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.

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."

LE MANS: THE GREATEST RACE

DWYER TAKES FIRST F5000 WIN AT ALBERT PARK

British driver Mark Dwyer (Lola T400) topped a truly international podium after the first MSC F5000 Tasman Cup Revival series race at the Formula 1™  Qantas Australian Grand Prix meeting in Melbourne today. Dwyer was untroubled to win today’s 8-lap race, crossing the finish line just over 20 seconds ahead of Australian Aaron Lewis (Chevron B24) and [...]

EARNHARDT JUNIOR TAKES THE #3 TO A DAYTONA WIN

JUNIOR WINS AT DAYTONA: “This one’s for Daddy”

Dale Earnhardt Jnr. has taken an emotional victory at the Nationwide Cup round at Dayton Speedway. Driving the Number 3 made famous by his late father, who died in an accident at the same track, Earnhardt gave Chevrolet the perfect debut for their next generation Impala. Wearing the original blue & yellow livery of his fathers car, “Junior” held his nerve and his twitchy car to just edge out the Toyota of Joey Logano. Rookie driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was third in the new Ford Mustang. “A win was the only acceptable result.” said an emotional Earnhardt after the race. “if we hadn't of won then everybody would have been saying 'what's the point'.

NASCAR: BRINGING THE STOCK BACK INTO STOCK CAR RACING

It's ironic that the National Association of Stock Car Racing race a brand of car that is anything but stock. Yet there was once a time when at least the cars had some passing resemblance to the sort of machine that US buyers could find in their showrooms on Monday morning. That all changed when NASCAR adopted it's new regulations rather amusingly dubbed "The Car of Tomorrow". Apart from the fact that anything powered by a six litre carburettor fed pushrod V8 could hardly be looking towards the future, the fact is that they were just plain ugly. It was as if, inspired by their cousins at the Grand-Am, they set out to create a car even less aesthetically pleasant than the awful looking Daytona Prototypes. But this weekend at Daytona all that changes.

AMBROSE ON TOP IN NASCAR PRACTICE. KELLY SHINES ON DEBUT

Marcos Ambrose has made the early running in this weekend's NASCAR Road Course race at Infinion Raceway, Sonoma. Ambrose took his Toyota to a fastest lap time of 76.375 at 93.800 MPH to edge out the Chevys of Clint Boyer and Ryan Newman. GT driver Jan Magnussen was off the early pace back in 26th place. DTM star Mattias Ekstrom also found his first taste of US stockcars quite a challenge ending the day in 40th place. Meanwhile in the Nationwide Cup at the spectacular Road America circuit, Aussie NASCAR debutante Owen Kelly has done well finishing the day in sixth position. Fastest time at Road America went to former Formula One World Champion Jacques Villeneuve. The Nationwide race from Road America can be seen in Australia on ONE HD early Monday morning, with a delayed telecast of Sprint Cup action also on ONE Tuesday night at 8.30 p.m.

HOSSACK’S AUDI WINS CLEM SMITH CUP

Darren Hossack has won the 2010 Clem Smith Cup with a last to first drive, at South Australia'sMallala Motor Sport Park. After damaging his new set of tyres for the weekend during qualifying, Hossack was forced to start his Audi-Chevrolet from the rear of grid with four new tyres for the feature race. Undeterred, the former champion scythed through the field, taking advantage of a spin by rookie JamesSera (Saab-Chevrolet) to take the win. “Finally, it’s been one that’s been hard to win for some reason,” Hossack said. “It would have been interesting had James not spun, but he did a really good job regardless. Hossack won all three races for the weekend, although multiple karting champion Sera was very impressive during his circuit racing debut, finishing second overall.

KESELOWSKI CREAMS ‘EM AT RICHMOND

RICHMOND, Va.—After a late caution turned a runaway into a challenge for Brad Keselowski, a late four-tire call proved decisive, as Keselowski stormed to the front from fourth place during a green-white-checkered-flag finish to win Friday night's Bubba Burger 250 Nationwide Series race at Richmond International Raceway. Keselowski, who led 189 of 252 laps, had an advantage of almost two seconds when Paul Menard slammed the Turn 2 wall on Lap 245 of a scheduled 250 at the .75-mile short track. "I'm coming," Keselowski radioed to crew chief Paul Wolfe, steering his car toward pit road for a four-tire stop. Kyle Busch and Justin Allgaier stayed out on old tires, while Jamie McMurray and Greg Biffle each took two. Busch led the field to green on Lap 251 with Allgaier beside him, McMurray on the inside of the second row and Keselowski alongside in fourth. Biffle surged forward from the fifth spot, and by the time the cars reached Turn 3 on the next-to-last lap, Keselowski and Biffle had separated themselves from the pack. A lap later, Keselowski passed to the inside and ultimately crossed the finish line .261 seconds ahead of Biffle. McMurray finished third, Busch fourth and Carl Edwards fifth. Keselowski extended his series lead to 59 points over seventh-place finisher Kevin Harvick.