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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
MAZDA TAKES PRIME POSITIONS AT DAYTONA ...
OLIVER JARVIS has led a Mazda Team Joest 1-2 at IMSA’s three-day Roar Before the 24 test, held as a warm up to the Daytona 24 Hour. Jarvis edged teammate Harry Tincknell by a mere 0.025s, clocking a 1m 33.398s lap to place the Team Joest squad in the prime pit and garage location for the big race. The lap was significantly quicker than the fastest lap set in the corresponding meet last year by Felipe Nasr, a 1m 35.806s, and was faster than the record
set by PJ Jones in 1993. However, as IMSA doesn’t count the Roar as an official session, Jones’ record still stands. Team Penske’s Ricky Taylor finished third in the Acura ARX-05 ahead of the first Cadillac DPi-V.R of Action Express Racing’s Filipe Albuquerque. Four LMP2 spec cars also took part, with Gabriel Aubry fastest for PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports in an Oreca Gibson 07 ahead of
Australian James Allen racing for Dragonspeed. In GTLM, Corvette Racing’s Jan Magnussen held off challenges from the Chip Ganassi Ford GT entries driven by Richard Westbrook and Joey Hand. Porsche completed the top five with Earl Bamber and Nick Tandy heading Davide Rigon’s Risi Ferrari 488 GTE and the BMW Team RLL BMW M8 GTE of John Edwards. All nine GTLM cars were covered by 0.640s with each under the benchmark set by Hand
last year. GTD cars did not participate in the session as IMSA restricted the class to a two-day test, but it was the Michael Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3 driven by Ana Beatriz that topped the qualifying session. The Mercedes-AMG GT3 of P1 Motorsports initially set fastest time, but was later disqualified as Dominic Baumann exceeded the driver grading requirements of the session.
... AND CONFIRMS IMSA DRIVER LINE UP MAZDA TEAM Joest has confirmed an unchanged full-time driver line up for the 2019 IMSA series, but has announced that Timo Bernhard and Olivier Pla will join the team for the four Michelin Endurance races. The pair will assist the team at the Daytona 24 Hour, Sebring 12 Hour, Watkins Glen 6 Hour and the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. Two time Le Mans 24 Hour winner Bernhard will drive alongside full time drivers Oliver Jarvis (pictured left), Tristan Nunez as well as former DTM champion Rene Rast, who is also just competing in the four longer endurance races. Pla will race alongside Jonathan Bomarito and Ford Chip Ganassi WEC teammate Harry Tincknell. Pla and Tincknell will take part in both Sebring Endurance races on the 15th and 16th of March, racing the WEC 1000 Miles of Sebring on the Saturday and the Sebring 12 Hour the following day.
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Both Bernhard and Pla drove for the Nissan ESM team in 2018, choosing to move to Mazda Team Joest for this season. “I have a great memory with Team Joest as we won the 24 Hours of Le Mans together back in 2010,” Bernhard said. “The Mazda RT24-P showed great progress over 2018 and was a strong contender at the end of the season.” The Joest team partnered with Mazda for its debut season in 2018, but suffered a difficult debut season in the IMSA series. Though the team finished strongly at the Petit Le Mans with a double podium finish, the highest-placed championship position for the team was Jarvis and Nunez who were eighth in the final standings. “The cars have performed incredibly well throughout our winter testing program,” said John Doohan, director of Mazda Motorsport, “we are very much looking forward to kicking things off at Daytona.”
HYUNDAI NEW BOYS SAMPLE TCR RACER HYUNDAI’S NEW signings for the 2019 WTCR season, Brazilian Augusto Farfus and Dutchman Nicky Catsburg, tested their new mount for 2019 alongside reigning WTCR champion Gabriele Tarquini and teammate Norbert Michelisz. The three-day test was held at the Algarve International Circuit in Portugal. Farfus and Catsburg are both experienced touring car drivers, having been successful in the previous World Touring Car Championship. Farfus was a factory driver for Alfa Romeo before moving to BMW in 2007, where he later joined its DTM campaign and continues with the marque through its Intercontinental GT Challenge program. Catsburg was a gun driver for the factory Lada and Volvo teams, before joining Farfus as a BMW Motorsport driver within the team’s World
Endurance Championship program. The duo tested the i30N over the second and third days without a hitch, with Catsburg able to rely on his recent experience of front-wheel-drive. “The handling characteristics were very familiar from the front-wheel-drive cars I have competed in before,” said Catsburg. “I’m looking forward to learning more about the car in testing over the winter.” Farfus had a lot to adjust to as he had not driven a front-wheel-drive race car since his last season with Alfa Romeo in 2006, but he coped well. “From my first laps, I felt comfortable, and able to push the car,” he said. “I was pleasantly surprised with how quickly I was able to get up to speed.” The two teams that will field Hyundai’s WTCR entries are yet to be announced.
LOEB SIGNS TWO YEAR HYUNDAI WRC DEAL NINE TIME FIA World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb has announced a two year deal with Hyundai Motorsport, which will see him contest six WRC events in 2019. Loeb will drive alongside his long time codriver Daniel Elena, but for the first time in 18 years the pair won’t be in a Citroen in the WRC. “Joining Hyundai will give us a fresh challenge and one that I can’t wait to tackle. I have been impressed with the team’s approach and their determination to succeed,” said Loeb. Hyundai had already confirmed that full time drivers Thierry Neuville and Andreas Mikkelsen will remain with the team. The Korean squad recently announced that Loeb will share part time driving duties with his former Citroen team mate Dani Sordo, who remains with Hyundai in 2019. This leaves New Zealander Hayden Paddon without a drive in 2019, but Hyundai has said
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that the door is open for him to return in the future. The team also confirmed that Loeb will take part in the first two events of the season in Monte Carlo and Sweden, before Sordo begins his campaign in Mexico. Loeb was left without a drive when Peugeot pulled out as a manufacturer in the FIA World Rallycross Championship, the series in which the Frenchman has competed in the last three seasons. Loeb was signed by Hyundai to help them win the Manufacturers Championship, as the Korean brand has finished as the bridesmaids on three occasions. “They were firmly in the title fight in 2018, and I feel that I can bring a lot to them, together with Thierry, Andreas and Dani,” Loeb said. Loeb will make his debut for Hyundai in Monaco from the 24th-27th of January.
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Kristoffersson & VW Quit World Rallycross Championship CURRENT FIA World Rallycross champion Johan Kristoffersson will leave the series to race for Sebastien Loeb Racing in WTCR. The news came after Volkswagen announced its withdrawal from the World Rallycross Championship, leaving no manufacturers officially in the sport. “It’s really sad, but the declining numbers of teams in the series makes it impossible for us to remain for 2019,” said PSRX Volkswagen team principal Pernilla Solberg. In the last 18 months Ford, Audi, Peugeot and Volkswagen have all left the series. PSRX Volkswagen team has, however, stated its intention to return to the series if the sport goes ahead with its proposed switch to electric engines in 2021. Kristoffersson dominated the series in 2018, winning all bar one of the 12 events. The other race was won by Sebastien Loeb, the man he will race for in WTCR this season.
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Kristoffersson will join former WTCC Champion Rob Huff and Mehdi Bennani at Sebastien Loeb Racing, with a fourth driver yet been announced. The Swede has previous touring car success, winning the now defunct International Superstars Series in 2012 and the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship in 2012 and 2018. Kristoffersson is considering defending the STCC title in 2019, as there are no event clashes with WTCR. The 30 year old is familiar with the Golf GTI TCR he will race in 2019, as it’s the car he took to the STCC title last year. “After four years of rallycross, 2019 will be my first full touring car season on the international stage since 2013. Most of the circuits are entirely new territory for me and therefore represent a huge challenge,” Kristoffersson said. “Sebastien Loeb Racing is an experienced team and I’m delighted to be moving within the Volkswagen family.”
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s w e n l a Internation LOGANO CLAIMS HIS FIRST CUP SERIES TITLE JOEY LOGANO has taken out the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series title by winning the title decider in Miami from Martin Truex Jr and Kevin Harvick. In the Championship 4 Playoff round, the contenders’ points are reset; whoever finishes highest of the four lifts the title. These contenders were Logano, Truex, Harvick and Kyle Busch. All four drivers stayed up the front and out of trouble all day, but as the sun set things started to heat up. Kyle Larson was in contention to win the race, running second when he touched the wall, resulting in a puncture with 74 laps to go. The incident resulted in a Safety Car that saw all the title contenders pit. Logano led the restart ahead of Truex and Harvick, while Busch dropped to ninth with a slow stop. Busch fought his way back up into the top four in 14 laps. With 49 laps remaining, Truex took the lead off Logano, Truex having better long-run pace, while Logano had superior speed after the restarts. In the final green flag stops, Truex’s Toyota fell off the jack and lost valuable time. Logano and Harvick had faultless stops, while Busch elected to stay out – until a Safety Car was deployed when Brad Keselowski hit and spun Daniel Suarez. All contenders elected to pit and Busch emerged leading Truex, Logano and Harvick, the Championship 4 in the top four positions with 15 laps to go. On the restart, though, Busch dropped back to third. Truexnow led Logano, but with Logano’s superior restart pace it was going to be hard to keep him behind. With 12 laps to go Logano swept around the outside of Truex, holding the lead to the finish and taking his maiden championship.
Team Penske celebrated yet another title, as Joey Logano took his first NASCAR crown
TARQUINI ROLLS
Tarquini fends off Muller, both driving Hyundais, in the exciting WTCR finale at Macau.
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THE INAUGURAL WTCR season was a great success, the series being a very closely fought affair with both the drivers’ and teams’ championships going down to the wire. The championship also yielded 15 different race winners in 30 races, proof of the series’ success. The ever-youthful Gabriele Tarquini started the season strongly, winning three of the first six races, however in the following six races Tarquini failed to score a single point. It was clear early on that his main rivals were going to be Yvan Muller and Thed Bjork racing for Muller’s own YMR team. Muller, making his return to racing after a one-year retirement, was immediately on the pace. Consistency was Muller’s
Marciello crushes Blancpain opposition THE BLANCPAIN GT Series stepped up another level this year, featuring dozens of quality drivers such as Audi drivers Christopher Mies and Kelvin van der Linde and former Formula One drivers Will Stevens and Christian Klien. This year’s championship was won by former GP2 and Ferrari Academy driver Raffaele Marciello for the AKKA Mercedes team, which also lifted the teams’ championship. Marciello’s co-driver, Michael Meadows, also deserves credit for the title win, as he drove alongside the Italian for most of the season, finishing third in the standings. The first endurance race, on home ground, was a disaster for Marciello, who finished 11th at Monza. But this was the only round in which the Italian finished outside the points. The pair’s strongest challengers were the two Belgian Audi Club Team WRT cars. The Monza race was won by Mies and Alex Riberas driving the number one WRT Audi R8, and the Audis had as much, if
not more, pace than the Mercedes AMG during the season. But a few non-scoring races cost the them in both the driver and team standings. Extra points were on offer for the 1000km of Paul Ricard, as well as at the six-hour and 12-hour stages of the 24 Hours of Spa Francorchamps, where both of the WRT cars failed to pick up a single point in either race, whereas Marciello scored 34 points. Mies and Riberas scored four wins during the season, more than anyone else, but failed score in six races, which cost them a chance to win the title. Marciello showed his strength as a GT driver in 2018, finishing with 164 points, 34.5 points clear of Mies and Riberas. Without the mishaps in the two major endurance races, it could have been a completely different season for the Audi pairing. The Endurance Cup went to Mercedes AMG’s Yelmer Buurman, Maro Engel and Luca Stolz, with Marciello finishing second in the enduro standings.
Turkington joins greats with third BTCC
BACK THE YEARS IN WTCR strength throughout the season, rarely finishing outside the points. The only major blip came in the fourth round in Holland where he failed to score. Bjork, the 2017 World Touring Car Champion, had the pace of his teammate and won four races compared with Muller’s three, but he lacked consistency. Bjork failed to finish in the top seven in the last nine races of the season, and as a result finished seventh in the standings. There were only two likely title winners heading into the final round in Macau, Tarquini and Muller. Tarquini only needed to pick up a few points and stay out of trouble in the final round to take the title.
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In the first race of the weekend the Italian veteran finished fourth with Muller second. However, in the second race he was involved in a first-lap incident, retiring from the race, while Muller finished second. That set up a thrilling finale to the season. Muller needed to finish on the podium with Tarquini finishing out of the points. He found himself in fourth position and tried everything to get third, but to no avail. Tarquini picked up a solitary point to put it beyond doubt. The 56-year-old took the title by just three points, his first championship since 2009. Muller’s YMR team took home the teams’ championship.
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THE 2018 British Touring Car Championship was as action-packed and fiercely fought as always. It was a competitive field, with no clear favourites early on – as shown when 12 different drivers stood on the podium in the first four races. As the season unfolded the title contenders became a little more obvious. Josh Cook (Vauxhall), Adam Morgan (Mercedes) and Tom Ingram (Toyota) were the only multiple winners in the first three rounds, though only Ingram was able to fight for the title, while Cook and Morgan dropped away as the season progressed. 2017 championship runner-up Colin Turkington (BMW) had a slow start to the season, finishing in the top eight just once in the first two rounds. After this, however, Turkington put together a string of great finishes to find himself right in championship contention. Defending champion Ash Sutton (Subaru) also started the season quietly, with no
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podium finish in the first three rounds. Then his season turned on like a light switch when he won the following two races and put together a remarkable run of results. Sutton was right in contention until being disqualified from the second race at Knockhill, the third-last round, knocking the momentum out of his title charge. He eventually finished his title defence a disappointing fourth, though he did manage to win more races than anyone else with five. Tom Chilton (Ford) had a quiet year but snared third overall, his best BTCC result, after scoring in 25 of the last 26 races. The final round, around the Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit, saw Turkington go in with sizeable points lead over Ingram. Turkington had his worst round of the season, scoring just four points, but the deficit was too much for Ingram to reel in. Turkington won his third BTCC despite taking only one race win, and next year shoots for a record-equalling fourth title.
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S R E T T I L G T ALL THA While his first trip to Indianapolis didn’t include the sights and sounds of the iconic Indianapolis 500, Autoo Action’s publisher BRUCE WILLIAMS instead took inn the world’s biggest motorsport industry event, the 31st st annual Performance Racing Industry Show which was as held in December 2018.
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ndianapolis is in the mid-west state of Indiana and is known as a motorsport mecca. While the biggest crowds visit the city to attend the Indy 500, it’s the annual PRI Trade Show that really gets the world’s motorsport industry people together. Indianapolis is a nice city to visit and it’s usually warm and sunny in the month of May when the annual 500-mile classic is run. Along with the Le Mans 24 Hour sports car race and the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Indy 500 is arguably the world’s most famous car race. The Indy 500 is also one of the biggest single-day sporting events in the world, with hundreds of thousands of fans traveling from all over the world to attend. And while the city also has the annual Brickyard 400 NASCAR race and other major events to bring in the fans, it’s the PRI Show held in early December that draws the global motorsport industry to Indianapolis. Many race teams are also based in the city, so it makes sense to run the event in a location which is roughly in the middle of America. The PRI Show is a massive event. Exclusive to the motorsports industry and with nearly 1200 exhibitors, PRI is without doubt the biggest trade-
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only show whose single focus is motorsport rsport and the industries that support it. It’s a major event on the international al motorsport calendar and its timing in early December coincides with the conclusion sion of most of the big motorsport series held around the world. So that makes it easy for motorsports industry buyers, racing professionals and manufacturers from across the U.S. and around the world to gather in the one location to conduct business for the upcoming racing season and to discover the latest innovations and d technology in
motorsports. The show is spread over the h massive ive Indiana Convention Centre site, located in downtown Indianapolis. The centre has three main halls as well as some smaller spaces, all jam packed with exhibitors including a huge hall full of motorsport trailers and transporters and another separate hall which is dominated an and fabrication by the latest in machining an equipment. equipme you’ve never been If you’v PRI Show then a to the PR simple way w to describe it it’s the motorsport is that it’ equivalent to a kid being equivale locked in a candy store shop to Aussies) and (lolly sho three days of walking after thre (about 220 km in total) and talking, I still only saw about 75 per ccent of what I wanted to see. It all kicked off early on Thursday morning with motorsports legends Al The PRI Show Unser Sr. and Al Unser Jr. is a meeting joining veteran motorsports place for journalist and broadcaster the global motorsport Dave Despain on stage for industry. the PRI Trade Show’s 2018 opening breakfast. It was an interesting and entertaining conversation between Despain and the Unser’s about their motorsport lives and was a great way to kick off the show. It was a BIG room and I have never shared breakfast with so many people. The show has just about any piece of equipment you might need to go racing in whatever style of racing you want to do it in. Given it’s a trade-only show and not open to the general public it’s amazing how many
people attend, and you could see that there were many deals being done by serious people. There were massive displays from manufacturers and suppliers of speedway parts and components, with everything from mud scrapers to full chassis cars of various categories, all ready to go. Every major racing driveline and braking systemand shock absorber manufacturers had a display, with engineers and sales people on hand to discuss needs and technical information. All the big names in race apparel and helmet manufacturers were showcasing their products, so it was the place to sit down and do a deal. If you’re a serious engine builder the PRI show is a must. All the hard-core engine components suppliers were on hand as well as demonstrations of the very latest in CNC engine machining centres. Also on display were the latest in engine and chassis dyno systems including the Australian-made Mainline high horse power hub dynos, which were getting lots of interest. I didn’t realise just how many cylinder block, CNC heads, crankshaft, piston, conrod and valve train suppliers could be in the one place at the one time. So, if you had questions about engine parts and you needed the latest in go fast bits, it is a place you can save a lot of time and get straight to the people you want to talk to. Having said that, many of these manufacturers have fantastic suppliers and distributers based here in Australia, and they are the ones to deal with and put a lot of effort into getting the best deals for Australian distribution.
PRI GLOBAL MEDIA AWARDS PROGRAM
Crankshafts and just about every other engine component possible is on display at the PRI Show ... which brings together the industry, teams and suppliers from around the world. Australian products and industry identities have an increasing participation in the event every year.
The scale of the PRI Show is enormous, from the opening breakfast (above right) to the huge variety of products and technology on display , to the global media interest. Auto Action was an invited guest to join the judging panel for the PRI Global Media Awards program.
It’s significant when you consider the number of Australian companies that go to the PRI show each year. It’s a big trip for them all, but it obviously makes a big difference to be able to talk face to face and do business directly with the major component manufacturers. And of course, most of the big brands we see distributed locally have impressive displays all showcasing new and innovative products. It was strange to be so far from Australia and yet bump into so many familiar faces, many of these people representing companies that are regular Auto Action advertisers. Some of these people included Bill Mann from Performance Wholesale, Bill Nitschke and Matthew Clarke from Precision International, Adam Bressington of Fabre, and Racer Industries MD, Ryan McLeod. These guys are serious Australian engine and motorsport component distributers and do many long-term deals when they visit the PRI show each year. Ryan McLeod, apart from owning Racer Industries which is one of the significant motorsport apparel and accessory retailers in Australia, also manufactures the MARC Car race cars that are sold and raced around the world. He told me that for him the PRI Show is a must do trip each year. “For example, we are building five new MARC Cars now. We need brake systems, driveline components, engine parts and I want to be able to use the latest components available. I want to use the latest innovations in race car technology and the best products available, so it’s important to be able to discuss directly with a component manufacturer my needs, as well as any issues I might have. It’s amazing how much you can
sort out in an hour of direct conversation with the component engineer who is sitting right in front of you,” McLeod said. As one Australian performance and race parts distributor told me; “While it’s a pretty hectic few days, I can see more people and do more deals in these three days than I would spending weeks traveling the USA. Trying to coordinate meetings with suppliers across the USA can be a nightmare. But here I can have a coffee or a dinner and get some serious business done. Its always better doing deals face to face, so it’s well worth the trip.” As another Australian distributor said; “I can stay on top of what new products are coming up rather than finding out about it after it has happened. And because I’m here talking face to face, people take you much more seriously than by trying to negotiate sending emails or trying to get the timing right with late night phone calls.” And of course, it wasn’t just Aussies on the lookout for new products and deals to be done, there were a significant number of Australian manufactures of performance and motorsport related products on hand to showcase some of the best innovations from down under. Australian motorsport and component companies with their own stands at the 2018 PRI show included Tighe Cams, Ice Ignition, Yella Terra, Bullet Race Engineering, Pfitzner Performance Gearboxes, ACL Race Bearings and Extreme Clutch, just to mention a few. Australian motorsport component manufacturers also had strong presences with their local distributors on hand to promote and offer technical advice. These included Weddle Industries, who are the USA
distributors for the Albins Engineering trans axle systems. Haltech Engine Management Systems USA, MoTeC USA, Holinger America, Noonan Race Engines, Pedders Suspension and Turbosmart, as well as several other Australian-based brands which had space on local distributors stands. Leading Australian supplier PWR Performance had a very impressive stand in size and appearance, with Kees Weel on hand to discuss lots of thermal exchange opportunities. It was also amazing to catch up with a few great mates, including lthe arger than life and well connected Rob Herrod of Herrod Motorsport. Rob was busy doing lots of deals with Ford Performance. Sprintcar guru, J&J Auto Racing’s Jack Ellam, was also on hand showing his latest sprint car chassis, supported by his Australian distributor Dave Challons, who is well known to local sprintcar people. So, the long and the short of it is the PRI Show is motorsport nirvana for a person like me who has been involved in the industry for a long time, wth some much great stuff in the one place at the one time! So, if you’re looking for the latest innovation or you want to showcase your brand and products to the motorsport world, then you should get into touch with the team at the PRI Show and investigate getting involved. But make sure you take plenty of warm clothes as it gets bloody cold in Indianapolis just prior to Christmas! For further info visit: www.performanceracing.com/tradeshow
FOR THE first time as part of the 2018 Performance Racing Industry Show, expert journalists from motorsport industry publications around the world were chosen to be part of the esteemed Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Global Media Awards judges panel. Auto Action was recognised as a one of the world’s most significant motorsport media outlets and along with other publications and media outlets including Race Tech Motorsport Engineering, Inside Track Motorsport News and Pit Talk Asia participated as judges in the PRI Global Media Awards program. The motorsport media were asked to identify products entered in the Featured Products Showcase at the PRI Trade Show that could have the greatest international appeal and this selection included some of the hottest new products in the motorsports industry. Each judge was asked to select 10 products they felt would succeed as motorsport industry products in their home country. Manufacturers of those chosen products received a PRI Global Media Award. Several Australian manufacturers received Awards, including Bullet Engineering for its aluminium billet 2JZ engine block, Pfitzner Performance Gearboxes for its PPG T56 - MAGNUM - TR-6060, 6 speed, helical synchro gearset, and PE Racing Products for its modular billet brake pedal box assembly, which is also available with a throttle system. Other great innovations that would be applicable to Australia included the Koolbox ICE electronic helmet cooling System. With the LS engine family being a significant powerplant option for motorsport across many categories these days, LS engine builders and tuners in Australia will see the potential benefits of a new piston from JE, the “Ultra Series” to suite GM Gen III-IV LS and V LT1. Another well engineered product that could save a few headaches is a fuel cell surge tank from Radium Engineering.
Disclosure - Auto Action was a guest of the Performance Racing Industry Show
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WALSH SALUTES SKIP
SAM WALSH withstood a number of challenges to convincingly win the Salute To Skip at Valvoline Raceway and grab his first feature race win of the 2018-19 season. The win by Walsh, over Matt Dumesny, Robbie Farr and Marcus Dumesny, helped his push towards victory in the Ultimate Sprintcar Championship NSW pointscore. The night celebrated Australian Sprintcar legend Skip Jackson but it was fellow USA resident Brad Sweet who created his own highlights reel. Sweet, the reigning Knoxville Nationals champion, ran the tough ‘speedway alphabet’. The American missed qualifying earlier in the night and was forced to start at the rear of the C-Main, then progressed through the
B-main to make the last transfer of the 24-car field to the A-Main. Sweet’s efforts in the 35-lap feature race were remarkable. He moved his way through the field to finish fifth in what was one of the best-ever drives witnessed at the Parramatta complex. Walsh took the lead from early race leader Lynton Jeffrey, who was having his first race on home soil in Sydney and finished sixth, and eased away to take the win. “Finally got a win. Cool to do it on a night that honoured Skip Jackson. I had a solid car all night and the nut behind the wheel didn’t stuff up,” Walsh said. “See if we can back it up. I think there may be a little more fire from a guy that won a particular race in Iowa a few months back...”
SWEET LIGHTS UP SYDNEY
SYDNEY SPEEDWAY fans were given a lasting reminder of the talents of Brad Sweet on the first day of 2019 as he waved goodbye to Australia. Before returning to the United States to ready himself for the 2019 World of Outlaws season, which includes defending his Knoxville Nationals title, Sweet claimed the Firecracker 50 at Valvoline Raceway in very hot conditions. Sweet, who has been coming to Australia since 2005, raced from the front row with polesitter Alex Orr to take an early lead on a dry, slick surface, but Orr’s night ended quickly as he spun out of contention. Just three laps shy of the halfway stoppage, Dumesny slid under Sweet for the lead until lap 33. Sweet then resumed in front and stayed there to win by a very narrow margin from a fast-finishing Lynton Jeffrey. In-form Sydney brothers Matt and Marcus Dumesny were next. “It’s nice to be out here in the heat and get us ready for the rest of the season ahead. We would like to knock Donny (Schatz) off this year. As I get older I think it’s my time to shine,” Sweet said.
Image: Gary Reid
JEFFREY WINGS IT TO NSW TITLE
Image: Gary Reid
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LYNTON JEFFREY staged a heart-stopping last-lap pass around American Brad Sweet to win the 61st New South Wales Sprintcar Championship at Sydney’s Valvoline Raceway. The jaw-dropping win over the gun American driver and Robbie Farr was Jeffrey’s first feature-race win at the venue. Jeffrey now lives in the USA, where he runs his world-famous Vortex Wings business in Iowa. Matt Dumesny led early in the 35-lap title decider, but Sweet grabbed it on lap three and used lapped traffic to his advantage to open a
healthy gap. The battle behind Sweet raged between Dumesny, Jordyn Brazier, Farr and Jeffrey. Brazier’s night soured, spinning out of contention and allowing Jeffrey to advance again. With just five laps remaining, Jeffrey was on Sweet’s tail, and on the final corner it was make or break for the two American residents. Jeffrey made the outside pass stick and swept past the 2018 Knoxville Nationals winner to snatch victory from the hot pre-race favourite, to record a very popular win.
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SCHATZ WINS NINTH AUST OPEN WORLD NUMBER one Donny Schatz kicked his 2019 season off in style, winning his ninth Australian Sprintcar Open at Brisbane’s Archerfield Speedway. The 10-time World of Outlaws champion from North Dakota (USA) left his best for the final night of competition, which doubled as the sixth round of World Series Sprintcars, and he won from Pennsylvania’s Logan Schuchart, Kerry Madsen and tournament leader Steve Lines. Schuchart was the early race leader in the 50-lap A-Main and opened up a gap over Schatz and Madsen, while Lines, Rusty Hickman, Carson Macedo, Luke Oldfield and Jamie Veal battled hard for
the minors. On lap 21 Schatz finally made his move for the lead and displaced Schuchart. From there the field remained unchanged for the majority of the race as lapped traffic became a challenge and the track took rubber on the pole line. To that point it had been a non-stop race until previous night’s feature winner Rusty Hickman made an attempt to lap Jack Lee into turn one, but both cars made contact and went into the fence with only three laps remaining. Schatz would lead the field home from the restart and was thankful to again win the Brisbane event.
19-year old Rusty Hickman shocked the Sprintcar world by beating the best to win his first WSS feature. Images: 44photography
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“This will look fantastic in the trophy room at home,” Schatz said. “The Australian Open is always a tough race to win and you appreciate it when you do. I’m just so fortunate to get to do this with great people and experience so many highlights in my career.” The drive of the night was Lachlan McHugh who came from ninth in the lastchance B-Main to finish sixth and win the hard charger award. THE NIGHT prior saw one of Sprintcar racing’s best young racers win his first WSS feature in the Preliminary feature. Bendigo-based 19-yearold Rusty Hickman stunned the Speedway world with an outstanding drive to beat home Jamie Veal, James McFadden and Donny Schatz to win. “I can’t even remember my other wins to compare to this one now,” Hickman said. “This is absolutely the
highlight of my career so far. I am just so thankful to my mum and dad for this opportunity and my crew for working so hard to get me through a pretty tough night on a unpredictable race track, to be able to bring it home tonight.” At the conclusion of the round Lines maintained the WSS lead on 1712, over Madsen on 1653 and McFadden a slender 47 points behind on1606.
Donny Schatzxwon his ninth Australian Sprintcar title.