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Issue No. 062 8-14 July 2008

BLUE BLOODS
FORD BACKS FPR & STONES,
BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

HOMEBUSH ... or BUST

Eastern creek out, oran park gone.
it’s homebush or nothing for v8SA 

 The ‘A’ Team

Australasian
Editorial
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Contributing Writers 20 Branagan It’s not doom and gloom

F1: Will Buxton, Mark Glendenning, Paolo

race
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US: Martin D. Clark, Phil Morris 24 Richo’s win Hidden Valley V8s
Speedway: Greg Boscato, Geoff Rounds,
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Rally: Ryan Lahiff
Drag Racing: Dave Ostaszewski (USA), 32 Bowe V Richo Biante Masters in Darwin
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38 NASCAR Daytona 400
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 – NEWS OF THE WEEK –
Ford’s new direction

Dirk Klynsmith

10 QUESTIONS ... AND THE ANSWERS YOU NEED

Will there be a third manufacturer in V8
Supercars in 2009?
No. Given the time involved in
homologating the Commodore VE
and Falcon FG, it would be practically
impossible to do a new car, from scratch, in
time for the 2009 season.
So, what will there be?
There will be teams with Fords, teams
with Holdens and teams with ‘unbranded
V8 Supercars’. For instance, a team
spokesperson said that the TeamVodafone
cars would run no marque badging of any
kind next year.
What will the other teams do?
They have not been abandoned per se,
as Ford has confirmed that it will supply
bodyshells, panels and technical backup to
the teams. And those teams will be able to
sell the panel space previously allocated to
Ford decals.
How does this affect Craig Lowndes’s Ford
deal?
That deal runs until the end of this year.
Lowndes will have a relatively small Ford
badge on his racesuit and, perhaps, helmet
next season. No-one else in the team,
including Jamie Whincup, will wear any
Ford ID at all.
Will SBR supply its engines to FPR?
No. FPR’s in-house engine program will
continue but there will be a degree of
technical commonality and part-sharing
between Ford’s two ‘works’ programs.
Who will build the other teams’ FG racecars?
Some will build their own from the Ford-
supplied body shells – DJR has indicated
that they will build their own, for instance
– but others will buy ‘customer’ technology
from the already established teams.
Will SBR change its colours next season?
Both the team and Ford have indicated
that there will be a greater percentage of
corporate blue on the cars next season.
Ross Stone says that he does not insist on
blue road cars for the team – but he does
not allow red ones …
Will TeamVodafone run Holdens next year?
Or even one Ford/one Holden?
In a sport where ‘never say never’ is a strong
slogan, it is hard to see this happening.
T8 has supply programs to Ford teams in
place and, if Holden Motorsport does prefer
Walkinshaw Performance to supply its
customer teams, it is difficult to see Roland
Dane doing a deal with Tom Walkinshaw.
Lowndes back in a Holden? Nooooo …
Why didn’t TeamVodafone just change its
colours from red to blue, in a bid to keep
Ford on-side?
The team’s Vodafone deal is much bigger
than its Ford deal, so even it there had been
a choice to make, it would have been a no-
brainer. In a funny way, the loss of Ford may
actually help stimulate merchandising sales.
For instance, at Bathurst, there are separate
Holden and Ford merchandising areas and
now, T8 can have a presence in both.
Why did Ford take so long to make its
announcement?
The exit of Tom Gorman and the arrival of
Bill Osborne in the President’s office did not
help, and the company claims its priority
was the launch of the G-Series road car,
not its race program. But all that time does
make the decision to inform the teams of
the decision after telling a media outlet
seem a bit … odd.

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 news

Stones, FPR keep Ford dollars

TRIPLE 8 Race Engineering and Dick
Johnson Racing appear to be the losers,
at least in the short-term, in Ford’s
realignment of its V8 Supercar efforts.
After months of delays, Ford revealed
its plans last week, and while Ford
Performance Racing’s positions as the
marque’s works team continues as
expected, the biggest shock was that
TeamVodafone will run without direct Ford
backing in the future.
While the news that Johnson’s direct

links with Ford would end after a three-
decade association took much of the early
headlines, the news about T8 came as
something of a bigger shock. The team
has consistently challenged for titles in
recent years and won four of the last
six V8 Supercar endurance races. While
FPR’s stocks have taken an upswing after
a shakey start, T8 was and is, clearly, a
contender in the series.
Furthermore, T8 played a significant role
in the development of the 2009 FG racer,
which was unveiled in somewhat awkward
circumstances at Sandown when Ford’s
first choice of a driver, Craig Lowndes, was
ruled out of taking the wheel because of
a contract stipulation that prevented him
from wearing a Ford racesuit rather than a
Vodafone one.
The other news that was unexpected
in some quarters was that Stone Brothers
Racing will continue to be supported. The
three-time championship winning team
was largely expected to continue feature
in Ford’s plans but the preference that the
company appears to have for that team,
over T8, has caused a few eyebrows to be
raised in pitlane.
While the news is being digested, there
Dirk Klynsmith
is much still to be sorted. For instance,
along with a number of other teams,
TeamVodafone is a customer of SBR Engines,
but the current deal between the two runs
only until the end of this season. Likewise,
T8 supplies chassis technology to both DJR
and Paul Cruickshank Racing, and none of
those teams has works backing from the
end of this season.
Despite speculation to the contrary that
one or other of those teams will swap to a
different make next season, all three teams
look certain to race Falcon FGs in 2009.

And the Silly Season gets moving ...

V8 SUPERCARS Speculation is rife that
Courtney and SBR will part
FORD’S confirmed V8 Supercar ways, but a well-placed Ford
program is expected to push source told eNews on the
the Silly Season into fast weekend that there was a ’50-
forward and James Courtney 50 chance’ of the 28-year-old
is expecting confirmation of continuing alongside Shane
his 2009 plans soon. Van Gisbergen next season.
With Ford Performance Should Courtney leave, the Dirk Klynsmith

Racing and Stone Brothers man who appears well-placed to

Racing receiving the make’s replace him is Will Davison. The
front-line support, the Jeld- Jim Beam team confirmed on the
Wen driver is expecting to have weekend that his contract is up match. But while his current That talk led to one,
a clear future soon. at the end of the year and that team boss Dick Johnson said apparently, odd rumour
“This [the announcement] “there is a bit of talk” going on that he was talking to both doing the rounds in Darwin:
helps a lot,” said Courtney in about his 2009 plans, though no- his drivers about 2009, there DJR/Courtney/Davison, with
Darwin. one would elaborate. is no absolute certainty that Johnson Jr stepping into a
“I think that we should have Davison is highly-rated at Davison will be the only DJR management role. It does
something sorted soon and Ford and his presence in one driver looking around. Steven sound far-fetched but the truth
have something to say in about of the factory-supported cars Johnson is also out of contract should be out there, and soon.
a month.” next season looks to be a good at the end of the season. – PHIL BRANAGAN

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 – NEWS OF THE WEEK –
Ford’s new direction

Reaction from the players

Roland Dane, Triple Eight Race Engineering
“Our deal with SBR for engines comes up at the end of this year and I am talking to Ross Stone about that at the
moment.
“We will replace most of the dollars but we would have been able to replace them all, if we had been given a bit
more time.
“If everyone who has asked for an FG puts their hand in their pocket and slaps the deposit down on the table, we
would be riding a lot more than four. We are building three for ourselves.
Deadline?
We will run a Triple 8, TeamVodafone V8 Supercar next year. It could be anything, but I am not sure whether that
is going to be a Ford or something else.

Dirk Klynsmith
There is no chance [of another make in 09]. Everyone needs to understand in Australia that you can isolate these
activities from those in the rest of the world. There are no Australian motor companies, there are those companies
whose decisions are made when the international market is changing. We will watch and keep an eye on it

Tim Edwards, Ford Performance Racing

“It’s business as usual. A lot of people have lost sight of the fact that we have a deal for next year anyway. We stayed
out of the whole discussion because we were already moving forward and getting on with plans for 2009.
“There will be two cars run out of here for next season because we have two licences. Personally, I have no
intention of buying another licence and trucks, and so on. We want to focus on our core business, which is racing
two cars.
“Jim’s (Morton) contract ends at the end of the year but we are starting to talk about renewing that for 2009 and
2010. It is a good business model for us and good for Jim.
“What people don’t know is that Ross and I have been talking for some time, something completely separate
to Ford’s decision, about how we can work together. That is the way that the industry is going. If I can make 20

Dirk Klynsmith
widgets, I would rather give 10 to him, if he can produce 20 widgets, half of which I can use. We have to work on
economies of scale when we build these cars, and Ross and I have been talking about that for months. We will try
to work together, on a cost-containment level. We should both end up with a better mousetrap, as well.
“It is loose discussions and, over the next month, we need to talk seriously about that. There are some parts of
their engines that we like and I am sure that there are some parts of ours they like. We just have to decide the
exact pieces that make up our cars next year, but we are not going to wind up with four identical engines and four
identical chassis.”

Ross Stone, Stone Brothers Racing

“It has only just all happened so this week, we will have to settle down and think about what it does mean.
“You would like to think that your team was always going to be there [with Ford support] but, when it came to
the final outcome, we just had to sit tight and see how the cards were going to fall.
“The sponsorship is under control. Even in the short time that we have had, we have been able to be relaxed

Dirk Klynsmith
about that. It is a big plus for the team.
“As far as I am concerned, the relationship between the engines and the teams is fine. The Triple 8 contract is up
at the end of the year but that is another issue.”



Will
Holden
follow
Putting plans into action suit?
WHILE there are a number of changes in the wind for some Ford teams, there are also those
that have already been moving forward with their 2009 plans.
Here is the what the blue (and not so blue) teams will be doing in 2009 ...
Ford Performance Racing
Ford’s go-to team will remain, now with a
stronger alliance to Stone Brothers Racing.
Two cars definitely, with a possible third entry
(using Jim Morton’s Ford Rising Star licence).
Stone Brothers Racing
The blue oval’s championship-winning team
will now be blue by name and nature.
Triple Eight Race Engineering
The highest-profile team to be hit by the
news. The team will continue to build its own
chassis and receive body shells from Ford.
Dick Johnson Racing
No financial support from the factory for
the team that has represented Ford for 30
years. DJR will receive body shells and other
technical support.
Britek Motorsport:
Britek will field two FG Ford Falcons for 2009,
continuing with its existing, yet limited,
support:
news
John Morris/Mpix
FOLLOWING Ford’s cut-
backs, Holden teams should
“Our program with Ford was discussed and be bracing themselves for
locked away last December and yesterday’s similar news.
announcement provided no real surprises to That’s the view of an
us. These announcements do not affect our informed Holden insider, who
planning for 2009 in any way.” told eNews that “they were
wanting to save some money
Ford Rising Star Racing this year, but didn’t want to be
Jim Morton owns the licence and the team’s the first to move.
brand, but the car is essentially a third Ford “If you followed the same
factory car. How that will change for 2009 logic [as Ford]. Clayton will be
remains to be seen ... safe – but if I was Larry Perkins,
Tasman Motorsport, or Garry
Paul Cruickshank Racing: Rogers, I’d be starting to worry.”
Dropped out of the Ford system at the start of Holden Motorsport boss
2007 and almost certain to continue with its Simon MacNamara was a
engine and chassis deals with SBR and T8. popular bloke in Darwin, but
“I have spoken to both Ross [Stone] and offered no real comment on
Roland [Dane] and our deals are fine, to the subject.
continue on to next year and beyond. We will But with GM in dire straits in
go through this and the category has to get the US and looking for every
used to life without manufacturer money. bit of help from its Aussie
outpost, don’t be surprised if
Team Kiwi Racing things change on the Red side
The Kiwi team is set to remain backed by Ford of the V8 fence.
New Zealand.

 Sydney set to miss V8s in
It’s Homebush or bust as Cochrane and Eastern Creek can’t s
V8 SUPERCARS
IT appears likely that there
will be no V8 Supercar
Championship round in
Sydney next season.
V8 Supercars Australia
Chairman Tony Cochrane has
virtually ruled out a return to
the city in 2009, unless the
Homebush race gets up in the
near future, and on Sunday
fired a broadside at the
Australian Racing Drivers’ Club,
the tenants of Eastern Creek.
Cochrane described
the ARDC as “losers” after
comments in the media from
ARDC President John Cotter
(see story above right).
“We have no intention of
going back to Eastern Creek,
irrespective of what happens
in Sydney,” said Cochrane at
Hidden Valley.

“We made that very clear. If
Mr Cotter feels that he can
jump into the press and have
his 10 cents’ worth, we will
have out 10 cents’ worth.
“They have a shocking
history and the only thing
they’re good [at] is losing.”
Cochrane made the
comments in response to a
reported loss made at the last
two V8 rounds at the Western
Sydney track, which hosted
a Queen’s Birthday Monday
round in 2007.
“They had 1500 corporates
in a city of nearly five million
people,” he said.
“Here, this weekend in
Darwin, where there are
125,000 people, you have
6200 corporates. So, I would
suggest that, what the ARDC
ought to start doing, instead
of firing their mouth off, is start
to buy a book on how to be a
promoter. Because, they have
absolutely no idea, zero idea.”
A problem now facing V8SA
is where the series will go next
season, and Cochrane ruled out
V8 Supercar Events hosting an
event at the track itself.
“No. Why would we? We
have plenty of places that
want us, that do really well
out of it. Thirty percent of the
population of the Northern
Territory turn out for this
event. We go to Sydney and
they couldn’t organise a root
in a brothel.”
That leaves Homebush, with
considerable speculation
clouding who knows exactly
where the project stands at
present (“Neither do we, to be
honest,” said Cochrane) but he
remains confident of getting
his race up.
“Sydney is a tough market.
You have to do it right, you
have to cross your Ts and
dot your Is. We think that,
if you turn Sydney into
a big enough event, the
Sydneysiders will get out to it.
But they aren’t very keen on
average events, that it true.
“We, V8 Supercars Australia
believe, that we can run an
event in Sydney. We believe
that we can make it financially
stack up, and that we will
take the risk. We are the ones
writing the cheque, if it is a
loss.
“So, just like we take that
risk at Bathurst, and we take
the risk now at the 500 at
Phillip Island, and next year at
Townsville, we are prepared
to take that risk on the streets
of Sydney. We are putting our
money where our mouth is.”

n 2009
see eye-to-eye
John Morris/Mpix
Dirk Klynsmith
Cochrane also said that it
was not certain that a track
would host two rounds
next season (“I would not
jump to that conclusion”)
but hinted that there was a
solution, although that would
not be Singapore, which he
suggested would not be ready
to host V8 Supercars until
2010 at the earliest.
“We have a duty of care,”
he said, “and one of our key
duties of care is to get our
EC: Business as usual
V8 SUPERCARS
WHILE V8 Supercars does not look like going
back to Eastern Creek, the Australian Racing
Drivers’ Club was keen – with reservations
– on having the V8s back for the next three
years.
ARDC President John Cotter said that the
Club wanted the category back in 2009, but
on its terms.
“We would have loved to have the V8s back,”
said Cotter. “We wrote a letter that said, in part,
if we do [have the series back], we wanted
it in the middle weekend in August and we
wanted to pay a $200,000 sanction fee.”
Cotter said that he strong disagreed with
the description of the Club’s V8 event as a
“financial bloodbath”.
“They [V8 Supercars Australia] put their hand
out for $500,000 and there is about $180,000
in incidental expenses. We take the risk, they
don’t.”
Cotter also refuted claims that the Club “lost”
the A1GP round, that has been held at the
track for the last three years.
“That was largely because [New South
sport in front of as many
people as humanly possible.
We have that duty of care for
our teams, that duty of care
for our two manufacturers
and all the sponsors of the
championship. So, if you can
have the opportunity to be
in front of 200,000, instead of
28,300, I don’t think anybody
in this room would not
take that. That’s all we are
attempting to do here.”
– PHIL BRANAGAN
news
Wales] Major Events turned down the
revised financial requirements, which I
believe had a much bigger sanction fee than
previous events. But that was their call, and
perhaps a sign that this government is quite
astute when making decisions about these
matters.
“It is a shame, and that I think that V8
Supercars is a great category. But I think
that there are a few governments, and one
manufacturer, who might think that V8s is not
the financial panacea that they thought it was.”
As for the immediate future, the Creek
continues to promote its other race meetings,
like this weekend’s Shannon’s Nationals. The
18-race program will feature the Kumho
Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship,
Australian GT Championship, Kerrick Sports
Sedan National Series, Commodore Cup,
Saloon Cars, Shannons V8 Touring Car Series
and Superkarts.
With spectators charged $20 for getting
into the track, and kids under 12 for free – and
both include a grandstand seat and access to
the paddock – that comes out to around $1.11
per race.


Martin D Clark
Road Burner
NASCAR
WE have heard of drivers
being described as “on fire”
but this is ridiculous.
The trailer that transports
Marcos Ambrose’s Nationwide
Ford to and from the tracks
had a trailer wheel bearing
seize and catch fire on
its return from the New
Hampshire race a week ago.
The fire caused extensive
damage to the trailer lower
compartment, and ruined
equipment including spare
shocks, springs and a shock
dynometer.
The cars on the upper deck
were also apparently harmed,
to the point where they may
have to be replaced in the
fleet.
Although most of the fire
was contained to the rear
lower section, the trailer
suffered extensive smoke and
water damage.
– MARTIN D CLARK
Rick grabs Veteran
NASCAR
MARK Martin will replace
Casey Mears in the #5
Hendrick Motorsports
Chevrolet in 2009.
As expected, Martin, 49, a
four time runner-up in the
Sprint Cup Series and 35-time
race winner, will make a run for
the championship alongside
his three new team-mates Jeff
Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
“This an opportunity that I
could not let pass by,” said a
10
Dario out of #40
Indy Champ loses Cup ride: Ganassi sacks 71 staff
NASCAR
IT has been a big week of
layoffs at Chip Ganassi Racing,
and Dario Franchitti’s future
in NASCAR hangs in mid-air.
The Scot’s #40 Dodge
has been withdrawn from
the Sprint Cup Series due
to lack of sponsorship after
an unsuccessful maiden
attempt at the Stock Car Series.
Franchitti has been given the
option by team bosses Chip
Ganassi and Felix Sabates of
continuing in the Nationwide
Series, aboard the #40 Dodge,
starting this Friday at Chicago,
or to return to IndyCar, where
he is the defending series and
Indy 500 Champion.
Franchitti leaves his Cup
ride after qualifying for 10
of 17 rounds, and he sat 41st
in points prior to Daytona’s
Saturday race. He had one
top-30 finish in the series at
– remarkably – the half-mile
sutton-images.com
Martinsville bullring.
It’s been a rough year for
Ganassi, with all three Cup
teams having lacklustre results.
Juan Pablo Montoya sits 21st
and Reed Sorenson 32nd.
As part of the clean-out,
the team has shed 71 staff,
with four engine department
delighted Martin, right. employees released, the
“I could see myself on my composite shop shut and many
deathbed saying, ‘I wish I middle management and
had driven that five car for support positions dissolved.
Rick’, and I don’t want that to Many other multi-car teams
happen. Most people can’t have released employees
comprehend what an honour over the last few months, due
it will be for me to drive this car. mainly to the COT design car,
“After two years of catching which needs less manpower
my breath, I’ve enjoyed it [the than the older-style ‘aero’
break]. I’ve also rekindled by cars. With the US economy in
passion for racing and what it the doldrums, Ganassi won’t
means for me, and to give me be the last to add skilled
NASCAR Media
a taste for what it would be to race team members to the
not have that in my life.” unemployment line this year.
– MARTIN D CLARK – MARTIN D CLARK
 news

PT’S BACK!
Mario, Milka
& Jay return
INDYCAR

MARIO Dominguez and his

INDYCAR
PAUL Tracy is finally going to get off the
couch and race in the IndyCar Series after a
complicated, multi-team deal.
According to SpeedTV in the USA Tracy, 39,
has been offered a ride by Indianapolis Motor
Speedway boss Tony George in one of his Vision
Racing Dallaras. But because the team’s crew is
already fully committed to running Ed Carpenter
and A.J. Foyt IV, Walker Racing is expected to
provide the crew to manage Tracy’s ride. The
deal is still being finalized but expect to see
Tracy at Edmonton, Infineon, Detroit and Surfer’s
Paradise, all road courses.
“I’ve had no time in the car,” Tracy told the
Edmonton Journal. “But I told Derrick [Walker]
to just let me know, I’m game. I know the
Edmonton track and finished on the podium. A
lot of guys will be going there for the first time.”
This week Tracy will shed some rust when
he straps back in the cockpit to drive several
vintage cars at Goodwood’s Festival of Speed.
– MARY MENDEZ
Pacific Coast Motorsports
team returned to competition
at Watkins Glen after missing
the two short oval races at
both Iowa and Richmond.
“If we had gone to all the
races, we would have always
been behind,” said Dominguez.
“The car is in perfect shape.
We still haven’t had time to
test in a wind tunnel or on the
shaker rig like the big teams
do.”
Milka Duno also returned, for
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, and
Jay Howard returned to Roth
Racing’s second car which has
been piloted by John Andretti
for the last five races after Roth
chose not to compete this
weekend.

11
Tas makes historic ARC inclusion
AUSTRALIAN RALLYING
THERE has been a trifecta of big
announcements for the Australian Rally
Championship in the last week, with
the Rally of Melbourne being cancelled,
and, in its place, the Tasmanian Tarmac
Challenge being included, heralding a
return to Tasmania for the ARC.
The news of the Victorian round’s
cancellation broke last Tuesday, and
came as little surprise after paddock
rumours at the recent Rally Queensland
had suggested there were troubled times
ahead for the event.
According to a statement from event
director Neil Cuthbert, the event has been
placed “on hold” due to a sponsorship
shortfall.
“It’s an unfortunate fact that conditions
in the global economy, which have
nothing to do with the viability of our
event, can indirectly impact on our sport,”
said Cuthbert.
“Instead, we have made the decision to
hold over all work on this year’s event to
focus on something special for 2009.”
With the RoM fall-out leaving a hole
at the end of the six-round series, Rallye
Burnie, otherwise known as the Tasmanian
Tarmac Challenge, organisers immediately
submitted and expression of interest in
making its October event a round of the
ARC. And it was a successful application,
ARC bosses ARCom announcing last Friday
the event would be the final round of the
2008 ARC.
12
The Tasmanian Tarmac Challenge will
be the first proper all-tarmac event in the
41-year history of the ARC, and will run on
October 4-5 in the state’s north. It is also
the first ARC round to be held in Tassie
since 2006.
“It is widely acknowledged that Tasmania
has the best driving roads in the country,
and some of the best in the world,” event
chairman Les Walkden said.
“We’re lucky that so many of them are
in the bordering Burnie and Waratah/
Wynyard Shires, and that the Tasmanian
Tarmac Challenge already uses them on an
annual basis.
“So we can incorporate the ARC event
into our event and have a fantastic
showcase of cars and competitors.”
ARCom chairman Col Trinder agreed
that the new arrangement was a positive
for the sport.
“Tasmanian Tarmac Challenge was on
the front foot indicating their willingness
to step into the breech, and I believe it is a
great outcome for the sport,” Trinder said.
“Tarmac rallies are definitely part of
the future of the sport. Look at the
World Rally Championship - it tests its
competitors on a range of surfaces. We
think our calendar should reflect what is
happening in the ultimate evolution of the
sport. Chris Atkinson is doing a great job
showcasing Australian talent in the World
Championship at the moment, but when
he went there four years ago he had no
tarmac experience at all.”
– ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN
 news

Bated breath

I think a tarmac rally is a very
good thing for the sport.
A tarmac event is something
that has been spoken about
for probably 10 years. It’s a
real shame not to have Rally
of Melbourne, but as an event
I think this will be something
very exciting and very different
for the championship, and
its something that probably
should have happened sooner.
It’ll be interesting to see how
it goes. There are probably
a few competitors with
reservations, but I think once
they do it, they’ll really enjoy it.
As for making the Corolla
Joel Strickland
opinion
Neal Bates
ARC series leader
only ever had gravel events,
but rallying is all abut driving
on all surfaces, so it’s a very
good thing. And for people
with World Championship
aspirations, it’s a very a good
thing. To be honest, it won’t do
the gravel people any harm to
look at the different ways of
driving and the style required
for tarmac, either.
I have actually competed
at Rallye Burnie before, but

Tarmac event suits

S2000 into a tarmac car, look, not for many years. Its hard
you’re the first to tell me about to remember back about
this, so I haven’t even thought the actual roads, but all of

about it yet. Obviously we
will have to develop a tarmac
set-up, but, you know, that’s
probably something we
need to do if we’re going to
homologate the car anyway. I
don’t think it will require too
much modification. But we’ll
certainly be going to a circuit
somewhere to do some set-up.
Incorporating different
surfaces is the right thing
to do. If you look at rallying,
and you look at the World
Championship, they have
snow events, and tarmac event,
and gravel events. In the
whole history of the Australian
Rally Championship we’ve
Joel Strickland
young hopefuls
the roads in Tasmania are
incredibly good. For rally cars,
when you think about a tarmac
rally, you need to look at using
the tightest roads available, AUSTRALIAN RALLYING on tarmac, in their rally car,
because when you are using
restrictors in a Group N car or WHILE a full spectrum of
our S2000 cars, the top speeds reaction from the current
aren’t huge. crop of ARC drivers over
The speeds are definitely the tarmac inclusion is yet
higher on the bitumen, but to be gauged, it seems
Coral and I have done many the younger drivers are
Targa Tasmanias together, we certainly supporting the
won Targa many years ago inclusion of the new event.
now, so she knows all about Eli Evans, younger brother
tarmac. I think she probably of double Champ Simon
finds it more relaxing, because Evans and first-time heat
tarmac rallies are less busy on winner in Queensland, is
the notes. one such driver to throw
his support behind the
Tasmanian Tarmac Challenge.
Evans says the inclusion
of a different surface will
help youngsters with WRC
ambitions like himself
prepare for the world stage.
“You’ve only got to see
what Chris Atkinson has
done,” Evans said.
“He’s made the step up to
the WRC and when he did
that he had no experience
on tarmac whatsoever, so if
driving flat out, so when
they do get the chance, they
are ready to go. That’s why
we’ve done tarmac rounds
previously that weren’t
associated with the ARC, so
we had a head start for one
day when I get to the WRC,
or, like what’s happened
now, a tarmac round gets
included in the ARC. We’ve
learnt, done the homework
and learnt the secrets.”
Evans and co-driver Chris
Murphy are no strangers to
the Tassie blacktop, having
run in last year’s Rally
Tasmania, which utilises
many of the roads from
Rallye Burnie.
“They’re awesome roads.
Stages like Savage River and
Hellyer Gorge I’m assuming
will be included, and they
are a dream to drive on.
They’re about 25km long,
and we were hitting speeds
in the tarmac car of about

Joel Strickland

another Australian is going 210kmh, so its exciting stuff.”

to do it, they need to be – ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

13
Douglas links with PMM
Paul Morris Motorsport to prepare Commodore VZ for Douglas at QR
FUJITSU V8s
TAZ Douglas is on the move
for the next round of the
Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series,
taking over the wheel of
a Paul Morris Motorsport
Commodore for Queensland
Raceway.
with a Level 1 team.
“At the end of the day, this
is nothing to do with not
wanting to run with Terry
[Wyhoon] any more. He was
doing a great job with the old
car, but the opportunity to
drive for a main game team is
too good to refuse. That’s why

The Victorian has been
running an ageing AU Falcon
under the guidance of Terry
Whyoon and Image Racing this
season, but has decided to do
a one-off round with PMM. He
will drive the ex-Chris Pither car
at QR, and may carry on with
the team for the rest of the
season.
“What I do after Queensland
Raceway really depends on
how we go there,” said Douglas.
“It’s up to me to do a good
job and impress the team. If I
can do that, then yeah, I’d like
to finish the season off with
them.”
we’ve made this decision, it is
too good an opportunity to
pass up.”
Douglas has driven
a Commodore before,
competing in the Wakefield
Park round of the series in 2007
as a one-off for Syndey Star
while he was still running full-
time in Formula Ford. But he
is yet to drive a V8 Supercar at
the Ipswich track, and will not
get a chance to sample the
PMM hardware until he rolls
out of pit-lane for Practice in
two Fridays time.
“Practice will be the first
time out in the car, which isn’t
Dirk Klynsmith
Doing a done deal:
Douglas, right, will campgain
the Commodore VZ that Chris
Pither used last year in the
Fujitsu V8 Series, above.
learning how the car works,
and how the team works. If I
can do that, keep it clean, then
there’s every chance I’ll finish
the season with the team.”
John Morris/Mpix

Regardless of whether it is exactly ideal,” Douglas added. Douglas is currently running

a one-off or not, Douglas is “But at the end of the day 29th in the Fujitsu Series after
looking forward to working the weekend will be about three of the seven rounds.

14
 news

Slade can see a rainbow

Fujitsu V8 round winner secures Autopro sponsorship for remainder of the year
FUJITSU V8s
TIM Slade will carry backing
from Autopro for the rest of
the 2008 Fujitsu V8 Supercar
Series.
Slade, driving his
self-entered ex-Perkins
Commodore VZ, has secured
the backing which will
guarantee his entry for the
season.
“It helps pay some of the bills,
and take s a little bit of strain
off the team,” Slade told eNews.
“The deal was done on
Wednesday before the last
round at Sandown. It was a last
minute thing and we only ran
the Autopro stickers on the
car’s doors.
“Now, we’ve had a bit of time
to get the car looking right
and I think it’s turned out
pretty good.”
Slade, who won the second
Fujitsu round at Wakefield Park,
struggled in the last event at
Sandown Raceway.
“Yeah, Sandown was terrible,”
he said.
“We did not tested after
Wakefield and we got off to a
slow start. Our pace was pretty
good in the last race, but just
got caught up in incidents all
weekend. Hopefully that’s my we can’t be where we were at in the FV8 Series. The next
bad one out of the way for the Clipsal and Wakefield for the round is at Queensland
weekend. rest of the year.” Raceway on July 18-20.
“I can’t see any reason why Slade currently sits seventh – GRANT ROWLEY

Departure leaves Wyhoon in doubt

FUJITSU V8s
WHETHER or not Image
Racing will finish the 2008
Fujitsu Series season is
in doubt following the
departure of Taz Douglas
from the team.
“We’ll wait and see what Taz
wants to do,” he said.
“We’ve got some other
people interested in the drive,
so it depends on a few things
what we do.”
But Wyhoon did confirm
he will not be at Queensland
James Smith

It is not yet known whether Raceway, an unsurprising

or not Douglas’ departure is
temporary or not, but if it is,
team owner Terry Wyhoon
says there are no hard and fast
plans for the rest of the season.
decision due to the closeness
of the event.
Twelve months ago at the
Ipswich track, Wyhoon had
one of his cars impounded
by Police over a legal dispute “I’ve got bad memories of
between two of its previous the place!” he joked.
owners. – ANDREW VAN LEEUWEN

15

Keeping it in the family
Father Holdsworth secures CAMS licence and set to compete this weekend
COMMODORE CUP
HOLDSWORTH will compete
in this weekend’s round of
Commodore Cup at Eastern
Creek, but it’s not V8 star Lee,
and it’s not his brother Brett,
either.
Series Director and father of
racing pair, Glen Holdsworth
will, for the first time, compete
in a motor race.
And instead of his usual
task of engineering the car for
Brett or Lee at the track, the
brothers will turn the spanners
for dad.
“It’s more of a test for my pit
crew rather than myself,” said
Holdsworth.
“Everytime I engineer the
car it ends up the front, so it
will be interesting to see what
Brett and Lee can do!
“I’ve got a car sitting in the
garage and all the gear and
I haven’t got a driver and if I
don’t do it now I never will, so
I thought I might as well give
it a shot.”
Having never competed
before, Holdsworth will run
on P-plates after recently
obtaining his CAMS licence.
“I’ve never been in a race car
before in my life. I’ve never
even driven a Commodore
Cup car before, so the first run
around was the test day at
Oran Park yesterday [Sunday].
“I was reasonably on the pace
and had Brett looking after me,
John Morris/Mpix
which was a bit of a worry in
the first place!” he joked.
Holdsworth will run the car
that Lee campaigned at Oran
Park earlier in the year, pictured
above, taking pole and three
race wins.
“My first ambition is to break
the lap record and I reckon I’ll
do that in the first lap!
“No, I really have no real aims,
I’m just having a one-off for a
bit of fun.”
– PHILLIP MAHONEY

FOR FORMULA 1, MOTOGP AND WRC NEWS, OPINION AND ANALYSIS CLICK HERE TO
16
 news

Independent Race
Series postponed

SPORT SEDANS
THE first proposed round of the
Independent Race Series at Oran Park
has been postponed.
Due to a clash with the Shannons
Nationals round at Eastern Creek
this weekend, series organiser Garry
Willmington told eNews that CAMS
James Smith
80 entrants confirmed for the first
round of the IRS, consisting mainly of
competitors from the Australian Motor
Racing Championships. The categories
will be almost the same as those
competing on the AMRC bill, just with
slightly different names. Some of these
include Formula Tasman (OzBoss), LM
Sports (for prototype Sportscars), as well

asked him to delay the inaugural round.
“CAMS told us that we got a permit
when we shouldn’t have and we’ve been
asked to vacate the date,” he said.
“We didn’t believe that there was any
impact at all but we’re pressing on
regardless.“
Willmington said that they had over
as Production Cars and
The Independent Race Series will be
making an announcement later this
week on the debut of the series, which is
set to be based on the east coast.
“We’re tieing up a few loose ends at the
moment,” Willmington said.
“Once we get things in place, then we
Mygale wins in NZ
FORMULA Ford constructor has taken its
first victory in New Zealand.
The Mygale SJ08a was piloted by Richie
Stanaway and recorded a dominant
weekend at Manfield, winning two races
and taking second in the other.

Booked out! Hossack has a busy weekend ahead

SPORT SEDANS
IF you see Darren Hossack sprinting
through pit lane this weekend at Eastern
Creek, don’t hold him up.
The versatile driver will be at busy boy at
the fifth round of the Shannons Nationals,
competing in both the Kerrick Sport
Sedan Series and the Australian Superkart
Championship.
Hossack certainly knows his way around
both disciplines, but says there will be
more challenges than simply swapping
between his fireproof race suits and
leathers.
“We’ve been fortunate that the program
has ended up that there is a class between
fireproofs is the least of my problems.
“The braking capabilities of a Superkart
is twice as good as a Sports Sedan, but the
Sport Sedan has twice as much power! I’ll
just need to adapt as quickly as possible to
whatever I’m driving.”
Hossack curretly sits second in the Sport
Sedan title (behind Luke Youlden who isn’t
competing in this weekend’s round), and
last raced a Superkart at the category’s
one-off meeting at Eastern Creek in March,
winning a race.
“We’re pretty confident that we’ve got a
set-up in the Superkart that we’re quite
comfortable with,” he said.
“We haven’t run the Sport Sedan there
and that will be a challenge to get to right,
James Smith

my two races, so there will be a bit of time but we were quick at Phillip Island so it
to get ready,” he said. shouldn’t take to long to get on top of it.”
“But I think changing between leathers to – GRANT ROWLEY

O ACCESS THE WORLD’S FIRST INTERNATIONAL ‘VIRTUAL’ MOTORSPORT MAGAZINE ...

17
news

Group test for Porsches

Carrera Cuppers gather at QR for test session and charity CARRERA CUP
CARRERA Cup will conduct its first-
ever group test at Queensland
Raceway next week.
All 20 Porsches will hit the track,
using the day as a test session, as
well as conducting hot laps for
corporate guests, sponsors and
CanTeen kids.
Carrera Cup CEO Theo Psaros said
the day will be competitive and fun.
“It’s a significant event because
it’s not often our sponsors and the
media have access to this many
Porsches in one day,” he said.
“It’s great to see our teams taking
advantage of this opportunity,
especially with the season reaching
its climax. It again highlights
our team’s competitveness and
professionalism.
“Also, having the CanTeen Kids go
for hot laps with the drivers will be a
highlight. We’re proud to be able to
offer this opportunity to those who
have suffered in the past.”
The next round of the Australian
Carrera Cup Championship will be at
Queensland Raceway on July 18-20.
– GRANT ROWLEY

Juniper Racing bound for Spa 24 Hour

CARRERA CUP
JUNIPER Racing will contest the
Spa-Francorchamps 24 Hour
Endurance Race in Belgium.
Shaun Juniper, joint managing
director of the Juniper
Development Group and Carrera
Cup driver, will be joined by
current Australian champoionship
leader Craig Baird and regular
Porsche steerer Max Twigg and
Craig Baird. It will be the first time
that the Juniper Racing Team will
compete in the prestigious Spa
event.
The team will use its 2008
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, pictured right.
The race will be held from July 31
to August 3.

18
19
 5 Minutes with ...
Ford’s decision to readjust its V8 Supercar funding was the talking point in the NT
MOTORSPORT NEWS: Do you
see Ford’s decision and a
positive one for the future?
RAY PRICE: I think that it is the
decision that the company had
to make.
We are changing our
direction going forward but
we are not walking away from
motorsport. We have done
that before and we are not
going to do that again. We are
readjusting or realigning some
of our strategy, with some of
the teams. It is something that I
think will be good for the brand,
once it works its way forward,
but there is lot of work to be
done.
We have a technical strategy
that means that we will
continue to support all the Ford
teams going forward. We have
introduced a shell program,
that will see us supplying a
spec shell to all the currently-
contracted teams. So, all in all, it
is business as usual.
Is the company’s spend the
same level as it has been in
previous years?
In terms of motorsport, no.
Overall sponsorship? Yes.
What we are doing in
diversifying our sponsorship.
We are going into some lifestyle
markets we are not currently in.
We need to do that to stimulate
some of the marketing of
some of the other vehicles that
we currently have. Once that
happens, our whole business
will be helped.
What is the duration of the
new V8 Supercar program?
I am not exactly sure. It is for a
number of years. All contracts
run for multiple years and they
are renewed on that basis.
20
Do you foresee any other,
similar changes coming up in
the short-to-medium term?
Not at all.
This is the strategy. It is a
difficult one, for some people.
The thing is, we are worth more
to more people by staying
here [in V8 Supercars] than
if we aren’t. That is the hard
part; we have said, “Yes, we are
staying in motorsport.” That is
not going to change but we
want to realign some of our
sponsorship arrangements
and look at sponsorship in a
different way.
The market of motorsport
if not the only sponsorship
out there and our customers
require that we make this
decision now and move on.
How was the decision made?
Did this come from Detroit, or
did it come from Bill Osborne,
or whom?
It was a decision made by the
company. These things are
never decided by one person.
In a small business, the boss
makes the decision. In a big
business, they don’t. The
decision was made by the
company and that is where it
stands.
Did the Sandown thing [Ed:
When Craig Lowndes was
forced to stand down from
driving the Falcon FG because
of a contractual clash] have
any affect?
Not at all. The Sandown thing
was an oversight that we did
not catch until it was too late.
By the time I found out what
commercial arrangements were
in place, we were on the back
foot, a little bit, at that point.
Happily, that was resolved.
RAY PRICE
From the outside, this has
been a lengthy process. Why
the delays?
The delay came because we
have been trying to understand
the market, and where the FG
was, and how it was going to
stimulate the market.
The process has been
about determining how the
sponsorships would work out
and what we would move
forward, how they were
changing. The market has
moved significantly over the
last 18 months, nobody can
doubt that. In this period of
time, from the beginning of this
year, we have seen even more
change. Petrol prices looked
like they were stabilising and
then they went up again.
The way people handle their
personal and leisure time is
different to what it was even 18
months ago.
To this point, both Ford and
Holden have been protective
of their status as the only two
makes in V8 Supercars. What is
the company’s position now?
We are still protective. It is still
a Ford versus Holden category.
As I have always said, and I
think that the Board owes it to
everybody here in the paddock
that has a vested interested in
PHIL BRANAGAN
John Morris/Mpix
it, they [any new manufacturer
needs to] do their homework
on it.
Will a third manufacturer
be good for the business?
Everybody wants to know the
answer to that. We are not
saying ‘yes’ and we are not
saying ‘no’. We are saying, ‘go
out and do the research on it’,
as far as the competitors, the
spectators, the sport.
What is the position of Ford
regarding Formula Ford?
We want to continue to support
Formula Ford, for a number of
years going forward. It has been
a category that we have been
very proud of, proud of the
development of many drivers.
Look at the paddock here, it
is interesting that from Formula
Ford, two very successful
drivers who didn’t win the
championship are Mark Webber
and Marcos Ambrose. The
guys that beat them are here
in this category, and that
shows what we have got. We
are very passionate about if.
Ford supports the category
technically and financially
and Genuine Ford Parts are
the sponsor. We are behind
Formula Ford and will continue
to be so.
chat

21
Dirk Klynsmith
 Letters
Have your say, email us at mail@mnews.com.au. Keep letters to the point!
Ambrose Fan
I’m writing in response to
Peter Ryan's letter ‘Mixed
Results’ from last week’s issue
(#061).
I have been following
NASCAR for about eight years
now and I totally object to
what Peter has said about
Marcos Ambrose making a
fool out of himself and that he
needs more practice before
trying Cup on an oval.
Marcos was driving for the
22
Wood Brothers, who have
failed to qualify for a good
majority of the races they
have entered in the past
two seasons with all their
drivers, including former Cup
champion Bill Elliot.
They are not a top team
and quite frankly, it would
have been a miracle if Marcos
had made the field in the #21
especially on a very difficult
flat short track like New
Hampshire.
Maybe before you judge his
performance you should learn
a little more about NASCAR.
Chris McRae
Ryde, NSW
Hello from the U.S.!
I just wanted to pass along
a big ‘thank you’ to your
publication.
It is well written, has
incredible photos and has
comprehensive coverage –
who could ask for anything
more?
I also appreciate getting the
Aussie perspective on how
Marcos is doing in NASCAR.
I know that he is missed
over there in Australia.
We love him over here in
America too. He brings a fresh
perspective and a positive
winning attitude that more
drivers need to have.
Thanks again.
Indira Newell
Battle Ground, Washington
 opinion

Evolution in Darwin
opinion
Phil Branagan
Executive Editor
I WALKED out of the hotel in
Darwin on Sunday and the
sky had not fallen. It was still
blue, too.
The way some people were
talking at Hidden Valley, both
those things may have been
come as a shock. Ford is
staying in V8 Supercars, but its
support of two race-winning
teams – in fact, almost all its
teams – will take a different
shape in the future.
The first report of the
news, inevitably, read like
a negative. DJR dumped;
TeamVodafone kicked
out. Dick Johnson got the
headlines because he is a
household name. Roland
Dane isn’t; Craig Lowndes
is, but him having a Ford
deal for ’09, and his team
not, is hard to explain in a
newspaper headline.
Context is important here.
The two car companies
involved in V8 Supercars are
American, not Australian, and
June was a catastrophic month
for the US auto market. It took
gasoline hitting $4 a gallon to
make Americans understand
that economy cars are not
F150s and Suburbans, but
Camrys and Civics.
And Ford is particularly
badly-placed for that
realisation; for instance, the
Focus sold in the ‘States is a
full generation behind the
model sold everywhere else,
including here. Sales of F-
Series pickups dropped by
26,000 in June; to put that in
perspective, Aussies bought
33,000 Falcons in the whole of
2007.
So, the local news is not all
bad. Most of the ‘other’ Ford
teams (the ones that are not
FPR and SBR) were expecting
it, and getting on with things
already. Plans are being made
to have their FGs ready for
testing in February. Talk of
anyone hopping over the fence
is just that, talk, at least for now.
The other thing that needs
to be said is, regardless of the
news, this episode was far
from a PR triumph for Ford.
Whatever merit there was in
informing one member of the
media of the decision before
the team owners themselves
were told – and that after
lengthy deliberation – was
poor form. The company’s
Public Affairs Manager Sinead
McAlary hastily headed
to Darwin to put out the
flames and was only partially
successful. That said, there
would have been some
negative comments from the
team owners, regardless of
whether the PR department
played a blinder or not.
Of course, now we are
all waiting for the other
shoe to drop. Holden’s
Simon McNamara took on a
somewhat Minogue-like air
in Darwin, clicking cameras
detailing many of his paddock
conversations over the
course of the weekend. He
said little to the media, but
Ford’s actions clear the way
for Holden to trim its sails,
should it so choose, without
painting McNamara or Holden
as villains.
Times change. Motor racing
survived the end of the Group
A era, which sounded time
for Nissan and BMW, and
the federal government’s
inevitable curtain on tobacco
advertising in sport. The sport
now is bigger than it has ever
been, and the business model
has always adapted to the
prevailing conditions. It will in
the future, so don’t think that
the sky will fall any time soon.

eLETTER OF THE WEEK

Blue Blooded
I am a blue blood Ford man through and
through, but right now I am seriously
pissed off with Ray Price and his men.
Now, I understand that the company
is doing it tough, but how could they
cut their most victorious team in Triple 8
from their stable?
Especially if, as I understand, they are
not spending any less money in cutting
back to two teams, just allocating it
differently.
It just doesn't make any sense.
And the argument of only supporting
‘blue’ teams is just stupid – what colour is
one of the FPR cars? Oh yeah, red! (and
green).
I don't think Ford could have got any
worse publicity in the last week if they
tried!
Did they really think that Roland and
Dick would have nothing to say?
I hope more than anything else that
they will get a wake up call from this
week's press and change their mind,
however I think that this could be the
beginning of the end for my support,
and many others, of Ford in V8 land –
and no, I will NOT switch to Holden , I will
just have to find something else to fill
my life.
Dean Turner
via email

Send your creative letters to mail@mnews.com.au, or Motorsport News PO Box 7072, Brighton, Vic 3186

23
 V8 SUPERCAR CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
ROUND 6 – HIDDEN VALLEY, NT

Lights to Flag Ford Performance R

with a win for Steve
PHIL BRANAGAN

24
 race

Racing was unstoppable at Hidden Valley and flew south from Darwin
en Richards and an extended points lead for Mark Winterbottom. By
Dirk Klynsmith

25
S
OME races are decided by
coloured flags but a red flag
almost changed the course
of the sixth round of the V8
Supercar Championship Series in
Darwin.
Until a red Holden flag fell onto the pit
straight during Race 2, prompting a Safety
Car period, Ford Performance Racing was
heading for an all-star weekend, with a
1-2 in qualifying and the first two races
seemingly within reach. But the yellow
flag for the red flag allowed Garth Tander
a glimmer of hope; a great restart and a
sticky gearchange in Steven Richards’s
car did the rest and in a trice, GT had won
Race 2 from the Falcon pair.
That turned around a deficit between
Race 1 winner Mark Winterbottom and
26
Tander, who led the FPR resistance, of
17 seconds. But once the factory Fords
were uncorked in the final 42-lapper, they
couldn’t be stopped. Richards got the
best of the pit cycle, took over the lead
and led the parade home.
“Naturally, I was disappointed with the
Safety Car,” said Richards.
“It all just worked absolutely perfectly. I
had to get my act together to qualify a bit
better, and I did that.”
Frosty was equally happy to finish on
the ‘wrong’ side of the blue 1-2; “When
you get to stand next to your team-mate,
it’s just that much better,” he said.
Tander was the best of Holden’s men
on a weekend when, clearly, there were
more fast Falcons than Commodores. He
and Richo disagreed on the flag incident
(“It was very, very dangerous,” smiled
GT. “I think it was Garth’s brothers’s flag,”
countered Richards) but the truth was, to
get near the flying Fords after Race 1 was
a win in itself.
Russell Ingall was fourth, once again
displaying consistency and some speed
to be the second-best of the Holden
drivers in the north, but there was
friendly fire elsewhere in the Holden
camp, particularly when Jason Richards,
showing form in the Sprint Gas car,
hammered into the back of Mark Skaife
on the pit entry, ending any hopes of a
good result for both of them.
The racing was a little processional but
there was a huge crowd in the place, the
biggest in seven years, and much to play
for in the coming races.
 race

Dirk Klynsmith
Hanging in there: Garth Tander finished third, first and third, cementing second
place in the series. However, Tander was docked 12 championship points for his
bump-and-run on Jamie Whincup.

V8 Supercar | ROUND 6, HIDDEN VALLEY, NT

Pos # Driver Team/Car Q R1 R2 R3

1 6 Steven Richards Ford Performance Racing Falcon 2 2 2 1

2 5 Mark Winterbottom Ford Performance Racing Falcon 1 1 3 2
3 1 Garth Tander Toll Holden Racing Team Commodore 4 3 1 3
4 88 Jamie Whincup Team Vodafone Falcon 3 4 5 8
5 39 Russell Ingall Supercheap Auto Racing Commodore 7 7 6 4
6 18 Will Davison Jim Beam Racing Falcon 9 8 10 5
7 15 Rick Kelly HSV Dealer Team Commodore 13 9 9 6
8 888 Craig Lowndes Team Vodafone Falcon 5 5 4 DNF
9 9 Shane Van Gisbergen SP Tools Racing Falcon 22 12 16 9
10 4 James Courtney Jeld-Wen Motorsport Falcon 11 10 24 7
11 3 Jason Richards Sprint Gas Racing Commodore 6 6 7 DNF
12 16 Paul Dumbrell Autobarn Racing Team Commodore 20 17 11 14
13 34 Michael Caruso Valvoline Cummins Commodore 27 16 12 15
Dirk Klynsmith

14 67 Paul Morris Supercheap Auto Racing Commodore 12 20 14 13

15 33 Lee Holdsworth Valvoline Cummins Commodore 8 13 18 16
16 2 Mark Skaife Toll Holden Racing Team Commodore 10 25 8 18
17 51 Greg Murphy Sprint Gas Racing Commodore 19 18 23 10
Dirk Klynsmith

18 7 Todd Kelly Jack Daniel’s Racing Commodore 16 11 29 11

19 17 Steven Johnson Jim Beam Racing Falcon 12 15 20 17
20 55 Tony D’Alberto Rod Nash Racing Commodore 14 19 15 23
21 111 Fabian Coulthard Glenfords Racing Falcon 15 14 25 22
22 26 Marcus Marshall IRWIN Racing Falcon 13 21 22 20
23 14 Cameron McConville Team WOW Commodore 18 DNF 17 12
24 777 Michael Patrizi Ausdrill Ford Rising Stars Falcon 24 26 21 19
25 11 Shane Price Jack Daniel’s Racing Commodore 25 22 13 DNF
26 12 Andrew Jones Team BOC Commodore 21 23 27 21
27 021 Kayne Scott Team Kiwi Racing Falcon 29 DNF 26 24
28 50 Andrew Thompson PWR Performance Commodore 28 24 28 DNF
29 25 Jason Bright Fujitsu Racing Falcon 17 DNF 19 DNF

Starting to gas: Jason Richards and Sprint Gas Racing are
starting to piece together a very fast Commodore.
Points: Winterbottom 1402, Tander 1332, Whincup 1276, R. Kelly 1208, S. Richards 1123,
Lowndes 1051, Courtney 949, Davison 938, Holdsworth 876, T. Kelly 834, Van Gisbergen 832,
Ingall 797, Johnson 788, Coulthard 759, McConville 745, Skaife 744, Murphy 690, J. Richards
660, Jones 606, Dumbrell 566, Caruso 552, Morris 547, Bright 502, Marshall 462, D’Alberto
442, Price 424, Thompson 345, Scott 320, Patrizi 246, Pither 58.

27
Timing is everything
FORD Performance Racing
has a chequered past. That is
no secret.
When the team was set up
five years ago, it was done
as a Ford version of the
dominant Holden Racing
Team and, while there have
been successes, there have
been many failures. We still
remember that there were
many giggles about the lack of
performance for the team, but
those memories are getting
faint.
This round may be a turning
point for the championship
28
and in the history of FPR. For
the first time, a 1-2 weekend,
which is almost the last box
to be ticked in the journey
to success. There are two
more; a Bathurst win and a
championship.
TeamVodafone was on the
wrong end of Ford’s decision
(in the team’s eyes) and, if FPR’s
timing could
not have been
better, T8’s was
the opposite. On
the very last lap
of the weekend,
Craig Lowndes
suddenly slowed and pulled
off the track, a rare blown
engine forcing him out. So rare,
in fact, that the last such failure
was one for Jamie Whincup at
Oran Park two years ago.
“It was a slight vibration,” said
Lowndes. “The straightline
speed was fine (on that lap)
but at Turn 1, it just went,
‘brrrrrr’ and stopped real fast.”
Whincup had to work hard
in order to maintain his perfect
top-10-in-all-races record and
came back from clangs in
the final two races to salvage
fourth overall.
Jamie is a strong qualifier,
and so are Mark Winterbottom
and Garth Tander. But Steve
Richards now appears to have
unlocked the secret to going
fast over a lap; it may be him, it
may be the new tyres, but it is
particularly telling now.
“The back side of Winton
will see how things work
out,” Richo said through his
trademark grin, post-race.
He is right. We’re going to
know a lot more about who is
going to prevail this year in the
next month.
– PHIL BRANAGAN
Dirk Klynsmith
 race

The heat is on (everyone) now

THE heat was on in Darwin, in
more ways than one.
Yes, the weather made sure
that the perspiration factor
was fairly high, and in itself,
that made a welcome change
for many travellers, who
were accustomed to the July
temperatures in Melbourne.
COMMENT
Phil Branagan
Executive Editor
real, and figure out what their
futures hold. The shrinking
funds on the Ford side may be
a temporary glitch, or it may be

For that matter, even the SEQ-
based teams were enjoying the
difference.
The drivers, less so. Apart
from the challenge of
dealing with exorbitant cabin
temperatures, the heat now is
really on in the driver market.
Now that Ford has broken
cover, drivers can start their
decision making processes for
a new era. Only time will tell.
What Holden does next will
be telling. As if the pressure
of performing for the usual
reasons is not high enough,
the roles of the two makes in
the series will focus attention
on drivers and the good and
bad that they do. There are
some worried team principals
out there; any public errors
by their resident superstars
may amplify the strengths
and weaknesses of the teams
themselves. Loyalties will be
stretched; relationships will be
tested.
Motor racing is a survivalist
sport. While the concept is
James Smith
not a welcome one to many
drivers, there will be casualties
along the way, as there always
are. There are not that many
certainties, except for this one;
there are going to be a lot of
driver changes in the next few
years …

Nachos, blue ovals and a balancing act
I HAD the second best weekend I could
have possibly had.
The only way my Saturday and Sunday
could have been better was if I was in
Darwin, soaking up the sun, enjoying the
everything the Northern Territory has to
offer.
But I can’t complain. I sat on the couch
with my mates, watched the racing
while eating nachos. All in all, it was a
treat. Okay, the racing wasn’t terrific, but
the perfect distribution of cheese and
sour cream made up for any issues that
unfolded on the flat screen.
Another treat was that Ford’s big
money-to-teams news story broke before
FROM THE
COUCH
Grant Rowley
Darwin, and it gave the Channel Seven’s
team a chance to tear apart the story.
As you guys know, the team here at
Motorsport eNews love a tasty news story,
and this one is just about the biggest
of the year – one that will potentially
change the face of V8 Supercars as we
know it.
Seven’s analysis of the story was
detailed, if a little slanted, in my opinion.
John Morris/Mpix
Now, I’m not TV bashing here, not at all.
It was great to see Seven offer most of its
non-race coverage to an important news
topic, but it seemed that we only got to
hear the tale of woe from Roland Dane
(Triple 8) and Dick Johnson – the guys
who have effectively been dumped from
Ford’s racing portfolio.
What I also wanted to hear was chat
from the likes of FPR, Stone Brothers
and Ray Price – the players who will lead
Ford’s restructured campaign.
Perhaps Seven were dealing with time
constraints? I’m not too sure but, from the
couch, I would have prefered a more even-
handed report.

29
 FORMULA FORD
ROUND 4 – HIDDEN VALLEY

In the Nick of time

Nick Percat got his Formula Ford Championship back on track in The Valley
FDORMULA FORD

UNTIL he headed to Hidden Valley, Nick

Percat had never won a Formula Ford
round, let alone scored a three-race
sweep.
But that is what he did in Darwin, the
Walkinshaw Performance Mygale taking
all three wins after a battle with Paul
Laskazeski in the Factory Enterprises-
backed Spectrum.
Despite Percat running off the track on
lap 5 of Race 1, he kept cool in the heat to
place himself in title contention.
“The team has worked hard to get the
car set-up right, we’ve managed to win all
three races and take the round win, so we chased the pair home for third in Race 1. Laskazeski’s lead is a commanding 59
couldn’t be happier with the result,” said But he got into chase mode after a Race 2 points, but Percat has shown enough
Percat after the weekend. setback and was pushing hard to get up to speed to indicate that the series is far from
“Queensland Raceway is only two weeks the leaders when he dropped back for 14th a cakewalk for the Spectrums just yet.
away and the aim is to close the gap on and 10th in the final two races.
Laskazeski, after this weekend I definitely That allowed Ben Morley to move to
have my eye on the title.” third overall for the weekend, while the Points: Laskazeski 182, Morley 123, Percat
The weekend started promisingly for consistent Scott Pye took fourth overall. 121, Graham 110, Lindbom and Pye 104,
CAMS Rising Star Daniel Erickson, who At the mid-point of the series, Erickson 71, Lowe 62.
30
 race

Dirk Klynsmith

John Morris/Mpix

The cow is coming home: Ben Morley, above, continues to run second in the Australian Formula Ford Championship, but is under attack from
Nick Percat, main above, who won all three races at Hidden Valley. It was the first time that the Formula Fords had raced at the Northern
Territory track, and it was also the first time for Kiwi Andrew Waite, left, in the competitive series.
31
 wins
f all
her o
Mot
The
Dirk Klynsmith

V8 UTES
DARWIN driver Layton
Crambrook has taken out
Round 4 of the series at
Hidden Valley raceway.
Crambrook used some local
knowledge to ensure the
round win by taking out Races
1 and 3.
It was a perfect result for the
Ford pilot after recently signing
a sponsorship with Mother
Energy for the remaining races
of the season.
“It’s been a great day,” said
Crambrook.
“I’ve done plenty of laps
around the circuit and had no
doubt I could hold the lead
through to the finish
“It’s just icing on the cake to
gain such a top result in front
of all the other key supporters
drivers forced McNally to retire rewarding him with the ‘SS wins in Races 1 and 4, while
and dropped Johnson back to Inductions Drive of the Day.’ Adam Uebergang and Radek
eighth position. Crambrook leads the Saitz shared the remaining race
“I got off to a good start and championship over Jane as the wins.
ran with Grant and had a really series heads to Queensland
good pace with him,” said Raceway on July 20. Points: Crambrook 360, Jane 313,
McNally. Also at Darwin was the Johnson 292, Andrew Fisher 270,
Ryan Harris 267, Miedecke 259,
“He was chasing hard and local Improved Production/ Colin Corkery 244, Gary Baxter
going into turn one, he was Commodore Cup/HQ Holden 225, Yanis Derums 225, Gary
going to have a go so I moved class with Edward Austin taking MacDonald 224.
over to block and in the
process locked up and took out
Grant.
“It was disappointing but at
least I know I have the pace to
run with the fast guys.”
Kim Jane benefited from
others misfortune to come
home second for the round,
while another Ford driver was
George Miedecke.
Miedecke ensured his third
position for the weekend by
taking out the reverse grid
James Smith

we have turning out here in second race.

Darwin.”
Grant Johnson and Glenn
McNally looked set for a
podium result until contact
between the two Holden
An hounourable mention
must go to Craig Dontas, who
overtook 18 cars in one race
after starting from the back
of the grid with his efforts
Capatalise: Kim Jane had a consistent weekend but couldn’t have
expected to end up second for the round.An incident between McNally
and Johnson ensured the the podium result.

32

James Smith
Bowe and Richards battle
it out in Darwin
BIANTE TOURING CARS
JOHN Bowe took the honours in the
Biante Touring Car Masters at Darwin’s
Hidden Valley Raceway with three
wins from three starts, driving Tony
Hunter’s Chev Camaro.
Jim Richards debuted his new Falcon
Sprint and finished with a fourth and
two seconds, although he appeared
to clearly cross the line first in the final
race only to have the timing record give
the race to JB by four hundredths of a
second.
After the race, Richards was delighted
with the car.
“I qualified in third place but it’s a little
slow off the start,” said Richards, “so I
had to work hard to make up places
RACE
SHOP
race
before the end of each race, but the car to brother Cameron, whose Valiant
is lighter and therefore a little easier on Pacer had expired with melted pistons
the tyres. from running the unleaded fuel.
“It made for an exciting finish as JB After battling through the field, he
struggled with tyres and lack of brakes.” went off into the sandtrap while trying
Bowe was equally excited racing to pass Phil Brock and finished ninth.
against his old rival. – JAMES SMITH
“It’s great to be back racing against Jim,”
said Bowe.
“I think we’ve been doing it for around
25 years and he’s just as good and just
as competitive as ever.
“The category is full of great guys
James Smith
and the cars are really competitive. I’m
having a ball.”
Gavin Bullas finished third in all three
races in his Boss Mustang, while Brad Top-end Sprint: Richo brought out the
Tilley struggled with the flu, finishing Sprint, above, for the first time and almost
second and fourth before handing over took the round away from Bowe.
Where the motorsport industry advertises
CLICK on the centre of any advertisement
for more information
ADVERTISE for as little as $75 per issue –
special monthly packages
Contact Oriana Kennedy: oriana@mnews.com.au
03 9596 5555 or 0422 624 349
33
 INDYCAR SERIES
ROUND 10 – WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

American Boy
Ryan Hunter-Reay came away from Watkins Glen with
Victory after many of the favourites had dramas in an
eventful race

34
race

35
sutton-images.com
R
YAN Hunter-Reay has recorded
his first IndyCar series victory
after 16 races by holding off
Darren Manning at Watkins Glen
last weekend.
The win is the first for Rahal Letterman
Racing since August 2004.
“It’s a dream come true,” said Hunter-Reay,
who became the seventh different winner
this season.
“American kid winning with ethanol on
the side of the car.
“Bobby Rahal gave me the job and now
we’re in Victory Circle. I can’t tell you how
happy I am. This is amazing!”
“We were pushing so hard, I was driving
my rear end off there at the end.
“The car was great. I have to give it to the
team.”
Hunter-Reay grabbed the lead from
Manning after a lap 51 restart and hung
36
on till the end of the race.
“I just got a good run on Darren, stuffed
it down in there, and said I’ll deal with it
when it happens,” Hunter-Reay said.
“Then I got to the top of the hill, Darren
popped to the outside so I stuck to the
inside and we held on to it from there.”
Hunter-Reay seemed to have things go
his way all day and inherited positions after
Scott Dixon and pole-sitter Ryan Briscoe
came together under the Safety Car.
Dixon was warming his tyres and spun,
collecting Briscoe. Both were able to pit for
repairs but finished well down.
“I feel bad. I was a complete idiot,” Dixon
said.
“My guys lost very valuable points today.
I was just trying to burn the front tyres
up a bit because of the new tyres and the
restarts. I got a bit aggressive and went a
little higher into the turn and I saw it and
the steering wheel snapped on me. I feel
more down for Briscoe and his boys.”
“It’s unfortunate what happened out
there today,” said Briscoe.
“I know how Scott feels. There’s nothing
you can do in that situation – I just wish I
didn’t get caught up in it.”
Dixon remains in the points lead and
actually extended his advantage over Helio
Castroneves who finished down in 16th
after failing to record a time in qualifying.
Will Power had a tough weekend in the
Aussie Vineyards car, finishing down in 15th.
“Unfortunately I ran out of electrical
power,” said Power.
“Something kept draining the power
and I had to keep coming into the pits
to charge the battery, which was really
unfortunate.
“We are going to have a good weekend
one time this year, surely, one time”
 race

sutton-images.com
Not yet: Briscoe, left, put it on pole, set the fastest lap early in the
race and looked to be on for the win until Dixon spun into him
under the Safety Car.
Danica Patrick, above, continued her run of bad luck with a crash
sutton-images.com

sutton-images.com
in pit lane that saw her finish down the order.
Fellow Aussie Will Power, below, had battery troubles that ruined
his day at the Glen, while Ryan Hunter-Reay, right, made his way
to victory circle for the first time in his 16-race IndyCar career.

INDYCAR | WATKINS GLEN

1 17 Ryan Hunter-Reay USA Rahal Letterman Racing 60 laps
2 14 Darren Manning GB AJ Foyt Enterprises +2.401s
3 11 Tony Kanaan Br Andretti Green Racing +4.105s
4 15 Buddy Rice USA Dreyer & Reinbold +4.811s
5 26 Marco Andretti USA Andretti Green +5.313s
6 18 Bruno Junqueira Br Dale Coyne Racing +5.808s
7 19 Mario Moraes Br Dale Coyne Racing +8.625s
8 06 Graham Rahal USA Newman/Haas/Lanigan +9.456s
9 27 Hideki Mutoh Jap Andretti Green +10.18s
10 33 EJ Viso Ven PDVSA HVM Racing +10.86s
12 6 Ryan Briscoe Aus Penske +11.60s
25 8 Will Power Aus KV Racing Technology +38.10s

INDYCAR | DRIVER’S points

IndyCar Media

Dixon 370, Castroneves 322, Wheldon 311, Kanaan 304, Andretti 241,
Mutoh 238, Patrick 236, Briscoe 231, Hunter-Reay 220, (12th Power 194).

37
 NASCAR SPRINT CUP
ROUND 18 – DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

Zero Tolerance
Kyle Busch and Toyota won at Daytona under caution, but the result
could have been very different. MARTIN D CLARK reports

38
race

39
NASCAR Media
 NASCAR Media
K
YLE Busch took his
sixth win of the year
and second in three
races under lights at
Daytona Beach on Saturday
night.
The race appeared as if
NASCAR forgot to tell the
drivers they were at the 2.5
mile Daytona Speedway
and not the half mile Bristol
bull-ring.
“I don’t remember passing
Jeff for the lead,” said Busch of
his move with four laps to run.
“He got on the outside to
block and I just stayed on the
bottom and Edwards stayed
40
glued to my rear bumper.
Luckily were able to get by
before the caution (tenth)
came out.”
After almost crashing out
of the 400 miler on lap 83
with drafting contact coming
from his team-mate Denny
Hamlin, Busch did a great
job of controlling his Joe
Gibbs Toyota and rebounded
from 37th at the time, after
originally starting ninth.
A multi-car crash ended the
already extended race under
caution with Busch just a
metre ahead and inside Carl
Edwards who was making a
charge on the outside when
the yellow lights flashed in
turn one.
“I wanted to beat him real
bad,” said Edwards, “but I
guess it’s safety first when
they threw the caution. I hate
to lose that thing like that I
wish we could have raced a
little longer.”
The 10th caution was
caused when Jimmie Johnson
spun with three laps to run,
collecting six other cars and
putting the race into overtime,
with Jeff Gordon heading
Busch, Carl Edwards and Matt
Kenseth.
As the cars gathered speed
on the frontstretch, Gordon
moved to block Edwards and
was turned into the infield. The
race stayed under the green
flag, but half a lap later, five
more cars scattered, exiting
Turn 2 forcing a yellow flag
finish.
Matt Kenseth came home
third with Kurt Busch fourth
in a back up Penske Dodge,
having wrecked his primary in
practice with David Ragan fifth.
Points: Busch 2686, Earnhardt
Jr. 2504, Burton 2484, Edwards
2437, Johnson 2319.
 race

Cautioned finish:
Sprint Cup finished
under caution after
a last lap accident
mid-pack. Kyle
Busch took the
win, left, from Carl
Edwards.
Meanwhile Denny
Hamlin, right, led
home the field
in Nationwide

NASCAR Media
followed by Busch
and Earnhardt Jr,
below.

NATIONWIDE

FOR the ninth time in 2008, the number 20 Joe Gibbs Racing
Toyota found itself in victory lane at Daytona this past Friday
night.
“A monkey could win in that car, it’s not even testing their talents
right now,” commented points leader Clint Bowyer.
There was no monkey behind the wheel, but Denny Hamlin was
the lucky driver celebrating in victory lane.
“This car was amazing tonight,” said Hamlin, who had
communication issues and pitted a lap after his Gibbs team-mate
Kyle Busch, but rallied back from a 2s deficit in the final 10 laps.
“I’ve got to thank Kyle for sticking with me right there at the end.
The only way we weren’t going to win was if he went for it.”
Hamlin has now finished no worse than second in each of his last
five series starts.
Kyle Busch, in a second Gibbs Camry, came home behind Hamlin
for his third straight runner-up finish in the Nationwide Series at
Daytona, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr, Bowyer and Carl Edwards
who was annoyed with NASCAR’s scoring on the final restart,
claiming he was in front of Bowyer.
There were only four cautions throughout the 103-lap race,
with the last coming as the winner took the chequers when Mike
Wallace got spun into the wall entering the front stretch.
Ambrose started 34th in front of a sparse crowd on Friday night
and ran in the high teens all race, forging ahead a handful spots in
the closing laps to end his night 15th and hold on to 13th in the
standings.
– MARTIN D CLARK
NASCAR Media

Point: Bowyer 2814, Keselowski 2621, Edwards 2596, Reutimann 2588,

Bliss 2489. (Ambrose 13th 2048).

41
 Winning the Duel

INDYLIGHTS
THE Firestone IndyLights twin
29-lap races at Watkins Glen
have created many winners
and losers as circuit drivers
excelled.
Raphael Matos and Richard
Antinucci shared the wins at
the Glen to confirm their places
at the top of the Championship
standings with Antinucci
leading Matos by 27 points.
“I’m not unhappy,” said
Antinucci.
“This was an awkward day. It’s
the only day of the year we do
two races in one day. You can’t
let your emotions go, you can’t
spray champagne because your
suit will stink for the second
race. I didn’t want to let it go. I
was pretty happy with second.
That’s what we deserved in the
first.
“No one caught points on
us this weekend, which is
excellent. We’ve won on both
weekends a second and a first
place, on both road course
weekends this year.”
Matos was equally happy to
come away from the duel with
a handy swag of points.
“I think it was definitely
very important for us that we
were able to recover in the
championship,” Matos said.
“We just approach it race by
race. First you have to finish the
race before you try to win. And,
obviously, you have to collect
points every single race.
“I’m ready to fight from now
until the end.”
the dual race format didn’t
suit all though, with Dillon
Battistini struggling with
mechanical dramas which
caused him to relinquish the
championship lead.
IndyCar Media
“It’s been the toughest
weekend that I’ve been through
in a long time,” Battistini said.
“We suffered from missing the
test, and we were behind on
track time. Unfortunately we
weren’t able to challenge for
the lead today.
“It’s been a weekend to forget.
Now we need to focus on next
weekend.”
Australian James Davison
had a tough weekend at
Watkins Glen recording a lowly
first race finish of 21st, while a
fightback in the second race
saw him finish in 11th.

The Italian Stallions battle it out

QLD STATE
THE second round of Queensland
Raceway’s Drivers Championship series
was held under dark and gloomy last
weekend.
The largest field of the weekend was
the Italian challenge in which a group Alfa
Romeos went up against some Ferraris.
The races were split two each between
the two marques with Andrew Wilson
(Alfetta GTV) winning the weekend from
Charlie Clements (Ferrari 308 GTB), both
taking two race wins. Philip Simmie (Alfa
Romeo GTV 2000) inherited third place
for the weekend after a mechanical
issue claimed Trevor Basset (Ferrari 365
GTC4).
The QR Hire Karts Gemini Series saw
Melissa Thompson win the first race and
the round over Race 2 and 3 winner Ben
Tomlin, with Dan Cassar third for the
round.
Jamie Furness won two races in the
HQ Holden Gemini Classic with team-
mate Ian Mundell and Dion Cidoni
winning the others.
Jason James (Short F1 FDM) blitzed
the Sidecar field, winning four from four
ahead of Michael Hickman (Suzuki) and
Doug Chivas.
The slim Group N was won Peter
Baguley (Torana XU1) from Russell Wright
(GTHO Falcon) and Craig Lind (Escort).
The Sports/Sedan car class was claimed
by Mark Papendall (VH Commodore)
from Henri van Roden (Mazda MX-5) and
Richard Price (VN Commodore).
– MARK JONES

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 race

A Perfect Weekend
EUROCUP

CHAMPIONSHIP leader Daniel Ricciardo has

continued his dominance of the Eurocup Formula
Renault 2.0 series by sweeping the latest round at
the Hungaroring.
The Australian had the perfect weekend, taking pole
position for both races and lead home his SG Formula
team-mate Andrea Caldarelli both times.
“We’ve really worked hard at SG Formula,” said
Ricciardo.
“We found the right set-up straight away and my car
just got better and better as the weekend went on.
“Everything worked out well. It’s a good result
coming before the summer break.”
Roberto Mehri finished third in Race 1 after
withstanding some intense pressure late in the race
from his team-mate, while Tobias Hegewald grabbed
his first podium of the year finishing in third
place in the second race of the weekend.
The second race saw plenty of carnage that
brought out the Safety Car and bunched up
the field. Ricciardo was too good on the re-
start, pulling away to win comfortably.
Ricciardo has now won four of the six races
this season, which further extends his lead
at the top of the championship table as the
series heads towards its summer break.
The championship heads to the Nurburgring for
Round 4 on August 30.

Van der Garde back on top WORLD SERIES
P1 Motorsport driver Giedo Van der
Garde has returned to the top of the
World Series by Renault by winning
Race 1 at the Hungaroring last
weekend.
The championship leader held off
Julien Jousse and Fabio Carbone all the
way to the finish to record the victory in
the reverse grid race.
“We’ve worked hard to make the car
consistent in races,” said Van der Garde.
“I made a very good start and then I
made the most of [Alexandre] Marsoin’s
penalty.
“It’s a good result. Tomorrow it will be
equally wide open!”
And he was right.
Carbone took SuperPole, and led from
start to finish in Race 2, but the action
was all behind him as Jousse and Van
der Garde battled hard.
An incident on the first lap saw the
Safety Car deployed before many of the
main players pitted for tyres on lap 5.
Carbone pitted late on lap 12 and
managed to come out just ahead of
Jousse, who jumped Miguel Molina
after a miscalculated late pitstop left
the Spaniard in third.
“We have struggled since the start of
the season,” said Carbone.
“This weekend has been perfect.
Everyone’s done a great job.
“I’m certain that we can continue this
run and fight for the title. The season is
far from over!”
Van der Garde leads the
championship race by some margin
over Jousse with Carboen now third
following his result in Hungary.

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44
 rear of grid

The King’s
new Clothes

NASCAR Media
FOR this week’s last look at
motorsport, we have to go all
the way to the USA.
Odd Spot AT the other end of the
Richard Petty celebrates country, IndyCar has made
his 50th year in motorsport its presence felt in New York’s
this season and, as part of the famed Times Square.
season-long celebration of all Among the neon hardware
things King-like, he unveiled that turns night into day on
a special paint scheme for the the corner of Broadway and
Petty Enterprises Dodges at Seventh Ave in Manhattan,
Daytona on the weekend. there is the Izod billboard,
In keeping with the occasion, which changes monthly
King Richard also brought to display the wares of the
along a recreation of the ’57 sportswear brand. This month,
Oldsmobile that he used to the man in the spotlight is
race in NASCAR’s Convertible none other than Ryan Hunter-
division (yep, they used to race Reay, who took his maiden
ragtops, on ovals. Go figure). IndyCar win at Watkins Glen
The King ran the car for two on the weekend.
seasons before things got Of course, we would have
more and more serious. been a bit happier if the
Of course, the summer other Ryan, Briscoe, greeted
Daytona race was where the chequer. But, given that
Petty scored his 200th Cup RHR is on the billboard in the
victory, and the final win of his country’s busiest pedestrian
amazing driving career in 1984. intersection, and his team
And he did it in front of US owner David Letterman works
President Ronald Reagan. On just up Broadway, we should
NY Tourism

the Fourth of July. All you can be gracious about these things.
say is, God Bless America. Dammit.
45