Motorsport News Issue 266 - September 17-30, 2003

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No. 266

September 17-30 2003

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CRUNCH! I D LEMMA Porsche racer’s nightmare shunt

,Engine choice puzzle after |iS Skaife wins at Sandown with ^old’ Chev V8 SCHUEY: Back in control \

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PLUSlTriple 8: We speak to V8 racing’s new team boss

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moto[^poit news

Issue 266

17 September 2003

news and opinion 4

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Which Donk? Chevy or HMS for Skaifey at Bathurst?

It’s a date, then A 2004 V8 Supercar calendar preview It’s an FI date, then End of season in Brazil. Yuk

10 All the McRae News Latest on Colin and Cassius <12 Rubber fetish Brawn and Michelin beg to differ 25 Motor Mouth Glendenning ain’t here, he's at Monza 26 Box Seat All the fun of FI, Italian-style 82 Talk Converter It’s almost time for Christmas cards!

28 Rve Minutes With Roland Dane Three times the 8s in V8 Supercar racing 30 Five Minutes With Mario Theissen BMW’s head of bhp speaks about 2004 32 More Ralts Part 2 of our yarn with Ron Tauranac

race coverage (

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L 36 Sandown 500 Actually, it was only 437km. It shone at the start, rained in the middle and then hailed. And HRT won, Dynamik starred. We got wet!

48 Italian GP Michael wipes Peter Gethin from the record books in a blazing race. This could be the race that gives him a sixth title 56 Sandown FF and CC McFadyen and Richo win as Coleman gets airborne ●FUUCOMIMGCSUPCR SANDOWN SOOl

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58 A Hollywood Western Petter Solberg wins Rally Oz after an intense battle with Citroen’s Sebastian Loeb

CARRERA CRUNCH!

DILEMMA

Photos: Cover: Marshall Cass and Dirk Klynsmith.

Contents: sutton-images.com.

Dirk Klynsmith and John Morris/Mpix.

22 Bikes 68 Drag Racing

regulars 62 Rallying 70 Histories

64 Speedway

66 NASCAR

72 National Scene

76 Marketplace 3

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HRT heading to Bathurst on a roll n

by PHIL BRANAGAN

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Hmed to Perfection

IF tinning is everything in motor racing,the Super Cheap Autos team hit the bullseye at Sandown.

Steve Ellery and Luke Youlden's second place in the Betta Electrical 500 came as the team is in the process of negotiating not only its 2004 program but its very future.

Recently, reports have suggested that the team may sell-out and Ellery has been connected with the Shell Helix team, as a possible replacement for Max Wilson.

"We're in the negotiation stages with our sponsors for next season and so this couldn't have come at a better time for us," said Ellery after the race.

"Hopefully we can continue it on to Bathurst. It's been a difficult two years for the team, but we've worked hard on the BA Falcon and I believe we're on the way up now."

Team principal Bruce Ellery agreed that the result is a boon for the team and its sponsors.

"We have a number of things going on at the moment," he said. "We have Craig Hasted involved in the engine program again now and we are heading to Bathurst with new determination."

Primary sponsor Super Cheap Autos had been linked to a new Holden entry, though MNews believes that the project may not happen now.

THE Holden Racing Team heads to Bathurst on a high after taking a hard-fought Betta Electrical 500 but there could still be changes in the team's hardware at the Mountain.

Team owner Mark Skaife said after the win that the team's pairings of Skaife/Todd Kelly and Jim Richards/Tony Longhurst would remain in place but that there could still be changes in the Commodores that the team races at the Bob Jane TMarts 1000.

At Sandown,Skaife and Kelly raced the newer of the team's Commodore VYs,fitted with one of the team's older Chevrolet 18-degree engines. Richards and Longhurst drove the older chassis, which was running a 2003-spec Holden Motor Sport engine.

Skaife and senior staff are expected to examine the race data from Sandown this week to assess whether to leave the cars as they are or whether to update the newer car with Sn HMS engine.

One item that may influence their decision is how both cars used their fuel during the Sandown race. The

older engines have held a slight fuel consumption advantage over the Ford team in previous years and that is something that the Holden teams will not want to surrender.

"The new engine is no worse than the Chev (in fuel consumption)/' confirmed Skaife."We will look carefully this week at the numbers; it may even be a little better. It's early days."

Should the HMS be even slightly better, it may be enough to tilt the scales in favour of the new unit.

HRT's engines have proven to be quite reliable compared to other teams that have been running the new units this season, despite the fact that the team has, in effect, been running parallel engine programs this year.

On the Ford side of the coin, a fivestop race for the contenders seems to be a certainty. Last year,SBR's sole race car of Marcos Ambrose/Paul Weel pitted on lap 15 while Shell Helix Racing had both of its entries in the pits as early as lap 13. An opening stint of 33 laps, necessary to make a four-stop schedule,seems imlikely this year, unless there are a number of Safety Car laps in the opening stint.

Triple 8 goes ^Offi

AFTER what even the team described as "the worst kept secret in motor racing". Triple 8 Race Engineering has acquired Betta Electrical Racing.

The British-owned team ran the Betta Electrical Falcon BA V8

Championship Series, with no program planned for the Konica Series or any other championship.

While the major names among the principals are well-known,little has been written about Lacroix in Australia. The Frenchman started working with the Danielson team in the French Super Production Championship in 1989 and has enjoyed stints with Mercedes-Benz's DTM team and Peugeot's Super Touring assault. He won two titles with Laurent Aiello in France and

Supercars at Sandown last weekend and is making plans for an assault on the title in 2004.

Team co-owner Roland Dane, formerly a partner in Triple 8's Vauxhall-backed British Touring Car team, was in Melbourne last weekend,accompanied by team technical director, Ludovic Lacroix, With the exception of enduro co drivers Rickard Rydell and Matthew White, the rest of the team was as it has run under the ownership of former principal,John Briggs.

The team will continue with the support of existing sponsors Betta Electrical, Ford,Simbeam and LG. Betta Stores CEO Guy Houghton was on-hand to add his personal support to the new team, along with Ford 4

Racing Manager Stephen Kruk.

Dane is joined in the principals' chairs by T8's owner Ian Harrison, former owner Derek Warwick and Irish businessman Peter Butterly.

Dane reported that the total

amount for the deal,including purchase of Briggs Motorsport's Queensland factory and equipment, race cars and two Level 1 licences, was about $5 million. The team will run only in the V8 Supercar

Germany before the pair moved with Nissan to the BTCC. He was recruited by T8 as Chief Engineer for the 2000 season, working on the team's Vectra before rule changes required a new car, as Astra,for 2001.

While the Astra program was wildly successful, Lacroix and Aiello also worked for Abt Sportline, Audi's frontrunning DTM squad. Aiello won the 2002 title, defeating the usuallydominant Mercedes squad.

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Go one better than ... winning? Skaife was masterful at Sandown, running an 18-degree Chevy in HRT's latest VY chassis. But the team has the option of going for the new HMS unit for Bathurst- and the rest of the season.

Three times as Happy

The French engineer said that he would be spending "at least 70 percent" of his time working on the team's V8 Supercar program,saying that his priority was to make "a new car, a quick car". He also added that "none of the parts of this car are crap", a point pro\'en almost an hour later when Paul Radisich qualified his Betta BA fastest for the Top 10 Shootout...

On the driving side. Dane confirmed that the team had made no decision regarding who would race alongside Radisich next year.

Sources in the UK had reported that the strongest candidate is Yvan Muller, who races an Astra for T8 in the BTCC and who has V8 Supercar experience with Holden Racing Team and Kmart Racing. However, given the obviously strong and successful partnership between Lacroix and Aiello, is it conceivable that people may have been looking at the wrong French driver?

-PHIL BRANAGAN 17 September 2003

PAUL Radisich is exuding positivity and optimism following a strong debut by the Team Betta Falcons under new Triple 8 ownership.

The car he shared with Rickard Rydell ran fourth, a lap down, late in Sunday's Sandown 500, before a late decision, in retrospect not the correct one, to undertake a late driver change. Regardless, the Betta Falcon came home seventh.

It was in qualifying that Radisich really shone. The former DJR star pipped Mark Skaife and Greg Murphy for provisional pole and was quick to give credit to former team owner John Briggs, saying "he got us to where we are now," "(But) the impact of people like design engineer Ludo Lacroix, who has such a strong background with Vauxhall and then the Audi DTM projects, will be felt immediately," he told MNews on Monday.

"His presence has already

taken some pressure off the race engineers at the team - we have some proper systems now in place, debriefs, and so on. A new level of professionalism for the team," he said, "There will be plenty to come next year once a few more things are put in place, but already I'm confident that we can go to Bathurst with some optimism.’ Ludo already has a list of things he wants to do in the interim.

"Our car was always going to be quite good at Sandown - we have good power-down and top speed - and we expected a top ten result, but to grab provisional pole after qualifying was a real bonus.

"Rickard (Rydell) has benefitted enormously from the race. These things do take a little while to master - one of the hardest things is the manual gearchange, something they're not used to in the European touring car categories!"

NEWS

Betta back, rain, hail or shine BETTA Electrical Stores will continue as the naming-rights sponsor of the Sandown 500i Betta CEO Guy Houghton and IMG Motorsports made a joint announcement at the conclusion of last Sunday's race, stating that the nationwide retail chain would back the Melbourne race for 2004. Despite Melbourne’s crook weather. n In spite of the rain, the snow and the earthquake (OK, we made the last bit up) Melbourne sports fans showed that they are the best in the entire universe by rolling out to Sandown in record numbers.

Total attendance for the three-day racefest was 41,259, up more than 7000 on last year’s December race.

Almost 26,000 braved the weather on Sunday, not counting the ducks who thought it was just wonderful. n For all those eagle-eyed viewers and spectators who thought you saw the rear safety light go out on Mark Skaife’s race-winning Commodore late in the race - you were right.

Running out of battery power is, it seems, no excuse. HRT was fined $7,500 at a post-race hearing. n Hydraulic hose and fitting company Enzed has inked a two-year extension to its sponsorship of the OzEmail V8 Supercar team. The group has also increased the dollar value of its investment, according to the announcement made by Franchisee Group Chairman Clive Jacobs. n We understand that wedding belis are soon to be ringing in Batesland. Seems that TV presenter and sometime Targa navigator All Drower is going to make an honest man of Rick, who drove the INXS Falcon AU at Sandown last weekend with twin bro Neal. Congrats to both. n Renault Sport Technologies is evaluating a new VI0 engine, set for the heavily-revised Formula 2 class in 2005. "Renault is indeed considering competing in F2 with a new product producing 600bhp," said VP of motorsport and communications Jean Paul Mari. "But a decision has yet to betaken." n Racing does improve the breed.

Audi unveiled a high-performance ’concept’ road car at the Frankfurt International Motor Show, The ’Audi Le Mans quattro’ is a two-seat, aluminium-framed, carbonfibre-bodied car, powered by a 5-litre, 610bhp, turbo-diesel VI0 with FSI direct fuel-injection and intercooling.

The weapon also features double wishbone suspension and ceramic brakes. Yum. 5

— A.fc.U

And how was your day?

Carrera Cup contender walks away from massive Sandown shunt at the Melbourne circuit. Coleman came into contact with Marcus Marshall as the duo braked for the

CARRERA Cup contender Matthew Coleman was fortunate to escape unscathed from a horrifying and controversial roll over at Sandown on Saturday.

The incident, caught by MNews lensman Marshall Cass, occurred on lap three of the first Carrera Cup race

which flexed on impact and launched the car into four spectacular endover-end barrel rolls.

Coleman was a little shaken but, final esses. The young pair were dicing for the lead of the race at the time. thankfully, uninjured.

Coleman attempted an outside "I just held onto the wheel," said a bemused Coleman."1 was worried move on Marshall, which resulted in Coleman riding up the armco barrier. about other cars piling into me so 1 got out of there as quick as 1 could."

The Victorian's $250,000 Fuchs Porsche looked to be destined for Porsche heaven, on the circuit.

MATTHEW Coleman’s Carrera Cup but after closer inspection by rivals have plans to raise some “My team prepares Matt’s car and cash for the talented but Cup Car officials, the I know how tough he is doing it,” mangled machine might yet sponsorless driver after his said flu-ridden Fitzy. destructive crash at Sandown. hit the track again, possibly as “I approached Jim and he thought soon a s Bathurst next month.

Initiated by series stalwarts Peter it was a great idea. If we can dig up "We had a really good car Fitzgerald and Jim Richards, each $20-30,000, it will really help him this weekend and this is the team has been asked to donate recover from what was a freak

Mates rally around

$1000 to help get Coleman back on the race track as soon as possible.

Porsche Australia will also give the struggling youngster some assistance.

Peter Fitzgerald has set up a trust fund to get Coleman’s Porsche back

accident.”

Michelin has also pledged its support, covering the cost of his tyres for the weekend and offering extra assistance for the remainder of the year.

- GRANT ROWLEY

last thing I wanted to happen.

Td rather finish the race second than end up with a destroyed car."

After a Stewards'inquiry the following day, Marshall was penalised for his part in the incident. The VIP Petfoods

driver lost the points he earned from Race 2, was forced to start at the back of the grid for the final heat and was handed a suspended $5000 fine.

As MNews went to press, Marshall was unavailable for comment.

Driving standards observer Tomas Mezera, who assisted in the accident inquiry, said the stewards made the right decision.

"I worked closely with the officials and I was happy with the outcome," Mezera said."He should know where he is. Marcus ran him off the road in a straight line. He can't chop him off - that's what mirrors are for."

Peter Fitzgerald, who was trailing the pair when the incident began, had his own view of the event.

"The move was probably a little enthusiastic and they were touching each other all race," said the eventual race winner."Marcus moved over on Matt and the car somersaulted in the air. Just horrific.

"You've got to give each other room, otherwise that's the result."

- GRANT ROWLEY

Long way to come to go home again!

JAN Magnussen was the sole casualty of a mix-up regarding licences and permits for the Betta Electrical 500 at Sandown.

The Dane, who was due to share a Team Dynamik Commodore VY with

Nicolas Minassian, flew from the USA to Australia for the race, only to have to turn around and return to Europe the next day.

The former Formula 1 driver races

for Peugeot in the Danish <Touring Car -

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Felled by the paperwork: In the world of modern motor sport, some of the boring old red tape still applies... the Dynamiks had to race without their ex-FI star.

Championship.

Had he surrendered his Danish licence and raced at Sandown under an Australian licence, he would not have been-able to regain his Danish licence to compete in further rounds of the DTCC,which he currently leads.

TD team co-owner and technical director Oscar Fiorinotto had test driver

Neil McFadyen on standby for the race before retaining Wayne Wakefield, who recently lost his co-drive with Sirromet Racing,for the race.

"It's okay if they don't have to race again this year," Fiorinotto said.

"But in Jan's situation, he's leading the Danish touring car championship and they won't let him go back and race if he surrenders his licence."

The problem did not affect the other international drivers at

Sandown. OzEmail Racing's John Cleland races on an Australian licence already, as does GRM's Allan Simonson, who is a PROCAR regular.

FIA GT Championship regular MLnassian and ETCC drivers Rickard Rydell (Triple 8)and Andy Priaulx (Kmart Racing)can complete their program on Australian licences because all of their European events are conducted under international permits.

There will be no such problem at Bathurst as the Bob Jane T-Marts 1000 is conducted under a full international permit.

- PHIL BRANAGAN motorsport news

NEWS

V8 calendar close si

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Mac to test NEW Australian Formula Ford Champion Neil McFayden will test a Formula 4000 car with the Ralt team at Wakefield Park Raceway in the coming weeks. n Kiark Quinn's Carrera Cup debut at Sandown Raceway last weekend was not just a one-off. The young Queenslander will also contest Bathurst with support from Pioneer and hopes to impress the sponsors to extend the deal into 2004. n Qld-based Team Brute Strength will be driving both their cars to Winton Raceway for this weekend's round of the V8 BRUte series. The aim? To test the cars reliability after some mechanical dramas that have dogged the team this year. Five crew members will drive the cars non-stop from their Queensland base!

Island dropped for November Shanghai; New Zealand in April?

THE 2004 V8 Supercar calendars are now due to be released within the next fortnight- although there are early leaks about where the V8s will be going, and when,next season.

MNews understands that there were tentative plans to announce the dates at Sandown on the weekend, though they were set aside because of a delay in finahsing a date for the New Zealand race at Pukekohe and.

according to AVESCO chairman Tony Cochrane, FIA approval of the calendar. The likely date for the Auckland race is, we hear, sometime in April.

The big news, of course,is that Shanghai will replace Phillip Island.

An announcement of the date had originally been scheduled in China yesterday(Tuesday) but this has now been put off until next month.

Bums on seats the decider ATTENDANCE,not safety, has been given as the prime reason for the loss of Phillip Island's round of the 2004 V8 Supercar Championship Series.

The Board of AVESCO reportedly looked at a number of stats from three rounds of the current V8 championship before deciding that the regional Victorian track would be the one to lose a round next season. While no comment has been made about the other two tracks, we understand that they were Winton Motor Raceway and Oran Park.

The prime stats considered were the increase in attendance at venues over previous years, increase in corporate attendance at tracks and access and facilities for the teams.

Phillip Island's round of the championship was deemed to

17 Seplemlier 2003

have been the least-performing of the three tracks under consideration.

While Phillip Island is steeped in history and remains almost unanimously one of the drivers' favourite tracks, it appears that the commercial realities of the sport have held sway on this occasion.

Phillip Island Motor Sports, which conducts racing at the circuit, has issued a statement stating that they had been informed that the track had been excluded on safety grounds, though AVESCO CEO Wayne Cattach said on the weekend that there were "other factors in the decision."

"As you know, safety is an issue that falls within CAMS' jurisdiction, and it is not an AVESCO issue," he said.

- PHIL BRANAGAN

A delegation of AVESCO officials is due to travel to Shanghai early next week to finalise details, prior to re scheduling a formal contract signing, which will be attended by some members of the Australian media, including Network 10.

Work.on the Fl-standard venue has commenced,including the enormous grandstand complex, pictured above.

MNews understands that the race win most likely be held in November, about six or seven weeks after the country's maiden Formula One GP on September 26. This wiU mean that the calendar wiU run Bathurst-SurfersShanghai, with the possibility of airfreighting all the cars and equipment to China straight from Indy.

The other likelihood in the 2004 season is the continuation of a second round at Eastern Creek, promoted by AVESCO Events. This appears to fly in the face of a previously stated preference of AVESCO not to run 'repeat' races, ie have more than one round at a track. However, we believe that the attendance at Eastern Creek in May,together with the level of interest shown in the VIP Pet Foods Main Event, the final round of the 2003 series in late November, has ensured that'NSW will maintain its four rounds of the series in 04.

The Betta Electrical 500 is expected to remain on its mid-September date, with Bathurst four weeks later.

Six rounds of the Konica V8 Supercar Series are expected to be announced (including the continuation of a championship race at the Adelaide 500) plus a non championship race at Bathurst.

- PHIL BRANAGAN

n The VIP Petfoods Main Event Family Fun Day will be held this Saturday at Parramatta Park in Sydney. And you have the chance to win yourself a go-kart! Check out the V8 Supercar website for more details. Festivities kick-off at 9am and V8 drivers Greg Murphy, Steven Richards, Cameron McConville, David Besnard and Steven Johnson will be on hand to autograph anything that stands still ... n The straight between turns six and seven at Laguna Seca has been named after three-times CART champion Bobby Rahal. "Laguna Seca has always had a special place in my heart," said Rahal, who won the Champ Car race at the circuit four consecutive years (1984-1987).

"To have a section of what is one of the crown jewels in American road racing bear my name is an honour beyond belief. I am truly humbled." n Martin Brundle is expected to stand down soon as chairman of the British Racing Drivers' Club after three consecutive three-year terms as a director. Brundle is not allowed by the club rules to stay on longer and the search will soon begin to find a replacement to take over the job of running the club that owns Silverstone. Brundle has played an important role in recent years keeping the British GP alive. Names being mentioned as possible replacements are Mark Blundell, Martin's former FI team mate and now a fellow ITV commentator, former Arrows FI team owner Jackie Oliver and Ray Bellm. n The Bob Jane T-Marts Bathurst 1000 will be televised throughout Asia on Star Sports. The network broadcasts into 57 million homes in China, India, Korea, Pakistan, Malaysia and many other Asian countries.

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THE FIA has now issued the first official Formula 1 World

Williains taps into its Gene pool BMW WilliamsFI driver Ralf

Schumacher is expected to be race fit for the US Grand Prix.

Schumacher, 28, oniy got the go-ahead to take part in the Italian Grand Prix on the ; Thursday before the race, after an examination by FIA medical delegate Prof Sid Watkins. But after taking part in practice and qualifying on Friday, he complained of persistent headaches and was replaced by test driver Marc Gene.

The Spaniard, who races in the Spanish-based Nissan Telefonica Series, did an admirable job, scoring points for the team with a sixth-placed finish.

Schumacher had suffered a big testing accident at the Monza circuit two weeks ago when the left-rear suspension on his Williams failed, forcing him to

recuperate at home in Austria.

He underwent a series of tests, including a brain scan, in Salzburg before travelling to Italy for final clearance.

Gene was one of two test drivers racing in Italy. Zsolt Baumgartner completed his second GP start, subbing for Ralph Firman. The Irishman is still recovering from his Hungaroring crash but is also expected to be fit to race at Indianapolis.

- QUENTIN SPURRING

Championship calendar for 2004 and it would seem to indicate that there will be 17 races next year, although four of the events are still provisional.

The calendar is quite different to those of recent years but kicks off as usual in Melbourne on March 7 with

^4

the Malaysian GP following on March 21. The FI circus will then go on to a new event in Bahrain on April 4, before the European GP at the Nurburgring on April 25.

This is a most interesting choice because it would seem to indicate that the long-term future of the event is in doubt as a favoured race would not be put in such a high-risk position.

Those with long memories wUl remember back to 1985 when a Formula 3000 race was scheduled at the Nurburgring on April 28 and had to be called off because the track was buried under snow...

—j

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the local authorities to consider.

It is urJikely that Canada will be back in 2004 but the switching of Indianapohs to June 20 means that a double-header in North America may become an option in 2005 and beyond.

The British Grand Prix follows on

The Spanish Grand Prix of 2004 will take place on May 9 with Monaco on May 23. San Marino is still on the calendar but has been put back to June 6 from where it can be removed in the future should the Canadian Grand Prix be revived in 2005. San Marino

July 4, a most curious date because it is the same day as the Wimbledon Men's Final and the final of the Euro

has a major problem as upgrading the facilities would require the moving of a river and that is too expensive for

2004 Football Championship in Portugal. This means that the track is unlikely to attract a big crowd and TV

Silly Season far from over

ALTHOUGH it may seem that most of the FI drives for 2004 are already settled, there are still a number of rumours about possible late changes to the line-ups.

On the surface there are drives going at Sauber, BAR, Jaguar, Jordan and Minardi. Sauber looks certain to sign Fehpe Massa but BAR seems to have a number of choices, including keeping Jacques Villeneuve on a much-reduced salary. Villeneuve has nowhere else to go but says he does not know what is going to happen.

The major alternative is for BAH to sign up Takuma Sato. There is, however, some resistance to the idea from within the team and it may be that BAR would like to see a larger financial input from Honda if the Japanese wish to push for Sato.

If the deal is done quickly, it would make sense for the team to try to do a deal to run Sato at this year's Japanese GP. "It is not in the plan at the moment," said Villeneuve. "Or at least I don't think it is ..."

8

Over at Jaguar Racing, there are rumours suggesting that next year the team is going to go for a highquality rent-a-driver - following rumours suggesting that the team is looking to fill a big hole in the budget. Justin Wilson is not thought to have access to any more money, having spent his flotation money.

"It is a buyer's market right now and we are under no pressure to announce Mark's team-mate for next season," said the team's David Pitchforth.

There is however one other way by which Jaguar Racing could raise money and it should be considered.

Juan Pablo Montoya is tipped to be on his way to McLaren in 2005. In the circumstances, there is little logic in keeping him for 2004 and there are some who feel that Williams would be best served by letting Montoya leave early. If that were to happen Williams would need to find a new driver.

The current favourite for the job of being Juan Pablo's replacement is

falling back on Marc Gene, who did a great job for the team as Ralf Schumacher's replacement at the Italian GP in very difficult circumstances.

If Webber were to move on, Wilson's presence could translate itself in to a number one drive.

There is however an 'outside' scenario that could blow the current driver market into little pieces.

There are many people who are asking what happens when Michael Schumacher wins a record-breaking sixth World Championship? He might want to stay on and continue, but he has always said that when he feels the next generation getting close he would quit.

The fact that Sauber has failed to

Mark Webber, although he would need to be bought out of his contract at Jaguar in 2004 and 2005. This could be used to generate a big chunk of money for Jaguar, which would be able to raise money from compensation. That cannot be huge because Williams has the option of

announce the signing of Massa is seen by some as an indication that the Ferrari team is preparing for the possibility that Michael could stop racing immediately. In that case, Massa would go to Ferrari and the second Sauber drive would be open.

-JOE SAWARD

moiorsport news

NEWS

04 Formula 1 calendar T

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Same time, same place: Australia retains its status as the opening CP of the season.

The season will end in Brazil on

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October 24, This is an interesting new development and makes a lot of sense as the World Championship showdown will be broadcast on prime time TV in FTs biggest markets in Europe and wUl also be at a sensible time for the Americas,

We have,incidentally, heard suggestions that while Formula 1 may continue to have the World Championship finale in Brazil in the long term, there may be a switch from Sao Paulo, which does not fit FTs image,to the much more glamorous venue of Rio de Janeiro, 8 There was an attempt a few years I ago by former World Champions I Nelson Piquet and Emerson Fittipaldi I to take FI back to Rio but this needed private money that they could not Management and the organisers. We find. However we could see another hear that they owe FOM around attempt soon as Piquet's son Nelson Jr US$10m and if this is not paid the is now a leading contender in the French GP wiU be axed.

British Formula 3 Championship and The German GP will take place on will probably end up in FI within the July 25 and there wUl then be a threenext five years. week break imtil the Hungarian GP The China, Bahrain and Belgian on August 15. races are provisional: the first two This wiU be foUowed by the Belgian because the tracks need to be GP on April 29 and the Italian GP on 'inspected and the third because the September 12, the Chinese GP on Belgian authorities have yet to modify September 26 and the Japanese GP on their tobacco laws.

October 10.

-JOE SAWARD 'I'£ il.l

viewing figures will be down.

The British and French Grands Prix have been switched because on July 11 there is the British round of the MotoGP World Motorcycling Championship at Donington Park and a dash with that is best avoided, while in France July 4 wUl be difficult as it is the first day of the Tour de France cycle race.

It is worth noting tlrat France is provisional because there is no contract between Formula One

India states the chase BERNIE Ecclestone will travel to Hyderabad in October to look at the plans being put forward by the government of the state of Andhra Pradesh for a Grand Prix in India.

Ecclestone met a delegation of Indians at the Italian Grand Prix, including the chief minister Chandrababu Naidu. If Ecclestone likes what he sees and the money is in place the plan is to have a track built and a race running by 2006.

“I am positive it will happen," said Naidu, who is spearheading a campaign to turn Andhra Pardesh into a technological and tourist centre. The state, which has a population of 76m people, is going to enjoy some incentives from the central government to develop the new airport next to which the new race track will be built.

“I want to bring the best companies and the best events 17 September 2003

to India,” said Naidu. “This is my dream. Already we have plans for big infrastructure works and a new convention centre and golf course.

Hyderabad is an historic city and it is very beautiful.

Through Formula 1 we can create jobs and with FI foreign investment will come.

It is a win-win situation.”

The government of Andhra Pradesh is fully supporting the construction of the track but private investment is needed.

“There are already some private donors showing interest,” said Naidu. “There is money. We’ll work it out.”

It is worth noting that behind the scenes the project is being promoted by Michael Taub, an associate of Bernie Ecclestone, who was integrally involved in the last attempt to put together a Grand Prix at a site near the city of Calcutta

(Kolkata). This failed to materialise because the money to fund the project was not found.

- JOE SAWARD

Gazza going?

Rumours persist that Mike Gascoyne and Renault are about to split up and that the English engineer will become technical director of Panasonic Toyota Racing next year, Gascoyne is expected to take six months of 'gardening leave' before moving to Cologne, Since the first whispers of the story broke, Gascoyne has been to only a couple of races and has refused to make any comment at all on his movements, Toyota is also saying nothing and Renault says that he is staying but other sources suggest that he is already looking for a house in the Cologne area ,,, n Among those visiting the paddock in Monza was indy Racing League driver Scott Dixon, who has always had ambitions of being in Formula 1.

The Kiwi was being shown around by former Ferrari and McLaren FI driver Stefan Johansson, who now runs a team in CART. Johansson revealed that a few years ago Dixon came to Europe and had a secret Formula 3000 test with the Prost Junior Team at Dijon but lost out for the drive because the French sponsors decided that they wanted to support Sebastian Bourdais. n Bernie Ecclestone has told the Formula 1 teams that he wants more celebrities at races to help to give Formula 1 a more glamorous image.

Ecclestone enjoyed the coverage that FI got from the recent visit of Arnold Schwarzenegger and now wants more A List film stars and fewer B List 'celebrities'. n Jaguar Racing is under pressure over money but the news that Jaguar Cars will soon have a new chief executive is good news for the team because the new man is Joe Greenwell, who will replace the retiring Bob Dover on October 1, Greenwell is an Englishman who was Jaguar's top PR man when the FI program began but has since moved up within Ford, switching from PR to sales and marketing. He is understood to be a big supporter of the company's involvement in FI to promote sales. n A major meeting between the creditor banks of SLEC and the Grand Prix World Championship organisation took place at Monza on Saturday evening but there seemed to be little hope of a deal because, according to Ron Dennis, the banks are showing "a complete naivety" with regard to investments made before the dot com bubble burst.

This makes finding what Dennis called "a way forward" very difficult because they are "just so reluctant to crystallise their loss and turn to the future of Formula 1 and a more practical way to generate an income from their investment".

-JOE SAWARD 9

ten home of

[motorsport] 2003 V8 Supercar Championship* Oct12 ....Bathurst .Rd 10 Oct 26 Surfers Paradise .Rd 11 Nov 9 Pukekohe .Rd 12 2003 Konica VS Series* Oct 11 ... .Bathurst .Non Championship 2003 FIA Formula One Championship* Sep 28 ...Indianapolis Oct 12 Suzuka

Rd15 Rd 16

2003 CART Championship* .Rd 16 Sep 28 ...Miami .... .Rd 17 Oct 12 ....Mexico City 2003 IRL Championship* Rd 15 Sep 21 ...Fontana Oct 12 ... .Texas . ,Rd 16 2003 MotoGP Championship* Sep 20 .. .Rio de Janiero Oct 5 .Motegi

.Rd 12

Oct 12

Rd 14

Sepang

Last ofthe Big-Bangers

THERE'S nothing like a little ageing to bring out the best.

No,not Peter Brock and Larry Perkins (though they are ageing), but the famed 1984 Commodore they shared. The Holden Dealer Team car, christened the 'Last of

the Big Bangers'is the only Commodore with a 100 per cent race-wirming record and Peter Perfect took the old girl for a belt at Sandown last weekend.

The famed car won thel984 Sandown 500, headed a 1-2 result at Bathurst, won at Surfers Paradise in Brock's hand and then - nothing. Three starts, three wins, retired.

The car has been lost to Australia for 17 years until purchased last year by Queenslander Peter

Champion. The car was rebuilt and returned to its original Marlboro livery by Melbourne classic car

I J

,Rd 13

Australia .Italy

Oct 19 . . . .France

.Rd 11

2003/04 World Series Sprintcars .Rd 1 Nov 15 . . .Brisbane .Rd2 Nov 22 . . .Wagga Wagga 2004 FIA Formula One

Aug 15 Aug 29

Hungary Belgium

.Rd1 .Rd2 ,Rd3 ,Rd4 ,Rd5 ,Rd6 ,Rd7 ,Rd8 .Rd9 .R d 10 .Rd 11 .Rd 12 .Rd 13

r

ten

home of

[motorsport_ I I m

■

JJJIJ

■p3-

buyer (for whom PHR will run the car in the Bathurst 24 Hopurs)..

Despite parity concerns with the Ferrari, team boss Terry Little says that had little to do with the decision.

to storm the house and he was taken away to hospital.”

A neighbour of McRae’s, Paul Matthews, alleges that he caused about NZ$15,000 damage to recording equipment used by his rock band Stylus.

McRae burst onto the international racing scene in the late 1960s when he was competitive against some of the world's, leading drivers in the Tasman series. He was a major force in Formula 5000, starting in a McLaren before building his own cars, the first of which was a Leda before he established the McRae

name. In 1973, he won both the European and US F5000 championships, and was rookie of the year at the Indianapolis 500.

He won the 1972 and '73 Tasman titles, as well as the 1972 Australian Grand Prix and took the Gold Star in 1978.

The same year, McRae made his only Formula One appearance, at Silverstone, driving an IsoMarlboro for Frank Williams before retiring with a sticking throttle.

McRae carried on building his cars until retiring to NZ in the 1980s. In recent times, he took to building Porsche Spyder replicas,

3

Our main concern was blowing a o motor or causing damage to the car in i- light of the sale of the car." .S Bowe currently sits 16 points adrift of 5' Lamborgini series leader Paul Stokell.

. . .Bathurst 24 Hr . . . .Non Championship

Europe .

Apr 25 .

May 9 .

Spain . .

Monaco May 23 Jun 6 San Marino .

Jun 20 . . . .USA Jul 4 Great Britain Jul 11 . . . .France . . . .

Jul 25 .

Germany

-<

Cup title at Winton this weekend after PHR Scuderia withdrew the red rocket due to its confirmed sale to an overseas

.Rd12

2003 Procar Championship ,Rd7 Sep 19 . . .Winton . . .

Oct 23 . . . .Gold Coast .Rd8

Championship* Mar 7 . . . .Australia Mar 21 Malaysia Bahrain .

Apr 4 . .

I

driver John Bowe his Dodge Viper for the second-to-last round of the Nations

.RdIO

2003 Australian Rally Championship .Rd6 Nov 16 . . .Tasmania

Nov 23

I

GREG Crick will to loan PHR Ferrari

2003 World Rally Championship* Sep 7 Oct 5

specialist John Van Roosmalen, a job taking 12 months at a cost of $200,000-plus.

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

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

Health woes for legend

NEW ZEALAND motor racing legend Graham McRae is undergoing heaith assessments foilowing the storming of a house by police in Auckland two weeks ago.

McRae, 63, was admitted to Middlemore Hospital for treatment for dog bites after armed police fired teargas and sent in dogs at the end of a stand-off in the suburb of Grey Lynn.

The matter started earlier in the day when neighbours went to his property to discuss a dispute, according to Detective Sergeant Mark Osbourne. McRae is alleged to have produced a crossbow and point it at the neighbours.

‘They (the neighbours) have done a bolt out of the house and then called the police,” Mr Osbourne said.

'The police were unable to negotiate with him and that is when the armed offenders were called in

jutton-imagcS:com

molorsport news

NEWS

Where will Colin's caber iand?

FURTHER to our report on page 63 that Colin McRae may seek a NASCAR drive in the USA, Citroen Sport has confirmed that the Scot will i not drive with the team i next season.

The former world rally champ is the latest victim of new rules from the FIA that will limit each team to just two cars.

Sebastien Loeb is already confirmed with the French

team until 2005, leaving Citroen Sport boss Guy Frequelin to choose between McRae and Spain’s Carlos Sainz. Ironically, both drivers moved across to Citroen from Ford at the end of the 2002 season.

Sainz is currently second in the championship with 48 points, three more than Loeb. Clearly, part of Frequelin’s thinking is that he does not want a driver on the way to another team to take the title.

Richard Burns. who moves to Subaru next season leads the 2003 championship with 45, while McRae is in seventh position on 33 points.

Bob’s a winner

IF you see someone hanging round the SBR team pit on Saturday at the Bob Jane T-Marts 1000, grinning from ear to ear, it could be Bob Parker.

Bob,from Cheltenham in the southern suburbs of Melbourne, was the lucky winner drawn by The Enforcer himself for our 'Join The Enforcer at Bathurst' competition.

Bob and wife Naomi will fly into Bathurst for the weekend, pick up some grandstand seats and have a look around the SBR team garage in company with Australia's ugliest barrel! girl, Russell Ingall, below.

Bob was tlirilled when MNews rang with the news: "You'll never believe it, but I was made redundant three weeks ago," he said."However,1 just started a new job today and now this! How good is that!"

,e*B«

fr 17 September 2003

NO action will be taken over OzEmail Racing’s recent Winton V8 Supercar test, at which the team tested a Falcon BA with number 12 on it.

The team ran the car on the tyre bank allocated to that car number, which is usually carried on Andrew Jones' Falcon AU in the Konica V8 Supercar Series.

Because the number and tyre bank, and those of V8SCS entries #21 and #888, are all allocated to the team, the test fell within the guidelines of the category's testing rules, despite the fact that a BA is not currently eligible for the KV8SS. Earlier this year, the Kmart Racing Team conducted a test at the same venue, running #46

(the number allocated to John Faulkner’s Holden Young Lions team) on one of its Commodore VXs. The matter was referred to CAMS Stewards for investigation but no further action was taken.

There has been some discussion among teams that the testing guidelines will be modified for next season and beyond. At the moment, tyre banks are identified and allocated to a particular car number, which means that only a car identified as such can test on those tyres. The mooted change could mean that tyre banks could be allocated to a licence holder, meaning that the rubber could be used on more than one car within the same team.

- PHIL BRANAGAN

From Jungle to the courtroom OUSTED Jaguar Racing driver Antonio Pizzonia is expected to take legal action against Jaguar Racing as a result of his recent firing.

Pizzonia was dropped after the British Grand Prix and Justin Wilson was drafted in to replace him.

It had been hoped that a settlement would be found between Pizzonia and the team but apparently this has not happened and Pizzonia's management has decided to go ahead with a law suit. n The crowd at Monza followed the trend this year of being down on the numbers seen in 2002. Last year the Italian GP pulled in a three-day total of 126,000 people. This year there was a combined total of 115,000, with the official figures quoting 20,000 on Friday, 30,000 on Saturday and 65,000 on Sunday. The low figure on race day is believed to be because of the high price of tickets. n Ralf Firman hopes to be back in action this week after being replaced as the second Jordan driver at the Italian Grand Prix by pay-driver Zsolt Baumgartner.

The Flungarian driver was drafted in after Firman failed a medical inspection because of problems with balance after his recent high speed crash in Budapest. Firman says he will be back because it is vital to finish the season as strongly as possible. n Professor Sid Watkins was a visitor to the recent Rally Deutschland and there are rumours that the Formula 1 Medical Delegate is to take on an additional role shortly, bringing the medical facilities of the World Rally Championship up to scratch.

It is a role that he fulfilled for Formula 1 in the 1970s and 1980s which enabled the sport to have all the necessary equipment and personnel at the scene of an accident as quickly and efficiently as possible.

This covers not only those at the events but also the organisation at receiving hospitals which need to be prepared to receive those injured in racing accidents. n Michelin will maintain its supply to five Formula One teams in 2004.

Several teams have reportedly approached the company about supply for 2004 but competition director Pierre Dupasquier said: "We currently do not have the industrial capacity to do it." The five teams to be supplied are Williams, McLaren, Toyota, Jaguar and Renault.

-JOE SAWARD/STAFF 11

I 8

3;

Open Slather

CARX the NYSE-listed US series promoter in Indianapolis,IN,has signed a definitive agreement with Open Wheel Racing Series, the new holding company owned indirectly by a group of investors including Gerald Forsythe, Australian-born businessman Kevin Kalkhoven, Paul Gentilozzi, Carl Russo and Motorock, the motorsport concert promoter.

Open Wheel originally offered to accjuire the Champ Car World Series for cash equivalent to $0.50 per share, but subsequently increased its offer

to $0.56. CART'S shares were hading at $0.87 on the NYSE when the news broke.

Chris Pook, the president and CEO of CART,commented; "We considered liquidating the company. But we concluded that, after covering all our existing obligations and all the liabilities that would be created if the championship went out of business, there would be less left for our stockholders than the consideration offered in this transaction."

- QUENTIN SPURRING

Ferrar Partnership points at i

by JOE SAWARD

THE Minardi PS04 - the update Arrows that the team bought from the receivers to the TWR Group has already had its first runs with Nicolas Kiesa shaking down the car that the team is expected to use next year at the Santa Pod drag strip in England last week.

The car is basically the Arrows A23,above, that was raced in 2002 by the now-defunct team but never properly developed. Team boss Paul Stoddart bought five of the cars and 12

obviously the place for young drivers to be, as the arrival of Marc Gene at Williams meant that 40

the spares from the Arrows receivers for just US$700,000($1.2m) and has had his engineers working on developing the car in recent months.

percent of the field had made their names with Minardi.

1 According to Kiesa, the car is much quicker than the current PS03 and Stoddart spent the Monza weekend fighting off approaches from five different management teams all offering money for drives next year.

Stoddart said that Minardi is

Ironically, further testing would probably mean that Jos Verstappen, who lost his Arrows drive at the start of 2002 and subsequently sued the team, would finally get to drive the car he thought he was going to race that season ...

-JOE SAWARD

THE announcement at the Frankfurt Motor Show last week that Ferrari and Volkswagen have agreed to a technical co-operation between their Maserati and Audi subsidiaries underlines the reality that the Italian company needs to save money.

The deal will give Audi access to some of Ferrari's technology which has been developed for road cars in FI in recent years while Ferrari will get access to Audi's four-wheel drive expertise, its diesel engine technology and some of its aluminium construction techniques.

Both companies will thus save money and Volkswagen will also gain new customers for its financing unit as this will provide financing for Maserati sales.

Ferrari is too small to fund its own Formula 1 programs in full and with its parent company Fiat in sufficient trouble to make further investment difficult, the team is facing the need to cut back on what is estimated to be an FI budget in the region of US$300m ($460m).

That cut might be as big as 30 percent and that is going to hurt the company's research and

motorsport news

NEWS

Dutch auction?

r -..s.

.

A ..

EDDIE Jordan may be close to making a decision to sell his Formula One team.

The Jordan Grand Prix principal said last week that he could sell a major stake in his company to an automobile manufacturer.

I had the chance to sell to Honda [in 1997], but I was deadly determined to do it on my own," he said.

[But] I'll have to face up to reality soon, because I'm not prepared to continue like this.

There is an argument that I might be better off selling off a chunk of the business to a manufacturer. I wanted to do it on my own, and that's where we drew a lot of respect.

"No other team, ever, has started in karting and gone

from Formula Ford to Ford 2000 and on to F3, F3000 and into FI. We pushed ourselves all the way up with those cars and won each of those championships. I wanted to do it a different way, on my own. The truth is, the reason I wanted to do it on my own is that no one thought I could ... The flow of income is the key, not so much technology. [because] we can handle that.

"With a manufacturer, you also have help and support with the different things that they do. Not selling out to one, but aligning myself to one is possible. I'm open to speaking to car manufacturers about a participation.

- QUENTIN SPURRING

i and Volkswagen

need for loadsamoney

n Toyota Formula 1 test driver Ricardo Zonta wants to get back into competitive racing and is trying to put together a deal to take part in the last four Champ Car races this year in Miami, Mexico City, Surfers Paradise and Fontana.

The 27-year-old from Curitiba has been out of the spotlight since the end of 2000 when he was dropped

by BAR. Fie was the Jordan test driver in 2001 and then moved to the Telefonica World Series in 2002 and won the title, earning himself the job of Toyota test driver this year. n Neil Floran, the man who ran on to the race track at Silverstone during the British Grand Prix six weeks ago has been released from jail after being given a suspended two-month jail sentence for aggravated trespass

by Northampton Magistrates' Court.

Floran says that he will not embark on any similar stunts in the future but said that he believed that God had protected him. n Estonia's Marko Asmer has been confirmed as a Williams test driver. The 19-year-old has already tested for the team twice this year.

Fie is currently competing in the British Formula Ford Championship and has done well in what is his first season of open-wheeler racing.

The deal with Williams is believed to be for the long-term and is probably similar to the deal which Williams had with Juan Pablo Montoya in Formula 3000, CART and FI between 1998-2002.

development above all which will inevitably affect its ability to stay ahead of the other teams which can invest in the more peripheral areas where tiny gains can be made.

Antonello Perricone, the chief executive of Maserati, has confirmed that the Ferrari flotation has been delayed because of the problems at Fiat and the uncertain markets at the moment.

Ferrari and its rival super car maker Lamborghini (another VW brand) both used the Frankfurt Motor Show to announced customer GT programs in an effort to generate more money from racing.

Ferrari has launched the new

n Brazilian Joao Paulo De Oliveira is tipped as the likely candidate for a second seat with the Fittipaldi Dingman team in CART in 2004.

Emerson Fittipaldi is keen to employ a Brazilian but requires money to be brought to the team.

575GTC, a car aimed at private teams competing in the FIA CT championship and for the American Le Mans Series while the

n 15 year-old Auckland-based Formula Ford driver Michael McHugh has died from injuries sustained in a crash at Pukekohe on September 7.

Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT, derived from the much-acclaimed road car of the same name,has been developed by Audi Sport and Reiter Engineering with the intention being to meet the demand for racing machinery from the company's customers.

The new car is due to be debuted

by Reiter Engineering in October in Estoril, with Peter Kox and Oliver Gavin doing the driving.

17 September 2003

JOS Verstappen's Dutch sponsors have been shopping around the FI circus to see if anyone can offer them a better deal than Minardi for next year.

The only real option appears to be Jordan which appears to have the advantage of better engines next year when it switches to the 90degree Ford VI0. It is unlikely however that there will be a decision on Jos's future until the plans of the two teams become more concrete.

Not quite a new Beetle: The cost of Ferrari's Formula One program could be prompting the Scuderia to look for new corporate partnerships.

n Yokohama is planning a new European motorsport program in 2004. The company announced in Frankfurt last week that it was going to launch its ADVAN tyres range as a premium brand on the European market.

-JOE SAWARD/STAFF 13

uie next tK3veiyre4

38 dates for NASCAR’s maiden Nextel Cup

NASCAR has released its official 2004 calendar.

THE Formula 1 circus managed to settle its tyre crisis in the run-up to the Italian Grand Prix at Monza following a meeting between the FIA technical delegate Charlie Whiting and representatives from McLaren,Williams and Michelin at Woking last week.

The FIA was shown examples of a new Michelin tyre before and after use at the Monza test and confirmed

Next year will see 38 events for the Nextel Cup,the telco taking over after Winston's 31-year association with the premier series comes to an end.

There are few surprises in the schedule. The Charlotte all-star race, formerly The Winston, will remain on a weekend of its own,being scheduled for May 22, the week before Charlotte's Memorial Day Coca-Cola 600. April's Martinsville, run for several years after the April Talladega race, will be moved back to the week before Talladega, where it had been formerly.

Pre-season testing at Daytona will again be held in two sessions, presumably odd-even as has been done the past three years. The two n blocks are Jan. 6-9 and Jan. 13-16.

The full schedule is: Feb 7- Budweiser Shootout, Daytona Feb 15- Daytona 500 Feb 22- Rockingham, N.C. March 7- Las Vegas March 14-Atlanta March 21 - Darlington, S.C. March 28, Bristol, Tenn.

April 4- Fort Worth, Texas April 18- Martinsville, Va. April 25-Talladega, Ala. May2-Fontana, Calif.

May 15- Richmond, Va. May 22 - NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge, Charlotte May 30- Charlotte June 6- Dover, Del. June 13-Pocono, Pa. June 20-Michigan June 27- Sonoma, Calif July 3- Daytona July 11 -Joliet, III. July 25-New Hampshire Aug 1 - Pocono, Pa. Aug8-Brickyard400, Indianapolis Aug 15-Watkins Glen, N.Y. Aug 22-Michigan Aug 28- Bristol, Tenn.

Sept5-Fontana, Calif Sept 11 -Richmond, Va. Sept 19- New Hampshire Sept26- Dover, Del. Oct3- Talladega, Ala. Oct 10- Kansas City, Kan. Oct 16-Charlotte Oct24-Martinsville, Va. Oct 31 -Atlanta Nov 7-Phoenix Nov.14-Darlington, S.C. Nov 21 - Homestead, Fla. 14

by JOE SAWARD

Hi. This is Jeff Gordon. I can't come to the phone right now: The Rainbow Warriors and the rest of the NASCAR circus face a busy 2004.

Lmng it up

on Credit

IT is rumoured that Credit Suisee has agreed a major new sponsorship with Sauber now that its three-year deal is coming to an end.

The company entered FI at the start of 2001 and has since become a shareholder in Sauber, in addition to being a sponsor of the team. The original deal was rumoured to be worth US$17m (approx.$25m)a year and it is anticipated that this figure may have increased with the

new deal, which may be a longerterm deal.

This could be important because the annual rumours once again the Swiss team's Red Bull sponsorship may move elsewhere, with the obvious candidates for a deal being Jordan,Jaguar or Minardi.

Felipe Massa is expected to drive for the team next season, alongside the newly-confirmed Giancarlo Fisichella.

-JOE SAWARD

that it believed that the tyre would comply with the Formula 1 regulations.

"It is regrettable that those using the earlier Michelin front tyres did not consult the FIA about possible excess tread width as soon as they became aware of it," said an FIA statement,"however,as far as the FIA technical department is concerned, the matter is now closed and the Championship can continue with aU teams on an equal footing."

But there was clearly still a great deal of unhappiness at Monza. It was clear from the tone of the event that Ferrari was under attack for having stirred up trouble which was not necessary, if only to disrupt the efforts of its opposition in the run-up to the final three races of the World Championship.

"I think our team, like everybody else on Michelin,feel it was not illegal at all," said Flavio Briatore of Renault. "If somebody was illegal they would be disqualified and nobody,for the moment, was disqualified in any race."

Ferrari's Ross Brawn said that "Obviously our interpretation was not that the tread was constrained by only being measured when new. I can understand how someone may wish to interpret that way. So we had an interpretation which was obviously different to the Michelin teams."

At this point Brawn,opposite, was challenged by Williams's Patrick Head and asked to explain why Ferrari had waited 38 races before raising the issue.

"It seemed an odd time to raise it," Head said.

Brawn argued that Ferrari had not been aware of the problem and said that it had been brought to the attention of the team by Bridgestone which had photographs which purported to show that the tyre was wider than allowed. This information was leaked to the Italian press and the recent scandal began.

When asked about the disruption caused McLaren's Ron Dennis said moiorsport news

and Emotional that "anything that influences the rhythm and pace that you bring to trying to win in such a critical situation is disruptive. We most definitely had to devote a significant amount of the Monza test to the

evaluation of this tyre. There was only a limited number of the new tyres - in fact each team had two sets - and therefore all the the things that we did on the other tyres became immaterial when it was decided that w'e should run this slightly modified front tyre."

Patrick Head agreed: "We have got used to competing in championships and historically it tends to get contentious towards the end. When a championship is close it is always a bit tense,so it didn't come out of the sun,so to speak, to us, this business of there being contention.

The fact that the focus was on the tyres was contentious but it is just part of competing, that's all."

Brawn however was clearly under pressure because of remarks which he allegedly made to Autosport magazine in which he said that "it

was an attempt by Michelin to circumnavigate the regulations. It is now clear that a large number of the Michelin teams have been running illegal tyres for a considerable amount of time".

When asked in Monza if those were actually his words and whether he was willing to stand by them.

Brawn declined to make any comment.

"1 think our opinions about the situation have been expressed. 1 have given you an explanation of what

happened and we want to try and run the rest of the championship in the best manner and best spirit that we can and 1 don't want to go back over those comments."

Michelin, however,is very unhappy about Brawn's alleged remarks and is believed to be seriously considering a legal action against him for slander. In British law,it would be up to Brawn to prove that what he said was true and not up to Michelin to prove the legality of the tyres.

NEWS

AJ’s Unsurance AJ Foyt's IndyCarteam looks certain to lose long-time sponsor Conseco.

The American financial services company filed for bankruptcy in December 2002 but now looks likely to emerge from Chapter 11 protection from its creditors with substantially reduced debts. The new financial structure of the company looks certain to drop its backing of the Foyt team. n According to Fortune magazine, to be published later this week, Michael Schumacher is the 16th richest person in the world under the age of 40.

Top of the list is another figure with vague connections to Formula 1, Russia's Roman Abramovich who is estimated to be worth a cool US$8.3bn (approx $13bn) now that he has sold his interests in Russia and is investing instead in Chelsea football club in Britain. n Attention Lambo fans; a new, 6.2-litre VI2 Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT will make its debut at Monza next month.

The Italian manufacturer intends to make customer version of the car available to teams running in the FIA GT and ALMS championship from early 2004. Paul Stokell, step up ...

- QUENTIN SPURRING

BATHURST 24HR NOVEMBER 19TH - 23RD DRIVES AVAILABLE

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17 Sepiember 2003

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f 5

i

iRBdTHALJA'S contingent of sBritish Formula Three drivers had a mixed weekend at Donington Park earlier in the month.

Ra ' on tne track ;ust as reoea uc a.-d -n ●_a.n cer Me?v.-e -O' e nrst race, --e sn nc cTzer of his title ac.-e'sar«s >-,$-jdeG the Scufr ' tre se^-es win wrih or-.e t: s^jere 5ST. P-ou-et jr snatched , ■●kfiace 1, passing Rod A-s: rvrr' ;ess than naif a lao :o go sner s^pe^’cr e cot rnr^ :ne Vgeafc e conditions tir'e srrateg-es teioeo a oe^. the t”6 z^'C events.

-5' th.'i Dav-isor. the Liigr: ' the opening race V'.e T Dav‘SO «niS-'^eo tccntp atte " ZBirc 55 ntcn as second nn.dv^V C'-. the e.’‘-cour,ter. rwc sarery car penoos „rcrfr3 up fhe f'e'd, Aih'ch 3; a=p P's Si Cic shoe dr vers. tne dos'ng stages, the t-ack vras chying cut anc tne a -C!: r_rr.er3 were, at times.

iaccir.g six seconds faster than trreir rivals, i.n the end. fourth place was a great result for after starting fr-em gria position 16.

“V.^TT. rwo laps to go, the 'si cks' guys kicked in as the tr-35k dr.ed and we couldrft do c^'/thmg to .nold them off. (it) was stt:’ 3 g.reat result, considering where I started.

In the second race. Davison finished seventh, unable to reo.'-oduce the heroics of the opening .race but still scored valuable points for his new ^tenu Motorsports tear^.

"We oidn't quite have h tcgether m quaiifyng but we hao two DfBSSy good races." said Davison.

The ether Aussie.

Power, had an event ne'd rather forget.

The f '5t race ended vritfc a arr=§ed car after contact with '-C Sa -gnen. ‘.n Rece 2. Powe’’ staiec!

T'orn ; 3th, and surged his "rav to fnxsh 1 i-th. One pcsit ve trt*fig trat Power can take cut of the DonmgTon race was that he was tapping dose to the sa.me speed as the race leaders during the dry second race.

Bemie blows Roman rumours RUSSIAN tycoon Roman Abramovich will not be investing in a Formula 1 team, as widely rumoured.

Abramovich recently spent US$150 million on Chelsea Football Club in London, England, and sparked rumours of racing ambitions when he was Bernie Ecclestone's guest at the Nurburgring in Germany.

But Ecclestone, above, said last week: "Roman will not be a Formula 1 team owner in 2004 or the foreseeable future. He likes football too much. He's a nice guy and full of enthusiasm for what he's doing. But he's decided Formula 1 is not for him. I've become a Chelsea supporter, though."

- QUENTIN SPURRING

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FORMULA 3000 Champion Bjorn Wirdheim finished his season off in fine style by winning the final round at Monza, Italy last weekend.

Arden International team driver Wirdheim qualified on pole position, but immediately lost the lead to Giorgio Pantano and Patrick Friesacher.

However, by the end of lap three, the new Champ was back out in front and established a gap of over 9s by

Chiming around: Van der .Meme, abovCr claimed the British F3 title at Donington, \*hile Aussie hopeful Will Davison, below, was unlucky to miss a podium spot in Race 1.

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motorspon news

NEWS

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Fuji gets a facelift

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HISTORIC Japanese circuit Fuji International Speedway, below, will close down at the end of this month for major reconstruction.

Tilke GmbH has designed a new, 4.55km (2.83-mile) main circuit.

Owned by Toyota, the track in the shadow of Mount Fuji is expected to reopen in April 2005, and to bid to wrest the nation's Formula 1 fixture from Suzuka, which is owned by Honda.

Fuji hosted Japanese GP fixtures in 1976-77.

3

Briscoe Brilliant

RYAN Briscoe has Inched one step closer to becoming the inaugral Euro Formula Three Champion with a dominant display at Austria's Al-Ring recently.

Briscoe qualified on pole for both races and led home Alexandre Premat in the twin events, both of which he won with relative ease.

"This is a fantastic weekend," said the Australian. "For me, everything has been running perfectly. I had a good start, I didn't make any mistake and set-up of the car and tlie engine were optimal."

His domination coincided with title rivals Olivier Pla

1

and Christain Klien scoring poorly.

The second race was delayed aftyer a major incident involving Andreas Zuber. The local Austrian ran wide in the first lap push and shove and slip off the track.

His Dallara dug into the snad trap and flipped several times. Zuber was lucky to escape his inverted car unaided.

The New South Welshmen now has a large championship lead heading into the final three rounds of the series at Zandvoort, Hockenheim and Magny-Cours.

Points; Briscoe 89, Klien 57, Pla 49, Marcus Winkiehock /Premat 42.

leaves in style

the end of the race.

Durango Formula driver Pantano later retired from the race, handing second place in the race to Friesacher. Pantano’s retirement also gave Coloni steerer Ricardo Sperafico second place in the championship.

Vitantonio Liuzzi finished fourth, and only four other cars crossed the line at the end of the race.

The only drama Wirdheim encountered was when the stewards were to impose a

penalty on the Swede after a wheel-change infringement in pit lane during his compulsory pit stop, below. Wirdheim and his team were cleared of any foul play after the race Australian Rob Nguyen did not make the grid at Monza, but ended the series in 15th place, having amassed five points in his limited stint in the series.

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Final Points: Wirdheim 78, Sperafico 43, Pantano 41, Vitantonio Liuzzi 39, Friesacher 36.

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Turkey gets lucky number 7 Ring his BeH THE Turkish Chamber of Commerce and TOMSFED,the ASN in Istanbul, have signed a seven-year contract in London with Formula One Management to hold a Formula 1 Turkish Grand Prix from 2005 through 2011.

The deal, reported to be worth US$13.5m ($20m) annually, was finalised at the end of a week in which government health officials in Ankara had asserted that tobacco sponsorships would not be permitted at the event.

However work will now gather pace on a new, purpose-built venue near Istanbul.

The announcement means that one race will have to be deleted from the proposed 17race calendar for 2004, which was released last week. Among the candidates are San Marino and Belgium

Young American Townsend Bell has had his first Formula 1 run at

Berger calls It a day

MONZA last weekend marked the final race for Gerhard Berger as a director of BMW Motorsport.

Earlier this season, the 44-year-old former Formula 1 driver declared his intention to step down from the role when his contract expired this month, to spend more time with family.

Berger, below, will also spend time working with his family trucking company which, with a fleet of 400 vehicles, is Austrian’s largest.

Berger drove in 210 Grands Prix with ATS, Arrows, Benetton, Ferrari and McLAren, taking 10 wins and 12 pole positions. He was the last driver win a race with a Renault engine until Fernando Alonso won in Budapest last month.

-QUENTIN SPURRING

the Lurcy-Levis testing facility, conducting aerodynamic tests for BAR. BeU, who finished nintli in this year's FIA Formula 3000 championship with Team Arden,said: "It's the fastest I've ever driven. I was too busy smiling to be too analytical on the first run..."

While Bell was in France, BAR had cars for Jenson Button and Jacques'Villeneuve as well as regular test drivers Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson at the Monza tests.

V8 Supercar back in your Lounge Room

THE extremelly popular V8 Supercar Race Driver is set for its long-awaited sequel, V8 Supercar 2.

After selling close to 200,000 copies of the original game,the next installment has been described as 'the most ambitious motor sport project to date'.

Game creators Codemasters will release the game on X-Box and PC in April 2004, while Play Station 2 owners will have to wait until September next year for their slice of Supercar action.

Expect to see nearly aU of the current crop of Superacr stars in the game,as weU as new circuits, including Surfers Paradise, WA's BarbagaUo Raceway, NT's Hidden 'Valley and New Zealand's Pukekohe.

An interesting addition will be practice, qualifying and full race distance events. Yes folks, you will be

driving life

able to compete in a 161-lap endurance race around the famous Mt Panorama circuit.

But wait, there's more.As per the original game, you will have the chance to race right across the world. But this time, you can compete in even more styles of racing,including Rally, GT Sports Car, Rally-Cross,Formula Ford and other open-wheel. .VOLVO Grand Prix style machines. "_MOfcDBItHO /Q ^iiti£m The Race Driver tag has been dropped for the second edition, and will be simply known in Australia as'V8 Supercar 2'.

And Ryan McKane has been retired. We hear he is You wouldn't believe us if we told you that this is a sample of what the the new V8 Supercar 2 looking for an apartment on the Gold Coast somewhere ... will look like, and you'd be right. But from - GRANT ROWLEY what we've heard, it's not far off...

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Yes, it was this close BLINK and you would have missed it. Sam Homish Jr. took victory in the Delphi Indy 300 at Chicagoland recently, but only just.

Kiwi Scott Dixon and Mr Versatility Bryan Herta crossed the line a mere 0.01s behind Hornish. It was the closest one-two-three finish in IRL history, left, and the race has created a dynamic conclusion to the series with just two rounds to go.

"It's really exciting because you know the fans are getting the show of a lifetime," said Homish after his second win on-the-trot. "But it's pretty nerve-wracking," The win has given Hornish a last ditch shot at the IRL title, however,it wiU still be a tall order from here.

autlon-iniif0ti

"While we're still 41 points out of the championship lead, when you get 52 for winning and leading the most laps,anything is possible."

The final 30 laps was an intense battle between the leading three.

Herta led nine of the final 11 tours, but was caught in the middle of

Hornish and Dixon on the final straight. Dixon used to draft of Herta's Andretti Green car to sling shot up the inside, and was able to grab second place.

Dan Wheldon picked up fourth place after leading liis first laps of a race for 2003. His placing equalled his best result for the year.

Tomas Scheckter, Tony Kanaan and Alex Barron were next in the cue.

Pole man Richie Hearn, making a return to Team Menard,finished 14th, the first car off the lead lap.

Championship challengers and Team Penske team-mates Helio Castroneves and Gil de Ferran had a disastrous weekend. Castroneves pulled out of the race with only 17 laps remaining due to gearbox gremlins.

De Ferran finished a lowly 12th.

The next round of the IRL series is at Fontana this weekend.

-PHIL MORRIS Points: Castroneves 439, Dixon 427, Kanaan 425, de Ferran 422, Homish 398, Unser Jr. 330, Brack 318, Scheckter 309.

Muller: Title in sight WAN Muller can almost call the 2003 British Touring Car Championship his own after a fine display of mature driving at Donington Park last weekend.

The Frenchmen picked up the Race 2 win, and fought from the back of the grid to claim third place in the opening event despite only completing two laps prior to Race 1 after he endured mechanical problems in qualifying, Matt Neal grabbed the Race 1 spoils after a titanic battle with Muller’s Vauxhall team mate, James Thompson. The Honda driver passed Thompson with little over a lap and a

half remaining, making Thompson’s tilt at the title even more difficult.

MG driver Colin Turkington, aided by no success ballast in the Race 2, scathed through the field to finish second.

Luke Hines became the Production Car Champion with one round remaining.

Muller, right, leads Thompson by 29 points, with a maximum of 35 points available at the final round of the series at Oulton Park this weekend.

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Points: Muller 183, Thompson 158, O’Neill 119, Neal 114.

Colciago wins, Larini stars SWITZERLAND'S Marcel Fassler turned his pole position into a race win at the Al-Ring in Austria during round eight of the DTM. Fassler, below, was fast and e^fiective, sustaning immense race-long pressure from fellow Mercedes Benz man Bernd Scheider to take the win.

"The race was incredibly hard," said Fassler.

"1 had to do everything to hold off ^ Schneider."

Mercedes got back to

it's winning ways in fine style, claiming the top three positions in front of 60,000 spectators.

Christijan Albers snared the final podium place, edging out Reigning Champion Laurent Aiello and Audi's Mattias Ekstrom, Points: Schneider 57, Aibers 54, Fassler 48, Aielio 37, Ekstrom 32, Alesi 28.

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ROBERTO Colciago and Nicola Larini shared the wins at Anderstorp in rounds 13 and 14 of the European Touring Car Championship.

Alfa Romeo team-mates Larini and Gabriele Tarquini were involved in a turn two.Race 1 incident, which dropped both drivers down the order.

Former championship leader Tarquini was unable to start Race 2 due to the damage from the opening race.

In Race 2,Aussie-bound enduro drivers Andy Priaulx and Rickard Rydell finished second and third.

Points:J.Muller 72,Larini 70, Priaulx 66, Tarquini/D.MulIer 64.

20

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Valentino maRe| it #55for VALENTINO Rossi has passed Mick Doohan on the list of all-time Grand Prix winners with victory in the Portuguese MotoGP. The mercurial Italian overcame

Broc Parks it AUSSIE World Supersport contender Broc Parkes is out of a ride following his team's withdrawal from the series.

Parkes and team-mate Christophe Cogan look certain to sit out the rest of the 2003 season after the BKM Dark Dog Honda team announced that it was withdrawing from the World Supersport championship with immediate effect.

The team was forced to withdraw from the championship after one of its sponsors failed to come up with its promised backing.

Parkes is managed by Wayne Gardner and is already signed to the Ten Kate Honda Supersport team for next year.

GSE Ducati dumps SBK

THE proposed changes to the World Superbike Championship have claimed their first casualty, with GSE Racing confirming it will withdraw from the series.

HM Plant Ducati riders James Toseland and Chris Walker, currently sixth and 12th in the series, have been given permission to talk to other teams regarding 2004.

"At present, GSE Racing is unable to confirm which championship it will be competing in next season, which machines it will be using and who the sponsors, riders, and other personnel will be," confirmed team principal Darrell Healey at Assen.

"We are being open and fair with everyone concerned so that they can explore other opportunities within the sport."

Healey said that GSE is in not quitting the sport and is currently looking in for other opportunities for next year.

5 22

early race leader Max Biaggi to take his 55th GP win to surpass Doohan's amazing record. The win gives him a 46 point lead in the world championship over Sete Gibemau who was fourth after a tough battle with Ducati's Loris Capirossi.

"I saw Biaggi going very fast after the start and,after passing Sete and Loris,I was able get behind Biaggi and we raced many laps at Im 39s," grinned Rossi after the race."I didn't think it was possible to stay at this pace.

"Once I passed Max,it was possible to hold the gap.The win is very important for the championship, especially as Sete only arrived in fourth place."

The battle for third was a cracker, poleman Capirossi zooming past Gibemau in the dash to the flag.

"During the final laps I planned my attack on Sete and used the Ducati's engine power to overtake him 20 metres from the finish," explained Capirossi."I really wanted that podium."

Tohru Ukawa took fifth place ahead of Troy BayKss, who continues an impressive rookie MotoGP season.

Best of the Yamahas was Marco Melandri in seventh,just holding off Fortuna team-mate Carlos Checa.

Points: Rossi 237, Gibemau 191, Biaggi 161, Capirossi 113, Bayliss 106,Checa 86,Ukawa 85, Barros 76, Hayden 74, Nakano 69.

SPANIARD Toni Elias is back in business in the 250cc championship after a win at Estoril.

The Aprilia star ended a six-race drought by beating championship leader Manuel Poggiali and Randy de Puniet. EUas overcame a practice fall thatleft him with mild concussion and a cut chin,forcing him out of final qualifying.

Aussie Ant West was 10th after qualifying 11th and dicing with Alex Debon and Fonsi Nieto.

Points: Poggiali 165,Elias 151, Rolfo 148,De Puniet 146, Nieto 143, Battaini 117, West 110, Porto 109, Guintoli 75, Matsudo 75.

ANOTHER Nieto made the top step of a Grand Prix when Pablo Nieto won his first 125cc GP. The 23-year-old son of 13-time world champion Angel Nieto (and

Look Mom,one hand!

Valentino Rossi tortures another Michelin tyre, above, while Marco Melandri showed some welcome form in the 'Yamaha class'. cousin of 250 racer Fonsi) towed past countryman Hector Barbera right on the finish line. Alex de Angelis held out championship leader Dani Pedrosa(Honda)for the final spot on the podium. World Champion Amaud Vincent put his KTM sacking behind him by taking fifth on an Aprilia.

Aussie Casey Stoner missed the race after his attempts to overcome injury fell short.

Points; Pedrosa 175,Perugini 137,De Angelis 124, Dovizioso 120, Nieto 113, Cecchinello 105,Jenkner 98,Barbera 98, Ui 71, Giansanti 66,Stoner 60.

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24

t

II Passione, Monza-style ONZA is chaotic. That's barbeques and a motherload of really the only way to beer. It all gets thrown in together pin it down in words. A and somehow, it works. They may time-worn cliche has it that the live on different points of the circuit is Formula One's holiest socio-economic spectrum, but cathedral fuelled by a potent when an FI car goes past them at blend of Ferrari worship and full revs, that kind of thing Latin excitability - and to an becomes unimportant. extent, it's true. But in terms of onventional wisdom would nailing what it is that makes the have it that this would be race so special, it just barely scratches the surface. especially true if the Grand Prix car Walking around the heavily in question is red, and most forested Royal Park in which the particularly if the driver is a German father of two. And this is Autodromo di Monza, its easy to get the impression that Monza is true ... to a point. The Tifosi's Italy in microcosm - a lot of passion for the Prancing Florae is different worlds hurtling together as strong as it has ever been, but at breakneck speed, and somehow their commitment is to the spirit of the team, rather than a blind finding a way to exist together despite their apparent devotion to any car that happens incompatibility. to be red. This is why it's almost A five minute walk can take you as easy to buy postcards of Gilles Villeneuve as it is Michael from the FI paddock, full of all of the normal Formula One excess Schumacher. And on the other that we see in Melbourne,(but side of the coin, it's also why, at then taken to a whole new realm the height of the controversy over with the ludicrously sophisticated the width of Michelin's tyres, motorhomes that only see action Ferrari turned up at Monza for at the European races), to a spot testing a week before the race to sufficiently deep in the forest that be greeted by a banner in the main you have to think long and hard grandstand reading: 'Ferrari and about how to find your way back Bridgestone: Don't know how to win, don't know how to lose.' again - a journey often made all Death before dishonour, in other the more hazardous by the swarms of mopeds that dart at full words ... but they still went mad when a tiny mistake at Ascari saw noise along the paths, going just close enough to pedestrians to Montoya fall 0.051 s shy of taking give them a decent scare without pole from Michael. actually killing them.

And then there are the people. ut perhaps the thing that stands out most is that it is a FI is known for glamour. So is Milan, which is anything from 25 circuit with a history unmatched by minutes (if you get a good run) to 2 hours (if you get stuck in traffic and/or lost, both of which happen with monotonous regularity) down the road. Put them together, and it scarcely needs to be said that there are no badly-dressed people in the paddock except, on this occasion, for myself. But you're just as likely to see someone v wearing a watch worth roughly my^-^ annual salary standing at the end of the back straight next to a bunch of guys who have built a mini-encampment of tents.

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Monza is Italy in microcosm - a lot o! different worlds hurtling together at breakneck speed, and somehow finding a way to exist together

11

any other stop on the modern calendar except, perhaps Monaco.

And it knows it.

This year, the race weekend had a particular poignancy because it marked the 25th anniversary, to the day, that Ronnie 'Super Swede' Peterson died from complications following a crash on the startline here. But even putting that aside, it's a circuit that has hosted both heroics and tragedy beyond count, and as weird as it sounds the echoes of all of this do still hang in the air, and add just a tiny bit of something extra to everything that happens. Other races are mini-epics in their own right, but here it seems that each Grand Prix is a chapter in a much larger story.

And for those immune to subtlety, there are more obvious reminders, be they contrived (eg the plaque dedicating the new media centre to Tazio Nuvolari), the forlorn (the merchandise stalls flogging Eddie Irvine mugs. Arrows caps, and Benetton t-shirts, still at full price), or the genuinely awe inspiring (the startlingly big, and

Motor Mouth With Marco Glendenning steep, banked sections of the old circuit that lurk among some of the spookier sections of the forest).

Of course, you might want to eschew all that and just see FI cars doing what they do best - and again, Monza delivers. Unlike Melbourne, which gives the gearbox a moderate workout, the vast majority of Monza is taken flat. So instead of producing assortments of revs, upshifts and downshifts, the cars just scream.

For variety though, you can wander down and stand at the inside of Parabolica. Not only doesis this the perfect vantage point from which to study each driver's particular style as they find different lines through the right hander, but it is surely one of the most spectacular places to watch an FI car anywhere in the world.

In short, Monza is noisy, flamboyant, exciting, and more than a little manic - just like Formula One. It's like they were made for each other.

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ANY times I have written that Monza is Formula 1's 'cathedral', its spiritual home,if you like. But I have never bumped into a cardinal before. Or maybe he was an archbishop. Who can tell? Anyway,there he was walking through the F1 paddock,surrounded by adoring security men and some of his staff, wearing their black cassocks.

"Help has come for Eddie Jordan," said an unkind soul.

"Well, he has had his miracle for this year," said another. "The Miracle of Interlagos."

I decided not to watch further, just in case I saw any acts of appalling sacrilege by team bosses in search of photo opportunities. Some of those souls cannot be saved ...

But who needs team bosses when one goes to Monza? They are moneychangers at the door of the temple. Monza has a splendour and when you are there, in the woods with the . ghosts and the old banking, you remember what it is that is so impressive about motor racing. * Go out to the two Lesmo Corners and you won't come back saying that Grand Prix racing is boring. No way.

And, of course, it is the land of the Ferrari fan. The tifosi - the word is derived from 'typhus' because of the fevered behaviour of the Ferrari fans really are mad. There was a time when they hated Michael

Schumacher and carried banners which said mad things like 'One Alesi is worth 100 Schumachers', but now they have accepted that in order to survive in life, they must own a Schumacher baseball cap.

Driving into Monza early in the morning of any day of the Italian Grand Prix meeting. It is chaos.

At every pass check - and there are many of them - there is an unshaven Italian in a red baseball cap, arguing with someone in a beaten-up Fiat who says that he should be allowed in because he is a family friend of Luca di Montezemolo and, anyway, has to deliver a pizza to his pregnant wife who is in the medical centre looking after her dying mother.

When a real passholder gets to the front of the queue, the security people sometimes have an argument, simply because they do not know what else to do.

The paddock seems to be united in the belief that the entire interlude about contact patches of the Michelin front tyres was simply a strategic move to disrupt the opposition.

If it was, it has worked very well, although Ferrari Technical Director Ross Brawn seemed decidedly uncomfortable when being cross-examined by the press about the whole business.

I haven't seen Ross look as worried since he stood up at Hockenheim in 1994 and told the press about the allegations that Benetton had been cheating. It may of course be that Brawn has realised that some of his remarks in recent days about Michelin were probably actionable and being sued by a vast tyre company (with very expensive lawyers) could knock a hole in the side of his personal fortune. I listened

to all the arguments at the Friday Press Conference and all I felt was sadness. The sport should be bigger than petty quibbles and political manoeuvres like this.

When you have a magnificent racing circuit outside the window, such indoor spectacles are put into the correct perspective.

'T'hat night, a little group of us found ourselves on the same table at a Credit Suisse function in the Paddock Club. And as we were deciding whether to say 'Prost', 'Skol', 'Cheers', 'Campai' or 'Chin-chin', it was

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own here, Ferrari is always in the news and, amazingly, this year they have already forgotten the drubbing that the team received in Hungary three weeks ago when Michael Schumacher was lapped by a Renault. This amazing turnaround has been achieved with a lot of smoke, a few mirrors and a controversy about tyres.

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ie Ban Bearing mbering Bonme suggested that instead we drink a toast to the late Ronnie Peterson who died as the result of an accident at Monza 25 years ago this weekend.

Peterson is actually the reason why I ended up in FI because back in the summer of 1978, when the BBC first began broadcasting all the Grands Prix, I watched to see the crashes. 1 had no real interest in racing, it was just something spectacular to watch. And then on September 10 that year they had the biggest crash 1 had ever

seen. Peterson and Vittorio Brambilla was badly hurt. I remember listening to the radio late into the night to find out what had happened. There was little information. Peterson died.

I did not understand. What was it that made people drive fast and risk being killed? I was curious. I didn't care about grommets and gaffer-dazzlers, the technical stuff was for people wearing anoraks, but the racers fascinated me. I began to read the newspapers, not even aware that there were specialist magazines available. Peterson's death was in many respects a turning point for safety in FI because it started a campaign to improve medical facilities and

expertise at the racing circuits and at the local hospitals.

But andinthere arehistory a lot offades people the FI paddock these days who do not even know the name Peterson. Some years ago Ronnie’s daughter Nina came to a few Grands Prix to see the world in which her father had been such a star and at one point she was introduced to Michael Schumacher. He was very polite and asked what her father was doing nowadays ...

Still, it was nice to see that some people do not forget and there in the paddock was Kenny Szymanksi, a character and a half who is a flight attendant with American Airlines. For

The Box Seat will lot Siwari back at Monza to remember Mario's World Championship victory that happened the same weekend as his team-mate's death.

The 'ball-bearing stewardess', as he calls himself, had not forgotten ...

We have a great sport and it does not need to be tainted as it has been by the ridiculous allegations we have seen in recent weeks. Let us keep it that way in the weeks ahead.

Five minutes with...

Rolanil Dane

After much specuiation, Tripie8Race Engineering hroke cover at Samiown amtit was a successiut nehutfor the Betta BectricaibacketiFont team.PHI BRANAGAN spoke to co-owner Botanii Dane MOTORSPORT NEWS: From the outside, it looked like the deal took a while to put the deal together. Is that a fair observation?

ROLAND DANE: No, not at all.

There was a lot of speculation about things going on behind the scenes before they actually were.

When we decided to go ahead, everything came together in about six weeks. In my experience, it was quite a smooth and quick process.

WIN: What was the attraction with Briggs Wlotorsport?

RD: The team has a sound ' foundation and that was what we were attracted to. We have not been here long enough to be able to thoroughly assess al l the assets that the personnel have but the technical infrastructure that the team has at the base in Queensland is quite impressive.

WIN: Compared to the British Touring Car Championship, how would you say the V8 Supercar series stacks up in terms of the skill level of the drivers and the teams?

RD: In terms of the drivers, it is very impressive. The depth of talent in the Australian series is better than that in England. With the possible exception of the NASCAR series in the USA, there is no need for the local (Australian) series to take a back seat to anyone.

In terms in engineering ... there are a number of things we are looking at. The cars are completely different, of course, to the ones we run in the British program and there are some things we can directly transfer, like presentation and so on.

WIN: Was there a deadline for the transfer to go through?

RD: Yes, we wanted (things) to be in place before September 1.

We felt is was necessary to be in 28

control of the team before the big races of the year - this one (Sandown), the Bathurst 1000 of course, and the Indy Car race a few weeks later.

We are focusing our efforts on making the team competitive in 2004 and, to be able to do that, we need to be able to evaluate how the team operates in the major events. So to get all that in motion for next season, it was September 1.

WIN: In terms of cost and the currency factor, V8 Supercar racing represents good value, compared to the rest of the world. Was that a factor in your decision to buy into a local team? premature to make any comment RD: Well, between the time we on what might or might not started looking at the deal and happen. I know that there is the time we went ahead with it, . some speculation about who your local currency decided that it might be coming to drive for the was going to go on an upward team. There are drivers banging spiral ... on the door, as there always

With the possible exception of the NASCAR series in the USA,there is no need for the Australian series to take a back seat to anyone It

- Dane compares the V8SCS with the BTCC WIN: Which we happen to think is a good thing!

RD: True, but there is always a downside I No, we realised the cost factor was a good one.

WIN: One obviously visible thing people are looking for is who will drive for the team next season.

RD: I have known Paul Radisich for more than 10 years, through racing against him in the BTCC, and I believe that he is an excellent driver. All you have to do is look at what has happened s.o far this weekend to know that and we are very happy to have him.

I only met Dean (Canto) on Thursday so it would be

seem to be but the team has a number of things to do before we get to announcing who will be driving in the future.

WIN: So what are the teams realistic targets for 2004?

RD: Championships are allimportant, of course, but we want to-be in a position to win races.

When I say that, I do not necessarily mean that we will win races in 2004 but that we want to have a car capable of winning.

Any number of things can happen in motor racing, we all know that, but we want to be able to have a car with winning potential. After that, it is down to the team and the driver and what happens on any particular day.

WIN: In terms of exposure, how does our series compare with the BTCC? RD: No comparison. In terms of the presentation of the sport to the public, the V8 Supercar series is well ahead.

The public in Australia has a much higher recognition factor of the leading drivers in the sport as do the British public of drivers in the BTCC. That is easy to understand: the drivers here are promoted well and AVESCO and Network Ten do a good job in getting the races televised live, which I think is very important.

WIN: One of the team co owners is Derek Warwick, Is it likely that he will put his hand up for an endurance drive?

RD: I certainly hope notl No, Derek is firmly retired as a driver now. But, as you know, he has a great affection and enthusiasm for all things Australian. He has spent quite some time here and has a great many friends here, dating back to his days in the Adelaide Formula One race, and he had fond memories of his race at Bathurst.

I know that he is planning to come here and see the team perform and to spend some time here. molorsport news

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Five minutes with

If MaMo Theissen

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BMW may win the 2003 WorU Championship hut Motorspont boss On Mario Theissen is aineaOy hand at work on 2004 and beyond.

He spoke to MARK GLEmOBVnuniG about the challenges ahead

MOTORSPORT NEWS: Were you expecting to be in the hunt at this point of the season?

MARIO THEISSEN: If you asked me before mid-season, 1 would have said no way. No chance to get there. It was such a difficult start to the season for us. We could have won Melbourne, but even there we were by far not the quickest. So it would have been a lucky win.

I have to admit, I didn't see a chance to get into the lead of the championship during the season, and I have to say I haven't seen something like this before; such a strong move during the season.

Of course, it's limited, what you can do with an existing car. You cannot change the monocoque.

Or at least, we didn't do that. So we work on the bodywork, we work on the chassis set-up, and the tyres and the engine.

But basically everything, the concept, is frozen and you cannot change major things.

MN:So most of the gains came from the chassis?

MT: Yes. Williams did an exceptional job on the aero side as well as on the chassis set-up side. They really found a lot of improvements, step by step. Each race there was something new, and that will go on right up to the final race in Suzuka. And if the driver sees that he has a car that can win, the driver contributes his part as well. So in the end, that made us competitive.

MN: It must be encouraging that things are moving in this direction, given the length of BMW's agreement with Williams now.

MT: Yes. That was an important step for the whole team, it was not an easy one - we took our time. It took more than half a year.

I think they were very fruitful discussions. There were discussions on how to operate the team, rather than making 30

negotiations about the contract itself. That didn't take so much time. Most of the effort and time went into discussing how to set up the team in order to be competitive in the coming five years.

why we set the whole thing up in Munich. It’s a separate facility, but it's quite close to the corporate R&D centre. And we have established strong links between the two.

MN: Does BMW have more of a say now in how things are run?

MT: The whole thing is much more integrated, so it's not two companies, one in England and one in Germany, talking to each other. Rather, it's an integrated program with a joint program management, and individual programs which can be run at Williams, or at BMW, or even jointly. This is new to us, it is different from what we used to do in the past. So in a way, you can say we are more involved.

And we will contribute BMW resources, which only a car manufacturer can have, to the project.

MN: How is next year's engine programme looking?

MT: It's on track. You could say it's a bit ahead of schedule. We started a bit earlier than usual because of the regulation change.

The first engine was on the dyno in July, and the engine was in the car last week here at Monza. It was the 2004-spec engine's first time in the car.

MN: Did it get much of a run?

MT: It was ... more than a rollout.

MN: With the new engine regulations, were you able to just revise your current approach, or did you have to adopt a whole new

\\

The first engine was on the dyno in Juiy, and the engine was in the car iast week here at Monza, it was the 2004-spec engine's first time in the car If

- Theissen on the progress of the 2004-spec BMW VI0 So Williams gets access to simulation computers and test facilities that we have in Munich.

And we will specifically contribute to transmission development. So we have increased our input to the programme.

MN: What about marketing spin-offs? Could we see,for example, Williams-branded BMW road cars?

MT: Probably not. There are spin offs in terms of technology - lots of spin-offs. That was a clear request from the BMW Board when we started.

When the project began in 1997, we were told that it was not just a marketing programme we had to create synergies in terms of technology. So that's

philosophy?

MT: If you face such a requirement of doubling engine life, or mileage, you can take two approaches. One is detuning the current concept, the other is coming up with a completely new concept directly aimed at the new requirements. We looked at both, and did, some initial studies of both, ^nd I can say that it was not necessary to build to a new concept.

MN:So how does the cost of coming up with an engine for the new regulations compare with developing one based on stable rules from one season to the next?

MT: It's more expensive. That's a general issue with the new

regulations. If you go to 800km, of course development gets more expensive. Each and every endurance engine has to do 800km, you have to do 800 at a test...

So development is more expensive. Going through the season will be less expensive, because we will use fewer engines?

MN: Which way will it balance out in the end?

MT: In the end it should be a bit cheaper.

MN: What will be the difference in performance between the current engines and the 2004spec?

MT: You can expect power and revs to go a bit down.

MN: By what kind if scale?

MT: Initially I expected that it would be about 10 percent. Now I'm confident it will be less. We don't know how much yet, because we have just started on the development, and first we focus on reliability. Only then to we start to exploit the power.

MN: Finally, this is Gerhard's last race. What has he contributed to the team?

MT: Well, I think we had an excellent co-operation between the two of us, and it was very successful, with the Le Mans victory in the first year, the establishment of the FI team, and right up until now, we have achieved all of the targets ahead of schedule. Gerhard's contribution mainly was his knowledge about Formula One, and his experience as a businessman in this environment.

So with his help, we didn't trip into many holes that you normally would expect any beginner to fall into. It was not just valuable, I think it was the key to our success that Gerhard joined the team in 1998. motorsport news

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17 September 2003

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Winning

By Design In the second and final part ofour rare and exclusive interview with Ron Tauranac, we ask the legendary Australian designer about Coiin Chapman, pubiicity, the evoiution of designing, and modern racing.

By MARK GLENDENNING »

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MOTORSPORT NEWS: Your cars were often described as being 'solid and dependable'.1 guess this would have been highlighted by the fact that some of the other things that were around,like Lotuses, were renowned for being neither of those things.

RON TAURANAC: Well I think the other difference is that Lotus and all those people employed designers.

And a designer had to come up with something new each year, or they wouldn't keep him.And I, if there was a new formula that came out, I sort of thought,'well,if it lasts four or five years, where's it going to go?'

So for a production car, one tried to build the car that was going to be right in five years time; you backed off and built something that was just good enough to win. And then you kept doing updates. And that meant that you could get one of my cars, particularly like my Formula Atlantics, three or four years later and you could still win.

The people that had the money would buy the new car to save doing the service. And the people who bought old cars - they were designed so that all you had to do was. I'd recommend, put all new rod ends on every year.

Again, my rod ends were bigger than everyone else's, because 1 wasn't saving weight. On all the other cars, like Lotus, they would wear out, and when it got to the slop in it, you'd

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Banking on it: The Brabham BT24s of Jack Brabham and Denny Holme at Monza in 1967.

moiorsport news

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SPECIAL FEATURE

JIM BEAM IKS^EB]per^nai atexons

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Different horses for different courses: Two of Tauranac's better known designs are the F3 Ralt RT3, above with Gerhard Berger at the wheel in 1984, and the infamous Brabham BT34 'Lobster Claw', a one-off built for Graham Hill in 1971, below.

Winners are grinners: Tauranac looking rather pleased with Brabham's win at the Nurburgring in 1966, left. put another one in. But if it could get some slop in ip you couldn't control your wheel contact patch accurately.

So I'd put bigger ones in. They didn't wear and, at the end of the season, the fatigue life would set in. maybe,and you'd throw the lot away and get a new lot. So there's a different sort of philosophy.

MN: While reading Mike Lawrence's book (Brabham + Ralt + Honda: The Ron Tauranac Story),1 was struck by a remark from someone who once worked with you, who said,'If Ron could reincarnate, he'd come back as Chapman'. How does that sit with you?

RT:(laughs) No way! See, Chapman had to sing his own praises, and have it done for him by journalists, whom he employed, because he had to get the publicity for his road cars and all the other things.

1 didn't want any publicity. 1 just wanted to build the car and 1 didn't want anyone copying any ideas. So I never said, 'oh, that's new'.

I think Chapman came up with a couple of big innovations - they weren't new. Like the monocoque - it had been around 20 years before.

He brought that into racing. So there were a few bigger things like that which he made public, like making the engine part of the structure. BRM had done that anyway - but Chapman got the publicity.

But when it comes down to detail and design innovations and things like that, 1 think we had, probably, as many as him. We just didn't say

17 September 2003

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anything about them. But I could just list the whole lot. Even simple little things like the driveline. The rubber donuts came in because the plunge in the universal joint was causing a lot of sticktion, and the cars would stick up. So they went to rubber donuts, but, because they were acting as a UJ at the pump, they would break.

So I put a UJ on the donut and took the pump out of it and put the plunge on the donut. Which I think Mercedes did, a year or two later.

And there's a whole lot of things, like adjustable anti-rollbars and all sorts of little things. But you didn't say anything - you tried to hide them.

MN: RalFs current equivalent would be Dallara. Do you see anybody breaking its monopoly in Formula Three?

RT: No. They can't, because of the regulabons.

1 would have liked to have gone back when 1 had nothing on and

done another Formula 3 car, but you have to homologate a whole lot of the parts in the car for three years. So you've got to homologate it before you can race it.

So you can build a car and test it and you can be testing quicker than the others have done. But unless you are actually at the circuit on the same day and you race one another, you can't tell if you're going to win, because you've got to get out of the corner faster so you can speed down the straight.

There are certain little things you can do on your own. But if you're not allowed to change the cars for three years...

The other thing is, no-one will probably buy the car, because drivers have got to get sponsorship. And they get the sponsorship from what is known. An unknown coming back in, and trying to get the money to run a Formula 3 car ... you wouldn't get a top driver.

Chapman had to sing his own praises, and have it done tor him by journalists, whom he n employed

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- Tauranac on Colin Chapman, above

The only way to do it would be to run a top team with Dallaras, build your own car, test against it, homologate it when it's ready, and

continued on page 40 33

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An Austrian and an Australian: locben Rindt replaced Denny Hulme at Brabham in 1968 before moving to Lotus the following year. Tauranac always spoke highly of the 1970 world champion, continued from page 39

'1 suppose the best of the F3 cars was the RT35. R went on and on being the best even after R was outdated by composRes ft

- Tauranac on the Ralt RT35, pictured below at Nogaro in the hands of Olivier Panis during the 1991 French F3championship

then gradually bring it in because you've already got the sponsorship.

And I reckon it would cost nearly a million pounds to get cracking again and do ail that.

- =ir .

MN:I understand that Lola are close to bringing out a new F3 car, though.

RT: Yes, although that was done in Japan, which is a bit different. That was done by ... what's the Japanese company? Dome.They've been associated with Honda for a number of years and they've got windturmels ... they did do a Formula One car, years ago. Anyway they've done a F3000 car, and they've just done tlris new thing with Lola.

They did all the basic design there, made most of it, and then Lola had some technical input later on. So it got established in Japan where you don't have all the silly bloody FLA things. Or maybe they did, but they got around it somehow.

MN:There was a Ralt running around at the start of the year, too.

RT; Yes, he's been doing that for about three years. That was one of the two partners that bought out March when it was going bust- Steve Ward. He took the Ralt name,and the other partner took the March name.

He's got a farm and some young guy from Poland wrote to him and said that he wanted to design cars. So he came over and he worked for his board and lodging.

He designed the car. The big thing he did different was the gearbox - he had drop gears in it. You keep the weight forward and put the driveshaft up, and he would have gained a bit of horsepower in the days with CV joints.

34

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But with tripods, there's virtually no power loss by comparison,so he lost a bit of his advantage.

And of course, they haven't got all the facilities with the windturmel that

Mike Lawrence there and then!

'Yeah,I let them come and do that...'

I don't know whether Mike put that into the book or not.

Dallara has got built in - the ongoing thing with about three designers or four designers ongoing.

What Dallara did, when Alan Docking was running my cars, Dallara wanted to get him and they loaned him a car and it wasn't quick enough. Alan Docking, and the manager that he had rurming it then, let Dallara's two engineers come up and tear the Ralt to pieces and copy everything they wanted off it.

If you look at the wheel bearing set-up and all that, and the hubs, it's a straight-out Ralt. So that got them a bit of a kick-start. They'd been building Dallaras for years, but they got all this into it. I don't know why Alan Docking would do that.

He told me afterwards that he did it. In fact, I think when Mike Lawrence was writing the book, we happened to be talking with Mike up at the motor show,and we bumped into Alan Docking, and Alan told

MN:How do you see the way the whole designing game has evolved over the past few decades? It has become a lot more specialised since you started out.

RT: Yes, it has. It has become very specialised. People from uni ... like, the aerodynamics is the main thing, that's really jumped ahead.

Electronics ... so there are specialists in each field'.

There are very few all-round people who can really do (things like) suspension and marry the whole lot up. I suppose you've got Patrick Head,and John Barnard, and Adrian Newey - although his specialty is aerodynamics. I don't knovy how much he has developed in other fields.

You've got those sort of people, and there are some others that are reasonably all-roimd. Most of the older ones. But the younger ones are specialists. OK,it's gone on a long

way,but I think there is stiU room for people that can look at sometliing and make a judgement.

MN:So is this ability to see the car as whole becoming a lost art?

RT: A little bit because of that, and another bit because of the FIA regulations.

With all these one-make formulae, there is just nowhere to go for all these young designers. If they got in and they were able to develop the car, it's like the problem with Formula 3- you homologate it, and you're stuffed.

So out here, they have year-old models or older for their series, but you can't do enough to train people.

MN:There's less room for innovation, in other words.

RT: That's right.

MN:Do you find it less interesting as a result?

RT: Oh,it's still a challenge, whatever you do.

And I think it becomes more of a challenge, to be able to assess what's motorsport news

SPECIAL FEATURE

suUon-images.com

Taking notes: Dan Gurney, above, worked with Tauranac at Brabham in 1964 and 1965 before following Jack's lead and founding his own team the following year.

Generation gap: Two Piquets - Nelson, left, and Nelson Jr, right, sit sideby-side in their respective F3 cars, each representing the dominant makes of their eras. Nelson is in the Ralt RT1 that earned him the 1978 British F3 championship and Nelsinho is in the current Dallara F303, below.

One of the only times you'll see Tauranac in a Lotus jacket: He and Champman joined forces just once, at Mosport in 1973. Pictured L-R are Tauranac, Chapman, Swiss journalist Jabby Crombac and Ronnie Peterson. going on with all these things. You can listen to what the driver's saying, and say,'oh well, you need to do this or that'.

And other people have got to look at the data, and download it - and it takes half an hour ... so there's stiU room for people.

MN:Do you enjoy modern FI? RT; Oh,I enjoy any challenge. I don't go to it if I'm not involved. I'm not a spectator. I've got to be doing sometlring, and if I watch it on the box I tend to go to sleep after a while.

I used to rely on Murray Walker to scream, and he'd wake me up and I'd see the replay.

MN;Do you have a particular affection for any of the cars that you have designed?

RT: Not really. I suppose the best of the Formula 3 cars was the RT35. It went on and on being best even after it was outdated by composites and 17 September 2003

that. It was a honeycomb car and it worked.

And I suppose the ... I forget all the numbers,but in the Brabham days,the 30 was pretty good. That was the first aluminium monocoque that we'd done in FI - we'd done an aluminium monocoque at Indy before that, but you didn't need it for Formula One. 11

I used to rely on Murray Walker to scream,and he'd wake me up and I'd rr see the replay

You didn't need a particularly stiff car then, because you didn't have stiff springs and you were able to get the body shape to get the air out.

It was only when they brought in the rule that you had to have bag tanks that it became desirable to do a

sutton-linag^u

monocoque and put the bag in the monocoque. Well, it was compulsory.

That turned it around, then.

MN;Did you ever see a car that you wished you'd designed?

RT: There was an article about that in Motor Sport magazine. I did an article for them. Most of the ones I would have done were gone by then.

I think probably the Lotus 76. Was it the 76,that had the first ground effects? The following year, the Williams did a much better job, because Chapman decided to carry the design philosophy right through to the back of the car and made it all too complicated.

But that was a jump forward ... by accident, as most things are.

MN:So what lies ahead?

RT: Well,I'm working with Dick Johnson now until the end of the

season. Just doing technical, whatever ... advising. Technical help, really.

MN;Do the V8 Supercars interest you at all?

RT: Anything is a challenge. It doesn't really worry me. Before I came here(Oran Park)I went down to Melbourne, because I know Larry (Perkins).

A few weeks ago, I went down and did a week, or so ... about three days with him,and had a look around his car and what-not. And he was quite grateful for that.

And then I came back and I got the invitation to go and work with Dick Johnson. That came through the manager of Max (Wilson), one of the drivers.

He knew me and knew they needed some help, so they sent me up there and they seem to have taken to me,so we'll see how it goes ...

35

The Bnihpe

Strikes Bm:k Mark Skaife and ToM Kelly survluetl challenges from three other cars, the weather anil, finally, electrical dramas to win a shortened hut spectacular Sandnwn 500-or should that he Sandnwn 437? CHRIS LAMBOBV watched on

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HE Holden Racing team threw out a pre-Bathurst warning that the 2003 V8 Supercar championship is far from -over with a gutsy win in a quite remarkable Sandown 500 on Sunday.

The record will show that Mark

You better, you Betta, you bet: After a strong opening from Todd Kelly, Mark Skaife again proved that he is the best in the business at racing a wounded car. After electrical problems forced him to start turning off lights and wipers, he marched home to another HRT Sandown victory.

Close, no cigar, plenty of admirers:Jason Richards emerged from the murk to almost pull offa fairytale win for Team Dynamik.

Dirk Klynsmilh

Skaife and Todd Kelly completed 141 laps of a rain and haU-shortened race, some 30 seconds ahead of an ecstatic Super Cheap Falcon duo Steve Ellery and Luke Youlden, with Greg Murphy and Rick Kelly another half a minute away. But the bare stats sell it short.

There were three other cars that had the wherewithal and opportunity to win this race, but all three shot themselves in the foot. Ellery too may have come closer to wining than he could ever imagine - HRT's finest was fast running out of spark as the clock ticked by and Skaife was turning off just about everything electrical (bar tire engine itself) as the situation worsened. Like Bathurst

e

last year, it couldn't have gone on a whole lot longer. But it did,just long enough.

And then there was the weather. A classic collection of Melbourne at its best. Dry, wet... icy. The Safety Car nearly slid off on the hail...

And then there was the finish, just when you thought it was over and Skaife could stroke it for the 20 minutes remaining to the finish, up pops Jason Richards. The young kiwi saw an opporhmity, went for it, but went down fighting. It was still Team Dynamik's finest hour.

Yes, the tradition that was, and 36

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The SBR team has won enough this o now is again, the Sandown 500 was year that it was able to close ranks ^ back - big time - and it kept a large f crowd enthralled. , and put on a brave face, Marcos quite generous in a late-race two-way chat 5 And what of championship leader Ambrose? Well,if it's a consolation, organised by Ten. But underneatli,it Marcos left Sandown with an stung.

Amazingly, having caused the Pace Increased gap at the head of the Car intervention which followed, the series table but his nemesis, the one SBR Falcon was towed out of the challenger SBR really fears, is closer.

It could have been so different. sand and was able to continue on, having lost only one lap on the road.

Last issue MNews posed the It was 23rd when the race went green question "Can the Dream Team be Beaten?" The answer is, of course, again and even the greatest optimist couldn't have foreseen the outcome yes - but it took a single screw-up, of of the spirited (and motivated) drive the most basic type, to do it. Despite a brilliant come-back of Lazarus put in by the Enforcer for the second half of the race. proportions -from 23rd to fifth When the chequer came down,car Russell Ingall will not have slept well 4 was fifth. Great comeback. It might on Simday night. It was a basic mistake that saw the Pirtek/Caltex just be the difference when the championship comes down to the Falcon beached at Turn 1 -just 500 wire. metres into Rusty's stint.

There is a famous line in an ABC But as Ross Stone commented, wryly,"that's a race that was there to TV documentary that was shot at be won Bathurst a few years back,focussing Indeed,and by others too. on Larry Perkins and theCastrol team. As the team catches a glimpse of someone else's car ricocheting off The day had started almost predictable fashionin and in dry one of the mountain's unforgiving conditions, but not quite as HRT walls, you can hear LP's familiar would have hoped, when the twang, clear as a bell in the decision was made to put Todd Kelly background, commenting "Young in the brand new full VY-spec bloke, cold tyres, f***ed up ..."

Commodore.

This, unfortunately, was one of HRT Was one of several teams to those. Fresh front brake pads, cold jj

17 September 2003

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put its less-experienced driver in for

the start. Among the top teams, it would be unfair to describe them as the 'second' driver - several are a complete match for their nominated team leader, in everything bar experience. But experience does count and keeping your most experienced operator imtil later in the day was certainly a viable option.

"It gives you flexibility," explained Brad Jones, preparing to start the OzEmail car himself.

"If I you can get your nominal 'second' driver past the 54-lap minimum in that first stint, you can then put in your lead driver and depending how it pans out later in the race, he can two-stint, or you can switch back to your other driver."

Co-driver John Bowe had a different slant on things. When asked pre-race whether Brad would pit the car and execute a driver change, should it rain,JB said succinctly, "He's got to find me first."

So Todd,and brother Rick in Murph's Kmart car, were among those co-drivers to start the race, but in Todd's case it didn't go smoothly: "They (the team) didn't tell me that the cars at the rear were in place and there was no five second warning," he reported."Next thing I

continued on page 40 37

Qualifying

o VO

I

N the parlance of basketball, a top player is called a 'triple threat.' Such a player can score on offence, stop you from scoring on defence and grab rebounds - your missed shots.

Triple threats were in evidence at Sandown - Marcos Ambrose ■or shooting for his third straight pole; and Triple 8 Engineering was after . .. well, it was after recognition after hnally making oublic what even the team knew was the worst kept secret in the sport.

Tradition counts for, well, something in motor racing. The Betta Electrical 500 heralded the return of a two-driver V8 Supercar enduro to Sandown International Raceway, the very site at which the utterance "there are no sacred sites in motor racing" was made some years before.

The opening endurance race of the year posed many questions: how would the Holden teams reverse the trend of recent Ford victories: how would the other Ford teams find a chink in the armour of

38

the Stone Brothers Army: and, on a rare weekend of no footy in AFLIand, would the public show up en masse to watch?

The answers to the questions were varied. Last one first: there were a lot of punters at Sandown. The Island may have lost its round, in part, because of the apparent indifference of people to come and see what all the fuss is about on the way to see the penguins, but outer Melbourne is much closer and they came in droves.

Practice threw up few, but some, surprises. The usual teams were on the pace, even if SBR was working hard on making its lead car raceable for both drivers, rather than 'qualifying fast'. That would have to wait until Saturday, when Ambrose would dominate the car's seat time.

The team most expected to challenge the SBR Ford was Holden Racing Team, Skaife spending time in both cars during Friday practice in an effort to find a balance for the race. The cars were different: Skaife and The

y

Toddler were aboard the team's newest VY with an 18-degree Chev, while Jim Richards and Tony Longhurst were up for an older car with a newer, Holden Motor Sport engine.

The other news on the new car front was that Garth Tander was aboard a new Commodore VY. The GRM crew has worked hard to get the car ready (the interior was still to be painted, for instance) but the team's first VY was staying in the shop. The total number of HMS engines in stock was three, so Jamie Whincup and Allan Simonson would press the older VX into duty.

As expected, HRT and SBR were setting the pace, but the odds were running in favour of the Ford team. While the #2 HRT car struggled, Mark Noske had some major seat time in SBR's second car before Mark Winterbottom got in, fitted some fresher rubber and leapt to fourth. He was bumped down the order before the second session was over but it was a pretty impressive debut performance.

In qualifying, he missed the shootout and it says something about his own expectations that the new Konica Champ was pretty down on himself.

The other car that would feature in the battle for pole was Greg Murphy's. The Kmart team had spent half its season testing allocation on a day at Winton, roading all four drivers and going a long way to sorting out the Oran Park set-up dramas of its maiden VY. Murf was way happier with the car, as was Rick Kelly, while AndyCam (Priauix and McLean) played catchup for a lack of seat time in the VX. So, to battle. There were some significant names in the slower qualifying group, notably the lead Dynamik car. VVhile the team had had licence-related dramas with Jan Magnussen (see news pages) Simon Wills and Jason Richards had a litany of mechanical errors in the lead car.

Wills and Richards suffered all manner of problems in practice.

In the opening session, a tailshaft broke: in the second, they lost the power steering and

■otorspoti laws

i

V8 SUPERCARS

o

o

Qualifying

D in the third, it was an electronic problem. All in all, the car completed half the laps that the team had wanted.

So it would be up to the faster group to form most of the grid.

Just to add fuel to the fire, as if that is needed this days, the southerly wind was getting up, making the back straight a challenge (which cost as much as 8kmh on top end) and Holden Corner a raffle, cars firing in deep under braking with a tailwind.

Murphy was the first driver in the group to clip Wills's timie with a 1 ml 1.2962s, which would be good enough for third. Murf was much happier with the car, after his d.^amas at Oran Park; ".At least now it is predictable," he reported. His time on his first set of tyres would have to do the job.

Everyone was waiting for Ambrose. After a disappointing (for him) 11.42 on his first set, Marcos breathed in some rarefied air in the Stone garage and hammered out a 1 ml 1.0955s. It looked good enough for pole.

But he was bumped - not once, but twice. Skaife cranked him by 0.02s on his final lap which, ordinarily, would have sent out whoops of delight fromi the Holden camp. But already, he had been beaten, by a Falcon and it was a 'non-Stone' Falcon.

It was Paul Radisich. As if anyone needed reminding. The Rat has speed in abundance and, while the arrival of Triple 8 had had no great impact on the actual car (the Euros had arrived only on Thursday) the car was flying.

Radisich had found a similarly on-the-limit Steve Johnson a few metres ahead of him and was determined not to let his former team-mate get away.

"He braked at 150 (metres) so I went in deep, to 140," Radisich explained later. "Then I remembered that there was a tailwind. We were both on the limit and I only j-u-s-t made it around the corner. I was really close to losing it."

Both Ford teams were running with similar philosophies. Both had tested at QR prior to heading south and both had reverted to a more basic set-up. It was working; Johnson was in the 10, comfortably in seventh (and he was lurgy-free for a change) while Max Wilson was just outside in 12th, and Dean Canto was 18th.

Oh, and barely an hour prior to The Rat setting the time, T8 engineer Ludovic Lacroix had emphasised the priority to make "a new car, a quick car". He added that "none of the parts of this car are crap", before apologising for his rough English.

No worries, Ludo. Your Australian is just dandy.

The top three cars were covered by just 0.04s. Welcome to Australia.

Fifth was Steve Ellery. Maybe the most notable factor in that is that, basically, the Super Cheap driver expected to be there. The purple BA was right on the money in the opening session and would have been even

continued on page 40

The way things are at Sandown:Paul Radisich, main pic, was the man to beat in qualifying, giving Triple 8 a great welcome to V8 Supercars.

Marcos Ambrose took bis third straight pole in the shootout, below.

1

65

Paul Radisich/Rickard Rydell Im 11.0674s Triple 8 Race Engineering Betta Electrical Ealcon BA 2 1 Mark Skaife/Todd Kelly 1 ml 1.0708s Holden Racing Team Commodore VY 3 4 Marcos Ambrose/Russell Ingali lm11.0955s Stone Brothers Racing Pirtek Caltex Falcon BA 4 51 Greg Murphy/Rick Kelly 1ml 1.2962s Kmart Racing Team Commodore VY 5 31 Steve Ellery/Luke Youlden 1ml 1.3779s Super Cheap Auto Racing Falcon BA 6 44 Simon Wiils/Jason Richards lmll.4141s Team Dynamik Commodore VY 7 17 Steven JohnsonA/Varren Luff 1 ml 1.4766s Dick Johnson/Shell Helix Racing Falcon BA 8 21 John Bow/Brad Jones lmll.5216s Brad Jones/OzEmail Racing Team Falcon BA 9 29 Paul Morris/John Faulkner Sirromet Commodore VY lm11.5375s 10 6 Craig Lowndes/Gienn Seton 1ml 1.5527s CAT/Ford Performance Racing Falcon BA 11 34 Garth Tander/Nathan Pretty Garry Rogers Motorsport Repco Valvoline Commodore VY 1ml 1.5914s 12 18 Max Wilson/David Brabham 1 ml 1.6493s Dick Johnson/Shell Helix Racing Falcon BA 13 50 Jason Bright/PaulWeel lml1.6521s Betta Electrical Team Brock Commodore VX 14 9 MarkWinterbottom/Mark Noske lm11.7148s Stone Brothers Racing Pirtek Caltex Falcon BA 15 15 Andy Priauix/Cameron McLean 1ml 1.7584s K-Mart Racing Team Commodore VX 16 021 Craig Baird/Mark Porter 1 ml 1.7841s Team Kiwi Racing Commodore VX 17 10 Mark Larkham/Jason Bargwanna 1ml 1.7869s Larkham Motorsport/Orrcon Racing Falcon BA 18 66 Dean Canto/Matthew White 1ml 1.8689s Triple 8 Race Engineering Betta Electrical Falcon BA 19 Andrew Jones/John Cleiand 1 ml 1.8935s Brad Jones/OzEmail Racing Team Falcon BA 20 16 Greg Ritter/Marcus Marshall Betta Electrical Team Brock Commodore VX 1ml 1.9202s 21 11 Steven Richards/Larry Perkins 1ml 1.9703s Castrol Perkins Racing Commodore VY 22 5 Adam Macrow/Darren Hossack 1 ml 1.9750s Ford Performance Racing Falcon BA 23 19 David Besnard/Owen Kelly 1ml 1.9948s Ford Performance Racing Falcon BA 24 Paul Dumbrell/Tomas Mezera lml2.0768s Castrol Perkins Racing Commodore VX 25 3 Cameron McConviile/Tlm Leahey lm12.1924s Lansvale Smash Repairs Commodore VX 26 2 Tony Longhurst/Jim Richards 1m12.2192s Holden Racing Team Commodore VY 27 45 Wayne Wakefield Nicolas Minassian Im12.2794s Team Dynamik Commodore VY 28 33 Jamie Whincup/Alian Simonsen Garry Rogers Motorsport Repco Valvoline Commodore VX lm12.6031s 29 75 Anthony Tratt/Paul Stokell lm l2.7129s Toll Racing Falcon BA 30 13 Steve Owen/Phillip Scifleet lm 12.8101s Smiths Trucks/Lubrimax Commodore VX 31 20 Grant Johnson/Kerry Wade lm 13.0534s Larkham Motorsport Orrcon Racing Falcon AU 32 23 Neal Bates/Rick Bates lm l3.3314s INXS Team Ford Falcon AU 33 46 Dale Brede/Tony Ricciardello 1m l3.9016s Holden Young Lions Commodore VX 34 24 Alan Gurr/Andy McElrea 1m 13.9372s Romano Racing Commodore VX 35 99 Brett Peters/David Thexton 1 m l 5.4804s Thexton Motor Racing Falcon AU Qualifying times set by first-named drivers. 107 percent time was imi6.0421s

Top 10 Shoot-out 1 Ambrose 2 Skaife 3 Murphy 4 Radisich 5 Wills j

17 SMtMkir 2093

27.4026s 44.5610s lm11.8554s 27.7733s 44.9608s lml2.2797s 27.5960s 45.0182s lin12.3744s 27.7775s 45.2128s lml2.6438s 27.5382s 44.8809s 1ml2.6448s

6 Johnson 7 Lowndes 8 Bowe 9 Morris 10 Ellery

27.7263s 45.2387s 1ml2.6711s 27,7755s 45.1300s lml2,6823s 27,8444s 45.3359s lm12,9444s 27.8511s 45.2320s lm13.0164s 27.4739s 44.8000s lm20.6263s

U8SCSRound9 Betta Electrical 500 39

Quamying continued from page 39 better in the final practice, save for Steve not getting to use his fresh rubber when the session was red-flagged.

Ellery pointed to his good power down and excellent horsepower, aided by the small team reforming its partnership with engine man Craig Hasted. Embattled they may be but the lads are certainly fighting. And better was to come ...

John Bowe was eighth and not happy. The OzEmail Barra was not a happy car, JB dragging it around for much of the session slightly slower than Andy Jones had in his car in the slower session. Finally JB had some brave pills but it took a big try from the veteran.

Tender was 11th, just tipped out of the shootout in the newest GRM VY that features and double front internal rollbar (X-bar?).

Craig Lowndes just made it into the shootout in the fastest of the FPR Falcons but the order was unusual. Adam Macrow was quicker than the troubled David Besnard, who was having all manner of dramas in his car.

"The Shootout went, pretty well, according to the way most of the shootouts go these days.

Lowndes led the way with a clean run good enough for seventh, while Morris dropped back to ninth, not happy with his decision to fit new rear tyres onto the Sirromet VY for the run.

Bowe was next, taking eighth, while Johnson looked really strong on a lap good for

sixth. Wills backed up his earlier effort with fifth, before Ellery ventured out.

What might have been. At the second split, the Super Cheap car looked to be on its way to a second-row start but Steve locked the rears on the way into Dandy Road and spun off.

He resumed the track, having lost around nine seconds, and would line up 10th on the grid.

Murphy's run was neat and professional, as you would expect, and he grabbed third.

His best split had been his last, which was a surprise to the driver, who thought that it was "a shocker". Ambrose breathed deep (again), drove a near-perfect lap (again) and delivered the killer blow, taking pole by what would turn out to be 0.4s.

Skaife and Radisich tried hard but knew that, without risking everything, second and fourth respectively was going to be the best they could do.

"I feel sorry for Russell," Ambrose said later. "He has not set foot in the car today.

But experience means nothing: tomorrow is a new day."

Ambrose’s other interesting comment was that, with the Melbourne weather forecast, the last time he had raced in the wet was at Surfers last October. He genuinely did not remember how wet Phillip Island was, and what a disaster he had had there, until he was reminded of it at the media conference.

Could this be the first insight into Stone Brothers Racing's great secret? Could it be ... hypnosis, perhaps?

- PHIL BRANAGAN

I

Super Man to Clark Kent: Steve Ellery was heading for the second row in the shootout until this happened at Dandenong Road ...

40

i-

' 1

Get jumping: After having set-up problems in practice, Brad jones and John Bowe hung in there all day to score fourth, continued from page 37 knew the red light was on. I was in neutral, and only just got it in gear, with no revs built up,before the light went out!"

Todd was fifth into Turn 1 but, as Skaife later pointed out, didn't panic and got back into the race "in a very professional manner."

Ambrose had got the Pirtek/Caltex car off the line well and led Rick Kelly, Radisich, Jason Richards, Todd, Brad Jones, Steve Jolmson, Steve Ellery, Garth Tander,Jason Bright, Max Wilson and Craig Baird as the race settled.

Trouble wasn't long in coming and it loomed large for the Shell team as Tander cannoned into the rear of Steve Johnson at VB(Dandenong Road). Junior rotated and was hit solidly in the side by ... his team mate. Ritter, in the second Team Brock car was also delayed.

Johnson pitted for quick repairs but his day was pretty much shot to bits. He and co-driver Warren Luff plugged away all day, working the car up to an eventual 15th. Later, with his stint over, Steve paid a visit to the Valvoline Team garage to tell Tander(who copped a drive-through penalty )just what he thought...

U'p front. Toddler making amends and hadwas sliced by all three cars between him and Ambrose - all into Turn 1 - by lap nine and set about bridging the 3.5 second gap to the Ford.

It took-another 10 laps, but then it was on.’

For nearly 20 laps the pair ran nose-to-ta'il until, on lap 40, the first serious rain came and - it appeared HRT made a bad call. While Ambrose and most of the field dived in for wets, Todd stayed out: "We had the weather Up on the internet," Toddler explained,"and we were expecting it to be a brief shower. I said to the guys 'if it's a passing shower I can stay out on slicks.' It wasn't a drama,and had it

cleared up we would have been laughing. But as it was we stayed out three or four laps too long."

The wrong call cost 25 seconds, but amazingly, Todd emerged from it still in second,such had been the pace of the lead duo early on (aided by brief spins for Murph and Rick Kelly).

As Todd began to eat into the lead, behind him,the rest of the race was taking shape.

Continuing 888's dream debut, Radisich ran a strong third,some 10 seconds clear of a battling Ellery and Murph,nine seconds to Wills, now in the Dynamik Commodore, Bargwanna(a superb opening stint despite a bad cold), Winterbottom (equally superb), Rick Kelly, Perkins in the Castrol car. Brad Jones and Jim Richards (from 31st on the opening lap!).

One victim of the rain had been championship-contender Jason Bright who was ruefully honest: "It aquaplaned off down at the last esses," he said.

Front-left damage had claimed an oil cooler, so there was a long,long stop for repairs before the Team Brock car could continue. Bright had been running a strong seventh before the rain came. Championship over?

Most of the contenders had left their starting driver in the car at this point, the issue now'becoming one of when a change would be desirable, given that most 'starting' drivers would now get past the 54 lap minimum.

The decision was made by the Melbourne weather. It began to rain heavily on lap 65 after a period in which the track began to dry a little and Ambrose had been able to eke out his lead (which had come down to under 10 seconds) again.

In they came, Ambrose staying out a lap longer than most, but it was to prove immaterial. It was a good stop - Ingall in, fuel, tyres, brake pads but moments later the TV cameras panned to a long shot of a blue continued on page 45 moiorsport news

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U8 SUPERCARS continued from page 40 Falcon stuck in tlie sand at Turn 1.

Disbelief turned to disappointnaent.

On cold, replacement front pads.

Russell hadn't, it appeared, pumped up the pedal enough on the way out of the pits. The rears locked. Game over, as far as a win was concerned.

That the car was retrieved and able to rejoin losing less than two laps was one of those bizarre things of modern V8 racing. That Russell should then charge back to fifth was another. In the end, the points damage to Ambrose's championship tally was minimised. 'he race moved into its second stage, now with the majority of the driver changes completed and Murphy at the head of the Safety Car queue - thanks to a rapid stop which didn't, however,include the compulsory brake pad change.

Lap 70 and just eight cars remained on the lead lap - Murph, Skaife now in car 1 and looking ominous,Youlden in the Super Cheap Falcon, Wills still in the Dynamik car, Rydell in the 888 Betta Falcon, Larkham, Longhurst and Perkins. Larko had made a superb n early call as the rain threatened and would have come up roses if he hadn't had to tip-toe around the Turn 1 sand trap. Unlike Ingall, though. the Orrcon car didn't get bogged.

A lap down:Priaulx, Bowe, Noske, White, Cleland,Simonsen, Hossack and so on. Ingall was 23rd, a lap dowm and at the tail end of the queue.

On the green, Murphy began to ease away from Skaife as the field went through its longest iminterrupted (by rain or Safety Car) period. The gap was up to five seconds quite quickly, but then just as steadily, it came back down again. By lap 100 it was virtually nose-to-tail.

One stop left and with the Kmart car yet to undergo its pad change,it was looking pretty good for Skaife. It got even better when,eight laps later. it poured.

Skaife's fuel/wets stop was perfect. Murph's was a disaster.

Not so squeezy: Ambrose got the best start while Murphy and Radisich played lean in Turn 1.

Not happy, Jan: Garth Tander got it wrong in the early running, tagging the rear ofSteve Johnson.

GT got drive-through penalty for the incident.The team bad already bad a big day. replacing an engine after a huge warm-up blow-up, below right.

Baulked badly by a departing Valvoline car, the BCmart machine was still being lined up with the fuel rig when Skaife was leaving!

There was a pad change and then. of all things, the rear wing needed to be re-tightened, having broken one of its mounting bolts.

By the time it was aU done, Murph was actually ninth - and lapped.

Game over? With a 38 second lead over a duelling Jason Richards and

Youlden,Skaife looked home and dry. Larko was another 30 seconds away and Rydell a further 14, completing the lead lap cars.

Dry you say? Sandown had one more test to offer. Rain turned to hail.

Thick sheets of ice covered the road.

Safety Car. It was amazing," Skaife later recalled. "At one point both the continued on page 46

1. Leave pit lane. 2. Tighten belts. 3. Make it around first corner: Ingall got two out of three right before he skated off the road at Holden Corner. The #4 car lost a lap while it was being dragged out of the mire, leaving The Enforcer to mount a rearguard action on his way to fifth.

17 September 2003

45

continued from page 45 i

Safeh'car and I were going off the road together at Dandenong Road at about 29 kays!"

One who did go off was Larkham.

The Orrcon car was fourth on the

i I

road,first of the lapped cars, but it simply skated off into the sand and had to be dragged out to resume.

The Safety Car would stay out for an inordinate amount of time. After all, there was ice to melt! By now there was no concept of going the full 161 laps. The race would faU about 20 short. In the end, with a green at lap 126, the race would come down to a 20 minute sprint to the flag.

At the green, there were just three cars on the lead lap - Skaife, eight lapped cars in the queue to Jason Richards, and Youlden. The latter had done an excellent job for his little team and was under clear "just bring it home" instructions.

More than ever, it seemed Like routine from here. But no. Skaife was in trouble and Richards was on fire.

The HRT car had alternator

Makes you pine for NZ weather: Former Bathurst winners (together!) Greg Murphy and Steve Richards got to play in the rain but got their respective Kmart and Castrol Commodore VYs home in third and sixth respectively.

problems and was losing its electrics.

One-by-one,Skaife was turning off accessories, pumps,coolers, until the wiper and screen heater had to go to.

There was even some discussion about whether/why the rear warning light had been turned off. The stewards looked into it after the race...

Vision wasn't good and aU the

Dandenong Road on what turned out to be the penultimate lap. It was one of those breathtaking moments but (see breakout) it wasn't to be a glorious one.

With steering damaged,the Dynamik car was off and beached.

Skaife too skirted with the sand,but scrabbled back on.

distraction was costing a little time.

For his part, Richards had a car that was flying.

In sbc laps,from 133 to 139, a six second lead evaporated and the black and white Commodore was all over the red one.

After a few exploratory efforts, Richards went for broke into

Another championship-defining moment?

Skaife made it to the line 30 seconds clear of an impressive Youlden. Murphy and Bowe had unlapped themselves in the final sprint, the former at least salvaging a rostmm after the late pit stop dramas.

Fourth for the OzEmail duo was reward for a gritty, solid day's work.

Jones was involved in a'contact' moment along the way - turned around by Besnard early on - but the car was rarely outside the top ten all day and was running strongly at the end, despite a broken exhaust header.

Worthy of mention too is the effort of Jones Junior, last on the opening

Jason and the Aquana

"I had to have a go," a disappointed Jason Richards said soon after returning to the pits post-race.

"We had a bit more car speed than Skaifey and I jumped up the inside, he came across to try and close the line. It bent my steering and so I couldn't turn left...

"Disappointed. Gutted. But it gives us a lot to think about for Bathurst and something to look ahead with."

Thus ended one of the great late-race charges.

For a young team in only its ninth race looking to get a big result on the board, it would have been easy to settle for second. Second to HRT is no disgrace.

But when the back end of the red car loomed up that quickly, there was no doubt that Richards would have a go.

46

"My car was quicker into Turn 1, the esses and Dandenong Road," he continued, "and under brakes.

"It’s a great feeling, catching Mark Skaife, running down HRT - we had a bit of work to do, with a few cars between us after the Safety Car...

I'm just disappointed that he didn't want to surrender.

"The opportunity was there and I took it.

Everything was fine until we made contact..."

The resultant DNF was scant reward for a strong race from one of V8 Supercars' newest teams and it started with a superb qualifying effort from Simon Wills.

From there, the VY was never out of the top six all day and got stronger as the conditions worsened.

- CHRIS LAMBDEN

lap after a clutch problem in the second OzEmail car.

When he handed the car to mercurial Scot Cleland at the second SC period, the car was in 13th. In the end,a drive-through cost the duo, who battled on to 20th at the end.

Fifth, first of the lapped cars, w'as Ingall. It's called 'getting out of jail' But it was a great charge.

Richo Jnr and LP's sixth was much like OzEmaiTs fourth. The duo never looked like front-runners, but plugged away solidly all day, the car much-improved by the discovery of an 'incorrect component" overnight.

Just what it was, no-one would say ...

Radisich brought the Triple 8 Falcon home seventh, the late, late switch back from Rydell during the last Safety Car period proving costly.

At that point, car 65 was the first lapped car, in fourth. It could easily have been a rostrum.

But Rickard was struggling in the wet a little and the team thought it worth the punt.

"It was the wrong call, an error, in fact," confessed the Rat."At that point we didn't allow for the shortening of the race ..."

FPR's best on the day were Besnard and Owen Kelly. It too was a long day, filled with dramas and a drivethrough, but persistence was rewarded with eighth.

The lead FPR car was behind the eight-ball all day. Attempts to cure a persistent misfire led to the team missing the pit lane closure and,from a pit lane start, the Lowndes/Seton car was never really in the game at all, although it did work its way to 16th at the end,just ahead of the Hossack/Macrow sister car.

Larko/Bargs and the Richards/Longhurst HRT car filled out the top ten, with a creditable run to 11th from Winterbottom and Noske and the second Kmart car (Priaulx/McLean) completing the cars a single lap down.

And so to Bathurst. The SBR and HRT lead cars must still go in as favourites, but the dark horses are coming from everywhere...

moiorspon news

V8SUPERGARS —rm

V8SCS Round 9 Ssndoinrn 500

i/

WHEM we came here, we thought we could put on a good show. Where that would end up we weren't sure, but we came here thinking that if we could finish in the top six we'd be really happy, if we kept our nose clean we thought we could get onto the podium. We believed it and we've achieved it.

"We're in the negotiation stages with our sponsors for next season and so this couldn't have come at a better time for us.

"Hopefully we can continue it on to Bathurst.

It's been a difficult two years for the team, but we've worked hard on the BA Falcon and I believe we're on the way up now."

Steve Ellery summed up his team's position perfectly. There have been rumours that Super Cheap might be looking elsewhere for 2004 there are always predators out there chasing small teams' sponsors - and that the team might

be 'absorbed' into DJR to provide a third car.

Regardless, second in the Sandown 500 was a timely result.

Steve's qualifying spin was the only blip on a brilliant weekend. From grid nine, he handed the car to team-mate Luke Youlden in fourth and the youngster went on with it.

Over the latter stages there was no real pressure - but the pressure to bring it home safely was enormous.

"I didn't think we'd get passed," Youlden confirmed, "but the boys were on the radio saying 'whatever you do, just bring it home'.

They didn't tell me about Jason's demise until after the chequered flag. Wally came on the radio and said 'you know where you've finished?

Second - to the mighty HRT. I was rapt I can tell you ..."

- CHRIS LAMBDEN

Championship Points: Ambrose 1519, Murphy 1413, Skaife 1337, Ingall 1331, Bright 1291, S. Richards 1214, Lowndes 1196, R. Kelly 1132, Weel 1121, T. Kelly 1106, Tander 1092, Bowe 997, Radisich 992, S. Johnson 821, Bargwanna 820, Ellery 796, McConville 779, B. Jones 744, Morris 743, Besnard 716, Wilson 708, Seton 702, Canto 664, Noske 659, Larkham 651, Wills 615, Jason Richards 601, Dumbrell 531, Baird 505, Whincup 487, Ritter 425, Tratt 374, Forbes 238, Youlden 186, Perkins 162, Rydell 156, 0.

Kelly 150, Longhurst and Jim Richards 138, Winterbottom 132, McLean and Priaulx 126, Thexton 126, Faulkner 120, White 114, Luff 108, Wakefield 102, Hossack 96, Macrow 96, Pretty 90, Brabham 84, Cleland and A. Jones 78, Owen and Scifleet72, Marshall 66, G. Johnson and Wade 60, Brede and Ricciardello 54, N. Bates and R. Bates 48, Peters 42, Gurr and McElrea 36, Minassian 30, Simonsen 24, Stokell 18.

Points with worst round dropped: Ambrose 1423, Murphy 1299, Bright 1279, Skaife 1253, Ingall 1249, S. Richards 1214, Lowndes 1138, Weel 1109, T. Kelly 1106, R. Kelly 1078, Tander 1056, Radisich 992, Bowe 979, Bargwanna 818, S. Johnson 779 and McConville 779, Ellery 784, B. Jones 744, Morris 743, Besnard 716, Seton 702, Wilson 678, Noske 641, Canto 640, Wills 615, Larkham 607, Jason Richards 593, Dumbrell 531, Baird 505, Whincup 487, Ritter 425, Tratt 374, Forbes 238, Youlden 186, Perkins 162, Rydell 156, 0. Kelly 150, Longhurst and Jim Richards 138, Winterbottom 132, McLean and Priaulx 126, Thexton 126, Faulkner 120, White 114, Luff 108, Wakefield 102, Hossack and Macrow 96, Pretty 90, Brabham 84, Cleland and Jones 78, Owen and Scifleet 72, Marshall 66, G. Johnson 60 and Wade 60, Brede 54 and Ricciardello 54, N. Bates 48 and R. Bates 48, Peters 42, Gurr 36 and McElrea 36, Minassian 30, Simonsen 24, Stokell 18.

Race - declared ai 141 laps Pos Driver/Race time Fastest lap 1 Skaife/T. Kelly 3h26m50.4750 lml2.0236s* 2 Ellery/Youlden 3h27m20.5916 lml2.4083s 3 R. Kelly/Murphy 3h27m53.5276 lml2.1292s 4 B. Jones/Bowe 3h28ml4.3046 lml2.3245s 5 Ingall/Ambrose lml2.0641s 140 laps 6 S. Richards/Perkins 1ml 2.7739s 140 laps 7 Radlsich/Rydell 1ml 2.5679s 140 laps Besnard/0. Kelly lml2.7038s 140 laps 9 Larkham/Bargwanna lml3.0128s 140 laps 10 Jim Richards/Longhurst 1ml2.7223s 140 laps 11 NoskeAWinterbottcm lml2.4971s 140 laps 12 PriauWMcLean 1ml 2.6930s 140 laps 13 Morris/Paulkner lml2.4646s 139 laps 14 Canto/White 1ml2.9628s 139 laps 15 Johnson/Lutf Iml2.9019s 139 laps 16 Lowndes/Seton 1ml 2.5909s 139 laps 17 Hossack/Macrow 1ml 2.7732s 139 laps 18 Tander/Pretty lml3.0671s 138 laps 19 Wilson/Brabham 1ml 2.8215s 138 laps 20 A. Jones/Cleland lml2.5216s 138 laps 21 Owen/Scifleet lml2.8072s 137 laps 22 Ritter/Marshall lml2.8366s 137 laps 23 G. Johnson/Wade lml4.1169s 137 laps 24 Brede/Ricciardello lml3.5390s 136 laps 25 N. Bates/R. Bates 1 ml3.8183s 136 laps 26 Thexton/Peters lml4.2367s 133 laps 27 Gurr/McElrea lml4.8473s 133 laps 28 MinassianA/Vakefield 1 ml3.0249s 132 laps 29 Whincup/Simcnsen Iml2.9571s 130 laps 30 TratVStokell 1ml3.3097s 128 laps 31 BrightWeel lm12.4024s 117 laps DNF Wills/Jason Richards l ml2.1804s 139 laps DNF Dumbrell/Mezera lml3.2699s 113 laps DNF Baird/Porter 1ral3.4338s 54 laps DNF McConville/Leahey 1ml3.3808s 13 laps

on 96 25 83 78 35 32 26 34 87 89 35 30 97 18 30 79 32 19 17 35 95 14 16 78 19 78 35 19 31 28 36 28 27 33 10

Eibach Racing Springs The Choice of Champions Lightest Possible Weight Greatest Amount of Deflection Coils Springs to suit most Race Dampers

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Eibach Suspension Technology Pty Limited. 3/4 Prosperity Parade Warriewood NSW 2102 Ph:(02)9999 3655 Fax:(02)9999 3855 E-Mail: eibach@eibach.com.au

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www.eibacli.com.au 47

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A little Ferrapi ma A decisive and strong comeback for Schuey after the embarrassment of Hungary. JOESAWARD reports from Monza

A

NOTHER Formula One record has fallen and, inevitably, it fell to Michael Schumacher.

In winning his 69th Grand Prix victor}' at Monza,and his 50th with the Ferrari team, the five-time World Champion broke what can only be described as an 'ancient' record for the fastest ever Formula 1 race.

Thirty-two years ago,Peter Gethin ended the Italian Grand Prix with an average speed of 150.753mph.

Schumacher achieved 153.814mph, including chicanes and pit stops.

But Michael does not care about . such statistics. He hkes to win and he wants a record-breaking sixth World ^ Red, White and Blue: It was wheel-to-wheel stuff for the first few corners, but Michael prevailed ...

Championship. After being lapped in Hungary,Ferrari was the winner in pass Michael but Schumacher was did not give and on the way out the wmgs sporting a most unusual Monza... able to go two more laps without Ferrari had slightly better Gurney flap shaped like saw-blades.

The MicheUn men said that the losing too much time in traffic. acceleration and edged ahead.

The 'zap flap' was designed to But down at Ferrari there was still tyre issue was really not that Montoya would have to tuck in disrupt the air behind the car and a bit of confusion when Michael behind at the first Lesmo and indeed Important and argued that the Ferrari make it difficult for anyone who was simply suits Monza,but it all seemed accelerated away up the pitlane. He he almost had to fend off a surging in hot pursuit. to have been done with smoke and needed to come out ahead.

This, of course, was not much Jamo Trulli who was looking at going down the inside. The threat did not mirrors when the crowds dispersed "The team was not exactly aware good unless one is leading and as the of who was who at the moment and on Sunday afternoon. field blasted off the line there was no last long for suddenly Trulli slowed.

They had got what they wanted; initially they said:'You should be "I was going through the second sign that a Williams was going to be Ferrari had got what it wanted; Lesmo," Jarno said,"when I felt the fine' and then suddenly they ahead going into the first corner. screamed down the radio 'Watch out.

Formula 1 had gone back to being power steering had failed and the Schumacher got there first. about racing. And thank goodness for He's coming' and suddenly I saw a engine cut out. Probably because of "I had a lock-up into the first that Williams come by and I thought: corner," he said."I almost didn't an hydraulic problem."

Racing is what FI does best...

'How did he do that?' I nearly went As he slowed,Jarno held up make the chicane. I had the option to off in one of the corners because I several of those behind him and so go straight on or make the chicane in was pushing so hard to get a go at by the time the field reached the n Sunday morning, no-one was a not very good way and I thought it him and then we realised that it was was better to do the chicane. I almost Ascari chicane,Schumacher and quite sure what would happen not Juan but rather Gene!" in tlie afternoon. It had rained Montoya were already clear of the lost the position to Juan because he was on the outside when we came Montoya was behind him and pack. heavily during the night and the track must have been cleaned. although he was able to stay there for In the laps that followed Michael out and we went side-by-side into the was able to build his lead but it was a while, the traffic would deal with Curva Grande."

Would that affect the tyres? And Monty's challenge. He lost a second not a clear-cut advantage,just a what about the temperatures. There As they braked for the second behind Frentzen on lap 41 and then couple or three tenths on each lap. chicane, Montoya left Michael room were too many questions. It was just a case of wait and see. on lap 44 he came up behind to lap "It was OK," said Montoya,"but and the fwo cars turned in, again Zsolt Baumgartner for the second my pace was not that good."

Williams went to the grid with rear side-by-side, but this time Michael time.

This meant that not only did "I am going down the straight and Schumacher pull away to a lead of I the only thing I see is like 10 or 12 nearly five seconds by the first pit blue flags down the straight. It was stops, but that Montoya fell back into 1 the clutches of Barrichello, who like a parade! The Jordan guy suddenly stood on the brakes in the closed up to within a second before middle of a corner to let me by and I the pit stops began. These enabled nearly ran into the back of him. It Juan to snip a second and half from was just crazy."

Michael's lead and then suddenly he Schumacher's lead was suddenly began to close in.

"He seemed to be able to close the out to nearly six seconds and Montoya decided that there was no gap and I was not able to respond," point. said Michael,"but then I was again "I knew we had to finish and fight able to open the gap a little again." another day," said Montoya."I could not do anything else today." n lap 32 Montoya headed for And so Schumacher was able to pitlane for the second time, back off a little and the two men hoping that an early stop would give Beest behaviour: For once, Monza's first corner was incident-free, but finished first and second. Michael him the chance to make up time and Montoya had a big go intom the next chicane. motorsport news 48

o

o

Counting counts: Sixty-Nine fists in the air, fifty of them for Ferrari! increased his championship lead from one point to three and both men pulled away from Kimi Raikkonen who could do no better than fourth at Monza and so drops to seven points behind Schumacher.

w

hen Trulli slowed, Barrichello nearly hit him but once he was ahead and clear he was not really threatened during the first stint.

I caught Montoya up and it was really good but then after 1 put on my second set of tyres it was never as competitive." The third set was even worse and at the end of the race he was fighting to hold off Raikkonen.

But Kimi was later to admit that there was not a lot he could do.

"We did what we could today," he said."We were not quick enough to fight for the podium. I was close to Rubens but not enough to really have a go. 1 am now seven points behind in the championship so it is more difficult, but you never know what will happen in the next two races. We knew Monza would be difficult but we expect Indianapolis and Suzuka to suit us much more. It is not over yet.

It is worth noting,incidentally, that when the car was running quicldy, Kimi was able to set the second fastest lap of the race,just two tenths slower than Michael's best and a fraction faster than Montoya.

For much of the afternoon Kimi

17 September 2003

had Coulthard is his mirrors as David made another demon start and jumped from eighth on the grid to fifth by the end of the first lap. passing Button and Gene and gaining the third spot thanks to Trulli's retirement. He had been running a light car and so pitted early but it made no difference to his position and he was running in fifth after the first pit stops and again after the second.

But in the closing laps of the race the engine began to sound rough and David fell back towards Gene.And then the engine simply stopped and DC parked the car at the pit lane exit and walked back to the McLaren garage.

That put Gene up to fifth and a very fine effort it was too.

"The true winner for me today was Marc Gene," said BMW boss Gerhard Berger."He made the most of his chance and did an excellent job for the team. What was very important was to bring both cars home in the points."

Gene's hope for more points was disrupted in the first lap when he had to avoid the flying Trulli and so lost out and fell from fifth on the grid to.seventh place. On the second lap he overtook Panis' Toyota but he then spent the rest of the afternoon chasing after the McLarens although during the second pit stop sequence he enjoyed the opportunity of holding the lead for a lap.

Playing Chase: Barrichello fought bravely for third as after each pitstop his tyres got progressively worse.

The difference from Montoya was because the pair had opted for different strategies. He had less wing and was faster down the straight but struggled more in the corners and so put more pressure on the tyres.

"I think my decision was probably better," said Montoya.

But Gene was happy.

"My main priority was to avoid making mistakes and I think that the team is happy to have the points I scored."

Indeed.

T

he fastest man behind the three

big teams was Jacques Villeneuve and he ended the race in sixth place.

At the start he was able to take

advantage of a clean run through the Curva Grande while his rivals Jenson Button and Mark Webber were squabbling. This took him up to the tail of Panis' Toyota and Jacques and Jenson then shadowed Panis until the first stops when Jacques was able to get ahead as Panis pitted early.

But from then on it was a fairly quiet afternoon for Jacques as Panis could not keep up. When Panis eventually disappeared, Villeneuve was able to stroke his way home to pick up three much-needed points which lift BAR a point clear of Jaguar in the fight for fifth place in the Constructors' Championship.

The demise of Button with a deteriorating gearbox and ultimately

49

E

NZO Ferrari was a fan of the Autodromo Nazionale at Monza.

"Victory, and even mere participation, have a special flavour at Monza," he used to say.

And everyone who goes there seems to agree. The locals call it the pista magica and on a clear day, with the mountains visible beyond the Curva Grande and the old banking heading off into the trees, it is magic. There are few places on this earth where motor racing has been so vividly painted and yet this year the place seemed somehow muted.

On paper Monza does not look that challenging a place but the reality is rather different. The skill at Monza is to find the right balance between the low wing levels needed for the long fast straights and the downforce you need for the impressive Lesmo Corners and for the Parabolica. It is a balancing act.

Take off too much wing and your car will hurtle down the straights at impressive speeds but in the corners the cars will slide and the tyres will take a battering. Too much wing and the car will stick to the road in the corners but will be slow on the straights. The art is to be smooth and to try to be moderately quick everywhere.

It was clear from fairly early on that the fight for pole would be between Ferrari and Williams and so it proved with a very exciting qualifying session on a warm and pleasant Saturday afternoon. The tension built up nicely as the session went on and closing minutes were a time to hold one's breath as first Rubens Barrichello and then Juan Pablo Montoya tried to bounce Michael Schumacher off pole position. It the truth be told Michael Schumacher probably would not have had pole had it not been for a tiny mistake by Juan Pablo Montoya.

"Going into the first part of the Ascari chicane I went a little wide," Montoya admitted. "And 1 knew that taking pole position was over."

The interesting thing, however, was that the gap between the Colombian and Michael Schumacher was just 0.051 sec.

50

On the straights the Ferraris were howling along five kilometres an hour faster than the Williams-BMWs. Some people have chosen to have a good top speed," said Montoya. "Some have chosen downforce. Tomorrow we will see who is right.

This is confirmation of all the hard work that we have been doing," said Michael Schumacher. "We are back on top in qualifying. That has been our weakness in the last few races. A lot of detailed work went into achieving this goal with aerodynamic and engine improvements coupled with better tyres from Bridgestone.

It was an impressive lap by Schumacher but then he is paid a King's Ransom to deliver at such moments and rarely does he disappoint.

Rubens Barrichello would have been quicker but he locked up his brakes slightly at the first chicane. He would have to make do with third.

Normally one would expect to see Ralf Schumacher up there somewhere in qualifying but Ralf went back to Austria on Saturday morning, having finally admitted to himself that he was not fit to race. A week earlier he had had a huge accident at the second Lesmo where his car had gone end over end. He had been suffering from the after-effects of the crash for the whole week but had managed to convince FI's doctor Professor Sid Watkins that he would be all right to race.

On Friday he had missed the chicane on his first qualifying run and had his time taken away and so ended the day with the slowest time and that night, feeling terrible, had decided that he could not go on. His World Championship hopes had been slim before Monza and now they are gone.

One man's misfortune in FI is another man's opportunity and so it was that Marc Gene was woken up by a telephone call on Saturday morning telling him to get himself down to the Williams garage to take over from Ralf.

This was not going to be easy but Gene has done thousands of kilometres of testing and so he

did not disappoint. In fact he was very impressive, as many suspected that he might be.

"I made two mistakes in the first two chicanes," he admitted.

"1 could have gone quicker. I know the car well so missing out on running yesterday was not really a,problem for me."

He was fifth fastest, giving Spain someone other than Fernando Alonso to cheer.

■"The hero of Hungary was in trouble at Monza, which was not really a surprise as the Renault team had carefully pre empted failure at Monza by talking down the team's hopes on the fast blasts of the Autodromo Nazionale. There was just no way that the underpowered Renault was in a

position to get in amongst the big boys on such a track and so it was down to McLaren to lead the supporting cast.

In fact on this occasion McLaren thought that there was a good chance of victory. The team had produced a solid enough performance with Kimi Raikkonen fourth and David Coulthard eighth.

"It is worth remembering that we are usually stronger in the races than we are in qualifying," said engine wizard Mario lllien.

The team had also spotted that Ferrari was using scrubbed tyres at one end and new tyres at the other, indicating that the car had a fundamental imbalance.

"It looks like Ferrari has some balance problems," said Ron Dennis, "which is always motorspori news

FORMULA 1

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Grand Prix of

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Hungary for success: Michael Schumacher put his Budapest horror behind him with a brilliant drive to pole.

Testing the limits: Regular test pilot Marc Gene, left, got a late call-up from Williams and took fifth on the grid.

There was evidence of Bridgestone's improvement (or perhaps Michelin's drop of competitiveness, who can you tell?) with Jenson Button seventh on the grid and Jacques Villeneuve 10th. The Honda engines are powerful and the BAR is good on flowing circuits and the team was quite pleased with the result.

"I actually thought that eighth would be about hght," said Jenson Button, "so seventh is a bonus. It was nice to get a good lap for once in qualifying. That is as fast as the car will go."

Jacques Villeneuve was also pretty happy (although he is never one who likes to be slower than his team mate) but lost out to Button because of a small mistake at the second chicane.

"I was happy with my lap," he said. "The brakes reacted differently to how they were in the morning and that cost me a 17 SspleMber 2003

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encouraging.

Jarno Trulli was sixth on the grid and there was little more that Renault could have hoped for than that. Alonso's luck had deserted him on this occasion as he suffered a traction-control failure as he began his flying lap and spun in the first chicane. He would start the race from the back of the grid.

"We know it is possible to score points from the back of the grid," he said, "so it's not over

t

little bit of time.

0

n Friday it had seemed that Toyota would be a major player on the fast blasts of Monza with Cristiano da Matta fourth quickest and Olivier Panis 10th but on Saturday fortunes switched and qualifying resulted in Panis being ninth with Da Matta 12th. Theteam was quite disappointed by that and da Matta admitted that he did not really know why he was not as quick as he had been.

"The car is just not as good as yesterday," he said. "I don't know why." Panis was happy enough to be ninth and hoped that this would be a position from which he could score points on Sunday.

Jaguar Racing arrived at Monza with expectations raised somewhat by Mark Webber's fine performance in Hungary but found that there was not much that could be done on the fast blasts at Monza. Webber seemed a little downhearted on Saturday morning.

"It really doesn't matter where we qualify," he said, "We are going to be struggling in the race and here there is the possibility to overtake so the race is going to be really tough."

He qualified 11th with Justin Wilson 15th.

"I did not think we would do as well as this at Monza," said team boss Tony Purnell. "But I

am not so sure that things will b e as bad in the race. Monza is a place that is famous for cars not finishing and so there is a strong element of chance in this race. ^ We're in there as a little bit of a 'predator for points."

Wilson was frustrated because technical problems and lack of running mean that he is still struggling to build his experience and get the most from the car. "I just want to finish a race," he said. In spite of the performance of BAR, the other Bridgestone runners were down at the back as usual with Jordan managing to get Giancarlo Fisichelia to 13th and Zsolt Baumgartner (still standing in for Ralph Firman) in 18th.

"I am pretty pleased with that," said Fisichelia. "It was a good lap and this being my home Grand Prix I want to finish because I have not managed that in the last few races. I have to say it is going to be difficult to score points."

Baumgartner, who landed the second Jordan on Thursday afternoon when Firman was found to still be suffering the side effects of his Budapest crash, did a good solid job.

"I want to get more experience from the race and try to get to the finish and be as a quick and consistent as I can be," he said.

It was disappointing for Sauber and even Peter Sauber described

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the team's performance as "rather modest" as 14th and 16th on the grid is hardly exceptional. Both Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Nick Heidfeld had problems with their brakes.

The two Minardis were where one expects to find them with Jos Verstappen 17th and Nicolas Kiesa 19th. The Dane had a very wild moment exiting the Variante Ascari but somehow managed to hold on to the car.

"Nicolas was certainly the most spectacular in qualifying," said Paul Stoddart, who expressed himself delighted that the return to FI of Gene means that there are now eight former Minardi drivers racing in FI, which is a great advert for a team looking for young drivers with cash for next year.

Apparently they are lining up to be Minardi drivers in 2004 ...

- JOE SAWARD 51

Mind on the job: Baumgartner finished 12th and there were complaints about his use of mirrors. Maybe he had something else on his mind.. gearbox failure on lap 24 deprived the team of a good chance for more points.

"1 lost second gear early on in the race," said Jenson."Then first, sixth and seventh disappeared in quick succession. It is a shame because we could have easily achieved a points finish today."

The problem for BAR-Honda was that Jaguar got points as well thanks to the efforts of Mark Webber.

"I made a good start and I was up with Gene at the first corner when I had a big moment and realised that I had not turned the traction-control back on after the start. It was my

j.\

Not a McDay: Kimi's title hopes are still alive -just- after a day when the Maccers just weren't quick enough fault. I sorted myself out and to have been able to salvage two points from what was a very tough weekend is a big, big result, especially in the light of Villeneuve's sixth place. We had to compromise on straightline speed to look after the tyres."

Webber had a rather better time than poor Justin Wilson, who was again let down by his machinery.

"I had no choice but to start the

race in second gear," Justin explained."During the formation lap I had trouble engaging first. As we have long gears here at Monza I did not even make it off the line."

Wilson deserved a rather better chance.

The Jaguar stayed where it was.

"We are very frustrated," said the team's head of vehicle technology Mark Gillan."We haven't been able

Jos Verstappen swerved out from behind him but at the same time Fernando Alonso was even faster off the line and the two men hit. The

to give him reliable machinery in any of the last three races."

front wing was tom off the Renault on the rear tyre of the Minardi and

In fact he was quite fortunate not to be involved in a shunt caused by his failure to move.

Italy equals aerodynamics

THE Italian round of the World Championship is the last race in Europe and the only one held on an ultra-fast circuit.

Monza is characterised by very iong straights, three fast corners and two chicanes, pius the famous variants Ascari.

The throttle is pressed flat for more than the 70 percent of the circuit iength.

For Monza, Ferrari sported a low downforce version of the rear wing, featuring two upper elements instead of the usual three, both featuring a rounded profiied fiap on the top.

Another reievant change on the F2003 GA was to the barge boards, now returned to their Canadian version, below.

One of the teams that was more innovative, without any doubt, was McLaren, unveiling a completeiy revised version of the MP4/17 D with a new and narrower rear end, with big chimneys covering the engine exhausts, now exiting form the top of the sidepods.

New hot air vents and winglets on the top of the sidepods, very similar to the Ferrari ones, complete the new layout of the upper aerodynamics of this car, below.

As already used in Canada and Hockenheim, the MP4/17 D sported the front suspension destined for the MP4/18 with the vertical position of the caiiper, to increase the brake performance in heavy braking circumstances.

Wiiiiams on the other hand didn’t sport major change apart from a reduced height of the front barge boards and a iow-downforce configuration of its wings with the rear wing featuring a gurney tab with a saw-tooth profile.

On the other hand, Sauber sported completely new sidepods, with a revised

profile, very similar to the Ferrari ones - very iow , and rounded to the rear, featuring sharkstyle hot air vents. The engine cover now sports a shark dorsal fin very similar to that introduced in the last race, above.

- PAOLO FILISETTI

O:

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:I1 52

motorsport news

FORMULA 1

I tone Qvodafone Ovodotone H

I Alonso's car went almost vertical before crashing down to earth. Both he and Jos took off but both were in n the pits at the end of the lap for repairs. Alonso then set off in pursuit of the pack.

At the stop he was given a tankful of fuel and went for a one-stop strategy -in the closing laps he had clawed his way up to ninth, despite losing various aerodynamic bits when s he ran over a chicane later on.

In the end,however,he was s fortunate. In the closing laps Heidfeld s ●5-A '' was baulked by Baumgartner and lost some time he had in hand over Remember me? Villeneuve's drive gained valuable points for BAR-Honda, Alonso. And then when Nick moved keeping them just ahead of Jaguar. Should be a good two races ... over to let Gene lap him on the last lap and took on a lot of fuel for the Alonso took the opportunity to sneak lap and so was going to have to start from the back. second stint which dropped him through into eighth place to grab the behind Villeneuve during the middle last point. Heidfeld was not happy.

The team changed the strategy and part of the race. Soon after his second After being ahead of Frentzen in so he went into the pits, refuelled and stop the brake pedal went to the floor the first stint, Nick dropped back set off for a long heavy first stint. He and Olivier had to retire. drove as hard as he could and 10th because of a front wing adjustment Cristiano da Matta's race had during the first pit stops and was was no great reward. belrind Frentzen and Webber until the ended on the fourth lap when he Baumgartner finished 11th and suffered a left rear puncture at the last few laps when Heinz-Harald came in for quite a lot of stick from others over his use of mirrors.

Parabolica, having presumably run went out from seventh place with a transmission failure. over something on the start-finish "I think 1 did a good job," he said. straight. The failure tossed him into a A good opportunity to score points Minardi's efforts were dulled by had been wasted. spin which erided in the sand trap. the crash at the start which dumped "A missed opportunity," he said.

Verstappen to the back. He stayed Down at the back the Jordan team there until a split oil radiator made had a dull afternoon.

ItPanis was awas similar Toyota. sixthstory at thefor end of the life too dangerous even for the Fisichella had an electronic Dutchman. first lap but then was overtaken by "There was smoke and oil was problem at the start of the formation Gene on lap tw'o. He stopped early

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17 September 2003

getting on to the rear tyres and it was just too dangerous," he said."For me and for the other drivers."

Nicolas Kiesa had no real dramas and made quite a good start but he gradually fell back and ended the race in 12th place two laps behind.

And so the FI circus broke up and headed off in all directions as it does on a Srmday afternoon. As the helicopters lifted off the conclusions were drawn.

"We came to Monza knowing that our main rival Ferrari would be very strong because the circuit suited its car," said Michelin's Pierre Dupasquier.

"Today was a case of effective damage limitation. I am optimistic that we will regain the upper hand in the final two Grands Prix."

Montoya said the same.

Down at Ferrari they were too busy enjoying the moment to worry about next week.

"I think this is the greatest day in my career," said Michael Schumacher.

"After the pain comes the pleasure," said Ross Brawn.

If Michael wins and Montoya fails to score at Indianapolis Schumacher will be World Champion for a sixth time.

One wonders what will happen if that were to occur ...

2003 FIA Formula One World Championship

fOilMUlAl

WORLD

2003 Italian Grand Prtx l Overall Race Clasalflcatlon after 53 lapa > 306.720 kma No. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Driver Michael S^umacher

1 3 2

Juan Pablo Montoya Rubens Barrichello 6 Kimi RSikkbnen 4 Marc Gene 16 Jacques Villeneuve 14 Mark Webber ' 8 Fernando Alonso 9 Nick Heidfeld 11 Giancarlo Rsichella

11 ! 12 Zsolt Baumgartner *i2"|'l8 Nicolas Kiesa 13 i 10 Heinz Harald Frentzen

.i>t/V

OAFONE ALIA A 2003

-

I 5 David Coulthard ; 20 Olivier Panis

-

j 19 Jos Verstappen I 17 ^ Jenson Button I 21 Cristiano Da Matta

-

I 15 Justin Wilson

^

; 7 jjarnoTrulli T 1 [ Michael"S^umacher

dafon'

Nat

Entrant

Time Upa Gap 53 1:14:19.838 53 1:14:25.132 05.294 53 1:14:31.673 11.835 06.541 53 i7i^32.'672 12.'834 007999 53 27.891 15.057 1:14:47^9 52 1:14736.106' 1 LAP 1 LAP 52 1:14:46.662 1 LAP 16.556 52 l;'l4:49.287 'i'la'p ■^2'6^5 52 1:14:51.298 1 LAP 02.011 52 1:15:38.010 1 LAP 46.712 51 1 lAP 1:14:55.873 ! 2 APS 51 "lTiS:25.'S77 2 APS '29.76'4 European Minardi Cosworth 50 1:11:51.173 DNF Sauber Petronas Not Classified West McLaren Mercedes 45 1:03:38.217 i DNF 35 Panasonic Toyota Racing 0:51:46,321 j DNF 27 European Minardi Cosworth 0:42:28.502 | DNF 24 Lucky Strike BAR Honda '67^7^'22T‘“DNF 3 0:04:27.075 DNF Panasonic Toyota Radng 2 '6:6'5:T6'.T67 DNF Jaguar Racing Mild Seven Renault FI Team 0 DNF

GER Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro COL BMW WilliamsFl Team BRA Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro FIN West McLaren Mercedes ESP BMW WilliamsFl Team CAN Lucky Strike BAR Honda AUS Jaguar Racing ESP Mild Seven Renault FI Team GER Sauber Petronas ITA Jordan Ford HUN Jordan Ford DEN GER GBR FRA NED GBR BRA GBR ITA

Beat

Kph 247.585 W.292 246.930 2467875 246.046 242.351 241.457 241.316 241.208 238.725 236.323 234.772 241.611

1:21.832 1722.126' 1:22.171 r:22'032 1:22.413 1:23.039 1:23.778 1:23.195 1:24.225 1:25.133 1:25.549 I:*267i27 1:23.518

245.495 234.620 220.508 2'39.243 230.092 130.551

1:22.427 1:23.303 1:25.816 1:237225 1:26.148 1:59,265

Up 14 31 13 32 12 13 10 47 9 52 38 49 14 10 10 22 13 3 2

Fastest Lap I GER j Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro

|254.84'8

j 1:21.832 on la~p 14

Drivers' Championship Points: M. Schumacher 82, Montoya 79, Raikkonen 75, R. Schumacher 58, Barrichello 55 and Alonso 55, Coulthard 45, Trulli 24, Webber 17, Button 12, Fisichella 10, Da Matta 8, Frentzen 7, Panis 6, Villeneuve 6, Gene 4, Heidfeld 2, Firman 1.

Constructors' Championship Points: Williams/BMW 141, Ferrari 137, McLaren/MercedesBenz 120, Renault 79,^ BAR/Honda 18, Jaguar 17, Toyota 14, Jordan/Ford 11,Sauber 9.

Grand Prix of Italy Nat

1

Michael Schumacher

GER Ferrari

2

Juan Pablo Montoya

COL Williams

3

Rubens Barrichello '

BRA Ferrari FIN

5 Marc Gene

ESP Williams

6 Jarno Trulli

ITA

//

7

6

[1/

GBR BAR

■Sy-

GBR McLaren

101 Jacques Villeneuve

CAN BAR

11 , Mark Webber

AUS Jaguar

12 i Cristiano Da Matta

BRA Toyota

13 Giancarlo Fisichella

ITA

14 Heinz-Harald Frentzen

GER Sauber GBR Jaguar

161 Nick Heidfeld

GER Sauber

17 Jos Venstappen

NED Minardi

18 i Zsolt Baumgartner

HUN Jordan

191 Nicolas Kiesa

DEN Minardi

20 i Fernando Alonso

ESP Renault

L

i

9 10

J

J

i/

u

-ill

Jordan

15 Justin Wilson

54

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Renault

FRA Toyota

j

nl

McLaren

9 ; Olivier Panis

i

WORLD

Car

4 Kimi Raikkonen

David Coulthard

FOKHUUII

September 14 2003

Grid Position/Driver

7 Jenson Button

Positions lap by lap

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17 18 19 20 moiorsport news

FORMULA 1

Mark WebbeKs Italian Diary

’M feeling lucky today. Before the start of the Italian Grand Prix I said I’d be "absolutely blown away" if I could come away from Monza with a championship point after struggling all weekend with the pace of the Jaguar R4. As it turned out, we went one better by taking seventh.

It was another of those days where it was simply a matter of maximising the package we have, which, especially on quick circuits such as this, isn't that competitive.

This time, it was a couple of retirements further up which got us into the points, but I guess it all helps. don’t know if it would have affected the outcome in the long term, but I actually made a pretty big mistake at the start of this race - I forgot to turn the traction control on!

I’ll explain. We usually turn it off on the warm-up lap, so I can warm the rear tyres up a bit more easily, and reset it as I come up to the line. I had a couple of other things going on and was also concentrating on getting the brakes up to temperature and I forgot to do it.

Bit of a Dick-a-thon, really ...

The launch control system is separate, so I actually got a pretty good start, got around the two BARs going into the first corner and was giving Gene some attention on the way out when the rears lit up.

The boys had already seen what was happening on the telemetry and ’phoned in to tell me to re-set the TC - which is easier said than done in the

hurly-burly of a GP opening lap.

To avoid the possibility of accidental touch, the yellow button is actually on the bulkhead, so to locate it under those circumstances and actuate it twice was ... interesting.

Anyway, Jenson passed me out of the first chicane and then Jacques basically drove over the second one to get by. I was sorted by then, but that was as far as challenging them (the BARs) would go.

M

onza is a bit like Canada (and the States will be the same)for us. Basically, our aero package isn’t really suited and we suffer badly with top end speed. And you don’t need that at Monza.

[ED: In qualifying, WilliamsBMW and Ferrari were peaking at 355-357 kph. The Jaguars hit 337. With a tow, the fastest cars were hitting 370 in the race ...]

And following the couple of tyre blow-outs we"d experienced during the Monza test, 10 days earlier, we also ran a little more wing than you might normally, just to protect the tyres.

Anyway, we worked at it quite logically on Friday, building up confidence, if you like, trying different fuel loads along the way.

As usual, Friday qualifying was our best moment and I was quite pleased with P6.

Saturday's lap in itself was also quite good, but for the usual reasons - extra fuel etc - we dropped down the order to P11.

0

nee the opening lap had been completed, the race was simply a matter of pushing

Busy day at the office; Struggling for top speed, Mark fends off Heidfeld and Da Matta in the early running.

Bikes champs, CART champs and me ... Webber swaps lies with Mick Doohan and Cristiano Da Matta.

on. had a bit of high-speed oversteer, which wasn't ideal, and Fleinz-Flarald Frentzen was able to jump me at the first stops.

I got right back on him before the second stops, lost a second in the pits, but his late retirement moved me up a place - and a point.

Like I said, there was a fair bit of luck in this result - but it went

my way and the weekend turned out better than I had expected.

Villeneuve’s result has edged BAR ahead of Jaguar in the constructor's points, so we've got a bit to do there, but in terms of the drivers' points, it does mean I've consolidated ninth and edged away from Jenson by two more points.

Two more races and quite a bit to play for...

McFayden's title no Small feat A/e/7 claims the Championship while James scores debut victory

by GRANT ROWLEY WHILE James Small might have been the hero of the day, Neil McFayden became the hero of the year at the final round of ,the Ford Racing Formula Ford Championship at Sandown International Raceway last weekend.

McFayden, the 20-year-old South Australian, steered his Tankworld Van Diemen to an impressive championship victory, and joins an illustrious honour roll of FFord champions.

McFayden came into the final round with a handy 19 point lead over Sonic Motorsport challenger Glen Hastings and drove a pair of mature races to clinch the title in the final race.

“There was a lot of pressure in that last race,” quipped McFayden after his championship triumph. “It was a big relief to pass him at the start. I just ran my own race and it’s a bit of a shame for Glen but these things happen.”

Hastings began the weekend in fine style on Saturday, stealing the Race 1 win and slashing the gap between himself and McFayden to

a mere seven points.

However, an engine misfire in Hasting’s machine at the beginning of the title decider buried his championship hopes.

The title battle overshadowed the actual racing, but if you looked between the lines, a brand-new FFord race winner was born.

Small, running the lone Mygale in the field claimed pole position, the Race 2 win and his first-ever round victory.

“I’m stoked,” said the likeable Melbourne mechanical student. “All our hard work has finally paid off.”

Small finished in second place in the first race, which helped him become the fourth different round winner for the season.

Both races were marred by a spate of on-track incidents, one of which quite serious.

Ford KartStars graduate Adam Graham was involved in a freakish clash, hitting the tyre wall after a minor off. The barrier collected Graham’s helmet, which briefly knocked the Super Cheap Auto’s driver unconscious. He was latter release from the medical centre with a sore head.

Justin Cotter, Tim Slade and Terry Kerr ended their season in

OLD

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the turn three armco in Race 2, which saw the safety car appear on the circuit for oniy the third time this season.

Experienced campainer Brett Francis had Race 2 by the scruff of the neck, ieading by a handy margin with iittle over three iaps remaining. But a iapse of concentration sent the U-Drive vehicie spinning in front of the pack at Dandenong Road, "i got up on the curve and the car bellied out,” said a disappointed Francis. “I’m a muppet ...”

His spin was followed by more mayhem down at Dandenong, with Hastings and Clayton Pyne among other cars joining the luckless Francis on the side of the circuit.

Another competitor in contention for the series win before the start of the deciding round was Tony Pugliese. The Melbournite ran into trouble in Race 1 after a clash with Francis at turn one. The Sonic Van Diemen launched onto two wheels, which more or less ended his championship charge there and then.

Sydneysider Ian Dyk capped off a solid debut season with a career-

best second outright. Dyk challenged Small in the second race, but could do little about the Mygale driver in the closing stages.

“I've been fast all year and it’s great to finally get it together and score a good result,” said the ever-smiling Dyk. The Avon Tyres Rookie of the Year was also decided at Sandown Raceway. After a poor start to the year, Bryce Washington stormed home in the back half of the season and was duly rewarded with the rookie prize. Washington finished third overall, his second podium place on-the-trot.

“We had a bad beginning to the year,” said Washington. “(But) once I joined the Sonic team, things got so much better for me.

I’m happy with this result.”

The other rookie of the year contender, Tim Macrow looked to be the man to beat early in the weekend, but a mysterious mechanical glitch cost the Speotrum driver a shot at the rookie title.

Fin al Points: McFayden 223, Hastings/Pugliese 206, Francis 150, Washington 111, Macrow 92, Cotter/Dyk 60, Michael Trimble 52, Small 51.

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dominant round victory by Jim Richards at Sandown International Raceway last weekend was over shadowed by Matthew Coleman's spectacular end-over-end roll in Race 1.

three on fluid left on the circuit by the Porsche pack. He caressed the wall, but rejoined the circuit, just in front of Coleman. Again the pair made contact through turn four. It destined to end in tears.

The horrifying incident can quite convincingly be described as the most spectacular shunt of 2003.

The crash occurred on lap three of the 14 lap affair when VIP Petfoods driver Marcus Marshall and Coleman

"There was something on the track," claimed Marshall. "When I came into the comer, the car veered right and touched the wall and Matt was into the back of me after that."

The rest, as they say, is history ...

At the beginning of the race, polesitter and championship stalwart Richards was initially beaten off the line at the start of the race by Braun driver Tim Leahey. However, when the pack reached turn one, Richards slipped onto the grass and dropped down to ninth place.

A lap later in the same place, Leahey did his best to copy Jim, but an broken clutch was the reason for his off.

touched on the entry to turns eight and nine while dicing for the lead of the race.

After slight contact, Coleman's car veered left, rode the armco barrier, which flexed on impact and sent the Porsche GTS into four appalling flips.

Marshall's car spun into the sand trap with only slight damage. The same can not be said for Coleman's machine, which now begins a new life in Porsche heaven.

"I'm gutted," said Coleman. "We didn't get a chance to show the true potenhal of the car because I think we were in with a real good shot here."

But the catalyst for the incident started well back at the start of the third lap.

At turn one, Coleman got stuck into the back of Marshall, and the battle began.

Marshall then understeered at turn

and serve a stop-go penalty.

"I think they thought I jumped because I got such a good start," said a bemused Miedecke.

Richards on the other hand made a sluggish get away and found himself down in fifth place. Fifth turned to fourth when Miedeke left the cue, and soon he past Kevin Bell's Gtech Bellmor Porsche for third place.

That left only Fitzy and Paul Pederson on Richards' hit list and the seven-time Bathurst winner got past both of them on successive laps with identical moves at the end of the back

straight.

Fitzgerald lost pace mid-way through Race 2, and was quickly gobbled up by Bell, Pederson, Jonathan Webb, Tony Quinn and a charging Marshall, who fought his way from the back of the grid to finish sixth.

oo ● II September 2003

1

Pederson tagged the back of Bell's Porsche on lap seven and was summonsed to serve a drive-through.

Klark Quinn impressed in his Cup Car debut, keeping his Pioneer machine out of trouble and was duly rewarded with sixth place in Race 3 after running as high as fourth.

-GRANT ROWLEY Points: Richards 963, Matshali 774, Fitzgerald 714, Bell 561, Pedersen 405, Coleman 372, Webb 303, Dean Cook/Miedecke 288.

Enjo driver Peter Fitzgerald took the Race 1 win, his first for the season, however the event was declared after four laps and only half championship awarded.

Andrew Miedecke finished second in front of the recovering Richards.

Race 2 was a tame affair compared to the first. Miedecke got a great start, possibly too great. The officials deemed the veteran jumped the gun, and was forced to relinquish his lead

TjT

e

Richards wasted little time in building a gap on the pack in Race 3 and broke the lap record on numerous occasions as he cruised to another victory.

Fitzgerald finished second in front of 19-year-old Webb, belozv, who had his best result for the year with his first podium finish and second overall.

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57

R

ALLY Australia has signalled a changing of the guard in Perth as the new young hard men of world rallying asserted themselves against the old guard of the sport.

Petter 'Hollywood'Solberg took his third WRC victory, and his first win in Australia, with a last-minute lunge to claim the top spot on the podium from French Citroen rival Sebastien Loeb.

Solberg and Loeb diced for the lead over the last two days of the rally after the man who had won Rally Australia for the last three years, Marcus Gronholm crashed on Day 1.

It was Loeb who was the surprise package. The acknowledged tarmac expert has shown plenty of speed on gravel this year but was not expected to be a serious contender on the challenging ball bearing gravel of WA.He was however and his pace overshadowed many of the old guard,including team-mates McRae and Sainz, Peugeot's Richard Burns and Hard Rovanpera, as well as 58

Markko Martin's Ford.

Loeb led from the end of leg one until two stages from home when Solberg grabbed the advantage as the young Frenchman's times fell away on the wrong tyres.

It was a rally that proved controversial in several ways, with Martin disqualified for carrying a rock hidden under paper in the wheel well of his Focus on Saturday night.

Richard Bums also delivered a broadside at tine FIA for the "ludicrous" single service park rules that many felt marred the event.

However,nothing could be taken away from Solberg and Loeb, who delivered commanding performances to take first and second. Bums,who brought his 206 WRC home in third to add to his World Championship lead, is still yet to win a round this year and takes a seven point lead away from Perth.

Solberg was brimming with enthusiasm at the end of the rally, saying he enjoyed it because he was having fun, a stark contrast to many

top level sportsman who appear not to enjoy their sports once they have reached the top.

"I love the big battles and this was one hell of a battle - it is good to have these fights/' said Solberg.

Solberg led from the start on the new Gloucester Park Super Special on Thursday/light but it was Gronhokn who had-the upper hand on Friday's forestry stages. The Finn and his Peugeot led through most of Day 1 until he struck problems on the last forestry stage. With his Peugeot wedged into a bank he was stuck fast and lost 17 minutes. The reigning World Champ retired on the transport leg back to Perth, handing the lead to Loeb.

Loeb amazed with his pace even on Day 1 when he took fastest on the challenging 35 kilometre Stirling Long stage,stopping the clocks eight seconds faster than anyone else.

Flowever it was not all rosy in the Citroen camp, with both Sainz and

'll

continued on page 60 motorspoit news

RALLY AUSTRALIA

Hooray for Hollywood!

WRC's Young Guns Potter Solberg and Sebastien Loeb fougbt out a private war at Rally Australia, tbe young Norwegian taking a third career win.

JON THOMSON reports from Western Australia Reflecting on another win: Petter Solberg shot into contention for the 2003 WRC crown with a come-from-behind win in Perth.

The Norwegian now has a real chance of taking the title with five events remaining.

Fly high, land soft: Sebastien Loeb was the best of tbe I Citroen drivers, taking second S while both Colin McRae and Carlos i

Sainz suffered handling problems with their Xsaras.

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17 September 2003

59

continued from page 58 McRae complaining of ill-handling cars and the Scotsman lost front

USUALLY, Motorsport News ; shies away from running : photos that are not quite perfect.

You know the ones; you ' have the pocket digital camera I in the pocket when Kylie Minogue’s Aston Martin drives i up alongside at a set of lights, : La Ky wearing something that ; she wouldn't wear in a film clip I because it was too revealing.

I You snap away and get a ! perfect pic ... of your thumb, i Ed Ordynski probably wishes , that happened at the : Gloucester Park trotting track. ; Mitsubishi's main man of the ; ARC was easily leading Group , N in Perth when he tripped his ; Lancer on a rut on the track ' stage and was forced over : and out.

Ed and navigator lain ' Stewart took to the night sky ' before crashing back to terra ; firma, shaken but not stirred.

"As we rolled, lain and I were both just hoping that the i car landed on its wheels and ; that we would be able to i continue, but as soon as we I stopped I saw steam everywhere and couldn't get the car to move forward, so I : knew it was the end," said Ed. "It's sad, but that's life - and ; that's rallying." i Unfortunately, the roll brought to an end a remarkable i record. In 16 years at Rally ' Ozzing, Ordynski had : completed every kilometre of ^ every special stage in every ; running of the event, in one ; second, all that came to an I abrupt halt. ^ "I think it is totally amazing i that we avoided the hundred ; and thousands of trees, stumps rocks and other obstacles out there and got caught out by a rut on a simple stage, but that is what this ; sport is all about."

Asked how he intended to ' make amends for the roll Ordynski answered: "by ; winning the next round of the ARC in Melbourne next ' month". ; Just for the record, John Morris from Mpix caught the . crash sequence and Neil Bfackbourn shot Ed looking disappointed afterwards. And no Ed, you will not be seeing these pics anywhere else ...

-JON THOMSON 60

brakes and subsequently cooked his rears mid-way tlirough the day.

"You can't push hard when the car's like that. Things aren't looking brilliant now/'said McRae. At Subaru,Solberg was showing the early signs of a challenge with a fastest stage time to his name. Had it not been for an overshoot, the Norwegian would almost certainly have led on Day 1.

Loeb and Solberg were just as fast on Day 2, with the pair swapping times all day and they carried that battle over into the final leg. Loeb held the upper hand until two stages from home when the Norwegian delivered a teUing blow. As the rain started to tumble down,Solberg chose the right Pirellis and went 10 seconds faster on the penultimate stage to take the lead. The final stage cemented it for him with the winning margin of 26.6s.

Bums spent the rally complaining of car set-up difficulties but yet again grabbed a podium finish to score more points. The Englishman has scored points on nine of the 10 events so far this year. While there was a fight ahead of him for the win, and a fight behind him between Sainz and McRae for fourth. Burns made his own running.

There is obvious tension between Burns and his current masters at Peugeot since he announced his intended departure. Interestingly, Peugeot team boss Corrado Provera had a dig at him in the team's post event communique.

"Each team has its giant, Subaru has Petter Solberg who did a magnificent job here, and Citroen has Sebastien Loeb. After we lost Marcus it was going to be difficult to fight for the win, even with a driver as talented and reliable as Richard," pronounced Provera.

Sainz spent the final two days of the rally chasing down Tommi Makinen's Subam and then his team mate McRae. The Spaniard complained of poor handling with too much understeer into comers and too much oversteer out on Day 1. He paid the price with a minor rollover on Day 1 and played catch-up for the rest of the rally. Still, it was an impressive effort to finish within 2.1s of McRae,who also had his fair share of troubles in taking fourth.

Makinen had another miserable mn as he plays out the last few rallies until his retirement. While Solberg made inspired tyre choices, the Finnish veteran took the wrong rubber and slipped back from Sainz over the closing stages to be sixth.

Exclusion for Martin had the gossip merchants working overtime during the final leg. The Estonian was

moiorsport news

RALLY AUSTRALIA discovered at the end of leg two with a large rock weighing in at six kilograms wedged into the spare wheel well. He was ruled out on tire basis that this was unacceptable ballast, but the car was not underweight without the rock.

Martin's excuse was tlrat after a puncture the tie-dov\m ratchet failed and he and co-driver Martin Park wedged the rock into hold die tyre in place. Perhaps the FIA should have charged the pair with shipidity, which was about all they were guilty of.

Ford's pair of young chargers Francois Duval and Mikka Hirvonen had an exciting duel for ninth, but Martin's exclusion after a fraught two days meant the Blue Oval would leave Perth with little to smile about in World Championship terms.

Rovanpera brought his Peugeot home in seventh ahead of Freddy Loix, who will join Irim at the French equipe next year. The Belgian brought Iris imder-performing Hyundai home despite not being satisfied with the handling of their cars all rally. Team mate Armin Sdrwarz made a clear point on the under development of the car after the German brought the second car home in 13th behind the tw'o Skodas.

Solberg's victory also means that for the last five WRC events, up and coming drivers have ruled the roost w'ith Martin, Loeb and Solberg splitting the honours since Greece.

The battle for Group N honours was evenly poised on Day 1 with Australia's Ed Ordynski fighting with Argentina's Marcus Ligato mrtil the Adelaide driver grabbed the lead late on Friday and extended it through Day 2.

By the time the teams arrived back at Gloucester Park, Ordynski's Mitsubishi had a lm24s lead but in the ruts that had developed on the super special, the RaUiart Australia car tripped over in a big way and the Australian was out. Ordynski and co driver Iain Stewart climbed out of the battered car unhurt to huge cheers.

"It's just incredible to think that it could have happened here, on this stage in this way, when we think of all the obstacles we've avoided over the past couple of days in this rally rocks, tree stumps, all kinds of rubbish on the forest roads," Ordynski said, Ordynski's main Aussie rival Cody Crocker in his new left-hand-drive Subaru Impreza had problems from the start, breaking a driveshaft and losing time before eventually retiring part way through Day 2. Mitsubishi's Spencer Lowndes also stopped with mechanical problems, as did Juha Kangas,leaving local Dean Herridge to make the running among the . locals. However,because the Aussies were not registered for the world title, they were not credited with plachigs in the overall Group N listings. In the end Britain's Martin Rowe took the 17 SeDiember 2003

The End is Nigh; Toinmi Makinen, above, made his last appearance in Australia (as a driver anyway)and brought his Subaru home in sixth place.

Singhing and Dancing: Karamjit Singh, right, finished second in Croup N in the Proton.

I said,'Poor Wheel', not 'Paul WeeP: Richard Burns, below right. continues to lead the WRC despite still having approximately zero wins in tivo seasons with Peugeot.

Production car class ahead of reigning Champ Karamjit Singh of Malaysia.

In outright terms, Loeb was not too disappointed with second. Co-driver Daniel Elena admitted that second was a lot more than they hoped for when they started this event. With three asphalt rounds coming up and proof on the toughest gravel rally of the series that he can match it on the loose, Loeb's looking very good indeed for the championship.

Ironically there were only two works team retirements- and even those were self-inflicted.

Peugeot still officially leads the manufacturers'championship,even though with 110 points they are equal with Citroen. Both teams have the same number of wins and second places, the tie-break goes down to the number of third places. Peugeot possess slightly more -for which they have the unloved Burns to thank.

Bums takes a seven point lead in the driver's title to Sanremo in three weeks time with another two tarmac events in Corsica and Spain hot on their heels. It may not be enough even for Mr Consistency. If the fight in Perth was anything to go by, the title will be an intense struggle all the way to Wales in November.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Nor/GB Better Solberg/Phil Mills F/F Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena GB/6B Richard Burns/Robert Reid GB/GB Colin McRae/Derek Ringer Carlos Sainz/Marc Marti Esp/Esp Rn/Fin Tommi Makinen/Kaj Lindstrom Hard Rovanpera/Risto Pietilainen Fin/Fin Bel/Bel Freddy Loix/Sven Smeets

Subaru Impreza WRC 2003 Citroen Xsara X4 Peugeot 206 WRC Citroen Xsara X4 Citroen Xsara X4 Subaru Impreza WRC 2003 Peugeot 206 WRC Hyundai Accent WRC3

3h32m07.1s 3b32m33.7s 3h34m00.1s 3h34m37.8s 3h34m44,3s 3h35m08.6s 3h36m11.0s 3h39m07.8s

Drivers' Points: Burns 55, Solberg/Sainz 48, Loeb 45, Gronholm 38, Martin 37, McRae 33, Makinen 21, Rovanpera 18, Duval 11.

Manufacturers' Points: Peugeot/Citroen 110, Subaru 74, Ford 61, Skoda 20, Hyundai 12.

WRC Round 10 Rally Australia 61

WRC 04:1 f

by JON THOMSON

THE FIA has shocked the rally world by proposing massive changes to the WRC,including insisting that manufacturers run two-car teams,rather the original proposal announced in June of three cars. i 3.

S. THE FIA also announced

some major changes to the WRC calendar, with teams declaring the new schedule may well inflate teams' costs.

Most works teams believe that the new calendar will force them to create two sets of equipment and ship it from rally to rally once more despite the fact that FIA officials have suggested that more use of airfreight is a realistic option The big shock is that New Zealand moves back to July from its more favourable April date while Rally GB moves from November to September leaving Rally Australia as the final round of the enlarged 16 round series. Rally Mexico moves into the title in March

and Rally Japan will join the series in September.

The new calendar is: Monte Carlo Rally January 23-25 February 6-8 Swedish Rally March 11-14 Rally Mexico Rally of Argentina April 30-May 2 May 14-16 Cyprus Rally May 28-30 Acropolis Rally June 24-27 Rally of Turkey July 15-18 Rally of New Zealand August 5-8 Rally Finland August 18-20 Deutschland Rally September 2-5 Rally of Japan September 16-19 Rally GB Rally of Italy September 30-0ctober 3 October 14-17 Tour of Corsica October 28-31 Catalonia Rally November 11-14.

Rally Australia -JON THOMSON

More of Moya SPANIARD Luis Moya,retired World Championship winning co driver to Carlos Sainz, will make a comeback to the WRC in 2004 but not in the co-driver's seat.

Moya, right, wiU take up the role of team manager for the Prodrive-run Subaru factory team from next year, replacing George Donaldson who will leave the team after falling out of a favour with team owner Dave Richards.

The Spaniard has been out of active competition since the end of last year when he retired as a result of not wanting to take a pay cut when Sainz moved to Citroen. Now he will be back in the thick of it with one of the most intense jobs in the Championship.

While Moya will take up his role with Subaru, it is appearing increasingly likely that his former Ford team-mate Nicky Grist may give up his career as a TV commentator to take up the position of team manager at the newly re established Mitsubishi Ralliart operation next year.

Grist has been working with Dave Richards's ISC TV operation since 62

Colin McRae dumped him last year.

Ironically, Moya has also been working in TV in America while enjoying the sun of Florida where he has been living for the past 12 months.

-JON THOMSON

Citroen and Peugeot have already signed contracts with 'number three' drivers -Simon Jean-Joseph and Freddy Loix respectively - assuming that the regulations would remain the same in 2004.

The new FIA proposals also will see the scrapping of practice cars and gravel note crews, while splitting the recce into two parts.

Crews will practise the stages once before the start of the rally on Wednesday and Thursday then take a second run through each day's stages, early each morning. They will be permitted to use either the rally car or a standard car for the recce.

Extensive changes to certain rally routes may become necessary. The first two rounds,the Monte Carlo and Swedish Rallies, are expected to be exempt from the new rules.

Subsequent events may apply for a waiver to run significantly less than the usual 400 kilometres of stages.

Members of the World Council, the FIA's executive arm, are being asked to vote for or against the new proposals by fax.

Mehta could be forced out of Rallies Commission Garry Connelly in line for topjob?

THE World Rally Championship is in crisis and the president of the World Rallies Commission Shekhar Mehta is likely to go from the top job with in the next fortnight following the controversial major changes announced for next year's title.

The conflicts with teams and drivers hasn't helped Mehta's case and many believe the Commission needs a stronger boss than the affable Kenyan.

The word in Perth was that Mehta will depart the top job sometime in the next two weeks and that Australia's Garry Connelly will take the top post. The former Rally Australia clerk of course is believed to be the favoured nominee to run the Rallies Commission and act as a mediator between the teams, drivers and the sport's rulemakers.

In the meantime,Mehta has defended the FIA's latest, highly controversial proposals for the World Rally Championship on the grounds that the manufacturers had failed to produce workable ideas in response to the FIA's request in June.

Mehta argued that new rules will reduce costs and said that the FLA will be prepared to grant waivers to streamline rallies.

After two years of forcing the ludicrous single service park rule on WRC organisers the FIA has now scrapped the idea. Organisers will no longer be required to base rallies round a single service area, they may be allowed to provide fewer than 400 kilometres of stages, and regular visits to service areas could be replaced by re-fuel and tyre-

changing points.

Mehta has also come under fire for announcing further driver rule changes only two months after the regulations were last changed.

Asked to defend the rule that will stipulate two rather than three-car teams after teams had already planned their 2004 line-ups, Mehta said,"You wouldn't normally do that, but you do it when there's a compeOing reason.

"The only proposal that we've got definitely on the table was that service time should be reduced by five minutes to 15 minutes."

Mehta said he did not foresee any serious problems with the proposal of practicing and rallying on the same day, which will be introduced in 2004 to shorten the duration of each rally.

"Eighty-two per cent of the stages in the World Championship are done more than once at the moment, which means that you've got something like 180-190 kilometres of notes to write. You would have to start early. I don't think there's that many spectators early in the morning. No two rallies are going to be the same," he said.

He conceded that the proposed 2004 calendar was "unbalanced" and that the Rally of New Zealand's mid-July date was undesirable, but said that doing away with recce cars would usefully cut manufacturers' freight costs.

Both the Monte Carlo and Argentina Rallies cancelled Saturday morning stages this year owing to spectator problems.

-JON THOMSON

moiorsport news

RALLY NEWS

B events,2 cars mat.

I

WStar

5

Une, Deux but no Trois: Loeb will be secure at Citroen but what will the teams do with their signed 'third' drivers?

Team Bosses hate new rules

PEUGEOT Sport chief Corrado Provera has again lashed out at the proposed raft of changes to the WRC, saying he was angered by the lack of consultation by the FIA. "We are not happy that we have not been taken into account," Provera fumed. "Why should we still have a World Championship Commission if its views are not taken into account?"

Provera, right with Richard Burns, said that he might consider applying team orders if the FIA ratifies the proposed changes to the World Championship rules for 2004.

Peugeot has made a point of not applying team orders since it returned to the World Championship with the 206, but it has generally entered three cars, giving it ample chances of winning.

"We love this sport. Maybe next year if we have to go with two cars, we will have to start to give team orders, because points will be more important than sport," Provera condemned the FIA "dictatorship", which he said had already forced Peugeot to dismantle its 2003 driving squad.

"What we cannot accept is when we decided to

%

i -'9

go rallying, the most important thing was the regulation stability. We asked the Federation to confirm this. How can we trust the sport's power if it changes its mind every two months and the World Rally Championship Commission's suggestions are not taken into consideration?

"If the two-car rule is enforced, it will be less for spectators and TV coverage. The 1000 Pistes (recce) concept is impossible to police."

... and so are the Steerers THE World Rally Championship drivers have not greeted the proposed rule changes with any more affection than their team bosses.

The gravel note ban is potentially dangerous according to the drivers and, while the proposed recce system allows them to practice stages on the day they are used in competition, it doesn't allow any check before repeat runs.

"It's the wrong time to start compromising safety," said Ford driver Markko Martin, left.

17 September 2003

"The speed has gone up quite a lot in the last three to four years. What was wrong with the championship? Why are they trying to change it?"

He suggested that practicing certain rallies early in the morning would be near impossible, as the wind often dies overnight and.hanging dust would severely reduce visibility.

"It just looks very unprofessional. They keep changing it round," Citroen's Colin McRae said.

-JON THOMSON

Good or Laddie?

COLIN McRae's long-rumoured move to NASCAR racing could come ■to fruition.

According to The Scotland on Sunday newspaper, the former world rally champion is to meet with representatives of NASCAR later this month. McRae, above, now looks certain to lose his drive with Citroen and has few alternatives in the WRC. "All the doors aren’t closed in WRC and I always said if I stopped in WRC I would still like to continue a driving career," he said. "There are lots of interesting proposals but I would like to try and stay here as much as I can.

"I think I would be quick enough but FI would require a massive amount of commitment," he told the Scottish newspaper. "What appeals to me more is GT racing or NASCAR." MaRae raced in an ASCAR event at Rockingham last year. In a one-off appearance, he took his Ford Thunderbird as high as fourth before dropping back to sixth after tyre problems.

■ Suzuki could be seen in the World Rally Championship in the near future. The Japanese manufacturer is said to be evaluating an FIA World Rally Championship project for 2005, developing a car based on its new S2 model, according to Britain's Motorsport News. The maker currently competes in the WRC's Junior series, running four factory-backed Ignises. The current cars are built in the UK by Monster Sport, a division of Monster Tajima's Japanese concern.

■ The Flyundai Castrol World Rally Team has announced that Graham Moore is leaving its team. Moore was appointed Chief Engineer of the Motor Sport Developments-run team in May, replacing Nick Clipson, No reason was given for Moore's departure.

■ Simon Jean-Joseph could lose his recently-signed Citroen WRC . drive if the latest FIA World Championship proposals come into force. The Martinique driver, who currently leads the French Rally Championship, will be the first casualty of the announcement, according to Citroen Sport boss Guy Frequelin.

- PHIL BRANAGAN 63

Crump cleans up at Prague - Two Aussies in tight title fight

by TONY MILLARD AUSTRALIA'S Jason Crump enjoyed his second Grand Prix win of the season when he claimed victory in the Czech Republic Speedway Grand Prix recently.

The win took Crump to within two points of Championship leader and current World Champion. Tony Rickardsson of Sweden, who finished as runner-up in Prague.

Leigh Adams, from Mildura, has dropped to fourth, eight points off the pace, with two events to go in the nine meeting series.

Any chamoionship hopes of fellow Aussie Ryan Sullivan, also a winner twice this season, evaporated when he was eliminated after finishing last in his final heat race.

Sydney's Todd Wiltshire, in his letirement season, went out with a last place in heat 11 and Jason Lyons, like Adams, was first to go out on the night with a last place in heat five.

Realistically, the title now rests between four riders, Rickardsson, Nicki Pedersen (Denmark) and the Aussies Crump and Adams.

Crump was ecstatic after his second win of the series and believes that he can now go on to achieve a dream he has cherished since childhood. But he says the man to beat is still Rickardsson, a guy he calls a

'speedway legend'.

Crump had suffered a series of misfortunes in the last two rounds and said that strength of character helped pull him through.

"If I had let that get me down there would be no point in even turning up," he said.

The Australian had to overcome some problems on the night after being excluded for breaking the tapes in one crucial race, but he rapidly put that behind him.

"I feel I am in a position to challenge Tony now," added Crump. "And this one is going right down to the last race. I just wanted to put myself in a position where I can win and 1 have done that."

Despite losing to Crump in the final, Rickardsson was still happy with the result and his performance.

"There has never been a closer race for the title than this one," says Rickardsson. "But I was pleased with tonight."

The five-times World Champion, bidding to equal Ivan Mauger's record, admits that it is tough at the top these days and that boys like Crump and Pedersen are pushing him all the way. But he did enough in Prague to show that there is plenty of life left in him yet and he won't give up without a fight.

Pedersen, like Rickardsson,had to fight his way through to the final via the

Sprint

by BRETT SWANSON

AMERICAN Ace and All Stars racer

-.-'a.v He's our lad: Crump, above and below in the lead, scored his second SGP win for the year, and is threatning Rickardsson and Pedersen for the title.

Terry Dale

qualifying rounds and there were times when his challenge hung on the edge. But, like Crump, he is showing much more maturity these days.

"I handled it okay and my aim was to get into the top eight, said Pedersen. "Anything after that was a bonus so finishing third is good."

Adams continued his record of reaching the semi-finals in each of the seven GPs this year but he could not overcome Crump and Rickardsson in a particularly tough semi-final and had to be content with seventh overall. But he is still very much in the championship hunt.

Points: Rickardsson 115, Pedersen 114, Crump 113, Adams 107, Hancock 88, Sullivan 84, Holta 77, Nicholls 76, Gollob 75, Dryml 58.

Jason Johnson will team up with former World Series Sprintcars champion Brad Heywood and young David Craft to form a three car Sprintcar Superteam in 2003/04.

The team will be made up of the Adelaide Disbury Family Racing Eagle and a pair of Eagles from the Craft brothers outfit in Sydney and will be known as the Craft Disbury Racing.

Johnson will come to Australia fresh from a full season with the All Star Circuit of Champions Series where he is currently in second in the points having won five A-Main victories this year.

Johnson's first trip down-under was succesful when he took out the West Australian Speedweek in sensational fashion with his hard charging stomp and steer style of driving.

Johnson comes to the team highly recommended by Jerry Russell of Eagle Chassis. He is also recommended by Shepard who will return with the team in the future.

"Jason is certainly keen to come out here and we are very keen to have someone to his calibre in our car, Tm sure he will do a great job," said team owner Darren Disbury.

Another part of the exciting news from the high profile South Australian team is that they will also be joining forces with Craft Brothers Racing to make a two-car assault on the World Series Sprintcar Championship with the two drivers being Johnson and former champion.

Brad 'Hollywood' Heywood.

David Craft will be the teams junior development driver.

It will be the first time that both teams have competed in the entire World Series schedule.

"It is going to be an tough and hard year on the road but by joining together we will be able to use the resources available to the full potential," said Peter Craft from his Sydney Craft Differentials workshop this morning.

Super Sprint Sponsor Secured THE Sprintcar Racing Association of Victoria were pleased to announce recently that EUREKA Garages & Sheds will be the new naming rights sponsors for the 2003/04 SRA Super Sprint Series. moiorsport news

SPEEDWAY

tear Superteam!

WoO Drivers Soon WITH the World of Outlaws down under just months away, the Parramatta City Raceway is starting to release the US driver lineup for the prestigious first ever WoO event to be staged outside of America.

Last week, the PCR promotion announced Craig Dollansky as the first US starter for the January 8-10 meeting. Known as the 'crowd pleaser', Dollansky has been out for most of this season after a crash at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway but the American is quick to point out that he is raring to go come January. n It has been confirmed that Robbie Farr will be racing at the opening two Parramatta sprintcar meetings in the 410 cubic inch Titan Garages sprintcar. After battling with American Daryn Pittman's Titan Garages in last year's WSS, Robbie raced the Titan machine at the end of last season in OLD and will be back in the same car for the Parramatta meetings before taking up his regular Krikke Motorsports Avenger a couple of weeks later.

0.wiel BcArd

American Ace: Jason Johnson, above, will team with Brad Heywood and young David Craft to form a three-car superteam in 2003/04.

In the meantime, the W5S entries have been provisionally finalised.

Check the list below for who's hot and who's not...

Provisional Entry List for 2003/04 World Series Sprintcars No. Driver 1. Max Dumesny 2. Robbie Farr 3. Brooke Tatnell 4. Kelly Linigen 5. John Shore 6. Brad Heywood 7. Trevor Brilman 8. Jason Johnson 9. Danny Reidy 10. Mark Reuter 11. Karl Ender!

12 Darryl Wright 13. Mike Van Bremen 14. Grant Anderson 15. Tony Moule 16. Stephen Bell 17. David Murcott 18. Ian Lewis 19. Darren Jensen 20 Ken Sartori

Team Max Dumesny Motorsports Krikke Motorsport Tatnell Racing Linigen Racing Shore Racing DFR / Craft Racing Allan Nash Racing Disbury Family Racing Reidy Racing MGR Racing Clarend Racing Wright Racing MVB Racing Anderson Racing MCF Racing Bartlett Racing Pedormance Wholesale Racing Camden Neon Racing Jensen Racing KGB Racing

Max Dumesny Motorsport Australian Distributots for

Xoo$irr

^^ RACING TIRE

For more hTformatJon on Hoosler Drag and Speedway Tyres calt

NSW:02 9679 1990 l Fax 02 9679 1187 Via 03 9331 6477 l Fax 03 9331 7444 SA-03 8332 0800 l Fax 08 8364 0296 17 September 2003

Chassis - Maxim Avenger Maxim Maxim Eagle Eagle Eagle Eagle Eagle Cool Cool Eagle Foster Foster Eagle Eagle Maxim J&J Eagle Maxim

State NSW NSW NSW NSW NSW NSW USA USA NT SA SA SA VIC VIC VIC VIC VIC VIC OLD WA

Back to the Ekka THE roar of speedway racing machines returned to inner-Brisbane for the third running of the Vintage Speedcar Spectacular at the RNA Showgrounds, which when know as the Exhibition Speedway,first ran speedway racing in 1926.

The event also celebrated the 20th anniversary of the event organisers, the Vintage Speedcar Association Queensland.

Over 60 vehicles were present,some having come from as far afield as Auckland.

One of the vehicles present was the Edmonds VW which won three Australian Speedcar titles in 1979,1980(Ron Wanless)and 19^ 0im Holden).The ex-Garry Rush machine,now back in Wanless, hands was one of three classic Edmonds the Kiehne team had on display,amongst the five cars they fielded.

While the cars themselves were limited to comparably sedate demonstration rtms due to some fairly tight restrictions put on he usage of the main arena of the l^A Showgrounds, there was still plenty of dirt in the face fun for fans of the old 'Ekka'.

-MARK JONES

n Adam Clarke, the former dual Australian Speedcar Champion, is preparing for a full assault on the Parramatta sprintcar track championship in the Garry Rush owned Pick 'n Payless Maxim. Clarke, after stepping up into the Rush machine earlier this year (picking up a victory in the annual Easter trail), has spent our winter off-season racing the Graham Racing Petty Driving Experience Maxim in the US. Despite a disappointing drive at the recent Knoxville Nationals and a nasty looking speedcar crash in a Badger Midget Auto Racing Association meeting Adam has had some good results Stateside and is set to return to Australia shortly in time to prepare for the up coming PCR summer season. Word from the Rush camp says that for Clarke's full sprintcar season, the former speedcar ace will have the use of two Maxim chassis plus a 410 powerplant.

A new transporter has also been purchased. Racing with one of the best teams in the country, Clarke will be one driver to look out for this summer.

-GREG BOSCATO

2003 WORLD OF OUTLAWS CHAMPIONSHIP

I

HOLLYWOOD HILLS SPEEDWAY SEP 13 1. Steve Kinser

8. Paul McMahan

15. Jason Martin

2. Jason Sides

9. Joey Saldana

16. Rich Bubak

3. Donny Schatz

10. Brian Paulus

17. Steve Martin

4. Brian Brov/n

11. Johnny Herrera

18. John Stroud, Jr.

5. Danny Lasoski

12. Daryn Pittman

19. Kaylene Verville

6. Shane Stewart

13. Marty Wilcox

20. Tim Shaffer

7. Jason Meyers

14. Dion Hindi

21. Jonathan Allard

2003 STANDINGS SEP 14

1 Steve Kinser .

2 Danny Lasoski , 3 Joey Saldana ..

4 Daryn Pittman 5 DonnySchatz 6 Jason Sides ..

7 Brian Paulus ..

8 Paul McMahon 9 Tim Shaffer ..

10 Jason Meyers

8686 8659 8193 8121 7723 7604 6534 6428 5517 5490

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Mark Kinser....

Randy Hannagan.

Sammy Swindell .

Johnny Herrera ..

Kraig Kinser Jac Haudenschild Bob Bennett....

Jeremy Campbell.

Tyler Walker ....

Shane Stewart ..

5048 4989 4762 4727 4097 4042 3829 3575 3250 2804

65

Jimmie I Newman nails no.6

R%A'N Newtiiiiaiii claimed his sixth victory of the year and first ever short track win at > Richniiond on September 6, holding off a hard charging Jeremy Mayfield by 0.159s for the win in a competitive : wreck-fest that featured 14 cautions and plenty of post race controversy. ; “Jeremy did a great job racing , me clean," said Newman, “after i watching the Busch race last : night I wasn't sure what was i going to happen on the last lap," I referring to a last lap bump by , Johnny Sauter on Matt Kenseth ' to take the win the previous ' evening.

I Halfway leader Dale Earnhardt ! Jr. cut a tyre on lap 355 of the ; 400 and Kevin Harvick was left 5 ; to chase Newman who took the

lead with 124 laps to run nursing his fuel to the end holding on through a multitude of restarts until Harvick was spun into the wall and from contention by eventual third finishing Ricky Rudd with just six laps to run. The incident spilled onto pit road post race (see separate story) with both crews called to the NASCAR trailer for a dressing down.

Robby Gordon looked to be headed for a top five result, but Jeff Burton punted Gordon into the wall with 18 laps remaining, “It was totally immature on his side," said Gordon, “1 gave him plenty of room, we had a shot of winning, but I guess he felt like he needed to dump me."

Burton countered, "I messed up, Robby didn't do anything at

all, I went up the track and hit him, I didn't mean to do it.”

Jeff Gordon finished tenth, but lead 126 laps until a cut tyre and handling woes softened his charge, while previous Richmond winner Tony Stewart spun into the wall early after contact from Jeff Burton and later looped his Chevy again unaided to finish 27th.

The race was the first at the track for the new SAFER barrier soft wall technology and it certainly got plenty of testing with thankfully no injuries in some hard looking impacts.

- MARTIN D CLARK Final result; Newman (Dodge), Mayfield (Dodge), Rudd (Ford), J Burton (Ford), R Wallace(Dodge), B Labonte (Chevy), Kenseth (Ford), T Labonte (Chevy), Benson (Pontiac),J Gordon (Chevy).

JIMMIE Johnson used pit strategy to take his third win of the year, also sweeping both New Hampshire races with his victory over Ricky Rudd on Sunday.

Johnson's day was not without incident though, his part team owner Jeff Gordon making a rare mistake and hitting three of his crew members on pit road.

"We had a great race car," said Johnson."With what happened on pit road with our guys getting hit and no one getting injured from that, we're just so thankful."

Ryan Newman headed the first 45 laps before being passed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Bill Elliott also spent time up front after a two-tyre stop during a caution then handing the lead back to Jr. later The race stayed caution-free until lap 127 for debris. During this caution, Gordon attempted to enter his pit driving through Michael Waltrip's pit box, Gordon apparently unaware Waltrip was pitting there.

"It was my fault, 1 made a mistake," said Gordon.

"1 looked up and 1 saw two of my guys on the windshield of the 24 going for a ride," continued Johnson.

Thankfully, all three were able to carry on their duties thanks to the mandated pit crew helmets. Both Gordon and Johnson lost time on pit road while rurming in the top 10,and Gordon was pinned behind Waltrip on pit road and the Johnson crew had to compose themselves before their

Boy Wonder Pit-lane br' 19-YEAR-OLD Brain Vickers has been named the repiacement for Joe Nemechek at Hendrick Motorsports for the 2004 season.

Vickers, left, a two-time winner in the Busch Series this year, is currently second in points and will bring his current Hendrick Busch sponsor GMAC into Cup replacing UAWGM on the number 25 Chev.

Vickers hiring came after he won the Darlington event, a track known to bite novice and even veteran drivers, Nemechek, who won the spring Richmond Cup event has failed to finish six races in 2003 and is 23rd in points, while 18year-old Kyle Busch will move into the Busch Series seat vacated by Vickers.

- MARTIN D CLARK

66

IT'S no secret that Richard Childress likes feisty drivers,the late Dale Earnhardt was one of them and he currently has two more in the shape of Kevin Harvick and Robby Gordon.

Childress is vocal about the fact that he prefers to harness a 'wild' driver than to hire one he has to keep-pumped and racey.

At the Richmond night race on September 6, two of his three drivers were wiped out in late race 'accidents'.

“He got on the brakes real early going into turn one and I got into the back of him," commented Ricky Rudd of his contact with Harvick six laps from the finish. "It wasn't on purpose, I tried to let him correct it, he got into one of those long slides, it was an accident."

After the chequers, Harvick pulled his car down pit road where the top three finishers stopped and bumped into the side of Rudd's Wood Bros Ford coming to a stop alongside he climbed from his car and standing on the top of the door shouted at Rudd. Both teams arrived on the scene, some of Harvick's Childress crew joining Harvick on his car to stop their driver doing anything that may result in a suspension (like the recent Jimmy Spencer, Kurt Busch ordeal).

Harvick crew members jumped on the hood of Rudd's car, and when told to get down

by NASCAR officials, the two teams exchanging obscenities which ended when Harvick threw his HANS device at Rudd, with Rudd throwing it back motorsport news

NASCAR

las the Strategy

Little E’s Future

Elliott to retire It

li

( \

'^>nr,riVAir/i

BILL Elliott, above, is expected to make an announcement about his ensuing retirement which will more than likely come at the end of 2004, although Elliott has hinted of hanging up his helmet at the end of this year.

That's my third boys: JJ grabbed the win at New Hampshire last weekend. service. Gordon's day got worse when he ran dry of fuel with two laps remaining to finish 19th, the same happening to one time leader Kevin Harvick, who finished 13th.

Four more cautions occurred quickly after the first. Ward Burton was tagged into the wall by a loose .

Johnson. The same occurred to Dale Jarrett after contact from a slipping Jimmy Spencer. Tony Stewart clobbered the wall after a nudge from Newman.

Previous New Hampshire victor Jeff Burton suffered an engine problem on lap 104. A few laps later fellow Roush driver Greg Biffle was also in the garage with a thrown oil pump belt. Dale Earnhardt Jr. noticed a vibration in his Chev engine around lap 150, but amazingly held on to come home fifth.

Michael Waltrip had the strongest car at the end, but when he pitted for

a splash of fuel with 28 laps to run, the fuel can was still attached to the car and he suffered a stop-go penalty to finish a disappointing 26th.

"I hate to have a mistake cost you a win," said Waltrip. "But I've made tons, we're all human. I did what I was told it just didn't go down smoothly."

Matt Kenseth finished seventh and continues to head the points by a healthy 404 points, he now only has to finish seventh or better in the remaining nine races to clinch the title.

-MARTIN D CLARK Final result; Johnson (Chevy), Rudd (Ford), Nemechek (Chevy), Elliott (Dodge), Earnhardt Jr.(Chevy), R.Wallace (Dodge), Kenseth (Ford), Sadler (Ford), Newman (Dodge), McMurray (Dodge).

Points standings; Kenseth 4015, Earnhardt Jr. 3611, Harvick 3552,Johnson 3543, Newman 3398,J.Gordon 3382, Busch 3323, B.Labonte 3323, T.Labonte 3191, Waltrip 3169.

Martin D Clark

DALE Earnhardt Jr. has no contract for the 2004 with Dale Earnhardt Inc., the company owned by his step Mother Teresa.

'Little E' only signed a one year deal over the winter and is apparently looking for more money in 2004 and wants what he feels he deserves from the contract as a nationally know sports figure.

It remains unlikely however that he will not drive for DEI in the Toreseeable future,but money has a way of talking.

- MARTIN D CLARK

iwl at Richmond

... he's got that little yap-yap mouth tl

- Harvick on Rudd, above

before Harvick was marcheid away by his crew chief Todd Berber and his wife Delana.

"Rudd took a god damn cheap shot at us,” countered Harvick.

“If he's going to give a cheap shot he's going to get one back I promise you that."

"I haven't seen anything like it in 28 years of racing," continued Rudd, "it's just absolutely crazy after the race this stuff here is absolutely ridiculous. I couldn't hear what he was saying, he's got that little yap-yap mouth."

NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said afterward the sanctioning body will not take a "bench clearing mentality" and all the offending crews, drivers and team owners were summoned to the big red truck post-race.

The fines issued were as

follows: Harvick $35,000 and placed on probation until December 31 st for hitting Rudd's car in pit road and the use of improper language.

Berber Is $10,000 lighter as the crew chief is responsible for his drivers actions. Harvick crew members Mike Scearce got nabbed $5„p00 and suspended until September 17 for jumping on Rudd's hood and Gene Pasquale was also placed on probation until the end of the year and fined $2,500.

Kurt Almquist and Ken Barber were each fined $2,500 and placed on probation until December 31st, Tryson meanwhile was fined $5,000 for the 'F' word heard clearly on national broadcasting.

- MARTIN D CLARK

n Kurt Busch has dropped his assault complaint with the Michigan poiice department against Jimmy Spencer following the punch that Spencer threw at Busch in Michigan. n Jeff Burton has singed a multi year contract with Roush Racing, although the organisation has yet to find a sponsor to replace Citgo who leave at years end. n Brian France has been named chairman of the board and chief executive officer, becoming the third generation France to head up NASCAR, replacing his father Bill France Jr. who in turn succeeded his father 'Big' Bill France in 1972. Brian who had been a vice-chairman was instrumental in the 2001 multi-billion Dollar TV contract and was involved in the development of the Truck Series, the weekly Touring divisions that fall under NASCAR's banner and the research and development center. France Jr. has moved into the vice-chairman position along with his brother Jim and NASCAR insists the change is a timing matter and not related to France Junior's past cancer problems, while Mike Flelton will continue as president a position he has held since 2000. n A rule change has been put in place for the September 28th Talladega event, rear spoilers on all cars will be increased in height from six and a quarter inches to six and three quarter inches and the restrictor plates handed out by NASCAR during inspection will have holes 1/32 of an inch larger to 29/32 in diameter aiming to give the cars more throttle response.' n in the Truck Series at Richmond, ex-Cupper Bobby Hamilton was fined $10,000 when he planted current points leader Brendan Gaughan hard into the wall after the chequers.

- MARTIN D CLARK 67

Pedregon Nails ‘Boss’ in Shootout TONY Pedregon defeated team-mate and car owner John Force in a thrilling finale to the $100,000 Budweiser Shootout at Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Pedregon joined older brother Frank as a winner of the special race by posting a steady 4.94 at 297 nnph against Force’s tyre smoking 9.07 at 88 mph as Force began to lose traction at the 200-foot mark.

"For eight years I've been trying to win this race," said Pedregon. "To finally get it done is very satisfying.

"We really didn't have the performance today. We're still trying to find a way back to where we were earlier in the season. But we did enough to win and I don't think we won by accident. Lots of great drivers have won this race. John's won it, both of my brothers have won, Frank Flawley, even the Snake [Don Prudhomme], all the

big-time guys. It's an honour to join their ranks. I really felt at ease today. I felt like I had nothing to lose, especially in the final because John had run that 4.82 the round before."

Before knocking off Force in the final round, Pedregon took engine-damaging 5.07/265 and 5.10/271 wins over a tyre

Lone-Nitrous Car Wins Indy

Doing it his way: Smith was the only man sporting a Nitrous-fuelled car

]

CLAY Millican was victorious at the eighth annual Amalie Oil North American Nationals Sunday at New England Dragway defeating Bruce Litton in the Top Fuel final round.

Millican recorded a winning time of 4.75s at 310 mph to stop Litton's 5.07 at 298 mph.

Millican, who qualified first at 4.604s, defeated Roger Dean in the first round running a 4.68/317. He then met Todd Paton in round two and diove the Werner Enterprises dragster to a winning 4.67/317 to advance into his ninth final round of the season.

“Today was Mike Kloeber and the crew guys' day,” said Millican. “I didn't have to pedal or let off or try to recover because the guys were just awesome. Every round this 68

smoking Dean Skuza, and Del Worsham.

In making his 10th Budweiser Shootout final round, Force was able to dispose of defending and three-time event winner Ron Capps and arch rival, Whit Bazemore.

Pedregon bagged the $100,000 first prize pay cheque

while Force earned $15,000 for his runner-up showing, Worsham and Bazemore pocketed $6000 each for their semifinal finishes, while Gary Densham, Tommy Johnson Jr., Capps, and Skuza were paid $5000 apiece for their first-round finishes.

- DAVE OSTASZEWSKI

RICKIE Smith drove his Kenny Koretsky Motorsports'63 Corvette to victory in the ninth round of the AMS Pro Mod Challenge at Indianapolis, running a 6.24/224 in the final round to beat Von Smith, who trailed with a 6.28/227 in Roy Hill’s blown Ford Mustang.

Rickie entered eliminations as the third quickest car at 6.22/224 and beat New York Mortgage Banker Mike Ashley's '41 Willys in the first round with a 6.25/224 win. He picked up the pace to a 6.24/228 in round two to stop Fred Hahn.

Von was the fourth quickest qualifier, but was the quickest car every round except in the final. He reeled off a 6.21/228 in round one to establish low elapsed time on a single when Mike Stawicki could not fire his ‘63 Corvette. He advanced into the final round with a 6.24/228 victory over Thomas Patterson.

Troy Critchley produced a 10th-best 6.356 second pass at 220 mph missing the field's bump of 6.278 seconds.

The next stop on the ten-race AMS Pro Modified Challenge will take place in two weeks when the tour rolls into Memphis for the 16th annual O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals.

- DAVE OSTASZEWSKI

fnca Werner Enterprises car was so good I never had to worry.”

Litton's route to his fifth final round of the season came at the expense of Grant Flowers, where Litton recorded a winning 4.91/292. In the semis, Litton took a 4.84/279 single when Jack Ostrander broke.

Defending Pro Modified World Champion Shannon Jenkins scored his first victory of the season, stopping Mike Janis in the final round, 6.31/220 to 6.39/228. Jenkins, the seventh qualifier at 6.265s, was able to take a , round one win over fuel-injection wizard, Harold Martin, before scoring a pair of holeshot wins over point leader, Mitch Stott, and Canada's, Carl Spiering.

“We have been changing and testing so many things this season it is good to finally

get back on track with a solid combination,” said Jenkins. “I still want to concentrate on Mike's (Castellana) car and make some gains through the rest of the season. It's good that we’ve both put the Western Beef car in the winner's circle.”

Janis reached his third final round of the year by defeating Pat Moore, Mike Castellana, and Quain Stott.

Carl Baker, right, racked up his third victory of the season and in doing so regained the Pro Stock points lead. In the final round, Baker stopped Frank Gugliotta, 6.56/213 to a red-lighting 6.61/211.

Baker qualified his Summit Racing Mercury Cougar fourth at 6.547s and motored to 6.56/212, 6,57/213, and 6.58/213 wins over Jason Collins. moiorsport news

DRAG

Schumacher Goes Back-to-Back

by DAVE OSTASZEWSKI TONY Schumacher became just the fifth driver to win Top Fuel at Indy back-to-back when he defeated Darrell Russell,4.49/328 to 4.61/290, in the final round of the 49th aimual MAC Tools US Nationals.

Schumacher, right, also joined Gary Beck,Don Garlits,Joe Amato and Don Prudhomme in an elite group of three-time U.S. Nationals Top Fuel winners.

They stood behind us all this time and I hope they're proud of us today."

WUkerson started the day when he drove the his Pontiac Firebird to its quickest pass of the weekend,a 4.82/321 against second fastest qualifier Gary Scelzi. He then recorded a 4.99/305 to take out Scelzi's Oakley team-mate, Scotty Cannon, who smoked his tyres. He

Tim Wilkerson, Greg Anderson and Reggie Showers also won in their respective categories at the US $2.5m race, the 17th of 23 events in the $50m NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

Schumacher's Alan Johnson-tuned U.S. Army rail, sporting a special edition,'desert camo' paint scheme, was the quickest of every round, carrying the 1999 series champ to a round one 4.51/327 win over John Smith. A pair of 4.52/326 victories against Doug Kalitta and his cousin, Scott Kalitta sent Schumacher into his third final roimd of the season.

Russell also advanced into his third final of the year with victories over Paul Romine, who broke at half track, low qualifier, David Baca, who smoked his tyres, and Kenny Bernstein, who also lost traction.

Wilkerson became the 500th Funny Car driver in NHRA history to score a national event victory. The second and biggest win of his career came at the expense of Johnny Gray, who ran a 4.90/314 mph against Wilkerson's 4.84/321.

"That's what we're here for," Wilkerson said as he was handed the trophy."Oh my,I just don't know what to say. I'm so happy for my guys and for Levi, Ray & Shbup.

George Marnell, Ron Krisher, and Reigning series Champ Jeg Coughlin Jr., posting low e.t. of every round.

Johnson raced to his eighth final of the year and the 48th of his career by driving his Chevrolet Cavalier past red-lighting Troy Coughlin, Anderson teammate Jason Line, and surprise semi-finaUst, Larry Morgan.

Reggie Showers, a double-amputee racer, backed up his victory at last weekends K&N Filters Pro Bike Klash with a Pro Stock Bike win at the Nationals, defeating Shawn Garm in the final round on a holeshot, 7.26/181 to 7.23/188, to win not only his first career national event but also take the $10,000 double-up bonus from the NHRA. Showers rode crew chief George Bryce's tune-up to elimination round victories over Craig Treble;low qualifier and defending series and event champion Angelle Savoie, who he beat on a holeshot; current POWERade points leader Geno Scali.

Gann used three consecutive red-

lights by his opponents to gain his eighth shot at an NHRA trophy. Chris dropped Dean Skuza in the semi finals witli a 4.86/318 win.

Reuter was .007s early, GT Tonglet jumped the Tree by .024, and Antron Gray marched the Checker, " Brown fouled out by .005s. It was a Schuck's & Kragen Pontiac Firebird to its third final of the season and the red light-filled day for the bikes as 10 of the 15 days elimination round third money round of his career by matches were decided by foul starts. taking out team-mate Phil Burkart Jr., In Alcohol Dragster, Morgan Lucas fastest qualifier and defended event was victorious over Shelly Howard in champion John Force, and Force's a classic blower verse injected nitro team-mate, Gary Densham. final round,5.41/262 to 5.51/257. Jeff Greg Anderson scored his second US Nationals wm in the last three Craig took his first Alcohol Funny Car National event win with a seasons, and eighth victory of the , 5.73/250 victory when Marc White year when his Vegas General red lighted.

Construction Chevy Cavalier -DAVE OSTASZEWSKI motored to a 6.80/203 win over low

Chris Holbrook, and defending series Champion. Brian Gahm.

Gugiiotta reached his first final round of the season by stopping Elijah Morton, J Doug Kirk, and Pete Berner. | Funny Car points leader Atchison J defeated Mark Thomas in the Alcohol 1 Funny Car final, 5.81/241 to 5.87/238. 1 It was Atchison's sixth final round .1 appearance in eight events this ^ season, taking wins in five of them. ^ After top qualifying at 5.78/241, Atchison got quicker as the day progressed in victories over Vincent Rastelli, Tony Bogoio, and John Vouros.

The next event on the 2003 IHRA Drag ^ Racing Series is the 12th annual Presidents Cup Nationals at Maryland International Raceway, Budds Creek, I Maryland, September 26- 28.

- DAVE OSTASZEWSKI > 17 September 2003

qualifier, Kurt Johnson, who red lighted on a 6.80/202 in the Pro Stock final round.

Anderson had earlier defeated

RACING

Melanie on the Outer

'f.

: RICK and Larry Michael, co-owners of the Western Rock Top Fuel team, have parted company with driver Melanie Troxel, above, effective immediately. The Western Rock team has begun a search for a new driver and hopes to compete at the final two events on the 2003 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series in Las Vegas and Pomona. n Barry Grant, President of Barry Grant Inc. and owner/driver of the : Barry Grant Pro Stock car, announced an immediate restructuring of the team's operations. Effective immediately, Terry Adams has been released from his responsibilities as crew chief and driver of the second Barry Grant Cavalier. The group will only campaign Grant's Cavalier for the remainder of the season. n Paul Romine and the Carrier Boyz Top Fuel team have agreed to join forces for the remainder of the 2003 POWERade Drag Racing season. CARQUEST Auto Parts will be the primary sponsor of the team. n Two-time NHRA Top Fuel champion, Scott Kalitta, returned to competition at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. Driving the Mac Tools/Jesse James dragster, Kalitta qualified second at 4.502 seconds at 326.56 mph and made it all the way to the semis, posting a career best speed of 327.82 mph.

Scott lost to event winner, Tony Schumacher, in a dose race 4.52/326 to 4.54/327. Kalitta will compete at all remaining 2003 POWERade events. n Former U.S. Nationals winner and three-time series champion, Shirley Muldowney, failed to qualify in her final Indy appearance.

Muldowney carded a 4.76/295 best, leaving her out of the quickest Top Fuel field in NHRA history. Her long time rival, Don "Big Daddy" Garlits also missed the cut, posting a 4.77/310 best in his radical mono strut Swamp Rat 34.

- DAVE OSTASZEWSKI 69

r

III h

Times Rev,

Tributes to Barry Sheene on two wheels and four at the 2003 Goodwood Revival

nolBrsport news

HISTORICS

ENTRIES are now being accepted for the Australian Historic Motor Festival to be held at Winton Motor Raceway on October 4-5.

All historic categories will be catered for in a program including scratch, handicap and regularity events and a special feature this year will be a demonstration run for historic Grand Prix racing cars.

The chosen marque this year will be MG and a parade of the cars from the 1930s to the present day will be a highlight of the program.

Entries close on September 19 so be quick! Contact Winton Motor Raceway on (03) 5766 4235 or e-mail race@wintonraceway.com.au for details.

-BRIAN REED

Tauranac 'nibute Historic field gives Ron plenty to smile about at Eastern Creek

by MARTIN VAN REE A GATHERING of Brabham racing cars at Eastern Creek on the weekend of September 6 and 7 for the Shannons 13th All Historic Race Meeting highlighted a weekend that paid tribute to the contribution to motorsport of Ron Tauranac.

Tauranc was the centre of attention at a dinner that preceded the weekend's racing when over 150 guests honoured the 78-year-old racecar designer.

Tributes flowed in from such Formula One luminaries as McLaren team principal Ron Dennis, past president of the Honda Motor Company Nobuhiko Kawamotto and FI supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

Ecclestone bought the Brabham team from Tauranac for a relative song in 1972. He has gone on to amass a vast fortune and quipped in a video-taped message, "I'm sorry I can't be with you Ron, but it costs a lot of money for a plane fare to Australia."

But Bernie should have made the trip. The sight of 16 Brabhams taking to the Eastern Creek layout for Australia's first all Brabham race would have made the trip worth every Euro.

With cars as diverse as the 1973 BT40, through to the 1962 BT2 and the 1963 BT5 (one of few sports cars built by Brabham), the racing was secondary to the sheer beauty displayed on the circuit.

Sir Jack's legendary BT19, the car in which he took the 1966 world championship also

took part in parade laps.

A fine gathering of Ralt racers also marked the contribution of Ron and his brother Austin.

But the Ralts were beaten when it came to the Group Q & R race for sports and racing cars. Ty Hanger was the class of the field and recorded a win in a 77 March FP. In Group Nc Production Touring Cars it was Ross Donnelley who recreated history taking the exGeoghegan brothers 1967 Mustang to victory.

Miinhall C

Original: Brabham's BT40 was one of the stars of the show.

Q&R@EC; The action was diverse at the Creek.

71

nationa

scene

Grant Rowley

Bailey gives ^em a High Five

by GRANT ROWLEY DESPITE not winning a race in the latter part of the season, Kerry Bailey scored his fifth Australian Sports Sedan Championship crown at Sandown International Raceway last weekend.

Bailey adopted a conservative role at the Melbourne track, picking up a seventh and a fourth place finish to wrap up the title in the final round of the series in front of a strong 31 car field, which was bolstered by the presence of a number of Future Tourers.

Sandown 500 drivers Tony Ricciardello, aboard his mighty Alfa/Chev and Darren Hossack,

Shane Drake, who was a latedriving the fast Saab/Chev, each race substitute for John claimed a race win, but could do little about Bailey's surge McIntyre, displayed towards a convincing series win. consistency, picking up two Ricciardello and Hossack podium finishes aboard his staged a fantastic Race 1 stunning Chevrolet Corvette. battle, and the contest was But in the opening race, Drake had to withstand immense lateonly settled on the final race pressure from Dean straight. Ricciardello snatched Randle. victory from race-long leader Local lad Randle finished a Hossack, but only by a coat of paint. competitive fourth in Race 1, but Hossack avenged his narrow could only manage seventh in the second encounter. defeat by storming through from South Australian Mick ninth place in the Race 2 reverse Monterosso, driving his Ford top 10 grid event to score a hard-earned win.

Escort collected a pair of sixth Ricciardello had electrical place finishes, while Sydneysider Mark Stinson gremlins rob him of taking the challenge to Hossack in the fina I ’ brought his Holden Calibra home encounter. in eighth place in both races.

New Zealand TraNZam driver Kiwi Kayne Scott had a

disasterous clutch failure at the start of Race 1 after qualifying third. From the back of the grid in the second race, Scott stormed through the field to eventually cross the line in third place, just prior to a red flag which was brought out on lap 10 due to Ray Ayton's stranded Commodore at the notorious turn one.

In the Future Touring stouches, Andrew Gillespie's Ford Falcon got the jump on qualifying quick man Ray Sidebottom and held his advantage over him throughout the entire race, but only just.

Sidebottom reversed the order in Race 2, but again the dice between the pair was evenly matched.

Priceless Win

Eat My Shorts, Man BART Price has taken out the 2003 Rotax Nationals held at Newcastle on September 7. Price(Arrow)led from lights to chequer in the 22 lap final to round off a near perfect weekend for the Victorian.

A star studded field of sixty-three drivers clocked qualifying times before heat races whittled the field to a final 40. Defending champion Josh Arandt(Arrow) qualified fastest (47.631s) ahead of Price (47.717s), however Bart struck back in the Top5 Shootout, putting together a perfect lap to claim the $500 prize.

Heat wins went to Arandt(x2), Price (x2), Nick Lowe (Birel) and Daniel Elliott (Birel). Arandt,Price and EUiott fought out the pre-final, all holding the upper hand at some stage before Price made a last comer pass on Arandt "1 had good speed at the end of the pre-final and, after getting pushed wide at the start of a heat, 1 knew it was important to be on pole for the final," Bart said.

Arandt would line up second ahead of Elliott, Troy Woolston

(Gillard), Andrew Thompson(Arrow) and Jason Hryniuk(CRG)who had blasted through from mid field.

Price beat everyone to turn one as karts scattered in the mid-field. The big mover was Hryniuk, going from sixth to second in tire first series of comers. His work almost came imdone however, after a bump from Woolston over the flip-flop on the opening lap, a side,effect seeing Arandt mn wide into the marbles and fall back deep into the pack. He would later crash out mid-race whiletrying to recover, a most imsatisfactory end to a competitive defence of the title.

Meanwhile, Bart had opened up a commanding lead, one which he maintained all the way to the end.

Hryniuk held on for second while Thompson moved forward late in the race for third alread of Elliott. Benjamm Chong Sun put in a sohd performance for fifth while Woolston dropped to sixth on his debut with Gillard.

In Rotax Heavy,WiUiam Yarwood was unchallenged in the final, the 24-

year old taking a comfortable win and making it a clean sweep of the championships for Arrow karts. The only time he came under pressure was after getting bumped wide in the third heat, but the Queenslander proved his pace by systematically picking off his rivals for another win.

Any possibility of a challenge from Top-5 Shootout winner Andrew Walmsley evaporated when Walmsley (Fullerton) spim out of the pre-final after a piece of ballast from another kart came adrift and wedged itself underneath his chassis. Brett

Hobson(CRG)and Nigel Stones (Arrow)completed the podium ahead of Walmsley, who had put in a calsulating drive from the rear, and David Knight (Birel). Damien Meyer (CRG)suffered imdersteer in the early laps wliile outgoing champion Brett Davidson finished sixth.

The 2004 Rotax Nationals, which will be the fourth annual running of the event, will be held at Ipswich on September 4 and 5.

-MARK WICKS

J's Approved

.QlV<:-Cartei

BRAD Tilley again stacked his claim on the Biante Model cars Historic Touring Car events at Sandown Raceway last weekend. Tilley cleaned up,winning all three races over brother Cameron and Western Australian,Paul Stubber.

Tony Kart Set

MULTIPLE World and National Champions Tony Kart is set to make its debut in the burgeoning Intercontinental C gearbox class at the final round of the Dunlop Australian CIK Series at Geelong.

Australian importer Greg Smith

is due to take delivery of the kart, a Venox chassis complete with factory Vortex engine soon.

The lucky driver of the awesome machine will be Ben Hall, also the SATony Kart distributor. Hall knows the Geelong track well, having placed third there in the 1998 Nationals in the Junior Piston Port class.

The ARC A1 National engine has been given approval to race.

Previously the engine was only able to be used in practice and private testing. This will speed up development of the engine which can compete alongside the Yamaha KT10OJ for ‘competitive evaluation’. It is not yet eligible for state or national championships.

- MARK WICKS “We hope to test at Geelong at least once, before doing Round 5 as a lead up to an assault on the full 2004 series,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge of racing CIK again, and especially in ICC, a class which has really taken off this year, with many strong driverteam combinations.”

- CHRIS JORDAN

DESPITE his win in the Rotax Nationals, it seems that Bart Price might not get to race in the Rotax World Final in Egypt after all.

It seems that there is a possibility that Price, along with the other top five finishers in Rotax Light, might not be eligible for the world final due to them having held an international kart licence to compete in our local Oceania Championships a couple of years ago.

If this is the case, Troy Woolston might be the lucky guy heading OS. Similarly, an Australian over 35-year-old driver in the world final is no certainty until Rotax finalise how many drivers will be allowed to compete from the participating countries, each country's second driver having to be over 35 as of January 1 this year. n Andrew Thompson and Troy Woolston are set to slug it out for the Ford KartStars title at Bolivar, South Australia this weekend. After dropping their worst round, the two enter the final race separated by just one point. Woolston is currently on a roll having won the last two rounds, but one can never discount Thompson or, in fact, a quarter of the field, from pulling off a win. n A Championship Presentation Dinner will be held after the final of the Dunlop CIK series at Geelong next month. This will be the first of what is hoped to be an annual event. The evening will be held at the Geelong Football Club on Sunday October 19 and will feature, in addition to the normal placegetter prizes, a Driver's Driver of the Year award. n Last month, William Yanwood became the first Australian to win funded drives at two different manufacturer supported world karting finals. The Queenslander was one of five Australians to compete at the inaugural Rotax MAX World Final in Puerto Rico in 2000 and has just clinched a start in the Biland World Final at Morocco in December after winning the Biland 250 support class at the recent NSW State Championships at Newcastle. It was Yarwood's first time in the category, bolting one of the specification 250cc Biland four-strokes to an Arrow AX8 chassis. Yarwood had been the pace setter in the heats but suffered an ignition problem in the pre-final putting him back in the field. This allowed Troy Hunt(Top Kart), also making his first appearance in the class, and Danny Ferry to battle out the lead. Yarwood worked his way through the field to climb to third but by this time, the two leaders had built a significant gap. A last lap pass by Ferry saw he and Hunt clash -Troy speared off into the kitty litter while Danny suffered a puncture.

This was all Yarwood needed, pouncing on Ferry to take the win.

-MARK WICKS

NATIONAL SCENE

m' sr-

Paris Charles

Kernel and Carnage Rule

Masterful Display

THE 2003 Mallala Masters endured every weather condition known to man,from fine and clear blue skies to artic winds and torrential downpours.

Adam Allan looked set to continue with his domination of the Improved Production ranks taking victory in the first three heats aboard his Datsun 1200.

James Sutton, above, turned the tables to win heat four and the all-important 10 lap SA Championship final over Allan.

Third was Jim Myhill’s Magna from the hard charging Kym Hockley and Ian Statham.

Peter Boehm showed determination to hold off the 20plus HQ’s to win the gruelling SA championship. The final was action packed from go to whoa with Boehm fending off attacks from allcomers. Second to cross the line was Wayne King from Steve Laybourn and Neil Corey rounding out the top four.

Mark Foster lead when it mattered most, taking the honours in the Formula Vee Championship race over Drewer who won three from four heats.

Robert Surman and John Hall rounded out the top four.

Robert Vanderkamp claimed three of the four Historic Touring Car heat wins and the 10-lap championship event aboard his GT Falcon. Ian Gear's Torana finished second. Third in the final was Roger Oliver in a Falcon Rallye Sprint from the EH Holden of Ian Williams.

Graham Knuckey impressed early to win the opening 3 heats in the Racing Cars class.

Andrew Webber finally got his Reynard to run reliably, winning both the final heat and the Garrie Cooper Memorial over Knuckey, Sean Whelan and Drew Milne.

Graham Cook won three from four in the Sports Cars class in his Porsche 911. However,Keith Williamson who showed the field raw speed in his Farrell Clubman in the 10-lap feature race over Jim Doig and Mark Black while Cook finished fourth.

- PARIS CHARLES

n

PAUL Kernel again showed grit and determination to score the round win at Sandown International Raceway last weekend in the Aussie Racing Car Series.

The three races were held in varied weather conditions, and the action produced by the 31 car field was close, hard and at times, expensive.

Kernel's Angela Jo's Motorsport Ford Coupe took the Race 1 honours, although he had to sustain immense pressure from championship adversary Mike Russell's FJ Holden. Pole-sitter Chris Butler came home in third.

Series creator Phil Ward had an up-and-down race, taking the lead prior to a safety car after Steve Coulter and David Burch ended each others hopes at turn one. Ward eventually finished sixth.

EX

The reverse grid Race 2 started just as the rain began to pour down. Queenslander Travis Edwards took a very narrow win in the trying conditions over James Ward, who spun out of contention in the opening race while in a good position.

Kernel fought back to the fore in the third and final race, followed home by Edwards AU Falcon, father Ward, Luke Norris and Leon Mclndoe.

Norris substituted for regular driver VIP Petfoods driver Klark Quinn, who had Carrera Cup duties on the weekend.

James Ward and Mike Kilpatrick got a little too friendly at turn one in Race 3 and both cars received minor damage in the panel exchange, above.

- GRANT ROWLEY

D

i OVER 70 drivers competing in 22 j classes ventuired to South Australia's Barossa Valley to 'compete for the 2003'Fitch The I Rubberman Trophy*. ^ Experience proved to be the key factor at this season's hill climb

Filling the dais along side Mitchell was mnner up Doug Lehmann who won the 4WD sedan section in Inis Mitsubishi EVO 6. Despite only completing 3 of his 5 runs Dean Richards was quick enough to post third fastest time and take the

sixtli position despite aJso retiring ^ two runs early due to mechanical problems with his BAE MK1.Next on the time sheets was Sports Sedans| under 2O0Occ class winner Surge | DeLiica aboard an Anglia. Jason !

Ra tsch won tlie Formula Vee section. I

e\ ent. The top tliree place getters I showed the younger brigade the ; quickest way up the steep and ' challenging Collingrove course. ' Andy Mitchell took the outright victor)', stopping the clock at 31.84s aboard his Torrens Arms sponsored Farrell.

Racing up to 1300cc class win before scumming to mechanical difficulties in his Suzuki powered machine. Stan Ward timed in just a shade under Richards to take fourth and Group Q outright honours aboard his Bullant Clubman. Rounding out the top five outright was4WD class competitor Raymond Kamleh aboard a Mitsubishi EVO 3.

Tony Brookman finished in

Following Ratsch nvas Dave Cundy [ aboard his DMC Products Rotary j powered Mazda RX2 and rounding i out die top 10, taking the Club Cars jl 1601 -2000cc class win was Adam Debaisi aboard his VW Beetle.

-PARIS CMARLES

I "The car was originally built in 11971 but has undergone some major i modifications to .stay competitive I with the new machines," said ; Mitchell, below, at tlie end of the ; victory celebrations.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Motec Control

MoTeC once again leads the way in aftermarket engine management technology with fully variable camshaft control and drive by wire.

Both highly advanced features are available to customers with the M800/880 series of engine management systems.

MoTeC's variable cam control

allows full control of up to four variable camshafts per engine, such as the Dual Vanos® BMW V8. Special software modes have been written to

Another electronic revolution

making its way into many new cars is drive by wire. Originally developed for aircraft, this technology uses an electronic throttle in place of the traditional mechanical system, interpreting pedal input from the driver via actuators and sensors.

In addition to very precise control of the throttle

position, drive by wire also allows for idle speed control, traction control and cruise control.

Fully variable camshaft control and drive by wire throttle control are optional on the MoTeC M800 and M880 engine management systems.

Visit www.motec.com.au or call 9761 5050 for more details.

allow the use of factory trigger wheels and sensors. Camshaft timing can be independently adjusted for each cam in 0.5 degree increments based on RPM and load.

Witli fully adjustable camshaft control, MoTeC users can optimise engine tuning across a wide range of operating conditions to deliver better combustion efficiency. This means improved high end performance and low speed torque. Additional benefits include enhanced idle, fuel economy and emissions control.

"Many popular makes like Toyota, Honda,Subaru and BMW are already using variable camshafts," said MoTeC's founding director Richard BendeU,"Therefore it's an essential development for manufacturers of aftermarket engine management systems.

New Corsa

Friends @ Indy Plaiming for any trip, whether it be for business or pleasure,can be time consuming and stressful.

To ensure you trip to this years hrdy 300 on the Gold Coast is memorable for aU the right reasons, professional travel and accommodation consultants.

Friendly Flats, have developed accommodation packages to suit a variety of needs and budgets.

Trackside high-rise self contained apartments are available with 1,2 or 3 bedroom.These prime location apartments give you views of the track and put you right in the heart of the all the Indy action.

Homestay accommodation and apartments within walking distance to the track are also available. AU accommodation is available for 1 to 3 weeks aUowing plenty of time to enjoy the event and^the Gold Coast has to offer.

Friendly Hats are locaUy based and have the local knowledge and contacts to be able to organise the best deals on limousine rentals, gift shopping,in room massage,ironing services, cleaning,shopping tours and any little detaU to ensure your stay is enjoyable and hassle free.

For more info on pricing and availability caU Trish at Friendly Hats on 0422 107409 or 07 5594 1202.

Sparco has released the new Corsa range of racing seafc in Australia through the Revolution Racegear network.

Sparco's 'Corsa' seat is rally-bred, developed in the World Rally Championships by several leading teams and has been subjected to very rigorous testing before being released. The 'Corsa' offers superb design giving excellent location w comfortable padding and maximu safety demanded by the world's le teams and drivers.

Sparco seats have been chosen 1 Rally Championship and Rally m; winners such as Peugeot and Fore their competitors from around the Sparco seats have won in nearly & forms of competition over the pas years.

The Sparco 'Corsa' is a fibreglas; constructed rally seat, FIA approved and comes in solid i black material. For m further 9 informatiem visit I your nearest 1 Revolution 11 Racegear store or caU 1800 804 778 17 September 2003

''

m

i

n I

ir Gasket

THE legality of engines can be determined easily in a matter of minutes with the Mr Gasket Capacity Checker.

Guaranteed accurate to between 1/4 and 1/2 inch of total displacement, the tester can be used on any piston engine.

Mr Gasket is currently sed by major racing associations throughout the world.

The kit includes all items required for the test and replacement parts are available upon request.

Performance Wholesale currently have in stock the Mr Gasket Capacity Checker.

For more information and pricing contact Performance Wholesale on 07 3808 1986 or check olit their website at performancewholesale.com.au

75

mrace shop

news

RAGE SHOP gives you the opportunity to promote your products and services to the widest possible range of motorsport competitors and enthusiasts. Advertising in RACESHOP costs as little as $60 per issue! Call Brendon Sheridan on 03 9550 0870 now!

IMteu

□IFF ^RICHMOND

§»BKFOKMJkMCm _ PKODUCTm ^

www.holley.com 1^^

RADIATORS, INTERCOOLERS & OIL COOLERS ● Offroad cars ● Motorbikes ● Boats ● Hot Rods ● Street Cars ● Circuit Cars

from street duty ta professional level Kocket Induetries ie the Manufacturer’s Appointed Distributor for Richmond Gear in Australia. All trade enquiries should be directed to: Ph 02 dd25 1900 Fax 02 &S>251911 Email sales(§)rocketind.com

cmi #r Heat Central

Ithermo-1ec Praducti »

Contact 07 55 981 499 or Fax drawings to 07 55 984 398

Holley Performance System Distributors

I

Call 08 8132 1888 for your nearest distributor

MdU?

automotive,

|

HANDBUILT

&

ALL

Made in USA

products

C

'

Stockists of highest quality military specification 41 SON steel.tube.

Also, SSOMpa mild steel.

All meets FIA, CAMS, ANDRA specifications

( FAB ^cations)

Rocket Industries is the Manufacturer's Appointed Distributor for Cool It Thermo Tec in Australia. All trade enquiries should be directed to: Ph 02 ft&25 1900 Fax 02 55251911 Email sales@rocketind.com

MinufJctunn appointed dkabutcr for AustnKOl trade enqiirtn shotdd be dkccted I Ph.02 975S1966 Fo.02 97S8 11SS EnuamtoS^atoeCorruu

Competition

COMPOMOT/VE

LSD’s & Gears

MOTORSPORT WHEELS

VIC 03 9386 5331 NSW 02 9676 8655 SA 08 8387 3522 WA 08 9293 3500 TAS 03 6273 7555 NT 08 8941 5388 biULKtY QLD 07 3217 1188 rVRE SERVICE wwwLStuckey.com.au

Filtratian products far fuel and all

Rocket Industries is the Manufacturer’s Appointed Distributor for — . Systems 1 in Australia. All trade enquiries should be directed to: Ph 02 5525 1900 Fax 02 5525 1911 Email sales@rocketind.com

New expanded range for details call Vic (03)9873 5400 Vic (03) 5952 6011 Vic (03) 9887 3833

i

A an &

PERFORMANCE FILTERS

● Increase torque * Increase engine life ● Reduce fuel consumption ● Provide better wear

Serious Pratection V ■r I® 76

S.U., Dellorto, DCOE single / twin

Appointed Pietributorfork&NFi'tters in Australia. Trade Squires to: Ph 02 5525 ^900 Fax 02 55251911 Email 5ales@rockctind.com

* Increase horsepower

7

^ ::'"/r&owvorU‘

57 Taunlon Dr Chellenham VIC 3192 Ph 03 9584 4499 Fax 03 9584 4008 Email avo@bigpond.com

r(brAmtrilU.Ag> Ph.02 9758 1966Fa*.02975enS5 Emiftlntoefibrexomjo

Steel Main Caps to suit most V8 applications Manufactured in USA by Pro-Gram Engineering

protection at start-up Rocket Industries is the Manufacturer’s Appointed Distributor forTorco Automotive Racing Oils in Australia. All trade enquiries should be directed to: Ph 02 83251900 Fax 02 88251911 or Email 5ale6@rocketind.com

QID (07) 3274 4797 SA (08) 8340 4333

Speclallsis in ● Turbochargers ball bearing and non ball bearings ● Kits & overhauls available ● High flow intercoolers and kils ● Link engine management systems ● Oil coolers and oil coolers kits* Silicon hoses and bends ● Tein suspension kils

40% large filtering surface Multi layer filter design Three clip quick release (No bottsj

Washable & Re-usable ● 10 year/1.6 millton km warranty

r©

NSW (02) 4S77 2400

'/‘fjmns

World's Best Air,

kocket Industrials is tho Manufactunsr’s

MAD

I CHKOME MOLY

Top Engine Builders Insist On ARP! .

^ Fuel WFilters

AUSTRALIAN

Aui

lold

b;

Ph03 53395159 Fax 03 5339 2144

^PIA RACESUITS Mti APC $495 # . Sparco - POA ^ 4 ● Cloves ● Suits L ● Boots ● Harnesses I ● Helmets |ph 03 9720 2144

i

’Ey

AUTOSPOPT 194BAYSWATER ROAD PERFORMANCE ^577CENTRE BAYSWATER NTH 3513

moiorspon news

MARKET PLACE

Hi Flow Alloy Heads

/

The ultimate power fix for your Holden nmula nras@ Calder Park

l Available for early and VN Style V8 l Super flow potential compared to ported iron heads l Greater thermal efficiency and half the weight of iron

\ Opei Practice 30 Bps iS795j : Rtn Onve Days ibom $495

Formula Fords@ Queensland Haceway Dove Days (trtim $4951 Gill Vouchers Available

Dream II. Driven.

Formuto Ford Race School

www.udrive.com.au

Ph 03 9555 5522 Fax 03 9555 4152 www.yellaterra.com.au

Further Information and Bookings: 03 9217 8866 or 07 3396 3666

CROWCAMS

« Fast profile design service to your requirements ® Custom ground roller, solid and hydraulic

HI PERFORMAMCE EHQIHE PARTS#

The ultimate In strength & safety Your choice ofstandard weight or lightweight steel l Available for all popular applications including Ford 6 cyl, Cleveland and Windsor VS, Holden 6 & V8, Chev SB & BB VS

l 'am

“ Matching race valve train components

CAMS

including PSi(USA) valve springs and a huge range of one piece super duty pushrods

^

Visit our website: www.crowcams.com.au

Ph 03 9555 5522 Fax 03 9555 4152 www.yellaterra.com.au

The USA’s first choice in race valve springs now $ J available in Australia l /te used by top US teams including Hendricks Motorsport (NASCAR),John Force(Funny Car), Warren Johnson(Pro Stock) l Specific super duty spring design for endurance (circuit, speedway and marine)or Drag Race applications deliver consistent pressures and longerspring life.

Available from the exclusive Australian distributor

Ph 03 9555 5522 Fax 03 9555 4152 www.yellaterra.com.au

Ph 039357 0469 or Fax 03 9357 0001

l Available in twin shaft and unique single shaft designs for all parallel and cant valve engines l Strongest race rocker available with unique lifetime warranty for road and race applications

IIGHTWEIGHT FLYWHEELG

profiles using unique computer controlled machines for unrivalled accuracy

The world’s strongest and most affordable shaft type roller rocker

CmWCAMS Ph 03 9357 0469 Fax 03 9357 OOOl

[I ONE PIECE RACE PUSHRODS

S^EEDFLOWi l il

Balance

The True Performance Alternative “

^ “ Extremely durable bonded dampening

jy._

I material !» Easy to read computer etched timing

marks » Available in economical cast iron Street, alt steel SR approved Race and new Serpentine for Chev, LSI, LTl etc Ph 02 6937 8888 Fax 02 6921 7536 Visit out website www.precisionparts.com.au

l .080" wall chrome moly

II Premium Motorsport Hose & Fittings!

■fed UpB

4

As used by top touring car. speedway & drag racing teams.

n

Contact your state distributor...

Hardiman Auto Supplies (02) 9771 5877 Motorsport Connections (02) 9838 7272 (03) 9794 5177 Victorian Speed Pro Performance Wholesale (07) 3808 1986 (08) 8363 5566 Crane Technologies Gogear Racing Services (08) 9443 4400 -21

l one piece construction l available in

@ Oran Park monthly $650 in your car.

Includes lecture and OLT.

\

Formula Ford Test Drives - $695 in our cars.

Pistons for any » combination vs. .6 an<l> 4 cylinOor ouickest dali iry th« Industry All now CNC itr<

nlgh«at quality the indu^ry pistons

{07} 3290 5911

No pre-requisites. 40 laps at Oran Park. v International Racing Drivers School For more info ph 02 9873 1773, fax 02 9871 1018 or email peter@finlays.com.au www.finlays.cam.au

xftfjvzvor* MomaspoRT

0®^ 5=^

URACr/OAf

[GMRYdSi MOTORSPORT TYRES

Alumlniuii) Gampetition Wheel Nets O-GO TFePressoreGaeoEs

f-y

l .080" wall hardened steel j

10 Carnegie Place Blacktown NSW 2148 p 02 9676 8655 f 02 96765300 « e garycdunlop@ozemail.com.au

www.garysmotorsporttyres.com.au

AV#N

RACING TYRES

p:03 9357 0469 f:03 9357 0001 visit our website: www.crowcams.com.au

r*

Ciantact Russell at EBC Brahes far a brochure an 03 34BS 3S10

17 Sepiember 2003

y4e

So-u%cc ”

Available in steel Streetmaster, Sportsmaster or Pro Series I-Beam.

Available In aluminium.

Exacting attention to detail & finish.

Quality ARP fasteners.

fFA'BBEi

(ihouid b« diTKted to

MinufKturvn 4ppolnt«d dIUrfbutO Ph.(Ug75St966ru.02 97S8nSS ErTuIllnto9ftbr«.comau

MAT LAEOON

4immsk

Engine building Vehicle & engine development & machining service

For your engine tuning and development needs

Distributors for Victoria and Tasmania

Postal Address PQ Box 21 Gisborne ViL 3437 Tel/Fax D3 542B 1123 IVlabile D4DB B34 2G5

Your high performance tyre and suspension specialists

Email KaDLKAR5@blgpDnd.com.au

Intercomp

Staubli Cannmctars The world’s leading dry brake connector, available for every wet line on a racer. As used by F1,WRCand Touring Cars.

Mini

NEW street race version^! also available

65 Kellets Rd Rowville 3178 Ph 03 9764 281 I Fax 03 9764 8740

;yYOKOHAMA

X

from 6.00" to 10.00"

CAMS racing and rally licence courses HtCt&CIttDUffRIgJmiTO

& ’/4" diameu

l .050" length steps

OU Coolers

^^^erck Avaiiable from;

NSW: Uotorspot Connection 02 383B 7272 VIC: Revolution Racegear 03 9373 8700 WA:Go Gear Racing Services 08 3443 1457 Msnufitcn

■ for Au«r»IU.M trode eiyjutriCT thould b« dkctled to

Ph.02 97SB1966ru.02 9758l1S5 EmaltInfoWlbrexomJu

mmSE en BNTiESiieilSOliNiiP TYg!£ PgtESSUIliE USilUGIES 2 1/2” NOV\A $99 2” NOV\/ $59

nsmTKiN>4

-i&o o

R/ICEGEAR

P' '-p's

fcfocti yo

77

m race shop

IIBWS

tmiLCUilTINIlY lco»mPl^ IPMEORMANCEifAMSl^it W ^

PLASTICS l Full range of Industrial plastic materials Nylon. Acetal, Teflon, Polythenes, PVC etc l Racecar windows “cut to size" & moulded l Perspex & polycarbonate sheet ex-stock l Polyurethane & Delrin for suspension bushes

PLASTICS FOR INDUSTRY DANDENONG VIC 03 9706 381 1

IGGOMMBflATIONtorllirZWEEKS

r'

Phone 07 3808 1986 K

or visit our website for your nearest distributor.

WWW.performancewholesale.com.au

Remarkable Windows of Opportunity for Engine Experts l Accurate, Repealoble, Versatile

1,2 a 3 Bedroom units available Trackside(limited apartments)a local areas.Price on application.

y

Mobile 1422 107 409 or 00 61 755 941 202

r

i

l Take otaaual control or hands-tree

l Local design, support, development, instollotion and on-site training l Top names demand top equipment(users inc NIZPRO, HSV, HRT & John Sidney Rodng) ° Engine, chassis, go-kort or motorbike

‘Dynamometer B^DynoLog Queensland 07 3341 9911 Sydney 02 9609 1101 Melbourne 03 9326 6088

a

For moro information and

AREX Computing POSoxtSt Montrose Vic3765 Fb03 975t tI42 far(l3975i 2t73 Mob 0408 055 541 Enoil oelder®(nelbp(.oig.au

1^;

www.vicstate'ralB^lianii

S Mjnul»Clur.n jppoWed dCttftiuUx lor AuHui*.Ai trjd* «nc]iiiie(ihocid be c&ected to Ph.0}97S8T966F«x.0297SSnSS Etnail.lnlo*(abr*£amju

FIA HARIUESSES

m^ams

race;

2008 expiry, lightweight buckle, 3" webbing, clip in ends Black, Red, Blue 5 point - $539 l 6 point - $579 FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY Aust Standard 4 point belts fr $145

state Distributors

Competitian disc pads l Race brakes l Pagid l Hawk l Endless l Performance Friction

NSW:(02) 9678 9977 QLD;(07) 3808 1986 VIC:(03)9794 5177 WA:(08)9353 1155 Australian Importer and distributor:

Over 10 years experience of brake modifications and upgrades for road and race. Caliper conversion 1, 2, 4 & 6 piston. Custom made ciisc rotors.

Mani/facturen ft distributors of,

High performance A racing disc brakes

REV UP YOUR WARDROBE! visit

I

for all your motorsport merchandise & memorabilia

Books, Videos, DVDs IVIotorsport from FI to Drive Days Workshop Maiuials for cars and bikes ^i^o’s for just about everything PHONE r'r 02 9144 4799 \

^iUWUl'OOKS'

FAX 02 9909 1566

email; peter@motorbooks.com.au

CRANE

.Ph: 08 8363 5566 Fax: 08 8363 5633 TECHNOLOGIES ^^PTY. LTD. www.cranecams.com.au

Ph 02 9756 0202 Fax 02 9756 0203 sales@simpsonraceproducts.com.au

RACE PRODUCTS

World IVIotorsport News.com Latest news and Images from around the world.

V8 Supercars /Konica Series /Formula Fords/ Formula 1/World Rally Championships ...

Supporting Australian and New Zealand Businesses online!!

World's leaders in Motorsport Safety Technology Helmets l Suits l Boots l Gloves l Harnesses l Crew Gear l and all accessories for all motorsports Quality l Price l Service

Motor Accessory Shops / Mechanical a Service Outlets advertise@v8supercar.net Ph 0410198610 www.worldmotorsportnews.com

Simpson Safety Equipment Australia 11/62 Newton Road Wetherill Park NSW 2164 Ph 02 9756 0202 Fax 02 9756 0203 AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTORS

mm

DRY SUMP OIL PUMPS

Race logistics RACE logistIcs interstate transport ALL ROUNDS ALL CLASSES

Fully enclosed custom built race car transporters Professional race car logistic and event specialists Security for car and equipment Contact Neil Griffiths on 0418 474 816

I

ll

4 stage $1S3>T03^ inc GST jstralian Made

9^ Trade Pricing AvailableJ

race@tnt.com.au

CUSTOM PARTS

: i5« iHCneA** M USABLE

H New & used karts

Factory 9,19-25 Grange Rd Cheltenham viC Ph 03 9585 5340 Fax 05 9585 5320 78

j- 'roROU* This space could be yours Call Brendon on 03 9550 0870 for details

P (08) 9258 7700^

SPECIAL

Engineering

r KAR TI %

I

^ 7 - 5"stages available I / Call fora FREE brochure I

IhapropI

H Servicing H Spares H Helmets H Suits & all your karting needs

Superior strength Exact stem to seat concentricity Closely controlled margin heights Fully machined combustion faces Swirl polished underheads Hard chrome stems Hard tips

#

STROKER CRANKSHAFT

PERFORMANCE & REUABIUTY

●NEW NODULAR CASTING CISION CNC MACHINED, GROUND TO AQING TOLERANCES ‘SUIT 308 RODS,

HARROP ENOINEEflIHC AUSTRALIA PTY LTD 96 tW S9..H P-MW

Telephone I03) 9474 0900 Fax (():i) 9474 0999

CLASSIFIEDS

vaam^» naiifo online classifieds IIvWS hundreds more race vehicles and parts for sale at www.my105.com

SEU

Just log on to www.my105.com and follow the prompts!

Alternately, you can still use the classified form on these pages (surcharge applies for the service of entering the ad onto my105.com)

LOG ON NOW — IT’S THE SMART WAY TO SELL YOUR EQUIPMENT! 2000 Mitsubishi Evo6 Group N

Excellent condition, perfectly maintained, may consider trade or swap.

Sedans/Sports Cars OMW r>Mrto

t

Irani Inst $25

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 3 months on my105.com AND one insertion in Motorsport News for just $251 HOW?

PORSCHE GTS

Call 0418 507 403

Classifieds

www.myl05.com/53327

mwi

Built from New. Car by Ralliart NZ. European Proflex fully adjustable X suspension.Edgel performane engine.

B Autronic computer. Elf & ave gas M programmes. Best of everything. 12

Jg compomotive wheels. Spares package n by negotiation. Phone Daynom Templeman +64 9 4440359 or +64 21 www.myl O5.com/1896 989304. $65,000 inc shipping & airfare to view Neg.

w

'r

1

Bathurst 24 hour Lifetime Opportunity, We are offering to the purchaser of this potential 2 litre Bathurst 24 hour class winning car the following, we will run the car for you at the Bathurst 24 hour race and supply one of our top drivers Kevin Bell freeilnternational Motorsport has many years of experience and won the great race outright in 97 for BMW, we have the equipment and experienceiThe oar is to the latest FIA European spec 2 litre, is in brand new condition with tong distance gear and comes with many spares: All you need is three drivers with a budget! For more information contact: International Motorsport Ph: +64 9 376 5064, Lyall Williamson Mob: +64 21 955-032, Kevin Bel! Mob: +64 21 845 102. Email: lyall@lifesport.co,nz. 267 www.myl05.com/93955

LOLA T-492 S2000 (1978), This beaufitful historic sports car has been subject to a recent freshen-up and is absolutely race ready. It is totally original and unmolested, right down to original gearbox & engine numbers, as it left the factory. Very quick and a delight to drive, low maintenance and ultra reliable. (Group R). $48,000.00 ono. Stephen (03) 9710 1444. 267 www.myl05.com/66989 Improved Production Mazda RX-7, 2000 Victorian Championship winning car. 2 meetings since full engine rebuild. Some spares.

Complete car, ready to race. $16,000 Neg. Scott 0407 521 985.267www.my105.com/64S14

17 September 2003

Formula Libre Hillclimb/Autocross, New 4WD roiling chassis, lightweight space frame to suit Hayabusa/ZX12R or any large m/cycle engine. Double wishbone suspension, fully adjustable shocks, quick ratio rack and pinion, race seat LSD, alloy wing, sister car to 2003 race to the sky up to 1600 winning car and multiple autocross/hillclimb outright wins. $9,500 ONO. Brett (03) 5662 5400 / 0419 566 690.

268 www.my105.com/72339

Improved Production 1976 Toyota Corroila, Hardtop coupe, brand new twin carb 2TG Celica engine and running gear, built to TRD stage 2+specs, steel half cage, Velo and Corbeau seats, harnesses, vehicle in immaculate condition, many spares, incl wheels, panels, spare front suspension, QLD rego and mod plated. $8,000 Neg, Andrew 0405 187 264.

270 www.myl05.com/34426

mi

Improved Production RX7 NSW number 12, Most winning car Outright NSW 2002, Outright club champion 2002. Oran GP 1:18.4; Wakefield 1:07.23; ECreek 1:45.6.

OR 1:20.7, brand new top HP Ric Shaw 13B, Carbon Fibre Air Box, tuned length manifold, Modena DogBox, Microfec, Proflex, LSD. $30,000. Brand new livery with hew paint. $30,000 Neg. Nick Dunkley 0418 271 753. 268 www.my105.com/76903 Toyota Celica Sports Sedan, Built 1977 by John McCormack for Ling Gowans, Lusty, Bob Gill. Original components from Lola T330, complete T330 DG300 including uprights, brakes, drive shafts, calipers and Koni Double adjustable shocks, comprehensive gear ratio's, Lola center lock sports car wheels and more. Complete car less engine, many spares. Ideal historic investment. $27,500, Mathew 0419 448 848. 269WWW.my105.com/22664

<

HQ21, Prepared by Neville Haley at Autotrac, 36 podiums past 3 years with 14 wins, pole positions and fastest laps. ATR high HP engine with dyno sheets, two PAC red, 2 sets of Prostars with wets and spares, $10,500. Custom trailer $2,500. Both $12,000 ONO. May trade. Richard 0414 391 316 / (03) 5334 3746.

267 www.my105.com/13611

r

9

Commodore Vs Future Tourer, Only four races old, 2nd at Sandown last November, 308-305 HP Built from new parts, absolutely Immaculate, Ideal State Level Sports Sedan, Targa or roller for new Commodore Cup Series, Harrop Brakes, pedal box, etc, on board fire extinguisher system. Memo wheel, Sandown 20'8, spares package Included. $39,000. Brett Youlden 0402 456 281.267 www.my105.com/73276

Ford Saloon Race Car, National championship car, built new 2003, cost $45,000 + latest bits, top Beehag cage, new gearbox, fitted with road engine. $16,000 Bargain. Spares, new top H/P engine $5,200, Stinger computer $700, new Fitzner g/box $2,500, 4 race rims tyres $400, latest Pacemaker exhaust $500, spares heaps $400. James 0411 055 688. 260 www.myl05.com/78316

Jon'-"

Saloon Car No 9, No expense spared in build or maintanence. Top HP Engine with philtzner gears and cooler. Motec data logger dash. Spare engine, G/B x 2, Diff, 3 sets of wheels. Sell complete or separate.

P.O.A Vince (02) 9636 5411. 267 www.myl05.com/96131

RX 7 Series 4/5 Sports Sedan, Series 4/5 RX7 space frame sports sedan. Unfinished project, roiling chassis with all new fibre glass sections. 6 new 16 x 10 wheels, being set up for 350 chev motor. Car still needs a lot of finishing but a good head start for the right person. $4,500.00 Neg. Kevin 0403 268 116. 267 www.my105.com/29892

79

I

Porsche GT3 FACTORY Cup CAR, Series 2 car with all 2001 upgrades plus carbon bonnet/guards and boot lid and transmission cooler.Shrs on fresh bottom end. Pea dyno sheet lots of spares and special goodies. Will be a front mnning car in prod/marque sports or group 2 nations cup. Very lightly raced and never crashed. $185,000 neg. Wayne(02)9524 1199.267 www.myl05.com/98267

y

I

L

Westfield Sierra Cosworth, Specialist high performance vehicle. 245 BHP, Rat Slide Injection, Dry Sump, Button Clutch, Motec M4,4 Vented Disks, 5 Unk Rear 25” AVO Shocks, 3” 6pt Harness, Qua'ife Sierra 5 speed, LSD, Rose jointed, 13" Wheels with Yokohama 032 Tyres.

Professional engine rebuild just completed. This is an excellent track car but don't have time to use. $36,500 Or Best Offer. Brett (02) 6285 3644.267 www.myl05.com/91004

1

1996 camaro race car. Brand new ex USA race car including professionally build roll cage, fuel cell, race diff, after market suspension, no expense spared. For sale less motor & trans. For further info & photos phone NZ 03 3795585 or email maudef@xtra,co.nz. Eddie 03 379 5585 / 03 349 8350. 267 www.myl05.com/4497

RALT RT4/81 ROLLERS, Car#1 ex Bowe very original restored car,wets,gear sets,COD. Cat#2 ex O'Brien.Cesario,rebuilt tub,wide track front,little to complete. Both have correct ID# and documents. Offers required. Peter 0418 556 934. 267 www.my105.com/95358 Fomula Vee Mantis, Car only done 4 meetings, John Dean Engine, roll on long and short gearboxes, 3 piece wheels, spares, log book, ready to race. $8,000 ONO, Jim (03) 5967 2288, 266 www,my105,com/58115

1981 Cheetah Mk 7, In tip top condition. Pole at Oran Park Nov '02 with Dailara 395 Mugen in field. Easy to drive, valid for AF2. 1 have all log books if you wanted to run in historic Gp R. Comes with spares. A proven race winner.

Won Rookie of the year 2002. Engineer Tom 9588 9443 Owner Brendon 0409 952 905. $27,500 Neg. 267Www.my105.com/24886

2002 TVR CHIMAERA,This car was built brand new Aug 2002 has raced twice. Has 330mm AP ff Brakes - 290mm Rr Lighter version race body from Fact Glebe dog box - spool diff - FIA Moly cage - Carbon Dash panel Center lock wheel (12 spares) Ring for further details Must be sold.

No $$$ to compete.. $80,000 Neg. KOSI0419 524 752.267www.my105.com/41150

F3 Dailara, Race winning Dailara 301 update as driven by Michael Caruso in the 02/03 F3 seaon. Powered by Fiat, car holds current lap record Oran Park, Also available full spares package & Hino transporter. Full maintenance & support package for 2004 available if reqd by owner/driver. Contact Marco Caputo 0417 244 288. 267 www.myl05.com/1103 I!

Open Wheelers

1

::3 Improved Production KE25 Corolla, Turbocharged intercooled, 3 SGTE engine, Haltech E6K, RXY brakes. Supra box, fully engineered, reliable and very fast, always on first or second row, can still be further developed at minimal cost. $19,500. Chris (08) 8186 4220 / (08) 8370 7011 H 0419 847 105. 267 www,my105.com/57259 Commodore VC Caged Rolling Shell, Commodore caged rolling shell. Complete with all glass, spare panels, Pacemacker exhuast, new omp seat and hydruiic clutch.

Would suit sports sedan or improved production. Priced for urgent sate. $2750 Neg. Colin 0417 818 977. 267 www.my105.com/33019

Mk 6 Cheetah F2, Fully restored. 1600 cc Celica engine dyno time only, Webber 45 carburettors. Hewland gearbox. Brand new chrome exhaust system. Fire system fitted.

Eligible AF2 or Histories, Spares including head and mounted wheels. Also included purpose built, fully enclosed refurbished traiier with 12 months registration and full length side and rear annex. Excellent car. $ 37,500 ONO. Alan (02) 6367 3030 / (02) 6367 3222. 267 www.myl05.com/69423

Elfin 620 FF Historic Grp Q, restored In 96 & refurbished in 02 by Boreland [Spectrum] Lamer engine, tyres 4 meetings old. Always maintained regardless of cost , eg new belts. Competitive times with ageing overweight driver comes with light enclosed trailer & spares. Nothing to spend just add petrol & race $27,500. Eltham. Bob Morrow (03) 9386 5331 / (03) 4397 665. 266 www.myl05.com/49004

Van Dieman Stealth, Rolling Chassis.

Immacutely maintained by K&A and Troy Dunstan. Penske 3-way shocks, MoTech, myriad of spares including full panel set, suspension arms, drive shafts etc. Aboslute front runner. Available mid September for NZ rounds or 2004. If you want a winning car at national or state level, this is ideal.

Tony 041 9 777 977.

266 www.myl05.eom/77850 Historic Formula Ford Bowin P6F, unfinished restoration, 90% complete.

Powder coated chassis, new floor, new arms and brakes. Must sell as shifting. $14,000 ONO. Vince 0418 509 145. 266 www.myl05.eom/69205

Spectrmm 07 FF, 2 sets rims & tyres, 2 side pod covers, 2 nose cones, 4 nose boxers, long & short wheel base. Ratios, Motec & Beacon, Lifters & Blocks, Penski Shocks, Just rebuilt, Great Looking Car & Very Fasti. $34,000 ONO.Andy 0418 177 269 / (03)97371537,266www.my105.com/70841 Welsor Waggot Sports 1300 Clubman, built 1972 by Colin Wear car no.6, complete rebuild 3K Corolla engine with big valve head, Modena straight cut close ratio gearbox, new clutch, rebuilt diff and new front shocks, 2 sets of 3 piece wheels, 1 set of Soft Avon tyres, new aluminium guards and battery etc, very quick and competitive, with all log books. $16,900. Andrew (03) 5443 0810 / 0418 510 462. 266 www.myl05.com/7355

THCvawn to sell your gear! From lust$25* lustlogon

(*$25 applies to ads entered directly onto my105.com) Advertising can aiso be suppiied using thisform ($10/$15 surchage to text only/text + pic advertisements) Advertisements will appear in next possible issue of Molorsport News PLUS them 1.05.coni website for three months.

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we are unable to return photographs supplied for use In classified ads. Ads will appear as soon as possible after receipt. MN/myl 03.com classifieds are for the sale of private goods and vehicles only, not business advertising Photos marked 'proof’ will not bo used.

motorsport oews

CLASSIFIEDS Speedway

Modified Production Sedan, Commodore #10 Aust 2 1998-99 Vic 1 2000-01 Fresh Engine & fibreglass Panels with spares. 02 6033 1291 / 0408 570 822.

263 www.my105.com/72040

ROVER 5 SPEED GEAR BOX, Rover 5 speed close ratio rover gearbox suit TR8 or MG, straight cut close ratio ex Tom Hutchinson, Needham rebuild complete with bell housing and tilton oil pump, ratios by application. $2750, Ray 9608 4102. 264 www.myl05.oom/60121 Used Racing Tyres, 3 x Bridgestone RE610S 225/50/16 25% left $50 ea ono. 4 x Dunlop Formula R D96J Wets 205/60/15 80% left $75 ea, ono, 2 x Formula R D78J 195/60/14 60% Left $50 ea, ono. 1 x Dunlop Formula R D78J 185/60/14 25% left $30 ono. 2 x Yokohama A-028 225/50/16 25% left $25 ea. . Jim 02 4731 4988 / 0414 31 4988. 263www.my105.com/12863

Modified Production, EL Ford, Front runner,2 Seasons old. Adjustable suspension. Auto Meter gauges. Race tyres.

Ready to race. $10,500 ONO. Don 0418 643 901.261 www.my105.com/58339

COMMODORE, Commodore caged body shell in excellent condition, never bent. Suit Commodore Cup or Sports Sedan. Urgent Sale $2500 ONO, Richard 0419 225 433.

263 www.myl05.com/14131

Sprintcar High Bar Rolling Chassis, Lightning Chassis, new tank, almost complete. $4750 2 Maxim Chassis $1200/$750 Also a range of Sprintcar parts including Quick change diffe, shockers with dyno sheets, bars with test sheets, complete front axle, bare front axles, front and top wings, tyres, rims, bonnets, side bars. Quad with push Bar $1100 . Dennis 08 8269 2928 / 0408 844 841.260 www.mylOS.com/25409

Ford Trailer Crew Cab and Gooseneck 9m Trailer, 350 Chev engine petrol/gas, tandem axle trailer, carry 1-4 cars, exc. cond. VIC rego many features. $45,000 plus GST ONO. Tony 0408 805 518. 263 www.myl05.eom/30158 Transporter Bedford 40 Foot Bus, Rebuilt 7 litre turbo Isuzu Diesel and 6 speed, very fast and comfortable, 10 seater, RX7 buckets, set up for TV, video, radio, CD, fridge, gen, welder, BBQ, 240v wiring, new steel tyres, spent $33,000 on parts alone. $22,000, Chris (08) 8186 4220 / (08) 8370 7011 (H) or 0419 847 102. 267 www.myl05.com/39569 St

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i

Cnilectable/Memorabilia Biante Models - All Signed, 1 x Johnson XE Palmer Tube, 1 x Moffat Cobra Coupe 1977,1 X Moffat Coupe 1978. 0415 178 696 254 www.my105.com/92629

Driver/Crew Apparel

Engines CHEV TRUCK, 6.5ltr turbo diesel, automatic, full electrics, central locking, cd player, alloy wheels and nudgebar, 5th wheel towing hitch, tubliner and hardtop, 6 seater, cloth interior, great for any towing job. $48500 Not Neg. Owen (03)5176 1355.

264 www.myl05.eom/90492

m

Production sedan VK Commodore, Moe engines 202, Tilton clutch, Redline cage, adjustable suspension. Auto meter gauges, includes spares. Ex Aus 1-2 (2001-2002). $9500.00 ono Ph John 0412 687 563 or (03)5134 4812. $9,500.00 ONO. 260 www.my105.com/81149

Transporters/Trailers

Escort Full Floating Rear Axle, with spare axle and alloy hub, vented discs, and Brembo 2 spot calipers - $2,270. Brembo 4 spots 2x41 mm and 2x45mm to suit 295mm plus disc - $1,290, Danny 0409 470 055, 265 www.myl05.com/30059

20B PP Race Engine, Top HP Microtech engine management, tilton twin plate clutch, alloy flywheel, with all good gear, used twice ready to drop in car and go $16,500 ONO. Gregg (02) 9674 5651 BH. 266 www.myl05.com/22284

Chev C30 Banana Back Truck, Tyre rack, heaps of enclosed storage space. Reco 400 small block and reco Turbo 400 transmission. Power Steering, Elec Winch, CD. Meticulously maintained. 12 months reg. $25,000 Neg. Philiip 94993088 / 0418367004.264www.my105.com/49750 Trailer, Large enclosed car trailer, 6.5m long X 2.5m wide x 1.95m high. Spring loaded rear lift door, side door, work bench at front, will fit all open wheel cars and most sedans. Originally built for Speedway Super Sedans. Photos available on request. $10,000.00 ONO. Bronte 08 8254 8444 or 0412 846 997. 264www.my105.com/38329

Betta Electrical Driving Suits, As used by Tony Longhurst and Max Wilson last year, 2 suits each, 1 new Wilson suit never used, FIA approved 2 & 3 layers. NZ$1300 Or Best Offer. Shane Drake 001164 9 5800552. 264www.my105.com/43425

Wanted WANTED, Sports Sedan / Supercar C/Dore VL-VS either complete/rolling/shell or parts to suit. John Phone (02) 6362 4646. 266 www.myl05.eom/470

Visit

towiiii.iny105.Gom <u CO

2002 AU Super Sedan, John Brown Chassis, all the best equipment used, open axle diff, Burt Box, 363 Cleveland engine 700HP, no expense spared on building of this car, only raced one meeting. Plus all spares. $35,000 or will separate. 04.19 989 010 / (02) 4730 3440.

259 www.myl05.com/4465

Parts

Super T10 Gearboxes, Superduty Box, full Magnesium Case, interchangable Cluster Gears, ex ratio 6 meetings old. $ 4600 ONO. 0417 131 989.

267 www.myl05.com/40540 Tyres, 4 Dunlop 265/525x14 295 compound wet tyres never been fitted to rims. $300.

267 Jamie 0411 197 111. www.my105.com/17313 2 off Super Tio Gearboxes x Ratios, Suit Commodore Cup, - super duty box, full magnesium case, interchangeable cluster gears, 6 meetings old EC $4,600. - one standard road race box, 4 meetings old since full rebuild E.C. $3,200, available with 267 0417 131 989. shifter. Horst www.my 105.com/121

17 September 2003

Ford/Mazda Twin Turbo Race Engine, 2.5 Litre 640Hp or 790Hp depending on compressor housings, all quality components used JE pistons,crower Rods etc etc Autronic engine management and GDI, intercooler and plumbing everything needed done one race ,cancelled project cost over $33,000 to reproduce a steal at $17,500 serious calls only please. Gregg (02)9674 5651..266 www.my105.com/8711 Toyota 4 AGE 20 Valve, Black Top, set up for rear wheel drive, suit many applications, aluminium competition sump, comp clutch, hand .made extractors and exhaust. $2,900, Adrian (03) 5221 5225.

264 www.my105.com/57119 PERKINS HOLDEN ENGINE, Perkins Holden V8 Superoar Engine, just Fully Rebuilt. New Perkins Heads - $19,500 ono.

Also available spare panels, wheels, spoilers etc for VH Commodore POA. $19,500 ONO. Greg 03 9580 7047. 264 www.myl05.com/79592

Transporter Isuzu SBR, 18 Ft Pantech, Excellent rear ramp system that works well for low cars. Large toolbox. Chrome rims, 5SP 6BB1 turbo engine. Well maintained truck that is ready to use. . $11,750 +GST. Richard 03 5248 8845, 284 www.my105.com/52901 Enclosed Trailer, Tri axle trailer with electric brakes on two axles front and rear, has been carring a super sedan, tyre rack at front, 12v winch only use twice, great to tow.

NSW rego. $12,500.00 ONO. 0405 204 819.264www.my105.com/8077

o

E CO

5 09

/ sold my car over the weekend, I received plenty of phone calls.

Thanks again. - Mark FormulaVee. I think your website is brilliant!

Richard Batchelor Twin Cab Isuzu, 1983 Twin Cab Isuzu SBR, 22ft pan. Electric winch, hydrolic tailgate, compressor, belly lockers, CD Player Reg 12/03 $27000 ONO Phone BH 0405 123 035 AH 03 9736 2006. $27000 ONO.Ash 0405 123 035 /(03)9736 2006.

263 www.myl05.com/86978

Get it seen Get it so/d/ 81

PINION

inourspgn EDITORIIU SnfF

Editor: Phil Branagan » editor®mnews.com.au Assistant Editor: Mark Glendenning “ mark@nnnews.com.au Staff Journalist: Grant Rowley " grant@mnews.com.au

PRODUCTION Adv & Graphics Co-ordinator: Viv Brumby ® viv@mnews.com.au Graphics Assistant; George Stephen

RDVERTISING Brendon Sheridan - PR Driven Tel: 03 9550 0870 Fax: 03 9550 0816 mobile: 0407 007 286 " ads@mnews.com.au

Easy Points System For All Catorgories The points system should be so easy.

If 40 cars are entered,first car across the line gets 40 points, second gets 39 points, third 38 all the way down to the last finishing car gets one point(presuming all cars finish).

Any car that does not finish should get no points. Say 36 cars finished, the last finishing car gets 4 points. Now if 32 cars entered, it's the same formula,first 32 points, second 31 points, etc. etc.

As for Qualifying points,I think nil across the board ...

COHTRCTS 357 Nepean Highway, Brighton East Vic 3187 (PO Box 7072, Gardenvale, VIC 3186) Ph: 03 9596 5555 Fax: 03 9596 5030 Email: mnews@mnews.com.au

eONTRIBUTORS FI: Joe Saward, Adam Cooper, Paolo Filisetti 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, Mark Jones, Dave Conole, Chris Jordan Photographers: Sutton Motorsport Images, Dirk Klynsmith, Bothwell Photographic, Marshall Cass, Nigel Snowdon & Diana Burnett, AFl 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 Motorsport News is published by Australasian Motorsport News - ABN 55 125 120 702 Publisher: C Lambden Printed by: Offset Alpine Printing Pty Ltd, Lidcombe, NSW. Distributed by: NDD Ltd Material published by MOTORSPORT NEWS is copyright and may not be reproduced in full or in part without the written permission of the publisher. Freelance contributions are welcome, and while all care will be taken, Australasian Motorsport News does not accept responsibility for damage or loss of material submitted.

More Thexton-bashlng

While a lot has been written as to whether or not David Thexton is

Send us your thoughts: mail: PO Box 7072, Gardenvale, VIC 3186 fax: 03 9596 5030 email: mnews@mnews.com.au

Australia (inci GST) Overseas (Air Mail): New Zealand, PNG, Malaysia, Indonesia, Phillippines, Hong Kong,Japan US, Canada, Europe

1 year $143

Moffat, Sony and HRT

being unfairly treated in regards to the '107 percent rule' in qualifying, I think people should start to look at his overall ability as a driver.

After attending the final round of the Konica Series at MaHala I was disappointed by his lack of skills in avoiding accidents and unfortunately more to the point causing them. He has dropped down to the Kojfica Series to gain some much needed experience but unfortunately it has been at the expense of the privateers who end up bearing the brunt of his wayward driving skills.

I would hate to be the unfortunate team of the car he 'took out'in the first

are.

race of the day not to mention those in qualifying. As hard as it sometimes is to admit David,I think you should hone your skills in a little less demanding category and then make a return to V8s when you really are ready Rod Tmjlor Brookland Park, SA

Firstly, the idea of the 'Mille Pistes' system is an absolute joke, let alone how dangerous. 2 passes over the stage in the recce in the rally car is simply not good enough.

Secondly,it only means less for the fans. Competitive stages wiU only be in the afternoon, which means just half a day of spectating, plus there will only be two cars for each works team, so less of the stars wiU be seen. We will see many talented drivers miss out(such as Freddy Loix) and young drivers wiU have Uttle chance to show their skills(Mikko Hirvonen,Simon Jean-Joseph, Daniel Carlsson all have contracts for next year with teams).

It's not hard to see that rallying has come far (a little too far)from the fiveday enduros that made up the WRC, even less than 10 years ago. The sport is growing from rallying itself into farcial, money-saving bush bashes.

Michael Bishop thebishops@ozemail.com.au

WRC Farce

Losing rounds

I have just read the changes to changes to next year's WRC. I can't believe how pathetic these

WiU PhiUip Island Raceway in a few years to come be mentioned in the V8 Supercar calendar?

I have a couple of quick questions.

Do you know if AUan Moffat intends to release an autobiography?

Also, my sons were wondering why the HRT cars are not on the V8 Supercar Sony game? Why would they include Longurst,Faulkner and McConviUe and not the HRT. And if the three former TWR teams are now separate, why did we see a HRT employee washing the Krnart display car at Oran Park?

Neil Stratton Hornsby, NSW ED: We asked Mr Moffat and he said, "1 am zuorkingon it. Stayed tuned". We suggested he get together with SEEfor the stage musical 'Moffat!' but he didn't take us seriously... the cad.

HRT's Wally Weissel advises that the team has a licencing agreement tlmt excludes themfor appearing in anything other than an X-Box game.

An HRT chappie washing a KRT car? I would point out that lots ofnon-HRT people wear team shirts so it might not have been a 'real'HRT guy. But, otherwise, we would assume he luas just being helpfld. It does happen, y'know.

Now,ifit was a Falcon ...

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2 years $275

% AS195 A$250

$370 $480

Post your cheque/money order to the address above, fax your credit card details (Bankcard, VISA, Mastercard, or Amex) to 03 9596 5030 or email to mnews@mnews.com.au

in

D8WS

82

At this stage, why does Eastern Creek get two rounds?

Melbourne, Victorian fans are going to be the losers.

Natalie Evans ambroseJiright@hotmail.com

'

●Opinions expressed in Motorsport News are not necessarily those of Australasian Motorsport News or its staff.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

away from the fans in order to go to China. I know that PhiUip Island isn't one of the tracks that rake in all the money but for the fans that go there we reaUy appreciate it. How would you feel if your favourite round was taken right from under you?

In order to go overseas we wiU continue to lose more and more of the Aussie rounds..

converter

Mark Sully msully@tpg.com.au

RDMINISTRKTION Managing Director/Publisher: Chris Lambden » publisher@mne\A/5.com.au

Who knows? Why take such a great round from the series in order to travel overseas! I found out that the round will be taken

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Unhappy camper: The proposed changes to the WRC have put 'The Bishops'nose out of joint. motorsport news

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being there at Bathurst to witness the Bob Jane T-Marts 1000, October 9-12.

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Catch all your favourite V8 Supercar heroes over four days of non-stop action and partying. See the ultimate showdown at this year’s Bob Jane T-Marts 1000.

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