thenationals.com.au
Future Thinking By Richard Craill THE OPENING ROUND of the Australian Formula Ford Series was an interesting one. A large group of young drivers fronted at Mallala and put on a good show, with mostly clean racing and a high standard of competition that has the potential to develop into a highly interesting and competitive championship battle as the season continues this year. The revamped Formula Ford series has drawn plenty of comment since it was announced during the off season. With the existing Championship – run predominantly on the V8 Supercars program – wound up at the conclusion of last season there was debate aplenty about which way the series would continue. There were advocates for a state-level only approach and there were those who wanted to see the status quo retained. What has appeared was, in hindsight, probably the best overall outcome for most of the parties involved – certainly the drivers. And the drivers are the important thing because at the moment it is hard to see many opportunities for young drivers to find their way into the upper levels of the sport. The current repressed sponsorship climate is obviously partly to blame. It is very difficult to find dollars as a young driver and as a result more and more are finding it difficult to raise the cash required to race at a high level whilst learning your craft.
But the Formula Ford issue raises a more interesting point because there has been a slow shift in the places where young drivers are gaining their experience before taking on the bigger categories during their path to overseas or V8 Supercars. Our cover story this month focuses on some of the younger stars in the Porsche Carrera Cup and charting their backgrounds was an interesting exercise. Whereas once a young driver would jump from Formula Ford to second-tier V8’s or Carrera Cup, these days budgets are tighter and steps less clearly defined. These days it’s not surprising to see young drivers in the GT3 Cup Challenge or Kumho V8’s before they take their next, planned step. Series’ that began as the realm of the ‘gentleman driver’ only are now becoming cost effective places for young drivers to get laps before taking the next step. I make this point because it is crucial that we get this right in Australia. As more major series are filled with ‘owner-drivers’ or ‘gentleman racers’ (it’s not a criticism, just an observation), it’s important that the young drivers still have somewhere of a very high standard in which to compete, to prove their capabilities. It is up now to the powers that be to ensure that the right opportunities for young drivers continue to be presented, or else our racing scene will look very different in the future than it does now – and possibly not for the better.
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Speed Shots
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Pitlane Whiteboard
8 Feature THE CHANGING FACE OF PORSCHE 13 Feature FALCON PROUD 16 Feature Rod Salmon – Australian GT’s rising star? 18 Feature XTREME DREAMS. 21 Round 3 - Categories & Entries 29 Meeting News 30 Television Coverage Lap Records
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STILL AT IT Image By Nathan Wong – Canon EOS-1D C, 400mm, 1/400th at f6.3, ISO100 ANOTHER YEAR, another epic between two of the best that the Kerrick Sports Sedan series has ever seen. Mallala’s annual Clem Smith Cup race is the biggest in the Sports Sedan year and once again Tony Ricciardello and Darren Hossack left absolutely nothing on the table; racing at lap record pace and swapping the lead like it was the fight for a world title. Ricciardello triumphed in the end – thanks in part to his use of the Mallala kerbs, no doubt – but in the end, it was sport who came out the winner from this epic bout.
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TONY RICCIARDELLO Des Wall Trophy Race Winner: Mallala Tony Ricciardello with Vicki Wall, representing the Wall family.
PITLANE WHITEBOARD
“Winning the Des Wall Cup also means a lot because he was such a great competitor, he was a fantastic guy behind the scenes and also a real gentleman racer, so it is pretty inspirational. I raced with him back in the days at Oran Park and he was always fair and a great competitor. It’s a great trophy to win and it means a lot.
It’s the anonymous Twitter account that loves David Reynolds (@daffidreynolds) so much he tried to become an intruder in the Big Brother house so he could subsequently then be voted out to be with him. We almost fell over when we read this column because it’s actually relevant and insightful. I know, right? It’s a crazy world we live in. Next thing you know, Russia will be trying to start the cold war all over again, or something equally ridiculous. Anyway... we digress... It’s time to remember a very special 20th anniversary. Not, not him and that fateful day at Imola, though we’ll get back him later. A very important 20th anniversary in the history of the Australian Manufacturers Championship is coming up. Perhaps the most single remembered moment in the history of the AMC. On the 19th of June 2014, it will be 20 years since Tony Longhurst tried to punch Paul Morris in the face during Race 2 of Round 3 of the 1994 AMC at Winton. The red flag came out, although we’re still not sure if anybody saw the flag for all the red mist that had descended. I can tell you the red mist had descended for a fact, because “No Baloney” Tony was suffering so much from a lack of vision due to said mist that he tried to punch the young “Dude,” while he still had his helmet on. Not overly effective. Especially on your teammate when you’re paying for the helmet. Longhurst copped a $10k fine at the time, with a 2-year probation. Aren’t probations excellent? Everybody’s favourite motorsport penalty: The whack with the giant feather. Paul Tracy is on lifetime probation from Indycar. In fact, I think whatever he reincarnates as will have a carry over probation as well. “Now, Paul, if you chew up the cushions while I’m gone, you’ll be getting in trouble. Good dog.”
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Paul Tracy loved a fight nearly as much as he loved crashing into things. However he found himself on the wrong side of a fight with Alex Tagliani in 2006 as Tagliani smartly followed the rule “if you’re going to pick a fight with a guy three times bigger than you, put the Bell on your head before you ring the bell.” Of course, in most recent times, we’ve seen our own Marcos Ambrose stand up and make his country proud with a right hook to Casey Mears’ head. In accordance with NASCAR’s fight policy, Ambrose copped a $25,000 fine, for not starting the fight within 20 yards of a TV camera and in bad lighting, as per NASCAR’s strict “there’s no point having a fight if we can’t use it in the next race’s TV commercial“ policy. Mears unfortunately made a small error, picking a fight with a bloke that said his only regret from V8 Supercars, keeping in mind he did not win Bathurst, was not punching a rival in the head when he had the opportunity. There’s your first mistake, right there Case mate. Do your research. Of course, then there are those crazy Brazilians. Senna gave Eddie Irvine one in the face after the race, presumably for just being Eddie Irvine. Piquet tried in 82 on Salazar at the German Grand Prix, soon figuring out that the Longhurst helmet punching method wasn’t working, and some South American Karate was in order.
And his son of course, followed that up in NASCAR, and actually made contact with Brian Scott, prompting him to ask the series sponsor Nationwide Insurance on twitter, if they insured the “family jewels” afterwards. But they all pale into insignificance compared to the gloomy afternoon at Winton 20 years ago, when the BMW teammates took each other out. “He’s put the biffo back into the bingle!” screamed the great Darrell Eastlake afterwards. It may have been Australian Super Touring’s highest profile moment.
Follow the Pit lane Whiteboard on Twitter: @pitlaneWB * It goes without saying (but I’ve had an eraser held at my throat until I finish writing this bit, so I’ll say it anyway) that the views expressed in this column are most certainly, totally, absolutely and wholly 100% those of the whiteboard and NOT this publication or it’s associated entities.
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THE CHANGING FACE OF PORSCHE THERE HAS been a shift in focus at the pointy end of Carrera Cup, as a host of fresh, young stars enter the series looking to stamp their authority on this most competitive of series’. RICHARD CRAILL takes a look at the new stars of Carrera Cup and what it is about them that makes this season so exciting to watch. Words: Richard Craill Images: Porsche Carrera Cup/EDGE Photographic. FOR A SPORT that thrives itself on reinvention, both artificially via regulatory means and naturally through the turnover of teams, drivers and everything around them, motorsport is something of an anomaly and it is perhaps the best thing about the sport; despite all this change, the good drivers more often than not remain at the top. Removing Formula One from the equation – car performance plays just too much of a role in determining who can win or not to be fairly counted here – there are examples across the racing world of drivers continuing to do the business despite new regulations designed to shake up the establishment.
Take V8 Supercars. Jamie Whincup dominated before Car of the Future was introduced and whilst the first year of the next-generation cars wasn’t exactly a rout, he still did the job. Sebastien Loeb (is he the best driver in history?) endured three or four major shifts in World Rally Car philosophy and yet continued to dominate. And while Craig Baird, the undisputed king of Porsche one-make racing in most corners of the globe, has struggled in the opening rounds of the Porsche Carrera Cup this year you would be a particularly brave human being to bet against him featuring at the front at some stage this season. Stuff the pundits; you don’t forget to drive from one season to the next and thus, results will come.
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Baird’s struggles this season, coupled with the electric early-round performances posted by the likes of Warren Luff and Steven Richards – both champion drivers in their own right – have probably only served to expose just how competitive the one-make Porsche championship is this year. It’s tough. Damn tough. Part of this is down to the new car, which – like it did in V8 Supercars – has somewhat levelled the playing field. The other, is down to the list of talent that fills the pointy end of the professional division that gets the discussion going. There would be few series in Australia that can boost a list of younger talent than Carrera Cup can this season. Like all young drivers, they all come from differing backgrounds. Shae Davies came from Formula Ford and a double season of Carrera Cup and V8 Touring Cars. Nick Foster was also strong in Formula Ford, then raced Porsche’s, switched to F3 last year and won
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and is now back for a second crack in the GT3 Cup Car. Both are experienced and extremely quick. Nick McBride came from the Dunlop Series last year and Formula Ford before that. Michael Almond took a different path and raced GT3 Cup Challenge and Touring Car Masters – but has the racing gene from his dad, Ross. Duvashen Padayachee owns a factory Kart team and regularly races with his Dad, Indiran, and then there’s the driver who made perhaps the biggest step of all; Karterturned-Porsche headliner, Renee Gracie, who continues to improve in every session. It is an eclectic bunch and the same can be said for South Australian, Sam Power. WHEN you first meet Sam out of a racing environment it is clear that he doesn’t run to what is generally accepted as the young-racing driver stereotype. There’s no designer stubble. No expensive headphones on the ears and an obvious lack of brooding intensity.
Instead, Power looks like a tennis player, which is appropriate given his idol is the great Swiss legend Roger Federer. He greets you with a firm handshake and inevitably a burst of selfdeprecating humour: Hair, height, lack of a current girlfriend or amusing level of geekfactor are all on the agenda. The 25-year-old from Adelaide beat a different path to his current status – ironically, tied on points with Craig Baird after two rounds in the 2014 season – in Carrera Cup. Karts were ignored for simulator racing as a career kickoff, before Formula Vee and then Fords beckoned. Third in the National Championship last year proved his capability and his early pace in the otherwise foreign world of Carrera Cup validated it. If anything, though, Power exemplifies the new breed of Carrera Cup racer: Young. Talented. Very fast and, importantly, not afraid to battle the establishment made up of the likes of Baird, Richards and Luff, et al.
“I don’t think there’s any added pressure,” Power says. “I think, if anything there’s probably less because you can take a lot of solace in the fact that you’re doing a good job against the best in the sport. We’re very lucky in Australia that the Carrera Cup field has the likes of Bairdo, Richo and Luffy, who have proven themselves against not only each other, but the best overseas. Bairdo goes over to Singapore and basically wins in Supercup, so you take a lot of comfort out of the fact that these guys are really good.” Power suggests that it’s not just adapting to the 460-hp, 3.8-litre powered Porsche 991 GT3 Cup Car that has been on the ‘to do’ list this year; it’s adapting to the different style of racing that comes with what could be called a more ‘grown up’ championship. “There’s probably less aggression overall in Carrera Cup in comparison to Formula Ford, but there’s far more wisdom in a lot of the
drivers. In Formula Ford some drivers are quite happy to ruin not only your race but inadvertently theirs also when trying to pull off a pass. The thing I’ve noticed in Carrera Cup is that, for the most part, they’re smarter about where they position their car, the way they drive is not so much in the moment but it’s thinking a few more moves ahead - much more like chess – which just speaks to their level of experience. “I think that also adds hugely to the mental battle which is a major aspect of the racing in Carrera Cup.” It’s a good point that Power makes. Experience, of course, leads to generally better racing with a level of intensity that can often be found missing in the junior categories. Most will agree that watching the best in the business going as fast as they can, is about as good as it gets in the sport. And as much as the young guys and girls of Carrera Cup get to race the best benchmarks in the industry – despite all
the talk about the new faces as we went to print Warren Luff led Steven Richards in the Carrera Cup Championship – the ‘old guys’ still get something out of the equation as well. “If anything, it’s probably more on them because they’re getting beaten by the young guys,” Power quipped. “But I think they’d probably relish it as much as I do. They like proving themselves against the young blood like we do against guys who are the yardsticks of the industry.” In reality, the youth-versus-experience argument has no end and can trace its origins to the time the first automobile driver decided that he ‘liked to go fast’. There will always be experienced drivers at the top with targets on their back for the young stars coming through the ranks. And the result is compelling racing and good stories to tell – like this one. Long may it continue.
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FALCON PROUD
Amongst a field of Japanese Turbos and German Coupe’s, a lone representative is flying the flag for Aussie muscle in this year’s Australian Manufacturers Championship. AMANDA JACKSON catches up with George Karadimas to find out why. Words: Amanda Jackson Images; Nathan Wong
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GEORGE KARADIMAS is currently running and driving the only Australian-made entry in the AMChamps field. Here, the 30-yearold Australian Auto Wreckers Director from Campbellfield (Vic), he tells us what it is like to be the only one flying the Aussie flag amongst this extremely diverse field and his exciting plans for the future. The Racing Magazine: What inspired you to choose an Australian-made make for your AMChamp campaign? Karadimas: My business Australian Auto Wreckers is a late model Ford dismantler and my father also has had a long association with the Ford Motor Company since the seventies. We have always had Fords and run them in various categories and we are certainly extremely proud to be running a Falcon – for us it is Ford or nothing really. TRM: Tell us about the #34 AAW Ford Falcon XR6T? GK: When we debuted at the 2013 Series finale it was brand new with no mileage whatsoever. After starting out fastest in its class we moved to another due to the size of the front brakes, and went on to run the entire three hours faultlessly save for a slightly warm temperature. It is a very
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well balanced car with a lot of engineering, time and thought having gone into her construction and I can’t thank my crew, Herrod Motorsport, Robinson Racing Developments, the Ford Motor Company, Alrin Panels, everyone at Australian Auto Wreckers and my close friend Allan Moffat enough for all their input into the car. TRM: What are its advantages and disadvantages? GK: In the context of the rest of the AMChamp field the car is quite unique. It is the heaviest and has the smallest brakes in its class however it carries good straight line speed compared to some of the others and is very well balanced and consistent lap after lap. It can be a bit thirsty but looks after its tyres extremely well – for instance we ran the entire three hour on debut on one set, and at the 2014 three Hour changed only one wheel due to a puncture, not tyre wear. TRM: Do you have any future development plans you can tell us about? GK: In the second half of the year we will be updating to the new model FH Falcon before it is publicly released or even updated within the V8 Supercar Championship, which we are pretty excited about. Essentially as soon as the Ford
Motor Company starts pressing the panels we will be making the change. TRM: What is necessary for success in the AMChamp Series in your opinion? GK: You have to have consistency, reliability and a good group of people behind you. After crewing for many years I have had to hand over the crew management to focus on driving and that has been difficult for me, but I am lucky to have a great group of people headed up by Roger Sloley who has more than 40 years of experience. Paired with our co-drivers Lauren Gray and Matt Lehmann we have great experience in the driver’s seat as well which I think is important. TRM: What do you love about the AMChamp Series? GK: It is a very good series with a much wider relevancy I think than some others – what you see racing on Sunday, you can go and buy on Monday. There isn’t many categories where you can truly buy exactly what you have watched racing around the track. It has a good mix to it, and I will take endurance racing over sprint racing any day of the week – it is very strategic and you have to be right on the ball, which I think really adds to the atmosphere and competitiveness of the category.
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Rod Salmon; back to the front One of the talking points over the last six months of Australian GT has been the ever-improving performance of a driver who during the opening stanza of the 2013 season appeared to have lost his customary pace. But in 2014, Rod Salmon is back better than ever. Words: Sean Henshelwood/Australian GT/The Racing Magazine Images: Nathan Wong AT SOME point during the long break in the lead-up to the inaugural Highlands 101, dual Bathurst 12-Hour champion Rod Salmon rediscovered his mojo to emerge as the ‘coming man’ of Australian GT! You normally associate the term ‘rising star’ with a driver who is in the formative stages of his career someone who is ‘learning the ropes’ – not a driver who in the past has recorded some memorable wins, but in all essence, could be considered as riding out the final years of his career. Rod Salmon typifies the term ‘gentleman driver’, however is different to many of the drivers that are grouped under that banner – because he has actually been involved in the sport at various times in his life over a career that spans more than 25 years. It started with club cars and rally cars, and evolved into Production cars culminating in victory at the Bathurst 12-Hour in 2008 and 2009 in Mitsubishi Lancer Evos. In 2012 he decided that if he was ever going to achieve that elusive third win at Bathurst, then he’d need to invest in a competitive GT3-spec car, and after back-to-back wins in 2011 and 2012, an Audi R8 seemed like the weapon of choice.
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“We kicked off at the Phillip Island round in 2012 and I had a ball, battling wheel-to-wheel with fellow Audi driver Peter Conroy, and I loved it. “From that point I got a little carried away and bought the Bathurst-winning 2012 car and put
Rod Salmon typifies the term ‘gentleman driver’ Craig Lowndes in it for the following event at the Island, and he took it to victory over the two Erebus Mercedes. At the same time I figured the best chance I had to win at Bathurst was to grab Lowndes (who had been part of the Audi assault
on Bathurst in both 2011 and 2012) and his partner Warren Luff to drive with me in 2013.” The race did not go well. Salmon made contact with the wall early on before the car was ultimately retired when the suspension broke on Craig Lowndes during his stint. “I was devastated, but I learnt then that I had probably pushed myself too far by running just three drivers.” The Bathurst round would set the tone for the next stanza of the season; over subsequent rounds, Salmon had appeared to have lost his mojo and appeared ill-at-ease with the car, but all that changed in New Zealand as he prepared to fight new Audi team-mate Dean Koutsoumidis for the final championship podium position. From the outset in New Zealand it was clear that Salmon was a different man, whether it was the clean crisp Central Otago air, the fine wine which makes the region so popular, or the three month break between rounds, from the opening practice session he was quick. Team-mate Liam Talbot put the car on the third row of the grid for the opening 40-minute race and then Salmon drove like a man possessed,
working his way through to the tail of the leaders before diving through to take the win in the closing stages of the race after the race leader succumbed to a deflating tyre. “That’s fantastic,” Rod Salmon beamed afterwards. “That has to be one of the best wins of my career.” Whilst Salmon was pleased to have taken his maiden Australian GT victory, the word from the pits was that his peers were just as impressed, and if victory in race one wasn’t enough, the New South Welshman went on to take third in the second 40-minute race, and then with V8 Supercar regular Jason Bright joining he and Talbot, second outright in the inaugural ‘Highlands 101’ endurance race. The mojo was back, and it was on to Bathurst for an assault on the 2014 12-Hour enduro with Bright and Talbot replacing Lowndes alongside Warren Luff. However, in events that remain recent history, the car was ousted early in the weekend after a massive crash from Bright all but destroyed the car. Back on track for the opening Aussie GT round at Sandown, Salmon – joined once more by Liam Talbot – qualified strongly and out-paced his younger team-mate to put the team at the front of the Trophy Class, ultimately scoring a round podium finish. “The result was okay, but I still felt a little jaded by the Bathurst experience, so I decided to spend my Easter up there competing in the Bathurst International Motor Festival event against a string of current-spec Carrera Cup cars, and some of my Australian GT rivals. I wanted to see if I still had the pace.”
Ultimately the former 12-Hour race winner showed that he had not forgotten the fast way around Mount Panorama, qualifying the Skwirk Audi R8 LMS on pole for both races and winning the one-hour finale. “That’s fantastic,” he beamed afterwards with wife Kylie close at hand enjoying the celebrations. “It doesn’t quite make up for the disappointment
of the 12-Hour, but from my perspective, I feel very comfortable in the car and the times are there. Importantly too, I’m able to punch them out lap after lap, and that’s they key to success in endurance racing.” It’s true: Salmon is Australian GT’s newest/oldest rising star!
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XTREME DREAMS
THIS IS the new Radical RXC Coupe, and it’s coming to Australia this year. Basically, the British company has taken everything they know about making extreme yet entirely accessible sports racing cars (which, it turns out, is quite a lot) and rolled it into one conveniently roofed package. RXC stands for ‘Radical Xtreme Coupe’, and in every possible measurable way it lives up to its name. Radical Oz has been good enough to let us get the lowdown on what is going to be a properly spectacular addition to the Australian motorsport landscape. Now... how about that drive, Radical? Words: Richard Craill Images: Radical Australia
DRIVELINE: The RXC is powered by a high-specced variant of a production-based Ford engine you’d find in their European road car range. It’s 3.7 litres, 24 valves and variable cam timing combine to help it pump out 360bhp (225kw) at 6,750rpm and 320lb ft of torque. With max torque being produced at just over 4,200 rpm it’s got a grunty midrange which, when coupled with the paddle shift Quaife seven-speed sequential gearbox, should result in acceleration potential that at worst could be considered ‘very brisk’ and shatteringly rapid when the ones right foot is depressed fully. BODY: A clean-sheet concept by Radical’s chief designer, Nick Walford, there’s no question that this is a Radical.. just one that mixes the SR8’s open-top prototype effect with the cab-forward designs of the current crop of LeMans weapons. The spaceframe chassis is made from tubular steel but adds FIA-specification crash boxes to the front and rear. The body and aero components work together to generate huge downforce levels – topping out at 900kg at V-max and when you consider the fact the car weighs just 920kg in total, giving a power-to-weight ratio of 410hp/ ton, you understand how effective this car should
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be. By the way, the gull wing doors are as cool as they look. TECH: This is a serious racing car. The double-wishbone, pushrod suspension features four-way adjustable dampers that are bespoke to the car. Given its weight, air-cooled 350mm front and 310mm rear rotors and six-pot callipers should give stopping power measured in Gs. The throttle is drive-by-wire, the gearbox has an autoblipper on downshifts and the lights LEDs. Inside, a full AIM data logging system completes the race car feel. PERFORMANCE: Insiders suggest that the car should lap somewhere around the pace of top-level GT3 cars, which means 1m27s at Phillip Island, 2m04s at Bathurst and several seconds quicker than V8 Supercars everywhere it goes. It will run the 0-100km/hr dash in 2.8 seconds and top out at 280km/hr. EVERYTHING ELSE: Because this is a Radical, masters of everything turn-key motor racing, this car has got it all. Australian cars will be shipped with a 100-litre endurance spec FIA Fuel cell and air jacks to make it an easy proposition to roll off the container and onto your local circuit.
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ROUND 3 PHILLIP ISLAND
SHANNONS AUSTRALIAN MOTOR RACING NATIONALS Round 3, PHILLIP ISLAND GRAND PRIX CIRCUIT • may 23-25, 2014 ORGANISATION AND STATUS This Meeting is conducted under the International Sporting Code of the FIA, the National Competition Rules of the CAMS Ltd, the Race Meeting Standing Regulations of CAMS, Phillip Island Standing Regulations 03/2012, and Supplementary Regulations issued for this Meeting. CAMS Permit: 814/2505/01
IMPORTANT NOTICES AND GENERAL INFORMATION, DISCLAIMER EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY, RELEASE AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK MOTOR SPORT IS DANGEROUS In exchange for being able to attend or participate in the event, (and as a condition of the purchase or issue of a ticket), you agree: to release Confederation of Australian Motor Sport Ltd (“CAMS”) and Australian Motor Sport Commission Ltd, promoters, sponsor organisations, land owners and lessees, organisers of the event, their respective servants, officials, representatives and agents (collectively, the “Associated Entities”) from all liability for your death, personal injury (including burns), psychological trauma, loss or damage (including property damage) (“harm”) howsoever arising from your participation in or attendance at the event, except to the extent prohibited by law; that CAMS and the Associated Entities do not make any warranty implied or express, that the event services will be provided with due care and skill or that any materials provided in connection with the services will be fit for the purpose for which they are supplied; and to attend or participate in the event at your own risk. You acknowledge that: the risks associated with attending or participating in the event include the risk that you may suffer harm as a result of: motor vehicles (or parts of them) colliding with other motor vehicles, persons or property; acts of violence and other harmful acts (whether intentional or inadvertent) committed by persons attending or participating in the event; and the failure or unsuitability of facilities (including grand-stands, fences and guard rails) to ensure the safety of persons or property at the event. motor sport is dangerous and that accidents causing harm can and do happen and may happen to you. You accept the conditions of, and acknowledge the risks arising from, attending o or participating in the event and being provided with the event services by CAMS and the Associated Entities.
OFFICIALS OF THE MEETING Series Director: Rob Curkpatrick Meeting Director: Peter Nelson Stewards of the Meeting: Steve Lisk, Bradley Tubb, Keith McKay Clerk of the Course: Colin Smith Deputy Clerk of the Course: Matt Balcombe Assistant Clerks of the Course: Ken Smith Secretary of the Meeting: Jean Bellenger Deputy Secretary of the Meeting: Geoff Bull Judges of Start & Finish: C. Smith, M. Balcombe, I. Leech, A. Bond Chief Paddock Marshal: Danny Jonas Chief of Recovery: Ken Johnston Course Marshal : Skip Taylor Chief Marshal: Roger Chirnside Chief Flag Marshal: Terry O’Callaghan Chief Fire Marshal: Gus Luke Chief Marshalling Area: Barry Parker Compliance Checker: Danny Jonas Organising Committee: Jean Bellenger, Colin Smith, Matt Balcombe, Geoff Bull, Peter Nelson
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The thanks of the motorsport fraternity in general must go to the following groups for their assistance with this Meeting: •P hillip Island Auto Racing Club officials for their manning and management of the meeting •P hillip Island Operations P/L for their work in presenting the circuit and facilities as they are •V ictorian Fire & Rescue Service for the fire fighting equipment, the driver rescue facilities, and their expertise •V ictorian Flag Marshalling team for flags and marshals •R ob Curkpatrick as the series director for his untiring efforts to make the series a success •C ompetitors and the competitor groups for their participation and cooperation •T eam Medical Australia for medical services •P IARC Recovery Team with the help through the year from Concours Towing (Sean Finn), Magic Towing (Mick Kidd), Cowes Total Car Centre (Brad Rodwell), SAS Towing (Aaron Stokes), Bunyip Crane Trucks (Syd Smith), Powerful Enterprises (Daryl Poynton), Yogi Haulage (David Miljkovic) •D azzle Signs for assistance with event signage
GENERAL NOTICES
and
Apart from when permitted by law, dogs and other pets are not permitted on the race circuit property at any time while the Meeting is in progress.
•B ass Coast Shire for assistance with promotion.
The consumption of alcohol is prohibited in the Paddock area until after the last practice session or race has finished on any day.
PLEASE USE THE RUBBISH BINS PROVIDED
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ROUND 3 PHILLIP ISLAND
ROUND 3 PHILLIP ISLAND
SCHEDULE Saturday 24th may 700
Gates Open
900
Engines may be started
905
Qualifying 1
Porsche Carrera Cup
15 min
925
Qualifying 1
Radical Australia Cup
15 min
945
Practice 1
Australian Manuf. Championship
15 min
1005
Qualifying 2
Porsche Carrera Cup
15 min
1025
Qualifying 2
Radical Australia Cup
15 min
1045
Qualifying 1
Australian Manuf. Championship
15 min
1105
Qualifying 1
Australian GT Championship
25 min
1135
Qualifying 2
Australian Manuf. Championship
15 min
1200
Race 1
Radical Australia Cup
40 min
1250
Race 1
Porsche Carrera Cup
1405
Race 1
Australian GT Championship
1 Hour
101 laps
Sunday 25th may
SCHEDULE FRIDAY 23rd may
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700
Gates Open
905
Engines may be started
915
Practice 1
Australian Manuf. Championship
20 min
940
Practice 1
Australian GT Championship
20 min
1005
Practice 1
Radical Australia Cup
20 min
1030
Practice 1
Porsche Carrera Cup (Pro)
20 min
1055
Practice 2
Australian Manuf. Championship
20 min
1120
Practice 2
Australian GT Championship
20 min
1145
Practice 2
Radical Australia Cup
20 min
1210
Practice 2
Porsche Carrera Cup (Elite)
20 min
1235
Practice 3
Australian Manuf. Championship
30 min
1310
Practice 3
Australian GT Championship
30 min
1345
Practice 3
Radical Australia Cup
30 min
1420
Practice 3
Porsche Carrera Cup (Pro/Elite)
30 min
1455
Sponsor Rides
Aust Manufacturers Champ
20 min
1520
Sponsor Rides
Australian GT Champ
20 min
1545
Sponsor Rides
Radical Aust Cup
20 min
1620
Sponsor Rides
Porsche Carrera Cup
20 min
700
Gates Open
900
Engines may be started
910
Warm up
Radical Australia Cup
925
Warm up
Porsche Carrera Cup
10 min
940
Warm up
Australian Manuf. Championship
10 min
955
Race 2
Radical Australia Cup
40 min
1045
Race 2
Porsche Carrera Cup
1155
Race 3
Radical Australia Cup
GREAT SOUTHERN 4 HOUR
1250
Race 1
10 min
1 Hour
Australian Manuf. Championship
40 min
4 Hours
thenationals.com.au | 23
ROUND 3 PHILLIP ISLAND
ROUND 3 PHILLIP ISLAND
Australian Manufacturers Championship ON THE WEB: www.amchamp.com.au Car
SPONSOR
13
Osborne Motorsport
DRIVER Colin Osborne co-driver Rick Bates
14
Kandi Warehousing
18
Sherrin Rentals
Kevin Herben co-driver Luke King Grant Sherrin co-driver Iain Sherrin
19
Sherrin Rentals
Michael Sherrin co-driver David Ayres
Dear Enthusiast, Welcome to this weekend’s event which is promoted and organised by the Phillip Island Auto Racing Club (PIARC), and welcome to the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit. Under the current owners, Linfox, the circuit has been developed to a point where it matches the other world-class circuits in the world and we are continually thrilled to have the opportunity to present our motorsport here. It never ceases to thrill me to recognise that it is the fastest motorcycle circuit on the international calendar. This Shannons Australian Motor Racing Nationals has been developing as a series for a number of years now and has progressed into a very compact and enjoyable series of events, and one which we eagerly look forward to each time it returns to Phillip Island. This series allows us to show off many national categories at the same Meeting and features a blend of most types of cars seen on our race tracks. The series is set up so that we can plan on the categories to be allocated to our round of the series from a list of about twelve, and whatever happens, it is an interesting blend of cars to be enjoyed by all.
This Meeting is focusing on endurance type races with a now regular feature of the four-hour Production Car race (known as Amchamp), 2 x 1 hour races for Carrera Cup Porsches, a 101 lap race for GTs, and 3 x 40 minute races for the Radical Sportscars. Every category is well supported and they should all produce great racing for you to enjoy. All of the marshals here today are volunteers who are trained by the sport for their various roles, and the majority of marshals here today are PIARC members. The remainder come from other dedicated groups who lend their specialities to what we are doing. These extend to services such as Medical, Fire, Flags, Timing and Scrutiny. We work in close cooperation with the Confederation of Australian Motorsport (CAMS) and in conjunction with CAMS, we have a licensing and training program for marshals at all the circuits in Australia. This provides for a consistently high level of skills and application of the rules at the CAMS events; a standard that is widely recognised around the world.
20
Eastern Creek Karts
21
Disc Brakes Australia
Garry Holt co-driver Stuart Kostera Jake Williams co-driver Geoff Rands
22
Melbourne Performance Centre
28
GWS Personnel
31
Osborne Motorsport
Daniel Stutterd
Castrol/Turbosmart/DBA/Bilstein
co-driver Mike Eady
If you are interested in taking your involvement further than watching from outside the track fencing, have a look at the PIARC website at www.piarc.com.au Follow this through as an official, and you can also get involved with the International Motorcycle races held here at Phillip Island each year as well as the AGP at Albert Park and the V8 Supercar races at Phillip Island and other circuits in the country. You will find further detail in the website, and also a membership form. Best regards from the Club, and we look forward to seeing you again at our clubrooms at the Moorabbin Airport, or perhaps at other race meetings here, later in the year.
Bob Pearson co-driver Glenn Seton
34
35
AAW Australian Auto Wreckers
George Karadimas
Grand Prix Mazda
40
Alphera Financial Services
BMW 135i
Qld NSW
Mitsubishi Evo 10
WA NSW
Honda Integra DC5
NSW
NSW
Mitsub Evo 10 BMW 335i
Vic Qld
Mazda 3 MPS
Qld Vic
Mini Challenge
NZ NSW
Mitsubishi Evo 10
Qld Vic Vic NSW
Ford Falcon XR6T
BMW 130i
NSW
Jake Camilleri
Qld
Mazda 3 MPS
Beric Lynton
Qld
BMW 1M
co-driver co-driver Tim Leahey 54
Donut King
Tony Alford co-driver Ryan McLeod
55
Kintyre Racing
86
Pedders/Valvoline Racing
Glyn Crimp co-driver Matthew Cherry Grant Phillips co-driver Andrew Turpie
88
Peter Nelson Secretary – PIARC
Qld
co-driver Lauren Gray Ric Shaw
BMW 135i
Qld
Vic
co-driver Michael Sloss 36
Qld
co-driver Matt Lehmann Sennheiser/Ric Shaw Racing
Honda Integra DC5
NSW
Vic
co-driver Brock Giblin
33
Qld
Vic
Nick Lange
Mazda 3 MPS
ACT
Shane Marshall
co-driver John Bowe
Carter Grange
NSW
co-driver Robert Marshall Peter O'Donnell
32
state VEHICLE
Network Clothing/Dentbuster
Mark Eddy co-driver Francois Jouy
NSW Qld
BMW 1M
Qld WA
BMW 1M
WA Vic
Toyota 86 GTS
Vic Vic
Renault Megane RS265
NSW
For more entry information, visit www.thenationals.com.au
If today is of interest to you, make sure you do not miss our next car race meeting of the year. Round 7 of the Shannons Australian Motor Racing Nationals on September 20-21. To finish off the year, we then have at Phillip Island the V8 Supercar Championship Meeting on November 14-16 and the very traditional Island Magic Race Meeting on November 29-30. 24 | the Racing Magazine
thenationals.com.au | 25
ROUND 3 PHILLIP ISLAND
ROUND 3 PHILLIP ISLAND
Porsche Carrera Cup Australia
Australian GT Championship
ON THE WEB: www.carreracup.com.au
ON THE WEB: www.australiangt.com.au
Car
SPONSOR
1
Bonaire/Wilson Security
4
Grove Group
5
Objective Racing
DRIVER
state VEHICLE
Craig Baird
Vic
co-driver Max Twigg
Vic
Stephen Grove
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
Car
SPONSOR
1
Darrell Lea
DRIVER Klark Quinn co-driver Craig Baird
Vic
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
3
Motor School
Qld
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
6
Swirk
George Foessel co-driver Ben Foessel
co-driver Scott McLaughlin Tony Walls
Rod Salmon
No Second Chance/Phase 8
Warren Luff
Qld
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
co-driver Geoff Emery 9
Hallmarc
Marc Cini co-driver Dean Fiore
11
Royal Purple Oil/Garth Walden Racing
Ash Samadi
Vic
Laser Plumbing & Electrical
Steven Richards
Vic NSW
Porsche Centre Brighton
James Bergmuller
Vic
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
Vic
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
V.I.P. Home Services
Brenton Ramsay
SA
JBS Australia
Roger Lago
Qld
Alternative Freight Services/ All Star Equipment Sales
Tony Bates
Tony Quinn
Qld
Aston Martin Vantage GT3
Qld
Ginetta G50 GT4
14
Peter Conroy Motorsport
NSW
Porsche 997 2011
19
Hogs Breath CafĂŠ
Qld
Ginetta G50 GT4
co-driver Grant Bromley
Vic
Peter Conroy co-driver Dean Grant Mark Griffith co-driver Karl Reindler
RockStar Racing
23
Lago Racing
25
Walz Group
Jeff Neale
Trofeo Motorsport/Pirelli
Copyworld
Michael Almond
Childhood Cancer Association
Sam Power
33
Fastway Couriers
co-driver Ryan Millier Simon Ellingham co-driver Jono Lester
SA
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
35
Rentcorp
Indiran Padayachee co-driver Andrew Fisher
SA
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
36
Wilsons Security/Erebus Academy
SA
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
47
Supabarn Supermarkets
co-driver James Koundouris 29
Onsite Rental Group
Michael Patrizi
Veritas
Adrian Mastronadro
James Koundouris co-driver Steven Owen
NSW
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
48
Interlloy M Motorsport
NSW
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
51
Amac Motorsport
Justin McMillan
co-driver Tim Slade 45
VIP Petfoods
Duvashen Padayachee
co-driver Steven Richards Andrew Macpherson
co-driver Neale Muston 55
Fujitsu Racing
Renee Gracie
co-driver Ben Porter Qld
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
52
Keith Kassulke
co-driver Tim Miles 56
McGrath Real Estate Agents
Shane Smollen
co-driver Johnathan Venter NSW
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
54
Donut King
Vic
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
69
Supabarn Supermarkets
Tony Alford
co-driver Nick Percat 77
Bob Jane T-Marts
Nick McBride
co-driver Ryan McLeod Theo Koundouris
co-driver Rodney Jane 88
Davbridge Constructions
777
Bob Jane T-Marts
Shae Davies
co-driver Sam Power Qld
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
71
Vic
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
72
co-driver Adam Gowans Nick Foster
Equity-One Mortgage Fund
Dean Koutsoumidis co-driver James Winslow
co-driver Ryan Simpson
For more entry information, visit www.thenationals.com.au
26 | the Racing Magazine
Richard Muscat co-driver Jack Le Broq
co-driver Troy Bayliss 39
Qld
Jim Manolios
co-driver John Karytinos 27
Roger Lago Brendan Cook
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
Qld Qld
co-driver Matt Kingsley 29
Vic
co-driver Terry Knight co-driver David Russell
co-driver Dan Gaunt 26
Audi R8 LMS Ultra
Tony Martin
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
co-driver Dave Russell 24
Qld NSW
VIP Petfoods
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
co-driver Jason Bright 23
Porsche 997GT3 Cup
TM Motorsports
21
co-driver Dale Wood 22
Qld
7
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
co-driver Damien Flack 13
McLaren MP4-12C
NZ
9 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
co-driver Jonny Reid 12
Qld
co-driver Nathan Antunes
co-driver David Reynolds 7
state VEHICLE
Ockert Fourie
Porsche 997 GT3 Xup Lamborghini LP600 2012
Qld Qld
Porsche 997 Cup
Qld Vic
Chev Corvette
Vic NZ
Porsche MY11 997 Cup
NZ NSW
Porsche 996 Cup Car
NSW Vic
Merc AMG SLS GT3
Vic NSW
Porsche FIA GT3-R
NSW Vic
Lamborghini Gallardo FL II
Vic NSW
Porsche 997 GT3 Cup S
NSW Qld
Ascari KZR-1
NSW Qld
Lotus
Qld NSW
Porsche 997 Cup S
SA Vic
Audi R8 LMS
UK Qld
Audi R8 LMS 2011
co-driver John Magro
For more entry information, visit www.thenationals.com.au
thenationals.com.au | 27
ROUND 3 PHILLIP ISLAND
Australian GT Championship ON THE WEB: www.australiangt.com.au Car
SPONSOR
73
Associated Projects
DRIVER
state VEHICLE
Michael Hovey
Qld
co-driver Matt Campbell
Qld
Steven McLaughlan
Vic
Porsche 997 GT3 Cup Car
75
JAMEC PEM RACING
Audi R8 LMS 2011
77
JJA Consulting Group
Jan Jinadasa
Vic
Lamborghini LP520
88
IL Bello Rosso
Peter Edwards
Vic
Ferrari 458 Italia GT3
co-driver Warren Luff
co-driver John Bowe
Vic
MARVELLOUS MALLALA
For more entry information, visit www.thenationals.com.au
IT IS RARE in sports to win one ‘marquee’ trophy in a season and winning two is almost unheard of – just don’t tell that to Kerrick Sports Sedan Series hero Tony Ricciardello.
Radical Australia Cup ON THE WEB: www.radicalsportscars.com Car
SPONSOR
DRIVER
state VEHICLE
1
Excalibur Racing
Neale Muston
NSW
Radical
2
Industrial Parks of Australia
Michael Shaw
NSW
Radical
5
Axiom Wealth/Radical Aust
Simon Haggarty
NSW
Radical
6
Axiom Wealth Management
Tony Haggarty
NSW
Radical
9
Radical Australia
Chris Medland
NSW
Radical
11
DESA Australia
Robert Baird
Vic
Radical
17
PJS Air
Peter Johnston
NSW
Radical
27
First Neon
Peter White
NSW
Radical
29
TACHAC Pty Ltd
Andy Plummer
NSW
Radical
31
First Focus
Peter Paddon
NSW
Radical
32
Hughes Motorsport /ProVinyl
Sue Hughes
NSW
Radical
33
RAW Racing
Tim Berryman
NSW
Radical
34
The GT3 Factory
John Morriss
Vic
Radical
35
Austech Wire & Cable
Vic
Radical
Andrew Richmond co-driver Adam Newton
48
G. Walker Air Conditioning
Gary Walker
Vic Vic
Radical
52
Radical Australia
Bill Medland
Qld
Radical
66
Django Racing
John Corbett
NSW
Radical
68
RAW Racing
Kim Burke
NSW
Radical
NSW
Radical
NSW
Radical
78
Radical Australia
Greg Smith
86
Radical Australia
Oliver Smith
88
Radical Australia
Rowan Ross
For more entry information, visit www.thenationals.com.au
28 | the Racing Magazine
The seven-time champion won both of his series’ marquee trophies in the space of five hours, taking the Clem Smith Cup at lunchtime and the Des Wall Memorial Trophy just before the sun set over the plains north of Adelaide. It amounted to a superb day for the West Australian amongst a day filled with stories at the second round of the 2014 Shannons Australian Motor Racing Nationals at Mallala Motor Sport Park. Ricciardello and his famous Chevrolet powered Alfa Romeo GTV scored a record fourth victory in the biggest Sports Sedan race of the year, before later doing the job to score the Des Wall Trophy in race three – recognising the efforts of a long-time Sports Sedan hero. The Alfa Romeo-Chev driver and his long-time rival Darren Hossack staged another epic battle for the Clem Smith Cup trophy, named after the long-time Mallala circuit owner and promoter. Hossack led the race early before Ricciardello battled his way past and then held on to secure the win in the series’ biggest race of the year, with Hossack second and Calibra-Chev driver Steven Tamasi third – mirroring the ultimate round results. “This has been a pretty bad circuit for us the last few years, so (to win the Clem Smith Cup) is pretty good for the guys, it is a good start for the year to come here and have a good win,” he said. “Clem is pretty old, he has broken ribs and he is still turning up at the track; he even passed me on the highway back to Adelaide last night so he still has that racing spirit – that strength he has got to keep racing is admirable, it is an honour to win it. “Winning the Des Wall cup also means a lot because he was such a great competitor. I raced with him back in the days at Oran Park and he was always fair and a great competitor. It’s a great trophy to win and it means a lot.”
Ricciardello continues to thrive on the competition at the pointy end of the Sports Sedan field as he searches for a near-unfathomable eighth title this year. “We just keep coming back for more, makes it worth all the hard work and the pain we go through to get the car on-track. Now we have another big trophy to try and regain that we lost last year.” Victorian teenager James Golding won the opening round of the 2014 Australian Formula Ford series, dominating the weekend to win all three races and leave with the new Mallala lap record as well. Golding held out Hamish Hardeman in a onelap dash to the flag in race two, before being forced to work hard for the clean sweep when Queenslander Jordan Lloyd made the best start in race three and led the early laps. The pair ran closely and battled for the lead until lap eight, when Golding took the lead and, ultimately, the race and round win. Hamish Hardeman and Jordan Lloyd completed the overall podium and James Garley won the Formula Ford 1600 (Kent) series round. Ryan Simpson continued his domination of the Kumho Tyres Australian V8 Touring Cars Series, sweeping both races on Sunday – following a race one win on Saturday – en route to victory in the opening round of the 2014 series. Simpson headed home Eggleston Motorsport Commodore driver Justin Ruggier and Falcon driver Matt Chahda in each Sunday race and will head to the second round of the series with a 20-point series lead thanks to his clean sweep at Mallala. Simpson also set a new lap record for the class in his comprehensive overall weekend performance.
John Goodacre won the third round of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia presented by Pirelli series, bouncing back from misfortune in Saturday night’s Jim Richards endurance trophy race to win both sprint races. The South Australian driver led in the Saturday twilight enduro however a mechanical glitch that momentarily slowed his progress dropped him back to second place, behind eventual winner Fraser Ross. However on Sunday he was never headed, holding off stern challenges from both Ross (race 2) and Jon McCorkindale in the third to seal his first round victory of the year. Ross and McCorkindale completed the podium with Matt Campbell finishing fourth overall and first in Class B. South Australian driver Roger I’Anson took the opening round of the Australian Sports Racer Series, winning two of the three races en route to the big trophy. I’Anson (West) was in top form as race one winner James Winslow struck dramas in his similar car; failing to finish both races. The variety in the field was showcased on the outright podium with round winner I’Anson driving a West, second-placed Adam Proctor a Stohr and third-placed Mark Short driving a Prince Sports Racer. Victorian Gavin Ross won the second round of the Dial Before You Dig Australian Saloon Car Series in a weekend where three different drivers won the three races. Ross won race one and finished second in races two and three to take the round: Kane Baxter-Smith and Shawn Jaimeson taking the additional race victories. Ross won the round from Baxter-Smith and Luke Westall.
thenationals.com.au | 29
ROUND 2 Mallala, SA
TELEVISION COVERAGE Shannons Nationals TV Speedweek on Sunday at 2pm on SBS1
ROUND 3 phillip island Show 1
Sunday 1st June (1 Hour)
AMChamp: Great Southern 4 Hour
Show 2
Sunday 8th June (2 Hours)
Porsche Carrera Cup
Australian GT Championship
Radical Australia Cup
‘Shannons Nationals’ on Fox SPEED Visit www.thenationals.com.au for complete TV schedule Live Internet TV from 9.00am on SATURDAY AND SUNDAY via www.thenationals.com.au
LAP RECORDS Category
Driver
Vehicle
Date
Time
Outright
Simon Wills
Reynard 94D
13/02/2000
1.24.2215
Radical Australia Cup
James Winslow
Radical SR8 RX
25/05/2013
1.25.9294
Australian GT
Jack LeBrocq
Mercedes Benz SLS AMG GT3
26/05/2013
1.27.1505
V8 Supercar
Jamie Whincup
Holden Commodore VF
21/11/2013
1.32.0246
Porsche Carrera Cup
Daniel Gaunt
Porsche 997 GT3 Cup Car
18/09/2011
1.34.6465
AMChamp
Glenn Seton
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X
26/05/2013
1.44.3974
30 | the Racing Magazine