TANDER QUICKEST ON THE MOUNTAIN AS HOLDWORTH IS PENALISED

Holden Racing Team driver Garth Tander has set the pace for this weekend's Bathurst 1000 with fastest time in Friday's final Qualifying session. Tander will be the final runner in Saturday's single flying lap shootout for the top ten after taking his HRT Commodore around the Mountain in 2:07:664. Mark Winterbottom gave Ford fans hope by setting the day's second quickest time with a 2:07:718. The 2010 pole sitter knows that while there is great prestige and some handy prize money for pole, it counts for little come Sunday. "I'd love to be on pole position and it is a big thing, so we'll try and put it on pole and try and lead the race on Sunday and see how we go." Series leader Jamie Whincup placed his car third after hard work from his crew after he put the car into the wall in morning practice. Fourth place went to David Reynolds setting the time on the final lap of qualifying. "I threw it on the line, chucked it down the hill, stomped out of it on Conrod and ended up P4." said an emotional Reynolds.

GT’s JUST SUPER FOR SUBARU

The exciting Japanese based SUPER GT series is that countries most popular form of motorsport, and if Subaru Australia had it could be down under as well. Nick Senior, Subaru Australia Managing Director told In Pit Lane at the Australian International Motorshow in Melbourne that he would very much like to see the class racing in Australia and right across the Asia Pacific region. "We'd love to be in motorsport, but unfortunately the Australian Rally Championship is not an avenue that's getting mainstream appeal" he said. "I've been looking for some time now at this series in Japan that has amazing mainstream appeal... fans love it, it's got great audiences and I think the cars are pretty wild and special looking but they are based on production cars so that's what excites me.’ Mr Senior said that with so may Japanese manufacturers already involved in the series it would be a great showcase for their companies technology. "Right now those companies are alienated from motorsport here in Australia." Mr Senior said. Despite the move by V8 Supercars Australia aimed at attracting new manufacturers through it's "Car of the Future" project, Mr Senior said that the local series had "no appeal" He said that his vision for SUPER GT championship would be a regional approach, perhaps starting in New Zealand, working it's way across Australia, before moving into other South East Asian Markets before finishing up back in Japan. A feature of the Subaru stand at the Motorshow was the Liberty B4 GT-300 racer, and Mr Senior was hoping that the cars appearance may fuel some interest, not only from fans, but with other manufacturers. "we're contemplating seeing if we can call a meeting of them, (The Japanese Manufacturers) and see if there's any interest in this... I think that a South East Asian series with perhaps 10, 12 or 15 races with cars from distributors in each market and you could have 25 or 30 cars on the grid." Mr Senior said. With moves by both SUPER GT and the DTM to closely mirror each others regulations, European manufacturers like Audi, Mercedes and BMW may also be attracted to such a series.

AUDI HEADING TO BATHURST ?

Audi may be heading for Bathurst with plans underway to bring two current GT3 R8 LMS cars to contest the Bathurst 12 hour race in February. Speaking after his Phillip Island enduro victory Mark Eddy told In Pit Lane that discussions are well advanced to see the two cars at the Mountain along with an international driving squad. "We're talking with Audi Europe (who) look like they're bringing two cars out. At the moment we're just working out a driver line up and it looks like a German, an Asian and an Australian driver will be in."

ASTON MARTIN ON TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN

Tony Quinn in an Aston Martin DBRS9 has claimed pole position for Race 1 of the Vodka O Australian GT Championship Round 5 to be held at the Mount Panorama Bathurst circuit tomorrow. Quinn pitted the Aston late in Friday's 20 minute qualifying session to put on new tyres and returned to the circuit to post a lap time of 2:11.6688 putting him on pole ahead of the second fastest man David Wall in a Porsche Cup S. Third on the grid went to the second of the VIP Petfoods cars - the Mosler of Klark Quinn with a best time of 2:12.4392. The Cup S Porsches of James Koundouris (2:12.5467) and Max Twigg (2:12.7413) filled slots four and five with the sixth fastest time in the qualifying session being claimed by the Lamborghini Gallardo of Peter Hackett (2:12.7911) ahead of the Dodge Viper of Greg Crick (2:14.6662).

BRIGHT START AT BATHURST AS LOWNDES BEATS THE PERFECT LAP

It was the stuff of which motor racing legends are made, Greg Murphy's perfect lap at Bathurst in 2003. Despite all the so-called advances in race car preparation, technology and tyres no one could top that remarkable lap. Until Today. Craig Lowndes propelled himself into the ranks of Mountain legends with a stunning two minutes, 06.8012 seconds lap to beat Murphy's time of 2:06.8594. "Everyone's been talking about it for a long time and finally now we've eclipsed it," Lowndes said. "It's great. Is there any more? You always say yes, but to actually go and do it is another thing." Murphy said he was surprised it had taken this long for his record to be broken but he was also quick to point out that it takes nothing away from his pole winning lap. "I did it seven years ago and I did it when I was 1.1 seconds quicker than the next guy when we'd done 2:07s for the first time on the Friday, that's why that's special.

IMG LINK RAISES THE STAKES IN F1 BREAKAWAY

Website Grand Prix.com is suggesting that global sports management juggernaut IMG could be the people behind the promotion of an "alternative F1" series. IMG is one of the World's largest sports promotion and management companies and if anybody can rival Bernie Ecclestone for professionalism and global reach then it's IMG. IMG has a global portfolio that includes many of the worlds biggest sporting events and the company has plenty of motorsport experience including running a number of major street races including the Surfers Paradise Indy race and several Champcar rounds in the USA. It also has run Bathurst and the Sandown enduros here in Australia. Currently they are responsible for the media and marketing rights to events including the LeMans Series, NASCAR, NHRA Drag Racing and The World Speedway Grand Prix. Interestingly IMG is also a media partner of the Williams F1 racing team, one of only two current F1 teams to commit themselves to the traditional FIA series next year. FOTA is scheduled to meet tomorrow to discuss the planning for their series, certainly, if as rumoured IMG is involved, then the chances of it happening and operating successfully just got a whole lot better.

FROSTY THE FORD MAN

MITSUBISHI DOMINATES BATHURST SHOWROOM SHOWDOWN

Mitsubishi Lancers have dominated the annual Bathurst 12 hour production car race at the famous Mount Panorama. Defending race champions Damien White & Rod Salmon were joined in their win by two time  Bathurst 1000 winner Tony Longhurst. Second place went to the Western Australian team of Sports Sedan star Tony Ricciardello and his fellow Western Australian team-mates Stuart Kostera and Glyn Crimp. “After four 1000km races, this was my first 12 Hour race and it was a great experience. Reliability wasn’t an issue all weekend and everything ran like clockwork,” said Ricciardello who normally pilots a 700 BHP V8 powered Alfa Romeo in the Australian Sports Sedan Championship. The final spot on the podium went to a late charging Jason Bargwanna for his ProDuct Motorsport team-mate Brad Jones with only a fuel issue in his final pit stop robbing him of what could have been a last minute attempt at second place after he fought to regain a lead lap position. The pair completed 19 pit stops throughout the race due to a fuel issue with their Mitsubishi Lancer, however, using all of their strategic experience to ensure they stayed in contention for the event.  “We just continued to circulate all day, stayed out of trouble, had 19 pit stops due to a fuel pick up problem, also had some boost and electrical dramas, so all in all it is very busy race but it was pleasing to get up here on the podium at Bathurst,” said Bargwanna. Race pole-sitter Steve Owen leading the field away as the 47-car field headed up the Mountain for the 6.30 am start, but his race came to a premature end when his Mitsubishi Lancer endured gearbox problems in the second hour of the race.

HAT-TRICK FOR LOWNDES & WHINCUP AS FORD WINS BATHURST

Ford drivers Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup took a hat-trick of wins in Australia's biggest race the Bathurst 100 at Mount Panorama. The Team Vodafone/Triple Eight team hit the front early in the race and despite a late race challenge from Holden driver Greg Murphy hung on to win by just under three seconds after 1000 kms of racing.

HOLDEN ON POLE FOR BATHURST 1000

Phillip Island 500 winners Garth Tander and Mark Skaife have firmed to equal favouritism for today's Bathurst 1000 after taking pole position for the Australian classic at Mount Panorama. Tander set the fastest time in Saturday's Top Ten shootout and despite a last place charge by  FPV driver Mark Winterbottom it will be Holden on pole. Tander's time  of 2 mins:07.2963 seconds was still off the record of New Zealand driver Greg Murphy of 2 mins: 06.8594 seconds during the 2003 top-10 shootout.