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Archive | December, 2008
WILD EUROPEAN HILLCLIMB ACTION FROM AH VIDEOCONCEPT
Not just the wild BMW Judd of Georg Plasa but lots of wild and wonderful cars and stunning tracks from the world of European hillclimbs. You can order DVD's on line or just watch some highlights including Georg and his wonderful sounding BMW Judd. And remember when you order tell 'em In Pit Lane sent you. They won't have the foggiest idea what the hell you're talking about.
Continue reading...EMOTIONAL WIN TO WILL IN KALITTA TRIBUTE RACE
29. December 2008
US Drag Racer Hillary Will took out an emotional victory driving her Kalitta racing Dragster to a win in the inaugural Scott Kalitta Memorial meeting at Sydney's Eastern Creek Dragway. Will defeated local racer Terry Sainty in a rain delayed final running here fastest time of the weekend with a 4.743 at 303.16 mph to beat Sainty's 5.284 at 260.51 mph pass. The meeting which started on Boxing Day was marred by rain which saw the final eliminations delayed until Sunday. The weekend's biggest incident happened Friday when Mildura driver Darren Morgan lost a wheel in his race with Alan Dobson. Morgan's car rolled and crossed into the path of Dobson who thankfully managed to avoid Morgan's car. Of more concern was the errant wheel which bounced into the area at the side of the track narrowly missing track officials and photographers. The wheel eventually came to stop when it hit a trackside ambulance. The spectacular crash made National television news in Australia with the Nine Network in particular beating the story up into “again questioning the safety of the sport.” Will's victory driving the Kalitta team car was highly emotional as she won the trophy bearing the name of her former team mate and friend Scott Kalitta who was tragically killed in a Funny Car crash in the USA earlier in 2008. Speaking after the win Will said "This means so much to me and this team, to get this trophy and take it back to the States is such an honor for us. Scott was my mentor, and he was like a brother to me. We miss him so much, but we are so happy to win this trophy for Connie, Doug, Scott's wife Kathy, and his boys, Corey and Colin and the entire Kalitta family." Hillary Will KB Racing/MAC Tools 4.743 @ 303.16 mph def. Terry Sainty Sainty Engineering 5.284 @ 260.51 mph
Continue reading...MEXICAN BILLIONAIRE BUYS HONDA F1 ?
28. December 2008
A report in the Italian newspaper La Stampa has claimed that Carlos Slim, a Mexican Billionaire - and there's a phrase you don't hear much these days - has brought the Honda Formula One team. According to the story Jenson Button will continue with the team but veteran Rubens Barichello will be replaced by Bruno Senna. Despite the story there has been no official conformation at this stage.
Continue reading...HARROP & ADRAD MERGE TO TAKE ON NEW CHALLENGES
23. December 2008
Australian race and motoring engineering companies Adrad and Harrop Engineering have merged to combine their substantial automotive manufacturing and engineering expertise. The move to combine the two companies is designed to allow both organisations to expand their product ranges and market shares both nationally and internationally. The merger was announced by Mr. Gary Washington, Managing Director of the Adrad Group of Companies and Ron Harrop, Managing Director of Harrop Engineering. ‘Adrad and Harrop Engineering going forward have a huge potential. Both organisations have established their reputations built on innovation, quality, and exceptional customer service. Those fundamentals will remain as the cornerstone of our merged operations’, Mr. Washington said. ‘Like Gary (Washington) I am delighted by this merger into the Adrad Group. Building businesses from the ground up to be world leaders in our respective areas is what we have both achieved as individuals and it is exciting to contemplate what we will be able to achieve as a combined force’, Mr. Harrop said.
Continue reading...WE WILL RACE AT LE MANS: CORVETTE
23. December 2008
Corvette have denied an Autosport magazine story that claimed the team would not be running at next the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Steve Wesoloski, Road Racing Group Manager for the General said that the current plan was that the cars would be at the classic race in next June 2009. “I can confirm that we will be in Sebring, Long Beach and Le Mans with the C6 R in GT1” he said. The program as announced at Detroit last September will include the 12 Hours of Sebring, the Long Beach ALMS round and finally the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Mr Wesoloski did say however that “for several reasons, primarily to preserve our budget, we will not be present at the Winter Test of the ALMS” The ALMS Corvette program in GT2 is also at this stage still on track. “Project GT2 is in hand, with the objective of beginning in Mid-Ohio” he said. Of course all of this could be dependent on their still being a General Motors come 2009. With Audi, Porsche, Acura and now Chevrolet all cutting back their ALMS programmes, the 2009 season will be a very different landscape from the one we saw in 2008.
Continue reading...NEW SMALL HOLDEN PLAN REVEALED
22. December 2008
General Motors' Australian division Holden has today announced the building of a new small car at the companies plant in Elizabeth in South Australia. The new car which at this stage has not been named will be built on the company's global Delta platform was announced by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd whose Government has provided the Australian Auto Industry with millions of dollars of financial assistance. The new car will be supported by the Australian taxpayer with the Commonwealth contributing around$149 million over three years starting in 2009-10 to the project. Money will also come from the South Australian Government. Mr Rudd says the move gives confidence to a struggling industry. “If you look at the downturn in auto sales in the last 12 months, this is really tough,“ he said in a yet another triumph of stating the bleeding obvious. The new front-wheel-drive vehicle will be built in both sedan and hatch form, with design and engineering work takeing place at the company's Australian headquarters in Port Melbourne, Victoria.
Continue reading...TOYOTA KILLS OFF TRD, RALLY PROGRAMME UNDER REVIEW
20. December 2008
Toyota Australia have killed off it's performance line TRD and the local Rally programme could be next. TRD was responsible for the Supercharged Aurion and Hi-Lux designed to take on Holden's HSV and Fords FPV performance brands, but overall the brand failed to capture the publics imagination and sales were disappointing. Toyota Australia senior executive director Dave Buttner said “Toyota made a significant financial commitment to TRD vehicle conversion and clearly understood short-term profitability was unlikely... However, the perspective has changed for business globally and those new rules require tough decisions for the greater good.” Mr Buttner said that with the realities of the financial crisis and the downturn in consumer confidence, companies worldwide have an overriding responsibility to do their utmost to conserve cash. “...and Toyota is doing just that.“
Continue reading...HONDA KILLS NSX PROJECT
18. December 2008
Only a week after pulling out of Formula One, Honda has now announced that it's cancelled its plan to build the new NSX Supercar. The successor to the famous mid-engined V6 machine that still successfully competes in Japan's high tech Super GT series, the new era NSX was to have been a front engined all wheel drive V10. Prototypes of the car were seen testing at the famous Nurburgring circuit. The move comes after Honda president Takeo Fukui told Japanese media that the company had slashed its 2009 profit forecast by 62%. Mr Fukui said that in this rapidly changing environment, the company needed to review investment and development plans and make choices to keep the impact on profit as small as possible. “We need to concentrate limited resources on the right places,“ he said. The original NSX ceased production in 2005.
Continue reading...WHO IS EMMA BEARPARK & WHY DOES SHE HAVE A FAN CLUB ?
17. December 2008
For Super Aguri F1 team, Melbourne 2007 was the beginning of the maturity of the team. Anthony Davidson joining Taku as his team mate, the Arrows A23s finally pensioned off and replaced by Honda RA106s, and in Melbourne, Yusze and I were joined by our friend Mark Talbot from the UK, also known as the webmaster of www.saf1.org. For the most part, the weekend was a good time for us all. We joined Emma and Ant at Melbourne zoo on Wednesday morning while they played with koalas, emus and kangaroos... And believe it or not Em introduced me to Ant and his wife Carrie as "our (SAF1's) biggest fan in Australia"... that's something special indeed... it's official... Even more comical is the moment when Miss Emma Bearpark faced her fan club banner for the first time on Saturday morning. When we saw her walking towards the paddock when we’re in autograph alley we just yelled out "EMMA EMMA!!!" to get her attention and flipped out our "EMMA BEARPARK FAN CLUB" banner!!! We absolutely adored her facial expression as soon as she saw it!! She went WIIIIIIIIDE eyed and dropped almost to her knees and started bolting towards the media centre with her hand over her face and hid behind Matsumoto-san (Taku’s personal photographer) we were all ROARING with laughter as she did all of the above!!! Eventually she came out of hiding straight to us and gave me a bearhug and I gave her a kiss and greeted her. “
Continue reading...SUBARU & SUZUKI WITHDRAW FROM WRC, FORD TO STAY
17. December 2008
Subaru out, Suzuki gone, but Ford is staying - for now. Following Suzuki's withdrawal from the World Rally Championship, Subaru has now announced it's pull out from the series effective immediately. After 20 years in the sport,including six World Rally Championship titles, the pullout is a major blow to the Championship and to the company itself. Subaru has raised it's international profile and earned considerable “street cred” through its iconic blue and yellow liveried WRXs. Prodrive chairman, David Richards, whose company has run the Subaru factory effort said that Subaru’s departure from the World Rally Championship was a great loss as it is one of the sport’s icons. Subaru boss Ikuo Mori told British website Autosport.com that he would like the marque to return to the World Rally Championship in the future.
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