AUSSIE COMMODORE CONFIRMED AS CHEVY’S NEW NASCAR WEAPON

As widely predicted in the Australian motoring media, Holden has announced a new export program, confirming that the Commodore will return to North America in late 2013. The car will be rebadged as the new Chevrolet SS performance sedan. The limited production derivative of the yet to be launched VF Commodore will arrive in North American showrooms late next year.  It will be the first time in 17 years that Chevrolet will offer a rear-wheel-drive sedan for sale in the US. The SS will also become Chevrolet’s next NASCAR Sprint Cup racecar debuting next year in its race configuration at the world renowned Daytona 500.

KLIEN JOINS “THE ENFORCER” FOR V8 ENDUROS

Austrian Formula One driver Christian Klien will co-drive with Russell Ingall at the V8 Supercar Endurance races at Sandown and Bathurst this year. Klien, who made 41 F1 starts for teams including Jaguar and Red Bull will drive the Supercheap Autos Commodore with the two time Bathurst winner. The 1000 kms enduro around the Mountain won't be Klien's first look at the famous track, earlier this year he drove a production Lotus at the famous circuit although that's a long way  from the 640 BHP that he'll need to deal with in the Commodore. Although he is best known in Australia for his F1 career, Klien has considerable endurance experience with a best result of a third place at Le Mans in the factory Peugeot in 2008. Klien had a secret test with Walkinshaw Racing recently and will drive the Supercheap Auto Racing Commodore in the enduro co-driver practice session at Phillip Island this Friday ahead of the weekend's fifth round of the V8 Supercar Championship, the Phillip Island 300.

FIGHT TO THE END AT PHILLIP ISLAND

The glorious uncertainty of endurance racing played out once again as Jim Pollicina and Ryan Simpson took out the Phillip Island 6 Hour, round two of the Australian Manufacturers Championship. In a thrilling  duel to the end, Formula Ford star Simpson - chased down and passed - reigning champions Stuart Kostera and Inky Tulloch, to take the lead with just two laps to go. The winners had to do one more pitstop than the TMR prepared car, but still had the pace to pull off a remarkable victory. The father and son team of Tony and Klark Quinn started from pole position and stormed to an early lead. But their race ended in bizarre fashion when a trolly jack went through the driver’s side floor during a routine pit stop.

22 CARS FOR ISLAND 6 HOUR SHOWDOWN

A field of 22 cars will face the starter for this weekend's Phillip Island Six Hour Endurance race. With entries representing most leading Australian car companies, the fight for the top step of the podium will be very keenly contested. The race is the second round of the Australian Manufacturers Championship as well as the opening round of the Australian Production Car Endurance Championship. Defending race and series champions Stuart Kostera and New Zealand's Ian ‘Inky’ Tulloch, driving the Team Mitsubishi Ralliart-prepared Evo X, are once again favourites for the race. But Jim Pollicina teamed with Ryan Simpson and the father and son pairing of Tony and Klark Quinn are also in the latest racing Class A Extreme Performance Mitsubishis and will match the TMR boys for pace while perennial placegetters Dylan and Dave Thomas should again be very consistent.

FIA GT1 & EUROPEAN GT3 LIVE FROM NOGARO

It’s the opening round of the FIA GT1 and European GT3 championships. Watch the action LIVE from Nogaro in France.

PORSCHE BOOST FOR YOUNG AUSSIE TALENT

The Porsche City Index Carrera Cup Australia will play an important role in the progression of young drivers with a new motorsport initiative, led by leading Carrera Cup racer Steven Richards. A former V8 Supercars stalwart, Australian Formula Ford ambassador and now Carrera Cup driver, Richards has used his ties with the Australian Formula Ford Championship and front-running V8 Supercars team Ford Performance Racing to establish a tiered program that will aid young drivers to climb the Australian motorsport ladder. As part of the initiative, the driver who wins the 2012 Australian Formula Ford Championship will receive a test in Steven Richards’ Laser Racing Porsche. If the Formula Ford Champion then enters the 2013 Porsche City Index Carrera Cup Australia championship, Porsche Cars Australia will waive the driver’s participation fee for the 2013 season, valued at $35,000. The initiative extends to drivers in the 2012 Porsche City Index Carrera Cup Australia championship, with the highest placed 2012 Carrera Cup driver aged under 30 awarded an evaluation drive with V8 Supercars team Ford Performance Racing; the outfit with which Richards has raced since 2007, including the 2012 Phillip Island and Bathurst endurance events.

YES IT’S A VOLVO

Looking for a bit of inspiration for that next Sports Sedan project? Then look no further than this wild looking Volvo S60 scheduled to compete in the new TTA, a sort of Scandinavian DTM. Volvo announced in August last year that they are going to switch to TTA – the Swedish Racing Elite League ahead of [...]

TALBOT’S NEW TRANS-AM

A welcome addition to the local Sports Sedan ranks is a new Trans-Am Corvette for Melbourne driver Chas Talbot. Built by US chassis builder Howe engineering, the car was originally built for a group of enthusiasts in the US, who ran into financial problems. Talbot purchased the car, which has never raced, from them and it now sits in his outer Melbourne workshop. Talbot says the Trans-Am machine has several practical advantages over a traditional Aussie style Sports Sedan. "The car is easier to work on, simpler suspension, the bodywork comes off easily, that's the main reason for the Corvette." he said. Safety is also an issue with Talbot convinced that the car will offer better protection than his previous Commodore. "The safety on the Trans-Am car is much greater because the diameter of the tubing is much bigger, there's much more room between the driver and the bars on the inside... if you hit something, the more space between you and the bars the better your chance of survival."

ANOTHER SON OF A GUN: ANDREW MOFFAT RETURNS

Second generation race driver Andrew Moffat will return to racing in 2012 after a three year break. Moffat, the son of Aussie Motorsport Legend Allan and half brother to current V8 Supercar driver James, will be back behind the wheel of a new FG XR6 Falcon in the Australian Manufacturers Championship. Moffat will partner George Karadimas in [...]

IT’S OFFICIAL: NISSSAN JOIN V8 SUPERCARS (now we can all get some sleep)