Motorsport News Issue 272 - December 10-23, 2003

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10 - 23 December 2003

Issue 272

news and opinion

1

£j\v5»!te*»S^y ^I’llSay S®-*-

Wft iitelieve^ 0 ^be

5

Jacques attacks He is out of BAR and not that happy

6

The Ford pages So why is Lansvaie in here?

8

Klien Living As in ‘Clean’ not as in ‘Calvin Klein’. OK?

10 The Holden pages So why is Australian Rallying in here?

12 France, Brazil back in FI A settlement. What a shock 25 Motor Mouth Less Road Rage? More Road Rage!

26 Box Seat Saward gets Red Bull fever over Christian 90 Talk Converter Letters not about Skaife and Ingall

foaturos 28 Rve Minutes With Warren Luff He finally has a full-time V8 ride - with DJR 30 Five Minutes With David Besnard Out of FPR but he is still a Ford man 32 Game Really Over Marcos Ambrose explains how he did it, and how it feels 36 NASCAR stoushes Skaife v Ingall? It would not even rate in the Winston Cup 38 Dear MNews Our readers’ views on the Eastern Creek incident and aftermath 4.0 BARred - for life? Villeneuve speaks on BAR, David Richards and what’s next 44 The Hermannator Hermann Tilke gets to design some great racetracks

race couerage

50 Eastern? No! Creeks? Plenty! Neither rain, nor lightning, nor Skaifey nor Murph could derail Ambrose’s title bid. All the news from Eastern Creek 64 Bathurst Supports When is 24 Hours just not enough?

When there is another two hours to go!

OBSWitit

regulars

Photos; Cover; Dirk Klynsmith and sutton-images.com A' Contents; sutlon-images.com, Dirk Klynsmith. Dishan Marikar 22a

UP V

Jaguar Racing Media

20 Bikes

68 Rallying

70 Speedway

74 NASCAR

76 Drag Racing

78 Histories

80 National Scene

84 Marketplace 3

mmw No pudding for you: Skaife lost his cool but accepted his fate at Eastern Creek. His appeal over the track incident with Ingall is still subject to appeal.

After the Rage

SngaU loses appeal but fine reduced:Skaife appeal adjourned 3

by PHIL BRANAGAN THE aftermath of the Mark Skaife/Russell Ingall clash at Eastern Creeks' V8 Supercar Main Event is not over.

Both drivers had their appeals over the clash that saw Skaife's Holden Racing Team Commodore spear into a wall, and the subsequent fracas between the two drivers, heard in Melbourne last week. Ingall's appeal, lodged by Stone Brothers Racing, was dismissed, though his fine was reduced. Skaife's appeal was adjourned and will be reconvened in the future, possibly next week.

The two drivers clashed in the second race at Eastern Creek and, after Skaife hit the wall, he stood near the side of the track and gestured at Ingall. The Enforcer responded by driving his Caltex Falcon across the track towards where Skaife was standing.

As a result of the incident, the Stewards of the meeting found that Ingall was in breach of the Rules, bringing the sport into disrepute, for driving his car towards a person proximate to the racing surface. He was 4

Cl ■=?*"

"\ bounced around on the kerb after being pushed wide and continued out onto the dirt which tripped the car sideways ft

- Ingall

excluded from the meeting and given a three-race ban, suspended for 12 months. He was also fined $15,000 but, on appeal, that amount was reduced to $10,000.

Skaife appealed only the decision of the Stewards that he was in breach of Rules, careless driving, but copped the penalties

for the incidents afterwards. He lost 105 points, was fined $10,000 and placed on a similar suspended suspension.

"He speared me off," said Skaife after the race, "it was the worst thing I have seen in 20 years of racing."

"I bounced around on the kerb after being pushed wide and

art

continued out onto the dirt which tripped the car sideways," said Ingall.

Wh en I came around the corner and saw him on the track, I thought he was going to throw something so I backed off and drove towards him so he could not get a full lob at it. 1 thought he was going to throw his helmet or something."

Skaife's appeal is believed to have contained new evidence, which was presented in a detailed, 15-page submission. It is further believed that there may yet be new evidence presented when the case is reconvened. motorspon news

NEWS

McConville in at GRM

CAMERON McConville will be confirmed soon as Garth Tander's partner at Garry Rogers Motorsport for 2004.

McConville has signed a two-year deal with GRM and will leave Lansvale Racing after three years with the Sydney-based team.

The decision leaves current GRM driver Jamie WhincLip without a drive.

Tender now moves into the last year of his current contract with GRM, but team boss Rogers hopes to retain the tall West Australian beyond next year.

"We've invested a lot of time and effort into

Garth," he told^MNews this week,'"and I think we are eapa^*of plroviding. him with a winning car- whiclf is what most racers w4|it * at Sie end of ^y^vill’be fr^e ti| look elsewhere

5

next year, but I hope he stays."

McConville, 29, made his V8 Supercar debut in 1993. His best result in championship races is a second place finish at Bathurst in 1999, sharing a Holden Racing Team Commodore with Craig Lowndes.

Speaking of Tander, wedding bells are in the air for the former Bathurst winner.

Tander announced at the recent AVESCO Awards Dinner in Sydney that he has popped the question to long-time partner and former V8 Supercar driver, Leanne Perrier.

Congrats to both from MNews but we are unable^to confirm whether any future progeaV of the couple havenbeen signed to a long-term«eal already by GRM ...-' V. - PHIL BRANAGAN

Jacques BAR lied to me

JACQUES Villeneuve has spoken out about his acrimonious departure from BAR and, perhaps.Formula One.

s and for 2004, by Takuma Sato. He I admits he has had talks with some

teams,including former employer Wffliams,but says that negative talk in the paddock (presumably from BAR team members)has soured his reputation.

"Somehow someone managed to get the paddock to believe that 1 didn't like to test, I had no work ethic, I didn't do PR,1 was a pain in the neck, and so on," he says.

"That's what everybody ended up believing. So there was a highly negative feeling throughout the whole paddock and through the teams. They're completely misled on that. If they can open up their mind a little bit and look around and talk

The 1997 world champion has no illusions that it was a clash between himself and the team - mainly principal David Richards-that led to his exit, prior to the Japanese Grand Prix in October.

driving, I was much happier to not be there than to drive half -heartedly."

Villeneuve was replaced at Suzuka, 10 December 2003

EXPECT a number of announcements regarding sponsorship in V8 Supercar racing next month. While we can't eke out the details of all of them, we can point you in the direction of the 2004 sponsor of the Audi Safety Car program. Seems that the all-wheeldrive German cars will appear in the colours of the Wright Patton Shakespeare financial group, which has recently become a sponsor of Mark Noske's Falcon. n Former FIRTAA/ayne Gardner Racing engine guru Rob Benson is returning from the US to work with the Jones brothers' OzEmail Racing Team, Benson has spent the past three years working with Hendrick Racing, whose engine shop apparently has four dynos in constant use. n After a week of intense physio (and some time off at Noosa), Greg Murphy's lower back disc problem, which kept him out of the final V8 race at Eastern Creek, is coming right. : "It's a repeat of an injury I had two years ago on a jet-ski and I just have to look after it (setter, do the correct exercises and so on," Murph told us this week. The successful management of the injury has allayed initial fears that it might require surgery.

’

"What was going through my mind was that I had nothing to do there (in Japan), that's all," says VUleneuve."There was a big lack of respect, and that's not something that I wanted to deal with. I played the game,I tried to be nice and make an effort and whatever, and all 1 had in front of me was big smiles, and 'Yes, yes.'

"And suddenly it was,'By the way, all we said was big lies just to keep you going to the end of the year.'

With this kind of lack of respect, there was no point in going there. It was the first time that I didn't want to be

An Audi by any other name...

^

I

with the right people, then they'll find out that I'm a hard worker and a team player."

Villeneuve suggests that he might drive in NASCAR,for another FI team or stay at home and "make babies" in the future ...

For more on Villeneuve, see pages 40-42.

-ADAM COOPER

n By-product of last weekend's 'Race Rage' confrontation between Russell Ingall and Mark Skaife was a late change to the seating plan at the AVESCO Awards dinner the following night. We hear that, apparently, on the original plan, the HRT and SBR tables were quite adjacent and it was deemed a good idea to add some space... n Don't miss the next issue of MNews. Apart from being packed from cover to cover with holiday reading, it will mark the launch our most exciting Grand Prix competition yet. n The MotorSport Awards are back! Pencil Tuesday night of Grand Prix week into your diary. After a short break, Australia's top, independent, motor racing awards dinner is back as a GP Week event, bigger than ever - and in support of children's charity Brainwave, Details in the Christmas issue of MNews. n BMW Group Australia is the new official car supplier for the Targa Tasmania tarmac rally. The German manufacturer will supply 16 vehicles for the 2004 rally, to be held from April 27-May 2 and promoted by global sports and events marketing company Octagon, S

I

Vilo’a Gooo

to have Wilson in his team.

MAX Wilsotr^will be back in "We welcome Max on board : Betta Electrical colours next and look forward to the 2004 season, season with great enthusiasm," i The 31-year-old Brazilian has said Dane. n been signed to partner Paul "Max has only experienced : Radisich at Triple8 next :season. Me:will start testing the two seasons in V8 Supercars to date, but has more than proved I team's ipalcon* BA inthe New his speed and we consider the i Year.after an off-season trip best of ihis talent is yet to come", hfiometO'BiraziK Wilson had:two years to run 'ifcouldn't ibe happier, said: Wilson, "It's almost like coming: on his contract with:Dick I home and Tim also very pleased . Johnson Racing but was let go early to join T8. Ironically, he I to j3e staying with the Ford gave the team its best finish of ;,farnily. the season, third, in the second 1^, .">Feam Betta. Electrical gave race at the Season-ending Cnfie my start in V8 Superears ' round at Eastern Creek. : two years ago and in that time I ; have learned a lot about the Dane also said that he hoped ’●cars, the race formats, other -that Dean Canto who, ironically, replaced Wilson at the start of -^competitors driving styles and ■mow I know f m better this season, would be available to race with the team at the i equipped to be a front runner Sandown and iathurst for the team in next years endurance races, Wilson,and' jseries." ' Canto ipaired up in the 2©02 >; frip'lfe :8 Govowiner loland' endurance races, above. |Dane'.said that fee was-pleaded

Bezzy leaves FPR Three into One won’t go ... so Besnard does

FORD Performance Racing will scale back to two cars in 2004, leaving David Besnard out of a factory drive next year.

FPR managing director David Flint listed a number of problems, but none more than running three cars out of one pit boom.

"The reasoning behind this, decision is linked to the competitive disadvantage of operating a three car V8 Supercar team and is no way a reflection of David's valuable contribution," said Flint.

"Three into one simply does not work when your goal is to win in this highly competitive motor racing category."

For 5 minutes with David Besnard, turn to page 30.

6

TRIPLE Eight Race Engineering will have Ford backing until the end of 2008.

The British-owned team and Ford announced at Eastern Creek that they had entered a five-year deal. The news come straight after T8 unveiled its LG Advanced Technical Centre at its Queensland headquarters.

"This decision was not based on what this team has done,rather the model they have put in place for future success," said Ford Australia Motorsport Operations Manager Stephen Kruk.

"Triple Eight Race Engineering has an impressive record in European racing and we're confident that they're going to bring that same dedication to the Australian V8 Supercar Championship Series."

Team co-owner Roland Dane said Ford's announcement was a key part of team's future success.

"You need strong partnerships in this business and along with the extended deal with Betta Stores Limited back in September we knew that a long term arrangement with Ford was essential," said Dane.

"When we looked at our options in terms of manufacturers, it wasn't a simple case of sticking with Ford because we had taken control of a Ford team. We wanted the best option to win races and we felt that with the BA Falcon showing the way this year, it was going to be the way to go for the future."

The deal means that, ironically, T8 has deal with both Ford and GM,as it has run Vauxhall's BTCC program since 1997.

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THE future direction of the Lansvale Smash Repairs V8 Supercar team is up in the air and the Sydney team may be expanding to two cars next season - perhaps. Fords.

After three years together, LRT has split with Cameron McConville, who will race with Garr}' Rogers Motorsport next season. But team co-owner Steve Reed said on Monday that there was still a possibility of team and driver continuing.

"We have not decided yet," said Reed."We have a deal with Cameron for 2004, and beyond,but some of the things that could be happening may not fit in with him," That appears to confirm that Reed and co-owner Trevor Ashby are looking down the Ford route, . perhaps in partnership with Mark Noske and Queensland property developer Craig Gore. Gore is the n son of the late Mike Gore, a long-time racing enthusiast and

4

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Chris Carter

Max out - Luff in: Warren gets his big break with DJR in 2004.

motorsaort news

NEWS

Sydney Season developer of Sanctuaiy Cove. Gore was most recently sighted in the press over a proposed 'no children' commmuty he was planning on the Gold Coast's Hope Island, though the controversial project was shelved and Gore's company sold the tliree hectare site to developer Australand for $90 million.

Gore is also involved in the Wright Patton Shakespeare financial group, which has recently becc sponsor of

/

Noske's Falcon V8 Supercar and which has also backed the Commodore Cup entry of Christian D'Agostin in 2002.

The consortium is believed to have secured the tw’o Ford Falcon BAs built and raced this season by 00 Motorsport, which pulled out of facing in late June. MNews believes that the team's two BAs and

appropriate spares have been ^ prepared for shipment recently though am

'4

principal Bob Forbes could not be reached to confirm this.

We also believe that the 00 Falcon

AU,which was raced by Rodney Forbes at the start of the season, will be raced next season in the Konica V8 Supercar Series. No news on drivers, but apart from D'Agostin, Gore's brother Shane is also a Commodore Cup regular...

Sources have also informed us that the consortium will establish a new raceshop on Sydney's Parramatta Road,not far from the current Lansvale Racing base in Lidcombe. The new facility is said to feature a merchandising area and a cafe, open to the public. ♦ V

[M

I

I

Triple A loses its Smiles PHILLIP Smiles has left his post as CEO of the Australian Auto-sport Alliance.

"Faced with substantial management and marketing consultancy client commitments to complete before Christmas and a professional and personal interest in being involved in marketing motor sport next year, it is time for others to assume the day to day running of the Australian Auto-sport Alliance," Smiles said in a statement.

"My departure, however, does not preclude undertaking short-term assignments for the Alliance and the Board has indicated its interest in retaining my services, from time to time, as an Advisor and to undertake special projects." n 2003 Australian F3 Championship runner-up Barton Mawer is heading back to England next week for a second test with British F3 Championship-winning team Carlin.

"They were watching closely at Wakefield and were very impressed with the job I was doing," said Mawer.

"They are trying hard to help me for next year. If the test goes well the team is considering lining up some drives in other F3 championships, possibly Japan."

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Lufflives at 18 Johnson St

WARREN Luff has replaced Max Wilson at Shell Helix Racing.

Luff, 27, replaces Max Wilson in the team’s second Ford Falcon BA. “I have been racing for just on 10 years and I have wanted this since I was a kid,” said Luff last week.

“I remember when I was a kid, about six or seven, watching Bathurst on TV with Dad. I was always a Dick Johnson fan and always barracked for car 17. Now I will be in car 18. To go from a spectator to driving for his team is a dream come true.

“I never wanted to go overseas and take the single-seater route, 10 December 2003

I always wanted to stay here and race. I have done some endurance racing overseas but everything that I have done had been directed at being a V8 Supercar driver. To be here now is unbelievable.”

Luff joined the team at the final round of the Konica V8 Supercar Series at Mallala and co-drove with Steven Johnson at Sandown and Bathurst.

“Shell Helix Racing is on the way back, after a couple of disappointing seasons," said DJR General Manager Steve Chalker.

“Making up the numbers is simply not an option for us, we’re in the business of winning, and

we believe Warren's natural pace combined with Steve’s experience will give us the best possible opportunity to do just that.

“This is a tough business and many people in it forget we were the leading Ford team just two years ago, in fact the only one winning, and our form over the past few events of 2003 certainly suggests we’re heading back that way, “We think Warren has been tremendously impressive and has a big future."

Luff will move from Sydney to the Gold Coast this month before starting testing with the team in January.

n Marcus Marshall was the big winner at the inaugural Carrera Cup Awards night held recently. Jim Richards picked up the winners' trophy ahead of Marshall and ‘^eter Fitzgerald, while Marshall also took home the Michelin Rookie of the Year and Driver to Europe Awards.

The Motorsport News Personality of the Year was Tim Leahey, Tony Quinn was the Fuchs Hard Charger of the Year and Kevin Beil was the Highest Placed NZer. Matty Coleman took a special award for Media Coverage, after his headline-making Sandown rollover.

■ Neil McFadyen's 2003 Formula Ford Championship-winning Van Diemen has been sold to Sydney karter Nathan Antuns. Antuns plans to contest the New South Wales State championships next year. Also, Bathurst 2 Hour Showroom Showdown winner Grant Park tested the car before its sale and is keen on a FFord drive in 2004 ...

■ It was the Main Event, the first AVESCO promoted race, so needless to say, the stars flocked to western Sydney. Names like Adam Gilchrist, Eric Bana, Merrick and Rosso, Network 10's Corrine Grant and Shannon Nole from Australian Idol were on hand at various times over the weekend.

7

Jaguar

Ralf’s money woes

THE ongoing negotiations between Williams and Ralf Schumacher over his future is still to be settled.

The German, who has won six GPS since joining the team in 1999, is asking for US$15m ($20m) a year while Williams is refusing to go higher than US$9m. Williams would like to avoid a situation in which it has to change both drivers at the end of 2004 but it will do that if necessary.

In the past, let us not forget, Williams has dumped British World Champions Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill because they wanted too much money.

i

A Williams drive is much sought-after and there is no doubt that the team could find much cheaper youngsters who might do as well or even better than Schumacher has done. The team however is unwilling to take too many risks and is expected to try to get either Rubens Barrichello or Jenson Button in 2005 - and perhaps both.

Schumacher is not in a very strong bargaining position at the moment because he has made too many mistakes in recent years and he has no real alternative which will worry Williams. Toyota has shown no sign of being interested in Ralf I and BMW is smart enough to realise that a winner is good for s sales, no matter what his I nationality.

- JOE SAWARD

No^ well take my Lear jet

No Ralf, we said "We will all come dressed as ELVIS"; Is Ralf Schumacher A. A potential world champion? B. Worth $20 million a year or C. Colourblind?

Aussie-F3star to get m Mlnapdi FI

appears to be on a good wicket, doubling the salary of Kimi Raikkonen, who finished second in the world drivers' championship.

While no FI driver was paid less than Webber,four drivers were paid no salary at all. They are Webber's former team-mate Justin Wilson, Minardi pair Jos Verstappen and Nicolas Kiesa and Jordan rookie Ralph Firman, who all must earn I

’Lmue^matis

n

COULD there be an FI test looming for one or more of Australia's current F3 internationals?

That was the question being posed following the news that Minardi team boss Paul Stoddart is in Australia and would be holding a press conference today (Wednesday) in Sydney.

their way via separate sponsorship deals.

who will leave to team to join McLaren at the end of the 2004 season. David Coulthard also

MARK Webber is the lowest-paid driver in Grand Prix racing, according to a report published in London.

London's Simday Times suggested that Webber earned US$990,000 ($1.3m)from Jaguar Racing last season, or less than three percent of Michael Schumacher's salary from Ferrari.

The report also revealed that, if accurate, Ralf Schumacher was paid almost three times as much as his Williams team-mate Juan Montoya,

MNews couldn't contact Stoddart as we closed for press, but the suggestion was that an announcement might well involve either Will Davison or Will Power, or both, in some form of one-off test with Minardi.

Both are currently trying to put the funding together to continue their F3

programmes in the UK in 2004.

Stoddart, the man who gave Mark Webber both his F3000 and FI starts, is apparently in Australia on business - he has been reported by the financial press as looking at the viability of launching a cutprice airline in Australia.

s

The figures, listed below, are those estimated at salary only. No account was taken of personal endorsements and sponsorship which, in the case of Michael Schumacher, are thought to equal his Ferrari salary.

All figures are in US dollars.

FORMULA ONE DRIVER SALARIES 1 Michael Schumacher/Ferrari $34.7 m $17.5m 2 Jacques Villeneuve/BAR $14m 3 Ralf Schumacher/Williams SlO.Sm 4 Rubens Barrichello/Ferrari $8,5m 5 David Coulthard/McLaren $4.9m 6 Giancarlo Fisichella/Jordan 7 Juan Pablo Montoya/Williams $4.8m $4.5m 8 Jenson Button/BAR $4m 9 Olivier PanisIToyota 10 JarnoTrulii/Renault $4m $3.5m 11 Kimi Raikkonen/McLaren $2.8m 12 Nick Heidfeld/Sauber 13 Fleinz-Harald Frentzen/Sauber $2.8m $2.4m 14 Cristiano Da Matta/Foyota $2m 15 Fernando Alonso/Renault $0.99m 16 Mark Webber/Jaguar $0m 17 Justin Wilson/Jaguar $0m 18 Jos Verstappen/Minardi $0m 19 Ralf Firman/Jordan $0m 20 Nicolas Kiesa/Minardi - euji

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1 motorspon news

iliens House 20-yeap-old rookie is Utebber's new team-mate

1

JAGUAR Racing has confirmed that Austria's Christian Klien will be Mark Webber's team mate for the 2004 Formula 1 season.

Klien was one of several drivers who tested for the team at Valencia at the end of November and emerged as a better bet than Justin Wilson and Townsend Bell. As soon as Klien was confirmed he returned to Spain to test in Barcelona. The team was extremely impressed by Klien's calmness and composure and his natural speed in his first FI test. His tedmical feedback was excellent and the team quickly concluded the deal.

Tliis will involve some sponsorship for the team from Red Bull although

it is not as much as had been rumoured. It is believed that Red Bull will also acquire an option to buy the Jaguar Racing operation at the end of 2004.

The signing of KUen is very bad news for Justin Wilson, who was in Valencia doing regular testing work alongside Mark Webber. Jaguar says that it would like to keep Wilson as a third driver but is not allowed to do so under the new regulations which ban a driver from testing at Grands Prix if he has done more than six races in the last two years. Wilson may decide to try to take action to have this restriction of his trade removed. If not, his only future has to

be as a test driver with one of the top teams or in the USA. The decision to take on Klien is a bit of a surprise as the Austrian has very limited experience in highpowered cars, but he was clearly impressive enough to win the drive over men with much more experience.

Prior to his 2003 season in Formula 3 Klien was the German Formula Renault champion after two seasons in the series. Although he has been racing since 1998 Klien is still only 20 years old and is likely to be the youngest man in FI in 2004 by around 18 months.

-JOESAWARD

Feiran will bnng'04 car to Melbourne AUSTRALIAN Formula One fans may see something at Albert Park in March that they have not seen since 2001 - a new Ferrari.

The team's sporting director Jean Todt said last week that the champion team was going to aim at running its 2004 car right from the opening race of the season, something that it has not done in three years.

"We want to be able to present the new car in January in order to give it a debut right from the first race," Todt told Gazzetta dello Sport.

The marque's all-conquering F2002 was not

10 December 2003

raced in Australia until the start of this season after it failed the FIA's crash test at the start of the 2002 season. This year, Ferrari waited until the fifth round of the championship, the Spanish Grand Prix, to debut its F2003-GA. Ferrari currently has its three test drivers, Felipe Massa, Luca Badoer, below, and Luciano Burti, slogging around the test tracks of Europe sorting parts, including the new 800km engine, for its F2004. Rubens Barrichello is expected to test later this month while Michael Schumacher will start testing in January.

NEWS

Alfa Foxtrot?

WE are soon to see a couple of Alfa Romeo's horny 147 GTAs on the racetracks, Malvern Motorsport is preparing two of the 250hp V6engined rockets to compete in PROCAR's GT Performance Series next year. Scott Farquharson and Hugh Harrison, both long-time Cloverleaf aficionados, will be doing to driving, n VIP Petfoods had their hands full during the 'Main Event'. The namingrights sponsor brought more than 500 corporate guests to Eastern Creek over the weekend. n Peter Brock and Dick Johnson will captain rival Holden and Ford teams in the 2004 Shannons FordHolden Challenge rally to Adelaide's Clipsal 500 V8 Supercar street race from 14-18 March. The five-day/four night Rally, which includes more than 20 performance and driving skilly events is open only to owne,''s of’ Fords, Holdens and GM vehicles of all ages, competing in Current and Heritage categories. The field of around 200 cars, panel vans and utes will travel from Melbourne via Shepparton, Mildura and the Barossa Valley, arriving just in time for the fourday Clipsal race program. n The Holden Young Lions will test a handful of potential drivers in the coming weeks.

No dates or exact details have l been released yet, however, some drivers linked to a test with the John Faulkner-run team are former Euro F3 driver James Manderson, Formula Fordsters Tony Pugleise and Ian Dyk, Tony Ricciardello (who drove with the team at Sandown and Bathurst) and newly-crowned Gold Star Champion, Daniel Gaunt. n Following Russell Wright's heavy crash at Eastern Creek, Carrera Cup will strongly recommend the use of the HANS device for all entrants in 2004. Although they can not enforce the rule, Porsche contenders will be encouraged to become the first category in Australia to wear the head and neck restraints. Wright suffered fractures to the bone of his skull during qualifying last weekend and is resting in Westmead Hospital. He is expected to make a full recovery. n This one is for the geeks. A number of well-known motor racing drivers from Australia will contest an endurance race around Watkins Glen, USA, next week. And you ask why we haven't told you this before. Well, that's because the event will be held in Lilydale, Victoria at the Hyper Simulator store. Paul Stokell, Steven Richards, Alex and Will Davison, Gavin Harvey and James Manderson will be part of the NASCAR action.

9

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home of

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[motorsport] 4

2004 V8 Supercar Championship* Mar 7 Albert Park (non-championship) Mar 21 ., .Adelaide .Rd 1 Apr 4

■Eastern Creek

.Rd2

Apr 25

Pukekohe ...

.Rd3

May 23 . . .Hidden Valley

.Rd4

Jun 13 Jul4

Barbagailo . .

.Rd5

. Qld Raceway Jul25 . . . .Winter

.Rd6

Aug 15 . . .Oran Park

.Rd8

Sep 12 . . .Sandown Oct 10 Bathurst

.Rd 10

Oct 24

.Rd7 ,Rd9

Surfers Paradise

.Rd11

Nov 14 . . .Shanghai Dec 5 Eastern Creek .

.Rd12 ,Rd13

2004 FIA Formula One Championship* Mar 7 . . . .Australia

.Rdl

Mar 21

. . .Malaysia

.Rd2

Apr 4

Bahrain .

.Rd3

Apr 25 . . . .Europe .

.Rd4

May 9

.Rd5

Spain . .

May 23 . . .Monaco Jun 6 .San Marin o

.Rd6

Jun 20 . . . .USA

.Rd8

Jul 4

Great Britain

.Rd9

Jul11

. . . .France . . . ,

.Rd 10

.Rd7

Jul 25 . . . .Germany . .

.Rd 11

Aug 15 . . .Hungary . . .

.Rd12

Aug 29 . . .Belgium . . ,

.Rd 13

Sep 12 . . .Italy

.Rd 14

Sep 26 . . .China

.Rd 15

Oct 10 Oct 24

.Rd16

Japan Brazil

,Rd17

2003-04 World Series Sprintcars

Dec 13 . . .AvalonVIC

.Rd5

Dec 26 . . .Speedway City SA

.Rd6

Dec 27 . . .Murray Bridge SA Dec 28 . . .Mt. Gambler SA

,Rd7 .RdS

Dec 30 . . .Avalon VIC

.Rd9

Jan 1

. Rd 10

Warrnambool VIC

Jan 3

Brisbane QLD

.Rdll

Jan 6

. . . .Brisbane QLD

.Rd12

Jan 14 Jan 16

●Wagga Wagga NSW . . .Rd13 .Rd14 .Speedway City SA

Jam 7

Speedway City SA

. Rd 15

2004 World Rally Championship Jan 23-25 .Monte-Carlo

.Rd.1

Feb 6-8 . . .Swedish

.Rd2

;. . ,

Mar 12-14 .Mexico

,Rd3

rten1

A

home of

motorsport I

3-

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

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

I

HOLDEN is going rallying.

One of the Lion's V8 Supercar stars will compete is selected rounds of the 2004 Australian Rally Championship aboard a Holden V8 4WD Ute, which is currently being built in Melbourne.

We also beUeve that the car will run in New Zealand's famed Race to the Sky, which wiU be held at the Waiorau Ski Farm in the Cardrona

£

'm/', HOW would you celebrate winning your first V8 Supercar Championship? Go to a tropical island? Take a cruise? Jump on the PS2 and win another title?

Marcos Ambrose has other ideas.

“I’ve got a good plan. I’m going to grow a beard!,’’ he ‘reasoned’. “Grow a beard, wear some thongs, and throw the dog in the back of the truck.

We’re going to drive down to Tassie, spend a couple of weeks there, then drive back via inland Australia and try and have a beer in every pub we come across - without driving if we shouldn’t, of course.’’

Of course. And if ycu want to read more about the new Champ, turn to page 32.

Valley, near Queenstown on April 10/11 - the week after the Eastern Creek V8SCS round. Witli the convenient space between V8SCS rounds - the next round after the Creek will be at Pukekohe - the most likely candidate for tliat event is local hero Greg Murphy.

A Holden ARC campaign will be a relatively low-budget effort and could be used to help develop the General's attack on the Australian Safari. However the Utes would need significantly tougher specifications to

Jones com

MNews goes interactive: Marcos wants facial hair? You can give him some. Crab the kid's crayons, and get scribblin'.

WHBZ003,

Brock deal done

GARRY Rogers has confirmed that Peter Brock will enter a two-car Monaro team in next year's Nations Cup series.

Brock wUl take over the red car co driven by liimself to victory at the Bathurst 24 Hours, while a second car is already under construction for son Jamie to drive.

"We're providing the team with a caged shell," Rogers told MNews this week, "and Brock's team will build it up from there."

Rogers also confirmed that GRM

Holden

J

would remain in Procar in 2004, with Nathan Pretty again driving a team Monaro.

"There's a possibility that the existing yellow car may be sold to the

UK," he said.

"The finalisation of the sale depends upon them satisfying themselves that the car can be made to comply with the rules over there.

"If that happens, then we will have to build up another new car for Nathan. Otherwise, we will continue to run the yellow car."

NO IVIosI

MOSLER MT900R for Nations Cup in 2004?

Quite poss3}ly. Since the Bathurst 24 Hour last month which was attended by Mosler founder Warren Mosler - there have been suggestions that at least one of the 5.7 litre V8: powered madilhes will take up permanent residence in Australia neift 7e^.

No firm word on who the lucky so-and-so who gets to drive the thing might be, although it is expected that the car would bexun by a .South Australian team.

Watch this ^ace ...

■f<-

5.

---1

CHRISTIAN Jones scored a clean sweep in rounds 11 and 12 of the Asian F3 Championship at Batangas in the Philippines two weeks ago, taking pole and two wins.

"It was a really good meeting," said Jones, who ran his usual Honda-powered Toll I pec Dallara 301 in a one-off drive. "It's a good track - it's fast and interesting, but very bumpy."

Jones said his main opposition came from local driver Pepon Marave, who was racing with mechanical and engineering support from TOM'S. "They were pretty keen to beat the foreigner," Jones admitted.

motorsport nows

NEWS

Takes To The Forest handle the week-long cross country rally compared with the sprint format ARC. The project may depend on the ARCOM approving a Rally Working Group recommendation that the rules for the Aussie Car Class be widened to allow 4WD AustraUanbuilt cars to run in the class that dwindled badly at the end of 2003.

While the Class has had some factory support in the past (Steve Winwood running a Falcon XR8 to class wins), in recent times it has been a privateer championship with interest waning significantly in recent seasons.

If the amendment is made,cars such as the Magna AWD will be allowed to run alongside the current 2WD Aussie car sedans and utes.

-Mlt

Aslan formula Thro

f

I

3 "On Friday they were quicker, but 1 was confident that I'd be OK when 1 went out on iiew tyres. After four laps of qualifying I saw PI, then next time around 1 saw Mara\ e sitting in the gravel, so I got pole."

Jones won the opening 12-lapper by a huge margin of 15s, but had to work a little harder in race two when lie was beaten away from the line by .Mark Goddard, however pressure from the pursuing Jones eventually saw the Brit spin into retirement.

"He spun right in front of me," Jones explained. "It made things a little bit easier... but 1 would have passed him anvwav."

-MARK GLENDENNING

10 December 2003

THE first round of the CART series at St. Petersburg has been cancelled.

The championship will now begin at the Grand Prix of Long Beach. n At least six VY Commodores . will be on the Aussie Race Car scene in 2004. The much-anticipated ' Holden's will be ready for pre-season testing in January. Also, Phil Ward has plans to build a current shape BA Falcon, but this will not be for some time.

Already a leading Queensland based team is well down the track in its plans to run a pair of Magna AWDs. - BRANAGAN/THOMSON

quers Asia

Petered out

Caruso stops up MICHAEL Caruso is back in Australia foilowing a successful F3000 test with Coioni Motorsport at Italy’s Magione circuit two weeks ago.

The 2003 Australian F3 Champion spent two days at the wheei of Coioni’s Loia-Zytek B2/50, and impressed the team by beating his target lap time of a iow 65s by iunchtime on the first day, despite running with old tyres and in cold conditions. He went on to record a succession of quick iaps, culminating in a 64.4s on the second day 0.7s faster than the best time set by the team during its previous test.

“It’s the best car I have driven,” enthused Caruso, above. “It’s a real race car. You’ve got good horsepower, but it also has really good mechanical grip, which surprised me.

“Right from the first iap I felt comfortable with the car. I just can’t say enough about it. And the team were reaily professionai, which heips a lot.”

“These were two days full of satisfaction,” said team principai Paoio Coioni. “Michael quickly got confident with the B2/50, constantly progressing and showing not only exceleint driving skills, but also a great ability in setting up the car,” Caruso is currently engaged in talks for further F3000 tests, probably in the new year, with a view to contesting the 2004 series.

- MARK GLENDENNING

n Seems that Hamilton island is the place to go for the white dress set. New Oz Rally Champ Cody Crocker was Island-side recently for his sister's nuptials, while a bit later Ali Drower finally made an honest man of Rick Bates on the dreamy tourist destination. The long-time motorsport TV reporter and RB were joined for their happy day by most of the Toyota team and no, we do not know whether Neal and navigator Coral Bates made sure that the wedding vehicles were pace noteequipped for the big day. Congrats to all from MNews. n We definitely want to see ' Michael Schumacher's new.digs on ^ Lifestyles of der Rich undt Famous. ; The six-times Formula One : Champion is building an 11-million euro ($18.15m) lakeside mansion near Lake Geneva, Switzerland, which will feature an underground garage for 19 cars, a 25-metre indoor pool, an interior climbing wall, and a 62-square metre trophy room. His new plot of land spans 14-hectares and is just down the road from the house he shares with his wife, Corinna, and two children. The l Ferrari star bought his land for 15 million Swiss francs ($16m)and he'll have to demolish its existing residence, publication Le Matin said. n Danny Sullivan is to return to racing in March next year at the wheel of a Ferrari 575 GTC, which will be run by Barron Connor Racing in the Sebring 12 Hours. The 53-yearold will team up with team owner and 2003 FIA Sports Car Champion John Bosch, who used to be a front running Formula 3 driver in the early 1980s before he suffered serious leg injuries in an accident at Diepholz. n The organisers of the San Marino Grand Prix have announced that they are planning 10 days of events to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of Ayrton Senna. One of the events will be a soccer match between former Brazilian World Cup stars and FI drivers. There will also be an exhibition of the cars which Senna drove during his career.

-STAFF/JOE SAWARD 11

IBAR’s little black number CART II BAR Honda turned up in Valencia last week on 'new Michelin tyres, with an interim car in a brand new black and silver test livery, moving away from the Lucky Strike colours that the team has used since it entered Formula 1 in 1999.

The interim car proved to be very quick and Jenson Button was just 0.2s slower than Ferrari test driver Luca Badoer by the end of the testing, an indication of the handicap that the team has had this year with Bridgestone rubber.

There is much optimism in the team that the 2004 car wiil make the team even more competitive,

bringing them up to a position to challenge for fourth place or perhaps even third in the World Championship.

Although Minardi has used black in recent years, black has been under-used in F1 since the JPS Lotuses disappeared in the mid-1980s, although the black and gold of JPS remains one of the most recognisable liveries in racing history.

The black and silver livery, if adopted, will mean that new sponsors will have to agree to move away from their traditional colours and fit in with the team.

-JOE SAWARD

Bpeakthpough lor Formula One Future THE three parties engaged in the ongoing uncertainty over the commercial future of Formula 1's SLEC Holdings, the so-called 'FI banks' and the'breakaway' GPWC organisation are claiming a "breakthrough" in their protracted negotiations.

In a landmark meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, GPWC and the three banks agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding to negotiate terms for the transfer of the banks' 75 percent stake in the commercial rights holder.

The outcome puts on hold the threat by GPWC(BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Ferrari, Ford and Renault) to organise its own race series in 2008, on the expiry of the current Concorde Agreement.

A brief joint statement said: "We are happy that today we 12

reached a breakthrough in our negotiations about the future of Formula 1. The outcome is in the interests of FI and the millions of fans around the world."

Bayerische Landesbank, JPMorgan and Lehmann Brothers acquired their shares in SLEC after the failure of Kirch Gruppe, the German media corporation, in lieu of loan repayments then valued at US$1.6bn.

The remaining 25 percent of the stock is held by Bambino, a family trust established by Bernie Ecclestone, the principal of the Formula One group of companies.

The meeting involved Ecclestone for SLEC, Rich’ard Parry-Jones of Ford for GPWC and Gerhard Gribkowski of Bayerische for the 'FI banks'.

- QUENTIN SPURRING

f motorsport news

NEWS

n a Holding Pattern

S A REVISED proposal could see Open Wheel Racing I Series(OWRS)acquire Champ Cars from current series I owners Championship Auto Racing Teams(CART).

I It was initially hoped that the two companies would ^ merge,however OWRC has now withdrawn from tliose discussions.

OWRS is a newly-formed holding company owned indirectly by a group of investors including Gerry Forsythe, Kevin Kalkhoven and Paul Gentilozzi. The new organisation appears set to become the rulers of Champ Cars in 2004 and beyond.

However, a lack of entries could see the plaraied take over foiled before it begins. A number of teams are yet to confirm their participation in '04, but Genilozzi is confident the series will go ahead.

"OWRS expects to retain a sufficient number of cars to meet CART's contractual obligations with our race promoters," said Gentilozzi.

"OWRS plans to maintain, and ultimately expand the CART racing series in the Americas and throughout the world."

Meanwhile, the future of the Gold Coast Indy event has been assured, despite the take-over dramas, Lexmark Indy 300 general manager James Ashworth has confirmed that the Gold Coast would continue on the CART calender for its 14th straight year.

"Everything is full steam ahead for 2004," said Ashworth."1 spoke with Kevin Kalkhoven and he remained adamant there would be a series in place for 2004."

Queensland Premier Peter Beattie also indicated that if the Champ Cars did not attend next year's fixture, V8 Supercars are a suitable back-up ...

-PHIL MORRIS

Off the Hook

THE oldest Grand Prix in racing, the French, left, has been saved.

After the threat to have the event struck from the calendar, it now appears that the FI circus will return to Magny Cours, with a new promoter of the event likely.

However, should the event go ahead, Canada may once again run into trouble as the teams say they will not do 18 races unless they are each paid US$2m (AUD$2.7m) to take part in the 18th.

The solution found for Canada appears to have been based on the fact that the French GP was going to be cancelled. But with France looking likely to survive, the spotlight must pass back to Canada again.

The national ASN, the FFSA, needs to have everything in place by December 12 when the FIA World Council meets in Monte Carlo.

We hear that a deal is agreed between 2004 and 2009, and 10 December 2003

that the promotions company will be run by Hugues de Chaunac of the ORECA organisation with Germany's Andreas Meier, who used to promote the German GP at Hockenheim, being the man who actually puts the event together.

THE Brazilian GP, right, is also no longer under threat following the decision of a judge to overturn a previous legal decision to suspend the race.

The original ruling cancelled the contract to run the race, claiming that the event was a waste of public money.

The question of whether the race is good for Sao Paulo must still be resolved but the local government is confident that it has the evidence necessary to answer any complaints, although it is thought unlikely that the case will get to court before the race on 24 October 2004.

- JOE SAWARD

Lausitzring OK THE future of the Lausitzring in eastern Germany has been secured for some years to come with the management of the track buying out the lease that the track has from the state of Brandenburg. Circuit director Hans-Jorg Fischer and his financial director Matthias Tomasetti are to be joint owners of the new company which will promote the circuit. As part of the deal the local government, which funded construction, will contribute US$3m to the new company. The deal is for five years.

The Lausitzring has been insolvent since June 2002. n There are rumours that John Iley's position as chief aerodynamicist at Renault has been taken by Dino Toso. The 34-year-old Italian has been racing since 1995 when he joined the BMW team in GT racing. He moved to Jordan in 1997 and from there went on to Renault in 2001. n British driver Sam Hancock is hoping to raise US$2,5m ($3,3m) by floating himself on the stock exchange. The 23-year-old Englishman says that he will use the money to pay for a drive with Super Nova Racing, which acted as the Jordan Junior Team last year and then hopes to land a Formula 1 test and be racing in FI by 2006. Hancock will take a salary of US$50,000 each year but all his other earnings will go to his investors. n DaimlerChrysler boss Jurgen Schrempp will be court in Wilmington, Delaware, this week as the legal action between the German car company and billionaire investor Kerk Kerkorian comes to a head. Kerkorian is seeking damages from the German automobile company because it portrayed the 1998 takeover of Chrysler as "a merger or equals" when in fact it was always planned as a takeover. Kerkorian claims he was tricked into voting for the deal and lost huge sums of money as a result. He wants US$3bn ($4bn) in damages. If DaimlerChrysler loses, Schrempp will have to resign. n The Real Automovil Club Espana is planning to demolish the Jarama circuit near Madrid, sell the land for redevelopment and use the money to build a state-of-the-art new venue.

The Spanish ASN evidently wants to lure Formula 1 back from the fiercely Catalan city of Barcelona to the national capital.

iutton~inufie^.com

n Contractors will move in at the Circuit de Catalunya, near Barcelona, to carry out revisions to the two hairpin corners(La Caixa and Sabadell) next week. The work means that the Formula 1 teams will not be able use the venue until it reopens for the Spanish Grand Prix in early May. -SAWARD/SPURRING 13

Giorgio Pantano for Minardi?

GIORGIO Pantano may race for Minardi next season.

The Italian Formula 3000 frontrunner has

w muermajs

. wig

secured major sponsorship in Italy and came close to doing a deal with Jaguar Racing.

Now that the Jaguar drive has gone to Christian Klien,Pantano needs to look elsewhere. Jos Verstappen is believed to have the money needed but is still hoping to get a drive with Jordan while Gimmi Bruni has a Minardi contract but has not yet come up with the money involved. Justin Wilson, who drove for the team this season until moving to Jaguar, appears to have no backing.

The team is shortly due to test yoimgsters Jose Maria Lopez and Heikki Kovalainen, who got their first taste of Formula 1 last week in Barcelona testing for Renault. It is possible that g Renault will buy a seat for one or the other I while the troubled situation in CART may i result in money being liberated to pay for a seat ? in Minardi for a CART driver.

-JOE SAWARD

F4000 to team up with Sports Sedans

PLANS for a stand-alone Formula 4000 series in 2004 have been given the green light after the arrangement was formally ratified

by CAMS last week.

The Gold Star open-wheeler class will run a five-race Championship next year alongside the Australian Sports Sedan Championship. Other categories are still to be confirmed, but MNews understands that the Australian Porsche Drivers Championship and the new onemake series for Toyota Sportivo SP9Rs are considering getting on board.

The series has also signed a deal with AVE that will land two hours

of T\^ coverage on SBS and Foxtel. It will retain the rights to the TV footage, with the aims of making it available to ESPN Star m Asia.

"I suppose the series could be billed as 'Australia's Fastest Racing Cars," said F4000's Chris Hocking.

"Sports Sedans are the fastest tintops, and F4000 are the fastest cars in the country. And we'll have the two of them together."

14

The formation of the stand-alone series also ends Formula 4000s term as a support category to the V8 Supercar Championship.

"AVESCO overshadowed everything with marketing," : Hocking explained."We needed a practical solution where the series runs outside of a marketing organisation. Any marketing that you need, you just can just bring m.

While F4000 is spearheading the new series. Hocking claims that it will not necessarily be treated as the headlining act.

"There will not really be a headliner - we have got to be democratic," he said."There will be a committee with a representative from each manufactuer involved Holden, Toyota, Porsche, plus any others that join m."

The series will kick off at Phillip Island on April 18,and move on to Mallala(May 9), Winton (Jime 6), Oran Park (July 11) and Eastern Creek (August 1).

- MARK GLENDENNING

CARRERA Cup Australia has finalised the 10-round fixture for its 2004 championship series.

New venues on next year's calendar include the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide, Barbagallo in Perth and a non-championship event in New Zealand at Pukekohe.

The championship will also utilise a number of different race formats, with race and qualifying session lengths to be finalised by series organisers in the weeks to come.

"2003 has been an outstanding debut season for Carrera Cup and we don’t intend to rest on our laurels,” said Cup Car Australia CEO Jamie Blakie.

“We will continue to increase the entertainment value of Carrera Cup for the paying public and also increase the involvement of the teams in having to make tactical decisions that will affect their performance.”

2004 Carrera Cup Australia calendar March 5-7 Special Event Australian Grand Prix March 18-21 Round 1 Clipsal 500, Adelaide Eastern Creek Round 2 April 2-4 April 30-May 2 Special Event Pukekohe, New Zealand Round 3 May 21-23 Hidden Valley, Darwin June 11-13 Round 4 Barbagallo, Perth Round 5 July 2-4 Queensland Raceway Round 6 Winton, Victoria July 23-25 Round 7 Betta Electrical 500, Sandown September 10-12 October 7-10 Round 8 Bob Jane T-Marts 1000, Bathurst October 21-24 Round 9 Lexmark Indy 300, Gold Coast Round 10 VIP Petfoods Main Event, Eastern Creek Dec 3-5 * Calendar subject to change DiH< Klynsmilh motorsporl news

NEWS

Lineup at Jordan Firm-ing up

JORDAN seems to be moving towards a driver line-up of Nick Heidfeld and Ralph Firman in 2004.

The team is expected to retain its backing from Benson & Hedges and with Firman on-board, will get more money from the company, which likes to have a British driver on the books. Firman is the favoured driver as he is also useful for the Irish market as the holder of an Irish passport,in addition to having British nationality.

Heidfeld has considerable FI experience but is still keen to take the drive to show the bigger teams that he deser\'es a break. Jordan may also be working on tire idea that having Heidfeld in the team may help the team to negotiate a supply of Mercedes-Benz engines in 2006, when the current deal with Ford expires. It will also help the team to raise money from German sponsors.

The team has recently tested Czech Jaroslav Janis and it may be that Janis will be chosen as the team's third driver in 2004 if he can find backing needed for the job.

The team has undergone a major change in its technical staff in recent

days, with the departure of technical director Henri Durand.

The team has decided on a Technical Management Group which will include John McQuUliam (Cluef

Designer), Nicolo Petrucci(Head of Aerodynamics), Mike Wroe(Head of Electronics), David Williams(Head of Operations) and new recruit James Robinson, who will be tire

head of race and test engineering. taking on some of the role which was previously done by Gary Anderson.

-JOE SAWARD

niexton's BA Promise

Dirk Klynsmith

FF's New Deal FORD Racing Australia has confirmed they will increase their financial and technical support for the Australian Formula Ford Championship in 2004 and beyond.

The announcement will allow Formula Ford organisers to pursue television coverage, which the category did not receive this year.

Ford Australia motorsport operations manager Stephen Kruk says FFord is just one area Ford are boosting their support.

"Our increased support to FFord underlines our commitment to racing in general," he said. "2003 has brought great results on and off the track."

10 Docember 2003

DAVID Thexton has declared that he will be pulling out all stops between now and next March to ensure that the team finds the pace that it lacked during its debut season.

Top of the list is Thexton Motor Sport's new Beehag-built BA,rvhich was expected to arrive at the team's Queensland workshop today (Wednesday).

"We found a little rule that says that we can't go testing until January," said Thexton.

"It's a disappointment, because we're keen to give the new'car a run and we'd kept a test day up our sleeve for that purpose, but now we can't u.se it."

Thexton also expressed his relief that the 103 percent qualifying cut-off, which had been mooted for next year, has been dumped.

"It w'ould have made it a lot harder,and not just for us," he said.

"But we know' what we have to do to

that when you aren't qualifying and aren't racing."

In the meantime,Thexton said that he will also concentrate on setting up the team's new workshop at Yatala, which will have its owm engine room overseen by ex-HRT engine builder Steve Amos. Tlie team will add an extra two personnel in the forms of a fabricator and a shock/chassis engineer,and has also bough a new shock dyno.

- MARK GLENDENNING

make 105 percent and we're confident that we can qualify for 100 percent of the races next year."

The New Zealander ruled out the possibility of putting a yoimger, more experienced driver into the car.

"I'm not in this to put another driver in. I'm in this to develop my ow’n driving," he confirmed."I'm doing the NZ V8 series over the summer to gain experience. They're not V8 Supercars, but they will give me experience at running alongside other competitors. It's a bit hard to get Oirk KIvnsmUh

15

Piquet

by JOE SAWARD

BClTHWeO^.

CARLOS Sainz may reconsider his intention to retire at the end of 2004.

The Spaniard has stated that the announcement was made in fit of anger after he was forced out of Rally GB due to a fire linked to

a TV camera in his Citroen, which caused an accident, wrecking his chances of becoming World Champion.

“I wasn't very happy at that moment,” Sainz said.

“Obviously, with a bit more time

Zukanovik joins Konica drcus

F

.mDfrk Klyiwtiilt

PAUL Cruickshank Racing has confinned its driver line-up for next season's Konica V8 Supercar Series.

Commodore Cup runner Marcus Zukanovik,22, has signed a twoyear deal and with PCR and will join Kevin Mundy,above, in the team's current AU Falcons.

Cruickshardc said that he is pleased to have his driving line-up sorted before Christmas.

"It's great to get this out of the way," he said.

"We could have run a more experienced driver, but Marcus has

a good track record in Commodore Cup.I don't want to put him under too much pressure, but I think he's a good, young prospect."

Following our story from MNews #271,Cruickshank will not purchase the ex-Mark Winterbottom Konica AU. Cruickshank has confirmed he now has first option on one of the Stone Brothers Racing's BA Falcons for 2005.

The Winterbottom Konica car has been bought by Jim Morton and may be raced by Histories stalwart Brad Ulley.

-GRANT ROWLEY

you recover your morale. I am not a politician, when you promise something you have to do it. My passion is to compete in rallying.

What is true is in the last twothree years I have been asked thousands of times when i am going to retire.

“It is clear I will retire soon, but I cannot promise that I will retire next year. It is clear that if I continue, I continue with Citroen. The most important thing is how is my motivation and how is my speed. It is not decided 100 per cent.”

Citroen Sport Director Guy Frequelin confirmed that he had an option on Sainz for 2005. Fie rejected suggestions that the loss of sponsorship from Spanish telecommunications firm Telefonica would affect Citroen adversely in 2004.

JON THOMSON

WILLIAMS has reportedly made an offer to Nelson Piquet Jr for the young Brazilian to be under contract to the team for a five-year period, which could culminate in a full-time job in FI, Piquet, the son of former Williams world champion Nelson Piquet, has been showing well this year in Formula 3 in Britain but is still fairly wild. Williams has tested Piquet and Keke Rosberg's son Nico recently.

Traditionally Williams places all youngsters under an option before allowing them to test for the team, just in case a driver tests well and then is lured away by another team. Few youngsters have any worries about signing a deal with Williams, even if it never leads to a full-time drive.

Walker testing

AS MNews closed for press, Walker Racing was testing four up-and-coming drivers at Sebring International Raceway on Monday.

The team was trialing Toyota Atlantic standouts Ryan Dalziel, Michael Vallante, right, and Jonathan Mach as well as German TImo Glock, a recent winner in the German F3 series.

FM

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moiorsport news

8

NEWS

back to Williams?

Give us cash WITH the Canadian Grand Prix having, apparently, been saved by support from the government, there are now calls from the Toronto and Vancouver Champ Car races to get public money to support their activities. The organiser of the two races says that they have been seriously hurt by the loss of Player's sponsorship. n The organisers of the new Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix have placed advertisements in local media asking families to offer private accommodation for visitors to the inaugural race meeting in 2004.

"We’re looking for people prepared to provide rooms for bed and breakfast," said a spokesman. "This happens at many other FI venues, but it's a new concept for Bahrain." n NTT DoCoMo,the fast-growing Japanese mobile communications provider, has been signed up as a new sponsor by the Mild Seven Renault FI team.

My Daddy's a wace car dwiver: The Piquets, left, and the Rosbergs pose at Jerez before their Williams test.

ansson leaves Johansson It RDRMER Grand Prix driver Stefan Johansson has resigned I as director of American Spirit Team Johansson.

I

^ "Circumstances necessitated my departure from the Ffcompany," said the Swede, who has 103 Grand Prix starts to nis name. » "I want to express my gratitude to the entire team for an incredibly satisfying and exciting year in racing, and I look forward to new and different challenges."

The American Spirit outfit scored its first and only win at the _ Lexmark Indy 300 this year with Ryan Hunter-Reay.

- PHIL MORRIS

n Jim Bowie, the director of team, manufacturer and supplier partnerships of CART, the Champ Car World Series promoter, has quit to take up an offer to become the director of business development of Continental Sports, a sports marketing agency in Atlanta, GA, n The Spanish-organised Superfund Nissan World Series onemake single-seater championship has been dealt an unexpected blow by the withdrawal of the front-running Racing Engineering team. RE won the 2002 series and the final race of the 2003 season, while also clinching its national Formula 3 titles. Team owner Alfonso de Bourbon cited the failure of series promoter RPM Racing to secure a major 2004 TV deal.

ENGINEER

PWR

A new position exists within our Gold Coast-based team for a suitably qualified engineer. Reporting to the Technical Director, the successful applicant would be part of the engineering team responsible for the development and racing of our V8 Supercars.

It is envisaged that the successful applicant would:

Career Opportunity

l Have excellent knowledge of vehicle dynamics l Possess strong computer skills l Have a thorough knowledge of Data Acquisition and Analysis l Have worked in professional motorsport in a similar capacity for a minimum of three years l Have formal qualifications relevant to this role l Work well in a team environment l Be well organized and highly motivated l Be available for travel to all tests and race meetings Applications in writing detailing your experience and qualifications for the position should be marked “Engineering Position” and be addressed to: Technical Director, Stone Brothers Racing Fty Ltd, PO Box 6008, Yatala, OLD 4207 STONC BROTHCRS RRCINO 10 December 2003

RACING

Positions vacant for the following people to join an enthusiastic and talented Level One V8 Supercar team located at Clayton Victoria.

1. Race Car Engineer 2.Race Car Mechanic All applicants will be treated with the strictist confidence.

Personal details and CV to Kees Wheel, kees@kj.com.au or call 0419 646 746 17

Gow’s three-year BTCC deal AUSTRALIAN motorsport executive Alan Gow has signed a new,three-year contract as the series director of the Green Hag MSA British Touring Car Championship.

Gow oversaw the BTCC through the successful Super Touring era of the 1990s,stepped down at the end of 2000,and returned to the post last May.

Four(or more) Opels for 2004

OPEL will operate "at least four" examples of the new V8 racing version of its five-door Vectra Fastback in the 2004 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters series.

Three of the current Astra Coupe racecars will be raced alongside the new models as the German GM brand operates a seven-car program against Audi (back as a factory operation next season) and Mercedes-Benz.

Opel Motorsport has confirmed German driver Manuel Reuter, Scot Peter Dumbreck and Swiss Marcel Fassler to drive three of its cars.

-QUENTIN SPURRING

Smokin io butts oiii

n N'

Winkelhock calls its quits after a 25-year career

GERMAN Touring Car legend Jo Winkelhock has announced his retirement.

The 43-year-old made the announcement at the Essen Motor Show last month. He has been retained

by Opel Motorsport in an 'ambassadorial' role.

After winning the German F3 title in 1988, he progressed to Formula One with AGS the following year, setting a record seven failures to qualify in seven attempts. With no opportunities in F1, he moved into touring cars with BMW,racing in the DTM for three seasons.

In 1993, he moved to Super Touring, winning the BTCC in a BMW 3T8i. The same year, he made his Bathurst debut,taking approximately four laps to learn the Mount Panorama track and finished 15th in a Diet Coke M3 shared with Paul Morris.

He continued to race Super Tourers until 1999, when he moved into the American Le Mans Series.

The same year, he won the Le Mans 24 Hour race with Yannick Dalmas and Pierluigi Martin. Since 2000, he has raced for Opel in the DTM. Throughout his career, he refused to conform with many's idea of what a racing driver should be and a packet of cigarettes were never far away, hence the nickname,'Smokin Jo'... i

Audi back in DTM

Six new A4s in factory-backed squad: but Aiello moves to Opel

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Auf Wiedersehen: Aiello was the man to beat in '02 but now is Opel-bound.

AUDI Sport has confirmed a factory-backed return to the 2004 DTM touring car series with six new A4-shaped cars, to be run by the Abt Sportsline and Joest Racing.

Abt, which has run the 'factoryassisted' privateer Audi team in recent seasons, will be allocated four of the cars, which are now being built

by Audi. These will be driven by Christian Abt, Audi Le Mans whmer Tom Kristensen, Mattias Ekstrom and Martin Tomczyk.

Joest will run two more of Audi's Le Mans winners, Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro.

Meanwhile,former DTM champion Laurent Aiello has sighted a move to Opel after confirming that he has left Abt Sportsline.

Although he managed to beat the AMG Mercedes and Opel Motorsport teams to lift the 2002 title, the French touring car veteran secured only a single victory this season.

"I'm not going to drive for Audi next year and Tm talking to Opel," he said.

"I've been with Audi for the last four years, and now it's time to change."

- QUENTIN SPURRING motorsport news

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Jeremy back to Apnlia APRILIA will run an all-British line-up next season, with Ulsterman Jeremy McWilliams joining Shane 'Shakey'Byrne in the marque's MotoGP squad.

McWilliams,40, has raced for the last two seasons for Kenny Roberts' Proton team. His departure makes the signing of Roberts'son Kurtis (the brother of former world 500 champion Kermy Jr), Kurtis seem a certainty. The younger Roberts, a former AMA Supersport and Formula Xtreme champion, had one

previous season in 250 GP racing as a teenager.

"Tm very happy: coming back to work for Aprilia is like coming back home," said McWilliams.

"1 really look forward to this adventure. 1 will do my best, 1 believe in this project and in its big potential.

It won't be easy at the beginning but I'm sure that this project can give us big satisfactions."

McWilliams had been concerned that the Proton team was about to become a 'tyre orphan', with supplier

Bridgestone having deals with Suzuki and Kawasaki, as well as a single-bike deal with the Pramac Honda team. Aprilia will continue to race on Michelin tyres, despite the departure to Honda of Colin Edwards.

Proton is yet to announce any riders. Among the likely candidates to join Roberts are last year's rider Nobuatsu Aoki, Aussie Garry McCoy, former 250 World Champion Olivier Jacque and Spaniards David de Gea, Gregorio Lavilla and David Garcia.

Suzuki goes Bp AS expected, Suzuki has announced that it will race on Bridgestone tyres in the MotoGP championship next season.

Works racer John Hopkins, left, and factory tester Kosuko Akioshi completed three days testing on their new rubber at the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia last week, the 20-year-old American bettering his best race lap from this year's Malaysian GP.

assTt n I'm yer new man; McWilliams seals bis new deal with Aprilia boss Ivano Beggio, above left, last week.

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motorsDort news

NEWS

Alfa Bravo!

ALFA Romeo is evaluating a return to the DTM touring car series in 2006, with a racecar based on the successor to the 156 model, which is currently raced in the ETCC. n Alfa Romeo has tested no fewer than 13 potential drivers for a projected six-car entry in the 2004 FIA European Touring Car Championship. The factory Autodelta team was at the 1.7-mile Adria

idgestone "1 didn't know what to

expect," said Hopkins, who completed 60 laps in both wet and dry conditions at Sepang.

"So I was pretty pleased to find out the tyres work really good.

"It gives us all a positive feeling to go into the winter break, after doubts about what

DESPITE rumours that Peugeot is struggling to make its new 307 CC World Rally Car competitive, the team's two lead drivers for the

first time Gronholm had driven the

upcoming season have both said they want the new car ahead of the old.

progressive than the 206.1 thought it might be difficult to see (out of), but it is amazing how good visibility you have."

new 307 since August.

"Very good base to start," Loix said. "The car is a bit more

Marcus Gronholm and Freddy Loix both want to compete in the new car at the first opportunity after recent testing.

"It's very positive," Gronholm said. "I'm really happy with how it's going..I hope it will be ready. I think // the 307 win be already very good.

Gronholm made the comments

to expect."

Bridgestone will also supply Kawasaki next season and one of Pramac-Honda's entries.

delays in parts may see the 206 nm in the season opener in Monte Carlo in January instead of the new car.

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of two works Toledo Cupra R racecars in the 2004 British Touring Car Championship, driven by 2001 BTCC champion Jason Plato and 2003 Leon Cupra R one-make British champion Robert Fluff. The cars are now under build in Spain at the Martorell HQ of SEAT Sport, which will provide technical support via its ETCC team. The company is looking closely at fitting the cars with turbodiesel engines.

- QUENTIN SPURRING

-Lx ^

V

I

n SEAT UK will enter a new team

But both drivers agreed that the car needs more development and that more work is needed on reliability.

Peugeot has never identified a launch date for the 307, however on several occasions it has hinted that

after testing the new car in the South of France a fortnight ago. It was the

'eridiart

\

Raceway late this week with a pair of its 2003 title-winning 156 cars. The test squad included single-seater racers Gianni Morbidelli, Enrique Bernoldi, Tarso Marques, Nicolas Minassian, Ricardo Mauricio, Jonathan Cochet, Matteo Grassotto and Toni Vilander.

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21

NEWS

McLaren Tagless

I

The McLaren Group has dropped the TAG' prefix from the names of all its companies, although Mansour Ojjeh's corporation remains as a major shareholder. Its Formula 1 race team is now known as McLaren Racing. It has also formed two new companies, to be based at its HQ in Woking, UK. McLaren Applied Technologies will exploit consumer and customer applications for automotive technologies. McLaren Heritage will be responsible for the exploitation of the company's extensive racing history.

V im

7 THE Ford Motor Company has confirmed that its Aston Martin brand is to return to competition with the creation of a motorsport division to be called Aston Martin Racing.

"Aston Martin is an exclusive brand, but we cannot be exclusive without

n Front-running British Formula 3 championship team Manor Motorsport will switch to the Formula 3 EuroSeries in 2004, as part of its deal with its new engine supplier, Mercedes-Benz.

being visible and motor sport is a way to heighten our profile," says Aston Martin's chief executive Dr Ulrich Bez. "Production-based sports car series are growing in stature with many leading manufacturers returning with their own factory programs. By competing with them we can

n The contractors at the new Bahrain International Circuit at Sakhir are now laying an average of 650 tonnes of asphalt a day. A second layer of asphalt will be laid when all the kerbs and run-off areas have been completed in mid-January, and the final layer in early February.

Approximately 12,000 tonnes of stone will be used in the work, 4000 tonnes of which comes from Wales and the remainder from Malaysia.

-QUENTIN SPURRING

Now and then: Aston Martin will race its DB9, left, the first factory entry since the AMR1 appeared in 1989, right. demonstrate that our cars are not only the best on the road,but also on the racing track. We are keen to see new regulations for 2004 that will allow true production-based sports cars to compete on a level playing field.

The new rules from the Automobile Club de TOuest clearly provide this; we hope other sporting organisations will follow their route and encourage sports car racing to grow in importance and profile."

The company wiU work with Prodrive to design and develop a racing version of the Aston Martin DB9 and the prototypes will be raced towards the end of 2004. Aston Martin racing wUl produce a number of customer cars for sale to individuals and collectors.

Aston Martin Racing will be headed

by Jeremy Main,the company's head of product development.

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SUPERCAR Promotions Ltd has published a provisional 10-event (20-race) UK calendar for its inaugural SCV8 Supercar Championship.

The series for 550bhp V8,reardrive,spaceframe racecars received formal clearance last week by the British ASN,the MSA. SPL HAS hinted that another two manufacturers would shortly endorse its all-new 'silhouette' series alongside Honda (which has agreed to the use of an Accord shaped bodyshell). Jaguar(X type), Peugeot(407) and Vauxhall (Vectra).

SERIES promoter ITR has released a 10-date schedule for its 2004 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters series,featuring three new venues.

New events in Estoril, Portugal, and Brno,in the Czech Republic, will replace Donington Park, England, and the Al-Ring,Austria, as the 'away' races in the German-based DTM series. Cschersleben will replace one of two 2003 race dates at the Nurburgring.

2004 SCV8 SUPERCAR CHAMPIONSHIP Silversto ne 31 May 27 June Snetterton Castle Combe 18 July TBA 01 Aug Silverstone 8 Aug Oulton Park 22 Aug 5 Sept Knockhill (Scotla nd) TBA 19 Sept Croft 3 Oct Brands Hatch 17 Oct 2004 DEUTSCHE TOURENWAGEN MASTERS Hockenheim (D) April 18 May 2 Estoril (P) May 16 Adria (I) June 6 EuroSpeedway (D) June 27 Norisring (D) Aug 1 Nurburgring (D) Cschersleben (D) Aug 8 Zandvoort(NL) Septs Brno (CZ) Sept 19 Cct3 Hockenheim (D) motorsport news

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PINION

Time for Deregi^aUon? c all me old-fashioned, politically incorrect if you like, but my instant reaction as I watched the Skaife/Ingall'Race Rage' confrontation at Eastern Creek happening in front of me was "Yes!" At last, some pure, un media-trained emotion on a race track.

At last, after months of Ten working up some Skaife/Ingall antagonism on its Superstars panel program, some real, unscripted, out-and-out aggro -two motor racing hard-heads, who clearly don't attend each other's house parties, neither prepared to take a backward step.

Bring it on, I say.

As Marcos Ambrose correctly points out in his interview elsewhere In this issue, motor racing in Australia isn't rocked by drug or sex scandals. In fact, the racing Itself Is so heavily constrained by extraordinarily tight driving rules these days that It's in danger of becoming wussy. Yes, wussy.

So the sight of Skaife and Ingall literally butting heads on-track was a rare flashback to an age of far less regulation. When drivers sorted themselves out on track and what happened on the track stayed on the track, as they say.

Ingall is a former winner of the British Formula Ford Festival, as is FI driver Mark Webber. Marcos led it twice, on one occasion taken

out by some young up-start called Jenson Button.

It Is where young hard-heads are trained. They race. Imposition of Australia's driving standard regs would see more cars filing down pit lane on drive-throughs than down the straight on any one lapl

s

0 what's my point? Well, the last thing I'm going to do is bag our race stewards. They don't make the rules - they simply enforce them.

What I will say is that, under a wave of national political correctness in all areas of life in Australia, motorsport has been swept along to the degree where racing, as many will remember it, no longer exists.

Ask Colin Bond, the ex-racer charged with analysing drivers' culpability under the current regimen. Fle'll tell you about the subtle bumps and nudges that were all part and parcel of being a race driver a decade or so ago.

And ask the current Australian F3 international hopeful, who recently confessed to being woefully under-skilled when he headed OS - the first thing he had to learn, he said, was to "move people aside..."

I'm not suggesting that we allow some sort of gladiatorial free-for-all.

But when Greg Murphy finds himself trundling down pit lane for a drive-through after the most inadvertent and minor nudge into the rear of Glenn Seton (and being unfortunate enough to have it caught on TV), you'd have to say there's room for some adjustment.

Some happy medium.

No wonder a dispirited Murph, who wears his emotions for all to see more than most, took no real part in the remainder of that race.

Without 'sponsor obligations' to think about. I'd probably have parked the car in pit lane and gone for a cool drink ...

go where to from Interestingly, the here? rules are, effectively, generated by TEGA or rather its Board - these days.

Until now that has comprised a chairman and four team owners.

FImmm. No wonder they've erred on the conservative side - every bent panel is a cost, you knowl n The introduction of two independent TEGA Board members this month may well provide the impetus to look at issues such as this quite closely and from a different perspective.

Are the driving standards ruies 'strangiing' the racing? is it adverseiy ahecting 1he show'? i think so

W

ri

Motor Mouth with Chris Lambden And while the diatribe above could be said to be a little tonguein-cheek (only a little), there's a big issue for the V8 Supercar category to consider: Are the driving standards rules 'strangling' the racing? Is it adversely affecting 'the show'? I think so. f there was a downside to the huge public airing the Ingall/Skaife stoush got, it was that Marcos Ambrose's championship victory had to share media billing after Eastern Creek, As Marcos himself said, it was all about pressure and who wouldn't crack. Fie and SBR stood up when it really mattered and deserve all the accolades they get.

Flats off to a worthy new Champion.

Making a Klien br

o, now we know. Mark such competitive people. Wiser Jaguar was incapable of running Webber will have men..such as Oliyier Panis know more than one car - something another new team-mate that it is best to get on and work which greatly irritates the team. to deal with in 2004 tpgether and not worry whether Christian Klien (pronounced as one driver is a tenth faster or a in Mr Clean rather than in Klien has anwill advantage in that tenth slower. Circumstances can everyone expect Webber Calvin Klein). He is 20 years make a big difference. to be the quicker of the two and old and comes from a part of Who would have thought, for so, if he does have the speed to Austria that is almost match or beat Mark, he will example, that Webber would have been as far clear of Antonio suddenly become one of the Switzerland and which is only famous for its pretty Pizzonia as he was at Jaguar most sought-after youngsters in when the Brazilian was so Formula 1. countryside and a few cows. It Still, we will have to wait and is not glamorous. highly-regarded by no less an Klien has one whole year of organisation than the Williams see. Klien was unheard of a year international racing behind hinn team? Pizzonia's people say that ago when he emerged from the so logic would suggest that he should not be too much of a problem for Webber to deal with. But then they said that about Kimi Raikkonen as well.

Webber must be alert to the fact that Klien is no fool, even if he does come to Jaguar Racing with a big bag of Red Bull gold in his sack.

In Formula 1, your team-mate is not your 'mate' at all. He is the yardstick by which you are " ' measured. This means that having a cordial relationship with — a team-mate is not always easy, Keeping it Klien: There is talk that Christian Klien might be a big talent for particularly when drivers are Jaguar. Mind you, they thought that about Antonio Pizzonia.

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German Formula Renault series.

He went straight into the new Formula 3 Euroseries with the Mercedes-Benz-backed Mucke Motorsport and after learning the ropes, he began winning races in the mid-season. But he did not win that many: he took his car to three victories while his team mate Markus Winkelhock (the son and nephew of FI-level drivers in the past) won two.

Winkelhock is quick when he wants to be.

But, one way or the other, both men were overshadowed by Australia's Ryan Briscoe in his Prema Powerteam Dallara, who dominated the series, winning eight of the 20 races. In the end, Klien finished runner-up to Briscoe. Doors were opened to Klien in FI circles because he has a big chunk of funding from Red Bull behind him.

Or is there?

The latest we hear in Europe is that the Jaguar will not be smothered in Red Bull stickers as had been thought and that the money involved is not as large as had been thought. But we do

FORMULA ONE

east ofthings hear that there may be an option for Red Bull to buy the team, although continuing to run it as a Ford Motor Company factory operation. Whatever the case.

Jaguar felt that Klien was a good choice both in terms of the financial possibilities and his driving ability.

B

ut, with all those dollar signs around, the question needs to be asked: how good is he?

"Christian was extremely calm, composed and didn't seem remotely fazed by his first ever experience with a Formula 1 car," said Jaguar Racing managingdirector David Pitchforth.

"His technical feedback was excellent and there is no doubt in our minds about the potential of this exciting new young talent.

He worked very well with the race engineers and demonstrated increasing speed as he became familiar with the car.U.hristian's professionalism and brain bandwidth are also yen/ impressive and combined with his application, our decision to employ him as a race driver

was based on merit, potential and speed," Well, he would say that, wouldn't he? That's what they said about Pizzonia ... and Wilson.

What about an independent observer?

Probably the best Formula 1 talent-spotter of all is an Australian based in Europe by the name of Peter Collins who, 10 years ago, was running Team Lotus.

Over the years, PC has championed many causes, not least among them Keke Rosberg, Nigel Mansell, Mika Hakkinen, Johnny Herbert, Alex Zanardi and more recently the likes of Kimi Raikkonen. Collins does not let emotion get in the way of his choices and a lot of FI team bosses listen to what he has to say.

So is Klien any good?

"He is a talented young guy," says Collins. "He's mentally tough and he did a good job in European Formula 3."

Does this make him another Michael Schumacher or a Raikkonen? Collins thinks it is far too early to judge. There are too many variables involved.

Certainly, from iswhere I am sitting, there something very intriguing about the way in which Pizzonia and Justin Wilson looked so hopeless alongside Mark Webber. Is Webber a superhero? He's clearly special, but is he good enough to make drivers who have done so well in the past look second rate? It could well be.

One of the joys of Formula 1 racing is that we never really know what will happen in such situations until they actually

"When n/lichael Schumacher first showed up in FI, most of the paddock had never ready heard of him and were stunned hy what he was ahle to achieve"

The Box Seat with loa Saward happen. Who knows what we will all be thinking three months from now?

When Michael Schumacher first showed up in FI, most of the paddock had never really heard of him and were stunned by what he was able to achieve.

Many thought that Webber would never make it into the big time - how wrong were they?

During the winter months there is little we can do except to ruminate. Testing results never mean much and so, even at this early moment, there is a lot to look forward to in Melbourne when things get underway in just — under three months from now.

it ^

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21

Five minutes with

WarrmlMtl

The Sydney driven has,atlast, tound a tull-h'me V8Supercar seat at Dick Johnsm Racing-alter loMig tor a DJR Kama seat.

PthL BRAIMGAN spoke to Luff about his coming chattenge

MOTORSPORT NEWS: Was this part of any plan when you drove for Dick Johnson Racing in the Konica Series and the endurance races?

WARREN LUFF: No. We were doing some things to take us into the Konica Series with DJR next year but that all changed and we are moving forward to go into the V8 Series next season.

' ^<)hnson

MN: How did it happen?

WL: Obviously, there were a lot of things going on in the background with the team.

They rang me and said,'We need to sit down and have a talk'.

Suddenly, there was a seat in car 18 and it looked like I could get into it.

MN: When did it happen?

WL; I officially signed at the beginning of last week.

MN: When you signed on to do the endurance races, was this remotely in your mind?

WL: Not really. It was always the ultimate goal to end up there but, realistically, when the seat came up for the enduros, it was really just for that.

Then we did the enduros and got talking about Konica for next year and, even, a longer-term thing after that. This came up and we grabbed it.

MN:The team was obviously satisfied with your performance in the endurance races, were you?

WL: I 'm really pretty happy with how I performed and how Steve and I matched up. The results we had in the races were not an indication of how our car speed was for those events.

Unfortunately, the electrical problem we had (at Bathurst) reared its head and cost us, potentially, a good position. We were looking at, maybe, a podium finish.

The team has proven in the last four races of the year that they are 28

\V

We did tile endures and got taiking about Konica for next year and, even,a ionger-term thing after that. This came up and we grabbed it.

It

-Luff on how the DJR deal came up starting to get some good car speed. Luck let us down; we got turned around early at Bathurst and we had the electrical problem at Bathurst. Then Steven lost engines at both Pukekohe and Eastern Creek but Max (Wilson) finished on the podium at Eastern Creek and that is a sign that the team has definitely turned the corner and can achieve more good results next year.

MN: Up until this point, you have been driving 'somebody else's' V8 Supercar. Are you comfortable with the set-up you and Steven were sharing until this point?

WL: We were both pretty happy.

We were alike in terms of set-up and, especially in enduros, you need to have two drivers who can get the best out of the same set-up.

You can't have two guys with completely opposing driving styles.

Steven and I worked well together when we started on car

set-up and we wanted to have the car in the same area. That was a plus for the team.

MN: Now you have the challenge of, maybe, going your own way in that department and overcoming that step.

WL: I do not see that as something to 'overcome'; I see it as an opportunity.

They have said, 'this is now your car and now we have to develop it around your driving style'. I am not worried about that.

MN: Over the last few years, you have driven all sorts of cars in all sorts of races. Was that something deliberate to keep your name out there?

WL: In a way, it was. At the end of the day, there is no substitute for race miles and it does not matter all that much what you are driving.

Even with the one-off drive in the MG, it is all experience, I love driving. I love hopping in a

car and going out to race. It was done to keep me racing but that is what I love doing. If you get an offer to drive different cars, you take it. It makes everything you do easier.

MN: Are you carrying any expectations into next season?

WL: I have personal expectations.

But I am not going in there thinking, 'This is where I expect to finish in the championship', I am going in with an open mind.

I will be giving it 110 percent and focusing my mind on all events in the championship. I just want to do the best that 1 can at each round. I have enough confidence in myself that I can achieve some results.

MN: After your battle with Mark Winterbottom at Bathurst, and his deal with Larkham, I guess there could be a new rivalry.

WL: Mark and I get on really well outside the cars and, when it looked like I was going to do Konicas next year, I was really disappointed that he was not going to be there.

Now, we will be racing against each other again, and that is going to be good for both of us to have a fellow 'rookie' there and see how we stack up. motorsport news

Five minutes with...

avia Besnar

r; M Outata rUe with FPB,Bezzy is Oetemineii to get back hi the game anO stay with the Biue Boat. Be spoke to MABK GLEWBttmie MOTORSPORT NEWS:Was the parting of ways between yourself and FPR something that had been simmering for a while?

DAVID BESNARD: Yeah, over the last five or six weeks I guess, and the outcome was that we agreed to part ways.

Running three cars is so difficult, especially in the first year, but moreso with the way it is with test days and the boom - we'd lose half our test days with three cars. And trying to pit three cars at a time is a nightmare.

There were a couple of other issues there that I don't really want to go into but it wasn't working basically, for either of us. It was better for them to go to two cars and probably better for me to get out of there and move on.

MN:The team put the split down to the difficulties in running three cars, but how hard was it from your perspective? Did you find that you were getting the same sort of deal as the other two?

DB: Well no I wasn't, because I wasn't meant to. And I knew that when I signed the deal. I knew that I was going to get the BA late. And it came slightly later than expected, but that was always a possibility. I didn't have anything in my contract to say that I had to have it by whenever. The deal was that they'd do their best, and it was pretty much on schedule.

So the equipment wasn't equal.

And that can set the ball rolling - it's hard, you're not getting the results, I was trying a bit hard there a couple of times and got myself into a bit of shit...

So we were so far behind, even behind Craig and Glenn because they'd had their things (all year).

We're all slightly different in our driving styles and they'd sorted them out during the year, whereas I hadn't. So I wasn't in the same equipment, and didn't have the experience with it that they had.

MN:You said that even once you got the BA you weren't getting the results that you wanted, but 30

you could argue that Glenn and Craig didn't either. Do you think that the team as a whole fell short of its target this year?

DB: There were some highs for the team. Craig certainly had some good results, and Bathurst was awesome for them. But other than that. I'd say that they expected a little bit more. l We never said that we were going to go out and win races, and I think on one hand, we exceeded what we should have done as a team. On the other hand, the rate of progression has probably taken a little bit too long, and a lot of that is because of our engines. They've let us down a hell of a lot, and Glenn finally had one fail in the last round of the season.

But even/thing should be in place next year, and this gets back to running two cars. It's going to be a lot easier for them, and that they've got more test days because of that.

drivers at some stage of their careers, and if it (racing) didn't work for them, they couldn't put food on the table.

Whereas for David Flint, it's a more corporate way of looking at it. And that can be a plus. You've got the connections, you've got the dollars, and Flint has certainly got the determination to win races. So I can't say whether it's a strength or a weakness or what, but it's certainly very different.

It's quite different working for each of them two, because with one you're working for this huge corporation, and the other you're in a family business. And there is good and bad in that as well. I think Ross and Jimmy have come a long way as far as running the business goes.

They've always had the talent, but it was always a lot more low-key as far as contracts and things go.

I can't say tliat one is better than the other- well, obviously one is at the moment-but as(ar as the way they rim them business,IPs yet to be proven who^ right and who^ wrong"

W

-Bezzy compares Stone Brothers ami Ford Performance Racing

But next year they haven't got any excuses-two-car team, they've got the factory, the resources ... they should hit the ground running.

MN:You're are in a unique position, having been an insider at both Prodrive and SBR over the past couple of years. How do they compare?

DB: Very, very different. I can't say that one is better than the otherwell, obviously one is at the moment - but as far as the way they run their business, it's yet to be proven who's right and who's wrong. Both styles can work.

I admire Ross and Jimmy Stone a hell of a lot, and I guess the biggest different between them and someone like David Flint-and again.

I'm not putting anyone down here, no-one's right or wrong - is that Ross and Jimmy both live and breathe motor racing. They've both been

MN:So where are you going to go?

DB: Don't know. I honestly don't know. It's been a bit difficult because we've left it very late.

We had a few things to sort out with my contract. I didn't want to do the wrong thing and go talking behind Flint's back until we were all sure of what we were doing. So in all honesty, it was only in the last week or so before Eastern Creek that we started sussing out what was going on with the other teams.

I wanted to do all the right things, and I legally couldn't sit down and talk to anyone. So I never got the chance. And a lot of people didn't know what was going on until we announced it that Saturday at Eastern Creek.

We've left it very late, there have probably been some opportunities come and go already before we've even had the chance to talk with

/

some of them. So now it's a matter of looking at what's left and picking the best option. I'm confident that something will come out of it. But it was a tough decision to make to agree to leave the team that I was with, yet I still think it was the right decision.

MN:Do you have a contract with Ford?

DB: Umm ,.. sort of. (laughs). That's a tricky one.

I have a verbal agreement with Ford, and with Floward (Marsden) leaving us and all of that, Stephen Kruk was the man to put the contract together. Fle's been absolutely flat out and no, we haven't signed a deal with Ford yet.

The idea is, and we've all agreed, that that will be the case. Having said that, I have to make sure that there's a Ford team that I can drive for. But I'll do what's right and what's fair there. I want to be loyal to Ford, and if I can I certainly will.

MN: Are you looking beyond Australia?

DB: No, not at this stage. There's a lot to happen yet, and even though it's late in the year, we're in the early process of seeing what's out there.

My first choice is to be with a competitive team in Australia. If nothing came of that for 12 months or so I might look at doing some endurance racing overseas- I've already done a little bit of that. But that's not my priority. I took the risk when I agreed to leave FPR, or when we agreed that it was the best thing. I took that risk knowing, 'shit, we've left it late, and I wonder what's going to come of it?'

Like I say. I'm still fairly confident that I'll have a decent drive. But I was prepared to take that risk, I thought that it was going to be the best thing in the long run, and if worst comes to worst and I've got to look at that (running overseas)for 12 months then I will, I know for sure that I can get a bloody brilliant endurance drive, so I don't think my career will be dead and buried. Like I say, it was just what I chose to do at the time. motorsRort news

Two years ago, Marcos Ambrose vowed that, if he poured on enough pressure, his Hoiden opposition wouid crack. A few days after makinggood on his word, the new V8 Supercar Champion toid CHRIS LAMBDEN about his winning weekend in Sydney, next season and his pian to stop shaving...

They certainly didn't hand me the championship, but they made it a whole lot easier. It's not that they made mistakes - they are both accomplished and highly competent drivers - but I think that the pressure told on all of us. I was just lucky not to make the mistake.

MN:The only glitch, if you like, in your weekend was not getting pole after the all-in shoot-out. Your thoughts on that format?

MA: Clearly, we had the car speed to be on pole. We were fastest in both practices on Friday and had car speed in the races.

If you look at the anomaly and do the numbers, take the first 10 who Q went and then the last 10 who went, I I guarantee that on average the last 10 were a lot faster.

f-

MOTORSPORT NEWS:In the immediate aftermath, you weren't really sure how you were feeling a few days later, has it all sunk in?

MARCOS AMBROSE: It hasn't really sunk in yet. The first, overwhelming sensation, once I knew I'd won, was one of relief, because it meant so much to a lot of people - not just myself. To think that we'd finally managed to achieve it means a huge sigh of relief...

Then there was a sense of pride, for the people who had sacrificed so much to get us over the line.

The third thing, which is starting to surface, although it hasn't sunk in yet, is a sense of personal satisfaction. There's still more to be done. I'm sitting here already thinking about 2004 - how can I do it better? How can I back up the championship?

I think it'll be a few years - 10 maybe - when you'll actually look 32

back and think,'yes, it was an incredible time'.

MN:You've used the word 'pressure' a lot through the year and in the buildup to the final round; the need to not make mistakes. The final round seemed to conform completely to that theory - you had an almost faultless weekend while your two main rivals both tripped up ...

MA: Dead right. It's funny, when I first came into the category and started to get inconsistent results, I could put Mark Skaife and HRT under pressure for a lap or two, but not a whole race.

The first thing I realised was that we had to catch them and put them under pressure. When the pressure's on, they start making mistakes. I said it ages ago and ... it's come true. Eastern Creek was a high-pressure situation between the three of us.

MN:So, do we take that as a 'no' in terms of driver view of the extended shoot-out?

MA; No,not really. I quite like the idea of everyone doing single-lap qualifying, but they have to look carefully at the format. Qualifying is such an important part of winning V8 Supercar races - you have to start at or near the front and I think the fans enjoy seeing the fastest drivers starting together, at the front.

They understand that it's a fight; a fight for drivers' pride.

MN:So running it in reverse championship order,for example, would be okay.

MA;Yes, or if there was a qualifying session beforehand to filter the fastest to the front, so there isn't a random draw. That's

all.

I won the Pole Award this year, a highly sought-after prize. Would the person who had the fastest car

win it next year if there was a random draw for the shoot-out at every race? I don't think so.

Look,I'm here for the fans, I'm here for the series to draw people in. We're a spectacle, we're a show, but I hope we don't actually lose the purity of what we've got here proper racing. It really is proper racing, compared with a lot of categories around the world.

MN;Goihg back to the subject of pressure, how do you cope with it, coming into and through a crucial weekend like that, both physically and mentally?

MA:It was suggested in some areas that, perhaps, I was choking; that we were trying our best to lose the championship. So I wanted to bounce back at Eastern Creek to show that I was as hard as steel and that I could handle the pressure, because it's one of the things 1 pride myself on.

I try to be fairly roimded. I don't get too excited; I don't get too low I'm quite a balanced guy.

So I wanted to show that and to win the championship in style, which is what we did.

Having said that, over he few days since. I've been running on auto-pilot. I haven't had a lot of steam in the belly. It did take a lot out of me.

MN:So, you just concentrate on staying as level as you can, emotionally. You don't have any particular routine for blanking out all the external stuff that's going on?

MA:That's a little part of it.

Everybody's an individual and what works for me doesn't necessarily work for the other 30odd drivers out there. I know what I need to do, and so I just try to

moiorsport news

U8 SUPERGARS

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Four Play: Ambrose vowed to peel the number 1 off Mark Skaife's Holden Racing Team Commodore after taking the ATCC title at Eastern Creek. and we did.

We tried to rekindle the sharp car that we had, because we'd lost some car speed and some balance and direction. We looked at everything and said 'let's start again'.

1 wanted to win it in style; not look like we had been gifted it. That was my motivation.

settle down and not get carried away when I put the race helmet on.

I can be upset, angry, happy, whatever, before 1 put the helmet on, but once 1 do, everything changes and 1 just try to go back to basics and do what 1 know best.

When I was sitting on the grid for the start of the first race, 1 was just saying to myself'do what you know. Don't do something that you haven't done before. Just stick to the basics. And that's exactly what 1

MN: Were you aware, in the last race, of the drama going on with your team-mate and Mark Skaife?

MA: No. 1 had no idea. 1 was

did.

MN: Do you find that your basic calmness rubs off on those around you?

MA: Somewhat. Everybody has their job to do and 1 can't control everybody's emotions. You take pressure off them in other ways for example, an eight second buffer before your first pit-stop takes a lot of pressure off. By doing a good job, by showing that you're in control, other people will feel that they are in control as well.

Our stops have been excellent this year and 1 think that part of the reason is that we've been able to show we are under some control, and we just have to do what we've done in practice, in testing.

1 don't call myself a motivator or a leader. I'm just part of a team.

However, being the one out on the track, I am some sort of figurehead

24 Decemher 2003

“We don't go in there and have a hig team huddle and clap, or scream and yell, or high-tive each other. Ifs not done like thar' - Ambrose on how SBR goes about its business and with that comes the responsibility to do the right thing for the crew and to work with them and to make it all work, because it is a team effort.

So, I'm a professional driver. I don't try to change people's attitudes and feelings. We don't go in there and have a big team huddle and clap, or scream and yell, or high-five each other. It's not done like that.

MN:During the three races or so preceding the final round,little problems became bigger problems and the results just weren't there to tie the championship up earlier.

What was it that actually got it all back together for you?

MA: We went back to basics and we went testing on the previous Monday, which was very important for us. We had one day left up our sleeve,just in case we needed it...

actually coming onto the front straight and 1 saw a red car slide through the dirt - obviously when Mark Skaife was hitting the wall. I had no idea until 1 came around that it was Mark Skaife and 1 had no idea what had caused him to get there!

In fact I actually stayed up late on Sunday night just to see the incident for the first time.

MN: Do you have a view on it?

MA: Not really. All I'll say is that I can understand how these things happen. Two guys who are highly passionate, highly motivated, highly skilled, who have a history together. They've had a lot of races together and some drama,and I can understand how,sometimes.

continued on page 34 33

continued from page 33 passion can get in the way of common sense.

1 can't help but think that the whole thing has been blown totally out of perspective. When you look at it in comparison with other things which have happened in the past, in other categories around the world, and in other sports, it's not like they were punching each other - like on a football field.

Both drivers have apologised for their actions, because it wasn't good sportsmanship and we pride ourselves, our championship does, on being a healthy sport. We don't have drug scandals, we don't have sex scandals - we just have good, hard, solid racing. It doesn't help us when we get two days of national TV accusing us of road rage. It doesn't work very well...

MN: Was there any flicker of emotion as you reached the crucial lap 32 point in the second race?

Did it affect your concentration? _MA: I was actually waiting for the radio call and to hear the popping of champagne corks, but the boys waited until I asked, which was lap 34, so the moment had really gone.

They hadn't really wanted to tell me as 1 was pressing on and they thought 1 might lose the plot if I knew I'd won the championship.

It actually did the opposite. Once they confirmed it, 1 freed up a lot, my body relaxed, and I just enjoyed it. We actually set the fastest lap of the race around that time. Just shows - you can slow the car up by being tight and nervous.

MN: Campbell Little. He has been an integral part of SBR and its path toward success. While SBR is clearly well geared to cover anyone's absence, do you think that the rumours, negotiations etc over his departure played their part in that lull in performances prior to Eastern Creek?

MA: Campbell was a great asset to

"Leadership comes from the top and Ross and Jimmy are they don't mean to he, hut they are -incredible motivators, just by their sheer desire to be the best racing team out there rf

MN:SBR remains one of the few 'family business'teams,if you like, compared with the increasing number of less-personalised, action-man teams. The crew seems to see that as one of SBR's strengths. Your comments?

MA: No doubt. Leadership comes from the top and Ross and Jimmy are - they don't mean to be, but they are - incredible motivators,just by their sheer desire to be the best racing team out there. They've put everything on the line to achieve it.

We've had, until recently, a relatively high turnover of people because they know they can't match up to the expectations that Ross and t Jimmy expect of everyone. We've 1 had a natural filtering system that's I come just by the dedication of Ross and Jimmy and everyone else that follows them.

We have a tight-knit team, there's no doubt about it, and it's been one of the key elements to our success.

When you get a big team, with people who don't really know each

our team and will be sorely missed.

I believe Campbell tried his very best, right up imtil the day that he told Ross that he was going to take up options to move on with his life, so I don't think it played any part in our form slump.

He tried his very best, right up to the last day.

'V'-

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MN: Of all the rounds in the championship (and it doesn't have to be a win), which was the most satisfying for you?

MA: The last round,because we were under a lot of pressure to perform and there was a lot at stake.

It came down to the very last race and we held our heads high and we delivered, when others failed.

We might have had all that success through the year - eight wins out of 13, more poles, more fastest laps - which is great, but when the pressure was really on, we stood up. That's the proudest moment of my career. Not just of this year, of my whole life.

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U8 SUPERCARS other, it just doesn't work as well as a coherent combination of guys who work for the one purpose.

There's always going to be people who move on, who have things in their lives that need to be looked at, and they'll chase their dreams and aspirations. You can't hold people back.

I live on motivation. If I (ail to have the motivation or desire, I won't do well"

That's what was so good about Ross and Jimmy when Campbell decided he was going to move on.

Not only did they say 'yep Campbell, go do what you want to do,' they thanked him for everything.

As a driver, sometimes when you're having a few days off to recharge your brain cells, you ring up the workshop and they're still bashing away. You think 'gee, these guys just can't do enough.'

One of the things I think Ross and Jimmy do need to do,sometimes, is switch off and try and recharge their ^ batteries too. It is such a long year.

I Now we've won the 5 championship, we should consolidate, streamline what we've got. They might just get a bit more time off.

Any team,including SBR,is going to have issues, areas to clean up. But when we've won races and championships, and have issues which we know about and which we can clean up, we're only going to be stronger next year ...

MN:On a personal note, this marks the achievement of a goal.

Have you had a chance to think about the next one?

From 11 to 1: Ambrose had a quiet start to the season, with an 11th in the opening round of the championship in Adelaide, below, and 17th at Phillip Island for 13th o overall after two rounds. But from ^ there, he tore his way up through I the points table to seal his first s- crown.

MA: Not really. I want the championship to sink in before I look at any options or alternatives in my life and racing life.

I live on motivation. If I fail to have the motivation or desire, I won't do well.

When I stop racing, I want to do it at the top. If I choose to change direction in terms of my motorsport path, then I want to leave at the right time. All these things. I'm not saying anything right now,apart from the fact that I really want to

enjoy 2003 and what has happened and, hopefully, in 2004, be a good Champion.

I understand those responsibilities and want to be a good champion and enjoy the number 1 on the side of the car.

MN: At the prizegiving dinner, you especially mentioned that your whole family was there and how much it meant to you. In these modern days, of separated parents, step parents etc, it's sometimes not easy, but it seemed to mean a lot to you.

MA;You can win all the races, championships, you can do your job 9-5, but at the end of the day, for me,it's all about family and the people around you.

We've had some difficulties around the family this year - health issues and problems like that - and, really, it brought it home to me this year that winning things is great, but you've got to have happy people around you, and make sure that the family that looked after me, supported everyone.

That's why it was important for me to have everyone there. I wanted to let them know that I'm there for them just as much as they are for me.

MN:For the first time, SBR is shutting down for a month. What are you doing?

MA:I've got a good plan. I'm going to grow a beard! Grow a beard, wear some thongs, and throw the dog in the back of the truck.

We're (Marcos and girlfriend Sonja) going to drive down to Tassie, spend a couple of weeks there, then drive back via inland Australia and try and have a beer in every pub we come across without driving if we shouldn't, of course.

We're going to take our time and enjoy Australia for everything that it is, because we spend so much time on planes, city to city, track to track, that you just don't get to see real Australians.

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24 December 2003

35

THe NASCAR Way Drivers giving other drivers the fist?

Fines and suspensions for off-track behaviour? In the USA, NASCAR does it bigger and better than you can imagine.

PHIL MORRIS reports

A

NYONE who might spend more time watching Winston Cup racing than its Australian equivalent might look at the Skaife/Ingall incident from last week and mutter two words;"Ain't nothin'."

By the standards of the week-in, week-out, race to the last inch world of NASCAR,what happened at Eastern Creek was tame. The penalties and fines handed out were, in USA-speak,'Butkus'.

Let's take a look at some of the recent stoushes among the Good OT Boys. Last year at Richmond,Ricky Rudd'tapped Kevin Harvick into a handy wall in the final laps and, when Rudd's car appeared on pit road after the race, all hell broke loose. Harvick threw a piece of pit equipment at Rudd while members of his crew attacked Rudd's car. leaving dents in the roof and the hood.

NASCAR suspended two of Harvick's crew and handed out US$62,500 in fines, including $35,000 to Harvick himself-for bad language. Earlier in the season, Harvick was forced to sit out the Cup race at Martinsville after being suspended for rough driving in the previous day's Craftsman Truck Series race.

But, as they say, that ain't nuthin.

At Indy's Brickyard 400,Jimmy Spencer and Kurt Busch were involved in a late-race fracas which

saw Spencer's Dodge spear Busch's Ford into the Turn 3 wall. Busch hopped out of his car and, when Spencer appeared on the next lap, he found his adversary waiting for him in the middle of the track, waving his arms.

Busch later called Spencer "a decrepit old has-been" and said the crash was like "standing in a boxing ring and having a heavyweight knock you upside the head."

Oh yes; at Virginia in August, Spencer punched Busch in the face after another run-in. Spencer was suspended for a race arid fined $25,000; officials said that the penalty would have been greater but for the race that Busch, at least in part, provoked the violence.

What the hell is going on in NASCAR? Nuthin'. The world's must successful racing series has been, largely, built on on-track rivalries that, sometimes,spilled off the track.

For generations, a little bit of biffo has been a part of the series' culture.

The first look many viewers had of NASCAR racing came after the 1979 Daytona 500 when Cale Yarborough and Bobby and Donnie Allison had a public fight. That brawl featured Bobby holding Yarborough down and hitting him with his helmet. It happened to come in the first NASCAR race televised live by CBS and prompted,in part, the massive increase in viewer interest in the

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So, can we be fined for this? Harvick, left, and Stewart are getting familiar with reaching for the chequebook and paying for their indiscretions. series across the USA and led to the billion dollar business that is NASCAR today.

"They still show it," Bobby Allison said recently."NASCAR said,'Oh, we don't like that,' while they (secretly) smiled and said,'Yeah, but it sold another 10,000 tickets today and, ha, ha, ha,it's going to sell 10,000 more tomorrow.' They recognised that it was a great benefit."

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But, it was always so.

"I'd say it's pretty mild compared to what it used to be," says H.A. 'Humpy'Wheeler, President of Lowe's Motor Speedway.

"They're not using tyre irons, and women aren't throwing pocketbooks (handbags). The pit crews are bigger and stronger, but they tend to do more shoving than actual hitting. So far, Jimmy's the only guy who has a good,straight right hand."

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INSIGHT

All I want for Christmas is your head: Spencer, left, and Busch are building one of NASCAR's great rivalries. They are not even pretending to be friendly ...

Wheeler was referring to the common practice of drivers actually carrying tyre irons in their cars, in case there was a brawl after a race.

When Richard Childress raced in the 1960s, he routinely carried iron in the car himself. As a team owner, things are different now; after the Rudd/Harvick battle, Childress apologised for the behaviour of his pit crew and offered to pay the Wood Brothers for the damage to Rudd's car. But he maintained that his driver had every right to be angry at Rudd.

"Emotions can run high, and that is part of what fuels a driver's and crew's desire to be the best," Childress said."Sometimes, though, in the heat of battle, those emotions can get the best of you, and things happen that you regret later.

"While I understand the emotions of our pit crew, the action they took

was tmcalled for.

"I want to say, however, that I understand and support Kevin Harvick's feelings for wanting to have a few words with Ricky Rudd after the race. Kevin knows the mistakes he made,and I'm sure he

does not usually cover the sport has an upside. NASCAR officials publicly decry such incidents but what do they think when they are behind closed doors?

"You know they've got to be sitting back in their offices, rubbing

You know they've got to be sitting back in their offices, rubbing their hands, smiling and saying,'OK,let's tine those boys- and isn't this wonderful!

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- NASCAR TV analyst Benny Parsons on NASCAR’s view would do some things different if he had to do it over again. But I stand behind him because I've been in the same situation as a driver."

Incidents between drivers may be distasteful but, as ever, the exposure that the clashes get in the media that

their hands,smUing and saying,'OK, let's fine those boys -and isn't this wonderful!'"said former driver and TV broadcaster Beimy Parsons.

The leading drivers in the sport are now all aware of the corporate responsibilities that they carry. Jeff

Gordon and Tony Stewart have high public profiles but while, recent divorce matters notwithstanding, Gordon is seen in the same saintly light as golfer Tiger Woods,even someone as popular as Stewart can be fined over prmching out a photographer (he was further sanctioned by sponsor Home Depot).

Despite that, he retains his following among the fans.

There is somedring to be said about the 'good versus evil' rivalry in racing. It is nothing new;it is just that, in this politically-correct world, incidents stand out when they happen.

NASCAR is not like it is in days gone past. No-one carries tyre irons any more. But, as recent events have shown,despite all the money, the sponsors and the millions of fans watching, the fire still burns.

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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 24 December 2003

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37

OPINION

The Fans have their say

In the 10 year history of MNews, we have never seen anything like the reaction to the Eastern Creek Russell Ingall/Mark Skaife incident. Here is a selection ofsome of the letters we received; they have been edited only for reasons ofspace

Mark ignored trackside officials directions, had a pathetic dummyspit but worse of all, manhandled SBR team owner Ross Stone.

A star has fallen and I actually cannot believe the silence from the officials over said manhandling and also for fining Ingall in a manner that indicated that he was the worst offender in the whole incident.

John Gray jjgtd@idx.com.au

Mark Skaife's performance after the Ingall incident is laughable when you consider that not long earlier, he shoved Craig Lowndes aside to gain position and then has the utter gall to call someone else's driving standards into question.

This is a regular and intentional part of Skaife's arsenal and one that he uses quite regularly. It is a completely cowardly passing manoeuvre and shows that he isn't capable of racing anyone fairly.

Geordie Pugh Brisbane QLD

swerve at him was just unbelievable!

It was unsafe and just downright bullshit. He should have been properly penalised for it.

Owen Hoivden ojhowdeii64@bigpond.com Russel Ingall. Who is this guy? A serious contender for jerk of the series? The Enforcer is just a short man with a big mouth who can't come to terms with the fact he's not the full package and doesn't measure up to the likes of Skaife, Murphy,Perkins or Ambrose.

When he's not griping about 'once a year racers, he's bitchin' about something else or just driving like a brat.

Errol Johnson errolj70@lwtmail.com Ingall was not fighting for position, as he had yet to make his second stop. Ambrose had wrapped up the title, even if he DNFd.There was

highlighted by what Mark said post-race, being that Mark has been in this sport for about 15 years and this was the worst incident he's been involved in. Now that speaks volumes. Also as Mark said,if it was any other sport, Russell would be out for a year(and rightly so), but why do we get the feeling he'll get away with it?

Jane Alexander, Belinda Allis and Jacki Wamock skaifey@iprimus.com.au How the hell can I explain to my son that Skaife wasn't threatening violence and that Ingall didn't deliberately punt Skaife off the track and even more deliberately aim his car at him? How can I explain that this is wrong behaviour when these drivers are his heroes?

Those two people are not bigger than the sport and have tarnished it beyond repair. Stuff the suspended sentence they should be banned for

I have not been a Russell Ingall fan throughout the years but anyone who can piss Skaifey off that much deserves a second chance.

I won't comment on the point and swerve,I reckon the punishment fitted the crime (silly boys). But the original incident could have been avoided if a red car had taken some racing room (3/4 of the track on his side was vacant). But as usual in racing, the red mist overrides common sense.

Brian Gibson Port Kembla NSW I used to think Ingall was good for the sport but now I would like to see him put out to pasture as his stupidity was way over the top.

Mark Skaife was also very stupid in standing on the side of the track, as he did, but he was obviously very upset and disappointed for the team in not getting second in the championship.

Bob McGuirk Bob.McGuirk@getronics.com I don't tliink Skaife did the right thing by going to the edge of the track after being punted by Ingall. I understand how frustrated he must have been.

But for Ingall to deliberately 38

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absolutely no excuse for what IngaU did, in putting Skaife into the wall.

Luckily, Skaife didn't hit head on, or else he could have been seriously hurt.

As an absolute minimum.Ingall should be made to sit out the first Championship race in 2004.

Jason Priddle breezehomeloans@hypennax.net.au We cannot believe that even Russell Ingall could stoop so low.

Sure, we know he has never been the fairest, most sportsmanlike driver, but last week's escapade was unbelievable, even for him.

What a dirty, ridiculous and appalling thing to do.

The gravity of Russell's actions is

half of next season so neither can possibly win the championship and they should have a much greater fine to pay.

And as for Skaife putting his name forward for the TEGA board, what a joke...

Dave Stenhouse daves75@hotmail.com This letter is to show my disgust at Russell Ingall's driving display in the final V8 round. I certainly hope that both Stone Brothers and Caltex distance themselves from that car at that round and I sincerely hope he wasn't following team orders.

Anybody that intentionally aims a racing car at another competitor should be suspended for 12 months

and on their return should only be able to compete in minor catergories.

Charlene Murray East Ipswich QLD At Eastern Creek,I watched HRT allow the Ambrose to go throught their pit bay. Just a few laps later, I watched in horror as Ingall took out Skaife and then swerve at a man oon the side of the road. If someone was to try to run over someone in the street, he would be on a police charge.

In my books,Skaife has stepped up the Australian ladder but IngaU has lost all credibility.

A.Viel Casino NSW Has God returned in the guise of Russell Ingall?

He intentionally drives a fellow competitor into the wall at Ipswich.

Penalty - a meagre fine.

He intentionally drives into the back of Greg Murphy in Adelaide, spinning him out. Penalty - a few points lost.

He intentionally drives into the side of Mark Skaife,spinning him into the wall. Then drives his car straight at Mark Skaife, who was protesting on the side of the track.

Penalty - another meagre fine and suspended 3 race ban.

Clearly Russell Ingall is more perfect than any mere mortal by the indescretions he perpetrates and the lack of any just punishment by officials or are those officials in the pocket of a four letter word car company?

Barnes Family tiffntel@bigpond.com

I was disgusted with the Ingall/Skaife incident at Eastern Creek. I don't follow motor racing much,but this incident got a lot of mainstream media interest, which is not good for our young P platers who look at these guys as 'professionals'.

Skaife's behaviour on the side of the race track and in pit lane was embarrasing. Ingall's behaviour inside his race car was dangerous but entertaining, which in different ways is good and bad for your sport.

Derrick White Castle Hill NSW

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made it to the Japanese GP back in October, after deciding that IACQUES lidn't wantVilleneuve to race. Keen never to take a break, he disappeared into a black hole of silence, spending much of his time with girlfriend Ellie in Copenhagen.

But now Jacques is finally ready to talk, about the way things unfolded at BAR, why he missed that last race, and above all, what his future options might be. And after holding back, he now has much to say. Our meeting point is Switzerland, or to be more precise, the attractive house of his manager Craig Pollock in Villars.

Jacques himself lives a few chalets away from Craig, while David Coulthard has a place in a neighbouring village. Villeneuve is keen to stress that he still wants to race, although he has had his fill of the gossip and intrigue that surrounds the sport.

"The thing is I love driving," he explains. "I don't need the paddock, so it's never a question of,'Do I go back to El or not?' It's,'Is the price of going back in the paddock worth it or not?' If all I want to do is drive I can build a go-kart track and call my friends and have a lot of fun. That I can do. There's still a lot I can achieve in FI,so it's a shame."

Villeneuve's decision not to contest the Japanese GP generated all sorts of 40

speculation, not least because the man himself was not in a position to explain his actions to the media. In his absence, David Richards insisted that the Canadian had opted out because his heart wasn't in it, and in essence that turns out to be correct.

But there's a little more to it than that.

"What was going through my mind was that I had nothing to do there, that's all. There was a big lack of respect, and that's not something that I wanted to deal with. I played the game,I tried to be nice and make an effort and whatever, and all I had in front of me was big smiles, and 'Yes, yes.'

drive/1 would have driven. But when there was a discussion of driving or not driving it was,'OK, fine, if that's how much you want me to drive,screw that. You can start working on next year.' If there hadn't been a lack of respect, there would never have been a problem."

But why didn't he head to Suzuka really motivated and in a mood to show everybody he could do a good

job?

"Motivated for what? I worked

hard for five years, every day. But coming from one area of the team there was always some negative energy, trying to bring you down and make you feel like an idiot and

\\

Suddenly it was,'By the way, all we said was big lies just to keep you going to the end of the year.' With this kind of lack of respect, there was no point in going there" - Villeneuve on why he left BAR

"And suddenly it was,'By the way, all we said was big lies just to keep you going to the end of the year.'

With this kind of lack of respect, there was no point in going there. It was the first time that I didn't want to be driving. I was much happier to not be there than to drive half heartedly.

"If I'd been told,'You have to

you're not worth anything. I can take that, but then to be Ued straight to your face, with a big smile,'You can trust me, we will get something worked out together,' when it's already planned for a year that someone else is driving ... Why should I go out and risk my life and work hard for someone I do not respect,someone I do not want to

work with,someone I don't want to be near to, someone I don't want to shake hands with?

"I've always been a man of principles, so nobody should be surprised that I didn't go to the last race."

Jacques remains downbeat about the possibility of racing next season, altlrough Pollock implies that imtil the few remaining seats are filled, anything might happen. After five years of struggle it's hard to see either Jaguar or Jordan having much appeal to the 1997 World Champion, although he doesn't rule out a future outside the big four.

"Craig wants me to drive at any cost. I don't. That's the difference. I only want to drive if I'm going to be happy driving. It doesn't necessarily mean a team that will win,because there's no opportunity there. It means being with people that want you to drive for them, people who think that you can bring something special to the team,and will respect you for that, and we can all work together on the same plan. Notjust some hype.

"That's what will make the difference. If I can get that feeling, I might get tempted. I don't want to do it halfway, because I know how much energy it takes, how much training I do. I don't want to do it unless I know I'm going to be happy. I would do it again if it was like the first three

moiorsport news

INTERVIEW

Out of Luck Since Jacques Villeneuve walked out of Grand Prix racing in Japan, there have been a thousand questions about the former world champion.

ADAM COOPER spoke to Villeneuve about his split with BAR-Honda, what he really thinks of the team and its boss David Richards and what he plans to do in the future years of BAR -1 wouldn't do it if it was like the last two. Never."

A few weeks ago came the surprising news that Jacques had called McLaren about a testing role.

Pollock insists that the contact was initiated by Adrian Newey, with whom Villeneuve worked at Williams in 1996. At first Jacques is a little reticent on the subject, but pressed a little further, he admits that there was some talk about testing, although one presumes it would only have happened if Alex Wurz had moved on.

"There was some discussion, but there doesn't seem to be interest from the team anyway,so there's no point pushing that. We didn't talk enough to get into details. The only reason I would have been interested in doing tlrat would be to drive again and try and remember what a good car is supposed to be. That's aU." Another unexpected story emerged when it was suggested that Jacques was looking for a sponsor to take to Jaguar.

"That's nonsense. If it's tire only reason I'm wanted somewhere, then no way. Why would I do that? I won't be a pay driver. If all they're looking for is a pay driver, it's already the wrong attitude. That means you're not wanted for what you can bring to the team on the work side. They don't care. If it's just a business. I'm not interested in it.

"I will not prostitute myself. I never have and I never wUl. I wiU not be on my knees just to drive in FI, just be part of the paddock. If I'm wanted,it's because of my qualities."

Logic suggests that his best strategy would be to wait for top seats to become available at the end of 2004. Williams will certainly have a vacancy, but Jacques doesn't think

24 December 2003

he has a chance.

"Listen, if I wasn't on their list for next year, why would I be on it for 2005? There were rumours at one point that Montoya wasn't going to be there in 2004, and there was no excitement about me maybe replacing him. Why should there be for 2005?"

At Suzuka, Patrick Head had some good things to say about Villeneuve, but he also suggested that the Canadian had made hard work of wirming the 1997 title, and hadn't helped himself by routinely doing his own thing on set-up. Jacques wasn't impressed.

"Once everybody starts talking negatively, then everybody ends up doing it. That's human nature. I was a little bit surprised with Patrick's comments. Frentzen did everything Patrick wanted,and it destroyed him.

We always tried what Patrick wanted,and we ended up going our way,and it always went better. So I don't see how I made it difficult, because we ended up wirming. What else can you do?"

If McLaren and Williams are unlikely future homes, then what about the Villeneuve name returning to Ferrari? Should Michael Schumacher retire in the next year or two, most of the obvious qualified candidates might be committed elsewhere. Jacques would be a dream ticket for the sponsors and the tifosi who have to face up to life after Schumacher. As long ago as 1992, he told me that he was unimpressed by the mystique of Maranello and he still has a typically pragmatic view.

"The problem is that when Michael stops, Ferrari goes down. All the

continued on page 42

41

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trust or respect any more. A team needs leadership, and there was none after that. We still worked as hard as we could, but there were little groups instead of having leadership pushing everybody in the same direction."

Nevertheless, he has no regrets about his initial decision to join Craig in the BAR adventure.

"No. Of course if I'd stayed with one of the top teams I would have had much more results and

people that came with him will go, or will not be interested and excited. It doesn't matter how good a driver you put there, I think the team will lose some spirit for a while. It's a great team,a huge team,but if the team has just won four championships in a row, and you go in a year where they've lost heart a little bit, it all falls on your shoulders, it's all your fault."

Is there any realistic chance of a decent seat opening up,even for '05?

"I don't see it..."

ultimately even more money,but I followed my heart, and I always

So where else would Jacques look?

Pollock owns a Champcar team, but there has been no serious consideration of placing Jacques in it.

And he has no interest in the IRL. "I know I'm a risk taker, I know I push to the limit, and that means you're dead. IRL is not for me is because the only way I can do a job like this is by pushing to the limit and taking risks, and you can't do that in IRL. Look at how many people got hurt. I know that I will get hurt,so there's no point.

"I might look at NASCAR, actually. That would be a different challenge and fun. And there at least if you achieve something, you're respected. Nobody then tries to bring you down.In Europe you do something, people like you, and then suddenly it's,'Now we can bring him down,let's-do it.' And that makes tliem feel bigger, because they've brought someone down who's achieved something. In the States it's the otlrer way around."

As you might by now suspect, Jacques feels that his chances of finding another FI seat have been compromised by what happened at BAR. He says that other teams are loathe to touch him.

"We had discussions long enough to make me understand there was no point talking, and understand it was, 'We would rather have someone come out of Formula Ford and pay him, than have you for free' type of thing.

"Somehow someone managed to get the paddock to believe that I didn't like to test, I had no work ethic, I didn't do PR,I was a pain in the neck, and so on. That's what everybody ended up believing. So there was a highly negative feeling throughout the whole paddock and through the teams. They're completely misled on that. If they can open up their mind a little bit and look around and talk witli the right people, then they'll find out that I'm a hard worker and a team player."

Inevitably he traces his problems back to the end of 2001, when Pollock was ousted from the role of BAR team principal, and David Richards took over.

"The team didn't have any spirit or 42

have. I followed a dream.

"I'm very happy to have done the first three years, because even though we didn't get the results, we were all together, working on the same things, fighting with the same plan. When the team changed there was still a big group of people - mechanics, engineers - still working on that one plan. But then they had a few people completely destroying the team. It just looked to me as if some of them spend their careers destroying whoever they work with so they

Somehow someone

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paddock to believe that I didn't like to test, i had no work ethic, I didn't do PR,I was a pain in the neck, and so on. That's what everybody ended rr up believing Read the body language: From the moment David Richards ousted Villeneuve's manager Craig Pollock and took over the reins at BAR-Honda it was obvious that Jacques was not happy. This is how the two appeared for the first time in public at the launch of the 2002 car, below.

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could be better. I'm paying the price for not playing political games,for not bending on my knees and being weak and saying,'You're the new sunshine.'"

Jacques agrees that some folk seem to have forgotten that without him, the team would not even have existed. The ViUeneuve name was essential to British American Tobacco's plans.

"What you have to understand is that I signed very early for BAR the first year, and I was told if you don't sign in the next week, this team will not exist. That was just when some other top teams wanted to have discussions. I didn't even play one team against another to get more money. I didn't care. OK,fine. I'll risk my whole career on this. And I did.

"To then have David join the team and spit on all that, it's a little bit difficult. Some people say it's a big business, that's the way it is. No,it isn't, not the way this thing started.

It's human beings and it's trust and respect. And if you don't have that, then you shouldn't be part of that team."

And for Jacques, that is what this whole saga is about. He might be perceived by some as a spoiled kid who's had his toys taken away,but take a closer look, and you'll see a man of strong principles who feels that others in the sport are rather less straightforward and honest. It might now seem obvious that Sato was going to race in '04, but clearly Jacques and Craig were given reason to believe that they still had a chance.

Certainly elements of BAT appeared to be on his side.

"Yeah,I trusted and believed in some people, and in the end they ended up being weak. I reaUy don't know what happened. It was obvious there was already a big plan in place, and I was just being played along all the way. I would have been very happy if in May it had been said, 'Listen, next year's it's Sato, let's just try and do a good year.' Fine, that's straightforward and it's respectful.

That was the plan and I was told the opposite until it was done, too late.

And the way it was handled was a huge lack of respect."

You might not change your opinion on Villeneuve the person, but don't forget Villeneuve the ballsy race driver. I'm not just talking about those long ago battles with Schumacher when he usually had the better package; don't forget those awesome first qualifying performances in Melbourne and Magny-Cours just this year.

Perhaps Toyota will take a punt for '05, or maybe Pollock will engineer a takeover of Jordan and set another dream team m motion. If not, what will Jacques do witli the rest of his life?

"Make babies! I don't know. I haven't decided I'm not driving. motorsport news

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Mwnlng The m Most of Formula One’s most influential figures are household names, but lurking in the background is a German whose company shapes the sport- literally.

MARK GLENDENNING spoke to Grand Prix circuit designer Hermann Tilke

MOTORSPORT NEWS:Given your schedule,I'm surprised that you find any time to fit in things like racing at the Bathurst 24 Hour.

HERMANN TILKE: Yes!(chuckles).

MN:How many races do you manage to do in a season?

HT: Just some endurance races. I did the Nurburgring this year, the 24 Hour at tlie Nurburgring. And now this (the Bathurst 24 Hour). Last year I was here and it was fantastic, and I wanted to be here again.

MN:How did you hear about last year's race?

HT:I had heard (about the track), and I was invited by a friend, Ross Palmer. I was invited over so I did the race, and it was a really fantastic thing.

So all this year,I have been thinking about how to make it over for the race again.

MN;Moving on to your'day job'.

how do you get started in something like circuit designing? Was it something you wanted to do right from the start, or did you fall into it?

HT: No,it did not happen by accident. I drove in races from when I was 18(in the ETCC- Ed)and after that I studied.

When I finished studying I worked as an engineer, and a short time later I founded my own company. Then I wanted to do something at a racetrack, so I tried hard to get some jobs, first at the Nurburgring, because it's close to my home town,Aachen.

And I succeeded there -1 was only doing very small things ... I was paid 600 German Marks for my first job.

MN: What was the job?

HT: It was a little change to a service road.

MN:That's a small beginning ...

HT: A very small beginning. But from there it all developed,so from there L did more and more at the

Nurburgring, and the next jobs were at some other, non-permanent tracks.

Then I did the Sachsenring, the motorcycle circuit, then the A1 Ring, and so on. From there it just builds.

Now,we have worked on at least 27 tracks. Not only doing the big things, but also working on smaller changes elsewhere and so on.

H'

I*?";

MN:How many of the Formula One tracks have you worked on now?

HT:I don't know! Let's count..-. it is Malaysia,it is Shanghai,it is Bahrain, A1 Ring, Nurburgring, Hockenheim, some work on Barcelona and also Monza.

MN:You have effectively became the first point of contact for just about anyone in the world who wants to get a circuit up and running - what do you do that is different?

HT: It's just experience,I think. To , design a circuit is a very hard, complicated thing, because you have

so many functions to combine.

For this, you need the experience, you need the experience to know all the different events. The circuits are not only Formula One circuits, we work on other events. And in Formula One you have a lot of different interests. You have the media, you have the teams, you have the driver, you have the VIPs. And it goes on and on.

So you have a lot of different interests, and you have to bring everything together.

MN:Plus you have to deal with the physical constraints of where you ate working; the topography and so on...

HT: Yes. And then you have the track itself. So I think we make less mistakes,because we are experienced.

44

motorsDort news

tune

Man with a plan: Tilke, right, has already worked on a number of current Formula One circuits, and another two will be added to his portfolio when Shanghai, left, and Bahrain, above, join the circus in 2004.

MN: Well, designing circuits and infrastructure is something you can only learn by doing it, I suppose.

You can't really go out and practice.

HT: That's right.

MN:So what are the processes involved? If I come to you and say, 'right, I want to build a Grand Prix circuit in my backyard', how does it all begin?

HT: To start with. I'd come in with some engineers and we'd look very carefully at the site.

continued on page 48 10 December 2003

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are some months when vve are

We would look at things like, how

working with 150 people.

the traffic would come in. What the

MN: Is it all done on computer?

elevation of the site is, the

topography. Where the good soil is, and where the bad soil is. What is the

main wind direction? And lot's of

things like that. How the site is

configured against the sun. A lot of things.

And then we collect aU this

information, and we can start. It's

never a white sheet of paper, never, because everywhere you go you have restrictions, you have things which

you need to take into account. So it's never a white sheet of paper.

So then we start in a team, and

what happens Is that the first design that we come up with will be gone, and we change all of it again.

MN: I suppose you have to juggle a lot of people who want to have input, too. If it was an FI track, you'd have the FIA, you'd have race

organisers ... how do you deal with all of that?

HT: No, the first sketches are done by hand. And then it goes into the computer, and no more is done by hand after that.

MN: You said before that you never start with a completely blank sheet, but was Sepang the closest you came to having one?

HT: Well there was Sachsenring. And

most of the A1 irng, too. It's on the

same place as the old circuit, hut it is ^ a new circuit.

1C

MN: Logistically, how do your projects at Bahrain and Shanghai

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compare? What kind of environments are you dealing with?

HT: At Bahrain, the ground is limestone, which is very hard. It's

sand compressed over thousands of years - you can't just go in and excavate it, you have to blast it, and that takes a long time.

difficult. It's just part of the job.

But it is good because it pnnides a very stable foundation upon which you can build the track.

MN: So how many people from

Shanghai is the opposite. It's very soft, swampy soil that is sometimes

HT: It's difficult! (laughs). It's very

your company would be involved with the design of the circuit?

up to 300m deep. So the whole track

HT: My company has 120 employed engineers and architects.

each pile is behveen 40 and 80 metres

But sometimes we are working with more than this 120, because we

stands on 14,000 concrete piles, and deep.

But you can't just build straight onto the piles, because it would bo too heavy and they would sink. So we filled it up with polystyrene. It comes in Imxlmx2m blocks, and is

up to 14m high in some parts of the Question; What has 14,000

concrete piles, 350,000 blocks of polystyrene, and is build on a

track.

We bought 350,000 cubic metres of polystyrene to complete the job. The

circuit. The soft soil in the area

entire Asian polystyrene market was emptied for two years!

The techriology comes from

created some serious logistical challenges for Tilke's team.

railroads through fjords.

swamp?

Answer: Shanghai's Grand Prix

Norway - they use it there to build ■otorspert newt

FORMULA ONE

MN:Is it harder to do that than to make extensive modifications to a new circuit?

HT: You have some advantages and some disadvantages. It's just different.

MN: When you are revising an existing circuit, I suppose you are always going to be exposed to criticisms from people who will say that the old track was better. How do you respond to that?

HT: What .shall 1 sav about this? You have so many things to take into account while designing.

There are so many restrictions in the area that you get, you ha\ e so many other things. And at the end, it has to create goctd racas, interesting races.

Tlie most important thing is that it has to be good for spectators, and the second is that it has to be good for the drivers (laughs).

But you cannot keep looking back.

W HmiXk 7WJ

L The old days are the old days, and now we have other things to think about,things like safety and so on.

If you take a modem track and put the guard rails right on the edge of the road,it looks different. People say,'woah, what's that?' It's just not possible.

MN:It's interesting that when there is a boring race, people often blame the circuit.

HT: Yes. And sometimes it is because of the track.

However the track can be really interesting, but if the fastest driver is up at the front then we to see what the other drivers can do (to make the race interesting).

MN:If there's a common feature of the newer FI tracks, it is that they are relatively flat. Why is that?

Taking shape: Tilke is responsible for the buildings and infrastructre within the circuit precinct as well as the track layout itself. This structure will be the main pit building and media area at Shanghai HT: It's just because of where we have to build them.

Having really flat circuits is not our ideal -1 like to have some hills.

Shanghai is very, very flat, but we have built some small hills into the track - artificial ones.

They are not very big, because it would not fit in with the surrounding environment, and would not be possible on that soil.

MN:Is there a common idea or philosophy behind your circuits?

Something that makes them stand out as a Tilke circuit?

HT: No. Each project is different.

MN:Do you have a personal

favourite section of any of your circuits?

HT: Tile .Nordschleife on the Nurburgring (laughs). That's from the old days. But no favourites from the tracks that 1 ha\'e drawn.

MN:Finally, as someone who knows a thing or two about circuits, what do you think of Bathurst?

HT: Oh, it'.s ... here is like the old days. It's verv' good, very nice. It's really nice to drive.

For a touring car it is OK,but you could never race a Formula car here. .

It's too dangerous. But for touring | cars, it's OK.

It has a good atmosphere. I| like it very much - that's why 1 am here!

I 49

n/lan Three men went to Eastern Creek with hopes of becoming the 2003 V8 Supercar Champion - but Mark Skaife and Greg Murphy couid oniy watch as Marcos Ambrose became Ford's first Championship winner in six years.

MARK GLENDENNING detaiis the action from a dramatic weekend in Sydney

S you are reading this, somebody at the Stone Brothers workshop is opening a package that arrived with the morning's mail.

Tlie postmark on the envelope shows that it comes from somewhere near Clayton in Melbourne,and inside are some stickers with the number one on them,freshly peeled from the door of a Commodore,and a note that simply says,'Handle With Care'.

At Eastern Creek, Marcos Ambrose delivered on the promise first implied when he took pole position in his debut V8 Supercar outing at the Grand Prix back in 2001 by earning himself. Stone Brothers Racing and Ford the titles of Champion.

Three drivers went into the final roimd of 2003 with a shot at taking the title, but circumstance rendered both of Ambrose's rivals anonymous for the weekend. The result was a timely return to form for the Tasmanian and his team after a quiet couple of rounds,and an appropriate way to cap off a season in which they have clearly been the best outfit on the circuit.

It is also a result tliat will be wellreceived along pitlane. Ambrose comes as close as anyone to enjoying universal respect amongst the drivers, and nobody,HRT included, would begrudge Ross and Jimmy Stone's claim to the throne. The brothers Stone belong to the dwindling group of team owners who go racing for racing's sake - it's as natural to them as eating, breatliing and occasionally sleeping.'

Even back when the purse was getting a bit light, the Stones would 50

keep turning up to the track because it simply wouldn't have occurred to them not to.

On the other side, HRT's long standing rule was ended in just about the most humiliating circumstances .possible, with the Red Empire picking their last outing as reigning champions to have one of their most disastrous rounds in recent memory.

And in terms of drama, HRT's woes were just the tip of the iceberg at AVESCO's inaugural Main Event.

It wasn't the greatest racing you'll ever see -it never is at Eastern Creek - but as a piece of theatre it was just about impossible to surpass. Quite appropriate, considering Tony Cochrane's business interests outside V8 Supercars ...

Race 1(39 laps)

A

nd then there were two. Skaife went into the weekend requiring a minor miracle to keep #1 on the side of his car for 2004.

By the time the first race was five seconds old, he virtually needed the entire field to be taken out by a lightning bolt. Sitting on the grid ' awaiting the start, Skaife's car crept, appeared to stop, and then took off at the light. Almost immediately, the stewards declared a jumped start, and Skaife trundled into pitlane at the end of the second lap to serve a drive-through. He rejoined 30th.

"The car was moving," admitted Skaife. "I thought I'd stopped it, but it's hard to gauge that because it(the straight) is downhill. But the idea behind the regulations is to stop you from getting a net gain, and I obviously didn't because Marcos was right behind me."

Indeed he was. Ambrose had made a perfect getaway to go from fourth to second off the line, and inherited the lead when Skaife was diverted to atone for his sins. With a clear track ahead and a near-perfect car xmdemeath him,Marcos simply drove away,eventually taking the win by a massive 16s.

Skaife, meanwhile,set about the task of recovering from his penalty,. eventually working his way up to a creditable eighth.

But over in Kmart country, things were rapidly turning ugly. Murph had climbed to sixth before making his first stop, but a miniscule clang with Glenn Seton on lap 16 led to the Kiwi being invited in for a drivethrough penalty, effectively dealing the death blow to the final small obstacle tliat stood between Ambrose and the history books. Murphy rejoined 26th, but the wind was out of the 2003 Bathurst winner's sails

I

continued on page 54 moiorsRort news

V8 SUPERCARS

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Adding injury to insult: After winning Race 1, above, Ambrose had one hand on the trophy and sealed the deal 24 hours later, left. Murphy, right, could only watch Race 2 unfold after a back injury forced him out of the Sunday race. Skaife iras doing some waiting of his own, below, after his controversial clash with Ingall.

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51

Qualifying

Everybody gets All drivers at Eastern Creek 'made'the Shoot-out, hut the order in which they ran was determined by the fans drawing numbers out of a barrel... By MARK GLENDENNING

M

ARK Skaife went into the weekend with an outside shot at retaining the Championship, but was relying heavily on a disaster befalling Ambrose to make it all happen.

HRT did its bit by giving Skaife a fast car, however SBR ruined the plan by giving something even better to Marcos, who went out and stuck the #4 Pirtek BA on top of the timesheets, just ahead of Skaife, in both of Friday's practice sessions.

But for Ambrose's main threat, things were looking less rosy.

Greg Murphy and Kmart Racing had struck a wellspring of lateseason form to put them in the plum position to pinch the title from under SBR's nose should anything go wrong in the final round. But the team's hopes took a dive when it unloaded the #51 Commodore and found that it was doing pretty much everything wrong.

"We have a serious balance problem," grimaced Murph after the second session.

"We certainly weren't expecting the car to be quite as bloody slow as it is. We'd be making wholesale changes (to the set-up)- if we knew what to wholesale change ..."

The net result was that Murphy was languishing 0.7s off the leaders by the end of proceedings on Friday - not an encouraging sign in a series that frequently sees the top 20 covered by 1 .Os. Jason Bright was an ominous third fastest in the #50 Team Brock VX at the end of the day after losing the entire morning session to a battery problem.

Elsewhere, Jamie Whincup was making the most of his first run in a VY by going quicker than team leader Garth Tander in both practice sessions, with GT battling handling problems as well as being one of many drivers struggling to find grip.

"We chucked the race tyres on it and it turned from an oversteering dog to an understeering dog," Tander shrugged.

52

I

/ won Quallotto!

Skaife turned in one of the best single laps of the season to snare pole, above, while Larkham qualified a strong 11th in his final Shoot-out, right. fr

's first session dawned Saturday bright and early, but for once the drivers wore their civvies into battle instead of their racesuits.

One of the new initiatives introduced for the first AVESCOpromoted race was a full-field shootout, with the running order decided by competition winners drawing lots on behalf of each driver. And by the time the last envelope was plucked from the barrel, it was declared that Anthony Tratt would be the first man onto the track, Tantalisingly, Murphy and Ambrose would go out one after the other in the 13th and 14th slots, while the #1 car would have to wait until 23 molorsport news

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V8 SUPERCARS

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Hulkamania: Screen star and long-time DJR fan Eric Bana was on hand to chew the fat with Ford Racing's Steve Kruk, above.

Round 13, Dick Johnson Racing, S. Johnson 1 vote: Junior, right, waits for his name to be called so he can find out his Shoot-out starting position. cars had set their times before its turn came.

Paul Weel set the early pace with a 1m34.1635s, and held it until Cameron McConville lowered the bar a little with a 1 m33.9347s. This was enough to keep Russell Ingall at bay, but not enough to pose a problem to David Besnard, who found all of his time in a superb final sector to take the top spot by 0.1s.

Murphy was next, and strung together a superb opening two splits only to lose it all in the final sector and wind up third-fastest with a lot of quick cars still to come - as was underlined by Ambrose, who slipped gracefully around the circuit 0.7583s faster than anyone else.

Not long after however. Bright proved the #4 Falcon to be mortal by going to PI with a 1 m33.0504s, but it was his former team-mate who finally sealed the argument. Fastest first sector, fastest second sector, fastest third sector, and Skaife was on pole by a massive 0.4286s after navigating 3.43km of western Sydney in 1m32.4870s.

10 December 2003

Todd Kelly did his part to secure an all-red front row by going second quickest in the #2 HRTVY, ahead of Bright, Ambrose, Craig Lowndes, and Max Wilson. Murphy, meanwhile, was faced with the prospect of starting way back in the seventh row - cue some glum faces around the Kmart Racing garage - and one of the guys ahead of him was Mark Larkham. Having announced that this would be his last outing as a full-time throttle jockey, Larko found a little bit of magic in both himself and the rapidlybecoming-antiquated Orrcon Racing AD to wind up 11thfastest.

Elsewhere, Thexton Motor Sport continued to do what they have done for much of the year and packed up early after David Thexton again failed to make the cut. And this time, NSW Sports Sedan driver David Krause was ready to rub salt into Thecko's wounds by making the field in a one-off drive at the wheel of the old Lansvale Racing VX, which had inherited the number 24 for the weekend.

5

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'Pas Ho Drlier 1 Mark Skaife 2 2 Todd Kelly 3 50 Jason Bright 4 Marcos Ambrose 6 Craig Lowndes 18 Max Wilson 7 11 Steven Richards |8 5 GlennSeton 9 65 Paul Radisich MO 7 David Besnard 11 10 Mark Larkham 1 12 17 Steven Johnson 13 3 Cameron McConville rM 51 Greg Murphy 15 34 Garth Tander lie 15 Rick Kelly 17 31 Steve Ellery 1 18 9 Russell Ingall 19 16 Paul Weel I 20 44 Simon Wills 21 20 Jason Bargwanna 22 45 Jason Richards 23 888 John Bowe I 24 33 Jamie Whincup 25 8 Paul Dumbrell I 26 66 Dean Canto 27 021 Craig Baird I 28 29 Paul Morris 29 23 MarkNoske [30 21 Brad Jones 31 24 David Krause [32 75 AnthonyTratt 33 99 David Thexton

Time Team/Bar 1m32;4870s Holden Racing Team Commodore VY 1m32.9156s Holden Racing Team Commodore VY 1m33.0504s Team Brock Commodore VX lm33,0745sl Pirtek SBR Falcon BA i;m33:1-26fs, Ford Performance Racinq FalconVBA 1m33.2579s Shell Helix Racing Falcon BA ;im33.7456s Gastrol Perkins Commodore VY Ford Performance Racing Falcon BA 1m33.7854s| 1m33.7924s Betta Electrical Triple 8 Falcon BA 1m33.8328s| Ford Performance Racing Falcon BA lm33.9154s Orrcon Racing Falcon AU lm33.9302s Shell Helix Racing Falcon BA 1m33.9327s Lansvale Smash Repairs Commodore VX 1m33.9559s| K-Mart Racing Team Commodore VY 1m33.9586s Repco Valvoline Cummins Commodore VY lm33.9787s K-Mart Racing Team Commodore VX 1m34.0187s Super Cheap Auto Racing Falcon BA Caltex Havoline Race Team Falcon BA 1m34.0489s| Team Brock Commodore VX Tm34.1635s World Industries/Team Dynamik Commodore VY 1m34.2596s| Orrcon Racinq Falcon BA infcetj&ijigSia i:,lm34.2635s World Industries/Team Dynamik Commodore VY 1m34.3314s =.1m34.4242s QzEmail Racing Falcon BA 1m34.6032s| Repco Valvoline Cummins Commodore VY 1m34.6134s Castrol Perkins Commodore VX n lm34.7008s Betta Electrical Triple 8 Falcon BA ■ . --^ ->1m34.7687s Team Kiwi Commodore VX _■ 1m34.8456s Sirromet Life, Style, Wine Commodore VY 1m34.9141s INXS Team Ford Falcon AU lm35.0176s OzEmail Racing Falcon BA Im35.9353s Romano Racing Commodore VX , Toll Racing Falcon BA 1m36.1515s| 1m37.2094s Thexton Motor Racing Falcon AU

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continued from page 50 and he was still languishing in 24th when the race finished.

Completing a rough afternoon for Kmart,Rick Kelly was also flagged into the pits for tluimping a FPR Barra, the victim in this case being David Besnard, who was making his final appearance with the team.

Bright and the Team Brock posse played their cards just about perfectly to get the #50 car across the line in second place, underlining the basic speed that the car had shown on Friday afternoon. Todd followed a further 7.0s down the road after understeering onto the dirt and dropping some time while scrapping with Bright for second.

Ambient temperatures were high throughout Saturday, and the sweltering conditions led to several

drivers finishing the race a little worse for wear. Jason Richards was one of a handful whose coolsuits failed to work("When they do that it's actually worse than when you're not wearing one at all- the water inside them starts to boil," the Kiwi explained), while Cameron McConviUe made the mistake of going out without one at all. Cam, who was already battling a nasty flu, was feeling second-hand before the race even started; by the end of it, he was knackered. In light of that, 11th was a superb result for the Lansvale team on home turf.

Only two cars failed to find the finish line, with Simon Wills being smacked out of the race in a threeway bingle on the opening lap that holed the Dynamik machine's radiator, and David Krause parking the second 'Lansvale'car on lap eight.

I did so well, I'm going: What turned out to be Max Wilson's last weekend with DJR started well, a Race 1 fifth, above. backed up with third on Sunday.

^^phawest

Them wacky Kiwis: Jason Richards bore the 'humour'of his team after his Pukekohe rollover, left.

Dirk Klyn

Race 2(64 laps)

A

fter such a brilliant season, the V8 Supercar show deserved more than to have a red flag, rather than a chequer, pull the final curtain

down on 2003. Given what else happened during the category's last race for the year though,it was also fitting that things should end so bizarrely.

The disasters that befell Skaife and Murphy in Saturday's race brought a somewhat anti-climactic ending to the Championship showdown, with Ambrose waking up on Sunday knowing that he didn't even need to go the full distance in the race to seal the deal.

But there were further twists to come yet, and the first struck before the race even started. Just as the

continued on page 56

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Home and Aw... Aw... ACHOOl Cam McConviUe battled with the .

10 December 2003

lurgy all weekend but still drove hard in the Lansvale Commodore VX, left.

55

U8 SUPERCARS

It pays to

pick up the phone

THERE have been plenty of opportunities to watch David Thexton pack up early this year, and the final round was no exception. f n But there’was a difference at Eastern Creek. Not only was Thexton shaded by the .regulars, he was also comfortably sent packing by a Sports Sedan driver. l The Creek was not David Krause's V8 Supercar debut - he joined Christian , D'Agostin in the Imrie Commodore at Bathurst last year. But his total seat time in continued from page 55 bizarre pre-race entertainment (which included the haka, two Chinese dragons, a bagpipe band, and the nasally guy who lost Australian Idol) was winding down, word filtered through that Murphy would not be starting the race.

A handbrake turn during the VB Challenge earlier in the day had aggravated an old back injury,

V8s is still sufficiently small to make Thexton look like a seasoned veteran by comparison.

Krause was assigned the task of steering the #24 car for the weekend in an effort by the Romanos to fulfill their franchise requirements. Lansvale Racing offered their old car for the purpose - a VT converted to a VX, let's not forget - and Krause took it straight out of the truck and lapped 2.0s faster than Thexton's AU. "It was a real last-minute thing," said

rendering Murph capable of doing little more than lying flat on his back.

At the time, it seemed that this would force Murph to surrender second in the Championship to Skaife, but an incident during the race would later prove that on that count,luck was on Murphy's side...

o

n to the race, and Ambrose was again in front at the end of the first lap.

Krause. The I came from Wally (Storey) out of the blue in the middle of the week. and here I am!

"I thought my racing was over for the year - you don't get an opportunity like this very often."

The car did not last beyond the opening laps of the first race, but its demise was not Krause's fault - and his performance left the driver of the white #99 Falcon with even more explaining to do - MARK GLENDENNIIMG

A couple of hours later he was still there, having motored his way serenely to the championship as all heU broke loose around him.

Technically, Marcos won the title on lap 32, when he completed half of the scheduled distance -enough to ensure that he be classified as a finisher, and thus stamp out any little embers of hope that Skaife may have had left.

Skaife's downfall did come at the

' V,--

The always slippery Turn 1: After Steve Johnson lost an engine in Race 2, Turn 1 became a suck-it-and-see proposition. Paul Weel and Steve Ellery found the Helix on the track at the worst possible time.

56

}

hands of SBR,but it was #9, not #4, that brought it about. The out-going champion had clambered up to fourth when he caught Russell Ingall, who had been running in the top order for must of the weekend. The Commodore hounded the Falcon until lap 42 when Skaife pounced to the inside of Ingall at turn 9 ... and what followed was merely proof that no matter how hard Hollywood tries, real life will always be more bizarre.

Skaife hung Ingall to the outside of the track, the pair made contact on the exit to the corner, Skaife slammed into the wall and Ingall motored serenely on.

But when Ingall came back around on his next lap (which took longer than usual, as he made his tyre pitstop along the way),Skaife was stiU standing on the side of the track waiting for him. The surreal sight of Skaife standing on the verge of the circuit going mildly ballistic at the Caltex Havoline Barra was surpassed only by IngaU's reaction; swerving briefly towards his antagonist before continuing on. Both received a colourful assortment of penalties for their actions, however it is hard to think that people are going to stop talking about the incident any time soon.(For a full account of the Skaife/Ingall controversy, see news pages). continued on page 58 moiorsport news

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and in a blink had cut all of the power to the circuit, wiping out all the timing and data monitors as well as commentary and lighting. The first drops of rain followed two laps later, and less than two minutes later most of the circuit was an inch under water.

continued from page 56

could not drop what turned out to be a 'negative' score, which handed Murphy the title rurmer-up crown that he had seemingly relinquished by failing to make the start.

The Skaife/Ingall clash was the sort of incident that elevates

Skaife's demise ended HRT's interest in the race, with Todd having been parked earlier witli a broken power steering bracket. In effect, after his points penalty Eastern Creek became Skaife's worst round, but he

particular events to the rank of

infamy, but incredibly, die Gods of Chaos where only just starting.

Dark clouds had been gathering over the circuit for some time, and the first clap of thunder was heard on lap 49. Moments later, every screen in the place went black. Lightning had struck a nearby power substation.

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The majority of the field made it in for wet shoes on the same lap, however the ocean of standing water at the start of the straight sent both Wills and Besnard into a long and graceful aquaplane past the grandstand. This was bad news for

continued on page 60

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It was THIS WET: When the skies open in Sydney they bloody well open. Paul Morris, left, was hung out on the track on slicks when Besnard and Wills aquaplaned off the straight. above, and blocked the entry to the pits, which were already flooded, above right. Under the circumstances. The Dude did a good job to stay on the track.

That Audi has logged some miles: For the third race this season, the race finished early because of the conditions, right.

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S9

continued from page 58 Paul Morris, who had hauled his Sirromet VY mto a strong position only to find the pitlane entry blocked by two skiing Supercars. The Dude was obliged to dog-paddle around for another long, hard and slow lap on slicks, killing his chances of a good result.

The Safety Car gathered up the field, but the race was clearly a lost a cause and the red flag waved with a handful of the scheduled laps still to run. ●f.

Following Ambrose across the line Race 1 (37 laps) was Bright, who salvaged the Pos Driver Race time Fastest lap On weekend for Team Brock after WeeTs - vAmbtosg^ 1h02m463944s #1m34.1055s race was ruined when he found 2 Bright lh03m0Z2338s lm34.4078s 24 1h03m095246s lm342066s 26 some oil dumped by Steve Johnson 4 S. Richards 1h03m23.5811s lm34.4399s 8 at turn one. Steve Ellery hit the same l|5w.»Wilson>_.,1h03ni27.8909s Im34.7921s 15 slippery patch moments after Weel 6 Lowndes Ih03m28.4562s lin35.3581s 4 did and came excruciatingly close to 1h03m28.8032s 1m34.1838s 4 7a»SI(afai ending his season in the wall.

Morris Ih03m36.4147s lm35.1858s 15 '"It is pretty satisfying to finish off ||.9iMBarqwanna1h03m40.4239s lm34.7534s 16 10 McConville 1h03m43.1942s lm34.5094s 7 on a high note," smiled Bright. "Well kBqBieaM,lhB3ni49.6437s jt liT|34.4135S;:;..5 done to Marcos and all the guys at 12 Radisich Ih03m521548s lrn34.9406s 11 Stone Brothers, they've been the class L-13aiSmneupBi 11l03m53.4954s l^1iti34J075s 28 || of the field this year. I'd like to think 14 J. Richards Ih03m55.0824s lm34.9237s that we'll head into next year in a l5a»Eamor»«f Ih03m55.5030s liti34.8759s much better situation - we'll both 16 Jones Ih03m56.1240s lm34.9596s H>t7jiNosliB»~,« lhD3m57.1303s rjii^:69488',.,27 || have VYs, and I think that if we can 18 Seton Ih03m58.3606s lm34.7046s 11 get the right support, we can really .19.—Laitliam.. Ih04m04.5519s jJiB|35.6820s 25 take it to them."

20 Johnson Ih04ml0.3140s lm35.1328s 19 While it was a frustrating l^li—Dumbfea^ Ih04mlli934s z^liri35.0931s weekend for Johnson Jr, the other . 22 Tander lh04ml 1.4433s lm34.6165s 12 l l23akJ(l.urBhVi. ' Ih04ml4.8313s a1m34.977.ls 15 DJR car was flying. After a series of 24 Elleiv 1h04ml5.0156s lm35.0480s 22 encouraging rounds for the 25gwBafallyg>< Ih04m19.8090s lin34.7778s 16 diminutive Brazilian, Max Wilson 26 Baird 38 laps 1rn35.5177s 13 Im36.0158s h27salatt!

I finally nailed his name to the podium by taking third place in 28 Besnard 38 laps lm34.8913s 11 1in352324s DNF Krause 8 laps lm36.9209s 4 DNF Wills 1m36.7373s 2 DNS Thexton

a

a

I Race 2 (57 laps) ■IsMAmbrose 1h47m59.1941s #1m33.9705s 36 2 Bright Ih47m59.7106s 1m34.4833s 41 I.- Wilson - j Ih48m02.2716s lm34.7463s 38 4 Lowndes Ih48m05.5484s 1m35.5260s 38 ..Tander , Ih48in063801s lnii35.9520s 35 6 Bargwanna 1h48m06,8639s lm35.9373s 35 Radisich Ih48m083474s lm353093s 39 8 McConville Ih48m08.9536s lm35,5492s 41 Canto Ih48m09.8587s 1m34.6552s 36 10 R. Kelly lh48mll.3311s 1m34.8666s 6 11 Besnard 1h48ml27165s 1m34.8327s 24 M2 Dumbrell Ih48ml6.2378s lm36.3385s 18 13 Noske Ih48m17.7454s lm353639s 36 14 Bowe 1h48ml9.0343s lm34.1960s 8 15 Whincup 1h48ml9.7378s 1m35.2997s 35 16 S. Richards Ih48m20.6188s lm34.8170s 40 17 Tratt lh48m21.1612sJm35B®5s 41 1 18 Jones Ih48m22.0496s 1m34.8705s 35 19 Morris 1h49m25.6393s lm35.6821s 37 20 Baird 56 laps 1m35.6614s 38 21 J. Richards 561aps . _1in35.7603s , 39 22 Wills 56 laps lm35.1886s 12 54laps ljn3435as 35 DNF Larkham 54laps 1m36.1109s 38 42 laps lm35.4463s 35 ll DNF Skaife 41 laps lm35.2902s 37 DNF Seton 36laps lm363837s 25 DNF Johnson 24 laps lm36.3396s 7 lOlaps lm35.6459s 3 DNF I Kelly I DNS Murphy r DNS Krause DNS Thexton EXC Ingall

V8SCS13 E CREEK

60

Still smiling: Craig Lowndes stayed cool in all the chaos around and was fourth overall with 6-4 finishes. He finished fifth in the championship. what would prove to be his last outing with the team before suiting up in Triple 8 colours next year.

"It's a great feeUng, especially at the last round of the year," said Wilson. "My car was really competitive for the whole weekend. I couldn't match Marcos or Jason, but my car was good so I am really happy for myself and for the Shell Helix crew. They've been working really hard this year."

Lowndes was classified fourth ahead of Tander, Jason Bargwarma, Paul Radisich and McConviUe.

AVESCO were hoping that the inaugural Main Event would be something to remember, and that it was - although not necessarily for the reasons that everyone was expecting. But those that were not washed away in the downpour saw the crowing of a driver and team who deserve all the accolades they get, and more, for the way that they have conducted their 2003 campaign.

It's too early yet to know whether this is the dawning of a new era but the stage is set for an enthralling 2004.

Hands up: At the end of Race 2 Ingall returns 'to scale' accompanied by his bodyguards, er, Stone Brothers Racing crew.

>■

3 5

A glorious end to a great year: Please, no complaints...

Final Championship points (adjusted): Ambrose 2085, Murphy 1983, Skaife 1817, Bright 1770, Lowndes 1756, S. Richards 1709, Ingali 1701, R. Kelly 1675, T. Kelly 1628, Radisich 1618, Bowe 1478, Tander 1470, Weel 1450, Bargwanna 1341, Seton 1266, S. Johnson 1229, Wilson 1214, McConville 1191, Ellery 1164, B. Jones 1127, Besnard and Wills 1059, Morris 1047, Canto 1001, Larkham 949, Jason Richards 909, Whincup 906, Noske 905, Dumbrell 887, Baird 856, Tratt 678, Greg Ritter 537, Thexton 348, Rodney Forbes 238, Luke Youlden 188, Larry Perkins 180, Tony Longhurst 176, Jim Richards 176, Rickard Rydell 168, Owen Kelly 164, John Cleland and Andy Jones 160, Waybe Wakefield 156, Nicolas Minassian and Mark Winterbottom 152, David Brabham, Andy Priaulx and Cameron McLean 148, John Faulkner and Ian Luff 144, Tomas Mezera and Matthew White 140, Darren Hossack, Adam Macrow 128 and Mark Porter 128, Grant Johnson, Kerry Wade and Nathan Pretty 124, Tim Leahey 116, Steve Owen and Phillip Scifleet 112, Marcus Marshall 108, Dale Brede 100, Tony Ricciardello 100, Neal and Rick Bates 96, Allan Simonsen and Paul Stokeil 80. molorsport news

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Davors back in town - Jim goes dovoi fighting - Leahey shows pace but

by GRANT ROWLEY

A

LEX Davison maintained his perfect score on Australian soil in 2003 after taking a clean sweep in the ninth and final round of the Carrera Cup championship at Eastern Creek last weekend.

Davison, who spends the majority of his time racing in the similar German Porsche series, backed up his Australian Grand Prix domination earlier this year to win three from three at the western Sydney circuit.

He dedicated his round win to tire late Stewart McColl, who died at Phillip Island in August.

"I wanted to win all three races and that's what we've been able to do," said Davison.

"I've never been around here in a sedan, only in a Formula Ford. I love the place, it's a great driver's track with a bit of everything."

Tim Leahey was the surprise of qualifying, placing his Braun' entry on poie, a career first. However, his joy was short-lived. The New South Welshman spun unassisted on lap four while leading Race 1. He recovered to salvage fifth.

Series Champion Jim Richards assumed the front-rurming from there, but Davison did not relent and executed a calculated pass on Richards at turn two on lap nine.

"There's only two spots I could have got him," said Davison. "I just waited ^ for him to brake and I braked later Simple, really.

Richards played tail-gunner to Davison for the rest of the weekend, but the pair were never more than a few car lengths apart. It was a fitting end to the inaugural series, ending how it all began at the non championship AGP event.

Leahey's weekend went from bad to worse when he made an ambitious move on Klark Quinn early in Race 2. Leahey's Porsche collided with the left rear of Quinn's car, sending Klark into the sand trap.

Both cars finished the race a lap down on the leaders. Leahey was later handed a $1000 fine for his part in the contact.

Matt Coleman enjoyed a deserved overall podium finish, his first for the year. The Victorian recorded two third place finishes, which enough to secure his first podium for the year.

Coleman actually stole second place off Richards at the start of Race 2, but after hitting a curb on lap two, his front tyre began to slowly deflate. He was fortunate to hold out series runner-up Marcus Marshall for third place.

"I just fell into his clutches," said Coleman. "He gave me a touclr, but that's how it is."

The VIP Petfoods team were probably expecting a better result during the 'Main Event', but a

●●●

I

I just waited for him to brake aiufThraked t-

- Who s^Hfou can’t paRS>f EC?/ ... ^

Knock, knock - Who's there? It's Alex Davison, and he's about to skip away to three race wins ... Sorry Jim. series of spins and misfortune made life tough for Tony Quinn and Marshall.

Marshall qualified fifth, but ran wide through the turn one sand trap in the opening race. The Queenslander spent the rest of the weekend in catch up mode, eventually snaring two fourth place results.

Quinn executed two spins during Race 1. He staged a stellar comeback in Race 2 from the back of the grid to finish eighth.

Peter Fitzgerald jumped the start of Race 1 and was forced to perform a drive-through penalty. A storming drive by the Porsche veteran on

Sunday nailed him third place in the final race.

New Zealand entrant Kevin Bell looked strong in Race 1, fitushing fourth. But Bell jumped the gun in Race 2 and was punished, ending a good start to the weekend.

Jonathan Webb completed the season on a good note, jumping to eighth in the championship ahead of Tony Quinn after the 19-year-old finished the weekend at his home track with a scorecard of 7-5-6.

Russell Wright was taken to Westmead Hospital after a qualifying crash at the exit of the final turn on Saturday. The 50-year-old Team Terrier driver is expected to make a full recovery after he suffered fractures to the bone of his skull.

Final Points: Richards 1475, Marshall 1194, Fitzgerald 1050, Leahey 780, Bell 666, Coleman 663, Pedersen 534, Webb 486, T.Quinn 471, Cook 403.

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OUTH,experience and reliability triumphed over speed in the Falken Tyres 2 hour Showroom Showdown at Bathurst recently.

Subaru WRX STi drivers Rod Salmon and 18-year-old Grant Park claimed a commanding win - Subaru’s first Bathurst production car race win - in the rain-soaked race, defeating solo steerers Bob Pearson and John Falk aboard their respective Mazda and Ford entries.

Salmon said after the race that the conditions, at times, were dire.

“It was quite diabolical coming down Conrod, even on the warm up lap,” he said. “Coming up

Mountain Straight I just followed someone because I had no idea where I was going.”

Park was soaked but stoked with his first major sedan victory; “Today's been awesome. We just stayed out of trouble and the car goes really well in the wet."

The race began on a sodden Mt Panorama circuit under miserable skies. But true to Bathurst’s unpredictable weather, the clouds cleared towards the end, creating tyre choice dramas for the 30 competitors.

When the field splashed into Flell corner at the start of the race, the Mitsubishi Mirage of Kurt Bieder clashed with the David Ryan/Mike

Craig Falcon. Bieder damaged his steering and spent a lengthy period in the pits to fix the problem.

One car that would not be fixed was the Michael Sainsbury/Wayne Boatwright Subaru, which spun on the approach to the Chase, dug into the sand and rolled three times before coming to rest on its side.

Sainsbury was uninjured.

Ric Shaw seemed to be the man to beat in his Mazda RX-7. At the end of the first lap, Shaw pulled a commanding 7.8s lead over Pearson and the event looked set to become a Ric Shaw demonstration. But multiple Safety Car periods in the opening

stanza did not aid his cause.

Shaw’s race was turned upside down at the 40 minute mark after a ciash with Leanne Ferrier.

Shaw approached the Ciass D Diahatsu Sirion GTvi at Skyline.

Ferrier gave Shaw room on the inside, but the pair touched, sending Leanne crashing backwards into the outside wall.

The car rolled down the hill, launched up a tyre barrier and flung into the middle of the circuit, right in front of Pearson, who narrowly avoided contact.

Shaw was handed a drivethrough penalty, but was apologetic after the clash.

“She moved over and gave me

j Dirk Klynsmith

(TixwwouLB)

I

7 >

Dirk Klynsmith

Penalty Problems: The Shaw/Parish machine was fast, but out of luck...

64

7 out of 8: John Falk's Falcon dropped onto seven cylinders after Lap 1. motorsport news

BZa SUPPORTS

ipdown One Subaru wins - Another on its lid: Above and below, Michael Sainsbury rolls his WRX at the Chase on lap three.

room but we touched slightly.

These things happen when the fastest car meets the slowest car...”

Ferrier managed to get the car restarted and attempted to get the car back to pits. At the Dipper though, the Sirion creased the wall again due to steering damage, which ended the race for Ferrier and rally regular Rick Bates.

Shaw’s team-mate John Parish could not bridge the gap after the penalty and the pair finished seventh.

After all the teams completed their compulsory pit stops, Pearson found himself in the lead but a gearbox problem, which negated the use of third gear meant that holding out Park was always going to be difficult.

Park glided past Pearson at the exit of Murrays Corner on lap 27 and the youngster was not headed from there. He opened up a 27s lead by the end of the 36 lap race.

Falk pressed on to finish third, despite his Falcon dropping onto seven cylinders 10 December 2003

on the opening lap.

Salmon and Peter Floyd enjoyed a spirited dice during the opening hour. The ‘David and Goliath’ battle saw Salmon place enormous pressure on Floyd's HSV VX, and was night and day quicker than the V8 across the top of the mountain.

Salmon produced the pass of the race when he launched his car in an attack on Floyd at the Cutting. Using his superior grip on the semi-wet track, Salmon boldly passed the HSV on the outside.

Floyd continued on to finish a respectable fourth outright.

In the Mitsubishi Mirage Group 2 class, Kean Booker and Ricco Ranoldo took the win from Ash Samadi and MGF competitor Yanis Derums.

In Group 3 Class A, the Ryan/Craig combination took the win as well as fifth outright in their Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo. 17year-old schoolboy Chris Alajajian snared the Class B honours in his BMW 323I, while Nick Lucas and Djam Ley Mahaleel took Class D honours.

THE Brock crush was in full force at Bathurst late last month during the Poolrite Great Aussie Ute races.

Nine-times Bathurst champ Peter Brock teamed with his son James to add another piece of Mt.Panorama silverware to their collection with a dominating win.

'Three races highlighted the ute mountain-fest, with two drivers per-car taking part in a seven lap race each,and then combining for a mini-enduro. And we know what name is synonymous with Bathm'st and enduros...

Darren McDonald got the jump at the start of Race 1, beloiu, and held the lead for the entirety of the lap. But his joy was only short-lived.

James Brock quickly asserted himself and streaked away to a commanding victory, over 7s in front of McDonald and Gary McDonald in the Daily Planet Commodore. Rod Wilson ran a lonely race to finish fourth.

Charlie Kovacs and Warren Luff, who qualified on pole, produced the dice of the race after the majority of the 18 car pack spread out considerably. Luff pressured Kovacs across the top of the mountain and seemed to have the inside line into Forrests Elbow. Kovacs was unwilling to give his place up,and the pair clashed at the apex. Kovacs was lucky to keep his RED Express Commodore off the wall and remained in front of Luff until the very last comer of the race where he was able to make a ^^(eteah) move.

The Brock domination continued in Race 2, but this time it was the 'King', Peter, who showed the BRute pack the

Difi Kfynsrnim

way around 'his' mormtain.

Dale Brede, partnering Kovacs, got the initial jump on the pack at the start, but could only see off Brock for three laps. Brede eventually came home second ahead of Colin Dunn.

David Griffin ran wide on tire opening lap across the top at Skyline and spun in front of the pack on the blind approach to the Esses. Luckily, the only contact made was Griffin's original brush against tire wall.

Formula Ford rookie James Small, co-driving with Allan Grice, made a stellar debut in the blue and white Falcon,finishing fourth.

Kovacs missed the Race 3 start, the front row Holden stopping at Reid Park on the warm-up lap.

Peter Brock got the jump over Colin Dunn to lead Dunn,Rod Wilson and Barnes up the hill. Barnes blasted by Wilson down Conrod oirly to run straight off in the wet at the.Chase.

Durm was holdmg up the second placed battle as Darren McDonald pressured Wilson.

Zukanovic and Ferrier both speared off at the Chase, whilst the Brocks changed early at the end of lap three.

Dunn finally succumbed to pressure on lap four,letting McDonald into the lead that he held until he pitted on the last lap, handing the lead to James Brock.

Warren Luff took Adam Bressington,in Griffin's Holden on the last lap to give Dunn back the second he'd held most of the race, with Garry Treloar bringing Darren McDonald's Holden fourth.

-GRANT ROWLEY/ MARK JONES

Signed, Sealed and Having won his first ARC titie and iost his mentor Possum Bourne, 2003 has been an intense year for Cody Crocker.

MARK GLENDENNING spoke with the Subaru star MOTORSPORT NEWS: You

of the rally, and you take note of

it just take that long for them

said at the start of the year that you'd be happy to get an

what's happened then.

You don't assess it and change

to hit their strides?

outright win on the board this

your approach because if you do that you tend to only go worse.

year. Is it fair to say that you've exceeded your expectations?

CODY CROCKER: To a point. I guess we always wanted to win the championship and thought we had a good chance at it, but we tried to take a realistic

approach. Rather than just saying, 'I'm going to win', you've actually got to go out and do something about it.

Iguess it is beyond our wildest dreams to win the

championship. That's been something we've dreamt about since we started rallying, back when Iwas 12 years old sort of thing, driving around Mum and Dad's property! So to actually

get there is quite unbelievable, and still hasn't sunk in.

MN: Did you prepare for the last round any differently, given

on the pace right off the bat.

CC: Absolutely and Ithink that's what really helped us out,

quite surprised actually, because the competition wasn't any less at the start of the season, it just happened to work our way, I think you'd have to say.

And then everything went right for everybody else. They began to claw their way back a

because that meant that

little bit.

everybody else had to chase us and the pressure was on them.

A lot of people say it's good to

that Possum's death had on

gets the best result on the day is

be chasing for the championship, but you can't beat being in front. You've always got the advantage -

everybody was a real ... motivator in a way, but at the start it was a really hard thing to

the one that should get the most reward. But it's been a really

deal with. And Ithink that was

think the learning curve was

part of the reason why everyone struggled to come to terms with

increased 10-fold in what we

it - we didn't have someone to

to deal with.

MN: You really set yourself up this year with the way you started the season - you were

especially in rallying, because there's nothing you can do ... you can't punt someone off the road or anything! (laughs).

So when you're out in front, you just keep battling away and then it's the same for everybody

CC: No. We've pretty much got

- they've got to catch you, so obviously the pressure's on them.

A lot of people try to talk that

a good strategy that we've been using most of this year, and that

around the other way, but I totally believe that if you can get

that the title was on the line?

is to break everything down into the smallest possible units and

just do each thing one at a time.

You just keep working away at that, and before you know it it's.tfaFendof the day, and the em

CC: Probably a bit of both.

We got the lead and were

said, you didn't have that safety net, but on the other hand you suddenly had to dig deep and raise your own game overnight.

CC: Absolutely. And that means pressure and all the things that go with the weight of being the

any lead, you've got to take it.

But Ithink also that the impact

lean on through the year.

If you were having a bad result you could always count on Possum because he could fight back and get a good result even

number one driver.

As much as Idon't agree with the philosophy of having a number one and number two

driver, Itotally believe in what's best for the team, and whoever

hard thing to deal with, and I had to achieve and what we had

And to come out on top is

really fantastic, it just shows that we have come to terms with it

and that, to a point, we can move on.

if we weren't. But we didn't

have that anymore, there wasn't that safety net.

So Iguess it was a bit of a struggle to realise that, but eventually we got on top of it and came bouncing back.

MN: So mid-season when the MN: How did Possum's death other guys did start to catch affect your own learning up, was that because of roblems in your camp, or dU 4, curve? On one hand, as you

MN: Is winning this title something that proves to you

that you are capable of doing it, or was that belief always there?

CC: I've always had that belief.

But a lot of people don't think 1 do, and it's just because Idon't show to everybody that Iwant to win.

It doesn't mat

Delivered i PERFORMANCE SUSPENSION ^ COIL OVER SHOCKS STREET- BUSHED END STREET- BILLET ALLOY RACE - SPHERICAL END RACE - BILLET ALLOY \\

1 think the learning curve was increased 10-fold in what we had to achieve and what we had to deal with" - Cracker, above, on the impact ofPossum Bourne’s death

show to other people, it's what you feel inside that really counts. It's what you believe in within yourself, you don't have to go around announcing it to everybody.

You just don't need to do it, it comes through eventually and I think that a few people are a little bit shocked that we've come out as well as we did.

But I've always had that belief..I've always wanted to be world champion, but that's not going to happen. I take a realistic approach - you can want everything, but (in terms of) what you are actually capable of achieving you've got to be realistic as the same time as being ambitious and keep going for things.

And if you don't get them,

well, at least you gave it your best shot. That was our approach this year, and it's paid off.

It's a combination of a few things, it's having that belief to be able to do it, and then just going for something that may be just that little bit of reach.

But if you can believe that you can get there, well then illy can. sometimes yoi^

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IINirtne Jiigh-tech world of the i:yV|^G, this is the extremely L£ohservative car that will ^arry the hopes of Mitsubishi -in the 2004 World Rally Championship.

After a year on the sidelines 'developing the new Lancer WRC04, the Ralliart team has made a staggering 6000 changes to its previous r.contender, the Lancer Evo ●WRC. The car has what has been considered ah old-fashioned epicyclic differential (as opposed to other teams' active centre differential units) and a manually-operated FFD Ricardo gearbox, as opposed to a hydraulically-operated Xtrac. The

car may be updated to a semi automatic unit in the future. ' The brakes are how Brembos rather than APs and all four corners feature MacPherson strut suspension. The most radical feature of the car is its aerodynamics, developed after a three-week session in Lola's wind tunnel.

"My philosophy is to do simple things and to have a good understanding of them before going on," said design chief Mario Fornaris.

"We are not expecting too much from the car at first. At

the moment, it is too early to say anything about performance. It is very new and we have had very little time to design and test it. We can expect a few problems in the test period, as you would with any prototype car, because the test schedule is very tight.

"I hope it will be a little bit faster than the old car at first.

We will try to develop the car step by step and I hope in the second half of the season that the car will become more competitive. We can make progress faster this way, but we

are not expecting instant results. We are competing in a tough environment."

Frenchman Gilles Panizzi will lead the team next season, with junior drivers Gianluigi Gallim Daniel Sola and Kristian Sohlberg.

Mitsubishi Motor Sports chief Sven Quandt is keen to run three cars so that the juniors get as much experience as possible but has admitted that that will only really happen when the supply of cars and spares has improved, perhaps in the (northern) summer.

Ford gets reFocused

FORD has set aside rumours of a withdrawal from the World Rally Champioiiship and will return next season.

The Blue Oval's partner in the program since 1997, MSport, will assume larger day-to-day responsibility in the title bid. Drivers IMarkko Martin and Francois Duval, right, will remain with the team.

"I'm delighted to confirm that the famous Blue Oval will be competing in the WRC next season," said Jost Capito, director of Ford Team RS. "We displayed to everyone this year the competitiveness of both the Focus RS World Rally Car and our young drivers. I'm sure we are a strong contender for the title.

"I'm also delighted that M-Sport, our long-standing partner in the WRC, will continue to carry the flag for us in 2004 and equally happy that we will retain the support of BP." M-Sport managing director Malcolm Wilson said he was delighted the Ford name would be in the WRC for 2004.

"Ford has one of the great heritages in motorsport, especially rallying, and it is important to preserve this. But it is equally important to realise that we will not simply be making up the numbers. We will go into next year's championship with a two-car team to win."

68

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motorsport news

RALLY NEWS

What will Simon Say?

Loeb just keeps on keeping on THE Michelin Race of Champions has been run for another year, with Sebastien Loeb defeating two-time World Rally champion Marcus Gronholm in the Drivers' final.

The 29-year-old Frenchman defeated the Finn two heats to none in the best-of-three final to take the event, held in the Grand Canary Island off the coast of Spain.

"Last year, I finished second here and went on to finish second in the World Championship," smiled Loeb after the event. "After this win, if the pattern continues, I should be a very happy man by this time next year," To make the win even better, Loeb beat Gronholm in his 'own' car, all drivers competing in equal Peugeot 206 WRCs in the unique event. The final was delayed when Loeb's car struck mechanical problems prior to the final.

Walkden Mitsubishi or Toyota for Evans in 2004?

SIMON Evans may have tested a Toyota but it is believed he will take up a role with a Mitsubishi team in 2004.

The rapid privateer is yet to make up his mind but it is believed he wiU Urtk up with a leading Mitsubishi privateer team as a satellite semi works effort in the ARC next year.

While he would not be drawn on which Mitsubishi team he would be with, it is understood Evans and his co-driver wife Sue would run with the Tasmanian-based Les Walkden operation in a latest-spec Mitsubishi Lancer Evo Vin. Evans has apparently been in negotiations with Mitsubishi since Rally Australia and while the deal is yet to be signed, it is believed a proven Group N car is favoured ahead of the yet to be competitive Toyota Group N P Corolla.

While Evans could not confirm any deal for next year he did say that he hoped to sign something definitive with a team "sometime before Christmas".

"I haven't driven the Evo VRI yet so I won't make up my mind rmtil then and I am waiting for Toyota to come back to me with its best offer," said Evans.

"I signalled to everyone that I was not prepared to go on as a privateer next year and I am very fortunate to have manufacturers chasing me now.

It shows we must have done something right this year; we certainly didn't have anyone talking to us last year.

"Les Walkden said to me that there is no substitute for cubic dollars and that we could win rallies but never win the championship as a pure

Afe L M

"I haven't driven the Evo Vlli yet so I won't make up my mind untii then"

- Evans, above

privateer - and Les is a very clever man.

"Every mechanical failure we had in the last two years was down to dollars, just trying to make components last a bit longer and make the dollars stretch a bit further."

Despite his modest funding Evans has produced some amazing results in the past two seasons in his privateer Subaru, beating the works teams on many stages and taking one outright win in his aged Impreza.

The Melbourne-based driver would take the place of Finnish

While Kangas produced some good results toward tlie end of tlie season (including a win in the final round in Tasmania) he has failed to produce the funding necessary to ensure a drive in Australia nest year.

The Finn was also believed to offer no real promotional benefit for Mitsubishi, while Evans' wild style and charismatic approach would be a major boost for the three diamonds.

"I want to win the championship. I have been chasing it for 12 years and I have to take it to the next level and do the best thing for Sue and me," said Evans.

"We will choose the deal that is right for us."

-JON THOMSON

Colin set for Blues

FORD'S commitment to the 2004 WRC means that Colin McRae is now favourite to join Subaru.

With Markko Martin now set to stay with the Blue Oval, the void created by the illness of Richard Burns now looks set to go to the 1995 world champion. The only problem for team and driver is McRae's deal to race for Nissan in the Dakar, which ends only five days prior to the season-starting Monte Carlo Rally.

"If it was the same offer that Richard had and the same as I discussed with them before, then I would be interested," McRae told The Times last month.

Prodrive, which runs Subaru's program, has been in discussion with McRae since the news that Bums's brain tumour would sideline him in the 2004 season.

"I think we'll be speaking to (Subam boss) David (Lapworth) next week," Colin's father Jimmy, told The Guardian. "Colin's prepared to wait. He'll give it his best shot."

10 Decemlier 2003

oraTc/- ●^a

tearaway Julia Kangas at Walkden's in a car that would apparently feature Evans' sponsors, Yokohama and HeUa.

"Maybe I lost concentration a bit, I'm not sure," said Gronholm.

"Basically, I made too many mistakes and Sebastien was just too hot today."

Both drivers had to overcome i close semi-finals to race off for the , title, Loeb beating Francois Duval 2-0 : and Gronholm defeated Gilles Panizzi I ■

j ; ;

Back to Suba-roo? Colin McRae made a splash with Subaru, winning the 1995 world title, above.

2-1.

Panizzi had some consolation, however. He was part of the victorious All Star team that took out the ROC Nations' Cup the preceding day. Panizzi, Toyota FI star Cristiano da Malta and 250cc GP ace Fonsi Nieto overcame the Spanish team of Oriol Servia, Fiavio Alonso and Emilio Aizamora, which had been undefeated untii the final. The All Stars' win means that the title of champion Nation remains unclaimed until 2004.

As usual, there was a feast of names in the event, including Speedway ace Tony Rickardsson, Formula 3000 champion Bjorn Wirdheim and former GP winner Olivier Panis.

69

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Engineered to Exhilarate

After the Rain

Brooke Tatnell bounced back in Adelaide. PARIS CHARLES was at Speedway City

B

ROOKE Tatnell put his World Series Sprintcar rivals on notice at Speedway City, taking a great win in front of fast American Jason Johnson.

After last weekend's rainout at Wagga, the World Series Sprintcars circus were keen to get down to business at Adelaide's Speedway City for round three of the Proton series.

But as the Sprintcars fired up, heavy black clouds saturated the circuit in a series of heavy showers.

Thankfully, the showers cleared and Tatnell went on to take his first WSS round win in 2003.

At the drop of the green, Tatnell pounced to lead Johnson and Jensen through a crowded turn 1.

As the race settled into pace, Tatnell used cleared out aboard his Shell Helix/Sidchrome sponsored Maxim, opening a comfortable distance over his rivals. Local ace Phillip March was on the move, climbing into third and looking to challenge Johnson for second until a slight mistake cost him some time, allowing Heywood the chance to climb onto the March tail tank.

Heywood attempted to dive under March as the cars exited turn 2 which resulted in contact, sending March into the wall.

Heywood also retired with damage.

Tatnell once again skipped away at the restart from Johnson who started to fade with mechanical dramas in the closing laps. Tatnell went on to take an untroubled victory over Johnson and Jensen. The star quartet of Robbie Farr, Andrew Scheuerle, Trevor Green and Max Dumesny were next, followed by the experienced duo of Ian Lewis and Darryl Downing. Luke Dillon rounded out the top 10, followed by Mark Reuter, John Shore, Tony Moule and Mike Van Bremen who compleated the finishers.

American racer Johnson took the opening heat victory over Green who made a welcomed return to his home track.

Victorian WSS rookie Moule held off the more fancied runners in Heat 2. Queenslander Darren 70

i

The real deal: It hasn't taken Jason Johnson long to find form on the Australian tracks.

Jensen was first to greet the chequered flags in the third heat while local ace Phillip March took a popular win in the fourth.

Andrew Scheuerle and crowd favourite Brooke Tatnell claimed the final two wins.

Going into the dashes, top points scorer Philiip March inverted the top three with his marble draw to place Tatnell on pole. Brooke made the most of his good fortune and never looked back, taking a comfortable win over Johnson and March.

Showing the field a clean pair of tyres, Jensen lead from flag to flag. Former series Champion Brad Heywood and Andrew Scheuerle rounded out the top three.

After the heat race points were tallied up, the 14 car B main was packed with many of the fancied runners like Dumesny and US racer Trevor Brilman, who were desperate to qualify for the all-important feature. Rookie Mark Reuter lead the field from go to whoa to take the win over David Murcott, Dumesny, Stephen Bell, John Shore and with former SRA champion Mike Van Bremen gaining the final transfer to the feature.

Tatnell on track: Brooke picked up bis first win in VV5S for '03 at Adelaide's Speedway City.

Engineered to Exhilarate 1 2 3 4

Brooke Tatnell Jason Johnson Darren Jensen Robbie Farr

N5 §5 Q75

mi

Maxim Ijlfe Eagle Avenger

5

Andrew Scheuerle Q95

Maxim

S4 V5 V18 S97 S81 S95 N6 V53 V6

Eagle Maxim I J&J

6 Trevor Green [t Max Dumesny 8 Ian Lewis 9 Darryl Downing 10 LukePillon 11 Mark Reuter 12 John Shore 13 Tony Moule U Mike Van Brernen

Eagle| Cool Cool Eagle Eagle| Foster

WSS Points: Tatnell 2037, Dumesny 1517, Jensen 1397, Scheuerle 1307, Johnson 1159, Farr 1013, Bell 784, Lewis 588, Reuter 559.

WSS 3 Adelaide molorsport news

SPEEDWAY

Dumesny jets in Fresh from a 26-hour flight, Max made Avalon Raceway his own.

BREHSWANSON caught it all...

D

ESPITE only landing back in Australia earlier in the day, four-time series champion Max Dumesny went like a jet on auto-pilot when he easily won Round 4 of the World Series Sprintcars championship at Avalon Raceway last weekend.

“Considering I’ve been on a plane for 26 hours back from the USA, I’m really happy with how sharp I felt and how well the car handled," Dumesny said. “I felt like I could put the car anywhere and it’d be fast. Mouse (Darryl Green) did a great job with the car tonight.”

Championship leader Brooke Tatnell claimed second place in his Shell Helix Maxim and had an opportunity with a restart just seven laps from the end but a broken front wing sent the cars handling awry.

“I thought I had a flat front tyre but it’s actually the front wing,” stated the only Australian World of Outlaws A-main winner.

The wing damage resulted from a shock absorber coming off Mike Van Bremens car.

Taking the last step on the podium was the diminutive local veteran Ian Lewis. ‘The Fly’, took the challenge up to Dumesny for the majority of the race and was

on his tail for most of that time.

Unfortunately lapped traffic on a restart upset his run and also gave Tatnell the chance to pounce. Despite this, Lewis was still happy with the result. Lewis had started from pole having won the B dash.

“I said as we were coming down here if I don’t have a chance here at Avalon, I don’t have a chance anywhere,” grinned Lewis. “So I’m pleased we could get a good result for our sponsors who are here tonight.”

Rim-riding American Jason Johnson decided from the start of the night that he was going to thrill those who sit near the fence but his heat results were lacking and he was forced into the BMain, along with the likes of Robbie Farr and countryman Trevor Brilman.

After winning the B-main with a last gasp pass on Jaimie Maiolo, Johnson then put on a classy drive through the field to grab fourth place just ahead of Stephen Bell who continues to have a pacey, consistent run in the Tony Bartlett PRC Eagle.

Pre-race fancy David Murcott in the Performance Wholesale Maxim rolled out of the event after contact while dicing with John Shore. Karl Ended also

flipped his Eagle later.

Last season’s championship runner-up Robbie Farr had a horrid night right from the start with a slow time trial and then damage to the dry sump reservoir in the first heat when he ran up the back of the car in front.

Damage to the oil fitting saw him race on firstly with a huge cloud of smoke billowing from the PWR/Toyota Avenger followed later by a small fire.

In his second heat he spun and backed into Andrew Scheuerle who flipped hard destroying the chassis.

Farr made the feature by virtue of the final transfer spot in the BMain.

Other drivers to join the upsidedown club included Paul Bastow and Darren Jensen.

The WSS action resumes again at Avalon this weekend (13th).

Engineered to Exhilarate 1 Max Dumesny 2. BrookeJatnejli 3

Ian Lewis

V5 Maxim N8: I S5 J&J S5 ^ S75 Eagle N46..:.2k;EaM S81 Cool

i-4 Jason JohnsonL 5 Stephen Bell 6 Brad Heywood I 7 Luke Dillon 8 Danny Reidy 9 Mike Van Bremen V6 Foster 10 John Shore ■N6.. -r^^E§9l6jl 11 Bob Rankin V99 Eagle m{M 1g 0arryl Wright^ : JS28i :T: 13 Luch Monte W17 Maxim 114 Ken Sartori WSS Points: Tatnell 2983, Dumesny 2654, Johnson 1811, Jensen 1585, Scheuerle 1405, Lewis;1381, Bell 1331, Farr 1246, Heywood 977, Van Bremen 876.

WSS 4 Avalon

Them's the brakes; Tatnell and Van Bremen get funky, above while Robbie Farr haad his own set of dramas, below.

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by GREG BOSCATO

::L'«5t;acs~

IN front of visiting V8 Supercar stars, Kerry Madsen was simply sensational in the 30 lap A Main sprintcar final recently at Parramatta City Raceway.

Coming from position 14, Madsen quickly forged through the field, taking control on lap 5. From there it was all his with early race leader Mick Turner holding onto second with a fast finishing Marty Perovich third. Perovich was closely followed by Adam Clarke, Steven

Graham and Troy Little, ft was all Madsen in the 30 lap Main, but the battle behind in the closing stages was intense. Turner fell into the clutches of Perovich, Clarke and Graham in the closing stages, but managed to hold position.

Wins in the six preliminary sprintcar heats went to Brett Leadsman,Steven Graham,Bruce White, Turner, Clarke and Madsen.

Madsen after a great battle with White took out the Dash for Cash

race. Craig Brady defeated James Thomson to win the B Main.

With the previous week's meeting a washout,the Parramatta promoters added sprintcars to the speedcars program,and they battled for the NSW Title. The speedcars also put on some brUliant racing. Darren Jenkins in the Leer Team Stealth claiming the 2003/04 NSW Title from Peter Bourke, Brent Jameson while NSW Club President Brett Morris finished fourth.

- GREG BOSCATO

STEVEN Graham took out a great sprintcar A Main victory at Sydney’s Parramatta City Raceway iast Saturday night, defeating Grant Tunks and the impressive Mark Richards.

But the star of the 30 lap A Main was the De Cost! Seafoods Eagle of Craig Brady as the former Australian Speedcar Champion held the race in his control until he hooked a rut with just three laps to run and almost flipped over.

The restart saw a fast-finishing Graham (who had moved up a number of positions in the closing

Lightning Strikes

Hide and Go Seek DARRELL Hodges ran away and hid at the fourth round of the Comp Cams Sprintcar series at Brisbane International Speedway on November 29.

At the second start, Hodges leapt cleanly clear of front row partner Terry Bracken to take an uncontested win.

Bracken took a strong second, his best result since returning to sprintcars from a long layoff, while Cameron Gessner took third.

Gessner had been forced into driving his Viper from last season after an engine rebuild saw his usual Maxim sidelined. Similarly, series leader Garry Brazier was forced into another car, Wes Wright's Stealth, after his own car suffered an engine siezure prior to engine start. Gessner had to start from eleventh and Brazier had to come through the B Main to get to the feature race.

The battle of the feature race was for third position as Clayton .

Walker held off the pursuing pack led by Nathan Macdonald (driving the injured Al Woods Cheetah) and Mark Robinson.

Gessner caught the group late in the race and sliced through to take third from Macdonald with Walker fading to sixth.

The next round of the Comp Cams series will be held on December 13 and will feature the Australian return of reigning WSS Champion, Ohio's Darryn Pittman, back at the seat of the 'Glenno' Inglis prepared Titan Garages Maxim.

- MARK JONES 72

THE experience of South Australian Sprintcar competitor Dennis Burford came to the fore at Speedway City during the opening round of the Tectaloy 360ci Sprintcar Series last weekend.

Dennis kept a cool head to fend off a series of strong challenges from Craig Vanderstelt and reigning Victorian champion Wayne Nicholls.

At the green, Burford slotted into the lead aboard his Lightning Karts Eagle with Vanderstelt and Nicholls hot on his tail tank.

Vanderstelt mounted an early challenge for the lead, which came to grief in spectacular fashion as he hooked a rut and ended the race against the turn two fence.

Once the race restarted.

Dennis Burford managed to open a small gap from Nicholls, Michael Burford and Damien Eve who were locked in a tight threeway dance for second. As the race progressed, Nicholls then settled into second and set about chasing down the race leader.

A thrilling battle had developed for the final podium position with Eve and Burford scrapping it out.

With just a handful of laps remaining, the pair touched as they entered onto the front straight, sending Michael spinning into the fence, ripping out the youngster’s front end.

At the final restart, Dennis Burford managed to hold off the fast finishing Nicholls in a dash to the line with Damien Eve and rookie driver Simon McKean rounding out the top four.

- PARIS CHARLES Sts'

? ’■

Paris Ciiarftfsi

Podium: (L-R) Damien Eve, Wayne Nicholls and winner Dennis Burford.

motorsport news

SPEEDIATAY

m takes PCR pie Brady looks strong but rutt ends good run

laps) blast by Richards to take the race lead with Tanks following soon after. Fourth placed Troy Little was passed by Martin Lawes while American racer Jamie Barnes also forged by Little to secure fifth at the checker. Little finished in sixth.

Winner of the past two Parramatta Mains, Kerry Madsen was out after only one lap to a tangle with James Thomson who slowed with car problems.

Trevor Green was also an early retirement while hard charging Marty Perovich was slowed late in the race with a deflating rear tyre.

Graham, right, told MNews after the race how he scored his first win at PCR this year.

“I went from 11th to third in a few laps," said Graham.‘The car felt so good and I had a lot of confidence at that stage. I tried to go up track earlier but the car was too tight. But as the fuel got lighter, the car got better and we moved up towards the end.”

With rain threatening, Trevor Green set quick time in the early time trails with a 12.177s lap.

Brady, Madsen, Adam Clarke, 1-1

[n

Bruce White and Mick Turner made up the top six.

The preliminary heats featured wins for Madsen, Green and Rodney Maxwell, while the second round of heats and the dash were cancelled due to rain hitting the PCR track.

With the field in the A being

WAGGA'S pain is Adelaide's gain.

Last week, World Series Sprintcars announced that Wagga's washed-out round of the series, presented by Proton Cars, has been rescheduled for January 16. This means that the final two rounds will be held as a double-header at Adelaide's Speedway City.

Spectators will have the opportunity to buy a ticket that will give them access to both nights. However, this offer expires January 9, so get in fast ...

- GRANT ROWLEY

Speedway City dpuble-WSS-headeK

n PansCharhs

Max Dumesny Motorsport Australian Distributors for

^ RACING TIRE

NSW:02 9679 1990 l Fax 02 9679 1187 VIO03 9331 6477 l Fax 03 9331 7444 SA:08 8332 0800 l Fax 08 8364 0296 10 December 2003

k

WHILE visiting Sydney for the Eastern Creek V8 Supercars final meeting, the Ford Motorsport manager Stephen Kruk, above, took the opportunity to do a few laps around the Parramatta clayway in the Garry Rush two-seater sprintcar.

"That was a RUSH!" said Kruk after his ride. "It was absolutely fantastic experience. I didn't realise that I felt so close to the road, it gives you the real impression of being up close and personal with the track. When they turn the throttle on its like a switch, when it's on it's on.

It's an awesome experience, I just wish I could do it, move over Garry i want to drive! I'll do it again anytime," n Over the past month or so, many of the Parramatta sprintcar regulars have been updating to the larger 410 engines, getting them race ready for the history-making World of Outlaws downunder event in early January. Guys like Troy Little, Mark Richards, Marty Perovich, Rodney Maxwell and Trevor Green have updated their engine and Kerry Madsen bought back two of his best 410 engines to use in his PCR summer assault.

With the big meetings just around the corner, both Adam Clarke and Steven Graham will be using the bigger 410 power while US-based Aussie Lynton Jeffery has brought home two 410 engine Eagle sprintcars with him to race at Parramatta over the big Christmas New Year period. One of his cars is especially prepared for the World of Outlaws show, while the other is based on the local PCR specs.

- GREG BOSCATO

2003/04 EUREKA SRA CHAMPIONSHIP 2003/04 STANDINGS

RD 3, PREMIER SPEEDWAY 29/11/03

Xoolifr i

For more information on Hoosier Drag and SpeedwayTyres call:

decided in the club pointscore standing, Madsen had to qualify from the B Main. Starting off pole, Madsen took control but a fast finishing Shay Spranger powered

by Madsen with a lap to run, going onto take the win. Lynton Jeffery was third and Jamie Barnes fourth.

Kruk for Sprintcars!

1.

Ian Thomsen ,

1.

Phil Johnson .

Matthew Reed

5.

6.

John Vogels ..

Allan Barlee ..

Robin Dawkins

7.

8.

Troy Sheills ..

Rob Rankin ..

4

V32 .V36 .V92 .V70 .V61 .T15 V74 .V99

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

David Magilton David Van Bremen Rod Matthews.

Charles Hunter Ken Veal Ian Smith ....

Dion Amato ...

Colin Barker ..

.V26 V16 .V9 V73 .V96 .V57 .V86 .V69

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Ian Thomsen Matthew Reed ...

Rob Rankin John Vogels Charles Hunter...

Robin Dawkins ...

Rod Matthews Troy Shiells David Van Bremen Ken Veal

755 753 727 692 569 279 ,513 496 492 460

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Colin Barker...

Darren Saillard.

Luke Dillion....

Allen Barlee ...

Marcus Nelson .

David Magiton..

Phi! Johnson ...

Frank Ramsdale Ron Dalton ....

Ian Smith

402 400 384 334 313 311 305 278 265 223

73

Hie Quiet Assassin "I was driving ASA in Wisconsin and 1 got a call from Robbie," said Kenseth.

by MARTIN D CLARK MATT Kenseth dominated the top of the leaderboard for what will be the final Winston Cup Championship, his Ford Taurus taking the lead from Michael Waltrip during the fourth race of the year at Atlanta in March after a win the previous week at Las Vegas.

It was his only win of the season but he was consistent enough that noone knocked him from the top spot for a series record 33-straight races.

"There are thousands of drivers out there that I'm sure could do a better job than I have, and not many people get this opportunity," reflected Kenseth."This is beyond my wildest dreams."

At 31, Kenseth,the 2000 Rookie of The Year, became the fifth different □lamp in as many years and the first since B^nny Parsons in 1973 to win the ■ title with a lone visit to victory lane. .But 31 top 15 results and 25 top 10 finishes in 36 races assured,him of the title with a points system that pays out for consistency.

His largest points advantage stretched to 436 after race 28 at -Dover, after shrinking to 20 markers ahead of Dale Earnhardt Jr. following race 11 at Richmond.

"I goJ kind of spun out about mid season, reading people's columns about me and that nobody has every ha4 this big of a points lead and blown it," continued Kenseth. ''Those things actually added pressure, because F didn't want to be the guy to go down in the record book that had that big a lead and blew it. 1 feel like the world has been lifted off my shoulders now."

"I had never pulled back on any of my promises before and I had to quit the ride I was dri\'ing to come down south and take the chance in Busch. I felt like at the point I was in my career and my age that I had to do it, I thought it was my last chance.

"Before Robbie called me to drive

It's former engineering professor, turned drag racer, turned car owner Jack Rou-sh's first Cup title in 16 years as a full-time owner.

"We thought we had a good chance with Mark (Martin) last year, and we came up just a little short for a number of reasons," said Roush. "1 really thought Mark would got my ' first championship, but it was Matt with the leadership from Robbie Reiser. You just can't say enough about Robbie and what he's done to lead this team.

"My feelings right now are that I just crashed through a plate glass window. It's been painful getting through it and I've fusSed and complained about things that probably didn't mean much, but it's really been tough emotionally to think about the four times we were there with Mark and just coming up short."

Kenseth has driven for Roush during all of his four years with crew chief Robbie Reiser, who followed Kenseth from the Busch Series and their native Wisconsin.

$

his Busch car I felt time my time was past. I think I was 26 years old, but I've just been fortunate that it's worked out since that day."

Martin,44, was responsible for Roush hiring Kenseth and was gix'en part ownership of the team. He is listed as the official owner,as technically NASCAR only allow two teams to be owned by any one person.

"I've been wrong about a lot of things in my life, but I was right about Matt Kenseth," remarked Martin.

"I'm real proud of that. 1 liked his style and I wanted Roush Racing to have him. They put him under contract and let him race in the Busch Series for a couple of years until the opportunity came up."

"I've learned a lot from Mark Martin," Kenseth admitted.

"He's taught me a lot on when to race and when not to race. I don't do a good job of it all the time, but I sure try to be there at the end.

"I think he basically begged Jack to give me an opportunity. Mark's taught me a lot about that and he's been a real big part of this. I've been real lucky to be with a top-notch team right from my rookie year and to be in equipment that was capable of winning races."

ComI EXCLUSIVE by MARTIN D CLARK

INSIDE sources have revealed that Roush Racing and Robert Yates Racing are about to merge their Cup engine operations as part of a Ford program to build more reliable and powerful engines.

The surprise move has yet to be formally announced and follows on from the lead taken by Dodge when it entered the sport, and this year Toyota, which is building and supplying engine to its truck teams.

The operation wUl run out of Yates Engines in MooresviUe, NC and supply powerplants to the two Yates teams plus the five Roush operations, the Wood Bros and possibly a Travis Carter partially-owned team.

For what it's worth. Dodge teams soon started building their engines inhouse after the program created politics between the teams internally within just a few weeks of introduction.

Jasper/Pen .●

HAVING already teamed up with Jasper Motorsports in its Cup engine building business, Penske Racing is also to combine team efforts with Jasper Motorsports, which switches to Dodge for 2004.

Although nothing will be announced officially until later in December, inside team sources confirmed that former World of Outlaw Sprinter Dave Blaney has been ousted from the ride and will be replaced by Brendan Gaughn, who finished fourth in the 2003 Truck Series championship with six wins, just 40 points off winner Travis Kvapil.

Part of the announcement

moiorsport news

lined Powers

Yeley confirmed

ske merge! will apparently include primary sponsorship from Kodak, who will move from Morgan McClure Motorsports after an 18-year relationship with the single-car operation.

Kodak also will be associate sponsors on the Penske Dodges of Ryan Newman and Rusty Wallace, along with Penske IRL cars and the Morgan McClure Chevrolet.

It also looks likely that long time Penske employee Bill Wilburn and Wallace’s current crew chief will switch to the 77 team, with Gaughn in the crew chief role.

- MARTIN D CLARK 24 December 2003

FOLLOWING the scoop reported recently in Motorsport News,Joe Gibbs Racing have confirmed that they have hired J.J. Yeley.

Yeley, right, will drive a proposed schedule of eight ARCA events, 12 Busch Series races starting at Las Vegas in March, and up to three Cup events with sponsorship from MBNA credit cards.

The 27-year-old captured all three USAC titles in 2003, winning the Midget, Sprint and Silver Crown titles - a record only previously achieved by Tony Stewart, his USAC car owner who he will join at Gibbs.

"This has been a great year for me," commented Yeley, who got the job through Stewart.

"Driving for Joe Gibbs is something any driver would want to do, with Tony Stewart, Mike Bliss, guys who came up through the USAC ranks already there. It's a great challenge, but I'm ready."

Yeley also became the first driver to win on dirt and pavement in all three divisions in one year.

"Yeley is a very talented racer who we're excited to have,"

said Gibbs.

"His track record in USAC mirrors Tony Stewart's before he came to NASCAR." Unfortunately Yeley's recent test in Kentucky with the team didn't go too smoothly, blowing an engine in one car and wrecking the back-up.

Just for the record, Yeley's given name is Christopher Beltram Hernandez Yeley, but we'll use J.J. and promise not to bring it up again until he wins the Cup title, probably somewhere around 2007.

- MARTIN D CLARK

NASCAR

Elliott says Adios BILL Elliott has announced his retirement from full-time Cup competition.

The 1988 Winston Cup champion will run a limited schedule of events during the 2004 season and possibly continue in that capacity for the next several years.

During that time, he will coach former Sprint Car driver and Busch Series pilot Casey Kahne as his replacement in the number nine Evernham Motorsports Dodge.

Kahne will continue to drive the Akins Motorsports Dodge in the Busch Series as that team aligns itself with Evernham after a switch from Ford over the winter following the buy-out of the Kahne Ford contract.

Evernham adopted a different approach to running a team a few seasons back and continues this with Tommy Baldwin, formerly of Bill Davis Racing and Ultra Motorsports named team director and long-time Flendrick employee Mike Landis named general manager. n As predicted in MNews, Robert Yates Racing has hired Bill Elliott's crew chief Mike Ford from Evernham Motorsports to crew chief the Dale Jarrett team. Elliott had four wins with Ford.

Ford will replace Shawn Parker, who helped steer Jarrett to 26th in the standings after three management swaps during the year. n Richard Childress Racing has announced that Johnny Sauter will move from the Busch Series to drive the Nextel Cup AOL-sponsored Monte Carlo alongside Kevin Flarvick and Robby Gordon in 2004.

Sauter ran a partial schedule with RCR during 2003. and will have the use of the ex-Robby Gordon, Kevin Flamlin-led crew as they move from the Gordon team. Former RCR engineer Chris Andrews becomes Gordon's crew chief next year with crew from the 2003 AOL team. n Dale Earnhardt Inc. has effectively closed the door of the number one team as they been unable to secure a sponsor to replace Pennzoil In 2004. All crew members except crew chief Tony Gibson and two other mechanics have been laid off. John Andretti will run the car at Daytona, and rookie Martin Truex Jr. will run seven races in 2004. n After driving the Petty Enterprises 43 Dodge on an interim basis at the end of 2003 Jeff Green has been hired on a permanent basis for 2004.

The news kills the possibility of suspended Busch Series driver Shane Hmiel driving the car. Hmiel was benched under NASCAR's substance abuse programe.

- MARTIN D CLARK 75

Pro Mod S One hell ofa year

BRANDON Bernstein, whose rookie season in the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel dragster was cut short because of a serious back injury, was voted the NHRA's Rookie of the Year in balloting conducted by the media representatives who cover NHRA drag racing.

Bernstein missed tlie final 15 races of the season as the result of a crash during first-round eliminations at Englishtown in May. Before the accident, Bernstein won three national events and was the top qualifier at two.

His father, drag-racing legend Kenny Bernstein, came out of retirement and filled in for the remainder of the season, winning four of the final five events on the POWERade tour.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKl

TEAM owner Don Priidhomme says ther^j^ will be no additions H^e to Snake Racing's rOstCr Of teams for 2004.

When Don Prudhomme Racing begins its 42nd season of competition, tw time NHRA Top Fuel Champion Larry Dixon, as well as Funny Car pilots Ron Capps, right, and Tommy Johnson Jr. will be back in the same rides to contend for POWERade titles.

The announcement ends rumous of a second SnakeRacing Top Fuel team fordriver Melanie Troxel.

Skoal has also announced that it will become the title sponsor ©f the Skoal Showdown, the special Funny Car event formerly sponsored by Budweiser.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKl 76

^“

TWO of Pro Mod's early pioneers will team together, with Scotty Cannon and Mike Ashley announcing that they will combine efforts for a planned assault on the 2004 NHRA AMS Pro Modified Challenge crown.

"I've always liked Mike Ashley's drive and determination in drag racing," Cannon explained.

"I know between the two of us we will have a tough team to beat. I am looking forward to it.

It will be a great combination."

Cannon will bring to the table a potent operation sponsored by Oakley, a lifestyle marketing partner of the National Hot Rod Association.

Ashley will bring two cars to the mix, one sponsored by InfiNet Insurance & Financial and the other by InflNet's Unique Performance brand. Longtime Pro Modified racer Danny Rowe has been added as the third driver.

In addition to his current 1941 Willys, Ashley will add a 1967 Mustang Fastback to his arsenal.

He has yet to decide which of

the cars he plans to drive during the 2004 season.

Cannon will return to the Pro Modified wars with the same 1953 Studebaker that carried him to the 1998 world championship, sporting a new eye-catching Oakley-themed paint scheme.

The new Gotham City Racing Mustang is themed after the classic Shelby GT 500E nicknamed 'Eleanor', and used in the blockbuster hit 'Gone in 60 Seconds.' Ashley's entry will bear the moniker 'Gone in 6.0 Seconds' and is currently under construction at Tommy Mauney's TM Race Cars Shop.

Plans call for the team to run the entire 2004 NHRA AMS Pro Modified Challenge tour and select IHRA Hooters Drag Racing Series event. Cannon is also planning an extensive match race schedule.

The team expects to be testing by the end of this month and plans continuing right up until the season-opener in Gainesville.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKl

Tony gets Quakin’ QUAKER State Racing has announced a return to NHRA Drag Racing as primary sponsor of reigning POWERade champion Tony Pedregon's new Funny Car, which wili make its debut at the 44th annual K&N Filters Winternationals in Pomona in late February.

The blockbuster announcement was made last week at the PRI trade show in Indianapolis.

Pedregon's Quaker State Funny Car will pair with the Advance Auto Parts Funny Car of his brother Cruz Pedregon, who won the series title in 1992. Cruz, who formed Pedregon Racing four years ago, carried Quaker State on his hot rod as an associate-level sponsor in 2003.

moiorsport news

RAC RAGING

iuperteam

Bartone signs

Burkart Blues PHIL Burkart Jr, who took over the driving chores for Worsham Racing's Checker,Schuck's, Kragen blue team for the final six races of the 2003 NHRA POWERade campaign, will return to drive the car in 2004.

In his abbreviated stint as blue team driver in '03, Burkart posted a 7-^6 round record, was runner-up at the fall race in Chicago, and advanced beyond the first round at all but one event.

Burkart also competed at three of the first four races in 2003, driving the independent Team Geronimo Funny Car, but failed to qualify at any of those events.

He then joined Worsham Racing two days prior to the Brainerd race as the replacement driver for the injured Amie Karp in the Artisan Home Entertainment machine,and finally made the switch to the blue Checker, Schuck's,Kragen Pontiac just two races later, after Johnny Gray's resignation.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

TONY Bartone has been picked to drive the K&N Filters/Lucas Oil Pontiac Funny Car in 2004, Jim Dunn Racing sealed the threeyear deal with the 47-year-old veteran last week.

Tony Bartone's credentials are impeccable," said team owner Jim Dunn.

He's a tremendously talented racer who can drive just about anything that has tyres and a steering wheel.

'Tony’s also an extremely personable individual who will help this team to be successful and we're glad to have him with us next season.

Most of Bartone's career has been spent in Alcohol Funny Car, where he won 23 national events and registered nine top-10 results between 1992 and 2000.

'This is a tremendous opportunity to get back into POWERade Funny Car competition," Bartone said.

Tm looking forward to working with Jim Dunn and the rest of the team to give K&N Filters and Lucas Oil a Funny Car program they can be proud of.

I’ve known Jim a long time and working with the team at Pomona was a great experience. Now we can focus on what needs to be done next season to get this Pontiac into the winner's circle.

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Model Engines (Aust) Pty. Ltd. Tel:(03)9569 4440 24 December 2003

71

Keeping the Classics C

by BRIAN REED

REIGNING Champions Rex Broadbent and Michael Goedheer survived a series of mishaps to take their 1974 Porsche 911 RS to victory in this year's Classic Adelaide Rally.

The pair suffered a fire in the engine bay only days before the event that threatened to end their chances of even making the start, and then clipped a corner on Day 2 that caused severe wheel damage.

The Victorian team's chances were also dented when a huge thunderstorm took over from the 37degree heat during the Prologue just as their car was to appear at Victoria Park and the best they could do was 25th starting position -a situation that was overturned by the officials because of their recognised potential.

On the positive side, Broadbent and Goedheer were aided by the non-entry of the Ford Capri Pirana V8 that finished second last year and the late scratching of Targa Tasmania heroes Jim Richards and Barry Oliver for family reasons.

In spite of their damaged rim, Broadbent and Goedheer built a handy 18s buffer over Stephen and Jeff HoinvUle (1971 Ford Escort) and went further ahead on Day 3 when the Hoinvilles ground to a halt with a broken axle.

Mark and Rosina Laucke moved up to second place, also driving a 1974 Porsche 911 RS,but crashed out

of the event on Day 4. This elevated the Laurie Burton/Melissa Shead 1978 Morgan Plus 8 to second placing, but 4m43s behind as the Broadbent/Goedheer Porsche cruised to a comfortable win in the Competition section for pre-1982 cars.

Third place went to Graham Lorimer/Jenny Britten (1973 Porsche 911) with the hard-charging Kiwi team of John Kershaw and Jane Buckman fourth in their 1979 Vauxhall Chevette.

The Heritage handicap section was won in impressive fashion by Rene Felkl and Guy Sierp (1959 Karmann Ghia)from Brian and Linda Dermott (1962 Austin Healey 3000) and Andrew Bryson and Jason Rowley, who enjoyed their best-ever finish in their 1964 Hillman Imp. John and Andrew Lawson added yet another trophy to their collection by wirming the Historic class in their rare 1938 Alfa Romeo 6C2300B Mille Miglia ahead of the well-used cars of Michael Hipkins/Craig de Somerville (1925 Vauxliall 30/98) and Martin Utber/John Felder (1930 Oakland V8).

The five-day, 1150km Classic Adelaide Rally attracted a record field of 217 cars which included a large contingent of overseas entries from the UK,Belgium, USA,NZ, Germany,Italy and Spain.

Regular visitors Dieter and Gabi Ritter took part in the Shannons Thoroughbred Touring section

X 4

driving a rare 1955 Mercedes-Benz 190 SLR from the Stuttgart museum, while Porsche museum curator Klaus Bischof and Dr. Georg Huber drove a 1956 Porsche Carrera GS. But special guests Sir Stirling Moss (1958 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLS), . patron Sir Jack Brabham (2003 Mercedes-Benz SL 500) and local hero Vern Schuppan (2003 Mercedes-Benz SLK 32) attracted the biggest cheers wherever they went.

Unfortunately Lady Suzie Moss was unwell throughout tire event, and her place was taken by

experienced campaigner Reg Kenny, who willingly gave up his drive for the opportimity to sit alongside one of the world's all-time greats.

One of the hard luck stories of the event involved British visitors Martin and Linda ColviU, who crashed out of the rally on Day 3 in their Gulf Ford GT40.

Their car (chassis no. PI084) ran under the Rob Walker colours at Le Mans in 1965 driven by Bondurant and Maglioli, but was one of six GT40s that failed to finish. It was later developed by J.W. Automotive

PAUL Vestey can always be relied on to bring out an interesting car from his collection, and this year it was his 1959 Ferrari 250 California.

Along with regular navigator, British motoring writer Doug Nye, he has taken part in all seven Classic Adelaide rallies. As for Doug, he has just completed a book on Sir Jack Brabham which will hopefully be released at the Australian FI Grand Prix next March.

It's a wonder Nye has time to fit in his annual trip downunder - the Brabham book is his 74th!

Other magnificant Ferraris from Europe included the very latest Stradale 360 of David and Margaret Edge from Belgium, and a 250 TDF driven by Peter and Suzanne Everingham from the UK. Ferraris must be common over there Peter is chairman of the Ferrari Club in the UK which boasts 3000 members.

- BRIAN REED moiorsDort news

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Winners and grinners: Broadbent and Coedheer, above left, again claimed the win in their Porsche, but Stirling Moss's appearance in the rare 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300SLS, above right, was also a crowd-pleaser. in 1968 and raced at Spa in the Gulf colours, where it finished fourth in the hands of David Hobbs and Paul Hawkins.

It was then purchased by Rodney Clarke (the owner of the Connaught FI team) before being sold to Martin ColvUl in 1981.

Since 1981 P1084 has competed successfully in historic racing in Europe, USA and Japan driven by Colvill and occasional guest drivers including Jackie Oliver who shared the car at the historic race at Le Mans in June this year.

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Top of the class: Rene Felkl and Guy Sierp won the Heritage handicap in their Karmann Ghia, above, while John and Andrew Lawson again took out Historic with their 1938 Alfa Romeo 6C2300B Mille Miglia, top.

10 December 2003

I Early Christmas

WHILE most of Australia’s motorsport fraternity was watching Marcos Ambrose forge out his first V8 Supercar Championship, some of us Historic fanatics went to Wakefield Park to enjoy a more relaxed, dryer atmosphere.

TheHSRCAran its 11th AllHistoric race meeting, which is traditionally the end of year Christmas meeting, but the racing could not be any more serious.

Each category had full grids, however one driver dominated each category. In JKL, the 1959 Mildren Cooper of Dick Willis, above, was able to not only win but also lap most cars. David Stone in his red 1971 Ford Falcon XY GT was too good and

held out Steve Land and the rest of the field in Group N. There was great close dicing in M+0, with Max Brunninghausen beating both the Mallock of Nev Mckay and the 1975 Rennmax of Barry Naylor. Bill Hemming in his 1959 Jaguar XK 150 won the SaNa group, but was hounded severely by Michael Kent in his 1959 Elva Courier.

Chris Farrell dominated Q+R, although he had clutch problems in a stop/start race.

Ty Hanger started the weekend on a promising note in his 1977 March F/Pacific, but was baulked by a back-marker which was being lapped and spun on the ripple strips, tearing off the flywheel.

- MARSHALL CASS

70

national Gaunt% GoU Star Gift scene

Grant Bowiev

Another Kiwi nabs Aussie Drivers Crown at Eastern Creek

I JONNY Reid may have dominated the final round of the Formula 4000, Powered by Holden series at Eastern Creek, but Daniel Gaunt held on to become the 2003 CAMS Gold Star Champion.

Gaimt, 18,from New Zealand, finished second to his countryman in both races, wliich was enough to wrap up the prestigious prize.

"It's been a great weekend," said Gaunt straight after he sealed the crown."It hasn't really sunk in yet but this is what we came here for,so it's going to feel great."

But Gaunt shouldn't have even had a chance of winning the crown at the Sydney. After missing the first round of the series, he contested the remainder rounds in three different cars from two different teams. His consistency against adversity has been highly rewarded.

Reid qualified on pole and was never really headed in both races. His Ralt Australia Reynard 96D worked a treat around the sweeping Creek

circuit. Reid was able to lap - at times - up to 2s faster than team-mate Gaimt. Reid can only think of what might have been in 2003. He displayed fast pace over the season but a mixture of unreliablity and a series of on-track clashes put paid to his hopes. He finishes the championship equal second with South Australian Paul Trengrove.

Trengrove can lay claim to being the first Australian home in the F4000 championship. A consistent weekend in his CPA Australia car netted him equal second outright after scoring two third places at the Creek.

Ricky Occhipinti was one of five drivers with a chance of taking the title in the final round, but he could not matcli the pace of the front runners. Occhipinti picked up a pair of fifth place finishes. Race 2 saw the Victorian pass former championship leader Nelson Hartley on the last lap.

Hartley's slim Gold Star chance ended jammed in the wall on the

Counting on Cartwright^

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P 80

opening lap of the first race.

Ian Peters had one of his better showings,scoring fourth in Race 1 driving the oldest car in the small field.

Carrera Cup regular Peter Hill swapped his Porsche for an old Reynard at Eastern Creek, but ran into trouble at the start of Race 1.

His Braun machine stalled on the

grid and later found that the left rear brake seized. Race 2 was a happier affair for HiU, coming home fourth.

Simon Kane also made a comeback to the F4000 ranks, but clutch dramas forced him to witlidraw Iris entry.

- GRANT ROWLEY Final Points; Gaunt 140, Reid/Trengrove 132, Occhipinti 125, Hartley 104.

Here's jonny: The field didn't know which way Reid went at the Creek.

JUST when we thought Jamie Cartwright has won enough MGF races, he proved us wrong again.

Cartwright took both heat wins at Eastern Creek recently in the final apperance of the MGs. The cars will now be retired in favour of Lotus Elises.

Race 1 started with a bang at turn five after Bruce Thomlinson spun.

Luke Sieders had nowhere to go and

the pair made heavy head-to-head contact. Wensley Carroll avoided the crash but planted his car in the tyre barriers.

Adam Bressington finished second in Race 1, followed by Chris Oxley and Yanis Derums.

Derums stole second in Race 2 in front of an impressive Andrew Fisher and Oxley and Richard Buttrose.

- GRANT ROWLEY

motorsport news

IML'llMmCH Nick of time

Au^raBan Improved Production fietd, tWng a clean sweep of all five races with two i^ortes on the Saturday and three on the Suadayatliailaia. fiSan was chaltenged by James Sutton and yinW:d dose asefhard fought battles. Sutton cme fsom the rear to finish second in the final race of ff'-e meeting. Scott Clements had a rewarding mii iintinri III III ml hi Ford Mk1 Escort to daim a sscoed. three thirds and a fourth despite blowing a gea^x dusng the final race on the Saturday.

Is Statham also charged hard aboard his Centura, daiming two thirds and three fourths while the only offier driver to make the podium was Tim Playlord vshoroended out the top four in Place 4. wab the 2003 Sporting Car Club of South Australian MtiifcClub Senes run and won. Sean Wynfaergen has showed that consistency is the key to daim the series outright honours aboard his Mini.

«6o*e. David Afison and Scott Clements tied for second white Allan was third.

Class championship honours went to; Sean Wyrtegea - Class A: Mini, Wayne Perry - Class B: Datsun 1600, Glenn Dohnardt- Class C; Mazda R3C7 and Class D Scott Clements. Clements also tor* tfie SA Improved Production Driver of the Year award aboard biS Ford Mk 1 Esco.ri.

- PARIS CHARLES

When KartStars can't help

III

THE Ford KartStars program helps launch karters into car racing via Formula Ford.

So, what if you want to win KartStars, but are not allowed to compete in the series? Tlrat's the frustrating problem Adam Klunyk has been facing for several years now. The multiple state champion is ineligible to compete in KartStars due to Iris role as Major Projects Co-ordinator for KartStars and series promoter Drew Price Engineering.

Without the personal backing to compete in FF, and unable to win a seat through KartStars, Klimyk has not been in a position to take the next step. But that's changed for 2004, as Adam is taking the plunge to grid up in the Victorian Formula Ford series with G-Force Motorsport aboard their factory Mygale.

"1 don't want to, when 1 am older,look back and regret not having a go," Klunyk said."At 251 can't wait any longer. If it's going to happen,it has to be now.

Thankfully Greg(Woodrow,of G-Force) has offered me a deal that is workable so that I can compete in the full series, and still take in major karting events."

Ironically, now that Klunyk has finally inked a deal.

Ills competition will be extra tough. In addition to the regular FF punters, it looks like he'll also be up against his boss's son,Shane Price, and the two KartStars winners he'd helped to get there in the first place!

-MARK WICKS

NICK Lowe won the ReSa National Championship at Toowoomba, Old, last month.

Lowe (Birel) won the final of ReSa Light from pole position, having earlier won the pre-final. Fastest qualifier John Martin finished second ahead of Peter Lawler and Phil Lucas. In ReSa Heavy, Brett 'Bubba' Hobson came from behind to take the Championship.

Speedy veteran Carsten Tiedemann had punched a perfect score card untill then, but settled for third behind Clayton Hughes. n The final round of Victoria's Golden City Power series was held at Morwell on November 23, rain once again affecting the racing.

Steven Pugliese won two of the Junior classes (National Light and Sportsman) while Reece Kawitzki (Midgets), Spencer Walker (Rookies), Jamie Schena (JNL), Darren Anderson (Senior National), Ben McClaine (Clubman Light), Michael Bantick (Sportsman Light), Rod Gumming (Sportsman Over 40s), Brad Stratton (Sportsman Heavy), Craig Arnett(Clubman Heavy), Mark Wicks (Rotax Light) and Richard Lyon (Rotax Heavy). The series is set to expand to five rounds next year with the inclusion of Puckapunyal, venue of the 2004 Nationals.

- MARK WICKS

Butler and W^rd take it to the CHRIS Butler and James Ward fought an epic battle at Eastern Creek two weeks ago in the Aussie Racing Cars.

After four tough races, Butler came away writh the round win after die pair took two win.s a piece, but Butler snatched the all important final race to take home the winner's cake.

Race 2 was a dead-set cracker. Buder led die opening four tours, but Ward asserted a major challenge on the Power Ford Racing AU,below. The pair clashed doors at turn two, before Ward got on the outside of Butler. Ward completed the pass on the grass, only for Butler to retake the lead on Eastern Creek's long final straight. Butler snatched the win by 0.0207s.

At the start of Race 3, all hell broke loose when New'South Welshman John Macey

barrell-rolled his FJ Holden at turn two. The body of Ills car peeled off like a remote control car, but thankfully no-one was injured.

In the final race Mark Duckwordi did his best to impersonate Macey by rolling his F] example on lap five. The incident occurred after contact with Demiis O'Sullivan.

The conclusion to Race 4 was titanic.

Butler, Ward,Paul Kemal,Janies Harrigaii, Tun Monte and David Burch staged a see sawing dice. Ward spun on the last lap, eventually finishing 15th. Butler actually dropped to as low as fourth on lap six, but made three clean moves to take the lead spot back and win the round.

-GRANT ROWLEY

WWW.

a I How to ruin a ARC machine - By John Macey; It looked ugly, above in background, but Macey and his car made the grid the following day.

Just Mi

by LEONARD SIRACUSA THE 2003 Repco Island Magic was run and won at Phillip Island recently, and the racing provided the spectators with a day of great motorsport.

The APORSHAPART Endeavour .

Cup turned out to be a two-horse race THE final Queesland state championship round of the season between the experienced pair of John saw the MG Car Club of Old and Q|d Raceway host the Morris and Brendan Morter wrestling Supersport Nationals, the little motorcycle engined Sportscars one another for the lead, right. joining the Sports 1300s for their big event of the year.

Morter made a brilliant move Long-time Sports 1300 competitor Dave Barram (Asp 340 C/6) around the outside of Morris at Lukey made a triumphant return, taking victory from John Campbell Heights and completed the pass at MG (Hooper Suzuki). comer early in the race but Morris The race had been enlivened when Campbell and Peter repaid the favour to his arch-rival on Saunderson (Radical) collided at turn two, ending Henderson's race, the final lap at the same comer. while Campbell pitted under the red flag to replace a tyre and It appeared Morter was heading continue. Third was taken by the first Supersport, Grant Watson's for the perfect finale in his Prosport-Kawasaki ahead of Mark Williams (Minetti ZZ1) and Neil championship-winning year but a Kenny (Mallock Mk 31). loss of concentration on the last lap Chris Donnelly (Ford Falcon) succesfully defended his Sports cost him the race.

Sedan crown. Charlie Senese (Falcon-Chev) took the round win John Goddard finished third to from Geoff Gillespie (FIAT 131 Turbo) and Donnelly. Eighth was take second in the overall second generation racer James Moffat (GTP Falcon XR6). championship.

HQs had the best title fight, with four drivers in contention. With Tony D'Alberto hadn't raced a Mike McCloud not taking part, Brett Cooper won the title in style, Formula Ford since the Australian seeing off the challenge of Paul McCahon and Gary Marks.

GP in March but that didn't stop him McCahon was second from Brendon Kennedy. winning a thrilling duel with Mark In Geminis, Cameron Wilson won the round on his return to the McNally. The lead changed several category, while Nick Rangeley took the title by a single point after times in the early stages before n finishing second from third placed rival John Eddy.

D'Alberto shone through.

Troy Norris did his utmost to claim the Saloon Car title, but Gavin Steve Price and Adam Hickey had Sadler fought his way from eighth to fourth to win the a good fight for the remaining place Championship. Behind Norris, Kris Walton finished second with on the podium, with Price hanging Jake Camilleri third in a Falcon whitewash. on by 0.2s.

Jason Clements and Dean Tighe each won a Racing Car round in Chris Muscat,in his triple rotary their Ralt RT4s, but the Formula Ford battle saw Brett Francis (Van Mazda RX7,#9 right, put on a driving Diemen RF02) take a pair of class wins. Shannon OBrien (Van exhibition to streak the field by 17.5s and win his second successive Diemen RF03) wasn't able to pull back enough points to take the title from Chris Gilmour (Van Diemen RF96B).

Centreline Suspension 50k Plate for Bruce Dummett won the Historic Touring Car race and title from Sports Sedans. Former Gary Brown and Simon Phillips in a Torana XU1 trifecta. Tom AUSCAR/NASCAR driver Terry Horton (Mazda RX3) won the Improved Production event from . Wyhoon,in an EL Falcon finished in second while Robert Smith's V8 VS Adam Uebergang (Mazda RX7) who successfully defended his crown with David Skillender (RX7) third.

Commodore completed the top three.

Carlo Chermaz(PVP 250) won the Superkart feature race from Michael Miceli romped away with John Hedges (Stockman MR2 125) and Bob Roberts (Stockman a commanding victory with the MR2 125). Shane Hart (Jabiru) won the Formula Vee feature over Victorian Historic Touring Car Trophy Trent Usher (Jabiru) and Tristan Hughes (Elfin Crusader). for Group N Historic Touring Cars.

- MARK JONES The Italian, piloting a 351 XY GT M.irk Jones

Super vs 1300

Mustang Boss, made light work of it, finishing 7.0s ahead of secondplaced HQ Holden Monaro driver Tony Hubbard, with Darrin Davies in another Monaro in third.

Close racing typified the HQ Holden race.

Plenty of paint swapping and love taps occurred as Glen McDonald won his second consecutive Cowes Cup. Carl McHenry and John Wise filled the minor places, while Dale Bennett was lucky to escape a big shunt, when his HQ speared into the inside wall coming onto the main straight.

In the traditional Ford vs Holden battle, Robert Macready in his VN Commodore turned the tables on the Ford Falcon pair of Andrew Nowland and Matt Lehmann to take out the San Remo Saloon Challenge.

Adam Macrow, driving his Chevy Daytona, bottom, always seemed in control and won the Victorian Tourist Trophy for Marque and MG

CBR Photoerjpl

CBR Pbotosraphic

Donnelley and Bi

ROSS Donnelley took a cleansweep in the Historic Touring Cars at Eastern Creek.

The Mustang Coupe, left, was the class act, taking pole by 0.76s and winning each of the three races.

Cameron Tilley picked up a pair of second places in his Ford 82

Falcon XY GT, while Peter O'Brien scored a pair of top three finishes in his Falcon XY. Despite not finishing the first race, West Australian Paul Stubber climbed through the 37car field to record two top-five results.

Bathurst hero Peter Brock

fflotorsport news

I I

NATIONAL SCENE

agic

I

Sportscars. Mort Fitzgerald took second place in his MGB while Neil Bryson's Porsche 911 GTS Clubsport finished third.

Racing an Elliot Mk n,Frank Haire took the honours in the Mauri Fordham Trophy for Formula Vees.

Nicholas Jones and Damian Harris finished second and third

Americans teach us a lesson OVERSEAS teams raided the Australasian Formula SAE Championships last weekend at the Mitsubishi testing grounds near Tailem Bend in South Australia.

The Georgia Institute of Technology from the United States took a fantastic win, beating our local teams and other international guests.

“We came to win,” said an elated J.P. McConnell of the Georgia Tech. team.

“We knew it was going to be a fight and the competition was going to be really strong, but it's what we came to do. We were strong over all disciplines.”

The other international teams also fared well, with second overall going to the Chalmers University from Sweden, whose pre-event testing was held in two

respectively, both in Sabres.

Just before the Matthew Flinders Plate kicked off, a torrential downpour hit the circuit.

Warren Massey took the win by 0.3s over Phil Morriss, with Gary McKay's Torana holding off a whole gaggle of cars for third.

degrees celcius, compared to the scorching desert sun.

The German team from the University of Braunschweig took away both the Cost and Presentation categories, but were cruelly robbed of any chance at overall glory after being plagued by electronics problems. Despite help from MoTeC Australia, and other teams, the impressive German car did not hit the track until late on Sunday afternoon.

The University of Wollongong, the defending Australasian and US champions, were prevented from defending their title after overheating problems.

The University of Qld claimed the honour as the highest placed Australian team, taking third overall.

Innovation was also rewarded by organisers, with perhaps Australia's best engineering brain, the

\

Winners: Georgia Tech, are the Australiasian Formula SAE-A Champions.i

Proving your worth in SAE FORMULA SAE may only have begun in Australia in 1999, but it is beginning to pay dividends in the form of supplying Australian motor racing with quality and race proven engineers straight out of university.

Des Conway and Derek Powell are race engineers for Ford Performance Racing on the Craig Lowndes and Glenn Seton cars respectively. In 2001, both were members of the University of Wollongong team, and both attended this year's event to cheer on their old team.

10 DeGember 2003

"I'm impressed with the step up in the competition," said Powell. "Our car from 2001 would now be seriously uncompetitive."

Conway was also generous in his praise of the event.

"It's great to be here to raise the profile of Formula SAE. It did wonders for me ... within 12 months (of completing his degree) I was at FPR. Telling Craig that he had won the race at Phillip Island over the radio was pretty cool."

-CHRIS JORDAN

legendary Ron Tauranac, on hand to present the Carroll Smith Memorial Award for Innovation In Design. Won by the University of W.A., organisers have praised the team's carbon fibre curing technique to the extent that they have told the university to immediately patent it.

“Their work could have ramifications in motorsport, automotive and aeronautical industries." praised the organisers.

Tauranac, who had most of the competitors in awe of his presence, was suitable impressed with what he saw.

“This is a very good training ground for engineers of the future.” said Tauranac. “These students are gaining experience that will be recognised by the industry.”

- CHRIS JORDAN

Hie oidi^ and Goodi(^ BARBAGALLO'S 2003 season reached a successful conclusion recently with the running of.the ' 'Vintage Stampede'. . '● The Stampede was an eclectic ' ■ mix of classic tourers, histories and vintage open wheelers. ' In tile Historic class, Ron , ' , Moller's famous 'Dollar Yellow' .

XUl swept the field for two-events \ and claimed fastest lap in the handicap. John and Andrew Van '= Leeuwen made themselves kn.Qwn' ■ in the Rear Engine Racingand Sports Car's class by figuringin t|ie top three, driving a Van Diemen ■ ■ RF80 and Elfin 620B whilst Rob ,, Poynton's Ralt RT4 ran fastestin their three events.

Harvey Leys, in his immaculate ' Porsche 356. made history by breaking the lap record in each of tire tliree races he competed, forcing Ted Jordan's 356 into mental breakdowm; because Ted .

Iield tire record on tile day also but only for just over an hour!

Trevor Eastwood in tlic Post Thoroughbred Alvis Racing Special (1931-1940) also broke the lap record for his class, while relative Sarah picked up a second place in the front engine class.

Barbagallo Raceway will be closed over tlie summer break to allow' a complete resurfacing and track w'orks to be finislied. With an agreement readied to run tlie V8 Supercars untii at least 2006, tlie work will see the W.A. Sporting Car Club in a better position to negotiate for tlieir return past that year.

-DAVECONOLE 83

MARKEF PLACE

Want A Beerpig Hot Seat T L

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HE recently launched Beerpig merchandise range has already reached cult status amongst many blokes who enjoy a beer.

Founder and proprietor of Beerpig,Steve Walsh,has been overwhelmed with the response, "It was just one .. of those ideas we thought of while having ... well ... a beer, and it has just taken off. Steve developed the product range and initial concept with wife Lisa on a shoe-string budget and is now enjoying growth with sales doubling every month.

Stubby holders,cooler bags, t-shirts, beanies, jackets and much more are available. All Beerpig products are made to the highest standards,look good and are functional.

The Beerpig website, www.beerpig.com.au, V contains the full range of products on offer as

FADING automotive accessory company Aunger, have created a range of seat covers to reflect the personalty of the driver and add some colour to what has become the standard grey interior of the modern car.

The Foxy Fur Seat Cover range offers bright and vibrant colours such as purple, red and blue. These are; favourite amongst young women who love their cars and see them a: an extension of their fashion statement. Produced from premiur quality fabric the Foxy Fur car seat covers are fully washable, easy to f and suit most cars.

The Flame Seat Cover Range feature a bright flame pattern, givii a sporty feel to any car. The Flame seat covers are available with red c

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full Beerpig range visit www.beerpig.com.au or ask for it at your tobacconist, gift shop or local bottle shop.

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your motorsport vehicle, parts, memorabilia with our all-new combined magazine/internet classified service.

Courtesy of an agreement between Motorsport News and internet classified service my105.com, your advertising will appear in both for as little as $25.

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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! Porsche 996GT3R 2000 EX LE MANS

Fraser Clubman Road & Race Factory Built Car 4AGE 20V Autronic Spax Shockers Willwood Ventilated Discs 4 Spot Calipers LSD DeDion Suspension Fraser Alloy Wheels & Race Wheels BMW Blue Red Leather Trim Excellent Condition 15000K New Yokohama Tyres Reg to Aug 04 Must Sell New Car has arrived. Replacement $60. $28,000 ONO Or Best Offer. Dennis(03)5968 8777.

www.myl05.com/78748

www.myl05.com/33351

Good condition 10 hours on eng/trans black in and out. 17th at LE MANS 24hrs in 2001. Sold with 2 extra sets of ATS wheels. More info and photos an demand. Shipping can be arranged. No Tax if exported. Car is ready to race; visible in UUXEMBOURG/EUROPE. 108,000 EURO +TAX Neg. Kauffman 00352091312547.

Sedans/Sports Cars

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Gemini Rally Car, 2003 NSW Genini series WINNING car. Full NSW Rego. 6 wheels / tyres. Proven Fast Reliable Car. Will Win again in the right hands. $3,900 Neg, Luke 274 Ryan 0427 894 587. www.myl05.com/88896

Lancer Evo 5 RS, EX Mark King Australian GTP Title Car. All ralliart bits, LSD's, Motec, OZ Mags (12), new steel cage, $4000 exhaust, new paintwork and interior. As new condition. $49,500 ONO. Ray 0412 644 274 www.my105.com/16327

PORSCHE GT2 TURBO, Spectacular and fast. Ideal for Porsche Drivers Challenge. $130,000 plus GST. Paul 0418 618 561.

274 www.my105.com/8972

Mazda RX7 Sports Sedan, fully rebuilt, ex condition, space frame, wishbone front suspension, APG spot and 4 spot calipers, fresh 3 rotor turbo, injected motor, nine inch full floater, Koni's brake Blast, 3 link rear end. Micro Tec display, new everything, built by factory Mazda US. $40,000 DNO. Robert 275 0418 974 351. www.myl05.com/74224 01

Winning Clubman, Class winning and 2nd in State Clubman. Professionally maintained

by Impact M'Sports. 15 inch wheels Incl trailer, wets and road lyres, 1.43 EC 1.04 Wakefield. Ready to win. Support packages avail. Compliance plated car. $36,000 ONO. 273 Gerry 0419 439 615. www.my105.com/49361

McLean Special Sports 1300, Sports 1300 for sale 90% complete new Suzuki 1300 twin cam engine, new body, spare wheels & tyres, good entry level car at the right price, ri ng Darrell on (02) 4578 3434 or 0409 785 273 114. $6,500 ONO. www.my105.com/46868

10 December 2003

BMW Z3 M COUPE GT, Sterling Motorsport offer for sale their BMW Z3 M Coupe GT. built 2002 competed in Nurburgring 24 hrs 2002,1st in Class b 5th outright Bathurst 24 hrs 2002, 1st in Class Wakefield Park Nations Cup Round 2003, 3rd in class B Bathurst 24 hrs 2003, currently in Endurance specification can be changed to sprint specification, the car is in excellent condition, with many spares, $70,000.00 all sensible offers will be considered, the car must sell due to a new project, for full details please contact vj angelo vj.angelo@steriingmsport.com, 0411 641 660.

273 www.myl05.eom/7230

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Improved Production Mazda RX-7, 2000 Victorian Championship winning car. 2 meetings since full engine rebuild. Some spares. Complete car, ready to race. $14,000 Neg. Scott 0407 521 985. 273 www.my105.com/64514

□atsun 1600 Club Car/Sports Sedan, 2nd owner, excellent condition, new paint, cams log book with alloy cage, Velo race seat.

New 2Lt engine with twin 48mm webbers, and extractors. Adjustable race suspension, 4 spot calipers front, 2 spot rear. 2 sets of 14x7 wheels, dry and wet tyres. Spare engine/tyres. Ready to race. Proven results. $7,950. Max 0418 485 460 / (03) 9842 3132. 273 www.myl05.eom/80734

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MllHIW

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2003 AU Falcon Supercar, 2003 Model newest Falcon Supercar available, last Ford Beehag chassis. Large spares package.

Full Motec with live telemetry. Only raced Konica series, not at Bathurst. Fully prepared and maintained, no expense spared. Also selling 2001 Falcon AU Supercar, repainted like 2003 car. New unused engine parts available. Craig 0412 895 560.

275 www.my105.com/705

Ford EA Saloon Car, 2003 Old State Championship winning car.Swift Race Engine.Very fast and reliable.Spares inc Gearbox, Wheels, Alloy Radiator, Brakes Etc. $20,000t Neg. Gavin (07) 3251 6616.

273 www.my105.com/48306

/ 2001/2002 Championship winning WRXSti, Still holds QR lap record, rally rego, Moly cage, proflex shocks, Momo seat, Autronic, extra wheels, would be unbeatable club car, would consider trade of WRX. $27,995 ONO. Brett (07) 3284 8844 / 273 0417 750 108. www.myl05.com/67352 Lease / Purchase Cars, for the upcoming 2004 'Touring Car Challenge' for Group 'A', Super Tourers, Future Tourers and VS and EL V8 Cars, The season opener will be at Wakefield Park Jan 25 with the pointscore calendar, prize money and TV details soon to be announced. Intersted parties should 274 contact Rod Dale on 0412 785 486. www.myl05.com/5933

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l/Ki!tK _ /

Improved Production RX7, Only 6 meetings old, all new running gear, 13B injected, 1:1.5 speed with quick change, LSD with spare ratios, new brakes, shocks, spares included. Trailer also available.

274 $25,000. Phil (02) 9835 1230. www.myl O5.com/13050

Suzuki GTI 1600 Twin Cam, Improved production Suzuki Swift GTi complete car ready to race, running a 1600 twin cam Suzuki race engine. Comes with complete spares package including spare gearbox and spare 1300 cc engine. Ex gtp championship winning car '98, a fantasOc car and very competitive package. $7,500 neg. Graham stones (08) 9378 2666 / 0413 445 738.

273 www.my105.com/15706

Datsun 1600, Improved production, racs winner, 2nd 03 NSW State Championship.

Strong SR20 turbo, 320HP Motec, Konis, Peddle box, strong brakes, fuel cell. Very well presented car. Ready to race. Comes with trailer and spares.$20,000. Paul 0413 306 143. 273 www.myl05.com/72156

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2L Sports Sedan, Datsun 180B, Logbook, Roilcage, Race seat, window net, L20B 5 speed (to be fitted) 13x9 slicks, wets, big brakes, 3 diffs - 3.9, 4.1 and 4.4. F/glass bonnet, boot and bumpers, straight body, new paint, tough car to start your race career. $3,500 ONO. Max 0418 485 460. www.myl05.com/48215

AU 2 XR8 GTP Falcon, Au2 XR8 for sale.

Full GTP spec with new engine, gearbox and diff, eligable for two more years of GTP, M8 motec,2008 harness oan assist new owner if required $33,500 ONO ring Darrell on 0409 785 114 or (02) 4578 3434. 273 www.myl05.com/24194

Mk 6 Cheetah F2, Fully restored. 1600 cc Celica engine dyno time only. Webber 45 carburettors. Hewiand 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 trailer with 12 months registration and full length side and rear annex. Excellent car. $37,500 ONO. Alan (02)6367 3030 /(02)6367 3222.

274 www.my105.com/69423

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Mk 1 Escort, Porsche injected 2ltr, motec igniCon, 4wh discs, brake bias, 5 link rear, adjustable suspension, fuel cell, full cage. $7,500 Neg. John 0418 404 945 /(02)8824 7676.

276 www.my105.com/67473

Nissan Pulsar GTIR, Lightweight rally version, C/R g/box, roll cage, FIA spec seat/harness, 3 inch exhaust. Centreline suspension, Pagid race pads, surge tank, competition radiator. Very competitive.

Second Group 5 & PIARC sprint championship 2000 & 2001. Numerous top 3 finishes. Rally registration (PVN 490), 41,000km. $15,500. Call on Ron (03) 9230 273 4595 or (03) 9480 0929. www.my105.eom/67400

Suzuki Swift Gtl, Group A speo, ARC and NSW championship winning car. Complete ready to rally, comes with huge spares paokage. $9,000 I need to sell quickly, will take offers. Call Miohael 0402 108 915 or 274 (02) 9419 7639. www.myl05.eom/20568

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1977 EifIn Formula Pacific, Rare Elfin Formula Pacific. Originally owned by David Craig, C&C Autos 1977 with /Vidrew Medicke Ford BDA driven by Keith Poole. Recent rebuild including FT-200 with new parts.

CAJVIS Historic C.O.D. & Log Book. Enclosed trailer. $65,000 ONO. Rod 0428 290 010 / 273 (02) 4731 1649, www.my105.com/65038

Open Wheelers

Dallara 398 F3, Team BRM have tor sale its Dallara 398 Spiess Opel. Vehicle comes with a factory prepared 01spec Spiess Opel, Bosch system 2.2.1 ECU, PI System 3 with C Dash, a range of spares, engine low km’s Ideal for the novice or experience driver. $75,000 ONO. Bronte 0412 846 997 / (03) 8373 7546, 274www.my105.com/9718

RX 7 Series 4/5 Sports Sedan, Series 4/5 RX7 space frame sports sedan. Unfinished project, rolling chassis with ail new fibre glass sections. 6 new 16x10 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

Commodore Cup Car, Very competitive race car ideal to race for 2004 in commodore cup, Konica support catergory!

Comes with fully caged out, chrome moly VS shell for class upgrade. Great Package Dealll $30,000 ONO. Michael 0419 811 111.

274 www.my105.com/6497 26^16^7^wwWjm^105jCom/2989^

Multiple AF2 Championship Winner. AF2 State Championship winner in 2002 & 2003.

Reynard 903, fresh engine, on board data logging & timing, heaps of spares inci ratios for all NSW tracks, 3 sets of wheels, new wets, spare wings. All setup data and assistance provided. Going OS so must sell quickly. Reasonable offers oonsidered.

273 $40,000 Neg, Ted 0419 254 380. www.my105.com/86757

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CLASSIFIEDS RALT RT4/86, ex Thackwell/Greg Murphy.

Rebuilt around new tub. Fitted 2,0 YB Cosworth-Sidepods for BDA included with spare ratios, tyres, wheels etc. Turnkey @ A$55,000 plus custom built 4 wheel lock-up trailer, storage compariments etc. A$12,000.

Contact Teagle Ph,(NZ) 64 9 5247662. 274 www.myl05.com/47974

Speedway

60 Eibach Springs, 100 100,110,120,160,180,200,220,240. $800 for all a pairs. Steve +61 2 9899 9503.

273 www.myl05.com/66573 HEMI 265 Parts, 3 x 45 Webers inc manifold jetted . 4 inch CHEV pistons and block . Ported Head with roller rockers , Steel flywheel with twin plate . Alloy bell housing. Single Rail BW gearbox. Make an 272 offer Jeff 0418 640 495 Sydney, www.myl05.com/57182

Super Sedan, will sell as toller if needed, the engine is a rocket ,the car is a piture, we are selling only because my son has a sponsorship deal in his motorsport career that is full time for me. $40,000 Or Best Offer.

273 Warren 0412 487 771. www.myl05.com/25417

Engines

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Enclosed Trailer, Tri axle trailer with eieotrio brakes on two axies front and rear, has been carring a super sedan, tyre rack at front, 12v winch oniy use twice, great to tow. NSW rego. $11,000 ONO. 0405 204 819,264Www.my105.com/8077

il'

Collectable/Memorabilia

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1981 Isuzu Turbo Diesel Transporter, Like new, brilliant and versatile transporter. 32' smooth side pan, tail gate loader, winch, compressor, generator, towbar, alloy side tool boxes, double bed, kitchen, CB, UHF, CD, Video, TV, Stereo and fridge. Suit one big or two small cars and tow second or third. Urgent sale. Owes us 60K but will sell for best offer over 50K. Don't miss out! Tel 273 Peter on 0418 207 600 (NSW), www.myl05.eom/24701

"14 Legends For Sale, 2 x Original 600 Racing Legends, Championship Winning Cars (86) '34 Ford Coupe, Hank Scott Yamaha FJ 1200CC Engine with Racing clutch $10,000 (85) '37 Chev Coupe, Yamaha XJR 1200cc Engine with Racing dutch $8,000 or $16,000 for both with spares Contact Brad 0419 327 500 or Alan 0419 327 501.

272 $16,000 for both, www.myl05.com/11009

Production Modified Sedan, VR Commodore #10 Aust 2 1998-99 Vic 1 2000-01 Fresh Engine & fibreglass Panels with spares. $15,000. (02) 6033 1291 / 0408 570 822.

263 www.iny 105.com/72040

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

Parts Shocks and Springs, Shocks and springs 4 Koni as new adjustable aluminium with adjustable platform. Length 13.5 inch, Close 10.25 inch. Suite o/wheeler or sports car. $2,000, Graham (02) 6681 3735 www.my105.com/64756

170 HP 1600 Xflow Ford Engine, This is a all steel top HP ex F2 race engine totally rebuilt in the 80's and properly stored/preserved since. The motor comes with dyno sheets and is complete with 48 mm Webers fabricted inlet & exhaust pipes and some new. spares. I need the space and must sell. $7,800. Haydn 0418 340 133. 272 www.myl05.com/26553 Lotus Twim Cam, 1650cc, totally rebuilt, all machining operations, new Cosworth pistons, new LI Cams, Vandervell bearings, LTW cam buckets, head full rebuild, big valves, balanced, rods and crank shotpeened, 45mm side draft Webers excellent and new. $12,000. Call Travis on 0417 319 948. 273 www.myl05.com/52984

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Racing apparel, Dual layer racing suit Medium, fireproof uAvear and socks, size 11 boots, Bell composite helmet Large. New cost more than $2,000. $1,200 ONO. Grant 0408 841 680 / (08) 8255 9767. 272 www.myl05.com/51380

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Transporter 35ft Pantec, Unfinished project carries one car, lOOOItr water tank, work bench, sleeping quarters. Plenty of 269 storage. $3,000. 0418 546 755. www.my105.com/74959

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372ci Sprintcar Engine, Lightened Alloy Block, Brodex -12 Heads, Kinsler Fuel Injection, Vertex Magneto, Dry Sump, Latest 1 piece Air Filter System. $22,000. Dennis 272 0408 844 841. www.my105.com/81925

Driver/Crew Apparel

Max Wilson's Betta Electrical Driving Suits, One 2-iayer suit(worn once) and one 3-layer suit(new)as used by Max Wilson in 2002, both FIA approved and both size small. Can arrange name change on belt and freight, both at additional cost to purchaser. $795.00 each or offer for both Or Best Offer. Shane 0011 64 9 5800552; 271 www.my105.com/98903

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HINO 86 TRANSPORTER 20FT PAN, ITonne T/Gate, Winch, Ramps, Fits Commodore, Belly Boxes, Int O/head lockers. Tyre Rack,Water Tank, CB, Stereo, Alloy B/Bar, Big Headlights, C/Skin Tyres, Tow Bar, AUG 04 Reg, RWC. $22,000 Neg. 269 Andrew 0418 546 318. www.myl05.eom/48920

Wanted Driver Wanted, 2003 Bathurst 24 hr. Must have C5 licence. Experience in touring cars prefered. Contact Mark 0407 262 300. 268 www.myl05.eom/54022 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

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2 Car Transporter, 2 stage Hydrolic tailgate. Bench's, tyre racks, suit open wheelers, CD, tow bar, stored inside workshop. $45,000 ONO. Peter (03) 9761 4510. 273www.my105.com/86618

Sprintcar Parts, KSE Power Steering Box $1500, Neilds Power Steering Box $1700, 2 3/16" Hilborn Fuel Injection & Pump + Airfilter Assy $1900, Winters Diff $1500, Halibrand Diff $1200, Winters Diff 4,11 $1200, Franklin Diff $1500, Complete front axle $1400, Magneto & Coil $850 plus other sprintcar parts, Dennis 0408 844 841, 272 www.myl05.com/94331

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Motoring Books - Collectors' Clearance, Vast range all aspects Australian and International - over 1200 titles. Send for lists 10% off marked prices chrismx@bigpond.net.au or (02)9997 8428, tax (02) 9979 5799. Max (02) 4975 5600.

273 www.myl05.com/79192

Transporter, V8 454 on LPG, Built to tow.

Very stong engine, Rego, Rwe, Engineered.

Seats Six People, Delivery Available Australia Wide. Interior as new.exterior very clean. Engine fresh,. $22,500 ONO. 0418 427 454. 273 www.myl05.eom/53308

MITSUBISHI FM515 88 TURBO 10 SPEED, Mitsubishi FM515 '88 Turbo 10 Speed 30ft long 60CBM Alloy Furniture Pan, Steel Floor, Can fit up to 4 cars, Long Range tanks, NO REG, Close to RWC. $23,000 Neg. ANDREW 0418 546 318 . 269 www.myl05.com/27294

/ sold my car over the weekend, I received plenty of phone calls.

Thanks again. - Mark FormulaVee. 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

I think your website is brilliant!

Richard Batchelor

Get it seen Get it sold!

89

OPINION

motorsport news

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90

Fair’s Fair

I love you, Marcos

Wasn't it fantastic to see Marcos Ambrose win at Eastern Creek as well as take the Championship?

What a great effort from SBR and Ford. As a diehard Blue Oval supporter,I think that all the Ford race teams and Geoff Polities and Ford should dedicate this year in memory of Howard Marsden. Without him coming back as Ford Motorsport Manager four years ago, this would not have happened.

Marsden is known around the Ford ranks as God and will

Ta k converter i- a-

Send us your thoughts: mail; PO Box 7072, Gardenvale, VIC 3186 fax: 03 9596 5030 email: mnews@mnews.com.au

always be remembered for what he has achieved and the special cars he helped produce.

Bosko Serkinic hjshcllharbour@Unarts.com.au

Right to Reply I feel I should write in response to Simon Dale's negative take on the Bathurst 24 Hour race(MN #271).

I'm not sure that "the whole event has been designed as a Holden promotion," as Simon suggests.

Although they have certainly taken advantage of it,just as Ross Palmer has used the Monaros to promote the race itself, in order to establish the event.

Yes, the Monaros were running to a higher specification than everyone else, but everyone I spoke to has agreed that if that's what it takes to make the public aware of the race, then fine. Perhaps next year we'll get Ferrari Maranellos, Corvettes and Saleens to give the Monaros some equal competition.

Tlris year the crowd was a good deal larger than last year, the entry was better and the whole thing more of an event. The atmosphere at night; the sight of the Porsches, Mosler and Lamborghini racing over Skyline into the dawn; Uwe Alzen in the wet(and the dry) all worth the price of admission. The crowd was. I'd suggest, almost completely made up of genuine motorsport fans - there was none of the once-a-year lunatic fringe that attends the V8 race. : The moimtain was a peaceful, family-friendly place to be. Bathurst is one of the world's best circuits and it's fantastic to be able to see international endurance racing there.

Hopefully the event will grow in the coming years to be regarded alongside the Spa and Nurburgring 24 hour races.

There is more to motorsport than just the V8 Supercars and although I would never expect the 24 Hour race to eclipse the V8 race,just as Le Mans will never eclipse Formula One,there is room for both. I just don't imderstand why so many Australian sports fans seem to want to exist in splendid isolation.

As a long-time endurance racing fan. I'd like to thank Ross Palmer and PROCAR Australia for bringing one of my favourite parts of the world

I right to my back door. Long may it run.

Andrew Knight Leiira, NSW

All love lost What an interesting final chapter to a fantastic motor racing season.

Congratulations to Marcos Ambrose for winning his first(and last) championship, he did deserve it after his briUiant season. But I have to say, I tliink all the officials and stewards have got to be Ford supporters. C'mon, Murphy copping a drive-through for barely touching the other car when it spun was a bit unfair. Garth Tander copped a'drivethrough,Skaife received a drivethrough in Race 1. Then along comes Craig Lowndes who directly hit Richo,causing him to spin and lose valuable track positions.

Then we come to the Skaife/Ingall incident where Ingall clearly spun Skaife.

It was quite clear that they aU wanted TAmbrose to win the 2003 championship, but Holden will be back in 2004,for sure ...

Ashley Lloyd roxybnbe01_66@hotmail.com

This letter is to suggest a fairer way of administering penalties for driving infringements and mistakes, whether they be accidental or overstepping the rules deliberately.

The drive-through penalty must be abolished. It's too harsh for spUt second miscalculations or errors by drivers. I am suggesting a 'Drive-in Bay' situated at a remote part of the track (ie a sin bin). A driver would pull in, stop, receive a 5 or 10s penalty and rejoin the race.

The driver would receive a reasonable setback, but his race would not be ruined.

Can you imagine 50,000 fans watcliing a union or league final and the team kicks off with a player marginally in front so a penalty is issued of game over?

Everyone is calling for consistency yet drive-throughs are different for each track. When there is only 0.5s between the leading drivers, it takes an impossible amount of laps to get back that time. This is why the sin bin is used in other sports- to make it more difficult to win but achievable nonetheless.

The penalty could be uniform across all tracks and the spectators, drivers and officials would all know what the setback is. No excuses ...

Chris Fox foxholel@ozemail.coniMu

Ovals, V8s, Fox and 10 Hear, hear Peter Wliitlock! Your comments on the commentary team are spot on the mark(MN #271).

I am quite tired of being told how the V8 Stoopidcar championship is the best series in the world when the racing is often non-existent. One of them really needs to get Foxtel hooked up and study the way the NASCAR commentary teams present their series. They have the most informative race coverage I have seen.

Geordie Pugh Brisbane QLD

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Marcos Ambrose - Stone Brothers Racing: 2003 V8 Supercar Champions. motorsport news

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