MOVING TRIBUTE TO RICHARD BURNS

ARC FUTURE IN ONLINE SEMINAR

New Australian Rally Commission CEO Scott Pedder has wasted no time in getting feedback about the sport announcing an online Webinar for competitors in this year's Australian Rally Championships. Competitors from around Australia and beyond will be given the chance to hear about the major changes and initiatives being planned for the 2011 Championship without leaving the comfort of their homes or workplaces via a special Webinar scheduled for Friday January 28 at midday (EDST). The Webinar, a virtual web based seminar, will be hosted by Mr Pedder and is aimed at giving both competitors and prospective competitors the chance to understand all of the initiatives being planned with changes designed to make the ARC a better, simpler and more rewarding championship in 2011 and beyond.

THE MOTORSPORT WORLD DESCENDS ON FLORIDA FOR PRI SHOW

It's the World's biggest dedicated motorsport trade show, and every year tens of thousands of people from all over the World descend on it's Florida base to see an Aladdin's cave of racing and performance related product. It's the PRI Show. Held every December by the trade magazine "Performance Racing Industry" (PRI) the show attracts the biggest players in US and International motorsport for three days of networking, seminars and other events showcasing the diverse range of products and services for the industry. One regular visitor to the show is Australian Motorsport Legend Murray Carter. A little over one month short of his 80th birthday Carter has just debuted a brand new Corvette at Phillip Island and this years PRI show will be a chance to check out new products, and ideas to assist in the car's further development. "I go every year if I can." Murray told me at Phillip Island. "It's marvellous" he said.

IRC BARUM CZECH RALLY ZLIN ACTION THIS WEEKEND

With four events of the 2010 Intercontinental Rally Challenge season remaining, the battle for the title is tightly poised as the series heads to Czech Republic next week for the 40th running of the all-asphalt Barum Czech Rally Zlin. Juho Hanninen tops the drivers' standings after eight rounds but his lead over Skoda Motorsport team-mate Jan Kopecky has been trimmed to just seven points. And Kopecky, a recognised asphalt specialist and the winner in Zlin last season, knows victory on his home event would erode Hanninen's advantage still further after he outscored the Finn on the last IRC round in Madeira. Kopecky is relishing the opportunity of competing in front of the Czech spectators, who traditionally flock to the event in huge number. However, he is the first to admit the rally is one of the most difficult on the IRC calendar due to the proliferation of high-speed blasts through forests and woodland, sections of broken Tarmac and the bumpy nature of some of the roads. Considered daunting by some drivers, the rally demands huge commitment and extremely accurate pacenotes. A mainstay of the IRC since its inception in 2007, the event gets underway with a superspecial stage through the streets of host city Zlin on Friday 27 August. Run at night, the course is effectively three laps of the city's central area and crosses over a railway line. Crews are released from the start in regular intervals, which means there will be approximately seven cars on the concrete wall-lined course at any one time.

MONSTER ATTACKS THE PEAK (Turn it up LOUD!)

MOTORSPORT JOINS THE BUSHFIRE RECOVERY FIGHT

Australia's Motorsport community has joined the rest of the nation in supporting the victims of the terrible bushfires that as we go to press continue to race across Victoria. At this time over 180 people are confirmed dead with many others missing or seriously injured. Young Victorian Drifter Luke Jacobs and his parents Alan and Miros Jacobs as well as Luke's close friend BMX rider Nathan Charles all lost their lives at the Jacobs family home in Koornalla.  “This is a horrible tragedy and they will be sorely missed.” said Drift Australia’s Wayne Boatwright.  Several Victorian state rally competitors lost business and homes in the inferno that swept across the ranges at a stunning speed fanned by 46 degree temperatures and gale force winds. V8 Supercars Australia joined other professional sporting groups across the country in announcing a $100000 donation to the national appeal while V8 stars, Jamie Whincup, Craig Lowndes, Garth Tander and Will Davison gave their time in a nationally televised appeal that raised over $20 million. “As a sport we are doing what we can with this donation and the other initiatives announced today" said V8 Supercar Chairman Tony Cochrane. "We urge our fan base throughout Australia to contribute to this extremely worthwhile cause.” V8 Supercars Australia CEO Cameron Levick said that all proceeds from the annual test day at Winton Motor Raceway on March 9 would also be donated to the relief fund. Queensland Raceway, which has a test day on March 11, will donate all it's gate takings to the North Queensland Flood Appeal. Jamie Whincup said he was devastated by the fires in an area so close to where he grew up. “Personally I am in a state of shock - having grown up only 15 minutes from the Whittlesea Relief Centre; I enjoyed much of my recreational time in the King Lake district and have many of my relatives, friends and fans located in the fire affected area.  “I have today personally donated $1,000 to the appeal and call upon my fellow V8 Supercar drivers to match that amount. If we can all do this that will equate to an additional $30,000 on top of the $100,000 V8 Supercars have donated as our sports governing body."

TOYOTA KILLS OFF TRD, RALLY PROGRAMME UNDER REVIEW

Toyota Australia have killed off it's performance line TRD and the local Rally programme could be next. TRD was responsible for the Supercharged Aurion and Hi-Lux designed to take on Holden's HSV and Fords FPV performance brands, but overall the brand failed to capture the publics imagination and sales were disappointing. Toyota Australia senior executive director Dave Buttner said “Toyota made a significant financial commitment to TRD vehicle conversion and clearly understood short-term profitability was unlikely... However, the perspective has changed for business globally and those new rules require tough decisions for the greater good.”  Mr Buttner said that with the realities of the financial crisis and the downturn in consumer confidence, companies worldwide have an overriding responsibility to do their utmost to conserve cash. “...and Toyota is doing just that.“

QUEENSLAND’S SUNCOAST RALLY CANCELLED

The 2009 Suncoast Classic tarmac rally has been cancelled with organisers blaming the world financial crisis for a lack of entries. The management team of Silverstone Events, which planned to stage the rally on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast between 22 and 26 July, said that a smaller than expected number of registrations had resulted in its cancellation. Silverstone Events Director David Edwards said it appeared the world financial crisis has taken its toll on motorsport events like the rally. He said that while the number of enquiries for the second Suncoast Classic was high, those early registrations of interest had not translated into official entries. “Unfortunately, we have not received the number of entries we expected by this point,” Mr Edwards said.

RALLY AUSTRALIA FOR NSW

The Confederation of Australian Motorsport has announced details of the return of Australia's round of the World Rally Championship, Rally Australia. At a launch in Sydney today it was announced that the Rally will take place around North Eastern New South Wales in and around the Tweed Heads area.

GO WEST YOUNG GETZ! oh all right it’s an i30 but that’s not as good a headline

Hyundai's Western Australian Dealer network is getting behind the Hyundai i30 turbo Diesel production car entry into the 2008 QUIT Targa West tarmac rally . The entry is the result of a joint venture initiative between Hyundai Motor Company Australia, which is supplying the car, and the Western Australian Hyundai Dealer network, which is supporting the event with drivers, technicians and a professional race support team.