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THE MOTORSPORT WORLD DESCENDS ON FLORIDA FOR PRI SHOW

11. December 2010

It's the World's biggest dedicated motorsport trade show, and every year tens of thousands of people from all over the World descend on it's Florida base to see an Aladdin's cave of racing and performance related product. It's the PRI Show. Held every December by the trade magazine "Performance Racing Industry" (PRI) the show attracts the biggest players in US and International motorsport for three days of networking, seminars and other events showcasing the diverse range of products and services for the industry. One regular visitor to the show is Australian Motorsport Legend Murray Carter. A little over one month short of his 80th birthday Carter has just debuted a brand new Corvette at Phillip Island and this years PRI show will be a chance to check out new products, and ideas to assist in the car's further development. "I go every year if I can." Murray told me at Phillip Island. "It's marvellous" he said.

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CALDER PARK CLEARING UP THE CONFUSION ?

30. September 2010

Calder Park owner Bob Jane has released a statement to clear up confusion of recent media announcements regarding the future of the Melbourne circuit. In the statement Mr Jane reveals that it was the Victorian State Government that approached Calder Park and not the other way around. "For reasons not fully known to Calder Park, the Government has made an apparent decision to assist Calder Park, subject to many conditions. This Heads of Agreement is only the beginning of a detailed process and it has conditions that Calder Park may or may not be able to meet." It is believed that some of those conditions would be the involvement of both The Australian National Drag Racing Association (ANDRA) and the Confederation of Australian Motorsport (CAMS) Jane has been a strident critic of both groups and even the lure of taxpayer dollars seems to have done little to sway his opinions of them. Mr Jane also said that while Drag Racing was the tracks top priority, he was hopeful that any Government support for the track would include upgrades to the circuit as well to bring it in line with International Safety standards. "We want to produce a racetrack that is capable of meeting and exceeding the most stringent of safety rules and regulations and one that would be capable of hosting the F1, if any unforeseen circumstances arise that prevent the AGP from being held at Albert Park. Most importantly we want a racetrack capable of hosting the following events:

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AUSTRALIAN GP GOING NOWHERE: Well not to Calder anyway

23. September 2010

AUSTRALIAN GP GOING NOWHERE: Well not to Calder anyway

There will be no move of the Australian Grand Prix to Melbourne’s Calder Park despite ludicrous mainstream media speculation. Local media was awash with reports that a heads of agreement signed between Calder Park, CAMS and the Victorian State Government could see the race moved to Calder from it’s current location at Albert Park. The agreement says [...]

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25 YEARS OF WILLOWBANK SPEED

10. September 2010

25 YEARS OF WILLOWBANK SPEED

Queensland drag strip Willowbank Raceway, will celebrate the track's 25th birthday with two days of celebrations next weekend. Saturday will see the biggest cash prize in Pro Street drag racing on offer, when the 10.5 Outlaw Pro Street Shootout hits the track. $10,500 will be on offer in a winner takes all format for the 10.5 Outlaw category. Cars of all sorts of power combinations and power adders, including Blown Injected, Turbo Charged and Nitrous injected V8’s right through to Tube chassis lightweight turbo charged fours and rotaries are eligible. Johnny Wilson, drag racer and co-owner of the Australian Pro Street Association, said that if a drag car has swinging doors and runs 10.5 inch W tyres it is eligible for this bracket. “This means that we will be seeing cars like the Pro Stock monster of Shane Tucker, Deno Brijeski and Matt Abel in their Top Doorslammers, Ben Bray’s Pro FX Gas Motorsports Scion and Tony Wedlock and his Toyota Aurion Pro FX machine competing against cars like Frank Mamone’s Black Chevy Nova and Joe Signorelli’s Toyota powered Celica." he said. Image: Frank Mamone's Blown Chevy Nova © blacktrack.com.au

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AUSSIE ICONS BACK IN PIT LANE

31. August 2010

AUSSIE ICONS BACK IN PIT LANE

Classic Car Specialists Brooklands Classic Cars and iconic Australian Sports and Racing Car manufacturer Elfin have joined forces to bring C31's popular live motorsport tonight show In Pit Lane back to Melbourne's TV screens. The new series of In Pit Lane will commence 9.30pm Tuesday night September 7th, live from the studios of RMITV in the heart of Grand Prix City, Melbourne. Special guest will be popular V8 Supercar star Jason Bright driver of the Trading Post Commodore for Brad Jones Racing. Paul Sabine of Brooklands Classic Cars said that the sponsorship of In Pit Lane was a great choice for the company. “In Pit Lane has developed to be an icon in Australian motor sport and Brooklands Classic Cars are delighted to assist in fostering IPL’s ongoing success." he said. Mr Sabine said that Brooklands had been catering to car enthusiasts and owners of interesting and sporting cars for many years and clients could rely on that experience when searching for that special car. "The sort of hard core enthusiast and classic car lover that buys our cars and uses our services are the very same people who regularly tune into In Pit Lane." he said. In Pit Lane host Brett Ramsey said he was delighted to be able to continue with the show which is now in it's 15th straight year of production. The show finished it's last season in May and looked set to disappear forever due to a lack of sponsorship. Now thanks to Brooklands Classic Cars and Elfin, the show returns for a new 13 week series to cover a busy three months of local and international motorsport.

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EASTERNATS HEADING TO WINTON

26. July 2010

The popular Easternats Street Machine festival is heading North. Easternats promotor Jon Davison today announced a ten year deal to move the event to Winton Motor Raceway begining Easter 2011. The event which had been held at Sandown Raceway since 1997 was set to move to Calder Park after issues with the local council and circuit owners The Melbourne Racing Club, but  was cancelled due to regulatory issues. Mr Davison said the move to Winton was an exciting one for the event, “Winton can accommodate all the action that the EASTERNATS is famous for, including cruising, burnouts, street drags, stampede and go to whoa all complimented by extensive display areas, first class pit & garage facilities. Onsite camping is a further benefit with the potential to build the EASTERNATS into a full scale regional spectacular. The Benalla Auto Club are to be congratulated on the upgrades and improvements that have been made to the facility.” “Winton is perfect for the EASTERNATS and the participants will love it”. he said.

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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.

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CAPPS CAPTURES NHRA NATIONALS

19. July 2010

CAPPS CAPTURES NHRA NATIONALS

Funny Car driver Ron Capps ended a one-year winless streak Sunday with victory at the 23rd annual FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway. Other winners at the 15th race in the 23-race NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season were Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Michael Phillips (Pro Stock Motorcycle). The owner of the NAPA Dodge Charger team, Don Schumacher, switched crew chiefs – bringing in John Medlen to replace Ed “Ace” McCulloch – in June and in the three races since the move Capps reached the quarterfinals in Norwalk, the final round in Seattle, and the Winner’s Circle in Sonoma. “It’s all confidence and confidence is built on success,” said Capps (4.169, 296.44), who defeated teammate Jack Beckman (4.210, 298.93) and the Valvoline/MTS Dodge Charger team in the final round for his first win since the Mopar Mile-High Nationals in July 2009. “It’s really a pleasure working with (John Medlen). His approach to racing is let’s have fun. Let’s win, but let’s have fun, too. I can’t even tell you how exciting that is for me.”

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US DRAG RACING FACES ANOTHER TRAGEDY

12. July 2010

American Drag Racing has been stunned by another fatality, the third this year. In a statement released by the NHRA Top Alcohol dragster racer Mark Niver, 60, from Phoenix, was named as the driver. Niver’s Top Alcohol dragster failed to stop in the braking area after his parachutes came off the car at the end of [...]

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NEW RACETRACKS FOR VICTORIA’S NORTH WEST ?

6. June 2010

While the Drag Racing fans of Melbourne continue to agitate for a Championship level Drag Strip to serve Australia’s sporting capital. The Victorian State Government is providing $50,000 to look at the viability of developing Mildura and Swan Hill as elite centres for motor sport. The Parliamentary Secretary for Regional and Rural Development, Jaala Pulford, [...]

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