Motorsport News Issue 229 - April 17-30, 2002

Courtney on top in British F3

gnort Australia $5.95 NZ $7.50 inci GST

c cC

(/) cd cd CO

<

news

■

No. 229

E\/EFi\^ SECai\lO WBDlMBSajVY

April 17-30 2002

i

.t

Biaiifs speaks out after his I FullmrV8 report inside

\

$

'f ■.

\

y

«k

■H i /

k*V .I

r

\

-■“1

■

* >7y, ► -

■ ■

■

♦

i

% /

r.

,

4

K5.''

●l3 “ .O' I

.

■? ●

t/3 CO

i‘

-^v

4-¥

o 5

●.>

o

. /^ / T

> V

'o.

● S'

y .

^

' 'V Y'

●^

I

*

4

t

iw

4

* ' '#

i

■f-

MichadI ioMds Ferrari 1-2 at home en

f

»

/

> ●*

, ●*

*.P

h ^

*» -.

/

f

t

if

#

9

e

*

MarSiw

jf.

■o

%

^ www.ford.com.au

i

news

issue 229

17 - 30 April 2002

news and opinions 4

Air Bargs Reactions to Bargwanna’s big one at the Island - and will he be back in the same car?

6

Trouble brewing Unhappy murmurings within the TEGA board

9

Hond-BAR Is Honda looking at a BAR buyout?

12 Best of British MG turns its attention to CART 25 Motor Mouth ‘My Weekend’

by Jason Bargwanna, aged 30 26 Box Seat Joe: My word is my weapon 82 Talk Converter So, what s

features -CastroL

race coverage

I 42 /Si-

-vpdofbna

1

'(iSt \ 34 Ford strikes back Ambrose gets on the scoreboard at Phillip Island 42 Complete dominance Ferrari pulverise all comers at San Marino 52 Super-Power Will wins in FHolden debut 54 Take a Bowe JB too good on home soil in Nations Cup 56 But wait, there’s more Ail the PROCAR Series supports from Tassie

%

»»32

HAwt ARC title, anyone? Forest Rally proves that iltlOtOfSPOll championship chase is wide open

cRuiiycH! Bargs speaks out after his U

n Photos: Cover: ^ Bruce Craven. ' Marsh/BOTHWELL, I' n Contents: ^ Marsh/BOTHWELL, Dirk Ktynsmilh, John 8 MMhl^ Morris/Mpix, Mick Polltleal uphaavni for Vt tupareara?' Fishburn

20 Motorcycles

60 Rallying

64 Speedway

66 NASCAR

68 Drag Racing

70 Histories

72 National Scene

76 Marketplace 3

Skaife criticises Ambrose tactics MARK Skaife has taken Marcos Ambrose to task over his driving tactics in the first race of the second round of the VS Supercar Championship Series at Phillip Island.

After Ambrose narrowly led the championship leader to the line for a narrow win, the Holden Racing Team leader criticised the Ford driver for excessive blocking, which slowed the leaders down to the extent that Jason Bright caught them on the final run to the chequered flag.

During the dice, Skaife ranged alongside the Pirtek Falcon several times, but each time was forced to the outside at Honda and MG Corners, the track's most obvious passing opportunities.

"Does it get any worse than that?" Skaife asked. "Have a look at the lap times. I could have almost got around the OUTSIDE of him. It was pretty obvious, but every dog has his day."

While Skaife was not expecting an easy ride, he claimed that losing more than 2s a lap to the chasing Bright meant that he believed that Ambrose was

blocking excessively.

Ambrose, who scored his first race win in the race, was suffering from a lack of tyre grip late in the race, and that contributed to the dramatically reduced pace.

After running mid-to-high 1m35s and faster laps until lap 30 of the 34 lap race, Ambrose's pace dropped into the 1m36 bracket on lap 32, followed by 1 m39s laps over the final twocircuits.

With Skaife forced to run the same pace. Bright closed the gap by 4s over the final two laps, though he himself had dropped into the 1m37.4s bracket, despite the fact that he was closing on a clear track.

Skaife pointed to the fact that there is a 'gentleman's agreement' on blocking, with CAMS's V8 Supercar Driving Standards Observer Colin Bond thought to be unlikely to call any penalties for blocking in the closing three laps of a race.

*'' l t

... and caps a fine TO add insult to injury, Skaife and Todd Kelly have been hit with fines of S2000 after failing to wear Dunlop caps on the podium.

Skaife and Kelly, who drive for the Bridgestone-supported HRTand Kmart teams, donned HSV and Todd Kelly caps respectively for the Island podium presentation and later wore them at the media conference. Thirdplace Paul Radisich, whose Dick Johnson Racing Team is Dunlopsponsored, wore a yellow Dunlop cap.

While the team pointed to their contractural arrangements with sponsors, in Adelaide, where Skaife won both races, he wore a Dunlop cap on the dais, right.

- PHIL BRANAGAN

4

/m‘ Dili Kh

k

tiihl

Boom Cl

Bargwanna, Murphy unr

by PHIL BRANAGAN

JASON Bargwanna may still race his Valvolme Commodore VX at Eastern Creek next week, despite his huge Phillip Island crash last Sunday.

Bargwanna walked away from a 200kmh rollover at the start of Race 1, after making contact with Greg Murphy’s Kmart Racing Commodore. But then Bargwanna approached Murphy in pit lane and, after a briefface-to-face confrontation, the pair were separated by a paramedic and team members.

Folio-wing the race, Mprphy was disqualified from the results for his actions, which meant a rear ofthe grid start for Race 2, while Bargwanna faced a stewards’ hearing later in the day and, as a result, has been given a $5000 fine, suspended/or six months. During that time,-should the Valvohne driver be involved in a similar incident, he will have to pay the fine.

Bargwanna confirmed on Monday that the Garry Rogers Motorsport team’s first option was to repair his cun-ent racecar, which was damaged badly, but less badly than appeared on race day. Ifthe team decides not to proceed with the car, he will race the team’s 2000'Bathurst--winning VT, updated to VX spec.

Understandably, both Holden drivers have different views on the incident; “I went and spoke to him,” said Bargwanna. “I pushed him as I explained to him how unhappy I was about the situation.

“He made a better start and I moved to protect my position. After I made my move, he hit me in the rear. At the end of the day, it was an avoidable accident.'There was no overlap at all.

“I was concerned about being hit by someone coming down the chute.

I thanked Garry and the boys for keeping me alive, basically.

“It would have to be the worst accident I have ever had. I was in fourth gear, going about 200(kmh)”.

On the other hand, Mui-phy sees that no fault lies in his actions at the start of the race; “I was -within my rights,” said Murf “I was on the right side, there was an overlap and he kept mo-ving over on me. We touched, and that resulted in a pretty big accident.

X..

hi

: ' I

“If he had left the gap that was there originally, we would have raced all the way - to the first comer.

The Stewards did not want to listen to what I said. I find that very strange. I am not sure what the case was, but we have to live -with that”.

It was not the first time that Bargwanna has crashed at the track. Three years ago, his GRM Valvohne VT aquaplaned offthe Gardner Straight at over 200kmh and suffered a major impact, almost destroying the car.

This time, despite his disqualification from the race, Murphy is unrepentant; “There will be no apology from me over what happened”.

See Motor Mouth with Jason Bargwanna, page 25 moiorsDort news

l >V

rash Opera epentant after Phillip Island carnage

IL

The Big Hit: Jason Bargwanna’s Valvoline Commodore crashes to the ground after its 200kmh tumble at the start of Race 1 at Phillip Island. Note debris still flying through .the air in the top photo.

As the rest of the field trails through the scene, the extent of the damage can be clearly seen; note rear axle assembly, still with hub, brake and wheel attached, on the track.

Bargwanna is led away from the scene by officials, below, from where he confronted Greg Murphy in pit lane soon after.

(Photo sequence by Bruce Craven)

NEWS

Larko gets more Power for Q500, Bathurst EXPECT an announcement later this week that Phillip Island Formula Holden winner Will Power will co drive the Orrcon Falcon with Mark Larkham at the Queensland 500 and Bathurst 1000. The Queenslander, who has tested the car on three separate occasions, will make his V8 Supercar debut, after finishing runner-up in last year's Formula Ford Championship. n Paul Weel debuted a brand new K&J Thermal Falcon at Phillip Island on the weekend as well as a whole new white and blue look. The new car is the fifth Falcon the team has built, of which three have been retained by the Queensland-based team. Weel is yet to sort out a codriver for the endurance races, though has added Hog's Breath Cafe to the Ford's flanks. We expect plenty of free vouchers ... n What do you do when you're a V8 Supercar driver, don't have to PreQualify at Phillip Island and there's not much else to do. You go surfing - well that's what Kmart Racing's Greg Murphy did on Friday.

Our spies tell us the Murph isn't bad on a Malibu either. n The Bathurst 24 Hour continues to get people talking overseas but expect to see a decent number of support races as well as the 'race around the clock'. The GTP ThreeHour will join the bill - no longer on the V8 Supercar meeting's program - with a one-hour V8 Brute race and HQ Holdens also being mooted as taking s'fiots on the support card. n Sports Sedan fans will be pleased to know that the 'big bangers' will be on television screens this year. Network Ten's 'Trackside' will show highlights of each of the five rounds of the Australian championship throughout the year. n Don't head to Oran Park on May 12 and expect to see the PROCAR Championship Series rather than doing the Mothers Daything. The Oran Park round has been moved forward a week to May 4/5, the same weekend as the Konica V8 Supercar Series and Australian Formula Ford Championship at

f

Phillip Island. n Former Shell Helix Racing and CAT Racing engine builder Alan Draper has boon appointed the now Data Analyst for the I’HOCAR Championship Series.

II April 2002

5

CAMS enquiry for Adelaide 500 A CAMS Enquiry scheduled for __ last Monday night may have implications for the results of the Adelaide 500.

The enquiry has been called at the behest of several team owners, clearly dissatisfied with the fact that Garth Tander was credited with a lap in the results that he did not do on the racetrack. Tander was classified second in the results for Race 1 in the Clipsal 500, behind championship leader Mark Skaife.

The results, which have been declared official, could be reviewed as a result of the enquiry.

The enquiry will examine submissions from competitors affected by the decision, as well as “other related persons that are relevant to the issue”.

The main points to be dealt with in the enquiry involve claims that the stewards of the meeting acted outside their authority, and not in n the best interests in the sport, and discriminately, and brought the sport into disrepute by giving Tander the lap.

The enquiry was scheduled to begin just after this edition of Motorsport News closed for press. A full news story will be in the next issue, on sale May 1.

-PHILBRANAGAN

TEGA Board chal

Jones calls for franchise change brad Jones has called for sweeping changes to the structure of V8 Supercar racing.

The OzEmail Racing driver and co-owner wants to see a change in the way entries are allocated to races in the future, and a major modification to the current PreQualifying routine, where cars which do not qualify in the top 25 grid spots face PreQualifying for the following race.

"Every Level 1 team should have two guaranteed starts and every Level 2 team should have one guaranteed start," says Jones. "The competition will stil l be extremely stiff; that is the nature of competition. If we are three garages short of accommodating all the cars, then the promoters will have to spend the money to have a garage for everyone."

Jones went through PreQualifying at Phillip Island but qualified 28th for the races the following day, meaning he will have to line up again for Eastern Creek - as will former Touring Car champion, Glenn Seton.

"I think the way things are now is wrong.

We are sending people with good commercial sponsors home after PreQualifying, and things are not good.

"Bernie Ecclestone looks after his people in Formula One, They get to stay in the sport. We need to help our people and help 6

them get coverge for sponsors."

Jones is not against PreQualifying per se; "You can have a spot, or two spots, for PreQualifiers, People who already have franchises should have spot.

"Other sportspeople are not treated like that. I cannot turn up with 17 mates and play against the Essendon Bombers. I do not think we can afford to be tunning people away; they will lose their sponsors, and the sport suffers."

One aspect which would have to be modified under Jones's proposal is the end to having Level 1 teams expand their entries beyond two cars.

"I think Level 1 entries should be only able to run two cars. You can limit the franchises to having associations; you don t want too much power in someone's hands.

If they want to have more than 2 cars, they can lease a franchise off someone like Glenn Seton, who is only running one car at present.

"Let's say that is 37 cars in the field. .Tell every track in Australia to make room for them And if the franchises become available, TEGA buys them back.

"The teams at the front do not think that they will ever have to go through PreQualifying. What if Mark Skaife is leading the series, and has a problem in the

penultimate round; he would have to PreQualify for the final round. And if he has a minor problem in PreQualifying then? The bloke leading the championship may not make the final round. Ridiculous."

Regardless of whether his proposal has support or not, Jones also want to see a solid front from the teams.

"It should all be sorted out internally.

There are people speaking up ... I have been through the PreQualifying experience, and I will have to do it again, it's not pleasant, but at least we have two cars,

nnessy problems. People are auick to take a onffie Board. Whoever is on the Board, they should be listening to their members and take on board what they are saying. ® of unhappy people and the result is that a lot of decisions being made are not reflective of what the franchise holders want.

Turning up the heat: Jones wants to see changes to protect the team sponsors in thefuture.

IPIwM by Jnbn Morris/Ml'UI

motorsport news

A

NEWS

.S

competing in any one race,” His Honour detennined.

The hearing came after THE Board of the Touring Car McDougall did not PreQualify for Entrants Group(TEGA)faces a the Clipsal 500,the opening round spill at a general meeting to be of the 2002 Championship. held soon.

Ironically, McDougall did A Notice of Requisition issued by PreQualify for the Phillip Island team owners John Faulkner and round, but will face PreQualifying Peter McDougall seeks to have the again for the next round at Eastern Board, currently comprising Creek at the end of next week.

OzEmail Racings Kim Jones, Dick “There is a maximum level of Johnson, Garry Rogers and TWR discontent among members,” said Racing’s Jeff Grech, removed from Peter McDougall, principal of office. It is proposed that a new Dugal McDougall Motorsport this Board be elected fi-om candidates week.

Grech,-Kees Weel of K&J Thermal “That has manifested itself in Racing, John Briggs of Briggs letter circulate among the Motorsport, Castrol Perkins’s Larry members,from Anthony Tratt, Perkins and Sin’omet Commodore Steve Reed, Jeff Grech, Wally driver Paul Morris.

Storey, the Faulkner letter ... that The Notice comes less that a is a significant number of people or week after unsuccessful legal teams who are concerned about the action in the Supreme Court of way the Board is administering the Victoria last Wednesday. In that sport. And that is only the last fom' matter, before Mr Justice Beach, weeks of information.

Dugal McDougall Motorsport .“If you speak to some of the sought an injunction to force TEGA teams, the general feeling is that to increase the grid size for the the Board is moribund and the second round of the V8 Supercar administration is inept. There have Championship Series from the been a number of rule changes and current 32 cars to the track’s retractions that have happened in nominal capacity of 36 cars. Mr the last six months. The paying of Justice Beach dismissed the case points to the last 15, for instance ... and awarded costs against DUgal how ridiculous is it to pay points to McDougall Motorsport. only half the competitors?

“It is the function of TEGA and ‘Who does the management AVESCO to determine appropriate represent? The owners, who have limits on the number of cars at least a million dollars invested in capital, and expenses of at least half that per year. They put on a ( great show for the fans.

“But more than 50 percent of the —teams are asked to put their investment in jeopardy to do that. I can remember when we were struggling to put on a field. I remember when Tony Cochrane was running around the country, telling promoters that they had to have provisions for a 40-car gild.

Now we have 32 cars grids.

“To add insult to injury, the CEO, Wayne Cattach, said that we could change it to 36 cars without a problem. It was never a safety

by PHIL BRANAGAN

lenge IK!f.

OzEmai 17 April 2002

issue; it was a provision to cull the field. As an owner, I resent the management telling me that.

“If you go into the field and cannot make the cut by the rules made by CAMS,it’s OK. If it is because of some inequitable decision, that’s not fair.

“Look at Adelaide PreQualifying.

Seven of the cars in PreQualifying there were in the top 15 cars in qualifying proper ...”

The proposed spill comes after a number of recent matters, including a report from a meeting before the Grand Prix support event that 12 team principals made a recommendation to the Board to re-establish TEGA’s Technical Committee, only to have the Board members vote against it, despite apparently overwhelming support.

n You may have noticed TV ads for the Honda Indy 300 between the never-ending tirade of 'Big Brother’ episodes. Early tickets sales for the October 24-27 CART and V8 Supercar extravaganza are running at record levels, and anyone buying a ticket prior to June 30 will go into a draw to win a helmet signed by drivers such as Michael Andretti, Dario Franchitti, Paul Tracy and Scott Dixon.

JP'iMJoy,

0

I

^\ n Just after we went to press with our last issue, a certain overseas V8 driver was due to have a Formula Holden test. Max Wilson was at Phillip Island and due to have a steer of one of the open-wheelers of Hocking Motorsport, though time ran out and the Betta Electrical driver ended up jetting back to Queensland without getting any laps. n We hear a certain front-runner in the smaller car classes of GTP is looking at the viability of a step up to Nations Cup. Without giving too much away, an R34 Nissan Skyline has been mentioned as replacing an FTO Mitsubishi. No, you have to go and work it out for yourself...

l

n Look for two of the Ford Lasers from the Clipsal 500 Celebrity race to head for GT-Production in the near future. Falcon driver John Mcliroy has grabbed the cars, with former Camry pilot Alan Holgersson to drive one.

Let's just hope one of them isn't the car that Big Brother's Jemma put into the wall at Adelaide! n Newman-Haas pilot Christian Fittipaldi will miss this year's Indy 500, even after being offered a ride with

Treadway Racing as team-mate to Arie Luyendyk. His CART car owner, Carl .

Haas, refused to release the Brazilian, just as he had refused to release his team-mate Cristiano da Malta, who was offered a drive by Hollywood.

Mark Dismore, Greg Ray, Sarah Fisher, Max Papis, Roberto Moreno and Bryan Herta are all also seeking Indy 500 rides. n Speaking of Fisher, she will fill in for Robbie Buhl this weekend at Nazareth in the Team Purex G Force/inifniti. Buhl, who suffered a concussion in a qualifying crash at California Speedway, hasn't been cleared to drive due to dizzy spells.

Fisher, who has been released from her contract with Walker Racing, is expected to run a second car for the team at the Indy 500.

1

To JFR and beyond

John and Mark; Look for Faulkner/Noske at Bathurst.

MARK Noske has confirmed that he has an agreement to drive alongside John Faulkner in the Dynapack Commodore at the V8 Supercar endurance races this year as the team looks for a budget to run a second car for him in the sprint rounds.

“JFR are still working on it and hopefully there’ll be a second car for Hidden Valley,” said Noske.

In the meantime, Noske is again looking to race in the United States, with a view to go racing in the Indy Racing League or Toyota Atlantics.

With the backing of new sponsor Razor(an Australian electronic trailer jacking system company), which backed his Formula Holden comeback on the weekend at Phillip Island, Noske will head to the United States late next month.

“Razor haven’t committed but they’ve shown interest in something in America,” Noske said on Monday.

“The idea of doing Formula Holden was to keep both options of open wheelers and touring cars open.”

No.ske drove one of Graham Watson’s cars on the weekend, the veteran team owner also having a link with now IRL driver, and former Formula Holden Silver Star champ, John de Vries.

The IRL, its new Infiniti Pro Series and Toyota Atlantics are all options says Noske, with his engineer of the past two season, Ian Brown, a former employee at Patrick Racing.

“And then again, there’s always Sportscar racing in the US as well as open-wheelers.”

B

(Photo by Mark Jones)

Noske himself raced in the US Formula Ford 2000 series in 1996 and tested an Indy Lights car for Team Green in late-1999, so any American racing program wouldn’t be entirely out of left field.

-AARON NOONAN

Phoenix FI yada, yada

PHOENIX Finance Ltd, the phantom organisation that has more 'representatives'than it does owners, is taking legal action against the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone Formula One Management over the question of whether Phoenix has the right to an entry in the 2002 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

The FIA says it does not. Phoenix (represented by Tom Walkinshaw) says it does.

"We believe that they don't have an entry," said Max Mosley. No doubt we will hear in the next few weeks."

There are all kinds of issues involved in the argument, including the additional complication that after the collapse of Prost Grand Prix, the French motor sport federation cancelled the team's national licence.

Under the FIA rules, this means that they team cannot hold an international licence. , , The British Motor Sport Association later granted Phoenix a British national licence but this was obviously not done for Prost GP. In addition, sources at the international federation say that Phoenix has not made the necessary declaration of its finances not has it paid the $95m deposit (or competed in the championship in the previous year).

We understand that attempts were made to dissuade Phoenix from taking legal action but the organisation declined to take the hint.

Tom Walkinshaw has been distancing himself from the project, saying that he did alert his longtime friend Charles Nickerson to the potential purchase of Prost assets and offered to help him out with engineering support and personnel but says that is his only involvement.

-JOE SAWARD

Formula P THE Australian Formula Ford Championship will be missing from television screens this year. unless a new source of funding can be found to pay for the television time.

As part of company cutbacks, Ford have slashed the amount from its marketing budget, (a separate entity to the Ford Racing budget which backs the series as a whole), leaving the category searching for approximately $300,000 in order to pay for television time.

It's one of those things," said Formula Ford Association Administrator Margaret Hardy.

"Jl's purely a commercial The footage from Wakefield Park is in the can, but It s now a case of finding someone ^0 put it on television. There's al sorts of options we're looking at.

"It's very difficult for but We just have to get on and find someway of funding it v^'Ch Porsche Cup manageito do last year."

/

The lack ofjelevision time is a b|flw torf many djii(^s toarns'

moiorsDorl news

A

-V

Will Honda

move on BAR?

by JOE SAWARD

THERE have been all kinds of strange rumours floating about in Formula 1 circles in recent days but the most believable one is that the links between BAR and Honda are going to be strengthened in the years ahead.

Honda has consistently denied

Will BAT’S absence make the heart go ‘Honda’?: The links between British American Racing and Honda could be stronger in the future.

(Photo by Marsh/Bothwell)

that it will have its own FI team and that policy does not seem to have much changed, but it is also clear that British American Tobacco cannot continue forever in FI because of the forthcoming tobacco ban in global motor racing.

The ban is due to come into force at the end of 2006.

There was speculation last week in The Montreal Gazette that the Bombardier company may be discussing taking over the sponsorship of the team and that BAT may have commissioned the investment bank Goldman Sachs to find a buyer for its shareholding in the team.,This does not seem very likely,las David Richards is believed to

TV deal \which relied on the fact that the series would be shown on television and included that in their proposals to backers at the start of the year.

Series front-runner Marcus Marshall said that the loss of television time had hit the class, however other avenues of media exposure for sponsors would have to be explored.

"It sure doesn't help with people being able to see the young drivers get out there and show what they can do," he said.

"I don't think there'll be a rush of people dropping ou^ because of it. Ford is still supporting the series,, it's just that there's no television. it's been

hard explaining that to sponsors.

Some people are very disappointed but you still have to push the other angles of the crowd numbers at races and other forms of media.

"If they'd (Ford) said something to the category earlier, someone may have been able to do something about finding someone to foot the television bill.'That's the most disappointing part of it all.

- AARON NOONAN

m mrk klvnmim

17 April 2002

have an option to buy BAT’s shares.

The departure of BAT would, of course, leave the team without an identity and Richards says that he is working towards establishing a new identity.

Richards says that whatever happens the team will not be a Prodrive FI operation, as Prodrive is a service provider rather than a brand in its own

right.

The implication in this is that a Prodrive-owned FI team would probably end up being badged by a manufacturer, in much the same way as the relationship which exists in the World Rally Championship between Prodrive and Subaru, which now dates back 12 years. That team is a joint venture between Prodrive and Subaru, with funding coming from BAT. The blue and gold Subaru Imprezas between 1994 and 1998 became globallyrecognised and, even with BAT stopping funding the program, the organisation kept the same colours to maintain the visual branding of the team. It picked up the 555 sponsorship again this year when BAT decided to get back into rallying.

There is talk in Japan of an increased Honda presence in FI but the company is still worried about the risks involved with its own FI program (a la Toyota). A deal along similar lines to the Prodrive-Subaru operation would minimise the risks involved while allowing Honda to be seen to have an FI team. It would also enhance the reputation of the Prodrive company in the automobile world.

The current BAR-Honda deal runs until the end of 2005 but is possible that the BAT link might disappear quite quickly to open the way for Honda to step in.

What would be needed before such a deal could go ahead would be a big new sponsor to replace BAT to be the third party in the deal.

There is an element of supposition in reporting this but there is no doubt that things are moving in that direction now that Richards is running BAR.

A

NEWS

n There has not been much North African involvement in racing except when the region was under colonial rule, notably in the 1930s. But an Algerian racer has now appeared in the Italian Formula 3 series. Nassim Sidi Said has the backing of Khalifa Airways and he Sonatrach oil company for his program, racing a Stardrive-run Dallara-Opel in Italy. n Renault has decided to extend the use of its Renault Sport name beyond the realms of motor racing and is to launch a range of folding electric bicycles using the Renault Sport name. The Renault company currently sells 8000 bicycles a year but hopes that the 'Renault Sport' will pump up the volume. The bicycles are being built in Taiwan by the Giant group. n The Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo is to host a Ferrari and Maserati exhibition from the end of this month until the middle of July. It is not the first time that the Italian cars have been treated as art, nor the first time that they have appeared in a major gallery, the earliest major event being at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1993 but as Japan is one of Ferrari's major markets a little help from the art world will not go amiss. n When the Ford Motor Company dumped its chief executive Jac Nasser in October last year, it embarked on a massive restructuring program to cut costs. This did not however extend to Nasser himself.

Documents which have been lodged with the US Securities and Exchange Commission indicate that the former cWef executive has a deal to receive $34m in salary and compensation in addition to shares worth another $10m early next year. One wonders whether Ford might have been better off giving the money to Jaguar Racing to help fund its adventures ... n The Asian Formula 3 Challenge kicked off recently at the Batangas circuit in the Philippines. The series, which features both Formula 3 and Formula Renault machinery, will include seven events this year with China, Malaysia and the Philippines each holding two races and the seventh taking place in Korea. The opening event was won by Filipino driver Jojo Silverio ahead of China's Franky Cheng. n Full details are now coming to light about the new structure of British American Racing. The team comes under the direct control of new managing-director Nick Fry, who is also in charge of running the Prodrive company, has a number of different department heads reporting to him including technical director Geoff Willis, head of operations Graham Miller, team manager Ron Meadows and the head of marketing Hugh Chambers.

- JOE SAWARD 9

II

ten

n n n n

motorsport]

NC Monaro for lander?

V8 Supercar Championship* .Rd 3 Eastern Creek .

Garth in the frame for GRM-run Nations Cup Monaro

home of

Apr 28

May 19 .. .Hidden Valley ..

.Rd 4

Jun 9 ... .Canberra

.Rd 5

Jun 30 .. .Barbagallo ....

Jul 28 ....Oran Park

Rd 6 .Rd 7

Aug 18 ...Winton

.Rd 8

Sep 15 . ,.Old Raceway ..

Oct 13 ,.. .Bathurst

. .Rd 9 -

Oct 27 ... .Surfers Paradise

.Rd 11

Nov 10 .. .New Zealand ..

Rd 12

Dec 1 ....Sandown

Rd 13

' MONARO-WATCH,part IV. The anticipated appearance of a Monaro in the Nations Cup Series is still very much on the cards, despite the fact that the Championship already has two rounds under its belt.

Garry Rogers Motorsport is believed to be ^r^earing up to run a Monaro of its own in the series, in addition to preparing shells for other Monaro customers, with Garth Tander tipped \ >to take the wheel in between his V8 Supercar 1 duties, 3 iiy. This would make Tander the second V8 I' Supercar driver to jump into the exotic sports car series, with OzEmail Racing's John Bowe ■; already successfully campaigning a Prancing 'h Horse Ferrari 360 GT. The inclusion of the Monaro in the Nations Cup championship has been on the cards since last year, however the car's debut was delayed to allow for minor changes to the series regulations that would help the Holden take to the track on a more equal footing with ^-the frontrunning Porsche GT3s, Vipers,

.Rd 10

Konica V8 Series* May 5 . . . .Phillip Island Jun 16 . . . .Oran Park

.Rd2

Jul 7

.Rd4

●>

.Rd3

Winton

Aug 4 . . . .Mallala

Rd 5

Oct 12 . . . .Bathurst

.{non Championship)

FIA Formula One World Championship Apr 28 . . . .Barcelona

Jun 9

.Rd5 .Rd6

May 12 . . .A1-Ring May 26 . . .Monaco

.Rd7

●Montreal

.Rd8

Jun 23 . . . .Nurburgring Jul 7 .Silverstone

, .Rd9 -Rd 10

Magny Cours

.Rd 11

Jul 28 . . . .Hockenheim

.Rd 12

Jul 21

Aug 18 . . .Hungaroring .

.Rd13

I Sep 1

.Rd 14

Spa

It is expected that the Nations Cup Monaro will take to the track for first time around tLamborghini Diablos andthe Ferraris. te'-July, with hopes that it will be ready to race not long afterwards.

Peter Floyd, who was originally linked to the Monaro deal, is now out of the picture after becoming a partkDwner of PHR Scuderia, In the meantime, two Monaros will participate in the Targa Tasmania, which : begins this week.

CART FedEx Championship* .Rd 3 Motegi

Apr 27 Jun 2

Milwaukee

Jun 9

■Montreal .

.Rd 4 Rd 5

Jun 16 . . . .Potlland

.Rd 6

MofoGP Motorcycle Championship* Apr 21 . . . .South Africa

^

May 5 . . . .Spain . . . .

.Rd 3

May 19 . . .France . . .

Jun 2 .Italy

,Rd 4

Jun 16 . . . .Catalunya

.rd 6

Photo by Marshall Cass

,Rd 2

.Rd 5

SBK World Super Bike Championship* Apr 21 . . . .Japan

.Rd4

May 12 . . .Monza

Rd5

May 26 . . .Britain Jun 9 .Lausitzring

.Rd7

Nations Cup Mays . . . .Oran Park

.Rd3

JaPS

.Rd4

. . .Canberra

Jun 23 . . . .Winton JuM4 ■ Old Rac eway

Rd6

.Rd5 .Rd6

r

1 ten L A

home of

motorsport] Umflf#"'

■

“tendar were correct el the

Sorias marked with

telocasl on Network Ten are an (iBtorisk . Chock your local gukdoo lor ocroonlng dotalla.

TVRs are coming our way AN Australian version of the UK Tuscan Challenge championship could be up and running by the end of this year.

Run by a TVR Cars (Australia), a new organisation formed to establish and manage the nation wide, one-make series, the Australian series would incorporate elements of the British version, supplemented by some “uniquely local features.”

TVR plans to have the series running by late 2002, with the first full Championship season slated to begin in March 2003, It is expected that the series will be contested over 10-12 rounds.

With top speeds of 300 kph, the 4-litre TVR Tuscans are on among the fastest sports cars the European circuit. The cars will compete in fields numbering between 20 and 24, and are of identical specification to encourage close and

E7 I

(Jnfamiliar sight... for now: A different version of TVRs to this one, pictured competing in the British GT Championship, could soon be a fixture at a circuit .somewhere near you.

competitive racing.

According to a press release, the series will also be tailored to be attractive to televsion - “both ‘leaned back’ and interactive".

There will also be moves to link

(Photo by Siition-Imagcs)

the series with other high-profile Australian sports.

The Tuscan Challenge will precede the anticipated re launch of TVR cars on the Australian market. motorsDort news

A

V

Tassie wants more Baskerville wants round ofPROCAR Championship Series

NEWS

n One of the many visitors to the FI paddock at Imola was former FI driver, and 1985 Indianapolis 500 winner Danny Sullivan. The Kentucky-born driver now lives in France but continues to run a variety of racing-related businesses. His presence in the paddock at Imola

was obviously not just for pleasure but Sullivan declined to give details

of what he is up to in FI circles ...

n Michael Schumacher is to be awarded the title of UNESCO Sports Champion on Monday in Paris.

Schumacher, who has been a UNESCO Special Ambassador since 1995, will be only the second person to receive such an award, the other being French judo champion David Douillet.

klu.:-: A Tasmania Tour ofDuty? Back-to-back weekends ofPROCAR racing in Tasmania has been raised. Motorsports (Photo hy James Smith) Tasmania are keenfor Baskerville to Join Symmons Plains on the schedule.

by AARON NOONAN WITH its first meeting at Symmons Plains in the books, there's already talk of a Tasmanian double-header for the PROCAR Championship Series.

Motorsports Tasmania, a consortium of 35 racing enthusiasts that own the track and has an eight-year lease on the circuit from the Youl family, is keen for the PCS to run at Baskerville, the 2.01-km circuit which is also now under the control of Motorsports Tasmania.

"We've done a lot of work to to eight people per car w ho are contributing substantially to the improve Symmons Plains and local economy." next year we hope Baskerville one of the best driving and With the V8 Supercar circus making its last appearance at spectating circuits in Australia Symmons Plains in 1999 and will be good enough that we can host a second PROCAR round a only a round of the TOCA-run Super/Future Tourers in week later," said board member 2000/2001, Tasmania has been Greg Crick, himself one of the starved of national motorsport.

Apple Isle's b'est racing exports.

Motorsports Tasmania plan to "This whole state is going to survive on tourism. The PROCAR- —use the profits from the PROCAR meeting to help re Championship Series is the ideal build Symmons Plains and bring show for us because it brings so Baskerville up to national many categories and cars - and standards. all these teams have brought six

AFTER a dominating debut in Fonnula Holden at Phillip Island on Sunday,above, 2001 Formula Ford series runner-up Will Power is also going to add Formula 3 to Ms open wheeler resume.

The Queenslander, who will shortly be announced as Mark Larkham’s co-driver in the OiTcon Falcon for the endurance races (see briefs), tested a 1997-model Dallara at Queensland Raceway recently for a new Brisbane-based team, and looks set to debut at the next round of the series at Oran Park on May 4/5.

1? April 2002

“I’ve still got to be able to race something during the year,” said Power. “I’m hopeful of it being in Formula Holden. I would really love to have a championship in something next to my name though in any categoiy Racing the F3 would give me more experience as well.”

'The addition of Power would create further interest to the growing Formula 3 class, giving it another driver with open wheeler experience in other classes to spice things up and provide more competition.

-AARON NOONAN

n Jean Aiesi's test drive with McLaren was supposed to be a oneoff affair but the problems encountered with the new Mercedes-Benz VI0 engines mean that Jean will be back in a car this week at the Mugello test track in Italy, driving alongside McLaren's regular test driver Alexander Wurz.

The pressure is on Mercedes at the moment and the need for two drivers to do engine endurance work is an indication of how important it is for the team to move forward. n We hear that there has been an official complaint from a rival team to the FIA about the behaviour of the Arrows team at the Australian Grand Prix. The team had both of its cars black-flagged from the event for brealjing the rules and the complaint is believed to be based on the decision to send Enrique Bernoldi out in the spare car.

The argument, we hear, is that the FIA International Sporting Code states that teams should "be acquainted with the statutes and regulations of the FIA, this Code and the national regulations""and that they should "undertake to submit themselves without reserve to the above." The penalty for breaking this rule is that the team in question "will have the licence which has been issued to them withdrawn, and any manufacturer shall be excluded from the FIA Championships on a temporary or permanent basis." it will interesting to see how the federation will react to this accusation ...

H Tliere were a group of Russians visiting the FI paddock in Imola and they had several meetings with FI boss Bernie Ecclestone.

Ecclestone also had meetings with Tom Waikinshaw and Paddy McNally and one can surmise from this unusual combination that the subject was undoubtedly tlie development of the financial side of the planned Moscow GP. -JOE SAWARD 11

J

MGg(

Judd to buili

by JOE SAWARD

The las! Penske-hiiilt race car:' The 199‘J Penskc/Mcrcedes was the Iasi Penskc race car before the tea switched to Rcvnard/Hondas. blow ●nske is building an iRL-spec

V

/o

Penske a

PENSKE Cars has thrown its hat in the ring as a potential chassis supplier in the Indy Racing League.

Team Penske's UK-based engineering arm is now one of several brand-name racecar builders that have formally applied to produce IRL chassis in 2003.

The current suppliers, Dallara Automobili in Italy and G Force Precision Engineering in the UK, are also facing opposition from other companies, including Dome Co in Japan" and Lola Cars International in the UK. Reynard Motorsport, which also declared its interest to the IRL before the deadline, has since gone into liquidation.

IRL regulations stipulate that

t

lies to build IRL chassis any chassis builder must be willing and able to supply and service any team, and Penske has given this undertaking.

If Penske wins the third spot, then that means Lola misses out and will produce cars for the CART series that won't be eligible for the IRL and, most importantly for CART teams, the Indy 500, thus making them purchase additional cars for a one-off attempt at the May classic.

Under long-serving MD Nick Goozee, Penske Cars has not built a complete racecar since 1999. The failure of its PC27 Champ Car that season led Team Penske to switch to Reynards, with which it won back-to-back CART titles in 2000-01.

However, the company still employs a staff of 62 in Poole, Dorset, who have recently been engaged in producing components for various other constructors. These include the McLaren Formula 1 team, the two current IRL chassis makers and, until its demise, Reynard for its Champ Cars.

Penske Cars engineers are also operational in Penske's 50 percent scale wind tunnel in North Carolina, doing IRL aerodynamic work. Penske's allnew IRL racecar is currently being designed by a team led

by John Travis.

The IRL is now judging the applications and will declare up to three approved chassis suppliers before April 30.

- QUENTIN SPURRING

Joe goes again IN further response to the lawsuits slapped on him by his former employers, former CART boss Joe Heitzler, right, has filed another lawsuit, this time naming team owners Pat Patrick and Carl Haas on the paperwork and chasing them for $280 million.

Heitzler alleges that Patrick and Haas conspired against him and began a ‘smear’ campaign in order to have him fired from the position that they didn’t want him to have in the first place.

The suit accuses the two team owners of slander, libel, interference with a contract, conspiracy to interfere and invasion of privacy and seeks $40m for each of the seven counts.

He claims that Haas and Patrick contacted his former employers, including CBS, to search for any holes in his resume, as well as creating and distributing to several media organisations a ‘packet’ of information that would undermine Heitzler’s credibility via “depreciating and false allegations.”

Each of the media organisations, including Speedvision and ESPN’s motor racing web sites, deny receving such a ‘packet’.

-PHIL MORRIS 12

MG Rover has been busy trying to put together deals in recent months to enable the car company to stand on its own two feet. The historic tradition of the company has been tapped by the company's marketeers with a Le Mans sportscar program, a MG ZS toiunng car racer and plans for an MG rally car.

The company has now taken a big leap forward by agreeing to fund engines to CART teams in 2003.

The MG Rover engine will be supplied to whichever of the CART teams want to use the units and will be designed and built for MG Rover by John Judd’s Engine Developments firm in Rugby.

The 3.5-litre V8 will compete next year with Toyota (which will make a decision on its CART involvement aroimd June/July) and a Cosworth-built engine (although it is not yet decided what this will be branded).

Judd, who celebrated his 60th birthday last week, has a long and distinguished record producing engines. He started out in the 1950s as an apprentice with the Coventry Climax company and then joined Repco, helping the Australian firm to win the 1966 and 1967 World Championships with the Brabham team.

Judd then went to work for Jack Brabham Conversions, developing Cosworth DFV engines, and he became a shareholder when Jack returned to Australia in 1971.

Throughout the 1970s, the newly-named Engine Developments prepared Cosworth engines for FI and Indycar racing before starting a relationship with Honda in Formula 2. .

When Honda went off fo F the early 1980s, Judd began building his own Formula 3000,11 and CART engines before joining forces with Yamaha developing VIO engines in the late 1990s.

More recently he has been building engines for touring cars and sportscars.

Just what level of involement Mark Blundell- MG’s recentlyappointed motorsport ‘figurehead’ and former Champ Car driver has, remains to be seen. moiorspoh news

●s'

les Champ Car

d engines for 2003 CART debut

NEWS

■ From the 'oh, damn' department. Somehow we managed to leave out the Brazilian Grand Prix results from our last issue. So, for all those 'stats heads' out there, here they are: 1. M.Schumacher 1h 31:43.663 2, R.Schumacher +0.588 3. Coulthard +59.109 4. Button +1m06.883 +lm07.500 5. Montoya 6. Salo +1 Lap 7. Irvine + 1 Lap 8. de la Rosa + 1 Lap 9. Sato +2 Laps 10. Villeneuve +3 Laps 11. Webber +3 Laps 12. Raikkonen +4 Laps 13. Yoong +4 Laps Not Classified/Retirements: Driver Team On Lap Heidfeld Sauber Petronas 62 61 Renault Trulli 42 Massa Sauber Petronas McNish Pan is Frentzen

Le Mans and now Le Long Beach: Adding to its Sportscar, above, BTCC and potential rallying programs, MG (Photo by Sutton-lmages) Rover will debut in Champ Cars next year.

FIA looks at tyres

FIA President Max Mosley has had meetings with the automobile manufacturers who are planning to start the Grand Prix World

Championship and with the representatives of the two Formula 1 tyre manufacturers.

The discussions were based on the fact that the governing body is worried by the increase in cornering speeds, which has been occasioned by the tyre war, and is looking for ways to reduce this as there are implications for safety.

"We are talking to the tyre manufacturers," Mosley said.

"We are a little bit concerned

that the cornering speeds are now reaching levels which are not reassuring and so we are

now talking about taking measures to stop the cornering speeds going up too much beyond where they are now."

The big question is what the tyre companies can do to slow down the cornering speeds and the various arguments as to whether the tyres should be bigger (thus making the cars slower on the straights) or with more tread (to reduce the grip).

The FIA has long been trying to move towards treaded tyres, if only to improve the marketing possibilities of the sport as a means of development for the automobile industry.

- JOE SAWARD

MAIMNIE FOLD: THE ULTIMATE TRACKSIDE FAN-BOY Tot? At Om At FviiUiF

)

^ ®'KP-WATtgil46' ^ TMiS iS ^ Fairy A^^ATlVgoFt^^Pl?L^t^PHe'scaTs,ait?pi.Y, A4P V FU&HTLESSf /

W

I

17 April 2002 1

?

Qf))

Toyota BAR Honda Arrows Cosworth

Bernoldi Arrows Cosworth Barrichello Ferrari Fisichella Jordan Flonda

41 26 26

20 17 7

Fastest Lap: J.Montoya, 1ml6.079s on lap 60.

■ Eddie Jordan has landed a minor sponsorship this year from Virgin Mobile, the British mobile phone operator. Virgin Mobile will become the official telecommunications supplier to the DFIL Jordan Flonda team.

■ Intthe last few days there have been rumours that the Minardi team will soon relocate from Faenza to Ledbury. The recent changes within the team have undoubtedly caused some disruption as the team has been forced to find new heads for some of the departments in Italy as a result of a raid on the Minardi staff by Toyota Motorsport. Team boss Paul Stoddart says that the rumours are not true.

-JOE SAWARD

By Allan Sdiofield

-'W

Kiwi back

*

ir

Halliday looks at IRL's feeder /

'>

I

K^!

‘tn

n’IT l

i

''J[l »

»il»' 1 ^ I

F1 is at Imola, but it’s not in Dubai: Dubai may have an FI-spec track soon but it’ll be a while before a Grand Prix will be held there?

f*

(Photo by Marsh/Bothwell Photographies)

Don’t book the ticket yet...

UNION Properties, a Dubaibased property development company, has announced plans to build a Formula 1specification racing circuit to be called the Dubai Autodrome and Business Park.

The facility will feature kart tracks, a driving school and tracks for motorcycle racing, in addition to a 5km road course and a business park which, it says, will help to develop the motorsport industry in the Middle East.

There is expected to be a street race in Dubai at the end of this year to help add to the momentum and the aim is to have the track finished within 18 months. The aim is believed to be for Dubai to land a Grand Prix.

Nearby Bahrain is working hard to build its own FI track and makes no secret of its desire to host an FI race on a regular basis.

None of the projects has any deals with either the FIA or FOM. - JOE SAWARD

l

m

ji:

■"f k

by AARON NOONAN KIWI Matt Halliday has headed back to the USA to begin his second year of racing towards a seat in the 'big time'.

The former Formula Holden stand-out raced in Indy Lights last season and finished sixth in

RIARC hits SO

THE Phillip Island Auto Racing Club is celebrating its 50th anniversary, so a few famous faces got together last Friday to help celebrate with some pretty diverse machinery.

Frank Coad took to the track in his replica of the Vauxhall Cresta that won the first Armstrong 500 Ithe fore-runner to the Bathurst 1000) in 1960, while Mark Skaife dived aboard a 1963 EH S4 Holden.

Peter Brock stepped into the Rothmans Commodore VL now owned by Milton Seferis, something of an about-circie, considering it is the car Brock sold to Allan Moffat in 1987 after his bust-up with Holden. It went on to win the opening round of the World Touring Car Championship with Moffat and John Harvey driving.

Russell Ingall dived onto a 1971 Mount Ducati GT 750 and Craig Lowndes got on-board a Repsot/Doohan replica Honda. n

the championship, despite missing the first three rounds.

With the Indy Lights series now dead, Halliday wants to move to the all-new Indy Infiniti Pro Series, which is the new main support act to the Indy Racing League.

"With negotiations well down the track it's the right time to return to Indianapolis and continue making arrangements," said Halliday.

"I also want to carry out all pre-season testing as I was at a disadvantage last year going into an international championship with no testing time. I'm also convinced this is the best series to contest as success should^ assist promotion to next year's IRL championship."

The new series will feature Dallara chassis with 450 hp V8 Nissan Infiniti engines and, although the IRL has connpletecl three rounds, the Infiniti Pro Series does not commence until July thus allowing drivers time for testing and familiarisation with the new cars.

Halliday is again being managed by Kenny Smith, who hopes arrangements will be in place to enable an announcement of Halliday's programme within the next few weeks. motorsport news

I

...V >

to US

ncam

ifiniti Pro Series

\

k.

n

-

Jr-'* if i; I-IJ

*y\ .lu

I

This is what one looks like: This is thefirst peek into the Dallara factory, above, as engineersfit a Nissan Infimiti engine to the rear of the new Infimiti Pro Series chassis that will debut halfway through the year. Matt Halliday is aiming to have a .seat in one allfor himself.

BTCC is back!

THE new season of British Touring Car Championship racing fired up as we went to press with our last issue, though it would have been safe to predict a Vauxhall victory.

But this time it wasn’t Yvan Muller’s name on the trophy, with ‘satellite’ team-mate Matt Neal and factory team-mate James Thompson winning a race each. Muller led most of the way in race one but a puncture forcedrhim to pit, handing the win to the former Independents champ. Dan Eaves took a career-best second in one of Vic Lee’s Peugeot 406s, while 17-year-old Tom Chilton, above in lead, surprised all in one of Barwell Motorsport’s Astras, taking third place.

“We’ve had a terrible weekend up imtil now and even though we’ve won the race - and I’m very pleased about that-the non-finish earlier today(due to engine failure) has hurt us in the early part ofthe season,” said Thompson.

Bernd^s nlRTrlrig tone THESE are the colours that defending DTM Champion Bernd Schneider will carry into this year’s championship. His Mercedes will feature backing from Vodafone, with a whole host of Audi, Opel and Mercedes drivers - including Jean Alesi- keen to topple the Tourenwagen tyro from the top ofthe DTM pile.

11 April 2002

NEWS

n The revamped and renamed Telefonica Nissan World Series is shaping up as a serious rival to the FIA Formula 3000 Championship as a Grand Prix 'feeder' formula. Some strong entries have responded to an ambitious new series management, a new calendar and a new car.

Pleading the 2002 entry list, having failed to land a drive in Formula 1 or CART is F3000 Champ Justin Wilson.

Wilson will be challenged by his very quick team-mate, Franck Montagny, but his main rival is likely to be another FIA F3000 champion, Ricardo Zonta. The Brazilian, who has driven for BAR and Jordan in Formula 1, also signed this week to race for Gabord Competicion alongside Brazilian kart champion Tuka Rocha.

Former Macau F3 Grand Prix winner Andre Couto and ambitious young Indian Narain Karthekeyan will also be on the grid this year, and former British F3 champion Marc Flynes is close to finalizing a deal. n While his elder brother, Tomas, races on the Indy Racing League ovals in the USA, Toby Scheckter will spend his summer on ovals in Europe, competing in the ASCAR series, which alternates between Rockingham Speedway in the UK and EuroSpeedway Lausitzring in Germany. The 22-year-old has been signed this week by the Torquespeed team, which won the 2001 ASCAR title with John Mickel.

ASCAR cars are modelled for Ford, Chevrolet and Pontiac and powered by a 350ci Chevrolet LSI Small Block 'spec' engine, prepared to deliver 450hp. The cars weigh 1300kg and run on.Goodyear 'spec' tyres. n Volvo has launched the S60 Touring Car with which it will contest the promising 2002 FIA European Touring Car Championship. The new car has been under development since Augudt 2001 by Prodrive in Banbury, UK. Returning after a twoyear absence from motorsports as a factory team, Volvo will field a single entry in this year's series, to be raced

by Rickard Rydell and the young British driver, James Flanson. The series will start in France at MagnyCours in two weeks. n A test prototype chassis for the all-new EuroLights series, Europe's first single-seater oval racing formula, will be ready to test next month.

EuroLights will support ASCAR events in 2003 at Rockingham, England, and Lausitzring, Germany, and is being promoted as a feeder series for CART and the IRL. It will have a Lola-spec, chassis with a 450bhp V6 engine prepared in the UK

by Langford Performance Engineering. Average lap speeds of over IGOmph are predicted. Lola Cars International will begin a three-month track-test programme in June.

-QUENTIN SPURRING 15

Bourdais scrapes in I

'' I? T '

-- . n

Courtney ir

still no wins, but Aussie has serie

Le Super Nova: Sebastien Bourdais took the win at Imola, while Ryan Briscoe, bottom, charged after afirst-lap incident which left him last. (Photos by Sution-Images) THE French ruled the second round of the International Formula 3000 championship at Imola, with Sebastien Bourdais taking Super Nova's third straight win at the Italian track.

But the race was one of more frustration for Aussies Ryan Briscoe and Rob Nguyen, who finished 12th and 11th respectively.

After qualifying 15th, Briscoe" was hit by Ricardo Sperafico on the opening lap and dropped to last. In the final laps, he was able to get close to the back of his countryman's car, but could not get past.

"F3000 is a very difficult class of racing, but hopefully if I keep at it and learn something every race then the results should start improving in the future," Briscoe said.

Queenslander Nguyen, 21, was only 0.024 seconds from a top 10 finish after starting 18th.

I had a lot of fun," Nguyen said.

"I made a decent start but then had to run wide off the track on the second lap because another car spun in front of me.

"After that I got back into my rhythm quite quickly and was just focusing on catching the guys ahead.

"The important thing is to finish, and I gained a lot of experience by racing in a group."

Bourdais had to fight off all kinds of pressure from Rodrigo Sperafico, while local Giorgio Pantano took third from Antonio Pizzonia, Patrick Freisacher and Tomas Enge.

The next round of the International F3000 series will be held at the Spanish Grand Prix, in Barcelona, on the last weekend of April.

JAMES Courtney leads the Britisl}, Formula 3 championship - but he still is yet to win the race.

The 20-year-old from New South Wales took pole position and fastest lap in the two races in the second round of the series at Bonington Park last weekend, but third and second-place-finishes were enough to ensure that he took a points lead after four races.'

The other good news for Courtney is that his Carlin Motorsport team-mate. Irishman

Michael Keohane, took both wins in his Dallara-Mugen/Honda.

“You can’t be too disappointed with that,” said Courtney after the races.

“We are scoring points all the time, which is good. We had a few dramas with an engine change between races and then having to cure a coohng problem'on the grid.”

When his engine overheated in the first race, Courtney was passed

by Keohane and first-round winner Bruce Jouanny.

“It’s bizarre,” Courtney said.

Points; Rodrigo Sperafico 16, Bourdais 10, Pizzonia/Haberfeld 6, Pantano/ Mauricio 4, Wirdheim/Monreiro 2, Toccacello/Kiesa 1. ●<i.

O

' t

ALEX Davsion had a DNF in the opening round of the Porsche Supercup at Imola.

The Melbourne driver qualified ninth but, following a clash with his team-mate, former DTM driver Marcel Tlemann, failed to finish the race.

The race was won by Luca Riccitelli, from former Le Mans winner Christopho Bouchut, Marc Lieb and former Indy car driver Alessandro Zampedri.

16

motorsport news

NEWS

I front

s lead in British F3 Jagged Edge: James Courtney was unlucky at Donington by now leads the series. (Photo by Sutton-lmages) “Both races found me battling with a lack of power and straight-line speed,for two opposite reasons.

“But I’m happy with the results as I have come away^from Donington with the championship lead, the fastest laps and a new lap record.

I’m disappointed I didn’t secure my first race win of the season, but the team keep reminding me that at this stage last year Takuma Sato (2001 British F3 champion and now Jordan FI driver) didn’t even have half the amount of points that I do at this stage.”

The next race is at Knockhill on April 28.

Points: Courtney 61, Robbie Kerr 50.

What a bizarre 2 races I had at Donington Park!

I secured both pole-positions, got the fastest laps of each race (including a new lap record) and came away with a second and a third... but, more importantly, with the championship lead.

Race 1 1 led from the start and took control of the race. Then coming into the chicane on lap 2, I ran over some debris on the track which damaged my bargeboard a,nd blocked the radiator duct. The -engine temperature flew off the scale, which meant the engine management system knocked the power back and I had less straight-line speed.

Inevitably I got overtaken and finished third.

The team changed the engine in between sessions, and when I went out onto the grid for the second race, again the temperature was off the scale.

The team cured an air-lock in the system, on the grid, and took the tape off the radiator ducts to help keep the engine cool.

But in the race, the engine was then running too cold and again the engine management system kicked-in and applied a bit of 'choke' to the engine as if it was dead-cold. So, again, I was running with less than full power and I had to work my bum off to hold second place.

I'm sure I haven't walked under a ladder lately!

Am I disappointed? No. How can I be when I am now leading the world's most prestigious F3 Championship? As the team reminded me; at this stage last year Takuma Sato ('01

champion) didn't even have half the points that I do.

Race wins? They will come, no problem. But no-one really remembers or cares who won individual races...it's the championship that's allimportant and I'm focused on increasing my lead.

But you could always wish me some better luck, though.

I -M

JAMES with JAMES COURTNEY

She has the right idea: While James Courtnev is number one with the grid girls, team-mate Michael Keohane got the champagne shampoo.

(Photos by Sutton-lmagcs)

WVOMOHAMA PERFORMANCE TYRES Sc 3^'^ Simon and Sue Evans - winners of Heat 2, 2002 WA Australian Rally Championship

Scot Redder - 2nd place Heat 1, 3rd overall, 2002 WA Australian Rally Championship

●i -

V-

17 RprII 2002

ii

17

LoriQ Beach CART

rd like to be like Mike ¥

1

TOYOTA

iirr -

1

■>

Ls

V

■:

■>■

Gambling’s for Las Vegas but it works at Long Beach! Winner Michael Andretti, right, as well as Max Papis, above and champagne splashing right, gambled on theirfuel strategies and come out in front after the final stop. Michel Jourdain Jr, below, again showed his talent by takingfifth.

MICHAEL Andretti, who collected his first career victory at Long Beach in 1986, ended a 16-year drought at the venue and picked up his 42nd career victory on the weekend.

Andretti beat polesitter Jimmy Vasser to the line by 0.466s, with Italian Max Papis taking third, a team-best-ever result for Sigma Autosport.

"It's such a big win," said Andretti, who started 15th.

"This place is very special to me because this is where I got my first win. It's a big win for us because we kept Honda's win streak going as we'll. When you start at the back of the pack you have to do some gambling, and that's just what we did."

Under overcast skies, championship leader Cristiano da Matta (now in a Chevronliveried machine) rocketed around the

lV

(Photos by Siitlon-fmagas)

' *9?

i

outside of Vasser going into Turn 1 and remained there for the first 31 laps, only losing the lead to Kenny Brack for'one lap when he made his first stop on Lap 18.

However, da Malta's chances for the victory were ruined when he exited his pit and collided with Adrian Fernandez. He kept running, though retained his title lead by finishing eighth.

The key to the finish came on lap 63,

when Mario Dominguez spun and caused a caution, allowing Andretti and Papis - on a different pit stop strategy to the rest and with one stop remaining - to make their stops and still resume out front.

Brack finished fourth to open his 2002 points account, while Michel Jourdain Jr was again impressive in finishing fifth and moving to equal second in the championship.

Points: da Matta 27, Andretti/Jourdain Jr 22, Franchitti 20, Papis 18, Vasser 17, Fittipaldi 14, Brack 12,Tracv11,Tagliani10.

Optimizing Your Race Car

Seminar Dates

through hotter umlorstamling of Race QarDvnamics anil DataAcouisition

A Claude Rouelle Comprehensive 3 Day Seminar

Claude Rouelle's Race Car Dynamics and Data Acquisition Seminar is a comprehensive 3 day

course covering all aspects of these subjects from both a theoretical and practical viewpoint.

Praised by people involved with motorsport at all levels and professions, it is an essential way to shortcut the learning process or to find that elusive advantage. The testimonials below speak volumes on this:

1

".....When I was starting off, where was somebody like Claude to explain things so clearly rather than having to learn the hard way?" - Owen Hayes, Porsche Motorsport, Weissach, Germany ".....All I can say is I wish I had been able to attend one (seminar) some years ago. It would have short cut the learning process of becoming a race engineer by many years ” Campbell Utile, Race Engineer, Stone Brothers Racing "Even race car engineers who already know everything, say the program was worth Just getting a different perspective on things. And I must say that it inspired me to some interesting new ideas."

- Paul VanValkenberg, author of "Race Car Engineering and Mechanics".

Places are limited - lor more inlormatlon or to book now. go to www.moiec£om.au or call MoTeC Ansiralla on 03 97615050 IB

Texas, USA April 22nd, 23rd, 24th Detroit, USA April 26th, 27th, 28th k/lelbourne, Australia IVlay 26th, 27th, 28th Sydney, Australia May 30th, 31st, June 1st France June 18lh, 19th, 20th Wlooresville, USA September 3rd, 4th, 5th Sydney, Australia October 14th, 15th, 16th Melbourne I, Australia OctoberlSth, 19th, 20th Indianapolis, USA December 8th, 9th, 10th Germany December 13th, 14th, 15th UK December 18lh, 19th, 20th

proudly supported b y 3 Day Seminar Price $1,350 (plus GST)

motorsport news

7 /

/

tjgm^eatestbiand^

4

4

RMXlBUat

r Austniia'smestrangpri

FAMOUS AUSTRALIAN MADE RPM RACEGEAR,EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE THROUGH YOUR LOCAL REVOLUTION RACEGEAR STORE

IN ,1

CLUBSPORT FROM $259

NATIONAL FROM $369

MONDIAL FROM $595

TRANSAM FROM $799

i

KART FI FROM $339

TURISMO FROM $999

1

ULTRA FROM $299

HE!_Mf=T

GPJETMKII $699

GPS-K $1149

GPS

$1959 r

/

$649 ISabelt

1/1 I-

o> Q

O ea \3

MAGS

VORTEX

SR PRO

$825

$1995

$875

MS

tUULtmjM 1

DOMINATOR

.$2295

Sabelt

9

Vs,

KAB'

Jk

LEMANS

INDY

$220

$165

KART PLUS

$127

WILLANS

STEP 2

$349

BATHURST II

$189

FORMULA

$59

SPEED

$99

ENDURANCE

$179

PODIUM

$199

PRO 2000 , FROM $1049j

\ CLUB 4X4 FROM $578

Sabelt

/

r

i9 904183 4 WAY 4 PT $555

PRICESINCLUDEflSTSNDftRESUBlEa TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE

ADELAIDE BALLARAT BRISBANE CAIRNS CANBERRA CENTRAL COAST, DARWIN GOLD COAST HOBART

(08)8359 5660 (03)5332 9333 ,(07) 3392 6100 .(07)4035 5100 .(02)6280 5335 .(02)4389 8268 (08)8947 2695 (07)5527 0222 (03)6231 3737

MELBOURNE .(03)9873 8700 MACKAY ..(07)4957 7698 NEWCASTLE .(02)4957 0880 PERTH ..(08)9201 9998 SUNSHINE COAST. .(07)5441 7700 SYDNEY .(02)9648 4044 TOWNSVILLE ..(07)4779 2488 WOLLONGONG..., .(02)4225 8532 OR FREECALL1800 804 778 TO REACH YOUR NEAREST STORE

MotoGP Duck season?

Reports indicate that Ducati will unveil its new MotoGP bike at the Italian GP on June 2. There is no news on whether the V4 will be on static display or will be ridden around the Misano track, but the latter seems to make sense especially since Aussie Troy Bayliss will be 'off that weekend from SBK duties... n Two strokes ruled the 500cc GP class for a long, long time; the last four-stroke win in the top class was all of 26 years ago, with Giacomo Agostini winning the German Grand Prix on his MV Agusta. The last Honda four-stroke win came 35 years ago when Mike Hailwood won in Canada.

n The latest rounds of the AMA Superbike Championship in the USA saw Anthony Gobert and Honda's Nicky Hayden share the spoils. The Aussie Yamaha rider, above, was too fast in the first race, winning by 6s from Hayden, Doug Chandler and Pascal Picotte (Ducatis), but the Daytona 200 winner struck back in a shortened second race, winning from Eric Bostrom (Kawasaki), Mat Mladin (Suzuki, who was sixth in the first race after spinning a tyre on his rim) and Chandler. Hayden leads the championship.

Second Supersport win for Aussie Pitt IT may have taken World Champion Andrew Pitt a full season to score his maiden Supersport win, but his second came after only two weeks. " The Aussie won a knock down, drag-out fight at Kyalami,leading James Whitham (Yamaha)and Stephane Chambon (Suzuki) in a stunning battle. The 2001 Champion, who failed to.win a race last season, led most of the way until he slid wide before recovering to regain the front and lead Witham to the line by 0.157s.

Chambon, who had dropped back with five laps to go, was 1.5s back at the flag.

Chris Vermeulen (Honda), Jorg Teuchert and Christian Kellner(Yamahas) and Fabien Foret(Honda)staged another huge battle for fourth, Teuchert passing Foret on the very last corner for the position. Vermeulen dropped back to ninth by the end after he ran out of rear grip.

Of the other Aussies in the race, Karl Muggeridge finished 13th, while Kevin Curtain was an early retirement on his Yamaha.

Points: Pitt 25, Whitham 20, Chambon 16, Teuchert 13, Foret 11, Kellner 10.

WANT TO RACE A

V8 SUPERCAR! You could own your own V8 Supercar and pit equipment for if you are the successful Tenderee for GM Motorsport's V8 Supercar.

Tender Application Forms available for ^220. Minimum of Five Hundred (500)Tenders required.

Tenders closing date is 21 June 2002.

The V8 Supercar outfit competed in last years Konica V8 Supercar

Series with several top io finishes and competed at selected Shell Rounds.

Car is ready to race Konica V8 Supercar or Sports Sedan complete with huge amount of spares and pit equipment.

PH PHONSY MULLAN: - 0418 562 057 for your tender application package.

20

THE premier class of world motorcycle racing was given a severe makeover during the off season, with the new MotoGP season allowing 990cc fourstrokes to join the 500cc twostrokes on the grids.

That meant new bikes from Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Aprilia for the 2002 season.

So it's all change, right?

Er, no. Valentino Rossi keeps winning, adding the first victory of the new era at Suzuka to the four straight he had at the end of 2001.

It was a masterful performance from the World Champion, who stalked his way into second and waited to pounce with six laps to go to take a Is win.

"I was happy to follow riders," said Rossi after the treacherously damp race. "Ryo was going well and I passed him near the end of the race. I am glad we do good racing. It was a good spectacle.

This season will be close."

Yes Val, we are sure it will be ...

The good news, though, is that it was not the Honda slaughter many had predicted. After leading most of the race, Suzuki test rider Akira Ryo took second from Carlos Checa, looking far more at home on Yamaha's four-cylinder bike than team-mate Max Biaggi, who was one of many riders to eat the scenery when he pitched his bike down the road in the slippery conditions.

Where were the 'strokers'?

Olivier Jacque looked the most likely challenger, but after running with the leaders early on, was given what many saw as an undeserved stop/go penalty for a jumped start. Norick Abe took 'class honours' in fifth (behind Honda widcard Shinichi Itoh) from Alex Barros's Honda and Nobuatsu Aoki's steady Proton, while Reggie Laconi (Aprilia), Loris Capirossi (Honda) and Daijiro Katoh (Honda) filled out the top 10, albeit a lap down on the leaders.

After complaining about his bike in the pre-season, Kenny Roberts was overshadowed not just by GP part-timer Ryo but by regular team-mate Sete Gibernau, who looked strong for a podium finish until the Suzuki got away from him.

Aussie Garry McCoy qualified 17th in his return after a broken leg, and joined the list of fallers early on. At least he was in good company; Biaggi, Gibernau, Jurgen vd Goorbergh, Roberts, John Hopkins, Jeremy McWilliams, Shinya Nakano and Tohru Ukawa all went sliding on the perilous track.

Maybe the challenge from Yamaha and particularly Suzuki is real. Maybe the results and the conditions flattered the opposition.

But Rossi won - again - and he looks like he did last season, and that is what is supposed to count.

Points: Rossi 25, Ryo 20, Checa 16, Itoh 16, Abe 11, Barros 10, Aoki 9, Laconi 8.

2_:

motorsnon news

A

.\V

WORLD SUPERBIKES

Maniac Bayliss is still perfect in 2002 SOMEONE is going to beat Troy Bayliss this season - but it has not happened so far at Valencia, Phillip Island or Kyalami."As he had done at Phillip Island, the World Superbike Champion gave best in Superpole, again to Honda’s Colin Edwards, but he added two more wins to his 2002 total, following Ben Bostrom (Ducati) and Noriyuki Haga in the first race rmtil he asserted his

WITH 2001 250CC Champion Katoh playing in the big sandpit, wildcards dominated at Suzuka, with Osamu Miyazaki (Yamaha) and Dalsaku Sakai (Honda) heading the pack.

Best of the rest was Randy de Puniet, who finished 22s back on his Aprilia after fighting off Haruchika Aoki's Honda, which went down on the final corner.

Emilio Alzamora (Honda) and Sabastian Porto (Yamaha)filled out the placings, but Marco Melandri and Fonsi Nieto both crashed, Nieto remounting to finish 13th, while Melandri crashed again, this time for good.

Aussie Casey Stoner retired after stepping off on the first lap.

Points: Miyazaki 25, Sakai 20, de Puniet 16, Alzamora 13, Porto 11.

ARNAUD Vincent started his assault on the 125 title with a win in Japan. His Aprilia had the better of Mirko Giansanti, 2001 Champ Manuel Poggiali and Nobby Ueda, who ran off the track at high speed at 130R. Vincent rode a conservative race to win by 1.1 s. Steve Jenkner and Jaroslav Hules both had turns at leading until falling on consecutive laps, while Simone Sanna (Aprila) and Japanese wildcard Shuhei Aoyama (Honda) filled out the minors.

Points; Vincent 25, Giansanti 20, Poggiali 16, Ueda 13, Sanna 11, Aoyama 10.

17 April 2002

superiority to win by 4s. In Race 2, Bayliss and Haga put on a great dice, with six changes of lead before the Ducati pulled away to a 2.6s win over Haga’s Aprilia.

Bostrom and Haga’s dice for second in Race 1 ended when the

gaoioMO

Japanese pitched his RSV Mille down the road, leaving Edwards to take second place from Ruben Xaus’s Ducati, Bostrom and Neil .

Hodgson (Ducati).

Xaus got the better of the Edwards Honda in the second race, with Hodgson, Bostrom and Haga filling out the minor placings.

The performance set two records for Bayliss, becomingfhe first rider to win six straight races in the SBK(Carl Fogarty won five

Just the odd half-dozen: Troy Bayliss made it six in a row in 2002, his Ducati untouchable In South Africa.

(Photo by Slipstream Photographic)

straight) and equalling Giancarlo Falappa’s three straight rounds at the start of the season.

“The first race was crazy in the opening laps,” smiled Bayliss. “I just sat back a little and watched Nori(Haga) and Ben (Bostrom) go at it. I gave them a few laps to settle down and then decided it was time to get going.

“I did enjoy the second race. The pace was a lot faster and Ruben gave me hurry up in the middle stages, but I was then able to settle and do a lot of laps in the closing stages that I was happy with.”

But, despite his perfect start to th^ current season, the man from Taree is not that confident about the next round in Japan, where local wildcard riders are usually notoriously hard to beat; “All I can say about the next round in Japan is that if someone puts some money on me winning the double there, then they’ve got rocks in their head,” he gidnned.

“I haven’t had the best of results there in the past two years, but for sure I’ll be there trying my best as always.”

Points: Bayliss 150,Edwards 105, Xaus 79,Bostrom 77.

it

MoreO

1

ENGINE MANAGEMENT & DATA ACQUISSTiON SYSTEMS

TRAINING SEMINARS Attention to all MoTeC users and Interested persons. Due to popular demand, MoTeC Australia will be holding an updated series of one-day training seminars focusing on Data Acquisition and Analysis with the MoTeC Dash Logger, and the MoTeC Engine Management Systems.

These seminars are open to all current MoTeC users and those intending to use MoTeC products.

MELBOURNi

BRISBANE

Engine Management System Engine Management System 1st June 2002 llth May 2002 ADL Dash Logger 12th May 2002

ADL Dash Logger 2nd June 2002

SYDNEY Engine Management System 16th November 2002 ADL Dash Lo^er 17th November 2002

The cost of attendance is $175 (inc gst) per person, per day and includes morning/afternoon teas and lunch, and all comprehensive course notes and relevant documentation.

Bookings are essential and places are at a premium, so to reserve your place at the seminar, please be in contact with: Melbourne & Sydney Registrations Donna Arbuckle MoTeC Research Centre Ph: 03 97615050 Fax: 03 9761 5051 Email: donna.arbuckle@motec.com.au

Brisbane Registrations Vonnie MoTeC QLD Ph: 07 3352 5155 Fax: 07 3356 9725 Email; motec@gil.com.au

W av&iB fiisappotnimeM

Kanaan for Indy

Q

Brazilian to run in two-car Nunn/Hoiiywood team

His timing just isn’t right: You give him an Indy drive and this is what Tony Kanaan does ...

(Photo by Sutton-images)

MO Nunn Racing’s Hollywood outfit will expand to two cars for the Indy 500 in May. Nunn’s regular Champ Car pilot Tony Kanaan wiU become Felipe Giaffone’s team-mate in a one-off IRL appearance, having had a test session early in the season in Homestead.

It was always in the plan for Kanaan to run the ’500 since Nunn’s team made the annoimcement that it was joining the IRL at the end of last season, though it has only just been made official. Both wiU campaign G Force chassis with Chevrolet engines and Firestone tyres.

Sponsor Hollywood actually made

enquiries about the availabdity of CART points leader Cristiano da Matta,though Newman-Haas Racing have said that their driver is unavailable for any Indy assault and is focused solely on the FedEx Championship Series.

“I owe them a lot of things since I joined the team,” said Kanaan.

“I stiU owe them a victory. I can’t think of a better place to do that than my first Indy 500. It’s going to be my first time racing there ifI can puU off a Montoya(2000 winner)or a Helio(Castroneves, 2001 winner), that would make it three winners in a row by Indy 500 rookies. So we have that going for us!”

-PHIL MORRIS

From one Japanese engine to another: After using Hondas in CART and now Chevrolets in the IRL, Roger Penske's, below, team, will move to Toyotafor 2003.

(Photos by Sulton-lmages)

Fisher unhooked

SARAH Fisher is on the hunt for an Indy Racing League and Indy 500 seat, having been released from her contract with Walker Racing.

“During the time I was there.

Walker Racing almost became a second family for me,” Fisher said.

“But we have’t been racing in the IRL this season and that is what I need to do.”

Walker had been unable to find sponsorship to run the 21-year-old.

“Sarah had requested to be allowed to pursue other opportunities, and we have agreed to release her from her obligations to the team to allow her to do that,” he said.

“I think she has a great future Looking for a ride: With ties to Walker Racing cut, Sarah Fisher is now ahead of her in the IRL, and we wish her the best of luck.”

(Pholo by Sutton-images) a free agent.

'erneM's ileal done Brit to run Indianapolis 500 in May

4

i

kii

lyiT:

n

22

\

i'lii

IT'S taken some time, but Johnny Herbert has finally inked a deal that will see him attempt to qualify for the first time at the Indianapolis 500.

The three-time Grand Prix / winner will link up with the Dusenberg Brothers Racing team, which has previous experience mainly in Toyota Atlantics and )j is made up of descendants

of the legendary car-making family, whose cars won the Indy 500 in 1924, 1925 and 1927.

Beck Motorsports will actually run the #32 Dallara/Chevrolet; the same outfit previously was involved in running Billy Boat's #98 team.

Western Union will be the sponsor of the Brit's first Indy 500 attempt.

However, Herbert will have to qualify on the first weekend of qualifying as he has an ALMS Audi commitment on Bump Day. - PHIL MORRIS

Indy

TEAM Green has undergone its first laps at Indianapolis since it won the race in 1995 with Jacques Villeneuve.

Both Paul Tracy and Dario Franchitti ran their IRL-spec DaUara/Chevrolets for two days, the Canadian flying around with a fastest lap of 226.6 mph.

“Fm really excited about our chances in May,” said Tracy.

“Team Green’s goal for the test was to find some baseline setups for the car, but we were able to get comfortable fast and we started posting some quick speeds.”

The team has also confirmed that 7-Eleven convenience stores will back the team’s Indy 500 effort, as we reported last issue.

motorspon news

INDY RACING NEWS Indy 500 for Network Ten

Z]

ADDING to its FedEx Championship Series telecasts.

Network Ten has confirmed that it will televise the Indianapolis 500, the fifth round of the Indy Racing League, live.

While it is a oneoff, the network says that televising any additional IRL races is unlikely (even though they hold the rights), though packaged highlights will be shown on its 'RPM' program.

V

1?^

by PHIL MORRIS TOYOTA will link with Marlboro Team Penske when it joins the Indy Racing League next year.

While it will continue to supply engines to CART for 2003 now that the Champ Car sanctioning body has adopted virtually the same engines as the IRL, Toyota has moved quickly to add Penske to its stable, which already includes Kelley Racing.

The announcement is not totally surprising, especially considering that Penske owns Toyota

dealerships in the United States, Mexico and Brazil, including the world's largest Toyota dealership in California.

"Toyota's automotive and motorsports heritage demonstrates its commitment to' excellence," Roger Penske said.

"We have had many successes with Toyota in our business-to-business relationships over the years and look forward to continuing successes on the racetrack."

Penske’s team, with drivers Gil de Ferran and Helio Castroneves, will be one of the teams involved in the testing of the new Toyota Indy engine later on this year.

The team has been designated as one of Toyota

" Racing Developments (which will supply most of the parts for the engines) engine rebuilders, meaning that other teams can have Toyota engines prepared by Penske, rather than the manufacturerlease-exclusive-type deal in CART. The powerplant has been undergoing dyno testing by TRD in Costa Mesa since February and will begin on-track testing this later this year.

"It’s a historic day as we enter a partnership with Penske Racing, the most successful team in open-wheel racing history,-‘'said Jim Aust, Toyota vice president of motorsports.

"It’s great to partner with the 11-time Indy 500 winners. In addition, we’re thrilled to continue a long-term relationship that has developed both on and off the track."

I

MM '

I

m

lA

J. green

m

Back at the Brickyard: The 1995 Indy 500 and CART championship-winning team is back at Indy. Franchitti, {Photo by Sutton-Images) above, is a rookie at the Speedway.

II April 2002

IRL limits chassis makers THE IRL has decided to cap the number of chassis manufacturers in 2003 to three.

Limiting the number of constructors is a first for the League, which currently has G Force and Dallara building cars for the category.

The League said that capping the numbers was necessary due to the high number of enquiries for 2003 as well as heading off any disasters, citing the example of Reynard in CART this year and Riley & Scott in the IRL in 2000.

Dallara, G Force, Lola, Penske and Swift are among the manufacturers 'to apply for IRL participation, with a result due in about a month.

Let’s go testing WITH the Indianapolis 500 just six weeks away,teams are busy testing at the Speedway in a bid to find speed as well as reliability for what is shaping up as the most competitive race in-the IRL-era.

Eddie Cheever pushed 225.386 mph out of his Red Bull Dallara/Nissan on April 9, compared to Scott Sharp’s pole speed of 226.0 mph (four lap average) last year, "We are running some engines that are the same configuration as the engine we had at the California Speedway because the updates are not available yet."

Team Rahal returned to the Speedway for the first time since 1995, with Jimmy Vasser posting the second-fastest speed of 224.664 in the No. 19 Miller Lite Dallara/Chevrolet.

"We're working on stuff that is real back-to-back oriented, straightline speeds and different wheels and things that we need to get answers for," said Vasser, while rookies Alex Barron and Tomas Scheckter both ran their first laps of the Speedway.

A two-day test at Nazareth Speedway was reduced to one day due to bad weather on April 4. Helio Castroneves emerged fastest at 172.824 mph. 13 drivers tested on the one-mile oval that will hold its first IRL race this weekend.

23

Sportscar Nbm^s Katayama back to Le Mans AFTER a two-year absence, former Formula 1 driver, Ukyo Katayama, is to return to Le Mans, aiming to go one better than the second piaoe he aohieved as a member of the Toyota Motorsport squad in 1999.

Katayama, who will be 39 a fortnight before this year’s 24 Hours^ will pilot a Courage C60 for Pescarolo Sport, co-driving former race winners Eric Helary and Stephane Ortelli.

Katayama will also renew a relationship with Andre de Cortanze, who designed the Toyota and is now Henri Pescarolo's chief engineer.

Katayama bowed out of Formula 1 at the end of 1997, having contested 9& races for Tyrrell and Minardi. n The refurbished former venue of the Dutch Grand Prix, Zandvoort, will not host a round of the FIA Sportscar Championship until 2003.

The seaside venue is located in a built-up area and is restricted by local noise regulations. It has now gained permission from its civic authority to operate on three additional days but, because the decision is open for two months to appeal from local residents, the FIA has been unable to confirm the 2002 event, which was scheduled for July 14.

The series will not visit Mondello Park in Ireland this year either because of fixture congestion, according to the series co-ordinator. n Grand American president^ Roger Edmondson expects to publish the final regulations for the all-new Daytona Prototype class as we went to press. With Daytona Prototype project manager Mark Raffauf, competition director Dave Watson and consultant Don Hayward, Edmondson hosted a meeting of interested parties in Indianapolis last week to finalise the details.

The racecar constructors that were represented were Carbir Race Cars, Crawford Composites, Doran Racing, Fabcar, Ferrari, Multimatic, Picchio and Riley & Scott, and the suppliers included transmission specialists EMCO, Hewland and Xtrac.

Edmondson noted that he expected to see completed Daytona Prototypes testing on-track in October, The new class will be adopted in 2003. n BMS Scuderia Italia has taken delivery of two Prodrive-built Ferrari 550 Maranellos, which it will run out of Brescia in the 2002 FIA GT Championship, BMS is returning to GT racing having used a two-car team of Ferrari333SP SRI sportsprototypes to win both the Teams and Drivers titles in last year's FIA Sportscar Championship, with Marco

Zadra.

-QUENTIN SPURRING 24

HA series kicks eff .. K

Panoz confirms Le Mans line-up II

PANOZ has confirmed the lineups for its two cars for the Le Mans 24 Hour.

David Brabham and Jan Magnussen will be joined by Bryan Herta in the lead car, while an allAmerican crew will drive the second of the LMPOls, Former GTS class winner David Donohue,former BMW prototype driver Bill Auberlen and young gun Gunnar Jeannette will drive the #12 machine in the race.

“Bryan hasn’t been there before but he knows the car well and Jan and I should be able to teach him a bit about the place,” said Brabham.

-AARON NOONAN

No more Mopar: But the Judd will do just nicely for the ORECA team scoring a second and a win in the firsi two races.

(Photo by Sutton-lmages) THE FIA Sportscar Championship has kicked off with two rounds in two consecutive weekends, and the wins were shared.

The ORECA-run Dallara/Judd of Olivier Beretta and Nicolas Minassian took victory in the second round at Estoril on the weekend, to make up for a terrible opening round at Barcelona, where the team scored pole but was sent to the back of the grid for a technical infringement. Starter motor problems subsequently dropped them back to second.

They won by lm27s over the factory Courage of Didier Cottaz and Boris Derichebourg, which passed the Jam LammersAfal

Hillebrand Dome in the race’s final stages, the Japanese chassis struggling with worn out tyres.

They overcame the LammersA^al Hillebrand Dome in the closing 20 minutes of the race, as Hillebrand struggled with tyres which were past their best.

Opening round winner JeanChristophe Boullion(who drove with Sebastien Bourdais) and Franck Lagorce (Pescarolo Courage)got as high as second in the race, but fell to fourth, their Peugeot engine not enough to combat their Judd-powered opposition.

The final finisher in SRI was the R&M of Mauro Baldi and Alex Caffi, which was five laps down.

itiey miicfiei^

THE new Bentley sports-prototype for Le IVlans seems bo good shape for the second phase of the marque's return to the French endurance dassicon June 15/16.

Andy Wallace, Eric van de Poele and Butch Leitzinger have covered nearly 3200 kilometres in a reliability test over four days at Paul Ricard, France. The EXP Speed 8 now has a purpose-built, four-litre, twin-turbo V8, and has been thoroughly revised since its third-place finish at Le Mans in 2001. Bentley will field only one car this year.

- QUEWTIIM SPURRING

motorsport news

/-

■'

.s

V

OPINION

The Great Escape

I

T looks like everyone was talking about me at Phillip Island for the wrong reasons.

The Valvoline Commodore didn't make a great start to Race 1 and it made an even worse finish. It is never very good when something like that happens.

It all seemed pretty weird.

Until I got home to Melbourne and had a look at the crash on video, I was sure that the car only went over once.

Obviously, I was wrong ...

It would be a sin if I went any further into this and did not thank Garry Rogers Motorsport's crew for building the best race cars in the business. Everyone always says that, "You are all right, that is the main thing", and they are right. I emerged from a huge crash without anything more that a few bruises and some stiffness. By building such a strong Commodore, the GRM guys saved my life literally.

Safety is always at a premium in the sport. There

are rules and regulations that govern what happens, and sometimes, while barrelling away for that last tenth of a second, we drivers are not thinking of those things first.

What next that happened I got out of thewas car as quickly as I could and went off with the medicos, who did a great job. Actually, there was not much for them to do!

Then I wanted to confront Murf and, well, express my feelings to him about the whole thing. There are guidelines about what you can and can't do at the start of the race and, in my mind, what he did was pretty clearly one of the things you can't do. I believe that my point of view was pretty clear cut.

In hindsight, I might not go and speak to another driver in that situation first-off. It might have been better to go and sit down, think about things and have my say about it later.

But, as everyone always says in these situations, hindsight is usually 20-20.

t was good to get into the Top 10 Shootout on the Saturday.

Conditions were pretty diabolical, with the rain and so on, but the car responded pretty well (the guys did a great job with set-up) and both Garth and I progressed through the sessions with some confidence.

Then, when I went out for the Shootout itself, the worst thing happened; the rain stopped! That meant that 1 had the worst of the conditions and my main mission was not to crease the car and bring it back in one piece. That I did but, the next day, it didn't matter much!

The guys have had a good look at the car in the GRM workshops. It's probably a little bit too early to figure out what might and might not happen; as I write this, the car is not as bad as it appeared on first look. The guys are working overtime repairing it, but if time runs out, we have the option of having another car with 'Bargs' written on it at

"Until I got homa to Melbourne and had a leak at the crash on video, I was sure that the car only went over once.

Obviously, I was wrong...

wjtl Jasoi Bawmu

/

Eastern Creek.

The team has the 2000 Bathurst-winning Commodore sitting in the shop and, with a bit of work and some VX Commodore pieces on board, it should be a good thing to have by the time we get to Sydney next week.

I am looking forward to it.

Eastern Creek is always a challenge and it is about time that another Holden team put one to the HRTs at the front of the field.

I reckon that could be me; it's about time my luck changed . .. isn't it?

Not an Island Holiday: Jason Bargwanna’s stricken Valvoline Commodore sits on the track while the tailenders take avoiding action at Phillip Island.

(Photo by nob Potts)

ft

-Jason Bargwanna

■

>

/●‘j

A'

●>

. 4.

17 April 2002

I

■

25

t

^.

t ngues, wi s j

T

here are many areas in which Formula 1 is an amazing and professional world and there are others that are so badly done that it is laughable.

Merchandising has always been an enormous failure, given the exposure that global television offers to the teams.

Ferrari, one of the 10 most recognised brands in the world, nnade about $31 m from the sale of merchandise last year. To you or I, that may sound like a lot of money but, in a world where college basketball teams make many times that kind of money the Ferrari effort is not that good, and Luca di Montezemolo sees it as a major area of expansion in the future.

Ferrari sells far more merchandise than anyone else in FI. The other teams make only a fraction of the money.

The handling of the media IS another area in which FI is virtually hopeless. I always think of it like a game of American football, where the ball is the story and you have to get to the man running with it. You can sit on the sidelines eating popcorfr and be told what is in the ball. If you have no morals at all, you nnake it up. Or you can get out there on the pitch and try to avoid the blockers who throw themselves at you.

A lot of Fl people say; "Oh, WG never read the press", but you soon found out that they do when you write something controversial. Being a Formula 1 journalist gives one a lot of power and, in many respects, is a lovely life.

The tongue, so they say, is the strongest muscle in the human hody, but giving the tongue a lot of exercise does not make it stronger. If you want big muscles with which to punch people, you can go and lift weights but letting one's tongue wag a lot does not give one a more powerful voice. In fact it is often the opposite.

A few words can say a great 26

deal more than a lot of words.

When we were kids we used to chant "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" but when we grew up, we found that that was not true. The worst pain in life comes from words, usually when they are being used against you by someone you respect.

Clubs and cudgels leave bruises but they go away. Words stay with you. They condemn you. The pen is mightier than the sword, particularly in a world like Formula 1 where image is everything.

n order to get the right image, V write^d they get upset^h,en teams dream up stunt after -^^Jt/ou dolopt do it„,Some abuse^' stunt. They will be having n' ‘ '^pme dveh threaten. Jtiey-fail tb cookery classes in the paddock '. und^s'^nd that if lopbing^: before long. Anything to, stop the propaganda,leaflets from aircraft journalists asking difficult is not having the de^red effect, questions. The urge to make they yGoare npt going td achieve everything corporate dulls the anything if younweop down and sport, for it leaves the journalists strafe the pres&from their n lik§ painters with brushes but broomsticks. These people do only white paint. n.ot understand that the best How can you make a colouifuk"' response to criticism is to be picture with that? nice, to get the press to A lot of teams invite you to understarid the problems, to give dinner and give you presents. As them an inside line and make a result, some people expect you them feel all warm and wanted, to write what you are told to "I is sH about

(

t

4,9 simple as black and white: Ron Dennis, in black in colour, has created an amazing motorhomefor McLaren, which is mostly in black and grey anyway... (PhombySMon-imagis)

■atorspert aaws 3

FdRMULA ONE

shoes and wil extravagance

r

secrecy. Until recently, press officers were told that they could not say anything and so they went from team to team changing uniforms each year like Barbie dolls.

Rather than helping you, they were there to tell you why you could not do something.

"I'm so sorry," they would say with a charming smile and a wiggle of the hips. "Paddy Wombat cannot talk to you today because he is in a meeting."

A few minutes later you would wander by and there was Paddy Wombat, sitting picking his nose

surrounded by the kind of people FI drivers are surrounded. was discussing this one day with a team PR. She was explaining to me that the fact that I ignored her and indeed ducked and weaved behind her was not a problem at all.

"Most of the people," she said. "We know how to control them. You are like a poacher. We know that is what you do and there is no point in trying to stop it. We accept it. It's not a problem."

It was nice to feel wanted in

an unwanted sort of way.

Finally, after years of running the gauntlet, I see a new kind of PR developing.

The Barbie dolls are off to the beach, and the witches will end up as test pilots in broom factories.

The latest sign of the times is the new McLaren motorhome. It was easy to ridicule this vast construction but it is a magnificent thing. The amount of work that has gone into designing it is astounding. You actually want to go inside. Most motorhomes, since the invention

"The latest sign of the times is the new McLaren motorhome. It was easy to ridicule this vast construction hut it is a magnificent thing" j

If

■M *'

'●I

V, ' I k;

t

.1

17 IprH 2002

The Box Seat With Job Saward of doors, are about as welcoming as the gates of a Gulag. It was a masterpiece of "psychological design" and there were riotous times on Friday night when the British press were invited along for 'a house-warming'. Ron Dennis and the Fleet Street boys were soon playing drinking games ... and if that is not good PR I do no know what is ...

But for me this incredible piece of architecture was great public relations because it is just what Formula 1 is all about. FI is not about saving money, as some would have you believe. It is not about millionaire team bosses who whinge about not being able to afford the cost of engines and then fly home on the teann jet.

I learned years ago that when 1 came across a busker I would always look at the shoes first because beggars who make a good living always spend money on good'shoes so'that they will end the day without sore feet. I only give money to buskers with really bad shoes ...

The about FI Itfor meglorious is that itthing is excessive. is wildly wasteful and appallingly politically-incorrect. It is a soap opera at SOOkmh. It is Dallas with motorhomes,! in which mentally-unstable bul^ften brilliant people,pla/Mortopoly with real mondty.

It is a vvaplcl*^rvhere theie is always something gf^ing on.

Michael is ' MVfng a with Juan-Pablo L-verydnlrwanfs to know \''.4io said yvhat. Norbei t is grumpy anch-iroHSne underW'antiS . . . Bernlefs cl^swing someoriys ear off. And a bunch of Russians are wandering around saying "Da, da" and "Niet niet".

Wonderful, More of the same please in Barcelona ...

21

Five Minutes with

000

Aiwy PriaWx

Briton Anily Priaulx will race with Kmart Racing at Queensiann anti Bathurst amiis irngressen with the iocai V8 Supercar scene, tie spoke to PBiL BRANAGAIV MOTORSPORT NEWS:TeU us when all this started; when did you learn you were going to drive with Kmart Racing?

ANDY PRIAULX:I had been following the championship for the last year. My mind was first triggered when Marcos Ambrose rang me last year and said,‘Andy, would you fancy driving with me at Bathurst?’And I thought,‘I’d love to’.

I did some touring car racing in the UK last year and I think that kind of got people here thinking about me. It didn’t happen last year; there were some political reasons. An3rway,I drove in British F3 last year for Alan Docking Racing, and Kmart’s team manager Rob Crawford rang up Docko, he put my name forward, and it was one of those deals which was just right from the beginning.

So I spoke to Rob, that was exciting, he was excited to have me and it just happened.

MN:It seemed to happen very quickly?

AP: Just like that. Sometimes, you can speak to 100 teams and nothing happens, but this just worked out perfectly. This was meant to be; part of my destiny!

MN:So how was driving the car for the first time at Winton recently?

! ii

AP: It was good. I never really had any preconceived ideas about the cars. People had told me what the cars were like to drive - they are big, fast, heavy, brakes that, steering this - so I had the opportunity to jump in alongside Todd Kelly and get a feeling for the car straight away.

The one thing which stood out tor me was the fact that you have to creep up on the comers. You cannot throw the car into a corner; you have to load up the car, be smooth, but you still have to be aggressive. But at the same time, you need to have 100 percent restraint. At Winton,I had half a day in the cars and it was only after that long I felt like I was on top of the car.

28

MN:At Phillip Island, it was quick guys in the championship. your first exposime to the V8 It is competitive, for sure. The Supercar Championship Series. racing is tight, the crowds love it, What are your impressions? so I think that it will go back to AP:I am very impressed. We could what it was four or five years ago, leam a lot from this series in the but I can see it taking at least a UK... couple of years to do that.

The championship is exciting, it’s noisy, the cars sound and look great INW: What are the cars like and there is a big grid of cars. The now?,It seems like cost was the fans come out in numbers and they death of Super Touring and love it. Touring cars these cars are on the way up have taken a \\ in the UK after I have done my education in step down, being huge five technically, the UK and now I need to do years or so ago, but to he ahle to n I think that it is my education in Austraiia! move heading up again. I -Andy Priaulx forward. £im hoping that we AP:It can get our reminds me a cars championship up to the same level bit of this championship. The as this. are simpler now than they were, cheaper to budd, cheaper to run MN:Wm the BTCC get back to and it has made the racing closer. the heady days of TOGA, when Ballast, I think, is a good idea, there were eight though sometimes it can work manufacturers,big crowds? against you. But that makes the AP:I think so. At the opening racing closer and the fact that you round at Brands Hatch, we had a can’t drop any scores means that big crowd, we have now five you have to finish every race. So I manufacturers involved, so it is think that the balance is right now. starting to get that buzz about it We have ITV television coverage again. There are a brmch of top as well, which is good for us, and drivers in the series; Yvan Muller, the viewing ratings are good. They Anthony Reid, Warren Hughes, have made is a lot more equal and Tim Harvey ... you have a lot of more difficult for you to throw

money at it. At the end of the day, the big teams will... the cream will always rise to the surface. It’s a bit like it is here; there will be two or three teams which rise to the top, and that is down to expertise, buying the right people in and putting the people together right.

It’s made it a lot more equal.

MN:And what happens from here? Is the next time you come to Australia for the Queensland 500?

AP: No, there will be another test for the drivers.

One thing I did not want to do was just to rock up and hope to do well. I have followed the championship for a few years now, and my eyes are wide open to the fact that the drivers here are very pod,very professional. You can’t just turn up and expect to do well. I have done my education in the UK and now I need to do my education in Australia!

And now for something completely different: Andy Priaulx follows Honda team-mate Alan Harrison at Brands Hatch’s BTCC opener, and in KRT colours at Bathurst last week.

(Photo by Sulton-lmages)

,v'‘

i

1

INTERVIEW

Five Minutes with ...

Petep Hackett

It's been an amwng nienth for Peter Hackett,Just missing out on an F3000 Hriue but laniling one in nrmula HoUen. He spoke to AAHON NOONAN MOTORSPORT NEWS:First of aU, tell us about how it came to pass that you’re back in Australia and not racing in Eimopean F3000 as planned.

PETER HACKETT: We made a decision to go to European F3000 at the Melbourne Grand Prix. One of my sponsors, Sonax, had an interest in a Czech Republic-based team, and they set something up. I legged it off to Prague on March 16 and tested at Vallelunga in Italy.

So I moved to Prague for three weeks, met all the team guys and, at this stage, we were just negotiating the final bits of the contract. It had nothing to do with me, basically to do with the sponsors and the team.

On Thursday last week, the team rang me and said that the South American Formula 3 Champion, Morro, had approached the team with three-times as much money and they signed him up on the day. I went to an internet cafe in Prague at 8.30pm that day, logged into the Formula Holden website as well as looking at other championships. It showed that Peter Hill had been quickest in a test and that they(Murphy Motorsport) were talking to (Fabian) Coulthard.

I rang Kevin and asked if he’d done the deal with Coulthard this is midnight Thursday night and he said he was waiting for a phone call in the next hour and that he’d call me back.

I spoke with him again on Friday and he basically said that if I was in a position to do the deal there and then, then it was done. I packed my bags and left on Saturday,landed in Sydney on Sunday night, Monday I flew to meet the team in Melbourne, Tuesday I went to the workshops and did a seat fitting. Wednesday I had to fly back to Sydney for a m eeting on Thursday to talk to the sponsors and make sure that this was where they wanted to be, and ften I flew back to Melbourne on Thursday night and was at the track on Friday!

road that you had planned out for yourself?

PH: Er, no, because I needed to be in something that was more powerful than a Formula 3.1 needed something that had more aero grip than an F3 as well. I don’t view Formula Holden as a step up, I view it as a different step.

Formula 3000 was going to be my step up. It hasn’t happened at this stage, but we’re .still talking to a few Euro teams at the moment.

Formula Holden has taken a little bit to get used to.

If we decide to do this for the full year, this will be a serious assault on the Gold Star. I’m not here to stuff around. We did a lot of good things last year with winning the F3 championship and running seventh at Macau as well as a strong test with Minardi in F3000, so I’m on a bit of a roll at the moment and I can’t afford to stop that roll.

MN:Is it a case of now running one-off deals here and there now for the rest of the year or settling into the one program and focusing on that?

PH: We’d like to get some Formula Holden also puts me in continuity That was the reason of ^ front of some of the V8 team owners. I’d like to make them coming back to notice me. If you want to be a rr Formula Holden. professional racing driver in It’s a start in a - Peter Hackett championship Australia, you have to race V8s. I’d that is love to drive a V8 at some point, but where that fits in, who knows? recognised and I When I decide that my open could get some points early in the season. It wouldn’t be a case of wheeler career has gone as far as it’s going to go, perhaps it might be MN:In terms of F3000,Fholden missing out on points in the first and F3, you’ve driven them all. a chance to do a ‘Brighty’, and few races and wasting a whole come back to a plumb seat in Comparisons? year because of that.

Australia. But I can’t do that PH: It’s not really issue. Coming We came back initially to look at back from an F3000 - which has without experience and this year, doing the full series, see what once we get some results in the comes up as a result, and see if we 400 horsepower, similar weight, similar aero - to this has been OK. Formula Holden, I’ll make sure can pick up some one-off drives in It was much more difficult going International F3000, Euro F3000 every team owner’s got the CV! from F3 to F3000 than it was going or Formula Nippon for two or three from F3000 to Formula Holden. times for the year. The plan was to come back and have a home and a The top speeds and the entry speeds around Phillip Island are championship to focus on. I’m still Still smiling: After a tough month, living in New South Wales but I’ll the same, while it’s the application Peter Hackett showed good form be doing a lot more commuting of power and the brakes that are at he Island in his first Formuia between the team in Melbourne obviously a little bit different. The Holden outing. and home. aero package and braking of the (Photos by John Morris/Mpix and MN Digital)

"If we decide to dd’thie for the full year, this will he a serious assault on the Gold star. I'm not here to stuff around

MN:Is this a deviation off the 30

motorsport news

.\y

INTERVIEW

j

Inside TWR's cars

Come and see tl TWR Racing has conne up with different and better ways of keeping its drivers informed and its pitstops safe and quick. PHIL BRANAGAN looked inside - and outside - the teams’ Commodores for a technical brief of what,'how and why

NE of the basic tenets of motor racing is that the most important component of any racecar is the nut behind the steering wheel.

On TWR Racing’s racecars, the wheel itself is a pretty interesting piece of gear. As it has done for some time, TWR in general, and Holden Racing Team in particular, has set the pace in innovation, Mark Skaife appearing in late 2001 with a steering wheelmounted Pi Sigma data display, replacing the more common dashboard or steering columnmounted displays which,in the vast majority of V8 Supercars, are supplied by the Melbourne-based MoTeC company.

The Sigma is a specialist display, used most visibly in Champ,Cars (Formula One teams custom-build their own data-on-the-wheel systems) and the appearance of the unit in Skaife’s car was the first of its type in the category.

According to Skaife, it is not that different to a ‘conventional’ system, and did not require a lot of adjusting from the driver’s point of view.

“The dash functions the same as any other dash,” he says. “There are some advantages; for instance, when you are in the pit lane, it is better to have the number(speed in kmh)right in front of your eyes.

But when the wheel is turning, like in a corner, it can be a little harder to read.”

The system has a number of interesting features and, like a conventional steering wheel and display, allows the driver to customise his own preferences to taste.

In the office: Skaife gets cosy behind the Pi dash in the big room if the #1 Holden Commodore. (Phoioby cirk Kiynsmiih)

What’s what n TH)

4

Skaife’s set-up has three ‘pages’ of information; a ‘Race Page’, which displays throttle position, a brake balance setting, road speed in kmh so that he can make track IDs and an indicator for the pit lane speed limiter.

Then there is a ‘Practice Page’, with miscellaneous settings like temperatures for engine, gearbox and differential, along with builtin alarms, and a ‘Warm-up Page’, which prioritises water and engine 32

ALARM

PAGE

Ridmo t ,U'<

●T'

7

MOST of the controls on Mark Skaife’s steering wheel are self-explanatory.

The Pi Sigma dash readout displays three pages of information; this is the ‘Race Page', so the large numerals represent road speed (zero, in this case) and lap time (2,20.76, presumably an 'in’ lap). Skaife can change to different pages with the PAGE switch, bollom right.

The RADIO and FLASH buttons, lop of wheel spoke, are obvious while the SP is for the pit lane speed limiter.

But even the best system has to have a backup: note the written instructions for the driver, left of steering wheel, to communicate with the pits in the event of a radio malfunction. motorspori news

V

.s

TECHNICAL

he Wheel Things temperatures and fuel and oil pressure, as you would like to read when a car is being wanned before heading out on a track.

Like a ‘conventional’ dash, Skaife can scroll through settings, depending on what information he wants to read at any given time.

The dash is connected to the commonly-used MoTeC engine management system, the functions of which are also monitored by the team via telemetry.

As well, Skaife’s Memo wheel has the usual array of driver controls, like a headlight flasher, radio on/off switch, a speed limiter button and so on.

The system is now in use in the other TWR-built Commodores, but so far, no other team in pit road has followed TWE’s example.

But expect that to change; while the Pi systemds pricey (approx $28,000 new)compared to the local product, MoTeC has just exported the first batch of its own wheelmounted systems for use in the Porsche Supercup series in Europe and,like its engine management and fuel injection systems,is likely to be available to local teams for a substantially lower figure than the Pi system.

And,ironically,just as Holden V8 Supercars have Ford diffs ... along with Cosworth and the Jag FI team. Pi Research is part of Ford’s Premier Automotive Group.

Skaifey’s display is actually built by a Holden competitor.

Reinventing the wheel (nut)

WHILE HRT's new dashes may have caught the eye this season,their 2002 innovation of a new design of wheel nut and socket captured the attention in the opening V8 Supercar races of the season.

WhatTWR Racing has effectively done is reverse the relationship between the wheel nuts and sockets; "It (the wheel nut) is internal now; it used to be external," explains TWR engineer Tony McLuckie.

"We changed the socket to a 'male' drive and the rattle gun to a 'female' drive. You cannot

trap your finger on the inside of a spindle with this system, and the nut cannot be dropped in pit lane. The rules say you cannot have a wheel nut stay on the wheel (when it is undone), so now it stays inside the socket, which is fine under the rules.

There is also less chance of cross-threading a wheel nut."

The idea for the change has been around the team for some time, with Steve Macdonald, who runs TWR Racing's machine shop, making many of the suggestions regarding the design of the system, which required the design.

development and machining of wheel nuts, lock and socket, all of which was done in-house at TWR's Melbourne base. Thirty two of each item has been produced.

Some opposition teams have already enquired about acquiring the system, which is in use on all five TWR cars, and despite the innovations, the technology is not expensive.

According to the team, the total cost of developing the system was less than that of buying an imported lightweight Paoili rattle gun.

- PHIL BRAIMAGAN

A rattling good yarn: TWR Racing’s new system consists ofa ‘male'socket and a ‘female ’ rattle gun, which means less chance ofa crossed thread, lower risk oftrappedfingers and, hopefitlly, quicker pit stops. (Photos by MN Digital and Dirk Klynsmiih)

1

A.

17 anrii 2002

33

Phillip Island

Mark Skaife'dropped' his record M to three wins and a second after the second round of the V8 Supercars Championship Series.

But the chaiienge from Marcos Ambrose is real,.with a poie position and a race win.

PHiL BRANAGAN reperts from Philfip island

ARK Skaife is not perfect. His record for 2002 is four starts and ‘only’three wins - and in the race he did not win, he finished second.

But the Man in Red has a long, long lead in the V8 Supercar Championship Series. After dropping pole position to Marcos Ambrose in qualifying at Phillip Island and the Top 10 Shootout, Skaife was beaten to the flag in the first race, Ambrose besting him by a tenth and change, but had an effortless win in Race 2,taking a lead of 276 points into Round 3 at Eastern Creek.

Ambrose was the man who raced him the best, taking his maiden career race win in a Race 1 nailbiter, but the Tasmanian tangled with Max Wilson while

chasing Skaife in the second race, damaging the Pirtek Falcon beydnd immediate repair. He tied for equal third with Paul Radisich, who took the podium position with a third in Race 2 after an earlier eighth.

Todd Kelly made it a TWR Racing 1-2 for the day, with 4-2 results, the former coming after Jason Bright was penalised out of third in the opening race for a pit lane infringement. Bright was fifth overall on the day, ahead of the amazing Cameron McConville, who put a nightmare qualifier behind him to run Radisich close all the way through Race 2.

There was another nasty Island shunt at the start of opening race, Jason Bargwanna riding his n Valvoline Commodore to virtual destruction in a horrendous rollover which was triggered after

Mister 75 pen A

I

7

.V

V

V8 SUPERGAR CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES contact with Greg Murphy.

Afterwards, Bargwanna vented his anger and had to he separated from the Kmart Racing driver, who was disqualified from the results and sent to the rear of the Race 2 grid.

Just before the podium presentations, the track’s public address system played the old David Bowe/Queen hit‘Under Pressure’. Presumably, Skaife was not paying attention. After two rounds, he is not under any and everyone else is under heaps.

Practice and Qualifying IT rained overnight.

Okay, notand Oldrained Testament, ‘get them critters in the Ark’ rain, but enough to make the day dawn miserable and grey.

ent ii,

y.

m

Skaife topped the opening session by a full second and the second, drier practice, by 0.2s, Ambrose the only challenger to TWR in the dry with second ahead of Kelly T, Bright and Murphy, with Bowe upsetting the Empire by taking sixth in the dry from Young Lion Kelly R. Then it rained more. The powers that be had little choice but to combine the split sessions into one 40-minute go, with rain hitting the middle ,qf the session and leaving the wet spectators the spectacle of one of those classic, final laps, lastman standing crap shoots.

The Reds dominated the early running, Skaife topping Bright by a second before both cars nosed into the garages after only four laps.

Problems? Nope, the drivers knew the score and were waiting for the track to show some speed before they got very serious.

That came with 18 of the 40 minutes remaining. After falling off a dozen seconds or so, the splits started to tumble and, while train tracks of drier road started to appear around the track, the aces started to come out and play, led by Ambrose, Ingall and Besnardf The first man to challenge HRT was Bowe, who zoomed to second, then first. Such was the rush that would follow that the time set by the black OzEmail car would end up 20th. At the same time, the reds emerged. There were 13 minutes left...

The moves were coming thick and fast, at three levels; the fight for provisional pole; another to get into the Shootout; and a third for the top 25 and exempt qualifying continued on page 36

PreQualifying s

Go Hard or Go Home PRE-QUALIFYING for round two didn't have the fanfare and lead-up as the Mallala/Adelaide 500 debacle, but it did have the unexpected results that didn't raise their heads in South Australia.

It wasn't surprising that Paul Radisich topped the session fronn Brad Jones and Rodney Forbes, but younger team-mate Greg Ritter - in his solo debut for Shell Helix Racing - missed the cut as well as Paul Morris.

Engine problems in the Sirromet Commodore, namely running on seven cylinders, meant that it had spent much of the session in the pits and -unable to muster a time fast enough, he was heading home, one year a round winner, the next a non-qualifer ...

Ritter (above), though, wasn’t exactly the happiest man in the paddock.

"I'm bitterly disappointed spewing really," he said.

"We came here with a bit of a slightly different setup. It worked OK at Queensland Raceway but not at Phillip Island. The practice session was wet before and we didn't realise we had lots of understeer until we got to the dry. We started on our best tyres but it would have been better to wait and put them on halfway through the session. It looked like raining at the start of the session but it didn't work out that way."

Seven drivers made it in, six missed out, and ironically, the final spot in the session went to Dugal McDougall's Pepsi Commodore - the same team that lost out in court during race week in a bid to have the grid size increased from 32 to 36 cars ... ^ AARON NOONAN

'■ tv-tr'p %

Under the Pirtek Blue sky: Ambrose took his maiden win in Race 1, despite pressure from Skaife and a (Photos by Oifk Ktynsmith) closing Bright. But Skaife walked away with a huge series lead after a Race 2 win.

35

Phillip Islanfl

fQualifying'\

I

'I

-5-

POS NO 1 4 2 1 3 2 4 8 5 18 6 9 7 65 8 16 9 15 10 35 11 51 12 66 13 00 14 34 15 021 16 31 17 02 18 17 19 11 20 21 46 22 600 23 54 24 7 25 43 26 24 27 5 28 21 29 10 30 27 31 3 32 22

Did Not Pre-Qualify

33 34 35 36 37 38

29 71 76 40 75 14

J

TIME 1:44,7753 1:44.9265 1:45.3749 1:45.5527 1:45.7124 1:46.0064 1:46.0248 1:46.0344 1:46.0599 1:46.1439 1:46.1992 1:46.2234 1:46.2459 1:46.2834 1:46.3698 1:46.3704 1:46.4819 1:46.4875 1:46.6077 1:46.6822 1:46.6886 1:46.8206 1:46.9856 1:47.0252 1:47,0453 1:47.4074 1:47.4976 1:47.5618 1:47.9^9 1:48.0071 1:48.0479 1:49.6022

GAR DRIVER Pirtek Falcon AU Marcos Ambrose HRT Commodore VX MarkSkaife , HRT Commodore VX Jason Bright Castrol Commodore VX Russell Ingall Shell Helix Falcon AU Paul Radisich Caltex Havoline Falcon AU David Besnard Betta Falcon AU Max Wilson Castrol Commodore VX Steven Richards Kmart Commodore VX Todd Kelly Valvoline Commodore VX Jason Bargwanna Kmart Commodore VX Greg Murphy Betta Falcon AU Tony Longhurst 00 M'sport Falcon AU Craig Lowndes Valvoline Commodore VX Garth Tender Team Kiwi Commodore VX Jason Richards Super Cheap Falcon AU Steve Eliery EA HYL Commodore VX Rick Kelly Shell Helix Falcon AU Steven Johnson Castrol Commodore VX Larry Perkins OzEmail Falcon AU John Bowe John Faulkner Dynapack Commodore VX CAT Falcon AU Simon Wills Brock Commodore VX Craig Baird 00 M'sport Falcon AU Rodney Forbes K&J Thermal Falcon AU Paul Weel Paul Romano Ultra Tune Commodore VX Ford Credit Falcon AU Glenn Seton OzEmail Falcon AU Brad Jones Orrcon Falcon AU Mark Larkham 00 M'sport Falcon AU Neil Crompton Lansvale Commodore VX Cameron McConville Pepsi Commodore VX Dugal McDougall Paul Morris Greg Ritter Matthew White Cameron McLean Anthony Tratt Tomas Mezera

Sirromet Commodore VX Shell Helix Falcon AU VIP Commodore VT VIP Falcon AU Toll Ipec Falcon AU IMS Commodore'7X

1:35.7289 1:35.9031 1:36.2258 1:36.2571 1:36.5285 1:36.6988

Top 10 Shootout 1 2 3 4 5

Ambrose Bright Skaife Besnard Ingall

1:45.5613 1:45,6393 1:45,8145 1:45.8236 1:46,3835

7 8 9 10

Radisich Kelly S.Richards Bargwanna Wilson

USSCSRoundZ pmili

Performance Quality Vali

1:46.7534 1:47,8224 1:48.1843 1:49.2527 1:56.1645

Island

Pt

i;'Lvri

4 ' -1

In the red corner: The Skaife/Ambrose Race 1 battle was a classic, the HRT driver diving into the lead at Honda.

continued fronn page 35 status for the next race at Eastern Creek.

At first, it looked like a straight fight between Skaife and Ambrose, the latter taking top spot while Skaife, on green wets, scrabbled around looking for grip. He moved to P2,then PI, but track position meant that Ambrose had the last Crack at it. He did just enough; his first provisional championship pole came by just 0.15s.

Skaife was second from Bright, Ingall(who had been inside the top 10 most of the session after “we threw a new set-up at it after practice”), Radisich (a temporary pole man)and Besnard, whose Caltex car looked assured on the

Please don’t tell Larry: They are mates, and now team mates, but Ingall and Richards clashed at the same spot ...

(Photos by John Morris/Mpix)

same set-up as Ambrose. Then came Max Wilson.

He did it again. OK,he was two spots down from his Adelaide position, but this time he came from nowhere. Late out as he had been in practice, the Brazilian looked in danger ofjoining the Friday PreQualifiers at the Creek until he pulled one late lap to vault

TOYO TYRES NCE

881 Control Tyre As used by 2001 Mitsubishi

Performance , Quality Value ●I

vMirage Series^

^ Freecall Sydney 1800 897 379 Melbourne 1800 897 363 Brisbane 1800 897 327 Newcastle 1800 897 362 Townsville 1800 897 388 Adelaide 1800 897 323 Perth 1800 897 373 www.toyOoCom.oaii 36

motorsport news

\

J

!k

.S

U8 SUPERCAR CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES 20 spots in one go - all on his first look at the circuit in a V8 Supercar and his second ever championship meeting. As we said before; the bloke is good.

Steven Richards, Todd Kelly and Jason Bargwanna filled out the final positions for the Shootout, Bargs more happy with the Valvoline car in the damp that he was in the dry. Just missing out were Mmphy,Longhurst, Lovmdes, Tander(who had been as high as

A

fourth), Jason Richards (shining in the wet again), Ellery, Rick Kelly and Johnson.

The other side of the story was where some of the other names were on the time sheet. Paul Romano was the first to ‘qualify’for Creek PreQualifying,from Glenn Seton, Jones and Mark Larkham, who had a career-worst 29th after losing whatever chance he had to move up with a clash with Besnard at Honda. When Larko hit the start button to resume, his starter motor stayed engaged, which caused the

battery charge to drop, which led to a misfce and then stranded the car as the session ended.

Joining in the next PreQualifier win be Neil Crompton, McConville (who was not that confident after PreQualifying here) and, after his local PQ heroics, McDougall.

Top 10 Shootout \

hopes that Bargwanna had )f getting a favour from the weather gods were gone with the wind - or, more accurately, the rain - when it started drizzling just before the session started, and then stopped when he completed his lap.

That mean that the drying tracked favoured the late runners, but everyone was working hard, Richards locking up at Southern Loop and Wilson, arriving at Honda like an FA-18, skating off down the Honda escape road, costing 9s and any hope of a decent starting spot.

All of which made Besnard’s effort immediately afterward look even more impressive, the Caltex car gaining two spots to fourth, only 0.3s from what would turn out to be pole position.

Raisich’s lap was messy and good for sixth. Ingall went one better, but Bright’s lm45.63s set the pace, the HRT car wiggling almost to the dirt on the back straight before he regathered it to the line. On ‘green’tyres, Skaife had a big go, losing three-tenths on the first sector, and when Ambrose went out, he faced a potential HRT 1-2 - or rather, a 2-1...

It looked like it was going to stay that way after the first two sectors but, somehow, Cos found 0.37s over the final 30s of the lap to redress

continued on page 38

JET-HOT

The Hottest in heat Management Coating JET‘HOTs Perlotniance benefits l Increase power by 3'^q + l Rcdi engine bay tcmpomiufe by t .improves Cylinder Scavenging l Slfcarnlino Gas Flow .Increase Life by eliminaiing thermal fatigue and oxidation l Protects metals between -375 f to 1300 f (740 c) l Application to new or used headers l JET-HOT 2000 Provides even cjfoatoi protection JET-HOT Internal Engmo coatings l JET-HOTTBC ThormaU Barrier Coating lor pistons l JET-HOT LFC Low Friction

JET-HOT DIRECT Premium Quality Pre-Coated Headers Buying JET-HOT DIRECT is an unbeatable deal, you get The Hottest in Heat Management Coatings plus Premium Quality Headers with these features: ” Up to 23% Gain in Gas Flow and a 33% reduction in back pressure if I ” More effective Scavenging of Gases through Higher Gas Velocity ” Leak Free Operation and a Terrific Appearance ' The Best Guarantee in the Industry & “ All the Benefits of JET-HOT.

High flange/tube tolerance achieved by laser cutting, headers are made from hi-quality tube and leak tested before receiving the Worlds Number 1 Hi-Temp Coating.

The easiest and most popular V8 tipping game is back and ready to go for the Australian Touring Car Championship.

Winners for each round will receive fabulous prizes of Team gear, Model cars, Magazine subscriptions and much, much more.

The overall winner will take off the mega prize which we will announce mid season.

Best @f all ooo IT’S FREE.

JET-HOT

Web site: www.jet-hot.COm.au Tech Into 03 5470 6416 JET-HOT Coatings Australia Pty Ltd 26 Eliza oeth Street Castlemaine VIC 3450 ACN072«ao67 t? April 2002

Yes, Finishline® is back, bigger and better for 2002 season.

6et y@yr emtirles In n®w ©l®ses Spm the Friday pri®r t® eaeh reundo

Corilinci for piston s

To order: Freecall

THE RACE IS ON

Enter now at

www.biant0.com.au TBIANTE") Vmodel cars J

Austral ia’s biggest on l ine Die cast Model site 3T

Phillip Island

On the (Credit) limit

continued from page 37 the balance and snatch pole by 0.07s.

“I just wanted to not do anything silly, but I really pushed it in the last comer,” Ambrose said later. He also reported that the car had had no changes for the Run-off, and that he could beat the HRT duo “wet or dry”.

r riT -

R^ce 1(34 laps)

[■fOr:

So this is a Credit Squeeze: Seton found himself the Ford meat in a Holden sandwich, bread provided by Paul Romano and Craig Baird. I Photo dv Chris Cotte r)

NOT long ago, whenever we went to Phillip Island, we would expect - and sometimes see - Glenn Seton to be one of the men to beat.

Whether it was in the colours of Peter Jackson, Ford Credit or Ford Tickford, Seto always showed plenty of speed at the Island, his long-time testing haunt.

Not so in qualifying this year. The new-look FCR Falcon was all at sea on Saturday, Glenn lurching through the corners with bulk understeer on the way in. He lined up 27th for Race 1 - his worst qualifying position ever?

"Maybe," he mused. "Bar drawing spots out of a hat when I was racing in karts.

No, wait on; I think we were further back than that in the Capri at Bathurst. But that was not me; Dad was driving it then ..."

Regardless, these are dark days at the Dandenong,

QLD Queensland Raceway Champion’s Way Willowbank Qld 4306 Tel 07 54619100 Fax 07 546191 1 1

Melbourne-based team.

"The car still has problems that we are chasing, which is understeer. When we bolte d these things (Dunlops) on, it definitely hurt the front of our car. We did two days testing at Winton last week, but we will not be doing anything before Eastern Creek.

"The irony of the situation was that the car's understeer was saving the rear tyres during the races, and it was very consistent during the race. We were actually catching people during the race."

Don't expect that the problems with the silver a blue car will be permanent; Seton is too competitive a racer for that. But, at the moment, times are tough for FCR; Seton will be a PreQualifier at Eastern

SA City Discount Tyres Reynella 147 Sherriffs Rd Reynella SA 5161 Tel 08 83873522 Fax 08 83874036

Creek on Friday week.

- PHIL BRANAGAN

But there was a change. Straight away, Skaife was second. Bright was third The margin? The same.

WA

TAS

VIC

NT

Kostera’s Tyre Service 7 Mead St KalamundaWA6076 Tel 08 92933500 Fax 08 92931355

Fulton Enterprises 31-33 Tamar St Launceston TAS 7250 Tel 03 63341739 Fax 03 63318252

Stuckey Tyre Service 828 Sydney Rd Brunswick VIC 3056 Tel 03 93865331 Fax 03 93869153

City Tyre Service 79 Me Minn St Darwin NT 0801 Tel 08 89415388 Fax 08 89415144

NSW Gary’s Motorsport Tyres Unit 2/10 Carnegie PI Blacktown NSW 2148 Tel 02 96768655 Fax 02 96765300

Tin akeperfect one great race track, throw weather, stir with a large crowd and a big grid and you get great motor racing.

At least Huey cooperated for raceday. Having put everyone in a bad mood for two days, Sunday was perfect; little breeze (a rarity for the Island), 19 degrees air, 26 on the track and blue skies. Irippee.

-● After the mess was cleared away from the first start, they took off.

Ambrose beat Bright away from the lights and, when the #2 Commodore turned it, its brother ' was alongside. Skaife made a terrific start, took second and the classic Ford versus Holden confrontation of the season took wing.

And, as they say in the classics, what a battle it was. Ambrose looked to have a slight edge on newer rubber, Skaife looked more feisty as the wear went on. That meant that the gap, which got out to no more than a second in the first stint, was quickly closed. On lap 10, Skaife eased off the brake pedal at Honda when the Pirtek car got tally, eased through the gap and took the lead.

The Stone team responded by pitting Marcos for mbber next time around, the Tasmanian immediately setting fastest lap of the race so far. On lap 14, Skaife came in for his stop; for once, the TWRs were a little sloppy and, by the time he got back onto the track, Ambrose was not only past, he was 3.1s up the road and the chase was on for real.

What a chase it was. Skaife snipped a little closer lap by lap, but then started to take a halfsecond off the Ford as Ambrose really started to feel a lack of grip.

There was contact between the two cars on a few occasions but the net result was that they went into the last lap nose-to-tail.

And came to the line that way.

After having won numerous poles, a round and a fair bit of silverware, Marcos Ambrose hung on to take his first race win by 0.15s after a stubborn effort.

“I was struggling for tyres (grip),” he smiled afterwards. “I had to hang on.”

He was right. In the same position, almost any driver in the field would have done the same; there are rules which govern how serious blocking can be, but there had been no action taken by the officials.

But Skaife’s view of the defensive driving was, understandably, different; “Does it get any worse than that?” he asked. “Have a look at the lap times. I could have almost got around the outside of him. It was pretty obvious,'but every dog has his day.”

So Ambrose won from Skaife? Um ... well, that’s what the results said when they were printed but, right after the race, that was not the result. Bright had fallen back from the chase but, with the leaders slowing themselves down, put the head down with eight laps to go and gave chase.

A lockup at Honda halted the charge and an elbow from Paul Romano also did not help but, coming out of the final comer, he was alongside Skaife and the timing computer showed him 0.0012s ahead for second. Bright was certain he was just ahead; Skaife knew he was alongside, but less sm-e whose timing beacon had crossed the line first.

MOTORSPORT DEALERS 38

motorsport news

l!

5 3

U8 SUPERCAR CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES 0.0012s. It was aU a moot point anyway; Bright had failed to engage his pitlane speed limiter on the way out from his stop and, despite the fact that he did not exceed the speed limit(HRT is in the final pitbox), he was docked 40s(the equivalent of a drive-through penalty) and put back to fifth, from where he would start the second race.

Oh yes, everyone else. Murphy was fom-th, he and team-mate Kelly taking the minors after fighting a way past Besnard, who made a greatjump at the hghts before he missed a gear and allowed Radisich by. From there, Bezzy struggled with a late-stint pit, even having a half-off at Honda before resuming for sixth. ' ~--

It’s Mac time again

The second race was even better for the LRTs. MAKING 10 places from a grid spot in a race After making an early stop, Cameron resumed is a good effort. Making 15 is huge. Twenty is 13th, a few car lengths behind Radisich and, an epic. basically, matched his former co-driver for the When Brad Jones and John Cleland did just rest of the race. He was fourth by lap 19 and held that at Bathurst last year, it was a feat of legend. the position to the flag, 0.8s behind the Helix AU. It was a top effort, even if it took them all day to do it.

It reflected, yet again, that the gap between the big teams and the 'little' outfits is shrinking -'Cameron McConville achieved just that in under an hour. The Rexel Commodore started and that tactics can make a huge difference to results. The Lansvale team may not have a from 31st grid spot and finished 12th - but it had 'proper' qualifying set-up yet - and they face run as high as 10th during the race, losing spots to the Fords of John Bowe and Glenn Seton in Pre(Ilualifying again at Eastern Creek - but the rase performances show that there is not a lot the final laps to take 12th.

How was it done? wrong with the #3 Commodore on Sundays.

"We made an early stop," explained Pholo by Dirk Klynsmith McConville, "and the guys did a great stop in 11 seconds. When I got out, I had clean road for six laps until I hit traffic. I was running mid-35s and it was going great. _w "Then I felt a vibration. I thought it was a tyre, because it was teally bad on the straight, but it was the splitter rubbing on the tiack, Bowe got f t ihrougb at Honda and I had to let him go, andJJW'^

Longhmst had another quiet race, which is to say that he kept his head, stayed on the black stuff and showed plenty ofspeed to move through from 11th to seventh.

Another solid effort; in Briggs Motorsport Land, Wilson may be taking the qualifrdng honours, but Ibny is giving the results in the race.

then Seton_gpt past

Radisich followed, still not completely happy with the Helix Ford, from Bowe, who along with team-mate Brad Jones was much

JHcCa^ATH Hot

n

0nn

continued on page 40

ilL-';

. T.

I,

t

i

n

r m

wl

(1

I.

Pi

■►i \?

m*.

ia>.

<a

m

<£3CaaDCBc^ \

9M ^

fI V ;

1. o»- .

F.Tt

Fords in the wars: Longhurst, above, was his efficient self on raceday, fending off Radisich and McConville here, while Rodney Forbes, below, got together with Paul Romano and crunched the 00 Data Dot Falcon.

(Photo by Marshall Cass)

J

1

L

Your ^Victorian E*T*ltf*g*l ^ specialist Helmets, Racesuits, Gloves, Raceboots, Harnesses, Seats and Accessories available for Karting, Circuit, Rally or Speedway

Factory 1,19-25 CJrarige Rd Cheltenham Vic Ph 03 9585 5340 Fax 03 9585 5320 39

I

Phillip Island V8SCS Round 2 Plillllii Island M ®

Race 1 - 34 laps Pos Driver Race ti me Fastest lap 1 Ambrose 55:08.2201 1:34.5089 J Skaife 55:08.3787 *1:34.3905 2 55:35.8606 1:35.3295 DQ Mvphy 55:45.7468 1:35.2630 3 T. Kelly #55:48.3799 1:34.624a 4 Bright 5 Besnard 55:50.8620 1:35.5429 55:58.3729 1:35.9520 7 Longhurst 8 Badisich 56:05.1131 1:35.8296 9 Johnson 56:11.5086 1:35,8399 10 Bowe 56:11.8272 1:35.2442 11 Seton 56:18,9625 1:36.0684 12 McConville 56:22.4891 1:35.2002 13 Lowndes 56:23.4939 1:36.5603 14 Wills 56:35.3497 1:35.9233 15 Perkins 56:36.6220 1:35.9988 16 Baird 56:37.7207 1:36.1895 56:38,5959 1:36.5668 17 Crompton 56:39.7484 1:36.0164 f8 Ingall 19 Wilson 33 laps 1:36.6718 20 Romano 33 laps 1:36,0433 21 R.Kelly 33 laps 1:35.5574 22 McDougall 33 laps 1:37.6326 23 Ellery 33 laps 1:35.7788 24 Jones 33 laps 1:36.0193 25 Tander 33 laps 1:35.5185 26 Weel 29 laps 1:36.6675 ONE S. Richards 17 laps 1:35.8817 DNF Faulkner 7 laps 1:36.6006 DNF J. Richards 2 laps 1:37.5518 DNF Larkham 0 laps DNS Bargwanna, # includes 40s time penalty Race 2-34 laps 1:03:43.5360 1:35,1041 1 Skaife 1:03:51.1379 1:35.5443 2 T. Kelly 3 Radisich 1:03:57.4122 1:35.9010 4 McConville 1:03:58.2762 1:35.7087 1:04:00.1527 1:35.9002 5 R. Kelly 1:04:03.0571 1:35.6032 6 Tander 7 Longhurst 1:04:05.7263 1:36.2707 1:04:06.8581 1:36.3302 8 Seton 1:04:07.0579 *1:34.8718 9 Bright 10 Johnson 1:04:09.5648 1:36.3271 11 Weel 1:04:10.8152 1:36.2534 12 Baird 1:04:11.1606 1:36.4463 1:04:11.3936 1:36.4333 13 Crompton 1:04:19.4943 1:36.1446 14 Perkins 1:04:20.3928 1:36.5190 15 Ingall 16 Wills 1:04:21.0954 1:36,7062 1:04:23.2622 1:35.5145 17 Murphy 18 Jones 1:04:27.8846 1:36.6022 19 Larkham 1:04:29,4113 1:36.8821 20 S. Richards 1:04:32.5614 1:36.6297 21 McDougall 1:04:55.0719 1:37.2874 22 Bowe 1:04:59.9888 1:35,0864 23 Besnard 1:05:07.1562 1:38.5271 24 Ellery 32 laps 1:36,5058 25 J. Richards 29 laps 1:36,6752 DNF Faulkner 26 laps 1:36.0287 DNF Ambrose 14 laps 1:35.7063 DNF Wilson 13 laps 1:36.0299 DNF Lowndes 13 laps 1:36.2001 DNF Romano 1:52.2245 1 lap DNF Forbes 1 lap 1:53.7339 DNS Bargwanna Points: Skaife 580, Murphy 304, Tander 289, T, Kelly 252, S. Richards 221, Lowndes 216, Ambrose 204, Johnson 180, Longhurst 178, Bright 170, Bowe 133, Perkins 132, Ingall 130, Bargwanna 116, Larkham 106, Radisich 100, Seton/Baird 90, Jones 79, McConville/Weel 78, Besnard 76, Wills 73, Forbes 70.

J.Richards 68, R. Kelly 57,Tratt 54, Romano 46, Crompton 39, Gardner 36, S.White 32, McDougall 24, Ellery 20, McLean 18, Morris 16, Wilson 15, Faulkner 0,

\

continued from page 39 happier with the dry weather performance of the OzEmail Ford than they had been in the dry.

Seton made it up to 11th from McConville and Lowndes, who was

4^ ' l

really struggling with set-up in the 00 Ford, the car having no grip and little more consistent speed.

Wholesale changes happened ... between races.

As there were elsewhere; Steven Richards was having an engine swap after dropping a cylinder, his effort delayed after a clang with Ingall at Honda. A stop/go penalty was Enforced (“It was for punting Steven”. What happened? “I punted him”),leaving Ingall back in 18th.

Also in dramas were Larkham, who was also having an engine swap, and Ellery, who broke a sway bar.

Race 2(34 laps) There before was theeven startmore of the drama second race. An enquiry into the Bargwanna crash left Murphy disqualified from the results of the race and banished to the back of grid for the second start.

Skaife knew that he had to make a good getaway, and he did; he took the line in Turn 1 and, as had happened earlier, a TWR car followed into second. But it was Kelly, T this time. The Toddler knifing down the inside Ambrose, who soon asserted his authority, making it past into second at Southern Loop on lap 3. ... by which time, the Safety Car sign was about to be shown. Forbes and Romano had a tangle, then a tango, at Honda, the Ford and the Holden going ‘clang’. With the newfor-2002 ruling making it possible to pit ‘under yellow’, the world heading pitwards, but there trouble for the two car teams. Bright stayed out and, when Johnson appeared at DJR’s pit, Radisich was there already. The tail of the #17 car stayed out of the pit box, delaying Ambrose’s exit and costing him a

40

Ford Wars: Ambrose got into Wilson in Race 2, above, leaving the Betta car tyre-smoking in the middle of the track, where an unsighted Lowndes (Photos by John Morris/Mpix) hit it before retiring, below.

smmrnumsmmm place, again to Todd Kelly.

So Bright stayed put and, at the restart,jumped clear of the pack, intent on making ground. That was the problem; in the officials’ eyes, he had dropped back from the Safety Car outside the mandatory five car lengths and was served with a stop/go penalty next time aroimd.

Bright’s reaction was commendably muted; after the race, Skaife described the penalty as ‘savage’...

Jason resumed 27th, still with a scheduled stop to perform. Prom there, he was a red blur for the rest of the race; 20th on lap 19,13th on lap 26 and ninth by lap 31. Points count; it had been a great drive.

Meanwhile, there were the ‘unpitted’ cars for the contenders to deal with. Once he got by Kelly again, Ambrose was all over Skaife, who had Wilson (fourth)in front of him. The Brazilian was driving defensively; Skaife was getting worried, telling the team that he was being blocked (which, no doubt, was heard by the officials). On lap 11, Skaife got past, and Ambrose tried to follow a few laps later ...

The blue Ford hit the yellow one at Honda. Facing the wrong way.

Max hit the throttle bagged the tyi’es and disappeared in a cloud of smoke - perhaps not the wisest course of action with the pack bearing down.

The man who drew the joker was Lowndes. The 00 Ford, which had been suffering from a misfire all day, belted into the Betta car and both were, to be blxmt, stuffed. Out came the Safety Car again, which allowed the unpitted cars to make their stops imder yellow.

Skaife was understandably cautious about staying close to the Safety Car when the lights went green. He made the start count, pulled away and that was that.

Kelly was a lonely second from Radisich, who had companyMcConville, who was having another great run (see breakout).

Rick Kelly made a charge up to fifth, passing such as Longhurst on the way, while Garth Tander salvaged something from a crook weekend for Garry Rogers with sixth ahead of Longhurst, Seton and Bright, and the all-Falcon battle between Johnson, Paul Weel and Neil Crompton.

Ingall got up to 15th and a perplexed Besnard got a drive through penalty for an alleged passing under yellow incident.

Oh,Skaife did have a problem.

Along with TWR offsider Kelly, he did not wear a Dunlop cap at the podium presentation. Both faced a hearing after the race and were hit with a $2K fine.

Chances of Skaife paying up for the transgression? Not that good, we would suggest...

motorsport news

What Canberra 400 drivers wear under their race suits

\]

‘ii-15.

nn

*r

\f

pass

^ICKETEKli ^ www.tickotek.com (02)6219 6666

^NO WONDER V8 SUPERCAR DRIVERS ARE GEHINO NERVOUS. The Canberra track is one of the tightest and most demanding in the V8 Supercar Championship Series. Add to that a slippery street surface and you've got nail biting action at its very best. Plus this year, the whole event is bigger and better than ever with even more off track entertainment and a host of improvements to all racing categories, not to mention improved vantage points for all spectators. To catch your share of the action this June long weekend, call Ticketek now on (02) 6219 6666. For great rates on accommodation/ticket packages call Canberra Getaways on 1800 100 666 and for general event and tourism information phone 1300 554 114.

CANBERRA Toutiim &

Cot^oroU

^

www.canberra400.com.au s

sapulaseietaE

u>

●Tlcketck booking fees apply on ticket sales.

1;,

Son Marino GP

Maulln

As paces go, it wasn't exactly a nailbitep. But fop a good pace you need opposition, and Michael Schumachop had none at Imola as he led a Ppancing Hopse 1-2.

JOE SAWARD pepopts fpom San Mapino

A

FEW more races like that and we won’t have to ■worry about who owns the commercial rights to Formula 1,” grumbled a colleague at the end of what had been a very dull San Marino Grand Prix. “No-one will want to buy them.”

It was a fair point. After the first two laps there was no overtaking, except when a pit stop was involved, until the last few laps when Felipe Massa blew past Jarno Trulli on the run into Rivazza corner on lap 58, taking eighth place from the Renault driver. That was about as exciting as it got. The Spanish Grand Prix of 1998 was not a classic, and it is fair to say that the San Marino GP of 2002 will be remembered in the same way.

But the Ferrari fans went home happy. They had a 1-2. The only surviving McLaren was lapped.

Forza Ferrari!

irv

I^vei-taking at Imola has never V^^been easy, at the recent years have produced acceptable races.

TVres have been behaving differently and engine power has been an issue. But this year’s San Marino Grand Prix was very dull.

At the start of the race there were a few chances for the runners to make a place but after that it was impossible for anyone to do 42

anything - except when the pit stops came along.

At the start, Rubens Barrichello suffered from being on the dusty side of the race track and as they headed off towards Tamburello, he was overtaken on the inside by Ralf Schumacher. As they went into the Tamburello chicane fourth-placed Juan Pablo Montoya thought about diving inside Barrichello but decided that he had had enough crashes this year and so slotted into fourth place.

Behind them the cars went into Tamburello without drama. If the corner had been the door of an Ark, the drivers would have been animals. Two by two.

Kimi Raikkonen was ahead of David Coulthard, Jarno Trulli ahead of Jenson llutton, a slowstarting Nick Heidfeld ahead of a fast-starting Massa. Then came the two BARS with Jacques Villeneuve ahead of Olivier Panis.

The only casualty on the first lap was Allan McNish, who lost all drive in his Toyota as he came off the grid and trickled to a stop on the gi’ass.

From then on it was a question of Michael Schumacher pulling away from the rest of the field with six fastest laps in a row. Everyone else stayed in line astern behind, watching for as long as they could as Michael disappeared into the distance.

, There were two overtaking manouevres on the second lap, as Heinz-Harald Frentzen passed Takuma Sato for 13th place, and Giancarlo Fisichella scrambled past Eddie Irvine to take 17th position. But that was it. From then on nothing happened until the sixth lap when Bemoldi overtook a struggling Mika Salo, who had lost his traction-control, to move up to 14th place.

And then nothing at all happened for 10 laps. It would have continued to be dull were it not for a big mess at Sauber.

“I thought that the team had called me in on the radio,” Heidfeld said. “It turned out they hadn’t.

When I arrived in the pit nothing was ready.”

What had happened was that the radio call had been to Massa.

He had started with a light fuel load to make up for his poor qualif3dng with a quick start. By the time the mess was unraveled Heidfeld had lost seven places.

Massa then came in and also dropped back down the order.

Four laps later, having overtaken two cars, Heidfeld stopped again. This time he rejoined so quickly that the stewards gave him a drive-through penalty! By lap 24, Heidfeld had continued on page 45 motorspori news

Scarlet fever: The Prancing Horses always seem able to pull out something special for the home crowd, and at San Marino they more than delivered for the tifosi.

(Photos by Sutton-lmages and Marsh/BOTHWELL)

Fun while it lasted: Half Schumacher, below, had the wind on Rubens early in the piece, but once the Ferrari got past in the first round of stops it was all over, forcing the Malaysian GP winner to settle for third.

(Photo by Sutton-lmages)

0 0' O

San Marino GP

Delivers in rain, hail or shine Q

UALIFYING for the San Marino Grand Prix was a tale of two chapters.

On Friday it was raining.

Raining like it did when Noah was loading up the Ark. And while the Bridgestone runners splashed around looking like supermen, the Michelin boys „, were really in trouble. If the rains continued, we all said, Michael Schumacher would win the race by a lap and a half.

There were two Ferraris and then a second gap back to Giancarlo Fisichella's Jordan.

Fourth fastest, a 'mere' 1.8s off the pace, was David Coulthard in the McLaren-Mercedes, the fastest of the Michelin men.

There was an Arrows in the top six.

The only ray of sunshine was that eventually Michael Schumacher drove over a nice wet kerb and spun. He caught the spin and then drove the car backwards down the road for a while.

"Ah," said a cynical fellow in the paddock. "In thes^ conditions you could put a blindfold on him and he would still be on pole even if he was driving backwards . The point, it seems, is ^hat in the wet, Michael Schumacher has no rivals - particularly yvhen driving on Bridgestone wets.

"If it stays like this, we could have the

raround the track."

advantage," said Schumacher, earning himself a nomination for a Nobel Prize for stating the obvious.

Down at Michelin, they were fighting fires.

"You never know what fuel levels teams are running at different times on a Friday so it is hard to gauge exactly where we stand," said Michelin's Pierre Dupasquier, sounding rather less than convincing.

"None of our drivers were complaining that driving in the wet was like driving on ice, which they suggested once or twice last season."

No, perhaps not. But they were complaining.

Was Dupasquier hoping for dry conditions on Saturday?

"Not at all," he said.

That evening, one of the engineers working for a Michelin team made a good point, as he downed another glass of red.

"Perhaps it would do us good if it did rain tomorrow," he said, "That would at least get the message through to Michelin that the wet tyres are still not good enough."

The weathermen had said lot of different things and so on Saturday morning, everyone (without a hangover)jumped up and opened the windows to see what the day would bring.

The sun was shining and the Imola region was crisp and gorgeous. The times of Friday became suddenly a huge irrelevance.

All this meant that there was not much time for anyone to find a set-up for qualifying, and so it was a question of engineering by the seat of the pants - just like motor racing was when teams did not test as much as

nowadays they do. And if the car McLaren was 5-6 (with Kimi was not perfect, the drivers had Raikkonen ahead of Coulthard); to drive around the problems. and, if Felipe Massa had not Not surprisingly the result was had an hydraulic problem, something of a hotch-potch, Sauber would probably have with a Ferrari(M Schumacher of been seventh and eighth. course), a McLaren (Coulthard) A.S a result, Renault was 8-9 and then Barrichello, Heidfeld (with Trulli a split second ahead ; and the two Williams-BMWs, of Jenson Button) and BAR was with Half Schumacher ahead of 10-12 (split by the missing Juan-Pablo Montoya.

Massa) and then came an Qualifying began with a bang Arrows. There might have been : when Enrique Bernoldi's Arrows two but Enrique Bernoldi's blew an engine before anything engine had popped its clogs much could happen. The Dutch and he struggled to 20th place j in the T-car. fans celebrated (as they tend to Behind Frentzen came two do nowadays when Arrows hits trouble). troubled Jordans, two Toyotas and a mix-and-match set of The first serious runner to go for it was Half Schumacher, and Minardis and Jaguars or should one say Jaguars and Minardis. for a while he sat on pole but Alex Yoong was not able to then Barrichello took away the get close to the pace and so prize, only to lose it to Montoya. failed to qualify, and as the gap Ralf took it back again and behind him and the others was Barrtchello repeated his earlier a noticeable one, the stewards move and so, as we went into decided that he should not be the last minutes, it was the allowed to start.

Brazilian on pole with Michael So the sole Minardi was that Schumacher second. of Mark Webber. The kid from Out they all came for the final Queanbeyan was about to start moments, but no-one seemed to his second run when the be making much progress until Asiatech in his brand new car the chequered flag popped out decided it had had enough, so and then it became clear that Mark had to hurriedly hop Michael was on a very quick aboard the spare - his one. It was exciting but then we Melbourne heroics car - which ; have had some pretty dull had been set up for Yoong. The ^ qualifying sessions so far this crew quickly made some changes, year, so we are not used to too but it was still not 100 percent ; , much excitement on a Saturday when he exited the pit lane. i afternoon.

So the result was pretty This was good and the result startling; not only was he 2.4s was Michael on pole by 0.06s. quicker than his team-mate had t Behind the red cars things ended managed, he split the Jaguars up in a pretty dull fashion. and the Arrowses. It was a Imola these days seems to be good effort; he was 19th, which a race track where the value of is getting to be about where the car outweighs what a driver people look for Webber can do: Williams was 3-4 on the nowadays.

- JOE SAWARD grid (Ralf ahead of Juan);

T I'hofP hy Sifit/yi-Jiutifici

moiorsport news

FORMULA ONE nVi

mr . 7

AGNEr

a M

/I f-

,*

-ni

'

1^-

ov9? ^ JW*I

_J

continued from page 42 been in and out of the pits three times and was running down in 17th place. It was not a brilliant strategy that had gone wrong. It was just a big mess.

The first actual strategic move came with the Renettons(the paddock is having trouble remembering that the Benettons are now called Renaults)stopping on laps 22 and 23. Trulli’s stop was slower than Button’s and so Jenson went ahead.

It was looking like some of the cars would be going for one-stop races but this did not seem to make a lot of sense, given the usual tyre wear and so on. It transpired that the logic was that decided upon on the grid when rain was threatening.

A lot of teams decided to fill the cars up and run them long,just in case the heavens opened. When it became clear that was not going to happen, the best course of action was to do two quick stints and so the one-stop strategies actually turned into two-stop strategies. By the end of the race, all the major runners had done two stops.

Luck of the Irish; Eddie Jordan’s nightmarish start to the 2002 season continued unabated at San Marino, where both cars retired with mechanical dramas, above left. At least they had the Toyota pairing of McNish and Salo to keep them company, with the F1 newcomers parking both cars before the halfway mark, above right (Photos by Sutton-lmahes and Marsh^OTHWELL)

Gaining momentum: Jenson Button’s terrible 2001 is fast becoming ancient history following another good (Photo by Marsh/BOTHWELL) perfomance that was rewarded with fifth place, below.

continued on page 47

You're invited to be part of Australia's fastest growing motor sport Why not see what it’s all about for yourself? Attend a race meeting at your local club and talk to the drivers and crew. There are classes to suit almost everyone from 7 years to 77 +.

Midgets 7-11 years Rookies 10-12 years Juniors* 12-16 years in TWO weight divisions Seniors*0ver 10 classes of varying power & driver weights to choose from. * Other more powerful classes available for experienced racers.

17 April 2002

i f The Australian Karting Association Inc For information about karting & how to get started cai!

NSW 02 9623 4351 VIC

03 9362 1144 vwwv.vka.asn.au

QLD

07 3844 8507 vwwv.akaqld.asn.au 03 6272 6848

TAS SA

08 8242 3513

WA

08 9409 4441

hip;(Vv>wjrach.M auVnm'aluwi'nlrvttm

08 S94.S 2244

4S

46

i '

■X

BOmulA ONE

San Marino GP

'-giiSrrrT, ‘X

«..-c.;»sl6fcasLwLft£SOTi^^KL?*»«. ■

Changing fortunes: The form of the McLarens, above, suggested that they have they work cut out if they want to stay ahead of the Renaults this season, never mind Williams and Ferrari. Meanwhile, Jacques Villeneuve, below, had an encouraging outing that saw him fall just short of putting himself, BAR, and Honda on the points (Photo by Sutton-images and Marsh/BOTHWELL) table for the first time this year.

Baby-faced Bruiser from Bogota: The much-hyped Montoya vs Michael war was a non-event at Imola, with JPM running well short of the pace needed to bother Schumacher's Ferrari.

(Photo by Marsh/BOTHWELL)

Icorrou/UR FiLrEHl

And it’s GO GO GO: Until he came past to lap them, this was the closest most of the field got to Schumacher during the race. Meanwhile, toward the rear, Mark Webber has a gold-ticket view of the first retirement for the afternoon as Allan McNish pulls the Toyota off the track.

(Photo by Marsh/BOTHWELL)

World Rally Championship?

The decisive move of the race came when the two Schumacher Brothers pitted on lap 31 (which was just short of half-distance).

((

Ssshhh, you’ll wake him” Members of the Verstappen Army take advantage of a-snoozing Heinz-Harald Frentzen, below, to relieve his Arrows of some vital bits prior to the race.

(Photo by Marsh/BOTHWELL)

Barrichello put in a very quick lap and then came in himself but the

Which air filter was used by the winners of the 2000 and 2001

continued from page 45

A POS DRIVER

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 DNQ

Michael Schumacher Rubens Barrichello Ralf Schumacher Juan Pablo Montoya Kimi Raikkonen David Coulthard Nick Heidfeld Jarno Trulli Jenson Button Jacques Villeneuve Felipe Massa Olivier Panis Heinz-Harald Frentzen Takuma Sato Giancarlo Fisichella Mika Salo Allan McNish Eddie Irvine Mark Webber Enrique Bernoldi Pedro de la Rosa Alex Yoong

CAR

iwiariii

Marlboro Ferrari F20D2 Marlboro Ferrari F2002 Compaq Williams.BMW FW24 Compaq Williams.BMW FW24 West McLaren-Mercedes MP4/17 West McLaren-Mercedes MP4/17 Sauber Petronas C21 Mild Seven Renault R202 Mild Seven Renault R202 Lucky Strike BAR/Honda 003 Sauber Petronas C21 Lucky Strike BAR/Honda 003 Orange Arrows/Cosworth A23 DHL Jordan/Honda EJ12 DHL Jordan/Honda EJ12 Panasonic Toyota TF102 Panasonic Toyota TF102 Jaguar/Cosworth R3 KL Minardi/Asiatoch PS02 Orange Arrows/Cosworth A23 Jaguar/Cosworth R3 KL Minardi/Asiatech PS02

quick lap and the rapid pit stop meant that he emerged in front of Ralf At Imola track position is everything. And Ralf knew it.

TIME

1m21.091s 1m21.155s lm21.473s 1m21.605s lm22.104s 1m22.490s 1m22.767s 1m22.833s lm22.857s 1m23.117s 1m23.681s 1m23.821s 1m23.862s 1m24.050s 1m24.253s lm24.328s 1ni24.331s 1m24.579s 1m24.790s lm24.808s 1m24.852s 1m27.241s

motorsport news

The unusual pit stop strategies also caught out Coulthard who went longer than anyone on his first set. This meant that h,e had fallen behind Button when he stopped on lap 34. Button would fall behind Coulthard at his second stop but then the McLaren had to stop again and so Jenson eventually won the battle for sixth place.

Raikkonen was better placed that David, in a solid fifth place until his exhaust broke and things began to get very hot in the back end of the McLaren. The hot gases were heating up the rear suspension and the McLaren engineers decided not to ri sk a

V April 2002

continued on page 49

»■

'

\

rr-

A'T

yr-"-

\

■

_J

46

i '

■X

BOmulA ONE

San Marino GP

'-giiSrrrT, ‘X

«..-c.;»sl6fcasLwLft£SOTi^^KL?*»«. ■

Changing fortunes: The form of the McLarens, above, suggested that they have they work cut out if they want to stay ahead of the Renaults this season, never mind Williams and Ferrari. Meanwhile, Jacques Villeneuve, below, had an encouraging outing that saw him fall just short of putting himself, BAR, and Honda on the points (Photo by Sutton-images and Marsh/BOTHWELL) table for the first time this year.

Baby-faced Bruiser from Bogota: The much-hyped Montoya vs Michael war was a non-event at Imola, with JPM running well short of the pace needed to bother Schumacher's Ferrari.

(Photo by Marsh/BOTHWELL)

Icorrou/UR FiLrEHl

And it’s GO GO GO: Until he came past to lap them, this was the closest most of the field got to Schumacher during the race. Meanwhile, toward the rear, Mark Webber has a gold-ticket view of the first retirement for the afternoon as Allan McNish pulls the Toyota off the track.

(Photo by Marsh/BOTHWELL)

World Rally Championship?

The decisive move of the race came when the two Schumacher Brothers pitted on lap 31 (which was just short of half-distance).

((

Ssshhh, you’ll wake him” Members of the Verstappen Army take advantage of a-snoozing Heinz-Harald Frentzen, below, to relieve his Arrows of some vital bits prior to the race.

(Photo by Marsh/BOTHWELL)

Barrichello put in a very quick lap and then came in himself but the

Which air filter was used by the winners of the 2000 and 2001

continued from page 45

A POS DRIVER

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 DNQ

Michael Schumacher Rubens Barrichello Ralf Schumacher Juan Pablo Montoya Kimi Raikkonen David Coulthard Nick Heidfeld Jarno Trulli Jenson Button Jacques Villeneuve Felipe Massa Olivier Panis Heinz-Harald Frentzen Takuma Sato Giancarlo Fisichella Mika Salo Allan McNish Eddie Irvine Mark Webber Enrique Bernoldi Pedro de la Rosa Alex Yoong

CAR

iwiariii

Marlboro Ferrari F20D2 Marlboro Ferrari F2002 Compaq Williams.BMW FW24 Compaq Williams.BMW FW24 West McLaren-Mercedes MP4/17 West McLaren-Mercedes MP4/17 Sauber Petronas C21 Mild Seven Renault R202 Mild Seven Renault R202 Lucky Strike BAR/Honda 003 Sauber Petronas C21 Lucky Strike BAR/Honda 003 Orange Arrows/Cosworth A23 DHL Jordan/Honda EJ12 DHL Jordan/Honda EJ12 Panasonic Toyota TF102 Panasonic Toyota TF102 Jaguar/Cosworth R3 KL Minardi/Asiatoch PS02 Orange Arrows/Cosworth A23 Jaguar/Cosworth R3 KL Minardi/Asiatech PS02

quick lap and the rapid pit stop meant that he emerged in front of Ralf At Imola track position is everything. And Ralf knew it.

TIME

1m21.091s 1m21.155s lm21.473s 1m21.605s lm22.104s 1m22.490s 1m22.767s 1m22.833s lm22.857s 1m23.117s 1m23.681s 1m23.821s 1m23.862s 1m24.050s 1m24.253s lm24.328s 1ni24.331s 1m24.579s 1m24.790s lm24.808s 1m24.852s 1m27.241s

motorsport news

The unusual pit stop strategies also caught out Coulthard who went longer than anyone on his first set. This meant that h,e had fallen behind Button when he stopped on lap 34. Button would fall behind Coulthard at his second stop but then the McLaren had to stop again and so Jenson eventually won the battle for sixth place.

Raikkonen was better placed that David, in a solid fifth place until his exhaust broke and things began to get very hot in the back end of the McLaren. The hot gases were heating up the rear suspension and the McLaren engineers decided not to ri sk a

V April 2002

continued on page 49

»■

'

\

rr-

A'T

yr-"-

\

■

_J

San Marmo GP

San Marino lap by lap Lap 1: At the start of the race Michael Schumacher took the lead but Rubens

Barrichello was not as quick off the line, probably because he was on the dusty side of the track.

This meant that Half Schumacher was able to get ahead. Montoya was fourth ahead of the two McLarens. Allan McNish was left on the grid with a transmission failure of some sort.

Lap 2: The order at the front remained unchanged, but further back in the field Heinz-Harald Frentzen overtook Takuma Sato for 13th and Giancarlo Fisichella passed Eddie Irvine for 17th.

Lap 5: Nothing much had changed with Michael Schumacher edging away from Ralf with Barrichello holding station behind the Williams.

Sato pitted with a gearbox problem and rejoined after a couple of minutes only to stop on the way down the road towards Tamburello.

Lap 6: Enrique Bernoldi overtook a troubled Mika Salo to grab 14th place.

Lap 16: After 10 laps of no major change, Nick Fleidfeld pitted. The Sauber team was caught by surprise and Fleidfeld departed without fuel.

Lap 17: Massa pitted and fell back from ninth to

13th. Fleidfeld overtook both Fisichella and Salo trying to make up for lost time.

Lap 19: Heidfeld pitted again but left the pits speeding and so was given a drive-through penalty by the stewards.

>

Lap 20: Fisichella went out with a drop in hydraulic pressure.

■f

Lap 22: Renault's plan to pit early was revealed as Trulli stopped.

if

Lap 23: Button followed Trulli into the pits. The British driver was quicker and so moved ahead.

if

Lap 24: Fleidfeld came into the pits for his drivethrough penalty.

Lap 26: The BAR strategy was revealed as eighthplaced Ranis stopped. Salo retired with a gearbox problem while Frentzen stopped when his car lost power.

Lap 27: Villeneuve stopped and so lost his seventh place. He rejoined 10th.

Lap 30: TJie first of the top six stopped. Kimi Raikkonen pitted and lost his fifth place to team mate David Coulthard. Pedro de la Rosa stopped with a driveshaft failure as he left the pits.

Lap 31: Michael and Ralf both pitted. Barrichello took the lead for a lap.

Lap 32: Barrichello pitted and managed to get out ahead of Ralf Schumacher to take second position. Montoya pitted but remained in fourth place.

Lap 34: Coulthard lost his fifth place when he stopped. He rejoined seventh.

RESUQSSan nilaiiioGP, April 14 2002, 62 laps/305.609kms r

Lap 37: Ninth-placed Massa had his second pit stop and fell behind Villeneuve and Panis.

Lap 40: Trulli's second pit stopped dropped him behind the two BARs. Lap 41: Button lost sixth at his second stop as Coulthard moved ahead.

Lap 44: Raikkonen is withdrawn when the car suffered an exhaust failure and the rear suspension was heated to dangerous levels.

Panis also retired with a throttle linkage problem.

Lap 46: Barrichel lo took the lead again when Michael Schumacher stopped.

Lap 47: Barrichello dropped back to second with his second stop.

Lap 49: Coulthard dropped to sixth behind Buton when he stopped for a second time.

Lap 54: Michael Schumacher lapped Coulthard.

Lap 58: Massa overtook Trulli for eighth place.

Lap 62: Ferrari scored a dominant 1-2 result.

46

Pos Driitar 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

M Schumacher Barrichello R Schumacher J P Montoya Button Coulthard Villeneuve Massa Trulli Heidfeld Webber

Raea iina

1h29m10.789s +17.907 + 19.755 + 44.725 +1m23.395s +1 lap +1 lap + 1 lap +1 lap +1 lap + 2 laps

FASTEST UP Barrichello 1m24.170s on lap 38 RETIREMENTS Bernoldi Irvine Raikkonen Panis De la Rosa Salo Frentzen Fisichella Sato McNish

50 laps 45 laps 44 laps 44 laps 30 laps 26 laps 25 laps 19 laps Slaps Olaps

DRIVERS POINTS M Schumacher 34, R Schumacher 20, Montoya 17, Button 8, Barrichello 6, Coulthard 5, Raikkonen 4, Irvine 3, Webber 2, Heidfeld 2, Salo 2, Massa 1.

CONSTRUCTORS POINTSFerrari 40, Williams-BMW 37, McLaren-Mercedes 9, Renault 8, Jaguar-Cosworth 3, SauberPetronas 3, Minardi-Asiatech 2, Toyota 2,

motorspors news

.s

FORMULA ONE

i I

V,

global MACHIIMERY COMPAIMY PrE5Ent5

**madel af the month ff

I

Ovodafone Ovodafone O' t

Cruisin’: Mark Webber had racecraft and reliability on his side at San Marino ... now all he needs is a little more horsepower.(And then some more horsepower on top of that.)

(Pholo by Sulton-lmages)

continued from page 49 failure and Raikkonen was called into the pits to retire. Better safe than sorry The only move of note for the rest of the day was a very neat pass by Massa on Trulli on lap 58.

The Brazilian had hassled Trulli for eighth place for several laps and then caught him by surprise on the downhill run into Rivazza.

By the time Jarno realised what happened, there was a Sauber inside him.

Perhaps the most significant thing in the entire race happened on lap 54 when Michael Schumacher came up to lap Coulthard’s McLaren-Merced'es.

David pulled over to get out of the

way. He did in front of the McLaren pit, perhaps to make ;sure that Mercedes-Benz boss Jurgen Hubberthad a chance to see what was happening.

It looked like a cry for help... or at least a cry for more horsepower.

“Our lack of speed is a direct reflection of those elements of the package which are not where they need to be,” said Ron Dennis.

“The reality is that we have known since Malaysia that it is going to take time to close the gap to the front of the gidd.”

Norbert Haug, who had had a less than graceful weekend, stomped off back to Stuttgart, looking grumpy.

But by Sunday night everyone had got used to that.

P>hblo by SuHon-lniabos

Nikki

V

On leaving school I started working casual in the Retail Industry over three years ago. I am now manager of a retail shop. My interest lies in becoming a Make Up Artist. I would like to eventually own my own business doing make up for theatre, weddings and modelling assignments.

I love modelling and have done a lot of bridal fairs. I have also been mod elling at many motorsport events, which I really enjoy. I would have to say myfavourite motorbike rider is Andrew Pitt and myfavourite driver is Craig Lowndes.

I am currently savingfor a house. So all of the extra money I earn doesn't go towards holidays or clothes it gets put away.

Speaking of holidays I would love to visit England one day and spend some time there.

I try to jog every morning to keep fit and occasionally play tennis and walk my dog Roxy. I used to swim all the time butfor some reason I haven't been for a while.To relax I love to lay on the couch with a face mask on or sunbake when the weather is good.

For more pictures of Lauren visit www.sppromotions.com.au

3Promotions PO Box 4052 Patterson VIC 3204 Phone/Fax 03 9557 7750

Call the GMC Help Line for the location of your nearest GMC Power Tool stockist, or to order the latest GMC catalogue

EMC HbIo Line 1300 880 001

“A'

Kv:

Son Marino GP

What they said

Highlights from the post-race press conference Q: You must be delighted for yourself, the team and your fans?

Michael Schumacher: Yes, indeed. There are obviously „ many reasons to be proud and happy. We failed last year after a lot of hopes, both Rubens and myself, and we couldn't deliver as much we were expecting and this year we've given something back to the tifosi. It's the first home Grand Prix for us this year.

It is, as you said, a special Grand Prix for me here today in the history of Ferrari, so therefore I am more than proud to have done it this way.

Q: Rubens, you must be so relieved to finally finish a race.

Rubens Barrichello: That's true.

It's basically been three races without any points, so I was looking forward to finishing a race and it's like Michael said, it's been a really wonderful time because to finish first and second in front of our tifosi here, it's really great. I'm proud to have a car like that.

Q; There seemed to be a slight problem in your second pit stop and you seemed to be slower towards the end. Were there problems?

RB: I don't know where the problem was. I think 1 had a small problem on the left rear

tyre but after the second stop, after five laps, they told me to take care of the engine so I just slowed down a little.

the package of the new car and obviously the team doing the job properly. It's mainly due to the tyre.

Q: Ralf, was third the best you had in the package today?

Ralf Schumacher: It was the best we could do. We have a reasonably good strategy, very similar to Ferrari's. I managed to stay in front of Rubens in the first stint but then he pitted a lap later so that's why he got me. I think our car was good today, the team did a great job and we did the best with what we had today, but it certainly looks like it is not good enough so we have to improve if we want to win races in the next few weeks.

Q: Rubens, after the second pit stop, you were gaining on Michael; what was your feeling then until you were told to slow?

RB: I .was driving nicely. I was treating the car quite well. As I said, the car was fantastic so I was just driving, just enjoying myself. The car was going quicker and quicker. I had no idea of my lap time because I lost all my telemetry after lap six or seven, but I could see the gaps, I could see my boards. I was really enjoying it. It was only after the second pit stop they told me to look after the engine and then I slowed up.

Q: Michael, did you expect to dominate quite so much?

MS: No, you couldn't expect it at Q:'What was the sign that you all. We were close in qualifying.

We then expected the race to ' made after you got past the become more difficult due to Jaguar?

RB: Just told him (Irvine) to go to past experience but as we saw, hell. It's so silly. He's the one Bridgestone has brought a new that talks so much in briefings, tyre which gives us more blah blah blah blah, and then he consistency and we're very holds me up for three quarters happy with that and that of a lap. He let Half by in a nice basically delivers the job, with

1 just toM him Orvhie)to go to hen. ITs so tm No's the one that talks so much hi brlefiiigs, Uah blah Utah Uah, and than hi hoMs ma up for thPM quarters of a lap"

- Rubens Barrichello

way, he could have let me by in the same place but then he came in and stayed in for another five or six corners so I just found it was silly, that's all.

He's getting old anywayl Q: Ralf. The battle with Rubens early on - how hard was he pushing?

RS: I think I tried to go away from him but I realised whenever something went wrong and he had a little gap he was able to close that very soon so I think he was simply sitting and waiting there. They were clearly stronger than we were today so we had no chance and we did the best we could have done out of the package. The car was very good, we had good strategy, the team worked perfectly with the pit stops and we were simply not strong enough this weekend.

Q: So are you a bit disappointed and depressed about today?

RS: Certainly we are. We went to the last two races with the impression we could win them, we failed, twice, so why should . be too happy about it? We clearly want to win races, that's obvious. I mean when we get away from here with a few points a podium is not bad, but it is not our target.

/■/low/,, Kianh'iionmax

50

WIW8

FORMULA ONE —

■Xli V

●»

->

7

●♦

t

m

●1

,‘v *1-/

▼Mfc.

ra

■

i

;

,S7.'

W.

■ . : . f ■'->5^

●; ■

E

LEVENTH again - aided by some retirements summed up Imola where we made some good progress in qualifying trim and popped in one of the best laps of my life when it was needed.

The all-important electronics development with the traction control system took a step forward, but again we opted for the tried and true in the race, working on the obvious 'reliability first' theory.

Friday and Saturday threw up all the options in terms of weather, but there is always something worthwhile to work on, regardless.

We used Friday in the end to back-to-back the two Michelin wet options. This is the first time we've run in 'consistent' wet conditions, so it was ideal.

Unfortunately we only had the second session for that as the engine failed on the fourth lap out in the first session. Asiatech have been working hard on their updated traction control system, but in the development phase it can be a bit tough on the engine - especially in the wet where it's working pretty hard.

It cost us a session, but it's all aimed toward getting the system far enough down the track that we can race with it.

It'll be a worthwhile gain when it gets to that stage. For now though, we're switching back to the tried and proven system for race day.

As it started to dry later in the second session, we were also able to try Michelin's intermediate - it was just dry enough for the teams with high downforce, but in race

17 April 2002

conditions we would need to wait another couple of laps.

Flowever, I was quite happy with the balance we had in the wet - and the forecast,wasn't promising!

While it rained overnight washed the rubber off and the track, Saturday gradually dried out. Although we were a little late out for the second morning session sis the team completed some suspension and gearbox electronics changes, we ended" up with quite a good balance going into qualifying.

Qualifying was the most satisfying part of the weekend for me. And while I managed to outqualify a Jaguar and an Arrows, it took a fair effort.

We'd decided to go with Michelin's option (B) tyre and my first 'banker' run was also the first time I'd run on them.

It was an okay lap (1m25.984s), but then literally as I came round to start the quick lap on the second run (after some rear wing adjustment), the engine let go.

Luckily, I was able to coast down pit lane - but without the engine running and no electronic limiter, I actually coasted in over the pit lane speed limit.

The Stewards were talking a $5,500 fine and although we explained that without an engine there was no limiter, it seems as though the penalty still stands! I'm not sure exactly who's going to be paying it!

The spare had been set up for Alex (Yoong) but the guys did a brilliant job to set it up for me

post-haste and I was able to get a banker lap {1m25,809s) in it, leaving just one more run to have a bit of a go.

It needed to be a good one and it was. It was one of those laps that when you go over the line you know it's been about as good as you can do and the time was there to show for it.

1 m24.790s was a good gain under the circumstances and it moved me up two spots ahead of Bernoldi and de la Rosa.

Unfortunately, Alex didn't have such a good day and, some 2.4 seconds slower, didn't make the 107% cut. So for Sunday, M Webber had no less than three cars at his disposal !

As I said earlier, we reverted to the proven TC system for the race and also - after a small clutch problem in the warm-up opted for a 'manual' unassisted start again (as in Melbourne).

We also decided to start with 'green' tyres for the first time, which paid dividends on the opening lap.

I 'd warned Pedro (de la Rosa) about the manual start and, as I smoked away, both he and Bernoldi out-dragged me. Into the top chicane, though, the fresh rubber allowed me to have a go inside Pedro and that set up a first stint train: Irvine -

Webber - de la Rosa.

The car felt good, despite a small TC electronic glitch from lap five, and I almost thought about having a go at Eddie who is of course the famously self-proclaimed second best driver in the world! But it would have been a bit of a do-or-die . .. not worth it.

We'd decided - like everybody else as it transpired on a two-stop race and the first stop was okay-ish.

The second stint was more frustrating than anything. Every time you'd get a rhythm going, you copped a blue flag as one of the leaders came through. It forces you off line, the tyres pick up all sorts of rubbish and you lose a second-plus, as well as your rhythm. Double-stinting the tyres under those circumstances was difficult.

A fresh set for the third stint brought it all back and there were a couple of fastest sectors in there, before I had to ease back late in the race with signs of dropping oil pressure.

Still, we brought it home again, Barcelona in a fortnightwith power steering if the engineers deliver! Before that, Silverstone testing on Thursday and a huge Chelsea v Man United game on Saturday .. .

SI

Phillip Island

Will's Powerfii

Formula Holden rookie wins

by AARON NOONAN

debut

Back for another shot at the title: Murchison took a front row start but his weekend didn’t improve aii that much.

AFTER a year racing in the shadow of Will Davison in Formula Ford, Will Power proved he’s every bit a rising talent with two wins in the opening roimd of the Holden Australian Drivers

(Photo by Dirk Klynsmith)

.

V

Championship at Phillip Island.

Driving a Ralt Australia Re}mard 94D after doing a deal for the round only a matter of days before on-track activity commenced,the Queenslander proved a dab hand on debut, winning both races while the others failed.

“I was getting a bit buggered by the end of the race,” said the casual Power.

“All I cared about was leaving the line in both races and not stalling, so I’d have rathered lots of wheel spin than none.

“I don’t feel the pressure to win now, but I sure feel the pressure of of getting the money to keep on doing it!” ..

Power had spent practice and qualifying getting accustomed to his much more powerful stead, keeping the issue of finances and potential damage to both pocket and machine in the front of his mind.

His team-mate for the weekend, Mark Noske, took the early honours by taking pole position in dreadful conditions. Making a

comeback to the category in a bid to get back into the swing of open wheelers -with a view to heading back to America, Noske nailed a lm41.2840s to lead Christian Murchison (seriously down on practice time after two clutch failures) and his team-mate Akihiro Asai. Peter Hill and Power filled the top five, while Hill’s team mate, F3 Champ Peter Hackett, was having a miserable time.

An electrical gremlin cut the car’s qualifying mileage to merely half a lap and the Murphy crew ended up changing an engine in a bid to have things sorted for Sunday.

It promptly dropped a rocker in the warm-up and then again in race one, before ‘Hollywood’ ran

home a limping fourth in race two. fyThe first race was actually fairly entertaining. Murchison won the jump and headed off into the lead, while Hill and Noske followed, only for the latter to get onto the kerb and dirt exiting Honda Comer on lap one and spear into the tyre wall on the inside of the corner, severely bending the left rear of the Razor machine.

The Safety Car came out after Terry Clearihan became stranded, and after the restart it was simply a case of when Power would catch Murchison. He drafted past on lap nine and just drove away from the West Aussie, winning by 4s.

Hill ran home third, clear of Asai and Roger Oakeshott, the only

finishers. Kiwi debutant Nelson Hartley ended up in the wall at Southern Loop in the ex-Dumbrell 93D,leaving a few teams with plenty to do in the five-odd hours between races.

Hill fired away from the start of race two, though soon had Power catching the M-ONE-11 man.

Power, well, powered by on lap nine, heading home the everimproving Hill by 4.2s, with Noske third in the repaired Ralt machine after starting at the back of the field.

Hackett ended up fourth despite a rough sounding engine, while Oakeshott and Murchison (also struggling with an ill car)rounded out the top six.

;yYOKOHAMA MOTORSPORT Fronm circuit to tarmac, gravel and dart, Yokohma develop Motorsport tyres to suit your race can For professional service and expert advice contact: SA North Terrace Tyres NSW/ACT Gordon Leven Motosport Tryes 02 4735 4500 03 9764 281 I NT Darwin Tyre Service ■VIC/TAS Traction Tyres 07 3262 7833 WA 'Victoria Park Tyre & Brake QLD TyreTech Australia A032R

7,If'; A

I '’fc

8

52

AOOS

A006

08 8362 4417 08 8981 831 1 08 9361 2044

AQ35

U mosorsport news

FORMULA HOLDEN

I pepfopmance The Power of Dreams

Honda must have known something; The sign at Honda Corner summed it up better than a Motorsport News caption could have. Here Power (Photo by Dirk Klynsmith) passes the stricken car of team-mate Noske, who crashed out on lap one of the first race.

May 3/5

Upcoming events

ProCar Championships - Ronnd 4

June 15/18 Konica V8 Supencar Series - Reund 3

0

ver coming months, Oran Park is hosting three National Championship rounds that will feature some of Australia's best most exciting racing.

Starting with the scream of Ferraris, Porsches, Lamborghinis and Vipers in the multi-coloured Nations Cup, supported by GT Production, GT Performance and V8 BRutes in May, the V8 Supercars take centre stage in both June and July. At both the Konica and V8 Supercar Series rounds, the ultimate Australian spectacle will hit the track for two stand-out weekends.

So get out your calendar and mark these dates as must-see race weekends - the racing at Oran Park is 'In Your Face' in 2002!

July 28/28 V8 Supercar Series - Rennd 7 Oran Park Motor Sport Pty Ltd. P.O. Box 28. NARILLAN NSW 2567.

Phone: 02 4646 1004

Symmons Plains

Bpilliant Bowe John Bowe and the PHR Scuderia Ferrari 360 GT were the dominant force in the Nations Cup at Symmons Plains, taking two victories and the points lead. AARON NOONAN reports on the Tasmanian’s victory on home soil

As good as it got: This was about the only time Bowe didn’t lead, above, while Paul Stokell, right, ended up without a decent result when (Photos by Dirk Klynsmith) his Lambo suffered a diff problem.

w

HOEVER it is that sits down and pens the ‘perfect script’for a motor race had it pretty much right with round two of the Nations Cup at Symmons Plains on April 7.

Hometown hero John Bowe made a triumphant return to his home track, taking the PHR Scuderia Ferrari 360 GT to two dominant wins and the championship lead, as his rivals struggled to stay on the lead lap, let alone challenge for victory.

A huge crowd of 11,871 packed Symmons Plains to see the first PROCAR Championship Series

r-^Qualifying^ POS NO 1 4 2 2 3 4 7 5 5 6 37 7 77 88 9 54 10 29 11 12 17 13 24 14 11 15 20 16 3

DRIUER John Bowe Geoff Morgan Paul Stokell Jim Richards D'Arcy Russell Tony Quinn Kevin Bell Scott Shearman Brian Carr JohnTeulan Maher Algadri Sam Newman Steve Beards Chris Seidler Ian Palmer Peter Fitzgerald

round in Tasmania, with perfect weather making for a great weekend.

There were moments where Bowe didn’t quite look as if things would completely run his way.

After qualifying fastest on a 55.22s lap, the 360 GT was out-run in the Top 8 Eliminator qualifier, and ended up on row two of the grid.

That didn’t really matter, for he carved past Geoff Morgan and Jim Richards on the run to the first corner and simply belted the opposition. After 15 laps of the 35 race distance, Bowe was in front by nearly eight seconds, and didn’t relent, crossing the finish line 53s clear of Morgan’s Viper, which was the only car left on the lead lap.

CAR Bud Ferrari 360 GT

TIME 55.2234 55.6904 Maxfactor Chrysler Viper ACR 56.0241 Midas Lamborghini Diablo GTR 56.0365 DAMPS Porsche GTS Supercup 56.5915 ORR Chrysler Viper ACR VIP Pet Foods Porsche GT3 Supercup 57.6297 58.2689 BNT Porsche GTS Supercup 58.7393 Shearman Porsche GTS Supercup 58,9494 PHR Scuderia Ferrari 360 Challenge 59.0049 PHR Scuderia Ferrari 360 Challenge PHR Scuderia Porsche GTS Supercup 59.2047 59.2054 PHR Scuderia Ferrari 360 Challenge 59.2726 PHR Scuderia Ferrari 360 Challenge 59.2956 Liberty Financial Porsche GTS Cockatoo Creek Honda NSX Brabham 59.4727 No Time Falken Porsche GTS Supercup

Round 2 Symmons Plains 54

-

BJBtSS’

The Viper was struggling, with oil leaking out of the diff seals and falling onto the wheels, though the points for second were more than enough reward for effort.

Race two was a case of the inevitable overcoming the hopeful.

Morgan put the Viper straight into the lead at the first comer and instantly went into defensive mode.

The V10 power was enough to stay ahead of the Ferrari V8 down the long straights, though the agility of the Italian machine coming out of the turns wasn’t enough to out-mn the VIO muscle - until Bowe zipped around on lap 14 at turn one, and pulled away to win comfortably.

In fact, Bowe’s car - a black version - wasn’t the same car that he raced at Adelaide. The red machine has been sold to a Ferrari UK team for the British GT Championship, with PHR team manager Paul Cruickshank jumping back on a plane not long after Bowe took the second chequered flag to oversee the car for its new owners at Bonington,

0

verall, the races were - to put it bluntly - boring, though the 2.41-km layout isn’t exactly

condusive to close racing.

Elsewhere in the field, there were top-line teams and drivers heading back across Bass Straight without really making a dent on the scoreboard.

Paul Stokell, another of the hometown heroes, had a shocker of a weekend in the Midas Lamborghini Diablo GTR. The big beast was sitting a comfortable third in race one when it fell silent at the end of lap six.

“I’m not 100 percent sure what happened,” said Stokell.

“I was in second gear coming off the corner and something went bang. We’ve got 100 kilos of lead on board and I think it's too much.”

The team found that it was a broken side gear in the diff, though without the parts to fix it, the $700,000 GTR was a non-starter for race two,leaving the former Gold Star champ to head for the commentary box and lament falling from the series lead to fifth overall.

Another to miss out on points was D’Arcy Russell. The Victorian’s Viper spun a bearing late in qualifying after suffering oil surge problems. He too headed for the commentary box, making it full of drivers rather than molorsport news

PROCAR SERIES Nations Cup Round 2

Symmons Ptains

.1.

Race 1- 35 laps

POS

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

DRIVER

Race 2-35 laps

POS

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .

8 9 10 11 DNF DNS

k. '

A

TIME/UPS

Bowe 33:12.4137 34:05.0501 Morgan Richards 34 laps Bell 34 laps Quinn 34 laps Carr 34 laps Shearman 34 laps Newman 33 laps 33 laps Algadri Beards 33 laps Seidler 33 laps Palmer 33 laps Teulan 32 laps Stokell 6 laps Rtzgerald, Russell.

DRIVER

TIHE/UPS

ep c/s FRSTEST

55.6526* 55.7190 56.8648 57.3750 57.9531 59.0231 58.5788 59.2815 58.8822 59.3918 59.5474 1:00.0748 59.4136 56.5362

FASTEST

56.4727* 33:30.7116 Bowe 57.0059 33:54.4396 Richards 56.5269 34:08.8021 Morgan 57.4470 34:13.0597 Quinn 58.3251 Bell 34 laps 59.0887 Carr 34 laps 59.1424 Beards 34 laps 58.9881 34 laps Algadri 59.0696 Shearman 34 laps 59.2428 Newman 33 laps 59.8021 Palmer 33 laps 59.2952 Seidler 19 laps Stokell, Teulan, Fitzgerald, Russell.

Points: Bowe 292, Morgan 250, Richards 245, Quinn 185, Stokell 175, Bell 169, Fitzgerald 116, Russell/Shearman 108, Newman 101, Beards 97, Group Two- Newman 261, Beards 260,Teulan 200,Seidler 175, Cook 141, Carr 130.

Elimination of a Nation

Double whammy: Both the Bud Ferraris are title leaders. John Bowe, top, leads the overall title, while Sam Newman, above, heads Group Two after Symmons Plains.

(Photos by Dirk Klynsmilh)

13 April 2002

WHILE it's a common practice in speedway racing, the idea of match racing to decide the grid is somewhat new to road racing, so the ‘Top 8 Eliminator' qualifying session was interesting, to say the least.

Trying to ensure that things were fair from the startline was a headache for PROCAR, which eventually came up with the system of the competing cars flanking the Safety Car, which circulated at 40 km/h, and the race beginning when Race Director Mike Dennis hit the green-light button.

It was, however, not necessarily at the start/finish line, in order to stop drivers from accelerating from the line when they thought they'd get the go-ahead, so opposed to actually getting it.

Even prior to the Saturday afternoon session, the drivers weren't thrilled by the situation, though the session went ahead.

The difference in the machines is what makes the class interesting but it also creating some argumentative

cars which differ as much as these do.

The round races had their moments. Provisional polesitter Bowe had a free ride through round one with D'Arcy Russell's Viper back in the paddock after engine problems in qualifying, though the other Viper of Geoff Morgan, left, accounted for the 360 Faz in round two.

Not even a trip through the dirt into turn one could help Bowe, as Morgan went on to defeat Jim Richards in the final and take pole-position for the first 35-lapper.

Nevertheless, Richards had a net gain, jumping from fourth in qualifying to start second, after defeating Paul Stokell (Diablo GTR) in one of the semi-finals.

Overall, the reaction to the new format was OK, though some minor modifications, such as a seventh versus eighth race to begin with a 'winner stays on' system may be an idea to consider in a bid to speed up the process and make it somewhat simpler for fans to follow.

- AAROW NOONAN

Pholo hy Dirk Klynsmifh

N

rtnnii

I

n t

A

I

1

V n

n

.1

f

I" r~T"i

points in the Eliminator format.

Paul Stokell pointed out that the Diablo GTR has a five-speed as opposed to six for the rest, thus creating a disadvantage from a rolling start at low speed, though such dramas aren't avoidable in a class with

55

C/S

Symmons Plains Luff’s got the V8 BRute stuff strolM^C3stroll&Cas

DESPITE a switch from Holden to Ford, Warren The Rock Dog' Luff, above with Allan Grice, made it two V8 BRute wins from two starts by grabbing the round win at Symmons Plains.

The Sydneysider certainly has proven to be the pace setter of the class, taking a third and two wins, though it was Grant Denyer who had the luck running with him.

The VIP Pet Foods Falcon driver drew pole from the grid ballot draw and won race one, though Luff moved his way through the take the remaining races and now has a 35 point advantage over Damien 'Ice' White in the Quirk's Fiefrigeration Falcon.

Grice was one of the more consistent drivers in the Akubra Ford, taking a fifth, sixth and fourth in a category which continues to grow.

A Double Load HOLDEN driver Scott Loadsman took two wins from two starts in the GTProduction class.

Steve Cramp(BMW 323i) and Bill Fulton (Honda Integra Type R)filled the podium in both races, reversing the positions in each race, Martin Doxey took two wins in the four-cylinder class in his Holden Astra.

-AARON NOONAN

U- f.

Sooby Snacks: David Wood heads defending champion Brett Peters on a track where many thought the (Photo by Dirk Klynsmith) turbo/four-wheel-drive cars would struggle compared to the V8s.

Subaru sweep Peters takes GT Pepformance title lead

by AARON NOONAN THE four-wheel drive brigade took a clean sweep of round two of the Australian GTPerformance Championship at Symmons Plains, with a new championship leader installed in the shape of defending Champion Brett Peters.

The Subaru driver finished runner-up in each of the three races, though it was David Wood who took his Subaru to the first two wins, without being headed.

But the former Honda pilot couldn’t make it a clean sweep, spinning out of the lead in race three and handing victory to Graham Alexander’s Mitsubishi Lancer.

The EVO VII of Geoff Full, which led heading into the Tasmanian round, didn’t have the

n

EHimL^S i

Fast but not in the results: Peter Floyd certainly had the speed, but the (Photo by Dirk Klynsmith) pace took its toll on the big HSV by race three, speed all weekend and had two sixths and a seventh, while a car which certainly had speed - Peter Floyd’s HSV 300 GTS - gave the fans plenty of entertainment.

After qualifying in 10th due to fuel surge problems, the 5.7-litre beast retired from race one after belting into the back of Wayne

Boatwright’s Subaru.

He charged to third from the back of the grid in race two, while a tyre blowout in the final race (while leading)rounded out an eventful weekend for the Victorian.

Points: Peters 220,FuU 189, Wood 181, Alexander 167,Floyd 145.

NOBODY g»LUMBS

mmnumice pRooms

Hose - Braided Rubber, Braided Teflon Rubber, Hose Ends, Adaptors, Oil Coolers, Separators 'P' Clamps, In-line Filters, Quick Disconnects, Radiator Necks, Lockwire, Tape and much more, Earl's has Australia's biggest range.

WINNERS WORLDWIDE RELy ON EARL'S

Distributed throughout Australio by EARL'S PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD 68-72 Derby Street (cnr Stanley Street), Silverwafer, NSW 2128 Australia Phone: (02) 9748 6011 Fax: (02) 9748 6241 Teflon is a trade mark of duponi Email: earl5@0zemail.c0m.au Call in on our website at www.earls.com.au S6

motorsport news

PROCAR SERIES

Double James tpouble Manderson and Cressey share Formula 3 wins at Symmons Plains

by AARON NOONAN JUST as last year’s Fommla Ford championship was a battle of the WiUs,the 2002 Australian Formula 3 Championship may just he a battle of the Jameses after round two of the series at Symmons Plains.

Victorian James Manderson took a victory and a second in Bronte Rundle Motorsport’s DallaraOpel/Speiss 398, while Kiwi kid James Cressey proved himself to be a genuine star, winning race two.

Cressey’s performance was downright impressive, especially considering that he was in Tasmania merely to collect points for the championship after his regular car was burnt to a crisp on the way home from Adelaide’s opening round.

“That’s the hardest I’ve had to drive in a long time,” said Cressey.

“We managed to get the car handling the way I like, but it was still way down on power.

“If you had asked me on Saturday, I would have told you that it was only going to be good for third or fourth but starting from pole obviously helped.”

In an older model 1996 machine from Shane Flynn’s Racing Car Heaven organisation, Cressey ended up second for the round and keeps in touch in the title chase.

Qualifying was close - really close. Cressey stuck it on pole with a 54.27s, Manderson (54.30s) and Kiwi Matt Fitzgerald (54.35s), right behind.

Paul Stephenson, who only made the decision to race on the Wednesday of race week, was

Manderson and Cressey: Driving for BRM, James Manderson, above, leads the-Australian F3 Championship after round hwo.

James Cressey, right, on the other hand, trails in second, but strong results in Tasmania in an older car mark him as a true contender.

)l

f

(Photos by Dirk Klynsmilh)

fourth, though a second off pole, clear of Darren Palmer in fifthStephenson and Palmer would play no real part in the overall results, after the duo came together in race one. Stephenson was out on the spot, while Palmer limped home with a bent steering arm and buckled rim to take fifth spot.

Things didn’t get much better for Stephenson in race two - they just got a whole heap worse when his TOM’S Toyota engine blew itself out of the race.

Manderson held out for the race one victoiy over a charging Fitzgerald, with Creesey in third and Mike Beeley in fourth.

V

I

The second race had action right from the start. Palmer ended up in orbit after launching off the back of Graeme Holmes, while Cressey took the lead and Beeley went nowhere after popping out of first gear on the grid.

The Safety Car made an appearance after seven laps, due to Fitzgerald being off at the end of the main straight at the hairpin, leaving Manderson to chase down the Kiwi.

n

Cressey stood strong and held out the Victorian, though an inorease in smoke and subsequent oil from the back of the Piccola Scuderia machine was enough to give the team a few heart palpitations in the race’s dying laps.

Palmer, John Boothman and Jeffrey Brewer rounded out the top five.

Points: Manderson 72, Cressey 56, Palmer 54, C.Coombs/Beeley 30.

I

.com.au

■‘i

■i i~-

Click onto our website, www.autopics.com.au to see a photographic history of Australian motor racing from 1964 | through to the current day V8 Supercars. Our site has around 1200 photos from our collection of over 250,000, taken by David Blanch and Lance J. Ruling. These rare photographs are individually printed from professional photographic paper.

original

negatives

m I

n. i»r|T±Wj '

. ......

on |—^ iS

Autopies P.O. Box 1215, Ballina NSW 2478 Ph/Fax (02) 6686 9680 Email:info@autopics.com.au www.autopics.com.au 3 April 2002

r

'.j BH

ft

o

●muzi. Jk

■'

'

51

Forest Rally Possum won, but privateers chased him all the way home. JON THOMSON reports from the Forest Rally in Western Australia

P

OSSUM Bourne won the battle but privateer runners made serious incursions at round two of the Australian Rally Championship Super Series in Western Australia two weeks ago.

Bourne took the overall round victory but the speed of privateers Scott Redder and Simon Evans, who dominated the running for much of the rally, showed just how open this year’s title has become.

Redder led for all but the final two stages on heat one, only thwarted by severe dust in the final forestry stage which allowed Bourne through to claim the heat win.

On day two, Evans’s older privateer Subaru led from start to finish to register his maiden ARC heat win, with Bourne claiming second in his newer factory Subaru.

A bushfire on Saturday, which forced the shortening of one stage, the cancellation of another and the retirement of Cody Crocker with a blown engine, were the only major dramas in a weekend of fast and close fought forest racing.

Heat One Thousands packed into the seaside park in Busselton.

Redder, debuting his new Evo VI Lancer, was fastest first time around while Japanese driver Sam Yamaguchi and Evans tied for fastest on the second test. The net result was that Redder and Evans were equal leaders heading into the forests on Saturday morning.

While the privateers led. Bourne was worried by the visibility on the stage, with the mixture of dust and the growing dusk combining to make it near impossible to see.

‘You’re charging down there at close to 160 kph and you can’t see a thing; it is a bit of a worry,” said

the Kiwi.

Once in the forest, Evans looked like he was set to grab the lead, leading at the mid-stage on the long Ferndale test only to have a brake calliper crack, costing him nine minutes.

Evans was one of the last cars to finish the stage before the bushfire .started in the forest just off the rally route. As the flames raced up the steep ridge fanned by strong winds, organisers stopped the stage and regrouped the cars to keep the rally on time.

Redder was fastest and extended his lead over Bourne, who was now struggling with the loose gravel as S8

first car on the road.

Things weren’t getting any better for Crocker, who holed a piston in his Impreza, sidelining him for the weekend and punching a hole in Subaru’s manufacturers points as well.

Michael Guest was suffering from the flu and struggling to get the most from the ageing Walkden Evo V, which" was just too slow.

“I am going back a gear on some hills while the other blokes in the newer cars are just powering up said a croaky-throated Guest.

While Bourne was complaining about his road position and sweeping the gravel he was still able to win stages four, five and seven.

The result was that Bourne had slowly chipped away at Redder’s lead. The Kiwi was 9s behind after SS4 and closed the gap by another 2s after SS5.

It was on the challenging Ellis 11, where the dust was hanging in the late afternoon sun, that Bourne hammered home his advantage as car one on the road, taking 18s from Redder to lead into the final spectator stage in Nannup.

Behind all this, Ed Ordynski was snapping at Bourne’s and Redder’s heels, with a big gap on fourth-placed Guest who was making the most of his ordinary lot.

“I think we could up the pace further if we didn’t have the dust.

There is a lot of dust and it’s hanging in the air in patches,” said Ordynski who was now 8s behind Redder in third.

Bourne snared a maximum with an 11 second win over Redder, with Ordynski, another 7s back in third.

Guest had taken fastest on the last stage to cement his fourth spot ahead of Mark Redder, who posted a great drive in his old Evo III to be fifth, ahead of Sam Yamaguchi and Spencer Lowndes.

Warwick Rooklyn powered his Omega Smeg Daihatsu to first in F2 while Dave Thompson dominated the Aussie Car class in the 5.7 litre Commodore.

■r^

F re in the

fj

Heat Two

\ heavy overnight downpour x\rlampened down the dust and Crocker was the only factory driver unable to make the start line after his engine meltdown the previous day.

After the disastrous start to day one, Evans was out to prove a point and immediately set about molorsport news J

RALLY SUPERSERIES Rally Briefs

HEAT1 1. Boume/Stacey 2. Pedder/Humm 3. Ordynski/Stewart ^4. Guest/RabbettI 5. Pedder/Feaver 6. Yamaguohi/Dodd

Subam 49m30s Mitsubishi 49m41s Mitsubishi 49m48s Mitsubishi 50m18s Mitsubishi 50m32s Mitsubishi 50m39s

HEAT 2 1. Evans/Evans =2.Boume/Stacey =2.0rdynski/Stewart 4. Pedder/Humm 5. Lowndes/Randeil 6. Lintott/Jackson

Subam 55m32s Subam 55m58s Mitsubishi 55m58s Mitsubishi 56m04s Mitsubishi 56m51s Subaru 57m23s

Driver's points: Ordynski 70, Bourne 35, Crocker 32, S. Pedder 28, Yamaguchi 28, Guest 26, Warren 24, Lowndes 24, Evans 21, Mitcheli 20, M. Pedder 14.

Manufacturer’s points: Mitsubishi 128, Subaru 108, Proton 40

ARC Round 2 Forest Rally

«

.

n Carlos Sainz's 150 km/h testing accident just before the Catalonia Rally was caused by a steering breakage according to Ford's team manager.

"There are two things broken in the steering, but which went first and which was caused by impact, it’s very difficult to tell," Ford Director Malcolm Wilson disclosed.

Fie added that Sainz was running with experimental parts on his Focus at the time and that these were not used during the rally, when he crashed out after spinning to avoid parked spectator’s cars.

Sainz suffered whiplash injuries in the testing crash, while co-driver Luis Moya was forced to stand down in favour of Marc Marti after breaking two ribs, losing a tooth and biting his tongue. Moya is expected to return for Cyprus this weekend.

1.’ t -<'p—

l

J .

Back to the top: After a troubleplagued opening round in Sydney, Possum Bourne, above, returned to the top of the timesheets.

Dusted: Ordynski, right, was quick all weekend, but was one of many who struggled with visibility due to heavy clouds of dust.

n Subaru rally team boss David Lapworth believes that Subaru is quite capable of confronting runaway championship leader Peugeot headon across the remaining rounds of the Championship this year.

Going it alone: Privateers raised some eyebrows over the weekend with some great drives, particularly from Simon Evans, left, and Scott Pedder, bottom left.

(Photos by Jon Thomson)

blitzing the factory drivers with a stunning fastest time to lead Ordynski by 9s and Bourne by 10s.

The Subaru driver backed that up with another stirring performance in the second stage of the day, taking another 6s from Bourne on what was a muddy and unpredictable 15km blast through the forests close to Nannup.

“I don’t think the Subaru people realise how badly I want to win this,” said Evans.

Bourne was keen to explain that he beheved the reason Evans was setting such fast times was because his older Subaru was lighter and better suited to the fast and open WA stages.

“We will be doing more engine development work to try and compensate for the weight disadvantage,” said Bourne.

Dean Herridge was suffering from a lack of top end power, a real handicap in the fast conditions as 17 April 2002

ED Ordynski greeted the two members of the WA constabulary at the Friday shakedown with a smile, but that soon turned to a worried ashen face when the police explained they were there to talk to him about a harassment matter the previous night.

At first, Ordynski (with a clear conscience) assumed it was a wind up, but so convincing were the officers that he was soon worried that someone had filed a vexatious charge against him.

It was a wind-up, but the truth wasn't revealed until the Mitsubishi driver was well and truly sucked in.

Fair Cop!

it had on day one, while Guest had dropped over lm40s on the opening stage after rolling a cold tyre off the rim early in the stage.

Ordynski took fastest on the third stage, breaking Evans's dominance, but the Subaru driver was only Is behind and stiU pushing hard. He would take the next two stages to all but seal his win.

Yamaguchi had a wild ride in his Lancer, spearing down a bank into two trees and badly damaging the left-hand side of his car but was able to continue to the finish.

Evans had huilt a 26s lead on Bourne by the time they hit the final stage but the short 850m test in Nannuip offered no chance for the flying Evans to be caught.

“I have been waiting for this one for an awfully long time and the victory is sweet,” said a beaming Evans at the finish.

Bourne settled for second, equal with Ordynski with Scott Pedder

taking fourth and Lowndes filling fifth place.

Rooklyn again brought the Daihatsu home at the head of P2 amd Thompson made a clean sweep of the Aussie Car fight.

Bourne’s first and second places gave him the round outright ahead of Ordynski with his pair of seconds and Scott Pedder, who grabbed third with his second and third placings.

Ordynski maintains a strong lead in the title with a 34 point advantage on Bourne heading to the third round of the drivers title in Queensland in June.

In between then and now, the Rally of Canberra will add to the battle for the makes title with Mitsubishi now holding a 20 point lead on Subaru.

Clearly anything can - and probably will- happen in this year’s AJIC, making it a stark contrast vsdth last year.

"The next couple of rallies are where we really find out," said Lapworth, "The first four are out of the trend, from now on, I think it looks a lot more interesting.

"We’re getting into a series of events where we should be competitive on every single one of them. I think we’ve been unlucky or underperformed the past couple of years and the next three rallies, Pirelli won last year."

Both Subaru's drivers, Tommi Makinen and Fetter Solberg, are focusing on dirt road events which come with a rush between now and the middle of the year.

- JON THOMSON S9

Portugal wants in THE Portuguese are bidding to regain their place in the World Rally Championship by staging a new rally in the Algarve in early May. The new event is a clean break with tradition after previous Portugal rallies have been concentrated in the north of the country and have tended, even in latter years, to roam across large areas.

May's rally is much more compact, centred on Silves, west of Faro in the far south, and will be held entirely on dirt stages.

The intention is to expand it in the years ahead, assuming it meets with international approval.

Portugal is the only 'traditional' World Championship round to have been dropped so far. It was left out of this year's calendar when it was deemed not to have met safety standards.

After Spain's problems this year and the massive problems on San Remo in the past two years, these Mediterranean events could be dropped in favour of a new gravel event to bring more balance to a Championship dangerously tilting in favour of tarmac events. " - JON THOMSON

Evans eyes

Magic hands RALLY driving is hard work on your back and neck, even in the comparatively slower Group N cars.

Possum Bourne was on the massage table constantly over the Perth weekend, with the team physio manipulating the Kiwi’s back to ensure top performance.

Subaru is the first team to have a physio on ARC rounds, despite the fact that it is much harsher on the body than, say, V8 Supercar Racing where it is commonplace. Expect more manipulation of rally results in the future.

- JON THOMSON

80

SIMON Evans reckons he needs a new car to ensure both the speed and a degree of reliability he will need to maintain his challenge on the ARC this year.

Despite winning heat two in WA, he failed to finish both heats in Sydney due to an engine meltdown and lost close to nine minutes with a broken brake calliper in heat one in the west.

“It is an old car you can’t get away from that, and you can change one lot of components but you break others, which was what happened with the calliper,” said Evans,right.

“I have a good budget to run the car but can’t afford the update just yet.”

Possum Bourne reckons Evans’s speed is because the older car is lighter than the new models he and his two Subaru factory team mates are running and, if Evans moved up, his advantage would be eroded.

Maybe Subaru should give the flying Victorian a new car as a satellite team and see just who is fastest in the new machines. The worse thing that could happen is he may win the maker more kudos in the now fiercely competitive ARC. - JON mOMSON

motorsport news

rUiUo hv SflUiltKkhourn

Rooklyn plans to EVOIve AFTER a year of rallying,former circuit racer Warwick Rooklyn has decided to totally commit to the gravel by purchasing a new generation Lancer Evo Vn for season 2003.

With backing from long-time sponsors Omega Smeg appliances, the former Sydney to Hobart yachting champion will take delivery of the new ear in the next few weeks, with preparations beginning immediately. Sydneybased Rooklyn and co-driver Linda Long won the F2 class in WA last week and are getting quicker all the time.

“I will have had two full seasons in the Daihatsu by the end of this year and it is time to pt serious,” said Rooklyn, above,. ‘‘Omega Smeg has been right behind me all the way and with that backing I decided we should step up to an Evo VII. “I considered an Evo Vl but figured the new car would give us a much better shot at being competitive in the outright class.”

His sponsors have gotten right behind rallying in more than just sponsorship, offering a $1000 miGrowave oven to a lucky spectator at each round ofthe ARC this year.

an upgrade "■S

I

Ironically, in Perth the microwave was won

by Bob Nicoli, the man who eight years ago originally built and drove the Daihatsu Rookl3m now drives.

Rooklyn is one of many drivers switching to the new Evo VII in coming months. Michael Guest hopes to have his new Les Walkden VII ready for the Rally of Canberra and Sam Yamaguchi will move up to his new car in Queensland, while later in the year the second Team Raliart car will also be ti’aded up to a VII. - JON THOMSON

'corroHTUirmTEm

1 S.-,

\

Which air filter

... 5

X

was used by the winners of the 2000 and 2001 World Rally Championship?

.. -. Photo by-Jon Thomson

61

V

COOL chassis

As COOL as they i Australians have always fancied thennselves to take on the best from overseas, no matter what the sport. Now an Aussie(OK, former Kiwi) is aiming at taking on the big boys in the world ofSprintcar chassis manufacturing.

GEOFF ROUNDS provides this insight into COOL chassis

The COOL puns could go on and on for weeks: But we won't let them. John Cooley, right with chassis, has tagged David (Photos by GeoffRounds) Murcott as his 'home driver’in a bid to consistently improve the machine.

I

N the heat of Australian Sprintcar racing, a Warrnambool welder is quickly developing the 'coolest' chassis on the market.

John Cooley, 40, is a former New Zealander, but has lived in Australia since the mid-1990s and his burgeoning Cool Chassis are the most sought after in national Sprintcar racing at the moment.

After talking with American racer Brent Antill and encouragement from his family, Cooley decided to try his hand at designing and constructing his first Cool Chassis machine.

"The chassis are based on the US Maxim frame, with a few variations. It's a good chassis, the winning or the losing is in the welding," said Cooley, a welder and fabricator by trade.

The Cool chassis is made from chrome-moly, with Cooley's wife Anita spending long hours sitting at a saw bench and cutting all 62

the tubing into the short pieces needed to form the skeleton of the car.

The milling and bending of the steel is carried out by Cooley with assistance from Bailey Smith. Frames are then put in a

Tm very contldeiit we'll get things exactly IQO percent, if not better than the American product inside the next five years" -John €ooley stand-up jig for three hours where Cooley really perfects his craft. The torsion tubes are added, motor plates and the allimportant roll-cage.

From start to completion, a Cool chassis is constructed in six days. Cooley prefers to do all his own TIG-welding on the cars and

he has a simple explanation why he does this.

"I prefer to do it all myself as all the welds are done at the same consistency, the same way with the same distances and when I weld them it's in such a way that it stress relieves the frame."

A major advantage the Cool chassis has over its American competition is the attractive prices of the frames, which range between $4000 to $4500, Input from American driver and chassis constructor Bill Bailey has also helped Cooley perfect his craft and product.

"We've based a lot of the business on information we've got from him which has been outstanding." in just 12 months, Cooley's product has not only gained widespread recognition but has already graced the winner's podium. His early-built cars are those driven by Victorian drivers

I John Vogels and Matthew Reed.

The real success for Cooley came when Vogels and Reed grabbed placings at Warrnambool and Simpson inside one month last season.

"Things have just gone better and better for us. The good thing I find is the drivers that have actually got them have actually improved since they’ve been in them."

Next season the list for Cooley will grow more, with Vogels and David Murcott both racing new updated Cooley models. Geoff moiorspon niiws

SPEEDWAY .^ ^

ome

i

p

On a winner: Matthew Reed took a COOL charts to victory in the SRA Series round at Premier Speedway on Januaiy 4, above. A chassis can gofrom nothing but tube’bars, below, to afinished product in just Six days. (Photos by GeoffGrade and GeoffRounds)

■ir

W

f

If

Clifford, Tim Hutchins, Rob Kyle, Troy Shiells, Phil March, Dave Magilton, Mark Reuter, Geoff Eales, Karl Enderl and Tank Raggatt all are set to run a Cool machine in the 2002-03 season.

"We are hoping to have approximately 25-40 cars on the track for next season."

A growing sideline that Cooley has gained is an excellent reputation for is repair-work on some of the severe impacts that Sprintcars suffered last season. " It sort of took off like a 11 April 2002

rocket. I was going to take on other stainless-welding work on to accommodate when the speedway season is down. Now, betv^een building cars and components we won’t be just sitting around in the off-season we've got quite a lot of work to do.

A planned holiday to this year's Knoxville Nationals may provide Cooley with a view to advancing his popular Australian chassis into the tough, but lucrative, American Sprintcar market.

"I want to go as there are a lot of people to meet over there.

We were looking to send a frame over there but the cost of

airspace was just too much for us at the moment. We've now decided to leave America alone just at the minute. I really will look further at the States after I've got the Australian market sewn-up," he quips.

Former national Sprintcar champion Phil March, along with Tasmanian David Murcott, are considering running a full schedule of World Series Sprintcars and Cooley believes this will be the perfect springboard he needs to sell his product further.

"Now that Phil and David are going to run World Series, depending on the deal that happens (with WSS), I feel very

confident that they'll both make a lot of noise for me. There are a lot of opportunities coming for us as well but I think it's still early days.

"We'll keep on building them and use David Murcott as like the 'house driver' and get the feedback off him. The real goal for me would be to build 40 cars per year - we did 25 this year.

"1 can't see things failing for me as the cars have spoken for themselves already and we've achieved far more than I ever expected. I'm very confident we'll get things exactly 100 percent if not better than the American product inside the next five years."

63

Farr clinches title AFTER a season-long battle, Robbie Farr has taken out the prestigious Driver to the World of Outlaws crown, with a ride in a #11 Quaker State Maxim for a couple of meetings his prize.

“It was pretty good. We did what we came here to do and that was to keep ahead of the #20 car(Troy Little) and stay out of trouble,” said Farr after the race, which was won by John Shore.

“I’m very happy to get through for a third placing. We had a power steering line go in a heat.

“It was a bit of a scare but we were lucky it was in a heat and not the feature. We were running ninth or 10th early but I wasn’t concerned, the #20 car was behind us and that was alright.

“Then I saw the yellows and that he had crashed out so then I started to have a go. I got past Max (Dumesny)and moved towards the front. Once Troy was out I went hard, I didn’t have to finish so it was a normal race again.

“It’s an awesome opportunity and I’m definitely looking forward to going over there. The chances of getting a competitive car, well you have to go over to America every year to get known, and I just don’t there often, so the chances of getting a competitive

by GREG BOSCATO

I Winners are talkers: Robbie Farr heads to an Outlaws drive as a result of winning the Driver to World of Outlaws series at PCR. ride is nil.

‘To win this championship and get the opportunity is fantastic. I only get two race meetings and after coming off a five month lay off, I might be a bit rusty, but by the second show, I can be

(Photo by lyarren Bridge)

making the A Main and cracking it into the top 10.

‘The challenge is to run with the Outlaws and go to a half-mile track for the first time and race a 410 cubic inch car.”

- GREG BOSCATO

When it rains DESPI'TE all efforts made by the dedicated members and officials of the TTimmis Speedway Club in Mildura, the running of the Victorian 360ci Sprintcar Title was not held on Saturday night as scheduled due to inclement weather surrounding the Sunraysia district.

The SRA officials who were to overview the meeting packed up their bags early and headed back to Melbourne so the Club and the Sprintcar competitors decided to run a show on Sunday afternoon.

Therefore,‘The Adrenalin Sprintcar Stampede’ was bom.

The Victorian 360ci Sprintcar Title will be rescheduled for an upcoming meeting at the Timmis Speedway,leaving Gaiy Chippendale to take the 20-lap feature win from Steve Knight and Wayne Bunker.

-PARIS CHARLES 64

Bus

Slowin Owen: Owen Pitt ended up in this scary predicament at Timmis Speedway, oniy for Peter Knight (yellow car) to disfigure the S87 machine.

(Photo by Paris Charlos)

HE may have been in retirement for a few years now, but Garry Rush has made welcome return to Sprintcar racing, and on April 6,the 10time Australian Sprintcar Champion took out victory at Parramatta City Raceway.

Since his 'final' meeting at Parramatta, Rush has become a team owner with his son Garry Jr racing the #2 Rush machine.

Although he has had a couple of runs in various cars, basically using the time to sort out various troubles, it was thought Rush wouldn't make an active return to racing.

It all changed at the NSW Title meeting in March, when the 'Master Blaster' made an unannounced return to Sprintcar racing at Parramatta and continued racing at the next few PCR meetings.

After what could only be described as a lacklustre season with his son at the wheel and then a disappointing Classic meeting with Danny Lasoski racing a brand new Eagle without too much luck.

Rush had decided to put his entire team on the market.

He then surprised everyone at Parramatta on fronting up for the NSW Title shootout racing the #2 Maxim himself. Rush is looking good and fit but still took things a little easy for the first couple of meetings, but on April 6, it was like the Garry Rush of old.

He was in a class of his own, quickly powering into the race lead and confidently moved away from the pack to score the victory by over a half lap from Robbie Farr.

Rush is shy about his future plans, so is it the start to a return to Sprintcar racing or an end of season bit of fun?

Someone suggested that he can't sell race cars simply by them sitting in the workshop and by bringing them out, it gives any potential buyer the opportunity to see that the cars are still ultra competitive.

Rush missed the season final after going overseas but the question remains as to whether this is a comeback or a bit of fun. As they say, watch this space ... motorsDort news

h returns!

U/ic the old days;

.llicr a season w ith son (kirry Jr driving, Garry Kush Sr has sicpimi hack behind the wheel of a S/ninleur And he's siill a wina0Hm»

Another V8 driver!

Crompton the latest Supercar star to run Sprintcar

V8 SUPERCAR racer and Channel Ten commentator Neil Crompton took to the wheel of the BikeBiz Sprintcar recently at Parramatta City Raceway.

With a team of TV cameras on hand, Crompton was at Parramatta to do a story for RPM, having previously raced a Sprintcar at Parramatta in 1993.

“I love Parramatta because I had my first Sprintcar drive here in ’93 and today has been fantastic,” said Crompton.

“I have never had two minutes to myself on the track to really get the feel of the pow'er these cars develop in race spec.

“Usually it’s buckle up, knuckle down and when the lights turn green it really is showtime.”

The BikeBiz Parramatta, Richard and Peter Craft-owned

Neils on dirty wheels: Crompton sampled Madsen’s machine at PCR.

(Photo by John Morris/Mpix)

machine was rebuilt with the Kerry Madsen engine fitted and with set-up whiz Bill Roberts on hand, Crompton had plenty of time

Max Dumesny Motorsport Australian Distributors for

Xoositr

^^ RACING TIRE

For more informathn on Hoosler Drag and Speedway Tytvs call:

NSW;02 9679 1990 l Fax 02 9679 1187 VIC;03 9331 6477 l Fax 03 9331 7444 SA;08 8332 0800 l Fax 08 8364 0296 II April 2002

behind the wheel of the #86 machine.

- GREG BOSCATO

SPEEDWAY A Knight’s Day HALLAM’S Steve Knight(Flocon Engineering Gambler) used a borrowed engine to snatch the win in the inaugural 360 Wimmera Cup at Horsham’s Blue Ribbon Raceway on April 6.

Peter Knight, the defending PRC Super Sprint Series 360 champion, led the majority of the race after passing early leader Dave Argus and was looking likely to score the win until a caution with just three laps left to run brought big brother Steve into the equation. On the restart, Steve snuck past Peter and took the win on the hooky Horsham surface.

Following the brothers across the line was former Super Rod racer David Magilton in his Passlow Ford Gambler.

Magilton was fortunate to hold onto the final podium position as his Ford powerplant was ailing as the chequered flag came down, leaving fourth-placed Bob Forbes (Adrenalin Powersports Centre Stealth) wishing for a few more laps. n Darren Power in the Power Racing Fontana Stealth has finally edged out season-long rival Paul Farrell for the Victorian Speedcar Drivers Association Championship.

Power beat the similarly mounted Farrell to the championship by a mere 12 points although, Farrell turned the tables in the 'Country Cup' series, taking that championship by 20 points from Power. n Race fans will see a very different Parramatta City Raceway when its season kicks off again in October. The most notable and visible change to the spectator area will be the installation of 6000 seats along the front straight. The blue units were used only a couple of times at Stadium Australia for the Olympic Games.

They were transported to the Raceway following the rugby league season, but will replace sections of existing seating and extend through to the fourth corner by next summer.

"It has a real gladiatorial feel to it and every fan feels like he or she has the best seat in the house,” remarked Mike Raymond.

-BRETT SWANSON

2002 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINTCAR SERIES Eldora Speedway April 13

1. Craig Dollansky 2. Tim Shaffer 3. Mark Kinser 4. Brian Paulus 5. Steve Kinser 6. Paul McMahan 7. Shane Stewart 8. Joey Saldana 9. Chad Kemenah 10. Randv Hannagan

11. Johnny Herrera 12. Donny Schatz 13. Jeff Shepard 14. Brad Furr 15. Danny Smith 16. Danny Lasoski 17. Kraig Kinser 18. Jim Nier 19. P.J. Chesson 20 Jac Haudenschild

Standings to April 13 1.Mark Kinser S.Steve Kinser S.Oanny Lasoski 4.Craig Dollansky S.Joey Saldana e.Tim Shaffer .. .

7.Brad Furr .

8.Stevie Smith e.Randy Hannagan , lO.Donny Schatz

.1878 ,1857 1850 1788 1757 1752 . 1733 , .1727 1716 . .1709

OS

Parrott back on the Jarrett perch Photo by Marlin D Clark

Texas two-tyre step

by MARTIN D CLARK

AS speculated in the last issue of Motorsport News,Jimmy Elledge has vacated his position as crew chief for Dale Jarrett with Todd Parrott, above,reassuming the position he held from 1996 until December last year, when he moved to the role of team manager.

Parrott took back the role at Texas while Elledge was looking elsewhere and admitted he had talked to Ray Evernham regarding a head wrench position with Casey Atwood at Ultra Motorsports. Parrott and Elledge were apparently unable to work together, no doubt fuelled by the head-strong Parrott. n Texas pole sitter Bill Elliott proved he still has 'it', with a 194.224 mph lap at the fastest track on the circuit now it has been re-surfaced. Outside pole sitter was another Elliott - Sadler, with a 193.071 mph speed. Lady driver Shawna Robinson qualified well in 16th place, finishing 36th. n Haas-Carter Motorsports made a surprise appearance at Texas Motor Speedway, with Frank Kimmel the driver of the #26 Ford vacated by Joe Nemechek when the team announced its closure, Kimmel, a three time ARCA champ, brought his series sponsors Advance Auto Parts and Pork-the Other White Meat along to back the ride that previously had the Kmart logos. Kimmel used a provisional to start after wrecking on the second qualifying lap and finished 33rd in the event. Look for Kimmel to make possible future appearances in the Cup series this year with the same team. n Dick Trickle will run the April 21 Talladega event for Evernham Motorsports after he tested an Intrepid recently at the 2.6 mile superspeedway under the car number 91. Under NASCAR rules, if you test a car under a certain number, you have to attempt at least one race during the same racing season. n HRT Motorsports intends to field a car for Roberto Guerrero in five Busch events this year starting at Charlotte on May 24 with backing from Ciclon, a Cuban energy drink sold in the Caribbean. HRT stands for Hispanic Racing Team.

- MARTIN D CLARK 66

MATT Kenseth won a raindelayed Texas race on April 8, ’ heading home the re-vitalised Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin to the flag.

The decision by both the Kenseth/Roush and Gordon/Hendrick pit crews in electing to take on two tyres during the final stop on lap 309 proved pivotal for the top two finishers, whereas Martin’s Rqush Ford took on four.

For Kenseth it was win number two of the year and number three for Roush in 2002, plus three out of the six events held at the Texas track.

“Everything’s big in Texas and this win is big,” remarked Kenseth. “I didn’t come in here expecting to win, but we had great pit stops and pulling the rubber out of the right front spring really helped us, although it cost us about 10 positions at the time.”

A twist to the Texas win has to be the fact that,just like his last win at Rockingham, Kenseth started from the rear of the pack after an engine change postqualifying.

NASCAR inspect engines pulled out for damage, but it’s easy to rip off a fast lap and then throw in the clutch. The question is how long will NASCAR take to make a change to the ruling?

Bill Elliott led early from the pole, Ricky Rudd then taking up the running 44 laps in before defending race winner Dale Jarrett looked like he was about to turn his season around and run away with the win, opening up three plus second advantages at some points.

Sadly for Jarrett, his Yates Ford ran dry offuel just past half-way.

Ward Burton and Dale Earnhardt Jr both took major hits on the track and in the points.

Burton cut a tyre and cannoned the wall in a ball offlames, but thankfully emerged unscathed.

‘Little E’ was also not so lucky; he was passing the lapped Shawna Robinson when she gave him no racing room and tagged the Bud Chevy into a rearward spin.

“We had a good car, Shawna’s a good driver. I guess they need to get her a better race car so she can be more competitive, because it’s hard dodging her every 15 laps,” said Earnhardt Jr. NASCAR thi-ew a competition

The first two-time winner of 2002: Matt Kenseth had a terrible 2001, but 2002 is looking a whole heap brighter after victory at Texas.

(Photo by Sutton-lmages)

caution on lap 35 of 334 to access tyre wear, due to the fact that Cup cars had not been on track since practice two days previous and the Busch cars were only out for a short time the previous Saturday as their race was rain shortened and rain delayed.

Hendrick rookie Jimmie

Johnson was again impressive, posting his fifth top 10 in the first seven races, a sign of things to come for the ex-Busch racer.

Final result; Kenseth (Ford), J Gordon (Chevy), Martin (Ford), Rudd (Ford), Stewart (Pontiac), Johnson (Chevy), Marlin (Dodge), Spencer (Dodge), Elliott (Dodge),T Labonte (Chevy).

Re-iprofil'e the mad eurfdf the race ear: That.V gwmu cost a packet...

Il’IioUt hy Siilhnl-lmai

Changes for Chev

LOOK for the Chevrolet (Vionte Carlo to receive aerodynamic changes to the front end of the car at the beginning of the 2003 season.

The road version of the car will be changed to accommodate better on-track performance.

"If you look at the Monte Carlo and look at the shape of the Dodge or Ford, it's pretty easy to see, especially from the windshield forward," commented Jeff Gordon's crew chief Robbie Loomis. "We're off on the shape pretty big aerodynamically."

- IVIARTIN D CLARK motorsport news

NASCAR

Bobby gets one

Harvick benched

by NASCAR

by PHIL MORRIS

Staying out was the plan; Bobby Labonte’s experience on the Martinsville half-mile came in handy, the Interstate Batteries driver finally wnning on a short track.

(Photo by Sutton-imagos)

MERELY surviving a 500-miler on a short track such as Martinsville is an effort in itself, though actually winning one of them is an even harder achievement.

Bobby Labonte did just that on Sunday, winning his first Winston Cup race on a short track.

“I’m never going to push anybody out of the way like I’ve seen other guys do, so I figured if I was up front I probably had a better shot than being behind somebody,” said Labonte.

The race ended under caution, though Labonte had Tony Stewart to thank. As leader with 55 laps to go, Stewart pitted for two new tyres under caution, handing Labonte the lead, who was mindful of there being plenty of cautions in the final segment of the Martinsville race.

He was right as two more cautions flew and Stewart, Labonte’s team-mate, couldn’t work his way back through.

Matt Kenseth (who started 26th) continued his strong run of late with a second-place, clear of Stewart, Dale Jarrett and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Pole-sitter and four-time series champion Jeff Gordon got caught in a wreck on lap 210, cut a tyre and dropped to 23rd.

Cut back on Winston THE Winston All-Star event for the previous year’s race winners and previous Winston winners held for the last 17 years is to take on a new twist on May 18.

For the first time, drivers will be eliminated from the first and second segments of the event, leaving just 10 cars to do battle over 20 laps for the $1.5 million winner’s purse.

This year the event’s three segments will be 40 laps, the second 30 laps(and comprise 20 cars) and then onto the final 20 lapper for the remaining top 10 finishing cars.

The Winston Open will again take place, a 30-lapper for all comers with the top two finishers making it into the Winston. So far, a record 26 cars are set to take the gi’een flag for the always exciting night race held annually in Charlotte.

Winston’s contract with the 17 anril 2002

The best of the best: Ten drivers will slug it out in the always entertain ing Winston All-Star race on May 18. But will it be the last one at Lowe’s (Photo by Marlin D Clark) Motor Speedway? We hope not. circuit expires after this year and there’s talk that the event may move elsewhere. Many drivers have come out in support of the current arrangement, which

means teams get back-to-back race meetings in the heart of NASCAR racing, particularly considering as most of the teams are based there.

- MARTIN D CLARK

KEVIN Harvick was benched from the weekend's Martinsville 500, after he clashed several times with Coy Gibbs during the Craftsman Truck Series race at the 0.526-mile track on Saturday.

Harvick finally rammed Gibbs's truck from behind on the 188th lap, causing Gibbs to spin out while Harvick drove on, and Harvick was quickly told by race officials to park his truck for the rest of the afternoon.

On Sunday,just before the Winston Cup race, NASCAR announced that Harvick, who is on probation until August 28 following a clash with Greg Riffle in a Busch Series race at Bristol, was "parked" for the afternoon, the first time such a penalty has been imposed.

Richard Childress, who owns the #29 Chevrolet, was able to get Kenny Wallace behind the wheel to replace his star sophomore, but disputed the fairness of penalising Harvick for something done in another series.

Harvick, already on probation through August 28 because of a skirmish with Greg Riffle during and after a Busch race at Bristol in March, was meeting to discuss his actions with his team after the incidents. n Jack Sprauge, the three-time Truck Series champ who this year competes in the Busch Series with Hendrick Motorsports, will run a limited schedule of seven Winston Cup events this year with Haas CNC Racing, a team owned by the machine manufacturer and operated out of the Hendrick Busch stable that houses Sprauge and Ricky Hendrick's teams. The car will use the #60 and run full Haas sponsorship.

M NASCAR has made some aerodynamic changes that will effect the performance of the Ford brigade at Talladega on April 21. The rear spoiler of the Taurus must be increased by a quarter-inch to six inches, while the Dodge and Chevy spoilers will remain at six and a quarter and the Pontiac six and a half inches. Also starting in Texas, the Chevrolets were allowed an extra one and a quarter inches to the front measurement of the Monte Carlo.

- MARTIN D CLARK 67

A ton of Fopco

E

^ T,EVEN-TIME Funny Car champion John Force has reached the historic I milestone of 100 victories with a huge win over Tommy Johnson Jr. in the final round of the O’ReiUy Spring Nationals at Houston Raceway Park last weekend. traversed down the sometimes tricky quarter-mile to take a 4.99/310 to 5.17/283 Force victory.

“I’m glad it’s over with,” said Force,pictured.

“The driver gets all the credit, but I brought Austin Coil up here because he’s the reason I got it done. This is his 107th win and all 100 of mmewere with him tuning the car. We’ve been together for 17 years and I give him all of the credit for everything I’ve done.”

Force set low e.t. of every roimd in 4.94/309, 4.92/285 and 5.06/300 victories over Dale Creasy Jr., Del Worsham and low qualifier Whit Bazemore. It was Force’s seventh win at the venue.

Winning his first national event on Canadian soil on June 28,1987, after coming up short m nine final rounds and 66 starts. Force would get his first win on U.S. soil one year later in Columbus, Ohio. , Less than five years later. Force collected win number 25 in Atlanta and took his 75th at the same track just six seasons later. In 2000, Force became the winningest driver in NHRA history while taking his 86th win at Joliet.

Johnson, meanwhile, had advanced into his second consecutive final round by piloting Don Prudhomme’s Skoal Pontiac past Dean Skuza, Scotty Cannon and Force cohort Tony Pedregon.

While Force made Drag racing history, Kenny Bernstein, Mike Edwards and Craig Treble also left Houston with Pro event titles,joining Force in the jubilant winners circle celebration.

Bernstein stopped Phoenix winner Tony Schumacher in the final round, 4.69/319 to

4.90/304 and chopped a huge chunk of the lead Larry Dixon Jr. enjoyed coming into the event, when Dixon suffered a clutch malfunction, losing traction at the hit of the throttle and was upset by Texan Mitch King in the opening frame.

Bernstein and his Budweiser King carded low e.t. of every round as he scored impressive 4.66/319, 4.66/322 and 4.65/318 roimd wins over Bruce Litton, John Smith and Cory McClenathan.

Schumacher advanced into his second final round of the season by stopping former teammate, Melanie TYoxel, upset-minded King, and Aussie David Grubnic.

Grubnic was again the best of the Aussies, taking the Montana Express dragster to wins over Scott Weis and Doug Kalitta before falling to Schumacher in the third round. Andrew Cowin, meanwhile, was a first-round casualty after hazing his tyres at half-track and falling

vfi

to Cory McClenathan.

In Pro Stock, Edwards grabbed the advantage at the starting line and never looked back as he drove the Young Life Chevy Cavalier to a 6.89/199 to 6.91/200 victory over the similar-bodied machine of Kurt Johnson.

The win was Edwards’s 10th and this was the site of his first victory back in 1996.

Edwards becomes the fifth different Pro Stock winner this year and used holeshots to win two of his four rounds on Sunday. A first round 6.97/175 was enough to hold off Steve Schmidt’s better 6.88/195 when Schmidt posted a very late .683 light. In round two a 6.88/199 stopped local hero, Bruce Allen.

In the semis, Edwards again used his starting line prowess to dispose the quicker low qualified car of Jim Yates, 6.90/199 to 6.87/201.

After a DNQ in Las Vegas, Johnson and his AC Delco Cavalier rebounded for runner-up honom-s, stopping a red-lighting Tom Hammonds, a very late Greg Anderson and father Warren Johnson, 6.91/200 to 6.89/201 on a holeshot.

Aboard his Mateo Tools Suzuki, Craig Treble is two for two in Pro Stock Motorcycle as he defeated Geno Scali in the final round, 7.24/184 to 7.32/179. Treble had earlier defeated Thomas Miceli, Antron Brown and reigning Champion Angelle Savoie enroute to his third career victory.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI POINTS:Top Fuel: Dixon 486,Bernstein 421, Schumacher 375, McClenathan 355, Kalitta 272, Grubnic 243, Herbert 183, Hartman-Smith 182, Millican 179, Russell 179. Funny Car:Force 423, Worsham 340, Densham 322, Johnson 321, T. Pedregon 312, Capps 285, Scelzi 281, Cannon 249,Bazemore 239, Gray 236. Pro Stock:Yates 360, Johnson 349, Mamell 331,Alderman 319, Edwards 303. Pro Stock Bike: Treble 229, Savoie 174, Gann 134, Scali 126, Johnson 125. l

DRAG RACING Drag Briefs FOLLOWING the abrupt dismissal/ departure of Al Hofmann from Jim Dunn Racing and the K&N Filters Pontiac, below, Frank Pedregon has returned to the team as a replacement driver after signing a multi-year deal that began at Las Vegas.

Dixon, Densham do Vegas rjK

LARRY Dixon took his third NHRA Top Fuel win of the year at Las Vegas two weeks ago.

Dixon’s win came at the expense of Cory McClenathan, who despite running a final round 4.72/313 could not match the low e.t. ofeliminations shot of 4.63/319 fired by the Miller Lite/Don Prudhomme team.

The Aussie contingient had another difficult day, with Andrew Cowin being outpedalled in his first round battle with compatriot David Grubnic, who in turn was

trailered by Dixon in the next round.

Funny Car racer Gary Densham, pictured, scored a heart-stopping final round victory over Tommy Johnson Jr. and the Skoal Camaro.

Densham looked to be headed for an easy victory when Johnson lost traction early in the run, but tossed the blower belt just past half-track and Johnson, who had pedalled, was closing fast.

At the finish line, Johnson had flat run out of racetrack and Densham squeaked out a narrow

rr.-l0/!20r) to O-lAiTO’ic'oVy;*^:,s3J Ron Rrisher has clearly had the dominant Pro Stock car this season as far as performance goes, qualifying on top at all of the first four events, but several problems kept him to just one round win.

In Vegas, Krisher finally put it all behind and reached the winners circle, stopping Darrell Alderman in the final round, 7.01/197 to 7.02/197 in a classic Dodge vs.

Chevy match-up.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

The big five-o-o t

%

w i t

h\

11 April 2002

B

f

\

AMERICAN Chuck Haynes became the first person to break the 500 kmh mark at a dragstrip outside the USA when the 'Volcano' jet dragster returned to WA for Quit Motorplex's 2001/2002 season-closing Firepower WA Grand Final two weeks ago.

Haynes, pictured, posted a first run of 5.02/511 km/h (318mph),-which he backed up with a second pass of 513km/h (319 mph) later in the evening.

Also making a return to Australia was the 'Gravity Storm' jet dragster, which had Quit Motorplex IVIanaging Director Gary IVliocevich at the wheel after driver Kevin Olsen was unable to make the trip to the southern hemisphere.

Miocevich registered a personal best pass of 5.78s.

The biggest crowd for the season were also treated to a spectacular performance from Allan and Cheryl Greene's popular 'Greene Machine' Funny Car piloted by Allan Dobson, who wheelstanded, recovered, and wheelstanded before finally crossing the finish line.

Peter Nowak downed Rob Paniz?a to take the Top Comp final, while Geoff Chaisty bettered Ian Johns in Super Comp. Indeed, Johns was lucky ' to make it down the strip after a hairy run saw him cross the centreline and come close to hitting the wall.

Pedregon last drove for Dunn during the 1998 and '99 seasons, posting back-to-back wins in Madison and Columbus during the 1998 campaign and capturing the U.S. Nationals title in ‘99.

In Vegas, Pedregon wheeled the car to a 5.00/303 to land in the 13th spot and posted a brilliant .409 light in the opening frame against Gary Densham, only to lose traction and fail short in a dual tyre smoker. n Rumours suggest that Al Hofmann is planning on a return to Funny Car racing at Englishtown, reportedly with his own team, multi year backing, a new car, and a crew

chief.

n The Chicago Metro Dodge Dealer Association has signed on to become the title sponsor of the May 30-June 2 NHRA event in Joliet, which will be renamed The Chicagoland Dodge Dealers NHRA Nationals. n Amato Racing Crew Chief, Jimmy Walsh, and clutch specialist.

Bob Bauer, left the Joe Amato team just prior to the event in Las Vegas.

Walsh had been with Amato for 18 years while Bauer had been with the team for 12. By the time Friday rolled around, four more crew-members had quit, leaving Wayne Dupuy, who was brought on as a consultant, scrambling to find replacements.

To make matters worse, enroute to the track, the transporter's axles had broken, stranding the trailer near Phoenix. The trailer was lifted by a 350 tonne crane and two industrial forklifts and loaded onto a huge flatbed trailer, then hauled to Las Vegas where the trailer was removed and set into its pit space.

As far as Dupuy finding crew help, it came from his brother Jim, driver Darrell Russell's brother Chris, and Chris Nicol, who worked with Dupuy on Don Lampus's car at Pomona.

The team qualified 12th at 4,81/302 and scored their first round win of the year, stopping Yuichi Oyama in the opening frame before bowing out one round later against Tony Schumacher, - DAVID OSTAS2EWSKI 69

stuck on Dunlops

I

N what is believed to be the longest partnership of its kind in motorsport, Stuckey Tyre Service is celebrating 30 years as Australia’s best-known distributor of Dunlop race tyres.

It began back in 1966 wheiTCol Stuckey estabhshed his tyre service in the Melbourne suburb of Brunswick. Col had been a tyre fitter with Dimlop before World War 2 and later was to become president of the VACC and General Manager of Dunlop’s retail division. One day in 1972, he armounced to his son Russell, “They(Drmlop) have just offered us the motor racing!”

“The phone call came from out of the blue,” said Russell. “I was 22 at the time and had no background in motorsport. However, I remember going to the opening of Sandown about 10 years before, and the fantastic smell of racing fuel.

“I also managed to get Graham

Hill’s autograph, but really it was a chance encounter with motorsport and didn’t have much effect until 1972.

“I then tried my hand at racing a Lamco Formula Vee. I did three races and tried to blend it in with the tyre service, but decided I couldn’t do justice to both.

“I wasn’t passionate about the driving so the decision was made but won the ‘Hang 10’(Sandown to concentrate on providing race enduro)in his Mazda RX7 fitted tyres for others.”

Stuckey has seen race tyre with Dunlops. Up to that point he technology advance at an incredible always thought he had an rate, and has been associated with advantage on Goodyears, and since that time he’s been another of our most of the top names in the sport. . great supporters!”

“Paul England was one who knew exactly what he wanted,” Stuckey Tyre Service has also provided Dunlops for many race said Stuckey. “At first I thought he was going to be a difficult winners including Peter Brock, character to deal with, but he was who was one of Stuckey’s first customers as a member of Harry to become one of our greatest Firth’s Holden Dealer Team, supporters in later years.

“Alan Hamilton was another, winning his first Bathurst on and so, too was Allan Moffat. Allan Dunlop slicks back in 1972. had been a Goodyear distributor Stuckey was also called upon by

Dick Johnson when Dunlop radials fitted to his Australian-run Ford Sierra out-qualified the world’s best at Silverstone,(UK)in the Tourist Trophy of 1988.

But his fondest memory was the 1983 Bathurst race when, at a time of open tyre competition, every car but one on the grid was Dunlop shod, courtesy of Stuckey Tyre Service.

“I have always viewed our tyre service as a personal business.

Going to race meetings has always been a lot of fun,” he concluded.

- BRIAN REED

VALE: Lou Molina, O.A.M

THE Australian motor racing community has lost one of its most colorful and charismatic figures with the sudden death of Lou Molina on April 4.

A pioneer racer, raconteur, master chef and a larger-thanlife character, Lou had been a familiar and popular character wherever there was motor sport during the past 50 or more years. His distinctive red scarf, peak cap, big grin and raucous laughter were always part of the scene, and even in recent times he raced his stable of cars with great skill and daring and in the true spirit of historic motor sport.

He was a founding member and long time benefactor of the Victorian Historic Racing Register.

The Molina family returned from Australia to Italy in 1927, and it was here that the motor racing bug bit Lou after seeing the great eight-cylinder Fiats being raced by the leading drivers of the day.

I When the family came back to Australia in 1928, Lou spent a lot of time watching motorcycle and car racing at Tracey's Speedway, and was particularly impressed by the Austin 7s and the Brescia ^ Bugattis.

At age 18, Lou began work in i Albury as an apprentice chef i and became friendly with a ! mechanic restoring a Bugatti fitted with a Sunbeam engine. It 10

became known as the 'Bugbeam', and Lou had his first competitive event as riding mechanic in this car on a fourmile circuit outside Albury.

When motor racing returned after WWII, Lou entered a meeting in 1948 at Point Cook driving a 1937 Ford V8 Tourer and had immediate success.

Always the innovator, he then built a 'special' using an upsidedown Riley chassis fitted with a 2-litre Ballot engine. The Riley Ballot proved slower than his tow car so he raced that instead, but unfortunately it blew up and had to be towed home by the 'special'.

Lou and his great friend Sil Massola next set out to build another 'special' using the bits from his infamous HRG plus a Holden engine. Thus was born the MM Special (Molina/ Massola).

Brian Burnett built a smooth body for the car and it was entered in the Albert Park GP in 1953 where Lou scored an impressive fifth outright. On the basis of this result. General Motors backed him with resources to compete in the New Zealand GP over 200 miles. Against the might of Maserati, BRM and the Austin Healey Le Mans team, Lou finished a creditable eighth, His next car was the famous

A cornerstone ofAustralian motorsport; Lon Molina, O.A.M., 1021-2002 I’luilnln .hi f\ Sniilli

Monza Holden with body again designed by Brian Burnett, and he had great success against DType Jaguars and other sophisticated sports cars. He recalled one day at Phillip Island when he beat the Maserati 300S of Bob Jane, the Cooper Jaguar of Doug Whiteford and the Porsche of Otto Stone.

After building up a 998cc Ford Anglia with Doug Whiteford, the two teamed together to contest the Armstrong 500 at Phillip Island.

The Anglia scored many successes before the Vulgarilla MG appeared on the scene prepared by Lou's friend and mechanic Jack Mays. Other cars included an XK150 Jaguar, MGs, Austin 7s and his beloved Brescia Bugatti.

Lou competed in all the big events-TTs, Grands Prix, Round Australia rallies, sprints and hillclimbs. His generosity and skill as a top chef and host will long be treasured by all who shared his hospitality at the famous Anchor and Hope Hotel.

It was in recognition of his contributions to the restaurant industry and to motor sport that Molina was awarded an O.A.M. in the 2001 Australia Day honours list.

Lou died suddenly on April 4 while unloading his Austin 7 after a rally.

Lou will be sadly missed, and to his sons Anthony and Ernest, other family members and his many friends, we extend sincere condolences.

- BRIAN REED motorsport news

-t.*

NEWS

Aiming sky-high

was racing a Yamaha YZ426 4stroke motorcycle and took first climb of the day - only to hit sheet ice on the final section where the temperature had been two below zero, overnight.

He miraculously stayed aboard the bike and helicoptered down for the top 10 shoot-out in the stadium section on the riverbed, only to land badly over a hump,damaging suspension mounts and hurting

by EOIN YOUNG

I

EXPAT Kiwi Rod Millen won the 15km gravel Race to the Sky hiUclimh in the Cardrona VaUey near Queenstown over Easter weekend in NZ,racing his thundering 5-litre 560hhp Lexus-engined US stadium racing ute with a cUmh of 8m43s.

The cUmb was scheduled for a showdown between Millen and Possum Bourne in his hotrod Subaru WEX with close to 600bhp, but off-on alternator hiccups clipped Possum’s qualifying and a puncture early in his final run parked him in a cloud of dust at the foot of the mountain.

Enter Aussie enduro motorcycle racer Steve Riley and his team mate Brett Hayward in a pair of tailor-made specials that looked like a cross between a beach buggy and a kart.

They really looked as though they hadn’t read the invitation properly. Too small, too light for the punishment meted out by the hugely rough gravel htfi, scrabbling up from 1500ft to 5000ft through 139 comers that ratted into boulderstrewn holes during each day of competition. Riley said they had watched a video of the 2001 climb.

“We must have watched it at least 52 times, tr3dng to get an idea of the terrain and then we built the cars,” he said. “There are some things we’d do different now, but not many.”

Riley’s car had a 1300 Suzuki Hyabusa(a Japanese attacking bird) motor in the hack,taken out to leOOcc and around 230bhp with

his back.

Eat my dust: Ross Dunkerton, above, tweaked every bit of his 240Z to finish 28th overall, but the day belonged to Rod Millen, below.

(Photos by Gail Barwood)

a weight ofjust 385kg for similar power-to-weight to a World Rally Car. Four wheel drive was by chains, rear to front.

In the interests of ANZAC relations, on his rear wing he carried a kangaroo helping a Kiwi sheep across the road. The cars looked so small and fragile that Millen thought the valuable suspension compliance must have been compromised.

Riley felt it important to keep the cars in scale. Bigger tyres would have upset the balance. ‘"IVres are a problem on our 13inch wheels. We really need softer compounds. We’re using the same tyres as classic Minis or Escorts and they weigh 1300kgs.”

Riley had a busy final day. He

Undeterred, he made his climb in a time of 9m08.64s,just 24s behind Millen and good for second place on the rostrum.

Third fastest was Mike Turfus at 9mll.26s in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6.

Riley’s team-mate Ha3rward was fifth fastest on 9m 18.19s in tfie other Aussie superkart.

Ross Dunkerton had worked on head, cams and exhausts on his classic Datsun 240Z and his best was 10ml4.88s, 28th overall, beaten by local classic racer Brent Buist in a Ford.Escort RS1800.

Dunks’s avowed opposition Buist ran 9m56.42s for 22nd.

Bruce Garland from NSW was hillclimbing the Jackaroo he drives in cross-countiy enduro rallies.

Garland said he was used to stages that were 300-400km long ^0 this 15km hillclimb needed a different mind-set but the long drop-offs with no safetybarriers gathered his total attention.

“Some of those drops are so far down that your clothes would be out offashion before you hit the groimd!” He was 33rd with aclmahj ofl0m21.31s.

Briefly Historic THE 17th annual Mangalore Sprints will be held at the famous old WWII airstrip on Sunday, April 21 and all CAMS affiliated clubs are eligible to take part.

Competition will consist of one practice run and two timed competition runs over the quartermile, followed by two motorkhana tests to suit historic vehicles.

The meeting is organised by the Victorian Historic Racing Register and is sponsored by Ballingall MG Spares. Entries close on April 17.

For further information and entry forms contact the meeting secretary John Pyke on (03) 9872 4729 or 0419 002 379. n The Historic Clubman Racing Association of Australia has proposed that the current Sports 1300 rules for Group R cars, with an end date of 31/12/1981 be extended to include cars to 31/12/1987.

There have been several requests from potential starters, and the new proposal to the Historic Eligibility Committee would bring the rules into line with the existing period end date for the old Group A Sports cars.

It seems there are quite a number of Clubman sports cars lying idle out there, and this proposal, which has the backing of the Historic Sports and Racing Car Association in NSW, would be an encouragement for their owners to get them back into circulation.

The 2002 Clubman series will see four rounds in NSW, three in Victoria and one in both Queensland and South Australia - nine rounds in all.

It is now a truly Australian series and will allow competitors to drop off their two worst rounds, or not attend a meeting that is too far away. n The RACVs 'Fly the Flag Tour' will take place from April 20 until April 26 during which time 300 cars will take to some of Victoria's most memorable roads.

In order to participate, cars must be at least 25 years old, and owners have the choice of driving all seven days of the tour or just join in for a day or two when the tour comes to their part of Victoria.

Tour organiser is Frank Douglas (03) 8704 2533, and the event is a forerunner of celebrations to mark the centenary of the RACV in 2003. n The HSRCAs next race meeting will be held at Wakefield Park on April 27-28, and a big lineup of racing, sports and touring cars is expected to contest the various historic categories.

Other dates for your diary include the Eastern Creek Bonanza on September 7-8, and the Wakefield Park Christmas meeting, November 30/December 1, - BRIAN REED

national

scene

ron Noonan

eified

Hossack takes opener nn

by AARON NOONAN

-iv V--

DAEREN Hossack took the Wynn’s SAAB into the lead of the Australian Sports Sedan Championship at Phillip Island on the weekend, with a second place and a win putting him on top after the opening round of the series.

“The car’s good around here but it’s hard on its tyres,” reported Hossack.

“We still have to work hard to catch Tony Ricciardello, but we’ll keep working away on it. Santa might just bring us a test day as well! It’s really a case of time to be able to go and do it.

The SAAB had been completely re-designed from the firewall forward during the off-season and, despite limited testing before heading to Phillip Island, the Chev-powered,machine was right at the front of the field.

Defending Champ Ricciardello started strongly with a win in the first race, though it wasn’t an easy one. With Hossack hovering nearby, the Alfa went onto seven cylinders and the SAAB actually worked its way past, only for the Alfa to re-take the lead and take the win.

Luke Youlden, in the triple rotor Mazda RX7, was close behind in third, while Kerry Baily’s Nissan 300ZX wasn’t a factor in the race result. The Tasmanian was sent to pitlane to serve a penalty for jumping the start and retired soon after with electrical problems.

Both he and Ricciardello didn’t start race two, leaving Hossack to hold out Youlden and Mick Monterosso’s Escort, which finished sixth in the opening race despite losing second gear.

Engine problems afflicated many of the top cars, and the attrition rate, particularly in race one, may just set up an interesting championship that isn’t decided until Sandown in December.

Stephen Voight (Honda Prelude) had engine problems in qualifying and didn’t even make the races, while Anton Abramovic (Mazda RX7) was lucky not to hit the pit wall hard when suspension failure pitched him in to a wild series of spins.

12

''eggs'

M

mm>

SAAB

.. i

j

- «»-●

Close quarters; Hossack and Ricciardello had a good race in the first race, above, while Youlden and Monterosso, left, trailed Hossack home in the second race.

(Photos by John Morris/Mpix and Chris Carter)

Coleman doubles up The Yellow Fellow: Coleman is looking every inch a winner of the Porsche Cup series after another dominating (Photo hy C/im Carter) performance at Phillip Island.

JUST as he did last year. Matt Coleman blitzed the Porsche Cup runners at Phillip Island, making it four wins from four starts in this year's championship.

The Porsche GT3 driver had to work his way past 18-year-old Jonathon Webb in the first race, but pushed away to win, He backed it up with a lights-to-flag performance in race two, while Webb fought it out with defending Porsche Cup Champion Martin Wagg, eventually holding him off to take second place.

"I'm really excited about being at the front of the field running on the pace with the likes of Wagg and Coleman. I had a tyre delaminate which obviously slowed us up," said an enthusiastic Webb.

Tony Quinn, who was running his Porsche GTS Supercup, was a non-starter after backing his Nations Cup racer into the wall during wet qualifying, leaving Coleman to be the dominating force for the weekend.

- AARON NOONAN molorsport news 1

NATIONAL

Hryniuk Opens it up i

*

III—

ir

Clubmen, Heavy and Light: William Yarwood, above, took back-to-back titles in Clubman Heavy, while Jason Hryniuk, right, took the Clubman (Photos by Sean Henshelwood) Light title.

by MARK WICKS

J

"ASON Hryniuk is the new Clubman Light Australian Champion aJfter beating a class field at ArcherviUe Kartway, Launceston,over Easter.

It was a popular victory for the NSW driver, who switched to CRG in the off-season. The new year has seen Hryniuk struggling to get a win on the board despite running at the front.

He came close to victory at the Portland Street meeting, then crashed out of the Victorian Open befoi-e redeeming himself at the Nationals, not only winning Clubman Light but also taking third in Fonnula 100.

Hryniuk qualified fastest for Clubman Light but had to play second fiddle to Adam Klunyk in the heats and pre-final, the Aitow driver winning all three races. The final was close all the way with several drivers fighting in the lead pack.

Troy Woolston, Bart Price and Ben George all retired after contact in the final laps as Hryniuk led Klunyk across the line followed by Kyle Clews(Birel) and Michael Patrizi (Birel).

In the Clubman Heavy division, William Yarwood (Arrow)secured back-to-back titles, dominating the class all weekend. Yarwood qualified fastest and won every 17 April 2001

race unchallenged as local driver Jonathon McDonald(Monaco) came through late in'thelinal for second ahead of Victorian veteran Remo Luciani(Monaco).

Another to secure a second title on the nm was Shane Price (Arrow), taking victory in a pressure packed Junior Clubman final.

Starting from pole, Price led the opening laps before Anthony Contarino made it through to the front, however Price wasn’t content with second and made the pass with just a handful oflaps left.

Andrew Thompson (Tony Kart) was a fast finishing second, almost catching Price at the end, while Tim Blanchard(Arrow)held on for third.

WA’s Michael Patrizi(Birel) grabbed the Fonnula 100 title after leader Matt Wall(Tony Kart) blew an engine with two laps to go, Troy Hunt(Top Kart) and Jason Hryniuk(CRG)filling the podimn.

Speedy Patrizi: Michael Patrizi grabbed the Formula 100 win after Matt Wall blew up.

(Photo by Sean Henshelwood!

Ilium Tasmania’s Marcus Burford (Dino) denied Blanchard the Junior National Heavy win with a last lap pass.

Blanchard had dominated all weekend, however Burford and Kristian Lindbom (Top Kart) caught the Victorian in the closing laps.

Junior National Heavy was a three way dice all meeting, David Sera, Jordie Lindstrom (both Aitow)and Steven Scoble(CRG) trading positions every race.

Sera and Lindstrom tried to bump draft their way ahead of Scoble, but the Westeni Australian fought back and took second as

Sera won his first Nationals.

Duane West(Monaco) was leading the Senior National Heavy final when it was red-flagged due to an accident with just five laps to go.

Tasmania’s Jared Bishop and NSW’s Greg Martin were close behind, Martin confident he would have been able to challenge in the last laps.

Fifteen-year-old Gany Joel(Fox) took a dominant win in the Heavy division winning every race. NSW champion Phillip King(Arrow) challenged in the heats but could not do better than second.

Troy Woolston (Azzurro)lit the afterburners in the Formula Australia Light final, the Victorian taking a comfortable win after some tight racing with Taz Douglas, Adam Klunyk and Simon Leech, Douglas holding on for second.

Andrew Thompson took an easy win ahead of Leah Unsworth (Tony Kart)in Junior Piston Port, while just two drivers, Stephen Engel and Allan Bower (both Top Kart) finished the Clubman Super Heavy final, all the other competitors crashing each other out while there were still 14 laps to go! ?3

>4

.S n

Mad Dog Both the V8 BRutes category and one ofits younger guns have been treated as somewhat of a novelty in the past But, as AARON NOONAN reports, the category and The Mad Dog’are starting to kick some goals

M

How can you write a caption for a photo like this? You don’t. But don’t those teeth look real ...

(Photo by Dirk Klynsmith)

4

Event

Venue

16-21

Targa Tasmania

Tasmania

19-21

Power Tour

Mallala

20.21

SA State Kart Open Championships

Wyaiia

20-21

Vic State Championships Rd 1

Caider Park

20-21

Vic Kart Country CiaSsic

Baimsdale

20-21

NSW State Championships

Wakefield Park

20-21

Winton Sprint Series Rd 2

Winton

April

21 26^28 27

Motorcycle Racing

,Qld Raceway

V8 Supercars

Eastern Greek

Speedway Trophy Night

EDIA members jumping behind the wheel and going racing.

It has all the recipes of disaster, though for regular Network Ten motormouth Grant Denyer, the journey into experiencing racing from the other side of the window net is starting to become a successful one.

Joining in the V8 BRutes series at the beginning of last season, the pint-sized formerkarter made the headlines for all the wrong reasons, spearing off with brake failure at full speed, clobbering Rod Wilson’s Commodore and ending up in the concrete wall.

But in 2002, Denyer is quickly becoming one of the quickest ‘yoimg guns’in the BRute series as well as one of the most.popular.

You only have to look at the lines when “Mad Dog’ pops out of his kennel at PROCAR Championship Series rounds to sign some autographs to tell that he’s one of the true personalities ofthe tour.

While mixing racing with work at Tsn News in Melbourne and its ‘Trackside’ program, the 24-year-

old remains realistic about his future direction in racing and position in the food chain.

“I enjoy commentating, butjust like Neil Crompton,it’s a way to open doors,” he says.

“I’ve only had a httle bit to do with Neil on the racing front. Still, it’s a bit early to decide which one to go. I’m in Ute racing after all, I haven’t exactly won the F3 championship yet or anything!

“Everyone’s looking for a way to expand their future. If I don’t think I’m good enough. I’ll throw it away tomorrow unless I am the next Michael Schumacher - there’s fair chance that I’m not...

“I’d like to do some Konica V8 tests just to see if it’s worthwhile for me to pursue. I do love commentary and television work though. * ‘Winning races consistently is the main target, but I’m still new to pretty much all of the tracks so that’s a challenge in itself.

“It’s physical, the sort of passing you’d love to see in V8s.

Regardless of the speed, it still takes something to race hard - and

Kwinanna Complex

Wakefield Histories Vypkefieid Park 27-28 To have your motor sport event listed email your details to ads@mnews.com.au World's number 1 independent manufacturer of brake pads. For ear, kart, sport performance, race, truck, trailer, forklift, earthmoving, tractor and train. Replacement and turbo grooved Sports discs.

wwwpel

For oil AustrailOii and New Zealand enquiries call

eo<fiii,aa M

motorsport news

NATIONAL

makes good

V8 test for KartStars kids 3 I

^UPEROHEAJ

i

ANOTHER prize has been announced for winners in the Ford KartStars series.

Two of the top four placings at the conclusion of the series will get the opportunity to test Steve Ellen/’s Super Cheap Auto V8 Supercar. A capacity 32 kart field has entered for the series, which for the first time will include a street race (Murray Bridge, SA) and commences at Canberra on May 26.

Very Important Pet Food: The whole ‘Mad Dog’ tag has been a winner with the fans of V8 BRute racing.

(Photo by Dirk Klynsmith) Symmons Plains’s most recent round saw the pawed prince a victor. other drivers recognise that.

“I’ve had a fair bit of coaching, with Rod Dawson who looks after my car. John Bowe’s been really supportive. He’s actually been very supportive of everything I’ve done - he’s like my godfather!”

Having raced karts for six years (including a 1997 NSW Title) and run a Mazda 626 in the ThreeHour at Bathurst(“I was faster than Richo and Murf in the Vectra and they won the 1000 the next day!” he quips), Denyer’s move to the V8 BRutes class quickly gained him some followers.

The ‘Mad Dog’ persona didn’t hurt either ...

“The Mad Dog thing is fitting within the theme of Utes nicely.

Gricey said ‘you don’t want to Ije stuck with it for your life’. Now I agi-ee! But, it’s given lots of fans a different way to remember you by.

“It’s a spectacle, not a serious racing category. It’s all about creating an image. I’m more like a ferocious foxy than a mad dog honest!

“I was one of the first ones to enter. I purchased the Ute they (PROCAR)had used as a prototype so I had my name down as one of the first for the class. They came up with the idea for me. It’s all about synergy - dogs, pet food, utes, farms. It works alright.”

The quick quips fit in well with the overall‘Mad Dog’ persona, and the on-track efforts have helped gain respect from the drivers he works with in the world of V8 Supercars.

“The biggest difference I noticed was the ‘horrific and nevei'-to-berepeated’Adelaide accident. I noticed a change from all diivers. I Driving the microphone instead of the car: Denyer goes to work at Phillip island last weekend. One weekend he’s driving a V8 BRute. the next he’s driving a microphone for ‘Trackside’.

(Phoio by Aaron Noonan/MN Oigiinl)

77 aprll 2001

remember having to work down pit lane after the accident and having Jason Bargwanna and Garth Tander on their luiees, bowing down to me!

“Just about evei’y driver I talk to now asks me about my racing, so it’s been a gaining of acceptance which gets you into the ‘inner ^ sanctum’.”

Having scored his maiden win at Oran Park last year on his way to Rookie of the Year and fifth in the championship - and he added another at Symmons Plains in round two this year - there’s still ways to improve.

“I guess braking is still my weakness and it always has been,” he says. “I’m only just starting to realise how much the Adelaide crash did damage to my confidence. My corner exit speed is good but I’m just not going into the corners hard enough.

“For the last two rounds, we thought we had a slipping clutch but I wasn’t sure. Sure enough, we pulled it out at Symmons and it was leaking oil, so that was costing me some time.”

But for the moment,‘Mad Dog’is happy doing what he’s doing. It’s a way of having some fun on the race track, and gaining a different appreciation of what his racing colleagues get up to.

Betcha there’s none of the V8 stars who signs autographs out of a kennel either ...

n DPE,the importers and promoters of Rotax MAX, has announced the 2002 Rotax MAX Nationals will be held at Melbourne's Todd Road circuit on the weekend of August 31/September 1.

Both Light and Heavy divisions will run for championship status, although the format will differ to that run at Launceston recently by incorporating a series of qualification heats. It is expected that a C-Grade Rotax class and Formula 100 feature will also be on the program.

n Christian Fittipaldi, above, is yet another professional racing driver to market a range of karts under their famous family name. Fittipaldi launched his range of karts in the US recently, Christian himself taking the wheel and carding a second place in the Rotax MAX class. In addition to Fittipaldi, Paul Tracy and Jarno Trulli have their respective Tracy and Trulli karts. n Night racing returns to the Oakleigh (Vic) kart circuit, a special Friday Night 'Top Guns' meet scheduled for April 26. Drivers will be competing for cash prizes in a limited number of classes.

- MARK WICKS 75

competitors and enthusiasts. Advertising in RflCESHOP costs as little as $60 per issue! Call Brendon Sheridan on 03 9596 5555 now!

Serck on Coolars «

P

% 4

mnim,

@® tSa® eC7 GE?T)a!aaD33 Wayjngj

Ph.02 97S8 IMS Fax.0297M 1155

E

R

FO

C

RM

E

.

1^SHADE SPECTRUM SHADE Now available in 3 sizes 2,4m X 2.4m 3m X 3m 4.5m X 3m to cover all situations.

Maintenance free.

The 60 second shade structure.

Hewk Performance disc brake pads have the stopping power and brake , modulation to reduce lap times and put RACING PRODUCTS you lu the winners’ circle - with 8 different race cempounds.

VIC 37A Fenton St Oakleigh 3166 Ph: 03 9543 6222 Fox:03 9543 6244 OLD 3/26 Expo Crt Ashmore 4214 Ph/Fox: 07 5531 0181 NSW 2/109 Airds St Minto NSW 2566 Ph:02 9820 4255

PERFORMANCE CYLINDER HEADS & MANIFOLDS

Holki| '''ww.holley.com 1^^

1800 088 088

www.tpiclFnshidi.cn.u

F-t-U-l-D

S*Y*S'T*e'M*S

^n^ORMANCE ytWHOLESALE LTV

^^n^ORMANCE YfWHOLESALE’lS, Holley Performance System Distributors

Phone (07)3808 1986

Phone (07)3808 1986

Visit our website for your nearest distributor.

Visit our website for your nearest distributor.

www.performancewholesale.com.au

www.performancewholesale.com.au

BDYNAGEAR AmerlGs’s premiam oil pump & til mmnufacturor.

r Where sealing Is a science

Pi ismjm

[snnai

Trade enquiries welcome Fax. 02 arse iiss

USTRAL f A

Ph. 02 97S8 f966

Remorkoble Windows of Dpporfynity for Engine Experts » Take manuol tonlio! oi linnds-ffee oAtturole, Repeoloble,Versoliie 0 Lota! deiign, support, development, inslallolion end on-sile liaining °Top nonies demond lop equipment (users int NIZPRO, HSV, HI!T & Jolin Sidney Ruling) 0 Engine, chossis, go-kort or molorfcike For more informotion and a

i\I"4 ^

Williamstown Dyno Time 03 $397^1211

Dyn^bg Bynamometer

AREX Compuling POBoxISI MonhiKe Vic 3765 l1i03976lll42Fox03975l2l73 Mob 0408 055 541 Imoll DflditvOtnilbpi.oig ou

Eastern Raceparts

* SVSracaB ® Aircraft Belts

MiWiANP

* Girlistg o ©©IdSmie ® SilverRSirae

Ph/Fax 02 9526 6666

Ph Byran Miller "Mobile 0417 274 507* Ph 02 0524 3389 ● 1 Tamba Place Lilli Pllll NSW 2229 " Email eastornracoparts@hotmail.com 78

ilUji

AUSTRAL f A

Ph. 02 9758 1968

c:^r>SPORTSCARS V8 Superar Race and Show Car body kits.Available in

Large inventory held in stock

^"SflU^SHIktl^^vlar/C^rbon Fibre, composite and

Sheet - cut to your requirements, sold per square foot Tubing, round, square, solid rod per linear foot Aircraft aluminium Billet metals 2024T3, 6061T6, SCAT, Rresleeve

%L. «4 ●^rotPlUAB

Fax.02 9758 1155

41SON Chrome Molybdenum Steel

RACE DESIGNED AERODYNAMICS

demonstration (ontmt:

I

Trade enquiries welcome

Dynapack Dynometer Service Centres

S8O900i raglsfend Evmry pump Is oil tmstetl for correct pressure & volume.

Qamllty assured.

/t

DRY SUMP OIL SYSTEMS & ACCESSORIES

Hawker Paoific

m

ph 03 9738 1588 Factory 5 48 Malvern Street Bayswater 3153 Mob 0418 374 841

Call us today with your requirements

Freecall 1800 654 983 Freefax 1300 808158

f^^SspiaAi\ [0™pjn Race logistics

Enaineeriiig,’ L IS% ■ iHCRtASe r IH USABU -V/

L'toboue

STROKER

I "ACE LOGISTICS iotcfstate transport tmmem

ALL ROUNDS ALL GUVSSES

Fully enclosed custom built race car transporters

<

<

igKil

HARROP ENGINEERING AUSTRALIA PTY LTD luni- uy.u

091)0 Kn.\ (0;{( 917 1 0999

Professional race car logistic and event specialists Security for car and equipment Contact Neil Griffiths on 0418 474 816

1

race@tnt.com.au

aioloiapon aows

H

17

MARKET PLACE n

ff, m

I

i

LLSa

As

Casirol Perkins ] Racing Team^

t: L

RACING BA1TERIES and Electrical Components for severe environments

Hi Flow Alloy Heads

IThe ultimate power fix for your Hoiden l Available for early and VN Style V8 l Super flow potential compared to ported iron heads l Greater thermal efficiency and half the weight of iron

''mip !t

Hawker Pacific Ph: 02 9708 8503 Fax: 02 9790 3306 Email: custservice@spares.hawkerpac.com.au

n COtAPOMOTIVE

MOTORSPORT WHEELS|

FS^VIC 03 9386 5331 11NSW 02 9676 8655 II SA 08 8387 3522 M WA 08 9293 3500 M TAS 03 6273 7555 It NT 08 8941 5388 r,, QLD 07 3217 1188 www.stuckey.com.au

www.yellaterra.com.au Ph 039555 5522 Fax 03 9555 4152

CROWCAMS

l Fast profile design service to your requirements (TKi l Custom ground roller, solid and hydraulic profiles using unique computer controlled machines for unrivalled accuracy i l Matching race valve train components" including PSi(USA) valve springs and a huge range of one piece super duty pushrods ^

Ph 0393S7 0469 or Fax 03 9357 0001

___

g^RANE M^ams State DIatrlbutora

NSW:(02)9678 9977 QLD:(07)3808 1986 VIC:(03)9794 5177 WA:(08)9353 1155 Australian Importer and distributor:

Ph: 08 8363 5566 , ^TECHNOLOGIES Fax: 08 8363 5633 k^^PTY. LTD. www.cranecams.com^u

The USA’s first choice In race valve strings now avalhMe In Australia l 4s used by top US teams including Herdricks Motorsport (NASCAR),John Force(Funny Car), Warren Johnson (Pro Stock) l Specific super duty spring design for endurance (circuit, speedway and marine)or Drag Race applications deliver consistent pressures and longer spring life.

Australian distributor

^CRANE

CROWCAMS

Ph 0393S7 0469 Fax 039357 OOOl

PERFORMANCE & RACE DIFF GEARS & ACCESSORIES Q^ORMANCE

wholesale:^

Phone (07)3808 1986

Visit our website for your nearest distributor.

www.performancewholesale.com.au

CRANKS, RODS, RACE CAMS & VALVE TRAIN COMPONENTS Performance WHOLESALEfd

Phone (07) 3808 1986 Visit our website for your nearest distributor.

www.pcrformanccwholesalc.com.au

Semaad the best!

High performance engine |j components for over 30 years. I Race,strip or street. t Trod* anquiriss walcoms SUSTHRL I

Ph. 02 9756 1966

M

Fax. 02 9768 1155

ipafORMANrs PI

RADIATORS, INTERCOOLERS & OIL COOLERS ° Offroad cars ® Motorbikes ® Boats ° Hot Rods o Street Cars ® Circuit Cars

Contact Paul Weel on 07 55 981 499 or Fax drawings to 07 55 981 980 . -1 - ijAtjniiUitr.jV.ro.A^./rysikiUiANkjAbt . C .'C Mrti 2iay

Visit our website: www.crowcams.com.au

mmsimm-i*] H a r m o

B o I o

The True Performance Alternative Th»

SPECIALISTS In DESIGN for MOTORSPORT Tf-I: (03)9530 9011

l Extremely durable bonded dampening material l Easy to read computer etched timing marks l Available in economical cast iron Street, versatile iron/steel Street/Race and all steel SFi approved Race versions Ph 02 6921 5126 Fax 02 6921 7536 Visit out webalte www.preclslonparts.com.au

^ posters - business cards motorsport proposals - hero cards - banners - large murals — websites

1^^ World's leaders in Motorsport Safety Technology Helmets ♦ Suits l Boots l Gloves l Harnesses l Crew Gear l and dll accessories for all motorspoits Quality l Price l Service Simpson Safety Equipment Australia 91 Rookwood Road Yagoona NSW 2199 Ph 02 9791 6001 FaM 02 9791 6002 AUSTRALIAN DISTRlDUTORS

2>day CAMS C3/R2/R5 Licence Courses @ Oran Park monthly. $605 in your car, includes C3/R275 Observed Licence Test and C3 Lecture. R2 OLT can be completed in a single day for $385.

Peter Finlay's International Racing Drivers School |

r

A

-#<### /> 7fc 'rr 7c tt/or ?c //

DrivOPerform full-day program can double as your C3 licence, r .Stl» pIlUVH evaluation - $330 availuMt’.

^filliiitj last.

Enjoy a great day with Championship levei instructors in small groups. The following dates are currently available: «April 4- Winton l May 5- Winton * July 21 - Winton Cali 1300 720 666to book. All credit cards accepted.

RACE PISTONS, GUDGEON PINS & RINGS iJERFORMANCE WHOLESALEfS

For more info ph 02 9873 1773, fax 02 9871 1018 or email peter@finlays.com.au

Visit our website for your nearest distributor.

tminf wy.f In lay s.com a M

www.perf6rmanccwholcsa|c.'cdm.aii i

Melbourne 44 Racecourse Rd North Melbourne 03 9326 6088

^ Iv

race:

Sydney Unit 6 79 Newton Rd Wetherill Park 02 9609 HOI

Phone (07)3808 1986

JUNE?

Competition disc pads l Race brakes l Pagid l Hawk l Endless l Perforniancc Friction Over 10 years experience of brake modifications and upgrades for road and race. Caliper conversion 1, 2, 4 & 6 piston. Custom made disc rotors.

ManufdCtuiPn 5 ditUibuU

High p^0fm.mca

j

ntotorsDort nswe

m race shop RADIATOR

LOCK-DOWN SAFETY CAPS

CUSTOM FABRICATION ●Intercoolers Specialists

WHITE FACED DIALS Xoit

●Oil Coolers

MY Enterprises am help you with any denier enquiries by Phoning 0413 520 852 email: myent@ozemail.com.au

5

J

Also available from Ameriton lire & Racing Services (02) 9790 7571 Performonce Wholesale (07) 3808 1986

●Radiators ●Exhaust Systems ●Intake & Exhaust Manifolds /nhouse 2 <& 4WD Dyno Hire: We drive U tune if you prefer

ph:334l 7223

EEDFLOW Premium Motorsport Hose & Fittings!

Contact your state distributor...

Hardiman Auto Supplies (02) 9771 5877 Motorsport Connections (02) 9838 7272 (03) 9794 5177 Victorian Speed Pro (07) 3808 1986 Performance Wholesale (08) 8363 5566 Crane Technologies Gogear Racing Services (08) 9443 4400

AIR RESEARCH

Performance Manifolds^ FI TRADE ENQUIRIES WELCOMEI

Will suit V8, 2V or 4V Cleveland,

Up'to 30ft/lb torque nd 40 tip gain over similar manifolds.

We also have manifolds to suit:

TJ?ACr/ON

;yYOKOHAMA RACING AV#N TYRES

Distributors for Victoria and Tasmania Your high performance tyre and suspension specialists

Ferrea \//\L\ZES

I .

I Dealer enquiries welcome. \ Any colour as long as it's while!

^Blue & Red motor Flolden - $440 incgst EFi manifolds - coming soon.

Bruce Collins Enterprises Pty Ltd / 2/10 Pilgrim Court Ringwood Vic 3134 ' Ph 03 9BT3 2091 Fax 03 9873 2015

S hm

DYNO’S, FLOWBENCH, DATA ACQUISITION & DYNO SOFTWARE rtERFORMANCE WHOLESALEIZ

9

Lazer car racing helmets FIA Approveid suitable for all motorsport applications includ open wheel competition, fire proof lining, all new supersedec stock, while stocks last.

XE, XF 250 X-Flow Falcon - $440 incgst

\Ph 07 3800 9188 Fax 07 3800 9177 ABN 23 091 653 SIS

'S’

21 Kellets Rd Rowville 3178 Ph 03 9764 281 I Fax 03 9764 8740

Mob 0418 600 751

Importers

SuperFlow engine & chassis

.f,?.

Available for Commodore VN to VT, EF to AU Falcon, BMW, Lancer, Magna & Excel Ph 08 8371 1500 AUTOMorive

●C-.3 ●

RCS - The new racing clutch system from Sachs »5,760 combinations possible ● torque range 300 - 1800 nm »individual tuning to any vehicle Saohs Boge Australia ^ty Ltd Ph 02 SfBTS 5388 Fax 02 9875 323p_

200-’

.-or

Phone (07) 3808 1986

Visit our website for your nearest distributor.

www.performancewhoksale.com.au

Capri Components V6-RS3100, MKll & MKlll 1600 Datsun 240, 260, S80ZX & 300ZX Tuning-repairs mods-spare parts LAWRIE

20 Kerrs Rd St Andrews

● ●●●●●●●●●●●●●● PERFORMANCE CAMS& _ VALVE TRAIN COMPONENTS

Manufactured in USA by Pro-Gram Engineering ^

Ph 03 5339 5159 Fax 03 5339 2144

NELSON

Tel 03 9710 1091 Fax 03 9710 1887

Steel Main Caps to suit most V8 applications

Sold in Australia by

inc gsl & delivery to all ■. major capital a

'

^^hmFORMANCE VtWHOLESALEES

Phone (07) 3808 1986

Visit our website for your nearest distributor.

www.performancewholesale.com.au PORTABLE FLOORING

COMPETIinON STAUNLESS & TITAN8UM VALVES, & €UD@E@N P9NS ^h^FORMANCE cflWHOLESALEES

Phone (07) 3808 1986

Visit our website for your nearest distributor.

‘ www.perfdrmancewHolesale.com.au

This space could be yours

v^. pro-fioor.com ● ph 03 9804 3415

i@im us Mour oiussified eds und Mre'il run them for FRIE^

GOtCOOry.- □ sedans □ openWheelers □ Speedway DDrag □ Parts □ Engines □ Trailers □ Wanted□ Photographs □ Other

Description; Please keep adsto no more than 30 words, plus a photo if required.

78

news

NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS Please use the form provided and print dearly. Note; we are unable to return photographs used in classified ads. Ads will appear as soon as possible after receipt. *FREE Classifieds; are for the sale of private goods and vehicles only, not business advertising (Trade advertisers see Classifieds header for rates). Photos marked "proof" will not be used.

Name: Address: Ph (

) molofspori nows

MARKET PLACE

iFREE

Classifieds months NSW rego, TUR80J, $13000 ph 02 6332 4072 or 0409 771 317 Bathurst, NSW. 230

I

Ford Escort Mk 1 Sports Sedan, 1/2 space frame, four link watts linkage rear end. Rose joints throughout new spacers coil outers, fully adjustable front and rear suspension. Fresh Avon 15 inch slicks, fibreglass panels. New Willwood 4spotters, Quiffe super close ratio dog box, full floating diff. Dynoed single rotor full injected turbo motor with Motec M4 ECU developing 300hp with 14 psi boost. The only one in Oz (passed by CAMS). Car professionally built, many more new and numerous parts, weighs approx 700kg, never raced since rebuild. Very tidy and dean car, spent well over $50,000, will take offers.

Ph Mark’02 9686 8596 or 0417 475 409.230

Torana Sports Sedan, 202 5-speed,Fibreglass pannels. Quick & ready to race.Spares include Rims.Spoilers,Moulds,Diff,Springs,Bootlid. Must sell due to new project $8,500 ono. Free interstate delivery if required. Ph Michael BH '02 47325011, AH 02 4731-1574.230

Alfa Sport Sedan, frbnt running car in Qld and awarded best present^ car. Full space frame 17" centre lock wheels; on-board air jacks, 13BPPwith MoTec fuel injerfion, Gertrog gear box, full D/F rear end. Group A Ford Sierra, all spare and moulds and tyres. $30,000, call Brad or Ray bh 02 6680 9133 or ah 6687 5131.230

r

H

; f

II

Ford Capri Sport Sedan, 12A PP 51 ML. Webber goes hard all body mould included. Includes log book, hasn't been raced for three years. Must be sold. $4500 no offers. Ph Alan Younes bh 02 9708 3499 ah 0411 502 437.230

Jacob Kenny Racing offers its two Subaru STi GTP cars and spares for sale from $48,000. Also used 16" Falken slicks for sale. Perfect for Bathurst 24 Hour race. Ph Scott 0413 443 222.230

RX3 club car, 13 B B 48ML expanded'fuel bowl, running good and log book. Must be sold. $3990 No offers. Ph Alan Younes Bh 02 9708 3499 ah 0411 502 437. 2.30 HSV Commodore VN SVLE, Marinelfo red, one of 25 5-speed manuals, build NO.-29, featured 19881991 HSVbook, all factory extras: air cond, elec windows, big bore exhaust, new tyres, rego SVLE, genuine HSV Performance car, top original condition, 115,000 ph 03 9762 2282 or 0414 508 723 . 230

r

Mazda RX3 sports sedan,13B-PP, fresh engine,48 IDA Weber, full stainless steel exhaust by T.A.S. Performance, 5 speed supra, full steel structural cage, fibreglass front, current log book, car has done minimum racing, early in development, ready to race, ring for full listing, $16000. Ph 0409875381 . 230 Faclon Thunderdome car, 302 Cleveland Balanced, Blueprint, holley-blue etc. Great engine.

ROMAC LSD, DISC rear end. Oval Track seat. AUS. Fuel cells tank, lots more, will seperate. Suit Cliib/short circuit etc. $3700 the lot. Ph Glenn 0410 488 831. 230

17 flpril 2002

absolutelyfree*

*Motorsport News Classifieds are FREE for private sales. Classifieds from motor sport traders are accepted (marked with a ●) and must be prepaid at the following per issue rates: $5 per 10 words (min $10 per ad), photo $10. Further enquiries to our advertising department on 03 9596 5555.

Classifieds can be mailed, faxed or emailed. Classifieds are not accepted over the telephone.

Forward to Motorsport News Free Classifieds, 357 Nepean Highway Brighton East 3187. Fax: 03 9596 5030. Email: mnews@mnews.com.au. Make sure to list your category.

Sedans/Sporls Cars

GTP Class D Magna Sports, Ideal for GTP, Targa, Club Cars etc. Top runner in GTP Class D, less than 3000 km from new. Spare wheels, tyres, brakes, panels etc. No expense was spared in preparing this immaculate car. Offers invited - ph Trent 0412 131 628 or Jim 0410 634 670.230

2 issues

iuunSal-^

Nascar Chev Cahbra, #32 one of Aust fastest. Set up for roadcoarse, new engine Jerico, Wilwood brakes, full set wet tyres nit equipment & much more - $60 000 00 TeL; ' 0419886338.230

MAZDA S4 Turbo, 1986, Haltech F9a engine management, 3" exhaust, 12 a/t seconday injectors, S5 turbo, K&N pod filter, new h/d clutch. Kings lowered springs, Koni adjustable shocks, LSD, alloy 1/2 cage, fibreglass bonnet and sunroof, Harrop front brake rotors, 16x8 race wheels, Falken Azenis tyres, spare set of wheels and diff, 12

i

Fastest Saloon Car in the country, 2001 Results: Wakefield Park and Lakeside Konica rounds, Pole position. Lap record. Race Win QLD 500 Support race Winner Ready to Win again & nothing to spend. Must Sell $25,000 Ph Kurt Kratzmann 0419 705531, bh (07) 3368 1188.230 NASCAR 96 Pontiac, excellent condition full roller $20,000, ex Dale Earnhardt engine cost $48,000 sell $35,000 new, only the best, heaps of spares available. Ph 0419 898 749. 230 Sports Sedan TF Cortina, full space frame, full floater 9 inch, big brakes, 2 sets of wheels, spare panels, full set of moulds, complete car minus engine and gearbox, $11,000, ph 02 4659 6470 or 0408 113 716. 230 Two litre Sport Sedan,- RS Ford Cosworth, 4 Victorian lap records, 40 race wins, 3 Victorian Club Championships 1999, 2000, 2001, 1 Vic State Champion 2001, $27,000 ph 0438 128 287. 230 VP Commodore race shell, (ex Supercar), suitable for Sports Sedan, complete with doors, two spare spoilers, race seat, fuel tank, rear wing, skirts and many other spares. Also for sale VS body shell, suitable for someone building a race car. Make an offer, ph 03 5626 1319 all hours. 230 GTP XR6 AUll Falcon, ex-Longhurst as raced Bathurst 99/00. Upgraded to AUll spec as per PROCAR requirements. Perfect entry level car. List of spares available. $35,000, Ph Guy 07 3343 1566. 230 V8 Supercar VS Commodore, Perkins engineering chassis, Perkins-built Chev, car in excellent condition for Konica series or Sports Sedans, fastest Bathurst time 2m13.2s, $69,900 will trade, ph 0417 778

180B Sports Sedan, fuel injected L28, aultronic management system, wets and slicks, 260 BHP, some spare parts with car, log book, colour; red, $7000 ono, ph 0425 798 020. 230 AC Cobra rep, blue met and light blue met strips, black leather interior. Smith's instruments, four-speed box, 302 w new, LSD 3.55 Jag bracks front and rear. $45,000, Ph or fax 07 3269 1815. 230 VC Commodore rolling race shell, was Commodore Cup car, minor panel damage left rear quarter panel and left front guard.

CAMS vehicle log, $1500 ono ph 03 9729 3040. 230

Pearl red in colour. New Paint & Flares, Front & Rear Spoiler, Left Hand Drive, Magnesium Hubs, Variable Ratio DIFF, Wilwood (4 Spot) Calipers, Plastic Fuel Cell, 15" Alloy Wheels, Hoosier Race Slicks, Plus lots of spares. Transport available at very competitive rates. $7,500 ono, Ph Ian 0412 072 201.229

Mazda RX3 Sports Sedan, 13B-PP, fresh engine, ‘‘48 IDA Weber, full stainless steel exhaust all by TAS. Performance. 5 speed, full steel structural cage, fibreglass front, current log book, ready to race, ring for full listing. $16,500. Ph 0409 875 381. 229

188. 230

Torana SLR 5000, genuine 400-Fhp, rebuilt single rail 4-speed, lo bolt diff, SAAS, Simmons, 1/2 cage, harness, sprint, Hillclimb, 1st outright Bathurst Flying 1/5, fast. $15000, ph 02 6884 3418. 230 Saloon Car #399 VN Commodore, only two races since rebuilt engine, some spares, 1.26 sec at Qld raceway, no expense spared, $27,000 ph 07 3209 8755. 230 Saloon Car #77, fastest Commodre at last round of Championship, consistent top runner, 3 meets old, $20,000, new cars from $19,000, ph 03 9725 3234 or 0418 389 438. 230 NASCAR/V8 Stockcar Pontiac Grand Prix, ex-Alan Grice #3 Valvoline car, fresh engine, gearbox, fast car with spares, $60,000 or lease. Ph 03 9725 3234 or 0418 389 438.330 NASCAR/V8 Stockcar, Pontiac Grand Prix, ex-Petty Enterprises, roller complete. Join Power Tour with assistance at a respectable cost. $10,000, ph 03 9725 3234. 230 Sports Sedan Datsun 1000, 13 BPP Rotary TAS built. Top HP fuel injected, carbon airbox RX-4 4-speed, car, engine and gearbox just rebuilt fast car, QR lap recoirl, 55.7 Lakeside. $15,000 Ph 07 4635 0272, may be viewed at WWW,uq.net.au/-zzwalke/tearn/hniniltonmotorsport7inrJex.htm. .no

Nissan 280 2X, Improved Production car. Built 1998. Willwood brakes, Bilstein fully adjustable suspension, full weld in cadge, RB-25 engine, to much to mention, plus spares. Almost ready to race. Cost $40,000. Sell $13,000. Phone 0418139646. 229

Radical Clubsport 1100, Kawasaki ZZR 1100, fast reliable car, would suit circuit racing/sprints inci gears, springs, body parts, new S60K plus, will sell for best offer over $30,000, ph 0419 276 593. 220 WELSOR Clubman 1976, (Car #12) Datsun A12 1300CC, Dry sumped, blue printed and balanced, 2x45mm Webers.Datsun 4 speed, 'Beam' front axle, BMC 'A' rear axle. Disc’s all round. Fully restored from bare chassis, new alloy undertray and panels, painted Black. Guidance and advice provided by (iate) Colin Wear and Trevor Booth,Group Q log book and Cof D, Ready to race. $18,500, Ph Barry 0412 703 635

79

Porsche 911 RSR, road, reg in QLD, competitive, all good bits, 330hp call for list, $59,000, 0412 618 911. 229

NASCAR, 1997 Ford Thunderbird. Fully rebuilt motor with receipts. (Has not been run since rebuild). Fully set up for road course racing and ready to go for the Power Tour 2002 Series. This Race Car has everything. The only fully Australianconstructed NASCAR, built originally for Terry

Clubman Sports 1300 1996 JMW, New engine, tyres, paint, electrics. One race since rebuilt. Very fast, reliable race car with many spares. Ready to race as is.1999,2000 Club Championship winning car. $11,000.00 complete or $9,000.00 rolling chassis. Please call Matt on 0402 383 311 or(07) 3217 7803. 230

Wyhoon Racing by Tom Smith. $65,000 the lot. Ph 0412 778 111. 229

Datsun Stanza Coupe, body and trim original, FJ20 and 5 speed. Skyline struts and brakes, new 15x7 Superlites, Falken tyres, new suspension, fast road car or club car, books and history, $3900 ono, ph 08 8339 3234 or 0412 055 607 229 Improved Production RX 3 Coupe, Red available for 2002 season on either lease or arrive and drive basis VMRC.2nd Bennalla Gold Cup 2002, winner most improved 2001. Quick and reliable. Ph: 9790 6204 or 0409 023 060.229

Formula Libre, 1997 Pirahna, powered by Suzuki G5X-R 1100 WC, mounted wets, spare nose, wing, suspension, winner 2000 Winton Masters, log book, ready to race or hillclimb. $15,000. Ph 03 9723 6632.230

new tyres /5immons,Eibach brace,K-MAC camber kits, new exhaust,4.10 diff,unialtaz, lots more, immaculate, $9500, ph 0407543006,229,

outright at Wakefield Sprints. $8500, ph Geoff 0418 388 291. 229

Torana LC, genuine GTR 202 bored to 208, ACL pistons, Bathurst 6000 head, rolla rockers, triple Su's, line bored balanced crank, 1 ton clutch, Ross balancer, Therma fan, big cam M20, $6000 ph 07 3816 0148. 229

Club car LH Torana, s/b Chev with dry sump, Tilton clutch, top loader, full floating 9 inch, 4 pot brakes all round, fresh paint, ready to race, priced to sell asap, $11500, ph 02 6374 1303. 229

Dallara 396 F3, Spiess Opel engine, near new.

Winning car in 2001,comprehensive spares package including PI System 2 club exper, Penske dampers, many g/ratios, spare set of wheels fitted with wets, technical assistance, $80,000, Ph:Bronte 08 8332 5585 AH. 230 Formula Ford, Van Diemen RF90/91, VGC won last time out but stored for five years. Needs minor finishing $17,5000. Single axle open trailer steel floot, electric brakes $1500. Ph 0412 421 126 (Brisbane). 230 07 Spectrum update ADL, with many spares inci three engines, all fresh $32,000 plus 03 9725 3234 or 0418 389 438.230

TraNZam /Sport Saloon Chev Camaro, Pro fessionally built space framed car- approx 3 years ago yet run very little(approx 1,500km's), 4 speed gear box, ford 9' diff- 5.7 litre Chev V8 motor, recently freshened, good hp and contains all the good gear. Rev kit. Scat forged steel crank, 23 deg Brodix heads, dry sump, 3 stage oil pump etc. Gas canister double adjustable shocks with coil overs4 spot calipers on 13' discs. Recently professionally set up for BF Goodrich radial tyres. Serious sale, priced accordingly, custom flat deck trailer available. Consider trade Formula Ford or Classic

Wheelers

trailer, total cost over $35,000, sell whole package $25,000 neg, ph Trev 08 8280 5150 for further details. 229

Puma Clubman 1300, strong motor, dry sump, Webbers, 5 speed, 4 wheel discs, spare wheels, current log book, very reliable, on registered trailer, $8750, ph 02 4272 1164 or 0417 665 238. 230

Swift 93K, QLD Racing Car ChampionshipMGA 1600 Coupe, 1961, 87500 miles, mech Al, org rust free body, lady owner, only driven ori Sundays. Reg 16 MGA,$24,750 ono, ph 03 9889 5777. 229

80

on Optimax engineered. Sell with reg and RWC free 02. $9500 firm or $8500 as is. Ph Daryl 0407 958 252 or 03 5192 4466 ah, 230 Chcv Pro Stock motor, ran 8.4 $16,000, Holden 388 Tuff motor 9 sec $15,000, full chassis Capri professionally built car. Only the best, regrettable sale $17,000. Heaps of spares. Ph 0419 898 749.

230

Paris

l USED PARTS FOR SALE Motec Fuel Injecton crossover manifold complete with distributor less injeotors - $2500; Chev forged cranks used 3000, 3030, 3075 $1200 ea; Cranks Chev forged 5140 material, 3,75, 3030 stroke - $1200 ea; ALCON 4 pot calipers - $1200; Flywheel V8 supercar suit 7 1/4' clutch - $380; Ford

Saloon. Ph Lindsay Dodd (NZ) 03 341-0082 or 027 4383 997.229

Torana (A9X Update) Club Car, 500+ hp alloy head Chev, Manley, Crane, Venolia, Mallory, Accel, BG, Tilton, Serck, Autometer, Willwodd, Simpson, Koni, Moroso, Tremec 5 Speed, 9in, 4 w/dlscs, new Trans-Am suit package, hi-speed tandem car

Drag Racing

Coilina TD Street/Strip, 302 Windsor full manual C.9 4000 Dominator 3.9 9 inch runs 11.7

Formula Vee, just been rebuilt, one meeting old, new panels and fresh paintwork with open trailer, $5200, ph 0416 209 271. 229

Sports Sedan Isuzu Bellet, 13B turbo, intercooled, injeaed Volvo brake calipers, big vented discs, very quick and reliable. Complete with spare wheels, tyres, wets and trailer. First

Sprintcar 2000 Gambler, 8 shows old. Brand new Frankland r/end, 2 new f/ends, new himes, arms, stops. Outlaw tank. Best of everything, EC. C/with spares inc wings, wheels. Also 18. alloy engine near new PDA. Ph 0410 493 242 or 03 9728 4839.229

BMW E30 3231, 5SP, steer, air, spoilers, skirts,

IBE Ford Capri 12A PP, brand new engine, complete rebuild, one race old, new seat, harness, brakes, wets, heaps of spares, all new flares, guards, wing & brand new trailer. $11,000 ono. Ph 0413 797 938.223

14:5, long rods just rebuilt not raced since, adjustable susp, spare rims and tyres with trailer, $7,500, ph 0410 501 618. no Mazda RX7 Super Sedan, Rolling chassis, Frankland Quick change diff and spare gears.Afco quick steer, 5 link. Set up for Rotary. VDO gauges,seat and harness and spare wheels and tyres included. $3000.00 ono. Ph: 02 60432 449 (Albury) or email topha@iprimus.com.au. 230 Super Sedan chassis, AU Falcon, fibreglass bodykit complete less running gear. Excellent condition, $2000, ph 4730 3440 or 0419 989 010. 229

winning car for 2001, 2 sets of wheels and tyres, full spare set of suspension arms and panels, Ohiins shocks. Fresh engine, $20,000 ono, Ph Ash 0409 648 633. 230

i Formula Ford, Spectrum 06, Complete Package: 2 fresh top H.P. engines, ratios for every circuit, full setup data, plenty of spares inch wheels & tyres, setup bars. Immaculate condition. $29,500.

Details at Ph. Damon 0414 984 65, www.harperglobal.com/spectrum. 229 Formula Ford Van Diemen RF90/91, VGC, won last time out, not raced for five years, needs minor finishing, $17,500. Single axle open trailer, steel floor, electric brakes, $1500. Ph 0412 421 126 (Brisbane). 229 Formula Ford 2000 Spectrum, ex Nick Agland, maintained by Boarland Racing. Motec dash. $32,000 with spares, $38,000 with spares and top HP Lamer engine. Ph Ray 0413 124 222 or Mike 03 9580 5236.229 Formula Vee 95 Sabre, in immac cond, latest Sabre body. Long box 2 sets of 5.5" wheels New K9 tyres revalved shockers, latest spec engine too many spares to mention must sell changed to another category. $12990 Ph:03 9790 6204 or 0409 023 060. 229

Speedcar parts. Stealth Birdcages s/hand $150.Front hubs spindles only $200.5hocks all alloy threaded near new $150 plus many other parts Ph Craig 0246309312 ah email craighickey@bigpond.com. 230 Modified Sedan, TE Cortina, Methanol engine

V8 Supercar engine sump ex Dick Johnson - $600; Borg Warner Crown Wheel & pinions to suit Commodore various ratios - $100; Ford 302 Windsor Block new with stud girdle - $1300; Fluidyne Heat Exchanges - $750 ea; Chev.

Roller Litters Used - $250 set; Used Brake Pads - 6 pot, 4 pot, PFC 93 & Pagid Compounds from - $150 pr set; Richmond Ford 9' Ring & Pinions - heaps of ratios, new & used from $250; Tilton 7 1/4' Triple Plate Clutches - $950; Tilton 7 1/4" Twin Plate Carbon Clutches (POA); MSD 6T Ignition Boxes & soft touch rev control, new & used Bosch V8 Supercar Starters (POA); Disc Rotors - Assorted from 11* to 15* - Harrop, Wilwood & Alcon (POA); Patterson Dry Sump Tanks - new & used Penske Shooks suit Nascar Car Set $1400; SCP one stage diff pump & bracket to bolt 9" diff - $500; Nascar Steering Boxes - front & rear swaybars - $950; Axle Housing Nascar - $500; Isky Roller Lifters S/B Chev & Ford - $250 set; Titanium Valves both Ford & 18° Chev - $950; Wilwood GT Front Calipers 4 Pot new normally $2400 pair - Sell $1100; Jessell Shaft Rockers 18° S/B Chev - $1300; S/B Chev Comp. Cams & Isky Valve Springs (POA); Ford Rev Kit (POA); Ford Nascar Inlet Manifold (POA); Engine - Complete Chev 6 Litre 18° 688HP - $18,000; Tilton & Wilwood Master Cylinders - new & used (POA); FUEL INJECTION Chev V8 $2190; Superoar '95 HRT Spec Aluminium Spooi Ford 9* - new $250; Brake Pads V8 Superoar 6 pot PFC 93, 83 & Pagid (POA); 4 & 5 stage weaver dry sump pumps from $1300; Weldteck 18° Chev Aluminium Heads ex, V8 Supercar, complete with Titanium valves, Isky valve springs, retainers etc. 1997 spec - $5000; Super T10 road race g/box with shifter.

Magnesium main case and extension housing - $3800; New Ross Pistons suit CHEV 18° 6- Rod - $1300; T& D SHAR

motorsport ubws

MARKET PLACE rockers Chev 18 - $900; HPI Electric Power Steer Pumps - $650; RADIATORS alloy ex VT V8 Supercar as new - $600; BREMBO & POT CALIPERS WERE $12000 Now $4000. POWER STEER SET UP FOR VT V8 SUPERCAR, inci rack, servo, ram $1300. SUBARU hoses, uni joints liberty RS turbo parts Inc, 4 race struts & inserts, springs, clutch & pressure Plates, thrust bearing, diffs etc all ex GTP as new make an offer BREMBO.ROTORS new 370mm x 35mm bedded"- $550; BREMBO ROTORS USED 370mm x 35mm - $300; BREMBO ROTORS USED 333mm X 33mm - $300; HARROP ROTORS USED 343mm X 35mm & also 30mm - $300;' HARROP rotors with HATS 343mm x 35mm & also 30mm - $450. HARROP CAMBER WEDGEaVS SUPERCAR NEW 3 degree Radial mount - $530; HARROP CAMBER WEDGES V8 SUPERCAR NEW 2 degree Radial mount - $350. VT V8 Bupercar Tailshafts 1350 series uni - $650 Wiper motor set up floor mount off V8 Supercar - $175. SPA twin chamber firebottle Carbon Fibre - $325; T 10 Extension Housing - $350; Nasoar Rattle 9uns hi speed with hoses - $500; Victor Regulator - $350; Engine mounts 308 Nolden hardened no longer available pair $150. This is a clearance sale. Genuine offers considered. Cash or cheque only.

Ph 0418 341 261 Subaru Impreza suspension - Drummond 60mm Super Strut, new, no 2066-2071, 3 front 3 rear, 4 springs $13,5000. Bilstein Prodrive Safari spec 2 front 2 rear 120km use, sen/iced $10,900.

Ph Tim 03 9555 2144 bh.

Brembo 6-spot calipers, new, $1600, ph 03 6243 6000 or 03 6249 2684 ah. 230 Assorted 2nd hand parts. Shocks, tortion bars & lyres.Wide five wheels aluminium & steel. Six pin front wheels aluminium & steel, coil springs, wide five spacer, bird cages, aluminum fuel tank. Ph 02 43 334 070 or 0408246032.230 Btuska engine dyno, complete, excellent condition, $45,000, ph 0419 898 749.230

Dry sump oil tank, tank 5 gall with heater. New Peterson oil pump, drive kit suit 4 bolt bal Ford V8 17" BBSRS500 wheels, RS500 steel flywheel, 5 stage weaver, dry sump pump with mount brkt and scavange manifold, suit Ford V8 2 x 14 1/4" + 2 13 1/4" disc rotors V8 Supercar, ph 03 9359 6066. 229 Mazda BFMR Grp A,turbos and eng. 4.1 spooled gearbox. Grp A brakes, bront & rear adj Bilstein suspension. Marsh seats, Williams harness plus heaps of other spares, ph 07 4728 4743.229 l Race seats, top quality imported race seats at wholesale prices. Ph 02 6562 7762 or 0412 785 486. l Clutches, 7.25, 5,5, 5.0 single, twin, triple plate, sintered or carbon, AP-Tilton-QM, new/used. Spare covers, rings, plates also available. CCI Ph 0418 925 767. l Pedals, brake/clutch, floor mounVhanging, new/sued. Also available, bias valves, bias cables, master cylinders, resen/oirs etc. CCI Ph 0418 925 767. l Air jacks, new/used, large range, most applications, quick release handles available, top quality. C.C.i. Ph 0418 925 767. l Brake calipers, discs, pads. Mega range, new/used, exc condition - AP, Alcon, Brembo, Outlaw, Willwood. Overnight delivery. CCI Ph 0418 925 767. l Hewiand, DGB, 5 speed transaxle, top condition, new 9:31 CWP, ratio choices and spares available, $14K ratio?, over 300 in stock to suit DGB, GFGB, TPT, FT2CI0. CCI Ph 0418 925 767. l Oil coolers - heat exchangers, Earls, Setrab, Serck, 6-70 row, new/used, also used water to oil heat exchangers, over 100 in stock. CCI Ph 0418 925 767. l Racecar parts, brake parts, chassis stands, diff oil pumps, exhaust collectors, fuel cell accessories, oil filters, quicklift jacks, ratio boxes, radiator caps, springs, spoilers, wings etc. CCI Ph 0418 925 767.

cut down ready for piping and 3" s/steel tubing, mandrel bends, reducers etc$100.00 All parts ex Super Sedan PH: 02 60432 449 (Albury) or email topha@iprimus.com.au. 230 Wheels, 4 speedline,5 stud suit vSsupercar/sports sedan good condition $2500 ph 0417558452.22s Hollinger 6 speed gearbox, good condition $10000 ph 0417 558 452.229 Hewland crown and pinion set, new, never used.

HE28 9/35 ratio. Best offer, Ph 02 4959 2716 or 0412 493 71 1.229

ITHpril 2002

Darwin, Supercars, 17-19 May, fr.$649pp Chev C30, QLD rego, 350 4 sp, red, large aluminium tray with drop sides heavy duty tow bar new tyres less than 12 months sice full rebuit. $15,000 Ph 4978 0078 or 0408 754 191.230 Chev C60 articulated low line, ex mags rebuilt everything. Real head turner and practical.

1000km range oh LPG. Fresh Chev, split diff, new tyres, reg Oct, $50,000, ph 03 9725 3234 or 0418 389 438.230 Kart trailer, fits 3 plus spares, tows well, $1400, ph 03 9725 3234 or 0418 389 438.230 Car trailer, tandem axel tilting type, 1850 x 4200.

Regd until October $1800.00 ono Ph: 02 60432 449(Albury) or email topha@iprimus.com.au. 230 Coach transporter, 37ft mid-mount 250hp turbo Volvo, 4 speed, pre-selected gearbox, airbrakes, tubeless tyres, excellent condition, $14000, ph 02 4730 or 0419 989 010.229 ^^1i

spares $5250 ono. 2 x 99 CRG and 1 x 2000 CRG with starter and spares $5000 ono. Ph 0438 628 224.230 Mazda 20B, $4500 ono, 0418 459 218.230

Transpariers/Trailers -^2

1^

ni/iiS

Ur*

/

F350, 351 gas 4 spd manual, power steering, 5 1/2 mtr Pan with side door, tilt back, belly storage, winch, tyre racks, shelving, good tyres, 10/02 rego, drive on car licence, $17,000 ph 02 6628 3510.230 Mazda bus 6 Hemi, auto, hi range Hino diff, seats 10, driving lights, good tyres. Pioneer radio, cassette, lots of room, 16 x 8 fully enclosed awning, cruises 110, $4200 ono, ph 0438 628 224. 230

Canberra 400, 7 - 9 June, fr. $499 pp Barbagallo WA, 28-30 June, fr. $499 pp Oran Park, 26-28 July, fr. $479 pp Hidden Valley, Darwin, 22- 25 August, Legends of Motorsport, from $ 649 pp V8 SUPERCAR 1000 - BATHURST, 10-13 OCTOBER,fr.$319 per person Phillip Island, 18-20 October, MOTO GP Championship, from $ 379 per person Stadium Australia, 26 October, World Solo Speedway Champs Final fr.$399pp QLD 500, HONDA INDY 300 & NZ V8 SUPERCARS AVAILABLE SOON! Most packages include accommodation b/fast, ticketing, transfers, MST event pack, gst, booking & service fees.

Enquiries & Bookings call the team at Motor Sport Tours Pty Ltd Ph. 07 4691 5833 Fax 07 4691 5733

r

Mobile 0412 900 228, Postal Address

WfJj'V

PO BOX 83 Oakey QLD 4401.

* Transporter Hino 170 Diesel Ramps and power winch, 240/24 volts belly storage very reliable and quick.Selling due to purchasing a larger transporter at a bargain price,$ 13990 Ph: 03 9790 6204 or 0409 023 060.229

Email - motorsportours®ozemaii.com.au Web - www.motorsportours.com l Driving suits, top brand imported race suits, boots, gloves etc. Many styles and colours at wholesale prices, Ph 02 6562 7762 or 0412 785 486,

Engines shaver Sprintcar engine, 12 Weldtech heads, Donovan block, Hilbourne inj, Callies crank, JE

sizes, new/used, also CVs, drivesh^fls, wishbones, rockers, pushrods, all top quality, exc condition CCI Ph 0418 925 767.

Engines

Sprintmag III, fully reconditioned $1200, Barnes 3 stage dry sump pump, ph 03 6362 3900.230 12 Wesmar heads, Jessell rockers, new springs, Kinsler 2 7/16 inj, DSR fuel pump, nozzles, ram tubes, $8500, ph 03 6362 3900. 230 Used parts for sale, Mazda series 4 turbo 5 speed g/box with twin plate clutch, lightened flywheel and tailshaft yolk. $500.00 RX4 4 speed g/box with very light flywheel and AP triple plate clutch $400.00 Aluminium 5 x 5 to Wide 5 wheel adaptors (4) $125.00 VT Commadore radiator and thermofan shroud $150.00 Truck intercooler

Eastern Creek, 26 - 28 April fr. $479 pp Phillip island, Konica 4-5 May fr.$379pp

l Uprights, fabricated/cast, fronts/rears, various

l Radiators, aluminium, new/used, single/dual pass, lop quality, large range, various sizes, suit all Dunlop X-ply slicks 285/590/16, 255/570/16, all oew, $250 each. Sports Sedan centre-mount rear n applications, fr $300. CCI Ph 0418 925 767. ''ring element, VS Group A copy. $300 ono. Linear position sensors (5)- 100mm travel, never used, Holden 6 cylinder. Bill Man bottom end.XUl suit use with Motec ADL etc, $800 ono. Ph Clint spec cylinder head. Brass button Race 0414 943 987 or 03 9706 1279.230 dutch.Strong street/strip/track engine. Hear Dorian data transmitter, brand new still in box, running. $1200 ono, ph 02 66247593 ah. 230 complete $450, ph 02 9686 8596 or 0417 475 Two Holden Supercar engines, Perkins slide 409. 230 manifolds on both, one wet sump engine, one dry Steel wheels, 4 off 7" x 13” Triumph Spitfire, sump engine, both complete with exhaust SlOO, 2 off 7" X 13" Cortina 4 stud $50, all systems, many options, make an offer, ph 03 5626 excellent cond. Ph 0419 898 835 (Melbourne). 230 1319 all hours, 230 Tyres, Historic Dunlop, 2 of 4.50M13 1/4 worn, 2 Alloy 3.5 Rover motors, one thick Webb block, of 5.00M13 3/4 worn, 2 of 5.50M13 1/4 worn, two new heads ported, with Chev springs and one S500 the lot (or offer), ph 0419 898 835 complete motor the lot $2500, ph John 02 6734 (Melbourne). 230 2259 or 02 6732 3353.230 Cortina 1500 single side draught manifold, JNR Piston Port motors, 2 x 98 Parillas and 2 x plus 45mm side draught Dellorto and single side 99 Parillas ex Elliot and Grant, with starter and draught x flow manifold. Suit Escort, Cortina $450 the lot, ph Russ 03 9354 7665. 230

*tol«rS|»«r|1touisi l One call does it all - Event List

pistons, rev kit, Sprintcar headers, DSR fuel pump, fresh, ready to race, $22,000 ono, ph 03 6362 3900.230

CF Bedford racecar transporter, enclosed 15ft tray with lockable storgae in front section, tyre racks, winch, 4 mtr alloy ramps, lights, long range fuel tank, alarm, full length enclosed annex, suit small sedan or open wheeler, ph 0418 883 973.229

Other

Factory, Kyneton, Vic, 1/2 hr from Calder Raceway, suit race car team, 1500 sq ft, 3 phase, $110/wk, ph Bruce 03 5422 1942 or 03 5422 7037.230 Queensland Raceway competitor level pass, free practice, circuit entry, discounts, VIP carparking, $1750, ph 0415 357 398.230 Race programmes, (AGPs, Bathurst 50s/60s, 500s/1000s, Hume Weir, Mt Druitt, Oran Park, P'matta Park etc) magazines (AMS, RCN, SCW, M/spt Qld, Tas Mtrst and lots more). List from Max Stahl, 02 4362 2000.230 FI models, Schumacher, Alesi, Villeneuve, Irvine, Barrichello, Berger, 1/43 and 1/18 scale, many rare items, plus prints, kits and sent with free postage.

All in original boxes. Ph 0414 527 289.230 Motor Racing Yearbooks, 11, 12, 13 $60 each.

Bathurst programmes 83 and 84 $30 each. Ph 08 8389 1457 ah.230 RPM racesuit, in new condition, size L, colour biue/white, $900, ph 0400 121 340 or 03 9307 0009, 230 Magazines, Car + Car Conversions, Car 19662000, offers, 0418 459 218. 230 Aust Motor Racing y/books 13/14, J Hardie 1000 81-85, Bathurst Programs 82, 91, British GP programs 81, 91, 94, ph 03 9772 9112 ah, 230 Sparco 2 racesuit, large, comply FIA, $400, Sparco Pro FI gloves(new)$90, ph 03 9772 9112 ah. 230 Australian GP posters 1985-1995, Adelaide years. For sale to highest offer as unframed set only. Ph. (02) 6281 3211 after 8pm. Email tonyswan@acay.com.au.229 Old motor magazines, Motorsport News, '72'95 Auto Action, Motor Cycle News, Trail & Track, Competition Cimmunicator and some Revs mags.

All offers considered. Ph Jim Hutton 03 9705 6262 or 0407 800 224.229

3B Turbo Injected, Complete. Series 4 turbo, STD port (so you can do your own).Microtech digil ECU, 3mm seals,10mm leads with electronic ignition, hear running in Super Sedan $2250.00 ono Ph: 02 60432 449 (Albury) or email topha@iprimus.com.au. 230

Photographs

l Clipsal 500 photos for sale, most V8's, Utes and F3. Some photos or other classes. For details ph David Batchelor 08 8634 5310.230

Wanted

Armstrong AT9 shocks, two front and rear needed, ph 0412 215 490.230 Grand Prix telecasts on video pre-1987, must be good quality. Buyer is a collector and huge fan, so please contact me if you have any pre-1987 Formula One complete races. Ph 03 9894 0140 or 0418 378 858.230 Experienced manager/race engineer seeks position with leading Melb-based race team, 24 yrs experience in the racing industry. Someone else's loss could be your gain. Ph Andy 0427 847 776. 230 Kerry George Kokotis, a driver with huge ability looking tor a chance in V8 Supercars, Konica c. or GTP! I don't promise podiums I promise top 10 Tm a driverl Ph 0418 835 727. 230 Anything HDT, hats, shirts, flags, jackects, etc by private collector, ph Wade on 46472923, or email, kiggins@bigpond.com.au. 230 We desperately require 2x 58 DC03 Weber Carburettors or parts. Genuine reason for our search Any leads or help appreciated, ph. Dan 07 5445 6065 229 Group C Torana equipment, 15 x 10 Hot Wire wheels , also looking for 4 magnesium globe wheels used on John Harvey Marlboro A9X, Ph 08 9306 3221.229 Corner scales to suit medium saloon, Ph Ron 07 5539 9337 or 0414 399 337. 229 Escort 1100 conrods, ph Chris 0407 065 302. 229 10x15 Hotwire mags and BBS 15" x Moffat and 19" XE all to suit Falcon. Ph 03 9359 6066, 229 Wanted turbo charge complete unit. to suit Corolla 1300CC ph 0407 545 goi email hydrohaven® h.d.c.com.ati. 220

81

OPINION

■MORiurl EDITOIIill STIFF

Editor: Phil Branagan ● editor@mnews.com.au Assistant Editor: Aaron Noonan ● noonz@mnews.com.au Staff Journalist: Mark Glendenning ● mark@mnews.com.au

PieDDCTION

Adv & Graphics Co-ordinator: Viv Brumby ● viv@mnews.com.au

lOVERTISING

Advertising Manager: Brendon Sheridan ● ads@mnews.com.au

IOMINISTI0iBN

Managing Director; Chris Lambden ● publisher@mnews.com.au

coincTS

357 Nepean Highway, Brighton East Vic 3187 (PO Box 1010 North Caulfield Vic 3161) Ph: 03 9596 5555 Fax: 03 9596 5030 Email: mnews@mnews.com.au

eONTRIIUTORS

General; Grant Nicholas, Darryl Flack, Mark Jones, Jon Thomson FI; Joe Saward, Adam Cooper Europe; Quentin Spurring, Gary Watkins US; Phil Morris Speedway; Brett Swanson, Julie Pearce, Geoff Rounds, Wade Aunger, Tony Millard (UK), Greg Boscato Rally; Peter Whitten, Jon Thomson Histories; Brian Reed Drag Racing; Greg Ward, Jon Asher (USA), Dave Ostaszewski (USA), Nick Nicholas, Steven White, Ken Ferguson Super Speedway; Martin D Clark (USA) National; Mark Wicks, Sean Henshelwood, Erin McCowatt 'T Photographers; Sutton Motorsport Images, Dirk Klynsmith, Bothwell Photographic, Marshall Cass, Nigel Snowdon & Diana Burnett, AF1 Images, Neil Hammond, Slipstream Photographic, Phil Williams, Allsport, John Morris/Mpix, Frank Midgley John Bosher, Lynley Reid, Mike Patrick (UK), Daniel Wilkins, Peter French, Chris Carter, James Smith, Paris Charles, Bob Potts Cartoonist; Allan Schofield Motorsport News is published by Australasian Motorsport News - ABN 55 125 120 702 Publisher: C Lambden Printed by: Offset Alpine Printing Pty Ltd, Lidcombe, NSW. Distributed by: NDD Ltd Material published by MOTORSPORT NEWS is copyright and may not be reproduced in full or in part without the written permission of ine publisher. Freelance contributions are welcome, and while all care will be taken, Australasian Motorsport News does not accept responsibility for damage or loss of material submitted.

Wings need clipping Our ‘wings and slicks’ categories here in Australia are tripping over each other, andpffer little promise to prospective drivers who wish pursue driving careers in Europe or the US. The problem lies between Formula 3 and Formula Holden.

As cruel as it sounds, Formula Holden has to go.

Sorry, but both series have too ’ few professional teams, and if Birrana, Hocking, and the others were to move to Formula 3, the series would take off, with grids nearing 30.

A flourishing Aussie F3 series would surely offer an Aussie driver a better chance at progressing to Europe: the cars are the same, and the , prospects of getting an F3 or FRenault drive are far better than that of an F3000 drive. (Supposedly the FHolden equivalent).

Now that Reynard are no more, and most of the Formula Holden teams run that chassis, this would be the perfect opportunity for them to replace their Reynards (which they now will be forced to do in the future anyway) with F3 Dallaras.

After speaking to a few drivers whose Euro treks have seen them return to the V8s back home, it seems that the Europeans don’t care if you can drive a Commodore engine quickly, but to drive a twolitre Opel engine fast will catch their eye, especially if the series begins to grow.

Sorry, but for the greater good of Australian motor sport, like Siamese twins, one must die, so that the other may live.

Keep up the good work, your mag is great Chris Jordan ehris.jordan@student.adelaide. edu.au

Give ‘em all trays

After seeing the V8 BRutes racing from the Clipsal 500 on Speedweek, I can’t help but think that V8 Supercars should change their specs

from playing, or the ACB won’t rest Gilley until the Aussies lose a few, so why should HRT be any different?

David C. Jones Elizabeth East, SA

V8 improvements dept

converter Send us your thoughts: mail: 357 Nepean Highway, Brighton East, VIC 3187 fax: 03 9596 5030 email: mnews@mnews.com.au

to utes for next season.

The racing from that series on that weekend would probably be the best I have seen in Australia for a long time.

The cars are more interesting to watch because they are tail-happy and carry little weight over the rear wheels.

Even though most fans like big horsepower, closer racing produced through weight penalties, reduced downforce and less horsepower would be preferable to the paying spectator.

Ute bodies may be even more promotable than them sedan cousins.

The cars at the moment are too specialised, using thoroughbred race components throughout. Keep the downforce off them and maybe things will close up.

Matthew Jones Graceville, QLD

Weighting game Oh no they don’t! No way! Weight penalties? If the powers that be decide HRT need ballast to slow them down, TWR should quit while they’re ahead, pull out of the V8 supercars and take their money elsewhere.

If Essendon win the premiership, the AFL won’t ban Matthew Lloyd

●Opinions expressed in Motorsport News are not necessarily those of Australasian Motorsport News or its staff.

SUBSCRIPTIONS Australia (inci GST) Overseas (Air Mail): New Zealand, PNG, Malaysia, Indonesia, Phillippines, Hong Kong, Japan US, Canada, Europe

1 year $143

2 years $275

A$195 A$250

$370 $480

Post your cheque/money order to the address above, fax your credit card details (Bankcard, VISA, Mastercard, or Amex) to 03 9596 5555 or email to mnews@mnews.com.au

32

Fast, but Still relevant? According to reader Chris Jordan, Formula Holden is no longer a viable stepping stone to racing overseas.

(Photo by Dtfk Klynsmith)

After watching the V8 Superstars progi'am recently, a few thoughts popped into my head about a few minor improvements to the category and show.

How about: *A relegation system for teams and drivers. Meaning that say the lowest five teams/drivers in V8 Supercar drop back to the Konica Series and the top five Konica team/drivers get entry into the V8 Supercar category for the next season. ^Establish a whole V8 weekend, meaning V8 Supercars, Konica V8’s and Future Tourers (an ideal V8 class, I think). *To add to that, use the Future Touring class as the feeder class for Konica, giving drivers a grounding in V8 sedan racing and setting them up for going up a class, plus giving new manufacturers a place to fine-tune plans to enter a V8 sedan as well.

There’s already a V8 Magna racing in Future Tourers, so why not have it ready as a basis to move up to Konica or V8 Supercar?

Any thoughts? I don’t really see any losers hei-e!

Leo Yarnold Yangebup, WA

I

Helmet talk Well Alan Dyer (MN #228), as you might know I designed the winning Helmet in the ‘Richo Helmet Comp’, and no, the helmet didn’t inspire the cars (as far as I know anyway).

I submitted four designs in the competition and the one that Richo chose wasn’t even my favorite. For your information, the Helmet was actually inspired by the new Castrol corporate logo and Perkins Racing shirts.

If you were a true Richo fan you would have noticed that the Helmet you so diligantly saw on the roof of Richo’s car, after race two, was actually his old one!

(I was looking all weekend to see his new helmet and was disapointed when I saw the old one. Unlike you, I realise that these things can take time.)

So in closing Alan, pull your head in, use some common sense, be a sport and except your defeat.

Once again to all the crew at MN, thankyou for running the comp, and putting together such a great mag.

Dane Child Vincent, QLD motorsport news j

t t Mens Casual Polo Sizes: S-XXXL 18767 S5B.00

i

■●4.

JOHNSON

Team Cap 18743 S20.00

..

t

%

i'*/

y

■a>5

Steve Johnson Cap 18742 S25.00

Ji

i

SJ Gridiron Top Sizes: S-XXXL 18779 $65.00

m 9

w

Ladies Zip Neck Top Sizes: S-XXL 19055 $35.00

E^BISICB

Race Circuit Racer Jacket Sizes: S-XXXL 18753 SI 95.00

1/

a

e>

?R Gridiron Top Sizes: S-XXXL 18785 $65.00 Ladies Polo Sizes: S-XXL 18909 $50.00

.. ^

Advertising Distribution Services Central West Business Pork Building 23,9 Ashlfey StreeL West Footscrgy, Vic. 30i|i2

mmm

FREEFAX

i

i/f' il

Name: Address: Postcode: Phone: Pleose tick:

Fax: D Cheque (poyable to Shell Co. or Auslrolin)

n Aloney Order

Cardholder Name: Please send me a Fill

Please add $10 for handling and delivery.

Shell Helix Racing merchandise catalogue □

Total Cost $

Sirinolure: . 1

I

i

ixiliiy l)ot(

Feel the Comfort

j;aS8iPT^^Hxtrsrr

Ifp-'tt

The A539 combines excellent dry and

wet-road grip with low noise characteristics

JS

Phil Branagan - Motorsport News : ::::

\

Mg'*’ n

>■

".'151

1 A r I

\\

i

fiiL:-

SZTZ Now available at: YOKOHAMA NATIONAL NETWORK

131 S09

COST Of A LOCAL CALL FRO.M AUTOIItBE IN AUSTBAUA

,w] up

//

iPW.T' -

t-marts

^YOKOHAMA