Motorsport News Issue 124 - 10-23 April 1998 by V8 Sleuth

$4.20 (NZ$5.95incl GST)

NEWS

10-23 ApnB 1998 i

INSIDE

Parity furore

Holden teams are outraged by a Performance Review Committee decision last week to give the Ford Falcons a boost and are fighting back at a special meeting this week. Full details inside.

Ingall hot at Lakeside Russell Ingall scored a sensational win in the heat at the Lakeside SATCC round. See inside for the full report-and Russell’s, own exclusive, and controversial, column.

Sam’s gaffe Television personality Sam Newman had a crash course in race driving at Calder on Monday. “Slamming Sammy’’ did just that... into the wall. Photos P5. 08

BOUND FOR BRITAIN? t The ¥8 Superears could burst onto the ! Silmrstone@ra!ndWmmrcmitmMf,e&r.

Supercars for Siiverstone?

Both Craft and BRDC Director number of details to them,” he said this week. of Racing Peter Gaydon con While August 1999 is quite a AUSTRALIAN V8 Supercars firmed the plan this week, but could race at Britain’s stressed that negotiations are while away, negotiations will need to bear fruit relatively quickly as famous Siiverstone circuit only at first base: V8 group AVESCO plans to “We’re at a very early stage of next year. This intriguing prospect the courtship,” Gaydon told announce its 1999 plans and cal Motorsport News, “but we’d love endar within a few months, emerged this week following pre Australian tourers have made communications to present a race for the V8s at liminary Siiverstone, previous appearances in the UK. between the British Racing “There’s definite interest from In 1986, Peter Brock and Allan Drivers Club, which promotes Grice raced V8 Commodores in both sides. , motorsport at Siiverstone, CAMS “It’s a matter of organising the the European Championship ^ Motorsport Manager Tim race at Bonington. Schenken and TEGA CEO Garry right package.” Then in 1988 Dick Johnson With plans to take the V8s to Craft. and John Bowe dominated the South-East Asia or South Africa If the plan comes off, a field of V8 Ford Falcons and Holden not yet bearing fruit. Craft is British Tourist Trophy at Siiverstone in one of their Shell Commodores will be running at clearly delighted with the interest Ford Sierras, taking pole and Silverstone’s Summer Festival from the UK: “It’s early days, but they are leading easily before a water Meeting, scheduled for August definitely keen and we’ve faxed a pump failed. 21/22 next year. By CHRIS LAMBDEN

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WAprinm

Perkins protests parity decision *

By CHRIS LAMBDEN

HOLDEN may be hit by the handicapper before next week’s Phillip Island rovind of the Shell Australian Touring Car Championship. After 18 months of peace on the performance parity front. Ford was successful in convening a meeting of the CAMS Performance Review Committee last Thursday. The meeting resulted in a rec ommendation that the Holden be slowed by two-tenths of a second per minute, but, in the predictable uproar that followed from Holden teams, the PRC was deemed to have overlooked one element of its charter in not inviting all teams to make submissions to the process. This administrative error result ed in the PRC meeting being reconvened this week, the meeting due to take place on Tuesday evening, just after Motorsport BARE METAL ... The HRT VT Commodore coming together at the workshop of Dencar, which builds the News closed for press. bodies for most of the Holden teams. Overseeing construction is Dencar's Dennis Watson (far left), with While those close to the PRC felt HRT engineers Richard Hollway, Alex Marches!and Rob Crawford. that no new evidence was likely to be presented, nobody was prepared to bet on the final outcome. However, Larry Perkins, who was the one to point out that the PRC’s first meeting was in fact illegal, was adamant that there was no case to handicap the Holdens: HRT now has its completed “For a start. I’m pretty annoyed VT Commodore prototype that it had to be me who had to shell back at its Clayton work point out their mistake,” he said shop. In a break from tradition, the on Tuesday. “Where were all the other team wili build the rest of the car administrators, many of them into the unpainted shell before stripping it all out again and send paid, who bhould have picked it ing the car to the paint shop. up? “You know how it is with a new “However, they’ve now done the car - you paint it then spend for right thing and reconvened the ever touching it up when you meeting. have to make new bits and pieces “The PRC charter says that each as you go along!" team chief Jeff make of car has to be given the Grech told Motorsport News. opportunity to win. If they, The lack of secrecy surround through bad driving or mechanical ing the new car illustrates the fact failure, don’t convert that opportu that there is little new in th^ new nity, that’s not the PRC’s problem. model racer. “I’d have thought that the front “The cage is pretty much VS in two rows (at Lakeside) was ample philosophy and the main structur opportunity to win. al difference is the modifications “If anything, I can make a case to allow use of the existing front that it is the Ford which needs to strut suspension," Grech said. BARRED-UP ... The inside of HRT’s prototype VT Commodore .shell shows be slowed...” HRT’s prototype has been built the intricate plumbing recjuired in a modern race car. Peter Wollerman, Chairman of at Dencar, which supplies “pro the PRC, also spoke to Motorsport duction” styled cages to a high time to contest the final three to ensure that the new car fulfils News: proportion of V8 Commodore rounds of the Shell series (Calder, the V8 parity philosophy and “At last week’s meeting we came remains on a par with the current teams. Darwin, Oran Park) - an homolo to the conclusion that the Holden for Holden and Falcon in perfor The team is still on schedule to gation requirement enjoys a slight advantage in have the car built and tested in Sandown/Bathurst acceptance - mance terms. respect of how it uses its tyres. “We looked at data and times said achieve any change rapidly and from qualifying, race, early race, reconvene the meeting, cost-effectively. Wollerman. late race and so on and the evi This will then need to be ratified “However, I’d suggest that the dence tells us that the Ford uses by the CAMS Board in time for empirical evidence is unlikely to be up its rear tyres faster. teams to make changes. altered by anything Larry is likely “So we asked TEGA to come up One obvious means of achieving with a method of slowing the to say ... a two-tenths effect would be a Holdens by two-tenths of a second Should Tuesday’s meeting reach trimming of the rear gurney lip on per minute.” a similar result to the first, a rapid the Holden rear wing - the ques Wollerman, a lawyer, was philo- process will have to take place for Michael Schumacher is to be the tion being by how much. any change to be in place prior to sophical about the need to recon star of a comic strip in Germany. In the past, TEGA has organised Phillip Island. vene the meeting. Cartoonist Kim Schmidt is to TEGA’s Board has a scheduled a specific test day to test and eval “Larry (Perkins) felt that he had produce a book called “Our uate such changes. been denied natural justice and meeting today(Thursday) at which Schumi” about the German’s With Phillip Island just a week wouldn’t accept the decision, so in it will consider options provided by adventures with Ferrari. deference to that I’m happy to its Technical Committee on how to away, that may not be possible.

VT takes shape

Schumi becomes comic hero

■ Rumour of the Week: expect any day now confirmation of a major sponsorship deal for HRT Young Lion Todd Kelly. Our sources suggest his Formula Holden will appear in Konica colours forthwith. ■ Glenn Seton Racing is work ing flat-out to have Glenn’s brand new Ford Credit Falcon ready for Phillip Island next week. In the interim, Seton was scheduled for a Phillip Island test this week in his existing car to try and discover the reasons behind his Lakeside form slump: “We ran exactly the same tyi’es and set-up as last year,” he said this week,“but it was slower...” ■ The Wynns Team has bought the Steve Cramp Reynard 94D Foimula Holden car. It is unlikely to race this year, but will most likely be seen next season in the hands ofPaul Dumbrell,currently a leading Jimior kart racer who is also the son of Wynns boss, former F5000 racer Gaiy Dumbrell. Dumbrell, who turns 16 in September, heads to England shortly to complete a Jim Russell Racing School coui-se before undertaking some Formula Ford races in prepara tion for his Formula Holden debut next year. ■ Major personnel “rationali sations” have taken place this week at Melbourne’s Calder Park Raceway. Motorsport News understands that manager Ed Ritchie, most of the marketing department, ad agency Morris & Moms, media manager Grant Nicholas and NASCAR consultant John Sheppard have all left the organ isation. ■ Competitiors in the first round of the Australian Porsche Cup paid tribute to the late Feny Porsche on Sunday. The drivers stood by their cars on the grid for a minute in silence in respect to Dr Porsche, who passed away two weeks ago. ■ Marcos Ambrose has picked up backing from Revolution Racegear for his assault on the British Formula Ford Championship. The Tasmanian will wear a locally-made RPM racesuit into battle and top the look off with an Arai GP3K hel met. His works Van Diemen will take on the best starting at Donington Park on April 13. ■ Craig Breedlove is shooting for the sound barrier. The for mer Land Speed Record holder is looking to follow Andy Green through the ‘boom’ and up the current record to SOOmph and beyond next spring. ■ Johnny Herbert faces a fit ness battle before the Arpntine Grand Prix after neck injuries sustained in a practice accident forced him the Brazilian GP. Herbert’s neck received a painful tweak, the effects of which were only visible on race morning. The problem forced him to rfetire from the race with five laps remaining with severe neck muscle problems. ■ Bernie Ecclestone has criti cised McLaren for its team orders in Melbourne.“What they did was too blatant. The public accept it when a driver is going for the title and the other has no chance. But the opening race of the season? No way.”

W April 1998

I T PAUL RICARO

Amaroo IS gone

BMW Le Mans challenger

BMW Motorsport has revealed its le Mans challenger which was shaken down^at Paul Ricard in France last month. The car, which is based around a Riley & Scott chassis, will utilise the 6-litre VI2

used in McLaren’s GTR, will try to pre-qualifyfor the French classic on May 2. The car will go headto-head with the 1996 and ‘97 winner, Joest Racing’s TWR-Porsche WSCl and Ferrari’s Daytona and Sebring-winning 333SPfor class honours as well as the outright win against a mass ofdf cars.

Junior Johnson close to V8 drive I

STEVEN Johnson looks to have secured the backing to contest the balance of this year’s Shell Car Australian Touring Championship. A deal is close to finalisation which should see Steve debut the now spare third Dick Johnson Racing Falcon in the all-blue colours of a Queensland road safety initiative, backed by the

Aussies in the UK AUSSIES Phillip Scifleet and Andej Pavicevic have continued their British F3 programs with mixed results at Thruxton and Silverstone. Ironically the two drivers tangled at Silverstone when Pavicevic tried to get by his rival on the last corner in a battle for lOtb place. Andrej’s wing punctured Scifleet’s tyi-e and he went off, but Scifleet struggled around to finish 12th and Continue his run of wins in the thinlysupported National class. After three wins he now leads that category convinc ingly. Both drivers had their problems in qualifying at Thruxton, Pavicevic lining up 17th, ahead of Scifleet. In the race, run in bitter cold, Pavicevic stalled his Dallara-Mugen Honda, so he had to be push-started to the rear of the grid. As Scifleet hosed off his only Class B rival, Pavicevic zoomed past to 13th place before dropping to 17th at the finish.

Queensland Royal College of Surgeons. “Road Care Racing”, as the team is likely to be called, will be linked to DJR and run as a Level 1 opera tion, although the team will utilise its own personnel at race meetings. Johnson Junior will therefore compete on the same Dunlop rub ber as Dick and John Bowe. As Motorsport News closed for

press, the deal was still “in the melting pot” but the team still held hopes of a Phillip Island debut. However, at the, same time. Junior’s name was also being linked to the vacancy at Garry Rogers Motorsport (see other story) - although a Valvoline/Shell spon sor clash would seem to make it dif ficult. -CHRIS LAMBDEN

AMAROO Park has been reported elsewhere, many sold and its future as a residents within earshot of racing venue looks likely the track), to last only until August. Hones stated that the deal The Australian Racing “gets the club off the hook Drivers’ Club exchanged financially.” contracts for the sale of the “The ARDC is very happy track at 4pm on Monday with the sale price, which is afternoon and, while the well in excess of the bank buyer of the property has valuation of the property”, yet to be named, it is said While Hones was not at that the future of the prop- liberty to disclose what that erty lies in an area other figure is, sources within the than motorsport. club have stated that the “We have a buyer,” ARDC amount in $3.85m. board member Chris Hones The club was in very confirmed on Tuesday. intense negotiations all of But Hones could not name yesterday which locked the buyer or say whether away a refinancing package the facility would be develwith the banks, “I can categorically say oped or continue to be used that the ARDC is out of for motorsport. financial worry,” Hones stat“That’s up to the purchas er. It is up to them to make ed. The club is now in discusthat announcement. “I would not say that the sions with the New South buyer is from outside the Wales Government to renesport but it looks unlikely gotiate its lease of Eastern that the track will continue Creek ^in terms of the devel as it is. opment of the site. Developments like the From the ARDC’s point of view, we’ll be winding proposed speedway and down our operations ARDC clubrooms are now between now and August at expected to be delayed while Amaroo Park. upgrades to the track’s drag “It’s my belief that the racing facilities are also in new purchaser won’t contin- question, ‘We’ve negotiated a more ue any motor racing activirelevant future for motorty.” There are several prob sport activities at Eastern lems which stand in the way Creek,” said Hones. of the facility continuing as “The important thing is now the club has a firm a racetrack, even if the new owner wanted it to. future and that motorsport The main one is the mat in New South Wales will ter of noise, the encroaching continue.” - JON THOMSON north-west Sydney suburbs and PHIL BRANAGAN placing some (but not, as

McLaren loses innovations By JOE SAV/ARD TWO innovative systems pioneered by McLaren were outlawed in the days leading up to the Brazilian Grand Prix, hut that did not stop the team romping away with the race. Ferrari protested the directional braking systems being used by McLaren, Williams and Jordan and in the FIA formalised a ban on regenerative electrical motors. The latter move closed a loophole which McLaren was rumoured to have exploited in Australia with the electrical motors run ning the auxiliary pumps of the engine at certain places on each lap, giving the dri vers what amounted to a boost button. With this issue out of the way, the Ferrari protests centred on the braking sys tem which Ferrari claimed was illegal because it was in effect four-wheel-steering, traction-control and broke

the rule which states that a The decision declared the ask the FIA for binding claribraking system must operate systems illegal because the fications. at least two wheels at the primary purpose was steerAs a result, McLaren same time. The protest also ing and that the brakes oper- issued a statement saying it suggested that the systems ated on all four wheels. The was “extremely surprised” by stewards concluded that this the decision and that it “seriwere dangerous. Identical protests were amounted to four-wheel- ously questions the process lodged by Sauber and steering. by which this stewards deciMinardi. Tyrrell lodged a The decision censured sion was taken”, separate protest against Ferrari, Sauber and Minardi Tbe team decided not to McLaren while Arrows for inferring that the sys- appeal to avoid further conprotested McLaren and terns were dangerous. troversy but said that it felt Williams. The other protests were that the FIA Technical The only team not involved not considered as the sys- Department should be “the at all was Frost. n terns were banned as a result ultimate determining techni It was agreed that while of the first protest, cal authority in respect of the stewards were considerMcLaren’s defence centred interpretation of the FI teching all the evidence the three on the fact that the FIA . nical regulations” and added teams would disconnect their Technical Department had that it would seek consultasystems. f cleared the system on several tion with the FIA to clarify The stewards delayed a different occasions in the the situation. hearing on the systems until course of the last six months. The stewards responded Friday afternoon because the The stewards stated that by referring the McLaren chief steward Nazir Hoosein “the opinions expressed by statement to the FIA, stating was unwell and it was not the technical department are that it clearly showed that until Saturday morning that opinions and not decisions on the team “does not accept the of the they handed down their deci- the interpretation of the reg- authority sions. ulations which is the func- International Sporting Code The resulting document tion of the stewards”, as well as the authority of was remarkable in that it This raised very serious the stewards”. McLaren bosses realised was written in Enghsh legal issues as the FIA Technical language, a major achieve- Department has been com that the FIA could interpret ment for an Indian, a Czech pletely undermined, leaving the statement as being in and a Brazilian. teams with no idea how to contravention of Article 1 of

the International Sporting Code, which states that all competitors must agree to observe all the provisions of the Code. They decided to back down, issuing another state ment in which they suggest ed that the stewards had misinterpreted the earlier statement and that the team “fully accepts the authority of the FIA International Sporting Code and that of the stewards”. The general feeling in the El paddock was that the stewards (and anyone who may have advised them) have seriously undermined the entire decision-making process for technical matters in FI. In addition, many feel that the way in which stewards reach their decisions also needs to be examined. It is unlikely, however, that such issues will be addressed by the World Council as around half of the World Council members have acted as FI stewards in the last couple of years ...

lOApfiim

Richards abandons V8 for Nissan UK chance i

By PHIL BRANAGAN

STEVEN Richards is in England waiting,’ almost cer tainly, to be confirmed as a works driver with Nissan’s BTCC team. Richards left Australia immedi ately after the Lakeside Shell race and flew to London for discussions with the team with a view to becoming the team’s test driver for the rest of the season. Even though Garry Rogers Motorsport has not issued a state ment as to what they would be doing for the rest of the V8 series, it is believed that Richards has driven his final race for the Melbourne team. It is also believed that the team will continue to field two Commodores for the series and that Geoff Brabham and Steven Johnson top the list of contenders to join Jason Bargwanna. “Nothing has been confirmed as yet,” said Richards on Monday. “There’s some potential to do a good deal of learning over here but, as for now, I can’t say what that is because I haven’t been told what my true role is.” While Richards would not elabo rate on what had been discussed

BRITISH FUTURE... This Is the Nissan Primera Richo will test this year, and likely to race at Bathurst. with RML/Nissan, he did agree and see what I can achieve in the that he would not travel half-way UK,but I did not come here to push anyone aside. Though, of course, I around the world for nothing. “There’s absolutely nothing guar- , would like to be a driver in the British Championship...” anteed,” he said. “I want to work with the team Sources in the UK say that the

Mallock team, which has tested Richards twice in the last 18 months, is so impressed with the 24-year-old that they will run him in the third car in the TOGA test sessions throughout the season and

run Richards in perhaps two races in the series. He would also be the back-up dri ver to Nigsan’s two nominated race drivers, David Leslie and Anthony Reid. At the same time, the team is said to be determined to mount a two-car assault on the Bathurst 1000 and, with a second place in the Primus 1000 last season, Richards is a logical speai’head for that effort. While he is yet to diive the car at a BTCC track, rumours suggest that Steven has already had a quick familiarisation session at Nissan GB’s proving ground. Richards had a troubled time in his Valvoline Commodore at Lakeside and observers reported seeing evidence of a heated discus sion between the driver and team owner Rogers, apparently over the set-up of the car. As soon as Richards returned to Melbourne on Sunday night he was contacted by Ray Mallock Limited and was on a plane to the UK less than 24 hours later. Apart from travelling with the Nissan team to the BTCC opener at Thruxton this weekend, Richards is a possibility to test for the team in two weeks.

Bernie faces blackmail bi i

. y

S^m’s

debut gaffe

FORMER AFL foot baller and current (Melbourne) Footy Show TV personality Sam Newman came to grief in a GT-P Falcon at Calder this week. Newman, who spent 1997 recovering from a broken ankle inflicted by his (now former) girl friend (she ran over him), is now looking at other ways to torture his body. He hopes to contest the GT-P Three Hour Race supporting the m Primus 1000 November in a Falcon, with support from Ford Australia. In the interim, he plans to contest a cou ple of GT-P rounds in the Falcon (driven to class victory by three media drivers at last year’s Three Hour) in

BERNIE Ecclestone is blackmail facing threats from a man who claims to be an old

which has been strenuously denied by Mrs Ecclestone. The Ecclestones have

Ecclestone was quot ed in the Sunday Mirror as saying: “I wish to God

boyfriend of his wife, Slavica. The man alleged that Slavica worked as a high class hooker in the former Yugoslavia and helped the service as “a honeytrap spy”,

initiated proceedings against the Croatian newspaper which ran the story and against the Croatian who says he has “very, very nasty pictures” from IMrs Ecclestone’s past.

Labour had accepted million one the pounds I gave them, because since they returned it every nut ter in the world wants a piece.”

- JOE SAWARD

t m-fsy

c3^

Japanese driver E to race F.Holden l

m order to reach the appropriate licensing standard. Sam spent Monday under instruction from John Bowe, who put the bingle down to “a little bit of over-confidence” after making some good

progress. The Falcon rotated

●-

■-5-

out of Calder’s turn one, hitting both front and rear on the concrete. “He’s going better than I thought he would at this stage,” JB told Motorsport News. In the end, his times were quite respectable. He’ll be okay with more

time in the car ...’

THE SHAME! ... Sam with the damaged Falcon and (inset) advice fromgetting John

Bowe before the crash.

(Photos by John Winkter and Graeme Meander)

JAPANESE driver Akihiro Asai will make a surprise debut in the Holden Australian Drivers’ Championship at next week’s Phillip Island round. In a deal signed on Monday evening, Asai will drive Chris Hocking’s 94D Reynard. The 22 year-old won last year’s Japanese Formula 4 Championship (an 1800cc wings and slicks formula much like US FF2000). The Formula Holden option came to pass through Akihiro’s father, Mokoto Asai, who represents Holden in Japan. With the young driver’s plans to run in the US this year not coming to friaition, Australia’s top open-wheeler category became a strong option.

Asai joins Austrian Mai'kus Friesacher, American John De Vries, Swede Lars Johansson and Kiwis Scott Dixon and Simon Wills in making the 1997 series the most international for many years. In all, a 24-car field is expected for the Phillip Island round, including fou,r other series debutantes. Wills, a former British F3 Class B con tender, makes his debut in the series, along with F2 driver Roger Oakshott and' Formula Fordsters Peter Hill from Victoria and Craig Bastian from New South Wales. Another addition is top 1997 contender Darren Edwards, who makes his 1998 return.

- CHRIS LAMBDEN

S W April W98

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RollsRoyce for F1? German car manufacturer BMW has agreed terms to buy Rolls-Royce Motor Cars from its parent com pany, Vickers, for $850m - which has prompted a really wild rumour. Rolls-Royce is one of the world’s most prestigious car-makers and there are rumours that the BMW management is worried that the takeover may serve to water down RollsRoyce’s image as being the luxury car for the rich and famous. The rumour suggests that one of the best ways of keeping the brand exclusive would be for Rolls-Royce rather than BMW to enter Grand Prix racing in the year 2000 with Williams. There is a certain amount oflogic in the arguments as BMW already enjoys a very sporting image and is doing very well. B Winfield is holding a Champions Day at Barcelona at the end of this month. This will fea ture Jacques Villeneuve, World Rally Champion Tommi Makinen and World 500cc Motorcycle World Champion Michael Doohan; All three will drive a Williams FW19. H The Magny-Cours cir cuit, which will host the French GP at the end of June, has announced that it is to do some more safe ty work, concentrating on the kerbing in an effort to stop drivers going off and throwing dirt and stones onto the race track. n The anti-smoking lobby is beginning to show more interest in sponsor ing motor racing as a way of drawing the attention of young people to the fact that smoking is danger ous. The American Cancer Society had stickers on several cars during last weekend’s Long Beach Grand Prix. B We hear that top management of Nissan are currently visiting Britain with a view to becoming involved in FI in the next few years. The company has been linked to Tom Walkinshaw’s engine program at Aitows. Nissan is already involved with Walkinshaw in sportscar I'acing. B Emerson Fittipaldi is planning to launch his own brand of cigars in Europe. Fittipaldi cigars are currently sold in the United States and Brazil. The company was estab lished in June last year. - JOE SAWARD

/St.

unny Queensland turned on the heat and the racing at round three of the V8 Championship. I won’t go into the detail of the racing as I’m sure you will get the full race report in this issue by the experts (or so they keep telling me). As for gossip, that’s my depart ment. Obviously I am absolutely rapt how the week end went for the Castrol Commodore Race Team. You know there’s a saying in motor racing about when a driver or rider has ‘the eyes on’. That’s when you are just totally focused and every move you make turns out to be the right one. It doesn’t happen all the time but when it does it’s a great feeling. I had to take absolute advantage of the fact that the two HRT cars and Seton qualified so badly. It was the ideal opportunity to grab some points for the Championship. The competition and race pace is just getting more intense each meeting and I think that’s showing with teams trying to find every ounce of speed from their cars and maybe going the wrong way in the process. The only problem is, my main competition this year could come from my boss, which should get interesting as the year goes onl This year’s Champion will be the one who is not only consistent, but who sets his car up the best in the limited time available at each race meeting. I am sure that having only one nominat ed test track for the whole year (brought in at the beginning of this year as a cost saving exercise) has highlighted the need to be totally prepared before you even get to the race circuit.

it—atew i

MOMENT OF TRUTH: Our man Ingall hasjust rounded up Dick Johnson on the outside ofthe kink in (Photo by Marshall Cass) race two, putting him on his way to overall victory on the day at Lakeside.

Second round, Symmons Plains - Seton qual ell done to Lakeside (about tiijrie) with the ified second; won the first race (easily); engine upgrade in facilities and circuit. : Even though the track started to break up in problems after that, the last race, it didn’t really present too many Third round, Lakeside - first four grids occuproblems, and lefs face it, with 57-degree track pied by Fords; Bowe/Johnson 1st & 2nd first temperatures it wasn’t only the track that was race; Bowe blows clutch second race; Johnson melting - a few drivers did, tool second overall on the day. The list goes on but I There were rumours around that the new cir- haven’t got the space, cuit at Willowbank will take over the Queensland And I noted at Lakeside one particular top-runround of the championship. Even though I am all for new circuits, I cannot see any (( That is the biggest bunch ofrubbish reason why both circuits could not host a round of the championship as Queensland 1 have ever heard in my life! has such a huge V8 Supercar following.

... Parity is not the issue here.

The Privateers ran their first meeting on controlled tyres at Lakeside. There were mutterings of discontent with the new tyre, but on race day everything seemed to run smoothly with no major problems.

ow this next subject I would like to include in the ‘Shame File’. Would you believe that after Lakeside the Performance Review Committee met and decided that the Commodore will be slowed by twotenths of a second per minute as they feel the Ford is not competitive! That is the biggest bunch of rubbish t have ever heard in my life' Let’s take a look at the facts. First round, Sandown - Bowe on pole; won the first race; sec ond overall on the day WINGED WONDER:Russell tries the Rush sprintcarfor size at Parramatta, as (bad starts costing him overall victory). (Photo by Tony Glynn) did Larry Perkins. See next issuefor afullfeature story.

ning Ford team’s car was apparently 41kg over the minimum weight. Perhaps things like that should be rectified before they start complaining about parity. Parity is not the issue here. It’s about reliabili ty and driver skill (or luck)! And I’m afraid that’s got nothing at all to do with the PRC. To me they have got this totally wrong and, if anything, it’s the Fords that should be penalised going on the facts. There is another PRC meeting this week to review the decision. Drivers and team owners people that know - should be involved in this decision process as we are all there every meet ing and know the facts. How many of the PRC committee have been to any races this year? Just quickly tolast finish, Larrytoand myself had the opportunity week fulfil a long-time ambition and had a couple of runs in Garry Rush’s sprintcar at Parramatta Raceway in Sydney. I have to tell you, those things are absolutely awesome and I have gained a considerable amount of respect for the guys that race them. Sprintcars could even be my new past-time in the off season ... See you next issue. n

Stewart denies Ford rift no to By JOE SAWARD BENETTON boss David Richards and his technical director Pat Symmonds were recently spotted visit ing Cosworth Racing in Northampton, adding to speculation that the Benetton team is discussing a switch to Ford VIO engines next year. However, Jackie Stewart has dismissed the rumours, saying that any other team must get engines which are two generations older than those used by Stewart. “We expect the deal to remain exclusive,' said Stewart. “I have worked with Ford for many years and I do not foresee any problems.” Nevertheless, Ford manage-

Engineering changes? STEWART Grand Prix is said to be looking for a new technical director. The team’s current technical hoss is Alan Jenkins and, while there do not seem to be problems with the chassis, the teething troubles with the team’s innovative new gearbox are his responsibility. JenkinsTias been with Stewart since he left Arrows at the end of 1995 but the team’s results have not matched expectations and there is considerable pressure from Ford to find a replacement. We have heard stories linking both Steve Nichols of McLaren and 'Tyrrell’s Mike Gascoyne to the job. ment is understood to be less than happy about the performance of the Stewart team so far this season because of a series of gearbox problems which have hampered development work on the SF2 chasSIS.

The Stewart-Ford alliance

was designed to be a five-year exclusive deal but it is clear that Ford management was expecting good results quickly, If a deal is struck with Benetton it will not be the first time that Ford has used such tactics. In 1993 Benetton was not

performing and so McLaren was used by Ford for a season to put pressure on Benetton. The result was that Benetton improved dramatically and won the 1994 World Championship. When asked about the visit, Richards said that it was not related to engine supply but rather because the Sultan of Brunei is buying two old Benetton chassis for his pri vate car collection but the team cannot get the Ford engines to start without the right electronic package. But we believe that the main thrust of the visit was to enable Richards and Symmonds to see the Cosworth facility. The team is having to pay for its Mecachrome VIO engines this year.

tyre switch FERRARI team boss Jean Todt has denied rumours of a late switch to Bridge stone. Todt said the Italian team was staying with Goodyear, which will introduce some devel opment tyres for the Argentine GP. “We believe that these tyres will result in further improved overall performance,” commented Goodyear’s FI Racing Operations Manager Perry Bell. -JOE SAWARD

W April W98

McLaren rests as rivals test By JOE SAWARD

THE West McLaren Mercedes team has under lined its complete domi nation of the FI season to date by giving its drivers a week off, leaving rival teams testing fin-iously to catch up. After finishing 1-2 again in Brazil, Mika Hakkinen took off for a quiet holiday in Uruguay while David Coulthard headed for Miami. McLaren’s rivals are work ing flat out in an effort to catch up and last week Williams, Ferrari and Jordan were all testing in Barcelona, just three days after the race at Interlagos. The Wednesday running was disrupted by wet weath er but this did not stop Michael Schumacher, HeinzHarald Frentzen and Damon HUl from doing plenty of laps at Catalunya. In the course of the threeday test Schumacher com pleted nearly 200 laps of the track, trying out a variety of new aerodynamic set-ups, new Goodyear tyres and a rear wing which will be used in Argentina. His best lap was a lm23.88s, which is nowhere near the fastest times set at the circuit during the off-season. Frentzen had a brand new Wilhams FW20 chassis to play with and in the course of his

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VERSTAPPEN... Back in a Benetton for one test at least. CLOSE-UPS... Photographers swarm around the stricken McLaren in Brazil.

(Photo by lat)

No pictures, demands Dennis

McLaren boss Ron Dennis has called for a revision in trackside policing methods after David Coulthard’s MP4-13 fell victim to what he deemed unacceptable exposure in Brazil. The incident occurred after Coulthard spun off during Saturday practice. Told to stay near the car by the team, he was ordered away by officials and began to walk back to the pits. This was the signal for a string of pho tographers to descend on the stranded car, all eager to take close-up pictures of

this year’s Formula 1 pacesetter. “There were people taking pictures of the inside and underbody of the car and yet we weren’t allowed to have our driver stay with it,” complained Dennis. “In our own environment, we have to pro vide security,” he said. “If the car is on the circuit, that responsibility passes to some body else. “However, although McLaren reported five photographers filmed at the scene to race officials, no further action was taken.”

Jordan ran Damon Hill for

two days of nmnlng - which was mainly for tyi'e testing he completed 80 laps before over to the team’s second test driver Max Wilson, who com pleted 49 laps on the final day of running.

the first two days of the test, the fornier World Champion concentrating on engine-mapping with the Mugen Honda VIO in addition to chassis and tyre development work.

Damon completed a total of 156 laps before handing over to Ralf Schumacher, who ran two days before the Jordan test team packed up. Benetton did not bother travelling to Spain but went

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instead to SHverstone in blus tery Northamptonshire. Rather than fly Fisichella and Wurz back to Europe from South America, the team used its former driver Jos Verstappen to test and, although the first day was badly disrupted by rain, Verstappen did manage to cover a total of 65 laps, work ing on data acquisition and reliabihty work. Jos hopes to be hired as the team’s test driver, although he will have to bring $1.2 million to the team for the privilege. Also in the running for the Benetton test drive are British F3 Champion Oliver Gavin and F3000 hotshoe Jason Watt from Denmark. Sauber decided not to test between the races, preferring

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s At 250 kmh no-one can hear you choke lOApriim

GOLFING great Greg Norman will get to ‘lead’ at least two laps of his own during the 82nd run of the 1998 ning Indianapolis 500. But Norman won’t be at the wheel of a 750-horsepow.er IRL car. Instead, Norman will join such illustrious pre decessors as Chuck Yeager and James Garner as the official Pace Car driver for the race. Norman spent March 30 practising for his special assignment, then March 31 took media representatives on rides around the storied 2.5-mile track. It was appropriate that his drive carried him through the heart of the Brickyard Crossing golf course, which has four of its 18 holes inside the track. “I haven’t had a problem, I enjoyed it. I’ve got a lot more confidence in driving the vehicle,” Norman said. ‘Wou’re only going to go as fast as your abilities and

confidence will let you. I think I’m doing OK.” Norman wouldn’t reveal the speed he attained during his test session, stating that the car is fast enough to make the driver focus and concentrate. “I think the moment of truth will come May 24 when I get out of the car after the race has started,” he said. “That’s when I’ll be able to relate what it is. That’s when ni have the opportunity of expressing my true feelings. “Whether it will be the greatest experience of my life, I can’t answer that ques tion yet. But I’ve got a bloody feeling it’s going to be right up there as No. 1 or No. 2.” In the meantime Norman gets a chance to take revenge on the Augusta course in Georgia this weekend when he tees it up for the 1998 US Masters. Norman has never won the major event, despite coming close in 1984, 1986, 1987...

Float still likely

THERE are signs that the FLA and Bemie Ecclestone are keen to solve the outstanding problems between the governing body and the European Union. In what is being seen as a conciliatory gesture, the FLA last week announced that it is releasing the TV rights to a number of FIA series to individual promoter^ on the understanding that the copyright of the film belongs to the FIA and that the coverage is fair and accurate. The FIA will, however, continue to have direct control over the exploitation of the TV rights for Formula 1, Formula 3000, the World Rally Championship and the International GT series. At the same time we hear that the teams are edging towards agreement over the 1998-2008 Concorde Agreement. There is now only one point on which there are prob lems. We understand that this is related to the question of shareholdings in the company for the teams. At the moment McLaren, Williams, Ferrari, Jordan and Arrows have not signed the agreement. As soon as all the signatures are on the document, progress can be made on the flotation, although this cannot go ahead until the EU problems are resolved. -JOESAWARD

Crkk battles time By CHRIS LAMBDEN LEADING V8 privateer Greg Crick is racing against time to be at Phillip Island next week. Crick’s Trust Bank Commodore was all but writ ten off in a race one accident at Lakeside that was much more serious than most observers realised. While Ten’s TV cameras picked up the car at rest at Hungry Corner, the crash began way back before the Dunlop Bridge, one of the fastest parts of the circuit. “I came over the crest flat in fifth and the car just went straight ahead - at way over 200 kmh,” Crick told Motorsport News. “It went straight on into the armco. There was noth ing I could do. “I was really worried because the last thing I saw was a photographer on the other side of the armco, star ing straight at me. I thought I was going to kill him ...” Regular motorsport pho tographer Greg Taylor was sprayed with broken glass from the shattered screen of the Commodore, but was otherwise unhurt. The Commodore hit hard, crushing the armco back onto the concrete bridge sup port, which cracked. With Crick temporarily knocked out, the car slewed back onto the road and ploughed on down to Hungry, where it came to rest against the fence. A disoriented Crick emerged, not quite sure how he had got to where he was! Fortunately, personal damage was limited to a

OVER AND OUT... Trevor Ashby lies slumped, unconscious, in his Lansvaie Smash Repairs Commodore at Lakeside. He came back to win the Privateers' class. (Photo ty Marshall cass) severe shaking and bruising. Damage to the car is severe, the left front wheel having been pushed back into the passenger compart ment. Initially, the team sus pected a t3me failure or sus pension breakage as the cause of the car’s demise. Later inspection revealed a piece of road-like material protruding clean through the left front tyre tread, but no conclusions have been drawn. As Motorsport News was going to press. Crick was looking at options to lease a car for Phillip Island as his team began what will be a major rebuild. AT the same time, both the Lansvaie Commodore and Steve Ellery’s Young

Lions Commodore are expected to be repaired in time for Phillip Island following major shunts during the Lakeside meeting. Trevor Ashby went off at maximum speed during Friday practice and was knocked unconscious by the force of the impact, but still qualified the next day. The Lansvaie car was hastily - and rather effec tively - repaired after its practice shunt and Ashby went on to win Privateer honours. Ellery’s off came in race three when a badly flatspotted tyre let go going into the Eastern Loop, putting the car into the wall and wrecking the front-left cor ●N ner. Steve Reed, who will drive

the fully repaired Lansvaie car at Phillip Island, said on Tuesday the work was well advanced. “The car has been right back to the bare bodyshell and is in the paint shop today,” said Reed. “There was a huge amount of damage, but our panel shop guys have worked long hours and it’s come up well. “We’ve got six days to put it all back together if we’re to give it a bit of a shakedown before Phillip Island. “The Pi last showed 242 kmh as Trevor went off and locked it all up to try and lose some speed, but there’s nothing at all at Lakeside to slow you down. “There really has to be some work done there before we go back. The speeds are just so high ...”

Vegas US FI Grand Prix on course

AS exclusively predicted earlier this month. Las Vegas is still bidding seriously to host the United States Grand Prix. Race promoter Tommy Baker says that the event will go ahead if the Federal Bureau of Land Management awards a development contract on a 160-acre site

to him.

There are two other groups bidding for

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the site, which is situated at the southern end of Las Vegas’s famous Strip, close to McCarran International Airport, and a decision is expected in May. Baker’s plan is to build a golf course which can be transformed into a 2.5-niile racing circuit. The pit buildings would be permanent structures which would serve as the clubhouse for the golf course for the rest of the year while the fairways

would be designed so as to allow for mnoff areas and the placement of grand stands. ■ The track is expected to incoiporate at least half a mile of The Strip itself, although the general feeling of the track will be one of parkland, as is the case in Melbourne, the model on which the Las Vegas project seems to be based.

-JOESAWARD

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W April m

Murphy,Brabham close to Honda deal HONDA may be on the verge of entering the BOC Gases Super Touring championship - perhaps as soon as the next round at Oran Park on April 26. A decision could be made this week to field two Honda Accords for the rest of the season and, while everyone is remain ing tight-lipped before any firm agreements are made, the drivers are like ly to be Greg Murphy and Geoff Brabham. BnoNeeu n. Both men were at Calder at the weekend, Murphy primarily to assist Mark Adderton’s pit crew. But Brabham, who even HONDA ATTACK... Two Accords like this latest model from the UK could be headed to describes himself as a Australia within days for Greg Murphy and Geoff Brabham to race. (Photo by LAT Digital) ‘notoriously bad spectator’, TOGA Australia’s Peter was conspicuously unbusy in the German STW percent done” and that.it for most of the time. series. Adderton is the man try will be a green light for Neither driver would Oran Park. Both cars are in ing to put the deal togeth comment on the rumours. er but was not available to Honda Australia repre England and, once a deci The cars that the Honda sion is made one way or comment on develop were sentatives team would utilise are the other, could be in ments. Adderton’s guests on the Australia in a matter of 1997-spec cars run previ However, rumours sug weekend and, given the ously by the Linder team days. gest that the deal is “9§ current small grids, were

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likely to be impressed with the opportunity to field a team that would be competitive straight away. With the winners of the last two Bathurst 1000s on the driving roster, an assault on this year’s Great Race would appear certain, with BTCC dri vers James Thompson and Peter Kox tjigh on the list of potential co-drivers. Another potential candi date is Neil Crompton, who raced a Honda in North America last season. If the deal was to be approved in time for Oran Park, it would mean that four Hondas should be on

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the grid. Mark Adderton’s exRichards Attitude Sportswear machine is expected to be joined by Dodd’s exGraham Crompton car from the US, which missed Calder last week due to a Customs delay. - PHIL BRANAGAN

Webber with Schneider

MARK Webber has finaUy been confirmed as partner to reign ing World GT Champion Bemd Schneider in the number one Mercedes CLK GTR in his debut this weekend. It is a big break for the Aussie and recognition of the high esteem in which he is held by Mercedes-Benz. Former Zakspeed FI driver Schneider (33) lobbied to have Webber in his car after the team’s extensive testing sessions late last year: “I decided in December when I saw Mark test the car in Italy that I wanted him to partner me this year,” explained Schneider. “Last year I drove with Alexander Wurz (now with Benetton in FI); this time I’ve got another young guy with me and I’m sure it’s going to be a good combination.” WebbeFs selection in the lead car is a tremendous boost for his chances: “Bernd has so much experience, which I can learn from, and I can’t think of a better or stronger position for me to be in,” the Yellow Pagesbacked youngster said this week. Three-times Le Mans winner Klaus Ludwig and F3000 champion Riccardo Zonta team up in the sec ond AMG Mercedes, while Persson Motorsport is running a second pair ofcars for the factory. This weekend’s race is at the brand new Oschersleben circuit in the former East German Republic. Webber flew from his UK base to Germany on Tuesday for a systems check on the car at Hockenheim on Wednesday, before heading to the circuit, which none of the teams has had the opportunity to test on. After the weekend, Webber and the team heads to Florida for testing

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i NUMBER ONE...Mark Webber in the defending champion's Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR at the Oschersleben circuit alongside the factory Porsche 911 GT1 which threatens to pose an enormous threat this year. (Photos by LAT Digital) Beiow, Webber poses with! his Mercedes teammates and their rivals from Porsche. at the Homestead circuit (the race there is in October). In the meantime, Mercedes expects a very strong challenge from Porsche in 1998. Porsche will debut an all-new 911 GTl car this weekend. * The new car features the compa ny’s first carbon fibre chassis, saving some 70kg in weight, with the regu lar twin-turbocharged 3.2-litre sixcylinder power unit. Yannick Dalmas and Allan McNish remain with Porsche, while Germans Uwe Alzen and Jorg Muller will make their debut for the marque. A pair of semi-works cars is also to be entered by Zakspeed, although there is some doubt they will be ready for this opening race. Full report next issue.

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Suzuka notes

n After earlier declaring that he would be happy to finish in the top 10 in his debut 500 sea son, Biaggi must now stand as a genuine chance of challenging Mick Doohan’s domination of the

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premier road race class. Long touted by Kevin Schwantz as the next 500 superstar, Biaggi joins Finnish legend, the late Jamo Saarinen as a 500 GP winner on debut. Like Biaggi, Saarinen was the reigning 250 world champion, when he won the opening round of the 1973 cham pionship at Paul Ricard piloting Yamaha’s TZ500. Saarinen was a star of heroic proportions in Europe in the ’70s; Formula One driver Jamo Trulli was named after him by his bike-mad parents.

Shell Aust. Touring Car Championship*

Apr 19 .. .Phillip Island ...Rd4 Rd5 May 3 ....Winton Rd6 May 24 ...Mallala May 31 ...Wanneroo Rd 7 10 round series held around Australia

Slick 50 Formula Ford*

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Apr 19 .. .Phillip Island ...Rd4 Rd5 May 3 ... .Winton .. . Rd6 May 24 .. .Mallala .. Rd7 May 31 .. .Wanneroo

!l Yamaha 500 GP debutante

Eight round series held around Australia

Noriyuki Haga had to fight blurred vision on the way to his narrow third place behind Tady Okada(Repsol Honda).“I forgot to put the anti-fog film in my visor so it was steaming up after about 10 laps which meant I couldn’t see everything. On the last lap,I wasn’t really sure where Okada was. I could see him on the big screen on turn one. I was sure he was coming and at the entrance ofthe chi cane, he took the inside. I tried to keep it tight, but Ijust couldn’t do it.’”

Aust. Formula Holden Championship*

Apr 19 .. .Phillip Island .. .Rd 2

Rd3 IB May 24...Mallala Five race series held around Australia IB

BOC Gases Super Touring Championship* Apr 26 . . .Oran Park

Rd 2

May 17 .. .Phillip Island .. .Rd 3 I B June 7 .. .Eastern Creek ..Rd 4

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Eight round series held around Australia

Century Batteries GT Production Series

urn

IZB

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ILM

I^B CB

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Rd2 Apr 26 . . .Oran Park May 17 .. .Phillip Island .. .Rd 3 June 7 .. .Eastern Creek ..Rd 4 Eight round series held around Australia

FedEx Champ Series*

Rd4 Apr 26 .. .Nazareth May 10 . . .Rio de Janerio ..Rd 5 May 23 .. .Madison Rd 6 May 31 . . .Milwaukee Rd 7 11 race series held around the United States

Indy Racing League

Rd 3 May 25 .. .Indy 500 19 race series held around the United States, Australia. Brazil and Japan

FIA GT Championship

Apr 12 ...Germany-. May 5 ... .Silverstone

Rd 1

,Rd2

10 race series held around the world.

I B Formula 1 World C'ship Rd3 I B Apr 12 ...Argentina Apr 26 . . .San Marino . . . .Rd 4 Rd5 Rd6 Rd7 June 7 .. .Britain

10 .. .Spain . I B May May 24 .. .Monaco

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16 race series held around the world

I_B Winston Cup NASCAR Rd8 Apr 19 ...Martinsville I B Apr 26 .. .Talledega . Rd9 May 3 ... .Fontana

I B May 16.. .Charlotte

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Rd 10 non points

May 24 .. .Charlotte Rd 11 33 race series held around the United States

NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series

Rd 5 Apr 19 .. .Atlanta .. ,Rd6 Apr 26 ...Richmond Rd 7 May 3 Dalias ... May 17 .. .Engiishtown .. .Rd 8 Rd9 May 31 .. .Chicago

l_B 22race series held around the United States I B SOOcc Motorcycle

WHO GETS No 5... Max Biaggi started his campaign for a fifth title with a dominant win in Japan.(Photo by RaceAccess)

Maximum effect MAX Biaggi became the first man in a quarter of a century to win a 500 GP first time out at Suzuka. The Italian Marlboro Team Kanemoto Honda rookie left his more experienced rivals trailing in his wake as he beat factory Honda rider Tadayuki Okada by five sec onds. In the early stages he pulled away from Yamaha trio Noriyuki Haga, Kyoji Nanba and Norick Abe at a second a lap, to put him almost 10 seconds ahead at half distance. The expected challenge from four-times 500 World Champion Mick Doohan never materialised. The Queenslander ran off the track on lap three and retired with six laps remaining when his Repsol Honda NSR500 struck engine trou-

ble.

“Things didn’t go so well today,” said Doohan after the race. “We were running a heavier fuel load than we’ve ever run before and I just bottomed the forks out going into turn one and ran into the dirt. “After that I just didn’t feel com fortable. I was trying to catch up to the other guys but I was just racing by myself. Then the engine stopped”

‘This is the greatest victory of my life,” beamed Biaggi after the race. “A lot of 250 champions have tried going into 500s but it’s been a long, long time since anyone did what I did today. And I think we could have done even better if we’d had more than six days of winter testing. “I got a good start but one of the Yamaha guys touched me in the first few corners and I lost several places. Even so, after one lap I felt confident and after I passed Nanba and Haga, I just tried to stay smooth and save my tyres. The rear was spinning like crazy for the last

Prix C'^ship* I B AprGrand Rd2 19 ...Indonesia

3 ... .Spain ... i_B May May 17.. .Itaiy

Rd3 Rd 4

16 round series held around Australia

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World Rally Championhip*

Apr 20 . . .Catalunya . . . May 4 . . . Corsica

Rd 5 Rd 6

14 rally series held around the world All event dates in this calendar were correct at the time oh printing. Please consult any individual tracks and/or EuS Series or events telecast on Network Ten are marked with an asterix. Check your local guides

●-JET I

RuKitiU (uitrilia

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few laps, but by then I already had a big lead. “I was nervous before the start, because Erv (Kanemoto)said to me; ‘Show those guys who’s the real four-times world champ!’. That was unusual for Erv to say something like that - I thought maybe he’d had a few beers or some sake! “I can say now that I’m not riding the 500 like a 250. I’m using differ ent lines, but I don’t want to say any more - that might make it too easy for everyone else.” Alex CriviUe fought back from a poor start to move to fourth in the closing stages, crossing the line just ahead of Nanba. John Kocinski’s return to GP rac ing ended early when the American was given a black flag for ignoring a stop/go penalty for a jumped start. He finished 13th. The other, Garry McCoy, didn’t finish the first lap of his 500 debut, but it was quite some first lap! “I was passing people like they were on the warm-up lap,” he said. “I passed Gibernau, then Checa, then Kocinski and I was taking Crafar into the hairpin when Aoki cut to the inside white line. I went into him and over the top.”

n New Team Suzuki rider Nobuatsu Aoki brought home sixth place but was lucky to fin ish after being hit from behind on the first lap. “I stai-ted alright in fourth of fifth position,then somebody hit me really hard going into the hairpin,” which bumped the ex-Honda star back to 11th. “I was worried that there might be some damage to the seat or rear tyre, but it seemed okay, and I was able to start moving towards the front,” Aoki added. A later inspection indeed revealed a broken seat and tyre marks on his fairing. n John Kocinski(MoviStarPons Honda) was forced to make two appearances in the stop-go penalty box,firstly for jumping the start, then exceeding the speed limit in pit lane. The weekend that will do nothing to dispel his reputation for coming apart like a two-doUar watch. n Wayne Rainey has played dovm reports from England that team rider Jean-Michel Bayle is on the verge of retmement due to serious injuries sustained in early off-season testing. Replaced by Yamaha test rider Kyoji Nanba, Bayle is expected to return for the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez on May 17.‘I’ve been speaking to Jean-Michel a lot from here,” Rainey said at Suzuka.“He’s keen to know how things are going over here. He’s much better now and back in training. We’ve arranged a spe cial test for him.” n Thirty-five-year-old Kyoji Nanba had not raced for two years before he was pipped by Alex CriviUe for fourth place. “I wanted to keep everyone behind me to act as a bit of a shield so that Norick and Noriyuki could pull away,” Nanba said. T learned a lot about GP strategy in this race and I think I will be able to go even better in the next GP in Malaysia.” - DARRYL FLACK

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l^®0®[?S[p®l70^

The legendary Jim Clark remembered 30 years ago on Tuesday(7 April 1968)Jim Clark, one ofthe greatest Grand Prix drivers ofall time, died in a meaningless Form ula 2 race at Hockenheim. CHRIS LAMBDEN looks back at his teen hero. remains a day etched in I^the ike 1minds May(1994), of allApril forty7 something motorsport follow ers. But, unlike that more recent tragic day at Imola when the greatest driver of his era died in the full glare of global television, nobody saw Jim Clark's demise at a gloomy, damp F2 race. His Lotus simply speared off into the trees (annco fenc ing hadn't yet arrived) and Clark was dead when officials reached the car. The cause of the crash remains officially unknown, although it is widely accepted that a tyre deflated. n His death sent a shiver through Grand Piix racing at the time. Kiwi Ferrari star Chris Amon summed up what they all must have thought when'he commented: "Beyond the grief, there was also a fear which we all felt. If it could happen to him, what chance did the rest of us have? It seemed we'd lost our leader..." The circumstances of Clark's death illustrate well the difference between that era and that of Ayrton Senna 24 yeai's later. Even at his FI peak, Clark was still racing all sorts of cars, which between them added up to an unsurpassed resume of motorsport success: He won the Indy 500 in 1965, our own Tasman Championship in 1965, '67 and '68, the British Saloon 'Car Championship in 1964, the British and French F2 Championships (1965) and raced in and won many spoils and GT races. He simply loved racing. The current GP driver would shiver at the thought... But it was his almost imper-

ial dominance of GP racing from 1962 until his death, bro ken only by spats of unreliabil ity from Lotus - for whom he drove exclusively in FI which still inclines people to put him at or near the top of their "Best of All Time" lists.

Clark the product of a ruralwas Scottish upbringing, racing initially under an assumed name to avoid his parents' displeasure. His first race was in 1956, in a friend's boiTowed DKW,aged 20. By 1960 he had been spot ted by the ambitious young Colin Chapman, who signed him for Formula Junior and F2j initiating one of motor sport's great partnerships. Before the year was out, he had made his GP-debut for Lotus, finishing fifth at an infamous'Belgian GP in which two drivers - Chris Bristow and Alan Stacey - lost their lives. He very nearly gave it all frway then and there, but eventually signed for Lotus in 1961 as Innes Ireland's num ber two, for the princely sum of 4,000 pounds (about $10,000). Although he won a number of non-championship FI races, that year will be remembered for his involvement in the enor mous crash at Monza with title aspirant Wolfgang von Tripps, whose Ferrari ploughed into the crowd, killing 14 spectators and himself Like the Senna crash many years later, the civil legal repercussions went on and on... The Clark/Chapman era of dominance began in 1962 with the aiTival of the pioneering monocoque Lotus 25, although the championship was lost (despite 3 GP wins) at the final race when a bolt fell out

ofthe car's'V8 Climax engine. In 1963 he was unchal lenged, winning seven out of 10 GPs and he had the 1964 crown won until the last lap of the last race when (again) the engine blew. But his greatest year was 1965, winning six out of 10 GPs(now in the Lotus 33). He also won the Indy 500 and, for Australasian enthusiasts, had

The early DFV was a peaky, difficult engine to use, but Clark provided the car with a fairytale debut win at Zandvoort and headed into 1968 with all the ingi’edients for more stunning success. He won the South African GP on 1 January and then dominated the Tasman series here, the team ushering in the modern sponsorship era by

4'*

** .< 1 Photo by N^ei Snowdqp ^

HIGH FLYER: Jim Clark at the aid Numurgrng in 1967 driving tne famous Lotus 49-CoSWOrih. .Photo by LAT dominated the Tasman series in January and February. for Lotus was unprep the new 3-litre FI ared formula, so 1966 and early 1967 were relatively quiet for Clark, but in mid-'67 Chapman and Clark were back, with the rev olutionary Lotus 49, powered by what was to become the ubiquitous Ford DFV.

unveiling the distinctive (Sold Leaf Team Lotus livery. Then came Hockenheim. Clark was 32 and at his peak. Lotus teammate Graham HiE pulled the shattered team together around him to win the very next GP, at Jarama, going on to win the 1968 crown. Who knows how long Clark would have gone on and what

success he and Chapman could have added to a list that set a record at the time of 25 GP wins, from 33 pole posi tions, in just 72 starts. Look how this compares with Fangio 24 wins/51 starts, Prost 51 wins/199 starts and Senna 41 wins/161 starts. Jim Clark was perhaps the last of the true sporting motor racing heroes. Racing came

first, money was secondary. Although in his latter years he was forced into tax-exile in France, he would have hated the compromises and attitudes brought on by the commercial ism in FI today. Comparisons are almost impossible, but in his time there was none better. And that's how we should remem ber Jim Clark. n

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12 wApfiims n Nine factory-backed (two-car)teams are among the 24 cars on the entry list for the 1998 British Touring Car Championship, which starts at Bonington this weekend. Alfa Romeo, as expeded, has taken the precaution of entering its new 156 Super Touring cars for Nicola Larini and Fabrizio Giovanardi while doubts persist over the Italian Superturismo series. Alfa will take on Audi, Ford, Honda, Nissan, Peugeot, Renault, Vauxhall and Volvo. n Andy Rouse has not entered the 1998 British Touring Car Champion ship, but the former cham pion hopes to field his Toyota Corolla Liftback later in the year. Toyota in Japan has yet to homolo gate the vehicle, a new Super Touring project for Coventry, UK-based Andy Rouse Engineering. n The former Formula 1 drivers Karl Wendlinger and Pedro Lamy have joined Hugues de Chaunac’s Viper Team ORECA to race a factorybacked GT-2 Chrysler Viper in the FIA GT Championship and at Le Mans. David Donohue, the reigning North American Super Touring Champion for Chrysler is also enlisted, along with reigning FIA GT-2 Champion Justin Bell. n Panoz Motorsport has hinted that a revolution ary, electrically-power GT racecar is being built to run alongside its two con ventional Ford-powered Ford pushrod V8-powered GTl entries in this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours race. n Le Mans diefiard Yves Courage has secured an engine deal with Nissan Motorsport to ran its potent twin-turbo V8s in his prototypes this June. Originally raced in the USA with Chevrolet engines the Courage C41 was converted to take a Porsche engine at Le Mans last year. - QUENTIN SPURRING

Bouillon to test for BAR AS we predicted last September, Jean-Christophe Boullion has been signed as test driver for the planned British American Racing team in 1999. The 29-year-old Frenchman became the Williams test driver at the start of 1995 and briefly raced for Sauber that year, replacing Karl Wendlinger. He then went back to Williams test dri ving duties in 1996 and 1997. He has completed many thousands of miles of engine testing for Renault Sport and will be a useful asset for the new team as it begins development work with what are expected to be Honda VIO engines - probably rebadged as Acura VlOs - in the months ahead. Boullion is likely to be partnered at BAR by CART star Alessandro Zanardi, who finishes his Target Chip Ganassi Racing contract at the end of this season. The latest whisper is that Zanardi will run in a Kool-sponsored FI Reynard-Acura, a-move which makes a lot of sense for both British American Tobacco (which sells Kool cigarettes in the US) and with Honda (which sells Acura cars in the US). With a former CART Champion and sponsors which are known in the US market, this will help FI make more of an impact in America - which explains one reason why Bernie Ecclestone is so keen to support the efforts of BAR. We expect that the second BAR Reynard-Acura will be run in a differ ent BAT brand livery - either 555 or Lucky Strike - and Team Green in CART may also split its livery with Paul Tracy running with Kool brand ing and Dario Franchitti in either 555 or Lucky Strike. - JOE SAWARD

FAMILY PHOTO: The new extended McLaren team line-up - Norman Simon, Nick Heidfeid, Mika Hakkinen, David Coulthard, Ricardo Zonta, Nicolas Minassian and (kneeling) kart racers Wesiey Graves and Lewis Hamilton. With them are the F3, F1, F3000 and karts in the same silver McLaren livery. (Photo by LAT Digital)

McLaren youth policy

McLAREN has announced that

financial outlay. The program is being run by former Williams FI engineer David Brown and money is being supplied by West, Warsteiner, Mobil, Boss and Psygnosis. The drivers who will benefit

ported car for 20-year-old Norman Simon. McLaren has set up its own F3000 operation - called West Competition - which will run FI test driver Nick Heidfeid in one car. The second machine will be

Support Programme”, which will fund competitors in kart ing, Formula 3 and Formula 3000. The aim is to maximise the

are two young British barters in the Champions of the Future series: 12-year-old Wesley Graves and 13-year-old Lewis Hamilton. In the German Formula 3

coverage for McLaren sponsors without enormous amounts of

Championship, Bertram Schafer Racing will run a McLaren-sup-

shared by Frenchman Nicolas Minassian and the current Formula 3000 Champion Ricardo Zonta, although the Brazilian is concentrating on his GT sportscar program with Mercedes-Benz. -JOESAWARD

it is to support a number of dri vers at different levels of the sport, all of them running with the same basic liveries as the Formula 1 team, team week Last the announced that it is launching its “McLaren Mercedes Driver

Mosley’s new offensive

WHILE the Grand Prix circus was busy in Brazil, FIA President Max Mosley was contin uing his battle against the European Commis sion’s Competition Direetorate. Mosley was one of a dozen international sport ing chiefs who gathered in

Lausanne, Switzerland, to discuss the current aggres sive policy adopted by the European Commission towards sport. The Em'opean Commission er for Competition Karel Van Miert believes that sport should be treated as a busi ness and cannot be left tojregulate itseft.

Many international sport ing governing bodies object to such interference as they are not restricted to opera tions in Europe and do not see why the Commission should tamper with their financial airangements. The Lausanne meeting took place during a gather ing of International

Olympic Committee dele gates and the talks resulted in the establishment of a working group under Jose Antonio Samaranch, the President of the IOC to for mulate plans to defend spoils against the EU. Mosley is on the committee. -JOESAWARD

BERNIE Ecclestone is being invit ed to give evidence to Britain’s Committee on Standards in Public Life, which is investigating the funding of political parties. Ecclestone made a much-publi cised $2.5m donation to the Labour Party a year ago but has since had the money returned because of allegations that it could be seen to have influenced govern ment decision-making policy over the European tobacco ban.

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WApriUm

Thespians, smokescreens, cinema owners and hooch

n another life before being in engulfed Formula 1, I was involved for a time in theatrical activi ties. I acted (badly) in a few plays and then went on to direct, working on the principle that those who can do and those who can not teach. Being a theatre director is a won derful job, but it is a lot more difficult than people think because in order to get actors and actresses to be on convincing stage you have to understand a great deal about human and behaviour body language. On top of that you have to massage these delicate the atrical souls into doing what you want without dri ving them to nervous breakdowns. One mistake which most inex perienced actors make is that they relax when they are not delivering their lines. When they are not in the spotlight they slip out of char acter. Not many racing drivers have been on the stage. There are a few who perhaps should have been because they are comedy acts, but most of them spend their formative years covered in oil and wearing Castrol GTX jackets at freezing racing circuits. The concept of mixing with the brittle flowers of the Thespian world does not greatly appeal to them. As a consequence they do not learn how to act and are rarely very convincing when faced by those who understand the skills needed to be a good liar - which is, essentially, only a rudimentary form of acting. A few organisations involved in FI have tried over the years to send drivers away for acting classes and such things, but dri vers are rarely convincing liars — although there is at least one (trained) top-rate liar at the moment ...

avid Coulthard is not that man, although I thought his perfor mance in Melbourne was worth a motor racing Oscar. He told a wonderful story about deciding, in a very chivalrous moment, to let Mika Hakkinen through to win the race. When the spotlight shifted away from David, however, the guard slipped and his eyes told a very different story. He was angry. He had been told what to do. He was going through the motions. He is a professional but, judging by the eyes, he was not very com fortable in that role. It is regrettable that such things have to happen in FI these days, but I understand why they do. There is, quite simply, too much money involved. Sponsors need to be given the right impression. Formula 1 has become a world

Cartoon by Allan Schofield

Amrm/ 1

where image is everything and I get the feeling that teams are now employing people who analyse how best the team can manipulate the media. I guess if one was allowed to wander around FI fac tories you could find doors marked “Department X - Psyops”. Such things are not new in the world. Governments now have very large Psychological Operations departments. Their job is to undermine and mislead the opposition and deflect attention away from secrets. It is a little known fact, for example, that in The Gulf War around 27 million leaflets were dropped by psyops departments on Iraq using Allied planes and even hot air balloons (they are not easy to detect). Among these were bits of paper called “Safe Conduct Passes” for the Iraqi troops. It is a fact that 85,000 of them surrendered to the Allies without muoh of a fight. One of the basic principles of psyops is creating the right image, in motor racing terms, it is far bet ter to lead a race and blow up than trolling around in fourth place. If you lead the race the journal ists will write that “when they get the reliability right this will be a winning team.” If you finish in a lacklustre fourth place the reports will be less complimentary. The purpose of trying to manip ulate reports is that these can then be recycled to sponsors to show them that things are moving in the right direction. Every psyops officer knows that the first impressions are often the most important and if you look at the recent history of FI you will find that most opinions are based on what happens early in an FI season. Once an image is estab lished it is hard to change. A very good example of this is the relative images of Jacques Villeneuve and Heinz-Harald Frentzen. Villeneuve arrived in FI with a

bang and quickly became the greatest thing since sliced bread. Heinz-Flarald, on the other hand, had a few tentative races at the start of 1997 and'as a conse quence is judged harshly, despite the fact that he blew Villeneuve’s socks into the weeds at Imola and by the end of the year was show ing he was a match for Jacques on most occasions. I have always been impressed? by the way McLaren has handled such matters, but it seems that now Ferrari is learning the same tricks. In Brazil the more cynical members of the FI fraternity quickly concluded that all the kerfuffling over regulations - or a lack of them - was more related to Ferrari’s problems than to the fact that McLaren was gaining any great advantage from the braking system of which we have heard so much. Protesting the opposition and making a big fuss about it was, in effect, buying time and deflecting attention onto other things in the hope that the inevitable criticism will hold off until things have improved. It is a bit like being kid and yelling: “Look, a tiger!” and pointing in one direction, then run ning away in the other direction. At the Ferrari launch in January the team foolishly made a big song and dance about there being no excuses this year. Now they need them because; unless some thing extraordinary happens with the other teams and the FIA, Ferrari is not going to be winning the World Championship. You have only to watch the Ferrari in action to see that it is not a stable device and not even Mighty Michael can drive around the problems. Atmedia Interlagos voluble Italian was the busy hammering out every twist and turn of the silly McLaren braking device saga as it developed and so Ferrari escaped criticism for a few more weeks. Judging by what happened in

Brazil, one has to wonder why the FIA does not establish its own Department X, because the gov erning body is in very serious need of image-massagers, propa gandists and such people. The silly controversies about the various McLaren systems were handled particularly badly and, even if it was not true, most of the people in the FI press room believed that the final Stewards' Decision was not the work of the three stewards; it read as though it had been written by an English lawyer. This was remarkable m that previous Stewards’ Decisions produced by the same men - they were the three stewards in Brazil in 1997-did not exhibit the same impressive grasp of the English language. It was extra ordinary that such a document could have been produced by an Indian, a Czech and a Brazilian. The Decision handed down included the remarkable sentence: “The Stewards must state that the opinions expressed by the Technical Department are opin ions and not decisions on the interpretation of the Regulations which is a function of the Stewards at race meetings’’. Cut out the legal language and what it being said is very simple. The FIA Technical Department is an irrelevant and worthless organ isation because it is not qualified to decide what is legal and what is not legal. One has to ask why it exists at all if it can only express opinions. One also needs to ask where this decision leaves the team engineers when they want clear ance on whether a system they would like to run is legal or not. One must presume that the only way of getting a decision is to approach the people who will be stewards of meetings at which they wish to run their devices.

Nazir Hoosein, the chief stew ard in Brazil, is a cinema and garage owner from Bombay (or Mumbai as we are now supposed to call it). Is his fax machine now going to be clogged up with requests for technical clarifications from the F1 teams? Is the same going to happen for the other members of the F1 stewarding fra ternity? Let's face it, when you look at who the stewards are you do have to ask whether or not Greek gen tlemen, Australian chemists, Swiss air-conditioning manufactur ers, Jordanian insurance men, Argentine military engineers and aristocratic Belgian pisiculturalists really need this kind of hassle in their lives. Yes, folks, these are the peo ple who make up the body of international stewards in F1. Many of them enjoyed worthy careers in motor sport in their own countries, but none of them was ever in Ft and few of them ever had any legal training (which is quite obvi ously what stewards now need). What was is proved conclusively in Brazil that the entire FIA rule-making and adjudicating sys tem is worthless and needs to be completely reorganised if the gov erning body wants any credibility. Journalists can rant and rave, but the FIA .pays little attention and at the end of the day the pressmen know that there is little they can do except to draw atten tion to the madness of the sport.

^^Not many racing drivers have been on the stage. There are afew who are comedy acts. And so we shrug and go off in search of caipirinhas, the lethal Brazilian drink made from sugar cane hooch, lime juice and sugar. The only problem is that as soon as you leave the rarefied world of the paddock you become stuck in the monstrous traffic jam that is Sao Paulo. Sitting in traffic gives one time to ponder more ethereal things than F1 politics. It is far better to let the mind wander to more pleasant thoughts such as whether one can actually drink the alcohol which is used to power a quarter of the cars in Brazil. It is sugar cane alcohol, presumably not unlike the stuff they put in the caipirinhas. I wondered if there was money to be made setting up lime juice dispensers on garage forecourts so that people could drive in and put a dash of lime in the fuel tank and head off home, sipping from a system of straws between the dri ver and the fuel tank. A fine country Brazil ... n

SUPER TOURING

wApfinm

l McConville continues on his winning way and remains unbeaten in 1998 l Volvo’s new S40 takes impressive pole positions but hampered by grip and clutch problems in races l Race 1 finish results overturned, leaving Jones sour and in third l McLean dominates Independents ranks and takes career-best second outright l Searle and Newman suffer huge accidents in Toyota and Peugeot respectively l Pitstops debut in series but results similar Report by PHIL BRANAGAN MAYBE when the Super Touring circus leaves his home state Cameron McConville will be heaten in a race but the Victorian kept his 1998 winning record intact with two convincing vic tories in the opening rounds of the BOC Gases Super Touring champi onship at Calder Park. McConville led both races almost all the way, fighting off the challenge of pole sit ter Jim Richards in the Volvo S40. Richards dropped the fourth in both races, strug gling for grip in the first and suffering clutch problems in the second which eventually cost him a full lap. The first race featured a controversial finish for sec ond, Brad Jones and Cameron McLean taking the flag side-by-side. The timing system gave the nod to the Audi driver but after the event McLean was boosted to a career-best second after the Judge of Fact examined videotape evidence. Jones accepted the decision hut was emphatically disappoint ed in the manner the deci sion was reached. Mark Adderton started his Honda relationship with two fifths while, elsewhere in the field, crashes accounted for his former mount when Ron Searle hit a wall in qualifying. Tony Newman also had a huge accident in almost the same spot when his Peugeot 406 careered across the infield in the second race.

Entry & qualifying Eighteen cars the entry list butwere thaton many didn’t make the trip to Calder. Mike Fitzgerald’s Peugeot was still being rebuilt, John Henderson failed to show and Bob Tweedie’s second Vauxhall was still in Bob Holden’s Taree base where it is likely to become a source of spares for Tweedie’s num ber one car. Adam Kaplan also missed the boat, almost literally; the ex-Steven Richards Nissan Primera is still in bond and will (like the Honda Accord of Graham Dodd) be a likely starter for the second round at Oran Park. McConville looked to be the biggest threat to the Volvo for qualifying honours, both Cam and Jim dipping into the (sub-record) 58s in the Saturday morning ses sion but, when push came to

shove to the pole points, Richards was in a class of his own. For the first session the track was at its best and Richards responded with a 58.47s lap but rising track temperatures for the second go-around resulted in a slight drop in speed and a 58.79s still did the job to secure the point each for pole. The team was happy with the performance of the car though, with tyre selection having to be made early, they were slightly concerned with the car’s inability to deal with a wide tempera ture range, tyre-wise. It seems that the more Super Touring cars develop the smaller the margin for error is becoming with tyre tem peratures. McConville was second in both sessions, with a 58.81s in the first and a 58.91s in the second. He was content with his lot, especially given the Volvo’s appalling get away record, but was a little frustrated that he hadn’t adjusted to running fresh rubber on the car. “The Michelins are much different to the Dunlops in that regard,” he said. “The Dunlops were faster on a fresh t}Te but the car didn’t feel as different as is does now. On Michelins the gap is much wider.” One thing that wasn’t on the program was a tyre smoking lock-up at turn one which resulted on a trip up the escape road. He got the car turned around promptly, which was just as well; not 20 seconds later Brad did exactly the same thing ... Jones took two thirds. With a 59.01s and a 59.21s lap his A4 was, like McConville’s very consistent, especially over a race dis tance and he was upbeat about his race pace. His car looked to be understeering a lot more than McConville’s through the first corner but it didn’t really show on the clocks. With 59.26s and 59.91s McLean took two fourths. The team had had a busy time; their intended engine for the weekend was in trou ble and the team decided to bite the bullet and buy a new one, which was air-freigted down from Brisbane in time for qualifying. It was no cheap exercise for an Independent team, costing “the same as a medium-sized Japanese family sedan”, accodring to McLean. But it was worth it. “The old engine struggled to 7900rpm but, with this one all the lights come on, which

FOUR by FOUR... McConville’s starts were the common denominators in both races. He beat Jones away in race two (above) but had McLean all over him (right) in the first 18 tap per. (Photos by Dirk Klynsmith and Neil Hammond)

means it’s pulling 8450,” he said. He was also enjoying being back in a BMW after a hard season in the Opel. “It’s a lot more enjoyable, but there’s a little problem with the rear end. I have to tell myself to stop having fun with the oversteer because it just buzzes the tyres.” After set up changes it was little bet ter for the second session. Newman took two fifths with times only 0.02s apart. Like its 405 forebearer the car showed tremendous straightline speed, and other drivers commented that there was no way of acing the green car on the straights. “It’s much better to drive,” commented Newman. “It does everything better and I’m still getting used to it.” It certainly looked better in the corners than the,405s but its top-end was about the same at 197 over the start/finish line. Completing the matched grids was Adderton. The Sydney driver was coming to grips with the Attitude sportswear-sponsored Honda and \yas very consistent, I'unning 60.54s and 60.83s in the sessions. ‘Addo’ was a little con cerned about the start of the races though. “I haven’t done any practice starts,” he said. “I rang Steven (Richards) and asked him what I should do. He said to rev it to 7500, feed in the clutch and hang on.” Time would tell whether the car’s previous encumbent

10ApfilB8 was right... Then came Searle. In his first drive in a FWD Super Tourer Ron was taking him time and bedding himself in, setting a 61.13s in the first session for seventh. In the second he went a half-tenth quicker in four laps but, on the next circuit, it all went honibly wrong at turn one. “I hit the brakes and the car just turned sideways,” he said. The car was off the track really quickly but it didn’t w'ash off much speed before it his the wall a glanc ing blow on the left front.” The news was bad once the Camry returned on a flat bed truck. The corner was destroyed, which was fbdble, but the chassis was creased, which was not. Searle became a DNSer for the two races but, hopefully, will be back in the saddle for Oran

n Tony Newman drove the ex-Patrick Watts Peugeot 406 at Calder Park while the other car awaits a driver for the rest of the series. No word yet on whether that will happen, or with whom, though Watts himself is still hopeful. n Unlike England Michelin’s dominance of local Super Touring is not QUITE complete. Anthony Robson and Mark Adderton bucked the trend at Calder.by ninning Dunlops on their cars, while several Independents saved the odd dollar by opting for a 1997 version of the French rubber rather than the latest spec. n Richards’ pole posi tion was a first for Volvo, but not for him. He has done it before in a Ford Mondeo and Vauxhall Cavalier, so he’s the first driver to do it in three dif ferent makes of cars. Other FWD polesitters are Steven Richards and James Kaye.

Pai’k.

Then came Peter Hills. Look - Hills cops flak from all manner of‘experts’ in the sport for running a two car team on what would nonnalONCE WERE WARRIORS... ly be spent on catering for a Once they were team one car team. His Ford mates. McLean was far too Mondeos are not the most good for the Independent up-to-date weapons in the opposition while Richards field and Peter and his team (right) was untouchable in are notable for a complete qualifying but out of luck for the race. lack of PR-speak, referring to spades as spades, not ‘hand (Photos by Dirk Klynsmith) held manual excavation devices’. With that background it lap. He was happy to be any where on the grid; his engine was good to see both Hills and off-sider Paul Pickett in dropped a valve on Friday and he looked like pulling out the 61s in both sessions, and until Hills committed his sole excellent to see Hills crack a 60.94s in the first session for spare engine to PP’s use. seventh. “Bugger it we’re a racing Put another way. Hills was team. We’re going racing,” he within 0.8s of the.times set said. Tweedie split the pair in by former South African both session in his solo champion Mike Briggs in the David Wong’s Mondeo at Vauxhall Cavalier, now being prepared by Bob Holden and, Calder a year ago. And Hills as usual, the Sydney driver managed it without the bene fit of Reudi Eggenbqrger, was there to “enjoy, have fun, The private BMWs of Allan Moffat, 100 wheels, 50 and go home”. He had noth Anthony Robson and Holden tyres, a multi-million dollar ing to report after mid-61s in were at the rear of the grid, both sessions. Petronas budget or even the younger driver besting Likewise David Auger, who Bob by two seconds in each Briggs’ $3000, used-once racesuit. was enjoying driving his session, while Milton Olympus Cameras Alfa 155 Leslight struggled with a Pickett was impressed with his car and felt that, but dreaming of a 156. The dragging splitter in the first Brisbane driver was hopeful session and missed the see¬ given new tyres (he was run of getting one, perhaps this ond with tihiing problems in ning used Michelins) and some set-up time, the blue V6 season, but had little trouble the engine of his AAP Toyota Carina. sled could crack a high-59s in qualifying.

n The Calder race ended ‘ironman’ streaks for two BMW drivers. It was the first Super Touring race missed by both Paul Morris and Justin Matthews, who were both in the USA, Morris racing at Long Beach and Matthews with family matters. n Peter Hills’ team eon.tinned its association with Camp Quality at Calder, hosting several kid suffer ing from cancer over the weekend. RaCG 1 (18 lapS) mhe ‘sprint’ format for the/' race didn’t change things much. The race for the first corner would be tight and noone, not even Richards, expected the Volvo to feature, We were right. The two Cams jumped away, McConville leading McLean, with Jones just edging past the S40 before

the first corner. As bad as Richards’ start was, Adderton’s was worse. The Accord crept away and was 11th into turn one. Sounds like more late-night phone coachjhg sessions are in order. / After a single lap the big four, almost nose to tail.

n Hills also got his first recognition from Ford at Calder. He was loaned a Fairmont for the drivers’ parade. It’s a start... n Richards on his starts: “If anyone thinks they can do a better job then they can come and drive it!”

Continued over page

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Continued from page 15 were three seconds ahead of with Hills, Newman, Tweedie and Pickett follow ing. Next were Adderton,' Auger, Holden, Robson and Leslight. Richards looked the long way around Jones at turn one before out-braking him at the second right hander for third and immediately start after McLean, who was 1.7s up the road and sniffing around his namesake. This was going to be the battle of the race. As long as the tyres held up the Volvo looked faster but, with his new improved engine, McLean had enough steam to hold out the S40 and, as long as Cameron made no errors, he was in the catbird seats ... Unless he wanted to win. McConville was long gone and pulled out a seven second lead which he held all the way to the finish. It took until lap 11 for the tide to turn. From that lap on McLean had a grid advan tage and Richards started to go backwards, Jones surfing past under brakes on lap 13. With Adderton making progi-ess through the field to fifth there was no threat to Richards, buggered rubber or not, but the upcoming 35 lapper was posing an interesting problem ... Suddenly Newman went missing from fifth. The Peugeot had earlier had a disagi-eement in traffic, but a bump on a kerb was causing more concern. On lap 15 the car suddenly snapped right under brakes at turn one and ploughed across the infield. Now a passenger, Newman saw a sunken grate coming up fast and the 406 leapt into the air and landed with a crash, zooming across the track centimetres in front of Hills. The lucky NZer was okay but the car was not. He missed the second race. Jones’ chase of the BMW was on in earnest but still McLean didn’t flinch. Out of the final corner the Bimmer oversteered and the A4 pulled alongside and, in a tight drag to the finish, the yellow bumber bar got there just before the silver one. But Jones’ transponder crossed the line first and the computer gave him second by 0.03s. That stood for around an hour until the stewards

STOPS and STOPPAGES... Ron Searle lost the Toyota Carina on Saturday, comprehensively bending it against the turn one concrete wall. The Audi Sport Australia team took the honours In the pits, McConville and Jones enjoying quite an advantage over the rest. (Photos t>y ark Kiynsmiih) overturned the decision. McLean was happy (he had been happy with third any way) and Jones, certainly, was not. Behind Richards c^ame and / the Adderton Hills/Tweedie battle,' which raged over the last half of the race. Auger followed from Robson, Pickett and Holden, while Leslight was an early pit caller with timing prob lems.

Race 2(35 laps) What would happen the first pitstop race in of the series? Well, the start was the same! McConville leapt away, Richards did not and the order at the first corner was Cam Mac 1, Jones, Richai'ds, Pickett Cam Mac 2 Adderton, Hills, Tweedie, Robson, Auger and Holden. Richards lost no time get ting by the outside of Jones at turn one and set sail after the other Audi but, in reality, the order was going to remain static until the pitstops, save for a spin to the rear for Hills and a recovery drive. On lap eight the pitstop window opened and Adderton came in straight away from sixth, resuming after a 30s stop. This would be the dif ference between the pro teams and the others; with the long entry and a 60 kay limit a privateer stop cost almost exactly a lap but the big guys could tmm their lads around about 20s faster than that. The first of the leaders to pit was Jones, after 15 laps. Brad motored all the way to the end of the pits and was there for 16 seconds. A lap later Richards came in and had his stop, resuming after 19 seconds with new fronts. The two pitters were together again on the track and Jones took the spot, only to have Jim edge ahead six laps later. After 18 laps McClonville speared in and stopped after 15 seconds, beating Jones to turn one by 2.6s. The last stopper was McLean. He had a cunning plan; on Friday experiments proved that the time lost tak ing on FOUR tyi-es was more than made up by having fresh rubber. He came in on lap 19 but the stop was 31s,

INDIE BATTLE... Adderton, Pickett, Hills and Tweedie duke it out. (Photo by Dirk Klynsmith) about 10s longer than it should’ve taken and, when he got up to speed, he was 21s behind Jones. “Great idea,” rued McLean afterwards. “Last time we tiy that. But, will it be the last time anyone tries it? McConville was clear but the world suddenly got grey and nasty for the Valvo. Jim’s clutch was slipping and he suddenly lost seven seconds a lap. Jones was past immedi ately and once it was obvious that McLean was going to get him as well Richai’ds backed right off to save a lap, allow ing McConville past right on the line. >}

Jones was second (really, this time) from McLean and Richards, Adderton followed from Tweedie, Hills, Auger and Pickett, guaranteeing the Knight team two finishes. Holden was next, spending the last few laps stuck in gear after the lever broke, from Robson.

BOC Gases Super Touring Championship Race 1 (18 laps) 1 2 3 4

Calder Park, IVIelbourne April 4/5

Cameron McConville Cameron McLean Brad Jones Jim Richards 5 Mark Adderton 6 Peter Hills 7 Bob Tweedie 8 Pavid Auger 9 Anthony Robson 10 Paul Pickett 11 Bob Holden N/C Milton Leslight DNF Tony Newman

Audi Sport Audi A4 quattro Greenfield Mowers BMW 320 Audi Sport Audi A4 quattro Volvo Racing Volvo S40 Attitude Honda Accord Knight Racing Ford Mondeo Vauxhall Cavalier Olympus Cameras Alfa Romeo DCM BMW318i Knight Racing Ford Mondeo n Faber-Castell BMW 320i AAP Toyota Carina GTI Starion Enterprises Peugeot 405

Race 2(35 laps, including compuisoiy pitstop) 1 Cameron McConville Audi Sport Audi A4 quattro 2 Brad Jones Audi Sport Audi A4 quattro 3 Cameron McLean Greenfield Mowers BMW 320 4 Jim Richards Volvo Racing Volvo S40 5 Mark Adderton Attitude Honda Accord 6 Bob Tweedie Vauxhall Cavalier 7 Peter Hills Knight Racing Ford Mondeo 8 David Auger Olympus Cameras Alfa Romeo 9 Paul Pickett Knight Racing Ford Mondeo 10 Bob Holden Faber-Castell BMW 320i DCM BMW318i 11 Anthony Robson DNS Milton Leslight AAP Toyota Carina GTI DNS Tony Newman Starion Enterprises Peugeot 405

59,5756 18:10.1134 59.6976 18:16.9423 59.6354 18:16,9662 59.4738 18:17.5269 61.2808 18:53.8958 61.7781 18:59.3801 61.8935 18:59.7273 62.3614 17 laps 63.0183 17 laps 61.9774 17 laps 17 laps 2:05.8017 4 laps 1:20.8806 61.5224 15 laps

58.8183 59.2614 59.0972 58.4758 60.5457 60.9483 61.6621 61.9955 63.3518 63.7141 65.2421 65.4804 60.5246

59.7028 59.6734 59.6620 59.3561 61.2414 61.5948 62.2156 62.2307 61.7955 65.6627 63.3019

58.9106 59.2166 59.9152 58.7932 60.8355 61.5538 61.4695 62.3792 61.8396 65.3467 63.1190 No time 60.5716

35:55.4727 35:57.2953 36:26.7021 34 laps 34 laps 34 laps 33 laps 33 laps 33 laps 30 laps 27 laps

2 4 3 1 6

7 9 10 11 12 13 14 3 2 3 4 1 6 9 8 11 10 13 12 5

Drivers Points: McConville 30, Jones and McLean 22, Richards 18. Adderton 12, Hills and Tweedie 9, Auger 6, Pickett 3, Robson 2, Holden 1. Manufacturers Points: Audi 30, Volvo 24. Independents Cup: McLean 32, Adderton 24, Hills and Tweedie 18, Auger 12, Pickett 9, Robson 8, Holden 7. Teams Points: Audi Sport Australia 54, Knight Racing 30, Faber-Casteli and IBC Motorsporf 28.

lOApfiims

The Dominator By AARON NOONAN PORSCHE driver Dominic Beninca began his charge on the 1998 Century Batteries Australian GTCar Production Championship in the best way possible on the week end, winning both 20 lap races. Tlie local driver beat home John Bowe (Fen'ari F355) in both races, with defending champ Peter Fitzgerald (Porsche 911 RSCS) filling third on both occasions. Brake fade hampered the debut of Garry Waldoii’s Dodge Viper VIO, the American muscle car fi nish

ing in fifth.

Qualifying Iffomtheincloseness the top the first of qualifying session is anything to go by, 1998 is going to be huge for GT-P. Waldon snatched pole

position for race one in the Viper’s debut, taking ImOO.eOOs to lap the 2.28km Calder layout. Only eight hundredths behind was Beninca, with Bowe filling third, and Fitzgerald in fourth, twotenths covering the group. Alfredo Costanzo in the rapid ly improving Maserati Ghibli took fifth, while Paul Stokell debuted the Lotus Elise in sixth having spent Friday at Winton testing. For race two Beninca reversed the tide taking pole, heading Fitzgerald, Bowe and Waldon. Murray Carter head ed Class B in both sessions, while Class C qualifying hon ours were shai-ed between the Commodore of Mark Cohen and Robert Chadwick (Mitsubishi Magna) The Toyota MR-2 of Ric Shaw was rehshing its move to Class D by taking pole for both races, however team

Race 1 (20 Laps) Sunny conditions for race one, the prevailed complete opposite of the last time GT-P visited Calder. From the second row Bowe made a blinder, but the gnint of the Viper kept him back in second. Fitzgerald slotted into third, heading Stokell, Beninca (who struggled to get moving off the line) Almond’s Lancer, and Costanzo. Beninca quickly began to claw his way back up the field, passing Stokell on the back straight, while Waldon powered away up front in the Viper. Fitzgerald quickly manoeu vred by Bowe, leaving the Ferrari for Beninca to attack.

t ii i44lJ

MAKE MINE SEVEN... Wagg leads Keene and Dunn in race one. (Photo by chrts carter) despite a bad start in the first race, looked untroubled in taking his wins. In the first race he had to overcome the determined Greg Keene to get to the flag while, in race two, Keene again looked a chance for victory until his Porsche 911

■: r-

mate Colin Osborne would start from the rear of the grid after electrical problems. Class E was a Suzuki benefit, Aaron McGill and Nigel Stones heading their class.

Wagg plays tag

MARTIN Wagg started the 1998 Australian Porshce Cup series with two convincing win at Calder. Wagg translated the potential he showed at the tail end of last season into on-track performance and.

GT2 replica suffered mechanical failure. Keene took second in the first race ahead of Max Dunn’s RSR, while defend ing Champion Geoff Morgan struggled all weekend to get his 911RSCS onto the pace. of the leaders.

BLACK ACE... Beninca leads Fitzgerald and Bowe into Shell corner. (Photo by nbh Hammond) Through the tight turns the Porsche was in its element, but Waldon’s supreme power kept the gap at a constant half a second. By lap five the leaders hit the slower traffic, and promptly bunched up as they tried to find a way through. Beninca pulled off a brilliant move around Fitzy at turns one and two to snatch second, while Murray Carter led Class B. Fitzgerald forced his way back past Beninca on lap ten, as Waldon fell back into their clutches. The brakes had faded, and Beninca past, not only Fitzgerald but Waldon as well into Shell Corner, and on the OUT SIDE! Waldon fell back, passed by Fitzgerald and Bowe within two laps, and claimed by Costanzo on lap sixteen. Beninca pulled out in the closing stages to win by thir teen seconds fi-om Bowe, and Fitzgerald who suffered a spin with three to run. Carter headed Chris Kousparis (Subaru) in Class B, but the news wasn’t good for the Magna team of Chadwick and Steve Knight in Class C. Having led the class quite convincingly, Chadwick suffered transmis sion problems, and Knight had an engine failure and an under-bonnet fire just to lub things in. Cohen took the class victoiy, while Ric Shaw opened his 1998 account in

Class D from the BMW of Luke Seqrle. Nigel Stones emerged tri umphant in Class E, his Suzuki holding out the Laser TX3 of Jim Myhill.

Race 2 (20 Laps) Once the sheer poweragain of the Viper slingshotted Waldon to the lead, leaving Beninca, Fitzgerald, Bowe, Costanzo, Stokell, and John Bourke (Supra) to fight over turn one. Back in the field, Kousparis headed Carter in Class B, while the debutante Toyota Camry of David Ratcliff seized the lead in Class C. Shaw headed Osborne and Phil Kirkham (Mazda 626) in Class D. Unlike race one, Waldon didn’t pull away from the pack at wai-p speed, obvi ously trying to conserve his brakes. On lap six however, Beninca blew his plans to the weeds with a quick dart on the outside again at Shell Corner, and sprinted off into the distance. Consistently lapping a sec ond faster than his rivals, Beninca how headed Waldon, Bowe and Fitzgerald. JB was using all of the road, kerbs and grass to negotiate the traffic, at the same time fend ing off the Falken Tyres Porsche. Both drivers gained a spot a lap later on lap 12, Waldon spearing off at Shell Comer and ploughing a path

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through the sand trap . He rejoined in fifth, behind Alfi-edo Costanzo. But Beninca could do no wrong, and made it two out of two by two seconds over the sponsorless Ferrari of Bowe, Fitzgerald, Costanzo, Waldon, Stokell, Bourke, Almond, Bob Thorn (Supra) and GT-P rookie Marcus Marshall’s Nissan 300ZX. Carter made it two from two as well in Class B after the HSV GTSR of John Cowley lost a fan belt. The two from two disease Cohen’s was catchy. Commodore catching another dose of it in Class C, out pointing the Ford Falcon media car steered by jornmalist John Wright. Ric Shaw and Nigel Stones were both victors in Classes D and E. Obviously there was some thing in the air at Calder... For Beninca the victories were his fi rst since he took the chequer at Calder last season. “The lap times weren’t bril liant, but I think the 50 (kilos that have been added to the Porsches, Ferraris and Dodge) may have had an effect on the Falkens. We haven’t done anything differ ent to the car, but hopefully we’ve impressed some of our people in the stands.”

Points; (Outright and Class A) Beninca 31, Bowe 24, Fitzgerald 20, Costanzo 16, Waldon 13, Almond 5. Class B: Carter 30. Class C; Cohen 30. Class D: Shaw 30. Class E; Stones 30.

IS W Aprilim

FORIVIULA 1

Problems for Frost PROST Grand Prix has been plagued by gearbox problems to such an extent that the team is believed to have start ed work on the design for a compietely new unit to be introduced later in the season. George Ryton, the head of research and development(and the man responsible for the trou blesome gearbox) has left the team. The existing gearbox has been modified and strengthened but the unit, while being more reliable, is also a lot heavier and has disrupted the car's weight distribution. The team's problems were intensified in Brazil because of Olivier Panis's heavy accident during the warm-up on Sunday morning. The impact destroyed the monocoque of the car and that means that it will be three weeks before the team can have a much-needed fifth chassis for testing. The test car will now be pushed back at least three weeks. 0 The Williams team featured backing during the Brazilian Grand Prix from Universal's car toon character "Woody Woodpecker". The deal is for the two South American races but if it is a success we may see more cartoon characters appearing on the Williams cars later in the year. Bl McLaren is enjoying a major advantage over the opposition in F1 as the company is in the for tunate position of being able to use the composite skills of its sister company McLaren Cars. This means that production of new parts is not being held up because of excessive demand as is the case at a number of other teams. n Gerhard Berger was at the Brazilian GP after visiting the Homestead CART race in the company of Sylvester Stallone. Asked if he was interested in being involved with Stallone's movie, Gerhard said that the only films he had ever want to be in are porn movies. - JOE SAWARD

McLarens bill

Hakkinen scores his first real win Story by JOE SAWARD Photos by LAT DIGITAL

MIKA Hakkinen won the Brazilian Grand Prix, domi nating qualifying and the race in dramatic fashion, underlining the technical advantage that McLaren first displayed in Melbourne. It was the Finn’s third win in suc cession, but was the first time he has won without team orders/being apphed and was long overdue.' Once again, David Coulthard fin ished second behind his teammate. The McLaren remains the domi nant car, despite the fact that several systems had to be taken off the car because of disputes over legahty. The FIA thought this might slow the car but there seemed to be httle effect, particularly as it later emerged that Hakkinen had been very sick on race day and had dominated the race despite stomach problems...

Qualifying A good car at Interlagos is a car that rides the bumps weU, but it is a track which favours those with the sharpest reactions. Natural speed is more important than guile and intelhgence. Given these parameters it was no surprise that Mika Halddnen was on pole position with a lap of lml7.092s - only a second slower than pole posi tion last year, which is further evi dence that the FIA’s plan to slow the cars down by three or four seconds a lap has failed completely, as Melbourne had suggested One cannot be surprised by this because the FIA stewards in Interlagos ruled that the FIA

MIGHTY MIKA ... The McLaren team celebrates Mika Hakkinen crossing the line at Interlagos. Technical Department is a worthless organisation. Politics dominated the practice days and the paddock was full of chatter about illegal systems. The controversies rumbled on throughout Thursday and Friday and it was not until Saturday morning that the stewards decided what should be done. They declared that the various braking systems were not legal. Even without the systems - and without the rumoured regenerative power system to drive the engine auxiliaries (which was banned in the week before the race)- the McLarenMercedes MP4-13 was still the domi nant car, which proved that the sys tems were not worth as much as some had thought, or hoped. The fact is that the McLaren is just a really good package and the other cars are not. In the end Hakkinen was 0.665s ahead of Coulthard, but the gap was rather more than it might normally have been as David did not get the chance to have a final run because his car refused to fire up at the criti cal moment.

WILLIAMS WOES... Heinz-Harald Frentzen lost third place to Michael Schumacher during the pitstops.

Was there a plot to handicap David, asked the conspiracy theo rists? WeU, no. The truth was embai'rassing but quite behevable. When the cars come into the pits they are attached by umbilical cords to a gantry above them and by acci dent the plug supplying David’s car with electrical power was accidental ly knocked out, so the battery ran flat. David reckoned that he would probably have improved by three or four tenths, which still would not have given him pole. A Grand Prix is more than just qualifying,” David said later.‘We will have to see what happens with the race to the first comer.” But did he think he could win the race - given that he has had to give the last two races to Hakkinen because ofteam orders? That is the general idea,” said David. Hakkinen, however, was confident that he could get the better of David in the race. “This track suits my driving style a lot,” said the Firm.“I personally enjoy a lot driving around this track because all the comers are quite chal lenging and that helps me to perform better.”

Williams which was the lead As expected, it with was ingwas McLaren chaser and Jacques Villeneuve having stacked his car into a wall on Satui'day morn ing it was left to Heinz-Harald Frentzen to lead the chase. The German seems to be rather more competitive than last year and if Villeneuve is not careful he is going to find himself being overshadowed this season. “It was a little bit better than I expected,” commented Heinz-Hai-ald. “I started the weekend with a lot of set-up work and I was not very happy with how the car behaved.” Villeneuve’s crash left Jacques in the T-car and he never managed to get it working well. As a result he was down in a very disappointing 10th position on the grid. “I just ran wide out of the comer,” Jacques commented, “and I went straight into the tyres. Today has

been very fi-ustrating . We have to do a strong race tomorrow.” Fourth on the gi’id was Michael Schumacher, which was not really any surprise, but he was 1.2s off Hakkinen’s pole and the Ferrari looked to be a real handful. Michael had been hoping to be ahead of the Williams but playing about with the set-up before his final run he went in the wrong du'ection. “The Bridgestone runners seemed to have an advantage on this track,” he said. “I think the McLai-ens will be unbeatable but we should be the best ofthe rest.” Eddie Irvine was overshadowed as usual, but sixth on the grid within two-tenths of Michael was a good result for the Ulstennan, who com plained of not feeling very well on Saturday and was not helped by a misfire. Alexander Wurz in his Benetton was barely slower than Schumacher, which was a good showing from the Austrian rookie who had never dri ven an FI car at Interlagos. He did not have any problems and looked forward to a chance to score points in what would be only his fifth Grand Prix. On this occasion the Austrian over shadowed Giancarlo Fisicheha, main ly because the Italian lost control over a bump and smacked his car into a wall. He had to nm back to the pits and take the spare, which was set up for Wurz,and finished up 7th. Both the Benetton drivers were confident that they would do weU in the race and would be able to outnm the Goodyear men with their Bridgestones.

ehind Fisichella, in 8th place on the grid, 1.7s off pole posi tion, was Ralf Schumacher in the faster of the two Jordan Mugen Hondas. He had hoped to be sixth but otherwise seemed happy with the progress being made. This could not be said for Damon Hill, who was having a dreadful weekend. He ran into the pitwaU on Friday and in qualifying could do no better than 11th on the gi'id, twotentlis slower than Schumacher Jr. Given Damon’s struggles with Jordan, it must be galhng for him to

BRAZILIAN Gl>

WApril 1998 1

r i I

again in Brazil

have to remember that in August last year he turned down the chance to be a McLaren driver because the team was not offering him enough money. Such knowledge cannot help the motivation. Ninth on the grid was a good effort from Olivier Panis in the Prost-Peugeot. This is improving after its dreadful start to the year in Australia as the team botches its way towards making the gearbox reliable. There were whispers in the paddock that the team has embarked on a new gearbox design but it will not be ready for some months. The 1997 gearbox does not fit, otherwise it would be there already. Jamo Trulli was a disappointed 12th, having been faster than Panis for most of the practice days, but mechanical problems with his car and an off meant that he had to use the spare in qualifying and the brakes were not as he hked them. Behind Trulli on the grid was Rubens BarricheUo in the StewartFord on Bridgestone tyres, looking rather better than was the case in Melbourne. The team did not seem to have any particular problems to blame for the position, which is a problem in itself... Jan Magnussen suffered a little from traffic problems and was threetenths slower than Barrichello, which meant that he was 16th on the grid. the pair of Saubers, which was The twonot Stewarts were showing split by really a very good given the team’s pace in Australia. Jean Alesi continued to complain about understeer and a lack of response from the car while Johnny Herbert lost most ofFriday with elec tronic problems and then had a big crash on Saturday morning when his throttle stuck open. He would suffer neck problems for the rest of the weekend. The crash meant that he had to take to the spare car in the afternoon. As a result Johnny was happy to be able to outqualify Alesi by a tenth. Tyrrell was another team not hav ing much fun. Ricardo Rosset seemed to hit some thing or spin offevery time he left the pits, which did nothing to endear him

DOMINANT FORCE... !

McLaren was once again far too strong for the opposition, despite having some of its technical features banned. This is second-placed Coulthard. |

iercedes-

MIGHTY MICK... The brilliance of Schumacher gained him third place, but not even he could throw the Ferrari around fast enough to match the McLarens. to the teaih. Rosset was 21st on the grid, four places behind Toranosuke Takagi. '■ The two Minardis were 18th and 19th with Shinji Nakano just quicker than Esteban Tuero, who suffered an engine failure and might have gone quicker. Back in 20th and 22nd were the two Arrows of Mika Salo and Pedro Diniz, the team stiU struggling with gearbox electronics problems, which has affected set-up time. It did not help that several team members had gone dovra vrith bugs, presumably because everyone has been working too hard and their resistance is too low. On Saturday night Tom Walkinshaw, afflicted by the bug, flew home to Europe. There did not seem much point in staying,

n Saturday night it begm to rain. When it rains in Brazil it deluges and throughout the evening the 16 million occupants of Sao Paulo and the 3000 members of the FI circus were bombarded by sheets of rain.

^1| .

■

In the morning parts of the track were still damp and the trackside grass was completely waterlogged. Putting a wheel off the track proved to be disastrous. The warm-up saw the McLarens dominant, Michael Schumacher spin ning and then suffering a mechanical failure, and several sizeable shunts by Fisichella, Ralf Schumacher and.

most dramatically, Olivier Panis. The blue skies and cotton wool clouds were back by lunchtime but there still lurked sections of grey mist, which threatened to renew the deluge on Sunday afternoon. The crowds built up during the morning but this was not a crowd like the old days and as the cars lined up on the grid the main grandstand

opposite the pits was only half fuU. The incidents in the morning meant that several teams were in two minds as to which cars to use. Michael Schumacher switched back and forth between cars while Fisichella took the decision to race the chassis he had shunted in the morning.

Continued next page

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FORMULA -I

GRANDE PR£MI0 DO BRASIL HERE WE ARE AGAIN... David Coulthard and Mika Hakkinen share a light moment at the press conference.

What the drivers said: This is an edited transcript of the post-race press conference at Interlagos: Q: Congratulations, Mika,on your third consecutive GP victo ry and the second of the year. Does it feel any different to have won here? HAKKINEN: No, it is just as good. Obviously this Brazilian cir cuit is tougher than Melbourne, because of the bumps and because the cars are sliding more here, it is harder work than in Melbourne. Q: You made a good start and rapidly pulled out a useful lead. Were you at all worried about David challenging yoii? HAKKINEN: No, not too much, because it is quite difficult here to follow anybody really closely. That is why I was not too worried; I kti.'^w he would not be able to get too close because he would have lost downforce. Q: You made one pit stop only, and you made it late. Was that as you had planned? HAKKINEN:That was planned and it worked really well. The thing I’m most happy about is the start. It really worked out well. It is very dif ficult here because it is uphill on the startline, so the car tends roll backwards. But it worked out really well and that probably gave me the result that I had today. Q: This is a bumpy,tiring track. You said yesterday that it was one of your favourites. Is it still? HAKKINEN: It certainly is a very challenging circuit and very hard to drive. You have to find the opti mum line to get the best possible lap time. I really like it a lot. Q: You won by 1.1 seconds. Did you ease up at the end? HAKKINEN:The rain started spitting a little bit at the end of the race ... the last three laps. I was really taking it easy and not using any kerbs or anything because I was just worried because you can lose the back end very quickly. I had it all under control. Q: David, another second place. Are you pleased with this result? COULTHARD: Yes, although obviously I would have been hap pier to have finished first. But Mika has had an edge all weekend and under the circumstances six points is quite good. Q: You are legendary for fast starts, but you didn’t manage to get a particularly good one today... COULTHARD: No, I didn’t get away quite as well as I would have liked. Drivers always have a book full of excuses and my excuse today is that it is a hill start here,

and using the foot clutch instead of the hand clutch meant that I had to brake and use the throttle at the same time with my right foot. Maybe that is more difficult than using the hand clutch, like Mika does. I am hoping to get it right in Argentina.

REWARD FOR TALENT Alexander Wurz took an excellent fourth place for Benetton. Here he holds out Michael Schumacher and Heinz-Harald Frentzen during the middle of the race.

tion of the day’s activities. David was sise that Ferrari has developments beaten. coming through which will help to Q:There were a couple of occa “AtHbest,” he admitted,“I could run close the gap. Perhaps. rather difficult because where the same pace as Mika, but I don’t Ferrari will, ofcourse, be helped by sions when you got close to The always Mika. Did you hope to be able to thestart cars at Interlagos the front ofisthe grid think I could have overtaken him the fact that both the Argentina and challenge him at eny stage? are situated the road is slightly unless he had a problem. It would San Marino tracks tend to close up COULTHARD;'! didn’t expect to the grids. uphill, which means that starting is a have taken an incident. have any chances unless he had a “In the circumstances six points Perhaps by then Ferrari will have rather more complicated affair. mechanical problem or made a 'The McLaren boys chose to use dif was a good score. Hopefully in been able to catch up some of the mistake. At best I would only be ferent clutches: Hakkinen went for a Argentina I will get it right.” ground lost during the winter months able to run at the same pace as hand clutch, Coulthard went for the ... without the Italian press making At the start the job of being chief / him, but I was mostly a little bit McLaren-chaser fell to Frentzen, who too much ofa fuss about it. traditional foot-operated option. slower. I was having a lot of trac Eddie Irvine finished eighth which “I didn’t get away as well as I reached the first corner ahead of tion difficulties out of the last cor would have liked,” admitted David Eddie Irvine, Alexander Wurz and was a very disappointing result given ner. It would have taken an inci afterwards. the slow-starting Michael the qualifying and his good start. dent for me to have got past him. Eddie said it was due to traffic after “Drivers always have a book full of Schumacher. excuses and my excuse todayis that Michael was able to get by Wurz in his pit stop and a nasty dose offlu. Q: Michael, after losing an The fading Irvine and a good strat it is a hill start and using the foot the course ofthe first lap but then he engine in Australia you must be clutch meemt that I had to brake and had to spend 10 laps before he was egy from Benetton meant that Wurz pleased to have some points on use the throttle at the same time able to find a way past his teammate. was able to get fourth place. the board here... He started the race with a massive with my right foot. Maybe that is With the FTA rather unpredictable on SCHUMACHER: Yes. Third more difficult than using the hand the subject of team orders no team is fiiel load and made a dramatic start, place was the most we could have clutch like Mika does.” going to take risks admitting that going around the outside of hoped for and we achieved that. The result was that Hakkinen was such things are in play and so Schumacher in the first comer. The There was a good competition ahead as they dived into the first cor extra weight meant that Michael was Michael explained that he was even between me and Eddie at the ner and there he stayed. able to win back the place almost tually able to slipstream Eddie and beginning, then with Wurz and At the end of the first lap the get ahead... immediately, leaving Wurz to ran Frentzen. I am very pleased McLarens were three seconds ahead It may have been true because aroimd in sixth. because this is the first time we of the field and that grew to 10s by He would come under pressure Michael was using a slightly better have run the new engine. It ran later from Villeneuve but once the lap 8. engine, but these things are now quite well; it is a great compliment The point was well made. The FIA open to speculation because no-one two-stop runners pitted he was third to the team. had made a big fuss and banned the will ever admit to giving or receiving and able to ran fast with a low fuel directional braking system but it team orders ever again. load until he pitted, holding off Q: What went wrong at your Schumacher then chased after Frentzen and Schumacher. really did not make much of a differ second pit stop? ence. The McLaren-Mercedes is a Frentzen but there was no way for When the two-stoppers pitted once SCHUMACHER:The problem good package-end ofstoiy. him to find a way past imtil the pit again he found himself behind was that the engine stopped for After eight laps Hakkinen began to stops, which began on lap 26 with Frentzen but pulled off a dramatic some reason, I don’t know why. edge away from Coulthard and by lap Michael diving into the pits. pass on lap 54 which was the most Usually we have an idle strategy to The time sheets showed that entertaining moment ofthe race. 17 it was out to five seconds -19 laps prevent this, but it died. The later, when Coulthard pitted, he had Heinz-Harald spent less time in the It was a very good performance, mechanics did a very good job to slipped back nearly nine seconds. pit than did Michael, but his IN lap particularly when one considers that get it running again so quickly. David’s pit stop was the usual effi was nearly 2.5s faster than that of it was only Wurz’s fifth FI race. Fisichella did not have such an cient McLaren job and David was out Frentzen. Heinz-Harald had been Q: Was there a possible oneof the pitlane in less than 36s, com stop strategy for Ferrari and the held up by Diniz. easy time. He started the race in the rebuilt pared to the 33s stops by the teams Goodyear tyres? Once ahead, Michael set off in pur SCHUMACHER:Sure, it would doing two stops. suit of Wurz again, who had stayed race car after his morning crash and have been an option. But we Hakkinen’s stop came three laps out on a one-stop strategy, and short it was not handling very well. He fin chose to make two stops. later and it was sUghtly slower, but ly before the Austrian pitted on lap ished sixth running a similar strate Mika was still ahead when he re- 46 he came under considerable pres gy to Wurz. Q: You were almost a lap behind emerged. Thereafter he was always sure from both Michael and HeinzHarald. the McLarens here. Do you have able to control the gap to David. . putting the two Benettons was There were various hurdles to any chance of being able to Frentzen’s Williams and this The second roimd of stops saw the catch up some of the gap in overcome.'He hit part of a dead bird Williams drivers coming in early, was not a great result for the Argentina? or a bo3^ at some point, he had to run which gave Schumacher a chance to team, used to being rather more com SCHUMACHER: Yes, definite through confetti thrown on the track do some quick laps so that he petitive. ly. Argentina is sure to offer some by the spectators and in the closing emerged in third place on lap 53, Heinz-Harald dropped behind closer competition. How much laps there were spots ofrain. despite stalling the car as he came Schumacher at the first pit stop and closer, though, I don't know. But But Mika held it together and into the pit. Wurz during his second. There was we expect to make one step for crossed the line to record his first The Ferrari crew spotted the prob not much to add. Heinz-Harald’s lap ward there, and then another in times in the second and third stints proper victoiy. lem and he lost only a couple of sec time for Imola. And about time, too. We were get onds before he was on his way again, were not very good but he was mysti f ting fed up with Hakkinen being still ahead ofthe Williams. fied as to why. Q: Mika, how will it be to go to given wins by the team at Villeneuve’s race was similarly dis Argentina with a maximum 20 Coulthard’s expense. appointing, particularly after such a points in the bag? full minute behind the good start. The two-stop strategy was It will help Mika, too. Now he HAKKINEN: It will give me great finished third, albeit a probably not the best choice and the KNOWS that he can win,even with a Michael McLarens, but given that confidence. And, although Buenos stomach bug. He will be stronger as a Hakkinen gave away about eight sec car was still not handling well, to Aires is an extremely difficult track, I result. onds in the final four laps the such an extent that the team actually am really looking forward to going McLaren advantage was about what changed Jacques’ wing settings dur there. I expect the cars to be very oulthard’s race was similarly it had been in qualifying - a second a ing one ofthe stops. close in terms of lap times, which will uneventful and the fact that he lap. “We had a problem with the rear make things tough. But it is still nice finished just a second behind “It was the best we could hope for,” end of the car,” Jacques reported, to have these points in my pocket. n Hakkinen was not a fair interpreta- said Sch^acher,going on to empha- “but we could not chance one stop Continued from previous page

BRAZILIAN GR

W April W98

Brazilian Grand Prix World Championship, round 2 Interlagos, Brazil, March 29th, 1998-72 laps 1 M. Hakkinen, McLaren-Mercedes MP4/13,1 h37m11,747s 2 D. Coulthard, McLaren-Mercedes MP4/13,1h37m12,849s 3 M. Schumacher, Ferrari F300, 1h38m12,297s 4 A. Wurz, Benetton-Mecachrome B198,1h38m19,200s 5 H.H. Frentzen, Williams-Mecachrome FW20,71 laps 6 G. Fisichella, Benetton-Mecachrome B198, 71 laps 7 J. Villeneuve, Williams-Mecachrome FW20,71 laps 8 E. Irvine, Ferrari F300, 71 laps 9 J. Alesi, Sauber-Petronas Cl7, 71 laps 10 J. Magnussen, Stewart-Ford SF2,70 laps 11 J. Herbert, Sauber-Petronas C17,67 laps

FIRST CORNER CHARGE... Hakkinen dashes away from the field at the start of the Grand Prix. because we would have finished with slicks and then been disqualified.” Jacques finished seventh, ahead of Irvine and Alesi. ’The Frenchman had made a terrif ic start to go from 15th on the grid to 10th in the early laps. He had chosen a one-stop strategy and so rose to sev enth until he stopped on lap 42. He rejoined ninth and ran to the flag in that position. “If we had qualified better I would have been able to challenge for points,” Jean reported. Herbert was less successful. He had problems with his neck in the first part of the race and when he had new tyres fitted on lap 41 the extra grip meant he simply could not drive the car any longer.

In the end he had to retire. He could not go on any longer. He was classified 11th.

amon Hill had finished ninth but after the race the scruti neers discovered that the car was 7kg underweight. The team was aghast that such an error could have been made but it looked like the car had not been prop erly ballasted. The team did not con test the exclusion. It was an embarrassing end to a dreadful race for Jordan as Ralf Schumacher dropped the ball on the first lap, faUing off at the fourth cor ner all by himself Hfil’s showing was pretty dire even before the exclusion. At the start he

Fastest Lap: Hakkinen, 1 ml 9,337s, lap 64 Lap Leaders: Hakkinen Lap 1-72 Retirements: Lap 0 R. Schumacher, Jordan-Mugen-Honda 198, spun off Lap 3 S. Nakano, Minardi-Ford Ml98, spun off Lap 17 3. Trulli, Prost-Peugeot AP01,fuel pressure Lap 18 M. Salo, Arrows A19, engine Lap 19 T. Takagi, Tyrrell-Ford 026, engine Lap 26 P. Diniz, Arrows A19, gearbox Lap 44 E. Tuero, Minardi-Ford Ml 98, gearbox Lap 52 R. Rosset, Tyrrell-Ford 026, gearbox Lap 56 R. Barrichello, Stewart-Ford SF2, gearbox overheating Lap 63 O. Panis, Prost-Peugeot AP01, gearbox oil leak Lap 67 J. Herbert, Sauber-Petronas Cl7, sore neck

lost out and dropped from 11th on the grid to 14th and thereafter never looked like a serious contender, l D. Hill, Jordan-Honda, excluded from 10th place after his car was which was depressing for all con found to be underweight cerned. Hill’s exclusion promoted World Championship Standings after two rounds: Magnussen to 10th place, which was 1 Hakkinen 20; 2 Coulthard 12; 3 Frentzen 6;4 Schumacher 4; really nothing to write home about. 5 Irvine and Wurz 3;7 Villeneuve 2; 8 Herbert and Fisichella 1 Barrichello failed to finish in the other Stewart and was down in 11th Constructors’ Championship: 1 McLaren-Mercedes 32; 2 Williams-Mecachrome 8; 3 Ferrari 7; when his race ended with gearbox trouble. 4 Benetton-Mecachrome 4; 5 Sauber-Petronas 1 Neither Prost made it to the flag, although Panis retired only nine laps Tyrrell’s miserable weekend ended while Tuero had to stop on lap 45 from home when the oil cap on the with two retirements: Takagi sufwith a fly-by-wire problem, The Arrows team’s miserable weekgearbox fell off. fered an engine failure on lap 22, Jamo Trulli had problems from while Rosset found himself gearless end was quickly over. Salo retired on the start with fuel pressure and was ' on lap 56. lap 19 with an engine problem while engulfed by the midfield before he Minardi also retired both cars. Diniz stopped nine laps later thanks retired on lap 17. Nakano fell off on the fourth lap to a gearbox failure. n

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LAKESIDE © ATCC ,1

liigall smokes local heroes Shell

l Ingall bursts back into series contention with win l Blown clutch sinks Bowe after awesome pole effort

Australian Touring Car Championship

l Blown tyres cause crashes l New car gives Johnson second place overall l Lowndes retains series lead as HRT struggles l Ashby recovers from huge shunt to win Privateers l Dunlop dominates with 1 -2-3 result 'By ISAVID HASSALL RUSSELL Ingall launched him self into second place in the Shell Australian Touring Car Championship with an empathic victory in diflicult conditions at Lakeside Raceway on March 29. Ingall defied the fact that Lakeside is a Falcon circuit to run out a nar row victor over local hero Dick Johnson - back on the pace with his new Shell Falcon - while teammate Larry Perkins made it a Dunlop 1-2-3 result, hi the context ofthe championship, though, Craig Lowndes’ mature run into fom-th place driving a difficult car was just as important and at the end ofthe year could prove vital. Lowndes saw his lead cut back by just eight points - to 36 - which was

considerably better than he had any right to expect after he had struggled to qualify 10th. , Tony Longhurst and Jason Bright brought their Ipcally based Falcons home fifth and sixth overall. The introduction of control tyres in the privateer ranks went relatively smoothly, with Trevor Ashby recoyering from a heavy crash on Friday to come away with the victory. But it was bad luck for Tomas Mezera, who set the privateer pace all weekend and won the first two races, but spun out of the third when he tried to let Glerm Seton through and got caught out on the marbles. As expected, the heat played hell with the track surface and it barely held up for the duration of the meet ing, big cracks and holes appearing as the hot and humid day wore on. Seton had a miserable weekend.

- LS'-

Round 3 iTnrTTTTiFa adding just 12 points to his series tally to slip back to 8th in the stand ings. It wUI be very difficult for him to retain his title from there. After struggling for speed in quali fying, he went off the track in all three races for various reasons. On top of last year’s crash, which could have cost him the title, he will be happy if he never has to go back to Lakeside again.

Entry & Practice

There were 43 entries received for this race, which proved to be a little embarrassing because only 32 would be able to qualify for 29 grid positions. Consequently, many privateers decided it would be better to give the Queensland trip a miss and by the time qualifying came around we were down to 32. The last to withdraw was Rodney CAPACITY FIELD... Dick Johnson and John Bowe lead the field away at the start of race one. followed by Bright, Longhurst, Ingall, Perkins, Larkham, Faulkner, Lowndes, Seton, Skaife and Romano. WHATEVER IT TAKES... HRT was struggling all week end, but Craig Lowndes rescued some good results to maintain his series points lead. (Photos by Marshall Cass)

Forljes in the second Glenn Seton Racing entry after the car was dam aged on Saturday morning when Forbes backed it into the fence in front ofthe pits. The chassis rail had been bent so the team decided it would be better to pack it into the transporter and repair the car properly back in Melbourne. Two more cars were fairly heavily damaged on Friday but were repaired again by the end of Saturday. The first, and biggest, was Ashb/s shunt, just after he had posted the fastest time ofthe privateers. The Sydney veteran lost the back end exiting the 240kmh kink in the front straight, slammed into the wall on the outside (which knocked him out) and continued across the track and into the opposite wall. Ashby was out cold for a few min utes until the doctor arrived, then transported to hospital, where he was kept under observation imtil about 10.30pm. He was cleared to drive again the next day, perhaps surprisingly con sidering even footballers are not allowed to play the following week after getting concussion. Trevor admitted to having a headache the next day but was able to do a couple of laps in the pros’ xmofficial session to make sure the Lansvale car was pointing in the right direction before qualifying. It was a huge effort by the crew and helpers, which numbered 15 at one stage, who worked through the night to get the car mobile again. The other Friday casualty was

Michael Donaher, who put the Ultratune Commodore into the wall at turn one. Although the damage was not as severe, it stfil took considerable work to straighten and was not ready imtO just after qualifying had finished, which meant he would have to start the privateer race firom the back of the grid.

QuaBIfylog There was plenty of attention being paid to Dick Johnson’s new Falcon, which looked superb and immediately proved to be quick as well. But it was the other Shell Falcon which was really doing the business out on the track, John Bowe proving to be in a class ofhis own. In a season where hundredths of a second have been the difference between grid positions, Bowe took pole by a staggering halfa second. While everyone else was having trouble in the conditions to match their times from last year, the Tasmanian went out and turned no fewer than four laps which would

Ta-

LAKESIDE

ATCC

;

10April m

-* CELEBRATION DAY... A delighted Russell Ingall charges up the crowd after scoring a superb victory, coming from fifth on the grid in race one to win the next two races.

have been good enough for pole. He finally left it at 50.2973s, more than half a second faster than his pole time last year, and reckons he could have dipped into the 49s if the conditions had been cooler. But JB reckoned there was nothing special or new'about the car: “The car is working very well, I got a good lap in and the tyres are an improvement on last year,” he said. “It’s just everything going together on one lap.” Or,in'his case,foin- of them ... “The set-up is a bit nervous, but quick,” he continued, “so I will have to change it a little for the race.” Making it an all-Shell front row was Johnson, who was obviously thrilled with his new car and by being competitive again after a bit of a lean spell. “It is a totally different car to drive and it is just a matter of having to learn to drive it to be honest,” said

Dick.

Where the other car steps out. this one doesn’t and I haven’t really found the limit because I don’t want to stick it into the sceneiy.” On the tyre front, the Dunlops and also the Yokohamas and Bridgestones - were the same as the teams used at Albert Park three weeks earlier. And Dick was confident they would last on race day, having given them a race distance test at Lakeside in even hotter conditions before Christmas. The disasters of Symmons Plains must seem like a distant memory for Tony Longhurst now he qualified the Castrol Falcon thirdfastest, having been second at Albert Park. Tony was back to a two-car team at this meeting as Alan Jones debuted an aU-new car in Komatsu colours. Having done just 15 laps testing before the weekend, AJ was still trying to sort the new caii and qual ified 15th, but set a time that would

.have put him 8th just after the che quered flag had come out. He was- unhappy wdth the judge’s call on that, but was generally pleased with the feel of the new car and happy to be back in the main show.

BREAKING UP NOT SO HARD TO DO... The resurfaced Lakeside (Photos by Dirk Klynsmith) circuit barely held up in the heat. Brothers Falcon fourth aft'^r changing an engine. That made it three different tyres in the top four positions. Russell Ingall was troubled by understeer in his Castrol Commodore, but was still the best of the Holdens and he was joined by teammate Perkins on the third row of the grid. After that were seven Bridgestoneshod runners, with John Faulkner veiy pleased to be 7th ahead of Mark Larkham, Seton, the Holden Racing Team duo, an impressive Paul Romano and Steve Richards. Seton was mystified about his lack of speed and was just hoping that a consistent run on race day would His only problem was having to bring a few points his way. “I don’t have any problems,” Seton pump the brakes, which caused one harmless spin when the rears explained. “The car feels good but it’s just not quick enough.” grabbed, The HRT drivers, however, had The domination by locally based Ford Falcons was completed Jason plenty of problems and their cars Bright, who qualified the Stone looked a real handful out on the track.

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LAKESIDE

WApril1938

I BACK IN ACTION... Alan I Jones returned to the B series with a Longhurst 1 Falcon and made good f progress, scoring two top1 ten finishes. tyre saver ... Larry Perkins gets the Castrol Commodore onto two wheels on his way to third. DICK FAN CLUB... These fans let their ioyaities weii known, even if it did reflect bad on the girl friend - not to mention his spelling. (Photos by Dirk Klynsmith and Marshall Cass)

Shell Australian Touring Car Championship 3

i^0UIinidl ^

Race 1-23laps

Qualifying

Time Team Car Fte Driver Pos Driver Racetine 50.2973 1 John Bowe 20:09.7693 1 John Bowe Shell Helix Racing Falcon 50.8048 2 Dick Johnson 20:10.1505 2 Dick Johnson Shell Helix Racing Falcon 50.8213 20:10.4254 3 Russell Ingall 3 Tony Longhurst Castrol Longhurst Ford Falcon 50.8752 4 Larry Perkins 20:11.8662 Pirtek Racing Falcon 4 Jason Bright Castrol Perkins Racing Commodore 50.8781 5 Tony Longhurst 20:21.3557 5 Russell Ingall Castrol Perkins Racing Commodore 51.1867 6 Craig Lowndes 20:21.8338 6 Larry Perkins 20:23.3623 7 John Faulkner Fisher & Paykel/Betta Commodore 51.2469 7 Jason Bright 51.3336 8 John Faulkner 20:30.6992 8 Mark Larkham Mitre 10 Racing Australia Falcon 20:32.3508 9 Glenn Seton 51.4189 9 Alan Jones Ford Credit Racing Falcon Holden Racing Team Commodore 51.4304 10 Jason Bargwanna 20:32.8871 10 Craig Lowndes 51.4786 11 Terry Finnigan 11 Paul Romano Bap Romano Racing Commodore 20:33.5767 12 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Commodore 51.5202 12 Steven Ellery 20:36.1840 51.5732 13 Darren Hossack 20:41.6392 13 Steven Richards Valvoline/Cummins Commodore 51.6073 14 Steven Richards 20:48.9416 Konica Young Lions Commodore 14 Steven Ellery 51.7427 15 Tomas Mezera 20:49.2905 Komatsu Falcon 15 Alan Jones 51.7472 16 Glenn Seton 16 Darren Pate 20:49.3536 Wynn’s Australia Commodore 51.8009 17 Trevor Ashby 20:50.6429 17 Jason Bargwanna Valvoline/Cummins Commodore 51.8551 18 Paul Romano 20:50.8500 IS Terry Finnigan Sony Australia Commodore 51.9413 19 Mark Skaife 20:59.9234 19 Darren Hossack Wynn’s Australia Commodore 52.3586 20 Ryan McLeod 20 Tomas Mezera Chris Smerdon Commodore 22 laps Ericsson/Trust Bank Commodore 52.4554 21 Rod Nash 21 Greg Crick 21 laps 52.5760 22 Darren Pate Super Cheap Auto Falcon 22 John Briggs 21 laps 23 Trevor Ashby Lansvale Smash Rep. Commodore 53.2221 23 Paul Weel 21 laps 53.2865 DNF Danny Osborne 24 Kevin Heffernan Pace Racing Pty Ltd Commodore 18 laps 53.2977 DNF Kerryn Brewer 25 Ryan McLeod Oamps Insurance Group Falcon 13 laps 26 Paul Weel Kees Weel Falcon 53.6090 DNF Mark Larkham 11 laps 53.6981 DNF Kevin Heffernan 27 Danny Osborne Colourscan Pty Ltd Falcon 5 laps 28 Rod Nash Rod Nash Commodore 53.9253 DNF Greg Crick 3 laps 54.2310 DNF John Briggs 29 Kerryn Brewer Castrol Cougars Commodore 3 laps 54.7980 30 Charles Ryman Landmark Place Falcon

Race2-23laps

Rb Driver 1 Russell Ingall 2 Dick Johnson 3 Larry Perkins 4 Craig Lowndes 5 Tony Longhurst 6 Jason Bright 7 Alan Jones 8 Steven Richards 9 Mark Skaife 10 Steven Ellery 11 Terry Finnigan 12 Paul Romano 13 Tomas Mezera 14 Mark Larkham 15 Trevor Ashby ’ 16 Darren Hossack 17 Kevin Heffernan 18 Darren Pate 19 John Briggs 20 Paul Weel 21 Ryan McLeod 22 Kerryn Brewer 23 Jason Bargwanna 24 Rod Nash 25 Danny Osborne DNF John Faulkner DNF Charles Ryman DNF Glenn Seton DNF John Bowe Points Lowndes Ingall Perkins Johnson Skaife

322 286 270 238 236

Racetine 20:01.5807 20:04.0364 20:07.3349 20:13.3518 20:17:8942 20:26.1232 20:32.0483 20:33.2907 20:34.5410 20:35.0521 20:40.7132 20:44.1126 20:45.6796 20:46.1316 20:50.6473 20:51.8594 22 laps 22 laps 22 laps 22 laps 22 laps 22 laps 22 laps 21 laps 21 laps 18 laps 13 laps 9 laps 6 laps

Bowe 216 Richards 188 Seton 184 Bright 178 Longhurst 162 Bargwanna 158

FJap 51^47 51.6752 51.6679 51.7518 52.0515 52.1193 52.3419 52.2955 52.7623 52.5591 52.8665 52.1291 52.8044 52.3622 53.0643 52.9129 53.5396 53.3132 53.7441 54.2327 53.6689 54.1140 52.5585 55.2920 53.8767 52.1790 55.9051 52.7883 52.0263 JU

Larkham Romano Finnigan Ellery Hossack Faulkner

6 3 6 5 9 21 8 6 18 4 9 4 7 9 8 6 18 13 11 8 7 8 10

7 8 6 5 9 6

122 110 99 80 68 62

Race 3-23 laps

Fte Driver 1 Russell Ingall 2 Dick Johnson 3 Larry Perkins 4 Craig Lowndes 5 Tony Longhurst “ 6 Steven Richards 7 Mark Skaife 8 John Bowe 9 Paul Romano 10 Terry Finnigan 11 Mark Larkham 12 Jason Bright 13 Jason Bargwanna 14 Darren Pate 15 Trevor Ashby 16 Paul Weel 17 Danny Osborne 18 Glenn Seton 19 Kevin Heffernan 20 Alan Jones 21 Kerryn Brewer 22 Rod Nash DNF John Faulkner DNF John Briggs DNF Tomas Mezera DNF Darren Hossack DNF Steven Ellery DNF Charles Ryman DNF Ryan McLeod Crick Ashby Jones Poole Reed Smerdon

58 58 49 38 29 28

Racetime 20:03.8338 20:06.2072 20:08.4862 20:12.3349 20:17.3454 20:18.7668 20:19.1904 20:21.1801 20:23.8183 20:31.8343 20:34.2146 20:35.3782 20:35.5687 20:44.4610 21:01.4413 22 laps 22 laps 22 laps 22 laps i 21 laps 21 laps 21 laps 15 laps 12 laps 11 laps 7 laps 6 laps 6 laps 5 laps

Mezera Pate Briggs Doulman Hislop Rose

24 26 24 26 20 20

F/lap On 51.7628 4 51.7188 4 51.5593 9 51.5204 12 52.0184 4 51.7981 12 52.0289 4 52.2829 3 52.2249 4 52.4136 4 52.7318 11 52.4780 18 52.7700 4 52.2018 5 53.1447 13 52.6970 17 52.9843 9 52.6496 11 52.3251 4 54.0156 9 53.9711 8 53.1700 10 53.6905 11 53.8912 6 53.8836 10 52.3531 4 53.9471 3 53.4355 3 53.5541 3

Ffisp 51^73 51.5987 51.6661 51.9064 51.8810 52.2509 51.9560 51.5851 52.2572 52.6022 52.4264 51.6629 52.5103 52.9133 53.1423 53.6864 53.7938 52.7320 53.5035 52.7763 54.0214 55.1784 51.9941 53.3659 52.9653 52.4975 52.4978 57.7419 54.2418

On 10 5 17 13 9 12 18 11 10 18 13 9 17 12 10 11 9 17 13 10 5 21 6

8 9 5 4 4

Brewer 14 Osborne 12 Weel 11 McLeod 9 Price 8 Heffernan '' 8

GO DICK

SAtS mCK

“The car is very ordinary I have to say,” admitted Mark Skaife, adding that the main problem was xmdersteer. “That was as good a time as it is going to do, so we have a lot of work to do making a lot ofchanges overnight. “It’s certainly not nice leap ing from grass to grass ...” Equally unhappy was Richards, who was also going away to make some big changes in the hope of mak ing the car better. Jason Bargwanna was an uncharacteristic 17th and was feeling quite unwell in the heat, even going so far as to remove the rear window from the second Valvoline car to get more air through the car. Steve Ellery was 14th in Gibson Motor Sport’s Konica Commodore,just 0.14s faster than his rapidly improving ‘teammate’ Darren Pate in the first ofthe Wynns cars. Fastest of the control tyre brigade was Tomas Mezera, making a welcome return to the series at the wheel of Chris Smerdon’s Commodore, from series regulars Greg Crick, John Briggs, Ashby and Kevin Heffernan. Ryan McLeod was next in his second Shell Series race, from Danny Osborne, series debutant Rod Nash and Castrol Cougar Kerryn Brewer. Missing the cut were Charles Ryman and Richard

Mork.

Warm-up Generally the raceday wann-up is nothing more than a set-up session, but this ses sion was quite significant. While Bowe again headed the times, Ingall had clearly improved his understeer prob lem and significantly went faster than he had in qualify ing to be second,just ahead of Bright. But the big movers were the HRT boys, whose major changes overnight proved to have the desired effect. Lovmdes slashed an incredi-

ble half a second off his quali fying best to be fourth-fastest whole Skaife found only a cou ple oftenths. Dick Johnson finished the session seventh fastqgt but would have been happy just to survive with his new car stiU in one piece, having narrowly avoided Richard Mork’s sta tionary Commodore while it was broadside in the middle of the track after a spin.

Privateer SprirDt -8 laps The two slowest qualifiers, Ryman and Mork, drew the front row places for the eightlapper put on the satisfy the privateers when it looked like they wouldn’t get a run in the main races, but they were already near the back again by the end ofthe second lap. Heffernan jumped to front from Mezera and Crick, but was far from overawed and proceeded to drive an excellent race out front. Mezera was cleai’ly strug gling with a handling problem and had his work cut out fend ing off Crick until the Alcair car ran low on fuel and was forced to pit! Tomas was then able to challenge the Price Attack Commodore, but Heffernan did not look like making a mistake and ran to the line a very happy winner. Osborne similarly drove a heady race to finish third,just ahead of Ashby who showed his car was running fine by taking the fastest lap of the race.

Race 1-23 laps Bowe’s reputation as a bad starter gave Johnson plenty of optimism for the first race and it was well-founded because he raced into an immediate lead from Bowe, Longhurst, Ingall, Bright and Perkins. Pate’s strong qualifying run came to nought when he was hung out wide exiting the Karrassel, which dropped him back to the tail ofthe field. The expected fraught first

LAKESIDE

lap saw Seton spin at Hungry and Briggs at Eastern Loop moments later. Seton had been challenged going into the corner by Romano and, although Paul said there was no contact, the stewards later thought other wise and put him to the back of the grid for the second race. Out front, the two Shell cars wasted little time pulling a gap and seemed to have the race under control, allowing IngaU to close in the final laps. It almost turned ugly, though, when they came up to lap Weel, who was a httle slow letting them through. Coming onto the straight with Bowe and IngaU hard up behind him, Johnson was right on Weel’s bumper when the privateer suddenly - Dick reckons he didn’t hit him first - lost it, Dick backed off, Bowe punted him from behind and all heU broke loose. Only Weel and the Mowing Osborne went off the road, but Bowe went through to the lead as Dick lost momentiim and barely kept Ingall behind. Ikid that is how they ran to the finish, with Larry not far behind in fourth after setting the fastest lap of the day (but not a record). Perkins had earlier passed IngaU and Longhurst, but it must have been under yeUows because he immediately slowed and let them through again, passing Longhurst properly soon after.

Longhurst was a distant fifth, holding out an impres sive Lowndes and a fading Bright. Skaife had been running veiy strongly early and even managed to get ahead of Craig, but his tyres blistered and he spun off on lap 10. He finished 19th. Seton recovered from his spin to finish 16th, between battling privateer leaders Mezera and Ashby. Steve Richards also had an off - while being closely pursued by teammate Bargwanna, worryingly and finished 14th, four places behind Bargs. Pate’s good qualifying effort came to nought when he tangled with Richards at the start, which damaged the steering slightly, and Darren made the mistake of pitting to check it out so he finished 22nd. Greg Crick had a big off when something appeared to break on lap four and was lucky to receive nothing more than bruising while fellow pri vateer Briggs broke a rocker. Mark Larkham’s bad luck continued when a coil cooked, forcing the Mitre 10 car into the pits.

ATCC

n Dick Johnson was also at his witty best after qualifying on Saturday when asked if there was any gravel on the track: “Only after the HRT cars have been out!” TOUGH WEEKEND... Mark Skaife backs lightly into the tyre barrier. PRIVATEER BATTLE Kevin Heffernan drove a great race to beat Tomas Mezera in the Sprint. (Photos by Marshall Cass) cautious this time and Russell was able to get alongside going into the kink. To his credit, Dick gave Russell more room than he would have received if their positions were reversed and Russell took the lead (rather than a trip into the waU). After that, Dick could not stay with the leader, but was able to keep a gap to Perkins. L*owndes was a fighting fourth from Longhurst and Bright. Jones moved up to 7th, barely holding off a flying Richards, Skaife and Ellery, who aU picked up two places when Faulkner and Bargwanna came together much to Faulkner’s displea sure. Hossack had a huge spin coming out of the Loop and was barely missed by Finnigan, Romano and lead ing privateer Mezera, while Brewer also had a big off near the end and just missed clout ing the fence. Seton’s horrors continued ●when a tyre blew after only nine laps, pitching the Ford Credit Falcon into the wall at high speed exiting the kink. Glenn must have been shaken, but the car was obvi ously not as badly damaged as it first appeared because the team had it back on the grid

Race 2-23 laps

Bowe’s hopes were shat tered from before the start as the clutch started going on the line, which aUowed the Falcon to move forward before the fights turned green. Dick immediately jumped ahead again and the race director forced Bowe to make a stop-go penalty, but it was aU academic because JB was forced to stop for good after just six laps. It was a cruel blow for a dri ver who had been so dominant aU weekend up to that point. Dick was left with a 1.7s lead over IngaU, a fast-start ing Lowndes and Perkins (who, after giving him a few taps, was soon through as Craig began fighting his tyres as weU as the car). At half-distance IngaU was right with Johnson and when Dick was slightly baulked coming onto the straight, he must have been a little mqre

n The heat and energy sapping humidity at Lakeside tested every one, even the super-fit Darren Hossack, who has been known to ride his pushbike up Mt Dandenong in 40-degree weather. At Lakeside, though, he sought refuge in the Gibson team’s mobile fridge, where he sat (wearing only jocks) for 15 minutes after race two.

for the third race looking for a few more championship points.

Race 3-23 Saps

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n Hossack was the offi cial winner of the Holden ute “Regularity Trial” on Sunday morning, when the drivers take competi tion winners on rides and are supposed to get close to a set time for two laps. In reality, it is a burn-out competition which the fans loved. And Darren only won it ' because he spun at Hungry and lost 18 sec onds!

Knowledge makes the difference

■ John Briggs was almost overcome by a fuel leak during qualify ing. This caused him to throw up inside his hel met, but he continued to set the third-fastest time in the control tyre class. ■ OAMPS has intro duced insurance for the V8s and six teams took up the offer for Lakeside. One of these was the Ultratune team, which will receive the first pay-out cheque following Michael Donaher’s crash on Friday. - DAVID HASSALL

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good for his third win of the day when Seton caught him and, moving out wide to let him through, the Commodore slid off on the marbles and was beached. Later in the race, Glenn sUd off the road himself, backing gently into the armco where teammate Forbes had crashed his car the previous day, but continued to coUect four points for 18th. What a day for the champion! Another who had an off was

The third race was something of a procession, especial ly at the front, as everyone was no doubt trying to get away from Lakeside with their cars in one piece, especially as the track was breakhig up and there were marbles off-line. Ingall made his customary good start and simply raced away from Johnson and Perkins, with Lowndes again Bright, who ripped the front struggling to keep up but off the Pirtek Falcon and struggled home in 12th place. doing ready weU to get 4th. Faulkner lost a clutch. Longhurst held on for 5th, pursued to the end by Hossack called it quits after Richards and Skaife, who both making a mistake and spipdid extremely weU after their ning lightly into the armco race one offs. Phd McLeod retired after an Bowe drove a storming race /incident with Osborne, Ellery flat-spotted a tyre through the field from the and was thinking of pitting back of the grid on his rela when it let go on lap 7, tossing tively fresh tyres to take 8th, which also gave him 8th for the Konica Commodore into the day. the waU at Eastern Loop and Ashby took the privateer wrecking a comer. Overall top 10 on the day honours for the day, at the were; Ingall, Johnson, expense of the unlucky Mezera. Perkins, Lowndes, Longhurst, Tomas was again well Bright, Richards, Bowe, ahead of Ashby and looking Finnigan and Skaife. ■

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Yoy too can be a winning driver!

n Former HRT driver Tomas Mezera return to the series was welcome'^ not only for his driving but his dry wit. “There are so many young kids around I thought I would come out and help the geri atrics,” he quipped.

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Gordon closes gap at Bristol Defending Champion Jeff Gordon became 1998’s first repeat winner as Rusty Wallace’s series lead went up in smoke. MARTIN CLARK reports.

JEFF Gordon was victorious at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 29th, the high banked track they “Thunder Valley’, nestled in the Tennessee moun tains. Gordon became the first repeat winner of 1998, his crew working on an ill-handling car and Gordon was able to take the lead for the first time on lap 438 of 500, leading the remainder of the event after a fast pit stop that enabled him to lead the pack off pit road. “It was slowing our pits stops down, because we kept on having to adjust,” said Gordon. It was also the fourth straight year Gordon has won the spring event, tying a record established by Darrell Waltrip in 1981 through 1984. Aside from Gordon’s win the major story of the race featured polesitter and points leader Rusty Wallace, who lead 220 of the first 343 laps, but his Penske engine developed a misfire three quarters of the way through the event and he fell back in tbe pack. Wallace was lapped by then leader Terry Labonte and, while riding behind Ricky Rudd, a weight box fell off Rudd’s Ford. Wallace cut a tyre on the lead and slamed the wall hard in tm-n one on lap 437. The weight box is only used when the chassis, where weight is nor mally stowed is full, weight is used so cars tip the scales at the mini mum 3400 Ihs. Wallace did return to the race, completing nine more laps and gaining 19 additional points, but

TAUBUj 7>|

hr, l»**i

still dropping 53 points to team mate Jeremy Mayfield, who he now leads by just one point in the stand ings. The race featured a whopping 14 cautions for 88 laps, the worst fea turing Hut Stricklin who was Tboned in the drivers door at around 100 mph by Kenny Wallace, having nowhere to escape. Hut was taken to hospital for x-rays and a suspect ed broken nose, NASCAR throwing a caution to allow the ambulance to cross the track.

WALLBANGER... Ted Musgrave and Todd Bodine (top) tangle at Bristol. (Photos by Martin dark) WARRIOR... Jeff Gordon (left) bounced back to take his second win of the season. WRECKER... Wallace’s team swarm around his car but the series lead has gone. As usual, tempers flared at the high banked half miler, Bobby Labonte very upset with Mike Skinner, who appeared to tag Labonte and cause a multi-car wreck that induced a red flag for track and pit road clean up. “I got on the brakes and the car wheel hopped in the back. I got into the back of Bobby Labonte, totally my fault,” remarked Skinner. Rookie Jerry Nadeau caused two cautions, the first on lap six, at the same point Dale Jarrett cut a tyre

valve and was forced to pit. Jarrett would later get penalised by’NASCAR for speeding on pit road and sent to he rear, but cut through traffic during the impend ing laps and stormed to a great third placed finish with help from some lightning pit stops, he even lead for 18 laps. Bristol also bit Jarrett’s team mate Kenny Irwin, “My car was really tight and I guess that’s what got us in trouble,” he remarked. Gordon even admitted causing the final caution, “I hit him, I don’t

ioins Dale! Waltrip r-’

NASCAR legend Darrell Waltrip is driving for Dale Earnhardt’s team until his own team undergoes some fundamental changes. Waltrip was named as the interim replacement for Steve Park, until team owners Dale n and Teresa Earnhardt’s dri ver is fit to get behind the wheel again. Park’s return could take up to three months. Waltrip started his duties at Bristol, taking a champi on’s provisional to make the race and finishing 23rd. DW will return back to his familiar number 17 Chevrolet, when Park returns and sponsorship is forthcom ing for the new Tim Beverleyowned team that Waltrip sold on March 25th. Beverley is to close the team and re-group while sponsorship is found. Beverley, a 40-year-old ex sports car racer, owns Tyler Jet Aircraft located in Tyler, Texas and is a friend of both Jim Mattei, who recently pur¬

chased Geoff Bodine’s team, and triple car owner Felix Sabates. “Owning a Winston Cup team is a dream come true for me,” he remarked. “I couldn’t think of a better person to be involved with than Darrell Waltrip. He is the greatest spokesperson this sport has ever had and he is a lot offun to be around. Fm looking for ward to us having a long term relationship.” Beverley will operate the business under TJ Motorsports, his newlyformed organisation. Waltrip commented, “The opportunity to work with Earnhardt and his people and for me to drive the number one car while TJ (Beverley)fine-tunes his oper ation is playing out as a? per fect scenario.” It’s ironic that Earnhardt was one of Waltrip’s staunchest rivals in seasons gone past and that the pair now find themselves working as close friends.

mind admitting it,” said Gordon of when he spun Sacks. “He was in the way all day, I didn’t mean to hit him, I checked up, but not enough and I turned him around.” There were 19 lead changes among ten drivers, T Labonte, BiU EUiott, Ernie Irvan and for the first time this year Ken Schrader, excepting Labonte the others lead while off pit sequence. Gordon headed Hendrick team mate T Labonte to the flag by .583 seconds, the latter admitting, “I made a mistake on pit road and we got beat.'They dropped the jack and I didn’t go.” Three of the four Roush cars made the top ten, Jeff Burton, Musgrave, who at one point was two laps down and Mark Martin the three, with Chad Little running strong, but involved in the Skinner/B Labonte fracas. Mayfield had a good run going, but his inex perience showed near the finish, shpping up the groove and allowing several drivers past. Musgrave later hit Mayfield, when as Jeremy put it, “I got car ried away and lost it,” explaining his over exuberance in the waning laps, he woimd up 12th.

Food City 500

Bristol

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Jeff Gordon (Chevy) Terry Labonte (Chevy) Dale Jarrett (Ford) Jeff Burton (Ford) Johnny Benson (Ford) Ken Schrader(Chevy) Mark Martin (Ford) Ted Musgrave (Ford) Michael Waltrip (Ford) Randy LaJoie (Chevy) Points standings; Wallace 909, Mayfield 908, Gordon 868, T Labonte 851, Elliott 803, Earnhardt 802, Martin 799, J Burton 794, Jarrett 785, Schrader 730.

10 April 1998

Jarrett's Darlington

By Martin D Clarl^TSA n Chris Trickle, nephew of Winston Cup vetei'an Dick Ti'ickle, passed away on March 25,13 months after a fatal gun shot wound to his head. Trickle 25, had raced on the west coast in various NASCAR divisions including the All Pro series.

Martin leads Houston Ford parade

MARK Martin has won a crash-filled Texas 500, with Chad Little making it a 1-2 finish for team owner Jack Roush. Martin became the first Ford driver with two Winston Cup wins in 1998 and took the season’s Martin richest purses of US$356,850. The win, Martin’s second of the to the season after capturing last month’s Las Vegas 400, elevated him from seventh to fourth in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series standings. Little had his careerbest finish, as did Robert Pressley, who was third in the Jaspar Engines Ford. Fourth was Joe Nemechek in the BellSouth Chevrolet, while a third Roush car, the Cheerios Ford entry of Johnny Benson, was fifth. Sixth was the Kellogg’s Chevrolet of Terry Labonte, fol lowed by Jimmy Spencer in the Winston Ford. Rounding out the top 10 were Bobby Labonte in the Interstate Batteries Chevy, Michael Waltrip in the Citgo Ford and Steve Grissom the Kodiak Chevrolet. Greg Sacks and Mike Skinner hospitalised overnight at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas. Sacks had con tacted with Geoff Bodine. Full report next issue.

By MARTIN D CLARK

NO CIGAR... Burton was the man to beat at Darlington but settled for fifth. BLOWHARD... At Bristol Gordon proved that he is notJust fighting a losing battle (Pics by Martin Clark/Jon Ferrey-AIIsport) against the Ford-mounted hordes?

JEFF Burton dominated the TranSouth 400 at Darlington, but Dale Jarrett piled on the pressure most when it mattered, taking the lead &om Burton on the 275th lap of 293 lap event and holding off a last lap charge from runner-up Jeff Gordon by.228 seconds. “We touched a little bit, but the pro fessional that Jeff Gordon is, he didn’t tarn me or anything and hopefully the fans enjoyed it,” remarked Jarrett. Weather played a part in the out come of the race, the track getting hot ter as the day went on but, as other teams adjusted their cars during stops. Burton’s crew chief Frank Stoddard admitted they left their Ford alone. Again the Taurus was the dominant animal, leading eveiy lap of the race Kranefuss Taurus elected not to pit amongst the six drivers that and he took up the running for the exchanged the point for 18 times, eight first time at the restart. He lead for 15 of the top ten were the ‘Blue Oval circuits, pulling away from the pack and looking strong enough to take his Brigade’. Jarrett took the point for the first first win. However Jeremy’s poor qualifying time on lap three from pole sitter^ efforts and his provisional 37th slot Mark Martin, the latter’s Roush team had the team pitting on the backmate Burton, sticking his Exide car stretch, a known disadvantage, so out frontjust three tours later. The first caution aired on lap 25, when LaJoie spun again at the opposite end of the track Mayfield’s possiGeoff Bodine impacting the inside wall after spinning off turn four. ble victory looked doomed and once stop had culminated he rejoined the Jarrett’s Robert Yates crew performed pack in the sixth position. flawlessly on pit road and had him out 'This time Burton’s crew performed first, only for Burton and Martin to magic on pit road and Jeff lead the challenge for the point. Burton even pack with 42 laps to run. It was- soon tually getting the upper hand. evident that Burton’s car was not per Randy LaJoie spun in turn one to forming to par, the rear end sliding bring out the yellow flags for the sec out and very loose in the turns, this ond time and again Jarrett lead was all Jarrett needed to slip by, briefly on the restart, before Burton Gordon following through a lap later. headed the fray. Greg Sacks - with Jarrett opened up some daylight some help from Chad Little - raced three wide down the backstretch, between himself and Gordon, the pair racing away from Burton who was slammed the wall entering turn three also passed by Wallace and a fast to turn the yellow lights on one time. Again Jarrett was first off pit road, approaching Ma3dield. As the laps wore down Gordon but just a handful of laps later the began to reel in Jarrett, “The Champ’ caution aired again, this time for nosing under Jarrett exiting the final debris, simultaneously Ernie Irvan turn, but Jarrett held off for a well spun without contact at the other end of the track, unaware of the haution. deserved win, his first of the season. Jeremy Mayfield in the Penske- Gordon’s Hendrick team-mate Terry

.n Gere Kennon has been named as the new crew chieffor driverio\yner Brett Bodine. Kennon, who worked with Bodine in the ’80s, was foimerly with MB2 Motoi'sports as the shop foreman for driver Ernie hwan. Preripusly he worked as crew chieffor drivers. Rick Mast and Morgan Shepherd n at Butch iMock Motoisports. n Richard Labbe has now offi cially feeen named the new crew chieffor Kenny Irwin at Robert Yates Racing, swapping duties with Robbie Hancock, who will now assume the same job on the Jarrett car.

Labonte hung around the top 10 all day, finishing a steady sixth, with Martin never really a contender past the halfway mark in seventh. Other Roush team'mates Johnny Benson and Ted Mpsgrave gave Jack Roush four of his five cars in the top ten with the younger Wallace, Kenny ninth. Ward Burton was the first of the Pontiac’s home in 11th and a subdued Earnhardt 12th, but managing to stay awake, The Penske pair of Wallace and Mayfield continue to head the points leader board with Earnhardt third and Gordon now fourth,

TranSouth 400

Darlington 1 Dale Jarrett(Ford) 127.62 mph 2 Jeff Gordon (Chevy) 3 Rusty Wallace (Ford) 4 Jeremy Mayfield (Ford) 5 Jeff Burton (Ford) 6 Terry Labonte (Chevy) 7 Mark Martin (Ford) 8 Johnny Benson (Ford) 9 Kenny Wallace (Ford) 10 Ted Musgrave (Ford)292 laps.

Points standings; R Waiiace 835, Mayfield 781, Earnhardt 705,J Gordon 688, Elliott 680,T Labonte 676, Martin 653, J Burton 634, B Labonte 619, Jarrett 615.

1998 WINSTON CUP SERIES RESULTS TEXAS 500 - Fort Worth, TX. Apr 5th, 1998. I. Mark Martin,#6 Valvoline Ford Taurus 2. Chad Little,#97 John Deere Ford Taurus 3. Robert Pressley,#77 Jasper Ford Taurus 4. Joe Nemechek,#42 Bell South Chev Monte Carlo 5. Johnny Benson Jr,#26 Cheerios Ford Taurus 6. Terry Labonte,#5 Kellogg’s Chev Monte Carlo 7. Dale Jarrett,#88 Quality Care Ford Taurus 8. Jimmy Spencer,#23 No Bull Winston Ford Taurus 9. Bobby Labonte,#18 Interstate Batteries Pontiac GP 10. Michael Waltrip,#21 Citgo Ford Taurus

n Following a hernia injuiy Wally Dallenbach was replaced for Bristol by veteran Moi-gan Shepherd. 56, who qualified 12th and ended up 24th. Dallenbach’s SABCO team-mate Joe Nemechek was unable to qualify along with Jeff Green, Gaiy Bradberry and Dave Marcis. Dale Earnhardt, Bill Elliott, Wai'd Burton, Bobby Hamilton, Dick Tiickle, Steve Grissom and Dan'ell Waltrip all took provi sionals to make the race.

11. Steve Grissom,#41 Kodiak Chev Monte Carlo 12. Dale Jarrett,#88 Quality Care Ford Taurus 13. Bill Elliott,#43 McDonald's Ford Taurus 14. Sterling Marlin,#40 Coors Ught Chev Monte Carlo IS. Ward Burton,#22 MBNA America Pontiac Grand Prix 16. Brett Bodine,#11 Paychex Ford Taurus 17. Kyle Petty,#44 Hot Wheels Pontiac Grand Prix 18. David Green,#96 Caterpillar Chev Monte Carlo 19. Wally Dallenback,#46 First Union Chev Monte Carlo 20. Lake Speed,#9 Cartoon Network Ford Taurus

n Jim Long resigned from his position as crew chief at Rudd Performance Motorsp.orts for owner/driver Ricky Rudd, following the return of Bill Ingle to the team. Ingle was hired second time arounc! by ., . Rudd following Daytona and' was brought in as teamimanager to work with Long. Ingle will now reassume crew chief duties. n Ricky Craven was substi tuted by Randy LaJoie at Darlington. LaJoie qualified 23rd, the first time the number 50 car had out-qualified team mate Gordon’s car all year. n There were six drivers who were not fast enough to make the Darlington field, including Wally Dallenbach, Hut Stricklin, Dave Marcis, Morgan' n Shepherd, Gary Bradbeny and Ron Hornaday, who was sub bing for the injured Steve Park. Morgan Shepherd took over under the first caution from the bruised Mike Skinner, who is attempting to get fully fit for Bristol this weekend, Shepherd finished 28th.

JSCMl

(iLi.AJM. Current Points After Round 7

1. Rusty Wallace, Ford ... 1036 2. Jeremy Mayfield, Ford ....1012 3. Terry Labonte, Chev 1001 979 4. Mark Martin, Ford .938 5. Jeff Gordon, Chev ,927 6. Bill Elliott, Ford .. .920 7. Dale Jarrett, Ford .875 8. Jeff Burton, Ford . 9. Dale Earnhardt, Chev 860 10. Johnny Benson Jr, Ford ...843

iXo,

10/{prin998

CART Briefs

Zanardi’s penultimate lap move was the second tine in 18 moiiths he’s ‘robbed’ Biyan Herta. “I said to Alex one ofthese days I’m going to beat him in one ofthese things,” said Herta after the race. “I tried everything I could to hold off Alex, but I knew it would be a struggle when we had eight laps to go.“He drove a great race and I congratulate him” n Despite his career-best second Dario Franchitti’s race started badly. “fiiVhen I accelerated into tiun one my drink bottle sprayed water in my face,then it burst, and it was wet down there in the cockpit. Then I lost both my mirrors and the clutch” n Chip Ganassi may build a new one-mile oval track close to Chicago. The Chicago Tribune says Ganassi and the Bidwell family(who own the Sportsman Park horse track near the city’s Midway Airport) will soon announce plans to build a modem one-mile oval there. It will be slightly-banked, similar to Milwaukee in layout, but with grandstands for up to 100,000.“I can’t say any thing right now,for legal reasons. But I think youTl

see an announcement in a couple of weeks,” Ganassi commented.”

n Meanwhile, NASCAR boss Bill France is develop ing plans to build a 70,000seat superspeedway in Plano, west of Chicago. France’s International Speedway Corporation is expected to confirm these plans in partnership with the Indianapohs Motor Speedway’s Tony George later this year. n Moving the FedEx cir cus to Japan was no small matter. Federal Express flew 58 cars itom Indianapolis to Tokyo aboard three MD-11 planes, canying a gross payload of 90,000kg valued at US$20 million. The near 16 hour flight included fuel stops in Anchorage, Alaska. Two days after the race the three planes flew the cars and equipment from Tokyo to Los Angeles for Long Beach. n PacWesthas announced that Paul Jasper is working with the team to tiy to put together a Champ Car or Indy Lights prograih. Jasper, 27, ran four CART races early last year.

HE really is the Greatest, you know. There was no way Alex Zanardi could have won the race at Long Beach. He only qualifying 11th while Ganassi team-mate Jimmy Vasser was 20th, the Target ReynardHondas blown away for pace. Then, in the race, the 1997 Champion lost a lap when he was forced to stop in an eight car traffic jam at the Queens Hairpin. The car’s steering was damaged in the incident, he had to wait for a push start. Then he had to make his last pitstop under green and just-just-got out ahead ofthe leaders and had to fight them offon full tanks and cold

nother Califomiar

tyres. But Alex the Great keeps finding ways to win motor races... The 1998 edition^of Long Beach was a cracker. Bryan Herta led a Ford 1-2-3-4 in qualifying, ending up on the front row ahead of boss Bobby Rahal after Saturday qualify ing was rained out. Motegi winner Adrian Fernandez was third ahead of Gualter Salles, the young Brazilian dropping jaws everywhere in Payton-Coyne’s Reynard. Gil de Ferran and Michael Andretti followed while, even further back than the Ganassis were the PacWests, Mauricio Gugelmin 22nd and Mark Blundell 23rd. At the start Herta led Rahal and the aggressive Salles while Andretti ham mered Fernandez (without

damage) and A1 Unser Jr hammered the scenery for a lap one retirement. As the race settled down the yellows came thick and fast. Not content with one accident Andretti launched the Swift over the rear of Pruett, crunched back to earth and carried on with a shghtly cut tyre. Paul Tracy and Christian Fittipaldi crashed into each

other, the Canadian driving the Kool car into the tyres on the outside of its rims, while Salles and Hire Matsushita got together and triggered that eight car thing at the Hairpin. Then, after all the mess was cleared, we had a race. De Ferran led, as he usually does at Long Beach, driving an economy run at the point being chased by the marvel-

Ford Motorsport/Slick 50 Australian Formula Ford Championship, Lakeside

fMcDougall’s breakthrough r nn

I Report and Photo by DIRK KLYNSMITH

MYGALE broke through for its maid'en Australian Foihnula Ford Championship win at Lakeside. While Dugal McDougall won both 12-lap races he didn’t have it all his own way, having a mighty scrap With series leader Adam Macrow in the Australian-built Spectrum. The win for Dugal was just rewards for several years of perse verance with the French machinery. The battle honours were shared on Friday with Macrow topping the time sheets in the first session and Alex Davison in the Wynns Van Diemen RF95 second fastest. McDougall was back in sixth but only three tenths offthe pace. The second session saw the Mygale fastest with Macrow just under half a second away in second. Another Van Diemen 95, Robert Miller’s, was third with Davison foui’th. Christian Murchison and Jones were back in 14th and 17th respectively with Greg Ritter 12th. Two seconds covered the whole field! Saturday’s qualifying was sensa tional. Despite the excessive heat the lap times were sizzling. McDougall was quickest shading Ritter by 0.03s. Jones’s OAMPS Spectram found some time and leapt to third while Macrow was foiuth, one tenth in arrears of pole! The second session was run in unbearable heat and with the track temperature reported to be touching on 50 degrees some were concerned with tyre performance. Pole went to Macrow. A lap of 54,47s .shaded McDougall, Jones and Zernei- took the next row and were the last runners in the 54 bracket

THE DUEL... Macrow (left) threw everything at McDougall but the Mygale driver didn’t flinch. and they were followed by Robert Jones, Davison and Murchison. The top 10 was filled out by Tyler Mecklem, Steve Owen and Aaron McNally. Hanlngton failed to qualify when he launched the Mygale and broke the bell housing and parked the car for the weekend

Race 1 McDougall matched the start fi-om Macrow and the pair went into the kink side by side. They were still there when they came up to Karrusel for the first time but on this occasion Macrow won the brak ing duel, Behind the them the field bunched up and one runner got a pigg>’ back ride round the corner but was able to continue. The story of the race though was

by and far the pair up front. Macrow seemed to have top end speed on McDougall but the Mygale was able to out manoeuvre the Spectrum in the twisty bits. On every approach to Kan'usell the pair tried to out-brake each other and not once on the 12 tours did they hit. Unfortunately for those behind they weren't in the hunt. Christian Jones slipped back from third to sixth on the 4th lap while Tim Leahey took the reigns in third for all but the last lap when Craig Zemer slipped by for the chequer. Fastest lap went to Steve Owen in the Spectmm 06 which was a good consolation for a hard days work,

Race 2 Craig Zerner finished a disap pointing 12th after earlier have

raced wdth McDougall and Macrow and running in second place for a brief moment after an audacious passing manoeuvTe. His charge back from his spin saw him set fastest lap with a 54.93s which was only one of three to have dipped below 55. Ritter failed to finish completing only eight laps and Murchison spun out after a good run. McDougall led for all but two laps which went to Macrow but as they crossed the line Macrow dived out of the tow and failed by a mere nine hundredths to get by. Mygale and McDougall two from two. Third went to Tim Leahey aveng ing his displacement in the first race. Christian Jones rocked up for fourth and Will Power was fifth in the Swift SC92F.

lous and out-of-synch Helio Castro Neves, Herta and Dario Franchitti. But the Walker Motorsport car fried a transmission with 10 laps to go and de Ferran couldn’t drive with just first, second and sixth gear. He will win here one day. The top six cars pitted for splashes in the final dozen laps and Zanardi, running two seconds a lap faster than

Fernandes A MEXICAN turned Japanese at Motegi when Adrian Fernandez scored his second career victory of his and his first with Pat Patrick’s team. Fernandez fought off illness and, in the race’s second half, A1 Unser Jr, holding on to win by 1.086 seconds in Asia’s first oval race, held at the Hondaowned facihfy 160km north of Tokyo.. The flu-ridden Fernandez’s Reynard-Ford/Firestone was always in the hunt,leading the opening 22 laps and 73 of the last 85 laps. The 32-year old never ran lower than fourth. “A1 was very strong from mid-race, and I knew he was going to be strong all the way,” Fernandez commented.‘T rip ened the mixture, to be ready to race with Al, but I had a lot of push in turns three and four.” A late-race yellow after Bobby Rahal crashed resulted in a six-lap sprint to the che quered flag. Unser came from fifteenth to second in the race’s first 100 laps, aU run under the green. The race’s fii'st yellow flag flew at the end of lap 100 after Christian Fittipaldi’s engine blew-up, and at that point the average speed was no less than 199.066 mph! Second-placed Unser moved up quickly from a midfield starting position and led 26 laps, the first time he’s led since Road America in August 1996. “It was like qualifying out there,” Unser commented. “Eveiy lap at the beginning of the race was as fast as we could go. “Thanks to Penske Cars in

WApiinm

miracle for Zanardi A for ATTACK... Zanardi was in a different class in Long Beach, run ning from 18th to win.

(Photo by DanRpholos)

the front runner despite his steering problem, homed into view. He outbraked FrancMtti for second with five laps to go, then made his move on leader Herta under braking for the hairpin on lap 104 of 105. Zanardi had to ride over the curbing at the apex of the cor ner to complete the move, but he made it, pulling Franchitti through for second.

“I just went for every car that was in my way,” he said after the race. “I was pushing very hard and trying not to take much time to pass slower cars.“ “The team decided to leave me on the same tires I was on,” Herta explained. “That turned out to be wrong. Alex had a whole lot more race car than me at that point. I was two seconds off the pace we’d been able to run before. Fourth place went to Fernandez, who inherited the position when Pruett ran out of fuel on the race’s final lap. Fernandez said Ms car wasn’t perfect but fourth place enabled him to take a clear lead in the Championship points. Finishing fifth and extend ing his early lead in this year’s rookie points battle was Brazilian Tony Kanaan who finished in the top six and was highest finishing rookie for the second race in row, despite stalling once in the hairpin. Kanaan was followed home by Greg Moore who could have finished fourth or possi ble better had he not brushed his fuel vent man as he left

the pits after his final pitstop. The incident resulted in Moore being blackflagged for a drive-through pit penalty, costing him a few positions. i Completing the top 10 were Blundell, Vasser, CastroNeves.and Gugelmin, all of whom completed the fiiU 105 laps. Rookie Castro-Neves led 16 laps until a trip down an escape road late in the race cost a few positions however, although he rejoined the race. Most spectacular exit of the race was Andretti’s. The Homestead winner gambled on his cut front lyre, a flap of which got visibly worse as the race progressed. The Newman-Haas team decided to nurse the tyre until the fuel window opened but Michael never made it, the tyre delaminating on the main straight and Andretti glancing the wall at around IGOmph. He was unhurt..' But, this day, no-one was going to beat Alex Zanardi. The man in red was just invincible and, if this keeps up, the donut king is going to t^e a heU ofa lot of beating. After three of this year’s 19 FedEx Championship rounds Fernandez leads the champi onship with 41 points followed by Moore with 37, Zanardi with 34, Franchitti with 25, Andretti and de Ferran with 21 apiece, and Herta with 20.

rums Japanese at Motegi cc ●o

DRESSED FOR THE BEACH... Paul Morris was out of luck at Long Beach in his Motorola-Racer Lola-Buick.

(Photo by DanRPhotOs)

1 i PAUL Morris had a finistrating time in the sec ond round of the Dayton IndyLights champi onship at Long Beach. Morris qualified 18th, one spot higher than he did in the series opener at Homestead and was one of the drivers to most suffer when Saturday qualifying was washed out. "It was a bit of a disaster,” said Morris on

Tuesday, “Saturday morning was good for us. We picked up 1.5s after changing the car overnight and, in the practice session, 1 was seventh fastest and ordy two tenths off the polesitter.! ‘The polesitter’ Was Morris team-mate and room-mate Didier Andrew In the race Morris got away well and worked

his way through the field to sit just outside the top i 10 until m’ieGbanical! problems forced him''tp.i the pits half^wayy through the race; The event was won by ChristianO da Matta : Tas>ma<n' > frohi Motorsport, wh'di heat‘d i Andre away from^thei fi-ont row.and led adPthe S way to the flag. .. Andre tfroppedhaek to 1 ^b at the fimsh.

WINNERS CHOOSEI

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In 1995 Jacques Villeneuve won with Koni, then in 1996 Jimmy Vasser won the indycar Championship in his Koni/Reynard-Honda.

ADRIAN’S WALL ... Fernandez’s Patrick Reynard dominated Japan’s first oval race. England, they have fixed my gearbox. We’re ready to go to Long Beach next weekend and do a lot more shifting.” Fernandez left Japan shar ing the lead in the 1998 series with Greg Moore, who fimsh fourth behind Gil de Ferran, who battled a mid-race prob lem when his car’s weightjacker broke. Moore and Tracy raced wheel-to-wheel in the fi nal laps, the pair passing Mark BlundeU’s lapped car on either side as they entered turn three on the final lap with Moore beating Tracy across the line by 0.227s. “Traffic was two abreast going into turn two, and I didn’t follow the traffic like Tracy,” Moore commented. “I went around the outside, mak ing it three abreast. I was real ly on the edge. That’s as far up in the grey as I ever want to go!”

'Tracy had problems in the before he planned to make Ms pits, stalling on Ms first stop second stop. The fuel miscue and then Mtting trouble getcost Andretti four laps and any ting Ms car properly refuelled hope of a finish among the on his last stop. points. Rahal who was running Rookie Tony Kanaan was another to impress, fimshing a powerfully in third place, closlap down in sixth place ahead ing on Unser, when he crashed of Jimmy Vasser and Dario heavily coming off turn two. FrancMtti. Vasser, who startRahaTs car suffered a failed ed from pole after Friday’s front wheel bearing and was qualifying session was rained lucky to emerge entirely off, was very strong in the unscathed from a nasty-lookearly stages, leading 44 of the ● ing accident, first 69 laps, but his car then ‘Tt was a wild ride,” he said started over^eering and he afterwards, unhurt. “We were then stalled on Ms last stop, in a position for a podium finish. losing a lap. “The crash must have been Homestead winner Michael Andretti also ran strongly, more spectacular from the outleading the race for a while side because things weren’t too before running out of fuel after bad for me. A lot of things were storming to the finnt from 14th flying around but I was OK” in the starting Hne-up. Michael Alex Zanardi crashed in was waved out of the pits too turn on after brushing the early on his first stop so that wall. He was running seventh he didn’t take on a full load of when Ms mishandling car got fuel, running out one lap the better of Mm.

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W April W98

Possum wins in the west KIWI Possum Bourne was very nearly robbed of vic tory after a crash on the last comer of a rough and tortuous Forest rally in Western Australia. The second round of the Australian Rally Championship was marked by an enormous amount of damage and pimctures to cars throughout the field as well as a major accident which saw the crew badly injured. Bourne and Neal Bates had staged a blow for blow battle over both heats of the rally only to see Bates robbed by a puncture on day one, missing out by only 11 seconds Day two saw the pair sepa rated by just six seconds on the last stage until Bourne tore a wheel from the car less than 300 metres from the fin ish . However Bates couldn’t capitalise on the problem, his Corolla reverting to rear wheel drive and finishing the stage just one second ahead of the Kiwi,leaving him five sec onds short of victory in the heat.

Leg One

The Respect Yourself Forest Rally had found itself in the middle of an autumn heat wave in Perth, with tem peratures well over 30 degrees for days before the ■ally and the fi rst heat did i.ot escape with the mercury again hitting 30. And the temperature was raised even more with the intensity of the battle between series leader Bourne and Bates. From the word go the pair were in attack mode and on the opening stage when they recorded the same time, both 10 seconds faster than the nearest rival, Subaru’s newest apprentice Cody Crocker in tbe Group N Impreza. On special stage two Bates got the upper hand from Bourne , the Subaru driver suffering a puncture at the very end of the stage. Bates taking six seconds off the Kiwi despite having to battle the heavy dust thrown up by the Subaru ahead. “All is well , but is very hot,” said a smiling Bates. Sandgroper Dean Herridge saw any chance he had of winning the F2 class disap pear when he went off the road in his Hyundai Coupe. “I hit a jump very hard and launched it , landing quite badly, the tail kicked left and we were off and stuck,” said Herridge. With the Hyundai stuck for almost half an hour that meant the battle for F2 was thrown wide open. The battle would now be between the Daihatsus of Rick Bates and Mackenzie and the Middleton Honda. Bourne benefited when Bates hit a rock and punc tured a right front. He lost 26 seconds and on a sprint rally such as this with two stages remaining for the day Bates was now 16 seconds behind Bourne. While Crocker took fourth

outright local Allan McCarthy grabbed third in his ageing Subaru Legacy after a hard charge over the closing stages to overtake the young Victorian as well as fellow Westerner Gerry McGroarty in fifth and NSW pilot John Long in sixth. Trevor Flood was seventh in his Celica ahead of Spencer Lowndes Lancer, which also grabbed third in Group N beating off Tolley Challis’ Subaru for the class placing and eighth outright. With Challis in ninth local Dennis Dunlop rounded out the top 10.

But rally labelled ‘a disgrace'by leading drivers after bad roads cause carnage. Report by JON THOMSON

Leg Two Hot and dusty was the order of the day for heat two on Sunday morning and Bates was hoping the bad luck that plagued him on Saturday would be gone. Bates equalled Bourne on stage one but Bournedeliv ered a body blow, ripping four seconds offthe Toyotd driver. In F2 Ross Mackenzie’s troubles began here. The lit tle Daihatsu puncturing two tyres on he stage dropping over two minutes on his rivals. Bates equalled Bourne on stage three but was again having a bad time of it on four, losing another three sec onds to the Subaru with a hydraulic fluid leak. The rally saw a near tragedy on stage four when the husband and wife team of Evan and Peta Bollard speared off the road in their Mitsubishi Galant VR4 in a big way. The stage was halted as the pair were evacuated by medical teams with suspected back and internal injuries, the rough conditions almost certainly claiming them. Going into the final stage Boiume looked a certain win ner, but with the uncertainty of motorsport always a factor the Subaru driver clipped a bank on the second last cor ner of the stage and broke a steering arm. The car limped the 300 metres to the finish and then was coaxed to the service area almost seven kilometres away by Bourne and co-driver Craig Vincent, somehow they made it and affected repairs enabling them to drive to the finish. For Bates it was the heat on a plate but that ominous hydraulic leak meant the Corolla only had two wheel drive for the last stage and with Bourne recording a time of 2 min 27. Bates could only manage a one second advantage as the Corolla struggled to put its immense power to the ground in slippery conditions. The battle had been decided Bourne’s way by just five seconds. “We are ecstatic, it was hard work all weekend and it was a fight with Neal all the way,” said Bourne with a smile at the finish after his earlier look of despair at the end of the final stage. For Bates nothing could console him after a start to the season that has been any-

'■hB-n

2 for555... Possum Bourne was in great form in Perth but was lucky to get across the line with broken steering. BROTHERS TO THE FORE... Rick Bates and Jenny Brittain had a great run in the Daihatsu. NEAL DOWN... Bates has done every thing this season except win. All he needs is a little, little luck... thing but fortunate. “What can I say I am just very, very unhappy but that is the way it goes some times,” said Bates. Lowndes cemented his win in the Group N category in the heat but Crocker’s first the previous day combined with second on day two meant he took the round overall for Group N reward ing the faith Subaru had placed in him. Challis had stopped his Subaru on stage three and was out with unknown prob lems. McGroarty also retired on stage four leaving third in group N to Mark Haybittle’s Lancer. F2 saw Rick Bates post another perfect score to win the category overall coming home 1 min 21 secs ahead of Herridge on day two with Middleton claiming third and Mackenzie fourth, Winwood had not backed up for the second day in the Aussie car class leaving it to Geoff Full who again clinched the win and w^s all smiles at getting the V8 Commodore home ahead of his wilting opponents. Mui'doch brought his Falcon home second in his ' class, The Bridgestone Corolla Cup, salvaged out of the ashes of the Silverstone Challenge at the 11th hour him dearly and meant he had saw Steve Forsberg take both no chance of catching his heats ahead of Roman opponent. Watkins with Jason Slot and Criticism of the event was Jo Cadman in third and loud and vocal from many dri fourth. vers, the rough conditions Watkins had looked to exacting a heavy cost in upset Forsberg’s day in heat machinery and human injury. two but a car with a puncture Subaru driver Miles Sandy ahead of him on a stage cost was not happy with the condi-

tions after nursing his car through the rally. “It was more like a safari than a rally. If I had wanted to go off road racing then I would but this is ridiculous. You just can’t enjoy it when you are constantly battling the ruts and holes,” said Sandy.

Brett Middleton echoed Sandy’s thoughts as did F2 winner Rick Bates while Bourne very nearly had the event robbed from him by the treacherous conditions. The rally was a resounding win for Bourne, the Subaru driver two from two, the rally organisers nil.

ossum Bourne said in his presentation speech last night that it’s damn good fun having a close fight. There are only seconds in it, going both ways and, incredibly, many occasions when the times are dead even, and then if you come out in front you’re smiling and you feel bloody good. Well Possum’s smiling and I’d be a liar if I didn’t say I feel a tad disappointed. We have just finished the Respect Yourself Forest Rally in Perth, round 2 of the ARC. Once again we had an event that was hot, dry and incredibly dusty. The organisers moved the event from two to three minute gaps between cars to tryaend alleviate the problem, however, some times that wasn’t even enough and on a few occa sions we drove into total dust blackout. It was difficult in those conditions to even drive down a straight piece of road. In Perth you can have very narrow, but very fast roads. Flat out in sixth gear is a common occurrence in this rally and, when you hit the dust, it wouldn’t take much to veer slightly from the track and collect trees or stumps that sit very close to the edge. This rally would proba bly be the fastest event we do all year. Some of the roads are like highways and very, very fast and then you turn off onto some very narrow roads which are also incredibly fast but with very limited vision through the vegetation. The Forest Rally is an event where accuracy and trust in your pace notes is crucial and you have to give it total commitment. 'e came to Perth with total commitment on our minds. On Saturday in Heat One we were fastest on every special stage except one. It’s just that that one happened to be a puncture

up over the windscreen and it was as if someone had turned out the lights. The dust poured in through our air vent in the roof. Coral’s notes disappeared under a blanket of dust and "N*. we choked. The impact M cracked the windscreen. 5>i On Possum’s car the same SJe experience bent his chas sis! that cost us 26 seconds. We fell from 10 seconds in most amazing of all this is that part the front to 16 seconds behind The stage was 20km long and with only two stages both ourselves and remaining in the day. Possum shared dead After taking back two seconds on each of those equal time for the stage. I find it remarkable to two stages, there just find that two different cars wasn’t enough kilometres left in the day. We finished with two different drivers the heat in second place and two different co-drivers and looked forward to can drive flat out over com resuming the bottle a fresh petitive stage kilometres and at the end be exactly in Heat Two. Unlike circuit racing, we equal on time. Sunday are dealing with thousands started off with an equal of corners in any given rally time on the first stage also. that are all different. The Then Possum took four conditions are different seconds and we bounced every time you drive them. back with the equal,time Between the recce and the on the Hairpin Stage, rally things change and, “Danger Dip” and all. Two more stages, one when you have common to Possum, one to us, and stages repeated on Sunday as we do in Perth, the we lined up at the start of changes can be immense, the final stage of the rally. particularly when the roads A, short 3.6km blast for the spectators. Possum held a are so dry and the first pas sage of the 84 car field has six second lead. And then unbelievably he left the dug deep ruts in the road. It makes for interesting road and damaged the times as you drive close to steering. He was very 200kph through the trees lucky to limp out although bouncing out of ruts and with a time 20 seconds slower than it should have ditches! There was one par ticular rut which had been. Without this knowledge, appeared during recce and our notes called it “Danger all we had to do was drive Dip". On the first run through the stage with a reasonable time to win the through on Saturday it was rally. But, as our luck a fairly severe hazard, how ever by the second run on would have it at the Sunday it was a hole big moment, on the start line the car reverted to 2WD. enough to sink the Titanic. Possum won the rally by With an approach speed five seconds and he of around 160 plus kph, we launched ourselves over couldn’t believe his good the “Danger Dip” only this luck. That’s OK - we time we nose dived into the couldn’t believe our bad world’s biggest hole, two luck. Statistically for the rallyfeet deep in bull dust. The hit was so sudden we''Won six stages. that within 30 metres we Possum won three and we had washed off enough equalled on three. For the speed only managing to next round in Queensland crawl out the other side. our luck is going to The bull dust went straight change! i \

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FOREST FALCON... Steve Winwood is not happy with CAMS.(Photo by jon Thomson)

CAMS blackmail says Winwood By JON THOMSON

LEADING Aussie Car class competitor Steve Winwood has said the sport’s gov erning body is blackmailing him,follow ing an edict which stops him from scor ing points in the drivers’ titles in this year’s Australian Rally Championship. The ban came about because the manufac turer of the car he drives would not pay a $12,000 surcharge for TV coverage. Winwood received a fax from CAMS just a day before the start of the second round of the Championship in Perth last weekend explaining that because Ford had not paid the TV surcharge fee he could not score points. “It is blackmail; there is no other word for it,” said Winwood. / “I receive support from Ford but it is by no means a huge amount, certainly not enough to justify the company forking over another $12,000. “Ford paid it last year but obviously feel it was of httle benefit to them and doy’i believe it should pay it again. It is not chasing the manufacturers’ title, but I am chasing the drivers’ title in my class; certainly not sheep station stuff,” said the Falcon driver. CAMS Rally Manager Andy Clark said at the WA rally that the rules were the rules and that there was no way around the situa tion other than for Ford to pay the fee. “Five other manufacturers paid the fee without problems so I can’t see why Ford doesn’t do the same,” Clark told Motorsport News. The other makes involved include Toyota

and Subam, both of whare believed to pay an outright fee of some'$60,000, while Hyundai, Daihatsu and Honda pay $12,000 each as class competitors. However, Motorsport News understands that Honda’s fee was paid for by lone com petitor Brett Middleton out of his own spon sorship money and Hyundai’s fees were paid by the West Australian dealer body which supports Dean Hemdge’s car. According to Winwood, the car that won the Aussie car class in Perth, Geoff FtTl’s Commodore, is able to score points and not have to pay the fee only because Full receives sponsorship from companies other than the car’s manuJfacturer. He cites the rule as dis criminatory “It is a great way to attract new makes into the sport; as soon as they show their hand they receive a giant bill for uncertain 'TV cov erage. If the package is so good, how come ARCOM can’t find a sponsor for the ARC Super Series?” he said. Mitsubishi driver Ed Ordynski has been sidelined for the year because Mitsubishi would have to pay $60,000 if he was to run. Ordynski was hoping to run a car provided to him by Ralliart but funded through his own personal sponsors as he did last year when Ralliart was forced to pay the fee. “Instead, one of Australia’s best drivers is sidelined, reducing the title to a two corner fight, eliminating an element that would add great interest to the title,” said Winwood. “Surely it is better to have these top com petitors out there adding to the battle; instead everyone misses out,” he added.

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WINNER - NSW & VICTORIAN RALLY CHAMPIONSHIPS - OUNLOP SP84-R

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A WAY THROUGH?... Colin McRae and Nicky Grist lew ihoaSn the crowds in Portugal on their ^ay to , their first win of 1998. (Photo by LATDigital)

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By PETER WHITTEN COLIN McRae won his first raUy of the 1998 season by the slimmest margin ever in World Championship rallying, beating Carlos Sainz by just 2.1 seconds on the Portugal Rally. Subara also gained their first win of the sea son, though still the team has engine worries. Sainz, on his 100th world rally start, also had problems on his first orthodox gravel event with the Toyota Corolla. The Spaniard was delayed \ firstly with a broken brake, then through havV ing to drive in dusty conditions behind the Ford of Juha Kankkunen when the Finn was going slowly with transmission trouble. Toyota clearly showed the potential of their new car in these conditions, particularly through the performance of the independent entry for Freddy Loix which led the official team cars for almost half the rally. Mitsubishi were off the pace: Tommi Makinen went off the road and Richai-d Bums drove hard but only finished fourth. The closeness of McRae’s win highlighted again the vastly increased importance of every aspect of the organisation and the team work.

Leg 1

McRae started the event by storm, making six fastest stage times to lead the field by 44 seconds at the end of the first leg. Behind the flying Scot’s Subaru the next seven cars are separated by less than a minute. Kankkunen in the Escort came closest to Junior support Queensland competitors in the ARN Junior Rally Challenge will have an extra incentive during the Falken Tyres Rally Queensland in May. Repco Auto Parts have donated $500 worth of tools to the event, and Clerk of Course Errol Bailey has seen fit to make this prize avail able to ARN Junior'Challenge com petitors. “Repco wanted the prize to be awarded to competitors further down the field, so we thought the ARN Junior Challenge crews were the ideal recipients,” Bailey said. The prize will be split in two, with $380 worth of Repco tools being awarded to the highest placegetter in the Junior Challenge over the weekend, with $120 of Repco tools going to the the best ‘hard luck story’ of the event, as judged by the organisers. Maxsport Tyres have also offered their support, offering com petitors tyres at discount prices for the 1998 season.

McRae, beating him on one stage, while Sainz in the leading Toyota battled to avoid being passed by Makinen, in the leading Mitsubishi. The World Champion had his Mitsubishi team-mate, Safari wirmer Bums just 15 sec / onds behind. “I’m trying as hard as I can, but this is the first sprint gravel event since Australia that I have been really fit for, and perhaps I’m a lit tle rasty,” said Makinen. Belgian star Freddy Loix, in the Toyota Belgium Corolla, kept in close touch with the leading cars but complained that he is out of practice, having not done a rally for three months. Mitsubishi dominated Group N with new comer Hamed A1 Wahaibi a strong fifth in the Group. The Formula 2 battle was led by local driver Lopez in a Peugeot by 13 seconds from Rovanpera’s Seat.

Leg 2

McRae extended his lead over the first three stages of the second leg. Although he was concerned about the mechanical health of his Subam - water had been found in the engine oil at the end of Leg 1 - he pressed hard and had a 56 second advantage after stage 13. In his wake, Tommi Makinen went off 10 kilometres into stage 12, hit a tree and retired instantly. Thomas Radstrom retired the Marlboro-backed Toyota Sweden Corolla

Starting the day 11 seconds ahead, which was leading the FIA Teams Cup when a McRae drew steadily away from Loix. He rear wheel “exploded”. extended the lead to 17 seconds over the On stage 13 Sainz broke a rear brake pipe, losing 20 seconds - enough to drop him two first four stages of the day, and then Sainz went ahead of Loix who was having gear places. Bums in the second Mitsubishi won box problems. stage 13 and eased ahead of Freddy Loix. Manfred Stohl led the Mitsubishi dominated With just three stages remaining Sainz was 23 seconds behind. Group N category. He reduced the deficit to 6.8 seconds Loix then closed in on McRae to challenge for the lead. Fifth overnight, the Belgian, who going into the final stage, but McRae held on for his first win of the season. finished second in Portugal last year, was Loix fi nished, a good third, managing to fastest over the final four stages of the day stay ahead of Bums. and trailed the leader by just 11 seconds. “It has been over four months since I did The Group N category was won by Gustavo Trelles from Manfred Stohl. a rally and I didn’t want to make a mistake The Formula 2 category was won by yesterday. But today I had the feeling for Lopes in a Peugeot from Seat’s Oriel the car again and apart from one small mistake everything went well. I’m sure it Gomez. will be a big battle with Colin McRae tomorrow.” Didier Auriol was halted 1 C McRae/N Grist Subaru Impreza WRC 4:20:58.1 by gearbox trouble in his Toyota Corolla WRC 4:21:00.2 Corolla, while Radstrom 2 CSainzAMoya 4:21:43.9 Toyota Corolla WRC went out after a wheel broke 3 F Loix/S Smeets 4:21:51.2 Mitsubishi Carisma 4 R Burns/R Reid and took off the suspension. 4:24:18.3 Ford Escort WRC 5 A Vatanen/F Gallagher Kankkunen dropped to 6 P Liatti/F Pons Subaru Impreza WRC 4:24:22.3 seventh as he struggled 4:24:35.0 Ford Escort WRC 7 J Kankkunen/J Repo through the closing stages in 8 G De Mevius/J-M Fortin Subaru Impreza WRC 4:27:57.1 two wheel drive having bro 9 R Madeira/N Da Silva Toyota Celica GT Four 4:31:22.2 ken the front differential. 10 K Holowczyc/M Wislawski Subaru Impreza WRC 4:32:56.2

y^R C - Rally of Portugal

Leg 3

McRae won by just 2.1 secQjj(jg

Toscano, none of this would have been possible,” Middleton said. “It’s really given me a new lease of life for the rest of the championship,” he said.

Whitten The prize for Queensland com petitors comes on top of the total prize package for the winner of the ARN Junior Challenge, which aiready totals nearly $16,500. Honda Puts In Honda has decided to support Brett Middleton’s campaign in this Australian year’s Rally Championship. Middleton’s Honda Civic VTiR will now carry signage for Honda Genuine Parts and Honda Genuine Lubricants, as well as the manufac turer paying for the Sydney driver’s share of the television fund. “With the assistance of Brett Connelly, Philip Murray and Robert

Monte on the outer January’s Monte Carlo Rally has been heavily criticised by FIA inspectors and could be excluded form next year’s Champion-ship. Already on probation for safety failings in 1997, the event failed to make sufficient improvements this year. Stage and service area safety is unacceptably low and the Automobile Club of Monaco proved unhelpful inTRe extreme. The FIA has already stated that the championship will be too large when China joins in 1999 and throwing out Monte Carlo seems the most likely solution. Monte Carlo officials will probably be summoned before the FIA Rallies Commission and possibly the FIA World Council itself. If this is the case, a decision on the rally’s future should come by early May.

Drivers Points: Sainz 22, Kankkunen 16, Bums 15, McRae 14, Makinen 10, Vatanen 6, Auriol and Liatti 4, Eriksson 3, Rovanpera and Gronholm 2, Thiry i. Manufacturers: Mitsubishi and Toyota 25, Ford 23, Subaru 21.

Bridgestone saves Corollas

BRIDGESTONE Tyres have become the new sponsors of Australia’s one-make rally category after the unexpect ed withdrawl of Silverstone after the series’ first round. The remaining four rounds (after the Silverstone withdraw al) of the series will be run imder Bridgestone sponsorship, ensur ing that competitors who invest ed heavily in contesting the championship will not be unduly disadvantaged. There was a great deal of dis quiet amongst competitors after Silverstone withdrew their sup port after the opening round, however, the Australian Rally Commission immediately began searching for a replacement sponsor. It was announced on March 26, just a week before round two, the Respect Yourself Forest Rally in Perth, that Bridgestone had come on board.

The Bridgestone Corolla Cup will , be funded by both Bridgestone and Toyota. Competitors will be required to carry Bridgestone advertising on their cars in the remaining four rounds. Offering a prize fund of $14,000, representing $3500 for each round, the announcement of a replacement sponsor is good news for crews who had set their sights on contesting the whole series. Points from the opening round at Coffs Harbour will count towards the overall scoring for the Bridgestone Corolla Cup. A control tyre for the series has been chosen, this being the Bridgestone RE380R which Bridgestone will supply to com petitors at $150 each. In addition, the winner of the series will receive a supply of Bridgestone tyres for use in this year’s API Rally Australia. - PETER WHirTEN

wApnim us News from JON ASHER REMEMBER last year, when Warren Johnson lost the Pro Stock champi onship? No, we’re not tak ing anything away from two-time champ Jim Yates, but let’s face it, Johnson lost the title almost as much as Yates won it. More times than he cares to remember,“The Professor” fell asleep at the starting line, allowed himself to be drawn into a disastrous stag ing delay, or simply lost his concentration. This season, however, Johnson has been on a tear, with his Houston victory another impressive 200 mile per hour assault on the record books that’s left the competition nothing short of stunned. After four straight rounds with double century speeds one week earlier at the Gatornationals, Johnson “slipped” in Houston, running 200 in “onl/’ three of the four rounds, notching a 199.91 in the other. But Johnson, like many others in the class, is growing increasingly disenchanted with NHRA Winston drag racing. The low purses and second rate exposure given the Pro Stocks in comparison to the fuel cars grates on WJ. He says that he can make a great deal more money by turning his attention to engine building for the Winston Cup circuit. He also says that if he wanted to he could field a NASCAR Craftsman Truck series entry for three years before moving into Winston Cup stock cars with his own team, and enjoy significant corporate backing from General Motors in the process. Another racer leaning in that direction is Steve Schmidt, who now has a new 34,000 square foot engine building facility in Indianapolis which he feels isn’t being used to its capacity in drag racing powerplant production. Feeling more or less like a second class citizen in Pro Stock, Schmidt is the kind ofguy who’s liable to follow through on his threat to give up on the quarter mile.

Let’s shift back to last our year,focus when Top Fuel racer Jim Head and George Bryce’s Star Pro Stock Racing Motorcycles, ridden ably by Angelle Seeling and John Myers, debuted in their new Close Call colours. In a deal put together by R.J. Reynolds’ Sports Marketing Enterprises group, the team also included a Winston Cup stock car driven by Brett Bodine and an

WJ’s back in business

Unlimited Hydroplane power boat. As Bryce said at the time, “I never realised there could be this much sponsor ship money in Pro Stock bike.” Unfortunately, Bryce’s dreams of financial success were quickly dashed, as the long distance carrier consistently failed to meet its sponsorship payment deadlines. While Head remained circumspect about his situation, largely, we suspect, because he has enough of a personal fortune to race with or without a sponsor, Bryce began grumbling to his close friends. But, it was Bodine who made the first public move, scraping the name off the side of his Ford Thunderbird late in the season, and eventually having to sell a good portion of his team to Andy Evans and others to keep going, At this year’s Mac Tools Gatornationals both Head and Biyce reported that representatives of Close Call were to be on hand to renegotiate their deals, and to pay up completely for last year’s short fall. Alas, they were no-shows, so at Houston Head appeared in straight black livery, having removed the name from the car. He also ran the first qualifying session in his old Smokin’ Joe’s Racing yellow firesuit, reminiscent of his ‘96 sponsorship, but he quickly reverted to his Close Call gear after, we suspect, some folks of the Winston : expressed “concern” about his apparel, Also on hand at Houston was Seeling, also sans Close

llllTOllll ALTHOUGH they’ve failed to match Amato’s elapsed times, Cory McClenathan and tuners Mike Green (above) and Jim Brissette are back on the roll they had going last year in the McDonald’s Racing fueler, having now won two races. Cory Mac flattened first time finalist, Australian David Grubnic in the finale with an impressive 4.559/320.74 (Top Speed of the Meet), and that does not bode well for the opposition. McClenathan won six of the last 11 races con tested last season, and made it to the finale of one other, so if his team can get o that kind of roll again, he won’t be denied the championship again, as he has been twice in the past. On the personal side, McClenathan has recently become engaged to NHRA employee Kim Tramski, and seems hap pier and more contented than he’s been In years. Call lettering and logos. She “pitted” with Head’s team, where a booth was set up to sell fan club memberships, a plan that seemed to be work ing. As Head said on

Saturday morning, eyeing a line of prospective new mem bers 30 deep, “Wally (Parks) is going to turn green when he hears about this, but I don’t care.”

Joe Amato’s Tenneco dragster is the quick est wheel-driven quarter mile vehicle on Earth after uncorking everquicker runs at this year’s national events. But alas, despite the talents of tuner Jimmy Prock, the team continues to demon strate a lack of consisten cy, which has kept them out of the winner’s circle. Amato had Low E.T. of the Meet at the last two events, but had little to show for it coming in to Houston other than the knowledge that after his 4.523 at Gainesville he had the quickest car ever. At Houston he failed to imprpve on that elapsed time, but/he did something he’d fa;led to do before, and that’s set a new record, and back it up. He ran an impressive 4.539 during qualifidng, and then backed it up with a 4.595 in the first round. That not only got him the record, but also the last remaining big bonus from the MBNA World Record Club to the tune of $50,000. But, when he smoked the tyres in the second round he again went home a points-race loser, although he continues to hold down the fifth posi tion on the Top 10 list.

The Stock competition continuesintoPro be exceptional, with, as we’ve said so many times before, this week’s top qualifier being next week’s DNQ. At the Winternationals, for example, Mark Pawuk failed to make the cut in the Summit Racing Pontiac. His team tested in Tucson prior to

GOOD TIMES... Warren Johnson ran consistent 200s at Houston and appears to have his sights set on another title. (Photos by Keith Burgan and Dave O)

the Atsco Nationals in Phoenix, and seemed to get back on track, although “The Cowboy” lost in the Orst round of eliminations. At che Gators they qualified in the top half of the then-quickest field in Pro Stock history, improving their elapsed times in each qualifying session, but they again lost in the first round, Pawuk again made the cut in Houston, but this time near the back of the quickest field in history. He finally caught a break in the first round when the air gap in Darrell Alderman’s Dodge disap peared and the car was pulled through the lights for a redlight. Pawuk then lost in the second round to eventual first time finalist Mike Thomas, but his performances in the last three races were enough to pull him into the Top 10 for the fii'st time this season. Mike Bell, who had been driving one of Troy Humphrey’s Pontiacs along side team-mate (and Humphrey’s son-in-law) Greg Anderson, has departed the team in an acrimonious man ner. Bell says that Humphrey really doesn’t have enough funding to run one car proper ly, much less two. He’s already found a home with Hurley Blackeney’s Ford Probe Pro Stock effort, and will shortly test the car with a Robert Patrick-supplied engine.

1997/98 ANDRA CHAMPIONSHIP DRAG RACING SERIES - POINTS TO APRIL 9TH, 1998.

03 9393 3333

97/98 ANDRA Top Alcohol Series .390 Gary Phillips, Lucas Oils Wayne Newby, Newby Blowers 300 Steve Marker, Spectra Thermo-King .295 Scott Ferguson, Tonkin’s Car Audio .200 165 Stan Tindal, Hi-Tec Oils 160 Steve Read, Pommie Steve Racing 140 Matthew Featon, See-Doo ... 140 Mark Brew, BOC Gasses

97/98 ANDRA Top Fuel Series I. Graeme Cowin, Shell/Rocket Indust. .500 2. Glenn Mikres (USA), Santo’s Cranes .485 .285 3. Robin Kirby, Pennzoil/Keatings 4. Terry Sainty, Eagle Ignition Leads 280 5. Romeo Capitanio, Sidchrome Proto ..220 6. Darren DiFilippo, True Flow Exhausts .200 .200 Roy Smith, Atholwood & Smith

I. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

8. Charlie DiFilippo, True Flow Exhausts . .70 9. Rachelle Splatt, Valvoline/Dragway ... .60 10. Andrew Cowin, Shell/Rocket Indust. ..40

9, David Hawke, Dave Hawke Racing ...130 105 10. Steve Reed, Reed Transport

97/98 ANDRA Top Doorslamm^r Series 520 I. Victor Bray, Castrol Oils 2. Scotty Cannon (USA), On Sat Guide .435 330 3. Troy Critchley, Castrol Oils .. . .310 4. Andrew Searle, ACME Racing .. .200 S. Peter Kapiris, Pennzoil/VPW .. 180 6. Lucky Belleri, Lucky’s Toy Racing 180 7. Shane Elcoate, Thunder Road . . 8. Peter Gratz, Valvoline/Autobam Ipswich. .155 140 9. David Koop, Koop DeVille 10. Colin Will, Tectaloy Perf. Coolants ..1 10

36 W April ms

98 TAC NATIONALS

bring both Russo and Garry McGrath back the next day. Speaking the feh lowing day, after he smoked the tyres on the Calder Sa wild last ridetrack, down ffL Russo said he was he 1 iBy Gerald McDor; disappointed couldn’t have run the : I P'VFhere was a Mttie evening before. “The conditions were so ; 'âma with the 11.00pm curfew at this year’s much better last night, with the cool air and a track Nationals with the call ing of the close of quali- which wasn’t effected hy : fying on the Saturday the heat of today,’’ he said. “We installed Eachelle; ; night almost starting a ; riot. Spiatt’s ten and a hdlf inch j Due te a major oildown in clutch into the car andj if 1 the ■Repco lane., just one we’d anin last night. I’ve got j lane was available for the no doubts we would have ; ■ftnal ’ôp- fueff an d Runny run; a .20” With the new clnteh Car passes of the night. With Top Fuel‘having installed, in the heat of the | ! cleared, Peter Russo was day Russo’s Autopro/Exide ' ; hned up for Ms last rundn Daytona ran to 330ft three : Austrafia, feutc the time hundredths of a second . yiieked ever the limit and, quicker lhan what it did bn ' Lwlth; the engine' primed Ms 5>.40.‘ pass, before it blew : i f eady^to fire, Russo was the tyres off it on the sick ; ^toldthat-he couldn’t run^ track.' U ên the anhouncement “It just goes to show that ; j, wi^ made the strong crowd, what we’ve been chasing for , : whodbad waited patiently two seasons has all been in , yp^g the oildown effected theclutph. yve’ning,'hegan to boo and ‘“Unfortunately, when you | ■only get 10-15 runs a year, | f yell abuse. J- râankfully, things .cooled it’s not hard to lose two sea- ; j down after a few minutes sons to a problem.” ; vên, after hearing the Peter and Ms wife Helen ! : ;crowd reaction, the track are now looldng for a 'cm- to | I managemeht decided to run in the US, with the ● ^ _ fbui’-.time Australian.' ’ Nl . V ^ N ationals , winners : ir- ■. '. \ ■ expecting tO' make a | ; debimt at the season | ‘ ending Winston Finals ' ; - at Pbimona later this 1 V I yearj

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\| Philips’wifi ’ ^ at year’s 'TAG'.] ; Naltibfuals was his^ ^ third consecutive j ' victory in .'Fo.p, I f , [ Alcohol .an# places i \ 1 Ms idame alongside ; 1 ..jojnly-six 'Others to:.| have wton three or i Au$tralian more Nationals In a ; ICiTaiMpi&h'^eter kinsso. (Basher) row ^ Jim B>ead,. -

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Vdle: Pat Ratliff

Pat Ratliff, a pioneer of potent midgets, together Australian motor racing, the pair teirorised the drag : sadly passed away on April ships of the day - Thomas at the wheel of some of the 1st, aged 77. Pat’s long and distin- country’s first Top Fuel ■ guisbed career in motor dragsters, while Pat spun racing included stints work- the spanners, ing for circuit racing legThe partnership introends Lex Davison and Reg duced the first 426 Hemi ' Hunt on their racing vehi- engine into Australian drag cles along training, through racing, the engine still the his trade skills, notable cir- basis for what is used today cuit racing identities such in Top Fuel. Pat’s influence even as John Shepherd. In Ms later years Pat was extend through to current best known for his involve- day chassis builder Murray ment in speedway and drag Anderson,, who recently racing circles through his tasted international success association with the leg- in the US. endary Eddie Thomas. Pat is survived by his After getting to know daughter Rosemary, son each other when they lived Robert, a veteran drag just two doors apart in-First racer and long-time crewSt, Clayton, Pat and man for Peter .and Helen Thomas opened the first Russo’s nitro Funny Car - a known speed shop in car which Pat continued to Australia, ‘Eddie Thomas’s perform macMning work for Speed Shop’ on Dandenong up until'a few years ago = Road, Caulfield. and four grandchildren. They also built a cam' ● On behalf of the staff and grinding machine,' the first readers, Motorsport News such unit in the country. would like to express our After attacking many deepest sympathies to the speedway tracks with their entire Ratliff family and own, and their customers’ Pat’s many friends.

HAPPY LITTLE VEGEMITE... Charlie DIFIlippo’s awesome top qualifying run in Top Fuel was one of the highlights of the ’98 TAC Nationals. After a 298.40 mph charge DiFilippo received a standing ovation from the strong crowd. (Marshall cass)

The 32nd Annual Big Go

A photo highlights look back at all of the excitement of last month’s ’98 TAC Nationals

PRO DEBUT... Jon Andriopoulous surprised in his Pro Stock debut in the PRE Engines Chev Lumina, right, running 7.8s in quali fying and reaching the final where only Joe Polito could stop the rookie’s charge. (Thunder-Pics)

SCARY S<3)#TI... Modified racer Steve Russell fright ened many with his scary new helmet. (Marshall Cass)

TWO iS BETTER THAN ONE... Peter Gratz took his awesome Hemi-powered Valvoline ’57 Chevy Top Doorslammer, below, to the victory lane for the second time in three Nationals, winning over Shane Elcoate in the final round. Gratz also top qualified over the eight car field, running a stunning 6.28 second et to head the charge and put him into the top four quickest doorslammers in the world. (Marshall Cass) ♦

WApriM998

A. By Gerald McDorj

THREE-PEA T... Gary Phillips joined a select group of only four racers to have ever won the Nationals three consecu tive times. Phillips’ Lucas Oils dragster, above, despite being bumped to number two in qualifying by Stan Tindal, was the class of the Top Alcohol field. In a sensational final round Phillips beat team-mate Steve Marker by the barest of margins. (JohnBosher) SEE ANY FEAR?... After having only ever won the Nationals at the wheel of Steve Brown’s Funny Car in 1986, Top Fuel winner Graeme Cowin, right, was totally focused on winning this year’s title in his own car. Cowin did take his Shell Rocketship fueller all the way, downing former 'pupil' Romeo Capitanio in the final round. (John Bosher) AUSTRALIA ONE... Lloyd and Graham Jones travelled over from Perth with their Southside Engine Centre Daytona fuel coupe, below, for exhibition runs at the Nationals. After claiming the Australian title at homejust two weeks before, they were looking to impress on their first eastern visit, doing just that with a best of 5.53/274.

Funny Car bracket and no ‘make-up’ event was held that year. Withers won his Top Fuel/Top Eliminator titles in ’66,’67 and ’68 while Butler claimed his mi Sedan Super between ’78-’80.

‘Pommie’ Peter Allen, Graham Withers, Peter n There were plenty of Russo, Phil Howard and rumours floating around Robbie Butler being the the Pro Stock pit area at others. the Nationals, with most Read, in fact, won five of the rumours, it consecutive years running appears, having some from 1974 to ’78, with two sort of grounding, victories actually coming in Included amongst the ’76 when he won both Top ’ chit chat was word that three-time Australian Pro Fuel and Funnv Car. Allen, like Read, also won Stock Champion Hans Vantwo titles in ’76 (Top Bike Dyk has actually put in an and Comp Bike), and offer to Bnino Cugnetto to claimed four titles over purchase his older VPW three years - from ’75 to Olds Cutlass. ’77. Apparently, Cugnetto is Howard won four interested in the offer, but Nationals in a row, with a. is believe.d to still wani^ Pro Bike title starting the Peter Ridgeway to run the charge in ’94 and'then Top car at the season ending . Rike titles in ’96,.’96 and Winternationals in'June i ’97. The only reason ‘Bluey’ before parting with it. ' didn’t win this year’s event Also doing the rounds was that he and tea-m was the run|our that Nick ! owner John ‘Fat Cat’ Moutsos, who ran his quickHoskins didn’t enter to est ever numbers in Pro defend their titles. ‘Bluey’ ,was selling his stunning also went to the final of Pro American Performance Bike again in ’95, although Imports Chev Cavalier. Les Donnon won the title. Also selling in the Prc^ Russo’s three consecutive camp is points leader Rob, and John Funny Car Nationals Tucker, while crowns of the four that he O’Kearney has won, were claimed in Melbourne A/MS Super ’90,’92 and ’93. The missing Stock racer John Parisi is year, the ’91 Nationals at looking to buy a Group One Willowbank, did not have a mount.

(John Bosher)

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Defending Top Alcohol National champion Gary Phillips wrapped up the 1998 championship with a win at the CaltexCar Care Ampol Nightfire Champion ships at Willowbank Raceway. The event recorded the highest ever competitor entry list for this meeting at 219, as well as being the second highest for any one day meeting at Willowbank. The same could not be

The Annual trek to the “Rock” for the NHRA touring Pros this past weekend, found Kenny Cruz Bernstein, Pedregon, Mark Osborne and Matt Hines taking home the hig prize money that was being posted by R.J. Reynolds. The tenth running of the event paid a whopping US$100,000 to the winners in the fuel classes, while the winner in Pro Stock took home

i;s$50,ooo.

For Bernstein and the “Bud King” team, it was a return trip to the victory cir cle, as he also took the hon ours in 1997. Lee Beard had the red and white dragster running consistently all day enroute to a final round vic tory over upset-minded Paul Romine. Bernstein, who qualified third with a 4.621/312.28 was also the only top four qualified car to make it. past round one, as number one qualifier and new track record holder Gary Scelzi (4.585/316.45), number two Joe Amato (4.620/320.97) and fourth best, Cory McClenathan (4.630/319.71) all were gone at the end of the opening round. In the final round, Romine’s dragster left fi rst

This Bud’s for Bernstein while Pedregon 'Cruz-es’ to win /

and with the car starting to drift over to the right, the tires broke loose and began to billow smoke. That was all it took for Bernstein to repeat as champion at 4.710 seconds, 305.39 mph to take the Winston money. Cruz Pedregon, for the third straight event on the NHRA/Winston schedule, had the stand-out perfor mance levels. Cruz put the Joe Gibbsowned, Interstate Batteries Pontiac into the number one qualifying spot at 4.884/307.79 to take the $10,000 bonus. As in Top Fuel, the open ing round of Funny Car also saw it’s share of upsets, with the number two qualified car of "Whit Bazemore (4.902/313.47) and number four John Force (4.902/312.28) both losing. For Bazemore, to add insult to the loss, he had problems getting the car stopped, ending up nosedown in a ditch to the side of the track.

Pedregon advanced to the final round, though, downing Chuck Etchells in round two to set up a meeting with the Don Prudhomme-owned Cope Camaro of Ron Capps, In the fi nal round Capps took a small advantage at the green light, but started to loose traction before the 100 foot mark. Graz streaked to another fine pass at 4.927/312.06 to get the win. Pedregon has earned purs es totalling $240,500 in his last three events, starting with his $104,000 weekend in Gainesville, and now $110,000 for the huge win here. Mark Osborne won Pro Stock honours for the first time since the 1995 Fram Nationals, cutting great lights and fighting a car that wanted to go evei-y direction but straight on the launches. Osborne qualified the Dick Sherman Pontiac number three at 6.927/197.93, and stopped Troy Coughlin in round one, V. Gaines in the second round and Jeg

Coughlin Jr. in the semis to give him a shot at the $50,000 where he would face off with Kurt Johnson. Johnson made his way to the final by stopping defend ing Winston Champion Jim Yates in the opening round, Mark Pawuk in round two and Steve Schmidt in the semis - Schmidt having stopped low qualifier Warren Johnson (6.888/200.13) in the first round. In the final, Johnson left first, but was out of shape by halftack, where Osborne was a tenth quicker and ten mph faster and in 7.025 seconds, collected the largest payday of his Pro Stock di-iving career. Matt Hines avenged his loss in the Pro Stock Motorcycle final at this event last'year, defeating ‘97 win ner, Angelle Seeling in the final round, Seeling’s bike had performed flawlessly all day but in the final fell off it’s torid 7.20’s pace and los ing to Hines’ 7.348/181.15 on the 'Vance & Hines Suzuld. - DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

Cannon stuns US with Studebaker Victory at Winternats with Aussie-built car

The 1998 IHRA Snap-On Tools Drag Racing Series got underway a fortnight ago with the running of the Winternationals, held in Bradenton, FL, and the

big news for Australian drag raeing was the outstanding win by Scotty Cannon in his Australianbuilt Studebaker in Pro Modified.

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The five-time World Pro Mod Champidn Cannon returned to US recently with his Murray Anderson-built, ’53 Stude and, wdth the car working like a treat, looked like the Cannon of old, tak ing the crown over arch-rival Tommy Mauney in the final round. The win was a dominating one for Cannon with the Studebaker top qualifying and then setting the low elapsed time of eliminations to head the field. Hot off his Australian tour, Cannon led the 36 cars try ing to make the 16 car show with a brilliant 6.450/216.19, Mauney in second with a 6.475/215.72 and defending series champion Shannon

Jenkins in third at 6.518/210.62. Harold Martin’s Pontiac Firebird held the bump at 6.642/211.16. In the second round of rac ing Cannon was paired against Jim Oddy’s Fred Hahn-driven ‘37 Chevy, which also incorporates one of Murray Anderson’s Australian-built ‘swing-arm’ rear ends. Hahn left first but Cannon got to the finish line first 6.473/214.38 to 6.583/199.02. Despite losing lane choice by l/l,000th of a second, the final was all Cannon as his 6.510/214.43 was too much for the 7.112/145.^0 of Mauney. The win is the first for the

said for spectator atten dance, with a very, very small crowd turning out in the absolute perfect weather conditions. Just seven cars fronted for the Travelaire Tom's Top Alcohol bracket, but with the highest attrition rate ever seen in this bracket, only two cars remained at the completion of the fi rst round of eliminations. Mark Brew was the first casualty in his BOC Gases dragster, when he kicked rods out at the 1000 foot mark and vented the big block Chev, still on loan from Bob Brackam. Next to fall was Wayne Newby who snapped a camshaft on his last qualifier, leaving only five cars to contest eliminations. Gary Phillips, who top qualified in his Lucas Oils dragster with a 5.75 at 239, defeated'Dean Oakey in the first round with a 5.88 at 229. Oakey, with the help of Jeff Burnett, managed to record his best numbers yet, a 6.43 at 188, even though he dropped a valve. Steve Harker and Stan Tindal were to face each other in the next race, but Harker suffered bearing damage on his earlier qualifying i-un and was unable to start the Spectra ThermoKing Dodge Avenger and was pushed away from the start line. This left Tindal on a solo win into the next round, but he also suffered a horrible blow when he too snapped a camshaft, putting an end to his night of racing. It was later revealed that both Tindal’s and Newby’s camshafts had snapped in about the same spot. Steve Reed then gained a bye ran into the next round due to the absence of Newby. This left only Reed and

Phillips to each ran a bye in their semis and progi’ess to the final. Reed recorded a stout 5.93 at 239 on his solo, while Phillips simply staged and idled through for the win. Ca lifornian Charlotte Lucas, wife of Lucas Oils founder. Forest Lucas, was on hand to see Phillips fly the Lucas Oils flag high when he took put Reed in the final with a 5.81 at 240 over Reed’s 5.96 at 241. Phillips later claimed Mrs Lucas as his “good luck charm” on a day which was dominated by mechanical mayhem in the Alky ranks. The ‘unofficial’ Top Comp bracket fared a little better, managing a full eight car field. Russell Schafer and John Payne made their way through to the final where Payne handed Schafer his first and easiest win in Top Comp with a .377 red light on the start line. Schafer still recorded 7.45 at 180 on his 7.39 dial in for the win. The Comp bracket final featured Mike Tinney in his Boral Gas B/A and Ron Newton in his Headsense C/A Roadster. Tinney took the win with a sub-index 7.93 at 166, Newton also running under the index (8.53/147). Super Stock saw the number two qualifier, Jai Schluter in his A/MS Falcon face number four Kym Petterwood in the beautiful Lifestyles Pro Stock Pontiac in the final, Petterwood handed Schluter the win on the start line when he left early, but Schluter still recorded a sub-index 9.67 at 140 for the win. The Comp Bike final was won by Daniel Peatey on his C/CB Suzuki, Modified by Dave Ferricks, Super Sedan by Terry Agland, Super Street by Ross Munster, Modified Bike by Trevor Saga, Junior Dragster by Mark Allan, and Super Gas by David Gauldie. Four national records were reset at the event the A/MS speed record was reset at 140.98 mph by Schluter, Jon Sting reset the A/D e.t. record to 7.11 secs, Mike Tinney reset the B/A e.t. record at 7.90 and Ron Newton reset the C/A e.t. record to 8.44 seconds. -KEN FERGUSON

once unbeatable Cannon since 1996 and the five-time World Champ seems to be back in championship form and that is bad news for his opponents, Former Australian tourist Johnny Rocca crashed his ‘49 Mercury during qualifying, emerging unhurt, but the “Iron Horse” was done for the event and needs to be rebuilt, In Top Fuel former NHRA hitter Tommy Johnson Jr. returned to IHRA competi-

tion for the first time since winning at Cordova last year and scored the win with a fi nal round defeat of Steve Smith. In the final Johnson moved first and was long gone when Smith lost traction at 100 feet, Johnson laying down yet another consistent 4.959/294.40 to take liis sec ond consecutive IHRA, while hoping to still return to the NHRA tour full time soon. - DAVE OSTASZEWSKI

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W April W98

Rocket Ron’s rich reward

“Rocket Ron” Adams of Texas took out a thrilling victory in Australia’s rich est Super Sedan race held recently at Cascade Apple Isle Raceway. With well over $30,000 up for grabs, Adams described it as his best victory of his Australian Tour. It was far from an easy run for the like able Texan, as local hotshoe Darren Kane led most of the 50-lap final on the slick track and, even when Adams got by Kane, he still challenged him for the remaining distance, despite his tyres being shot.

Fellow American “Tornado Tony” Hill fin ished in third spot, after starting from the rear of the grid, progressively making his way to the front of the pack during the final by utilising the high line on a track that was very dry and slick. The race was marred by several spectac ular incidents, including four attempted starts. Neville Harper’s Camaro came off second best after a steering failure slammed his car into the wall on the front straight', Harper ending his night with a badly dam¬

aged car and a broken arm for his troubles. Kane won pole from Adams in the pole shuffle and was able to get the better start each time from Adams to lead away Kevin Purton’s Falcon. At quarter race distance, Geoff Trewin’s Western Auto Pontiac came together with defending champ Peter Logue in his Camaro while battling for fourth position and ended both their chances of victory. The most spectacular incident occurred a short while later, when Phil Townsend’s car rolled exiting turn 4 after contact with

another competitor. At the halfway mark, Adams finally made a successful passing move on Kane, after many laps of trying to lead the way to the flag. Adams later stated that the calibre of racing in Tasmania was as good as any where in the world - and he believes Darren Kane has the ability to mix with the best of the Americans should he ever decide to visit the land of the Stars and Stripes. -ALLAN ROARK

Kinsers strui^le for supremacy

SA SPRINTCAR CHAMPION ... Chas Calandro, on his way to winning the South Australian (Frank Midgley pic) Sprintcar Championship at Speedway City on March 14(report on page 42).

Ken Willsher's TAS title

The Tasmanian Formula 500 State Title was an actionpacked affair and, for Ken Willsher of Victoria, it was cer tainly a trip worth making, as he beat current Australian champion Phillip Woodherry of Tasmania to the line. Woodberry finished ahead of fel low Tasmanian competitor Viv Rockliffe and Victorian Darryl Willsher. The heats provided some very close action as a precursor to the final and it was Ken Willsher that led away at the start of the 20-lap final, with Woodberry challenging hard - but, before the first lap was completed, disaster struck as three

cars came together in between turns 3-4 as Rod Dunham rolled after contact with another car. Tim Wilson and Victorian Troy Shiels were sidelined in the inci dent, after being left with nowhere to go - Graham Mollenoyux was also involved, but he was able to restart the race. The second caution period was a result of former champion Adrian Redpath coming to a halt in turn 2 with left-hand suspension problems at a quarter of the way into the race. Willsher was able to get the jump on the restarts, while Woodhferry defended his second position from Darryl Willsher.

Back in the pack, Rockliffe was on a serious charge and moved from sixth up to fourth with some aggressive driving, after having passed his father, Colin and Damian Robbins. 'Viv Rockliffe put the move on Darryl Willsher to pass him for third in the late stages of the race, Darryl fighting fatigue over the last few laps to hang on in fourth. Ken Willsher was grateful to the promoters and the local club for organising such a well-run champi onship and believes that the trend for Formula 500 drivers to travel to Tasmania for many of the larger events will continue to grow. -ALLAN ROARK

After winning the March 20 pre liminary feature, the King of the Outlaws, Steve Kinser, backed it up with a win in the following day’s $10,000 main event. The victory, Kinser’s first since last July’s Kings Royal, was the 419th of his career. Kinser led all 30 laps, after win ning the Channe'llock Dash and starting on pole. The win in Friday’s preliminary feature meant that Kinser didn’t have to run the heats, or time trials, where brother Randy timed seventh and cousin Mark 23rd. Danny Smith was 27th, then missed a transfer in his heat and finished seventh in the B-Main, which was won by Greg Hodnett. Donny Schatz chased hard, but a deflating rear tyre ended his run, leaving Jac Haudenschild to take up the running, with Danny Lasoski third. March 27 saw the Outlaws at Tulsa, where it was Mark Kinser back on the winners list after lead ing all 30 laps. Dale Blaney, driving brother Dave’s Amoco Ultimate J&J, timed fastest, with Mark Kinser eighth, Steve Kinser 14th and Brooke Tatnell, in the RE Technologies #7K,23rd out of45 cars. Both Kinsers won their heats, but Tathell finished only tenth and had to run the B-Main, where he was scored seventh. Haudenschild and Hodnett made the A feature through the B-main. Mark Kinser won the dash to start from pole' and led home Lasoski and Stevie Smith. Steve Kinser had an uncharacter istic spin while in tenth mid-race and could only salvage a 10th place

finish after coming from the rear. The next night, the battle for the Outlaws championship really heat ed up, with Steve Kinser taking his 420th career win and closing the gap to a mere seven points. Sammy Swindell was fastest man, with Steve K third and mark K ninth. Tatnell was 24th out of 46. Mark finished third in his heat, with Steve fifth and Tatnell a gi-eat third in his heat to go straight into the A-main. Trouble with some of the faster guys allowed Mark K to start the Channellock Dash on pole, which he duly won, with Steve K back in fifth. Mark K was leading until, on lap 11, his engine expired and Donnie Crawford took over. Steve K was in an enthralling battle with Andy Hillenburg, until gaining the ascendancy and then taking the lead with 15 laps left to run - Steve then cleared out to win easily from Hillenburg and Haudenschild, with Tatnell 19th. Mark and Steve Kinser are now both tied with two A feature wins each and one Preliminary feature win each. Haudenschild and Joe Gaerte have one A feature each to their credit. Currently, the points battle sees Mark leading on 1066 from Steve on 1059. Smith Stevie (1013), Haudenschild (1008), Johhny Herrera (994), Gaerte (993), Hillenburg (991), defending champi on Sammy Swindell (987), brother Jeff Swindell(983) and Blaney.(965) round Out the top ten. -BRETT SWANSON

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W/\pfiU998 By WADE AUNGER V

Saturday, March 28, at Parramatta City Raceway in Sydney was always going to be an emotional affair as, officially bringing down the curtain on Garry Rush’s Sprintcar racing career, for one special night on the calendar time would stand still as PCR farewelled it’s brightest star. It had been a slow and deliberate build up for Rush, before buckling in for the last time. The announcement that he would retire had been made late last year, so hurried plans were made to accommodate him at as many race tracks as possible. His last showing at the Classic was a memorable one, not for his eventual result, but for the dramat ic outpouring of emotion from Rush himself and his fans. The weekend prior to his last hurrah in NSW,the Master Blaster won at Avalon in Victoria, placing a whole new light on the remaining two races. In the last six weeks of his career. Rush got an insight into just how important he’s been to promot ers, fellow drivers and fans alike. “It’s been pretty amazing,” Garry quipped during an interview at a dinner in his honour at the Gazebo Hotel. “The send-offs I’ve had at Warrnambool, then in WA, then again at Avalon and now here have really taught me something. It’s been pretty special I can tell you.” Upon meeting Touring Car leg end Peter Brock last year. Rush felt that the King of the Mountain might never know how much his fans valued his contribution. “I’m pretty lucky,” Rush said. “I got a pretty clear picture in the last two months.” Though it was impossible to con dense thirty-four years of memories into three days, that’s exactly what close to 10,000 people in Sydney attempted to do. Following his morale-boosting win at Avalon the weekend before, Garry went into his last two races at Newcastle and Parramatta with renewed vigour. The result in Victoria rammed home what everyone else knew, but what he needed to hear - Garry Rush certainly could still win. Rush has never been big on mak ing a fuss. For that reason, he wasn’t too keen on the original idea of having a ceremonial dinner in his honour he’d rather just get to the track and get it on. Be that as it may, Castrol, sens ing that a goodbye of sorts was cer tainly needed on a more formal level, set down Thursday night, March 26, as the date for Rush’s farewell dinner. Held at the Gazebo Hotel in Parramatta, close to' 350 old friends, promoters, sponsors, fans and family packed into the venue for a special evening of mirth and memories. David Tapp’s Optusvision video tribute (tuned to the strains of “Simply the best”) set the scene for an emotional evening. Pyrotechnics, loud music and rock concei-t lighting heralded in the man himself for a grand entrance. Black curtains dropped to the floor revealing the #2 Castrol Maxim with its pilot, led by two muscle men towing the package out to centre stage. A huge roar rang out through the crowd and a relaxed and almost amused ten-time national champ peered out over the side-shield to an impromptu standing ovation.

-a

END OF AN ERA ... Superstar Garry Rush (left) is congratulated by race winner Max Dumesny and PCR commentator Wade Aunger.(Tony Giynh pic)

Rush's last ride

Sprintcar legend Garry Rush retires after 34-year career After alighting from the car, he his spare Falcon at Bathurst gave the crowd his famous two nearly 350 witnesses may now howl handed wave and sat down at his in protest if this doesn’t eventuate! Rush himself has been to the nearby table. The room was electric. mountain on four occasions, his From here, a video tribute best finish back in 1987 when he partnered Tony Noske in the Lairy sequence was' employed, using per sonal pieces sent in from a variety Perkins Commodore to finish of different personalities. eighth overall. “We finished 11th on the track, Six-time Bathurst winner Larry but three'cars were disqualified.” Perkins opened up the videos, offer There’s little doubt that Mt ing hearty congi-atulations on a job well done - he was followed not Panorama holds a special place in long after by fellow “Castrolite” Rushie’s heart. He gets that glint in his eye when Russell Ingall, who summed it all up with his message saying talking about the Cutting and Skyline. “Rushie, you legend!” It’s Sprintcar racing, though, Longtime school friend and spon sor Ron O’Brien took the room back that forever lights his fire: to Granville Boys High, where he “Running Eldora is just the biggest and young Garry went to school - thrill I’ve ever known. To run right even if Ron did have to drag Garry -on the wall at pver 140mph is a there. , rare feeling.” That’s not to say that Rush Rush’s English teacher, Mr Daly, was even tracked down for a tribute wouldn’t look seriously at taking up and the look on Garry’s face was Longhurst’s offer, either. priceless. “If I was a young bloke I’d be straight on the phone; but, if it hap Long-serving crew chief and sup porter John Barrett was profiled pens, that’s nice, otherwise I won’t next, recorded in a rather chatty push it,” Rush laughed. mood for an interview at the Rush’s influence in the USA from National title earlier in the month the late seventies until the early at Bunbury. eighties was encapsulated in mes “JB” was presented with a sages from Bob Trostle (with whom Castrol wood golf club, with an Rush has had a lasting friendship) inscription that read” “John Barrett and Janet and Lealand McSpadden. _ the man behind the driver.” Disappointingly, planned video Touring Car star Tony Longhurst tributes from Steve Kinser, Kenny offered his congratulations and a 'Woodruff and Jac Haudenschild didn’t arrive from the US until cheeky invitation for Garry to run

three days later. Road racing was represented by South Aussie superstar Vern Schuppan and legendary speedway promoter Kym Bonython also offered Gairy his best wishes on the same tape. Guest speakers in person that night included drag racing legend Jim Read, 1998 Australian Sprintcar Champion Max Dumesny, PCR promoter David Lander (who presented a beautiful plaque from Knoxville Raceway in the USA) and track manager Stuart Telfer, Castrol boss and close Rush friend Ross Eichorn and switched on politicians Gabrielle Harrison and Ross Cameron. Clearly the most emotional speaker, as far as Rush himself was concerned, was Garry’s first boss Les Vagg, who looked after the young tearaway at Suttons Motors when our Sprintcar legend was just 16 years old. Rush was obviously thrilled that Vagg could be there, quipping: “I never really had a Dad, but this man was probably the closest thing I ever had to one. Mr Vagg taught me a lot of things that I still believe in today. It was this man who inspired me to get my own business -1 owe a lot of things to him.” Further video tributes trailed, with Aussie singer/songw'riter John Paul Young recalling his days watching Rush at Westmead - JPY even recalled presenting a trophy to

Rush at the Newcastle Motordrome in the late eighties. Gany’s childhood sweetheart and wife Kay gave the room a rare and special insight into life with her man, through a video filmed at the Bunbury nationals. For many reasons, Kay will be remembered for her time with the Rush outfit as the tea-making, Tshirt selling, comforting, peaceinjecting angel that keeps the Master Blaster in line. From there, Garry Rush Jr also spoke of his Dad’s impressive rac ing achievements and the perils of maybe one day filling some awfully big shoes: “I couldn’t hope to win over 300 feature races in a short lifetime,” he laughed. By far the most touching video was that of Rush's daughter Jodie, husband Paul and their three chil dren - grandson Josh gave a big “Hi Poppy” to the screen and had everyone with a lump in their throats. 13-week prematui-e grand-daugh ters Jessica and Jordan stole the show, though. With monies raised irom the auc tion of Garry's race suit, helmet and 1986 Wanmambool Australian title trophy, the Neo-Natal Care Unit at Nepean Hospital would benefit from the proceeds, a special request fi-om Rush himself Rush’s helmet went to Carol Bowen (wife of Speedcar driver Rod) for $3,000, Sprintcar driver

w/\p!inm Kevin Burton paid $4,000 for his race suit and $2,100 was paid for the trophy by Jeff Rogers. Garry’s last ‘official’ interview rounded out the evening’s formali ties, with the much talked about “This used to be my playground” video being played to end the night, Garry and Kay sitting up on stage on a couch provided for the occasion. Surrounding them were just a fraction of the trophies that Garry has amassed over the 34 years. Rush was a busy man in his final week of racing. Countless radio, television and newspaper interviews were con ducted. while posters reading “Garry Rush’s last ever race” were pasted on the back of Parramatta buses. Garry spoke with both Alan Jones (2UE) and Mike Gibson (2GB) on the Fiiday morning, then ventured to Wynns Newcastle Speedway that night for his final Hunter Valley commitment.

There’s an underlying feeling of good humour in the team and Garry looks so relieved. I ask him how he feels about tomorrow and he offers: “Good, there’s going to be a lot more guys gunning for me there, but I feel good about our chances.”

Introductions aside, it was straight down to business for the first heat. Starting out of position seven. Rush carved up the field and blasted to second, behind heat win ner Pino Priolo. Each passing move was greeted by a roar from the crowd and a frenzy of clapping hands. Max Dumesny was awesomely fast, and he proved that by winning both heats in sizzling fashion KeiTy Madsen was quick, too, licking his lips in anticipation of a big win.

almost brought Rush’s run com pletely undone. Rush and 8,000 peo ple tramped hard on the brake pedal as the (Dastrol machine expertly avoided the #41 car and kept moving until he got by. Everyone missed it, but the hap t. less Madsen. Back at the green and Farr had PARRAMATTA the front-end go out when he was THE FINAL FAREWELL making a big charge. The race was shortened due to Rushie was right. There were a lot more guys ready for him at PCR time running out, then Rushie decid-54 of them,in fact. ed.it was time to go. He aced Parramatta , Perovich on the was jammed with inside and siz close to 8,000 the people zled past Tatnell in the greater percent / next turn on age of them com the outside ing to see his final race. PCR lit up like a Christmas I met Garry and Kay at our tree and people pre-race meeting in neighbouring point, the nearby states may have heard the Heliport. Dressed in his cheers. NEWCASTLE Rushie was race suit, hair 21 cars fronted foi; the final immaculate and leading his last-ever race. round of the Gough and Gilmour looking a touch series. pensive, there On they raced, Rush’s appearance certainly stood the great every person in overshadowed what had become a est speedway dri the place will gi'eat points battle between Robert ver our country ing him to the finish line. has ever seen, Jackson, Adi’ian Maher and a fast finishing John Shore. ready to board But Dumesny i was coming, A heavy down-pour of rain for his flight for a and he was fast. grand entrance. two days prior saw the Newcastle The #1 track soft and rutted, and it was I couldn’t help V a1 V01i n e causing some of the drivers plenty but feel very, machine of concern. very sad all at once. screamed out of In his second heat. Rush finished second. turn 2 on the As they were cushion, hot in He made the dash, but his appear getting-ready for pursuit of the ance was overshadowed by a tremen the helicopter leader. dous battle between Peter Attard flight into the Then, amaz and Hodges, Attard taking the win speedway, Garry admitted he had ingly, Rush ran in the coolest possible fashion. off the circuit Feature race time, JB and Kay never been that down the back join Gai’ry for one last trip around nervous before a straight and, by Wynns Newcastle Speedway in the race. the time he had It was under parade lap, to thunderous applause from the crowd. standable. He’d gathered the car back up. Rush starts from position three been stuck in the Max was right and within a handful of laps has traffic for his FAREWELL ... Garry and Kay Rush acknowledge the PCR fans. there. own testimonial blasted through to the lead. THE What happened next will be a race meeting that was ultimately The place ei’upts. CASTROL CLASSIC talking point for years to come, but The fairy-tale finish looks for a bringing down the curtain on 34 When the field rolled up for a only two men will really know what moment like a very real possibility. years of his racing life - the butter four-wide salute. Rush was ushered happened. flies had to be churning. But DaiTyl Hodges is coming. Desperate to get back on line. There were no signs of nerves up from his #17 starting spot to Riding the highline, he’s tearing when he floated to the ground, lead the formation on his final Rush came back on the track into up the ground between himself and Rush and within laps he’s running though, waving to the fans (and Sprintcar feature as a driver and, turn 3 as Dumesny went to squeeze dowm the leader. they to him) as he made a ‘king’s when he got there, the fans were the inside spot when they came to a lapped car. Restart and Hodges blasts entrance’ to the tunes of Phil ready. They touched and, for a moment around the outside of Rush, who Collins’“In the air tonight.” A huge cry of“Go Rushie!” echoed Picked up on the infield in a red around the grounds, Mexican that was seemingly frozen in time, obviously gets a huge wake-up call. The #2 Castrol machine zooms Corvette containing John Barrett, waves went off and people stood in the Rush machine bounced high Garry and Kay idled around the obvious respect for the motor racing into the air and headed toward the out of turn 4 and opens up a 50m / tyre wall. track to a standing ovation and icon. advantage within two laps. Time stood still as Rush teetered thunderous rounds of applause. George Tatnell sat on pole, along The crowd gets to its feet with a side Shane Sonter in the Hi-Tech on the brink of a rollover, then it Ferried past the opposition dri lap to go - Rushie’s come to vers who lined the kerb as he went Oils #23 machine. Newcastle for the last time and he’s slowed and spun to a stop on the bank of turn 3-4. past, the Master Blaster cast a At the greens. Rush stormed going to win as well. The crowd fell deathly silent as wary eye over the men and woman through the middle of the pack, Hodges trails him, with Trevor Shields in fine form for thii’d. who would seek to score victory on only to have Sonter spin in front of the yellows came on. The fairy tale finish was over. the field and bring on the yellows. his night. The Gough and Gilmour Series Restart after restart after restaz't At the restart, Garry went to the The younger members of the field goes to John Shore, though, with had to feel a touch coldi tested the nerves of the drivers and tail. Dumesny literally flew away Adrian Maher in second and Bob with the lead, but behind him a Jackson third. There were 7,000 Gjprry Rushes the reseiwes of the pit crews. battle royal for second place was Each time the greens flew, Rush Rushie leaves Newcastle feeling in the crowd, thanks to an amazing would edge forward another spot, raging between Perovich, Priolo, satisfied, and very enthusiastic sea of Rush colour face masks dis always with Dumesny and Madsen Jackson and Adrian Maher. tributed to fans as they came in the about the next night at PCR. Further back. Rush was inspira as his dance partners. Each time grounds. Three quarters of an hour down tional. Tatnell would lead the start with Fellow veteran Bob Tunks said: the road to Sydney, I caught up Steve Raymond’s voice came over Marty Pero-vich in second. with him at the Caltex service sta “He’s too young for this, there’s still A spin in turn 1 by Tony Bridge the PA, cool as a cucumber. some great racing left in him yet.” tion in Wyong.

Max Oumesiif Mot^rsport

agents far

ING TIRE

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“Rush has nothing to lose now, he’s going for it.” And go for it he did - the battle for second place was splendid, but many people that night missed it. With Dumesny racing inevitably to the finish line and four young guys racing their hearts out for sec ond, the noise in my ears went silent. All I could hear was the sound of the wind, as I watched the left arm of a Castrol race suit busily work his machine through the field. The car slid expertly across the ruts, banged the cushion, picked up the front wheels, but never got out of control. Sliding through the slick. Rush touched the brakes, picked up the throttle and made it all, one more time, seem so damn easy. A page of history was folding over right there and then. Dumesny crossed the line to a mixed reception, ahead of Perovich in second and Adrian Maher in third. Rushie finished the race as he began, hard on the gas and search ing for a faster way around. At the presentation area, Dumesny was booed by some, but respected by most. “I knew some of you wouldn’t be happy,” Max said, “but we just got together and there was nothing in what happened. I didn’t want to win that way, but that’s just how tough racing can be.” Rush himself was quick to hush the crowd. “We’re friends, Max and I - I made a mistake when I got off the track. I was too quick coming back down and he was already there - it happens.” Rush took some time to reflect and thank the people who had made it possible. John BaiTett was the first. He presented PCR boss David Lander with the helmet he used to win the Sydney Showgi'ound meet ing two years before and thanked the fans all very much. Lander told the star of the show to turn around and face a special message prepared for him. Lit up in fireworks were the words:'“Thanks for the memories Garry.” Heading back to the pits, he was greeted by nearly 2,000 people waiting to meet him. It was almost a mob scene. Rush has to feel satisfied. There has been little he hasn’t achieved and few people he hasn’t won over on ‘the hill.’ At the end of the day, he has been quoted as saying he just hopes that bygones can remain just that. “There are no friends on the race track,” he has always believed. “When I retire, I hope I can have a drink with the drivers and remember the good times, not dwell , on the hard ones.” As Rush picked up his gear bag, dressed still in his race suit and put his arm around wife Kay, he had to be feeling a myriad of different emotions. Out of all those feelings, one would hope is that acknowledge ment that he did in fact make a dif ference...

1998 ^NNZOEL WORLD OF OUTLAWS SERIES POINT STANDINGS TO MARCH 29TH, 1998 Hark Kinser 2. Steve Kinser 3. Stevie Smith 4. Jac Haudenschild S. Johnny Herrera 6. Joe Gaerte 7. Andy Hillenburg Sammy Swindell

9. Jeff Swindell 10. Dale Blaney

1,066 1,059 1,013 1,008 994 993 99 987 983 965

II. Greg Hodnett 12. Danny Lasoski 13. Donny Schatz 14. Tyler Walker 15. Craig Dollansky 16. Larry Neighbors 17. Terry McCarl 18. Daryn Pittman 19. Dion Hindi 20. Lance Blevins

959 952 928 851 811 797 780 685 670 496

STATE FAIR SPEEDWAY, OK-MARCH 29TH A-FEATURE (30 LAPS) I. Steve Kinser 1 1. Greg Hodnett 12. Gary Wright 2. Andy Hillenburg 13. Donny Schatz 3. Jac Haudenschild 4. Donnie Crawford 14. Johnny Herrera 5. Stevie Smith 15. Joe Gaerte 16. Shane Stewart 6. Sammy Swindell 17. Hike Peters 7. Jeff Swindell 18. Don Droud 8. Danny Lasoski 19. Brooke Tatneil 9. Tyler Walker 20. Tommie Estei, Jr. 10. Dale Blaney

42 wAprinm

Pointscore leader Reed trails Johnson and Bell home On the weekend when it seemed most of the nation’s Sprintcar racers were in Sydney to he part of the GaiTy Rush farewell, 21 racers did battle on a chilly night at Warmambool’s Premier Speedway in the penultimate round of the SRA series on March 28. Defending champion Matthew Reed had a naiTow 50 point break in the championship going into the night’s racing and a conservative approach would see him increase that lead, despite having to settle for a third place finish behind the local duo of Phil Johnson and rook ie Stephen Bell. Championship contender Tim McCubbin had a less than satisfac tory night, after having to run off in the B-Main, which he won, just to make the feature. On a track which went black and slick, McCubbin then struggled to make much forward progress, fin ishing ninth. Bell had inverted the first four positions putting Johnson on pole

from Rob Richardson, Reed and himself Darren Walsh, Garry Chippindall, Rob Rankin, Shane Stephenson, Mike Van Bremen, Gerard Boult, Jeff Judd, Rod Matthews, McCubbin, Ray Scott and Peter Telford completed the fif teen starters. Tony Simone failed to take his place, believing that only the first two from the B-Main made the transfer. Lap 1 and the field screamed into turn 1, Reed - with possibly a very tight set-up on the car - suffering a massive push in turn 2 and drifting up high. Reed got off the gas and the resulting cohcertina behind him saw Van Bremen ride a wheel and roll. The crew changed the wing, but the front-end was still out, which would lead to problems later as the field regrouped with Van Bremen at the back. Richardson had made a good start the first time, but not as good the second time, as Johnson shot to

the lead from Richardson, Bell and Reed, with Van Bremen picking off a few spots already. Johnson started to open a gap immediately, as Bell closed in on Richardson. On lap 9, Matthews hit the turn 3 wall hard and flipped. Around the cone on the restart, Johnson jumped early and was nicely out in front as the battle behind continued. With about five laps left, Richardson’s great run faltered, thanks to lapped traffic which blocked his line, allowing both Bell and Reed to sneak past. Stephenson then hit the wall for the second time and became stuck against it with just three laps left to run. Around the cone again, Johnson got the jump and went on to take a comfortable win from Bell, Reed, Richardson, Rankin, Judd, Chippindall, Walsh and McCubbin, who passed Van Bremen on the last turn - Boult, Scott and Telford completed the finishers.

With 30 points lost at an earlier round still in contention for McCubbin, the gap to Reed was now 141 points (111 if he gets his points back). Reed needs another solid perfor mance to secure his second straight

championship crown and the $6,000 first prize, while McCubbin needs another effort like his last drive at Avalon against Garry Rush if he is going to thwart Reed’s hopes for the final round. -BRETT SWANSON

Compact mn by Robotham

Peter Robotham was the big Simon Amato for the win, with Compact Speedcar winner at Tiger Martin in third in a scrappy Victoria’s Rosedale Speedway race which had fi-equent stoppages on March 21, after doing a for cars seemingly out of control. In the feature event, Amato led CardweU” and winning every race. the first three laps as Peter , In the first heat, Andrew Baker Robotham made his way from led the opening two laps before . tenth to the lead by lap 4. Peter Robotham maintained his Robotham took over and won. Baker held onto second from the lead to win from Craig Hume, who other Robotham, David,in third after had charged from position seven, with David Robotham third. having come from position eight. - BRETT SWANSON In heat 2, Robotham just pipped

^alandro’s Coke Third VIC Mm Sprintcar title Prod title for Local star Chas Calandro out classed the opposition at Speedway City on March 14, adding the 1997/98 Coca-Cola SA Sprintcar championship to the State Speedcar title he won in 1995. A small but quality field contest ed this year’s Sprintcar title, notable absentees being Phil March (in dispute over prizemoney) and incumbent champion Trevor Green, whose racecar was still in WA. The four heat winners were Dennis Burford, Pete Smith, Victorian Stephen Bell and Wayne Bunker, who set the fastest time in winning heat 3. Mark Gilbert’s crew was able to fix electrical problems on the Freightmaster Maxim which cost him a win in heat 2, while two other teams working overtime to make the title race belonged to Mick Hanlon and Dennis Burford. This pair collided on the first lap of heat 3 and Burford had rolled his Redback Racing Maxim after run ning out of racing room. Victorian Bell emerged as a seri ous contender after an excellent performance in winning the final heat - he held out backmarker Gilbert in a close finish, with Brett Squiers, Mike Van Bremen and Darryl Bottams next across the line. Bell’s fine form continued when the Warrnambool youngster’s Schnee rang up another win in the hotly-contested Trophy Dash, post ing a near-record time. Smith’s badly biking Collotype Labels Maxim hung on for runnerup, ahead of Phil Johnson, Calandro, Van Bremen and Bunker.

As the 13-car field was lining up for the 25-lap feature. Smith’s car suffered an unfortunate driveline failure and he suffered the heartache of vacating his front row start position while he headed infield - simultaneously, he was joined by fellow local Squiers, whose car had developed a misfire. Calandro’s Castrol Maxim was then able to advance to the font row alongside Bell and, at the green flag, took off into a commanding lead. Bell, Mark Renter and Johnson gave chase, but Calandro was in a class of his own. Even a lap 6 stoppage failed to faze Calandro, this hold-up occur ring when Gilbert rolled after con tacting Peter Telford’s JSR in turn 2 - this was Telford’s first Adelaide outing, but the -Mt Gambier driver’s car emerged without damage. On the restart, Calandro contin ued to disappear into the distance, opening up a commanding threequarter lap gap to Bell, Reuter and Johnson. Four laps from home, Reuter’s ROH Wheels J&J was able to slip under Bell. ) However, neither driver could make any impression on Calandro, who bolted across the line ahead of Reuter and the Warrnambool pair ing of Bell and Johnson. Calandro had been running in the constantJl2-secs a lap bracket and had passed all cars up to fourth position. This latest victory consolidates a worthwhile season for the local businessman, who has been com peting for over 20 years. Twenty-two nominations fronted for the supporting Speedway City

Super Sedan Cup, which was to produce some excellent racing. The hard-fought heats went to Peter Drew, Steve Vaughan, Bill Miller and current Cup champion Steve Stewart, whose favouritism firmed when his final heat winning time set a new 10-lap record - the “old” record had been set by Peter Logue during the previous meeting, so Stewart’s Pontiac was obviously on the pace. “ Top pointscorer Drew from pole led out the 20 starters in the AMain, but within three laps last year’s top two placed cars were sit ting infield - last year’s runner-up. Rocky Caruso’s Pontiac, suffered a shorn stub axle, while Stewart’s mount broke a tie rod. Meanwhile, Drew continued on, leading Miller, Vaughan and Steve Mui-phy. The 25-lapper turned into a thi-fller, with four cars arguing sec ond place, the classic struggle between Murphy and Vaughan being a highlight, ? At the chequer, it was Drew who celebrated his birthday in style, fin ishing ahead of Miller and Murphy, with Kym Cottrell’s Firebird prov ing to be the big mover, having advanced from position nine to take fourth place ahead of Vaughan. The busy programme was round ed out by a Street Stock Shootout contested by nearly 30 drivers. Brian Findlay’s giant-killing Sigma dusted off a pack of mainly Commodores to back up his heat win with a close victory in the 20lap final. Findlay finished ahead of Mans Valodze, Stephen Schwarz and Justin Jenkinson. - DAVID McNABB

Max Carlin

21 years after he won his last lost a wheel off the Grant’s Auto Victorian Modified Production Wreckers Commodore - Brendan Championship, Max Carlin has Densley retired his Falcon with taken his third Victorian crown engine damage at the same time. At the restart with Carlin lead after a convincing win in the Vickery Brothers Cortina at ing, Waters took second from Simpson Speedway on March 14 McCarthy, with Ricky Clark in the during the 21st Anniversary Skybeam Commodore fending off Title event. defending champion Greg Gartner’s Carlin qualified on pole position Falcon. Martin Hawson almost rolled his for the 30-lap final, after a pair of Commodore and retired with a bro heat wins and a second placing. The feature race was punctuated ken steering rack and then Clark pulled off with a broken axle. by numerous stoppages, but, after repelling the early challenge of The track had now gone black, but Carlin was determined to \vin Peter McCarthy, Carlin went on to take a comfortable win when the Waters was still second, but race was declared one lap early. McCaidhy was now under pressure The first stoppage occurred on from Gartner. Blackwell and West were dicing the opening lap when Greg Worling’s Kibble Commodore was hard with the leaders when Blackwell lost a wheel and, with given a tap out of turn 4 and col lected his father Bob’s similar car, Teri-y King and Glen Watts having both cars careering into the fence. retired earlier with engine mal Bob was out, but Greg, despite adies, only seven cars were left to panel damage, would resume, along ran the closing stages. with first reserve Andrew On the restart. Waters tried to Blackwell. run with Carlin, but the scent of Trevor Mills was also out at this victory was strong in Caidin’s nos early stage with a blown head gas trils and he pulled away. Gartner made a move on ket in the Dunkley’s Panels Commodore. McCarthy for third, but then At the restart, Carlin led away Graeme West rolled his Torana, but ran wide into turn 3, allowing bringing on the red lights and, with McCarthy to slip underneath and just one lap left to run, the race was lead the first lap, with Chris declared, Carlin taking the win Waters also looking for a way past. over Waters and McCarthy, with Gartner fourth. Down the back straight, Carlin retook the lead and from there on West was awarded fifth, despite was never headed again. causing the red, fi'om Greg Worling Soon after, there was another and Brian Hayden. - BRETT SWANSON stoppage, when Darren Cockerill

SPEEDWAY

JVkHugh's two on the trot

Jamie McHugh collected his Warren and Queensland champion second feature race win in suc Lyndsay Hawkings (McDonald and cession when he took out round Murphy Camaro). Marshall dominated the prelimi five of the Skinner Engineering naries with three wins from as Super Sedan series in despica ble conditions at Gympie’s many starts, while McHugh and Mothar Mountain Speedway on Miller enjoyed a solitary success each. March 14. Modified Productions provided The shortened 15-lap event, which didn’t even start until the solid support, with Queensland ridiculously late hour of 11.45pm, champ Mark Pagel outpacing his had to be halted temporarily after rivals in round 7 of the Autobarn just one circulation, due to choking Series. Pagel finished ahead of Chris dust that blinded officials, drivers Fing - a former national champ in and spectators. After some water was added to just his second outing for the sea the smface, the field reformed and son - and veteran Peter Doyle. Talented youngster Andy Ian Marshall led the pack through the opening laps as the dust quickly Geppert stormed through from position 15 to snare fourth place in reappeared. Lap 3 saw a lead change when front of Maryborough’s Steve Peter Warren (North Coast Thomson. Pagel, Fing, Doyle and series Concrete Commodore) outsprinted Marshall down the long main leader Greg Raymont were victori straight, only to spin in the hairpin ous in the heats. The aimual King of the Moimtain and drop to the rear for the restart. This put Marshall back in front event, a knockout series of two-lap sprints, saw Gary Pagel defeat for thi-ee laps, until he also fell vic tim to the conditions and looped his Doyle in the best of three final. Maryborough’s Chris Elliott has Federal Tyres Commodore in the taken out the inaugural Dairy same spot! McHugh went to the fi-ont at this Farmers Tri-City Street Sedan point, drove sensibly and was still Series, accumulating 858 points in control when the chequer throughout the six rounds of com appeared on the stroke of midnight. petition. Elliott, who also won the Ian Miller enjoyed one his better results in recent times, bringing his Queensland Championship this Kawana Wreckers Camaro home in season, finished over 100 points clear of his nearest rival. second spot. Series leader Cameron Meehan Kingaroy’s Craig Harm (735) fin enjoyed a charmed run through ished in second place, ahead of> qualifying, when stewards tm-ned a Lester Wilcox (637), Jim Cowley blind eye to four spins that went (538)and Dave Tutton (456). Joe Meredith (454), Neil unpunished - at one stage, the local hero was given almost 10 minutes Keldoulis (444), Jeremy Hassall to change a tyre after a collision in (437), Dustin Home (420) and Neil Harm rounded out the top ten. heat 3, a remarkable decision con The series, which was contested sidering the lateness of the hour at at Maryborough, Kingaroy and that stage. After starting from position five, Gympie, attracted a staggering 84 Meehan finished the feature one participants. - CHRIS METCALF spot ahead of the recovering

Leslight again

In what'is becoming a monoto nous and damaging situation within the Super Sedan,ranks, post-race controversy and incon sistencies from race officials overshadowed some exciting ontrack action during round 16 of the Coastline 'Vehicle Transport Super Series at Yandina Speedway on March 21. Shane Paulger (Adadale Pontiac) dominated qualifying and looked to have the 25-lap feature wrapped up, until a clash with series leader John Leslight (American Truck Spares Camaro) and a subsequent spin in turn 3 on the final lap. Leslight led the field - which had slowed and scattered to avoid the sta tionary Paulger-towards the chequer. Confusion reigned in the aftermath of what had been a fairly good race, as spectators filed from the venue without any knowledge of the placings. Paulger topped the pointscore during qualifjdng and then cut the fastest lap in time trials before selecting the coveted pole position in this pre-race lottery. The first attempted start was aborted when Leslight clipped the turn 2 wall and stopped in the back straight, only to be granted a

restart from his original position on the outside front row. Using the high side of the circuit to great effect, Paulger maintained his lead, despite two more interrup tions when fourth-placed Ian Marshall looped his Commodore in the same spot on laps 13 and 15, again without penalty. Exiting turn 2 on the final lap, Leslight dived to the i inside, slammed hard into the left' front of Paulger and moved to the front. Paulger, battling to regain con trol of his damaged Pontiac, spun in turn 3 and backed into the wall. In a decision that smacked of inconsistency, Paulger was relegat ed to the rear of the field in the final placings, as Leslight notched up another win and almost certain ly wrapped up the series pointscore. Rod Gough annexed second spot, ahead of Ross Bi'ims (Brims Bulk Haulage Camaro) and Paul Geary (Infinity Commodore). Jamie McHugh was next best, followed by Shayne Lau (McGrath Toyota Camaro), Jack Childs(AMP Camaro),-●Corey Brough (Fibretech Camaro), Richard Kay, Geoff O’Keeffe, Rob Thompson and the dispirited Paulger. - CHRIS METCALF

W/\prin998

The away Cuptofixture for opening Kings Lynn proved be a total disaster, as former World Long Track Champion Simon Wigg failed to appear, having been advised he had chickenpoxi Home club Eastbourne won 6525, with British internationals Martin Dugard and newcomer Gary Havelock leading the way with 30 points between them. The 1992 World Champion, Havelock, totalled 14 from five rides and Dugard scored 16 from six. Polish star Piotr Protasiewicz managed a meagre three points on his much-heralded British debut.

ritish Grand Prix star Mark Loram broke his thumb irw his first outing for new club Wolverhampton, but intends to .ride on, His club was heavily beaten at Coventry in the Midlands Challenge by a home club that this season includes three of the world’s top six riders - the American pair of Billy Hamill and Greg Hancock, as well as the Danish sensation Brian Andersen, who came sixth in last year's GP series. There’s new hope the famous Midlands club for Cradley Heathens, as they strive to bring the sport back to the disused Dudley Wood Stadium Stadium. The estate agents handling the sale of the site, for which planning proposals for housing have been rejected, are apparently happy to listen to proposals for a stadium rebuild as part of new plans for the site. Cradley director Tim Rowe said: 1 am now much more opti mistic about the club returning to Dudley Wood”,

DOWN,BUT NOT OUT... British Grand Prix star Mark Loram managed to break his thumb during his debut outing in the Midlands Challengefor his new club, Wolverhampton. Despite the unfortunate setback, the gritty Loram intends to continue with his current racing schedule. {Mike Patrick photo) with Gollob, helped by sponsor¬ ship. Gollob is currently rated as the highest paid sportsman in Poland.

|Vy|a''vyn Cox, the Poole rider from IVlwho commutes X ^ Germany where he holds a German licence, is hoping to earn By Tony fHillar<V y a back door route into the Grand ustralians Frank Smart and Nordisk Film, who currently Prix series for 1999. Craig Watson figured promi He aims to qualify via the nently in the two-leg Severn holds the contract for TV and Trophy meeting between Newport sponsorship, could have a big say Continental rounds of the World and Exeter. in matters and they are visiting Championship and starts his cam paign at Moorwinklesdamm in Watson totalled 13 points for Miami this month to try and devel Newport at home in a 53-37 win op sales around the world for their Germany on May 3. The 33 year-old says it will be against Exeter, for whom Smart GP coverage. his last effort to make the World could only score six. Championship - he finished sixth In the return, during which the to televise weekly League meetings haveBritish been in the last individual World Final at score was exactly reversed, Smart Plans Vojens in 1994. and Watson both scored 11. scrapped. With it level, the clubs have Sky Sports, part of the Rupert Murdoch empire, had arranged a decided to restage the lively chal Rickardsson, the Swedish former World Champion, has weekly slot of three hours for Tony lenge later in the season. recovered from the broken speedway if the British promoters could fund the coverage through kneecap he suffered riding a trials bike in his off-season and will be The opportunity for to sponsorship. stay in thetop riders World The BSPA (Promoters) had fit for the start of the British sea Championship from season to season has been increased by the contracted a company. In Line son and his world championship decision to change the format of Pro, to develop their revenue in Grand Prix campaign. Rickardsson has already 110 this field, but their negotiations the competition. With 24 riders competing in failed to produce anything like the meetings scheduled in Europe during a busy season, which each meeting, it means the top finance needed. As a result, the contract of In includes domestic League racing eight riders from this year’s cham Line Pro has been terminated and in England, Sweden, Denmark pionship will automaticallym quali and Poland. the TV coverage pulled out. fy for 1999. It seems Sky TV will look long The next 13 will earn a place in the Grand Prix Challenge at and hard before again offering The Long will Eaton track in Derbyshire not be staging Pardubice in the Cezch Republic extensive air time to the sport, fol speedway after all this year. in October. lowing this disappointment. Promoter Tony Mole has reser It had been hoped to beam Six riders from the Inter vations as to whether the sport will Continental Final of this year’s highlights each week to Australia. ever be featured again at the World Championships, from which Station Road track, where Aussie several Australians could qualify, the TV deal has Steve Johnston thrilled the fans putcollapse a big ofquestion mark will also make the Challenge, as The well as five from the Continental against the contract for Polish star two years ago. The stadium is currently in the Final featuring the East Piotr Protasiewicz at Elite League hands of receivers and Mole had club Kings Lynn. Europeans. The Pole's deal was to have hoped his offer to stage regular been founded by Polish TV in speedway this year for an agreed Australia applied Prix to the FIM return for the coverage they would rent would have helped swell the to stagehas a Grand round coffers of the Stadium’s creditors next year and applications are have of the League in Poland, but also being considered from the BSPA has now told Kings - but no deal could be agreed. Mole also offered to purchase Russia and Slovenia. Lynn promoter Buster Chapman FIM Preseident Francesco that he will have to find the money the stadium, but Mole's offer is Serbi, Secretary General Guy himself if Protasiewicz is to race understood to be way short of the A$3 million that the receivers were Maitre and Grand Prix Race for his club. But Tomasz Gollob will be rid prepared to accept. Director Ole Olsen will be the men It is believed they are hoping to who decide. ing for rivals Ipswich. ». Their promoter, John Louis, sell the site for housing use. But the TV contract could have says his club will be dealing direct a major bearing on what happens.

® I » ^

WAfifinm

Karters set for second Institute tamp FORMER World Cup and Hong Kong Street Race Champion Dairell Smith is con ducting his second Institute of Sport camp for karters in the two weeks after the Geelong Nationals. In addition to his highly successful kart ing schools, Smith in association with the AIS has developed a three day programme of evaluation,training and lectures on dealing with the human.side of karting. But it is not all hard work and classroom theory. The camp also includes evaluation at

k. terested parties ild contact Darrell gne^by Canberra ,‘By fax on 02 4777 5135. '-SEAN HENSHELWOOD

ustralians Japan-bound

By SEAN HENSHELWOOD

A HOST of Australian FMK regu lars look set to join current World Champion James Courtney, CRG factory Formula A driver Ryan Briscoe and Birel Super A driver Ben Horstman in the biggest Australian attack on the World Cup in Japan on May 24. Both Courtney and Horstman are entered in Super A, with reigning World Formula A champion Courtney hoping to go one better than his 1997 Formula A result of second place, by a mere two tenths of a second. Entered in Formula A at this point are PCR Australia’s ‘Top Guns’, Wynn’s Championship leader Ryan Wlodzinski and Adelaide’s Gary Dann. Joining them will be former international Joshua Pontello driving the Revolution chassis for Parolin. Newcastle speedster Wesley May will line up for Energy Kgrts as their only entrant in the, event, the European team electing to miss this years meeting. Despite that, former Australian international and compe. tition manager of Energy Karts Jon Targett will assist May at the event with set-up and tuning. CHAMPION ON THE WAY... After an amazingly busy start to the season dual World Champion James Courtney Originally a long list of Australian (Photo by Thunderpics/Agfa) will spearhead the Australian challenge on the World Cup in Japan on May 24. drivers were tipped to compete in Intercontinental A. The list as we Top Kart. Hunt was originally sched being caught out in monsoonal reckoned with, the team are hoping weather or backmarkers accidents. that trend can continue in Japan. approach the event however has uled to drive in Formula A however a become shorter, but by no means less shortage of available engines^ and He is hoping for fourth time lucky. Also expected to join team-mate spectacular. Geelong hotshot and chassis sees him back in reed power. Wynn’s driver Paul Dumbrell will Hunt in ICA with Top Kart is ‘rookie’ Formula A driver in the Australian ICA rookie Alan Gurr. After two years of less than take his Tony Kart/Rotax combina Wynn’s Australian Championship favourable luck, Queensland gun tion with him along with the exper The talented Sydneysider is having Daniel Richert will represent PCR, William Yarwood lines again with tise of renowned engine tuning guru his debut season in seniors and is whilst reigning Australian ICA CRG in Formula A. Yarwood’s luck Anthony Bartolo. In Australia looking to emulate the success of the champion Troy Hunt will line up for has evaded him in previous attempts. Bartolo and Rotax are a force to be team in last seasons championship.

Superkart season opens at Winton By GRAEME BURNS

THE Victorian Superkart club kicked off this year’s series at Winton Raceway. It will be conducted over eight rounds of four heats per round, with the best seven to eount for the class winners and highest overall point scorer. Entries were below expec tations but the racing was very close up the front in the lOOcc and 80cc classes. The club’s new timing system was used for qualifying to deter mine grid positions instead of the usual computer grid draw.

The lOOcc light class put on a good show of very close rac ing over the four heats with the front bunch of Darren Formosa, Jason McIntyre, Ben Castles, Colin McIntyre and David Williams constant ly swapping positions. Rod Prickett and Richard Stupka were just out of touch of the front runners and Ian

McIntyre back to fourth over all and allowing Castles the third place, behind Formosa and winner, Colin McIntyre. Gary Pegoraro drove away from the field in all four heats of the lOOcc heavies leaving Ken Knight, Geoff LeBrocq, Doug Brumby and Rod Clarke battling it out for the minor placings. Scott Middleton, up from juniors improved as the day went on and finished in the mid field. Brumby’s lose in the second heat put him out of con tention but Michael Bramich foimd some pace and ran sec ond in the final three heats to take second place away from Knight by one point. The four juniors showed a lot of maturity withisome close racing with Jared Laws just having the speed over

Dean Crooke. A problem put Laws out of the second heat and blemished an otherwise perfect day dropping him to second overall behind Crooke. Evan Rogerson and Lee Barabasz weren’t far behind and Rogerson, in his first Superkart race, took out third.

The 80cc class is split into A and B grades but run together, and B grade driver Paul Ristic has now been ele vated after he won convinc ingly. Peter Windhager, Daren Dunn and Joe Misitano chased him, with Windhager taking one heat win while a bad third heat for Dunn dropped him back. Windhager took the win in A grade from Dunn and Misitano while in'B grade Bruce Sturrock was second

with Tony Lappozzuto, in his first drive, finishing third. Only a handful of 125cc and 250cc karts made the trip up the Hume. Bill Jacobs lost his cobbled up 125 engine in practice and Ian Fairer (125) had a day to forget leaving Peter Hageman, Pete Carter and Mark Parcel the only 125s. Hageman beat Carter in the first two heats but Carter came back taking the final two and the win overall. Clint Thompson was the only 250cc national to appear. Chris Mann had problems in his 250cc international leav ing Tony Rath and Robert Erlenwien to race each other with two wins apiece. Rath was awarded the win because of his win in the final. The next round will be at Calder on the 26th April.

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Lennox and Rodney Reynolds, usually up the front, were both having a ter rible day. Williams had a problem in the third heat and failed to finish. The final was all important as points were close, with Jason McIntyre having a slight edge. The front bunch pulled away from the rest in the final and Jason McIntyre’s race ended when he contacted Formosa coming into the esses dropping

THEN THERE WERE FOUR ... Darren Formosa leads Jason McIntyre, Colin McIntyre and Ben Castles.

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IAN WILLIAMS TUNIiNG 68 Richmond Rd Keswick SA 5035 RED LEADER... John Muleejfollows Nick Mann.(Photos by Graeme Burns)

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lohmann back to Tony Kart

Preview: Australian Sprint Kart Championships By GRAEME BURNS

In a disappointing move for FMK newcomers TibiKart, 1996 Australian Formula A champion Jeremy Lohmann has elected to return to Tony Kart, the team with which he had so much success in previous years. TibiKart Australia was making its return to top flight FMK competition, attaining the services of Lohmann as the lead driver in the Eastern Creek International Karting Raceway Formula A championship for 1998. Unfortunately the team had a less than favourable debut at the opening round, the team coming to grips with a brand new chassis. Despite a year away from karting, Lohmann did show flashes of brilliance during the heats, but ultimately fin ished well down the points. Obviously unwilling to continue with the chassis, Lohmann elected to return to Tony Kart as their number one Formula A driver. His place at TibiKart will be filled by Andrew Walmsiey a driver who showed a great deal of potential during the third round of the 1997 Championship at Raleigh in Coffs Harbour. Despite a limited budget, Walmsiey managed to battle with the title contenders before succumbing to mechanical fail ures. Walmsiey will also represent TibiKart in selected Clubman races throughout 1998. - SEAN HENSHELWOOD

HAPPIER TIMES... Lehmann’s association with TibiKart is over after a tough struggie. (Photo by Edward Krause)

Locals star at hot Swan Hill By GRAEME BURNS JUST over 100 drivers made their way to Swan Hill for the second round of the Western Region counti-y circuit series. Run in very hot, dry conditions, and after an aborted start. Junior Clubman got away and provided some great rac ing, with Rick Kelly and Nathan Reeves having a gi’eat battle, swapping places continually and finishing first and sec ond. James Wren was third. After not having a field in the first round Clubman Super Heavy bounced back with a close encounter. Brett Douglass, Scott Morrison, Joel Stafford and Ged Stokes went at it with more moves than could be counted. Douglass made one little slip and dropped off the winner’s list, while Stokes took the points from Morrison and Stafford. Leigh Gallace had a good drive in the Rookies to emerge from the heats as the winner from local Brendan

McGinniskin and Leah Unsworth. In Clubman Light the field broke into little groups, with Mildura’s Scott Ferguson coming out on top after being pushed hard early by Clayton Groves, who faded allowing Robert Morton into second with Tim O’Leary third. Aaron Berry and Andrew Hayes put on a display of driving in the final of Senior National Heavy that was a plea sure to watch, with the lead changing constantly. Robin Dumesny waited for a mistake that didn’t come, although he did finish second overall behind Berry. In Junior National Light the race was for the minors, with Tony D’Alberto putting a gap between himself and the field. Chris Gardner withstood all the challenges that Rick Kelly could throw at him, although Matthew Stringer stole third place off Kelly when he had a problem in the final. Dane Bobart had the measure of the Clubman Heavy field. Dean Zana sur vived the battle for s;econd ahead of Rob

BeardaU. Ken Filbey backed up his first round win in Senior National Light yhen he beat local Swan Hill driver Michael Hall, with Karl Price third. Clubman Over 40s saw Ross Gathercole hold off the challenge of Peter Rowsell to take the win with Phil Bee working his way up to third. The Junior National Heavy final was a messy affair with several incidents in the roll round laps which maiTed what had been some great racing. When the light did go green Nathan Reeves pulled a gap on the field, leaving Mark Dennis and Mark Scott scrapping over second. The two Mildura boys Dane Bobart and Scott Ferguson raced wheel-towheel all day in Pro Clubman, finishing in that order, with Paul Burgess a close third. The Midgets rounded out the day, although only three turned out. Benjamin Falk was the quickest with Chris Armsden and Matthew Stringer next.

THE Geelong Kart club will host the 1998 Australian Sprint Kart Championships at their Beckley Park circuit in Geelong over three days ofracing on April 10-12. The track was recently upgraded to eight meters wide all round and a com plete resurface was done. The track and facilities are regarded as being one of the best in the country and, with the large marquees set up over the grid and pits, it looks a picture. Entries are around the 650 mark, making it one of the largest kart meetings ever staged in this country. With 14 classes and maxi mum fields of 30 and the cream of the country’s dri vers represented, even quali fying will be a tough assign ment. Darren McDonald, the current Strathfield National Car Champion, is competing in Clubman Light, along with current number one plate holder Mark Winterbottom fi-om NSW. Matthew Wall of Vic will defend his title in Senior National Light. The Junior Clubman entry of over 40 has some interstate names that have made the trip over here several times, Jamie Carter and Mark Hesler of SA being a couple ofthem. Barbara Agrimi and Kate Friend in the Piston Port class are only two of several ladies entered to battle it out

in a male dominated sport. Wayne Bell and Glenn Morey made the trek across the NuUabor to try and take the title back from a large Victorian entry in 200 Clubman. To try and pick a winner out of the 85-odd Clubman entries would be a big ask with the best of each state entered. Western Australia probably has the most regu larly competing 200cc Supers so the WA boys would be worth a bet. Malcolm Kilsby has the number one plate in Foimula 100 Heavy and 29 other drivers want it. Formula 100 Light and David Clark of WA is defending his plate from the likes of Jamie Wincup (Vic) and Tyson Pearce (SA) to name a couple. Chris Slee has come down from Queensland to defend the Senior National Light number one from a full field of hopefuls. Clubman Super Heavy has a very strong field to race for the undefended title. Geelong’s Luke Hai-per rates a good chance at the vacant Junior National heavy title. Junior Piston Port is one of only a handful of classes that aren’t oversubscribed so all entrants wilLget a start. Junior National light dri ver Danial Elliot, of WA ha»'> made the trip across foi- the second time this year as he raced at the Victorian open at Hamilton in January.

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HISTORIC n Queensland’s Geoff Russell has caused some con.stemation amongst the more senior ofour Historic drivers when he scorched up Rob Roy hillclimb in 27.15secs at the last aUBritish meeting. The ex-Victorian and for mer President ofthe LCCA was driving his Russell Moms Special, a car he built in 1949 using a 1928 sidevalve Morris engine mount ed in a rather basic rail chassis and a more sophisti cated Lancia front end. According to reliable sources, the combination of 1928 components plus the age of the driver(71 years) divided by his time \^1 put Russell way out in front in the battle for the Anciens Conducteurs trophy which is keenly contested by the more elderly desperate at all Rob Roy hiUclimbs. n The Victorian Division ofthe Vintage Sports Car Club of Australia will con duct one ofthe major Historic rallies on Apiil 18 to 20-the Alpine Rally. Thirty magnificent vin tage and post-vintage cars will line up for the start in Baimsdale at 8am on Saturday 18th,including Alvis, Bentley, Vauxhall 30/98, a Bugatti Type 37, Bemie Jacobsen’s Lagonda Rapier, Austin 7s, Crossley, Talbot and Lancia. The field will travel via Buchan for an overnight stop at Bombala. Second day is to Adaminaby,and the final day(Monday 20)over ‘the high country will see the finish at Tintaldra. n Meanwhile in SA,the Adelaide Speed Week gets undei-way on Easter Monday,April 13. It’s a nice mixture of sporting and social events with the com petition aimed at relhdng the great racing days at past venues such as Nuriootpa, the scene ofDoug Whiteford’s 1950 Australian Grand Prix victory in his Ford Special. There will be circuit events, hillclimbs (includ ing Collingrove) and other motor sports happenings with many of the activities centred around the beauti ful Barossa Valley. Then on Wednesday April 15 there will be a bus tour from the Barossa to the Sporting' Car Club ofSA clubrooms in Unley where partici pants can browse through the largest motoring library in Australia before heading to the Adelaide Hills to visit several of the old hillclimb venues from days gone by. Mallala vdll play a significant part in the week-long program, and an AllHistoric race meeting for cars and motorcycles will be held on Saturday and Sunday, Apiil 18-19 to wind up what should be a top event organised by the Historic Racing Register of South Australia. For enquiries about Adelaide Speed Week con tact the Chairman ofthe Historic Racing Register of SA,Neil Sullivan on(08) 8376 1199(w)or 8376 4586 (h).

n Ye Olde BP Rallye lived up to its reputation of being a demanding event, but there was also time for some enjoyable social activity including meeting up with a munber of past winners. As rally director Bob Watson said,“Serious motorsport plus nostalgia were the essence ofthe whole thing.” There were 40 starters, but many found the going hard especially through deep sandy sections and blinding dust in the diy north of the State. The dust caused vet eran Victorian rally ace Gil Davis to run into the back of Clark Bellard’s car sidelin ing them both - at least tem porarily. The impact was so hard that the distributor cap on Davis’ Datsun 1600 shattered into dozens of pieces. However, all the bits fell onto the car’s sump gu^rd, and with nothing betfer to do the intrepid Davis'sat on the side ofthe road with the fairly tricky jigsaw and patiently glued all the pieces together. He fitted the cap back on and continued in the raUy! A highlight ofthe event was the Saturday night din ner in Swan Hill which was attended by no fewer than 10 past winners including three-time winners Frank Kilfoyle and JeffThomas. Mike Osborne, Mai McPherson, Bill and Martin Hartigan,Peter Haas and Reg Lunn were also honoured at the dinner, as well as the rally director(and previous winner)Bob Watson. Another special guest was a member ofthe winning 1958 team,Ian McDonald, and Ballarat’s Jack EUis, who with Ian Vaughan finished third in the original London-Sydney Marathon, was also in atten dance. The original BP Rally was the work ofthree great motorsport enthusiastsDonald Thompson,John Pryce and Graham HoinviUe. The only surviv ing member ofthe trio, and fresh fi'om yet another top 10 finish in the Dutton Grand Prix Rally, Graham Hoinville gave an entertain ing talk on “the good old days.” Only notable absentee was Harry Firth - the fish must have been biting down Fi-ankston way for Harry to miss out on such an occa sion! Adding to the nostalgia, some ofthe stalwarts ofthe former Light Car Club of Australia, Charles Weir, Arnold Terdich and Ron Rawson helped out at con trol points-there’s no keeping them down! Pi'ovisional results show Teny Naish/Ross Runnalls fii-st in their Datsun 1600, followed by Graeme WalHs/Phil Nicholas (Peugeot 504)and the Datsun 240Z of Rob Devenish/Phil Wylie third. Ross Runnalls was in the winning team in the past two BPs, which means he has now won three out ofthe four re-runs. Second placegetters Wallace and Nicholas took the honours in 1989. -BRIAN REED

Tlpo C for Historic Winton

ENTRY forms for the Austin 7 Club’s 22nd Historic Winton are now available for what promises to be another huge gathering of cars and motorcycles on May 30-31. Forty four events covering all Historic gi’oups fi’om pre-war to F5000 including 17 motorcycle and sidecar races will make for an action-packed two days, and in keeping with tradition, the organisers have invited along some very special vehicles. A man well known to Australia now is Peter Giddings, and he’ll be back again from California this time with his splendid Alfa Romeo Tipo C. This car is regarded as one of the ‘Titans’, having been driven by the legendary Tazio Nuvolari during the 1930s. The Tipo C Alfa has a 3.3-litre engine with twin superchargers and produces a staggering 330bhp. Another famous car making a ivelcome return to Winton before going back to Colorado, USA is the Bugatti ‘Tank’. This unusual 1920s racecar was a great crowd favourite last year, and although only about the same length as an Austin 7, it is powered by a 2-litre supercharged engine - and much of that is with the driver! Some 270 cars and around 110 motorcycles are expected to take part in the 22nd Historic Winton, and entiy forms can be obtained from the secretary, Brenda Campbell, 33 Bright St., East Brighton, 3187 (phone/fax 03 9592 9310). Entries close last mail April 17. -BRIAN REED

m LOOK!TREADED TYRES... Hans Ruesch’s Tipo C Alfa Romeo leads the works entries atMonteo Carlo in 1937. ,

Trip down (dirty) memory lane Shannons By BRIAN REED

REMEMBER the days when you. used to buy the Herald on the way into Tracey's Speedway in Maribyrnong which you used to protect yourself from the flying cinders as the cars sped by? Members of the Victorian Classic & Vintage Speedway Club were to pay a nostalgic trip down memory lane on April 5 to one of Australia's most famous speed way venues with a number of restored speedcars to display and run. Unfortunately the event was cancelled when it was discovered that the venue had been doublebooked. It seems that soccer takes precedence over speedway ht times such as this. Not to be deterred,the club will travel to Mmray Bridge on April 25 and has several other events planned in the months ahead. Anyone who has an interest in Historic speedway (or a car!) is invited to contact the club secre tary Barry Barker on (03) 9726 6940. The Victorian Classic & Vintage Speedway Club meets on the second Tuesday of each month at the Celtic Club, cnr. La Trobe and Queen Streets, Melbourne.

backs Winton Motojfest

THE inaugural Historic motorfest to be held at Winton on November 7-8 has received a major boost following an agree ment with Shannon’s Corporation to become the naming rights sponsor for the next three years. The Shannon’s Historic Australian

VERTICALLY CHALLENGED... Veteran midgets line up to go to Murray Bridge. (Photo by Brian need)

Garrie Cooper's Austin 7

important Historic racing car wiii make a weicome return at the first round of the interciub Series to at Rob Roy on June 2'1. While still a teenager and before he started building Elfins Garrie Cooper built a number of Austin 7 Specials, and the evergreen Lou Molina is about to trot out the first Cooper Austin which has undergone a major rebuild. According to ace commentator Don Kingsey “the Cooper Austin looks magnifi cent” with its new polished aluminium

SEVEN for 15... Garrie Cooper at the wheel of his Cooper Austin Special. The car will appear at,Rob Roy Hillclimb in June. body built by Reg Harris in Auburn. There have been some radical mechanical alterations to the car

which have taken it away from its original configuration, including an Aseries engine bored out to 1300cc, an

MG Midget gearbox in place of the hardto-find original Ptype and twin Weber carburettors, - BRIAN REED

Motorfest will be a major gathering of cars and motorcycles, but with the added attractions of arts and crafts, food and wine stalls, supervised activi ties for children, parade laps of the new Winton circuit, trade stands and a “Jazz & Shiraz” social function on the Saturday night in Benalla Auto Club’s soon-to-be-com pleted corporate area which will cater for 1000 guests. An impressive list of ‘greats’ is being negotiat ed for a “Parade of the Stars”, to be run on both days of the motorfest. Fly pasts by vintage aircraft will add to the carnival atmosphere, and keen support has already been shown by local organisa tions including tourism, wineries, media outlets and the Benalla commu nity. Entry forms and invita tions will be available soon, and because the Shannon’s Australian Historic Motorfest follows closely on from the popu lar Wangaratta Jazz Festival, it is suggested that accommodation arrangements are made now to avoid disappoint ment. -BRIAN REED

10 April 1998

Sedans/Sports Cars

Gemini Club Car,199a93 series winner, 3rd place '97. 3rd Under 2ltr at 1997 Nationals. 2ltr, DOHC, forged pistons, autronic quad throttle injection, Nissan close ratio gearbox, 4.9 works LSD, 11’ discs. Steel structural cage. $11,500 Ph: 02 95464761. 125

Historic Sports Car, Group M Renmax 23B, Ford twin-cam, Hewland box. $45,000. Must sell (retired, moving North). Ph: Laurie Knight 026925 3257. ,25 E-type Jaguar, 6 cylinder, marque sports. Eastern Creek 1:47, Oran Park 48 secs. New engine, 325 bhp, new LSD,fresh paint (black) and very last. $36,000. Ph: 02 4990 1699, 0414 801 699. .25

Torana, prepared for '96 Targa Tasmania, 4 wheel discs, Detroit Looker, chrome moly cage, 223BHP, 3D Motec, fuel injected engine, close ratio gearbox. $35,000 in parts only, ask ing $25,000- offers considered. For more information Ph/fax: 07 54749380. 125

Holden V8 Camira, unique Sports Sedan, Mild’OOS, twin Webers, 5 speed, 16"x10" wheels with good slicks, 15"x10" wheels with wets. Handles very well. $13,500 ONO. Ph: Tony 02 4730 1926. 125

XU1 Torana. 2 x Sports Sedan Toranas. 1 fresh mid-mount engine with triple SVs, roller rockers & solid cam, 5-speed, $6,200ono. 1 fresh 202, triple 45mm Webers, roller rockers & solid cam. $ speed and log book. $7,500ono. Both ready to race, 16x10 inch wheels and 4WD. Ph: Vince (03) 9482 3444 (BH),(03)9439 3686(AH). 124 Ford Sierra RS500, ex Group A Ross Stone shell with ulti mate cage. Now with pumped fibreglass guards to suit 17"x11" tyres, AP 4-pot brakes, plus Harrop 9" independent rear end. No motor or gearbox. $12,500. Ph: 02 4367 6734, 0412 676 734. ^2l

I 5ftV,,

HQ Thunderdome. Proven winner, record holder, ready to race. Spare car complete less fuel cell. Many spares and engines. Assistance given. Will separate or package to suit. Urgent sale, all offers considered. Ph:John 0397423234(BH). 12 HQ Race Car, good condition, heaps of spares, ready to race, nothing to spend.$5,000 Ph:0298948681 a0418671 927.12

»s

Holden HQ Racer, ready to race. Excellent condition, heaps of spares, second set of wheels, spare gearbox and diff etc. Must sell $4,750 Ph:0246471896 or 0418 211 341 (AH). .25

HQ Holden race car. You won't beat the Danes' or Haleys' in this beauty but you'll have just as much fun. All current con trol parts and seals. $2,850 ONO Ph:02 6765 4279.12

Sale or lease. Commodore V8 Supercar. VR, Perkinsbuilt and unchanged since delivery Chev engine. Lease to driver with correct budget or sale, POA. Ph: Phil Ward 018 276 323,02 9533 4909(BH).02 9817 5560(AH). 122 AUSCAR VP, 360hp 315 motor. Super T10 box, Harrop rose jointed front end. 4-sp calipers, adj Bilstein susp.Pi equipment, fuel churn, rattle guns and line, scanners, dent puller, steel chest. Spares include axles, susp, springs, shocks, body parts, too many to mention. Help given first meetings. $15,000. Ph: James(03)9563 7072 or(015)800 342. .21

Group A Sports Car, 1981 AJI Get MK3. 10A PP Rotary. 48 IDA Weber, dry sumped. Hewland MK8, log book. As raced with spares, eligible for historic group R. $14,500 Ph: 03 9608 7486(BH)039592 6186(AH). 12

fm AtITOCOLOP 1i|

AUSCAR Sportsman #2 Falcon, regular top 5 finisher, 5 best presented car awards. Finished 4th on 14-3-98 at Thunderdome. Spare engine and diff, 12 wheels, road race spoiler and suspension. Set up and dyno sheets. New fuel cell and fire system. New helmet, full radio system (3). 5 boxes of spares. Ready to race, nothing to spend. $16,000 OBO Ph: Gerry on 0398735969(BH)or 018 101 712..2

1991 Ford Laser TX3 PRC.rally car.200hp motor, limited slip gear box, light pod, fully intergrafed cage, car has won WA Rally Championship. Fully sorted, spare parts package. $9,100ono.Ph:088244 3094,0412 260 264. 12

Torana LC GTR XU1, 3/71. All standard running gear - 2 owners. Body and mechanicals in perfect order. 3/99 rego, nothing to spend. Perfect Targa or Historic car. Good history. $13,750. Ph:0412 033 827 or 07 3801 1857(AH). 124

ASX Hatch, AT0/\A, authenticated category winner Targa' Tasmania 94,95,96.350hp motor,freshened; Super T10 gearbox: Harrop front brakes. Spares include original block, gearbox, radia tor, interbr etc. Fast arid reliable. BM 7962. $31,500. Ph: 0417 512

Mazda RX7, Series 4, EFI Turbo, 13B Race purpose only. Excellent condition 24,000km, $8,000 Ph: 02 6734 2259 or 02 6732 3353.12 HQ Race Car. Last start winner, runner up NSW Div.2 Championship 1997. New brakes,freshened engine, new paint, good spares package with assistance available. $5,500 ONO Ph:026765 4279.12

Datsun 260Z, dark metallic green, total restoration to bare metal respray. Triple concourse winner. Reconditioned 2.7 litre, 165kW engine, triple 45mm Webers, Recaro seats. Competition suspension, immaculate condition. Reg 12/98. $16,000. Ph: 02 9938 6403,0299820347. 124 HQ, ready to race, well maintained and presented. Spare car with cage bolted in, ready to paint. Suspension kit still in box. $6,800ono. Ph:0417 461421 anytime. 124

285. 124

VesKanda Group Cl sports car. Australia's fastest, as dri ven by John Bowe. 61 Chev, Motec fuel injection, DE300 Hewland g/box with ratios, spare wheels. Totally rebuilt by K&A. POA. Ph:015 397 251 or 08 83621977. la

NASCAR Oldsmobile, Tom Smith Car, Top ten car this sea son, ready to race 23 degree. Engine plus rolling Oldsmobile and spares will sell $40,000. Ph: Terry Little 03 5996 4022(BH) 039704 2366(AH),.a MR2 Sports Sedan, 1600cc BDA Cosworth, Hewland gear box, trailer and spares. $35,000 Ph:039480 4040.12 Datsun 120Y sports sedan, former Aroca 6 hour winner. 13BPP, huge range of spares including motor, gearbox, diffs, wheel wets and trailer, $11,500. Ph: 02 9982 7433(BH)02 9981 3651(AH)12 Gemini Coupe. TG panels, 1800 DOHC. Webers, extractors, cage, seats, belts, ideal starting club car. Clean'straight body, 4 wheel discs, locked diff. $5,000 Ph:029546 4761.(2-.

Cefica 1988 GT4, intercooled turbo, 74,000kms, race sus pension, electronic diff lock, electric leather seats. I)l6t for road rego, but can be rally registered. $8,500ono. Ph: 02 4957 2905 or0419 434 311. 124

Pontiac Grand Prix NASCAR, ready to go $30,000; cam bered rear end, disc to disc $4,000; Scales $3,000; NASCAR block , never blown $4,000; Wheels, tyres $50 each, springs $10,2-way radios $5,000. Ph:029636 4447. 124 Subaru RX turbo, 5 speed, AW drive sedan. 4w discs, 4 spot Porsche calipers, aluminium cage, foam tank, new 15x7 and Faikens 215x60 series. Ideal fast Club Car. Spent $15,000-r,sellfor$8,000.Ph: 0356635517. 124

Black Beast - 74 GTS De Tomaso Pantera. 490hp, Cariltos, Cosworth pistons, Motec ignition, Chev crank, 17x11 rears 17x9 fronts, Simmons, large Harrop brakes all round. Ideal car for Targa, club days or just touring. In A1 cond. POA. Ph: Tony Jory 0418 130 133,036326 5555. 123

continued over page

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NAME: ADDRESS;

48 WApfiim Celica 72 model, good body, aiming, no reg. Suit parts, $300ono.Ph:0358271256. m Cortina GT Mkll ‘69 sedan, aiginal 1600GT running gear and gauges etc Su4 for resto. $600. Twin Weber manifold suit above$50.Ph:035827 1256. 123

Supeticart: Ex-Australian champ. Centreline upright chassis, full Zip bodywork, little use, c/w new leathers. SZ.OOCt. Ph: Scott 02 4938 5457(AH). 125

1936 Fo«l Coupe. Red with flames. Set up for big or small block Chev, auto or manual. Tube chassis with strut front end, four link suspension with full floating 9" diff. Will take 15x33x14 drag slicks or street tyres. Would suit Pro Street, Wild Bunch, Super Gas, Pro Street Rod or Nostalgia racing. $28.000ono. Ph:

Speedway Modified Productioo. If you want a competitive quality race car, this is it. An abundance of spares. Total race package, including trailer $7,500. Ph:039744 2434. ..x, Nissan March turbo. Club car. ready to race. Magmoly multi-point cage, kevlar seat, spare engine and g/box etc. Pnc& i seJ $5,750. Ph:035827 1256. NASCAR Commodore roller, good condition, spare wheels, tyres, sprigs etc I'iew paml panels. Wart to trade for Group N Historic, road car. ultralight or best cash offer. Ph:075578 7870. iz

Historic Group O Renmax Palliser. Ford twin cam motor, Hewland box, needs 1 wheel, windscreen to complete. Must sell (retired, moving North). Offers around $28,000, Ph: Laurie Knight026925 3257. la

Celica, suit SS/A, S/X. Street Legal, 400 Chev, Raceglide, 9 inch, 35 spline axles, spool. Minitubs, Delaybox. 10.73/125mph. Full engineer's report. 7/98 rego. $17,000ono turn key, $10,500orxi less motor, box. Ph:015 321 904. la

llWTRCn

S01-:

Sports Sedan Lancer, 13B fuel injected, intercooled turbo. Fresh engine, gearbox, suspension set up by Centreline. Very competitive car, ready to race. Urgent sale. $7,300. Ph: Mark 03 9644 2309. i;; Fiat 124 Spider, 1969. 1608CC. twin 40mm Webers, red/black trim, display standard. Cromodoras Pirelli P500s. Enthusiast's car. Ex cond. Consider trade Group Nb. Asking $19,000.1^: Dick 07 3261 7142(AH). 123

-k 1 r

viii

Engines

Camara Super Sedan, ASCF NSW ACT Board approved, 308, two full sets of wheels plus extra tyres. Ready to race. $2,800. Ph: Bill 0263619958. 125 Mrxiified Sedan Commodore, SA77. Big hp 202 motor, alloy flywheel, rebuilt gearbox, heaps of spares, rims and tyres. $6,500ono. Ph:08 8531 0986(AH),0418 828 881. ia PRB Clubman, Toyota twin cam. Fresh race engine, Motec, Quaife gearbox and diff. Competitive car, must sell. $32,000. Ph:02 4990 1699,0414 801 699. 125

Pantera Super Sedans.2complete cars with all spares. Will sell as rolling chassis or complete with engines. No expense spared with these cars. POA Ph: Craig/Bert 08 9451 1969, 0418911269. iz

Honda CRX, V-tec engine, fully caged, road reg, alarm, cen tral locking, suspension arxl brake mods. $15,000neg. Ph: 018 052 012. 123

Kestrel KC 3 F/Vee. 1989, rarely used. Ask anyone in F/Vee - this is the oar that set the standard for presentation. Like new. $11,500. not neg. Ph:0412430900. 125

c'n1979 Philips 4 door A9X Torana touring car. Last dri ven by Charlie O'Brien. Offered fa sale in onginal condition, as raced. Ph: Steve 0418 359999. m Mazda RX4 Club Car Sports Sedan. Unfinished projrct. Fully adjustable suspension, floater diff. 4 link rear Watts linkage, pedal box, big brakes. Stressed alloy cage. Spare panels etc. POA. Ph:0393540417,019 191 612. <z>

Monza Supw Sedan. A dream to drive. Highly competitive, constant winner. 350 +.030" 4-bolt 520bhp, Comp Components, 6" rods, quick change diff, spares, body moulds, coilover leaf rear. Motor locked up (not bad). $8,000. Ph: 08 86725914. 123 Commodore Mod Production, current ACT#1. Fresh good hp motor, no expense spared, nothing to sperd. $8,500. Near new trailer, electric brakes etc. $2,500. Ph: 0411 513096. m. Speedcar V4 Scat engine, factory assembled. Latest Jones heads, new rods, pistons, fully freshened. Eng. 10 shows old only. 340hp. Cost over $45,000. Complete, from radiator to uni. including eng. plate, full exhaust system and fuel system. $12,000ono. Ph:0411 012527,02 95438806. 123

5988. U3

Elfin 622 Historic Group Q. Total restoration completed 5 years ago and has been running competitively since in F3 trim. Full Cosworth Ford engine with BDA crank and rods, gear dri ven Camshaft, twin plate clutch. Mk 8 Hewland and all the best equipment on board. Some spares available. A beautifully pre sented car which currently holds Group Q under 1300cc lap recads at /Vnaroo and Eatem Creek. Ph: Richard Harward 02 . 1 9789 8470(BH),02 9568 4147(AH),

Bolwell Nagari. One owner from new. Road or race. Mallala record holder 5L Ford. Super T10 g/box. Ford diff. Spare wheels. Totally rebuilt by K&A. POA. Ph: 015 397 251 or 08 83621977 ra Mazda 808(RX3)coiqie,2E log, fresh 13BBP and c/r gear box, 51mm Weber, new exhaust, spare g/box. 3 sets rims, 4spot brakes. Donan. Quick car, good cond, new project forces sale. $10,000. Ph:0419 276593

Pontiac TransAm Super Sedan. Very competitive winner. Built '89 AJ Nylander, won '89 Australian titles. 350 +.030', rebuilt 3 meetings. 515hp, bow tie. Comp Components Magneto Bird cage r/end. Franklin diff. $12,000. Ph: 08 8672 5914. m Sprintcar, parts or complete. New or 2 shows only -1IX motor, direct mount front, Franklin diff, carbonfibre t/tube, wings, wheels, tail tank, chassis. $1500. Ph: 02 9525 1716 (BH), 02 96026654(AH). 123 Fender Bender, VC Valiant, one meeting since engine rebuild. Best of everything, complete, ready to race with many quality spares. $1,500. Ph: Mick Salmon 029525 3430. 123

1963 Ford Galaxy. Restored as repitca. John WiHment race car, winner 1963 BTCC. Rare 2-door coupe. Ultimate Targa Tasmane Historic entry. $15,000 Ph:075547 5363. 123 Cortina GT Mkl,1966. Newcarby. very ongtnal, 12 months rego. $4,400. Ph:029484 6127(AH)or0291536797(BH). IS

Kaditcha 1982 F2 Mk9, Golf engine. 1st. Sportsmans division. National F2 series 1997. Spares package to suit purchaser. $26,000neg. Must be sold. Ph: 03 5881 4411 (BH), 03 5881 1506(AH). 124 Formula Vee Ellin 1980. Fresh engine, rare 3rd gear, many spares. Ex Cutts car, proven winner, ready to race, includes trailer. $6,900ono. Ph: Richard Fowler 0418 299 531 or 02 9958 3871. ,22

Open Wheelers r’" t.’'

1982 Re-Car VH Commodore Group C tourmg car. Last dri ven by Allan Grice/Steve Harrington, Bathurst 1884. Numerous poles etc. Full CAMS log book and docunerted history. In origF nal as last raced condition. Ph: Steve 0418359999. 123

Monaro HT Club Car. Group 2E. C/ratio gbox, T/plate clutch. 9" diff, WiJIwood brakes. Konis, Veto seat, aluminium radialor, oil coHer, exhaust etc Suit Chw, less engine. $10,000 Ph:0883889110.

Historic Group Q Bowin P4. 1300cc Corolla motor, Hewland gearbox. Must sell (retiring, going North). Offers around $35,000. Ph: Uurie Knight 026925 3257,

Formula Vee, Top Ten car, comes with fully enclosed colour coded trailer, heaps of spares, adjustable shocks. Great looking car with full body moulds, very reliable and ready to race. $9,500. Ph:035967 4489 125

Ford Cosworth Sierra engine, dual throttle body. 3D Motec, f/injection, forged pistons, gated sump etc. $6,500 complete. Ph: Tony 02 4937 1477(BH). 125 Wanted - Formula 2 Golf engine, less manifold & extractors. Ph: 02 4938 5352. us Holden, fresh roller 202 motor, total rebuild, ready to bolt in and go racing. Everything included - electronic ignition, Holley methanol carb - too much to mention. Can hear running. $4,000. Ph: 03 5444 1400, o417 106 711. .» VW, brand new 2.7 race block, heaps of race perfor mance goodies. Suit Speedcar, off-road, buggy. Sports Sedan or performance Street Car. Possible 250+ hp. $6,500. Ph: 019 125 965. 124 Genuine Pro Series III Autocraft 2600cc engine. 3 stage oil pump, fuel injected, steel crank, Carillo rods. Good cond. Ex Speedcar engine. $6,800ono. Ph: Clive Baxter 08 8984 4794. 124 Sprintcar Rodeck alloy engine, 372, 5/8 stroke. Eagle rods, Wiseco pistons. Brodix heads, Barnes 4 stage dry sump, 2 7/16 Hilborn injection. $21,000ono. Ph: 02 6297 2818, 0418 630 408. U4 Chev 350 010 2 bolt block, fitted with Milodon angle 4-bolt caps, bored to +40. Sell for what caps oew, $900 or $1,000 with crank and rods. Eagle 6" 3D con rods, done 6 laps, like new $750. Ph: 02 4572 5949. 123 Lotus twin cam engine, disassembled, 1700cc. New valves, pistons, early Cortina cam cover. Escort winged sump, exhaust manifoid, carbs Escort air box. $4,500ono, will split head, cover $2,600. Ph: 08 8278

Formula Vec Kestrel, ready to race. Recently completed. No expense spared. Suede Momo wheel. Spax shocks, Gelkote finish, Vl/illans harness, top engine etc. Trailer and spares. POA. Ph: Steve 08 8337 2592(AH). ,2. Kaditcha 1979 F2, eligible Group Q, Gold engine, Hewland Mk 9, ratios, spares. $20,000neg. Ph: 03 5881 441 (BH), 03 5881 1506(AH). 124 Fonnula Holden Rail RT21. Ex McLaughlin Thalgo car. No expense spared restoration to original cond and set-up by FI experienced mechanic. $42,000 neg. Ph: 018 824 604(BH),08 8272 5372(AH). 123 Superkart - Hasse chassis, Yamaha 80cc engine. Immaculate presentation and performance to match. Best of everything, heaps of spares. $4,200. Ph:024733 5442. 123 Sports 1300 Seca. Total rebuild, easy to convert back. Histaic original logbook. Lakeside 57.9. Many spares, engine etc, trailer. Be a winner in Historic. Only $13.500ono. Ph: 0411 592003,0755431061 123

Drag Racing BB Chev, Bacman billet heads, Jessel rockers, titani um valves, fresh springs, magnesium manifold, port nozzles, the lot. $7,000. Ph: 02 9711 2218. 123

Chev 350 010 4-bolt short motor, fitted with rare nodular iron caps, +30 bore, suit rebuild, $400: Autometer tell-tale tacho, suit MSD, near new, $250. Ph: 02 4572 5949. .23 HRT Holden Group A engine, number HMS 93A HQ()2, eight butterfly fuel injection, comes complete ready to boltin. Includes Motec com'^iuter and wiring loom. $12,500. Ph: 02 6355 5995. .23 3

Parts

Wheels, 18" race type, 3 piece light alloy, suit Porsche with near new Dunlop wets. Excellent order $4,250. Ph: 03 9555 7699,018 313 482. 125 Weld Wheels 16x15 with 34x17x16 Goodyear slicks $850 pair. Dragway 5x5 front runners with Goodyear Eagles,-including A-arms $550. Ph: Mick 0412 608 220. 125 Ford engine parts: 289-302 exhaust manifolds, two barrel intake & Motorcraft carbie, Cleveland exhaust manifolds, Cortina GT 1398cc intake & carbie. Also XM/P Coupe & XT parts. Ph: 03 9850 6993, 0419 554 019. 125 Nissan R200 diff ratios, new & s/hand, housings, spools, finned end plates, flanges etc. Ph: 03 5988 6266 125 Haiibrand quick-change diff, 9 gear sets, fitted With disc brakes. Would suit Litre Sprint, smaller Super Sedan or Speedcar restoration. Best offer over $1,000. Ph: 03 9744 2434. 125 Various; 4 s/h wet weather tyres & wheels, 4 stud 8"x10"x13" $500: Ford 4 cylinder L block, sleeved $500; 2 lightweight 4 spot calipers with pads $800; BDA fly wheel. offers; Toyota MR2 4AGE 1600 motor & gearbox, RWD ex Team Toyota, $650. Ph: 03 9480 4040. 125 Tilton, brand new twin plate racing clutch, suit Chev or adaptor plate available for Holden six. $1,000. Ph: 03 5444 1400, 0417 106 711. 125 Doug Nash 5 speed, with Don Long vertical gate shifter. Good condition, case open for inspection. $2,500. Ph: Mick 0412 608 220. .25 Alfetta competition: CR/LSD gearbox (rebuilt) $1,600; Simmons V4 15x7 $750; Alfa 15x6 $500; brake conversion kit (recond V6 calipers, vented discs, 3 sets pads) $500; Bilstein gas shocks (exc) $300. Ph: 03 9889 1149. 125 Lotus twin cam head, reco with new valves, no springs $1,500: Lotus twin cam head, needs repairs $350. Ph: 03 9480 4040. 125 Holinger 5 speed gearbox, option 6 type. Excellent, fresh condition $8,500. Ph: 03 5988 6266. 125 SBC GM 18 degree heads. Weld Tech CNC ported, excellent condition with flow chart. Bare. $3,500. Alcohol 750 Holley carb $500. 830 annular Holley, 2 hrs dyno time only. $500. Ph: Mick 0412 608 220. 125 Porsche 2.8 RSR engine, fresh no Kms. Stainless steel exhaust and muffler, mechanical injection, excel lent order $12,500. Ph: 03 9555 7699, 018 313 482. 125 Ford Sierra Cosworth cylinder head, suit Escort bottom end $2,000. Plus belts, pulleys, plug leads and manifolds. Ph: 02 4367 6734, 0412 676 734. 124 Suspension components - tubular wishbones, rod ends, high tensile tube, trailing arms etc. Symmetrical bearings, all new, $250ono, Ph: 03 9801 8504. 124 RX-7 Harrop floater diff assembly, with axles. $1,750. Ph: 03 9437 1628. 123

4S -

10A01998 Kart trailer, takes two karts. Engine racks, tyre racks, tool boxes. Fully enclosed, excellent condition, light weight. $1,800ono. Ph:02 9628,0412 903 616. \2A 24ft fully enclosed trailer, triaxle, annexe, 240v and 12v, air conditioned, workbench, compressor, lots of storage. Ford F350,351 Cleveland, manual, radio cassette, in good cond. Will separate. POA.Ph:03 9532 3550(BH),03 799 1464(AH). 12a

HelSa Railye 1000 driving lights x 3. 2 x spot beam (part #1362), 1 x spreasd beam (#1363). Brand new, still in boxes. $80. Also, Hella 100 watt/7 inch H4 conversion kit. Brand new (part #5604/100), $75. Ph: 0412 510 554. VDO ©auges - tacho, speedo, oil' pressure, water temp, volts, amps, fuel gauge. All sender units. In Cockpit Royale. Suit Classic car. Never used, still in box. $450 the lot. Ph: 02 9888 6982. 124 Luke 3-point competition harness, red, as new $95. Tilton rear brake proportioning valve (new) $95. Ph: 03 9889 1149. .24 Pontiac 23 degree heads, complete with m.anifold $4,000ono; Chev Dash Ten 23 degree heads complete with manifold $3,000ono. Jerico box, oil coller, shifter$4,000; 356 NASCAR motor oompiete, 100 miles only, dry sumped, $15,000. Ph: 02 9636 4447. 124 Porsche IT’ AVS original wheels. Highly polished with brand new 245x45 P7 M3 Pirelli tyres. Real show stoppers. AJso suit VW. Rims & tyres never used.$4,000ono. Ph:019125965 w Kinsler EFl injection manifold, suit s/biock Chev. Complete less injectors, new in box. $3,900. Racing slicks, Dunlop 240/590-16, 8 off, brand new, $1,000 the lot or will split. Ph: 0414 929 139. 12-5 Ford RS parts, suit Escort Twin Cam, plus 5 speed gearbox suit Escort, Cortina or Capri $500. Quickshift to suit $75. Also, Ford Sierra RS500 Group A bits - diff, gearbox, crank, rods, pistons, driveshafts, panels etc.02 4367 6734, 0412 676 734. 124 Tyres - 4 x Falken RX06GB tyres, 205x60x14, have done 10 laps, suit Club Car or Sprints. Only $500. Ph: 0412 337 227. ,23 Brake calipers - Nissan GTR Godzilla, all alloy, big ger than Mazda type in as-new cond. $800 pr. Ph: 03 9555 9847(BH),03 9802 1980(AH). 123 Chev 350 new shaver roller cam, suit -12 or 18 degree heads. Lift at cam inlet 440, outlet 412, duration at 050 264, outlet 270. $250. Ph: 02 4572 5949. ,23 Harrop Detroit locker in Harrop steel carrier, fitted to Holden banjo centre, fully rebuilt by Harrop and not used since. $600. Ph: 0418 133 274. 123 Brodix dash 10 heads, complete titanium retainers. Crane roller rockers and stud girdle. Ported by PM Engines, 639hp on 372ci Sprintoar motor. $4,600. Ph: 08 8272 7774 7am-7pm. .23 Holden rear spoiler $350; tyre pressure relief valves $80 set; Dunlop race tyres 16” and 17" suit 12" rims, from $50; fuel tank cap, flange type $80. Ph; 02 9843 4091. 123

Wanted Fully enclosed custom-made Kart trailer. Engine, exhaust and tyre racks. Excellent condition. Lightweight, easy towing. $1,900. Ph: John Evans 08 8725 7341. 12s Ford FI50 XLT,302, LWB 87. Canopy, mags,towbar, winch, bullbar, auto, air, CB, red/white, lined tray. July 98 rego. Immaculate condition. Must sell. $21,000ono. Ph: 02 9901 4666 or 0418 975 819. 12s Transporter - Converted Millard Starcraft 30' x 8'. 4 axles, 4 wheel electric brakes, sleeps 3. Fridge, HWS, shower, kitchen. New annex 15' x 27'. Wired 12/240v. 12 months rego. $12,000ono. Ph:02 4942 6233(BH). 124 Trailer, tandem, fully enclosed. Electric brakes, shelving and work benches, large enclosed annex. Suit open wheeler. Tilt roof. Built for Formula Ford. $5,800. Ph: Peter 07 3408 8322 (BH),07 5445 5076(AH),0418 730 575. 124

038. 125

Super Sedan or Grand National old rolling chassis. Must have quick change diff. Or any old Super Sedan/ Grand Nat parts. Ph: 02 6242 6638 (AH), 02 6296 1774 (BH), 0412 273 113. 124 Indy items: Photos, caps, shirts, signed gear etc. Private collector hoping to extend collection of Indy cars and drivers. Ph: D.avid 02 9821 2471. 124 Cortina GT 500 car or bits. Consider any thing. Send details to P.O. Box 42, Beecroft, 2119 or phone Peter on 02 9153 6797 (BH), 02 9484 6127 (AH). 123 ; steel crankshaft for Lotus Ford 1600 twincam engine, preferably short-stroke, but standard stroke with suitable rods also considered. Some other components also required. Ph: 07 3396 1624. 123 Shocks to suit ASX Torana Group C. Frorit & rear, adjustabtes. Also roller rockers. Ph: 02 4658 0446. 123

Chev GMC dually, fully loaded,the best example ot this type of vehicle you will see.$42,000ono. Ph:03 5448 8487(AH). 123

Historic photos: 70s and 80s. Brock, Johnson, Richards, Senna, Pros! etc, b&w and colour. Majority unpublished. Tourers, F5000, FI, Sports. Also 2-litre, V8s, 500cc, Histories. Fax for details 029960 6552. 123 V8 Supercar Sigier Coach Tour, August 1&2, Oran Park. Direct from Newcastle and Central Coast, only $180pp, includes great accommodation at Rooty Hill RSL Ph: 1800 801 012 to book or details, w Bolts and fasteners business, suit young entrepreneur, easily relocatable. In excess of $45,000 stock, plus shelving, racks, computer, invoice program, printer etc. Priced to sell $13,500. Ph: Grant0354724116. 124 Marlboro GP Guide, autographed by Fangio, Brabham, Surtees, Hulme, Stewart, Hunt, Fittipaldi, /\ndretti, Jones, Piquet, Prost, Senna, Hill, Schumacher, Phil Hill, Lauda, plus Murray Walker and George Harrison. Best offer. Ph: 07 5594 5671 after 7pm. 124

Limited edition Australian GP scenes print set. artist Greg McNeil. 10 prints, each 900mm x 700mm. Melbourne 1956,' Adelaide 1985 to 1993. Cost $1,680. Sacrifice at $1,000ono. Ph: 029825 2059 after 5pm. 124 Celebrate the GP! Half a life-time's collection of Motor Sport magazine needs a good home. Excellent cond. No set price. Ph; Tom 039783 4819. 121 Yamaha YZF 750SP raoe/road bike. Only 2,000kms. Immaculate. Will trade road/race car etc. Ph: 03 6394 3541, 015 312918. 123

Other Magazines for sale including Motor Sport 1973-90, Road & Track 1973-88, T&CC 1978-85, Racing Car News 1976-89. Best offer, buyer collects. Ph:02 9312 8986,

Tell'em you saw it in A A f

frqmsperters/Traiiers

Professionally built Hino FF racecar transporter. Sleeper, air-conditioned, 26' pantech, tailgate lifter, inspection deck, inte grated tyre racks, solid workbench, 240v,fluoro spotlights, powerpoints. Only $38,500. Ph:07 3839 2121 or 0418 725 003. 122

isuzu, 22ft pan, tailgate lifter, tyre rack, large bins, sleeper, long range fuel tank, nosecone. 8 months reg. Best offer. Ph: 019 405 721. 125

iFll

News

Fotmula 1 96/97 Oz Burgess race boat and trailer. All spares, ready to race $24,000ono. Will consider trade. Ph: Bob 07 5596 0655,0412009258. 12s

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● Race car preparation, driver, team & sponsor development & management ■ Track testing - driver & chassis tuning ● Chassis development ● Complete historic restoration for road, race, Targa etc ● Engine transplants ● Mandrel bend exhausts ● Cosworth & Lotus Specialists

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COMMENT

W April im

us) start to state that Channel 7

Still on team orders ... 0)

(0_

P (0_

games, part of playing the game is to cooperate with those on the same side of the fence. What David Coulthard did at the Melbourne FI GP was terrific if you were his team-mate, but lousy if you were a punter betting on DC to win. It has long been part of the FI scene to have teamwork, although it is somewhat difficult to succeed

Editorial ; Editor ' David Hassall Technical Editor iTony Glynn i Assistant Editor ; Phil Branagan : Graphics Co-ordinator Viv Brumby

with as there are more unforeseen, factors, e.g Engine Failures and accidents. My point of view is that whilst teamwork is accepted in other sports, I remain sceptical as to why such camaraderie is unacceptable in

Advertising i Advertising Manager : Gerald McDornan

Administration

Fl.

Remember Eddie Irvine and his scintillating start in Japan 1997, where he led by a larger margin than Coulthard? He then surren

Managing Director : Chris Lambden

Contacts

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Se.nd ;e::t r - :o TaIk n - :o Bci- ’■ .'-nn Ca : 6£ Vir 3161, E-'‘naii adO'e^T fV ●ax ro 03 c! .VtcifcXipcn 'v. ,-. ■ ocxr. ncf 'xece .Vi apree v.-ch opc

Melbourne all week, but have Villeneuve, Mark Webber and the $3m Mercedes as an entree to the F1 circus, could try and appeal to a new audience by moving a ‘B’ grade telemovie to ^6w Friday’s practice and support events at a respectable time and duration.

Station’, be innovative and don’t rest on you laurels. ’ Motorsport News is the best allround coverage of world racing, Thank you. Mark Glynn Bethania QLD

Contributors ■ General; Mike Kable, Jon Thomson, i ' Brian Reed, Darryl Flack ! Fl; Joe Saward, Adam Cooper ; Europe; Quentin Spurring, Ian I Bamsey ; US: Bruce Smith, Phil Morris N2: John Hawkins ; ' Speedway: Dennis Nevi'lyn, David 1 McNabb. Wade Aunger. Geoff : Rounds, David l.amont, Chris Metcalf, i Sue Hobson, Michael Attwell, Tony : Millard (UK) ■ Rally; Peter Whitten ; Drag Racing; Gerald McDornan, Greg Ward, Jon Asher (USA), : Dave Ostaszewski (USA), Nick Nicholas, Steven White, Ken Ferguson, Scott Jug ; Super Speedway. Martin Clark (USA), i : Brett Swanson : Karts; Ian Salvestrin, Allan Roark, i Graeme Burns, Edward Krause Photographers; LAT, Dirk Klynsmith, Zoom Photographies, Neil Hammond, ’ Nigel Snowdon & Diana Burnett, Brad Steele, Tony Glynn,. i Thunder-Pics, Marshall Cass, Mike Harding, Brisbane Motorsport, Frank Midgley, John Bosher, : Phil Williams, Mike Patrick (UK) ' (10T0RSP08T NEWS is published by Australasian ' Motorsport News Pty Ltd ACN No 060 179 92S Di'ttcrors C Lambden (Manarjing), D Hassell, A Glynn

;M,iierij| put)li5hed hy MOTORSPORf NEWS is ; copyright ond nviy nol be reproduced in lull or in ; !parr wirhouc the wnrren permission of the : publisher. Freelence coninburions are welcome, and while all care will be taken. Australasian Motorsporr News Pty Ltd does noi accept ; I responsibility for damage or loss oJ material : subrnirted. Opinions expressed in A/lotorspoiT News are not necessarily those of .Australasian Wotorsporr Nc*ws ; Piy Ltd or its staff. ' ’ Reco.mmended and m.-iximuin pnee only.

Dear Sir, As a die-hard motorsport fan, I sat and watched the AGP from 10:00am to 4:00pm. When I saw the move of David Coulthard to let his team-mate Mika Hakkinen pass through, I didn’t think anything of it - just a team strategy. All the fuss in the media is what has stirred it up. The only people that complained were the people who gambled on the race and I don’t have any sympathy for them motorsport is more risky to gamble on than horse racing. Anything could have happened. What would have happened if Coulthard had crashed - they would have still lost their money then. Why did the FIA have to inter fere? The decision was between only one team (which is legal) not two teams. I am really disgusted with the FIA and the Australian public. I bet with all this controversy the teams won’t want to race here next year. We’re just a pack of whingers.

Steven Saunders Strathfield NSW

Get a handle on it Joe Dear Sir, How much longer is Motorsport News going to feature Joe Saward’s hand-down-pants reporting? I reahse the man has years of FI experience but his Schumacher bashing and Hill defending is get ting ridiculous. He wrote in his Australian GP report that he could hardly blame Damon for his blocking tactics on Michael in practice due to what happened in Adelaide ‘94. So, three and a half years later, Damon, in a split second, thought to himself, “I remember Adelaide mate,” and deliberately blocks Come on Saward. As you say, Damon is no angel either, so stop using the Adelaide incident to defend Damon every time he and Schumacher have a moment on the track. Top marks to Michael for not making a big deal over what hap pened. But you (Michael) still have a long way to go before you’re back in everyone’s good books...

Stephen Thomas stephen@amitar.com.au

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used to do a better job! Get the hint 10 or it may be the ratings that start to slide.

him?

1 Email; msnews@corplink.CQm.au

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dered ^his lead to Michael Schumacher. Where were all the critics of such events then? There was a World Championship at stake and not a single whinge was to be heard.

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Dear Sir, For the uninintiated into team

new:

Michael Heitmaim, North Queensland

Skaifey a good type

WHO'S THE BOSS... Mika Hakkinen has three wins in the last three races and David Couthard has two assists... (Photo by Micnaei cooper/Aiispon)

But, as usual. Nine made us wait until after 11pm for edited highlights, Things didn’t improve on Saturday. During four hours of broadcasting they could not show Mark Webber driving the wheels off the Mercedes for a lap. The 15-20 Paul Clai-k seconds we did see were not much of royclark@dingley.net a ‘thank you’ to Yellow Pages or Mercedes, who had reportedly spent $lm to have the car at the GP and Nine cops a serve so definitely did not support Dear Sir, Webber’s efforts to get an Aussie into Fl. Some people never learn. Unimaginative progi'amming and The only thing you can say about contempt for motorsport viewers Murray and Darrell is, “See ya!”. capped Nine’s broadcast of 'Thank goodness,for Martin and AJ’s Melbourne’s Fl GP. ■ expert observations and commenYou’d think that people who coi4d tary, held together well by Ken put Darrell Eastlake on ‘Burke’s Sutcliffe. Backyard’, show ‘Hey Hey, it’s Channel 10 is doing a good job Saturday’ from the GP and not only but I hope they watched the GP and film ‘The Midday Show’ from learned. 'To ‘The Motorsport

... and so does Ten

D ear Sir, Well just when you though t it was safe to turn on the TV, Round 3 of the SATCC proved yet again that Network 10 is losing the plot to what the home viewer not only wants but demands - the whole field and nothing but the whole

field!

Round 3, if I am not mistaken, was the first round of the newly introduced control tyre regulation for the privateers. It would have been nice to actually see some of the racing - and don’t hide behind the fact that you televise the “Privateers Cup” race. It was just not good enough. Also, what about the other 7 or so Level One teams? We would like to get at least a glimpse of some of the action. You know that things are starting to slide when fans, (remember

Dear Sir, In regards to your interview with Mark Skaife in issue 123. In the photo of Mark in his race suit I noticed after his name on the waist strap the letters AB-f. I assume that must be his blood group type. I have never seen that on any other driver’s racing suits. If they

^^en what a good idea. Why

not make it compulsory in Australia, maybe even world-wide? R would make it easier for track doctors to identify the driver’s blood type in case a blood transfusion is needed after an accident, I know the teams would have that information but I think that it might save valuable time. More to the point, a di-iver’s life, Darren Miller North Balwyn VIC ASST ED: And I thought it imeant Skaifey was an Abba fan. ... Seriously, while it is not compulsory to have a name or blood type on a suit, many (if not most) drivers, have their blood type already; Dick Johnson even has ‘Penicillin Allergic’ on his.

By Bariy Foiey

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