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DANDENONG COUNCIL DROP EASTERNATS CHARGES

22. July 2010

The City of Greater Dandenong have withdrawn all charges against the company of former Sandown promotor Jon Davison in regard to alledged breaches of the council permit at the Repco Easternat staged at Sandown in April 2009. The charges against Davison and the event were the catlyst for the axing of the popular event from the Sandown calendar. The cancelation of the Easternats and the subseqent cancelation of a replacement event at Calder Park Raceway led to a riot at the Bob Jane T-Mart store in Chadstone in March this year. The City council has issued Mr Davison with six infringement notices for permit breaches at the 2009 event including excessive noise levels and burnouts in places they were not permitted. According to a media release by Mr Davison the withdrawl of all charges was supported by the Magistrate at hearing today (July 21). The City of Greater Dandenong was not available for comment.

MITSUBISHI WINS SYDNEY SIX HOUR

18. July 2010

Team Mitsubishi Ralliart Australia has dominated the innaugural Australian Six Hour Production Car race at Eastern Creek Raceway in Sydney. Warren Luff and Stuart Kostera dominated the event, starting from pole and leading home a Evo X one-two. The winners finished two-and-a-half laps clear of Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X stable mates Inky Tulloch and Steve Jones, with third place going to Peter Conroy and Mark Brame in another EVO X. Incredibly, the six hour long marathon went caution free, with the lack of a safety car intervention allowing the winning duo to walk away from the field. “It was a great day start to finish,” Warren Luff said.

MARKO: MORE RED BULLSHIT ?

17. July 2010

Red Bull Racing team advisor, and President elect of the Sebastien Vettel Appreciation Society, Dr.Helmut Marko has launched another stinging attack on Mark Webber. Speaking to the magazine Auto Motor und Sport, Marko said Webber should be more grateful to the team. "Where was he two years ago?" said Marko. "Then he could not even dream of grand prix victories. Today, we have given him a car that he can win on his own." he said. Marko who is Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz's chief Formula One advisor, has made no secret of his support of Vettel over Webber. It was Marko who was the most vocal supporter of the German after the coming together in Turkey.

FERRARI CHALLENGE HEADING DOWN UNDER ?

15. July 2010

Ferrari's new 458 Challenge series has been announced and it could be heading to Australia. The unveiling of the new series took place in Maranello during the Annual Dealer Meeting, a traditional event that brings together the representatives of Ferrari’s international sales network. Speaking at the launch the company said that the series, would be expanded to include a new Asia Pacific series. Coming just months after the Frankfurt Motor Show unveiling of the 458 Italia on which it is based, the 458 Challenge introduces a number of important modifications to adapt it for competition use. The direct injection 4497 cc V8 remains strictly in production tune, with an output of 570 hp at 9,000 rpm. That said, modifications have been made to the gear ratios and calibration of its dual-clutch F1 gearbox to guarantee higher torque at lower revs. The 458 Challenge is also equipped with the E-Diff electronic differential already employed on the road-going version, a first for Ferrari’s track-only cars.

BRABHAM, PAGENAUD WIN UTAH ALMS

12. July 2010

Australian David Brabham and team-mate Simon Pagenaud have raced to their third consecutive victory in the American Le Mans Series with a hard-fought victory in the Utah Grand Prix. Pagenaud drove the final 1:45 in the team’s HPD ARX-01c, and the Patrón Highcroft crew took advantage of a quick final pit stop to beat Drayson Racing’s Emanuele Pirro to the line by 19.116 seconds at Miller Motorsports Park. Pagenaud and Brabham haven’t lost since the Long Beach round in April and increased their championship lead in LMP to 11 points over Muscle Milk Team CytoSport’s Klaus Graf. He and Greg Pickett, driving a Porsche Spyder, were third, 90 seconds behind the winning car.

NOT BAD FOR A NUMBER 2 DRIVER: WEBBER WINS BRITISH GP

12. July 2010

Australia’s Mark Webber surged back into contention for this years World Formula One Championship with a forceful all the way win in the British GP at Silverstone. Webber confounded his critics by winning the start over his team mate Sebastian Vettel with the young German picking up a rear puncture and dropping to the rear of [...]

AUSSIES POWER TO 1 - 2 FINISH AT THE GLEN

5. July 2010

It may have been July 4th but at Watkins Glen it was Australia Day as Will Power led home fellow Aussie Ryan Briscoe to win the latest round of the 2010 Indycar series. Power passed Briscoe with six laps to go to take out his third IZOD IndyCar Series victory of 2010. Briscoe passed Dario Franchitti on the final lap to help Team Penske record its first 1-2 finish since Edmonton in 2009. Brazilians Raphael Matos of de Ferran Dragon Racing and Mario Moraes of KV Racing Technology completed the top five.

RICCIARDO RUNS HOT IN HUNGARY

4. July 2010

Western Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo has won his second race in the 2010 Formula Renault 3.5 Series taking the chequered flag at the Hungaroring. Starting from pole Ricciardo led from start to finish. The victory now moves the young Aussie to within six points of Mikhail Aleshin who was second. Sten Pentus finished third, despite the best efforts of New Zealand's Brendon Hartley. With a track temperature of 46°C, the hot conditions suited the young Aussie perfectly. "It was very hot, but having grown up in Australia certainly helped me today. Coming two days after my 21st birthday this is an important win. I had the support of my family who are here today." he said. Ricciardo started on pole for the fifth time this season, ahead of Mikhail Aleshin and Brendon Hartley . The Australian took command of the race from the start, leading his Russian rival into the first turn. Sten Pentus made a successful getaway, ousting Brendon Hartley from 3rd place in the first metres of the race.

AUSSIE FORMULA FORD GETS NZ TV DEAL

1. July 2010

The Australian Formula Ford Championship has secured a deal that will see the series broadcast on New Zealand free to air channel TV3. TV3 will broadcast rounds two through to seven of the championship beginning on Sunday July 18 with the combined Round 2 and 3 show. The deal comes on the back of an increased presence of New Zealand drivers in the Championship, with no fewer than four Kiwis competing over the past two years. “We’re incredibly pleased to be able to announce that the Australian Formula Ford Championship will be broadcast in New Zealand thanks to TV3,” Margaret Hardy, Category Manager said.

PIKES PEAK: MONSTER MAULS THE MOUNTAIN

30. June 2010

It was to be the heavyweight title fight of international hillclimbing. In the red corner from Japan The Monster Nobuhiro Tajima and in the blue corner from New Zealand "Son of a Gun" Red Bull Rhys Millen. On paper it looked like a battle for the ages, the defending champion in his wild looking Suzuki based special up against Millen's even more extreme off road prototype powered by Hyundai. In the end though it became a no contest. Mechanical problems plagued the challenger leaving the 'Monster' as King of the Hill once again. The win to the Japanese driver was his 5th consecutive at the peak with a fastest time of 10:11.490. Both Tajima and Millen had hoped to break the magic 10 minute mark but neither really got close.