MOSLER MONSTERED OUT OF AUSSIE GT

The Australian GT series has lost one of it's major drawcards with the withdrawal of John Teulan's Mosler team. Teulan hit out at Australian GT organisers, saying that that despite encouragement to enter the series, it had now become pretty clear they wanted to get rid of the car.   "The organisers want us out there to help the flash car parade, but this way we may as well drive a local taxi" he said.   Teulan said that the car had undergone no less than 8 parity changes in it's short two meeting local history that had created confusion and made the car potentially dangerous to drive.   "the standard car is 1200 Kilos, in Europe they run at 1300, by the time we're finished we'd be carrying an extra 450 kgs at Phillip Island and that's not to mention the ride height and air restrictors."   Teulan said that changes to the car after the first race in Melbourne had already slowed the car by around three seconds a lap "now they want to slug us another 80kg"   Air restrictors had already cost the car around 35% of it's power and the ride height changes had left the car in a potentially dangerous racing condition.   "These things are not touring cars, they are designed with a certain ride height and if you start messing to much with it the car can become almost undrivable at high speed."

FIA GT3: THE STARS COME OUT AT NIGHT IN ITALY

After two thrilling races at Silverstone, the teams and drivers competing in the 2009 FIA GT3 European Championship head to Italy for the first visit by the series to the Adria International Raceway near Venice.    The 2.7km circuit is one of the most technically demanding on the 2009 calendar and, in another first for the FIA GT3 European Championship, will also feature a night race on Saturday evening. Last week at Silverstone, the opening round of the 2009 championship saw 37 cars line up to take the start behind the AutoGT Racing Morgan of Dimitri Enjalbert, who claimed Morgan’s first ever GT3 pole position. Enjalbert lost the lead to the Hexis Racing Aston Martin of Thomas Accary on the run into the first corner but fought back at Maggotts to emerge onto Hanger Straight back in front. Accary had to fend off the attentions of the two Audi’s of Christopher Mies (Team Rosberg) and Nicolas Armindo (Team Rosberg). After the pitstops Johan-Boris Scheier in the leading Morgan was caught and passed by Christopher Haase in the Team Rosberg Audi. However the young German was denied a debut win by a transmission failure six laps from home and victory went to the Morgan, the manufacturer’s first international win since 1962 at Le Mans and a first for AutoGT Racing.

QUEENSLAND STATE SERIES SHINES

The Queensland Motor Racing Championships held at Morgan Park Raceway on April 25-26 were a massive success, due largely to the introduction of Saturday night championship races.  Organised by the Queensland Racing Drivers Association (QRDA), the meeting saw around 150 racers take to the track, traveling from as far away as New Zealand to compete.  As an added bonus for competitors, there was perfect weather for the event, especially for the Saturday night racing where a large crowd turned out to take in the festivities.  Chris Donnelly, president of the QRDA was once again impressed by the local facilities, volunteers and spectator numbers.  "The Warwick District Sporting Car Club has gone above all expectations in assisting with the set up for the night racing and lighting towers, the success of the meeting and the presentation of Morgan Park Raceway is a credit to Bill Campbell and his team," said Mr Donnelly.  "I hope that the people of Warwick realise what a valuable asset they have at Morgan Park, as once again the town filled up with competitors and teams from as far away as Darwin, Cairns and New Zealand.  "The racing itself was top notch, with the night racing a real test for the drivers, with several competitors actually going quicker in the night racing than they did during the day time qualifying sessions.  "We all look forward to returning for the remainder of the championship races in August and November."  Qualifying on Saturday kicked off after a lunchtime Anzac Day service hosted by the Warwick branch of the RSL, which was attended by all competitors and teams.  There were several surprise packets amongst the front runners in the 10 competing classes, including the Queensland Geminis.  Ryan Hansford, son of the late legend of two and four wheel motorsport Gregg Hansford, won his first ever championship race after only a handful of meetings in 2008.  In the Saloon Cars, newcomer Grant Gatland shook up the establishment with a strong podium run in his Falcon.  Gatland, formerly from South Africa where he raced in the VW Polo series, is a student of the Southern Queensland Institute of Tafe motorsport program, and has a big future ahead of him.  Other strong local performers included Warwick driver Jamie Furness in the HQ Holdens, who battled hard all weekend long with his Toowoomba based uncle Gary Bonwick, and Brisbane based Dion Cidoni for the podium places.  For more information on the Queensland Motor Racing Championships, visit the QRDA website atwww.qrda.asn.au.  Source: QRDA Media Release

MOSLER MONSTERS STREETS OF ADELAIDE

  A winning debut for the controversial Mosler MT900 as New Zealand driver Craig Baird wins race one of the Australian GT Championship on the streets of Adelaide. Starting from pole Baird jumped to an immediate lead and was never headed despite close attention from David Wall in the Porsche 997 GT3 Cup S. Klark Quinn showed his potential as a professional driver with a strong third place in his Porsche 996 GT3 also taking the win in the Challenge class. 24 cars finished the race with the tight confines of the Adelaide street circuit testing even the best drivers. Jim Richard's retired early after contact with another car, John Tuelan spun his Mosler late in the race and John Briggs was out early in the Dodge Viper. The second race for the Australian GT Championship will be held tomorrow (Sunday)  

FERRARI WINS SANDOWN BUT LAMBORGHINI TAKES THE TITLE

The Ferrari team of Nick O'Halloran and Alan Simonsen took out the Sandown GT classic last weekend. Held over two one hour heats the black Ferrari crossed the line over 16 seconds ahead of the Viper of Ross Lilley and former Nations Cup Champion Greg Crick. Tony Quinn making his debut in the ex Peter Hackett Aston Martin DBRS9 led the race at various times but fell back to third late in the race. The Lamborghini team of Ted Huglin and John Bowe came through to finish fourth with former F1 driver Ivan Capelli impressing everybody with his speed in the Maserati Trofero. Max Twigg in a Porsche GT3 Cup Car was sixth to take out Class B over the team of Michael Locisano and Marc Cini with high profile Hollywood actor Eric Bana also in a Porsche in third. Only 13 cars finished the race which was dealt a blow on Friday when the cars of Championship Contender John Kaias and Kim Bourke came together during private practice. With Kaias out Mark Eddy in the Lamborghini became the Australian National GT Champion after a seventh place finish.

WIN FREE TICKETS TO SANDOWN NATIONALS

The 2009 Australian Circuit Racing season rounds up with the Shannon's Nationals from Sandown on November 29-30 and YOU can be there! Thanks to the Shannons Nationals, In Pit Lane is offering five lucky viewers the chance to be our guest at Sandown for what looks like a huge weekend of motorsport variety. The main event sees the glamour and excitement of the final round of the Australian GT Championship as Lamborghini driver Mark Eddy faces off against the Aston Martin of John Kaias in the fight for this year's title. But they wont have it all on their own though as several top drivers return to the series for the grand final. Australian motorsport legend John Bowe will return to to track driving with Ted Huglin in a Lamborghini Gallardo and as a five time GT race winner Bowe will be hard to beat.

HYUNDAI UNVEILS MILLEN BUILT “GT” GENESIS

BIG DAY FOR NISSAN AT AUTOPOLIS SUPER-GT

The Nissan GT-R of Satoshi Motoyama and Benoit Treluyer, won Kyushu 300, Round 8 of the Autobacs SUPER GT series at the Autopolis in Japan.  Starting from pole position lead driver Benoit Treluyer, made a great start to open up a significant lead. Co-driver Motoyama took over for the second half of the race and from then on was never threatened. The win was the team's third of the season but their first since way back in round two. They now lead the series outright with one round remaining.

RECORD ENTRY FOR HISTORIC SANDOWN

One of the highlights of the Victorian motor racing year  the VACC Historic Sandown on November 7-9 just got even better with the news that almost 360 cars have entered the event potentially equalling the record for the meeting. Despite the current economic crisis that has gripped the globe growth has occurred in all categories, with more than 20 Formula 5000s now confirmed for the VACC Trophy races, along with nearly 60 historic touring cars, and 70 classic and high performance cars spanning the history of the automobile have entered the popular Regularity (average speed) events.

PEUGEOT ON POLE FOR PETIT LE MANS

Puegeot's single car entry will start from pole for the 2008 Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. Stephane Sarrazin's time of 1:06.242 (138.039 mph) just edged out the Audi Sport North America's R10 of  Allan McNish by 0.085 seconds to set up another classic confrontation between the two giants of international sports prototype racing. “We are very happy,“ said Sarrazin, who also captured pole position at the 24 Hours of Le Mans the last two years for Peugeot. “It is very good for us and the team. We will focus now on a good start and a long race for tomorrow. It is a different target now than Sebring (in March). We were a newer car then and we did not finish. Then we advanced at Le Mans, so now we have even more time with the car.“ The rapid improvement in Le Mans racing was clearly evident as in the  top 15 qualifiers were all under Marco Werner's pole-winning time of 1:08.906 (132.703 mph) from 2006, with Sarrazin 2.564 seconds under. Werner, himself qualified third in the second of the Audi R10 TDIs at 1:06.818 (136.849 mph). Penske Racing's Ryan Briscoe led a Porsche sweep of the top three qualifying positions in LMP2. Briscoe made a triumphant return to Road Atlanta with a class-record pole run of 1:07.061 (136.353 mph) in one of Penske's three Porsche RS Spyders that he will share with two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves.