AUDI WINS LE MANS SURVIVOR SERIES

The sole surviving Audi of André Lotterer, Marcel Fassler and local driver Benoit Treluyer withstood the three pronged Peugeot attack to win a classic Le Mans 24 hours. Starting from pole the #2 Audi R18 became the team's sole surviving car after huge accidents claimed his team mates Alan McNish and Mike Rockenfeller. McNish crashed early in the race after contact with a slower Ferrari GTE-Am car which sent the R18 crashing into the Armco at high speed. Photographers, Marshals and Spectators were showered with carbon fibre as the Audi disintegrated. Thankfully no one was seriously hurt but it was far more good luck than anything else that a massive tragedy didn't occur. Mike Rockenfeller survived the weekends biggest crash after another tangle with a GTE-Am Ferrari. Rockenfeller clipped the Ferrari at the fastest part of the Mulsane straight send the car into the Armco at close to 300 Km/h. Once again the incredible strength of the cars survival cell did it's job and Rockenfeller was able to get out of his car under his own steam. With both Audi's out it was left to the #2 car to hold off all three Peugeots over the reminder of the race. Despite constant challenges, and some at times dubious tactics, the team held on, due in no small part to some brilliant driving especially by Treluyer and Lotterer.

IN PIT LANE November 16 (Full Audio)

The World Hydroplane Championships are heading to Lake Mulwala in North Eastern Victoria on November 26 - 28. We preview the big event with Hydroplane racers Grant Harrison and Paul Cunningham. Plus all the fallout from the final round of F1, the V8 Supercars from Tasmania, Chevy’s Indycar comeback and win the ultimate Island Magic experience.

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'.

KELLY BROTHERS GET THE JACK

V8 Supercar brothers Todd and Rick Kelly have unveiled their new Jack Daniel’s Holden Commodores the new Kelly Racing headquarters in the Melbourne suburb of Braeside. Todd Kelly will drive the #7 Jack Daniel’s Commodore while brother Rick will have the familiar #15 on the side of his Jack Daniel’s Holden. Both cars will make their race debuts at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide on March 19-22. A common team and naming rights sponsor means that the Kelly brothers will not only have a major presence on track all season, but will also combine to form one of the strongest driver pairings for the annual endurance events at Phillip Island and Bathurst. Rick Kelly, who won the V8 Supercar Championship in 2006, believes that 2009 will be a “new beginning” for everyone involved with Kelly Racing. “The support we have had from Jack Daniel’s as we have gone through the tough months of establishing our own team has been incredible,” said Rick. “This is obviously an exciting year for our entire family because we have the responsibility of our own team, Todd and I get to race together as team-mates in V8 Supercar and we have all that to share with Jack Daniel’s and everyone associated with the brand. “Todd and I will be racing each other as hard as ever, but from now on I guess we will be a little happier if the other one manages a big result.” The partnering of Todd Kelly and Rick Kelly in 2009 provides the opportunity to further reinforce the ‘Pace Yourself. Drink Responsibility’ message, which is the core element of the Jack Daniel’s Racing Platform said Jack Daniel’s Australia Managing Director, Michael McShane. “The ability to have high profile sportsmen Todd and Rick Kelly, to assist in promoting the importance of drinking responsibly is critically important and we are thrilled to be able to reinforce this message thorough our association with Kelly Racing,” said McShane.

HONDA OUT, AUDI CUT BACK. WHO’S NEXT!

Honda's decision to leave Formula One is just an early taste of the schism about to hit international motorsport worldwide. As the US based sub-prime economic meltdown hits, Honda will be the first of many to reassess the wisdom of spending millions of dollars on cars going round and round in circles. Already major NASCAR teams are laying off staff and as the US big three put out the begging bowl to US taxpayers one wonders how any sensible Government will view any public funds being ploughed into things like NASCAR, NHRA and the American Le Mans Series. In the week when Audi announced its commitment to building a new diesel powered sports prototype for Le Mans, they also announced a complete pull out from both the European Le Mans series and the ALMS. Toyota, who have probably the biggest exposure of all the Japanese car makers to the collapsing US economy have issued a statement saying that they remain committed to F1. No, sorry that is “currently” committed to F1. Unlike Honda, Toyota have had some limited success at F1 level and also unlike Honda they have the backing of a major naming rights sponsor in Panasonic. But their press release does give very clear indication that unless ways are found to dramatically cut the huge cost of F1 then they too could be the next to go.

NEW CORVETTES JOIN THE AUSSIE GT PARTY

Chevrolet will join the field for the steadily improving Australian GT championship with the news that both Neil  Bryson & Paul Freestone will be running Corvette's at Sandown in November. Bryson's car is the ex Ken James yellow machine imported from the Speed GT challenge in the USA but never run down under, the car will be prepared by Melbourne sportscar specialists Jocaro.  The car will run in the GT challenge class as it is not fully compliant with the series FIA GT3 specs. Freestone, who competed regularly in production car racing in the 90's in a Lotus and at the Calder Park Thunderdome will run his Corvette in the Production class.