Virgin Australia Supercars Championship - Archive

[Cap'n Jack]

Sounds like it would of been fun. I'd love to drive around Bathurst one day.
Hopefully I'll be able to get to the race again, last year was my first time there and I loved it.

 

[Andrew R]

I really want to go to Bathurst but I'm the only person in my family interested in motorsport so no one is too keen on trekking down. I have a mate that goes down every year but there's no room for me. poor me.

I use the excuse "It's my nephews birthday so we're going out for the day" so I get most of the weekend off work. Damn work.

 

[Schrodes]

I had to race out to Oran Park this evening to fix thier scale and scored myself a ticket. I was going on Sunday anyway but a free ticket is a bonus. All the action had finished by the time I got there but I had time for a wander around when the job was finished.
Jason Richards' Commodore and Cameron McLean's Porsche have both been repaired after major accidents at Queensland Raceway and are ready to race.
HRT have been dominant at OP in the past but Marcos Ambrose cleaned up last year. Craig Lowndes has been strong in the last few rounds and has been successful at OP. Lowndes still holds the lap record at OP. He set this lap waaaay back in his HRT days. 1999 it was I think. Paul Morris has always been quick at Oran Park and the HSV Dealer team cars have made some huge improvements lately. It should be a great weekend of racing.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

Wanna give the ticket to me?

 

[Andrew R]

It turned out as a pretty good weekend. HRT didn't dominate in the slightest, it was virtually all SBR. Ambrose did a good job to get back from his drive through penalty up to fourth. The racing between Stephen Richards, Greg Murphy and Russel Ingall was great to watch. Matthew Whites crash was pretty nasty but the replay didn't really pick up a lot.


Overall, a good weekend of racing, congratulations to Stone Brothers.

 

[somebody]

That was one of the better rounds this year, if not the best. Good close racing and some mixing up of the points. Too bad Seto didn't do so well but at least Westpoint are still 3rd in the teams championship.

 

[Schrodes]

SBR showed the stewards their data from their pitstop in race one and the stewards have apparently agreed that Ambrose did not exceed the speed limit in pit lane. Of course they can't give back time so it's tough luck for Ambrose and for Lowndes who was in an identical situation.
Ellery hade a big one in practice on Saturday which ended his weekend. He somehow managed to jump on both the brake pedal and accelerator pedal coming into the last turn. There was another big accident on Sunday in the Lotus Trophy when one car spun at turn eight and left another car no choice but to t-bone him. Both cars might be lucky to get to Mallala this weekend but the drivers were OK.
It was a bit disapointing that the historic touring cars weren't there but for those of you in Sydney there is going to be a huge historics meeting at Eastern Creek on the 30th of October. There will be plenty of past stars there, the Biante Historic Touring Cars, Group C and Group A touring car races and parades, Formula 5000, Can-Am cars and displays of some famous cars such as Beechey's Monaro, Moffat's Mustang, Geoghegan's Super Falcon and Jane's thundering 7 litre Camaro. Put it in your diary.

 

[somebody]

SBR showed the stewards their data from their pitstop in race one and the stewards have apparently agreed that Ambrose did not exceed the speed limit in pit lane. Of course they can't give back time so it's tough luck for Ambrose and for Lowndes who was in an identical situation.

Yes, but how accurate is their data? I don't know whether or not he did really speed but he was caught speeding on a measured and tested device, not a computer relying on GPS data like the onboard data gatherer.

Anyway, what's done is done.

 

[Schrodes]

I'd trust the cars data more than I would trust some bloke with a radar gun who may not be correctly trained in it's use, as I read elsewhere may be the case. The radar gun that was in use at Oran Park was a non laser type which requires the operator to be a very specific distance from the target and at a certain angle to the target. If not aimed correctly, the pit wall can appear to be doing 40kph. For both teams to strongly deny that they sped in pitlane and to go to the effort of going to the stewards with their data to try and have the penalty overturned when almost every other pitlane speeding penalty in the series is not argued makes these penalties seem a little questionable.

 

[Andrew R]

It did make for some exciting racing though. It is bad that the stewards can't get it right and it really cost Ambrose the weekend but nothing can be done now.

Suckstobeyou Ambrose and Lowndes.

 

[Schrodes]

Who should be Craig Lowndes' co-driver for Sandown and Bathurst, Steve Ellery, Adam Macrow or Yvan Muller?

 

[Andrew R]

I'd go with Ellery. He's a decent driver and I think he'd be better suited with Lowndes.

What do you think?

 

[Schrodes]

I'd go with Ellery too. He's crashed twice this year but he has been very quick and consistent at Bathurst in the past. The height difference might be a problem. Macrow has been fast in the HPDC Series and is currently in sixth position. Muller has proven himself in the British and European touring cars and in the ice races during his off season but not many internationals can be quick around Bathurst in a V8. He was a second a lap slower than Dean Canto when they drove together last year.

 

[somebody]

Ellery would be the best choice, but as a team they are better served by putting Macrow with Lowdnes. If both regular drivers are in the one car and it crashes out, then the whole team scores zip. If they put Ellery in his own car they double their chances of walking away with points.

Muller, while a good driver, is not a good choice at all. They would have been better served looking at the HPDC for another driver who is used to the cars.

 

[Schrodes]

Triple 8 have teamed Ellery with Macrow and Lowndes with Muller. Strange decision. I think Muller will get the drive in the 888 car for Sandown but they will put Macrow with Lowndes for Bathurst. It was after Lowndes' recommendation that Triple 8 gave Macrow the HPDC drive.

 

[Andrew R]

Very odd choice. I can sort of see it points wise for 888 but Ellery isn't really in with any chance at all of a decent placing at the end of the year...I mean he is 20th.

 

[Yuichi]

Off-topic, I live pretty close to the Sandown circuit, just a train ride away and I'm there, but I can't be bothered going (no $$$$). I can hear the engines going, but it wouldn't be the same.

On-topic, they should have put in Macrow alongside Lowndes. Lowndes likes Macrow, so why wouldn't they put them together?

 

[Cap'n Jack]

If you're 16 and under you can get in for free on thursday or friday, I forget which.
I can hear the cars at Adelaide from my dads house. If I'm not at the race I sometimes go out of the lounge room to watch the Fighter jet fly around Adelaide.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

Bloody great news V8 Supercar fans! Its been announced that the V8 Supercars WILL be going to Bahrain in 2006! I can't wait!

 

[Schrodes]

Sounds like it will be the first weekday meeting for the Australian touring cars. They will be running on November 23rd and 24th which is a thursday and friday. Eastern Creek has gone from two meetings to no meetings a season in two years. Another local track gets shafted for Cochranes greed.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

They should of kept Eastern Creek aqnd just made the series longer. But it will be cool to see them running on that track.

 

[Jay]

Bloody great news V8 Supercar fans! Its been announced that the V8 Supercars WILL be going to Bahrain in 2006! I can't wait!

Oh joy.

 

[somebody]

They should of kept Eastern Creek aqnd just made the series longer. But it will be cool to see them running on that track.

The cost of running at Eastern Creek and the relatively poor crowd numbers made it the logical choice to drop from the programme. Depending on what happens to Oran Park after next year will decide whether or not the creek sees the V8's again. I think there is still a big enough fan base in Sydney for 2 rounds, but until we get our second round back there should be some sort of compensation. Maybe an open day of sorts? Have all the cars and drivers on display for a day at Homebush so punters like me can still get up close for a sticky beak. This is something they could use in the centres which don't have races too. Maybe Canberra on Monday, Sydney Tuesday/Wednesday, Newcastle Thursday etc... I'm sure the teams can afford to run this sort of thing.

Just remember that it is the teams that don't want the series extended because they don't believe it is profitable.

 

[Schrodes]

I just read on the V8 Supercar site that SBR are losing the Pirtek sponsorship at the end of the season. They shouldn't have much trouble finding a new sponsor given their results in the last few years. They may look for a new sponsor for that car or combine the Havoline sponsorship from Ingall's car.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

I read on another forum that James Courtney will be taking Marcos Ambroses position.

 

[Schrodes]

That rumour has been going around for a while but I read a few weeks ago that he has resigned with Toyota for the Super GT series. I think I read that in Auto Action and before that his manager said they will take every offer into account. I think he will stay in Super GT. He is still young and has several offers according to his manager and the motor racing world seems to forget about drivers once they return to Australia, a dangerous move for a young talented driver. Having said that, Ford does seem to have plenty of money to throw at drivers...

 

[Appie]

on wich channel can i see it in europe

 

[Schrodes]

I don't know what channel would broadcast the V8's in Europe but I have e-mailed them and will post their reply (if they reply) here.

 

[somebody]

Well, SBR has signed Courtney for the new look team. It looks like it could be a winning move - he has plenty of experience in all sorts of cars and shouldn't have too much trouble adapting. What's everybody think of his chances next year?

 

[Schrodes]

There goes another international career.
The only tracks he has driven on in Australia are Sandown and Bathurst so he may need a season before he is a regular winner. Having said that he was in the 2m8's at Bathurst on about his fifth lap in practice. Could he be the first driver since Craig Lowndes to win the first round of his first full season? Not at Adelaide.