More cash for WSS finale

11. Donny Schatz 12. Ricky Logan 13. Jac Haudenshild 14. Mark Kinser 15. P.J. Chesson 16. Johnny Herrera 17. Justin Henderson 18. Brooke Tatnell 19. Jason Sides 20. Danny Wood

Standings to Sep 14

1.Steve Kinser .. ..

2,Danny Lasoski . . a.Craig Dollansky ..

4.Joey Saldana ...

S.Tim Shatter e.Mark Kinser ....

7.Brad Furr 8.Donny Schatz . ..

S.Stevie Smith .... lO.Randy Hannagan

.8725 .8430 .8365 .8357 .8295 .8259 .8110 .8088 .8065 .7631

73

48th Annual MAC Tools US Nationals

The Serge gees large

Larry Dixon may lead the NHRA Top Fuel standings, but not even he could stop Tony Schumacher in the one race that matters more than any other.

DAVID OSTASZEWSKI reports from The Big Go in Indianapolis

T

ONY Schumacher recorded his second Top Fuel victory of the season, defeating Larry Dixon in the Top Fuel final at the 48th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park two weeks ago.

Schumacher, below, powered to a 4.66/315 in the final round to defeat Dixon, who lost traction at mid-track and trailed at 5.16/240.

Schumacher started from his ninth-hest qualifying effort of 4.64/321. After posting an opening round 4.69/316 to stop a tyre smoking Darrell Russell, Schumacher took a wild pedalling contest over low qualifier(4.553) Cory McClenathan in the second round.

Both drivers were on-and-off the throttle several times, with McClenathan tossing the blower belt, allowing the U.S. Army dragster to take a 5.85/296 win. He moved into his third final round of the season when he took a close decision over Andrew Cowin, 4.70/303 to 4.73/283.

“What an incredible day,” said Schumacher.

“Indy is a race you wait for all year and to win it twice in three years is unbelievable. When you look at the list of pe^^le who have won this race its arhazing... Don Garlits, Shirley Muldowney, Don Prudhomme, my dad. I’m just glad

i

Count the rings; Force's campaign for 10 titles in a row is looking as strong as ever, we could add our name to that list for a second time.”

Dixon and the Miller Lite team were able to get past Bruce Litton, and Doug Herbert in the opening two frames, posting a pair of 4.65s at 320 and 321mph, but his most crucial race of the day came in the semis where he lined up with point contender, Kenny Bernstein.

Dixon took a .022 second advantage at the start and despite.

Bernstein’s low e.t. of eliminationsi-k and top speed of the meet shot.

was able to hold off the Budweiser King to win by 14 thousandths of a second, 4.64/320 to 4.62/322.

John Force notched his sixth Funny Car victory of the season and third in a row when he defeated Tommy Johnson Jr. on a holeshot, 5.02/280 to 4.99/308.

Force enjoyed a .482 to .524 advantage at the start and held on for the win, despite the car nosing over at the far end and being chased by a fast-closing Johnson.

“This is my most exciting Indy win ever” said Force.

“You want to hold your own and stay in this points lead. Now I can start to think about 10 championships in a row.”

Force had a tough road to reach

(Photo by David Ostoszewski)

the finals. In round one he survived a close race with John Lawson, winning by half a car length, 4.93/318 to 4.95/301. In round two, he survived a .403 light

by Bob Gilbertson to post a comefrom-behind win, 4.90/321 to 5.02/304.

In the semis. Force cut a very late .590 light, giving up over a tenth at the tree, but took the victory at 4.95/318 when Cruz Pedregon lost traction at half track.

Johnson’s Skoal Camaro,en route to his third final round of the season and first Indy final, dumped Scotty Cannon in the opening round on a holeshot, defeated a very late Johnny Gray in reupd two and took out a t}rreSI j\g Dean Skuza in the semis.

DRAG RACING

AUSTRALIA was well represented at Indy, with Andrew Cowin, Troy Critchley and Steve Marker posting strong finishes at the largest and most prestigious drag racing event in the world.

Cowin reached the semi finals for the fourth time in the last six events in the Darrell Gwynn-owned Yankees dragster.

In qualifying, while running alongside Top Fuel legend Don Garlits, Cowin stormed the IRP quarter mile in 4.598 seconds at 319.75 mph, good for the fourth spot in the show.

In the opening round, Cowin posted a 4.69/310 to defeat Paul Romine, who trailed at 4.88/283.

Jenkins claims Critchley scalp

This set up a second round match with Shirley Muldowney.

At the green. Cowin left on Muldowney, and improved to a 4.67/315 to take out the three time NHRA champion and former Indy winner, who trailed at 4.96/232 after tossing the blower belt at 1000 feet.

Cowin nearly returned to the final round in Indy, where he runner-upped in 1999, but was defeated in a close semi-final round contest by Tony Schumacher, 4.70/283 to 4.73/303.

Critchley, driving the HeadHunter '53 Corvette, advanced into the final round of Pro Modified where he was defeated: by Shannon Jenkins.

After posting a fifth-best 6.29/2^3 during qualifying.

Critchley used a 6.44/224 to stop a broken Billy Harper in the opening round.

In round two, his 6.42/223 took out the new Gotham City '41 Willys of Mike Ashley.

Marker made his first U.S. appearnace of the year, as he qualified his Marker Transportation Dodge Avenger in the top half of the Alcohol Funny Car field. Marker's 5.78/249 pass netted him the fifth spot in the show.

In round one. Marker improved to a 5.76/248 to defeat Steve Addelman.

His day ended in the following round when he was defeated by Bob Newberry, 5.74/247 to 5.85/248.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

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i Jeg Coughlin won his second career Indy Pro Stock title, using a holeshot in the final to get past Jim Yates, 6.95/199 to 6.93/200.

In the final round, Coughlin completed his burnout, backed up and immediately lit both bulbs.

Yates seemingly hurried, rushed in and staged, where Coughlin drilled him at the tree .439 to .477.

Coughlin qualified his Jegs Mail Order Parts Cavalier in the ninth spot at 6.85/200 and had defeated Greg Stanfield, low qualifier, Ron Krisher and Allen Johnson.

Yates kept his championship hopes alive in reaching the final round. The SplitFire/Peak Pontiac stopped Mike Edwards, a redlighting Mark Whisnant, and incoming point leader, Greg Anderson before being defeated in the final.

Angelle Savoie repeated as the U.S. Nationals Champion, claiming her fourth win on the year with a final round defeat of Shawn Gann.

Savoie clocked a winning 7.23/183 to defeat Gann, who was right there at 7.26/184. Earlier in 18 September 2002

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David Ostaszewski

SHANNON Jenkins claimed his fourth AMS Pro Mod Challenge victory of the season, defeating Australian Troy Critchley, above, in the final round, 6.30/222 to a redlighting 6.43/223.

The veteran nitrous racer had dreamed of winning ‘The Big Go’ at Indy at least once, and carv add that to a long list of accomplishments.

“We’re having an excellent season and it’s just a matter of everyone working together,’’ said Jenkins.

“We have a great engine program with Gene Fulton and we’re able to keep this thing tuned right and we don’t need to have the heads off of it all the time. I can concentrate on getting down the track, because winning in this Pro Mod class is all in the bell housing."

Jenkins qualified for the field on his final attempt at 6.27/223, good for the second position. In eliminations, Jenkins posted 6.32/222 and 6.30/222 wins over Paul Athey and Mitch Stott.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

Capping it off .T '

THERMO KING t‘1'®

-.i\

Back across the pond: Marker’s return to the US paid off with a second {Photo by David Ostaszewski) round appearance in Alcohol Funny Car. the day, Savoie had defeated Greg Underdahl, Andrew Hines, and Saturday’s K&N Klash vfinner Craig Treble.

Frank Manzo, celebrating his 50th birthday, scored his 50th career win in Alcohol Funny Car. Manzo stopped Bob Newberry in the final round 5.73/253 to 5.75/248. The victory was Manzo’s sixth Indy crown.

Alcohol Dragster winner John Haley recorded his first-ever win, stopping Duane Shields in the final round, 5.47/257 to 5.55/256.

Haley, in his first year of Alcohol Dragster racing, scored the biggest win of the year with a crew that included two-time Funny Car world champion Frank Hawley and former fuel tuner Ronnie Swearingen.

RON Capps collected US $100,000 as he drove Don Prudhomme's Skoal Camaro to a final round victory over Dean Skuza on Sunday, winning the prestigious Bud Shootout for the third time in five years.

Capps used a 4.97/293 in the final round to stop Skuza, who trailed at 5.06/282.

He earlier defeated Tony Pedregon in the opening frame, setting low e.t, of the Shootout eliminations in a 4.87/304 to 4.95/282 win, and stopped Del Worsham in the following round, 4.95/296 to 4.99/301.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI 75

Mapje Grove

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FOLLOWING several attempts to dry the track and wait out the movement of wet weather, NHBA officials were forced to postpone final eliminations of the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway,near Reading,Pennsylvania until Monday(US time)- one day after this issue of MNews went to press.

The first round of Top Fuel had been completed, with several rain delays interupting the round.

Funny Car saw five of eight pairs completed before the rain ended any further racing.

Number two qualifier Andrew Cowin, who blasted to a 4.559s and top speed of the meet 323.74mph, won his round one match with Mike Smith.

Cowin posted a winning 4.65/305 and will face Darrell Russell in round two, with Russell holding lane choice. Other round two matches include Larry Dixon lining up with Doug Kalitta.

John Smith will square off with Kenny Bernstein, and low qualifier (4.555) Tony Schumacher will face Doug Herbert.

Herbert’s round one race with IHRA standout Clay Millican was the highlight of the round. Both drivers performed their burnouts and had lit the pre-stage bulbs, then sat there, for over 60 seconds, before NHRA Chief Starter Rick Stewart, signalled them both to shut off.

Stewart cited safety reasons as the reason, as both cars had 76

It’s knockout time: Todd Paton, top, accounted for John Force in the first round before the rains feii. In Top Fuel though, Doug Herbert, above, took the knockout theme literally after exchanging biows with Ciay Miiiican’s (Photos by David Ostaszewski) car owner Crew members broke the fight up. probably used so much fuel that they would have run out before the finish line had they been given the green.

Tempers flared and a shoving match ensued on the starting line between Miiiican’s car owner, Peter Lehman and Herbert, with several crew members stepping in to stop the scuffle.

The two returned after a lengthy delay and Herbert overcame a Millican holeshot to win, 4.73/309 to 4.77/301.

Funny Car round one saw John

Force’s three-race winning streak snapped when a hlower backfire slowed the 11-time champ in a 5.30/244 to 5.40/191 loss to Canadian, Todd Paton.

Low qualifier Whit Bazemore (4.806) set lowe.t. of the incomplete round at 4.81/317 in a win over Dale Creasy. Other round one winners include Tony Pedregon, Del Worsham, and Bruce Sarver.

When racing resumes. Tommy Johnson Jr. will face Scotty Cannon, Ron Capps will line up

with Cruz Pedregon, and Gary Densham will match-up with Bob Gilbertson.

Australian Steve Harker, qualified his Dodge Avenger in Alcohol Funny Car fifth at 5.70/251 and appeared to be on his way to an easy round one win over Ed Fisher until he nailed the 1000 foot cones, and crossed the centerline, disqualifying a 5.95/205.

A full report ofthe event will be in the next issue of Motorsport News.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI motorspon news

DRAG RACING

IHRA challenges Dixon The naming of Top Fuel driver Larry Dixon, far right, and crew chief Dick LaHaie to the Car Craft Magazine All-Star Team has prompted IHRA President Bill Bader to issue a challenge to the Miller Lite team.

Bader, apparently feeling that defending IHRA Top Fuel Champion and current point leader Clay Millican, right, and his crew chief Mike Kloeber should have been named instead of Dixon and LaHaie, stated: "I realise that NHRA is the bigger organization and has more events, but consider the fact that Team Werner has won 15 of the last 16 events.

"IHRA competition features IHRA teams versus IHRA teams, and NHRA competition features NHRA teams versus NHRA teams, so are not all things equal?'

Bader then issued the challenge, putting up US$100,000 to the winner of a ^ best-of-three match race between Dixon and Millican to settle the true 'World Championship team'.

The comments traveled quickly around the pits in Indy, where LaHaie responded, "I think he'd better rethink it.

When we were in Seattle, we

ran the blower at 25 percent over and ran back-to-back 4,58s at 320 and 321. If they can put up numbers like that, tell them to come on down."

Team Werner has committed to the match-race, no official word yet from the Miller Lite camp other than Don Prudhomme being quoted as saying, "What's up with that?"

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

And New England makes 10

THE Wemer Enterprises Top Fuel dragster and driver Clay Millican remain jmrfect in the IHRA Hooters Drag Racing Series, as they stormed to their unprecidented 10th straight victory this year at New England Dragway two weeks ago.

Millican defeated finalist Bruce Litton for the eighth time this season, 4.73/316 to 5.06/250.

Millican again qualified on top at 4.74/296 and took a tyre smoking round one single when Roger Dean broke. A second round 4.90/295 defeated Louie Allison.

The win enabled Millican to take a 209 point lead in the point standings, with just two events remaining on the schedule.

Mitch Stott won for the first time this year, defeating Shannon Jenkins on a holeshot in the Pro Mod final round, 6,31/225 to a quicker 6.29/222.

“The Radiac Maniac’qualified in the quick field third at 6.22/227 and defeated Pat Moore in the opening round before knocking off 2000 and 2001 Pro Mod series Champs Fred Hahn and Mike Janis.

Jenkins struggled in qualifying, posting a 12th best effort of 6.31/219.

The Iceman helped his title chances in the opening frame when he knocked off season-long point leader A1 Billes. He took the point lead by posting a round two victory over Tiiomas Patterson. Jenkins then bested Ed Hoover in a battle between the best nitrous cars in the class.

18 Saplefflber 2002

One on the board: Mitch Stott finally made it to the 2002 Pro Mod Winner’s Circle.

(Photo by David Ostaszewski) Brian Gahm extended his points lead in Pro Stock with a final round victory over Elijah Morton.

In a battle of Ford Mustangs, Gahm’s 814 cubic inch monster powered to a 6.59/211 to 6.61/210 victory over Morton, who was making his second straight final round appearance.

Qualif^ng eighth at 6.57/210, Gahm rolled over opponents John Bartunek, low qualifier (6.52)Steve Williford, and Jeff Dobbins enroute to his thrid victoy of the season.

Jason Collins, driving a Mercury Cougar, set a new IHRA Pro Stock world speed record during qualifying at 214.42 mph.

Steve Stordeur chipped off a little more off of Doug Vancil's point lead in Nitro Harley at Epping, closing the gap to just nine points.

Stordeuer, the number one qualifier at 6.38/205 defeated Mike Romine and Mark Cox before stopping Mark Connor in the final round,6.44/213 to 6.65/197.

Conner cut a .482 light in the final round, compared to the .633 reaction time of Stordeur and looked to be on his way to victory unto the bike slowed at 1000 feet.

He had defeated Vancil in the opening round and downed Johnny Mancuso in the second.

Jimmy Rector also added to his point lead, stopping rival. Dale Brand in the Alcohol Funny Car final. In the fifth final this year between the pair. Rector took a close 5.84/241 to 5.86/241 victory, winning by only .027 seconds at the stripe.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

ANDRA changes A l_ATER-than-expected completion date has forced events scheduled for the new Sydney dragstrip dropped from the 2003 ANDRA Championship calendar.

The decision was made at ANDRA's AGM last month. Other items on the agenda included the ANDRA Contingency Programme.

Now named the ANDRA Racers Rewards, the system will be re introduced from October next year. n The third Checker-SchucksKragen flopper, piloted by Cory Lee, has been parked for at least the next three events during the NHRA POWERade Fall Swing.

The car, brought on by the team to stop any opponents, namely a TeamForce car, had qualified at both Brainerd and Indy events, but failed to eliminate any Mustangs.

Worsham's second round loss in Brainerd, along with his first round defeat in Indy, coupled to Force winning his third straight event has dramatically changed the point standings and running the third car is no longer warranted.

By qualifying at both events, the 'black' team kept Ron Capps and Whit Bazemore out of a race and that alone helped widen the gap in the standings between Worsham and the Skoal and Mateo teams.

In a related note, Johnny Gray, driver of the 'blue' CSK car, will remain as driver for the second team throughout 2003. n Joe Amato Racing has extended its deal with Bilstein Engine Flush Systems and owner, Marty Yacoobian Jr. for the next three seasons.

The multi-year deal will keep driver, Darrell Russell and current tuner, Wayne Dupuy, together throughout the tenure of the contract, Valvoline and Keystone Automotive will also return in an associate sponsor role with the team. n Eight-time U.S, Nationals winner, 'Big Daddy' Don Garlits, failed to make the Indy show in his radical, mono-strut, Mateo Tools dragster. On his final qualifying effort, Garlits recorded an all-time best of 4.736 seconds at a whopping 318.54 mph, much to the delight of fans.

The pass temporarily put him into the show, but one pair later, Japan's Yuichi Oyama knocked Garlits back out, silencing the crowd. n Star Racing has secured the backing of Mohegan Sun, a Connecticut resort and gaming establishment.

They will join the team as primary sponsor for the remainder of the 2002 season. The Mohegan Sun Suzuki, riden by Angelle Savoie, will debut at the next event in Reading.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI/STAFF 77

Goodwood Revival

Beneath a spooky sky: The field grids up for the Tourist Trophy race.

by EOIN YOUNG

(Photos by sutton-images.com)

Following in the footsteps: A feature of the 2002 Revival was a display of ex-Graham Hill cars, and son Damon, below, was on hand do demonstrate some of the machinery, including this BRM 261.

I

T was'Back to the Sixties' at the Goodwood Revival meeting, as Patrick Tambay and Henri Pescarolo in a 1964 4.7-litre Cobra took on a squad of lightweight E-Types in the one-hour, two-driver re creation of the Tourist Trophy on the old airfield circuit.

In a spirited display of sideways motoring by all concerned, Frank Sytner forced his Jaguar to the front and defied all the efforts of the French to get past until cubic inches finally counted and the French Cobra duo won.

Sytner and Willie Green shared Frank's 1955 Aston Martin DB3S to win the Freddie March Memorial Trophy, which began at 6.15pm Saturday. They raced for 90 minutes into the dusk as a lights-on gesture to the famous Nine Hour Races of the Goodwood past.

Barry Sheene was a huge favourite, deciding only four days before the event to stop in and race a motorcycle on his way to Mexico for cancer treatment.

He and Wayne Gardner diced for the Lennox Trophy and Sheene won. Interviewed on radio about his recentlydiagnosed cancer, Bazza said he believed in God. "God's a good bloke. He looked after me when I crashed at 1 SOmph at Daytona and when I crashed at 150mph in Silverstone and he's going to look after me now."

Bobby Rahal has been enjoying historic racing since he dropped out of the FI Jaguar management and he won the Glover Trophy in tail-out style in the 2.5-litre ex-Bruce McLaren 1964 Tasman Cooper-Climax entered by Bob Woodward.

Dicky Attwood was second, slowing in a borrowed BT4 Brabham that had boiled its coolant away. Attwood first motorsport news

HISTORICS

Twq mighty marques: A pair of classic Ferrari sports cars lead the fiedi away, above, while David Coulthard took time out from his duties with McLaren to drive the awesome Mercedes W196, left.

r

In case of fire: Even the emergency vehicles below, were in keeping with the historic spirit of the weekend ... raced at Goodwood in a Standard Ten and was entered in a BRM which broke in practice.

Rahal and Brian Redman are racing a 917 Porsche at the Le Mans historic weekend later this month.

"Brian asked me if I'd like to drive the 917 with him and I said 'Yeah, sure. You do the rain and the night and I'll do the rest ...'"

Redman maintains that's what he said to Rahal!

David Coulthard looked very 50s and smooth in his sparkling white overalls with nary a sponsor's patch to be seen. He was driving a 1955 MercedesBenz W196 and saying how there was a very fine line between holding the old Merc into a comer... and losing it and looking a complete idiot.

Lord March goes from strength to strength and, if this track meeting was short on name drivers, the amazing line up of top marques made up for 18 SeDiember 2002

it. I've never seen so many Ferraris, Maseratis, Lotuses, Coopers, Jaguars C, D and Listers, etc. in one paddock.

The usual array of sleek GTO Ferraris were absent at a GTO gathering in Europe.

Brian Lister was on hand to watch over the brace of exworks 4.7-litre Sunbeam Tiger GTs that he had built for Le Mans in 1964, one of which was driven by Kiwi FI BRM driver, Howden Ganley, who had driven to second place at Le Mans in a Matra with Francois Cevert in 1972. The other Tiger was driven by Peter Proctor, racing again at Goodwood for the first time since a fiery crash in 1966 left him scarred for life.

FI journalist Nigel Roebuck was wallowing in the nostalgia of the weekend when former motorcycle and GT racer Stuart Graham said "It's a reality fix, isn't it?" That summed up the weekend, really.

79

Four di

by BRIAN REED

Rennmaix founder honoured at: Creek THE HSRCA commemorated the contribution to Australian motorsport made by Bob Britton of Rennmax fame with a large display and parade of racing cars built by him at Eastern Creek on September 7/8.

Britton has just celebrated his 65th birthday and it is now well over 40 years since Bob started welding tubes in his backyard shed. That is where the Rennmax racing cars were born.

He actually built his first Cooper-style racing car in the mid-50s, but in 1960 he had enough work to become selfemployed. He went on to make ends meet in more ways than one.

Briton's first Rennmax used a Cooper engine and gearbox. His built the chassis based on a Lotus 21, with special rear uprights. In the hands of Noel Hall, the car first raced at Bathurst's 1962 Easter meeting and tasted victory in the NSW Road Racing Championship, two months later.

With more successes, Britton was soon in demand for his chassis building services from

the likes of Frank Matich and Alec Mildren. The success of Matich's Lotus 19 and BT7 Brabham and Mildren's Lotus 23 are well documented, thanks to Britton's engineering.

In 1965, he introduced his first Formula Vee design. Initially they were called a CB, but Formula Vee driver Bob Muir was first to rename his CB as a Rennmax.

Matich had Britton build the chassis and suspension for the

his SR3 series and travelled with Frank to the 1967 CanAm series in the US. Other drivers to taste success using a Britton-built chassis were Max Stewart of Australian Formula 2 fame, Lionel Ayers, Ray Hanger and Doug Macarthur.

Britton was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000, as acknowledgment for his role in Australia's motor racing development. But he, as a bloke who started welding wishbones, could walk through the pits anywhere and hardly be recognised. "And that's just the way I like it."

And at 65 yrs old will he give it away?

"I was working on a car till late Friday night, so I'll keep going until they come to take me away and that won't be in a chassis neither."

"Why the name Rennmax, Bob?" The reply was quick.

"Well,'Renn' in German means 'racing' and racing to the 'max' sounds good, doesn't it?"

It sure does. Bob. It always has.

- MARSHALL CASS

ONE of the most honest and endearing of all sports cars, the MG B celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. The 'B' was first released at the 1962 London Motor Show and was an instant success.

Fitted with the BMC 1798 cc Bseries engine, MG’s latest produced 95bhp and was capable of lOSmph (168km/h).

The car’s racing potential was soon realised, and at Le Mans in 1963 a lone MG B scored the company’s fifth class win, averaging 148.06km/h for the 24 hours.

Such was its popularity that by 1964 the MG B was selling at the rate of 30,000 a year overseas.

That same year a works MG B won the GT category of the Monte Carlo Rally, came third in class at Sebring and won the Motor Trophy at Le Mans, averaging almost lOOmph (160kmdi).

MG B won the 1965 Brands Hatch 1000-Mile race outright and finished 1-2-3 in class. In that same year the MGB GT was introduced.

1966 was especially busy in competition, and MG Bs scored category wins in the Targa Florio and Spa 1000km race, plus class

They’re

Take it to the Max: The Biirridge Rennmax 23B looms up on Naylor's Rennmax BN7 F2 carfrom 1975, left.

It was Rennmaxes ofall shapes and sizes, top, racing to honour the marque’s creator.

Bob Britton, above.

(Photos by Marshall Cass)

Young blokes in a 504: The Hannu Mikkola/Jei motorsport news

HISTORIC5

ecades of the MG B British Racing Red: The MG B remains one of the most popular and enduring sportscars in the world. wins in the Sebring 12-hour, the Circuit of Ireland, the Montlhery lOOOkms and the Rothmans 12hour race at Surfers Paradise. The 84-hour Marathon at the Nurburgring was a stunning outright victory for a works MG B, it being the only GT car to finish the gruelling event.

The impending takeover by Leyland in 1968 would bring to an end the racing activities of MG, but not before the ‘B’ scored class wins at Sebring, the Monza lOOOkms and the Spa Sports Car GP in 1967. Six lightweight bodies were made for 1967, and one was fitted to a ‘B’ which ran well in the

Targa Florio that year. The remaining bodies became part of Leyland’s ever growing stock of unused components.

Production of the MG B eventually reached 250,000 by 1971, and testimony of the popularity of the marque can he gauged by the fact that all-MG races still form part of historic race meetings today.

THE MG Car Club Geelong will celebrate the occasion with a 40th *B’ Birthday with a Show & Shine and BBQ/picnic as part of the Head of the River on Sunday,22 September.

Members will gather at the old Belmont Bowling Clubhouse under the James Harrison Bridge at 1030am for departure at Ham. (Enter from Barrabool Rd. opposite the caravan park). Parking has been arranged, and the cluh will move into position as a group.

Then, on Sunday, September 29 the celebrations will continue when Geelong members join force with the Melbourne club at the Rob Roy hillclimb venue for a BYO picnic and BBQ. The Geelong club is asked to assemble at the North Geelong railway station at 8-30am for a 9 o’clock cavalcade to Melbourne.

tough, these old 504s

n Todt 504 in Morocco in 1975.

18 SBptemlier 2002

VETERAN race and rally driver George Bevan has competed in Round Australia rallies, the London to Sydney Marathon, several charity 'bashes,' about 10 Targa Tasmania rallies and a couple of Six-Hour races at Eastern Creek for good measure. And he's not one who is prepared to take the easy way out.

On the recent Australian Safari, Bevan entered a most unlikely vehicle in the 4500km enduro - a well-worn and rather battered Peugeot 504 - the only car in the field. Not surprising it came in on the end of a tow rope one day, and the clutch said 'enough' on another. A replacement was to be flown into White Cliffs from Adelaide until George discovered the pilot didn't have a licence to fly at night, so Plan B was invoked and the various clutch pieces were gathered and pressed back into place to enable the old war horse to continue.

Then on the final day, with only the two-kilometre course to cover at the

Bathurst Showgrounds, the old 'Pug' dropped a drive shaft within sight of the chequered flag. The crowd and his fellow competitors were urging him on, and one of the motorcycle riders found the missing bit on the infield and returned it to the owner.

Somehow George and his co-driver managed to attach the shaft, and the ailing Peugeot struggled home to finish, much to the delight of the crowd.

George's other main contribution to the Safari was to come to the rescue when the event's helicopter was involved in a tangle with a tree while the camera crew was filming the action from above. George was able to arrange a replacement and within 20 minutes the show was back on the road (or in the air!)

Co-founder of the Safari, Tom Snooks said George was a hero and although the event was only at the halfway mark, he should immediately be declared the winner!

- BRIAN REED

Rob Roy reborn Good news for historic hillclimb followers is that Victoria's Rob Roy hillclimb has been given a new lease of life. A further 10-year lease has been granted, ensuring the popular location will continue to offer first class hillclimbing well into the future.

Site improvements have already commenced with fencing and tree planting as well as the concreting of the scrutineering bay surface. Other trackside safety measures are also being carried out. n The Historic Rob Roy Hillclimb scheduled for November 24 will feature the final round of the Three Hills Trophy and the, Conductors Anciens. It is also hoped that Dean Butler's 4WD Miller and his E.R.A. RIB will take part. The E.R.A. is a very famous car, having being originally purchased in 1935 by British ace Dick Seaman. n Entries are now open for the RACV "Fly the Flag Tour" to be held next year from March 22-28. It's a 'red plate' event catering for veteran, vintage, classic and modern classic vehicles over 25 years old.

The 2003 event, which is to be organised by the All British Classics Car Club and supported by the Association of Motor Clubs and the Federation of Veteran, Vintage and Classic Vehicle Clubs will be a lead up to a significant event being planned for 2004 as part of the RACVs centenary celebrations. In early 2004 it is proposed to retrace the first major rally conducted in Victoria by the Automobile Club of Victoria in 1904, Participants in the 2003 'Fly the Flag Tour' can take in all seven days or it is possible to enter on a daily basis. Enquiries - Frank Douglas (03) 8704 2533 or Brian Kelly (03) 9790 2847. n Penrite Oils boss John Dymond has tracked down an early owner/driver of his Brabham BT15 Ford t/c who was reunited with his old car at the Eastern Creek Historic meeting on September 7-8. Back in the late 1960s and early '70s, Dutchman Jan Bussell campaigned the Brabham extensively in S.E. Asia, including winning the 1968 Macau GP. Bussell sold the car to New Zealander Howden Ganley who was a mechanic for Bruce McLaren at the time. Ganley planned to run the Brabham as a Formula Junior, but picked up a key job with a race team in the USA and the car sat unused in New Zealand for 25 years.

This was where Dymond found the Brabham and after a total refurbish, the BT15 is back in action again.

- BRIAN REED 81

■atlonal

scene

'V'?'

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Graham conquers QLD

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HE Ford KartStars Series headed to Ipswich’s Willowbank Raceway for the final round of the 2002 series last weekend.

Clint Cathcart had assured himself of overall series honours with victory in the fourth round, but the battle was sure to be fierce for the following three places, all of which are also rewarded with a Formula Ford test and a shot at the two Ford-backed drives in next year’s Australian Formula Ford Championship.

Heading into the final round, Taz Douglas, Scott Auld and Adam Graham were separated by only two points in their battle for second, while Jace Lindstrom was lurking only 16 points further adrift.

Graham fired the opening shot with a blistering qualifying lap (49.276s) to claim pole position by nearly a quarter of a second from Auld (49.494s), Chris Vander Drift (49.507s), Lindstrom (49.513s) and Douglas (49.523s). Local hotshoe Peter Jenkinson was impressive, being sixth quickest (49.531s) ahead of Cathcart (49.614s).

Everyone’s fears were realised in the first heat when Graham simply drove away from the field, his complete dominance bringing back memories of the third round where he claimed fastest time and utterly dominated every race.

Auld and Vander Drift briefly fought for second until the former broke away, leaving the Kiwi to hold off Lindstrom and Jenkinson.

Mid-race Lindstrom foimd his way into third, but was usurped by Jenkinson shortly thereafter.

Graham cruised to a comfortable win in front of Auld, Jenkinson, Estasy, Lindstrom and Vander Drift. Douglas, Andrew Torti and newly-crowned National Rotax Light Champion Josh Arandt followed.

Graham continued his

dominance in the second heat, with Auld holding on a little longer and staying a little closer, but the result was ultimately the same.

Adrian Estasy moved ahead of Jenkinson, with Douglas and Troy Woolston fifth and sixth respectively.

Auld finally saw clean air at the start of the third heat, jumping into the lead ahead of Jenkinson and Estasy. Graham fell to fourth but quickly despatched Estasy then Jenkinson before setting out after Auld, who had broken away from the field. It only took a few laps for the gap to disappear and Graham slid into the lead, which he held to the flag. Estasy passed Jenkinson for third with Douglas, Woolston and John Grother behind.

The start of the Pre Final saw Jason Varley sent spinning infield from mid pack as the field crossed the start line. Up front, Auld again grabbed the lead ahead of Graham, Estasy and Jenkinson.

The fight for the lead was enthralling, with the gap between Auld and Graham barely more than a couple of kart lengths for the entire race.

Auld’s determination prevailed, and Graham suffered his first defeat for the weekend. Once again Estasy, Jenkinson and Douglas followed, with Parker and Woolston ahead of Lindstrom.

Series leader Clint Cathcart was the big mover, coming from the rear to 14th after suffering three mechanical DNFs in the heats.

Starting from grid two in the Final, Graham leapt into the lead from the start. Auld quickly slotted into second ahead of Jenkinson and the hard-charging Parker.

On only the second lap Estasy and Douglas were fighting for fifth position and touched going through the kink on the main straight.

Douglas was left spinning in front of the following pack, which miraculously managed to avoid

Best under the sun: Queensland turned on the weather, and Adam Graham, #66, responded, above. A few competitors made him work for his wins (Photos by Simon Adams) though, including local Scott Auld, below.

V r-y /

him. He rejoined in last place, losing nearly half a lap in the process, and with his points haul seriously dented.

At the head of the field, Graham was holding onto a narrow lead in front of the determined Auld.

Jenkinson was in third place before Estasy made his way past Parker for fourth, and then into third. Lindstrom was fighting for sixth with Vander Drift as Cathcart closed in on them.

Auld continued to harass Graham for the lead as Estasy settled into a comfortable third.

Parker, Lindstrom, Vander Drift,

Cathcart and Kel Treseder formed a close pack as Jenkinson’s efforts counted for nought, an electrical problem halting his impressive charge. Graham held off Auld to take victory while Estasy finished a lonely third.

After starting 14th, Cathcart did well to take fourth ahead of Vander Drift. Lindstrom’s sixth place was enough for fourth in the series, as Douglas could only climb back up to 18th place after his early incident. 'Treseder was close behind in seventh, wth Torti getting the better of Grother and Ben Walter.

FORD KART STARS SCOREBOARD ZOOS

Round Five -Queensland 15/09/02

82

1. Adam Graham

7. Kel Treseder

2. Scott Auld

8. Andrew Torti

3. Adrian Estasy

9. John Grother

4. Clint Cathcart

10. Ben Walter

5. Chris VanDerDrift

11. John Martin

6. Jace Lindstrom

12. Josh Arandt

Final Points Standings 2002.247 11. John Martin

.386 1. Clint Cathcart 2. Adam Graham . . . .372 .366 3. Scott Auld 4. Jace Lindstrom . . .331 .328 5 Taz Douglas.

6. Chris Vander Drift .310 .297 7. Nick Parker , .289 8. Jason Varley .280 9. Josh Arandt , 10. Troy Woolston . . .263

12. Adrian Estasy . . .241 237 13. Ben Guest 14. Kane Wiltshire . . .226 .224 15. Ben Walter 16. KelTeseder 219 17 John Grother . . . .218 .214 18 Andrew Torti 19 Tony Chambers . .212 212 20 Glen Savilie

moiorsport news

NATIONAL

Brute Strength pays off

by MARK GLENDENNING

JAMES Brock and Gavin Harvey kept their family names at the top of the timesheets by claiming victory in the Great Aussie Ute Race that supported the Sandown 500 two weeks ago.

The duo topped a star-studded field that featured many familiar names from other sides of racing, including 1980 FI champion Alan Jones, who shared a Ford AU with Allan Grice, and retired 500cc legend Daryl Beattie, who slotted into a Ford with former NRL man Jack Elsegood.

The event was split into three races, with each driver taking a turn in one of the two 15-minute openers before sharing the duties in the 20-minute final.

Brock had the car for race one, and made good progress from eighth on the grid to claim third place behind the Floldens of Rod Wilson and Stephen Robinson.

The slightly greasy track played havoc in a category not known for 'after you, sir' driving

techniques, and a number of vehicles, which were all decked out with new Carryboy canopies for the weekend, were left to limp home - if they made it that far.

Flarvey was in the car for the second outing, and spent much of the race locked in a gripping three-way battle for fourth against Steve Cramp (Holden) and Glenn Gilbert (Ford). Cramp went on to take third behind Paul Stokell (Holden) and Charlie Kovacs (Holden), while Harvey was eventually forced to settle for fifth.

Stokell's run at the front was a lonely one that saw the Nations Cup Lamborghini driver take the flag nine seconds clear of Kovacs. While he said later that he had enjoyed his run in the ute, he did later admit that taking such a commanding win and avoiding the elbow-to-elbow stuff behind him may have robbed him of some of the real V8 BRute racing experience!

Harvey was at the steering wheel for the start of the final, and took advantage of a front row starting position by grabbing the lead on the opening lap and

Sandown 0

0

September6-8 2002

Brute strength or bloodlines? Harvey, left, and Brock, right, make sure everyone knows exactly where they finished the race ... (PhoiosbyOirkKiynsmiih) setting the scene for Brock to drive the team home to victory.

Despite organisers electing to shorten the race slightly, Harvey and Brock were able to claim a relatively comfortable win over Rod Wilson (who was in a Holden with Gary McDonald) and Cramp, who had shared the drive with Denis Cribbin.

"We had a race plan which

was to move to the front and establish the lead, and it paid off," beamed a delighted Harvey.

"James drove really well and I was fortunate enough to put us in a good position at the start."

Wilson, who had missed race two after a record-quick radiator swap (that involved ripping the radiator out of his 2001 Championship-winning ute that was on display on the concourse and popping it into the race car!) left McDonald just 10 seconds short of being able to grid up for the start, was equally stoked with his result.

"Gary and I are good mates from the Championship last year, and I'm just rapt, really rapt," he said.

"To come here and do this and finish second is just unbelievable!"

9.

83

Quintarelli close WITH just one round to go, Italy's Ronnie Quintarelli has eked out a small lead in the Cl K-FIA Formula Super A World Karting Championship, The fourth round at Salbris, France, on September 8 saw Tony Kart's former world champion Davide Fore finally score a win.

Fore (Tony KartA/ortex) took out Final One ahead of Carlo van Dam (Trulli/Vortex) and Marco Ardigo (Birel/TM). Quintarelli (Birel/TM) took fifth, then bounced back in Final Two to lead Fore over the line with Giedo Van der Garde (CRG/Maxter) third.

■ A race meeting for disabled drivers will be held in Portugal next month. Tagged 'ParaKart 2002', organisers hope this will be the first of many international karting events for disabled drivers. Portugal's former FI driver Pedro Lamy is supporting the event which is expected to attract around 100 drivers from all over Europe, including amputees and people with various levels of paraplegia. All of the twin engined 400cc machines will be fitted with purpose-built hand controls.

■ The Dunlop City of Melbourne Titles on October 5 and 6 will carry a $1500 first place prize for the senior feature class. Formula Australia Pro. The Junior feature class is Junior National Light with $1000 up for grabs.

■ A number of Australians competed in the 24 hour Pro Kart race in Singapore recently.

A group of Australians, Troy Hunt, Andrew Tomlinson, Geoffrey Grant and Gary Holt, finished second, although their first driver. Hunt, was involved in an incident on the opening lap and took no further part.

The current champions, Snap-Qn McGee Racing, won the wet race by 12 laps.

■ Melbourne's Ben Small has taken out the Junior Clubman title at the annual Junior Sprint Classic at Puckapunyal, Victoria. Small (Tony Kart) headed a group of karts across the line after a classic race that had seen positions change regularly throughout the final.

Andrew Budge took second with Shane Price and James Love next.

Robert Munnerley continued his great form of 2002 taking the Rookie win ahead of Justin Mancuso.

National Champion David Sera won Junior National Light while Jason Pringle took out Heavy.

Daniel Wells and Stacey Trainer scored victory in the respective Cgrade divisions.

Sera also won the Junior National Pro event while Chaz Mostert and Adam Lindstrom split the Midget wins.

- MARK WICKS

Melbourne to be karting's Domain NEXT year’s Road King Karting Series will kick off with a round through the streets of Meibourne!

The layout runs down part of busy St Kilda Road and through the Kings Domain garden on Linlithgow Avenue, circulating the Weary Dunlop monument.

Melbourne City Council is behind the meeting and are expecting 20,000 people to witness the event.

The Melbourne meeting is being tagged the jewel in the crown of the four round Road King spectacular and will kick the series off on May 3 and 4.

At this stage a title sponsor for the series has not been signed, and while this year’s sponsor. Ford Racing, has first option, there are two others in the pipeline.

- MARK WICKS \l

KINGS ...^ DOMAIN f

AKINGS DOMAIN

RAY Sidebottom continued his winning ways in round five of the Future Tourers Championship at Sandown two weeks ago, adding another pair of victories to his ledger.

It was an eventful weekend for the sedans that began when they were stripped of their wings after a late intervention from CAMS, and continued on with a number of inciden

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Sorry, didn’t see you there: The race is only a few corners old and already it’s ‘Game On’ in GTProduction land.

(Photo by Dink Khmm iihl DARYL Coon was in dominant form to take both wins in the latest GT Production round at Sandown two weeks ago, but all eyes were on the battle further down the field between series leaders Colin Osborne (Toyota Celica VVTLi) and Steve Cramp (BMW 323i) Just 11 point splits the pair after Osborne volunteered to take a time penalty for punting Cramp during the race. The decision has likely saved Osborne's lead in the series, as the other likely penalty for such

an indiscretion would have been a substantial points deduction b y the stewards.

But at the front, Coon (Falcon XR6)-was doing it easily.

Lumped in with the four-cylinder camp, he quickly dealt with the field and went on to take the win ahead of Cramp and David Russell (Proton Satria).

Coon was again first across the line in race two, fol lowed by Scott Leadsman (Holden VX SS V8) and the VW Beetle RS of Steven Grocl.

- MARK GLENDEIMIMIIM G

the track.

Tim Shaw took pole in the Age/Toll Commodore, but was among five cars who were caught out when the first race began one minute early and was not allowed to take his grid position. He was forced to start from the back with the other offenders, and in his attempts to make up the deficit was black-flagged for kerb hopping.

Sidebottom was left to take an asy win in the APS VX mmodore, ahead of the VS of

Mark Sutherland, who just nosed out Shannan Sidebottom.

Sidebottom enjoyed another flag-to-flag win in race two, beating Bruce Williams and Mark Papendell, both in VS Commodores.

Shaw was again on the receiving end of a black flag, but elected to ignore it and remain on the circuit, whereupon he became involved in a number of incidents.

He was later disqualified.

-MARKGLENDENNING

NATIONAL SCENE

Hooray for Matt MATTHEW Coleman won the Porsche Cup war at Queensland Raceway last weekend,taking the Bob Jane T-Mart 996 GT3 to a second place that was enough to wrap up the Championship.

Coleman sealed the title In race one when he finished behind Nations Cup regular Peter Fitzgerald in the VIP Petfoods 996 GTS Cup car, edging out rival Jonathon Webb's Tekno Autosport's GTS

by just over half a second.

Wrapping the title up early turned out to be a stroke of luck, for Coleman, who managed to complete just one full lap in race two before being sidelined.

Wayne Hennig took the win in the Noosa Cat GT2 after taking the lead from Fitzgerald early in the race. Fitzgerald held on to chase him all the way to the flag though, claiming second place just 0.6s in arrears and leaving Webb to a relatively lonely third.

nn

I won the title, I torched the can Race two perhaps didn’t go Coleman’s way, but by that point it no longer mattered to the new Champ.

(Photo by Dirk Klynsmilh)

IVIsny MGs, one result TWO races produced identical podiums in Roimd Six of the 2002 Kumho Tyres MGF Series at Queensland Raceway last weekend.

The early pacesetter was Jamie Cartwright, who stuck the Gold Coast MG-X Power car on pole for the first race, but when the chequered flag waved it was Chris Oxley (Bushley Pty Ltd) who was leading ahead of Cartwright and Mark Williamson (Bluestone Mortgages).

There was a little more space between the cars when they greeted the finish line for race two, but the order was the same. Oxley made it two from two, ahead of Cartwright and Wilhamson, who survived the efforts of Adam Bressington to dislodge him from the final step on the podium.

Qaeenslad

; i i A race with overtaking! RIcclardello slips his Alfa past the speedy Saab of Flossack.

(Pholo by Dirk Klynsmilh)

Alfa bravo TONY Ricciardello was unstoppable in the latest round of the Reward Insurance Australian Sports Sedan series at Queensland Raceway last weekend,taking his Alfa Romeo GTV/Chev to a pair of wins as his opponents collapsed aroimd him.

The West Australian was beaten off the line by polesittter Kerry Baily(Nissan 300 2X)but gave chase and took the lead when Baily looped it. Despite the keen attentions of Darren Hossack (Saab)and Andrew Fawcett (Jaguar XKR Transam), and the added interruption of the Safety Car after Baily struck further troubles, Ricciardello was able to take a commanding win.

KARTING 0inCOMING EVENTS

Shared spoils Falcons forever

GARY Young and Grant Park hogged the top two steps of the podium in the Mitsubishi Mirage Series at Sandown two weeks ago, with each taking a win and a second place.

Young, above, took the lead on the second lap of race one after James Dutton looped out of the picture, and held his position to the end. Park chased him home to finish just 0.4s down the road, with Peter Leemhius taking third.

Park took the lead from Young early in race two and was never headed, leaving Young to fight of a determined Yanis Derums to retain second place.

- MARK GLENDENNING 18 Sepiemlier 2002 -

FALCONS dominated the latest CSA Saloon Car round in Ipswich last weekend.

EA Falcons occupied every step of the podium in all three races. Scott Nicholas, below, was the best of them, winning all three races, while fastest qualifier Jake Camilleri was forced to settle for a second (race one) and third (race two).

Craig Yates also made two visits to the podium, claiming third in races one and three, while the others to make the honour roll were Bruce Heinrich (race two) and Peter Dane (race three).

Fawcett briefly stole second from Hossack on the final lap, but surrendered the position after spinning at the final corner and settled for third. , Ricciardello looked like he was in for a tough time in race two when Hossack look an early lead and made the Saab as wide as he could over the next few laps to thwart Ricciardello’s efforts to get past. It came undone at around half distance though, when the Saab was sidelined by a shock rocker failure.

Ricciardello inherited the lead and took off for an easy win, leaving a back-on-song Baily to take second ahead of Bemie Gillon’s Mustang.

- MARK GLENDENNING

21/22 Sept Australian Kart Titles — Numurkah 27 Sept

Top Gun (Friday) Night meeting — Oakleigh

29 Sept

Clubday

5/6 Oct

City of AVelhourne Titles^^

12/13 Oct

Todd^R^ad^ummmm

_

K

Begonia City Titles- Ballarat

For further information on any of the above events call the Victorian Karting Association

03 5449 0302 .r 03 93021144 WYVTV.vka.asn.au vka@bl40.aone.net.au 85

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STROKER CRANKSHAFT World's leaders in Motorsport Safety Technology Helmets ● Suits ● Boots ● Gloves ● Harnesses ● Crew Gear ● and all accessories for all motorsports Quality ● Price ● Service Simpson Safety Equipment Australia 91 Rookwood Road Yagoona NSW 2199 Ph 02 9791 6001 Fax 02 9791 6002 AUSTRALIAN

DISTRIBUTORS

COMPETITION Ferrea STAINLESS & TITANIUM \7/VL\7£S

VALVES, RODS & GUDGEON PINS OimFORMANCE

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Telephone (03) 9474 0900 Fax (03) 9474 0999

00^lj&!03msrrs3££dlMi3jm Easy to fit Extra Power Max Engine Protection Used by the Mitsubishi Ralliart WRC team.

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AUSTRAL

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iMANLEm ante OBmmnd the basti High performance engine components lor over 30 years.

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Ameriran Tire & Racing Service 02 9790 7578 Performance Wholesale 07 3808 1986

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www.performancewholesale.com.au

Motonport Connections 02 9838 7272

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SM^I AUSTRA

Ph. 02 9758 1068

Xbo$ier

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Contact your state distributor...

Hardiman Auto Supplies (02)9771 5877 Molorsport Connections (02) 9838 7272 (03)9794 5177 Victorian Speed Pro Performance Wholesale (07) 3808 1986 (08)8363 5566 Crane Technologies Cogear Racing Services (08)9443 4400

amuaesTone Cor Mountain Hwy & Stud Rd Bavswater VIC 3153 Tel 03 9720 oaaa

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Email sales@simpsonraceproducts.com.au

Sunk t/m Seniee ● Repairs to all brands ● RevalAB/replaDement shafts ● Rpiio Service ● Technical Support

Factory 9,19-25 Grange R(3 Cheltenham VIC Ph 03 9585 5340 Fax 03 9585 5320

Steel Main Caps to suit most V8 applications

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● 4 programmable shill lights K ● bar graph display/digilal tachometer 1 ● peak RPM recall ● engine hour meter ' ● waler/shock resistant ● automatic lap timing ● speed sensor ● up to 4 thermo cougle inputs ● reads up to 8 temperatures & pressure ● data logging ● made in South Australia

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ENGINE BE)

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VIC 37A Fenton SI Oakleigh 3166 Ph;03 9543 6222 Fax; 03 9543 6244 OLD 3/26 Expo Crt Ashmore 4214 Ph/Fax:07 5531 0181 NSW 2/109 Airds St Minto NSW 2566 Ph; 02 9820 4255

Crankshafts ^

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Classifieds online classifieds

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Fm6 hundreds more race vehicles and parts for sale at www.my105.com

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your motorsport vehicle, parts, memorabilia \with our all-new combined magazine/internet classified service.

Courtesy of an agreement between Motorsport News and internet classified service my105.com, your advertising will appear in both for as little as $25.

Yes 6 months on my105.com AND one insertion in Motorsport News for just $25! HOW?

Just log on to www.my105.com and follow the prompts!

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LOG ON NOW — IT’S THE SMART WAY TO SELL YOUR EQUIPMENT!

Sedans/Sports Cars

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X. &

2000 Aussie Car winner Commodore Ute, 23 Point cage, 300+HP V6, Proflex suspension, fully equipped, recently rebuilt.

Ready to race and meticulously maintained. Spares package negotiable. $26,000. Paul 0412 259 207 241 www.myl 05.com/50810

Mazda RX7 Series 7, Ready for GTP or eligible for Bathurst 24hr ( no data loga fitted) comes with a package of spare parts. Chrome Molly cage, MoTeC M4 Pro. $45,000 ONO. Paul (02) 4877 1677, 241 www.my105.com/24864

Complete Package Supercar & Transporter, Ex Valvoline, Scania. 41ft anex & lighting , Sleeper cab. Roller ramps & winch. Chrome Rims, A/ic Lie. V8 Supercar, Benson Motor, Motec Dash, Ohiin Shocks by 4, VT Uprights, Setups Endurance & Sprint rounds, Lots of good spares. $135,000 Neg. Gary 08 9397 0317 0419 935 107 241 www.my105.com/90299

Nissan GTR R33 V-SPEC,The ultimate road car or make it your ultimate race car.

Black/purple colour, excellent condition.

High end sound system. Will consider race car trade. $49,000 Neg. Richard 0419 412 828 241 www.my105.com/82903

Torana Sports Sedan LJ, Modified P76 V8 powered, borg warner transmission and diff, 4 wheel disc brakes, 16 x 10 wheels, spares include engine, gearbox dIff, panels wheels. Oran park 2001 enduro piacegetter, reliable simple car. $11000 ONO, trailer to suit available $2000 Kevin 0417 405 590 241 www.my105.com/8075 Ford Cortina MK1, Lotus block and rods.

105e head, twin 45mm webers. log book, fresh engine, ready to go. Plenty of potential, must sell to make way for new project. $8,850 ONO. Leo 0410 474 238.

241 www.myl05.com/92180

CELICA GT4 GRP A TARGA CAR, Run 3 Targa Tasmania's. Prior to these events it's had engine and gearbox rebuilds, new springs/struts, brakes. Three sets wheels, tyres. Terratrip, Terraphone, 6 point, Momo seats great car. Need garage space for new car. $25,000 Neg. David 0411 747 821 241 www.myl 05. com/58809

I Nissan GTR V-Spec N1, Vehicle is ready for Targa Tasmania, Rally Tasmania, and other circuit events. 2 intercoolers, 4 turbos, N1 disc rotors. Engine just been freshened up and yet to be un in. Has not competed in any events since the engine been back together. $75,000 ONO. Leo 0418 145 111 241 www.my105.com/62981

18 Septemlier 2002

PORSCHE 944 CHALLENGE, This is the current series winning 944 Porsche, holding a number of lap records. All the best parts, bilsteins, coil overs, fresh engine and gearbox, secure the car now by deposit and take delivery after the fi nal round of Vic state chamionships. $43,000 Call Brendan on 0419 818 788 241 WWW. my 105.com/43071

Group C Coopers 1300cc, split Webbers Mini Lites, original log book, very tidy, all the trick gear. $15,000. Garry. (02) 6662 8111 / 0428 48 0 8 99. 240 www.my105.com/20366

Capri GT V6, original total rebuild by Mike Vandenrydt, rust free body, best in state.

NC log book. Cams reg cage, all new parts, never raced. Track tested only, ready to go, historic racing or classic rally. $44,000 0438 383 9 57 , 240 www.my105.com/20365

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tr 71 -

LH Torana Club Car, Dry Sump, full floating 9 inch diff, big brakes, fresh paint, sell less engine and box $6,950, or ready to race with chev 327 and Tilton clutch plus toploader $11,950 - must sell. (02) 6374 1303. 240 www.my105.com/20367 m.

Toyota Celica Sports Sedan, Rear wing, front spoiler, adjustable coilover suspension, disk^brakes, slicks, extensively lightened, lexan windows, kevlar seat, 6 point harness, roll cage, 45 DCOE Webers, extractors, 2.5" exhaust, lightened flywheel, extended & baffled sump, spares, trailer reg Feb 2003, CAMS logbook, Oran Park 51s, Wakefield Park 1.14s. Ready to race. $7,500 ONO. Matthew. 02 4283 7757 / 0402 428 089 240 www.my105.com/14725

Torana Sports Sedan, Log booked, Nissan L28 Turbo, Motec fresh paint, mounted wet's, fresh motor and diff, heaps of spares, motor's diffs etc, tandem trailer. $18,000 ONO. Mark . (03) 9729 8241 240 www.myl05.eom/40538

Porsche 944 challenge , Ready to race at the pointy end all the good bits Bilstien coil overs, RSR lower control arms etc, with entry to Phillip Island round 31/8. $35,000.

Rod 03 5988 6266 240 www.myl05.com/28278

m 1973 FORD RS1600 ESCORT, Original AVO car, now prepared for Tarmac rallies with choice of fresh BDE/G engines brake and susp. setups,many original features plus 5 speed "dogbox", atlas axle, World Cup X member, compression struts, factory dry sump, etc.Can be pre or Post '71. Price Neg Depends on spec. 03 9817 1383 240 www.my105.com/79257 Raschella Racing, Moly Chassis, Glass front, doors and 1/4 panels. 35 spline full floating rear. 4 link AVO shocks 4 spot Wilwood calipers. Mark Williams axles.

New Hoosier front runners. All moulds for glass panels. Left hand drive, Simpson Belts. Car has run 6.68 @208mph, Neg. Nick, 0417 848 743 240 www.myl05.com/21358

Future Tourer EL Falcon, Ex GRM, Fresh engine, SVO block Carillla rods, steel crank rebuilt by SVO, Super TIO Gear Box, PPG Straight cut gears, 3 x diff ratios, mini spool & d/locker, new Bilstein shocks, Harrop brakes. 2 sets of wheels, to placed Falcon in series, as raced by Kerry Wade, very tidy car. $55,000. (08) 9458 4586 or 0419 952 015. 240www.my105.com/35475

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Cortina MK1 1963 Historic Race Car. 1600CC crossflow 40mm Dellortos, LSD, noil cage, race seat, harness, new race tyre, can be road registered, very straight, original car in PC, brand new transporter inc. $16,000.

0414 397 609. 240 www.my105.com/23186

VR Commodore, new 5.7 injected, dry sump, motec, 5 spd, harrop front end and 6 pot brakes, 500+Hp, high torque low revving.

Reliable + low maintenance, well sorted,easy to drive. $45,000 ono. Steve: 07 3397 7833 b/h 07 3398 4692 a/h.

239 www.myl05.eom/20354

Mazda RX3, "Improved Production" RX3 4 door,13B bridgeport, Webber, electronic ignition, 5 speed, brass button clutch, vented disc brakes. Well sorted And Maintained, ultra reliable, very easy to drive.

Some spares,Lakeside 63sec, QR 1 mln.28s. Complete with trailer. $8,000. Lee 07-3984692 / 0403048893.

239 www.myl05.eom/20353 f-

RS 1600 Tarmac Rally Car, 2lt dry sump, alloy block BDA, Motec injection, Duaife 5 speed SCCR box, Tiiton clutch, Tranx LSD, Quaife floating axles, Bilsteins, Willwood 4 piston fronts Ford Motorsport rear discs, adjustable pedal box, seam welded, tumeted, Panhard bar, compression struts, one meeting since built, reluctant sale, build cost over $100,000. $69,500 ONO. Colin 0438 441 480. 239 www.my105.com/2036

EL FALCON XR6, Cage, AP Brakes, 300HP Engine, Locker Diff, C.Fibre T/Shaft, Fuel Cell. Spare Engine New, Gearbox, Rear End, Mlisc, 18 Wheelds & Tyres, Needs Front Guards & Bonnet. $20,000 Llynden 02 9829 8700 239 www.my105.com/20343

Torana SLR 5000 , with sponsorship deals to $4,000 inclusive. 500+Hp alloy Head Chev, Tremec, 9inch, 4w/Discs, 10 Point Cage, Drop Tank, Manley, Crane, Venolia, BG, Acell, Mallory, Tilton, Willwood, Koni, Sparco, Simpson, Spares, Trailer neg. Improved Production/Club Car, All Fresh. $25,000.

(08)8280 5150 239www.my105.com/20335

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'£)

HISTORIC FORMULA ATLANTIC, many spares incl. chassis and engine - easy to drive with all data supplied - Price depends on the package. Richard (02) 9999 3606.

240 www.105.com/20217

FORMULA FORD, NSW Championship winning 2001, '94 Swift, Peter Lamer race engine, with many spares, tyres, ratios, some suspension components, body mouldings, custom built trailer. $34,980 Neg Package. Duncan (02) 9707 1011. 240 www.105.com/20362

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Tiga FA 83 Repco-Brabham, Ex Alf Costanzo Porsche Cars, Winner 1985 AGP Formula Pacific support Race In Adelaide, Winner 1993 & 1997 Australian Hill Climb Championships plus numerous State Championships and outright track records. Ex Formula 1. Aluminium Konis, DG 300 gearbox, Salisbury 70/30 LSD, triple plate dutch, many spares including 3 sets wheels, suspension, springs, uprights, engine parts, body, gear ratios etc. Complete & very unique package. Awesome potential for Hilldimbing, Possibly eligible for Historic racing, AH assistance given to new owner. POA. Roger 0409 363 242. 240 www.105.com/8525

PUMA CLUBMAN 1300, toyota 3k,dry sump.twin Webbers,sprinter 5 speed,4 wheel discs,current log book,spare wheels, eastern creek 1.56,oran park gp 1.23,wakefield 70,very reliable, $6,900.(02) 427 21164 or 0417 665 238 240 WWW.105.com/15200

Open Wheelers

f Lotus Europa, damaged, no motor or gearbox, log booked, 1840cc Cosworth BDA, Porsche gearbox 640kgs. Fabricated suspension. ALG histories. $3,000. Colin 0438 441 480. 239www.my105.com/20361

SUPERKART ZIP EAGLE 250 NATIONAL, Rotax 250 cc single Very reliable and fast.

Fully rebuilt Jan 2002 Comprehensive Spares Barbagallo long circuit 62.6 seconds $6500 ONO. Spare Engine, Rotax 250 cc Single, Fully rebuilt, includes pipe. Ignition, carburettor, spares. $2950 ONO David (08) 9298 8501(AH) 241 www.105.com/98380

ELFIN 630B FORMULA ATLANTIC, Fresh Cosworth BDD ,FT200GB, completely race ready. Complete with trailer and spares, must sell. $45,000 ONO. Jon 0419 777 229 241 WWW.1 05.com/301 23

Lotus Super 7 STI Replica, 1500cc Ford Cosworth engine, twin side Draught Webers, black, red trim, low mileage, better than the original, has been road registered, currently unregistered, $37,000. (03) 9799 1683 or 0408 359 610 240 www.105.com/86732

XW online classifieds Category: □ Sedans □ Open Wheelers □ Parts □ Engines □ Trailers

□ Speedway

□ Wanted □ Photographs

□ Drag □ Other

□ Jobs

Description: Please keep ads to no more than 50 words, plus up to 6 photos if desired.

Elfin NG Formula Vee, immaculate current 5th Victorian runner, top HP Elliot engine latest body, comprehensive spare parts,long gearbox 2 sets wheels, suspension, professional built enclosed trailer. $12,000.

(03) 9588 0087 239 www.105.com/20334

riKFwaytosellyourgear!

From just$25* Instlog on

(*$25 applies to ads entered directly onto my105.com) Advertising can aiso be suppiied using thisform' ($10/$15surchageto text only/text -f pic advertisements) Advertisements wilt appear in next possible issue of"lolorsport Neivc PLUS the my105.com websitefor six months.

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NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS Please use the form provided and print clearty. Please note we are unable to return photographs supplied (or use in classified ads. Ads will appear as soon as possible after receipt. MN/my105.com dasstfleds are for the sale of private goods and vehicles only, not business adverting Photos marked "proor will not be used.

motorsport news

MARKET PLACE Super Sedan Ex NSW, auto meter gauges.

Charlyn Power Head Wilwood brakes reco, Bert Box fuel cell. Weld. Wheels Titon

r^ &

pedals, new Camaro body, light weight Franklin Diff, Fresh engine. Will sell without motor at $15,000 or with motor at $25,OOO.Russeil 0419 692 677. 239 www.my105.com/20341

n

Fomnula Vee, Just had engine completely rebuilt by Australian VW Performance (not raced since re-build). New paintwork, includes tandem trailer, Philip Island gearbox, spare chromed rims and tyres, Dorian timer and various shocks, brakes and suspension spares. Includes everything ready to race!

Can also supply RPM suit fireproofs and helmet. $8,900 Neal 0409 160 574 / (03) 5265 1073 239 www.105.com/20355

Sprintcar Avenger Roller, Winters diff. extra long spiine, Nieids steering box, new Outlaw fueitank. Excellent condition. $13,500. (03) 5942 7126 or 0419 511 976 239 www.myl 05.com/20349

23 ft Fully Enclosed Tandem, With stmt tailgate and two side doors with reg, new brakes.$4,300 Shane (03) 9728 3241 or 0419 371 286. 240www.my105.com/87332

www.myl05.eom/704 Magazines,480 x Auto Action $275,150 x Motorsport News $175,100 x NZ Motoring News $100,125 x Unique Cars $75. Glenn (09)5713 341.241 www.my105.com/85965 NEW Tillable Triaxle Trailer, Inside dimensions are height 5ft, width 6ft 6 inches, length 22ft. Spring loaded rear door with extra ramps, 240 & 12 volt lighting, Powerpoints, air compressor, black & white tiling and too many extra's to mention. removable. $12,000 Stickers (03) 9310 1466 BH 0400 424259 AH. 239 www.myl05.eom/20342

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Formula Ford, FF Vector MG95, Complete Race Package. Winner 1999 NSW Championship. Not raced since, 2 x fresh Lamer Engines, Ratios, Olins. adj. shocks, 3 sets wheels. Lomgacre scales.springs, everything needed to win. $32000. Wayne 02 4942 6177 / 0408 426177 239 www.105.com/20348

street Stock(SSAV98)XF, Quick + reliable car ready to race, new Redline roll cage, spares + tyres $5,500, Tandem Ramp car trailer storage + tyre rack $2,800 ONO. Paul (03) 9401 3953 or 0438 336 346 239 www.my105.com/20336 Avenger Sprintcar, Complete roller,' Winters diff, Nieids steering box, new outlaw fuel tank excellent condition. $13,500.

(03) 5942 7126 or 0419 511 976 239 www.myl05.eom/20349

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3

Dallara F3, 95/96, factory Novamotor Fiat, mounted wets.

Stack datalogger dash.continuing full maintenance program, spares package negotiable. $68,000 Graeme 03 5881 4411 BH e-maii: gkhracing@agspares.com.au www.105.com/20359

239

Speedway

Super Sedan Pontiac . Ford 302 Cleveland engine, ready to race, spare include 3 gearboxes and tyres, diff and spare front bumper, for quick sale. $3,200 ONO Allouise (08) 9410 0276 241 wvw.my 105.com/66982

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Super Sedan, fresh, strong methanol engine. P/steering, AFCO quick-steer. Alloy seat, Simpson harness, AFCO coil covers, Rayburn leaf rear end with 5th Arm, Fresh rubber, recall tacho. Heaps of spares.

Ready to Race. $6,500. (07) 5474 0109 or 0408 730 704 239Www.my105.com/20358

Engines Blue printed KT100S YAMAHA, KT100 S clubman motor, blue printed by J&A Tuning v/good engine raced once since last rebuild, C/W carby and headers. $1,400 240 www.myl05.eom/7064 Raschella Racing, 496 JP1- 5/8 Velasco crank. Brooks rods, K motion springs.

Titanium retainers, crane roller cam and lifters. Donovan gear drive, Hansen heads, 14:71 Littlefield blower. Bird injector, 990 pump, single plug, spares eight Venolia pistons, four new BRC pistons. Two sets rods twelve runs old. Spare roller cam, rings, bearings, gaskets and rockers. $28,000 Neg. Nick 0417 848 743, 240 www.myl05.com/9723

Transporters/Traiiers

-el.

Modified Production EL Falcon, Ex Aust 2, Tilton Wilwood pedals, autometer gauges, aluminium radiator, spare panels and all moulds requires engine and computer to finish off. $6,500. Darren 0428 710 833 240 www.my105.com/95879

87 Isuzu Transporter and Trailer, New tyres6, 160L fuel x 2, ex stainless air tank, 240V setup, CB, CD, H/freephone (Norki), elec brakes, inter, aluminium bins, air seat, Hayman Toro, 21 Pen Bam door/side door, Stoneguard, plus trailer, 16x8 merchandiser with sidedoor. $25,000 complete. (02) 9831 241 5140. www.my105.com/73351

0405-204-810 9XQ unjvw muin.5 rnm/2n3R2

18 September 2002

UNICHIP, Increase your Horsepower by this add on Chip. This chip was used in Safari once only, Repacement cost $550+. $375 ONO. Russell 03 9579 2166 / 03 9836 7331. 241 www.my105.com/27963 Koni Aluminium Racing Shocks, f8212 Special D , 4 off 350mm/240mm. Good order, checked by Koni. Suit Historic racing cars and others. Best offer over $2000.00 for the set. Peter 02 9873 1773. 241

Hlllclimb Wings and Hlllclimb Tyres, Pilbeam MP62/82 rear wing twosetsof flap arrangements. Support bracket and end plates included. Aluminium 1400 mm, P.Gumley-made carbon fibre/aluminlum front set with double flaps 1500mm, Best/offer over $2,000 for pair. Avon 9.0x20.0x13 A40 compound and 13x.24.4x13A39. Two complete carsets, less than 12 months, little use, Bestoffer.

Peter 02 9873 1773.241

DAF Prime Mover + 2 Car Pan, Must Sell. $60,000.

Kosi 0419 524 752 239 www.myl05.eom/20346

Wanted 4 X YOKOHAMA A032R 205/60x15, tyres (or similar), suitable for club level hlllcllmbs etc. Rodney 02 6332 4072. 24i www.myl05.com/88254 TRAILER WANTED, Lightweight single axle Trailer to suit historic rear engine openwheel racing car. Car weighs only 450kg and need internal dimensions 14' x 6', Require some cover so can be fully enclosed or at least weather-proof. Please call (02)9949 3996 home or(02)9499 3911 241 work. www.my105.com/37982

Jobs INTERNATIONAL DRIVER AVAILABLE, for 24 hr Bathurst. Ex-NZ Nat. champion sports sedans / Group A. Bathurst experienced. Fast, safe and good on gear.

Night driving and wet weather capabilities.

Front or rear wheel drive. Big or small hp.

Outright / Class contender. Long distance specialist. Team player with best attitude to win! Email Tony on autoshift@ihug.co.nz 24i www.myl05.eom/42098 An exciting sales position, is available at my105.com. Eligible person must have experience in one or more of the following fields: motorsport, performance car and auto markets. A car is essential, must have

www.myl05.com/81944

neat appearance and be well spoken.

Retainer and commission. Experience 2

Hewland Mk 9 gear ratios, Mk 9 gear ratios 18-34, 19-32, 20-30, 20-31, 20-32, 21-29, 22-28, 23-27, 23-28, 24-27, 25-27, 25-26, 24-24, $125-00 each. Quick lift jack to suit historic open wheeler $ 150.

03 5443 5720, 0419 371 289. 241 www.myl O5.com/18785

years in sales essential.

02 9648 Veronica www.myl05.com/68410

MoTeC Data logger/dash, full system including Loom, etc, extra logging capacity up-grade, as new. Hardly used. Drew (03) 9480 1122 or 04 1 8 3 1 2 5 87 . 240 www.myl05.eom/7073 Johnboy sprintcar chassis, etc, Johnboy sprintcar chassis, arms,stops,torsion bars, nerfs, fbi tank, filter & lines, front axle, engine plate ,hood & panels $2,500 7 Proshocks 1-7400, 3-7500, 1-9500, 19600, 1-946 $125 each 1 steel afeo 73 $60.

Craig 0417 823 866.

240 www.myl05.eom/20364 Chev Manifold, 2.3" me kay magnesium F5000 injection manifold,ex original brock monza s/sedan,with fuel rails, trumpets & oldl motec computer.$3,500 ONO plus vertex mag used once since service. $650 ONO. Andrew 02 9618-3002 or 0403 118 240 856. www.myl05.com/8241 Super Sedan Parts, 2 x Tel Tac suit Magneto x Electric ignition, 15 x Weld Wheels W5 12" x 5" offset with Rim Loc's, S/H tyres 28.5" to 32" American Racers.

0412 399 020 239 www.myl 05.com/7070

other

Super sedan chassis. New 101' super sedan chassis, leaf spring, afeo upper and lower control arms.wide 5 all round, speedway eng QC, speedway eng rack & pinion. Alloy tank, engine plates suit chev, 180'rap-over headers, Willwood pedals.

Firebird body.Enough to make complete roller sell complete $8,000.00 ono Ed

Parts

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OPINION

MNews vs the censors

motorspoit EDITORIRl STIFF Editor: Phil Branagan «editor@mnew5.com.au Assistant Editor: Aaron Noonan " noonz@mnews.com.au Staff Journalist: Mark Glendenning " mark@mnews.com.au

PRODUGTIOH Adv & Graphics Co-ordinator: Viv Brumby l viv@mnews.com.au

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IDMINISTRiriON Managing Director: Chris Lambden » publisher@mnews.com.au

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GOHTRIRUTORS FI: joe Saward, Adam Cooper Europe: Quentin Spurring, Gary Watkins, David Addison US: Phil Morris, Martin D. Clark 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 National: Mark Wicks, Sean Henshelwood, Erin McCowatt, Mark Jones Photographers: Sutton Motorsport Images, Dirk Klynsmith, Bothwell Photographic, Marshall Cass, Nigel Snowdon & Diana Burnett, API Images, Neil Hammond, Slipstream Photographic, Phil Williams, Allsport, John Morris/Mpix, Frank Midgley, Peter Bury, Mike Patrick (UK), 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

Parity is a dirty word!

It wasn’t always like that. In 1995 - 1996 it was quite acceptable to throw that word around. Actually, it was quite fashionable.

However, soon after the parity was achieved and Ford stopped winning races, the word became tahoo.

Only recently, the word reemerged, and only in your magazine. Hats off to MNews!

How the hell you got it through censors?

Just one little point if I may.

When the parity was finally accomplished in 1997, it was done by means of bringing Ford back to Holden. It was much cheaper that way.

Oldrich Firtl Parkdale, Vic

He who dies with the most autographs wins I have just returned home from watching the Friday practice at the Sandown 500, or should that be renamed Schoolies Day? You see, there were masses of school kids there with freebies ranging from posters to old race tyres. Kudos to the organisers! An excellent idea.

I wonder though, about the bloke who sat next to me and asked when Skaifey was on, then told me he got in for free by sneaking through a door.

Not that I blame him, as the ticket office was marked ‘Credentials Office’, hidden in a caravan and secreted behind some trees. As the motorsport afficionado left me, a F3 driver (lamentably I don’t know his name), and his crew came and sat in the stand near me to have lunch.

By now the kids, who knew nothing about motorsport, had

Unhappy viewer

converter Send us your thoughts: mail; PO Box 7072, Gardenvale, VIC 3186 fax: 03 9596 5030 email: mnews@mnews.com.au

associated ‘racing suit’ with ‘autograph’. They swarmed on him like Holden fans to a Peter Brock impersonator.

My hat goes off to the driver, who signed away like a mad VISA card holder, and left 10 minutes later with 60 happy kids and a bucket of cold chips.

As motorsport legend Alan Jones drove past, the kids then went critical and started signing each other’s shirts.

So Rick Bates now has a signature next to Toby Winter, Grade 4, and an arrow pointing downwards with the words ‘Poo comes out here.’

Ahh budding Mark Webbers, all of them.

See isn’t this what motorsport should be about, the people?

Oh, and there were some blokes driving around in noisy cars.

Chris Blaxhall cblax@iprimus.com.au

I have just finished watching the Queensland 500 on TV, and all I can say is that I’m really looldng forward to reading your race report.

It looks like my only hope for finding out what the hell was going on. Ten’s coverage has been up and down this year, but last weekend it was simply appalling.

A little homework on the behalf of the presenters would not have gone astry. It’s helpful, for example, to know who is actually driving the car at any given time, but since that information was beyond the grasp of the presenters, it was put out of reach for the TV viewers too.

And what the hell happened to Rick Kelly? One second he was there, the next...

We didn’t find out about Seton until about 10 laps after the fact, and were given absolutely no insights into the various strategies and the overall big picture of how the the race was panning out.

Were LP and Dumbrell even on the track? I saw lots of Ingall, but that’s all as far as Castrol went.

If the presenters don’t understand the race well enough to analyse it for the fans, they should consider another job.

Matthew White tries hard but seems out of his depth, while Mark Oastler should just be pensioned off.

And Ten, if you need to trim your budget, I’d consider that you start by trimming Bill Woods. He seems like a nice guy, but adds absolutely nothing to the show.

The guest drivers were a nice touch though, even if one of them was Skaife.

Liam Norris Upwey, VIC

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. ●Opinions expressed in Motorsport News are not necessarily those of Australasian Motorsport News or its staff.

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92

Ladies and Gentleman, heeere’s LARRY! Wei!, Dumbrell is driving, but it’s Larry’s car. Sorry TV fans, it’s the best that we can do.

(Photo by Dirk Kl/fismith) motorsport news

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