Motorsport News Issue 134 - 28 August-10 September 1998 by V8 Sleuth

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28 August- 10 September 1998

NEWS

Holden backs 2L Bafliurst Bernie Walsh illustration

By PHIL BRANAGAN

RUSSELL Ingall and Greg Murphy will team up in a Holden Vectra for the AMP Bathurst 1000 on October 4. The two former Great Race winners will share the second car for the British Triple 8 team while John Cleland and Derek

● ●●

now Ingall wants to race BTCCI

Warwick will line up in the sister entry. The team, to be known as ‘Team Vectra’, will be backed by Holden for the race. But, in a surprise admission. Ingall says he may go further and abandon his

Australian 5-litre commitments next year if a full-time BTCC drive was offered to him. Ingall is adamant that V8 racing must embrace a control tyre for the future, oth-

erwise he would race in England next sea son if he was offered a drive (see separate story page 3). While the Warwick/Cleland car will

Continued Page 3

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28Augusim

Ingall considers BTCC for 1999 By PHIL BRANAGAN

Ingall is aware that the driver market in the BTCC is in a state of flux at the moment, with several of the biggest names in the series - like current Champion Alain Menu and Paul

Cartoon by Allan Schofield

nHRrslOOOkm test, schedulued for the second of two days at Phillip Lsland last week, was delayed until this Wednesday after the team encountered engine problems with both its existing VS Commodore and the new VT during the first day oftesting, ^ n Christian Murchison clinched the WA Formula Ford Championship last week. Driving an older Van Diemen RF95, Murchison won the first oftwo deciding races, then settled for sec ond behind challenger Stuart Kostera to clinch the title.

RUSSELL Ingall may n Terry Finnigan has quit Castrol Team confirmed Peter Gazzard as his FAI1000 Classic co-dri Perkins for the British ver in the Sony Autosound Touring Car Championship. Commodore. Finnigan will / co-drive for Tomas Mezera Ingall has told Motorsport Radisich - looking to swap in the latteFs new teams for 1999. News that, if there is no con Densitron VT Commodore There is also talk that the trol tyre for V8 Supercar at Sandown before stepping racing next season, his seat of one of the current back into his own VS for Bathurst 1000 drive with Vauxhall drivers, Derek Bathurst. Team Vectra may be the Warwick and John Cleland, is under threat. n Honda’s decision to start of bigger - or different Ingall is highly-rated in stay out ofFI until 2000 - things. the UK after his successful makes it very likely that And, even more surpris Britain’s Johnny Herbert ing, he has the support-of -ea,rly-’90s Formula Ford and will stay at Sauber for one the man with a lot to lose - Formula Renault campaigns more year. his current boss and the and sees the Bathurst race The British driver was as a chance to showcase his man who gave him his tour thought to be on the short ing car break,' Larry ability to the people who list ofseveral teams, matter. Perkins. notably Williams and “I’m really going to push Despite criticism of Super Honda, but Jolmny must to get a full-time BTCC ride Touring racing by the V8 now wait and see if he is fraternity, ‘The Enforcer’ is for next year. offered a deal by Jordan or “It’s a good thing to look adamant that it is the right accept that he must stay at^with this team {Triple 8 thing to do and can see no with Sauber for another Racing) there may be an repercussions in taking the season. opportunity to push for a ride. permanent spot.” n Heinz-Harald Frentzen “I can’t see it,” he said. spent the early part oflast “It’s just another race. week in hospital in Vienna, “If anyone like (AVESCO Austria, undergoing tests in Chairman) Tony Cochrane an attempt to ascertain the was to get his nose out of cause ofthe illness which joint about it, too bad. hampered his efforts during Continued from Page 1 “There’s several reasons the Hungarian Grand Prix to do it. weekend. probably be a Vauxhall, the “The first is to compete ‘Australian’ car will not be branded A fever and a stomach against the best of the upset meant that HH was as either ‘Holden’, ‘Vauxhall’ or BTCC guys. The Vectra is a unable to eat during the ‘Opel’. competitive car. They’ll be weekend, but still managed This has the twin advantages of to finish fifth. good (cars) and they (the maximising the exposure of the car After the race, however, drivers) compete at a high in both ‘Holden’ and ‘non-Holden’ he had to be treated for level. Let’s see how we go markets, and keeping the involve exhaustion and .spent some against them. ment of Holden (a prime supporter time at the circuit medical “(Reason) number two is of V8 racing) relatively low-profile. centre on an intravenous having a personal deal with Holden Motorsport Manager drip. He was then flown to Holden - and they asked me John Stevenson has pointed out Vienna, where he remained to do it. They asked, and I that the involvement of the compa in hospital imtil want to support what they ny is for the Bathurst 1000 only Wednesday. do. and, despite rumours to the conHe is now’ resting in “It’s an important car for trary, Holden will not run a 2-litre prepartion for this week Holden with the export pro- works team next season, end’s Belgian GP. gram starting up. It’s a Despite the fact that both Ingall n Bernie Ecclestone has great opportunity.” and Murphy have most recently agreed terms for a South But Ingall sees the race as been successful in rear-wheel-drive African GP,but still has to V8s, neither is expected to take more than just an opportu find a slot in the calendar nity to have a drive and long to adapt to the John Gentryfor a race to be held. earn some money, but as a designed 1998 Vectra. Ingall last drove a Super Tourer way to drive home a few NOW THEY ARE BUDDIES... There was no love lost between Russell Ingall at Oran Park in 1996 in the points. and Greg Murphy last year, but now they are happy to share a Vectra at Vauxhall now owned by Bob “Up until three weeks ago Bathurst in October. I would have had second Tweedie, while former Audi works son to ensure that the car will go from contesting last year’s AMP driver Murphy raced a FWD thoughts about doing this. the distance at Bathurst. 1000, Holden’s direct involvement Toyota Carina at Bathurst in 1994. “But, with all the goings TARGA Tasmania looks to Last Thursday Warwick and this year may remove some of the The Triple 8 team appeared at on and dragging out of the have a secure long-term the first 2-litre Bathurst race last Kaye (subbing for Cleland, who ill-feeling. control tyre issue, I have no Chairman AVESCO Tony future after the event qualms at all about doing year, when Warwick and Peter currently has broken ribs from an Cochrane had a low-key reaction to received State Government accident at Snetterton last month) Brock finished sixth and Cleland this.” and Brit James Kaye retired with ran 1000km at Pembrey in Wales, having two contracted Supercar backing until 2004. The Tasmanian Premier Ingall went further, sug drivers line up for the AMP 1000. mechanical damage. the team reporting no major prob gesting that, without a con Tony Rundle last week con “Who cares?,” he said on lems. On returning to the UK, firmed the issue. trol tyre in V8 racing, he is Warwick, who co-owns the team Murphy and Ingall are not the Tuesday. Mr Rundle said that Targa actively looking for alterna “Last year they had (Peter) with Ian Harrison and Roland only ‘locals’ to join the team at tives for 1999. Brock, and that didn’t make any returned $25 for every State Dane, vowed to return and win the Bathurst. “If they don’t bring in a race. man difference to the race. Government dollar invested Well-known engine “The real race is the V8 race - in it, which would deliver an control tyre for next year, . .I The 1998-spec Vauxhall Vectra Campbell Little, who was in Triple can see we 11 be pushing it been much more competitive 8’s 1997 effort, will take leave from everybody knows that. Ask Russell estimated $5 million boost in tourism into Tasmania each uphill again. this season, both Cleland and Stone Brothers Racing for the race. which race he would rather win... “There are only three or so 2-litre year, While tensions between the V8 “Larry understands that, Warwick winning races, Targa Tasmama 1999 runs if there was another offer, The team conducted at least two Supercar and Super Touring drivers capable of di-iving V8s, and from 27 April to 2May. I’d take it.” long-distance tests during the sea¬ camps prevented many V8 drivers they already have a drive.”

Holden backs 2L Bathurst

Government backs Targa

28August t9S8 n Look out for little yel low velcro strips on the right-hand rear quarter windows of the V8 Supercars at Sandown and Bathurst. These will indicate when the manda tory brake pad change has been made on each vehi cle. They have been tested in recent races by John Bowe in the DJR Falcon. n David Auger is hav ing problems getting his Bathurst budget together. Co-driver Lawrie Keyte is bringing a contribution to the effort, but things with their existing sponsors are not going as well as he would like. “There’s plen ty of space available,” Auger said. “I’ll have to get some money from somewhere to do it prop erly.” n A1 Bignotti, who with his brother George was a mechanic for six Indianapolis 500 race win ners, has died. After designing a car for Frank Kurtis and almost win ning the 1957 Indy 500 with A1 Unser Sr, A1 became chief mechanic for AJ Foyt and success for the team came in 1961 and 1964. A1 joined George for four more vic tories while serving in the crews of Graham Hill in 1966, A1 Unser in 1970 and ‘71 and Gordon Johncock in 1983. He was 89. n Charges from 1994 of careless driving and resisting arrest against Bobby Unser have been dropped. The triple Indy 500 winner was stopped in May 1994 in Albuquerque, allegedly for speeding. Unser claimed the officer dented his truck with a night-stick and cursed at him when he pulled his vehicle over to the kerb. Unser also claimed the officer shoved him. He was accused of shoving back. “It[the case]is really stupidity in a deep form,” Unser said. H Don’t get too excited about reports that there is an unpainted Vauxhall/Opel Super Tourer sitting in bond in Brisbane. Far from being the latest factory weapon, the Vectra is Cameron McLean’s 1997 race car, which needed to be shipped out of the country for duty reasons. The car is still for sale, incidently. n Pirelli will make their 1998 Super Touring debut at Oi;an Park with Rod ●Wilson, who will run the rubber on Carlos Rolfo’s BMW. ■ Network Ten will tele vise the Tickford 500 fi’om Sandown on September 13 live from 11am to 5pm. This will include the onehour GTP race. The cover age will include a new “portable jib camera”, which is mounted on a long pole and has been used in the pits to great effect in recent FI races.

Ralf tipped to join Williams By JOE SAWARD

RALF Schumacher has signed a four-year deal with Williams Grand Prix Engineering - if sto ries in the German press are to be believed. Everyone involved in the negotia tions denies that any deal has been done, although they admit that talks are taking place. Last week Schumacher’s manager Franz Tost commented that several teams were involved in talks and that the situation was “90 percent in favour of Williams and only 10 per cent in favour of Jordan”. Schumacher does not want a short term deal as Williams is likely to

k S/MON WILLS... Looking forward to joining the top team.

Wills to Birrana

SIMON Wills will drive with Malcolm Ramsay’s Birrana Formula Holden team hhxt year. Telegroup, which has backed Wills during his pre liminary 1998 campaign, has agreed terms with the young Kiwi for a full 1999 season. 'The company is also assist ing his Sandown/Bathurst progi-am vrith the Wynns team. Wills will also contest the two NZ races in late November with the Birrana team, which almost has its second 94/95-spec Reynard ready, in Telegroup’s blue and white colours. A third car is in the

process of being purchased to provide back-up and spares for the two existing cars. “We’ve signed a heads of agreement, Wills told Motorsport News on Tuesday, “and I’m pretty pleased that we’re with Malcolm Ramsey’s team they’re really the Paul Stewart Racing of Formula Holden,” he said. ' Prior to his F/Holden pro gramme this year. Wills ran the 1996 and 1997 British F3 series. For his part Malcolm Ramsay is “very enthused to have Simon in the team”. “I’m pretty sure we can give him the level of equip ment necessaiy to do the job. ‘We also have quite a good reliability record - out of the team’s last 64 starts, we’ve only had two mechanical DNFs...” While Wills’ immediate priority is the Sandown 500, he hopes to begin testing with the BiiTana team short ly after that, in preparation for his debut in the New Zealand series.

struggle next year and is unlikely to win many races in 2000, the first year of its new relationship with BMW. A four-year deal would therefore give Ralf two years to reap the bene fits of his commitment to the team at least in terms of results. A long-term deal is also sensible for Williams as locking in a young driver for a long period means that his retainer can be kept relatively low and the team can be guaranteed some stability. Signing a German driver will, of course, please BMW and should ensure plenty of coverage in the German media, which should lead to plenty of sponsorship opportunities.

Williams is not expected to make any announcement about drivers until the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in three weeks, but it is expected that Schumacher and Alex Zanardi will be named for 1999. We expect that Williams will also take on at least one new test driver next year. Juan-Pablo Montoya may be retained, but the Colombian seems keen to race in FI as soon as possible. Max Wilson will no doubt continue as he is backed by Brazilian petrol company Petrobras, which is expected to continue as the team’s fuel suppher for at least the next few years. We understand that Petrobras and BMW engineers have already started

work on the development of specific fuels for the new VIO engines from Munich. While Williams will have the usual development workload next year, there will also be the need for BMW engine development. Things are complicated by the fact that FI teams are restricted in the amount and the location of testing which they are allowed to do. BMW may therefore set up its own operation and “buy” chassis from Williams. This would be similar to what Bridgestone did in 1996 when the Japanese tyre company wanted to test tyres before making its entry into FI.

Third Audi for title decider By PHIL BRANAGAN AUDI Sport Australia will run a third car at the final round of the BOC Gases Super Touring Championship at Oran Park this weekend. The Albury team will roll out the third A4 quattro for Trevor Sheumack to drive in support of title contenders Brad Jones and Cameron McConville. The car, which is a year older than the team’s lead cars and which Paul Cover drove at the AGP support race in March, will run as a ‘pro’ (ie not Independent) entry, on identical Michelin rubber as the rest of the front-line cars.

Sheumack tested the car attends the BOG rounds as at Mallala last week and got Michelin’s tyre man, will within three-tenths of a time ,make his second appearance in the series. set by Jones in the car. At Oran Park’s second But, while Sheumack is hesitant to suggest that he round of the series on April will be able to mix it with the 26 he drove the Faberlead Audis and Jim Richards’ Castell BMW nonnally raced Volvo S40 at Oran Park,team by Justin Matthews and Bob manager Kim Jones is not so Holden, qualifying the car a certain that will be the case. season-best fifth-fastest. “At the end of the day, he’s MEANWHILE,also retuma racing driver,” Jones said. ing to the BOC Gases Series “I wouldn’t expect Trevor this weekend are Warren Luff to move over and get out of and Graham Dodd, Luff will have his first 2the road. “I would be disappointed if litre drive this season in a he moved out of the way and '' third Peter Hills Ford Mondeo, while Kiwi Dodd waved people through. “Don’t forget that at Oran will wheel out his exPark (in Apiil) he was ahead Crompton Honda Accord for the first time since Eastern of Jim in that old BMW.” Sheumack, who normally Creek in June.

Jeff Gordon confirms F1 approaches NASCAR star Jeff Gordon has confirmed that he did receive sever al approaches from FI teams - as we exclusively reported in June - but the stock car racer says that he is not going to leave NASCAR. However, Gordon said he would love to be given the chance to test a Grand Prix car at some point. In addition to Williams, we believe that Gordon was offered an FI drive by the new British American Racing team. Gordon will probably end up testing an FI car at some point this year and it is pos sible that teams are hoping that the experience will con vince him to turn his back on American racing and try his hand in the World Championship. - JOE SAWARD

Honda delays FI plans By JOE SAWARD

HONDA has finally decided to delay its official Formula 1 return until 2000 rather than rush hack with an all-new car next year. The principal players in the planned FI team met for a massive 11 hours at Honda’s Cricklade, UK fac tory in the days after the Hungarian GP to make a final decision. We understand that the meeting was attended by former Honda chairman Nobuhiko Kawamoto, Satoru Nakajima, Harvey and Postlethwaite Gianpaolo Dallara. The news was then deliv ered to FI boss Bernie Ecclestone, who has agreed to give the team an entry in the year 2000 despite the delay. The Honda preparations which would have been rather rushed if the project was to go ahead in 1999 will continue, but the delay means that several impor tant members of the Tyrrell staff who remain under con-

... SO what now for TakagI? THE decision to delay Honda’s entry into Grand Prix racing until the year 2000 is inconvenient for the team’s ris ing Japanese star, Toranosuke Takagi. Tora has driven remarkably well this year with Tyrrell, although he has been unable to score any good results because the car is simply not fast enough with a Ford customer engine. Takagi - who is managed by Satoru Nakajima - was intending to switch straight over ft-om TyrreO to Honda but he now finds himself with a year to kill. The obvious move would be for him to go to Jordan for the 1999 season and continue to learn the FI ropes with a Honda engine. Jordan is interested but there are con tractual difficulties with Tyrrell’s new owner BAR, which mean that Takagi tract with Tyrrell until the end of the year will be able to ioin the program k e original plan had been to produce a number of cars in November and test them using the current Mugen Honda VIO engine. A completely new Honda VIO is scheduled to arrive in January and a second series

may not be released from his contract until the very last minute, which may be too late in the day for him to move across to Jordan. He may, therefore, find himself in the position of having to sit out the 1999 sea son in terms of racing and concentrate all his efforts on testing the new Honda car. If, however, a deal can be struck between BAR boss Craig Pollock and Nakajima, Takagi may turn up at Jordan - which is keen to keep Honda and Mugen happy so as to get engines at the end of the current contract. Nakajima Planning’s Yoshi Ai’imatsu was spotted in discreet talks with Jordan personnel throughout the Hungarian GP weekend. -JOE SAWARD

of cars had been planned to carry the new engine. These will now become the test cars for 1999 and, without the testing restrictions which are in force for existing FI teams, the Honda team will be able to do many miles of running in order to iron out problems and get the team working correctly.

While the news is a disappointment tor those involved, it is a much safer approach and Honda’s lowkey policy will not be gi-eatly affected as a lot of media attention m 2000 will inevitably focused the arrival of be BMW in FIonwith Williams.

-Box Seat Pi5

28August 1998

Richo BTCC Nissan opening? By PHIL BRANAGAN

STEVEN Richards is in line for a full-time British Touring Car Champion ship drive with Nissan for 1999.

Richards, currently a test driver with the Ray Mallockmn Nissan BTCC outfit, is in the prime position to take the seat which has been sud denly vacated by Anthony Reid, who has signed a twoyear contract with Ford. Prodrive, which has taken over Ford’s BTCC franchise, shocked the British scene on Monday by announcing that Reid would line up alongside current Champion Alain Menu in ’99 and 2000. Only two weeks ago RML and Nissan announced that Richards, Reid and David Leslie would maintain their current positions next sea son. But it appears that Reid had signed only a letter of intent and was furious that Nissan made a premature which announcement, allowed Ford to swoop on the Scot. There has been a suggestibn that Richards, who spends much of the Thursday and Friday prac tice sessions at BTCC races running Nissan’s third ‘T’ car, could race at the closing

t-k.

TESTING ROLE... But Steven Richards is a candidate for a full-time ride with the factory team next year. (Photo by Bothwell) round of the 1998 series at Silverstone on September 20, prior to heading to Bathurst to share an Independent Nissan Primera with Matt Neal. But on Tuesday Richards downplayed the whole matter. “I’m still the test driver,” he said. “But, obviously. I’m better (off) than I was a week ago. “But nothing’s changed. They still have the rest of the -season to finish off and where anything happens

from there, I really don’t know.” “Eventually I want to drive here but it doesn’t mean that this is the foot in the door to drive here. “They have to look at all their options(and)see who is available. “They had a high-profile driver who is gone, and they have to look the option of getting another higlf-profile driver. “I’m waiting in the wings »" and I’d love to have a drive. The moves by Menu and

Reid have kick-started the BTCC driver market into high gear, leaving Renault and Nissan shopping for dri vers.

expected to step down. Warwick Apparently already has an agreement that, should he leave Vauxhall, his shares in the Former BTCC champion Triple 8 team wall be bought Gabriele Tarquini, who out and he would be free to almost signed for Renault in pursue other rides in the 1997,is favourite for the seat senes. alongside Jason Plato. A likely destination is There are also expected unclear - though he did have vacancies at Volvo (which is discussions with Honda expected to drop Gianni before securing the Vauxhall deal for the start of the 1997. Morbidelli), Honda (along side James Thompson) and To cap things off, Warwick Vauxhall, with either John-.^owns a Honda dealership Cleland or Derek Warwick and Cleland sells Volvos ...

Decision close on Control tyre Dunlop still in A DECISION on V8 Superear tyres is only days away, according to TEGA CEO Garry Craft. Craft expects to extract a decision from the four-man TEGA Board this week, after seeking legal opinion on the decision-making process. “Although I by right have a casting vote if the Board is split on the decision, imder those circumstances the decision will go to a fall vote of the TEGA franchise holders,” he told Motorsport News on'Tuesday. The debate over tyres for 1999 has gone on for a frus trating length of time, with most teams now accepting the inevitability of a Control tyre, following a stale mate in negotiations with the existing tyre companies over alternate plans. - CHRIS LAMBDEN

Flash and Harvey for Bathurst Volvo VOLVO announced today (Thursday) that Jan Nilsson and Tim Harvey will drive its second S40 Super Toimer at Bathurst. The Swede and the Brit will return to Mt Panorama for their second Great Race, run ning alongside the lead car of Jim Richards/Rickard Rydell. The relatively unexpected naming of Harvey is a boost for the team. Last year, in the Peugeot 406 he shared with Paul Radisich, he was dazzling in qualifying, lining up third on the grid before mechanical problems stopped the car in the race. He is expected to do the lion’s share of driving and be the lead qualifier in the car. Last year Nilsson(known to all as ‘Flash’) partnered

Cameron McLean in Volvo’s 850,finishing fifth. Both drivers are experi enced and have won their respective touring car champi onships. Nilsson is currently second in the Swedish series behind BMW’s Fredrick Ekblom while Harvey, who won the British title in 1992, has had a frustrating time with Peugeot, despite a couple of podium finishes. The Volvo drive represents a return to the marque for Haivey. In 1995 he raced an 850 in the BTCC alongside Rydell, finishing fifth in the champi onship with two wins. With Volvo likely to be look ing for a new driver to partner Rydell in 1999, Harvey will be out to impress.

the F1 picture

IN February we predicted that Goodyear could buy the Dunlop tyre company and switch its Formula 1 tyre program from Goodyear branding to that of Dunlop. The American t3rre compa ny has started a program of acquisitions and is tipped to take over Dunlop, possibly by the end of the year. Since Goodyear’s decision to withdraw from Grand Prix racing at the end of last year, there has been a lot of internal discussion going on about whether the company should reverse its decision. We believe that the pro-Fl lobby has mounted quite a

successful campaign to con vince chairman Sam Gibara to change his mind and utilise the resources that Goodyear has spent many years developing in Grand Prix racing. But a change in policy would not be a good political move and thus Gibara may be looking for a way of keep ing the racing program going without being seen to do an about-turn. The purchase of Dunlop would provide him with that opportunity - but only if the deal can be done quickly. Reorganising the FI pro gram would be very simple as the research and develop ment could continue to be

done in Akron, Ohio, while the distribution side of the operation could be run from Goodyear Racing’s base in Wolverhampton, England, which is conveniently located close to Dunlop Racing’s British headquarters. Goodyear staff say that the decision was made at the end of last year and has not been changed. Bridgestone racing staff are very keen that there is continued competition next year in FI because the tyre war is generating more inter est than ever before. If there is only one tyre company, that coverage will qmckly stop. -JOESAWARD

Prost keeps drivers OLIVIER Panis and Jarno Trulli are to stay with Prost Grand Prix in 1999. Trulli has also agreed to stay with the team in the year 2000, after which Benetton has an option on his services. Trulli had been expected to stay at Prost for just one year and then go to Williams, but the current moves at Grove suggest that the team will not have a vacancy until 2001 at the earliest. Panis’s future is less clear. He was not happy with the way Prost developed this year and tried to leave, but there were few opportunities and he will therefore remain at Prost for the time being.

Prost said he hopes that Peugeot will con tinue beyond the end of 2000, although the French car maker says that it will only stay in the sport ifProst is successful. Peugeot’s FI record is beginning to be an embarrassment to the company, which has been involved since 1994 without winning a thing. In recent weeks there has been no sign at the races of Peugeot president Frederic Saint Geours, who used to be a regular visitor. 'The last time he was seen was shortly after the announcement that Peugeot was going to return to World Championship rallying. -JOESAWARD

n We hear that Formula 3000 will proba bly be renamed next year, becoming the Formula 1 Junior Championship. This is understood to be part of Bemie Ecclestone’s long-term plan to build up the series so that it can eventually attract enough coverage to be run on the weekends between Grands Prix,thus enabling Ecclestone to offer races to more circuits and make more money... n Honda is to support a new single-seater series in Japan, which is intended to replace the existing Formula Nippon and to be a stepping-stone for Japanese drivers into FI. The series will be run for identical chassis- built by the Dome companywhich will use 3-litre V8 Mugen engines. n Jimmy Vasser may yet become an FI driver, although it is uncertain which team the former CART champion is talking to at the moment. Vasser would be a good catch for FI as it would deprive CART of another of its recent champions-some thing which win help FI if Bemie Ecclestone agrees to run at Indianapolis in the year 2000. n Benetton driver Giancai'lo Fisichella was in court in France last week as a result of a traf fic offence committed in June on his way back to Paris after the MagnyCours testing. He was stopped at Montargis by French pohce and chai-ged with dangerous driving. The Italian was fined $2000. n Damon Hill will drive a Ferrari at the forthcom ing 50th anniversary cele brations ofthe Goodwood racing circuit in England. The car in question will be a Ferrari 250 GTO in which his father Graham Hill won the Tourist Trophy at Goodwood in 1963. n Belgium is to honour some of its most famous racing drivers this week with Paul Frere, Olivier Gendebien and Jacky Ickx expected to be nominated Officers ofthe Order of the Crown by-King Albert n. Motorcycle racer Rene Mdhoux will also be given the prestigious honour. n We hear that Bemie Ecclestone has recently founded a very exclusive new club called Yacht Club Gstaad in Switzerland. This is based in the fashionable Swiss ski resort w'here Ecclestone spends time each winter. Its members include King Constantine of Greece and his brotherin-law', King Juan-Carlos of Spain. Although started as a social club in the Olden Hotel, we under stand that Yacht Club Gstaad is now' planning to put together a serious sailing team.

6 28August ms

Testing times at Calder MELBOURNE’S Calder Park was a buzz of testing activity last week as sever al V8 Supercar teams got into endurance testing mode. The Wynns team, Tomas Mezera, Glenn Seton and Wayne Gardner were among the teams putting in laps. New team faces David Parsons and Simon Wills had their first run in a Gibson Motorsport Wynns Commodore. While it was nothing particularly new for Parsons, the day provided the first ever run in a V8 for the young Kiwi Formula Holden racer. The team will test again next week. For Mezera, it was a full shakedown run for the new Densitron VT, bed ding in everything for the Sandown 500 and doing some early set-up work. In the course of 46 laps on very second-hand Yokohamas, the car ran in the mid-59 second bracket. Also present for tyre testing was the Coke Commodore that Wayne Gardner will share with Paul Stokell in the FAI 1000 Classic. Gardner was happy with his first V8 drive for some time.

HARD AT WORK... Tomas Mezera (left) got more miles on his Densitron Commodore while David Parsons and Simon Wills (below)got to grips with Tomas’previous mount. Wayne Gardner(above) also tested, (photo by nunderpics/Agfa)

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BRITISH American Racing correct uniforms and it is the team owners agree that went testing recently at unrealistic to think that the the name can be changed. Tom Walkinshaw was the tiny Welsh airfield cir- mechanics will be able to cuit of Pembrey. change shirts between pit faced with a similar problem a few years ago when he The. aim of the test was to- stops, try out a variety of different We understand that wanted to change the Aitows liveries to see which ones Jacques Villeneuve will diive name to TWR. The boot is now on the worked best with TV cameras, the Lucky Strike car and The test was carried out that the team is trying to other foot and it is amid much secrecy, but the sign up a South American Walkinshaw who is refusing team was lucky to get away driver to race the 555 to budge, annoyed at having with it as there were several machine as British American lost a valuable sponsorship FI photographers present Tobacco is aiming to make deal with Hollywood ciga who had their films confis- inroads into the South rettes because BAR bosses blocked the arrangement, cated by security men. American market. The cars used are underAlthough there are all Hollywood being a BAT stood to have been privately- kinds of smokescreen brand. Walkinshaw says he is rumours in the paddock at owned Tyrrells, which proba bly come from the private the moment, we believe that quite happy to let the team collection of Australian Paul '' ^AR’s major target at the change its name, but only if Stoddart. moment for the second drive he is paid $7m as compensa Our spies tell us that two is McLaren’s test driver tion for the lost income. We understand that BAR cars were run in different liv- Ricardo Zonta, who is cureries; one the red and white rently racing for the does not want to pay and is of Lucky Strike and the other Mercedes-Benz GT team and now trying to convince the Supertec Sport engine com the blue and yellow' of 655 testing for McLaren. State Express. WHILE BAR tests its pany to refuse to supply Tom As we revealed last year, looks there may be anoth- with engines until he agi-ees the team will run with differ- er, and more expensive to let BAR change its name. We expect that eventually ent colour schemes and will, problem to deal with. The as a result, have to have two most important question there will be a compromise which could even include spare cars, two different mark is over the name of Finnish driver Mika Salo the team. trucks and two separate While BAR can be the being transferred to BAR to motorhomes. They will also require entrant of the cars next year, be Jacques Villeneuve’s rather more mechanics as pit the chassis will have to go on teammate. - JOE SAWARD stop crews will all be in the being called Tyrrells until all

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NASCARSat An Australian the AGP Revolution in NASCARs are to join the support pro gramme at the Qantas Australian FI Grand Prix. Negotiations between the GP and Bob Jane have resulted in a multi-year deal, said to be as much as five years, for the big V8s to appear at Albert Park. Although GP CEO John Hamden has been overseas this week and thus unable to confirm the deal, our NASCAR sources tell us an announcement is imminent. The GP organisation has been looking at all its supporting categories and the addi¬

tion of NASCAR is widely expected to be at the expense of Super Touring, which has drawn a modest entry to its last two GP appearances. Interestingly, as at the forthcoming AMP Bathurst 1000 meeting, the races for NASCARs at the GP may well, if there are two as planned, constitute an additional championship round for the NASCAR championship. A GP spokesman said that further changes to the GP support programme were under consideration.

Data Logging

34 V8s for Sandown A RECORD 34 cars are Gary Waldon sharing with entered for the Tickford Anthony Tratt in the Toll 500, on September 13. Falcon; Formula Holden Promoter Jon Davison is contender Darren Edwards ecstatic over the big field, with Rod Nash; .and made up of 22 Commodores' Formula Ford Champion and 12 Falcons. Adam Macrow confirmed Awaiting late confirma alongside Alan Jones in the tions is Steven Richards, Komatsu Falcon. who may get the weekend The V8 Supercar format off from UK Nissan testing will follow,its usual course, to partner Jason Bright. ' with a Top Ten run-off for Confirmed are Tony Scott the pointy end of the grid with Mark Poole in the on Saturday afternoon. Bosch Commodore; former AdLded to the billing this V8 racer Bob Jones and year is the OAMPs One No 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 11 14 16 ■17 18 24 25 32 35 38 43 46 48 49 50 54 55 72 75 79 95 96 99 134 TBA

Hour GT-P race on Sunday morning. In amongst the GT-P field, TV celebrity Sam Newman is expected to debut the first ever racing AU Falcon, an XR6. Latest info is that his co-driver could well be iron man Guy Andrews. Sandown will be the first public viewing of Ford’s hot Tickford XR6 and XR8 road cars, which will complete a number of demonstration laps.

1998 Tickford 500 Provisional Entry List

Drivers Craig .Lowndes/Mark Skaife David Parsons/Simon Wiiis(NZ) Trevor Ashby/Steve Reed Jason Bright/Scott Dixon/Steven Richards* Glenn Seton/Neil Crompton Darren Hossack/Darren Pate Dugal McDougall/Jason Wyllie Alan Jones/Adam Macrow Mark Larkham/Brad Jones Larry Perkins/Russell Ingall Mike ImrieCTBA Melinda Prioe/Kerryn Brewer Disk Johnson/Steven Johnson John Bowe/Cameron McConville Paul Romano/Steve Ellery Tony Longhurst/Geoff Brabham Tomas Mezera/Terry Finnigan Jason Bargwanna/Jim Richards Mark Poole/Tony Scott Paul Weel/Neal Bates John Faulkner/Todd Kelly D’arcy Russell/Rod Smith Greg Crick/Dean Crosswell Greg Murphy/Mark Noske Garry Willmington/Simon Emerzidis Rod Nash/Darren Edwards Robert Smith/Bruce Williams Anthony Tratt/Bob Jones/Garry Walden Mike Conway/Chris Hones/Rob Porter Steve Cramp/Gary Baxter Wayne Gardner/Paul Stokell Michael Donaher/Dean Lindstrom Garth Tander/Cameron McLean Stephen Renshaw/Raymond Miles

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Sir Jci<k steps on the Beetle

IN a race of high attrition, the “Hippies VW Beetle” survived its second trip around the torturous 23.9km Nurburgring cir cuit in Germany to finish second in its class in the Nurburgring 6-Hour. The driving combination of three-time Formula One

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World Champion Sir Jack Brabham, Castrol Cougar* di*iver Melinda Price and Ross Palmer managed to escape the mayhem to finish the event on a hot and greasy track. Of 172 cars starting the race, only 108 finished. “There were smouldering wrecks all over the place”.

said Sir Jack after he exited the car in Parc Ferme after crossing the finish line. “The Germans are really aggressive, and apart from a shunt up the back which really did no damage to the plastic rear panels on the Beetle, I managed to steer clear of any drama.”

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Webber rolls on

GRINNING LIKE A DEVIL... Marcos Ambrose got his first British Formula Ford win at Knockhill. (Photo by Bolhwell Photographic)

White, Ambrose break through STEPHEN White and Marcos Ambrose have put their 1998 disappoint ments behind them by tak ing their breakthrough wins in the UK. White dominated the 9th round of the Formula Palmer Audi Championship at Silverstone last week, leading all the way to the flag. White qualified fourth but, under the category’s reversal of the first four qualifiers, took pole position ahead of Darren 'Turner, Juliano Moro and Justin Wilson. White also benefitted from new rule change which ga^e the pole sitter 35 seconds of total ‘overboost’, compared to 30s for sect)nd, 25s for third and 20 for everyone else. Raceday dawned wet and overcast and White and his race engineer guessed at the set-up, which proved to be about right. He made a copy book start and drove hard in the first two laps, establish ing a three second gap which he held to the chequered flag. Moro was second from Damien Faulkner, Topi Seijala and Justin Wilson. White made it a perfect weekend by scoring fastest lap ofthe race. “When it started to rain I just knew I had to put in a fa§t first lap and try and leave the field to fight it out,”

said White after the race. “The conditions were so bad at the start, but I got a great start and just threw it at every comer.” Richard Tarling leads the series on 111 points from Turner (106), Wilson (104) and Seijala (101). White, on 82 points, is on 82. A WEEK earlier Ambrose was no less convincing in taking his first Formula Ford win at Knockhill. 'After .qualifying third the Tasmanian took to the dirt on the first lap and lost a spot. But within two laps he was past local ace Craig Murray and managed,to hold off the opposition to the flag. Murray was second from Tom Sisley. In the second race of the double-header on Sunday Ambrose'and Murray went at it hard in the rain for second place behind Jenson Button until Ambrose’s Van Diemen slipped off the road and dropped to fourth. He held the position to the flag but by finishing ahead of Derek Hayes, who is second in the series, closed the gap to 24 points. Button leads the champi onship on 114 points from Hayes (100), Ambrose (76) and Wheldon (71). The next round of the championship is this weekend at Brands Hatch.

IT was hot and humid at Suzuka’s sixth round of the FIA GT Championship last Sunday but not even the weather could derail the Bernd Schneider/Mark Webber juggernaut from regaining the series lead. The Mercedes-Benz team leaders stormed to a convinc ing two lap victory in the land of the Rising Sun, despite a heat-affected Webber having to cut short one of his driving stints. The 22-year-old pitted out of sequence during his sec ond stint after suffering from dehydration in the 30 degree plus heat, back up by 80 per cent plus humidity. He recov ered by the end of the race, driving the last stint to take their fourth win ofthe year. “I probably wasn’t breath ing properly and taking in enough liquid,” said Webber after the race. “But, apart from that, there were no problems. The car was perfect - on the last lap it was just as it was at the start. The guys at AMG and Bridgestone - and of course Bernd - did a fantas tic job this weekend.” The weekend started well for the German/Aussie pair, Schneider planting Mercedes’ CLK LM on pole position for the sixth successive race with

SILVER BLUR... Webber(pictured) and Schneider beat the heat for their fourth win of ’98 in Japan.

a lm52.58s lap, just under a second clear of the sister entry of Ricardo Zonta. At the start of the enduro Schneider took off into the lead but, behind, the battle between Zonta and the Allan McNish Porsche got a bit too physical. On lap seven the two cars clashed, the Brazilian locking his brakes while the pair were trying to lap a slower GT2 car. Both cars ended up in a gravel trap and, after Zonta’s was pulled free by officials, he headed to the pitlane for a three minute stop/go penalty, “That’s the second time this season that Ricardo Zonta has made a mistake overtaking me,” said the dis-

gruntled Scot later. “After just 15 minutes of a six hornrace it’s not very professional to make such a crazy move.” Both cars were undamaged in the incident, Zonta and Klaus Ludwig finishing second, while McNish, Stephane Ortelli and Yannick Dalmas were a lap further back in third, The second works Porsche of Uwe Alzen/Jorg Muller/ Bob Wollek was also out of luck, retiring from second place after an incident left their 911 GTl with broken suspension. While Webber and Schneider took their fourth win, of the year, Suzuka was different in as much as it

was Webber who took the chequered flag in front of the 71,000-strong crowd. “Taking the chequered flag at night was an experience I’ll never forget and the reception and atmosphere from the crowd was incredi ble,” said a happy Webber later. Capping the day for Mercedes-Benz, the Persson Motorsport-run V12 CLK G'TRs of Christophe Bouchut and Bernd Maylander was fourth outright, three spots up on the team car of JeanMarc Gounon and Marcel Tiemann. Points after six rounds: Schneider/Webber 44, Ludwig/ Zonta 41, McNish/Dalmas 15.

Scifleet seals British F3 National title PHILLIP Scifleet has won the race to become the first ‘Overseas Aussie’ to clinch a Championship. While Mark Webber and David Besnard seem close to securing titles in FIA GT and US FF2000 respectively, the 20-year-old from NSW (right) sealed the British National Class Formula 3 title last week at Pembrey in Wales. In the first race of the double-header he was untroubled in taking the win, but in race two he was caught up in an earlyrace fracas and lost three laps after pit ting for a new nosecone on his DallaraTOMS. He was the last finisher but, with nine wins in 12 races, he sealed the title. With the Class title in the bag Scifleet is now working hard on securing a budget to run in Class A in 1999, while he is also hoping to have a few (ilass A outings before the end of the season.

»«SPCW7 iWAUA ●●●»

Junior Touring category gaining momentum

By CHRIS LAMBDEN MOMENTUM and support for a proposed Junior Touring Car category is increasing. While the recently-formed V8 Junior Touring Car Racing Austra lia group has evolved draft regula tions for a cost-controlled V8 sedan formula and is starting work on a pair of prototype Holden/Falcon . cars^ former AUSCAR driver Bruce

Williams has revealed that he has a prototype car close to completion based upon the philosophies of the original Junior Tourer push of 1997. Since the revelation of the new group four weeks ago in MN, the two groups have met and, while there are some initial differences in philosophy and degrees of standardi sation etc, both are clearly headed in a similar direction and will, hopeful-

ly, amve at a common conclusion. VJTCRA spokesman Mark Cotterell this week outlined some of the developments in his group’s project: ‘We’re about to start work on a pair of prototype cars in Melbourne,” he said . “At the same time, there’ll be a number of meetings over the Sandown weekend for interested parties and some of the packages we’ve been talking about, in terms of Control items,

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will start to become concrete. “At this stage, we’re suggesting that organised races for the category should be able to happen in the second half of next year, as a lead-up to

a full series in 2000. For his part, WiUiams (who incidentally has formally had the names Junior Tourer and Junior Touring Car registered since the concept first emerged in May 1996) is pleased

that a fresh wave of support is

emerging for the category, “Although it had gone a bit qmet in terms of media publicity, I haven’t stopped working away on the concept at aU,” he said. “In fact, I am 6-8 weeks away from having a complete prototj^e car ready to run. Hopefully at that time we can all get together and come up with a unified concept.

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28 August m Introducing Motorsport News’ new columnist, David Besnard. And what’s better to start with than at his international sportscar debut at Watkins Glen last weekend? Over to you, DB...

t was a looonnngg week end at Watkins Glen. It was my first drive in a sportscar, it was a six hour race and I did most of iti

A 600-plus horsepower plus Riley&Scott is, obviously, a lot different to anything I’ve ever driven before. One of the hardest things to get used to was the sequential gearbox, which had a throttle cut-off switch. It was a pain in the butt, as if getting used to the power and downforce of the car wasn’t enough to learn. The power wasn’t a prob lem. It’s just another race car but, at Watkins Glen, there’s about zero run-off area so you can’t afford a mistake. So, I eased into it. In Thursday practice I did about seven laps with a best of 1m52s and, by the race, I was running 46s. It was nice and steady. The started well, run ningrace consistent 48s and 47s, until I pitted tor a splash’n’go. A yellow had come out for David Brabham, who's destroyed his car and was sitting on the track. The flag had only just come out when I arrived at around 165mph. The car had just shattered and there was car bon fibre and stuff every where. To stop it in 200 feet is a problem! The only bit I couldn’t miss I nailed in the middle of the splitter because I didn’t

want to cut a tyre and they cleared that at the stop. I was lucky; I reacted right. I didn’t hear what caused it. But I wouldn't be surprised if it happened because of traffic. The Panozes have almost no rear vision and the drivers tend to cut you off when they go past because they can’t see. Maybe he caught someone’s nose and was spun around. One of them forced me onto the grass when it happened in practice.

n the first stint the car was good, running as high as sixth before Henry Camferdam hopped in. He was eighth when Scott Schubot climbed in for his stint, and he started to have problems with the gearbox and we had to start using the clutch to go up gears, instead of holding it flat and using the cut-out. That made it hard. In the first stint and a half, I didn’t even raise a sweat but the concentration needed to use the clutch was very tiring, very mentally draining. The times were still good, in the 47s, and we were still going okay but losing time. Then the radio came undone! I couldn't see the pitboard,properly, because they are not allowed to hang the boards over the wall, and I misread the signal and pitted two laps early after my second shift,

The last bit was even tougher. Brake fluid leaked onto the floor so the feet were sliding around on the pedals - and then, of course, the brakes started to go because of the lost fluid. Towards the end the clutch was slipping because of the gearbox problem, and it got to the stage where it was it would hardly stop under brakes. It was a pain in the butt to drive, but good fun. There’s an offer to drive again for the team at Atlanta, but I will be in the UK at the time. I might be able to get back in time obviously, they thought I did a lot of right things.

e’re back into the 2000s next week. The race is on the oval at Atlanta and, to be honest, I don’t expect to win there. We’ll try but I think that the Tatuuses will be too much for the Primus Van Diemen. They dominated at Charlotte and Atlanta is similar, We’ll keep away from the trouble and get some points, We’re not too far away from clinching the title, which is

the main job. There’s no rieed to make the big moves. I’m not going to change any thing. One of the best parts of the season is that I haven’t crashed into anyone. I’ve made one mistake myself at Minneapolis but. as far as racing goes, I haven’t gone close to hitting any one. I’ll go racing and watch my back. On every road course I’ve been to I’ve beaten Ryan Hampton, except for the bro ken roll-bar at Watkins Glen. We'll just do the normal thing and try and go from the front where it’s safe.

he weekend before Watkins Glen I was at Mosport near Toronto at an international karting race. Ryan Briscoe won there and he was a class above the rest. The top five or six guys were there and he was just above everyone there. He’s a good, smart driver. It’s good to see that Marcos Ambrose and Stephen White have had their breakthrough wins in the UK, and Mark Webber won in Japan. It’s amazing; 20 million people in the county, there seems like bil lions over here, and they don’t do anything! Everyone over here seems to look at FrenchCanadians as the young fast guys to watch, but I can see the tide turning to Australians pretty soon. We’re having a taste of it now and I think it’s well on its way.

iesnard's impressive debut

DAVID Besnard finished a strong 7th in N. car with Briton Andy Wallace. After qualify his international sportscar dehut. ing fourth fastest he took the lead at the Besnard shared a Ford-powered Riley& start, only to crash it. Scott-Ford with Americans Scott Schubot and By the time Besnard got back in for the Henry Camferdam in a 6-Hour race at middle shift the car was suffering gearbox Watkins Glen in the USA. and clutch problems, but he continued to ran Besnard ran about 25 laps in the car during inside the top 10 in his stint. For the final stint of the race he added practice and qualifying, in which the car ended up 11th, but he got the nod to start the race. brake dramas to that list of woes but, despite Besnard’s 600hp car fell to 13th on lap one the team thinking it would be better to pit but he recovered to 8th after an hour before the car to rectify the problems, he nursed it pitting for fuel under yellow flags. He ran a home to seventh. Besnard was the fastest of the three dri half-stint before handing over to Camferam. On lap 8 Besnard crested a hill at around vers in the race, one second quicker than Schubot and 3s faster than Camferdam. 260kmh, only to find double yellow flags wav ing. David Brabham’s Panoz-Ford GT car Besnard impressed everyone with his was totalled and sitting on the straight but, showing. Dyson Racing’s Rob Dyson was despite a moment, Besnard missed the taken by his performance, and told not to sign wreckage and continued. with anyone for next season before coming It was bad luck for Brabham, sharing his back to him for Daytona and the ’99 season.

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the Jacarepagua circuit in Rio de Janeiro. Reports from South America indiHungarian GP that he has ^ cate that Nelson Piquet signed a draft agreement and Emerson Fittipaldi with Bemie Ecclestone to have joined forces with a hold a Grand Prix in local entrepreneur in an Beirut in 2003. FIA Race effort to revamp the track Director Charlie Whiting for Formula 1. The plan and other FIA officials vis needs $30m of invest ited Beirut about a month ment. The Brazilian GP ago,inspected the site has traditionally switched where a track is to be back and forv'ard between built and reviewed plans Sao Paulo(Ayrton Senna’s home)and Rio (Nelson and models of the pro posed circuit. The Piquet), depending on who Lebanese are very keen to is the top Brazilian FI dri rid the city of its war-tom ver ofthe day. image and re-vive the tra dition of Beirat being a n Arrows sponsor Danka playground for the rich has run into more financial and famous. trouble and may be forced to reduce its involvement n Mika Hakkinen is the in FI next year. The com subject ofa pop song which pany’s shai-es dropped 11 is making an impact in percent in value in a day Finland at the moment. last week. Danka shares The song “Mika Mika” is have dropped 75 percent since December. sung by local star Mika Sundqvist and has sold n Former F3000 diiver 12,000 copies. Patrick Lemarie is expect n British Formula Ford ed to test for TjTreU soon. hotshoe Jenson Button is Lemarie has straggled in rumoured to be on the F3000 but is managed by shopping list ofseveral cur Stellar Promotions, one of rent FI teams looking for BAR boss Craig Pollock’s young drivers for their companies. junior teams. Button was a successful kart racer and is n FI team bosses are currently leading the studying new regulations British FF1600 series in relating to electronics in an only his first year ofsingleeffort to tighten up loop holes in the rales over the seaters. He is expected to use of electronic aids and race in F3 next year. relax the rules which are n There ai-e moves in currently impossible to Brazil to switch the Grand apply. -JOESAWARD Prix from Interlagos to

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dent unscathed, McCoy broke his leg (which was screwed and plated in Brno hospital). He will be out of action for two races at least. At the start of the race Biaggi led away with Doohan right behind but, after nine comers, the Aussie lost the front end of the bike and slid into the gravel. “The front just let go,” he said afterwards. “After that the aim was to get a few points but one of the rear exhausts was melting the seat and the imit started to collapse”.

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Iti^anS^uersd flag at Brno. tPhoio ty RaceAccessi

With Doohan recovering from 19th Biaggi held the lead but, over the final laps it was Criville who made ground. He got past Alex Barros for third on the final lap and finish 0.7s behind the winner, who almost lost the race with a monster wheelie over the finish line. Right behind Barros came Tady Okada, well clear of Norick Abe and Sete Gibemau, who had a strong race on Repsol-Honda’s V-twin. “I didn’t push 100 percent until near the end when the fuel load, was less,” said

Biaggo after the race. “I knew the other guys were there; I looked around and saw one Alex behind me, then I looked around and saw the other Alex!” By taking his second 500 GP win (the first was at the series opener in Japan) Biaggi took the lead in the points for the second time. He is also one of only two riders to score points in every round of the series,

Rd 1

Six race series held at Bathurst, Calder Park

Aug 29 . . .Atlanta Sept20 . .FortWorth Oct 10 . . .Las Vegas

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Sandown 500 * Sept 13

Points after 10 races: Biaggi 173, Criville 162, Doohan 160, Checa 115, Barros 87, Crafar 80.

16 race series held around the world

Winston Cup NASCAR

Aug 30 . . .NewHampshire . .Rd 24 Sept 6 . . .Darlington . . . .Rd 25 Sept 12 . .Richmond Rd 27 Sept 20 . .Dover Downs . .Rd 28 Sept 27 . .Martinsville . . . .Rd 29 33 race series held in the United States

NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series

Sept 7 . . .Indianapolis . . .Rd 16 Rd 17 Sept 20 . .Reading Rd 18 Oct 4 . . . .Topeka . 22 race series held in the United States

SOOcc Motorcycle Grand Prix C'ship*

Sept 6 . . .Italy . . . Sept 20 . .Spain . . Oct 10 . . .Australia

Rd 1 1 Rd 12 Rd 13

16 round series held around the world

Australian Rally Championship

Aug 30 . . .Melbourne

R I d5

7 round series held in Australia

World Rally Championhip*

Sept 18 . .Indonesia

Rd 11

14 rally series held around the world

All event dates in this calendar were correct at the time of printing. Please consult any Individual tracks and/or associations for dale changes. Series or events telecast on Network Ten are marked with an asterix. Check your local guides for screening details.

By DARRYL FLACK AS he closes in on the 1998 World Superbike Champion ship, Aussie Troy Corser is step ping up demands for a bigger pay-packet. The Ducati works rider moved back in to the 1998 SWC at a reduced salary after a disastrous falling out over money with the Red Bull Yamaha GP 600 team in 1997. But according to reports in the English press, he now wants as much as British Ducati hero Carl Fogarty whose contract is ramoured to be worth $2m a year. Corser, the ’96 SWC champ, told UK Motor Cycle News: “I’m earning heaps less than Fogarty or Pierfrancesco Chili who are on the same bikes as me, but I am beating them in the points table. I think I can win the title for Ducati again and I want whatever Carl gets. “Yamaha and Suzuki have both spoken to me about next year. I have to capitalise on my success after i ended up not getting paid in GPs and I want to carry the No. 1 plate as reigning champion.”

ARRIVIDERCI AMAROO... Ray Lintott’s Porsche Turbo leads the field up the hill for the last ever race at (Photo by John Morris/Mpix) Amaroo Park. After 31 years and a lot of history all that is left now Is memories.

Farewell Amaroo

THE final race meeting at Amaroo Park Raceway was held last weekend, bringing to a close the Sydney track’s 31 year history. The atmosphere was a throwback to yesteryear, with the clublevel race meeting attracting those who came for one last look at the track at which many began their racing careers, those for whom Amaroo is an integral part of their childhood, and those that just wanted to say good-bye to the 2km raceway. With historic sports cars. Sports

Sedans, Alfa Romeos and Appendix Js, it at times resembled the %gone era, but it was Ray Lintott in his Porsche 911 4WD twin-turbo which had the honour of winning the last ever race, the Butchers Picnic com prising of the top three finishers in each sedan trophy race. Many past racers were on hand, including Bathurst winners Kevin Bartlett and Cohn Bond, and some of the commentators fi'om the ’70s and ’80s loaned their voices one last time. Those who snared the very last

winners trophies were Joseph Said (Sports Sedans), Charles D’Aquino (HQs), Paul Attard (Super Minis), Mark Phelan (Club Cars), Alan Heath (Group N), Robert Panetta (Alfa Challenge), Bruce Mansell (Historic and Sports Cars), Ray Lintott (Invitation Sports Cars), David Krause (Combined Sedans). Then it was over, and it finished as it had so many other times, with a beer and a BBQ. In a couple of weeks, it will all be gone, but for the memories. - EDWARD KRAUSE

Bathurst 1000 Event Management and Motors^ort Nev/s are pleased to offer you the chance to win an all-expenses paid weekend for two at the 1998 AMP Bathurst 1000, October 3&4. To enter, all you have to do is mail the original coupon (no photocopies) below to us prior to September 3 and you are in the draw!

AND YOU COULD WAVE THE CHEQUERED FLAG!

Air tickets, accommodation, rental car and VIP hospitality including Pit Suite viewing could all be yours just by clipping out the coupon below. Enter as many times as you like using original coupons, which will be printed in Motorsport News every issue until August 27. BETTER STILL - book your tickets through Ticketek before September 1 and you will go into the draw for our exclusive bonus prize - the opportunity to greet the winner of the AMP Bathurst 1000 at the finish line. Yes, our bonus prize winner will wave the chequered flag as the field cross the line to finish the 36th Great Race.

BATHURST ^^ooo The Great Race

Simply include your Ticketek Transaction Number (printed on your ticket) and you're in the bonus prize draw.

1998 AMP BATHURST 1000 CHEQUERED FLAG COMPETITION ENTRY COUPON Please enter me in the draw for an all expenses paid weekend at the 1998 AMP Bathurst 1000. Name: Address: ?/code Phone: (H) (W) (M)

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BONUS DRAW I have already purchased tickets for the AMP Bathurst 1000 and would love to wave the chequered flag My Ticketek Transaction Number is:

I S I I I

Post entry to; Bathurst 1000 Event Management Level 1 100 Wharf Road WestRyde NSW 2114 J

Super Touring - Racing into the future TICKETS AVAILABLE AT TICKETEK - PHONE (02) 9266 4800

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY 1. Information on how to enter and prizes form port of these conditions of entry. 2. The competition is open to all readers except employees of Australasian Motorsport News P/L and Bathurst 1000 Event Management, their associated companies, and families of employees. 3. The judges decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. 4. The prizes (2) are: (o) air travel for two from winner's nearest capito! city within Australia to and from Bathurst, accommodation for one night, rentol car, VIP circuit passes and Pit Suite hospitolity for the 1998 AMP Bathurst 1000 and (b) waving the chequered flag (under CAMS supervision) at the end of the 1998 AMP Balhunt 1000. 5. First entry drawn will win prize (a); if this entry has no Ticketek Transaction Number, further draws will take place until an entry with a Ticketek Transection Number is drawn, which will win prize (b). 6. Entries must reach Bathurst 1000 Event Manogement no later than 5pm Friday 3 September. The draw will take ploce on Monday 6 September, with winnerfs) notified by phone. 7. The promoter is Bathurst 1000 Event Management, Level 1, 100 Wharf Road, West Ryde, 2114. 8. Entries must be on the original coupons published in Motorsport News (no photocopies}, except where this controvenes state law (SA). Permit number TC 98/5313.

28August B8

n Andre Ribeiro received a hairline fracture to his left leg when he crashed during the open ing day of qualifying. The Penske team manufactured a carbon fibre shin guard for his injured leg and Ribeiro started the race, only to suffer an apparent ignition failure after eight laps. Ribeiro plans to rest his broken leg over the follow ing two weeks and return to action at the next race in Vancouver on September 6.

Dario keeps his Kool

n Alex Zanardi can wrap-up his second straight CART title in Vancouver, round 15 ofthis year’s 19-race FedEx Championship. With a maximum of88 points available from the four races that follow Vancouver(20 for a win, one for pole and one for leading most laps)if Zanardi maintains his 88 point gap over teammate Jimmy Vasser or third-placed Adrian Fernandez after Vancouver he will be the 1998 CART/FedEx Champion. n Zanardi ran into the back of A1 Unser Jr’s car on the opening lap at Road America, resulting in Unser crashing out ofthe race. The incident was triggered when Gil de Ferran and Scott Pruett who were running just ahead of Unser and Zanardi collided under braking for the second turn. Unser was knocked sideways and subsequently hit by Patrick Carpentier’s car putting both out ofthe race instantly. Zanardi flatspotted his tyres but his car was otherwise undamaged and he eventually finished second. “Whoever hit me obviously wasn’t thinking,” Unser comment ed about the accident. Following the race CARTs chief steward Wally Dallenbach reviewed video tapes ofZanardi’s opening lap incident and inter viewed several other drivers. Dallenbach decided that there was no reason to penalise the championship leader, who was placed on probation following a ^ wild drive at Mid-Ohio the previ ous weekend. Dallenbach termed the accident,“a racing incident”. n Franchitti became the sixth intemational diiver in seven years to win at Road America,following Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi (1992), Canadians Paul Tracy (1993)and Jacques Villeneuve (1994 and ’95), and Italian Alex Zanardi(1997). Michael Andretti (1996)is the lone American winner at Road America in that span. n Franchitti became the fourth dif ferent diiver to claim his first career FedEx Championship , Series victory at Road America. He follows Hector Rebaque(1982), Jacques Villeneuve(uncle ofthe 1995 PPG Cup winner Jacques Villeneuve, 1985),and the younger Villeneuve in 1994. n Franchitti's victory was the ninth ofthe season for Honda,and the first since Andre Ribeiro’s in the Marlboro 500 at Michigan Speedway in 1996 by a driver who is not a memher ofthe Honda-pow ered TargeVChip Ganassi Racing Team. ■ 'The victoi-y was the 13th in a row for Fii-estone and its 24th in the past 25 FedEx Championship Series events. ■ Tony Kanaan extended his lead in the Jim Trueman Rookie of the Year race with his foui-th-place fin ish. He now holds a 58-33 advan tage over Helio Castro-Neves who was held scoreless, in the rookie points standings.

®IKLEIN TOotr^'l

SPEEDWAGON AT SPEED... Dario Franchitti ended the horrors for Team Green with a dominant win at Eikhart Lake. Report by PHIL MORRIS DARIO Franchitti scored a triumph befitting the United Nations while posting his first career CART victory before a crowd of 75,000 at Road America. Franchitti ended a three-year vic tory drought for a team owned by expat Aussie Barry Green by dri ving to a 7.1()2-second victory over series points leader Alex Zanardi. Christian Fittipaldi finished third, his best effort since finishing in the s^e position at Vancouver in 1996. '■ Franchitti became the first Scotsman to win a Champ Car race since Jim Clark was victorious in the 1965 Indianapolis 500. He also collected the first victory for a Green-owned car since Jacques Villeneuve won at Cleveland in 1995. Franchitti, making his 30th career start, led a race-high 23 of 50 laps and took the lead for good on the 30th lap of the 4.048-mile per manent road course. In a game of pit strategies, he built a lead of as much as 27.582 seconds over Adrian Fernandez before his final pit stop on lap 42, when he took on fuel and four tyres during an unofficial 10.7- second stop. Fernandez and Fittipaldi, run ning third, also pitted on lap 42, allowing Franchitti to emerge with an 11.673-second lead over pole-sit ter Michael Andretti on lap 43. Franchitti maintained the advan tage at six or more seconds for the balance of the event. Zanardi, who fell back to 24th place on lap seven after being involved in contact with A1 Unser Jr. on the opening lap, rebounded from the incident to reach the podi um. He ran strongly while also bene fiting from late-race misfortune befalling Andretti, who cut a tyre on the final lap while running sec ond, to collect his 11th podium fin ish in 14 events. Fittipaldi, who overcame severe neck pain prior to the start of the race, scored a season-best fi nish, topping his previous best of fourth established at the season opener at Homestead. Rounding out the top-five finish ers were rookie Tony Kanaan who matched a season best established at Portland, and Fernandez, who claimed his seventh top-five finish of the season and moved into third

place in the FedEx Championship Series points race, with 120. Zanardi holds an 80-point lead (206-126) over Target/Chip

Ganassi Racing team-mate Jimmy Vasser in the PPG Cup race heading into the September 6 Molson Indy at Vancouver. Vasser finished

(Photo by Jamie Squire/Allsport)

ninth on Sunday, his 45th pointspaying result in his past 47 starts, dating to the 1995 season finale at Laguna Seca.

Some days things just happen

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OtLS and OILS... Bad news for Castro! and Shell as Bryan Herta (bottom) sits and thinks things over. BRYAN Herta and Alex Barron were involved in a scary-looking accident at Road America when Barron crashed into Herta’s car after the latter had spun. Ban-on’s Eagle mounted Herta’s car and had to be removed from the top of Herta by a crane. Neither driver was hurt in the collision. “Luckily I saw him (Barron) coming right at me,” Herta said. “I was able to duck down in the cockpit and avoid him. I radioed my crew that I was OK. I’m sure it looked a lot scarier from outside than from my

position in the car. I dinged my hands a bit, but nothing serious.” “I was dicing back and forth with another driver and was already at 100% braking when I saw Bryan,” Barron explained. “I had nowhere to go. I was com mitted so I went into the grass and flew up over Bryan and landed on top of his car-. I’m sorry that this happened, but I’m glad to see Bryan is OK.” What Ban-on failed to mention was that the driver who forced him onto the grass in the 280kmh braking area was PJ Jones - his own teammate ...

Pruett goes Toyota for '99

SCOTT Pruett made the first move of the Champ car ‘silly season’ at Road America with the announcement that he will move at the end of the season from Pat Patrick’s team to the Toyota-powered Arciero-Wells team. Pruett will replace Robby Gordon, who joined the team in April in place of the retiring Hiro Matsushita. Gordon has been shopping around for other options in recent months and

after a series of disappointing performances where he has been outqualified and outraced by Max Papis, a mutual deci sion was taken for Gordon to leave the team. Pruett’s departure from Patrick’s team was surprising to some but, after five years together, team owner Pat Patrick and Pruett decided ear lier this summer to part ways. “I talked to everybody,” Pruett commented. “I had to

look at where I was going and I feel this is my best opportuni ty.” The 38-year old Pruett will become CART’s oldest driver when Bobby Rahal retires at the end of this season. “I truly believe Toyota is going to turn this thing around and be the engine to have in the new mil lennium,” Pruett added. Meanwhile, Gordon is trying to put together his own Toyotapowered team for next year.

28August ms FORMULA One refugee Derek Warwick turned around his dis astrous 1998 British Touring Car Championship season after sharing the wins at Knockhill with local hero Anthony Reid. After a tough weekend BTCC points leader Rickard Rydell left Scotland with a reduced 35 point series advantage, thanks to a firstlap crash in the Sprint Race. Reid’s win was his fourth of the season, matching Rydell’s victory tally and making the Scottish Nissan driver Rydell’s closest chal lenger with six rounds remaining. Warwick’s victory was his first in three BTCC seasons. Rydell’s Volvo was caught in a melee as the 19-car pack jostled for places away from the line, hindered by wet track conditions. Rydell’s car was tagged by Will Hoy’s Ford, spun across the track and into the path of Jason Plato’s Renault. The impact left Rydell stranded trackside and Plato limping into retirement. After a two-lap Safety Car interlude, pole man Reid was able to reassert his advantage over the Hondas of James Thompson and Peter Kox, with Alain Menu’s Renault fourth ahead of David Leslie’s Nissan, the Audi of Yvan Muller, and Hoy. Muller quickly despatched Leslie for fifth and then bundled his Audi past Menu with what the Swiss teimed a “robust” manoeuvre.

Thompson. Muller left the door open sufficiently to allow Menu to repass but, after the race, Muller was fined £500 ($1400) and had his licence endorsed over the manouvre. Reid’s winning margin over Thompson was 2.2 seconds, with Menu staying ahead of Muller for third and Leslie fifth from Hoy, Kox and Autosport Independent class victor Matt Neal(Nissan). Scotland’s other hope, John Cleland, suffered a poor home race: his Vauxhall had to

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As Reid pulled a gap, Muller nudged Kox down to seventh and, two laps later, came off worst while attempting to "take second from

start from the pits after engine prob- British Touring Car Championship - Rds 19/20 Knockhill 16 August A for ACCORD?... Kox and Muller had little to celebrate (above) but Warwick (left, with Rydell) did. (Photos by Bolhmll Photographic) Round 20 46 laps lems. He finished Round 19 22 laps 1 Anthony Reid GB Nissan Primera 22m 38.846s 1 Warwick 47m 48.716s 13th on his return to 2 James Thompson GB Honda Accord Race, soon deposed Plato which had climbed from 12th to sec +2.194S 2 Muller +7.507S Alain Menu SWI Renault Laguna +10.728S for third. +2.841 s 3 Rydell the BTCC after a 3 ond within nine laps. Warwick was 4 Yvan Muller FRA Audi A4 +3.192s 4 Menu +20.452$ two race absence 5 David Leslie On lap 16 the heavens through and into the lead on lap 26 GB Nissan Primera +3.650S 5 Plato +21.645$ GB Ford Mondeo 6 Will Hoy +24.357$ opened and, as the front through injmy. _+6739s 6 Radisich and, as Baird wilted, he pulled out a 7 Peter Kox NL Honda Accord +7.790S 7 Reid +28.030$ runners slid around. 16-second lead over new Rydell. Reid once again 8 Matt Neal GB Nissan Primera +9.377S 8 Rustad +43.172$ made the best of pole 9 Derek Warwick GB Vauxhall Vectra +13.204S 9 Leslie Ford’s- Craig Baird made +43.794$ Muller hauled his Audi past the +14.688S 10 Bintcliffe NZ Peugeot 406 +46.021$ the most of his intermedi position to seize the 10 Paul Radisich Volvo with 11 laps to run but,by the ate rubber and seized the end Warwick was till 7.5s clear with Feature Race lead Fastest lap; Muller. 57.601s. 81,249mph Championship points: Rydell 196, Reid 161, Menu 159. Thompson 149. Plato 120. Leslie 118, Cleland 98. lead, pursued by Neal’s Rydell third 10 seconds clear of from Menu, but Muller 73, Warwick 8 Hoy. 57. Manufacturers: Nissan 219, Renault 213. Votw203, Honda 173, Vauxhall 145. similarly-shod Nissan, Menu, who had been given fourth by behind there was The early pacesetters were left with team-mate Plato. Paul Radisich was chaos. Thompson stalled on the line ted again a lap later to fit-wet tyres. Reid held Menu back at the no option but to pit for wet tyres, and Leslie, Warwick and Cleland sixth for Peugeot ahead of Reid and collided, l6ttlng Rydell into third restart, but only for two laps. Menua Baird held on for seven laps, Neal Autosport Independent victor and prompting a five lap Safety Car and Reid clashed on lap nine leaving disappearing by mid-distance when Rustad. Notable casualties of the period while the mess was cleared. Reid spinning down to 11th as Menu he spun into the gravel. By now race included Thompson, who spun Warwick pitted to have damaged led Rydell and Plato. Muller,just as there was a bigger threat behind the his Honda out of fifth on the 21st bodywork attended to and then pit fired up as he was in the Sprint Mondeo - Warwick’s Vauxhall, lap.

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28Amt w Preview by JON THOMSON

The Lap of Honour

SPEAK to anyone who lived in Australia during the 1950s and they will almost certainly remi nisce about the way things were and the icons that mark that prosperous decade stick in their minds. The Snowy Mountains Scheme, 1 the Melbourne Olympics, the birth Darwin oftelevision and the Redex Trials. The Redex Round Australia Trials helped define Australia, they brought a consciousness of the Outback to city dwellers, took Day « motor sport to the bush and opened Kununurra up the country. Day 14 Cairns It is hard to grasp for many peo [Day 15 Rest Day Day 8 ^ ple 45 years on from the first round Near Derby Australia Trial in 1953, that the very thought of cars tackling a Port Hedlartd Day 13 Grsenvale 10,500 kilometre test over outback Day 11 Tennant Creek bullock tracks in 13 days would be Day 12 (ay 16 Mackay scoffed at. Ctoncurry Today we can travel from Melbourne to the Kimberley in about three hours on a jet, call any Day 1 Adelaide to Port Augusta Sun Sept 6 Day 12 Tennant Creek to Cioncurry Thu Sept 17 where in the world on a satellite Mon Sept 7 Day 13 Cioncurry to Greenvale Day 2 Pt Augusta to Eucia Fri Sept 18 Day V telephone from the middle of the Tue Sept 8 Day 14 Greenvale to Cairns Day 3 Eucia to Esperance Sat Sept 19 Carnarvon Sun Sept 20 Wed Sept 9 Day 15 Cairns Rest Day Day 4 Esperance to Bunbury Simpson Desert and we can drive 'SSay 17 Mon Sept 21 Thu Sept 10 Day 16 Cairns to Mackay Day 5 Bunbury to Geraldton around the continent without leav Maryborough Tue Sepi 22 Fri Sept 11 Day 17 Mackay to Maryborough Day 6 Geraldton to Carnarvon ing a sealed road. Sat Sept 12 Day 18 Maryborough to Coffs Harbour Wed Sept 23 Day 7 Carnarvon to Pt Headland Thu Sept 24 Sun Sept 13 Day 19 Coffs Harbour to Sydney Day 8 Pt Headland to Derby Back then it could take up to Fri Sept 25 Mon Sept 14 Day 20 Sydney to Albury Day 9 Derby to Kununurra 0«y three days to travel by plane from Geraldton Sat Sept 26 Tue Sept 15 Day 21 Albury to Horsham Day 10 Kununurra to Darwin one corner of the country to the Sun Sept 27 Wed Sept 16 Day 22 Horsham to Adelaide Day 11 Darwin to Tennant Creek other. Very few outback stations Day 18 Day 1 Coffs Harbour had telephones and the first satel Port Augusta lite was still half a dozen years Day 2Eucia APtiAlftl away and sealed roads were things l Day Bunbury that joined the East Coast capitals. Day 22 Adelaide Crossing the NuUarbor meant sev Day 3 (ay 19 Sydney eral thousand kilometres of bone Esperance Day 21 jarring gravel corrugations. iHorsham Day ilbury/Wodonga There is no other single country 1 l in the world where an entire marathon rally can be run without crossing a national barrier. The Sony Playstation Round.^ Australia Rally is the 15th to be THE ROUTE AROUND THE COUNTRY... held and is the spiritual successor It's a long way around the Big Brown Land as to those early Redex Trials. competitors in the Sony Playstation Rally will testify. A motorsport event which covers 18,500 kms in 22 days is a massive HE'S BACK... Favourite with the crowds should be undertaking; not even the great the 05 Jackeroo of Wayne Webster and You-Knowmarathons of the past from over Who. Just tell Peter to keep the ocean on the left, seas can rival Round Australias in Webby... either magnitude or frequency. Mobill Events like the Paris to Peking, (k question is will for Guest and co-driver Jason Walk London-Sydney Marathon and t Ford of Queensland. the London-Mexico pale into insignifi After winning the past two Explorer have cance when compared with the the reliability Round Australias Holden knew it Round Australia events. None of the aforementioned has run more and pace to was on a hiding to nothing trying stay with the for the trifecta. No Holden works than twice, they had to cross many ft-ont runners. team is entered this time around, borders and in terms of true tough _ r- , Another one although Japanese subsidiary competitive challenges none have ' . . to watch is long Isuzu GM has entered the Garland thrown up conditions like our own ^ , time off road and Brock Jackeroo’s. circumnavigational rallies. . . racer The nearest you get to a Reg The task of plaiuiing and plotting Owen in a new Commodore works team is the a rally which covers as many kilo— —-— — Nissan Patrol while veteran highly professional and well pre metres, crosses as much desolate The interesting aspect wiR be the should not be discarded as a poten tial winner. Gosford ralljdst Warren Ridge is pared Pedders Holden Ute team. wilderness and searches out the different types of vehicle and how The two Pedders utes have appar “The bastard will probably win Mitsubishi’s biggest hope. extremities of endurance as the they tackle the variety of condiMichael Guest will start the ently received some back door it,” said Garland with a smile. Sony Playstation does is one which tions. In the tough outback stages from Holden “The Jackeroo is fast, strong and event at car one having surprised assistance takes a vast amount of work by a up the West Coast and across the Motorsport and are the best pre reliable. Brock’s car lacks nothing the pundits with a second on the small team which has to devote a top end the big four wheel drive, pared two wheel drive machines in year of their fives to the job. Toyota LandCruisers, Holden and he can still drive bloody fast. last Round Australia in 95, driving the event. That team was heaiied by Bob Jackeroos and Mitsubishi Pajeros He’ll be there when it matters,” a Mitsubishi Galant VR4. No one One will be driven by multi believed the young Newcastle dri Carpenter, who has since 1986 will obviously have an advantage Garland added. Their main four wheel drive ver could keep the effort together Victorian champ Graham Wise directed the Australian Safari rally over the rally cars such as Michael . raid. Guest’s Subaru WRX, which will be opposition will come from Peter for the entire 18,000 kilometres or accompanied by Linda Long and the other by company principal Ron Carpenter started work on the playing the hare anywhere that is Glennie in his Toyota LandCruiser. that the Galant, more at home as a Redder and his son Mark. forest racer than battling the A veteran of the last three Round planning for the event in October smooth enough to exploit the car’s The six cyhnder utes will strug Australia’s and numerous rigours of the outback, could be 1997, setting out on a preliminary full potential, gle against the four wheel drives coaxed to the finish. Australian Safari’s, the cotton survey in a Toyota LandCruiser Some may argue that the four But Guest came of age in that where ever traction is a problem with the brief from Advantage wheel drives take away from the farmer from Moree is totally in his rally, displaying a level of maturity but one has to remember the last element in this type of event and International to take the event to true spirit of the Round Australias and skill which drew praise fi-om Round Australia in 1995 when Ed the 21 overnight stops which had but, with so many consumers buy- the only thing holding him back is a Ordynski brought the six cylinder all quarters. been nominated. ing and using them as everyday question mark over the reliability Mounted in a Group N Subaru Commodore sedan home ahead of of the Toyota’s driveline. Finishing The cars will be flagged away transport, their inclusion is well all the four wheel drives to take vic fifth in the last Round Australia , WRX Impreza Guest comes to this from Adelaide at 10.30am on justified. tory. The Pedders operation is slick event after scoring an historic Favourites amongst the four one place behind Garland makes Sunday September 6 (Father’s and arguably the best prepared Glennie one to watch. Group N win in a similar car at the wheel drives have to include motorDay). team in the event A dark horse in the four wheel Rally of New Zealand last month. Just 65 vehicles have entered the sport legend and ’79 round The 65 cars are split into five Guest will be looking to preserve drives could be Ian Swan in the two event, the smallest ever field for a Australia winner Peter Brock and classes. Group N rally cars. the car for the dash through the round Australia, 13 less than the his team mate in the two-car car Ford Explorer team. Swannie forests on the run down the East Production Rally Cars, HI for his and his wife Val won the 78 which started the Mobilgas Trial Holden Jackeroo operation Bruce toric rally cars pre-1967, H2 for Australian Safari a few years back Coast where the Impreza will total of 1958. Despite the small field Garland, post-1967 Historic rally cars and ly outpace the big four wheel driand this rally veteran knows how to there are some quality entries in a Garland has built both cars and, ves. But getting the car to Cairns in RV class for the big four wheel drihandle a tough long distance event range of machinery which can be while Brock says that he isn’t in it ves. across the Australian outback, the one piece will be the biggest task expected to battle hard. for victory. Garland says the icon

FORMULA 1

28August im

Harvey the invisible rabbit and the imaginary Honda project

n the 1950 film “Harvey”, James Stewart played the role of an oddball character called Elwood P Dowd, who was accompanied wherever he went by a six foot tall rabbit called Harvey. This may sound ridicu lous, but the play on which the film was based was so good that it won a Pulitzer Prize. Perhaps I ought to mention that Harvey was invisible to everyone apart from Elwood. In the fullness of time, Elwood was dragged off to see a doctor. “Well,” he explained, “I wres tled with reality for 35 years, doc tor, and I’m happy to state I finally won out over it.” The film was such a success that Stewart and his co-star, Josephine Hull, were both nomi nated for Academy Awards. By now you will probably be wondering what on earth an imag inary rabbit has got to do with ' Formula 1. Well, for the last few weeks I have been feeling a little like Elwood P Dowd because I have been chasing a news story around the Formula 1 paddock which involves a doctor and an invisible being called Harvey. The only difference is that my Harvey "is not a rabbit (although x he gets a wild glint in his eye from time to time), but he is a doctor. We usually sit close to one Dr Harvey Postlethwaite. Postlethwaite is in the news another - if not side-by-side - in because of -his - alleged - the press rooms of the FI world, involvement in a secret Honda but when it comes to news we are Formula 1 project. Spies all over enemies. It is a matter of honour the paddock talk about Harvey to be the first to break a story in doing this and Harvey doing that, Australia (And fortunately Saward generally wins hands down!but he says that he is busy run ning Tyrrell and if you ask him Ed). about Honda he takes on an e often have bizarre conver inscrutable look - probably sations which edge around a learned in the Orient - and says: “I don’t know why people keep subject we wish to keep from the talking about me and Honda” and 'other, but on occasion we discuss .“Where on earth did you dream the news of the moment. And thus it was that we discov up that story from?” He has to do it. ered that we disagreed completely on what was going have not been the only person to happen with the Honda chasing imaginary beings. The planned other day I discovered that my Formula 1 team. rival Mike Doodson was also in We agreed it was pursuit of his own invisible going to happen and Harvey. we agreed that Dr Long-time readers of this mag Harvey Postlethwaite azine may remember Mike as was to be involved. being my predecessor as The main bone of contention was whether or not the Motorsport News’ FI reporter. At the time I was working for project would happen in 1999 or in this magazine’s major rival. 2000 and, while discussing the Eventually a merging of vast pub possibilities, we discovered that I lishing empires saw them under was convinced that the project new management and, shortly would happen in 1999 but I knew after, a new editor was appointed. there was a possibility it would be This was not good news as I delayed; Mike was convinced it discovered that I was suddenly would happen in the year 2000 but working for a man who I had once knew that there was a possibility described, to his face, as being a that circumstances could convince moron - or something similarly the men at Honda to take a risk complimentary. and push ahead in 1999. We concluded that the situa I figured that it would not be long before I would be looking for tion called for a wager. The loser work... would pay for a good dinner What I did not know was that somewhere in the world. one of the big cheeses in the pub Harvey remained impenetrable lishing empire was an old mate of and invisible to both of us, but Mr Doodson’s and - to cut a long Mike decided to tell him about the story short - Mike and I ended up bet and Harvey followed develop switching jobs. ments with interest, despite his declared lack of knowledge of the The funny thing is that, as free lance journalists, we have differ subject. We now know that we were ent deals all around the world, so while we are rivals in Austraiia we both right - which I think means are colleagues working for the that Harvey ought to be paying for dinner - because when we made same magazine in Japan.

the bet Honda had not made up its mind, it could have gone either way. in the end, after a meeting which lasted over 11 hours (which Harvey knew nothing about but is rumoured to have attended), a decision was hammered out. The project was delayed for 12 months. My spies brought me the bad news. Honda had decided that it was too much of a risk. My heart sank ... Mike had won the bet and would gloat about it horribly for months to come. There is not much point say-

with a team which will have had 12 months in which to build itself up and test the cars and drivers. Honda will now enter FI at the same time as BMW joins forces with Williams and expectations will be a lot higher than they are 2 currently - although it is a fair bet B that BMW will make a big song u and dance and take the spotlight g away from the Honda project. < ~ European car manufacturers S' for some reason tend to be a little § arrogant about FI. They think that I the moment they arrive in the upstart sport it will fall to their bril liance. As Mercedes-Benz and aiready in place. Peugeot have discovered, it is not The rflost impressive thing, easy these days. however, has been the way in which the entire project has been experience taught Japanese thathas it is bestthe to so brilliantly disguised. It was Bitter such a well-kept secret that very arrive quietly and not make a lot few people in FI believed it would of fuss until things are going well. In the back of the minds of the be possible for Honda to go Japanese decision-makers must ahead in 1999 - because they had not heard about it. New have been the knowledge that, Formula 1 teams have to place when Honda came into FI for the orders with suppliers, buy things first time in 1964, having dominat and rent factories. It is impossible ed in the world of motorcycling to keep a new team a secret. But racing, there was no hiding Honda and its invisible friends behind teams. The cars were have done it. white with a red rising sun on That is how a new team should them. It was not a success. Honda arrive in Grand Prix racing. From a public had to do a very quiet deal with relations point of Lola for the construction of chas view, arriving in 1999 sis and even then there were only would have been an a couple of wins. Unperturbed, the Japanese amazing coup. A late decision and a late decided to build another in-house announcement car, a lightweight chassis built would have created largely of magnesium, it made its sufficient doubt in debut at Rouen in the hands of Jo the paddock that the project would Schlesser, crashed and caught be a success and so there would fire. Schlesser was killed. Honda’s return to FI in the be no expectations whatsoever, Honda, the press room would 1980s as an engine supplier was chunter, is going to fall flat on its very skilfully handled, with the small Spirit team doing the initial face. development work - to avoid any aking rash promises is not embarrassment or loss of face. intelligent and 1999 offered Keke Rosberg gave WilliamsHonda a points finish in its first the added advantage of coincid ing with the arrival of British race in the autumn of 1983 and American Racing, which has built by July 1984 the combination was up such huge expectations that a winner. The combination was Honda would barely be noticed at completely dominant by the end of 1985. the first race next year. Things are more difficult nowa There was a risk, of course, that Honda would fall flat on its days, but keeping a low profile is once again the policy, establish face because the need for secre ing a competitive organisation cy had meant that the team would not be properly prepared for using western composite chassis 1999. The last thing Honda want technology and feeding in ed was to arrive in Australia next Japanese engineers to learn how it is done. year and fail to qualify. By the time Honda is competi When it comes to big car com panies, caution is the usual route. tive, many of the top people in the Being bold is too dangerous for team will be Japanese - which is the corporate mind-set. And so what was intended. And Harvey Honda will come in the year 2000 will be invisible once again ... n

wrestled with realityfor 35 years, doctor, and Pm happy to state Ifinally won out over it. ing: “The story was right when it was written” and so I admitted defeat and explained to Mike that he had won himself a dinner. We concluded that the only sensible thing to do in the circumstances would be to invite the invisible Dr Harvey to dine with us ...

ow that the dust has settled although it is doubtfui there will be any form of announcement - it is a good moment to analyse whether or not Honda has made the right decision. There is a car designed and it is already being built in Italy. A factory has been found and the major members of staff have already been chosen. Testing could begin in November with a hack chassis, fitted with the Mugen Honda V10 currently being used by Jordan and a new model in February when the new Honda VI0 engine is ready. One of the drivers - Tora Takagi - and most of the sponsorship is

28 August 1998

INTERVIEW %

Villeneuve's bi Jacques Villeneuve has taken the biggest gamble of his career byjoining the brand new British American Racing team for 1999 and beyond. ADAM COOPER spoke to the driverfor whom the unconventional is coventional:

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hen news first broke of Craig Pollock's plans to become a team owner, it was naturaily assumed that Jacques Villeneuve would eventually join up with the man who's steered his career since 1992. The synergy with Craig's partners was perfect, as BAT had backed Jacques in North America in 1993-'95 and for the last two he had been in a Reynard, which is buiiding the BAR F1 cars. It seemed that it was just a question of when rather than if he'd agree to come aboard. However, Viiieneuve insists that it wasn't quite so straightforward to join the team put together by his iongtime friend and manager. "It was easy for everyone to assume that I would go there," says Jacques, "because of the people that were there, and because of Craig. "But it was only in the last two or three weeks [before signing] that we discussed it seriously, because [then] Craig could show me some thing strong enough and make me judge it positiveiy - engine-wise, engineers and whatever. "OK, it's a new team, but

‘‘OK, ifs a new team, but it’s something you can build on. It’s a team which will be capable of winning in their first year. It has a budget, it has the people, the )} technology. It’s got everything.

it's something you can buiid Jacques admits that dur on. It's a team which will be ing his six years with Pollock capable of winning in their he has learned a lot about first year. It has a budget, it the business side of things, has the people, the technol- and that experience proved invaluable when it came ogy. It's got everything." And the driver? down the nitty gritty of get "Hopefully the driver! You ting what he wanted out of said that, not me... BAR. A case of biting the "It's not getting into F1 hand that fed him ... "It has been very useful, iike most other teams, with a smaller budget, taking their yes! It's the first time I had to time. They go in there as a l negotiate myself directly. "I've always had a good big team and the work you do in the first year is to be eye for the tiny words in used in the following sea- between lines on contracts, I son. can pick out these things. 'At Williams it would have Even when Craig was acting been a year of work, a bit on that side. "I learned a lot in these like this year, to nothing, because in 2000 there's a years. It was like a game, new engine again. I wasn't because there's a lot of willing to do a one-year deal respect between Craig and for an in-between season. myself, and we're friends, so "But there were other we wouidn't start lying to contacts in the pitlane, some each other and doing nega tive things. It was fun, but It very interesting ones..." was hard." And Jacques didn't want Those boostcertainly his market helped value. to to make it too easy for his Jacques may not fit in with oid pal? the corporate image, but "Or vice versa. We both rumour suggests that fought, shook hands, and McLaren was keen. v that's it." "There are rumours about- _ that, really?," he smiles mis iileneuve admits that this chievously. season has swayed his "The thing is, we got our opinion. Had he been chal deal together pretty early lenging for the title again this and I think it was a-little bit year, it would have been too early for everybody. Now much harder to opt out of an I can concentrate more on on-form Williams team in this year. I don't have to 1999. spend two months fighting "Definitely, of course. You with Frank, fighting with want to be winning and if Craig, fighting with every you're not winning, then you body else in the paddock - want to be in a situation Ron Dennis, for example. I where you can work towards can just concentrate on the winning on a long-term driving and try and get back basis. to our winning ways." "Williams is a very good team; they're working hard and we're making progress. It's just that I didn't want an interim year. "I've never spent more than three years in the same team anyway, in all of my racing career. Something new is always good and

generally you always end up working better. Now we're working well with Williams, but we're just lagging behind a bit." Villeneuve Although impressed a lot of people last year, he still suffered from 'Damon syndrome' in that many observers thought he'd just been lucky enough to step into the winning car. This he's caught the season eye for different rea sons; despite the problems, he's still giving his all, fight ing as hard to get into the points as he did to win last year. Is he driving better than ever now? "Probably, but not every race. If you look at Jerez last year, I was very proud of that race myself. But this year most of the races have been fights, where every lap you have to be on the limit. There's not one lap in the race where you slow down. And I think that's been good." Have there been times when only he and the team knew how hard he'd been pushing? "Mostly early in the sea son. I think that in the latter part people have noticed that we're not giving up and we're fighting every week end, and sometimes we're even doing a good job. "The fourth place in Imola was good, although it was only for a few points. Monaco and Magny-Cours were good weekends also. Silverstone started well but then I made the wrong call ... I came in the pits one lap early and one lap too late and was caught between two tyres. We're still OK. I think we've made-.progress." And with five races to go, is there still a chance to win one? "Yes. I believe it, and we'll work hard for that.' ■

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BEDTIME STORIES: The things they do for publicity Jacques conducts a bedside interview with the BBC's Melanie Sykes on the grid at Silverstone.

28August m

How Pollock got his man N

egotiations between assumed, he couldn't team bosses and dri promise BAT that Jacques ver managers are would come aboard. Had never quite straightfomvard, this year’s FW20 been a especially when they are winner, it would have been the same person! It’s easy particularly hard to get him to imagine a Pythonesque in the first year. "He would have been scenario with Craig Pollock changing hats and swap thinking twice. I think he ping from one end of the has been thinking twice, because he's been head table to the other, making and rejecting the same hunted by other top teams, offer. So what was the out right down to the last sec come of the talks? ond. Some very interesting 'Too bloody expensive!," teams. smiles Pollock. "He got what he wanted, he got what he merited. was a pain "He was represented in the arse.jy by his lawyer from Monaco and the team was represented by its The reality is that, until internal lawyer, along with the package was put Rick Gome. At the final together, there was no stages I came in to tidy guarantee that Jacques » everything up. It was noth was going to come. ing to do with Stellar "I always hoped that I could convince him, but I Management [Pollock's company], and we took wouldn't have proposed it away all conflicts." to Jacques if I didn't think I Craig admits that could put together a pack Jacques has learned a lot age that was going to be over the years and knew seriously competitive. And that all that knowledge he's going to be part of that would be used against him. package. "He was a pain in the 'The decisive thing that arse," he jokes."Jacques opened up the gates for me has always been a fantastic to go and negotiate [with negotiator, and he's always Villeneuve] was the engine. been fantastic at looking at "But where Jacques is contracts. He's a clever kid. concerned, it's also a ques So, yes, I was proud of him tion of personalities. He had in the end." confidence in us, he knows The deal was finally that we'll get on well. And cemented in Monaco at it's a question of working in 2am, although, having an atmosphere that he’ll made his points, Jacques enjoy. had snuck off to bed three "Maybe he doesn't enjoy hours earlier. After ail, he the atmosphere at the had to be back at work the moment as much as he thinks he will with us. following morning. Craig insists that, Jacques is very much like that." n despite what we've always

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FUTURE RIVALS: Eddie Jordan talks with

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(Photo by Allsport)

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28August 1998

FORMULA 1

Simply brilliant Report by JOE SAWARD

bu can say that Michael Schumacher won in Hungary _ __ because he is brilliant; you can put his victoiy down to a great strate gy from Ferrari; you can say that McLaren made tactical errors or you can credit the victory to great tyres from Goodyear. The fact is that Schumacher’s 32nd Grand Prix victoiy - putting him out right thii’d in the all-time ydnners’ list - was the result ofa combination of all these factors. Which was the most significant? Probably the tyres as Schumacher could consistently push his lap times down into the lml9s. The list of fastest race laps says it all; the three fastest drivers in the race were all on Goodyear’s harder tyre compound...

Qualifying Formula 1 people races which take part close love to big colourful cities. Everyone likes Melbourne and Montreal and in August the midsum mer favourite is Budapest. The weath er is usually gloriously hot and the girls of eastern Europe always greet FI with open arms. COUNT YOUR FINGERS, MIKA!... Schumacher and Hakkinen before the serious business commenced. There is no comparison now to the old Budapest before the Berlin Wall $2.5m - to rebuild the pit buildings, does not get very much use and so that the McLarens were well ahead of came down. Nowadays you have to increasing the width of the pits, the tends to be very dusty in the arid sum the game and that tyres were not real mer heat. The more the cars circulate, ly playing that big a part in proceedconcentrate if you want to see one of pitlane and the main straight - high mgs. the smoky old Trabants which used to lighting the value of the race to the more rubber goes down and the Both drivers opted for the soft rub faster the track gets. infest the.roads. Today everyone has a . touiisrp. , ber and they dominated qualifying, flash little Volkswagen, Opel or even a The circuit itself was changed only BMW. > ecause the track is so lacking in ending up nearly four-tenihs clear of slightly and so retains its twisty and difficult nature. 'grip and temperatures can vary, the nearest challenger - as ever, But the onslaught of western capi Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari, who It is the slowest of the FI circuits the choice oftyres is very difficult and talism has also had negative effects on Hungary. Tourism may be booming these days, slower even than Monaco, teams have to either take a big risk or was on the harder ofthe Goodyears. but so is sfreet crime and from time to and you wfll often hear drivers mut Hakkinen won the battle again, agree to have one driver on the prime sneaking in a tenth ahead of time bombs go off in and around the tering about the Hungaroring being tyre and the second on the option. Coulthardy who complained about In fact it is largely down to luck and city as one lot of men in black hats try Hke Monaco without the buildings and to wipe out another lot for control of barriers. This means that overtaking good weather forecasting because the traffic. Michael Schumacher was third to the Rice Crispy market on the lower is very difficult and that in turn need to choose tyres at lunchtime on East side ofthe city. means that qualifying becomes more Saturday dictates what one will be the McLarens in aU the sessions, but able to do 26 hours later in the race his qualifying session was not easy. All over the country there is major important than at most other events. Michael had to abort his first nm But it is also rather bizarre because when conditions may be very differinvestment going on to build new ent. after dreing slowed by Heinz-Harald everyone saves up their best for the roads and upgrade the once magnifi McLaren decided that, whatever Frentzen and then made a mistake on cent palaces and public buildings of dying minutes of the qualifying ses sion and then complains about traffic the weather, the cars could survive on bis second run. His third run was his the Hapsburg Empire. A lot of money has also been poured because everyone is falling over one Bridgestone’s soft lyres and both Mika best, but he failed to improve on the Hakkinen and David Coulthard were fourth because of a setting change into the Hungaroring in recent years. another to get a quick lap. The logic in this is that the circuit fastest in all the sessions. It was clear which did not work. This year the government spent

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McLARENS ON THE MOVE...But their early pace was soon thwarted and the relentless Schumacher moved in to win.

(Photo by Nigel Snowdon)

‘We did not expect to challenge for pole position,” he said, “so we concen trated on finding a good race set-up. Therefore I am satisfied with our work. I can have a good race. With the right strategy we have a chance tomorrow.” Schumacher’s showing was pai-ticularly impressive when compared to that ofIrvine. Eddie had opted for the softer ofthe Goodyear compounds but was still a frill second behind the German, which was a bttle strange given that he has looked to be getting closer to Michael in recent weeks. Starting fifth on soft rubber was not a great situation to be m. “I hope it will be much hotter tomorrow,” he said. “My tyres will work better in those conditions.” Between the two Ferraiis was their favourite driver, Damon Hill, who had chosen to go with soft Goodyears on his Jordan-Mugen Honda and was hopeful ofa podium finish.

alf Schumacher was less than a _ lecond behind Damon, but so competitive is tbe middle order at the moment that he was down in 10th place, having used hard tyres like brother Michael. Halfwas disappointed but reckoned that this might work in his favour on Sunday if the temperatures were

higher.

“I struggled with understeer,” explained Raff,“but I think we will be good in the race.” Starting from 10th, however, on a track where overtaking is very limit ed does not usually lead to a good result... Sixth and seventh on the grid were the two Williams cars of Jacques Villeneuve and Heinz-Harald Frentzen. Both the Williams boys were nmning on hard Goodyears and the French-Canadian was 0.7s ahead of the German, who was suffering from a stomach upset. Jacques felt that he would be able to take on the Ferraiis, but it did not turn out that way in the final session. He felt that the car was right for his final qualifying run but this was dis rupted by traffic problems. “Both Damon and hvine were a bit surprising,” Jacques said. ‘It is a bit disappointing that we didn’t get them.” Frentzen said he was happy with the performance of the car but not very happy with how he had done. It was the ffiplomatic thing to say when you are fr^g to hold onto yom- seat with the team for next season. Eighth and ninth were the two Benettons, with the new long wheel base configm-ation providing a little more stabihty, indicating that, apart from the McLarens, this was not a good day for Bridgestone. Both Giancarlo Fisichella and Alexander Wurz used hard Bridgestones and they ended up sepa rated by one-hrmdredth of a second. Fisichella went offon his first flying lap and had to take over the spare carwhile Wurz did a good job on his fii-st VIsit to Hungary in an FI car. He reckoned he would have done better if there had not been traffic at tire end ofthe session. The top 10 positions were therefore filled by five teams and behind them there were some surprises, notably the good showing by Arrows, but nei ther of Tom Walkinshaw’s cars was able to beat Jean Alesi’s Sauber

CAN HE DO m unlikely victory c Michael Schurrn contention for ai (Photos by

Sauber did nooccasion, with Herbert both de Goodyear rubber. The drivers cc steer, Herbert h: there was some c team over how mi the car which me bled out into the r could not do bettei As has become i rather frustrated. Diniz achieved his time despite a Alesi was slightly better off, but problem with something in his eye 11th on the grid was still not a star which required a visit to the medical tling performance. The Saubers seem to have slipped into the team’s usual centre after the morning session. mid-season malaise. ' The Stewart team was disappoint “The only way ahead is to keep up ed to be 14th and 17th. Jos Verstappen was the slower of the hard work and keep pushing,” the two but reckoned he would have mumbled Alesi. Pedro Diniz and Mika Salo were done a lot better if he had not suffered 12th and 13th, showing once again " an engine failure in the Saturday that if the Arrows had a little more morning session. He was not helped when he ran into the back of Ricardo power the tars would be quite useful.

Rosset’s Tyrrell when the Brazilian braked earlier than expected. Barrichello complained of traffic and reckoned that if he had had a clear lap he could have been as high as 12th on the grid. The Stewart team was hoping that good reliability would help them get a good result... In big trouble were the two ProstPeugeots with Jamo Trulli down in 16th position and Olivier Panis in

20th.

Trulli had lost a lot of time on Friday when he went off and was try ing to catch up throughout Saturday. Panis was notthat a'happy bunny all, complaining the car wasatvery difficult over the bumps and that he was not able to find a good balance. The team tried to play down the disappointment, but their thoughts are already beginning to turn to next year - which is probably a wise idea

as the APOl is never going to be a great car. Tyrrell did not look as good as one might have expected at the Hungaroring. The car usually goes well on tracks where handling is a premium and power is not vital. On this occasion, though, Tora Takagi seemed to be strugghng and ended up 18th, not helped by the fact that he had gone off in the morning session.

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FORMULA -|

28 August!998

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DISAPPOINTING... The Benetions were note factor. This Is FIsIchella, who finished out of the points. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Allsport) IN DEMAND... Mike Hakkinen was the centre of the media’s attention after taking pole position. (Photo by Nigel Snowdon) Ricardo Rosset failed to qualify, unable to get under the 107 percent limit. He complained that the car was handling very badly over the bumps, which was obvious when you watched his car in comparison to Takagi’s. Clearly the two drivers had gone in very different directions in terms of set-up. Down at the back were the two Minardis with Shinji Nakano making the most of his experience to beat Esteban Tuero, the two split by Fanis’s Frost.

push even harder to build up a gap.” By the ninth lap he was nearly three seconds ahead. It looked as though David would also leave Schumacher behind as the gap grew to a second but as the stint continued it became clear that Michael could hold the McLaren pace. The three leaders quickly left Irvine behind, although Eddie showed that he had the abihty to go fast when he set the fastest lap of the race up to that point on lap seven. But Eddie’s race was short-lived because a few laps later he lost fourth and fifth gears and came trolling into Race-77 laps the pits to retire. “I cannot complain as this is my cast but this did notcool much Sunday morning was andaffect over first mechanical failure ofthe season,” the McLarens, which dominated the he said.“It is a.shame.” The first pit stops did not begin warm-up. Frentzen seemed to be a,little until lap 24 of 77 and the timing sug healthier and was third quickest in gested that the frontrunners were the session, but as the morning went going to go for a two-stop strategy. The Ferrari pit crew all popped out on the track and air temperature rose V degree by degree and the paddock on lap 18 but had gone back into the began to wonder whether the right garages. It looked as though the Ferrari strategists were thinking choice was a soft tyre or a hard tyre. about a three-stop race but changed The question of strategy was hope lessly confusing. Could the their mind. When it had all settled down again Bridgestone soft tyres go for only two after the first stops it was the same stops? Would a hard Goodyear sur vive a one-stop race? No-one really order as it had been before and the knew. gaps were not startlingly different, Sometimes the start of a race gives except that Schumacher was able to away a few clues about the strategy eat up the gap to Coulthard with ease and then spent the next few laps has involved, but not this time. Hakkinen, Coulthard and sling the McLaren driver. It was clear that Michael had the Schumacher got away in grid order while Hill was beaten into the first faster car but sitting behind David he was not going to achieve anything. comer by a forceful Irvine. Behind Damon, the two Williams Give him a clear track and his lap boys slotted in cleanly while times would tumble. The Ferrari boffins numberFisicheUa made a poor getaway and was overtaken by both Wurz and crunched quickly and worked out that there would not be much traffic in the AJesi. As we have come to expect, way if the did a quick stop and so Hakkinen began to bang in a series of Michael was called in. “I was not quite sure if our plan fastest laps as he tried to build an would work out,” said Schumacher advantage over Coulthard and Schumacher, but he did not pull away later. The stop sent McLaren engineers a great deal until the fourth lap. message they needed. “I had David in my mirrors all the the time so I was driving more or less flat Schumacher was going for three stops. How would they react? It took out,” admitted Mika.‘T felt quite com fortable about that. Then I decided to only a lap for the boffcs to conclude

that being ahead of Schumacher on the road was the best place to be because catching a slower car at the Hungaroring is one thing, but passing is a different story. If Hakkinen and Coulthard could be put out ahead of Michael they would block his progress and the Ferrari plan would be destroyed. Coulthard came in on lap 44, but Schumacher’s pace after his stop had been blisteringly quick - he set two consecutive fastest laps, both in the lml9s - and David emerged behind the Ferrari. Two laps later, Hakkinen was pulled in. As he emerged from the pits, the Ferrari went steaming by. Michael was in the lead!

This was notbut a complete disaster for McLaren, in the course of the next five laps, the Ferrari built a lead of 10 seconds and Coulthard came on the radio saying he was being held up by Hakkinen and could go much faster. Hakkinen was having handling trouble. Before the pit stops he had been lapping on old tyres in the midlm21s but when he re-emerged from the pits he could do no better than lm22.2s on new tyres. Coulthard closed up behind him and was trapped. On lap 49 David lost arormd seven-tenths of a second; on lap 50 it was the same stoiy and on lap 51 he lost a full second. On lap 52 David went ahead - pre sumably given the go-ahead over the radio by the team. Getting ahead cost him another two seconds. Those few laps behind Hakkinen had cost between four and five sec onds, which would have been invalu able 10 laps later. Once clear, David went into a series of laps in the lm21s again, but could not keep up with Schumacher’s pace. SICK... HeinzHarald Frentzen was very ill before the race and was hospi talised after it. ...AND SORRY... David Couithard inspects damage to his McLaren after going off in practice (above right) before scoring second in the race (right), having lost critical time behind a troubled Hakkinen. (Photos by Flpicturenel, Michael Cooper/Allsport and Nigel Snowdon)

“He was just too quick,” admitted David. “I couldn’t push the tyres any harder because they seemed to be on the limit in what I could take from the front tyres under braking and from the rear tyres under acceleration.” Schumacher was pushing so hard that on lap 52 he made a mistake and went off the road, bouncing across the grass but getting back onto the tar mac without damaging the car. He was then back on the throttle again and by lap 62 had built a gap of around 25s. The stop was a good one and he managed to get back onto the track three or four seconds before Coulthard arrived. If David had got there first Michael would have been stuck behind him

and the story of the race would have been very different. The time lost behind Hakkinen had ruined his chances... And so Michael drove to the finish to score one of his most dramatic vic tories while Coulthard struggled home in second, trying to get his tyres to last the distance. Hakkinen’s handling deteriorated more and more - probably the result of a shock absorber or differential problem - and he dropped back through the field. On lap 67 Jacques ViUeneuve pushed him back to fourth place and four laps later he was over taken by both HiU and Frentzen. On the last lap he was lapped by Schumacher’s flying Ferrari. He could add only one point to his

^®0®[F8[^[70^ had a new chassis at my disposal in Hungary, Red Buli Sauber Petronas C17 number seven, but unfortunately it didn't do much to change my wretched luck. But, look ing on the bright side, i made some good progress on set-up which is going to pay off next time out. Prior to the Hungarian GP I had gone down to Jerez for some testing together with our test driver, Jorg Muller. The irony was that we were working in an ambient tempera ture down there of 41 degrees C, while the track temperature was 54! That was all in expectation of the usual humid conditions that prevail at the Hungaroring. And yeah, you guessed it, the weather in Hungary caught us all on the hop. It actually rained for free practice on Friday morning, and I’m reliably informed that the last time it did that for the Grand Prix was the same session back in 1988. A fair few people ventured out, but Jean and I did only a few laps each. Part of the reason in my case was that my car had developed a cracked exhaust, which took a while to repair. But even without that - yet another Friday morning with a problem for me - there wasn’t much point in running when it was wet because even if it rained on Saturday, the track would by then have had so much extra rubber laid down that it wouldn’t have been anything like it was on Friday morning. By the afternoon the track was bone dry, though the sky remained uncharacteristically overcast. Halfway through the session we made a couple of changes to my new chas sis which helped the grip and improved its balance slightly. But my main problem once more was a poor downchange in the gearbox. Yet again

HUNGARIAN GP

% 28August 1998

HARD DAY AT THE OFFICE... Johnny is comforted by teammate Alesi as they return to the team compound after a difficult race. the electronic ‘blipper’, which boosts the revs to smooth out the change, wasn’t working consistently. This upset the car under brak ing and made it very tricky to drive. On the positive side I was 11th fastest, even though I had only used one set of tyres, unlike some of those ahead of me. Qualifying nightmare me because was I onlyanother made 15th fastestfortime, but in retrospect I would say that this time I all rendered academic when I hit traffic in the sowed the seeds of my downfall myself. The second timed segment, so that chance was Cl7 was again twitchy during the morning’s screwed, too. free practice and I had a spin, which dam It was damned frustrating, especially aged the undertray. since the Hungaroring is one of those tracks We changed a couple of things a little for on which it is almost impossible to pass any qualifying and after my first run we did anoth body who doesn’t want to be passed. er change, which unfortunately made the car worse. That wasn’t part of the plan. I spun at I said, I spoiled by trying a the second corner and ruined my second run Like set-up gamble that qualifying didn’t come off. For as a result. the raceday warm-up we reverted to stan Back in the pits there was then a frustrat dard and, hey presto!, the car was good ing period of uncertainty whether we had again. I was quicker than Jean, which made time to make more changes, or enough fuel qualifying all the more annoying. to do two more timed laps as opposed to I made a good start in the race, but Ralf one. Schumacher and I got bottled up behind In the end I just had to go for it, but it was Pedro Diniz in the Arrows for the first 23 laps

World Championship tally. Suddenly choice of soft Goodyear rubber had Hakkinen is only seven points ahead. not been as good as Villeneuve’s hard “Well, at least it makes for a more 'compound. He managed to stay ahead exciting World Championship,” for the first two stints but Villeneuve smiled a resigned Hakkinen. got past during the second stops. Villeneuve wds happy with his “Evqry time I pulled away from third place, particularly as it came him he was able to close up again,” after losing his power-steering early said Damon. “Eventually he was able in the race. to pass me.” “Fortunately I have been training It was not such a good day for Half hard,” he said after man-handling the Schumacher, who made a poor start car all the way. and paid for it for the rest of the day. But Jacques was bright as a but His lap times were strong when he ton after the race in comparison to was free from traffic but he had to Heinz-Harald Frentzen, who admit make do with 9th place. ted after the race that he had driven It would have been 10th if on adrenaline alone. He had not Herbert had not spun three laps eaten for two days and after the race from the finish. needed medical attention. Fifth It was not a bad day for Sauber, place in the circumstances was a however, as Alesi came home 7th very brave result. after a race-long battle with the two Damon Hill was delighted with his Benetton drivers. In the early laps fourth place but reckoned that his Jean was sandwiched between the

Benettons but he made a mistake on lap 21 and went wide, allowing FisicheUa to get ahead. Jean caught up and at the second pit stop was able to get out ahead of FisicheUa and go after Wurz again. They were battling for 7th when Alexander went out with transmis sion failure on lap 70. FisicheUa sur vived to finish 8th. “There is no use in denying it has been a disappointing race for the team,” said team boss David Richards. The rest the field was two laps down onoflOth-placed Herbert, led by Diniz in the only surviving Arrows. Salo went out with a gearbox fail ure after 18 laps, having spent the early laps running in Diniz’s slip stream. Panis brought his disappointing Prost home 12th while teammate Trulli retired with an engine failure on lap 29. Verstappen made it home in 13th, but it was a drab day for Stewart Grand Piix, Rubens Barrichello going out after 54 laps with gearbox failure. Takagi managed to bring his Tyrrell home in 14th and it was a similar story at Minardi with Nakano pottering home in 15th after being badly delayed by a jammed refuelling valve. Tuero had less to be happy about, retiring at the start of lap 14 with an engine failure. After the race there was much cele brating down at Goodyear. In Hungary last year Bridgestone came very close to winning its first GP with Damon Hill’s Arrows. Although he retired at the last minute and Goodyear honour was saved, it was an embarrassing day for the American tyre company. A year on, Goodyear’s dominant tyres helped Schumacher to overcome a car disadvantage. Bridgestone did not know what had hit them. Schumacher and Villeneuve went out of their way to mention how good the tyres had been ... and yet Goodyear is still planning to pull out ofthe sport at the end ofthe year. No-one in FI understands the logic of the decision-makers in Akron - but perhaps Schumacher’s victory will sway the crazy decision... n

and lost one hell of a lot of time. Once I got by, the car felt very good and my times were competitive. Thankfully the team’s strategy was very intelligent, and a blend of a short middle stint and two very quick pit stops helped me get ahead of Ralf, who'd virtually disappeared after passing Diniz on lap 21. I was headed for ninth, but in the closing stages my tyres were shagged and I lost it on the penultimate corner, so Ralf retook ninth. It was a reasonable race in the circum stances, and a finish. More importantly, it’s given me a good set-up direction. Roll on Spa, where hopefully we’ll be able to race our more powerful ‘qualifying’ engine.

Hungarian Grand Prix World Championship, round 12 Hungaroring, August 16th, 1998- 77 laps 1 Michael Schumacher, Ferrari F300, 1 h45m25,550s 2 David Coulthard, McLaren-Mercedes MP4/13, 1h45m34,983s 3 Jacques Villeneuve, Williams-Mecachrome FW20,1 h46m09,994s 4 Damon HiH, Jordan-Mugen-Honda 198, 1h46m20,626s 5 H.H. Frentzen, Williams-Mecachrome FW20, 1 h46m22,060s 6 Mika Hakkinen, McLaren-Mercedes MP4/13, 76 laps 7 Jean Alesi, Sauber-Petronas Cl 7, 76 laps 8 Giancarlo FisicheUa, Benetton-Mecachrome B198, 76 laps 9 Ralf Schumacher, Jordan-Mugen-Honda 198, 76 laps 10 Johnny Herbert, Sauber-Petronas Cl 7, 76 laps 11 Pedro Diniz, Arrows A19, 74 laps 12 Olivier Panis, Prost-Peugeot AP01, 74 laps 13 Jos Verstappen, Stewart-Ford SF2, 74 laps 14 Tora Takagi, Tyrrell-Ford 026, 74 laps 15 Shinji Nakano, Minardi-Ford Ml 98, 74 laps 16 Alexander Wurz, Benetton-Mecachrome B198, 69 laps. DNF Fastest Lap: Schumacher, 1m19,286s, Lap 60 Lap Leaders: Lap 1-46 Hakkinen; Lap 47-77 Schumacher Retirements: Lap 13 Esteban Tuero, Minardi-Ford Ml98, gearbox Lap 13 Eddie Irvine, Ferrari F300, gearbox Lap 18 Mika Salo, Arrows A19, hydraulics Lap 28 Jarno Trulli, Prost-Peugeot AP01, electrical Lap 54 Rubens Barrichello, Stewart-Ford SF2, gearbox Lap 69 Alexander Wurz, Benetton-Mecachrome B198, gearbox World Championship Drivers' standings: 1 Hakkinen 77; 2 M.Schumacher 70; 3 Coulthard 48; 4 Irvine 32; 5 Villeneuve 20;6 Wurz 17; 7 FisicheUa 15; 8 Frentzen 10;9 Hill 6; 10 Barrichello and R.Schumacher4; 12 Salo and Alesi 3; 14 Herbert, Diniz and Magnussen 1 Constructors' Championship standings: 1 McLaren-Mercedes 125; 2 Ferrari 102;3 Benetton-Mecachrome 32; 4 Williams-Mecachrome 30; 5 Jordan-Mugen-Honda 10; 6 Stewart-Ford 5; 7 Arrows-Hart and Sauber-Petronas 4

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INTERVIEW

28AuguslW98

He came back, he saw, he conquered. Now Craig Lowndes is looking ahead with the realisation that at 24 his FI dream may he over. He spoke with DAVID HASSALL: MOTORSPORT NEWS: It’s my view that you were driving better this year than I’ve ever seen you before. You were fast and aggres sive, but very controlled. Do you think that was the case? CRAIG LOWNDES:Yeah, I think after last year my racecraft and my attitude to a race weekend has been refined or been cleaned up a lot from what it was in 1996. During a race I’m definitely thinking a lot more than I was in '96. Then it was more of a bully front thing - go fast and see what happens. But now it’s sort of go fast for qualifying and see where we end up and then pian our race. I’m a lot better driver than I was in 1996.

little mistake and you were through, without having to bang wheels. CL: I was hoping! The car itself all year has been really... I should say the speed of the car wasn’t quite there in qualifying, but it has the speed in the race. The car was always good enough in a race to harass people lap after lap after lap and wait for them to make the mis take before I did. On the reverse role, I always had a good enough car that if someone was on my tail I could keep a consistent speed and lap time so I didn’t have to wring its neck and create a problem.

MN:So you think the overseas MN: In particular I noticed that you experience definitely benefited you? could drive right up someone’s CL: Yeah, I think it has. It’s bene khyber for whole laps at a time, like i’ve never seen before, is there fited me in a lot of ways. It’s just now showing what it has done for me. I any secret to that? CL: It stems from overseas where guess going into Oran Park-the the racing is like that. And, because 'pressure on myself and Russell Ingall was... I can’t speak for Russell, but I it’s an open-wheeler, obviously you was handling it a lot better than I was can’t afford to touch or bang wheels. in the same position in ’96. 1 was able A few times I did last year and I paid to relieve the pressure a lot and still the penalty by having problems with focus on what I was doing and not let the car. I think driving like that was what I was used to overseas. I guess the media get to me. it may be intimidation, it could be just MN:Is that because of experience trying to bully someone into trouble as well. or because you’ve won [the title] before so there wasn’t as much MN: Well, it seemed to work. There pressure on you? CL: I think there was a bit of seemed to be a number of times everything there. I’d won it before when you did that. You just put and I went into the weekend the that pressure on, being so ciose same way I approach any other that eventuaily they’d just make a

Photo by

'ck Wilson,Aiisport

weekend. I didn’t have to think about winning my first touring car champi onship. I guess that helped, but also the pressure that I had on me last year with a lot of things outside racing as well as racing... the pressure I had on me at Oran Park was nothing like it, so I think I was able to deal with it and put it out of my mind as well. MN:So there was a lot of pressure on you last year? CL: Well, there was a lot of pres sure on me outside of racing. I think that’s where I suffered a lot. The rac ing itsfelf was just as hard as I expect ed, but really, outside of the cockpit, there was a lot more pressure and a lot of things that went on around me that I wasn’t used to. The team here (MHRT) probably kept it from me [in 1996]and I guess I was going over there a bit blind. When I was in that situation I wasn’t used to it and maybe wasn’t ready for it.

MN: What sort of pressures? CL: Dealing with team problems, dealing with trying to get the equip ment that I wanted, dealing in a differ ent language. There were a lot of things there that built up over the year that really, here in Australia, you wouldn’t face. For example, my engineer last year wanted to change the driveshafts between Pau and Helsinki because both circuits were very ^ bumpy. It was just maintenance; we iust wanted to put two new drive-

SMOKIN’: Craig does his signature burn-out after clinching the touring car title at Oran Park earlier this month. (Photo by Marshall Cass)

o Ul

Porsche 944 S2 Sjieedster, extensively modified for competition use. Carbon fibre Imdy jtanels, chrome-moly welded in cage, full bearing suspension, Proflex shocks, dual springs. Tilton , Brembo discs/callipers. Motec controlled variopedal box. motor,6 speed box and more. Car was Imilt by Cameron McLean and is fastidiously juepared to exacting detail. > ah Phone for price & detail sheet to 07.5503 1733 hh or 0i 5504 5t2

shafts in, which we had, and they refused him. So there were situations there that wouldn’t have happened here in Australia. And may not happen in other teams over there. There were things that happened over there out side the cockpit that I wasn’t aware of and I wasn’t used to dealing with. MN:You feel as though you got screwed,do you? CL: Yeah,a little bit. As soon as [new engineer] Alan McCall came on the scene a lot of the pressure on me went straight away. He took that pressure and the responsibility of making sure the car was right. It’s not easy to come in halfway through the season but he came across at a real-

CRAIG LOWNDES

28August im

lOWNDE WINS 19981

!^-vv $

READ ALL ABOUT IT: Two championships contested; two tities. The Kid certainiy has a great iocai record. (Photo by Marshall cass) J

P*<'‘

●V

along those lines? Even John Crennan or Tom Walkinshaw or potential sponsors? CL; I’ve spoken to John and I think John’s spoken to Tom and we’ve kicked that scenario around. They both knew that’s where I want ed to go. They’re iooking at a side of it. I don’t know how prosperous it wili be at the moment. It was hard for them in '96 to come up with the money. Back then we hit the Australian scene, we’d won the championship without anyone think ing I would even win a race. We went on to win Sandown and Bathurst, we set it all alight and still couldn’t come up with the money we needed. I’m being a iittle more realistic than I was in '96 and, I guess,saying that it’s stiii a possibility, but unless there’s peo ple who are willing to put the money up there’s no way I’ll get back.

but it didn’t happen. I’m not going to think about it or lose sleep over it. MN: After winning the title at Oran Park, you said it was more satisfy ing than it had been in 1996. Do you still feel that way? CL: I think so. This year was a lot harder than '96 and the competition is a iot deeper. Cars are a lot closer and you have to work a lot harder to get the end result. This year has been more satisfying because I’ve been able to take it all on board. In ’96 we had to make it happen, had to make a name for myself and that was the reason why we had the opportunity of going overseas. But this year the pressure's been a iot less because I’d already done it and I was able to sit down and relax and

I w ould love to drive a

MN:So at the age of 24, it’s possible that you’ve driven your last open-whdeler race? CL: Possibly, yeah. I think it’s a good possibility, only for the fact of money. Even in the future I think you’ll still find a lot of drivers will suffer the same fate.

-4 t

iy difficult time in my career and really turned it around for me. Up until that stage we hadn’t had any good performances, and we hadn’t scored any points. I was start ing to doubt myself and whether we were able to do it overseas, but as soon as he came on board had a fourth. We scored our first champi onship points and from then on it was a lot easier. A lot of things lifted from my shoulders. MN: Would it be much different if you went back and did it again and you didn’t have the team right behind you? You can have some body taking the pressure off you and dealing with the problems, but if the team’s not prepared to give

♦ National Race

you the equipment anyway, are you going to get shafted regard less? CL: I think you always will. I think ifs difficult for Australian people to go over there without an advisor or someone who’s used to dealing with the public over there and the European scene. Ifs hard to know whether you’re getting the right equipment because you... I guess, coming from Australia and going into a team that didn’t understand English a lot, you’d always get shafted. Nevertheless, having that experi ence last year and having good per formances again this year, if I had the opportunity to go back I think we could make It a lot better than last time. If we had that second opportu-

MN: Is there any chance of that happening? Is that a realistic expectation for next year? CL: Well, there is a chance. The contacts I made over there from last year are still there and still willing to give me a go with different teams in different countries, but, really, the main factor is money. No team can survive without it and I can’t drive a car without it, either. Thafs what it comes back to. MN: Have you spoken to anyone

nothiny without

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nity, we’d change a lot of things around. We’d make smarter deci sions on teams, cars, drivers, the whole works would be completely dif ferent.

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Formula but if ifs not to be^ ifs not to be and welljust keep going the way we are.

MN: How do you feel about that? CL: I’m very comfortable with the V8 Supercars. Ifs a category that I’ve fitted into quite nicely and ifs a great feeling to be at home, but I would have loved to have driven a Formula 1. 1 won’t give up the hope, but as the yeans roll on that hope will start to get smaller and smaller. We’ve really just got to wait and see. I guess it is dis appointing but i’ll just have to keep my seat in an open-wheeler, whether ifs a Formula Holden or something, and just see what happens. MN: It’s ironical that your old team boss, Helmut Marko, was at Oran Park to see you win the champi onship. Did you get a chance to speak to him? CL: I didn’t really speak to him. I said hello to he and his son on my way to a driver’s briefing. I guess it would have been nice to sit down and have a chat to him... me being more happy in the environment that I was in and him outside of his envi ronment ... It would have been nice.

ntr€>!

Pirelli ‘controls’ Porsche Cup & GTP at Winton Congratulations to Ed Aitken, winner of Porsche Cup Race 1 & 2 and Rodney Forbes, left, GTP Race 2 winner

soak it up on the way through. This year has been a iot better for me than 1996. MN; Before the season, there were plenty of people predicting that Mark Skaife was going to blow you away. You must have been worried about that yourself at the time. CL: No, not really, having dealt with a similar situation last year where Montoya was superior over me. He’s a great driver. Mark’s had a couple of years away from the mainstream side of it. He’s obviously been in and out of racing and he was very hungry to rectify that. Also I was very eager to get back to a winning streak and get back to where we were in '96. I’ve learnt a lot from Mark in respect to qualifying. Mark’s out-qual ified me the majority of times this year and he’s unbelievable the way he can pull a time. His skill in that area is very superior over mine. I came to Oran Park and was able to use his system and get the same

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INTERVIEW

28AugusU998

result. I've learnt a lot off Mark and Mark and I have got on very well over the year and are now looking forward to the long distance racing. 1 think Mark has helped me enormously dur ing the year, more than he’d think he has.

ished fourth on the day. Bridgestone have faults in their tyres as well. When it comes to drizzly conditions and it gets damp, we suffer a lot com pared to a Dunlop. It’s just the way thejyre’s designed and it’s probably the way it will always be. I think it may hurt the category more going to a control tyre. I'm not exactly sure of the situation because I’m not on the panel, but I think if we do go to a control tyre it will hurt the category.

MN:Probably more than he intended! CL: Yeah, exactlyl MN; Did it just come down to the starts, do you think? The champi onship might have turned out dif ferently if Mark had been able to get off the line more consistently. CL: Definitely. Mark’s qualifying has been superior over mine. Unfortunately, he just hasn’t been able to turn them into race wins. I think if he’d at least been able to get consistent starts, definitely the cham pionship would have changed. A lot of things have happened this year, but if he had better starts, we could have been fighting a three-way battle at Oran Park. MN: Do you feel as though you outraced him or was it simply the starts? You must have looked at the data and looked at the figures. Did you race better than him? CL: I’m not sure I raced better. There were a few times there he out drove me. Definitely my starts were better than his. My first three laps of a race are always my strongest ones and I’ve been able to get that gap and really control the race from then on, but Mark has,from that third lap on, been very strong and always been able to come back. I’ve definite ly been in a better situation because of those first three laps.

Mobil□

MN:It seems as though some thing has to be done,though, doesn’t it? CL: Definitely, something has to be done, but I don’t know whether a control tyre is the fix. Privateers run on control tyres, but look at the gap between the leading privateer and the back privateer. There’s still a big gap there. I think you’ll still find there’s a big gap if we go to a control tyre. I think something should be done, but I haven’t got the answer. I just don’t know whether a control tyre is the way to go.

r ((

I think Mark (Skaife) has helped me enormously during the year, more than he^d think he has.

ent to Mark’s. I rush into a comer, where he gets out a little bit better than 1 do. Some circuits suit my style and some suit his. We help each other in that way and we’ve been able to use the data for ourselves as well as each other for the whole year.

damage and we’ve worked together all year. As well, we’ve been analysing each other. It would have been nice to drive with Murph, given that we’ve driven together the last three years, but the team are looking for a difference and you have to make a change every now and then to get the result you need. Last year wasn’t the result we wanted - a) me crashing and b) the other car having mechanical prob lems - but I guess the team are look-

now and hopefully get some days testing and sort it out a bit better. MN: Is there anything you can do to correct that aerodynamic imbal ance? CL; We’re hoping to do it with mechanicals. We can’t do it with aerodynamics. Really, we just have to wait and see what unfolds, but def initely the car has the potential and the speed and now we just have to fine tune it in the time off we’ve got now before Sandown.' I think the car will be as good as the VS, as long as we’ve got a good couple of days test ing with it. We ran the last two rounds virtually untested. Mark’s car definitely ran better than mine at Oran Park over the race run ... >and from the photo you’ve captured on the sixth lap of the first race [see page 25 of last issue], it could have been quite different.

MN: What about with car set-up? You say you drive differently; do you set the car up differently MN: What was the problem with and is that going to be a prob[Skaife's]starts? Was it a tech lein setting the car up for the nique thing or wasn’t the traction endurance races? control working properly? CL: I don’t think (Laughing) so. At some circuits CL: We turned it off Mark’s! this year we’ve defi (Laughing) No, I think it comes down nitely gone indiffer to technique. We definitely use differ- , ent directions, but for ent styles, there’s no question about the majority of this that. I use percentage, he uses rpm. year we’ve been He uses the clutch differently than I very^imilar in set do and releasing it. We’re two com ups. T know we’ve pletely different people. If he can get gone to some cir his working perfectly he gets some cuits with different great starts and so can I, but on aver set-ups originally and age I’ve been better than he has. But then we’ve come he’s been able to out-qualify me. back very close. Both of us have learnt from one Obviously my another. seat position will change a little bit; MN:So what does it mean for the we’ve compromised Enduros? He qualifies the car and on that. The actual you start? cockpit of the car is CL: I guess we’re going to have MN: Holden won now what we both to talk about that. It’s something 23 out of the 29 like. Now we have to we have to look at as we get closer work hard with the races in the series to the race weekend, but definitely this year, so there set-up. I don’t think it that is a scenario that the team’s seems to be a will be a problem THE TWO J UNIORS; Lowndes - known as Junior at HRT-and looking at. case there for par come Sandown. Junior Johnson ham it up at Oran Park. (Photo by Phn Williams) ity adjustment, Looking at the data MN: Mark came to the team with a don’t you think? we had from reputation for being a little diffi CL; No, not really. I always stay ing for a change to get a better result. cult, if I can say that. Have you had Sandown earlier in the year, I think out of the politics side of it... but I we can come to a compromise. any problems there? think you’ll find that there’s a lot more MN: After working together for six CL: I heard the rumours about Holden competitors out there than months or so, do you feel more Mark and, really, I wasn’t worried, just MN: You had a good association Ford, so the ratio between wins will comfortable now than six months with Murph for a few years and curious to find out how Mark always be different. You’ve got to ago with the idea of being with you seemed to get along really approached it. Honestly, Mark and I then look at the drivers that sit behind Mark? well and seemed to like the same have got on well and he’s come into the wheel. CL: Definitely, having the touring set-up - it seemed like a really the team and virtually fitted into car series with Mark and understand good team. I don’t want you to Brock’s shoes. He hasn’t upset the MN: It does seem a bit pointed, ing his approach to race weekends, think I’m trying to trick you into team,the team’s been running as though, doesn’t it? which is very important, yeah, much saying that you don’t like Skaifey, smoothly as ever and we’ve been CL: Well, it is. Russell and I have more comfortable now than six but would you prefer to be with getting the results. I think he’s done a been running very strong this year. months ago. Murph again this year? Would that fantastic job and been of great bene Glenn won the championship last have been a more comfortable sit fit to the team. year and I’m not sure what the per MN: How does the VT feel now, uation? centage ratio was then, but this year especially compared to the VS? CL; I don’t know about comfort MN: How co-operative has the it’s obviously leant towards Holden. It’s obviously very fast. able. I guess it would have been nice relationship been? You mentioned CL: It’s very fast, but it’s got its to drive with Murph. We drove the he helped you,even unknowingly MN: What about the control tyre bad habits. The Falcon guys have last three years together and we in some ways. Have you worked issue? Obviously HRT has a com always been whinging about how know each other’s habits, good or closely together, as closely as you mercial interest in the issue, but their cars have been dropping off bad. Mark and I are a little bit more have with other teammates in the do you have a personal opinion on different. pace over a race run and the VT is past? that issue? very similar. It’s got a wider front, I guess the team are looking for CL: Every time we run the car we CL: It’s a touchy situation. We’ve narrower rear wing and the aerody overlap our data. Obviously he works the best possible result and Mark and had our ups and downs as well as namic balance of the car is not quite I have driven together or alongside on his first and I work on mine, then everyone else. Everyone forgets we right and we suffer during a race run. each other the whole year; we’ve we come together to compare. I think only qualified 10th and 12th at The car’s got great speed for a onebeen able to rub panels and run the whole year we’ve been able to do Lakeside and luckily enough we finlapper. We’ve just got to sit down closely together without too much that. My driving style’s slightly differ-

MN; Maybe we should have con trol drivers! CL: Remote control drivers. MN: How did you find the racing this year compared to two years ago? CL: A lot harder. The depth of competition is a lot greater now than it was in '96. It’s also a lot more fierce in rivalry between everyone. You really do earn your pole position or your race win more than you did in 1996. This year is the strongest the category has ever been. It’s a lot stronger than what I expected to come back to. I heard a lot of stories from last year about ‘The Enforcer’ and things that went on last year, talking to Murph and Peter and the team, but this year it’s been a lot harder than I expected. Obviously Russell’s knuckled down and taken on board what he did last year and is driving a lot smarter. He just didn’t get the end result, which I’m thankful for. MN; Obviously in the champi onship there was that close com petition between you and Russell, but there also seems to have been a bit of rivalry there that comes out of the fact that you are very different personalities as well. Did you feel that? CL: They were always branding Russell as ‘The Enforcer’ and they nicknamed me ‘The Kid’. I guess I’d rather be called The Kid than The Enforcer. I know Russell is a fantastic driver and he probably deserved to win the championship as well. That's what racing is all about at the moment, close competition and dif ferent personalities. MN: If you were a betting man, would you put yourself at short odds to be back in car#1 in the touring car championship next year? CL: Don’t know. Even odds, yes. Outside odds would be that I’m over seas. At the moment, our touring car career is very strong and [wife] Nat and I love being in Australia and dri ving in Australia. The category always gives me great pleasure and we all get on fairly well outside of rac ing. Obviously, when we sit inside that cockpit, everyone’s out to get the best results for themselves and the team, but as soon as we get out of the cockpit all the frustrations go out the window. At least, that’s how I approach it. It won't be a disaster if I do stay in Australia. MN: It’s not a bad option, is it? CL: No. I would love to drive a Formula 1, but if it’s not to be, it's not to be and we’il just keep going the way we are. MN: Fair enough. Thanks for your time and good luck. ■

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28 August M

In Spain no one can hear you scream, because the entire country is already cheering as loud as it can for its national motorsport hero, Carlos Sainz. He is the Spanish equivalent of our Aussie hero Mick Doohan - a multiple world champion and the master craftsman in his chosen field, the highly-skilled world of ral lying - and attracts bigger crowds out in the Spanish wilderness than the Formula One Grands Prix at either Jerez, or Barcelona. Formula One, in Spain at least, isn’t THE biggest motorsport circus spectacular that rolls into town. And, in recent years, the Spanish have not had anyone they can call their own performing under Bemie’s big top. Sainz, on the other hand, has been at the top of world rallying for over a decade with his long-time co driver, Luis Moya, winning two world titles with Toyota in 1990 and 1992 before swapping from Lancia to Subaru to Ford and now back to Toyota this year. Sainz’ home event, the Catalunya Rally, draws tens of thousands of his loyal, loud and larrikan fans, blowing trumpets as they line the course only inches away from where their hero laid a big black tyre mark when he threw his Corolla around the fast corner at speeds that defy the laws of physics. Rallying is also a sport that trav els around the rural areas. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy to transfer its action into the spotlight of the big-buck television eye, but it has not yet, at least, become like the sterile, robotic world of Formula One, where drivers say the same thing day in and day out, taking their mega-buck paycheck and hiding in a hotel for a week. The stars of rallying get dirty, they let their boyhood personalities shine^through the sponsor-ridden driver suits and they even some times have to dive into the boot and pull out the tyre wrench and change their own tyres. Imagine Micheal Schumacher pulling into the pits, jumping out his scarlet Ferarri and taking a spanner off one ofthe mechanics? Sainz says the professional mar keting of Formula One - and the money from the billions of people who watch each Grand Prix on tele vision - has obscured the sport, while rallying is still about tackling the elements, surviving the dra^ mas. . “Today you cannot win without a good driver in a good team with good tyres. Still, in rallying-the dri ver is still so important,” Sainz said. “I still enjoy the driving. Being able to drive very,very fast and sat isfy myself that it was as fast as I could go is very rewarding. ‘The technology in rallying at the moment is progressing just as much as Formula One, I think, maybe in some areas even more, like four-wheel drive. “The dips and rolls in rallying are very exciting. It is a very dramatic sport, even though many people can not get to see it all and the team at work and the tactics and planning. It is very exciting to be a part of it.” Sainz started his motor racing career on the dirt, as well as on the tarmac circuits around Spain. His first national championship came in 1981 in the Seat Panda national rally series and he fol lowed that with the national Renault STS race championship the next year. In 1983, Sainz was still undecid ed about which path would provide the most rewards, rallying or road

NONE BETTER... Sainz is now resetting the success benchmarks in Worid Championship raiiying.

ViorU's Best Carlos Sainz- a racer’s racer who has now racked up more World Rally Championship wins than any driver in history - discusses his life in thefast lane.with Andrew MacLean racing, so he tried both at the same relative obscurity in the next four backed TTE squad was found cheattime. years, strugghng to win rallies let ing with the turbo-charger restrictor, Sainz said he was ready to return His choice was complicated again alone world titles. His time at Lancia was not as to TTE in 1996, but when they were at the end of the season, because he stood there with the winner’s tro successful as he had hoped - in rubbed out he had to find somephy from both the Renault 5 Turbo fact, he only finished eighth in the thing else - and quickly - to keep rall3dng. Cup for road rac But, this year, ing and the central he is back with zone championship the mega-buck for rallying. TTE outfit, a But he made his team he describes choice and decided as his family to stick with rallyand he is back at mg. the top of the It only took him score board. three more years He opened his once winning the Toyota comeback central zone series with a season and the next two opening victory in finishing as run Monte Carlo, ner-up in the posting the first national champi world champi onship - to become onship win for the Spanish rally the Corolla WRC champ. after Australian He did it again Neal Bates scored in 1988, which led the maiden inter to Sainz joining national victory the Toyota Team in the Canberra Europe (TTE) round of the Asiasquad the very Pacific Rally next year and join Cahmpionship in ing the World November last Rally Champion year - and a fort ship as a full-time night ago, Sainz competitor. became the most He finished succesful rally eighth overall in driver in history his first attempt in after winning the a Toyota Celica Rally of New GT4, but 12 Zealand. months later was KING OF THE WORLD... Carlos Sainz. (Stuart Bowes pic) His llth-hour the best in the win in the Shaky Isles - after team world with his first World Rally 1993 world championship. mate Didier Auriol spun out of the Subaru failed to produce the win Championship. Sainz finished second in 1991 ning results it is achieving today lead on the morning of the final day, but charged back to finish 4.1 and again bounced back to claim with Colin McRae, but still he man aged to finish second in the title seconds behind Sainz - gave the the title the very next year. World Spaniard his 22nd His stake as one of the very best chase both years. Championship victory, surpassing And his last two years at Ford rally drivers was clearly stamped were a last-minute option after his rival, Juha Kankunnen. by this time. “As a statistic, it is very nice,” he But, strangely, after winning his Toyota was banned from the sport said. for 18 months, after the factorytwo world titles, Sainz wallowed in

“It’s always nice to achieve those things in your career, but more important for me at the moment is to win the world championship for myself and Toyota again.” And the fiery Spaniard is well placed to score his third title this year - after leading one of the most competitive World Rally Championships in recent history, Sainz is ready to fight his rivals tooth and nail in the run to the flag. Sainz has four events still to score maximum points - Finland’s Rally Neste, the famous San Remo Rally in Italy, Perth’s Rally Australia and the season-closing RAC Rally of Britain - but he realises his competition is a lot tougher than in previous years and will have to pull out all stops and hope the reliability dramas he suf fered mid-season don’t come back to haunt him. “Hopefully, the championship will be decided as soon as possible,” the 36 year-old said. “Hopefully, with me at the top.” Sainz also romped into the histo ry books in 1990 as the first nonScandinavian driver to win the Finnish round of the World Championship. He likes that particular rally and believes he can do it again next month. San Remo, he said, is like a lot tery, while Rally Australia could be the most crucial rally of his entire season. He has never won the Australian leg of the world championship. He came within a couple of kilometres of changing his fortunes Down Under last year, leading the rally on the final day only for the engine in his Ford Escort to expire on the second-last stage. 'This year, he promises something different, although he has promised himself the same thing every time he boards the plane to Australia. “To be honest, when I’m coming to Australia I say to myself this is going to be the one,” he said. “Maybe this year will be the one. 1 know one day I will win.” Sainz said he has to win Rally Australia this year and gather enough points to lead his closest rival, Subaru superstar McRae, into his home event, the RAC. “Obviously, Colin is going to be very strong at RAC,” Sainz said. “If I am to win the World Championship, I need to take some good points into the RAC to hold Colin off.” If he fails to win the title this year, Sainz still has another two years on his contract with Toyota. In that time, if not this year, he can at least win another world title. Sainz says he is in the best posi tion with TTE, as all of his rival teams - Subaru, Ford, Mitsubishi and newcomers Seat - are scurrj’ing around trying to buy the best drivers for million-dollar contracts and at the same time develop new cars “I’m in the new era of TTE,” he said. “All the other teams are try ing to sort themselves out at the moment and have new cars. “I think with the stability in the team, we have the opportunity to win more rallies and, hopefully, the championships.” It is still another three months before the 1998 World Rally Champion will be standing proud and showering champagne from the podium at the RAC Rally of Britain. Three months is a long time, but a time that Sainz is looking forward to - he relishes a tough fight, full of drama, color and life and one which lasts right until the final round, just like a true bullfighter always does.

28 August 1998

Bates confident of Melbourne success High hopes for new Corolla WRC shell

BOURNE BEATER?... Will Bates’ new Corolla WRC shell do the job?(Andrew MacLean) Former Australian rally champ Neal Bates is preparing for a last-ditch attempt to beat arch-rival Possum Bourne in the final round of the Australian Rally Super Series in Melbourne this weekend. Bates has transferred all the whiz-bang mechanicals out of the Corolla WRC he has used- since late last year into a brand-new shell, recently shipped from Toyota Team Europe headquarters in Cologne,Germany. But unlike his TTE counterparts, Carlos Sainz and Didier Auriol, Bates has opted to stick with the joy-electronic stick-style gearchange, which would have saved more than 11 kilograms if he had taken the system out. Bates said the new Corolla shell isn’t any lighter, stiffer or more advanced in its con struction than his current car, but the opportunity for a

fresh body - and the fact Toyota Australia wants a display car for promotional purposes - was the catalyst for the decision. “I would rather have a new rally car than run with the old shell,” Bates said. “Toyota wanted a display car and it was obviously bet ter that we use the newer shell for the rally car. 1 don’t think it will l?e much of a dif ference, but it might be just that little bit we need.” Bourne has already chalke^d up enough points, with an unbeaten run in the opening four rounds of the series, to claim the 1998 Australian rally title, while Bates has suffered from a string of minor mechanical setbacks. Looking back over the series. Bates and Bourne have only been separated by just over three minutes for the entire eight heats, which the Canberra ace says is an indication of how tough the

competition between the pair has been, “People just assume you’re doing a bad job, but they’re not looking at the whole pkture,” he said, “We’ve been able to win at least half the events this year, but little things have set us back. I think if there was another top car out there it would have shown how close Possum and I have been.” Bates is hoping the new shell and a major rebuild of his Corolla will finally give him the edge and reliability he has needed all year to win. “I believe I can win Rally of Melbourne,” he said “This one’s it. This is the one that will keep the ball rolling into Rally Australia.” Bates said he is aiming to mix it with the top drivers in the Aussie leg of the World Rally Championship and fin ish as the best local. - ANDREW MACLEAN

NEW SUIT... Splendid new Bates/Taylor weapon prior to Rally of Melbourne.(MacLean)

CROCKER SECURES SUBARU SEAT n Former Junior Champion Cody Crocker has secured the driving seat in Subaru’s Group N Impreza WRX for the remainder of the season. Crocker will drive the car at his home event, the Rally of Melbourne, next weekend and also at Australia’s round of the FIA World Rally Championship in Perth in November. Subaru’s Nick Senior said the drive was Crocker’s reward for some outstand ing performances during the three events he has current ly competed in this year WA’s Forest Rally, Rally Queensland and the Saxon Safari Tasmania.

From the

GUles Panizzi could be retained. The silly season continues...

Fcirest

BATES DENIES VWLINK n Canberra’s Rick Bates has angrily denied that there is any truth in the rumour that he will With Colin McRae’s move drive for Volkswagen in to Ford, it was thought that next year’s World Rally Loix may make the move to Championship. Subaru, particularly given The rumour, which began the impending withdrawal when an article was pub of the 555 sponsorship from lished in a car club newslet Subaru and the Belgian’s ter, claimed that the Daihatsu driver had been Marlboro backing. approached by Volkswagen with a view to competing in the series and that Bates was now look Indeed, it was probably Crocker’s performance in ing for a suitable co Western Australia that driver. clinched the drive for the “I wish I knew how' Melbourne driver. these stories start,” In his first drive in the an angry Bates said. factory Impreza, Crocker “VW isn’t even par finished the event in third ticipating in the WRC.” place and won Group N on both days of the rally. Rick Bates’ pro Naturally, the 26 year-old gram for next year, FREDDIE LOIX to stay at TTE? while still not set in is ecstatic about being given Loix said he would like to cement, looks promising just further opportunities in the car. stay at Toyota - even in a the same. After his success in this “It’s great to actually have third car - as long as he got some confirmation of what to contest all 14 rounds of year’s F2 class in the lies ahead now,” Crocker the World Championship. Australian Championship Richard (which he and co-driver Meanwhile said. “At this stage, I’m just looking at the Rally of Burns is expected to Jenny Brittan currently Melbourne, because I still announce his move from lead), he hopes that his need to finish both heats to Mitsubishi to Subaru very Daihatsu drive will be ongo have a chance of winning soon. ing in 1999, The former Subaru driver the Group N title. “Nothing has been decid “But it’s my home event would probably take the ed yet, but I’m hopeful we’ll and I think we can do well. number one driver’s spot at be doing the ARC again,” he Looking ahead to Rally the Prodrive team, where he added. Australia, Crocker hopes to drove in 1994 and 1995. VAUXHALL JOINS do a better job of things But Peugeot, who has THE GAME than he did back in 1995, already displayed its new when he drove his Subaru 206 World Rally Car, has 9 Vauxhall will enter its Legacy in the event as part said it won’t announce its Formula 2 Astra Kit Car line-up until in four international of his prize package for win-^ driver events next year, includ ning the ARN Junior Rally November. Initially, the French team ing the Network Q RAC Challenge. “In ’95, we rolled the car, approached Colin McRae, Rally. The car has been compet but their program is only for mainly due to lack of experi ence,” he recalled. “But, half a dozen events in 1999 ing in the local British after a good showing in WA and McRae stated that he Championship this season, with Finnish driver Jarmo wanted a full program. earlier this year, I’m confi Kytolehto at the wheel. Toyota’s Didier Auriol has dent doing a better job.” The Finn will stay with been touted as a possible LOIX LIKES Peugeot driver, but Peugeot the team next year, unless a TTE OPTION spokesmen said they full World Championship n Toyota driver Freddy weren’t expecting any big drive is off'ered to him, Vauxhall will run a two Loix would like to stay surprises when the drivers with his current team, were announced, hinting car team in the events, adding to the already com according to reports just that current Formula 2 dri vers Francois Delecour and petitive F2 championship. out of Europe.

By Peter Whitten Editor-Australian Ratysport News

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The final round of the Australian Rally Championship (ARC), the Rally of Melbourne will be run over the weekend of August 29-30, with the official opening on Friday, August 28, in the Bourke Street Mall in Melbourne’s CBD. Commencing at 7:15pm, spectators will be provided with the opportunity to see rally cars at close hand, as well as music and rally displays. Conducted around Healesville/Marysville in Victoria’s Yarra Valley wine-grow ing region, the two-day rally concludes at the Domaine Chandon winery at Coldstream on Sunday afternoon. Spectator tickets are available from the Rally of Melbourne office, on: 9890 4474.

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28August 1998

Tommi Makinen has won the Rally of Finland for a record fifth time, taking victory on August 22 by 35 seconds from World Championship leader Carlos Sainz, with Juha Kankkunen third. Reigning Champion Makinen established a slim lead on the open ing leg, increased his advantage over the second and staved off his pursuers’ attacks over the final six stages of the Finnish Grand Prix. “It seems I can always win here, if I can’t win somewhere else,” said a delighted Makinen. “It was a bit easier than I expected, because I found I could cope with the condi tions better than the others. The record fifth win is nice, but the ten points for the championship are more important.” Heavy rain lashed the event for the first two days, making condi tions even tougher than normal. But Makinen’s victory showed the Finn’s total domination of the event - an event that has only twice been won by a driver from outside Scandinavia. The victory takes Makinen back into contention to retain his title; he trails Sainz by nine points and is equal with McRae, who hit a tree with a rear wheel of his Subaru and retired after four stages. Mitsubishi’s fourth consecutive victory on this rally is an unprece dented achievement for any manu facturer. Moreover, Makinen’s fifth win on his home event is also a victory. Carlos Sainz and Didier Auriol, the only two non-Scandinavians ever to win here, could not quite match the pace of Makinen’s Mitsubishi in their Toyotas, finish ing second and fourth to extend Toyota’s lead in the MakesChampionship. Kankkunen’s third place was his third podium finish in four events in his Escort. He halved the gap between him self and second-placed Sainz on the final day, but in the end ran out of stage distance. “Either the man is too old, or the car is too old,” Kankkunen joked. “But we seemed to spend as much time flying through the air over the big jumps as we did on the ground!” The drive of the rally came from Britain’s Richard Burns, who was making his first attempt at this specialist event. He was consistent ly on the pace, beating top drivers with years of experience in the test ing Finnish conditions. n By finishing fifth, he recorded the best-ever placing for a British driver.

DUCK.

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MAKIN’ HISTORY... That's five consecutive Raily of Finland victories for reigning World Champ Tommi Makinen and the fourth for Mitsubishi.

Five straight for Makinen in Finland

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Sainz settles for runner-up, but tops points “I’m vei7 happy to be here,” said Burns. ‘There have been a few times when I have been near the limit, but I don’t think I could have got round without being a bit lucky.” Thomas Radstrom, driving the Marlboro-backed Toyota Sweden Team Toyota Corolla, put in a faultless rally to finish sixth overall and claim victory in the prestigious FLA Teams Cup.

“This is my best result here. I was sixth in 1996, but the entry was not nearly as strong,” said Radstrom.“We had a veiy good run here, just once off the road on the second stage where many people went off. I’m very pleased.” The only works Sub2um to finish was that of Jarmo Kytolehto, but he was delayed by a couple of off road excursions, as did the new SEAT World Rally Car of Harri

Rovanpera, which lay in ninth place after the first day, but even tually retired. The Hyundai Coupe Kit Car of Kenneth Eriksson had led the Formula 2 category by 40 seconds on the first day, only to retire with engine failure, while Aussie star Wayne Bell, on his first visit to the Rally Finland, lay fourth in F2 until his engine also failed just three stages from home.

Alister McRae, in a Volkswagen Golf, won the category, ahead of Toni Gardemeister’s SEAT. FINAL RESULTS Makinen/Mannisenmaki Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V 3hl6m56.1s 2. Sainz/Moya Toyota Corolla WRC 3.17.31.7 3. Kankkunen/Repo Ford Escort WRC 3.17.41.3 4. Auriol/Giraudet Toyota Corolla WRC 3.19.25.3 5. Bums/Reid Mitsubishi Carisma GT 3.19.52.9 6. Radstrom/Barth Toyota Corolla WRC 3.20.07.0 7. Gronholm.Rautiainen Toyota Corolla WRC 3.21.02.0 8. Kytolehto/Kapanen Subaru Impreza WRC 3.23.46.4 1.

Pointscores Drivers: 1. Carlos Sainz 47pts, =2. Colin McRae 38, Tommi Makinen 38, 4. Juha Kankkunen 31, 5. Didier Auriol 30, 6. Richard Bums 23. Manufacturers: 1. Toyota 72pts, 2. Mitsubishi 61, 3. Subaru 52, 4. Ford. -PETER WHITTEN PODIUM... Despite a stirring drive on the last day in his Ford Escort WRC. Juha Kankkunen could not haul in runner-up Sainz.

KARTING

28August 1998

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run by Ross Hansen Sharon Battle overcame both the reigning Australian Champion and a rainswept Oran Park Raceway to claim her first win in race three on August 16. Ross Hansen still managed to claim the overall win for the day, while John Pellicano, Stephen Wood, Michael Crossland and Sam Zavaglia were also impressive in their respective class victories. Oran Park was the latest casual ty of Sydney’s water problems (one

day we can’t touch the stuff and the next we’re racing in it!) and a waterlogged track confronted the 40-odd competitors for the day’s racing. Though spins were inevitable, thankfully the day concluded with out major incident, which was a credit to commonsense racing, a good organisation and the dedica tion of a handful of officials who braved the weather and continuous downpours. Sam Zavaglia borrowed a kart

TYPICAL SYDNEY... Wet conditions didn’t upset John Peiiicano. (Mpix)

and proceeded to dominate racing in the lOOcc non-gearbox category, winning from Chris Williams, with Andrew Davison third. Chris led for much of the final, but was unable to hold out the charging Zavaglia, who was deter mined to win anything on offer. Ross Hansen seemed set to con tinue his quest for world domina tion of 80cc racing as he cleared out to win the early races, with Paul Curran, Sharon Battle, Glen Eldershaw, Malcolm Cancian and Scott Matheson battling for the minors. However, the final turned into the race of the day, with Sharon passing Cancian on the outside at Momo Recaro comer, before produc ing a similar move on Hansen at the esses to take the lead. Hansen slowed with a deflating tyre and was also passed by Cancian. But Ross Hansen’s earlier ■wins enabled him to take the over all win, with Paul Curren and Sharon Battle tied. The 125cc category became a two-way contest between Stephen Wood and a fast-finishing Roy Francescato, with Wood claiming a comfortable points victory at the day’s end. Third place went to an impres sive Michael Day, running in Francescato’s old Kart (which is for

BATTLER... Sharon Battie tasted victory at sodden Oran Park. (Mpix) sale). Michael’s comparison with his 80cc was interesting: “It’s about the same around corners, but its got some grunt down the straight.” In the 250cc National category, it appeared certain that Michael Crossland, Gary Brooks and Gai Louise Holden would take the tro phies - however, the order wouldn’t be decided until the last race. Crossland, the Australian titleholder, produced a thrilling last drive to grab the victory from Brooks. In the 250cc International cate gory, John Pellicano snapped his machine around the track at near impossible angles to keep a respectable distance from the sister machine qf Wayne Crossland and Anton Stevens. Only an errant yeUow flag in race three kept Telli’from a clean sweep of the day.

The 250s kept the heart pumping as you watched them crest the rise over the dogleg, the attitude and correction quite visible from the spectator area on the start/finish line. Kevin Hartin won play of the day for his ‘off at this point and must be grateful that ‘Bunnings’ don’t sponsor a 250. John proudly announced he had ran in the 52-second bracket on a day where a periscope wouldn’t have been out of place. Overall, it was an atrocious day for the NSW Superkart event, which was made bearable by some great drives in each category and the odd twist which kept the final result in some doubt. Many thanks to the organisers, drivers and officials for a great day’s racing. -JOHN MORRIS

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28 August W98

KARTING

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Report by SEAN HENSHELWOOD It was a disappointing weekend for the championship chal lengers at the third round of the Wynn’s Australian Karting Championships, as all three class points leaders extended their advantage over their opposition at Melbourne International Kart Raceway at Todd Road in Port Melbourne on August 22-23. In Formula A, reigning Australian Champion David Clark, who is now based in Melbourne, took his first win in this year’s series after dominating qualifying, the heats and the finals to take a commanding lead in the points. In Intercontinental A, Round One victor Jamie Whincup pushed his home track advantage to take victory over the Tony Kart duo of Clayton Pyne and Round Two win ner Michael Camso. The Junior Intercontinental A race was again victory for Sydney’s Neil McFadyen, who took his third round win in a row despite some spirited opposition from newcomer Max DeMeyrick and fellow Tecno recruit Tony D’Alberto.

FORMIDABLE... David Clark, 1998 Victorian FMK Champ, topped Formula A at Todd Road.(Sean Hensheiwood)

Crusher Clark Another Whincup win and three in a rowfor McFadyen

Bob Jane T-Marts Junior Intercontinental A After relatively trouble-free runs in the last two rounds, everyone expected the third round to be a McFadyen benefit - but that wasn’t DeMeyrick, Slade, James Harrigan DeMeyrick held-second, albeit six how it worked out. seconds in arrears, with standout Tecno team boss Remo Luciani (Tony Kiart) and D’Alberto. Elliott’s run came to an end on performer D’Alberto storming back was all smiles - with no entries in to take third. the class in the previous rounds, he lap 3 with mechanical failure. With McFadyen streaking away, After a disappointing run in pre had drafted young Melbourne dri ver Tony D’Alberto and Adelaide DeMeyrick made a move on Carter vious rounds, Ricky Occhipinti Dann Race drivers Ben Hall and on lap 7 at the end of the front (Tony Kart) took a well-deserved fourth from Slade, Rider, Harrigan, Max DeMeyrick, who was making straight. his debut in the series; D’Alberto and DeMeyrick were immediately INSTANT SUCCESS ... Tony D’Alberto made on the pace. the move from CRG to Tecno and won heat 1 Twenty three' drivers lined up for in Junior Intercontinental A easily. He then led qualifying, with D’Alberto taking the final prior to an altercation and settled for pole from James Small (Arrow third spot.(Sean Hensheiwood pic) AX6), McFadyen (Top Kart), DeMeyrick, debutante Adam Bullas (Arrow AX6), Jamie Carter (Mirage), Kane Rider (DINO), Aaron Rintoul (S/H), Daniel Elliott (Tony Kart) and Tim Slade(CRG). In heat 1, D’Alberto confirmed his speed by driving away from his opposition for an easy victory over McFadyen and Carter. In the second heat, though, the changeable conditions caught out the field, which was expecting the already wet circuit would stay that way. DeMeyrick, Hall and James McNabb (Birel) elected to run slicks. The gamble paid off, DeMeyrick disappearing into the distance to record a ten second vic D’Alberto followed him through, Rintoul, Wade Lanham (CRG) and tory over Hall, with Slade third. (Jarter took a hard-fought victory clashing with Carter at the left- Will Davison (Tony Kart). Eleventh was Bullas, ahead of in heat 3, just two tenths ahead of right and both drivers crashing Marcus LaDelle (Tony Kart), Hall, D’Alberto, six tenths ahead of through the tyre barrier. D’Alberto managed to rejoin, Steven Bozinovski (Tony Kart), DeMeyrick and McFadyen and only three seconds ahead of Elliott, who despite dropping to seventh, while Small, Geoffrey Grant (CRG), Carter suffered tom tendons in his Andrew Hobby (PCR), Carter, was struggling with flu and more Elliott, McNabb, Keil Johnston leg, ending his day. grip than the kart could handle. (Merlin), Shannon Sidebottom Small’s weekend was steadily There was no denying the facts (Tecno) and Tim Moylan (Birel). that the racing was close and the improving, the team looking for ward to the final. action furious. KartOz Magazine After a safe start, he worked his After 19 laps of continually Intercontinental A way through the field, being caught changing positions, DeMeyrick took With twenty three drivers victory in the pre-final, less than a up in a number of dices on his way entered for ICA, you were assured to the front. second clear of McFadyen and Small caught and passed that the competition was going to D’Alberto, with Carter close behind. DeMeyrick for second in turn 1 as be tough. Elliott battled clear of Slade, Melbourne driver Jamie Whincup they started lap 22, only to spin off Rintoul and Small to take fifth. at the next corner and out of the (Tecno) threw down the gauntlet The 23 lap final was a screamer, race - the team discovered after early, qualifying on pole with a best McFadyen getting the jump at the wards that every single tooth had lap of 40.067, three tenths quicker start and racing away to make a been stripped off the clutch barrel than Top Kart’s Alan Gurr, with break. Pyne third. Elliott made a brilliant start, the during the race. Clint Cathcart put his Wynn’sBy now, McFadyen had opened a Wynn’s driver up to second by the sponsored Arrow AX6 on grid four, gap which he would hold to the exit of the first turn. ahead of ICA debutante Bradley flag. Behind them. Carter led

Brown, the Energy Karting team recruiting the^ 1995 Australian Clubman Light Champion to replace Kris Walton, Behind him was Round Two win ner Caruso, ahead of Barclay Holden (Tony Kart), Matthew Wall (CRG), and debutantes Tim

P«ter Lawler (Mike Kart) and Warrick Spooner (Merlin) coming together, taking Brendan May (Merlin) and Chris Prestidge (Merlin) off with them. After two laps, Brown took sec ond from Gun-, the two battling for the position to the flag and Gurr ultimately winning out. Whincup took victory by just over a second, conceding that he hadn’t pushed so that his tyres would be conserved for the final. Pyne took fourth, ahead of fellow Tony Kart drivers Caruso and Holden. Whincup took the lead in the final from the outset, with Gurr ahead of Pyne, Brendan Dive (Birel) and Caruso. Cathcart was on a mission and was ninth by lap 3 off the back. Brown was steadily dropping back after a miscalculation on set-up and was forced out into a sandtrap on lap 3, while Whincup had the head down and extended his lead. By lap 8 of 32, Pyne dived inside Gurr at the end of the front straight for second, Caruso and Dive following through in the fol lowing laps. The field started to spread out in the closing stages, with Caruso and Dive battling for the final podium position. Dive took third briefly as they started the penultimate lap, but Caruso fought back to take the position at the line by five hun dredths of a second. Whincup took a three-second victo ry from P^e, setting the fastest lap ofthe day on lap 26 with a 40.209. Caruso took third from Dive, Gurr, Cathcart, Jason Burns (Merlin), Prestidge, Ian Salvestrin (Tecno)and Mitch Boulton (Energy). Lawler took eleventh from Adam Gill (DING), Dean Miles (PCR), Peter Richards(Tony Kart), Holden, Danny Fisher (DINO), Macrow, Spooner, Wall, Kennedy, Brown, and Michael Lovegrove (Zip).

Eastern Creek International Karting Raceway Formula A Sixteen of Australia’s best lined up for the penultimate round of the Wynn’s Championships, reigning Australian Champion David Clark (CRG) setting the pace from the outset and taking pole with a best lap in his two sessions of 40.172. Behind him was one of the sur prises of the meeting, Tyson Pearce. Pearce had returned to his Australian-made Omega chassis for the event and astounded all attend ing with grid position two,just off a tenth slower than his best mate, Clark - the Omega chassis showed that, ! like Arrow at the last round, there is a depth of talent within the Macrow (Tecno) and Ben Kennedy Australian karting manufacturing (Haase). industry. Heat 1 saw Whincup take a nar Third qualifier was Round One row victory over Pyne, with Brown winner Ryan Wlodzinski (PCR), a fine third ahead of Wynn’s lead driver Mark Heat 2 saw Cathcart take victory Winterbottom, who had returned to - after seizing an engine in the Tony Kart for the event and Troy opening heat - from Whincup, with Hunt(Top Kart). Fifth was Adelaide’s Gary Dann Brown taking third again. Gurr lead Cathcart to victory in in his debut meeting for Tecno, the final heat,just clear of Whincup, then Round Two winner Nick who had amassed enough points to Agland (Arrow), local driver Mark Domaschenz (Merlin), Clinton Dive line up on pole for the pre-final. Pre-final start number one was (Birel) and Energy Karting hot-shot aborted on the top of the hill as the Wesley May. Heat 1 saw Pearce and Clafk bat drivers came down to greet the green light after Whincup was spun tle for the lead, until Pearce was around, taking out Wall, Caruso forced off with mechanical failure. Clark took the win clear of Hunt, and Prestidge. Pre-final start number two saw with Dann third. Pearce and Clark again battled Whincup jump away and lead out of the first comer, while Cathcart got in the second heat, until Clark caught in the pack and was turned broke clear, Winterbottom taking around into the sandtrap. third in the slippery conditions. At the exit of the first turn, all hell broke loose, with Kennedy, Continued on next page

KARTING

2SAugusl 1998

Briscoe hits Rath tops Erienwein at Calder Park the front in Junior victory by rookie Luke May s Nth America

16 year-old Sydney kart racer Ryan Briscoe has won both finals to clinch overall victory in round two of the North American Kart Racing Championship in Ontario Canada on August 16. Briscoe, driving for the Italian CRG factory team, won pole posi tion for the round on Friday and, despite an early setback in a quali fying heat when his kart wouldn’t start properly, the young racer recovered to win both finals and move to the lead in the series with one round remaining. In the opening heat, Briscoe started on pole and was never headed, the Australian taking the chequered flag ahead of his Formula A rivals. However, in the second heat, he was forced to start half a lap behind

the field after a carburettor prob lem prevented his machine from starting. This meant that, instead of start ing on the front row, he was in 12th place when the race commenced and he ultimately cut through the field to finish sixth. In the first final and starting from sixth, Briscoe moved through the field to grab victory, while in the second final he started off the front and was never headed, finish ing ahead of his team mate and rival, Pat Long of the USA. The final round will be fought out in Charlotte, North Carolina, in early November. Based in Europe, Briscoe now heads back to Italy to prepare for the 1998 Formula A World Championship at Ugento in Italy on September 13.

Crusher Clark Continued from previous page

claimed by mechanical failure on lap 6. Wlodzinski continued his strong Sunday’s heat 3 saw Clark throw run and led from the outset with down the gauntlet early and record Clark on his tail, the two drivers a best lap faster than his impres pulling away from the following sive pole position qualifying time of pack. 40.150. Wlodzinski, though, suffered a Pearce again took second, only broken throttle shaft, which steadi three tenths in arrears, with ly dropped him back through the Wlodzinski third. field to last after Clark passed him Hunt jumped to the lead at the on lap 2. Hunt and Winterbottom were start of the pre-final, with Wlodzinski and Clark in hot pursuit. fighting tooth and nail for second, Wlodzinski then took the lead Winterbottom eventually breaking and started to pull clear, but Pearce free, while Hunt lost his position to showed that he had the pace and the hard-charging Dann. the kart to match the leaders, tak Clark took a strong victory for ing Clark for third on lap 5. Les May Racing and Dunlop tyres Agland’s weekend was becoming to pull away in the championships steadily worse and, after coming point score as we head into the together with Joshua Pontello final round at Sydney’s Eastern (Revolution), he ended his run on- Creek International Karting race . lap 9. way on October 11. Second was Winterbottom from Clark took a narrow victory from Wlodzinski, with Pearce, third, Dann, Hunt, William Yarwood Winterbottom fourth and Hxmt fifth. (CRG), Malcolm Heath (Tecno), Pearce’s luck ran out in the final, Agland, Clinton Dive (Birel), Daniel the talented South Australian Richert (PCR), Daniel Gadd (CRG), forced out at the start and hack Wlodzinski, Pontello, Chris Cox through the pack to be ultimately (Tony Kart), Pearce and May.

In near perfect conditions, Tony Rath and Robert Erienwein raced closely all day in a strong 250cc International Reid, while at the other end of the scale Luke May - in his sec ond drive in the Junior class took the win at the fifth round of the Victorian Superkart Series at Calder Park on August 16. The six Juniors that faced the starter included May, who won the Victorian title in his first drive. Heat 1 saw Jared Laws get a good start, with May next and then Lee Barabasz, until he had problems which allowed Dean Crooke into third. Laws had a good lead, but May closed up and it was very close on the line.

Heat 2-saw Laws and May swap ping places several times at the front, while Barabasz sat back then made his move into second behind May when the flag dropped. In the third heat. May, Barabasz and Laws raced wheel to wheel and were side by side several times, while Crooke, Evan Rogerson and Ulrich Deyssis struggled to keep in touch. The final saw May get a break and hold onto it, while Laws, Rogerson, Crooke and Barabasz ran the distance in a pack, with May first on the day from Laws and Rogerson, who bumped Crooke to fourth. The lOOcc Light had a red flag in heat 1 when Nicholas Higgins and Frank Damiano tangled at the end of the back straight, but both drivers seemed OK On the restart, the front bunch of David Williams, Ben Castles, Darren Formosa, Rod Prickett, Richard Stupka, Colin McIntyre and John Sciarra raced the full distance in a pack, with the placings continually changing as they dived out of the slipstream and desperately tried outbraking each other. In heats 2 and 3, the same bunch was racing three-wide down

the back straight lap afl;er lap, but Castles was left on the sidelines mid-distance of heat 2. With no-one having a big lead on points, the final was all-important. Williams took up the challenge and led the field and took the points for the overall win, but only three points separated second to fourth - Prickett, Formosa and McIntyre - with Stupka not far behind. No-one got a break in the lOOcc Heavy in the early heats. Jason Lee, Gary Pegoraro, Ken Knight and Darren Spencer formed the front bunch, with Geoff Unwin, Ian Gray and Rolf Greve battling it out behind them. Pegoraro had an engine go offsong while leading the second heat, but kept circulating for valu able points. Heat 3 saw Spencer, Knight and Pegoraro side by side down the straight, with Pegoraro and Knight,still-side by side on the line. The final was the decider, with the front group very close on points. Pegoraro got a good lead early and held onto it to take the win. Spencer parked his kart with problems, while Gray, Grove and Lee fought out the minor placings, with Lee spinning and dropping back late in the race.

Knight was second, two points behind Pegoraro, with Lee third. Darren Dunn, David Thompson and Paul Ristic continued their battle for supremacy at the front of the 80cc class, with Nick Mann and Peter Windhager joining the front group by the final. Ristic threw eveiything at Dunn in heat 2, getting very sideways at times before Thompson got past. The mid-field was having its own battles, with nothing much between them. In heat 3, the front group caught the tail-enders and Ristic got baulked a httle. Dunn won overall, with Thompson next and only five points separated Mann, Ristic,

Barry Cooper, Windhager and Roby Canuti, in that order. In the Restricted class, Wayne Gould had a good day to finish first after running among the tailenders of the open field, with David Bellenger (returning to racing after sorting out the timing sys tem) second and Menno Luneman third.

Paul Stebbing had a relatively easy drive in the 125cc class, although a DNF in the final allowed Clark Todd to finish only three points behind, with Mark Purcell having terminal problems after race 1 and Curt Bond expir ing in practice. 250cc National only had three karts on the day, with Mick Bakker blowing a piston in heat 1 when a fuel pump failed to supply enough fuel and Clint Thompson succumbing to an intermittent fault, leaving Shane Perry to mix it with the 250cc International karts. Eight 250cc International karts went into battle, with Tony Rath, Robert Erienwein, Mike McCrudden and Phil Brumby set ting the early pace. Rath pulling a gap in heat 1. Heat 2 was much closer between the front four, with the National of Perry slotting in behind this group and Bill Todd next. In the third heat. Rath and Erienwein had a great dice up front, with Brumby just in touch and Todd and Robert Clinch fol lowing. The final saw a great race up front between Erienwein and Rath, with the tyres howling and smoking under severe braking lap after lap as they tried to outbrake each other at the end of the straight - Erienwein took the race, but Rath won the day and Brumby was third. The next round will be on the Winton short circuit on September 20 - and the gearbox classes have been invited to run as a support to the HQ Three Hour at Winton on September 5 and 6. - GRAEME BURNS

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28August W98

JON ASHER with the latest newsfrom the^uSTour. ACTION ATTRACTION... Legendary drag racer Shirley Muldowney, above, flew to IHRA's best ever of 4.69/312 at the Mid-Michigan Motorplex last month. But, the three-time World Top Fuel Champion couldn't capitalize on the run, having already sold out of merchandise before the end of qualifying, such is her attraction! Dave Ostaszewski. NOW THAT THE SWING first) will be John Force IS OVER against A1 Hofmann (a clas n The West Coast Swing is sic .in the making!), Ron over, and the racers have Capps against Whit a week off to prepare for Bazemore (who wants to “go the Visionaire Northstar out” in style). Chuck Etchells Nationals in Brainerd, against burnout king, Dean Minnesota, the most Skuza, and Tony Pedregon “ignored” race on the , against his brother, Cruz. NHRA Winston series tour. A REFRESHING CHANGE Without meaning in any n Since taking over the way to detract from the ownership of the efforts of the competitors, International Hot Rod with the race coming just in Association, Bill Bader front of the IHRA World has worked some remark Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, able changes in the way and then the gr'anddaddy of the sanctioning organiza them all, the NHRA U.S. tion operates. Nationals in Indianapolis, After moving its headquar victories at Brainerd are, ters from Bristol, Tennessee unfortimately, all too quickly to Norwalk, Ohio, Bader forgotten. began to assemble a team of That’s too bad, because the hard-working individuals to event usually has something head up the various arms of going for it, particularly in the organization. Funny Car, where hopefuls Long time national event for the $150,000 Big Bud director Robert Leonard was Shootout scheduled at Indy let go, with interim IHRA have their last opportunity of president Kurt Kummer basi cally taking over his respon earning qualifying points. Unfortunately, this year sibilities. More than just personnel even that potential excite ment will be missing, as the changes, Bader has institut eight drivers at the head of ed what might be a first in American motorsports (?) the points list are in no dan annoimcing legitimate atten ger of being ousted. That means that the first dance figures from his round matchups in the group’s national events. shootout (with the driver While the seemingly small having lane choice listed nrunbers might concern some

on the sponsorship/manufac turer side of things, at least temporarily, in the long term such honesty can’t be faulted, From the association’s first four races this season have come numbers of around 20,000 at each event, a far cry from the highly inflated figures published by the group’s former owners (all of them, from founder Larry Carrier down through the ownership group from Prolong Super Lubricants). Bader took some initial heat from his supporting con tingency awards companies, but they’ve since come to appreciate the “real” num bers, with many of them hav ing personally expressed those sentiments to the office staff. Bader’s personal charisma is such that he’s been able to oversee such basic, positive changes in the way the national events are conduct ed so that they’re now usual ly completed by 6:30 PM on Sundays instead of well after 10:00 PM,as was the case far too often in the past. Since January IHRA’s list of member tracks has increased from 46 to 63, and, as Bader says, “’That includes every track that’s paying sanction fees and insurance premiums.

IHRA’s supporting manu- size), and an exceptionally factufers list has expanded' smooth racing surface, from 63 to 84, but as Bader n -THE SOME’HMES admits, “Some of them are CONVOLUTED WORLD sponsoring very small proOF SPONSORSHIPS grams.” Membership has also n We have it on very good increased from 7,200 to 9,475 authority that despite denials to the contrary, “as of last Monday.” Bader has also been instru- Petersen Publishing mental in getting his nation- Company may have actu al event tracks to improve ally made a cash invest both racer and spectator ment in Joe Gibbs’ Interstate Batteries amenities. After having heard numer- Pontiac Funny Car driven ous complaints about the sur- by Cruz Pedregon. face and pit condition of New _ The way we hear it, execuYork International Raceway tives from Petersen were Park in Leicester, Bader eager to promote their flagreports that before the winter ship publication’s 50th weather sets in a new 400- anniversary, and felt that foot concrete launching pad getting Hot Rod’s name on will be poured, with all new the flanks of the car would be asphalt to extend from there good business. The cost of to the end of the shut-down being involved was a report area. ed $1 million for the year for Although the ’99 what amounts to significant Presidents Cup at Maryland associate sponsorship space International won’t include on the car. The hood logo Top Fuel for the third placement shows clearly in straight year, track owner almost every photo or TV Royce Miller says that it’s shot, for example. However, we’ve also heard simply because his facility doesn’t have enough extra that part of the “deal” was room in the pits to park the that Interstate Batteries was racer’s rigs. He vows that a to “repay” the investment by serious earth moving effort purchasing $500,000 in that’s slated to begin later advertising in Petersen mag this year will result in azines during the year. In expanded parking on both other words, this was a modi sides of the track. As things fied tradeout, with Gibbs’ coming out a half million dol now stand, there’s only mini mal spectator parking, with lars ahead, which would have most of the fans being bussed been a pretty fair amount for the space provided on the car, in from a nearby area. Early reports from the new to say nothing of the excep facility in Shreveport, tional publicity the Petersen Louisiana, say that while the books have provided for the track may not have the kind team’s primaiy sponsors this of picture-perfect appearance season. The problem is that, that comes from rich, gi’een grass and the like, the place according to our soui’ces, as of is first rate. People who have ad closing for the late fall worked events at the track issues of the magazines they report a vast expanse of pit had yet to see a single adver tising insertion order from parking, comfortable specta tor amenities (although Interstate! And lest we forget, the guy somewhat abbreviated in who allegedly engineered this deal for Petersen recently left FLAME GRILLED... While under what’s been termed attracting plenty of attention “strained circumstances.” for their associate sponsor Like, following a meeting ship of Cruz Pedregon's with senior management a Funny Car, left. Hot Rod terse announcement was Magazine apparently made about him “seeking haven't had the same suc new opportunities,” and vrithcess with the reported reciin hours he was gone! prical advertising agree Still talking about Joe ment. Dave Ostaszewski.

Gibbs Racing, we’ve heard from a usually reliable source that McDonald’s will definite ly not be back next season, but that Gibbs has allegedly inked a deal with another megacorporatioon. He’s reportedly going to make an announcement shortly, meaning that the Mike Green-wrenched, Cory McClenathan-driven fueler will continue to be a major national event threat. Interstate Batteries will reportedly remain on the flanks of the team’s Funny Car, but rumors continue to circulate that Cruz Pedregon might not be the guy behind the wheel next season. We’ve actually heard his name mentioned in connec tion with Darrell Gwynn’s dragster, as current driver Mike Dunn has yet to re-sign for next year. Mopar Performance is also unsigned for next season. FROM THE IHRA NORTHERN NATIONALS n Rick Green,reporter for the Summit FastNews Network, called her the Queen of Speed, but what ever her title-, Shirley Muldowney wowed ‘em in Stanton, recording the quickest and fastest run in IHRA history with a 4.696/312.50 blast. Ms. Muldowney called immediately after the run to report that “At about half track I knew it was a good one, certainly better than anything I’d run before. I also knew there was no way I was going to be able to stop, but I darn sure wasn’t about to lift!’ Shirley ran the car off the end of the track into the sand trap, but the team and IHRA officials were able to extract it without damage. Muldowney’s pit area was mobbed after the run, which came early Saturday evening, AFTER her team had already sold every souvenir item they’d brought with them. Still, Muldowney has never measured her willingness to talk with the fans and sign autographs with their will ingness or ability to purchase souvenirs. As usual, the

DRAG RACING led team, by her husband/crew chief, Rahn Tobler, had to almost pull her away from the still-remain ing crowd later that evening so they could return to their hotel.

The racing surface is very, very good and the surround ing forest gives the appear ance of natural beauty. And at long last some of the access problems have been solved with the addition On Sunday Muldowney of new highway ramps and marched through elimina the like, but other aspects of tions to face Pat Dakin, a the facility leave a lot to be racer she likes and respects, desired. The media “center” is still in the finale. As Tobler said. When I first started racing a trailer, and has been moved Pat was kind of a wildman, even further down track in order to accommodate more and he was definitely a prac tical joker. He’s still got that sponsor hospitality areas. attitude to some respect, but That means the people post he’s a true professional and a ing real time results on the various Internet sites have really good guy. We like rac ing against people like that, an extremely limited view of but I am kinda sorry we the action, and must rely, in didn’t win!” some instances, on observa Muldowney’s car smoked tions being radioed to them the tires in the finale when, by compatriots sitting in the slightly pressed for time, they grandstands. were unable to repair the Getting out post race blower they had on the results is a nightmare, as engine and had to bolt a limited phone lines make brand new one on. things difficult. This is a sim Einaac’s severely damaged Compounding their prob ple problem that should be right arm was amputated fol lem was the fact that they addressed by both track own lowing the accident, while didn’t have time to warm the ership and NHRA, as publici extensive surgery was neces engine prior to the race, and ty continues to be the sary to repair damage to his as Tobler added,“The minute lifeblood of drag racing. If left arm. We’ve heard several the engine lit I knew we were timely results don’t reach in trouble. It had way too area media outlets, the entire reports from people on the much power (because of the sport suffers as a result. scene that Knaac may not superior blower), and I knew Conditions in the pits have been wearirtg his we’d smoke the tires.” aren’t much better. If you’re mandatory arm restraints at They did just that, with not assigned a prime spot the time of the accident. Dakin waltzing home with with your fuel car, you’re Additionally, a source the $20,000 winner money. going to be working in gravel within IHRA has reportedly I’m a lot happier that Pat between runs. told of having had to “scold” and his guys got it than “Montana Express” Top Knaac on more than one Fuel owner John, Mitchell occasion for trying to drive someone else,” Shirley admit ted, adding, “Man, what I arrived at SIR after Aussie his car while wearing tennis need is a sponsor. I would driver and Motorsport News shoes instead of approved love to race some of those columnist Dave Grubnic and safety footwear. guys at Indy (in the NHRA the crew had parked his rig. If these allegations prove Mitchell took one look at the out, Knaac will have paid a U.S. Nationals).” Ironically, on the same conditions his people were very high price for not having weekend that Shirley was supposed to work under and taken the dangers of drag number one qualifier in told them to load the C2U" and racing seriously. head home to Montana. In some other instances Michigan, 1-9-year old Cristen Powell was also number one Brad and Randy Anderson we’ve personally noted that in Seattle. were reportedly just as dis many 'Top Fuel drivers seem “I’m so glad for her,” satisfied with their pit area, more concerned with “looking Shirley said the day after the but due to sponsor considera cool” than effectively protect race. “Cristen is a very nice tions remained to race. ing themselves. Since Mitchell has no spon young lady, and I really like While driving shoes are her. We match raced against sor he was free to express his approved for wear in Top opinion by bolting, but Fuel, they provide what her recently, and I thorough ly enjoyed it. She’s going to regardless of circumstances amounts to being minimal (okay, zero) fire protection. be something very special in like that, someone in authori ty was hopefully paying Shelly Anderson suffered racing, believe me.” attention. Drag racing can ill ankle burns in her recent afford to lose the few inde FROM'THE NHRA crash at Sonoma, and is one NORTHWEST of many who wear the shoes pendents it has. SAFE'TY ISSUES NATIONALS instead ofthe more protective n Seattle International n n Top Dragster driver Bob (and far less glamorous) fire Raceway has a long way Knaac is recovering in a boots mandated for Funny to go to come up to truly Michigan hospital after an Car drivers. During the years he drove modem motorsports stan- accident at the IHRA Northern Nationals. dards. Top Fuel cars, two-time

28August m

NHRA Winston Funny Car TAKING HIS BAT AND I couldn’t help remarking champion Frank Hawley on how much more gear he BALL... Aussie Dave used to climb into the car wore than almost everyone Grubnic's team owner resembling the Michelin Man else (with the notable excep John Mitchell wasn't happy because of all the gear he tion of Billy Meyer, who was with the position his team wore, but Hawley was no also very safety-conscious as was asked to pit in at dummy. While he had a bare a driver), to which KB Seattle and told the team ly flame-resistant outer layer responded, “Yeah, well if I to pack up and head back of white emblazoned with hadn’t had all of this junk on to Montana. sponsor logos on his firesuit, last week I’d probably still be Photo: Dave Ostaszewski. beneath it he had a full in the hospital instead of out Funny Car suit for added here racing.” ^ - Wanna look cool? Become protection. Shirley Muldowney may a model or movie actor. If you Petersen Publishing company not be exactly svelte-appear want to race safely, find out to sell advertising for the ing when she climbs into her what kind of personal safety Automotive Performance car, because her firesuit is gear is necessary for the class Group magazines. Mike also of Funny Car “weight” you’re racing in and then buy Lewis, former manager of and is anything but form-fit the best you can find for Indianapolis Raceway Park, ting because she knows that classes two or three levels was recently spotted at the tight-fitting protective gear higher than you’re running Michigan (lART race, and transmits external heat from in. And wear every bit of it said he’d like to remain in in the a fire a lot quicker than does for every run. There is no motorsports Indianapolis area. a loose-fitting suit. She also such thing as “It won’t hap Karen Raffa, who did what wears Funny Car-style boots pen to me.” appeared to be an excellent for added foot protection.' LANDING ON THEIR job on the Jr. Dragster pro Some years ago, when he FEET gram, was snapped up by the was still driving Funny Cars, Kenny Bernstein suffered a n Since the bloodletting at International Hot Rod major fire at the IHRA NHRA that saw 19 people Association to handle their entire contingency awards Northern Nationals, then lose their jobs, the ‘compa held at Milan Dragway in ny’ has hired a firm to program. Her opportunity Michigan. help get them placed in came about following the res A week later Bernstein was new positions. Some, how ignation of Patrick Jaynes, back in competition at ever, have managed to who didn’t like living in Englishtown and I watched find gainful employment Norwalk, Ohio, and decided to return to Tennessee and go him getting ready for a run, on their own. Bill Crietz, mentioned in back to school to get a degree first pulling on Nomex under wear and then an extra-thick our last issue, immediately in business management. Next up in the wonderful Ballaclava. He then struggled purchased a complete com into his firesuit, which includ puter system and is working world of drag racing? The ed an extra long “fanny flap” under contract as an artist IHRA World Nationals and NHRA U.S. Nationals on for protection of “his most for one of the street rod mag prized possessions.” Then azines. National Dragster back-to-back weekends. Book came a couple of pairs of advertising director Sandy your flight, and head on over. Wasserbeck has returned to You won’t be sorry. gloves and finally the helmet!

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36 28AU01998 ”

John Myers

IdllecI in

road crash

Pro Stock Motorcycle rider John Myers died on August 9 in a non-racing motorcycle acci dent. The accident occurred on a wood ed highway near Tuscaloosa, Alabama, while Myers was on a cruise with fellow motorcycle racer Steve Johnson. A small animal ran out in front of Myers’ motorcycle as he entered a turn - Myers swerved to avoid it,

TRAGIC LOSS... Pro Stock Motorcycle legend John Myers passed avjay on August 9.(David Ostaszewski)

Step up to f i for Rowland After three summers out of the sport, Stuart Rowland will return to competition at Ravenswood International Raceway next season. The television repair man of Northern, 100 km east of Perth, was looking forward to firing up his Pontiac TransAm again, but it will be running in a different division. The former record holder of the national BB Funny Car ET and ter minal speed records will contest the AA category next time around.

But, at this stage, Rowland hasn’t set a finish time on the rebuilding of the car. He is aiming to at least have a run before Christmas and will head back into competition after a prac tice nm,aba street meeting. “Our racing will be on more of a casual level,” Rowland said. Work commitments and the anjount of time maintaining the previous big block he used proved to be too prohibitive to run full sea sons in the BB class.

Minato moves up in I I

The NHRA West Coast swing came to a close on August 2 in Seattle, Washington, site of the Prolong Super Lubricants Northwest Nationals and coming back with the gold and closing in on the points leaders were Joe Amato and Ron Capps, while Warren Johnson extended his lead even further. Amato moved to within one round of the points lead by defeatCory ing points leader McClenathan in the final round in a good side by side race, 4.857/294.88 to 4.895/299.70. The win was Amato’s third win in'five final round appearances in n 1998 and the 44th victory in 88 career finals. The Tenneco dragster qualified fifth at 4.682/295.76 and moved through eliminations by stopping Tim Gibson in the BME Engineering Chevy in the opening round with a 4.869/284.81. Round two saw Amato square off against the Winston dragster of - ' Gary Scelzi and- take the win on a 4.786/289.94 to holeshot, 4.754/299.30. Amato then moved into the final round by defeating the Mopar Parts dragster of Mike Dunn, 4.816/291.16 to a slowing 5.342/227.44. The low qualifier at 4.590/299.80 was Cristen Powell in the ReeBok dragster.

Ron Capps scored another win in 1998 at Seattle, his third, in a good Funny Car final round race with low qualifier John Force. He drove the Roland Leongtuned, Don Prudhomme-owned, Copenhagen Camaro to a string of good runs in eliminations, before stopping the Castrol Mustang in the final. Capps overcame a small starting line advantage to take a 5.136/288.27 to 5.253/274.72 victory. He now trails Force in the pointscore race by only 11 points. Warren Johnson took yet another title, his 69th, in a Johnson family final round battle with son Kurt. Warren had qualified number one for the eighth time this year and the 97th time in a long career at 6.884/200.53, setting both ends of the SIR track record. The GM Goodwrench Service Plus Pontiac then began it’s march to the final by surviving a round with Scott one burndown Geoffrion’s Mopar, 6.952/198.19 to 7.030/196.97. Johnson then advanced into the final with .6.971/198.32 and 6.968/198.54 wins over the Pontiacs ofTom Martino and Jim Yates. Johnson wrapped up the threerace swing with three final round appearances, winning the last two. He qualified number one at all three and set track records at every venue. - DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

Rowland is putting together a new TFX engine, which he believes will not demand as much mainte nance as the old unit. “The big block fell apart all the time and we have the reliability factor to think about,” he stated. Rowland said the old engine con tinually blew head gaskets, which has a snowball effect on the rest of the machinery. So, with less time expected on the maintenance side of things, this funny car pilot is aiming at enjoy ing his racing a bit more and “hav ing a bit offun.” The car will also run a new clutch and supercharger, which Rowland said would keep them busy while they came to terms with everything in the early stages. He said it would be like going back to school while learning all the new set-ups, but admitted it was something he was looking forward to. There are no plans to go back to BB and reclaim his old records. In the short term, the team will concentrate on getting as many passes under its belt as possible

The record book was shattered on August 2 during the IHRA Car Quest Northern Nationals held at Stanton, Michigan and, when the smoke cleared, it was former World Champion Pat Dakin scoring a win in Top Fuel over Shirley Muldowney. Joining Dakin in the vnnners cir cle were Tim McAmis in Pro Mod, Jerry Yeoman in Pro Stock, Scott Weis in Alcohol Funny Car and Ray Price in Top Fuel Harley. Dakin had put his Commercial Metel Fabricating Top Fuel drag ster into the show with a Friday night, low e.t. blast of 4.750/292.71, but, on the next night, Shirley Muldowney stole the top spot with the quickest and fastest run in IHRA competition. The familiar pink Action Racing Collectables fueller stopped the timers at 4.696/312.50 to send the home state crowd into a frenzy Muldowney’s car had incremental times of .869 60ft, 2.144 330 ft, 3.135/251.25 660 ft and 3.979 1000 ft. In round one, Johnson defeated second in points and defending IHRA World Champ Paul Romine on a holeshot, 4.772 to 4.765 - it was the quickest side by side run in

and, hopefully, be competitive enough to set a few records. Looking further down the quar ter mile crystal ball, a 5.90 pass in either AA, or Top Alcohol, is on the wish list. While he has been out of pacing for three years, Rowland hasn’t been a drag racing hermit, still making the occasional trek to Ravenswood to keep an eye on the opposition. He will be up against the hardhitters of Top Competition, includ ing Grant O’Rourke, Ian Brown and Murray O’Connor, who is under stood to be biiiiding a new two-door Ford coupe. Ravenswood’s first meeting of the season is a Genie Super Sunday on September 6, with the first major sliowtieing on October 31. Ravenswood’s administration office is now at Claremont Speedway, after the two motorsport bodies merged to build a purposebuilt facility in the metropolitan area in the near future. The new Ravenswood phone number is (08)9383 2622. - DARREN O’DEA

losing control and striking the guard rail, His injuries at first appeared to be only a fractured arm - however, during examination and treatment, Myers, 40, passed away fi’om mas sive internal bleeding. Myers was the second-winningest rider in NHRA history, with 33 career wins, three championships (1990,1992 and 1995) and finishing no worse than second for nine con secutive years. Myers has also won the presti gious Pro Bike Dash a record four times(1992,1993,1994 and 1995). The four-time Car Craft All Star Team member was also the first rider to make a pass quicker than 7.50 seconds. Myers recently left the George and Jackie Bryce team, in which he rode for for many years, to form a new two-bike team with Greg Underdahl. He will be greatly missed by the drag racing community. John leaves behind his wife, Kerry and his two year-old daugh ter, Christina. - DAVID OSTASZEWSKI CANBERRA WILD BUNCH... n. ; Lindsay CburcMM’s “Norma ’57 Chevrolet took out the| rescheduled eighth-mile : International ^ Canberra Dragway’s Wild Bunch event | after downing Benn Gatt, ; 4.833/130.89 to 5.961/101.22. Consolation winner was n Stephen Dupond, whose ’48 Ford Coupe eliminated: Andrew Eeain, 5.222/142.72 to : 5.839/113.99. Quick Sixteen was won by Terry Agland; over Tim Nielsen, 5.828/116i02 to 5.683/121.26. -MTEEATTWELL

Dakin too good for Muldowney IHRA history and the time by Romine temporarily gave him a new e.t. record. In round two, Dakin used a 4.822/293.86 to take out points leader Tommy Johnson Jr, who red lighted and shut off. In the final round, Muldowney moved first, but was up in smoke at the hit of the throttle. Dakin went into the winners cir cle at 4.753/296.83 and right into the record books, as he backed up his qualifying run to set the IHRA e.t. record at 4.750 seconds. In the first event since the IHRA put controversial new restrictions on blown cars utihzing the hi-helix superchargers, chassis builder Tim McAmis took the win in Pro Modified with a close final round win over Fred Hahn. McAmis, driving the Sanders

Motorsports nitrous-equipped ’63 Corvette, used a final round 6.523/213.00 to stop the 6.538/211.93 ofHahn’s blown ’37 Chevy. McAmis qualified fourth at 6.513/213.84 and reached the final 6.506/214.32 with round 6.565/213.87 and 6.573/212.93 wins over Harold Martin, Gary Shearer and Scotty Cannon. Cannon, who is very vocal about his dislike of the rules change, put his ’53 Studebaker on the pole at 6.405/218.09 after earlier runs of 6.57 and 6.46. The nitrous vs blower was will rage on, as two top nitrous competi tors were no shows at Stanton Tommy Mauney and Shannon Jenkins were absent in the pits and rumor has it that the two did not feel the change was enough. - DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

DRAG RACING

Brainerd wins by Scehd, Capps and Martin Cory Mac leads Amato by one point Gary Scelzi, Ron Capps, Tom stopped Whit Bazemore and Del Martino and Matt Hines scored Worsham, respectively, the professional wins as the Capps’ final round opponent was NHRA tour moved through Dean Skuza and the Mateo Tools Minnesota,for the running of Dodge Avenger, the Visionaire NorthStar Skuza qualified ninth at Nationals, held at Brainerd on 5.142/294.02 and posted elimina tion runs of 5.143/298.50 and August 20-23. Scelzi and the Team Winston Top 5.140/291.26 in stopping A1 Fuel dragster are starting to find Hofmann and Randy Anderson, the consistency that took them to The points lead changed hands in the NHRA Winston championship the semi-final round when Skuza in 1997. defeated John Force. Force had scored two wins with a Scelzi qualified in the number nine position with a 4.714/309.81, pair of 5.06s and looked to be going then improved to a 4.661/313.15 in into the final, until engine prob a round one defeat of Jim Head. lems slowed the Castrol Mustang to Round two found current points a 5.146/29135, giving the win to leader and number one qualifier Skuza at 5.097/299.80. (4.598/311.63) Cory McClenathan In the final, Capps deep-staged, squaring off with Scelzi. took an early lead and, with Skuza After an even launch by both losing traction just past the 100 cars, Scelzi pulled away at mid- foot mark, motored on to post a track to take a 4.669/309.38 to 5.098/291.16 victory. “It’s awsome. I don’t want this to 4.729/308.95 victory. Scelzi then advanced into the sound like a cliche, but it’s a dream final by posting a 4.700/306.53 win come true.” said Capps.“We are not over Joe Amato, who lost traction only a contender, we are a champiimmediately - Amato has pulled to onship calibre team. It’s nice to be within one point of McClenathan in the lead, but there’s a long way for the series lead. to go.” Facing Scelzi in the final would Tom Martino drove his Six Flags be the Mopar Parts dragster of Pontiac to the Pro Stock win at Mike Dunn and owner Darrell Brainerd in a final round 7.165/191.81 to 7.115/194.36 Gwynn. holeshot win over Mark Osborne. Dunn marched through elimina tions with wins over Eddie Hill, Both drivers faced stiff competiDavid Grubnic and Larry Dixon. - tion throughout the day, really It was the second round race earning their final round berths, with Grubnic that gave Dunn his Martino had the challenges of Steve Schmidt, Richie Stevens and biggest challenge of the day. Grubnic left on Dunn and appeared to be on his way to anoth-, WH er round win, until the blower vbelt * exited the machine, slowing the Montana ^Express to a 5.047/211.71, while Dunn won at 4.718/307.37. In the final, Scelzi took a slight holeshot, hazed the hides, pedalled and motored on to take a 4.829/303.23 win, while Dunn lost traction at around the 300 foot mark, keeping his foot in it to a 5.273/259.96. The win is Scelzi’s second of 1998 and the seventh of his Top Fuel career. Funny Car saw a repeat winner as Ron Capps scored his second straight win, bringing his total to four in 1998. He also heads into Indy for the US Nationals with a 31 point lead in the standings. The Don Prudhomme-owned, Roland Leong-tuned Copenhagen Camaro was a picture of consisten cy during the weekend, qualifying second at 5.003/266.42 before stringing 5.0s together in elimina tions. A first round 5.003/299.50 dis posed of Dale Creasy Jr and 5.090/298.50 and 5.069/302.92 runs

Kurt Johnson to deal with, while Osborne took on and defeated Jeg Coughlin Jr, Bruce Allen and Warren Johnson. In that semi-final race with W.J., the two left dead even, Osborne flat outrunning the points leader to take a 7.098/194.30 to 7.165/193.13 victory. Jim Yates, who was the low qual ifier at 7.023/195.39, was ousted in round two by Kurt Johnson. Matt Hines’ total domination of the Pro Stock Motorcycle class con tinued as the two best bikes in the country faced off in what is becom ing an all too familiar final round. Hines cut a great .410 light in the final, with Angelle Seeling and the Winston bike right there with a .414. The two were dead even until half-track, where the Vance and Hines power came through to give Hines’ Suzuki a 7.421/180.79 to 7.445/182.55 win, his eighth of 1998. Shawn Bowen defeated Rick Henkelman, 5.673/248.41 to 9.881/81.94, in the Federal Mogul Dragster class - Henkelman’s nitro burner did set low e.t. at 5.508. Bucky Austin made it three national evqnts in a row when his Pontiac defeated Marc White in the Federal Mogul Funny Car final, 5.809/243.11 to 6.077/238.09. n Low qualifier Brian Hough set low e.t. in a semi-final loss to Austin at 5.787 seconds. - DAVID bSTASZEWSKI

28August m

A]] of the cars were built by Melbourne’s MuiTay Anderson, or they utilize one of Anderson’s innovative “swing arm” rear-ends. n While on the subject of Murray Anderson’s workshop, ^ j it is worth noting that Peter new Pennzoii Kapiris’ |By Gerald McDori Studebaker is about ready to roll out of the new Melbourne n The legendary Bob Glidden, base for Anderson. the winningest racer in NHRA With the fitting of the body history, will be making a expected to take place this week, return to active competition at along with the final tin work, the US Nationals in a little paint and a few other bits and over a week’s time. pieces, the Stude should be ready Glidden will be seen at the to run within four to five weeks. wheel of renowned engine-bmlder The only thing that might delay Steve Schmidt’s spare Pontiac the ’97 Nats winner from hitting Firebird Pro Stocker, a seat he the track will be a hold up with may occupy for the remainder of new engine components, which are 1998 and beyond. expected to arrive soon. Glidden, who has won 85 NHRA national events and 10 World n Top Fuel racer Rachelle Championships, will also help Splatt and partner Wayne Schmidt with development work Lusk last week became the for his engine program. proud parents of a new baby daughter. Both mother and n Scotty Cannon fired off the baby Kayla are reported to be quickest pass in history for a doing fine. doorslammer recently, with his Cable TV Guide n Another Top Fuel racer, Studebaker blasting out a Robin Kirby and his wife Sally, stout 6.200-second/225 mph also became new parents run at an Englishtown match again with the birth of their race. third child and their first son. Cannon covered the first half As Motorsport News was going track in 4.04 seconds on the his to press, the proud parents toric run, although earlier in the had yet to settle on a name for evening he had, in fact, run an the young fella. even quicker 4.00 before ‘blowing the tyres’,off the Australian-built n Word has it that Melbourne car and slowing to a 6.39. Super Stock racer Nick Cannon’s run, achieved in Xerakis is looking to stepping match race trim, surpasses the up the ranks with the pur 6.241-second pass recorded by chase of a new ’98 model Ford Fred Hahn in Jim Oddy’s ’34 Probe Pro Stock car from the US. Chevy nitro coupe last year. Only four doorslammer racers The rumour is that Xerakis, in the world have run in the 6.2- who runs his own, impressive second range, Cannon and Hahn, engine development program, along with Australia’s Victor Bray latched on to a new cai- originally (6.25) and Peter Gratz(6.28). built for Rusty Glidden.

REAL MEN ... Colin McQuinn (above, left) and Rod Smith seem to be more than pleased with the PSI-hlown 496 big block Chev that powers McQuinn’s “Nemesis” 21.5-foot ski racer. Built at Rod Smith Racing’s Boneo workshop near Rosebud in Victoria, the mega-motor currently runs Dart alloy heads and twin 1100 Holleys, though an Autronic fuel injection system is about to be fitted to the 1500 horsepower monster. ° Nemesis, sponsored fay Clipsal and McQuinn Eleetrical Contractors, will fae seen in action during the legendary Bridge to Bridge ski ^ace in October in New South Wales - the stunning art work on the projectile is by John Evans of Race Art in Victoria. (Tony Glynn pics)

1998 NHRA CHAMPIONSHIP DRAG RACING SERIES - POINTS TO AUGUST 24IH, 1998.

PENNMIL Tr

1998 NHRA Top Fuel Championship 1. Cory McClenathan, McDonald’s 1 121 2. Joe Amato, Tenneco Automotive ... 1 120 3. Gary Scelzi, Team Winston-No Bull .1064 4. Kenny Bernstein, Budweiser/Prolong .91 1 5. Mike Dunn, Mopar Performance ... .886 779 6. Jim Head, Jim Head Racing 7. Doug Kalitta, Kalitta International ...740 8. Bob Vandergriff, Jerzees America 729 705 9. Larry Dixon, Miller Lite/MBNA 10. Bruce Sarver, ATSCO Power Steer ..704

1998 NHRA Funny Car Championship I. Ron Capps, Copenhagen/MBNA ...1 105 1074 2. John Force, Castrol/Mac Tools 3. Chuck Etchells, Kendall/MaMa Rosa . .989 4. Cruz Pedregon, Interstate Bat/Hot Rod . .946 879 5. Tony Pedregon, Castrol Syntec 6. Tim Wilkerson,jCIT International ...843 7. Whit Bazemore,Team Winston-No Bull ..837 8. Dean Skuza, Mateo Tools/Mopar 730 9. Al Hofmann, GM Performance Parts ...678 .624 10. Del Worsham, CSK Parts

1998 NHRA Pro Stock Championship I, Warren Johnson, Goodwrench/Pontiac .1293 2. Jeg Coughlin Jnr., Jegs Mail Order 954 3. Kurt Johnson, ACDelco/Chevrolet ..948 4. Jim Yates, Peak Anti-Freeze/Splitfire . . .884 5. Mark Osborne, Dick Sherman Racing 761 6. Mike Thomas, Pennzoil/Finish Line .. .709 7. Tom Martino, Six Flags Thrill Parks ..661 .635 8. Mike Edwards,JK Racing Pontiac 9. Mark Pawuk, Summit Racing 547 ,539 10. Richie Stevens, Collins Racing

3S 28AU0W98

iVlaii For All Seasons Legends, Commodore Cup and Karts - skiing coach Matthew Coleman is making his mark in motor racing Matthew Coleman is a young gious Bairnsdale Street Grand Prix man in a hurry, the 25 year-old Clubman Light Title two years in a racing in three different cul row - this particular meeting is tures of Australian motorsport hailed as the second biggest event through four seasons of the on the Australian calendar after year. the Karting Nationals. Coleman, a snow ski coach, races He has also collected state, club karts, as well as contesting the and open event trophies over the Legends Superspeedway series and years as he progressively rose to be the ROH \^eels Commodore Cup a leading contender at all events. Championship. A little over two years ago, he As a 17 year-old, Coleman was made his super speedway debut in introduced to kart racing by his a 5/8ths scale Legend sedan, pow father, Alan, who had a kart based ered by a 1200cc Yamaha four in Sydney at Phil Ward’s Corporate cylinder motorcycle engine. Kart concern. “Legends importer and distribu Coleman senior participated in tor Paul Freestone asked me if I mid-week sprint karting meets at would like to race his car, as he was Oran Park Raceway on a regular unable to compete at one of the basis, until he invited Matthew to Calder Park Thunderdome meet hop behind the wheel. ings due to business commitments A short time later, the kart overseas,” commented Coleman. “He knew that I had considerable arrived at the Coleman’s family home in Melbourne and Matthew karting experience, so I went out to commenced racing at the nearby the track on the Thursday and got my license, then practiced on Oakleigh Go Kart Club facility. “I asked Dad if I could have a run Friday. in his kart at Oran Park, as I “On Saturday I qualified well and always wanted to know if I had was really happy with my race what it took to run fast with others results that evening. , “After the race meeting, I knew on a track,” said Coleman. “I was fortunate enough to win a that I had to get a car for the next race on that first outing and I summer series, as the power to weight ratio makes these little thought‘how easy is this.’ “I was immediately hooked and, l machine real fliers, as well as fun following that day, I just wanted to to race.” During the next two seasons, race karts as a way of learning racecraft and gaining experience Coleman managed to snare a num ber of victories, as well as gaining before I moved into Touring Cars.” Coleman quickly adapted to the podium results at virtually every karting scene, winning the presti- meeting that he contested.

But his skiing activities in Canada and Austria prevened him from ninning at all of the champi onship series rounds. During the winter months, Coleman is the race coach for the Mt Buller ski race team, which sup ports the Victorian State team and the Junior National Team. In his spare time on the slopes, his role also encompasses some ski instruction. “My skiing activities certainly help my motor racing,” he explained, “particularly where fit ness is concerned - and being involved with the coaching is a bonus. Even though we’re not going around corners, we’re running through gates where you have to turn-in at the right time and exit at the correct time and be ready for the next turn. “I can really translate what I do with the kids into my own racing and that is a benefit. I know about nerves and the pressure that is applied before bursting through the starting gate and they definitely complement each other.” Earlier this year, the decision was made to contest the road racing ROH Wheels Commodore Cup Championship, if a suitable car could be purchased. A short time later, Coleman was the proud owner of machine that Dean Crosswell utilised to win last year’s series and he altered his ski ing schedule to allow him to take in rounds around the country.

MATTHEW COLEMAN... Young man in a hurry. (Dirk Klynsmith pic) “My objective for this year’s Commodore Cup series was to learn all of the road racing circuits that run our cars, in readiness for a full assault on the ’99 title,” said Coleman. “To date, the results have been better than expected and I’m cur rently placed second on the points scoreboard with an opportunity of taking out the series.” Coleman explained that his kart ing experience has helped him in

ON THE PODiUM... Coleman, who has already claimed the winner’s laurels in Commodore Cup (below), wants a Legends title. (Dirk Klynsmith pic)

1998 WINSTON CUP SERIES RESULTS Goody’s 500 - Bristol, Tn. August 23rd, 1998. I.

Mark Martin,#6 Valvoline/Cianmins Ford Taurus

11. Bobby Hamilton Kodak Maxx Chev Monte Carlo

1 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

JeffBurton,#99 Exkle Batteries Ford Taurus Rusty Wallace,#2 Miller Lite Ford Taurus DaleJarrett,#88QualityCareFordTaurus Jeff Gordon,#24 DuPont Auto Finishes Chev Monte Carlo Dale Earnhardt GMGoodwrench Chev Monte Carlo Mike Stdnner Lowe’s Chev Monte Carlo

11 Kyle Petty Hot Whccb Pontiac Grand Prix 13. Terry Labonte KeSogg’s Chev Monte Carlo 14. Ken Schrader Skoal Bandit Chev Monte Carlo

8. Jeremy Mayfield Mobil I Ford Taurus 9. Ricky Rudd Tide Ford Taurus 10. Kevin Lepage PRIMESTAR Ford Taurus

15. Kenny Irwin Texaco Havoline Ford Taurus 16. MkhadWahripCitgo Ford Taurus 17. JeffGreen,#46 The Money Store Chev Monte Carlo 18. Rich Bidde,#98 Thom Apple Valley Ford Taurus 19. Bill EBiott,#94 McDonald’s Ford Taurus 20. Ted Mus^ve,#S3 Winston/No Bull Ford Taurus

running close with other competi tors - and he particularly appreci ates the preparation work that has been put into his Commodore by Gerard Mui-phy and Les Small. “We spend a lot of time making sure everything is right. If the car is not prepared properly, it will not finish races and no-one wins if they don’t complete the event,” he said. Coleman would like to nm in the ROH Wheels series again next year, before possibly branching out into another sedan categoiy. “If someone offers me a drive in a Super Tourer, or a V8 Supercar, I would like to have a test in one of those machines,” Coleman stated. “If not. I’ll stick with the Commodore Cup, as it is a great category to run in. “The control-style of racing keeps the cost of racing down and it allows the drivers to display their racing skills. “After checking the 1998/99 super speedway calendar, it appears that I will be able to con test all rounds, so I’m determined to win the Legends championship. “As well as that. I’ll also be com peting in selected events in my Drew Price Engineering AX6 kart in the Clubman Light class. “It would be neat to take out both the Commodore Cup and the Legends Championship series, as no one has done that before - but that level of commitment doesn’t mean I won’t also be going for out right victories in kart events, as winning there still gives me a great -GRANT NICHOLAS buzz.

isejiSi

Standings After Rd 22 3082 I. Jeff Gordon .... 3000 2. Mark Martin ... .2859 3. Dalejarrett ... ,2769 4. Rusty Wallace . 2664 5. Bobby Labonte 2606 6. Jeremy Mayfield 2453 7. Jeff Burton 8. Teri7 Labonte 9. Dale Earnhardt 10. Ken Schrader .

2422 2402 2291

28August 19%

Ingall Bathurst drive

3S d

Scotty Williams nabs Tourer ace Scotty Williams, Kevin Schwantz’s Melbournebased KS Racing partner, last week announced the signing of Russell Ingall for the NASCAR support race at this year’s AMP Bathurst 1000 on October 3. Williams, who has been working on plans for Ingall to drive the #34 Monte Carlo for more than three months, was surprised when Ingall prematurely announced his Stock Car drive.

“Nonetheless, if Russell drives as fast as he talks, then we’re definitely looking good for an outright victory on the Mount Panorama cir cuit,” Williams said. “After all, Russell’s no stranger to the track and he already has a couple of Bathurst 1000km Touring Car wins to his cred it with Larry Perkins.” Ingall made his unofficial NASCAR debut last Friday night during a Calder Park promotion at the Melbourne

Mark Martin halted Jeff Gordon’s chance of a record five wins in suc cession in front of 140,000 fans, at the high banked half-mile Bristol Motor Speedway on August 22. Martin dominated the lat home fifth. The guys did a ter stages of the race, taking good job tightening the car the lead from Bobby Labonte up for me, as we started out on lap 320 of 500 and never very loose.” \ Gordon also failed to lead a looking back, heading Roush team-mate Jeff Burton to the - lap,.the first time'since chequer by 2.185 seconds. Texas in April. Ricky Rudd in the Tide Martin also pulled back 30 points on series leader Taurus qualified third and, Gordon in a bid for his first after pole-sitter' Rusty championship and he now Wallace jed the first ten trails the doubles champ by' tours, Rudd took over and just 67 points. the pair swapped the point If Martin continues his back and fourth until Rudd consistency (he has recorded finally got the upper hand. finishes of seventh or better Wallace’s Penske stablein 13 straight races), he mate Jeremy Mayfield then could well pull off the title - showed his hand and led the latest in the season until the second caution on Gordon has ever won a race lap 118 for Joe Nemechek. is September 29 and there During that first round of are five more events after pit stops, Wallace exited pit that date on this year’s road first, but had to come schedule. back in twice due to a right Martin’s win was his fifth front brake fire caused by a this year, equalling his per loose caliper bolt. sonal best. As Mayfield clung to his “This one is for the family. lead, all eyes were on 39thI cried last week because I placed Wallace as he forced didn’t get to dedicate a victo his way through traffic in an ry to my Dad, Shelly (Mark’s effort'to get a lap back lost in stepmother) and Sarah (his the pits. half sister),” Martin said. Wallace gained more “This one is for them tonight.. ground when the next cau We were a championship tion came out and, on the restart, he was able to get team tonight.” After starting seventh, between second-placed Gordon was never in con Martin and leader Mayfield, who waved his team-mate by tention all night long, but did to propel him back to the rally in the late stages to fin ish fifth. lead lap. The first big wreck “Well, we got fifth, if that accounts for anything,” said occurred on lap 215 - as is Gordon. “I’ve been fighting a the norm at Bristol, the race cold for the last few days, so is never in the driver’s I’m pretty happy just to come hands, as a one-car wreck

Storm/Canberra Rugby League match. Ingall driving a Monte Carlo around the Olympic Park arena prior to the kick-off. - TONY GLYNN NEW PILOT... KS Racing's Scotty Williams, looking very pleased with himself after putting Ingall’s name on the promo NASCAR, is joined by new Calder Park PR guru Sharon Elder prior to the Olympic Park outing. (Tony Glynn pic)

Martin blitzes Bristol can turn quickly into a tencar incident.

road following a final round of stops, his Roush power Jeff Green apparently pulling him away from bumped Brett Bodine and Wallace, who kept up forn this in turn wiped out handful of circuits. Derrike Cope, John Andretti, ' Burton moved around Robert Pressley and five oth- Wallace for the runner-up ers with less damage. slot, but he was no match for Labonte was first off pit - his team-mate, road, but the veterans. Dale Wallace blamed his neck Earnhardt and Darrell for the third place finish: “I Waltrip, pitted during the was up on the wheel tonight previous caution, but their, driving my butt off, but my 20 lap tyres were no match neck was giving out the last for Labonte’s fresher rubber 60 laps. That hasn’t hapand the Pontiac pilot pened to me in ten years, so I steamed by for just seven guess I’ve gotta start exercislaps. mg again.' The 13th and final caution was for Mayfield, who spun with help from Labonte on the back stretch - luckily, Jeremy made no other con tact and was able to pit for fresh tyres, although he did drop several positions. He regained some of those slots to record his second straight top ten in a bid for renewed consistency. While Martin dominated out front, Wally Dallenbach spun and Labonte hit the stricken Bud Chevy, which upset the toe-in and he was never again a factor. Martin’s first scare came on lap 197, when Ernie Irvan spun in front of him. JeiTy Nadeau then repeat ed a spin in front of the leader on lap 345 and a third occurred when Kenny Irwin spun to again slow his advantage. Martin was first off pit

/■

MAX’S MOUNT... Ian Vale (above), crew chief for Max Dumesny, has spent the last few weeks making detail improvements to Dumesny’s Valvoline Monte Carlo, which is now better suited to the Bathurst track and is a far more refined beast than when it raced last season on the Thunderdome. (Tony Glynn pie)

Earnhardt - starting a on Lepage, but he still pulled lowly 30th on the grid - and an impressive tenth place Childress team-mate and out of the controversy. Final result: Martin (Ford) outside pole-sitter Mike Skinner had a great battle in 86.918 mph, J Burton (Ford), The waning laps, Earnhardt R Wallace (Ford), Jarrett getting the upper hand after (Ford), Gordon (Chevy), some forceful driving, knock Earnhardt (Chevy), Sldnner ing aside Mayfield, Skinner, (Chevy), Mayfield (Ford), Irwin and Kevin Lepage in Rudd (Ford), Lepage (Ford). his second race for Jack Points standings: Gordon Roush. 3417, Martin 3350, Jarrett Lepage won the previous 3194, R Wallace 3033, B night’s Busch Series race and Labonte 2932, Mayfield dumped Dale Jr in the wall 2899, J Burton 2778, early in the going - it seems Earnhardt 2671, T Labonte 2606, Schrader 2533. his father was thinking pay back after some hard knocks - MARTIN D CLARK

28AU01998

Briefly

Historic n The Historic Commission has had to reshuffle several portfo lios in line with the appointment of some new Commissioners. Michael Henderson has been appointed to the Safety portfolio, and David Rapley and Patrick Ryan to Groups J, K and L. Peter Mohr is to remain as an exter nal consultant to the Commission on issues relating to promoters and will be invited to attend future meetings. Also, it has been rec ommended that several new Eligibility Officers be appointed in Queensland, WA and SA to meet growing demands and to replace some officers who have stepped aside, and that specific Formula Ford Eligibility Officers be appointed in Victoria and NSW to address the expected increase in numbers of these vehi cles in both Groups Q and R. The Formula Ford Association will be consulted on this latter issue. n The Historic Commission has also had concerns expressed to it about the levels of driving expertise and experience of some com petitors interested in contesting the.Healey memorial races at Bathurst at the forth coming AMP “1000” meeting. The Commission has been informed that the minimum licence requirement for this event will be an International HI licence or an Intel-national Grade C licence. n Historic race com petitors have plenty of events to keep them going for the remainder of the year starting with the Six-Hour Relay Race at Winton on August 29 to 30. Then follows the Victorian Motor Race Championship meeting at Calder on September 26 to 27, the VHRR Sandown Historic being organised and run by the MG Car Club of Victoria on October 23 to 25 and the Australian Historic 'Motorfest at Winton on November 7 to 8. n In between there are hillclimbs at Arthur’s Seat (September 6), the Multi-Club Challenge at Rob Roy (September 13), Morwell(November 15) and the Historic and Classic Rob Roy (November 28 to 29). And that’s just Victoria! - BRIAN REED

Carter makes history By BRIAN REED

AFTER two hard-fought 16-lappers at Winton in the GT Production Car Championship on August 9 a driver could be forgiv en for emerging from his car showing signs'of wear and tear - but not so a sprightly Murray Carter. After the first heat, the fit looking veteran received a surprise presentation on the start line of a large cake to celebrate his 50 years of active involvement in motor racing. The cake said it all “Congratulations Murray, 50 Years and Still Going Strong.” And to add to the surprise, the car most often associated with the popular driver, the famous Carter Corvette was on hand to take him on a lap of honour of the circuit. The Carter Corvette came into being in the mid-1950s as a way for its owner-con structor to get into openwheeler racing. It was to be fitted with a Repco Holden engine, but when a Chevrolet Corvette came on the scene he changed his plans. Carter had a major.acci dent with Bib Stillwell at Phillip Island which he described as “quite spectacular”-something of an understatement, considering the extent of the damage. At this point 21-year old daughter Colleen chirped in and said “Was that when you chopped your nose off?” Cai-ter’s mat ter-of-fact response was “No, that was another accident!” The Carter Corvette was eventually rebuilt as a sports car, but Carter recalled it soon was uncompetitive against the likes of the rearengined Coopers and Lotus. Because he didn’t have the funds to buy something more on the pace, he decided to put a roof on the Corvette and go GT racing. The unpainted aluminium bodied beast wasn’t the pretti est cai- around at the time (in fact it was downright ugly!), but at least it kept him in rac ing for the next two years. But back to the start of the Carter story in motor sport. It all began in 1948 when as a teenager he had his first taste of competition on a 500cc. Triumph Tiger 100 at Fisher mans Bend. The date was August 1948, and soon fol lowed various hillclimbs and club events in an FJ Holden. A Jaguar XK120 also pre ceded the Carter Corvette and proved to be a useful learning experience for the young Melbourne driver before step ping into the brutish home made ‘special’ which helped build his reputation. In 1966 Carter competed in the 12-hour sports car race at Surfers Paradise, sharing the ex-Bib Stillwell Cooper Monaco with Tony Osborne and Ray Gibbs, but the car was retired with gearbox failure after 3 hours. Carter then moved into touring cars and ran one of the first Ford GT HOs with Tom Roddy at Sandown. After finishing second behind Allan Moffat, he

decided to move into run ning his own big Fords, his best result being a third, outright at Bathurst in 1978. He paid special tribute to long-time sponsor and friend Brian Wood, whom he said “... loved his motor sport. He was great for me, great for the team - and the money was always great too. We had a lot of good times. And Shell and Archie White were also

good supporters, he said. For the wiry privateer the third place was a great effort in the big two-door Cobra which he described as “like an incubator inside.” A Mazda RX7 followed, and when Group A came along Carter competed in a Nissan Skyline before moving a Ford Sierra. Since the 1980s, Murray Carter has concentrated on Production Car racing - and he can still mix it with the best. In recent times the Carter Corvette has undergone a total rebuild by Lou Russo, and another surprise for its original constructor was tO’ have his old car arrive at Winton for the lap of honour. In singing Carter's praises. Russo summed it up well by saying “It’s not often someone gets to 50 years in motor sport and is still competitive.” Murray Carter owns up to being 67 years of age - he could be older, but actually looks younger! When asked how he manages to retain such a youthful appearance. he quipped,“The young birds keep me going.

AGE SHALL NOT WEARY THEM... neither man nor machine. Murray Carter got acquainted with his oid Corvette Speciai-and Voivo Racing’s Sharon Phipps-at Winton.(Photo by ark Kiynsmim)

Motorfest taking shape

LEGEND... Leo Geoghegan (here in a Jaguar at Lakeside) is head ing for Winton. (Photo by Marshall Cass)

\ n

THE list of “legends” who have already confirmed their intentions to take part in the inaugural Australian Historic Motorfest at Winton Motor Raceway on November 7 to 8 continues to grow, with one of the great characters of motor sport, Ian ‘Pete’ Geoghegan the latest to sign. ‘Pete’ is one of Australia’s all-time

greats, and one of the most successful drivers in Australian motor racmg history. In a Lotus 23 he won the Australian Tourist Trophy race m 1963 and ’65 and won again in 1977 in a Porsche 935. He won five Australian Touring Car Championships (including four straight in his Ford Mustang) and the 1976 ma Australian Sports Car Championship'

Porsche Carrera. With Allan Moffat he won the 1973 Hardie-Ferodo 1000 in a Ford Falcon GT. His brother Leo has also signalled his intention to take part in the Motorfestn. Leo was one of Australia’s greatest open-wheeler drivers during the days of the Tasman Series and matched it with the best of the internationals who ven tured down under for the races in Australian and New Zealand. Leo’s first national title was the 1960 GT Championship which he won in a Lotus Elite. He was the Australian Formula Junior champion in 1962, and in 1973 and ’74 he won Australian F2 Championships driving Birranas. Other ‘legends’ who will be seen in action are Peter Brock (Torana XU-1), Bruce McPhee (Monaro), Tony and

Diana Gaze, Frank Goad (Vauxhall Cresta) and 88-year old Keith Laity (Ford V8 Special). Several other big names in the sport have expressed their interest and ai’e expected to con firm shortly, includ ing some speedway and motorcycle greats. Patron of the event‘Stormin’ Norman’ Beechey has already been a great som-ce of inspiration and advice for the organisers, and the dual Australian Touring Car champion is going one bet ter than the other ‘legends’- he plans to have two cars on hand for the weekend! The first great folk hero of Australian motor sport will have his now famous 409cu.in. Chevrolet Impala on hand as well as his latest road toy - a 6.2-litre Corvette. Bob Jane has said he would like to attend the Motorfest as a spectator. The organisers will make Bob and his family very welcome as special guests - and Norm has already offered to take his former rival for a few laps of the new Winton circuit in his Chevy Impala. Now won’t that be something to see!

28Augusl1998

Lakeside Histories

THE Lakeside Histories were some time ago but the meeting was a great success.

m It wasn't Peter Brock or Larry Perkins at the wheel of the famous 05 Marlboro Commodore (right)- but it was fellow Holden Legend John Harvey. m Aaron Lewis(below) was the winner of The Old. Tourist Trophy Sports Car Feature race and won the President's Trophy for racer of the meeting in his awesome 1974 Elfin MS7.

m it rained on Saturday(below, right) but that didn't deter Alan Smart in his '62 Elfin Catalina (#77) or Ken Bedgood(#27)in his '64 Elfin Clubman from enjoying the M+O category. m Richard Carter won the Lionel Ayers Trophy in his superb March 73B (bottom),just holding off Chris Farrell's Chevron-Hart. n Les Wright's Dalro-Jaguar(#28) was one of the highlights of the racing in the L+M Category Feature. (Photos by Marshall Cass)

Ferrari’s 600th GP coming up

Healey update THE President of the Austin Healey Owners Club of Victoria, Barbara Meredith reports that members of the club are eagerly looking forward to the Australian visit of Brian Healey, one of the sons of the late founder of the famous marque, Donald Healey. ‘Bic’ Healey was the person responsible for the monitoring of the Healey lOOS records and the alloca tion of the cars, and organised the supply of the 2-litre Coventry Climax engines used in the midengined SR for Healey’s entry in the 1968 and ’69 Le Mans 24-hour races. He was also instrumental in the establishment and running of the original Healey Owners Club Ltd. in England, and because of his close association with the competition side of Austin Healey, he will no doubt be a highly interested special

guest at Mt. Panorama in October. Few Australians have ever seen the rare Healey SR (which presumably stands for “sports racing”), hut one local enthusiast. Tom Barr-Smith actually owns one. In fact, Barr-Smith took his car to England earlier this year for the 1998 ‘Festival of Speed’ at Goodwood, scoring a time of 77.80s. for the timed dash over the special course used to show off the cars at the Festival. It’s likely that few Britishers have also seen a Healey SR, and his car created lots of interest amongst the locals as our Tom rubbed shoulders with many of the greats of motor sport who were attending the meet¬

ing.

Barr-Smith had such a good time he is hoping to make the trip again next year.

RARE BEAST... The Healey SR in the pits at Silverstone. it was fast for a 2litre machine with top speed of 167mph. Brian Healey, who will be at Bathurst in October, is second from the right with his hand on the car.

AUGUST 14, 1998 marked the 10th anniversary of the death of Enzo Ferrari, the man behind the most famous team in Formula One. Michael Schumacher paid the greatest possible tribute to the founder by winning the 599th Grand Prix con¬ tested by Ferrari, the Hungarian GP on August 16. Scuderia Ferrari has won nine Formula One Drivers' World Championships, eight Formula One Constructors’ World Championships, a record 118 Formula One Grands Prix and has a record 121 pole positions in Grand Prix racing.

28J\ugiJSl 1998

Upping The Ante

Daryl Seidel - whose stunning Camaro Sports Sedan makes its debut on these pages - believes the time is right for a late-model V8-powered class to lead the Sports Sedan charge into the next millenium

p until a couple of years ago, I had been living in the United States and, thanks to advice I’d been receiving over the telephone, I was under the impression that Sports Sedans in Australia were happily thriving. So, having sustained a long-term > interest in these cars, I decided to get some parts together and came back home to build my latest Sports Sedan, which owes much of its alle giance to the Trans Am style of machine competing in the States and New Zealand, one of which was very competently raced here a cou ple of seasons ago by Steven Johnson at Lakeside. Now,I believe that what Graeme Whincup and John Pollard were trying to do in the recent past about raising the status of Sports Sedans in Australia through their Thundersports concept was a good thing.

They were trying to get the best of the Sports Sedans together to put on a better show - they worked hard to try and do that, but they weren’t really given any help. Rather, they were hindered everywhere they went by the small er capacity sedan owners who didn’t like that situation - they were against the bigger V8 system that Graeme and John saw as the coiTect style of vehicle to employ if the Sports Sedan class was really going to make the big time in this country. The Sports Sedan Association was against it, too, as the Thundersports organisation was now a separate entity and was viewed as an opposition organisa tion, rather than an ally. The future of the class looked like it would have to be decided by the outcome of a tug of war between both parties, as it was considered that Graeme and John were trying

to take over Spofts Sedans - but they ready weren’t. Another problem was that CAMS stood back and let it all happen - it never really got in and supported, or squashed, either of them in any way whatsoever, which-is a rather curious stance to adopt by the rul ing body of motorsport in any countiy. CAMS probably should have gone in and said, ‘yeah, the Thundersports concept is a good idea; we think they’re trying to do a good job and maybe there should be Group 1 Sports Sedans and also a Group 2, because there are enough cars to do that.’ A major problem with the class is that the smaller capacity cars don’t want to recognise the fact that it’s virtually impossible to beat a V8powered car, so they’re automati cally against the rise of a main stream, or high profile, V8 class. Because they own two litre race

cars, they don’t want to face up to the perceived higher attendant costs of a move' up to a late-model V8 machine. They also don’t want to jeopar dise the existing pecking order that they’ve become comfortable with over a long period of time, even though there are a few older-model V8 cars in that number. So, when the V8 guys want to take a vote on an issue, all the smaller guys are against it. Now, I can understand their viewpoints and the reasons why they would resist change, but I also believe thaj; the change is inevitable and that, sooner or later, the transition will occur anyway. That’s why its so necessary for them to face the reality of the class’ future now and make the changes regardless of the pain, or cost, if we are ever going to provide a solid footing for growth into the next mil lenium.

I mean,the clock’s ticking and we shouldn’t let the opportunity slip away- but, given the current polit ical situation, I don’t really know how you can ever fix the problems while the status quo remains intact. A fundamental problem with Sports Sedans in Australia is that in a field of, say, 20 cars powered by engines ranging from 650 horse power six litre V8s all the way down to two litres with around 300 horsepower, vehicle weights will vary from 2500 pounds to 1400 pounds. The weight issue has to be seri ously considered in this class, as we can have a six litre car weighing 2400 pounds alongside another six litre wighing 1600 pounds, if it’s an Escort, for example and, further back, a two htre car weighing 1400 pounds - and, by the way, that two litre car has no hope in the wide world of beating the bigger-engined cars, as it’s simply a case of power to weight ratios dictating the out come. That scenario means, of course, that the 1600 pound V8 machine will simply disappear into the dis tance as far as the 2400 pound vehicle is concerned, which fiuther highlights the need for some commonsense thinking about weights. All Touring Cars have to weigh in, as do Formula Fords, Fownula Holdens and so on - in virtually every other class in motorsport the cars are required to meet a mini mum weight limit, but Sports Sedans don’t have to meet one. CLEVER... Camaro panels are all attached with quick-release catch es, with front and rear undertrays completely removable in a trice. Side-mounted exhausts and muf flers are contained between glass outer panels and alloy cockpit sides, a set-up which reduces cockpit temperatures significantly, as cooling air sweeps past to exit at the rear of the car. Chassis is a folded metal design braced with steel sub-frames - car builders were Phillip Bowyer and young Seidel himself (Tony Glynn pics)

28AugiJslim Now, if that weight issue was resolved, the two litre brigade may well have to confront a few hard realities and consider stepping up in the engine department, but is their reluctance to advance really a good reason to hold the class back in the longer term and guarantee only club racing activities and no status, or outright performance levels, on a national championship level for all Sports Sedan competitors? Surely its got to be more than just a numbers game at a club gathering in a pub that decides future direc tions for motor racing - how will that situation help develop the high profile that’s so necessary to attract sponsorship, television and bigger fields with real credibility? Another issue concerns the age of the bodies used in the class today. Some of these go back more than twenty years and that means the cars bear no resemblance to vehi cles out there in the marketplace at all - and bear in mind that we’re about to go into the next century. You know, it doesn’t cost any more money to build a modern car than an old car and it doesn’t really matter whether you get the body from a wrecker here for nothing, or whether you buy it from outside this country. Considering all the money that’s to be spent on the rest of the car, why put a 1960s body on it just

because it cost only 25 cents? Sports Sedans could almost be considered to be a nostalgia-based

driver’s standpoint, -you can’t tell me that cars of this style wouldn’t be an excep-

class, if we re not too careful. If there was, say, a ten year rule on bodies, it would make a lot of sense. Now, if we had a weight limit, a ten year rule on bodies and a common frame that would facilitate the cost-effective, easy replacement of bodies, we could always field a real

tionally good sponsorship prospect, provided all the other runing sores of the class were adequately at addressed, Do you know that there are ten cars in New Zealand / that are similar to this car they’re just sitting there, f only racing a couple of times a year, i .-1 Now that’s a complete waste and there’s absolutely no reason why those ten cars couldn’t be added to the existing numbers here to produce a fabulous field of truly exciting and modern Sports Sedans competing in a series right now. If CAMS, or the Sports Sedan Association, would sanction the idea, this style of Sports Sedan would breathe new life into one of the most interesting classes of race cars in this country. SLEEK... Ultra-tidy mounting of ’96 Chevy Camaro bodywork and air dam/splitThe time is right, the contreatment produces a decidedly slippery ground-pounder.(Tony Giynn pic) cept is right, so what good reason is regarded player in the money-makDaryl Seidel was discussing his there for not raising the standard ing hierarchy that currently domi- views on the existing Sports Sedan and allowing Sports Sedans to also nates serious motor racing in class and its possible future direcbecome an established and highly- Australia? tion with TONY GLYNN

istically modern grid of performance-compatibile Sports Sedans. The way some of these existing cars are built, when the inevitable decision is taken to upgrade the body, the majority of the vehicle has to be thrown away, lock, stock and barrel. Imagine how good it would be to be ranning cars that were younger than ten years stylistically - and. apart from looking far more appealing sponsorshipwise, I would find it hard to believe that such a class wouldn’t attract drivers in from other lesser-powered classes. For example, the body on my car is a 1996 Chevrolet Camaro and its so astoundingly close to the stock car panels from every perspective I mean we’re talking a very, very standard, roadgomg look for a proper race car class that enjoys so many mechanical freedoms when compared \vith, say, a Touring Car. Apart from being fantastic performers on the race track from the

INTERESTING ... Sanitary front suspension employs double wishbones with pushrod activation via rocker inboard coil-overs. Sway bar connects to top shock mount by adjustable vertical link. (Tony Glynn pic)

SOMETHING DIFFERENT... 5.5 litre Pontiac V8 was originally built for Pontiao factory by famed Stateside engine-builder Ed Pink. 620 horse power unit runs basic Kinsler injection system and Brodix 15 degree heads. Cast dry sump unit employs Cosworth Indy Car pumps that leave absolutely no air in the oil supply.(Tony Glynn pic)

MORE INTERESTING... Exceptionally stout rear transaxle is a 1992 Nissan GTP US-designed and built effort with Hewland internals. Massively triangulated suspension arms are derived from Nissan GTP hardware, which was clearly Influenced very strongly by Jaguar's 1988 Le Mans-winning XJR-8 design.(Tony Glynn pic)

REAL STOPPING POWER ... Front uprights are fabricated steel Nissan GTP units, which carry impressivel AP Racing six-piston differentiallybored calipers -four-spot units are at the rear.(Tony Glynn pic)

SPEEDWAY

28AugusU998

n Well, it’s been a hectic few weeks racing in a 360 and 410 cubic inch US Sprintcar events with mixed success since I last penned my Motorsport News column. We arrived in Dallas, Texas and collected Geoff Clifford’s brand-new J&J Chassis car that I would be racing, so we went and ran with the ASCS, who run a 360 Outlaw-style series. It is an extremely competitive series, as all contestants have to run the same specification Brodix cylinder heads and the same size fuel injection, so the cars are very similar in performance. We headed off to Rusk in Texas to run one of their shows, where the ambient temperature was 110 degrees Fahrenheit - that was a big culture shock after being in the snowfields at Perisher Blue the weekend prior. I didn’t do very well on the track, apart from knocking the tractor tyres around a bit, result ing in the front-end getting tom out of the car in the qualifying heat. We managed to get a start in the A Main, but by about a third into the event the pin that holds the driveline together came adrift, promptly forcing me to park the car in the centre. n We then set sail for Iowa and the 360 Nationals at Knoxville, deciding to get some more racing in before the major event. We cedled’into the County FanGround at West Liberty, where I won the A Main after starting on the front row, which was quite pleasing. B From there we took in the Friday night show at the Des Moines Showground - that was the most interesting event that I have ever heen to. The promoter advised that we would do our hot laps, then race in a heat before the feature event. After the hot laps, they said as there wasn’t a lot of cars at the meet we would be required to do another hot lap and they were cancelling the heats - everyone would go straight into the fea ture.. I told them that I hadn’t raced there prior, so they simply made me start from the back of the field -1 managed to work my way through to finish fourth, which was a bit offun. n Our next stop was at Knoxville for a weekly show and, unfortimately, our set-up was too tight and I lost it in the first turn of the heat. I ran the B Main and didn’t make the transfer to the A, so we went back and did a little bit of homework on the car. n We then went to the qualify ing night of the 360 Nationals. I had a decent night and ended up with a front row start in the feature and led the race for the first 15 laps, eventually ending up finishing second, which I was quite happy about. The following night, we went

along to see Brooke Tatnell take out the second qualifying night he was flying. On the Saturday night, we were out to lunch and couldn’t get a hold of the track as it became slicker - we ended up watching Brooke almost win the 360 title. He did an excellent job, but a late stoppage allowed some of the other guys to regroup and that allowed them to get past him still, third in that type of compa ny is a good effort. n After the meeting, we installed a 410 cubic inch engine that Tony Landrigan had purchased from Todd Walker into GeofFs spare chassis. The chassis that we ran in the 360 events was designed for that capacity engine, especially with a steel block, so we built up the other car in full 410 configura tion. n We went to one of the week ly shows at KnoxviUe with the view of dialling the car into the track, but we didn’t get it to happen so we missed the night’s racing. We altered a few things on the car it appeared that we had a fuel problem, so we attempted to make a correction there, as we only had one attempt at qualify ing for the 38th AMOCO Nationals. I did quite a good lap during qualifying, but my time was a second and a quarter off the best nm of the night - being that slow means that you should basically pack up and go home, as we were the 53rd quickest on the track. The top 50 cars are the only ones that make the show, so we ran -with Adelaide’s Trevor Green in the Last Chance race - he won it and I was second. After that, we had to progress through the C Main, but we weren’t good enough to get through to the B Main - so we were out of the event after finish ing saventh. n The following night. Skip Jackson did a great job and it was excellent to watch him running with Jeff and Sammy Swindell, as he was passing all these top World of Outlaw guys - it was a hell of a feeling watching him at work. On the Saturday night, both Skip and Garry Brazier qualified reasonably decently - they missed on their set ups on the night and backed up a bit to fin ish 19th and 20th, respectively, but that sort of thing happens sometimes. n There were a tremendous number of Australian fans at Knoxville this year, which is good to see and, after the rac ing on Friday night, we had an Aussie barbecue at the track and it was good catch ing up with various folk. n After that, I scurried onto a plane and back to Sydney to get things together for the opening round of the 1998/99 NASCAR Championship series to be held at Mount Panorama on October 3 as the support for the AMP Bathurst 1000. Our team has been diligently rebuilding the car during the win ter break in the Melbourne raceshop, so we’re pretty busy gearing up for the forthcoming NASCAR and Sprintcar seasons.

liisoski outguns Slammin Sammy at Knoxville Danny “The Dude” Lasoski knows his way around the famed Marion County Fairgrounds Speedway - better known as Knoxville Raceway - having won seven track championships and 68 feature races at one of the most com petitive weekly shows around. But the biggest race is the Amoco Knoxville Nationals, the unoffi cial World Sprintcar Championship, the one which, despite all his prowess and local knowledge, had eluded him. On Saturday night, August 15, - Finals night - and haying made it to the final 24car shoot-out from 140 PAY DAY... Danny “The Dude"Lasoski finally claimed the Knoxville Nationals. contestants, it was a Haudenschild took the high line unable to keep the car in the low pensive Lasoki who told his crew as he strapped into the car, “I’d give into the lead as the race resumed, groove. “Sammy got by me, but I think he up every dollar I’ve ever made just only to have Swindell race past him got into turn 1 a little heated,” deep in the second comer. to take that trophy home tonight.” Jac kept on the rim, but was Lasoski said. “If you missed the Prophetic words, as, after dicing with Sammy Swindell for the last unable to keep pace with Swindell, bottom, you slid out and we got by 20 laps, “The Dude” pulled off the who raced in the low groove of the him. “When he got by me,it was all I move of his life early in the final semi-banked, half-mile oval at an could do to keep from getting excit lap, racing through the low groove average speed of 105 mph early. They switched lines just seconds ed and blowing it all. I didn’t know in the second corner to pass 1983 before Sammy’s brother, Jeff, took how many laps were left and I saw Amoco Knoxville Nationals champi on Swindell for the US$100,000 the #104+ Octane Boost J&J for a the white flag and I said, ‘Oh my, what are we going to do now?’ spin in turn 2 during lap 8. first prize. “He went too high in 2 and I Swindell, facing in his 25th He then took a Polish victory lap, reminiscent of the late Alan Amoco Knoxville'Nationals, con slipped under him and made sure I trolled the ensuing restart as covered the last lap. Kulwicki after taking the chequer. “I owe this all to my crew “We did it, we did it,” Lasoski Lasoski challenged Haudenschild Jimmy CaiT, Mark Ellis and Brian yelled in victory lane. “I love this. for second. “The Dude” passed Haudenschild Brown,” added Lasoski. This is great. This is the greatest Haudenschild passed Swindell in early in the 11th lap, then took the day of my life.” Lasoski, who started inside the lead with a low, fourth-comer move the fourth comer to claim second second row, battled Swindell past Swindell on the next time place and was .752 seconds behind Lasoski at the chequered flag. throughout the final 20 laps of the around. Donny Schatz used a similarLess than two car lengths sepa main event and, had it not been for a first-lap flip by Fred Rahmer, rated the leaders as they raced in move in turn 4 to pass 11-time lapped traffic during the next three Nationals champion Steve Kinser Lasoski might have led all 30 laps. for fourth. After polesitter Jac Haudenschild laps. Completing the top 10 in the Tim Shaffer stopped the #11H led the 24-car field into turn 1 as 38th Annual Amoco Knoxville the green flag fell at the beginning Vivarin Eagle in the fourth comer Nationals championship feature of the main event, “The Dude” late in the 16th lap, giving the lead were Andy Hillenburg, B Feature passed Sammy Swindell on the ers a clear track and tightening the winner Mark Kinser, 24th-starting field. front straight and Haudenschild on Lasoski stayed in the low groove Stevie Smith, Johnny HeiTera and the back stretch. to control the restart, while Kenny Jacobs. The red flag was waving, howevDaryn Pittman, who finished er. by the time the leaders reached Swindell returned to the high line. Lasoski and Swindell raced 16th in the B Feature, received the the finish line and the race was wheel to wheel for much of the next Rookie ofthe Nationals award. completely restarted. Of the Aussie contingent on five laps and caught the backmarkLasoski pounded his steering hand, only dual Knoxville Track wheel with frustration when he ers again during lap 22. The pressure was telling, as Champion Skip Jackson and triple coasted into the pit area during the Swindell almost hit the outside Australian Champion Garry red flag period. wall in the fourth comer three laps Brazier made the main event. On the restart, Haudenschild Jackson finished 19th, earning drove the #22 Pennzoil Maxim into later, but managed to catch Lasoski US$5400, while Brazier was 20th within a lap in dense traffic. the lead again as the green flag Swindell regained the lead with a for US$5300. replaced the red, only to have Brooke Tatnell ran sixth in the high move through turn 2 as ‘The Swindell pass him low in the sec B-Main for US$4000, with Peter Dude” had problems passing Gary ond corner for the lead. Murphy ninth (US$2000). Wright early in the 28th lap. Swindell, whose #1 Channellock Expat Aussie Jayraie Moyle was Only four car lengths separated Stealth was strong in the low 10th in the C-Main (US$750) and Swindell, Lasoski and Jac as the groove, was increasing his advan Adelaide’s Trevor Green was 12th white flag fell. tage when Tyler Walker spun Lasoski executed the winning in the E-Main (US$350). between turns 1-2 early in the third -BRETT SWANSON pass in turn 2, when Swindell was lap.

SPEEDWAY n The 1998 AMOCO Knoxville Nationals, the biggest Sprintcar race of the year, has come and gone and we had a lot of highs, as well as some lows, during the course of the meeting. There were a lot of good things that hap pened to me and the #55 Jensen Construction team this year in the Nationals. We qualified on Wednesday and timed in 12th-quickest, which wasn’t too bad, but we still had to transfer through the heat race, which is always extremely difficult. , I didn’t get a great start, which is normal ly detrimental and my team really thought things were not starting out the way they had wanted them to. Fortunately, the guys had the car working great once again, which enabled me to trans fer in the last transfer spot. We all took a huge sigh of relief after this. n The main event was going to be a cracker, with Jeff Swindell and Andy Hillenburg off the front and myself and

n Mackay’s Speedlink Park cir cuit, quickly developing a repu tation as one of the finest speedway venues in the coun try, is preparing for its biggest and best season ever in 1998/99 with a stack of high profile shows to be contested at the revamped complex. The circuit, which has been transformed into a first class multipurpose motorsport facility that includes a jet boat circuit, a motocross track and exposition centre, will host major events for most categories. With landscaped grounds, pit facilities of the highest standard, covered spectator seating and raised walkways, new kiosks and corporate facilities and a track sur face that is equally suitable for bike and car divisions, owner Gary Vane and track manager Graham Bing have l^een rewarded for their efforts with the allocation of sever al state and Rational championship events. The season highlight will be the running of the Australian Sidecar Championship and the Australian Sidecar Pairs Championship over Easter on April 4-5. In an effort to give all title con tenders ample opportunity to familiarise themselves with the track layout, the Whitsunday Sidecar Championship will be con ducted a week prior to the Aussie title on March 27. Other major bike events to be decided include the Queensland Solo Championship on December 5, Sidecar the. Queensland Championship on January 23, Ivan Monger’s Golden Helmet Solo

This was my fourth second in a row at Knoxville, which have been solid results. n We didn’t have to race Thursday, and we missed the A Scramble on Friday by one point, which would’ve put me off the pole for the scramble, but I was also grateful just to solidly be in the A Feature.

Gary Wright off the second row. I also had Danny Lasoski and Sammy Swindell right behind me. Jeff took off with him and Andy racing really hard, but my car was running good, allowing me to pass Andy. With Sammy right on my tail, I had to get after Jeff quickly. Sammy passed me and I instantly repassed him, which is something I have never been able to do. This was pretty exciting for me. I caught right up to Jeff, but time ran out and we took over second.

Northern li

By Chris Metcalf Series on November 7 and the inaugural appearance of the Series 500 International Solo Masters on January 2. Solos and Sidecars will also headline the program on September 26 and February 20. The various car divisions will also appear regularly throughout the season, which kicks off this Saturday (August 29) with the staging of the Whitsunday Forraula'500 Championship. Super Street Sedans will also contest their Whitsunday Championship event at Speedlink Park on October 19. The United States Super Sedan team are pencilled in for a two night challenge against a North Queensland squad on December 26-27. Bringing this spectacular season to a close will be the Whitsunday Modified Production Championship over two nights on May 2-3, Further details about any of these events can be obtained by telephoning Graham Bing on (07) 495 25010. n The 1998/99 New South Wales Super Sedan Championship will be conducted over five rounds, with each event to be held at a different venue.

n We did race the Kele & Associates Australian/ American Challenge race, televised live throughout America on Friday and won this race, which was great because it is run in conjunction with'The Warmambool Classic. It’s good winning something over here that has a bit of home mixed into it. It sure looks like this race will be bigger and better next year, thanks to the efforts of Tom Schmeh at the National Sprintcar Hall of Fame. n Well, the week went great except on Saturday, when I would’ve liked to have done my best. We started twelfth and

The opening round of the title chase will be the prestigious East Coast Grand National at Lismore Speedway on November 21. Nowra Speedway will play host for round two on December 12, fol lowed by appearances at Gilgandra on January 23 and Newcastle on January 30, Sydney’s Parramatta City Raceway has been allocated the series finale and this will be con ducted on February 6.

28Au0m

finished nineteenth. The Australians didn’t actually bring the bacon home,so to speak. We did mSke the A Feature, which is an accomplishment, but to win is the ultimate aim. Unfortimately, we just didn’t have the car set up right and I couldn’t get a grip anywhere I went. I just couldn’t adapt to the track condi tions this night-it wasn’t anyone’s fault. Sometimes you hit them perfectly, which was on Wednesday, sometimes not, like on Saturday. Being the only Knoxville regular making the feature and the highest finishing Australian is a reflection on the best Sprintcar competitors ofthe world in one place. I feel that the competition has always been hard during the Nationals and it will never get any easier. The more laps, experience and time you pve to racing, the more chance you have at being successful. Thanks to all the Australians for their support - it was great seeing so many Aussies here. Bye for now, Skip.

n The Queensland Saloon Car Association has unanimously rejected joining the National Association of Speedway Racing (NASR), imtil questions relating to the operations and financing of the new adminis trative body have been fully and satisfactorily answered. The decision was reached during the QSCA Annual General meeting in Rockhampton on August 1-2.

Grant Draney, the 1996/97 champion, finished in second spot, ahead of Peter Lack. David Palmer was voted Rookie of the Year and Gary Hynds picked up the Most Improved award. Other trophy winners were Danny Palmer (Best Presented Car and Crew) and Michael Truscott (Encouragement Award). Four-time Queensland champion Danny Davidson and fellow veter an Stan Burrow were presented with Milestone Awards in recogni tion of 30 years of competition. Car owner Nev Brennan was also rewarded'for his commitment to the category with a Special Recognition award. The QSRA expects to contest around 20 meetings in the coming season, including three rounds of the Super Series and the Queensland Championship, which has again been allocated to Toowoomba’s Charlton Raceway.

n Darryl Bonell and Barrie Valentino shared the spoils at the Queensland Speedcar Racing Association presenta tion evening when they were announced as joint winners of the ’97/’98 Club Championship. Bonell’s charge to the crown gained momentum in the latter half of the season when he won four consecutive feature events, The Toowoomba ace also collect ed trophies for most feature wins and most heat wins during the 14 meeting season. Valentino, the defending club champion, was rewarded for his efforts in securing the most stars dash victories.

n The Brisbane Litre Sprintcar Racing Association has also held its end of season awards ceremony, with club president Bruce Ayers^ collecting his third Club Championship. Ayers, a former Speedcar com petitor, won eight feature races throughout the season. In a performance that also earned him a Special Achievement award, B-Grade driver Ray Eager finished in the runner-up position, ahead of Darren Farmillo. Not surprisingly, Ayers also took out the A-Grade pointscore, ahead of Darren Farmillo and Sean Dennis. Eager, obviously enough, won

the B-Grade pointscore from Murray Fleming and Brian Harders. Farmillo was voted Most Improved and Fleming was also recognised as Club Member of the Year. Encouragement awards were presented to Brendan Leggott, David Palmer, Luke Beetson and Brendon Palmer. While last season was disap pointing for the Litre Sprintcar brigade, an expected influx of new drivers is expected to result in an improved showing in 1998/99. n John Soares will definitely be leading a United States Super Sedan team on tour in Australia this season. The team, which will comprise three drivers and four cars, already has several confirmed bookings throughout Queensland. The tour gets underway with a visit to Kingaroy Speedway on December 5, followed by a meeting at Gympie’s Mothar Mountain cir cuit a week later on December 12. Mackay’s Speedlink Park circuit is the next port of call, with a two night challenge against North Queensland’s best on December 2627. Rockhampton will host a test match on January 6, before the trio head to Archerfield for two nights of open competition against a big field of challengers in a Super Series event on Januaiy 8-9. The visitors will then remain with the Super Series for two more outings at Ai-cherfield on January 16 and Rockhampton on January 23-24 to complete the Queensland portion of their tour.

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28 Angus! 1598

Crump wins British GP

The British Grand Prix, raced in balmy summer weather at Coventry on August 7, proved a personal triumph for Australian Jason Crump. Crump, 23 a day earlier, celebrated his birthday watched by father Phil Cramp and grandfather Neil Street as he took his second GP title - he won the British event in 1996. But it could all have gone sour for the youngest ever winner of a Grand Prix. A fall saw him excluded controversially by German referee Wolfgang Glass in heat 14, his first outing because he was a seeded rider. But he stormed back to come second a race later behind Jimmy Nilsen to leave him needing first or second place in heat 20 to ensure a semi-final outing. Fellow countryman Ryan Sullivan had a tremendous night battling through the qualifiers and he finished in

front of Crump in heat 20 but both had made sure of their place in the last eight. Crump then stormed round the newly-shaped track to win his semi-final ahead of the very fast Pole, Tomasz Gollob. Sullivan won the other semi-final ahead of Jimmy Nilsen and relegated the last two world champions. Bill Hamill and Greg Hancock, to a place in the consolation final. Crump has first choice of gate for the final, chose gate three and never looked back as he jetted round to take the title ahead of Nilsen and Gollob, with Sullivan a cred itable fom-th. Earlier, Sullivan had come second first time out in heat 1, won heat 8 with some ease and staggered the 15,000 crowd to head home Gollob and the British pair of Joe Screen and Chris Louis in heat 12. His third successive heat win in the semi-final gave

Super title hunt by Kingsley Jones

Kingsley Jones, one of the title and missing a whole young guns of the WA heap_of races, Jones still Super Sedan competition, earned enough points to take will be out of the State a out Super Sedan honours in the John Day WA Motorsport fair bit in the new year. The aim is to build up a bit Ball awards at Burswood Casino recently. of race hardness, before con He said it was “a brilliant testing the national title at Mt Gambler. year and definitely my best” His interstate trek kicks and it now gave him some off with the one of the thing to build on for next season. biggest events in the nation During the off-season, the al Super Sedan calendar, the Cascade Apple Isle Grand bright yellow Camaro is Prix in Tasmania from being freshened up a bit with a few new components and Febraary 3. new panels. From there, Jones will nm the Victorian State title and After ranning the same car then head on to Mt Gambler. for two and a half years, The driver of the #80 Jones is pretty impressed Cardy-built Camaro is look-' with the tin top and cannot see any reason to trade it at ing forward to the new sum mer of speed, both on the this stage. And that includes not West Coast and interstate tracks. switching camps to the leftOne of his main priorities hand drive late model catego locally is to win the State ry that is gearing up for its title, again expected to be second season in WA. contested over four to five Jones admitted they had a think about it at the start of rounds aroimd WA. Jones appeared to be on the current off-season; but, after looking at the respec his way to bagging the title last year, after taking the tive calendars, around 16 meetings each, could see no points in the opening rounds. But, in early Januaiy, dri- real advantage in changing. The lure of winning a WA, . ving a non-title race at or even national. Super Claremont, The Kid got tan gled up in a crash and broke Sedan title at the moment is his arm, forcing him out for far too big for him try his hand at the alternative. almost the rest of the season. - DARREN O’DEA Despite not winning the

Max Dumesny Motorsport

Australian Distributors for

Xoositr

him by far his best GP to date and he has now moved up to tenth in the overall standing, with Crump lying seventh. It was another disastrous meeting for Sydney’s Craig Boyce. He came last in his first ride in heat 4 and crashed out of the meeting when falling in heat 6. It was not much better for Leigh Adams, after a tape exclusion in heat 2. He recovered to keep his hopes alive by winning beat 6, but then third place in heat 9 saw him end his inter est before the seeded riders entered the fray. Championship leader Tony Rickardsson failed to make the top eight for the first time and this meant the gap was closed among the pace setters. Fellow Swede Jimmy Nilsen is now within points of the former Whrld Champion and, with meet ings to come in Sweden and

Poland, there’s plenty yet to race for. The next meeting is at Linkopping in Sweden on August 28. GP Pointscore (after four meetings) 76 1. Tony Rickardsson 66 2. Jimmy Nilsen 3. Tomasz Gollob 58 56 4. Billy Hamill 5. Hans Nielsen 52 6. Chris Louis 49 47 7. Jason Cramp 45 8. Greg Hancock 40* 9. Toni Kasper 38 10. Ryan Sullivan 11. Stefan Danno 37 12. Henrik Gustafsson 35 13. Mark Loram 30 25 14. Andy Smith 24 15. Leigh Adams 16. Brian Andersen 20 17 17. Zoltan Adoijan 18. Armando Castagna 12 12* 19. Brian Karger 20. Piotr Protasiewicz 10 10 21. Jesper Jensen 9 22. Craig Boyce 23. Peter Karlsson 9 6* 24. Gerd Riss 5* 25. Bo. Brhel

After much speculation that he was going to join another team for the upcoming season, WA Sprintcar driver Paul Stubber has confirmed he will continue to drive the Sean’s Enterprises house car. Stubber has driven Sean Carren’s #31 Schnee for the last two years and there was a lot of talk that he was going to try something different. But, at the end or the day, Stubber and Carren have done a deal that will see them united for another summer assault. The plan is pretty much the same as in the past, with Stubber to concentrate on the 360ci class, but this time he could be in a different frame, most likely a Maxim. And the deal will see the duo team up to contest the major open Sprintcar events on the West Coast, namely the opening legs of World Series Sprintcars, the WA Title, Speedweek and King of the Wings. After looking the goods in the WA 360ci title at Bunbury last season, Stubber slipped from the front row back through the field, only to sort the ill-han dling Schnee out during a red-light stoppage to claw his way back up to second. The event went to 17 yearold Jamie Maiolo, with whom he started out on the front row. ‘There’s some unfinished

Stubber to stay with Sean in W

business there,” Stubber Northern Territory Sprintcar Stubber will stop off in South said, pointing to his desire Series, starting at Northline Australia to compete in the for claiming the title. 'on September 18, it won’t be Mallala Masters in his And he believes the Maxim in CaiTen’s cai-. Group N EH Holden. The historic cars will be could do the trick. Instead, he has done a deal The American chassis was with NT’s Dave McFadden to the feature event on the pro dominant in WA Sprintcar drive his Maxim on the four gramme, with Stubber’s hardy Holden to compete in racing last Summer, leading different tracks, home local product Murphy And the door has been left four eight-lap events and one in the Sprintcar Association open for Stubber to drive this 15-lap event. The Holden has been in of WA’s chassis builder of the Maxim on the east coast, year title. focusing on the King’s the shed for the best part of Stubber is hoping to tap Challenge, the Warrnambool the last 12 months, but the into some of the success that Classic and the Australian car and driver were still quick enough to be competi last year’s Maxim drivers Title, had and believes the new Nothing definite has been tive at the WA champi chassis may be a bit easier to decided, with the WA driver onships at Barbagallo keen to see how things go in Raceway, where they even set up and drive. Commenting on the recent the nation’s Top End to get a shaved half a second off their lap record. with Sean’s feel for the team. signing - DARREN O’DEA On the way to the NT, Enterprises, Stubber liked the way Sean Caraen operat ed his business. And he said it suited his own business commitments, too, as he was able to leave a lot of the car’s maintenance to Carren and concentrate on his own company. Vision Construction. In the past, Stubber has hauled Carren’s gear north wards to compete in the Northern Territory in late For further information^ caff the winter. AUSTRALIAN NOSTALGIA RACERS INFO LINE on While he will be back to 02 0& 100 300 compete in the six-night

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1998 WORLD OF OOTLAWS/SROAL OCTLAW 5PARK-AUGUST 22

POINT STANDINGS TO AUGUST 23RD, 1998

I. Steve Kinser .... ..7,449 ..7,390 2. Mark Kinser a ..7,387 3. Sammy Swindell 4. Stevie Smith ... l ..7,360 5. Danny Lasoski .. ..7,199 6. Andy Hillenburg. ..7,100 For more information on Hoosier Drag and Speedway Tyres caii: 7. Johnny Herrera . ..7,023 NSW; 02 9679 1990 Fax 02 9679 1187 8. Jac Haudenschild ....6,934 6,858 VIC: 03 9331 6477 Fax 03 9331 7444 9. Dale Blaney 6.844 10. Jeff Swindell SA: 08 8332 0800 Fax 08 8364 0296

^^ RACING TIRE

SUCCESS... GP winner Jason Crump.(Mike Patrick pic) 26. Joe Screen 5* card riders and have not 27. Sebastian Ulamek 4 taken part in every meeting, 28. Lars Gunnestad 4* except for Kasper, who has a 3* wild card to all GP rounds. 29. Jacek Kryzaniak 30. Robert Barth 2* Karlssson rode as a replace31. Martin Dugard 2* ment for an injured rider. Riders marked * are wild -TONY MILLARD

n. Tyler Walker .. 12. Joe Gaerte .... 13. Donny Schatz .. 14. Greg Hodnett.. IS. Craig Dollansky 16. Lance Blevins .. 17. Dion Hindi .... 18. Brooke Tatnell . 19. Larry Neighbors 20. Daryn Pittman .

GRAYS HARBOR RACtWAr A-FEATURE (40 LAPS) 6,7li 11. johnny Herrera I. Steve Kinser 12. Tyler Walker 6,S72 i; Sammy Swindell 6,524 " 3. Tim Shaffer 13. Dale Blaney 14. Joe Gaerte 4,896 4. Stevie Smith IS. Kasey Kahne 4,321 5. Mark Kinser 16. Craig Dollansky 4.007 6. Andy Hillenburg 17. Gary Taylor 3,029 7. jac Haudenschild 18. Paul McMahan 2,855 8. Donny Schatz 19. Jinn Carter ,2,584 9. Jeff Swindell 20. Kirk Fellers 2,105 10. Danny Lasoski

% 28August 1998

Commodore Cup car no. 8. Professionally built turn-key car. Platt engine, no expense spared. Immaculate condition. Opportunity to enter competitive national class. $21,000. Ph: Ian 0395565444,0418395 566. ra Commodore VK Group A road car. UCK 493. Immaculate, original owner from new. 70,000kms, $10,000 worth of improvements $25,000ono. Ph: Ken 08 8583 7373 after 7pm or 08 8582 2853(BH). « KE35 Corolla coupe, rolling chassis. Steel cage. Suit rally. Club Car, Sports Sedan etc. Straight and rust-free. $850ono. Ph: 07 38880081,0419 029 626(AH). «

Sedqns/Sports Cars

VAUXHALL

1981 TFCorteia 4 door auto,one owner since new. Fun service history. Reg until December.$1,800ono. Ph:0398025705. Peugeot 405 Super Tourer. Extensive engine/gearbox rebuild just completed. Ready to race with good inventory of spare wheels, tyres etc. Bargain of the Year at $2a!500. Ph: 02 4628 8322(AH). 134 Mk 1 Cortina 4 door, good body. No motor, gearbox. $100ono. Ph:019960 228. 134 AUSCAR VS, never crashed. Dencar-built shell and cage. Fuel churn, spares etc. $18,000. Also, Dome - circuit car. apre motor and panels,$5,500. Ph:0394329482(AH),

micnkun

Vauxhall Cavaliers (2). Ex Cleland/Thompson 1995 BTCC Mallock Super Tourer cars (Cleland won 95 championship), as subsequently raced by Jim Richards, Russell Ingall, Bob Tweedie. Extensive spares inventory, one spare engine,3 years set-up info. Still front-running proposition for good young drivers. Priced to sell at $65,000 each (spares neg.). Will consider sensi ble offer for whole team. Ph: Bob Tweedie 018 162 762 (Sydney). 137

VL 308. Excellent Club Car. 9 inch Detroit, roll cage. Group A exhaust. 50s Oran Park. Heaps spares. Owner retired. Capable high 48s Oran. Ready to race. Never smashed. $12,000. Ph: 0418 642 612 after 10am. 135 Nissan 30OZX Targa 1985. Well above average condition, full electrics, velour interior, immobiliser, cruise'control, air con. No money to spend. Ready to drive, RAC checked 2/97. Lie. '99. $8,900. Ph:08 9361 9906(Perth). 135

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HT Monaro Club Car, less engine. C/r Muncle. 9‘ diff. triple plate clutch, Willwood brakes, aluminium radiator. Exhaust mounts to suit Chev heads, roller rockers. $10,000ono. Ph: 08 83889110. ,35 KE20 Corolla Club Car. Fresh EFI motor, roll cage, SAAB seat and s/wheel, 14" mags, extensive spares, very reliable. Class winner. Ready to race, must sell. $5,000. Ph: 015 261 105. Vic. ,35 AUSCAR Sportsman VL Commodore, complete rolling shell: sAvheel, seat, new diff, 5 rims, new paint work? Many more n extras. $1,800. Ph:039743 6259. ,35

MGB GT V8, 1968, white. Half roll cage, full harness seat belts, racing seats. Many performance extras. Reg 2/99. $15,800. Ph:029525 4439. ,34

1.,'

Nissan GTiR, GTP car. Only raced once. 2 litre turbo, 4WD, reliable & quick. Perfect for Bathurst 3 Hour & Gold Coast Indy. Koni suspension, strong cage, blueprinted, boost monitor included. $26,000. Ph; Geoff 0418 995 581. .35 Alfa Sports Sedan. Fully rebuilt 350 Chev, mid-mounted. Full roller. Brodix heads, fuel injected. New tyres, 9‘ diff. Must sell. $11,500ono, or roller $5,500. Ph: 019 331 845. 135 Commodore Cup car 39. Rolling car, less engine and gear box. Bargain at $11,500. Engine & gearbox available. Ph; 08 8341 6036or0418857682. 135 Calais VL 1988 update. 135,000kms, with books, 16" ROH ■25" rims. No rust, key-less entry (no door lovks) tint, immaculate, lowered 3 inches. $11,200ono. Ph: 0417 833 399. iss NASCAR Commodore, roller, new paint, panels. Will trade road car, ultralight, boat or $7,000. Ph; 07 5578 7870 135

Suzuki Swift GTi, 93 model, twin cam, 2nd owner, 73,000kms. Air con, pwr windows & mirrors, mag wheels, good tyres, 3/99 rego. Sell with RWC. Car in vgc. $11,500ono. Ph: 07 4155 2360. .35

Nissan Pulsar GTiR, 1991. IS.SbOkms. Intercooled 2 litre turbo, 16valve, quad-throttle bodies, 4WD & LSDs, 3" mandrel exhaust, K&N intake. Full harness, belts and removable roll cage. 17" wheels, ready for race or street. Fantastic cond, black, WRX-killer. 10 months reg/RWC. $28,000ono. Ph: 0418 304 787,0394703659. .34 Escort Twin Cam, fresh duco, genuine CK49 shell, std engine, new gearbox, clutch, shockers, bushes, radiator. All original trim. Brake booster, air box. Well maintained. $10,750 inol spares. Ph: 08 8278 5988 evenings. 134 Convnodore Sports Sedan, immaculate condition, full space frame, alloy cage, polished interior alloy panels, fully adjustable suspension. Less mechanicals, full set of moulds. Quick sale

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Porsche turbo 924. Ex Targa oar, great Club/road car. $25,000 spent on engine, gearbox, suspension, turbo, steering. Straight body,-great interior. Pagid pads, half cage, spare alloys. Only $13,000. Ph: 0418 569 477. 135

Sierra Cosworth,ex Seton Grp A. Ellery Super Tourer. All the best bits fitted - 2-litre dry sumped Cosworth, Autronics, 5 speed c/r Getrag 1:1 top, Harrop alloy 9' oil-cooled diff, Harrop brakes/suspension etc. Ready to race with heaps of spares. $25,000neg. Ph:0418 358197(BH),03 5971 4338(AH). ,35 Datsun 1600 sedan, in excellent rust-free condition. Ideal rally, race or road car. All stock standard features. $1,600, Ph: Joseph 039460 2583(AH),0417 052 258(BH). is4 Porsche Cup Bargain. Huge torque 3.6 litre turbo, ideal engine for Porsche Cup. First meeting with engine (mallala 19/7) 2nd & 3rd. Chassis rebuilt by K(i<A Engineering, special atten tion to weight dist. Penske triple adj rear shocks, Bilstein front. Dog box. Perfect for Bathurst and 1999 Porsche Cup. $120,000ono. Ph: Roger Paterson 08 8362 7788, fax 08 8362

AUSCAR Sportsman Falcon. Built 1996, 9 meetings old, never bent. Sell as roller, near complete, less running gear. Includes window net, front & rear spoilers, radiator, seat, fuel bladder, Grant steering wheel & quick release hub. All exc cond. Consider all offers. Ph: Tony 0418 830 465. 13J ThundeKkMne HQ,all new log books, new sealed motor(as new), sealed box. Can be test driven before sale. $7,200ono. Ph:039563 7072. 134

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-V Ford Capri 1970. Show, Drag, Street. Fully worked 302. 5 speed. 9'LSD disc rear end. 15" Simmons wheels. Fully engi neered. Roll bar. Immaculate 2-pack black. Consida p/payment panelvan. $12,000. Ph:0266875131. 134 De Tomaso Pantera 74 GTS. 490hp, Carillos, Cosworth pis tons, Motec in], Chev crank, Simmons wheels 17x11 rear 17x9 front. Large Harrop brakes all round, roll cage. Cobra seats etc. This Black Beast is ready for Targa or club days or touring inn A1 cond. POA.Ph: Tony Jory 0418 130133,0363 265 555. 134

Bathurst 12 Hour Group E Falcon EAS-pack. Fully adjustable Koni suspension, LSD, 5 speed, race computer, roll cage, tinted windows, 2 sets of mags. Many more extras, $8,500. Urgent sale. Ph: 02 47741621,0418 455168. .34

. W -A

Mitsirfiishi Lancer Evo III Group A. Low kms, red inside and out. Big hp bench dynoed motor. Attronic rotating idle. Auto lag. Twin plate clutch, 5 speed. Proflex. Chrome moly & carbon fibre everywhere. $52,000. Ph: Graham Vaughan 0412 584 859. «

Foitl Motopsport Rally Team offers for sale its last EL XR Falcon, an XR8 (230kW) but can be sold in XR6 (180kW) form. Excellent Super Series "Aussie" car (quickest out there this year). Ideal entry for Round Oz Trial, both other team cars already sold for this purpose. Professionally built with six years and five class titles experience with Safety, Strength. Reliability & Competitiveness in mind. Easy to maintain and cost-effective. Built from a stitch welded bodyshell fitted with CAMS app. 12 point chrome moly cage. Information, knowledge and support given to future owner. XR8 $34,000ono, in XR6 form $28,000ono. Ph: Steve Winwood 08 8322 0804,0417 445 920. 13s

Celica GT RA35, 1977. As competed in Targa Tasmania. 1996 class winner. 1997 category prologue winner, 1998 class winner. Ground-up rebuild and race preparation, very quick car. Includes rollcage, 2 race seats, harness etc. Road reg. ready to compete. $19,500. Ph: Greg 03 9842 0183,0419 361 908. .3.

AUSCAR, VS, immaculate. Complete rpller less engine. Yellow light, fire bomb, fuel cell and churn, harness, complete Autometer instrument oanel, turbo brakes and M21 hearbox. New gears and bearings in diff, CR & P cage, all new panels. Needs engine & minor assembly. Asking $12,000. Ph: 0419 155 635. 134

continued over page

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NAME; ADDRESS;

CATEGORY; Cars;

□ Sedans □ Open Wheelers GeneraS; □ Parts □ Engines □ Trailers

□ Speedway DDrag □Wanted

□ Photographs □ Other

28 August 1998 Rare, rare, rare: Peter Brock signature series HDT VL turbo. No 1 of 38, build no. 3195. This car features HDTV6 turbo engine, SAAS seats, Simmons mags, cruise control, power steering, Kenwood sound system. All in original condition, with books. $20,000. Ph:026925 2811 after 6pm. 134 Porsche. 1990 Carrera 4, black in colour with matching full leather interior. 8 way power seats and climate control. This street vehicle is in immaculate condition with very low kms. $90,000. Ph:0411 700303. t34 Datsun 1600, 2 litre Club Car, fast, all the good bits, looks great, $9,500. Also, Datsun 1600, complete shell with all panels, engines, transmissions, diffs etc, $800. Will separate. Ph: 02 662^265 134 Porsche Cup Car. C2 RSR body, 911 3.5 it, can run either A or B class. Pole position and race win in oniy Porsche Cup race, 19/7/98, $65,000. Ph:08 8410 5099. 134

en Wheelers

t.5

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mcMi UtfW , HtKMl. ^

Alcohol dragster, can be sold with either Whipple or Roots blower. Meyer chassis, shorty Lenco and spare fresh short engine, plu*spare pumps, mags, pushrods, wheels etc. Sell complete or will separate. Everything well maintained and rea sonably priced. Ph:0411 700 303. 134

Engines Golf F2 engine, new valves, guides, seats, springs, forged pistons, crack tested, balanced, ground, new bearings, rings. Never run. $4,500. Ph: 03 5881 1506 (AH), 03 5881 4411 (BH). .35

Off Road Buggy, Class 1, Southern Cross, Buick V6 turbo, Porsche 930 trans, Saco steering, Fox-Bilstein shocks. Centreline wheels, Intercom, spares, done little work. $16,000. Ph:08 8633 2300,08 8633 2232(AH), 134 felfin Catalina, 1962, restored original Group M. Mag wheels, twin Webers, discs, 1558cc, new Dunlops, battery, radiator. Fast and easily maintained. $31,000. Ph:029211 2854,

Alach NZ 1995 Deluxe Midget kit. 4130 chassis, body panels, brake plumbing, 2 sets of radius rods & arms, nerf bars, rear bumpers, torsion bars & arms, throttle, brake pedal, 2 front axles, Pontiac engine plate. $5,000ono. Ph:029624 6428. 134 Fender Bender, VC Valiant, 1 meeting since engine rebuild. Many quality wheels & tyres, heaps spares. Sealed motor, com plete ready to race and win. Must be sold, $1,100. Ph: 02 9525 3430,0418970646. .34

March 732A, Historic F5000, Group P log book. Certificate of description. Fully restored, fuel-injected Chev, Hewland DG300. Purpose-built trailer. $80,000ono. Ph:02 4456 4519,fax 02 4456 4619. 135

Kestrel Formula Vee. Reluctant sale of immaculate car. No expense spared. Raced only 3 times, ready tom race. Comes with trailer and spares. $11,500. Ph: Steve 08 8337 2592. 135

Tomas Mezera’s RF85 championship-winning Formula Ford Reynard, to be offered at auction at Mid City Motor Auctions, 165 Richmons St, Richmond, SA, 1,30pm. August 20. Ph:0882341988. 13. The Tighe Vincent, famous 1958 Group Lb car. Restored, fresh motor, spares, jigs. All offers considered, Ph: 02 9211 2854. 134

f'jys ●-nV’t

Speedcar (rolling chassis),trailer and spares. Includes Pro and Carrera shocks, wheels, tyres, radius rods, arms, bars, stops and much more. Complete or separate. PDA. Ph: Warren 0418680 800,015 880604. 134 Latest design Redline chassis, fully lightened Holden diff, new arms, radius rods etc, Schroeder steering box, new alum seat, Simpson belts. Suzuki 1140multi-valve engine with GSX-R head, new pistons etc, one show since rebuild. Race winner, ready to race. $10,000 firm (will sell without engine). Ph: Russell 0417 771 915, Bob0738160220. m

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1997 Spectnim 06, ex Christian Jones 1997, prepared by Borland Racing. Brand new Lamer engine. One meeting since last rebuild. Includes sets of ratios, 2 sets wheels, Dorian. Car raced very little this year. Ready to race. $37,500. Ph: 02 6056

Elfin 622 Historic Group Q. Total restoration completed 5 years ago, now running F3 configuration.,Quick; relpible car holds Group Q Under 1300 lap records at Amaroo and E. Creek. Full Cosworth Ford engine ex UK, specifically built for F3 with BDA crank and rods, gear driven camshaft etc, twin plate clutch and Mk8 Hewland. Flawless in finish and presentation. Documentation available, spares incl. Ph: Richard Harward 02 9789 8470'(BH), 02 9568 4147 (AH). 13;

Elfin 600E F2, Historic Group Q. Log book. 1600 Ford twin cam. The best 600 available, with spares, moulds, jigs and fully enclosed tandem trailer. $45,000. Ph: Ivan Clencie 03 9726 7166 (BH), 03 9762 1732 (AH). 135

3100. 134

Parts TE Cortina Street Stock. Current reg VORA 18, Bilstein shocks, rated springs. Autometer gauges, brand new engine, -fibreglass seat, 3" belts. Spare tyres and parts. Best money can buy. 250 xflow, p/s. $5,500ono. Ph: 03 5962 2888, 0418 102 370. 134

Speedcar engine, Volvo overhead cam. dry sumped, stroker. Forged pistons, aium oil tank, braided oil lines, fuel injecfion. K&N filters, Hiibom fuel pump, magneto, exhaust system. Fresh, ready to race. $4,800ono. Ph: 02 9604 0208, Historic Elfin Catalina, Group M. Lap records Lakeside. Eastern Creek. 2 meetings since engine rebuild. Race prepared John McLean Motors. Tilt trailer. Realistic price, $27,500. Ph: Alan Smart 07 3378 6507. m FF93 Van Diemen, comp State series car. Fresh engine, ratios. Spares include wishbones, nosebox, bodywork. Trailer with annex. $32,000ono. Ph: Ben 02 6282 3925 (BH), 02 6258 9358 (AH). 134

Speedway

% F? -

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raW^'-.V: Clubman Sports 1300, Farrell FA83, rolling chassis, brand new 4 wheel discs, Armstrong adjustable coll-overs. Escort rear end. $6,000 w/o 4AGE engine & gearbox. Ph: Ferg 03 9706 3979 (BH), 03 9770 9779 (AH), 0419108 128. 135 ●

1991 Reynard, ex-factory car, low kms, fully rebuild Benson RED engine, good assortment of spares. POA. Ph: Jeff 9570 3683,0418172 889. 134

1985 Ford Telstar FWD Sedan, ASCF Modified Production rego. Hoosiers, locked diff, 2 litre twin cam race engine, alumini um fuel tank. Selling due to work commitments. $4,500ono. Ph: 02 6889 4110 (BH). 135

Super Sedan Commodore. Dave Best chassis, quick change diff, 4 aluminium deadlock rims. Ready to race, less motor & gearbox. Plenty of spares. $13,500. Ph: Peter Nicola 03 51761352,018 513998. 135 w

Std Saloon XD Falcon V& Powersteer, 2 seat and seatbelts. Complete, ready tO race. Spare rolling shell, many panels, tyres and rims. $2,500 the tot. Pfr Kevin or Donna 03 5174 1831. 134 AMCA NSW48, LHD 253 methanol. Best of everything, ready to race, many spares, urgent sale. $10,5000n0. Ph: Jason Bishop0418 861 224, 02 4733 6885. .3. Walsh Motorsport offers for sale: 23 degree ally Brodix Track 1 cylinder heads complete, prepared by Hussey Performance: 23 degree steel Dart cylinder heads, complete with big valves, prepared by Hussey: 23/163 piece Hilborn fuel Inj, 2 seasons old, 18AS nozzle: GM 1182 steel crank, 3.48 stroke 010M 010B; set 10 JE pistons, 8 used 2 new, 035 up, suit 5.7 rod; set 8 s/h TRW pistons, 030, suit 6 rod; set roller lifters and rev kit; Summers Bros gear drive complete; set steel splayed main caps & studs; High Energy wet sump and h/v pump with pick-up; new Sprintcar fibreglass panels and F500 panels; Gambler 3 piece bonnet, Maxim 1 piece bonnet and arm guard, J&J arm guard, F500 bonnet and tail cone. Ph: 03 5595 1182,015801016. 134 Pontiac Firebird S/Sedan. Gomer chassis, new 350 Chev, 4 bolt main. McLeod clutch. Dart 2 heads, Winters Wide 5 q/change, heaps of spares: wheels, panels, on trailer. Must sell, shifting camp. Ph: 03 9431 1459 after 6pm. 134 Modified Production TE Cortina, strong 250 xflow methanol motor, 4 speed, adj suspension. Very competitive car, plenty of spares, ready to race. $7,500ono. Ph: 03 5978 7679, 0419388192. w Speedcar, NSW36. Stealth chassis, 166ci Mitsubishi, /Vgo rods, Aries pistons, dry sump, braided oil lines, alum spllned axle, Halibrand diff, power steering, Carrera coil over shocks on front, torsion bar rears, adj Carrera on rear, Kirkey seat, lots of extras. $16,600ono.Ph: 02 9604 0208. 134 Sprintcar, 1985 Gambler lobar in top condition. New Maxim bonnet, taii tank and bladder, new seat + spares. Urgent sale $5,500ono. Ph: Jason Bishop 0418 861 224,02 4733 6885. 134

Drag Racing T

Formula Holden Ralt RT21. Well presented, ready to race, not run since recent completion of no expense-spared profes sional restoration to gearbox, brakes, suspension etc. Includes 2 sets rims, new rubber, gear ratios, spares package. $30,000ono. Ph: 0419 748 261 (Adelaide). 134 Swift SC93, ex Steven White, currently raced by Christian Jory. Top Lamer engine, one meeting on rebuild, blueprinted gearbox, many spares, updated b/w. Ideal first car, good record Nat series. Nothing to spend, complete package. $28,000, would consider lease. Ph: Tony Jory 0418 130 133, 0363 265 555. 134

Corolla 4AGE twin cam motor. Fully reconditioned, bal anced, blueprinted. Alloy sump. 115kW-r. Suit road car or Clubman. Includes wiring and computer. $5,500ono. 5 speed gearbox $450. Ph: John 0412 445 737. .35 Chev 366 methanol motor. 655hp, 548 ft/lbs, with dyno sheets. 18 degree heads, Jessel rocker gear, JE pistons, LA billet rods. Cola crank, bow tie block, dry sump. Barnes pump. Chuck Collugh carby. All parts & block are brand new, only done 6 races. Built by Race Engine Developments. Spent $29,000. Will sell for $22,000. Ph: Peter Nicola 03 5176 1352,018 513 998. 135 Grower fuel injection, suit SB Chev, complete, ex-con, $1.500. Ph: Kevin 035722 2893 136 BIB Chev LS7 Drag bracket engine. Makes 540hp. In perfect condition. Carillos, Crane, Huidamper K Motion. Runs 8.6ET / 154mph in current car. Asking $13,900. Ph: 02 9716 3343. .M Gemini turbocharged 16O0cc race engine. Garrett turbo blowing into twin 45mm Del Ortos on methanol. Superflow head, o-ringed block, knife edge crank, shot peened rods, modified sump, locked dist, Tilton 5’ clutch, blow off valve, EFUl fuel pump, Elpasie regulator. Makes 300hp at 6500rpm, with only 12 psi boost. Dyno sheets avail able. $3,600ono. Ph: Paul Quinn 026296 1774 (BH),02 6242 6638(AH),0412 273 113(mob). 134 Holden 202 race engine. Fully rebuilt, balanced, blue printed, fully worked head, roller rockers, ACL racing pistons, Starfire rods. Crow cam, straight cut gears. Hi Energy sump. $2,200ono. Ph:035978 7679,0419 388 192. 134 Speedway motor; 250 Falcon, fully worked, never started. Comes with moditied 350 Holley and modified electronic igni tion. Cost $4,500 parts only, sell $3,000. Ph: John 0418 362 332,03 9748 4225(AH). O* Go Kart engine: KT100S, freshly, fully rebuilt by Powermac Racing. Blueprinted and crank has been chromed. Comes with electrics. Very hot engine, stiil on original bore. $900ono. Ph: David 03 5593 2222

GP Midget, roller, competitive car. Torsion bar, knock-on hubs, current Vic 1. Ph: Lester 02 6040 5936 (AH). 13a

IclaBsirH.I

Q Super Sedan. Ready to race, spare wheels and panels. $5,000.Ph:Mark014617716. 134

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Capri, proven 10 sec Super Sedan, less engine/trans. Disc brake 9", ladder bars, coil overs, spooled 4.56, 31-spline axles, + nnae. pipes fa Cleveland, fuel system, MSD, gauges, cage $6,000. Ph: 07 4773 5111. i3s

AVS 17 inch polished rims, made by Yokohama with 245x45x8 P7 new series tyres. Good for road or racing. Suit Porxhe or VW Porsche stud pattern. $2,500. Ph: 02 6655 5715, 019 125 965. 135 Escort parts: worked 2.01, ready for assembly, $900ono; 8 inch LSD $800ono; Mags, rollcage, body panels. Crane ignition, assorted other mechanical parts. Ph: 07 3888 0081, 0419 029 626 (AH). 135

Throttle body, 63mm throttle bodies with throttle position switch. Brand new. $150. Ph: 0418 572 810. 135 350 Chev, +.030 freshly bored, 4 bolt, al rods, Manley pistons, new cam, Clevite bearings. Brownfield al heads, Victor Junta manifold. ASCF sealed, $7,000. Knife-edged Commodore 6 cyl crank, .010, $350, Ph: Bruce 03 54221942 (BH), 03 5422 7037 (AH). 135 Cylinder heads; 302 W complete heads. Hot bench tested, brand new. $750 pair. Ph: 03 93451666. 13s 3 BBS 19 inch Snake Tongue touring oar rims, centreloo nut style, with Michelin slicks. Worth $6,000. Sell fa $2,500. Ph: 02 66555715,019125965. 135 March F3 uprights, rear Cheetah Mk6 copy rotors, brakes, wheels, circle track BBS type 3 piece centre lock 8x13, 11x13. Suit hiilclimb car or similar. $2,000 the lot. Ph: 02 6646 2321 (BH), 02 6646 8100 (AH). 135 Brand new Mitre Kombi heads, 48x38 titanium stainless valves, Chev double springs. These are the best heads. $1,800. Ph: 02 6655 5715,019 125 965. 135 Phil Irving alloy head. Fully reconditioned Crane rollers, studs, guide plates, triple 48mm Webers. Big bae cutom made extractors. $4,000 the lot. Ph: Barry 07 4936 1556, 0414 979 700. .35

Racing tyres: Avon wets, new, 9.5/23.5 x 16", $200 pair; Dunlop used IB" suit 10'-12". Plenty of rubber, from $25 each. Ph: 02 9873 4091 (BH), 02 9873 3793 (AH), us Cheetah Mk8 side potls and flat bottoms complete. Offers. Also, Rover V8 piston & ring set, new, +60, $500. Ph: 02 6646 2321 (BH), 02 6646 8100 (AH). .35 Motorola two-way radios. Two crew, one driver. Car har ness with aerial, chargers, two headsets, one helmet kit. As new. $2,900, Ph: 02 4628 8322 (AH), w Longacre computer scales, model no. 72634. Cost in excess of $4,000. will accept $3,500, no offers. New, never used. Ph: 02 4628 8322 (AH). 134 Recaro racing seat, black, gc, $300; Longacre digital pyrometer, deluxe model, $200: Autometer shift light SOOOrpm, $160: Mazda llOpsi oil pressure regulata, $50. Ph: Steve 03 9753 4435,015 338 763. 134 Ford Yates heads, R Yates factory CNC ported, DelWest titanium valves, retainers, 10 degree sper locks, 1.65 shaft rock er set g/c $7,500. Ph: 07 3878 2740. 13< Pistons & Conrods: LA Kryptonite rods with Carr bolts, U6 535 set of 10. JE pistons, 12.5:1, set of 10, all brand new, still in boxes. Sell lot $3,500. Ph: 0418101 414. Escort 8" big axle LSD, with tailshaft, brakes, $750; RS2000 Group 1 inlet manifold (IDFX2) $375; dual tract headers $375; Tranx sc/cr 4 speed gearbox, new kit, $1,600ono. Ph: 08 8278 5988 (evenings). 15* Simmons Mamba wheels, 2 sets - I3'x10’ offset 5'. 13'x12‘ offset 4t 4'PCD, 4 stud. 3‘ mounting flange. 3 spare front outer rims. $1,800 plus freight. Ph; Don 07 5499 9745. -.u

Trawspgrtart/Trailers Tratsporter. Converted Starcraft caravan. 30', 4 axles, elect brakes, Stanfast annex. Sleeps 3, HVt/S, shower, stove, fridge. $10,500ono.Ph: 02 4942 6233. .35 Trailer & Annex. Dual wheel with hydraulic brakes. Suit F/Fad. go karts or F/Vee. Fully fitted with bench, shelving, air line beam, power points, lighting. $4,500. Ph: Peter 03 9563 8283 (BH), 03 9578 6172 (AH). t3S

28Augusnm 40ft race pantech. Equipped with six bunks, workbench, tyre racks, winch, storage space, registered. Fits two cars $10,000. Ph:02 4257 8060,0414 660 879. 135 Tandem trailer, up and over style, plenty storage under neath, used for Super Sedan & Modified Production. $2500 Ph:03 5978 7679,0419 388 192. 134 Fully enclosed tandem axle trailer, suitable for open wheelers. 4.1 x 2.45. Unique collapsible roof for streamline tow ing. Tyre rack, storage, annex, shelving, reg. $4,300. Ph: 02

9997 4182. 134

FIDO,82 model, ex Ambulance. 351 V8, auto, dual fuel, 150lt gas tank. Tow bar, with or without 12 mths reg/RWC. $8,500ono. Ph:03 5978 7679,0419 388 192. 134 Enclosed trailer, suit Speedcar, Litre or race car. 12'9" long, 6'9" wide, 5'7” high, override brakes, dual axle, tyre rack, shock and radius rod racks, spares shelf. 12 months rego, exc cond $2,850ono. Ph:02 9604 0208. 134

Wanted Glenn Seton, Russell Ingall V8 Ians to correspond with. Females preferred, but guys welcome. Write to: Rosemary Sutcliffe, 56 Grose St, Leura, NSW 2780. 135 Minilite wheels, 15", any width. Ford stud pattern. Also 15" ROH Pro Sprints, single or set. Ph: 07 4779 5009. 135 Model cars - Bbrum, Model Box. Onyx, Tamiya kits. Ph: Andrew 02 4948 4472. 135 Mags for Mazda - two 13x8, two 13x10. Ph- 07 5462 2415. 135

HQ Thunderdome, current fuel tank wanted. Also, timing box and S" harness from wrecked car, or maybe you're not racing your car any more. Ph; 03 5629 2369. 134 Video 1996 Sandown Tattersalls Historic meeting Brabham tribute wanted. Ph: Robert 02 9831 1534. 134

Hot Wires 15x10, 14x9.5 or 9 HQ stud pattern Ph08 8271 4055. 134 Speedcar rims and tyres s/h or new. Also, used part steering, shocks etd. Ph: 02 6242 6638, 02 6296 1774, 0412 273 113. 134

Other VR GpA Supercar front spoiler $400. Ph:029545 0887 lis Adelaide GP official posters, 1985 to 1992, solid block mounted, 70x90cm $600 the set. Also framed Bathurst poster 1987,$50. Ph:0247334702. 135 HRT race suit,$450 neg; Marlboro HDT directorsa chair, 84 Bathurst, $150; Mobil HDT jacket signed by Brock,$90; Dinkum Classic Brock road cars, 3 x VC, 1 x VK, 1 x VL, mint. Ph: 02 4822 4124 after 7pm. 135

Photographic equjpmeni: Tatrron 300mm e.8 lens, Tokina 70-210 lens. Canon A1 body. Canon T-70 body, plus seme acces sories.$2,300ono. May separate. Ph: John 0296268954. t35 Imported VHS PAL motoring videos: 1. Worlds Fastest Cars; 2. America’s Fastest Cars; 3. 200mph Jaguar XJ220; 4. Eamborghini; 5.1996 Sports Car World Review; 6. 1997 BTCC review: 7. 1997 Brit Rally Review. All original cond.$180 the lot. Ph: Anthony 0416116 577. 13S Formula II races on video for sale or swap. MosI races from 1987 to present. For details write to; F. Gordan, P.O. Box 751, Echuca, Vic 3564. 135 Motor sport Art. Original and prints. V8, tourers, drag racers. Grand Prix, bikes etc. For details write to: P Baker, PO Box 8114, Coifs Harbour, NSW 2450. 134 Old car badges, eg: 1956 Olympic games, Western District Car Club, Herald Touring, MG Club. All in excellent condition. Sell to best offer. Ring for full list. Ph:036394 3541,015 312918. 131

Motorsport News' RACE SliO'P gives you the opportunity to promote your products ^d services to the widest possible range of motorsport com.petitors and enthusiasts. Advertising in RACE SMiOP’costs as little as $50 per issue! Call m 9S2J nm nowl.

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COMMENT Length IS important N

Editorial Editor David Nassau Technical Editor Tony Glynn Assistant Editor Phil Branagan Graphics Co-ordinator Viv Brumby

Advertising

Dear Sir, With the 1999 Shell Championship Series incorporating both of the endurance races, the FAI 1000 Classic and the Tickford 500, myself and a number of my friends believe that the three sprint races per round should be replaced with one race of up to 250km to have the whole series made up of long distance races. Peter Greenham Stroud, NSW

It’s all a Mirage

Advertising Manager i Gerald McDornan

Administration i Managing Director Chris Lambden

Contacts 89 Orrong Crescent Cauineld North VIC 3161 (PO Box 1010 North Caulfield 3161) Phone:03 9S27 7744 Fax: 03 9327 7766 msnews@corpllnk.coni.au

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Contributors

Dear Sir, Marcel Dassault, the creator of that wonderful marque of French aircraft, once said something to the effect that ‘if an aircraft looked good then it flew good’. Okay, I know that’s got nothing to do with motor racing, but then why is it that the fastest car in FI today is also the only one that looks remotely half-decent? I know that beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, but it seems that since Benetton brought out their point-nose car a few years ago, everybody has raced to catch up with something equally as ugly. I mean, just compare this year’s Ferrari with the last few models. I know it is faster, but what an eye sore. A technical question. As Indy Cars are generally similar to FI cars in size, power and weight, then why do they look so different, for instance, like REAL open-wheeler racing cars?

General: Mike Kable. Jon Thomson. ; Brian Reed, Darryl Flack FI: Joe Saward, Adam Cooper Europe: Quentin Spurring, US: Bruce Smith, Phil Morris NZ: John Hawkins n Speedway: Dennis Newlyn, David McNabta, Wade Aunger, Geoff Rounds, David Lamont, Chris Metcalf, Sue Hobson, Michael Attwell, Tony Millard (UK), Darren O'Dea Rally: Peter Whitten. Jon Thomson' Jim Thom Drag Racing- Gerald McDornan, Chapman, ACT Greg Ward, Jon Asher (USA), ASST ED: The answer is that Dave Ostaszewski (USA), Nick Nicholas, Steven White,Indy Cars (or Champ Cars) are l NOT,Uke Formula One cars. Ken Ferguson. Scott Jug Super Speedway: Martin Clark (USA). They are longer, wider and Brett Swaoson, Grant Nicholas around 200kg heavier, have tui’Karts: Ian Salvestrin, Allan Roark, bocharged engines (which have Graeme Burns, Edward Krause .different cooling problems from Photographers: LAT, Dirk Klynsmith, normally-aspirated FI units) Zoom Photographies, Neil Hammond, and also have ground-effect Nigel Snowdon & Diana Burnett, aerodynamics compared to FI’s Brad Steele, Tony Glynn, flat bottoms. Thunder-Pics, Marshall Cass, FI engines are 3.51itre, VIO Mike Harding. Brisbane Motorsport, and have almost SOOhp: Champ Frank Midgley, John Bosher, Cars’ 2.651itre timboed V8s have Phil Williams, Mike Patrick (UK) approximately 900hp. MO-roRSPORT NEWS is publiihed by AusiktlA'.i.in Cornering speeds are higher Motorsport r-lesvs Pty LW ACN No 060 1 79 928 in FI but, at around 390kmh, a . : 'irectt'TS. C larnlxltn (Mrtnaging). D Hassali. A Glynn Champ Car is about 50kmh Publisher: faster on top-end. C Lambden Printed by: ; \Mlke Color 37-49 Browns Rd Clayton 3168 Distributed by: MDD Ltd

M.'Jienal pubfishPd by MOTORSPORT .NEWS is copyright nneJ iray nor bti reprotiuced in full or in fiDrr wirhoul the written permission of the publisher. Frc-eiance 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 Mofois^xiit Netvs are not i necessarily those of Ausrr<"ti£LSian Motoisport News ITy Ltd or its .sbiff ●Ref.ommendc?d and maximum price only

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Mickey Mouse question Dear Sir, With the new Speedway track at Disney World, why can’t they have some Winston Cup events on it, because they have plenty of Indy Car races on it? I can’t see why they can’t have any Winston Cup events on it.

I hope the AGP organisers keep in mind the people like myself who populate the open areas of the stands, etc. eveiy time and realise <c that we need to know what is happening round the track, in order to enjoy the AGP.

onv

Darren Baker-West Essendon, VIC

Talk

H Captive audience because Richard Petty has a NASCAR driving school there. Philip Jones Ballarat, VIC ASST ED: In terms of attendances, Winston Cup is the biggest drawcard in world motorsport and promoters are falling over themselves to get races. That’s why it’s hard to get NASCAR dates - on the other hand, it seems easy to get an IRL race.

ed view (unfortunately for me) of the super screens, a good race call is vital. I’m afraid I didn’t get that at aU. In past years, I have found the content of the commentary generally to be quite informative and, personally, I like to hear some of the chat and be entertained between events, particularly using an FM radio. Perhaps Mr Barr-Smith and his friends viewed the race from one of those corporate boxes, I mentioned before.

Dear Sir, My name is Jim Faggotter and I am the inmate librarian at the Prison in Rockhampton Queensland. I am currently in the process of updating our library and I would like to ask your readers if they would be willing to donate any books, magazines, calendars, posters, or brochui’es to us, please. ’ Please send to: Prison Librarian, C/- Sue, Education Department, Rockhampton Prison QLD 4702 Jim Faggotter Rockhampton, QLD

IRL fan=tastic

THE REAL THING... Stock block IRL is all about close V8 racing.

Track commentary vital Dear Sir, I have just completed reading a back issue (8 May) of your maga zine that 1 somehow missed and I was surprised at a letter (David Barr-Smith, Glen Waverley) that was printed in the Talk Converter section, concerning the P.A. com mentary at this year’s AGP. What event was Mr Barr-Smith at? I, for one, could hardly have been more disappointed with this year’s P.A. and, even allowing for the couple of technical hitches on the FM Radio Broadcast, I found the race commentaries very hard to follow. It may have been fine if we were all tucked up in the comfort of our lounge rooms, watching it all on TV (or dare I say, clinking glasses together in the corporate Suites), but for the thousands of us sitting in the stands, with only a small part of the track visible and a limit-

But, in the stands, you ne ed something to listen to. As to the actual commentators. I’m afraid Mr Barr-Smith is not quite accurate - most of the com mentators were not from the previ ous years, apart from Phil Branagafrand Barry Ohver. I agree that Neil Crompton was a good addition, but I wasn’t impressed with the rest (apart from your Assistant Editor, of course!) , The anchorman’s knowledge was appalling and I think Leigh Diffey is better suited to TV. A friend told me recently that Barry Oliver spent most of the event interviewing car owners in the Historic Car display area. What Einstein thought up that appointment? After all, my pro gram from the ATCC round at Calder informs me that Barry is the senes CAMS appointed Commentator for the ATCC, so why was he talking to Historic car dri vers?

Dear Sir, I must admit, like many in the automotive media, I was a bit of a cynic when it came to Tony George’s Indy Racing League and its quality. But, thanks to the advent of cable television in Australia, I have seen the light and am now convert ed to this great series, while still respecting the Indy 500-less ‘Champ’series. Recently, I watched, thanks to Foxtel, the Colorado race of the IRL and to say it was enthralling is an understatement. Four leaders in the last 10 laps, ■with two running out of fuel, made for some great, ‘edge of your seat’ racing and a fabulous finish. Plus, add in the characters of AJ Foyt, Billy Boat, Arie Lyundyk and others, then consider the fonnula stock block V8s, control chassis at a control price - and it is little won der that this series is showing it is going somewhere. The great thing about racing in the US in the past was that anyone could live their dream and come from an outback dirt track to win the Indy 500 - but, as the Indy Car series grew, it diverted away fi-om the ideals of the Brickyard. Thankfully, after some great planning and a lot of thought, that dream can again be achieved ... and I’ll certainly be watching it on my television for as long as the stock block formula exists. Robert Grimshaw Nimawading, VIC

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