The Racing Magazine - Issue 8, 2014

thenationals.com.au

NUMBER 17, OCTOBER 2014

4 Speed Shots

8 Pitlane Whiteboard

10 Feature THE PRODUCTION GURU

14 Feature IN HIS OWN WORDS: MATT CHERRY

16 Feature RANDLE THE SECOND

18 Feature 20 YEARS AT THE PARK

21 Round 8 - Categories & Entries

28 Meeting News

30 Television Coverage Lap Records

Publisher Australian Motor Racing Pty Ltd

Editor Richard Craill

Art Director Sarah Anesbury - 121 Creative Hilton

Writers Richard Craill, Amanda Jackson & Garry O’Brien

Chief Photographer: Nathan Wong

Production Kwik Kopy Printing Hilton

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Disclaimer While reasonable effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information provided, Australian Motor Racing Pty Ltd make no representation, express or implied, as to the accuracy, currency, reliability or suitability. Australian Motor Racing Pty Ltd expressly disclaim responsibility for any damages that may be caused by or in connection with the information provided.

THENATIONALS.COM.AU | 3

THE CALL FROM GOD.By Richard Craill

“G’day mate, you well?” the voice down the end of the phone line said, amiably. “Just driving back from the track and will be going through some tunnels... so hope the phone doesn’t drop out... fire away!”For an impressionable 20-year-old version of yours truly, surreal didn’t even come close to explaining the emotions behind the one and only time I really, truly, spoke to Peter Geoffrey Brock. One week on from his incredible, dramatic part in winning the 2003 Bathurst 24 Hour race, Brock was in Sydney for the finale’ of the V8 Supercars championship where he would be representing his eponymous team and the array of corporates he was still representing. Even in partial retirement, Brock was a busy man and it wouldn’t be until his tragic passing several years later that I would be truly appreciative of getting a share of his incredibly valuable time. It was an off-the-cuff phone call to Holden’s PR man at the time – I forget if I spoke to the famous Tim ‘Pembo’ Pemberton or not – that set the wheels In motion just days after the 24-hour. I had a motorsports-based show on community radio and I took a punt that if I couldn’t get Brock, I’d probably be fine with chatting to Murph, Richo or Brighty. They’d do... But Brock I got and it was Brock I rang on a Friday evening in November. He answered and we chatted. And chatted... and chatted. I’d been told I could have 10 minutes but the man was in effusive form, chatting with delight at getting the win and confirming that yes, if the public thought it was win number 10 then he may as well do the same. For a kid from country South Australia who grew up with only one idol, this was paradise. And then, suddenly, after about 15 minutes the phone went dead and he was gone. The first emotion was disappointment. The second was a feeling of content that 15 minutes was better than the 10 we’d been promised... So to a song I threw and pulled the headset off to take stock of a moment that I could’ve only dreamed about a few years earlier. And then, the phone rang. We always got the occasional caller, the odd punter who would ring up and want to chat about the show or

request a song, even though we only played a handful through our show as a way of giving us time to line up the next interview. I answered: “Sorry mate, Peter Brock here. Think we got cut off... was in a tunnel. I’m keen to keep chatting if you are?” Whatever piece of anonymous 2000s rubbish rock we were playing at the time was firmly dumped, and our conversation continued anew. I was floored. It was the moment. When I was a kid, I would not hear a bad word said about Peter Brock but as I grew older and began to interact with people who worked in the sport professionally, a picture of the other side of his personal life began to take shape in my mind. He became human, with all the flaws and fragilities that you or I have. I actually liked the human Brock better than the god-like figure I had created in my mind when watching him hustle zero-five around on TV, or out at Mallala. Somehow he was more real, more tangible in my mind. Like Batman in the Dark Knight Rises, I think heroes should have flaws. But the fact that Peter Brock, nine-time Bathurst winner and one of the five biggest names in Australian sporting history, rang a two-bit community radio station with an audience of a few thousand people to continue a chat about car racing was phenomenal. It remains my favourite memory of the man and one of the better memories I maintain to this day. Here was a kid, who loved motorsport, chatting to an older bloke, who loved motorsport. And on that Friday, Brock just wanted to keep chatting. In September this year the usual litany of Facebook tributes filled my newsfeed with people remembering the great man. I didn’t post anything: I just didn’t feel the need. But I did get my headphones out, dug into an external hard drive that contains ten years of random files, and clicked ‘Brock.mp3’. I choose to remember Brock by remembering the day he rang me on the phone. A truly great day. Postscript: I have recounted this story on several occasions and on almost every occasion I get asked one question, for which I will tell you the answer now: Yes, his mobile number did end in ‘05’. How could it not?

4 | THE RACING MAGAZINE

Photo by Nathan Wong, Canon 1DX, 70mm, 1/320th @ f8, ISO 100

Phillip Island was a defining round for Eggleston Motorsport, the team not only winning their first Kumho series race (thanks to imported star Cameron McConville) but also their first 1-2 finish.

THE ONE-TWO PUNCH




Photo by Nathan Wong, Canon 1DX, 400mm, 1/400th @ f8, ISO 100

At 29 cars, the Phillip Island Super Six Touring Car grid was not just the biggest of the year for the category – but also one of the biggest grids of the year, full stop. While Gavin Ross

dominated, the remainder of the field provided their usual action and excitement...

SUPER GRID

You’ve waited for it all year. Here it is. The big one. October. An old traditional city a few hours out of Sydney. Ford and Holden and a string of other manufacturers. It’s... IT’S...

The Wakefield Park Shannons Nationals Round!

The mountain? What mountain? Why would you want that? We can see everything we need to see from the top of a giant sheep! GIANT SHEEP FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!

Now we’ve got that out of the way...

A few weeks ago we may have seen the future of motor racing. In China, they had the first Formula E race, an electric motor race.

So here’s what the future of motor racing looks like...

The good bit? “The atmosphere is electric” is no longer a cliché. Just out of interest: Before the atmosphere was electrified was it coal powered, steam, or was it just Bernie Eccelstone on an exercise bike out back generating all the energy for the atmosphere in the paddock? Somebody fetch Garry O’Brien from the media centre and ask - he was probably there that day.

The bad bits? Because the cars have no sound, the whole race indeed sounds like a Thermomix infomercial. This is not only due to the cars, but also due to the “EJ,” which is fact not the former Jordan Formula 1 team owner, but a “DJ” that

is somehow more electric than he was before, hence requiring the title “EJ.”

The reality of the “EJ,” It was just like the DJ you get after a big night out in Goulburn. He was playing all this weird European crap that you usually hear in the background of those 2am post Grand Prix infomercials, and by a half hour in we were all begging him to “just play some Chisel.” Heck, surely an “Electric DJ” will have some AC/DC?

Apparently to do about 100 kays, you need 2 cars. That’s right, 2 cars. So you’ve got double stacking even before you’ve called Lowndesy in! I can only assume this was because they didn’t pack the right converter plug to recharge the cars in China. Rookie tourist error, that.

And the pit stops were terrible. You’d think for a bunch of blokes with electric cars they’d be reasonably decent at plugging things in, but plugging the driver into the new car was a bit like when @PitlaneWB’s manager gets home with no juice on his iPhone after a night out and is trying to plug in charger, and the powerpoint keeps moving.

But it’s not all bad. A bloke named Prost caused some carnage by running into his rival on the last corner, evoking memories of Formula 1 races past. Unfortunately Formula E’s disciplinary standards seemed lacking.

Surely if the series is totally electric, we can totally get an electric chair? Just imagine how good that would be?

“I’m sorry Mr Ingall, but the IEO, the Investigating and Electrocuting Officer has reviewed the incident...”

“But he cut me off!”

“No he didn’t because your car is still running! We’ve determined that you weren’t in front of the B-Pillar so TO THE CHAIR!”

All in all, it didn’t turn me on. But one day it’ll be here – at the Shannons Nationals.

Even if the grid numbers are low, it’ll happen. If Rob bundles it with a gas-powered category, he’ll get 10% of the bill...

* It goes without saying (but I’ve had an eraser held at my throat until I finish writing this bit, so I’ll say it anyway) that the views expressed in this column are most certainly, totally, absolutely and wholly 100% those of the whiteboard and NOT this publication or it’s associated entities.

PITLANE WHITEBOARD

It’s the anonymous twitter account that on more occasions than one has been accused of sniffing whiteboard markers for a bit too long. Some say that if you threaten it

with a permanent marker, it will tell you the truth behind his secret affair with Russell Ingall... but that’s the kind of thing no one wants to read, so please don’t!


Follow the Pit lane Whiteboard on Twitter: @pitlaneWB


ALAN HEAPHY has been there and done that – from Bathurst winners to rally success and everything in between. So after developing the most dominant Production Car of the last decade what was left to do? That’s simple; just develop another one. WORDS: Amanda Jackson IMAGES: Nathan Wong


THE PRODUCTION GURU

THERE has been a changing of the guard in Australian Production car-based racing. When a little black Audi TT RS built by Alan Heaphy for owner Glyn Crimp, and driven by the always-impressive Matt Cherry, the Australian Manufacturers Championship landscape changed. For after years of domination by the Mitsubishi brigade – despite persistent resistance from the BMW brigade – it looks like production car racing might now finally have a machine ready to take over as The Car To Have. The Racing Magazine sat down with the brains behind the project, Alan Heaphy, to chart its progress.

Before this year, you were racing Mitsubishi Evos, why the switch?“PPE’s sister company, TMR, were the first to build a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 10 and enter it into the Australian Manufacturers Championship. A win on debut at the 2008 12 hour was followed with winning the AMC championship four years in a row.“The car was a proven outright contender and other teams followed with their own vehicles. Many of these competitors are our customers. It got to the point where we were starting to compete against our own customers, so we decided to look at alternative vehicles.“We had done our bit and we wanted others to have a crack, so we started looking for something a little bit different to put into the championship – something that would get a bit of ‘sparkle’ and would extend our engineering experience.”

So that led you to the Audi?“The organisers allowed the Audi TT RS, which is a 4WD vehicle and very similar in specs to the Evo 10, aside from the fact that it has a 2.5 litre/five cylinder engine rather than a two litre/four cylinder set-up.

“We had a customer who was pretty keen to do something (car owner Glyn Crimp), so we conducted an engineering evaluation of a road version of the vehicle and compared the technical specs of the Audi and the Evo 10. The numbers looked promising so we found ourselves a statutory write-off vehicle, which is the ideal thing to build a race car out of.”

What changes have you made to get the Audi race-ready?“The Audis in Europe are raced in front wheel drive only. None of the parts they use in Europe would either fit or be allowed by our regulations.“Consequently we had to sit down and design suspension and have it made to suit. We also had to do a few little modifications to get the geometry the way we wanted, and we developed a front brake kit along with other revisions.“A MOTEC dash logger went in to log lap times and data. The standard fuel tank was in the car for QR, but there will be a big fuel tank in it when we get to Wakefield – it was still on its way when we raced in Queensland. We also took a lot of trouble with the roll cage, as obviously that is the biggest priority for us to have the occupant safe in case of a big accident.“We also have some other things we have been fitting to the car post-Queensland like a bigger radiator, oil coolers, a diff cooler and so on, which will really see it fitted out as a fully-fledged race car that can compete in the endurance rounds.”

How do the Audi and the Evos compare?“The Audi body shell and panels are part aluminium, and part steel. So to install the rollover protection, part of it is ‘weld in’ and part of it ‘bolt in’, which is a bit unusual.“Fundamentally, the weight distribution and all the components are so similar to an Evo 10, but the thing the Audi has got over the Evo

10 is a very low centre of gravity – from an engineering point of view, the lower the centre of gravity, the better the corner speed.“The engine is a 2.5 litre, 5 cylinder and is turbo-charged. It probably has about the same amount of power as the Evo 10 as it has some restrictions with the turbo size, manifolding and so on which limits performance, but we have got what we have got, and we think there are some advantages with chassis and fuel economy that will make it an exemplary car and an Evo beater for the endurance races!“The Evo is a well thought out car, it has been put together and built and designed by people that really understand motor sport, and so it has a good sized turbo charger and inter-cooler, which is all very important for this kind of racing.“The Audi is a little more of a street racer type of car, the intercooler and the turbo charger are not as big, and it is designed more for European style temperatures, so the cooling needs to be looked at more closely here than in the Evo.”You started the year off in a brand-new BMW 1M which certainly had its fans, how does this car compare to that?

“The BMW 1M is one I would probably explain as a very good drivers’ car. It is a car that has a lot of power, it has a very wide track, a very short wheel base, but it is a ‘nervous’ car.“It is a car that demands the attention of the driver 100% of the time to be able to be fast, and keep it together. It is a car that can turn around and bite you, quickly.”“On the other hand, the Audi is similar in some ways to the Evo in that it is an easier car to drive fast – a really good driver does really well in a Evo, but a driver who is not an A-class driver can still perform very well in this type of car. The Audi is probably a bit the same, as an easy car to drive fast.”


You debuted the car at Queensland Raceway in August with Matt Cherry at the wheel, how did you feel about its performance there?“Considering the stage we had the car to with the suspension package – which wasn’t overly developed at that point by any means – and the standard engine program and so on, I was exceptionally happy with the way the car performed on debut in Queensland.“We had a clutch issue on the Sunday, but from the point of view of how it performed on the Saturday night we are just stoked. It is a very good car, and we will certainly improve its performance as we develop it further.“For the first run with that car we were pretty happy with the results, of course we weren’t happy with the DNF (in Sunday’s race) as that is never on our agenda – it was only our second DNF since 2010 that I can recall – but overall we were pleased.”

What’s next for the Audi?“At Wakefield we will still be developing the car, we have got a long way to go with some of the mechanical items, but we will have the larger fuel tank in it so we may be able to do the full race without a fuel stop, and we will have more of the endurance-spec items in place which will hopefully give us an advantage there.“We still will have some other mechanical componentry to be improved on, some engine power work, some better proportions for the four wheel drive and so on. I wouldn’t call it fine-tuning, we have some big jumps to go into

it yet, but I am really looking forward to giving it a run there.“So far Matt Cherry and Glyn Crimp have done great work with the car. Glyn has done the initial development with us at the test days we have done and brought the car forward, and Matt has got in the car on a couple of occasions and gone pretty well in it.“We have plenty to do to make it even better for them, and that is our plan and focus at the moment – to make it a better race car, so we have a chance to be in the top three instead of the top 16. It is a big call, but you never know!”

How long has been the build process so far?“From woah to go, from being stripped out to having the cage put in and the wheels back on, it was around two months of work with two guys working each day,” said Heaphy.“To this point I would estimate around 180-200 man hours have gone into the car build so far. It is difficult with a first-time build as there is so much looking and learning, so much putting things in and taking them out again and so on, as we work to get it right.“If we had to build another one it would be a lot more time efficient, as a lot of the homework has been done and new parts can be bolted in as you have been there, done that.”

So here is the big question - can the Audi be an Evo beater?“I think that it certainly will be. It won’t be light years in front of the Evo as they are a particularly well developed race car and our

competitors out there now (Gary Holt, Bob Pearson and so on) have developed them even further than we did. There is certainly ongoing development going on with the Evos to get more out of them, but I think this car will be a car that will match them for sure, and in some cases, outperform them.

“It won’t be by laps, just by small margins we estimate. I think it is going to be great for the championship, that is why we chose this car – it is something a bit different, it is a common day sort of car for a lot of people these days, it isn’t dull and boring, it is a bit sporty and adds a bit of colour to the whole AMCHAMPS spectacle – I think that is good for the series!”

Why is it so important to you to bring something different to the AMCHAMPS?

“If you can get good, proper racing, people want to see it. And if you have got a car there that is a bit different and creates a bit of interest, then that bit of profile works towards enhancing the future of the AMCHAMPS to the point that there may be some factory support from another manufacturer that wants to come forward and run their car and help in some way.

“It is all about getting more cars in the field and having something that is desirable to look at and good close racing. There is nothing better than having three or four vehicles that the public associate with fighting for a race win or championship. Hopefully we can take it to the Evo guys and make it a bit of a spectacle!”


“ To this point I would estimate around 180-200 man hours have gone into the car build so far.”


IN HIS OWN WORDS: MATT CHERRY

Thirty-one year old electrician Matt Cherry of Perth in Western Australia is a champion of many disciplines – karting, improved production, Formula Ford, street cars and more. After enjoying the honour of steering the Audi TT RS during its AMChamp debut at Queensland Raceway in August, he put his thoughts about the car, it’s potential and championship-winning future in words.

WORDS: Matt Cherry, as told to Amanda Jackson. IMAGES: Nathan Wong.


“Queensland was good fun, it is always especially exciting with a new car. The night race really threw up some challenges as we don’t get to run much at night in AMCHAMPS, but the car was nice to drive from start to finish, and we were happy with a third place result, especially being so fresh.“The car so far is quite nice to drive. You feel comfortable the moment you hop into the seat, and the chassis and motor both handle quite smoothly. Once we put a few more things into her like camber and some diffs, I think it will be even more responsive for its drivers.”“My favourite thing about the car personally is that you sit low in the car and it feels very smooth. As far as what needs work, at the moment without the diffs in it you can set up a corner well but it just wants to spin the inside wheels, so you can’t get any drive off the corner. Having said that, I am assured by Alan and the boys at PPE

that the small bolt-in parts we are waiting to go in will make a big difference, so I am pretty excited about that!“As a car, it (The Audi) is really showing potential. It has been a good driving year for me, I have been getting my bum into a lot of good seats and a wide variety of cars, from a Fiat Arbarth and a Holden Monaro to a BMW 1M and even a Toyota Starlet, and while it is a bit hard to compare at this stage as I haven’t had enough seat time in the Audi, it is looking good so far and really showing potential, so I am really looking forward to more time in it ahead of a hopeful full-on assault next year. “As far as comparing it to the 1M and the Evos, I think we will definitely be able to take the fight to them once we have some more running time to sort out all the little knicks and knacks she may present through the development process. Those other cars have the advantage of many miles into

the tune and handling and reliability process, but I do feel as though it’s a great little car and we will be on the same level as them very soon. With a few more races and some bits here and there, I can’t see why it can’t win and that is definitely my goal heading in to the end of this year and the start of next year.“It is in great hands with PPE, and we will be moving forward on the grid sooner rather than later. As for the championship, they are always tough to string together but we will be working towards this goal, as I am sure everyone who grids up for 2015 will be.“I would have to say I am having a blast out there. I am really enjoying the tracks and formats and am glad to be part of such a great Series. I have to send good luck to all competitors for the last round and I hope to see everyone again next year and hopefully even more cars – Go Audi!”

THE LIST of drivers successfully following in their illustrious father’s racing footsteps is long and extensive. There’s Steven Richards, for starters. Steven Johnson has tasted success, as has Jack Perkins and the brothers Davison – Alex and Will – have both forged strong careers.

And though his family name might not carry the same kind of recognition as Perkins, Johnson, Richards or Davison, this year you can add Thomas Randle to the list.

The 18-year-old is the son of 2006 Kerrick Sports Sedan Champion Dean Randle and one of the rising stars of Australian Formula Ford competition. He’s also dabbled in the big-bangers that gave his old man so much success this year and says that racing really does flown through his veins.

“Dad has definitely had a great amount of impact on my racing career – if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t even be here, he has been racing since before I was born, and that whole passion for the sport has really rubbed off on me,” says Thomas.

“He has told me that he prefers watching me go around than racing himself, and that is pretty special to me. Also, being a fellow racer, he sometimes gives me tips on what I am doing wrong and he has always been there all through karting even overseas, and it is definitely good to have had that support from him.

“I think motor racing is pretty good for father and son bonding time too, you are away Friday, Saturday, Sunday and with a lot of other sports you wouldn’t have that kind of time. He loves it as much as I do, so that really helps. Obviously


RANDLE THE SECOND

He’s a second generation driver with a successful racing dad, but Thomas Randle really is his forging his own identity in the competitive world of top-level motorsport.

WORDS: Richard Craill and Amanda Jackson IMAGES: Nathan Wong

sometimes things get a bit heated as with all fathers and sons, but it ultimately all just comes down to the passion we have for what we are doing.”

The competitive revival of Australian Formula Ford racing this year has seen Randle feature towards the front of an incredibly competitive pack, establishing himself as a regular top-five runner following his first full season in 2013.

“This season has been a bit of up and down, we have finished every race this year so far, the worst result was sixth place but we have had one win earlier in the year at Winton which was pretty special as it was my first national race win,” he explained.

“With three rounds to go I think it is really going to come down to the wire. The points difference is not really much, fourth in the Series is

something like 33 points behind and its 20 points for a race win, so if anyone has a tough one in the race or a mechanical problem it is going to get really tough.”

Randle says that the revamped Australian Formula Ford Series has delivered in providing a thrilling on-track product for drivers and fans alike.

“The racing this year has been really intense,” he says.

“The Shannons Nationals described one of our races as one of the best races of the year! The competition is there you know. At the end of the day it really comes down to the car and the driver, more so the driver in the race.”

“It is a great series and it is great that it is with the Shannons Nationals, as the revamped Australian Formula Ford Series. We would love

to win the championship, and every driver has the same view. It is all those one-percenters that are ultimately going to get you across the line first.”

Formula Ford organisers announced a two-day test in the USF2000 championship for this year’s Formula Ford series winner, Randle noting the lure of heading overseas as a driver whilst continuing to develop the prospects of their own team – Dream Motorsport.

“Obviously we will see how the end of this year goes,” says Randle.

“Next year we are looking at all different options, we could have a look at how the new Formula 4 series will pan out, or head over to America and see what is over there in their open wheeler categories like F2000 or USF2000. At the end of the day it does come down to budget. And you know, budget is one of the main keys.

“For the team’s future though I think the team definitely wants to try and run drivers in the Australian Formula Ford championship next year.”

So, keep an eye on the Randle surname. In the near future, it could be every bit as well known as the other second-generation motorsport luminaries...


“ The racing this year has been really intense”


20 YEARS AT THE PARKPermanent race tracks are a thing to celebrate, these days – so it’s worth noting that Goulburn’s Wakefield Park is notching up a significant anniversary this year. So, here’s to the 20th anniversary of the little track that could.

WORDS: Lachlan Mansell IMAGES: Wakefield Park, Nathan Wong


IN NOVEMBER 2014, Wakefield Park celebrates its 20th anniversary. The circuit has been overseen by different owners and managers over the last two decades, but what has remained constant is the diversity of competition held at the venue.

Since 1994, Wakefield Park has held every type of car-related activity imaginable, including club sprints, time attack events, manufacturer drive days, driver training programs, state championship race meetings, PROCAR, Shannons Nationals, endurance races, Superbikes and the V8 Supercars Development Series.

The country town of Goulburn, located in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, may not have seemed like a particularly obvious location to build a race track. But in fact, Goulburn is steeped in motorsport history, having been the scene of the very first Australian Grand Prix for motor cars in January 1927.

Held on a 1 mile, 75 yard oval dirt track, the inaugural AGP was won by the Bugatti Type 30 of Geoff Meredith.

Many decades later, with Sydney’s population booming and urban sprawl threatening the existence of Amaroo Park, historic racers Paul Samuels and John Carter were concerned about suitable venues to race their cars. They decided to build a circuit in a rural area, a location unlikely to be threatened by development.

After finding a suitable site, seeking approval from the necessary authorities and constructing the track, Wakefield Park was finally opened by NSW Premier John Fahey in November 1994. Formula 1 World Champion, Sir Jack Brabham was also present for the official opening and completed the first official laps of the new circuit.

The circuit was 2.2 kilometres long and featured changes in elevation along with a particularly tight corner which was soon to be dubbed the “Fish-Hook”. The mixture of technical corners and relatively short straights made it a

circuit that tested driving ability and car setup, rather than necessarily rewarding those with the most horsepower.

In 2000, the circuit changed hands with Rob Hodkinson and Paul Phillips taking ownership, and Garry Wilmington being appointed as the manager. The new owners made several adjustments to the circuit, including re-profiling the Fish Hook and the final corner to improve the driving experience.

The following year, Wakefield Park’s status was elevated above merely club-level motorsport thanks to two major events taking place at the venue.

The first of those was the V8 Supercars Development Series (then known as the Konica Series) which held the first round of its calendar at Wakefield Park in February. The round was taken out by Simon Wills with two race wins, while Leanne Ferrier finished second overall ahead of Paul Dumbrell.

The V8 Supercars Development Series continued to run at Wakefield Park in its various incarnations, including Konica and Fujitsu, until 2008. DVS race winners at Wakefield Park include such stars as Mark Winterbottom (who won his very first race in a V8 Supercar in 2003), Dean Canto,

Adam Macrow, Jonathan Webb, Tony D’Alberto, Steve Owen and Tim Slade, who claimed the final DVS Round at Wakefield Park in 2008.

The second major event to feature on Wakefield Park’s 2001 calendar was the PROCAR Series, held in May. This featured a number of national motorsport categories including the Nation’s Cup, GT Production and V8 Utes. This series attracted more high-profile drivers including John Bowe and Jim Richards, and would continue to run at Wakefield Park until it ceased to exist in 2004.

The demise of PROCAR opened the door for the Shannons Nationals to fill the void and this series chose Wakefield Park as the venue for its inaugural round in 2006.

The categories on the program that weekend were Formula 3, Saloon Cars, Sports Sedans, Production Cars, Commodore Cup and the Australian GT Championship, which saw the late Allan Simonsen emerge victorious.

In 2007, the circuit was purchased by the Benalla Auto Club but the circuit continued to thrive as a facility focused around competitor satisfaction.

The Shannons Nationals continued to grow as well, and has brought more popular categories to Wakefield Park including the Radical Australia Cup and Sports Racer Series, while the current outright race lap record at was set by F3 driver Ben Crighton during the 2010 meeting.

That 2010 meeting was also notable for staging one of the best-ever races at Wakefield Park; the weekend’s final Kerrick Sports Sedan race. Just prior to the race start, rain started to fall heavily at the circuit. With no time for teams to change tyres, the drivers were left to deal with the greasy track surface on slicks.

Absolute pandemonium ensued, with most drivers struggling to control their powerful beasts in the tricky conditions, but Trent Young mastered the conditions in his Mazda RX7, lapping all but four cars on his way to a comprehensive victory.

ROUND 8 WAKEFIELD PARK

ROUND 8, WAKEFIELD PARK • OCTOBER 17-19, 2014


SHANNONS AUSTRALIAN MOTOR RACING NATIONALS

PROMOTERSWakefield Park Motor Sport Pty Ltd4770 Braidwood Road Tirrannaville NSW 2580(02) 4822-2811

AUTHORITYThe meeting is conducted under the International Sporting Code of the FIA, the National Competition Rules of the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport and the Standing and General Supplementary Regulations issued by the Wakefield Park Motor Sport Pty. Ltd. and authorised under CAMS Permit No. 814/1910/02

MOTOR RACING IS DANGEROUSYou are present at this meeting entirely at your own risk and it is a condition of admission that all persons having any connection with the promotion and organisation and/or conduct of the meeting, including owners of the vehicles and passengers in the vehicles, are absolved from all liability in respect of personal injury (whether fatal or otherwise) to you or damage to your property however caused.

ENTRIESThe organisers accept entries and drivers’ nominations in good faith. Every effort is made to adhere to the printed programme of competitors, but the promoters cannot accept responsibility for the failure of any driver to appear. Although every endeavour is made to avoid inaccuracies in the description of competing cars, the organisers accept no responsibility for any that may occur. The organisers reserve the right to postpone, abandon or cancel the meeting or any part thereof.

OFFICIALS OF THE MEETINGOrganising Committee: C. Stevenson M. Ronke R. Wall J. Nicholson N. Goring

Clerk of Course: Jessica Nicholson

Assist Clerk of Course: Rob Wall Daryl McHugh

Meeting Secretary: Craig Stevenson

Series Director: Rob Curkpatrick

Series Steward: Steve Lisk

Stewards: Trisha Davidson John Leahy

Chief Scrutineer: Lance Smith

Chief Timekeeper: Lisa Drayton Eldee Timing

Judges of Fact: Lisa Drayton Rob Wall Jessica Nicholson Nick Goring

Recovery: Chris Lenihan and Southern Cross Motorsport Fire & Rescue

Flag Marshalls: Wakefield Park Flag Team

Pit Lane Marshalls: Michelle Luke & Team

Chief Medical: Dr. Tristan Rappa

Track Preparation: Sam Gill & Will Corby

Commentary: Darren Smith

Media Liaison: Richard Craill

PROHIBITED AREASThe Organising Committee of today’s races has made every effort to ensure the safety of spectators at this meeting. In the interest of public safety, all areas other than the official spectator areas are PROHIBITED. The spectator areas are plainly defined and spectators are requested to keep behind the safety fence at all times. In the event of an accident on the circuit, the public MUST remain behind the safety fence as their entry to the track may cause further accidents and hinder officials. No person under the age of 16 years is permitted into competition areas including pit lane and marshalling.

SAFETYThe fencing erected around the circuit is there for your protection. It is forbidden to sit, stand or climb on it.

PETS AND ANIMALSIn the interests of safety, dogs and other pets or domesticated animals are NOT permitted at the raceway.

MESSAGESThe organisers regret that announcements to assist spectators cannot be made over the public address system except in cases of genuine emergency.

PARKINGVehicles are permitted to enter and park on condition that the promoters and circuit owners are not under any liability whether in contract or in tort and whether for negligence as an occupier, or on any other basis or for any cause for action, for loss or damage to the vehicle or its contents no matter how or whether such may be caused.

APPRECIATION AND THANKSCompetitors and Category Managers

Medical Team

All Officials of the Meeting

Shannons

Hi-Tec Oils

COPYRIGHTAll material in this magazine/program is copyright and must not be used without permission of the publishers. The opinions of the contributors are not necessarily those held by the publishers or race organisers.



SCHEDULEFRIDAY 17TH OCTOBER

700 Gates Open

905 Practice 1 Aust Formula Ford Series 20 min

930 Practice 1 Kumho Tyres Aust V8 Touring Car Series 20 min

955 Practice 1 Australian Manufacturers Champ. 20 min

1020 Practice 1 DBYD Aust Super 6 Touring Car Series 20 min

1045 Practice 1 Aust Sports Racer Series 20 min




1220 Lunch Break 30 min








1605 Sponsor Rides V8 Touring Cars 20 min

1630 Sponsor Rides Aust Manuf Champ 20 min

1650 Sponsor Rides Super 6 Touring Cars 20 min

www.wakefieldpark.com.au

Main Straight - 900m length Speed in a V8 Supercar 223kph

Turn

2 - speed 105kph

Left Back Stra

ight - speed 173kph

2

1

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Between turn 4 & 5 - speed 95kph


Hill Climb

Turn 7 - speed 165kph


Right Back Straight (between turn 9 & 10) - speed 183kph


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7777

7777

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66

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5 villas


Cafe


SATURDAY 18TH OCTOBER

700 Gates Open

800 Pedders AE86/BRZ Display Laps & Photo

815 Drivers Briefing

900 Practice 1 Aust Sports Racer Series 20 mins

925 Practice 1 Aust. Formula Ford Series 20 mins

950 Practice 1 Kumho Tyres Aust V8 Touring Car Series 20 mins

1015 Practice 1 Australian Manuf. Championship 20 mins

1040 Qualifying 1 DBYD Aust Super 6 Touring Car Series 20 mins

1105 Qualifying 1 Aust Sports Racer Series 20 mins

1130 Qualifying 1 Aust. Formula Ford Series 20 mins

1155 Qualifying 1 Australian Manuf. Championship 20 mins

1220 Qualifying 1 Kumho Tyres Aust V8 Touring Car Series 20 mins

1250 Qualifying 2 Australian Manuf. Championship 20 mins

1320 Race 1 Aust Sports Racer Series 16 laps

1350 Race 1 Aust. Formula Ford Series 18 laps

1420 Race 1 DBYD Aust Super 6 Touring Car Series 14 laps

1450 Race 1 Kumho Tyres Aust V8 Touring Car Series 16 laps

1520 Race 1 Australian Manuf. Championship CPS 200km/90 laps

SUNDAY 19TH OCTOBER

700 Gates Open

910 Warm up Aust. Formula Ford Series 10mins

925 Warm up Aust Sports Racer Series 10 mins

940 Warm up Kumho Tyres Aust V8 Touring Car Series 10 mins

955 Warm up Australian Manuf. Championship 15 min





1215 Race 2 Australian Manuf. Championship CPS 200km/90 laps






SCHEDULE



DIAL BEFORE YOU DIG AUSTRALIAN SUPER SIX TOURING CAR SERIES

ON THE WEB: WWW.SALOONCARS.NET.AU

For more entry information, visit www.thenationals.com.au

Car SPONSOR DRIVER state VEHICLE1 selby.com Simon Tabinor VIC VT Comm

3 Dej's party shop Jason Leoncini VIC VT Comm

4 www.bigrigtyres.com.au Tony Auddino WA AU Falcon

6 501 Performance Tony Evangelou VIC AU Falcon

7 Buyaustralianmade.com.au Phil Gray VIC AU Falcon

9 Silkgate Group Ian Chivas NSW AU Falcon

16 Kleenduct Australia P/L Harley Phelan VIC VT Comm

18 Truckphones.com.au Brent Edwards VIC AU Falcon

22 Lighthouse Electrical Ashley Jarvis QLD AU Falcon

27 Transley Solutions Luke Westall NSW AU Falcon

32 Brian French Brian French QLD VT Comm

38 Blackwell Race Engines Gavin Ross VIC VT Comm

40 Currie Bros Engines Sam Lee NSW EA Falcon

41 Dial Before You Dig Mark Primmer NSW AU Falcon

42 Dial Before You Dig Cameron Moss NSW AU Falcon

48 GAG/Hinde Transport Ben Grice QLD VT Comm

50 Glider City Motel Bradley Moss NSW AU Falcon

51 Pakenham Tyres Travis Lindorff VIC VT Comm

56 PPG Racing Kane Baxter-Smith QLD AU Falcon

64 Cachet Homes Chris Lillis WA VT Comm

67 Scotts Rods Exhausts Lindsay Kearns QLD AU Falcon

81 Rick Gill Motorcycles Rick Gill WA AU Falcon



ON THE WEB: WWW.AMCHAMP.COM.AU

Car SPONSOR DRIVER state VEHICLE13 Osborne Motorsport Colin Osborne NSW Mazda 3 MPS

co-driver Nick Lange QLD

14 Kandi Warehousing Kevin Herben QLD Honda Integra DC5

18 Sherrin Rentals Grant Sherin QLD BMW 135i

co-driver Iain Sherrin QLD

19 Sherrin Rentals Michael Sherrin QLD BMW 135i

co-driver David Ayres QLD

20 Eastern Creek Karts Garry Holt NSW Mitsubishi Evo 10

co-driver Stuart Kostera WA

21 Disc Brakes Australia Jake Williams NSW Honda Integra DC5

27 GWS Personnel/Hunter Kitchen King Allan Shephard NSW BMW 130i

co-driver William Gauchi NSW

35 Sennheiser/Ric Shaw Racing Ric Shaw NSW BMW 130i

co-driver Michael Sloss NSW

36 Grand Prix Mazda Jake Camilleri QLD Mazda 3 MPS

40 Alphera Financial Services Beric Lynton QLD BMW 1M

42 Disc Brakes Australia Terry Conroy NSW Mazda 323 Astina

co-driver Gus Robbins NSW

55 Kintyre Racing Glyn Crimp WA Audi TT RS

co-driver Matthew Cherry WA

62 Roadchill Express Luke Searle NSW BMW M135i

co-driver Barry Graham NSW

86 Pedders/Grafico Grant Phillips VIC Toyota 86 GTS

co-driver Andrew Turpie VIC


AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURERS CHAMPIONSHIP


Car SPONSOR DRIVER state VEHICLE2 Sonic/kTEQ Nick Rowe VIC Mygale SJ13

3 Sonic/AKH Denture Clinic Hamish Hardeman VIC Mygale SJ01A

4 Sonic/Calista Property Group Christian Morina VIC Mygale SJ12

6 E-Steel Australia Paul Zsidy VIC Spectrum 012

7 Fastway Couriers Wollongong Cameron Walters NSW Mygale SJ07

11 Colin M Hill Engineering Cameron Hill ACT Mygale SJ 10A

13 Shockwave Signs/ToolForce Jimmy Vernon NSW Listec WIL013

15 Borland Racing Developments Tom Grech VIC Spectrum 011C

20 Synergy Motorsport Caitlin Wood NSW Spectrum 012B

24 Express Print Nick Ellen VIC Spectrum 012

31 Gippsland Body Builders James Golding VIC Spectrum 014

33 Gregory Edwards Gregory Edwards SA Spectrum 011B

49 CKAS/Kerrick/Voluparts/SnapOn/Mobil1 Thomas Randle VIC Mygale SJ13A

76 Omega Engineering/RossPerformanceParts Michael Hinrichs VIC Mygale SJ04A

77 James Garley James Garley NSW Mygale SJ01A

88 Synergy/www.gregholloway.com Greg Holloway VIC Spectrum 014

94 Littleblackfox.com/CLPS Jordan Lloyd QLD Mygale 2011

96 All Security Northside Fasteners "Browns" Jimmy Bailey QLD Spectrum 06B

97 Coates Hire Liam McAdam QLD Mygale SJ10A


AUSTRALIAN FORMULA FORD SERIES

ON THE WEB: WWW.FORMULAFORD.ORG.AU



KUMHO TYRES AUSTRALIAN V8 TOURING CAR SERIES

ON THE WEB: WWW.V8TOURINGCARS.COM.AU


Car SPONSOR DRIVER state VEHICLE8 Poco Racing Steve Briffa NSW Commodore VY

12 JCV Automotive John Vergotis NSW Ford Falcon BA

18 Falcon Spares/Engine Master Matt Chahda NSW Ford Falcon BA

24 STR Truck Bodies Drew Russell NSW Ford Falcon BF

38 Eggleston Motorsport Commodore VZ

48 STR Truck Bodies Matthew Palmer VIC Ford Falcon BF

54 Eggleston Motorsport Justin Ruggier NSW Commodore VZ

75 G&D Strong Excavations Brendan Strong NSW Commodore VZ

88 Parramatta Smash Repairs Ryan Simpson NSW Ford Falcon BF

AUSTRALIAN SPORTS RACER SERIES

ON THE WEB: WWW.SPORTSRACER.COM.AU

Car SPONSOR DRIVER state VEHICLE1 AP Racing Adam Proctor NSW Stohr

2 AP Racing Darren Barlow NSW Stohr

3 West Race Cars Greg Steer SA West

14 Ken's Exhaust Systems Roger I'Anson SA West

33 Taylor Collision/ Badge Michael Whiting SA West

44 West Race Cars Jason Makris SA West

55 Laucke Flour Mills Mark Laucke SA West

56 West Race Cars John-Paul Drake QLD West

65 Racemoves Graeme Cook SA West

66 West Race Cars Aaron Steer SA West

81 personalEYES Craig Perry NSW Stohr



THREE POINTS split Ryan Simpson and Justin Ruggier at the top of the Kumho V8 Touring Car series after the category was turned on its head following a controversial weekend at Round 7 of the Shannons Australian Motor Racing Nationals at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.Comeback king Cameron McConville won the round thanks to victories in two of the three races contested, while Eggleston Motorsport regular Justin Ruggier won his first race of the season after passing McConville on the final lap of the last race.The unpredictable V8 Touring Car weekend was one of several highlights in a massively

competitive day of racing in Round 7 of the Nationals that saw eight categories do battle at the high speed circuit in Victoria’s South East.

The main V8 drama occurred when Ryan Simpson was barred from competing in the final race after falling foul to the circuit’s stringent noise restrictions.

Left in pit lane, Simpson could only watch as title rival Ruggier claimed victory and moved to within just three points of the Falcon driver with two rounds to go.

The result gave McConville the round victory over Ruggier, making it a 1-2 for EMS and the

first round win for a Commodore driver in the series since Scott Loadsman at Wakefield Park in 2011. STR Truck Bodies Racing’s Matt Palmer took advantage of Simpson’s misfortune to finish third in Race 3 and claim his very first Kumho Series podium finish in his ex-Brad Jones Racing Falcon. He now sits third in the series pointscore.

Matt Campbell completed his domination of the final round of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge presented by Pirelli.

The Queenslander dominated the two races held on Sunday to win the round outright ahead of Jon McCorkindale and series champion, Fraser Ross.


ROUND 7 - PHILLIP ISLAND

Series debutant Brenton Grove won Class B in his first ever national championship round, finishing ahead of Tim Miles and Steve McFadden.

Simon Hodge battled his way to victory in Round 6 of the Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship at Phillip Island – but by no way was it an easy ride.

In two races he had to fend off closest championship rival Ben Gersekowski’s McDonald’s Gilmour Racing Dallara and on both occasion the intensity between the pair raised the bar on their already tight rivalry this season.

Hodge won the feature race after earlier running behind Gersekowski and pulled out to win a race that could be key in his championship hopes, now leading by 20 points with two rounds to go.

Chelsea Angelo starred with a run to fourth place and the National Class victory.

Tim Berryman completed a sweep of victories in the Radical Australia Cup at Phillip Island, adding a second victory to his tally in Sunday’s second feature mini-enduro.

Chris Medland finished second in the SR8 class while Michael Shaw grabbed the SR3 class round victory ahead of Oliver Smith and Peter Paddon.

The Radical Australia Cup returns to the Shannons Nationals for the final round of their championship at Sydney Motorsport Park, this November.There was high drama in the Kerrick Sports Sedans National Series, when a three car collision in the race two eliminated race one winner Darren Hossack and championship leader, Tony Ricciardello.The pair were involved in a turn one, lap one collision after contact from another car set off a chain reaction, causing the race to be first run under caution and ultimately red-flagged, with no points awarded.The diminished field returned for the third race with Formula Ford ace Thomas Randle taking his dad’s SAAB 9-3 Chevrolet to victory in just his third Kerrick Series start, beating home Steven Lacey and local ace, Dean Camm.Hossack was unable to start the final race while Ricciardello was only able to manage 7th position in his patched-up Alfa.The Australian Sports Racer Series provided more stunning racing this weekend with the Adam Proctor – Roger I’Anson show continuing to impress at the front of the field.

The pair – one driving a Stohr and the other a West chassis – duelled for the lead in both of Sunday’s races however it was Proctor who came out on top in both, winning the round and closing to within one point of I’Anson’s title lead ahead of the series’ final round at Wakefield Park this October.Aaron Steer finished third in the ‘works’ West entry in a consistent weekend however Proctor and I’Anson were in a class of their own out in front this weekend, I’Anson leaving with a new Phillip Island lap record in the process.A clean sweep of victories gave Gavin Ross a perfect weekend in the Dial Before You Dig Australian Super Six Touring Car Series, the Commodore driver taking the round in style ahead of Travis Lindorff and Jason Leoncini.Kane Baxter-Smith continued his strong season with fourth place ahead of double champion, Simon Tabinor.Gary Pegoraro won the Australian Superkart Championship in style after an intense final race that he won in a thrilling battle to the line with Ilya Harpas, Pegoraro pulling out of the slipstream to take a thrilling victory and the championship in the final race.

THENATIONALS.COM.AU | 29THENATIONALS.COM.AU | 29


30 | THE RACING MAGAZINE 30 | THE RACING MAGAZINE

LAP RECORDS WAKEFIELD PARK

CATEGORY DRIVER VEHICLE CAP DATE TIMEOutright Ben Crighton Dallara F307 2000 6/03/2010 0:54.5633

V8 Supercars Steve Owen Holden VZ Commodore 5000 6/04/2008 0:59.0351

Formula Ford Paul Laskazeski Spectrum 011 1600 6/04/2008 1:00.1986

V8 Touring Cars Terry Wyhoon Ford BA Falcon 5000 3/04/2011 1:00.3279

Production Cars Aaron Seton Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 2000t 20/09/2014 1:04.8226

Saloon Cars Shawn Jamieson Holden VT Commodore 3800 3/04/2011 1:08.1801

TELEVISION COVERAGESHANNONS NATIONALS TVSpeedweek on Sunday at 2pm on SBS1

Round 8 Wakefield Park

Show 1 Sunday 26th October

Australian Manufacturers Championship

Australian V8 Touring Car Series

Show 2 Sunday 2nd November

Australian Super 6 Touring Car Series

Australian Formula Ford Series

Australian Sports Racer Series

‘SHANNONS NATIONALS’ ON FOX SPEED Visit www.thenationals.com.au for complete TV schedule

LIVE INTERNET TV FROM 9.00AM ON SUNDAY via www.thenationals.com.au

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The Racing Magazine - Issue 8, 2014

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