HOLDEN: V8 SUPERCAR PROTEST WILL BE HEARD

The protest by Holden teams against the controversial front splitter mountings on the all conquering Team Vodafone Falcons will now be heard.   The Confederation of Australian Motorsport's V8 Supercar National Court of Appeal, has upheld an appeal lodged by Walkinshaw Performance and will now allow an official protest.   The appeal was lodged against the decision by Stewards at the Symmons Plains round on 29 May, not hear the protest regarding the legality of the Team Vodafone splitter mount and the decisions and conduct of the V8 Supercar Category Technical Director, Campbell Little.   In a statement released yesterday (June 9 2009) the Court of Appeal ruled that:   1. That the Appeal be allowed; 2. The time limit for lodging of the Protest by Walkinshaw Performance, dated 22 May 2009, be extended to 22 May 2009; 3. Direct that CAMS reconvene, for the purpose of Hearing the Protest by Walkinshaw Performance alone, the Stewards of the Meeting held on the 1-3 May 2009 at Winton Motor Raceway, or appoint other Stewards as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Rule A10.1.3.14; 4. That the Appeal Fee be refunded to the Appellant; 5. Direct that the Protest Fee be reinstated; 6. Direct that CAMS give notice of this decision to Triple Eight Race Engineering Pty Ltd and inform that person that they have a right to be heard at the Hearing; 7. Direct that the Stewards conduct the Hearing promptly; 8. Liberty to the parties and Triple Eight Race Engineering Pty Ltd to apply for further orders if necessary. The V8 Supercar National Court of Appeal said that it will give its full decision regarding this matter in writing within 14 days.   The controversy over the splitter mounting has led to the resignation of V8 Supercars Technical Director Campbell Little. In a statement issued last Monday Little said that  he had arrived at the decision in recent weeks.

BRABHAM RETURNS TO AUSSIE RACETRACKS

  The most famous name in Australian Motorsport will return to the nation's racetracks, as Matthew Brabham contests a limited Formula Ford campaign in the Victorian State Circuit Racing Championship. Brabham, son of Le Mans 24 hour winner Geoff, will race with the support of Melbourne's Kangan-Batman TAFE and their Automotive Centre of Excellence (ACE). Speaking at a launch held at the ACE, Matthew told the assembled crowd that despite the remarkable achievements of his famous Grandfather, Father and Uncles, his inspiration to race came from his Mother. “As I grew up I watched my Mother competing in Jet Ski races in America, it was there I got into the whole racing bug.” he said. Despite carrying such a famous name, the 15 year old says he is feeling no extra pressure to perform. “I'm just the same as everybody else, I've been racing karts for seven years, just trying it out and to get into the whole atmosphere of what my family's been doing for so long.” he said. Matthew's Father Geoff said that he hadn't encouraged his son to follow in the family footsteps but he was happy to give his son his full support. I tried to get a tennis racquet in to his hand, I tried everything I possibly could” he said jokingly. “ But my wife was racing Jet Skis when he was like three or four years old so that didn't help either. We tried very hard to get him interested in something else but unfortunately we failed miserably.” With so many racers in the family Matthew has no shortage of career advice, although he's admitted that he may not necessarily listen to all of it. “My Granddad (3 times World F1 Champion Sir Jack)  gives me Grandfather type advice, he says just go for it, my Dad is a bit more professional talking about marketing, presenting yourself and also racecraft, but it's very hard to relay over information and tips from other generations... road racing has changed so much from when my Grandfather was doing it.” Matthew tested the new car at Winton the following morning and could make his debut at the next round of the Victorian State Series at Sandown on July 18 and 19.  

NASCAR: LIFELOCK 400 PREVIEW

RICCIARDELLO’S CUP BUT WALL TAKES THE ROUND

Western Australian driver Tony Ricciardello won the Clem Smith Cup for Sports Sedans in Round Four of the Shannons Nationals at Mallala Motor Sport Park in South Australia. Ricciardello took his six litre Chev powered Alfa Romeo to victory in the marquee race of the Kerrick Sports Sedan Series, the Clem Smith Cup. The win gave Ricciardello his second Clem Smith Cup, after he won the inaugural Cup in 2007. "We had some problems with the car early on, but after we got that sorted it was perfect, it didn’t miss a beat," Ricciardello said. "Winning the Clem Smith Cup again is an honour, big thanks go to Clem for his support of the race and Sports Sedans." Ricciardello and reigning champion Melbourne's Darren Hossack in an Audi A4/Chev continued their fierce rivalry, which spilt over as the pair clashed in Race One and Race Three. NSW driver Des Wall in a Trans-Am Corvette avoided the trouble to win the two races and the round; Ricciardello claimed a second and a ninth in the other two races, Hossack an 11th and a fifth. Queensland driver Bob McLoughlin in Commodore had a consistent weekend and was rewarded with an outright fourth place for the weekend. Tasmanian Bruce Banks in a Mazda RX7 was next just in front of Victoria's Michael Robinson in his Monaro (Pontiac GTO). It was a disappointing turn-out for the big Sports Sedans with only 13 cars fronting the starter for the first race on Sunday. Local drivers finished first and second in Round Two of the Shannons V8 Touring Car Series.

SIX HOURS OF WATKINS GLEN

LIFES A DRAG AS CRASH ROBS REED

For a slender moment during the Top Alcohol Final of the Castrol EDGE Winternationals at Ipswich’s Willowbank Raceway Debbie Reed appeared to have re-written the Australian Drag Racing record books.  Having to win the Final against Aaron Hambridge to become the first female to win an Australian Drag Racing professional championship Reed appeared to have achieved the honour when Hambridge jumped the start lights. However, as fate would have it Reed made contact with the concrete wall at around the 330ft mark while travelling at over 200 km/h resulting in exclusion, handing the Winternationals win to Hambridge and the Championship to Gary Phillips. “I am absolutely heartbroken,” said Reed. “I would really love to come back next season and fight for it, to have it over again. “Unfortunately at the moment though, as much as I want to keep going with our current funding situation it just isn’t looking possible without a corporate partner, but you never know and I guess we will just have to wait and see.”

INSANE SUBARU MOTORKHANA VID!

+KEN+BLOCK’S+GYMKHANA+TWO+

BRABHAM FAMILY NOT A PART OF GRAND PRIX COMEBACK

The Brabham family have distanced themselves from an attempt by an organisation calling itself Brabham Grand Prix Ltd. to bring the iconic name back to F1. In a statement issued last night the Brabham family expressed their surprise at the news that an entry has been submitted for the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship by Formtech with the intention of operating as Brabham Grand Prix Limited. "The family would like to make it clear that they are in no way involved with Brabham Grand Prix Limited and received no consultation regarding the company’s plans to resurrect their historic name in Formula One." the statement said.  The family is taking legal advice and will take necessary steps to protect their name, reputation and its goodwill. The new Brabham Grand Prix team is led by by German entrepreneur Franz Hilmer, owner of Formtech GmbH, a machine tool business based in Germany. Australian Mark Preston, formerly the technical director of Super Aguri will be technical director. Preston was previously with Super Aguri and the new team says it will operate out of that teams former home, the Leafield Technical Centre. The announcement of the possible return of the Brabham name to F1 came only an hour before the announcement in Melbourne that 15 year old Matthew Brabham, son of Le Mans winner Geoff and the Grandson of three time World Champion Sir Jack, would soon make his Australian circuit racing debut in the Victorian Formula Ford Championship.