Motorsport News Issue 35 - November 4-17, 1994 by V8 Sleuth

Alan Jones^guide to the Adelaide GP Issue 34

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NEWS T

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INSIDE Germany’s other FI ace

Heinz-Harald Frentzen is poised to foliow Michael Schumacher to the top in Formula 1. Our exclusive interview is on Page 18

Kiwi superstar

He might have been a quiet achiever, but Steve Miilen is one of the most accomplished racers to come out of this region. Read his story on P14

Colour guide: Valvoline Night of NASCAR

A DISTINCTIVE heavily sculptured front air dam is the prominent element of Holden’s homologation package for the new VR Commodore race car. The new front end was tested on a race track for the first time on a modified VP at Calder Park

More exdusive pits inside

last week - just days before Tuesday’s homolgation deadline. Peter Brock completed the test, but Holden Motor Sport chief John LindeU said it was not designed to evaluate the full package, The secret tests were conduct-

ed under tight security, designed to prevent Ford.from seeing the package before this week’s CAMS deadline. However, as well as our pho tographer, rival team owner Glenn Seton watched the car

lapping from a spectator bank. Seton had coincidentally gone to the circuit to run his team’s two Falcons - interestingly only in 1994 specification, not with Ford’s new aero package. Lindell believes the new Commodore will be quicker than the existing VP, but only by a matter of tenths of a second.

The stock car circus goes under lights at Oran Park for the first time later this month and we give you the inside running with our speciai 8-page fuil coiour iift-out guide. ISSN 1320-9744

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News

4 November 1994

HOLDEN TESTS VR AERO KIT By DAVID HASSALL and CHRIS LAMBDEN

■ Steven Richards has returned home after a brief ■visit to England, where he tested a Van Diemen Fonnula Ford and one of Dick Bennett's Dallara F3 cars. At this stage, Steven and his backers haven't made a final decision on what 2-litre touring car he will run in 1995, but we believe as Alfa Romeo tops his list. "We know what we'd like to get - it's just a mat ter of cost," he said. ■ Michael Andretti has set some blistering times at Indianapolis in his first test back ■with Newman-Haas. Andretti set a best lap of 230 mph compared vrith Robbie Gordon at 229 in the Valvoline Lola and A1 Unser Jr at only 225 mph in an Ilmorrather than Mercedes-engine Penske. A week earlier, Scott Pruett recorded a 228 testing Firestone tyres with Patrick Racing’s Lola-Ford.

HOLDEN has track-tested the vital elements of its allnew VR Commodore touring car package. Racing against time to meet Tuesday’s 5pm deadline at CAMS, HRT last Thursday tested its dis tinctive new VR front end treat ment on a converted VP race car, as our exclusive pictures here and on the cover illustrate. Delayed by disagreement with CAMS and TEGA over the extent of structural changes to be built into the VR Commodore bodyshell, the team was extremely keen to confirm its wind-tunnel fi ndings on-track before the homologation deadline. According to Holden’s motor sport manager, John Lindell, the VR Commodore ■will be faster than the existing VP “by only a matter of tenths of seconds.” He described comments that the new Holden would be a hot rod as “rubbish” and said that a well-dri ven VP would still be competitive in 1995. “If Bridgestone do the right work over Christmas, we will certainly gain more time through tyres than with the car,” said Lindell. Rear downforce on the new Commodore is not expected to be an issue - ■with the rear deck height some 35mm higher than the VP, efficiency should be up and there fore downforce increased for an equivalent wing angle. The VR is expected to provide equivalent downforce to the VP with noticeably less drag, but over all drag will be greater because of the new car’s bigger frontal area. Testing of the front-end treat ment therefore became the priority, and that was completed at the Calder road circuit on Thursday. The VR front end features a dis tinctive scalloped look, designed to

n Having sold his substantial steel tube manufacturing busi ness for a reputed $15 million, ■we hear Brisbane's Ross Palmer is looking at putting a two-litre team together. With Geoff Brabham confirmed at BMW, he has approached John Bowe with a view to driving one of the cars (Ford Mondeo?) for him. Neal Lowe will engineer the team.

■ IndyCar director of opera tions Kirk Russell will be in Adelaide for the GP watching how evei-ything runs at the in^vitation of IndyCar GP boss Glen Jones, who will be working at his last Adelaide race.

COMPARISON ...As our comput¬ er enhanced photo above shows, the VR will look quite different to the VP (pictured right). direct airflow to best effect while producing the required dovmforce. The aerodynamics for the VR race car have been designed by a former British Aerospace aerodynamicist who is now retired here. Holden has tested the new pack¬ age on a race car in RMITs fiJl-scale ■wind tunnel back-to-back with a VP, but had yet to tiy a car on the track. HRT was unable to test the mechanical changes which are part of the VR package. A combination of last-minute changes and a hea^vy workload preparing three cars for Adelaide, including repairs on the team’s two Bathurst cars, preclud ed the team from having its first full VR finished. “We’d like to have tested the whole package,” team manager Jeff Grech confirmed this week, “but ■with the delays it just wasn’t possi ble. I suppose it’s a bit of a punt, but we were fairly happy with the way it went.” 'Ihe team has a new VR shell near ing completion and will work hard to

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get that on-track as soon as possible. In the meantime, a late push by some Holden teams to retain the VP rear suspension set-up in its entirety for the VR was causing some late headaches for the Holden homologation team. Holden’s package includes longer upper rear arms to improve load distribution and, having already coped with several delays to date, the team was understandably loathe to make yet another change - particularly vrith an almost-com pleted VR shell in the workshop. According to Lindell, HRT engi¬

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neer Ron Harrop, who supplies components to many other teams, can pro^vide a kit to convert the VP rear end for just $320. Lindell said Holden had gone out of its way to design the car for a variety of components. He said the strut tower could accommodate all the various struts available, despite their considerable differences. He said the VR had been designed to the meet the Group A rules and therefore expected it to be approved by CAMS when it was scheduled to meet on Thursday (November 3).

■ Neal Bates wasn’t the only Motorsport News columnist to have rally success in recent weeks. Peter Whitten surprised the Victorian rally fraternity (as well as himself!) when he won Sunday’s state title round in his old rear-drive Escort RS2000. Next week he celebrates by get ting married. Well done, Peter. ■ TEGA reports brisk sales of seats in its AGP corporate stand, although a few seats remain. After relaxing on Sunday afternoon at the GP, the TEGA boys will get back to busi ness in Adelaide on the Monday ■with their AGM... ■ Tony Longhurst has attracted former Moffat team man Ian Walburn from Ian Thomas' NASCAR team and will move north to build the new Castrol Falcon. Tony has decid ed against leasing someone else's car in the meantime and the new team is hell bent on having a new car ready for the Winfield Triple Challenge, late in January.

Falcon gets radical rear wing By CHRIS LAMBDEN

A RADICAL new rear wing is the outstanding feature of Ford’s revised aerodynamic package for the 1995 EF Falcon touring car, which was due to he presented to CAMS by 5pm on Tuesday. The wing redesign has been nec essary to accommodate the rounder, slightly narrower rear end treatment of the EF Falcon. It features angled wing end plates (to keep the width of the wing the same as last year), but most interestingly 13 horizontal slots towards the tail of the wing to improve air-flow separation over

the wing, and thus its efficiency. To further improve efficiency, and keep the wing as far back as possible, the wing is curved to match the shape of the new Falcon’s tail. The centre of the wing is therefore some 75mm further back than the ends. “The road-going EF Falcon isn’t quite as suitable for a race shape as the old car,” Ford’s motorsport manager Greg Harbutt confirmed exclusively to Motorsport News this week. “So we needed to improve the efficiency of the rear wing just to retain the sort of downforce we had with the previous car.”

The 13 slots, located 60mm from the rear edge of the wing, are each 50mm in length and 6mm wide on the top surface. They angle through and upwards to “exhaust” quite

close to the rear edge of the underside of the wing. Overall, the effect is to improve air-speed under the wing, and thus increase downforce. In FI, the same thing is achieved by having two sepa rate wings - one small addi tional wing at the top of the main wing - but that is illegal for touring cars. The slots are Ford’s compromise solution. Other changes to the Falcon include revised front and rear bumper treatments. The front air dam - the third tested by the Shell-FAI team, which has carried out the develop-

ment work - is less radical than its predecessors, “but seems to provide a good balance with the rear set up,” according to John Bowe, who did the final on-track testing last week at Lakeside. Unlike Holden, which has made structural and mechanical changes for the VR Commodore, Ford’s work has been purely aerodynamic as the EF Falcon is mechanically identical to the existing EB. Incidentally, collectors will weep when they hear that the current test car is actually Johnson’s Bathurst-winning car. It has been repanelled and will be the team’s first EF race car.

News

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n Peugeot has con firmed reports that its FI engines will be supplied to Jordan in 1995. The French company, which signed a three-year con tract with Eddie Jordan, has already supplied a 3.5-litre engine to the British team for prelimi nary testing. A modified 3-litre version of the pre sent A6E unit willfollow. n Former Jordan engine maker Brian Hart expects to stay in FI: talks have already taken place with Arrows and Sauber. n Expatriate Aussie Peter Windsor has report edly put on hold until 1996 the new Formula 1 team he is creating in partnership with former Japanese racer Tetsu Ikuzawa. n The 35 starters in the Thundersports race in Adelaide next week will each represent a charity organisation, which will get half of their prizemoney. Caltex is sponsor ing the events. n Volvo’s much-publi cised Estate racers are apparently being shelved for 1995. A new TWR saloon version of the 850 developed for the BTCC is expected to be unveiled in early January. n Nigel Mansell has linked up with the famous Brands Hatch Racing School and says he wants to help young drivers get to the top by encouraging sponsors. Under a 10-year deal, the school has been re-named the Nigel Mansell Racing School.

Mkhael ba<ks off MICHAEL Schumacher has backed off from derogatory remarks which he made to a delighted British press corps about the abilities of arch-rival Damon Hill. “When I was talking to the British newspapers,” says Schumacher, “the point I wanted to make [about Damon] was that if Ayrton Senna had still been alive and driving this WilliamsRenault, then I would have had no chance to win the championship this year.” The two men have already had telephone conversations to soothe tension in the leadup to the deciding events of the season at Suzuka and Adelaide. -MIKEDOODSON

To keep up to date with a// the latest at the AGP,just Fing the Motorsport News Update Line

Updated daiy fhroyigihioyt the GP Steadycom Premium 25C/21.4 seconds

4 November 1994

McLaren and Mercedes in n

NEW CHALLENGE ...The Diet Coke BMW318i.

attack mode Oeoff Brabham

return to boost two-litre series

By MIKE DOODSON CONFIRMING recent speculation that McLaren would dump current part ner Peugeot in favour of a new engine partnership with Mercedes-Benz, Ron Dennis defiantly set out his ambitious plans last week. At a press conference held in Stuttgart, journalists trooped into Mercedes’ famous automobile museum, passing strategically-placed examples of the racing cars which gave the German com pany instant domination of the GP tracks in 1938 and 1954. Mercedes CEO Helmut Werner emphasised that his company’s motorsport pro grammes in FI and IndyCar were strictly a means of encouraging sales of passen-ger cars. He defended the decision to drop Peter Sauber’s FI team, for which Mercedes had been unexpectedly oblig ed to find sponsorship in its first two years, and said that the association with McLaren - which will last five years - was entirely self funding through the team’s own sponsors. No one could be under any illusions about the objective of the new Formula 1 alliance, as Dennis made plain. “We are going to launch the most aggressive and technically challenging plan that we can in Formula 1,” he said. “This is what we call our ‘step-up programme.’ We are going to try 'to win like no one - not even ourselves has ever tried before.” At the root of the plan is an all-new 3-litre VIO Mercedes engine - “opti mised, not compromise,” said Dennis - built in England by Mercedes partner Ilmor Engineering. McLaren is placing its entire hopes for 1995 on this unit, which is being designed and built by Ilmor within a time frame of barely five months. “We are cutting it very fine,” confessed Dennis. “It could be that the cars in Brazil for the first GP in March will never have turned a wheel.” At this stage, only Mika Hakkinen has been con firmed as a McLaren driver for 1995. Dennis listed the drivers he is interested in as HeinzHarald Frentzen, David Coulthard and Rubens

By DAVID HASSALL

DENNIS... Expecting big things from the Mercedes deaf Barrichello (with whom McLaren presently has an option). However, the drive is not as attractive as, it might seem, given that it will be a question of keeping the seat for Michael warm Schumacher, who is expected to join McLaren in 1996. This could mean that Martin Brundle will be retained. Dennis took the opportuni ty. at the conference to respond to persistent rumours that McLaren faces financial difficulties. He announced that the TAG-McLaren group had just recorded its “best ever results,” and he emphasised that the McLaren FI sportscar project was “just about on target,” with 47 cars sold and production running at three units per month. l Mercedes-Benz and US businessman Roger Penske have shareholdings in Ilmor Engineering (thought to be 25 per cent each). Ilmor boss Mario Illien says that the Fl/IndyCar effort is divided on a 60/40 basis and that his company will provide its 4-cam 2.65litre Indy V8 to nine cars in 1995. Following two changes to the regulations which reduce boost from 55 to 48 inches, Illien and Penske have can celled further development of the V8 push-rod Mercedes engine which raced - and won - in its One-off appear ance at Indianapolis last year.

NEXT year’s Valvoline Australian Manufacturers Championship will get a major shot in the arm with the expected retui’n to Australia of interna tional ace Geoff Brabham. He will replace Tony Longhurst, who quit the team two weeks ago to con centrate on his ne\y 5-litre i touring car Falcon team. Brabham is understood to have agreed terms to drive the second Diet Coke BMW alongside Paul Morris. The 1992 Le Mans winner has been unable to secure a top drive in the United States and is keen to retmm to Australia to live. He has a house at Paradise Waters on the Gold

Coast, where his wife was raised, and they are keen to see their young son growhp in Australia. Brabham partnered Morris in a Commodore at Sandown in September, but will race a BMW for the first time in the Wellington 500 on December 4 - either partnering Morris for Diet Coke or driving the second car in Benson & Hedges colours. Longhurst has no plans to drive a rival 2-litre car next year and will therefore be unable to defend the title he won this year - his first national championship. Having sold his share in Logamo, he decided he was unable to work with the remaining owners, Frank Gardner and Terry Morris.

CUSTOMS Hil RACING R By CHRIS LAMBDEN AFTER years of progres sive removal of import duty on motor racing equipment, the Australian Customs Department has surprised the industry by effectively taking a step back and abobshing Tariff Concessions applicable to hundreds of racing parts. A number of items used in racing cars which have until now been imported duty-free will now attract 15% import duty. In a bid to plug what it sees as a loophole, the Department is seeking to stop duty-free importation of racing parts which could be used in road-going passenger vehicles. To do this, the Minister for & Science Industry, Technology, Senator Peter Cook, has announced that all existing import duty exemp tions for “Parts or goods of a kind which can be used in road-going passenger vehi cles” have been abolished, to be replaced by a 15% protec tive import tariff. The losers in this reversal will be competitors who race in categories which utilise standard, road-going parts in their cars - for example, Formula Ford - where parts

which could be used in a road-going car (such as engine components) will now attract duty. On the other hand, items which are clea'rly specialist motor racing parts - race gearboxes, adjustable shock absorbers, racing brake calipers, etc - will remain duty-free. The area of most confu sion, and the one which has prompted most of the recent discussion with Customs, is the two-litre touring car area. In this case, competi tors face an arduous task of convincing Customs officials of the pure racing pedigree of much of the equipment. The good news is that Tariff Concessions imple mented prior to September 1992 - and that includes a lot of things pertaining to Historic cars and the like remain intact. “There are still some grey areas to resolve,” Customs Official Joe Eastmuir told Motorsport News this week. “The intent of the new leg islation is not to penalise motor sport, but simply to stop duty-free import of equipment for passenger car rying, road-going vehicles.” Motor racing enthusiast and Customs Agent Mark Grundy, who has played a

part in the obtaining of many Tariff Concession Orders over recent years, is incensed; “Let’s dispense with the pretence of industry protec tion,” he said. “It’s a straight-out grab for increased duty revenue. Who are we supposed to be pro tecting here? “Look at some of the items for which exemptions have been cancelled - antique car parts, carburettors and associated jets, Formula Ford engine components, Cosworth BDA blocks and heads, inlet and exhaust valves, magnetos and water pumps ... “Who makes this sort of Australia? in gear Remember, exemptions were granted because nobody needed the tariff protection on these items. “It’s all very well for Senator Cook to say ‘Let them pay Duty’- why should we? If the government increased income tax secretly overnight by 15%, there’d be a revolution!” In the interim, Joe Eastmuir suggests that any one planning to import rac ing equipment should take the trouble to seek Tariff advice well in advance of importation.

News

4 November 1994

FI teams ring In the changes for Adelaide

the manufacturers award. The 30 year-old Englishman was actually dropped by Benetton in 1989, so there is consider able irony in his return. Last week,he was draft ed in for three days of testing, ostensibly in order to assess the Ford Zetec engine which Ligier hopes to "inherit" from Benetton next year. He was immediately on

the pace and impressed the team considerably. He joins the team in place of Dutchman Jos Verstappen, who is reportedly out of racing with a neck strain sus tained when he spun off in the recent European GP. This weekend’s race win mark Herbert’s third team and car/engine com bination in as many races!

Rookies galore

PROMISING Frenchman Franck Lagorce, who fin ished second in this year's European Formula 3000 championship, heads a group of rookies moving into FI at the end of the season. He moves in to replace Johnny Herbert at Ligier in Suzuka and Adelaide. Lagorce, 26, recently signed to the French team as a test and reserve driver and impressed with his first full Formula 1 trial at Barcelona. A former French Formula 3 champion, he was this year’s F3000 runner-up with the Apomatox team. Elsewhere, rent-a-drivers are being made welcome by impoverished minor teams. 'The embattled Lotus team has signed Finnish driver Mika Sale to drive alongside Alessandro Zanardi this weekend at Suzuka. He replaces Eric Bernard,

who was forced to do one race with Lotus as part of the deal that saw him replaced at Ligier by Johnny Herbert. However, he will not be available for Adelaide due to a clashing Japanese F3000 race. The 28 year-old Sale bat tled with countryman Mika Hakkinen for the British F3 title but, while Hakkinen moved up to FI with Lotus, Salo went to Japanese F3000 where has has struggled with poor budgets for four years. Salo is a close friend of JJ Lehto, but sees Hakkinen as his biggest rival for the attention of the Finnish media. They have not spoken for four years. Salo has never driven an FI car and his first chance to drive a semi-automatic gear box will be in practice at Suzuka today (Friday).

AS THIS issue of Motorsport News went to press, a few details had come to light of a plan which is expected to save the beleaguered Lotus FI A firm of London accountants, appointed in September under the court order which put Team Lotus into administration, has announced that the team would be permitted to meet its obligations in Japan and Australia for the final two GPs of the season. Italian driver Alessandro Zanardi will be in one of the cars. It has been admitted that no money has yet been

received by Lotus from Phihppe Adams, the suppos edly wealthy son of a Belgian building contractor who con tested two recent GPs with the team. ^ spokesperson for Lotus confirmed that an offer for the team had been accepted, insisted that it might be “many months” before the identity of the purchaser was revealed. She affirmed that the period of administration was now over and said the 90 jobs at Lotus are safe. “But the situation is still veiy fragile,” she added. One suggestion is that supporters of present Lotus boss Peter Collins may be behind the deal, Sydneysider Collins took

LEHTO... Late switch.

goest Sauber

FOLLOWING initially encouraging tests at the Paul Ricard circuit in France, miracle man Karl David Brabham's partner Wendlinger has cancelled^ at Simtek in Japan and pos plans to return to the sibly Adelaide also will be Sauber FI team in the Japanese F3000 mid-fielder Japanese and Australian Taki Inoue. GPs. The 31 year-old graduated Surprisingly, he will be to F3000 with the Super replaced by JJ Lehto, who Nova team this year and has been contracted to impressed Simtek owner Benetton and last drove for Nick Wirth in recent the team only last month in Barcelona testing. Portugal. David Brabham’s partner The Finnish driver has in Adelaide will be either had a miserable season after Inoue or 26 year-old Italian being signed as Michael Domenico Schiattarella, who Schumacher’s number two. debuted with the team at Ironically, he was also Jerez. Erik Comas will lose his n sidelined during the year by a neck injury sustained in place at Larrousse for pre-season testing. Adelaide in favour of French Wendlinger’s decision not touring car driver Jeanto race was taken reluctantly Denis Deletraz. on the advice of fitness guru He joins Hideki Noda, who Willy Dungl, who ruled that debuted himself just three weaknesses in the driver’s weeks ago at Jerez. neck muscles might compro mise his health if he were to -MIKEDOODSON, return to the cockpit so soon. ADAM COOPER and Watched by 50 journalists, ? QUENTIN SPURRING Wendlinger had nevertheless stunned onlookers with his performance under wet con ditions over two days. Despite changes to the specification of the car since he last raced, he lapped with in 1.5 seconds of team mate Heinz-Harald Frentzen. It was less than five months since a crash during control late in 1990 and practice at Monaco put larmched an ambitious three Wendlinger into a life-threatyear plan to put the team ening coma for 19 days, In order to assess the driback on top, but his plans

went badly astray in 1993 when the team’s expensively developed active-ride system proved unsuccessful. With listed creditors, including engine supplier Mugen-Honda, still clamouring for A$20 million in impaid bills, it is difficult to see what attraction Lotus could have without shedding its burden of debt. Any new purchaser would also have to receive the blessing of the Chapman family, owner of the Lotus name and freeholder of the Ketteringham Hall premises where the team is based in eastern England.

by Peter Brock

MYSTERY BUYER TO SAVE LOTUS? By MIKE DOODSON

Idiosyncrasies Influence: Power, bias, convince, inducement, impress, authority, moti vate, troublemaker.

Benetton gives Herbert big break

JOHNNY Herbert has been drafted in to strengthen Benetton’s World Championship effort. After just one race with the Ligier team, the exLotus driver will drive the Benetton in Japan this weekend. He is likely to race the car in Adelaide as weU to help Schiunacher win the drivers title and Benetton

n this period of the year, with i our 1995 Homologation for 5litre Group A touring cars in full swing, there is, and has been, an enormous mount of lobbying going on. The reason for all the lobbying is, of course, quite obvious. The various parties (factions?) are attempting to influence whoever, in their view, needs it. Just about every meaning and facet of the word influence has been brought into play. Ultimately, the success of any formula is reckoned by the number of competitive participants and machinery on the track. If it’s too expensive, the “Haves” clean up while the “Have-nots” grumble and generally drift away, so there is always a need for a cool, calm view that’s not necessarily that of the immediate participants. Much of the lobbying is aimed at stopping rather than encouraging; in fact, a great number of ideas are buried because some think it will in some way affect their own position on “the ladder” if the idea is accepted. It is pretty easy to become discouraged since the lob bying process, not unlike that used by the numbers men in our nation’s capital, aren't necessarily based on those attributes we all expect of fair play, reason, logic or even integrity. Quite often the motivation is to discredit, as one team or group have, perhaps, a hidden agenda to eliminate or curb another who is posing, to them at least, some sort of imagined threat. For those whose ideas and best efforts at present may culminate in the production of top cars within their honest and intelligent interpretation of the regulations and who are constantly met with derision, take heart. Know that “every dog has his day”, as the old saying goes. Things have a habit of working out if you just allow them to. it is probably wise to remove oneself a little from this squabbling and just trust that at the end of the day the various influences will balance themselves out. Many who put their heart and soul into making an excellent job of their task to present a new piece of machinery for homologation receive a rude shock. The fruits of their labour becomes subject to the to-ing and fro-ing of various influences, all jockeying for a position of authority. As I’ve said many times before, the only solution to any such situation in life is to assess it in a positive way, gleaning the lessons learned from it all and then to get on with life, leaving those who are immersed in the games to continue with their personal sagas. If you thought the homologation process was straightforward, you are a long way from the mark. When CAMS was the sole deciding body, it was less complicated. In these times, with certain influential competitors seeking to impress, it is not what it all seems, as deci sions are overturned when new influences make their mark. The formula for a successful outcome is not unlike that which provides excellent competition (entertain ment) to enable the sport to attract larger audiences. This is a long-term strategy, a plan put into effect and adhered to while keeping the guidelines and principles very clearly outlined to the competitors. Those influences that are important are those that contribute to enhancing the aforementioned; any other is a distraction and should be ignored.

ver’s analytical abilities, his British-born engineer Tim Wright deliberately put some wrong settings on the car. “It was as if Monaco had

Sandown bmk

never happened,” said Wright. “His remarks about the car were crystal clear.” The pressure to get back in a car has reportedly come from Wendlinger himself. He decided to race in order to

SANDOWN is expected to return to the 1995.Shell series calendar with the opening round on February 5, despite an Quit/Peter ongoing Jackson sponsorship clash. Reaction from teams and series sponsor Shell to earli er reports that Sandown would lose its round to Calder has spurred CAMS and Sandown promoter Jon Davison to seek a solution of

show that he could still be competitive, Despite doubts about his team’s future, team owner Peter Sauber has already taken up Wendlinger’s option for 1995. -MIKEDOODSON

some kind to the problem. As Motorsport News closed for press, it seemed a solu tion was imminent. At the same time, CAMS and the MPA have also been locked in an increasingly bit ter dispute over the two-litre touring car schedule, with the MPA at one stage threat ening to boycott the series. However, again, we hear that a resolution might be just around the comer. - CHRIS LAMBDEN

News

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n Nissan has entered Toshio Suzuki for the Wellington round of the Asia-Pacific Touring Car Championship. Suzuki, who debuted in FI at the age of 38 last year and raced in the Japanese and Australian GPs, will drive one of NISMO’s impres sive new Sunnys in the street race. n Mitsubishi might be the next manufacturer to get involved in 2-litre touring car racing. Ralhart Germany is eval uating the four-door Galant and could contest the German series if it can gain support from the local importer. n Talented young Victorian driver Daniel Orr beat 54 rivals to win the 1994 Australian Formula Vee Nationals at Eastern Creek on October 16. The 19 year-old from Gippsland, in his first full season of racing, recov ered from a bad start which dropped him to 13th before catching and passing former Nationals winners Frank Haire and Paul Tucker in his exMcConville Scorpion. n Former British F3 champion and F3000 star Gil de FeiTan will almost certainly race IndyCars next year, replacing Teo Fabi in Jim Hall’s team. The Brazilian, who impressed Hall at a test in June, has almost given up hope of getting an FI drive next year. n Rubens Barrichello’s father is considering establishing an F3 team in Britain next year. He already runs several teams in Brazil and is keen to maintain control of his drivers when they graduate to Europe.

4 November 1994

Fast and furious

By ADAM COOPER BMW took first blood in the opening round of the Asia-Pacific Touring Car Championship at Fuji in Japan on Sunday, but it was the battle for the Japanese Touring Car Championship which was the hgihlight of the day. The three-way battle for the title came down to a mas sive dice in the final few laps with local hero Masanori Sekiya coming out on top for Toyota, beating Dane Tom Kristensen (Toyota) and Britain’s Steve Soper(BMW) by just a few points. In the APTCC, it was a Schnitzer team 1-2 with Jo Winkelhock having the untroubled time (finishing third and second in the two races) the team had hoped for Soper. Overall winner on the day was the Japanese-based Brit Anthony Reid, whose perfor mances this year in a private Vauxhall British-built Cavalier have been out standing and who came through from 31st to 2nd in the first race before winning the second. An excellent entry of 38 cars arrived for the inaugur al round of the APTCC, but only six - four BMWs and two Nissans - were regis tered for the APTCC.

Qualifying

Soaking wet conditions marred qualifying and Nissan caused a surprise by sweeping the top four positions, with Hoshino and Hasemi on the front row in their Primeras, and lida and Kageyama on the second in their Sunnys (which were the fastest APTCC registered cars). All four cars were works

Everything you need to know Is right in front of you

taking the third start from the pits; he’d been pushed off by a Toyota at the second start and could not get his car fixed in time to make the

grid. - ’

Race 2

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entries and benefited both from recent engine develop ments and from Bridgestone tyres, which clearly worked very well in the rain. Nissan has not actually won any of this year’s 16 JTCC races, and in fact had been less competitive as the season went on. Toyota took the third row, with Kristensen (Michelin) ahead of Aguri Suzuki (Bridgestone). Giambattista Busi did a good job to put the works Alfa 155 seventh, Honda Civics took eighth and ninth through Hattori and Tanaka and Sekiya put his TOM’S Toyota 10th. The next APTCC cars were the Schnitzer BMWs of Soper and Winkelhock, which fined up only 13th and 14th. Both drivers were trying very hard and both spun without major damage, but their Yokohamas were hope less in the conditions. In addition, the rear wheel drive BMWs suffered a lot more from aquaplaning over the large puddles and rivers which formed on the track. The other APTCC entries, the Motorola BMWs, suf fered the same problem, although potentially their Michelin tyres should have been better. However, the team suffered from a lack of

testing and local knowledge. Tim Harvey did well to be so close to the Schnitzer cars in 16th, while Justin Bell crashed on Saturday morn ing and fined up 34th. Other foreign drivers included Andrew GilbertScott (BMW) in 19th, Leopold yon Bayern (BMW) in 21st, Armin Hahne (his first race for Honda) 22nd, F3 driver Michael Krumm (Toyota) 24th and Andrew Reid (Vauxhall)in 31st.

Race 1

The morning warm-up was held in damp conditions, but it was dry by the time the first 21-lap race started at 11am. In fact, the first race was stai-ted three times! On the first attempt, five cars were involved in two accidents on the second lap. This was good news for Soper, who had pitted on the warm-up lap with a broken fuel pump. Incredibly, his JTCC title rival Sekiya was also in the pits - he spun on the warm up laps and got stuck in reverse gear. Both men had a lucky second chance. On the re-start, Leopold Von Bayern spun on the first lap and was hit by another car, causing a second red

flag. The third attempt got off smoothly and Hoshino led initially, but was soon passed

by Kristensen’s Toyota. Tom opened up a lead of several seconds, before his handling went off and Hoshino re-caught him. Then, with two laps to go, Kristensen’s front suspen sion broke and he was forced to pit, allowing Hoshino to score Nissan’s first win in the JTCC this year-. Star of the race was Reid, who drove magnificently from 31st to take second place. Winkelhock finished third and took top Asia-Pacific points after a consistent drive, while Hasemi took the second Primera to fourth place. Ex-Fl driver Aguri Suzuki took fifth, just ahead of team mate and JTCC title protagonist Sekiya. Soper’s luck ran out when he suffered a second fuel pump failure on lap 16. At the time he had worked his way into third place, which would have become second when Kristensen stopped. With Steve and Tom both out, Sekiya gained ground in the JTCC race. Among the other AsiaPacific entries, there was lit tle good news. The Sunnys could not match their wet weather per formance, Akira lida finish ing 12th (2nd APTCC) and team mate Masahiko Kageyama 14th (3rd) after

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The Motorola BMWs had a troubled time, especially with handling. Harvey fin ished 17th (4th), despite being delayed by two inci dents, and Bell 20th (5th).

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The JTCC points at the start of the second race ran Kristensen 133, Sekiya 131 and Soper 130 but the sce nario was quite complex because they each had to drop their worst scores of the season if they finished the second race. Kristensen had to take the start from 24th and Soper 28th. The second race again saw some magnificent racing down the field, although not at the very front. Reid soon passed Hoshino for the lead and, when the Nissan driver suffered engine problems, the Englishman pulled away and scored a well-judged win. Winkelhock emerged from the pack to take second, but behind it was total mayhem as a bunch of six or more cars - including the three JTCC title contenders fought out the remaining places. Soper fought his way up magnificently and looked set to clinch the title, but his tyi'es were worn out and in a spectacular last few laps the places changed on every cor ner. Sekiya got by to claim third while Soper tumbled down to sixth, and was then passed by Kristensen (who was delayed by a collision with Suzuki) right on the line. Amazingly, Sekiya won the title by 135 points to the 134 of Kristensen, with Soper on 132! lida took 10th (3rd APTCC behind Winkelhock and Soper) after another quiet race, while Kageyama was a disappointing 18th (5th). The Motorola cars had a tough time, with Harvey tak ing 16th (4th) and Bell suf fering a blown engine. APTCC POINTS: BMW 20, Nissan 17. DRIVERS: Winkelhock 18, lida 10, Soper, Harvey, Kageyama 6; Bell 2. TEAMS: Schnitzer 48; NISMO 30, Motorola 18.

Oh, no... not again!

THE Schumacher family must have a problem see ing black flags. Just three months after Michael was suspended for ignoring the black flag at Silverstone, his 19 year-old brother Ralf did exactly the same at Hockenheim. In the final round of the 3 Formula German Championship, Ralf missed a chicane, but failed to obey the stewards’ demand for a stop-go penalty...

News

4 November 1994

As the Ft teams head for Adelmde, Ian Bamsey describes how the aerodynamic changes initrodiuced in the wake of Ayrton Senna’s death ham affected the cars... Some have interesting come tofigures light regarding Formula One car aerodynamic performance. The typical Formula One car started the ‘94 season producing anything up to eoooibs downforce at 200mph, according to circuit requirements. The lowest downforce circuits are Hockenheim and Monza, the highest Ti Circuit, Monte Carlo and the Hungaroring. Imola is medium low while Barcelona, Silverstone, Estoril, Jerez and Adelaide are medium high, the rest (Interlagos, Montreal, Magny Cours, Spa, Suzuka) in the middle. This is only a guide: cars can switch aerody namic configuration between qualifying and the race (for example, some times from medium to medium high at Adelaide). Cutting the diffuser back cost more in low downforce than in high downforce trim: from around 15% less downforce at low speed to perhaps 8% in high downforce trim. Exhaust activation had less to offer at high speed as there was less diffuser to work on, but it remained highly significant. Modification of the front wing endplates cost both front and rear downforce. At a stroke, raising the endp/afes cost something like 9% of front downforce and 1.5% of rear downforce. Loss of the vortex gen erators hurt even more: as much as 21% of front downforce and 4% of rear downforce. The vortex-generating endplate extensions controlled the airflow regime ereated by the spinning wheel, effectively jetting air sideways to stop it interfering with the underwing and front wing flows. Although this effect took

TECHNO FILE By ion Bumsey, UK

place behind the front wing, consider that even the pres ence of the lower front wish bone influences the operation of the front wing. So-called bargeboards have a similar effect to the

boards in the light of the exclusion zone ruling regained much of their per formance and, with the loss of vortex generators, they are typically being used every where now. Overall, the Barcelona front wing losses made it a bit of a struggle to gain suffi cient downforce at the front to balance the rear in high downforce trim. Some ‘94 cars were already marginal in this respect (including, it is thought, the Williams FW16,

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which appeared at Monaco with small nose tabs supplementing the front wing), With the plank and the reduction of maximum permitted rear wing area as introduced at Hockenheim, in absolute terms 5% less downforce can be attained (regardless of considera tions of drag and front to |« rear balance). The attainable lift:drag ratio has now fallen from the region of 3.5-4.0:1. In low downforce trim, compared to the original ‘94 regulations, downforce is something like 30% less, drag a few percent higher, in this case the lift:drag ratio falling by more than 40%. In high downforce trim, there is a similar loss of downforce, but a smaller increase in drag. The lift:drag ratio has not been affected as much since in high downforce configuration the under wing represents a smaller percentage of total downforce. Nevertheless, the rear wing regulation change has hurt. Remember, though, that the various regulation changes impinge on every aspect of the car’s aerody namics. To fully optimise any package implies starting again; perhaps, for exampie, incorporating a different length and shape of sidepod. By and large, teams have been too busy preparing for ‘95 to undertake the necessary complete design overhaul ...

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4 November 1994

Earnhardt makes NASCAR history

DALE Earnhardt wrote his name into the NASCAR record books last week by equalling Richard Petty’s record ofseven titles. Earnhardt did it in style at the Rockingham track, tak ing his 63rd career victory and his third of the year. Rusty Wallace, the only driver capable of passing Earnhardt, retired after 300 of the 492 laps with a blovm engine for the second race in succession. Earnhardt became the first driver since Cale Yarborough in 1978 to wrap up the title with two rounds remaining. His last six championship have been won with team owner Richard Childress. He took the lead just eight laps from the finish and later dedicated the title to the late Neil Bonnett, his close friend who was killed at Daytona in February. Earnhardt, 43, plans to kepp racing until he is 50 and could clearly aims to win another title now.

In last Sunday’s race at International Phoenix Raceway, Terry Labonte scored his third win of the year in his Kellogs Chevrolet. Labonte muscled his way to the front after starting 19th, keeping the huge crowd of 96,000 entertained. Labonte beat Mark Martin by three seconds and lapped everyone up to fourth place. Pole winner Sterling Marlin set the early pace from Rusty Wallace before Ricky Rudd worked his way into the lead. The race was red-flagged on lap 33 when John Andretti hit the wall so hard it punched large holes in the concrete. Andretti was taken to hospital, but later released uninjured. Rudd again led from the restart and through two yel low periods (the latter involving the Bodine broth ers again, as well as Harry Gant) before Martin worked the Tide machine to the front. A problem with an airline

being disconnected cost Rudd valuable time in the pits and the Thunderbird driver even tually had to settle for sev enth place. From the final restart on lap 123, Labonte stretched a lead of five seconds at one point and won comfortably from Martin, Marlin, Jeff Gordon, Ted Musgrave and Kyle Petty. The unfortunate Bill Elliot retired when his clutch caught fire while Earnhardt went out with a cracked cyhnder head. “We were running some experimental stuff,” said the new champion. “We went a little too far

n Jim Richards has made a late switch for the Duttons Grand Prix Rally, which starts today (Friday). The former Nissan touring car driver is leaving his own Nissan GTR in the garage and will drive one of the new turbocharged Nissan 200SX sports coupes instead.

EARNHARDT... 7th Title out on a limb and the limb broke.”

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n Possum Bourne has retained his Asia-Pacific rally title after wiiming the Hong Kong-Beijing Rally last weekend. The New Zealander beat 555 Subaru team mate Richard Burns by 30s. More next issue.

Wallace eventually fin ished two laps down in 17th after being hit with a pit lane violation. “That really killed me. They said I was speeding, which is bull, but I’ve learned you can’t argue with them,” said an angry Wallace. POINTS: Earnhardt 4140, Martin 4065, Schrader 3930, Rudd 3929, Shepherd 3879.

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n Paul Tracy’s drive with Newman-Haas has finally been confirmed by the team. An official statement said he would join Michael Andretti in the team.

JUST IN TIME... The STP cars were finishedjust two hours before being loaded onto the boat and it told. Both cars retired, but not before ‘Skippy’Parsons made his mark.

Parsons hot in HQ enduro

TOURING car driver David Ptirsons set a hot pace in the HQ 3 Hour race at Calder on Simday, but the late preparation of the two-car STP-backed team from Tasmania told in the race with both cars being forced to retire. Victory in the event went to 1993 Thunderdome HQ rookie of the year Dave Wood and co-driver Mark Craig, who fin ished just 52 seconds clear of Shane Jenner and former Formula Ford champion Cameron McConville. Reigning Thunderdome HQ champion Tim D’Ombrain and co-driver Max Bonney finished third, a lap down, from early leaders Phillip Smith/Marshall Brewer and Tasmanians Lawson Reid/Robert Lupo. There were 71 entrants, 56 starters and 40 finishers. - Story and Photo by SEAN HENSHELWOOD

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n The Australian F2 Series goes down to the wire at Phillip Island on November 27 with Victorians Andrew Clifford (Reynard 893) and Wayne Ford (Ralt RT34) separated by just one point. Though not in contention for the series, there will also be plenty of interest in Simon Hardwidge’s Dallara 393, in which Gianpiero Simoni finished runner-up in last year’s Italian F3 champi onship. n Daryl Beattie’s deal with Lucky Strike Suzuki for 1995 has been con firmed, ending his unhappy relationship with Yamaha. The Queenslander tested the Suzuki briefly in Spain and expressed himself happy with the bike. “I’m so glad to be back on Michelin tyres - they really suit my style,” said Beattie after two days at Catalimya. “In only a few laps I felt relaxed and comfortable, able to ride the way I feel natural. n Mick Doohan will return home to a hero’s welcome next month, when he will be appointed an honourary tourism ambas sador for the Gold Coast. The 29 year-old was raised on the Gold Coast and spends time there during the off-season between test ing commitments.

n Paul Radisich will stay with Ford in next year’s BTCC. “With the potential of the Mondeo with wings and with Andy Rouse con centrating on developing the cars. I’d be crazy to go anywhere else,” he told Autosport magazine. n The Formula Brabham Association has appointed Melbourne-based Kevin Leighton’s Integrated Sports Marketing company to secure sponsorship for the 1995 Gold Star series and to co-ordinate promotional and marketing activities. n Kiwi Steve Horne’s new IndyCar team will use Mercedes-Benz engines and Firestone tyres on its Lolas next year. Horne’s Tasman Motorsports team will run Brazilian Indy Lights ace Andre Ribeiro and possibly Indy Lights champion Steve Robertson. n Duracell sponsorship has followed Raul Boesel from Dick Simon Racing to the Rahal-Hogan team, renewing an association between Rahal and Duracell which included the 1992 championship. n Both Walker Motorsport (which runs Robby Gordon) and PacWest Racing (run by Aussie John Anderson) will switch from Lola to Reynard IndyCars next year. Gerry Forsythe, who will run a new team for Teo Fabi, will also go with Reynard. n IndyCar chief Andrew Craig drew praise from the Walker Motorsport team when he tested Robby Gordon’s Valvoline Lola at a road course near Indianapolis. Craig, who raced in Europe for many years, completed 40 laps and said the experience was valuable to understand what the drivers go through and how fit they need to be. n Mario Andretti said it would take at least a couple of years before he could con sider establishing his own IndyCar team. However, he plans to attend all the tests and most of the races with his son Michael and his old Newman-Haas team “to stay on top of things.”

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News

4 November 1994 I

inishing second in Spain was just about the mini mum result Rothmans Williams Renault could afford to have. The fact is, I really wanted to win the European Grand Prix because it would have given the team a huge boost. That may sound an obvious thing to say but the point was, we wanted to show that we had turned things around, that our recent run of success was purely on merit and had little to do with Michael Schumacher’s absence. And the thing that really annoys me is the fact that I could have won the race. My chances were hampered by a problem with the refuelling equipment which affected my per formance in the race. Having led until the first pit stop, I was powerless to prevent Schumacher from scoring an important win and extending his lead of the championship slightly from one point to five points. With the situa tion being so tight, I had wanted to strike the cru cial psychological blow; instead, I was at the receiving end but could do very little about it. I should point out that my desire to win was not motivated in the least by the derogatory remarks which Michael made about me the previous week. I thought the com ments were unnecessary and not very well thought out; a fairly transparent attempt to be controver sial and unsettle me. He failed completely because I carried on as normal and didn't give the remarks as much weight as the press had done in their back-page treatment of the story. The whole thing fizzled out pretty quickly. We got together for a photo call and, at the postqualifying press conference on Saturday, there was good-natured needle between us. I pointed out that there was no animosity between us, that we had been getting on okay until he went and claimed pole position! Since overtaking is that very a difficult at Jerez, I knew good start would be as vital as sound pit stop tactics. When I saw the Benetton creeping forward slightly before the lights had turned green, I knew that Schumacher would be at a disadvantage. The same

Mil

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I By Williams F1 driver Damon Hill thing happened to me in Portugal three weeks before and, sure enough, as soon as he stopped the car, on came the green light. I took the lead going into the first corner and it soon become obvious that I was in good shape as I began to gradually pull away.

which in retrospect, was a mistake. By the time I returned, Schumacher was leading by four seconds - which was the first blow. Then he started to pull away, but I wasn’t too concerned about that because his car should have been lighter in any case if he

7thought Michael Schumacher derogatory comments were afairly transparent attempt to unsettle me.^ I was planning to make two pit stops and, of course, I didn’t know what Michael’s plan would be. But it was clear that, if he was also stopping twice, then we were level pegging. And if he was scheduled to come in three times then he was definitely in trouble because I was ahead and having little diffi culty staying there. So it was very good news to hear on the radio that he had made his first call to the pits quite early; it pointed to a three-stop tactic by Benetton. I wanted to press on and make the most of my advantage but was called in a few laps later, a move,

was stopping three times. The gap increased to 14 seconds but, con sidering he would need at least 20 seconds to get in and out of the pits for that extra fuel slop, I was still confident. Michael made his second stop but then, to my great surprise, I was asked to come in a few laps later. This was definitely not in the script because I was supposed to go quite some distance before making my second and final stop. Unknown to me, there had been a problem with the equip ment and not enough fuel had gone into my car at the first stop.

9 So, when I made my last stop, I obviously took on enough fuel to see me through to the finish. But, the point was, the race was only at half distance. I had taken 95 litres on board whereas Michael - due to make another stop, of course - had something like 55 litres in the Benetton. I had almost twice the amount of fuel - and he was ahead of me. Added to which, we were working our way through the back-markers and I was driving a car which weighed 50 kilograms more than the Benetton. That killed my chances completely. I was trying to work out what was going on. I thought this must be some clever strategy that I didn’t know about. But why on earth have I got half a tank of fuel at this stage? Of course, I didn’t realise that, because of the faulty equipment, I would have run out of fuel had I not come in when requested for the second stop. However, that left me with the problem of not only carrying all this extra weight but doing it on one set of tyres which, toward the end, were hardly in their prime. It was a bit of a disaster, to put it mildly. But not a total disaster because I’m still in with a shout. Five points is noth ing with two races to go; it means Schumacher and Benetton cannot afford to make the slightest mis take. Having said that, you have to hand it to Michael; he did a terrific job by coming back and beating us so soundly. My ‘Plan A’ at Jerez was to go out and show him what we were worth. I didn’t get the result I needed but it was not for the want of trying. As I got over my disappoint ment immediately after the race, I had to switch to ‘Plan B’, which is never give up. If there is the slight est chance, then go for it. I’ve got to forgot about Spain and think about Japan now. The Suzuka circuit actually suits us much better than Jerez and, although the Jerez results may not prove it, I learned enough to know that we have made excellent progress with the car. We are quite capable of beat ing Benetton. I had no doubt about that until the first pit stop last Sunday. The battle is by no means over.

n 1994 Australian Hillclimb Champion Roger Harrison, who does little other driving, hired a Van Dieman Formula Ford and covered about 70 laps at Mallala as training for the Collingi-ove event. Despite not being able to fit comfortably in the car, Harrison liked driving the Formula Ford so much that he is talking of buying a car for more regular use. n When the sound of Chris Meulengi-afs Porsche climbing the Collingrove Hill with its sixinto-one exhaust was brought to the notice of Birrana Engineering’s Malcolm Ramsay with the suggestion that Formula Brabham could benefit from a similar system, Ramsay noted that one had already been fabricated and tested with a minimal loss of power. Now he is in the process of obtaining the agreement of all the other FB competitors to use the exhaust, but it probably won’t be for the AGP meeting. n Jaguar Australia is spon soring this year’s Grand Prix Ball in Adelaide, which will fea ture Glenn Shorrock, James Morrison, Venetta Fields, Lisa Edwards, Gai-y Sterling, Russell Moms and Normie Rowe, il Tom Walkinshaw’s engine whiz, kiwi Allan Scott, is returning home to New Zealand after 15 years with TWR. However, the man who headed the Volvo 2-litre touring car pro gram is apparently planning to remain involved with touring car in the Asia-Pacific region ... n Former Mazda driver David Leslie is almost certain to head Honda’s new touring car pro gram in Britain next year. 1985 Bathurst winner Armin Hahne will lead the German progi'am while former FI driver Bertrand Gachot is set to do the same in Belgium - all in Honda Accords. n Nissan is set to take control of its own BTCC program. Word at the World Cup was that Nissan Motorsport Europe would take over from Janspeed, whose performances this year were very disappointing. n Audi drivers Hans Stuck and Emanuele Pirro have both expressed interest in the likely BTCC attack by the German maker next year - viewing the British series as the best 2-litre title in the world.

Leading the Held te give yea the best The Dunlop Formula-R D98J is designed forsaloon car racing where only streetlegal tyres can be used. These demands produced a tyre with very high pattern rigidity and casing strength, but with a compound offering very high grip. In fact this tyre is only marginallyslower than the Dunlop D78J-renown as the besttyre ofits type available. However, for this level ofgrip in dry conditions, the Formula-R D98J also offers extremelygood performance in wet conditions, making it particularly suitable for road rallies such as the Targa Tasmania, Grand Prix Rally and other streetapplications.

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News

iMo)0®!I8[P®[FD

DIRTY DEEDS

by AustraSion RaiSy

Champioit lieiii i«tes

he task ahead of us in the next few weeks is a massive one. We have a new model ST205 Celica GT Four sitting in our work shop looking very much like a shell and a lot of things still to go into it. We have given our selves a deadline of November 15 - ten days before the start of the Esanda - to have the new car ready to roll. It is a big task, but we reckon we can do it. The fall-back position is the old car which, although very battle-scarred after the Goffs Harbour acci dent, is able to be fixed and is now at the panel shop having the body cleaned up. The amazing thing about that car is that it has now done three full sea sons of ARC competition and only had panel dam age twice. Even more pleasing, is that I only stuffed up once. We measured the chas sis specs of the Celica after Coffs Harbour and every measurement was spot on. Given that our crew went back to the site and found a mark on a tree seven feet off the ground was totally amazing! The Esanda Rally media day was held last week, with the ACT government announcing it is getting

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behind the push for the Esanda to be included in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship. It would be great to have an Asia Pacific round in the backyard; the only problem Is that everyone else gets to have a look around the roads before the rally as well! The other great thing that was announced is the fact that I get a $10,000 bonus if I win the Esanda this year. I don’t really need an added incentive this year after all, I have the incen tive of winning the ARC, so it will be maximum attack anyway - but $10,000 would pay for a pretty big party afterwards... The Esanda is going to be a big challenge, not only having to beat Michael Guest and Ed Ordynski but also because we have some pretty tough competi tion coming from New Zeaiand. New Kiwi national champ Joe McAndrew will be running his Prodrive-built Subaru and half a dozen others are coming across to give some real depth to the starting line-up. I had better get back and help the boys in the team otherwise I won’t have to worry about win ning the ARC, the team will have killed me before I get the chance!

Gobert rocks the Superbike world Report by TONY GLYNN

Englishman Carl Fogarty snatched the 1994 World Superbike Championship for Ducati after a threeway struggle in the final round decider at Phillip Island on October 30. But a stunning performance by Kawasaki debutant Anthony Gobert over shadowed the efforts of the title contenders and resoundingly catapulted the young Australian into contention for the 1995 championship. Gobert’s seemingly last minute switch from Honda Australia’s factory RC45 ride to the #96 flat-slide carburetted Kawasaki ZXR750R fol lowed the signing of a twoyear contract with Kawasaki immediately prior to the Island outing. While the move surprised many, Gobert felt that the new ride was a long-term investment that would ensure a successful title bid during the next season — and reigning world champ and new team mate American Scott Russell, the rider of the #1 Team Kawasaki/Muzzy entry, con curred. Gobert’s Kawasaki deal produced an immediate windfall for #46 Honda Australia rider Kirk McCarthy, who subsequently scored the imported high-dollar factory RC45 originally

WORLD DRAG RECORDS FALL

DRAG racing’s two most prestigious speed records both fell in the final round of the $26 million 1994 NHEA Winston Drag Racing series, at Pomona, California on Sunday. Kenny Bernstein set a new world record when he defeat ed Cory McClenathan’s McDonalds dragster in the Top Fuel final. Bernstein’s Budweiser King rail covered the quar ter-mile run with an elapsed time of 4.720 seconds and an NHRA record speed of 314.46 mph (503 kmh) for his first

win since May, 1993. During the elimination finals, Bernstein ran a 4.776, 311.85 mph pass (also a record at that time) to reach the final pairing with McClenathan. During qualifying Shelly Anderson had set an NHRA elapsed-time record of 4.718s to qualify in number one spot for the first time in her Top Fuel career. Her speed of 302.11 mph eclipses the 300 mph female record estab lished earlier in the season by Aussie racer Rachelle Splatt.

4 November 1994

John Force scored his 10th Funny Car victory for the season by beating the McDonalds’ Oldsmobile Cutlass of Cruz Pedregon. Force won with a time of 5.030s and an NHRA record speed of 303.95 mph (486 kmh) in his Castrol/Jolly Rancher Chevrolet Lumina after completing a 5.073, 303.74 run in the third round of the Funny Car finals. During the course of the Pomona event, a total of 19 300 mph passes were record ed by nitro-bmming cars. -JOHNNIE GRANT

practice with a 1:36.39 and designated for Gobert. McCarthy, who was headed Fogarty (1:36.47), already faster in testing than Corser (1:37.07), Slight works HRC #23 Castrol (1:37.26), Russell (1:37.37), Honda numero uno and dou- McCarthy (1:37.38), Polen ble world champion Doug {(1:37.85) and #4 {Team Polen, further improved with Ducati Tardozzi rider, his new mount and was right Fabrizio Pirovano (1:38.62). on the pace of Michelin-shod But, during Saturday Ducati Corse Virginio morning’s first qualifying Ferrari factory riders period, Fogarty asserted his Fogarty (#2) and Australian authority and claimed the Troy Corser (#82), who had top spot with a 1:36.08, marbeen drafted into the Itahan ginally heading Gobert’s team to race a fuel-injected 1:36.15. Ducati 916. In the second session durPolen’s team mate Aaron ing the afternoon, Gobert Slight was, in fact, still in and Fogarty dropped into the the running for the title, the 35s, the Australian carding a New Zealander having 1:35.75 to top the lists and racked up 251 points to trail the Englishman occupying Russell (263) and series second spot with a 1:35.90. Russell, Corser and Slight leader Fogarty (268). Gobert was the talk of the were next with 36s. The grid, therefore, was: pits after he topped Friday

RacTios

WALTERS TO TRY AGAIN ONE of the most experienced drivers in the 25year history of Formula Ford in Australia has returned to the class. Geoff Walters, who five times finished in the top five in the Driver to Europe Series in the 1980s and won seven races, has bought a

new RF94 Van Diemen and will contest the AGP support race before tackling next year’s Motorcraft series. Walters, who has not raced for seven years, has employed 1987 FF champion driver Peter Verheyen to maintain the Strathfield Car Radios Van Diemen.

GOBERT(Thunder-Pics/Agfa) Corser on pole, ahead of Fogarty, Russell, Corser, Slight, McCarthy, the #63 Kawasaki of Adrien Morillas, the #6 Team Kawasaki Italy Bertocchi entry of Piergiorgio Bontempi, Team Kawasaki Australia’s #45 Mat Mladin and New Zealander Simon Crafar’s #37 Team Rumi Honda RC45 in tenth. Polen started 11th. Fogarty absolutely domi nated the first race, setting the fastest lap of 1:35.57 and taking the flag some 14 seconds ahead of Russell and Gobert, the latter having slowed to allow Russell through for the vital secondplaced points. Unfortunately, fourthplaced Slight’s title hopes went out the window after he comprehensively destroyed the left-hand side of his front Dunlop. Corser was fifth, ahead of McCarthy, Mladin, the #54 Ducati of Shawn Giles, Bontempi and Crafar. In race two, early leader Fogarty wisely elected to allow a hard-charging Corser through and determined to settle for a points finish and the title. Corser accordingly blitzed the field and raced home some 13.5 seconds ahead of Fogarty, who nonetheless set the fastest lap with a 1:36.02 and became the 1994 World Superbike Champion. Corser was third, ahead of Slight, McCarthy, Crafar, Giles, Pirovano, Bontempi and the #11 Ducati of Austrian Andreas Meklau. Polen came home 11th. SBK ‘94 Superbike World Championship pointscore: Fogarty (305), Russell (280), Slight (277), Polen (158) and Crafar (153).

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4 November 1994

Formula 1

THE BOX SEAT By Mike Doodson in Munich

Ron aims for perfection with Benz Four days with afterPeugeot publiclyinparting company Paris, Ron Dennis was in Stuttgart to confirm the badly-kept news of his deal with Mercedes. Showing no regret about being rid of the French manufacturer with whom he signed a long contract less than 12 months ago, Ron’s promises to Mercedes were even more outrageous. 'This new rela tionship,” he said, “will bring, I hope, phenomenal success which even surpasses out performance in 1988.” In case you’d forgotten, that was the year that McLaren and Honda fell one race short of a clean sweep - 16 GPs out of 16 in the world championship. It was only a collision between Ayrton Senna and Williams’ stand-in dri HEART OF THE MATTER ... The 3.5-litre Ilmor-built Mercedes engine in the back ofa 1994 Sauber. ver, Jean-Louis Schlesser, that ended those hopes at Monza, with The company had invested millions recent years have not hesitated to the company’s feat at Indianapolis three laps to go. in the partnership and 1 have it on push fuel technology to, ahem, the this year-. If Ron was smirking in the spot good authority that it had every cutting edge. In less than six months, operat lights at the Stuttgart conference, it In fact. Elf has had several ing in complete secrecy, lllien and intention of continuing. was because he has every right to Unfortunately, Shell’s rather warnings from the FIA, while Agip his men designed, built and devel be pleased with himself. fusty image always got in the way has actually been caught cheating. oped the push-rod V8 engines What he has achieved is noth potency of the Italian fuel used which exploited a loophole in the ing less than a merger between the when it came to developing new The fuels for the engines in Ron’s cars. at Adelaide in 1992 was so over rules for the Indy 500 and walked two most impressive forces in the So determined was dear old Shell the top that the federation imposed away with the biggest race on the history of moforsport. With seven not to get mixed up with more a staggering $US500,000 fine on calendar of world motorsport. titles in the past ten years, not to adventurous rivals that it had to go. one of its users, Scuderia Italia. Now llmor is being asked to do mention its 104 wins since 1968, I am sure that Ron is aware of the same again. The company learned of its disMcLaren is by far the most suc Amazingly, lllien seems confi cessful Formula 1 constructor in missal at short notice, leaving itself this and has thought to inform committed to major advertising Mercedes. Let’s hope that Mobil dent of his ability to do it, and does modern times. programmes, all based on its close plays the game sufficiently close to not anticipate any clash between With its crushingly effective relationship with FI and McLaren, the rules not to put his hopes of a FI and his plans to supply nine assaults on the sport at widely that are about to hit billboards in perfect 16-from-16 score in jeop Indycar teams with updated ver spaced intervals (how about 1914, several important markets. How ardy ... sions of the four-cam V8 engine 1934 and 1954?), Mercedes is in which has dominated the US embarrassing. the history books as the most suc Ron referred to Mobil’s “very series for the past two years. Sfmor’s king size cessful manufacturer. Who would positive technically oriented pro “Currently we have 173 people dare to suggest that history won’t engine project on the staff,” he told me,“and 1 can gramme.” be repeated? Forgive me if 1 have to translate see it going to 180 or more in the of adapting the design of next year. We have two entirely again, but I think this means that Instead the current 3.5-litre engine to next Goodbye, Shell the US company wants to take on year’s hastily imposed 3-litre rules, separate teams for the FI and Indy on’s decision to part company those rather rough continental McLaren and Mercedes have engines and we have increased with his faithful but rather plain boys like Elf and Agip who in agreed that it is worth taking a our machining capabilities so that French wife was put gamble on an all- we can respond faster than ever down, rather too diplo new V10, even before. “The automation that'we have, matically 1 thought, to though it may not be Peugeot’s reluctance to ready until February. together with the robotics that is The Mercedes now involved, means that we can engage in activities which the French lady VI0 engines are not, machine parts 24 hours a day if necessary.” of course, manufac blushingly described as It is a sign of Ron’s faith in llmor “the exploitation of tured by Mercedes, automobile-related but come out of the that he has accepted this daunting technologies.” Northampton risk. He doesn’t expect to win immediately, but he will want to be This is a long-winded (England) work way of saying that shops' of llmor in the winning circle pretty soon. As he says, “When we don’t Peugeot didn’t want to Engineering. For the last two succeed, the publicity that we will help out with the new road-going McLaren years, the llmor FI get for not succeeding will be hard sportscar, more afford engines, paid for by to bear. If we can win with any able than the ludicrous Mercedes, have body, though, we can win with ly priced FI, that Ron been supplied to Mercedes-Benz.” Sauber. It is safe to plans to put on the mar ket in another two or say, I think, that Ron WOOS Schuey McLaren will be a three years. Although Michael Schumacher has confirmed once and for all much more demand But Peugeot is not that he will race a Benettonthe only casualty in the ing client. Mario lllien is Renault in 1995, Ron Dennis evi domestic upheaval cur llmor’s senior boffin, dently regards the German dri rently taking place at ver’s arrival at McLaren as McLaren, because the a Swiss-born engi neer who has seen inevitable. family nanny has been turfed out, too. ‘The most important factor con his company expand Only a couple of in 12 years to cerning Michael’s role in the team before the become a serious is that by the end of the year we days opponent to giants demonstrate to him - and, of Stuttgart conference, like Renault, whose course, the rest of the world - that Ron neatly kicked Shell staff of 350 is twice we have the best car/engine com out of the family nest that of llmor’s. and installed Mobil as bination,” he said in Stuttgart. But if Ron Dennis Ron’s already thinking how to his fuel supplier. With its multi-nation ever had any doubts keep the cost of recruiting Schuey as low as possible. “If we are about llmor’s capac al image to project. clearly the best, that - if nothing MARIO ILLIEN... The Swiss-born engineering brains behind Shell had always ity to produce win llmor is ready to take on the biggest challenge ofhis career with ning engines, it was else - will reduce the price of his seemed like a perfect an all-new VIO enginefor 1995. {Photos by Nigel Snowdon) surely dispelled by participation.” partner for McLaren.

IKI(dO®[fs[p®[fD

Refuelling warning

While Ron Dennis’s plan to win 16 GPs out of 16 in 1996 may delight Mercedes, it will come as bad news to FIA boss Max Mosley, who is determined not to allow one team to domi nate FI. Mosley will be even less thrilled with Dennis’s comments about refuelling. “As pit crews become more familiar with refuelling proce dures, accidents may become less likely,” he said. “But anoth er accident is still inevitable and next time it happens it [refuelling] will have to be banned.”

Power blow-out?

Another blow for the FIA at Mercedes’ Stuttgart announce ment was engine builder Mario mien’s calculation of the power that can be expected from next year’s 3-litre units. The llmor boss forecast that “between 670 and 680 horse power” was a reasonable figure - all this in the first year of the new engine formula. In June this year, the FIA set a target of 600 horsepower as the upper limit for 1995 - and it was the engine manufacturers who unanimously agreed that reducing capacity from 3.5- to 3-litres would achieve it...

Magnussen tests

British F3 champion Jan Magnussen, the 21 year-old Dane who has been signed by McLaren to a two-year exclu sive contract, has had his first FI test with the team, at Estoril. Magnussen, whose best lap time was a neck-aching three seconds slower than the record, will not be racing an FI car until he is deemed fully ready. Ron Dennis deplores the tendency of FI teams to push youngsters into FI before they are ready, saying, “certain dri vers who looked to have a promising future have been almost cut off at the knees and pushed back in their careers.” This is seen as a reference to Benetton’s 21 year-old Dutch driver Jos Verstappen, who has been dropped from the team for the last two GPs of the year.

Finance news Denying rumours that the TAG-McLaren group - in which he revealed he has a 40 per cent interest - was in any sort of financial difficulties, Ron Dennis took the opportunity in Stuttgart to announce that the company had had its “most suc cessful ever” year of trading. Both Mercedes chief Helmut Werner and US tycoon Roger Penske made it clear they had not made any attempts to acquire McLaren stock, and that they did not intend to do so. Dennis said that 18 exam ples of the company’s $1.3 mil lion FI sportscar had been delivered to customers, with production set to continue at three per month up to the origi nal target figure of 300 sales.

Fast Eddie Magistrates in the north of England hit Jordan driver Eddie Irvine with a $900 fine and a two-week ban after police clocked him at 160 km^ and stopped him on a freeway. Pleading guilty to speeding and to charges of driving an untaxed vehicle, Irvine said that he was on the way to taking his car - a Ferrari GTO, no less to a dealer for its inspection certificate.

Feature

here has never been a shortage of down under accents in American road racing circles, what with the success of drivers like Alan Jones, Geoff Brabham, Vern Schuppan and Graeme McRae, not to mention a host of leading mechanics and team managers. This year, the clipped New Zealand tones of Steve Millen have been the dominant sound from the IMSA sports car series victory dais as he wheeled his twin-turbo Nissan 300ZX to podium finishes in all nine rounds,including four wins. Millen clinched his second IMSA GTS title for the Nissan factory team in his 13th year of racing in the US, a sojourn which has seen him compete in a variety of cate gories, but always with success. The title also capped a remark able comeback to racing at an age when a former Nissan team boss thought he should have been out at pasture. In fact, he had to he about his age to get the Nissan drive in 1989 because the company’s motorsport chief thought drivers were finished at 40. But now the ultra-fit Millen happily admits to being born in 1950 and looks forward to at least a few more years at the wheel. A year ago, though, Mhlen feared that his career was finished com pletely. He crashed while lapping backmarkers at Watkins Glen in late Jcme and was stranded broadside in the middle the track. Another car slammed into the ZX with such force that Millen had to be seriously injured at best. “I was stationary and the other car hit me at 150 mph (about 250 km/h), so you can imagine the sort of forces that went through me,” says Millen of the accident. “There are photos around of my head actu ally being out the passenger’s win dow of the car! You think about that and it’s amazing how much things hke your neck must move to get out there.” Luckily, he remembers nothing of the accident, only waking up an hour later lying in a CAT scan machine at the hospital. “The nurse said, Wou’ve got two ffactxnes of the skull and we think you’ve got a broken neck - don’t move.’ I couldn’t believe it. It turned out my neck wasn’t broken, but I had the two skull fractures, a bro ken jaw, a broken arm and six bro ken ribs.” Three days later, the traumatised nerves in his face shut down, so he had no control of his face. He couldn’t smile or blink; he had to tape his eyes shut at night to sleep. For two months, he couldn’t even

&Mh

and all my concerns about traffic and passing went away. I came from the back to the front pretty quickly. Now I can run close to peo ple, no problem.” Millen went back to Watldns Glen this year and finished second, but admits he was glad to finish the race. He has never liked the track and, even before the accident last year, he and Toyota driver Juan Manuel Fangio II had complained to officials that it was too dangerous,

teve Millen has not raced in New Zealand since 1982, but is likely to return in January for the international TraNZam series fea turing Peter Brock, Dick Johnson, Jim Richards and some American drivers.

ANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP... Steve Millen heads for victory In his works Nissan 300ZX.

The quiet Kiwi Superstar

Steve Millen has been one of the great Australasian motor sport exports, winning numerous championships in this region and in the United States over two decades. Last year he narrowly sur vived an horrific race acci dent and, after months of . — pick up a cup with the broken arm, so a bone graft was done, which required a steel plate and eight screws to be inserted. But it was a success and Steve started to see a future for the first time. Being unable to blink, though, his eyes dried out and his vision started going weird - a real problem for a racing driver - and his ears started ringing and booming, but the med ical specialists couldn’t tell him what was happening. He started worrying, but got rid of the special ists anyway. It was six months before the

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recuperation, returned to win the Daytona 24 Hour race and the IMSA GTS championship. Now he has his sights set on Le Mans. On a flying visit to Australia, he found time to discuss his remarkable career with DAVID HASSALL ...

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—

facial nerves returned to normal, but that didn’t stop him getting back into a race car. Just three months after the accident, Millen tested the 300ZX in late September and was immediately back on the pace. He wanted to race in the last round of the championship, but his eyes were still out of control. The next tests were not until early January at Daytona and a much fit ter Steve amazed everyone by setting the fastest times. He had some neck problems on the banking, though, and spent the month before the 24hour race building up those muscles.

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The Daytona 24 Hour race is the Bathurst of American sports car racing and, in his first race back, Millen won the race. But there were still reservations. He was quick, but the accident had left him uncomfortable around other cars. That was perhaps an advantage in the 24 hour race, but he was still hesitant at the next race, a one-hour sprint. The follow ing race, however, provided a cure. “The next race was at Lime Rock and I lost a turbo on my first lap of qualifying, so I had to start at the back of the grid. I was kind of mad

It will be a good opportunity to catch up with Richards, with whom he shared a beach buggy in a roundFiji rally in 1970 - their first taste ofinternational competition! Steve enjoyed success after that in New ZeMand driving everything from Formula Fords to saloon cars, but really made his mark in Formula Atlantic cars, first with a Chevron B42 and then in a Ralt RTl. For 10 years he was a regular competitor throughout South-East Asia (winning the regional champi onship in 1977) and won the New Zealand, Malaysian and Penang Grands Prix in 1980 and won four rounds of the 1981 New Zealand International Series. “At that time I was really torn because I’d won just about every thing and it was a case of ‘What next?’. I was considering trying to promote an street race in Auckland and I’d done a lot of the ground work, talking to the mayor and some of the coimty people, and I had a lot of support for it. “Then one day I woke up and decided I was too young to stop dri ving and wanted to go to America and give it a go.” He moved to the US in 1982 and drove just about anything. He won a Formula Atlantic race at Riverside, and finished second in a rally dri ving a Nissan 200SX he had put together for a series of guest-driving motoring journalists. This result would change his career. At about that time, the legendary Mickey Thompson introduced OffRoad Gran Prix racing, which took truck (ute) races into football stadi ums and the like. Toyota offered him its number two works drive and, while Steve was hardly keen to race trucks after winning Grand Prix races in open-wheelers, he had no money and no other options. The series really took off, attract ing crowds of up to 85,000 and wide-

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Feature

4 November 1994 spread TV coverage. Millen became a big name as Toyota won the man ufacturers title six years running and Steve himself collected two dri vers championships. In the meantime, Steve took in any road racing events he could manage and, when Nissan announced a new racing program for the 300ZX for 1989, he approached the company which he had been hammering all those years in the Mickey Thompson series. “They signed me [as lead driver] without even a test; then they put a bunch of other people through a test [for the second drive].” His partners have been John Morton, Jeremy Dale, Johnny O’Connor and, for the last three races this year, foi-mer FI driver Eric van de Poele. Millen and Nissan put the contro versies and rivalries of the past behind them and forged a solid rela tionship within Cunningham Racing, which ran the IMSA pro gram. Steve even went to Pikes Peak for the first time and won the event outright for Nissan in one of their trucks! The IMSA program produced many pole positions and race wins, but the first title came in 1992 and could have been repeated last year but for the accident. This year, after the success at Daytona, Mien and Nissan were victorious again, beat ing main rival Irv Hoerr in a V8engined Oldsmobile. The careernot highlight for Millen, perhaps surprisingly, came in open-wheelers and almost led him into IndyCar racing. It was the first race of the American Racing Series(now called Indy Lights) on the oval at Phoenix in 1986, where he was invited to replace the late Jim Trueman just one week before the race.

l Millen was excited, but also wor ness to include Steve Millen Sports ried because he knew that drivers of Cars, which deals in performance Before hangs his helmet up, Steve he Millen wants to win the the cahbre of Chris Amon and Alan parts for Nissan sports cars. The Le Mans 24 Hour race, an event Jones had tried ovals and walked company is presently building a lim and circuit which holds a special away hating the experience. ited edition 25th anniversary 300ZX place in his heart. And he believes The first day of testing did httle which will be sold throughout he he could have a good chance next to ease the tension m his head, but Nissan dealer network next year. year. he eventually came to master the He went there for the first time in The Millen empire now employs ovals. 42 people and operates out of a 1990 and made an immediate “It’s very hard to describe the sen 32,000 square-foot factory in Costa impression, taking the Rookie of the sation of going down a straightaway Mesa, California. And, with his dri- Year title and setting the fastest lap and wanting to put of the race in the the brakes on, and fast but fragile Nissan R90CK eventually building up to a point where Group C car. you don’t even back He returned this off; you are just flat year with Cunning out into the corner ham Racing and with the confidence his regular 300ZX, but the car was not that the car is going to hang in there.” prepared with Le Millen won that Mans in mind and race and looked set Nissan, like every for a big future with other sports car Trueman, who also manufacturer, was owned a top knocked for six by IndyCar team and Porsche’s ,‘roadwanted a second going’ Dauer 962. “Porsche found a driver to join Bobby Rahal, who went on loophole in the to win the IndyCar rules. They man series that year. aged to get a 962 /N AUSTRALIA ...At the launch of the Nissan 200SX. licenced for the Steve was leading the ARS series at mid-season when ving career inevitably nearing its road, and it really was not a street Trueman died of cancer - just one end, the business is providing him car at all, but they managed to get month after Rahal won the Indy with the challenges, not to mention the thing in the race and blew us 500 for him - and his widow the income, he will need in the away. future. Barbara immediately cut the pro “But we weren’t really prepared “I am jiist tickled to bits about for Le Mans. Two weeks earlier we gram. Millen was naturally devastated where I am now. I have such a big raced at Lime Rock, which is a at losing the chance of a champi involvement with Nissan corporate bumpy httle track, then shipped the onship and the likelihood of moving in America now and, with the rac- cars,straight to France and tried to into IndyCars, but at least had the .ing program and my company, it run down Le Mans with the same sort of car. 5 Toyota tinck deal to fall back on. keeps me busy all the time. 5 “The car was fantastic in the corWith an eye to the future and “I think I am extremely lucky to wanting to capitalise on his 1986 have driven the last 12 years for ners and under braking, but it hit truck title, Millen started Steve factory teams and now be able to an aerodynamic brick wall half way Millen Sport Parts selling parts and parlay that into what you might caU down the straights. accessories for trucks. a retirement program into the “We did well: we were running In 1991, he expanded the busi- future.” fourth most of the time, but a

camshaft of all things broke about three hours from the finish, and we’ve never had that happen, even in the early days. “The boys replaced the cam in about 20 minutes, which was pretty amazing, so we finished fifth out right and first in category. But we learnt an awful lot and we are very keen to go back there in 1995.” The big hurdle for the team will be getting the turbo model accepted because IMSA has banned them for 1995. However,IMSA is considering a request to allow turbos at Daytona only, which would then allow the cars to race at Le Mans. For the rest of the US season, Millen will reluctantly race the 300ZX powered by a 700 bhp ver sion of the 4.5-litre V8 from the

Infiniti Q45. Beyond that, MiUen would like to see Nissan take on the new IMSA World Sports Car category, but may find himself- again reluctantly - in 2-litre touring cars in 1996 should Nissan decide to take part in the proposed US series. “I don’t think I would enjoy tour ing car racing as much, particularly front wheel drive. I like the idea of rear wheel drive with a lot of power and controlling it.” Like the Moffat-entered ANZ Ford Sierra he raced with Gary Brabham at Bathurst in 1991. They were running fourth when, despite running low boost, the turbo failed. “I would love to do Bathurst again. I have been called by a really good team the last few years, but the last round of our championship is always on the same weekend and it frustrates me badly, “Ever since I drove at Bathurst in 1991, which wfll go down as one of the great races of my career, I have always wanted to go back.” n

mea C^tectSan - Reiive those mome^M

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for memorable season finale. Clive James commentary. Senna's first year.

1990 was a season of high dram in more ways than one as some of the chief protagonists n Frost (Ferrari), Senna (McLaren), Mansell (Ferrari), Berger (McLaren) and Figuet Ayrton Senna - Rating is in Jl/ly Belgian ’85 = Total Dommation, (Benetton) seemed to clash os much off the track as on. 6 Blood The official video biography of Ayrton Senna da Sitra, the Frost, Mansell, Piquet & Rosberg left behind. wins, 2nd World Championship. enigmatic triple FI World chomp whose phenomenal racing 1989 FIA FI Review > How to Win Spain ’86 - Wktory by ,§14 career began in a kart built by his father. Featuring archive seconds. a Championship footage covering from his earliest days to becoming the What a race. What a performance by Senna & Mansell. Frost took the title after one of the most controversial race South American Champion. This first comprehensive insight series for years, out-dominating in the coming-together at into the often misunderstood man includes enlightening Detroit ’86 - Street tirwit. Japan, which wrecked Senna's chances of beating the interviews with Senna himself his friends and colleagues Senna battles it out against Frost & Mansell Ron Dennis,.Niki Lauda and Jackie Stewart. It also shows Frenchman. 6 wins and 2nd place. his mastery of the race track with footage from many of his Monato ’87° Another Brilliant 1988 FIA FI Review - Honda - All most thrilling races such os Monaco '88 and Brazil '91. WinI Fired Up, Startling win at the most glamourous GP venue. Frost and Senna dominated. Senna's 8 victories. 1st World Formula Villeneuve - A Tribute to Gilles Championship. Detroit ’87 = Street Cmuit, To. many the wiry French Canadian Gilles Villeneuve was all 1987 FIA FI Review - A Painless Second Detroit victory over Berger, Mansell, Frost. the eptimises the classic GP driver, great skilf aggression Half Nelson when necessary and most important to the observer, Mansell's oh-so near challenge against Figuet which spectacular on any circuit that challenged him. Gilles, in his enthralled fans all year long. Another two Senna victories. beloved blood red Ferrari, was a legend in his own brief 1993 FIA FI Review ° Seima Fights Batk lifetime. This is a tribute to a driver who many believed Frost secures his 4lh world title but Senna finishes 1986 FIA Review - All Over Down would have been one of the all-time greats. second with 5 wins. Under Portuguese ”85 - First SP Win In only his second year of FI.

REVIEWS

1992 FIA FI Review - 9/16 Well Dme NsgeL Mansell takes his 1st wodd tide. Senna finishes 4th with 3 wins.

A real cliff-hanger which went down the wire to the last round where Frost proved triumphant. Clive James commentates. Senna wins another two.

1985 FIA FI Review - Deservedly Prosf Frost won his first title with a string of victories from Superb value over 2'^ hours - reviews of every race of a Alboreto. Unigue commentaries from the drivers themselves. drama-filled season. Mansell came oh-so close but Senna Senna wins two.

1991 FIA FI Review = Nemly Mansell

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Grand Prix Guide

L\!,ik>0®[FS[p®[F0

4 November 1994

The Alan Jones guide He’s frank. He’s fearless. He’s controversial.

And 1980 World Champion ALAN JONES knows about Grand Prix racing. So, with the GP in Adelaide just a week away, we asked our columnist for his assessment of the teams and drivers of 1994 ...

sw*»

■>

Benetton-Ford

Michael Schumacher, of course, is one of the best Formula 1 drivers around at the moment. If you were running one of the top teams - McLaren, Williams, Benetton and Ferrari there are very few drivers you could buy who was a known quantity in terms of speed, racecraft and getting the job done, and Schumacher is at the top of that list. Benetton have proved that by having a number of people in their cars this year who haven’t come near him. It has proven that the driver really can make a difference. I think it’s too early to rate him against the greats of the sport, though. I’d real ly like to see him in another make of car, and to see how he fitted in with another team. Senna was super com petitive in whatever he drove and I think Nigel has done that. Schumacher hasn’t done that yet, but he certainly has the makings of a great Formula 1 driver. He is a great natural talent. This is really make or break time for Johnny Herbert. It is the chance of a lifetime for him. There have been a lot of drivers around like Stefan Johansson who have driven quite competi tive cars, but never won a Grand Prix and never really made it. Now is the chance for Johnny Herbert to prove that he really is a good Formula 1 driver. If he can qualify close to Schumacher and run close to him, he will have set his career in con-

V-

I'. ' A

of the top blokes are racers. they show aggression, but I don’t think Damon has done that yet.

Ferrari Ferrari have been making a fool of me because I’ve been saying for a while watch out for them next year. I’ve seen the facilities and the people they have, but they just seem to have the ability to snatch defeat out of the jaws of vic¬ tory. Having said that, if I keep saying they will come good, they might eventually

THE CLASS OF 1995... In the absence of Schumacher, Berger leads, Coulthard, Hill, Alesi, Hakkinen and the rest In Portugal. Crete; if he doesn’t, he’s fin

ished.

Williams-Renault

What can you say about Williams? They have been on top of the heap for 15 years or something now; they are always competitive. The WUhams was probably not as competitive as it ought to have been at the start of the year, but they have caught up now. Renault certainly haven’t been resting on their

laurels and Patrick Head and Adrian Newey are con tinuing to work on the chas sis, so they are giving Damon Hill as much support as any team can. They’ve brought in Nigel as a back-up and you couldn’t have a much better driver to run guard for you. But Nigel has to prove him self because, if he wants to get megabucks and be with the best team in Grand Prix racing, he’s got to prove that

he can still do it. It was only two years ago that the bloke was the best FI driver - cer tainly the quickest and most aggressive - but now he has to earn his place, so he’s got a point to prove. I have always thought that Damon Hill has lacked aggression. I think he is a very analytical driver - prob ably a little too much; I think he could be doing it more than thinking about it. He gives way a little too

easily. I have seen him go into the first comer a nose or two in front, but on the exit Schumacher is in front. I don’t think looks to the side and says, ‘This is my corner, make your own arrange ments’. I just think he lacks a bit of controlled aggression. Schumacher has this cold, controlled aggression and that’s what you need to be a top Formula 1 driver. Nigel has aggression in a car, Ayrton had aggression; any

SCHUMACHER... Too early come up with one of their unbeatable packages. Ferrari have really just got to pull their fingers out. They’ve been knocking on the door, they’ve won a Grand Prix, they’ve certainly got the facilities and a bud get to match any team. Alesi is getting sick and tired and they will probably lose him if they don’t pull something out of the bag in the last two races, it’s as simple as that. Like Schumacher, I would

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Grand Prix Guide

4 November 1994

to Grand Prix racing like to see Alesi in another car. He has shown spurts of brilliance, but you never know if it’s the car or him. It would be very interesting to see him in a Williams or a McLaren or a Benetton; I’d like to see that. People say that Berger has done well considering he was close to Senna and

Ratzenberger, but I don’t go along with all that emotional bullshit. If you are a multimillionaire professional Formula 1 driver, you leave the emotions in your driving bag. You don’t take them into the cockpit with you. And Berger will not have done that; he has been around Grand Prix racing long enough now and he is a seasoned, hardened, articu late driver. It’s like Damon Hill having the responsibility ofleading the Williams team now. That’s all bullshit. When you are in the cockpit, you aren’t thinking,‘Gee, now I’m lead-

it wasn’t the engine or if McLaren are subconsciously going to be looking forward to getting with Mercedes and just get the year over with. How much on-going development will there be on this car knowing that they are changing it? They are professional racing people and they want to win races, but there might be a natural tendency to not go the extra yard. I’ve been disappointed with Peugeot. Given what they had done in sports car racing, they should have had enough data to put up a bet ter effort this year. Not only have they been off the pace, but they’ve had a fair amount of unreliability. Hakkinen is a good driver and has shown good aggres sion. He impressed me when he first came along and outqualified Senna last year. He’s shown a very good turn of speed this year and I rate him as a good driver.

he runs a really tight little ship. I would have liked to have seen Ford go to him because I think he would have done really well with the Cosworth engine. For Eddie’s sake, I hope Peugeot pull out a real beauty next year because he has proven that he has the ability to run a good team. Barrichello is obviously a good natural talent who is quick and he has bigger and better things in front of him for sure. I don’t know about Eddie Irvine. He’s Irish and that doesn’t help a lot, does it? He’s got a bit of speed when he wants to, but he’s a bit erratic; I just don’t think he has the makings of a good solid number one.

disappointing, too. I had high hopes for him a couple of years ago, but he’s gone off a bit.

Katayama seems to go to each circuit just to decide the comer on which he’s going to have his next accident. He does show a good turn of speed and while he’s actually been on the road he’s been ahead of Blundell, but the Japanese have difficulty get ting it all together. Still, being Japanese, I suppose he’ll continue in Formula 1 because the backing will be there - but never with a Williams or McLaren.

Ligier-Renault

Ligier was a great team, but they have lacked direc tion because of numerous changes of ownership. Tom Walkinshaw seems to have been made the sacrificial lamb at Benetton and will be given the running of Ligier as compensation. He might have the Ford

TyrreI!=Yamaha

Tyrrell continues to disap point me.I think Ken 'Tyrrell has just lost the plot -in fact he lost it probably 10 years ago.

they are vying for engines and deals for next year, this is another team which really needs to perform in these last two races.

Sauber-Mercedes This is a funny one. Frentzen and Wendlinger are a couple of good punters, but Sauber has been up and down like a dunny lid. They show signs, then fall off, so it’s difficult to know ... they seem to be well-built cars run with German efficiency. Like Ligier, they have to do well if they vfant successful deals for next year to replace Mercedes. With due respect to old Andrea De Cesaris, he really does fall into these seats by default half the time and you have to wonder if he would be getting these drives if his old man wasn’t the Italian distributor for Marlboro. He’s had plenty of chances to prove he could make it in Formula 1.

make the numbers up. Larrousse have a different sponsor every time you turn the TV on and they are obvi ously just operating from one race to the next.

Lotus-Mugen-Honda

They are literally fighting for survival at the moment and I’m sure Peter Collins would reluctantly agree that selling seats to people with money rather than talent is never going to win Grand Prix, but it just might help them survive. It’s not a pleas ant way to go racing, though. I woiild dearly hate to see Lotus leave Formula 1 because the name has been going for years and you put it right up there with Ferrari and McLaren. It has a lot of tradition and I think Peter does a greatjoh of managing it; he just hasn’t got a budget.

Simtek-Ford This a young team which is straggling. They certainly

P n

MANSELL ... Point to prove

HILL... Not aggressive

HERBERT...Big chance

ing the Williams team, what a responsibihty.’ You just think about driving a Formula 1 car around a cir cuit. They are paid profes sionals and I don’t go along with all the emotional side of it.

Brundle ... well, he won’t be at McLaren next year if they can get Frentzen, so he really has to go well in the last two races to get a drive next year.

And I’m disappointed in Yamaha,too, because I really thought they would come up with the goods. They do a lot of development work for Toyota and other Japanese companies, yet they don’t seem able to get their own engines to work all that well. They have shown a lot of speed and consistency in the last couple of races, but they will have to do considerably better. BlundeU has been a bit

McLaren-Peugeot

This is a very interesting one because, having decided to spht, you don’t know if Peugeot are going to pull out all stops to show people that

Jordan-Hart Eddie Jordan reminds me of a younger Frank Williams. He’s a real wheeler-dealer, a go-getter, he organises his team really well, doesn’t run anywhere near the budget the other teams have got and

KATAYAMA... Accidents

IRVINE... Erratic

BRABHAM... Undecided

engines, too, but there are a few powerful people in the background who don’t want him to have them - not at Ford necessarily, but let’s say the people who make the Ford engine. In terms of organisation and direction, anyone would do better than what they have had, but the team has certainly improved since Frank Demie went across from Benetton. Considering the circumstances where

Footwork, Minardi and LarrousseFord.

didn’t need the set-back of losing Ratzenberger at Imola. They have been quite reliable and have done a fair ly good joh for their first year in Formula 1. I would like to see David in a more competitive car. There are a lot of drivers hke that. They could have a tal ent that you will never see because they never get the opportunity to show it. I don’t know if David falls into that category. n

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These are the teams strug gling on inferior budgets to the top half-dozen. One of them mightjust fluke a Grand Prix win one day, but they will never be champi onship leaders. Footwork always seem to be about a year behind. Their new car always looks like Williams’ old car. They just

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Interview

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4 November 1994

HEINZ-HARALD FRENTZEN

ith a histoTy-making alliance beingforged this week between McLaren and Mercedes, the spotlight in Grand Prix racingfalls on Germany, And, while Michael Schumacher has controlled the world championship, it should not be forgotten that another German driver has attracted keen attention in 1994,

Like Schumacher and Austria's Karl Wendlinger, 27 year-old Heinz-Harald Frentzen is a graduate of the Mercedes Junior Team, although he raised afew eyebrows in 1991 by breaking awayfrom the official Mercedesbacked Sauber sportscar team to pursue a single-seater career in Formula 3000, When that went wrong, Frentzenfound his way to Japan. Ehjentually he was welcomed back by Peter Sauber, - , who had never lostfaith in his protege, and Q: Is there any motorsport influence in your family? FRENTZEN: There is a funny story that my father always tells. Let’s just say that when my mother was pregnant she had a car but she had no licence, and she had to get the licence very quick, before the child - me - arrived. So my father and my mother went to a go kart track, with me inside her, and she had to learn how to drive in one day, how to use the clutch, how to take corners. This was the fifth month, and my father says that maybe the feelings of driving were transmitted to the embryo, and maybe that is why I am a racing driver. It’s a funny opinion. But it could be true. Q: You’ve consistently been among the ten fastest qualifiers in GPs this year, and you took points in two early GPs- but then nothing until last week’s European GP. How do you feel about your first season in F1? FRENTZEN; I am pleased I was able to show my ability and I am grateful to Peter Sauber for the opportunity which he gave me. If it had not been for him, I would prob ably still be racing something in Japan and wondering if I was ever going to come back to Europe. Q: We all heard about the stomach problem which you had on the weekend of the European GP at Jerez. But that was a great race for you, with 3rd place on the grid and then that big

Having been in the hands ofsome overly ambitious managers, his career is now handled by Ortwin Podlech, previously Keke Rosberg’s partner. Son of a Germanfather and a Spanish mother, Frentzen is an open andfriendly man with an enviable command of English. As Motorsport News FI correspondent MIKE DOODSON discovered, he has an unusual tale to tell: German racers. Did you ever feel frustrated or impatient ^ that the others - both younger - were making more progress than i you? FRENTZEN:(pause) Well, of course I was not the happiest man when I saw them going to Formula 1. But this. 'was a complex thing , which goes back to I 1989 and my decision to abandon sports cars and go to race in Formula 3000. I didn’t like having to make the decision, because I had a nice Mercedes road car. with a nice team and everything. I knew that I could make more money driving sportscars for Sauber-Mercedes than in =3000. But F3000 can be a 30d step up to Formula 1 ause you can learn so much 1 F3000, about handling, getg to understand the engineer¬ ing and mechanical sides. I made the decision to go the harder way. I didn’t make it

fight with Mansell and Barrichello for 3rd place. How difficult was that? FRENTZEN: The car has , been getting better since j we started using our own ^ new differential at Monza. The “SwissDiff” is a big improve ment and it would have been good to have had it sooner. At Jerez, unfortu nately, we chose the wrong strategy by stopping only once for tyres and fuel. Although I was pleased to be fighting with Mansell and the others, I was getting tired at the end of the race because of the stomach problems and I nearly got caught by Katayama on the last lap. Q: Three years ago there was a famous Mercedes billboard advertisement showing you with Schumacher and Wendlinger as the“new genera tion”

Motor Art

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offered him an FI place in his FI team, alongside Wendlinger. In one of his veryfirst FI test sessions, Frentzen’s ability was picked out by the late Ayrton Senna, who did not hesitate toforecast that a new star was about to be launched. Unfortunately, despite some excellent qualifying performances, poor reliability has not allowed him to finish more than a handful of the 13 GPs which he has contested.

are a very limited number of these superb personally autographed pictures in Australia. This is an opportunity to own a piece of racing history which will become a sought after collectors item. The picture is signed by Mansell and comes with a signed certificate of authenticity as well as a photograph of him signing. Mefhod of payment: cheque/money order payable to I Motor Art Ply Ltd or by Bonkcord, I Mastercard, Viso Card. Phone J orders please hav^ cord no and H expiry dote available. Plus $15 J postage, handling and insurance M within Austrollo. $30 for New ●I Zealand.

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any other reasons than for learn ing from F3000. Q: Did you discuss it with anyone at Mercedes? FRENTZEN: At that time I spoke with several people, includ ing my team chief Peter Sauber. Jochen Neerpasch, the man behind the project for the Junior Team, said it was no good to do F3000. He told me that by staying with Mercedes I would have good protection and security, and step by step I could make my way to Formula 1. But I did not really understand how it could happen like that because I didn’t know if Mercedes would go into Formula 1 or not. If Mercedes had stopped racing, I would be doing nothing anymore. I had a good sponsor. Camel, who had agreed to help me for four years minimum. So I went that way. Q: And then it all went wrong ... FRENTZEN: Once you make a decision - and I thought I had done the best thing - you should never be upset about it. But it is not so easy to say I was not upset, espe cially at the end of ‘92, when my sponsor went away and the project to push me into Formula 1 was cancelled. Instead, the money went to Benetton and Williams. Camel Germany couldn’t help me anymore, because all the money had to go to Camel International to sponsor Michael Schumacher in Formula 1. So

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Interview

4 November 1994

ljLB@0®[?8[p®[f’9

Germany's other Formula 1 star they said to me,‘We have no more money, we cannot help you any more.’ That was the hardest point ever, that moment.

Q: Was this the reason you went to Japan, then? FRENTZEN: Not really, no. It started after I had been to Le Mans, just as a hobby driver, not as a professional. It was the first 24 hour race for me, a different experience from everything that I had before, and it was a lot of fun. Another German driver, Volker Weidler, had been driving for Mazda at Le Mans. When 1 asked him if there was a chance for me [in Japan] too, he said it was diffi cult to get a drive in Japan. At this time Volker was already having trouble with his hearing, he had the tinnitus [acute ringing in the ears] which forced him to stop racing. When his team was talk ing about a replacement, he was saying,‘Heinz would make a good replacement for the Nova team.’ It is a very professional series in Japan, and fortunately at that time the sponsors liked for eign drivers. From the moment i went to Japan, my whole thinking of racing and ever^hing changed. The Japanese people treat you very well in the team. If you work well, they have a good respect for you. Nova has always been a very suc cessful team, and in this year Volker could have won the championship. So 1 came into a good car, the ‘92 Lola was flying everywhere in Japan at this time, and I had some good races. The team was very good, very fair to me. For me,the one and a half years that I spent in Japan was the best period in my motor racing career. Q: Did you spend a lot of time in Japan,then? FRENTZEN: Yes, last year it was 230 days. It’s difficult to learn the language, so there is a very good feeling between the foreign drivers. I met Roland [Ratzenberger] there; we had a good relationship, because in our free time between races we went out and did things together, like going to Roppongi to have fun at the weekends. Q: Something else happened in Japan. You got the opportuni ty to drive a Formula 1 car ...

FRENTZEN: That was because of the team’s relationship with Honda. Volker had been the test driver for Bridgestone-MugenHonda, and there was an opportu nity for me to test the car, mainly for tyre development. I remember it was May 12 when I drove my first Formula 1, with the Tyrrell which Modena drove in 1991. After that I did all the testing until the end of the year. It was some thing very important for me, because it got my name in the press in Germany. Nobody cared about people racing in Japan, but with the FI tests, if my name came up, it was ‘Frentzen is dri ving Formula 1!’

Q: Did that help you to get back with Sauber In 1993? FRENTZEN: Maybe Peter Sauber was thinking, ‘Oh, Heinz is driving a Formula 1, he is getting some good experience, maybe we can give him the chance to go FI.’ He had always had good feelings about me, it was a good relation ship. One day he rang me and said, ‘Do you want to drive my FI car?’ Happily, the test did not clash with Japan, where I had a very busy programme with the F3000, Group C and FI testing. And I was in good shape because we were doing a lot of mileage in F3000 and FI and even a 1000km sportscar race that I had done. It helps you a lot if you drive three different cars. Q; How did the first tests go? FRENTZEN: I went to Mugello and 1 was immediately quick. From the second or third lap I was there, and I felt comfortable in the car. I didn’t feel I was in a different world, it just felt like a racing car and I could handle this car very well and I was immedi ately quick. Sauber was ... surprised. The next step was to convince the people from Mercedes that I was a good driver, because they thought Frentzen’s brain was somewhere else, he had refused the good chance that they had offered two years before. It was not so easy for Mr Sauber to explain everything why. But I had-given some ideas to Sauber from the tests in Japan on how to make the maximum out of the car. I could use it to find a good set up and drive for a good time. All these things helped

N/GHS AND LOWS ... Frentzen had his best Grand Prix at Jerez, qualify ing and impressive fourth. Five months earlier at Monaco, though, the young German cut a forlorn fig ure in the pits after his team mate and friend Karl Wendlinger had been seriously injured - and lay uncon scious - after crashing his Sauber heavily.(PhoWs by Nigel and Diana Snowdon) the decision for 1994. Q: Michael Schumacher said that he couldn’t even light the barbecue in the garden of his house in Kerpen without people coming around and wanting to bother him. How are things for you? Are you getting a lot of media attention? FRENTZEN: Yes, in my town. But Michael was in a different situ ation. From the moment that he did Formula 1 he was immediately successful, always driving in the points. And all the motorsport fans in Germany had been asleep until then. Suddenly they woke up, and they went crazy because we had a German driver in the points and getting podium places. German people now think that [this perfor mance] is normal. I understand that, so to have another German driver close to the points, that’s nothing special. n

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4 November 1994

Festival falls to Big Mac By SEAN HENSHELWOOD

WITH 'THE re^ar class front runners missing, Dugal McDougall in his Clipsal/Aloe Vera RF93 Van Diemen stole the spotlight from a feast of rampant rookies in this year’s Formula Ford Festival at Winton Raceway on October 23. There was perfect weather for the Festival, but far from a perfect field. Only 21 cars turned up for qualifying, which was down on last year.

Qualifying

All the drivers commented on how slow the track was - the lead ing times being 1.5 seconds off the lap record - but there were still 8 cars within a second. First casualty of the weekend was Sam Oliver in his RF90 Van

Diemen who clipped Jason Bargwanna’s Eeynard FF88 on its warm up lap. Oliver’s car lost three corners, causing him to pack it away for the weekend. Bargwanna sustained only slight damage, but enough to sit out the first quahfying session for repairs. Dugal McDougall took pole with a time of 1:02.72, from Ashley Seward in the Borland Racing Developments Spectrum 05, Jason Bargwanna in the out-dated but still competitive Reynard FF88, leading West Australian driver Michael Henderson in an RF90 Van Diemen, and Shepparton’s Richard Renato, having his debut drive in Tim Wood’s Swift SC92F. Behind them were David Harrington (RF93 Van Diemen), Jamie Lamer (Reynard FF88), William Schmidt (RF88 Van

FINAL CHARGE ... McDougall jumps Into the lead at the start from Seward, Bargwanna, Henderson and (Photos by Neil Hammond) Renato while Lamer(car 83) takes the wide line. Diemen), Damien Digby and Richard Maher (Spectrum 05s), David Frazzetto (RF92 Van Diemen) and, rounding out the top dozen, 16 year-old Luke Youlden, son or Production car ace Kent. Of the leading group, only McDougall had any great experi ence in the rough and tumble of the Motorcraft series, so this was a real chance for some of the young talent to shine through.

YOUNG TALENT... Jason Bargwanna provided plenty of action during the weekend driving his old Reynard. Here he leads Damien Digby in his charge back from an off in the first heat.

Heat 1-8 laps

20 cars met the starter for the first of two heats, and it was pace setter McDougall into the lead from the outset, leaving Bargwanna and Seward battling for second - which was settled when Bargwanna tried an outside move, only to lose ground as he put two wheels in the grass. McDougall was clear of Seward, Henderson, Harrington, Renato, Frazzetto, Lamer and the recov ered Bargwarma at the end of the opening lap. By lap 5 Bargwanna had man aged to pass Lamer before self-con fessed “brain-fade’*' at the sweeper dropped him back to 7th. The race finished with last lap spins by Da-vid Skilton in his RF86 Van Diemen, and Robert McConville in his RF86 Van Diemen. At the chequered flag it was McDougall clear of Seward, Henderson, Harrington in the Micon Epoxy Systems RF93, a fab ulous debut run for Renato, Lamer, Bargwanna, Digby, Youlden and Maher. Luke Youlden had an excellent debut but was plagued by a misfire which turned out to be caused by a faulty distributor cap.

Heat 2-8 laps

The same field of 20 met the starter in qualifying order for the second heat and again McDougall /\

led to the first turn, but Bargwanna made a flying start and caught Seward on the outside in turn 1 to take second. Seward didn’t last much longer, pulling off at the completion of lap one with a loose rear shock absorber. Bargwanna had more top-end speed than McDougall but the Reynard couldn’t get onto the straights quickly enough to consid er a pass. As he said later, “The gaps were there, it’s just that I wasn’t”. A desperate battle between Renato, Woods and Harrington ended with Harrington, who was on the charge after solving a sus pension problem overnight, into the wall. The damage wasn’t too severe, but the team decided to conseiwe funds for the Adelaide GP meeting. Lap 5 saw the demise of Ray Colenso in his old Totem BM-1 with a broken gearshift linkage. A bit of help and ingenuity from Brian Sampson saw him back for the Festival race, but still with other gearbox woes. McDougall won again from Bargwanna, Henderson, Renato, Lamer, David Frazzetto (RF92), Schmidt, Youlden, Maher, 54 yearold John McGowan in the second Team Henderson International RF90 Van Diemen, McConville and

Continued page 22

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Alesi at Imola

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The subject is Johnny Herbert ot the wheel of his Team Castrol Lotus Ford during the / 992 season. Johnny Herbert is a driver of undoubted talent and came back to Formula One full time after a horrendous accident at Brands Hatch in 1989. After a short spe// with Bennetton and a victory in the 199 J 24hr Le-Mans race,

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Formula l;ord

4 November 1994

Battle of Britain

By ANN NEAL VAN DIEMEN’S three-year run of success in the Duckhams Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch came to en end on October 23, but it wasn’t the expected tri umph for Eurocup champions Swift and Jonny Kane. Instead, Jason Watt came through to give Vector Racing Cai-s its debut win in the end-of-season extravaganza, emulating entrant Foundation Racing’s success with Jan Magnussen in the 1992 event. StiU in only his first full season of car racing, 24 year-old Danish star Watt is clearly marked out for great things. His Festival win comes on top of a British title inherited thanks to the engine irregularity dramas which befeU Kane. Although there were only 48 Zetec-engined Fords at Brands, 33 of them lapped within a second of fastest qualifier Guy Smith. Partnering Watt in the Foundation works Vector line-up. Smith had an early battle for the lead in heat one with Ralph Firman Jnr’s works Van Diemen which ended when Firman spun his dad’s creation into the tyres at Clearways. Smith was left to withstand a challenge from Geoffrey Horion’s Manor Motorsport Van Diemen which made contact with the chas ing Kane on the last lap. Having struggled with badly

graining tyres in qualifying, the works Swifts were unable to put the power down and Kane was unable to do any more than chase Smith and Horion across the finish fine. The big surprise of the Festival was the performance of Belgian youngster Bas Leinders in taking pole position away from Watt for heat two, but the Benelux champi on, driving a Van Diemen, conceded the lead to Watt at the start of the race and from then on the Danejust drove into the distance. Leinders, in trouble with a failing alternator, grimly headed the battle for second before French champi onship contenders Soheil Ayari (Graft Racing Van Diemen) and Bertrand Godin (in the unusual Mygale)fought through. Ayari and Godin were joined by the works Van Diemen of Vincent Vosse in the closing laps, while Leinders plummeted down the order to 10th. Worse was to come for Leinders and Godin, who were both excluded before the Final for using illegal fuel. Team-mates Watt and Smith formed the front row for the Final. Jason led away, but Guy - stepping down after a season in Formula VauxhaU - wasn’t giving up without a serious fight. Smith tried a big move on the third lap, running half the Brands circuit side-by-side with Watt before

sliding wide at the hairpin and los ing places to Ayari and Horion. Smith fought back and dived into Paddock Bend three abreast with his French and Belgian rivals on lap five, but the move was too opti mistic and resulted in the Vector smashing Ayari into the tyres, putting both out ofthe race. Having avoided all this, Horion was free to chase Watt and joined the leader by half distance, clearly enjoying superior traction out of the slow turns. But Watt kept the inside line cov ered all the way to the chequered flag to take an emotional win for Foundation and Vector. Horion tried one last ditch move at Paddock, but ended up sliding wide and conceding second to Kane. He then tried to grab the place back at Clearways, but spun off, drop ping to fifth behind compatriot Vosse and Frenchman Patrice Gay, who had charged brilliantly through from 2'Oth to fourth in the Final. Italian Omar Bettin completed the top six, benefiting when Melbourne’s Stephen White and Brazilian Mario Haberfeld made contact in the early stages. The other Australian in the event, Robert D’Ercole, retired his Lanan Racing Van Diemen on the ninth lap of the Final after sustain ing suspension damage from two separate assaults, the first of which occurred on the warm-up lap!

White punted off

driver MELBOURNE Stephen White had expected more than a 10th place finish in the Festival, but at least he had been in contention for a podium finish. It was a tricky weekend for the youngster, who has impressed the British racing scene this year with not only his speed, but also with a friendly and relaxed manner out of the car. Even White’s works Swift team leader Jonny Kane was struggling over the Brands Hatch Festival, qualifying on Friday seeing the normally all-conquering cars having grip problems and graining tyres. “We’ve had a problem all week with the car and we

haven’t been able to find a cure for it yet, signed White on Friday evening, “I’m just hoping to stay out of trouble and get through to the final-then it’s do or die! “I think there’s not as much grip on the track as usual and we’ve always had a prob lem with the Swift in those conditions.” White worked through from 7th on the grid to 5th in the first heat. Just failing to catch Justin Keen’s works Van Diemen on the line, but still he was unhappy with the set up. “It’s really, really slippery. And, when the car comes good, the tyres have gone off and it’s a battle to keep it in a straight line!” The final started well. White

moving up from the 5th row to 5th place at quarter distance, but when Mario Haberfeld ran out of brakes he used Stephen’s Swift to stop instead! After spinning down to 13th, White recovered to finish 10th. “We got off to a reasonable start and I was trying to pass Vincent Vosse (who eventually finished third) when I got hit from behind and spun,” reported Stephen. “I hooked it into second gear and took off from there.” Undetered, White hopes to be back in European singleseater racing in 1995, but will not decide on a category until sponsorship has been finalised. -MARCUS SIMMONS

BRILLIANT DEBUT ... Richard Renato, in his first FF race, finished fourth. Here he leads Jamie Lamer. (Photos by Neil Hammond) Lamer, Frazzetto, Digby and Yo\ilden, but a couple of laps later William Schmidt retired his RF88 Damien Digby, whose choice of new tyres for the day was to pay off in after a touch with Digby at the the final. sweeper. Lap 4 saw the demise of Luke Final-25 laps Youlden, but the youngster contin starting positions were a little ued his impressive debut with a confused as everyone had thought fine second place in the reverse they would be based on race finish grid race later in the day. times. This suited Ashley Seward Henderson pitted on lap 9 with just fine as, with a fast first heat steering problems: “We were look and a DNF in heat 2, he would still ing good for a top 3 finish, but be off grid 2 for the main event. when I got to Koni corner and The major loser was Michael turned in, it just kept going Henderson, who stayed out of trou around!” The problem turned out to ble for heat 2 believing he would be a broken steering rack, a legacy still start on grid 3. This was not of the Bathurst race. the case because Jason With just two laps to run, Jamie Bargwanna, who believed he would Lamer ran out of fuel, even though start from grid 5, wound up on grid the team had put as much into the 3, shifting Henderson back to 4th. car as it would take. What had happened was anyone’s At the chequered flag it was guess, but ultimately the final deci McDougall by a car length from sion had come down to the promot- S Bai'gwanna and Seward, who had er. let Jason know he was there with a Behind Henderson was Renato, touch or two, but couldn’t find a Lamer, Digby, Frazzetto, Youlden, way past. Maher, Schmidt, Colenso and An impressive 4th went to rookie McGowan. Renato and fifth to David From the first corner it was on, Frazzetto, a car length clear of a with McDougall leading from fast finishing Damien Digby. Bargwanna tried to pressure Seward, who this time had got the better of Bargwanna, but Jason McDougall into a mistake, but con made his way through before the ceded he had finished behind the better team on the day. The talent end of the lap. At the end of the first circuit it ed young Sydneysider is now trying was McDougall from Bargwanna, to raise a budget to contest the Seward, Henderson, Renato, 1995 Driver to Europe series. 12 Continued from page 20

CONTENDER ... Ashley Seward was in contention all weekend and fin ished third. Here he leads Michael Henderson and David Harrington.

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Saturday 19 November 1994

Oran Park

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Valvoline’s NASCAR Night of Thunder

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What it takes //

,A NASCAR would probably give a Touring Car a run for its money //

fore the Stock Cor physically can not run the same size brakes as its

"While I've raced at Oran Park

"The NASCAR only has a fourspeed gearbox, though, as opposed to the six-speed of a Group A Touring Car. But it also has plenty of acceleration and the tyres have plenty of grip and, when you have the car set up cor rectly, it's not bad to drive at all. "I think the radial slicks have a

plenty of times over the years, I've never been there in a NASCAR,

very good mix of grip and lateral adhesion and, considering that

ly towards cooling fans for the front brakes, but we have water

so I'll be very interested to see how it all goes. Tm looking for ward to it.

you cannot get a tyre that you can't break traction

Brad Jones, #8 AHantis Reiocations Chevrolet Lumino NASCAR

"Probably the over-riding con cern when road racing NASCARs is the fact that they don't stop too well, so you have to gear your brain to the fact that you have to puli up a bit earlier than you think you're capable of doing. "The grip factor with the tyres is good and the rest of the package is surprisingly good and, if you can just get your mind around the limitations of the car, then the pace of a NASCAR isn't too bad. "Having raced at Surfers Paradise a couple of times, I can truthfully say that 1 quite enjoy rac ing the NASCAR in road race trim, it's a lot better to drive than it may look from the outside and this class of car is actually a pleasure to compete with.

Ken James, #01 Agip Oils Drilimate/CRC Oidsmobile Cutlass Supreme NASCAR "My experience with road racing NASCAR vehicles is extremely lim ited and, in fact, I've never partici pated in any of the actual circuit races to date. "But I did run all the Surfers Paradise races in my AUSCAR Commodore. "I don't think you can really draw a parallel between the two classes, as the AUSCAR is lighter, has around 375 horsepower and races on street radials. "On the other hand, the NASCAR weighs 3,300 pounds, has around 670 horsepower and

How do you set up an oval track race cor for the ups and downs of Oran Park's tesKng road course? Tony I %nn talks to four contenders to find out.

circuit, so you won't get a large volume of air through the car. "By and large, therefore, every body uses Carbon Metallic pads these days to cope with the brak ing demands, including the Touring Car blokes. "The Jerico four-speed needs to be treated a little bit nicely, but it's quite a good gearbox and is quite strong. The ratios are free, so it's a matter of sit ting down with a chart and determining

"The best thing about it is that you know that the next bloke is on the same tyre. That means there's no

ing to to achieve a level of speed for the start of the races that relates to the speed at the end of each event. "I think that's the secret with Jim Richards. He's developed a very nice package over the last couple of years for Surfers and he gets a bit of a jump on people and then controls the pace of the field. "As most NASCARs tend to run out of brakes and speed towards the end of the race, we'll be aim ing at making ours consistent. "We have some experience in road racing with a NASCAR to

what you think will be the right mix for the cir cuit. "The diff ratio is also free for

draw upon and we know what we need to do. Obviously, therefore, we'll be calling upon'that experi ence to establish exactly the benchmarks for the Oran Park out

road racing, but, as no-one

ing. "I would think that the car would

can really afford to run engine revs above

be set up a fair bit differently from what we would have at Surfers

7,600 - 8,000

track probably has a little of each of the others in its make-up.

and Eastern Creek, though the

by using a different brand. "Braking is, of course, an area where the NASCAR is at a singu lar disadvantage when compared

injection and as much ducting as possible. "At a circuit like Oran Park, you don't have to brake as hard as at Surfers Paradise. But there are still

rpm, it's just not worth the expense of playing around too much with ratios. "At Oran Park, we'll be making sure that we have the best possible

straight out of the box - and, hope fully, we'll be in that group. I'm

with a Group A car. "The NASCAR brakes have to fit within a 15-inch wheel and there-

a couple of quite hard stops required and that ducting is very important, as it's not a high-speed

package we can put together and, during practice, we'll be working very hard on the handling and try-

very confident about my guys' abil ities and I believe we'll be there

hidden advantage to be gained

"The fast guys will be the ones who get the set-up pretty well right

when the whips are cracking."

"I intend using that road racing

Braking and traction are the keys "That rear-end must be set up

the discs alight. "We've gone to an enormous amount of trouble with our front brakes and we have two blowers

experience to set the NASCAR up for Oran Park and, while I'm not

properly to stop the wheelspin and we're looking at a very light

and v/ater injection on each side to assist with cooling. We're using

going to say that we'll hit the nail right on the head, I do feel that we have a fair idea of what's going

spring in the rear with a good.

to happen with our #01 Agip Oidsmobile Cutlass —

solid sway bar on it. "We're also going to take both of our rear-ends with us. The

and, while there may be some people that may go in a different direc tion from where I'm

way. "The Oran Park short

experience from one type of rac ing to another is concerned and I must say that some of the knowledge we've gained in NASCAR could also be applied

point of view, the Oran Park circuit will be fan

circuit should make

"It's going to be a case of who's got the best or the most durable brakes — and who can stop rear

way to go. "Ironically, it's not a one-way street as far as the transference of

go faster. "From a spectators

or not we went the right

upon braking, particular ly at the end of that front straight.

both set-ups in Sydney and only time will tell which is the better

to Sports Sedans today — and the result may well be that they would

going to go, I guess we'll soon see whether

CAR is a thinly converted road car.

years, as I raced Sports Sedans way back in 1977. "I had a few successes and held

probably give the Touring Car a run for its money. "My blokes don't lean too heavi

you're looking at, the specified rub ber is actually right up to the mark.

some heavy demands

rience with road racing over the

"If you could put the same size brakes on it, a NASCAR would

with, regardless of which class of car

runs on slicks. It's also purposebuilt to do the job, while the AUS

"But I have had extensive expe

Touring Car counterparts, which run bigger diameter wheels.

4 November 1994

tastic, particularly if we Thunderdome rear-end has both negative and positive camber set ups to handle the left-hand turns of the banked super speedway oval. That means that it must also be

wheelspin, which is going to be critical in these cars, as these

suitable for Oran Park, which is

a few lap records. In fact, I was the Victorian Sports Sedan champion in 1981 — and all those cars had

NASCARs generate an enormous amount of horsepower and it

predominantly a left-hand circuit. "But we also have a road racing

doesn't take much to light the back

live rear ends, like a NASCAR.

tyres up in a big way...

rear-end that has negative camber on both sides. So we'll be trying

can get some sparks and some banging and crashing. "It will be a far more appealing exercise than Eastern Creek and I really believe.that, at this stage, Calder Park has done the right thing by going to Oran Park. "For the spectators at the ends of the straights, they're going to see front discs glowing, as these blue Carbon Metallic pads will set

Alcon four-spot calipers, which are very well regarded. "We've looked at updating to six-spot calipers, but, at this stage, the $2,600 a pair cost is consid ered to be prohibitive. "I should point out that it takes a hell of a lot to pull up in these monsters and, regardless of how good the equipment is, when you stand on the brake pedal of a NASCAR, not a lot happens. "Possibly the biggest problem, though, will be getting the noise level down to 85 decibels. Muffling will be a big issue, because it was 92 decibels at Eastern Creek and a lot of com petitors struggled to get down to that figure. "So, we should see a variety of interesting approaches to that problem. Maybe the answer is to route the exhaust back into the cockpit and get the driver to drive a bit quicker!"

Valvollne’s NASCAR Night of Thunder

4 November 1994

BS\®9®[?3[p®n‘Q

iii

Optimum use ofthe torque band in third gear"

that are mainly left-handers. "But we certainly wouldn't put the same emphasis upon braking as we would for the Creek.

John Faulkner, #46 BeHo Electrical VR Commodore AUSCAR

"We're mainly trying to get drive, as the circuit is a third-gear propo sition. We have no difficulty light ing the tyres up at all with the

look at the revs required for third gear around the back of the track. That's more important than the front straight speed. "If you geared the car to run flatout down the front straight, as you would on most circuits, you would then find yourself 300 rpm short of

horsepower we have, so getting drive out of the corner onto the

the maximum revs in third gear around the back.

"Oran Park would have to be one

main straight is probably where it's going to happen.

of the circuits that I'm going to be more comfortable on this season. "After the Thunderdome first

"That means that we'll be running a different diff ratio from normal in the #46 Betta

"If we can achieve the optimum use of the torque band in third gear, then we don't care what the

round, it's now quite apparent that there's going to be two or three

Commodore and

serious AUSCAR challengers for the season and Oran Park will allow us to show our legs, the same as at Surfers. "At the same time, now that Terry Wyhoon is five positions further

that's been deter mined after we obtained all the

rebound, as you would with a sprintcar trying to get the power down. "The amount of drive out of the turns will

straight lengths between the corners.

immensely and I don't now have to win - all that's required are consistent top two or three finishes.

workshop - though, in the past, we used to use Larry Perkins' system. But we're a

"For Oran Park, we've adopted a set-up pretty much similar to Eastern Creek, as there's the same

bit more independent now and

"Oran Park should be a bit differ ent from the road courses at Surfers Paradise and Eastern Creek, as you can see the whole track - and that should be great for the fans. "From the driver's viewpoint, I initially thought the circuit was going to be demanding, but, when I got out there in the Tooheys AUSCAR, I absolutely loved it. "I class the Eastern Creek and Surfers tracks similarly, as there's a fair bit of brak

ultimately determine the quickest guy there and there's no question about thqt.

are very happy with our own deal. "Basically, instead of looking at the top rpm in top gear, we would

"One of the main reasons I feel comfortable with the Oran Park circuit is that I don't have to have

"Like Colder Park, Oran Park is very much a flat power circuit and the person who wins there will be the

a race plan. It's.more a case of.

one who gears the car correctly.

Sideways more often than straight /A

courses, as there are no fast cor ners at, for example, the Gold Coast, which is a hard-braking and fast acceleration circuit. "Oran Park is what I would class as a free-flowing circuit and it therefore requires a different sus pension set-up. "We've had some new springs made by King Springs to suit the track and I believe they'll work f

ing and the tracks don't undulate. But Oran Park was dif

we'll run the same shock rates at Oran Park as those used at Eastern "Even though the races are scheduled to be short sprints, I expect that we will all be starting with full tanks. That's because most of the cars are on the mini mum weight and, despite the fact that they are carrying lead, they only make the minimum weight by being full of fuel. "If everyone's full to the brim, therefore, it's a fair way of guaran teeing that everyone starts at the same

recent press day, I found it to be a lot

weight. "Tyre wear will not be a problem under the circumstances, so opti mum handling will be a

of fun, as the car was sideways more often than it

was straight. ^ "Due to the com

es quite demanding. But, despite the fact that I'm more familiar with the Thunderdome and speedwaystyle racing, I believe the Oran Park outing will go over very well. "Even though we were running two-up with passengers through out the press day, I now feel famil iar with the track and we've come

major issue. well. They're more progressive rate units and I don't think we need a really heavy spring, as we're not hard-braking. "The way Kings have made these springs will give me a good

"I'm going to set my car up with a slight left-hand bias, because the circuit mainly com prises left-handers. "We did the same thing at the Gold Coast and the Creek last "Everyone tells me it's the

progressive rate in the flowing parts of the track.

wrong thing to do, but even the Touring Cars at Bathurst run a

ended up with yet another box of

got to be logical, as they're all

springs specifically designed for a

right-hand corners at the Dome and we run a severe bias there.

be a great help to us.

is still very similar to the

"That package is very different from that used at the other road

Thunderdome set-up. "As far as damping is concerned.

best use of the torque band. "Our Oran Park motor may well not be the one used at the Thunderdome as, now that the Bathurst rush is over, Larry Perkins has promised that the new motor will be ready for the November outing. "That means that Paul Mason may run the older engine in our #4 Commodore, as we intend to run a two-car team in similar fashion to our effort at Surfers Paradise and Eastern Creek in the past. "Bearing in mind the level of pre race preparation we've put in so far, there's no doubt in our minds that our team will be more than competitive under lights at Oran

Park."

LEADING CONTENDERS AFTER ROUND ONE OF THE 1994/95 AUSTRALIAN STOCK CAR CHAMPIONSHIPS NASCAR Pos. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Driver Barry Graham Brad Jones Ian Thomas John Faulkner Jim Richards Neville Lance Charlie O’Brien George Elliot Robert Tinworth Bryan Sala

Car Oldsmobile Cutlass Chev Lumina Chev Lumina Oldsmobile Cutlass Pontiac Grand Prix Ford Thunderbird Ford Thunderbird Chev Lumina Pontiac Grand Prix Pontiac Grand Prix

Pts 175 170 165 160 155 150 146 142 138 134

AUSCAR D river Pos. 1. John Faulkner 2. Grant M unday Bruce Williams 3. 4. Mark Seaton Marshall Brewer 5. 6. Jason Wyllie 7. Steven Richards 8. Leigh Watkins 9. Nathan Pretty 10. Terry Wyhoon

Car Commodore VR Commodore VR Commodore VP Falcon ED Commodore VR Commodore VP ' Falcon EB Falcon EF Commodore VR Commodore VP

Pts 175 170 165 160 155 150 146 142 138 134

SPECTATOR ADMISSION INFORMATION Thursday: Friday:

biased suspension set-up. And it's

up with a suspension and gearratio package that we think will

particular track, though Adelaide

to rev and, at 6,000 rpm, it's all over. They must stay between 4,500 - 6,000 rpm to make the

season.

result in the tight corners and a

"Basically, that means we've

"And that gearing is very impor tant, as these engines do not like

Creek.

ferent and, on the

paratively small number of circuit racing miles we've done, i find the road cours

usually try at Adelaide. It's nothing unique, but it is a bit of dirt track racing theory and it con cerns the alteration of the left-rear

back behind me in the champi onship, the pressure is off

Terry Wyhoon,#25 Tooheys Brewing VR Commodore AUSCAR

front straight is.

when the flag drops, just going for it over 10 laps. "But we're still looking for an advantage and we're trying some thing with our shockers that we

Electrical

"We then simply sat down and plotted everything out at our

flowing, constant-radius corners

ORAN PARK

"When I consider the whole pack age we'll be running, I think we will do fairly well at Oran Park."

Saturday:

Free admission Aduits .... $10(inciudes Pit Entry) Children free Adults.... $20 Students, pensioners, unemployed, children 6-14 years.... $10 Family (2 Adults, 2 Children)....$50 Pit Entry.... $10 Grandstands and Parking .... Free

NASCAR/AUSCAR CLASSIC UNDEi

Valvoline’s 700 hp NASCAR’s are heading to Oran Park Raceway to battle it out under lights. Come and hear tt take on the best in the world’s number 1 motor sport. Plus you will see AUSCAR, Sportsman, HQ Holden, and for the whole family. Watch it on SBS 12.30pm November 20. NSW residents can buy Valvoline products for yo

? LIGHTS, ORAN PARK NOV 17-19.

e thunder and see the action as they Formula Falcon. Ifs a full night of racing jr free Pit Pass. See packs for details.

; aOODf¥EAR TIk- Mom TnjMni Niimo

ORAN RARK

Valvoline’s NASCAR Night of Thunder

L/L/J(o)0®i7S[p(D[FO

4 November 1994

NASCAB’s frequent fiver B

@riry Gmhetm spersds o lot of time on trarssPacific airline flights^ Graham,46, is the current Australian NASCAR Champion and splits his time and lifestyle between Sydney and Charlotte, North Carolina where he owns and conducts a NASCAR race scbaal ia partnership with NASCAR's legendary Richard Petty,

Graham began racing cars at Sydney's Oran Park Raceway in 1970 in club events, driving a vari ety of touring cars before he start ed his dirt track career in a Holden Torana at the famous Liverpool Speedway. Over the ensuing years he scored a number of major victories in national and state titles in a wide range of speedway cate gories including Sedans, Speedcars and Grand Nationals. He has also raced in 10 Bathurst touring car enduros since 1 983 — usually with good friend Brian Callaghan — and in '88 made his NASCAR debut at the Calder Park Thunderdome in a Chevrolet Monte Carlo previously raced by speedway legend Garry Rush. Last season he won the 1993/94 Australian NASCAR Championship in the final round of the seven round series from Valvoline/Autopro team-mate Max Dumesny in John Sidney's

Oldsmobile Cutlass. At the same

popular. The secret to our success

time, the American NASCAR school, a development of a pio neering school first run at Calder

is the fact that we cater for every body — from the spectator in the stand who wonders what it is like

Park, has grown substantially. Motorsport News spoke with the Australian champion last week.

to drive a NASCAR, through to corporate groups who want to use our services to entertain their clients; today it's a drive around Charlotte in a NASCAR, next week

MN: We hear a lot about your NASCAR Racing and Driving School at Charlotte Motor - how is the venture progress Grahams It's going full bore ahead at a great pace with a menu of events on offer to the consumer, ranging from threelaps in the passengers seat of a current NASCAR to driving

classes and get out there and start racing!"

MN: You are reportedly expand ing your operation and establish ing an additional school at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Georgia was this due to the increase in corporate support that you have gained? Graham: Atlanta seems to

Winston Cup trail all revolves around // the dollar

eight laps; then one day ses sions; plus a selection of two day or three day packages and an events program that a number of Australian drivers have participat ed in prior to the start of a season. We also cater for corporate clients and formulate seperate packages to suit their individual

it's a game of golf at an exclusive course or a baseball game at a particular stadium. MN: Did any Australian drivers attend any of your NASCAR cours es at Charlotte prior to the 1994/95 racing season? Graham: Melbourne's Robert

require¬ ments and these are

Tinworth, who made his NASCAR debut and finished a creditable

proving to

at the Thunderdome recently attended the school. Others to

extremely

ninth in last month's race meeting

recently complete the course include Ron Cameron, a former Sydney midget racer, plus Damien Smith from Perth.

time. Things have changed dramat ically since he was last competing over there in '88 or thereabouts — you have guys of the calibre of Jimmy Spencer in the McDonald's

"Success on the

Speedway in North Carolina

ing?

Speedway before, just think it is the norm and "let's get on with the

be establishing itself as the corporate centre of the US. Companies like BMW have built enormous manufacturing plants in the region and com panies can organise new offices and warehouse-land

packages that allow them to have a cleaner and healthier lifestyle — something that they can not experience in New York or similar cities.

Ford Thunderbird not qualifying and going home. Kyle Petty and a host of others who have won races in recent times just don't make the field at various rounds and are forced to watch from the kands or from their lounge room at home. Currently there are 50 to 55 fast cars showing up for 40-car fields and that puts a considerable amount of pressure on all teams. It doesn't matter if you're a privateer or a fully-backed factory operation, everyone has to qualify the same before they are able to start the feature events, and it takes a con siderable amount of money just to run a car in a 500 mile race. The major teams have a number of cars - for short courses, road

Atlanta Motor Speedway is simi lar to Charlotte in size and really suits our type of operation. NASCAR's increased popularity has certainly forced us to expand earlier than we had planned and I'm certain that there will be a sig nificant increase in new sponsors and drivers entering the Winston

MN: To what extent do the major

Cup series.

teams spend time working on the

MN: Currently you have 15 NASCARs at Charlotte - what

speedway tracks? Graham: Success on the Winston

number will you have at Atlanta? Graham: We'll start with 1 2 cars

race tracks plus the super speed ways like Daytona and Talladega where the aerodynamics are really important to run at the front of the pack. So, even qualifying these days is a big effort.

aerodynamics for the fast super

MN: The Charlotte track is 2.4

at Atlanta plus we're putting

Cup trail all revolves around the dollar - unless you can spend time in the wind-tunnel testing and

kilometres in length whereas the

together additional equipment for

developing the body package you

both complexes.

may as well stay at home. It is cer tainly going to be a tough path for

MN: How difficult is it for a driver or an auto manufacturer to Break

Byers and I hope that he can find some support from a US organisa tion as that will allow him to spend

kilome-

Dr the le driler 5 who 1 on a

into the US Winston Cup series as some Japanese companies looking

some time developing his car and team.

at this segement of the sport? Graham: NASCAR and the US

MN: Was winning the Australian

there has been speculation about

teams really don't want or need

NASCAR Championship well

anybody else as there is a queue of folk already waiting to join the

received by the US NASCAR folk? Graham: When I arrived at

scene. Many are talented young drivers who have a wide range of

at the airport and they held a

experience in motorsport. In addi tion, NASCAR and the US manu facturers have established a set of

reception party for me with just over 100 guests there. The trophy is in the main foyer of the school.

rules that provides excellent enter tainment, good racing and plenty

Rodney Jane and Matthew White were present - it was quite a night. The NASCAR title means a lot to

of corporate support - so they are probably thinking "why change to suit others?" MN: From what you have just

Charlotte there was a limo waiting

me. It is my way of repaying John Sidney and his excellent team of workers (most of them who volun teer their time for race team

said, Wollongong's Terry Byers who has decided to not compete in this season's local NASCAR series

duties), plus the support from Valvoline's MD Michael Porter.

and plans to race Stateside - could experience some degree of difficul

MN: Last month you began your Australian NASCAR title defence at Melbourne's Thunderdome with

ty in getting established and even making the field in the '95 Winston Cup series? Graham: Byers is in for a tough

an excellent victory in John Sidney's Oldsmobile - were you expecting a win so early in the

Valvoline’s NASCAR Night of Thunder

4 November 1994

vii

Barry Graham's American counterpart is Mark Martin, who drives the 1994 Roush

Team Valvoline Ford Thunderbird (see cutaway)

new season?

machines, so I'd expect them to be

finish line - in some instances they

Graham: John Sidney's crew has

strong through the whole season.

will collect top placings and good

MN: Do you have any preference

prizem'oney. However they tend to not give each other a bit of racing and

spent a tremendous amount of time during the winter break building a new car for my team-mate Max Dumesny as well as stripping and updating both of the team's current Oldsmobiles. 1 believe that our handling pack

regarding circuits that the local NASCARs race on? Is Adelaide International Roceway's half-mile speedway more attractive to you considering your past Liverpool

save the equipment and tyres

Speedway experience or is Sydney's Oran Park short circuit more attractive as it's a road track,

where the opposition is getting rather loose and slower.

as well as being your "home" track?

age is presently better than the oth ers and that allows Max and I to

enjoy their investment - in fact all they do is tear up their equipment and that costs them lots of money. It's the same in touring cars and other forms of motor sport. There is no neccesity to do it. Everyone buys their car to enjoy the racing and win. The number one reason to participate in any

the season as 1 have been sitting in

for any particular track - they all deserve respect - and the key to

sport is to win and enjoy it - how ever some competitors put their crash helmet on, forget about the

a NASCAR race car virtually on a

getting a strong result is a good

enjoyment and are hell-bent on giv

handling-power combination with the car. 1 really enjoy the blend of circuits that we race on and it cer

ing themselves large bills with no race results.

It was no real surprise to me that I was able to win the first round of

daily basis since late April, where as the other guys have been away from the track. Also, Friday's track

Graham: 1 have no preference

So my advice is to first of all learn how to drive the car properly

time was virtually nil, due to the rain and foul weather.

tainly enhances the series. Back in my early speedway days

It was great to record my first NASCAR victory before such a

if you won a considerable number of events at your home track and didn't travel to other venues your

improve as their level of competance improves.

wins were fairly hollow; you had to go everywhere else to prove that you were a worthy competitor.

MN: Are you in a position to assist new drivers to the sport or

staunch group of race fans - dur ing the yellow caution periods I looked at the stands and was amazed to see so many people sitting there through rain showers and near freezing conditions. It was a great night.

MN: This season you are facing your stiffest competition, with Max, Charlie O'Brien, Jim Richards, John Faulkner, Brad Jones, Alan Grice and Kim Jane who are all competent on both speedway and road racing tracks. Which one or ones will be the main threat? Graham: All of those drivers plus several others, like Ian Thomas, George Elliot and Walter Giles, could grab a win along the way. Brad Pones) will spend consider able time testing and developing his cars, both on the Thunderdome and the road race circuit - over the years he and his brother Kim have always presented competitive

to get maximum performance out of it and the racing results will

those considering joining the Super MN: What advice would you have for anyone thinking of start

Speedway scene? Graham: I'm happy to impart my

ing to race NASCARs in our local series?

knowledge to any driver, young or old, rookie or experienced, and

Graham: It all revolves around

I'm prepared to help them on the Thunderdome or any other circuit

dollars. The thing that frustrates me and a considerable number of oth ers is that a lot of new drivers

providing the circuit's management can allocate some track time for

won't give themselves a chance to become accustomed to these high-

the drivers.

powered V8 cars. The majority of them want to get out on the track and drive the shit

investments plus their sponsor's

out of them, and these particular cars don't respond to that kind of treatment. It is imperative that they get a feel for the car and find out about how to race it with the rest

of the field.

Until then they have to be pre pared to sit back and cruise to the

I want the guys to protect their support. That's what happens in the US and now the Winston Cup Championship is riding on the crest of a wave. They all need some fostering and hopefully the competitor numbers will increase and we'll have 40<ar fields racing and a few more rounds in the series.

MN: Do you approach the forth¬ coming night meeting under lights at Oran Park any differently to other meetings? You will of course be before your own home crowd and there will be a considerable

establish a good race package before Friday afternoon's qualifying. The leading group at this particu lar meeting should consist of seven to eight cars dicing for the lead with a second group of drivers

number of speedway fans there... Graham: I will be treating this

ready to pounce when the front pack falters or experiences prob lems - the short course is the ideal

I race meeting exactly the same as other rounds in the series. We will

one to use and it will certainly pro

utilise Thursday and Friday to

vide good entertainment.

adjust our road-racing setup and

VALVOLINE'S NASCAR NIGHT OF THUNDER SCHEDULE

Thursday November 17 0900 Spectator Gates open HQ Holden Practice 1000-1035 AUSCAR Practice 1040-1115 NASCAR Practice 1120-1155 1200-1235 Sportsman, F/Falcon Practice 1240-1315 Harley Davidson Twin-Sports Practice AUSCAR Practice 1320-1355 NASCAR Practice 1400-1435 Friday November 18 0900 0900 - 0930 0935-1005 1010-1040 1045-1115 1120-1150 1300-1345 1350-1430 1435-1525 1530-1620 1625-1655

Spectator Gates open Sportsman, F/Falcon Practice ●AUSCAR Practice HQ Holden Practice NASCAR Practice Harley Davidson Twin-Sports Practice Sportsman, F/Falcon Qualifying HQ Qualifying AUSCAR Qualifying NASCAR Qualifying Harley Davidson Twin-Sports Qualifying

Saturday November 19 0900 Spectator Gates open AUSCAR Practice 1300-1330 NASCAR Practice 1340-1410 1420-1450 Sportsman, F/Falcon Practice HQ Holden Practice 1500-1530 1540-1610 Harley Davidson Twin-Sports Practice 1630 Opening Ceremony 1730 Race 1 - Sportsman, F/Falcon (5 laps) 1750 Race 2 - HQ Holdens (8 laps) 1812 Race 3 - Auscar Segment 1 (15 laps) 1842 Race 4 - Harley Davidson Twin-Sports (5 laps) 1907 Race 5 - NASCAR Segment 1 (15 laps) 1937 Race 6 - Sportsman, F/Falcon Final (5 laps) 2002 Race 7 - NASCAR Segment 2 (10 laps) 2032 Race 8 - HQ Holdens Final (8 laps) 2054 Race 9 - Harley Davidson Twin-Sports (5 laps) 2119 Race 10 - AUSCAR Final (10 laps) Race 11 - NASCAR Final (10 laps) 2145

SBS will telecast highlights from the meeting on 12.30pm -3.30pm Sunday November 20

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YOKOHAMA ALL-ROUNDER

4 November 1994

Historic

lH^I®0®[FS[p®[F0

Classh Rally for NSW

SSCC goes back to The Farm IT WAS a trip down mem ory lane for members of the Southern Sporting Car Club when they returned to Warwick Farm on September 18 to celebrate the club’s 40th aimiversary. About 250 people from all over New South Wales turned out on a perfect day and, after enjoying a picnic atmosphere, 48 cars were able to take to what is left of the track for about a dozen laps. Although there were few classic cars present, there

was no shortage of classic drivers remembering how they used to sweep through the esses and slide over the causeway! Although the laps were conducted behind a pace car, some of those present report they were unable to keep up. The Warwick Farm circuit was arguably Australia’s pre mier venue during the 1960s but has not been used for national meetings for two decades. Club racing has also ceased to be conducted at the Sydney circuit.

FADED GLORY ...A group of cars negotiate what remains of the famous Warwick Farm esses.

NEW HEART iN AN OLD SHAPE ... The prototype Formuia Classic car, which Tom Wheatcroft believes will bring old-fashioned spectacle back to motor racing.

Spectacle returns in Formula Classic AN INTERESTING new classic-style single-seater formula has been launched in the UK by Tom Wheatcroft, ovraer of the famous Bonington Park circuit and museum. Wheatcroft has devised ‘Formula Classic’ for specially designed and built cars that are deliberately reminiscent of the 1950s Grand Prix era. The shape is based on the classic Maserati 250F, but includes modern equipment, including roll

cage,seat and harness, The cars will be frontengined and powered by purpose built 2.5-litre four-cylinder units from the UK specialist, Holbay. With 280 horsepower, these attractive race cars will have plenty of power and, without wings and on skinny tyres (specially supplied by Dunlop), should create a marvellous spectacle, Demonstration runs are planned at European circuits in the coming

months and a 14-round European series, based on an ‘arrive and drive’ trav elling package, is project ed in 1995. Events are expected to be held in Belgium, Holland, France, Germany, Italy and England. The series will haye a maximum of 26 cars and a healthy US$500,000 prize of which fund US$250,000 will go to the wiimer... - QUENTIN SPURRING

ONE of the originators of Targa Tasmania, Max Stahl, has created another event for classic cars,to he run in New South Wales on August 22-30,1995. Stahl says the event will be “what Targa Tasmania should have been - a good time, not a hard time”. Open to pre-1975 sports and touring cars, the Sydney Classic Rally will be split into two separate events - one with only a mildly competi tive element, and another for more serious competitors. Run in conjunction with the big historic race meeting at Eastern Creek, the two events are designed so that the serious competitors can take part in both. The more serious event begins at Bondi Beach on Wednesday August 23, trav elling to Canberra, Bowral, Hunter Valley and Sydney before finishing at Eastern Creek on the Saturday. On Sunday, the cars head off from Eastern Creek on the more sedate course, via Hunter Valley, Mudgee and Cowra to the finish in Sydney on the following Wednesday(August 30). Promoter of the event is Australian Classic Motor Events. -BARRYLAKE

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FIA ratifies Bob Jane The good news continues FIA General Assembly. for Bob Jane and his Tait said it was very sat super speedway activi isfying to see the hard work ties as, during a meeting of the past several months of its General Assembly rewarded by the unanimous on October 20, the FIA, vote of confidence. “It’s obvious that Bob the governing body of world motor sport, unan Jane is held in high regard imously approved a pro by the FIA,” Tait said “and posal presented by we are looking forward to CAMS to admit AUSCAR forging ahead with our Racing Pty Ltd as a dele plans to build a stronger gated authority. and healthier sport. This delegation recognis “Bob Jane’s promotional es the Bob Jane company as acumen is well knowm and the controlling authority for we are looking forward to all the NASCAR, AUSCAR, facilitating a return of tra Sportsman, Transzam ditional motor sport to his Sports Sedan, Formula circuits.” Falcon, Legends, HQ AUSCAR Racing Pty Ltd Holden Thunderdrome and will continue to provide its Formula Vee Thunderdome own judicial system, racing within Australia. although CAMS’ final court The delegation was part of appeal, the Australian of an agreement reached Motor Sport Appeal Court between CAMS and Bob (AMSAC) will become the Jane, as announced in ultimate court of appeal for all AUSCAR-sanctioned August this year and is sim ilar to the relationship that events. exists between CAMS and CAMS win be responsible ANDRA, drag racing’s gov for listing any AUSCAR erning body in Australia. Racing events on the inter The Acting President of national calendar and will issue international licences CAMS, David Tait, present ed the proposal to the FIA’s to any Australian competi World Motor Sport Council tors wishing to compete in in Paris on October 19, after international motor racing which it was ratified by the events.

AUSCAR contender Grant Monday has added a Falcon to his armoury. Munday has recently purchased the Falcon AUSCAR constructed by Ian Walburn and previ ously raced by Terri Sawyer and is having it updated to EF body specifications. Renowned engine builder Les Small will source the latest V8 components from both local and leading US suppliers. It is anticipated that the car will be finished and then tested on the Calder Park road race circuit, before being despatched to Sydney for Valvoline’s NASCAR Night of Thunder meet ing at Oran Park on November 19, the sec ond round of the AUS CAR title series. Monday’s current VR Holden Commodore, which took him to sec ond place in the opening round of the series at the Thunderdome sever al weeks ago, will also be utilised at Oran Park. After evaluating both the practice and overall performances of both vehicles, Munday will decide which he will qualify and race on the Saturday evening. If the Ford proves to be the more competitive vehicle, Munday will not hesitate to make the switch in marques. - JAKE BRETT

Services Available From

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4 November 1994

Earnhdrdrs USA-built Commodore

Dale Earnhardt in a VR Commodore at the Thunderdome? It nearly happened! Part of Calder Park’s negotiations in the lead-up to next month’s Christmas NASCAR meeting came close to securing “Ironhead” Dale Earnhardt for the meet ing-in a US-built VR Commodore. Panelwork was to be sent

Earnhardt’s team in the States, to be grafted onto one of Richard Childress’ chassis and the car then flown out for Earnhardt’s use on December 10. Funding was to come from GM-H and the car was to stay in Australia. In the end, newly crowned champion Earnhardt’s schedule killed the project. Pic: Martin Ciark Next time, maybe. By BRETT SWANSON

Klippan Child Safety Products has stepped up its marketing activity by forming a partnership with Fiona McDonald, who will launch an AUS CAR challenge in the Klippan Australia #91 VP Commodore. The 23 year-old medical receptionist from Euroa, in northern Victoria, is set to contest the remaining six rounds of the 1994/95 Goodyear AUSCAR Series. McDonald will be making her AUSCAR debut at Oran Park Raceway in Sydney on November 19, during the Valvoline NASCAR Night of Thunder. “It’s a logical and exciting association for Klippan, given our long involvement with the Automotive Industry here in Australia,” said the company’s General Manager,Pat DeMasson. “Klippan is part of the

Fiona in AUSCAR

Autoliv company, which manufactures every seat belt built into cars produced in Australia. “Being in the business of child safety seats and with women forming our primary market, we saw this as an innovative opportunity for Fiona to present the KUppan brand in a new environ ment.” McDonald, who is making the step up from three suc cessful seasons of HQ Holden racing, will become the only female driver competing in the AUSCAR championship.

FIONA MCDONALD Thunder-Pics/Agfa photo

“POSITION AVAILABLE” NASCAR CREW CHIEF REQUIRED.

In the initial stages this position is part-time, however if we find the right person a full time position will be offered. It Is absolutely essential you have good experience and strong knowledge of NASCAR Racing, and the ability to communicate and organise people without letting your ego get in the way Good appearance and the capability of mixing with sponsors is also desirable. Living in the Eastern suburbs would also an advantage, however not essential as our team is based in Bayswater, Melbourne. Operating in a very clean environment. If you are a heavy boozer, a loud mouth or have a domineering wife, this position is not for you. © Al otorsport Ncwi For further discussions please call Ken James on 03 761 0500 bhj 03 879 1998 ah, 03 761 1065 fax.

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Drag Racing

/A^S)9®[FS[p(oXFO Report by STEVEN WHITE

The 1994 Eagle Super Spring Nationals held at Adelaide International Raceway on Saturday, October 16, will long be remembered as one of the best events ever to be held at the South Australian track. After 170 entrants contest ed 11 eliminator brackets, 18 national records fell and 15,000 spectators witnessed the highest standard of rac ing possible — but, although the event itself had many highlights, it was marred by two serious bike accidents. Les Donnon, riding the Castrol Pro Stock Bike, was soon out of the track and, after running a sensational 7.69 at the Adelaide seasonopener some four weeks ago as a B/Competition Bike, expectations were high. Donnon did not disappoint and he recorded Australia’s quickest-ever Pro Stock Motorcycle elapsed time of 7.681 seconds. Gavin Bales was another Pro Bike rider out on the track and, like Donnon, he ran an exceptional 7.763, which was a personal best. Bruce Leake, in the Theuma and Leake Olds Cutlass, was the only Pro Stocker to make a run on Friday night and showed that he was going to be the one to watch in Saturday night eliminations after recording a 7.969. Leake’s time was Adelaide’s first Pro Stock seven. As expected, Saturday qualifying was tough and, by 10.30 am, the temperature had already hit the 30 degree mark and the humidity hov ered around 16-18%, making engines struggle for extra horsepower. But, while the heat may have been affecting some, you wouldn’t have known it when Donnon came out and reeled off a 7.710/171.42 to grab the number one posi tion. Bales grabbed the number two spot with a 7.847, while Gavin Spanns’ 7.916 saw him in third, ahead of Ray Easson, Peter Turnbull (8.018), Nationals Pro Bike Champion Phil Howard, Igor Kraznowski and Dennis Ackland, the eighth qualifier. Top Bike qualifying saw local rider Mark Gedye on the Excessive Force Harley qualify in the top spot with a 7.551, ahead of his team mate Scott Commins. Queenslanders Jeff Smith and Brett Stevens qualified third and fourth on Harleys, while the current Top Bike Champ Bill Curry qualified fifth — Curry’s Pennzoil Party 'Time blown Kawasaki

SPRING NATS RECORD FEST

Leake's Pro Stock 791/178.21, Pro Stock Bike 7.681 by Donnon

sounded tough, but had trou ble keeping the fuel pump belt on and the problem plagued the team throughout the event. Any chance of a seven-sec ond Pro Stock elapsed time soon melted with the rising temperature, but Leake drove through the deep-end for an 8.010/173.41, which was faster than the national record. Tony Wedlock recorded an 8.050 in his Buick-powered Pontiac Trans Am for second and last years’ Pro Stock Spring Nationals winner Kym Petterwood ran 8.133 for third. Fourth was Joe Polito’s Ford Probe (8.141), ahead of the Commodore of Hans Van Dyk (8.192) and fellow Victorian Peter Ridgeway. The fans had some locals to cheer on, as Henry Pacifico and Rob Quattrocchi ran the Team Valvoline Beretta to a respectable 8.217 to grab seventh posi¬

Ai/SmMM

7274 2131

tion, while Whyalla’s Steven Norman ran the ex-Parente and Schaefer Camaro through for a 9.670 (the first time Norman ran the car as a Pro Stocker). At six o’clock. Pro Stock eliminations began, but there was little relief from the heat. Leake’s 8.045 and a record-shattering 175.78 mph top-end charge could not be matched by Norman’s 9.920/138.88 and Van Dyk’s 8.154/168.53 got him home over Polito’s 8.423/156.79. Wedlock edged out Quattrocchi 8.159/168.85 to 8.290/167.91, while a cool Ridgeway soloed due to prob lems the Peterwood/Agate team could not rectify. In round two, Leake had lane choice against the cur rent Pro Stock Champ Van Dyk and made history by running 7.950/178.21, some 6 mph better than the national record set by Peterwood at this event last year. Van Dyk, however, was not disgraced with a losing 8.152/170.77. As Ridgeway didn’t front for the second round. Wedlock byed with an easy 8.994/172.41. Wedlock won the bracket with a holeshot 8.168/168.53 to Leake’s 7.916/177.86, the latter recording the quickest Pro Stock elapsed time in Australian history and reset ting both ends of the national record to 7.91/178.21.

4 November 1994 BRUCE LEAKE ran the quickest Pro Stock e.t. in Austraiian history and reset both ends of the nationai record in fine styie. But, after running Adelaide’s first Pro Stock seven card, top qualifier Leake went down to Tony Wedlock in the final Photo: Thunder-Pics/Agfa the latter taking the win with an 8.343/159.85 as Donnon broke on the line, while Easson won against Turnbull, 8.031/168.85 to 8.158/169.17. Bales ran an exceptional 7.815/171.42 which comfort ably gave him the win over Krasnowski’s 8.528/162.74, as Spann had a troubled run against Howard, losing 10.835/121.29 to the South Australian’s 8.119/164.83. Ackland’s 8.055/164.53 wasn’t enough to beat Easson’s 7.994/169.17 in the semis, but Easson was in strife after coming off the bike at the top end. While it still isn’t clear what hap pened, it looks as if the tyre popped. Easson was taken to hospi tal, where it was later announced that he had a bro ken wrist and a badly swollen and bruised shoul der. Reports also suggested that micro surgery on both knees and a skin graft on his left arm may be required. Thus, it was a solo final, with Bales’ Wiseco Racing Suzuki carding an impres sive 7.797/170.13 and reset ting the national record to 7.79 seconds. The six-car Eagle Super Competition Eliminator bracket saw the rapid Bruno Cugnetto’s neat Victorian Perfoi-mance Wholesale/Yella Terra Oldsmobile Cutlass qualify number one. John Handley’s Castrol/SA-FM BB/Dragster was second, ahead of the B/Dragsters of Ray Walker and Steve Russell. , Making a return to racing was Rod Burton, whose Outlaw Chrysler-powered BB/Altered was fifth and Helen Rusling, who ran her VN Holden Commodore in AA/Altered, rounded out the six-car field. Cugnetto took the round one win over Rusling with a backed-off 9.409/116.12, which set him up for a bye in the semi — Rusling recorded a 10.072/149.00 - while Handley eliminated Burton, 6.736/181.81 to 8.047/128.38 and Russell advanced to the semi after beating Walker, 8.097/164.83 to 8.160/163.93.

sent the weighty rear cylin Top Bike round one saw der head and barrel an esti top-qualifier Gedye bye into the semi with 7.580/172.08. mated 200 feet in the air. Stevens, who was kneeling In the first of the paired runs, Stevens defeated fellow alongside the bike at the Queenslander Jeff Smith time, was flung into the air 7.899/170.77 to the quicker and landed on his back a and faster 7.863/175.09 of metre and a half away from the bike. After a few minutes Smith. in the hands of ambulance Curry, who byed into the semi-final when Commins personnel, Stevens walked away, while Gedye soloed broke on the line (Curry also with a 7.460/178.92. soloed to the final), recorded his fastest time of the meet Curry lost fire before he with a 8.256/160.71. had staged the bike for trhe In the other semi, Gedye final and Gedye soloed the was to meet Stevens until an Excessive Force Harley for extraordinary incident it’s fastest elapsed time, a occurred. Stevens’ nitro 7.380/177.16. Pro Stock Motorcycle saw Harley engine blew while trying to start and the force Donnon up against Ackland, GAVIN EALES qualified number two to a stunningly in-form Les Donnon in Pro Stock Bike before marching to the final. But opponent Ray Easson hit the deck in his semi after a topend tumble and Eales was left to solo for the win and a new e.t. record. Steven White pic

Drag Racing

4 November 1994 Cugnetto byed into the final with a 7.651/139.53, while Handley outed Russell, who was unable to stop and drove the Sidchrome Tools B/D into the safety net at the end of the track, badly dam aging the car’s front-end, engine and rear wing. While Cugnetto’s final round red light gave Handley the Spring Nationals title, the South Australian had another reason to celebrate, as his 6.688/182.92 reset the BB/Dragster e.t. record to 6.68. Cugnetto recorded a losing 7.416/182.92. Caltex Bolivar The Gardens Super Stock 24-car entry was whittled down to 16 after qualifying. Local A/Street racer Peter Michael qualified his Monaro in the number one spot, fol lowed by the E/Gassers of Les Heintz and Nationals Champ Dave Tucker. Victorian Peter Undy grabbed fourth from the A/Street Commodore of Bob Sherry and rookie Simon Butterworth. The tough AA/Gasser of George Clasby was seventh, ahead of the Sammut Brothers, the Michael Zotti Camira and Tony Coroscio’s A/Streeter in tenth. Then came the B/Gas Commodore of Rob Demanial, Rob Vasallo’s Production B/Modified Torana, Brenton Bassett in the Re-Car BB/Gas Scorpion, the Wemer Schulz B/Gasser, Joe Cutri’s A/Street and Con Soldatos (ranning in C/Gas), who took the 16th and final position. Round one highlights included Heintz’s 9.627, which was under the nation al record and was hacked-up in round two to reset the E/Gas record to 9.62. Zotti drew the Sammuts and, in an upset, recorded the win and sent the reign ing Super Stock champs packing. Clasby drove the Skyline through the deep end for a 7.031/203.16, eclipsing Victor Bray’s speed record. Clasby now had to back it up and he did so in round two, running the same 203.16 terminal, but losing with a 7.019 to Heintz. Sherry, Michael, Heintz and Tucker fought their way through the field and met in the semi-finals. Sherry holeshot Michael, who ran 10.325/127.84 to reset the A/Street record to 10.28, but lost to Sherry’s 10.360/131.38. Tucker’s 9.726 on a 7.70 index defeated Heintz, who ran 9.878 on a 9.60 index at 109.75 mph to advance to the final — which turned out to be something of an anti cli max,as Tucker redlighted. But Sherry stopped the clocks with a 10.398/131.77 card, resetting the A/Street

terminal at 131.77 mph. The Farmers Union Competition Bike bracket saw six records fall in threediffeent classes. Jim Hanlon reset the marks in C/Competition Bike to 8.48/155.70 and Victorian Paul Andrews reset both ends of D/Competition Bike at 9.44/139.75 mph. Andrews made it all the way to the final, where he met with Queenslander Rhett Lougheed who, the round before, had reset the C/Street Bike marks to 9.67/145.86. In the final, it was all Andrews and he went on to record a 9.205/138.67 to off-pace Lougheed’s 10.307/136.36. The Castrol Oils Super Gas Eliminator had an eightcar field, with Craig Geddes in number one with 9.903. Geddes’ good run contin ued and, after a 10.023 in round one and a 9.905 in two, he went to the final Andrew against Wakartschuk, where a dou ble break-out saw Geddes’ 9.840/138.88 lose to Wakartschuk’s 9.874/134.73. In the Cartronics Modified Eliminator, Greg Roberts smashed the AA/Hot Rod marks with 8.12/166.66, after bettering the previous record by 10 mph and almost half a second. Roberts wasn’t alone in the record-breaking department, as Greg Leahy reset the A/Modified Altered record to 8.43/155.44 mph. Leahy’s impressive run continued into the final, where he met with Victorian Mark Mitchell and Leahy’s 8.409/151.77 was too good for Mitchell’s 8.897/142.18. A total of 14 riders contested the K & M HD Motorcycles Modified Bike Eliminator, with Jason Lee top qualifying on his A/Modified Kawasaki and the Northern Territory’s Ian Bennett in second place. The latter was defeated in round one, but Lee battled through to the final where his 9.105/138.46 eliminated the Lino Ruggieri Special Lady Suzuki GSXRllOO’s 10.557/123.28. Grant Harvey in the Sseries Fasta Pasta Valiant quahfied in the top spot, but redhghted in the third round of the Gepps Cross Auto Salvage Super Sedan. The final saw Western Australia’s Graham Kennedy against Victorian Mark Colquhoun, who took the honours 10.909/92.49 to 9.140/100.55. Coca-Cola Super Street had a large 31-car field, with Tony Ventura and Juan Kudnig battling through to the final, where Kudnig’s 11.144/112.78 got him the win over Ventura’s losing 11.618/115.23.

Report by JOSHUA NICHOLAS Luckily, a few days before Willowbank’s Saturday, October 15 meet, the skies opened and allowed the total fire ban to be lifted long enough for Gary Miocevich and his jet truck to make a few ground pounding passes. Miocevich’s first run net ted him an 8.442 at 198.68 mph in the two-tonne truck and, an hour and a half and 8.354 seconds later, Miocevich had what he came for — a 200.36 mph run. But, in the effort to run 200 mph, the shaft which engages the engine over heated and Miocevich couldn’t make his scheduled third run. “You’ve got to take the highs with the lows and the 200 mph run really made my month,” he said. “But I’m really unhappy that I couldn’t make it back out.”

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Mio<evkh tru<k runs 200 mph

Pavey, with a 12.130/120.22 in his 351 Cleveland Falcon, took out the final after Mark Also on hand to add a bit Smith broke out while run¬ of spice to the evening were ning an 11.216/120.22. the Junior Dragsters of Kieron Hoarey and Marty Brian McLachlan and Amy Searle fought out the final of Riley. On both occasions. Modified bike, with the young Brian got the better Hoarey 750 Kawasaki’s of his female competitor, 10.671/134.57 defeating the firstly with a 26.064/43.96 Searle Yamaha lOOO’s over Amy’s 27.387/42.53 10.607/130.47. I and, secondly, with a The final of Super Sedan 26.835/42.84 after Amy was a close affair, with Stan struck the cherry and ran a Pearce (351 Cleveland 27.882/40.92. Capri) up against David The Superformance ‘55 'Foreman(350 Chev Torana). Chev of Col Dunn and Greg Pearce crossed the line first Thompsen also made some with a 9.550/132.28, but exhibition passes, culminat broke out and the win went ing in an awesome 6.66. to Foreman, with a In Super Street, Russel 10.328/131.66.

Competition Bike was a tight bracket and the Suzukis of Fabio Crystal and Andrew Willis went head to head in the final. While both ran under their respective records. Crystal came out on top with a 9.445/146.87 over Willis’ 9.603/150.96. In the final of Modified, the T-Buckets of Robert Millet and Robert McKitterick took to the line. But McKitterick’s 388 Chev had too much grunt and broke out while running 9.054/145.11 to Millet’s 8.718/147.93. Supercomp appeared to be the night’s support bracket and provided some close rac¬

ing. In the first of the semis, it came down to the 400 Chev Camaro of John O’Kearney and the turbo Nissan Sprite of Jeff Watson. O’Kearney redlighted while running 11.004/74.44 to go down to the rampaging Sprite’s 9.967/89.55, after Watson shut-off early. Debbie Reed’s 445 Donovan Dragster byed in the other semi with 8.467/130.17. In the final, Watson gained a marginal holeshot, but Reed powered home against the ailing Sprite to take the win with an 8.147/153.27. Photo: Nix Pix

Supercharged Shootout Report by MICHAEL ATTWELL

Perfect weather and a near capacity crowd her alded the Canberra International Dragway’s Pro-Am Canberra Milk Supercharged Shootout on October 15. The supercharged division featured ten hard-charging racers and the top qualifier for the shootout was Sydneysider Richard Botica’s BB/A Hemi T-Bucket, which stopped the clocks for the eighth-mile with a 4.822/155.71. Local racers Simon Farrell (Monaro) and Geoff Develin (Valvoline Fireman’s Quickie EH Ute) qualified sixth and seventh respectively, their times mere hundredths of a second behind their top-line interstate competition. Other qualifiers were Jeff Penton (5.076), Paul Messenio (5.152), John

Boskovich and his ‘57 Chevrolet (5.158), veteran Benny Gatt and his rampag ing Falcon Coupe (5.332), Farrell, Develin, Lindsay Churchill, Cowra’s Greg Jordan and his pristine Chev Camira and Adam Nicholls (Falcon). Farrell and Devlin made it to the consolation run-off, with Devlin winning after Farrell broke-out. The final was dominated by the blown Altered class cars, with the Messenio 350 Chev victorious with a time of 4.89 secs, ahead of Fenton’s 352 Chev T-Bucket. The remaining four divi sions attracted 60 quality entries, with several street machines from the preceding days fabulous performance show on hand to show that they can perform as well as charm. The Super Sedan division fielded 23 entries and the quick qualifier was the 350

Chev Escort Panel Van of Brett Rumble, who made it through to the final only to suffer with an engine that would not fire in time to join Warren Appleby’s big block Torana on the start line. In an anti-climax, Appleby and the Horsepower Haven Torana merely had to stage and declare the win. Peter Pulford, who had qualified his 302 Ford Cortina in seventh, was another hard luck story, as he failed to make the staging area in time while fuelling his racer. Amongst the quick and varied finalists were the nitrous injected 202 Torana of David Gruber, Rocco Tamburello’s 13B rotary Datsun Coupe, Dean Sweeney’s big block Chev Ford Capri and the unique 482 cubic inch Chevroletengined Mercedes Benz. The Super Street class was won by seventh qualifier Phil

Marshall and his 351 Ford XD,from Phil Martin and his 400 small block Chev Torana. Super Street’s 17 entries provided close DYO racing, as did Modified, which had eight DYO entries. Tony D’Agostino’s 378 TBucket qualified quickest with 6.070 secs, ahead of Alan White (6.137). Fourth was Tony Brown, whose 1354cc Suzuki dragster appeared to achieve its aver age terminal speed of 103 mph for the eighth-mile around fifty metres from the start line. Terry Pope (192 Holden Dragster) won the final with 7.04 secs from Darrell Herdson (331 Chev Altered), who had a quicker time but failed to reel in Pope. The 11-strong bike division was owned by Joe Borg’s Kawasaki, which won 7.35 to 7.96 from Stephen Lukezic’s V4 Yamaha.

Score some brownie points Have us clean your carpets like new, so you can spend more time doing what you do best, enjoying your motorsport. FOR THE WINNING FINISH CONTACT: VIC (03)898 7793(03)8982742 CENTRAL VICTORIA (054)653 503 NORTH EAST VICTORIA (057) 22 2646 NSW (018) 22 00 02 CANBERRRA (06) 280 7711.

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Drag Racing

4 November 1994

VICTOR BRAY (left) ran the Super Stock bracket’s first six, while Greg Roberts (above) top qualified his AA/HR Roadster in Modified

VICTOR BUSTS SUPER STOCK AT VIC CHAMPS Report by TONY GLYNN A standout performance by Victor Bray saw the blown Castrol 504 cubic inch Keith Black ‘57 Chevy crack into the sixes and reset the AA/Gas marks to an astounding 6.90/203.94 at the Vic Champs. Following hard upon the heels of the record-breaking AIK Spring Nats, Calder Park Raceway’s October 22 1994/95 Victorian Championships meet ing saw the record book take a further pounding in front of a very impressive 24,000-strong crowd under lights. WILD BUNCH WINNER ... South Australia’s Ricky Monsarrat All photos: Thunder-Pics/Agfa

reset both ends of A/Modified Altered to 8.19/165.01 in his 408 Chev Lowe ‘23 T-Bucket. The prestigious Andrew Rowe Memorial Super Stock bracket drew a strong 19-car field, which was dominated in qualifying by Queenslander Dave Tucker, whose Pacific Performance 308 Chev Camaro stole the number one spot with a 9.779/145.77 in D/MP. Tucker was a second round casu alty to Carlo Laudani’s C/G Subaru Vortex, which went down in his semi against the in-form Van Dyk. Bray, who ran the Super Stock bracket’s first 6-second e.t. during the afternoon, literally charged through to the final, but went down with a losing 6.915/203.29 to Van Dyk’s 8.058/167.53. In Competition, Bruno Cugnetto

Super Stock saw four records tumble, as Hans Van Dyk reset the A/Gas e.t. to a superb personal best 8.05 with his reclassified and potent Pro Stock Commodore, Bray flattened the aforementioned AA/G marks and Peter Michael dropped A/Street to 10.17 in his Cartronics/PME 354 Chev Monaro. Ray Walker and Tony Wedlock had the legs on their respective opposition in Competition The Eliminator, Walker’s Bounder” Queanbeyan Engine Services rear-engined 337 Chev rail running right on the sevens with a new B/Dragster record of 8.00 and Wedlock’s Ultimate Financial Services Pontiac Firebird bumping the C/Altered terminal to 17^87 mph. And, in Modified, Greg Leahy

top-qualified his Victorian Anderson’s A/MB Kawasaki Performance Wholesale/Yella Terra 10.808/121.17 to 10.508/126.52. B/A Oldsmobile Cutlass with a Igor Krasnowsky’s Tuff Times 7.436/178.25, but could only crack A/MB 1425 Kawasaki top-qualified runner-up status to the record- with 8.322/164.11, but lost in round breaking Walker, who took the win two to Gary Postlethwaite’s with 8.0306/165.59. Whiplash A/MB Suzuki GSXRllOO. While national record -holder Not unexpectedly, reigning cham Rhett Lougheed top-qualified his pion Colin Lloyd took out the 18-caiSerco/Paul Feeney C/SB Kawasaki 9.90-second Super Gas bracket in Headsense 406 Chev ZXR750 with 9.581/144.13, Paul his Andrews dominated eliminations in Commodore and afforded runnerCompetition Bike with his new up status to Alex Mastromanno’s Pratt and Osborne D/CB Suzuki 400 Chev Scorpion, 9.878/144.83 to and knocked out Angelo Ganitis’ 8.858/136.11. Ted Passalasqua’s C/CB APE/Green Machine Suzuki 351 Ford Cortina was a first round in GSXRIOOO the final. loser to Colin Griffin. 9.300/140.36 to 8.727/147.80. Bruno Cavallo top qualified his Andrews, significantly, currently Chev Commodore in DYO Super holds both end of the D/CB nationd Sedan, which was taken out by records. Leno Micelotta, whose SS/A 351 Greg Roberts top-qualified his Ford Capri ran 9.970/135.13 to oust AA/HR Spitzer ‘27 Roadster with Daniel Tamasi’s SS/A Gemini, 8.025/165.59 in Modified and made s 9.970/135.13 to 9.968/135.86. it to the second round, while Leahy,' Cavallo lost in round two to Robert who reset both A/MA national Grieci’s SS/A Blaupunkt Torana. marks, was runner-up to Mark Again, it came as no surprise to Mitchell’s A/MD Chev Dragster, see Juan Kudnig walk away with which won with 8.816/149.52. DYO Super Street honours, the Modified Bike was taken out by Queenslander’s SS/A HK Holden drag racing photographer Craig defeating John Awakian’s “The Collins, whose A/MB Quicksnap Hammer” SS/A LJ Torana 1260 Suzuki GSXllOO outed Simon 11.013/120.65 to 11.366/111.81. The

>v-.

A CHAMPION’S TOUCH ... The Headsense Commodore of Super Gas champ Colin Lloyd took out Colin Griffin in the semi-final (below) and then Alex Mastromanno in the final. National record holder Paul Andrews heats his Pratt and Osborne D/CB Suzuki’s rear rubber(above) before successfully winning Competition Bike

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Drag Racing

4 November 1994 SS/A Westend Hydroponics 351 Cortina of top-qualifying Peter Forte was a second round loser to Awakian. On the other hand, Junior Dragster was something of a sur prise, as top-qualifier Scott Bettes’ Rocket Industries rail (10.694/43.93) was sidelined by the Pennzoil Maggstar of Jason Maggs. In turn, Maggs was forced to settle for runner-up, as Ryan Papavs’ Hornet Scoops entry, which outed Elissa White’s No Nitro dragster in round one, was too strong in the top-end and won the final with 12.465/49.36 to 15.470/33.39. Adding lustre to the event was a nine-car Wild Bunch contingent, which included the all-new Spfintex BB/A Chev Beretta of Bert Willemsen (see separate stoiy). In the first round of qualifying, A1 Foimtain’s Hot Cargo 482 Keith Black Falcon Ute headed the lists with a 7.324/189.23 card. Next was Ben Gatt, his Gonzo 2 Falcon Coupe the only other blown doorslammer in the sevens, with 7.510/169.45. Then came Geos’Develin (8.121), Lindsay Churchill (8.264), Simon Farrell (8.376), Ricky Monserrat (8.684) and John Boskovitch (8.890). The second qualifier saw Fountain retain his staus, while second-placed Gatt improved his performance with a 7.484/174.35 blast. Monserrat also went quicker with an 8.590/158.53, while NSW’s Adam Nicholls leisurely made his Victorian debut in his 510 cubic inch Falcon. In the opening round, Develin’s Valvoline Fireman’s Quickie EH Ute was too good for Fountain, who redlighted and lost 7.378/187.18 to 8.259/164.89. Monserrat’s Mopar Magic Scorpion then bumped Farrell’s Monaro 8.614/145.89 to 8.830/154.87, while Gatt soloed with7.440/178.50 and Nicholls also byed with a slow 13.240. Fountain byed in round two with 7.359/188.44, while Monserrat dis posed of a redlighting Develin, 8.582/158.87 to 8.279/164.74 and Boskovitch’s troubled ‘57 Chev nailed Gatt, after Gatt broke-out (7.42 dial-in) and lost, 7.389/188.32 to Boskovich’s off-throttle 15.772. Monserrat opened round three with a win over Fountain, 8.519/157.06 to 7.360/189.51, Boskovich soloed with 8.816/170.42 and Develin held out a redlighting Gatt, 8.207/164.38 to 7.424/189.79. The final saw the consistent Monserrat power his way to yet another win over Develin, the South Australian scoring his first Wild Bunch victory 8.521/152.90 to 8.208/164.53.

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before losing out to likely ‘94 Champion Bruce Leake in the semi final. A week later back home at Calder Park Raceway, Van Dyk contested the prestigious Andrew Rowe Memorial Super Stock event and, while still getting on top of the tune-up for the new Buick small block, defeated Victor Bray’s Chevy in the final to win the event and ran a personal best of 8.05 seconds, despite the track being considered a bit slick. Hans now has his eyes on the Australian Drag Racing Series Grand Finals being conducted this weekend (Nov 4-6) at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway and, in particular, he is targetting the bonus money on offer for claiming the fifth and final spot in the exclu sive Aunger Pro-Lock Seven Second Pro Stock Club.

Report by ROB OBERG The reigning Australian Pro Stock Champion, Melbourne’s Hans Van Dyk, will not retain his title this year, after missing the opportunity for a hat trick of back to back wins in 1992 and 1993. Hans’ Holden Commodore has suffered from a horsepower disad vantage all season with an engine he feels was about 60-80 horsepow er behind the front-runners. Despite this, Van Dyk has still managed to make the semi-finals at most rounds, due to his vast experi ence and start line skills. The upcoming 1995 season promises to be the toughest in his¬

VAN DYK'S FIGHTBACK

tory, with over 20 cars contesting the series — and qualifying for a spot in the eight-car eliminators is going to be an achievement in itself. With the clear goal of regaining his Australian title. Van Dyk has recently installed a new, complete powerplant in the Commodore with near instantaneous results.

First time out with the engine was at Adelaide International Raceway’s round six of the Australian Pro Stock Championship. Track conditions dominated by 39 degrees heat were far from favourable, but the Commodore still recorded it’s first terminal speed of over 170 mph,

He will be in for some stiff oppo sition, with the Queensland trio of Kym Petterwood, Tony Wedlock and Wayne Daley all closing in on the seven second zone as well. They have run as close as 8.02, 8.04, and 8.05 respectively and the chase will be one of the highlights of the event. Queanbeyan’s Bruce Leake is expected to wrap up this year’s title at the Grand Finals, after resetting the National Pro Stock records to 7.91 seconds at 178.1 miles per hour at the Adelaide round last month. Leake needs to take part in qual ifying to gain enough points to build his already impressive lead into an unbeatable margin, but there will be plenty of interest in seeing if he can further improve his speed, which already stands as the fastest recorded by this style of car in the world. Photo: Thunder-Pics/Agfa

Bert's dramatic debut By GERALD McDORNAN Bert Willemsen’s spectacular debut of his new Chevy Beretta at the Vic Champs caused huge amounts of con cern and a number of sleepless nights for chassis builder Murray Anderson. After impressively launching the car off the startline during the day, Willemsen returned later in the event to attempt a half pass. But, on the burnout, the car turned completely sideways. When the Keith Black-powered

Beretta swung back round, the right-hand front wheel collapsed under the chassis and almost sent the controversial mount onto its roof. Upon subsequent inspection, it was fmmd that the right-front spin dle had broken off at the welds, causing Anderson to think that per haps he had faulted during their construction. “I made the struts lighter than normal trying to save weight and, on first inspection, things didn’t look that good,” Anderson told Motorsport News.

“But, after staring at the wheel with the spindle still on it for a week, I thought I’d pull it out and get on with fixing the car.” Anderson then discovered that the spindle was, in fact, bent like a banana, something which required huge amounts of force to accom

plish.

“We took a new spindle'to a test centre and bent it like the one in Bert’s car,” Anderson said “and it took over 11,000 pounds of force to

do it.

“I’m relieved that the tests showed that what we did wasn’t

wrong, but it was still a big shock to think that something could hap pen like that. “Even though we don’t have to, we’re going back to making the struts like we always have. The saving of a few pounds is not worth the effort.” Anderson expects the car to be ready during the next week to run again and then Willemsen will ran at Calder Park on November 26. “The first launch was very impressive and I think that we will see some big things come from Bert in the future,” said Anderson.

PROUDLY SPONSORED BY

( TOTAL HOSE & FITTING SERVICE

HQ Racing Association of Australia (Vic. Inc.)

The HQRA ViCo congratulates Mark Craig and David Wood on their win in the 1994 HQ 3 Hour Endurance Classic, held at Calder Park on October 30. We would also like to thank the following people and associations for making the meeting so succesfuls Calder Park Raceway for their fantastic cooperation: Bob Jane, Steve Bettes, Al Basnight, Peter Bridge, Carolyn fully, Jeanette Gray and the Calder Park Administration Staff. Geoff Beechey and his scrutineering team; The Victorian Flag Marshalling Team; Victorian Fire and Rescue; Ken Benham and his officials; Steve Rowe;Ambulance; Towies; Commentators and the Calder Park maintenance staff; Enxed and Revolution Racegear; Melinda Saunders for organising the raffles. Special thanks to the HQ competitors, in particular the interstate HQers for supporting the event and making it a great weekend. Thank you also to the competitors and officials from the other categories that competed - they all contributed to the PROUDLY SPONSORED BY hassle-free running of the meeting. If I have missed anybody, I do apologise. Once again, thank you to all involved. Les Morrall, President HQRA Victoria.

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TOTAL HOSE & FITTING SERVICE

Drag Racing

4 November 1994

STRAIGHT LINES

A three-category assault with a some bearing on the team split. .. past, Larry has provided Schmidt At the recent Nationals, spent someUS time in ScottI Top Fuel dragster team joining with a car at various times and Kalitta's trailer yarning with the fold was also a possibility. Steve has reciprocated by supply In an effort by to stop the engine current ing some of his strong horses. crew members Jimmy “O,” practice some Nicky Bonifiante and Doug Chief Parts to may or may horsepower builders of swapping a killertwo big Dragoo as they prepared for the not Auto be going sponsor motor between event. 1995 rule changes Ranee McDaniel next year, but or more customer’s cars to get Other include a revision of the Doug was racking up his by KeithBurgan,USA the company will fly its colours them qualified, the NHRA has Alcohol Dragster weight breaks, on Stevie Foster’s T/F car at the announced that, in 1995, once “soldiers”, putting matched sets Prior notice is being given of rods and pistons on racks in Chief Auto Parts Nationals, at an engine has been used in a that 1995 will be the last year for anticipation of wholesale Dodge could only manage a the Texas Motorplex in mid- vehicle at an event it may not be the current splits and that there replacement of such parts. The string of mid 5.40 passes to October. used in another vehicle during will be only two options in 1996. boys said that the American miss the 5.42 cut. that event. All injected nitro motors will international entry will run in the The team had struggled since Plans calls for the motors to run at 3.90 lbs and all blown the subject of the Forstermid 4.80’s all day without hurt- the Mile High event at Denver On Miller-Dyer team, former crew be either serial numbered, or alcohol units at 4.40 lbs, if i ing the internals to any great and at Maple Grove things were boss Ron Collins joined the Paula tagged to identify them. have read the initial release cordegree, but that anything quick- little better, as a 5.35 got Tom Martin Funny Car team just prior to Instances have been noted in rectly. er requires near total replace- into the show, the Keystone Nats and the car the past where, once a car was Currently, the blown hemis ment of the internals and quite With event sponsor Pioneer seemed to be running better, with qualified, the motor was offered have a 1700 lb minimum and the often a block swap as well. Electronics also the primary less parts breakage. to another competitor from the championship-leading small At the Keystone Nationals, backer of Hoover’s car. same or an associated block car of George and Rick Scott did not run slower than things were not looking team to get them in the Santos only has to carry 4.10 4.80 in eliminations and his good, until a Saturday show as weil. lbs, with a 1450 lbs minimum. worst speed clocking was a night check of the car On race day, it was I presume that some of the 304.87 in the final, which the revealed that the clutch every many for himself more obscure combinations, team attributed to the motor management switch that is once your were-in the such as non-supercharged sin show. being pulled down a little when actuated by the gas pedal gle, or dual engines on gasoline had broken. the clutch locked-up early. This will not prevent the and nitrious oxide at 1.80 ibs situation where a racer wiil still exist, With a replacement takes a dive because his installed. Hoover ran 5.12 While I don’t howatmany parts wereknow thrown the and 5.18 on Sunday, before engine supplier is in the I et driver Lynn Redeman, who is Kalitta car at the Grove, runner-up dropping a cylinder against other lane (e.g. Lepone vs vJ slated to tour down under this Pat Dakin still had the same block, Cruz Pedregon in the semi, Morgan at the Keystone summer, recently had his driving heads and crank in his car at the Nats), but it will mean that privileges suspended by the conclusion of the event. With Tom n the 1995 season the possible number of NHRA Exhibition Rules Committee combinations will now be for numerous violations of the rumour front, the RehrKattleman tuning, the Mystic entry qualified with a 4.82, duplicated Morrison Pro Stock team has restricted and that a good rules in 1994. that effort in round one and then been linked with an extenbullet will not have two n a litany of violations at tracks ran a pair of 4.85s before smoking sion of the Western Auto TOM HOOVER (Photo: Thunder-Pics/Agfa) chances to keep another across the USA and Canada, Martin qualified 13th with a 5.39 racer out of the show. Redeman, the Florida-based dri the hoops in the final. Kattleman drag racing programme, was with Dick LaHaie when he ver, seems to have shown little An extension of the same plot and was leading Gordie Bonin in won the World Championship and suggests that A1 Hofmann has not round one before the blower belt SSchmidt/Eicke peaking of good bullets, the safety. regard for the rules governing fuel system guru Dave Settles has bothered to fit an Avenger body to broke at the 1000-foot mark, operation again Redeman’s file also contains also had some involvement with his flopper because he will be joinVeteran crew chief and tuner put a bunch of cars into the show Donnie,Couch left the team on the in Pennsylvania. Schmidt was 4th, reference to fines, reprimands, the car. But, for a bucks down ing the Pontiac ranks next year, team to put up such a stout show This would dovetail with Saturday night of the Sears Mark Osborne 8th, David Rampy probation and suspensions dating ing against the big guns is certain Pontiac’s prior announcement that Craftsman Nats at Topeka, to “pur- 11th and Larry Maiola 12th, with back to the mid 1980s, when he first entered the exhibition vehicle ly an achievement of note. R-M would be switching from sue other interests.’^ Terry Adams 14th. Chevrolet to Pontiac when they The fact that the flopper team Maiola was driving the ex-Doug arena, after destroying his Alochol returned to the Pro stock wars on was the fourth alternate with a Kirk car that Butch Abbott drove in Funny Car in a crash at Portland Tom Hoover qualifying at the Nats missed when the Pioneer a full-time basis. best e.t. of 5.062 probably had the middle of the season. In the Raceway’s divisional points meet.

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Speedway

4 November 1994

9J(A

By BRETT SWANSON The 45th running of the prestigious Australian Speedcar Grand Prix will be held at Victoria’s Midwest Motorplex. The Motorplex, which is more commonly known as Heathcote Speedway, will host the event on January 13 and 14, following the reach ing of an agreement between Grand Prix Promoter Tony Armstrong and Midwest Motorplex's Russell Clarke. American speedcar ace Lealand McSpadden will be in attendance, as will Brett Horobin from New Zealand. Thi’ow in the likes of Troy Jenkins, Keith Giles, Steven Graham, Rod Bowen and a host of other local and inter state hot shots and you are assured of a great night’s racmg. Originally planned as a two-night meeting, the event Sydney-based Sprintcar driver Lynton Jefifirey has secured corporate sup port from Pyroil Performance Products, a new range of car care products launched at Melbourne’s famous MCG late last week. Jeffrey’s Chevrolet ‘94 Bullet coilover chassis now carries Pyroil’s distinctive yellow on black livery. Jeffrey, 21, has snared several Rookie of the Year Awards, in 1990 with his Formula Vee and,in 1992, in a Speedcar. Young Jeffrey has fol lowed in the footsteps of his speedway hero father, Carl Jeffrey and designs

I If i '5'

i wiU now be contested on the Saturday night only, with Friday night a free night of practice. The naming of Midwest Motorplex as the new venue ends months of speculation and behind the scenes manoeuvring by other pro moters eager to get their hands on this event. The GP was originally scheduled to be run at Geelong’s Avalon Raceway, but, following a breakdown in negotiations between Armstrong and Corio Park P/L, the owners of the Avalon race track, the

Pyroil & Jeffrey and manufactures his own wings and associated components. “Pyroil is delighted to be Jeffrey’s first major corporate sponsor,” said Mark Maclure, Pyroil Performance Products

Bunbury opener Report by BRAD STEELE Prior to the commence ment of this season, the Bunbury City Speedway promoters, Motorplay Australia, in conjunction with Vince Chapman Racing and Terry Cutts Racing, held a pre-season laimch at the Lord Forest Hotel on October 18. Held in the Grand Ballroom, Kent Roberts and Des Ferris from Bunbury Speedway started proceed ings by announcing the major events for the 1994/95 season. Both Vince Chapman and Terry Cutts had their race cars on display and Cutts will be competing on the East Coast this year, culminating with the Australian Titles in February 1995. Chapman’s season was not off to a good start as, on the following Friday, he totalled the car in a huge wreck on the final lap of the feature at Claremont Speedway. Onto Saturday and an

Speedcar GP’s future was up in the air. Armstrong stated that “five months worth of work went down the drain, along with $25,000 worth of spon sorship that I had secured from the Geelong area, when the deal with Avalon fell through. “But I love speedcars and 1 love this event so, if I have to finance the race myself to ensure it goes ahead, I will.” Midwest Motorplex is set to become the home of the Australian Speedcar Grand Prix while Armstrong holds the rights to run the event.

average crowd was in atten dance for the running of the Bunbury City Nissan President’s Cup for Modified Sedans. The Modifieds produced some first class racing, espe cially from the Hkes of Greg Freeman, Brian Moyle, Dan Love, “Fish” Telenta and Albany’s Peter Theyer. Heat 1 was an all the way win by Theyer, who beat home Moyle and Ray Green. The second heat gave Freeman his first victory after returning from a 12month suspension. He took the lead early and was never threatened, as Theyer work ing up through the traffic to take second and George Biers third. The third heat was a repeat of heat 2, with Freeman winning and Theyer second, but this time third went to the consistent

Telenta. Theyer was on pole for the feature, with Freeman alongside. From lap 1, these two pressured each other for many laps and were closely trailed by Dan Love, until

General Manager. “His attitude and approach toward corpo rate presentation, blend ed with his on-track per formance, will ensure that our company will receive strong exposure.” both Love and Freeman started to slow, the latter eventually pulling infield with a flat tyre. Theyer drove on to a fine win, dominating the feature and the points to win his first President’s Trophy. Love’s consistency was rewarded with a second, while Telenta finished third. Support events featured Formula 500s, Super Sedans, Street Stock, Juniors and the Sprintcars of Terry Cutts, Eddy Gobby and John and Shane Krikke, which squeezed in impromptu hot laps when possible. The F 500s nearly stole the show, with fine displays by Brett Satori, Mark Coulson, Trevor Harding and Peter Blight. Satori, son of sprintcar dri ver Garry, won every race except for heat one, which he was leading until mechanical failure forced him to retire. In the final, he ran away an easy winner over Craig Oakley, Coulson, Harding and Jeff Muir, with former solo rider Marshall McDermott in sixth. The Super Sedan field only started with 3 cars, but lost Syd Gandy during heat one. Brad Blake and Peter Brook thus duelled with each other for the rest of the night and Blake won the dashes 4 to 1. In other divisions, Wayne Thompson, Kim Herald and Allan Mortimer took the first three places in the Street Stock final, while Mark Furphy took the Juniors over Jamie Maiolo and Michael Hamon.

When ! agreed this column, 1 saidto I do wouid do in on one condition: I wouldn’t pull any punches. I’d say what I think and, if that upsets a few peopie along the way, sorry folks, but that’s the way I am. People are probably sick of me saying how good sprintcar racing is — and I reaily beiieve that — but I can’t say the same for the body that controls sprintcar racing in Australia. They’re amateurs. I’m sure they mean well, but I really think it’s time the controiling body of sprintcar racing was a professionai body. Just iook at John Hughes’ World Series Sprintcars. I know that com pany was set up to promote a series of races, but they’re doing such a good job, why shouidn’t they pro mote the sport as a whole? If you want an example of when you need profes sional administration, just look at the situation at Claremont in Perth next January. Con the Migro Ciaremont promoter, is bringing out three top American sprintcar racers and he wants them to run American-sized 410 cubic inch motors against locals with 372 or 360 motors.

Now, I’ve spoken to Con personally about this, so he knows how i feel. Don’t get me wrong — Con is a major figure in Australian speedway and he was one of the first peopie in Australia to get right behind sprintcar racing, so I have respect for the guy. But I think that, this time, he’s dead wrong. I won’t be racing against the Americans, so it doesn’t personally matter to me — but I’m dead against the principie of it. There’s no way in the world anyone should be allowed to come out here and race 410 cubic inch motors. But it looks like Con’s going to get away with it. because there’s a weak controlling body. From what Con tells me — and I could be wrong here — the locals in Perth are allowing this to happen. Now, I’m not blaming Con. I’ve been a promoter for a brief period, so I know how tough it is. He’s the guy taking the financiai risks every week and his job is to put on the kind of entertainment that puts bums on seats. Good luck to him. It’s his business and he’s entitled to do whatever he can get

away with. I’ve told him that. So, here’s a great opportunity to bring out Sammy Swindell and Kenny Jacobs, two of the best sprintcar drivers in the world, That’s fantastic, but why can’t we race them on equal terms? These guys need an advantage iike I need a hole in the head. We’re the ones that need some extra grunt, The thing is, of the 30 or so cars in Perth, around 20 are 360 sprintcars. We’re talking about a 250 horsepower difference. Honestly, these guys are going to be lapped every 3 laps, Do you reckon the crowds are going to enjoy that? It’s just a joke. What I’m saying is that the controlling body should step in now and say, wait a minute, this is bad for our sport and it’s going to make us iook ridicuious. If anyone tried a simiiar stunt here in Sydney, they’d be iaughed out the door. It shouldn’t happen anywhere in Australia. I understand further discussions are happening as we go to print. Ail I can say is that the outcome will be very interesting.

WA JUNIOR SIDECAR ... 11 year-old Josh Barnes and 13 year-old swinger Anthony' Coughlin have raced two seasons at Bibra Lake Speedway and are awaiting the Junior (Photo: Shane O’Brien-Lynch) Solo Title meeting scheduled for Bibra in January

Heathcote Park ilhWLE HEADER n

SPEEDWAY & DRAGS! Heathcote offers for the first tirne Speedway and Drags together! An opportunity for spectators to be involved in both forms ofsport at the same time. For many years a Hot-Rod Drag Meet has been a traditional part of the Bendigo swap meet weekend when the street rods took to the quarter mile track in search of the honour to be King ofthe Hill. Speedway will feature Modified

P 1

Rods, Mini Modified Sprinters,.^ standard Saloons, Vintage

Speedway race cars as well as several Super Modifieds, the forerunner Hb oftoday's sprintcars.

Speedway

4 November 1994

Mod Prod PCR debut Modified Productions made their first appearance of the season at Parramatta City Raceway on October 8. Drivers came from Sydney, Canberra, Goulbrnm, Nowra and provided plenty of entertaining during their fii-st run ofthe 1994/95 sea son. Each car had two heats and a fea ture, with the drivers drawing out of the hat for their first heat and inverting the grid for their second heat. A special feature of the night was the drive by Brian Callaghan Jm-, son ofthe former well-known Grand National competitor from Liverpool City Raceway, in the Mobile Concrete Commodore in heat 2.

Brian was sharing the drive with Sheldon Offing and, fresh fi’om the Tooheys 1000, certainly showed great sldll during his race. Heat one was won by Greg Donovan (Canberra), with Greg Thompson (Canberra) second and Greg Smith (Nowra)third. The sec ond heat was won by Donovan, with Steve Riley (Goulbum) second and Callaghan Jnr third. The final was a closely contested affair, with only one stoppage in the entire race and all cars remaining on the lead lap. It was finally won by Oiling, with second place filled by the Ford Wreckers/ACT Heads Falcon of Donovan, ahead of the Mt Druitt Auto Wreckers Falcon of Craig Priestly.

By GRAHAM TOBIN Brisbane sprintcar owner Max Farrow has ended his 12-year association with driver Paul Lindberg. American Greg Hodnett will be taking Lindberg’s place for 16 meet ings from late December to the end of January. “Paul simply lacks the time, because of his business commit ments, to devote himself to racing and we have parted on amicable terms,” Farrow said. “Our partnership was,I believe, a very successful one. Paul won three Queensland Speedcar champi onships and was runner-up on two occasions in Australian champi onships. Farrow is confident that Hodnett, from Memphis (Tennessee), will go well in his Australian meetings. “I saw Greg in this year’s Knoxville Nationals and he was very impressive,” Farrow said. “He won the C-Main, progressed to the B-Main and won that also and, in the A-Main, came from the back to finish fifth. That was an outstand ing effort when you consider the quality of his opposition. “I honestly believe he was the

Lindberg

Farrow demise best performer in this year’s AMain at Knoxville. Greg is an aggressive driver and his Knoxville effort showed he is very good in traffic. He is a full-time professional and I’m sure he will make a big impact in Australia. This year, Greg finished eighth in the Outlaws series and he had a number of top-five placings. In 1933, Greg was named World of

Outlaws Rookie of the Year-. Hodnett has a degree in mechanical engineering from Memphis State University, graduating in 1992, six yeai-s after he began racing. Farrow, an astute and successful businessman, said Castrol and his own businesses, Metro Nissan and Max Farrow Used Cars, will be this season’s sponsors.

Series also will be held at the cir around for the running of the Anew consor tium promotional at Kwiksnax cuit. historical and traditional international Speedway (previ At this writing, negotiations are Australian Solo Championship ously known as the Gosford continuing with Ivan Mauger to (which as this time looks to be Showground Speedway) will bring to Gosford his travelling decided on either January 20 or give the venue a new image, troupe, while several other attrac January 28) and round nine of programming the world’s best tions have yet to be confirmed. the International Speedway^ riders during the track’s 1994-95 By Dennis Newiyn Solo and sidecar racing will be Challenge Series. season. the prominent attractions, while Heading the series line-up The new name for the venue Ground and, in the early the cars from the NSW Microsprint will be the 1994 World is only one of many changes nineties, created his own piece Association will add further variety Speedway Champion Tony made at the Gosford track since of national speedway history with their regular inclusion on the Rickardsson (Sweden), who will the completion of last season. be joined in the series by 1993 when he brought to Austraiia a programme throughout the sea son. The circuit this summer will world title holder Sam The revamped administration full-scale Russian test team. is the end result of a turbulent Harding and Poole were then break new ground when it hosts its Ermolenko (USA), current multiwinter recess which, at one joined in the Gosford promo first ever Demolition Derby, though World Long Track Champion stage, threatened the future of tional team by Barri Tayior, cars will be restricted to the four Simon Wigg (England) and three-times Australian title hold the Gosford Showground while Max Sanderman withdrew cylinder variety. his bid for the circuit and has Speedway venue. er Leigh Adams. Two separate promotional since compietely dropped out of Race fixtures in February and The have March also will be held, while became the picture. organisations setGosford in placepromoters a 10-meeting embroiled in a bitter wrangle Meanwhile, Poole’s original season, commencing this tentative plans call for the pos over the future promotional co-promoter at Gosford Sid Saturday, November 5, with the sibility of conducting several running of the East Coast winter shows at the Kwiksnax rights of the circuit. Forrester, who indirectiy trig One side contained Gosford gered the winter dispute when, Sidecar Grand Prix. International Speedway next The Ivan Mauger Series is year, though that is still a long founding promoter Terry Poole, at the end of last season, he way down the track and far from while the other organisation declared his intentions to opt tentativeiy slotted in for the sec comprised local Gosford busi out of the Gosford operation, ond meeting of the season being confirmed. nessman Barri Taylor and well wili ultimately be phased out of (November 19), whiie a Soio and known Newcastle bike official the current promotional consor Sidecar State of Origin clash new promotional Max Sanderman. will be the featured attraction at Since tium. group the was finalised, the venue the December 3 fixture. has been a hive of activity in The dispute between both The season then moves into preparation for the commence parties appeared destined to be tator and motorsport Tournamentcommen Director the high time, with the ment of the season on November resolved in the courtroom, Television which left the upcoming sum of the International Speedway December 26 show (which will 5. Race fans will notice a number mer season in serious jeopardy. Challenge Series.David Tapp also feature the inaugural Gosford That was until Brisbane is now involved with the circuit and Demolition Derby) before the of changes when they enter the Exhibition Ground administrator is working closely with his co-pro New South Wales Sidecar venue for the season opener. Extensive modifications have and bike promoter Trevor moters in the day-to-day operation Championship, will be contest of the circuit. been carried out to the pit area, ed on January 1. Harding entered the fray. which will be three times its former The international race carni In view of all the off-season Harding and his Kwiksnax Catering Corporation Joined dramas, the new promotional team val will be featured throughout size, while major excavations will increase the capacity of the circuit. January at the circuit. forces with Terry Poole, which has been left with little time to pre The spectator mounds will be Listed at this time as only ultimately led to discussions pare for the upcoming summer between both warring factions season, which, on paper, looks the tentative for January 11 is the increased considerably in height, and ultimately a resolution to best-ever in the short history of the running of the Billy Sanders while the installation of a new circuit. Australian Open, though the open grandstand will comfortably the dispute. Harding, a former rider who One of the highlights of the event, held in memory of one of seat approximately 800 people. reached test match level for season will be the running of the the finest international riders Initial plans call for one section Australia in the late sixties, is a Australian Solo Championship Australia has ever produced, of the grandstand to be located on bike man through and through. (which also was left in no man’s will definitely go under the flag the back straight, while another In past years, he has been land during the winter wrangle), at Gosford during the course of section will be installed on turn involved with the administration while a round of David Tapp’s the season. four, providing fans with a view of of the Brisbane Exhibition International Speedway Challenge Dates are still being shuffled the action from both locations.

There will be more lights at the track than ever before and turfing operations of the infield are continuing, while a major rebuild of the racetrack surface also has taken place, The track has been completely excavated, with some banking added while some realignment also has been done to the racing line. Former rider Tom Shirra, assist ed by England’s great former World Finalist and test skipper Nigel Boocock, has spent many hours working on the racing strip which, with more dirt on the sur face than ever before, should be in mint condition come opening night.

OVAL FOCUS

n H H HHHHHHHH ★★t*t**^ HHHHHHH HHHHH

David Tapp Meanwhile, reports there will be a per

manent office operating at the circuit during normal weekly business hours, while a special new Kwiksnax International Speedway info line also has been put in place. For all the latest news from the venue, race fans should phone 0055 21042. For more direct business enquiries, the track office phone number is(043)23-9213. Race fans looking for a non stop variety programme with three hours of exciting action from a 30-event card, should take a leisurely drive on the northern freeway to the Gosford central coast, located an easy 68ks from Sydney. The venue is no more than a 60 minute drive from the outer western Sydney suburbs. With a greater emphasis upon both variety and a slicker meeting presentation, the revamped impressively International Kwiksnax Speedway at the Gosford Showground will definitely be worth a look during the 1994-85 summer season.

4 Vi'. n

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Speedway

4 November 1994 Featuring Crown, Sprints, Silver Midgets and Late Models, the Four Crown Nationals at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway is renowned for fast racing and high drama. Last year’s event saw Jack Hewitt suffer the injuries that, for a while, looked like ending his out standing career. The latest running of the race lost some of its lustre when Page Jones was hospitalised with severe head injuries, fol lowing a violent flip in the sprint feature. Ironically, Jones was running as a team-mate to Hewitt, as both drove for 6R Racing at the event. On the brighter of the ledger, Hewittside complet ed his comeback with a win in the Silver Crown portion of the show. Championship contender Chuck Gurney sat on the pole, but points leader Jimmy Sills took the lead from the outside of the front row when the green waved. Kevin Dory ran third after starting 5th in the Beaver Bros car, but 9th-starting Hewitt had read the track conditions well and swapped to harder compound tyres, which enabled him to quickly take the lead and only Gurney was able to maintain station with the Hampshire prepared #63. Lapped traffic gave Gurney his only chance to close on Hewitt, but, when the track cleared, the Ford powered machine pulled away. Behind the leading pair, SiWs battled with Doty, Eric Gordon and Rusty McCture, with the group finishing in that order. The non-winged Sprint feature was plagued with crashes in the early going, with red flags wav ing on laps 2 and 3, as well as the first restart. The carnage took Kenny Dunlap, Greg Staab, Tray House and Jon Stanbrough out of the action and put a serious crimp in House’s chal lenge for the USAC cham pionship, as Doug Kalitta finished the race (albeit in 10th place) to extend his points lead. Page Jones led the early going, but Danny Smith began to close as everyone ran high looking for grip. On lap 11, Smith got a little too high in turn 2 and clipped the wall to flip down the backstretch, climbing from the wreck age unhurt. A lap after the restart, Jones also tagged the wall after jumping the cushion and, as the car bounced back down the track, sec ond-placed Dave Darland clipped the flipping vehicle. Jones was immediately taken to the local hospital and then airlifted to Dayton’s Miami Valley Medical Centre. Following the restart, Kevin Doty led the final 2/3rds of the event in Glen Niebel’s V6. Cary Faas managed to close the gap a little

TURN LEFT GO FAST by Keith Burgan,USA towards the end, but still finished a quarter of a lap in arrears, with Tony Elliott, Kevin Thomas and Jimmy Stinson filling out the minors, Doty also figured in the Copenhagen/Skoal Midget Series action, as he

lMs)0®[?sp®[?D

started from the rear of the field in the team’s second car, which had been quali fied by Andy Pierce. By lap 20, he was chal lenging Danny Drinan for 5th but, when he put a slide job on Drinan the next time around. But he was not quite far enough ahead, as he let his car drift back to the high line and the ensuing contact caused both cars to take a series of end over end flips. Over the final four laps, Knepper again pulled way to win from Fox, Beechler, Page Jones and Stewart.

set quick time and ran in second behind outside frontrow starter Steve Knepper in the early going, before his motor quit on lap 8. At the restart, Stan Fox took over second to head Donnie Beechler and the series points leader Tony Stewart. A restart for Steve Barth’s spin bunched the field, but Knepper had figured out the quick way around the high banks and again pulled away. Championship contender Andy Michner had dropped out on the pace lap and

Michner’s efforts

Andy in the t Midget would

have been wasted, even if he had not tangied with Drinan, as USAC ruied that the car had been scored iast in the event when it pitted on the pace iap. Andy’s drive through the pack in the spare would not have helped in his quest for the champi onship, even if he had made it all the way to the front. Michner suffered minor eye burns from fuel spilled in the crash, but nearly suffered worse damage

from Drinan, who got in a couple of good punches before officials separated the pair. Officials constantly exhort drivers to keep all their safety equipment in place until they are certain all the action has stopped and, in this case, the final action came a little after the cars stopped moving, but the helmet was still an effective punch blocker. Jac won his firstHaudenschlld WoO feature since September 1992, after lead ing every lap at Knoxville.

THE KINGS SPRINTCAR CHALLENGE Friday January 27th. 1995 Borderline Speedway. Mount Gambler.

THE GRAND ANNUAL SPRINTCAR CLASSIC Soturday January 28th. 1995 Premier Speedway. Warrnambool. Sunday January 29th. 1995 Premier Speedway. Warrnambool.

THE CITY OF MOUNT GAMBIER 1995AUSTRALIANSPRINTCAR CHAMPIONSHIP Friday February 3rd. 1995 Borderline Speedway. Mount Gambier. Saturday February 4th. 1995 Borderline Speedway. Mount Gambier. l ACCOMMODATION l MOUNT GAMBIER

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PEZZUni'S SHOCK WIN Report by CHRIS METCALF Lismore’s Andrew Pezzutti recorded his first Sprintcair fea ture race victory after a stun ning performance on October 22 at Archerfield Speedway. The former Australian Modified Rod Champion drove superbly throughout the heats and started the feature from the front row. John KeUy led most of the race, with Pezzutti in close pursuit. When Kelly retired to the infield with engine failure on lap 16, Pezzutti took over the lead and was never threatened. Greg Wright charged through the field from position 14 to finish sec ond, with Tony Bridge in third. HEATS Veteran Ray Billeau led the early laps of the opening heat, until he was relegated several spots near the finish. John Kelly picked up the win, ahead of Dean McComb and the improving Terry Bracken. Pezzutti took out heat 2, ahead of Matthew Sutherland and Darrell Hodges. Kelly recorded his second victory in heat 3, while Bridge and

Bracken filled the minors. The final heat was marred by a nasty crash involving Hodges and Bob Kelly. Hodges was charging his way back through the field after a great save on the opening lap, when he clipped the rear of Kelly’s Winfield Tognotti exiting turn 2. Both cars slammed into the wall at high speed and were extensively damaged. Darren Jensen survived a last lap challenge from Pezzutti to win and Andrew Scheurele finished third. BMAIN Brian Dixon recorded an overdue victory in the LJ Hooker Gambler from Bracken and Jensen. FEATURE With Hodges and Bob Kelly unable to take part, 14 cars await ed the green flag and lined up as follows: John Kelly, Pezzutti, Jensen, Bridge, Sutherland, Bracken, McComb, Scheurele, Kathy Maxwell, Steve Petersen, Billeau, Dixon, Paul Carlish and

Wright.

Kelly was slow away at the first attempted start, as Pezzutti and Bridge entered turn 1 together.

Bridge overdid it, though and spun to a halt against the fence. Further restarts following a vicious flip from Jensen and a 6-car pile-up delayed the start for some time and changed the complexion of the grid. When the race finally got under way, Kelly led Pezzutti and Sutherland through the opening laps. Wright was driving brilhantly from the back and gained six posi tions in just 4 laps. Kelly slowly increased his lead as the race progressed, only to see Pezzutti close the gap through lapped traffic. Wright was into fourth spot before the halfway mark and took third from Sutherland soon after. The running order remained unchanged, imtil Kelly slowed and pulled infield in the back straight with just four laps remaining. Pezzutti inherited the lead and powered to the line to record a pop ular win. Wright tried desperately to close the gap, but lost valuable ground with a slight error in turn 2 and had to settle for the runner-up spot once again. A fast-finishing Bridge edged out Sutherland for third. Maxwell, Billeau and Petersen were the only others to go the dis tance. COMPACT SPEEDCARS Heat wins went to Frank Cos and Gary Hudson. Hudson also took out the Stars Final, leading home Darren Barner and Scott Hampson. The feature race was close early on, until Hudson broke away from the pack and picked up yet another win. Barner finished second, with Darren Vine third.

PENNZOIL SPRINTCAR ... Melbourne-based Darriy Nash last week wheeled out his splendid 1992 JSR Highbar in its striking yellow/black Pennzoil livery. During the last two years, Nash has been both a successful driver in his own right and the provider of American Danny Smith’s race vehicle. The standards of profession alism typified by the Darryl Nash Racing Team have been acknowledged by his peers and, for the past three years, the team has won the SRA Best Presented Car and Crew Award. Additionally, the team collected the Mechanical Preparation Award during last year's national series. Nash is also the Vice-President of the Sprintcar Racing Association of Victoria (Photo: Thunder-Pics/Agfa)

-bilbon Total Performance Racing Clutches

4 November 1994

QLD Champs controversy

past few years to get Queensland’s top 16 riders into the title. “We called for nominations in the Brisbane Exhibition Speedway promoter Vic Butler has lost his past,” Newton said. “Riders then battle to have two of the state’s said they didn’t get the letters. top motorcycle riders, Mark Whatever we do, there are com Carlson and Clinton Butler, plaints. contest the Queensland “This year the committee looked Championship at his track on at licensed riders who were compet November 19. ing. We get reports from stewards around the state and we know who Butler attended a meeting of the is riding and who is not. Clinton Motorcycling Australia (Qld).speed way sub-committee to argue the rode in only one meeting recently case for the inclusion of the two and (at Yandina), where he took part in subsequently called publicly for IMA one race, failed to finish a second, then went home. (Q)to sack that body. Speaking to the Brisbane “In all the stewards’ reports from Courier-Mail, Butler said, “it is dis around the state, Mark Carlson’s graceful that nominations for the name does not appear. We consid championship were not called for ered that those who were travelling regularly to meetings deserved first and even more disgraceful that the sub-commit consideration, after those tee, which who are good must accept enough to be responsibility for the fiasco, competing overseas.” is apparently not concerned Butler subthat two ofr sequently defended his the best rid ers in the son saying, “Clinton had state will be denied the bike problems at Yandina opportunity to which is why qualify for the he did not Australian complete all ch a m pi-his rides. But onship. what was not Carlson has said in the been one of newspaper Queensland’s article was very best rid that two rid ers for a num ers, selected ber of years. VIC BUTLER (Hot Pix photo) He finished for the champi third in the 1992 Austrahan cham onship, would not ride at all. “It should also be pointed out, in pionship and has ridden in speed way’s premier team competition, fairness to Clinton, that he later rode in the opening meeting at the the British League. Ekka, where he won two scratch Clinton Butler is the Ekka pro moter’s son and brother of six-time races and quahfied for the final, in which he was placed third to Alan Queensland champion Troy, who has elected not to defend his title. Rivett and Colin Wallace, both of “Clinton missed last season’s whom are in the Queensland cham championship because of injury, pionship. “In the process, Clinton did but,, in the previous two champi onships he had top-five finishes. defeat riders who are in the cham That should have meant he was an pionship for which he is only second automatic selection for this year’s reserve. “To say I am less than impressed title meeting,” Butler said. “Apparently Clinton’s claims about the way things have been were ignored because he did not handled is an understatement.” have a licence when the 16-rider In the absence of Troy Butler and Carlson, teenager Jason Crump line-up was chosen. The only rea son he did not have a licence then must be strongly favoured to win was that he had not returned to his first Queensland championship. This year, Crump qualified for racing after his injury.” Carlson sent a letter to MA(Q), three world finals - the Long Track, part of which was published in the Speedway and Under-21 Speedway Courier-Mail. In that letter, he was championships. Crump is the only highly critical of the sub-committee. Australian to have made the Long In response to Carlson’s claim, Track and Speedway finals in the speedway sub-committee chairman one year. Strongest opposition to Crump is Barry Newton told the CourierMail’s Brendan Quirk a number of likely to come from Tony Rose, systems had been tried over the Tony Langdon and Colin Wallace. By GRAHAM TOBIN

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4 November 1994

Speedway

Next step for Showgrounds

By DENNIS NEWLYN

The ambition of Sandown International Raceway promot er Jon Davison to resiu-rect the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds as a permanent speedway venue has taken yet another step forward. Legislation has recently been passed by both the upper and lower houses of Parhament to remove the prohibition within the Royal Agricultural Showgrounds Act (1931), which banned speedway, except for demonstrations, from being conducted at the venue. The next step is to make an application to amend the relevant planning scheme and, to this end, Davison has been seeking the advice of Con Migro, Mark Gilbert and David Lander, all of whom

have promoted speedway meetings and dealt with the problems of using a showgrounds venue con tained within a residential area. Davison will now involve himself in further discussions with the Royal Agricultural Society(RAS)as to just how they would like the venue to be run. “Until the prohibition was removed,” Davison said, “there was no point in getting too heavily involved in discussions with the RAS.” Negotiations with the RAS and the Essendon Council will now be stepped up and Davison has also expressed his desire to meet with the residents to address any of their concerns. - BRETT SWANSON

Bendigo series

Bill Higgins, the promoter of the Bendigo Speedway, announced recently that he wiU run his own three-race series for Super Sedans. The series will encompass Bendigo’s traditional Super Sedan events, the Bendigo Masters, the Indianapolis Stakes and the Queens Cup. Prize money for the series is just under $10,000, with almost $3,300

paid per round. The first round is the Bendigo Masters on January 2, followed by the Indy Stakes on April 15 and concluding with the Queens Cup on June 10,1995. November 5 sees a lead-up race meeting for the Super Sedans at Bendigo Speedway. Prize money for this meeting will be over $1,600. - BRETT SWANSON

JXE

New South Wales sprintcar dri ver Skip Jackson is preparing for his most ambitious assault upon the national sprintcar scene this summer. Jackson, who recently returned to Australia after campaigning in the United States where he picked up a third placing in the season pointscore standings at Knoxville Raceway, will field his own team under the Advanced Motorsport banner during the 1994/95 season Down Under. The Jackson team has also attracted some very good sponsor ship backing and the outfit put the whole affair together well with a very impressive media launch at Bobby McGee’s Restaurant at Sydney’s Darling Harbour this past fortnight. The Jackson team is truly a fami ly affair, with Skip’s brothers actively involved in the operation. Paul Jackson takes the role of Promotions Manager and is the man largely responsible for secur ing sponsorship for the team this season. Former National Compact Speedcar Champion Rob Worthington also has an active involvement with the team, thus continuing an association with the Jacksons which had its infancy many years ago, when a fresh-faced Skip served on Worthington’s sprintcar pit crew. Worthington’s own automotive company is also a corporate backer of the team’s 1994/95 campaign. 26 year-old Jackson is quietly confident of a successful season and nurses a burning desire to score the big wins. “We work as a team and I’ve got some good people supporting me

GI0SO/V r:ig h

Skip Jackson during this season,” Jackson told Motorsport News. “The competition will be tough this season, as everyone continually upgrades their equipment. But I’m confident we have the right pack-^ age to get the job done,” he added. Jackson, who started his racing career in karts before he moved into compact speedcars, will run a late model Gambler sprintcar using an Allan Felsh-prepared engine. The Jackson team will base its operation at Sydney’s Paramatta City Raceway, but will contest all of

the major sprintcar shows on the national calendar this season. Most prominent on his itinerary list is this season’s Australian Sprintcar Championship, which will be decided at Mount Gambier, South Australia, in 1995. Some of the major players in the Advanced Motorsport Team include Gibson Freight, Frank’s Auto Parts, Competition Racing and Development, Matilda’s Mobile Canteens, Bobby McGees, JA Wales Printers, McNaughton Tyres and Advanced Magnetos.

'UJs4<yUl<ie ^Awd/ialici6^ leadmcj^ mdo^iA^pj&nt Two lucky subscribers will win some hot laps of the Colder Thunderdome, with Ian Thomas, in the Tropic Coast Racing Chev Lumina on Sunday December 11 — the morning after CaldeTs Big Christmas meeting. Draws will also be held for subsequent Thunderdome meetings, and to cap it all off, all entries will go into an end-of-season draw for our grand prize — five glorious nights for two at the Palm Royale Cairns, including air fares, breakfast and a sightseeing trip to the Great Barrier Reef Just subscribe to Motorsport News and you’re automatically in the draw. Entries for the first draw close on Friday November 25. The draw will take place on Monday November 28, and the winners will be advised by telephone.

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4. Entries most be lodged by 5pm Friday 25 November 1994. The draw will lake place at 9am on Mortday 28 November 1994. The CQMOmOMS OFEMTEY1.fnlormation on how to enfer and prizes form part oi these conditions of entry. winner will be notified by telephone, and his/her name published in the subsequent issue of 'Motofsport News'. 2. The corapeWioo is open to all readers who are residerS ot Australia,exc^ employees of Australasian Motorsport News Pty Ltd. 5.The final draw prize is a trip lor two to Palm Royale resort or five nights, including air travel, accommodation, breakfasts and a Palm floyafe earns,(heir associaled conpanies and families of employaes sightseeing trip as detailed. Closing date for the final draw will be Friday April 21. The draw will lake place on Monday April 24. and 3.The judges decision is(in^.and no correspondence will be entered into The prize (or the each draw is several laps of the rrt'-viefdoo* race trade in the Tropic Coast NASCAR with Ian Thomas - with the proviso Iha ciknaljc conditions or mechanical difficul- the winner will be advised by telephone, to rroy reqdre posiponemeni 6. The promoter is Australasian Moio^rt News Ply Lid,63 Stead Street. South Melbourne VIC 3205.

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Rallysport

Zffls)i?@j7gfflS)f7g

Brock for Esanda Touring car most legend Peter Brock will likely be seen in the Esanda Rally, as reported exclusively in Motorsport News last issue. Brock would drive the ‘demo’ Holden Commodore V6 that Murray Coote drove in the Coffs Harbour Rally last month. The Brock entry, apart from being a huge drawcard for the rally, will take place primarily for Holden to test the Commodore prior to next year’s Mobil 1 Round Australia Trial. There are also strong possibilities that another touring car driver may appear - although in a car with the blue oval on the front!

Ftood champion Tony andWA brother GregFlood are the Rally Champions after clinching the titie with second place in the final round on October 22. The Floods finished sec ond to rally winner Gerry McGroarty to claim the championship, denying McGroarty of back-to-back titles. Third place in the event went to Allan McCarthy in a Subaru. The sensation of the rally was young Dean Herridge, son of two-times nationai champion Rob Herridge. Driving a 1.8-iitre Hyundai Lantra, 18 year-old Herridge finished fifth out right, embarrassing many

FROM THE

FOREST

By Pefer Whetten Editor, Austrolifflu Raifysport News

more fancied crews in more powerful machinery.

Prize tops $8500

■interested drivers should contact Peter Whitten on (057) 22 1250.

Tommi signs on This year’s 1000 Lakes winner Tommi Makinen will sign a contract with Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe in the next few weeks. As Mitsubishi increases its prominence in world ral lying, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, three frontline drivers are expect ed to be on the payroll next year. Makinen is expected to join regular Mitsubishi dri vers Kenneth Eriksson and Armin Schwarz.

The prize package in the final Australian Rallysport News Junior Rally Challenge has topped $8500 in cash and prizes. One finalist from each of the six Austral ian states wiil compete in the Esanda of Raliy Canberra in I November to I decide the I itst t>r* “Australian | Junior Raliy Champion”. The ARN \li Junior Rally Challenge is EU open to dri —^ vers 25 years and under in two wheel drive, WINNER ...Ed Ordynski is presented with the normal ly Mitsubishi Spirit of Competition Award (for aspirated the third year in succession) from Mitsubishi cars up to 3 Ralliart Australia president Doug Stewart. Ai iitres.

4 November 1994

Bates crashes I through t wm By PETER WHITTEN

NEAL BATES and Coral Taylor took the Caltex Toyota Celica GT-Four to a one minute and 20 sec ond victory in the 1994 Caltex Havoline Coffs Harbour RaUy on October 15-16 to keep their ARC hopes ahve. The current Australian Champions survived a rally of surprises to finish in fi-ont of local hero Wayne Hoy and young gun Michael Guest, both in Mitsubishi Lancer RS-Es, while Ed Ordynski and Mark Stacey won Group N and took an ‘action packed’ fourth outright after rolling the Les Walkden Lancer on the Saturday evening.

Leg One

Bates immediately made his intentions clear by being six seconds quicker than Hoy on the first gravel stage. B ut the local banana farmer cut the advantage back on the next stage, being four seconds quicker than Bates, and two ahead of Guest, who had started to put the pressure on after a disastrous start to the event. An engine problem on the second stage cost him almost

T h g well as being in contention for the Australian series will Championship, Ordynski this year run aoain in Group N section of the New 1995 and Zealand WRC round.

Rick Bates’ Celica sixth. Neal’s brother had started from number 24 and was making rapid progress in his Cehca GT-Foim.

two minutes and, by the time he had reached the meal break after the first six stages, he was languishing in 10th place. Bates struck back on the 40km fourth stage, beating Hoy by 31 seconds and open ing up a handy lead. Queenslander Stewart Reid reth’ed his Celica after break ing a rear control arm on SS4. Also out of the rally was ACT driver Peter Taylor, whose Mazda 323 also broke a con trol arm, while the ageless veteran of Aussie rallying. Norm Fritter, broke the gear box on his Celica. As crews made their way back to the resort. Bates was happy that the Celica was performing how it should after the disasters of Rally Australia, as was Hoy, who’d retired from Rally Oz after a multitude of problems. The j pair were separated, by 43 seconds at the event’s first major break, with Ordynski in third place a further 40 seconds behind Hoy. Queensland’s Mark Griffith had grabbed fourth place after starting from position 18 in his Subaru Impreza, with Paul Kennedy’s Mitsubishi Lancer fifth and

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Leg Two

Ordynski was keen to make a move on Saturday night, determined to overtake local boy Wayne Hoy for second place in the dark. But the best laid plans often come unstuck, even for someone as talented and as consistent as Ordynski. On the last corner of the second night stage (SS8), Ordynski chpped the inside of the corner, putting the Lancer up on two wheels and eventually onto it’s roof - the first time the former Australian Champion has ever rolled a car. Frantic work from the only four spectators at the point (including your Motorsport News rally reporter) ensm-ed that the cai' was put back on its wheels and was pushed past the timing mark. The cai’ was unable to be started, hav ing to be pushed out of the control area and towards the waiting service crew for makeshift repairs. Ordynski continued, but

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NEWS

Rallysport

4 November 1994

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RECOVERY... Despite col liding with a spectator’s vehicle, Neal Bates took the victory that keeps him in the race to successfully defend his national title. without driving lights or a windscreen, making for some slow stage times over the final two night stages. But, as it turned out, only one of the stages was to count towards the overall rally. On SS9, rally leaders Neal Bates and Coral Taylor collid ed with a spectator’s car parked on the stage. The car finished the stage, but the damage was extensive and the stage was ultimately can celled. This could have promoted Wayne Hoy to the lead of the rally, but he’d run into prob lems as well, breaking a driveshaft on the previous stage. He lost only minimal time in the stage, but the subse quent 65 seconds of road penalties put him way down the field and into the dust for the remainder of the night, although he stiU held second place. Fortunately for Hoy, he was back on the pace on the night’s final stage, recording a time 31s faster than Bates, whose Celica had the paint on the floor catch fire mid-stage because of the heat from a damaged exhaust. Michael Guest was second fastest in his Lancer, and fin ished the night in third place after an amazing comeback. In sixth place was the Holden Commodore V8 of NSW driver Peter Robei'ts in only his second drive in the car. He’d moved up 22 places dun£vg,the day.

Trio ready for Esanda showdown Leg Three/Day Two

Rally officials had allowed the Neal Bates team extra time to repair the Celica on Sunday morning after the previous evening’s accident, while the Ed Ordynski team had repaired the Lancer in Parc Ferme the previous evening. Hoy had decided not to risk trying to make up almost two minutes and Bates was four seconds faster on the morn ing’s first stage, equalling the time set by both Ordynski and Guest. Guest was tr}dng hard to make up lost time in his pur suit of the Australian Rally Championship and set two fastest times on the next three stages before being slowed marginally by a punc ture on stage 13. The major retirement ofthe day was Daihatsu Challenge hopeful Andrew Pinker, who had travelled all the way from Western Australia, only to break a balljoint on bis Charade.It leaves him in sec ond place in the one make

LOCAL HERO ... Wayne Hoy recovered well from an early mechanical set-back to finish second. (Photos by Stuart Bowes)

series, and chasing Victorian Doug Wright in the Esanda Rally in November. Vthile Guest was the pace setter on the final day’s dusty stages, both Neal Bates and Wayne Hoy held station and protected their placings. Bates’ car was running sur prisingly rehably after aU the problems of day one and, when he crossed the finish line of the final stage, there weren’t a happier pair than

Bates and co-driver Coral Taylor. Guest’s third place, as weU as retaining a narrow nation al title lead, clinched the NSW Rally Championship. Rick Bates dropped back a place to fifth on the last day, but the Canberra driver was the first to admit that he wasn’t going to hold off a fast finishing Ordynski. Gosford driver Warren Ridge brought his Lancer into sixth place.

FINAL RESULTS 1. Neal Bates/Coral Taylor, Toyota Celica GT-Four, 2h23m00s 2. Wayne Hoy/Pip Bennett, Mitsubishi Lancer RS-E, 2.24.20 3. Michael Guest/David Green, Mitsubishi Lancer RS-E, 2.29.09 4. Ed Ordynski/Mark Stacey, Gp N Mitsubishi Lancer E2,2.30.08 5. Rick Bates/Jermy Brittan, Toyota Celica GT-Four, 2.30.54 6. Warren Ridge/Gary Vinten, Mitsubishi Lancer RS-E, 2.33.11 7. David Carlton/Darryl Smith, Nissan Pulsar GTiR, 2.33.58 8. Graham Vaughan/Scott Causer, Mitsubishi Galant VR4,2.35.08 9. Peter Roberts/Tony Avery, Holden Commodore V8, 2.35.10 10. Scott McLoy/Ron McMahon, Toyota Sprinter, 2.36.54

CLASSES PRl; McLoy/McMahon, Toyota Sprinter; PR2: Winwood/Drews, Ford Falcon XR6; PR3; Bates/Taylor, Celica; N2; Nicoli/Hynes, Daihatsu Charade; N5; Ordynski/Stacey, Lancer; Al; Middleton/Long, Daihatsu Charade.

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form over recent months, despite a mechanical failure that caused him to crash in Telecom Rally Australia. He set a number of fastest stage times at Coffs Harbour and, if he receives the close ratio gearbox from Ralliart that he’s hoping for, should be Bates’ biggest challenger. That is assuming that Ed Ordynski runs his usual Les Walkden Rallying Group N Mitsubishi Lancer E2. But Ordynski is again-hop ing to drive a Group A Mitsubishi from the Ralliart Australia stable in the event and, if that’s the case, the smart money should be on the smooth South Aussie. “For sure. I’d like to con test the rally in a Group A car,” Ordynski said, “but there are a few sponsorship conflicts that have to be sort ed out first.” Ordynski said that he’d never actually done the Esanda Rally in a Group N car, and he didn’t believe the switchback Canberra roads would suit the Group N car aU that well.

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UP TO seven New Zealand crews will be seen at the Esanda Rally of Canberra this year, with two-times New Zealand Champion Joe McAndrew heading the list of Kiwis heading across the Tasman. McAndrew will come to Australia to compete for the first time, and his exMcRae Prodrive/Colin Subaru Legacy RS should be right on the pace with the leading Aussies, especially after his top six placing in this year’s WRC Rally of New Zealand. New Zealand Group N Champion Reece Jones will also be in the ACT in his Mitsubishi Lancer RS-E, together with the similar cars of Morrie Chandler, Jason Gardner and the Group A Lancer of Chris Joblin. Young gun Greg Graham will also be there in his Group N Subaru Impreza to give the Aussie crews some serious opposition. It will be the first Australia vs New Zealand rallying showdown for many years, and it will be the first time competitors have seri ously chased the relatively new Tasman Cup Challenge title. In previous years Craig Stallard and Ed Ordynski have won the award and, while Ordynski is most likely to win it again this year, there’ll be a few Kiwis with different ideas.

By PETER WHITTEN ALL IS in readiness for the battle of the decade in the Australian Rally Championship. Neal Bates, Ed Ordynski and Michael Guest have pre pared thenfselves for the most important event of their rallying year as all three try to win the Australian Rally Champion ship in the Esanda Rally of Canberra. To be run from November 25-27, the three drivers are all in with a chance of becoming Australian Champ at the Esanda. Putting it simply, after 15 tough rounds, whoever finishes ahead in the trio will claim the coveted title. Reigning champ and Motorsport News columnist Neal Bates is probably the favourite, but debuting a brand new car in the last event of the year probably isn’t how Bates would want to tackle the rally, particu larly as the reliability of the car is not yet proven. Guest has been in fine

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Karting

0X0.

KING OF THE HILL ... Local driver Roger Harrison steers his Tiga-Repco to victory at Collingrove. (Photo by John Lemm)

Harrison on the double

By BARRY CATFORD ROGER Harrison scored his second Australian Hillclimb Championship when he beat a class field at his home venue, Collingrove,just outside Adelaide on October 16. Using special Avon hillclimb tyres flown in from the UK on his 4.8-litre Repco V8-engined Tiga FA83, Harrison defeated a group of former champions and Formula Brabham dri vers to add to his 1983 title. Harrison’s main competi tion was the defending champion Stan Keen in a Formula Brabham Shrike, Collingrove record holder and four times champion Kym Rohrlach with his potent supercharged VW Special, newly crowned Gold Star champion Paul Stokell in a Birrana Engineering Reynard,three times champion Ivan Tighe in his very quick BDG Ford powered Kaditcha and Peter Finlay from NSW with his supercharged Toyota engined Mawer Formula Ford. StokeU, together with fel low Reynard Formula Brabham driver Kevin Weeks, had never tackled the tight 800 metre climb. Harrison set a stunning pace when he scorched up the twisty thin strip of bitu men in 29.98s on his first official run early Saturday afternoon - putting him clear of Keen (30.69), Rohrlach (31.05), Finlay (31.33), Stokell (31.64), Weeks (31.67) and Tighe (32.43) after the first day. The weather on day two was slightly cooler. Tighe improved to 32.10s on his first official Sunday run and Finlay also improved by 0.29s, but Harrison wasn’t able to get under the 30 second barrier again. A 30.97 went to Rohrlach

on his third attempt while Weeks came close to his personal best with a 31.74, but fellow Reynard driver Stokell improved to 30.66 to move into second place. Stan Keen responded to the challenge moments later with a 30.50, which was good enough for run ner-up status, but not to retain his title. The only driver in the fastest ten to better his ovm time in the fourth and final run was local driver Bemie Stack (Formula Brabham Ralt) who improved to 31.71s, relegating Kevin Weeks, who went off the track twice dining his final attempt, to third fastest of the Formula Brabham dri vers and fourth overall. A few class records were broken over the weekend including John Payne dri ving his MG J2 in the Historic Group K 1931-40 up to ISOOcc category, Fred Greeneklee in the 501750cc Racing Car category in his 750cc Kawasaki Special and Andrew Ford (Mallock U2) in 13001600cc Clubman Sports Cars. The Sporting Car Club of SA and the event organis ing committee were very pleased with the meeting (which attracted 3000 spec tators and a record 130 entries) and the $10,000 bonus the club put up for any driver breaking the outright record remained intact. However, several drivers are already talking about 1995. Kym Rohrlach men tioned a new 4-wheel diive, 4-wheel steering special and Roger indicated the Lucas Fuel injection on his Repco would be replaced by a Motec engine manage ment system complete with wheel sensors for traction control and maybe a sus pension update.

Results 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Roger Harrison Tiga FA83 Repco V8 Shrike Formula Brabham Stan Keen Paul Stokell Reynard Formula Brabham Kym Rohrlach VW (s/c)Special Mawer s/c Toyota Peter Finlay Kevin Weeks Reynard Formula Brabham Ralt Formula Brabham Bernie Stack Kaditcha Ford Ivan Tighe Fred Greeneklee Yamaha 750 Special Paula Elstrek Pirana

29.98 30.50 30.66 30.97 31.04 31.67 31.71 32.10 33.04 33.06

By EDWARD KRAUSE CHANGING WEATHER conditions played a major part in the qualifying of the 1994 CAMS Australian Titles, but when Sunday dawned bright and sunny, the racing matched the weather as eight drivers walked off with a green and gold plate. Sandro Guaitoli notched up his second Australian title for the year. Having already taken out the Intercontinental A champi onship, and then the NSW Piston Port title, the PCR Australia driver made it three for the year, winning the Australian Piston Port championship. Meanwhile, the Junior Clubman title and enthralling race saw Mark Winterbottom take his sec ond Australian title in suc cessive years, just leading home Jonathon Metham, who would later go and take revenge by defeating Winterbottom to win the Junior National Heavy title in his final junior race. Piston Port Fortune favoured the sivift in qualifying, as after only a couple of laps the hail arrived. The first session had been in the rain, so those who were quick to set'a time early in the second session reaped the benefits. Gary Holt was one, taking pole in his PCR/PCR from David Burch and Robbie Williams. Guaitoli won both heats from grid four, with senior debutante David Krusza coming from 11th for a sec ond and a third to join him on the front row for the pre final. Guaitoli and Krusza held station for first and second for the pre final, but the big mover was Wayne Stoddart, who came fi'om grid 17 to fin ish third from David Burch and Phillip Scifleet. The final was fur ther proof of Guaitoli’s superiori ty. Taking the lead at the start, he was never headed and won by a convincing margin. The battle for sec ond started with Burch moving through before falling back behind Krusza and Stoddart, with Tammy Douglass going out the same lap after a move on Burch didn’t come off.

4 November 1994

2 o

TITLE-BOUND... Sandro Guaitoli leads David Krusza and the rest of the pack at Lithgow.

Sandro sizzles in wild weather Winterbottom came from mid field to second and for over 15 laps these two swapped positions. On the last lap Metham took the lead before Winterbottom took it back on the very next corner and went on to win the title from Metham, with Simon Meyer a distant third.

Clubman Light Qualifying in this class was turned into a lottery by the weather and last year’s number two driver, Graham Armstrong,failed to qualify. Andrew Gilder put his Parilla on pole from Tim Pauling, with Isaac Jahn another who was impressive on his senior debut, qualify ing third. The second heat turned controversial when Isaac Jahn and Tim Pauling collid ed under yellow flags, putting Jahn was out. Pauling won the race, but

Clubman Heavy This class was shrouded in controversy from the outset with pole winner Andrew Mills excluded for alleged tyre treatment, and this left PCR driver Andrew Wamsley on pole for the heats from Anthony Abson and Paul Cooper. Cooper went on to win both heats from Wamsley, who broke a chain in the pre final, leaving him near the back ofthe grid in the final. The final began as a six way dice until about half dis tance. Cooper and Andrew Simmons swapped the lead constantly, while Paul Rietdyk and Brett Wilson did likewise for third. With only two laps to go, Simmons ran off at the end of the back straight while passing Cooper, who was slowed in the process. This left the door open for Rietdyk to take the lead and win his first Australian champi-

karts in contention on the last lap. Briscoe held the lead from Pyne and McFadyen, but on the last two comers a lapped kart got in the way and confusion reigned as all the drivers attempted to avoid him. Briscoe came out of it best and he was a very deseiwing Australian champion, having led most of the way, with Pyne second followed by Gurr, Hunt and McFadyen. Junior National Heavy Jonathon Metham put his Kali kart on pole and he and defending champion Mark Winterbottom had a win and a second apiece in the heats before dominating the final. Having lost in the clubman final, Metham was keen to finish his junior career with a title and he responded in the most convincing way, decimating the field and win ning comfortably. Winterbottom had a lonely drive in second, with Joshua Pontello third.

Senior National Light

Peter Pontello was another to set pole in a PCR kart and he took an early lead in the final from Christopher Cox, Paul Hendrie and defending champion Troy Boldy. Cox and then Boldy took the lead, but Pontello fought back and swapped the lead Krusza weathered TROY Boldy (#1) moves in on Peter Pontello (#4) to claim Junior Light. constantly with the pressure from Boldy. Stoddart well, and he held on On the last lap, Alan protests and appeals went on onship from Wilson and to record a 1-2 finish for PCR Hunter and Cox were elimi until right before the start of Cooper, with Simmons a dis Australia, with Burch taking the pre final on Sunday tant fourth. nated in an accident while third from Stoddart late in battling for fourth behind morning, with Pauling even the race. Junior National Light Hendrie while Boldy got the tually keeping his result. Neil McFadyen took pole upper hand on Pontello to be The final was a great race, Junior Clubman with Tim Craig taking the in his Tibi kart, continuing 1994’s only successful title Dean Canto took pole posi lead at the start from Adam the trend of recent Cadet defender. tion in his DAP from Clarke and Tim Leahy, graduates performing well, Jonathon Metham and Senior National Heavy while Jahn burst through from dual NSW champion Ryan Briscoe and Alan Gurr. defending champion Luke the pack and moved into sec Adam Pisula had no prob The final was the most lems in this class, taking Mewett. ond. Jahn attacked Craig for Metham and NSW cham the lead but ran into the exciting race of the meeting, pole, winning both heats and involving a six-way dice for leading the final from start pion James Courtney had a .back of him and was elimi the lead between Briscoe,’ to finish. win apiece in the heats, nated just a few laps from Neil Brendan May, Pisula came under some Courtney having a DNF the end. McFadyen, Troy Hunt, early pressure from Mark which pushed him back, Craig was then able to while Dean Canto had two Clayton Pyne and Alan Gurr, Jellicoe and NSW champion hold off a determined James with nearly every driver tak seconds, and started the pre- Sutherland for the title, with Mark Mathieson, but eventu final next to Metham. ally pulled away from this Troy Boldy a creditable third ing a turn out front. May fell back towards the pair to score his Australian Metham pulled away for after holding off Clarke and end, but that still left five title. n an early lead while Mark Leahy.

Karting

4 November 1994

[jS\®Q®mqxDn‘d

KA rings in Ajussies off pate the changes in Japan By EDWARD KRAUSE

SEVERAL major changes were made at the

Anstralian Karting Association’s recent

Annuial General Meeting, notably to the tyre and fuel regulations. As reported in an earlier issue, Bridgestone scooped the pool as far as tyre con tracts went, with all three of it’s tenders being successful. For all National Yamaha KTIOOJ classes, the YDS tyre will again be used. The 200 Clubman, Class Australia, Reed and Junior International classes will run on the YDG compound. The lucrative Clubman contract was won by the YEQ tyre. In what is a fii’st for kart ing, BP fuel wiU be mandato ry for all AKA meetings across the cormtiy.

Peter won theat 2 hourWorrail enduro Sydney’s Oran Park and in doing so has beaten National Champion elect Matthew Campbell for the first time this year in a major event. Campbell opened up a big earty lead but was brought back to the field when his engine made like a detonator. Worrail was partnered by lOOngb stalwart Dale Harris, who has pur chased an old Formula Ford. Second overall and first in class were John Pellicano and John Barrs with third going to Sam Zavagiia, who pulled the Herculese award in doing the whole 2 hours solo and completing 125 laps in his lOOngb. The WorrallXHarris combo finished on 150 while PellicanoXBarrs

out. 1995 will be their final year as they will be inehgible for title meetings from January 1 1996. The rotary engines will still be permitted for club meetings, but the plan is to turn Class Oz into a Piston Port only class. For Yamaha engines, the piston size on both Clubman KTIOOS and National KTIOOJ engines has been increased. The maximum Clubman piston is 53mm and the maximum National piston is 51mm. For Clubman engines, the KSI conrod is now accepted for use. A moratorium of two years has now been placed on any further technical changes to these classes. The 13cc restriction placed on Junior International

While the final details have yet to be released, BP super (leaded) fuel will be run, with the Western Australian refinery supply ing fuel for WA and South Australia, while the Queensland refinery vriU ser vice the Eastern Seaboard. The AKA and BP are cur rently working whether fuel for race meetings is supplied to the track or whether karters are left to buy their own from a BP service sta tion. The lOOcc International class wiU change, bringing it in line with CIK Formula A. This is done by changing the carburettors used in the class, although Reed valve engines will still be eligible to race International. In Class Australia, rotary valve engines are on the way

SUPERKART REVIEW

engines has been removed. The engine specifications on the Junior engines now matches that ofthe seniors. Nose cones will be optional for all competitors in all classes for 1995.

AUSTRALIA did not have a happy run in the Japanese GP at Sugo two weeks ago. In looking towards the After a great result for future, the AKA has also established a trust fund for Jon Targett in the Philippines two weeks track development. There will be a $1 dollar earlier, and having nearly won the Japanese GP last surcharge on every race year, he and fellow Top meeting entry which will go Kart/Comer driver David directly into a trust fund to Besnard were off the pace assist clubs wishing to at Sugo. upgrade their tracks and/or Both were running facilities. Nothing will be competitively during done with the money for two practice for the Super A years. class, but the tyres used Also, the prices of tyres in qualifying did not have been rounded up $1 to come up to their expecta even dollar figures and that tions, leaving Targett and $1 will be paid by j Besnard qualifying 27th Bridgestone into the trust and 35th respectively in fund. the 70 kart field. From grid 18 in the heats, Besnard finished 8th, 12th and 18th, while Targett had an awful run, a flat tyre, a crash and a

byDSrkKIysssmith completed 133, having pit ted with a loose fuel pump. Jack! Pellicano made a comeback after her shunt at Amaroo where she wrote off hubby’s Stockman Yamaha six months ago and finished 3rd in class,

DOWN TO THE WIRE... The national title will be decided this weekend between Stockman(#1)and Pellicano (#62). Brewer locked on points. Reed is apparentiy waiting to see the weather before deciding whether to run his full bodied KCM or the stan dard unit.

rian Stockman used the meeting to find some extra power for the final round of the National Championship at Mallala this weekend (6 Nov). Stockman and Pellicano are locked in a major struggle for the title and either can take the series. Also up for grabs is the 100 title, with Reed or

Back onto twisty black bitsthe after his forced layoff is Paul Hillman. While most atten tion will be on title con tenders Stockman and

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Pellicano, expect to see him all revved up at Mallala.

ew recruit to the Queensland ranks is for mer Japanese driver Mick Soranaka, who has pur chased the Gerry Bassett's 125 and has settled in quite well, having finished first at the 2nd round of the resi dents cup.

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subject is Johnny Herbert at the wheel of his Team Casirol Lotus Ford I Method of payment: during the J 992 season. Johnny Herbert is a driver of undoubted talent and came back to I cheque/money order payable to Formula One full lime after a horrendous accident at Brands Hatch in 1989. After o short spell I Motor Art Pty Ltd or by Bankcard, with Bennetton and a victory in the J 991 24hr Le-Mans race, Herbert is now a highly respected I Mastercard, Vise Card. Phone orders pfea^ hove card no and driver looking hr his first podium place with the dedicated Peter Collins and Team Lotus. Edition expiry date available. Plus $15 of 550 world wide QOcm x 64cm. $550 postage, hondiing and insurance within Aostrolto. $30 for New Zeolond.

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the CIK homologation date, which is for the 1996 season. The only possible change will be for the Piston Port class. The Vega XR front tyre size (from a 10x4.5 to a 10x4.6) is currently under review with new infoi-mation coming from the CIK and the Vega tyre company. -EDWARD KRAUSE

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TYRES for the CAMS kart ing classes will not change for 1995, according to CAMS karting administra tor John Benson. Benson said that, with CAMS continuing to be aligned with the International Karting Commission (CIK), all class es will remain the same until

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seized engine resulting in him having to qualify through the repecharge. won the Targett repecharge to start the pre-final from dead last while Besnard started from grid 18. New tyres were fitted for Sunday’s racing, but this caused more prob lems for Besnard, who had to pull out mid-race when a rear tyre went out of shape. The final was compara tively trouble-free, with Targett finishing 12th and Besnard a fighting 15th a long way behind the leaders. The pair’s final race of the season is the North American Championship at Charlotte on November 6, after which they return to Australia for a break. -EDWARD KRAUSE

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Industry

HOLDEN In Motorsport 25th Anniversary

4 November 1994

MOTOR ART is featuring a fab ulous print of Fangio in action with the Mercedes W196 Grand Prix car at Monaco in 1955. Usually, the works from Motor Art feature the signatures of both the subject and the artist (see advertisement on page 21 of this issue of Motorsport News) But, in the case of Juan Manuel Fangio, a combination of ill-health and advancing age meant that the Maestro was unable to sign more than 70 prints over a 12-month time span. Accordingly, the Fangio prints offered are a departure from the Motor Art noim and are signed only by the artist, Alan Stammers and not by Fangio - and the print price of$350 reflects that fact. However, for those collectors despearately keen to own a work of art sporting Fangio’s autograph, aU is not lost, as Motor Art is prepared to source the availability of the remaining signed few, which have been attracting premium prices. For further information regarding the limited art works by one of Britain’s leading motorsport artists, contact MOTOR ART on:(02)666 5932.

Fangio by Motor Art

GP phofo history

25 years of HoMen motorsport

FESTIVAL VIDEO, in conjunction with General Motors Holden, has recently released the purists must-have video, “Holden In Motorsport, 25th

Anniversary, 1969-1994,” which features highlights - some never seen before - from Australia’s most famous race. Available for a modest $24.95

Photographic works available from the FLYNN COLLECTION take a classic look at the greats in Grand Prix racing, both past and present. The owner and founder of the Flynn Collection, Kevin Flynn, believes motor racing enthusiasts will consider his photographic works to be very special, as they provide a golden opportunity for collectors to own much sought-after and rare historic material. “The individually handmade prints are from original negatives and transparencies and are certifled for authenticity,” Flynn said. “There are great action shots that have never been seen before and,

from a variety of outlets, including Brash’s and K-Mart, this fantastic compilation is a must for all touring car fans, regardless of whether Holden or Ford followers. The commentary includes interviews with some of the General’s finest soldiers, such as Brock, Perkins and Bond, along vyith comments from one of the factory’s greatest archrivals and one-time Holden punter Allan Moffat.

while some date back to the first photographic montage panels have grand prix, others range right up to from four to seven driver, car and the present day. pit stop images mounted on black “Basically, there is something for or coloured mounts. everyone, including the enthusiast. These unframed 20xl6-inch pan the competitive racer and even chil- els cost $140 (or $210 in a wooden dren. I would imagine that they and glass frame) and feature will be very popular as gifts for Ayrton Senna, Gilles Villeneuve, birthdays and special occasions.” Alain Prost or Nigel ManseU, For a FLYNN COLLECTION Featured in the collection are works by distinguished photogra- catalogue, phone:(03)527 6866. phers Stanley Rosenthal, r«gelfnon«)l Max LeGrand and Geoff Goddard, while the work of the legendary RudoUho Mailander is also available. L ,iob'in^> Although grand prix racing is the most popular, theme, photographs from Le Mans in the fifties and sixties rate as the most exciting and dramatic material in the collection, Each photograph can be mounted behind glass in a * wooden frame and an engraved plate is also «« available. Print sizes are 12x8 and 16x12 inches, whether ■3-xPr».r:\ colour or black and white. The Formula One uiMinms Drivers Series of colour r

199® F4® Ferrer! Red, 500 kms. Non-cal. A$425,000 + IDS

Jaguar XJ Dark metallic blue enamel. Grey leather interior.

A$360,000 + IDS Porsche 934

A$425,000 plus spare engine.

v v v 'S976 91 ^ S Speed €eupe Yellow Giow/Bloek interior Sunroof, air conditioning, 5 blade Fuchs forged wheels, new lyres, shockers, roll bar rubbers. One of the last unmolested eorfy 2.7 litre 911 's we've ever seen.

$40,000

Big Rev" Kev's Channel 9 Camaro

Ralt RT4

Ralf RT1

This is your only opportunity to buy a genuine 70's legend." As presented in the Bathurst "Hal! of Fame"

Immaculate condition. This is the cor raced by Alan Jones 1980 World Chompion, 1984 AGP {5th| and Larry Perkins (look him up in your Grond Prix Drivers Guide!).

Full resloration by RALT Aust 1977 build current CAMS log, Group Q Histories. 1600cc, BDA 240BHP, Hewland F200, spare wheels, some ratio's, 2nd Macau GP, 1 St NZ Grand Prix. Significant history to purchase and it's not a basket case! Amaroo 48.9, Eostern Creek 132.35.

Kevin Bartlett has requested we offer the above weapon as last raced and featuring oil the right equipment to now be more than competitive in Group C. 350 cid Chev 500+ BHP/Muncie Rockcrusher 4 speed, triple plate B&B clutch, speedway products spool diff, full floating, hollow axles, finolly some real brakes, 6 spot front, 4 spot rear calipers 13" front, 12‘ rear discs.Stripped to Shell seam welded and full 12 point coge, con be rolled without damage! To those with genuine interest and money in the order of

$55,000

1981 Formula Atlantic/AAondiole 1600cc BDA 230 BHP Hewland FT200 CAMS current log book, currently Formula Libre Done 1 meeting since rebuild, some spares, wheels, wets. Many wins to its credit, Amaroo 48.7, Winton 57.3, Eastern Creek 1.31.89. If you want to go racing, be competitive and have some fun and an asset.

$49,950 or will consider swop/cash adjustment for an interesting road car, Porsche or Ferrari.

$45,000 and ready to race. Will consider swop for interesting road car Porsche or Ferrari or WHY, cash adjustment either way.

Lovely to drive, even everyday and like on 18 year Time Warp.

Level 14 33 Berry Street North Sydney 2060 Tel 02 939 1068 Fax 02 939 3003

4 November 1994

CARS h

O^ifTo

SALE

Personal - Posters $17.50, Jigsaw $23, Calendars $19.50, Place Mats $5 ea, T-shirts $25 - from any original photo. All posters and calendars are laminated. Add $3.50 p&h. Send chq or money order and photo to IBE Marketing PO Box 184 Paradise FJ Qld 4216. 37

Open Wheelers

Sedans

HQ Holden Circuit Thunderdome log book. New exhaust brakes steering enginee well maintained, no rust, good paint. Fiandles well. Ready to reace. $5500 ono Ph 03 792 9526 bh 03 561 8541 ah. 36p Nissan Skyline DR30, 2 door, FJ20 engine, full roll cage, fibreglass panels, 16’ wheels, front spoiler, ideal club car or sports sedan. Unfinished project, other parts available. $7500. Ph 018 925 767 340 Speedcar - unfinished project. All parts included. Gardiner chassis Nissan FJ20 injected dry sump motor, Cosworth specs, trailer. 37 $17,500. Ph 07 299 6716 Subaru RX Turbo Rally Car 1985. Built and prepared by Murray Coote and comes with fresh engine, gearbox and paint. Includes spares package and 15 mages and tyres. Can be seen in action at Adelaide rally (in conjunction with Formula 1 Grand Prix) on 11 November. Will accept best offer over $10,000. Ph Greg 080 874 404 for bargain of the year. 37 VP Commodore body shell. Brand new. All panels & door glass. Plenty of spares. Ex Crompton calipers, spoilers, discs uprights Flarrop diff, steering rack. $10,000 ono. Ph Brett 47 02 725 1081

■9992 Van Dieman Current NZ championship winning car. Eactly as run in the NZ championship. Gatmot engine. Spares included. Set up for Dunlops. Modified front rockers. $25,000. Ph Ashley Stichbury 0064 25 751 567 or 0064 98 465 571 in NZ. 35p Formula Brabham SPA complete with full range of spares, including wishbones, ratios wheels. Can be seen at Oran Park round of series 26-27-28 Aug. $50,000. Ph Graham 36 Watson 02 476 1557 bh or 02 481 9382 ah. Formula Vee unfinished project needs nose cone and upper body panel engine build to Cams spec, plus wiring up and other minor 36 work. $2500 ono. Ph 07 843 0605 ah

New diff oil cooler Hatachi/Mitsubishi tupe as used by TRD, NIZMO and many European teams for trans, diff & turbos. Features finned alloy housing and heavy duty motor. Comes complete with barb fittings. Limited supply. 37p $495 ea. Ph Steve Newing 03 874 3325 Pedal Assemblies - brake/clutch, floor mount, hanging, master cylinders, bias bars, remote adjust cables. Exc cond. New/used. Ph 018 925 767. 340 System 1 Oil Filters. Brand new, recommended by the top USA engine builders as a must to protect any application of performance motor. Ph 018 833399 or 018 088

Engines

Wing ex Group A VP Commodore, rear including end plates. Exc cond. Also aluminium high downforce wing, suit touring car/sports 340 sedan etc. Ph 018 925 767. Wheel guns - 3/4" drive, Mac Tools, made in 340 USA, inci fittings.covers. Ph 018 925 767.

Bowtie Chev 350 new 4 bolt blocks. Ultimate steel factory block, suitable for all types of racing. Block casting no. 10185047. Nodular main caps. Machined lifter bores. Tel: 018 58 833399 or 018 088460.

Super sedan VP Commodore, 366 Chev, Cola crank, Cariiios, Roler cam, dart heads, magneto quickchange diff. Coil-overs wide fives, spare wheels, tyres. Registered 1994/95 season. Done only four meetings. $23,000 ono. Ph 071 533 672. 35p

AOffa Romeo DOHC 4 cyl camshafts 1 each wade grinds 132, 133, 161A. All straight and in GC $550 the three or $200 each. 2 itr cylinder 35 head complete. GC. $125. Ph 03 336 3304. Brake Calipers - Alcon, Brembo, 4 piston, alloy, radial mount, open back, EC, pads/spares available 340 brake discs also available. Ph 018 925 767.

Brand New Nissan SR20 Twin Cam Motors. 16 Valve alloy block long motors complete with distributor, water pumpm injectors & fuel rail. Manifolds etc. $2800 2 only. Ph Steve Newing 03 874 3325 or 018 568 295 37p Fuel Churns - Aluminium, suit dry break, 40 litre, vented, free standing, new/used, also available aluminiym vent cans. Ph 018 925 767.

340

Holinger Mazda close ratio 5-speed RX5 case, closer ratios than Needham, $1900. Ph 03 35 336 3304, Mazda 13B Factory Race periperal port housing. Very good condition. Ports are untouched with magnesium F/R inlet manifold. 35 $1800 ono. Ph 03 336 3304. Mazda RX7 series 4 turbo gearbox. $750. Ph 35 03 336 3304. Mini Cooper 'S’ parts huge range. Send for list - 5 Caroline Chisholm Drive Camden NSW 37 2570. Ph Geoff 046 55 2884

Cost $5 for 30 words, plus $5 for picture per insertion. (Multiple insertions may be pre-poid. Buy 2, get 1 free.) Bold typeface extra $10 per insertion. 10 cents per word over 30 words.

Posf fo: Motorsport Classifieds P.O. Box 7118 Melbourne, VIC 3004 or. Fax (03| 696 9399

NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS Please use the form provided and print clearly. Please note we ore unable to return photographs used in classified ads. Ads will appear as soon as possible after receipt. Classifieds are (or the sale of private goods and vehicles only, not isusiness advertising. Classifieds dose last moil Friday prior to on sale date, photos marked "prooP' will not be used. NAME: ADDRESS:

Amount to charge/enclosed: $. Bankcard/Visa/Mastercard No: Signature:

No. of issues to appear: Expiry Date:

Villeneuve Lauda Senna in Toleman JPS Monaco 1994 season of Benetton Williams Ferrari Lotus. Also illustrations of Senna, Mansell, Alesi, Schumacher. Ph Patric 02 546 2654 Fax 02 546 8172. PO Box 107 Hurstville NSW 2220. 45p

Videos Jaguar at LeMans 1954-1958 video, 2 hours & 20 mins of fantastic racing action in colour. Produced for Jaguar cars to record the charismatic D types glorious victories. $70. Ph 36 065 647 351 Enclosed lockable tandem trailer -240/12v lighting and power. Suit FFord, F2, other open wheeler. Registered to Aug 95. $2200 ono. Ph Peter 03 842 8698 or 015 219 744 36p

MOTORSPORT NEWS CLASSIFIEDS

Use the pages of Motorsport News Classifieds to sell your race car, race ports, promote your cor club, club meetings, photographic services, etc., or anything the readers may want to buy. Buy 2, get ! issue freel Multiple insertions available if pre-paid. Fax (credit cards only) or mail your advertisement (no phone ads). Bankcard — Mastercard — VISA — Cheque — AAoney Orders Minimum credit card charge: $10

Trailers

Parts

Speedway

1988 Pontiac Firebird, 366 Chev 4 bolt main Chev. Coil over suspension quick change diff. Reg 94/94 season. Spare wheels, body moulds. Registered car trailer. $30,000 ono or above car with other motors and trailer $15,000. Ph for full particulars 068 818 879 bh or 068 821 457 ah.35p Mini Sprintcar with trailer. Looks great. Two stroke 125cc. Motor in pieces. Needs to be re built. Great for kids. $600 ono. Ph 03 305 607736

410

Photographs - Adelaide GP, Surfers Indy, Bathurst, Oran Park, Amaroo. Full coverage since 1985.1994 Senna pics. CAMS, Kodak, Canon accredited professional. Free proofs to competitors/sponsors. $20 value packs for fans. Rod Eime PO Box 301 Riverwood 2210. Ph/fax 02 740 6199 36po

Vehicle Trailer - 6 wheel 7.3m (24 feet) internal length, 3 tonne capacity, electric brakes, Balast water tanks, rear door ramp, side access. December reg. Cost $25,000. Sell 36p $15,000 ono. Ph Brian 02 744 5111

Photographs/Videos

Wanted 1987 Official Bathurst book. Must be in good 35 order. Ph to N Guthry 03 596 4944. Bathurst programs and books. Must be in good order. Write stating year, titles and asking price to J Wood PO Box 28 Boronia VIC 3155. 35 Passengers for flights. Adelaide formula one Friday night speedway till Sunday $440 including accomodation and transport. Ph 059 35 427 519.

Positions Vacant fami liar with basic and Machinist performance engine machining procedures preferred. Race Engine Assembler familiar with engine development and dyno procedures preferred. Both positions in a non-smoking environment. Contact Phil at Bill Mann 35 Performance 07 808 1986

NEWS

Illustrated Sports photography. 1994 Bathurst portfolio. All major teams and drivers. Availalb e for team promotional work. Ph John Lovern 02 637 6302 or 015 202 470, 39p

Buy 2 get 1 free

CATEGORIES; Cars:

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Comment

Zffl@g®g’g;'S®£rg Hell of a show

M&t&rsport * NEWS Dear Sir,

We’d like to thank aU the people of Mount Panorama who did their best to screw up the last week in September for us. Thank you everybody who roped off an acre or two of McPhillamy Park camping area and then spent two weeks sinking cans waiting for their mates to turn up on Sunday morning. Thanks for roping off all the spec tator area along Skyline from McPhillamy gates down to The Dipper. On Tuesday morning, there wasn’t a spot left by the fence. Goodonya Caltex for ejctending the tower boundary to the wire fence, annexing another 40 feet of prime viewing area for corporates. Thanks everybody who erected tents on Hell Corner on the Thursday and then camped there tdl Sunday afternoon. Congratulations aU you idiots who spent Saturday night and Sunday morning getting a gutful of grog and then spent Sunday arvo either asleep in a prime spot, or annoying people by wrestling, throwing bottles or abusing people. And well done all you lemmings who jumped the fence on Mountain Straight while cars were still circu lating on their slowdown. Thanks everyone, the race was so good that we still had a great time. See you at the one day cricket. Cheers.

General Manager Chris Lambden Editor David Hassall Technical Editor Tony Glynn Advertising Manager Sean Henshelwood Graphics and Advertising Co-ordinator; Viv Brumby EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING OFFICES Suite 304,63 Stead Street, South Melbourne, VIC 3205. Phone:(03)699 5799 Fax:(03)696 9299 Correspondence address: P.O. Box 7118, Melbourne 3004, Australia. Contributors FI: Mike Doodson Europe: Quentin Spurring, Ian Bamsey US: Keith Burgan NZ: John Hawkins Speedway: Ian Campbell, Dennis Newlyn, Wade Aunger, Tony Loxley, Michael Attweli, Steve Cheetham, David Lamont, Chris Metcalf Drag Racing: John Smith, Jon Van Daal, Nick Nicholas, Joshua Nicholas, Steven White, John Bosher, Gerald McDoman Super Speedway: Brett Swanson, Paul Allitt, Tim Emery, Sean Henshelwood General: Barry Lake Photographers: Formula One Graphics (FI), PACE Photographies, Dirk Klynsmith, Thunderpics/Agfa, Brad Steele

Ceoff Ellis and Judy Jeffreys Nowra,NSW

Safety a top priority

MOTORSPORT NEWS is published by Australasian Motorsport News PtyLtd. ACN No: 060 179 928 Publisher: C. Lambden. Printed by Progress Printers & Distributors Pty Ltd, ACN No. 051 757 718 at 2 Keys Road, Moorabbin, VIC 3189. Distributed by Gordon & Gotch 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 Pty Ltd does not accept responsibility for damage or loss of material submitted. Opinions expressed in Motorsport News are not necessarily those of Australasian Motorsport News Pty Ltd or its staff. ■Recommended and maximum price only.

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Dear Sir, I have given this subject a lot of thought, since there have been a cou ple of bad accidents [in drag racing] over the last two seasons. But, lucki ly, no-one has been damaged beyond repair. It strikes me that the racing condi tions aren’t much better than they Tony Armstrong, promoter of motor sport events and for merly of Winton Motor Raceway, has gone mad. He’s taken the bait and is running a proper Stadium Off Road & Rally event at Albury on Boxing Day (night). Given Albury’s lack of venues, the Albury Showground is it — where loads of dirt will be dumped for the boys to play on. There will be the usual off road buggies, 4WD and 2WD tintops, and 2WD and 4WD rally cars in their own special events (but the rally cars don’t go over the jumps!). Included in the action-packed night will be some bikes doing their thing over the mounds too. Competitors can phone (057) 222 053 for their Supp Regs for the event. Sure beats the heil out of a boring family Christmas n just over a week, it’s time for the annual Adelaide Air Show. The usual supporting event, the F1 Grand Prix — held In the centre of town — will have all the stars of Ecclestone’sCircus. It should be a ripper race, with a

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TORQUE CONVERKR Readers letters and faxes are welcome. Send to address or fax number in left-hand panel. Preference will be given to typed, brief, mailed letters. The staff of Motorsport News does not necessarily agree with opinions expressed by readers. were when I was racing Top Fuel in the seventies.

different classes. It all makes a dif ference.

The racers in any class have to get their act together as far as safety goes. The controlling body ANDRA and the rules it works to are pretty strict, which is fine for the vehicles and dri vers, but not for the tracks and the personnel working there. I have seen the fire truck guys come up to the driver or members of the crew and ask questions about the cars they own, such as fuel shut-off points, are there batteries in the car, etc. That’s fine to learn these things, but not on race day. When I worked at Firebird Raceway in the States, I was privi leged to workwith the NHRA Safety Safari Team for a week and it was obvious the experience these people had. The fire truck driver I was with would have the truck moving before the fire even started on Billy Myers’ Funny Car, because he knew when to go. As we came onto the track, the motor let go, the body was gone and there was a fire. We had water on him before the car even stopped. It was magic. If I had any control, I would get two or three of these people from the NHRA (experienced people, such as the driver and the people on the back of the truck) and have them here for four to six weeks and run a training program for our track per sonnel. These people have learned from years of crashes, fires and deaths just when to go and what to be look ing for all the time and the best place to have the emergency vehicles for

The awesome power and forces these Top Fuel cars can develop is mind boggling and the time it all happens in is even more astounding. With a bit of time spent on learn ing, we will be able to watch these machines race and not lose any of our guys and gals because of our untidy preparation. Let’s make it safe, people. I love drag racing and I love the people in it, so let’s look after them.

H EWLAND^

Jim Wilton Woodcroft, SA

Floored genius Dear Sir, Please find enclosed my cheque for a year’s subscription to Motorsport News. I have not bought a motor sport magazine regularly since Racing Car News - but, after buying your magazine prior to Bathurst, I now look forward to each edition. And an editor that listens to the Coodabeen Champions couldn’t be a bad sort of a bloke! Thanks and keep up the great work. Ian Schilling Isle of Capri, QLD

Group A Rush hour Dear Sir, Being a regular reader of Motorsport News, I noticed Carry Rush is talking about trying to get some Group A Touring Car boys to do a bit of speedway racing. What a top idea!

HOOLIGAN Ed Mulligan

couple of whingeing Poms in Rothmans colours out to beat the pants off Mickey the Bootmaker in his Mild Seven Benetton and two chaps in red Fiats. Hopefully, it will be the custom ary drought-breaker, because for once we all need the blessed wet stuff. Mind you, why would anyone in their right mind move a race with this meteorological record to Melbourne? The Mexicans don’t want the rain, and the drivers would end up boycotting it on safe ty grounds. Adelaide should provide top entertainment. For some of the action the Scot, Sir Tom, has allowed the Lowndes Kid to put his rear end into the third Mobil HDT car, while the rest of the touring car entourage will look much the

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same as before. Can King Dick make it three wins in a row? Channel 9, whose big boss will be watching, will put on the best show of the whole weekend, as will Murray Walker, if I’m not very much mistaken. Mansell will be a favourite and, should he win, the Walker pacemaker will be on the rev limiter. Whatever you do, don’t miss it. The recent of death of John Armitage, Autosport in Melbourne, has saddened a great many of us. One of Australia’s larger-than-life rally supporters and competitors, Armo was a real character and a great bloke. His jovial nature and black or white (no grey!) attitudes on any

Come on, Brocky, you know how to go sideways faster than any of those speedway blokes have ever gone. Chris Thomas Richmond, VIC

My mate Hilton Dear Sir, Congrats from a Kiwi in NZ for a good, infonnative publication. But, alas, I must ask one question: Do most Aussies display their igno rance for all the world to see, like your reader Hilton Martin, of Ashmore, Queensland? I refer to “History - who needs it!” in issue 32. Is he a typical Aussie petrol-head who’s had a good day motor racing as long as there is plenty of bashing and crashing and someone bouncing on their head with a few cars wrecked? Has he any appreciation and feel for motor racing at all? Does he know what drivers and pit crews put into it and what they used to go through years ago, or is he one of those guys who, when there is a rebuilt historic race car doing a demonstration lap, thinks its time to hght a fag and lean on the fence with his back to the track? Not all drivers have had arm chairs to sit in and could tell jokes into the intercom at 200 km/h. Some used to be covered in oil and grease and work on their cars with their hands and their hearts, their bodies bruised by the jarring ride on hard springs while fighting the car every inch of the way. These were the daredevils and let’s hear more about them, because we have them to thank for what we have evolved into in today’s sport. I’m glad Ray Harroun bolted the mirror on the cockpit front at Indy in 1911 to give us the first rear-view mirror on a race car, because I don’t think Mr Martin would have thought of it. Harry Chambers Auckland, NZ issue were legendary. He put rally stars such as Geoff Portman on the map and he encouraged other Mexican fly ers like Hugh Bell, Dinta Officer, George Fury, and scores of lesser names. Armo’s funeral was a big affair that saw Victoria’s rally fraternity unite to pay their last respects to JR A. He’ll be long remembered by many, including good mates Bob Watson, Jeff Beaumont and Bruce Wilkinson who, like me, think the 70s and 80s saw Australia’s best-ever rally cam araderie.

0, I see CAMS showed a profit of $178,078 for 1993/94. Good — now they can buy some ads in motoring publications (such as this one!) and put in a “1800” number for people wanting to know where to join a car club and become involved in the sport. Something short and sweet and to the point like “Become a better driver —join a CAMS Car Club...” Come on Ed and Sue, the NCC will give it a go!

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4 November 1994

HELMETS

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DRIVING SUITS AND HELMETS

Relive October 2, 1994 in the comfort of your own home, or give a friend The Experience. Available the first week December, The GREAT RACE 14 is delivering 256 pages of professionally-shot action colour, and more than 100,000 spell-binding behind-the-scenes words. You’ll find out more about the Tooheys 1000, and the lead-up to it in this book than you ever thought could happen in, well, in a month of Sundays. Chevron Publishing Group, publishers of the official programme, had Australia’s most experienced team of Great Race journalists and photographers covering the event from the Tuesday before practice commenced right through to the Mondag - after Dick and John had spraged the champagne, and the celebrating and back-slapping had finallg died down. This team then produces the official book on the race. The GREAT RACE, number 14 in the series, which hits the streets first week December - onlg EIGHT WEEKS after the chequered flag falls at Mount Panorama! i The GREAT RACE No 14 will follow the verg successful pattern of its predecessors covering in its 256 pages, SATCC, Sandown 500 and everg one of the five dags that make up the Toohegs 1000. The best stories, the behind-the-scenes gems that the electronic media miss - plus the best, most dramatic colour photographg - make The GREAT RACE an absolute MUST for gour collection or coffee table. In addition, gou can order from Chevron’s direct mail department the Seven-Sport two-hour video tape of the 1994 race highlights which is available just weeks after the race. Both the book and video of The GREAT RACE make ideal Christmas gifts as a lasting momento of Australia’s greatest motor race. Simplg fill in the coupon and we will help gou relive the 1994 GREAT RACE forever!

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