Strong Malaysian Showing for ATCS 2008 Season Opener
The Asian Touring Car Series is back and the grid will be full next weekend when Asia’s best touring car drivers line up for the season opener at Sepang International Circuit.
The 2008 season of ATCS will see drivers competing in 12 rounds at five of the best race circuits around Asia, beginning with the first three rounds during the Asian Festival Of Speed this 15th to 18th May.
The ATCS season opener will also see an outstanding grid of 27 cars, with drivers from Macau, Thailand, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and including five Malaysians who are set to make their country proud.
Father and son duo, JP and TJ Chin, who will be competing in Division 1, are well known names in the racing scene in Malaysia, having competed in numerous races throughout their years of racing and winning enough local races to be well regarded by other local drivers. The duo will run under the G1 JPM Racing Team banner in their Honda Integra DC5’s.
In Division 2, Adrian Henry D’Silva, Eric Yeo and Harry Chai will fly the flag for the host country. For D’Silva, he will use this year to make up for last year’s lost opportunities when he was disappointed twice over by having to pull out at the last minute from two races, one in Autopolis and one more in Zhuhai.
Yeo has participated in the Series before, usually only during the Sepang rounds but never in a full season. “It is good to be back in the Asian Touring Car Series and I am positive with my participation this year. I have always wanted to be a part of racing in the Asian Festival Of Speed and I am excited for the first race.” said Yeo.
Harry Chai had two stints in Sepang and Zhuhai last year and has now managed to secure a partnership with Singaporean and Division 1 driver, Melvin Choo in the Thunder Asia Racing Team.
For Chai, the opportunity was opened to him by S&D Motorsports, which he managed during the 2007 season. “Last year we wanted two cars for the team and spent a lot on development on the cars. So this year, my participation will be to help the team gain as many points for the season as possible and I am happy to be able to compete with Asia’s top drivers, I have been waiting for this chance to race with them”.
The Malaysians will be competing against some of the best touring car drivers in Asia, among them are Melvin Choo, last year’s Division 2 runner up who will be taking up the challenge in Division 1, Danny Stacy Chau, the veteran and well respected Hong Kong driver, Jack Lemvard and Seiji Siobuchi, the two Liqui Moly Team Engstler drivers and some of the best Macau drivers participating in the Series for the first time.
The 2008 Season of the Asian Festival Of Speed will be the biggest ever seen in its history. Not only will there be six outstanding race series featured during the weekend; Formula V6 Asia, Asian Touring Car Series, 1500Max Challenge, Formula BMW Asia, Asia Supercar Challenge and the Formula Asia 2.0, the event is also expecting the largest contingent of race drivers arriving early next week, ready for great racing.
Motorsport fans will get a chance to see and vote for their favorite Project race queens AFOS Edition girls, get up close to the teams and cars during the pit-walkabout, see the best Malaysian car clubs showcased at the Largest Car Club Gathering, enjoy the Half-time grid show and visit the promotion vendors at the Grand Stand area.
Technorati Tags: Auto racing, Sepang International Circuit, Motorsports, Formula V6 Asia, Touring car racing, Formula BMW, Asian Motor Sports
Leanne Tander Returns to Mallala
Leanne Tander returns to the scene of one her best ever drives this weekend as the fight for the 2008 Australian F3 Championship heads to Mallala Raceway this weekend for the latest round of the season.
Tander was involved in a first lap altercation with championship rival Tim Macrow in last years’ first race at Mallala, which was held in challenging wet/dry conditions.
Despite suffering damage to her front wing and dropping to ninth position, the TanderSport driver cut a swathe through the competitive field to jump from ninth on lap five to second position twelve laps later.
It was one of her best ever drives and this weekend she returns to Mallala looking to build on a strong performance at Oran Park where she took her first race win of the 2008 season and leaped into fourth in the championship standings.
She has now scored 48 points after more than doubling her existing score at Oran Park and admitted she would look to 2007 for inspiration as she seeks to add to her winning tally.
“I was pretty happy with the drive,” she reflected. “After the first lap altercation nothing was going to stop me. I just wanted to get as far forward as possible. The aim was to win – but second was a great result given the circumstances and overall it was pretty satisfying. I learnt a lot about the track that day, and a lot about racing there. I think that can help me this weekend.
“We tested very well at Mallala before the Clipsal 500, though the temperature then was 45 degrees so it will mean very different conditions this weekend. Overall we’re pretty confident. I like the track – it’s a great circuit to race on because of the many passing opportunities so if you get into situations like I did last year you have a good shot at coming back from them.
“I was pleased to get my first win of the year at Oran Park – especially after the tough start to the season we had – and I’m looking forward to both this round at Mallala and the next, at Phillip Island, where I have won before.”
Technorati Tags: Sports, Phillip Island, Motorsports, Leanne Tander, Auto Racing, Asian Motor Sports, Oran Park, Mallala Raceway, Australia
Garth Tander to the Fore!
Reigning V8 Supercar Champion Garth Tander has taken the lead in the 2008 Championship with a second place podium finish for the Toll Holden Racing Team in the BigPond 400 at Barbagallo Raceway in Perth.
Tander added a pair of second place finishes in the final two 50 lap races to his third place in Race 1 to take second overall for the round and move past former team-mate Rick Kelly of the HSV Dealer Team and into the points lead after four rounds.
“We weren’t quite that good all weekend, but we battled away so second is quite a good result. It’s good to be in the points lead, but I’d be happier if it was December. It’s still early days, but it’s been a great fight back from where we were in Adelaide.”
It was a far less happy day for Tander’s team-mate Mark Skaife whose day was over before the end of lap one in race two after a heavy crash.
Running side-by-side with Ford’s Steven Richards as he did with Tander yesterday through the first two turns, the pair touched wheels through the esses sending the #2 Toll HRT Commodore sideways into the concrete safety wall.
“Today is high on the scale of disappointment. Yesterday Garth Tander and I raced through the same section of track side by side and only touched mirrors. For two cars to get through you have to give each other room, but today with Richo there wasn’t as much road. We touched wheels, which is why the bump that put me into the fence was so violent. It was as big a hit as I’ve ever had side on – massive – and it’s done huge damage.”
Ford’s Mark Winterbottom clean swept the round jumping him up into third place in the championship standings. “We just had the best car this weekend. Sometimes it all just goes your way. It happened at Bahrain last year and here today but it can’t always be like that. We’ll be trying to make sure that next weekend we do the same though!
Team Vodafone driver Jamie Whincup got back into the swing of scoring points after his disastrous visit to Hamilton where he failed to score a single point. A seventh and two third places kept Whincup up in the title race currently in fourth.
Highest placed Kiwi is Ford Performance Racing’s Steven Richards who had to pull out all the stops in race two after dropping to 27th and last place after contact with Mark Skaife early in the race. Richards made a storming drive to finish in eighth place. His reward is fifth place in the standings… just 10 points ahead of sixth place Craig Lowndes in his Team Vodafone Ford Falcon.
Technorati Tags: Garth Tander, Hamilton, Motorsports, Ford Performance Racing, Mark Skaife, Jamie Whincup, V8 Supercars, Sports
Photo Released: Ferrari Powered A1GP Machine
A1GP World Cup of Motorsport has revealed the first image of its brand new ‘Powered by Ferrari’ car for use in season four (2008/09).
The CAD drawing was released ahead of the car’s inaugural shakedown test in Southern England.
A1GP’s own TV commentator and Formula One legend, John Watson, will have the honour of driving the car for the first time, powered by a V8 Ferrari engine producing in the region of 600 bhp.
The chassis is based on the design of the highly successful F2004 chassis, incorporating A1GP’s core values to deliver close, exciting racing among a competitive field where overtaking is an essential part of the entertainment.
A1GP technical director, John Travis, is overseeing the design, development and production of the car from premises in Bognor Regis in the UK, with Rory Byrne acting as consultant. Meanwhile the work on the manufacture and supply of the A1GP engine is being overseen by Ferrari’s Jean-Jacques His.
The Powered by Ferrari project was first announced on 11 October 2007 when the most famous name in motorsport signed a six-year agreement to manufacture and supply all A1GP engines for this unique series and provide consultancy on the design of all A1GP chassis from season four onwards.
‘Everyone is very excited about this project and it will be fantastic to see the new A1GP powered by Ferrari car turn a wheel for the first time on Friday,‘ said A1GP chairman Tony Teixeira.
‘We obviously still have a lot of work to do as this is just the first step in what will be an intense development and testing programme, but I am very happy with the progress made so far.
‘We have a small, dedicated group of people in Bognor Regis and are very lucky to be able to use some well known motor racing companies for certain areas of expertise. I am pleased to say we are on schedule and we will be announcing the date of the official unveiling of the car soon.’
Technorati Tags: Rory Byrne, John Watson, Ferrari, United Kingdom, A1 Grand Prix, Formula One, Auto racing
Japan F3: Carlo van Dam Suzuka Race One Report
SUZUKA - Dutch racing driver Carlo van Dam today finished third at Suzuka in the fifth race of the 2008 Japanese Formula 3 Championship. Carlo started from sixth position on the grid and worked himself up to third place during a seriously wet race, scoring his fifth podium finish in as many races, while closing the gap in terms of championship points to Toyota Team TOM’s team mate Iguchi, who leads the series after five of the eighteen rounds. Tomorrow, Carlo will start from second place on the grid.
“Qualifying was wet, but the track got quicker and quicker towards the end of the session, so the final minutes were crucial”, says Carlo.
“I had just done a quick time, but my last lap was set to be 0.6 seconds faster, when my team mate Kunimoto closed the door on me, before Iguchi, my other team mate, hit my car. As a result, what would have been my fastest lap was messed up. That probably cost me pole position and I had to start from sixth position today.
During the race, it rained really hard and you couldn’t see a thing. It was kind of crazy, but you want to gain positions regardless and that I managed quite well. In the end, I made it as far as third place and given my starting position and the circumstances that wasn’t too bad. Iguchi finished eighth today, so I made up some points compared to him in the championship standings as well. Tomorrow, I will start from second on the grid so lets see what we can do from there.”
Technorati Tags: Auto racing, Motorsport, Sports, Suzuka, Japan F3, Asian Motor Sports
Frosty untouchable at Barbagallo
Mark Winterbottom had a comfortable win at Barbagallo Raceway Saturday, racking up his seventh V8 Supercar Championship Series victory for Ford Performance Racing. “We thought we’d go well here but weren’t sure how well because it’s traditionally a Holden circuit,” said the #5 Orrcon Ford Credit FPR driver. “In the end it went pretty smoothly!”
The 26-year-old led from pole position to chequered flag in the 50-lap race, moving him from fourth to third in the championship standings, within reach of leader Rick Kelly.
“It’s always easier when you’re in front with an open track,” said Frosty. “Mark Skaife got a good launch off the grid and we were side-by-side into the first corner. After that I just had to get my head down and do some good times.
“In the past we’ve had pretty average starts to the season but finished strongly. Going into Phillip Island and Bathurst we need to be in the hunt and at the moment we are; it’s all about positioning.”
Team-mate Steve Richards had a thrilling race, jammed between Garth Tander and Craig Lowndes. Despite registering consistently faster laps than third-place Tander, Richo was unable to find a way past the HRT driver but is happy with the result, which consolidates FPR’s position as the championship’s leading team.
“I definitely had a good car,” said Richo, who drives the #6 Castrol FPR Falcon. “It got better and better as the race went on and Tander was definitely holding me up quite significantly. A couple of laps from the end he made a bit of a blue, which gave me a look up the inside into turn two, but he just wasn’t slow enough in the right places for me to make the pass.
“Craig Lowndes wasn’t a problem. He only had the pace when Tander made a bit of a mistake and held me up. He couldn’t run at our pace.”
Technorati Tags: Barbagallo Raceway, Motorsport, Garth Tander, V8 Supercars, Craig Lowndes, Ford Performance Racing, Rick Kelly, Mark Skaife, Asian Motor Sports
Barabagallo: Aaron Caratti Scores PCC Race One Victory
Sometimes it all comes down to one decision.
When Aaron Caratti’s (Parklands on Bertram) team decided to change from wet tyres to slicks in the last few minutes of qualifying this morning at Barbagallo Raceway he thought they were crazy.
Heavy showers had proceeded the session and with a wet track Caratti wasn’t too keen on heading out on the faster tyres.
But he did, snatched pole position on the last lap of the session and used the front row of the grid to drive off and take victory in Carrera Cup’s first race of the weekend this afternoon.
The victory is Caratti’s fourth in a row and moves him within striking distance of Championship leaders Craig Baird (ACER/Leading Solutions) and Dean Fiore (Complispace/Advance Energy).
David Wall (Shannon’s Insurance) was second behind Caratti in what was the Camden driver’s best ever Carrera Cup result, while Baird rounded out the race podium.
David Russell (Boom Logistics) and Fiore were fourth and fifth respectively while James Moffat (Bob Jane T-Marts/Trueline), Bryce Washington (ADRAD Radiators), Barton Mawer (No Fear), Max Twigg (Trueloc) and Theo Koundouris (Supabarn Supermarkets) completed the top 10.
Twigg and Theo’s finishes handed them the Pilatus Challenge one-two, while Peter Hill (Boost/Globe) was 11th overall and third in the championship-within-a-championship for non-professional drivers over the age of 30.
Mawer’s drive was sensational given he started in 14th, while Koundouris’ finish was his best of the year so far and even better when considering the fact he started 17th.
After qualifying in the wet this morning the afternoon had fined up and the track was dry for the race — but there were still plenty of incidents throughout the 20 laps.
The safety car was deployed twice, once for an incident on turn one which saw Jono Lester (Blackwoods/JBS Tools) knocked out the race; the second for an incident between Hill, Grant Sherrin (Sherrin Rentals) and Shaun Juniper (Juniper Developments) which saw Juniper lose a wheel and teetering on the precipice of flipping onto his roof.
But out front it was smooth sailing for Caratti, who has taken his Carrera Cup career victories to four.
“It was a pretty comfortable race for me,” he said.
“We had decent pace and I was able to pull out a bit of a gap although the safety car closed that.
“But overall it was comfortable and it was great to get the win at my home track in front of my friends and family.”
Wall was also excited by his performance which came after two disappointing rounds.
“Aaron drove really well and his car is just exceptional at the moment but to finish this high is fantastic,” he said.
“I’ve got to keep doing as much as I can to pressure Aaron so that when he eventually makes a mistake I’m there to swoop.”
Twigg’s result means he overtakes Juniper at the top of the Pilatus Challenge table.
“I’m very happy with where I’m at at the moment,” he said.
“I had consistent speed and stuck to my lines which meant that when someone in front of me made a mistake I could sneak up the side.
“Winning the Pilatus Challenge is my aim this year and if I can keep near the top 10 I should achieve that. But today was just fantastic.”
Round Four of Carrera Cup Australia continues Sunday with Races Two and Three, with the final race of the weekend telecast nationally on Channel 7 from 3.30pm (AEST).
Technorati Tags: Barbagallo Raceway, Damon Hill, Motorsports, Craig Baird, Sports, Auto Racing, Barbagallo Raceway
Winterbottom on Barbagallo Pole
Ford Performance Racing’s Mark Winterbottom stole a late pole position in qualifying for this weekend’s Bigpond 400 at Barbagallo Raceway.
With three minutes remaining in the session, reigning champion Garth Tander set a time of 56.5891 seconds, nearly a tenth and a half better than anyone else at that point of the session.
But with a minute left in the session, his teammate Mark Skaife took over pole as he went just over a tenth faster. However, Winterbottom was still circulating and just as the session ended set a time of 56.4362 seconds to edge Skaife off pole.
Behind Winterbottom, Skaife and Tander at the front of the grid are a trio of Fords, Craig Lowndes returning to the front of the grid ahead of James Courtney and the pole man’s teammate Steven Richards.
Completing the top ten are the Kelly brothers, Rick and Todd, Rick’s teammate Paul Dumbrell and the second Stone Brothers Falcon of Shane van Gisbergen.
A strong 2008 for Lee Holdsworth until the final race in Hamilton continued its downward turn, with Holdsworth unable to make it past the first segment of qualifying on a drying track, ending qualifying in 21st position.
However, he will start a place ahead of another driver whose season took a downward turn at Hamilton (before race one even began), Jamie Whincup also failing to find the speed he needed, and will start alongside Holdsworth in 22nd.
Pos Driver Make Time
1. Mark Winterbottom Ford 56.4362
2. Mark Skaife Holden 56.4786 + 0.0424
3. Garth Tander Holden 56.5891 + 0.1529
4. Craig Lowndes Ford 56.7294 + 0.2932
5. James Courtney Ford 56.8055 + 0.3693
6. Steven Richards Ford 56.8862 + 0.4500
7. Rick Kelly Holden 56.9660 + 0.5298
8. Todd Kelly Holden 56.9664 + 0.5302
9. Paul Dumbrell Holden 57.0601 + 0.6239
10. Shane Van Gisbergen Ford 57.3704 + 0.9342
11. Jason Richards Holden 57.0268 + 0.5906
12. Michael Caruso Holden 57.0338 + 0.5976
13. Cameron McConville Holden 57.0472 + 0.6110
14. Russell Ingall Holden 57.0619 + 0.6257
15. Jason Bright Ford 57.0958 + 0.6596
16. Greg Murphy Holden 57.1933 + 0.7571
17. Will Davison Ford 57.2148 + 0.7786
18. Andrew Jones Holden 57.2549 + 0.8187
19. Andrew Thompson Holden 57.3061 + 0.8699
20. Marcus Marshall Ford 57.5735 + 1.1373
21. Lee Holdsworth Holden 57.2779 + 0.8417
22. Jamie Whincup Ford 57.2806 + 0.8444
23. Fabian Coulthard Ford 57.2812 + 0.8450
24. Steven Johnson Ford 57.2842 + 0.8480
25. Paul Morris Holden 57.3050 + 0.8688
26. Shane Price Holden 57.3176 + 0.8814
27. Michael Patrizi Ford 57.3686 + 0.9324
28. Tony D’Alberto Holden 57.7454 + 1.3092
29. Kayne Scott Ford 59.0170 + 2.5808
Technorati Tags: Mark Winterbottom, Mark Skaife, 8 Supercars, Barbagallo Raceway, Asian Motor Sports
Marcos Ambrose Scores Second Seasonal Top Ten
MARCOS Ambrose claimed his second top 10 finish of the 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series with a hard-fought 10th place in the Diamond Hill Plywood 200 at Darlington Raceway.
The Australian, driving a Ford Fusion, started from 20th but avoided wreckage with 13 laps to go to climb up the places.
“We got a bit of damage early but it was a night when plenty of people got a lot more damage than we did,” said Ambrose, who recorded some of his fastest lap times late on.
“We fought the car all night and kept making small repairs at our stops and it was at its best towards the end of the race,” Ambrose said.
“This track is so tough that it’s really about fighting the conditions rather than the competitors. That’s what we did for a lot of the race.
“We deserved to finish where we did.”
Tony Stewart won the event ahead of fellow Sprint Cup drivers Clint Bowyer and David Reutimann.
Technorati Tags: Darlington Raceway, Tony Stewart, Clint Bowyer, Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR, David Reutimann, Sprint Cup, 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series
Barbagallo Raceway: V8 Utes Round Three
Round Three of the Yokohama V8 Ute Racing Series kicked off Friday at Perth’s Barbagallo Raceway with two practice sessions lead by combined fastest time setter Kim Jane.
“It’s great to start the weekend on a high” explained Jane in the Trading Post/Bob Jane Commodore. “We’re just having a ball and with the team and car in good stead we will hopefully continue the success through to a podium win.”
Perth favourite and reigning V8 Ute Champion Grant Johnson was the first to bite the dust when coming in to the main straight he locked up the inside right front brakes, bunkering the Grove Fruit Juice Holden VE in the gravel trap.
Team mate Greg Willis enjoyed the rare occasion of finishing practice with a time almost 6 seconds faster than Johnson. The “Grunta” bounced back in practice two to be second fastest overall for the day.
V8 Ute Rookie and sandgroper Clint Harvey was quick, finishing fourth fastest in the practice session the morning and tenth fastest overall for the day. Fellow rookie Paul Williams competing in the Charlie O’Brien run Ford BF also had a good day finishing mid pack in the combined fastest times.
George Miedecke, son of veteran touring car star Andrew Miedecke lost time in the first session after scoring a flat tyre and was drilled from behind by rookie Michael Bartsch in P2 as he entered the track from pit lane. Bartsch copped a visit to the stewards and a $1,000 fine as a result.
Steve Hodges stopped in the run off at turn one during practice two causing a red flag and cutting the session short.
Current Series leader Layton Crambrook topped the times in practice one however failed to start the second practice session due to breaking an axle on the out lap. The Ute has been repaired and will be starting for the qualifying session tomorrow.
The smiles couldn’t be wiped off the faces of commercial partners Yokohama, Penrite and Century Batteries after they experienced the pace of the brutal V8 Utes during a hot lap session this afternoon. The only ones with broader grins were Make-A-Wish Foundation raffle winners Lee, Damien, Chris and Chad.
Overall Jane, Johnson and Crambrook were less than a 10th of a second apart, with.Sydneysider Scott Jennings putting his new VE Holden in the top 4. NZ’s Colin Corkery, Yanis Derums, Ryal Harris, Jack Elsegood, Nandi Kiss and newcomer Clint Harvey rounded out the top 10 with only 7/10ths of a second separating the top 10.
All about the series
Australian V8 Ute Racing Pty Ltd is an organisation made up of 32 shareholders each who own a Ute that drives in the Yokohama V8 Ute Racing Series. There is a board of directors who implement the CAMS official rules and regulations and who are also in charge of keeping the series fair and synchronized. The Board have appointed SPHERIX, a management and marketing organisation directed by Craig Denyer and Bill West for all their promotional and logistical needs. Please see www.spherix.com.au for further information of this company’s involvement.
Race Format
The Australian V8 Ute Racing format gives everyone a chance to run at the front. Each series round is based on a three race format with race two formatted as a reverse grid. Reverse grid is, in the simplest of forms, the top 10 finishers of race one reversed. This ensures plenty of bump ‘n grind through the field, with the race three grid determined by an aggregate points system based on the finishing positions in race one and two.
Eligibility
Only those entrants who hold a “licence to compete” and are shareholders in the Australian V8 Ute Racing Company can compete - restricting the field to an exclusive 32 entrants. Lease drives are available for full season or one off events. For details contact Australian V8 Ute Racing Pty Ltd.
Technorati Tags: Barbagallo Raceway, Paul Williams, V8 Supercars, Touring car racing, Make-A-Wish Foundation, V8 Utes, V8 Supercars, Asian Motor Sports
