Motorsport News Issue 273 - December 24, 2003-January 13, 2004

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mnwsiii Issue 273

24 December 2003 - 13 January 2004

iil^TERS

Ingall overcomes shyness To speak only to MNews Ove and Out Andersson is leaving the team he built OWRS moves in How will we pronounce the name?

Power Play Docking might get himself another Will Screaming Jets Michael lost, Air Force won Motor Mouth Telemarketers: avoid the Editor. Trust us Box Seat Toyota gets its FI show into top gear Taik Converter We got a

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1

ll'ust the Doc ... but ifsymptoms peisist- please see your teammate GREG Murphy will be fitter and ready to go for the 2004 V8 Supercar Championship as a result of recent surgery.

The Kmart team leader underwent surgery on a troublesome ankle last Friday.

In a classic example of team owner/client co-operation, the operation was performed by Dr Roger Oakeshott, who at weekends drives one of the Team Murph Carrera Cup PorschesI "I've had a bit of a tendon problem for some years," Murph explained prior to going under the needle, "and it's one of those things which is best fixed now rather than later."

Murph expects to be in plaster for four weeks.

In the interim, the troublesome lower back disc problem which benched him at Eastern Creek has responded well to p' Murph Ic have ave the need more sur "They'

by CHRIS LAMBDEN

telling me that if I do the right exercise, to strengthen lower back muscles, it'll be okay," a relieved Murph said.

-CHRIS LAMBDEN \

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RUSSELL Ingall has thrown his weight behind increasing calls for a more consistent approach by the V8 Supercar judicial system.

Ingall believes that, given the incredibly close competition in V8 Supercars, that drivers don't have a firm idea of where the limits are, in terms of on-track behaviour. He is also suggesting increased driver involvement in both setting those limits and in their implementation.

Ingall has given his one and only interview on the recent Eastern Creek incident with Mark Skaife to MNews (see page ??) and compares that incident with an earlier one, at Darwin,in which he came of worse after a straight-line clash with Greg Murphy,as a means of making his point.

"It was very similar - two cars going in a straight line, fighting over the same bit of real estate ... and I ended up looking at the side of a wall, out of the event. Very similar!"

Ingall says.

"We went through the normal hearing and judicial system and it set a guideline, in my mind, of how two cars in that situation, travelling in a straight line, don't have to back out of it.

"They judged it as a 'racing incident'.

"I spoke to Murph about it afterwards - we holidayed together last week and spoke about it again.

We both have different views on it and I accept his explanation, while

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having a view on it as well - but I ended up with a very badly damaged car.

Funny how that didn't create as much attention as this last one has!

And the two were exactly the same, to a tee.

"They set a guideline,I followed it, but all of a sudden, it's wrong now.

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THE winds of change have swept through the board of the Touring Car Entrants' Group, with three new board members being elected last week.

Ford will now be represented by Mark Larkham,above right, and Stone Brother.-i Racing's Mark Roworth, while Mark Skaife,above

Ingall: Le

left, will join incumbent Garry' Rogers to represent Holden.

"There's a level of continuity with Garry Rogers and myself," said TEGA Chairman Keh'in O'ReiUy. "That makes a 60 percent turnover. I am looking fonvard to working with the new board."

- PHIL BRANAGAN

Shortly of James Courtney’s double-edged programme in Japan next year.

Following a dominant win in the Japanese F3 Championship with the Toms Toyota squad (and a dominant performance at Macau until derailed by a puncture).

Courtney, left, will retain links with the car giant by contesting the Japanese GT Championship in the factory Supra team.

At the same time, he will step up for a full Formula Nippon openwheeler programme. moiorsport news

NEVUS

STOPPFm5

t drivers help

The V8 Supercar Court of Appeal has upheld Mark Skaife's appeal with regard to the initial on-track incident with Russell Ingall at Eastern Creek's V8 Supercar decider. The appeal, on Monday night, succeeded "on the basis that there was insufficient evidence to warrant a finding of careless driving against Mark Skaife." Details next issue.

would help stewaiig^

n Kmart Racing has rolled out its second Commodore VY, Rick Kelly drove the new car at a corporate day last week and the car, reportedly, went just swimmingly (not that it was a test day, y'understand?). Ricko and Greg Murphy will have the cars ready for Albert Park in March in, as is the norm these days, revised livery. n We hear that Dick Johnson Racing may have landed Fujitsu backing for a two-car Konica Championship assault. Owen Kelly and Jose Fernandez have been suggested as the two drivers. n OzEmail Racing has completed its third Falcon BA. The Albury team is due to test the car next month by team manager Kim Jones says that the newest car will be kept as a spare next season.

Spark Plugs

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You can't do that."

A call for more driver involvement in understanding the racing limits via a pre-season gathering is something The Enforcer believes would be very worthwhile: "There are discussions sometimes at drivers' briefings, but they usually end up being arguments,so I think

that sitting down for a day or two at a separate forum might work wonders.

"We're the guys behind the steering wheel. Quite a lot of people in the industry refer to us as 'spacers' - you know,the space between the steering wheel and the seat! But we do have a fair bit of input into what

happens out on the track, so why not give us a bit more input into it, into where those parameters are, instead of other people telling us.

"At the moment,as I said, we don't know where the guidelines are and I think we have a lot to offer in helping to determine where they are.

TTien we can go racing."

reportedly with (but not yet confirmed) the championship winning Nova team.

At the same time, after a y« spent living at the foot of Mot. Fuji, Courtney will base himsi back in Australia. It is seven j since a young James Courtnt left Australia, initially living in as he headed for World Kart Championship titles. He will s on the Sunshine Coast and commute regularly to Japan.

The link with Toyota repres his best chance of a second( the world of Formula 1; suit

24 December 2003

n Missed it by that much: Aussie Mark Webber came awfully close to winning FI Racing magazine's readervoted 'Qualifier of the Year' in that publication's recent 2003 awards issue.

Fernando Alonso took 20.00 percent of the vote, while our man polled 19.63 percent of the vote. Some bloke Michael was third with 13.13 percent.

Unsurprisingly, Schuey walked it for the top 'Man of the Year' award (40.39 percent). Webber was fifth, behind Raikkonen, Alonso and Montoya. n DFE has confirmed that KartStars is on again in 2004. There had been speculation that the scheme would not continue beyond this year, but everything is now shaping up for another memorable series. Dates are; Geelong May 16, Raleigh June 6, Ipswich July 3(Saturday night in conjunction with V8 Supercars), NSW TBA and Bolivar September 26.

We wil not be here next week so do not ring us, buy a racing team or sign any deals to drive for Minardi! Yep, after the odd bathful of Christmas Cheer, the MNews troops are off for a week, preparing for yet another year when too much motor racing will be barely enough.

We will have the next issue on the stands on Wednesday, January 14, featuring all the latest news, plus our Formula One review and the notorious Almanac. In the meantime.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, drive safely and watch out for sleighs driven by fat blokes.

5

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^—y OVE Andersson, the man who built the Panasonic Toyota Racing Formula 1 team, is to retire after more than 30 years working with the Japanese car manufacturer.

Andersson turns 66 in January and as Toyota company policy is to retire at 65, he has gone to the maximum possible age. His role will be taken over by Toyota Motorsport GmbH chairman Tsutomu Tomita, who has been with Toyota since 1969.

An engine development specialist he worked closely with Andersson in the 1980s, developing the WRC engines and in 1987 took control of all racing engine design for the company. In 1996 he ' became a member of the board of the Toyota Motor Corporation, overseeing not just motor sport but also drive train developm.ent in road cars. He was the driving force behind the company's decision to aim for victory at Le Mans and then enter Formula 1.

Andersson commented; "I want to ‘J-.ank Toyota for having given the chances in its various motorsport activities and I'm proud to continue tS\ support the company in my newjple.

Thirty years ago, I started with three

1

people in Belgium. Since then, I've set a lot of targets and achieved them with Toyota.

"Together, we manufactured Toyota's first ever Formula 1 car. When it appeared on the grid at the Australian Grand Prix in 2002, it was an amazing feeling for me that 1 will never forget. I'm sure Toyota will succeed in Formula 1 and I look forward to seeing its first victory."

Tomita will work with Toyota Motorsport president John Howett while Andersson will continue to have a role as an advisor.

The major issue now at Toyota is to produce a car to match the impressive VIO engine and the arrival of Mike Gascoyne on December 1 is a big step towards that goal. Once the team has established that it can produce a competitive chassis, it will be in a position to target a top driver.

There are already clear signs that Ralf ^ Schumacher is the man likely to be on the shopping list in 2005 as he seems unable to come to any agreement at Williams.

-JOESAWARD ■?

For more on Toyota's FI futuK, see Box Sent on pa^^es 26-27

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The Awi Motor racing’s big

Marcos’s Commodore

Ford’s number 1 remembers Bob Tindal, who give him his first V8 break

WITH all the fuss surrounding Marcos Ambrose's maiden ATCC title - Ford's first for six years - it would have been easy to forget that the Tasmanian's first-ever V8 Supercar drive was in a Holden Commodore.

In a remarkable coincidence, 12 months to the day before Ambrose sealed his win at Eastern Creek, the man who gave him that break. Bob Tindal, passed away after a battle with cancer.

"It was at Symmons Plains in '97 when Bob gave me a try in the Greg Crick Alcair VS," Ambrose recoimted to RaceFax.

"Then, later the same year Steve Johnson was late getting to practice for the Sandown round and I got some more V8 laps as I bedded in a diff for the team (above)."

6

Ambrose was not backward in paying tribute to Tindal, a long-time supporter of both Sports Sedan and V8 Supercar racing and one of the most liked men in the paddock.

"Bob was a rough diamond but a very special guy and it's a pity he wasn't around to see this but he believed in me and other young guys just like me. He definitely gave me a V8 start before anyone else did."

Outgoing Holden boss Peter Hanenberger was most complimentary about Ambrose at the recent post-Eastern Creek social events in Sydney. Could it be that, having lost the handle on the Devil Racer once already, Holden might have another look in the future ... ?

-PHILBRANAGAN

THE Australian MotorSport Awards are back in 2004.

Grand Prix week, in March, sees the return of the Australian MotorSport Awards Dinner. The respected, independent awards dinner, honouring Australian achievement right across motorsport - from FI to V8s, Speedway to Ral ly - will kick off Grand Prix week, on Tuesday night, March 2.

It will be a joint promotion between Motorsport News and Corporate Business Productions, with proceeds going to children's brain cancer charity Brainwave (whose patron is Australian FI star Mark Webber, expected to be among the guests on the night).

Major awards up for grabs will include domestic and international MotorSportsmen of the Year and Young Achiever of the Year, with a number of special motor sport segments and some intriguing entertainment to cap an entertaining evening.

moiorsport news

Ral^ Deal or No Deal?

THERE is no doubt that in recent

days the negotiations between Williams El and Ralf Schumacher have taken a turn for the worse, with Williams unwilling to pay the money being asked by the German.

It is believed that Schumacher wants a contract worth US$15m ($20.4m) a year for three years (200506-07) but Williams is not willing to pay more than US$9m a year. There are even some in the team who believe that Ralf is not worth that kind of money, based on his performances in 2003.

Schumacher seems to think that Williams has no choice but to retain him because Juan Pablo Montoya is leaving but we hear that the team is quite willing to lose both drivers if necessary because there is a whole year in which a replacement driver could get used to the car and the team. Thus it will be worth watching to see whom Williams choose as a second test driver in 2004.

Williams and Rubens Barrichello have been in negotiation in recent months but we hear that the Brazilian is being offered a lucrative new contract to stay at Ferrari - which is willing to pay him US$12m a year -

Eyes on the future (bank balance): Will Ralfget his way with Williams or will a chance to get rich at Toyota be too tempting for the German? while Williams is only interested in him if he accepts about half that figure.

This opens the way for someone else to siieak into the top job at BMW Williams in 2005 and that must be an attractive proposition for a driver such as Jenson Button, who knows the team well and may be able to get

irds are Back! night to kick off Grand Prix week Voting for most awards is by independent panels, although an MNews reader poll will decide the MotorSport Personality of the Year, Ticket prices for the black-tie

function will be $200, with individual tickets or tables of 10 available.

Full details in the next issue of

MNews.

- PHIL BRANAGAN

V

-* A night to remember: A young-ish Marcos Ambrose was a big winner in 2000, taking two awards from Sir Jack Brabham and host Frank Gardner.

24 December 2003

out of his contract at BAR thanks to a performance clause which the team has to meet.

Williams has had a look around at other youngsters in recent weeks but there are no signs that any of those who have been tested will be signed by the team, the general feeling being that they are all too young and inexperienced to take on the job.

Williams has a long-established tradition of hiring cheap drivers and building cars which enable them to win World Championships. When the drivers then try to increase their earnings they fall out with the team and depart.

-JOESAWARD

NEWS

Ash to Ashes FORMER MG-F driver Ash Samadi has bought Jim Richards Championship-winning Carrera Cup Porsche GT3 for the 2004 season.

Samadi, who tested the car last week at Eastern Creek, will prepare the Porsche through his own team with major backing from Globe.

"I can't wait," enthused Samadi.

"It's a new car for me, new category.

Flaving Jim's car will be a big help and hopefully we can utilize it."

Samadi unfortunately crashed the car during his first day behind the wheel, but this has not dampened his spirits for the coming season.

"Most of it's just panel damage.

It's expensive and costly, but in terms of damage to a Porsche, it will be pretty cheap to fix," n Formula 3 ace Will Davison has completed his first triathalon.

Joined by Carrera Cup star Marcus Marshall, the Melbourne young'un competed in one of IMG's events last Sunday and enjoyed the experience though, we hear, pulled up pretty sore the following day.

S n If you hurry, you might just have time to get the 51st edition of Automobile Year in someone's Christmas stocking.

The annual, as usual, takes a look at the weird and wonderful on the automotive world, from new releases (Toyota; can you sell the Wish here, please i) to the wackiest of showcars (Hyundai's OLV takes the gold for'ugly'), Motorsport is covered, with FI and WRC getting the best coverage but there is no mention of V8 Supercars - which is fine, until you read about 'other' touring car championships(who gives a rat's about Sweden and Finland - except for Swedes and Finns?)

All in all, a great read, if a little Euro-centric. Automobile Year 2003/04 is available from all good automotive bookshops for $114.95. n Three young Americans will travel halfway around the world to further their blossoming auto racing careers, Joe D'Agostino, 18, from Plantation, Fioria, Charlie Kimball, 18, from Camarillo, California and Ryan Millen, 19, from Newport Beach, California are the latest recipients of the Team USA Scholarships.

The threesome will journey to the Southern Hemisphere to contest the six-race Talley's New Zealand International Formula Ford Series, which will be held over three consecutive weekends in January.

Since its inception in 1990 Team USA winners include Jimmy Vasser, Bryan Herta, Jerry Nadeau, Memo Gidley, A.J. Allmendinger, Bryan Sellers and the late Tony Renna.

7

Full time for Bryan

BRYAN Herta has finally landed a full time drive in the Indy Racing League.

Herta will drive for Andretti Green Racing, the team which he won a race for at Kansas this year.

Herta was substituting for injured Brazilian Dario Franchitti at the time.

"I couldn't be happier to be back with Andretti Green and Honda," said Herta."Last year was a great opportunity, and it is awesome to be able to continue with the team and

expand on what we achieved in 2003."

The colours and sponsorship on the car is yet to be finalised.

Herta started 11IRL races in 2003, scoring one win, plus six top five

finishes. He also competed in one CART race at Laguna Seca this year, finishing 11th.

AGR will have its work cut out for it in 2004, fielding four cars for Herta, Franchitti, Tony Kanaan and Autosport Rookie of the Year Dan Wheldon.

Team co-owner Michael Andretti said that 2004 will be challenging, but rewarding.

"It's very exciting for Andretti Green Racing to be able to add a fourth car," said Andretti. "Bryan did such a great job for us last year, and we really didn't want to lose him. The series is so competitive that you need every resource and advantage you can get."

- PHIL MORRIS

IRL to be slower THE Indy Racing League is to slow its cars with smaller engines and more restrictive aerodynamic packages.

IRL boss Tony George has decided that with immediate effect not only will the engines be reduced from 3.5litres to 3.0-litres, but also that there win no longer be any private testing allowed.

Teams will be allowed to take part in a number of organised tests at different venues. The first of these will be at Homestead-Miami Speedway between January 27-29, with a second at Phoenix in midFebruary. In addition the engine manufacturers are being allowed three days of testing with their works teams, while teams will be allowed to rim rookie tests to check out young drivers. The aim is to cut costs and make sure that each team has an

iRenna: No decision The cause of Tony Renna’s fatal testing accident at Indianapolis in October is stiil unclear, according to the Indy . Racing League’s official report on the incident.

Driver error may have caused the incident, however officials could not be totally accurate due to insufficient data.

Renna suffered fatal head and chest injuries at turn three of the famed circuit while tyre testing. . Renna’s car entered the turn at 227mph. Just past the apex of the corner, his Chip Ganassi Racing G Force-Toyota spun 90degrees to the infield grass.

Travelling sideways, the car lifted when air got under it. His car travelled back across the track before it struck the debris fence. The impact on a support pole split the cockpit area open.

Data provided by the Chip Ganassi team revelled there was no mechanical failures that 8

could have been recorded.

Meanwhile, the catch fencing that was torn down during Kenny Brack’s big off at Texas Motor Speedway is currently undergoing a AUD$453,000 improvement and upgrade.

Brack suffered serious leg and back injuries in the final round of the series there this year.

- PHIL MORRIS

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equal opportunity.

The IRL has also followed the FI route in decreeing that there will be only one engine allowed for practice, qualifying and the race during twoday events although teams may change engines before qualifying

during the three-day meetings. This will reduce the number of engine rebuilds necessary and will get rid of expensive qualifying engines. T-cars will be allowed but only for five laps.

The restrictions come at a time when IRL is having a major rethink following the arrival of the big corporations in the sport and the recent accidents which resulted in the death of Tony Reima and serious injuries for Kenny Brack.

In recent days the IRL has issued its report into the death of Renna.

This concludes that the crash was probably caused by driver error.

Renna was timed at 227mph just before his crash at Indianapolis. The IRL report concluded there was no apparent mechanical failure, and suggested that Renna tried to correct the steering wheel after losing control, causing the car to go sideways and onto the grass in the infield. It then became airborne and flew up the track, turning in the air.

The car then hit a fence pole above the concrete wall bottom-first, which tore the monocoque apart.

-PHIL MORRIS

Powerslide for Morgan?

17-YEAR-OLD Australian Andre Morgan has completed a successful test with FRAN-AM (American Formula Renault) team Powerslide Motorsports.

Morgan spent two days with the team on December 18 and 19 at Carolina Motorsport Park in South Carolina familiarising himself with the team and car. Although his efforts were hampered somewhat by the weather Morgan managed to complete some quick laps, and further impressed the team with his feedback. He is currently chasing the budget to run with the team in the FRAN-AM winter series.

At 16, Morgan was the youngest driver in the Australian Super Touring Championship,finishing

I third in the 2002 series. He topped the times in an earlier US FRenault test in Georgia this year before scoring a class win at the Merdeka Millennium 12 Hour Race at Sepang, Malaysia.

- MARK GLENDENNING

motorsport news

NEWS

McRae, out Mikko in

Despite fighting a last-ditched effort, WRC TV rights holder David Richards has failed to secure the final seat at Subaru for Colin McRae. Even though Richards is the chairman of Prodrive, the company that runs Subaru's WRC efforts, the Japanese management of the car company decided to go with a youtli policy by signing young Finnish rising star Mikko Hirvonen McRae's only prospects for the 2004 WRC are a part-time drive at best- and that it would need to be

fuUy funded.

However M-Sport/Ford Director Malcolm Wilson offered a glimmer of hope for McRae but said that there was no longer a chance of him driving a Focus for the entire season.

"That opportunity that we had has gone," Wilson said."Part of that funding package has gone away.It could only happen for the odd event.

If the funding is there, we'U look at it.

However McRae has said that he isn't interested in anything other than a full-scale championship campaign.

Dave Richards was said to be extremely annoyed that McRae had been passed over, meaning that for the first time in 10 seasons, there would be no British driver campaigning for the WRC. "Colin is and has been for many years one of the icons of the sport.

I'm a great fan of his and I've done all I can to try and secure him a drive," Richards stated.

Richards has suggested that Britain's motorsport governing body.

AFTER consultation with the V8 BRutes competitors, the decision has been made that the Ford V8 BRutes wili not be upgraded to the fuil BAspec until 2005.

It was agreed that there is insufficient time to build 16 new BA BRutes before the 2004 season starts, but the prototype BA V8 BRute will be built and thoroughly tested next year.

The braking system on all the BRutes will be improved and will run new rotors, supplied by Disc Brakes Australia, that are expected to have more consistent braking performance and increased longevity.

PROCAR are negotiating with Ferodo Brakes to continue to supply the control brake pads, and CSA Wheels will equip the BRutes with a 17'x8" V8 BRute rim to be shod in the control Dunlop tyre.

The V8 BRutes will be more spectacular in 2004 with an alteration to the exhaust system. The exhaust will exit from the side of the car for improved performance and auditory appeal.

All of the new components will be changeable to the new crop of V8 BRutes in 2005, n Renault Formula 1 boss Flavio Briatore and supermodel girlfriend Fleidi Klum have announced that they are expecting a child in early.spring.

the MSA,should make a greater effort to support the careers of young rally drivers.

"I think you do see other cormtries in Scandinavia, particularly Finland, and now the French federation, doing a lot to develop and promote young drivers and I think given the difficulties of getting into top-level motorsport these days you do need to have a very pro-active approach,"

Zanardi is back Alex Zanardi has confirmed he will make a full-time return to the cock of a race car after lossing both his legs in a Champ car accident two) ago.

The Italian, will drive for Ravaglia ^ the European Touring Car Championship, zanardi competed for the BMW squad at the last race of the series at Monza last November.

“I'm happy to take part in the ETCC,'' said Zanardi. “I wish to thank BMW Italy and the team for trusting in this project since the beginning.

“Racing in Monza was great, and made me feel strong sensations. The car was very competitive, especially in the engine, and this is a again great motivation to keep on with its development."

Ravaglia Motorsport will expand to three cars in 2004. Antonio Garcia has just been re-signed while Fabrizio Giovanardi is expected to remain with the team.

24 Decemlier 2003

No BA for BRutes

said Richards "Sebastian Loeb is a good example of what has come out of France and I can give you a number of examples out of Finland, obviously,so maybe it is time for the MSA." Richards is said to be worried by the lack of British involvement and the effect that could have on TV interest in the series this year -JON THOMSON suUon’inM}ivs.com

n Paul Dana will return to the Indy Racing League's Infiniti Pro Series in 2004. Dana, a St. Louis native who resides in Indianapolis, will drive for Flemelgarn/Johnson Motorsports. n The SAFER Barrier, which was used for the first time on the outside retaining wall of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the 2002 Indianapolis 500, is being installed at Phoenix International Raceway. n Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves participated in the Chris Evert/Bank of America Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic. The two-day event, which raised money to fight drug abuse in south Florida, featured several tennis stars and celebrities, including former United States President George Bush,'Friends' star Matthew Perry, comedians Chevy Chase and Jon Lovitz, and Gavin Rossdale of the rock band Bush, n Actron Air Racing have launched their new website which can be found at www.actronair-racing.com.au. Log on now, because you can win a ride with driver Kevin Mundy at their next ride day! n Leading Formula Renault team Eurotek may enter the 2005 Formula 2 Championship, the series that is proposed to take over from the FIA Formula 3000 Championship. Also, there has been talk that the team may jump ship one year early and enter the 2004 series. The team have employed a number of former Den Bla Avis staff to spearhead its campaign.

9

ten home of

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

Eastern Creek .

Apr 25

Pukekohe

.Rd2 Rd3

May 23 .. .Hidden Vailey ..

.Rd4

Jun 13... .Barbagallo ....

.Rd5

Jul 4

.Rd6

Qid Raceway ..

Jul 25 ....Winton

Rd7

Aug 15 ...Oran Park

.Rd8

Sep 12 ...Sandown Oct 10 ....Bathurst

.Rd 10

.Rd9

Surfers Paradise

.Rd 11

Nov 14 .. .Shanghai Dec 5 ... .Eastern Creek .

.Rd12

Oct 24

Rd 13

2004 FIA Formula One Championship* ....Australia

.Rdl .Rd2

Mar 21 ...Malaysia Bahrain Apr 4

.Rd3

Apr 25

Europe

.Rd4

May 9

Spain

.Rd5

by SPURRING/MORRIS

THE Champ Car World Series looks set to go ahead after Open Wheel Racing Series confirmed its takeover of CART after the organisation filed a case to the US bankruptcy court under Chapter 11 last week.

Although vital pieces of the deal still need clarification, OWRS has revealed that it has agreed contracts with promoters, teams and sponsors.

CART recorded US$78m ($106m) in losses over 2003 and its first date in court is scheduled for December 30.

OWRS partner Paul GentUozzi said that, effective immediately, work would begin on restoring the series to its former heights. He also stated that

OWRS has accepted liability for almost US$2.7m in prize money which teams did not receive in 2003, but they will only receive this if they enter the 2004 season. There is still no confirmation on the amount of cars that will be on the grid.

OWRS has appointed Richard P. Eidswick as the 'interim' CEO, overseeing the transition of CART through Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.

CART will continue to operate its business as a debtor-in-possession during the court-supervised sales process. Assuming the asset sale is completed, CART will then proceed to wind up its business affairs.

Subject to US Bankruptcy Court authorisation of its assets deal with CART,OWRS will seek to retain key

Champ Car World Series management personnel, including COO David Clare, CFO Tom Carter, VP of racing operations Jolin Lopes and director of technology Lee Dykstra.

CART laid off more than 20 staff in mid-October, but still has 50 full-time employees at its HQ in Indianapolis.

OWRS has also indicated that it would operate future Champ Car World Series from the current championship HQ under the same title, although it would drop the 'CART' name.

As part of the developments, former CART CEO Cluis Pook, who took over the job of reviving the ailing series at the start of the 2002 season, will no longer have any role with the organisation.

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May 23 ...Monaco San Marino Jun 6

.Rd7

Jun 20 . ...USA

.Rd8

Jul 4

Great Britain

.Rd9

Jul 11

France

Jul 25 ... .Germany ..

OWRS secures

Rd 10 .Rd 11

Aug 15 .. .Hungary ...

Rd 12

Aug 29 ...Belgium ..

Rd 13

Sep 12 .. .Italy

.Rd 14

Sep 26 .. .China

.Rd15

Oct 10 ... .Japan Oct 24 ... .Brazil

.Rd 16 .Rd 17

2003-04 World Series Sprintcars Dec 26 ...Speedway City SA .... .Rd6 .Rd7 Dec 27 .. .Murray Bridge SA Dec 28 ...Mt. Gambler SA

.Rd8

Dec 30 .. .Avalon VIC

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Jan 1 ... .Warrnambool VIC

Rd 10

Jan 3 ... .Brisbane OLD

Rd 11

Jan 6

Rd12

Brisbane OLD

Jan 14 .. .Wagga \A/agga NSW .. .Rd 13 .Rd 14 Jan 16 .. .Speedway City SA Jam 7 ....Speedway City SA

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

.Rd.1

Feb 6-8 .. .Swedish

.Rd2

Mar 12-14 .Mexico

.Rd3

Apr 16-18 .New Zealand

.Rd4

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home of

motorsport All event Hales in this calendar were correct at the time of printing. Please consult any individual tracks am')r assoc»a//o/Js for date changes.

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

3lmmy at Minardi GIANMARIA Bruni has signed to drive for the Minardi team in 2004.

The 22-year-old Roman brings considerable finance with him, rumoured to be in the region of US$5m ($7m). Bruni should not however be considered as a simple pay-driver as he clearly has considerable talent. He impressed Minardi this year while testing for the team on Fridays and was often a contract, some weeks ago on the understanding that he could raise the money needed.

This year, Bruni has been racing in the European Formula 3000 series but made his reputation in British Formula 3 in 2000 and 2001 after a successful career in European Formula Renault in 1999.

The news means that Minardi now has just one seat left for 2004 with a number of drivers in competition for the job. The favourite appears to be 2003 driver Jos Verstappen who had entertained hopes of driving for either Jaguar or Jordan. Minardi boss Paul Stoddart says that he would like to keep Verstappen but has made it , clear that any deal is dependent on money.

Verstappen and his manager Huub

Rothengather are rumoured to be on the verge of splitting up after more than 10 years together and it seems that Jos's negotiations are now being handled by Michel Perridon, the boss of Trust Computers, which is his major sponsor.

"We are very confident that I will be on the grid in 2004," Verstappen says. "I don't have to convince anyone of my talent. Unfortunately decisions are not taken just on talent."

Minardi was busy testing a variety of drivers last week at Vallelunga, near Rome, where there were two inardi PSOSs being tried by six different drivers. In the course of the test Argentina's Jose-Maria Lopez, Italian Fabrizio Del Monte and Finn Heikki Kovalainen were all tested.

Kovalainen was fastest until the final day when Bruni recorded a 1 m02.216s, but his 1 m02.'545s was a good time for a rookie. Lopez was a few tenths slower than Kovalainen while Seidler was also in the 1 m02s.

The team may yet choose a different driver, with Giorgio Pantano rumoured to be talking about having a budget for the team and various others believed to still be in the picture.

- JOE SAWARD motorsport news

future of series

NEWS

Nice one, Alex ALEX Lloyd scooped the BRDC McLaren Young Driver of the Year Award, along with £75,000 ^ (AUD$179,800) and a test-drive in a McLaren FI car, at the glitzy Autosport Awards in December.

Lloyd, who has been impressive in the British Formula Renault Championship in 2003, is eyeing up a move to F3 for 2004, most likely with Fortec Motorsport. Lloyd will square up against title favourite Nelson Piquet Jr. n Reigning American Rally Champion David Fliggins is eyeing a switch to circuit racing for 2004. The 31-year-old Manxman is in talks with BTCC squad Barwell Motorsport and the former kart champion is keen for high profile drive after his rallying employer Mitsubishi scaled down its involvement for 2004.

3

Who's the Boss? Paul Centilozzi and co have saved the series - and Rocketsports has re-signed Alex Tagliani.

Tag keeps Rocketing CANADIAN Alex Tagliani will stay with Rocketsports Racing in the Champ Car World Series in 2004.

This will be Tagliani's sixth season in Channp Cars, after spending four years with Garry Forsythe's team.

"I am thrilled to be returning to Rocketsports," said Tagliani. "I'm proud to drive for Paul (Gentilozzi, team owner) and appreciate the confidence he has in me.

"We knew this first season was going to be a tough year of learning for everyone. We brought our experiences together for the first time and built something new. Our strength was not always reflected in our results," Tagliani finished eighth in this year's championship, scoring two poles as well as three podium finishes. His team owner is one of the partners in OWRS (see story opposite).

- PHIL MORRIS

Jane and CAMS Atkinson goes the Full

A WAR of words has broken out between Calder Park and Adelaide International Raceway promoter Bob Jane and CAMS regarding the status of motor racing insurance.

Jane, whose tracks are aligned with the Australian Auto sport Alliance,issued a media statement last week criticising, among other things,the national ASN's insurance cover and staffing levels. In response, CAMS President Colin Osborne replied with a statement of his own,refuting many of the statements made in Jane's message.

The two organisations have been in dispute before over a number of issues.

-PHIL BRANAGAN 24 Decemlier 2003

Monte on WRC debut

AUSTRALIAN young gun Chris Atkinson has been given a chance to showcase his talent on a world stage with the news that he will line up in a Monster Sport-entered Suzuki Ignis Super 1600 in the upcoming Monte Carlo Rally, the first round of the Junior WRC. Atkinson, who captured the Super 1600 class in this year's Asia Pacific championship, will have his first lash at a European event but says he wLU take things steadily on the testing tarmac event through the South of France. He will be partnered by his brother Ben.

Suzukis dominate the Monte Super 1600 entry with a total of six Ignis hatchbacks participating in the rally.

Suzuki's four 'front-line' drivers, Per-Guimar Andersson, Mirco Baldacci, Kosti Katajamaki and Guy WOks,will also be joined by Urmo Aava,the Estonian who has already contested the 2003 Junior series in a Suzuki.

The Atkinsons hope to contest at least one other JWRC round as well as a full campaign in the Asia Pacific Championship.

-JON THOMSON

n Ticket prices for the 2004 British Grand Prix have been slashed by event promoter Octagon Motorsports. Anyone buying a £90 (AUD$215] raceday ticket before March 1 will automatically be upgraded to a three-day pass that last year would have cost £190!

(AUD$450). n Octagon is marketing the pricing as £30(AUD$72)a day, although children's tickets are still full price, making a family weekend an expensive treat. n BTCC rounds will receive live telecasts next season as part of Alan Gow's rebuild of the series. Selected rounds will be shown live by ITV on weekends that don’t clash with the channel's FI telecasts. All other rounds will receive post-produced highlights packages a week after the race. n Nicolas Prost, son of Alain, will tackle next year's French Formula Renault Championship with the PlayStation Junior Team. This in turn will be managed by Raphali de Chaunac, son of Oreca boss Flughes. n Honda's BTCC plans for 2004 will revolve around four cars but split between two teams. Arena Motorsport and Team Dynamics are the two teams involved, but will only receive technical support, as the Japanese marque no longer has the budget for a full BTCC campaign. n Jason Plato, the 2001 BTCC Champion, is to return to the BTCC in 2004 to spearhead SEAT'S debut attack on the championship. SEAT had initially pledged to race in the ETCC but the rule change to allow ETCC cars in to the BTCC has created a change of heart for the Spanish manufacturer. Plato will be joined by Robert Huff who won the SEAT Cupra title in the UK in 2003.

- DAVID ADDISON 11

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WILL Power is edging cioser toward finaiising his British F3 deai for 2004.

“There’s still a bit that we need to sort out, but we’re getting there,” said the Queensiander. “I’m hopeful that we’ll have things finalised soon so we can get on with it and concentrate on preparing for the season.”

Power couldn’t yet say exactly which team he would be driving for next year, however he confirmed that Alan Docking Racing was the most likely option. Fellow Aussie Will Davison spent much of last season racing with ADR before switching to Menu Motorsport for the final rounds.

“I can’t wait to get back over to England and do

some testing," Power enthused. “To have a strong season, you really need to start off the right way and get some good resuits in the opening couple of rounds. That’s what(2003 Champion) Aian van der Merwe did this year, and that’s what we want to do next year.”

Power began the 2003 British F3 season in the Diamond Racing-run Ralt but iater switched to Fortec, a union that saw him finish on the podium at Thruxton. Both he and Davison have been offered speciai one-off tests with Minardi Ft next year, provided that they continue to achieve good results on the track.

- MARK GLENDENNING

it’s Growing

GT PERFORMANCE and the Australian Production Car Championship are both looking forward to new cars and increased manufacturer support in 2004.

Nine marques and 14 models are expected in GT Performance next year, including at least two more BMW M Coupes from Wayne Russell, four Mitsubishi EVO Vllls (including one from reigning Champ Mark King, replacing the E\/0 'v'll that he has campaigned for the past two years) and two new-shape Subaru STi MY04s from Protechnica Racing. GTA Racing will run two new Alfa 147 GTAs. Changes to the series will include a new licencing/franchise system, allowing just six cars from each marque to register for the entire championship.

Additional cars will have to enter on a round-by-round basis.

Meanwhile, the APCC is looking toward to 11 marques and 18 models in 2004, with a factoryassisted two-car Class B team of Mini Cooper JCW's among the highlights. 17-year-old Chris Alajajian and Richard Gartner have been signed on as drivers.

12

THE FIA World Council on Friday in Monte Carlo confirmed that the British Grand Prix is to move from July 4 to July 11 and that France is to move to July 4-on the understanding that the race will only happen if the Federation Francaise du Sport Automobile (FFSA)can get a deal with Bernie Ecclestone and get all the FI teams to agree to run an 18th race.

This is not going to happen. Tlie teams have made it clear that they each want an additional US$2m (AUD$2.7m)to do an IStli race.

Thus in order for the race to happen, the FFSA must raise

Fop Whoi rt/tlimif.cnm

MM'S Grand Plan

FOLLOWING on from a year that included standout performances in the Australian Carrera Cup Championship and a successful Porsche Supercup debut at Indianapolis, above, Marcus Marshall is closing in on finalising his 2004 plans.

"We're getting there," the Queenslander told MNews on Monday.

"I just got back from the Porsche presentation ceremony in Germany, and it was interesting to see how everything works over there. While I was over there, I met with some different teams to talk about doing something in Supercup and had some really positive discussions.

"Things are moving in the right direction - it's just a matter of pulling it all together now."

Marshall said that he is hoping to have his 2004 programme sorted out early in the new year.

- MARK GLENDENNING

Is JAGUAF^ ing with place fora Webb^ an<f^ristt|n Klien, but it is eaqpectedjUybie team will soon aame American Townsend Bell as & its third driver, to take partl4l^ the testing on Fridays at ir each Grand Prix.

Bell is expected to toing some funding to the team in order to secure the drive that he hopes will give him sufficient exposure to enable him to get a full-time racing job in 2005.' *■ At the moment, Bell is lined up to drive for a second season in the FIA International Formula 3000 series with 2003 Champions Arden International, but it is expected that the Banbury-based team will name Vitantonio Liuzzi as its number one driver at the Autosport International Show.

- JOE SAWARD

motorsport news

I I

NEWS

id of the Road?

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USS12m {AUDS16.2m)to pay Ecclestone(who is owed US.$]lm (AUDS14.9m)for the races in 2002 and 2003), USS20m (ALTDS27m)for the teams and an additional USS9m (AUD512.2m) to run the event. This means that at least U'SS41m (AUD555.7m)is needed.

According to French sources Jacques Regis, the president of the FFSA,says he has USS2m from the regional government of Burgundy;a further LJSS2m from the Nievre conseil general.

The ticket sales will bring in only around US$7m (AUDS9.5m), which means that the race is still USS30m

(AL'D$40.7m)short.

The Frencli seem to think that the teams will not ask for the extra money but this is a mistake,as they were quite happy to throw Canada out of the World Championship,despite the fact that it is a popular race in the \ aluable North American market- and France has little value to the teams.

Asked what will happen if the teams do ask for the extra money,Regis said that the FFSA will refuse to pay.

The FIA has given the French a deadline of December 31 to get a solution but in effect this means only a week,as most of France and the FIA will be on holiday from

A Short Story BATHURST 24 Hour regular Martin Short is planning on running the Noble GT car in next year's British GT Championship. According to Short, the Noble is the ideal car for the lesspowerful Cup Class, and his team, Rollcentre Racing, is expected to run Nobles alongside its existing Mosler, Short has also purchased two 2002 ORECA Dallaras for 2004 and will enter the new Le Mans Endurance Series (LMES), n The British Supercar V8 Championship is a step nearer reality after being granted a permit and has allied itself to the BRDC as its organising club. However, it remains a political hotbed in the UK, as the championship was given the goahead by the MSA, the sport's governing body, and not the Championship Control Panel.

The CCP was established to police the number of championships created in the UK and its members were against the idea of SCV8, seeing it as a threat to the BTCC. The MSA's decision has been as popular as a cup of cold sick, therefore, and the CCP members are considering their next course of action.

A television deal is due to be announced soon, whilst a calendar has been published, but suggests dates with clubs other than its nominated organiser, the BRDC.

December 19 until the New Year.

The fact that the race remains on the calendar for now means that the French government has not yet realised the full implication of the situation and so is not exerting any pressure on the FIA, and by the time that happens it will almost certainly be too late.

Silverstone has already announced its intention to lower its ticket prices to try to bring in a bigger crowd, while the British motorcycle GP has switched from its July 11 date to July 4 to avoid a clash with the FI event.

- JOE SAWARD £

I33

n British F3 team Manor Motorsport will defect to the Euroseries next year at the behest of Mercedes. The German car giant will supply engines to John Booth's team and Manor will supply one of its young drivers, Lewis Hamilton. As Mercedes wants to do Europe, Hamilton does as he is told, and hence the British Formula Renault champion will have a tough year learning a number of new circuits. n BMW is to enter a pair of its V8-engined M3 GTRs in next year's Spa 24 Hours. The cars sit between GT and N-GT in the regulations making them not quite right for the Bathurst 24 Hours. However, no doubt PROCAR bosses will be on the phone to try to entice the cars to the Mountain for next November. n The proposed UK series for females only, called Formula Woman, has been given the goahead for 2004.

‘y

24 Decembsr 2003

n Yury Luzhkov, the mayor of Moscow, has allocated a 227-hectare site to the north of the city for an FIA Grade 1 race circuit on which to stage a future Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix. According to the RBC news agency, the plans are expected to be complete by the New Year and Luzhkov is actively seeking state government investment in the project.

- ADDISON/SPURRING 13

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the SUverstone-bag^Wl has secured its Formula engine contract with Cosworo Racing through the 2005 season, and will get the same

1

The tobacco squeeze continues

THE Australian government has joined the signatories of the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, committing the nation to not only ban all tobacco advertising but also to encourage other countries to do the same in the future.

Australia has had a ban on

tobacco sponsorship at sporting events since the Tobacco Advertising Prohibition Act of 1992, which resulted in most forms of tobacco sponsorship

disappearing by December 1995, but the federal government has granted the event an exemption on the grounds that it is of international significance. The federal government is now considering a new law to ban all tobacco advertising from October 2006.

At the same time, the Indian government has confirmed that it intends to ratify its commitment to the treaty, a major step-forward for the WHO,given India's huge

population. The Indian cabinet has also approved the drafting of legislation to ban tobacco advertising. India will become the sixth country to ratify the treaty, following in the footsteps of Norway, Malta, Fiji, Sri Lanka and the Seychelles.

The convention, which comes into effect when ratified by 40 nations, prohibits advertising promotion of tobacco products and sponsorship by tobacco companies of sporting and other events.

Yes, he cai MICHAEL Schumacher CAN be beaten - by a fighter plane.

The six-time world champion conceded defeat when up against the Eurofighter Typhoon earlier this month at Grosseto,Italy.

Schumacher's Ferrari F2003-GA took on a Eurofighter Typhoon from a standing start over three races.

The first 600 metre sprint saw Schumacher claim the win at

X^rncirKets

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Mosler momentum Grows KERRY Baily has investigated the possibility of purchasing and racing a Mosler MT900R. The five-times Australian Sport Sedan Champion is looking at stepping into another class after dominating the Sport Sedan scene for the past decade, but is still to formally make up his mind.

"The plan at the moment is to run my Sport Sedan," said Baily.

"All I've done with the Mosler is look at it. But 1 think Nations Cup get great televesion exposure. There are lots of positives and negatives."

14

One of Baily's concerns is the 'thrill-factor'. The 49-year-old believes the Mosler would not give him the stimulation he still burns for in a race car.

"1 sometimes question wheather I should move on.The Sport Sedans are awesome things to drive. The Mosler would be a more refined vehicle, but I'm not sure about it.

"My concern with going to another class is that it wouldn't give me the thrill of a Sport Sedan."

-GRANT ROWLEY

for Production ^Dream Drive’ HARD-CHARGING Sydney young gun Mark Thompson has taken part in a test session in Austria to select a future star to partner Manfred Stohl and Jani Paasonen in the Production Car World Championship.

The test in Austria last weekend was staged by Austrian fuels and lubricant company OMV, which backs Stohl's WRC Mitsubishi team.

Thompson lined up against nine other hopefuls in the talent search but at the time of going to press it was unclear how he performed in the shootout Thompson, who returned to the Australian Rally Championship this year after spending a season trying to secure a drive in the UK, was chosen as one of 10 successful applicants from more than 100 entries and informed he would be a part of the test session early last week.

The winner of the competition will join Mitsubnishi team for six rounds of the World Rally Championship in 2004, driving a Group N Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI. -JON THOMSON moiorsport news

NEWS

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SAUBER Petronas has unveiled its new, state-of-the-art, full-size, rollingroad wind tunnel at its base in HinwiI, near Zurich, Switzerland.

It has a total length of 141 m and a test section of 15sq.m, and can achieve wind and rolling-road speeds of SOOkph. The entire rolling-road platform can be rotated to simulate cornering or side-slip conditions up to a maximum angle of lOdeg. Load cells underneath the steel belt enable constant measurement of wheel lift.

Although certain measurements will be made on full-size Formula 1 cars, in most cases Sauber's aero engineers will work with 60 percent scale-models. The test section offers the possibility of performing tandem tests of 60 percent models to simulate air turbulences and slipstream conditions.

B

The dfTirthnr has been only of a Ford comeback. V\''hen Jackie Stewart's team became the Jaguar works team, the 'blue oval' disappeared from Formula 1. Jordan was our first step on the way back. Now we need a long-term strategy for

' die oonwtg ses^xi. wS develop only one engine', conftimed Jost Capito. the director of Ford Team RS. "This is the only option

fr-\^

ETtaking the project a success."

Previously, the team has had to 'make do' vv'ith year-oid engines that had been used before by the Jaguar team.

Jordan has no drivers signed for next season but has an option on former Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld.

- QUENTIN SPURRING/ STAFF

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n Maserati Corse in Italy is building a version of its one-make Trofeo racecar for US team Scuderia Ferrari of Washington to enter in the GT class of Grand Am's 2004 Rolex Sports Car Series. The 'Maserati Trofeo Light' makes extensive use of lightweight body panels to achieve the Rolex GT class minimum weight of 25501b (1156kg). The 4.2-litre V8 will deliver 430bhp.

- QUINTIN SPURRING

264kmh,9.4 seconds to the jet's 9.6s but that was the last time Schuey saw the chequered flag.

Over 1200 metres, the Eurofighter picked up its pace and ran 14.4s to Schumacher's 16. 7s, with the Ferrari hitting 308kinh. The final 900 metre stint saw the Eurofighter manage just 0.2s ahead of Schumacher -13 seconds to 13.2s- and again the Ferrari clocked 305 kmph despite the wet surface.

n A new N-GT version of the Ferrari 360 GTC has been launched at the Bologna Motor Show in Italy.

Intended for 'customer' teams to race in the FIA GT series, the LMES and/or the ALMS, the new car has been developed by the Ferrari Corse Client! department in Maranello, in conjunction with Michelotto Automobili. Ferrari has set down an initial run of 15 cars, which have a dry weight of 1100kg.

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NEWS

Not the retiring types FIA president Max Mosley has proposed an end to the premature retirements of factory team cars in World Rally Championship events, so as to maintain TV and spectator interest throughout each championship round.

"I'd like to see a situation where, if a driver 'retires' on the opening day, he can still run and maintain the opportunity to win on the second and third days," Mosley told UK weekly 'Autosport'.

"Rallying is supposed to be something the public watches.

What's the point in not allowing that car to run on Saturday and Sunday if it could have been fixed? You could have put the car on a trailer, taken it back, fixed it, and then carried on over the following two days. You're never going to win the rally, but there could be a points system arranged to make this a viable method."

Mosley's thinking is no doubt prompted by the fact that numbers will be well down this season, with Hyundai and Skoda having withdrawn from the championship - QUEIMTIIM SPURRING

Mosley proposes that DNFs run the next day in the WRC

a

If I break it, I'll be back; If drivers like Markka Martin break their cars, they just might be able to return afterwards.

Pug 206 put out to pasture

AFTER considerable speculation, Peugeot's new 307 WRC cat is expected to make its debut at next months Monte Carlo Rally.

It had been expected that, after its 206 WRC completed four full World

Rally Championship campaigns, the French maker would start the 2004 season with its older, proven warhorse.

The 206 scored a total of 24 wins and 41 podium finishes, one of the

finest records of tthe world championship's modern era. The debut of the 307 WRC is still subject to the car's homologation by the FIA which is scheduled for 1 January 2004.

winner will be notified in writing and by phone and their name published in Motorsport News on 25/2/04. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

4. The entry adjudged the best will win a trip for 2 people to Melbourne, valued at up to $6,000 depending on point of departure, including return economy Qantas airfares from the winner's nearest Australian (or NZ) capital city to Melbourne. 2 four-day grandstand tickets to the 2004 Foster's Australian Grand Prix, 5 nights twin-share accommodation, 2 pit-lane walk passes, a passenger ride (for the winner only) with Greg Murphy in a Kmart Racing Commodore and a guided tour (for two) of the Jaguar FI Team pit garage, The prize must be taken to coincide with the 2004 Foster's Australian Grand Prix to be held at Albert Park from 4/3/04 to 7/3/04 (Event). The prize ride and garage tour must be taken on the date and time determined by the AGPC, Kmart Racing and the Jaguar Ft team. The prize is subject to booking and flight availability and flights cannot be changed once tickets have been arranged. Flights will be provided on Qantas Airways Limited only and flights will not accrue frequent flyer points. Upgrades cannot be purchased either with cash or frequent flyer points.

5. The prize winner and their companion must comply with all directions regarding access to and/or conduct within any premises or areas utilised by the Jaguar FI Team. The Promoter and/or the AGPC reserves the right to refuse to allow the winner and their companion to take part in any or ail aspects of the prize, if the AGPC

determines, in its absolute discretion, that the winner is not in the mental or physical condition necessary to safely participate in the prize. No cameras or recording devices are allowed in the Jaguar Ft Racing Team pit garage unless agreed to by Jaguar Ft Racing Team personnel.

6. Spending money, meals, taxes, insurance, transport to and from departure point, transfers and all other costs incurred as a result of taking the prize are the responsibility of the winner. The Promoter accepts no responsibility for any variation in the prize values. Prizes are not transferable or exchangeable and cannot be taken as cash.

7. The prize winner and their companion agree to comply with and be bound by the Conditions of Entry to the Event, such conditions are published at the AGPC website, www.grandprix.com.au. The prize winner and their companion acknowledges and accepts that motor racing and related activities are dangerous and accidents can happen which may result in injury, death or property damage and that partidpation in the prize has a degree of danger. The prize winner and their companion participate at their own risk. To the extent permitted by iaw, the prize winner and their companion exdude, release and forever discharge the Promoter, the AGPC and all other persons involved in the conduct, promotion and organisation of the Ultimate GP Experience Competition or the Event and their respective employees, agents, sub-contractors, consultants (including employees of those sub-contractors and consultants) directors, officers and sub-licensees (the Assodated Entities) from all liability for claims, loss.

damage, costs or expenses (whether arising under statute, from negligence or personal injury, death, property damage or infringement of third party rights or otherwise) arising from or in connection with participation in the prize or attendance at the Event. The prize winner and their companion acknowledges that the Associated Entities do not make any warranty that the services associated with the prize and at the Event will be provided with due care and skill or that any materials provided in connection with the services will be (it for the purposes for which they are supplied. The prize winner and their companion acknowledges that, to the extent that any warranty is implied it is excluded to the full extent permitted by law.

8. The Promoter and AGPC collect entrants' personal information in order to conduct the promotion and for future promotional, marketing and publicity purposes. All entries become the property of the Promoter. By entering this promotion, entrants consent to the Promoter and AGPC using and disclosing the information provided by you, including your image in any media for future promotional, marketing and publicity purposes or as required by law. A request to access, update or correct any information should be directed to the Promoter at the address set out above or to the AGPC Privacy Officer at PO Box 577, South Melbourne, Victoria 3205 9. If the winner is under the age of 18 years, the prize will be awarded to a member of the winner's immediate family (as nominated by the winner) provided such person is 18 years of age or over and complies with all of the above conditions.

HERE IT IS! The first cut-out token to collect for your entry in the Motorsport News Ultimate GP Experience Competition (see opposite page). Collect - 1 3 and you can k l enter for your H! chance at the 7 I Ultimate GP - ■* Experience!

L 50!S03 „

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY Motorsport News Ultimate GP Experience 1. The promoter is Australasian Motorsport News, PO Box 7072. Gardenvale. VIC 3186 (Promoter). Information on how to enter and the prizes form part of these Conditions of Entry. Entry into this promotion Is deemed to be acceptance of these Conditions of Entry.

2. Entry is open to residents of Australia and New Zealand. Employees and immediate families of the Promoter. Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC), Jaguar, Kmart and any agencies assodated with this promotion are ineligible to enter. To enter, consumers must complete an entry form (available in issues of Australasian Motorsport News published between 24/12/03 and 11/2/04), answer the question, attach three (3) original official competition coupons and send completed entries to Ultimate GP Experience Competition, c/- Motorsport News. PO Box 7072, Gardenvale. VIC 3186. Multiple entries are accepted. The entry form may be photocopied, but competition coupons MUST be originals. Competition coupons which are stolen, forged, mutilated or tampered with in any way, illegible or incomplete, are void. The Promoter accepts no responsibility for late, lost or misdirected mail. The Promoter resen/es the right to verity the validity of entries.

3. The promotion commences on 24/12/03 and closes at 5.00 pm AEDST on 19/2/04. The promotion will be judged on 20/2/03 at midday at 357 Nepean Highway. Brighton East, Victoria. Chance plays no part in determining the winner. Once the judges have selected the best entry, the

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You could win two Grandstand tickets, return Qantas airfares to Melbourne from your nearest capital city (if you live outside Victoria), five nights accommodation, two Pit Lane Walk passes. Grand Prix merchandise, plus a hot lap of the circuit with Greg Murphy in his Kmart Racing Commodore. And to top it all off, you’ll get an exclusive guided tour of the F1 Paddock and Mark Webber’s den - the Jaguar Ft Team Garage. Sensational!

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NEWS

Ganassi goes Sporty Pruett, Papis sign up with Lexus power

CHAMP Car, Indy Car and NASCAR is not enough for Chip Ganassi Racing.

The team is to challenge for the Grand-Am Rolex championship next year and will field a Daytona Prototype Lexus Riley MK XI for Scott Pruett and Max Papis in the 12-race series.

"We are very, very excited about running the entire season," said team owner Chip Ganassi. "We look forward to joining the intense competition that we saw this year in the Daytona Prototypes. We plan on having a lot of fun."

"Coming off a dominant season in the Trans-Am, and experiencing my best NASCAR Winston Cup Series in a Target Dodge for Chip Ganassi, I'm looking forward to continuing my relationship with Ganassi Racing

in the Rolex Series," said Pruett.

"I ann really excited for the great opportunity and great honour to join Chip Ganassi Racing in their new adventure," Papis said.

"I had great success in Grand American and sports car racing in America. In particular, Daytona has been the 'business card' of my American career."

The Daytona 24 Hour event will open the season on January 31st.

Open wheelers, NASCAR ...

And now Sportscars. Ganassi has been successful in CART(seen here with Juan Montoya)and even took the IRL crown this year. Next stop, Daytona's Prototype class.

.ms -●

Le Mans slows the 900s THE Automobile Club de I'Ouest, the French organiser of the Le Mans 24 Hours whose regulations are employed by the American Le Mans Series, is to restrict the performance of its current LMP900

Biela aims for V victory Three-time Le Mans winner to run Veioqx Audi in 2004

FRANK Biela will aim for another Le Mans 24 Hours victory next June with Brackley, UK-based Audi Sport UK Veioqx.

Biela has been confirmed alongside fellow-German Pierre Kaffer and Briton Jamie Davies for the team's 2002specification R8 sports-prototype. Veioqx will open its 2004 campaign for the UK importer with the Sebring 12 Hours in March.

"Even if our 2004 works commitment is concentrated in the DTM, the Sportscar involvement remains an important field of competition for Audi," says Head of Audi Sport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich.

18

"Our importer and customer teams can compete at the highest level with the Audi R8 and have, as a result, the best possible chances of victory. In the meantime, we realise how high the standards are that we set with the R8 for the competition."

Biela will be out to avenge the disappointment of his 2003 Le Mans outing, when his Audi ran out of fuel during the second hour of the race.

Veioqx will be joined in the assault on the French classic and the new European Le Mans Endurance Series (LMES) by fellow Audi customer teams Champion and Goh. - QUENTIN SPURRING/STAFF

sports-prototypes to give the new-for-2004 racecars an edge.

The ACO has cut the LMP900 fuel cell capacity (from 90 to 80 litres), reduced the rear wing width and enforced a 10 percent smaller engine air inlet restrictor diameter.

The LMP900 class caters for cars like the Bentley Speed 8, which finished first and second in the classic race in June this year.

Further limitations are being evaluated for 2005.

- QUENTIN SPURRING molorsport news

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HOW many people are watching MotoGP racing? Well, according to Dorna Sports, the 2003 MotoGP World Championship series was seen by over 5.1 billion viewers, in over 200 countries. They saw a total of 3586 hours of MotoGP-related TV coverage in 2003, a slight increase over 2002 numbers. And, they are all Valentino Rossi fans... n Ducati is returning to the World Supersport Championship. Italian Lorenzo Lanzi has tested a factory Ducati 749R at Valencia for the first time and went close to matching the times set there earlier this year by the 600s. n Speaking of Valencia, Max Biaggi topped the recent MotoGP test at the Spanish track. The Italian's PramacPons Honda clocked a 1m32,8s during the three-day test, just bettering team-mate Makoto Tamada and Sete Gibernau, who was trying a new Michelin 16.5in front tyre. Colin Edwards also ran the new tyre while learning about his new Honda. Next month, Yamaha and Rossi start testing...

B Proton is yet to name its riders for 2004 and recently issued a release to that effect. But an entry list issued recently had Kurtis Roberts on board the KR5, with a 'TBA' on the other entry. If Roberts rides, he will be the fifth American in the championship behind brother Kenny, Edwards, Nicky Hayden and John Hopkins.

B When we were previewing the 2003-spec Honda CBR1000RR Superbike a few issues back, we predicted that the new four-banger would punch out around 190hp. Sorry, we were wrong. After two of the new jiggers were clocked at 315kmh at Daytona last week, one rival team worked out that the units must be punching out around 215 noddies.

American Honda would not comment officially on the 'guesstimate' but one team member apparently suggested that the stab was pretty accurate.

B Aussie Damon Buckmaster has revealed (if that is the right word)that he finished the 2003 AMA road racing season while afflicted with an inguinal, or scrotal, hernia. Bucky, who rides for Yamaha's AMA Supersport team, has had the complaint since July. He had it operated on in October and is now training hard for next season.

B Former Grand Prix racer Sean Emmett will spearhead MonsterMob Ducati's campaign for a third successive British Superbike Championship title in 2004, Emmett, 33, will replace Moto GP-bound 2003 Champion Shane 'Shakey' Byrne, who is racing for Aprilia next year.

20

Daytona 200 uni

American Superbike classic in doubt after se

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THE Daytona 200, America's premier Superbike race, may be in jeopardy after a series of tyre failures in testing at the Florida track.

Two months after Yoshimura Suzuki's Ben Spies crashed at high speed in testing, Yamaha's Jason DiSalvo walked away from another big get-off last week. Investigations have revealed that both incidents were the result of tyre failure at high speed.

Dunlop, which was conducting the tests, is assessing the failures, along with AMA Pro Racing, which oversees competition.

"We're taking this matter very seriously and are exploring aU possible options in terms of dealing with it," said AMA Pro Racing CEO Scott Hollingsworth.

"We've met with, and will continue to meet with, every major team,DIS officials and representatives from the tire companies to explore possible solutions. It's premature to say what those solutions may be, but restoring the confidence level in the minds of each and every one of our racers is just one of our objectives."

Several riders, including four-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat

Mladin, have spoken out about the incidents.

"The bikes have increased in performance so much in the past five years that it is becoming frightening," said the Aussie.

"The new Honda did essentially 310kph on the 31 degree banking and with all of the funny things that happen on the banking, the G forces are unbelievable.

"If something is not done about it, I certainly won't be racing in the 200 under the circumstances we are at, at the moment.I would rather put a set of tyres on a 600 Supersport and race that, rather than a 200+hp Superbike as no one can guarantee our safety when it comes to tyres here.

"Motorcycle racing is full of inherent dangers and things that go wrong, but it has come to a point where there are no guarantees that you'll come around the next lap,even if you don't do anything wrong and I think that's a risk not worth taking.

"Tyre wear is also not the issue or the reason why for the faOures. Ben (Spies) had a tyre fail after about four or five laps and then (Jason) DiSalvo had one let go after about 10 laps on a lOOOcc Superstock bike and we've got to do 20 laps on a tyre in the 200 race."

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Listen to a Champion: Several riders, including our own Mat Mladin, above, have voiced their concerns about the rash of tyre failures at Daytona.

TRUE to the commitment made by all the MSMA manufacturers(except Ducati) the Alstare Suzuki team has announced its withdrawal from the World Superbike Championship.

However, the team will compete in the 2004 World Supersport Championship races with the newlydesigned GSX-R600. Riders and sponsors are yet to be announced.

On 15th November, MSMA made a statement that all the members other than Ducati will not compete in 2004 World Superbike Championship races as factory teams, and furthermore, will not provide any technical assistance on a factory basis," read a statement from Alstare team manager Francis Batta.

This is due to the fact the organiser has not adopted a set of fair technical rules that had been agreed by all MSMA members, and also the fact that the organizer have decided to restrict tyres to a single make.

In accordance with the MSMA's decision. Team Alstare Suzuki has decided not to participate in 2004 World Superbike Championship races as Suzuki official Team.

It is our heartfelt regret that we are not able to show our racing performance at the track to all of the SBK race fun. We do hope that the public can understand that we were compelled to make such a sad decision this time. molorsport news

BIKE NEWS

ler threat?

1es of high-speed tyre failures

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Ducati SBK for McCoy

AUSSIE Garry McCoy has already started testing the Ducati 999 that he will ride in the 2004 World Superbike Championship.

McCoy,31, had five quiet laps on the NCR-run bike at Valencia in Spain last week. He replaces former Red Bull Yamaha team mate Regis Laconi after the Frenchman left to ride for the factory Ducati WSB team in 2004.

"It's great to get the ride," said McCoy at the announcement."I was open to most offers but the deal with NCR just came together easily. I'm looking forward to being on a competitive bike and the WSB paddock seems a fair bit more relaxed than MotoGR" The move brings to an end, at least temporarily, an 11-year GP career that started in the 125cc class. He scored his first GP win at Eastern Creek in 1996 and moved into the SOOcc class in 1998.

He scored his first 500 GP win in South Africa in 2000 and backed it up with two more victories at Estoril and Valencia, right.

McCoy endured a tough season in 2003, finishing 22nd in the MotoGP championship on his Kawasaki. His best result was eighth in France.

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Harry heads for the DTiH

OUT of Sauber Petronas and out of Formula 1, HeinzHarald Frentzen has confirmed a switch to the DTM in 2004 with a factory team Opel Vectra.

"I must get used to having a roof over my head, but it is important to have four wheels underneath me again," he said.

"I don't feel sad at all - I'm looking forward to exciting races."

Frentzen won three Grands Prix (one for Williams,two for Jordan) in a Formula 1

career that began with the Sauber team in 1994 and ended with the Swiss the this season. He started in 157 races and scored two pole positions.

He is booked for one of only four 2004 Vectras, the other three being reserved for Manuel Reuter, Marcel Fassler and Peter Dumbreck.

Among 37-year-old Frentzen's rivals will be former Grand Prix star Jean Alesi who will again race an AMG Mercedes CLK. -QUENTIN SPURRING

Civic engineering in the Arena

BRITISH Touring Car Championship team Arena International Motorsport has once again committed to racing the Honda Civic Type-R in 2004, despite a decision by Honda UK to cut back its financial support.

Former Formula 1 entrant Mike Earle's team will continue its technical support for privateer teams Syncro and Team Dynamics.

Despite the manufacturer's reduced financial input,Arena says that it will also maintain its chassis development program. It has a six-

V8LevelSupercar Team S Franchise/Licence ’Complefe includino

l Holden VBSupercar, buillSepr02 l Najor spares pacHaoe l Hll morlisliop andpilequipmenl l Transporfer efc This is a yenuine sale. Ne are inlNallq seehing expressions of inferesT for fhe complefe pacHage. Homever, mill consider all serious offers.

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day test booked at Spain's Albacete circuit in the New Year with its 2004specification car.

MEANWHILE,defending Champions Vauxhall has hired 2003 BTCC Production class champion Luke Hines to drive a third car, alongside Yvan Muller and the 2002 champion James Thompson.

VX Racing has yet to confirm its expected switch from the Astra to the larger Vectra model for its 2004 program.

- QUENTIN SPURRING

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NEWS Hypothetical question: it

1

Devil of a call by the Poiiis2c.

WINNING the world's most competitive touring car championship makes Marcos Ambrose the sixth best tin top driver in the world.

So says the prestigious UK racing weekly Autosport, which last week ranked its top 50 drivers and top 10 in various categories.

The Brits ranked Ambrose behind two DTM drivers, Christijan Albers and Bernd Schneider (who were split by ETCC winner

Gabriele Tarquini), BMW works ETCC driver and Kmart Racing endurance regular Andy Priaulx and BTCC Champion Yvan Muller.

The only other V8 star to make the list was V8SCS runner-up and Bathurst 1000 winner Greg Murphy. It was Ambrose's second inclusion on the annual list; last year, he was ranked ninth, while Mark Skaife was also in the top 10 for 2002.

The list is;

7. Christijan Albers (Netherlands, DTM) 2. Gabriele Tarquni(Italy, ETCC) 3. Bernd Schneider(Germany, DTM) 4. Andy Priaulx (GB,ETCC) 5. Yvan Muller (France, BTCC) 6. Marcos Ambrose (Australia, V8SCS) 7. James Thompson (GB, BTCC) 8. Greg Murphy(NZ, V8SCS) 9. Jorg Muller(Germany, ETCC) 10. Matthias Ekstrom (Germany, DTM)

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Telemarketing, 1994 revis and Santa's network j I Q

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HAVE a new hobby - and with no money down and little effort, you can have one too.

I torment telemarketers. You know, the bozos that ring you up during dinner, trying to sell you financial wisdom,life insurance or a new mobile phone network. When they start to give me the spiel, 1 usually interrupt by asking them awkward questions; have they have let the Lord Jesus into their life("Do you want to hear my testimony?") Or, better, where were they when they decided to give up on their childhood dream of being a fireman, a lawyer or a doctor and settle for a boring job where they get fat,lazy and abused for $14 an hour.

Usually, they then get ticked off and hang up before I do. I giggle and go back to making dinner, nagging my kids to do their homework or some other amusing pastime.

Tgot one pitch the other day. jLSomeone from some phone company asked me whether I would consider swapping mobile networks or going to CDMA(shudder!).

I said no to both proposals and

Of the 21 at Amaroo 10 years ago, only loup m still in the game

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explained that, on the network I have been on for eons and the places I go in this crazy business,I know that I can get coverage all the time. I refrained from giving them the details but the upshot is that I know 1 need coverage at remote locations-like Phillip Island, Mallala,Lakeside and so on.

When I returned to incinerating the stir-fry, it occurred to me that I do not need to go to those places much any more. There are far fewer V8 Supercar races at those tracks than there used to be. I still visit mobile-challenged locations like Winton and Wakefield Park but the rest of the tracks are pretty much serviced by metropolitan phone services.

That thought, and that of the 2004 V8 Supercar season looming quickly, made me think it timely to look back a decade at the races venues that

Then was a long time ago: Dick Johnson leads Larry Perkins in Adelaide way back then. Both are npw team owners and the GP is in Melbourne.

24 December 2003

made up The Show in 1994.

After the Triple Challenge at Eastern Creek, we ventured to Amaroo Park(now a housing estate), Sandown,Symmons Plains (gone).

Surfers(no points then),Phillip Island (gone), Lakeside (gone), Winton,the Creek again (this time for points).

Motor Mouth

with Phil Branagan

Mallala (gone), Barbagallo and the finale at Oran Park. Then came the endurance races at Sandown and Bathurst and the non-points event at the Grand Prix - which at the time lived in Adelaide.

Even if we have one less event, we have more rounds these days but the basis of the year is not dissimilar.

There are still two races at the Creek, the Sandown and Bathurst endurance races are now part of the series and we head to Adelaide without the company of Schuey or Damon. The boat now goes east to Auckland, not south to Tassie; QR has replaced Lakeside and the best Chinese restaurant we will get to next year might actually be in China.

Tradition? It still exists, somewhat, but only after a few twists and turns.

The grids are huger now;21 cars lobbed at Amaroo's'94 opener;33 are due at Adelaide in '04. Perhaps the biggest change has been among the drivers; of the 21 at Amaroo 10 years ago, only/o»r are still in the game.

They are Mark Skaife, Glenn Seton, John Bowe and Paul Morris. Who would have thought that?

I guess the lesson to be learned from all this is that nothing lasts forever. There are sacred sites in motor racing but they have to be accommodated among the harsh commercial realities of living, and racing,in the 21st century.

Political correctnessthese dictates that is not appropriate days to it wish anyone a Merry Christmas,lest we offend a minority group who might worship a non-Christian figurehead. Different folks might pray to God,Allah, Buddha or Skaifey, and ask for their blessings.

So, with all that in mind, may we wish you all a happy and safe whatever and look forward to a prosperous and competitive 2004. We will be back with the next issue,in three weeks time,on January 14.

As for me,I still believe in Santa. I have asked him for a new mobile phone this year but, dammit,I forgot to ask which network he is with...

25

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HRISTMAS is upon us and as the Formula 1 types (well, most of them) head off to snowy mountains or sunny beaches in pursuit of glamour, the rest of us are snuggling up in front of our hearths and hoping that this winter will not be as cold and miserable as the last.

There may be wild-haired boffins saying that we are suffering from global warming but it doesn't feel like it in wintry Europe at the moment with frost on the ground and snow in the air.

The last few days have seen me popping here and there, with a trip down to Monte Carlo and flying visits to London and Zurich.

If you ever wondered why it is that Grand Prix drivers live in Monte Carlo, I can tell you. It was shirt-sleeve weather under the big rock and Monaco was pleasantly quiet. That, and a few major tax benefits, made me once again think - whimsically that I really must move there one day.

But the fact is that the money we normal people pay in tax is not equal to what it costs to rent property in the Principality, so in the end it makes no sense. You have to be very rich to make it worthwhile ...

Zurich, on the other hand, was downright frozen and I came away convinced that anyone who lives in Switzerland has probably lost their marbles unless, of course, they are being paid horse-choking wedges of wonga to live in the nice part of Switzerland.

It never ceases to amaze me what some folks will do for money, but then again I know that if someone offered me a truckload of dollars I would work pretty much anywhere (Iraq is not included in this calculation).

We all would, wouldn't me?

Life is so much better when you have no worries about mortgages, school fees, pensions, health insurances or whatever. It is worth a bit of pain in a noddy place to get a pile of greenbacks in the bank.

remember when Toyota first announced that it was planning to base its Formula 1 team in Cologne in Germany ... I could not believe my ears.

26

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There had been tons of evidence to suggest that the best thing to do with a new Formula 1 team is to base it somewhere in the centre of England so that there will be no problem hiring people. The strength of the British motor racing industry was based on the fact that the firms involved were clustered together and it was a question of the survival of the fittest. Constant competition not only provoked constant technological breakthrough but

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North Carolina, in order to attract the best staff.

In Formula 1 the one exception was Ferrari and, for many years, the Italian team battled with the concept, twice setting up British satellite operations but then closing them down again because of the political battles that developed between the British and Italian divisions, in the end, the company was able to attract top engineers Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne with vast sums of money

several intellectual arguments with the team bosses, specifically with Ove Andersson, below left. His argument was that he had a good team at the start and it was more important to keep that in place than to have access to the big names.

He could afford to buy the best at a later date.

The point they all tried to make was that I did not understand the depth of Toyota pockets and I will happily admit that I had blinkers in this area.

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Toyota has had to resort to the same policy and, hy all accounts, has paid Mike Gascoyne, right, a king's ransom to Join the team (not least giving him use of a private Jet to zip backwards and forwards to Britain to see his family) 9t

also weeded out the companies that were not meant to succeed.

As a result, the industry was never able to stagnate. Every aspect of a racing car was examined constantly and the racing car companies had to adapt to advancing technology quickly or die. Information and personnel transfer between the teams was constant and so the learning process was accelerated.

The concentration of the industry meant that even Lola in Huntingdon and Lotus in Norwich felt remote from the core of the business.

It is a similar story these days in NASCAR and it was interesting to note recently that the Wood Brothers team announced that it was, after 50 years, to relocate from its base in Stuart, Virginia, to Charlotte,

- and the chance to work with Michael Schumacher.

Toyota has had to resort to the same policy and, by all accounts, has paid Mike Gascoyne, above right, a king's ransom to join the team (not least giving him use of a private jet to zip backwards and forwards to Britain to see his family). Gascoyne has concluded that Brawn has done it at Ferrari and he can do the same thing in Cologne if the budget is right.

People move and settle and if you get their kids into local schools you have them for at least five years. In the end, the kids will come away being fluent German speakers and will probably know French too and so they are well-prepared to get jobs in the future.

When Toyota first set up its FI shop in Cologne, I had

Toyota was willing to spend squillions to learn the FI way.

The next step will be drivers.

Gascoyne will have a year to kick the technical team into shape and find the people he needs.

His recruitment program will no doubt start almost immediately for he needs people to start at Toyota in the next few months to design a top car for 2005.

The next step will be to hire a top driver and I cannot help but think that it is inevitable that Ralf Schumacher, a local boy in Cologne, will end up taking the place of Olivier Panis.

Williams does not want him because he has financial demands well above his station and Sir Francis and Patrick Head are famous for drawing lines in the sand and then telling their drivers to bog right off if they want more.

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They have sent Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill and Alain Prost packing and so kicking Ralf into touch will be the work of a moment, a decision made easier by the fact that Ralfie really has not produced the goods ...

And, gazing deeper into my crystal ball, I cannot help but think that, with two drives up for grabs in 2005, Williams will not be short of candidates.

Mark Webber, slated to go back to Renault (to whom he is primarily contracted, remember) in 2005, will be one of them. If, as we all expect, Renault does not do well in 2004, Webber will be off to Williams, And then look out! Australian motor sport fans may even wake up to the fact that there is more to motor racing than the rumbling V8 ...

Move over Skaifey - Webber /scorning!

suUon-imaRes.com

Five minutes wiUi...

Cameron McConville Cam Macis off to a new ciiaiieiwe,mm Oarffi Tarnmr at Gamy Rogers Motorspmtin 2004. He tm PHI BRANAGAni about the move morn the SyUiwy-basea Lansvaie team

MOTORSPORT NEWS: When did the deal with Garry Rogers Motorsport come up?

CAMERON McCONVILLE: I have to think about that...

Garry and I have had various discussions in the past year or so.

The actual offer to join the team only came up after the race at Eastern Creek.

MN: What is the biggest positive about going to GRM? CM: The biggest positive is that it's closer to home!

I have always wanted to be with a Melbourne-based team. It's a big bonus to be living in the same city as the team. The team has also had a full year of development with the new Commodore VY and, for someone who is yet to drive a VY, I see that as an added bonus.

Also, GRM's resources are bigger than those I have been used to over the last few years, and the team has had a consistent and longerterm sponsor base.

MN: How do you get on with Garth Tander?

CM: Really well. Garth and I did a bit of training together last summer and we have worked with each other a fair bit through the Holden drive day program.

We shared the Monaro together at the Bathurst 24 Hour for the last two years. Out of all the drivers, I got along well with Garth the best.

Hopefully, that doesn't change now that we are team-mates ...

1 am looking forward to having a team-mate for the first time. That makes it easier to bench myself off and team-mates can work together to improve the speed of the cars more quickly.

MN: From driving the Monaro together, can you make a judgement about how similar your likes and dislikes are in V8 Supercars?

CM: It's probably a little early to say.

We were also sharing the Monaro with two.other drivers as 28

"I am as competitive as any Of the guys Who run at the front but I was always mindful of the ditticuities Lansvaie faced h finding more money ii a corporate world" - McConville on his past seat at Lansvaie well. We all actually felt the same things in the car. Garth and I gave similar feedback in the Monaro.

Ironically, we also sat in the same seating position in that car, which might make it easy in the V8 .. endurance races if we drive together. We have already driven a car with the same seating position.

MN;Was it getting tougher or easier as time went by with the Lansvaie team?

CM: You would have to say that it was getting harder to stay towards the pointy end of the field. Every year the bar Is raised a little further and the resources we had this year were the same ones we had in 2002.

Therefore, we were not going to move forwards on the grid. We were only going to drop back.

Having said that, I think that the team had a reasonably good showing with what we had and, for

a small team, everyone did a very good job.

MN:As a racing driver, is that a frustrating situation?

CM: I would be lying if I said it' wasn't. A driver always wants to see forward progress and you always want the package to race the guys at the very front of the field.

I am as competitive as any of the guys who run at the front but I was always mindful of the difficulties Lansvaie faced in finding more money in a tough corporate world.

MN: When do you get your hands on a GRM Commodore for the first time?

CM: It will be before the Grand Prix but not until the end of February. At this stage, the plan is to do one day's testing before the Grand Prix and then, hopefully, slot in another day before Adelaide.

MN; Does this move mean that you are stepping up in terms of commitment,training etc?

CM: I am always committed to give 100 percent for the team and I was right up until the final race of this year.

When I am out on the bike, training for the events, I guess there will be a little more enthusiasm, due to the fact that this is a new opportunity for me.

But, even over the last three seasons, I was still out there with the mentality that, with a bit of luck, we could still get a result. If you are not in that frame of mind, no matter what result you are striving for, it is not going to follow.

MN: How long is the deal for?

CM: Two years. I think Garry was interested in a longer-term commitment to have consistency in development in results and I think that any driver appreciates a little bit of security.

Realistically, I think that the best results will come once 1 have fitted into the team and learned what the Commodore VY likes and doesn't like to go fast. The two-year plan is something I am comfortable with, motorsport news

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Five minutes with...

James Countney

Atter aiong time iiving overseas,Jmesis coming home-huthe win stin he commuting to a husy scheiiute in Formuia AUppon ami Sportscars in Japan. He explains his plans to Cittt^LAMBDB\l WIOTORSPORT NEWS; Your 2004 deal is close to being finalised.

Tell us about it.

JAMES COURTNEY: It's looking like a two-category progrannme this year. I'm expecting to do the Japanese GT Championship in a Supra, with Toyota and also Formula Nippon.

The GT Championship is nine rounds, with a one-off race at Laguna Seca (and rounds in Shanghai and Sepang), and the Nippon series is at least seven rounds, also with races at Shanghai and Sepang.

MN:That adds up to at least 16 races in 2004- you'll be a lot busier than in 2003. Why are you doing the split programme?

JC: It wasn't enough to do just one.

Too much spare time. At the same time, Toyota want to keep the strong association with me and were pushing quite hard for me to do the GT. So I'm doing that for them. I want to keep racing open-wheelers, because that's where I get my prime enjoyment, so the Formula Nippon is more for me.

Doing both keeps both Toyota and me happy.

MN: As you said,the GT retains the links with Toyota. Is that in the hope that it could provide a passage, or opportunity, in FI again?

JC: Yes. I'll just keep doing my best.

The best place to do it is right in front of them. If I do that and keep winning races, I should get an opportunity. Flopefully, something should arise...

MN: With a surplus of young drivers hovering around FI with US$10 million in backing,the only way forward would seem to be with a manufacturer-backed team.

JC: Yes. If you haven't got $10 million behind you, there's little chance of doing anything unless it is with a manufacturer, so all I can 30

TOYOTA

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h Japan, we race in front of big crowds-50,000 to 75,000and get paid weil as a mMifessionai driver. Ws not bad" -James on how life is racing in Japan

do is push and hope that my results get me what I want.

MN: Do you have much contact with the senior Toyota Motorsport people in Japari?

JC: Sure. The guy who is responsible for all the racing budgets, including FI, comes to all the races in Japan.

MN: Unlike last year, you're going to base yourself back here, on the Sunshine Coast, and commute a fair bit. How come?

JC: Yes I am. It's the first time I've lived back in Australia for seven years. The deal I have covers my travel and I just wanted to be back here - the lifestyle is that much better than in Japan and, as I said, it's been a long time since I've lived here.

Once the season starts. I'll only be away once each month, then in June and July I'll be going every second week.

MN; Are you reasonably content with the way your career is

positioned at the moment?

JC: I am very happy with how it's going. There's not many guys of my age racing and earning the sort of living I am.

I'm in a very good position and with motor racing moving closer and closer to Asia and becoming bigger and bigger there, it's not such a bad position to be in.

In European F3000, for example, virtually every driver is having to take money to the team. Nobody is earning a living in F3000.

In Japan, we race in front of big crowds - 50,000 to 75,000- and get paid well as a professional driver. It's not bad.

MN:You were tapping on the door of FI, at Jaguar,and it ended rather unhappily with a big testing accident at Monza that wasn't your fault. Do you still have the drive to push for FI, or are you content to enjoy an extended career in Japan?

JC: If it happened it would be excellent and I think I could do as good a job as some of the guys that

are in there. For me, I think I deserve the opportunity to be there, but for reasons that are not of my making I'm not there at the moment.

I still would like to have a proper go at it, but if it didn't come I wouldn't be too bothered, because I'm having a lot of fun at the moment and my racing's going really, really we|l. I'm getting a lot of respect from people for what I've achieved so far.

So I'd like to do it, but if it doesn't happen. I'm still happy with my career, I won't be suicidal, or anything...

MN: You are completely over the Monza shunt now,but I don't think people at the time realised just how big it was...

JC: I'm fine, but yes, it was big. The data showed 325kmh when the rear suspension broke and, because it flew, straight on over a kerb, it hardly slowed at all. It was doing 302kmh when it hit a solid barrier head-on and bounced back. I think they calculated over 64Gs ...

I couldn't feel anything much down my right side for some hours, but the hospital -the wrong decision in retrospect- let me fly home with the team that night.

They shouldn't have -1 had bleeding in my brain. It wasn't good. moiorspon news

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17

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As I said, you don't know where the line is drawn; which side of that line you're supposed to be; and that's what has to be cleared up. And I'm hoping that it's the first priority for the newly-elected TEGA Board ...

Because it's not whoUy the stewards' or CAMS fault. They only administer the rules. AVESCO writes the rules. Both are at fault. We have to look at how the rules are written

i:

and then how consistently they are implemented - because I don't think there'd be an argument from anyone that there have been some pretty average decisions made this year.

MN: Are you supporting the view that,in terms of strictness of rules, Australia has gone a bit far? That the little bumps and nudges that go on aren't really worthy of a penalty as severe as a drive-through?

RI: You have to have a limit.

Otherwise there will be team owners screaming that they have bent cars after each meeting, and hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage. You have to draw a line.

But, the problem we have is determirung the difference between a 'cock-up' and something that's deliberate. You can't go along turning people around every five minutes!

This is where it gets sticky because ... the drivers have no representation.

We need someone who Imows our current racing; who's been involved in the past five years; who knows the system back-to-front; who knows exactly what's happening out on the circuit and can decipher who's having a lend of it and who's genuine.

There has to be differing degrees of penaity as well. If, for example, there's been a bit of panel-rubbing and someone spins out and loses three positions, a drive-through can take the other guy from second to 28th! Is that fair? It would be better sorted out afterwards because, as they have occasionally done, they can give varied time penalties-add three seconds,10 seconds and so on.

Whether there's an argument that, if that were the system, there'd be a queue stretching back out the door as they went through everything,I don't know.

But what I do know is that a StopGo should only be implemented if it's completely clear-cut. Otherwise the price is too high.

MN:So,to backtrack,is all this going to change your approach in 2004?

RI: The fact is that I, and Mark, have a three-month suspended sentence hanging over us,even though it's for one rule - bringing the sport into disrepute ... I hate that rule, because it's so broad. How do you judge something like that?

34

r

Fast starter: Ingall made an immediate impression with his move to Ford and SBR, taking a first-up win at Albert Park. But he says that it took some time after that to fully get a handle on the Falcon BA. When I changed from Holden to Ford, the amount of e-mail I got from disgruntled fans who were upset was more than I got for this recent incident. They were unhappy -is that bringing the sport into disrepute?

How can they judge a rule hke that? In my opinion, it's a dodgy rule.

everyone. There are drivers going around who, when approaching another car, start thirildng 'can I try to pass here? If I get it wrong,I could get a Stop-Go.' Once you start thinking Hke that, you won't have a go and,eventually, you'll have 20 drivers going around scared to have

You can't be just a race driver, or just a footballer. If you want to succeed and go the next step, especially later on in life, then you've got to have a personality outside the car"

U

-Ingall on his ‘Enforcer’nickname

Anyway,it's hanging over my head,so I've got to sit down with Ross and Jimmy and see how we approach it.

One thing Ross reminded me of the other day was that, when he was at DJR,Bowe went into one year with a suspended sentence hanging over his head - and won the championship. It could be a good thing!

Going back to the consistency thing, though,I think it affects

ago - and that makes for boring racing.

MN:Is there scope,then,for a pre season meeting involving all drivers and officials, to determine exactly where those limits are?

RI: It'd be an exceUent idea. It's one of the things we talked about years ago,but it never really got off the groimd - a Drivers' Association.

Tliere are discussions sometimes

at drivers' briefings, but they usuaUy end up being arguments,so I think that sitting down for a day or two at a separate forum might work wonders.

We're the guys behind the steering wheel. Quite a lot of people in the industry refer to us as'spacers'- you know, the space between the steering wheel and the seat! But we do have a fair bit of input into what happens out on the track, so why not give us a bit more input into it, into where those parameters are,instead of other people teUing us.

At the moment,as I said, we don't know where the guidelines are and I think we have a lot to offer in helping to determine where they are. Then we can go racing.

MN:Okay... Eastern Creek. You've said little publicly since then. The judicial stuff,in your case,is now over. Some,not all, of what makes up an incident like that, is caught by TV. Can you take us through your thought processes as it was happening?

RI: I haven't said much through the media, yes. We were appealing it so we couldn't and wouldn't say anytliing to the media.

And,this is the one and only interview I'm doing with the media on the subject- and the only publication, I nught add ...

Tire other reason I haven't said anything to date is that, over the years,I haven't and don't use the media to vent my anger or judge people for incidents. It's just not my style. I haven't done it over the years and I won't do it in tlie future.

I know that sometimes goes against me because some

motorsRon news

publications assume that if you don't want to say anything, then you must be guilty.

It goes against my style. In my whole career, I don't think I've ever protested another driver over anything. If there's anything to sort out, it gets sorted either behind the scenes or on the track. That's where I prefer to do it - it's the way I've operated (and I'm not the only one) since I raced karts.

I don't whinge and moan and make comments about any incident through the media. That's how Murph and I sorted out the Darwin incident. We had a(sometimes) heated discussion and even went down to the track later that night, looked at the skid marks- and sorted it out ourselves.

No problems. We accepted what got handed down and got on with it.

In NZ,I got turned around by Paul Morris and Brad Jones. They both came up to me and discussed it. Paul explained what had happened -1 said,'no problem, shit happens'.

Same wittt Brad, who I've got loads more respect for now,because he came up afterward and spoke to me about it. We had a fairly good dig at each other, but we settled it.

He didn't go running off to the stewards. We fronted each other, he explained it, I said I was pissed offbut we sorted it out ourselves.

’~1

That's the biggest difference between those incidents and this one.

So,even now.I'm reluctant to comment about elements of this incident. But on the other hand,I can see the harm it does me,sometimes, to say nothing,so at least I can explain my side of it MN:From the outside, it looked like a couple of hard-heads, disputing a bit of road, and, yes, as you said, 'shit' happened...

RI: Pretty much. I've seen the in-car video from Mark's car and I know what happened. I got a bit of a nudge going into the corner, which allowed Mark on the inside of me.

I mean.I'm not a dill. I'm not going to let him down the inside of me for no reason! I don't leave holes too often, trust me ...

I thought 'that's okay,cool, no problems. He's playing hard-ball, but no drama.' But when we exited the corner, he started to make it hard for me on the exit.

I decided I was going to stay on the black stuff no matter what.I

wasn't going to run down the dirt, but I was starting to rmi out of road pretty hard.

1 thought'I'm staying on the black stuff. If you want to keep pushing.

I'm staying here ...' And that's how it all happened.

Going back to the precedent that had been set(Darwin)I said 'I'm staying here. You want to keep coming over... I'm staying here, buddy,and that's it.'

Your summary is correct; two guys who just aren't going to give an inch.

That's it. Somewhere along the line, sometliing's going to happen. That's just hard racing.

MN:Moving along, after your stop, on that lap, you came around to find Mark, who was clearly pissed off, waving at you from backside. In retrospect, do you wish you'd just driven past rather than responded as you did? Or alternately, what's wrong with a bit of emotion?

RI: It's amazing how divided opinion is on that situation. It didn't bother me at all that Mark was venting his

11

There are people who thought I was trying to hit him - if I had, they'd stiii he puiiing him out of the radiator!

II

-Rusty on the media outcry over the ‘swerving’at Eastern Creek

anger. He's entitled to do that. It's not like I'm going to sit here and call him an idiot for doing it. Everyone's got their own way of venting their anger.

I have as well; Mark's got his. I don't see the drama in it.

I've done worse at home when the pool cleaner doesn't work.I've spat the dummy a few times around the house! Some people hold it in, some don't. That's life.

MN:Do you think the sport is being a bit too politically correct, given the judicial outcome of that second element of the incident?

RI: Yes. The problem is also that people base their views on a little bit of footage, and there are other factors to be taken into account.

Number one: by then we were under a Safety Car period. From the vision,it still looks like we're racing around,but we're under the Safety Car,at quarter pace. So I'm not moving over,swerving at him,flat out! That's fairly relevant.

Back in the winners'circie: Ingall confirmed himself as a 'Queenslander'by adding an Indy win to the Queensland 300. He was undefeated in his'home'state in 2003.

Two: I was further away from him than if he'd been standing on a footpath in the street. There are people who thought I was trying to hit Irim - if I had, they'd still be pulling him out of the radiator!

MN:In the old days, you might have 'waved'at him,but with window nets, that's not on any more...

RI: Exactly! And to consider there was any danger in it... Think about our pit stops. We drive down pit lane and purposely drive at five guys who are doing the wheel change, pull up within a few millimetres of the guy in front of the car. We drive straight at him. If that isn't dangerous, tell me what is.

MN:So what did you think when you first saw Mark?

RI: I saw him running out on the road and,I guess, only had a very short time to think how to react.

Different people react differently when they're threatened. Some people run away,some don't. It's like when you were at school and you got in to your first fight.

1 made that mistake once. First fight I got into at school,I started backing away. All that did was give them a real good hit. Next fight I got into was at high school. I did exactly the opposite, tackled the guy - that way he couldn't get at me!

That's stayed with me,so that's how I react.

MN:The public reaction was massive...

RI: Motor sport hasn't had that level of coverage for ages and to say it's 'bad' coverage is hopeless.

I remember when I was racing in England, watching Sky TV, and all of a sudden there was this flash of motorsport and there's Tony Longhurst and Paul Morris having a dust-up at Winton. All the way over there!

Look at football. Every round, there's a couple of guys up the back pounding the hell out of each other.

Does everyone leap on the bandwagon and demand it be cut out; they're being bad role models for our kids? No way. Without it the footy crowds would halve!

Again,it comes down to limits.

Limits that are appropriate for a sport. Was what happened at Eastern Creek over the top? I don't think so.

Opinion on something like Eastern Creek will always be divided.

In the end,two guys who are passionate about their sport got together and it boiled over. Should we be chastised for showing that passion? That's what seems to be happening.

Is that a good thing? I don't think so. Any worthwhile sport is about passion and to be reined in for showing that passion can't be good.

Can't be good...

35

Where there's Sn T

HE rise and rise of Renault was undeniably one of the most enjoyable aspects of this past season. Even enthusiasts whose underlying sympathies lay with Ferrari, Williams or McLaren could enjoy seeing another team join the mix in the role of underdog.

Fernando Alonso's win in Hungary was a highlight of the year, and was cheered even by members of rival organisations.

Renault made huge strides in 2003, and closed the gap to the frontrunners, but now comes the really diffiailt bit.

It's one thing to get the odd podium and even be in a winning position once or twice when circumstances are ' just so) but quite another to be a ^ contender for victory every weekend, rl l That's the challenge that the team now,faces, and it comes in conjunction wdth some major changes to the recipe, ●technical director Mike Gascoyne has left and been replaced by his deputy ^ ■ ’ifiob Bell, while the team has ditched itslowlineengineconceptand willbe / heading into the new season with a completely new package. While the ●' . old engine was an Acliilles heel, such a ; radical cliange is bound to be ^; accompanied by some turbulence, at least in the short term.

Tfi addition the upcoming ban on ^ '● launch control and automatic gearcK^ging perhaps hits Renault . niore than most,ifor the team is I - -acknowledged as a leader in the ^crucial area of electronics and control ^ , '.systerns. And the team will no longer f.

I

have the advantage of the extra Friday testing, for it is now locked into tlie same arrangements as its three main rivals.

So don't be surprised if Renault's progress appears to ease off, for it will be impossible to repeat the sort of gains the team made this season,and which came as a pleasant shock even to the man in charge.

"We improved at some circuits by about two seconds in qualifying," says team boss Flavio Briatore."But what surprised me a little bit was that the three top teams did not improve like you'd expect. When we started the season 1 believed we would be

\\

For me, managing a team in FI or managing an ice cream company is exactly the same. You need to make a product. You make sure that the ice cream is cold and is not warm, and after that, it's no problem - Briatore on iee eram FI

competitive in the first tliree or four races because of the Heathrow tests.

I'd put my points in the pocket, and that would be it.

"After 1 saw that tlie more we tested

on Friday, the more competitive we became. Everything was working. Tlie strategy that we chose was the right way. But winning a race, nobody had any idea of that. We had five podiums, and nobody would believe it. The car already last year was good,and this year, it was very good. Fernando did n an incredible job,and Jarno had a very good podium.So it was much more than 1 expected."

L

ove him or loatlie him, you've got to give credit to Flavio for what has been achieved over the past three years. When he first left Benetton towards the end of 1997, the team's fortunes took a turn for the worse. By tlie time he made his triumphant return in April 2000, after Renault's purchase of the company, the title whining years with Michael Schumacher seemed like a distant memory.

"In 1997 we were quite quick, and when I left the team, we were still winning a race, and we had T don't know how many podiums. I left hi September or whatever. After that the team dropped immediately to fiftli or sixth in the championship.

"When I arrived in Brazil (in 2000) I didn't recognise the team, honestly.

Everybody had their shirts out, there was no sharing, no nothing. It's very difficult, losing ... 1 was lucky because we had a podium immediately, with Giancarlo Fisichella. But sometimes you need luck in life! "lliis was after the time of David Ricliards, and after that Rocco

(Benetton). Rocco was a very nice guy, a super guy really. But he'd never managed anytliing before, not only in FI. This was the problem. You need one guy in charge,and after tliat, everything else is work."

Initially the return of Briatore was followed by a further dip in fortunes.

Tliat was thanks in large part to the gamble on the lowline engine design, but there was also some major restmcturing to do as the team became part of a large company and drew closer to its engine supplier in ViryChatillon. That's where Flav's unique brand of management skills came to the fore, as he put the pieces in place and geed everyone up.

"I don't think it's so difficult.

Everybody talks about the big teclinology, but 1 see more difficult businesses than this one, tliat is for sure. You have to try to put the people together, and not build an empire. You build a very professional company,try to be very efficient and not spend money like crazy. You try to spend the money in proportion to the results you want to have, you have your target, and you work around to find the right driver.

"For me, managing a team in FI or managing an ice cream company is exactly the same. You need to make a product. You make sure that tlie ice cream is cold and is not warm,and after that, it's no problem ..."

So what was the most important decision he's made in the last three years?

"Everytliing! Maybe fixing the wind tunnel in the beginning. We had a

I

i

INTERVIEW

loke, there s Fire

Renault FI boss Flavio Briatore faces a tough year- with a new chassis and motor and a new technical boss to chase The Big Three’ teams. ADAM COOPER spoke to the charismatic Italian about how he will try to make it all work

magic wind ttmnel, but it was not working. Because of this 1 took the Fondnnetal tunnel while we were fixing our owm. Tliis was a good start But decisions, you make every day.

You never make decisions dramatically, and then boom! But dramatic for me was when we went for the Heathrow testing, and ail my engineers were against me."

Flavio is extremely proud of not choosing the Friday option, least because he says he had to conviirce his own technical guys that it would work. That must have been an interesting debate, for the boss does not even pretend to understand what goes on underneath the bonnet You get tine impression tliat he sees the huge expense involved in creating and developing a car as a necessary evil.

People love it, going around. building new chassis, using tyres and engines and fuel and every'tliing for no reason. Engineers are very dangerous people! The resul ts of an engmeer, y ou

see after 18 months, especially on the engine side. A commercial guy, if you see him doing some damage, you stop him immediately. Witli an engineer the results are coming m uch la ter, and when they're coming, it could be a disaster.

"Somebody didn't race their new car this year," he adds mischievously.

"He found a dangerous engineer..."

He grins at this sly dig at McLaren.

As of last month, tlie man who has to justify his budget to Flavio is himself an ex-Woking employee.

Bob Bell was promoted after Gascoyne joined Toyota, and while the departure of a key man must create some disruption, Flavio insists that Renault has the strength in depth: "People are always changing, it's no one-man band. If people are leaving, you make sure your company has two or three players."

Bell has slipped easily into his new role, and promoting from within has made life easier for everyone.

"Mike's departure had been rumoured for some time," Bob explains. "So we had time to prepare for it It's come at a time of year when we had no other option than to get our heads down and get on with next year s car.

Team insiders u.sed to say that Benetton was a small team trying to be a big team, and that results were achieved on a much lower budget than that of its main rivals. Beilis well aware that, despi te the-current works support, there is still no bottomless pil of funds for the team to work with,

"I get on OK with Flavio," he says.

"1 think we respect one another, and that's the most important thing. Yes, he is always concerned about costs, that we need to operate effectively as a team, but that's quite right. We are part of Renault, and Renault applies those principles to all of their operations.

"I think we do almost pride ourselves on the fact that we are

achieving results for Renault in a sensible, cost effective manner. because we don't have the budget of the top three teams. In terms of value for money, we do a pretty good job.

The climate is clianging in FI, budgets are mucli tighter, and we have to be much more careful how we spend our money. Flavio is always mindful of that, and tliat filters down through the organisation, and it is something we

are constantly aware of. We've got sufficient to do what we need to do.

It's going to be hard, but the major challenges are less financial, and rnore technical and organisational."

During this season Briatore's responsibilities were extended to include the engine division,so win or lose, he's the man in the hot seat-.

"We still need to imptove a lot,", n £ says Flavio."But you know,now J.’ in charge of the engine as well. fault if something goes wrong.Next; year we have one engineper i * ●●iV weekend,and we'ltsee. But I'm quite J.'.f happy with the work Viry are doifig- s-.tt-'*;' at the moment.People are working very hard, they know we arebehincL:.

I'm confident that in Europe we'll - 1 have a good engine, and hopefully-W'e can defend ourselves in the first thre^ races,

I

A Year to Ren

The 2003 edit Earth produce racing and de Ambrose,Ston MNews iooks made up a grea

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THE long-awaited Ford verses Holden rivalry at the front of the field finally filled our television sets after six long years of Holden domination.

Some will say there was parity in the past, others will disagree.

But if you purely look at the statistics, Ford has been simply blown off Australian race circuits since 1998, thanks largely to the superiority of the Holden Racing Team.

The AU Falcon was not a consistent race-winning weapon. It lacked front-end downforce and won little more than 10 percent of the races it contested. The Ford teams needed a new weapon.

Enter, Barra. The BA is a better package,no question, and in the hands of arguably the best team in town. Gold Coast-based Stone Brothers Racing,it would prove to be a Championship winner in it's first season of competition.

SBR picked up six straight wins mid-season and despite the

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Barras on the march: Ford's troops, like John Bowe, top, found the BA a much better car than the AU. Rory and Fluffy may have argued but it was not about parity, above.

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DID borderline stewarding closeness of the series points at the decisions affect the outcome final round,they were always of the 2003 V8 Supercar going to be deserving champions.

Championship?

Howard Marsden had a major You bet. On the simple basis influence on the 'Barra'and that Greg Murphy finished fortunately, he saw it's initial second in the series and copped success before his untimely two 'close' Stop-Go decisions to passing. He will be missed around Marcos Ambrose's none, there's the V8 circus, but his legacy will remain forever. The car which he a strong case to be made.

Controversial decisions are inspired became the first Ford V8 always going to affect the front championship winner since 1997. runners, purely because that is In a two-make category, that is a where the TV focuses. Yes, long time ... there are observers around the During 2003, the dreaded 'P' word did not surface too often. track reporting to the Stewards, but the controversial incidents Parity, it seems,has been achieved are the ones that the TV catches for now. The only aero for all to see. adjustments made was to the AU Falcon in May. Just two rounds Among what turned out to be later, Mark Noske dumped his the title contenders, and in INXS Team Ford AU in the top 10 cricketing parlance, Murphy got at Barbagallo during qualifying. l a couple of 'unlucky' decisions, Noske can hold the claim of being Mark Skaife at least one, while the last person to place an AU in a g Ambrose was considered a bit V8 Supercar shoot-out. R.I.P - AU J 'lucky' in Perth not to get one, '99-'03. f And you can argue the pros and -GRANT ROWLEY I cons of those forever. But

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Enforced Buddies WHEN,back in May 2002, you first read in MNews that long-time Holden man Russell Ingall was switching camps to Ford and SBR, how did you react?

For our part, we couldn't wait.

From the spectator's hill, Ingall is one of the most exciting drivers in Supercars - and now he was going to get his hands on what looked like being a very handy piece of kit in the form of a SBR BA Falcon.

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rack after the controversial incident with Greg Murphy at Winton.

alls. Bad calls there's no doubt that the points losses and gains which followed those incidents made a significant difference.

What doesn't follow, in cricket, football, or any other sport you like to name, is a penalty so severe, it takes you

Cricketing and (ooty umpires make mistakes.

So too do motor racing stewards It

completely out of the game. In cricket you may be out - but you may have already scored your 100; in footy it's a penalty, a few points; in V8 Supercars it's the infamous Stop-(3o.

In reality, that usually takes a recipient to the back of the field, from which point it is virtually impossible to recover. Is that

really what the sport needs?

Cricketing and footy umpires make mistakes. So too do motor racing stewards. V8 Driving Standards Observer Colin Bond is an intelligent, ex-racer. No fool. But everyone, including Colin, is human.

The price for those mistakes, in V8 Supercar racing, is too high. It must be reviewed. There are intelligent options. In 2003, the Stewards' box did play far too big a part in the championship outcome. And that's without even getting into the consistency of the decision making process or the effect the rules are having on the racing.

Internationally, the FIA is now reviewing at the whole subject of 'instant justice' following a set of controversial calls in FI. A return to post-race judgement and appropriate time penalty is being suggested. The same discussion is vital in Australia.

- CHRIS LAMBDEN

EARL’S

Suddenly, one of Holden's most potent weapons was now being turned against them.

It paid off. Ingall performed well this season, winning two rounds of the championship and backing up Marcos Ambrose's charge to the title, particularly in the two-driver endurance races.

"It could have been a better year," says Ingall.

"Realistically, you can only be completely satisfied when you finish 1-2 in the championship and we did not do that. But, you have to put your head down and move on.

"We started the season with a lot of things to deal with. There was the new car for the team to get a handle on and we worked hard. I started well, Marcos had a tear in the middle of the season when 1 had a bit of a slump but we finished it off well."

Before the season, many people (including us) wondered how two men so driven to succeed would fit into the same team.

"I was a new lad and that had to be accommodated," muses Ingall.

"But 1 can honestly say that not only did Marcos and 1 work well together, we liked each other. In this environment, that is a big plus."

So, to 2004. There will be no 'standing start'for Ingall or SBR;1 . ; they have a relationship'built . already and the team carried j momentum into the new season, i ” "1 really believe (hat Wje''can'gP' 1-2 in the championship," says Ingall."I am n'ot sure about the order, though ..." ' -PHILBRANAGAN

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Cody Crocker 2003 Australian Rally gtempionship

Mark Winterbottom 2003 Konica V8 Supercar Championship

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Two VYs but one's been testing: Would Murphy, above, and Kelly, below, have had a better chance in the races of they had more testing time?

The 'OwnerGate' were not granted as much time as they asked for. TEGA set a firm deadline; Holden proposed a new owner, which was rejected; Mark Skaife and the Kellys stepped In and things were worked out.

But, while HRT was able to use all its allocated test days, for KRT and Team Brock.'it meant no testing was permissible while the affair was being sorted out.

What effect did 'Ownergate' have on the championship?

Considering Greg Murphy's redhot late season charge, did the whole affair cost Murph the title?

"At the end of the day, it's hard to say it cost us the title,"

THE ownership issues surrounding the three 'Clayton' Holden V8 Supercar teams - Holden Racing Team, Kmart Racing and Team Brock - was one of the major talking points of the season.

Just before the start of the season, former owner TWR Racing fell over as part of the collapse of the TWR Group.

Despite the fact that none of the Aussie arms of the empire, including HRT and KRT, were in financial strife, Holden was forced to step in and secure the future of its teams.

What happened from there has been well-documented. Holden's management asked for, and were granted, a 'grace period' to sort out the matter - but they

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44

"If we had the extra testing days, we might have had a better handle on the car at the final race at Eastern Creek" - Greg Murphy says Murph. "But it had to potential to change us from having a shot. We did a good job and the boys worked really hard but it did impede our progress.

"If we had the extra testing days, we might have had a better handle on the car at the final race at Eastern Creek. We might have been able to have some better races earlier in the season and it also stopped us from doing a better job with Rick (Kelly).

"The uncertainty was getting to everybody; there was a vibe there when the ownership thing was going on. We had our heads down a bit and we felt it. It was

not a good thing to go through this year."

It is reasonable to say that the lack of testing affected Murphy and, to a greater degree, Kelly.

As the new lad in the team, a lack of testing would have slowed the development of his relationship with his engineers and, probably, compromised his opportunities to 'take' points off the opposition in Murph's assault on the title.

Off the track, it was a masterpiece of how not to conduct such matters. From a PR point of view, Holden handled things less well than they might have. There is a widely-held view in pit lane about some elements of Holden and some of its teams that they project, if not a 'born to rule' mentality then an 'attitude' developed within a winning culture. After five successive HRT titles, that is somewhat understandable. Certainly, there were some Holden players who professed continued amazement that they simply did not get their way with TEGA. Well, at least it's over, right?

Umm, no. The TEGA Tribunal is still dealing with its investigation into the relationship the three teams have between themselves, and with Holden. The matter may drag into next season.

But at this stage, that investigation appears unlikely to impact the on-track performances of the teams to the extent that they did in 2003.

Regardless of the duration, and outcome, of the investigation, that can only be a positive thing.

- PHIL BRANAGAN motorsporl news

GLOBAL MACHmiERY COMPAIMY

Presents ‘*madei af the month*'

IF Public Relations is an art, there were some moments of high art in V8 Supercar racing 2003- and some real lows.

There were stunts,shunts, announcements and denials throughout the year. Of the stunts.

Ford set the ball rolling a few seconds after midnight on January 1 when Russell Ingall was confirmed at Stone Brothers Racing. Did anyone care? Yes. Did anyone watch? No,me neither.

Rusty and SBR further made PR hay when they had IngaU and Brisbane Lions star Jason Akermanis swap roles for a day. Akers did rather better with the Falcon than Ingall did with the footy but they got plenty of ink.

Holden scooped the pool(the poo?) pre-Bathurst when Murph appeared in a mobile portaloo, making PR mileage from liis disaster of 2002. It worked; the general media lapped it up (perhaps a poor choice of words), lire best media release of the year was not issued by any of the teams, but by TEGA.In April, Chairman Kelvin O'Reilly received a submission from Holden for the ownership of HRT to be transferred to General Motors Austraha Limited. Not only did TEGA reject the idea, witlrin hours it issued a release that could be summed up in four words;"You must be kidding". Beautiful work.

Picking the worst release is a nobrainer- literally. David Thexton failed to make 105 percent cut to make

24 December 2003

the field for The Main Event,just after TMR issued a statement that, apart from containing at least 30 spelling or syntax errors in three paragraphs, said; "Like every round this year, Easter (sic) Creek offers a whole set of new challenges for a driver who has tofamiliarise himself with each track on a race by race basis."

Maybe that would be OK at any other track - but Thexton had qualified at Eastern Creek before,five months earlier. Oops.

Holden and Ford operatives found themselves in unfamiliar territory this season. After five years of struggle, Ford was wiiming races and Holden was getting beaten. Neither company was accustomed to tlieir new roles and stumbled. Sometimes, it appeared that their respective PRs had little idea how to accommodate the shift in power.

And,one last thing. We understand that having a PR person standing behind a winning driver, waving a batmer that says "We wonl" is designed for Joe Public, not the dedicated race fan - or us. But guys, tlie practice looks cheap and cheesy.

Has anyone -anyone - ever seen that happen and then gone out to buy a Barra or a VY? We doubt it. If you have done it, email us. To us though, it's enough to make you look at an Avalon in a whole new light...

-PHILBRANAGAN

Brodie

I've recently started a full-time job in the real estate industry in reception/sales. It's the direction I want to take my career in after working at a variety of other places, including a solarium.

My promotional work is limited but I worked at the Bathurst 1000 V8 Supercars this year and the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne a few years ago.

I'm not a mad-keen motor racing fan so I don't profess I to knowing who all the drivers and teams are but my | favourite driver is David Coulthard in the FI series.

I Because I'm working so much there's not a great deal | of time to do all that much else, but when I get a bit of| spare time I like to spend time at the gym.

1 A bit of karate and walking are two of the things that I 1 like awayfrom work as well as hanging out with friends. !

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

M Promotions PO Box 4052 Patterson VIC 3204 Phone/Fax 03 9557 7750

Call the GMC Help Line for the location of your nearest CMC Power Tool stockist, or to order the latest GMC catalogue GMC Help Line 1300 BOO OOl 4S

The Controversial Calls of 2003 Ambrose/Bright Phillip Island Ambrose was looking to pit for wet tyres when he found the pit lane entry blocked by Bright. The two cars dashed, leaving Ambrose to complete another lap and Bright to struggle on with damaged steering.

A Racing Incident.

When It rains, it j

Mupphy/Lowndes Winton Lowndes loses the rear of his car at the Sweeper and is hit by a following Murphy, who is given a drive-through penalty.

Ambrose/Forbes Barbagallo Forbes was yet to make his tyre stop when he was hit by Ambrose, who had. Forbes spun off the track.

Dismissed through lack of evidence.

Ambpose/Blery QR The two Fords make contact in pit lane after their pit stops. Ambrose gets a drive-through penalty.

Skaile's doop at Bathupst After a clash with John Bowe, Skaife continues with a rear door flapping open. Stewards instruct HRT to pit the car for repairs after deliberating for more than 40 minutes.

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V8 SUPERCARS

“eally rains!

WHAT do Phillip Island, Sandown, Pukekohe and both of the races at Eastern Creek have in common?

MNews didn't pack a raincoat for any of them - and deeply regretted it.

V8 Supercar windscreen wipers got a decent workout over the course of the 2003 season. In fact, the year was both opened and closed with meteorologically-inspired red flags.

Race 3 at the Grand Prix was zapped after just two of the scheduled six laps because of the mess caused by a combination of Paul Dumbrell,Paul Morris and wet grass, and The Main Event grand finale at Eastern Creek ended early with drivers swapping helmets for snorkels.

But how did this affect the championship? In real terms, you could argue that it didn't. Had every race been held in cocktail weather, the final points tally would have looked pretty much tlie same. Nevertheless, it threw in a few surprises among the top order.

The first was that PIRT made the wrong call twice. The first was at Eastern Creek in April, where Skaife, already on tlie back foot, rolled the dice when the rain came and pitted for wets only to have the track dry out after a couple of laps. And then again at Sandown, where Todd hung around on slicks a couple of tours longer than he should have.(Then again, they went on to win the race anyway).

Ordinarily this wouldn't rate a mention, but when it comes from a team that everyone is so used to see doing just about everything right, such flashes of mortality stand out like neon.

It was also during, but not because

of, the rain at Phillip Island that Marcos Ambrose made the first of a

grand total of tliree mistakes all year and committed the cardinal sin of not activating his indicators before attempting to turn into pit lane for wets. Marcos was on the outside of the track. Bright was on the inside, and they touched. Result? Ambrose wound up on the grass with the daunting prospect of another lap on slicks in tnily horrendous conditions.

But hell, even if the rain sent us home shivering, at least it made some of the early races worth watching.

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"Hell, even if the rain sent us home shivering, at ieastitmade some of the eariy races worth watching" Phillip Island and Eastern Creek were the second and third rounds of the series, and our first look at AVESCO's new-for-2003 300km race format. Being circuits that require drivers to treat their Dunlops with much love and respect, pushing a V8 Supercar hard was not an option. So no-one held much hope of seeing anything interesting happen at either the Island or the Creek,other than the odd journo from the dailies falling asleep in the media centre ... until the heavens opened.

Here's hoping for a few more wet races next year - they make the races interesting, they help break doughts and they really, really annoy our photographers. Three out of three ain't bad.

- MARK GLENDENNING

For Sale, one Audi, 12 months old, big mileage: The Safety Car was used a lot this season, splashing onto the treacherous Phillip Island, top opposite, and then closing the season with a swansong appearance at Eastern Creek.

24 Dscember 2003

/ ./

11

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My car, my track; Murpb and Ricko dominated at Bathurst.

Best and Worse

IT'S hard to judge the 'best race of the year', because it hard to devalue traditions, such as Bathurst. How can you say that Bathurst isn't the best race of the year, regardless? The best event at Winton could never come close to the worst Great Race, if there is such a thing.

The 2003 edition of the 1000km test did not let us down. Run at a relentless pace, Greg Murphy avenged his'02 pit-lane penalty to take a classic win, his third mountain crown. Rick Kelly partnered Murph and became the youngest person to ever win the famous race. The pair are thoroughly deserving champs.

The return of the Sandown 500 produced the best finish of the year.

Hampered by electrical problems, the ailing HRT Commodore of Mark Skaife was chased down by Tea m Dynamik's young Kiwi Jason Richards. On the second last lap, Richards tried a move on the reigning champ at Dandenong Road. The Holden pair touched, and Richards ended in the sand. Skaife and Todd Kelly savoured a popular win while Richards and Simon Wills were left to wonder what if...

Mind you,this was on a sodden

Sandown circuit which had been hit by a fierce thunder and hailstorm.

Not exactly ideal conditions for holding a motor race.

Marcos Ambrose had built a handy lead in the opening phase of the race and the car and team

looked like they could potentially lap the field. But one corner into Russell Ingall's first stint, things went horribly wrong. Ingall fought back to salvage fifth after dropping back nearly two laps.

For sheer domination, nothing can surpass Ambrose's demolition at Eastern Creek back in early May. The Pirtek driver creamed the field that day in Sydney, and he repeated the performance eight months later at the same venue, sealing his first V8 crown.

For entertainment value in 2003 though, nothing can beat the highly acclaimed stage show 'Skaife-Ingall; A lovers' tiff.'

The on and off-track antics of both drivers landed the sport on every news broadcast across our brown land. We should probably thank Mark and Russell for the clash/ abuse/swerve incident, because without it, the race was an absolute snooze-fest.

- GRANT ROWLEY 47

Paul Rev The British came to V8 Supercars

V8 SUPERCARS weathered something of a British invasion this year, marked by the appearance of Prodrive and Triple Eight.

Both came onto the scene with a bang, but behind all the grand plans are two teams setting about the same objective in quite different ways.

Prodrive through FPR, is engineering and technology%* driven, This will be most apparent when the ribbon is cut at the team's all-singing, all-dancing new Race Centre in Melbourne's northern suburbs early next year, but the basic culture is already there. Engineering expertise is Prodrive's forte overseas, and I* combined with the talent; and expertise of John Russell, it's not hard to see where they are coming from,(Plus, there are always the little clues, like the funky electronic board that hangs from the ceiling of the team's garage at race meetings to track their pitstops), Russell said at the start of their year that they would plan their development program according UJ I Greg Murphy Racing offer for sale j their race-winning to what they learn on the track, rather than assumptions. This 2003-spec GTS clearly points to a medium-term CO ' Carrera Cup car plan for success - although they'll take weekends like Phillip Island, where Lowndes won In the rain, when they come along.

It But just how patient will they be? Ford traditionally has been spearheaded by teams led by in ready to race condition racers rather than businessmen, with full set^jp information. which promotes a culture of sticking it out through thick and thin. But Prodrive is cut from a different cloth and if, three years down the track, it finds itself no closer to domination than it is now, will it press on? Time will tell.

And It should be recognised that when you look back at Prodrive's history in other categories, results have generally been modest.

Whether V8 Supercars will be any different is anyone's guess; David Besnard himself pointed out that if running three cars was holding FPR back this year, then the newlook two-car team will have no excuses for not tasting success. If it was going to be a drama sufficient to force the team to muRPHMRncins markedly change policy (from three cars to two) why did the experts in the team not recognise ph 03 9580 1369. 03 9587 1022 or 0418 851 044 that very fact 12 months ago?

48

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Full running sheets, data and setup details available, eontactlony Noske on 0418 527 188.

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To and From Australia: T8's Derek Warwick, above, is no stranger to locals but will it be his team, or FPR, right, that waves the Union Jack in this country?

Triple 8, meanwhile, is similar to ProdrIve in that it are aligned towards engineering and commerce, but signs are that they are working to a very different timeframe. If the recruitment of Campbell Little - SBR's equivalent of the fifth Beatle - is anything to go by, a win for the team at the Grand Prix in March would not be soon enough. Rightly or wrongly.

Little has been given a lot of the credit for SBR's ability to unlock the BA so quickly this year, so if he can wave the wand at Triple Eight in 2004, the machinery should not be a problem.

In Radisich and Wilson they have a dependable llne-up, although they certainly would not have been any worse off by keeping Dean Canto around for another year. Plus, they have the resources - the team's new facility in Queensland is easily among the best In the country, and with the backing of their sponsors, Ford and, one would guess, a stream of income from its British operations, paying the bills should not be an issue.

So the bottom line is similar to FPR's - how long is Triple Eight prepared to wait for success? And more importantly, how will they respond if things don't go according to plan?

- MARK GLENDENINJING moiorspori news

ere was right

md saw, alright- now, will they be able to conquer?

Murph’s 2:06

The Next Generation m

Match this, Marcos: Long before Ambrose won the ATCC title, Winterbottom bagged his, and SBR's, first.

THE Winterbottom factor was the Panorama.

At the conclusion of the series, major talking point of the 2003 Winterbottom won exactly half of the It's also worth noting that six of the Konica V8 Supercar Series. races (8 from 16), which does not top seven drivers in the Konica series drove for Level 1 or 2 'V8 teams in the Never before has a V8 junior include the victory he took at champ been given so much praise, enduros, three of those with Level 1 Bathurst in the 25-lap support race. teams. and never before has a Konica champ He truly had a remarkable year. been signed to a two-year gig with a So, the Konica series continues to The only smudge on Winterbottom's silverware was his well-established team so quickly. produce. Since its humble beginnings After winning KartStars in 2001, back in 2000, all four series endurance performances. This may sound harsh, but Konica rival, Luke Mark Winterbottom made the step to champions have had a season in the Youlden, outshone the SBR star.

Formula Ford, where Ross and Jim main game. Dean Canto, Simon Wills, Stone already had the 20-year-old Paul Dumbrell and now, Youlden certainly didn't break any records in the Konica series. The 25under lock and key.

Winterbottom.

He made his "VS debut in the first year-old took just one race win, a It may seem unfair to the real round of the series at Wakefield Park handful of podiums and fifth overall. 'privateers' that the 'Main Game' this year, and the early signs were But while co-driving with Steve teams are allowed to play in the ominous. Pole position, two race Ellery in the main game endurance junior championship, but if you want wins and the round victory served races, the Super Cheap Racing pair to succeed in Supercars, you'll have to notice to his rivals that the kid meant finished second at the Sandown 500, beat these guys first... business.

- GRANT ROWLEY before coming home third at Mount

24 December 2003

WHILE Greg Murphy was on his out lap in Bathurst's Top 10 Shoot-out, John Bowe rang in a 2m07.9556s lap, the fastest so far. It was neat. quick and impressive. Kmart Racing Team Manager Rob Crawford was pessimistic.

'I turned around ta(engineer! Erik I (Pender) and explained to him, after seeing Bowie's lap, 'I don't think'that we have a good enough car to get th'at,j time he says.

"I looked at him again after the fir^t sector and we thought we were.going',d to get it. But we did not expect a sife eight." ..●f.

No-one did. There had beendhree laps in the sevens-just-in qualifying, from Murphy, Bowe and Mark Skaife. That is part-of what made the lap so special.

"It was the most unreal thing I have, ever seen out of driver," says Crawford.

"It was amazing. To do the first 'six' around Bathurst was incredible.

Murph was quiet and very focused ■ ■: before he got into the car but he wasn't much different to any other shoot-out." ' More than two months after his lap ■( (which included a botched gearshift at ; The Dipper) Murphy looks back at it . with some wonder.

"I still get people talking to me about it. One of the most amazing things was to have the peers come out and applaud me. That was an amazing moment: very emotional.

"Then, at the AVESCO Awards Dinner, to have someone like (Ford President) Geoff Polites mention how, special it was ... that means a lot to me. It was a special moment and it all means a lot to me.

"That is why I go racing. I do not want to forget it in a hurry. It has stayed in my mind pretty heavily. I do not know how long it will stay with me. Maybe at Bathurst next year, when I either do it again, or I don't, there will be an expectation there and I don't know whether I could repeat it.

"I don't know whether there will be any extra pressure on me to do it again. But there will be an expectation from people - and maybe some from myself."

Two minutes, six point eight-fivenine-four seconds. An average speed of 176.3117kmh. That is a fraction under 1 lOmph in the old money. That is fast.

Next year, the pit bunker from which I watched that special lap will be gone. Some other structure will be in its place. Some day, maybe next year, the lap time will be beaten. But the memory will remain. That is what special moments do; they live forever.

- PHIL BRANAGAN 49

U8 SUPERCARS

More Controversial Calls of ’03 Murphy V higall at Surfers Pit lane etiquette was under the spotlight again in Queensland when Murphy and Ingall had a bump when exiting the pits. This led to an interpretation of the rule for following rounds.

Jones's bumper in NZ

THE new-for-2003 points system was,and is, controversial.

With all rounds of the V8 Supercar Championship Series being 'weighted' equally, and the requirement for all drivers to drop their worst score, there were winners, losers and dissenters.

Even a quick straw poll in the House of MNews brings no unanimous decision; the staff are split 50/50 on whether it is a good system or not.

One thing though seems to be pretty well universally accepted by most in the sport: all rounds bhould reward the winners equally. The old system stated, basically, that a Bathurst 1000 win was worth far more than

wTiIcFi seems about right. But the downside was that a failure in the big points events of the season, like Bathurst, the Queensland 500 and Adelaide, would virtually rum a championship-contending season in an instant. That was not so good.

There has been chat that the new system does not differentiate enough between winners and losers, with only a six-point split between placings.

That is mirrored in the system in place in the Winston Cup where consistency is paramount and a DNF is a disaster. Cup Chani[) Matt Kenseth won only one race; Ryan Newman won eight.

Nothing that bad hairpenerl here, as title contenders Mai cos Ambrose, Greg Murphy and Maik Skaife weie a round winners thiougout the season. But had Jason Bright, above, who hadn't won any rounds, been in title contention by the time he headed to the Mam Event, maybe the criticism vyould have had more relevance.

In the end, the system did what It was meant to; it took the title fight to the final round, which appears to be what (ans want.

In any event, AVESCO may still tinker with the system loi 2004.

There will still be aiguments anti criticisms on either side but, hey, when isn't there?

- PHIL BRANAGAN

After having his rear bumper dislodged at Pukekohe, Brad Jones continues with it flapping. Stewards instruct the team to pit the car for repairs, despite the bumper falling off while the car is still on the track.

Tbfl quaHtybig

at the Creek

Having an element of showbiz is a good thing for any form of motor racing but the decision to send the drivers out in an order determined by a fan draw was not well received.

SkaNe's Jumped start Skaife gets a drive-through penalty for creeping at the start at Eastern Creek, despite not having gained any advantage in doing so.

Murphy bumps Seton Greg Murphy's title hopes die when he serves a drive-through penalty for a light touch with Glenn Seton at The Main Event's first race.

The Top Guns shoot it out AS far as we can remember,2003 was the first time we saw a Top Ten Shootout at every round (every round but the Main Event at Eastern Creek that is, where everybody was unleashed for a one-lap flyer).

Actually, Eastern Creek is probably not a bad place to start. The full-field Shootout was one of the initiatives introduced by AVESCO for tlieir first self-promoted event. But did it work?

More or less ... although watching 30odd V8 Supercars go aroimd the track one-by-one made for a long 80 minutes.

If AVESCO still wants to get funky with the format for next year's event, perhaps reduce it to a top 50 percent Shootout instead. Nobody from the bottom 50 is likely to upset the frontmnners anyway - unless some malady has dumped a fast car amongst the slow guys early in the weekend.

The lottery system, however,needs to go. There is much to be said for breaking down the barriers between the sport and the fans, but the Shootout order should not be left to chance imder any circumstances — and particularly in the final round, where it could well influence the Championship battle. We don't want SO

to fast-forward 12 months and hear Skaife saying that his weekend got off to a bad start courtesy of George from PennantHiUs...

The other, possibly more serious problem,has been the scheduling of the Shootout. Sending the fastest cars out for ten-tenths laps just an hour or two prior to a race is asking for trouble. We're lucky that in 2003 we avoided the scenario where Ambrose or Murph walled the car in the Shootout and missed the first race, but there's no point tempting fate.

Schedule the Shootout earlier - it gives the teams more time to prepare their cars properly for the respective sessions, and offers an additional safety net against something going wrong.

Concerns have been raised in some circles about the potential for an intermittently wet Shootout to screw up the grid. Sure, topping aU of the opening sessions for the weekend only to have it start to rain just before your Shootout lap would suck - but the weather is a part of racing. From

where we are sitting, we can't see much wrong with a situation where Ambrose gets caught in a shower and starts from tenth, handing pole to Jason Richards or Max Wilson,above.

Bring it on, we say - dealing with the hand that luck dealt you is a legitimate part of motorsport. Unless we're faced with a situation such as that in NZ,where it would have clearly been insane to proceed with the Shootout,just let things go. You never know what you might end up with ...

- MARK GLENDENNING molorsport news

PRESS

—JOHNSON brock JOIN THE CHALLENGE! BE ON DICK'S OR PETER'S TEAM! Melbourne-Adelaide 14-18 March 2004 Join touring car legends Dick Johnson and Peter Brock captaining rival Ford and Holden teams in the inaugural Shannons Ford-Holden Challenge for the drive of ypuf life to Adelaide's top-rating Clipsal 500 street race.

After opening events on Holden's top-secret Lang Lang Proving Ground, the field.oParbund 200 Ford, Holden and GM cars, utes and panel vans will take ^the long way to Adelaide via Shepparton, Mildura and the Barossa Valley. n

iQo tde way, you will compete with Dick or Peter scoring points for your team in more than 20 performance and driving skill evejjts, from drags, to circuit sprints and driftkig^ Once in Adelaide, you'll enjoj^privlleged infield parking at the Clipsal 500, access to a special Challenge grandstand at the hairpin opposite the pits, with parade laps of the circuit for major award wjnnexS.-

FAST FACTSj, l Exclusive Ford & Holden field, split into rivdl teams captained by racing legends Dick Johnson & Peter EM*o.cK l All Fords, Holdens and General Motors cars, vans and utes welcome l Five days/four nights of driving and social fun l More than 20 separate speed, driving skill, touring and social events to cater for ail interests l Separate categories for Current and Heritage models l Special Show & Shine and Sound-Off competitions for all entrants l Unique event clothing l Track activities at Clipsal 500 l Dedicated Challenge Grandstand in prime viewing position Limited pieces - don’t miss this chance of a iifetime!

For more Shannons Ford-Hoiden Challenge details, visit us at: www.fordholdenchallenge.com.au or call Mae-Lin at Silverstone Events (08) 8227 0666.

SILVERSTONE 24 December 2003

51

Images of 2003 Who would want to be a V8 Supercar photographer, out in the heat and the rain, arguing with officials and getting no respect? Well, sometimes they get itjust right in the toughest ofconditions. Here are some of the best V8 shots of the season '4, J

la-

l

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Red noses: Mark Skaife and Russell Ingall set up the season's most controversial moment at Eastern Creek just as Dishan Marikar aimed and fired.

What is it about Perth that tips cars over: We dunno. But we are grateful that, if bad things have to happen, Dirk Klynsmith and James Smith were there to shoot the inverted cars of Steve Ellery, below, and Paul Morris, below right, respectively.

4 I

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motorsport news

Light, camera, action: Sometimes you do not need a lot of hardware in the frame to get a good pic. Klynsmith used great light and framing to get Jason Brightjust right, above: and Dirk was there when HRT's mules were practicing pit stops at first light, right

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24 December 2003

^

lust enough light: Klymsmith got up early (again) to capture Clenn Seton's Falcon ready for battle; Andrew Hall found anticipation at the back of Bright's helmet, left; DK was there again when Skaife showed the strain after a hot time in Darwin, right; while Marikar only needed a great set of legs, below right.

For some reason, John Morris is able to capture the hits that no-one else gets. When Morris's Commodore got the Albert Park wall after a clash with Paul

-it T

V8 SUPERCARS

The Waterboy: Klynsmith was on the spot when Max Wilson had to wash broken glass out of his eyes at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide, above left.

Where is the flame? You can't see it but Peter Bury managed to capture its reflection on the rear door ofJohn Bowe's Falcon, above right.

Candid moment: H^e are not sure what Paul Radisicb is talking to the Sime Tyres girls in Sydney about but tbe body language says'more'to us ...

The Lord of the Ring: Sometimes, Hall does not even need a whole head to shoot to capture a driver's personality, below right.

Grey and Blue: Peter Bury braved tbe storm to capture the flooded Eastern Creek pit lane, left, while Marshall Cass was on hand when the blue kitty litter took its toll on Anthony Tratt at Albert Park, above.

S5

Gentlemen,Stc Okay kids, get out your back issues and get the web browser ready because this year’s MNews quiz has some doozies.

If you think you know your racing, railying, drag racing and your etceteras, go your hardest. Answers next issue

1. Name tiie VS Supercar driver who scored the iiighest average points per round in tiie 2003 V8 Supercar Championship Series.

2. Last season, two Fornnda One lest drivers actually raced in one or more CPs. Name them.

3. Mark Webber scored aii but one of Jaguar Racing's points fast season.

Who scored the other one, and . l n n . where? n

Which has the lower roof height - a ●f^^T40 or Porsche 917? ●- U.'

5. Who is Cody Crocker's navigator? f6. There were some big numbers in the '.-5JVHRA Top Fuel class this season. Who ^setthe best time and speed numbers of i i2f)03? ■ 7. The three Formula 5000s ieading in this picture were aii buiit in Australia. Name them. And, if you . are .really clever, name the drivers - too. For extra brownie points, name i ■ ^ Ihe track. And the year. ‘ .\y>fAS:.Who was the first British works drivei f\ i * -^iit AWAmcrican Racers? f. -U-

9. Flow many MotoCP wins did Max Biaggi take this year?

If). Who was the Rookie of the Year in the 2003 World of Outlaws?

11. Speaking of Rookies, name the V8 Supercar ROTY. 12. Larry Perkins may have driven his final VS Snpercar race this season. In the 1970s, he competed in 11 FI CPs. For which teams?

13. Before ownership of the Holden Racing Team was taken over by Mark Skaife mid-season, Holden proposed that the team be owned by another company. Name the company.

14. Flow many companies have supplied control tyres in the history of the VS Snpercar category?

15. Team Dynamik Is a young team but who is older; Simon Wills or Jason Richards?

56

16. One nsnalhi associates switching FI drivers inid-senson with 'diid' teams.

Twice in the last decade, teams have nin six drivers during the course of the year.

Years, teams and drivers if yon please.

17. Engine guru Rob Benson has just returned to the V8 Supercar scene after some years with a ieading Winston Cup team. Name the team.

And which team is iie with now?

26. There riws n clmiif^e in licencesfor Kmart Rncinf^ in jnli/. Who bon;^hl the licences, and who sold them?

27. Which of these drivers never raced for Tyrreii: Jackie Stewart, Ronnie Peterson, Jacques Lafitte or Martin Brundie?

2S. Time orfalse; Mark Webber has a nmnn^ement deal with Minardi team principal Paid Stoddart.

IS. The co-owners of Triple S Race Engineering have all visited Australia through the coarse of the year. Name them.

29. A race-winning indy Car driver is married to a Coiden Ciobenominated actress. Name both.

19. Wiio, or what, owns Ford Performance Racing?

30. Who won the 2003 Fornnda Ford title?

20. Recently, we remembered the classic race Pete Ceoghegan's Falcon CT had against Allan Moffat's Mustang i^t Bathurst. Who owns both cars now?

Know your FSOOOs? Then name the three makes of cars, above, and answer Question 7. And, if you know your Marcos Ambrose Trivia, you will know the name of the trophy he collected for the 2003 ATCC(Q31), below, and the name of the cad who took him out in the '98 FF Festival(Q40), bottom.

21. Wlio am 1? 1 started racing in karts and intended to become a rally driver until a sponsor withdrew and 1 started circuit racing. 1 won the Formula Ford title in my own country before winning a major Formula 3 Championship. My Formula 1 career started as a test driver but 1 drove in my first race for another team in 1989.1 drove in 62 GPs for five different teams until 1 left FI. 1 have had a successful career in Sportscar racing and won the Le Mans 24 Hour race. I returned to FI as a TV commentator and 1 am not

a.

known by my real name.

22. Mat Mladin won the AMA Snperbike Championship in the LISA this season. Flow many of these titles has he won?

23. Only one manufacturer swept the podium positions in a WRC event this season. Event, team and drivers (in order) please.

24. When he won the 2003 Bathurst 1000 Rick Kelly became the youngestever Croat Race winner. But is he also the yoiingest-ever winner of a' VS Snpercar or ATCC round?

25. Name all the drix’ers who drove a Stone Brothers Racing-run Ford Falcon at race meetings this year.

3

PENNY ROYAL WORLD L/IUNCESrON

TASMANIA

QUIZ

lit your Brains!

31. CAMS presents the Australian Drivers' Champion with the Gold Star. What is the name of the trophy given to the Australian Touring Car Champion?

32. Mali Kenseth won the 2003 Winston Clip title. How inmni rnces did he win?

33. There will be a one-make Sportscar racing series for Toyota Camry-powered cars next season What is the designation of the cars?

41. Name the team that ran an ethanol-powered LMP1 at Le Mans this year.

42. Btinvi’ii them, Will Dnvifim niii1 Will Pmi’cr drove for four different tennis in the 2003 Brilish F3 Chmnihonship.

What were Ihei/?

43. Two Australian drivers have tested for the same International F3000 team in the recent months.

Who were the drivers, and which . team is it?

34. Whieh VS Snperenr driver is married: Todd K(4hi, Marcos Ambrose or Cam McConville?

44. Where did the name 'Rail'come from?

35. This season, Fernando Alonso became the youngest-e\'er FI GP winner. Who held the record before?

And bv how much was Alonso

45. In which of'the following has Petter Solberg not been a winaey: rallying, dancing, middIp-distance running, remote-control car t|ci 2?

younger when he won in Hungary? .36. Which Iale-l950s/enrhi-1960s Forninla One driver had a prosthetic

A Tall Story: Is Max Wilson looking up to Dean Canto or someone else? (Q50) Not a Benetton: It's Michele Alboreto's Tyrrell. But who was NOT a Tyrrell FI driver? (Q27) Managing the future: Jonathon Palmer, below left, is Justin Wilson's manager but is Paul Stoddart, right, the man behind Mark Webber? (Q28) .37. And for bonus points, for which team was he a works driver?

3S. The driver in ipiestion was killed during a Grand Prix that also claimed the life of one of his associates in a separate accident. Who was it?

39. How many different makes of car did John Bowe drive in PROCAR events this vear?

40. Can pon name the driver who panted Marcos Ambrose out of the lead In the 1998 Forninia Ford Festival at Brands Hatch?

24 Decemtier 2803

46. Ed McCnIloch was sncked'ni crew i chief bp Don Prndhomme Racing iiiMseason. For whose Fnnnp Car had he^ !>(■(’;/ cniling the shots?

47. Who were the runners-up in the past four Konica Series championships?

48. WhnI is the name of Ihe English team that hopes to rnn a Vanxhall-hadged Monaro in the 2004 Brilish CT Championship?

49. Triple 8 runs Falcons in our V8 Supercar .series, but with what make and model are thev associated in the I5TCC? SO. Who is taller: Dean Canto or Max Wilson?

Half-way home and you are doing great! Turn to page 58 57

-it

*

'1

continued from page 57 51. What is the shortest track on the V8 Supercar calendar?

52. Who was Williams FI's main test driver in 1997?

53. Over how many days was the recent Cadbury-Schweppes Mark Webber Challenge held?

I*'

54. Which two sections oftheMt Panorama circuit were declared ‘High Risk Kangaroo Areas’at this year's Bathurst 24 Hour race?

55. What kind of animal strayed fatally into the path of Martin Short's Mosler MT900R at the 2002 Bathurst 24 Hour? Clue: It wasn't a kangaroo.

56. How many races have David Brabham and Andrea Montermini spent as team-mates?

57. Where and when did a Ford first

1

Will Wins! Where did Davison score his F3 win, above?(Q65) Mosler in the Morning: See questions 55 and 64, all you Mosler fans.

Murpb misses a gear! That was at the Cutting, right? Maybe ...(Q73) returnedfor this year's race?

65. At which circuit did Will Davison score his win in this year's British F3 Championship?

power a car to a Grand Prix win?

58. We all remember seeing the 1997 FI world championship decided when Michael Schumacher tried to pimt jacques Villeneuve off the track at Jerez.

But what was the name of the corner where the incident took place?

59. Which of the following circuits was not designed by Hermann Tilke?

Sepang, Albert Park, the A1 Ring, Shanghai.

60. Where was Max Wilson born?

66. Tyrrell once produced a six-wheeled GP car. What was its model designation?

67. Nico Rosberg has tested alongside two other sons of former Williams

gear' during his record-breaking shoot-out lap?

74. How many races did Peter Brock win during this year's Bathurst 24 Hour weekend?

75. What does the design on the back of Scott Pruett's helmet represent?

champions in recent weeks- who are they?

76. Whatfour drivers were involved in thefour-car pile-up at Skyline in this year's Bob Jane T-Marts 1000?

68. Which V8 Supercar star runs a team in the Australian Carrera Cup Championship?

77. Who or what sponsored the 2003 Nations Cup support races at Albert Park?

69. Which weU-known speedway name popped up in the Konica V8 Series this year?

78. What type of Safety vehicle was used in the 1996 AMP Bathurst WOO?

70. The ARC produced threefirst-time round winners this year. Who were they?

79. How many metres were added to the Mount Panorama circuit with the addition of the Chase?

71. How many Colin McRae rally games have Codemasters produced?

80. Who is the outright lap record holder at Phillip Island?

were team-mates at 00 Motorsport in 2002?

63. Who was Jamie Wliincup's team mate at Sonic Motorsport in the 2002 Australian Formula Ford Championship?

72. Which Grand Prix driver has only finished the Albert Park event in either first or second place?

81. Which manufacturer won all seven Super Touring Championships in which it participated in 1996?

83. Who won the Motorsport News Carrera Cup Personality of the Year recently?

64. How many of the Mosler's 2002 Bathurst 24 Hour driving line-up

73. At which section of the Bathurst circuit did Greg Murphy 'miss a

82. How many times did Neil Crompton out-qiialifij Craig Lowndes when they

84. What corner at which circuit does Motorsport News sponsor?

61. In which country would you find the Mondello Park circuit?

62. Who drove the two Protecnica Subarus in GT Performance this year?

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58

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QUIZ

wS

I iI

85. How many times has Ed Ordynski won the Australian Rally Championship?

86. Where did the Ferrari F2003-GA

93. Which driver's name was drawn

Son of a Gun: Who has Nico Rosberg tested with this season?(Q67)

first in qualifying 'lotto' draw at Eastern Creek's V8 Supercar Main Event recently?

All the sixes: What did Tyrrell name this contraption?(Q66)

make its racing debut, and what position

did itfinish?

94. What was Nigel Mansell doing at Circuit cutes Villeneuve in 1991 when

87. Which car, team and drivers carried the number 1 in the World

his gearboxfailed on the last lap while leading the Canadian Formula One Grand Prix?

Touring Car Championship round at Bathurst in 1987?

95. Since V8 Supercar's inception in 1993, how many times has the round winner from Eastern Creek gone on to win the title?

88. Who led the opening lap of the 1992 Tooheijs 1000?

89. How long was the original Nurburgring circuit in Germany?

Bonus point- How many corners did the track have?

96. What round did David Besnard's car firstfeature the number 1 this year?

97. How many rounds of the V8 Supercar Championship did David Thexton qualify for this year?

90. What round did Bigpondjoin as a platform sponsor of the V8 Supercars this year?

98. Who jumped the start at Oran Park in 91. Paul Radisich may have won the VIP Petfoods top dog award for most positions gained from their grid spot, but who finished second?

99. Which Australian circuit boasts the fastest start-finish line?

92. What was the Konica V8 Supercar Series originally called in 2000?

100. What is Alex Yoong's bestfinishing position in a Formula 1 Grand Prix?

the V8 Supercar series this year?

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59

Driver on wrong side of road

'“Wtt

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i \5p<^

Bourne witness explains fatal crash

MICHAEL Barltrop was driving on the wrong side of the road for almost 200m before his Jeep and Possum Bourne's rally car collided, according to the only other surviving witness to the accident.

Chris Ruane, a passenger in the Bartrop-driven Jeep, gave his account of the April 18 crash in a statement at a depositions hearing last Thursday at the Queenstown District Court.

Barltrop is charged with driving in a manner that was "dangerous to the public and thereby caused the death of Possum Bourne".

Ruane was not in court for the handing up of depositions but is the key witness to what happened on the dusty Waiorau Snow Farm Rd on Good Friday.

With Barltrop driving, the pair joined a pre-race reconnaissance to check the route and go over the draft pace notes provided to ail competitors by organisers. The 'recce' involved one trip up and one trip down the road.

At a briefing beforehand, organisers told the drivers that the usual road rules applied and that there would be two-way traffic.

Drivers competing in other levels of the event would also be on the road checking the course.

In his statement, Ruane said their Cherokee Jeep was heading downhill on a straight towards a long, left-hand sweeping bend.

Just before the bend - when travelling downhill - there is a crest followed by a dip.

"As we came to that brow (Barltrop) said that he wanted to be over to the right. This was so that he could negotiate the left sweeper further along the course," Ruane said.

"We were on the middle-right side of the road. We weren't completely hard over to the right.

(Barltrop) said he wanted to be in this position to take that next bend.

"This was the only time (Barltrop) deviated greatly from the left-hand side of the road and actually physically put his vehicle on a race line."

They travelled for 150 to 200m before seeing Bourne's car heading towards them. Ruane recalled looking up and seeing a black Subaru before them. Both vehicles braked and headed in the same direction.

60

Ruane said the road was quite wide where the accident happened.

The Jeep hit the Subaru "on the nose", Ruane said. Fie was the only one able to get out of the vehicle, and went to check on Bourne. Ruane got another driver, Andrew Flawkeswood, to hold Bourne's head up and keep his airway open.

Bourne was unconscious and bleeding, his head and shoulders hanging out of the window.

Barltrop had suffered a broken leg.

Constable John Fames, part of the team that investigates crashes in the Otago area, said the tyre marks from Bourne's car indicated he had started braking 4.5 seconds before impact. At that stage the line of sight for both drivers meant Bourne - who was in the dip of the road - could see the top of the Jeep, but Barltrop could not see Bourne.

Another crash specialist. Senior Constable Trevor Buchanan, said Barltrop would have had 7.6m of road "available" had he turned the other way.

Constable Buchanan said the crash was not caused by the weather, sunstrike or the dusty conditions. In taking evasive action. Bourne's Subaru was "further off the roadway to his left than should have been required to avoid any opposing vehicle". Fie also said there was no evidence Barltrop had braked.

But another co-driver in the pre race run said the road condition was excellent except in the crash area. Jeffery Flill, of Auckland, who was travelling just ahead of Barltrop, said it was particularly dusty there.

Other drivers who made deposition statements said they saw Bourne on both their way up and down the mountain road during their test run. Those who passed him immediately before the crash estimated he was travelling at 60-80km/h.

Barltrop was to be married in May but the wedding is on hold.

Fie has started back at work as an aerial installer after six months off, but is limited in what he can do.

Fie conceded there was a case to answer. The trial will be held next year in Dunedin.

-JON THOMSON

by JON THOMSON SIMON Evans has signed with Toyota to drive a Corolla Group N Prototype in the 2004 ARC. While armouncing that the former Subaru driver was testing the Corolla in a Canberra forest, it is beheved Toyota had already clinched the deal with the 28-year-old Melburnian.

Toyota and Evans will not confirm the deal but sources close to both Toyota and Mitsubishi have told us the deal is done and an announcement will be made early in the New Year.

The news came as a shock to Mitsubishi, where executives thought they had secured Evans services to drive a factory-backed Les Walkdenrun machine in 2004, as we reported in the last issue of MNews.

Just a couple of hours after we went to press last issue, Evans picked up the phone and dialled Mitsubishi PR/Motorsport boss Kevin Taylor. It was a call that Taylor wasn't expecting; all was ready for Evans to sign with the three diamonds for 2004. The high-flying privateer had told Mitsubishi he was only testing the Toyota Corolla "to benchmark it."

And then came the thunderbolt.

Evans apparently told Taylor he was going to sign with Toyota because of the better financial package it offered.

Walden was surprised by the news that Evans had decided not to sign with Mitsubishi, but understands Simon was doing it for financial security.

"We had everything in place and we were looking forward to welcoming Simon on board, he is a very talented and exciting driver," said Walkden.

"I am disappointed for Les Walkden Rallying but it is clearly a good career move for Simon.

"Mitsubislri wanted him and we had a very long meeting and the deal was probably done. But clearly, money was an important component and Toyota was offering more from what I can gather."

It is not clear how many cars Toyota will run in the 2004 ARC but there are some suggestions that Rick Bates will step aside to allow Evans to enter the team. We have also been told by reliable sources that test driver Ben Barker may still have a drive as Neal Bates Motorsport is believed to be building a third car for 2004...

Kangas bounces back

motorsport oews

RALLY NEWS

Elf gets ARC fuel deal ARCOM has announced that French company Elf will become the control fuel supplier for all turbo 4WD Group N cars in the Australian Rally Championship.

Elf Fuel's WRF will be introduced as the control fuel but will not be applicable to the Subaru Challenge, the Aussie Cup or F16.

The new Elf control fuel will be available to competitors at $5.50 per litre while the company will plough some of its profits back into the support of the ARC'S Motorsport Safety and Rescue(MSR) organisation. Currently MSR is paid for by an additional $400 per event fee paid by all competitors and with ELF's backing this fee will now be eliminated.

-JON THOMSON

Globalstar rings in

Two-year sponsorship deal for ARC

THE Australian Rally Championship will have a naming rights sponsor for the first time in more than a decade following the signing of telecommunications company Globalstar.

The company has signed on for an initial two-year deal, with options for a further two years. The series will be known as the Globalstar ARC.

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Globalstar is a provider of satellite mobile phones and as part of the deal will provide telecommunications support for the Championship, including a number of dual-band satellite phones.

The sponsorship announcement comes as a result of the work of IMG, which has been handling the commercial aspects of the sport since the start of this year.

ARCOM boss Garry Connelly did not reveal what the sponsorship deal was worth to the sport but said the deal would also mean a program to develop better in-car communications between the teams and the crews in the forest.

"Having a leading technology and communication supplier such as Globalstar as our series sponsor gives us the opportunity to not only enhance the profile of the Globalstar ARC but to also explore some leading-edge technology developments which will make the sport more exciting and more promotable," said Connelly "There is obvious synergy between the Australian Rally Championship and Globalstar and we're very pleased to have them on board."

-JON THOMSON

into Walkden Lancer FINNISH ace Juha Kanagas will return to the ARC in 2004 following Toyota's signing of Simon Evans.

Evans was earmarked to take

Kangas's seat at Les Walkden Rallying but the Finn has been told his services will be needed again.

The Tasmanian-based team is currently rebuilding the left-hand drive Evo VII and is building a new right-hand drive VII. Walkden is hoping to have an Evo VIII model in his workshop by February but says there is no hope that the new model 24 DecemliBr 2003

will be ready in time for the opening round of the ARC in March.

"Juha will be bloody quick next year," said Walkden.

"He has had a year to get used to Aussie conditions and he proved in Tassie in the final round this year that he will be a force to be reckoned with, "We have a good working relationship with Juha and I really warmed to him as the season went on, I think he is going to surprise a few people in 2004," -JON THOMSON

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Engineered to Exhilarate

Max takes the IVSS lead at Avalon - Johnson on podium again. BRETTSWANSON reports

M

ax Dumesny is the new dominator of Avalon Raceway after he won his second straight Proton World Series Sprintcars feature on consecutive weekends at the Vicorian circuit.

Dumesny appeared to be in a class of his own, winning easily from Louisiana Ace Jason Johnson. Robbie Farr finally scoring some much welcome points, finishing third.

Dumesny's win has put him back at the top of the championship ladder.

"The guys had the car spot-on tonight," said Dumesny after his feature win.

"I couldn't tell how close the guys were behind me but I felt like we could put this car anywhere we liked and still be fast."

Johnson put in another solid performance, underlying the fact that a feature win can't be that far away.

"The track kinda caught us out tonight," admitted the Amencan.

S2

"I thought it was going to take rubber and get more grip but it stayed real slick. We pulled the wing back but it wasn't enough to get a run on Max." Farr was relieved to have finally scored some decent points after reverting back to his older Avenger chassis.

"We need the points so we'll take them. It is good to get back on the podium but we really didn't show a lot to be happy about," he said, "I've still got some work to do to get faster but at least we're up here with"these guys - it's been a while."

Brooke Tatnell, whose WSS record at Avalon stretched to five consecutive wins over recent years, battled hard from seventh and moved forward until the front wing collapsed. He manhandled the ailing Shell Maxim to fourth place, just ahead of local hero Ian Lewis.

Lewis was on target from the moment he hit the track reckoning; "If I'm going to win

anywhere, rt’ll be here."

He excited the crowd by topping the points chart and winning the A Dash in a fiery clash with Johnson. On the start

however, he was swamped by both Dumesny and Farr and eventually faded to fifth - like Johnson - caught out by the slick track.

--●-1

Daniel Beard

Damn ludc Luke Dillon performs a Hdf hxtd-st^ at Atmhn. His execution was good, but the landing was a bit rou^^.

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I Engineered to Exhilarate 1 Max Dumesny L'i 2 Jason Johnson Robbie Farr 4 Brooke Tatnell

^5 Ian Lewis 6 Rob Rankin * 7 Darren Jensen 8 Ken Satori ^9 Robin Dawkins Ito Darryl Wright gn KarlEnderl 12 Trevor Brilman 13 Stephen Bell I4 Danny Reidy

I

V5 W2 N8 VI8 V99 Q75 W30 T15 S28 Sit W51 S75 NTS

Reigning Champ throws his hat back in the ring

Maxim Eagle Avenger Maxim J&J Eagle Eagle Foster J&J Eagle Cool &3T Eagle Eai Ea^

^ WSS Points: Dumesny 3790, Tatnell 3655, *Johnson 2774, Jensen/Farr 2033, Lewis 1958, Beil 1616, Scheuerle 1405, Heywood 1152,Van Bremen 1121.

I

WSS 4 Avalon O 5!

DARYN Pittman will contest six rounds of the World Series Sprintcars, driving his familiar Titan Garages/Australian Roller Doors Eagle.

The reigning WSS Champion, who resides in Okiahoma, US, will make his Aussie return at Avalon Raceway on December 30.

From there, he will contest each of the remaining five rounds, including the double-header at Adelaide’s Speedway City.

Titan Garages managing director Reeve Kruck has said crew cheif, Brent 'Glenno' Ingliss has some new go-fast bits on Pittman’s Eagle.

“We’ve been experimenting with some things on the car and Glenno has been making some modifications to the Eagles we run,’’ said Kruck.

“We’re pretty pleased with what we’ve come up with so far.”

Back for six of the best: Pittman will ride in the familiar Titan Garages colours at Avalon Raceway in Victoria on Decemeber 30.

Murcott left in the Daift

Resident hero Rob Rankin forewent the trip across the Tasman to compete in the t, SRA senes and instead brought the W'estcoast windows/Menzel Glass machine home in sixth.

Completing the race were £L Darren Jensen. Ken Sarton with Robin Dawkins coming from position 17 to an eventual ninth, Darryl Wright finished 10th after starting in 15tn, followed by I Karl Enderl and Trevor Brilman. r The other notable incident of the night came in heat four when Luke Dillon rode out a wild flip in turn two, ending his night early and leaving the team with a lot of work to do before Chnstmas.

With the gruelling but exciting Proton Jumbuck Speedweek set to kick off on Boxing Day, quite a few team.s have got some serious work ahead if they are going to hold back Dumesny, a multiple Aussie champion, who has his eyes set firmly on the Proton Jumbuck.

»

DAVID Murcott, the talented steerer of the Bill Mann-owned Performance Wholesale Maxim,has agreed to stand down from his troubled ride to allow Shane Stewart to take the reins for the remainder of the teams World Series Sprintcars campaign.

Stewart will also compete in the Kings Challenge and Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic before handing the car back to Murcott for the ' Australian Championships.

A frustrated and agonised Mann explained the reasons behind his decision: "David Murcott, Dave Sharman and myself sat down after last weekend and had some serious discussions about the teams situation and our commitment to our sponsors. We agreed that right now we need to do something different.

"It's been a hard decision to make but is purely a business decision. We need to make some changes to get the team on a winning path and we're hoping that Shane's experience can help us do that," Mann continued.

"With the Proton Jumbuck speedweek starting on Boxing Day, we couldn't afford the time to get things sorted out and with the fact that Dave Sharman had worked with

O.I1UI-/ «r.m/

Stew'art before, running the same brand of chassis and so on, the decision was made to put Stew'art in the car.

Stewart is currently on a cruise ship on his honeymoon but w'ill hit Australian shores on Christmas Day in Adelaide.

"1 would have dearly loved to have kept an Aussie driver in the car but this was the best option in the short-term," Mann concluded.

Murcott meanw'hile w'ill attempt to find a drives elsewhere to keep his skills sharp.

"I have tremendous respect for David Murcott and Dave Sharman,"Mann stated.

"But the fact remains we're not getting the results we all hoped for. I know' Murcott is disappointed but I hope we can continue to race together this summer. This is not the end of our association by any means."

- BRETT SWANSON

Originally, Mann was only going to hire Stewart for the remainder of WSS(Stewart w'as originally scheduled to do the series for Cyril Peel - but that deal evaporated), however with the World Challenge at Knoxville becoming a fairly lucrative event, Stewart negotiated to stay in the car for the qualifying event at the Grand Annual Classic.

63

Pinman Pursues I

by MARK JONES

Saillapd

THE fifth round of the Comp Cams series at Brisbane International Speedway had been looking good for Darrel Hodges.

The last-start victor started off pole, with his expected rivals for speed buried deep in the grid. When the yellow lights blazed with five laps to go, it was a new race and Hodges had the defend from a relentless attack of reigning WSS champ Daryn Pittman, Hodges held the lowline and took the chequer.

Hodges big challenge was expected to come from Andrew Scheuerle, the Toowoomberan starting from third behind Hodges and Clayton Walker and alongside Terry Bracken.

Cameron Gessner was down in seventh alongside Garry Brazier, while Pittman was back in ninth.

At the second start, Hodges leapt away to lead from Walker, Scheuerle, Brock Dean, Bracken, Brazier and Pittman. After an early spinner (returnee Peter Thorley) most of the A Main ran clear with Hodges immediately disappearing into traffic.

At half distance, Hodges had a gap on Scheuerle while Pittman was gathering in Bracken for third. With 10 laps to go, Scheuerle and Pittman had closed to within a straight of Hodges and the gap ebbed and flowed in traffic, closing almost to dogfighting distance.

A clash between Richard Morgan and Steven White brought out the yellows with six to go. With the field was bunched up, Pittman and Scheuerle were right on Hodges tail tank. At the green, Pittman ranged up on Hodges' outside, briefly taking the lead, but Hodges had slowed with the

scores in Madsen City Ra< Tasmania DARREN Saillard scored victory at the rescheduled Round 4 of the Eureka Garages and Sheds Super Sprint Series at Carrick Cranes Combined Speedway in Tasmania two weeks ago.

Tm Hutchins applied strong pressure to Saillard in the latter part of the race but could not find a way past and settled for second.

Impressive Victorian Mathew Reed, who currently leads the championship, finished third, ahead of Ken Veal and John Vogues.

The next round of the series heads to Avalon Raceway on Boxing Day, followed by Nyora Raceway on Saturday night December 27.

Blur: Madsen has already stamped his mark on the Australian dirt this summer. He has now claimed three feature race wins.

o

PntftfChjrlcs 0^

64

ROUND 2 of the SRA 360 Sprintcar Grand Prix feature race at Mildura's Timmis Speedway proved to be an exciting twohorse race between second-generation drivers Michael Burford and Brett Milburn.

With just a handful of laps remaining, Milburn managed to out-power Burford around the high side to take the lead

and the victory. The pair put on an exhilarating display, running side-by-side for several laps.

The race was marred by several crashes, including a spectacular first lap roll over

by Dennis Burford after coming together with Wayne Honeymen at the exit of turn two. Burford's Eagle was catapulted through the air, performing a series of quick

AUSTRALIAN Sprintcar Champion Kerry Madsen confirmed his hot form at Parramatta City Raceway, taking another sprintcar victory two weeks ago.

Madsen scored a commanding win from the impressive Lynton Jeffrey, Mark Richards and Nathan Smee, who just got pipped on the run to the flag for third.

With the 30 lap A Main delayed by a number of crashes during the opening laps, Madsen stormed out of position 15 and forged his way to the front. At a restart, Madsen passed Marty Perovich for the lead and from there until the end,he was unchallenged.

Early leader Craig Brady was a retirement after losing a muffler on lap 6.

A hard-charging Jeffery moved into second while an impressive Smee came on strong mid race and blasted his way into fourth before getting by Richards taking over third position.

o flips before coming to a hah halfway down the back straight.

Allan Barlee pipped Garr\' Chippindall on the last lap to steal the final podium spot.

Wayne Nicholls managed to hold fifth from Col Beasley, while South Australian rookie Simon McKean drove a c'esn race to round out the finishers.

- PARIS CHARLES motorsporl news

J

SPEEDWAY

Get your tickets

lodges

THE PCR has released ticket prices for the WoO down-under with the main straight 3 day pass $242, back n straight 3 day pass $225.50 and the - grass hill area 3 day pass $209.00.

There is also single day admission prices as well plus the Pit area 3 day pass is $300.00 with pit upgrade available on all tickets. Advanced reserve bookings are only available on the 3 day purchases only.

yellows out for a second Morgan/White clash.

At the final restart, Pittman was everywhere looking for a way around high on a one-lane track, but Hodges knew as long as he drove smoothly there would be no grip for the American. Scheuerle finished third while Bracken fell out of fourth when a throttle that had been stuck all race released itself at the final restart, allowing Brazier, Dean and Ricky Mitchell through.

The sprintcars gather again at BIS on December 27 when Californian Brent Kaeding joins the Queensland sprintcar summer.

a m

eway The opening lap featured a number of stoppages,including the rollovers of Mark Blyton and Adam Clarke. Both were uninjured but instant retirements. A huge crash on lap 12 saw Steven Graham,last week's feature winner, barrel-roll into turn 3, which destroyed his Maxim.

Trevor Green was in top form early in the night, setting a blistering 12.164s lap in the time trials.

The six preliminary heats featured wins going to Smee,American racer Jamie Barnes, Green, Mark Blyton, Clarke and Madsen, while Barnes took out his second victory of the night, defeating Madsen and Green in the Dash for Cash. The 'gas girl' took out a great win in the B Main with Ian Loudon and Troy Little making up the top three.

The speedcars were also on the PCR program. Heat wins went to Brent Jameson, Darren Jenkins, Mark Brown and Mark Copper. Jason Gates, racing the Smith & Woods(exClarke machine) took out a great win in the feature from Darren Jenkins and former Litre star Michael Pope third.

-GREG BOSCATO

Hogging the limelight: Hodges edged out Pittman at the death in Brisbane.

Bupfopd's little Beauty

AUSTRALIAN Dirt Go Karting Champion and Sprintcar competitor Michael Burford has successfully debuted his own self-built Sprintcar chassis, appropriately named 'Lightning'.

Last weekend Michael finished second in the feature race and won the SRA best presented car at Mildura, Victoria.

The Lightning team also builds all of its own wings. When asked about the car Michael said that he is confidant in the performance

FaraOarie*

and ability of the car. His go kart chassis are also self built and are available for sale through Lightning Karts in Adelaide.

- PARIS CHARLES

Dawkins Does 1^ Tassie Style SECOND generation racer Jason Dawkins has consolidated his Seaport Charters - Pahs Discount Car Parts Super Sprint Series points lead with a well-deserved maiden feature race victory at Hobart's International Speedway.

Early on,front row sitter Tim Hutchins challenged for Dawkins for the lead until he crashed out in spectacular style with just five laps remaining. At the restart Jason cruised to take an untroubled win, with the experienced duo of Geoff Lette and Tony Smith rounding out the top three.

Round 6 of the $40,000 S.C.A.T, eight round series is scheduled for December 27 at Latrobe's Festival IGA International Speedway.

-PARIS CHARLES

Max Dumesny Motorsport Australian Distributors for

1. Darren Saillard

For more information on Hoosier Drag and Speedway Tyres calk

NSW:02 9679 1990 l Fax 02 9679 /187 VIC-03 9331 6477 l Fax 03 9331 7444 SA 08 8332 0800 l Fax 08 8364 0296 24 December 2003

I ; i I i i

n The NSW Litre Sprintcar title was held at the PCR recently with Queenslander Brad Hilder taking out his second NSW crown with top local stars Sean Barnett and Scott Darley filling the minor placings. n The PCR recently held a media launch of the World of Outlaws Downunder. NSW Minister of Tourism, Sport and Recreation Sandra Nori took up the opportunity to have a ride in the Garry Rush twoseater. With a host of media and sporting personalities including V8 Supercar driver David Besnard and Sydney Swan stars Rowan Warfe and Jared Crouch on hand, sprintcar stars Kerry Madsen, Kelly Linigen, Troy Little, Trevor Green and Brooke Tatneil were present to give their insights on what it means to have the Outlaws here in Australia. n Interesting fact of the fortnight: Max Dumesny has scored five wins this season in feature races, but has yet to finish in any other place on the podium.

After nearly two months of sprintcar racing this summer. Max leads the most feature races won (5), followed by PCR stalwart Kerry Madsen (3). Allan Barlee currently has the most podium finishes (6).

- GREG BOSCATO/ GRANT ROWLEY

2003/04 EUREKA SRA CHAMPIONSHIP RD 4, GARRICK SPEEDWAY 14/12/03

^^ RACING TIRE

n American racer Jamie Barnes has returned back to Sydney for his second tour down under. Jamie will race the Gary Corfield-owned #44 machine again, and will base his racing around the Parramatta City Raceway, but also will find time for other events, including the Classic, Regularly, Barnes races along the West Coast of America and has - certainly been impressive this year. , He is expecting to debut a new i Maxim, fitted with a 410.

T12

2. Tim Hutchins..

. N9 . T7

8. Adrian Redpath .

9. Kurt Luttrell....

3. Matthew Reed.

V92

10. Rod Matthews..

V9

4. Ken Veal

V96

11. Charles Hunter.

V73

T45

5. John Vogels...

V70

12. Anthony Sargent

T6

6. Anthony Johns.

7. Geoff Lette ..;

.T9

13. TroySheills

V74

. T2

14. Tony Smith ....

T8

2003/04 STANDINGS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Matthew Reed ...

John Vogels Darren Saillard .., Ian Thomsen Ken Veal Troy Shieils Rod Matthews..., Charles Hunter...

David Van Bremen Tim Hutchins ....

1506 1352 1203 1191 1137 1067 1042 .990 .842 . 750

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Rob Rankin Adrian Redpath..

Colin Barker ....

Frank Ramsdale .

Anthony Johns...

Marcus Nelson ..

Robin Dawkins ..

Geoff Letts Jason Dawkins ..

Kurt Lutterall ...

727 698 661 643 610 597 550 535 448 439

65

The Year 1 year of the NASCAR Winston IT hashad to be saidsurprises, that the final Cup some the biggest of all coming in February when Winston announced it would exit the sport they have supported for 33 years with five years remaining on its contract.

NASCAR announced in June they found a replacement for 2004 in Nextel communications.

Going into the season. Matt Kenseth would not have been picked as the Champion,especially with just one win, although Jinunie Johnson's irame was on people’s lips.

"I didn't expect to be in this position," said sophomore Johnson of his runner-up result in the title chase with sbc-straight top three firushes in the final races.

"Of course I wanted to win the Championship this year, 1 wanted to win it last year and do something noone else has done.

"It usually takes three to five years to get a driver and team into championship form,so maybe next year will be special for us."

Johnson completed a Majsweep at Charlotte, winning The Winston All-Star race and following it up with a win in the rain-shortened Coke 600 the following week.He also swept both of the New Hampshire events and captured two poles and recorded 14 top five and 20 top 10 results.

Earnhardt Jr. finished a career-best third in points but lacked the consistency to become Champ, although his win at Phoenix pointed his team in the right direction and proved they can win outside the restrictor plate tracks of Daytona aitd Talladega.

Jeff Gordon was enveloped by his public divorce settlement, which concluded out of court in June.

Obviously this caused his down season in 2002 and the first half of 2003,but he still put together three wins and eight top 10 results in the final nine events and lead a season-

2002,althoughlas team did manage to get m trouble wrtien Ni^GAR confiscated their primary car atTexas for faifing to meetihe body templates in a big way.

Stewart finished seventh m

high 1639 laps for a fourth placing in the standings, mrrroringhis 2002 result.

Exiting champ Tony Stewart had a mundane off-track year compared to

parity is track position and pit strategy. The cars are so equal and affected by air from the cars surrounding them that track position was the ke\- word in 2003.

The harder tyre also helped dnvers like Newman and his Penske team.

I who were willing to roU the dice on f pitting for fuel only with tyres that ^ just don't drop off in performance like they did three or four years ago.

Goodyear and NASCAR aim to change that in '04 with softer tyres and a lower rear spoiler putting the rating back in the driver's hands.

The most disappointing performance has to be that of Dale Jarrett who fiiushed 26th in the final standings after just one win, one top five and seven top 10 finishes as the Robert Yates team issues

WetoBofh

oeii .

AVAVM EMr"

A man with a fan; Consistency from Jamie McMurray made the Rookie of the Year battle a one-car race

points with two wins and 18 top 10 results, eclipsing his Joe Qbbs stable-mate Bobby Labonte by ese pkce^ the standings. Lahcmtaafeo scored twffwins.

Therace.of theyearhastobe*e spring Darlington event where Eidcy Craven edgedHSurt Busch for the win as.tire pairbanged fenders lap after lap,the two slidnig sideways across the finish line, But as a whole the rating wasn't really competitive. Gordon led a snoozer at Martinsville,heading the last2(B laps in the spring,while Ryan Newnnan headed the final 123 laps at Richmond, Something thatasnes with

17th m points p competinon. hisfir^earc .VGchael Wall started his year off stroogly wilfa a ct in the season opening,saia-si fened Daytona 500.

He stayed in th )^0 in points until spiraling from i ttotion late in the season with me iiVal and actident issues. file Bridaurd The other big' jji Havickvvho 400, was won by placing finished fifth in poi sto 21st in 2002, but he off the show more patience track. iTerrv 10th LabonteBUI finished Veterans Elliottninl his first respectively, Labonte scor at win in 155 races with a \ii liott Darlington in August, whUe won the penultimate race at I his-L Rockingham before announcin retirement from full time raj* weeks later.

NASCAR

It I

-s

2003 maynot have been a vintage year for NASCAR in terms of pure well mark the 'beginniM'Ofa brand-new era.

MARTIN D CI^RK looks back at a Reason ofsuprises

t.

}lCUU Series_

Unocal 76 will be missing .After gating involved in a H^-ick % scuffle at Homestead, Newman X ■IT ^ dropped tvn^o places in the final W ^ standings to sixth with an amaziiw : eight victories, 17 top fives airdll ] poles, but seven DNTs hampered tti chance of a title.

I'll be the first to admit 1 picked Roush pilot Greg Biffle to capture Rookie of The Year honours, but Jamie McMurray headed the w'ay all year, really coming on strong at the

NASCAR playoffs?

end of the year in his Ganassi Dodge.

McMurray's consistency paid off against Biffle's one win in the Daytona night race under a strategy call and lots of poor results.

McMurray finished 13th in the final standings ahead of his Ganassi stable-mates, veteran Sterling Marlin and fellow txx)kie Casey Mears.

Jerry Nadeau continues his recovery after pounding the wall at Richmond and suffering a major head injury. The track installed the new SAFER barrier in time for the fall race,but it was little consolation for Nadeau.

Meanwhile, Newman's rolls at Daytona and Talladega ha\'e to go down as the most spectacular incidents of the season,along with several fires which prompted heat sensitive automatic trunk fire xtinguishers.

W So,we bid farewell to old friends L&iciM 76,for 50-plus years the fuel suppfcr to NASCAR,and to Winston after years as the title sponsor, while we open the door to Sonoco and Nextel respectively in 2004.

A Pontiac also raced for the final time as CMput its resourrtS behind the Chevrolet brand. while Rockingham lost its autumn date to the more modem and larger fan base in Fontana,'California.

2003 can go ddv^ in the record books as the first season of major changes for ^sport than continues to grow fan tepe if'' not competitive rapn^-Jjjtev^i that could

NASCAR is currently working on a total overhaul of their points system that dates back to 1975.

One possibility appears to be a 26 race series leading into a 10 race title shoot-out open only to the top 10 drivers exiting the first 26 events, plus a possible wildcard entry.

The 26th race of the season is the September Richmond race, giving added significance to the remaining 10 events on the schedule. If the plan falls into place, will races like the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 still have the same importance?

From a TV standpoint, the final 10 events would come at the same time the NFL season was kicking off and just as football, the NBA and NHL, all have playoff games at the end of their respective seasons so would NASCAR, bringing it into line with other US sporting leagues.

■ Travis Carter has ended his racing partnership with Sam Belnavis, the only African American owner of a team in NASCAR. With sponsorship from the National Guard apparently going the way of Roush Racing and Greg Biffle, the team has closed its doors, leaving Carter to field a possible entry with the English group Torquespeed in 2004. Todd Bodine has been left out of a ride.

Belnavis, a former Miller Brewing executive, has landed a position with Roush as director of diversity within the large organisation.

■ Shane Hmiel, banned indefinitely by NASCAR under its substance abuse program, is hoping to get a release from the governing body to return to racing in the 2004 Daytona 500 with part-time Ford team CLR Racing.

Hmiel, banned after a drug check following a Richmond Busch race, apparently had a ride lined up with Petty Enterprises, but sponsor General Mills shunned the young gun due to the drug allegations.

■ Dave Charpentier, former head of engineering at Dale Earnhardt Inc, has landed the job of crew chief at PPI Motorsports for driver Ricky Craven. Mike Beam has also left Richard Childress Racing to return to PPI as team manager.

- MARTIN D CLARK

V

AT'-*'

iv'-d

67

From Out Of The Shi

Ben Bray has barely paused for breath since . joining the big leagues, and his new deal with Super Cheap is the latest icing on the cake. But he stillgets flack from his Dad...

MOTORSPORT NEWS: Congratulations on winning the Top Doorslammer title in your first full season of racing. What effect has had winning the series had on you; has it changed your attitude to racing at all?

■BEN BRAY: Winning the championship was terrific. I’m extremely proud of what me and my team were able to achieve in my first full year of racing - it was quite a year.

I guess I had a good start; Mum (Marie) and Dad have been really helpful and that’s made things easier for me, but that doesn’t mean anything came easy. Top Doorslammer is the most competitive class in drag racing and there’s 30 guys around the country that want to knock you off, so you’ve got to put in a lot of hard work if you’re going to be a chance to win.

We worked hard to get the results we did last year.

I suppose some people might think my attitude might change with being the Champ so quick and being just 19, but I know it’s not going too, especially with my Dad around.

He’s won six championships

and he keeps reminding me I’ve only got one ... and you know until I’ve got more I’ll be hearing about it, so I’ll just keep my head down working alongside him and trying to learn as much as I can.

I’ve learnt so much from dad.

We both go out there to win every race we’re in, it doesn’t matter whether it’s just a match race somewhere or whether it’s the Nationals, we want to win them all bad. That’s the way we approach every race.

MN: Two races into the new season as reigning Champ and you are second in points. Not a bad start to the title defence.

BB: We’re a few points up over Steve Stanic, who is driving Lucky Belleri’s new Camaro, and 32 points behind Brett Stevens, so it's been an okay start to the season, although it could have been a bit better.

We made the semis at-the Nationals at Willowbank and the final in Perth, so we’ve been competitive.

There was a bit of drama in Perth over qualifying and we were relegated to second despite having run as quick a time as Brett and having run a faster

speed. Along with making the final there, we also set low ET and top speed of the meet, so it was a good points haul.

We're only two rounds into the championship and there's a lot of rounds to go. We know it's going to be a tough year, so we’ll just take it one run at a time, one round at a time.

The goal is to get the car down the track each time and if we can adapt the tune-up right for the track each time, then we’ll be in with a shot of going back-to-back.

MN: Being the newcomer, you could almost suspect some guys might have taken you a little lightly...

BB: The quickest way to create enemies is to win a championship and we’ve got plenty of them out there now!

It doesn’t worry me who I race; in fact, every time I go to the line I consider myself to be on a bye run. We run our own race.

But even thinking that you know the guy in the other lane is trying his hardest to beat you and you can see the anger in their eyes. They’re excited if they beat you and that’s a compliment. Brett (Stevens) was almost doing backflips in Perth when he won the final!

You try and put that out of your mind and just keep working away at what you’re doing. We’ve got a quick car and we’re always developing our combination to try and stay ahead, so you know we

won't slacken off one little bit.

MN: How well do you and your Dad work together at the races, and how much say do you get in the final tune-up for your car?

BB: We work well together and discuss everything at the track, although we're both out there to race and win.

I ultimately get the final call on my car; we both look at the data between runs and discuss things between us, including what changes we think we should make. We usually meet halfway, although not always.

A good example of that was the Winternationals final; Dad went one way on his car and I went the other. My car drove through the clutch and he beat me by 0.001s. He hasn’t let me forget about that yet!

MN: The payoff for winning the championship would appear to be signing Super Cheap Auto as your new major sponsor.

BB: Yes, we're thrilled that we've been able to sign a three-year deal with Super Cheap Auto; it feels like it is a great reward for our championship.

They will be the major sponsor on my car, with our new look set to be unveiled at the opening of the Western Sydney International Dragway in February. They're an exciting company, growing at an impressive rate, and we are really looking forward to working moiorspon naws

i

DRAG RACING

Cerny goes into Cruz mode

Dunn Deal

idows with them.

Castrol have been terrific, they've been with Dad a long time now, and they’ve tried to help as much as they can with me. Like they do in their V8 Supercar program, they will compliment each other and work well together.

MN: We’ve seen photos of a new Holden burnout Ute you’ve just built. Any chance of a Holden-backed Doorslammer?

BB; We would love to introduce Holden officially into drag racing, although for the moment they've only committed to the ute, which they funded and supplied all of the parts for - we'll debut it at the Summernats in Canberra in a couple of weeks.

My car is eight seasons old now - it’s the same one dad won all his championships with - so we’ve begun working on the moulds for a new Monaro for me.

Murray Anderson is ready to start working on the chassis and we’re hoping to have that ready by the middle of the year.

We’ve got a good relationship with Holden that's only going to get stronger, and with the opening of Sydney, we would like to think we'll have a something special to show them in regards to getting involved officially in the sport.

24 December 2003

VETERAN American racer Mike Dunn is expected to race at the opening round of the new Western Sydney International Dragway in February.

In what turned out to be a surprise for WSID management, Dunn's potential participation in the event was announced last week in a story by respected American journalist Rob Geiger on NHRA.com.

Dunn has been invited to drive alongside compatriot Glenn Mikres in a second Top Fuel entry for Sydney team owner Santo Rapisarda - Mikres and Aussie crew chief Ray Ward recently completing the purchase of the Darrell Russelldriven 2004 Joe Amato dragster.

"I'm excited to have this chance," Dunn told Geiger.

"Mikres has raced down there quite a bit over the years and he and his team owner, Santo Rapisarda, recently bought Darrell Russell's old car to add to their team. Before they shipped it out I drove over to Amato's shop, which is just up the road

from my house, and got fitted in the car for this race."

Dunn, son of the legendary 'Big Jim' Dunn, is no stranger to Australia, having toured in the early-80s while driving Roland Leong's legendary Hawaiian Punch Funny Cars.

"Gosh, that was probably 23 years back, I guess," Dunn said.

"From the looks of this new track and from what Glenn tells me, the facilities are much more state-of-the-art nowadays. I think we're going to have a real nice stay down there and hopefully .one of us can win this race," A winner of more than 20 NHRA national events.in Top Fuel and Funny Car, Dunn hasn't driven since the end of the 2001 season when he lost his ride in the Darrell Gwynn Racing New York Yankees dragster to Andrew Cowin, despite finishing fourth in the championship that year, above.

Since then, the 47-year-old has filled in his time while earning a solid reputation as specialist commentator on ESPN's coverage of the NHRA series.

Early Warning Shot from Cannon SCOTTY Cannon's muchanticipated return to the Pro Mod ranks looks as though it will be hugely successful, with the six-time IHRA champion stunning onlookers while testing at Bradenton in Florida last week with an off-the-trailer 6.12/228 in his Oakley Studebaker.

Driving the same Murrav Anderson-built Stride that he drove to his last Pro Mod title in 1998, Cannon, ri^lil, backed up the run the "owing day with an e\ en-quicker 6.1 17229, T.OOsec eighth-mile limes being recorded on each run.

VETERAN tuner Wes Cerny has been appointed as co-crew chief for Cruz Pedregon's Advanced Auto Parts nitro Funny Car for the 2004 season, Cerny, who has worked with Pedregon before during their time together at Joe Gibbs Racing in the mid-late '90s, will work alongside Tony Shortall, Shortall having been promoted from assistant crew chief.

Pedregon's team expands to a two-car operation for '04, with his brother, reigning NHRA POWERade Champ Tony piloting a Quaker Statebacked Chev Camaro flopper.

Dickie Venables, co-crew chief on Tony's championship-winning Castrol Syntec John Force Racing Mustang, has also jumped camps and will handle the tuning duties on the new car with assistance from Kurt Elliot. n John Stewart has been named as new crew chief of the Skoal Racing Green Chevrolet Monte Carlo, driven by Ron Capps. He replaces interim crew chief Todd Okuhara.

Stewart drove Top Fuel dragsters in the early 1970s and became one of only 16 members of the elite Cragar 5-second Club in 1973. His resume includes stints as a crew member on the teams of Connie Kaiitta, Shirley Muldowney, Cruz Pedregon, Shelly Anderson, Tim Wilkerson, Bob Vandergriff, Dean Skuza and Jim Epier.

Last season, Stewart was crew chief on the Darrell Gwynn Top Fuel dragster driven by Cory McClenathan. n Doug Herbert has secured the tuning talent of Ed 'The Ace' McCulloch as team manager/tuner on his Snap-On Tools dragster for the '04 season.

McCulloch, a former Top Fuel and Funny Car driver, will make a return to Top Fuel after tuning Funny Cars for almost four years. McCulloch's last stint in Top Fuel was with Kaiitta Motorsports. n Worsham Racing, along with drivers, Del Worsham and Phil Burkart, have signed a new multi year sponsorship extension from longtime sponsor Checker, Schuck's, Kragen Auto Parts. n John Mitchell and his familiar Montana Express team, which has been a top 10 finisher in the NHRA points standings for the past few years, will run the entire IHRA circuit and a limited number of NHRA events in 2004.

Mitchell has named Steve Hamilton as the driver to pilot his Top Fuel Dragster.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI/STAFF 69

50 years later, still 0

by BRIAN REED

NEAL Charge took part in both the 2003 Targa Tasmania and the Ciassic Adeiaide Raiiy.

“What’s remarkabie about that?” you may weii ask.

Neal also drove in the 1953 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park and finished 13th in his MG TC Spl. His younger brother, Stuart finished even better (eighth in one of three specially-imported Austin Healeys) and according to Neal “he (Stuart) was usually the quicker driver.”

Stuart also scored FTD at the 1954 Mt Tarrengower hillclimb in the MG, having previously won the Maldon Handicap at Tarrengower in 1951.

Neal’s main claim to fame was he won the very first motor race televised in Australia - the Argus Trophy for racing cars.

The 1956 Australian Grand Prix meeting was held over two consecutive weekends at Albert Park and Neal’s victory came in the 16-lap handicap event which was the first race on the program on 25 November, 1956.

He won from Otto Stone(MG

70

K3) and C. Martyr’s Sunbeam and has an impressive silver tray on his trophy shelf to remind him of the occasion.

The Charge brothers were a force to be reckoned with at this time, and apart from their own racing pursuits, Neal was a long standing and well respected secretary of the Victorian Sporting Car Club from 1951.

The following year, the family decided to build their own threemile (4.8km) sealed track at Altona and in spite of it being “primitive to the nth degree”, ran three or four meetings there, one of which attracted a young upand-coming driver called Jack Brabham.

‘The arrival of Albert Park signalled the end of us,” said Charge. “In any case, Altona wasn't viable and we didn’t understand the total ramifications of it all.”

Neal was also a member of the CAMS race track committee and issued the Phillip Island track licence back in the 1950s.

After running at the first Sandown Park meetings, both Charge brothers retired in the early 1960s and went flying instead.

Fifty years after the 1953 AGP at Albert Park, a fit-looking Charge was back in competition, and along with son Chris contested the 2003 Targa Tasmania and the Classic Adelaide Rally.

But getting ready for the event was to present its own problems for the father and son team.

Their car was a rare 1974 Alfa Romeo Montreal V8, and while it was being prepared it rolled down a hill into an immovable steel post at the garage.

Fortunately, parts were sourced from Queensland and work continued. Then there was the question of CAMS licences. The 85-year old (who still drives cement trucks), passed the stress test at his first attempt, but son Chris had to go back a second time!

Neal’s only problem was the removal of cataracts from his eyes just prior to Targa to assist him to read the maps and instructions!

Already their entry is in for the 2004 Targa Tasmania and they hope to run in the Classic Adelaide next year as well. Not a bad effort, you’d have to say.

w

In the Hunt

1953 was also an important year for another young hopeful, Reg Hunt.

Reg began his racing career on motorcycles and emigrated from England in 1949,bringing with him a quantity of bike parts labelled 'household effects.'

The car was built from scratch in just six weeks with the chassis completed by Hedley Thompson from TAA (Trans Australia Airlines)"the best welder in Australia," according to Hunt.

The bodywork was done by two unheralded visitors who just happened to see the lights on in the workshop at 4 o'clock in the morning and dropped in for a look. According to Hunt, the pair had had "a big night out on the town," and when asked what they did for a living, it was established they were plumbers.

Never one to miss an opportunity, the entrepreneurial Hunt immediately signed them up,pointed to a sheet of aluminium and said they had two hours to buUd a body for the air cooled racer as it was to have its first competitive outing that day.

The home made'special'earned its name'the Flying Bedstead'because of its ungainly appearance on the track with its skinny wheels and Velocette motorcycle tryes facing in all directions, yet according to Hunt,"It was the easiest thing on earth to drive."

It was originally fitted with a 500cc JAP engine, but this was eventually replaced by a supercharged lOOOcc Vincent twin. It was in this format that Hunt won the 1953 Australian Hillclimb Championship at Rob Roy. Hunt's next move was into a Grand Prix Maserati which he purchased during a business trip to Europe in 1954, and he scored a fifth placing in the 1954 NZ Grand Prix first time out. Wins soon followed in the Victoria Trophy Race and the Bathurst 100, and he finished second behind Jack Brabham in the 1955 AGP at Port Wakefield.

Hunt's next move was into an exworks Maserati 250F,and first time out he won the South Pacific Road Racing Championship at Orange, NSW. In the famous 1956 Olympic Games AGP at Albert Park, Hunt

24 December 2003

finished fourth and was first Australian home behind Stirling Moss,Jean Behra and Peter Whitehead - not a bad way to finish your racing career,as he immediately announced his retirementfrom the sport.

Fifty years after his Australian hillclimb championship victory at Rob Roy, the dapper Himt was guest of honour at the MG Car Club's 2003 historic and classic meeting on November 30. He was in great form and recounted many funny stories of "the good old days when we all enjoyed our motor sport and did it on a shoestring."(Presumably he meant before the Maserati era).

In spite of the heat, Hunt retained his smart reefer jacket, collar and tie for a nostalgic run up the hill alongside Ian Tate in Dean Butler's amazing 4WD Miller, a 1930s racer that competed seven times in the Indianapolis 500. "Frightening!" was Hunt's summation after the run.

Meanwhile,Andrew Howell did some demonstration runs in his recently-imported PUbeam MP82,a specialist built modem day hillclimb car, and went close to becoming the first driver ever to break the magic 20second barrier. His best run of 20.11s suggests it will be only a matter of time before he achieves tliis landmark.

Congratulations also to Ron Townley for winning Le Trophee des Conducteurs Anciens 2003 in his MG TB Spl. This special Rob Roy award is for drivers 65 years of age and over, and is based on a formula involving the driver's age added to the age of his or her car and divided by the best time up the hill.

- BRIAN REED Class Winners

Bill Ingham (Austin Healey Sprite); Norman Gowers(Morris Mini 850)- new record; Ron Simmonds(Mazda RX7); Len Cattlin (Ford Mustang)- FTD; Tony Boreham (PRB Clubman); Glyn Farrell(Vauxhall 30/98); Geoff Hood (Alvis 12/50s/c); Noel Wilcox (Austin 7); Peter Wilson (Riley Sprite Spl.); Richard Stanley (Woltri s/c); Terry Wliite (Austin 7 s/c); Chris Farrell(MG TC); George Coad (Vauxhall Spl.); Peter Gostelow(MG TC s/c); Darryll Combridge (Ford Cortina); Noel McLaughlin (Torana XU-1); John Rolfe(Triumph TR3); Mark Goldsmith (Austin Healey 3000); Ken Price (Porsche 916); Ken Price (Porsche 904 GTS); Leo Bates(Lobito F3).

71

Mtional

scene

emedli^

Graiiit Rowiev

Winton Endurance Kings Corey and Heinrich score back-to-back 4 Hour HQ crowns

by NEIL HAMMOND NEIL Corey and Bruce Heinrich repeated their 2002 performance by winning the Ken Leigh HQ Holden 4 Hour endurance race at Winton Raceway two weeks ago.

The event was conducted over tvvo days, consistings of two,2 Hour races, each having two tyre stops and a driver change.

The reigning Champs led the massive 45-car field at the start of Race 1, but by the end of lap two, the Keith Davidson/Michael Hibbert car grabbed the lead.

Wayne King and Peter Holmes were also in contention, as was the Greg and John Moore machine, which moved quickly up to fourth.

V8 Supercar driver Steven Richards teamed with fellow Castrol Perkins employee Simon Smith in Smith's Bronze HQ.The pair's first race was hampered by head gasket problems.

The King/Holmes entry overcame their strong rivals to snatch the win the 65 lap race. Richard Whyte and Michael Fitzgerald brought their car home in second, ahead of a struggling Corey who made an extra pit stop when a loose radiator cap sprayed water onto the distributor, causing a misfire.

Slow pit stops hampered the progress of Davidson/Hibbert, who finished fourth ahead of the Moore's.

Disaster struck the King/Holmes entry after just four laps of the second race. Gearbox problems ruined the pair's weekend, putting them out of contention.

The Corey/Heinrich car shot off into the lead early, until the Moore entry passed them,followed closely

by Davidson/Hibbert.

Corey eventually sealed the win but only just-from the consistent pair of Whyte and Fitzgerald. The two team's actually finished the enduro tied on points, but after a count back, Corey and Heindrich were proclaimed the winners.

Davidson and Hibbert finished third to also claim third overall, ahead of Ken Wright and Brendan Woods.

After their Race 1 disaster, the Castrol Perkins boys recovered from J2

Filing through the Esses: Corey and Heindrich took the early front running, above.

M&M's don't melt in your hand, even in a HQ! The Whyte/Fitzgerald entry, right. finished second overall.

Saturday's 37th to finish 10th.

In the support categories, Doug Moss and Shelton Loughrey shared the wins in the Kingswood class.

Ashley Cooper finished second in both races.

Improved Production was all BMW E30s plus Leigh Merten's Holden Vectra. Graham BeU,Phil Showers and David Wilson took a wm a piece.

A small field of sedans saw the two red Fiats of David Bienvenu and Keith Downie dominate.

Bienvenu won all three, while Downie's challenge ended up in smoke in Race 2. John Camm finished third in two races, while Andrew Gillespie picked up the pace in Race 2 and 3,scoring two second places.

You've seen this guy before: Three-times Bathurst endurance champ Steven Richards, above, competed in the 4 hour race at Winton recently.

moiorspori news

KARTING I

r-

100

BY MARK WICKS

MIMEWS: What was the highlight of the season for you?

BH: Qualifying on pole at Toowoomba. We had struggled for the first two rounds, then changing to a different model chassis (to cope with the switch from Vega to Dunlop tyres) put us 0.4s ahead.

MIM: And your lowlight?

BH: Besides paying for it?

Driving in the rain at all the rounds. Ours was a stiff kart, so we struggled in the wet.

MIM: Unlike the other classes.

Formula A went right down to the very last race. What was the pressure like going into the final?

BH: I was confident we would do well, but with a field of just 11,(Jason) Hryniuk only needed MKEWS: What was your highlight for the year?

SP: Being \ oted Driver of the 'tear was pretty special..-Mso, winning Ihe^jst round because that was atv fet trin at CIK level and made sra good start to the season.

MN:.And your toughest challenge?

CP:.kdelaide, where 1 had to start ;4ih {due to t\ re problems Ln the pre-final) and my main ci*mpionship rivals all started up the front.

SL\: You didn't have the championhip sealed before the final round. Did you approach the weekend any differently?

CP: No, it was shll prettv much r.'. o races for me; hrst eet the heat

24 December 2003

to finish the race (to win the series). Lucky for us it didn't come together for him.

MIM: What about Arrow entering an extra driver; did that play on your mind?

BH: I suppose it was good team tactics for them, but Bart (Price) is a smart driver and I knew he wouldn't do anything silly to one of us. But obviously he would help Matt Wall if he could.

MIM: Where do your plans take you from here, both in 2004 and beyond?

BH: Karting, but it's hard to be keen when you've already won it. We'll do Formula A and Rotax plus the Nationals and some state titles. I'd love to do Formula Ford because that's the next step, but getting that sort of money is hard.

poinfc;, then go tor the win. But I really wanted to win Geelong to cap off the season.

NtN;Third in the Asia Pacific Qiampionships at Suzuka was a good way to end the year?

GP:^eah. I v. as able to Robeno Rabazzi fTonv Kart boss and manufacturer of Trulli Karts) and Da\ ide Fore. They gave me some nev.' parts to test and were keen for feedback. .M.N: Where can we expect to — you in 2004?

GP; Step up to Formula A. I'd also like to do some karting Europe and am in the process of finding some more sponsors as the costs are quite high . rra\ elling to different countries"

MNEWS: What was your ;greatest acheivement in 2003?

KL: Winning Dubbo because there was so much at stake; a Formula 4000 drive and winning there would make it almost impossible to lose the championship.

healthy points buffer, but not with the championship sealed.

Did that make you treat that race any differently?

KL: Having won Dubbo so easily, I went into the meeting a bit cocky and didn't think hard enough about it.

MN; And what about the toughest part of the year? ^ KL: Dubbo qualifying. It n.'was wet, dad and I were . ‘arguing, we had the n wrong tyre pressures then I locked up the brakes and hit a stationary kart!

MN: You went into the final round with a

MN;So what's in store for 2004?

KL: Defend Junior ICA. I want to go overseas, but we're not sure yet. People say I'm too tall. We'll do Suzuka though.

Depending on how we are placed in the series, I might move up to seniors for the final round.

73

o

r

Q

MNEWS:So, how does it feel, Gold Star Champion?

DANIEL GAUNT;It's great... really great.

MN:Did you think this was possible at the start of the year?

DG: No,I didn't. I started in the 1992 Reynard and I didn't actually think I'd do the second round.

Coming up with the money had made this season a round-by-round deal. We only had the money for the last round at Eastern Creek a few days beforehand.

MN;So what's next? Australia?

Europe?

DG:I want to try and maybe do the

F4000 championship again or get a V8 Supercar drive. It's hard to get into V8 Supercar, it's so competitive. If you're not with a top team,a good driver can be made to look quite bad.

I'd like to try Europe but obviously that takes a lot of money.

Most teams over there won't even get out bed for less than $1 million.

Europe's the dream.I'd like to go there but I'll take whatever comes.

I'd like to race a similar car to what I've driven here ... F3000 or Formula Nippon. But it's all about the money and at the moment we don't have any.

MN:You used three different cars this year. How did that come about?

DG: Yeah,I started in the '92 and then went to the '98 with Pure Power but they ran out of funds, which is easy to do in motorsport.

Graham Watson said there's a seat available with them and I jumped at it. That car is a good car, it's consistent, it hasn't broken down all year and Graham made sure it was perfect. He's done us a favour for the money we gave.

MN:You had a very consistent

year, despite all the hassels ...

DG: I've been lucky this season.

Even though I missed the first round, I've been able to catch up due to other people's dramas. My fortunes had to turn one day, and when they did I took it.

Consistency is how you win championships and that's what we've done.

MN:The Gold Star is a major accolade in Australian Motorsport.

What are you plans from here?

DG: It's two championships in one, really. The Gold Star and the F4000 championship.

Tm going back to NZ for Christmas and weigh up my options.

At the end of the day though,I love motorsport. It's my life.

MN:Have you poked you heads in any V8 Supercar garages?

DG:The Young Lions have approached me about a test.

I'd love to do the Konica series.

Mark Winterbottom is a great example of what that series can produce. He was fast. He's a top driver and at Sandown, he was only 0.4s off the pace in the main show and he was 14th. That's how competitive it is.

MNEWS: What did you think of the return of the traditional APCC? SCOTT LOADSMAN: The format was good. I liked the time delay starts. It gave something to the crowd - and there was a bit of carnage as well.

It was a good year for us.

The car was strong and very reliable.

MN: You entered the 24 Hour at Bathurst this year with David Russell and Ian and Warren Luff. What were your thoughts on the event?

SL: It's the hardest race you'll ever do. Holden gave us a new Commodore but we only got it a month before the race.

MNEWS:Two titles in a row?

How's that?

MIKE RUSSELL:It was good this year. It was great last year but even better this year. James Ward was in front last year but withdrew late,so this one feels like I've won it good and proper.

MN:The stature of the series is

Dirk Klvnanith

growing all the time. It's no mean feat to win it these days?

MR; We had 40 cars on the grid at Eastern Creek. We are quiet happy with that. There are some good guys out there as well.

Chris Butler, Chris Clearihan, a few kart champs so we've got a good selection of go-fast guys.

And it's feels good, real good to beat them.

MN:Is this the next step for

MNEWS: Dual MG-F Champion, and now the Konica Series next year?

JAMIE CARTWRIGHT: It's pretty exciting. At the start of the year when you write down all you ambitions, all that I want is to have a fully-funded ride.

That's been achieved with the Konica ride and all my plans are secured for 2004.

MN: What are you expectations?

JC: I'm not sure. I'm very reserved. I've always underestimated on what I can 74

achieve on the track. I d like to think we can get the car in the top 10. Maybe just in the top 10 considering the budget of what the team will run on, but at least top 10.

MN: Will you get any testing before Round 1 at Wakefield Park?

JC: We are planning on it but it just comes down to budget. I'm just hoping we do get seat time. It will help me settle in.

MN: Has your goal always been a V8 ride?

JC: I've always had ambitions of getting into a V8 series. I've always wanted to do it but never thought it was really possible because I knew what's involved and how hard it is.

To think you can go from a little class like the MG, which isn't the traditional route, to the V8s is quiet ironic.

53^ L«

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moiorsport news

NATIONAL SCENE

BY GRANT ROWLEY

Ih

Q

!(W /^QQ«DoaDO RkoxSqqAoo(M

MNEWS:This is your fifth Sport Sedan title, are you sick of beating these guys?

KERRY BAILY; No, I still quite enjoy it. The New Zealand cars are make the series a lot more interesting.

Mo We had a few dramas, including a rock through our radiator. But we got the class win in the end, which is great. The guys that I drove with are so talented, and it's good to see Warren get a drive in the V8s for next year. I think he's going to go very well.

MN: And what are your plans for in the new year?

SL; I've been invited to the Australian Institute of Sport at Canberra with a bunch of other drivers. That should be interesting.

MN: And a pretty big shunt and fireball in New Zealand recently?

KB: Yeah, well the crash itself was caused by myself because 1 had to stop the car - it was getting a little warm in there!

Recovery is the pain now. I wish my hands would heal faster.

f

^ /

As for driving, we are fji looking at running Group 2 Monaros in \ Nations Cup, but that's all up in the air at the moment. We'll see what happens ...

.“40

wlo

MN:So,Sport Sedans next year again?

KB: I sometimes questions whether I should move on. The Sport Sedans are good, they are awesome things to drive.

My concern with going to another class is that it wouldn't give me the thrill of a Sport Sedan.

I've looked at the Mosler for Nations Cup, but we'll see what happens when my injuries completely heal.i,,^

y

n ^

Om

n

r'/A

karters, instead of Formula Ford I or other categories?

I MR:It should be their first choice. J The guys who have come from g karting are running at the front.

I Travis Edwards,Tim Monte, B David Burch have all been up the I front straight away.

I And now that we are racing in B front of a V8 crowd,it's a stepping I stone for their future aspirations. I

Bryce Washmgtoii4 2003 Formula Ford Rookie of the year

mm

r

rrMmiA,,,

MN:And next year, are you p coming back for a three-peat? ^ band make the cars and it takes a MR: Certainly. I've got my car for sale at the moment and I should while to develop a new shell but I'm have a VY Commodore for the confident he'll have it ready. I want to first round. Phil Ward's small get a hat-trick!

MNEWS: How did you find this year's Cup? TROY HUNT: It was good. We had good guys preparing the car this year and hardly had any reliability problems.

MN: What will you be able to take out of the Mirage series?

TH: I learnt a fair bit of basic car set-up skills. I think it's a great category to jump into straight out of karts. It's not too technical as every car is the same. You just have to really rely on driver ability.

MN: And what are our plans for the New Year?

TH: I would really love to do the Carrera Cup championship. I've committed myself to finding the funds and competing next year, hopefully starting at the Grand Prix. We can run Geoff Morgan's car if we find a suitable budget and I'm dedicated to putting it together.

MNEWS: Rookie of the Year in Formula Ford in 2003, is a championship win realistic for 2004?

BRYCE WASHINGTON: Yeah, I'll think I'll come close. I'm still going to aim for the top five but we'll see what happens.

MN: You got off to a slow start at the beginning of the season, but you joined Sonic Motorsport at Eastern Creek.

How much did they help?

BW: They helped qgite a bit.'I' .' T had a fallout with the guys whof* were running me and. I basically ' had no one setting up my car.

As soon as I joined Sonic, Michael Ritter did everything he could to help but. The way he does things is so professional and that's why they are so good.

MN: VVhere would you like to be in 12 months time?

BW: Depends where I finish in the championship, but I'd like to consider having a go at the Formula Ford Festival. If I have a strong result through the year, then I'd love to do that.

MN: You didn't compete in any karting before racing a FFord. Do you feel that's been a disadvantage?

BW: Yeah, in my first year of state FFord I struggled racing around people and got a bit of a reputation. Karting certainly would have helped me there.

But I did a lot of other stuff that other drivers haven't done, like motor bikes, so it evens out.

J5

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Specialists In ● Turbochargers ball bearing and non ball bearings ● Kits & overhauls available * High flow intercoolers and kits ● Link engine management systems ● Oil coolers and oil coolers kits* Silicon hoses and bends ● Tein suspension kits

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CLASSIMEPS

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Aluminiuin CompelitiDn Wheel Nuls D - BD Tyre Pressure Gaoyes 10 Carnegie Place Blacktown NSW 2148 p 02 9676 8655 f 02 96765300 « e qarydunlop@ozemail.com.au

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For your engine tuning and deveiopment needs

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Remarkable Windows of Opportunity for Engine Experts

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● Local design, support, development, installation and on-site training ● Top names demand top equipment fusers Inc NIZPRO, HSV, HRT S John Sidney Radng) ● Engine, chassis, go-kart or motorbike For raero toformolion ond a demensiratien dentoit:

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AREX Cortrpuring PO Box 151 Morrirose Vic 3765 Fir03V75t 1142 16x 03 9751 2173 ' Mob 0408 055 541 Emoil o(lilBiem#lbpi.org.oo

ri,Components

Race car preparation & storage MG V8 Racecar preparation

Spares for Capri, Datsun/Nissan 240Z, 260Z, 280ZX, 300ZX, 231,32 V-

p 03 9710 1091 f 9710 1887 e caprizedspares1@optusnet.com.au

Books^Wideos, DVDs

Motorsport from FI to Drive Days Workshop Manuals for cars and bikes Mow To’s for just about everything PHONE 02 9144 4799 FAX 02 9909 1566

email; peter@motorbooks.com.au Queensland 07 3341 9911 Sydney 02 9609 1101 Melbourne 03 9326 6088

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Competition disc pads ● Race brakes ● Pagid ● Hawk ● Endless ● Performance Friction

Over 10 years experience of brake modifications and upgrades for road and race. Caliper conversion 1, 2, 4 & 6 piston. Custom made disc rotors.

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RADIATORS, INTERCOOLERS & OIL COOLERS ● Offroad cars ● Motorbikes ● Boats ● Hot Rods ● Street Cars ● Circuit Cars Contact 07 55 981 499 or Fax drawings to 07 55 984 398 &

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Fully enclosed custom built race car transporters Professional race car logistic and event specialists Security for car and equipment Contact Neil Griffiths

RACE PRODUCTS

Simpson Safety Equipment Australia 11/62 Newton Roaci Wetherill Park NSW 2164 Ph 02 9756 0202 Fax 02 9756 0203 AUSTRALIAN

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on 0418 474 816

f^RANE Ejrams Stale Distributors

NSW: (02) 9678 9977 OLD: (07) 3808 1986 VIC: (03) 9794 5177 WA: (08) 9353 1155 Australian Importer and distributor:

Ph: 08 8363 5566 CRANE . ^TECHNOLOGIES Fax: 08 8363 5633 k^^PTY. LTD. www.cfanecams.com.au

Motorsport preparation and fabrication * FAI Homologated Chrome Moly rollcages ‘Aluminium and stainless steel TIG welding * Race car preparation and construction * EFI installation and tuning * Turbo manifolds, inlet plenums & intercoolers Ph: 03 9544 1249 Mobile: 0402 127 243 39 Renver Road, Clayton Vic 3168 adam.russell1@bigpond.com

DISTRIBUTORS

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race@tnt.com.au

RUSSELL PERFORMANCE

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Ph Byran Miller ● Mob 0417 274 507 ● Ph 02 9524 3389 ● 1 Tamba Place Lilli PilH NSW 2229 ● Email easternraceparts@hotmail.com

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PLASTICS

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CLASSIFIEDS

online classifieds

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Find hundreds more race vehicles and parts for sale at www.my105.com

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from lust $25

'motorsport vehicle, parts, memorabilia with our all-new combined magazine/internet your classified service. ., ^ Courtesy of an agreement between Motorsport News and internet classified service my105.com, your advertising will appear in both for as little as $25.

Yes 3 months on my105.com AND one insertion in Motorsport News for just $25! HOW?

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Formula Libra Autocross/Hillclimb car

Kawasaki ZX12-R engine, 170HP, 6

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Hm speed sequential, Built 01/03, 4WD, Fully adjustable suspension. Space frame ■■Schasis, Race seat, FIA Harness, 4 wheel Wll^disc brakes, LSD, Quick ratio rack, ●'"Ij^CAMS Log book, Trailer, succsessfully 9 raced 2003 Race To The Sky NZ, Very sBfast, reliable, Countless race wins. New car almost completed. $22,500.00 Neg.

WWW.my105.com/14351 Greg (03) 5662 5115/0427 625 115.

PORSCHE GT2 TURBO, Spectacular and fast. Ideal for Porsche Drivers Challenge. $130,000 plus GST. Paul 0418 618 561.

274 www.my105.com/8972

Sedans/Sports Cars 0 Mazda Rx3 Sports Sedan, Very neat & tidy car,never crahed, has done minimal racing, has got potential to be fast competitive car with some development, log booked & ready to race in 2004. $12500, $7000 less engine 274 & box Neg. Simon 0409 875 381. www.my105.com/57559

Mazda RX7 3J Club Car, Log Book and Good Pedigree, 12A Bridgeport, Needham close ratio. Engine gearbox suspension brakes exhaust all recently new, 2 sets wheels, 120 litre tank, new interior, adjustable brake bias, quick and well balanced. $13,000 Not Neg. Kevin 0418 246 972.

274 www.my105.com/39174

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 644 780.

274 www.my105.com/16327

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 Biast, 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

Suzuki Swift Gtl, Group A spec, ARC and NSW championship winning car. Complete ready to rally, comes with huge spares package. $9,000 I need to sell quickly, will take offers. Call Michael 0402 108 915 or 274 (02) 9419 7639. www.myl05.eom/20568

*● .

Saloon Car #399, Saloon car #399 for sale fast and reliable car 3rd in Qld state champs first commodore moving to different class. $18,000 ONO. Troy 0409 875 894 / (07) 274 8755.

3209 www.my105.com/62064 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/S933

24 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@sterlingmsport.com, 0411 641 273 660. www.my105.com/7230

Mk 1 Escort, Porsche injected 2ltr, motec ignition, 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 Mazda Mx5 Racecar, all new: AVO coil over suspension, extractors, bucket seat, 5pt harness, brake rotors, 1.8 brakes and race exhaust, good condition, dyno tuned at oompetative hp. $16,000 ONO. John (07) 274 3393 1588. www.my105.com/63022

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

Commodore Cup Car, Very competitive race car ideal to race for 2004 in commodore cup, Konica support catergoryl Comes with fully caged out, chrome moly VS shell for class upgrade. Great Package Deal!! $30,000 ONO. Michael 0419 811 111.

274 www.my105.com/6497

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

Winning Clubman, Class winning and 2nd in State Clubman. Professionally maintained

by Impact M'Sports. 15 inch wheels IncI trailer, wets and road tyres. 1.43 EC 1.04 Wakefield. Ready to win. Support packages avail. Compliance plated car. $36,000 ONO. 273 Gerry 0419 439 615. www.myl05.com/49361

79

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, ring Darrell on (02)4578 3434 or 0409 785 273 114. $6,500 ONO. www.myl05.com/46868 I ^

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Nissan Pulsar GTIR, Lightweight raily version. C/R g/box, roli cage, FIA spec seat/harness, 3 inch exhaust. Centreline suspension, Pagid race pads, surge tank, competition radiator. Very competitive.

Seoond Group 5 & PIARC sprint ohampionship 2000 & 2001. Numerous top 3 finishes. Raily registration (PVN 490), 41,000km. $15,500. Call on Ron (03) 9230 273 4595 or (03) 9480 0929. www.myl05.com/67400

i

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

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 oc engine. Ex gtp championship winning car '98, a fantastic car and very competitive package. $7,500 neg. Graham stones (08)9378 2666 / 0413 445 738.

273 www.my105.com/15706

2L Sports Sedan, Datsun 180B, Logbook, Rollcage, 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.

273 www.myl05.com/48215

2001/2002 Championship winning WRXSti, Still holds QR lap record, rally rego, Moly cage, proflex shocks. Memo seat, Autronic, extra wheels, would be unbeatable club car, would consider trade of W/RX. $27,995 ONO. Brett (07) 3284 8844 / 273 0417 750 108. www.myl05.com/67352

Ford EA Saloon Car, 2003 Qld State Championship winning car.Swift Race Engine.Very fast and reliabie.Spares inc Gearbox, Wheeis, Aiioy Radiator, Brakes Etc, $20,000t Neg. Gavin (07) 3251 6616.

273 www.my105.com/48306

1/Kncii

1977 Elfin Formula Pacific, Rare Elfin Formula Pacific. Originally owned by David Craig, C&C Autos 1977 with Andrew Medicke Ford BDA driven by Keith Poole, Recent rebuild including FT-200 with new parts.

CAMS Historic C.O.D. & Log Book. Enclosed trailer. $65,000 ONO. Rod 0428 290 010 / 273 (02) 4731 1649. www.myl05.eom/65038

Datsun 1600, Improved production, raos 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.my105.com/72156

Open Wheelers ¥

* Mk 6 Cheetah F2, Fully restored. 1600 oc Celica engine dyno time only. Webber 45 carburettors. Hewland gearbox. Brand new chrome exhaust system. Fire system fitted.

Eligible AF2 or Histories. Spares including head and mounted wheels. Also Included purpose builL 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.myl05.com/69423

Datsun 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

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 compartments etc. A$12,000.

Contact Teagle Ph. (NZ) 64 9 5247662.

274 www.myl05.com/47974

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 considered. $40,000 Neg. 273 Ted 0419 254 380. www.myl05.com/86757

Dallara 398 F3, Team BRM have for 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) 83737546. 274www.my105.com/9718

flf£'waytosellyourgearl From just$25* justlog on

(*$25 applies to ads entered directly onto my105.com) Advertising can also be supplied using thisform ($10/$15 surchage to text only/text h- pic advertisements) Advertisements wili appear in next possible issue of Motorsport / Hevjs PLUS the mylOS.Gom website forthree months.

Please read & cross the desired services and calculate the total.

8 standard ad and one inlusion into Motorsport News = $35 □ Plus Photo Processing fee $5 Goteyoiy: □ sedans □ Open Wheelers □ Speedway DDrag nJobs ADDITIONAL OPTIONS:□ Parts □ Engines □ Trailers □ Wanted □ Photographs □ Other □ Extra issues X $25 per issue Please keep adsto no more than 50 words, plus up to 6 photos if desired. □ Feature ad on Motorsport News and my105.com homepage for $75 per issue

r

online classifieds Description:

TOTAL = $

I enclose a cheque/money order/credit card details for the payment of the total amount above.

□ Amex □ Bankcard □ Visa or □ Mastercard

Card no Name _ Address Email Ph( 80

)

Signature _ Card Name

Exp _/.

Forward your classified to: fax 02 96471177 email mnewscgmyl 05.com postal address My105,105 Carnarvon Street Silverwater NSW 2128.

Please use the form provided and print clearly. Please note NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS W0 are unable to relurn photographs supplied for use in classified ads. Ads will appear as soon as possible after receipt. MN/my105.com dasslflads ate lot the sale of prnrate goods and vehicles only, not business advedising Photos maiked ‘ptoor will not be used.

motorsport news

CLASSIFIEDS Speedway Super Sedan, will sell as roller 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.

Warren 0412 487 771.

273 www.myl05.com/25417

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.my105.com/57182

Engines

Car Transport Tilt tray Trailer, 1995 Ex NRMATilt Tray, Duel Wheels ,Electic Winch well looked after always stored undercover.

4500. Ray Gold 02 6331 5991. 275 www.my105.com/83318 TRAILER FOR SALE, TRAILER purpose built lightweight 4 wheel open trailer suit up to medium sedan/sports car/open wheel race car, brakes, ramps lights etc rego expired but plate possibly available.

Excellent condition $1600 FIRM . SYDNEY. Rob Tweedie (02) 9817 5654. 275 www.my105.com/44473

Collectable/Memorabilia 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, fax (02) 9979 5799. Max (02) 4975 5600.

273 www.my105.com/79192

Driver/Crew Apparel 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 clutch $8,000 or $16,000 for both with spares Contact Brad 0419 327 500 or Alan 0419 327 501, $16,000 for both, 272 www.myl OS.com/11009

Modified Production Sedan, 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.myl05.com/72040

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. 272www.my105.com/26553 Ford V8 Supercar engine, 619hp Mark McLaughlin,Run only 150km. Headers, SS exhaust, carbon clutch Rattle guns and hoses etc,. Garry 0413 879 879 /(02)9688 3003. 274www.my105.com/58255

il

Sprintcar Parts, KSE Power Steering Box $1500, Neilds Power Steering Box $1700, 2 3/16" Hilborn Fuel Injection & Pump + Airniter 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 60 Elbach Springs, 100 100,110,120,160,180,200,220,240. $800 for all 8 pairs. Steve +61 2 9899 9503.

273 www.myl05.com/66573

24 DecembBr 2003

Wanted

WANTED, Sports Sedan / Supercar C/Dore VL-VS either complete/rolling/shell or parts to suit. John Phone (02) 6362 4646. 266 www.my105.com/470

Visit

' 7

www.myl05.cflni E

o

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 0408 844 841.

272 www.my105.com/81925

Transporters/Trailers

V X

Max Wilson's Betta Electrical Driving Suits, One 2-layer 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. 27i www.myl05.eom/98903

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

Transporter 35ft Pantec, Unfinished project carries one car, lOOOItr wafer tank, work bench, sleeping quarters. Plenty of storage. $3,000. 0418 546 755. 269 www.myl05.com/74959

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.

273 $2,000. Graham (02) 6681 3735. www.myl05.com/64756

1984ISUZU 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 outi Tel Peter on 0418 207 600 (NSW), www.myl05.eom/24701

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. 273www.my105.com/52984

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

MoTeC M800 ECU, MoTeC M800 ECU, dual lambda, logging. $3995, 0407 161 588, 274 www.myl05.com/3272

Racing apparel, Dual layer racing suit Medium, fireproof u/wear 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.my105.com/51380

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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

CO

o o CO

Isuzu Transporter, Low kms, bought new in 2000. Factory fitted aircond, passenger air ride seat. Custom built prime mover body and semi trailer to carry 2 F3 cars or more smaller open wheel cars. Easily converted for saloon cars. Inc 9x6m annexe and floor, generator with lighting, huge storage facilities, 240v power, $105,000.00.

Bronte 08 8254 8444 or 0412 846 997..

274 www.myl05.eom/79530

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. 273www.my105.com/53308 Enclosed Trailer, Tri axle trailer with electric brakes on two axles front and rear, has been cam'ng a super sedan, tyre rack at front, 12v winch only use twice, great to tow. NSW rego. $11,000 ONO. 0405 204 819. 264www.my105.com/8077

/ sold my car over the weekend, I received plenty of phone calls.

Thanks again. - Mark FormulaVee. I think your website Is brilliantI Richard Batchelor

Get it seen Get it sold!

81

PINION

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Editor: Phil Branagan l editor@mnews.com.au Assistant Editor: Mark Glendenning l mark@mnew5.com.au Staff Journalist: Grant Rowley l grant@mnew5.com.au

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Bring back the biff

What would Pete think?

I think the Skaife/Ingall incident at Eastern Creek was the best thing that's happened to the sport in ages.

Racing for the past 10 years has been sterile with few 'identities or personalities' (excluding Murphy). The pointscore rewards medioctrity, and the drivers are too afraid to push the nose inside someone for fear of a penalty.

The racing is getting boring, like FI, where in the last five years, the only passing was when the car in front pitted.

Lets bring back the biff! Lets get Matt Johns(Rugby League personality) on the management committee and start to liven it up.

The sport needs spirit so, give the drivers some nicknames like the V8 BRutes. Marcos the

After reading the letters and articles in Issue #272 about the Ingall/Skaife clash, 1 feel I could be excused for feeling like a kid watching a school-yard fight, trying to decide who I would sit with for lunch the next day.

Enough has been written and said by all parties, and none of my words could sway either party towards sympathy for the other's cause. But in light of the passing of Pete Geoghegan two weeks ago, 1 began thinking what Pete would have thought of the entire issue. He drove in a period when racers were truly racers, and cars were truly wild.

Brendon McKeon bmck6118@maU.usyd.edu.au

Mauler; Mark the Magician; Russell the Muscle; Craig the Crusher ...

Hugh Johnston h ugh@colo u rcity.com

I picked up MNews and nearly fainted!

When I picked up the latest issue of MNews from my local newsagent the other day,I couldn't believe what I saw! McConville joins Tander in GRM super-team! Well, all I can say is it's about bloody time!

Cameron is one of the most under rated drivers in the V8 Supercar paddock and it's about time that he gets a chance to prove just how good he is.

He was a frontrurmer in Super Tourers and now he can be a frontrunner in the V8s. Don't get me wrong,Lansvale Racing is good but there is only so much you could aclreive.

I am looking foward to an excellent year from GRM.Go Cameron,go!

Peter Vaughan petie024@bigpomi.com

Send us your thoughts: mail: PO Box 7072, Gardenvale, VIC 3186 fax: 03 9596 5030 email: mnews@mnews.com.au

On from Day One Rubbin’s Racin’ I read Mouth Motor {Chris Lambden, Timefor Deregulation) and I understand exactly what he's on about.

The Skaife/Ingall incident at Eastern Creek added a bit of spice and generally speaking,I have no problem with a bit of guard-rubbing.

Skaifey shouldn't be too surprised that Russell would push back when Skaife didn't give room on the exit of the turn, especially after a little love tap on the way in.

Along the same lines, Inside Speed last week covered Carrera Cup at EC, and the battle between Alex Davison and Jim Richards was fantastic. The little rub Davison gave Jim on the way into turn 2 to get passed might have been a bit cheeky, but with drivers of this standard, the door doesn't have to be left open too much before they will have a go.

Andrew McKinna Andrew_P_McKiww@acipackaging.com

The Skaife/Ingall confrontation was always going to happen.

The way that Skaife continually baits and taxmts Ingall, it was obvious that sooner or later, things were going to get out of hand.

The snide comments on V8 Superstars needs to be replaced by more mature and informative discussion.

Ross Ward Port Macquaire NSW

Sportsmen or bad sports?

I have watched all of the V8 Supercar races this year, and I'm in awe of the series.

The sportsmanship all year has been first class, the exception being Skaife and Ingall at Eastern Creek, They spoiled a great year for sportsmanship.

I'll be rooting for Jason Bright in 2004-a true gentleman.

Lindsay Thomas Bouvard WA

Viileneuve the cry baby

Having read the Adam Cooper piece on Viileneuve (Issue #272), the reader is left with a clear impression that Viileneuve is a bitter man.

I was left with the overriding impression that a driver of average abilities, whose only claim to fame is that he only just managed to win the World Championship in a Williams is pissed that he is not treated like royalty.

Despite aU the talk and big budgets, BAR and Viileneuve have under performed for the last five years, with no sign of any improvement. Viileneuve slagged his team-mate Jenson Button pre-season, only to be frequently outraced by him, so it was hardly surprising that the over-priced, drama queen would be replaced by somebody younger, keener, cheaper and quicker.

Thanks for a great magazine with real motorsports coverage.

Peter Seear peter@cetpl.com

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Divided opinion: Some 24 days after the controversial Mark Skaife and Russell Ingall, above, incident at Eastern Creek, letters continue to pour in.

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