Motorsport News Issue 296 - November 10-23, 2004

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296

November 10 - 23 2004

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issue 296

10-23 Hovemlier 2004

news and opiniun 5

End of Year Special Skaifey lerves his new Commodore

7

Dad, Mum ... I’m not moving Johnson stays with Johnson

9

Mika for Bathurst! Not yet, just the DTM. Maybe in ’06?

13 Drive wanted. Have own kilt DC stiii hoping for an FI seat 16 Royales with cheese for everyone! Bourdais wins titie 25 Motor Mouth Jonesy is a Master - and an A1 GP guru 26 Box Seat Dutch bioke, British name. You get that in FI 82 Talk Converter Pro-Rick. AntiRick. Same for Champ Cars

features 28 Five Minutes With Marcos Ambrose After he signed on the dotted line 30 Five Minutes With Jamie Whincup Back in the saddie again - with Tasman 32 First 2004, then 2005 Jason Bright has some unfinished business before ...

36 Nine Simple Rules if you ruied V8 Supercars, what would you change? We asked the question of some iuminaries and tabulated the results 42 I can see FI from here A peek behind GP2, Superfund, A1 GP and Renaults 46 FI Season Review What went right (Ferrari), almost right (BAR) and brownie points for those who tried (ie, everyone else) 54 She’ll be Apples Memories of V8 Supercar racing at Symmons Plains 60 1 want to rule to World! The Greatest Show on Dirt, the World Series

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The Plot Thickens Skaiff One,two or three Team Bright cars?

AS if the J'asoii) Bright story for 2005 was not intriguing enough,the new team for the current PWB driver could consist of three cars.

This week, MNews sources suggested that Bright was in i the market for a second licence to rum an entry in the V8 Supercar Championship Series, ailongside the first I entry (whiich we believe wilH be raced by Steve Owen)and his entry iin the second-tier series (formerly the Konica Minolta Series, to be driven

by Jose Fernandez).

We also believe that while Bright has already secured two cars for his new team, he has looked at the FaJcon BA owned by David Thexton, which Thecko campaigned unsuccessfully at the start of the season.

"My plan is to have two cars down the road," Bright said on Monday,"but there are a few things happening that could see it happen sooner."

As previously reported, Bright's team is expected to run separately whila he fulfil^

a two-year commitment to join Ford Performance Racing, replacing Craig Lowndes. His FPR team-mate will be Greg Ritter.

Bright would not comment on drivers, saying that all would be clear in the New Year. He is believed to have secured a technical director but his original choice as team manager has become unavailable and some enquiries have been made with other experienced personnel.

-^PHIL.BRANAGAN

by CHRIS LAMBDEN MARK Skaife will debut an all-new HRT Commodore at this weekend's Tasmanian V8 Supercar round.

Following a highly-successful first-up test at Winton last Thursday, Skaife seems quietly confident that it will be the catalyst to turn his team's fortunes around.

Originally scheduled for a Bathurst debut, sheer work load at HRT has delayed the new car until now: "We had planned to have it ready for Bathurst," Skaife admitted to MNews on Monday, "but in the end, it was going to be too rushed, so we went to Bathurst with two sister cars.

"It's probably worked out for the best. It hasn't been the best of years, so now we've got another test day and two race meetings, at two quite diverse tracks, to get to know this car in preparation for 2005,

Mellow Yellow CRAIG Lowndes was highly satisfied after a preliminary test with his 2005 team. Triple 8 Racing, last week at Queensland Raceway.

However, getting him, or anyone, to comment at length is proving a difficult task. In deference to Lowndes' existing team,FPR, which generously gave permission for the test, all concerned are keeping mum at least until after Eastern Creek's final V8CS round.

"It was a great opportunity to have a run with my future employers," is all Lowndes would say this week.

"The times were okay - but it was really just a shakedown run."

Unofficially, we hear Lowndes was delighted with the test, which did indeed double as a shake-down run for Triple 8's latest brand-new BA Falcon. Lowndes completed quite a 4

few more laps than was generally reported and struck up a good rapport with the team and chief engineer Campbell Little.

The new car, finished for the first time internally in a gun-metal grey, is

expected to debut at this weekend's Tasmanian V8SCS in the hands of Max Wilson.(Gun metal grey? We could have sworn that an 'exclusive' test pic elsewhere featured a car with a yellow cage...)

motorsport news

NEWS

y rolls the dice

1

by which tinne we'll have a second one built."

One obvious feature of the latest HRT evolution is the rollcage design and layout.

"It's easily the stiffest race car we've ever built," Skaife confirmed, "but the changes in layout of the cage have enabled us to try a few things we've thought of over time, but were unable to try in the old cars, because of their different cage architecture."

The car also features the latest-spec HMS engine.

Unsurprisingly, Skaife follows the current trend by being a little coy as to just how quick the car was at its roll-out test.

However, usually reliable MNews sources reckon the new #2 was pretty damn quick ...

iSM New jigger: The roll-cage, above, is the crux of the new car's philosophy.

Rob Starr, Skaife and Richard Hollway, below, compare notes.

Marcos blue until 2009 THE second-straight championship may not be in the bag, but Marcos Ambrose heads home this weekend with a long-term Ford deal tucked in his back pocket.

Ambrose will stay a Ford man until the end of 2009, after inking the deal last week.

The deal, however, is separate to his current deal with Stone Brothers i Racing, which runs for two more years.

For more on Marcos, see Five Minutes on page 28.

■ Tasmanian kiddies, your Uncle Tony has declared next Friday as a holiday!

AVESCO Events has declared the opening days of the Tasmanian Triple Challenge and the BigPond Grand Finale 'Kids Day'. The Symmons Plains and Eastern Creek V8 Supercar rounds will open the gates to youngsters on Friday, allowing kids to watch the on-track action, tour the V8 Supercar paddock area and attend some special 'Kids Day' activities.

"AVESCO are constantly looking for new ways to make the championship accessible to our younger fans and currently do so through our schools programs," said that nice Mr Cochrane.

"This is a fantastic initiative that will provide schools with a rare opportunity to come and experience the V8 Supercars first-hand."

■ This might not be the first time it has happened but it seems like a pretty good idea. A number of Queensland-based V8 Supercar teams will fly to Tassie this week the easy way. A 100-seat plane has been chartered and the SBR, the T8s and Sirromets (and others) will go from Brisvegas to Launceston direct.

Sounds like something that could work from Melbourne for future races (I bags the seat between Tim Schenken and the drivers).

■ Speaking of Tasmania, one of the sport's trivia sages advises that of the 32 drivers who will take to the hallowed hotmix this weekend, 15 have never before raced at the track, which last held a V8 Supercar Kneesup in 1999.

■ Around $14,000 worth of gear was stolen from Fastrack Racing's Calder Park premises recently.

Among the items stolen were 20 RPM double-layer racesuits, several boxes of Fastrack embroidered caps, crew shirts, polos and jackets, and a digital camera. Anyone who has any information (or who spots someone wearing a lot of Fastrack gear and trying to sell some racesuits at bargain-basement prices) is asked to contact Senior Constable Mick McMahon at the Brimbank Crime Desk on 03 9313 3485.

10 November 2004

5

Keeping ii

Alex'S Early Start ALEX Davison will replace Tony Longhurst in the Castrol Perkins Motorsport Commodore VX for the remainder of the V8 Supercar Championship Series.

Davison, 25, will drive in next weekend's Tasmanian Triple Challenge at Symmons Plains and in the BigPond Grand Finale at Eastern Creek in December. He has completed the Carrera Cup championship, which finished at the Gold Coast Indy event, and thus has no commitment clashes.

“I thought getting an early run in the Konica Minolta round at Mallala earlier in the year and the two endurance races was going to be a good leg-up for 2005, but I’m getting even more experience which is great," said Davison.

“The endurance races were all about playing myself in and taking things steady, so the shorter races at Symmons Plains and Eastern Creek will be something a little different."

Davison will race for the Perkins team full-time next season.

DICK Johnson Racing confirmed late on Monday that Steven Johnson will be staying with the team in 2005, to partner new signing Glenn Seton.

The announcement put paid to recent stories linking Junior to firstly Garry Rogers Motorsport (although we did hear that the drive was offered) and, most recently, Jason Bright's new team.

"The decision (to stay) was an extremely tough one to make as I did have other offers, but I'm happy to say that I will be with DJR in 2005," Johnson said, "The team has improved a lot this year, it's really stepped up, but we need to continue to improve to be a major threat next year, which I think we can be. I think that we are a good chance to win races next year," he concluded.

"There's been a lot of pressure on Steve to make a decision and it's one that he has

MEANWHILE, Longhurst is looking for an endurance ride next year.

The two-time Bathurst winner is not going to hang up his helmet and intends to race in a variety of cars next season.

“There are a number of things I want to do," he said. "I want to drive in the longer races for the next two or three years. I did not enjoy not having an updated car and running at the back of the field - you feel a bit like a wanker when you do that. You need to have absolutely everything right to be a force again.”

The Queenslander said that he found it hard to return to the older Perkins car after racing the Commodore VY (with Paul Dumbrell) at Sandown and Bathurst. He is looking at a number of opportunities, including running in the Carrera Cup series, a couple of outings in the I^Konica’ series (“to sharpen up”) and, perhaps, a Targa Tasmania outing -in an outright-contendind car.

not made lightly," said team MD Steve Chalker.

"I think he can see where the team is headed and that is exciting for him and his championship prospects."

The announcement also counters recent rumours that the team is in trouble.

Scurrilous sources around the fringes of V8 Supercars have been suggesting that the team is on the verge of losing major sponsor Shell, doesn't have a 2005 budget, and/or is up for sale.

While the team is keeping its commercial plans in-house, reliable MNews sources are telling us that the team has its 2005 budget in place.

Shell's existing contract with the team (one of the longest in modern sport) expires after Eastern Creek.

The company has undergone major re-structuring over the last year (including the departure of long-term

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and Owen’s in too i 5

OWEN Kelly will drive for WPS Racing in the final two rounds of the V8 Supercar Championship Series at Symmons Plains and Eastern Creek.

The Tasmanian, who drove for Dick Johnson Racing this year in the Konica Minolta Series and the endurance races, will drive the number 48 car alongside David Besnard.

Besnard missed the last round of the V8 series at Surfers Paradise while getting busy behind the wheel of Walker Racing's Champ Car. Kelly, 27, steps in at the expense of Alex Yoong, right, who has been dumped from the Queensland-based squad.

6

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'As if we'd miss it

Treasure this pic - it's probably the last one you'll see of Alex in Supercars.

'WOULDN'T Miss It for the World' That is the theme for next year's Clipsal 500 and the countdown has already begun,starting with a national television marketing campaign. The 2005 event was launched recently at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre with all the glitz and glamour that the Adelaide event is renowned for.

Next year's race will signify the 20th Anniversary since the streets of Adelaide first came alive to the sites and sounds of motorsport, and the long term future of the event has been extended a further seven years from its prior contract, guaranteeing the street race through to 2015, The event will run from March 17- 20, with eight categories taking to the streets. The opening round of the 2005 V8 Supercar series will be supported by the V8 Supercars Developmental Series (formerly KMV8),Porsche Carrera Cup,GT Performance,Formula Ford, Historic Touring,Aussie Racing Cars and the popular V8 Utes.

Murray Walker will also return to the City of Churches as a special guest, and additional viewing stands and super screens are among the upgrades for the general public areas.

- PARIS CHARLES motorsport news

NEWS

t In The Family Australian motorsport chief Ross Brodie in March), during which its retail presence in Australia has been reduced significantly (petrol outlets are being merged with Coles).

It would come as no surprise, therefore, if the company were to scale back its motorsport budget to some degree.

If our informal but reliable sources are correct, we expect DJR to announce a revised commercial package, most likely in the New Year, with Shell continuing to back the squad - albeit on a reduced scale.

At the same time, new signing Glenn Seton will have his first drive in a DJR Falcon some time between this weekend's Tassie round and the Eastern Creek finale.

The opportunity, as with Craig Lowndes' Triple 8 test last week, comes with the co operation of his current team.

Ford Performance Racing.

FOLLOWING a recent trend started by the Holden Racing Team, Stone Brothers Racing is currently building a three-seater BA Falcon V8 Supercar at their Yatala base in Queensland.

The car will give the team added flexibility in handling sponsor and supporter ride days while also keeping miles off of their regular race cars. i The car is expected to be ready by February, n PssstI Wanna see Richo in 'Adults Only' mode? Well, you are not going to see it on his new website. But Steven Richards does bring you all the goss about being one of the country's most popular V8 Supercar drivers on his new www.stevenrichards.com.au site.

Get on the web, have a look and tell 'em Larry sent you.

Whincup Finds A Home

JAMIE Whincup is back in the game after securing a drive in the second Tasman Motorsport Commodore for 2005.

Whincup will join Jason Richards at the fledgling team, which is currently trying to juggle the ocnstruction of a second VY Commodore with a move from Sydney to a new base in Melbourne.

Third seat at Stone Brothers!

Aside from a pair of enduro drives with Castrol Perkins Motorsport, Whincup, 21, has spent most of 2004 on the sidelines after losing his drive with GRM at the end of 2003.

Tasman Motorsport team principal Kevin Murphy said the move to a two-car operation and the team’s impending move to Melbourne made Whincup the ide^l choice.

“Jamie’s a Melbourne lad whom we’ve been aware of for some time because we think he has great potential,” Murphy said.

“You don’t win the Australian Formula Ford title without a fair bit of natural talent, and he’s obviously learned a lot about the business in a difficult season with GRM.” Whincup said he was delighted to return to V8 Supercar racing with Tasman Motorsport.

‘The V8s really are the premier racing category in Australia, and I firmly believe Tasman Motorsport has a great future that I want to be part of,” he said.

“It’s a perfect fit for me - the team is going to be based in Melbourne about 15 minutes from where I live.

“I think Jason and I can work really well together in identical cars and I’ll be looking to deliver good, consistent results straight off the bat.”

For more on Jamie Whincup, piease turn to our interview on page 30.

n Commentator and TV presenter Grant Boyden has formed a company with colleague Malcolm Engledew to be known as Motor Racing TV Pty Ltd. The two will produce a program on Fox Sports beginning in January showcasing junior open-wheel racing formulae from around the world, to be commentated by Boyden and F3 driver Peter Hacked. While a free-toair deal has not been done, interest apparently exists in that area, "We wish to help give our drivers better media coverage of their overseas adventures in their home market, so that they can provide better value to sponsors," said Engledew.

"Paul Stoddart referred to the lack of support from Australian companies when he took Webber into Minardi. We want to see that support expanded but it must make financial sense for the companies too.

"A key element of the show and website is bringing out the personalities of the drivers and we will be including their profiles on the website plus exclusive on-air interviews, "This is why we are also providing media support in the form of economical DVDs, websites and proposals for drivers that wish to present themselves more professionally when they take their first steps onto the world stage," The group's website can be found at http://www.motorracing.tv. n The Trackside program will expand in 2005. The popular Network 10 television show is set to take on two more episodes next year, to accomodoate for the addition of the V8 Utes Championship and the expansion of Formula Ford and Aussie Racing Cars.

1

GP2 in trouble?

Regs for Formula 3000’s replacement are running very late

by JOE SAWARD ALTHOUGH scheduled to commence in March,the GP2 series (potentially replacing F3000) is facing a small problem - it does not currently have any rules and regulations!

The series was due to present its planned rules to the FIA for inspection and agreement at the recent October meeting of the World Motor Sport Council but this did not happen. It seems that GP2 is now looking for clearance in December, only four months before the new series is due to begin. This seems an odd way to prepare for the new championship and it may be that the regulation issue is actually covering a much bigger problem.

There have been rumours in recent days that GP2 may have to answer to the European Commission Competition Directorate about how it went about choosing a chassis supplier.

According to European law, there must be competition in a market economy and companies are not allowed to simply choose a single supplier if they are planning to provide "services of general interest".

S I

We will fix it when we get rules: Franck Montagny, left looking for a place to bide, crashed the CP2 prototype at Barcelona last week.

A metaphor for problems with the series, perhaps?

In such cases they must select a sole supplier through a transparent and fair tender process.

We have not heard anything for certain but it seems possible that someone has disputed the way in which decisions related to GP2 were made.

Force 10 Superfun THE amazing burst of potential new European open-wheeler categories has continued with Austrian finance company Superfund announcing plans for what will be known as Formula Superfund in 2005.

This is a clear attempt to draw runners from the old Formula 3000 scene and is in competition with the new GP2 series.

It's the Super of the Future: John Travis, Technical Director and Design of Force 10 Technology, gets comfy on his creation, the SFOl. The cockpit, left, contains most of the toys mandatory in any 21st century open-wheeler. like gearshift paddles. data logging displays and a myriad of confusion buttons.

Formula Superfund has grown out of the Euro3000 series but will have a brand new car in 2005, called the SFOl. This has been designed by a British company called Force 10 Technology and will be built by Raceprep in Littlehampton, UK. The Superfund car has been designed to run on both road courses and ovals(Superfund will have one oval race in 2005) and, although it has been testing for only a month, the performance is impressive. The cars are powered by a revamped version of John Judd's VIO 3.5-litre engine which was designed in 1991 but has been increased to 4-litres, is designed to produce 700hp and be rebuilt every 2800 kms.

The SFOl was designed to be light, fast, easy to use, hard-wearing and without electronic devices to push up costs. The intention is for the cars to have a long life cycle. The car was developed with the aid of 150 hours

in the Southampton University wind tunnel and will be run on wide slick tyres, which it is hoped will make overtaking easier.

The test programme began a month ago with Karl Wendlinger doing the driving. Others to have tried the cars are Alex Lloyd,Jonny Reid, Vincenzo Sospiri, Bruno Spengler and Alexandre Premat.

Superfund says that it will run only 20 cars and in order to keep down costs teams will only be allowed to test for five days before the start of the season. After that the

only testing drivers will get be able to do is two 45 minute sessions on the Friday of each race weekend.

There will be 10 events, including one oval race, scheduled for August 14 at the Lauzitzring.

The first batch of 10 cars will be ready in February with the second batch arriving in mid-March before the season kicks off with a test in April.

Superfund says that the new series will be broadcast in 15 countries with 500 hours of live coverage in the course of the year. There is a US$lm prize fund, which will mean $100,000 per race.

For more on Superfund see ourfeature on page 42 -JOE SAWARD moiorsport news

NEWS

lin Top Mika UNLIKELY stories suggesting a return to FI by Mika Hakkinen have been quashed following confirmation that he will join the MercedesBenz DTM squad.

Recent reports of comments

by Patrick Head that Mika would be a worthy candidate for the seat alongside Mark Webber at Williams would appear to be little more than Head having a bit of fun with the media.

The 36-year-old double World I Champion retired from FI at the I end of 2001, having won 20 I Grands Prix, all of them with I s McLaren Mercedes.

"After the end of my Formula 1 career in 2001, I realised that I'm not ready to retire for good," he said.

"It was just the right moment that Mercedes-Benz offered me to test a DTM car. I saw immediately that I still enjoy racing very much and during the test three weeks ago, my lap times were at the same level as those of the touring car specialists.

"I know, of course, that I first have to get used to a DTM car to be able to fight with the front runners," - JOE SAWARD

Ferrari under pressure

FERRARI faces increased pressure next week from the . should back down,as it has invested heavily in its testing facilities. remainder of the FI grid as efforts to control costs via This is a valid point. There are those who argue that the reduced testing and control tyres come to their peak. problem is that the current Ferrari management is due to There will be a team meeting on Monday at which the 10 teams will try to once again find a solution to the change at tire end of 2006 and, with huge personal problem of cost-cutting in FI, trying to convince Ferrari to bonuses at stake if the team wins World Championships accept a move,agreed by the rest in Brazil, to control tyres and the major players heading for retirement, they are not and reduced testing. overly bothered about the future of the sport.

At the moment there is no sign that Ferrari will give That may be a harsh assessment- but that is what is being said in FI circles. way, despite the bad feeling it has caused. Ferrari -JOE SAWARD defenders argue that there is no reason that the team

Sauber’s Michelin deal SAUBER has jumped F1 tyre camps and will use Michelin tyres in 2005.

The agreement comes into effect immediately and the team will conduct its first test with Michelin between November 24 and 26 in Barcelona.

The move is interesting because, up until now, it had been thought that Michelin would avoid any deal with Sauber for fear that information would leak from the team back to Ferrari, which supplies Sauber's engines and provides considerable technical support to the Swiss team.

It seems that Michelin has now decided that, with the threat of a control tyre hanging over FI, it is a good time to tie up as many teams as possible to get the maximum exposure before any control tyre rules potentially come into force.

The deal means that in 2005 only Ferrari, Minardi and Jordan will be on Bridgestone tyres. The future tyre supply of the entity now known as Jaguar Racing is unclear but Bridgestone is required to take the team if it requests tyres, as tyre manufacturers must undertake to supply 60 percent of the field if called upon to do so.

- JOE SAWARD

South African GP finds future A CAPE Town consortium is pushing to build a circuit near the new Cape Town International Airport, aiming to hold a South African GP in 2007.

"We are going to South Africa - it's not a question of if, it's only when," Bernie Ecclestone has told Die Burger newspaper in Cape Town. ^ "There will be a South African Grand Prix hosted by Cape Town within five years."

Ecclestone said that he believes the government may become involved, although there are doubts that money will be available, as South Africa needs to build a series of new soccer stadiums in preparation for the 2010 World Cup. n BMW.WilliamsFI has parted company with chief aerodynamicist Dr Antonia Terzi and her role has been accepted by Loic Bigois, who has r\ovj taken greater responsibility on next year's FW27 design, Bigois (44) entered Formula 1 as an aerodynamics specialist with the Ligier team in 1990 and, after a year at Sauber, returned in 1996 as head of research and development under the-then new owner Tom Walkinshaw. Bigois stayed on when Alain Prost took control but left for Minardi in 2001 before moving on to Williams at the start of 2003. n The Spanish Grand Prix venue, the Circuit de Catalunya, is to undergo complete resurfacing work and modification of two corners, the first 'Elf S' and the Seat hairpin, through December and January. The circuit's general manager Fidel Sust said: "New asphalt will be laid after Formula 1's 2004 testing program concludes. We have decided to asphalt in December because it is the best period to do it. Thanks to the low temperatures, tarmac will harden faster."

The work is expected to be completed by the middle of January. n British driver Richard Lyons has won the 2004 Formula Nippon crown by finishing third at the final round at Suzuka over the weekend.

Lyons third was enough to hand him the title over Andre Lotterer, who finished one spot out of the points in seventh place. The two finished equal on points for the year, but Lyons claimed the coveted crown by virtue of a superior race wins tally.

Lyons was close to driving the third Jordan on the Friday of this year's Japanese Grand Prix, but fell short of funding at the last minute.

Lyons now says he has his sights set on Formula One. The Suzuka round was won by Benoit Treluyer, with Yuji Ide second, handing a one-two finish to the IMPULteam.

-JOE SAWARD/STAFF 9

TKR & PMR TEAM Kiwi Racing has confirmed that it will move to Queensland,to share resources with Paul Morris Racing.

The move, foreshadowed

by MNews back in September, is a logical arrangement whereby two single-car teams will share resources and testing programmes - most of the benefits of a pukka two-car team.

Morris has steadily up graded the sophistication of his facility and car-building expertise - the team supplied the TKR car with which Craig Baird grabbed pole position at this year's Winton round of the V8 Championship Series, while Morris himself has made the Shootout four times in 2005.

While Baird is moving on at year's-end (to WPS Racing), an announcement confirming MNews' story (#295), that Paul Radisich will be TKR's 2005 driver, is expected in due course.

More bang for your (Shanghai) buck

ORGANISERS of the Motorsport News Shanghai V8 Shootout Tour to the inaugural Chinese round of the V8 Supercars next June have announced an additional Thailand stopover option.

Ticket2Ride Global Adventures has added a Fun in the

Sun Phuket package to its existing tour to allow tour members who wish, to relax and unwind after the excitement of the Shanghai Supercar debut.

"Apart from our optional Beijing stopover, we've added the Phuket option so that tour members can enjoy a few days at a tropical playground on their way back from Shanghai," said Ticket2Ride's Chris Beattie.

Ticket2Ride reports continuing strong interest from V8 Supercar fans for tire tour, with some requests for

information coming from urdikely areas.

"We've had inquiries from as far afield as tire US and UK,and even a couple from Shairghai," said Beattie.

In other tour developments, WA readers will be able to forego the inconvenience of connecting flights to tire east coast, as Ticket2Ride's package offers return flights from Pertlr to Shanghai, via Singapore.

And right now,MNews readers thinking of going on this s great tour can take advantage of a special V8 Supercar merchandising offer for travellers who book before Clrristmas. Ten lucky tour members will win V8 promo packs- as long as tlrey've booked by the due date.

For more information, visit www.ticket2ride-is.us, or call (03)59772608.

Ellery goes Blue THIS is the new look that Steven Ellery will carry at Symmons Plains this weekend.

The Queenslander will run in plain blue following the sudden departure of long-time sponsor Super Cheap Autos, which withdrew its backing during the Gold Coast round last month.

Andy goes on the Defence

WITH only a handful of main game V8 Supercar drives left in the offing, development series Champion Andy Jones is likely to return to the Konica Minolta category and defend his series crown in 2005.

The 24-year-old is gutted that an offer did not come his way to step up to the main series, but the Albury-based star said he will be just as focused on reclaiming the series he clinched at Mallala in August.

"It's a lot better than doing nothing," he said this week.

"It's very disappointing not being able to get a drive in the main V8 series. I don't know what else I have to do to get in there.

"Doing the development series again, though, isn't a waste. No one has tried to defend a series crown,so I'm looking to be the first person to do that. That in itself will be a challenge."

Jones will use one of Brad Jones Racing's existing BA Falcons, and is likely to have loyal sponsor BOC Gases return as the major backer.

- GRANT ROWLEY

5

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vtttvo ^ Just two Melbourne lads: Alans I Docking, left, and Jones get in the T mood for some speed with the 5 Zytek-developed A1 CP engine.

WE’RE GOING TO SHANGHA 10

motorsport oews

NEWS

Chevrolet out of IRL for 2006 CHEVROLET has announced its intention to withdraw from the indy Racing League as an engine manufacturer, coming into effect for the 2006 season.

Chevrolet has had a forgettable season this year, not recording a single victory. The company cited rising costs and diminishing exposure for the decsion.

The champ returns

Jones gets ready to race in the Grand Prix Masters

ALAN Jones is returning to open-wheeler racing.

The 1980 world FI champion will race in the new Grand Prix Masters series, which will start in the third quarter of 2005. Jones, 58, will join a number of former rivals, like Rene Arnoux, and more recent drivers in the series, in identical cars.

"The GP Masters is going to be big," said AJ. "My first and foremost love always has been, and always will be, single-seater racing cars. I have missed participating in motorsport; it is a hard bug to get rid of."

The series will cater for drivers who have been out of GP and single-seater racing for at

least two years. All drivers will be between 35 and 60 years old, and be subject to an FIA medical examination.

"There is going to be a great discrepancy in the participants and I am not fooling myself," admits Jones. "If someone has been racing recently, like Johnny Flerbert in Sportscars, they are going to be hard to beat. What I think may happen is a couple of divisions within the racing; guys in their 30s have an advantage over a 58-year-old bloke."

Jones is also involved with the Australian entry for the new A1 GP series.

For more on Jones, see Motor Mouth on page 25

... and links up with A1 Grand ALAN Jones will spearhead Australia's entry in the proposed off-season A1 Grand Prix series, which is scheduled to kick off in September next year.

The multi-million dollar series appears to be growing by the day, with franchises for a single car entry being confirmed with some regularity.

Although we are unaware of the funding source for the Australian entry, we hear the car will be run by long-time F3 team lowner Alan Docking.

(For more on AJ's role, see Motor Mouth, page 25) A series of announcements have confirmed entries from a number of quite surprising sources.

South African President Thabo

Mbeki announced last week that the national franchise for his country has been acquired by businessman Tokyo Sexyvale, a former African National Congress activist and political prisoner who was imprisoned in the infamous Robben Island jail with Nelson Mandela in the 1970s.

Sexwale was later named a regional governor when Mandela came to power in South Africa in 1994, but eventually left politics to go into business, building up a trading empire in oil and diamonds. That connection seems to have been the link with A1, one of the partners of which is oil and diamond dealer Tony Texeira.

Texeira's connections are also responsible for the Canadian franchise, which has been

acquired by J Jay Laski, the chairman of Regent Mercantile Bancorp Inc of Toronto.

At the same time, the Malaysian franchise has been acquired by Alex Yoong. It is safe to assume that he will be the driver of the car.

The Portuguese franchise has been bought by soccer names Luis Figo, who plays for the Real Madrid team and Carlos Queiros, who was formerly the Portuguese national coach and the coach of Real Madrid.

A1 has also recently announced that is has a deal for the Cooper Tyre & Rubber Company to be the official tyre supplier to A1 Grand Prix for three years. Cooper Tyres owns the Avon racing company, based in Melksham, Wiltshire.

- JOE SAWARD

Join MNews on the trip of a lifetime when V8 Supercars hit China, in June next year - tours start from just $2875 per head.

For details: Ticket2Rlde (03) 5977 2608 or www.ticket2ride-ls.us 10 NovemUer 2004

n Jacques Villeneuve was at the Sauber Petronas team's HinwiI factory, in Switzerland, on Thursday for a seat fitting for the C23 which he is scheduled to test for the first time at the Circuit de Catalunya, Spain, between 24-26 November, "My first day of work in a new team is always something very special," the 33-year-old commented.

"I'm looking forward to my first test and my first impressions of the C23 with eager anticipation. During the course of the season, Sauber Petronas' performance curve was clearly pointing upwards, and of course. I'm hoping that we'll be able to continue this next year," n While on the subject of squeezing into Formula 1 cars, Giancarlo Fisichella has had his very own seat fitting with Renault FI just last week, "It's been an emotional day," said Fisi. "For me, visiting Enstone is a bit like coming home. The factory is bigger, there are more people, but the atmosphere here is still the same."

Fisico will begin testing on November 24 at Barcelona, but new team-mate Fernando Alonso is not scheduled to test before the beginning of 2005. n Heikki Kovalainen has ended his Championship-winning year in the World Series by Nissan on a mixed note at Jerez over the weekend.

Kovalainen won the first race from Tiago Montiero and was leading the second race when he was penalised for crossing a control line as he exited pit lane after a pit-stop. The error handed the victory to Montiero, who also secured second in the championship.

Kovalainen, a Renault Development Driver Program member, is widely tipped as being a key member of Renault FI test team for 2005. n Jonny Reid finished second and fifth at the final round of the 2004 Superfund Euro3000 Championship at the Nurburgring a week ago.

The results were enough for the New Zealander to secure fourth in the championship, eleven points behind the 2004 Champion, Holland's Nicky Pastorelli, driving fo the the Draco Junior team.

- JOE SAWARD/STAFF 11

WeTe out of here PEUGEOT and Citroen have shocked the rally world by announcing that both marques will pull out of the sport at the end of 2005.

The two PSA Group marques dropped the bombshell just days after Ford announced it was committing to rallying for the next four years, leaving rallying with only three or four manufacturers for 2006.

Over the last five years. Peugeot and Citroen have combined to win five manufacturers' titles and three drivers' titles, but in recent times Peugeot in particular has been at loggerheads with the governing body of the sport over erratic rule changes and supposed cost reductions dictated to the teams.

Flowever the joint statement issued on behalf of the two marques cited tough conditions in the world automotive market as the major reason for the withdrawal and confirmed that the two marques would exit the WRC at the end of 2005. ●'Tougher prevailing conditions in the automotive industry have led to a review of PSA Peugeot Citroen's motorsports activities.” the official PSA statement said.

"Peugeot and Citroen will remain strongly committed to the World Rally Championship in 2005. (but) the group has decided that the marques

will no longer take part beyond that date.

"This will enable the Group to significantly cut its sports budget and create new opportunities in motorsports. In due course, Citroen Sport and Peugeot Sport will announce the disciplines in which they plan to participate after 2005.”

With Peugeot and Citroen out of the fray in 2006 the make-up of the championship should see Ford joined by Subaru, Mitsubishi and Skoda - although none of the latter trio have confirmed beyond 2005.

The other significant consequence is that there will now be four more top-flight drivers swimming around in an increasingly crowded driver pool with even fewer positions available.

Newly-crowned Champion Sebastian Loeb and multiple title-holder Marcus Gronholm, along with Markko Martin (who is about to shift to Peugeot from Ford) are all going to be looking for jobs at the end of next season.

News of the French manufacturers' planned abandonment of the WRC series has been greeted with some cynicism elsewhere in the rallying world however, with some onlookers suggesting that the marques may be calling a political bluff in an effort to convince the FIA to enact some of the cost cutting measures that they have flagged.

- JON THOMSON/STAFF

NEXT week's entry deadline for the 2005 FI championship looms as crunch time for Jaguar F1 and Jordan The latest rumours suggest that Ford and Red Bull are locked in negotiation over the future of Jaguar Racing. If the deal is not done by November 15, Jaguar Racing will have no value, except for the sale of its assets. Ford is in the weaker position, as it is aware that there is a serious danger of huge liabilities and potential legal actions if the team is not sold because of commitments made in the Concorde Agreement.

If the team is sold, it must go to a solid buyer as, under US corporate legislation. Ford remains liable for employee and other costs for a period of three years.

The big problem for Red Bull is to find an engine for next year, although Jaguar Racing and Cosworth have been working on 2005 projects and plans can go ahead if the money is available.

Finding a longer-term solution for engines is not so difficult as the arrival of heavily-restricted long-life engines in 2006 should open the way for engines to come from one of the manufacturers.

Euro Formula 3 Goes Glam

THE Formula 3 Euroseries will be one of the support races for next year's Monaco Grand Prix following lengthy negotiations between the series organisers and the Automobile Club de Monaco.

The news means that a traditional race is being restored to the international calendar, an F3 race having been held in Monaco every year between 1964, when Formula 3 replaced Formula Junior, rmtU 1998 when Formida 3000 was shipped in as the support event.

During that time many great names impressed FI team bosses, the list of winners including Jackie Stewart (1964), Peter Revson (1965), Jean-Pierre Beltoise (1966), Henri Pescarolo (1967), Ronnie Peterson (1969), Patrick Depailler (1972), Jacques Laffite (1973), Tom Pryce (1974), Bruno Giacomelli (1976), Didier Pironi (1977), Elio de Angelis 12

(1978), Alain Prost (1979), Ivan Capelli (1984), Yannick Dalmas (1986), Giancarlo Fisichella (1994) and Nick Heidfeld (1997).

There will be two F3 races during the weekend, the first being on Friday when FI is having a day off and the second taking place after FI qualifying on Saturday afternoon.

"We're pleased that the Formula 3 Euro Series is going to be staged alongside our Monaco Grand Prix," said Michel Boeri, president of the ACM.

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"Europe's strongest series for upand-coming racers will enhance the Grand Prix supporting programme immensely. With the race on Saturday afternoon, we'll be picking up on the tradition of the Formula 3 Monaco Grand Prix, which also gained a lot of respect worldwide."

-JOESAWARD motorsport news

NEWS

ly Looming r

Formula Kimi

§

The Jordan team is in negotiation with Arden International team owner Christian Homer and a Chinese drinks magnate.

Homer, pictured right with Jordan, is believed to be keen to take over the team and may have found some backing on a recent trip to Russia.

Arden is already committed to competing in the new GP2 series and spent last week testing at various circuits in Spain and Portugal. The team has tried at least eight drivers, including the two Red Bull-backed Americans Scott Speed and Colin Fleming, Venezuela's Ernesto Viso, France's Nicolas Lapierre, Finland's Nico Rosberg, South African Alan Van de Merwe, Briton Jamie Green and Argentine Esteban Guerrieri.

- JOE SAWARD

Frank Request DAVID Coulthard paid a personal visit to Grove last week to try and sell himself as the ideal Williams team-mate for Mark Webber in 2005.

And,according to late rumours,it seems that DC has broken with Scottish tradition and offered to drive for free! Well,for points money, anyway...

Despite losing the battle over Jenson Button's services in 2005,Frank Williams has suggested that the door could still be open for Button in 2006, when his BAR contract does expire.

Under those circumstances, the second Williams seat in 2005 would be a one-year tenancy - and DC believes his experience is what is required to fill it.

"I'm not interested in a nice fat retainer because cash is not an issue," he told ESPN."I just want to keep on racing.

"I am prepared to drive for free and to be paid only on results - bonus money on the points I score for the team." ^ Regardless, test driver Antonio Pizzonia remains the most likely choice, although the names Heidfeld and Davidson continue to appear on a 'possibles' list, and there are also those pushing for die team to give Vitantonio Liuzzi another try.

In the meantime, Webber and Pizzonia will start the ball rolling when testing gets at Barcelona, on November 24.

KIMI Raikkonen is planning to set up his own Formula 3 team in league with his manager Steve Robertson, a former F3 race winner, Robertson drove for Bowman Racing for three years, at a time when the team was being run by an aspiring team owner called Trevor Carlin. Robertson finished third in the 1990 British F3 title behind Mika i Hakkinen and Mika Salo but was unable to make the jump to FI and moved to America, where he won the Indy Lights title with Tasman Motorsport in 1994.

The plan is for Raikkonen Robertson Racing to enter Mercedes-engined cars being run by Carlin Motorsport engineer Anthony Flyatt, based in Woking, Surrey. n Nicolas Todt, the son of Ferrari boss Jean Todt, will be fielding a car in the new GP2 series next year in association with the French Formula 3 team ASM. Frederic Vasseur's ASM team has a long and successful history in Formula 3 and dominated the F3 Eurocup this year with Jamie Green and Alexandre Premat finishing 1-2 in the series in DallaraMercedes. It is believed that both men are on Todt's list as potential drivers in 2005, although Green has also been out testing with Arden International. Todt has denied stories that he has done a deal with Vodafone for sponsorship. n MinardiFI owner Paul Stoddart is to sell part of his huge collection of Formula 1 cars and memorabilia by auction over four days from November 17-20. The Australian has accumulated cars from BAR, Benetton, Jordan and the assets of the defunct Arrows and Tyrrell teams, plus assorted engines and spares, in a long association with motorsport. Stoddart, who wants to create some space at Minardi's Suffolk, England base, says the sale will have 'something for everybody'. n BAR Honda has been awarded the Simms Medal by the Royal Automobile Club of Britain for the development of its carbon-fibre gearbox. The award recognises 'a genuine contribution to motoring innovation by individuals or small companies that also exemplify the spirit of adventure.' Although not the first team to use a carbon fibre gearbox, BAR is the first to fully integrate the gearbox into the overall design of the rear end of the car. n Simon 'Slim' Haworth has been awarded the British F3 Championship's Truck Driver of the Year prize. A strange award you may say? Well we suspect It may have been presented with some jest, as Slim left his Carlin Motorsport teams' inventory of wheels behind at Spa in Belgium at the penultimate round in September.

- SAWARD/SPURRING/STAFF 13

YoungEnjoins championshi/ywinning Formula Ford team \ DAVID Sieders has signed on i to drive for the crack Sonic j Motorsports outfit for the ; 2005 Ford Racing Australian I Formula Ford Championship.

I The 20-year-old will line-up I for Michael Ritter's team, ' which helped steer David : Reynolds, below, to his ; championship win this year.

Sieders will possilbly i compete in the Van Diemen I RF04 campaigned by Michael Trimble this year.

"Hopefully at the end of ; this week or early next week I'll get to test for the team at i Winton," said Sieders.

Sieders, who raced this : year for Anglo Motorsports in ; the National Formula Ford series as well being a front: runner in Aussie Racing Cars, could have a very busy 2005 I if some other plans for next

year come to fruition.

"At the moment, all I'll be doing is Formula Ford, but there is a chance of maybe doing Lotuses with MoPro Australia as part of the Chance of A Lifetime and maybe a return to Aussie Racing Cars."

Sieders, above, also won the 2004 Chance of A Lifetime competition, which aided his drives in both Formula Ford and Aussie Racing Cars this season. / CHRIS JORDAN

The Bigg TELSTRA is making the hard yards prior to the penultimate round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series at Symmons Plains.

Requests for extra services at the inaugural Tasmanian Triple Challenge V8 Supercar event tested the experts within Telstra

after BigPond received a mercy call only weeks out from the event. ' Previous events held at Symmons Plains have never before seen a request for the amount of services required but a collaborative effort by BigPond and Telstra Country Wide ensured the required services

Gold Star Relocated Australian Drivers Championship awarded to F3 in 2005 AUSTRALIAN Formula 3 has been given the presigious Gold Star award for 2005 and 2006.

The Australian Motor Racing Commission Chairman, Graeme Emerton, announced last Monday that the placement of the Australian Drivers Championship belongs to premier open wheel class in Australia, and that has been determined as Formula 3.

“The AMRC sees the change to Formula 3 as a positive move given the category is an internationally recognised formula,” he said.

“And (the category) has the ability to provide a direot pathway to Europe and ultimately to Formula One.” Formula 3 takes the reins from Formula 4000 (formally known as Formula Holden/Brabham). This category held the rights to the Gold Star for the past 16 years, and has produced such champions as Frank Mattich, John McCormack, Kevin Barlett, Mark Skaife and Jason Bright.

For more on F4000, turn to page 72.

Expenence this!

THIS is the newest V8 Supercar that will hit the track in 2005.

No, it's not one of those boring type of cars that race other cars around and around circuits ... This Ford Falcon BA is a purpose-built, three-seat entertainment machine!

Built by former production car driver Brett Youlden (brother to Kent and uncle of Luke), , the three-seater is similar to the Holden Racing Team's version, although this car will be available at a lot more track days. And don't get us wrong, this car is the Real McCoy. The car started life as a 2000-model Ford.

Tickford Racing AU in the hands of Glenn Seton. It was last seen in action in the hands of David Besnard in FPR colours.

The roll cage has been cut and shut to make 14

room for the rear passenger, while Peter Beehag was instrumental in re-skinning the car to make it look just like the current model.

Componentry for the car has been and will continue to be supplied by FPR. The gearbox is one of Holinger's 'banned' RD6s, which were outlawed by TEGA back in May this year.

The car will be on the track by January, where Youlden will treat individuals, groups or corporations to hot laps, while a leading Ford V8 Supercar driver is said to be a chance to give passengers an 'extra-special' treat on occasions. .

The car could also be leased to Ford teams to use during their corporate drive days.

- GRANT ROWLEY

molorsport news

NEWS

est Pond were installed within the very short time frame.

Work behind the scenes initiated by Telstra Country Wide Technical Specialists has seen a great team effort from all those involved from the various business units within Telstra, the

work included the installation of

services such as ISDN, Data Services and an extra 50 standard telephone lines, in addition to the current services already supplied by BigPond.

GLENN Macneall has landed the

in the Chinese round of the AsiaPacific series two weeks ago, this weekend's WRC event marks the

ARC works Subaru driver Dean ,

proper start of a partnership that looks set to include a heavy overseas element along with a Globalstar Australian Rally Championship campaign in 2005.

Macneall,33,from WA,has had a long and varied career in the navigators' seat that has most recently seen him working alongside

Grant Rowli

Caged creation: Note the tricky cage configuration on the roof.

10 November 2004

1

Making it easy for everyone ... even for )B: //, So, how is Marcos going?"

job of co-driver for rally-and-andcomer Chris Atkinson.

Macneall, who replaces Chris's brother and long-time nagivator Ben (who retired from the co-drivers' seat after last month's Rally of Melbourne), wiU hop into Atkinson Racing's Prodrive-built Subaru WRX STi for this weekends Telstra Rally Australia.

After a low-key trial run together

Ferrari(s) up for sale

Herridge.

"1 am looking forward to the new challenges that working with Chris presents, especially with the plans that are on the table for the international scene," said MacneaU. Atkinson was similarly optimistic.

"We have always had a good relationship out of the car," he said.

"Now it is all about making it work inside the car to take on every challenge presented to us.

"Glerm is very similar to Ben in many ways, with his meticulous approach towards his rallying. This is something that 1 have become accustomed and allows me to purely focus on driving.

"Glenn's experience in overseas events will be very beneficial next year, considering our plans to move to the next level of world rallying."

Herridge will not be left out in the cold however, with Possum Bourne's former co-driver Mark Stacy coming on board for this weekend's WRC round.

"I'm really looking forward to working with Stace for this rally," enthused Herridge.

"He has enormous experience and will help me in my development, bringing some new ideas into the car.

AUCTIONEERS Sotheby's are to put some fairly serious racing hardware under the hammer in May next year, with some of Maranello's finest going under the hammer.

One car that may spark interest is’ the F2004 that Michael Schumacher drove to five-straight wins in the first five Grand Prix of this year, the first time Ferrari have sold a car so close to its retirement from racing.

Other cars to be put under the hammer will be the Maserati MCI2 that Mika Salo and Andrea Bertolini drove to victory in the FIA GT Championships earlier this year at Oschersleben, and a Ferrari 412S, driven by former World Champion Phil Hill, The auction, to take place in Ferrari's Logistics Building adjacent to the Fiorano test track, will also allow those attending to visit the normally restricted areas of the team's research and testing facility. n Mat Mladin has completed his first test aboard the 2005 model Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike. The five-time American Superbike champion and Yoshimura Suzuki team-mate Aaron Yates spent three days testing at Sepang last week, "It's very promising after the first test," said Mladin."We had one of our '04 models that we rode this year to compare it with and it stacked up very well. Grip was an issue for us under those conditions, but we had a few things to compare the performance with." n Neil Hodgson may move to America to continue his career. The former British and World Superbike champion has been linked to a ride in the AMA Superbike Championship after being released after a single MotoGP season with the D'Antin team.

"I don't want to get into a downward spiral after MotoGP, I'll just get on with my career now," he said. "But it is looking more than likely I'll be doing AMA. That will be with the factory Ducati team.

"No-one has ever won the British, World and American Superbike championships either. That would be really, really positive."

Look for Hodgson and Ben Bostrom to race factory 999s for the Ducati Austin team next season. n James Rossiter is believed to have signed a deal to race for the Signature team in the Formula 3 Eurocup next year. The 21-year-old, who finished third in the British F3 Championship this year at his first attempt, will now be able to learn the major European circuits and expand his horizons beyond the British scene.

-JOESAWARD/STAFF 15

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^pcrmancnx cmpioyccb ariQ iricir cunidCLbj ror inc pubiuuii ui« ■ ENGINE SHOP MECHANIC An Engine Shop mechanic is required to work within the Holden Motorsport Engine Shop. Mechanical apprenticeship is essential and two years current engine building and automotive machining experience would be an advantage. The right candidate would be a team player, able to take direction from management and engineers, very enthusiastic and passionate, flexible, communicate very well and work to high quality standards in a pressured environment. Proficient computing skills and MoTeC experience are also desirable.

The primary role of this position is to: ” Build, prepare and service race engines " Maintain presentation, quality and safety standards in workshop and at racetrack. ” " “ " “ ● "

Maintain and repair routine maintenance on mechanical and electrical systems.

Interpret Technical drawings.

Operate hand and power tools as required.

Dismantle, repair, replace, and assemble engine components.

Ensure that all engine build specifications are met.

Carry out last minute mechanical & ECU adjustments at race meetings.

Remain flexible and assist at Race Meetings, Testing & Ride Days as required by Team Manager and Car Engineer. " Assist engineers for any fitment of Research & Development components

Applications (Cover Letter and CV) will be treated in strictest confidence and preferably should be emailed to HR Associate, Angela Warren-Smith at reoruitment@holdenmotorsport.com or 125 Rayhur Street Clayton 3168.

Holden Motorsport supports Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity in the workplace. Information regarding Holden Motorsport’s collection and use of personal information can be found at www.hoIden.com.au/privacy

16

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TROY Bayliss may be on a Honda MotoGP bike next season.

The Aussie, who has been replaced in Ducati’s MotoGP squad by Carlos Checa, may replace the departing Max Biaggi in the Pramac Pons team, alongside Alex Barros.

Confirmation of the deal is though to depend of the approval of the move by sponsor Camel, which will be unable to follow Biaggi to the Repsol/HRC team, where he will join Nicky Hayden.

After two seasons of struggle on Ducati's Desmosedici, Bayliss finished a strong third at the season-ending GP at Valencia, behind Valentino Rossi and Biaggi. molorspori news

NEWS

Da Matta eyes Champ Cars CRISTIANO da Matta was in Mexico City to watch the showdown of the Champ Car World Series between Newman Haas Racing team-mates Sebastien Bourdais and Bruno Junqueira.

Da Matta confirmed that he is trying to find backing to run a third Newman Haas car in 2005. The team can run three ears if the money can be found for the former CART champion. Da Matta told American pressmen that he has enjoyed having three months off after his split with the Toyota FI team.

Car Champ Wilson topped his season off with a fine finish in fourth, ahead Jimmy Vasser, Patrick Carpentier, Oriol Servia and local hero Mairio Dominguez.

Forsythe Championship Racing failed to retain the championshiip Paul Tracy won last year.

Tracy finished fourth in the points, while fellow Canadian team-mate Carpentier claimed third overall.

So, with the Vanderbilt Cup in one

hand and a large sum of prizemoney in the other.

Bourdais heads into the future with one of the most prestigious, yet uninspiring championships under his belt.

The 2005 Champ Car World Series kicks off at Long Beach on April 10.

Final Points; Bourdais 369, Junqueira 341, Carpentier 266, Tracy 254, Dominguez 244, Allemndinger 229, Tagliani 218, Vasser 201, Hunter-Reay 199, Servia 199.

n Jaguar Racing test driver Bjorn Wirdheim seems to have given up on his immediate ambitions in Formula 1 and is rumoured to be on his way to Champ Car racing next year with Kevin Kalkhoven's PKV Racing.

It is being suggested that the team will have a new general manager in Jim McGee, who has been running Pat Patrick's operations in the IRL in recent years. The team is currently running part-owner Jimmy Vasser and Mexican Roberto Gonzalez but the Nextel-sponsored driver is rumoured to be moving on.

Wirdheim is scheduled to test for the team on November 14-15.

Wirdheim tested for Patrick Racing at the end of 2003 but the team then lost its Visteon sponsorship and has since moved to IRL. n Super Aguri Fernandez Racing crewman John Martin Jr was killed in a surfing accident at Nassau, in the Bahamas on the team's celebratory holiday on October 29.

Martin Jr was a team mechanic and also served as fueller on the pit crew for Kosuke Matsuura's IRL car.

-JOESAWARD/STAFF

For Sale For Sale For Sale For Sale For Sale For »o .Si

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Chance to secure excellent horsepower engine.

We have a choice of several engines ready to use.

Complete with flywheel, starter motor, alternator etc.

Priced from $30,000 (plus GST if applicable).

Ph Les at Garry Rogers Motorsport on 03 9560 4711.

9PensHe Shocks (8765 4 way AdJ) RJ

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We have three sets for sale fitted with either UDP or UBP pistons only six months old, spare pistons, shims etc, perfect order. $10,000 per set(plus GST if applicable).

Ph Les at Garry Rogers Motorsport on 03 9560 4711.

10 November 2004

Ex-Tratt AU. Fully serviced and ready to race in ’05 V8 Supercar development series. Detailed set-up and support offered. Competitive car. Finished 5th at Bathurst 25 lap Challenge. Will lease or sell as a rolling chassis PDA. Spares package also available. Tony 0418 546 755. David 0418 378 198.

11

Now, it’s Brundell time again

THOSE French commentators are in for a hard time at next year's Le Mans 24 Hour race, with news that Martin Brundle and Mark Blundell will join forces for the race.

The tw'o Brits, who were Formula 1 team-mates at Brabham (in 1991) and Ligier(m 1993) will jom a new team run by experienced team manager David Price for the assault, which will also include the 2006 FIA GT Championship. Which car the pair will race is yet to be announced.

"Mark and 1 share a burning desire to race again," said Brundle,45.

"I have never hung up my boots but have simply been too busy these past three years to get my adrenaline fix at the wheel. We both still have plenty to offer on the track."

Both men are previous winners of the endurance classic. Brundle, the 1988 world sportscar champion, won Le Mans with Jaguar in 1990,two years before Blundell, now 38, won with Peugeot.

Both men now work on ITV's FI TV coverage. Since the Le Mans race traditionally clashes with the Canadian CP,ITV (and Network 10) would require 'subs'for the Montreal race.

ASTON Martin Racing showed its DBR-9 GT with which it will return to the international arena starting at the 2005 Sebring 12 Hours in a short ceremony at the Gaydon, UK works last week.

AMR plans to field two cars in Florida and then return to Europe to prepare for Le Mans.

David Richards's Prodrive < organisation is to build up to 12 cars for as yet unspecified factory GT teams and is reportedly also to underwrite the ; costings.

I "We need to create

You can leave your hat... oif: Brundle, left, and Blundell.

j heightened awareness for Aston I Martin around the world and i motorsport will allow us to do this," company CEO Dr Ulrich Bez said.

"We took four years to find the ideal partner in David Richards and Prodrive and,together, created Aston Martin Racing.

The DBR-9 is the first step in our return to motorsport and I know that our customers and enthusiasts alike are looking forward to seeing Aston Martin racing again at an international level in 2005."

The first cars will run in the traditional British Racing Green of the marque, which was so successful in the late 1950s and early 1960s sportscar era.

The DBR-9 GT will use a modified version of the roadgoing car's 450bhp 6-litre V12 engine and a 6-speed sequential gearbox.

- QUENTIN SPURRING

British Rocketship: The good news is that Prodrive has developed the new Aston Martin DBR-9 racer, above. The bad news is that they built the engine too ...

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NEWS

Manufacturers eye Formula 3

AMERICAN racetracks are about to see Monaro, maaaate! Sorry, make that a Pontiac GTO, buddy.

The USA version of Holden's luscious coupe will duke it out with Asian and American rivals in the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series from the middle of the 2005 season. GM brass confirmed the program at the SEMA show in Las Vegas last week.

"We've found the right type of racing venue to demonstrate the performance capabilities of the Pontiac GTO," said Doug Duchardt, GM Racing director. "Pontiac has already achieved success in the Daytona Prototype class of the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series, and

COBRA

next year will expand its involvement to the GT division with a pair of Pontiac GTOs." The racecars will have production-based LS2 small-block V8 engines and retain the stock body design over a purpose-built spaceframe chassis. They will incorporate safety features developed by GM Racing in the Corvette C5-R and Cadillac CTS-V racing programs.

The car's 6.0-litre engine is based on the unit that powers the production car, the LS2 gaining 50 ponies to 450hp, the maximum allowed the class. Gearboxes are Xtrac fivespeed sequential.

Teams and drivers will be announced at a future date.

Q.

n The 2005 British Formula 3 calendar has been announced, with regular track Oulton Park dropped in favour of more continental venues.

Teams were said to be insistent on the indlusion of more Formula 1 circuits, ss young drivers turned to the F3 Euro Series as a means to show their skills, as well as learn many FI layouts.

The 10-round British series will visit the regular Grand Prix venues at the Nurburgring and Monza, as well as return to Spa and Silverstone.

-JOE SAWARD/STAFF

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Finance for the project is coming from Italy and it is believed that Catone has received some assistance from Ralt, which planned a return to Formula 3 in 2002 with the F302 chassis but failed to get the project off the ground. It is not yet known what the car will be called.

At the moment, there are two other Formula 3 cars being built in France-one by the Martini-Ligier organisation and the other by Mygale.

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NASCAR’s bad boy Jimmy ‘Mr. Excitement’ Spencer was arrested at his house on the evening of October 24 after police arrived to serve a warrant to his 18-year-old son in a car vandalism case.

Spencer, 47, was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting a public officer, while his son is accused of pouring paint on two cars in their Charlotte suburb.

Spencer, above, lost his ride with Morgan McClure Motorsport the following day, but the team issued a release saying it was not because of the arrest. In August of 2003 Kurt Busch filed a complaint against Spencer after Spencer hit Busch post-race at Michigan. Busch later dropped the complaint, but Spencer was fined US$25,000 by NASCAR and suspended for one week.

Mike Wallace replaced Spencer in Atlanta, but the team failed to make the cut in qualifying.

- MARTIN D CLARK

■ Q

O

i

EtcHAhD Childr^b Racing ^Ts ani?ounced a^reshuffle of teams for 2005.

1 Jeff Burton, who replaced ^onnny.Sauter at the wheel of ^the AOL Chev during the ^^^ason, will now move to the #3^ingular-backed Monte Carlo^surrently driven by Robbie Gordon.

Robbie's marching orders were made official days before the Burton announcement and he will return to fViding selfowned teams in bofKthe Cup and Busch Series.

"I've always said Robb one of the most talented drivers out there," said \ Childress, left. "I'm sure he'llV , so just fine on his own." \ - MARTIN D CLARIS

Riding on the J-Train

JIMMIE Johnson claimed his third win in succession with a hard-fought victory over Mark Martin in Atlanta on October 31, scoring an emotional win for Hendrick Motorsports after it lost 10 members in an aircraft accident a week earlier.

"When I got the lead there in the end I had the goose bumps inside and I got nervous, knowing how big today would be," said Johnson, right.

"To win this race and dedicate

it to our lost friends, there's nothing like this. To have the worst week ever possible and to come back and put a car on the track that can win tlie race, my credit goes to everyone at Hendrick Motorsports.

"We had 10 angels riding on this race car and one big one in'Randy Dorton (late engine builder) under the hood."

Mark Martin was the class of the field, lapping everyone through ninth

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place and leading 227 of the 325 laps, but late-race cautions cost him when he chose not to pit.

Seven of the 10 title contenders had problems. Points leader Kurt Busch was the cause of caution one when his engine went south, while his Roush team-mate and Matt

Kenseth fell out with the same engine issues on lap 177, dropping him to ninth in points and ending a chance at defending his title, t During the caution for Kenseth, Jeff Gordon broke a differential when he took off from pit road. He ended his day 34th after repairs and fell to third in the standings.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. looked like he could take the points lead from Busch with a strong run going late, but a collision with Carl Edwards with 15 laps remaining saw him fall to 33rd with a very bent Bud Chev.

"I'm really proud to finish third," said rookie Edwards. "I feel terrible , that Earnhardt ended up crashing, that was not my intention at aU. He doesn't race me like that, I guess we were both going for the same spot."

Earnhardt realised that the accident was his mistake.

"I wrecked myself," mourned 'Little E'.

- MARTIN D CLARK Final result; Johnson (Chevy), Martin (Ford), Edwards (Ford), Nemechek (Chevy), Kahne (Dodge), J Burton (Chevy), Vickers (Chevy), McMurray (Dodge), Stewart (Chevy) 324 laps, Biffle (Ford).

moiorspon news

if;

STATESIDE

Disobedience Breeds Success AGAINST their driver's wishes.

Dale Earnhardt Jr's crew chose not to pit during one of many late race cautions at Phoenix on Sunday.

The move paid off, and 'Little E' dived under Jeff Gordon with just nine laps to run to claim his fifth win of the year.

I was really surprised at how good a car 1 had," remarked Jr. I just had to make sure I didn't do anything foolish like 1 did last week.

The 312-lap race was eventful with 11 caution periods after a series of engine blow-ups and cut tyres, most notably for Casey Mears, who blew a tyre and slammed the wall while running third with just six laps remaining.

Polesitter Ryan Newman handed the lead to Jr. on lap 59 and faded midway,but rallied back to take second place after a clean final corner pass on Gordon.

We needed it to go green the whole way to the finish," said Gordon."After the caution 1 knew we were in trouble. I got a really bad restart, we raced hard, but I couldn't hold Newman off.'

Kevin Harvick finished ahead of

Kasey Kalme in fourth after some swapping of paint in the final laps.

When Kahne attempted a pass on tire high side, the excitement spilled onto pit road post-race with crew members and officials scuffling, but that eventually turned into joviality - or maybe a cover-up from the teams to avoid penalties.

Harvick pushed me all over the track," said Kahne, who scored his 12th top-five result of his impressive rookie year. "1 don't know why he was so mad at me.

Chase contenders Elliott Sadler and Matt Kenseth suffered accident and engine woes to end their title hopes, while Kurt Busch continues to show Championship calibre when he recovered to 10th after running dry of fuel early then having a spin.

- MARTIN D CLARK Final result; Earnhardt Jr.(Chevy), Newman (Dodge),J Gordon (Chevy), Harvick (Chevy), Kahne (Dodge),Johnson (Chevy), Wallace (Dodge),Slewart(Chevy), B Labonte (Chevy), K Busch (Ford).

Point standings; Busch 6191,J Gordon 6150, Earnhardt Jr. 6144,Johnson 6143, Martin 6089, Stewart 6049, Newman 6041, Sadler 5869, Kenseth 5855, Mayfield 5836.

Best of(team) mates RUSTY Wallace has been fined US$10,000 by NASCAR for ramming ! his Penske team-mate Ryan Newman after the chequers at Martinsville on October 24.

The Penske pairing are apparently still not talking after the incident.

He's seeing red and I'm seeing blue," said Wallace of Newman.

He's working to win a Championship and I'm working to win a race, so we both have different goals. We'll get our differences settled over the winter. Right now. it's embarrassing. n Rookie Busch Series driver and current points leader Martin Truex Jr. will remain in the same seat with Dale Earnhardt Inc through 2005 before making the jump to Nextel Cup with the team and sponsor Bass Pro Shops in 2006 and 2007. Truex will also enter some Cup events next season. n Ryan Newman in his Penske Dodge showed at Phoenix why he's earned the nickname 'Rocket man' with his fourth consecutive pole position and ninth for the season.

Newman has earned an amazing 27 poles in his 104 career starts.

- MARTIN D CLARK

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10 November 2004

IN the end,only the motorbike was different.

Valentino Rossi matched his 2003 haul of nine MotoGP wins for Honda when he took the fmal race of the season in Valencia after coming from behind after an early battle against the Hondas of Makoto Tamada and Max Biaggi. His countryman finished second and Tamada faded to fifth, leaving third to Troy Bayliss in third place, his best result of the year for Ducati.

Local hero Sete Gibernau was a distant fourth, a disappointing result in front of 120,000 fans.

"To win nine races has been unbelievable for everybody and the finish of the season has been perfect with three wins in a row," Rossi said.

"I was sliding at the start and lost some time and Tamada was looking strong but it was wonderful to win here in front of this crowd."

Nicky Hayden looked strong for more than half the race before crashing out on lap 23. Cohn Edwards was the top American in eighth place, a disappointing end to his season with Honda before he moves to Yamaha next season to partner Rossi.

Ahead of Edwards in seventh place was Kawasaki rider Shinya Nakano, who started 10th and rode a strong race to finish ahead of many factory rivals.

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BIKE NEWS Points: Rossi 304, Gibemau 257, Biaggi 217, Bairos 165, Edwards 157, Tamada 150, Checa, Hayden and Capirossi 117.

IN the final 250cc race of the season Dani Pedrosa, bottom, dominated to take his seventh win of the year.

As usual, Sebastian Porto was his only threat, leading for 11 laps but he crashed out of second with nine laps remaining.

Toni Elias(Honda)held out Hiroshi Aoyama for second but the Japanese was disqualified after the race when his Honda weighed in 1kg under the weight limit. Frenchman Randy de Puniet was later promoted to third.

New Blokes, New Bikes BARELY 12 hours after the dust had settled on the 2004 season, a number of MotoGP teams were in action with new bikes, new riders or both.

On the Monday following the Valencia GP,Yamaha led the way, with new signing Colin Edwards, left, and Toni Elias getting to grips with the Mis the teams used during the season. While that was happening, Valentino Rossi and test rider Wataru Yoshikawa spent much of the day testing the first prototype of Yamaha's latest-spec 2005 Ml machine.

Points: Pedrosa 317, Porto 256, De Puniet 214, Elias 199, De Angelis 147, Aoyama 128, Nieto 124, Rolfo 116.

"We tried the new bike today and it's not bad," commented World Champion Rossi.

"I have quite a good impression of it. I've already ridden it weU and especially because we tried new Michelin tyres and it went well with

HECTOR Barbera gave his fans something to cheer for with a strong win in the 125cc GP. New world champion Andrea Dovizioso finished second ahead of Alvaro Bautista (AprUia) with a late charge to finish ahead of Pablo Nieto (Aprilia) in fourth place.

Both KTM riders, Casey Stoner and Mika Kallio, crashed out failed to finish the final race of the season.

Points: Dovizioso 293, Barbera 202, Locatelli 192, Lorenzo 179, Stoner 145, Nieto 138, Bautista 129, Jenkner 122.

those too. It seems to me to be more stable, and the traction is more or less better. This bike definitely has good potential for acceleration, and the handling is still sweet.

"The biggest change is in the chassis. At this moment we are quite clear on which direction to follow with it but this is just the first test and we still have a long way to go. We have concluded our first test with the new bike and now we look forward to the next test later this month."

Honda was also in action, with the re-signed Nicky Hayden pipping Sete Gibernau for fastest time. Honda also ran bikes for its class World Champs Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso.

Former Yam man Carlos Checa had his first ride on a Ducati and matched the times of team-mate Loris Capirossi.

i’s slam dunk YEP,that tall guy on the Ducati is Michael Jordan!

The basketball legend threw his long leg over a Ducati Desmosedici two-seater, completing four laps of the Valencia track with Sete Gibernau, Colin Edwards, Kenny Roberts Junior and Kurtis Roberts.

A keen motorcyclist since the age of five, Jordan flew to Spain in his private jet to watch the MotoGP finale but...

"It was Sete who talked me into iti" laughed MJ. "That was fun, but I only got it up to fourth gear. I can't imagine what these things are like wide open in sixth!"

"I've been into bikes pretty much all my life. I started riding dirt bikes when I was five," added the former Chicago Bulls player.

"And I really like this whole MotoGP thing. Maybe I'd like to have a team one day, but I'm only learning this whole deal right now."

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Australia leads France:Jones leads Rene Arnoux at Zandvoort 24 years ago. The two look like mixing it up again next year in GP Masters.

Busier and Busier!

I

HAVE been out of the cockpit for a couple of years now but things are about to get pretty busy!

There have been some reports going around - some of them pretty confused - but there are two things on the plate now; Grand Prix Masters and A1 GR And they are both different.

The GP Masters is going to be big. A guy named Scott Poulter rang me up and explained what is going to happen. The more he explained, the more interested I became. My first and foremost love always has been, and always will be, single-seater racing cars. I have missed participating in motorsport; it is a hard bug to get rid of. This is a great opportunity to get back in the gym, alter my lifestyle a bit and have a go in a singleseater.

There is going to be a great variation in the ages of the participants and I am not fooling myself. Someone has been racing recently, like Johnny Herbert in Sportscars, is going to be hard to beat.

What I think may happen is a couple of divisions within the racing; guys in their 30s have an advantage over a 58-yearold bloke!

The racing is going to be very fan-friendly. Fans will be ie Noveabtr 2884

Pakistan. The English are in, able to get close to drivers like with John Surtees heading Emerson Fittipaldi and Keke that seat, Mexico will come in Rosberg. And there could be shortly and the American seat the odd upset when one of the has three people looking for older blokes gives the the chance to get in. youngsters a run for their The structure of A1 GP is money-that might happen in the wet, for instance. completely different. The The cars will be identical, concept is similar to the there will be races in different proposed Premier Racing countries and there will be league, which had soccer more than one race on the teams involved, but this is ; going to involve nations. It is day. The cars are being done heavily backed by Sheik

by Zytek and the first race :Maktoum Hasher Maktoum ai looks like being in South Africa.

Maktoum, a member of the royal family in Dubai, and he is Merchandising will be wellsorted, with jackets with ail the determined to make sure it is a success. He has the backing to drivers' signatures. It will be finance this for the first three worth seeing. or four years but that is not going to be necessary. n the way back from The television package is Monaco this year, I called into the office of AI GP in being negotiated by Richard Dubai.

Dorfmann, who packaged the World Cups in soccer and I went to see Stephen rugby. There have already Watson, who is the manager 'been meetings with major of AI GP, because I only networks across the world. vaguely knew what was going This is going to be really big. I on. A couple of months ago, believe that the first race looks he called and said that they like South Africa or England very much wanted Australia to next September. participate in the series. They We will launch the series in feel that Australia's sporting the new year, probably early heritage is so strong that we should be involved in the February, and captains of industry and politics will be series. They asked me to head invited. Business, politics and up the Australian effort and I motor racing will be involved, did not take long to say yes!

At the launch in Johannesburg The Chinese government last week,the seat holder, has bought their seat, Canada Tokyo Sexwale, was there with is in, and Lebanon and

0

-rjf T

Motor Mouth with Alan Jones the South African President, Thabo Mbeki.

Each car will have a very strong national flavour, running in the colours of their country. This will be like the America's Cup on asphalt; we all remember what we did to the Yanks in the 1980s!

We are looking at the best place to hold the race in Australia and I will be picking the driver, or drivers. We will have one entry so there is a chance that the driver could change during the series. We can have a different driver for every race but we will probably take a second driver to the races to do some practice laps during the weekend.

This will be the World Cup of Motorsport. Bernie Ecclestone has blessed it, so has the FIA. We are not going to compete against Formula One. Suddenly,there's a lot to do!

25

FORMULA

ni

Playing monopoly and the mysterious Mr Taylor I

SIT in wintry splendour in my office, a small room with a nice view of Parisian rooftops and some trees.

Around me is a mess but moving offices is never easy and I am sure that eventually I will find a home for all of this junk. It has been a long, long Formula 1 season and it is delightful not to be travelling for a month or two. It is nice to take the occasional snooze in the afternoon ...

I am already beginning to ponder how Mark Webber will do at Williams, whether Kimi Raikkonen will break Juan Pablo Montoya (or vice versa) at McLaren and whether Ferrari will just go on dominating FI in 2005. 1 want to see next year's BAR-Honda and whether Toyota can stop messing about and get serious.

But at the moment, FI is on holiday: the drivers are doing charity events and having seat fittings. It is quiet.

There is a bigger game going on and it is important to keep at least one eye on that because we are coming towards a showdown. Webber and the boys may be racing around the Monopoly board in their little silver cars but bigger forces are fighting over the Monopoly board itself and the danger is that everyone, all the money and the houses and hotels will end up in mid-air as the big players pull and shove the board.

T

he most interesting man in Formula 1 at the moment is not Bernie Ecclestone. Nor Max Mosley. Nor Eddie Jordan nor, indeed, any other team owner. The man we all want to know about is George Taylor.

Go on the Internet and you will find that George Taylor was one of the founding fathers of the United States of America and one of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence. But then he was also a climatologist, an Australian aviation pioneer, a 10 Novemlier 2004

\\

I want to see next year's BAR-Honda and whether Toyota can stop messing about and get serious"

Brigadier-General in the American Civil War and a professor of psychology at the University of Missouri in St. Louis.

It all depends on which George Taylor you are trying to find. The problem is that very little is known of FI's George Taylor except that he is a Dutchman. 1 know, I know.

People from Holland are called Van der Cloggy and Hertenboscher but this one is called George Taylor and one can only guess at the historical details of how it was that the Taylor Family ended up in Holland, still using English names rather than calling their son Huub or Jaap as they tend to do.

It is just a guess but it is possible that some distant relative of George was washed up on a beach in Holland one day after a British ship went down off the coast. Perhaps an ancient Taylor mariner had a colourful relationship with a lady of a port. Who knows?

These days anything can happen. No-one ever believes me when I say that the Liberator of Chile was called Bernando O'Higgins and even I had trouble a few years ago when I met a Formula 3000 driver from Argentina called Brian Smith. I assumed that he would speak English and was surprised when his only response was "Que usted esta hablando, ingles tonto?"

Fortunately, I did not try speaking Italian to Dario Franchitti, who is so obviously a Scotsman.

Anyway, back to George (or Joris, as they would say in Holland). The reason we are all interested is that Mr Taylor is supposed to be the new Bernie Ecclestone. Obviously such a thing is impossible because

they broke the mould when Mr E popped out, but we all want to know whether Mr Taylor is a man capable of running Formula 1. This is what he is supposed to do in the future when the Grand Prix World Championship(GPWC)takes over.

T

he GPWC has hired International Sports and Entertainment(known ungrammatically as iSe) to immediately start building "the operational and commercial structure for a new open-wheel motor racing series". The plan is supported by BMW,Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Renault and when you stop and think about that, that means that Toyota and Honda will follow, whether they are committed or not, and that means that little teams like Sauber, Jordan and Team Dubai FI will have to follow if they wish to have engines.

So Mr Taylor is suddenly an important fellow.

There are some who try to say that the GPWC is not serious and to undermine them. Melbourne's Ron Walker is one of them.

But the GPWC is still there and with the iSe involved they are deadly serious people. It is not some two-man operation in a garden shed in Papua New Guinea (or whatever we are supposed to call it these days).

This is a joint venture between two vast and powerful marketing companies: Japan's Dentsu and France's Publicis.

The third partner is a New York-based sports marketing and consulting agency Sports Mondial Inc, George Taylor's company. It is George who is the chief executive of iSe. Anyway, he's a mysterious fellow. He has been running a

The with BoxJoeSeat Saward sports agency in New York since the 1980s when he went to America to represent the interests of soccer superstar Johan Cruyff and remained there after Cruyff went back to Holland. From there, he went on to work on McDonalds' sports sponsorship deals and from thereto negotiating contracts for football's Champions League and the European Championship. It seems he is an impressive fellow.

Certainly some of the people around him are big cheeses (even if they do not come from Holland). There is France's Jacques Lambert, who was involved with the Winter Olympics at Albertville and went on to head the organising committee of the World Cup in Paris in 1998 and American Hank Steinbrecher(whch translates to Mr Stonebreaker), who was one of the pioneers of soccer marketing in the United States.

A

s I lie on the couch and gently close my eyes I wonder how the battle between George and Bernie will go. And then I go back to Webber and the boys that matter when the little silver cars return to action on the Monopoly race track.

27

Five minutes with...

Mancos Ambrose

The defentiing V8 Supercar Champ heads 'home'this weekend to try and ice a second tide - with a new iong-term Ford deaiin his pocket. He spoke to PHiL BHAnUGAN MOTORSPORT NEWS: The big news is that you have signed a long-term deal with Ford.

That must give you some confidence and comfort for the future.

MARCOS AMBROSE: Yes, it does. That is the reason I have done it.

I believe that that is where I am best-placed to have long term success. It has been a great relationship with Ford to this point. I had a couple of years to go on my contract and I thought that it would be smart to let everybody know that I want to be with Ford for the future. So we sat down early and did the deal. Away we go.

MN: But your deal with SBR runs to a different term.

Explain that.

MA: It's pretty simple, really. 1 drive for a manufacturer, and while I drive for a manufacturer, I can choose my own team. The team I chose at the beginning was Stone Brothers Racing and that has been very, very successful.

Generally, team arrangements and contracts run for a shorter period of time than those with a manufacturer because a team can find form, or go out of form, relatively quickly, compared to a manufacturer. That Is the reason for the difference in the contract length.

But in saying that, I can see no reason why I would not want to stay with the Stones. We are a winning combination and we are friends. We have great continuity and we understand each other very well.

MN: How long is the deal with SBR for?

MA: It runs until the end of 2006.

MN: Does the deal with Ford give you options to race things other than V8 Supercars?

28

I have a great deal going now and it is a great team i am n involved with. Why would I want to change?

-Ambrose on whether he will branch out of V8 Supercars MA: It does but the contract, basically, revolves around V8 Supercars. The contract in place says that, if I do want to race anything outside of Australia, it will be for Ford.

There are provisions in the contract if I choose to have a crack at overseas competition again, a provision if I choose to stop for a while, or if I choose to stay in the category. There are lots of things that I cannot do but, really, it is just about timing.

My future at the moment is in V8 Supercars: I have a great deal going now and it is a great team I am involved with. Why would I want to change?

The International racing scene is where I have been before and I understand how good we have it here.

MN:So, what else do you fancy?

MA: Right now, nothing. I really enjoy V8 Supercars for what it is.

It is a real challenge and I don't see myself doing anything.

MN: Doesn't doing a classic race, like the Le Mans 24 Hour, appeal, should the opportunity arise?

MA: Not necessarily. It doesn't appeal to me. The event would be great to do, but it would take three-quarters of a year to learn and car and test a car and get It ready for Le Mans. The 24 Flour is a tough race; you could not just jump over there and leap into a Prototype-style car and expect to go any good. It is hard to get a decent drive as well.

For me, to think about walking away from the series we have here and look at doing a single race like Le Mans is not on.

MN: You are going to have a lot of distractions this weekend, being the Home Town Boy. Is that something that you have given much thought to?

MA: We have thought about it a lot in our planning for the event.

Every race we go to now requires meticulous planning; where we want to be, what we want to be doing at any particular time, can we remain focused on winning the races?

Symmons Plains has been thought about quite a bit, by the team and by myself, and by the people who work around and with me. We are prepared for it

and quite looking forward to it. It will feel fantastic to race at home; it will be the first time I have done that in my career. 1 am quite excited by the prospect!

MN; How do you try to approach it - as a'home race' or as a 'race on a track that is new to me'?

MA: I try to treat it like any other race. When I went to New Zealand, I had never raced there either, I managed to finish top five there pretty comfortably. We will treat it like any other race meeting.

MN: How is the book going?

MA: Really well. We did a book signing in Melbourne last week and we had people standing in a queue for over an hour to get it signed, I thought that was really incredible!

It was not around a race weekend, it was one person, one driver only. The response has been fantastic but it is not about me being excited by the book - it is about everyone else enjoying the read too. What we wanted to do was to give a bit of an insight into what it is like to be a V8 Supercar Champion and understand things a bit better.

MN: Is it out-selling Murph's book?

MA: I wouldn't have a clue! moiorsport news

Five minutes with...

Jamie Whincui

I1

Alten a yean away from tull-time Univing, the Melhounne youngster , has ianien a seat with Tasman Motorsport. MARK GLENDBVMNG grabbeil him for a chat about his new life in orange anti black MOTORSPORT NEWS; Obviously it must be nice at this point of the year to know exactly what you'll be doing in 2005?

JAMIE WHINCUP: Yes, absolutely. It's great to get back into the V8 Supercar Championship.

You don't realise how much you miss it until you are forced to stand on the outside for 12 months, like I have been. So it's great to get back into the arena and I'm looking forward to getting out onto the track next year.

MN: It's not that often that people get a second chance to get back into the series. How concerned were you while you were watching from the sidelines this year?

JW: Yes, of course I was concerned. I felt that I worked pretty hard in 2002 (at GRM)and obviously the conditions weren't right there, and I was bitterly disappointed not to get a drive this year.

So I worked as hard as 1 could, and I'm thankful that Tasman Motorsport has shown an interest in me, and I'm hoping to give them some reward for their commitment.

MN; How long has all of this been cooking away? Did it take long to put it all together?

JW: It's hard to say. We've been negotiating for a little while, but I've been looking at getting a drive since the day after I found out that I wouldn't be at GRM. We just concentrated on the enduro side of things first, and once I had an endurance drive lined up we could concentrate on the 2005 championship.

It's great to be here on November 8 and know exactly what I'm going to do next year. I can start to put the right plan 30

and process in place to make sure I make the most of my year, as opposed to getting signed up the week before the Grand Prix and having to rush everything.

So it's a good sign of professionalism from Tasman, and I think it's a thing that most teams have to do these days.

MN: It's an interesting time to be joining Tasman too, with the team moving to Melbourne,taking on a second car, getting Ron Harrop involved - it must be an exciting time to be getting involved?

JW: Absolutely. Nobody knows exactly what's going to happen yet, but I believe that they've got really good potential, judging from things like some of those factors that you just mentioned.

They are definitely a growing team, and a team that I looking to grow with.

MN: Well, while everybody was looking in the other direction this year, Jason Richards notched up a few good results.

JW: Yeah, for sure. I don't think they get the credit that they

deserve. Jason had a lot of top 10 results, and I think that is just a reflection of a good team.

But I think that they are going to make another big step in the right direction next year. I don't want to make any guesses about what I think is going to happen, but I think they are going to grow, and I'm looking forward to growing with them.

'Tasmanisa^Hniuing team,and rmkMldng forward to VMiwiig with them" MN: When you popped up to do those endurance races for Castrol Perkins, was it hard to blow the cobwebs out and go quick in one of those cars after spending a few months as a spectator?

JW; It was very, very difficult.

It's amazing, you lose some basic things, and you creep back into open wheeler-spec very, very easily.

It's something I did have to work hard on over the enduros, to make sure that I got back into the V8 philosophy, and the V8

driving position and style. Once I did learn that - which I believe I did at the end of the Bathurst weekend - it is just something I can develop.

It was a good experience for me and I learnt a lot of things driving in the enduros this year.

Now I'm looking forward to moving on and putting all of that experience into place next year.

MN: Any idea when you'll get to test the car for the first time?

JW: That, I don't know. We only finalised the deal just recently, but all of those questions and unknowns, I hope I'll be able to sit down and get answers shortly.

MN: And I suppose that another of those unknowns is when the second car will be ready to go?

JW: That's another unknown. 1 haven't asked too many questions about all of that. I'm just happy to have the contract!

But we'll sit down and get some answers about all of those things sometime soon.

I do know the basic ins and outs of it all, but we'll work out all of the technicalities shortly, moiorsport news

Taking

Care of Business

Jason Bright has a iot on his mind, with a new program, and his own team, in 2005. But first, he has a 2004 to finish. By PHiL BRAntAGAN

R

AGING drivers have a lot to do. They have to drive racing cars; they have to be available to test, occasionally. They have to stay fit, and find the time to fulfil sponsors' requirements.

And then they have to do the normal things, like get sick.

Jason Bright was not a well man last week, fitting in things like meetings with the odd session in bed,feeling under Melbourne's traditional Melbourne Cup week weather.

As if he has not got enough to worry about. Apart from his normal commitments, which revolve around PWR Racing and being Holden's leading driver in the V8 Supercar Championship Series, there is a lot on the 31-year-old's plate.

It is well-documented that Bright and PWR will split at the end of the season. Well-placed sources say that Brighty will leap over the Great Divide and drive for Ford next season but not for his own team, which he is in the process of setting up.

As we reported some weeks

ago. Bright will replace Craig Lowndes at Ford Performance Racing and that Steve Owen and Jose Fernandez will drive his team's cars.

Of course, such things make 2005 a difficult subject to breach with Bright. After more than a decade in the sport, he is professional enough to sidestep landmines. So we stopped asking the hard questions and talked about 2004.

And it is a pretty good subject. Two round wins, second in the championship points and a strong finish to the season looks possible, even if he does have to race PWR's spare car after his 'spec' VY was almost totalled at Indy.

"Most of the races have gone pretty well, particularly for a team that did not get to run a VY until a few weeks before the Grand Prix," says Bright.

"In the first half of the year, we did pretty well but we have had a few hiccups recently that have cost us dearly. But we

moiorsDon news

1

INTERUIEW have been a year behind everyone, in terms of running a VY or a BA,so we have had good pace."

Which is pretty interesting.

PWR is a healthy team but lacks the resources of some of its opposition. The hot ticket at Camp Clayton this year has been a 2004-spec Commodore VY with an 18-degree Chevrolet engine, rather than the Holden Motor Sport unit with which HRT has struggled.

But after running VXs last season, how have Bright and PWR been about to out-run teams like Kmart Racing?

"I think it is just that we had a good understanding of the VX and we have been able to transfer that pretty much straight across," he says.

"Some of the teams lost their way a little bit in terms of getting up to speed on the VY, but we did a good job understanding howto transfer the data over. Indy was about the only track where we went wrong; we just didn't have the car right from the word go."

If the old adage that you are

10 Hovemoer zoo4

only as good as your last race.

Bright is shocking. The car was not particularly fast around the streets of Surfers and the team ended up with only a car-anda-half after the #50 was launched into the concrete after a clash with Rick Kelly "We probably qualified there higher than we should have," he says,"we were really struggling there. Our race package was not great and we didn't make the improvements we should have over the course of the weekend, compared to the rest of the teams. It is a unique track."

And hard. The VY was a sweep-up job following the incident, after which Kelly appeared to apologise. While the world tuned in to the Marcos Ambrose/Greg Murphy war of words after the race. Bright said little and got

on with recovering from a sore back and a headache.

"It was one of those things. I don't think that Rick went out there to try and hit everyone over the course of the weekend.

"You can get tangled in all sorts of trouble at Indy and get the book thrown at you but, if that happens, you may not have done too much different to what you have been doing before. Two weeks before that, Rick won Bathurst! At Indy, he had an absolute shocker. He will probably get penalised for that but,from the point of view of the team and myself, we have a wrecked car and I am happy to walk away and get on with business."

So Bright faces the trip across Bass Straight armed with an updated car that has been pressed into service

"From the point of view of the team and myself, we have a wrecked car and I am happy to walk away and get on with businessn -Bright on his huge indy shunt

while his main car is rebuilt.

"It was my car last year, an updated VX, a hybrid. It is quite a bit different. Paul [Weel] ran it this year and it ^ was pretty good, but there are differences. The centre of gravity at the front is a bit higher so 1 will have compensate a little for that but it is not like we are going to have to go to Tassie and re engineer the car."

0

ver the past year or so, the trend of owner/drivers selling up, or stopping racing, seemed to indicate that the era of the bloke who owns the car driving the car were over.

But now. Bright is heading down the same path as Mark Skaife. He wants to own his own team and, after first mentioning it publicly in 2000, has things in place to be his own man in 2005.

"This is a direction I have wanted to take for some time, as a driver/owner and as a team owner further down the continued on page 34

continued from page 33 track," he admits. "1 am happy with the way things are coming together - very nicely - it is where I expected to be at this stage.

"It is a matter of being able to do things the way you want, having the people you want around you and the challenge to put the right people in the right place. To have the right development things going on.

It is another aspect of motorsport that I enjoy.

"I have been 'just' a driver for a while. From the driver's seat, you can suggest a lot of things we can change, a lot of areas that we can develop.

Sometimes, those areas are restricted because of budget or because other people in the team do not see them as important. This will allow me to try and build the relationship with the people I want, to get a lot more done."

But how will he do it? And why does he need all the grief?

"It is all about getting the right people; the right people running the business, the right technical director and the right things to put the car together.

Having the right people immediately takes a lot of the I

'"

"It is all about getting the right people; the right people running the business, the right technical director and the right things to put the car together"

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- Bright. He’s the one on the left...

3

1 actual running of the team out of my control. When you have people running divisions of the team that I trust, because I have worked with them before, I do not have to worry about their job. If I can continue to be a driver but, at the same time, point the team in the right direction, it all happens a bit more smoothly."

What else is there? Skaife appears to live by the motto, 'If you want something done, ask a busy man', with HRT commitments in and out of the car, projects for Holden and ● Holden Special Vehicles, a

position on the boards of TEGA and AVESCO, media commitments, a wife and family and heavens knows what else. Will Bright expand on his list of responsibilities?

"I am not that interested in trying to do everything. I am interesting in continuing to be a driver, setting up a team and getting the right people.

Putting things in place to be a front-running team.

"Do I want to go there all the time, watching people work from over their shoulder? That is not something that I am interested in. I could do that

now, if I wanted! I trust the guys who I am going to have working for me to do their jobs."

Over recent months, with ' the industry well aware that Brighty was out the door to Team Jason (or whatever) next season, it must have been difficult to balance future commitments with what is on .?■ the plate at present.

"There were periods where it was hard to have a balance, in terms of the level of sensitivity of things that were being talked about, with sponsors and stuff," he says.

"As far as being committed to racing and being committed to PWR, no, not at all. At the end of the day, I still have to go out there and perform every day this year to help raise the dollars for next year. The only hard thing to balance has been the sensitivity of discussions."

And that is as far as that will go. Maybe the Bright team will do well next season. Maybe that will be good for him.

Maybe, if he is racing a car for someone else, it will be less than good. But Bright appears to have the head bolted down firmly enough to deal with whatever comes next. And, whatever happens, he will be his own man.

A Bright start on a dark, dark day

APART from bringing out an old car for i Symmons Plains this weekend. Bright will have plenty to think about when he heads , to Launceston.

It was there in May 1997 that he made I his V8 Supercar debut as a fill-in driver.

"When I had my first race there, I was driving with Valvoline [sponsorship] and Garry Rogers asked me to test," he said.

"Steve Richards had two races on the same weekend, in the two-litre [at Lakeside] and the V8s, so I had a test.

"That went well, but left me with no expectations. I was pretty disappointed to see it raining on Saturday morning, but the car was so good and the Bridgestone tyres were so much better than the Dunlops, we came out of it looking pretty good!

"The funny thing I remember was coming into the pits to see how fast I had been and being told I was something like three seconds off the pace!

"I had to go back out and use the brakes a bit harder and when I came back in, I was third fastest behind HRT and Seto!

That was okay!

"I had a wild weekend, passing cars and then making mistakes and dropping back, then passing cars again. It 'will be interesting to see how the cars go around , 34

t here this year."

For the record. Bright qualified the #34 car 10th in the 17-car field and took ninth in the opening two races before a DNF in the final outing, after breaking an exhaust and, later, having a minor crash.

The following year, he joined Stone Brothers Racing full-time and won the Bathurst 1000 - with Richards. The pair remain the last two Ford drivers to greet the flag at the Mountain.

- PHIL BRAIMAGAN

p.

^

5

motorsport news

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Supercars provide the best touring car show on the globe. The quality and number of

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steadily increased, and measures such as control tyres and other control items have been introduced both

simply improving 'The Show'. Nothing to do with costs or cost reduction - just improving The Show ...

We've totted up the results and a clear group opinion has emerged - as you will read over the

following pages.

Every individual's voting has been kept confidential, although some have allowed us to quote their supporting comments and ideas.

to save costs and dose up the action.

Is it good? You bet! is it perfect?

IMo. Nothing ever is.

Everyone has a pet theory, so MNews set about pooling them and getting a diverse range of people - from drivers to team owners,from TV people to print journalists, from race officials to out-and-out petrol-head race fans - to give it some serious thought.

We gave them all a list of nine ideas - some obvious, some a bit left-field - and asked

MNews isn't trying to run motorsport. Far from it!

But we are charged with the responsibility to report and reflect independent opinion and comment. The result of our 'Top Nine' should be of significant interest to TEGA and AVESCO ...

lA Jr-

r * ●

L_

;

N THANKS TO OUR POLLSTERS:

^ .

Paul Cover (Motoring Editor, News Ltd); Tomas Mezera (former driver); Bill Woods (ChIO frontman); Peter McKay (Motoring/motorsport writer); Neil Crompton (ChIO commentator); Greg Murphy (driver); David Addison (UK race commentator/V8 fan); Len Shaw (former publisher/rev-head); Fred Gibson (former driver/team owner); Roland Dane (team principal); Ash Sparks (rev-head); Kevin Fitzsimons (Dunlop race tyre manager); Rob Crawford (team manager); Les Noonan (rev-head); Alex Davison (driver); Glenn Seton (driver); Brad Jones (team owner/driver); Tim Schenken (CAMS Motorsport Manager); Mark Larkham (team owner); Chris Lambden (MNews publisher/writer).

tJ6

»■

■Mtrmn ans

...

I

US SUPERCARS

the best tounng car y per round THE old favourite turned out to be the least

t

favourite, the concept of a>singlei<set of hard tyres* finding little favour with any of our voters - in particular drivers.

Indeed,this option brought forth a strong contrary view: that more grip gives drivers more confidence and, therefore, more

■/

: - .;EG MURPHY: ; "We should have more [ tyres for testing and more I for races. The cars are very ; ihard to set up when you go testing on shit tyres; it makes it hard for lower budget teams to find speed: "Morio tyres equals being less conservative ■ equals .push harder..."

likelihood of passing others.

■"I***.

O 5

Reduction in aero effect DOWNFORCE in V8 Supercars isn't huge, but there is a view that less downforce equals less

a V8 Supercar is really just 'anti-lift' - just sufficient to counter a standard touring car's

grip equals more margin for error.

Our panel rated this as a very low priority and many disagreed with the basic assumption. Indeed, a number pointed out that what is nominally called 'downforce' on

tendency to 'lift' at high speed.

However, others re-iterated the call for higher quality aero testing when finalising the aero 'kits' for Ford and Holden respectively.

NEIL CROMPTON: "Grrrrr. What our cars do need, is a trip offshore to a real 100 percent scale wind tunnel to end the nonsense and emotion in this debate. We don't need more aero either, but we need fair aero across both car brands. \ This should have been done years ago ..." ^

* _

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10 November 2004

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37

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Take Bathurst(and Sandown?) out of the championship ANOTHER often-discussed option. Is Australia's biggest race adversely affected by drivers having to consider the championship, drivers having to race conservatively?

Is it unfair for drivers to perhaps have their championship challenge ruined due to the ^ failure of a co-driver at Sandown or Bathurst?

Another 'maybe' result, with very pojans^ voting: some like the idea - some hate it!

TOMAS MEZERA: a With a points system that rewarded winning this wouldn't be an issue.

"There is no difference between somebody running into you and ruining your race or having a co-driver crash the car.

'With a system that rewards^inning, one or two DNFs won't lose the I championship.

-r

Dirk Klynsmilh

THIS would reduce the fuel range of a V8 Supercar to approximately 130kms, removing the need for 'artificial' fuel windows. It automatically ensures two stops in a 300km race, one stop in a 150km race.

"It's desirable to get away from 'artificially' affecting races, with pre-determined tyre and fuel windows.

"This achieves that in fuel terms and has a minimal cost impact."

It was suggested with a provision for potentially reverting to 120 litres for the endurance races at Sandown and Bathurst.

Most pollsters rated this of medium

importance, one rated it as the best idea | of the lot! ^

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U8 SUPERCARS

A MEANS of taking away the 'luck' element. especially in longer races. Correctly implemented, it would force teams to pit under green - hence no

ALEX DAVISON; "it would be good to take the luck out of the equation and to retain the emphasis on team performance in the pits."

—

n

tangible advantage to anyone.

This concept produced a wideranging level of suppoi among our voters, but, like those around it, fe a little short of the overall votes to identify it as a Top 3 priority.

I i

Introduce an ^option^ tyre choice balances

THIS proposal requires the tyre supplier to provide not one, but two MARK LARKHAM: "Agree 100 percent with intent, but not the suggestion. I'd take it further -force drivers to use both compounds in the race, creating different strategies. The soft tyre would create a 'burst of speed' which would go away quite quickly!"

control compounds, one softer than the other. Each car would get a set of each, make its choice after the first hour of practice and then qualify/race on the allocated number of tyres of that type.

The theory is that this creates a differentiation in tyre performance and thus increases passing opportunities as drivers'

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c.oo* 10 November 2004

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It also removes the need for

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«● ●

Judidal/penalty system review TOMAS MEZERA: "Does need4o bexhan^ed so that, above all, it can easily be kept consistentr -EEHaJMcKAY:

"Needs consistency from Stewards on penalties; points loss hurts more than

ONE of the 'hot potato' discussion points of the 2004 season ... and the 2003 season ... and the 2002 season ...

Our prime target here was the 'Drive-through' penalty, which can have a massively different effect on a driver, depending upon when, during a race, it is implemented. We also threw up a couple of potential options: instant time penalties added to a race time (lOsec, 15 sec

etc), advised instantly to drivers, media and

spectators; or a 'bad boy' penalty points system for bad behaviour similar to that utilised in the UK (three strikes and you're out).

In the end our pollsters were united in the view that a review is needed, but less certain as to solutions. Their unanimous view was that, above all, consistency must be the prime target...

THIS quite surprised us by running a strong second. Our premise was filtat formats need to be more closely tailored to the race history at f ^ ^

venues - for example, that Oran Park really doesn't scream out for long races.

In the end^ dtn''pollsters comments show a strong bias towards shorter^ caces (other than Sandown or Bathurst) r ie: the old three-race format. More ;aces, more starts, more action. Some Seven returned to the topic of reversed grids - having the hot-shots at the back certainly does encourage passing!

X'

3 ;3LENN SETON: » "I'm a firm believer in the three-race is format. If someone gets caught up in an ® incident early in Race 1, there is the lT opportunity to recover and get a result I for the sponsors."

and while you^r

I

A NUMBER of our pollsters got sufficiently involved in the subject to throw in some additional ideas - and there were some interesting ones.

"You haven't mentioned tracks," said several, possibly because changes there are more likely to be cost-driven.

But why not enforce some small adjustments to current tracks, to boost the passing options? An example; why have the right-hand flicks before the two Eastern Creek left-handers at turns 5/6 and 10/11?

A number (surprisingly several drivers included) quite like the reverse grid concept to spice up racing. They ranged from the three-race format (second race reversed), to Mark Larkham's radical concept of starting each round in reverse of championship order at the time. As he correctly points out, unlike horse racing, athletics, swimming, Motocross, and so on, where everyone starts in line abreast, motorsport is unique in starting its fastest at the front. Not a crazy idea.

motorsport news

CD

Dirk Kl)’n<milh

1

Revise the championship points system

THERE couldn't have been a clearer winner and a clearer direction from our pollsters.

Half of them had this as their number one priority, nearly all agreeing with our theory that the current complex system, designed to keep the championship alive until the last round, was confusing and completely fails to reward winning, or attempting to win.

And,as we pointed out, Marcos Ambrose pretty much has 2004 stitched up already ...

As a discussion point, we proposed a simple 60,48, 36,30,24, 18, 12,8,6,4, 2,1 (pretty much all divisible by two or three for two or three-race rounds)system.

which puts value back into trying to win races. And we threw in 5 bonus points for pole and 5 points for fastest lap of the weekend. Let's encourage these guys to go for it!

Some pollsters came back with variations,some even simpler (what's wrong with the FI system,said a few), but virtually all agreeing with (a) the necessity of serious point incentives to win, and (b) why devalue points by offering them below 10th or 12th?

As a matter of interest, we applied our 'for example' system (above right) to the current season - although the extra incentive for winning would certainly have changed the shape of

seats hiding drivers more than ever, Neil Crompton suggests the need for clearer ID as to who is driving in two-driver long distance races:"You've no idea how often I get asked about that," he says.

And while we're talking enduros, how about tlris from Alex Davison, who suggests a rule to avoid two-car teams

And we agree. Over to you TEGA andAVESCO...

10 November 2004

pairing their two full-time drivers. Stops 'second'cars. It has merit.

Thanks to our pollsters for giving it serous thought.

MNews believes it has covered some genuine options - several with no cost factor at all - in our experts' survey. What do you think? And, more importantly, what will AVESCO think? ...

f

Pos. Current series pos.

the season anyway.

Marcos would still be in the box seat, but the serious 'racers' would be far better placed in comparison to mid-field 'reliability runners' - Craig Lowndes would move from 22nd to 9th!

And the racing would have been ... well, a lot tougher, we're suggesting.

Under such a system, 'driving for points' would pretty much be wiped outand our pollsters think that's what the racing public wants and needs.

listening when you think about it...

With window nets and low

How things would have gone so far in ^04 using our ^sample'system

Think about it: So, what do you think, TCI

Driver

Points

1 (1) Marcos Ambrose 471 297 2 (3) Greg Murphy 288 3 (4) Rick Kelly 277 4 (2) Jason Bright 221 5 (5) Russell Ingall 6 (6) Steven Richards 205 134 7 (10) Garth Tander 131 8 (7) Todd Kelly 124 9 (22) Craig Lowndes 118 10 (13) MarkSkaife NEIL CROMPTON: "Scoring points should be special, a real achievement, and, beyond all else,fans should be able to instantly understand the system.

"The Formula 1 style system (old or new)is the answer in my view. Make points scoring a big deal - handing our rewards to anyone beyond sixth or eighth place in any competition is rubbish."

HOW THEY RATED PtS

147 Revise points system Review race formats 127 111 Judicial/penaity review 99 Option tyre Shut pit lane under Safety Car 99 95 Reduce fuel capacity(SOL) Bathurst out of championship 94 94 Reduce aero 97 One set of tyres only 41

All Change for It used to be so simple - Formula 3,Formula 2, Formula 1. Then Formula 3000 came along to ruin things. Now,it's rea//y contusing. MARK GLENOENNiNG looks at the changes in the works on the path te Grand Prix racing

EET Timmy. He's 15.

Timmy is pretty handy in karts, having just added a CIK Formula A national title to the state championships that he'd won in the past.

He's doing Formula Ford next year and,like just about everyone in FFord, he dreams of one day lining up on the Formula One grid at Albert Park.

To make it happen,Timmy wants to start racing in Europe as soon as he can, and with the help of his rich Dad he is investigating all the different options that will be available to him.

And he's finding it all very confusing.

Next year, the landscape of development series in the UK and Europe will undergo perhaps its biggest shift ever. The traditional route of'Formula Ford-Formula 3Formula 3000-Formula One' will be dismantled, and prospective Grand Prix drivers like our little mate Timmy will have a whole range of new or revamped categories to get Ills head - and budget- around.

At first glance, it might seem that this would open up all kinds of new paths into Formula One,but the fact is that tlie 'traditional' route has not been especially effective in recent years anyway. A quick look at the current crop of FI drivers reveals that Kimi Raikkonen got there straight from Formula Renault, Felipe Massa and Gimmi Bruni entered through the second-string European F3000 series, Fernando Alonso did the Nissan World Series, Jacques ViUeneuve did Formula Atlantics, Formula 3(in Japan) and CART,and Ralf Schumacher was ... wellconnected.

Meanwhile,of the last 10 FIA F3000 champions,just two (Juan Pablo Montoya and Nick Heidfeld) had full-time FI drives this year. Two others - Bjorn Wirdheim and Ricardo Zonta - held third driver roles. Most of the others were in either CART or obscurity (and there's a fine line between those two at the moment anyway). F3000's claim as 'the final step before Formula One'has thus looked rather shaky for some time.

Next year it won't matter, because FIA International F3000,European F3000, Formula Renault V6 and tire Nissan World Series will all have gone the way of disco and acid-wash 42

jeans, to be replaced by a whole swag of newer, sexier racing series aiming to be the decisive career step between the junior open-wheeler categories and FI. For young up-and-comers like Timmy,it might seem a bit overwhelming. As rich as his Dad is, Timmy's resources are not unlimited, and he can't afford to make the wrong choice and waste a year's worth of time and budget on a series that has no exposure and no credibility.

Top ofcost) tire pile of prestige (and willinbeterms the new GP2 Series, which will be a bigger, better, brighter reincarnation of International F3000.

Like F3000, the series will be the mam support category at Formula One's European races, giving participants the biggest possible

stage upon which to impress -and plenty of opportunities for drivers to 'accidentally' bump into FI team owners as they cruise around tire paddock.

The GP2 Series will be run by Flavio Briatore's chief lieutenant Brimo Michel and will be contested over 10 rounds.

The cars will comprise of an Flinspired carbon-fibre Dallara chassis powered by a 600bhp four-litre V8 engine built by Mader, a subsidiary of Mecachrome. The car will also feature steering wheel-mounted slriftpaddles, a six-speed box,and FI-style grooved control tyres supplied by Bridgestone.

For teams such as Arden, which won the FIA F3000 series convincingly with Tonio Liuzzi this season, the GP2 Series offers the prospect of a whole new world to rule.(And given that the team is

testing roughly half a dozen drivers in Spain next week,it seems tliat they intend to go out and do exactly that).

But elsewhere, there have been concerns about the cost. When the series was launched, Michel predicted that rimning costs over a season for a single car would not exceed 250,000 euro ($425,000), including the engine. But before long, some prospective team owners began to murmur that it was impossible to do for less than US$1 million ($1,325,000) per car, which led to brief noises about pressure being put upon the FIA to revert back to F3000 in 2005 if costs could not be reduced.

AU of that seems to have gone quiet and it is full steam ahead once again, although how many of tlie 15 available slots for tw'o-car teams will be taken up for next year remains to be seen. continued on page 44

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Chassis Engine Make Power Gearbox Tyres Weight

GP2

Superfund SF01

WS Renault

A1 GP

Dallara V8 4.0-litre Mechachrome 600hp 6 paddle Bridgstone 585kg

Force 10 VI0 4.0-litre Judd 700hp 6 paddle Avon 576kg

Dallara V6 3.4-litre Renault 425hp 6 paddle Michelin TBA

Lola V8 3.4-litre Zytek 520hp 6 paddle Cooper 600kg moiorsport news

INSIGHT

the H*aiii to FI

The colours of the rainbow: Renault FI test driver Franck Montagny put the prototype GP2 car through its paces at Barcelona, above. Former FI driver Karl Wendlinger shook down the SF01 at the Nurburgring, below, while the At GP car was launched in the colours of South Africa, bottom.

I a a.

S. *9

s.

510 November 2004

43

continued from page 43 On the technical front however, development of the car is at a welladvanced stage. The prototj'pe took to the track for the first time in June when Franck Montagny drove around Paul Ricard, with Allan McNish having since clambered on board to assist with testing and development duties.

The FIA F3000 series' second-tier cousin, the European F3000 Championship, has also been run and won for the last time and will be replaced in 2005 by the new Formula Superfund series.

Built around a carbon-fibre Force 10 chassis conceived by former Penske and Lola designer John Travis, the Formula Superfund car will be powered by a 700 bhp,4-htre Judd VIO. Streamlined contact between

^^nlinentaP 1^

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teams and suppliers and carefully chosen long-life parts will help to keep the budget imder control, and the aerodynamic characteristics have been drawn up to maximise overtakmg opportunities.

Like GP2, the series will be run over 10 rounds, which kick off at Brno in the Czech Republic next May and finish at Vallelunga in Italy in mid-October. One of the more interesting initiatives in the series is the 'Top 7' qualifying system, which will see the top seven drivers from a 50-minute qualifying session return to the track for a Fl-style, reverse order single-lap qualifying shootout.

In addition to a total prize fund of US$1 million (with US$100,000 on offer for each race win), the series Champion will pick up a test in a Formula One car.

I Testing and devlopment is well underway, witli a number of drivers s having already sampled the 2005I spec machines.

>

"It is a very physical car to drive and I was amazed by the horsepower behmd it," said Kiwi Jonny Reid.

"We're going to see some very close, hard racing next year and it will definitely be survival of the fittest. On top of that, the sound of the VIO engine is something else!"

A!

11 of this is fine for a driver who _ ^already has a couple of years of open-wheel experience on their palmares, but what about less experienced steerers like little Timmy over here?

Welcome to the World Series by Renault. In a world already overpopulated by open-wheeler categories, this one represents a move in the other direction as the result of a merge between the Formula Renault V6 Eurocup and the World Series by Nissan.

Kicking off at Zolder on May 1, the World Series by Renault will be run over nine rounds,including a street

Notorsports

If you want a career in Motorsports... & ^ ...make Certificate III in Automotive ^ 0) (Motorsport)(national package)the pathway to . ^ your dream job.

Southern Queensland Institute ' of TAPE Warwick is now taking applications for this course commencing February 2005.

For more details contact Doug Partington, Motorsport Teacher at SQIT Warwick Campus on 07 4660 4653.

Course may he cancelled ifinsufficient applications

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INSIGHT

Falken Tyres Perform

on the open road - in wet and dry conditions .com

Two become one: The Renault V6 Euroseries, above, and World Series by Nissan, below, will be blended into the World Series by Renault for 2005 race in Bilbao and a prestigious slot on the support bill at the Monaco Grand Prix.

The cars will feature a bespoke Dallara chassis, with a Renault powerplant that strikes a rough balance between the current 370bhp Formula Renault V6 and 450bhp Nissan World Series engine by producing something in the order of 420 ponies.

The Formula Renault V6 cars wiU live on in their current form in the USA. Ripping around the streets of Monaco earlier this year, these things looked, and sounded,like the real deal. With a boost in numbers from the engine, a better calendar, and a stronger field, the revamped Formula should be worth keeping an eye on over the next couple of seasons.

So that's the main racing season sorted. But Timmy wants to find something better than his Playstation to keep his racing wits sharpened during the European winter, and the people he needs to speak to are the Dubai royal family.

The A1 Grand Prix series is the brainchild of Sheik Maktoum Hasher Maktoum A1 Maktoum, and is essentially the motorsport equivalent of the great 1970s musical icon, the 'concept album'.

Between 23 and 30 countries are allocated a 'seat', or franchise, which can be purchased by private investors, to form a championship contested in the name of patriotism.

Each competing nation has one car, which must run with a driver and sponsors that are from that country,to race against each other in the name of national pride for what is being pitched as the 'World Cup of Motorsport'.

The Australian seat was recently announced as having been acquired by a group including 1980 world champ Alan Jones,joining other confirmed nations including South Africa (whose seat is 10 November 2004

owned by politician and former freedom fighter Tokyo Sexwale), Canada(owned by J Jay Laski, Chairman of the Regent Mercantile Bancorp) and Malaysia(owned by Alex Yoong). John Surtees is fronting the British team, while announcements regarding others are expected soon.

While there is plenty of information available regarding the series' business model, details of the sporting side are a little more hazy. The car will feature a union of a Lola chassis with a 3.4 litre V8 Lola unit that is expected to pump out around 520bhp. The protot^e has already covered some testing miles at Jerez and Snetterton at the hands of Ralph Firman and A1 GP General Manager (and former F3000 pilot) Stephen Watson, with initial lap times said to compare favourably with F3000.

But as yet, there have been no drivers named,and no circuits confirmed. There has been no calendar armoimced either, however it seems that the series will kick off in Dubai(or South Africa, or England)in September after plans for a New York street race apparently fell through.

As racing series go,A1 Grand Prix is one of the great unknown quantities. Requests for further information were rmanswered as we went to press, so it looks like Timmy,and the rest of us, will have to sit back and wait to see how it all unfolds.

Single-seater categories are in plague proportion at the moment, which is both a blessing and a curse for drivers like Timmy.

More categories means more options, and with the number of series reaching the outer limits of sustainability, the pressure is on the organisers to ensure that their particular Formula is viable, both financially and competitively.

But more options also creates a greater risk of making the wrong choice, and it's now easier than ever for Timmy and his rivals to reach the end of the season and discover that

AZENIS ST115

nobody actually cares about the Formula Backwater championship that they've just won.

On one hand, the old standards like Formula 3 are safe bets due to their visibility and history. On the other, the emergence of magicians like Raikkonen from the relative obscurity of Formula Renault has sent plenty of FI talent scouts out in search of other undiscovered talents flying under the radar.

Scholarship-class F3, or World Series by Renault? British F3, or Formula Superfund?

British F3 or F3 Euro Series?

Will anyone care if you win the A1 Grand Prix championship?

Is it worth saving up for a crack at GP2?

And poor Timmy thought that driving was the hard part.

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And we^l live Michael Schumacher and Ferrari took no prisoners in the 2004 Grand Prix season as they refined the notion of 'total warfare' to a new level. Motorsport News looks back on what happened in Formula One this season

1>

FORMULA ONE

World of our Own I

N the end, you simply had to sit back and admire the awesome job that Ferrari did in 2004.

The average viewer might have thought it was a bit boring - after all, the Scuderia won 15 out of 18 races - but if there was ever an example of a team getting just about every element of its package close to perfect, it was Ferrari in 2004.

Chassis, engine, tyres, drivers. There was little to fault. Pre-season, the pundits picked the team's tyre supplier, Bridgestone, as the potential weak link but that too was covered in the most ruthless fashion.

The most extensive development and test regime ever undertaken over the off-season - most of it away from the tracks where the other teams tested - came together a week before the season start in Melbourne.

Following a devastating test at Imola and the opening practice session in Melbourne,the serious, and honest, opposition must have known the game was over. The only question would be the final score-line.

The only negative that can be levelled at Ferrari is its use of the word 'drivers'. There is only one driver at Ferrari. Urdike McLaren in 1988(when Ayrton Senna and Alain Frost hacked away at each other for 15 wins out of 16 races), Michael has a pleasant, compliant, competent(and well-paid) back-up. And at Ferrari in 2004, that was easily

10 November 2004

good enough for second in the championship.

The rest had only themselves to blame. The regular opposition, McLaren and Williams,shot themselves in the foot; the coming challengers Renault and BAR - did come on,but not by enough to challenge The Reds in a single season. And the rest were making up the numbers.

The contest for 'first loser' was in fact quite a tussle and,to Renault and BAR's credit, magnified the problems at McLaren and Williams. The former started the season with high hopes, after missing the '03 Drivers' crown by a single point but its season was so bad that, after five races, there were mutterings that McLaren may not even score a podium finish. At Williams, the radical FW27 'Walrus' caused much comment but, in the end, all it proved was the old adage that 'if something looks right, it is right'. It didn't and it wasn't.

In the end,it says much that both former members of'The Big Three' took their respective wins on merit, as did Renault at Monaco. And BAR-Honda did everything except win a race and shook off its well-earned 'under-achiever' label, seemingly for good.

Australian interest continued to revolve solely around the fortunes of Mark Webber. The general reliability of most FI teams disguised a strong effort from Webber in again lifting the pennypinching Jaguar team well above its station. Eighth, ninth, and 10th doesn't create the headlines the

Australian media gets excited about, but there were some strong performances in there. And unfortunately, on the odd occasion that the hot shots fell over, the Jaguar failed as well.

It was a nevertheless reputation-enhancing year for a man widely considered championship material. Just ask Sir Frank Williams.

Away from the track. Formula 1 continued its sometimes tiresome obsession with money, the lack of it(?) and much talk about cost reduction. The FI ownership saga is, as well, also becoming tiresome for the average fan.

In the end, team self-interest(take a note TEGA) and the negative restraints of the teams'long standing Concorde Agreement, handicapped much of the move for rapid change.

The upside is, however, that once every couple of weeks, there is a motor race. Grand Prix racing continues to fascinate, despite its internal woes, and in Michael Schumacher and Ferrari, the motorsport world has something to be in awe of.

There are enough competitive bastards among the opposition that things will change; Ferrari will slip and others will challenge (for proof of that, look no further than HRT,2004-style).

In the meantime, MNews looks back over the 2004 FI season with a critical eye. A season of apparent domination, but with enough sub-plots and issues to interest even the most hardened and cynical critic...

strike Me Lucky

I

BAR-Honda goes from the Outhouse to the Penthouse

A

FEW nights before the opening race of the season at Albert Park,Editor Branagan was fortunate enough to have dinner with the brass from BAR and Honda.

While enjoying a puff with the always-friendly Honda FI Project Leader Shoichi Tanaka,he asked how many points Tanaka thought that the team would score this season. He rubbed his chin and contemplated for a second.

"I think 80," he said.

Soon after, Tanaka's view was told to BAR Principal David Richards.

"No," he said. "I think about 85."

Staggering. Crazy. Mr Ed mentioned to Richards that 85 points would be good enough for second in the Constructors' title. He agreed and grinned.

Well, we now know that DR and Tanaka-san were being conservative.

Hell, Jenson Button scored 85 off his own bat and the team racked up 119 - with 11 podium finishes and one pole position. And this from a team that last year banked 26 points;in 2002, it scored a grant total of seven.

The turnaround has been stunning. Barely a year after the BARs would be routinely dragged in, covered in oil at the end of a rope, the 2004-spec RA004E engine has been a model of both consistency and power. There were the odd explosions - most visibly, Takuma Sato's massive engine detonation at Monaco - but generally, the engines were about as good as anyone else's - except.

48

.maybe,Ferrari's.

Engineers are always shy when it comes to numbers,Honda claiming only that the 2004 motor revved to over 19,000rpm and cranked out more than 900 horsepower. But they were firm from the start that the

smaller than its 005,the new pitlane regulations aDowing designer Geoff WiUis to build the chassis around a smaller fuel tank. The car seemed to

need a little more wing than the Ferrari, hence Button was a sitting duck while leading at fast tracks like 004E engine was smaller,lighter and Imola and Monza,but it genuinely more powerful than the 2003 unitlooked like a user-friendly thing.

JB's chase and catch of Jarno Trulli's remarkable, given that this season, Renault at Monaco showed that the the one-engine rule (designed to car had few vices and worked on all lower horsepower as well as reduce kinds of tracks, even if both drivers costs) was in force for the first time.

By the time Suzuka roiled aroimd, knew that a change of lead was just the engines produced 960 ponies. about impossible.

On tire BAR side, the Banbury Both drivers did weU,though Sato team did a remarkable job with their is still lower on his learning curve than Button, and test driver Anthony Davidson was the star of Fridays,looking capable of beating most of the field, given the chance.

If all that impressed in 2004, next season looks, at least,just a promising. BAR has had a year to I learn its new tyre partner and I Honda has already said that the 2 RA005E will be a bigger jump again I than this year's engine was. Honda is starting to look like the Honda of old; the philosophy from the 1980s was, pretty much,"We win, you lose." And,with Honda assisting on the chassis side, BAR looks more than a match for Renault, McLaren and Williams.

Maybe the only mystery is why Jenson felt that he would do better in a Williams next season. That is a now a moot point an)rway but...

I did he really want a BMW road car ? tijflfmuch?

-PHIL BRANAGAN

/

SIEMtNs

r

Hello, be goi LIFE can go in opposite directions at the same time. So can Formula One drivers.

So it went in GP racing in 2004.

Those ongoing rumours about Jacques ViUenueve returning to the sport proved to be so correct that, on September 15, the former world champion signed not one but tivo contracts. After inking a two-page deal to steer a Sauber around for the next two seasons, Villeneuve then popped over to Enstone to arrange to suit up for the final three races of the year with Renault Sport.

The results were pretty dismal; JV plodded around,scraping off the rust and looking tentative while Fernando Alsono bombed away,chasing the leaders. Jacques was so unimpressive in the R24 that even Renault boss Patrick Faure admitted after the Brazilian GP that signing him was a mistake. With the possible exception of Nigel Mansell's move to McLaren for 1995(which ended in divorce almost before the honeymoon was over) it is difficult to think of such a well-credentialled team and driver being so bad a mismatch.

Yep,it looks like Peter Sauber has had another brainstorm.

In the other direction, once Jaguar Racing had its chain pulled by Ford's beancounters, David Coulthard's hopes of a 12th season in the majors went around the bend as well. DC was a marked man once Juan Montoya announced at the start of the season that he was off to McLaren for '05; the prospect of Ron Dennis sacking the motorsport news

I

i-

I

I must

tig man he sometimes calls 'Mika'(Kimi Raikkonen)is one that is not worthy of a second's contemplation.

Coulthard's career has been a success if you look at bare statistics; 175 GPs starts, 13 wins, 12 poles. In terms of experience and success, he was second only to Michael Schumacher in terms of numbers.

Equally, there were some days when DC looked like a match for the German on the track.

But,for a man who has driven only for Williams and McLaren in his career, one may have expected more.

In the pantheon of champion drivers, it is Likely that the Scot will be a bit player, rather than a star. But before we start linking Coulthard with the likes of Eddie Irvine, it should be said that DC's reputation is one of a dedicated and professional driver who gave his all. He was simply beaten by better drivers or better cars most of the time.

Further,it should be noted that Coulthard has ended his career physically intact, which is a remarkable fact given that his biggest escape was not from a racecar accident but a plane crash in May 2000 that killed two people. Even if he has not coveted retirement at this stage of his career, Coulthard has earned what he takes from the sport.

The level of sentimentaiKty of FI is such that he will be missed until the testing ban finishes and life, as we know it, begins again.

So long DC,and thanks. And Jacques; please do better?

10 November 2004

The world in their shadow

REMiMBER how there used to be a sense of charm any time a Ferrari was first across the finish line?

We're well beyond that now it started to wear thin about three numbingly dominant Championships ago.

It's easy to accuse the rest of the field of not having done a good enough job and, to an extent, it's a fair criticism. (See related story on next page).

But further than that, Ferrari has taken the integration of all the elements needed to make a Grand Prix car go fast - driver, chassis, engine, tyres and the various ancillaries - and raised it to a level that nobody else has ever come close to touching - and never more so than with the F2004.

Quantifying all of this is nighon impossible, because the guys who have access to all of the figures tend not to be inclined to want to talk about them. But the big difference between this year and last year appears to have been the tyres.

How do you judge who won the tyre war? Bridgestone won more races, Michelin scored more points. And for Michelin, therein lies the problem. It produced a sensational tyre, but

it was one developed in partnership with a gaggle of teams, all of whom had different requirements, and none of whom had anything close to the technical direction that one sees in the hallways at Maranello.

It says a lot that at pretty much any race you went to, you had to look a long way down the timesheets to find the thirdfastest Bridgestone car. The rubber that Bridgestone unleashed this year was developed in absolute harmony with the Ferrari, and tweaked to suit the needs of its star driver.

It was a Michael tyre.

But on top of that, it was borne out of a development program the likes of which the sport had never seen before, and backed up with a relentless pre-season test schedule, most of which was weathered by Rubens Barrichello.

Much of the initial testing was done in isolation at Fiorano, Imola and Mugello, where Barrichello maintained a long standing tradition by slaughtering the previous track record.

Since they were testing alone, it was some time before any of the other teams had an inkling

of where they stood. If ■■●telrl J anything,the initial signs seemed favourable -fragments of intelligence filtered out every now and then about Ferrari being 'concerned' about their test results, or tests being hampered by weather.

"Ferrari has so far only tested by themselves, so this doesn't really allow us to judge the work of our Japanese competitors," said Michelin's Pierre Depasquier in midFebruary.

"But I think they've improved their performances over a single lap. On the other hand, it doesn't seem like the same thing happened over longer distances. At least, by what little we could see."

His optimism was short-lived.

Two days later, Ferrari arrived back at Imola where McLaren, Williams and Toyota were all charging around. Michael drove 98 laps - and was a full 1.24s faster than the quickest Michelin-shod car; the McLaren of David Coulthard.

There was an odd sinking feeling in the gut of many a 'Michelin team' member as they boarded the plane for Melbourne...

- MARK GLENDENNIIMG 49

Dream IVIachines

(plus the odd nightmare) THE defining feeling in the early stages of this year's season was that on the design desks and meeting rooms of Maranello,they had got it right. In Grove, Williams had not.

At McLaren's water-viewing Technical Centre, ambition had again got the better part of judgement. And at Enstone, Renault's sublime-handling R23 had been compromised slightly to accommodate an engine that would more likely prove reliable.

Despite some new rules for the cars, such as a maximum of two elements in the rear wing and the one-engine per race weekend rule, Ferrari chose to finely tune and develop its F2003-GA into the smooth F2004. The design element of the team, like everything at Ferrari this year, was stable.

Contrast that with Williams, which wildly switched to a twin-keel configuration and the Walrus nose, and McLaren, which finished 2003 with the MP-4/17, and started 2004 with the radically different MP-4/19, a dressed up MP-4/18 with some - but not enough - of the bugs ironed out.

Williams's interesting interpretation of the twin-keel idea proved completely impractical, with too much

weight at the front of the car and the massive walrus tusks were too susceptible to side winds. McLaren had a car that flexed too much, was barely controllable under braking, and frequently turned into the world's most expensive disco smoke machine.

As llmor continually dwindled the maximum rev count to try and curb the frequency of these detonations, it was finally found to be an oil sump issue.

A new 'B' car with a raised engine may have compromised the ultra compact design (which made the car painfully difficult for the mechanics to work on) but the extra oil catchment space did alleviate the tendency to explode. The next step for the Mercedes component of McLaren-Mercedes is to build an engine for next year that is light, compact, reliable and is able to keep pace with the Honda, Ferrari and BMW. This year, a Merc donk was rarely even mentioned in the discussions of the horsepower race, which it must be said, was won by Ferrari and Honda.

Renault, in the meantime, looked buoyed by their 'new' , 72-degree VIOs, which replaced the unreliable 110degree mounts. The esteemed

Le Drag Raceun Bob Bell carried on the good work of the departed Mike Gascoyne at Renault, its R24 making the best of the Regie's new 72-deg VI0.

50

handling of the R23 however was lost in the switch, as the new engine raised the centre of gravity of the already rearward-weighted car.

Fernando Alonso would fight inherent understeer for this very reason all year. The anticipated aftershock of Mike Gascoyne's departure, however, was not forthcoming; Bob Bell seeming to take over in a largely seamless transition. And despite launch control being banned for 2004, the Renaults still gained between two and six (Alonso at the USGP)spots at most starts this year.

The mover in the pack this year was undoubtedly BAR, which improved every aspect of its car for this year to clinch second in the Constructors' Championship.

Geoff Willis's crew also must claim the innovation award for 2004, having successfully diverted the attentions of many an FI engineer mid season with the unveiling of a Front Torque Transfer system, which after running on Friday at Hockenheim, and a revised version raced at Monza, was banned by the FIA. The team also successfully mastered the all-carbon fibre gearbox, integrating it as part of the rear of the car. At the end of the season, the design won the RAC's Simms Award for engineering excellence.

This year Ferrari put in all their hard work, and made all their good decisions, early in the year. Rubens after all, was sent back to Europe for more tyre testing between the Australian and Malaysian Grand Prix, playing a large part in Ferrari winning at Sepang, usually considered Michelin's best suited track.

Williams, McLaren and Renault, having realised somewhere between that last Imola test and first practice in Melbourne that they had got their fundamental design principles all wrong, spent the rest of the year trying to make the best of what they had.

What we saw in Brazil was the culmination of McLaren and Williams finally getting a hold of their cars and finally having a track condition that favoured Michelin.

But it came several weeks after Ferrari, already Champions, stopped caring about the F2004 and diverted full attention to next year.

Williams will undoubtedly revert to a single-keel design philosophy for 2005, and McLaren may also, but what ever they do, they must get it right from Day 1 - on the design table - and not wait until October.

-CHRIS JORDAN molorspon news

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r Snow White and the Ugly Sister: McLaren's MP4-19 looked the goods, top, but turned out to be a MP4-18 with one extra mistake. The FW27 was about the ugliest Williams ever, above. Both cars won a single race but only after heavy revisions. BAR'S 006 flew in the winter and took its form into the season, below,giving the team second in the Constructors'title.

Red Leader; Ferrari's F2004 took all the good things of the F2003-CA and refined the package into FI's best car by a considerable margin.

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51

hd Blue vliMilRj|p»r4bV>i;na'nces might have slipped under ^heMSW aillitlll'e> but 2005 was actually a pretty good'year for two of the three privateer Bridgestone teams.

Saiuiber produced its best car in years. The €23 was both quick and reliable enough to shadow several better-resourced manufacturer outfits and, unHike its recent predecessors, it benefited from a productive development program that allowed it to maintain its level of competitiveness throughout the entire season.

The most striking proof of this came in Giancarlo Fisicheila's run of five consecutive points-scoring finishes towards the end of the year, which would have been unheard of around HinwiI a season or two ago.

There are plenty of changes on the cards for 2005 - a switch to Michelins, abandonment of the Ferrari gearbox in favour of an in-house unit, the full benefit of the team's new windtunnel, and the arrival of Jacques Villeneuve to partner Felipe Massa. It all points to a declaration of intent as the team seeks to distance itself from the vast shadow cast by its technical partner in Maranello.

The other standout of the season was, believe it or not, Minardi. Not because it fluked a point in Indianapolis, but because it once again performed at a level that should by all rights have been far, far beyond what its miniscule budget allowed. The team ran twoyear-old chassis (the same car that Mark

Webber drove in his debut season), paired it with antique Cosworth engines, did virtually no testing and ran with one driver worthy of the name in Gimmi Bruni.

Additionally, it lost its Sporting Director John Walton to a heart attack mid-season, as well as kissing the closest thing it had to a major sponsor goodbye when it fell out with Dutch bathroom fittings company Wilux after the German Grand Prix.

It should have had no right to be anywhere near the 107 percent mark, and the fact that both cars made the field at every race was an achievement that should not be underestimated.

Which leaves us with Jordan. It was always going to be a tough year for Eddie's charges, and so it proved. Budget was again the source of all sorts of headaches, while an unreliable and evil-handling EJ14 didn't help matters on the track. Commercial considerations limited the team's options for drivers, although Nick Heidfeld managed to scrape together three points, and ring-in Timo Glock did his bit with an extra two courtesy of his seventh place on debut in Canada.

A supply of Toyotas in the back of the car and the possibility of a Briscoe or Liuzzi (or both) in the driver's seat suggests that, on paper, things could be looking slightly better for 2005 provided that Eddie can convince someone to put some stickers on the side of the car...

- MARK GLENDENNING

It’s F THERE could hardly be a starker contrast between the two teams who fought out the mid-field battle in 2004-Jaguar and Toyota.

In the green corner, a team running on the virtual sniff of an oUy rag (in FI terms) probably over-achieved, while in the red comer a team with budget to burn didn't get anywhere near its own expectations - to the point where some tough questions are being asked.

If there was any degree of satisfaction to be had by the hard working crew on the floor at Jaguar Racing, it was in beating its wellfunded rival - better funded by a factor of around four. Jaguar $105m, Toyota $400m - those are the reputed figures.

The Jaguar R5 was a worthwhile development of its predecessor in a number of areas,in particular high speed aero, but still retained a couple of key deficiencies -its knack of being too hard on its rear tyres and,sadly, its (in)ability to get off the line.

The tmmpeting at the start of the year that FI was returning to a 'clutch start' was a complete fake. Little has actually changed; drivers now let in a clutch rather than press a launch button. But from there, technology takes over. Starts are all-elechonic.

Jaguar never did get it quite right and there were a number of opportunities wasted,notably a front row start in Malaysia.

That the car ever got near the front moiorsport news

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^Stone Cold Feirari didn't need any help from the weather gods but...

Gaining and Toys row was a triumph,and one due in no small part to the efforts of lead driver Mark Webber. Our Man in FI is a Big Picture thinker, not inclined to go the low fuel route in qualifying - it rarely suited the team's race strategy.

A top six grid spot was, therefore, reward for an ability to cope with the pressures of one-lap qualifying and wring the most out of a single lap on fresh rubber.

As in 2003, there were some super moments as a green car fought well above its weight in qualifying only for the reality of race pace to pull it back. Eighth, ninth, tenth, was where this car usually slotted in on merit; a point here or there. Unfortunately, on the rare occasion when the Big End of Town fell over and offered opportunity for a result, the Jag fell over too: notably Monaco (a series of niggling failures including two oil fires), Malaysia (start) and Spa (a rare driver misjudgment at the first corner).

From an Aussie perspective, though,the future is rosy. Before the season had even started, Frank Williams had decided that Webber was his man for 2005. Things are about to get interesting...

For Jaguar Racing itself, there is no future - thard^s to a bean-counter in Detroit.

A team with a future, albeit an unpredictable one,is Toyota.

13y its own admission, the team expected to be in some sort of 27 October 2004

contention in 2004. The team

management talked podiums and a win at the launch of the season in Cologne, but it simply wasn't on.

The team has, reportedly, a strong engine and some good people, but appears to be struggling with the problems of a major bureaucracy and, frankly, a baffling driver selection criteria.

Although he hasn't yet had the opportunity to pen a car from scratch, former Renault guru Mike Gascoyne's mid-season 'update' didn't hit the mark. By then, there appeared to be chaos, with senior management restructuring and departures and a driver merry-goround brought on by Cristiano da Matta's departure,in something of a huff. The positive spin would be that at least someone was trying to do something.

In the end, this became a team with its eyes clearly on 2005. Olivier Ranis saw out his time and Gascoyne went to work on a new car. He must now produce and there is a suggestion that the team will switch to Bridgestone to enjoy the same level of technical concentration as Ferrari has enjoyed.

It seriously needs to come together in 2005 - but the choices of Ralf and Jamo to do the business behind the wheel has some experts scratching their heads. While both have

IF you want hot weather, go to Queensland. If you like things cooler,follow Ferrari around the world.

We are not going to suggest that Michael Schumacher and Ferrari won their titles because of the weather man but... how many times this season did race weekends see a break in the usually-hot summer weather?

It started at Melbourne, where Sunday was about as friendly as Melbourne Cup day usually is, and just went from there.

Race after race, any hopes Michelin teams had for a heatwave were swept away by clouds and, sometimes, rain. It was not until the final race of the season in Brazil when the weather gods finally smiled on Michelin users; if it was dry or very wet, Rubens Barrichello had a shot at winning his home race (at last!). Otherwise, it was a Michelin track. And that is how it worked out at Sao Paulo.

Odd, that. At the end of the 2003 season it looked, if anything, that the Franco/Japanese war for FI tyre supremacy was tilted slightly in favour of Michelin. With the weird-looking Williams FW26, BAR'S excellent winter form and McLaren looking good (despite the occasion blown Benz) Ferrari appeared to have a fight on its hands.

As usual, the Scuderia had spent much of the winter watching its legion of test drivers flogging around Fiorano and Mugello in updated '03 cars before Michael returned from his holidays. As we have already detailed, from the moment that the King stomped on everyone at Imola in February, it was pretty much over. Unless global warming came to the rescue, the opposition was beaten before a shot was fired.

And so it proved. Of course, the rest of the season was not as icy but it did not matter. With the exception of the Monaco tunnel and Spa, everything that could have gone Ferrari's way did so. The championship was over before summer was.

When it rains, it seems to shine for Schumacher. This year, he didn't need rain - but a few clouds made him smile wide ...

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occasional talent and pace, neither could be described as motivational giants. 2005 will be interesting...

S3

V8 Supercars,will be heading off our shores Like it or not, Australia's with neater frequency in the near future.

In 2001, V8 Supercar points were at stake for the first time off Australian shores in New Zealand, but because they're Hke our weirdo-cousins, it's become se^rd n^ure to visit them oitce a year.

Last year though, AI/ESCO's chief Tony Cochfene rocked our boat when he artnsunced that the circtK would emharit on a trip to Shanghai's new Grand Piix-stendard circuit in 2004,

Plains, and the Tasmania Triple Challenge.

Located 20 minutes from Launceston,the 2.41km track has been missing from the Supercar fixture since 1999.

But, with a fittie help from the Tasmanian Government and iTasmanian Events, a $2 million facility upgrade, a fiveyear deal plus Government ,supportfor the next three years(reputedly to the - tune of$3 million), the Ford versus Holden I hoe-down heads to Van Diemen's1 land for the biggest

1^ due to log^i^i pn^aetns,the Chinese debut . was dSayed until 2005.This ^ Hound 12 on thfs year's ; i^endar vacant n»«nter Symmons .vr

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motorsport show the state has ever seen.

Symmons Plains formally held its first race in 1960, a week after the old Longford event. The meeting became somewhat of a tradition, with many mainland drivers and teams staying an extra week in Tassie to compete at the new track. The event soon took on Australian Touring Car Championship status, and up until 1999, was the longest running round of the ATCC.™ Other championships and events to use Symmons over the past 40 years include PROCAR and Super Touring as well as Formula 2 races and various national championships.

The mostly track flat, anti clockwise compromises of, basically,two

layout will favour V8 Supercar's regular frontrunners(Stone Brothers, Kmart, PWR,HRT and possibly FPR).

The track is well-known for Hi its tight hairpin at the end of a slightly downhill front straight.^ The inner radius of the hairpin (formally known as Brambles) is te^ thanJBSn metres and

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One of Australiai|motorsporrs leginds,Symmons Plaii% makes a graind return to the spotllglit this weekend. GRANT ROWLEy looks m

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54

R ETROSPECTIUE straight at all. The long sweeper is the best place to grab a slipstream Jrom your opponent and set yourself up for a heavy braking duel. k

It's a Ford goodwill bet th« hav&rts merchandise vans loaded to f the brim as vrell. ■ -● ,0 -

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sure to put plenty of Ozemail hats on the heads of local punters.

Bowe has one touring car round win to his name at his home track, but Ambrose, who was born and bred just minutes away from the circuit, has never raced on it. His only seat time at the track was his very first drive of a Supercar back in 1997 (in Jojjn^lcorn's Commodore) before he"^..,^ embarked on his European dream. When Ambrose returned to Australian shores to compete full-time in the Supercars, Symmons was off the calendar. But now, he gets to TBce at ‘home'. *1 guess it is pretty amazing that I have raced on some of the greatest race tracks in the world, but never on the one where I grew up just 20 minutes away," he said.

“The test with Alcorn Racing was more of a nice gesture than a full-blown test. I think I

only did about half a dozen laps, but it was a great experience."

Support categories are among the best of the year.

VBRutes make a reappearance on the Supercar support bill, and they'll be joined by Commodore Cup, Lotus Trophy, Historic Touring Cars and the Porsche Drivers Challenge.

So, at the start of this year, there was no Tasmanian j-pund. By mi^-year, welound out we'll be heading there for the next five years. The return to Symmons heralds the return of V8 Supercar racing in every state of our country. which is timely, considering the planned overseas ventures

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AVESCO has in place. Making > j sure the V8 show visits each _J -f. state may make many Australian race fans happier '; when mofo and more overseas races start to invade d our calendar soon ... %

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Kiwi (Paul Radisich and Greg Murphy).

But it got better. Row , r two was the then 'allNetwork 10' row of PhihWnUitimMark Skaife and Neil Crompton, tow three was the 'all-JB' line-up (Jason Bright and Jason Bargwanna) and row four was the 'allCam Me' slot (Cameron McConville and It turned to poo: The Rat scored Cameron McLean). his first pole in Tassic in 1999, but Weird, spooky or just a number of problems plain old Tasmanian? finished his day early.

- GRANT ROWLEY

gasping for breath after qualifying.

For the first time in the history of the Australia's

Two on the trot for Markko and a hometown send-offfor Carlos.

JON THOMSON reports on the Rally of Catalunya

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T'S good to be right. Just ask Ford's powerbrokers about their decision to continue the

company's World Rally Championship program.

Markko Martin's second WRC win

1 Markko Martin Est

Ford Focus RS

Michael Park f!Raa33Hiinm43;8si| 2 Marcus GronhoImFin Peugeot 307 Timo Rautiainen Rn i3h41m07:0g| 3 Carlos Sainz E Citroen Xsara X4 3h41m21;5s5 Marc Marti 4 Stephane SarrazinF Patrick Privato F

Subaru Impreza 3h43m34.2s

5 Petter Solberg Fin Subaru Impreza 3h43n)50.5s GB Phil Mills E Mitsubishi Lancer 6 Daniel Sola 3h44m49.5s Xavier Amigo I Mitsubishi Lancer 7 GigiGalli 3h44m49.7s Guido D'Amore I 8 Mirkko Hirvonen F Jarmo Lehtinen F

Subaru Impreza 3h45m15.5s ||

Drivers' Points: Loeb 108, Solberg 82, Martin 79, Sainz 73, Gronholm 62, Duval 47, Hirvonen 24, Rovanpera 20, Tuohino 16, Loix 9, Sarrazin 8.

Manufacturers' Points: Citroen 184, Ford 137, Subaru 117, Peugeot 93, Mitsubishi 17,

WRC 15 Catalunya

in a fortnight proved that fortune favours the brave and, on the Costa Brava, only one of the bravest was rewarded while his gallant challengers fell by the wayside.

Victory in Spain didn't come easily for Martin. After a pitched battle with Francois Duval and newly-crowned World Champ Sebastien Loeb, the Estonian knew he had been in a fight.

Martin never looked like being caught out in conditions that were extremely testing, with the changeable Spanish autumn weather throwing up hazards on, or around, every comer. He looked to have an iron grip going into the last day but a dramatic engine misfire threatened to derail his victory.

The misfire problem on the penultimate stage saw Martin and co driver Michael Park change the spark plugs and coil on the Focus,fixing the problem before the final test to take a 23.8s victory over Marcus Gronholm.

"It was a difficult rally, especially with the misfire," said Martin."We were working on the car between the last two stages. For me the last stage molorsport news

sMqn-imoges.con-,

Faith rewarded: Ford decides to stick it out in the WRC, and Martin, left, says thankyou with a win in Spain.

There is only one: Spanish fans were out in force to farewell Sainz in his last Rally on home soil - and he responded in kind, above.

strtton-images.com

was way too long!"

Despite his second place, it was another frustrating rally for Gronholm,on the podium more because of the problems of otliers than the pace of the Peugeot.

The Finn's post-rally comments reflect his unease at the performance of the 307 which, it must be said, ran reliably at least. However transmission worries slowed the Finn on Day 2 and the overall pace of the car never seemed quite up to that of the early front-runners.

That said, Gronholm did win the final three tests of the rally to close the gap on Martin, although even this failed to bring a smile to his face.

"I'm medium-pleased," said Gronholm."We made good times sometimes, and sometimes not.

When Loeb and Duval were in the race they were very quick and we still have to work."

If anyone doubted Carlos Sainz was leaving the sport while still on top, his eighth podium finish of the year must surely have changed their opinion. The Spaniard's last rally in front of his home crowd may not have netted victory but a wrong call on the weather on Day 3 certainly cost him a shot at the win.

Sainz battled hard to catch Gronholm but as the sun came out on the final three stages, the Spaniard

10 November 2004

Nice try, Marcus: Cronholm tries to pinch a Championship-winning Citroen while no-one is looking, right. found liimself on Michelins that were Sarrazin, the one-time Minardi FI too soft for the task and finished just pilot and Toyota test driver who has 14.5s behind the Peugeot driver. closed the door on circuit racing to The most dramatic day was the pursue rally stardom under the opening leg when the young guns took patronage of the French motor sport plenty of risks on a mix of firstly wet association (FFSA). and then dry stages. On the Catalan The young Frenchman was the mountain roads much can be gained sensation of the Catalan event(as he by 'cutting'; tire downside is of course had been in Corsica a fortnight the risk of hitting an unseen rock. earlier) proving both quick and It was with this scenario that the consistent, despite his lack of top- three-way fight unfolded. Loeb held level rally experience. the lead over Martin by 2s when the After a strong eighth in Corsica, a cars arrived back in Lloret del Mar. ’fourth in Spain had team managers This was despite a spin and stall part scurrying to get his signature on a contract. More than one manufacturer way through the day and a close encounter with a rock damaging the is said to be keen to sign the 30-yearsteering on the final test of Day 1. old who,despite being considered too Duval led the rally going into the old for FI, may just have the right final stage until he too clipped a rock blend of speed and maturity to ignite a career in the WRC. and broke the front left suspension, Neitlier of the works Subanis could forcing him to retire.

The following morning, Loeb match the pace of Sarrazin's looked to extend the advantage but supposedly outdated year-old Impreza.

Sarrazin was on MicheUn's best while tore his sump open on a rock near the the works Subarus were on Pirellis, end of the opening stage. The Frenchman could not coax his ; which again proved to be the wrong tyre for changeable tarmac conditions. stricken Citroen to help and was out.

Fetter Solberg never gave up and From that point, Martin was in the kept at the task throughout the rally, box seat but clearly a long way from his efforts rewarded with fifth place. being home and hosed. Attention At least Solberg's performance certainly was focused on some of the showed some speed. His Finnish emerging talent behind him. team-mate Mikko Hirvonen was The fertile French rally breeding again woefully off the pace,even ground harvested another potential conceding to the badly out-of-form tarmac star in the form of Stephane

4

S

sutton-imnacs.

Mitsubishi team.

Hirvonen was left to duel with Toni Gardermeister's struggling Skoda while two of the Lancer WRCs trumped him for sixth and seventh.

Mitsubishi's WRC return was rewarded with fine drives by local production car hero Dani Sola and Italian young gun Gigi Galli.

While the Japanese maker has yet to confirm its entry for 2005, the result here would certainly have given the team's new management some hope for better things next year if they do return.

The Mitsubishi youngsters showed some potential in the oft-criticised Lancer but their highly experienced team-mate Gilles Panizzi proved there was plenty of life in the old dog.

The Frenchman was as high as third outright after the first loop of stages in the rain on Friday morning,only to gamble on wet tyres for an afternoon that proved bone dry. The mistake dropped him to 13th, and he only climbed one spot before the finish.

With only Rally Australia still to play, the focus is on the fight for second in the drivers' title, with Solberg under threat from the fast finishing Martin. Pirelli's loose surface strength will surely give the Norwegian some hope of a win and the silver medal.

57

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WHILE Formula One may have proved tantalisingly close for young Stephane Sarrazin, a WRC program may be less difficult to nail down thanks to his giant-killing performances in recent events.

A fastest stage time and fourth outright in Catalunya has put him on I the radar, particularly at Subaru, ? since he comprehensively beat the S' two Prodrive-entered drivers at the

I wheel of his private Subaru.

Subaru rally team chief David All Smiles: L to R, MSport's Malcolm Wilson, Ford Europe's President Lewis Lapworth was apparently quick to Booth and Motorsport Director Jost Capito look forward to a rally future. open negotiations with Sarrazin and, although he would confirm nothing, wouldn't rule out offering the Frenchman a program in 2005.

As well as his top 10 finishes in each of his first three WRC events, Sarrazin also currently leads the French Championship in an ex-works

Ford Focuses on Future Blue Oval commits to WRC for 4 years

by JON THOMSON IT has been the source of more conjecture and speculation than just about any other subject in World rallying over the past few months but Ford has put an end to it all by deciding to commit to a long-term program in the WRC. A four-year program means the blue oval has given a longer commitment to the sport than any other maker currently engaged in the Championship.

While it is in for the long haul company execuhves have stressed that it wiU be in a rebuilding phase for the next two seasons and that it may not be in a position to win until 2007.

Ford Europe motorsport director Jost Capito said the company is unlikely to find a top driver for the entire 2005 season if it fails to keep Francois Duval while he also conceded that that the all-new 2006 Focus would take time to turn into a winner.

"We are realistic, we want the car to be base competitive when we start in '06, but the four-year program allows us to start in '06 and then refine it and be really on the top in '07," said Capito.

"That doesn't mean that we don't want any success in '06, but if something wouldn't be 100 percent, we would have the chance to refine it' Capito was quick to hose down speculation that the company's recent commitment to race the Focus in the World Touring Car Championsliip 58

would bleed resources from the World Rally Championship bid, compromising Ford's chances in both categories by stating that rallying is the number one priority.

"It's very clear the only factory activity is WRC,nothing else. All the budgets, everything,is concentrated on WRC. We continue what we have done in the past on develop cars for customers,like the Fiesta and like the Super 2000 touring car. This is not the factory effort."

Ford is keen to prolong its relationship with BP and Castrol as key sponsors for the team but, while this is still under negotiation, Capito believes that the renewed commitment to rallying created new possibilities.

Ford rally team boss Malcolm Wilson said he was extremely happy that the rally program would continue and that he will continue his wellproven policy of blooding new talent behind hie wheel.

"We will bring in yoimg blood if we are unable to sign established drivers for the 2005 World Rally Championship," he said.

Ford has offered 23-year-old Francois Duval a four-year deal as number one driver but the Belgian is also wanted by Citroen to fill the gap left by Carlos Sainz's retirement.

Ford has no drivers under contract at present, however Wilson has successfully developed drivers such as Markko Martin and Fetter Solberg in the recent past and is well regarded for his ability to spot and sign new talent.

Subaru Impreza WRC2003.

"I don't think we even need to test him," said Lapworth,"So far as we're' concerned, he's a reasonably wellknown quantity. We've got to decide our program next year with third cars and budget etc, so we will have to wait and see.

"Guys that come in with a good pedigree in top-line competition like Stephane catch up very quickly."

Sarrazin made his only FI GP start with Minardi in Brazil in 1999 and was a test driver for Prost GP for three years before moving to Toyota.

He won the production class in a French Championship rally in 2000 and, the following year, set the locals on their heels by winning his secondever rally outright in a private Subaru.

-JON THOMSON

Mitsubishi plots WRC return Sola, Gall! and Panizzi to drive in V5 MITSUBISHI will be back contesting all rounds of the WRC in 2005, according to the company's new head of motorsport Isao Tori.

Tori confirmed Mitsubishi's intent in Catalunya, where the Lancer showed more promise than it has in the past two seasons with a sixth and a seventh for Dani Sola and Gigi Gain. Gilles Panizzi ran as high as third in the rain on Day 1.

"It is our intention to contest all of the rounds and we'll make an announcement about who drives for the team ahead to the FIA registration deadline in December," said Tori.

"Gilles Panizzi will remain with us of course, but there is nothing decided about who else will drive for us."

Tori has suggested that the team's recent foray into development at its European base will be re-focussed back towards Japan where greater resources are available.

Road car engineers will join the Ralliart operation at Rugby in the UK to accelerate the development work on next season's Lancer WRC. "We had limited resources in Europe and in Rugby, so it makes sense to maximise what Japan can offer," Tori said.

Tori was pleased with the team's performance in Catalunya, its last outing for this year, and was particularly happy with the data gathered from the exercise.

Having relinquished its manufacturer's status as a result of not contesting all rounds this year, Mitsubishi will be able to test all the way through November, while other makers still in the WRC are prohibited from testing under FIA bans.

"We are very satisfied with the results we have gained in Catalunya, but getting the car right for next year is the priority as far as we are concerned," said Tori.

"It was nice to set good stage times but we were looking all the time at trying different set-ups and monitoring test results," he added.

-JON THOMSON motorsport news

d no Formula 1!

Waiter!

McSkoda? There’s dirt in my paeiia!

WILL Colin McRae return to the WRC with Skoda in 2005 or will the Czech maker bounce the highlypriced former world champ?

It appears that McRae has one eye on his potential as a future driver manager, that the deal with Skoda hinges on whether he can gain a parttime spot for his young British protege Kris Meeke.

Skoda Motorsport boss Martin Muehlmeier has told the world he is keen not just to sign McRae,but to consider Meeke, who has campaigned in the JWRC this year.

McRae is only keen to return to the WRC if he can plan a partial program rather than the full and imrelenting calendar set down for 2005.

Muehlmeier is prepared to consider his request if it will ensure the signature of the '95 World champ while at the same time he rejected the idea that McRae's track record might raise expectations that Skoda is not yet capable of meeting. Instead, he 10 Hovember 2004

believes McRae will help lift the team to higher achievement.

"I don't think the expectations are so high at the moment.I see a chance rather than a risk," Muehlmeier said.

Considered too inexperienced to be a regular WRC points scorer, Meeke could be a chance for a third works car.

Skoda already has Armin Schwarz under contract for 2005 but it is believed the German journeyman may not be offered a full program next year,leaving slots open for juggling McRae and Meeke into the 16 rally program.

If this is the case, it will still have to find an additional driver, because World Championship regulations require that one driver is nominated to score points for the entire season.

McRae said that he was "not really" talking to other manufacturers and is only interested in a one-year deal at present.

-JON THOMSON

THE Catalunya rally is likely to be the latest WRC round to shift to gravel as the Rallies Commission looks to improve the spectacle of the sport and shift the balance more towards loose surface rallies.

Tlie current levels of technology have made World Rally Cars look increasingly unspectacular on sealed roads and this has led the Catalans to look at moving to gravel to ensure the event's long-term^ viability in the WRC. Rally d'ltalia moved off the tarmac of Liguria and onto the gravel roads of Sardinia recently and if Spain moves to gravel, only three of the 16 rounds will remain on tarmac -

Deutschland, Corsica and Monte Carlo^ -'JOIN! THOMSON A'

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RALLY NEWS

Death mars East Coast Targa THE death of Melbourne driver Douglas Briese during last week's East Coast Targa Rally marred the running of the five-day tarmac rally and must call into question the safety of running such events.

Briese, 32, from Ivanhoe, roiled his Porsche on Day 3 of the Targa near Brewongle, south-east of Bathurst. He died as a result of his injuries while his co-driver, Peter Solomon of Heidelberg Heights, Victoria, was treated for minor injuries and later released from hospital.

Breese's wife, Amy, was also competing on the rally in one of only two all-girl teams.

Briese was.an enthusiast and had been competing since he was 18. He won the Classic Class of the Competition Category in the event last year driving a Renault 5 Turbo and was amongst the leaders when the accident happened.

Competitors decided to continue with the event after the crash that overshadowed the remainder of the rally. Former Formula Ford and ARC driver Warwick Rooklyn took his Lancer Evo VII to victory by less than a minute from Canberra's Martin Notoras in an Lancer Evo VIII, while Queenslander Tony Alford was third in a Nissan Skyline. n Ford technical chief Christian Loriaux says cost reductions put forward by the manufacturers could halve the price of a World Rally Car in future years.

The WRC team technical chiefs met in Lioret de Mar during the Catalunya Rally to agree on the proposal that will be put forward to the sport's governing body for discussion at the World Council Meeting next month "We're talking a lot about what we would ban, things like the electronics, where we would have been going in the future etc," Loriaux said.

"We could get rid of the active front and rear differentials, but leave controlled centre diffs so the handbrake can still be used. This, combined with the other possible savings, such as using the engine for two rallies, would cut the cost of the cars by about 50 percent."

Loriaux also pointed out the scope for reducing costs on the sporting side.

"Look at the logistics of the calendar, it would be totally logical to group more rallies together to bring down the costs of freighting cars around," The manufacturers have continued to lobby against the use of common parts but Loriaux conceded that there were parts such as sensors and alternators, which could feasibly come from a common supplier.

-JON THOMSON 59

Rock your WdPlil

World Series Sprintcars is about to commence its 18th electrifying season. CHRIS JORDAN perused the form with defending Champ Max Dumesny

FORMULA 1 is over for the year. So is MotoGP. V8 Supercars are nearing their annual hybernation, and guess what? Some of the best motor racing you are ever likely to see in your life is just about to begin.

It's that fantastic time of the year again when the World Series Sprintcars circus is about to roll into action. This year, like always, the competition will be fierce. The gruelling schedule of 16 roimds in 10 weeks is an imposing task, but nevertheless, 17 drivers have signed up for a tilt at the series in its entirety.

So, as MNews examines the finer points of the 2004/05 World Series Sprintcars Championship, we could think of no-one better credentialed to help us than five-time and defending WSS Champion Max Dumesny.

Dumesny was clearly the standout performer in a class field in the 2003/04 World Series. He claimed she of the 14 rounds and wrapping up the title witli a win at the penultimate round.

This year. Max is campaigning a new Maxim and has put it to great effect thus far, with a first and a second at Parramatta already this season.

But aU of those early races are merely dress rehearsals for the big show, with World Series beginning this Saturday

night at Brisbane International Speedway. Dumesny sees the two other big local names in Speedway at the minute as his biggest rivals for the prestigious crown,and the Proton Waja.

"It's very early to be guessing, because it's such a tough thing to win," Dumesny told MNews.

"Brooke Tatnell is going to be keen and Robbie Farr is going to be keen.

There are a;iot of guys that are going to be keen to win it, so rU just do my best.

I run race by race, and if the championship comes together,it comes together.I just go out there to win the race,and I think of it like that."

"We haven't had any roimds of the series yet,so it is hard to teU who is in good form or how things are going to go. So we'll have to wait and see.".

Farr has taken his Australian

having won the NCRA crown in the US this year and won several AMains in the IRA Series. TatneU will

number one plate to Reeve Kruck's Titan Garages team and has already steered his new Maxim to two race wins this season at Brisbane

again campaign his own Shell-backed Maxim,and will be looking to add to his tally of four WSS titles.

As good as both Farr and Tatnell have been of late, Dumesny, while stoic, must be the favourite.

He was the picture of consistency last year. His Valvoline Maxim always at or very close to the front of the pack. This year, however,Dumesny concedes that there are more fast guys out to get him. He is a marked man.

"Brooke, Robbie and Shane Stewart will be tough. Obviously there is going to be quite a few tough ones. Of course Pittman is coming out, but he won't be running the full series."

But favouritism counts for nothing, and this year, the Australian triumvirate of Dumesny,Tatnell and Farr will have two very competitive Americans to deal with.

International Speedway in the Queensland Comp Cams Series. The Titan 'super-team' will be complete come December, when 2002/03 World Series champion Darryn Pittman returns from the United States to contest Proton Jumbuck Speedweek.

Tatnell has also been in good form,

As Dumesny mentioned,Oklahoma driver Stewart will contest the fuU series this time around in Bill Mann's Performance Wholesale car, after taking up that ride mid-series last year.

While he proved immediately fast, taking a round win at Brisbane, his sojourn into Australian Sprintcar

racing was somewhat of an unplanned exploration after he interrupted his honeymoon to jump into the car to replace David Murcott.

But the one to watch is surely Pennsylvania's Jason Johnson. Driving for the Disbury Family Racing team, Jolinson was the revelation of last year's World Series, taking two round wins and finishing second to Dumesny in the points with a late season charge.

The second of his feature wms was in the series final at Speedway City, Adelaide - his team's home track -in exceptional circumstances. The Kulwicki Salute (driving clockwise around the track, the highest mark of respect a driver can afford someone)

John Morrh/Mpix

Aussie Thunder: Farr, left, and Tatnell are the locals most likely to challenge Dumesny for his World Series crown. But the Yanks are here to play too ...

60

molorsport news

WSS PREVIEW

a.

The US Invasion: Johnson, above, and Stewart both showed their abundances of skill and class last year. They are ones to watch this season.

John Morris/Mpix

was the indelible memory of the 2003/04 World Series, as Johnson's sister lay in hospital after being involved in a car accident in the US, later to die of her injuries.

This year, Johnson returns with knowledge and speed under his belt, and Dumesny is wary.

"Basically the hardest thing for them (the Americans) to get used to is the team. Jason Johnson has already had a year of that. He's adapted to their team already, so I think that's half of it. So obviously, he wiU be tougher this year."

Of the rookie contingent. West Australian Mark Wells will have a weight of expectation on his shoulders as he takes over Robbie Farr's ride for the Krikke Motorsports team. The new Cool chassis looks a treat and this professional team should go well after a tough World Series last year. Dumesny has sound advise for the rookies such as Wells.

"Most of them have done a few races of World Series before,it's just that they have never done the full series, so they fairly well know what's going on.

"But you've just got to keep finishing - that's the main thing.

They've just got to try and get in the main events and try and finish."

Also gunning for the Comp Cams Rookie of the Series prize(a trip to the RnoxviUe Nationals and Ricliard Petty Driving Experience,no less) is Ken Veal, who recently won the NT

10 November 2004

Sprintcar Trail. Ben Atkinson will also be a rookie to watch,the Darwin driver showing vast improvement over the rounds he competed in last season,to be showing good speed by the series' end. Kenny Griffey, Terry Bracken and Darrell Hodges will also be gunning for the prestigious rookie title, with Hodges already a feature winner in the Comp Cams Series this year.

Ian Lewis wiU be a man to keep an eye on this year.'The Fly' was quite often one of the fastest cars last year, especially at his home track at Avalon.

As luck would have it, Lewis had his fair share of upside-down moments, but will again be one to watch.

Mike Van Bremen is another man who shows great pace when trouble stays away. He survived a horrific crash at Adelaide two years ago,but came back last year to be a fast and consistent runner. A competent steerer, look for Van Bremen to accrue a serious haul of points this season.

Come the festive season,Speedweek wEl light up,and the grids wiU be swelled with extra talent, especially from America, where Pittman,Fred Rahmer and Travis RUat wUl be trying to wUl the mighty Proton Jumbuck.

With 35 entries for the opening round, new tracks to visit in Toowoomba and Moama,popular venues in Brisbane,Adelaide, Avalon and Warrnambool holding multiple rounds and a Super-Screen at every round, this season's World Series looks set to be a cracker.

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Brisbane International Speedway ; .

Charlton Raceway,Toowoomba Speedway City, Adelaide n Wagga Internaltional Speedway Avalon Speedway, Lara Speedway City, Adelaide Riverview Speedway, Murray Bridge Borderline Speedway, Mount Gambier Avalon Speedway, Lara Premier Speedway, Warrnambgol Premier Speedway, Warrnambool Brisbane International Speedway Brisbane International Speedway Heartland Speedway, Moama Mildura Speedway Speedway City, Adelaide

n Saturday,'NoveTiibef Saturday, November 20 '^"Saturday, November 27 Saturday, December 4 Saturday, December 11 Sunday, December 26 Monday, December 27 Tuesday, December 28 Thursday, December 30 Saturday, January 1 Sunday, January 2 Wednesday, January 5 Saturday, January 8 Wednesday, January 19 Friday, January 21 Saturday, January 22

* Proton Jumbuck Speedweek rounds

2004/05 PROTON WORLO SERK8 SPRINTCARS 61

lUnks trumps at PCR GRANT Tanks,racing his 3 Mobile MaxBoy,took out a fine Parramatta Sprintcar A-Main victory last Saturday night, easily defeating Adrian Maher in the Bevelite Glass Maxim, with the Richard Petty Driving Experience Maxim of Steven Graham picking up third.

Tunks was in hot form after winning both his preliminary heat races and finishing second to Troy Little in the Dash for Cash. Tunks, after running second to young MitcheU Dumesny,shoivn right with Tunks,for five or so laps, took over the A-Main race lead after a stoppage with 13 laps remaining and forged away.

Dumesny started to drop down as first Maher then Graham blasted past the Eagle One-supported Dumesny machine. With two laps to run Dumesny spun out in turn 2, recovering to finish 13th.

Rodney Maxwell, Wayne Skipper and Craig Brady made up the top six finishers.

finishing Max Dumesny with Robbie Farr placing third.

Running the high line. Little powered into the lead on lap 16. Valvoline's Max Dumesny forged to behind Little after a race restart and traffic even allowed

TWO weeks ago,22-year-old Sydney star Troy Little captured a great sprintcar victory at the Parramatta City Raceway on October 30th just beating home a fast

Dumesny to take the lead, but within a lap Little had retaken it and while the pair fought hard. Little came out on top in one of the closest finishes PCR has seen.

-GREG BOSCATO

Rilat

by BRETT SWANSON

MNews Wins!

MNEWS photographer and all-round nice guy Mike Patrick has been awarded second place in the prestigious FIM Centenary Photography Award.

Open to all motorcycling categories, Mike won for this spectacular shot of Australia's 2004 World Speedway Champ Jason Crump at the Czech GP. For his fantastic efforts, Mike received a hideously expensive Canon lens.

TRAVIS Rilat, the pocket sized Texan who caused such a huge uproar at last seasons Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic, is set to swing back down-under for a more complete and comprehensive assault on Australia's high season of Sprintcar racing.

Rilat, right, who caused a commotion when he clashed with popular female racer Erin Crocker on the last lap of the B-Main and then refused to observe the black flag, is corrdng back to win over those who booed him from the Allansford arena.

Dubbed the 'Crocker Rocker', Rilat will be armed with aU the necessary ingredients to win races when he lands in Australia on December 20 to commence his new association with Formula Motorsports.

The 'Forney Flash' will steer an exChad Kemenah Eagle powered by a Bob Flampshire-built engine. One of the keys to the Formula Motorsports team is ace crew chief Bill Roberts.

Roberts,is undoubtedly one of Australia's most under-rated spanner men,having built and crewed the car tliat took Bobby Allen to his famous KnoxviUe Nationals victory. Prior to that, Roberts spent many years on the road winning races and championships with the legendary Kenny BrightbUl. "The car and team they are giving

Skip confirms Bowen team plans SKIP Jackson has confirmed his plans to run with a new Sydney-based Sprintcar team to be run by Rod Bowen,beginning a ten show program on Boxing Day. Bowen,under the advice of Jackson, right, has purchased the entire Cox Fabrication team from Des Moines, Iowa in the United States, which has boasted Joey Saldana and Jason Johnson as drivers throughout this season.

"We have three Maxims and two

410ci Wesmar motors arriving midway through November, which we will prepare for Skip's arrival around Christmas ... it is top class equipment."

Jackson hasn't competed on a regular basis in Australia over recent seasons, due largely to his relentless racing schedule in the US in our off season and his ever growing family to American wife, Lori.

"The gear Rod has purchased is absolutely world class," said Jackson.

"There's no way that I could afford to race it in the States and to come home to Parramatta and be able to race with this equipment and with a car owner like Rod Bowen is going to be something pretty special."

The cars will sport the famous black and gold colours of Bowen,carry Jackson's traditional Australian number 7 and be supported by Rod Bowen Prestige Smash, O'Brien Aluminium and Gibson Freight.

Q S!

Back in town: Jackson, a former Australian and WSS champ, will return to Australia this summer.

62

THE Australian Speewa\ ducking for cover over the weekend as rain lashed many venues around the country.

The prestigious Australian Sprintcar Masters and Round 1 of the 360 Sprintcars were postponed at Adelaide's Speedway City,

Pie ●f^rfd*m]ss out on the tradHtjormT:le^^ifni theiTrs't World SeriesTodPti this weekerS if Meetings in Hobart, Brisbane and the Speedcar Cup at Avalon were also cancelled due to the inclemency of the weather. '

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moiorsport news

Returns to Oz round of the Proton Jumbuck Speedweek Series in Adelaide on Boxing Day,before contesting all rounds of the World Series's compact competition.

Rather than then heading north for the Brisbane rounds of WSS,the team win instead contest a couple of Eureka Sheds & Garages SRA rounds at Simpson and Avalon Speedways before picking up the WSS trail at Moama,Mildura and Adelaide.

The mid-week President's Cup at Avalon and the Kings Challenge at Mt Gambler will be the teams final warm

me is in my opinion the best team outside the continental USA," enthused Rilat.

"I was introduced to the 'Grizzly' Roberts school of Sprintcar set-ups at last year's classic and I can't wait to get back and show people what this combination can do."

RBat has an extensive list of achievements including winning the 2003 American Sprintcar Series(ASCS) as well as being a previous wirmer of the Kele World Challenge at Knoxville.

He was the ASCS, All Star and NCRA rookie of the year and won the $30,000 Oskaloosa Non-wing Ultimate Challenge in 2003.In taking out the 2003 ASCS Title, he scored 26

top five and 36 top 10 results from 41 championship rounds.

This year's results have been a little less impressive, however the Texan has still scored a dozen features on his way to runner up placing's in both the ASCS and the Sprint Bandits Championships behind the likes of Gary Wright and Shane Stewart respectively.

The jockey sized pilot with the black Stetson will arrive down under straight from his honeymoon in Cancu,and will spend a short while taking in the sights of Sydney before enjoying an 'Aussie' Christmas,before his first race in Adelaide on Boxing Day. The team will debut in the opening

up before hitting the two day Grand Annual Classic at Warmambool, where Rilat hopes to win over at least some of those who took a dislike to him there last time around.

"I think I was a victim of some oncourse media hype," joked Rilat about the Crocker incident."But that doesn't bother me at all. I'm here to try and win races and I believe I have the complete package to do so. I won't care at all if they boo me while I'm counting the money."

Brad Sweet was also in line to run with the team, which planned to take a two-car American super-team to Mildura for the two-day 360 Sprintcar Nationals. However, a shift of dates for that event clashes with the twin Warmambool rounds of WSS.Sweet wiO still make the trip, but only as a spectator.

Schatz wins Outlaw final Perth kicks off DONNY Schatz claimed his sixth win of the year after he scored victory in the 2004 World of Outlaws finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday night.

Daryn Pittman managed to snare second place behind Schatz, while 2004 World of Outlaws Champion Steve Kinser was third.

Fourth was one of this year’s World Series Sprintcars favourites Shane Stewart, with Australian Brooke Tatnell seventh.

The good finish saw Tatnell place 16th overall in the 2004 WoO standings, making him the highest ranked part-time driver.

One week earlier, Erin Crocker created World of Outlaws history by becoming the first female Sprintcar driver to claim a World of Outlaws feature race.

The 23-year-old Outlaws rookie won the 25-lap preliminary feature at Thunderbowl Speedway ahead of Paul McMahan and Jac Haudenchild.

- DANIEL POWELL

DEFENDING series Champion Michael Figleomeni has started this season in the same great form as last year by taking out the first round of the Western Australia's AHG Sprintcar Series at the Kwinana Motorplex on Saturday night.

'Figs' was consistent all night, conning from a third row starting position to win the A-Main.

The new look 92.9 Kendrick

team of Jamie Maiolo and Jeff Leisk finished second and third respectively.

- DARREN SUTTON

SPEEDWAY

Tatneirs new 'Code Blue’ look YOU may have to look again for the familiar Shell-sponsored Sprintcar of Brooke Tatnell this summer.

Famous father George and the Tatnell Motorsports team are currently putting a new design on the car - with blue the predominant colourl Brooke does not get back home from the United States until just before the first Proton World Series Sprintcars round in Brisbane this weekend, so if you see him, please direct him towards his number eight Maxim - he hasn't seen it yet...

"I'm worried but also at the same time pretty excited about what he's worked out," said Brooke. n Darrell Hodges won Round 3 of the Comp Cams Series held at Brisbane International Speedway on October 30. With World Series just around the corner it was excellent preparation for Hodges, who is honing a new crew and a new Maxim chassis for his first assault on the national series.

"It's good to be back on top," said Hodges. "That thing was awesome, there was nowhere I couldn't put the car."

Darren Jensen was second, with Nathan MacDonald third. n Luke Dillon olaimed the Advanced Line Marking Sprintcar Cup at Murray Bridge a week ago.

At the drop of the green Mark Reuter pounced to lead the 13-car field, with Dillon in hot pursuit.

With only three laps remaining Reuter's chances slipped through his fingers as he became caught in lapped traffic, allowing Dillon to sweep around the outside to steal the coveted Sprintcar Cup, Darryl Wright was third, from Dillon Jenkin, Leith Ahifors, Ken Veal, Steven Lines, Colin Barker and rookie Kenny Griffey, n Adrian Redpath started the S.C.A.T. Sprintcar series off with a commanding victory at Garrick Speedway, Tasmania, Redpath made the most of his front row start to lead top qualifier Jason Dawkins in to the first corner and controlled the tempo to the finish line. Dawkins crossed comfortably in second and Anthony Sargent rounded out the podium, -JONES/CHARLES

Hoosler Tire Australia 2004 WORLD OF OUTLAWS CHAMPIONSHIP Australian Distributors for

^^ RACING TIRE For more informat/on on Hoosier Drag and Speedway Tyres 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

10 November 2004

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USTRALIAN drag racer David Grubnic hit the

jackpot in Las Vegas last weekend, taking home US$100,000 after winning the prestigious, 'race within a race' Budweiser Shootout in his Kalitta Motorsports Top Fuel dragster.

While virtually unknown outside drag racing circles back home, the 42year-old from Carindale near Brisbane has carved out an enviable and respectable career for himself in the United States over the past 10 years while driving for 'privateer' teams.

So strong was his reputation that earlier this year, drag racing legend Cormie Kalitta signed 'Aussie Dave'' to join his son, Scott, and nephew, Doug, in the expanded, three-car Kalitta team.

Kalitta's gamble has paid off handsomely. Along with the Bud Shootout victory, Grubnic has reached five final rounds and is currently fifth in points - and all

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TWIS '»>»elool».com

Date of birth: Hometown: Marital status: Height: Weight: Nickname: Hobbies: Crew Chief: NHRA Series Wins: Career Final Rounds: Career Best E.T.: Career Best Speed: Debut: First final: Best series finish:

August 6, 1962 Brisbane, Australia Single 190cm (6'2") 84kg (185 lbs) Aussie Dave Riding dirt bikes and stock market investing Jon Oberhofer 0 1 4.469s 333.58mph (2003) Pomona (1995) Houston V Cory McClenathan (1998) Ninth (2001)

three of the Kalitta cars in tlae series are in the top five.

After having downed a couple of celebratory Buds, Grubnic took time out from the partying to talk with MNews about his win, the 2004 season and his future.

MOTORSPORT NEWS: Congratulations on taking out the Budweiser Shootout; being your first win on the NHRA tour it must feel pretty special?

DAVID GRUBNIC: Absolutely, if 1 was given the choice of winning just one NHRA POWERade national event in my career or the Budweiser Shootout, I'd take the shootout just about every time as it's the best of the best, a once-a-year race with the eight fastest cars on the planet battling it out. To win it and take home the $100-grand was very special indeed.

MN: It actually started out a little bittersweet, as you were paired up against [team-mate] Scott Kalitta in the first round.

DG: Yes, the draw wasn't good for us - we had all three cars in the shootout - but after the first round it was great.

It was fun before the first round though, Jim 'O' [Oberhoffer, Scott's crew chief] and Cormie were going backwards and forwards between the trailers looking at what each car had 'in' it, making comparisons ... we were both either going to run 4.40s or smoke the tyres - and we both smoked the tyres!

It turned into a pedal-fest, but I was a little luckier to have gone that bit further down track before it struck the tyres and had too much for Scott to catch me. motorsporl news

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Little known Aussie, Well-known Statesmen:'Aussie Dave'Grubnic contested his first NHRA event at Pomoram in 1995 and will head back there this weekend to keep his top five NHRA championship position intact.

After that it was all fun; beating [newly-crowned NHRA Top Fuel Champion,Tony] Schumacher in the semi-foals was great, he's beaten me in a couple of foals this year so we paid him back in sorts, and running a 4.50s-flat against [dual world champion,Larry] Dixon in the foal was terrific. We couldn't have won it any better.

MN:You have had a successful year; is Connie pleased with the addition of the third car to the team and do you have a ride with him for next year?

DG:I haven't been told any different so I believe so, but whatever Connie says goes. We don't have a contract now and I make no demands,so as far as I know we'll be back together again next year. Connie takes good care of me.

We have had a lot of interest in our program this year, along with Kalitta Air, we've represented four companies -Stanley Tools, Red Line 10 November 2004

Our goal at the beginning el the year was to win the championship and to get ali three cars in the top five; we missed out on the title to Schumacher, but with Pomona to go, we're ali in the top five

W

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-Dave Grubnic

Oil, Summit and [dietary supplement]2antrex 3- and they've all been extremely pleased with the attention they've received and what we have been able to do.

We are still talking to all of those companies about next year, but in one way or another, I hope to still be here next year.

MN:There has been a lot of talk of the team adding a fourth dragster. Is that still on the cards?

DG:I have had others ask me that and, to be honest. I'm not aware of any plans for a fourth car. The team hasn't bought any infrastructure to support a fourth car, but that is not a

concern for me,I am here to race and do the best in my role for Connie and Kalitta Motorsport.

MN:Clearly, the addition of any extra car to a team creates concerns as to whether it will impact on the performance of the existing cars and if the new car can come up to speed quickly enough. How do you think the Kalittas handled you joining the team?

DG: Right from the get-go we were on the pace.

At the Winternationals at Pomona, we ran 4.40s straight away and then qualified first in Phoenix and Gainsville, so the car and team came

around quickly.

If there was any lag, it was me getting up to speed with how everything ran.

Connie was happy with the data our car was providing - think about this, at every national event we get three times the amount of data as all the single car teams - and it has progressed from there.

At some of the races, my car was set up differently to Scott and Dougie's cars, but John Force proved years ago that multi-car teams are the way to go in drag racing.

Our goal at the beginning of the year was to win the championship and to get all three cars in the top five; we missed out the title to Schumacher, but with Pomona to go, we're all in the top five - Doug's second,Scott's fourth and I'm only 40 or so points behind in fifth - so we've pretty much achieved all our goals.

Connie tells me he's happy,so Tm hoping to stay here as for me it really can't get that much better.

65

Rain: Drag Racing's

The iTEL Nationais have been postpi after storms stoped piay during qui KEN FERGUSON braved the Queenslai

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NTERMITTENT rain and thunderstorms dominated proceedings at the 39th iTel Nationals held at Willowbank Raceway last weekend.

The weather eventually forced management to postpone the remainder of the event until 1

January, 2005.

Friday qualifying was abandoned before any Group 1 or 2 vehicles hit the The weather rolls in: Both Friday and Saturday were affected by rain. The track. An early start was ordered for Nationals will be completed on New Year's Day, 2005.

Saturday,but once again,the annoying rain periods and quick storms halted <a proceedings in the middle of the day. A 1.30pm start eventually saw an almost uninterrupted run of action through to the end of the night, with two full sessions of qualifying for the Pro classes.

Top qualifiers in the Pro brackets were almost predictable, with Darren Morgan, main picture right, leading the Top Fuel class, Ben Bray in Top Doorslammer, Brett Stevens in Top Bike,Jon Andriopoulos in Pro Stock while the ever-consistent Dean Oakey scored the number one spot in Top Alcohol.

SeeLift them wheels: Read's debut at Willowbank was fast but the son of Jim lost time with these lifts.

fee At home on my Harley: Stevens, competing in three classes, was best on bis Jack Daniels bike.

66

TV /forgan piloted the Lamattina iVlfueller to the top spot in qualifying with the only four second pass of the event on his second attempt. He bettered his earlier 5.12s/281mph with a 4.85s/299mph.

Terry Sainty had set the standard on the first pass in qualifying with a 5.12s blast, with both Morgan and Bob Shepherd equalling his time before Pommie Steve Read grabbed the early pole position with his 5.05s at only 273 mph.

Phillip Read made his debut at Willowbank at the wheel of the Snap On/Auto One dragster. Read replaced his father, Jim, and his first pass saw the front wheels in the air for a while, but lost the blower belt just short of half-track, and cruised through for a mid-eight second pass.

Incremental times showed the

slightly better 6.03s at ISlmph.

Ben Bray continued his strong performance from Sydney in September, again taking the number one spot in the highly competitive Top Doorslammer class in his Castrol/Super Cheap Auto '57 Chev with blistering times in both qualifying attempts. His off-thetrailer, 6.14s/232mph was followed by a 6.15s/240mph. Bray looks the goods for a scintillating season.

Doorslammer rookie Aaron Lynch surprised not only himself but the rest of the competitors with his best ever numbers on his first qualifying attempt in his B & L Steels '63 Corvette.

Lynch debuted the car at the recent WSID meeting, recording best numbers in the 6.40s, but stepped up to a 6.16s/234mph at his Willowbarik debut. He experienced problems with the car during each burnout when it headed towards the wall on the first attempt, and again to the centre line on his second.

Steve Stanic grabbed third spot on the ladder with a 6.18s/234mph in the Lucky Belleri Camaro and Brett Stevens rounded out the top half of the field in his Jack Daniels Studebaker with a slightly off-pace 6.27s/230mph.

quickest 60 foot time of the event, and the car on par to record a very low five or high four second pass.

Read again lost the blower belt on his second attempt, this time recording a molorsport news

RAG RACING

Worst Nightmare

I

ined until January alifying. nd conditions

2:

The bottom half of the field included Robin Judd, Victor Bray, Gary Phillips and Maurice Fabietti, all recording passes in the 6.30s.

Non-qualifiers included Peter Kapiris, Daniel Callaghan and Kath Stevens. Kapiris, who has struggled for form of late, showed signs of his low six second form on both passes, but lifted early both times. Callaghan managed a best of 6.40s/211mph in his impressive CAL400 Camaro, while Kath Stevens showed great promise with her best of 6.53s/200mph while debuting her Jack Daniels Racing '63 Corvette.

Mark Brew was the sensation in Top Alcohol with his 253.53mph speed on his 5.93s pass in the first qualifying session in the CAL400 Chev Camaro Funny Car. Brew is now the second fastest Alcohol car in the country behind Steve Marker's 254.96mph set at Eastern Creek back in 1996. Top qualifier in the class was Dean Oakey with a 5.78s/236mph in his dragster. Gary Phillips and Wayne Newby recorded 5.81s and 5.88s respectively for second and third positions, ahead of Brew in fourth.

The bottom half of the field included Mark Sheehan in his Altered (5.97s), Damien Harris (6.01s), Brett Stevens (6.12s) and

Newcomer Rodney Salvestro Steve Reed on the bump with a 6.19s.

Brett Stevens, competing in three escaped serious injury when thrown from his bike at half-track after Group 1 classes, saved the best for his colliding with the concrete barrier. beloved nitro Harley, taking the top Jon Andriopoulos put liis stunning spot in Top Bike with a 6.78s/205mph on his Jack Daniels machine.

Dodge Avenger at the top of the list in the Pro Stock class with a Harleys claimed the top three spots with Troy McLean on the 7.37s/179mph on his first qualifying second Jack Daniels bike also going attempt, into the sixes with a 6.85s/202mph Defending national Champion Tony for second spot and Craig Bonwick in 'Wedlock was next best with his 7.43s/183mph in his Pontiac,followed third with a 7.55s/185mph.

closely by current championship points leader Nick XerakiasJFord Probe),Dave Rogan (Oldsmobile Cutlass),John Barbagallo (Ford Probe) and Mike Tinney(HSV GTS),all in the 7.40s as weU.Jason Grima and Peter Pelekis round out the field in their Ford Probes.

Given the right weather conditions, Andriopoulos will be looking to better his 7.30 ET recorded in Sydney to become the first into the 7.20 zone.

£?

HcdMH .

Fast... again: Ben Bray had his '57 Chev hooked up and at the top of the time sheets. He'll be tough to beat when the large Top Doorslammer field come together again in January.

Surprising: Rookie Aaron Lynch surprised everyone, including himself, with some great numbers in his Corvette, left.

10 November 2004

67

Doug downs'em

Kalitta, Sceizi, Anderson and Ellis find form, at The Strip

DOUG Kalitta, Gary Sceizi and Greg Anderson were victorious at the fourth annual ACDelco NHRA Nationals held at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the penultimate round of the NHRA POWERade Series.

The 2004 POWERade Funny Car title was iced by John Force for the 13th time and back-to-back Pro Stock Champion Anderson became Drag Racing's single-season win leader with his 14th victory of the season, breaking the record previously held

by Force.

Kalitta motored to his fourth victory of the season when his final round 4.53s/329mph held off the 4.61s/306mph of Morgan Lucas. The Mac Tools dragster had qualified second at 4.499s and used 4.56s/328mph,4.55s/329mph, and 4.58s/327mph passes in early round wins over Gary Ormsby's Jr., Doug Herbert, and Rhonda Hartman-Smith.

Lucas's seventh race as a professional proved to be his best as he reached the final round for the first time. He beat Larry Dixon and Scott Kalitta before taking a

O o

CHEVROLET has announced its intention to broaden its Sport Compact drag racing program in 2005, using last week's SEMA Show in Las Vegas to unveil its new, production-based Cobalt Phase 5 race car.

Created by the same GM Racing engineering team who developed the championship-winning, seven second,front-wheeldrive race cars driven by Nelson Hoyos and Marty Ladwig in the NHRA Sport Compact (formerly Import) \ Series, the Cobalt Phase 5 features a 535 horsepower, race-prepared, 2.2 litre, turbocharged Ecotec engine, a race-prepped Hydra-Matic 4T65-E automatic transmission,^ suspension upgrades, and performance electronics.

Many of the components

68

for the Phase 5 were drawn American sport again with the introduction of the Cobalt directly from the GM Phase 5; this race car is an Performance Parts catalogue, while the engine retains 65 . example of what Sport percent of the production Compact performance enthusiasts can do to create engine parts.

"Chevrolet has been the their own Cobalt race cars."

Fred Simmonds, GM cornerstone of drag racing since the debut of the GM Racing's drag racing manager said the Phase 5 would give small-black V8 nearly 50 years ago," said GM Racing director independent teams access to factory technology.

Doug Duchardt.

"Now Chevrolet will "Chevrolet captured the attention of the sport revolutionise this distinctly

compact tuners through its PRO front-wheel-drive programs and now GM is opening the door for them to race with Chevy by offering components specifically engineered for Sport Compact drag racing.

It is anticipated that a number of independent teams will race Cobalt Phase 5s in the booming sport compact series in '05.

Chevrolet will again continue with its PRO FWD and Hot Rod Sport Compact programs next year, along with its Funny Car and Pro Stock programs in the NHRA POWERade series, the factorybacked Pro Stock teams also expected to shift to new Cobalts early in the new year.

- GERALD McDORNAN

moiorspori news

DRAG RACING

Aussie Dave takes first win 4.63s/311mph to 4.60s/314mph, onetliousandth-of-a-second holeshot victory over Andrew Cowin in the semifinals, the closest race of the day.

Scelzi's win came against tire same final-round opponent as the first two, 113-time winner Force, who fell to a superb 0.020-second start by Scelzi and lost with a quicker 4.75s/322mph to Scelzi's winning 4.79s/326 mph.The victory has tied Scelzi with Del Worsham for second place in the standings. Scelzi and his Dodge Stratus R/T,above, beat Tommy Johnson Jr., Cruz Pedregon,and low qualifier Del Worsham to reach the final.

Having clinched the 2004 Championship by merely qualifying.

Force began eliminations by defeating Ron Capps. In the following two rounds, he dismissed his employed drivers, Eric Medlen and Gary Densham en route to his 179th money round.

Anderson defeated team-mate Jason Line in the Pro Stock final, 6.79/202 to 6.82/201. It was the fifth time this year that the two have met in a money round. The Summit Racing Pontiac defeated Kurt Johnson, Vieri Gaines, and Kenny Koretsky to reach his 45th career final round.

Low qualifier Line drove the KB Framers Pontiac to wins over Ben Watson, Dave Connolly, and Allen Johnson to reach the final.

Chip EUis rode his G-Squared S&S BueU V-Twin past AngeUe Savoie in the Pro Stock Motorcycle final, taking a 7.19s/179mph to 7.25s/177mph win.

Riding the latest bike of multiple championship-winning crew chief George Bryce, Ellis posted early round wins over Chip Hunter, Antron Brown and Shawn Gann for his first shot at an NHRA event title.

Savoie raced to her 54th career final in 119 starts by defeating Michael Phillips, Mike Berry, and GT Tonglet.

The only POWERade championship yet to be decided (Pro Stock Motorcycle) will have to wait until Pomona as leader Andrew Hines lost in Round 1. However, Hines has a virtual lock on the title as he still holds a 117-point edge over Brown with a potential of just 138 points on the table.

-DAVID OSTASZEWSKI Points: Top Fuel: Schumacher 1877, D.Kalitta 1610, Bernstein 1477, S.Kalitta 1365, Grubnic 1315.

Funny Can Force 1765, Scelzi 1490, Worsham 1490.

Pro Stock: Anderson 2284, Line 1563, Connolly 1494.

Pro Stock Bike: Hines 1152, Brown 1035, Savoie 1031.

10 November 2004

AUSTRALIAN Top Fuel racer Dave Grubnic notched his first win in NHRA competition, and it came with the sport's single largest payout, a whopping $100,000 from Budweiser.

Grubnic defeated Larry Dixon in the final-round of the 20th annual Budweiser Shootout Saturday to break a 10-year winless streak.

Grubnic, driving the Kalitta Motorsports Zantrex-3 backed dragster, recorded a final round 4.501s pass at 328mph to defeat Dixon, who lost traction just off the launching pad.

"This is fantastic," Grubnic said after his historic win.

"To go out there and finally win one after racing to so many finals only to come up short is very, very gratifying, to say the least. I've had so many races where we looked like we were going to win and then you'd see someone's nose sneak past you at the end. This time, I never saw or heard Larry and when I went through the scoreboards and saw my win light come on, I realised we'd finally done it.

"The first thing I did was get on the radio and tell my crew chief,'We just won a hundred thousand dollars.' What a thrilll" A native of Brisbane, Grubnic avoided defeat in the opening round when he recovered from a loss of traction to defeat team-

mate Scott Kalitta with a 4.91s/295mph. In the second round, Grubnic posted an impressive 4.55s/324mph to trail Tony Schumacher. Grubnic becomes the only winner of the Shootout to have never won a national event title.

Beginning the day as the lone wildcard entry, Dixon's Miller Lite dragster recorded a pair of 4.56s/323mph and 4.55s/323mph second passes in wins over top seeded Doug Kalitta and Brandon Bernstein.

Budweiser, the Official Beer of the NHRA, provided a total purse of $235,000 for this year's Shootout event.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

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Coughlin'S Pro Mod gem

VETERAN Pro Stock driver Troy Coughlin will return to competition in 2005, competing in the Pro Mod ranks in a 1967 Shelby G.T. 500E sponsored by Jeg’s Mail Order Parts.

Coughlin will race under the successful Gotham City Racing umbrella of Mike Ashley and will begin a rigorous off-season testing regimen in December to help him make the transition from driving a car with a 500-inch motor and carburetors to a 526-inch, supercharged Hemi-prepared by veteran engine builder Chuck Ford.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

Treasure Island THE Quit Motorplex has appointed Ray Treasure as its new Drag Racing Manager, Quit Motorplex General Manager Kevin Prendergast said his new = recruit will be a bonus for the Western Australian complex.

"Ray was selected because of his experience in Drag Racing management and his knowledge and experience with ANDRA (Australian National Drag Racing Association)."

Treasure was the Racing Manager at Ravenswood Raceway in the early 1990s and since then has been heavily involved in the automotive industry.

Treasure takes up the role of Drag Racing Manager in late November. n Australian Peter Russo attempted to qualify for the Funny Car show in Las Vegas.

Russo, driving his Dodge Avenger, with tuning help from Roland Leong, made just one lap during the event in the final qualifying session, recording a 5.290s at 286.13 mph to end up 23rd on the ladder.

Russo will make another attempt at cracking an NHRA show at the season's final event in Pomona. n Reigning Australian Top Fuel Motorcycle Champion, Jay Upton, has reached the semi-finals of the AMA Prostar World Finals, held at Gainsville Raceway in Florida on the weekend.

Upton recorded consecutive runs of 6.25s/228.65mph and 6.35/225 before his 6.37/223 was turned back

by Larry 'The Spiderman' McBride's 6.01/222 in the semis, Upton's 228.65 terminal speed almost lOmph faster than his previous best aboard his unique. Triumph two-wheeled streamliner. n An engine from one of drag racing legend Connie Kalitta's Boeing 747 Jumbo Jets sheared off and fell into Lake Michigan recently.

Kalitta Air flight 825, en route from China to New York, had just resumed its flight after stopping for refuelling in Chicago when the plane's electronics warned of engine trouble.

No injuries have been reported among the three flight crew and two mechanics aboard the 747-100, or on the ground.

Federal Aviation Administration officials inspected the plane's maintenance records and it is believed they have determined the lost engine was an 'incident' rather than an 'accident', referring the matter to Boeing for investigation.

Having once run a fleet of in excess of 100 jets prior to selling out before the airline downturn of the late 90s, Kalitta now operates a fleet of eleven 747 and 727 aircraft with Kalitta Air, specialising in freight transportation.

- MCDORNAN/OSTASZEWSKI 69

■ailonal

scene

Bowlev

New life fop F4000

by CHRIS JORDAN

THE Premier Racing Series and Formula 4000, Powered by Holden have announced their plans for the 2005 season.

Formula 4000 will run two championships, incorporating their foray into Asian motorsport. The Formula 4000 Asian Series will kick off at Symmons Plains with a non championship round, which will also be the first roimd of the Premier Racing Series.

The F4000 cars wiU then venture to China, where two rounds are currently scheduled for April, with one of those at the Shanghai International FI Circuit.

"We are meeting at the moment to run at a new track in Shanghai, called Tianamen," said F4000 President and Premier Racing Series Director Chris

Hocking.

"I was also trying to get a third race up at Zhuhai, and that is still an option. But the main aim was to confirm the deal with Shanghai International The Asian Series wiQ serve as the first outings for the cars with their new Holden V6 powerplants, which initially should easily and reliably be capable of 350 horsepower.

Hocking also confirmed that Rob Nguyen wiU join his team for the Asian Series, but Nguyen is looking to GP2 in Europe for 2005, rather than the Australian F4000 Series, at this stage.

F4000 numbers should swell above this year's disappointing figures, with Hocking Motorsport, Ralt

effledby

Australia and Pure Power

Motorsport all looking to expand.

Hocking could possibly bring a 2002 Reynard chassis from Formula Nippon in Japan, and Graham Watson's Ralt outfit is hoping to blood some yoimg European talent, currently speaking to drivers from Germany and Italy.

The Pure Power team look set to

go with an all-female line-up, with Christina Orr to be partnered by a yet-to-be-announced driver.

A new team, Mumbo Motorsport, will also appear. The team will test Barton Mawer in one of their cars soon. The first F4000 Australian Series round will be at Round 3 of the Premier Racing Series on May 29.

In terms of other categories for the Premier Racing Series, the PROCAR classes are a distinct possibility.

"I've been talking to a lot of PROCAR guys, and had a meeting with CAMS about that on Saturday," said Hocking.

"They will be having a meeting on Wednesday (today) to sort out what they are doing."

The categories possible include "GT Performance, Australian Production Cars and GT Sportscars, and we've spoken to Paul Pickett at MoPro about his MGs and Daewoos," Hocking added.

Garry Wilmington's Touring Car Challenge Series appears to be the other series most likely to accommodate the refugee categories and we could possibly see some classes running some rounds on both programs.

"Between us and Garry's mob, we

The last F4000 Gold Star Champion ... for now: Neil McFadyen, above, wrapped up the Formula 4000 Championship at Eastern Creek earlier this year. Next season. Formula 3 compete for the prestigious award.

2005 Premier Radng Series R1 Symmons Plains (non-championship for F4000) R2 Mallala R3 Phillip Island R4 Qld Raceway Eastern Creek R5 Winton R6 R7 Oran Park R8 Sandown

Feb 13

Apr 24 May 29* Jul3 Jul 24*

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Aug 21* Sep 18* Nov 6*

* F4000 Championship ASIAN F4000 SERIES NC Symmons Plains R1 Shanghai R2 Shanghai

Feb 13 Apr 3 Apr 17

have enough space to run everybody," said Hocking.

"It's just a matter of getting everyone together to pay for the TV. The guys can pick and choose where they want to run, as long as when they choose, they've have got to be there, contractually."

The coveted CAlVlS Gold Star will head to Formula 3 in 2005, but their program is unclear.

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THE V8 Ute drivers will fight for their second championship this year when the series supports the final two V8 Supercar rounds at Symmons Plains and Eastern Creek.

The Utes, no longer called V8 BRutes, will score points towards the Kanga Loaders V8 Ute Summer Shootout, with the winner claiming the Dunlop Championship Trophy.

70

Kanga Loaders, a Queensland-based industrial loader manufacturer, has significantly increased its support of Australian motorsport over the past year, with a Konica Minolta V8 Supercar entry for Gary MacDonald and a V8 Ute for Danielle Argiro, above.

Dunlop is the control tyre for the category.

UfiTJS»r/=-

JIM Richards and Barry Oliver led home an Australian one-two in the 2004 Dunlop Targa Tarmac Classic Road Race in New Zealand two weeks ago.

The seven-times Targa Tasmania winners beat home arch-Porsche rivals Tony Quinn and Keith Wenn by 4m13s. In third place was the local Kiwi

moiorsport news

ATIONALSCENE

Kart Nationals ... are on!

KartStars, CIK and Junior MAX together!

TOP-LEVEL karting in Australia could be set for one of its biggest years in 2005 with news that the National Karting Council has granted approval for the Australian CIK Championship series, the one-make Rotax-powered KartStars series and the newly introduced Junior MAX categories to all compete on the same race program.

This means the country's best kart drivers and race teams will compete as a 'travelling circus' around the country. If managed and promoted properly, this series which visits most states of Australia - could be used to provide a proper, professional showing of karting at the top level.

The move will provide competitors with better value racing as the considerable costs of running high-profile events can be shared between categories. The combining of series could be a problem for drivers who had planned to race both CIK,above, and KartStars, however, with the recent fall in numbers in CIK racing, it shouldn't affect too many people.

The series would open in Victoria on April 9-10 before travelling to NSW(May 28-29), Queensland (July 23-24), South Australia (September 17-18) and back to NSW (October 29-30)for the final.

-MARK WICKS

AN opening lap spin cost Scott Auld any chance of a podium placing at the last round of the European Rotax Championship at Braga, Portugal, last month.

The Queenslander was making a move for the lead on the opening lap of the final when he losttraction on the slippery surfaoe.

Auld (Arrow) had been on the pace in the dry and had took second in the pre-final. He tried to take the front position from Britain's Tristram Oman half-way round the opening lap.

Despite dropping well back in the pack, Auld moved back up through the field to take sixth at the flag.

Following Auld home was Adrian Estasy, left, who finished fourth in the

final championship standings. The fast he even finished was remarkable after he injured his baok in practice.

Having qualified 10lh, Estasy elected to retire from two of the heats.

Having held fifth for a time, he fell back to finish seventh and had to be lifted from the kart after the race.

The race was won by Ken Allemann (CRG) but Japanese veteran Takao Matsuya, who contested the opening two rounds aboard Arrow and the last two aboard Vanspeed, olaimed the championship. Allemann took second ahead of Oman (switching from Trulli to CRG)and Estasy (Arrow).

The only Australian in the Junior MAX class. Steel Guiliana, once again performed well in a category in which he has little experience.

THE on-again off-again Superkart Nationals are on again.

Having transferred from NSW to SA in recent months, Phillip Island is hosting the meeting this weekend, November 13 and 14, It is likely this will be the last Nationals in the current one-meeting format as the Championship is likely to be incorporated into the 2005 Premier Racing Series. The date change also sees Mallala's Australian Superkart GP move to November 28. n Arrow karts grabbed second place at the US Rotax Nationals last month with their Texan driver Michael Johnson. Reigning Champion Jordan Musser confirmed his status as the top American Rotax driver, winning the event for the third time. n Having run strongly throughout his introduction to Junior Rotax, NSW's Steel Guiliana will be contesting the full four-round European Junior MAX Championship next year. Steels's father Steve confirmed they will continue to compete with the Austrian-based Vanspeed karts/Hochhauser team, but mentioned they were not sure yet what they will be racing locally.

"It looks as though the European rounds clash with a number of the meetings here in Australia," he said.

The 2005 European Championship will have rounds in France, Belgium, Germany and Engiand. Red Bull will sponsor the Euro MAX Challenge, the two highest placed Juniors winning a test in Formula BMW. - MARK WICKS His chances hit a snag when the team’s primary engine blew up prior to the first heat forcing them to run their backup engine, which was a couple of tenths slower.

Guiliana got as high a fourth in the pre-final before contact shuffled him back In the order, eventually taking ninth.

- MARK WICKS

ti battle in Targa NZ crew of Anton and Anne Tallott in their Mazda RX-7.

Richards, right, said the event was was one the toughest he has ever competed in.

"In this event you don't know what is around the next corner, so you have to be pretty alert," he explained.

"You are looking out the whole time. There is no doubt it is a 10 November 2004

hard event."

Will and Ainsley Selles in a Porsche GTS finished fourth, while V8 Supercar driver Steven Richards finished fifth in his Subaru WRX STI. The news wasn't so good though for three-times NZ Rally champions Neil Allport and Brett Harvey, who was forced to pull their Group N Mitsubishi Evo VIII

out of the event when they twice went off on the final day while in a strong position. The duo eventually finished 13th.

It was the longest Targa NZ in its 10 year history. The event was fought out over 900km of competitive stages and covered more than 1500km in six days against almost 200 competitors.

71

Historic Sandown

Hie only element that seperated Historic Sandown from Goodwood was slightly better weather... but not much better!

Competitors braved the wet and cold,and so did GRANT ROWLEy

F

ROM old race cars to period clothing or tea for the ladies in garage 34, Tattersall's Historic Sandown was a feast for the young at heart at the outer-Melbourne circuit last weekend.

The weather wasn't ideal on Saturday with persistent rain hampering the jovial mood, but at least Sunday remained most dry, despite the cold and overcast conditions.

Among the fine example of cars was the famous Repco Brabham BT24, driven by Jack Brabham to his second world championship victory in 1967.

The car, now owned by New South Welshman Brian Wilson, represents the word 'immaculate'.

Formula Atlantic and European Formula 2 had their first race meeting and there were a handful of cars more a

I t a-

than worthy of a mention.

Andrew Makin has owned his March 73B for the past two years and competes regularly in local meetings, but its pedigree is mouth-watering.

The 73B, in the hands of Colin Vandervell (son of Tony), was the winner of the British Formula Atlantic Championship in 1973.

Also present was the exJacques Laffite Ralt RT4, driven at Sandown by Geoff Calvert. The car created a lot of interest around the Atlantic pit bunker ...

Along with the usual gathering of ERAs, Rileys, Formula 5000s, Historic Touring Cars, MGs and Group C Touring Cars(many of which have Bathurst starts to their name),there was plenty to see.

Rusty French also had two

of his Porsche 935s at the track. One of them was the Alan Jones's GT Championship winner from 1982.

In the races at Sandown, French claimed one race win in his class, but Rob Sherrard (Lola T70 MK3B)took home the main trophy.

In Sportscars, Don Thallon dominated the wet Saturday race before Rob Rowland and Paul Sabine took control on Sunday.

Group Nb Historic Touring Cars saw a dog eat dog battle between the Mustangs of Jervis Ward and Bill Trengove.

Ward beat Trengove 2-1, with Rod Evans (Chevrolet Nova SS), Greig Malaure (Austin Cooper S) and Richard Fairlam (Holden EH) picking up a podium place each.

Once Jim Russell got his

NEWOA

VSSmSm " ^

Ford sorted, he was dominant in the Sport and Racing Cars class. Ian McDonald and Steven Tate also took a win each.

Rob Whitwell in his MGB GT V8 rightly crushed the MG class while West Australian Geoff Herbert took the minors.

Jason Clements's Ralt RT4 was the class act in the Formula Atlantic class.

Makin's 73B finished second in each of the three races, followed by Jamie Earner's Chevron B42.

Drew Marget, Paul Stubber and Michael Miceli each took a race win in Group Nc Historic Touring Cars. Rob Braune and Philip Dunkin also raced at the front in the class which provided some of the most entertaining racing of the weekend.

.Li_

72

motorsport news

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HISTORIGS ●sr 3 5

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Jack's car. Jack's results: The world championship-winning Brabham BT24 won two events at Sandown Raceway. a

Ia'

Brabhams were the pick of the Group M and O Sports and Racing Car class. Wilson (Brabham BT24) beat Maxwell Lane in his Brabham BT 11 A. If you were in a Falcon, it was a good bet that you'd win a race in the 'big banger' Group C Touring Cars.

Lloyd Bax took his horny Falcon XC to two wins over Willie L Van Werch's Holden Commodore. Phil Kirkham also scored a win for Ford in Race 3.

Formula Ford saw three different winners. John Goddard (Royale RP24), Adam Berryman (Royale RP31) and Laurie Bennett (Elfin 600B) were the victorious trio.

Historic racing now turns its focus to The International

History repeats: The Falcon XC of Lloyd Bax, above, beat a hearty field of Group C Tourers, right.

Long and short: Richard Longes, below in his Cooper Climax T51.

Few but flamboyant: Only a handful of crowd-pleasing Formula 5000s arrived at Sandown, but they treated the healthy crowd to a noisy display, above.

Now a regular: The Jim Robbons Special, below, is a regular on the Australian Historic racing scene.

Battle royale: Sherrard and French diced hard in Sportscars, below left.

Trophy at Phillip Island (February 26-27) next year. s3

a

10 Novemlier 2004

NATIONAL SCENE

Cup Day Carnival A DAY at the races took on a new meaning when the Victorian State Circuit Racing Championships contested the final round of their

series at Sandown Raceway on Melbourne Cup day.

Formula Vee Sabre driver David Firth took the daily double in the rain-interupted races. Tony Bocquet and George Panagiotidis filled the podium in the first race with Jason Kerr and Jon Gaspero in the second.

The Superkarts were lucky to have one dry race. But the second was like watching jet-skis. Rod Prickett and Ben Lake flew away in Race 1, finishing first and second respectively. But when the weather turned,so did the results. Anton Stevens won from Rod Prickett and Jason McIntyre, In a small Formula Ford field. Dale Wood claimed Race 1 and Craig Kermond snatched the Race 2 win.

But in each race, the top three were close. Brian Sampson and Adrian McCitrdy filled the podium in the

2005 Victorian State Circuit Racing Championship Calendar R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6

Mallala Sandown Phillip Island Sandown Phillip Island Sandown

Feb 12/13 April 16/17 June 11/12 July 23/24 Sept 3/4 Nov 1

close battle between Graeme McPherson won a close tussle with first while Michael Joannou and Dale Wood grabbed the runner-up spoils in the second.

Randle had a tight battle right to the wire of the first Sports Sedan race in poor conditions among lapped traffic. Hossack claimed victory, but both cars were not to be seen in the second race. Damian Johnson won Race 2from Graeme GillOand and Luke McPherson.

Darcy Russell in his Dodge Viper, above, broke the lap record while coming from behind to win the first Sports Cars race in dry conditions.

Brett Bedggood turned the tables in the second race to blitz the field, leaving Brian Power 11s behind with Russell in third.

Cameron Vanden Dimgen took out both Improved Production races in emphatic style, annihilating the opposition in the wet conditions. A

Darren Hossack, right, and Dean

Gary McKay for second place but both were beaten in the final by Tony Skinner who slotted into second.

There was much of the same in the Porsche 944 races. Kane Rose took out the double in a gripping display.

John Goddard won out in a close battle with and John Morriss, but Morriss turned the tables and finished ahead of Goddard by a few seconds in Race 2.

- AARON SHAW

QR Hits Top Gear

A GROUP of almost 60 competitors gathered at Queensland Raceway two weeks ago for the single day AASA Top Gear Classic meeting.

Tliree groups of categories competed in seven races,including a 20-minute qualifying session in a packed day of racing.

Winner of the Sedan class on

points was Angela Lechner (Ford Escort-Lexus V8, right) ahead of the Mazda RX7 of Terry Willemsen-Bell, with the Mazda R)Q of Thomas Jager taking third through consistency, despite Simon O'Dell-Fontana (Mazda 808) winning three races.

In Superkarts, Carlo Chermaz (PVP 250) won all seven races.

Chermaz was troubled by Steven Cloake until cramping problems forced his retirement. Second for the

■a

WA Enduro Wrap up

.//●

day was the visiting 125 of Brian Stockman with Steve Talbot third.

The Sportscar field thinned rapidly over the day with 15 qualifiers becoming six cars for the last race.

Matthew Simpson (R33 Skyline) was heading for victory until a small fire took him out. Jim and Ash Lowe took five wins between them, sharing a JMW Sports 1300 but the winner for the day was Chris Hatfield (DRB GT40) from Simpson and Ben Croft (PRB Clubman).

-MARK JONES

Held of HQ dreams i

1

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aJfi

7

NcH Hammond

u

CIRCUIT racing in WA rounded up for 2004 last month with the Coca-Cola Enduros at Barbagallo Raceway.

In the first Street Cars race, Mark Greenham took the win in his RX-7 before Tony Lucente evened the score by winning Race 2.

Greenham drove a hard Race 3 to take the final win, XU-1 Toranas continued their domination of the Historic Touring Cars events, with Greg Barr, Leigh Turner and Carol Jameison claiming the top three grid positions. Daryl Hansen (MGB V8) won the final.

In Sportscars, Walter Epple (911 Carrera) claimed pole position and the Race 1 win. But Claude Giorgi (Porsche 911) took a comfortable victory in the 25-lap pit stop race.

Mark Douglas won the opening Formula Ford race but in Race 2, he clashed with Michael Patrizi and retired, leaving Mark McNally to take the win in the last two races.

Nathan Callaghan and Clint Harvey won the 30-lap HQ pit stop enduro, above, while in Saloon Cars, Tony James and Clint Harvey proved to be the class of the day.

- ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

IMPROVED field sizes and five-race formats highlighted Round 4 of the Victorian Motor Racing Championships at Winton recently.

Mario Gaffiero won the first three HQ races from Peter Brown, but Brown snuck by Gaffiero and held on for the final two victories.

Mike Fitzgerald, Simon Smith, Brendan Niclasen, Graham Francis and John Wise were also among the fight for the placings in the big field.

Rod Smith left the Sedan field for dead on Saturday, but when he went home, Sunday was all about Phillip Webster, who won all three races. Graeme Bell's BMW was next best, while Ken Knight's Porsche 944 made inroads in each race.

Antiiony Koch was the best of the 2 litre Sport Sedans and was only beaten by David Skilton in their first heat. Sldlton finished second in Races 2,3 and 4 before being beaten by John Camm.

John Connelly's Formula Ford wasn't headed in the open-wheel races. The Vee battle between Paul Sexton and Lee Partridge was won by Sexton, 4-1.

George Panagiotidis was never far away from the leading duo.

The series expands to six rounds in 2005, beginning at Calder in February.

-NEIL HAMMOND

molorsport news

INDUSTRY

QUICR

Fast ET MICKEY

phcations. They are renowned for !xcellent grip characteristics in all situations.

Thompson Tyres hold records in most of the

The Mickey Thompson ET range is compounded to extend the life of the tyre. The compound and grip capabilities minimises the need for burnouts. Sizes are available to suit weekend racers to

drag racing classes in the world.

Founded EEC BRAKES has announced the release of its new friction accelerator coating, called Brake-In. This innovation from EBC Brakes is a substantial advance in brake pad technology.

Brake-ln has been developed to reduce the time needed to 'bed in' new brake pads. A revolutionary surface coating provides instant brake performance from fitting.

The heat-applied polymer coating includes a mild abrasive compound, which provides instant brake-in. The coating lasts betv^'een 100 and 400 kilometres depending on disc condition. By this time the brakes will have reached optimum performance level.

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EBC Brake pads featuring the new Brake-In technology are now available in Australia to suit most models from small and family cars to high performance sports cars and race applications.

Light commercial vehicles and heavy trucks will also benefit from Brake-In technology with EBC Brakes producing an extensive range of pads to suit.

EBC Brakes are distributed

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For more information on EBC Brakes or the location of your nearest stockist contact Rotors Drums Australia on 1800 88 0155

tttan Your uoHE SWP^ sport Motanporm/uoum, u

in 1963, Mickey Thompson Tyres has grown to become one

PREPAR'AtnON IS EVERYTHING ● Homologation to CAMS/FIA specificiations ● Tube bending/tube sales ● Seam welding/bodyshell preparation

(fabJications) QUALITY WORK ● ON TIME - EVEWT TIME 19 Citrus street Braeside vic 3195 ● Ph 03 9587 7772 Email fabraicalions@bigpond.com.au ● www.rollcages.com.au 10 November 2004

^ full-blown , professional y drag cars.

H For more

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the leading drag racing tyre manufacturers and

y \ the location of h>) your nearest stockist call

suppliers in the world.

The company's founders came from a

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competition Karts @ Competitive Prices

Quick Scale”$2450

■At last an affordable fully featured electronic setup scale is available in Australia!" ● 375mm Billet Aluminum pails ● 5 display modes ● Kilogram/Pound option ● Accurate to 1710 of 1% ● Colour coded cables with military connectors FACTORY 7/1-7 FRIARS ROAD, MOORABBIN VIC 3189 ● PHONE 03 9553 4200 ● FAX 03 9553 4270 ● MOBILE 0412 988 824 »EMAIL sales@m-inspor1.com.au « WEBSITE: www.m-msportcom.ai]

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and Advice Cmkc^ vfinnacn

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Roll Cages To RA/CAMS specifications ->CDW/CDS350MpaTube ●^Chrome MoIy4130,650 MpaTube -> Weld-In orBoH-in ^All cages TIG Welded to highest standards ●> Spaceframe design and fabrication Design, certification and cage 4 Car cohslniction and assembly homologah'on available FACTORY 7/1-7 FRIARS ROAD, MOORABBIN VIC 3189 ● PHONE 03 9553 4200 ● FAX 03 9553 4270 ● MOBILE 0412 988 824 »EMAIL salesem-mspon.com.au«WEBSITE: www.m-msportcom.au

Hrtemam a Sales & installations Ph 03 9769 2543 5/45 Sinclair Rd Dandenong 3175 www.mkraclng.com.au

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Siieeallst §t PBrnHB Spars Parts

Porsche GT3 Calipers from $1200 a pair.

Other calipers also available Discs, slotted various sizes.

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ONE PIECE RACE PUSHRODS As used by top touring car. speedway & drag racing teams. ● .080" wall chrome moly ● one piece construction ● available in M*" & %" diame

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tMMmI FLYWHEELS The ultimate in strength & safety ●

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P

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motorsport news

MARKET PLACE

Ciivin V.-lu

A-

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ENGINE BEARII

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For Motorsport tyre requirements contact:

EUROPEAN

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Australia's largest range, for over 400 engine applications UinurKtutcn ippometl dutriucr for Au«

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Ultima GTR

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5 liter Ford engine fuel injected with Porsche G50 5 speed gearbox, full roll cage Simmons wheels, racing harnesses new trim. $110,000.

Mark 9838 8374 bh / 0408 976 958.

300

Ij Queensland registration and fresh roadworthy, n white (pictured), fresh paint, 8 original Lotus Speedllne alloy wheels, top end overhaul and j new cam belt, all ports polished and matched.

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1986 RALT RT4 ATLANTIC Ralt Chassis No594. Extensive rebuild for '04'. Ex Allan McCall Team Tui US Atlantic car with Fox Shocks, Jennings BDD, Bahner stiffening mods etc. Already top 4 runner in group R. Selling with many spares & data. $80,000 Neg, Ring John or Tony 0418 736 869 B/H 07 3359 4222 AH,

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if PORSCHE GT2 TURBO, Spectacular and fast. Ideal for Porsche Drivers Challenge, $130,000 plus GST. Paul 0418 61 85 61.

297 www.myl05.com/8972

Sedans/Sports Cars

Studebaker Supercharged, CAMS log book Nb Road Registered Paxton supercharged Studebaker V8 . Roller cam,big H.P.with ail the best gear.TIO 4sp.Dana diff W/-28 spline ford axles & locker.Tilton bias/master cyl.setup with 4 spot calipers.Road Registered.Ready for Rally or Race. $20,000 Neg. Leo Jameson 297 0407958433. www.myl05.com/99367

Ford Anglia Sports Sedan, Brand New Turbo-Rotary Engine, Ported, 3mm Seals, Turbo, all new parts. Hand Built Rear End, Hilux Diff, Brand New Driveline, immaculate Body, Lots of Spares, Cheap to run.

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10 NovemDer 2004

Racecar & Trailer For Sale, CAMS Log Book Regular entrant at nsw Sports Sedan & Super Sprints Seven years entered 6hr Relay Classic has finished them all. 12 years of fun and reliability. Trailer regd 08/05 electric brakes Dual axle Lockable Panniers Extra long ranps for low car Designed light weight 465kgs. $6500.00 Not Neg. David 299 (02) 9792 3909. www.myl05.eom/74025

THE MOST HISTORIC TRIUMPH IN OZ7, The ex-Doug Whiteford Moomba TT winner and 2nd place South Pacific Sports Car Chmps 56. This car has been accepted tor Goodwood 2001, Mille Miglia and LeMans Historic - this is the cheapest entry to these international events you will find. COD and log book are supplied - at asking price.

297 $40,000 ONO. Rob 0407 671 193. www.my105.com/66379

GROUP N(C) 911 S PORSCHE HISTORIC TOURER, Rare and competitive car, twin plug head, best of everything, new motor and suspension. $85,000. Guy 07 3343 299 1566. 'www.my105.com/8144

Torana XU1, This competitive car is professional maintained with Russell Jones engine, 3.45 DCOE Webers. Detroit Looker.

8 wheels. H.R.C.C. Queensland Chamption 2003 1st under 3500cc. $29,500.00 Or Best 301 Offer. Ian Lees 0414 756 654. www.my105.com/80477

EVO 7, Race winning car, many spares. .

Garry 0413 879 879 / (02) 9688 3003.

297 www.myl05.eom/28980

LH Torana Sports Sedan, Fast, ultra reliable, P.i. 1:45, 5ltr, Richmond 5 spd, full floating, 9inch 2 x ratio's Harrop calipers, new 16inch wets, full fibreglass front, spares, great entry to S Sedans. $25,000 297 ONO. Rian 0403 254 434. www.myl OS.com/55936

Torana sports sedan, Torana LJ Sports sedan,modified P76 alloy V8 powered, b/warner 4 sp gearbox , b/w diff, 4 wheel disc brakes, 16 x 10 wheels. Spare panels,logbook,reliable endurance racer.

297 $7500 ONO. Kevin 0417 405 590. www.myl05.com/86644

Gemini Series Rally Car, Competitive car 2002 resalts 2nd Gemini and 1st Novice, 1st P2 novice & clubman, 1604cc sealed engine, 2 rallies since rebuilt, deisel 5spd gearbox. Seam welded streghtend chasis.

Bond alloy cage, Bilstien suspension. Cams log booked, rego Aug 2005. 10 wheels, 6 rally tyres, 2 cibie lights, nolteo bushes throughout. $3900.00 Or Best Offer. Steve 297 0407 23 28 41. www.myl05.com/7347

79

Open Wheelers

SI5 200SX, suitable for GTP, Tarmac Rally, Marque Sports, Drifting & Sprint events.

300 $28,000. Greg 0419 361 908 www.myl05.com/32128

15/1,0/2004 Sports Sedan, 202 60 thou triple webbers 12 port head ect, claimed 200HP, M21 locked diff 3.55 billet axles.f&r discs, f/glass front,16x9 wheels new avon /k2 slicks.fast reliable race car inc purpose built trailer.ORAN SOUTH 47,E/CREEK 1.48,WAKEFIELD 1.13. 7,500 inc Trailer 296 Neg. Steve 02 4272 4326. www.myl05.eom/62230

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Mitsubishi Mirage, 4th outright 2003, quick and tidy car, very reliable, podium finishes, ready to race, some spares, may deliver.

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tx-Kmart Supercar, Greg Murphy.Minimal use from new.Complete less engine.Comes with gearbox & fresh clutch.Spares package includes 4 sets of wheels,lower control arms,tailshaft,body panels.camber wedge set.watts linkage and more.Perfect Konica car or convert to VY. $89,500. Eddie Abelnica 0418 360 058.

296 www.myl05.com/41985

Porsche RSR Replica, ultra light (c 1000 kgs dry) 3.6 hi-torque race engine, dual ignition, Autronic ECU, outstanding Harrop brakes, 5 speed dogbox (with new spare box), coil overs, air jacks, fully caged and seam welded shell. GT3 performance at a fraction the cost! $49,900 neg., trades considered. Richard 03 9822 5034 or 0417 370 671 or womble@mira.net. www.myl05.com/15137

297

Farrell S/Sports car/trailer, second outright SA Hillclimb Champs, 2003-04 outright sports car record Colingarove 13.1600 record. 16-2000 rec, fast and reliable. $20,000. Andrew 08 8373 2820 (wk) 0438 298 943 799 / 08 8357 6485 (ah), www.myl05.eom/30977

F/Vee 1600 Elfin (copy), strong NSW state championship car 2003 - NSWRRC RND 3 2nd, state RND 6 top 3, 2004 state RND 1 5th, RND 2 - 3rd, RND 4 - 6th, Konica meeting - 6th from 38th, far too much to listr ring for more information after 4pm weekdays. $20,000. Russell 0404 804 859.

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Rail RT4 82/86, proven results in this growing historic category, recent rebuild, spares gear ratios, data, C of D, log book, RICHARD 0409 993 606.

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oaa XY Falcon GT HO Group NC, New roller engine, excellent horsepower, Tiiton clutch, top loader gearbox, Konni adjustable shocks F/R, Kelsey Hayes front calipers, Bremlo discs, 2 1/2 new rear drums. New fully galvanised tilt elect. Winch 4 wheel trailer. No expense spared on this replica.

Heaps of spares. $69,000. Eric 02 9997 6942.

296 www.my105.com/90681

Elfin 630B Formula Pacific, Originally owned David Craig (C&C Autos) driven Keith Poole, Fully rebuilt BDA by Rodney Gibbes using new genuine parts. Rebuilt FT200 by Bruce Carey. Certificate of Description & Group Q log book. Comes with enclosed trailer & spare wheels. Must 297 sell. Rodney 0428290010. wvinw.myl 05.eom/40337

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Historic Formula Ford, Bowin P6F Group original and straightest Bowin available, maintained in excellent race ready condition and with fresh Steve Moody engine.

Complete car with spare ratios. $23,500.

297 Graham and Kay 0408 258 118. www.my105.com/89068

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Porsche GT3 Cup Car, MY2003 with 2004 update package currently running in Carrera Cup, Maintained perfectly (no race mechanical failures), recent motor, gearbox and chassis refresh (no major shunts).

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Setup, track, dyno, shock, parts life and other data. Price is negotiable. Stephen 0418 685 575.

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Outstanding Historic Open Wheeler, Truly outstanding Group Q car, with log bog, COD and significant history with Albert Poon, KB & others. Will accomodate larger drivers and is sold with wets, ratio’s, excellent dry tyres and newly painted bodywork. This car will also accomodate larger drivers. Owner consolidating his fleet. $65000. Rob 0407 297 671193, www.myl05.eom/70834

RF94 Van Diemen Stealth, 2004 N.S.W state winner, 2001 VIC state winner, Maintained by Mid Coast Ford Racing, car is ready to race for 2005 season, comes with Ritter engine, 4x ohlins adjustable shocks, plus logger and dash, lots of spares, set up infomation. Joel 0419 993 297 155. www.my105.eom/80201

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CLASSIFIEDS Karts

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formula 500, $15,000.

0408290338 / 0248290338. www.myl05.com/97594

Anthony 296

* Warrenne Ekins national 360 sprint car, 360 maxill race engine freshened up, ail best parts, dry sump 2000 Murphy high bar.Will sell engine seperate. Performance Whoiesale, Phil O'Brien 360 national engine. One season old. Dry sump $26,000. . $28,000. Brooke David 0407 613 151. 296 www.myl05.eom/68023

Engines New Gen.3 Siamese bore 7lt Alloy Racing Block, $14,000; C5R Heads $13,000 and JE Pistons to suit $1,900. Ph. 0417 180 947, 0417 180 947.

297 www.myl05.com/99965 Engine for Sale, Nissan GTR Engine, Excellent Condition, 35,000 kims, Engine is still in car and can be driven. Comes with PowerPC Computer, Tuned by Eric at Hypertech, Genuine Reason for Sale. Tim Hendy 0418501509 / 0418501509. 297 www.myl05.eom/25301 Ford V8 Supercar engine, 619hp Mark McLaughlin,Run only 150km. Headers, SS exhaust, carbon clutch Rattle guns and hoses etc. Garry 0413 879 879 / (02) 9688 297 3003. www.myl05.com/58255

Parts Brock HDT Harrop Diff, Brock HDT (numbered) Harrop fully floating spooled diff , complete axle to axle, MW alloy centre with spare ratios suit Commodore VK or VL Group C or other project. $2700. Mike 03 297 5968 3951 www.myl05.com/95479 Commodore and parts, VL turbo diff assembly with spool, not used since rebuilt, suit VB to VK $1200. Race suspension, Bilstein/Pedders shockers, 500/320 lb springs, adjustable top hats, urethane bushes, adjustable panhard rod, all brand new unused, $1580. VH shell, stripped, suitable for racing excellent condition, $500.

Lance 03 8369 7879 or 03 9369 7105.

296 www.myl 05.com/20316

Fully Enclosed Trailer, to suit Formula Vee or similar. Lift up roof, side door L&R lockers hydraulic brakes, inside dimensions 1250HX 1595 WX 3750L. Almost new, 297 $2,950. Jim 0408 034 252.

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Enclosed car trailer, Fully enclosed car trailer to suite large sedan with room for tools and equipment, electric breaks, side access door & rear door loading ramp trailer is in excellent condition $7200 ONO phone john after 5PM on 02 63826819 Also have a FIDO for sale for $7000.7200 ONO. 297 www.myl O5.com/15073 Ford FI50 XLT for sale, Ford XLT. Dual cab. Long wheel base, Exc. Cond. Air con.

Auto. Petrol. Seat 6 comfortably. Mech A1. $38500 Or Best Offer, dean 0412 365 029, 300 www.myl05.com/34140 Race Car Trailer, dual axle, fully enclosed, new electric brakes, tool rack, front and side access. Suit open wheeler or sports racing car. 12 months rego. $3,000 ONO. Alan 07 297 3369 2917 / 0400 758 458. www.myl05.eom/29360 ■!

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Luxury motorhome and transporter, 1994 Hino 350 HP 4x2 tractor. 13m Front new 2001. semitrailer, accommodation, sleeps 7, toilet, shower, kitchen, slideout, heating, aircon, TV/VCR, stereo. Rear car garage, tail lift, toiletshower, laundry. Generator 5,5kva, solar panels, inverter 2000W. 700 L water. $285,000. David 64 4 2328097 or 64 297 274468483 / 64 4 2328059 fax. www.myl05.com/44812

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PCR, RESA Cup champion, 1 meeting since motor was completely rebuilt top to bottom,Kart is in top condition with nothing to spend and race ready has only raced 2 seasons, with spare rims,tyres 1 meeting old, side pods nose cone,alignment plates, will not find better unless buy new. $2500 AUD. John 0248894355 / 0414894375.

297 www.myl05.eom/96016

Driver/Crew Apparel Boots, Gloves & Helmet, THH helmet with tinted (iridium blue) visor - $170 Asics Racing Boots (worn by FI drivers. Very rare & expensive), size 7 - $120 RPM gloves (medium) - $90 All items are ONE race meeting old and PERFECT condition. Total cost new - $570. Will sell individually, would rather sell the lot @ $370. $370 the lot. Matt 297 0755 923542 / 0412 242437. www.myl05.com/78659

Wanted Wanted, Ford MotorSport Block 302 4 bolt P/N: M-6010-A4 manufactured up to 1993.

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OPINION

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SBR drivers should keep quiet Ingall blames Rick Kelly for taking him out in the first corner.

What, has Ingall never taken anyone out?

As he rightly says,he's become used to not winning the championship. Now apparently it's been Rick Kelly's fault all along. So what if KeUy has a rich dad?

I suppose this means that Murphy is so good, that he carried the Commodore to the last two wins at Bathurst.

Obviously Rick had no input, because his dad has money.

If Ambrose gave Kelly three opportunities to pass, it certainly wasn't visible on TV.

ADMINISTRATION

What's Ambrose got to be upset about? Kelly never interfered with his race and

CONTACTS

Ingall claims he took him out of Championship contention.

Is Ambrose upset that Kelly has won two more Bathursts than he has?

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82

SBR has never seriously been in contention to win at Bathurst since 1998. No matter how rich Rick Kelly's dad is ...

C'mon SBR drivers! KeUy was fighting for the Championship as well and he was neither under obligation to pass Ambrose, nor to back off.

Jason Priddle Caloundra, Queensland

Stay out of it Murph

I have never written to your fine mag before, but after Greg Murphy's outbursts at Indy and on Channel 10, I feel the need to voice my disappointment on the way this guy has carried on about sometliing that has nothing to do with him.

To say that other drivers don't have to lay down and let Ambrose win is pretty rich coming from a guy who had Bathurst handed to him on

same response as you see on the road when someone is tailgating - you hit the brakes as a warning to the driver behind that they are travelling to close. We are probably all guilty of this at some time or another.

converter Send us your thoughts; mail: PO Box 7072, Gardenvale, VIC 3186 fax: 03 9596 5030 email: mnews@mnews.com.au closing stages of Race 1 was unacceptable.

T^yone who has been involved in motor racing knows how frustrating it is when a competitor out of contention starts messing around with the pointy end of the field.

This does not excuse Ambrose for the 'brake-testing' stunt and confrontation in the pitlane, but after the Pirtek car gave the kid the chance to pass plenty of times you have to question Kelly's actions.

Kelly backed up his radical driving behaviour in Race 2 with a stupid move that most likely cost a fellow Holden driver the championship, but also questioned the kid's credibility as a professional race car driver.

Jake Dempsey Melbourne, Victoria

It was just as easy for Rick to sit a couple of car lengtlis back from Marcos as he had no intention to overtake.

As for Murphy's comments,aU I can say is if it does not involve you, keep your bloody nose out of it.

Fred Zanette Ormiston, Queensland

Champ Cars not needed

Indy was a great weekend, with plenty of action on and off the track.

To Channel 10, a very good telecast. Leigh Diffey did a great job and NeU Crompton is in liis element doing a walk around and getting into the behind the scenes action.

To Premier Beatty, save your state coffers a few million dollars and get rid of Chump Cars. 99 percent of the spectators were there for the V8s.

The best racing of the weekend was V8s and also the Aussie Racing Cars - great value.

To Rick Kelly ... you owe Brighty a case of VB at the very least.

Hugh Johnston hughcar@bigpond.net.au

Champ Cars are great

I felt I must say sometliing after reading the interesting piece from Chris Lambden in MNews #295. The

article goes on to talk about Champ Cars in a very dim light, saying it is no more than "high priced club racing".

Let's for a second take our heads It was Rick’s fault out of this self-created V8Supercar hype and have a think about this.

What Rick Kelly was doing to Marcos Don't get me wrong, I love my Ambrose in the race on Saturday is VSSupercar racing, but for two the equivalent of tailgating in normal weekends in a year they are well and day-to-day driving and is not a plate by a well-placed Safety Car. truly a support category. Sure, they acceptable.

As for Rick KeUy, weU, I think sound sweet and race hard, but they Basically, Marcos provided the Ingall summed it up pretty well on are nothing but taxis with Saturday. The cynical side of body kits and beefed up Peter Bu ry me says that all the braindead moves he made over mechanicals when compared to a Champ Car. the weekend in some way The field on the Gold Coast helped Murphy's title chase.

Ross Preen consisted of 19 cars, only one less than Formula 1. The teampreen@colourcity.com talent included two Champ Car series champions (Vasser Rick should grow up and Tracy) and three former Rick Kelly is one of the F3000 champs (Wilson, hottest young talents that is Junquiera and Bourdais). circling the V8 series today, but there is no doubt that his Lack of quality? Hardly. actions at the latest V8 round Maybe Mr Lambden's on the Gold Coast were mates should actually watch the Champ Cars next year. Or nothing more than childish. are they scared that they will His contact with IngaU at find out that VSSupercars the first corner was seen as isn't some incredible unsportsmanlike international motorsport highlighted by his drivephenomenon, but just a great through penalty - but his local touring car series? door handle to door handle Really, I'm a nice guy! Readers are split regarding Name Withheld antics with Ambrose in the Rick Kelly's controversial Indy weekend. motorsport news

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