v8 supercar latest

[Rob]

Ignition for Triple Eight Commodores


Craig Lowndes testing at QR


3:30 PM Tue 9 February, 2010

Source: BigPond Sport

Triple Eight’s Commodores made their historic public debut in an uneventful test at Queensland Raceway today.

In the first practice session the pigeon-pair of TeamVodafone Commodores of Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes finished fourth and sixth-quickest respectively.

Essentially the team undertook a full systems check and some fundamental set-up work and was happy with the session.

Early indications are the team seems confident it will hit the ground running in the Middle East next week.

Although there was a minor mechanical glitch to the #888 Commodore of Craig Lowndes the day went smoothly enough.

The team basically duplicated the test they did with the FG Falcon this time last year, analysing set-ups and measuring fuel.

A guarded team boss Roland Dane was comfortable with the behaviour and lap pace of the Commodores.

“The cars have rolled out pretty well but we still have plenty of work to do to make sure we are on the money,” Dane said.

The early pace in the first session was set by DJR racer Jonathon Webb who established a 1min11.4251sec lap.

Star Paul Morris recruit Greg Murphy was second quickest in 1:11.6085 ahead of Steve Johnson (1:11.6611).

Steve Johnson (Jim Beam Racing) was third fastest in 1:11.6611.

Supercheap Auto incumbent Russell Ingall posted the fifth-fastest time of 1:11.7081 in a Triple Eight-built Commodore.

Murphy will continue to use Ingall’s Commodore from last season until he takes delivery of the new Holden supplied by TeamVodafone.

TeamVodafone has been the benchmark outfit for the last four years and is facing one of its toughest challenges since switching brands from running Fords.

Dane says that the 2010 challenge is no greater or smaller than this time last year when it completed a heavy build schedule of supplying five FG Falcons.

“Every year is a challenge and we built more cars last year,” Dane said.

“When we did the deal with the guys at Holden I didn’t know that we would be starting off the year with Abu Dhabi and Bahrain.

“That (earlier start) basically compressed everything into three weeks because we thought Clipsal would be mid-March followed by the GP and everything would be fine.

“But we had to reschedule and that really has been the hardest part but we have got three cars out on the track today.”

In the first few hours the Triple Eight cars set the pace before being overhauled by Webb’s time.

[Rob]

heres 100% commitment on Bathurst hot lap GARTH TANDER!!!!!!

[Rob]

DJR gets Ford money

1:58 PM Wed 10 February, 2010

Source: BigPond Sport

Ford Australia announced today (Wednesday) that it will begin a new partnership with Johnson Racing, supporting all three of the Ford V8 Supercar teams in 2010.

The Blue Oval stopped providing finance to Johnson Racing, which is known as Jim Beam Racing, at the end of 2008 but still provided engineering and technical assistance to the team.

Johnson remained loyal to Ford following the announcement but TeamVodafone defected to Holden after it also lost Ford dollars, subsequently tipping the 2010 V8 field two thirds in the General’s favour.

Only three teams – Jim Beam Racing, Ford Performance Racing and Stone Brothers Racing – will run Falcons in 2010 and Ford already sponsors the other two teams.

In a statement today, Ford Australia said Jim Beam Racing will now receive “direct factory support” from the company, following an internal review of its motorsport sponsorship program.

“Ford is extremely pleased to be able to expand its partnership with Jim Beam Racing for 2010 and offer the team enhanced support for the upcoming season,” Ford Australia President and Chief Executive Officer, Marin Burela, said.

“ Johnson is an icon of the sport and a motorsport legend.

“His name and his team have been synonymous with the Ford brand over a long period of time, so it’s fitting that we can continue to be so inextricably linked in the world of motorsport in Australia.”

Johnson noted his long association with Ford.

“And I am very pleased that we have been able to enhance that partnership this year,” he said.

Jim Beam Racing finished the year on a high with James Courtney winning the final race of the season at the Sydney Telstra 500.

Jim Beam Racing co-owner, Charlie Schwerkolt, described the discussions with Ford and Burela as “refreshing”.

“And our performance on track in 2009 has certainly helped in our discussions to re-engage in 2010,” he said.

“It is such a positive move by Ford to increase its support of the team and, in turn, its ultimate support of the V8 Supercar category as a whole, and we look forward to a great partnership in 2010.”

Jim Beam Racing’s new livery, including Ford branding, will be seen for the first time at the V8 Supercars season launch in Sydney tonight.

[Rob]

P!nk is the face of V8 Supercars for 2010
Press Release

7:00 PM Wed 10 February, 2010

Source: V8 Supercars Australia

Sydney: V8 Supercars Australia has proven its credentials as “The Greatest Show on Wheels” by securing international music sensation P!nk as the sport’s ambassador from 2010 through to 2012. The announcement will be made at the annual Season Launch tonight, held at Stage 3, Fox Studios, where the crème de la crème of the motor sport, media and entertainment world will gather together to be the first to see the brand new commercial starring the feisty American rocker.

V8 Supercars Australia Chairman Tony Cochrane said,

“This is also the biggest campaign, by a long, long way, that V8 Supercars has embarked on and let me tell you we’ve done some big things in our history. It is an enormous coup for our sport to have P!nk as an ambassador for the next three years and we are very proud to have her on board.

“V8 Supercars is about growth and growing our audiences. We have proven in a relatively short amount of time that V8 Supercars is a world class product on and off the track. Again with this announcement we are setting a very high benchmark.

“So why P!nk? She’s the greatest female artist on the planet in my books. She’s not afraid to be different. She’s bold, she’s outspoken and she’s unapologetic. She’s the most popular modern day artist in this country by a very long margin. She’s cool! For all of those reasons V8 Supercars and P!nk are the perfect DNA match.”

The commercial which was filmed in Sydney during P!nk’s 2009 FUNHOUSE TOUR, airs on national television from 6am Thursday 11 February showcasing P!nk with an all star cast of V8 Supercars drivers including, Jamie Whincup, Will Davison, Rick Kelly, Mark Winterbottom, Fabian Coulthard and James Courtney.

“I’m in LA where I just finished soaking everybody at the Grammys, which was really fun,” says P!nk,

“I want everybody to see my new V8 Supercar commercial that I’m really, really excited about. Dave Meyers my buddy out here in the US directed it and he flew all the way to Australia for it at the end of my last tour.

“I’m stoked about it, it’s awesome. We got to test drive the cars while we were there and it has been a really fun ride. I didn’t have to drive with Carey Hart so I’m alive! I’m really excited about the new race season.”

Believed to be one of the largest advertising productions undertaken in Australian sport, the new V8 Supercars commercial was directed by world renowned Hollywood music video director Dave Meyers who flew to Sydney from LA for the shoot. In his ten-year directing career, Meyers has won a host of awards and worked with some of the industry’s biggest stars including P!nk, JLo, Aerosmith, Janet Jackson, Jay-Z and Britney Spears.

[Rob]

P!nk will play at V8s

12:37 PM Fri 12 February, 2010

Source: BigPond Sport

V8 Supercars’ new ambassador, music sensation P!nk, is likely to perform at one of this year’s showcase events.

It was announced earlier this week that P!nk has signed on as the category’s ambassador for three years and V8 Supercars Interim Chief Executive Officer, Shane Howard, has no doubt she will perform at a V8 event in that time.

“She definitely will appear at one of our concerts in the future,” he said.

“I can’t give too much away, but she definitely wants to; she’s a big fan of V8 Supercars and has embedded herself into the sport.

“That would be the ultimate to have her play at one of our concerts, for sure; that really would just bring the whole relationship to fruition.”

Two of the most likely places she will attend if she performs this year is December’s Sydney Telstra 500, the grand finale for the 2010 Championship, or the Gold Coast SuperCarnivale in October.

It will be the first time the V8 Supercars will officially headline the Gold Coast event without an international category on the bill and V8 Supercars is pulling out all the stops to prove to the Queensland Government it can continue to go it alone.

P!nk, aka Alecia Moore, took part in a massive 58 show tour of Australia last year, playing to a total of more than 650,000 people according to her official website.

Howard revealed that V8 Supercars had initially courted P!nk to perform at last year’s inaugural Sydney Telstra 500, but it clashed with a performance she had booked in Europe.

“She wanted to do it, but there was a conflict with her playing in Zurich so that wasn’t to happen,” he said.

P!nk’s manager Roger Davies previously managed Tina Turner, who was part of the NRL’s Simply the Best campaign in the late eighties.

When V8 Supercars realised this, it sent brainstorming into overdrive and the deal was done for P!nk to become the face of the category for the next three years.

Once it was sorted, V8 Supercars had a window of just over a fortnight to film the ad featuring P!nk, which received plenty of publicity from television broadcasters yesterday (Thursday).

And while other celebrities and music stars make all sorts of demands like top shelf champagne and caviar, Howard said all P!nk and her management wanted was a high quality production.

“In our conversations (before the deal was done) Roger said ‘look, we’re only interested in this if it’s really high quality, we’re not interested in anything that’s half-hearted’ so we gave him guarantees we were after the same outcomes as what P!nk and he were after,” he said.

“And so it was agreed between the parties that we would fly Dave Meyers out from New York to come out and shoot it.

“We had about 16 days then to bring it all to fruition and it was an unbelievable task, a very nervous time given the expectations of the artist and her management and us but it just clicked.

“I think the shortness of time actually benefited the end result because everybody knew there was no mucking around; it was get in and nail it.”

In August, the same day V8 Supercars were making the public announcement that Russell Crowe had lent his voice to the 2009 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 commercials, the parts of the ad for 2010 that P!nk starred in were covertly being shot in a former locomotive foundry in Redfern.

The ad, which cost up to five million dollars to make, also has plenty of computer-generated imagery and Howard said the post production was enormous.

“I can’t tell you the hours and hours and hours of people reviewing and critiquing and changing and going back to the States through Dave Meyers and that process was extensive,” he explained.

“It was an eye opener for me just to see what’s involved to produce something at that level.

“This would be the most expensive and the biggest sport music campaign in this country and to see the end result is outstanding.”

Jim Beam Racing’s James Courtney said it was a unique experience to feature in the ad with P!nk.

“The segment where I catch P!nk only lasts a few seconds, but it took a few hours (to film),” he said.

“There is so much preparation and planning, just as there is when we go motor racing.

“The aim is to promote the sport outside traditional motorsport fans and P!nk was the perfect choice to push the message out there to a wider demographic.

“The music is great, and the presentation of the vision and graphics are very slick. I think this will hit the mark!”

[Rob]

Richo gets rubber
Steve Richards' new Dunlop Super Dealer FPR Falcon


4:43 PM Thu 11 February, 2010

Source: BigPond Sport

Dunlop, the official tyre of the V8 Supercars, will have even more branding on track with the announcement the company will sponsor Steve Richards’ Ford Performance Racing (FPR) Falcon.

Richo’s car will be known as the Dunlop Super Dealer FPR Falcon and he is keen to put 2009 behind him.

“Personally I couldn’t be happier,” he said.

“I’ve done a lot of work with Dunlop Super Dealers over the years, so to have my car emblazoned with their colours is brilliant.

“I’m definitely looking forward to the new season; I’m expecting the Dunlop Super Dealer FPR Falcon will be a contender this year.”

FPR Team Principal, Tim Edwards, said Dunlop has been a proud and active sponsor of FPR since it began in 2002.

“So to see a fully livered Dunlop Super Dealer FPR Falcon on the track in 2010 reflects the value we both hold in this relationship,” he said.

“It’s pleasing to see an existing, blue chip sponsor stepping up to take on naming entitlements.

“In many ways it’s a logical step; Dunlop is obviously aware of the commercial advantages of owning a competitive car. We can now take this long standing support to the next level.”

Dunlop Tyres’ Marketing Vice President, Phillip Cavagna, said the Dunlop Super Dealer sponsorship was a first for the tyre retailer.

“This partnership marks the first time the Dunlop Super Dealer retail network has come together to be involved in the V8 Supercar Championship Series,” he said.

“We are extremely excited to be the naming-rights sponsor on Steven Richards’ #6 Ford Performance Racing Falcon for the 2010 Series, as well as to have Dunlop continue our ongoing partnership of the entire FPR team.

“Dunlop is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high and ultra high performance tyres with an impressive track record of motorsport success, so Ford Performance Racing is a great fit for our brand.”

Cavagna said it also reinforces Dunlop’s longstanding relationship with Ford Australia and Ford Performance Vehicles to engineer and supply original equipment tyres for the new road cars.

“Taking over the naming rights of Steven Richards’ FPR Ford Falcon is a perfect fit for the tyre dealer as the popular driver has been an ambassador to the business for several years,” he said.

Richo ran a blank livery at the test day for Victorian teams at Winton Motor Raceway on Monday.

The Dunlop Super Dealer FPR Falcon will make its track debut at the opening event of the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship, the Yas V8 400, which takes place next week starting February 18.

[Rob]

Who gets the last seat?


Dale Wood tested the fourth Kelly Racing car at Winton last week.
1:13 PM Mon 15 February, 2010

BigPond Sport

The driver of the last seat up for grabs in the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship will not be named until the eleventh hour.

Kelly Racing will announce its fourth driver in pitlane at the Yas Marina Circuit on Wednesday morning Abu Dhabi time (Wednesday night in Australia).

The Kelly Racing Commodore was air freighted over to Abu Dhabi for this weekend’s Yas V8 400 minus its livery and will be stickered up after it arrives in the Middle East.

A number of drivers have been linked to Kelly Racing but have since been confirmed as endurance drivers for other teams.

Marcus Marshall, left out in the wilderness after his Team IntaRacing folded mid-way through 2009, has taken up an enduro drive with Jim Beam Racing.

And Michael Patrizi, also without a drive after Paul Cruickshank Racing closed at the end of last year’s Championship, will team up with Triple F Racing driver and fellow West Australian Dean Fiore for Phillip Island’s L&H 500 and Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.

Patrizi helped with pitstop simulations and then drove the Triple F Falcon at the official test day for Queensland-based teams last week.

Fiore said he was stoked to have Patrizi on board as his endurance co-driver.

“He’s been a mate for ages and will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the team for the endurance races later this year,” he said.

Patrizi said he was honoured to join Triple F Racing for the enduros.

“To be given the opportunity to race with my best mate has been a dream since we were young tackers racing go karts in Kalgoorlie,” he said.

Former Kelly Racing driver Dale Wood, who continued working at Kelly Racing after Mark McNally replaced him as a driver last year, drove the blank Kelly Racing Commodore at the official test day for Victorian teams at Winton Motor Raceway last week.

While Rock Racing driver Jason Bargwanna, who is also from the Kelly Racing stable, topped the timesheets with 1:22.7234, Wood’s quickest time was 1:26.1724.

Considering Kelly Racing is waiting until it hits Abu Dhabi, there is an outside chance a driver from that region will be named to take the fourth seat, if only for the first two 2010 V8 events.

After all it has been done before – the now defunct Team Kiwi Racing ran Fahad Al Musalam at the 2008 Gulf Air Desert 400 in Bahrain.2010 driver line-up

Confirmed enduro drivers are listed in brackets

TeamVodafone #1 Jamie Whincup (Steve Owen)

Toll Holden Racing Team #2 Garth Tander #22 Will Davison

Centaur Racing #3 Tony D’Alberto (Shane Price)

Irwin Racing #4 Alex Davison

Orrcon Racing #5 Mark Winterbottom Dunlop Super Dealer Team #6 Steve Richards (Luke Youlden, James Moffat)

Jack Daniel’s Racing #7 Todd Kelly #15 Rick Kelly

Team BOC #8 Jason Richards

SP Tools Racing #9 Shane van Gisbergen

Bundaberg Red Racing #10 Andrew Thompson #24 Fabian Coulthard (Dave Reynolds)

Rock Racing #11 Jason Bargwanna

Triple F Racing #12 Dean Fiore (Michael Patrizi)

Trading Post Racing #14 Jason Bright

Kelly Racing #16 TBC

Jim Beam Racing #17 Steve Johnson #18 James Courtney (Warren Luff, Marcus Marshall)

Canadian Club Racing #19 Jonathon Webb (David Russell)

Fair Dinkum Sheds Racing #21 Karl Reindler

Gulf Western Oil Racing #30 Daniel Gaunt

Fujitsu Racing #33 Lee Holdsworth #34 Michael Caruso (David Besnard, Greg Ritter)

Supercheap Auto Racing #39 Russell Ingall

Wilson Security Racing #47 Tim Slade

Castrol Edge Racing #51 Greg Murphy

The Bottle-O Racing #55 Paul Dumbrell

TeamVodafone #888 Craig Lowndes (Mark Skaife)

[Rob]

Tunnel vision


Paul Dumbrell in Abu Dhabi.

9:01 PM Tue 16 February, 2010

Source: BigPond Sport

The 2010 V8 Supercar Championship kicks off in style with the Yas V8 400 at the world class Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi this weekend.

There is plenty to be excited about in V8 land at the moment and the drivers cannot wait to hit the 4.5km track which they will race anti-clockwise.

The twilight races will start in daylight and end in the dark and V8 Supercars will be the first series to use the Corkscrew part of the track, a high speed off-camber left, right, left turn sequence which drops 15 metres in elevation over a 100 metres distance.

And for the first time, V8 drivers will get to use a full-blown tunnel at Yas Marina, with the pit exit tunnel.

Garry Rogers Motorsport’s Michael Caruso, who is sporting new Fujitsu livery for 2010, said the Hermann Tilke designed track and the facility looked spectacular.

“Probably the biggest talking point is driving out of pitlane in through that tunnel,” he said last week.

“Everyone’s looking forward to driving through it; it’s so different to what we’re used to.

“I haven’t seen it so I’m not sure exactly how tight it is but it does look interesting.”

Teammate Lee Holdsworth, who traditionally excels at new tracks, is also looking forward to hit the track.

“I love going to new tracks and everyone in this team’s on a bit of a high,” he said.

“Yas Marina Circuit looks like a great track. There’s a fairly big drop at one point of the track – the Corkscrew - it will be a fairly interesting part, and from what I’ve heard it’s a fantastic track and absolute world class facility and it’s just exciting.

“I’ve been looking at a fair few clips of the track and I’ve got a mate (Tarik Al Hamar) that runs in the Lumina series over there and he’s sent me a few videos so hopefully that all helps out.

“Everyone starts on a level playing field again just like Townsville and Homebush and that usually plays into our hands. I just hope we can take off from where we left off last year.”

The Yas Marina Circuit is part of a marina-based development that also includes theme parks and a water park as well as residential areas, hotels and beaches.

Construction of the Yas Marina Circuit began in May 2007 and was completed in October 2009 with a total of US$1.3 billion spent on the venue.

[Rob]

Ricciardello drives for Kellys

The Super-Max Razors Commodore unveiled
By Press Release

8:47 AM Wed 17 February, 2010

Source: BigPond Sport


Kelly Racing has confirmed that Tony Ricciardello will drive the team’s #16 Holden Commodore in the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series, locking in the final seat on the grid for this season.

Super-Max Razors will back the entry for the first two events of the season in the Middle East, with Ricciardello and Kelly Racing teammates Jason Bargwanna and Todd and Rick Kelly unveiling the #16 Super-Max Razors Holden Commodore in pit lane at the spectacular Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi today (Wednesday).

Ricciardello, who hails from Perth, Western Australia, secures his first full-time drive in the V8 Supercars main game with this deal after making his V8 Supercar debut back in 1999.

The 30-year-old has an enormous pedigree in Australian motorsport as a record six-time Australian Sports Sedan Champion, as well as a previous winner of the Sepang 12 Hour in 2003 and a second place finisher at the Bathurst 12 Hour in 2009.

Long touted as a potential star, Ricciardello was hired by Kelly Racing last season for the Phillip Island and Bathurst endurance events, driving alongside fellow West Aussie Mark McNally.

Ricciardello has 14 previous starts in the V8 Supercar Championship Series and five Bathurst 1000 starts, as well as experience in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series.

Team co-owner Todd Kelly said that Ricciardello has huge potential and he was excited to finally give the West Aussie a proper crack at V8 Supercars.

“We're all pumped about it,” said Todd Kelly.

“Tony has got a lot of potential and for us it's a huge win to get him onboard for this year.

“He is a guy that has always had a massive amount of potential but has slipped under the radar year after year, so it's good for us to finally give him a decent crack at a full season.

“I think he will surprise a few people, especially from the mid-to-late part of the year.”

“He is a great bloke. Rick and I and everyone in the team get along really well with Tony.

“He has done a fantastic job for us every time he's been in the car. He's been around for a while so he's sensible and he knows how to drive the car well.”

Ricciardello admitted that it has been a long journey from him to finally reach his goal of a full-time V8 Supercar drive.

“You could probably say that it's been 10 or 11 years of progress that I've had behind me, trying to break in to get that full-time drive,” said Ricciardello.

“It hasn't even really sunk in. Kelly Racing has been great to me over the last year and hopefully this year is going to be another great one and we can all look back at the end of the year and say that we've had a great season.”

“The team is giving me a great car and it's awesome to have a new sponsor in Super-Max onboard for the events in the Middle East as well.

“I'm really excited. It's going to be a big weekend and I can't wait to hop into the Super-Max Commodore for first practice. New sponsor, new driver and a relatively new team attacking the newest circuit in the series at Yas Marina; It's going to be a great weekend and I can't wait.”

Despite his experience and impressive racing resume, Ricciardello still sees himself as a V8 Supercar rookie.

“I might have been racing for 12 years or so but in this series I'm a rookie,” said Ricciardello.

“I've got to prove myself to everyone else, that I belong and that I should stay here. I've just got to take it each step at a time.


“I've got great team-mates at Kelly Racing in Todd, Rick and Jason, who can give me a lot of knowledge and help me with all the issues as they arise during the year.”


Founded in 1949, Super-Max is the second largest manufacturer of razor blades in the world and is sold in more than 140 countries. Almost one in every five blades used worldwide is a Super-Max blade.


Super-Max is also backing the Jack Daniel’s Racing Holden Commodores of Todd and Rick Kelly this season, with Ricciardello’s entry the first time the brand has taken major sponsorship on a V8 Supercar.


Warren Landt of WL&JM Enterprises Pty Ltd, distributors of Super-Max in the Australian & New Zealand market, said that sponsorship of Kelly Racing drives the sales of the brand’s latest Four Blade Technology, which gives the consumer real value for money.


“We are very excited about being involved with Kelly Racing and Jack Daniel’s Racing and look forward to working with the team to build the Super-Max brand in Australia and New Zealand,” said Landt.


“It’s great that we will have such a big presence at the first two events of the season with not only Todd and Rick, but Tony and the #16 Super-Max Commodore. It’s a great opportunity for us to grow our brand with a very visible presence to start the season in a region of the world that is very important to Super-Max.”

[Rob]

2010 V8 Supercar Championship entry

1 Jamie Whincup, Team Vodafone (Triple 8 Engineering), Holden Commodore VE
2 Garth Tander, Toll Holden Racing Team (Walkinshaw Racing), Holden Commodore VE
3 Tony D’Alberto, Centaur Racing (Tony D’Alberto Racing), Holden Commodore VE
4 Alex Davison, Irwin Racing (Stone Brothers Racing), Ford FG Falcon
5 Mark Winterbottom, Ford Performance Racing, Ford FG Falcon
6 Steve Richards, Ford Performance Racing, Ford FG Falcon
7 Todd Kelly, Jack Daniel’s Racing (Kelly Racing), Holden Commodore VE
8 Jason Richards, Team BOC (Brad Jones Racing), Holden Commodore VE
9 Shane van Gisbergen, SP Tools Racing (Stone Brothers Racing), Ford FG Falcon
10 Andrew Thompson, Bundaberg Red Racing (Walkinshaw Racing), Holden Commodore VE
11 Jason Bargwanna, Rock Racing (Kelly Racing), Holden Commodore VE
12 Dean Fiore, Triple F Racing, Ford FG Falcon
14 Jason Bright, Trading Post Racing (Brad Jones Racing), Holden Commodore VE
15 Rick Kelly, Jack Daniel’s Racing (Kelly Racing), Holden Commodore VE
16 Tony Ricciardello, Kelly Racing, Holden Commodore VE
17 Steve Johnson, Jim Beam Racing ( Johnson Racing), Ford FG Falcon
18 James Courtney, Jim Beam Racing ( Johnson Racing), Ford FG Falcon
19 Jonathon Webb, Canadian Club Racing ( Johnson Racing), Ford FG Falcon
21 Karl Reindler, Fair Dinkum Sheds Racing (Brad Jones Racing), Holden Commodore VE
22 Will Davison, Toll Holden Racing Team (Walkinshaw Racing), Holden Commodore VE
24 Fabian Coulthard, Bundaberg Red Racing (Walkinshaw Racing), Holden Commodore VE
30 Daniel Gaunt, Gulf Western Oil Racing (Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport), Holden Commodore VE
33 Lee Holdsworth, Fujitsu Racing (Garry Rogers Motorsport), Holden Commodore VE
34 Michael Caruso, Fujitsu Racing (Garry Rogers Motorsport), Holden Commodore VE
39 Russell Ingall, Supercheap Auto Racing (Paul Morris Motorsport), Holden Commodore VE
47 Tim Slade, Wilson Security Racing (Stone Brothers Racing), Ford FG Falcon
51 Greg Murphy, Castrol Edge Racing (Paul Morris Motorsport), Holden Commodore VE
55 Paul Dumbrell, The Bottle-O Racing (Rod Nash Racing), Ford FG Falcon
888 Craig Lowndes, Team Vodafone (Triple 8 Engineering), Holden Commodore VE

Watch two-hour highlights from the opening round of the V8 Supercar Championship in Abu Dhabi on Motors TV (Sky Channel 413, Virgin Media 545) on Sunday 28 February at 3pm (GMT).

[Rob]

Ford wins first battle
9:08 PM Thu 18 February, 2010

Source: BigPond Sport

Jim Beam Racing driver Steve Johnson led his fellow teammates to the first win in the Holden versus Ford battle for 2010.

Four teams - two Holden and two Ford - teed off at the Yas Links Golf Course in Abu Dhabi yesterday (Wednesday) for an Ambrose tournament.

Johnson and James Courtney and Jonathon Webb formed one team while Stone Brothers Racing drivers Alex Davison, Shane van Gisbergen and Tim Slade formed the other Ford team.

The Holden teams were Jason Bargwanna, Karl Reindler and Jason Bright and Lee Holdsworth, Michael Caruso and Tony D'Alberto.

The Jim Beam Racing drivers finished two under the par of 11, however BigPond Sport has learned that Junior was the pro of the Jim Beam drivers and led his team to victory.

"The other guys were unlucky," Johnson said diplomatically of Courtney and Webb.

"A lot of the other guys don't play golf but I try to play as often as I can which isn't a lot I must admit but over the holidays I've been able to get out most Saturdays and have a hit.

"I love golf and I have done since I was a kid. It was nice to see the course and obviously it is still pretty raw and unfinished but it's going to be pretty nice once it's finished."

Besides the golf tournament, the V8 drivers took it upon themselves to hold impromptu races on the golf carts.

"Giving a golf cart to a bunch of race drivers is probably not the smartest thing to do," Johnson laughed.

"I was sitting on the back so I was just hanging on for grim death. Michael Caruso was driving and there were a few shenanigans going on but I was just hanging on."

The drivers played the three completed holes at Yas Links Golf Course, which will have 18 holes when it is finished.

"We'll have to take them out and see how many shots we can beat them by next year on 18 holes," Junior said.

"It will be good to come back and see how that course really shapes up after 12 months of building and growing.

"The holes that we did play were beautiful. The grass is magnificent and the greens were magnificent; a little bit bumpy but that's just because they're brand new and haven't been used a lot or leveled or rolled.

"Once they get their maintenance scheme into gear it's going to be magnificent and one of the best in the world."

Johnson is a member at a golf club at Hope Island (on the Gold Coast) but he plays at other golf courses whenever he gets the chance.

"If I'm going interstate for a few days and I have a day off I take my clubs and have a hit there but it's pretty hard with the racing shcedule," he explained. "When I retire I'll probably get the handicap down a bit more."

That handicap will have to wait, because Johnson has just signed on for another two years at Jim Beam Racing.

"It was good to do that and get that under the belt so we'll just get on and try to win some more races this year," he said.

"We had a few failures at the end of the year that weren't all that great so it was just a matter of trying to salvage what we could at the end of the year.

"Homebush wasn't great for myself; it was good for James because he won the last race.

"We just had some rear end problems from the kerbs and things but we've rectified that in the chassis now so hopefully it won't bend and break like it did there

[Rob]

Whincup cops it on chin


Shane van Gisbergen topped the times in practice.
2:04 AM Fri 19 February, 2010

Source: BigPond Sport

TeamVodafone Commodore driver Jamie Whincup has accepted a decision by officials that has knocked him off the top of the timesheets for today's (Thursday) practice session at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

Whincup set a blistering lap of 1min 58.099, but his time was disallowed soon after.

The Triple Eight pilot was deemed to have gained an unfair advantage by allegedly taking an illegal racing line at turn nine, but while the reigning champ said he would cop the 'penalty' on the chin he was far from impressed with the decision which he described as "little more than a technicality".

"We got shafted. We got shafted on a technicality. Apparently I ran wide on turn nine, which I did, but I didn't know that we were policing that on that corner. I know now and I'll fix it for qualifying," Whincup said.

"There was no real time gain... I didn't really make up any time by doing that. But it's only practice so it doesn't mean anything any way."

Whincup believes he is under greater scrutiny than other drivers because he is the reigning V8 Supercar Champion.

"When you run the number one you get looked at a lot so we have to be extra careful," he said.

SP Tools Racing's Shane van Gisbergen was elevated to the top of the timesheets following Whincup's time deletion.

Van Gisbergen's time of 1:58.1870 now stands as the fastest V8 Supercar time so far around the Yas Marina Circuit.

Whincup's Triple Eight teammate Craig Lowndes was officially second fastest ahead of Ford Performance Racing's Mark 'Frosty' Winterbottom.

Van Gisbergen said it was a great experience driving on the Yas Marina Circuit as the sun quickly sank over the Gulf.

"Our second last run I had the sun in my eyes and on my last one the lights were on - it was amazing," the Kiwi said.

However, he too was well aware that practice times count for little and that the real action starts tomorrow in qualifying, which kicks off at 2:10pm Abu Dhabi time.

"There are no trophies (for today)... we are just happy that we are progressing," he said.

"I am getting faster and faster and I am more confident in myself. The atmosphere around the team is pretty good and we are looking forward to a strong year."

Whincup's fastest 'legal' time still saw him finish 10th in practice.

Practice top 10

Shane van Gisbergen Falcon 1:58.1870
Craig Lowndes Commodore 1:58.3720
Mark Winterbottom Falcon 1:58.526
Alex Davison Falcon 1:58.5600
Jason Bright Commodore 1:59.1360
Jason Bargwanna Commodore 1:59.3350
Steven Richards Falcon 1:59.3390
Jonathon Webb Falcon 1:59.3970
James Courtney Falcon 1:59.7090
Jamie Whincup Commodore 1:59.7900

[Rob]

Davison re-invigorated


Alex Davison finds pace in Abu Dhabi
2:44 AM Fri 19 February, 2010

Source: BigPond Sport

It’s amazing how an off-season can invigorate a V8 Supercar team.

Stone Brothers Racing has bounced back from a disappointing 2009 to begin this year with an almost perfect start.

While Shane van Gisbergen topped the last practice session of the day, teammate Alex Davison was there or thereabouts for most of the day.

He topped the timing sheets for the first two practice sessions at the Yas V8 400, which were solely for drivers who did not finish in the top 15 at the end of the 2009 Championship, with a time of 2:00.8280.

Davison backed that result up by finishing fourth with a time of 1:58.5600 in the last two sessions, which were open to all cars.

“It was probably our best practice-day result; we were solid the whole way through and obviously we were good in the lower 15 session but you’d hope to be,” he said.

“It was more important we stayed competitive the whole way through the last two practice sessions when everybody’s on the circuit.

“Obviously doing the first two sessions, our tyres were a lot more worn than the guys in the top 15 that didn’t do the first two practice sessions and we were second quickest right up until we put the green tyres on so our performance on used tyres was very, very good.

“I didn’t quite get the most out of a green set so I was disappointed with my own performance then but big picture it was a really good day having both SBR cars in the top four and hopefully we continue that performance tomorrow.”

Davison said while it was a solid day for the team, there was room for improvement.

“I want to be right up the front,” he declared.

“My aim is to win races and I think with the team and the people we have around this year we are capable of doing that, we’ve just got to keep chipping away and not try and force it because once we get everything together and just fine tune what we’ve got I think it will happen.”

He said competing in a field made up primarily of Holdens would not make the job any more difficult.

“But we’re obviously really proud to be one of the Ford-supported teams and to be involved with Ford Motor Company and we want to keep the blue flag flying and get some more trophies,” he said.

Davison attributed his results to a good first day of working with his new race engineer, Dave Stuart.

“Dave and I seemed to work really well together and we just went step by step trying to keep it calm and methodical and we improved the car as we went along,” he said.

“We’re working together really well and I’m looking forward to just developing that relationship and trying to get the most out of our little team.”

Rock Racing driver Jason Bargwanna backed up a great test day at Winton by finishing the first two practice sessions in second and ended the day in sixth.

“It’s going really well fitting in with the guys,” Bargs said.

“We tried a lot of different things and we did all of that on the same set of tyres so we just tried to tune the car on old tyres and towards the end it was responding.

“So just towards the end there we put our second set of tyres on, did one lap and parked it so I reckon there’s a chance for a top 10 start tomorrow; wait and see.”

Johnson Racing driver Jonathon Webb was the fastest rookie today, finishing the first two practice sessions in third and the day in eighth.

“We came in this weekend knowing we had a good team with some good cars; the boys haven’t changed the cars a hell of a lot from last year so we knew they were going to be strong straight off the bat; it was just a matter of me getting in and making myself comfortable,” Webb said.

“The test at Queensland Raceway last weekend all went smoothly and everything went well so again we were pretty confident coming into this weekend and things so far are all going to plan.

“The car’s really consistent on old tyres. Between myself and Geoff (team engineer Geoff Slater), we’ve been trying to get the car suited on new tyres because we seem to be struggling a little bit but we’ve been working on that all day today and fingers crossed we can put it all together for tomorrow.”

[Rob]

Rick Kelly begins 2010 with top 10 in Abu Dhabi
By Jack Daniel's Racing PR

3:30 AM Sat 20 February, 2010

Jack Daniel’s Racing driver Rick Kelly has started the 2010 V8 Supercar season with a strong top 10 finish in the opening race of the Yas V8 400 at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi today.

Kelly started back in 16th position after a poor qualifying run earlier in the day, but got off to a lightning start aboard his #15 Jack Daniel’s Racing Holden Commodore.

Kelly was up into ninth position by the first corner and held a top 10 position for most of the 43-lap race, eventually finishing in 10th place.

The 27-year-old is confident that he can improve the set-up of his car in several areas overnight ahead of tomorrow’s second race, where Kelly is aiming to break into the top five.

Brother and team-mate Todd Kelly qualified in 20th position and also made a great start to today’s race, running close behind Rick Kelly until he was hit hard from behind by part-time V8 driver Paul Morris on the second lap of the race at the Corkscrew section.

Kelly was spun around and persevered throughout the race with a damaged #7 Jack Daniel’s Holden Commodore, losing further time when a steering arm broke late in the race.

Kelly, furious over the Morris incident, was classified in 25th position. Morris was served with a drive through penalty for the incident, which also ruined the chances of fellow Holden driver Garth Tander.

Jamie Whincup won today’s race ahead of Craig Lowndes and Mark Winterbottom.

JACK DANIEL’S RACING QUOTEBOARD

Rick Kelly - #15 Jack Daniel’s Racing Holden Commodore:

“We got off the grid really well from starting 16th,” said Rick Kelly.

“I got to 10th and had a good run through the first couple of corners.

“We settled down really well. The car has got some really, really good traits. It gets on the power really well, we just can't get through the corner and that's something for us we know how to fix and it's easy to fix. I guess we should be quite excited about that.

“When we put new tyres on we actually went slower. For us the car is awesome because we have a lot of positive things leading into tomorrow. We have an awesome tyre bank leading into tomorrow as well.

“I'm pretty excited about it. Leading into qualifying I still didn't know the track or I wasn't driving it right. I learned a lot in the races in terms of where to position the car. Hopefully I learned more than everyone else out there.

“Tomorrow I'll be disappointed not to be well and truly in the top 10 and we need to aim for a top five and from today's results that is doable.”

Todd Kelly - #7 Jack Daniel’s Racing Holden Commodore:

Referring to Paul Morris ...

“Never in my life have I come across such a peanut of a bloke,” said Todd Kelly.

“He's renowned for it and he ought to be congratulated for having a racing license as long as he has because he's a first-class fruit bat.

“He's ruined our race right from the start.

“Now we need to come out and get some points tomorrow to make up for it.”

[Rob]

Qualifying Race One


Whincup fastest in qualifying

By V8 Supercars Australia

9:09 PM Fri 19 February, 2010

Source: BigPond Sport

1. TeamVodafone, Jamie Whincup, Holden Commodore VE, 1:58.2040

2. Toll Holden Racing Team, Garth Tander, Holden Commodore, 1:58.3220

3. SP Tools Racing, Shane Van Gisbergen, Ford Falcon FG, 1:58.4050

4. TeamVodafone, Craig Lowndes, Holden Commodore VE, 1:58.4990

5. Orrcon Steel FPR, Mark Winterbottom, Ford Falcon FG, 1:58.5210

6. Toll Holden Racing Team, Will Davison, Holden Commodore VE, 1:58.7090

7. Jim Beam Racing, James Courtney, Ford Falcon, 1:58.8970

8. Irwin Racing, Alex Davison, Ford Falcon FG, 1:58.9790

9. Fujitsu Racing, Lee Holdsworth, Holden Commodore VE, 1:59.0500

10. Trading Post Racing, Jason Bright, Holden Commodore VE, 1:59.1130

11. The Bottle-O Racing Team, Paul Dumbrell, Ford Falcon FG, 1:59.1360

12. Fujitsu Racing, Michael Caruso, Holden Commodore VE, 1:59.1980

13. Supercheap Auto Racing, Russell Ingall, Holden Commodore VE, 1:59.2400

14. Jim Beam Racing, Steven Johnson, Ford Falcon, FG 1:59.3210

15. Rock Racing, Jason Bargwanna, Holden Commodore VE, 1:59.3710

16. Johnson Racing, Jonathon Webb, Ford Falcon FG, 1:59.3760

17. Jack Daniels Racing, Rick Kelly, Holden Commodore VE, 1:59.4270

18. Centaur Racing, Tony D'Alberto, Holden Commodore VE, 1:59.8970

19. Wilson Security Racing, Tim Slade, Ford Falcon FG, 1:59.9030

20. Team BOC, Jason Richards, Holden Commodore VE, 1:59.9120

21. Jack Daniel's Racing, Todd Kelly, Holden Commodore VE, 2:00.0730

22. Bundaberg Red Racing, Team Andrew Thompson, Holden Commodore VE, 2:00.0770

23. Dunlop Super Dealer FPR, Steven Richards, Ford Falcon FG, 2:00.1770

24. Bundaberg Red Racing Team, Fabian Coulthard, Holden Commodore VE, 2:00.1830

25. Fair Dinkum Sheds Racing, Karl Reindler, Holden Commodore VE, 2:00.3790

26. Triple F Racing, Dean Fiore, Ford Falcon FG, 2:00.3900

27. Castrol Edge Racing, Paul Morris, Holden Commodore VE, 2:00.8450

28. Gulf Western Oil Racing, Daniel Gaunt, Holden Commodore VE, 2:00.8850

29. Supermax Racing, Tony Ricciardello, Holden Commodore VE, 2:03.0130

[Rob]

RESULTS: Race One

Whincup takes out Race 1 honours

2:20 AM Sat 20 February, 2010

Source: V8 Supercars Australia

1 Jamie Whincup Commodore
2 Craig Lowndes Commodore
3 Mark Winterbottom Falcon
4 James Courtney Falcon
5 Lee Holdsworth Commodore
6 Shane van Gisbergen Falcon
7 Paul Dumbrell Falcon
8 Jonathan Webb Falcon
9 Alex Davison Falcon
10 Rick Kelly Commodore
11 Steven Johnson Falcon
12 Jason Richards Commodore
13 Jason Bargwanna Commodore
14 Tim Slade Falcon
15 Michael Caruso Commodore
16 Steven Richards Falcon
17 Fabian Coulthard Commodore
18 Tony D'Alberto Commodore
19 Andrew Thompson Commodore
20 Dean Fiore Commodore
21 Jason Bright Commodore
22 Daniel Gaunt Commodore
23 Paul Morris Commodore
24 Tony Ricciardello Commodore
25 Todd Kelly Commodore
26 Garth Tander Commodore
27 Russell Ingall Commodore
DNF Will Davison Commodore
DNF Karl Reindler Commodore

[Rob]

Controversy and disappointment for Toll Holden Racing Team at Abu Dhabi

By Toll Holden Racing Team PR

4:28 PM Sat 20 February, 2010

Source: V8 Supercars Australia

The first race for the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series promised a lot for the Toll Holden Racing Team and delivered nothing but disappointment for drivers Garth Tander and Will Davison and the whole team.

After qualifying on the front row of the grid in the Top 10 Shootout, Tander was controversially excluded from qualifying just prior to the 200km race start this evening (Abu Dhabi time).

The 2007 V8 Supercar Champion was penalised for his team members not using incompressible devices on the onboard jack stands when they used a trolley jack to lift the rear of the car during qualifying – the reason for using the trolley jack being that one of the onboard jacks penetrated a rubber fill used in a concrete expansion joint on pit lane, the #2 Toll HRT Commodore literally falling down between the gaps in the concrete and listing to one side.

Despite appealing the surprise initial ruling, Tander was relegated to rear of grid by the race stewards for the race.

Toll Holden Racing Team CEO, Craig Wilson said “The consequence of the penalty for the level of the offence is unbelievable for a situation that was forced upon the team.”

To make matters worse for dual Bathurst Champion Tander, after starting rear of grid he was spun on lap two of the 43 lap race, extensively damaging his Commodore and tearing the gearbox oil cooler off – after two lengthy stops for repairs, Tander soldiered on to finish a distant 26, seven laps behind the winner.

Team-mate Will Davison’s day fared even worse, after qualifying fifth and racing for a podium, Davison’s Toll HRT Commodore expired on lap 29 with a rare engine failure – the reigning Bathurst Champion and Barry Sheene Medallist stranded out on the circuit for the duration of the race.

Reigning V8 Supercar Champion Jamie Whincup won the race in a Holden Commodore from team-mate Craig Lowndes, with Mark Winterbottom third.

The Yas V8 400 at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi concludes with qualifying and Race 2 tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon/evening (UAE local time).

Garth Tander, #2 Toll Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VE:

“The initial penalty was given without due consideration to the actual circumstances. Certainly the car was worked on without a safety stand under the rear, but the boys couldn’t get the safety stand in there – the car had ‘fallen’ down the hole. The only way was to get the car out was to jack it up with a trolley jack. If there was consideration for the circumstances perhaps the penalty would have been reassessed. As for the race, when you get stuck down the back you get stuck amongst guys that try and win a championship within the first two laps of the season. We got spun around by someone, I don’t know by whom, and it tore the front of the car up, tore the gearbox cooler off and did a lot of damage. That was that ... it was a long race for no result.”

Will Davison, #22 Toll Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VE:

“The engine expired and we’re not quite sure. It went suddenly, there were no temperature issues or anything, it was just very sudden. We started well, but didn’t have good tyre life and were struggling a lot. We might have been third, but Winterbottom probably would have beaten us with our tyre wear. Wherever we finished we would have had good points, so it’s a disappointing way to start the year. The car was better today than yesterday and we’ll try to improve it again tomorrow. Any DNF at anytime of the year is a big no-no, but hopefully we’re over and done with them for the year.”

[Rob]

Full Results: Race Two
Whincup takes out Race one and two honours

1:59 AM Sun 21 February, 2010

Source: BigPond Sport

1 Jamie Whincup H
2 Mark Winterbottom F
3 Shane Van Gisbergen F
4 Rick Kelly H
5 Craig Lowndes H
6 James Courtney F
7 Lee Holdsworth H
8 Steven Johnson F
9 Russell Ingall H
10 Jason Bright H
11 Michael Caruso H
12 Paul Dumbrell F
13 Tim Slade F
14 Will Davison H
15 Jason Bargwanna H
16 Fabian Coulthard H
17 Steven Richards F
18 Jonathon Webb F
19 Tony D'Alberto H
20 Andrew Thompson H
21 Jason Richards H
22 Dean Fiore F
23 Karl Reindler H
24 Daniel Gaunt H
25 Tony Ricciardello H
26 Todd Kelly H
27 Alex Davison F
DNF Garth Tander H
DNF Paul Morris H

[Rob]

V8s second only to F1

7:28 PM Mon 22 February, 2010

Source: BigPond Sport

Yas Marina Circuit Chief Executive Officer, Richard Cregan, said it was vital the Abu Dhabi circuit secured the V8 Supercars because it ranks behind only the Formula One series on a global motorsport level.

V8 Supercars held its inaugural Yas V8 400 at the world-class Yas Marina Circuit last weekend with 12,340 people turning out for the event.

While the crowd was above the expectations of event organisers, Cregan said the exercise of bringing the V8s to Abu Dhabi was not about bums on seats for the first event but rather marketing Abu Dhabi as a travel destination to the Australasian region.

Yas Island, where the Hermann Tilke-designed circuit is located, is one of the projects the Abu Dhabi Government is investing in to reduce reliance on its oil sector as a source of economic activity.

The Government is stimulating other sectors including tourism so that by 2028 it will reach equilibrium between the oil and non-oil sectors.

Cregan said circuit management embarked upon a strategy to attract motorsport events that have a global reach.

“Obviously the F1 is the flagship of the events we have; that has the biggest global reach than any other motorsport,” he said.

“We looked at Australia with the Aussie V8s… the most important thing for us was it was the major motorsport series in that particular region and that’s the reason we went for it.

“We’ve looked at a lot of series but it (V8s) came out always number two to Formula One even on a global scale.”

Cregan said the Yas V8 400 had already begun to serve its purpose because it brought the attention of Abu Dhabi to Australian and New Zealand V8 Supercar fans.

“You may have a large number of people asking where’s Abu Dhabi, but at least it’s creating that awareness,” he explained.

“One of the most significant tools we have is the major exposure we are getting in terms of press and media in that particular region (Australasia) and so far we’ve got huge coverage, even before the race.”

Cregan said the event also received a huge amount of support from the local Abu Dhabi media, which is important for the second reason of holding a V8 event in Abu Dhabi.

“(It) is to help create a motorsport culture (in the Middle East) which we know is going to take time, but you have to use those major events to try to achieve that,” he said.

“And we believe that Aussie V8s is one of them because it just has such a global reach in terms of a credible series.”

The V8 Supercars now head to Bahrain for the second event of the 2010 Championship, the Gulf Air Desert 400 which takes place at the Bahrain International Circuit this weekend.

[Rob]

[Rob]

Championship over

4:03 PM Sun 28 February, 2010

Source: BigPond Sport

A severe run of bad luck in the Middle East double-header has forced Toll Holden Racing Team’s Garth Tander to already concede the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship.

The former V8 champ posted the seventh-quickest time in the 20 minutes all in qualifying session for the fourth race in 2010 but he was spun around at turn one on the opening lap.

“We had changed the car for the race and it was fantastic,” GT said.

He was 45 seconds off the leaders at the end of the first lap but had worked his way through the field throughout the race with Tander noting his Commodore had very good car speed.

But on the second-last lap he was involved in a tangle with Ford Performance Racing’s Steve Richards which forced him out of the race.

“I passed Richo cleanly on the inside and he ‘over and undered’ me, which is cool, but then he just ran me straight off the track,” Tander said.

“His rear wheel hit my front wheel and broke the steering and that was that.

“It was frustrating because if you pass someone cleanly and they pass you back that’s racing, but have the courtesy of doing it cleanly.”

Stewards investigated the lap one dramas and Tander’s clash with Richards but ruled there was no breach of the rules in either incident.

“The team didn’t get the result it deserved and it’s hurt us in the championship, so we forget about that now,” Tander said.

“I’ve never won a race in Adelaide, so the focus is to go there and win both races.

“We’ve got two marquee events coming up in Adelaide and Hamilton so we’ll go on an event-by-event basis and go for the wins.”

Tander’s teammate, fared much better in the second race at the Gulf Air Desert 400 in Bahrain.

“All in all I’m really satisfied with today and proud of everyone on the Toll Holden Racing Team for all the hard work and effort they put in to step forward from last week and yesterday,” Davo said.

“We tried some pretty big things on the car today and I was happy with my qualifying and, to be honest, also with the race I drove.

“It’s just disappointing we were back in sixth. The first stint I got into second, but the second stint was like (Friday) when we put just two tyres on at the stop and lost all balance.”

Davison was satisfied with his performance.

“But you want to give more back to the team because they’ve worked really hard,” he said.

“In a way it’s been a good weekend for everyone and now we’re all looking forward to getting home, then getting to Clipsal where I’ve got great memories of last year.

“We’ll go there full of confidence and, in a way, it’s good to be in an attacking position because if we’ve got car speed I’ll be super aggressive.”

[Rob]

Middle Eastern repeat

Jamie Whincup leads Mark Winterbottom in race four of the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship.

2:05 AM Sun 28 February, 2010

Source: BigPond Sport

TeamVodafone’s Jamie Whincup has continued his perfect record and perfect points haul in the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship, winning race four today.

Whincup held off the Ford Performance Racing’s Mark Winterbottom, who got the jump on Whincup at the start but finished second at Bahrain International Circuit.

The top three finishing positions replicated last week’s Yas V8 400 in Abu Dhabi, with Stone Brothers Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen finishing in third place.

“That was the toughest race of the weekend without doubt,” Whincup said at the conclusion of the Gulf Air Desert 400.

“Looking back, debuting a couple of cars and having a couple of dodgy test days to winning the first four of the Championship, it’s just a massive, massive effort for my team.

“It’s an achievement we are extremely proud of but the race; not my best start.”

Whincup also ran wide at one point in the race and was slow to take off on his second pit stop.

“I’ll go away and have a bit of a think about that; yeah not my best performance but happy to come away with 150 points,” he said.

“It’s so hard to win a race in this championship so to win the first four is huge.

Whincup described his battle with Winterbottom throughout the race as a dogfight and heading into the Adelaide Clipsal 500, he believes it will continue.

“Frosty threw it at us and we were able to come away with it.

“We predicted they would be strong all year, they’ve made a great start and it’s going to be a dogfight right until the end.”

Winterbottom was happy with another solid result, which has left him sitting only 47 points behind Whincup in the Championship.

“I thought I’d make him (Whincup) work this time, make him earn the win,” Frosty said.

“He’s still got speed on us but at least he made mistakes and showed he’s human so it was good to push him all the way.

“We’ve still got work to do. It’s good in sections and bad in others and that last set (of tyres) definitely killed the speed a bit but I definitely pushed hard in the middle (stint).”

Van Gisbergen said his podium position made up for a less than satisfactory performance in race three.

“Yesterday we qualified well and our tyres just didn’t last the race,” the SP Tools Racing driver said.

“We changed the car for today and we didn’t qualify too well and that was partly my fault but the tyres held in a lot longer and we passed some cars and had a great strategy.”

Lap one turn one dramas for a number of Commodore drivers, including Toll Holden Racing Team’s Garth Tander, Trading Post Racing’s Jason Bright and Jack Daniel’s Todd Kelly forced them all out of contention.

Karl Reindler was back in the garage when his Fair Dinkum Homes Racing Commodore, which was parked to the side of the track with a clutch problem, caught fire late in the race, while Tander’s day was over a lap early when his #2 Commodore broke a steering arm after contact with Winterbottom’s teammate, Steve Richards.

Race four top 10

Jamie Whincup Commodore

Mark Winterbottom Falcon

Shane van Gisbergen Falcon

Rick Kelly Commodore

Lee Holdsworth Commodore

Will Davison Commodore

James Courtney Falcon

Jason Richards Commodore

Michael Caruso Commodore

Paul Dumbrell Falcon

Championship top 10

Jamie Whincup Commodore 600

Mark Winterbottom Falcon 543

Shane van Gisbergen Falcon 471

Craig Lowndes Commodore 447

James Courtney Falcon 420

Rick Kelly Commodore 392

Lee Holdsworth Commodore 372

Steve Johnson Falcon 296

Michael Caruso Commodore 294

Russell Ingall Commodore 270

[Rob]

Open for business


Whitaker believes its all about keeping spectators happy

10:21 AM Mon 1 March, 2010

Source: BigPond Sport

Martin Whitaker, who will be installed as V8 Supercars Australia's new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in April, believes the category is heading in the right direction.

The current head of the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), where V8 Supercars held its Gulf Air Desert 400 last weekend, said unlike other motorsport categories V8s understands the racing is about entertainment.

"The racing's a backdrop; it's a background sound in a funny sort of way," he said.

"But what they (fans) are here for is because they know they are going to have a good day out."

Referring to the BIC, he said organisers worked to bring spectators into the racing environment.

"Oddly enough, you can see now that things are beginning to change a little bit in Formula One," he said.

"Every year we always do an autograph session with every single Formula One driver and very few circuits do that because there's actually a lot of work involved and the drivers don't want to do it, which is a crying shame.

"They need to learn a few lessons from your guys (the V8 Supercar drivers)."

And Whitaker understands that motorsport is more than just the racing.

"Entertainment sport is the name of the game we are in," he said.

"Ultimately that's what we are all here for and bizarrely I think all too often some racing championships forget that."

Whitaker, who was involved in the British Touring Car Championship when he worked as Ford's Motorsport Director, said he has always loved touring car racing.

"I've just got an affinitive with tin-top racing and I love rallying as well," he said.

Whitaker described V8 Supercars as vibrant with vitality and character. He has vowed to make himself open to the motorsport media.

"I have always wanted to make sure that I was media friendly and it's always worked, but at the same time I think it's really important because this is very much a people's sport," he said.

"I've always found it a lot easier to get on with people rather than avoiding them.

"I always used to laugh watching people in Formula One panic seeing somebody coming the other way and immediately doing a 90-degree (turn) and disappearing up an alley.

"I've never been like that and I certainly never intend to be like that.

"Hopefully those are some of the qualities I can bring to the job; I've always been an ideas person and I've never been frightened of working so I suppose that helps."

[Rob]

The Giz matures


Stone Brothers Racing driver Shane van Gisbergen at Bahrain International Circuit.

1:37 PM Tue 2 March, 2010

Source: BigPond Sport

Stone Brothers Racing (SBR) driver Shane van Gisbergen believes a newfound maturity and less compulsive racing will keep him at the pointy end of the Championship.

The 20-year-old is known for making gutsy moves but ‘the Giz’ said he now puts more thought into them as the V8 Supercars prepares for the Clipsal 500 Adelaide, the first 2010 event on home soil.

“I’ve settled down the last few races and just kept it consistent, but we’re still having a bit of fun and just passing cars, not taking the massive risks that sometimes don’t pay off,” he explained.

“I’m thinking things through a lot more now and picking the right moments.

“And I’m just keeping a lot more focused and keeping my head down, but really it’s a team effort; I’m just the last piece of the puzzle and we’re all working together well.”

The Giz scored his first ever V8 podium at the Yas V8 400 and then backed it up with another podium at Bahrain.

His efforts left him holding the race lap record for both Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain International Circuit and he sits third in the Championship behind TeamVodafone’s Jamie Whincup and Ford Performance Racing’s Mark Winterbottom.

Besides van Gisbergen’s driving in Bahrain, a risky fuel strategy helped elevate him from his starting place of 14th to finish third, which left him finishing the race with only four litres of fuel in the SP Tools Racing tank to spare.

The Giz heads into Clipsal wanting to keep finishing races in the top six.

“Third in the Championship is awesome and to stay there would be good,” he said.

“Some tracks (in Australia) are pretty similar to the ones (in the Middle East); Bahrain has got massive run-offs and it’s a lot safer like that, but the sweeping corners suit our car.

“Abu Dhabi had some tight corners and I think we’ll be pretty good all round for the rest of the Championship.”

The Giz believes his driving has improved, but he said the SBR Falcons have also come a long way.

“To the outside it looks like the driver does it all, but it’s really a team sport and they’re doing a lot of it,” he said.

“The cars are really strong; Alex (Davison) is doing a really good job as well.

“The guys have done a lot of hard work and we’re putting it all together now, it’s just awesome.

“We haven’t been outside the top six in race results so we’re looking forward to continuing it when we get back (to Australia).”

Van Gisbergen said finishing with two podiums in the Middle East was a “dream come true”.

“I’d love to be on the top step, but (a podium) is pretty cool,” he said.

[Rob]

[Rob]

An unacceptable risk

V8 Supercars at Barbagallo Raceway for the BigPond 300 last year.

10:59 AM Wed 3 March, 2010

Source: BigPond Sport

V8 Supercars Australia Chairman, Tony Cochrane, said Barbagallo Raceway’s pitlane needs to be fixed before the V8 Supercars will return to Western Australia.

The category has copped a lot of backlash from punters angry that V8 Supercars has withdrawn from the 2010 event in Perth.

Cochrane accused the Western Australian Sporting Car Club (WASCC) of spreading miss-information on why the V8s would not head west this year, but refused to enter a slinging match.

Instead, he explained that he was not willing to face a manslaughter charge if a crew member was killed in the narrow pitlane.

“It’s fine if you are not trying to refuel or change tyres under time constraints with the number of people we have got in it and that pit does not get used for refueling when we’re not there,” Cochrane said.

“What the Western Australian Sporting Car Club keep coming back to us saying is ‘you have been coming here for 30 years, what’s changed?’

“Well I’m sorry, we have changed as a sport enormously. We used to go there for years and do three 20-minute races.

“We don’t do three 20-minute races anywhere anymore and I’d suggest our fans would go nuts if we turned up anywhere and did three 20-minute sprint races.”

Cochrane said Will Davison’s accident at pitlane entry and the resulting pitlane chaos at last year’s Perth event highlighted the issues.

“So do you wait for the next thing that goes wrong in the pits where somebody loses a leg or somebody loses an arm or somebody gets severely burnt?” he questioned.

“What’s the trigger by what we go ‘we’d better do something about this’?”

Cochrane noted that an employer faces manslaughter charges when an employee gets killed if a recognised Occupational Health and Safety issue has been ignored.

“Are you going to step into my shoes and take that risk? I’m not,” he said.

“Everyone says it’s a Tony Cochrane thing not wanting to go to Perth, but the (V8 Supercars Australia) Board voted 8-0 not to go back to Perth in a unanimous vote.”

Cochrane turned the tables on the WASCC and the WA Government, challenging them to provide V8 Supercars Australia with a letter indemnifying the category if someone was injured in Barbagallo Raceway’s pitlane.

“And what did they both say? ‘Oh, we can’t do that’,” he said.

Cochrane finds it ironic that while Perth is the most resource rich state in Australia, it has the most antiquated track and facilities.

“Tasmania is in front of it now no question; with their recent improvements they are miles ahead,” he said.

“So we’ve been saying for a long time, Perth you have got to lift your game.

“We long ago gave up on the concept of doing a street race, that street race has now been lost forever; it’s gone to Sydney.”

Cochrane said if the Government has chosen Barbagallo as the track for V8 Supercars, then the parties should work on getting it up to scratch for V8 racing because the category wants to return to WA.

He cited incentives offered to the WASCC, including the use of track engineers at cost, track designing services from Mark Skaife, a long-term deal which was also a back loaded deal so that improvements could be made quickly, to outline how serious V8 Supercars was about returning to Perth beyond 2010.

“We put a whole raft of things on the table because we want to race in Perth,” he said.

“That’s what gets lost in this. We, V8 Supercars Australia, want to race in Perth, but it has to be befitting of where the modern Championship is at.”

[Rob]

V8 Supercars has released a code of driving conduct for the 2010 Championship.

2:31 PM Thu 4 March, 2010

Source: BigPond Sport

V8 Supercars Australia has released a code of driving conduct for the 2010 Championship outlining blocking, overlapping, bumping and passing lapped cars.

Teams were given the code of conduct on the first day of the Yas V8 400 in Abu Dhabi and while bumping has been restricted, a limited amount of side contact is now allowed while regulations on pitlane release and overlapping have been relaxed.

The code aims to promote hard but fair racing, maximise overtaking opportunities and assist interpretation for officials and teams in order to minimise incidents. It also clearly states that each case will be considered on its own merits.

In relation to blocking, under the new code premature direction changes, side-to-side swerving, more than one direction change and “any other abnormal changes” to track position are not permitted.

Once committed to an alternative line the driver must stay there and if a driver reacts late by moving off the racing line on approach he shall be responsible for his own actions.

Officials will judge the frequency or severity of blocking and unlike in the past, this will no longer be relaxed for the last two laps of the race.

Bumping or front-to-rear contact will be tolerated so long as the lead car sustains only minimal damage and the lead driver is not significantly disadvantaged such as being pushed off line or off track.

A limited amount of side-by-side contact or rubbing is permitted when cars are exiting a corner but the overtaking car must not turn across the other car until it has overtaken completely.

In relation to overlapping, the code states the onus is generally on the overtaking car to pass safely “but overtaking cars should not expect the car in front to give way if there is insufficient overlap and particularly if the overtaking car has driven too deep into the entry of the corner”.

A car being released from its pit bay must give way to a car already wholly in the fast lane but if overlap is behind the rear wheel, the driver behind must yield.

And contact between cars in the fast lane or entering the fast lane will only be acceptable when the contact is forward of the front wheels or behind the rear wheels, neither car sustains significant damage and when contact is not side-to-side.

The code also stipulates that a car about to be lapped must allow the faster car past at the first realistic opportunity.

Blue flags will be waved if this does not happen and drivers ignoring blue flags will be penalised.

Fujitsu Racing GRM driver Lee Holdsworth welcomed the new code of conduct.

“It’s a bit clearer to the drivers; we now know what we can and can’t do so there might be a few more passing opportunities you can get away with now whereas before it was unclear,” he said.

“We need to start promoting passing in the sport rather than having the drivers reconsider every passing opportunity because they are afraid they will get a penalty.

“It’s (the code of conduct) a positive thing, but I think we need to work on it a bit more.”

Teammate Michael Caruso was also in favour of the new code.

“Everyone does need to know the rules and there will be some drivers happy and others unhappy, but that will come down to how consistent the rulings are and the consistency of penalties,” Caruso said

[Rob]

Intoxication ‘not cool'


No alcohol is served at the V8's Middle Eastern events due to local laws.

1:50 PM Fri 5 March, 2010

Source: BigPond Sport

V8 Supercars Australia Chairman, Tony Cochrane, has gone on the record to explain that the crackdown on alcohol consumed at V8 events is due to liquor licencing laws.

Cochrane explained that state governments control licencing laws.

“They are not controlled by V8 Supercars Australia,” he emphasised.

“Increasingly, in every state of Australia those licencing laws are tightening up and not only on motorsport events, but on festivals and on all sorts of events because the police are demanding more and more responsible serving of alcohol.”

Some fans who attended last year’s Sydney Telstra 500 were shocked when they bought Jim Beam at the track and it was mid strength, but Cochrane said it was part of the more stringent licencing laws being implemented.

The issue of alcohol was one of the sticking points that led V8 Supercars Australia to cancel this year’s BigPond 300 at Barbagallo Raceway.

Cochrane said the WA Sporting Car Club (WASCC), which runs Barbagallo, wanted its members to be allowed to bring their own alcohol to the event.

“The WASCC said our members love to bring their own booze, it’s cheaper for them,” he said.

“We just think it’s completely and totally unacceptable for us as a major sport to allow people to BYO into an event in this day and age.

“Name one other major sport in our country where you can do that. Can you go to Subiaco Oval and walk in with a case of vodka under your arm? No you cannot. You can’t walk in with even a can under your arm.”

Cochrane cited the instance where a punter attending the 2009 event got on to the track immediately after the race.

“The guy was completely tanked, jumped the fence and got out on to the grid,” Cochrane said.

“Well if he’d done that five minutes earlier he would have got taken apart at 250km an hour.

“Now if that had have happened, do you think the front page would have been ‘Man killed at V8 Supercar event’ or do you think it would have been ‘Western Australia Sporting Car Club allows a stupid alcohol policy and therefore somebody got killed’?

“Some day when something goes wrong the sport will get blamed, not the Western Australia Sporting Car Club.”

Cochrane said an exemption on the BYO ban applied to events where camping was available like the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, but that exemption applied only to people consuming alcohol in the camping areas.

[Rob]

Teams told to try harder

Lee Holdsworth at Bahrain last month. His Fujitsu Racing GRM team wants to beat TeamVodafone's Jamie Whincup, event if it's at the non-Championship AGP event.

12:27 PM Mon 8 March, 2010

Source: BigPond Sport

V8 Supercars Australia has threatened to invoke a clause in team Racing Entitlement Contracts (REC) which carries fines of up to $20,000 if they do not try hard enough in the upcoming event at the Australian Grand Prix.

The category went to the trouble of referring to the clause in the Supplementary Regulations for the non-Championship event at Albert Park in a bid to stop teams tanking.

Under the title ‘Team obligations’, the supplementary regulations state in line with a clause in team RECs, all teams are to use their “best endeavours to race in the meeting to the best of their ability and level of competitiveness” and at the discretion of stewards, teams found breaching it may be fined up to $20,000.

V8 Supercars Operation Manager, Kurt Sakzewski, said data will be reviewed to ensure teams have had a genuine setback at the V8’s AGP races, officially known as the 2010 BRC Impco V8 Supercar GP Challenge.

“We’ll review any instances we believe need to be checked,” he said.

“It’s not something we have done in the past and have instead taken their word for it, but on this occasion someone who’s not performing to the best of their ability will be checked.”

Teams found not to be performing at their correct standard will be asked to provide reasons why they did not perform.

Sakzewski pointed out that while Championship points are the motivation for teams to perform at Championship events, that incentive is absent at the AGP.

But he said it was not good enough for teams to get paid money to show up and then not compete properly because fans forking out money to attend expect a show just like any Championship event.

Sakzewski also said teams concerned about putting their cars on the line for a non-Championship event had a three weekend turnaround to fix any damage suffered.

He refused to name names, but said there was one team in particular that appeared to tank at past AGP events.

Fujitsu Racing GRM last year started races from pitlane at the AGP and driver Lee Holdsworth admitted he was keeping out of trouble.

But team owner Garry Rogers last week said he would abide by the rules.

“The rules are there and while I don’t agree with them, we will do our very utmost by the rules,” he said.

Rogers said Championship event or not, Fujitsu Racing GRM wants to be the team that first beats TeamVodafone’s Jamie Whincup in 2010.

“Whincup has the speed and it would be great to think we could beat him,” Rogers said.

“I think to beat Whincup and his car anywhere, regardless of whether it’s a Championship event or not would show you have done your homework quite well.”

[Sianellen]

Cheers for introducing me to this Rob! It's fun watching on motors.