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Event Wrap: CAMS NSW Supersprint Championships Rnd 8

Round 8 of the CAMS NSW Supersprint Championships was sponsored by the Mini Car Club NSW. It was run at Sydney Motorsport Park on Oct 26th, utilising the South Circuit ,including the newly built 800m track extension. For many of the full field of 90 competitors, it was a wonderful opportunity to drive the new track layout.

The overall fastest lap time was taken by Marek Tomaszewski (Stohr DSR) with a 0:530, closely followed by Duncan Forrest (Stohr WF1) with a 0:538, and Allan Bugh (PRB Clubman) rounded out the top three with a 0:59.

Fastest tin top was Allan Marin (VK Commodore) posting a time of 1:01 sec.

Early in the day Roger Beard wondered why his Clubman was a bit sluggish and upon returning to the pits found his inlet manifold dust cover stocking firmly ensconced inside an inlet tube. Once that was removed the car returned to its expected performance, bringing Roger a fourth place and a quick time of 0:59 sec.

As this was the final round of the 2013 Supersprint Championships, club championship honours went to ARDC with 1097 points, ever so slightly ahead of MX5 on 1090 points, with NSWRRC on 478 points and Manly Warringah on 471 points.

– words and pics by Rob Annesley
look@shotbyrob.com.au

 

Wayne Gardner honoured at Sydney Motorsport Park

OCTOBER 22, 2013: SYDNEY MOTORSPORT PARK’S iconic Grand Prix circuit will now be known as the ‘Gardner GP Circuit’, honouring Australia’s first winner of the 500cc Motorcycle World Championships and iconic MotoGP legend, Wayne Gardner.

Gardner’s success in MotoGP and his World Championship win in 1987 saw a resurgence in the popularity of motorbike racing and motorsport in general, and was instrumental in the NSW Government building the Eastern Creek circuit as a home for future Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix. Eastern Creek International Raceway was born in November 10, 1990. Since then, the GP circuit has hosted major international events such as the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, the Australian Touring Car Championship/V8 Supercars, the A1GP, Top Gear Festival Sydney and World Time Attack Challenge. In 2012, a rebrand and rebuild of the raceway, now Sydney Motorsport Park (SMSP), saw track upgrades that enabled the original GP circuit to be run in its original 3.7km configuration, or be expanded to incorporate a new 800m section of track, named The ‘Brabham Circuit’ after Australian motorsport legend Sir Jack Brabham.

The design also offers the ability to split the tracks into two circuits that can race concurrently: the North Circuit, named Druitt, and the South, named Amaroo, after two of the past home circuits of the 61-year-old race club. The renaming of the original GP circuit was held until Gardner returned to Australia from his new base in Spain, where his teenage sons Remy and Luca of Team Gardner Racing are successfully campaigning in the Moto3 and CMV championships.

Gardner and his sons visited SMSP yesterday, and honoured with the official circuit naming in a presentation by the Australian Racing Drivers’ Club (ARDC), operators of the track since 1996. “We are thrilled to have Wayne Gardner and his sons here for this announcement,” said ARDC CEO Glenn Matthews.

“Through the process of finding a new name for the GP circuit, it was universally agreed by the Board and the Circuit Naming Committee that our original circuit should be named after the man whose success brought new life into Australian motorsport in 1987, and ultimately led to the construction of the GP circuit.”

Gardner and his sons also drove a ceremonial lap of theGardner GP circuit, along with members of the ARDC Board and 15 ARDC Bike Members. “This is a complete surprise, and I am honoured and delighted that such a great track is now going to be known as the Gardner GP Circuit,” said Gardner at the presentation. “We are coming back [from Spain, where Team Gardner Racing is now based] in Christmas, and I cannot wait to take a bike – and a car – around this circuit again at speed,” he enthused.

For further information, please contact Samantha Stevens on samantha.stevens@ardc.com.au or (02) 9672 1000.

WTAC 2013 Day 2 Wrap

EVENT RELEASE: After two tumultuous days of time attack competition, racing has finished for another year. Positions were still being decided in the final sessions, and records have been broken across the weekend.
With Tilton setting the pace early on, the Pro Class field was playing catch-up.
Nobuteru Taniguchi was pushing the Top Fuel / Voltex S2000RR and posting some very fast times. The car went almost a second faster than last year but fuelling problems prevented the team from giving it the final big push on Saturday.
MCA Suspensions’ S13 in the capable hands of Earl Bamber was consistently fast and beat their last year’s time of 1:27.8080 with a new PB of 1:27.3670 moving ahead of Nemo into the second overall and the fastest RWD of the event.

The Nemo Racing team were not able to overcome their overheating problems and only managed to get out for one low-boost session. The 2012 champions still ended the event in an honourable 3rd place.
After having some mechanical issues on Friday, Suzuki went out all guns blazing resetting his 2012 time and edging closer to Nemo’s time.

Unfortunately it was not to be for Suzuki-san as he once again narrowly missed out on the podium finish with a time of 1:27.958. Scorch Racing was the fastest international team at this year’s WTAC, ahead of Top Fuel / Voltex, RE Amemiya and Esprit.

Despite not being able to make the podium, RE Amemiya RX-7 was one of the most popular cars on the track, turning heads wherever it went.
Tarzan had a love-hate relationship with the Esprit NSX, ending the event in 8th place with a time of 1:30.139
Precision Maintenance Evo was the pace setter in Pro Am with a time of 1:30.9570
Sutton Brother’s S15 was spectacularly fast and only a 0.9 second slower than the class leader Precision Maintenance Evo. A well deserved runner up spot for the Sutton Brothers.
Flying the Subaru flag, the Auto Engineering Hulk was in hot pursuit of the Sutton Brothers and completed the Pro Am podium in a third place.
Open Class saw several leader changes during the day with BC Automotive R32 GTR taking the win in the final session.
V-Sport’s Evo X set the best Open Class time early on Saturday but was relegated to the runner-up position by BC Automotive.
Legions of Honda fans cheered Benny Tran who pushed his BYP Racing Integra to its limits, not only placing it on the Open Class podium but also earning the title of the Fastest FWD of the event.
Jason Wright took out the Clubsprint win in the Prcess West WRX STi putting an end to the general assumption that you need an Evo to win at WTAC.
The “mult-tasking” award of the event has to go to Jason Wright and Benny Tran both of whom drove two cars, in two classes and managed to put both of them on the podium!
Jason drove the Autotech Engineering Hulk in the Pro Am and the Process West STi in Clubsprint while Benny Tran drove the BYP Racing Integra in the Open and a BYP Racing S2000 in the Clubsprint Class. Top effort guys!
Jason Naidoo took a well-deserved third place in the Clubsprint Class in his SuperPro Evo 9.
And once again, the Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge is over for another year. We have a new World Champion – a team that has not only been the fastest at this event but managed to break the seemingly unassailable lap record set in 2012 by Nemo.

 

ROYAL PURPLE PRO CLASS
1 – Garth Walden (NSW) Tilton Evo – 1:24.8550
2 – Earl Bamber (QLD) MCA Suspension S13 – 1:27.3670
3 – Warren Luff (QLD) AugerTorque/Nemo Evo – 1:27.7080
4 – Under Suzuki (JPN) Scorch Racing S15 – 1:27.9580
5 – Nob Taniguchi (JPN) Top Fuel S2000 – 1:28.8660
GARRETT PRO AM CLASS
1 Mick Sigsworth (QLD) Precision Maintenance EVO – 1:30.9570
2 Andrew Sutton (NSW) Sutton Bros S15 – 1:31.8320
3 Jason Wright (NSW) Autotech Engineering WRX STi – 1:32.4040
4 Andy Papageorgiou (CYP) Simply Racing Evo VI – 1:33.2980
5 Atsushi Shimaya (JPN) Endless/R Magic FD3S RX-7 – 1:33.5550
V-SPORT OPEN CLASS
1 Dean Lillie (VIC) BC Automotive R32 GTR – 1:31.7980
2 Rick Bates (NSW) V Sport/Go-Pro Evo X – 1:32.4260
3 Benny Tran (NSW) BYP Racing Integra – 1:32.6800
4 Nik Kalis (NSW) Piazza Doro EVO – 1:33.5330
5 Simon Podlewski (SA) Move Yourself Racing 180SX – 1:34.4456
JUST CAR CLUBSPRINT CLASS
1 Jason Wright (NSW) Process West WRX STi – 1:39.2470
2 Benny Tran (NSW) BYP Motorsport S2000 – 1:41.0360
3 Jason Naidoo (NSW) Superpro EVO 9 – 1:41.2560
4 Dan Farquar (NSW) IS Motor Racing/Royal Purple Evo – 1:41.5450
5 John Richardson (VIC) Motul/Advan R33 GTST – 1:42.0590
Our congratulations to all competitors.

– See more at:

Local Heroes take on the Worlds best

This year’s Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge is set to break all the records. A new track lap record has been set every year since the event’s inception in 2008, and it looks like 2013 will be no different.

The reigning champions – the Queensland-based Nemo Racing team (with driver Warren Luff), will be fronting up with a more powerful and faster incarnation of their 2012 winning car and are ready to break the lap record once again.

However, the local heroes will face their fiercest competition yet, with highly-competitive local entries plus international stars from Japan, USA and even Cyprus lining up to challenge them – and the clock – for the coveted World Time Attack title.

Held over two action-packed days, from Friday October 18 through to Saturday October 19 at the Sydney Motorsport Park, Eastern Creek, the Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge is a true motorsport festival with a number of supporting events taking place on and off the track:
• Turbosmart Flying 500 – a 500m rolling start race featuring Australia’s fastest tuner cars.
• Motul Turbo Legends – see the cars that shaped the history of Australian motorsport back in the 80s and the 90s. Far from being extinct, these fire-breathing monsters are alive and well and just have to be seen in a full flight to be appreciated!
• Tectaloy International Drift Challenge – as soon as the sun goes down, the show moves to the South Circuit for a drifting spectacular under lights, featuring the very best drifters from Australia, New Zealand, Scotland and Japan.
• A Freestyle BMX Show, Miss Time Attack contest, and the biggest outdoor Show’n’Shine display in the country

The records may keep falling at the Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge, but this year’s event is guaranteed to reach all-new heights.

What: Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge
Where: Sydney Motorsport Park (formerly Eastern Creek Raceway)
When: Fri 18th – Saturday 19th October
Parking: At the venue – Free.
For more information go to www.worldtimeattack.com

 

V8 Supercars to grid up twice at SMSP in 2014

The Australian Racing Drivers’ Club (ARDC) is proud to announce that not one, but two V8 Supercar Championship events will be held at Sydney Motorsport Park (SMSP) in 2014. Round nine of the 2014 V8 Supercars Championship Series, the Sydney Motorsport Park 400, will be held at the Eastern Creek circuit on August 22 – 24, joining the Sydney 500 and the Bathurst 1000 as the third NSW venue for the premier touring car series.

Earlier this month, V8 Supercars announced that SMSP would continue to hold the official Sydney.com V8 Supercars Test Day until 2016. The Test Day, which precedes the Championship season, is free for all fans to attend, and saw numbers in excess of 18,000 in 2013.

“We are excited and delighted to announce that Sydney Motorsport Park will host a round of the V8 Supercars series next August, in addition to the pre-season test and fan day on February 15,” said Glenn Matthews, CEO of the ARDC.

ARDC President Andrew Leithhead said: “The ARDC is keenly looking forward to welcoming V8 Supercars back to Sydney Motorsport Park for round nine of the 2014 Championship. Our Members and all motorsport enthusiasts will be delighted to have four separate V8 Supercar events in NSW next year, and we anticipate some exciting racing at SMSP.”

Sydney Motorsport Park is owned by the NSW Government and operated by the ARDC, and is the only permanent Australian race facility that holds a FIA/FIM Grade 2 International licence.

In August last year, the V8 Supercar Championship was one of the first major racing events to sample the $11 million track and facility redevelopment undertaken at the Western Sydney circuit, which was completed in May 2012 and jointly funded by the ARDC and the NSW Government.

“The support of the NSW Government has been important to the ongoing expansion of Sydney Motorsport Park’s contribution to economic activity in Western Sydney, in terms of infrastructure, employment and major events.” “We would like to thank Minister Souris and Destination NSW for their support in helping to bring a Championship round to Sydney Motorsport Park,” added Matthews.

“This is yet another great event that we have brought to SMSP, and 2014 will be a very exciting year with these premier events – the two V8 Supercar events, Top Gear Festival Sydney, and more still to come.”

The Championship round is just two weeks before the 10th anniversary of the Australian Muscle Car Masters, which celebrates the heritage of V8 Supercars with a weekend of racing and memorabilia from the glory days of the Bathurst 1000. Other major events on the 2014 Race Calendar at Sydney Motorsport Park include Top Gear Festival Sydney, World Time Attack, the Shannons Nationals, the NSW Motor Race Championships, FX Superbikes, Australian Superbikes, and the HSRCA.

A full calendar will be released shortly on www.sydneymotorsportpark.com.au.

OFFICIAL RELEASE: 2014 V8 Supercars Calendar and race formats

OFFICIAL RELEASE: Innovation follows Consolidation for V8 Supercars in 2014

V8 Supercars has announced ground-breaking changes for 2014, building on a year which has featured multiple race and rookie winners, captivating racing and new generation V8 Supercars.

Innovation is the key to further broadening the appeal of V8 Supercars and making it accessible to more people than ever.

Key initiatives for 2014 include a shift towards prime time twilight racing and new standardised race formats; and an exciting new ANZAC Day weekend in New Zealand. Sydney will host three events in 2015.

“We have the opportunity to continue with an entrepreneurial approach, with high levels of innovation and commitment to our fans,” V8 Supercars CEO James Warburton said.

“There is a chance to build on the energy and passion of the business created through the course of this year; taking it to the next level in 2014 and even further in 2015.

“We have had the period of consolidation, now is the time for innovation, growth and building for the next five to ten years.”

A minimum of five Saturday twilight races are possible in 2014. V8 Supercars will announce timings of all races early in the New Year in consultation with host broadcaster Seven.

As a precursor the first 250km race at the Sydney 500 this December will run from 5.10pm to 7.30pm. The ARMOR ALL Top Ten Shootout at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 next month will also be staged later on Saturday afternoon.

The prospect of racing at twilight has received unanimous support from fans with 85 per cent supporting a Saturday evening race and almost 50 per cent more people would attend or watch a twilight race.

V8 Supercars also announced a move to three categories of events – SuperSprint, SuperStreet and the PIRTEK Enduro Cup – to standardise and simplify race formats into a consistent package. The 60/60 format of this year has been scrapped.

Accordingly the Townsville 500 and ITM 500 Auckland become 500km events in line with the SuperStreet formats, while all SuperSprint events are two 100km races on Saturdays with a single 200km feature race on the Sunday.

All SuperSprint races will count towards the Championship.

The 2014 V8 Supercar calendar consists of 16 events including the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne and the hugely popular sydney.com V8 Supercars Test Day at Sydney Motorsport Park.

The Sydney 500 was locked in for a further three years earlier this month by the New South Wales Government, with an option for a further two years. This followed the recent the extension of the three Queensland events, also for a further three years.

Additionally, V8 Supercars will return to Sydney Motorsport Park for a Championship event in 2014 in August, meaning Sydney will host three events in 2014.

In New Zealand the ITM500 Auckland will be held on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the ANZAC weekend.V8 Supercars believes racing on ANZAC weekend in New Zealand is a huge drawcard for the event that will encourage fans to travel to Auckland on the long weekend.

The blockbuster Clipsal 500 in Adelaide kicks off the Championship year once again.

V8 Supercars will delay a return to Texas until 2015 because of a clash of dates with the recently signed X Games and the composition of the V8 Supercar and COTA calendars.

“The timing of COTA securing the X Games next year led to the mutual agreement of a gap-year before consolidating, planning and returning to Texas in 2015,” Warburton said.

“The first Texas 400 was an enormous success at all levels and a tremendous platform to build into the future; in conjunction with developing an extensive international strategy for 2015 and beyond.

“The prospects are virtually limitless; there is that much potential in the sport.”

COTA President Steve Sexton said he was looking forward to V8 Supercars return in 2015 after a highly successful North American debut in May.

“Circuit of The Americas is quickly becoming a year-round destination for a variety of large-scale sports and entertainment properties, and with our packed schedule, we were not able to find mutually workable dates to facilitate a return of V8 Supercars to Austin in 2014,” Circuit Chief Executive Officer Steve Sexton said.

“V8 Supercars continues to be one of the most exciting shows in world motorsports. We know our US and international fans really enjoyed the Austin 400 event this year, and we are very excited to have V8 Supercars return to the United States in 2015.”

V8 Supercars has had preliminary discussions with several venues in the US with a view to „twinning%u201F the Texas 400 in the future.

The 2014 V8 Supercars calendar:

Feb 15
sydney.com V8 Supercars Test Day
Sydney MSP

Feb 27-Mar 2
Clipsal 500 Adelaide
Adelaide Street Circuit
SuperStreet DS

Mar 13-16
2014 Formula 1 Aust Grand Prix
Albert Park
TBC

Mar 28-30
Tasmania 400
Symmons Plains Raceway
SuperSprint

Apr 4-6
Winton 400
Winton Motor Raceway
SuperSprint DS

April 24-27
ITM 500 Auckland
Pukekohe Park Raceway
SuperSprint

May 16-18 TBC
Perth 400
Barbagallo Raceway
SuperSprint DS

June 20-22
SKYCITY Triple Crown Darwin 400
Hidden Valley Raceway
SuperSprint

July 4-6
Townsville 500
Reid Park
SuperStreet DS

Aug 1-3 TBC
Coates Hire Ipswich 400
Queensland Raceway
SuperSprint DS

Aug 22-24
Sydney Motorsport Park 400
Sydney Motorsport Park
SuperSprint

Sept 12-14
Wilson Security Sandown 500
Sandown Raceway
PIRTEK Enduro Cup

Oct 9-12
Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000
Mount Panorama
PIRTEK Enduro Cup DS

Oct 24-26
ARMOR ALL Gold Coast 600
Surfers Paradise
PIRTEK Enduro Cup

Nov 14-16
Phillip Island 400
Phillip Island Circuit
SuperSprint

Dec 5-7
Sydney 500
Sydney Olympic Park
SuperStreet DS