The Racing Magazine - Issue 7, 2014 by The Racing Magazine

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WHAT MAKES A GREAT RACE? By Richard Craill RECENTLY I have been fortunate enough to call two particularly different exhibitions of what most people would classify as ‘a good motor race’. There was a superb Porsche Carrera Cup show at Sydney Motorsport Park recently, where three of the best drivers in the sport – Craig Baird, Warren Luff and Steve Richards – duelled for the win in an immensely high quality show of their respective capabilities. Then there was a Formula Ford race at Queensland Raceway that had a lead change every lap, moments of intensity where drivers barely out of high school were racing three wide down the back straight, and moments of insanity where the leaders collided in the final corner, handing the victory to the kid in third. If the Carrera Cup race in Sydney was about intensity, pressure and the subtle differences of three drivers at their peak, the Formula Ford race was the World Wrestling show on wheels. However the enjoyment of these two races in particular got me thinking about what exactly it is that makes a race qualify as ‘good’ when you sit down with a beer at the end of the day and review proceedings. It also got me thinking that perhaps these days, has the average racing spectator come to expect too much of the show? I am on record as stating that the most stimulating race I have ever called was the 2010 Formula 3 finale, at Sandown. This was 20 minutes of compelling motorsport theatre that I’ve seen and that the people involved still talk about. And yet, this was also a race that over 14 laps included exactly one overtake. One. That’s it. However there were a series of scenarios that conspired to make this one race in particular better than a lot of others I’ve seen or called; here, the context was

important, specifically the fact that it would decide the title and it was being fought out between several of the best young drivers Australian open-wheel has yet seen. There might have been only one overtake in the entire race but everything that had built up to that moment ensured that this race was a beauty. So in this race, where if you remember Ben Barker stole the 2010 Gold Star crown from Mitch Evans by a single point by virtue of setting the quickest lap on the final lap, had a special set of circumstances that led to it being one of the most enthralling 20 minutes of sport I’ve seen. But if you took the same race and put it at the beginning of the season, it wouldn’t have nearly been as exciting. In fact, it would’ve been horrendously dull. This is where I feel the sport is struggling to communicate its stories at the moment. There are so many moves to improve overtaking, introduce ridiculous regulations like standing restarts or DRS to ‘help the show’, that perhaps the real racing is being forgotten. Daniel Ricciardo’s win in the Hungarian Grand Prix this year was arguably one of the most dramatic of the year, but the only gimmick in that race was the fact that Pirelli’s soft tyre went off pretty quickly. The rest was down to incredible skill of the worlds best drivers and I am convinced that race would have lost something had the drivers been forced to do an idiotic standing re-start after Sergio Perez banged his Force India into the pit wall. So how can one race with one overtake be as exciting as another with a four-wide fight to the line? I suppose the point is this: Judge every race on its merits. Take each one as it comes. And please, for the love of the sport, remember that getting the context right is sometimes also key. If the stakes are high enough, any race can be a thriller.

Speed Shots

Pitlane Whiteboard

10 Feature DANGEROUS CURVES 14 Feature FROM THE VAULT: 2006 16 Feature THE ENDLESS PURSUIT OF PERFECTION 18 Feature DEVELOPING THE BREED 21 Round 7 - Categories & Entries 29 Meeting News 30 Television Coverage Lap Records

Publisher

Australian Motor Racing Pty Ltd

Editor

Richard Craill

Art Director

Sarah Anesbury - 121 Creative Hilton

Writers

Richard Craill, Amanda Jackson & Garry O’Brien

Chief Photographer: Nathan Wong Production

Kwik Kopy Printing Hilton

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While reasonable effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information provided, Australian Motor Racing Pty Ltd make no representation, express or implied, as to the accuracy, currency, reliability or suitability. Australian Motor Racing Pty Ltd expressly disclaim responsibility for any damages that may be caused by or in connection with the information provided.

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BRAKING BAD Photo by Nathan Wong. Canon EOS-1DX, 400mm, 1/50 at f3.2, ISO 3200 This incredible capture showcases what happens when you combine night racing, a big Ford Falcon GT and a track that punishes brakes, especially on big, heavy cars. Cooked brakes coupled with right-front suspension dramas saw the Mick Benton / Geoff Russell Falcon’s ‘Fight in the Night’ at QR end badly. Fortunately, they’d return the following day but they left us with a spectacular photo...

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JON DOES THE JOB Photo by Nathan Wong. Canon EOS-1DX, 400mm, 1/100 at f2.8, ISO 6400 The Porsche pit lane watches as Jon McCorkindale does the job and wins the Porsche enduro in moody and atmospheric conditions on a typically stunning Queensland Raceway evening. We also like this photo because we put Jon on the cover going into the round... weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not saying weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re responsible for his success... but that we should probably start charging for cover photos...

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PITLANE WHITEBOARD It’s the anonymous Twitter account that is brighter than Danny Ricciardo’s teeth and slightly less entertaining than a Will Power awards-night autocue failure (google it). We’d reiterate at this point that the views of this column are not our own, but we know you’re not really paying attention, are you? Welcome to Phillip Island, as Barry Sheene once called it “gateway to hypothermia.” Or as we prefer to call it these days “the official circuit of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.” Hopefully Spring will help us out a bit! As I get out the V8 Supercars aerodynamic ruler and rule a line under the previous month with the V8 Supercars aerodynamic pen from the V8 Supercars aerodynamic writing kit, it’s a good time to be involved in Australian motor racing. Daniel “there is actually an ‘i’ in team, it’s just silent” Ricciardo, is delivering on the world’s biggest stage. At the same time, on arguably the second biggest stage, Will “my middle fingers have been independently valued by race control” Power finally secured the Indycar title that was looking more elusive than paddock parking pass. Young Daniel, ably assisted by “team mates” Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, as of time of writing as clocked up two wins and three ice bucket challenges in a row, which has the Australian media on the bandwagon faster than you can say “Richmond still has a mathematical chance of making the final eight.” This wouldn’t have happened if Ross Brawn was still in charge at Mercedes. He would issued swift discipline to both Mercedes drivers, putting them both back on the straight and narrow by not allowing them to get any more piercings from the Brackley Tattoo and Piercing Parlour.

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“No putting holes in yourselves until you’ve stopped putting holes in each other,” he would have bellowed. Meanwhile, stateside, young William Power has managed to silence the critics by winning the Indycar title, the Astor Cup, which sounds like a one make series they run in Mongolia for old Mitsubishis, but isn’t. Will came from local Formula Ford and Formula 3, but also impressively as we’ve found out recently, also came from doing two wheeled stunts in forklifts in his early career, which has Matt Mingay very concerned that his between V8 Supercar sessions motorbike gig might have a natural successor. For the title, Power narrowly beat Helio Castroneves, the reigning South American Motor Racing Smiling Champion. Castroneves will be having a grin-off in the world final against Ricciardo later this year. It’s great to see that CAMS is making the most of these achievements, signing up Ricciardo as a CAMS ambassador, presumably in addition to his role as Oral-B ambassador. Julian Assange saw the word ‘ambassador,’ and as a result has already sought asylum in Dan’s teeth, claiming that the light conditions due to the brightness of the teeth are far more favourable than the Ecuadorian Embassy.

It’s not awesome everywhere though. Motorsport is still expensive. Marussia and Caterham are spraying the cheques from the pay drivers with flow-viz paint during the Friday practice sessions to see how fast and high they bounce. As temperamental as John Daly was, even his shed doesn’t have that many broke drivers. Meanwhile in V8 Supercar world, we are parking REC’s indiscriminately like @PitlaneWB’s manager’s work in the Chadstone car park, which can only be described as “Wayne Harmes 1979 Grand Final like.” “Is it in the lines?” Maybe we should get out the aerodynamic ruler, because the one thing we do know: The aerodynamic ruler has been proven correct! Now all we need is an aerodynamic rubber to fix all the mistakes.

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.

$20 MILLION TRACK UNDERWAY By Richard Craill

THESE are the first photos – showcased in print for the first time by The Racing Magazine – showing the site where the exciting new South Australian Motorsport Park will be built.

proving ground and is already being used for grass-roots motorsport including drifting and drag racing ahead of full-scale development commencing.

Construction on the 4-5km FIA category 2-specification circuit is expected to commence in early 2015 and will take advantage of much of the topography available on the site located South East of Tailem Bend, about an hour from Adelaide.

Developers Peregrine Corporation, South Australia’s largest privately-owned company, have also targeted the construction of a Motel / Hotel facility plus a branch of their successful ‘On the Run’ convenience and fuel store outlets for the location.

The precinct will ultimately host an allencompassing facility that will include a Group 1-standard drag strip, karting circuit, drift track, driver training and rally facilities.

The project is being headed by Porsche GT3 Cup competitor Sam Shahin with former Gold Star / Formula Holden frontrunner Paul Trengove recently recruited to oversee the facilities business development matters.

As these photos show, though it may never challenge Mount Panorama when it comes to elevation changes the circuit will likely have a fast, open and flowing nature that insiders suggest will be ‘Phillip Island-like’ in nature. The site is located on rolling grassland hills not far from the iconic Coorong tourist region and the River Murray and close to the major South Eastern Freeway. The site was formerly the Mitsubishi Motors Australia

Local Adelaide consultancy firms Connor Holmes and Mtrack have been appointed by Peregrine to undertake master planning and track designs. The park has also had positive discussions with series organisers to investigate the potential of hosting a Shannons Nationals round at the circuit in the future.

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DANGEROUS CURVES CORNERING is the biggest single difference between driving a road car on the road and driving a race car on the race track. In this day of 1000hp road cars, carbon ceramic brakes and adaptive aero it’s often true that road cars are quicker than those that go on the track. WORDS: Richard Craill IMAGES: Nathan Wong. Replay XD Australia.

BUT THE insane cornering forces experienced on a circuit can’t be duplicated on the road. There road doesn’t have the runoff, the slick tyres, the generally smooth racing surface and the 110-percent commitment required to go around a corner much too quickly. And then you get a Formula 3 car and add to the package by adding lightness, Aerodynamics generated by the front and rear aerodynamic surfaces, the underbody and the cars overall shape. And committed drivers. There is nothing quicker around corners in Australia than a Formula 3 car, so we thought we’d catch up with one of the Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championships’ very best to find out which corners on the calendar are the best. So, here’s Tim Macrow, double Australian Drivers Champion and your guide to the six best corners to take in Australia’s fastest racing cars.

LUKEY HEIGHTS Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit 5th gear. 205km/hr. 2.2G. YOU APPROACH Lukey in 5th gear and, on new tyres, it’s absolutely flat. The hard part is you get over the top and the front end starts getting light and it’s white line to white line,

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across the road, but when you do it flat, it’s THE best feeling on the face of the planet. The thing you have to be careful of all the time is the wind because if you get a gust of wind it can almost blow you off the track. Conversely, if you have the wind going the right direction it actually makes it easier to take it flat. It’s the best feeling when you come over there and the car actually starts drifting and you keep your foot buried... It’s the best. If you have a tailwind, it makes it really hard to get the car back on line and get straight before braking the car.. the key is not to barrel to hard into MG as well but you do have enough time to brake down the hill in a straight line – but there’s a lot of time to be gained going flat over the top. It’s a big corner.

SOUTHERN LOOP Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit 4th gear. 175km/hr. 1.8G. Southern loop is a hard one. Its double apex and you go in there quite narrow and really hard – it’s one of the few corners where you are actually braking into the corner – it’s really hard. You pop out of turn one absolutely flat in 6th gear but you’re going into fourth when you enter. You roll forever through the corner

and as soon as you get to the crest of the hill you can get back on it and from there, down the hill, you’re flat. It just pops you out and when you get it right you know it, because you start pulling gears earlier before bass kink. It’s a really, really good ride. The tyres start going away a bit at the end of the race and in 2006 driving the older car I came in there a bit too hard... you really get a massive sensation of speed when you come off there, you don’t realise how quick you’re going into there until you come off and you can make it to the fence pretty quick.

CORPORATE HILL Sydney Motorsport Park 5th Gear. 200km/hr. 2.3G. Corporate Hill is absolutely mega because you’re coming up the hill and the approach to it is blind - so you don’t want to get in there too early. If you get in there too early, you tend to run way too wide off the exit. In the new cars it’s absolutely flat, all day, even on old tyres. In the earlier cars it was just a lift... maybe flat on new tyres. When you get it perfect and don’t turn too early it’s a great feeling... Oh, and it really rips your head off, too.

It’s the best feeling when you come over there and the car actually starts drifting and you keep your foot buried... It’s the best.

TURNS 1 AND 2 Queensland Raceway 6th – 5th Gear. 200km/hr / 180km/hr. 1.8G. Last year when we ran there and set the lap record we took it absolutely flat. Even though it’s been resurfaced it’s still bumpy: There are a few bumps on entry, some on the middle and particularly on the exit that upset the car. You really have to use the downforce through there. On entry you take a big breath and get the car almost completely over the dotted line for the exit of pit lane and just bomb it in and hold it flat. We did it flat in qualifying around there and just close to flat in the race. You pop out of there in qualy flat out and you’re out on the kerb and If you just miss the apex, you’re in the weeds. It’s one of those corners that takes ultimate commitment to get right. Last year we were taking turn one and two in 6th gear. When you are doing a qualifying lap turn one is critical, but in racing turn two is just as, if not more, important. It’s worth even more lap time and if you turn in there too early you just run wide and you get lift off like I did in

2009 (see photo). If you get it just that little bit narrow you’ve really compromised your exit and because it’s such a long run into turn three it’s worth a lot to get a good run out of there so you probably sacrifice a little into the corner to

get a good run out. Last year we were doing it in 6th in qualifying but once the front tyres went away a bit in the race I’d click it back to fifth to maximise the run out onto the straight because that’s where we were strong.

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THE HILL Sandown Motor Raceway 6th Gear. 225km/hr. 1.4G. It’s just a great, great ride and its full commitment to do it flat. You’re running over the left kerb, then just about clipping the right kerb on the run down the hill, trying to straightline it as much as you can. It’s funny, too: you don’t realise how close the walls are until you walk the track and you know they’re there. If you make one little mistake, and miss the apex a little bit, you really launch off that middle kerb and you’re in a bit of strife. Plus you’ve also got to be on the ball to get it as straight as you can to brake the car in a straight line down the hill. The car is unloaded as you go down there and it’s also bumpy. Your aim is, just as you come to the second right hand kerb on the way down the hill, to get the car as straight as possible. Our braking marker is just past where the old ‘long circuit’ comes out, and you’re on the middle pedal a little bit after that. You’re almost straight lining it from that point and you’re crossing the circuit and heading towards the wall. The car moves around a lot here, and in the wet it’s even more challenging. Miss it and you’ll be in the wall quick smart.

TURN EIGHT Clipsal 500 Adelaide Parklands Circuit 6th. 225km/hr. 1.5G. Turn eight... ahh, it’s a really, really BIG corner. It’s a weird sensation, like a tunnel effect; you’re cruising down there in 6th gear and following the white line but the walls start tunnelling in as you get to turn eight. You’re trying to keep an eye on the left wall so you get as close as you can to that, but you’re also trying to keep one eye on the apex. The corner is absolutely flat. There is a little bit of a bump in the apex that upsets things a

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THE ANTICLIMAXES

It’s a weird sensation, like a tunnel effect... little bit, but the hardest part is the tunnelling effect going in. You have to be on the ball and position the car correctly there to get through flat. It’s a great sensation to go through there flat, in 6th gear. Because it’s such a tight circuit it’s hard to pass so turn nine is the best place to pass, so you really have to get turn eight right.

Turn 1, Phillip Island: 255km/hr Turn 2, Sydney Motorsport Park: 245km/hr Both of these corners are in every sense of the word, easy flat. You can have a rest and a cup of tea through both corner. The only thing that might catch you by surprise at Phillip Island, sometimes, is if you’ve got a tail wind it can literally blow you off the circuit; the wind gets on the front wing and you lose all the front downforce and things get a little hairy. But on a nice, clear day it’s easy, one handed, having a bit of a rest and talking on the radio.

FROM THE VAULT: 2006 Phillip Island has a habit of producing epic races, but the 2006 Formula 3 showdown at the circuit was perhaps the greatest finish ever staged there. We’ve dived into the vault to showcase one of the better races we’ve seen... WORDS: Richard Craill IMAGES: Dirk Klynsmith AS THE AUSTRALIAN Formula 3 Championship assembled for their third round of the 2006 season things were beginning to look interesting. The series had been floored by the arrival of British driver Ben Clucas back at Wakefield in April, the unknown coming into the country and demolishing the opposition despite never having seen the track and with little time to acquaint himself with the Team BRM Dallara he would drive all season. But at Symmons Plains a week later the field had got their stuff together and had started putting up a fight. Now in his second season, Victorian Michael Trimble had won in Tasmania, stopping Clucas’ run of three victories on the trot and showing that the championship wouldn’t be a total rout from start to finish. But Phillip Island is always unique - It’s one of those mystical places where prior form can often mean nothing and where the unexpected can emerge. Boy, did it ever this day. Qualifying was close, Clucas’ rivals hard on his tail but Sunday was another story; it rained just before the start of race one. In the best of conditions, Formula 3 cars are difficult to launch. In the rain, even more so. Sometimes you can hit the right amount of throttle percentage and clutch bite to minimise wheelspin – as Michael Trimble did this particular day – and sometimes you can’t, as Ben Clucas quickly found out. Trimble made a rocket-ship start in the rain and fired into the lead with Macrow also jumping 14 | THE RACING MAGAZINE

ahead of Clucas on the run down towards the flat-out turn one, but the fact everyone was racing was a bonus. The sudden rain shower before the start left teams frantically rushing on the grid to change their cars from full-hard, dry weather setups to the softer, more compliant settings you need in the wet. So here they were, Trimble leading Macrow and Clucas with Gilmour’s traditionally good start placing him just in behind the leading trio. The early signs of who had what underneath them were apparent as the field exited the long, sweeping, 180-degree turn two - the fearsome Southern Loop - which is where Clucas shot past Macrow on the exit. By the time they got to Honda, 600 meters down the road, Clucas was five car lengths in front. By the time Clucas entered turn eleven, he was in front; his car was in a different race and that probably would have been the end of the story had it not been for a series of almost comedic events that tilted the race back onto a level playing field. Running particularly well was an aging gentleman by the name of Brian Sampson, the winner, with Peter Brock, of the 1975 James Hardie Bathurst 1000. A legend of the sport, ‘Sambo’ had brought his ancient Dallara 391 out to Phillip Island for a play and it seemed like a good decision: Sambo was flying, his old-school flat-bottomed car generated plenty of downforce for little drag and as such was ideally suited to Phillip Island and he was using it to his advantage, qualifying eighth out of fourteen.

However on lap one, trying very hard, Phillip Island bit and spat him off into the gravel at Siberia and for that he was very, VERY unhappy. Sampson threw his wheel from the car, jumped out and stomped off through the gravel, arms to each side like a five year old in a huff, steam all but pouring out through his visor. And then, he stopped, turned around, picked up some of the offending (offensive?) sand trap and pitched it at the car. Take that! Meanwhile, the Safety car had been called out to recover Sampson’s car so the race was neutralised, but the drama would still flow: As the race control radio crackled into life the following was announced; “Drive Through penalty, Car #84, start-line infringement.” Clucas had been done for rolling before the start and was sentenced to the cruellest of all the ‘penalty doesn’t fit the crime’ punishments – a drive through. And he couldn’t serve it until the race went green again. After three laps of Safety Car, the race went back to green at the beginning of lap five and Clucas flew; With a three lap window in which to serve his penalty his first flyer was three seconds quicker than Trimble, in second. At the end of lap six Clucas pitted, trundling through pit lane at 60km/hr as Trimble, Macrow and Tander (who had passed Gilmour at the end of lap five) all steamed past. When he emerged from pit lane, he was twenty-six seconds behind the leader but had Gilmour in his gun sights.

Trimble banged in his quickest lap of the race on lap seven, a 1:45.25 enough to extend his lead over Macrow by a further 1.5. Clucas, meanwhile, did a 46.9 crossed in fourth, having casually disposed of Chris Gilmour on his out lap. The next lap served notice that things weren’t done; Trimble came through first on lap eight and logged a 45.41, just tenths slower than his previous best. Four seconds down the road was Macrow (47.17) but then came the flying Clucas, now third and having driven around the outside of Tander on the run past the Hayshead at warp speed the lap before. He banged in a staggering 1:41.36, a full five seconds quicker than anyone. This, we thought, was going to be interesting, but his margin to the leading pair was still more than twenty seconds with less than half the race to go. Clucas went quicker again the next lap, his 1:40.29 the fastest of the race by an incredible margin, and then earned some jump-start karma. On lap ten of fourteen, Ricky Occhipinti looped his Dallara on the exit of MG and was clouted by Maher Algadri’s similar car, bringing out the second safety car of the morning. After a slow recovery, just one lap would remain for this race to play out. 4.46km. Through all this, fortune had not forgotten to smile on Michael Trimble. Just as the yellow flag was waved and the race slowed he had placed one lap on the Scud Racing Dallara of Bill Maddocks. What it meant was there would be one car between the leader and those chasing him. If he could just get a good jump when they went back to green and catch Billy napping, Trimble might just have enough of a margin to hold on. And that’s exactly what happened. The moment the Safety Car veered left into the long pit access road Trimble was gone, disappearing up the road in a cloud of his own spray to pull two full seconds on the field as they got to the control line. Predictably, Macrow was also unwilling to gift his British rival another position and was firm in emphasising his own bit of the race track however, on the exit of two, Clucas’ incredible power down was just too good as he went down the inside through the kink and into second. Three klicks to go. Trimble had about three seconds up his sleeve at Honda and was ragging his Dallara as hard as he could drive, it and to his eternal credit was hitting every marker beautifully despite his rig handling horribly; in the rush to get the car tuned for the rain, the team had gone full-soft on shocks and springs but the dry-weather bump stops had been left in, rendering the rear suspension useless with just a few millimetres of travel – murder in the rain. Behind him, Clucas closed, now visibly closer on the run towards Siberia. The gap was now five or six car lengths, at best. The pair flew over Lukey heights and Clucas closed again but at this point, with three corners to go, it looked to be Trimble’s race. It was just too big a gap to close, surely, with less than a kilometre to run. Trimble positioned car Ten perfectly in the middle of the road exiting the first left hander, accelerating up through the gears before the final corner and the run onto Gardner Straight - but there was nothing he could do about the way Clucas’ Team BRM Dallara got out of the corner: Through the final turn he shoved his nose up the inside and it would be a drag race on the main straight.

350 meters to go. Trimble looked across into his left-hand mirror but his spatial awareness and hearing would have already told him there was another Dallara flying along his port-side sidepod. Options? There was only one left – slowly work his rival across towards the wall, and hope that Clucas would be the first to blink. As they accelerated through fifth gear the two cars edged closer to the pit wall, individual rooster tails of spray merging to become one as the two Dallara’s raced to the waiting flag. At the closest point, exactly the width of one Kumho Front control tyre split the two cars as they raced sideby-side. By now, Clucas had two wheels over the painted white line on the inside of the circuit. As they got to the second and third rows, he had the left hand wheels of his Dallara completely over the supposed inside boundary of the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit, into the stones, marbles and muck of dirty water and debris that the running water had pushed alongside the wall as collectively, the circuit held its breath. This was no longer about drive or power, it was about the bravery and skill of two young drivers from opposite ends of the world in avoiding a monstrous shunt for a victory and twenty valuable, golden, championship points. They crossed the line absolutely side by side and for a moment it looked as if Michael Trimble had held on. The timing failed completely, unable to separate the two cars for several seconds as the commentators sat in stunned silence, before theorising that perhaps, just perhaps, Trimble had held on – if only because no one around believed that Clucas could have actually won that race. Down in pit lane the Astuti and BRM crews stood, staring at each, other, not knowing who had won but both believing that the win was theirs at the same time. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity but in reality was but a few seconds, the timing monitor sorted itself out. The final results showed Michael Trimble had completed the race in 30:15.0992. Clucas? 30:15.0961. Despite giving away four seconds on the opening lap, twenty-six in a drive through and having to pass Michael Trimble and Tim Macrow twice in a 14-lap race, the Brit had won by three one-thousandths of a second: 0.0031. About thirty centimetres.

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THE ENDLESS PURSUIT OF PERFECTION What drives a driver to keep on winning... especially if the driver in question has won everything there is to win (and more) in the series in which they compete? We posed that question to dominant Kerrick Sports Sedan champion, Tony Ricciardello. WORDS: Amanda Jackson IMAGES: Nathan Wong Tony Ricciardello and his snake-eyed #5 B&M Ricciardello Motors Alfa Romeo GTV are synonymous with the Kerrick Sports Sedan Series, and with seven series titles and a 15 race winning streak underway, it isn’t hard to see why. With such an impressive record, the team would be forgiven for resting on their laurels a bit as they chase down that eighth title, but the reality couldn’t be further from the truth. “We have been very lucky with our winning streak this year and things are going well for our pursuit of the eighth title,” said Ricciardello, who has also been recognised within his home-state of Western Australia by being included in the Hillary’s Boat Harbour Walk of Fame.

“Even so, winning just makes you more and more hungry to win the next one, so it isn’t hard to stay motivated, in fact, relaxing is completely out of the equation! “I don’t think any one of us, myself or the crew, ever stop thinking about the car and what needs to be done, even between race meetings. “We won’t be backing down anytime soon, we continue to work very hard to ensure the car is always maintained and is ready to perform at its optimum level – and that is why we are always the last team to leave the track at night.” This dedication has certainly been paying off, with the 35 year old West Australian setting lap records on his way to victory at every event held

on the calendar so far this year, with two rounds left to run in the 2014 Series. “We put a lot of effort into racing, it is enjoyable but it is also a lot of hard work, so to come second or worse isn’t something that we want,” said Ricciardello, who has finished each of the 13 Kerrick Sports Sedan Series seasons he has contested in the top three. “What we do want is to keep breaking records around the country, so people can see what Sports Sedans are really about! All the teams work so hard to get our beasts on to the track, they are quicker than many other categories, and they look great. We want as many people as possible to know and love this Series as much as we do!” With a quarter of a century of racing behind them, the team has had their fair share of ups and downs, with those memories helping to keep the fire burning as they chase down an eighth Kerrick Sports Sedan Series title. “We have been racing for more than 25 years now, so I think at the end of the day it is really a passion and a ‘true love’ that keeps driving us forward,” said Ricciardello, who in 2010 enjoyed a full season in the V8 Supercars Championship after numerous co-driver appearances, and in 2005 was the first Australian to win Malaysia’s 12 Hour Meredeka Endurance Race. “Once you get a taste of winning, you just want more. And then you have the bad luck I have had in the past in other categories where the cars have not been in my control, with those experiences just making me even more driven to make sure people know that I have the ability to win races.” So what can we expect from the Ricciardello Racing outfit for the rest of this season, and beyond?

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Once you get a taste of winning, you just want more...

“There is always room for improvement, we are always developing and looking for ways to improve, there is always a tenth or two to chase,” said Ricciardello, who has also been displaying his winning ways outside of the Kerrick Sports Sedan Series this year, with a clean-sweep of the Super GT category during May’s WA V8 Supercars event. “In the future we would love to develop another Sports Sedan and just keep on lifting the bar – so watch this space! “As far as this year, a clean sweep for the next two rounds and another national championship would be great. You can expect to see plenty of hard work and determination, we will be there with our heads down and bums up to make sure the car is at its optimum level and we have the best chance of victory, that is for sure!”

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DEVELOPING THE BREED

The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge has become a surprising addition to the ranks of Australia’s ‘driver development’ formulas – somewhat unintentionally. WORDS: Richard Craill IMAGES: Nathan Wong

18 | THE RACING MAGAZINE

WHEN IS A series aimed at developing drivers not a series aimed at developing drivers? The answer is when it’s the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge; a second-tier Porsche championship in Australia that was formed with the intent of giving disillusioned Porsche owners a ‘place to race’ but has become the V8 development series of GT racing in Australia. It’s an unintended success story that has already spun off some exciting talent; and continues to do the same this year. GT3 Cup Challenge was formed in early 2008 by a small group of Porsche racers with the express aim of having a simple, cost effective place to race for Porsche racers. This was not Carrera Cup mark two. It was low key, fun, cost effective racing for ‘Porschefiles’ and their cars. And in its first year (won by co-creator, Sven Burchartz) it was a success thanks to strong, growing grid numbers and entertaining competition. Early on it served its role well, but slowly others began to see its potential as a place to drive Porsches quickly not with a view to enjoyment, but instead with a view to furthering careers into the ever-widening GT world. Matt Kingsley was the first; a young Queenslander fresh from an injury-enforced layoff from the sport following a nasty Ute crash in Adelaide a year earlier. For him, GT3CC was the ideal location in which to execute a comeback and do it in a location that offered competitive racing without the pressures of running on the V8 program with its bright lights and big crowds. Kingsley took all before him and won the 2009 championship in style, and probably remains

the best exponent of Porsche’s old-school, H-patterned, ABS-braked 996 GT3 Cup Car that Australia has seen. Ever the budget racer, Kingsley struggled to convert GT3 Cup Challenge success into Carrera Cup wins, however a series of limited performances allowed him to remind people what he was capable of, never the less. He’s now a gun-for-hire in GT racing, quite naturally driving a Porsche Cup Car. And where Kingsley tread, others followed; and from all walks of life. A young Victorian star named Kane Rose emerged from Porsche 944 racing and swept to the 2012 title. Recent history shows that in 2013 Richard Muscat and Michael Almond battled for the series crown for much of the season; Muscat using his title success as a launching pad to a drive with Erebus Motorsport in Australian GT and Muscat to a competitive campaign so far this year in Porsche Carrera Cup. There’s that inadvertent internal ladder working again. Young Perth driver Adam Majoram used the series to establish his national credentials before moving to the V8 Utes a few years ago and in the last two seasons it has been the turn of Fraser Ross and Jon McCorkindale to show what they’ve got at the front of the field. For Ross, a Melbourne ad exec with a historic touring car background and McCorkindale, a New South Wales-based self-employed Speedway star, it turns out they’ve got quite a lot. This year has seen Matt Campbell, an 18-year-old Formula Ford grad explode onto the scene and he looks to be another story of success from this series that never set out to do what it’s doing for young drivers.

But perhaps the best aspect within the GT3 Cup Challenge is that it hasn’t lost the ‘race with your mates’ philosophy that form its foundations. The enjoyment the likes of Jon Goodacre, Peter Fitzgerald, Scott Taylor and Tim Miles, amongst others, clearly get from battling amongst themselves and the younger brigade is clear to see. These drivers might not be in it to further their careers, but it’s obvious that they are continuing to live up to the fact that the GT3 Cup Challenge is more than meets the eye. It’s the Porsche development category that still doesn’t try to be the Porsche development category. But it does a damn good job of doing it anyway.

THE STATS – PORSCHE GT3 CUP CHALLENGE ROUNDS: 39 RACES: 116 CHAMPIONS: Sven Burchartz (2008), Matt Kingsley (2009), Roger Lago (2010, 11), Kane Rose (2012), Richard Muscat (2013 – Professional), John Goodacre (2013 – Elite). MOST ROUND WINS: Matt Kingsley (8), Kane Rose (5), Richard Muscat (4). MOST RACE WINS: Matt Kingsley (24), Jeff Bobik, Kane Rose, Richard Muscat (13), Fraser Ross (8). MOST POLE POSITIONS: Matt Kingsley (9), Kane Rose, Richard Muscat (5) MOST ROUND STARTS: Jeff Bobik (27), John Goodacre (26), Terry Knight (24). A total of 139 drivers have started Porsche GT3CC Rounds in the series history. Stats provided by AN1 Data. Current to end of Round 5, 2014.

THENATIONALS.COM.AU | 19

ROUND 7 PHILLIP ISLAND

SHANNONS AUSTRALIAN MOTOR RACING NATIONALS ROUND 7, PHILLIP ISLAND GRAND PRIX CIRCUIT • SEPTEMBER 19-21, 2014 ORGANISATION AND STATUS

OFFICIALS OF THE MEETING

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 : 814/2109/02

Series Director: Meeting Director: Stewards of the Meeting: Clerk of the Course: Deputy Clerk of the Course: Assistant Clerks of the Course: Secretary of the Meeting: Deputy Secretary of the Meeting: Judges of Start & Finish: Chief Paddock Marshal: Chief of Recovery: Course Marshal : Chief Marshal: Chief Flag Marshal: Chief Fire Marshal: Chief Marshalling Area: Compliance Checker: Organising Committee:

EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY, RELEASE AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK MOTOR SPORT IS DANGEROUS In exchange for being able to attend or participate in the event, 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 or participating in the event and being provided with the event services by CAMS and the Associated Entities

GENERAL NOTICES 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. 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.

Dear Enthusiast, Rob Curkpatrick Peter Nelson Steve Lisk, Trish Davidson, Colin Hardinge Colin Smith Matt Balcombe Ken Smith Peter Nelson Geoff Bull C. Smith, M. Balcombe, I. Leech, A. Bond Danny Jonas Ken Johnston Skip Taylor Roger Chirnside Terry O’Callaghan Gus Luke Barry Parker Danny Jonas 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 • Victorian Fire & Rescue Service for the fire fighting equipment, the driver rescue facilities, and their expertise • Victorian 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 and •B ass Coast Shire for assistance with promotion.

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. The 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. In May we had a great Shannons Nationals Race Meeting featuring a number of long distance or endurance races. Now we have the opposite – a lot of shorter sprint races and twice as many categories on the track. The Shannons Australian Motor Racing Nationals was designed in the beginning to provide this variety of events and categories, and we will be benefitting this weekend. 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. 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.

Peter Nelson, Secretary – PIARC.

To finish off the year, we 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. Plan those dates right now. THENATIONALS.COM.AU | 21

ROUND 7 PHILLIP ISLAND

SCHEDULE FRIDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER

22 | THE RACING MAGAZINE

600

Gates Open

715

Registration

Office open for driver registration

905

Practice 1

DBYD Aust Super Six TC Series

15 min

925

Practice 1

Radical Aust Cup/Aust Sports Racer Series

20 min

950

Practice 1

Aust Superkart Championship

15 min

1010

Practice 1

Kumho Tyres Aust V8 Touring Car Series

15 min

1030

Practice 1

Kerrick Sports Sedan Series

15 min

1050

Practice 1

Formula 3 Australian Drivers Champ.

25 min

1120

Practice 2

DBYD Aust Super Six TC Series

20 min

1145

Practice 2

Radical Aust Cup/Aust Sports Racer Series

20 min

1210

Practice 2

Aust Superkart Championship

20 min

1235

Practice 2

Kumho Tyres Aust V8 Touring Car Series

20 min

1300

Practice 1

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge

15 min

1320

Practice 2

Kerrick Sports Sedan Series

20 min

1345

Practice 2

Formula 3 Australian Drivers Champ.

25 min

1415

Practice 2

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge

20 min

1440

Sponsor Rides

Super 6 TC/V8 Touring Cars

20 min

1510

Sponsor Rides

Radical/Porsche GT3 Cup

20 min

OFFICIAL SESSIONS

1535

Practice 1

Aust Superkart Championship

15 min

1555

Practice 1

Australian Sports Racer Series

15 min

1615

Practice 1

Kumho Tyres Aust V8 Touring Car Series

15 min

1635

Practice 1

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge

20 min

ROUND 7 PHILLIP ISLAND

SCHEDULE SATURDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER 700

Gates Open

815

Drivers Briefing

Aust Super 6 TC Series, Kerrick Sports Sedans

830

Drivers Briefing

Formula 3, Radical AC, Aust Superkart Champ

900

Drivers Briefing

Porsche GT3 CC, Aust Sports Racer Series

1100

Drivers Briefing

Aust V8 Touring Car Series

910

Qualifying 1

DBYD Aust Super Six TC Series

15 min

930

Qualifying 1

Kerrick Sports Sedan Series

15 min

950

Qualifying 1

Formula 3 Australian Drivers Champ.

20 min

1015

Qualifying 1

Radical Australia Cup

15 min

1035

Qualifying 1

Aust Superkart Championship

15 min

1055

Qualifying 1

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge

15 min

1115

Qualifying 1

Australian Sports Racer Series

15 min

1135

Qualifying 2

DBYD Aust Super Six TC Series

15 min

1155

Qualifying 2

Kerrick Sports Sedan Series

15 min

1215

Qualifying 1

Kumho Tyres Aust V8 Touring Car Series

15 min

1235

Qualifying 2

Radical Australia Cup

15 min

1255

Qualifying 2

Aust Superkart Championship

15 min

1320

Race 1

Formula 3 Australian Drivers Champ.

9 laps

1345

Race 1

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge

9 laps

1410

Race 1

Kumho Tyres Aust V8 Touring Car Series

8 laps

1435

Race 1

Aust Superkart Championship

7 laps

1455

Race 1

Australian Sports Racer Series

9 laps

1520

Race 1

DBYD Aust Super Six TC Series

8 laps

1545

Race 1

Kerrick Sports Sedan Series

1610

Race 1

Radical Australia Cup

9 laps CPS

45 min

5 min

SUNDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER 700

Gates Open

910

Warm up

Radical Australia Cup

920

Race 2

Aust Superkart Championship

7 laps

940

Race 2

Formula 3 Australian Drivers Champ.

9 laps

1010

Race 2

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge

9 laps

1035

Race 2

Radical Australia Cup

1130

Race 2

Kumho Tyres Aust V8 Touring Car Series

8 laps

1200

Race 2

DBYD Aust Super Six TC Series

8 laps

1225

Race 3

Aust Superkart Championship

7 laps

1245

Race 2

Kerrick Sports Sedan Series

9 laps

1310

Race 2

Australian Sports Racer Series

9 laps

1335

Race 3

Formula 3 Australian Drivers Champ.

14 laps

1410

Race 3

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge

9 laps

1435

Race 3

Kumho Tyres Aust V8 Touring Car Series

12 laps

1510

Race 3

DBYD Aust Super Six TC Series

8 laps

1535

Race 3

Kerrick Sports Sedan Series

9 laps

1600

Race 3

Australian Sports Racer Series

9 laps

1625

Race 4

Aust Superkart Championship

10 laps

CPS

45 min

THENATIONALS.COM.AU | 23

ROUND 7 PHILLIP ISLAND

DIAL BEFORE YOU DIG AUSTRALIAN SUPER SIX TOURING CAR SERIES ON THE WEB: WWW.SALOONCARS.NET.AU

Car

SPONSOR

DRIVER

state

VEHICLE

selby.com

Simon Tabinor

VIC

VT Comm

GAG/Hinde Transport

Ben Grice

QLD

AU Falcon

Dej's party shop

Jason Leoncini

VIC

VT Comm

www.bigrigtyres.com.auÂ

Tony Auddino

AU Falcon

Morphett Vale Garage

Wayne King

VT Comm

Buyaustralianmade.com.au

Phil Gray

VIC

AU Falcon

Silkgate Group

Ian Chivas

NSW

AU Falcon

BRE/ Morphett Vale Garage

Shawn Jamieson

VT Comm

News Expree Maffra

Brett Pope

VIC

VT Comm

Cachet Homes/ Wrek King

Vince Ciallella

VT Comm

Kleenduct Australia P/L

Harley Phelan

VIC

VT Comm

Truckphones.com.au

Brent Edwards

VIC

AU Falcon

Martin Engineering

Matt Martin

VT Comm

V8 Drive Day

Steve Martin

VT Comm

Steet Fighter

Brad Day

VT Comm

Transley Solutions

Luke Westall

NSW

AU Falcon

Forklift Clearance Centre

Greg Murcott

VIC

VT Comm

Cavehill Engine Services

Daniel Johnson

VIC

AU Falcon

All In 1 Service Center

David Wright

VIC

AU Falcon

Blackwell Race Engines

Gavin Ross

VIC

VT Comm

Dial Before You Dig

Mark Primmer

NSW

AU Falcon

Dial Before You Dig

Cameron Moss

NSW

AU Falcon

Pakenham Tyres

Travis Lindorff

VIC

VT Comm

PPG Racing

Kane Baxter-Smith

QLD

AU Falcon

Cachet Homes

Chris Lillis

VT Comm

Sails Apartments Merimbula

Wayne Bates

VIC

AU Falcon

Hills Haulage

Garry Hills

VT Comm

Rick Gill Motorcycles

Rick Gill

AU Falcon

Glen Postlethwaite

VIC

VT Comm

For more entry information, visit www.thenationals.com.au

24 | THE RACING MAGAZINE

THENATIONALS.COM.AU | 24

ROUND 7 PHILLIP ISLAND

KERRICK SPORTS SEDAN SERIES ON THE WEB: WWW.SPORTSSEDANS.COM.AU

Car

SPONSOR

DRIVER

state

VEHICLE

BJ Banks Electrical

Bruce Banks

Tas

Mazda RX7

Auto Union Deutsche

Darren Hossack

Vic

Audi A4

B&M Ricciardello Motors

Tony Ricciardello

Alfa Romeo GTV

Domain Prestige Homes

Steven Tamasi

Vic

Holden Calibra

Beninca Motors

Peter Beninca

Vic

Alfa Romeo GTV

Morpowa

Simon Podlewski

Nissan 180SX

Primo Smallgoods

Steven Lacey

NSW

Chev Camaro

Bell Real Estate

Michael Robinson

Vic

Holden Monaro

Vereker Bros Crash/Henley Racing

Dan Vereker

Superior Rigging/Henley Racing

John Perkins

Vic

Mazda RX8 GT

MR Automotive

Colin Smith

Qld

Holden Monaro

Marinellos Mechanical

Bob McLoughlin

Commodore VS

Five Star Fencing & Gates

Dean Camm

Vic

Chev Corvette

Stawell Cartage

Bruce Henley

Vic

Mazda RX8

Kerrick/CKAS/Snap On/Coates Hire/Volv Parts

Thomas Randle

Vic

SAAB Aero

Mazda RX8 GT

For more entry information, visit www.thenationals.com.au

FORMULA 3 AUSTRALIAN DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE WEB: WWW.FORMULA3.COM.AU

Car

SPONSOR

DRIVER

state

VEHICLE

BRM

Simon Hodge

Mygale

BRM

Christopher Anthony

NSW

Dallara

R-TEK

Roland Legge

Qld

Dallara

McDonalds/Gilmour Racing

Ben Gersekowski

Qld

Dallara

Garnet Patterson Racing

Garnett Patterson

NSW

Dallara

Ozstaff Racing

Chelsea Angelo

Vic

Dallara

Harvest Motorsport/Forpark

Alpine Motorsport

Dennie Rumble

NSW

Dallara

Capo Racing

Ricky Capo

Vic

Dallara

Mygale

For more entry information, visit www.thenationals.com.au

THENATIONALS.COM.AU | 25

ROUND 7 PHILLIP ISLAND

RADICAL AUSTRALIA CUP ON THE WEB: WWW.RADICALSPORTSCARS.COM

Car

SPONSOR

DRIVER

state

VEHICLE

Excalibur Racing

Neale Muston

NSW

Radical

Industrial Parks pf Australia

Michael Shaw

NSW

Radical

Axiom Wealth/Radical Aust

Simon Haggarty

NSW

Radical

Axiom Wealth/Radical Aust

Tony Haggarty

NSW

Radical

RAW Racing

Chris Medland / Greg Smith

NSW

Radical

Radical Team Melbourne

Gary Walker

NSW

Radical

PJS Air

Peter Johnston

NSW

Radical

First Neon

Peter White

NSW

Radical

TACHAC Pty Ltd

Andy Plummer

NSW

Radical

First Focus

Peter Paddon

NSW

RAW Racing

Tim Berryman

NSW

Radical

GT3 Factory

John Morriss

Vic

Radical

Austech Wire & Cables

Andrew Richmond

Vic

Radical

RAW Racing

John Corbett

NSW

Radical

RAW Racing

Kim Burke

NSW

Radical

Radical Australia

Oliver Smith

NSW

Radical

Radical Australia

Rowan Ross

NSW

Radical

For more entry information, visit www.thenationals.com.au

KUMHO TYRES AUSTRALIAN V8 TOURING CAR SERIES ON THE WEB: WWW.V8TOURINGCARS.COM.AU

Car

SPONSOR

DRIVER

state

VEHICLE

Kustom Workz/Supercar Parts & Sales

Shane Hunt

Qld

Ford Falcon BF

Poco Racing

Steve Briffa

NSW

Commodore VY

JCV Automotive

John Vergotis

NSW

Ford Falcon BA

selby.com.au

Simon Tabinor

VIC

Ford Falcon BF

Falcon Spares/Engine Master

Matt Chahda

NSW

Ford Falcon BA

MW Motorsport

Eggleston Motorsport

STR Truck Bodies

Matthew Palmer

Vic

Ford Falcon BF

Eggleston Motorsport

Justin Ruggier

NSW

Commodore VZ

Parramatta Smash Repairs

Ryan Simpson

NSW

Ford Falcon BF

Ford Falcon BF Ryan Cochrane

Ford Falcon BF Commodore VZ

For more entry information, visit www.thenationals.com.au 26 | THE RACING MAGAZINE

ROUND 7 PHILLIP ISLAND

AUSTRALIAN SPORTS RACER SERIES ON THE WEB: WWW.SPORTSRACER.COM.AU

Car

SPONSOR

DRIVER

state

VEHICLE

AP Racing

Adam Proctor

NSW

Stohr

AP Racing

Darren Barlow

NSW

Stohr

Ken's Exhaust Systems

Roger I'Anson

West

MSR Motorsport Fabrication

Mark Short

Prince

West Race Cars

Jason Makris

West

West Race Cars

John-Paul Drake

QLD

West

Laucke Flour Mills

Mark Laucke

West

West Race Cars

Aaron Steer

West

personalEYES

Craig Perry

NSW

Stohr

CRC Industries/ Kitten

Gerrit Ruff

West

For more entry information, visit www.thenationals.com.au

PORSCHE GT3 CUP CHALLENGE ON THE WEB: WWW.GT3CUPCHALLENGE.COM.AU

Car

SPONSOR

DRIVER

state

VEHICLE

Fleetplus

Scott Taylor

Qld

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

Eva Racing/Evolve Technik

Peter Fitzgerald

Vic

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

Autobarn

Tim Miles

NSW

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

SAFE-T_STOP

Richard Gartner

NSW

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

DDS Transport Solution

Steve McFadden

Qld

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

HTFU

Sam Shahin

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

Kinpath Group

John Karytinos

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

Bill Campbell Builders

Matt Campbell

Qld

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

Grove Hire Pty. Ltd

Brenton Grove

Vic

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

Fastway Couriers

Simon Ellingham

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

Merry Sparks Art

Grant Sparks

Qld

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

Warrin Mining Volvo Construction

Jed Wallis

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

Porsche Centre Brighton/TRP/Torque Money

Fraser Ross

Vic

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

GAP Solutions / Sektor

John Goodacre

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

Thomson Geer

Michael O'Donnell

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

Dial Before You Dig

Jon McCorkindale

NSW

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

Anacon Homes

Michael Tsigeridis

Vic

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

Southern Star Windows

Ross McGregor

Vic

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

For more entry information, visit www.thenationals.com.au THENATIONALS.COM.AU | 27

ROUND 7 PHILLIP ISLAND

AUSTRALIAN SUPERKART CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE WEB: WWW.SUPERKARTSAUSTRALIA.ORG

Car

SPONSOR

DRIVER

state

VEHICLE

Coach Design

Russell Jamieson

QLD

Anderson/Maverick

DLR Racing/Secret Squirrel Racing

Dalton Rowell

NSW

Stockman/MR2

Maddern Oil

Charles Maddern

PVP

Lofty Coaches

Dean McGinty

PVP

MJR Bricklaying/Slipstream Signs

Martin Latta

Vic

Anderson/Maverick

Wizzer Engines/ SKE

Tony Lappas

SK EVO

Ciscos/Art Motorsport/KPI

Anton Stevens

Vic

PVP

Stockman Superkarts

Sam Zavaglia

Vic

Stockman /MR2

Dunlop Kartsport/BRC Engines

Gary Pegoraro

Vic

Anderson/Maverick

Rockpress Metal Fabrications

Phil Silcock

QLD

Avoig Elise PSR

Top Torque Engines

Matt Bass

VIC

Anderson/Maverick

Redback Racepaint (ACT)

Paul Campbell

NSW

Avoig Elise Mk3

Slipstream Signs/Williams Racing

Dale Williams

Vic

Stockman/MR2

Supersonic Global Payments

Jason Akermanis

Vic

Anderson/Maverick

Floth Sustainable Building Cons

Timothy Philp

Vic

Avoig Elise

Bakker S'karts/Ringwood Kart Centre

Garry Haywood

Vic

Bakker X4

Your Amigo, Apex Management

Illya Harpas

Anderson/Maverick

Linra Properties

Stewart Bell

QLD

Stockman/MR2

Suburban Accounting Services

Kriatian Stebbing

Vic

Anderson/Maverick

Stockman Superkarts

Jeff Reed

NSW

Stockman/MR2

Adam Stewart

NSW

Italkart Rapido

Steve Myburgh

Anderson/Maverick

Wizzer Engines/BRC

Brendan Luneman

Vic

Anderson/Maverick

Stockman Superkarts/Macs Marine

Warren Mcllveen

NSW

Stockman 115

Northshore Boats

Paul Clark

Anderson/Maverick

IN-2-KARTS

Mark Robin

NSW

Stockman/MR2

Giova Racing

John Pellicano

NSW

Avoig Elise

Giova Racing

Aaron Cogger

NSW

Anderson

Homes of Integrity

Shannon Novaski

PVP

SHIFTMN

Michael Nicholas

QLD

Stockman/MR2

Linra Properties

Lindsay Jamieson

QLD

Stockman/MR2

L & J Custom Kitchens

Lee Vella

NSW

Avoig Elise

Lewis Plumbing Qld, Z1K, DHM M/S

Daniel Lewis

QLD

Anderson/Maverick

Howling Wolves Wines/I Transport

Grant Heard

Zip Eagle

Denture Professionals

Stuart Kostera

ZIP Eagle 2

For more entry information, visit www.thenationals.com.au

28 | THE RACING MAGAZINE

ROUND 6 QLD RACEWAY ANOTHER UNPREDICTABLE Australian Manufacturers Championship enduro and some of the most thrilling Australian Formula Ford Series racing in years has highlighted a bumper sixth round of the Shannons Australian Motor Racing Nationals, at Queensland Raceway. Seven national categories played to a great Queensland crowd and in near-perfect conditions as the Nationals heads deep into the second half of the 2014 season. Garry Holt and Stuart Kostera sealed back-to-back Australian Manufacturers Championship victories with victory in Sunday’s second 200km race after late-race leader Aaron Seton was cruelly denied a maiden national victory just laps from home. Aaron, the 16-year-old son of Glenn, was leading when his car was black-flagged for a dragging exhaust – handing victory to the rival Mitsubishi team. The double Queensland victory continues an impressive stretch of success for the defending AMChamp team who recently won the Australian four-hour enduro in Sydney as well. BMW 1M driver Beric Lynton completed a remarkable comeback from last on the grid by finishing second, following a non-finish in the opening race on Saturday night (won by Holt and Kostera). Grant and Iain Sherrin finished third and won the Class B honours, Jake Camilleri (Class C) and Keven Herben (Class D) taking their respective class victories. Hamish Hardeman won a dramatic third round of the Australian Formula Ford series, one that featured three thrilling races and three different winners. Hardeman won race two on Sunday morning after race leader, Jordan Lloyd, was collected by second-placed Nick Rowe in the final corner on the final lap – allowing Hardeman to sneak through and jump from third to first within sight of the flag.

Lloyd recovered to sixth place while Rowe was assessed a 30-second penalty for his role in the incident, with James Golding and Cameron Hill completing the podium. Golding won race three ahead of Hardeman and Lloyd, but couldn’t defeat Hardeman for the overall round victory. He does, however, lead the standings at the half-way point of the series with today’s three podium finishers locking out the first three spots in the series standings. Cameron Walters won the Formula Ford 1600 class ahead of Thomas Corbett and Michael Henrichs. Simon Hodge scored an upset victory in round five of the Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship today, defeating home-town hero Ben Gersekowski in the 18-lap feature race to extend his lead in the Gold Star standings. Gersekowski won the two preliminary races earlier in the weekend however it was Hodge who did the business in the main race on Sunday afternoon, making the best start and leading the entire duration to record his third round win of the year. Gersekowski finished second and Garnet Patterson scored an outstanding third overall whilst also locking away the Forpark National Class victory in the process. Double champion James Winslow and Chris Anthony completed the top five. Sprintcar ace-turned Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge presented by Pirelli star Jon McCorkindale dominated proceedings at Queensland raceway, sweeping all three races to take the round ahead of Fraser Ross and John Karytinos. It was the first round win for the New South Wales driver who is in just his second year of full-time circuit racing after making the transition from the dirt. Fraser Ross edged closer to a maiden GT3 Cup Challenge title with second place and was helped by the race three non-finish of John Goodacre,

who spun off the road at turn one with a puncture while holding third. Warwick driver Matt Campbell won the Class B division and sealed the class title in the process. Kane Baxter-Smith won all three races in the Dial Before You Dig Australian Super Six Touring Car Series round, taking his maiden event victory in the process. The Queensland driver won on home turf and delivered Ford their first win in some time after several rounds of Holden domination in the sixcylinder, Commodore-versus-Falcon category. Gavin Ross finished second and Jason Leoncini completed the round top three. Ford domination continued in the Kumho V8 Touring Cars series, with Ryan Simpson continuing on his merry way en-route to an extended championship lead after three rounds. After Simpson won race two, Ruggier made the best start in race three and led early before slipping off the road – allowing the dominant Falcon driver to slip past. The points leader was untroubled from there, claiming the race and round victory with Ruggier recovering from fifth to second and Drew Russell claiming third overall in his Kumho series debut. Tony Ricciardello continued his domination of the Kerrick Sports Sedan Series, but this time not even multiple champions Darren Hossack or Kerry Baily could get near him. The seven-time champion and his famous Alfa GTV crushed the strong Kerrick series field this weekend and have established a handy points margin as he seeks title number eight. Hossack and Baily completed the round podium behind the dominant Alfa-Chev. The next round of the Shannons Australian Motor Racing Nationals will see the travelling circus head south of the border, for a return visit to the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit in SouthEastern Victoria.

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ROUND 7 PHILLIP ISLAND

TELEVISION COVERAGE

SHANNONS NATIONALS TV Speedweek on Sunday at 2pm on SBS1

ROUND 7 Phillip Island Show 1

Sunday 28th September Kumho Tyres Aust V8 Touring Car Series Aust Super 6 Touring Car Series Kerrick Sports Sedan Series

Show 2

Sunday 5th October Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Radical Australia Cup Aust Sports Racer Series

Show 3

Sunday 12th October Aust Formula 3 Championship

‘SHANNONS NATIONALS’ ON FOX SPEED Visit www.thenationals.com.au for complete TV schedule LIVE INTERNET TV FROM 9.00AM ON SUNDAY via www.thenationals.com.au

LAP RECORDS

PHILLIP ISLAND GRAND PRIX CIRCUIT