Pitstop Magazine March 2014

Official Publication of the B e n a l l a A u t o C l u b I n c .

pitstop March 2014

MACPHERSON & SHIELS

WIN WAKEFIELD 300

V8’S FAST APPROACHING AUTHORISED PRINT POST NUMBER 326705/00006

MARCH 2014

Contents | Editors Column ................................................................ 4 | Record numbers continue to roll out ........................ 6 | Members at play - March .............................................. 8 | Wakefield 300 ................................................................... 14 | BP Midland/Pedders “NO BULL“ Winton Sprints . 18 | Wakefield Report ............................................................. 21 | V8 Supercar Preview ...................................................... 22 | Winton Report .................................................................. 24 | Sports Sdans at the VMRC ........................................... 26

PITSTOP The Official publication of the Benalla Auto Club Inc. March 2014 Edition #595 Benalla Auto Club Inc 41 Fox Street Winton, 3673 Phone (03) 57664235 Fax (03) 57664249 race@wintonraceway.com.au LOCATIONS Winton Motor Raceway 41 Fox Street Winton, 3673 Phone (03) 57664235 Fax (03) 57664249 race@wintonraceway.com.au www.wintonraceway.com.au

| Swann Superbikes - Wakefield Park ......................... 28

WAKEFIELD PARK RACEWAY

| CAMS UPDATE ON HANS Devices ............................ 28

4770 Braidwood Road Goulburn, NSW 2580 Phone (02) 48222811 Fax (02) 48222812 info@wakefieldpark.com.au www.Wakefieldpark.com.au

| AASA Update .................................................................... 30

COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT

Wakefield April dates

Winton April dates

*1st NSW Motor RaceChampsionships *5/6 FoSC *12th Speed off the Streets *13th State Supersprint Championship *16th GEAR *19/20 FX Club Champiosnhips *25 Circuit Club *27 MRA Round 2

*4-6 V8 Supercars Winton 400 *12th Tamperd Motorsport *12th Crawling the Hume *13th Drifting *18-21 Easter Car Mania *26-27 Vic Time Attack

Winton May dates

Presidnet: Richard Weston Vice President: Warren Sheehan Secretary: Heather Wallace Treasurer: Matthew Ronke Bruce Robertson, Frank Wellman, Adam Ronke, Dianne Stolz, Gary Bennett, Stephen Harrison, EDITOR Matthew Ronke PITSTOP SUB-COMMITTEE Matthew Ronke, Heather Wallace, Brian Nighingale, Judi McDonald, Dianne Stolz CONTRIBUTORS

*3-4 EXE Club *10th Tampered Motorsport *11th BP Midland/Pedders “No Bull“ Winton Sprints *17th Imprezza WRX Club *24-25 Austin 7 Historic Winton

Brian Nightingale, Matthew Ronke, Adam Ronke, Judi McDonald, PHOTOGRAPHS Judi McDonald, John Smith, Rensmart Photography,

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MATTHEW RONKE Editor

EDITORS COLUMN

W

hat a Valvoline Wakefield 300 to remember. A total of 98 entries were received. Only 72 made it to the circuit but that was enough for us to have to split the race into two. The Valvoline Wakefield 300 and the B Main. This was a big gamble as the event has been very successful in its own right. But the moved paid off and both events were raved about by competitors. Our in boxes and phones have not stopped ringing since the event finished with congratulations on providing a magnificent event. It was also the first year the Wakefield 300 had been live stream. We have received word back that over 8,000 people viewed the race. This was considerably more than AVE had expected and from what we understand the biggest yet they have streamed after the Bathurst 12 hour. People online were watching from Poland and New Zealand and all around Australia.

Brodie’s $10.20 a Winner on all Accounts Young Wangaratta Resident Brodie Pearson has become an Internet and Motorsport hero after he wrote to Jason Bright Donating his Pocket money ($10.20) so the Brad Joens Racing team could get back on track and he could see them at Winton in April. Brodie is the Son of BAC Memebrs Jaya & Ashleigh Pearson long time motorsport supporters in the North East.

Brodie was rewarded by Jason bright and Team BOC by prsenting him with the door of the wrecked Commodore from the horrific Clipsal 500 crash. It looks like Brodie’s wish will come true and he will get to see Jason at Winton on April 4-6 with the other 24 V8 Supercars. Benalla Auto Club Congratulates Brodie on a fantastic gesture. Brodie’s letter to Jasn Bright is below.

The race itself was one that nobody seemed to want to win. Nine teams lead the race and in the end Brad Sheils and Andrew Macpherson took victory. We had 12 members in the race which is fantastic representation for the Club. Terry Denovan was the only one to make the main race and the B Main was won by BAC’s Terry Nightingale in the Targa Racing MX5.

The V8’s are fast approaching and if the Clipsal round was anything to go by it will be a event not to miss. The Volvo surprised everyone and Scott McLaughlin is definitely a future star. Another future Star is Chaz Mostert, the previous Benalla resident has a ride in the plum FPR seat and his display at Winton last year he will be one to keep an eye on.

There is an article on page 30 regardings CAMS decision to make compulsory at State level Frontal Head restraint system. I would encourage everyone who races to read it and if you’re worried about the impact of this decision you should also do a youtube search for a comparison with and without the Frontal Head Restraint System crashes. HANS devices are costing around the $500-$600 mark and the old story about what type of helmet should I buy is true with the HANS devices , how much is your head worth ?

The Motorkhana Pad at Winton is very close to being used. hopefully there is enough interest for a BAC Club Motorkhana. We used to hold them about 15 years ago on the grass behind old turn 1. They were a lot of fun but not many people want to do them on grass anymore. The Bituement Pad will be perfect and we can have simultaneous course running so there won’t be very much down time

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Wakefield 300 B Main Podium

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s r e b m u N d r Reco t u o l l o r o t e continu I t’s been a year of some impressive records at both Winton Motor Raceway and Wakefield Park Raceway. It all started in September with Performance Car Mania reaching its cap for the first time of 500 entries. This made it one of the biggest street car events

in Australia. More so impressive was the fact the Street Machine Magazine labelled it as Australia’s best Street Car show and the event received accolades from many other media outlets associated with the street car scene. Then the Valvoline Winton 300 had an

The Winton 300 attracted record numners in 2013 and a full grid with reserves

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oversubscribed grid and started the event with a stretched grid capacity of 55 cars. The event was acclaimed by competitors as one of the best they had competed in. Former Australian Sports Car Champion in the 70’s Chris Clearihan said it was one of the best events he had

MARCH 2014

competed in. The HQ 4 Hour had a resurgence of numbers still a long way from the “good old days” of 46 HQ’s starting the classic event but plans are progressing well with the HQ association to make 2014 even stronger.

The Opening round of the VMRC at Winton on March 8/9 attracted another record, with 195 entries.

With a few new categories on the program with superkarts and Excels it was welcomed reward for the club who was kicked out of the state race series some 10 years ago.

But the most impressive of them all would had to been the 2014 Valvoline Wakefield 300. 98 teams entered the 2014 event significantly more than the 47 car grid capacity. The call was made to split the race in two and run a 280km B Main and a 300km Main event. The success was above and beyond any thoughts and 74 cars made it to then event giving two solid fields of endurance racing. It was also the first time live streaming was done for the Wakefield 300. With the viewer numbers coming in at over 8,000 it was the second only to the Bathurst 12 hour on the motorsporstv.com.au network toping some

high profile events in the country.

Another aspect the club should be proud of is its support of the Pulsar Challenge. The concept was kicked off by Adam Ronke and in just over 12 months the new category is pulling reasonable grids and looks likely to exploded in numbers with over 40 cars in the build for the series. The club has also lent significant support to a number of brand new categories including Vic V8’sand the NSW & VIC Excel series. The Excel series roll cage manufactures AGI Sports have just shipped their 50th roll cage and you can expect to see many of these at both Winton and Wakefield in the future.

On the two wheeled side Winton & Wakefield are 25% each shareholders in the Australian Road and Track Rider Promotions Company.

A group that decided to start our own Road Racing Series when Winton and Wakefield previously had been excluded from the National Superbike championship. It’s been a hard road and lead by Benalla Auto Club Members Terry & Gloria O’Neill the New series has secured sponsorship from Swann Insurance and Yamaha to be called the

2014 Swann Insurance Australasian Superbike Championship. The series now has attracted all the major riders and teams in the country and has just a ticked under 150 entries (with only 5 classes) for the opening wakefield round, making it one of the biggest National Road racing events in the past 8 years. Cycleonline.com.au one of the country’s biggest Motorcycle racing website labelled it as “an unprecedented build up to a National Championships the likes that have not been seen since 2006”.

But the thing to be most proud about is that membership levels continue to rise. 18 months ago we hit the lowest number of members in the past 20 years. But with a new style Pitstop and the Members Family Day, membership numbers had doubled by December. The 2014 year is looking even more promising with the likelihood the club could reach its all-time high of members. So a club is only as good as those people in it, so keep spreading the good word and help the club continue to grow and prosper in the future

The VMRC in March broke recorsds with 195 entries

Photo by Judi McDonald

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Members at Play in March

By Brian Nightingale

If the start of 2014 is anything to go on, Benalla Auto Club members are in for a big year for they have been out in force, starting with the Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour that was run from 7 - 9 February at Mount Panorama.

THE 12 HOUR RACE SAW FOUR BAC MEMBERS COMPETING. Steven Richards was part of the driving line-up of the #48 M Motorsport Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4. Richo had started the race from 10th and was doing a great job in the top 6 for almost the first two hours. However on lap 78 they were forced out when one of his co-drivers moved off line to allow the leaders to get past at Brocks Skyline

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and subsequently hit the wall.

Dean Fiore was aboard the #71 Equity-one Mortgage Fund Audi R8 LMS competing in Class B, and qualified 19th outright. In the race the team did a superb job to bring the R8 home 14th and 6th in class.

The Fiat Abarth Motorsport team with their three 500’s were one of the major alking points of the race, and BAC’s Clyde Campbell was in the #95. In qualifying the three 500’s finished 32nd, 33rd and 34th, with Campbell in the faster of them, then in the race they came home second in class and an amazing 22nd outright.

Young Albury member Matt Chada drove with the Parkes based GWS Personnel team in their BMW 335i, and after qualifying 31st

Matt Chada at The Bathurst 12 Hour

finished 30th and second in Class D. Improved Production were on the program, and as you would expect that meant Bruce Henley would be there in one of his Stawell Cartage Mazda RX7’s running as #67.

In a 47 car field Henley did well to qualify 26th, but that’s where it ended unfortunately, for he failed to finish either race, retiring on the first lap in the opener and on lap 6 of 10 in the second.

Bathurst member Terry Nightingale drove in the Kenda HQ Bathurst Enduro and did a great job in what his first drive on his home circuit, as he qualified fourth on only his 7th lap of the circuit. In the first race they had brake issues and finished 12th, while R2 the car was overheating and they made an unscheduled stop, dropping them to 20th.

MARCH 2014

Matt Thewlis & Steve Harrison show off their trophies from the Wakefield 300

CHAMPION OF WINTON The first major home event of the year at Winton Motor Racew Raceway was the one day Champion of Winton on 16th 16 February.

The Modern Sports cars had their first meeting away from Wake Wakefield Park, and saw everyone’s fav favourite character Steve (Harro) Harr Harrison in his #77 Lucas Oils & Transgea Transgears & Mazda MX5 representing the home club.

Harro went on to qualify 6th ahead of his four races, and in i the first two finished sixth, and 5t 5th in the final two.

There was an incredible nu number of club members in Super TT with ten in a 12 car field. Qualifyin Qualifying saw Bruce Henley finish on pole with a Stawell Cartage Mazda RX8, from the #18 Falcon Spares and R Repairs XR8 Ford Falcon driven by Am Amin Chahda in second, Wagga’s Sh Shane Baker (#124 Anything On Wh Wheels Holden V8 Ute) 3rd.

Fourth was Albury’s Greg Jones (#65 BM W 318 V8), fifth Hayley Swanson (#43 Rapid RS/ Intima Brakes Subaru WRX STi), sixth the #128 Albury Cabinet Coatings 5 litre Ford Falcon AU driven by Ross Wilson, seventh doing double duty Steve Harrison driving his # 77 Lucas Oils & Transgears & Diff 4 litre Ford EA Falcon.

Tenth was the second of the Albury Cabinet Coatings team entries, with Ethan Wilson in the #93 Ford XR6, while David Dixon was 11th (#79 Bendigo Hire Holden Gemini) and 12th Corey Gooch in his #28, 6 litre Holden Torana LJ. As with all other categories Super TT had four races, and the first saw Henley win from Chahda 2nd, Jones 3rd, Swanson 4th, Ross Wilson 5th, Harro 6th, Ethan Wilson 8th, Dixon 9th and Baker posting a DNF.

Race 2 and Henley retired on the opening lap, while Chahda went on to win from Ross Wilson, Harro doing a great job to climb up to 3rd, Ethan Wilson 6th and Dixon 7th, while Jones was also a retirement going out on the second lap.

Race 3 saw Chahda again greet the flag first while Swanson came from nowhere to finish 2nd, Harro was 3rd, Ethan Wilson 5th, Dixon 7th and Henley retired again, this time on lap 7 of ten.

For the fourth and final race it was Chahda completed a successful meeting with his third win, while next best was Swanson in 2nd, Harrison third, and Dixon 6th.

The Pulsar Challenge was also on the program, and again it was supported po by BA memBAC bers. be

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Photos by Judi McDonald

After qualifying the Ghetto Racing/Tampered Motorsport team locked out the front row, with Matthew Butters on pole and Lee Nattall alongside, while Matt Thewlis was 6th in his Matt Thewlis Racing/ One Mile entry, Shane Baker 7th in his Anything on Wheels Pulsar, and Tampered Motorsport’s team principal Adam Ronke’s racing protégé Bree Woodland 9th.

Best of the club members in Race 1 was Butters 3rd from Thewlis 5th, Woodland 7th, Nuttal 8th and Baker 10th.

Race 2 and Butters got up to take the win, with Nuttall 5th, Thewlis 7th and Woodland 8th.

Race 3 saw Nuttall best of the BAC drivers finishing 4th, while Woodland was 6th and Thewlis 7th as butters retired on the penultimate lap.

Nuttall was best club finisher in the final race of the day for the Pulsars coming home 3rd, from Thewlis 5th, Woodland 6th and Butters posting his second DNF.

The first of the two events was the Wakefield 300 B Main run over 280 kms, and it saw Adam Ronke and Warren Sheehan retirements before the event even started, when their Mazda MX5 blew a clutch during the morning warm-up.

BAC member Terry Nightingale teamed with Sydney’s Adam Dodd in a TargaRacing Mazda MX5, put in a big effort when they took a dominant win in what was an exciting event.

BAC’s Ross Wood was driving was Sydneysider Roland Rohrl in the laters Ross Wood Electrical Mazda RX7 and they finished 10th, while Phil Portea and Shane Baker were 15th in their Tampered Motorsport entry, a BMW E36 M3.

In 17th driving car #17 was Steve Harrison and Matt Thewlis in the Lucas Oils/ Trans Gear + Diffs Mazda Mx5, while next of

the members in 21st was Ian Kegg in the Excel Series Hyundai Excel that he shared with Dean Evans.

Unfortunately the only other club members were retirements with Bree Woodland in the Tampered Motorsport Nissan Pulsar she shared with Steven Godfrey were listed DNF with 89 laps, and Wagga’s Carl Gibbs who had his father Des Gibbs driving with him in their Subway / Truckart Mitsubishi Starion which registered 64 laps.

The only Benalla Auto Club member in the Wakefield 300 run later in the day was Sydney’s Terry Denovan driving his 6 litre MRA / Menai mufflers Holden Commodore VH he shared with his father in lay Geoff Stockley. They had been running well until Lap 48 when a wheel broke apart and left the car and in doing so damaged the suspension and subsequently causing their retirement.

Clipsal 500 The same weekend as the Valvoline Wakefield saw the Clipsal 500 conducted in the Adelaide Parklands, with members competing V8 Ute, Carrera Cup and Dunlop V8 Series events.

The Dunlop Se-

VALVOLINE WAKEFIELD 300 Wakefield Parks big event of the year the Valvoline Wakefield 300 was run on March 2, and so big was the entry the race was split into two races.

Terry Nightingale

Elliot Barbou r

Ian Kegg

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MARCH 2014

ries was represented by Taz Douglas who finished the 2013 season off in great form, and at Adelaide qualified the #10 Image Racing Ford Falcon FG 5th for the first race, and that was followed up by a fighting fourth place finish in R1.

The second race qualifying saw the former V8 Supercar Championship competitor improve his qualifying slightly to put the FG 4th on the grid and then in the 26 lap second race he did a great job to finish second, and finished the round second behind Triple Eights Paul Dumbrell.

There were two members competing in the hotly contested V8 Utes Series opener for 2014 both driving VE Commodore SS Utes.

Nathan Pretty was driving his #56 CQ Group Australia entry and Holden Commodore VE, and Elliot Barber driving the #57 Just Car Insurance VE. Qualifying saw Pretty end up 13th, while just two spots further back in 15th was Barber. Race 1 and both drivers did extremely well, with Barber the better climbing up to 8th while Pretty was 10th.

The Race 2 reverse grid event saw

Pretty in a great drive finish second while Barber finished 5th. The third and final 9 lap race of the round saw Barber continue his good form with his third top 10 finish in 9th, but Pretty stalled on the grid and had to fight back to finish 16th.

Barber finished the round in 9th while Pretty was 11th.

The Carrera Cup opener for 2014 had Steven Richards driving his beautifully presented #12 Laser Plumbing & Electrical Porsche 911 GT3, and he made a great start to the season.

After qualifying a most impressive second, Richo dropped to 4th in the first 15 lapper, then got back to second for the remaining two races, which saw him leave the round second in the points.

PHILLIP ISLAND CLASSIC The Phillip Island Classic historic race meeting was run on 8-9 March with three drivers from the Benalla Auto Club.

The Group Q & R Racing Cars & Formula 5000 had Luke Doidge driving his #31 Violet Town Garage & Engineer-

ing Cheetah Mk 9.

Q1 15th and in R1 finished 16th outright in the 34 car field, and 2nd in the Group R Racing 3001-5000cc class.

The second race saw him move up to 12th outright and again second in class, while the third had him come home 13th, and second in class ahead of the fourth and final race where he took second in class once again and moved up 11th outright.

The ever popular over 3 litre Historic Touring Cars were on the program and the BAC was represented by the #28 Shearer Road Freight Ford Mustang driven by Alan Shearer and he competed in the Group Nb over 4500cc section.

The first race saw Shearer finish 6th in the big thumping V8, while the 2nd and 3rd events saw him finish 7th and then the final race of the three day meeting he got up to 6th again.

Lee Nutt

all

Carl Gibbs

Bruce Henley & Gregg Jones

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pitstop Matt Butters

Ahmin Chada Matt Thewlis

Greg Jones

Clyde Campbell

Hayley Swanso n Bree Woodlan ds

Terry Denovan

Elliot Barber was also at the me meeting, driving his Holden Commodore in

demonstration runs by several of the immaculately presented and restored Australian 5.0 litre V8 Touring Cars.

Steve Richards

VMRC ďšş WINTON MO TOR RACEWAY Also on the 8/9 March the opening round of the Victorian Motor Racing

Championship was conducted with extremely good sized fields.

Improved production saw Benalla Auto Clubs Melbourne driver Michael Cruse driving his indecently fast Ford Escort in a 36 car field.

Qualifying saw the Cruse 3.4 litre Escort 3rd, and then race 1 he finished 4th,

Elliot Barber

Gus Robbins

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Photos by Judi McDonald Steve Harrison recieves his trophy from Kaylene Johnston

MARCH 2014

Phil Portea

Ross Wood

Shane Baker

Dean Fiorie

Lee Nuttall m Ronke

Warren Sheehan & Ada

ahead of a 9th placed finish in R2 and then in R3 he clawed his way back up to 4th, and that was followed by another fourth place finish in the 4th and final race.

Bruce Henley had a busy day driving the Stawell Cartage Mazda RX7’s in both Improved Production and Sports Sedans. In the Improved Prod races he put the rotary on grid position after qualifying 13th dropped to 18th for Race 1, then jumped up to 13th in R2, 10th in R3 and then 15th in the fourth.

His much faster Stawell Cartage #41 RX7 in the Sports Sedans qualified 4th, and in Race 1 finished 3rd. the second race he placed third again, while R3 was a fine second and the final race he was 4th, so it was a successful weekend for the Stawell Cartage team.

There were two teams in the HQ Holden races with two cars per team driven by BAC members, and in qualifying Stephen Whyte took pole in the #27 Mark McDonald Racing Development entry, while second was teammate and brother Richard Whyte in the #74 HQ. The second team was from Mansfield Motors, and their driver Peter McNeill was 12th and Jacob Taylor 15th.

Stephen Whyte won the first race from pole, the two Mansfield cars were together having swapped position with Taylor 11th and McNeill 12th. The second Mark McDonald entry driven by Richard Whyte retired from the race on lap 5 of 7.

Race two and Stephen Whyte dropped to 6th, while Richard Whyte recovered from the rear of the grid to

come home 8th, McNeill 9th and Taylor was a non starter.

Race 3 saw Stephen Whyte take a great win after starting 6th, Richard Whyte 5th, McNeil 10th and Taylor failed to finish.

Race 4 was yet another exciting race, and saw Stephen Whyte drop to third, as McNeill came home 8th, Richard Whyte climbed up to 3rd, McNeill 8th, teammate Taylor 10th and Stephen Whyte dropping to 11th.

Chris Lewis-Williamson competed in the Porsche 944 championship opener, with Lewis-Williamson qualifying third in the #1 G Floor / Rocket Digital / HTP 944, a Lewis-Williamson dropped a place to 4th in Race 1, In Race 2 Lewis-Williamson was third, then in the final event Race 3, Lewis-Williamson was third again.

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THRILLING TWO RACES OF THE WAKEFIELD 300

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T

he 2014 running of the Valvoline Wakefield 300 on the weekend will go down in history as the ‘Bathurst 300’, due to the huge number of entries received, the race was run in two divisions, and each was won by Bathurst driver’s, Brad Shiels and Terry Nightingale.

Sunday mornings B Main conducted over 280 km’s saw Nightingale team up with Sydney car dealer Adam Dodd in a TargaRacing Mazda MX5, and after a very wet Saturday qualifying Nightingale had set a time

in the near standard Mazda which was well into the top half of the field, but as the race was set to be run in dry conditions, so that was thrown into the equation when the final makeup of the B Main field Nightingale the race from second on the grid, and he grabbed the lead on the first lap at Turn 3 of the 2.2 km Wakefield Park circuit on the opening lap, and then got into a frantic dice. The A Main was also a frantci affair with 9 Drivers leading during the race. The range of cars included Lotus,

BMW, Mitsubishi EVO, Mazda RX7’s and MX5’s as the frantic pace caused many to drop from the lead.

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ast weekend’s Valvoline Wakefield 300 conducted at Wakefield Park provided some of the most exciting racing ever seen on the 2.2km Goulburn circuit after the 300 was split into two races due to the high number of entries received.

After more than 80 teams nominated for the event from most states and territories around Australia. and one a Hong Kong based Brit, there were 70 in total that took to the track in the Wakefield 300 and the 280 km B Main.

After both practice and qualifying was conducted on Saturday in extremely wet conditions, both races were run on Sunday under cloudy skies but free of rain.

The attrition race was very high in both races particularly the Wakefield 300, which was dominated by the high powered Lotus sports cars, with the Andrew Macpherson and Brad Shiels AMAC Motorsport Lotus Exige taking the chequered flag after 2 hours:50mins.09secs of exciting racing.

Second was another Lotus Exige driven by the Queensland pairing of John Prefontaine and Robert

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Hackwood, and third the Glenn Townsend/Anthony Soole Lotus Elise, both on the same lap as the winners.

The trend of Valvoline Wakefield 300 pole sitters never going on to win the race continued in 2014. The Steve Anslow/Rick Shaw V8 powered Mazda RX 7 had pole this year, and with Shaw at the wheel won the start and sprinted off into the distance, only to have the diff fail while leading after just 42 laps.

The race then had several leaders before Macpherson/Shiels, who had problems themselves early with a misfire and were forced to pit and dropped two laps, finished the race.

There were many hard luck stories at or near the front of the field, including the Lotus Exige of Steve Shelly with his son Jake Shelly this year in a Lotus Elise - Jake was on a hat-trick of wins - for they led for 42 laps until they slowed and stopped with a wheel failure, caused by wheel studs that had sheared off, and subsequently causing them to lose a wheel.

The Prefontaine/Hackwood entry were also hard done by, for they

had also had a share of the lead, but had to serve a drive through penalty when they overtook under a yellow caution flag was displayed.

The same flag also affected a shocked Brian Anderson who led for a time, but as Anderson slowed for the flag was hit from behind by an unaware driver and the TargaRacing BMW M3 E46 Anderson was driving with Gerry Murphy received a black mechanical flag to repair a loose rear panel dislodged by the hit from behind.

The Macpherson/Shiels Lotus inherited the lead on L108 after the Queensland Lotus served its drive through, and they then held on to it to the end on L137, taking the flag by 8 seconds.

Held earlier in the day, the B Main was equally as exciting, and saw TargaRacing take a most de-serving win with one of their Mazda MX5’s driven by Bathurst’s Terry ry Nightingale and Sydney car dealer ler Adam Dodd.

Nightingale started the race from rom second on the grid, and jumped to the lead on the opening lap. He was then in a great scrap for the lead with the Avo Sogomanian and

MARCH 2014

Endree Saade Parramatta Prestige BMW M3 E36, the pair swapping positions on three occasions.

A third car then came into the dice, with the Jake Camilleri/ Scott Nicholas Grand Prix Mazda 3 catching them after starting from the rear of the grid, and he got into the lead on L13 and held it for 22 laps before making an unscheduled pit stop with a flat tyre.

The Sogomanian/Saade BMW then re-inherited the lead on L36, but Nightingale was in pursuit pulling time out of his lead in heavy traffic, and then on L53 he got by again in and held it until the compulsory stop and driver change 10 laps later, having lapped all but one car. Eight laps later the BMW was retired with a broken power steering hose.

The Queensland husband and wife team Peter and Robyn Lacey then moved into second in their Mazda MX5 with the demise of Sogomanian/Saade, and held it until the hard charging CXC Global Mitsubishi Evo 9 of Dave Thomas and Gavin Holland caught them with Thomas at the wheel them, and got by.

Rain then started to fall, but it did not last long, and the Evo was running the TargaRacing car down Dodd then really increased the pace and pushed the little 2 litre naturally aspirated MX5 to the limit, holding the lead stationary at 3 seconds.

However, the Camilleri/Nicholas Mazda 3 which had rejoined the race was soon to grind to

a halt when the gearbox which was stuck in fourth gear finally failed altogether.

The safety Car was deployed and when it went back behind the wall it left a one lap dash to the finish, but there was a car two laps down between them, and he seemed intent on trying to overtake the leader who was enough trouble contending with Thomas, however he withstood the pressure to hold on to win by 9/10th of a second from Thomas and the Lacey’s who held on to third. The race after the 127 laps was 02hr:48m:23.3294secs.

From a Goulburn point of view, the Nightingale Motorsport EL Ford Falcon sponsored by Lilac City Motor Inn won its Division and finished 11th outright.

ends

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BP MIDLAND / PEDDERS “NO BULL” SPRINTS REPORT Round 1 for 2014 of the BP Midlands / Pedders “No Bull” Winton Sprints was a wet affair. The day started wet and slowly got better through the day.

A good turn up of members for the season opener with H2 and C Class being the most popular. John Cutting took out second in his SSS Pulsar in class while Chris Quinn in the proton came in fourth. Jason Anderson in his Aussie Race Car was third in Class C with Roger Hall and Ian Tavare also performing well in Class.

Class H1 also had a big line up of Cars Matt Butters & Lee Nuttall in the Pulsar’s were

4th & 5th while Justin Aylett and Michael Bouwmeester also ran well in class. H2 had the biggest line up of members with Rod Smith, Ross Wilson and Wes Deane locking out the podium. Glenn Postlehwaite was 4th, Pat Duncan 6th, Steve McKimmie 7th Steve lee 8th and Trevor Lee, Joe Strickland and Phil Deane just outside the top 8.

Bree Woodlands won the Ladies class in her first drive in the Pulsar, While Gordon Sheppard, Colin Joss and Greg Jones finished 2nd, 3rd and 4th respectively in Super TT Lites. In Class T Gordon Douglas was second and Geoff Rudolph was just outside the top 10. The next round is on May the 11th.

Class A Pos 1 2 3 4 5

Car 11 592 86 77 170

Driver Adam Gowans John Cutting Troy Harper Chris Quinn Christian Lording

Vehicle Toyota 86 1991 Pulsar SSS Toyota 86 Proton Satria Mazda MX5

STD 01:45.9 01:54.1 02:01.1 02:02.1 02:04.3

FLY 01:39.9 01:50.1 01:46.3 01:55.2 02:00.8

Total 03:25.8 03:44.2 03:47.4 03:57.3 04:05.1

Class B Pos

Car

Driver

Vehicle

STD

FLY

Total

1

71

Allan Rodgers

BMW E30

01:52.1

01:47.9

03:40.0

2

5

James Harris

BMW 528i

01:53.1

01:48.2

03:41.3

3

132

Brian Cooper

BMW E36 -325i

01:56.4

01:47.5

03:43.9

Class C Pos

Car

Driver

Vehicle

STD

FLY

Total

1

30

Mitchell Quiddington

Sabre OZ

01:42.4

01:37.6

03:20.0

2

134

Paul Edwards

2002 Clubman

01:44.4

01:41.1

03:25.6

3

47

Jason Anderson

Aussie Face Car

01:45.5

01:40.4

03:25.9

4

87

Mark Mitchell

Sabre OZ

01:45.9

01:41.7

03:27.6

5

42

Morgan Lynch

Formula Vee

01:48.3

01:40.3

03:28.5

6

18

Andrew Clark

Sabre OZ

01:49.9

01:39.4

03:29.3

7

20

Roger Hall

Bingham Renault

01:54.5

01:47.9

03:42.4

8

123

Alan Pettett

Lotus 23B

01:54.7

01:48.0

03:42.6

9

6

Ian Tavare

Chev Legend

01:52.9

01:50.4

03:43.3

10

164

Jim Follan

PBR Clubman

01:56.0

01:49.1

03:45.1

11

51

John Buxton

Echidna Clubman

01:55.2

01:50.8

03:46.0

12

76

Charles Haynes

RenMax Sports

01:58.4

01:51.7

03:50.1

13

176

Anthony Duvoisin

Nota Formula Vee

02:01.3

01:53.4

03:54.6

18

MARCH 2014

Class LDY Pos

Car

Driver

Vehicle

STD

FLY

Total

1

16

Breanna Woodland

Nissan Pulsar

02:01.7

01:56.4

03:58.1

2

32

Marlene Nixon

Nissan March

02:03.4

01:58.7

04:02.1

3

17

Christine Brymner

Mazda MX5

02:21.4

02:02.6

04:24.1

Class Clas Cl ass H1 Pos

Car

Driver

Vehicle

STD

FLY

Total

1

178

Daniel Reynolds

2006 Mazda MX5

01:52.2

01:38.7

03:30.8

2

344

Peter Short

Datsun Stanza

01:48.0

01:43.9

03:31.9

3

66

Kevin Kosa

Ford Escort

01:49.4

01:43.5

03:33.0

4

23

Matthew Butters

Pulsar

01:50.6

01:45.6

03:36.1

5

10

Lee Nuttall

Pulsar

01:51.0

01:46.8

03:37.8

6

1

Max Healy

Nissan Pulsar

01:52.2

01:47.2

03:39.4

7

95

Joshua Heath

1992 Pulsar

01:57.1

01:47.7

03:44.8

8

36

Justin Aylett

Toyota Corolla

01:54.3

01:50.5

03:44.8

9

111

John Markwick

Nissan Pulsar

02:01.5

01:53.9

03:55.4

10

31

Stan Nixon

Nissan March

02:02.5

01:59.3

04:01.9

11

9

Michael Bouwmeester Mazda MX5

02:05.9

02:01.5

04:07.4

Class H2 Pos

Car

Driver

Vehicle

STD

FLY

Total

1

79

Rod Smith

Ford Falcon

01:45.0

01:39.8

03:24.8

2

128

Ross Wilson

Ford XR8

01:48.0

01:40.5

03:28.4

3

63

Wes Deane

Ford Falcon

01:48.6

01:43.1

03:31.7

01:48.1

01:44.2

03:32.4

4

116

Glen Postlehwaite

Holden VT Commodore

5

138

Mark Hendrickson

Ford TE Cortina

01:51.2

01:46.2

03:37.3

6

110

Patrick Duncan

1988 Commodore 01:51.2

01:47.0

03:38.1

7

391

Stephen McKimmie

Ford EF Falcon

01:51.8

01:47.2

03:39.0

8

351

Steven Lee

Ford Falcon

01:51.6

01:47.6

03:39.2

9

34

David Schmidt

Ford XR8

01:53.0

01:48.8

03:41.8

10

35

Trevor Lee

Ford Falcon

01:54.2

01:48.4

03:42.5

11

14

Joe Strickland

Holden Commodore

01:53.4

01:49.8

03:43.3

12

4

Stewart Anstis

Toyota Soarer

01:54.6

01:50.9

03:45.5

13

251

Phil Deane

Ford Falcon

01:57.3

01:51.1

03:48.4

19

pitstop Class STT Pos

Car

Driver

Vehicle

STD

FLY

Total

1

55

Kevin Mackrell

1975 Datsun 260Z

01:34.0

01:43.5

03:17.5

2

48

Gordon Shepherd

Toyota Celica

01:46.4

01:40.7

03:27.0

3

78

Colin Joss

BMW M3

01:50.7

01:36.6

03:27.4

4

93

Greg Jones

BMW e36

01:46.5

01:41.1

03:27.6

5

29

Andrew Knight

Escort Van

01:47.6

01:43.3

03:30.9

6

19

Jesse Rudolph

Ford Anglia

01:53.8

01:51.4

03:45.2

Class T Pos

Car

Driver

Vehicle

STD

FLY

Total

1

129

Jim Hepworth

Mazda RX7

01:42.1

01:37.2

03:19.4

2

15

G Douglas

Ford Focus

01:44.6

01:41.7

03:26.2

3

59

Greg Keen

1994 Skyline

01:44.5

01:42.5

03:27.0

4

22

Zacryha Zahra

Nissan R33

01:47.6

01:42.8

03:30.4

5

101

Peter Hill

Ford XF

01:47.8

01:45.2

03:33.0

6

107

Jay Medwin

Subaru Impreza

01:51.0

01:42.8

03:33.8

7

13

Ashley Clayton

Nissan Skyline

01:51.1

01:45.3

03:36.4

8

26

Anthony Mayberry

1993 Skyline

01:56.8

01:49.4

03:46.3

9

7

Wayne Medwin

Subaru GC8

01:59.6

01:46.9

03:46.5

10

161

Clem Mayberry

1995 Nissan R33

02:00.3

01:48.8

03:49.1

11

191

Geoff Rudolph

Ford Anglia

02:02.9

01:54.6

03:57.5

20

MARCH 2014

Wakefield Report February and March has been an incredible month at Wakefield Park. It started in the first week of February with the lotus club having an unprecedented number of participants at Wakefield of 110 super sprinters. The next day the MX5 club had booked out with a much more manageable 70 competitors.

V8 race had 4 solid days of V8 hot laps taking around 3000 laps per day. The following weekend was the HSRCA Summer Historic meeting with 160 entries.

The first weekend in March is the one we look forward to the most at Wakefield Park the Valvoline Wakefield 300. This year we welcomed Valvoline as our major sponsor and with 98 teams entered it was a fantastic year for them to come on board. It was the first year we live streamed the event and the streaming numbers showed the event is a popular one. The Pulsar Challenge also returned to Wakefield and with 17 entries (16 starters) it was more impressive to see the number of people who had come specifically just to watch the Pulsars in the view

of building or they were already in the build phase. Another category that continues to grow is the Stockcars, numbers are now up to 6 with two more on the water and should arrive before next round. There is no better sound than the thundering V8 Nascar and with the success of Marcos Ambrose stock car racing could catch on well in Australia, We will defiantly through our support behind it.

The second weekend in March was the Formula Xtreme Road Racing Club, a club we have partnered with to build club level motorcycle racing. Last years was its first year and this round had over doubled its numbers with 87 entries. We think it will still take a couple of years before it really hits its straps but these numbers are above were we were expecting the series to be at this stage.

The Following weekend was probably one of the biggest weekends of racing at Wakefield Park in is 20 year history. The opening round of the 2014 Swann Insurance Australisian Superbike Champi-

onship. oer 150 entries including 31 superbikes and 29 supersports made it one if not the biggest National Road Race Events in the country’s history. The series is run from Wakefield Park by Gloria and Terry O’Neill and the fruits of the work over the past 5 years were defiantly on show.

Whilst it’s been busy times at Wakefield it continues to get busier with the last weekend of March being the NSW state Championships followed the week later by the Festival of Sports Cars then Easter the second round of the Formula Xtreme club championship then ANZAC weekend our second MRA round Then 3 weeks later the opening round of the Australian Super Truck Nationals.

Hopefully you can make it to one of these events if you can drop in and say hello to the Wakefield Staff who are always up for a chat.

Matthew Ronke Executive Officer

21

pitstop

V8 Supercars Winton 400 April 4-6 Preview

Photos by Judi McDonald

Round 3 of the 2014 V8 Supercar Championship visits Winton Motor Raceway. The Nation’s Action track didn’t get its name for nothing.

Wheel to Wheel action between Australia’s best Touring Car drivers over 3 days on April 4/5/6 for 400km of racing.

In 2013 three different marquees took Victory at Winton in the three entertaining races.

Race 25 and James Moffat was eight when a Nissan last won. His famous dad Allan was still racing.

Two of the greats, Mark Skaife and Jim Richards won Bathurst that year in 1992, and that famous podium quote went down in Australian sporting folklore.

22

A year since Nissan introduced it was returning to V8 Supercars after 21 years away they scored their first n that, it was a win. Even better than on ‘Hornets’ one-two finish. Norton Moffat and Michael Caruso held steady hands to lead from start to finish when Red Bull Racing Ausup had a failure tralia’s Jamie Whincup when leading.

Caruso and Moffat finished the first half of the race 1-2,, with third-placed Winterbottom tom behind and conscious off the Championship picture at the end of the first 20 laps.

It was a well-deserved win for the arly happy Nissans, Moffat particularly d with the given he has just re-signed

team on a new multi-year deal.

Caruso had led the first half of the 60/60 format but let Moffat through at the rolling restart.

It was Moffat, who got the jump from the rolling restart. Caruso made sure there were no issues between the teammates at the first

MARCH 2014

corner, preserving the chance of an ultimate result for his team.

Just as Whincup looked to be in complete control as he has done so many time,s he had a massive malfunction of the front straight when approaching 220km an hour. Something ‘broke’ according to Whincup and he immediately pulled off the road.

It left the two Nissan Hornets in the lead with Winterbottom behind and closing the Championship points gap on Whincup.

Moffat became the 11th different driver to win a V8 Supercars race this season, and the fourth to win his first race this year. race 26 Mark Winterbottom had raced into contention for the V8 Supercars Championship winning the morning race, while points leader Jamie Whincup was eliminated from contention in a first lap collision.

Winterbottom, had never won at Winton, launched into the lead at the start in his FPR Pepsi Max Ford Falcon from third on the grid as Pole man Jason Bright hesitated.

Whincup was an innocent victim when Alex Premat skidded across the infield and back into the pack.

Russell Ingall’s Supercheap Auto Commodore was out on the spot, while Whincup pitted four times before retiring his Red Bull Racing

Australia Commodore.

Winterbottom established an early gap but several times during the race Bright closed on to his him but could never get close enough to make a lunge.

Factory Holden driver James Courtney finished third after passing D’Alberto, who held off Shane van Gisbergen and David Reynolds to claim fourth.

Race 27 HRT’s James Courtney had led from Pole Position to take Race 27 of the V8 Supercars Championship.

Courtney is the 12th different winner for 2013 and this jumped him into sixth in the Championship. It was his first win with HRT since Abu Dhabi 2011, and he won both races at Winton Raceway in 2010.

Bad luck struck many of the top 10 Championship runners with Red Bull Racing Australia having had a terrible weekend of results.

Courtney got a great jump off the start, and as he sailed away at the beginning of Race 27, chaos ensued behind.

Todd Kelly speared into the infield after contact and Scott Pye’s Commodore was on fire – literally.

While Pye managed to jump out quickly, his Commodore was worse for wear.

The incidents saw the first Safety

Car, and Courtney led Mostert and Will Davison at the restart.

Lap 22, contact between Rick Kelly and Winterbottom saw Kelly run wildly to the in-field – and another broken right rear for the team.

Jason Bright, who had been in fourth, also ran off-track and found himself stuck in the mud, to bring out another Safety Car. The race went green with just five laps to go and the question was whether those with the new tyres had enough time to continue to climb.

Coulthard made it to second, but was a drag race to the end between Mostert and Tander for the last podium position. Mostert – who is proving himself a strong contender – held on to third, his second podium in consecutive events.

2014 will 5 different marquees with Volovo joining Erebus AMG, Nissan and the traditional Ford Vs Holden. Already this year Volvo have won an event at the Australian Grand Prix and Nissan taken a pole.

Erebus AMG have had a number of top 10 and Holden and Ford are always strong at Winton. the 2014 race is looking like being one of the best yet.

Photos by Judi McDonald

23

Winton Report March 2014 W hat a VMRC! Record entry numbers of over 190. We have had over 200 before but that was when the Champion of Winton merged with the CAMS state Circuit racing series for the first year to form the original VMRC. It the biggest AASA meeting held at Winton as well and it was great to see so many cars in so many different categories. The PRB from NSW joined us for theweekend while the Vic Excel series made its first time on track and with six cars was a great effort.

One category I am very proud that we have helped to a degree is the Vic V8’s. They put on a great show and it was BAC Club member Ross Wilson first win.

The racing was fantastic, 37 Sports Sedans thrilled everyone along the fence and they will put on an even bigger show in a few weeks time supporting the V8 Supercar at the Winton 400. Improved Production and formula Vee as well as the BMW E30 all had great races. The HQ didn’t disappoint and there were plenty of club members in the field to cheer on.

The attention turns to the V8 Supercars on April 4,5 & 6 for the

Winton 400. If the first two events of 2014 are anything to go by the V8 Supercars at Winton will be a cracker. Whilst there are only 25 cars the competitiveness will be unseen before at Winton. Nissan won last year the Volvo looks to handle well. Ford & Holden took a win each last year and the Erebus cars had one of their better performances at Winton last year. The support line up will be good with the Development series , Touring Car Masters making a return, Formula 2 and over 40 Sports Sedans to wow the crowd. If you are using your members ticket make sure you use the Fox Street gate. Also this year you will be able to use your members ticket to gain addock access.

If you have some spare time the week before many club members volunteer to help out around the facility whilst we put the final touches together to show off Winton to the Motorsport public.

Crawling the Hume will once again visit Winton raceway on April the 12th. It is a convoy of Historic Trucks. Last time they stopped over there were hundreds of some fantastic classic trucks making their way from

Melbourne to Albury. If you get a chance to come out and have a look you won’t be disappointed.

Our Brand new event Easter Car Mania will kick off just two weeks after the V8’s. Its modeled of the highly successful Performance Car Mania and will attract around 200 + cars. It will have all the same events the PCM has and a bigger emphasis on the Dyno Comp with our new Dyno thanks to Dyno Dynamics.

Speaking of the Dyno, The New Dyno will be installed soon and will be available at test and tune days with or without a tuner. There has been a lot of interest in the dyno so far and hopefully it will attract more clubs looking to do their National style events where we can offer Dyno activities, Skid Pad / Motorkahan and the Full circuit across a couple of days.

ANZAC weekend we have the Victorian Time Attack. This style of sprint continues to grow in popularity each year and 2014 will be its second year. It will feature the fastest cars in Victoria on street legal tyres

ADAM RONKE

MARCH 2014

25

pitstop

VMRC Sports Sedans 8th / 9th March

T

he trend for bigger fields continued where it left off from last year, with 37 entries for Round 1 of the 2014 championship at Winton. Dean Camm (Five Star Fencing Corvette) was another making a return to the Vic State Championship after a few years away, whilst Ian Rice (Esjay Commercial Plastering) entered Dean’s old Honda Prelude. Bruce Henley (Stawell Cartage) showcased his new purchase from USA, the ex Patrick Dempsey 20B powered Mazda RX8. Prahran’s fastest Plumber, Bob Gill was back for another go at the championship with Number 1 on the door and Chas Talbot (Pakenham Tyres Corvette), Graeme Gilliland (P&L Mechanical/G&G Engineering RX7) and Stephen Craig (Craig Civil Design Gemini) were all their to try and take it off him.

26

Brett Dickie’s Performance Motorsport Honda team was out looking to take control of the Under 2 litre championship as was Steve Howard (Lightning Locksmiths Corolla) and Paul Thomson (MDS Performance Alfa GTV).

Mini racer Scott Manson (YourNextCar.com.au) bought along another Mini racer, Daniel Zandt (Echuca Toyota). Several more new faces were also having their first outing, Ran Maclurkin (Built by Wizards/Raced by Madmen 180sx), Paul Pennisi (Edge Glass commodore) and Terry Hamilton (Dandy Engine Reconditioning VS) Race 1, Chris Muscat led from the start and took a convincing win in the 7 lap race despite an engine misfire in the closing stages. Camm was in second for 5 laps until he slowed with overheating issues and eventu-

ally had to stop with 1 lap remaining. This allowed Woodman to get through for second and Henley’s RX8 to take 3rd.

Inwood made his way through the field after a bad start, closing on Hislop in the final stages. Pennisi, Gilliland and Craig had a race long battle as did Talbot and Edhouse.

Dickie was doing a fantastic job in the 2 litre Honda to dice with Hamilton and Gill but just couldn’t match the big horsepower of the V8’s on the straights.

Adrian Skinner (Thirdchildvineyard.com.au Datsun 1600) was winning the fight of the smaller cars in the group behind Dickie, holding off Manson and Howard. Thomson was struggling with rear grip, falling back into the clutches of Zandt and Maclurkin who raced hard for the entire 7 laps.

Photos by Judi McDonald

Race 2, Hislop got the jump off the start and led Muscat for 3/4 lap.

Once Muscat found a way past the big falcon he pulled away from the pack. Thomson had a spin at turn 1 in front of Zandt and Maclurkin.

Both avoiding the Alfa. Woodman held 3rd for a few laps before getting a run on Hislop on the run up the hill into turn 3, allowing him through for second place. Muscat’s ignition issue from yesterday came back in the last couple of laps as Woodman closed in. Hislop, Henley and Inwood battled hard for third. Muscat just held on for the win ahead of Woodman, Hislop, Henley, Inwood, Gilliland and Pennisi. Exciting racing throughout the field.

Once again dicing right throughout the field with action at every turn. Gill had an off, putting him

down the order and Maclurkin got in front of Zandt making it 1 all in their own private battle. Great drive from Gilliland to get up to 5th amongst some very quick cars.

Race 3, Hislop again got the jump on Muscat into turn 1 with Inwood up into third. Muscat got in front at turn 3 only to have an off on the run onto the straight pushing him back to 10th. Woodman got through from 5th to 2nd and battled hard with Hislop for the lead as Inwood and Henley battled behind them for third. Woodman finally got through on Hislop at turn 3 on lap 4. Henley got through for second relegating Hislop to third. Woodman first followed by Henley, Inwood and Hislop. Gilliland 5th with Muscat closing in but unable to catch him as the troublesome misfire again plagued the Centreline RX7 in the closing stages.

The Nissan’s of Maclurkin and Haysom both had engine dramas resulting in DNF’s. Pennisi Edhouse and Craig battled hard to finish in that order and Dickie drove himself up into the top 10 in front of Hamilton, Gill and Thomson.

Zandt closed in on Howard in the final laps but just couldn’t get close enough to make a pass on the Corolla.

Race 4, Ray Hislop elected not to run the final race so his crew could get back to Melbourne in time for

the last plane home to Tassie, leaving fourth position on the grid free.

Woodman got the lead off the start.

Henley and Muscat came together on the run into turn 1 as Gilliland went up the inside into second.

Muscat spun with damage and couldn’t restart, bringing out the safety car. Henley pitted under safety car to check for damage and rejoined in last position. Craig made his way to 5th battling with Pennisi for 4th. Dickie pulled away from Gill to take 8th place comfortably in the under 2 litre Prelude. With 2 laps to go Gilliland slowed out of 3rd place with a problem letting Pennisi through with Henley closing in on Craig. Woodman pulled away from Inwood for a comfortable win. A big gap to Pennisi in third. Henley beat Craig to the line for 4th by a whisker. Edhouse 6th followed by Dickie in the first of the under 2 litre cars with Skinner and Clark not far behind him. Gilliland managed to nurse the car home to a top 10 result. Zandt improving every race managed do get in front of Howard and was closing in on fellow Mini racer, Manson in the last couple of laps.

Gilliland takes the Class C win ahead of Craig by just 4 points while Dickie has a comfortable 15 point lead over Howard in Class D

27

pitstop

SENSATIONAL OP SUPERBIKE ROUN

T

he opening round of the 2014 Swann Insurance Australasian Superbike Championship was run and won at Wakefield Park on March 14-16, with Team Honda Racing rider Jamie Stauffer taking out overall honours on the day.

In a thrilling day on the track at Wakefield Park, Stauffer managed a third place, race win, and second place from his three races, to claim a narrow two-point lead atop of the overall leaderboard from nearest rival Glenn Allerton.

28

Allerton – riding for Next Gen Motorsports BMW, started strongly winning the opening Superbike race of the day, but could only manage third place in each of the remaining races.

Motul Honda rider Wayne Maxwell finished the day strongly with a win in the third race, however sixth placing in the opening race and second in the second race could only see him manage third overall.

Sean Condon (second, fourth and sixth from his three races)

Sean Condon was the surprise on the Bike Biz Kawasaki

and Troy Herfoss (fifth, fifth and fourth from his three races) rounded off the top-five.

The incredible action again highlighted that this will be the premier class of Road Racing in Australia in 2014.

In the Supersport class, consistency was the key to ensuring that Yamaha rider Callum Spriggs finished the day at the top of the outright standings, after a third place, win and second place in his three races.

MARCH 2014

PENING SWANN ND AT WAKEFIELD. Aaron Morris did enough on board his Yamaha to take second overall – the talented rider wining the first and third races but a crash relegated him to ninth in the second race.

Yamaha Rider Aiden Wagner rounded out the Supersport podium after a consistent day which saw the pilot register a second placing and two third-placings from his three races.

Daniel Falzon (fifth, second and fourth from his three races) and Matt Davies (fourth, sixth and fifth from his three races) rounded off the top-five.

Brandon Demmery took out the Kawasaki Insurances FX 300 Ninja Cup ahead of Kyle Buckley and Bailee Perriton – the same three riders finished in the same order in the Ninja Under 21 class.

In the Kawasaki Ninja FX 250 category, Grant Jordan finished in front of Stuart Green and Craig White in the overall standings.

Glenn Scott won two of the three races in the Forumla Oz class to take the outright honours while Sophie Lovett produces the same feat to take the overall points in the Forumla Oz

B-Grade class.

Jason Eacott and Michael Witchard both completed clean-sweeps on the day to take the overall win in the Formula Oz C-Grade and D-Grade classes respectively.

Angus Reekie won all three races to claim top spot in the Nakedbikes – F1 class, while Craig McMartin swept the Pro-Twins F1 class.

The Next round heads to South Australia and Mallala Raceway on May 3- 5. Its the first Time since 2009 Superbikes have race in SA.

Jamie Stauffer took the victory on the Motul Team Honda

29

Frontal Head Restraints to Become Compulsory in 2015 For all State & National CAMS Races

The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) is to make use of Frontal Head Restraints (FHR) mandatory from mid-2014.

FHR’s are a safety device that reduces the likelihood of head and/ or neck injuries and are already compulsory in many motor sport events worldwide.

Formula 1® mandated FHR devices called HANS (Head and Neck Support) in 2003 after extensive testing and these products are also mandatory in Australia’s premier touring car category, the V8 Supercars Championship.

CAMS Chief Executive Eugene Arocca says it’s time the devices were made mandatory in all levels of Australian motor sport and expects this decision will be embraced nationwide.

“We have a responsibility to continually review safety in motor sport and we felt it was an opportune time to review mandatory use of Frontal Head Restraints.

“Safety is paramount in this sport. Ultimately the industry will embrace Frontal Head restraints at all levels and we are very comfortable making this decision as part of our responsibility in regulating motor sport in this country.

“The facts and the information supporting FHRs is overwhelming. Use a Frontal Head Restraint and your chances of surviving a significant motor sport incident are far better than without.” said Arocca.

The purpose of FHR devices is to stop the head from whipping forward in a crash, without restricting the movement of the neck, as an FHR device maintains the relative position of the head to the body.

CAMS has resolved to introduce regulations which mandate the use of forward head restraints in accordance with FIA standards as follows: From 1 July, 2014 all international and national circuit races, road events and off road events, except where specifically exempted due to the type of vehicle; From 1 January, 2015, all state circuit races, road events and off road events, except where specifically exempted due to the type of vehicle.

30

CAMS will conduct an assessment to monitor the introduction and to determine its application to other disciplines and lower level competition.

In the meantime, competitors are reminded that the use of these restraints remains highly recommended.

Arocca said: “Personally, if I was competing at an event I would use a Frontal Head Restraint irrespective of the level of motor sport. Most importantly, this will be phased in together with an ongoing monitoring process, which we believe is the best way forward.

"In real terms, when you consider that the cost of a basic FHR is equivalent to two good quality tyres, it would be difficult to logically argue against the mandating of FHR, particularly given the FHR will outlast the tyres by a number of years."

Former V8 Supercar driver and Australian motor sport legend Mark Skaife believes this is a significant moment in the history of Australian motor sport and all drivers at all levels will be better off.

“I think to make it compulsory now is absolutely required.” said Skaife He added: “The shift in policy is like when seat belts were introduced. At the end of the day we would not go racing without seat belts. Frontal Head Restraints are the same.

“They take a little bit of getting used to in making sure the seat belts conform to body shape, but for me it’s a one hundred percent guaranteed thing that you should wear for any sort of motor sport.”

“For me, to make it compulsory now, is a great thing.

Elite drivers consider FHR devices as essential as their helmet. V8 Supercar Driver and CAMS Driver Development Manager Karl Reindler recalls one occasion in particular where a Frontal Head Restraint proved invaluable.

“With the accident I had in Perth in 2011, it saved my life.

I walked away from that accident with some burns but had I not had my Frontal Head Restraint on, who knows what the result could have been?”

MARCH 2014

31