Motorsport eNews Issue 205 - May 17-23, 2011

THE WORLD OF MOTORSPORT DIRECTLY TO YOUR DESKTOP

Issue No. 205 May 17 - May 23 2011

SECURED! TONIO LIUZZI TO BECOME THE FIRST ACTIVE FORMULA 1 TO RACE ON THE GOLD COAST

AMBROSE THIRD IN DOVER

REINDLER READY TO RACE

Brand new DVD! Peter Brock ” y r o l G o t d a “Ro Peter Brock loved living on the edge. From rally driver to nine-times Bathurst winner, Peter loved pushing the boundaries. Many things have been written about Peter and his achievements.

Our story covers parts of Peter’s life that are little known. We travel back to his childhood, talk to his family and some old friends that helped him in his early days of racing, from the old tractor on his uncle’s farm to the Austin A 30, then interview some of his more famous racing RSSRQHQWV FXOPLQDWLQJ ZLWK KLV ÀUVW %DWKXUVW ZLQ in the fantastic Torana XU-1 at Bathurst in 1972.

Included are interviews with Harry Firth, Colin Bond, Peter Janson, Bob Jane, Bill Tuckey and Ian Tate (Chief Mechanic for HDT).

This is a fascinating journey, with never before seen stills and family home movies, together with classic Bathurst footage from 1969, 70, 71 and 1972.

Running time approx. 90 minute with some great extras.

MA/ENEWS

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Issue No. 205 | May 17 – 23 2011

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Korea, Gold Coast, India That’s Tonio’s October!

7 Karl’s Komeback Reindler ready to race again 9 Running the Gauntlet DG wants security 12 Massa safe at Ferrari. But ...

Does that mean a race seat?

20 Stoner’s Punch’N’Win Casey smashes them in France

chat 24 Five Minutes With ...

Daniel Gaunt

comment 26 AVL: A Reindler Rant race 28 Shannons Nationals 34 Rally of Queensland 40 NASCAR 44 British Formula Ford

trade 48 Classifieds 3

LIUZZI DOES HIS DEAL

Formula 1 driver signs on for Gold Coast race with Wilson Security Racing V8 SUPERCARS

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HE Gold Coast 600 will have a current Grand Prix driver on the grid – Vitantonio Liuzzi.

Motorsport eNews has learned that the Hispania Racing driver will suit up alongside Tony D’Alberto in the Wilson Security Racing Falcon on the streets of Surfers’ Paradise on October 21-23.

The race meeting splits two events on the Formula 1 calendar, the Korean Grand Prix the preceding week and the inaugural Indian GP, the following weekend in Greater Noida.

D’Alberto gave a firm “no comment” when contacted by eNews but we believe that the Italian driver, who will be a touring car rookie, has already penned in the travel plans necessary to compete over the three successive weekends.

Known as Tonio, the 29-year-old is a driver who has had a frustrating career at the highest level.

Considered by many in the paddock to possess a great deal of natural speed, he had a stellar career in the feeder formulae, and took out the final International Formula 3000 title in 2004, before that category was wound up, to be replaced by GP2. After he joined Red Bull Racing as a test driver, he made his GP debut in 2005, at Imola, replacing Christian Klein.

The following season, he moved to Toro Rosso, but after losing his race seat, he joined Force India as a test and reserve driver. His break came when Felipe Massa was injured in 2009 and Ferrari asked Force India to release Giancarlo Fisichella to replace him. When the Italian moved, Liuzzi moved into the race seat just vacated by ‘Fisi’, and kept it for 2010.

With Paul di Resta joining Adrian Sutil at Force India this season, Liuzzi joined rear-of-the-grid Hispania, but has shown the team’s car to be a big improvement on last year’s.

Liuzzi, who this weekend is set to race in his 67th Grand Prix, has some established links with Australia. He was previously managed by Australian-born Peter Collins, once the team manager at Lotus, and now has Enrico Zanarini looking after his affairs. Zanarini was, for some years, with Alfa Romeo in Australia, and has also managed such racers as Eddie Irvine and Fisichella.

On the one hand, it may be that Liuzzi is looking to spend some time between the Asian events in a sunny environment, with nice surroundings.

On the other, it may be that Zanarini is looking for a high-profile series for his driver to consider in future years. In any event, getting a current GP driver, even one from the back half of the grid, for the GC600 is quite a coup for V8 Supercars.

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Formula Ford flies at Sandown

Tom Grech, son of former V8 Supercar tech guru Jeff Grech, took flight during a state Formula Ford race on the weekend – and DARREN BOULD was on the scene! Grech, fortunately, escaped without injury.

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LDR splits with Orr

Beasley in as TM, new car possible – but will it be a Walkinshaw?

Dirk Klynsmith

V8 SUPERCARS BRUIN Beasley will be a busy man at Winton this weekend.

Apart from his usual job of running his Minda Motorsport Formula Ford team, Beasley will take over the team manager’s role at Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport after the departure of Dean ‘Curl’ Orr, and oversee the preparation of the Warren Luffdriven car.

“At the moment, we are just putting some structures in place and we will do Winton and get through it,” said Beasley.

“We will reassess after that, they try to get a long-term plan in place.”

Beasley emphasised that he was not in a position to speak for Dumbrell, but did add that “everyone is staying put for the moment and we will go through that after

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Winton.”

He also alluded to the fact that new hardware could be in place before much longer.

“Lucas is looking at a new car, and is likely to make a decision on that. There are a few options ...”

Orr joined LDM at the start of the 2010 season, after a period away from the sport. It is thought that there have been differences of opinion between Orr, who has worked previously with Larry Perkins and Dick Johnson, and Dumbrell for some time.

In the meantime, James Courtney got to try out the Dumbrell Commodore last week. The current V8 Supercar Champion was asked to drive the older-spec Walkinshaw Performance VE as a favour to the team, and the team is expected to use

his feedback in an attempt to get more speed from the Gulf Western-backed car this weekend.

“His feedback was similar to mine,” said Luff on Monday. “It was a great opportunity to get someone else to drive the car, and to work out how we are going to unlock the speed.

“It was just to get some feedback on the car. It gives us a direction, to get that speed out of it is not that easy. That side of the deal that we have with Walkinshaw Performance, where we can access that experience, is a valuable resource.”

Luff said that the immediate change of personnel in the team will lead to “no significant changes. We are trying to pursue a direction, and we have not been able to achieve any of the results that we set ourselves for at the start of the season.”

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IT’S V8 SUPERKARL!

Reindler confident he’ll be fit for Winton V8 SUPERCARS

Dirk Klynsmith

EXPECT to see Karl Reindler back in a Brad Jones Racing-prepared Commodore this weekend at Winton.

Reindler has been given the all-clear by Perth-based burns expert Dr Fiona Wood, and will definitely compete in Friday practice at Winton. If the pain is tolerable, he will be compete for the rest of the weekend.

Reindler says he is amazed at how quickly the burns have healed since the skin graft surgery he underwent last Monday.

“I can’t believe how quickly its healed up,” he told eNews today (Monday).

“The skin grafts have taken really well. They literally grow your skin, and spray it on with a little atomiser. My left hand has healed up completely, and there is a little bit of tenderness in my right hand, but I’ve got another four days until I climb in the car, so it should be sweet.

“It’s ridiculous how quickly it healed up. The pictures don’t do it justice of how bad the burn was, and it was two weeks ago yesterday and I look brand new! The graft itself is a little bit tender, because they took it from my arm not my bum, so I can sit in the racecar properly. I’ll go into hospital tomorrow (Tuesday) for a check-up, and to get the wounds re-dressed one more time – if needed.

“I was telling everyone a week ago that I was confident I’d be back in the car, but in the back of my mind I didn’t believe it.”

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

BJR grabs ex-Bundy Commodore V8 SUPERCARS BRAD Jones Racing goes into this weekend’s rounds of the V8 Supercar Championship with something old, something new-ish and not much in blue.

The team will run its older Commodore for Karl Reindler at Winton, the West Australian stepping back into the car that he raced last season after his

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firey exit to his home races at Barbagallo.

But for Darwin, BJR expects Reindler to step into a newer VE. The team has bought the 008 chassis that was run by Walkinshaw Racing last season in Bundaberg Red colours for Andrew Thompson.

“We have three cars for three drivers and no spare,” Brad Jones said on Monday.

“Towards the end of the

season, all the teams face racing every two weeks, and you can’t do that without a spare car. There is not enough time to fix a car, should you need to, so we need to have another car.

“We will probably introduce it at Darwin for Karl to drive. We have just got the car and we are looking at what we will do now.”

In the meantime, the

team’s other two cars, Jason Bright’s BOC Gases car and the Jana Living entry of Jason Bargwanna, will be shared by the team’s co-drivers in Friday’s first endurance drivers’ session of the season. After having raced the Bargwanna #0010 chassis to second place at Albert Park, Jason Richards will steer Bright’s #011 chassis, while Andrew Jones will go orange in the Bargs car.

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Etihad gives V8s bigger wings!

V8 SUPERCARS V8 Supercars and Etihad Airways have announced a new deal that will see the National Airline of the UAE become the Official International Airline of the V8 Supercars.

After recently being granted International Status by the FIA, the V8 Supercar Championship can now extend its tally of international races to five on top of the two international

races currently held in Abu Dhabi and New Zealand.

Chairman Tony Cochrane sees the move as a big step forward for the V8 Supercar Championship.

"V8 Supercars is very pleased to announce Etihad Airways as our official international airline partner," said Cochrane.

"It is the first airline partner for our sport and we believe it is a fitting partnership between a world-class operator and a world-class sport.

"Earlier this year approximately 500 V8 Supercars personnel flew to Abu Dhabi on-board Etihad Airways flights for the Yas Marina V8 400 and our experience was second to none.

"We look forward to V8 Supercar fans being given access to exclusive deals and offers as a result of our new partnership with Etihad Airways."

Chief Executive Officer of

Etihad Airways James Hogan was also happy with the new agreement.

"Today's announcement of Etihad Airways as the official airline of V8 Supercars is a proud moment for our company.”

"It marks the beginning of an exciting global partnership between our two organisations which will take our respective brand messages to new audiences the world over.”

Class of ‘11 is in session at Winton V8 SUPERCARS THE ‘Class of 2011’ endurance drivers will get their first raceweekend hit-out this Friday, with two co-driver sessions at Winton Motor Raceway.

Most teams will be fielding their endurance drivers in the first and second practice sessions, however not all 28 drivers will be present. Overseas-based drivers David Brabham (Stone Brothers Racing), Allan Simonsen (Pepsi Max Crew) and Richard Lyons (Tekno Autosports) won’t be there, while Greg Ritter (Garry

Rogers Motorsport) will also not drive. Interestingly, Marcus Marshall has been entered in Lee Holdsworth’s car, despite the likelihood that he will drive with Michael Caruso in the endurance races. Caruso will drive in the sessions himself.

Meanwhile, neither of Dick Johnson Racing’s endurance drivers will be there (David Besnard and Matt Halliday), and David Wall (Brad Jones Racing) will also be absent.

The first two practice sessions will be run on the hard tyres, with the softer Sprint tyre being used for the remainder of the weekend.

JR BACK ON TRACK IN AUS GT AUSTRALIAN GT

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James Smith

JASON Richards will return to racing this weekend at Winton, running again as a co-driver in the VodkaO Australian GT Championship.

Richards raced in GT’s season opener at the Clipsal 500, sharing a Ferrari F430 with Maranello Motorsport’s Peter Edwards in a one-hour race.

This weekend’s second round of the series was set to be a Sprint round format, but has been adjusted to a similar format, with a one-hour race on Sunday giving teams the option to enlist a co-driver. A handful of competitors have done that, including Edwards’ team-mate, Nick O’Halloran, who will share his F430 with Richards in the longer race.

It will be Richards’ first race

since his headline-grabbing appearance in the nonchampionship V8 Supercar races at the Australian Grand Prix, as he continues his treatment for adrenal cortical carcinoma.

Carrera Cup front-runners Craig Baird and Daniel Gaunt have also been signed as codrivers. While their CupCars are

having a weekend off, the pair will join Marc Cini and Dean Grant, respectively, in GT3 Cup S Porsches.

“It’s very similar,” Gaunt said of the two Porsches.

“The new CupCar is pretty much on par with the Cup S, as far as lap speed and general feel goes. The only difference is that the Cup S has ABS. Dean

Grant drives the car very well.

If we can get a podium in the enduro race, that’s be great.”

The only other team to enter two drivers, Tim Poulton and Stig Richards will again share a Lotus. Meanwhile, Mark Seamons and Ian Palmer will return to the category and Victor Zagame will make his debut in a Porsche 997 CupCar. motorsport news

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CARRERA CUP DANIEL Gaunt is close to securing his future in the Porsche Carrera Cup, with Melbourne Performance Centre his likely home for the remainder of 2011.

Having raced for New Zealand squad Triple X Motorsport in the first round at Albert Park, Gaunt switched to MPC for Round 2 at Barbagallo Raceway, after

James Smith

GAUNT LOOKS SECURE Triple X decided not to continue in Aussie Cup Car. Initially, the deal was a oneoff, but Gaunt is now working towards keeping himself in an MPC-prepped Porsche for the rest of the season.

“I’m hoping to get a bit of money so I can get a more permanent program together,” confirmed Gaunt.

“At the moment we’re working roundby-round, but the wheels are in motion, I

just need to have it signed off. It’s work in progress.”

Gaunt will make a return to V8 Supercar racing this weekend when he competes in the enduro sessions in Tim Slade’s Stone Brothers Racing Falcon.

– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN For more with Daniel Gaunt, see ‘Five Minutes With’ on page 24.

RACES ALMOST GONE THERE is just one race left to be sponsored at Sandown’s Horsepower Hero, a full program of horse racing that will raise funds for Jason Richards’ fight against cancer.

Fujitsu, Wilson Security, Pace, Apex Construction, Norton, Telstra, ACG and Murcotts have all signed on already, with another

place going to the winner of a Bid4Jase.com auction. There is major sponsorship left for one race.

The Horsepower Hero race will be held on Wednesday May 25. For more info, head to www.teamboc.com.au or email Lucy through lucy.peacock@bradjonesracing.com.au.

Dirk Klynsmith

From Indy to Winton ...

Winslow back in OzF3 FORMULA 3 THE 2011 Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship is set to kick off with 10-12 cars at Winton this weekend.

English driver James Winslow, who won the 2008 title, will return for the season opener, driving one of the F307 Dallaras purchased by R-Tek Motorsport during the off-season.

Winslow is currently contesting the Indy Lights Championship with Andretti Autosport, and turned his maiden laps on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway last Friday ahead of the series’

race at the Brickyard at the end of the month. He’ll travel from Indianapolis to Winton, and is aiming to turn the event into a full Australian F3 program.

“I’d love to win another Gold Star,” Winslow said.

“I left Australia to chase the IndyCar dream in the USA at a time when I had testing planned with Triple 8 and drives lined up with good V8 teams, so I’m keen to pick up where I left off. With the F3 series joining the V8 package this year it makes the series a really good place to show yourself.

“I just passed my first test at

Indy last Friday in preparation for the Indy 500 support race and it was amazing – it’s a great track and one hell of a place to do my first ever oval track running!

“I’m hoping that this F3 deal will turn into a full season and potentially another Gold Star winning effort. If we can find some more support to go on with it then it could be another great season.”

Bryce Moore will race R-Tek’s other F307, while Tasmanian Josh Burdon will rejoin the team, racing an F304-model Dallara alongside Steel Guiliana in the National Class, with

Burdon and Guiliana chasing the Forpark Australia F3 Scholarship.

“It’s come together at the last minute but we’re not totally unprepared,” Burdon said.

“The three race meetings I did with the team last year will help and I’ve been working very hard on my fitness throughout the off season.”

John Magro will race an F307 prepared by Team BRM, with the reigning titlists yet to confirm their second driver.

Ireland’s Lee Farrell is also set to race, with arrangements being finalised for his return with a brand-new outfit.

Will size matter?

PRODUCTION CARS

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Rob Lang

SMALL cars dominate the entry list for the first longdistance race of the Australian Manufacturers Championship at Phillip Island on May 29.

Organisers anticipate a strong, 25-car field for the six hour race, with the bulk of the competitors coming from the classes for smaller cars.

Of the teams with their driver line-ups sorted, Wilson Brothers Racing will return to the championship, running their Subaru WRX STi, with Cameron Wilson joined by V8 Ute competitors Brad Patton and Peter Burnitt, while Matt Holt will debut in an HSV with Anthony Loscialpo. As previously reported, Garry Holt

and Barry Morcom will team up in a BMW 335i, as will John Bowe and Peter O’Donnell.

Among the smaller car ranks, Scott Nicholas will again join Jake Camilleri in his Mazda 3 MPS, pictured, Phil Kirkham will partner his son Declan in a Ford Fiesta, and Francois Jouy and Richard Gartner will team up in a Renault Clio Sport 200. Category Manager Aaron McGill’s son Matthew will share an ex-Osborne Motorsport Toyota Celica with Geoff Brundson. Ironically, it’s a car McGill raced in 2002.

“It’s come full circle!” the elder McGill said of his son’s 2011 car.

“Overall, the field looks pretty good, I wanted 30, but 25’s not a bad number.

“We’ve got three cars in

Class A and three in Class B so far, and the rest are from the smaller classes. They’ve gone through the roof with numbers, which is a real positive.”

McGill expects tyres to be a talking point throughout the six-hour enduro, having provided headaches for competitors in a sprint round at Phillip Island last month.

“Tyres will win or lose the race,” he said.

“They’re limited to 12 brand

new and four previouslymarked tyres, so it’s going to be a juggle for everybody. Setup will be critical, even in the Sprint Round there, teams were blowing front rights “I reckon there will be a lot of teams struggling to do an hour, and it’ll be about tyre stops, not fuel. Those people who don’t realise that will pay the price, they’ll be blowing tyres all around the place.”

– MITCHELL ADAM motorsport news

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THE CONCORDE ‘FOREPLAY’ BEGINS

FORMULA 1

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THE escalation battle for the future of Grand Prix racing ramped up last week, with both sides of the table using the media to make statements.

Ferrari Chairman Luca di Montezemolo has told CNN that there could be a threat of a breakaway series, once the current Concorde Agreement ends at the end of next season.

“I think we have to be very pragmatic,” said the Italian.

“At the end of 2012, the contracts of every single team with CVC will expire. So, we have three alternatives. We renew with CVC, or we theoretically – as the basketball teams did in the U.S. with great success – we create our own company, like the NBA. Just to run the races, the TV rights and so. And third, to find a different partner. Bernie Ecclestone did a very good job but he has already sold out three times, so he doesn’t own the business anymore. It is CVC that will sell. It will be the teams’ decisions.

“At the end of 2012, the contract will expire, so theoretically CVC doesn’t own anything. I think it is important to have alternatives. We will see.

We have time to do it.”

His positioning is seen in many quarters as a much bigger threat to the current status quo of GP racing than happened in the last round of contract negotiations. This time, the teams potentially have the support of News Limited, which has a much greater influence in the media than the teams and manufacturers had four years ago.

In Istanbul, Ecclestone told the media that he saw this as a part of the business of such discussions.

“There have been enough times that people wanted to do a breakaway but they haven’t succeeded up until now,” he said.

“We’ve had five or six Concorde Agreements and there are always these sorts of discussions going on beforehand. It is normal foreplay before these things happen.”

Felipe Massa safe – but ...

FORMULA 1 FELIPE Massa will be staying at Ferrari next year – but the news may not be all good for the Brazilian.

In that same interview with CNN, Ferrari’s Luca di Montezemolo said that his driver would stay with the team.

“Yes,” said di Montezemolo.

“He has a contract with us for this year and for next year, so absolutely yes. No question about it.”

But at no time did he guarantee that Massa would continue as a race driver with the team, alongside Fernando Alonso.

Massa, 30, suffered a serious head injury in 2009, when he was struck by a spring that fell off the Williams of Rubens Barrichello. He won 11 Grands Prix before the incident, and has won none since, during which time team-mate Fernando Alonso has won five GPs. motorsport news

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The Hulk goes solo FORMULA 1

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Big Updates for McLaren, Benz FORMULA 1 LOOK for changes in the silver cars at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.

According to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, Mercedes GP will follow Renault’s lead and run side-exiting exhausts, and at the same time, run its version of the flexible front wing, which has been pointed to as one of the winning secrets of Red Bull’s RB7.

“For Barcelona we have some aerodynamic

developments that should bring us a step in performance,” team boss Ross Brawn told ASM. Italy’s Autosprint said that McLaren is also planning a number of upgrades that had been planned for Turkey, including a 2011 version of a blown exhaust.

“For Turkey we’d planned to introduce a couple of useful upgrades, but for several reasons we weren’t able to get them onto the car,” the magazine quoted Jenson Button.

NICO Hulkenberg has split with his manager, Willi Weber.

The former WilliamsF1 driver, who took pole position in Brazil last year, is currently Force India’s reserve driver, after missing out on a race seat for 2011.

Hulkenberg announced in a short statement issued on his website that he will now be looking after his own affairs.

“The 23-year-old Formula 1 driver from now on takes management matters in his own hand,” said the statement.

“Both sides are currently working on a smooth changeover and on a satisfying solution for [everyone]. Hulkenberg will from now on be supported in executing his management issues by his former PR advisor Timo Gans.”

Sauber App will aid Japanese victims FORMULA 1

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YOU are a Sauber fan, and you would like to help the people of Japan. But what can you do?

Time to get out that smartphone and hit the Apps Store. Sauber has developed the You are Connected app, an electronic Formula 1 book featuring contributions from all the drivers and team

principals.

“Although the disaster attracted huge international attention in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami, other news has dominated the headlines since then,” said Sauber’s Japanese driver, Kamui Kobayashi, who organised and funded the app.

“However, the destruction in the country is so serious that it will take many years to recover

from the losses and damage. So the people in Japan need longterm support. I’d like to thank all my colleagues in Formula 1 for their contributions and hope that our e-book sells as well as possible.”

‘You are Connected’ is available here http://itunes. apple.com/app/you-areconnected/id434404290?mt=8 and will set you back $0.99.

Sounds like a winner to us.

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HONDA Racing Media

NASCAR Media

Ambrose excited

by Dover podium NASCAR

INDYCAR ED Carpenter will go into Monday’s practice day at Indianapolis full of confidence after topping the times on the opening day of practice on Saturday.

After Sunday’s session was rained out, Carpenter’s lap of 224.786mph led the times for the six-hour session on the famed 2.5-mile oval.

After he and Ganassi teammate Dario Franchitti led the

Indy still t

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he said that he was having difficulty feeling the amount of grip he had in the tyres on the concrete surface.

Meanwhile, Ambrose will make his third start in the annual Prelude to the Dream charity dirt track Late Model race at the Tony Stewartowned Eldora Speedway on June 8. Ambrose will represent the Children’s Medical Centre Dallas along with team-mates Stewart, Matt Kenseth, Brian Vickers, Aric Almirola and Dave Blaney. In his two previous attempts, Ambrose has finished 14th and 15th.

This weekend is a weekend off for the Sprint Cup, instead featuring the annual All-Star Race. Currently without a start, Ambrose will be looking to qualify through the Sprint Shootout race, or by topping the fan’s vote on NASCAR.com, which closes an hour before the race.

FORD Media

MARCOS Ambrose goes into NASCAR’s Spring stretch full of confidence after a great result in Dover at the weekend.

Ambrose stayed with the leaders for most of the race and brought his DeWaltbacked Ford Fusion home third, behind the similar car of Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin’s Hendrick Chevy.

“Today I am really excited about,” said Ambrose, who drove the same Richard Petty Motorsport chassis that he raced at Martinsville.

“We had a really good day at Darlington but it didn’t work out at the end. We had some terrible luck. We have had two top-10s on the 1.5-mile speedways this year and I am really excited that our team is learning. They are learning me and I am learning them. I am learning how these cars

work. This result today I am really excited about because I think it is going to lead to a great Charlotte, Pocono, Indy, Kansas, all those tracks coming up I feel like we are suited to those tracks and I am excited about it. We have had some rough luck and accidents and incidents out of our control.”

Ironically, Ambrose and his Todd Parrott-led crew did not make many changes to the car through the race because

Carpente

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IZOD INDYCAR Media

HONDA Racing Media

ter quick at Indy More tax strife for Helio INDYCAR

times early in the session, Scott Dixon was second fastest in his T car, while rookie JR Hildebrand was third. Helio Castroneves was the first driver out on track with team-mates Will Power and Ryan Briscoe lining up in formation, three abreast to complete their first lap.

Bricoes was fastest of the three Penske men, sixth with 223.811mph after running 29 laps. Castroneves put up the ninth fastest lap of 222.755mph in just nine laps and Power,

who completed 15 laps, was 15th overall with a speed of 221.837mph.

Practice was briefly delayed due to moisture on the backstretch from a sprinkler from the adjacent Brickyard Crossing golf course. Then later in the afternoon, a two hour delay occurred due to rain.

After 20 more minutes of green track conditions, rain ended the session 45 minutes early.

– MARY MENDEZ

the big one: Penske INDYCAR ROGER Penske has many titles and race wins as a team owner. But the one event that is the most important to him is the Indianapolis 500.

“The 500 and the success we’ve had there helped us build a brand for our business, which you couldn’t do any other way during that time, Penske told Fox Sports. “It’s paid off for us. The notoriety you get from winning the race, the ability to sell the sponsorship has given us a tremendous opportunity.”

“As far as the 100th

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anniversary, I look at every one of them the same. This is the one you want to win. It doesn’t matter how many you’ve won, you’ve still got to line it up and go again. This is important.

We won the 50th running of the Daytona 500 and this is a milestone this year.”

“We’ll have a full field with people bumping. We have all our winning cars there at the track and it’s pretty special to see them all there at one time.

It will be a whole different feel.

That event carries tremendous amount of weight there and it’s good to see it hasn’t lost that.”

– MARY MENDEZ

ALTHOUGH Helio Castroneves prevailed in criminal court when prosecuted for both tax evasion and conspiracy in 2009, the US Internal Revenue Service claims that three-time Indy 500 winner still owes over $6 million in taxes.

Castroneves was acquitted by a jury after six days of deliberation on the tax evasion charges but the jury could not reach a verdict on the conspiracy charge. When Castroneves paid the IRS $5 million in income taxes a few months after receiving his deferred payment, $15 million earned from Team Penske during 2000-2004 from the Dutch company Fintage, he thought that was the end of it.

The IRS has sent Castroneves a ‘notice of deficiency,’ indicating he still owes $3.6 million in taxes and $2.7 million in penalties for 2000-2004 on the same licensing income and fined him at a 75 percent penalty rate for fraud.

– MARY MENDEZ

Simon snubs Indy, seeks fortune in Vegas INDYCAR SIMON Pagenaud has millions of good reasons why he will miss the 100th anniversary Indy 500 race.

Although the Frenchman is not listed among the entries, it had been widely expected that he would try to make the field. He made his IndyCar debut a few weeks ago at Barber Motorsports Park, in the Dreyer & Reinbold entry, subbing for the injured Ana Beatriz. He qualified 23rd and finished eighth in the race.

But it appears that

Pagenaud will instead enter the season finale in Las Vegas driving for Highcroft Racing, the team that won the 2010 ALMS championship. Highcroft, which is competing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, plans to enter the season finale to compete for the $5million bonus.

Another driver said to be eyeing the bonus money is Scott Speed, who is driving for Dragon Racing at the Indy 500. The former Sprint Cup and Formula 1 racer is also planning to compete at Las Vegas, for the Jay Penske-owned team.

– MARY MENDEZ 15

Sera gets circuit racing debut AUSSIE RACING CARS AUSTRALIA’S leading kart racer, David Sera, will make his circuit racing debut aboard an Aussie Racing car at the Winton Motor Racing in Victoria this weekend.

Sera, who has won 11 Australian karting championships during his illustrious career, will be competing aboard a Monster

Energy-backed entry in the category.

“I’m very excited to be making my circuit racing debut this weekend,” said Sera, who has enjoyed backing from Monster Energy in his karting exploits since the middle of 2010.

“From all reports the Aussie Racing Car is similar to a Gearbox kart but with a body shell on top so hopefully it

won’t be too big of a step for me.

“I won’t actually sit in the car until Friday morning, so my main aim will be to be as competitive as I can be and if I can continually improve across the weekend I’ll be pleased.”

Over the past 12 months, Sera has been almost unstoppable on karting circuits across the world having enjoyed enormous

success in major events – including the Florida Winter Tour and the CIK Stars of Karting Series presented by Castrol EDGE. At this stage Winton is the only event locked in for Sera aboard an Aussie Racing Car, however, he is aiming to expand his racing program to incorporate all of the remaining rounds of the Championship.

FG Ute debut approaching V8 UTES THE introduction to Ford’s FG Ute to the Auto-One V8 Ute Racing Series is coming together.

The new model is set to debut in the series later this year, with a view to all of the existing BF models being replaced by the 2011 season opener. Work is ongoing on the technical specification of the FG, with Ford’s Coyote engine to be fitted to a

prototype FG Ute in the coming weeks.

“We’re gathering a fair bit of momentum at the moment,” V8 Utes Category Manager Craig Denyer told eNews.

“We’ve purchased the new Ford Coyote engine from Ford Racing, and that has been delivered to our control engine builder, which is Craig Hasted in Brisbane, and he’s just doing initial dyno work on the engine at the moment.

“The plan is that we will put

it in our 12 Hour prototype, the Ute that we ran in last year’s 12 Hour, probably within the next three to four weeks, and actually start to do some trackwork with it.

“We’re just finalising diff and gearbox options for it at the moment, which is all part of that one process, then when we come up with the final race configuration, then the rest of our teams can start their own build process on the FG.

“At Clipsal next year, they should all be on the grid.

Ideally, we’d probably like to have maybe two or three on the grid from Bathurst on this year, even just for the R&D of the Ute. “I guess it all comes down to how our initial tests go as soon as we get the engine in and where we’re at with control springs, shocks, and if there’s anything that we trip over that we haven’t foreseen.”

– MITCHELL ADAM

NATIONALS GET SPORTY SHANNONS NATIONALS EXOTIC brands like Ferrari, Lamborghini and Lotus look set to rejoin the Shannons Nationals bill, with the series planning to introduce its own ‘Pro Sports’ category at the Winton and Phillip Island rounds later this year.

Conceived as a mixture of Production Sports Car racing and ‘unrestricted’ GT vehicles, the Pro Sports category will debut at Winton this June with two mini-endurance races, tipped to be between 45minutes and one hour.

With the Australian GT 16

Championship no longer staging any rounds on the Shannons Nationals program, series director Rob Curkpatrick told Motorsport News that the new category would ‘fill a void’.

“We’re catering to existing demand,” Curkpatrick said. “We have absolutely no intention of running a full-on GT3 class; it’s never even been in the equation. But Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge has been an absolute cornerstone of the series and has been fantastic and will continue – but it’s the only sports car-style category we have.

“We are essentially looking

at Production Sports Car races but it won’t be a series – just a couple of events. Through CAMS we’ve agreed that we aren’t running a series so we will run two longer races at Winton and then a sprint round at Phillip Island but the points aren’t linked. Essentially they’ll be separate events.”

The ‘Pro Sports’ category also looks likely to be open to a wide array of vehicles, only stipulating either Over 2.5 or Under 2.5 litres as the class boundaries. There are also likely to be no parity adjustments or performance restrictions on vehicles, immediately opening

it to cars that can’t or won’t compete elsewhere.

“The competitors are telling us they just want to go out and have some fun,” Curkpatrick said. “We know the old parity argument could raise its head after a while but initially we want to strip it back and let it go.”

Organisers indicated potential entrants could include vehicles including Ted Huglin’s Lamborghini LP560, The Rod Wilson / Jim Manolios Corvette and selected cars from the NSW-based CUE Sports Car series, amongst others.

– RICHARD CRAILL motorsport news

news

KINGSLEY: LIMPING BUT NOT OUT GT3 CUP CHALLENGE

www.mnews.com.au

Mark Jones

DESPITE the fact his own car will likely never turn another lap after sustaining substantial damage at Mallala at the weekend, former Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge champion Matt Kingsley says he is intent on returning to the series at its next round in July.

Kingsley’s 996 Cup Car was heavily damaged mid-way through Race 1 at the weekend, after a high-speed crash at the Turn 5 hairpin began when Jon Trende’s car was pitched into a high speed spin half way down the back straight.

Trende dropped a wheel off the circuit at an indicated 235kmh and was a hapless passenger as he bounced across the infield, before colliding heavily with Kingsley’s car as he was exiting the

northern hairpin engaged in a dice for the race lead with Jeff Bobik.

Trende – who was one of the first to check Kingsley’s condition after the accident – emerged from the wreckage unscathed however Kingsley was taken to hospital for precautionary checks.

“I’ve got a lot of bruising, a badly swollen foot with bruised bones as well, and a sore neck – but aside from that I’m fine!” he told eNews after returning to the circuit, on crutches, Sunday morning.

“There’s nothing broken, which was my biggest fear.

The car did its job because it was a pretty big hit. Donny (Kingsley’s father) tried to warn me on the radio something was happening but there wasn’t time and it came from nowhere.

The hit was a big surprise but Jon I are both fine so that’s the

main thing.”

The force of the impact and the fact Kingsley’s car had already copped several substantial hits to the front of the chassis has left his team investigating options for the future. Despite the obvious setback, the Queenslander told eNews that he was already looking at ways of getting back on track.

“We have been offered

another 996 shell and I think the best scenario is that we use that and the mechanicals out of the current car, which are all fine, to build one out of the two,” he said.

“Our car has had a couple of really big hits so it’s really not feasible to rebuild it again. It’s been a good car but it’s now had one hit too many so I think it’s time it was retired.”

– RICHARD CRAILL

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James Smith

VZs IN FOR V8 TOURING CARS V8 UTES

THE VZ Commodore will be introduced to the Kumho Tyres V8 Touring Car series eligibility list next year – but Ford fans will have to wait a bit longer to see the BF Ford Falcon compete in the fledgling series.

Delays in V8 Supercars’ introduction of the Car of the Future has seen the category organisers adapt their own regulations to suit, and with BF Falcons expected to remain in Fujitsu series competition for longer, V8TC officials have elected to delay their introduction into the third-tier V8s.

“Basically the delay in introducing the Car of the Future means the BFs will be being used elsewhere for longer,” V8 Touring Cars Commercial manager and Shannons Nationals director Rob Curkpatrick told eNews.

“That doesn’t stop people buying a

BF and then convert it to a BA (which involves the removal of the sequential gearbox as per V8 Touring Car regulations) which is quite legitimate and exactly what Chris Smerdon has done successfully. They can then convert back to a BF down the track when they are allowed in.

“At this stage we’ll look at the introduction of the BF in two years. It’s as much about eligibility as it is for the competitors. They want the status quo retained and some stability which is perfectly understandable.”

VZ Commodores will become eligible next season with two already running, though both have been converted to in VY specifications.

“Matt Hansen’s car was originally an HRT VY, so it will have to remain like that, but Jim Pollicina’s car was built as a VZ so they can return it in that specification next year.”

Curkpatrick said the series was intent on retaining the status-quo for the time being to allow it to continue its rapid growth as seen this year – where grids have expanded from single figures last year to the mid -to-high teens seen in the two rounds contested so far this year.

“It’s working now, so why mess with it?,” Curkpatrick said.

“We keep an eye on these things and can adapt quickly if we need to, but right now we’re sticking with H-pattern gearboxes, staying away from running E85 fuel and keeping things as they are to let the series grow.

“We’ve had a continual dialogue with V8 Supercars. This series serves a purpose for them because there are no ‘historic’ V8 Supercars, but V8 Touring Cars is a place for them to go and race and bee utilised. They are supportive of it.”

– RICHARD CRAILL

BLANCHARD BACK IN A UTE V8 UTES

Dirk Klynsmith

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CURRENT Fujitsu V8 Supercar racer Tim Blanchard will make his second appearance in the Auto One V8 Ute Racing Series driving the Wildcard entry for Round 3 at Hidden Valley.

The 2007 Australian Formula Ford champion will be driving the Steve Hodgesowned Holden VE, which

was driven by Sean Carter at the Clipsal 500 and Nathan Callaghan at Barbagallo.

Blanchard says he’s looking forward to the challenge of driving a Ute again, despite the differing driving styles between the Ute and his regular Team Jayco Supercar.

“It’s a nice compliment to be the Auto One Wildcard driver,” says Blanchard.

“I enjoyed driving the V8 Utes at the Gold Coast last year. The brakes, gearbox,

everything is quite different to V8 Supercars. It requires a different style of driving.

“I’ll be looking to run inside the top 10. If I can come home with a straight car, which can be hard sometimes, I think a top 10 result is quite achievable.”

Blanchard made his V8 Ute debut at the Armor All Gold Coast 600 last October, where he finished the weekend in 19th place.

–CALLUM BRANAGAN motorsport news

*See www.mymagazines.com.au for the latest offer.

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19

Pedrosa’s OTHER collarbone!

MOTOGP DANI Pedrosa faces his second collarbone surgery in five weeks after crashing out of the French Grand Prix on Sunday.

The Spaniard broke his left collarbone in a controversial crash involving Marco Simoncelli. The two Honda riders were fighting for second place behind the Australian Casey Stoner when they clashed, leaving the Repsol rider tumbling down the pavement. When he sat up he immediately grabbed his right collarbone and a break was confirmed by the time Stoner was taking the chequered flag.

Simoncelli was issued with a ridethrough penalty, which he served, and he finished fifth in the race.

A furious Pedrosa explained his view after the race.

“Simoncelli overtook me, I passed him back and I had the better line, he just came into me releasing the brakes and I could do nothing. I leave here with a broken collarbone and he with a ride through penalty – good for him! Yet again I come out worse off. We only just recovered from the nightmare of the last operation and now I’m hurt again. It is very unfair, I don’t deserve it".

After the race, Simoncelli defended his move.

“In my opinion the incident went like this,” he said.

“Pedrosa was having a bit of difficulty – I had pulled alongside him and passed him on the previous three laps. When he passed me back I was not intentionally trying to resist, and my telemetry shows that I got on the brakes at the same point as on previous laps. I think that he had hit the brakes well before the corner, and

I found myself on the outside of him and in front on the entry to the corner. I didn't want to back off, so I left him with a metre between myself and the kerb in order to go in.

“I saw that it was tight, so I tried to adjust my position. That was when he touched my back wheel and went down.

I repeat that I am unhappy about it, and I want to avoid any controversy regarding penalisation, but I believe that my ride through was a result of all the talk over the past few days. Now I have to focus on Barcelona.”

A decision about Pedrosa’s treatment will be made in Barcelona on Monday. He is expected to have a plate inserted and be fit to race in his home race on June 5. Last month, he underwent surgery to have a plate removed from his other collarbone.

Punchy Stoner says Sorry MOTOGP

CASEY Stoner and Randy de Puniet are mates again after an on-track incident in France.

The former World champion was fined 5000 euros ($6675) for punching the Frenchman after a clash during the raceday wamup at Le Mans.

The Repsol rider found de Puniet’s Ducati on the line, while he was making adjustments to his bike.

“I’m sorry about what happened this morning with

Casey,” said de Puniet. “I was adjusting the brake, thinking that I had no one behind.

“Then, suddenly, I saw Casey coming behind me at full speed. I tried to leave the road to him, but unfortunately I went where he was pointing.

“I’m sorry and even if his reaction was not the best, for me it’s all put in the past and I have nothing against him.”

The Aussie was fairly contrite after the incident.

“I went and spoke to Randy, and he apologised

immediately,” he said. “I then of course felt bad, so I apologised.

“I still wasn’t really happy with the situation because when you’re going over 200kmh and somebody else is going a lot slower – more than 100kmh slower – and at the last moment they pull across where you’re going, it’s not such a nice moment.

“The only way I had to go was there. You couldn’t see it on the film, but two metres to my right was the edge of

the track and the wall, so if something had happened then, it wasn’t going to be the best option.

“I apologised to him, we spoke a little bit and we have no problems. And that was as far as it went. But we still got penalised for it ...”

Stoner had his revenge in the race, though, taking a 15s win, while de Puniet crashed out early on.

Honda Racing

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DRAG RACING HIDDEN Valley Drag Strip was officially re-opened on Saturday night, playing host to eight Top Doorslammer teams from across Australia as part of the Macmahon Grand Re-Opening presented by 7mate.

Travelling to Darwin purely to be part of the re-opening,

it was a welcome change for the Doorslammer teams from the pace of the ANDRA Pro Series to be part of a relaxed racing environment, with several teams trying a spot of Territory fishing during their down time.

The Doorslammer teams were surprised at the quality of the new venue with the level of traction on hand

catching some out as they chased car set-ups. The finals of Top Doorslammer saw a repeat of the Sydney Nitro Champs from last month, with Peter Kapiris taking on John Zappia, pictured.

Kapiris ran a 6.051s at 231mph, but Zappia ran his fastest time of the event, a 5.909s at 238.17mph to take the win and the official track

John Bosher

Hidden Valley back in action

record.

Western Australia’s Marty Dack was also racing in his Auto One Falcon and was the third quickest driver with a 6.24s clocking. Racing returns to Hidden Valley Drag Strip for the Beat the Heat Off Street event on 24 June and the next round of the Track Championships on 2 July.

– LUKE NIEUWHOF

NITRO CHAMPS RECORDS IN THE BOOKS DRAG RACING ANDRA has officially ratified six new national records from the Nitro Champs in Sydney.

Records can only be set at

22

ANDRA Pro Series and Rocket Allstars Racing Series events and must be backed up within 1%.

In Super Stock, Tony Caroscio took the C/MSA record down again to 9.938s,

while Darren Parker set the B/APA speed record to 179.85mph. In Super Compact, Po Tung demolished AA/OM at both ends with a 7.656s and 182.28mph, while Joe Signorelli also reset both ends

of AA/SC with a 6.476s at 216.65mph.

Peter Everett, meanwhile, gave the speed record in D/ SB a shove with a 137.74mph clocking.

– LUKE NIEUWHOF

motorsport news

news

John Morris / Mpix

Tremayne and Newcombe set to duke it out DRAG RACING

John Bosher

THE ANDRA Pro Series category of Pro Stock will boast not only the largest Pro field of the season-ending Castrol EDGE Winternationals at Willowbank Raceway over June 10-13, but also the tightest battle for the championship.

Defending champion Aaron Tremayne is just 14 points ahead of fellow Queenslander Dave Newcombe, as an expected 20-plus Pro Stockers get ready for the largest drag racing event held outside of the US. Tremayne said he was feeling the pressure heading into the event.

“This season so far has been challenging, up to the Nitro Champs I had a good run winning both of the completed meetings, but the championship is really close – it’s really between myself, Dave (Newcombe) and Jason (Hedges),” said Tremayne, above.

“Dave is the biggest danger as he is very much in reach points-

wise and with reports that he will debut a new car and engine he will be hard to beat.

I have great respect for him as a racer, his reaction times are excellent, he drives well and is very consistent and that is what wins championships.

“Willowbank has a great racing surface, and with the conditions at this time of year Pro Stock has the prime opportunity to really shine – the track is killer, and even if you miss your set-up you still have the opportunity to go fast.”

Tremayne knows the first six-second run in Pro Stock is up for grabs at this event given the near ideal conditions the Winternationals usually provides.

“If the conditions are right I think you will see your first ‘six second’ pass,” he said “Hopefully it will be either myself of my brother Tyronne who sets it, but I also think John Barbagallo, Lee Bektash, Andrew Stavroulakis, Peter Ridgeway and Nick Xerakias are also ones to watch closely! It is going to be great racing.”

Dave Newcombe did himself a big favour at the recent Nitro Champs to reduce his gap to the leader from 73 to just 14 points, courtesy of an event win while Tremayne bowed out in Round 2.

“Hopefully I just haven’t used up all of my luck, as I want to carry some into the Winternationals, where I am in two minds as to whether to stick to the current set-up and

shoot for the championship, or to switch to my new car and try and run the first six second Australian Pro Stock pass,” Newcombe, inset, said.

“This year really should see that milestone surpassed, and I believe there a few teams capable of it so my crew and I are still tossing up whether there would be more fame in the record or the title.”

– LUKE NIEUWHOF

Next ANDRA Pro Series Round: 2011 Castrol EDGE Winternationals Willowbank Raceway, June 9-12 ANDRA Pro Series on TV: Friday May 20, Top Alcohol, Nitro Champs www.mnews.com.au

23

FIVE MINUTES WITH ...

DANIEL GAUNT

After a messy divorce with Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport last year, Daniel Gaunt will return to V8 Supercars this weekend at Winton in the enduro session, driving Tim Slade’s SBR-prepped Falcon. He spoke to ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN about it MOTORSPORT NEWS: You probably don’t have the best memories from your last foray into V8 Supercar racing; is it going to be nice to get back in a car, on a race weekend, and hit the reset button?

DANIEL GAUNT: Yeah, I’m really looking forward to doing that! I stayed back after Perth and did a ride day in the car on some old tyres, and even then the car was great. It wasn’t an accident every time I hit the brakes! You know, it was doing everything right, everything a good car should do.

So I’m looking forward to getting in the car. It might only be two races this year, but now I know that it’s better to do two races in a good car than a whole season in a bad one.

it’s not a test session, its part of a race weekend.

Also, the main game will be racing on soft tyres, and the first two practice session will be run on hards, so there isn’t a lot to be gained, set-up wise, out of it.

If there was something fundamentally wrong with the car, we’d work on it, but other than that it will just be lapping. Tim is not quite in the Top 50 percent, so he’ll jump in the car for a few laps in those first two sessions too, just to get his eye in.

Driving a Porsche is very, very different to a V8 Supercar; is it beneficial to have

You’ve done a few laps at Winton as well in V8s, so you should be able slot in and be reasonably comfortable reasonably quickly.

Look, it’s not qualifying or anything, it’s just a case of getting some miles. That’s my approach for Friday. The best thing I can do is get as many miles as I can, as many miles as the team will give me, and then hand the car over to Tim in a nice, clean state, so he can get ready for his weekend.

We hear a lot about these enduro driver sessions, but is there any sort of program that you work to, or is it as simple as just doing laps?

It’s just a matter of getting miles, particularly this weekend, because 24

What’s happening with the Porsche program? Now Triple X has pulled out, what happens from here?

I’m hoping to get a bit of money so I can get a more permanent program together.

Serge Mironenko

You did that short stint in the Commodore, but you’ve driven plenty of Stone Brothers Racing Falcons in the past as well. Did it feel pretty familiar when you hopped in Sladey’s car in Perth?

Yeah, it did. Wes [McDougall] is the same engineer that I had when I drove for SBR in 2009, so it is great to have instant familiarisation through continuity.

It’s got to be good for your versatility as a driver ...

As everyone says, you can’t beat miles around Bathurst – it doesn’t matter what you’re doing them in. So it is a bonus to be racing there on the same weekend. It might not be easy, but it is a bonus. It gives you a chance to have a good look around before you’re in the thick of things on the Sunday.

the extra laps, or do you feel like the Carrera Cup doesn’t help you at all when it comes to V8s?

I think racing just helps you in general. It keeps you race sharp.

Phillip Island and Bathurst will be very busy weekend, much busier than any other weekend across the season. And you also have to remember that the Porsche is rear-engine, left-hand drive, and the V8 is front-engine, right-hand drive. So it is very different. But you get plenty of miles in both, and there is a few of us doing it, so it should be okay.

At the end of the day, Jim Richards did it pretty well, and he’s the guy we idiolise.

At the moment we’re working round-byround, but the wheels are in motion, I just need to have it signed off. It’s work in progress.

Along with the V8 this weekend, you’ll be racing a Porsche Cup S in the GT race.

How different is the Cup S to the Cup Car? It’s very similar. The new Cup Car is pretty much on par with the Cup S, as far as lap speed and general feel goes. The only difference is that the Cup S has ABS. Dean Grant drives the car very well. If we can get a podium in the enduro race, that’s be great. motorsport news

chat

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WHY ‘THE CRASH’ WON’T AFFECT KARL REINDLER OPINION

K

Andrew van Leeuwen – eNews Editor

ARL Reindler faces a big challenge in a few days time.

If he gets final clearance to race this weekend – and that’s looking increasingly likely – he’ll have to pull Nomex gloves over his scarred hands, and allow himself to be strapped in to the claustrophobic cockpit of a V8 Supercar. As his engineer plugs all the ancillary objects into his suit and helmet, the cool suit, drink bottle, radio, helmet fan, he’ll be forced to remember how these little buckles, clips and plugs were holding him into a burning shell just three weeks earlier.

And it won’t bother him one little bit.

How do I know? Because I’ve known Karl for a long, long time, and when he tells me something, I believe him.

Quite a few years ago now I was in the final year of university, and scraping together cash and experience by doing some motor racing stuff for The West Australian newspaper in Perth.

Karl was racing Formula 3 in England, and on one of his brief visits home we caught up for an interview for the paper. Eventually, we got on to the subject of a massive Formula Vee crash that Karl once had at Barbagallo Raceway, and he explained how he’d hauled himself out of the spinal unit, back into a racing car, and subsequently won an Australian Formula 3 Championship and went on to race cars on the other side of the world. I always thought, having heard it first person, it was an impressive feat.

That’s why I have no doubt that Karl will, once again, find the strength to forget about what happened at Barbagallo Raceway a little over two weeks ago and just go racing, business as usual. I even asked him, just today, if he would have any dramas hopping back into the car.

“From a confidence point of view? Hell no,” he said.

“If I’d come off the track, made a mistake, and www.mnews.com.au

hit a wall, then that would dent my confidence.

But because it happened at the start, as bad as it was and as bad as it could have been, it hasn’t dented my confidence to drive the car, if you know what I mean. I was stationary when it happened. I’m just excited to get back in the car again.”

It’s a strange thing to say, but the fact that Karl has had a ‘big one’ before has probably helped him a little bit. You could almost call it crash experience. He already understands how badly the human body can be affected by a broken racing car – last time it was damage to his spine and pretty severe blood loss. But he also knows that the body can heal, and as long as you keep your mind in the zone, you can get back up to speed very, very quickly.

“The last crash was a spinal injury, so you can’t really compare the two,” he added.

“I don’t like being in either situation! Which one was worse? Well, they were both pretty spectacular. It’s hard to say; I’ll have more longterm dramas with this. For instance, I’ll have to wear a glove on my hand for the next 18 months.

“What I remember last time is that you have to keep busy after the crash. Because it was a spinal injury, I was laying there doing nothing.

This time, the media has been on my case, so it’s been tough, but it’s been good, because I’ve been so busy. I haven’t had time to dwell on it.”

So that’s how I know that this crash won’t affect Karl Reindler at Winton this weekend.

He has the mental strength to shrug it off and get on with his racing. He even has the mental strength to shrug off the permanent effects of the crash.

“Every time I look down I will have a reminder, because of the scar tissue on my hand. But chicks dig scars (laughs). Wait, don’t quote me on that.”

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SHANNONS NATIONALS ROUND 2, MALLALA, SA

Back in town

The ever-growing Kumho V8 Touring Car Series brought a reminder of Mallala’s V8 history back to the South Australian circuit during Round 2 of the Shannons Nationals. RICHARD CRAILL reports

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motorsport news

race

Phil Williams

www.mnews.com.au

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Phil Williams

V8 TOURING CARS

I

F South Australian racing fans had forgotten what a big field of V8’s looked like at Mallala Raceway – it has, after all, been nearly five years since the last stand-alone Fujitsu Series round was held at the circuit – they were quickly reminded at the weekend thanks to the Kumho Tyres V8 Touring Car series.

And those on hand to witness the V8’s return to Mallala also got the additional fun of watching a local, Chris Smerdon, winning two of the three races and closing to within one point of series leader (and Round 1 winner) Scott Loadsman.

“It’s been a good year and a half since I’ve won anything, and about two since I’ve won a round so I’m very pleased,” Smerdon said on the podium.

“I didn’t do a very good job at Wakefield Park so to bounce back here is very good, especially at my home track. The car felt really good in that final race and it’s about the best it’s been, so I’m really pleased.”

Smerdon qualified on pole and topped the subsequent Time Attack shootout session before making a clean start to 30

the first 14-lap race, held on Saturday afternoon in near-perfect conditions.

Whilst Smerdon was pulling away, his teammate Terry Wyhoon was charging through the field after starting from the back of the grid after his similar Ford broke a tailshaft in qualifying.

A flying Wyhoon took only seven laps to catch and pass third-placed Justin Garioch, who ran off the circuit at Turn 3 as the pair battled side by side. Loadsman took advantage of Garioch’s misfortune to latch himself onto the tail of Wyhoon’s car in what had now evolved into a seven-car battle for third through 10th positions.

Loadsman slipped by Wyhoon into Turn 7 but the experienced Ford driver quickly switched back and retook the place, one he would hold to the flag behind an unchallenged Smerdon and a pleased Michael Bartsch – who snared his best ever V8TC race result at a circuit just 30 minutes from his Barossa Valley home.

Race 2 had more of the same, but this time it was Wyhoon who led from the front thanks to a brilliant start that saw him dispose of both Bartsch and Smerdon before the field even got to Turn 1.

The Falcon team-mates ran nose to tail on the opening lap, whilst Bartsch – having dropped to fourth – moved back to third on Lap 3 when he pulled a nice move on Loadsman at the hairpin.

Loadsman returned serve on Lap 8, but by now Smerdon had dropped back into a dice for third and was aggressively overtaken by the Holden driver, Bartsch and Mark Shepherd’s similar Falcon.

Smerdon would recover to finish the race fourth, but the focus was now on the battle for the lead as Loadsman broke the lap record in pursuit of Wyhoon’s Falcon, only falling short by a little over a second at the end of an entertaining 14 laps.

But from there it turned sour for Wyhoon. After an initially delayed start, he stalled on the grid at the beginning of Race 3, and had to go about another charge through the pack. He could only recover to fifth – allowing Smerdon to take a trouble-free race win and seal the round win, with Loadsman second and Bartsch third for the race and round overall.

Points: Loadsman 219, Smerdon 218, Wyhoon 179, Bartsch 142, J. Garioch 117. motorsport news

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James Smith

Chris Smerdon, left, gave the locals a hometown winner, and he’s now just one point behind series leader Scott Loadsman, above.

Michael Bartsch, right, had his best V8TC weekend, while Terry Wyhoon, below, won a race but had some setbacks.

James Smith Phil Williams

www.mnews.com.au

31

James Smith

SHANNONS NATIONALS

T

ONY Ricciardello has shown that a tough year in V8 Supercars did nothing to stifle his incredible ability to win in the Kerrick Sports Sedan series after sweeping to his third Clem Smith Cup race from four attempts at Mallala’s Shannons Nationals round.

Ricciardello (who had earlier won the first heat) faced serious pressure from Camaro driver Scott Butler early in the series’ marquee race, named after the circuit

32

owner, but never really looked troubled enroute to the victory. Butler was second a strong Dean Camm third in his Corvette.

Butler then put on a show early in the final race, with Ricciardello – struggling with tyres – slipping to second at half-race before ceding third to Jeff Barnes on the penultimate lap. Still, the Clem Smith Cup is the one they want to win and the Alfa driver was pleased to return so strongly to Australia’s quickest ‘tin tops’.

“You forget how hard these things are to drive,” Ricciardello quipped after the race.

“I pinched a nerve in my back earlier in the week and it was making life difficult in the race. Scott (Butler) put me under some pressure early on and in the end it was a good battle. It’s always great to win the Clem Smith Sup and they put on a great show here.”

An often controversial and incident-filled second round of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge included the series’ 50th race, held on the Saturday afternoon.

That landmark race was also one of the more dramatic thanks to a massive crash motorsport news

race

Phil Williams

Scott Butler, above, took a win off Tony Ricciardello in Sport Sedans, Roger Lago, below left, won the action-packed Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge round and Rex McCutcheon, below, claimed the maiden honours in the new Swift Australia Series. Neil Corey, bottom left, and Rob Surman, bottom right, won HQs and Vees, respectively.

James Smith

James Smith

Phil Williams

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Dirk PhilKlynsmith Williams

involving Jon Trende and Matt Kingsley, with Trende a passenger as his car spun across the infield and directly into the path of Kingsley’s leaving both cars wrecked after coming together at the Northern Hairpin (see news story).

Bobik led from pole position in a wellmeasured drive to take the race win, with Lago second despite not showing leading pace after his tyres went off early in the race. Terry Knight – the only driver in the field to have started each one of the series 50 races – finished a delighted third.

Sunday offered more drama, with Bobik and Lago coming together on the penultimate lap of Race 2 after a race long battle for the lead. Lago ran slightly wide in the final hairpin and Bobik made contact with the right rear of the leader, turning the defending champion around and later receiving a time penalty for the indiscretion.

Bobik bounced back to win the final race with Lago second – and the overall winner thanks to Bobik’s penalty – and Knight delighted to get his first Mallala trophy by virtue of winning the 996 class.

New Zealander Rex McCutcheon won the debut of the Swift Australia series, winning two of the three races and taking pole position. Jesse Dixon was second for the round and Morgan Haber third after some competitive racing despite a slim seven-car field on the series’ debut.

In the local HQ Holdens, Neil Corey won three of the four races – Bruce Heinrich won the other – whilst Rob Surman’s two wins in the Formula Vee races gave him the weekend, Nicholas Pavan and Bo Jensen sharing a win each.

33

BOSCH AUSTRALIAN RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 2 – RALLY OF QUEENSLAND

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motorsport news

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LAST GASP HERO

Ryan Smart only led one stage during two day’s of action at the International Rally of Queensland. Lucky for him it was the last stage ...

Marcel Stawiczny

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AUSTRALIAN RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

I

T all came down to the last stage, but Ryan Smart and John Allen increased their lead in the Bosch Australian Rally Championship with victory in Queensland.

While Smart had set the pace at the season-opening rally in Western Australia recently, in Queensland, the Toyota driver found himself out-paced for most of the event. In fact, it looked as if it would be a Mitsubishi cakewalk – until Smart pulled out one heck of a final stage to go from third to place to a 13.4s win!

Making Smart’s win even more impressive was the dog of a day that he faced on Saturday, when he had to drive through an engine misfire, a broken power steering belt, and a sheared differential bolt to take third for the heat and keep himself in touch with the leaders.

“The competition was 36

unbelievable, just two seconds between the top three cars going into the final stage, it was amazing,” said Smart.

“We had a crack at it in Heat 1 and had everything thrown at us, and I threw it off the road, but we got it in the end. We’re absolutely stoked at winning our home event and, it’s going to be a big party tonight.”

Obviously, Smart’s last-gasp win meant heartbreak for Justin Dowell and Mark Pedder. The two Mistubishi drivers had gone hammer-and-tong throughout the event. First, Pedder led after Dowell stalled at the start of SS1, but it only lasted until the end of the first heat, by which time Dowell was back in control. By the mid-way point of Heat 2, Pedder was back in control, before Dowell reduced the gap to 1.5s heading into the final stage. And then Smart came along, stole the win, and

left Dowell and Pedder, quite remarkably, tied for second place!

“Obviously we had a real chance for our first ARC win, but we couldn’t match Ryan’s pace today and he thoroughly deserves the win,” said Pedder at the finish.

“We had an absolute ball today – this is exactly what I love about this sport – tough, rugged stages and extremely close competition, where every second counts.

“Our result today means our fourth podium result in a row, and I know our first win is not far away. We got another big bunch of championship points, and we look forward to a muchneeded 10-week rest before Scouts Rally SA in late July.”

Steven Shepheard and John Goasdoue made it three Queenslanders in the Top 5 with fourth and fifth respectively. motorsport news

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Marcel Stawiczny Marcel Stawiczny

Jeremy Rogers

Smart Move: Ryan Smart had to push to the limit, above left, but in the end he came home with the goods.

Meanwhile, with Justin Dowell, top, and Mark Pedder, above, finishing equal second, it was pretty crowed on the second step of the podium, left. Still, it could have been worse, below.

Jeremy Rogers

Marcel Stawiczny

www.mnews.com.au

37

ASIA-PACIFIC RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

Marcel Stawiczny

Marcel Stawiczny

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motorsport news

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Jeremy Rogers

Jeremy Rogers

L

Higgo’s Heroics: Mark Higgins, left, played a slow and steady approach to the Rally of Queensland, and took home the points! Chris Atkinson was very fast early on, above, but didn’t make it to the finish thanks to electrical problems. Alistair McRae suffered the same fate in the sister Proton, bottom left, while Gaurav Gill held on for second in the MRF Mitsubishi, below.

IKE Ryan Smart in the Australian Rally Championship component of the event, Mark Higgins was not the pace-setter in the AsiaPacific Rally Championship class – but he did head home with the trophy.

The Briton waited until the last stage of the event to make his move, turning a 1.4s deficit to his team-mate Guarav Gill into a whopping 15s win, all in the space of 34 kilometres.

According to Higgins, the slow start was simply a case of playing himself in to the tricky Queensland roads.

“We were the only one who hadn’t been here before, so it took a little while to get up my confidence, particularly on the quick stuff,” he said.

“But eventually I was able to get there and today we picked up three stage wins to put us in a strong position for the final fight. It’s great for Ieuan (Thomas, Higgins’ co-driver) and I to win here. It’s a great event and a great series and we’re looking forward to getting to the next www.mnews.com.au

round in New Caledonia.”

Gill came home second, ahead of defending APRC Champ Katsu Taguchi.

“We had a terrific fight today with Mark,” said Gill.

“We threw everything we had at it, but Mark was too good. It was a terrific rally.”

For the Australians in the field, there was heartbreak. Chris Atkinson came into his home event as the red hot favourite, having taken victory in Malaysia recently, but was out of the running on SS4 when his Proton had a big drink of water at the water splash and subsequently died.

“We’re all disappointed with what happened in Queensland,” he said.

“We showed such tremendous pace early on, but it wasn’t to be. This can be a tough sport sometimes. The positives from here are the way the cars were running; we were one-two without too much trouble.

Just looking at the times we were doing in the superspecials compared with last year, we’ve pulled five seconds out of some of

the guys, in just a couple of kilometres.”

His Proton team-mate, Perth-based Alistair McRae, was seemingly on for victory until an alternator problem dropped him to fourth very late in the piece.

“At the end of the opening day, things were looking good for Bill [Hayes, McRae’s co-driver] and I,” said the Scot.

“We’d had an electrical issue of our own on the opening day, which had cost us 50 seconds, but we’d battled back and we were leading. I was happy with that.

“When we had the alternator problem on the next day, fourth was the result.

Championship-wise, the results haven’t shaken out too badly for us, so we’re still in the fight for this year’s title – and, again, the car is showing real potential.”

Meanwhile, Coffs Harbour’s Nathan Quinn was one of the surprise packages of the event, leading the APRC times for much of Saturday’s running. He was eventually ruled out with an engine problem.

39

NASCAR ROUND 11 – DOVER, DE

When a Plan co

NASCAR Media

NASCAR Media

40

motorsport news

race

comes Together Matt Kenseth and the Roush Fenway team found out at Dover that improvising race strategy, on the run, can work out a treat

W

INNING big-time, professional motor races comes only after countless hours of planning, long sessions working out what a team will do, when they will do it and how best to cover, and take advantage on each and every situation that a race might throw at you.

Or, not.

Matt Kenseth won at Dover.

He was in contention for the victory when a yellow flag flew on lap 363. Kenseth nosed his car into pitlane and both driver and crew

NASCAR Media

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chief Jimmy Fennig were firm with what was going to happen next – four tyres.

“Honestly, I was sitting on the track and thinking that we should stay out and get clean air and try it, because I knew we wouldn’t win if we took four [tyres],” Kenseth said. “ Jimmy wanted four, but as I was driving down pit road, I thought maybe we could compromise.

“While I was on the jack, I asked if he was sure we didn’t want to try two, and he said to put on two.”

Matt finish: Matt Kenseth celebrates a victor y achieved via an on-the-run strategy, main, opposite.

Kenseth lines up Mark Mar tin to grab the lead in the closing stages, centre left.

41

So, the crew did not bother with the inside tyres, sent Kenseth back into battle with two only and crossed their fingers.

That was the pivotal moment of the race. At the final restart, Kenseth was outside Mark Martin, who had stayed on the track for position, and the Ford quickly bounded away from the Hendrick Chevy. Carl Edwards, who looked to be the man likely to win the race, was back in ninth position, on four tyres, and his speed advantage only got him as far as seventh.

And that is how it finished.

The other man who looked a possible winner, Jimmie Johnson, was ninth, losing time in the pits after having absolutely dominated the first half of the race. The Lowe’s car started from the pole and Johnson looked set to take a dominant win, while the other car that looked

42

to have winning speed, AJ Allmendinger’s, was out of the race with a dropped cylinder.

But that did not mean it was a bad day for Richard Petty.

Marcos Ambrose started ninth, stayed with the leaders for most of the race and his crew also made a two-tyre call at the final pitstop. It paid off, the Tasmania finishing third, his best result since his return to the Ford fold at the start of the season.

“I have good feel on these concrete tracks,” Ambrose

explained after the race. “Some of these issues for me when I am having a bad day I have trouble feeling each tyre. I feel like the car is slipping around and I can’t really feel which one it is. On concrete I think it is the steeper banking that

helps me feel the tyres. Today was a tough day though. The track was changing every run throughout the run. The car was getting really slick on that rubber. It wasn’t much you could do. You couldn’t ask for much change on the car

Dover over: Kyle Busch and Paul Menard two wide on the Dover banking, above. AJ Allmendinger was looking strong until his engine failed, far right.

One of the beneficiaries of Allemdinger ’s woes was third-placed Marcos Ambrose, here leading Carl Edwards, right.

motorsport news

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TOYOTA Media NASCAR Media

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because you knew it would be that way all day. You just had to change your line and keep searching.”

The result moves Ambrose up two places to 20th in the overall Sprint Cup points standings.

9LZ\S[Z !! -LK,_ ILULÄ[[PUN (\[PZT :WLHRZ Pos. No. 1 17 2 5 3 9 4 18 5 83 6 33 7 99 8 56 9 48 10 29

Driver Matt Kenseth Mark Martin Marcos Ambrose Kyle Busch Brian Vickers Clint Bowyer Carl Edwards Martin Truex Jr. Jimmie Johnson Kevin Harvick

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Top 10 Points:

Edwards 416, Johnson 392, Ky Busch 379, Earnhardt 364, Harvick 362, Kenseth 342, Newman 340, Bowyer/Ku Busch 336, Stewart 328, Ambrose 281 (20th).

NEED TO JOIN A CAR CLUB TO GET YOUR CAMS LICENSE? No matter what car you drive, Formula Ford Association membership is a cost effective way to get you on track.

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43

Rob Lang

Wet & Wild Sandown VICTORIA CLAMIATIC weather greeted the drivers at Sandown International Raceway for Round 2 of the Victorian State Circuit Racing Championships.

After a weekend littered with incidents, a frustrated Formula Ford field was led home by Josh Hunter, after team-mate Matthew Brabham was left stranded on the line with clutch troubles at the start of Race 3. Greg Woodrow

collected the Kent honours after main rival Scott Andrews also retired citing clutch issues in his Spectrum.

Ash Quiddington took out the Formula Vee silverware after stepping into the JRD Sabre 02 for the first time.

Maddison Gray, meanwhile, had a great weekend her Mantis to win the 1200 class.

Simon Middleton took a break from his Lamborghini Gallardo and won the Sports Cars in his 2011-spec

Porsche 997 GT3 Cup Car. He finished two points clear of the Daytona Coupe of Jamie Augustine.

Eventually finding traction on a slow drying circuit was Michael Robinson, who took out the Sports Sedans category, while Lee Partridge finished third overall in his Under 2Litre Sports Sedan.

South Australian Mark Ruta made the most of his Mazda 808 to easily dominate in the Improved Production Cars.

John Wise put right the wrongs from Phillip Island to win the Holden HQs at Sandown, while Tim Rowse drove through the carnage to win in the Saloon Cars.

And after missing out on winning the 944s at Phillip Island, Chris Lewis-Williams walked away from Sandown the winner of the weekend, while Robin Bailey won the MGs and Invited British Sports Cars ahead of Bob Nordlinger.

– CALLUM BRANAGAN

lead.

As a warm up for the Formula 3 championship season kicking off at Winton on 20 May, Josh Burdon competed in the Formula Vee 1600 class, dropping only one race during the day to Matt Holmes.

Other winners included Brad

Sherriff (Sports GTA), Michael Conacher (Sports GTC), Scott Willing (Imp. Production), Warren Bryan (Historic Touring Cars) and Phil Ashlin (HQ). The series continues at Symmons Plains Raceway on the 21st August 2011.

– DAVID CLIFFORD

TASSIE CONTINUES TASMANIA

David Clifford

THE weather may have been on the chilly side, but the racing soon heated things up at Baskerville Raceway for Round 3 of the Tasmanian Super Series. Weather conditions were dry, cool with overcast periods throughout the day.

The biggest incident of the day was that of Stephen Bell rolling his Torana XU-1 during the second Historic race of the day. It appears the car suffered a catastrophic tyre failure, and the car left the circuit and rolled whilst heading towards Turn 4

at the top of the hill.

On a more pleasant note, John Briggs was probably the happiest driver in the paddock at the conclusion of Round 3.

After 20 years of competition and a 2010 season he would like to forget, Briggs not only took his first round win in Sports GT-B, but managed to also take the round win in Sports Sedans as well.

In Formula Vee 1200s, Jackson Evans, pictured, took the fight to Nino Bocchino and took the round win with a clean sweep of all four races.

Bocchino continues to lead the championship with a 70 point

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rear of race grid

Pye fights back AUSSIES OVERSEAS

Penalty, then victory AUSSIES OVERSEAS

“After that it was a bit frustrating, because I never had a clear opportunity to get past. I knew that Jean-Eric was penalised, but if I’d had an opportunity to overtake him before the chequered flag, I’d have taken it.

“I needed the points from this victory, after a difficult start to the season. I’ve had my ups and downs again this weekend, being sent to the back of the grid after qualifying yesterday.”

Up and downers for Aussie trio AUSSIES OVERSEAS AUSTRALIANS in the British Formula Ford Championship had a mixed weekend at Snetterton, where last year’s runner-up (to Scott Pye) Scott Malvern took all three wins.

Geoff Uhrhane had electrical problems in Race 1 and retired but battled hard for second in Race 2. Disaster struck in Race

3, as he spun after a Safety Car period and was collected by JTR team-mate Tristan Mingay, which put both out on the spot. Nick McBride took third in the opener, Malvern’s teammate riding over the back of Matt Parry’s Van Diemen in Race 2 and damaging his setup meaning sixth was his best effort, but he recovered for second in Race 3.

Spike Goddard had the worst weekend of the lot: his Jamun Racing-run Mygale struggled home 11th in the opener before retiring from Race 2 with steering damage.

Race 3 was no better as he was eliminated in a clash with JTR’s Dan de Zille on the opening lap and was fined £250 for his part in the accident.

– DAVID ADDISON

Charlotte Motor Speedway

DANIEL Ricciardo picked up a win in his first Formula Renault 3.5 appearance of the year.

Having missed the season opener on Toro Rosso Formula 1 duties, Ricciardo rejoined the field at Monza, and had an up-and-down weekend.

After topping practice and qualifying second, the West Aussie was excluded from

the session due to a technical infringement on his car’s floor.

But from the rear of the grid, he charged through to sixth in Race 1, and then finished second to Jean-Eric Vergne in Race 2. Post-race, though, Vergne was given a 10-second penalty for moving across the racing line, handing the win to Ricciardo.

“The race was hectic, especially at the start,” said Ricciardo.

SCOTT Pye took his best finish of the British F3 season by taking seventh at Snetterton in the final race of the weekend.

Pye had suffered an engine failure in Race 1, meaning he started Race 2 at the back after his non-finish, but he shone in Race 3, working up from 13th to seventh in the 40-minute race.

Wins were shared between Kevin Magnussen and Lucas Foresti. Magnussen, son of 1994 British F3 Champion Jan, did something his dad never did by winning at the old airfield circuit, and Kevin pulled two brave moves around the outside at the fast right-hander of Riches to take the win in Race 1, before repeating the stunt in Race 3.

Lucas Foresti won the semireversed grid second race while championship leader Felipe Nasr took points for second and sixth in Races 1 and 2, but a deflating tyre meant he was forced to pit in Race 3, having led its first three laps. A later drive-through penalty for a Safety Car infringement meant that more time was lost but he salvaged the point for the fastest lap of the race.

– DAVID ADDISON

45

sutton-images.com

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BRIEFLY...

Q BELGIAN driver Thierry Neuville became the Intercontinal Rally Challenge’s youngest-ever winner, taking out Tour de Corse.

Neuville dominated the event, even with a spin on the opening leg, but led home Jan Kopecky by 15.5s Q CHRISTOPHER Zanella grabbed his first two Formula 2 race wins at Magny-Cours.

Zanella was fourth early in the opener, but pushed through to win, and he held off Alex Brundle to make it a double in Race 2.

Q NIGEL Melker, Kimiya Sato and Marco Wittmann split the F3 Euro Series victories at Zandvoort – DAVID ADDISON / STAFF

46

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Q ROB Huff bagged two wins in the WTCC at Monza, and left the Italian circuit with a lead of 36 points over his team-mate Yvan Muller.

Huff became just the third double-winner in the same weekend since the WTCC was launched; with Jörg Müller at Magny-Cours in 2005 and James Thompson at Valencia in 2007 being the other drivers to do so. Huff also took the most out of the crushing supremacy the Chevrolet Cruze cars showed on the fast track of Monza, and managed not to crack under the relentless pressure that Muller and Alain Menu put on him.

A Rocken effort DTM MIKE Rockenfeller finally scored his maiden DTM win by taking honours in his fourth career start at Zandvoort.

Rockenfeller’s Audi chased

Bruno Spengler’s Mercedes in the first stint, but clever pit work moved Rocky ahead of the Canadian in the middle stint and Rockenfeller was able to run out victorious, as Spengler took second and maintained his championship

lead. Martin Tomczyk was third in his 2008-spec Audi after some bold overtaking moves, while Jamie Green (Mercedes), Timo Scheider (Audi) and Edoardo Piscopo (Audi) rounded out the top six.

– DAVID ADDISON

Piccini and Hohenadel clean up FIA GT1 ANDREA Piccini and Christian Hohenadel took honours in the FIA GT1 World Championship at the Sachsenring.

Their Hexis Aston Martin won an incident-packed and rain-affected race which began with a clash between Maxime Martin

(Ford GT) and Stef Dusseldorp (Aston Martin), before Karl Wendlinger (Lamborghini) and Thomas Enge (Aston Martin) collided, with Wendlinger being tapped into a spin and collected by teammate Max Nilsson.

Rain affected the early part of the race as Hohenadel chased Stefan Mucke for the lead and was able to move

ahead on Lap 10, while Mucke (sharing with Darren Turner) fell back.

The win puts Piccini and Hohenadel into the lead of the championship.

David Brabham and his team-mate Jamie CampbellWalter grabbed fifth in the main race, after finishing eighth in the qualifying race.

– DAVID ADDISON

motorsport news

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RADICAL OUTINGS FOR WALDEN AUSSIES OVERSEAS AFTER an impressive runnerup finish in the Radical Masters event at Belgium’s Spa Francorchamps circuit a week earlier, Garth Walden continued his fine form with another strong performance in the Radical UK Cup at Oulton Park on the weekend.

Walden teamed up with Radical co-founder Phil Abbott in a factory Radical SR3 RS. The duo qualified 11th outright

and seventh in the SR3 class.

Abbott started the weekend’s opening race and handed the car over to Walden at the 20minute mark in 10th position, from which Walden was able to make up two further positions to finish eighth outright.

Abbott withdrew from Race 2 with back pain, leaving Walden to drive the entire race.

Light rain began to fall, but Walden elected to stay on slick tyres during his compulsory pitstop. He worked his way

up to third outright before the race was red-flagged due to the conditions. Official results for the race are still not finalised due to timing issues and protests. However, Walden was ecstatic with his overseas racing experience.

“The racing in the Oulton Park UK Cup round was hugely competitive,” he said.

“A lot of the fast UK-based guys only run the UK Cup rounds and the SR3 class was red-hot. We were unlucky with

our tyre choice but the pit strategy helped make up for it.”

In addition to his racing outings at Spa and Oulton Park, Walden also tested a factory Radical SR8 RX and SR3 RS at Silverstone, assisting the factory technicians with the development of hot weather market setup and specifications.

“Running at Spa, Silverstone and Oulton Park in the course of ten days is a dream come true,” Walden said.

– LACHLAN MANSELL

Sixth for Miedecke AUSSIES OVERSEAS GEORGE Miedecke fought back to sixth in the latest round of the UARA Stars Series at Rockingham.

After qualifying third, Miedecke endured handling

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woes during the 75-lap race, eventually spinning on Lap 55. He pitted to have two flat-spotted right-side tyres replaces and rejoined in 16th.

Over the remaining laps, the Marcos Ambrose Motorsport driver charged back up to

finish in sixth place.

“The car was very loose all race long, it was one of those days where we just missed the set-up window,” Miedecke said.

“Racing to the finish was pretty wild, there was some

three-wide running thrown in there, but we made it home to salvage some points.”

Miedecke will be in action again this weekend, making his debut in the ARCA Series at New Jersey Motorsport Park.

47

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motorsport news

ODD SPOT! the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. That unit, however, is in 1080 (take that, Charlotte!)

Sounds like something we need to see at Bathurst. Over to you, V8 Supercars ...

Charlotte goes Hi Def

Charlotte Motor Speedway

IF you think that 50-inch plasma in the family room makes you da man with da screen, think again.

History will be made at Charlotte Motor Speedway next week when the world’s largest HDTV will be turned on. The Panasonic screen measures 60m wide by 22m high, weighs more than 75 tonnes and has more than nine million LEDs. The screen, on the track’s backstretch, will be easily visible to fans sitting in the front stretch grandstands, more than 200 metres away.

That’s the good news; the bad is that it shows images in ‘only’ 720dpi, not full HD 1080.

The CMS telly, which It has taken the company and its contractors six months to get the unit to this stage, takes the mantle of the biggest in the world from the unit in the Cowboys Stadium, home of

rear of grid

ON THIS DAY 15 MAY 1986 YESTERDAY, Sunday, marked the 25th anniversary of the death of Elio de Angelis. The Roman driver, here winning his first GP, in a Lotus (from Keke Rosberg’s Williams) won two Grands Prix, but was killed when his Brabham-BMW flipped while testing at Paul Ricard in France. Relatively uninjured, de Angelis was trapped underneath the car and died in hospital the next day of the aftereffects of smoke inhalation. He was 28 years old.

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