Motorsport News Issue 324 - December 7-20, 2005 by V8 Sleuth

FIRST PICS: V8 SUPERCAWS CONTROL CHASSIS THE NEWS BEHIND THE NEWS ID

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No. 324 7-20 December 2005 Australia $5.95 NZ $7.50 inc GST

TEAMS TAKE DIM E BOAUD’ OVER t

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MMWSPMI Issue 324

7-20 December 2005

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news and opinion

1 liA INORAL ●%

featnres 28 30 32 36 38 44

All change Opinion divided on reverse grids

Spy vs Spy Super, sexy, siy spy pics of control V8 chassis

Not turning Japanese Aguri out - for now

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10 FPR needs to Develop Ford Factory wants Fuji Plasmas 14 A drag it is Cowins leave local drag racing 25 Motor Mouth Tatnell loves his reverse grid races 26 Box Seat Jacques in the BMW box 82 Talk Converter More BMW fun - come on, laugh with us

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Five Minutes With Dean Canto The bald facts about joining GRM Rve Minutes With Juan Pablo Montoya Juan speaks on his McLaren year Todd Talk Kelly talks about 3 wins, Bathurst and what he wants in 2006 Out of the frying pan No, body pan. TEGA’s new chassis uncovered Happy Newey Year Adrian Newey looks forward to a life with Red Bull Gee, it’s GP2 Series boss Bruno Michel can feel content with Year #1

race coverage

45 I’ll miss you most of all, Scarecrow Ambrose bids farewell. Ingall seals the title and more controversy. All the V8 action from Phillip Island’s finale 54 Macrow Island Adam wins but Deano takes the FlPDC crown

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60 March comes early Adelaide and Avalon turn on more speedway sizzle - Phil March suprises, Brooke doesn’t

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St-J, THE CHAMP

Photos: Cover: Dirk Klynsmith, Sutton-images.com Contents: Mister E, Marshall Cass, John Morris/Mpix, Sutton-images.com

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REVERSE GRIDS: AH Those In Favour...

OPINION by CHRIS LAMBDEN

CAN see why the brains trust at V8 Supercars Australia has come up with its reverse-grid concept, and I’m one of those people who has no fundamental objection to the idea - although I'm less sure about the reasoning which has resulted in it. I've seen, and been part of, a lot of racing where the hot-shots get to start at the back. It can be spectacularly good. The most obvious example is Sprintcar racing, which provides the most action per second of any motorsport in the world. Yes, there are shunts, but as the level, and standard, goes up, the contact goes down. The concept of Messrs Lowndes, Ingall, Skaife, Murphy, Tander, the Kellys, et al, starting together at the back of a field of V8s and having to pass cars to cop a reasonable grid for the final race will be well worth watching. The dollar-driven apprehension of the team owners is, I feel, a bit knee-jerk. They point to a couple of bingles in the V8 Development category grid-reversals and quiver at the concept of major panel damage. But, frankly, they should have just a little more faith in the highly-paid little darlings they employ to drive their cars. Under the current points system, remember, drivers simply can't risk a DNF. At present, drivers often sit there assessing whether the risk of trying to pass someone is worth the whole three point gain. Naaaaah,they conclude. I'll wait for the tyre stops! That's not racing - it's turning racers into some form of mobile insurance assessors! So yes, it's a slightly artificial way of achieving it (less so than contrived tyre/fuel stops), but let's give it a go. Let's reward passing. Let's make the little dears earn their Gold Coast condos. And if, in a year's time, it hasn't worked as had been hoped, then, please, please, please, please, please can we have a points system that does actually offer incentive for performance and winning - you know, 25, 20, 17,15 etc etc. But that's another story ...

Majority of teams issue formal objections to new reverse grid rules A MAJORITY of V8 Supercar teams have signed a letter to V8 Supercars Australia opposing the recent decision to introduce reverse grid races at nine rounds next year. The letter, co-ordinated by Tasman Motorsports Director Tim Miles, conveys the teams' unhappiness at not being able to debate the issue prior to the decision being taken. Indeed, most team owners learned of the controversial plan by reading the press release at Phillip Island, "Twelve of the 13 teams I spoke with, which doesn't include the four on the Board who made the decision, signed the letter," Miles confirmed to MNews on Monday. "We're not trying to be confrontational; we're trying to be constructive, and we're saying that a decision like this deserves a full debate. Until there is that debate, we can't support the decision." The letter also includes a number of suggestions and ideas

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from the signatories. Non-confrontational or not, the fact that so many of the teams have chosen to sign the letter, will raise issues of confidence in the current VSA Board, which meets next week in a scheduled meeting.

"We're not trying to be confrontational, we're trying to be constructiveu - Tasman’s Tim Miles The release circulated at Phillip Island announced that all of the 2006 rounds run to a three-race format - New Zealand, Perth, China, Darwin,Oran Park, Surfers Paradise, Bahrain, Tasmania and Phillip Island would feature a reversed grid for the second race, with the grid for the final race to be determined by

an aggregate of the results from the first two outings. As part of a wider revamp of the points system, tlie reverse grid race will be awarded half the points on offer for the other two races. Next year all rounds will attract 320 points, witlr three-race weekends offering 128 points for the winner of tire first and third race, and 64 points for the reverse grid winner. Tlie standard graduation of points allocated all the way down the firrishing order will remain the same as for tlris year. "The reverse grid format has been trialled successfully in the V8 Supercar Development Series for the past h\'o years," said V8 Supercars Australia CEO Wajme Cattach at the Island. "And for those of you that have followed that, you would have seen some exciting racing and lots of passing. "We believe it will encourage our leading drivers to emphasise their skills in working from the

Canto Signs

dean Canto will drive the #34 Garry Rogers Motorsport Commodore in the 2006 V8 Supercar Championship Series, cianto wrapped up the HPDC V8 Supercar Series at Phillip Island two weeks ago and told MNews that he is confident of making every post a winner with the Melbourne based team "Obviously winning the championship was the priority for this year,' he said. "But now that’s over, so Tm concentrating on the future. The 25-year-old will move from his Sydney base to Melbourne in the new year. - GRANT ROWLEY

For more with Canto, check out page 28. motorsport news

REVERSE GRIDS: AN Those Against... OPINION by PHIL BRANAGAN

rear of the grid, and it will give some of the young talent a bit of an opportunity to mix it up front." Cattach's enthusiasm aside, the subject is far from over. The decision to reintroduce reverse grid races (last seen in the main series at the Stegbar 400 in Canberra in 2002) has polarised the sport. An MNews survey of V8 Supercar teams last week found opinion tilting against the

move, and a similar poll of some MNews subscribers uncovered a similarly mixed reaction. While several readers agreed that the format promised more excitement, others were less enthusiastic, with a number of respondents indicating that they thought the idea was contrived and that a more rewarding points system would offer a better incentive for overtaking.

One reader, who did not support the idea, had anotlier idea. "The only way it would work," he said, "would be if the race had a rolling start." Indeed, the news has even split the MNews office down the middle (see opinion pieces on this pnge). But since when was anything in motorsport universally popular? - MARK GLENDENNING

The View From Car #1

NEWLY-crowned V8 Supercar champ Russell Ingall can understand V8 team owners reaction to the announcement of some reverse-grid races in 2006 but, as a driver, will "cope with whatever the format ends up being". "I can understand their reaction," Ingall told MNews on Monday, "more because they weren't even aware of it until it had been announced. It took them totally by surprise! "That aside, I can't see it getting support from anyone other than the Board members who originally voted for it. "There's no doubt there will be more accidents. Now, personal ly, I don't pay the bills, so that doesn't worry me as much as it does team owners, so if the decision isn't reversed. I'll just enjoy the challenge!" With teams having got a handle on pit stops and thus the 'mixing' effect of dud stops being negligible. Ingall sees the reverse grid as "their attempt to take the next step in juicing up the racing. "However, there are in my view far better ways of achieving that, while keeping to the cost-containment path. "For example, a common brake, with harder pads etc, would save most teams a fortune and increase braking distances - I couldn't believe how short the braking distance was at the hairpin in Tassie. But teams are throwing 3-4 sets of pads and discs at cars a meeting in some cases." -CHRIS LAMBDEN

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WHAT are you guys screwing up now? Reverse grids? Hell no! Why? This is not the HPDC, where there are four cars on the pace and the rest covered by five seconds, or the BTCC, which is the same but with less cars. This is, as we are constantly reminded, the greatest series in the history of anything. I do not care about the carnage question. I am not convinced there will be mayhem anyway, and even if there is, it is not my problem. Here is what I hate; this is a '●'●gimmick. Motor racin^'I'l^eds less gimmicks, not more. Remember the draw for positions in the shoot-out? Gimmick. It was done once, no-one cared, then scrapped. Formula One's two-day qualifying? Gimmick. History. This is a fix, and a fix is needed because V8 Supercars has an abomination of a points system and a judicial system that could headline the Melbourne Comedy Festival. The most damning comment on the current ' system is that Russell Ingall won the title this year because'he' put his racer's instincts aside in March and^ drove for points until the job was done. He had to; had he driven like The Enforcer - the guy with a million fans, the guy Ford and Caltex paid a fortune to pinch from Holden and Castrol - he would have finished 10th in the series, paid 50 gorillas in fines, got hell from his wife Julia and Ross Stone until March. So he had to drive like John Michael Howson for much of the year. The points system already sucks the incentive out of racing. Half points for a reverse grid race? Oh yeah, that will make the boys go their hardest. Some team principals have suggested that the real reason for the move is that three of the teams represented on the TEGA Board could only w\n a race with a reverse grid. I do not hold with that; if history is any guide. Network 10 would only show where Skaife, Ingall and Lowndes are, until the last 20 seconds anyway, then pick up the leaders. So lads; fix the points system, bearing in mind that not everyone deserves points. Reward the winners properly, say "Try harder" to the battlers and let's see some racing. Take the handcuffs off the drivers. Then, and only then, if things are crook, we can talk about reverse grids. 5

Seto Waits Board decision may hold the key

GLENN Seton is no closer to securing his motor racing future. The veteran driver, who was released by Dick Johnson Racing last month, is talking to several teams about his career. While he was coy to name names, MNews believes that the teams in question are Britek Motorsport and Larkham Orrcon Racing. Both teams have seats vacant and we believe that both interviewed HPDC Champion Dean Canto before he signed with Garry Rogers Motorsport. While Seton is working towards his future, one fly in the ointment is the status of Britek's second Level 2 licence. While Steve Owen is guaranteed a start in all 13 rounds next season,the #25 licence will get to race in only half the event because the licence finished outside the top 30 in the series.(Only the top 30 finishers are guaranteed starts in all races). MNews believes that the choice of the two 'wildcard' starters in all events will be left to V8 Supercars Australia CEP Wayne Cattach, who independently determined the matter last season. On that occasion, he chose to allow two Level 1 licences into the field, leaving the Level 2s to miss the 32-car events. However, several teams have expressed quiet concern that should this be the case for 2006, Britek would miss out again - in favour of the beleagured Team Dynamik. With Britek and V8 Supercars Australia now having a common sponsor, Fujitsu, and no sign of an upturn in the fortunes of Team Dynamik (whose LI licence was classified 34th and last in the series), there is a groundswell of feeling that there could be a change of policy this time around. The other licences seeking wildcards are LMS's #20 and Toll's #75, which is for sale by owner Paul Little. We believe that the matter will be discussed at the V8 Supercars Australia Board meeting tomorrow (Thursday) and that many in the sport are hopeful that this time, Britek and Fujitsu - and perhaps, Seton-getthe nod ... - PHIL BRANAGAN

Big Changes for V8 changes in place for 2006.

such as Steven Richards, has been squashed. Assuming a driver takes to the grid in each of the 13 races of the season with the same team, they are to race under the same competition number in all of the sprint races. The new rules also stops teams from running 'promotional' numbers ie: Bargwarma -100(Symmons Plains), and Ritter -80(Oran Park), Max Wilson - 328(Shanghai), Simon Wills 168 (Shanghai).

Event Practice

Testing

The current two-hour Friday practice session will changed in 2006. It will be split into three parts -60 minutes of track time,followed by a 15 minute break before another 75 minutes of track time.

A testing black-out will occur between December 16 and February 12.

by GRANT ROWLEY A RAFT of changes will be introduced into the V8 Supercar Championship Series in 2006. Rules and procedures In regard to Friday practice sessions, testing, race starts, ride cars and race numbers were announced at Phillip Island and will all be changed in 2005. Here is a detailed list of the

Race numbers The 2005 trick of swapping race numbers to influence licence points, as was seen this year with drivers

cars and 'deregistered' V8 Supercars. A ride car needs to be technically different to a V8 Supercar proper, and teams will no longer be able to ' 'deregister' a V8 Supercar, and then reapply to allow It to race again, as was the case this year with the DJR AU Falcon that finished second overall at Queensland Raceway. The matter of what constitutes a legitimate ride car is currently being finalised.

Race starts

Grouping rules will be relaxed as well. The number of staff allowed to be shared between teams has been extended from one to a maximum of three.

Ride cars and race cars TEGA is tightening its rules on ride

Teams will now only have 10 minutes to make their way out onto the grid for sprint race starts, rather than the current 15 minute allocation.

Safety Car restarts Drivers being lapped at the recommencement of a race are permitted to (safely) let drivers fighting for the lead past as quickly as possible.

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Ise ’n’ those PIRTEK, whose association with Stone Brothers Racing ended at last week's final V8 round, may well remain in motorsport, possibly in rallying, with Ford. Industry gossip is suggesting that the company, which has a sizeable Ford company vehicle fleet, is looking at ways of continuing in motorsport, most likely with its supplier of

company vehicles. After its extended time in V8 Supercars with SBR,that involvement is unlikely to be with the V8s -the company having gained maximum exposure already in that environment. It has been suggested that the company's logo may well end up on Ford's yet-to-debut Focus rally car....

TEGA chassis: Some like it. Some don't TEGA's new control chassis prototype had a mixed reception at Phillip Island. The unit, build in conjunction with Holden bodyshell builder Dencar, was shown to the teams last weekend at the Grand Prix track, and has met with a mixed reception. The TEGA Control Floor Pan (TCFP) project, which has had engineering input from both SBR and

HRT,has been undertaken to continue the category's ongoing policy of cost containment, according to TEGA Technical Director Steve Brow. "I do not believe that it will be any cheaper to build but it will be quicker and easier to repair," he said. "The cost savings will start to come through with the new vehicles; the VE Holden and the next Ford.

Those cars are being built to European crash test standards and some of the material built in for that reason to not lend themselves to be changed into a V8 Supercar." The unit was closely scrutinised by a number of team members and the on paddock appears split about 50-50 the unit, which is planned to be introduced in time for the 2007 season.

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Series and TV

Give ’em Curry! AS we closed for press came the hot, hot news that WilliamsFl was about to confirm Narain Karthikeyan as its test driver. The former Jordan man will drive the FW28 on Fridays and share testing duties with Mark Webber and Nice Rosberg. ■ As we pre-empted in our last issue, DJR and sponsors Westpoint are to split. The amicable parting clears the way for the announcement of sponsorship arrangements centring on the new Dick Johnson 'brand'- set to include property finance and a Telstra-linked telco reseller. ■ Moves are afoot to give V8 Supercar drivers something to fight for at their non-championship Australian Grand Prix round next year, with MN's spies reporting talk of Introducing a special trophy for the event. Plans are still in their very early stages, but we believe that one idea is to designate the award the 'Pete Geohegan Trophy'. Watch this space.

AS first reported in MNews several weeks ago, Network Ten has announced a raft of changes to its motorsport coverage in 2006. Coverage of V8 Supercar rounds will be expanded, with rounds that were previously telecast from 2:30pm now fia'. iiig a 2pm start time to allow for the inclusion of prerace .material. The telecast time I i'ili be extfendrad to three ! hours.

banner are now up in the air. "Our focus is to give V8 Supercars a greater share of what we've got available," White stated. "And I haven't committed formally, but we will be looking at supporting that certainly with RPM, and almost certainly coverage of the Carrera Cup." Meanwhile, negotiations have begun for an extension of Ten's current V8 Supercar TV rights deal, which expires at

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j "Primarily, we want to continue the growth of ! the sport,' said Network Ten Director of Sport fDavid White, right. "I think greater reach and greater coverage t1 nd greater commitment to our resources so that we can provide a bit of colour movement and entertainment behind the scenes is a good thing." Additionally, full replays of Saturday races will be broadcast on Saturday evenings after the football. Previously, races run on Saturday were only shown in truncated form. The Fujitsu V8 Supercar Championship is also destined for more of the limelight, with all six rounds to be telecast one week after they are run. The additional V8 Supercar coverage does come at a cost though, with Ten confirming the axing of the Trackside and V8 Superstars programs. Deals for many of the support categories that normally fell under the Trackside

the end of 2006. "We've had preliminary discussions to renew that for further terms, and all I can say is that it's certainty our desire to renew that," White confirmed.

Cattach said that V8 Supercars Australia recognised the role that Ten had played in the sport's growth, but left the door open to bids from rival broadcasters. "We really value our relationship with Channel Ten," said Cattach. "They've brought us this far, and I think it's world-best practice in terms of motorsport television. But we owe it to our sport to explore all options, and we've got a negotiating team headed up by James Erskine, and hes going about his business." Both White and Cattach confirmed that any new deal would most likely be for five years, following the pattern set by the current and previous contracts. - MARK GLENDENNING

V8Supercars get a New Brew

V8 SUPERCARS will utilise a new control race fuel in 2006, adopting Shell's latest high-performance road car fuel, Shell Optimax Extreme. The blend, which contains five percent ethanol, has been tested by Stone Brothers Racing, Dick Johnson

7 December 2005

Racing and Holden Racing Team, who all reported a slight power uKrease and cleaner burn, allied with the potential to reduce consumption quite significantly. The fuel provides the basis for a two-year renewal of Shell's fuel-supply contract with V8 Supercars Australia.

■ Formula 3 Australia is to introduce a new National class into the Kumho championship next year. Following the lead of the successful British F3 National sub-class, National F3 will utilise 1999-2002 chassis. The Trophy Class (1996-1998 chassis) will also continue to be part of F3. Entrants in the National category will be able to allocate their points toward the main championship, if they choose. ■ Britek Motorsport has done it tough in its inaugural season, the Fujitsu-backed team having only tested once, using one car, all year as a result of TEGA grouping it with Ford Performance Racing. The grouping was the result of team owner Jason Bright being the driver of one team and the owner of another, something that the TEGA rules currently state is grounds to group the two operations. A change to the rule is on the agenda of TEGA's board meeting this Thursday, with the fingers and toes of ail down at Britek's Dandenong workshop no doubt crossed. ■ Team Kiwi Racing will shortly two major sponsors to their V8 Supercar program. New Zealandbased companies Makita and 3M will adorn the side of the Paul Morris Motorsport-prepared car next year, with Paul Radisich again taking the driving duties. ■ Jonathon Webb secured the 2005 WPS Carrera Cup driver to Supercup award at Phillip Island two weeks ago. Webb will become the third driver to be given the opportunity to race in the Porsche Michelin Supercup at a Formula 1 event sometime next year, following in the footsteps of previous award winners Marcus Marshall and Fabian Coulthard. 7

Welcome 2006 Provisional FIA FI Entry List bade J^c 1. Fernando Alonso 2. Giancarlo Fisichella 3. Kimi Raikkonen 4. Juan-Pablo Montoya 5. Michael Schumacher 6. Felipe Massa 7. Ralf Schumacher 8. Jarno Trulli 9. Mark Webber 10. Nico Rosberg 11. Rubens Barrichello 12. Jenson Button 14. David Coulthard 15. TBA 16. Nick Heidfeld 17. Jacques Villeneuve 18. Tiago Monteiro 19. Christijan Albers 20. TBA 21. TBA

JACQUES Villeneuve will, after all, drive for the BMW Sauber FI Team in 2006. The news was confirmed shortly before the FIA issued its officiai entry list for next season Formula 1 World Championship. BMW has not so far named a third driver (who is likely to be Villeneuve’s

Mild Seven Renault F1 Team Mild Seven Renault F1 Team TBA McLaren Mercedes TBA McLaren Mercedes Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro Panasonic Toyota Racing Panasonic Toyota Racing Wiliiams F1 Team Wiiliams Ft Team Lucky Strike Honda Racing F1 Team Lucky Strike Honda Racing F1 Team Red Bull Racing Red Bull Racing BMW Sauber F1 Team BMW Sauber F1 Team MF1 Racing MF1 Racing Scuderia Toro Rosso Scuderia Toro Rosso

replacement in 2007). Villeneuve’s reprieve comes, it seems, from a decision at BMW that employing him, even though he isn’t the team's first choice, is simpler than the option of going through the pain of a payout (see Box Seat, page 26)1 The FIA list also confirmed that

MFl Racing (nee Jordan) will be running Tiago Monteiro, although the team had previously denied that this would be the case. The FIA entry list, above, although drivers can be changed up until the Thursday before the first race in March. - JOE SAWARD

No FI by JOE SAWARD

SUPER Aguri FI has not been given an entry in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship in 2006- yet. The team failed to pay the US$48m bond necessary by the deadline and the FIA ruled that the team could not be on the 2006 entry list. However, Super Aguri will be allowed to re apply and may still be able to compete in 2006, but only if all 10 current teams agree to allow the entry to go through. What is clear is that Formula 1 as a sport wants the team to happen but that individual team owners may not be very helpful. The backmarkers,such as Scuderia Toro Rosso and MFl Racing, have too much to lose to allow Super/Aguri to join the pack unless concessions are made,and are therefore unlikely to give their go-ahead. The problem lies in the fact that

Toyota first out

TOYOTA has won the race to get a new V8 car on track. The team debuted the TF106 at last week’s Barcelona tests, but admits that there will be many changes, particularly aero, before the car is presented in race spec in March. The fact that the TF106 utilises the same monocoque and front end as the TF105B, which ran just the last two races of 2005, hints as some smart advanced planning in Cologne. ■ ‘The TF106 that we are running in Barcelona marks the first stage of development for this car with continuous improvements planned in the run-up to the first race,” reported team tech boss Mike Gascoyne. “We are adopting a similar schedule to last season by testing the car early. This allows us to develop the mechanical side of car thoroughly before we introduce a new aero package in time for the first race. This strategy helped us to be extremely competitive at the start of 2005 and we are confident the same will happen in 2006.” DAN Wheldon is staying in the USA - with Target Team Ganassi.The 2005 IndyCar Champion and his manager Julian Jakobi have given up on their FI ambitions and signed a deal to switch from Andretti Green Racing. Wheldon had hoped that BMW would offer him a test drive in 2006 and then give him a two-year contract to race in 2007 and 2008. BMW obviously decided that it had other priorities and, while willing to offer Wheldon the testing job, would not commit beyond 2006. Wheldon will race alongside 2003 IRL champion 8

Scott Dixon in a two-car team using Honda power. The move confirms reports surrounding Ryan Briscoe's future, with the Aussie thought to be testing with Champ Car team PKV Racing in the coming weeks. It is not yet clear who, if anyone, will replace Wheldon at Andretti Green Racing. The team has sponsorship from Jim Beam and Klein Tools and appears to be keeping its other deals as well, with Tony Kanaan running in 7-Eleven colours, Dario Franchitti with ArcaEx and Bryan Herta with XM Satellite Radio. - JOE SAWARD

... and Ralf's there 'til '09 ANYONE counting the days before Ralf Schumacher and Toyota's Formula One team part ways better learn to be patient. The German has inadvertently announced that he will be staying with the team until 2009. During an interview for FI Racing magazine, Ralf said; "At the moment I see no reason to think about moving [from Toyota]. I have a five-year

contract and feel pretty lucky to be with this team - so far it's running better than expected." It had been thought that Schumacher was signed until only the end of the 2006 season. Recently, he split with long-time manager Willy Weber and is searching for new management. According to FI Racing, Schumacher's salary will continue to be around US$16.5m a season.

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entry for Aguri only the top 10 teams receive TV and travel money from Formula One Management. That is worth more than US$10m a year. The threat of an 11th team was sufficient to convince Paul Stoddart to sell Minardi because he understood that without the money from FOM,his team could not operate and he knew that he could not compete with another wellfunded team. With Honda support, Super Aguri FI is a threat. The team's omission from the

entry list is a blow to the Super Aguri FI staff at the old Arrows factory at Leafield but the mood is positive. They hope that the entry will be accepted because having a Japanese team and a Japanese driver is good for the sport. The logic is that if one of the other teams does not sign it is simply delaying the inevitable because if the team is not allowed to

race in 2006, it will certainly arrive in 2007 ready to fight in a much stronger way than is currently the case.

Strategically, however,2006 is important. One of the reasons for the new team is to provide Takuma Sato with a platform, but perhaps more importantly, Honda executives know that in 2007 Toyota will be fighting them with two top teams as it is anticipated that Panasonic Toyota Racing will be joined in the Toyota attack by Williams FI. In order to be ready for that Honda wanted to use 2006 to get Super Aguri FI up and running and ready to fight for points from the very start.

Marques back? REPORTS in Brazil suggest that Tarso Marques may be returning to Formula 1. The 29-year-old has been quoted as saying that he will soon announce a Formula 1 testing deal for 2006 leading to a race deal in 2007. Marques is not willing to say which team is involved but given his record to date the only likely way he will be in a position to get a drive is by paying a healthy sum of money to a team. Marques is 29 and has competed in 26 Grands Prix to date, all of them being with Minardi, in recent years he has been in America, where he briefly raced for Penske before ending up with Dale Coyne Racing. ■ Robert Doornbos has been confirmed as the third driver for Red Bull Racing. The 24-year-old Dutchman will drive for the team on Fridays and at tests between the Grands Prix. Doornbos was chosen because of his experience racing for Minardi this year and because team boss Christian Horner knows him well having run him in Formula 3000 in Red Bull colours in 2004. ■ Renault has confirmed that it is to have Heikki Kovalainen as its third driver in 2006. He will replace France's Franck Montagny. The Frenchman is looking for work for next year but has little chance of a ride in Formula 1 and will probably end up in Champ Car, if he can find an available drive. Kovalainen is managed by Renault's Flavio Briatore.

Toyota’s new car fastest of f/ie V8s as others roll out interim cars FT testing has commenced in earnest, with. detuned 3-litre VIO-powered cars setting the pace ahead of.a number of debutant 2.4 litre V8s - which might suggest that the VIOs need to be strangled just a bit more to bring them back to V8 levels. And while a number of V8s have hit the track in the back of interim modified 2005 cars, Toyota has set the pace by rolling out a full-spec 2006 car from the start (see separate story). Australian interest has been focussed on the debut of the interim Williams-Cosworth. Reverting to the dark blue Williams livery of the 70s, the FW27B incorporates the all-new V8, gearbox and rear suspension grafted onto the 2005 monocoque, allowing the team to rack up the mileage on the new elements, while at the same time adapting to the needs of new tyre suppliers Bridgestone. After three days of running, the Williams camp appeared satisfied with early reliability and data: "It's been a fantastic first test for the new Williams, Cosworth and Bridgestone partnership," summed up Sam Michael.

7 December 2005

"Although we experienced the normal teething problems, the mileage we've achieved and the progress we've made on set-up and understanding the tyres and how the car responds to the V8 has been really good." The only other teams to run with its V8 were McLaren and BMW (nee Sauber), both using an interim chassis.

FI testing - V8-engined cars only Although times are at this point almost meaningless, the best recorded during the four days by leading V8 runners were: Ricardo Zonta Toyota TF106 Jarno Trulli Toyota TF106 Mark Webber Williams-Cosworth Pedro De La Rosa McLaren-Mercedes Juan-Pablo Montoya McLaren-Mercedes Nico Rosberg Williams-Cosworth

1m16.670s 1m17.015s 1ml7.293s 1m17.443s 1ml7.756s 1m17.798

■ Michelin will have to supply Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2006. The French tyre manufacturer was unable to refuse a request from the team because of the rules which state that if there are two tyre manufacturers in FI a tyre company must, if called upon to do so, supply 60 percent of the teams. Scuderia Toro Rosso owner Red Bull is not in the good books down at Clermont Ferrand at the moment because of its recent decision to vote for new tyre regulations in 2006. ■ The Formula 1 technical directors were due to meet this week to discuss whether or not to adopt the new FIA rear wings for 2007, rather than in 2008. It is not thought likely that the change will get through as it requires 80 percent of the technical directors to agree and there are several teams opposed to the idea. ■ WilliamsFI, which was to have held an auction sale of several Formula 1 cars and many other items on 14 December, has cancelled it because all the lots have been bought by an anonymous private collector. - SAWARD/SPURRING

FPR'S I

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by GRANT ROWLEY FORD Performance Racing is likely to enter a Falcon in the 2006 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series. The factory Ford team put the feelers out at Phillip Island and immediately received interest from drivers regarding the drive. "We are looking for a suitable driver and

Level 3'is have a voice

TEGA will appoint a 'Level 3' board from next year. The TEGA DVS Advisory Panel' will be a four-man panel appointed by the TEGA Board with the objective of providing advice, opinions and recommendations on issues of concern to the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series; aka I Development Series. The DVS panel will meet two or three times - per year under the.control of the general . manager of TEGA (Kelvin O'Reilly) and/or the (De^yelopment operations manager (Michael Masi).

Competitors were able to submit recommendations for the four representatives last week and a decision will be made by TEGA tomorrow (Thursday). MNews understands that at least one representative from Ford and Holden will be required. TEGA recognises that nearly all the Development series teams go racing for a different purpose. The selected members of the board will reflect these varying purposes. - GRANT ROWLEY

Holden’s DVS Push? HOLDEN will have a larger presence in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series in 2006, with potentially three major main series cars on the grid. Paul Morris Motorsport is on the verge of entering two cars in the Development series, with one of the drivers more than likely earmarked for PMM endurance man Alan Gurr, pictured right with Bathurst partner John Faulkner. Gurr has contested the 2005 Carrera Cup Championship but is keen to get back involved in a V8 series, having contested a number of rounds in 2004 with Smiths Trucks and the Holden Young Lions. His personal links with PMM are tight, and coupled with PMM's strong technical base, the combination would be an immediate front-runner.

We want our Plasmas!

NIU18K

Kil/ Another interesting Holden entry that may front up at the first round of the series in Adelaide is a Team Perkins Racing-prepared car. Whispers filtered through the MNews offices that Larry's son,Jack Perkins,could potentially drive the car, and while Jack said he would enjoy racing in the Development series, funding would be the ultimate issue. "That would be really good,but 1

can't even find enough dough to run a national Formula Ford car, so 1 don't know how it is going to happen," he said. Like the main game V8 Series,it has been a dry-speU of championships for Holden. Out of the sb< contested V8 Lites/Konica/Konica Minolta/ HPDC V8 Series contested. Ford has won four to Holden's two. - GRANT ROWLEY

Introducing the new bloke ... I

The end of racing barbie at Phillip Island was a fun affair. There were sausages, beers, laughter ... and clowns! Jamie Whincup had just completed his final drive with the Tasman Motorsport, but they decided to deliver him to his new Triple 8 team a few months early. He was tied and wrapped in tape to a trolley, dressed in appropriate clown wig and red nose and delivered right on Roland Dane's doorstep. Hi, boss! 10

AS predicted by Motorsport News back in September, the V8 Development Series will be known as the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series for the next two years. Along with the new namingrights support, and the technical changes already confirmed by MNews last issue (weight and sensors), more rule freedoms have been granted to the Fujitsu cars, giving major teams a larger incentive to be involved. Level 1 V8 teams were formally not permitted to test Development cars, but in 2006, a main series team may be allowed to test one car, as long as the nominated Development driver undertakes the driving duty, hence, denying main series drivers the chance to test the cars. And Holden teams will also be allowed to enter HMS engines from the commencement of the 2006 season. This year, only 18 degree Chevs were permitted. - GRANT ROWLEY motorsport news

nim

Search for a Star Factory Ford team look at V8 Development options

commercial interest," Commercial director Rod Barrett said. "We don't just want to put anyone in the car. There are a number of options we need to explore, but we know that if

we are going to do this, we need the right driver and adequate support." FPR has all-but completed the'build of its latest BA Falcon (dubbed FPR 503). If FPR were to enter the Fujitsu

series, the current #5 BA would be the car used in the Fujitsu Series, Jason Bright would keep his current car, which leaves the brand-new machine for recent signing Mark Winterbottom.

What a shock! RUSSELL Ingall may have taken the 2005 V8 Supercar Championship but Craig Lowndes was Da Man at the annual V8 Supercar Awards dinner. Lowndes got plenty of exercise on the night, taking the stage to grab the Champion Pole Award and the RPM People's Choice Award as the most popular driver. He also won the Barry Sheene Medal for his outstanding leadership, personality, fan appeal and sportsmanship, an award that is determined by a panel of selected print and electronic media and former drivers. With Ingall, Marcos Ambrose Lowndes taking the awards for first, second and third in the Drivers' Championship, Ford taking the Manufacturers' title and Stone Brothers Racing the teams' trophy, it was thin pickings for Holden teams. Holden Racing Team took the Best Presented Team award, while Mark Skaife and Todd Kelly collected their Bathurst winners' gong. ■ Matthew White Racing is likely to enter two cars in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series in 2006. While Matthew himself has not formally announced his driving intentions for the new year, one option is that he could drive in the DV8 series in 'his' car (which Jose Fernandez has campaigned at Britek this year). Dean Waniess is expected to stay with MWR in the team's AU Falcon, although there is a chance that there could be a mid-year BA upgrade.

aokie test days confirmed

Courtney gets two extra tests - every other new bloke to enjoy three by CHRIS JORDAN JAMES Courtney will receive two extra ‘rookie’ test days in his first V8 Supercar season, on top of the six days allowed by TEGAto all main series teams. Stone Brothers Racing’s new signing has been deemed a 'Rookie who has competed with credit internationally’ by TEGA, and will therefore receive only two extra test days in 2006, as opposed to the three extra days afforded to main series rookies with a less illustrious background. Main series rookies progressing from domestic categories will all be afforded three extra test days. "Each driver that meets the rookie definition will be assessed on a case-by-case basis by me,” said TEGA Chairman Kelvin O’Reilly. “In the case of drivers that have competed overseas, their results will be evaluated as to whether they fall into the category of ‘credit’ and receive two extra days or three. In the case of James Courtney, it was a cut and dry case.” TEGA defines a V8 Supercar Championship Series (main series) rookie as having competed in no more than one Sprint round and two Endurance rounds in any year prior to their rookie season. 7 December 2005

■ New V8 Privateers Champion Gary MacDonald will shape up again in the Fujitsu V8 Series to try and defend his title with Steve Ellery Racing. The Kanga Loaders driver finished third in the championship and will jump aboard the newer of the team's BA Falcon's next year. His 2005 SER team-mate, Mark Porter, is setting up a new team, which leaves a vacancy at the Queensland-based team. ■ There are many ways to celebrate winning your first motorsport championship, but 2005 Donut King Australian Performance Car Champion Peter Floyd found a unique one. Having avoided cutting his locks all season, Floyd went under the scissors on the same afternoon he clinched the title. His style of choice? A Mohawk. ■ Not content with its success in the Australian Production Car Championship, Osborne Motorsport has signalled its intention to run a multi-car team in the Nurburgring and Silverstone 24Hr races in 2006. According to the Colin Osborneowned team, which experienced class success in the 2003 Bathurst 24Hr, plans are well advanced for the events. 11

i Richard Burns World Rally champion 2001 PERHAPS the most fitting comment on the passing of Richards Burns is that even though many of his friends and colleagues knew two years ago what lay ahead, his death has still prompted a massive outpouring a grief within the sport. Burns died last week, surrounded by his family and partner Zoe, at his home in England, after lapsing into a coma. He was 34. In 2001, Burns became the first Englishman to win the World Rally championship. It was the highpoint of a career that started as a keen 17-year-old and which resulted in becoming the youngest-ever British champion at 22, a move to the WRC with Mitsubishi the following year and his breakthrough win, on the Safari Rally, in 1998. The following two years, now with the Subaru World Rally Team, he was runner-up in the championship, to Tommi Makinen in '99 and Marcus Gronh'olm in 2000. The following season. Burns and navigator Robert Reid launched a full-scale assault on the title. Their Prodrive Impreza overcame a poor start to the season with three second placings before breaking through to win in New Zealand. Another runner-up finish in Perth left him needing only fourth place at home to win the crown. He delivered with third place, sending the rally faithful into wild celebrations. Two weeks later came the shock that Burns was defecting to Peugeot. The SWRT took him to court but Burns settled the matter out of court and moved to the French team for a reputed $12 million a year. Again, he struggled early in the season, inheriting his only win of the year (and only win with Peugeot) in Argentina when Gronholm was disqualified. Two late-season retirements left him fifth in the championship. The following season. Burns played the consistency card again, failing to take any wins but piling up points with thirds and fourths. The strategy meant that the Englishman headed to Wales full of confidence; after already winning Rally GB three times, he was in contention to claim the title, as were Gronholm, Markko Martin and Petter Solberg. But while driving his Porsche at speed on the M4 Motorway to Cardiff, Burns blacked out,forcing Martin to 12

wrestle the car to safety from the passenger seat. Burns was never to race again ironically, he had already signed to return to Subaru, which was forced to hire Mikko Hirvonen to partner World Champion Solberg. Burns was diagnosed with astrocytoma, a particularly virulent and cancerous tumour of the brain. He responded well to radiotherapy and there was some talk of his return to competition but seven months ago, he was forced to undergo surgery to relieve some of the symptoms of his illness. He appeared at Castle Combe in August at a tribute, which featured many of his competition cars, but he looked frail and ill and many braced themselves for the worst. As you would expect from a man with Burns's determination, he fought a brave fight against the illness and beat the odds, in that a two-year survival is exceptionally long and rare in the face of such a drastic disease. His passing occurred on the fourth anniversary of his world championship triumph. Burns was not as flamboyant as McRae, either in driving style or in manner, but managed in his own way to get the best out of any car he drove. On his day and when the car suited his style, he was devastatingly fast and no rally driver ever drove with a more combative spirit. He was demanding of himself and his team, which was sometimes taken as pettiness by some but which was understood and admired by many. Burns's death is a major blow to the sport, particularly in the UK where the rally community is still coming to terms with the recent passings of rally journalist David Williams and co-driver Michael Park. The loss of the world champion has been, and will continue to be, felt by not just his family and friends but fans around the world. To all, Motorsport News extends its sincere condolences.

Top UK job for Gow EXPATRIATE Aussie Alan Gow is about to add to his UK motorsport credentials by taking up the role of Chairman of the British Motor Sports Association. Gow,the former TOCA boss, current series director for the BTCC

BMW

and manager of James Courtney, takes over at the top of UK motor sport's governing body on January 1,following the retirement of the incumbent,John Grant. Gow has been a director at the MSA since 2002, and already holds the position of chairman of the MSA's Strategy Development Group. He is also a director of the Motorsport Industry Association.

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THE spiritual home of motorsport will be the place to be in Easter 2006. Mount Panorama will play host to the inaugural Bathurst International Motor Festival between 13-16 April, 2006. Organised by former IMG man James O'Brien, the motoring festival is set to be a celebration of all things motoring, including road cars, race cars, bikes, touring cars and rally cars.

CAMS has granted the event a permit and has the backing of the Bathurst City Council. A whole host of demonstration drives will be completed. Famous touring cars of yesteryear and classic open wheelers will have a major presence on the mountain. And for the die-hard race fan, there will be some form of competition, albeit limited. Historic Touring Cars, Australian motorsport nows

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Purnell sues FORMER Jaguar Racing boss Tony Purnell was in the High Court in London last week to launch a case for libel against Business FI nnagazine. The publication is a small : circulation monthly magazine about FI but its staff do not have direct access to the FI paddock as it does not have sufficient readership to fulfil the necessary criteria to qualify for FIA'passes. Business FI recently lost a case against FIA consultant Alan Donnelly, who won damages of US$15,000. Business FI also had to pay $210,000 in legal costs.

grabs its Patrizi

Factory backing moves WA driver to UK Championship

MICHAEL Patrizi will spend 2006 in Britain after finalising a deal with BMW Motorsport that will see him contest the Formula BMW UK Championship. The West Australian, who had two race wins with the Meritus team in this years Formula BMW Asia series, will take to the track with a Formula BMW-backed team believed to be Motoworld, the same outfit that ran fellow Aussie Nathan Antunes this year. Patrizi was understood to have explored a number of options for 2006, and his

attendance at the Indy 300 as a guest of Team Australia suggested that a move into its USbased development program alongside James Davison could have been on the cards. In accepting the Formula BMW UK deal however, he positions himself firmly within BMW Motorsport's scholarship program - a move that could one day pay dividends as the German manufacturer prepares to go it alone in FI with its acquisition of the former Sauber team ... - MARK GLENDENNING

M GT and the Aussie Racing Cars are the three likely categories to contest a round of their championships at the famous mountain circuit. Each category will be given five sessions (one practice, one qualifying and three races). Expect an official announcement on the Bathurst International Motor Festival in the near future. - GRANT ROWLEY

7 December 2005

Paris Charles

■ Andy Priaulx, BMW's newlycrowned World Touring Car Champion, was in Barcelona this week to assist a WilliamsFI test programme. Currently Williams has no test driver on its books, having released Antonio Pizzonia so that he can seek a drive in America. There had been speculation that Priaulx may test with the SauberBMW team but it seems the Guernsey driver has preferred to continue with Williams.

THE familiar sight of the snorkels on the front of V8 Supercar driver's helmets will be no more in 2006. The FIA has introduced a standard on air-forced helmets, meaning that the carbon-fibre attachments that many V8 drivers have had fitted to their helmets 'after market' will no longer be allowed in V8 Supercars, an FIA standard championship. Brands such as Stand 21 and Bell

■ There was a two-day test for the GP2 teams at Paul Ricard although rain and fog on the second day meant that the action had to be cut short. The times from the first day were thus the fastest, with Nelson Piquet Jr fastest for Piquet Sports ahead of series new boy Timo Glock, who was having a run with ART Grand Prix. Among the almost 30 drivers present for the last test of the old year was Matt Halliday, who got his first taste of a GP2 car when he completed 40 laps with the DAMS team. The NZer had his track time curtailed when testing was halted by storms, but still declared himself pleased with the day's work. "It was a tough day to learn to get the maximum from the car in such bad conditions, but I was pleased with how I adapted," he said. "The team were very happy and I can't wait to work with them again in the near future."

already sell helmets with built-in FIA approved air-forced systems in Australia, but at this stage the popular Aral helmet does not, meaning drivers with the Arai brand that want a forced air system have attached their own system, pictured left on Murk Sknife's helmet. As the add-on is not homologated with the helmet, it will no longer be eligible. Another driver to be effected by the change will be World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx, who has used his V8 snorkel(from his days as a Kmart Racing endurance driver) in WTCC competition this year. -CHRIS JORDAN

■ Michael Sam Abay will race in the Formula BMW Asia Championship in 2006. After racing in the Motorsport News KartStars, Australian Formula 3 and Porsche 944 Series this year, Abay will follow in the footsteps of Michael Patrizi and race for Team Meritus. Another looking to Formula BMW Asia is young Production car driver Drew Russell, who will attend the BMW Motorsport Scholarship test at the Bahrain International Circuit on January 14-17, aiming to become the second Australian, behind Patrizi, to earn a BMW Scholarship valued at $US50,000. SAWARD/SPURRING/JORDAN

Snorkelectomy

S®LG me'«Oood lifcLC ,

Off the market HEARTS fluttered in pitlanes around the world last month with the news that the first lady of motor racing, Danica Patrick, is single no more. Patrick, 23, sped down the aisle to marry physical therapist Paul Hospenthal, 40, in a small ceremony in Scottsdale, Arizona. Danica, who finished fourth at the Indianapolis 500 in her Rahal Letterman Honda, met Hospenthal two years ago while seeking treatment for a hip injury from a yoga session. Because of the couple's wish for privacy, few details of the ceremony were available, other than the fact that car owner Bobby Rahal was present.

Road America returns

Champ Cars will hit the famous Wisconsin circuit in 2006 .ONE of the world's grenajtest circuits has returned to international open-wheel racing, with the news that the Champ Car World Series will return to the famed Wisconsin track in 2006. Road America will replace Las Vegas Motor Speedway in hosting the 12th round of next year's championship, and will also ho^the -final round ofthe Champ Car Atlantic Championship. "We have been in ongoing discussions with Road America working towards a solution that provides^ r.einvigorated race weekend and potential win-win situation," said Champ Car President Steve Johnson. '' "Our new agreement gives us both a chance to rebuild the event to its former level of popularity and financial success. When we decided not to renew with Las Vegas Motor .1.

Speedwa y it provided the opening to finalise our deal, The du mping of the Las Vegas race leaves just one oval left on next year's schedule, and no superspeedways. The Las Vegas event was coupled with a Craftsman Truck Series race, but Champ Car is now looking towards a Las Vegas street race and is not keen on continuing the arrangement of the past two years, where many fans have left after the Truck race, leaving the stands bare for the Champ Cars. "We will continue to research other opportun ities for future events in the Las Vegas market that hopefully are a better fit for our business model expectations," said Johnson. - PHIL MORRIS V.

Santa, I want one!

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RAG racing legend Graeme Cowin has announced that his family's top class drag racing team, Cowin Family Racing, is to cease racing immediately. Following on from his decision to review the team's presence in the sport some months back,some health issues balanced against the commitment and stress involved in running a top level Top Fuel team have resulted in the decision to step back from direct competitive involvement. With son Andrew having recently signed a multi-year deal to drive for

■Msutton-images.cpm

WHAT to buy the man who has everything ... Look, getting pressies for the relatives at this time of year is always a hassle so this year, do what MNews does and buy your stuff on eBay. This Yuletide season, the undoubted highlight is the chance to pick up an IndyCar. But not just any Indycar. This is a two-time championship winner from Pennzoil Panther Racing, the very same chassis that Sam Hornish took to his two titles in 2001 and 2002. The car was restored to as-raced condition, and even has Sam the Man’s seat installed in the cockpit. The team is in dire financial difficulty after Shell, which owns Pennzoil, decided to concentrate only on Formula One (which is

motorsportnews

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Not Van Halen, Jan Heylan

P' a US team (see Drag pages), Cowin, rvhose greatest moment was the team's qualification (with Andrew at the wheel)for the US Top Fuel finals in 1999, has decided that it is time to sit Jjack and enjoy a less-stressful life. Wendy and 1 have been racing competitively since 1967 and we are very proud of what we've achieved as a family, both in Australia and in the States," said Cowin. "It's been a wonderful journey for us and we wouldn't trade it for anything. Cowin's Rocket Industries will

■ The International Speedway Corporation is asking the Washington state legislature to provide US$166m for the planned NASCAR speedway near Bremerton. ISC would provide the same amount while US$13m would come from Kitsap County. ISC says the track would generate US$140m in new revenue for the region each year. The ISC hopes to have 80,000-seat facility on a 900acre site near Bremerton Airport in operation by 2010.

however retain involvement m both Drag Racing and Speedway, with Graeme devoting more time to business expansion plans. We're still very passionate about drag racing and will continue to be involved with the sport but now it will be in different ways,such as the Rocket All Stars Racing Series," he said. At the same time, the entire assets of the Cowin team have been sold to a mystery buyer - an armouncement is due for the new owners within the next week or so, once the sale process is fully completed.

Put down your weapons! Cochrane awarded CAMS Membership of Honour THERE have been times when Tony Cochrane and CAMS looked like a couple of gunfighters at the OK Corral. But that was all cast aside last Friday when the AVESCO Chairman was awarded the CAMS Membership of Honour. "The CAMS great news for the guys in Maranello trying to scratch enough nnoney together to go racing next season). Anyway, if you fancy kicking a rebuilt Chevy engine in the guts and heading down to Coies to get bread and milk at 225.6mph, get out your credit card and make a bid. -PHIL MORRIS

7 December 2005

Membership of Honour is awarded to those who have contributed long and valuable service to motor sport in Australia, not necessarily within the ranks of CAMS," said CAMS President Colin Osborne. "There is no doubt that Tony has fulfilled this criteria over the past decade with the development of

JAN Heylen is hoping to make a comeback in single-seater racing in Champ Cars. The 25-year-old Belgian was contracted by Mercedes-Benz after winning the Formula Ford Festival in 2002. in 2003 he raced in the Formula 3 Euroseries before trying to get into Formula 3000 in 2004. When that programme flopped he raced in the German F3 series. This year he has been competing with success in the Renault Megane Eurocup. The Champ Car test has come about thanks to fellow countryman Eric Bachelart, who runs Mi-Jack Conquest Racing. The team has been running Nelson Philippe and Andrew Ranger this year.

the V8 Supercar category, not only in Australia but the rest of the world, and it's appropriate that we recognise him tonight for his achievements." Also recognised was Grant Denyer. The DJR V8 Supercar driver was named the CAMS Motor Sport Personality of the I Year. I CAMS presented its I 2005 Champions with its awards at the aimual event, where Paul Laskazeski received the inaugural Most Outstanding CAMS Rising Star award and Bill Crouch was named the Australian Motor Sport Official of the Year.

■ The city of Sevierville, Tennessee is considering investing in a motorsports facility which could feature a short oval, drag strip and a four-mile road circuit. The development would include a 300room hotel. The facility would be called the Smoky Mountains Motorsports Park and the aim is to bring more tourists into the area. Sevierville is located between Asheville, North Carolina, and Knoxville, Tennessee, on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains. The developers are asking the city to provide US$75m in funding. ■ V8 Supercars is not the only racing category changing the specifications of its control fuel. IndyCar will run its 2006 schedule on a new blend, which will contain 90 percent methanol and 10 percent ethanol. AGR's Bryan Herta and Rahal Letterman's Buddy Rice were due to test the blend at Homestead starting today (Wednesday) and the series is expected to switch to a 100 percent ethanol fuel in 2007. ■ Cheever Racing is going Sportscar racing. The former IRL team will suit up for the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series in 2006, with a Lexus-powered Crawford, Eddie Cheever, who ended a three-year retirment in the Grand Prix Masters last month, will share the car with Christian Fittipaldi and a third driver for Daytona next month.

Happiness is a Warm Hummer

ROBBY Gordon is returning to the sands of Africa and this time, he is packing heat. The NASCAR star, who raced in the Dakar Rally for Volkswagen last January, will connpete in the 2006 event in a Hummer H3. The car will feature an H3 body mounted on a specially-developed spaceframe chassis featuring a suspension designed by Gordon's Off-Road racing team. The car, which is similar to Trophy Trucks raced in the Baja 1000, has an air-conditioned, including windshield and side windows. It will be powered by a production-based General Motors V8 engine. "We started planning for this just after my first Dakar Rally, where we won two stages, and I know we are prepared and ready to take on the world," Gordon stated. Gordon's effort is backed by GM-owned Hummer, which is looking to expand the brand into Europe. Hummer developed the car after several high-profile personalities, including California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, started driving road versions of the HMV, which was developed by GM for use in the US military, starting with Desert Sto. m in 1991. - PHIL MORRIS

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oi Champions

The Champ’s Champ

SEBASTIEN Loeb has taken victory in the 2005 Race of Champions at the Stade de France in front of more than 50,000 spectators. The Citroen WRC star won the day's Super-final shootout with Tom Kristensen. "Winning the 2003 Race of Champions in the Canary Islands was nice, and I was delighted when I won the Nations Cup here in Paris twelve months ago with Jean Alesi," said Loeb at the finish.

"But winning the Champion of Champions crown here at the Stade de France in front of such a huge home crowd is really something special. I could hear them cheering me on from inside the car! I couldn't be happier. "In rallying, you build up a win over a period of days and you tend to see it coming. But in an event like this, you’re under pressure from the word go, right up to the chequered flag. You just never know what can happen next." On his way to the final Loeb eliminated American X-Games superstar Travis Pastrana before toppling Scotland's Colin McRae and then fellow two-times WRC champ Marcus Gronholm. His first head-to-head clash with

Kristensen, bith driving Renault Megane Trophys in the Super-final, almost went the way of the Dane, however the time-keepers later confirmed Loeb's victory by a margin of 0.08s of a second as the two drivers crossed the line side by side. Kristensen pulled out all stops in the second race in Xsara WRCs, but shortly after the start the seven-times Le Mans 24 Hours winner made a rare mistake handing victory to Loeb on a plate. "Given how close it was with the Renaults, it was maximum attack or nothing with the Citroen, a car which Seb has driven all year long," said Kristensen. "I didn't have all that much time to

familiarise myself with it and I ended up making an early mistake which put paid to any hope I had of achieving a grand slam today." The Dane enjoyed an exceptional run. As well as triumphing in the Nations Cup with Sweden's Mattias Ekstrom, he emerged as the most successful 'racer' in the individual Race of Champions contest after eliminating FI driver David Coulthard, Brazil's Nelson Piquet Jr., four-times NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon and outgoing Champion of Champions Heikki Kovalainen.

Formula High-end Motorsport.

It's not about racing.

It's about winning.

How many racers compete to finish last? It's their desire, their will and their machinery that combine to achieve success. Engineered in Schweinfurt,

Triple Eight Race Engineering - PO Box 233 ● Albion ● OLD 4010 Phone: 07 3332 8600 ● sachs@tripleeight.com.au 16

SACHS ENGINEERING motorsport news

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An ideal pressie (except for TC)

Ford Media

ice, huh?

THOSE looking for a last-minute stocking stuffer will be happy to hear that the 2005/2006 edition of Automobile Year is now available. Now in its 53rd edition, it features enough material on the year in motoring and motor racing to keep any fan quiet for hours. And the photographs rock. But once again, we have the same gripe that we have every year - in 12 pages of Touring Car coverage, V8 Supercars are allowed a whopping eight lines, and no photos. Want to rub salt in the wound? Well, the Touring Car results section at the back excludes the V8s altogther. There can not be many other annuals that will give you the results of the Baltic Countries Touring Car Championship but not ours.(And while we're at it, congratulations to 2005 Baltic Countries Touring Car Champion Indrek Sepp, who drove an Audi A4 to finish miles ahead of Honda Civic driver Martin Merisaar.) Anyhow, if you like everything except V8s then you can get your copy at motoring bookstores and some general bookshops. Expect to pay around $125. -MARKGLENDENNING

Well, there might be four of them in ‘06

FORD could take a leaf from Red Bull, the organisation to whom it sold its F1 team, and run a 'B Team' in World Rallying in 2006. Ford rally team boss Malcolm Wilson has confirmed that the Blue Oval could enter a second team, but added that it is by no means definite yet. Wilson was speaking at the unveiling of the new livery for the Ford team, pictured, at the Bologna Motor Shown last week. "Things are looking quite promising," said Wilson. "We are looking at trying to find ways to establish a second team, which will be using the 2005 car. "It is a great opportunity, I think. We have seen this year that because the technology is now capped, we have seen private drivers come and get on the podium and get strong results. "I really think it is a positive thing for the future of the World Rally Championship." Wilson also hinted that his son Matthew could be in line for one of the seats in the second team following changes to the British Rally Championship, which see 7 December 2005

WRC cars banned. "World Rally Cars are not allowed to compete in the British Championship anymore, so that has closed the door on Matthew being able to do that," Wilson explained. "What we are looking to do with the 'manufacturer two team' is obviously, we would like to try and involve Eddie Stobart, the major British transport company which backed Matthew in a the BRC in 2005. "We are not there yet, but certainly the Eddie Stobart team are very keen, and we are trying to find ways so everyone gets some real value out of it." Meanwhile, Ford has signed Mikko Hirvonen and co-driver Jarmo Lehtinen to a three-year deal to drive its second Focus WRC 06 alongside Marcus Gronholm. Flirvonen has impressed the team with a series of strong outings in privateer Fords during the season. It will be his second stint with the Blue Oval, having driven for the manufacturer in 2003 before moving to Subaru for a 12-month stay in 2004. - JON THOMSON/STAFF

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THE DTM Series is facing a tense couple of weeks after just pne manufacturer lodged entries for next year's season. Mercedes Benz was the only manufacturer to enter teams in the 2006 series bj' the official cut-off date last week, forcing series promoter ITR to bend to Audi AG's request and push the date back to December 15. Audi's failure to lodge entries stems from Opel's decision to not only withdraw from the DTM from next season, but also retain all of its cars and not allow them to be rtm by privateer teams in 2006. To meet the shortfall, the ITR is said to have imposed a minimum number of 10

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Cop that: Mika Hakkinen's Mercedes-Benz cuts in front of an Audi. The way things are looking, the Mercs might be playing by themselves next year ... entries per manufacturer. Audi, which ran eight cars in 2005, does not want to up its level of cars and investment for next season, so has deferred its decision to enter next year's championship until after a series of internal meetings, which will decided Audi's involvement in the 2006 DTM Championship.

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Russell Ingall and Stone Brothers Racing ● 2005 V8 Supercar Champions ^ WHAT many have been talking about for a long time has now been confirmed, with the news that Audi will continue its involvement in Sportscar racing. Audi will unveil its new Sportscar weapon, designated the R10, on December 13 in Paris. The RIO is the successor to the all conquering R8, above,

which has dominated Sportscar racing this decade, winning five of the past six Le Mans 24 Hour classics. Audi claims the RIO to be “one of the most ambitious projects that Audi Sport has ever undertaken”, and the car will go up against the likes of Peugeot, which is making a return to Sportscar racing.

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Today: Expensive Television Tomorrow: World Domination IT is anticipated that there will soon be an announcement about a new television contract for NASCAR. It is believed that the deal will be worth around US$4.4bn over the eight-year duration of the deal, which will run from 20072013. ABC and its affiliate ESPN are expected to pay US$270m a year to televise 17 Nextel Cup races during the second half of the season and all of the Busch Series races. TNT will pay US$80m for six races in the middle of the year, while races at the start of the year are expected to go to the Fox Network, which will get exclusive rights to the Daytona 500 and the 13 races that follow. The Fox package is expected to be worth around US$200m. The current NASCAR deal, which was signed in 2000, was for six years and was worth US$2.8bn to NASCAR, which means that the annual income will be going up from US$466m to US$550m, a increase of 18

percent. The rate of inflation in the United States over the same period has been 8.9 percent, so NASCAR is increasing in value as a media asset, and it should be remembered that this is basically only in the USA as international coverage is limited and does not generate much income. It is inevitable that NASCAR will eventually look to overseas growth, although there is no obvious pressure for that because NASCAR remains a privately held company owned by the France family. The Frances are heavily involved in the International Speedway Corporation, a publicly-held company that owns a number of racetracks in addition to the Daytona USA tourist attraction, the MRN radio network, and the Americrown trackside souvenir and food-and-beverage company. ISC is in the process of expanding its operations within the United States with plans to build new speedways in New York, Washington state and

probably Denver as well. The problem for NASCAR is that while its geographical reach inside the US can be improved, it cannot expand the racing, which already runs from midFebruary to mid-November. "We're in the early stages of outlining a long-range international strategy that could capitalise on an already existing appetite for auto racing all over the world," Brian France told reporters last week. "Europe has the greatest density of tracks and fan interest. South America has good auto racing interest, too." But France remains cautious. "Do 1 think we can take that model, whether it's in China or Europe or somewhere else? 1 0 do," he said. "But it will take a long time to do that. We've got to be careful. It can't be us just coming over there with our business plan and spending a lot of money." - JOE SAWARD

Bad No AFTER taking a less than perfect road to win the 2002 championship,Tony Stewart took a more direct route to clinch this year's Nextel Cup title. Despite not winning a race in the 10-race Chase for The Championship, Stewart and his Joe Gibbs Racing crew were a model of consistency and did all they needed to get Tony his $5.8 million

pay day. "I'm not tile guy that won us tins championship," said Stewart. "This race team won us this championship. When we were behind early in the season, we ► didn't know which area was going to get us caught up, but the motor department dug in, the fab shop dug in. Zippy (Greg Zipadelli crew chief) and tlie guys on the pit stops dug and I dug in. We all tried to get that extra half percent or percent that we all thought we needed." Stewart's season turned around

in July.

"I'll be honest with you, we just had not caught onto what the Hendrick and Roush organisations had figured out at that point,"

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Stewart admitted. "I was pretty hard on part of our shop earlier in the year. We weren't exactly where we needed to be. I gave the engineering staff a hard time, but we had a test at Michigan where it seemed like everything clicked and we went back and finished second to Biffle, and that w’as the turning point." Stewart finished the season with three poles,five victories, 17 top-five finishes and 25 top-iO finishes. He is the 14th driver in NASCAR Itistory to win more than one Cup Series championship but only the second active driver to do so,joining four time series champion Jeff Gordon. "2002 was a year of turmoil for all of us," said Stewart."To win it for Zippy without all the turmoil and the garbage that went on, that's why to win it this year means so much more. We enjoyed the year and weren't saying'Tm just so glad this yearIs over'. "I've put this team through a lot of hell the whole time Tve been witli them. We had a meeting at the end of last year, the impact of the meeting was pretty big - it was about

something that happened a long time ago,it was a meeting that Zippy wasn't in. Sometimes bad things have to happen for good things to come out of it. It was probably the most stressful meeting 1 ever went into in my life going in, but at the same time when I left I didn't know what the outcome was going to be. I didn't even know if I U

Either the therapy is working or he's iearning n through experience!

- Jeff Gordon on the mellowing of his rival was going to hai’e a job. "The best thing about it was I know where everybody stood and that was something that had not happened with our race team the entire time that Td been there." Both Gordon and Mark Martin have sufig Stewart's praises. "In ihy eyes, he's the greatest race car driver Tve watched in this era," said Martin.

"I said that either the therapy S' working or he's learned through experience," grinned Gordon. "I think it was a big adjustment for him coming into this sport.! think he's finally starbng to get it; he's a lot more relaxed and enjoying himself." "There's only 14 of us guys in the 50-plus years that's won the championship more than once," Stewart reflected. "I'm not greedy, but when we go to Daytona next year the goal is to win the Daytona 500, the Bricky'ard 400 and another championship. But at tliis point I'm just having fun witli my race team and I'm not concentrating on that stuff. I can't look into tlie future, I don't now who long Tm going to race, I don't when Tm going to retire. "But if I die tomorrow. I've had a great life and I feel like Tm a very fortunate person to have the professional life I've had. Everything else is just tlte icing on the cake. "Tm going to have to train in the off-season, not just to be a better race car driver, but to be a better fence climber!" - MARTIN D CLARK

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PENSKE Racing has ceased operating its number 77 Dodge when after receiving word from financiallytroubled Kodak that it would not be back to sponsor the team in 2006. Penske is expected to turn the effort into a full-time Busch Series team and at this stage no announcement has been made regarding a driver for the team, or if Cup driver Travis Kvapil will take over driving duties. ■ Dave Blaney will suit up for Bill Davis Racing next year. The team confirmed last week that Blaney will step behind the wheel of the #22 CAT Racing car, along with crew chief Kevin Hamlin, "In the last couple of years, we just haven't seen the performance we know the the #22 CAT Racing team is capable of, so change was not a choice - it was a neccessity," said Davis. "Dave is not only a talented and consistent driver, but he is someone I respect and have enjoyed working with in the past." Blaney, the 1995 World of Outlaws Sprintcar champion, last drove for Davis in 2002. ■ Robert Yates Racing has announced wholesale changes to its crew chief line-up for 2006, with Richard 'Slugger' babble joining Dale Jarrett and Tommy Baldwin taking over the reins for Elliott Sadler's similar Ford Fusion. Both crew chiefs have won Daytona 500s; babbie alongside Michael Waltrip and Baldwin with Ward Burton. The pair moved to Yates from Evernham Motorsports, where they crew chiefed Kasey Kahne and Jeremy Mayfield, MARTIN D CLARK

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Dani Pedrosa turns on the speed in final MotoGP test of V5 ANY ideas that Dani Pedrosa is too small to wrestle a MotoGP bike have been set aside after the final test of 2005 at Sepang. The "five-nothin', a hundred and nothin'" Spaniard got within two tenths of World Champion Valentino : Rossi in the three-day test before rain I cut short the fun. Pedrosa ended the test as the fastest Honda rider ahead of Nicky Hayden, prompting Rossi to describe the three-time World Champion's form as "impressive". In the meantime,Chris Vermeulen i and Casey Stoner got to grips with : the new rides, the former Superbike I star 1.5s slower than new Suzuki : team-mate John Hopkins and Stoner : competing 170 laps on the as yet; unsponsored Pons Honda.

"You don't have to muscle the bike around but you do have to move your body weight around the bike," said Stoner on Day 3."I had cramps at times so 1 will go home and relax, get fit and come back in January in much better shape." If there was a surprise of the test, it was the pace of the new 2006 Kawasaki. Shinya Nakano was sixth overall at the test and broke the 2:03 barrier at the track, despite running

with any injured hand. Meanwhile,Sete Gibemaugot to know his new Ducati GP6 at jerez, while a number of 250cc riders alsotested, including Honda's Sebastien Porto. Testing resumes at Sepangon January 23.

New Kids an the[MotoGP]Block: While Pedrosa was keepirtg the local press happy, main pic, Casey Stoner, above, and Chris Vermeulen were feeling the power of their new toys.

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Josh gets Ducati AUSSIE Josh Brookes is off to the World Supersport Championship. Reports suggest that the Aussie Superbike star will move to the NCR team and ride a semi-factory Ducati 749RS in the series. Brookes is expected to test for the team at the end of January. ■ The Supersport series will be a busy one for Australians. Kevin Curtain and Broc Parkes will continue with the Team Yamaha Germany squad, both armed with the new R6. Curtain will be the senior rider on the grid; he turns 40 in May ...

WHATEVER it was that Max Biaggi said about Honda in 2005, the Italian will not be riding one of its GP bikes in 2006 - if he rides at all. Despite having between US$10 and $15 million of Camel sponsorship to buy a seat, the Roman looks a longshot to suit up in MotoGP next season. He is believed to be having talks about a third Kawasaki entry but failing that, he may be forced to contemplate a World Superbike ride if his career is to continue. Biaggi, 34, earned the ire of HRC executives mid-season when he was reported to have made some uncomplimentry remarks about his

works RC211V. Honda execs have since backed away from criticising the man who finished fifth in the championship, blaming the interviewing journalist for asking leading questions. However, rather than giving Biaggi a soft landing (find him a seat with a Honda satellite team) after being booted from HRC in favour of Dani Pedrosa, the company appears to have made up its corporate mind that Max is out, no matter how much he brings in sponsorship. Biaggi won four world titles in the 250 class before moving to the 500cc class in 1998. He has won 13 GPs in 500s/MotoGP.

■ Kawasaki is keeping its new ZX-1 OR SBK contender under wraps. The new bike was nowhere to be seen when the opposition tested at Qatar this week, Team PSG-1 preferring to wait until the new year. ■ One of Suzuki's 2005 problems, a lack of horsepower, could be addressed by an all-new motor. The team is due to test the four-cylinder unit when the seven-week test ban ends in January. ■ As MNews closed for press, a three-day World Superbike test was getting underway at Qatar. Details next issue.

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OPINION

Racing from the back

S good as the V8 Supercar series, the races and the teams themselves are, sometimes you have got to go back to i grassroots - and grassroots in speedway has always been 'fastest to the back.' To me, it’s amazing that it has taken this long for someone to suggest something like this, but I also understand the cost ■ implications. From a team t owner's points of view, you want your car to start up the front no matter'what. But as a race fan, you want to see the fast guys come from the back. You want to : i^s.ee the best racing there is. ● v- , It is a difficult situation and it : air depends on what the points "structure is and hoyv things work wthere. In Speedway, where the ',r%stest after qijalifying goes to \.. the^back of the heats, there<iare '..peopl'e who sometimes 'sand ;'?;bag’ in qualifying. So as long as they.can ensure that nobody is ;sandbagging just to come out on ■ Mop,it is a good thing. ' V. -●« :he biggest thing in reverse ^';grid heat races in speedway J■ js.j,thbt you are only in a 10-lap 'dash;-so the first lap is ’.'ev^^thing. You have to take I ●. yqju'^jch'ances to get to the front ’'ort yoifir.fii?st lap and therf^ob ■.often have to drive to maintain your position a little bit. That's tile way the World Series point 'structure is designed - it doesn't pSy to win every heat from the back, but it is so crucial to get up near the front. When I start 12th, I start the race looking to get into the top three. / You definitely approach some slower cars different to others. I am definitely always watching .what the guys in front of me are doing and how they drive, because that is an integral part of reverse grid racing. You have got to know what is happening as well as what is about

I Motor Mouth With Brooke Tatnell "As Song as they can ensure that nohpdy is SEinitiagning just to coins out on top, it is a good thing n

- Brooke Tatnell on V8 Supercars reverse grids to happen! There are some guys that you know where you stand with them and yeu can take that extra risk of getting around the outside. There are other guys that you know that you will end up in the fence if you go around the outside...

racing, but there are a lot of people in touring cars that have open-wheel racing experience, so they can race clean. You have got to be cautious when the grid is reversed, but motor racing is entertainment and you should never lose sight of that.

What is motorsport? is competition. The V8It fields are so close with the times so close now, so its going to be tough. But thpt's the way the .World Senes"pomt"structure is designed - for reverse grid heat races. The points system is going to be a really important part of how they are going to do this in v8 Supercars. Last time I saw a touring car race they tore the cars up pretty well with the fast guys starting from the front or the back! If you start banging wheels in an open-wheel car you are going to end up on your lid. When you have doors, you have more protection and you just get the bumping and scraping. That's one thing about touring car

ithout sounding arrogant, I didn't think I was going to start this season’s World Series with three wins from five, but I did think we would be strong and running up front. We have come off of a big year in America, which means a lot. This run of form started at the end of the last Australian season when I won the Australian Sprintcar Title. So, this season is about proving that we might not have won the Australian Title in the most flash ● style, but we are the best in the country and the year I had in the States makes^he point that we deserve what we achieved.

called Shane (Krikke) on my way to Avalon last weekend and told him it was raining, so we could go out to dinner and eat lobster - he wasn't too impressed when he found out I was joking. So when he rang me on Sunday afternoon to tell me that my crew had driven my car at the World Series Media Day, and that my crew chief Pete Caporn had put it in the wall, I thought he was just joking me back. It is not very often that your crew chief gets to drive your car, so it was a unique situation. I'm sure Little Pete is hiding and i don’t think he's answering his phone when he sees my number flash up! However, he's the guy that has to fix the ● problem, so its okay, I guess. But the worst part is that he scratched up my Number One! That’s the part I’m worried about my precious number is scratched! ● .i. ^

Recipe

for Disaster 26

UEurope, it is the time parties. Renault had afor big bash the other day in Paris to pat itself on the back for winning the World Championship. There is a BMW party, an FIA party, a Honda party and so on. I cannot say I go to many of them although the annual BAR (now Honda)lunch at Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, near Oxford, is not one to miss. There are not many Michelin starred restaurants in Britain and the Manoir has had two for 20-odd years. It is a great lunch and the Honda people, despite what the FIA might have said after Imola last year, are good people. I am one of those people who think that Honda was not doing anything different to some of the other teams but was a suitable fall guy to send the manufacturers a message. Could I prove that in a court of law? No, but that is the feeling I have. Somewhere in my bookshelves there is a fascinating book about Honda, written in-house, which explains the company history and its ethos. It seems a little dry when you start to read but after a while you get into it and learn some fascinating stuff. And the most important

about winning for the sake of publicity. It is about winning because you are better than the opposition. It is about changing attitudes and teaching staff how to be quick and efficient. And I must say that the choice of the Manoir is exactly right. It is about excellence. It is not about what is an efficient venue. This may go straight over the heads of the press corps as they fiddle about with their food but it is a lesson that others in FI would do well to study. It is not about money, it is about doing things in the right way. Takuma Sato was not delivering and so Honda decided to move him aside. There was no choice, no matter how unpopular it made them in Japan. In fact they felt sufficiently bad about the situation to try to put together a second team with Aguri Suzuki, largely to give Sato somewhere to drive. That has not worked out for 2006 but it will for 2007 and then Honda will be looking after Sato and training up still more engineers.

tthe other end of the scale, BMW seems to me to be setting off in an odd direction. The team has now confirmed Jacques Villeneuve. OWlOKPOrtMWS

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My spies tell me that when he went to Munich the other day to meet with BMW bosses he was told that the team did not really want him to be there in 2006 but because he had a solid contract there was nothing much they could do about it and had to keep him. Jacques went home A,, ‘understanding that he is going ^''to have a tough year but really he has no choices if he wants to stay in FI. I There is no real alternative L without slipping further back ^ down the grid and even then “ there is probably no seat open for him nowadays. And so in 2006 he will earn his US$3m and probably not achieve very much and he will then have to look elsewhere for a job in 2007. By then he will be 35 and possibly the oldest man in the FI field. Michael Schumacher and David Coulthard are older, but neither is guaranteed to go on beyond the end of 2006. Villeneuve loves to go racing in Formula 1 cars but it is something of a personal pleasure these days, as it is a long time since he scored a decent result and one wonders, enjoyment aside, why he bothers. Of course that is easy to say and sometimes success is not what a driver is after. They know that they can only do so much with the machinery available, and so 70eceiniMr2005

Thrilled to be working together: Pollock put in a best-on-round effort to keep Villeneuve at Sauber but how long Theissen, left, be patient? they take the money and have fun ^nd hope that their efforts will be recognised by either their own team or by others. Jacques' quest for the year ahead will be to convince BMW that he is worth a new contract or find someone else willing to sign him. The thing that must be worrying Villeneuve (if anything does) is that BMW obviously has other plans in the longer term. There is anshould argument Jacques knowthat better. He was at BAR after his mentor and protector (and team boss) Craig Pollock disappeared with the mark of a BAT boot on the seat of his trousers and Villeneuve stayed on and was miserable. He and David Richards did not get along and stayed

together only because Richards could not get him out of the contract. Did that achieve anything? Yes, the two men have low esteem for one another! In comparison to Mario Theissen, Richards is a pretty easygoing individual and, judging by what we saw in the relationship with Williams, BMW's successes (if there are any) will be thanks to BMW and any failures will be the fault of the driver. Theissen, it seems, is never wrong. In this particular case, however, I think Mario is making a mistake because, as Jenson Button proved, a Formula 1 contract is simply a position from which negotiations begin. No-one has to be held to a contract if they do not wish to be, they

'1 ttunk Mario Tbeisscn is nuking a ntetariae because, as Jenson Bunon proved,a Formula 1 cimtract is simply a position from which negotiations begin" simply have to buy their way out of it. The fact that Theissen has not spent the necessary money to get rid of Villeneuve can be interpreted in various ways: BMW is giving Jacques the rope with which to hang himself; it does not have sufficient budget to do what it wants to do; or it knows that 2006 is going to be a poor year and does not wish to waste any more money than is absolutely necessary. None of them are very positive. 27

Five minutes with...

ean Cant

Lean, Mean and his name is Dean. Canto won the Deveiopment Series atPhiiiip isiand, and wiiiget his second shot at main series giory with GSM. GKAnTROWLEY spoke to the popuiar Sydney man MOTORSPORT NEWS: What's running through Dean Canto's head right now? Are you thinking about your recent HPDC V8 Supercar Championship win, or are you focusing on 2006 with Garry Rogers Motorsport? DEAN CANTO: I'm already thinking about next year. Obviously winning the championship was the priority for this year, but now that's over, so I'm concentrating on the future. I already know the boys at GRM so it's going to be easy moving in there. I basically know 95 percent of the staff and we all get along well. It's just a matter of getting down there, getting the seat position right and having a crack at it. MN: You know better than anyone that cementing a spot in the main series is tough. It's great that you are getting another chance, but did you have options with other teams? DC: There were other options. Garry wanted a decision soon, though. We weighed everything up, including their infrastructure and the championship position they finished in this year. Garry's cars are improving, they want to continue tofmprove and during our meeting, he told me of a number of further plans for the future. I weighed everything up pretty deeply, spoke to a few people within the industry and made my decision from there. MN: And are you happy with your decision? DC: Absolutely. I get to go to Bahrain and Shanghai l MN: And what do you think about relocating from Sydney to Melbourne? DC: That's just part of the job, like any job. You've got to go where you've got to go. It's 28

"I've had a crack at this hefore and I know what rr I did wrong -Dean Canto, main series driver, Mark il

obviously my choice to move there to be part of the team. Everyone has to work together. There's no use turning up just on the weekend with my helmet and saying 'hi guys,' then drive the car and go home. I'll enjoy going to the workshop and I think it's better for team morale to do it that way. MN: You drove with GRM at Surfers and Symmons. How did you find those two rounds? DC: Very professional. There is a fair few young blokes in the team. Garry is very supportive of his crew, which impressed me. While everyone was packing up after Indy, he dragged the team aside and said 'Great job guys, the cars finished really well, and they wouldn't have finished this well without you guys screwing them together.' Fie was even offering encouragement after Symmons, which wasn't a great round, but

still tried spurring them on and strive for more. In that way, Garry is very supportive.

mechanics on his cars. I'm not really sure what he's doing in that regard. It doesn't really worry me ... I'm signed, sealed and delivered, which is encouraging considering the selection of other drivers he had to choose from.

MN: You are one of a few who has driven a current-spec Falcon and Commodore. What are some of the notable similarities and differences? DC: The Commodore is probably a little nicer in the front end. The Falcon tends to have a little bit more mid-corner push. Every team has different geometry set ups, Triple 8's Falcons feel different to Dick's Falcons, but Garry's car seem to turn in really well.

MN: I guess the plan is to cement yourself as a main game driver now. No more flopping in and out... DC: Yeah, I've had a crack at this before and I know what I did wrong so I won't be doing that again. I want to be here for a fair while longer.

MN: What about driver status. We don't know who your team-mate will be, but is there a number one driver, and if so, are you it? DC: I don't think Garry believes in having a number one or number two. Fie doesn't have number one or number two

MN: What has the highlight of 2005 been for you? DC: The round 1 enjoyed the most Adelaide, and Indy as well with Garry. But as far as the Development Series goes, Adelaide was great. The first round, topped every session, it was fantastic. motorsport news

Dirk Klrnsmilh

Five minutes with...

Juan PaUo Ukuitoya

it was a tough first season with McLaren for the Coiombian, with a new team anU a new car to team,a fast team-mate, a tennis injury amipenaities on the track. He spoke to ADAM COOPER MOTORSPORT NEWS: Your first year with McLaren, lots of ups and downs. How would you summarise it overall? JUAN PABLO MONTOYA: The first two races went OK, although I wasn’t very comfortable in the car. Then I broke my shoulder and missed two races. When I came back in Spain it was really hard. My mind wasn't completely set yet in the way to drive a McLaren, so when I came back it was a bit of a shock. I still wasn't comfortable with the car, and the first day I shunted the car. If things had gone well in the race I would have made the podium, but the refuelling rig failed. Everything just kept adding up. I go to Monaco and I get blamed for something in practioe and I'm not even in the image. Honestly, when you look at the TV when they crashed. I'm not in the shot I Things like that just kept happening. [At the] Nurburgring, I could have won, but [Mark] Webber braked too late and ripped half my car off. At the next race in Canada I'm leading and the team forgets to call me in. Here we go again. Next one was Indy, and we don't race. Then it's Magny-Cours. Finally we're looking good for a podium, and the car breaks down I MN: But you did score some points in those early races... JPM: I scored sevenths and things like that coming from the back, but having bad results brings you bad results at the next race because your qualifying position is compromised and everything. The next race after MagnyCours was Silverstone. It was the first race when nothing went wrong, and I won the racel It was nice to win one and get the first one out of the way. After then I was quick, but I was pretty much out of the 30

championship. The next one in Germany I made a mistake in qualifying ... but even then I finished second. I was winning in Budapest and the car broke down. At the next race in Turkey I get taken off by a backmarker, Monteiro, when I'm running second.

wants to be in control and have knowledge of everything sometimes, and it's very difficult to know everything. He really wants to help the whole time, but sometimes when you're not used to it, it makes more harm /● than good.

Ron is a bit... he wants to be in controi and have knowiedge of everything sometimes, and it's very difficuit to know everything

MN: Are you a lot happier now that you were last year in your old team? JPM: Last year I'd been there for four years, I knew how everything worked. It was a lot easier. Now things are starting to click in by themselves, and when things start to click in by themselves, the performance starts coming along.

- Montoya on his McLaren boss, Ron Dennis MN: Do you think people underestimate how difficult it is to come into a team when the other guy has already been there for a few years? JPM: Going to a team where the other guy's been there for a few years, I don't care. If the car was easy to drive for my driving style, I wouldn't care. But we went through three different front geometries this year, just to adapt to my driving style, and at the same time we were changing the car, and it was going quicker and quicker. I think I had a lot of input into how to make the car better. We changed a lot of things in the car, the way we set it up, the way we balanced it, and generally it has helped one, the pace of the team and two, myself. But at the same time I think it's good because we changed the car a lot for my driving style. MN: Apart from that, you had to understand the team, understand Ron... JPM: At the beginning it was hard. I was used to Frank, dear old Frank. And Ron is a bit . . . he

MN: In the last part of the season you were trying to help or support Kimi. Was that hard? JPM: Those last few races were hard, especially because I was quick. I've been in a position where I could beat Kimi, and win the race, and when you start the race and you know you're going to support your team. . . I'm not doing it for Kimi, I'm doing it for Ron, In a way, if it goes the other way around, Kimi's going to have to be there for me as well. What goes around comes around. MN: What's it been like with the two of you? You're obviously different characters... JPM: It's been good. We're different characters, but if you look at the things with Ralf at the moment, I get on with Ralf really good. I don't have problems with Kimi, but for example at the beginning of the year when things for him were a lot easier against me, it was a lot more relaxed relationship. Now that I'm getting quicker and quicker, you see the things changing a little bit. But we get on really good.

MN: Were you amused to see Michael struggling? JPM: 1 donT think it was Michael struggling, I think it was back to reality. People were putting Michael so high, Michael's perfection of driving and training and that press bullshit. It puts it into perspective. You have a good car, and a good package, you're going to win. You don't, you're not going to win, it's that straightforward in this sport. MN: He's human... JPM: He's human like everybody else. He's good - I'm not going to say he's not good, I think he's a great driver. I think the Ferrari team did a great job over the past few years. But people were forgetting that it takes a team to win. Ever\/body thought it's Michael, just Michael. So what happened did Michael fall asleep this year? The thing is, the last few years he had a better tyre than us. MN: You mentioned the team. How good is McLaren, now that you've had a season to get to know them? JPM: I think Williams was a great team when I was there, and we had great things. This is a completely different team, the way its run and things, but it's amazing as well. I've had a great time here, and the more time that I spend here, the more I enjoyed it. MN: Any idea about next year and the V8? JPM: I'm going to miss the power. One of the things when I name into FI five years ago was the lack of power of an FI engine. We've got over lOObhp more than when 1 came in, but Jesus Christ, it was blah, blah, blah down the straight. A Champ Car had more power than what we've got at the moment. motorsponnews

Th MOTORSPORT NEWS: After the third round this year you were 14th in the Championship. To finish up fourth and first of the Holdens was a hell of a turnaround. TODD KELLY: Right through the year, I was chasing the championship. There were a couple of occasions where I was back into second, and once I got back to third. So I never gave up, I was always quite realistic to win it if I had a good run. Unfortunately, I didn't have a good enough run to be able to do it, I had a couple of good rounds which put me back up each time, but way too many bad ones. And with the points system and the championship now, you just can't afford to have a season like that. MN: You say you had a couple of bad runs, but you were still more or less in the hunt from about Round 4 onwards ... TK: Yeah. It was just the DNFs that knocked me around - I had four DNFs this year. If you work out how many points that totals; if instead of four DNFs I only had three DNFs, where would that put me? Or, if I only had two DNFs, where would that put me? And when you look at it like that, it's a bit frustrating. But there are a lot of areas that we need to improve on to make sure that we don't have the same year next year.

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MN: While you were doing all of this, you were also trying to sort out the new car... TK: Yes, although from this car to the last car is not hugely different. I got the new car at the GP, and Mark (Skaifel had already had his new car for a little while. But you still learn - I reckon if you had the same car for three years, you'd still be learning probably just as much in

V8 SUPERCARS

e Lion King After finishing the year with a Bathurst win and as the leading Holden driver in the championship, you’d think that Todd Kelly would be happy with 2005. Instead, he sees it as a year of missed opportunity. He spoke to MARK GLENDENNING

the third year, with trial and error and . different things. It sort,of knocked us around slightly at a few places in that we didn't have solid data to set the Car up for those tracks, but once h.i we sort of got through the first three or four ■ ' founds we developed a bit o'f a trend in the differences between this car and last year's .f car. W6 applieid that to all of the set-ups from last year, which gave us a^pretty good ■starting point. ^ , -Tj It probably hurt us a little bit, but that's not ■’ what lost us the championship this year. MN: While weVe talking about new cars, there is a possibiiity that weTI see a control chassis in the series in the future. Given that you drive for a team with a strong technical base, would that take aWay drfe of your strengths? TK: I'don't thirik so. I think that if they did the . conthol chassis, it yvould probably be a fairly good thing. I saw it .on a,jjf,gijpr at Phillip Island - I’ don't know whether it was on display there, or what it was doing, but I ● happened to walk past it on Sunday nighf, and I don't think'it's a bad idea. It would be a lot easier to make and maintain, especially if we're doing reverse grid races (laughs). Ij would be a lot easier to repair.,It's more of a proper race car. Less off the production line, and more purpose-built. It's another thing that you equalise a bit more between Ford and Holden, but that is such a small area of performance. There are still so many other areas - you've still got the dampers, and the geometries ... I think the good teams would still be good, and the teams that struggle would still struggle. I don't think it will make much difference. MN: Did you take the Ingall approach and hunt for points this year, or were you going out for wins every weekend? TK: What was hard about this championship for me was, that changed every weekend (laughs).' When I was 14th and sort of down that end of the field, it was 'alright, bugger this. I'm not going to drive around in 10th and get points. I'm going to go and win races'. And then we'd go and win one or two and get up to second, so we'd go, 'OK, let's go out there and try to hang on to second, and if we have to finish third or fifth, we'll do that

and get points'. And then we'dlhave ... like, the gearbox blew up at Oran P^rfc and put me back again. So it was, 'afrigjint, let's go and win races again ...' . It was alii over the place, because I was so far bade a;nd then right up the pointy end, you kmaw,. badk and forth a fair bit. It's funny, there is not a consanrt approach that you can take all year.

I want to be the fittest guy ni the series. Everything I have yot . control of, i want us to be the best at. II

- Todd sets out his 2B0B battle plan

MN; So when you get a result like ttie win at Darwin, it was not so much a confidence boost as a case of,‘well, that's what I had to do'? TK: Yeah. I have only been happv three tiimes this year. China, Darwin and Bstihuirst, we did our job. Everywhere else, you Iteavre the track on Sunday night not with a very big smile on your face, and a heap of notes lin tlhe fdcJer on how you'll fix it for next year MN: Do you think you have matured as a driver this year? TK: The results that I have hadUlliis year are not the result of being more maturre atalll, I don't think. A few years ago, when I was at Kmart, I finished fifth in the champior»sll»ip,,. I think., so I'm only one ahead of that now, four years

later or whatever it is. The biggest thing is, we have improved our whole package. Our engines and stuff were really not good enough, to be honest, in previous years. And now, when we get it right, we've got a good enough package that we can win. I think we've probably found three or four tenths in our cars this year, and in the last four years I'd be surprised if I was a tenth quicker in myself. So it's hard for me to judge, it's probably eas’ier for people on the outside to judge that. I personally don't think that I have matured as far as being a racer goes. Probably out of the car I have matured a lot, with the family and being married with a baby and stuff. But on race weekends, I don't feel any different to how I did three years ago. MN: So where to from here for you guys? Where does HRT have to lift its game? TK: Well, we need to sit down between now and Christmas. I want to have a couple of days of really good debrief of the whole year with my guys, and there are probably 100 things that we need to improve to win the championship. Just to list a few, I want to be the fittest guy in the category. Everything I have got control of, I want us to be the absolute best at, because if you want to win the championship, you have got to be the best. So I want to be the fittest. And I think we need to look at all of the races where we didn't go very well, and there's a pretty solid trend there from years gone by - there are certain tracks that we, as a team, seem to struggle at. And it's not that we go good there one year and bad the next, we genuinely lack a bit of pace at some tracks, whereas some of the Fords go better at them. So we need to try and work out why that's the case, and try and put all those ingredients together to string together one solid year where every single race we go to, when we pull the car out of the truck at the start of the weekend, we are dead-set in contention to win the race. And if we can get to the stage where we can work out the deficiencies at those circuits, and get to the continued on page 34 33

The Weird Side Of Winning MN; You've had a couple of months to reflect on the Bathurst win now. Is it everything it's cracked up to be? TK: Yeah, it is. To be in that group of drivers that has won it is fantastic. It's a different feeling winning that to winning any other race, and that is for a lot of different reasons. Like, China for instance, that meant a huge amount to me. That's one of the most important races I have ever won, because you are out there, you are racing as hard as you possibly can, and you go in and dive underneath guys and put yourself and the car on the line. and do almost ridiculous things to try and win the race. And when you pull that off, and you've just put in 110 percent all day, that is a fantastic feeling. But Bathurst is completely the opposite. I didn't race all day. I

it's a different feeling. Bathurst being like that is what makes it so unique and so special. It's those guys that can do that sort of approach and be able to not be aggressive all day that do well there. And not being in the car over the finish line is a bit weird as well. That has an impact on how it feels. All of that is in the back of you{gj(| mind - but at the end of the day, when you are up on the podium, you've won the thing, you know? (laughs) Eventually, I'd like to be in a position where I can^ in the car for three stints and finish the race. but for the moment, that was just how it panned out.

continued from page 33

stage where we can pull the car out of the truck in that condition set-up-wise, we are a red-hot chance. "’And that's where the championship is going to be won. We've got one more test day left this year, and we want to try a lot of stuff that we've had in theory but never put in the car, which we're hoping will be the answer to these tracks that we never go good at. If we can do that, then I think we're half-way set. MN; When you talk about these bogey tracks, are the common characteristics across these circuits that don't suit your cars? TK: Yes, The high-grip, high-speed tracks, I think we're good at. haven't gone and analysed it yet, but if you look at places like Bathurst, the car was good, China, the car was good. The lower-grip, slower cornertype circuits ... some of them we go good at, but there is a certain characteristic of corner that we struggle with. And you look at the video footage, and some of the cars look quite a bit different to ours at those sorts of places. If we can get that down pat, we're laughing

MN: And are you going to switch off and disappear with the family for a few weeks over the break? TK: We have appearances and ride days until the 22nd, and then we'll hopefully go to Mildura for most of January. We probably won't be there the whole time, but we’ll spend most of the time up and the farm, and maybe have a couple of days here and there for a bit of a break. But it's so important to do that. In order to come back and be in contention next year, you’ve really got to shut off for a fair while and recover from this year. It's a pretty hectic year, with not just the racing, but the workload away from racing. As well as having time off, I want to get a really good head start on the fitness, and put in a month and a half of solid training over the break, and just forget about racing over Christmas for at least three weeks. Then I can come back revived and raring to go at the end of January.

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The Bare Bones o The prototype of TEGA’s new ‘controT chassis project saw the light of day at Phillip Island - but what does it mean and why Is it needed? PHIL BRANAGAN investigates

HAT may well be the next step in the evolution of V8 Supercars met with a mixed reception from the teams at Phillip Island. The first prototype of the TEGA Control Floor Pan(TCFP) was hidden away in garage 35 at the Grand Prix track and viewed by the team owners and engineers over the course of the weekend. The bare chassis -shown here for the first time in exclusive spy photos - can be fitted with the body panels of Holden's Commodore VZ and Ford's BA/BF Falcon, and is planned for introduction in time for the 2007 season. The unit has been under development for some time, followmg a directive from the TEGA Board to seek a technical alternative

The best in the business: TEGA cannot be accused of lacking talented advice, having consulted SBR's Jim Stone, left, and HRT's Richard Hollway. As it stands: The current chassis, like CRM's, below, are production-based.

to the current production-based chassis from Ford and Holden. The board empowered TEGA Technical Director Steve Brow with the task of developing tlie chassis, and he recruited two of the most respected engineers in the pitlane to assist; Jim Stone of Stone Brothers Racing and Holden Racing Team's Richard Holway. MNews conducted an informal poll of teams owners and/or managers, to test the level of support the concept has among the people who matter. Response to the appearance of the unit at PI was about 50-50, with most of the Holden teams supporting the concept and most of the Ford teams against it. The chassis basically reduces the skeleton of a Commodore or a Falcon to a common unit, thought there will continue to be many variations of how the teams utilise the units in the build of their cars. As one team member points out, the unit also provides an ideal platform for a third manufacturer to build a prototype V8 Supercar "without having to reinvent the wheel" ... But before we get to the nuts and bolts, we need to examine why such a project is necessary. One reason is cost; one team, which has in the midst of building a new car for the 2006, told MNews that its build budget for the car was $480,000, and we have also been told separately that the cost of a current bodyshell is as much as $125,000. The major part of that cost is labour, with sources 36

Is this the Skeleton Key? TECA's prototype chassis sits on a trailer at Phillip Island last week. Can you spot the differences? There are already many similarities between the Falcon BA and the Commodore VI, combined right. We hope that the teams and sponsors will pardon the liberty (not to mention the drivers ...) 2

indicating that a current bodyshell takes between 1200 and 1600 man hours to complete. But it is about more than building the car, says Brow; "I do not believe that it will be any cheaper to build but it will be quicker and easier to repair. The cost savings will start to come through with the new vehicles; the VE Holden and the next Ford. Those cars are being built to European crash test standards and some of the material built in for that reason to not lend themselves to be changed into a V8 Supercar. "For example, the chassis rails are being put outboard in the vehicle; we want our trailing arms to be right where those rear chassis rails are, so we would have to change tliat. "There are no real cost savings to be had with the cars we have now. But there will be cost savings when the new cars come through. The cars are becoming more and more difficult

to make into V8 Supercars." According to Orrcon Larkham team owner and TEGA Board member Mark Larkham,is that the project also addresses a sporting issue. "One of the reasons, apart from the cost issue, is that as part of the ongoing aim of growing the sport, there will need to be greater frequency in the calendar," he says. "If there are to, perhaps, be more races, and those races are closer together, you need to either be able to repair cars more cheaply, and faster, or have spare cars. "Unless [Ford President] Tom Gorman and [Holden CEO]Dermy Mooney walk down the back of the pits and hand each team a cheque for $900,000 for two spare cars, we need to have something like this." Some Ford team people pointed to the potential difficulty that Holden teams faced with the new

Commodore VE, which is scheduled for release in the second half of 2006 and which is said to be as much a 4cm longer in the wheelbase than the current Commodore.[Holden Motorsport Manager Simon McNamara declined to comment on the dimensions of the VE when asked by MNews.] This argument skirts the suggestion that there are differences in the road cars at the moment, despite the fact that the Ford is 40mm longer in the wheelbase than the Commodore though marginally narrower in the track, front and rear. Brow disagrees; "Basically, that [equality of dimensions] has already happened under Project Blueprint. We have maximum wheelbase and track set by regulation so that will continue on now in line with Project Blueprint. With the introduction of any new model, any changes will be subject to us going back and examining the cars carefully."

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One leading team identity suggested that there could be a liability issue, since manufacturers spend a great deal of money on secondary (ie, crash) safety and that the new unit does not incorporate tlrat level of safety development. "Whoever might make that comment may not understand that those items have been removed already," explains Brow. "You are seeing a bodyshell with a rollcage and that is where the safety issues are readdressed; it is there to take an impact. By removing the secondary panels, as we do now,and including a rollcage, deletes all the 'factory' safety structures. From the front shock tower forward and from the rear shock tower back, there is so much structure built into the rollcages that the crushable structures are not important. "Road cars are geared up to have minor accidents; our cars are designed to hit walls at 200 kilometres an hour. If you did tlrat in a road car,

7 December 2005

you would be dead." So, what happens from here? The teams will continue to be kept informed about the development of the unit. The first TCFP, which has been built by chassis specialists Dencar, has set the tone for the continuation of the program. There will be more information, and misinformation (like the fictitious - and ivwng - name given to the project elsewhere) and more debate up and down pitlane. So, we may see a complete car, built around the TCFP, appear late in 2006, with a view to a competition debut early in the 2007 season. "If it all goes ahead, the VE platform will be the first platform built on it," says Brow. "We would not stop the Ford guys building new cars in 2006 but they could build [cars] with the new platform under it when the Ford comes on line shortly after the Commodore." And by then, there will be something else to argue about...

5 mins

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Another McLaren designer Adrian Newey is moving to Red Bull Racing in 2006. What will it mean? JOE SAWARD spoke to F1's most sought-after man

ROM time to time, publications such as Motorsport News report on the movement of technical people who,from time to time. change teams. Usually, it is about a relatively faceless engineer who moves from the background of one squad to the background of another squad. Such a recent move was that of Jorg Zander, who last September moved from Toyota to Williams. Yes, it is an important job but, to the public. Zander is not recognisable. Very few technical men are real stars; perhaps, Ferrari's Ross Brawn, Toyota's Mike Gascoyne. And Adrian Newey. As the man who has won titles with Williams and McLaren, Newey is perhaps the star designer of the last 15 years. So when he decamps from McLaren to Red Bull Racing,it is big, big news. Newey is working at McLaren until the end of January 2006. His focus is on the new MP4-21. The car will begin testing in January and McLaren hopes that it will have the reliability and speed to take up from where the impressive MP4-20 left off. If the cars had been stronger in 2005, the team would have walked to the World Championship. Certainly it was a great deal better than the MP4-19 but Newey's move to RBR can probably be traced back to that car and what happened when it was being developed.

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FORMULA ONE

New Beginning

McLaren, it may be remembered, raced the MP4-17 in 2002. In 2003 it planned to introduce a new MP4-18 in the midseason but the new car was not a success, suffering from serious mechanical troubles and so never raced. Newey wanted to start afresh and build a completely new MP4-19. The team wanted to develop the MP4-18 into the MP4-19. Newey was over-ruled. As it turned out, he was right. The MP4-19 was no good and the team was in real trouble. In the midseason Newey revived his original MP4-19 idea and to avoid embarrassment this was called a

development and designated the MP4-19B but in truth it was a new car and it worked. Kimi Raikkonen won at Spa. The MP4-20 was a development of that car and while it was not as reliable as it should have been, it was the fastest car for most of the FI season. McLaren is a team that likes to control the flow of news and Newey is protected by an amiable public relations team and by fierce secretaries who seem to think that journalists should be taken out and immediately shot. And even when you get through to Newey himself he dops not much like to be quoted. After more than 15 years in Formula 1 he knows that it is best to let the results speak for themselves and not to make too much noise. He will talk "off the record" about how he feels about things but ask him to talk into a tape recorder and tire answers become much less Interesting. Perhaps it is a McLaren thing. The

same used to be true of David Coulthard until he left Woking and moved to Red Bull Racing at the start of 2005. Now Newey is following. But not yet. "My current contract with McLaren expires on January 31," Newey says."I have been at McLaren for eight and a half years and I feel that it is time for a change. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at McLaren and have a great relationship with Ron and the team. Ron is a good friend both professionally and personally." One thing that Newey will say is that his move is not to do with money. "My deal with Red Bull Racing provides identical money," he says. "The fact is that I had made up my mind to leave. I will be sorry’ to go but the easy option would have been to stay. There is more of a risk leaving McLaren for Red Bull, but I wanted to join a young team and be much more involved in how it grows. I considered going off to build racing yachts but FI is still a fantastic arena to be involved with and this offers a unique challenge. "Red Bull is not in the sport just to make up the numbers and promote the brand. They have invested cleverly, they have Ferrari engines next year and the goal is to eventually win the World Championship. That is not going to happen in the next year or two, but it

is the long-term view of the team and myself. "I am excited by the opportunity to develop the car, team and facilities and to work closely with Christian Horner and his colleagues. I have been impressed by their plans and their commitment."

Newey's commitment remains as strong as ever it was. "I always want to win more races," he says. "Really, I love design. That is my passion. The combination of engineering and sport is a great combination and it gives you immediate results and immediate feedback. It can be painful when you are doing badly but great when you are doing well. "When you think about it, there are not many sports that fit into that category: there is yachting - The Americas Cup and the Volvo Ocean Race; there is motorcycle racing and there is rallying. And that is about it! "It is well-publicised that I am interested in yachting but if I did go in that direction in the future I would have to do it with a lot of humility because the fact of the matter is, that from my very early years - right back to when I was 10 years old -1 made up my mind to design racing cars and I went to university with that in mind and then straight after graduation I went into racing. All my training has been in racing and so to jump into a different engineering field with no prior knowledge is not

The MP4-20, below, was a development of the MP4-19B and while it was not as reliahle as it should have been, it was the fastest car for most of the FI season

going to easy. The engineering principles and a lot of the technology may be the same but there are also going to be a lot of differences." Newey also argues that while the top technical directors are paid millions of dollars, the task is beyond one man nowadays. "Obviously the technical director or chief designer gets a lot of the credit for the performance of the car but in truth it is very much a team effort. Building up working relationships takes time, but that is the first thing I have to do. I enjoy engineering and 1 think that is my strength rather than management. Having said that if you are in a wellmanaged team I don't think that being technical director has to be a purely managerial role. Obviously it has a managerial element in it but I am hoping to operate in such a way that the individual engineers and heads of department can manage themselves and leave me free as much as possible to be an engineer." It is a little known fact- and

Newey is not going to confirm or deny it - that his move to McLaren came about largely because of David Coulthard. It was the Scotsman who suggested the idea and made the first approach. Newey acknowledges that he enjoys working with Coulthard. "He is a very straightforward, honest guy and he felt that he had been rejuvenated at Red Bull," Newey says, hinting that perhaps he is hoping that the same will happen to him. Not a bad idea.

continued on page 40

HNNIE > KER< .

THE OTHER HALF Adrian Newey and David Coulthard rejoin forces next season. ADAM CODPER spoke to the Scot MOTORSPORT NEWS:Has it been a different kind of challenge this year, working your way up from further down the grid? DAVID COULTHARD:That is the challenge, the challenge is to extract the maximum from the opportunity you have. That's the same whether you're in a car that's more competitive or less competitive. To view it as it's less competitive and therefore I'm going to try less, you're in the wrong business. I try to do the best job I can. It's about working with people to take the team forward, and that's what we're endeavouring to do. MN; Are you excited about working with a new engine supplier? DC: Yes. I'm disappointed about going to V8 and losing horsepower and everything. It's unquestionably slower, and that's got to mean safer, because at various points you're going to arrive at the scene of the continued page 41

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accident at a lower speed. Ultimately we'll still end up doing the big top speed, because they'll just give us the wing to achieve it. It's a new challenge to work with Ferrari, and that will inevitably bring some complications as you adapt to their systems, and it's a time when it's a transitional period in FI for everybody, to a different engine with different vibration levels and what have you. Let's hope that they produce a solid package that enables us to build on this year. MN: Are there drawbacks in being the second team of an engine supplier, rather than having someone devoted to you? DC:Yes, but it's all about resources at the end of the day. If Ferrari have a potentially greater level of investment into that engine project then there's no reason to expect that they won't be able to see that develop. Cosworth are limited by the investment that they've had over the last few years. They've done a very solid job in producing a reliable engine, and we're thankful for that partnership. But the decision was made very early on, which was the right thing for the engineers and designers, and it was the right thing out of respect for Cosworth,so they knew early on what the position was.

MN:Do you think you'll have a competitive overall package in 2006? DC: No way of knowing! After all these years in FI I would not presume to buy into the bullshit of simulations say this, or they say that. Tire best simulation is still the race track, and we'll get the car on the race track and see how it performs. We believe in the potential of the people that are there designing and building the car. If you didn't, then you're absolutely doing the wrong thing. They've had a period of time to understand the 2005 car and look at areas where they believe they can improve and build for the future,so now it's a question of how all those elements of chassis design, aerodynamics, the integration of the Ferrari engine come together. That will dictate whether we are relatively quicker in performance or not compared to the others.

The Odd Couple: Newey and DC have already shared two teams together, first at Williams, previous page, and McLaren, right.

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The New Br GP2is only one season old, but it is already delivering on its aim of propelling young drivers onto the Formula One radar. MARK GLENDENNING touched base with Series Organiser Bruno Michel MOTORSPORT NEWS: How satisfied are you with the way things panned out during the first season of GP2? BRUNO MICHEL I think we can be very satisfied. The objective was to do a series where young drivers could show their talent and potential, and to give them a step to Formula One. And 1 think at the end of the season we have three or four guys who are going to have tests in Formula One, so in that way the series has done a very good job; it's been very spectacular. And we have got all the young drivers who now want to have tests in GP2 to get to Formula One. I think we totally achieved the objectives, and we gave them a car that was capable of letting them show what they were able to do. MN: Early days, but there has already been a higher proportion of GP2 drivers testing FI cars than F3000 managed over its final few years. BM: Yes. You know, I think F3000 was the season leading to Formula One, but for the last three or four years, almost

CP2 Series Media

no drivers went from F3000 to Formula One. So that's why there was a need for something different, something new. And GP2 has filled this gap. MN: How concerned were you by the initial problems that the cars had at Imola? BM: You know, when you do a new series, of course you will start with some technical issues, because the cars are incredibly new and incredibly technically advanced, whereas in F3000 it was the same car for quite a long time. So it took a little bit of time to put it together. But if you look at the Imola race, the only problem was in the free practice that we had on the Friday morning. The rest of the weekend was OK.

And after that, nobody talked about these technical problems anymore. MN: You recently announced that a new team will join the series next year, taking the grid up to 26 cars ... BM: That's right. MN: Is there room for further expansion down the track, or will you cap the grid at 26? BM: I think we will cap it to 26. To keep the series strong we have to have a limit, because its good for the teams to get a lot of drivers wanting to come and test. And 26, at some circuits, is the maximum that we can have at the start of the race. We don't want to go into a pre-qualifying system and have teams that don't qualify.

There was a need for something different. something new. And GP2 n fiiled this gap -Michel, left, on GP2’s first year

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So we had a lot of requests from teams to come into GP2 for next year, and finally we decided to pick only one. And I think, at least for 2006, we are quite happy with this number. MN: How hard was it for you to launch GP2 in the same year as another new category,the World Series by Renault, was launched, given that both of you are presumably drawing upon a similar pool of drivers? BM: No, it was not hard at all because I think we are in a very different segment. Now, I think we are getting drivers from the World Series by Renault that are wanting to come into GP2. And that's the way it is. I think the World Series by Renault was a good success, and I think for Renault, marketing-wise, it was a very. very strong series and a good success. But we are not exactly working in the same segment. It is not the same car, it is not the same category and is not as related to Formula One as I we are. So for me, no, it was not harder.

MN:It didn't seem that you had a hard time getting drivers. BM: Exactly. That was the case last year. As long as you present enough guarantees for the teams to come into the series ... we had a fantastic line-up of teams. We had 12 very, very strong teams. And then after that, it was not difficult for them to find drivers. And then for next year, we are testing here at Paul Ricard and you've got about 40 drivers coming to test and wanting to get into GP2. MN: One criticism that some drivers have had of GP2 relative to other series is the cost. Is it too expensive, and do you see the cost going down in future? BM: The cost will probably be less next year because the teams don't have to buy the cars, which they had to do this year. And,they don't have to buy a stock of spare parts, which they had to do this year. At the end of the day,the cost is very low considering the quality of the championship.

The cost was probably higher than what we were expecting at the beginning, but at the other end the TV exposure was so much more massive than what we expected. Because of that, it was not difficult for the teams to find drivers and find sponsors.

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MN: Given that you are the major feeder category to Formula One, does it make things difficult for you when FI undergoes a major technical change? Is there pressure on you to maintain a certain level of technical relevance between the two series? BM: Not for the moment. Next year, the big change in Formula One is going from a V10 to a V8 engine, and we are already in V8s. So it will be good. And then we will see for the future. If they change the some of the regulations regarding bodywork or aerodynamics or whatever, then we will see what they are doing. But for the moment, we don't have to have that kind of pressure.

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HE sky was blue, the ocean was bluet and the cars at the head of the V8 Supercar pack after 13 rounds were blue, blue and blue.

Russell Ingall claimed an emotional first championship win in his 10th season as a V8 driver. Starting the weekend with 49 points up his sleeve over fellowFordster Craig Lowndes,the Enforcer's priority was to finish. rather than enforce. He played the game to perfection and completed the victory lap with a tear in the eye and his body hanging out the door. The first two races I knew I'd have to have a fair go," he said. "The less cars that were between Lowndes and myself, the better off I was going to be in the third race and that's how it worked out. I only had to finish 19th in the last one. NASCAR-bound Marcos Ambrose completed his five-year V8 journey in style by winning Races 2 and 3, with Lowndes picking up the first race victory. When Ambrose joined the V8 ranks in 2001, he qualifing on pole at the Grand Prix support race. He finished his Supercar career. appropriately, in the same position.

Race 1(23 laps)

afternoon's point score Saturday battle was a major tease for Austrahan racing fans. Correct us if we are wrong,but haven't we waiting a long, long time to see two of Australia's best- Lowndes and Ambrose - go toe-to-toe in a motor race. And just as the pair had a tough,clean,fair fight at Phillip Island, Ambrose is now going to leave the series for his American

dream. We can only imagine what we might have seen in 2006 with the pair in their current equipment... But Garth Tander trumped them both at the start. The HSVDT Commodore launched off the line at terrific speed and led the opening stanza. Tander made his pit stop first on lap six but couldn't get the most out of the car on his out lap with "the world's worst understeer." When

on lap 15, used some grass,but got the job done. For us to have any chance at the championship, we have to win races. so that's what we tried to do. Lowndes said. When we got back out onto the track after our pit stops, Marcos had better car speed than I did until the tyres came up to temperature, but we managed to get back up behind him. Our car was pretty good over Lukey Heights and into MG,and we had to capitalise on that. What made Lowndes's job easier was that Ambrose was in major tyre trouble. The front right tyre barely hung on for the race distance, and it allowed Tander to nip by him with three laps to go as well. We are not to sure what's gone on,but the tyre's got wire, cords and rubber peeling off it," Ambrose said. We delaminated the tyre. I just overloaded it and broke the inside of the tyre. I was in trouble, but I wasn't making it easy for Craig. He tried to pass me into MG one lap and I said 'he's going to have to try harder than that.' Next lap, he did! Ambrose later said that he had locked a tyre on the approach to Honda comer. The lock up went for some 32 metres ... Two of Holden's best chances were taken out of play on Lap 11. Todd Kelly and Steven Richards had completed their pit stops and were well in contention for a top five place. Kelly drafted Richo down the front straight and tried the outside into turn one. The factory Holden was kind of, sort of up there, and attempted to hold his inside advantage into turn two. But it all

continued on page 50

Ambrose and Lowndes emerged

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from their pit bunkers, they had passed Tander. Lowndes even had time to stall the car in pits while being too anxious to get back in the battle. This left Ambrose in the lead, with championship contender Lowndes not far away. With the series situation in mind, Lowndes had to have a go. He made a bold move at MG Corner

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Don't try this at home: Russell Ingall's fourth place overall at Phillip Island was enough to secure the 2005 V8 Supercar Championship.

Craig Lowndes scored his fifth pole for 2005 at PL MARK GLENDENNING reports k

PALPABLE'last day of school' atmosphere J^mhung in the air as the cars took to the track for the season's final Friday practice session. Coupled with that was a sense of excited impatience. The leadup to a title showdown is always accompanied by plenty of hot air, but from now on, it was all about what happened out on the tarmac. During those two hours on Friday though, that didn't amount to much. Forecasters had made some ominous predictions about the weather, but as always the Island had other ideas. Instead of patchy showers, the drivers found themselves facing high temperatures and even higher winds. "The wind probably caused more havoc," said Jason Bright, who ended the session at the top of the sheets. "But when it gets hot it is quite greasy, and that also makes it difficult." Naturally though, the day was 48

all about the first phase of the final push for the championship, and Russell Ingall had a small group from the press pack whipped into a fever by languishing way down in 25th with just three minutes remaining in the session. But before they could press 'send' on their 'Enforcer Chokes' stories. Ingall slipped a new set of Dunlops on and swanned into the top 10. "We've been working on race set-up," he shrugged. "We put a good set of tyres on at the end and that jumped us into the top 10. I just need to make sure I hang in there. Marcos (Ambrose) and Craig (Lowndes) seem to be going pretty good, so I might just sit back and watch them swap paint." Elsewhere, things were fairly low-key. Paul Weel started his final weekend as a full-timer on a quiet note by finishing up 31 st, but was unruffled by his location on the timesheets. "We didn't use greens," he said. "We lost a bit of time

because a corner weight was out, but apart from that the car was good." Things were less rosy over at Orrcon Racing, where Mark Winterbottom was dead last after an array of problems. Frosty spent an hour in the pits while the team tried to trace a vibration problem, the culprit for which was found to be the tailshaft. Fie got back out, only to find that the vibration had knocked a sensor off the engine. He had that fixed, returned to the track, came back for a set of greens, and then had a throttle sensor fail. "I did 26 laps," said Winterbottom testily, "and 18 of those were either in or out laps." Saturday dawned with the same promise of rain, but again the Island proved that it lives in its own little meteorological bubble by delivering another load of sunshine. Still, the forecasts were enough to spook the stewards into combining the two qualifying sessions.

Unlike Friday when everyone was relatively well-behaved, qualifying saw cars launching into the scenery at every opportunity. These excursions almost invariably ended with nothing more serious than a slightly embarrassed driver, but there was one exception. Anthony Tratt was making his last appearance in the Toll Racing Commodore, and he brought his finale forward by 24 hours when he lost control of the car at the Hayshed and punched it through the armco. The driver was OK but the car was not, and Tratt spent the rest of the weekend as a spectator. Larry Perkins, who prepares the Toll Holden, did not look pleased. "That was a genuine $100,000 accident," he said. "That was the last drive of his [Tratt's] contract, and I'm not happy as it appeared to be a controllable driving situation." The crash caused a long delay while the fence was fixed, and when the session got back underway there was 12 minutes

motorsportnews

V8 SUPEBCABS

PHILLIP Island has a lot of gravel, and it was given a solid workout during qualifying as one car after another looked for a shortcut to the beach with the penguins. Onlookers had more than enough opportunity to watclr the run-offs in action - which meant that there were plenty of chances to see that it wasn't working. Gravel is meant to slow errant cars down,and at most tracks it does its job. Sometimes it almost goes too far, as anyone who has watched a V8 Supercar sitting axle-deep in the dirt at Barbagallo can tell you. But at the Island, it might as well have not been there. Lee Holdsworth fired across, kept the car rolling, and was able to drive out the other side without any real problems. John Bowe launched off the road with all four w'heels locked, and he might as well have been on skis. "It (the gravel) didn't slow me down too much, did it?" he remarked afterwards. The gravel was also initially blamed in some circles for exacerbating Anthony Tratt's crash before everyone left to sort out the top 10. At the time, Greg Murphy was on top ahead of Craig Lowndes, Ambrose, Bright, Rick Kelly, Jamie Whincup, Steve Richards, Garth Tander, Mark Skaife and David Brabham, who was doing a great job after a productive pre-event test at the circuit a few days earlier. Ingall, meanwhile, was 16th. Brabham's spot amongst the pack was pulled out from under him by Ingall in the last few minutes, and then with 45 seconds remaining on the clock one HRT car was swapped for another when Todd Kelly knocked his boss out of the Shootout. Skaife's departure left Ingall dangling on the bump, but time ran out before anyone could do anything about it, and the Caltex Falcon sealed itself a Shootout slot.

Top 10 Shootout S first car on the track in the

Shootout, Ingall could be comfortable in the knowledge that no matter what happened, he could only move forward on the grid. He resisted the temptation to try something heroic though, and drove around tidily to set a time that wouldn't threaten the front row, but could pose a problem to anyone that slipped up somewhere. Russell didn't have to wait long for it to pay off. Whincup was next out, and missed the apex at Honda, He recovered 7 December 2005

looked at the footage again and realised that Tratty had managed to miss the gravel altogether and was on grass for his entire journey tow'ards the wall. None of the drivers were pretending to be sandtrap experts, but they all had ideas about what some of the lost time over the remainder of the lap, but was still 0.5s down on the SBR car when he crossed the finish line. The HSVDT pair of Tander and Rick were out next; Tander getting the better of his younger team-mate and both cars ducking underneath Ingall's time. A slow first split put Richo on the back foot and left him well short of the mark, and shuffled Ingall up to a guaranteed fourthrow starting spot. Todd use his run to good effect and wedged himself between the HSVDT cars, and then it was Ambrose's turn. It was to be his final appearance in a Shootout and the two-time champ rose to the occasion, posting the quickest time of the session to that point. But his hopes of a farewell pole were knocked on the head almost immediately by Lowndes, who also had a championship to think about and swept Marcos's time under the carpet by just 0.006s. The bar was set too high for Bright or Murphy to do anything about it (the latter not helping his cause with a huge lock-up at Honda), and the deal was settled. Second championship contender Lowndes was on pole, third championship contender Ambrose right next to him, and leading protagonist Ingali a few rows back in eighth. The first corner of the first race would be the most critical of the entire season. We couldn't wait.

was causing the problems.Some said that the individual pebbles were too big. Others said that the traps were graded flat, rather than furrowed as they are at other circuits. A few said that the gravel was packed down too hard. Several suggested that it was a combination of all of the above. And

almost to a man,they decided that the root cause of all the dramas was that the traps were designed for bikes, not cars - intriguing, given that MotoGP and SBK riders were saying the opposite thing there a few ^ months ago... - MARK GLENDENNING

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1 3 Phillip Island, Vic

Dr i ver | Car/team|t i me

Greg Murphy

Super Cheap Auto Racing Commodore VZ

1:33.2878

Jason Bright

J;33.3008 ‘1:33.3460

Craig Lowndes Marcos Ambrose

Ford Performance Racing Falcon BA Team Betta Electrical Falcon BA Plrtek Racing Falcon BA

1:33.4863

2 3

Todd Kelly Steven Richards

Holden Racing Team Commodore VZ

1:33.6467

Team Perkins Racing Commodore VZ HSV Dealer Team Commodore VZ

1:33.7256 1:33.7832

HSV Dealer Team Commodore VZ

1:33.7845

Rick Kelly Garth Tander

Jamie Whincup

Dodo Racing Commodore VZ

1:33.8150

Caltex Racing Falcon BA

1:33.8695

Holden Racing Team Commodore VZ

1:33.8961

Super Cheap Auto Racing Commodore VZ

1:33.9390

Russell Ingall Mark Skaife

Paul Weel

Jason Richards

Dodo Racing Commodore VZ

1:34.0041

Paul Dumbrell

Team Perkins Racing Commodore VZ

1:34.0923

David Brabham

Ford Performance Racing Falcon BA

1:34.1200

Paul Radisichl

Team Kiwi Racing Commodore VZ Team Betta Electrical Falcon BA

1:34.2246

1:34.1507

Steve Ellery Paul Morris

Sirromet-Life, Style, Wine Commodore VZ

1:34.3204

Cameron McConviile

Repco Valvoline Cummins Commodore VZ

1:34.3896

Larkham Orrcon Racing Falcon BA

1:34.4010

Jason Bargwanna Glenn Seton

Westpoint Racing Falcon BA

1:34.4141

Mark Winterbottom

Larkham Orrcon Racing Falcon BA

1:34.4770

Max Wilson

WOW Sight & Sound Commodore VZ

1:34.4920

Steve Owen

Fujitsu Racing Falcon BA

1:34.5090

Steven Johnson

Westpoint Racing Falcon BA

1:34.5257

David Besnard

John Bowe

WPS Racing Falcon BA Team BOC Falcon BA

1:34.8744

1:34.6671

Craig Baird

WPS Racing Falcon BA

1:34.8874

Autobarn Racing Commodore VZ

1:34.9223

Owen Kelly Matthew White

Fujitsu Racing Falcon BA

1:35.0476

Lee Holdsworth

Brad Jones

Repco Valvoline Cummins Commodore VZ Team BOC Falcon BA

1:35.1546

Anthony Tratt Simon Wills

Toll Racing Commodore VY Go Talk Commodore VZ

1:35.1275

1:35.2325 1:35.7031

TOP 1 □ SHDDTDUT 1.

Lowndes

28.0347s

1m07.1334s

1m33.28268

Ambrose

27.9028s

1m07.1715s

1m33.2684s

28.0625s

1m07.3233s

1m33.4077s

Bright Tander

27.9888s

1m07.1888s

1m33.4950s

T Kelly

28.0707s

1m07.3757s

1m33.5635s

R Kelly

27.9745s

1m07.4545s

1m33.6085s

Murphy

27.8681s

1m07.5003s

1m33.6I01s

27.9201s

1m07.5725s

1m33.B626s

Ingall S Richards

28.3062s

lm07.9704s

1m34.2467s

10.

Whincup

28.2736s

1m07.9324s

1m34.3097s

continued from page 47

"It was a bit of a shame," Kelly recalled. "I was the first Holden in

Recovering from that wasn't a problem, but the next incident at Honda brought various people to boiling point. "(Paul) Weel blocked me on the inside and Dumbrell passed us both around the outside and tried to cut across," Morris said. "I think the stewards should have reviewed the incident after the race to get their facts right." Morris copped a stop-go penalty for hitting Dumbrell, who was adamant that he wasn't at fault. "He hit me at the exit of the

the queue to get the manufactures championship off these Ford blokes, so for Richo to do what he did was

corner," Dumbrell said. "I thought I'd made a good move but he ran into me.

pretty disappointing." Russell Ingall watched the Richo/Kelly incident unfold in front of him - but the luck of a Champion was on his side. The two Holdens

The first lap also saw a number of cars nose into each other, including David Brabham, Max Wilson and Mark Winterbottom, who was contesting his last race for the Larkham Orrcon team.

ended in tears. Richards was handed a drive-through penalty for not giving Todd racing room; and the Castrol man was damning after the race. "I've got no idea how you can get a penalty for getting hit off the track," Mchards said. "I looked in the mirror, the side mirrors, I didn't see him. I did everything I could." Todd later rued the loss of a top finish.

departed from the track without getting in his way, and Ingall followed a lonely Rick Kelly home. An understeering Greg Murphy finished sixth. Murphy was involved in a bizarre clash with Jason Bright in pit lane. Bright pulled out of his pit bunker too early and punched into Miirph's rear door. The FPR's front bar was dislodged, and he was ordered to serve a drive-through penalty. To rub salt into the wound,he was put down a lap.

Race 2(32 laps) earn BOC's season hasn't been the

greatest. In fact, it's been their worst since becoming a two-car V8 Supercar team. Brad Jones put the finishing touches on his team's tough year when the tailshaft snapped on the grid before the warm-up lap. As far as the race proper was concerned, there really wasn't much to it. The pit stops pretty much decided the outcome. Lowndes took on four new boots and suffered as a consequence - not for speed, but for track position. He dropped behind Ingall and R.Kelly and it took him 10 laps to get past the pair of them. Once through, he pressed on for third and even found time to run off the road at Honda, without damage. Ambrose and Tander, on the otherhand, were comfortable out front and cruised their way to first and second. Rick Kelly took fourth, despite receiving a bad sportsmanship flag. Kelly, R elected to change the rear tyres during the pit stop, and the Commodore suffered from chronic understeer from then on. In defensive mode, Kelly couldn't make up his mind as to where he wanted to place his car while Ingall was filling his mirrors, hence the flag. Paul Morris had an entertaining race. The Sirromet driver clashed with David Brabham at Siberia and both cars went for a 180kmh-plus

bush bash.

Race 3(32 laps)

’'ust like the season started, Ambrose finished on top in dominant style. After five years in the series, tw'o championships, 18 poles and 15 round wins, his satisfaction was evident - despite not taking another title with him to America. "It's just a great way to finish," Ambrose said."We won the first round, we won the last race, but the bit in between has been a bad dream. It would have been great to go out with three championships in a row, but we've handed the number one over to a great guy in Russell. He really deserves it this year. "We improved the car just a little bit, I drove it hard today and I've finished my V8 career the right way." After a dull Race 2, everyone was hopeful of a change in the action ■ stakes in Race 3. We were immediately on the edge of our seats when Ingall made a mega start and ran through turn one three wide with Lowndes and Kelly, R. With his championship in mind. Ingall got off the right pedal, allowing Ellery past. Ingall proved to have more speed than Ellery in the first two laps and attempted to pass him on the front straight. Ellery made it clearly obvious that he didn't want the Caltex car ahead and moved swiftly to his right, forcing Ingall to eat dirt at 250kmh. Ellery was shown a black flag. Ingall survived the skirmish and finished fourth, but more importantly, took home the 2005 V8 Supercar Championship. Tander made an awful start and slipped as far back as sixth, but fought back for fourth which was good enough to secure second for the round. The West Aussie complained of lack of grip in the last race, however, all the signs point toward a

If we can start as good as we finished... This year, HSVDT finished in barnstorming style, above. Next year, TollHSVDT will hit the ground running. MG Single: Winterbottom got caught out in the fracas at the start of Race 3, right.

promising 2006. "I think we had the car to win this weekend but we out-smarted ourselves a bit with tyre strategy," Tander said."We were the form Holden team for the last couple of rounds of the championship and if we are not the form Holden team in next year's championship, then I don't know who will be. Great job by our guys where we've consistently been on the podium in the latter part of the year. So look out next year." Lowndes's faint series hopes were dashed when he copped a drive through penalty. The infringement? One of the T8 team members had dropped a wheel nut into the 'fast lane' prior to #888 being serviced. Lowndes plunged well down the order and at one stage, had fallen to third in the championship. By picking up a couple of quick places, Lowndes secured second by nine points. Murphy sourced some extra pace from his car for the final race of the year and finished second,just in front of R.Kelly. Those pair were actually in the reverse order until the penulitimate lap, where Murphy outsmarted him on the exit of turn two. After different disasters earlier on, T.Kelly, Bright and Mark Skaife finished seventh, eighth and ninth

Sr^

ahead of Weel and Ellery, who fell back. Glei-m Seton put in a fine drive in his last as a full-time DJR pilot. He raced from 24th to 11th. Two Safety Car periods were required for the stricken machines of Jamie Whincup (engine) and Owen Kelly (engine) while S.Richards had a very slow pit stop, caused by an air lance glitch. He finished the race in an uncustomary 26th. But there were no such dramas for Russell Ingall and Stone Brothers Racing. One round win and consistency from east to west won them this year's crown,and with a similar points system and a new racing format next year, consistency is what will win the 2006 championship. In saying that, the last word should go to Ingall. "Marcos has had two years success, so I'm just glad I could give the guys on my side of the garage this. They deserve it," Russell quipped.

molorsportnews

L 118 SUPERCABS h-

- «OMRXf -

MARK Skaife hung on for

»Raq V"

grim life around the

outside of the two Super Cheap Autos cars at the first turn of Race 1 at

"We had to approach the championship differently. I've tried every which way to win this. I tried crashing, bashing, bucking the system, and none of that worked so we tried just cruising it to see if that worked. But saying that, you just had to push on. It's such a competitive championship." FINAL VB CSC PQ I NTS Ingall 1922, Lowndes 1865. Ambrose 1856, T Kelly 1760, Skaife 1754. Tander 1734, S Richards 1669, R Kelly 1630. Bright 1566, McConville 1501, Murphy 1500, Johnson 1460, Ellery 1424, Radisich 1384, Seton 1353, Whincup 1307, Ja Richards 1295, Bowe 1235, Morris 1059, Dumbrell 1046, B Jones 1027, Weel 1000, Baird 980, Wilson 931, Besnard 904, Bargwanna 083, Ritter 739, A Jones 733, Wnterbottom 660, White 619, Tratt 511, Owen 480, Davison 469, Wlls 437, Canto 312, Brabham 280,0 Kelly 220, Muller 192, Macrow 184, Youlden 176, Pretty 172, Brede 168, Cleiand 168, Holdsworth 162. Faulkner 156. Gurr 156, Courtney 152, Porter 152, Ji Richards 152, Scott 152, Halliday 148, Menu 148, Marshall 144, Tagliani 144, Luff 140, McLean 136, Fernandez 128, Simonsen 128, White 128, W Davison 124, Scifleet 116, Evangelou 96, Coleman 92, D’Agostin 92

7 December 2005

Phillip Island. And where did he end up? Fighting from the back of the field after receiving the tiniest of touches from Paul Weel. "I thought I was safer on the outside but as it turned out I wasn't/' Skaife said. "It was just recovery the rest of the time." Skaife finished the final race in eighth place, but in his post-race statement, the five-time champ summed up his Phillip Island experience by saying "It was just a shocking weekend." You might think that eighth isn't too bad, but after qualifying outside the top 10 on his home track, shocking was probably an understatement. - GRANT ROWLEY

Sea of blue: Ford's oval was waved loud and proud after the final race at Phillip Island, above, but their hearts were in their mouth when Ellery and Ingall, top, collided early in Race 3.

Do you see what I see: Lowndes, below, was in contention until the final race. Murphy, above, finished second in the final. D

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■

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V8 SUPERCARS

Bright, Dull, Bright

THIS year, Jason Bright has become used to qualifying up the front, and for one reason or ^others,found himself finishing down the back. But when he started the Phillip Island weekend as the fastest driver in Friday's two hour practice session, things looked Bright (pardon the pun). And considering that PI is FPR's home track, the team's first podium place for the year was ready and waiting. But a mix up and clash with Greg Murphy in pitlane in Race 1 put their hopes of a podium on hold until the new year. ' "It was definitely a frustrating weekend, i considering we knew we had the pace," Bright said. "It was good to show we had the speed in the final race. Race 1 didn't really go to plan, which cost us a podium chance. It would have :

been nice to finish off the year at the front." It wasn't all doom and gloom, though. Bright executed one of the passes of the weekend at the last restart of Race 3. Brighty knew that his best shot of making any positions would be on the first lap back in race-mode, and the turn four hairpin was the aim. But he also knew that the man in front, Mark Skaife, is never one to make life easy. Bright took the risk and it paid off. "He was defending pretty hard before the Safety Car period," Bright recalled. "It was my one and probably only chance to get past Skaife. It was very dirty on the inside of the track there and I just held onto it." - GRANT ROWLEY ^

VBSCS Rd 1 3 Phillip Island, Vic i

Pds I Driver

Race Time j Fastest [ Lap

Race 1 Lowndes 2 Tender 3 Ambrose

1 | 23 i_af="s 37:30.4916 1;34.6779‘ 5 37:33.3138 1:34.8049 2 37:39.1339 1:34.7061 6 37:42.1792 1:35.1420 4 37:47.2869 1:35.2618 5 37:48.3437 1:35.1782 4 37:51.4189 1:35.6951 15 37:51.9302 1:35.6996 7 37:53.4706 1:35.4835' 4 '37:54.7884 1:35.5461 4 37:55.5580 1:35.5221 8 37:56.4473 1:35.9355 7 37:57.6964 1:35.3866' 4

4 5 6 7

R Kelly Ingall Murphy Radisich

8 9 10 11

Ellery Dumbrell Weel Brabham

12 13 14 15

Whincup T Kelly Morris Skaife

16 Bargv/anna 17 ‘ J Richards 18 McConville 19 WinierboUom 20 Wilson 21 Owen 22 Johnson 23 Bowe 24 Jones 25 Holdsworlh

(

26 27 28 29 30

o'Kelly S Richards White Seton Baird

31 Bright DNF' Besnard DNF Wills

r^'

Race

> § -a

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road THERE were three drivers at Phillip Island who,in all likelihood, will not be competing full-time in 2006. One of them has had a champagne career, one has elected for an early retirement, and the other had a painful and expensive farewell. Glenn Seton has been a stalwart of

Australian Touring Car racing. Two championships, 17 wins, nine poles, 53 podiums. OK,he may not have a Bathurst victory on the scorecard, but his career statistics are first-class. "I've enjoyed racing for my old sparring partner (Dick Johnson) this year," Seton said. "Most people couldn't believe it when it was announced that I'd drive at DJR. As I have said all year, it is not something that would have happened 10 years ago. "The actions over the last few weeks have been disappointing but there's nothing that we can do about that now. What's done is done." Paul Weel also hung up his full time helmet after Phillip Island. The likeable Melbourne resident will concentrate on his booming radiator business. 52

1 2 3

Ambrose Tander Lowndes

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

R Kelly Ingall Ellery Murphy Radisich Weel Skaife Richards S Richards

13 14 15

Bright McConville Dumbrell

16 T Kelly 17 Bargwanna 18 Whincup 19 Joh'^son 20 Winterbottom 21' Wilson 2'2' Brabham 23 ’ HoTdsworth 24' Seton' 25 Besnard 2'6 Wills' 27 'Baird 28 Morris 29 Bowe

38:04.9255 ,^:36.1297 38:06.1200'>135.8989

4 4

38:06.7568/ 1:36.1022 38:07.4540 1:35.6540 38:08.1120 1:35.8565 38:09.1708 1:36.0837 38:'l2'0213 1:36.0002 38:19.5410 1:35.8519' 38:19.6269 1:36.3828 38:20.2910 1:36.4891 38:20.8303 1:36.3867

5 4 3 4 3 4 4 14 9

3B:23.9349_1:36.7944 '38:24.3507 T:36,5214 '38:36.l'483 1:35.4360 38:51.6846 1:36.6223

7 18 5 16

'22 laps 1:36.2202 22 laps 1:36.4432 21laps ‘ 1:34.8217 ISIaps 1:36.9913 12 laps 1:37.0024

10 5 4 4 4

■

7 7

52:'03.0595 1:34.3027, 52:05.7323 1:34.9803 52:05.8683 1:34.8898 52:06.6799 1:34.7036 52:06.9645 1:35.2428 52:12.4863 1:35.1281 52:17.3569 1:35.4233 52:17.7944 1:35.5238 52:19.3364 1:35.7804 52:23.5231 1:35.6489 52:29.6300 1:35.5360 52:38.8569 1:35.9977 52:44.3263 1:35.9753 52:44.9363 1:35.1114 ‘ 52:45.1526 ' 1:35.9230 52:45.5724 1:35.9703 52:46.4153 1:36.2890 52:47.0592 1:36.1659 52:51.3077 1:'35.9140 52:52.4604 1:35.7013 52:54.1367 1:36.2679 52:54.2946 1:35.8970 53:07.6501 1:36.6456 53:14.4727 1:36.1025 53:17.7301 1:36.8485

7 5 7 5 6 7 7 16 7 11 22 11 10

31 laps 31 laps 31 laps 30 laps ISIaps

30' '0 Kelly 31 White DNF Owen DNS Jones

Weely finished eighth overall at The Island and was pleased with his finale "I'm happy with that," he said. "Eighth in this competition is a good way to go out. We qualified well, I was a bit disappointed I missed the Shootout, and then we raced well all weekend and were able to finish in front of a lot of good cars, including both HRT Commodores," The #50 Commodore driver mentioned his first Bathurst in 1998 as his career highlight. "The first time we went to Bathurst is my highlight," he said. "To go there as a small, privateer team and finish in the top 10- we finished ninth with

Neal Bates - was very special. "We also backed that up the following year with Greg Crick, finishing eighth." The other driver leaving the series is Anthony Tratt. This is also not the last we'll see of Tratt behind the wheel of a V8 Supercar, but next year, his role as a driver will be reduced. In fact, his role as a driver was ■ limited at Phillip Island. The 40-yearold dropped a wheel off the track at the Hayshed in qualifying, tried to correct the sideways Toll car but slid across the grass and into the outside wall. - GRANT ROWLEY

32t ILAPS

51:45.7816 1:34.3861 5i:524387 1:34.0821 *

1:35.4601 1:3^9894 1:36.4743 1:35.9637 1:36.2380

10 12 7 11 15 5 7 19 10 7 5 19 4 lO' 7

RACE 3

1 2 3 4

54:41.2786 1:34.9596* 9 54:43.3522 1:35.8939 11 54:44.4252 1:35.4915 9 54:45.4194 1:35.2245 ' 9 54:45.5484 1:35.5409 13 54:45.9631 1:35.2658 8 54:46.0926 1:35.9455 11 54:46.9760 1:35.9006 12 54:49.5118 1:36.1331 12 54:51,1540 1:36.1891 16 54:51.3538 1:36.1156 54:52.3760 1:36.0277 9 54:53.4996 1:36.2163 9 54:54.6993'1:36.8662 54:55.5389 1:35.1566 3 54:55.5746 1:36.4084 8 54:56.4371 i:36.7011 16 54:56.7181 1:36.6003 11 54:57.1693 1:36.3748 14 54:57.7761 1:36.5382 10 54:58.3877 1:36.7435 16 54:59.3440 1:36.6040' 9 54:59.8155 1r36.7121 9 54:59.9815 1:36.3141 8 55:00.9875 1:36.8047 55:01.4317 1:36.3717 11 55:01.9480 1:36.8170 8 55:05.6411 1:37.1311 16 55:19.3508 1:36.4009 10

Ambrose Murphy R Kelly Tander

5 Ingall 6 T Kelly 7 Bright 8 Skaife 9 ' Weel 10 Ellery 11 Seton 12 Wilson 13' Morrrs 14 Radisich 15 Lowndes 16 J Richards 17 Bargwanna 18 Johnson 19 Dumbrell 20 Besnard 21 McConville 22 Owen 23 Wills 24 Jones 25 Winterbottom 26 Richards 27 Bowe 28 Holdsworth 29 Baird 30 White 31 Brabham DNF 0 Kelly DNF Whincup '

32 L,AF*S

31 laps 30 laps 23 laps 3 laps

1:36.4860 1:36.6829 1:36.9932 1:37.2796

29 16 16 3

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ETWEEN the two of them, Adam Macrow and Dean Canto won every round and took every pole of the 2005 HPDC V8 Supercar Championship. So it was only fitting that as one took the 2005 crown,the other won the round at the series final at Phillip Island. Not much separated the two young guns at the Island, but it was fair to say that for the first time this season, Canto was shaded, if only slightly, by Macrow. Qualifying was the only session that saw Canto top Macrow, the latter steering the Howard Racing Falcon to two well-calculated victories as Canto erred on the side of caution with his championship in mind. "Dean was'quicker than me in some spots and I was quicker than him in some spots," said Macrow. "It was extremely close." Second in both races was more than enough for Canto to take the Championship. "We didn't have as much speed as we’ve had in the past," said Canto. "We had to work pretty hard this weekend." Third for the round was Warren Luff, a fitting farewell for Paul Cruickshank Racing after three years in V8 Supercar's : second tier. Luff and leading Holden driver Tony D'Alberto

r WITH pole at Phillip Island, rep UALIFYIISIE j Dean Canto was the HPDCVBS Rd 3 Eastern Creek, NBW fastest man in six of the seven HPDC V8 qualifying Car/team | T i me Pos/Nq I Dr i ver sessions this season. // Mallala - don't remind 1 71 1:35.2948 Dean Canto Gatorz Racing Ford Falcon BA 2 27 1:35.3191 Adam Macrow Betta Electrical/Breakfree Res Ford Falcon BA me," joked Canto. "1 wasn't n 3 72 Lee Holdsworth Smiths Trucks/Lubrimaxx Holden Commodore VY 1:35.6235 even on the front row there. 1:35.6363 4 Summlt/Jax Racing Ford Falcon BA Grant Denyer 5 60 1:35.8336 Warren Luff Leading into qualifying, Decina Racing Ford Falcon BA 1:35.9515 6 99 Tony D’Alberto Tony D’Alberto Racing Holden Commodore VY Adam Macrow had put the 1:36.5255 7 26 Jose Fernandez Fujitsu Racing Ford ^Icon BA Betta Electrical car at the top of 31 Mark Porter 1:36.8119 Hyundai Construction Racing Ford Falcon BA the time sheets in both 9 41 1:36.8774 Gary MacDonald Kanga Loaders Racing Ford Falcon BA practice sessions and led the 1:37.4661 10 30 Tony Evangelou Dexion Racing Ford Falcon BA 11 90 Grant Elliott MacArthur Fleet Service Ford Falcon AU 1:^6843 majority of qualifying. But 12 65 1:37.8241 some late tweaks to the Gatorz Phillip Scifleet Doric Racing Ford Falcon AU 13”'” 69' 1:37.9728 Robert Jones Spies Hecker Racing Holden Commodore VX car rocketed Canto from the 14 28 Dean Wanless 'l;38.0007 Smartskip Ford Falcon AU midfield into the top spot. n 1:30.6311 Hl-Trans Holden Commodore VY 5000 15 42 JayVerdnik n I wasn't too concerned, 16 91 Custodian Wealth Builders Ford Falcon AU 1:39.4278 Gary Deane Dux Hotwater Holden Commodore VX 1:39.7103 said Canto, who at one stage 17 32_ Aaron McGHf 10 68 ‘ Shane Beikoff 1:39.7292 Shane Beikoff Racing Ford Falcon AU was only 12th."We just didn't 1:40.9288 19 86 Greg Smith Fujitsu Ford Falcon AU get a run on the first set of 20 62 Scott Loadsman 1:40.9902 C & L Racing Holden Commodore VY tyres. We made a small shock '21 57 1:43.4115 Dean Savage Jim Beam Racing/JPS Auto Holden Commodore VX change and a roll centre 22 80 1:43.9628 Barry Tanton Formula Group Ford Falcon AU DNQ 37 Mark Howard no time Betta Electrical/Breakfree Res Ford Falcon BA change and it made it a smidge better and that was enough." Macrow was next, just 0.0243s behind, ahead of Lee O Holdsworth in the Smiths Holden and Grant Denyer in a Si the Summit Falcon, his best qualifying result to date. - CHRIS JORDAN^

nri

-Af

continued on page 56 54

moiorsportnews

HPPC lie SUPEBCABS

J Dean Canto and Adam Macrow continued their domination of the HPDC V8 Supercar Series at Phiiiip Island. CHRIS JORDAN reports

^ -

continued from page 54 Tf

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GRANT Denyer was third on the first iap of Race 1 ... untii he was speared by Mark Porter’s Faicon. “It was a really hard hit,” said Denyer. “You wouldn’t believe the damage it did - all sorts of things were broken and bent. “She wasn’t pretty in the second race but the boys performed a miracle getting it fixed.” Denyer also reinjured the shoulder he originally hurt at Round 1 in Adelaide, but will not require surgery, just some rest.

finished with a third and a fourth place each, but the trophy went to Luffy by virtue of the higher place in the second race. "I would have liked to finish the season a little higher," said Luff. "We've all had our highs and lows during the season, so it's good to finish second in the championship." Aside from the front five - Lee Holdsworth was around the mark in the Smiths Trucks Commodore - there was the usual mix of skill and carnage in what is a diversely talented grid. But the racing at the front was the closest it has been all year, and that's what matters most.

Race 1- 22 laps

anto led away from pole as Macrow bogged down and dropped to fourth. The Betta car tucked up behind Denyer approaching Honda hairpin, but never had to find a way past Denyer, thanks to Mark Porter. Porter was caught out as thb pack descended on the braking area and clipped the back of Jose Fernandez's Fujitsu car. As Fernandez was sent across to

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HPPC lf8 SUPERCARS the outside of Honda, Porter slid across the inside of the corner and straight into the side of Denyer. For Denyer, it was looking like the race of his season, but it only lasted half a lap, see breakout. Both Falcons were out on the spot and a Safety Car was called to clean up the mess. "I got a shocking start and smoked the rear tyres," said Macrow. "Into Honda there, a couple of people locked up. "A yellow car came flying through and to be honest I don't know how I got by. I was right on Grant's bumper and then he was gone I" The next car for Macrow was Holdsworth, but he too was taken care of under the Safety Car. The Smiths machine had locked a brake almost the entire braking distance into Honda and came into the pits for a new Dunlop, dropping it to the rear. At the restart Canto led away from Macrow and D'Alberto, with Holdsworth already carving through the field. Another who was making his way through the slower cars was Phil Scifleet, who was forced to start from the rear after his TEGA data logger failed to activate for

qualifying. His charge ended among the graveyard of cars at Honda when he was clipped on the exit of the corner by Grant Elliott, just as the Doric car had reached seventh. Back at the front Macrow was menacing the rear of Canto, and just behind him Luff was paying similar attention to the back of D'Alberto's Bellmont Commodore, The latter battle did not eventuate in a pass, but Macrow's persistent pressure

FEATHERLITE.

paid off when Canto missed a gear with three laps to go. "It was a stupid mistake," rued Canto. "I missed a gear coming out of Turn 5 and Adam got by me,"

Race 2-22 laps

acrow again had a poor start, this time from pole, allowing Canto and D'Alberto through. Macrow was back past D'Alberto at Doohan Corner on

the next lap, leaving the majority of the second race to play out like the first one, with Canto, Macrow, D'Alberto and Luff all in close proximity. On lap nine. Luff slipped down the inside of D'Alberto at Honda, the young Victorian leaving just enough room for the Decina tar to take advantage. Soon after, a Safety Car was needed after Barry Tanton 'did a continued on page 58

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7 December 2005

HPDCVBS Rd 7 Phillip island, Vic Pos I DRIVER I RACE Time

Race

Fastest |lap

22 LA F=> S

Macrow

42:19.5920

1:35.9837

Canto

42:20.4442

1:36.0124

D'Alberto

42:26.9929

1:36.6415

Luff

42:27.2859 1:35.8237*

Holdswofth

42:37.0996

1:36.3667

MacDonald

42:52.4837

1:37.9850

Evangelou

42:56.1886

1:3Z9567

Fernandez

_1j38.2285 1:38.1847

11 12

Verdnik

43:01.8457 43:03.0353

Wanless

43:14.2711

1:38.2452

Beikoff

Smith

43:35.00£3' 1:40.2223 21 laps 1:40.0459

12 12

13 14

Savage Tanton

21 laps

1:42.1685

21 laps

l’:43.8451

McGill

20 laps

1:40.5133

Elliott

20 laps

1:38.8364

DNF Deane

11 laps ’l_:4d;i340

DNF Scifleet

0japs Yiaps

8 7

DNF Jones

1:38.6576 1:'39.2553

BreoKtre ^

DNF Denyer DNF Porter DNF Leadsman

Macrow

41:56.3408 1:35.8994*

Canto

41:56.8836

1:36.2518

Luff

41:57.2543

1:36.2545

D’Alberto

41:59.4893

1:36.3945

Holdsworth

42:01.4892

1:36.4369

Fernandez

MacDonald

42:12.9481 42:13.1908

1:3^170 1:37.4572

4 19

Evangelou

42:15.2678 '1:37.7579'

Scifleet

42:15.5314' 1:37.5246' ' 9

10 11

Denyer

42:15.8396

1:37.1290

Wanless

42:19.9714

1:37.8993

Howard

42:29.9302

1:39.1424

McGill

42:35.4209 *1:39.9139

Beikoff

42:35.5341

1:39.1597

Jones

42:42.7304

1:38.5452

Deane

42:50.6121

1:39.4771

Elliott

43:10.2057 '^1:38.8'703 ^' 6

Smith

' 21 laps

1:41.1450

19 Savage DNF Tanton

20 laps

1:42.1690 1:41.8664

17 6

DNF Verdnik

7 laps

1:38.2583

HPDCVSS POINTS Canto 1098, Luff 1068, MacDonald 1023, Macrow 1007, D'Alberto 999. Scifleet 924, Fernandez 039, McGill 760. Porter 743, Denyer 737. Elliott 654, Evangelou 618, Holdsworth 607, Howard 587, Deane 543, Wanless 537, Smith 508, S. Beikoff 480, Loadsman 477. Verdnik 468. Papendell 435, Jones 383. Wallis 334, Brede 314. Savage 310, Henderson 238, Tanton 211, Davison 184, J. Beikoff 108, Voight 57.

ANYONE looking for a pointer to Adam Macrow's forrn at Phillip island has only got to look at the colour of his rollcage - gun metal grey. The early part of the year saw Macrow and team-mate Mark Howard in cars sought from Triple Eight Race Engineering, with yellow cages, signifying their build during the Briggs Motorsport era. But since Bathurst, Macrow has been in a newer car, with a grey cage, with more influence from Triple Eight and it's stable of engineering know-how. The Howard Racing team is very capable, and so is Macrow, but the new chassis has given Macrow the speed edge needed to compete with Canto, in Steven Johnson's 2004 BA Falcon. "We've been working hard on the car since Bathurst," said Macrow,"and this new chassis is just awesome. Team owner Mark Howard, still in an ex-Briggs car, did not see the majority of the early action at Phillip Island. While the team pulled the engine bay apart searching for the electrical gremlins, Howard described the ailment as electrical aliens... - CHRIS JORDAN ff

continued from page 57 Murph' and ran wide at the final corner with a deflated front right tyre. Luckily for Tanton, a gravel trap now lines the fast left hander, so no contact with the tyre bank occurred, but there was a rollover of sorts, when a marshal took a dive, much to the crowd's amusement, as the car was winched away. After the Safety Car withdrew, Macrow put the pressure on Canto and going into Honda, Macrow's car slew sideways. Somehow, Macrow kept control; somehow. Canto saw him coming: somehow, Macrow slid past Canto, picked a gear, and drove away to take the win. "I knew I'd braked late, but not that late," said Macrow. "I went on the dirt, (Canto) moved

out of the way and it was fine." "I wanted to win the race," said Canto. "But Adam had that hairy moment so I let him by so I could take the trophy." And so he did. In its third year in the second level V8 series, DJR has a championship. Canto, the inaugural champ, now becomes the first dual winner and with any luck will be in the main game next year. 2006 will see an influx of new and competitive teams and drivers to the series with a new title sponsor and a return to sanity with the new 'main gamespec' rules. But this year has been a treat in itself. motorsponnews

HPDC1I8/CCUP

Fabulous Finish 2006 Form Guide? Race 1 saw David Reynolds street the field to take a clear win as fellow young gun Ian Dyk battled Jim Richards. Fabian Coulthard took it easy to secure the 2005 WPS Carrera Cup Championship.

A ROUND of fluctuating fortunes for many runners wrapped up the 2005 WPS Carrera Cup Championship. Jim Richards was the round winner, Fabian Coulthard the Champion and yet again some solid performances came from the young guard. David Reynolds and Coulthard shared the race wins while Richards was second in all three races, making the Porsche legend the overall round winner. The series front runners were left in the wake of Reynolds in Race 1, as the 2004 Australian Formula Ford Champion drove away from the field from second on the grid to take an easy win. As Reynolds took the lead at the first corner, Coulthard ran wide, smashing through a polystyrene sign and damaging his front spoiler. “It was understeering iike a pig with no front splitter, so I just drove to finish to get the championship,” said Coulthard. Coulthard toured to sixth, but the Glenfords GMR team was still well represented. Ian Dyk spent the majority of the race in second, only to be passed around

the outside by Richards into Honda on the last lap. Reynolds again won the start in Race 2 and began to drive away, but it wasn’t to be for the Sonic team. Reynolds’s gear stick broke clean off in his hand on the first lap. The Bob Jane T-tyiarts driver recovered well in Race 3, driving from the rear to finish fifth. Coulthard managed to pass and pull away from Richards after Reynolds’s demise in Race 2, resisting a resurgence from Richards for the win. Race 3 was again Coulthard’s, crossing the line as rain began to fall. Alan Gurr was second in the early stages, allowing Coulthard to draw clear. But as the rain began to fall, Richards soon rounded up Gurr and hunted down Coulthard, but to no avail. Dyk was third, with Jonathon Webb’s fourth enough for the Paul Cruickshank Racing driver to finish the round third overall and win the 2005 Driver to Supercup Award. -CHRIS JORDAN Final Points: Coulthard 1275, Richards 1125, Webb 878, Youlden 736, Reynolds 675, Fitzgerald 609, K. Quinn 594, Dyk 585, McLean 519, Gurr 492.

Dirk Klyitsntllh

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MOTORSPORT

on OuntoP

7 December 2005

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Rossi Warned

FORMER World Rally champion Colin McRae has warned multi-Moto GP Champ Valentino Rossi that he should not underestimate the task of competing in a real rally. McRae issued the statement after being beaten by the Yamaha MotoGP star in the recent Rally of Monza driving a Subaru Impreza. Rossi has long held a desire to go rallying, and despite reports that he is being courted for an FI drive the Italian may be more interested in establishing a rally career when he leaves the two-wheel sport. According to a report in Italian sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, Rossi is looking to do more rallies in 2006 with the view of securing a drive in the WRC in 2008. Rossi is believed to have secured a drive in the

non-championship Rally of Portugal in March next year, but fvlcRae reckons he will need to work hard if he hopes to succeed, despite the biker beating him comprehensively in Monza. "The Monza Rally is not typical of a real rally because it takes place on a circuit and so people who usually race have an advantage," McRae said. "This is taking nothing away from Rossi, who is a talented driver, but to participate in a real rally he will have to prepare himself. He still needs to learn how to manage the car over a longer distance." Rossi drove a Michelin-backed Peugeot 206 on the Rally of GB in 2003, above, but crashed out on the first day. - JOIM THOMSON

MITSUBISHI is unlikely to follow Subaru in a pullout from Australian rallying despite budget problems and the possible loss of its 2005 sponsor Dodo Internet. It is believed that Mitsubishi rally team boss Alan Heaphy, who is contracted to the Adelaidebased manufacturer for season 2006 and 2007, is confident that the tide has turned and that support will continue to flow to the Ralliart team, enabling it to maintain a motorsport presence in Australia. ^ It is understood that Heaphy has been considering a possible shift to tarmac rallying, which would be potentially much cheaper and would have given Mitsubishi a chance to be the only manufacturer in this sector of the sport. However with Subaru signalling that it was looking to explore opportunities in tarmac events following its pullout from gravel rallying, Mitsubishi's prospects could be better if it sticks with the ARC. It is believed that

Actively Passive Skoda Preservation Society New diffs, no difference say WRC drivers

LEADING WRC drivers are already speculating that new,low-tech passive differentials that will come into effect next year will be just as fast, if not faster,than the current active units. As the WRC enters the off-season, key manufacturers are working feverishly to adapt the latest specifications of their cars to the new regulations, which ban computercontrolled active differentials. "I think Ford has shown [in Australia] that the difference in speed between the active cars compared to the passive ones we'll use next season is not that much, and I think next year's championship will be decided by which driver can adapt the quickest," Sebastien Loeb said. While the passive units will be 60

less technically adept than the current active systems, drivers who have tested preliminary vehicles are already reporting a limited decrease in stage times. Subaru's Petter Solberg even went as far as suggesting that the new passive differentials will reward drivers with a more aggressive, sideways style of driving, whereas the existing active diffs have been more suited to neat drivers who shy away from getting too sideways. Both Ford and Mitsubishi have a head start on their rivals. Each have already run their 2006 specification cars in competition, and may hold an advantage heading into the first round in Monte Carlo in late January. - RYAN LAHIFF

WRC supremo David Richards has been working hard behind the scenes to ensure the survival of Skoda in World Rallying as the fate of the Czech maker's program is discussed by parent company Volkswagen. Richards also wants Colin McRae, right, to lead Skoda's driver line-up following the Scot's giant-killing performance in Rally Australia last month. McRae was fighting for second when he retired with a transmission problem on the final leg in Perth. Richards met with the Volkswagen board last week, but there is no indication as to whether his representations were received favourably in Wolfsburg. "If they put this car in the hands of a competitive private

-IS

agw.com

team with a fraction of the resources Skoda has had, the car could be challenging for a podium regularly - especially with Colin McRae driving," said Richards. Rumours in the service park in Perth linked retiring German driver Armin Schwarz with a possible takeover of the Skoda team with Red Bull money, while another story suggested the decision had already been taken to can the company's WRC program for 2006. - JON THOMSON motorsport news

RALLYING

ubishi

Ireland Magic

Be Back management changes at Mitsubishi, with former Holden and Dunlop executive Rob McEniry taking over from Tom Phillips, has seen a softening of the hard line against motorsport as the company attempts to rebuild its image. McEniry was closely aligned with Holden's motorsport activity as its marketing supremo through the 1980s and early 1990s, and played a key role in Dunlop winning the V8 Supercar contract when he was CEO there in recent times. Heaphy has apparently presented three scenarios to Mitsubishi executives and is understood to be confident that they will commit to a longer-term rallying plan for Australia. The strong performance of the under-funded team this year, as well as the turn around in fortunes for Ralliart's WRC effort, has

●; 1,

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been a further catalyst for Mitsubishi Australia's change in attitude. Heaphy and his team has already begun development on the latest EVO IX Lancer for 2006. The team has started building a IX in its Dandenong workshops, and Heaphy is hopeful that once the plans for 2006 are confirmed, the team will be able to start testing. With a new variable valve timing engine, which should deliver extra low-down torque as well as better topend performance, the IX will be more than a match for the rapidly-improving Corollas of Neal Bates and Simon Evans. A decision on whether Scott Redder will remain with the team in 2006 has yet to be made, and it is believed this will happen once confirmation comes through from Mitsubishi some time early in the New Year.

- JOIM THOMSON

'Jofl SlrU kUnd

IRELAND'S bid to secure a Round of the World Rally Championship has been boosted after the organisers announced a revised route that promises to be both technically demanding and well suited to the requirements of a top-level event. Rally Ireland will expand next year into counties Donegal and Tyrone and will run from 10-12 March, 2006. "We have picked the best technical route for a WRC event and the addition of Donegal and Tyrone, along with Sligo, Leitrim and Fermanagh, makes the Rally more challenging for the crews," said Clerk of the Course Tom Nolan. The next major landmark in the bid will be the visit by the FIA safety delegate, Jacek Bartos from Poland, to view the route in early December. ■ Reigning WRC Champion Sebastien Loeb says he is looking forward to a busy 2006 defending his title and also developing Citroen's new WRC contender - the C4. "When I first used the Xsara WRC at tne Sanremo Rally in 2001 it was already well developed and quick on asphalt," said Loeb. "Now I willlsee the 'baby' - the C4 - grow up. That is a completely new challenge for me, and I can hardly wait to get started." Loeb will be joined by former Citroen works driver and tarmac specialist Philippe Bugalski as a part of Guy Frequelin's C4 development team. Bugalski helped develop the Xsara, which was competitive from its debut. A prototype version of the C4 has already been run, but that car will need to be heavily redesigned to meet new FIA WRC for 2007. - RYAN LAHIFF /JON THOMSON

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7 December 2005

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A035

r, LOCAL driver Phillip March upset the World Series stars to win at Speedway City two weeks ago in Round 4. "It's been a while since I won one of these," said March. Fellow podium drivers Max Dumensy and Robbie Farr were also quick to praise March on his win. "We came here having to worry about Brooke (Tatnell), Max and Jason (Johnson), but Phil out-drove us all tonight," said Farr of March, who proved to be the first Joker of the WSS pack. March set the pace peeling off a 12.079s lap to top the qualifying sheets ahead of American gun Brian Brown, and his evening was close to perfect as he also took victory in the A-Dash to line up in pole position for the A-Main alongside B-Dash victor Max Dumesny. At the drop of the green.

March pounced to the lead with Dumsney, Farr and Craig Vanderstelt in hot pursuit on a fast-paced, hooky track. Before too long March had zeroed in on the backmarkers and began to work his way through the traffic before making a small mistake in turn two which allowed Dumnsey to dive under the S3 Cool to claim the lead. March quickly regathered his pace and set his sights on the tail tank of the Valvoline Maxim. Before too long March made up the lost ground through traffic to blow by Dumesny and from that point on, was able to open a handy gap in the run to the chequered flag, claiming the glory and a new 30 lap record. Farr also come on strong in the late in the event to claim second while Tatnell, driving with a broken hand, had his

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one good hand full for the last 13 laps after the Toyota Genuine parts Cool suffered with a stretched throttle linkage keeping his motor running at full noise all the way to the finish. Johnson was next to cross the line after a hard fought battle to pass Vanderstelt in the closing stages to claim a top five finish. - PARIS CHARLES

? 1. S3 2. Q36 ,3. V5 4. A1 5. s5 6. S21 7. Q6 Is. NT5 9. S95 10. U21

Phillip Miirch Robbie Farr Max Dumesny Brooke Tatnell Jason Johnson Craig Vanderstelt ● Cameron Gessner Danny Reidy Mark Reuter Brian Brown

WSS R4 ADELAIDE

motorsportnews

SPEEDWAY

Win No 3for TATN ELL BROOKE Tatnell's former domination of World Series

Sprintcar events at Avalon returned with a vengeance last Saturday night when he simply ran away from a quality field to score the feature win on a tough track ahead of Max Dumesny and Jason Johnson.

Both Johnson and Dumesny had to concede to the quality of Tatnell. "Full credit to Brooke, he drove a

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good race," said Dumesny."The track was a challenge but I'm glad we could get second place and pick up some points." Ian Lewis destroyed his car against

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returns to Bacchus Marsh with three At the conclusion of the first lap Tatnell already had the Toyota Genuine Parts Cool out to a handy four-car lead after having asserted his authority' with a tough side-by-side entry to turn one with Johnson. Not even a late race caution could help the cause of his pursuers as the lapped traffic by this stage were equally as fast as those trying to lap them. David Murcott recorded a strong fourth place finish ahead of series regulars Matt Reed, Mike Van Bremen, fast-timer Luke Dillon, and Ken Veal with Rod Matthews rounding out the top 10. The only casualty of the feature was Robbie Farr, who upended the Titan Garages machine while throwing out a serious challenge to Dumesny. Farr rode the wheel of Brown as he tried to run outside of Dumesny through turn two only to find Brown there. "The car was sweet and this track was like the Avalon of old, where you had to stand up in the seat to get the advantage," said Tatnell. "It was rough but it was rewarding if you drove at the holes rather than trying to get around them.

the turn two wall after an unsuccessful outside pass on Darren Mollenoyux for the final transfer position out of the B-Main, below. -BRETT SWANSON

December 17 - see some of Australia's best drivers face its star Travis Rilat tor a $5000 wiraier-takes-all purse DONT MISS IT! Gates Open 4:00pm, Racing starts 6:00pni Entry: Adults $25, Pensioners & 12-16 year olds $15, Under 12 Free Family concession (2x adults, 3x children) $50

o 1.

3. S5

tJ!- Fie: Brooke Tatnell Max Dumesny Jason Johnson David Murcott

|4. 5.

V91 Q6

Cameron Gessner

V92

Matthew Reed

i7,

Mike Van Bremen

>-C3

S81

Luke Dillon

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10. V9

Rod Matthews

1:9. V96

Ken Veal

Points: Tatnell 5117, Dumesny 4714, Farr 3996, Johnson 3942, Gessner 2862, Reidy 2790, Dillon 2463, van Bremen 2340, Reed 2305, Veal 1972.

17 December

3 January

Sprintcars Speedcars AMOA Nationals

Sprintcars Late Model Sedans AMCA Nationals

4 March

8 April

Sprintcars Super Sedans AMCA Nationals 'Marsh' Mods

Sprintcars Speedcars V8 Dirt Modifieds

18 February Sprintcars Speedcars 'Marsh' Mods

22 April

Super Sedans Speedcars AMCA Nationals Sportsnrans

Race dates and classes subject to chartge Mihout nobce BACCHUS rvlARISH

ROUJNG

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irrORIA. AUSTRALIA

Rolling Thunder Raceway, Bacchus Marsh Victoria Cnr Rowsloy-Exford Road Ft Parwan South Road (Molways Ref: 340 G12) Event/wealher information available by calling 0400 00b 588

www.rollingthunderraceway.com.au 7 December 2005

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SYDNEY hard charger Troy Little continued his great summer at the Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway last Weekend and after battling with West Aussie racer Ken Sartori.early in the A Main, v Little, right, powered away to take his third victory of the season with Sartori second and Joel Knott impressively picking up third place. The 24 car A Main feature field saw Little and Sartori sharing the front row after winning their Dash races. -Litti^and Satori swapped for the lead and at one stage Sartori looked to have the edge, but after a red light stoppage on lap 9,^ Little took ^ control going onto scqre a ^ . jgreat win. Trever Grejejojotas ■fburth*lfi a*Erand hew Cool ; Chassis. - -f .'(LvY^snjt'Confident early, I V' thought he (Sartori) would

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race away, but at the red I just thought more about my racing, lines and got on with the job," said Little. "But it would have been nice if I set quick time, a clean sweep for the night." It was certainly Little's night, but after having to finish second to impressive . Rod Maxwell in qualifying, the PCR Track Champ Won both his heat and Dash rac^s. ck conditions caught — mo! : of the drivers out, with the track looking to be heavy all ipght after heavy storms hitting Sydney late in the week. But after time trails it went slick, giving teams a complete rethink about set ups. -GREG BOSCATOS Points: Little 1944, Maher 1914, Green 1892, Blyton 1846, Loudoun 1844.

acchus ready to Roll

ROLLING Thunder Raceway at Bacchus Marsh has officially reopened, with a successful meeting held two weeks ago for Super Sedans, AMCA Nationals, Modjfieds and Hot Rods. Rolling Thunder wil l host Its muchanticipated return of Sprintcars on December 17, with Travis Rilat to pilot the Formula Motorsports Eagle in its season debut. The

car will run in the colours of Rol ling Thunder Raceway and will be taken over mid-season by Chad Kemenah, see other story. PCR Track Champ Troy Little will also compete along with the best of the Victorian SRA Series. Current Victorian Champion Luoas Roberts used his background on bigger tracks to win the Super Sedan feature over another young

gun Ashley Bergemeir and three-time National Champion Mick Nicola. Top qualifier Nicola, though, possibly cost himself the feature win when he accepted a challenge from promoter Ray Solomon of an extra $400 cash if he could win the race after starting from the rear. Nicola was given half the amount for his efforts.

Barlee wins at Premier

ALLAN Barlee has been in good form recently in his Mopar-powered Eagle and continued his streak with a tough win in Round 3 of the SRA Eureka Garages & Sheds Series at Sungold Stadium, Warrnambool two weeks ago. David Murcott bounced back from a disastrous opening meeting to grab a fortuitous second place ahead of series leader Ian Lewis, who gladly grabbed the final podium position when contact between race leader John Vogels and Barlee saw Vogels forced off the gas momentarily, allowing Murcott and Lewis to get past. NSW and PCR Track

Champion Troy Little was also unlucky in that he was forced to turn right to avoid the Vogels/Barlee incident and lost some places, finishing fourth ahead of Vogels. Little used a rare weekend off at PCR to get in some miles for the Grand Annual Classic. The meeting, the first of the season at Warrnambool, was a tyre fryer on a smooth but abrasive and black race track. Grant Anderson all but destroyed the pristine Beef Growers Foster after tagging the wall in Heat 2, below right. - BRETT SWANSON Points: Lewis 799, Barlee 781, Vogels 687, Tanner 686, Shiells 645.

moiorsport news

I-

I Seat switching DIRT Motorsports has been busy signing drivers for the 2006 World of Outlaws Championship, with 13 of the Mean 15 already confirmed. They are: Craig Dollansky, Donny Schatz, Brooke Tatnell, Daryn Pittman, Terry McCarl, Jac Haudenschild, Randy Hannagan, Jeremy Campbell, Justin Henderson, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Jason Martin, Dion Hindi, and Brian Carlson. Meanwhile, rides in the National Sprintcar League are firming up, with Danny Lasoski signing with Dennis Roth's team, while Paul McMahon takes the Dude's place at Tony Stewart Motorsport, The Kasey Kahne rides appears to have gone to Joey Saldana, but with the uncertainty surrounding the NSL, rumours suggest that some NSL teams may be eyeing the two remaining spots in the Outlaws Mean 15 (and the appearance money that comes with it).

RPDE withdraws support from breakaway series THE new National Sprintcar League is in doubt after the driving force behind the breakavi/ay series,the Richard Petty Driving Experience, its support with imrtr^diate effect late last week. ' "We formed this series with the intention of rebuilding and growing winged Sprintcar racing," said Kyle Petty. "We had a clear vision about how to undertake this. Unfortunately, our vision for the future of Sprintcar racing was not shared by all of the key stakeholders in the sport. "We believe that a prolonged battle over

control of the sport is not in the best interest of anyone involved. Hopefully, by stepping aside at this point, there is time for a common vision to emerge." MNews understands that RPDE owner, Australian Barry Graham was disappointed in the lack of support the NSL was receiving from many who had earlier pledged their support, leading to RPDE's withdrawal. The loss is substantial for the NSL, as the RPDE made up the bulk of the organising, funding and promoting capacity for the new series. Without it, the NSL may no longer exist.

Kemenah to Classic FORMULA Motorsports has shelved its original plans for a two-car assault on the height of the Sprintcar season in January in favour of a 'tagteam'of Stateside talent. Formula's crew chef Bill Roberts originally intended to run both regular driver Travis Rilat and World of Outlaws feature winner Chad Kemenah,/flr right, in a two-pronged attack, before Kemenah was forced to decline. Incidentally, Kemenah has also knocked back an offer to replace the departed Daimy Lasoski in the Tony Stewart Motorsports Eagle. But with Rilat now forced to miss the Grand Annual Classic at Premier Speedway due to the start of the ASCA Championships(which Rilat

won m 2004), Kemenah will hll the breach in the FMS Eagle, pictured above last season. This season the FMS car carries branding from Rolling Thunder Raceway(nee Bacchus Marsh Speedway), where team owner Ray Solomon is the new promoter. "Chad was one of our first choices as driver and when he couldn't make

Hoosier Tire Australia Australian Distributors for

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it initially we decided to scale back to just one car," said Solomon. "So in a way this is the best of both worlds, without twice the amount of work for the crew who still get to work with two top class drivers in one season."

■ Former Sydneysider now Knoxville resident Skip Jackson has been confirmed as returning home to the Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway for the upcoming Christmas/New Year International Sprintcar races. As we reported last issue, Jackson will again be racing for Rod Bowen with Bowen's son Roddy stepping down to allow the former Australian, WSS, Knoxville and Parramatta champion to race the potent #7 machine. ■ in the last two weeks the rain delayed Round 2 and Round 4 of the Comp Cams Queensland Sprintcar Series has been run and won in crash-marred nights of racing. Terry Bracken underlined his impressive World Series Sprintcar form, taking his third victory in a row at Comp Cams, outracing Darren Jensen at each of the restarts. Richard Morgan climbed into third place, ahead of Peter Thorley, who was substituting for Todd Wanless. A week later for Round 4 Jensen had his revenge and dominated the night, finally leaving the engine dramas of last season behind. Andrew Scheuerle finished second while Allan Woods just kept Morgan at bay for third. Bracken crashed and rolled out of the feature in a clash behind a slower car and his points lead has been cut back by Scheuerle. - STAFF/BOSCATO/JONES

Proton world series Sprlntcars 2005/2006 Championship Avalon Raceway 3/12/05

2005/6 Standings to 3/12/05

^^ RACING TIRE

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7 December 2005

Zapping! OCAL hero John Zappia has continued his record-breaking form to beat Steve Stanic at the third round of the Australian Top Doorslammer Series at Kwinana Motorplex last weekend. Eleven cars went into qualifying with only eight available spots in the elimination field. Zappia made his mark early by running a 6.05s/239mph on his first pass. His time would remain the fastest throughout qualifying. Gary Phillips was second fastest, recording a 6.16s/231mph on his second pass. Steve Stanic was third fastest, his time of 6.23s/234mph,just pipping Victor Bray who had a slightly slower 6.23s. Local boys Grant O'Rourke and Robin Judd were fifth and seventh fastest

semi-final, however O'Rourke hit the red light at the start to send Zappia straight to the final. Stanic had an even easier run to the final with Brijeski and Judd both burning up their rear rubber and failing to post competitive passes. Zappia went painfully close to breaking into the five second bracket for a second time in the final, eliminating Stanic with a 6.00s/240mph. Zappia, who now holds a comfortable lead in the series, was ecstatic with his first victory at home. "I wanted to run a five, but I really didn't want to lose the race," said Zappia. "I really wanted to win because we've never had a Top Doorslammer win in Perth so I really tried my best to do what I had to do, and it paid off." On two wheels there was

respectively, with Deno Brijeski splitting them in sixth. Ben Bray's difficult season continued, his best of 6.35s/219mph just sneaking him into the eight. For the second year in a row Brett Stevens failed to make the cut at the

another West Aussie doing the winning, with Jay Upton taking out the Top Bike eliminator. Upton was fastest in qualifying with a 6.44s/211mph ahead of Brett Steven's

Motorplex, as did Maurice Fabietti and Gary Stevens. Zappia was relatively untroubled on his way to the final. His 6.09s/237mph wasienough to eliminate Ben Bray in the opening round, however the younger Bray did a weekend best of 6.14s/241mph. Zappia and Grant O'Rourke lined up for an all West-Aussie

6.61s/209mph. After running a solo in the first round, Upton eliminated Troy McLean with a 6.30s/214mph in the semis. He met Brett Stevens in the

by ANDREW van LEEUWEN

final, using a 6.43s/213mph to better 'The Boss' and win the round.

Local force: Steve Stanic, above, was beaten in tbe final by ]obn Zappia, top. Jay Upton was another local to do the business in Top Bike.

Jumping in the time ma I (tnirr

Time warp; The Nostalgia Drag Racing event at AIR was popular amongst drivers and fans.

SOUTH Australian Drag Racing went back in time two weeks ago at Adelaide International Raceway. The 'good old days' returned for the running of the Gruzin Magazine Nostalgia Drag Racing Series. Not only was there many of the cars from the past, but the drivers and formative men of the sport were present. Geoff Mee was one who raced at Brooksfield in the 1960s, and who went onto work at AIR from 1973 to 1998, 18 years of these as Meeting Director. Mee was the Grand Marshall of the Nostalgia event and was recognised for his contribution to SA Drag Racing by being inducted into the Nostalgia Drag Racing Hall of Fame.

The racing was tough and tight, and after winning Super Gas at AIR'S Charity event last month, Renee Cockerill continued her winning ways in Junior Fuel. Renee downed one of South Australia's original competitors, Jeff During in his front-engine dragster. Marco Elbe was the Gas Champion after downing Dino Taladira in the final. Michael Bowden defeated Andrew 'Elvis' Elvish in the Hot Rod final. A great 0.407s light from Elvish not enough to get over the Ford Roadster of Bowden. Shane Bayley drove his Chevy Impala to victory in the American Muscle Eliminator. Bayley, second across the line, took the win after Michael Jennings broke-out in his Chevy Nova. David Ridley took out Australian

motorsport news

DRAG RACING

Bradshaw goes Top Fuel BILL Miller Enterprises has announced that Alan Bradshaw will drive the BME/Okuma Top Fuel Dragster in the 2006 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Bradshaw, the 2003 NHRA Lucas Oil Series Top Alcohol Dragster champion, will join the BME team for pre-season testing in Phoenix.

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chine

Muscle Eliminator over Mildura's Anne Jones. But the man who has probably done more passes down the AIR strip than anyone one else, Toni Keating, added another win to his long list with a win in the Nostalgia Motorcycle Elimintator. ANDRA Drag Racing continues at AIR with Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle headlining the event on this weekend. - STEVEN WHITE

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Steven White

7 December 2005

ANDREW Cowin will make his return to the United States drag racing scene in 2006. Cowin will jump behind the wheel of a new Top Fuel team fielded by respected insurance industry figure Scott Griffin of Wilmington, North Carolina. The deal was brokered by Mark Carrier, longtime Griffin friend and Cowin's former employer. Cowin plans to run the 11 race IHRA Hooters Drag Racing Series and will contest a limited NHRA POWERade tour as well. Keith Stewart, most recently with David Baca, has been named as tuner and the team plans a rigorous pre-season test schedule beginning in January. Cowin only completed a few rounds of NHRA in 2005,

■ Wayne Dupuy was severely injured in a road car accident'near his home Friday, November 2^, Dupuy, below, the crew chief on Doug Herbert's Snap-On Top Fuel team, lost control, crashed and was thrown from his vehicle, breaking his spine, pelvis, and left eye socket. He also suffered multiple abrasions. Doctors initially labeled Dupuy as critical before upgrading him to serious but stable Friday afternoon. He was on a respirator for the first 34 hours but is now breathing on his own. Initial MRIs and CAT scans were all positive, but after more extensive CAT scans on Tuesday, doctors discovered a previously unseen skull fracture and potential: brain damage. *■

■ Former IHRA Top Fuel competitor, J.R. Todd, has been named the new driver of the Menards/ Tuttle Motorsports Top Fuel dragster. Todd, 23, was selected out of a pool of highly qualified candidates. Todd has remained involved in drag racing over the past several seasons, working as a member of Bob Gilbertson's Funny Car team. Todd will join the Menards team in Las Vegas for pre-season testing before beginning his NHRA Professional career at the season opening CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals in Pomona.

DavM Oshvizewski

and has most recently been seen driving for his family team in the Australian Top Fuel Championship. - DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

■ Bob Gilbertson will switch to a Dodge Stratus body on his Autolite XP Spark Plugs/Prestone Antifreeze Funny Car for the 2006 NHRA POWERade season. Gilbertson obtained the bodies from the Championship-winning Schumacher Racing team as they will debut the new Dodge Charger bodies in 2006. - DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

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Rowley

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CAMS SarliM is go for 2006 Second-tier Australian Motorsport in safe hands with new, diverse series

USTRALIA'S new home for national motor racing championships and series has been confirmed.

The CAMS National Racing Championships will be based around an 11 round schedule, visiting five states and eight different circuits. The CAMS Series will feature 11 categories of racing throughout the season. The CAMS Series will be managed by a yet-tobe-selected group of three, which will have representation from CAMS,the Australian Motor Sport Commission and the five core categories. The appointment of a series manager will be included within the new representative group. The group will be finalised within the next two weeks. The five core categories are F3, Aus GT,Saloon Cars,Production Cars and Commodore Cup. Performance Cars will complete its entire eight round championship with the CAMS Series, while some categories like V8 Utes, Aussie Racing Cars and Lotus Trophy will alternate between V8 Supercar races and CAMS race weekends. One of the best facets of the new series is that none of the rounds clash with V8 Supercar or Fujitsu Supercar events (unlike the Australian Motor Racing Series this year). This gives the teams,competitiors, the public, officials and media

a less confusing and conjested calendar. The Kerrick Tranzam Sport Sedans will contest its entire five-round championship with the CAMS Series and administrator Phil Crompton has welcomed the new series. "To have our series calendar locked in, our naming-rights sponsor confirmed for another year and our teams signed up more than three months prior to the first round has never happened before," Crompton said. Second-tier Australian racing has been in limbo for the better part of the past three years. When PROCAR

collapsed midway through 2004, the V8 Supercar v Championship Series and the newly-formed Austrian Motor Racing Series took up the slack. AMRS founders Garry Willmington and Rod Dale have decided to take the AMRS down a different path in 2006. The Touring Car Challenge, as well as some newly-created categories,including OzBoss(a new series for open wheel race cars) and street cars, will form their revamped series under AASA-sanctioiring. For a full list of each CAMS Series categories calendars for 2006, check out the download on Motorsport News's website; www.mnews.com.au

The 2006 CAMS National Racing Championships Calendar 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

Wakefield Park Symmons Plains Oran Park Phillip Island Winton Mallala Eastern Creek Phillip Island Queensland Raceway Oran Park Eastern Creek

4-5 March 8-9 April 6-7 May ■ 20-21 May 3-4 June 24-25 June 8-9 July 19-20 August 2-3 September 28-29 October 25-26 November

Category Line-up ■ Australian Formula 3 Championship ■ Australian GT Championship/Porsohe Drivers Challenge ■ Australian Saloon Car Chamipionship ■ Australian Production Car Championship ■ Commodore Cup Series ■ Australian Performance Car Championship ■ V8 Ute Series ■ Lotus Trophy Series ■ Australian Superkart Championship ■ Truck racing ■ Tranzam Sports Sedan Series Check out www.mnews.com.au for full CAMS schedule 68

Familiar Faces AUTOBARN Racing and Team BOC will contest the 2006 WPS Aussie Racing Car Series.

Autobarn will be represented by Lucas Dumbrell, the younger brother ot Holden V8 Supercar driver Paul, while the driver of the Brad Jones Racing-liveried BOC Falcon has yet to be confirmed. Lucas has competed in Sprint Karts over the past few seasons and will complete testing and licence lessons at Oran Park Raceway next week. 'Tve spoke to a few people about the |tSSJ cars and they've said they are like driving ,Mobllll . Mobil ui a go-kart with a shell," Dumbrell, 16, said. "I'm looking forward to driving in the championship. Adelaide is the first round and it isn't a track you'd like to go without much testing, so I plan to do a bit of testing beforehand to get used to the cars." - GRANT ROWLEY motorsport news

NATIONAL SCENE

Too little, too late THE final round of the 2005 Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship at Eastern Creek Raceway belonged to Michael Trimble. In his second weekend aboard the Astuti Motorsport Dallara F304, Trimble, above, crushed the field. He fended off an early challenge from a fast-starting Chris Gilmour in the opening race and then settled into a rhythm. In the end, his margin of victory was 12s. He repeated the effort in the second race, this time winning by almost 15s. Coupled with a pair of pole positions, it was enough to seal second place in the championship. "It's great being able to show what I can do with this car, but it would have been nice to have Aaron [Caratti, 2005 Gold Star Champion who did not race at Eastern Creek] here and hose him too, but you can't have it all," Trimble joked. "It was a nice way to end the season, it's just a shame it couldn't have been like that all year. Had I have had a car like this, with this sort of speed all year it could have been a

completely different story, I wouldn't have been at the last round trying to consolidate second place in the championship. "At the A1 meeting, the car was undeveloped; it had nothing done to it really. It had one driver in it for one weekend and I pretty much started from scratch with the car. We got a chance to test a couple of weeks ago and get the car dialed in and it has paid off." The man Trimble entered the weekend battling with for second place in the championship was Chris Alajajian. The Sydney resident was quick, but unlucky in the races. He stalled in the first but recovered to finish second, and was fourth in Race 2, having been served a drive-through penalty for a jumpstart. His only consolation was a pair of fastest laps. Gilmour faded to finish third in the opening race, edging out James Cressey, who was having his first F3 run of the year, and Leanne Tander. The trio then had a stellar battle in Race 2. Tander led

1 When push comes to shove: Cressey and Gilmour, below, clashed in the final race, handing Ferrier, above, second place.

Cressey and Gilmour in a battle for second place which lasted almost the entire 13 lap distance. It eventually boiled over, with Cressey and Gilmour making contact on the last lap. It didn't matter to Tander, who finished second to cap her first weekend aboard her recently-purchased car. Cressey claimed third, ahead of Alajajian, Gilmour, and Stephen Borness in sixth. Bill Maddocks clinched the Trophy Class honours, after three drivers entered the weekend with a chance to wrap it up.

Marc Williams was leading the way in Race 1 but crashed. This allowed Graeme Holmes to take the class win and close the points gap to Maddocks, who finished second, with Lauren Gray third. In Race 2, Williams battled all race with Holmes and took the class win, while Maddocks' third place was enough to seal the title. - MITCHELL ADAM Final points: Caratti 242, Trimble 210, Alajajian 178, Gilmour 142, Tim Macrow 73, Tander 52. Trophy Class Points; Maddocks 182, Holmes 173, Williams 160, Rod

Emery takes fourth Commodore Crown GEOFF Emery has successfully defended his Commodore Cup crown by placing second overall in the final round to Marcus Zukanovic at Eastern Creek Raceway last weekend. The weekend saw Emery drive conservatively, as the aim was to capture the championship and let the rest fight it out, and that's what happened. As the likes of Zukanovic, Ashley Cooper and Stephen White tried their utmost to reel in Emery, everything fell into the latter's hands after he recorded two second place finishes and a third, which was good enough to seal the championship. "It's a big relief now that 1 have wrapped up the championship, as leading up to this event, there was a lot of pressure as the points were very tight," Emery told MNews. "I loiew all I had to do was stay out of trouble and

7 December 2005

register consistent fiitishes and tliat's what happened," A jubilant Emery continued on by saying that this was by far the hardest of his four championship wins in Commodore Cup. Ex-V8 Supercar driver Stephen White set the early pace by topping the time sheets in qualifying, then taking out a strong Race 1 win ahead of Emery and Zukanovic. Zukanovic claimed Race 2 and 3 in impressive fashion, however despite the two wins, the young Melbourne-based driver ended up second in the championship behind Emery. In the final race White was pinned for a jumped start, where he was sentenced to a drive-through penalty and finished well down the order in 10th. - DANIEL POWELL Final points: Emery 858, Zukanovic 840, White 830, Cooper 827, Holdsworth 732.

T is often said that the best way to learn a new language is to live in a country where that language is commonplace -if you want to leam Italian,live in Italy for three months. Jump straight into the deep end. And so was my approach to the sport of rallying. I come from a circuit racing background and while I have always followed and admired the rallying discipline, I have never had a true appreciation of its nuances and peculiarities. How could you until you have tried it for yourself? So when it was put to me to navigate in a car in the Classic Adelaide Rally,I applied this principle to my thought process. Why not? I'm sure I'll have no idea what I

am a doing and I'll be performing a pivotal role, but what the hell... My driver for the event was my uncle. Bill Lakstins. Back in the hey day of the HQ Holden category. Bill was a champion driver and engine builder. Having spent years away from racing. Bill had decided that the time had come for him to return to competition and Classic Adelaide was the best platform to ease his itchy feet. Our 1974 Mkl Ford Escort was originally an Improved Production circuit car from Queensland, before it was sold and moved to Melbourne 70

one of the few we had mildly adequate notes for - and we flew, catching the car in front on both stages (take that Porsche and Alfa Romeo). This was as close as the rally gets to Mallala. Compare that to the Basket Range stage, where the road is narrow and the struts were regularly trying to bash themselves through the tower and launch into orbit...

with a restoration in mind. The plans of the new owner never eventuated, so with the car on the market again. Bill purchased it and set about the nine-month project. As it turned out, the car reflected our way of thinking ... it was a fantastic circuit car, but this was not circuit racing. It handled great and had a very strong two-Utre Pinto engine, but it was still a circuit car. It bottomed out everywhere, overheated in the line ups for each special stage and generally wasn't suited to the much harsher environment a rally, even a tarmac one, presents. Inside the car. Bill drove very well and the notes we had compiled were quite good considering it was our first-ever rally - the problem being that we should have had 300 percent more of them. Having never rallied before, we had never recced before. We did each road once and kept the notes simple. If we knew then what we knew now, we would have had many, many more calls. The strengths and weaknesses of both car and crew were shown on the Corkscrew and Gorge Road stages, which both used largely the same stretch of road. The road is wide, smooth and extremely fast and was

-i

i'Top oup first attempt,^ learntit leasdM' grtiiings thatrrwe wpajil dr gdiffereatly

you get the idea, the car spent a lot of time bottoming out. This is where 'the experts' have adjustable shocks, and stiffen and soften the car to suit. Nonetheless, it is fair to say that we overachieved in our first attempt at rallying. We reached out first major goal, which was to sit next to a straight car the morning of the final day and then assess out chances of any sort of award. We did that, only to have the clutch fork pivot inside the bell housing break on the first stage of Day 4. With the pedal on the floor, we crunched the gears and even passed the Ferrari in front of us on the remainder of the stage. But with no clutch, we were out (you must start each Special stage under your own power). So our next goal of reaching the finish ramp did not eventuate, although we did go to the finish for a look. You can only appreciate how

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Hero offfie WHEN Jim Richards received his reward for winning the Heritage class at the Sunday night awards dinner, he received the biggest applause of the weekend. His driving was again exemplary, but it was his words that earned plaudits. Classis Adelaide organiser Silverstone Events is rumoured to be considering introducing modern cars to the rally, making it a Targa Tasmania-style event. "This event is what it is because of these older, classic cars,"

the navigator. Bill drove about as well as anyone could have with the notes we had and really impressed. Some tips from master navigator Barry Oliver before the Prologue led me to rewrite my notes in a different style it made each night a late one, but put them in the front of my mind for each day and the advice was invaluable. If there is a next time, we will recce the roads with the brilliant yet simple Philtronics RallyTrip in the road car and have many more calls per stage. We recced every stage just once some crews drive each stage about 15 times per year, and have done the

7 December 2005

rally all rune years of its existence. Two people that must not go without mention are my father Andy and brother Daniel, who crewed for us throughout and did a lot of the dirty work. One thing that surprised me about Classic Adelaide was the high level of hospitality offered to the drivers, but I have to say that these privileges are just as deserving to the crews - they deserve provided lunch as much,if not more, than the drivers. Another thing I experienced for the first time was the HANS Device and I

said Jim. "I love these cars and so does tje^public and I think the ■ current cut-off is just right.' Gentleman Jim has always been one to speak his mind, and on ‘ this night he spoke for himself and almost everyone else in the i room. The applause would have rung loud in event chairman ‘ David Edwards's ears. Edwards and his team do a sterling job and run one of the best i motorsport events in the country. But please, no modern cars. The newer cars in the regularity section barely raised an eyebrow' this year. At a time when Silverstone is urging people to enter ; quick for next year as the field size will be smaller, most knew a i way to get numbers lower ... Here's an idea another competitor urged me to print: cut the modern cars out, with the possible exception of each year's featured marque (this year Ferrari). 1 think Simon's idea, and Jim's sentiments, are spot-on. : It's a superb event held on some of the best roads anywhere in j the world - let's keep it that way. ' .

truly uninteresting a motorsport event that you have retired from is until you actually experience it for yourself. The next disinterested driver I speak to after they have just retired will have my complete understanding. So,for our first attempt we learnt at least 100 things that we would do differently. The car has huge potential, but needs to be adjusted to the rigours of rallying. We changed a diff after Day 1,two universal joints on the tailshaft after Day 2, and realigned the gearbox and drivetrain after Day 3, all to ease a massive driveline vibration. So in racing driver speak,'there is time left in the car'. But there is even more time left in

’C,

-CHRIS JORDAN i

The 'other' Escort

have to say I was impressed. It spread the load of the belts over my boney shoulders and I can see how it would greatly help in an accident. When you are doing over ISOkph along a treelined road, it made it easier to keep my head buried in the notes ... About the best compliment we received was when the scrutineers told us our car was to be closely examined post-event; it was going so well first time out. We were fine with that- we had been moved from Limited Modified class to Modified the day before the event for the front suspension pick-up points. Saving that, our car should have been a division lower! So running fourth in class and 46th overall was above expectation: ours and everyone else's.

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STEVEN Richards again presented for Classic Adelaide with an immaculate Ford Escort RS1600. And if you think it looked good, what was under the bonnet was even better - a fuel-injected Cosworth engine. With the extra horsepower and reliability of his new engine (and being the best driver in the field ...) Richo was rightly sounded out by most competitors as the man to beat. He won the opening Prologue stage. But it wasn’t to be, as the Escort blew a gearbox on the very first stage. “I haven’t event taken it off the trailer yet,” said Richards at Phillip Island. “It will probably stay there another month or so ...” 71

Tilley Too Tough BRAD and Cameron Tilley emerged victorious in their respective categories during the 11th annual running of the Historic Sports and Racing Car Association(HSRCA)race meeting at Goulbum's Wakefield Park Raceway a fortnight ago(November 26 & 27). After last year competing in a handful of V8 Supercar Development series rounds. Brad Tilley, driving 1971-model Ford Falcon XY GT showed plenty of flair during the weekend in the Group NC class by topping the time sheets in qualifying, then taking out the third race ahead of Race 1 and 2

nr.

winner Vince Macri(1972 Holden Torana GTR XU-1)and Southern Highlands based Cameron Worner (1970 Ford Falcon XW GT)in third. A red hot Cameron Tilley(1962 Valiant S) proved to be the dominant figure in Group NB by taking out Race 1 and 3, and also setting the fastest lap around the 2,2km Wakefield Park circuit for his category in qualifying. A consistent

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Andrew Bergan (1963 Austin Cooper S) took the win in Race two and placed second behind Tilley in Race 1 and 3. In other events from the meeting, winners included Chris Gabriel (Regularity), Keith Simpson (Group J, K & L), Jamie Lamer(Group Q & R), Spencer Martin (SB & SC), Les Wright(Groups M,O,Q & FJ), former two times(2002 & 2003) NSW Formula Ford series runner-up Laurence Burford (Formula Ford), Paul Mander(Groups M,Q & Q,R Sports), Richard Marks(Groups SA, NA & Invited SB)and Chris Simpson (Formula Vee Regularity). -DANIEL POWELL

Lynton made it seven winners from by CHRIS JORDAN PETER Floyd won the 2005 Donut King Performance Cars Series but certainly not in the, circumstances that he would have hoped for. Floyd and team-mate Trevor Sheumack qualified on the frontrow for the opening race of the final round at Phillip Island two weeks ago, only to collide at high speed entering the Southern Loop for the first time. Both cars ended up hitting the tyre bank head-on, with Sheumack rolling over and putting an

French clai

H1LLIP Island brought the season to a close for most competitors three weeks ago with sunny weather and competitive racing for.the island Magic meeting. The trio of Robert Lange, Sam Abay and Brent Rose had the Porsche 944 preliminary event and the Endeavour Cup challenge races to themselves. In the cup, it was all Rose who managed to build and hold off Abay. Lange was a close third. Western Australian Mark McNally treked to the Island and took out the Formula Ford trophy race after preliminary race victor Cade Southall failed to finish. Cameron Spence ended up second'With Matthew Radisich third. In the all important Historic Touring Cars trophy event the spoils went to Trevor Talbot ● in a Torana XU1. Michael Miceli had a comfortable lead with only two laps to go but encountered problems. Lyndon Punshon ended in second from Scott Slater. The Cowes trophy for the HQ class went the way of Rodney Earsman. Earsm^n took the lead on the final lap from Carl McHenry and preliminary race winner Keith Davidson. In Sport Sedans, it was a case of 'Can you handle Dean Randle?' He absolutely blitzed 72

.the fiejd,lakir1g out both the preliminary and .i the frophy races. Dean Camm in his Honda Prelude and Daniel tamasi had-to seftleTfor, .distant secbhid placings in the respective ^ races. ' ‘‘ ’ ’ / ■ ' Nicolas-Jones.heldVntq the opening Formula Vee race‘by a hair's breath as five drivers were less than a second-apart when they crossed the line. liithjB Mapri FordhaiitE' , ; Formula Vee trophy raceAl6.-year-old^Tayldr Gore picked up his first-ever race vt/ln from Mai Asker and Phillip Kilworth. Mazda RX7 fever was once again in action .during the Improved Production race. Mario Caligafi convincingly took out ifeth the preliminary race and the_ Matthew Flinders Plate. Leigh Forest and Steven Loyd tried their best in both races but it wasn't enough to catch the RX7 of Caligari. An hour Sports Car endurance race saw John Kaias in his Porsche GT3 take a comfortable victory from the duo of Turnbliii. and Gardner in their ciass A cars. Just scraping through for third was the Lynn's. Stannard and Close picking up the Class B win. -AARON SHAW ●^1

DAMIEN French fried the competition at Phiiiip Island and sealed back-to-back Lotus Trophy Championships. From pole, French won the opening race and fought through to win the second reverse grid affair. David Sieders made sure French didn’t get lonely at the head of the field, pushing him all the way for a pair of second places. Sieders led in the final race, but succumbed to a battery problem. This allowed French to take the lead and complete the race-win triple, the first time a driver in the series has won all three races in one weekend.

NATIONAL SCENE

Floyd

seven rounds in Performance Cars

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immediate end to his weekend.

then sixth in Race 3.

With the help of the TAFE crew of apprentices and some fellow teams, Floyd's HSV GTS,above, was fixed in time for Race 2 the next day. Not content with merely cruising to collect the few championship points he required, Floyd drove from the rear to finish 10th and

"The boys worked their guts out to get it going," said Floyd. "My guys, the TAFE guys, even guys from other teams, they all worked very hard to get it out there and 1 thank them for that." With the first race red flagged after the Floyd-Sheumack incident.

only two races were conducted, won by Steve Cramp and Beric Lynton, pictured above. Lynton was the overall round wirmer, clearing out at the start of Race 2 to win by five seconds. Lynton's made him the seventh round winner from seven rounds this season.

Dean Lillie, aboard his GTS, made a bold move on James Philip's FPV GT to steal second, giving Lillie third overall for the round,just behind Cramp, who finished the second race seventh in his HSV. Final points; Floyd 445, Holt 406.5, King 362, Lynton 321, Morcom 288.5, Cramp 281.5.

ms back to back titles

James Harrigan entered the round as the series leader, but didn’t have a great weekend. He only managed to score finishes of 1'Oth, eighth and sixth in the three races. Samuel Walter had a strong weekend, finishing second in the final race after claiming a pair of third places in the earlier encounters. Richard Buttrose completed the podium in the final race, ahead of Andrew Fisher

and Chris Oxley. In the Elises, Matthew Kingsley and Simon Arthur battled it out for the Class B championship, with Kingsley winning the opening race and finishing second in Race 2. In the final race, he secured the Class B title, despite finishing behind Arthur. John Pagonis took a pair of Class B race wins. -MITCHELL ADAM

(£/ Tbsk Transactibiis <Q>Pil014.

Kayning 'em

Round 2of the NZ Series produced mixed results

KAYNE Scott won the second round of the New Zealand Touring Car Series at Christchurch two weeks ago. Scott, in the Fujitsu Holden, finished first in two of the races, while taking sixth in the reverse 1 grid race. Andy Booth took second t ; overall, but Scott passed him for the lead in the championship. Australian Luke Youlden qualified on pole but was disqualified from Race 1. He finished the weekend ninth overall in front of fellow Aussie Cameron McLean. In the Toyota Racing Series, Daniel Gaunt maintained his strong championship lead after two rounds with a round win in Christchurch, despite only crossing the line first in the last race. Gaunt, the 2003 Australian Gold Star champ, had to yield to impressive Danish rookie Steffen Molle, pictured inset, in the first two races. Marc Doran finished second overall for the round from Moller. Matthew Hamilton qualified on pole but mechanical problems forced him out. Matthew Halliday dominated proceedings in Porsche GT3. The openwheel regular won all three races. NZ racing now takes a six-week break before Teretonga Park in January. 73 '.*4

Oirk Klynsmith

7 December 2005

Promise

Unfullffllled by MARK WICKS

WITH two of the three Australians lining up on grid three for their respective finals, things were looking up for the Aussies at the Rotax World Finals in Malaysia two weeks ago. But the promise shown was undelivered in a tough event. Rotax organises the supply of everything for this event; karts, engines, tyres - and ballast, A shortage of lead weights meant David Sera had only one session at correct weight to address gearing and set-up changes, but that was cut short when the throttle broke. He qualified 21st.

A series of phenomenal moves at the start of each heat saw him earn a second and two fourths. This placed him on grid five for the pre-final in which he scored a solid third, but still a little off the pace of the leaders. Sera, above right, felt he had the speed to run a placing.

Karting Briefs IN controversial circumstances, French driver Jules Bianchi won Formula A at the Asia-Pacific Championships recently. Bianchi did not make a start in any of the qualifying heats, thus conserving his tyres. Come the pre-final, the Maranello team karts re-appeared and Bianchi promptly won both pre-final and final. Birel/TM drivers Jon Lancaster and Sauro Cesetti filled the podium. For the first time in many years, there were no Australians competing, primarily as a result of the decline in domestic CIK racing in 2005. ■ AKA NSW has followed the lead of the VKA and will run a Junior Development camp early next year. Following the;success of the annual Victorian camp, the NSW camp will cater for AKA-licenced juniors between 7 and 14 years of age. It will be held at Lithgow on January 26-27. ■ The 2005 Australian Superkart Grand Prix was held at Mallala last month. Matt Bryant(Monaco 125cc Rotax) won the ZipBDFI GP trophy while the team of Ron Goldfinch (Viper/Rotax), Barry Flopkins (Arrow/Rotax) and Gavin Newman (Arrow/Rotax) took home the Presidents Cup team trophy.

"But I didn't want second or third," he said."We had to try something to win." A gamble of wholesale changes to the kart set-up failed. Realising he was in trouble. Sera tried to take the lead at the start to slow the race to his

fell back before parking the kart he described as 'undriveable'. Dutch teenage sensation Luuk Glansdorp was undefeated aU weekend. He not only had speed,but brains as well, and was patient after a bad start in the final to hit the lead in

pace, but it didn't work and he soon

the closing laps and become the first non-South African to win Senior MAX. Jono Taylor, above left, was at a disadvantage m Junior MAX before he even hit the track, 16kg over the weight that favoured the smaller drivers. Taylor qualified 27th and after a mixture of wet and dry heat races (finishes of eighth, 15th and 10th), he placed 18th in the pre-final. A great start in the final saw him up to seventh, but half way round the lap he was pushed wide,rurming over a kerb and breaking the chain. Estonia's Kenneth Hildebrand won.

■ Victorian Rookie driver Jesse Fenech tasted immediate success upon his move to the junior ranks. Fenech took a first-up victory in Junior Clubman at Oakieigh with three wins from three starts. The Fenechs purchased Luke Ellery's Junior Clubman setup as Ellery has moved to senior Rotax. Jesse will concentrate on state level racing in 2006, plus the Vic Open and Nationals. ■ Wade Cunningham endured a tough initiation to the annual Granja Viana 500 mile kart race in Brazil recently. Teamed with several IRL InfinitI Pro drivers, Cunningham's IRL/Firestone sponsored entry qualified 59th of 74. The team was wrong-footed with pit stops for tyres when it started to rain and then experienced all manner of mechanical dramas on their way to 45th place. The 500 was won again by Rubens Barrichello teamed with Tony Kanaan, Felipe Giaffone and Dan Wheldon. ■ After a three year absence, one of the world'Os most prestigious Superkarting events returns in 2006. The MSA British Superkart GP will take place on the demanding Cadwell Park full circuit in July. As in the past, it is expected that overseas drivers will make an appearance. - MARK WICKS

Atand Ted's Excellent Adventure

Ben George represented Austria (the Tasmanian raced on an Austrian licence in Europe this year)in the RMl class. Despite little time in the machines, he qualified 11th and ran the early laps of the final in second position. After a great battle with former World Champion Christiano Morgado,George fell out of the top three late in the race and placed fourth. Wesleigh Orr (Sth Africa) won the class for the second consecutive year.

ALLAN Simonsen and Ted Huglin took a crushing victory in the 60 minute Marque Sports Car race at Eastern Creek Raceway. The pair's Ferrari 360 GT qualified on pole position but, with standing starts not the car's forte, Huglin dropped a number of spots. A group of incidents saw much of the opening 20 minutes run behind the safety car and Huglin handed over to Simonsen shortly after pit window opened. Simonsen then charged through to take a 50 second win. Scott Fleming(AC Cobra)led the opening half of the race, before handing over to lain Pretty. They finished third. Pretty having been passed by Peter Fitzgerald, in the Porsche GT3 he shared with Max Twigg,for second place. Matthew Turnbull and Michael Garner (Porsche GT3)were fourth, after moving ahead of the David and Des Wall Mazda RX7 late in the race. In the classes,Simon Kane and Matt Humphrey were comfortable winners in their Class B Porsche 911 RSCS, while James Parish and Phil Alexander(Mazda RX7)did the same in Class C. Mazda MX5's were the pick of Class F and D. Donald Lake and Ash Lowe took Class F honours, while Matilda Mravicic and Nick Martinenko won Class D. - MITCHELL ADAM

moiorsportnews

NATIONAL SCENE

Celica City

IF you drove a Toyota Celica in the final round of the Shannons Australian Production Car Championship at Eastern Creek Raceway, chances are you walked away from the weekend with some silverware. Despite the individual class title winners having already been decided and the outright championship being a mere formality, the racing was full of action around the Sydney circuit. In the thick of it, CAMS President Colin Osborne had a less than ideal day, but still managed to seal the outright championship to go with his previously-secured Class B title. Osborne was seventh in the scratch race, won by David Ryan, but had a spin early in the first handicap race. He recovered to finish and secure the necessary points to wrap up the championship,and then finished ninth in the last race. "I guess the reason that we are where we are in the championship is because we had a combination of speed and reliability," he said. "We didn't have a really good day today, but because we had the reliability and speed during the course of the year, it gave us a buffer which allowed us the luxury of making a little faux pas in the first race."

Winner of the round was Steve Briffa in another Celica. Briffa was the best of the Class B drivers all weekend, taking a trio of class wins and an outright win in the second race. He came close to winning the third and final race of the weekend, but was pipped for the win on the line by Drew Dirk Klynsmitli Russell. Russell went into the weekend with the Class A title already won,but pushed on,finishing second overall for the weekend and wrapping up second outright in the championship. Daniel Natoli was another driver racing without title pressure at Eastern Creek, having previously wrapped up Class C,but he wasn't the driver to beat. Leigh Mertens was the pick of the class all weekend,including podium finishes in both handicap races. Behind the third placed Mertens in the final race, Veijo Phillips, Natoli and Lauren Gray completed the top six. -MITCHELL ADAM

iPAST

Outright Points: Osborne 284, Russell 265, Natoli 204, Mertens 204, Allan Shephard 194. Class A Points: Russell 477, Moulder 300, Nick Dunkley 286. Class B Points: Osborne 585, Shephard 425,Trevor Keene 417. Class C Points: Natoli 565, Mertens 418, Gray 418.

Super Tourers went on a tear at EC

m mm

uriflmington won the Challenge TWO-LITRE Super Touring cars dominated the final round of the 2005 Gulf Western Oils Australian Touring Car Challenge series at Eastern Creek last weekend - but the championship belonged to Garry Willmington. The two-litre touring cars took two of the three races at a track usually renowned for favouring V8-powered Holdens and Fords. Matthew Hunt continued his storming recent form to take pole position in qualifying, the Commodore driver besting Terry Wyhoon by over half a second. Garry Wilmington was third, while Luke Searle again headed the Super Touring pack by snaring fourth outright. Hunt also took the first race, benefiting from a rare non-finish from Wyhoon to take the five-lap Scratch Race win by a massive 7Decemlier2005

margin over Gary Wilmington. Luke Searle was third and again top of the 2L cars, while Andrew Gillespie lead the Future Tourer pack. Hunt only just managed to avoid a BMW 1 -2 in the first of the handicap races, passing Peter Kelly at the line to snare second behind Kelly’s team-mate Searle, who limped to the line on the last lap after trailing smoke and oil behind the BMW for the second half of the race. Wyhoon was fourth, Mark Tefler top of Future Tourers and George Vergotis - the sole representative in a Group A Car - a competitive 11th outright. Super Tourers swept the top three in the finale. Sam Dale's Mumbo Racing Mondeo leading home the pair of BMWs- Kelly ahead of Searle in a close race. - RICHARD CRAILL

Support Me! THERE was plenty of support race action at last weekend’s AMRS round at Eastern Creek, with both F4000 and the Kingswood fields producing entertaining racing. Ty Hanger won the opening nonChampionship F4000 race, streaking away after an early race Safety Car. Ben Crighton was second, while Sam Daie lead home Ricky Occhipinti and Tim Berryman. Formula Ford star Shannon O’Brien took a lucky win in the second race after Hanger pulled out with just three laps remaining. Occhipinti was second and Crighton third. Three different race winners highlighted the close competition In the 3.3-litre Sports Sedans. Peter Kalpaxis, Glenn Deering and Rod Moynahan were all race winners, while Richard Heur and Mark Nottage both featured prominently. - RICHARD CRAILL

INDUSTRY NEWS

Hawk A DRIVE

Cebco Brakes has recently expanded their extensive range to include Hawk Performance Brake pads. Hawk Performance brake Pads utilise a unique ferro-carbon compound which combines the safety and quality of Aerospace design with braking technology of motorsport. Hawk Performance Brake Pads can provide improved braking performance and better pad wear over standard equipment. The low dust feature of these pads has also made them popular with street performance enthusiasts. Cebco Brakes are now stocking the HPS Performance Street Compound and specialist motorsport pads. For more information contact Cebco Brakes on 1300 55 66 40 orvisitwww.cebcobrakes.com.au

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TR7 V8 RACE COR, TR7 V8 SUIT PRODUCTION SPORTS OR TARMAC RALLY 5L 500HP ROVER V8 WITH WILDCAT HEADS DRY SUMPED HOLINGER 5SP AP 6 PISTON BRAKES STACK INSTOMENTS THIRD IN 05 VIC STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS A FAST AND RELIBLE PACKAGE WITH REALISTIC MAINENANCE COSTS MAY SELL AS A ROLING PACKAGE. 55,000.00 Neg. 8384 6933 / 0408 818 031. 325 www.myl 05.com/40064

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Championship Winning Subaru Sti RA, Best sorted & Maintained car around Brand New Group A Motor freshly serviced Modena Super Dog Box DMS 50mm R180 Modena Rear end Full FIA chrome moly cage Full underbody protection Motec Big 4 spot AP Brakes Spot Lights has competed and placed on the podium in just about every round competed in this year III Parts, Service and Sponsor package available and neg. Can also be converted to very quick tarmac spec on request. 58000 Meg. Peter 03 9723 5944 / 0418 566 928. www.myl05.com/66484

ECW Racing VN SS $25,000 ONO, 2nd place IPRA Victoria Late Model Class. C/W Koni Shocks ,AP Calipers/Slotted Rotars, 90ltr Drop Tank, SS Body Kit, Group A rear spoiler, 5Speed Manual, LSD, Autometer Guages, 2sets Wheels/Tyres, One Season Old, FULLY LOGGED READY TO RACEIII. $25,000 ONO. Jason 0397582955 / 0414872955. 325 www.my105.eom/70307

Aussie Racing Car, Falcon, Complete Spares, fully enclosed trailer, very competitive car, ring for more details. S45000. Clinton 0403198747. 325 www.myl05.com/45436

Fraser Clubman, Imported 1997. Assembled by David Hill, Penshurst Power Steering. Always garaged. Leather seats, alloy wheels (good tyres), heated windscreen, immobiliser, tonneau, hood and doors. . $40,000 Neg. David 0407479263 / 0262479263. www.my105.com/56462 I

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Datsun 1200 Coupe, under 2itr sports sedan, top hp JTS A15 motor, new button clutch, Toyota 5 speed,4 wheel disc, 3 diff ratios, as new slicks,8 slicks/rims/4 wets. New seat, harness, battery, lots of fibreglass, quick car cheap and easy to mn. Regrettable Sale. $8,500 ONO. James 0407 664 200. 324 www.myl05.eom/20723

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For sale or lease 4 Twin Cam Corollas, Troubles Racing offers for sale or lease 4 race ready twincam Corollas, these class winning championship cars ate presented in excellent condition, the cars are suitable for Sprints, State Race Series and combined Touring Car Events. Also Endurance drives available. We offer junior development programs and assist in OLTs. To start your 2005 race year contact Michael. 0418 377 372. Mick 0418 377 372. 325 www.myl05.com/28823

Toyota MR2, ready to race sports car originally built for GTP. can be used as is or converted to marque car with more freedoms, all good parts, engine & box well developed, Motec, TRD LSD Ohiins coil overs etc. full info pack avail. $25,000 Neg. Terry 07 3201 8866. 325 www.myl05.com/22939

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il group c a9x torana, group c touring car 1977 bob morris 4 door a9x bathurst torana , original gmp&A 4 door race shell 1 of only 10 .fully restored with original cams log books .fresh fate engine, full race and ownership history offers in excess of S110.000 call Chris 03 9725 4441 0407 889 910. S110.000. Chris 0407889910. www.my105.com/16347

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Touring Car. XE Falcon Group C Touring Car 1982 Shepherd built for Alan Jones. Driven by Bob Morris. 83 driven by Andrew Harris & 84 by Paul Jones. Currently painted in greenstuf colours. Car is fully restored and in immaculate condition. Original log book & history available. Serious enquiries only $155,000. $155,000. Gary 042582721. 325 www.my105.com/41098

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VN Commodore 1990 Purpose Built, Purpose built by Mark Picken Automotive. Built for saloon car series 2000 Indy, raced only once, vehicle in as new condition, must be seen, cost $45,000 to build, sell $16,000 ONO. Contact Bob Beasley 0419 400 042. 16.000 ONO. 0419400042. 325 www.myl05.com/45003

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chevy &fith wheel trailer, 65 Mod. Chev dual cab Dually, duel fuel ISOItrgas tank, air con etc. 35fl 5th wheel trailer, heavy duty axles fully enclosable awning, fully lined, cupboards, 12/240vlt, tows great. $46,000. 325 sean 0404 41 41 41.. www.my105.com/49501

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Historic BT, Brabham 18, possilby the most original 18 in the world. Historic Log Book and C of D as raced by Jamie Lamer. $110,000 Not Neg. Peter 03 9439 8986 / 0419 379 024. 327 www.my105.com/27901 Chevron B42, Group 'Q' Historic European F/2 car. Ex Ricardo Patrese. Car can ran us European F/2 or Atlantic. Fittedwith 2 Litre Cosworth BDG. Excellent Car and Engine. 327 $100,000. Peter 03 9439 8986. www.myl05.com/32556

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motorsport news www.mnews.com.au Editor: Phil Branagan ● editor@mnews.com.au Deputy Editor; Mark Glendenning ● mark@mnews.com.au National Editor: Grant Rowley ● grant@mnews.com.au Staff Journalist: Chris Jordan ● chrisj@mnews.com.au PRODUCTION Graphics/Prod. Co-ordinator: Jason ● admin@mnews.com.au ADVIRTiSING Brendon Sheridan - PR Driven Tel: 03 9877 7271 Fax: 03 9877 7207 mobile: 0407 007 286 ● ads@mnews.com.au ADMINISTRATION Managing Director/Publisher: Chris Lambden ● publisher@mnews.com.au CONTACTS 357 Nepean Highway, Brighton East Vic 3187 (PO Box 7072, Gardenvale, VIC 3186) Ph: 03 9596 5555 Fax: 03 9596 5030 Email: admin@mnews.com.au CONTRIRUTORS FI: Joe Saward, Adam Cooper, Paolo Filisetti Europe: Quentin Spurring, Gary Watkins, David Addison US: Phil Morris, Martin D. Clark Speedway: Brett Swanson, Julie Pearce, Geoff Rounds, Tony Millard (UK), Greg Boscato, Darren Sutton Rally: Jon Thomson Drag Racing: Dave Ostaszewski (USA), Nick Nicholas, Ken Ferguson National: Mark Wicks, Mark Jones, Daniel Powell, Erin McCowatt, Andrew van Leeuwen Photographers: Sutton Motorsport Images, Dirk Klynsmith, Bothwell Photographic, Marshall Cass, Nigel Snowdon & Diana Burnett, AFl Images, Neil,Hammond, Allsport, John Morris/Mpix, Frank Midgley, Peter Bury, Mike Patrick (UK), Chris Carter, James Smith, Paris Charles, Bob Potts Motorsport News is published by Australasian Motorsport News - ABN 55 125 120 702 Publisher: C Lambden Printed by: Offset Alpine Printing Pty Ltd, Lidcombe, NSW. Distributed by: NDD Ltd Material published by MOTORSPORT NEWS is copyright and may not be reproduced in full or in part without the written permission of the publisher. Freelance contributions are welcome, and while all care will be taken, Australasian Motorsport News does not accept responsibility for damage or loss of material submitted. ●Opinions expressed in Motorsport News are not necessarily those of Australasian Motorsport News or its staff.

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I hear that reverse grids are back on the agenda for the V8s next season. I think something needs to be done, because as it stands now, it's all about qualifying well, then just trying to keep out of trouble and waiting for the person in front to make a mistake in the race, which can get very predictable at times. The reward for trying to pass is just not worth the risk. I think it is sad that The Enforcer had to become The Accumulator to win the'championship. However, I think they could be a bit more creative than reverse grids. People watch football to see goals scored, so points are given for goals to make it entertaining. With the V8s, people want to see close racing and overtaking, not just follow the leader. I think a driver that comes from 20th on the grid to fifth at race's end has had a better race, and is more entertaining to watch, than the bloke who has lead from start to finish, and the points system should reflect this. It seems there are some drivers all for reverse grids and some against, so why not give them the choice? How about a 'dial your own race?' where drivers are given additional points at for each position they have gained over their starting position, so the bloke that has come from 20th to fifth would get more points than the bloke that lead from go to woe. A driver could be allowed to move his starting position to a position further back on the grid and back himself to get through the field, to get the extra points. This would create interest throughout the whole field and not just at the front. Just imagine how good the Phillip Island race would have been with so many top drivers trying to make up points. Another thing that I don't understand is why more importance is not given to the Manufacturers and Teams Championships, updates should be given after each race meeting. Sponsors could pay for naming rights ie: 'The Supercheap Autos Teams Championship' or the 'Dodo Manufacturers Championship' bringing in more interest and revenue.

converter Send US your thoughts: mail: PO Box 7072, Gardenvale, VIC 3186 fax: 03 9596 5030

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results clearly show that there is a problem with the current system if the person who won the most races didn't win the title. Simon Dale Endeavour Hills, Victoria

Canberra readers want V8s May I add my support to Greg Fawcett, Talk Converter, MNews #318 and his support of a stronger V8 Supercar profile in the country that conceived it. Mr Cochrane is often seen lauding his efforts in the growth of the series, and deservedly so. But moreso, it is the combatants, sponsors, racers and in many cases state or regional governments that deserve a lot more praise than received. It has gone to Shanghai, it is going to Bahrain but after three well supported forays into, it can't make its way back the Nation's Capital and someone needs to be made accountable for this. Why on earth would you present the ACT round on a long weekend and in the middle of winter and even though it was well supported (considering these two conditions) it inevitably led the ruling ACT sport minister to spear the event after three

years of a proposed five-year contract period. Ironically this sport minister, Mr Ted Quinlan, was seen in happy snaps with David Besnard prior to the second event, then in similar happy snaps with the leading event protagonist, Jacqui Rees, following the subsequent cancellation of the ACT event. Stuff all the overseas forays, bring a round back to the ACT at an appropriate time of the year and to an appreciative audience. The ACT is the hub of one of the largest population areas, the east coast, Victoria and New South Wales. In addition, could we get anyone to please take over the stewarding of V8 Supercar racing? They could not do a worse job than the alleged motorsport and legal personalities that decide on Supercar drivers fate at the present time. Michael Attwell Flynn, ACT

Fun at AMRS at the Creek I have just spent the weekend at Eastern Creek watching the Australian Motor Racing Series and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with what I saw. I must admit that I was given a pit pass for the weekend by a friend who had a spare, so I did not have to pay the price of admission, but all things considered, I really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of the meeting. I usually reserve my motorsport spectating to V8 Supercars or Speedway, but when I got the free pass, I thought it was worth a look and I am glad I went It was really good - and a refreshing change - to be able to get a park easily, walk around the track, chat to the people in the pits and just enjoy what was some good racing from the lower profile national-level classes. Eastern Creek might have lost its V8 Supercar round, but I have to say that next year I will keep an eye on the calendar to see what other racing will be on at the Creek. Tim Davies Blacktown, Neiv South Wales

Peter Barnes 2 years $285

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Reverse grids should be ... optional?

pcbarnes@internode.on.net

Points should reward wins I have been watching motorsport racing for more than 20 years. My understanding of the sport is that the aim is to win races. And the person who wins the most races should win the championship. Therefore the V8 category must revise their points structure so that it adequately rewards race winners. This year's

A whole heap of fun: Reader Tim Davies had a enjoyable time at the AMRS final at Eastern Creek. Some others did not...

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